Volume III Part 44 (1/2)

Thy belt of straw and ivy buds, Thy coral clasps and amber studs, All these to me no means can move To come to thee, and be thy love.

But could youth last and love still breed, Had joys no date nor age no need, Then these delights my mind might move To live with thee, and be thy love.

FOOTNOTES:

[667] Oldys in his annotated copy (preserved in the British Museum) of Langbaine's _Engl. Dram. Poets_, under the article _Marlowe_ remarks:--”Sir Walter Raleigh was an encourager of his [_i.e._ Marlowe's] Muse; and he wrote an answer to a Pastoral Sonnet of Sir Walter's [_sic_], printed by Isaac Walton in his book of fis.h.i.+ng.” It would be pleasant to think that Marlowe enjoyed Raleigh's patronage; but Oldys gives no authority for his statement.

ANOTHER OF THE SAME NATURE MADE SINCE.

Come live with me, and be my dear, And we will revel all the year, In plains and groves, on hills and dales, Where fragrant air breathes sweetest gales.

There shall you have the beauteous pine, The cedar, and the spreading vine; And all the woods to be a screen, Lest Phoebus kiss my Summer's Queen.

The seat for your disport shall be Over some river in a tree, Where silver sands and pebbles sing Eternal ditties to the spring.

There shall you see the nymphs at play, And how the satyrs spend the day; The fishes gliding on the sands, Offering their bellies to your hands.

The birds with heavenly tuned throats Possess woods' echoes with sweet notes, Which to your senses will impart A music to enflame the heart.

Upon the bare and leafless oak The ring-doves' wooings will provoke A colder blood than you possess To play with me and do no less.

In bowers of laurel trimly dight We will out-wear the silent night, While Flora busy is to spread Her richest treasure on our bed.

Ten thousand glow-worms shall attend, And all these sparkling lights shall spend All to adorn and beautify Your lodging with most majesty.

Then in mine arms will I enclose Lilies' fair mixture with the rose, Whose nice perfection in love's play Shall tune me to the highest key.

Thus as we pa.s.s the welcome night In sportful pleasures and delight, The nimble fairies on the grounds, Shall dance and sing melodious sounds.

If these may serve for to entice Your presence to Love's Paradise, Then come with me, and be my dear, And we will then begin the year.

The following verses in imitation of Marlowe are by Donne:--

THE BAIT.

Come live with me, and be my love, And we will some new pleasure prove Of golden sands and christal brooks With silken lines and silver hooks.

There will the river whispering run, Warm'd by thine eyes more than the sun; And there th' enamoured fish will stay Begging themselves they may betray.

When thou wilt swim in that live bath, Each fish which every channel hath Will amorously to thee swim, Gladder to catch thee than thou him.

If thou to be so seen beest loath By sun or moon, thou darkenest both; And if my self have leave to see, I heed not their light, having thee.

Let others freeze with angling reeds And cut their legs with sh.e.l.ls and weeds, Or treacherously poor fish beset With strangling snare or winding net.

Let coa.r.s.e bold hands from slimy nest The bedded fish in banks outwrest, Or curious traitors, sleave-silk flies, Bewitch poor fishes' wandering eyes.

For thee, thou need'st no such deceit, For thou thyself art thine own bait: That fish that is not catched thereby, Alas, is wiser far than I.