Sir Walter Raleigh (1554?–1618). Poems. 1892.
XXIII.Fragments and Epigrams
“‘Fain would I climb, yet fear I to fall.’
“‘If thy heart fails thee, climb not at all.’”
“‘The word of denial and the letter of fifty
Makes the gentleman’s name that will never be thrifty.’
“The foe to the stomach and the word of disgrace
Shews the gentleman’s name with the bold face.’”
In vain my sighs, the smokes of my despairs;
In vain you search the earth and heavens above;
In vain ye seek; for Fortune keeps my love.
Then had my love, my love for ever been.
E
(
Here lies the noble courtier that never kept his word;
Here lies his excellency that governed all the state;
Here lies the L. of Leicester that all the world did hate.
E
(
That once in a quarter our fleeces did sheer.
To please us his cur he kept under clog,
And was ever after both shepherd and dog.
For oblation to Pan his custom was thus:—
He first gave a trifle, then offered up us.
And through his false worship such power he did gain,
As kept him o’th’ mountain and us on the plain:
Where many a hornpipe he tuned to his Phyllis,
And sweetly sung Walsingham to ’s Amaryllis.
A P
Would God thou knewest the depth of my desire!
Then mought I wish, though nought I can deserve,
Some drops of grace to slake my scalding fire;
But sith to live alone I have decreed,
I’ll spare to speak, that I may spare to speed!
S
Rather than live in snuff, will be put out.