Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. II. The Seventeenth Century: Ben Jonson to Dryden
John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester (16471680)Song (from Valentinian): Injurious charmer of my vanquished heart
Nymph.
ICanst thou feel love, and yet no pity know?
Since of myself from thee I cannot part,
Invent some gentle way to let me go;
For what with joy thou didst obtain,
And I with more did give,
In time will make thee false and vain,
And me unfit to live.
Shepherd.Frail angel, that would’st leave a heart forlorn,
With vain pretence Falsehood therein might lie,
Seek not to cast wild shadows o’er your scorn,
You cannot sooner change than I can die;
To tedious life I ’ll never fall,
Thrown from thy dear-lov’d breast;
He merits not to live at all,
Who cares to live unblest.