Blest are your North parts, for all this long time
My Sun is with you, cold and darke'is our Clime:
Heavens Sun, which staid so long from us this yeare,
Staid in your North (I thinke) for she was there,
And hether by kinde nature drawne from thence, 5
Here rages, chafes, and threatens pestilence;
Yet I, as long as shee from hence doth staie,
Thinke this no South, no Sommer, nor no day.
With thee my kinde and unkinde heart is run,
There sacrifice it to that beauteous Sun: 10
And since thou art in Paradise and need'st crave
No joyes addition, helpe thy friend to save.
So may thy pastures with their flowery feasts,
As suddenly as Lard, fat thy leane beasts;
So may thy woods oft poll'd, yet ever weare 15
A greene, and when thee list, a golden haire;
So may all thy sheepe bring forth Twins; and so
In chace and race may thy horse all out goe;
So may thy love and courage ne'r be cold;
Thy Sonne ne'r Ward; Thy lov'd wife ne'r seem old;
But maist thou wish great things, and them attaine, 21
As thou telst her, and none but her, my paine.
[To M^r I. L. _Ed:_ To M. I. L. _A18_, _N_, _TCC_, _TCD_, _W:_
To M^r T. L. _O'F:_ To M. I. P. _1633-69_]
[6 rages, chafes, _Ed:_ rages chafes _1633-39:_ rages, chafes
_1650-69:_ rages, burnes, _W_]
[11-12 _these lines from W: they have not previously been
printed_]
[16 when thee list, _Ed:_ when thee list _1633_, _A18_, _N_,
_TC:_ (when she list) _1635-69_, _O'F:_ when thou wilt _W_]
[20 lov'd wife] fair wife _W_]
[22 her, ... her, _Ed:_ her ... her _1633:_ her, ... her
_1635-69_]
To Sir _H. W._ at his going Ambassador to _Venice_.
After those reverend papers, whose soule is
Our good and great Kings lov'd hand and fear'd name,
By which to you he derives much of his,
And (how he may) makes you almost the same,
A Taper of his Torch, a copie writ 5
From his Originall, and a faire beame
Of the same warme, and dazeling Sun, though it
Must in another Sphere his vertue streame:
After those learned papers which your hand
Hath stor'd with notes of use and pleasure too, 10
From which rich treasury you may command
Fit matter whether you will write or doe:
After those loving papers, where friends tend
With glad griefe, to your Sea-ward steps, farewel,
Which thicken on you now, as prayers ascend 15
To heaven in troupes at'a good mans passing bell:
Admit this honest paper, and allow
It such an audience as your selfe would aske;
What you must say at Venice this meanes now,
And hath for nature, what you have for taske: 20
To sweare much love, not to be chang'd before
Honour alone will to your fortune fit;
Nor shall I then honour your forture, more
Then I have done your honour wanting it.
But'tis an easier load (though both oppresse) 25
To want, then governe greatnesse, for wee are
In that, our owne and onely business,
In this, wee must for others vices care;
'Tis therefore well your spirits now are plac'd
In their last Furnace, in activity; 30
Which fits them (Schooles and Courts and Warres o'rpast)
To touch and test in any best degree.
For mee, (if there be such a thing as I)
Fortune (if there be such a thing as thee)
Spies that I beare so well her tyranny, 35
That she thinks nothing else so fit for mee;
But though she part us, to heare my oft prayers
For your increase, God is as neere mee here;
And to send you what I shall begge, his staires
In length and ease are alike every where. 40
[To Sir H. W. at his _&c._ _1633-54:_ To Sir Henry Wotton, at
his _&c._ _1669_, _A18_, _N_, _O'F_, _TCC_, _TCD:_ _printed in
Walton's_ Life of Sir Henry Wotton, 1670, _as a_ 'letter,
sent by him to Sir _Henry Wotton_, the morning before he left
_England_', _i.e. July 13 (O.S.), 1604_]
[10 pleasure _1635-69_, _A18_, _N_, _O'F_, _TC_, _Walton:_
pleasures _1633_]
[13 where _1633_, _A18_, _N_, _TC:_ which _1635-69_, _O'F_,
_Walton_]
[16 in troupes] on troops _Walton_]
[19 must ... meanes] would ... sayes _Walton_]
[20 hath] has _Walton_
taske: _Ed:_ taske. _1633-69_]
[21 not] nor _Walton_]
[24 honour wanting it _1633:_ noble-wanting-wit. _1635-69_,
_O'F:_ honour-wanting-wit. _Walton:_ noble wanting it. _A18_,
_N_, _TCC_, _TCD_]
[31 Warres _Ed:_ warres _1633-69:_ tents _Burley MS._]
[32 test] tast _1669 and Walton_]
[35 Spies] Finds _Walton_]