Love Poems

The Advice

All things submit themselves to your Command,
Fair Cælia, when it does not Love withstand
The pow’r it borrowes from your Eyes alone,
All but himself must yeild to who has none,
Were he not blind such are the charms you have		5
Hee’d quit his Godhead to become your Slave,
Be proud to Act a Mortall Heroes part
And Throw himself for fame on his own Dart.
But fate has otherwise dispos’d of things,
In different bonds subjected Slaves and Kings,		10
Fetterd in form of royall state are they,
While we enjoy the fredome to obey.
That fate (like you resistless) does ordain
To Love that over Beauty he shall Reign,
By Harmony the Universe does move		15
And what is Harmony but Mutuall Love
Who would resist an Empire so Divine
Which Universall nature does enjoyne.
See gentle Brooks how quietly they Glide
Kissing the Rugged banks on either side		20
Whilst in there Crystall Streams, at once they show,
And with them feed, the flowers, which they bestow
Tho’ rudely throng’d by a too near Embrace
In Gentle murmurs they keep on their pace
To the lov’d Sea, for even Streams have their desires,		25
Cold as they are, they feel loves pow’rfull fires,
And with such passion that if any force,
Stopp, or molest them in their amorous course,
They Swell, Break down with rage, and ravage o’er
The banks they kiss’d, the flowers they fed before.		30
Submit then Celia e’re you be reduc’d,
For Rebels vanquish’d once are viely us’d.
Beauty’s no more but the dead Soil which love
Manures, and does by wise commerce improve,
Sailing by sighs thro’ Seas of tears he sends		35
Courtship from foreign hearts: for your own Ends
Cherish a trade, for as with Indians° we	natives of America, West Indies or India
Get gold and jewells for our Trumpery.
So to each other for their useless toys
Lovers afford whole magazines° of joys.	warehouses, storehouses	40
But if you’r fond of Baubles, be, and starve,
Your Gue Gaw° reputation still preserve,	i.e.,gewgaw (paltry thing without value, trifle)
Live upon modesty and empty fame,
Forgoing sense for a fantastick° Name.	fanciful, capricious, arbitrary

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in 1691.
Date: Before 28 October 1671, when it was entered in the Stationers’ Register.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 54^r–v.
First publication: A Collection of Poems, Written upon several Occasions, By several Persons. Never Before in Print (London, 1672).
Departures from copy-text: 8 Dart.] Dart 14 Reign] Reing 22 feed] feed, 27 force] force, 35 sighs] sight 36 foreign] forreing

The Discovery

Cælia, that faithfull Servant you disown,
Wou’d in obedience keep his love unknown,
But bright Ideas such as you inspire
We can no more conceal, than not admire.
My heart at home in my own Breast did dwell,		5
Like Humble Hermit in a peacefull Cell
Unknown and undisturb’d it rested there,
Stranger alike to hope, and to despair.
Now Love with a tumultuous traine invades,
The sacred quiet of those Hallow’d Shades,		10
His fatall flames shine out to ev’ry Eye,
Like Blazing Commets in a winters Sky
How can my passion merrit your offence
That Challenges° so little recompence,		demands
For I am one born only to admire,		15
Too Humble e’re to hope, scarce to desire
A thing whose Bliss depends upon your will
Who wou’d be proud you’d deign to use him Ill.
Then give me leave to glory in my chain
My fruitless sighs and my unpitty’d pain		20
Let me but ever Love and ever be,
The example of your pow’r and Cruelty,
Since so much scorn does in your Breast reside,
Be more indulgent to its mother pride,
Kill all you strike and trample on their graves,		25
But own the fates of your neglected Slaves.
When in the Crowd yours undistinguish’d lyes,
You give away the triumph of your Eyes,
Perhaps (obtaining this) you’ll think I find
More mercy than your Anger has design’d,		30
But Love has carefully contriv’d for me
The last perfection of Misery.
For to my State the hopes of common peace
Which ev’ry wretch enjoys in death, must cease,
My worst of fates attends me in my grave,		35
Since dying I must be no more your Slave.

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in 1691.
Date: Before 28 October 1671, when it was entered in the Stationers’ Register.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, ff. 54^v–55^r.
First publication: A Collection of Poems, Written upon several Occasions, By several Persons. Never Before in Print (London, 1672).
Departures from copy-text: 18 omitted; text from ‘Hartwell’ MS 4 desire.] desire 6 face.] face 20 My] Thy 30 design’d] desing’d 32 Misery.] Misery 36 Slave.] Slave

The Imperfect Enjoyment

Naked she lay clasp’d in my longing Armes
I fill’d with Love and she all over Charmes
Both equally inspir’d with eager fire
Melting through kindness flameing in desire.
With Armes, Leggs, Lipps, close clinging to embrace		5
She clipps° me to her Breasts and sucks me to her face.		clasps
Her nimble tongue (loves lesser lightning) plaied
Within my Mouth; and to my heart conveyd
Swift Orders, that I might prepare to throw
The all dissolving Thunderbolt beloe.		10
My fluttering soul, sprung with the pointed Kiss
Hangs hovering o’re her balmy brinks of bliss
But whilst her buisy hand would guide that part
Which shou’d convey my soul up to her heart
In liquid raptures I dissolve all o’re		15
Melt into sperm and spend at every pore.
A touch from any part of her had don’t
Her hand, her foot, her very look’s a C—t.
Smileing she chides in a kind, murmring noise
And from her body wipes the clamy Joyes		20
When with a Thousand kisses wandring o’re
My panting bossome; is there then no more?
She cries; all this to Love, and Raptures due
Must we not pay a Debt to pleasure, too?
But I the most forlorn lost man alive		25
To shew my wish’d obedience vainly strive
I sigh alas! and Kiss, but cannot sw—ve		swive, copulate
Eager desires Confound the first intent		30
Succeeding shame does more success prevent
And Rage at last Confirms me Impotent.
Even her fair hand which might bid heat return
To frozen Age; and make cold Hermitts burn
Apply’de to my Dead Cinder warms no more
Then fire to ashes could past flames Restore.
Trembling Confus’d Dispairing, limber,° dry,	slack, limp	35
A wishing weak, unmoving lump I ly.
This Dart of Love whose peircing point oft Try’de
With Virgin blood Ten Thowsand Mayds have dy’de
Which Nature still Directed with such Art
That it through every C—t reach’t every heart		40
Stiffly Resolv’d t’would Carelesly invade
Woman, nor Man, nor ought its fury stayd
Where ere it pierc’d a C—t it found or made
Now languid lies in this unhappy hour
Shrunk up and sappless like a wither’d flower.		45
Thou Treacherous base Deserter of my Flame
False to my passion fatall to my Fame
Through what mistaken Magick doest thou prove
So true to Lewdness, so untrue to Love?
What Oyster, Cynder, Beggar, Common whore		50
Did’st thou ere fayle in all thy life before?
When Vice, Disease, and scandall lead the way
With what officious hast doest thou obey
Like a rude Roareing Hector° in the streets	bully
Who scuffles Cuffs and Justles all he meets		55
But if his King or Countrey claime his Ayde
The Rakehell villain shrinks and hides his head.
Even so thy brutall vallour is display’d,
Break’st every stew,° doest each smale whore invade,	brothel
But when great Love the onsett does Command		60
Base Recreant to thy Prince thou durst not stand.
Worst part of me and henceforth hated most,
Through all the Town a Common F—cking Post,
On whom each Wh—re Relieves her tingling C—t
As Hoggs on Gates doe rubb themselves and grunt,		65
Mayest thou to Ravenous Shankers° be a prey	i.e., chancres (ulcers from venereal disease)
Or in Consumeing weepings° wast awaydischarges
May strangury° and stone° thy daies attend		slow, painful urination / concretion [in bladder or kidneys / have orgasm 70
Mayest thou nere piss who didst Refuse to spend°
When all my Joyes did on false Thee depend.
And may Ten Thousand abler Pr—cks agree
To doe the wrong’d Corinna Right for Thee.

Title: A seventeenth-century genre of poems about untimely sexual incapacity is charted by Richard E. Quaintance, ‘French Sources of the Restoration “Imperfect Enjoyment” Poem’, Philological Quarterly, 42 (1963), 190–9. For English examples see George Etherege’s ‘The Imperfect Enjoyment’ (Poems, ed. James Thorpe (Princeton, 1963), pp. 7–8), Aphra Behn’s ‘The Disappointment’, published as Rochester’s in 1680, and Mulgrave’s ‘The Enjoyment’, published as a broadside in 1679. The genre ultimately stems from Ovid, Amores, III. vii, to which Rochester’s poem seems directly indebted.
Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in BL MS Harleian 7312 (‘E: R—r’); Harvard fMS Eng 636 (‘Rochester’); Yale MS Osborn b 105 (‘E: of R:’); and 1680.
Date: After December 1670, or after the publication of Dryden’s Conquest of Granada in 1672 (see note to line 18).
Copy-text: Kungliga Biblioteket, Stockholm, MS Vu. 69 [‘Gyldenstolpe’ MS], pp. 53–7.
First publication: 1680.
Departures from copy-text: [end-line punctuation added except lines 18 and 72] title The Dissapointment] 7 lesser] less 13 whilst] with 17 of her] from her 19 kind,] soft 20 the] her 43 pierc’d] press’d 44 this] an 52 lead] leads 54 rude] lewd 69 didst] couldst 70 all my Joyes did on false Thee] on false Thee did all my Joyes

Nestor

Vulcan° contrive me such a Cupp	blacksmith to the gods
As Nestor us’d of old
Use all thy skill to trim it up
Damask° it round with gold.	inlay with ornamental design

Make it so large that fill’d with sack°	dry white wine from Spain and the Canaries	5
Up to the swelling brim
Vast Toasts on the Delicious lake
Like shipps at sea may swim.
Engrave no Battails on his Cheek
With warr I’ve nought to doe		10
I’me none of those that took Mastricht
Nor Yarmouth Leaguer knew.
Let it no Name of Planetts tell
Fixt Starrs° or Constellations	stars which appear always to occupy the same position in heavens
For I am no Sir Sidrophell		15
Nor none of his Relations.
But Carve theron a spreading vine
Then add Two lovely Boyes
Their Limbs in amorous folds entwine
The Type° of Future Joyes.	representation, image	20

Cupid° and Bacchus° my saints are	god of love / god of wine
May Drink and Love still Reign;
With wine I wash away my cares
And then to Phill:° again.	contraction of Phillis

Derived ultimately from the late Greek Anacreontea, the verses are an imitation of ‘Du grand Turc je n’ay sourci’, a translation published by Ronsard in revised form in his Meslanges, 1555.
Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Harvard fMS Eng 636; 1680; and 1691.
Date: After 24 June 1673, when Maastricht was attacked by an Anglo-French army, during which the Duke of Monmouth particularly distinguished himself. The city surrendered on 30 June, and a mimic siege of Maastricht was staged at Windsor on 24 August 1674 for the entertainment of Charles II.
Copy-text: Kungliga Biblioteket, Stockholm, MS Vu. 69 [‘Gyldenstolpe’ MS], pp. 87–8. Indentation reflects manuscript.
First publication: 1680.
Departure from copy-text: 22 Reign;] Reign

A Pastoral Dialogue between Alexis and Strephon

I.

Alex. Strephon, there sighs not on the Plain
So lost a Swain as I;
Scorch’t up with Love, frozen with Disdain.
Of killing Sweetness I complain.
Streph. If ’tis Corinna, die.	5

II.

Since first my dazled Eyes were thrown
On that bewitching Face,
Like ruin’d Birds, rob’d of their Young,
Lamenting, frighted, and alone,
I fly from place to place.	10

III.

Fram’d by some Cruel Powers above,
So nice° she is, and fair;	fastidious, difficult to please
None from undoing can remove,
Since all, who are not Blind, must Love;
Who are not vain, Despair.	15

IV.

Alex. The Gods no sooner give a Grace,
But fond of their own Art,
Severely jealous, ever place
To guard the Glories of a Face,
A Dragon in the Heart.	20

V.

Proud and ill-natur’d Powers they are,
Who peevish° to Mankind,	spiteful, malignant, harmful
For their own Honour’s sake, with Care,
Make a sweet Form divinely Fair,
Then add a Cruel Mind.	25

VI.

Streph. Since she’s insensible of Love,
By Honour taught to hate,
If we, forc’d by Decrees above,
Must sensible to Beauty prove,
How Tyrannous is Fate?	30

VII.

Alex. I to the Nymph have never nam’d
The Cause of all my pain.
Streph. Such Bashfulness may well be blam’d;
For since to serve we’re not asham’d,
Why should she blush to Reign?	35

VIII.

Alex. But if her haughty Heart despise
My humble proffer’d One,
The just Compassion she denies,
I may obtain from other’s Eyes;
Hers are not Fair alone.	40

IX.

Devouring Flames require new Food;
My Heart’s consum’d almost:
New Fires must kindle in her Blood,
Or Mine go out, and that’s as good.
Streph. Would’st live, when Love is lost?	45

X.

Be dead before thy Passion dies;
For if thou should’st survive,
What Anguish would the Heart surprize,
To see her Flames begin to rise,
And Thine no more Alive.	50

XI.

Alex. Rather what Pleasure shou’d I meet
In my Tryumphant scorn,
To see my Tyrant at my Feet;
Whil’st taught by her, unmov’d I sit
A Tyrant in my Turn.	55

XII.

Streph. Ungentle Shepherd, cease for shame;
Which way can you pretend
To merit so Divine a Flame,
Who to dull Life make a mean Claim,
When Love is at an End?	60

XIII.

As Trees are by their Bark embrac’d,
Love to my Soul doth cling;
When torn by th’ Herd’s greedy Taste,
The injur’d Plants feel they’re defac’t,
They wither in the Spring.	65

XIV.

My rifled° Love would soon retire,	disordered, disarranged
Dissolving into Aire,
Shou’d I that Nymph cease to admire,
Blest in whose Arms I will expire,
Or at her Feet despair.	70

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in the copy-text and 1691.
Copy-text: A Pastoral Dialogue between Alexis and Strephon, Written by the Right Honourable, The Late Earl of Rochester, At the Bath, 1674 [London, 1683].
First publication: As copy-text.
Departures from copy-text: 1 Strephon, there] There 3 Scorch’t] Schorcht’t 25 Then add] And adds 59 make] makes

[A Dialogue between Strephon and Daphne]

Stre:     Prethy now fond foole give or’e
Since my heart is gon before
To what purpose should I stay
Love Commands another Way.

Daph:     Perjur’d swaine I knew the time		5
When dissembling was your Crime
In pitty now Imploy that art
Which first betrai’d to ease my heart

Stre:     Women can with pleasure faine
Men disemble still° with paine	always	10
What Advantage will it prove
If I Lye who cannot Love

Daph:    Tell me then the reason why,
Love from hearts in Love does fly;
Why the Bird will build a Nest		15
Where he ne’re intends to rest

Stre:    Love Like other Little boyes
Cryes for hearts as they for toyes
Which when gained in Childish play
Wantonly are throwne away.		20

Daph:    Still on Wing or on his knee’s
Love does nothing by degrees
Basely flying when most priz’d
Meanly fawning when despis’d

Flatt’ring or Insulting Ever		25
Generous and gratefull never
All his Joyes are Fleeting dreames
All his Woes severe Extreames

Stre:    Nymph unjustly you enveigh
Love Like us must fate obey		30
Since tis Natures Law to Change
Constancy alone is strange

See the Heav’ns in Lightnings breake
Next in stormes of Thunder speake
Till a kinde Raine from above		35
Makes a Calme, soe tis in Love

Flames begin our first addresse
Like meeting Thunder wee embrace
Then you know the showers that fall
Quench the fire and quiet all		40

Daph:     How should I these showers forget?
T’was soe pleasant to be Wett
They kil’d Love I know it well
I dy’d all the while they fell.

Say at Least what Nimph it is		45
Robs my brest of soe much bliss
If she is faire I shall be eas’d
Through my Ruine you’l be pleas’d

Stre:    Daphne never was soe faire
Strephon scarcely soe Sincere		50
Gentle Innocent and free
Ever pleas’d with only mee

Many Charmes my heart enthrall
But there’s one above ’em all
With aversion she does fly		55
Tedious Trading constancy

Daph:     Cruell Sheppard I submit
Doe what Love and you thinke fitt
Change is Fate and not designe
Say you would have still bin mine		60

Str:     Nymph I can not tis too true
Change has greater Charmes than you.
Be by my Example Wise
Faith to pleasure sacrifice

Daph:     Silly swaine I’le have you know		65
T’was my practice Long agoe
Whilst you Vainely thought me true
I was falce in scorn of you

By my teares my hearts disguise
I thy Love and thee despise.		70
Woman kinde more Joy discover’s
Making Fooles then keeping Lovers.

Title Song. Strephon. Daphny. In the MS, the identification of the speaker is in each case placed one line lower
Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in 1691.
Date: About 1674, on the basis that the imagery and theme of the poem are closely linked to A Pastoral Dialogue.
Copy-text: Yale MS Osborn b 334 [‘Hartwell’ MS], pp. 178–82.
First publication: 1691.
Departures from copy-text: 4 Way.] Way 16 ne’re] n’ere 20 away.] away 41 forget?] forget 44 fell.] fell 55 aversion] a Vertion 62 you.] you

Song

Att Last you’l force mee to confess
You need noe arts to vanquish:
Such charmes from Nature you posses
’Twere dullness, nott to Languish;
Yett spare A heart you may surprize	5
And give my Tongue the glory
To scorne, while my unfaithfull eyes
Betray a kinder story.

Authorship: Rochester’s holograph.
Date: Before 28 April 1676, when it was licensed.
Copy-text: Nottingham University MS Portland Pw V 31, f. 5^r.
First publication: A New Collection of the Choicest Songs. Now in Esteem in Town or Court ([London], 1676), as lines 17–24 (p. 43) of ‘While on those lovely looks I gaze’.

[Another version]

Another Song In Imitation of Sir John Eaton’s Songs

Too late, alas! I must confess
You need no Arts to move me:
Such Charms by Nature you possess,
’Twere madness not to love you.
Then spare a Heart you may surprise,	5
And give my Tongue the Glory
To boast, tho’ my unfaithful Eyes
Betray a kinder Story.

Title: Eaton ‘was Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod during Rochester’s earlier years at court’; the poem is ‘Another Song’ because the preceding poem in the copy-text is headed ‘In Imitation of Sir John Eaton’s Songs’, distinctively, according to Love, through the use of a disyllabic rhyme in the second and fourth lines of the stanza (Love, p. 360).
Authorship: Another version of the preceding; attributed to Rochester in the copy-text.
Date: Probably around April 1676 (see previous entry).
Copy-text: Examen Poeticum (London, 1693), p. 424.
First publication: As copy-text.

Song

1

While on these lovely looks I gaze,
You see a wretch pursuing
In Raptures of a Blest amaze,
His pleasing happy ruine
Tis not for pitty that I move,	5
His fate is too aspiring,
Whose heart Broke with a load of Love
Dyes wishing and admiring.

2

But if this murder you’d forgoe,
Your Slave from death removing,	10
Let me your art of Charming know
Or learn you mine of loving,
But whether Life or Death betide,
In love tis equall measure,
The Victor lives with empty pride	15
The Vanquish’d dies with pleasure.

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Harvard fMS Eng 636, 1680; and 1691.
Date: Before June 1676.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 52^r–v.
First publication: A New Collection of the Choicest Songs. Now in Esteem in Town or Court (London, 1676), which was licensed on 28 April 1676.
Departures from copy-text: 2 see] se 8 admiring.] admiring 16 pleasure.] pleasure

Song

As Chloris full of harmless thought
Beneath the Willows lay,
Kind Love a comely Shepherd brought
To pass the time away:
She blusht to be encounter’d so	5
And chid the amorous Swain;
But as she strove to rise and go
He pull’d her down again.

A sudden passion seiz’d her heart
In spight of her disdain,	10
She found a pulse in ev’ry part
And love in ev’ry Vein:
Ah youth quoth she, what charms are these
That conquer and surprise;
Ah let me! for unless you please	15
I have no power to rise.

She faintly spoke and trembling lay
For fear he should comply,
But Virgins Eyes their hearts betray,
And give their Tongues the lie:
Thus she who Princes had deny’d	20
With all their pompous Train,
Was in the lucky minute try’d
And yielded to a Swain.

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in 1680 and 1691.
Date: Before 10 April 1676, when licensed.
Copy-text: The Wits Academy or, The Muses Delight. [Second part:] A Collection of the Newest Songs, and Merry Catches: which Are now sung either at Court or Theatres (London, 1677), p. 115.
First publication: As copy-text, which was licensed on 10 April 1676. Love suggests that this version was reworked in the broadside Corydon and Cloris or, The Wanton Sheepherdess (London, ?1676) and in the renderings that replace ‘Chloris’ by ‘Cloe’ (such as BL Sloane MS 1009 and The Last and Best Edition of New Songs: Such as are of the Most General Esteem either in Town or Court (London, 1677)) (Love, p. 531).
Departures from copy-text: 11 ev’ry] e’ry 12 ev’ry] e’ry

[Song]

1

How happy Chloris, were they free,
Might our enjoyments prove,
But you with formall° Jealouzy,	unduly precise, stiff
Are still tormenting Love.

2

Let us since witt Instructs us how,	5
Raise pleasure to the Top,
If Rivall Bottle you’ll allow,
I’ll suffer Rivall Fopp.°	person vain of appearance, dress or manners

3

There’s not a briske° Insipid Spark,°	sharp-witted, pert, spruce / fop
That flutters° in the Town,	moves aimlessly, restlessly, ostentatiously	10
But with your wanton Eyes you mark
The Coxcombe° for your own.	vain, showy, superficial person, a fop

4

You never thinke it worth your Care,
How Empty nor how Dull,
The heads of your admirers are	15
Soe that their Purse be full.

5

All this you freely may confess,
Yet we’ll not disagree
For did you love your Pleasures Less
You were not fitt for me.	20

This poem and the following two provide a rare opportunity to see a poem by Rochester in the process of revision, with the holograph (‘How perfect Cloris . . .’) revealing an intermediate stage in the preparation of the final version (‘Such perfect Blisse . . .’). David Vieth sorted out the tangle of texts in ‘A Textual Paradox: Rochester’s “To a Lady in a Letter”’, PBSA, 54 (1960), 147–62, and ‘An Unsuspected Cancel in Tonson’s 1691 “Rochester”’, PBSA, 55 (1961), 130–3. Cf. also An Allusion to Tacitus and Rochester’s reworking of Fletcher’s Valentinian.
Authorship: ‘How happy Chloris . . .’ is ascribed to Rochester in 1680; ‘How perfect Cloris . . .’ exists in Rochester’s holograph, and ‘Such perfect Blisse . . .’ is ascribed to Rochester in the copy-text and in 1691.
Date: Before 28 April 1676, when licensed.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 51^r.
Departures from copy-text: 8 Fopp.] Fopp 12 own.] own 16 full.] full 24 me.] me

Figure 3. ‘How perfect Cloris, and how free’, Nottingham University MS Portland Pw V 31

[Another version of the above]

How perfect Cloris, and how free
Would these enjoyments prouve,
But you with formall jealousy
Are still tormenting Love

Lett us (since witt instructs us how)		5
Raise pleasure to the topp,
If Rivall bottle you’l allow
I’le suffer rivall fopp,°		person vain of appearance, dress or manners

Ther’s not a brisk° insipid sparke°	sharp-witted, pert, spruce / fop
That flutters° in the Towne	moves aimlessly, restlessly, ostentatiously	10
But with your wanton eyes you marke
Him out to be your owne

You never thinke it worth your care
How empty nor how dull
The heads of your admirers are		15
Soe that their purse bee full.

All this you freely may confess
Yett wee’l not disagree
For did you love your pleasures less
You were not fitt for mee		20

Whilst I my passion to persue
Am whole nights taking in
The Lusty juice of grapes, take you
The juice of Lusty Men—

Upraide° mee not that I designe	rebuke (variant form of ‘upbraid’)	25
Tricks to delude your charmes
When running after mirth and wine
I leave your Longing Armes

For wine (whose power alone can raise
Our thoughts soe farr above)		30
Affords Idea’s fitt to praise
What wee thinke fitt to Love.

The MS has been folded three times, so as to fit into the palm of the hand, and fit it for use as a means of seduction.

Copy-text: Nottingham University MS Portland Pw V 31, f. 1^r–v.
Departures from copy-text: 10 flutters] flutter 16 purse] backs added above as alternative 19 your] you 32 Love.] Love
The indenting in the second and fourth lines of each stanza has been regularised.

To A Lady, in A Letter [a third version]

1

Such perfect Blisse faire Chloris, wee
In our Enjoyment prove
’Tis pitty restless Jealiousy
Should Mingle with our Love.

2

Lett us (since witt has taught us how)	5
Raise pleasure to the Topp
You Rivall Bottle must allow
I’le suffer Rivall Fopp.°	person vain of appearance, dress or manners

3

Thinke not in this, that I designe
A Treason ’gainst Loves Charmes	10
When following the God of Wine
I Leave my Chloris armes.

4

Since you have that for all your hast
Att which I’le ne’re repine
Will take his Likour of as fast	15
As I can take of mine.

5

There’s not A brisk° insipid Sparke°	sharp-witted, pert, spruce / fop
That Flutters° in the Towne	moves aimlessly, restlessly, ostentatiously
But with your wanton eyes, you marke
Him out to be your owne.	20

6

Nor doe you thinke it worth your care
How empty and how dull
The heads of your Admirers are
Soe that their Codds° be full.	‘Cod’ =Bag, thus (slang) purse, scrotum

7

All this you freely may Confesse	25
Yett wee nere disagree
For did you love your pleasure lesse
You were noe Match for mee.

8

Whilst I my pleasure to pursue
Whole nights am takeing in,	30
The Lusty Juice of Grapes, take you
The Juice of Lusty Men.

Copy-text: Harvard fMS Eng 636, pp. 8–10 (some copies of 1691 have a cancel leaf with the last verse omitted).
First publication: A variant text of ‘Such perfect Blisse . . .’ was published in A New Collection of the Choicest Songs. Now in Esteem in Town or Court (London, 1676).

Songe of the Earle of Rochesters

Tell mee noe more of Constancy,
The frivolous pretence
Of Cold Age, narrow Jealouzy,
Disease, and want of Sense.

Let duller Fooles, on whom kind chance		5
Some easy Heart hath throwne,
Synce they noe higher can advance,
Be kind to one alone.

Old men, and weake, whose idle Flame
Their owne defects discovers,	10
Synce changing does but spread their shame,
Ought, to bee constant Lovers.

And Wee, whose Hearts doe justly swell
With noe vaineglorious pride,
Knowing, how Wee in Love excell,	15
Long, to bee often try’d.

Then bring my Bath, and strew my Bed,
As each kind Night returnes.
I’le change a Mistresse, till I’me dead,
And Fate change mee to Wormes.	20

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in the copy-text.
Date: Before 28 April 1676, when licensed.
Copy-text: Bodleian MS Don. b 8, p. 561.
First publication: A New Collection of the Choicest Songs. Now in Esteem in Town or Court (London, 1676).
Departures from copy-text: 10 discovers] discover 11 changing] loving

Song. Love and Life

1

All my past Life is mine no more,
The flying hours are gone,
Like Transitory dreams giv’n o’re,°	ended
Whose Images are kept in store,
By memory alone.	5

2

What ever is to come is not,
How can it then be mine,
The present Moment’s all my Lott,
And that as fast as it is gott,
Phillis is wholly thine.	10

3

Then talk not of Inconstancy,
False hearts, and broken vows,
If I by miracle can be
This livelong minute true to thee
Tis all that heaven allows.	15

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Harvard fMS Eng 636; 1680; Songs set by Signior Pietro Reggio [London, 1680]; and 1691.
Date: Before its publication in 1677.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 51^v.
First publication: Songs for i 2 & 3 Voyces [London, 1677].

Song by Severall Hands

Give me leave to Raile at you
(I ask nothing but my Due)
To call you false, and then to say,
You shall not keepe my Heart a day,
But alas! against my will	5
I must be your Captive still;
Ah! be kinder then, for I,
Cannot change, and wou’d not dye.

2

Kindness has resistless charms,
All besides but weakly move,	10
fiercest Anger it disarms,
And Clyps the wings of flying Love,
Beauty does the Heart invade,
Kindness only can perswade,
It guilds the lovers servile chaine,	15
And makes the Slave grow pleas’d and vain.

This the Answer [by Elizabeth Wilmot, Countess of Rochester]

3

Nothing adds to your fond fire,
More than scorne and cold disdaine;
I to cherish your desire,
Kindness us’d but ’twas in vaine,	20
You insulted on° your Slave,	exulted contemptuously over, triumphed scornfully over
Humble love you soon refus’d;
Hope not then a power to have
Which ingloriously you us’d.

4

Think not Thirsis I will e’re,		25
By my love my empire loose;°	lose
you grow constant thro’ despaire,
Love return’d you woud abuse,
Tho you still possess my Heart,
Scorn and rigour I must feign.		30
Ah! forgive the only art
Love has left your love to gain.

5

You that coud my heart subdue,
To new conquest ne’re pretend,
Let your example make me true,	35
And of a conquerd Foe, a friend,
Then if e’re I shou’d complain,
of your Empire, or my chain,
Summon all your powerfull charms,
And kill the Rebell in your Arms.	40

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in 1680 and 1691. Vieth reports that in the BL copy of Songs for i 2 & 3 Voyces composed by Henry Bowman [London, 1677] “a contemporary hand has written in the left hand margin “words by the Lord Rochester”’ (Attribution, p. 415). The last eight lines were published in Rochester’s play Valentinian (1685).
Date: Before 1677, when the first eight lines were first published.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 45^r–v.
First publication: The first eight lines were published in Songs for i 2 & 3 Voyces composed by Henry Bowman [London, 1677].
Departures from copy-text: 13 Heart] Heart persuade 13.2 ~] It guilds the lovers 16 makes . . . vain.] made . . . vain 22 refus’d;] refus’d 24 us’d.] us’d 26 loose;] loose 30 feign.] feign, 32 gain.] gain 40 Arms.] Arms

Song

1

To this moment a Rebell I throw down my arms
Great Love, at first sight of Olinda’s bright charms,
Made proud and secure by such forces as these,
You may now be a Tyrant as soon as you please.

2

When Innocence Beauty and witt do conspire	5
To betray and engage and enflame my desire,
Why shou’d I decline what I cannot avoid?
And let pleasing hope by base fear be destroy’d?

3

Her Innocence cannot contrive to undo me,
Her Beauty’s inclin’d, or why shou’d it pursue me,	10
And wit has to pleasure been ever a friend,
Then what Room for despair since delight is loves end?

4

There can be no danger in Sweetness and youth,
Where Love is secur’d by good nature and truth,
On her Beauty I’ll Gaze and of Pleasure complain,	15
While ev’ry kind Look adds a Link to my chain.

5

Tis more to maintain than it was to Surprize,
But her witt Leads in triumph the slave of her Eyes,
I beheld with the Loss of my freedom before,
But hearing, for ever must serve and adore.	20

6

Too bright is my Goddess her temple too weak,
Retire divine Image I feel my heart Break,
Help Love, I dissolve in a rapture of Charms,
At the thought of those joys I shou’d meet in her Arms.

‘[T]hese bland and conventional lines could well have been written to be sung during the hastily arranged festivities for the marriage of Princess Mary to William of Orange on 4 November 1677’ (Love, p. 357).

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in 1680 and 1691.
Date: Perhaps late 1677.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 50^v.
First publication: 1680.
Departures from copy-text: 4 please.] please 16 chain.] chain 20 adore.] adore 24 Arms.] Arms

[Could I but make my wishes insolent]

Could I but make my wishes insolent
And force some image of a false content!
But they like mee bashfull and humble growne
Hover att distance about Beaut’yes throne
There worship and admire, and then they dye	5
Daring noe more Lay Hold of her than I
Reason to worth beares a submissive spirritt
But Fooles can bee familliar with merritt
Who but that Blundring blockhead Phaeton
Could e’re have thought to drive about the Sun.	10
Just such another durst make Love to you
Whom not ambition led but dullness drew,
Noe Am’rous thought could his dull heart incline
But he would have a passion, for ’twas fine
That, a new suite, and what hee next must say,	15
Runs in his Idle head the live Long day,
Hard hearted saint. since ’tis your will to Bee
Soe unrelenting pittiless to mee
Regardless of A Love soe many yeares
Preserv’d ’twixt Lingring hopes, and awfull feares	20
Such feares in Lovers Breasts high vallue claimes
And such expiring martyrs feele in flames.
My hopes your selfe contriv’d with cruell care
Through gentle smiles to leade mee to despaire,
Tis some releife in my extreame distress	25
My rivall is Below your power to Bless.

‘The poem can be read as a ritualized expression of devotion to a highly-placed court beauty; perhaps the Duchess of Portsmouth, with whom Rochester was intriguing outrageously at Bath in the summer of 1674’ (Love, p. 350). Louise de Kérouaille (1649–1734), a member of a minor French aristocratic family, became a mistress of Charles II in 1671, and was created Duchess of Portsmouth in 1673. The most grasping of all the royal mistresses, she was the most universally detested on account also of her nationality, her catholicism and her political intriguing.

Authorship: Rochester’s holograph.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Nottingham University MS Portland Pw V 31, f. 9^r–v.
First publication: Welbeck Miscellany No. 2: A Collection of Poems by Several Hands Never before published, ed. Francis Needham (Bungay, 1934), p. 52.

The Platonick Lady

I could Love thee till I dye,
Wouldst thou Love mee modestly;
And never presse whilst I live,
For more then willingly I’de give:
Which should sufficient be to prove,	5
I’d understand the Arte of Love.
I hate the thing is calld enjoyment,°i.e.,  orgasm
Besyds it is a dull employment.
It cuts of all thats Life and fier,
From that which may be term’d desire;	10
Just like the Be whose sting being gon,
Converts the owner to a Drone.
I love a youth will give mee leave,
His Body in my Arms to wreath,
To presse him gently and to kisse,	15
To sigh and looke with Eyes that wish,
For what if I could once obtaine,
I would neglect with flat disdaine.
I’de give him Liberty to toye,
And play with mee and Count it Joy.	20
Our freedomes should be full compleat,
And nothing wanting but the feat.°i.e.,  intercourse
Lett’s practise then and we shall prove,
These are the only Sweets of Love.

‘The Platonick Lady’ is based loosely on the fragment attributed to Petronius, ‘Foeda est in coitu et brevis voluptas’, Ben Jonson’s translation of it in The Underwood (‘Doing, a filthy pleasure is, and short’) or some other seventeenth-century treatment of the theme. The theme was popular in the seventeenth century, e.g. Henry King’s ‘Paradox. That Fruition destroyes Love’, or Suckling’s ‘Against Fruition’. In a private correspondence, Hammond observes that the attribution in Bodleian MS Add. A 301 is insecure; and Love points out that the poem belongs stylistically to the time of Charles I, so if genuinely by Rochester, it is ‘likely to be an early work’ (p. 361).

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Bodleian MS Add. A 301.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Bodleian MS Rawl. D 361, ff. 336^v–337^r.
First publication: The Collected Works of John Wilmot Earl of Rochester, ed. John Hayward (London, 1926), p. 142.
Departure from copy-text: 17 what] which

To Corinna

What Cruel pains Corrinna takes
To force that harmless frown,
When not one charm her face forsakes,
Love cannot loose his own.

2

so sweet a face soe soft a heart	5
Such Eyes so very kind,
Betray (alas!) the silly art
Virtue had ill design’d.

3

Poor feeble Tyrant who in vaine
Woud proudly take upon her	10
Against kind nature to maintain
Affected Rules of honour.

4

The Scorn she beares so helpless proves
When I plead passion to her
That much she fears but more she loves	15
Her Vassall shou’d undo her.

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Bodleian MS Rawl. poet. 173 (‘L^d Ro:’); 1680; The Theater of Music . . . The First Book (London, 1685); and 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 49^v.
First publication: 1680.
Departures from copy-text: 4 own.] own 5 So] so 8 design’d.] desing’d 9 Poor] poor 12 honour.] honour 16 her.] her

Womans Honour

Song

Love bad me hope and I obey’d;
Phillis continu’d still unkind.
Then you may ev’n despair he said—
In vain I strive to change her mind.

2

Honour’s got in and keeps her heart;	5
Durst he but venture once a broad
In my own right I’de take your part
And shew my self a mightier God.

3

This Huffing° honour domineers	blustering, hectoring, bullying
In breasts where he alone has place;°	exists	10
But if true Generous love appears
The Hector° dares not shew his face.	braggart, blusterer, bully (Trojan son of Priam)

4

Let me still° languish and complain,	ever, always
Be most inhumanely deny’d.
I have some pleasure in my pain,	15
She can have none, with all her pride.

5

I fall a Sacrifice to Love,
She lives a wretch for honours sake.
Whose Tyrant does most Cruel prove—
The difference° is not hard to make.	distinction	20

6

Consider reall Honour then,
you’ll find hers cannot be the same.
Tis noble confidence in men,
In Women mean mistrustfull shame.

The opening possibly recalls George Herbert’s ‘Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back’ (‘Love III’).
Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Harvard fMS Eng 636 (‘Roch.’); 1680; and 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 50^r.
First publication: 1680.
Departures from copy-text: Punctuation editorial apart from l. 15

Love to a Woman

Love a Woman! Th’rt an Ass—
Tis a most insipid° passion	lacking taste, intelligence, judgement; stupid, foolish, dull
To Chuse out for thy Happiness
The dullest part of Gods Creation.

Let the Porter and the Groom	5
Things design’d for dirty slaves
Drudg in fair Aurelias womb
To gett supplies for Age and Graves.

Farewell Woman – I entend
Henceforth every Night to sitt	10
With my lewd well natur’d Freind
Drinking to engender witt.

Then give me health, wealth, Mirth, and wine,
And if buizy Love intrenches°	encroaches
There’s a sweet soft Page of mine	15
Can doe the Trick worth Forty wenches.

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Harvard fMS Eng 636 (‘Roch.’); 1680; and 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Kungliga Biblioteket, Stockholm, MS Vu. 69 [‘Gyldenstolpe’ MS], p. 182. (Some copies of 1691 have a cancel leaf with the last verse omitted.)
First publication: 1680.
Departures from copy-text: 1 Ass—] Ass 12 engender] enger

Song

The Fall

1

How Bles’d was the created state
Of Man and woman ere they fell,
Compar’d to our unhappy fate—
We need not fear another Hell.

2

Naked beneath Coole Shades they lay	5
Enjoyment° waited on desire,	i.e.,     orgasm
Each member did their wills° obey,	carnal desires, appetites
Nor cou’d a wish sett pleasure higher.

3

But we poore Slaves to hope and fear
Are never of our joys secure;	10
They Lessen still as they draw near
And none but Dull delights endure.

4

Then Chloris while I duty pay,
The nobler tribute of a heart,
Be not you so sincere to say	15
You love me for a frailer part.

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Harvard fMS Eng 636 (‘Roch.’); 1680; and 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 51^v–52^r.
First publication: 1680.
Departures from copy-text: 2 fell;] fell 9 to] thro 10 secure;] secure 12 endure.] endure 13 pay,] pay 14 heart,] heart 16 part.] part

Song

Fair Cloris in a Piggsty lay
Her tender herd lay by her;
She slept, in murmuring Gruntlings° they	little grunts
Complayneing of the scorching Day
Her slumbers thus inspire.	5

She dream’t whilst she with carefull pains
Her snowy Arms employ’d
In Ivory pailes to fill out° graines,	pour out
One of her Love Convicted Swaines
Thus hasting to her cry’d.	10

Fly Nymph oh! fly er’e ’tis too late
A Dear lov’d Life to save;
Rescue your bosom Pigg from fate
Who now expires hung in the Gate
That leads to Floras Cave.	15

My selfe had try’d to sett him free
Rather then brought the newes;
But I am so abhorr’d by Thee
That even thy darlings Life from Mee
I know thou wouldst refuse.	20

Struck with the newes as quick she flies
As blushes to her face,
Not the bright Lightning from the skies
Nor Love shott from her brighter eies
Move halfe so swift a pace.	25

This Plott it seems the Lustfull Swain
Had layd against her Honor
Which not one God took care to save
For he pursues her to the Cave
And throwes himselfe upon her.	30

Now peirced is her virgin Zoan
She feels the Foe within it
She heares a broken Amorous groan
The panting Lovers fainting moan
Just in the happy minute.	35

Frighted she wakes and wakeing Fr–ggs;°	frigs, i.e., masturbates
Nature thus kindly eas’d
In dreams rais’d by her murmring Piggs
And her own Thumb between her leggs,
She’s Innocent and pleas’d.	40

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Harvard fMS Eng 636 (‘Roch.’); 1680; and 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Kungliga Biblioteket, Stockholm, MS Vu. 69 [‘Gyldenstolpe’ MS], pp. 169–71.
First publication: 1680.
Departures from copy-text: 2 her;] her 3 slept,] slept 8 graines,] graines 12 save;] save 17 newes;] newes 22 face,] face 36 Fr –ggs;] Fr –ggs 39 leggs,] leggs

A Song

Phillis be gentler I advize
Make up for time mispent;
When Beauty on its death bed lies
Tis high time to repent.

2

Such is the malice of your fate	5
That makes you old so soon,
Your pleasure ever comes too late
How early e’re begun.

3

Think what a wretched thing is she
Whose Stars contrive her Spight,°	misfortune	10
The morning of her Love shou’d be
Her fading beauties night.

4

Then if to make your ruin more
You’ll pevishly be coy,
Die with the Scandall of a whore	15
And never know the joy.

Thus like old Strephon’s Virtuous Miss,
Who, foolishly too coy,
Dy’d with the scandal of a Whore,
And never knew the Joy.
So I, by Whigs abandon’d, bear
The Satyr’s unjust lash,
Dye with the Scandal of their help,
But never saw their Cash.

                           (p. 32)

For the parodistic relation of ‘Phillis, be gentler’ to Herrick’s ‘Gather ye rosebuds’, see Jeremy Treglown, ‘Scepticism and Parody in the Restoration’, MLR, 75 (1980), 18–47, pp. 23–4.
   A unique addition in The Triumph of Wit (London, 1688) continues:

May Transports that can give new fire,
To stay the flying Soul,
Ne’er answer you in your desire,
But make you yet more dull.
May Raptures that can move each part,
To tast the Joys above,
In all their hight improv’d by Art,
Still fly you when you love.

                              (pp. 165–6)

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Edinburgh University MS Dc. 1 3/1; Harvard fMS Eng 636 (‘Roch.’); 1680; and 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 45^v.
First publication: 1680.
Departures from copy-text: 2 mispent;] mispent 4 repent.] repent 6 soon,] soon 8 begun.] begun 10 Spight,] Spight 12 night.] night 14 You’ll . . . coy,] you’ll . . . coy 16 joy.] joy

Upon his leaving his Mistress

1

Tis not that I am weary grown
Of being yours and yours alone,
But with what face can I design,
To make you ever only mine?
You whome some kinder power did fashion,		5
By merit or by inclination,
The joy at least of one whole nation.

2

Let meaner beauties of your Sex,
with Humbler Aimes their thoughts perplex,
And boast if by their arts, they can		10
contrive to make one happy man,
Whilst mov’d with an impartiall Sense,°		i.e.,the sensual faculty
favours like nature you dispence,
with Universall Influence.

3

See the kind Seed-receiving Earth,	15
To every grain affords a birth,
On her noe Showers unwelcome fall,
Her willing womb receives them all,
And shall my Cælia bee Confin’d?°		restricted and in child-bed 20
No, live up to thy mighty mind
And be the mistress of Mankind.

Hammond draws attention to the poem’s debt to Donne’s song ‘Sweetest love, I do not goe, | For wearinese of thee’ and Waller’s The Selfe Banished; the first two lines of the latter (‘It is not that I love you lesse | Than when before your feet I lay’) are quoted in Etherege’s The Man of Mode (I.i.25–6) by Dorimant, a character who in some ways resembles Rochester (Hammond, pp. 73–4). See also Jeremy Treglown, ‘Rochester and Davenant’, p. 555. The usual title associated with the poem is retained here.

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Worcester College, Oxford, MS 6. 13; Harvard fMS Eng 636 (‘Roch.’); 1680; and 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 44^v.
First publication: 1680.
Departures from copy-text: Title: Upon his leaving his Mistress] To Cælia for Inconstancy Song 4 mine?] mine; 7 nation.] nation 11 contrive] contrive, 14 Influence.] Influence 21 Mankind.] Mankind

On M^rs: W–llis

Against the Charms our B—llox° have	bollocks, i.e., testicles
How weak all human skill is,
Since they can make a Man a slave
To such a B—ch as W—llis.

Whom that I may describe throughout	5
Assist me Bawdy Powers,
I’le write upon a double Clowt
And dipp my Pen in Flow—s.

Her looks demurely Impudent
Ungainly Beautifull,	10
Her modesty is insolent
Her witt both pert and dull.

A Prostitute to all the Town
And yet with no man Friends,
She rails and scolds when she lyes down		15
And Curses when she sp—nds.°	achieves orgasm

Bawdy in thoughts, precise° in Words,	formal, over-exact, puritanical
Ill natur’d though a Wh—re,
Her Belly is a Bagg of T—ds,
And her C—t a Common shore.°	sewer	20

Title: Mrs. W—llis: Sue Willis was variously a theatre prostitute, brothel-keeper in Lincoln’s Inn Fields and mistress of Lord Colepeper and William Bentinck, first Earl of Portland (see Court Satires, pp. 294–5).
Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Harvard fMS Eng 636 (‘Roch.’) and 1680.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Kungliga Biblioteket, Stockholm, MS Vu. 69 [‘Gyldenstolpe’ MS], pp. 157–8.
First publication: 1680.
Departures from copy-text: 2 is,] is 6 Powers,] Powers 10 Beautifull,] Beautifull 14 Friends,] Freinds

Song

By all Loves soft, yet mighty powers
It is a thing unfit
That men should f—k in time of Flowers°	menstruation
Or when the smocks beshitt.

Fair Nasty Nymph, be clean and kind		5
And all my joys restore
By using papers still° behind	always
And spunges for before.

My spotless flames can ne’re decay
If after evary close°	union, encounter	10
My smoaking P—ck escape the fray
Without a bloody nose.

If thou woulst have me true, be wise
And take to cleanly sinning;
None but fresh Lovers Pricks can rise	15
At Phillis in foul Linnen.

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Harvard fMS Eng 636 (‘Roch.’) and 1680.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Nottingham University MS Portland Pw V 40, f. 30^r (reading at l. 13 taken from the Harvard MS, p. 70).
First publication: 1680.
Departures from copy-text: 4 beshitt.] beshitt 8 before.] before 12 nose.] nose 13 wise] kind 14 sinning;] sinning

Dialogue

Nymph     Shepperd

 

1

Nym:    Injurious charmer of my Vanquish’d heart
Can’st thow feel love and yet no pitty know?
Since of my self from thee I cannot part
Invent some gentle way to let me go.
For what with joy thou did’st obtain	5
And I with more did give,
In time will make thee false and vain,
And me unfit to live.

2

Shep:     Fraile Angell that would leave a heart forlorne
With poor pretence, falshood, therein might lie,	10
Seek not to cast mild shadows o’er your scorn,
You cannot sooner change than I can die.
To Tedious Life I’lle never fall
Thrown from thy dear lov’d breast,
He merrits not to live at all	15
Who cares to live unbles’d.
Cho:    Then let our flaming hearts be joyn’d
While in that sacred fire,
E’re thou prove false, or I unkind,
Together both expire.	20

‘The form of the musical “Dialogue”, popularized in the reign of Charles I by Henry and William Lawes, is here followed exactly, with one stanza given to each singer, and the two coming together for a final duet. . . . Possibly written to be sung at a court entertainment, the lyric was borrowed for use in the 1684 production of Valentinian, with some new music by Louis Grabu’ (Love, p. 355). The Consort of Musicke has issued a recording of this setting (Etcetera KTC 1211).
Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Leeds MS Lt. 54.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 60^r.
First publication: Female Poems on Several Occasions. Written by Ephelia. The Second Edition, with large additions (London, 1682).
Departures from copy-text: 1 Vanquish’d] languish’d Although ‘languish’d’ is acceptable, it is probably fortuitous, as Love suggests, given the reading of ‘Vanquish’t’ in the Hartwell and Leeds University MSS and in the printed versions in Lewis Grabue, Pastoralle: A Pastoral in French . . . (London, [1684]). 2 Can’st’] Cans’t know?] know 4 go.] go 5 indent did’st] dids’t 6 give,] give 7 thee] the 8 live.] live 10 lie,] lie 12 die.] die 14 breast,] breast 16 unbles’d.] unbles’d 18 fire,] fire 20 expire.] expire

Song

I

My dear Mistress has a heart
Kind as those soft looks she gave me
When with Love’s resistless Art
And her Eyes she did inslave me.
But her Constancy’s so weak	5
She’s so wild and apt to wander
That my Jealous heart will break,
If we live one Day asunder.

II

Melting Joys about her move
Killing Pleasures, wounding Blisses	10
She can arm herself with Love
And her Lips can Charm with Kisses.
Angels listen when she speaks
My delight and Mankinds wonder
Yet my Jealous heart she breaks,	15
If we lye one night asunder.

Hitherto, the text for this poem has been derived from the version in the anthology compiled by Rochester’s friend Aphra Behn, Miscellany, Being A Collection of Poems By several Hands (London, 1685), and is highly unusual in not having been transmitted scribally. Love convincingly suggests that the copy-text contains variant readings that are likely to be authorial, most significantly in the Baroque antithesis between lines 8 and 16 (the two lines read ‘Should we live one day asunder’ in the anthology) which Aphra Behn may have felt was ‘simply unsuitable’ for her envisaged male and female readership (see ‘A New Source for Rochester’s “My dear Mistris has a heart”’, Script & Print, 30(1) (2006 [issued 2007]), 12–16, pp. 14, 16). For a discussion of the texts and the regularising of the metre in l. 14, see Nicholas Fisher, ‘Rochester’s original ‘dear Mistress’?’, Notes and Queries, New Series, 59.2 (2012), 186–88. Behn’s version forms the basis for the settings by Thomas Arne (c. 1760) and Tommaso Giordani (1784), but line 13 reads ‘Kings may sue to hear her speak’ (Songs to Phillis: A Performing Edition of the Early Settings of Poems by the Earl of Rochester (1647–80) (Huntingdon, 1999), pp. 65–6).

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Miscellany, Being A Collection of Poems By several Hands (London, 1685); and 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Henry Bold, Latine Songs, With their English: and Poems (London, 1685), pp. 14–16.
First publication: As copy-text.
Departures from copy-text: Title: Song] SONG IV. 1 dear Mistress has a heart] dearest Mistress, hath an heart, 2 Kind] Kind, me] me; 3 Love’s] her Art] arts, 5 weak] weak, 6 wander] wander, 8 If] If that 9 move] move, 10 Pleasures,] Charms, and 11 Love] Love, 12 Lips] lips Kisses.] kisses, 13 speaks] speaks, 14 My] She’s my 16 If] If that

A Song

Insulting Beauty, you mispend
Those Frowns upon your Slave;
Your Scorn against such Rebels bend,
Who dare with confidence pretend,
That other Eyes their Hearts defend,	5
From all the Charms you have.

Your conquering Eyes so partial are,
Or Mankind is so dull,
That while I languish in Despair,
Many proud senseless Hearts declare,	10
They find you not so killing Fair,
To wish you merciful.

They an Inglorious Freedom boast;
I triumph in my Chain;
Nor am I unreveng’d, though lost;	15
Nor you unpunish’d, though unjust,
When I alone, who love you most,
Am kill’d with your Disdain.

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in Examen Poeticum: being the Third Part of Miscellany Poems (London, 1693).
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Examen Poeticum: being the Third Part of Miscellany Poems (London, 1693), pp. 381–2.
First publication: As copy-text.

Song

1

The utmost Grace the Greeks cou’d show
When to the Trojans they grew kind
Was with their arms to let them go
And leave their lingring wives behind.
They beat the Men and burnt the town	5
Then all the baggage° was their own.	both portable army equipment and [disreputable women

2

There the kinde Deity of wine
Kiss’d the soft wanton God of Love,
This Clap’d his Wings, that press’d his Vine,
And their bless’d pow’rs united move		10
While each brave Greek embrac’d his Punk°		prostitute, harlot
Lull’d her a sleep and then grew Drunk.

Title: Tonson added the title ‘G[r]ecian Kindness. A Song’ to the first printed version (1691).

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 60^v.
First publication: 1691.
Departures from copy-text: 3 them] em 4 behind.] behind 6 own.] own 12 Drunk.] Drunk

Song

1

An Age in her Embraces pas’d
Wou’d seem a winters Day,
Where life and light with envious haste
Are torn and snatch’d away.

2

But oh! how slowly minutes rowle	5
When Absent from her Eyes
That feed my love, which is my Soule,
It languishes and dyes,

3

For then no more a Soul but Shade
It mournfully does move	10
And haunts my breast, by absence made
The living Tombe of Love.

4

You wiser men despise me not
Whose lovesick fancy raves
On shades of souls and heav’n knows what,	15
Short Ages, Living Graves.

5

When e’re those wounding Eyes so full
Of sweetness you did see,
Had you not been profoundly Dull
You had gon mad like me.	20

6

Nor censure us you who perceive
My best belov’d and me
Sigh and Lament, complaine and Grieve,
You think we disagree.

7

Alas! tis Sacred Jealousy	25
Love rais’d to an extream;
The only proof twixt her and me
We love and doe not Dream.

8

Fantastick° fancys° fondly move	arbitrary, illusory / whims, caprices
And in fraile joys believe,	30
Taking false pleasure for true love
But pain can ne’re deceive.

9

Kind Jealous Doubt, tormenting fear
And Anxious cares (when past)
Prove our Hearts Treasure fixt and Dear	35
And makes us blest at last.

10

God does not Heav’n afford, untill
In purgatory we
Have felt the utmost pains of Hell—
Then why the Devill shou’d she?	40

The last stanza is present only in the copy-text, and probably represents a further example in 1691 of censorship on religious grounds (note, for example, in Seneca’s Troas. Act 2. Chorus, the revision of ‘God’s everlasting fiery Jayles’ to ‘The everlasting fiery Goals [sic]’ and the omission of the ‘Addition’ to A Satyr Against Mankind).

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 52^v–53^v.
First publication: 1691.
Departures from copy-text: 2 Day,] Day 7 Soule,] Soule 12 Love.] Love 15 what,] what 16 Graves.] Graves 18 see,] see 20 me.] me 24 disagree.] disagree 26 extream;] extream 28 Dream.] Dream 30 believe,] believe 32 deceive.] deceive 36 last.] last 37 afford,] afford 39 Hell—] Hell 40 she?] she

Song

A Young Lady to her Antient Lover

Ancient person for whome I
All the Flutt’ring youth defie,
Long be it e’re thou grow old
Aking shaking, Crazy Cold
But still Continue as thou art	5
Ancient person of my heart.

On thy wither’d Lips and dry
Which like barren furrowes lye
Brooding kisses I will power
Shall thy youthfull heate restore,	10

Such kinde showers in Autumne fall
And a Second Spring recall;
Nor from thee will ever part
Ancient person of my heart.

Thy nobler parts which but to name	15
In owr Sex would be Counted shame,
By ages frozen grasp possest
From their Ice shall be releast
And sooth’d by my reviveing hand
In former warmth and Vigour Stand.	20
All a Lovers wish can reach
For thy Joy my Love shall teach
And for thy pleasure shall improve
All that Art can add to Love;
Yet still I’le Love thee without Art	25
Antient person of my heart.

Title: The love between a young and old person was a commonplace in seventeenth-century poetry, but it is usually treated in terms of its paradoxical aspects. David Farley-Hills lists some half-dozen poems on the theme (The Benevolence of Laughter: Comic Poetry of the Commonwealth and Restoration (London, 1974), pp. 137–8). Love suggests that the poem may have been written for inclusion in a masque or for the wedding feast of such a disjunct couple (p. 360). The ‘Hartwell’ MS and 1691 comprise the only two sources for the complete poem, but the division of the poem into three stanzas (1691) rather than four (the manuscript commences a fourth verse at line 21) is more likely to reflect authorial intention: ‘The arrangement of the heptasyllabic couplets in stanzas of increasing length reduces the ‘Song’ element of the title but provides the vehicle for a submerged metaphor in the poem’ (Ellis, p. 358; see also Paul Hammond, The Making of Restoration Poetry (D.S. Brewer, 2006), pp. 204–206). ‘[A]s many readers have realized, the tumescence of the stanzas matches the lady’s promise that her lover’s ‘part’ will ‘in former Warmth and Vigor stand’ (Hammond, The Making of Restoration Poetry, p. 205).

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Yale MS Osborn b 334 [‘Hartwell’ MS], pp. 195–6.
First publication: 1691.
Departures from copy-text: Following 1691, the stanza break at line 20 has been removed (Hammond convincingly emphasises that there is no ‘aesthetic reason’ for this break). 10 restore,] restore 12 recall;] recall 14 heart.] heart 15 shame,] shame 20 stand.] stand 24 Love;] Love

Song

1

Absent from thee I languish still
Then ask me not when I return,
The straying fool twill plainly kill
To wish all day all night to mourn.

2

Dear from thine arms then let me fly	5
That my fantastick° mind may prove,°	strange, quirky / try, experience
The torments it deservs to try
That Tears my fixt heart from my love.

3

When weary’d with a world of woe
To thy safe bosome I retire	10
Where love and peace and truth doe flow
May I contented there Expire.

4

Least once more wandring from that heav’n
I fall on some Base heart unbles’d
Faithless to thee, false unforgiv’n	15
And loose my everlasting rest.

Authorship: Attributed to Rochester in 1691.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Longleat, ‘Harbin’ MS, f. 55^v.
First publication: 1691.
Departures from copy-text: punctuation at the end of each verse is editorial.

[Love poem]

T’was a dispute ’twixt heav’n and Earth
Which had produc’t the Nobler birth.
For Heav’n, Appear’d Cynthya° with all her Trayne	goddess Diana (associated with
Till you came forth	[the moon)
More glorious and more Worth,	5
Than shee with all those trembling imps of Light°	i.e., stars
With which This Envious Queene of night
Had Proudly deck’t her Conquer’d selfe in Vaine.

I must have perrish’t in that first surprize
Had I beheld your Eyes;	10
Love° Like Appollo when he would inspire	i.e., Cupid, god of love
Some holy brest, laide all his gloryes by.
Els The God cloath’d in his heavnly fire
Would have possest too powerfully
And making of his Preist A sacrifize	15
Had soe return’d unhallow’d to the Skyes.

Authorship: Rochester’s holograph.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Nottingham University MS Portland Pw V 31, f. 3^r–v.
First publication: Welbeck Miscellany No. 2: A Collection of Poems by Several Hands Never before published, ed. Francis Needham (Bungay, 1934), p. 51.
Departures from copy-text: 2 birth.] birth 8 Vaine.] Vaine 10 Eyes;] Eyes 13 Els The] The powerfull 13 his] chaste 16 Had soe] Must have 16 Skyes.] Skyes

[Song]

Leave this gawdy guilded Stage
From custome more than use frequented
Where fooles of either sex and age
Crowd to see themselves presented.
To loves Theatre the Bed	5
Youth and beauty fly together
And Act soe well it may be said
The Lawrell there was due to either.
Twixt strifes of Love and war the difference Lies in this
When neither overcomes Loves triumph greater is.	10

‘Perhaps the familiarity of the allusions in “Leave this gaudy gilded stage” . . . has discouraged critics from drawing attention to them. Jonson’s “Ode to Himselfe” beginning “Come leave the loathed Stage” initiated a chain of responses by Randolph, Carew, “I.C.”, and other poets, none of which approaches the independence of Rochester’s proposal of a sexual alternative . . . where Jonson resigned himself to the Alcaic lute’ (Jeremy Treglown, ‘The Satirical Inversion of Some English Sources in Rochester’s Poetry’, Review of English Studies, n.s. 24 (1973), 42–8, p. 43).

Authorship: Rochester’s holograph.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Nottingham University MS Portland Pw V 31, f. 6^r.
First publication: Vivian de Sola Pinto, Rochester: Portrait of a Restoration Poet (London, 1935), p. 120.
Departures from copy-text: 4 presented.] presented 8 either.] either 10 is.] is

Sab: Lost

Shee yeilds, she yeilds, Pale Envy said Amen
The first of woemen to the Last of men
Just soe those frailer beings Angells fell
Ther’s noe midway (it seemes) twix’t heav’n and hell,
Was it your end in making her, to show	5
Things must bee rais’d soe high to fall soe low?
Since her nor Angells their owne worth secures
Looke to it gods! the next turne must bee yours

You who in careles scorne Laught att the wayes
Of Humble Love and call’d ’em rude Essayes°	endeavours or compositions	10
Could you submitt to Lett this Heavy thing
Artless and witless, noe way merriting

Possibly this fragment ‘is a reversal of Milton’s Comus, where Sabrina won by freeing the lady from the enchanted chair in which the lecherous Comus trapped her’ (Spirit of Wit, pp. 78–9). On the other hand John A. Murphy (N&Q, May (1973), pp. 176–7) argues that Rochester was known as ‘Sabrinus’, citing Sedley’s poem ‘Sabrinus’ which may refer to Rochester. Thus ‘the poem is self referring, describing a love affair Rochester lost . . .’. Treglown’s suggestion is more in accordance with Rochester’s habit of ironic reversal, but Rochester gives us very little to work on. Love includes this amongst the section of ‘Dramatic Works’ in his edition, but it is equally possible that the lines are a preparatory draft of an intended satire.

Authorship: Rochester’s holograph.
Date: Unknown.
Copy-text: Nottingham University MS Portland Pw V 31, f. 8r.
First publication: Vivian de Sola Pinto, Rochester: Portrait of a Restoration Poet (London, 1935), p. 49.

19–30 Inspired by the much-imitated simile of the stream changing course in Donne’s Elegy, ‘Oh let mee not serve so’, lines 21–34, itself derived from Horace, Carmina, III. xxix. 33–41, as Love points out (p. 349).

31 reduc’d: ‘A technical term for the conquest through siegeworks of a fortified town’ (Love, p. 349).

40 Jeremy Treglown writes: ‘the “magazines of joyes” . . . which are seen . . . as the reward of the sexual activity being urged on Celia, derive from the language of courtly adoration repeatedly employed in the poem to disguise an aggressive assertion of male superiority’. Treglown quotes Every Man out of his Humour, II. iii. 26–27, and Lord Herbert of Cherbury’s ‘A Description’, lines 51–4, as more straightforward uses of the figure (see ‘The Satirical Inver-sion of Some English Sources in Rochester’s Poetry’, Review of English Studies, 24 (1973), 42–8).

12 Like Blazing Commets in a winters Sky: ‘the great comet of 1664–5 was first observed on 7 November 1664 in Spain. Pepys saw it on 24 November 1664. . . . In the midst of all this excitement Rochester returned to England from his Grand Tour’ (Ellis, p. 312). The other comets of the reign appeared during spring or summer.

11 sprung: ‘To spring a bird is to make it rise from cover’ (Hammond, p. 81).

18 Her hand, her foot, her very look’s a C—t: Jeremy Treglown points out the parody of Dryden’s Conquest of Granada (1672), I, III.i.71: ‘Her tears, her smiles, her every look’s a Net’, which was first performed in December 1670 (‘Rochester and Davenant’, N&Q, 221 (1976), 554–9, p. 555).

29 shame does more success prevent: Hammond compares Amores, 3.7.37–8: ‘To this was added shame: shame at what had happened itself hindered me, and was the second cause of my failure’ (p. 81).

44–5 Now languid . . . like a wither’d flower: Hammond (p. 81) compares Amores, 3. 7. 65–6:

But still my member lay there, an embarrassing case of
Premature death, and limper than yesterday’s rose . . .

                                                                              (tr. Peter Green)

50 What Oyster, Cynder, Beggar, Common whore: ‘apparently shorthand for oyster-wench, cinder-woman, London beggar’ (Ellis, p. 327).

62–3 Worst part . . . a Common F—ing Post: compare the poem in Richard Head’s The English Rogue (London, 1665), p. 99:

. . . Time was i’m sure thou well couldst do the deed
And to my knowledge plentifully bleed.
Henceforth stand stiff, redeem thy credit lost,
Or i’l ne’er draw thee but against a Post.

1–2 a Cupp | As Nestor us’d: see Iliad, II.631–6.

7 Toasts: toast was frequently placed in ale, and less often in white wine.

11 Mastricht: the city of Maastricht in Holland was besieged by an invading Anglo-French army in June 1673.

12 Yarmouth Leaguer: inhabitants of the camp at Yarmouth, where troops under Prince Rupert waited in the late summer of 1673 for a projected invasion of Holland.

15 Sir Sidrophell: the name means ‘star-lover’. An astrologer satirised in Hudibras, 2.3.

8 ruin’d: perhaps ‘desolate’. OED does not record this usage.

11 Fram’d: ‘fashioned’; ‘prospered’; perhaps also ‘adorned’. The verb frame originally meant ‘to profit; to be of service’.

17 fond of: ‘possessed with admiration for, proud of’ (OED fond adj. 6.b). This use predates the earliest example in OED.

66 rifled: probably ‘disordered, desolate’; OED does not record its use ‘plundered, pillaged, ransacked’ before 1719.

31–2 A common sentiment. Cf. Cowley, ‘Inconstancy’:

The world’s a Scene of Changes, and to be
Constant, in Nature were Inconstancy . . .
(ll. 19–20; The Mistresse, or Severall Copies of Love-Verses (London, 1647), p. 13)

5 surprize: ‘Not in its modern sense of “amaze” but one closer to the military sense of “ambush” or “take by storm”’ (Love, p. 361).

19–20 An ironic glance at Richard Lovelace, ‘To Lucasta, Going to the Warres’, lines 11–12:

I could not love thee (Deare) so much,
Lov’d I not Honour more.
(Lucasta: Epodes, Odes, Sonnets, Songs, &c., to which is added Aramantha, A Pastoral (London, 1649), p. 3)

1–8 Jeremy Treglown (Letters, pp. 12–13) compares Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, 1.3:

The Present onely has a being in Nature; things Past have a being in the Memory onely, but things to come have no being at all; the Future being but a fiction of the mind, applying the sequels of actions Past, to the actions that are Present . . .

Ultimately, as Love points out, Hobbes’s observation derives from Augustine’s Confessions, ii. 239 (p. 358).

14 livelong minute: ‘A Minute experienced as longer than its actual duration’ (Love, p. 359).

8 dye: punning on sexual sense of die: orgasm. The underlining is in the MS.

36 provides echo of An Allusion to Tacitus, ll. 29–30.

‘Originally a joint work by Rochester and his wife using the then-popular musical form of a “dialogue”, but without the conventional concluding duet or chorus’ (Love, pp. 355–6). In the top left-hand corner, separate from the title, the scribe has written ‘M^rs Whorton’ (Anne Wharton was Rochester’s niece). If this note was intended as an ascription, it is clearly wrong, because part of the second section survives as a working draft in Lady Rochester’s holograph (Nottingham University MS Portland Pw V 31, f. 15^r); intriguingly, though, the note might have been added to the manuscript to indicate that it should be passed to Anne Wharton (as part of an accompanying collection of scribal separates, perhaps).

9 Phaeton: in Greek mythology Phaethon was son of Helios (the sun) and Klymene. He begged his father’s chariot, and the horses bolted. See Ovid, Metamorphoses, II.

19 Regardless of A: Rochester first wrote ‘That not the humble’, then substituted ‘Regardless of my’ and then cancelled the third word, substituting ‘A’.

soe many: originally ‘of many’.

21 in] from corr.

7 Drudg: noting that OED gives no hint of sexual connotations, Hammond (p. 79) compares Dryden’s reference to an aged stallion in his translation of Virgil’s Georgics, 3.155–8:

For when his Blood no Youthful Spirits move,
He languishes and labours in his Love.
And when the sprightly Seed shou’d swiftly come,
Dribling he drudges, and defrauds the Womb.

15 Floras: the Roman goddess of flowers and spring. Ovid tells how the earth-nymph Chloris was pursued, raped and married by Zephyr and changed into Flora (Fasti, 5. 195 ff.).

31 Zoan: zone = ‘region’, also ‘girdle’ and ‘belt’. Hammond (p. 82) compares Francis Quarles’s Emblemes, 5. 8. 39–40:

      Shall these course hands untie
The sacred Zone of thy virginities?

12 beauties night: either ‘beauty’s night’ or ‘beauties’ night’.

13–16 Love (p. 356) points out that these lines are taken up by Defoe in An Elegy on the Author of the True-born-Englishman (1704):

14 Universall Influence: Treglown (‘Rochester and Davenant’, N&Q, December (1976), 555–9, p. 556) compares D’Avenant’s ‘widely read and widely parodied’ epic Gondibert 1.1.48:

As yet to none could he peculiar prove,
But like an universal Influence
(For such and so sufficient was his love)
To all the Sex he did his heart dispence.

7–8 double Clowt . . . Flow[er]s: ‘He will write on a cloth folded to serve as a sanitary napkin, using menstrual blood for ink’ (Love, p. 363).

29–32 Thormählen draws attention to Butler’s ‘Our pains are real things, and all | Our pleasures but fantastical’ (‘Satire upon the weakness and misery of man’, ll. 81–2) (p. 77).

8 Conquer’d: that is, defeated by the beauty of the addressee.

11 Apollo (Phoebus, ‘shining’) was associated with the sun.