Epithalamium on the Marriage of a Vintner.
HOU gentle god, who doft prefide
Over the bridegroom and the bride,
If Bacchus for your fire you own,
And if you are fair Venus' son,
Regard with smiles this virtuous pair;
The youth like Bacchus does appear,
The virgin like your mother fair.
At night thy sweetest influence fhed
Upon the facred nuptial bed;
The youth let Bacchus gently warm,
The charming labour to perform:
And let kind Venus teach the maid
Not of her rites to be afraid.
And, o Lucina, bless their joys
With lovely girls and fpritely boys;
Be these the pledges to improve
The growing ardour of their love;
Which by no length of time fhall die,
But follow them above the sky.
Such be the pleasure of their days,
As may the wandring rakes amaze :
And force them gravely to confefs,
That Hymen's joys alone can blefs.
RYTHEE, Sylvia, why fo coy?
Lips were made for kiffing:
Without love, our folid joy,
Life's but a foolish empty toy,
And hardly worth possessing.
Love can make us truly blest;
Would'ft thou be less cruel,
Soon its pleasures thou might'ft tafte;
But love's a fire, and can't fubfift
Without fupply of fuel.
OAST no more, fond fwain, of pleasure;
What the fickle fair can give thee,
Believe me, 'tis a fairy treasure,
And thy hopes will foon deceive thee.
Sweet's the flower, but quickly flying,
I've known her fmiles and her disdaining;
Fair's the flower, but quickly dying;
Cloe ftill will be complaining.
Y MEN, god of chast delight,
Now thy genial torches light;
Love invokes thee, love that's true,
Love that is ally'd to you;
Not the impoftor, that infpires
Vicious flames and loose defires.
To the altar fee the youth
Led by love and manly truth;
See the bride, whofe charming face
Modeft looks and blushes grace.
Now, I fee them join their hands,
Now, they're bound in gentle bands;
Now, the youth, fecure of joys,
Briskly fhews it in his eyes;
Now, has banish'd all his fears,
And for coming bliss prepares;
Swiftly Phoebus, drive thy car;
Quickly rife, o evening star:
But, o night, thy haste delay,
And a while keep back the day,
While the pair with joys are bless'd,
Joys that cannot be express'd,
Joys the virtuous only taste.
Conscious Juno, bless their bed,
Chaft Lucina, grant thy aid:
May their happy offspring prove
Stricter ties of mutual love;
And old age the lovers find
Still more loving, still more kind.
ROM that one glance I wounded lie:
O look again, and let me die:
Kill me outright; I cannot brook
To live like one that's planet-ftruck;
Bless me again with those bright rays,
That shorten, yet make sweet my days.
O fhoot more lightning from those eyes,
To fhew you accept the facrifice
Of my poor heart, which now doth burn,
While I both priest and offering turn;
I'll blame thofe eyes no more that prove
My ruin, fince they cause my love.
S Hamilla then my own?
O the dear, the charming treasure!
Fortune now in vain fhall frown;
All my future life is pleasure.
See how, rich with youthful grace,
Beauty warms her every feature;
Smiling heaven is in her face;
All is gay, and all is nature.
See what mingling charms arife,
Rofy smiles and kindling blushes;
Love fits laughing in her eyes,
And betrays her fecret wishes.
y Phillis, deny me no more;
I pr'ythee now be not fo coy;
Such fcorn as you fhew'd heretofore,
Feeds your pride, but it starves all your joy.
If I by the giving my heart
Can find fo much profit accrue,
What then muft there be on your part;
Since I gave it to none but to you?
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