| Herbert J.C. Grierson, ed. (1886–1960). Metaphysical Lyrics & Poems of the 17th C. 1921. |
| |
| Sir Henry Wotton |
| |
| 21. On his Mistris, the Queen of Bohemia |
| |
| YOU meaner Beauties of the Night, | |
| That poorly satisfie our Eies | |
| More by your number, then your light, | |
| You Common-people of the Skies; | |
| What are you when the Sun shall rise? | 5 |
| |
| You Curious Chanters of the Wood, | |
| That warble forth Dame Natures layes, | |
| Thinking your Voyces understood | |
| By your weake accents; what's your praise | |
| When Philomell her voyce shal raise? | 10 |
| |
| You Violets, that first apeare, | |
| By your pure purpel mantels knowne, | |
| Like the proud Virgins of the yeare, | |
| As if the Spring were all your own; | |
| What are you when the Rose is blowne? | 15 |
| |
| So, when my Mistris shal be seene | |
| In Form and Beauty of her mind, | |
| By Vertue first, then Choyce a Queen, | |
| Tell me, if she were not design'd | |
| Th' Eclypse and Glory of her kind? | 20 |
| |
|
|
