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_The Autumnall_

No _Spring_, nor _Summer_ Beauty hath such grace,
As I have seen in one _Autumnall_ face.
Yong _Beauties_ force our love, and that's a _Rape_,
This doth but _counsaile_, yet you cannot scape.
If t'were a _shame_ to love, here t'were no _shame_, 5
_Affection_ here takes _Reverences_ name.
Were her first yeares the _Golden Age_; That's true,
But now shee's _gold_ oft tried, and ever new.
That was her torrid and inflaming time,
This is her tolerable _Tropique clyme_. 10
Faire eyes, who askes more heate then comes from hence,
He in a fever wishes pestilence.
Call not these wrinkles, _graves_; If _graves_ they were,
They were _Loves graves_; for else he is no where.
Yet lies not Love _dead_ here, but here doth sit 15
Vow'd to this trench, like an _Anachorit_.
And here, till hers, which must be his _death_, come,
He doth not digge a _Grave_, but build a _Tombe_.
Here dwells he, though he sojourne ev'ry where,
In _Progresse_, yet his standing house is here. 20
Here, where still _Evening_ is; not _noone_, nor _night_;
Where no _voluptuousnesse_, yet all _delight_.
In all her words, unto all hearers fit,
You may at _Revels_, you at _Counsaile_, sit.
This is loves timber, youth his under-wood; 25
There he, as wine in _Iune_, enrages blood,
Which then comes seasonabliest, when our tast
And appetite to other things, is past.
_Xerxes_ strange _Lydian_ love, the _Platane_ tree,
Was lov'd for age, none being so large as shee, 30
Or else because, being yong, nature did blesse
Her youth with ages glory, _Barrennesse_.
If we love things long sought, _Age_ is a thing
Which we are fifty yeares in compassing.
If transitory things, which soone decay, 35
_Age_ must be lovelyest at the latest day.
But name not _Winter-faces_, whose skin's slacke;
Lanke, as an unthrifts purse; but a soules sacke;
Whose _Eyes_ seeke light within, for all here's shade;
Whose _mouthes_ are holes, rather worne out, then made; 40
Whose every tooth to a severall place is gone,
To vexe their soules at _Resurrection_;
Name not these living _Deaths-heads_ unto mee,
For these, not _Ancient_, but _Antique_ be.
I hate extreames; yet I had rather stay 45
With _Tombs_, then _Cradles_, to weare out a day.
Since such loves naturall lation is, may still
My love descend, and journey downe the hill,
Not panting after growing beauties, so,
I shall ebbe out with them, who home-ward goe. 50


[Eleg. IX. The Autumnall. _1635-54:_ Elegie. The Autumnall.
_1633:_ Elegie IX. _1669:_ Elegie. _A18, N, TCC, TCD:_ Elegie
Autumnall. _D, H40, H49, JC, Lec:_ An autumnall face: On the
Ladie S^r Edward Herbart mothers Ladie Danvers. _B:_ On the
Lady Herbert afterwards Danvers. _O'F:_ Widdow. _M_, _P:_ A
Paradox of an ould Woman.