Sir Henry Wotton, and Serjeant Hoskins Riding on the Way
Ho. Noble, lovely, vertuous Creature,
Purposely so fram’d by Nature
To enthral your servants wits.
Wo. Time must now unite our hearts:
Not for any more deserts,
But because (me thinks) it fits.
Ho. Dearest treasure of my thought,
And yet wert thou to be bought
With my life, thou wert not dear.
Wo. Secret comfort of my mind,
Doubt no longer to be kind,
But be so and so appear.
Ho. Give me love for love again,
Let our loves be clear and plain,
Heaven is fairest, when ’tis clearest.
Wo. Lest in clouds, and in differring,
We resemble Seamen erring,
Farthest off, when we are nearest.
Ho. Thus with numbers interchanged,
Wotton’s Muse and mine have ranged,
Verse and Journey both are spent.
Wo. And if Hoskins chance to say,
That we well have spent the day,
I, for my part, am content.
