VERSES: Lately written by THOMAS Earl of STRAFFORD.  

(I.)  
GO, Empty joys,  
With all your noise,  
And leave me here alone,  
In sweet sad silence to bemoan  
Your vain and fleet delight,  
Whose danger none can see aright,  
Whilst your false splendour dims his sight.   

(II.)  
Go and ensnare  
With you false ware,  
Some other easy Wight,  
And ch●●● him with your flattering Light;  
Rain on his head a shower  
Of Honours, favour, wealth, and power;  
Then snatch it from him in an hour.   

(III.)  
Fill his big mind  
With gallant wind  
Of Insolent applause:  
Let him not fear all-curbing laws,  
Nor King nor people's frown;  
But dream of something like a crown,  
And climbing towards it, tumble down.   

(IV.)  
Let him appear  
In his bright Sphere,  
Like Scynthia in her pride,  
With star-like troops on every side;  
Such for their number and their light,  
As may at last o'erwhelm him quite,  
And blend us both in one dead night.   

(V.)  
Welcome sad Night,  
Griefs sole delight,  
your mourning best agrees  
With honour's funeral Obsequies.  
In Thetis lap he lies,  
Mantled with soft securities,  
Whose too much sunshine blinds his eyes.   

(VI.)  
Was he too bold,  
That needs would hold  
With curbing reins, the day,  
And make Sol's fiery Steeds obey?  
Then sure as rash was I,  
Who with ambitious wings did fly  
In Charles his wain too loftily.   

(VII.)  
I fall, I fall;  
Whom shall I call?  
Alas, can he be heard,  
Who now is neither loved nor feared.  
You, who were wont to kiss the ground,  
Where e'er my honoured steps were found,  
Come catch me at my last rebound.   

(VIII.)  
How each admires  
Heaven's twinkling fires,  
When from their glorious seat  
Their influence gives life and heat.  
But O! how few there ar',  
(Though danger from that act be far)  
Will stoop and catch a falling star.   

(Ix..)  
Now 'tis too late  
To imitate  
Those Lights, whose pallidness  
Argues no inward guiltiness:  
Their course one way is bent.  
The reason is, there's no dissent,  
In Heavens high Court of Parliament.    

London printed, 1641.