Love

Cælia: "Fairest, when by the rules"

by William Browne of Tavistock 1590–1645

From Pastoral Poetry (Pembroke Booklets)

Love

Fairest, when by the rules of palmistry
You took my hand to try if you could guess
By lines therein if any wight there be
Ordain'd to make me know some happiness;
I wish'd that those characters could explain,
Whom I will never wrong with hope to win;
Or that by them a copy might be ta'en,
By you alone what thoughts I have within.
But since the hand of Nature did not set
(As providently loath to have it known)
The means to find that hidden alphabet.
Mine eyes shall be th' interpreters alone:
By them conceive my thoughts, and tell me, fair,
If now you see her that doth love me there.

MLA

Tavistock, William Browne of. “Cælia: "Fairest, when by the rules".” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/browne_w/24/.

Chicago

Tavistock, William Browne of. “Cælia: "Fairest, when by the rules".” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/browne_w/24/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by William Browne of Tavistock