Poetry Codex

Metaphysical & Cavalier

Sir Francis Kynaston

1587–1642

Sir Francis Kynaston (also spelled Kinaston) was born at Oteley in Shropshire in 1587. He matriculated at Oriel College, Oxford, in 1601, took his B.A. from St Mary Hall in 1604, took his M.A. from Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1609, and was reincorporated at Oxford two years later. He was knighted in 1618, sat in Parliament for Shropshire from 1621, served as a proctor at Cambridge in 1635, and died in 1642. He was also known for translating part of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde into Latin.

His chief English poems appeared in 1642 as Leoline and Sydanis, a romance in rhyme royal, together with Cynthiades, a series of amorous lyrics addressed to a mistress under the name of Cynthia. The texts here are taken from George Saintsbury's edition (Minor Poets of the Caroline Period, vol. II, 1906); the long romance is filed under Works and the Cynthiades are given as separate poems.

Major Works (1)

  1. Leoline and Sydanis — Romance in rhyme royal, 1642

Poems (23)

  1. On her fair Eyes
  2. On a Mistress for his Rivals
  3. On her being an Incendiary
  4. On Concealment of her Beauty
  5. On her Embraces
  6. On a Kiss
  7. On Seeing and Touching
  8. On her Looking-glass
  9. On Expressions of Love
  10. When I behold the heaven of thy face
  11. An Apology
  12. Learn'd lapidaries say the diamond
  13. On his being one with her
  14. On Sugar and her Sweetness
  15. On her Coyness
  16. On a Short Visit
  17. On Verses on her
  18. On a parting kiss
  19. On his Love after Death
  20. Dear Cynthia, though thou bear'st the name
  21. On her Resemblance
  22. On her Mother's Decease
  23. Wonder not, Cynthia, thou who art

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