Poetry Codex

Restoration & Augustan

John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester

1647–1680

John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester (1647–1680), was an English courtier and poet at the court of Charles II, and the most celebrated of the Restoration 'Court Wits'. Famed for his libertine life, he wrote satires, songs, lyrics and verse epistles, and died at thirty-three.

Texts and attributions follow The Works of the Right Honourable John, Earl of Rochester (London, 1718); some pieces in that collection are of disputed authorship.

Poems (32)

  1. A Satire against Mankind
  2. Tunbridge-Wells: A Satire
  3. Horace's Nempe incomposita dixi pede, &c. Imitated
  4. A Satire against Marriage
  5. A Letter from Artemisa in the Town, to Cloe in the Country
  6. An Epistolary Essay from M. G. to O. B. upon their Mutual Poems
  7. The Maim'd Debauchee
  8. Upon Nothing
  9. The Advice
  10. The Discovery
  11. Woman's Honour
  12. Grecian Kindness
  13. The Mistress
  14. A Song: Absent from thee I languish still
  15. To Corinna
  16. A Young Lady to Her Ancient Lover
  17. To a Lady, in a Letter
  18. The Fall
  19. Love and Life
  20. A Song: While on those lovely Looks I gaze
  21. A Song: Love a Woman! you're an Ass
  22. A Song: To this moment a Rebel, I throw down my Arms
  23. Upon His Leaving His Mistress
  24. Upon Drinking in a Bowl
  25. A Song: As Chloris full of harmless Thoughts
  26. A Song: Give me leave to rail at you
  27. The Answer
  28. A Song: Fair Chloris in a Pig-Sty lay
  29. Constancy
  30. A Song: My dear Mistress has a Heart
  31. Song: Too late, alas! I must confess
  32. Epitaph on Charles II

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