Loves Garland/Card of Courtship
The following “Poesies” are reprinted from “The Card of Courtship,” or the Language of Love, fitted to the Humours of all Degrees, Sexes, and Conditions, made up of all sorts of curious and ingenious Dialogues, Pithy and pleasant Discourses, Eloquent and Witty Letters, Delicious Songs and Sonnets, Fine Fancies, Harmonious Odes, Sweet Rhapsodies. London. Printed by J. C. for Humphrey Moseley, and are sold at his shop at the signe of the Princes Arms in St. Paul’s Churchyard. 1653.
Poesies for Rings.
Thou art my starBe not irregular.
Without thy loveI backward move.
Thine eyes so brightAre my chiefe light.
This intimatesTrue lovers states.
My life is doneWhen thou art gone.
This hath no end, my sweetest friendOur loves be so, no ending know.
Poesies for Bracelets.
As love gives light to every partSo this gives life unto my heart.This chastly lies and lives with meOh that I might do so with thee.
Another.
How might I triumph in my blissif love were where my bracelet is.Fer then should love do no such harmTo wring my heart, but wreath my arm.
VARIOUS POSIE MOTTOES—(with probable period).
Henry VI.
Till deithe depart
Never newe
‘Til my live’s end.
Henry VIII.
Yours in harte
Lette lykinge laste
God send me well to kepe.
Elizabeth.
In God is all mi trost.
Godly love will not remove.
Love intire is our desire.
Gods decree well playseth me.
I like my choyse.
Your frind till death.
Love God.
Fear God and fly sinne.
Charles I.
Seithe God hathe wrought this change in theeSo frame thyself to comfourth me. Prepare to follow me.
I will ever love the giver.
Kepe faith till death.
United harts death only parts.
Charles II.
In God above we zoyne our love.
We zoyne our harts in God.
As God decreed zo we agreed.
Knit in one by Christ alone.
As God hath apoynted I am contented.
Gods blessing be on mee and thee.
Now have I my desiar on earthe.
A true friends gift.
Love is the bond of peace.
Providence Devine hath made thee mine.
Live in Loue.
My hart and I untill I dy.
I chuse not to change.
Let reason rule affection.
In God above and Christe his SonneWe two are joyned both in one.
Who feares the Lord are blest, wee seeSuch thow and I grant may bee.
As I in thee have made my choyceSo in the Lord let us rejoice.
As I expect so let me findA faithfull ♥ and constant mind.
James II.
God above keep us in love.
Feare God and love thy choice.
I have obtained, who God ordained.
This God can do, made one of two.
God hath appoynted, be contented.
God did foresee we should agree.
Our contract was heavens act.
I like my choyse to well to change.
Let vertue be thy guide.
As gold is pure let love endure.
Let us share in joy and care.
Vertue passeth riches.
Continue constant in Love.
You and I will lovers dye.
Continue in love, and constant prove.
God for me appointed thee.
Where hearts agree, there God will be.
In Gods decree, will pleased are wee.
To love and peace, God gives increase.
No foo (? t) can move a fixed love.
What we intended God hath ended.
When this you see remember me.
God above send peace and love.
Anne.
The God of Heaven give us everlasting love.
My heart my dear to thee I giveTo be kept by thee whilst we live
Time shall tell I love thee well.
No joy, to hearts content.
No riches like content.
The God of peace our love increase.
Lets live in love and fear the Lord.
Happy in thee hath God made me.
Let vertue bee a guid to thee.
As God of two hath made but oneZoe none shall part but God aloneGod alone made us two one
George I.
Mine eye did see my heart did chooseTrue love shall bind till death doth loose
In thee my choice I do rejoice.
I am thy lot, refuse me not.
In Christ and thee my joy shall be.
God above increase our love.
To thee my love I’ll constant prove.
Hearts content, cannot repent.
In Christ and thee my comfort be.
In thy sight is my delight.
A loving wife a happy life.
God hath sent my hearts content.
I cannot show the love I O.
In unity lets live and dye.
In God above we two are one.
God did decree our unitie.
Gods Providence is my inheritance.
In love abide till death divide.
All born to live and live to love.
Love and live happy.
I fancy none but thee alone.
Let not absence banish love.
God alone made us two one.
In Christ alone we two are one.
First love Christ that died for thee Next to Him love none but me.
A faithful wife preserveth life.
In God and thee my joy shall be.
George II.
A good start in life is a virtuous wife.
Contented with my choice.
Our love no fate, shall separate.
I live and like my choice.
Let reason rule affection.
Fear the Lord and rest content So shall we live and not repent
Various Posie Mottoes.
Not the value but my love.
We are one with God alone.
The gift and the giver are thine for ever.
Love me little but love me long.
For a kiss take this.
This and my heart.
Thou hast my heart, till death us part.
Let us agree.
My love is true to none but you.
As sure to thee, as death to me.
Death only parts, united hearts.
As true to thee as thou to me.
Where hearts agree there God will be.
The gift is small but love is all.
Endless my love as this shall prove.
Happy in thee hath God made me.
I hold my love by God above.
God in Trinitie bless our unitie.
Let us share in joy and care.
Love never dies where vertue lies.
While I live, I love.
Love for Love.
For virtues sake, I did thee take.
Goeds intent, none can repent.
God knyte our hartes in faith.
My harte is yours.
Content is a treasure.
In loving thee I love myself.
Love him who gave thee this ring of gold’Tis he must kiss thee when thou art old.
Love me and I will love thee.
This and the giver are thine for ever.
This hath alloy, my love is pure.
The diamond is within.
I’ll death defy e’er faith deny.
The dearest of all that I hold dear.
Never till this is dust, fail in love or trust.
Careful I’ll be to comfort thee.
As true to thee as death to me.
Qvod devs conivnsit homo non separet[1] (sic).
Faythe hathe no feare.
Tyme tryeth troth.
Tyme cannot destroy.
Right hand plighted, pledge of good-will.
Love never cometh too late.
Love is servant unto right.
Firme is my faithe.
The giver maketh the gift preshus.
Under this ring shalt thou conquer.
I love thee best.
Mon cor plesor (My hearts delight).
Sans vilenie (without baseness).
Let us love, like turtle dove.
God saw thee, most fit for me.
- ↑ Poesy of Sir Thomas Gresham (1554).