[Page] TVVO BOOKES OF EPIGRAMMES, AND EPITAPHS. Dedicated to two top-branches Of GENTRY. Sir Charles Shirley, Baronet, AND William Davenport, Esquire.
WRITTEN By THOMAS BANCROFT.
LONDON: Printed by I. Okes, for Matthew Walbancke, and are to be sold at his shop in Grayes-Inne-gate 1639.
The First Booke of Epigrammes.
To Sir CHARLES SHIRLEY, Baronet.
THis verse, (whose Author was so neare you bred)
Seemes to runne straight to you for Patronage,
As to a brave Bud, that hath promised
The fruit of Honour in maturer age:
Daigne then these leaves to sweeten with your Springs
Faire growth, and listen whilst a Black-bird sings.
2. To the Reader.
Reader, till Martial thou hast well survey'd,
Or Owens Wit with Ionsons Learning weigh'd,
Forbeare with thankelesse censure to accuse
My Writ of errour, or condemne my Muse.
3. To the same.
Though Epigrammes be but a curter kind
Of Satyres, striking on as sharpe a string,
To Dysticks or Tetrasticks doe not bind
My free-borne Muse, for youth would have his swing,
4. To his Booke.
Deare issue, some thy Name that view'd,
Did from rash premisses conclude,
[Page] That, through suffusion of thy gall,
Thy parts would prove Ictericall,
And that (wrapt up in sheets uncleane)
With scurrile Rymes and jests obsceane,
Thou wouldst prophane a good mans eare:
But (as thou art to Vertue deare)
Such lewd licentious tricks defie,
And cheat such Censures honestly.
5. On the Spheares.
What are those ever-turning heavenly Spheares,
But Wheeles, (that from our Cradles to our Urnes)
Winde up our threads of Life, that hourely weares?
And they that soonest dye, have happiest turnes.
6. On severall Countries.
In severall figures severall Regions are,
Cast and describ'd, some round, some angular:
So Irelands forme is Ovall, Britaine takes
The threatning semblance of a sharpned Axe,
(Where-with large France seemes hewne into a square)
And to an Oxes hyde we Spaine compare:
But Nature well, brave Italy doth show
Like a swift Legge, that farre with Fame doth goe.
7. On cracking of Nuts.
Much cracking hurts the Teeth, but to the Tongue
The bragging humour does a deeper wrong.
8. On Thomas Randall.
Who knew not this brave sparke of [...] whose
Both Life and Learning might detraction pose,
Save onely that he dranke too greedily
O'th' Muses Spring, and left the Sisters dry,
Who (smiling therefore gave th [...] [...] command
His Body to couvert to pearly sand,
And strew it in their Fountaine, there [...]
Like his cleare thoughts, and make their draughts divine.
9. To a Glazier, shrewdly married.
Of Gla [...] and Lead, woman, and weighty care
[...]ou hast enough, (and some perhaps to spare)
[...] breake thou wilt, nor can thy brittle Trade
[...] hold, now quarrels are so rashly made,
10. Of the Earth.
[...] [...]at make Earth a living Monster, (whose
Breath moves the Ocean when it ebbes and flowes,
Whose warts are rugged Hills, whose wrinkles, vales,
Whose Ribbs are Rocks, and Bowells, Mineralls)
What will they have so vast a Creature eate,
Sith Sea too salt, and Aire's too windy meate?
11. A drunken brabler.
Who onely in his Cups will fight, is like
A Clocke that must be oyl'd well, ere it strike.
12. An Epitaph on his Father and Mother, buried neare together in Swarston Church.
Here lies a paire of peerelesse friends,
Whose goodnesse like a precious Chaine)
Adorn'd their soules in lives and ends;
Whom when detractions selfe would staine,
She drops her teares in stead of gall,
And helps to mourne their Funerall.
13. To Iame Shirley.
Iames, thou and I did spend some precious yeeres▪
At Katherine-Hall; since when we sometimes feele
In our Poetick braines (as plaine appeares)
A whirling tricke, then caught from Katherines wheele.
14. The Usurer.
He puts forth money as the Hangman sowes
His fatall Hempe-seed, that with curses growes:
[Page] So grows his damn'd wealth, in the Devils name,
That doth in Hell the Harvest-home proclaime:
For which deepe reason my poore Muse preserves
This suite, that Poets ne're prove Usurers.
15. An Epitaph on Mistris Anne Knyveton.
Here hidden lyes deare Treasure under ground,
Blest Innocence, with budding Vertue crown'd,
That, like a Taper on some Altar fir'd,
Shone fairely forth, and sweetly so expir'd,
Expecting here in darkesome shade of night,
A rising Sunne, that brings eternall light.
16. Another on the same.
Gentle Friends, with teares forbeare
To drowne a withered Flower here,
That, in Spring of Natures pride,
Dranke the Morning dew, and dy'd.
Death may teach you here to live,
And a friendly call doth give
To this humble house of mine,
Here's his Inne, and this the Signe.
17. To Thomas Pegge Gentleman.
Me thinkes I may to Sugar and to Wine
Our loves compare, which kind discourses mixt:
Since when, that heart that totally was mine,
Hath in your bosomes Paradise beene fixt.
What wonder then my Friendships force doth last
Firme to your goodnesse? you have pegg'd it fast.
18. To an Eunuch.
Thou still art wrestling, yet the fall dost get,
As Ships that want their Ballast, over-set.
19. Against Drunkennesse.
Of all soule-sicknesses that Mortals have,
This falls the heaviest, quenching many a brave
[Page] Young sparke, yet kindling Lusts unhallowed fire.
Sweet friends, that to the two-topt Mount aspire
Of noble Art and Honour, to the ditch
Of base [...]ontempt tumble this loathed Witch,
That worse than Circe) with a cup doth sacke
The Fort of Reason, and sound sences cracke.
For who (not frantick) would diseases buy
At a lame rate, or thirst for poverty?
20. An Epitaph on Master Henry Hopkinson.
Lo, of old Natures true faith-fastned hearts
Lyes here a Picture, which with loveliest parts
Heavens hand did garnish, and exactly draw
With the quaint lines of Vertue, Art, and Law:
But lest too long it should to view be set,
Laid up his worke, and this the Cabinet.
21. To Ben. Ionson.
As Martials Muse by Caesars ripening rayes
Was sometimes cherisht, so thy happier dayes
Ioy'd in the Sun-shine of thy Royall IAMES,
Whose Crowne shed lustre on thine Epigrammes:
But I, remote from favours fostering heate,
O're snowy Hills my Muses passage beate,
Where weeping Rocks my harder Fates lament,
And shuddering Woods whisper my discontent.
What wonder then my numbers, that have rowl'd
Like streames of Tygris, run so slow and cold?
22. To the same.
Let Ignorance with Envy chat,
Inspight of both, thou Fame dost winne,
Whose messe of Learning seemes like that,
Which Ioseph gave to Benjamin.
23. To Oliver Cookerill.
Thou once didst wrong me, but I all forgive,
And wish thou maist in lesse vexation live,
[Page] Than when thou didst of bootlesse love complaine,
Whose heate in teares of dripping spent thy braine;
When, with a sunke cheeke and a sobbing heart,
In roaring Rime thou didst discharge thy smart,
And like a leaden Serring lay'st alone,
Ready to squirt out life at every grone.
Yet, when thou couldst not thy deare Doll obtaine,
Didst with reproach her Maiden same distaine:
This was not faire; but doe no more amisse,
And Cupid with both eyes will winke at this.
24. To Caspar the Foote-man.
Caspar went nimbly once, but now doth tread
Scarce thicke enough; he's lately marryed.
25. To Godfrey Froggat.
Cuz, thou and I (though no man knew the same)
By our meere likenesse should our Kindred claime:
Both Learning-lovers, faithfull-hearted, kind.
Of lowly stature, yet of lofty minde:
Onely quaint Fortune, that with thee doth stay
Playes the blind Jade with me, and wheeles away.
26. On humane bodies.
Our Bodies are like Shooes, which off we east,
Physicke their Cobler is, and Death the Last.
27. An Epitaph on George Siddon of the Bull-head in Bosworth.
Death, the great Gamester, that at fairest throwes,
And surely strikes a Dye, to Tables goes
With sightlesse Fortune for our Siddons life:
But (better to prevent a future strife)
Out of her Trumpet Fame the Dice must cast,
And play for Chance: so to their sport they haste,
(As even Life and Death were at the stake)
Straight Fortune blots, and Death the man doth take,
Which the blind Goddesse, seconded by Fame,
Did here interre, and wonne the after-game.
28. To Thomas May of Sutton-Cheney, Gentleman.
Sweet Tom, that (like that Minion Earine,
Whose Beauty great Domitian held divine)
Dost in thy name the youth and pleasure beare,
Beauty and lovelinesse of all the yeare;
Yet in thy gall-lesse temper dost imply
More sweetnesse, than that Name doth signifie:
My true heart loves thee, (what can more be said?)
Were I but Iove, thou wert my Ganymed.
29. On Maltworme.
This sonne of Riot spent on Ale and Beere,
And Indian fume, two Thousand pounds a yeare:
Yet nought for all his Angels hath to shew,
Except a great Nose of a glorious hew,
Worth all his body; for that is but mould,
But his tryumphant Nose scornes beaten gold.
30. To Sampson Baker.
Sampson, whose strength not in thy Haire,
But in thy firmer Braine-pan lyes,
I friendly warne thee to beware
Of reason-blinding vanities.
By the implored helpe divine
Of wilde affects the Lyon slay.
Account strong Beere a Philistine,
And th' Indian Witch a Dalilah.
31. To Thomas Dixie, Gentleman.
Thy stature is (like mine) but low,
Yet as the Gyants once did throw
Huge Hills on Hills, so hast thou laid
Vast Law on Arts, and thereby made
A passage to Fames house on high,
Like that to Ioves, the Galaxy.
32. To Amorer.
How manlesse is thy dotage, to adore
That gilded rottennesse, that poison'd core
Of swelling prides Aposteme! Must therefore
Thou be a sheepe, 'cause shee's a Goatish Whore?
To Sir IOHN HARPVR.
YOu once my lusty Lines did like,
(And I as well did like your Gold)
My measure-keeping Muse doth strike
On the same string; whose hopes are bold
That you will daigne an eare to it,
Sith Hermes (to adorne your minde)
Hath yeelded you his pleasant Wit,
And Phoebus hath his Harpe resign'd.
34. To the same.
You have a Genius pleas'd with Verse, (I heare)
That smoothly passeth through your cleansed eare,
As water of Pactôlus, where no stay,
Nor downe-fall interrupts his golden way:
For such your merits I your praise shall sing,
Whilst you still harpe on so divine a string.
35. To William Bottome.
Who would Penelope's day-worke unwind,
Thy Name (wrapt up in Huswifery) might finde.
36. A tricke for your Learning.
Two Schollers in Thames-streete were drinking hard,
And late; to whom a Constable repair'd,
And tax't them for't: Invited yet to drinke,
He turn'd up Glasses, till both nod and winke
At greatest faults he would; when sleepe at last
Did bridle up his brutish senses fast.
[Page] Meane while the waggish Mercuries conspire
T'abuse himand two Water-men they hire
To take him napping, and transport him thence
Th'way of all Fish: who ne're recover'd sense,
Nor from his dead sleepe found himselfe alive,
Till both his Charons at Gravesend arrive.
To all harsh Magistrates a warning faire,
That they of too much Wine and Wit beware.
37. To Tom Dizzy.
Thou hast some do w-bak'd Learning I confesse,
But leaven'd so with pride, and peevishnesse,
That all distaste it: Mixe thy humours then
With courteous sweetnesse, most adorning men,
And throw proud fancies downe; so maist thou rise
At Fortunes next rebound, and stand for wise.
38. To a Red-ey'd Conjurer.
Thine Eyes, like fire-balls, shew how hot thou art
In love with Hell, whose Lyon rules thy heart.
39. To Sir Andrew Knyveton, in his Travaile.
IF wishes, fastned to the wings of Love,
May over-take you, and auspicious, prove,
I wish you power (in a solid soule
And a sound body) Fortune to controule;
I wish you ten-fold wisedome may obtaine
To his, that ten yeares wandered on the Maine;
I wish this Travaile may bring forth your fame,
I wish you best and happiest of your name,
I wish all graces on your heart distill'd,
And lastly wish these wishes all fulfill'd.
40. To the same at his Returne.
Welcome to us, as is the Morning lay
Of the rais'd Larke, (glad Ushex of the Day)
[Page] To wearied Watch-men: for our duller hearts
Scarce leapt from sorrow since you left our parts:
But when their livelyer palpitation told
Your neare approach, scarce could our heart-strings hold
Our gladnesse. This Vlyssean course of yours
Us of your worthier qualities assures,
Whose Knowledge is (no doubt) by travaile so
Improv'd, that still you will beyond us goe.
41. An Epitaph on Mistresse Gray, Grandmother to Sir Andrew Kniveton.
LO here deare Reliques of the richest frame
Of Beauty, by whose fall the Paschall Lambe
(Her honour'd Crest) a golden Fleece hath lost,
Kept here by Death, till with a glorious Host,
Not Iason, but our blessed Iesus come,
Sayling on clouds, to fetch this Treasure home.
42. On Gentry.
I saw once (on a Hill in Wales)
Th'old Herald Time with dusty Scales
Weighing of Gentry, and close by
Stood the blind Goddesse secretly.
Those that were brainelesse, light, and vaine,
Did mount aloft; and those againe
That had their weight of worth, did fall
Low as this earthly Pedestall:
And still as Fortune pleas'd, she made
The Ballance move, and laugh'd, and play'd
Her wanton prankes (too seriously)
Ah ha, are these your tricks? thought I;
Then is the cause by Fortune found,
Why Gallants floate, and Wits are drown'd.
43. Gluttons and Lechers.
Gluttons are heavy hulkes, that scarce can steere;
But Lechers are light Friggots, here and there.
44. The Life of Man.
Mans life is but a cheating game
At Cards, and Fortune playes the same,
Packing a Queene up with a Knave,
Whilst all would winne, yet none doe save,
But loose themselves: for Death is it,
That lastly cuts, and makes his hit.
45. To Master Farnaby.
Sith by the labour of thy smoothing hand
We thinke we doe rough Persius understand,
The Criticke-vext Petronius, Iuvenal,
The full-mouth'd Maro, witty Martial.
The Tragedies of high-strain'd Seneca,
The noble Lucans brave Pharsalia,
With the wise Morals of the Stagyrite,
And Epigrammes which Grecian Muses write:
We ne're shall recompence thy paine; but Fame
Will cracke her Trumpet for't, and sound thy Name.
46. To old Sir Iohn Harpur of Swarston, deceased.
AS did cold Hebrus with deepe grones
The Thracian Harper once lament,
So art thou with incessant mones
Bewayled by thy dolefull Trent,
While the astonisht Bridge doth show
(Like an Arch-mourner) heaviest woe.
47. On Martiall Boggard.
Boggard, the Souldier, chancing in the Streete
With a weake-witted Citizen to meete,
That would admire his bragges, began of Warres
To thunder dreadfully, and boast his skarres,
Filling his mouth with names of men at Armes,
With Musters, Marches, Stratagems, Alarmes,
With Sallies, Camisadoes, Batteries,
Slashing and slaughtering of his Enemies;
Which he so lively acts, as he had beene
At deadly blowes; when straight a Sergeant seene,
Makes him blow for't indeed, and's cloake let flye,
Who thus both Ensigne lost, and victory.
48. To Master Pestell of Packinton.
Lo here her labours doth my Muse commend
To you, her Phoebus, and her choicest friend;
Whose knowledge, brightned with a beame divine,
Doth through the frowning clouds of envy shine,
Making its splendour (like that desert flame)
A guide to blisse, a columne to your fame.
49. An Epitaph on Mistresse Anne Roberts of Naylston.
Stay, Passenger, and see thy journies end,
Take sorrow in thy way, and kindly spend
One pearly teare, t'inrich this Monument,
Which a sole Sonne to a deare Mother lent:
Whose life (her Countries losse) did still abound
With fruits of grace, to be with glory crown'd;
And (as these
White Characters in black Marble.
Letters, which her worth containe)Was fairely white, without black vices staine:
But lifes best treasure wastfull time will spend;
Goe, passenger, thou seest thy journies end.
50. To Dabbler.
Thy Muses looser Robes with many a tricke
Are jagg'd, pink't, stucke with Flowers of Rhetorick,
[Page] That smell all Poesie; yet please they none.
How happens that? they're out of fashion.
61. Ingrossers.
How doe you shave the City 'gainst the haire!
And even would intercept the common Ayre,
Were't in your power! yet you leave us breath,
To fly in ourses after you to death.
But sith you put us to such publicke losse,
Take all our faults too, and be knaves in grosse.
62. An Epitaph on Alexander Hill.
An Alexander, and a Hill
(Two lofty things) did envious Death
At once dismount, and thus doth kill
Our hearts too by his losse of breath,
Whose thoughts with Vertue did advise,
And honour'd truth, yet here he lyes.
63. To a Detractour.
Thou still art darting (like a Porcupine)
Thy quils against me, faulting every line
That my hand drawes, and with the frost-like power
Of thy benummed verse would nip the flower
Of thy sweet Poësie. I wish thee show
More favour to thy selfe, than thus to blow
Sparkes in thine eies. Art thou not (slave) afeard
To plucke a couchant Lyon by the beard,
That rouz'd will rend thee? thou but shoot'st in vaine
Thy bolts of folly, that rebound againe
From my unpierced Muse, whose lofty rime
Shall (Diall-like) stand in the face of time,
And looke it downe, when thou and thine shall lie
Damn'd up with Dust in blind Obscurity.
On Twitchup, the Vsurer.
At once his money and his judgements eye
This wretch puts forth, lest Hell should terrifie.
64. An Epitaph on William Holorenshaw, the Mathematician.
Loe, in small closure of this earthly bed
Rests he, that Heav'ns vast motions measured:
[Page] Who, having knowne both of the Land and Skie
More than fam'd Archimed or Ptolomy,
Would further presse, and like a Palmer went
With's Iacobs Staffe beyond the Firmament.
56. To Briskape the Gallant.
Though thou hast little judgment in thy head,
More than to dresse thee, drinke, and goe to bed,
Yet mayst thou take the wall, and th' way shalt lead,
Sith Logick wills that simple things precede.
57. On a French Knight, and Mistris Wolsley
A wanton Knight, borne, wed, and curst in France,
Came to our English Court, and there by chance
Wooes, and re-weds a faire and vertuous Maid:
Which wrong of love being by time bewray'd,
He (lest his Weddings Destiny should turne
To Hanging) leaves his second choice to mourne:
Who Wife, nor Widow, Maid nor Whore doth prove.
What is she then? a Quintessence in love.
58. To the Slanderer, Stinks.
Could I but worke a Transformation strange
On thee, whose malice pricks and rankles so,
I would thy Carrion to a Thistle change,
Which Asses baite upon, and Rusticks mow.
59. To Sir Gilbert Knyveton. ANAGRAMME. Turne to be Kingly.
HE that can rule his little Ile of Man,
(Girt with a waving Maine of misery,
And his affects to lawes of Reason can
Rightly submit, may claime a Monarchy;
And by such Empire may more honour gaine
Than he that serves his Gold, yet Masters Spaine.
60. To a Musitian, on his hurt finger.
Thy Lute, that late seem'd in a desperate case,
(Like a torne vagrant without Hat or Band)
May hope to have its Treble match the Base,
Sith thy hurt finger's on the mending hand.
61. An Epitaph on Captaine Knyveton.
HEre lyes a Traveller, (that least would lye)
One that in Belgia, France, and Tuscany,
With other Regions of remoter site,
In a progressive warfare tooke delight;
But being now with Peace more highly blest,
Hath laid his Musket by, and here's his Rest.
62. The brevity of Mans life.
Who would regard this brunt of life? which is
In times long tract a short parenthesis,
Drawne with bent lines upon (this earthly stage)
Of creeping infancy and crooked age.
63. To Mistris Dorothy Harpur, (now the Lady Fitzherbert.) ANAGRAMME. Pure Hart I hoord.
LEt stupid worldlings stuffe their chests with gold;
Their glittering pelfe doth no proportion hold
With the Soules beauties, nor so safe doth lye
As thy rich worth, whose brest's a treasury.
64. To Mr. William Roberts watch-maker.
Kind friend, that, in this iron age unkind,
Dost worke thy Fortunes out of Brasse, and finde
[Page] That mettle softer than the hearts of friends:
Be rich in patience, till a faire amends
Fortune shall make, who downe-right cannot wound
One that a head-piece beares so strong and sound.
76. An Epitaph on the King of Sweden.
HEre lies a sparkling Iem of honor, quencht
In deare effused blood, and sadly drencht
In a salt Ocean of inundant teares:
Yet lofty Fame (in clouds triumphing) beares
His name: that in more heavenly Poems like
Phoebus shall shine, and Austria Planet-strike.
76. To William Iernegan, Gent. Anagramme. I value my Learning;
Well mayst thou value at the highest price
That plant, that makes thy braine a Paradise:
To whose rare excellent the Iems most bright
But cloudy are, and sollid gold too light.
77. To Captayne Roberts.
Captayne, that Conquered hast my heart
By force of Love, and truely art
To truth and innocence an ayde:
Nor art (as others) basely sway'd
By gifts or favours of the great,
In a bad cause to sweare and sweate:
While such as I (whose hearts do hold
Cleare truth, not troubled much with gold)
Of villaines wrongs might oft complaine,
Yet tune our wind-pipes still in vaine:
My strongest verse shall guard your name,
And Bulwarke it' gainst bold defame,
Whilst you against the wracke of time,
Shall stand as Genius to my Rime.
78. To Trent.
Sweet River, on whose flowery Margin layd,
I with the slippery Fish have often playd
At fast and loose: when ere th'enamour'd ayre
Shall in soft sighes mine ecchoed accents beare,
Gently permit the smoother verse to slide
On thy sleeke bosome, and in tryumph ride
Vnto the Mayne: where when it sounds along,
Let Tritons dance, and Syrens learne my song.
79. To Swarston.
Swarston, when I behold thy pleasant sight,
Whose River runs a progresse of Delight,
Ioy'd with the beauties of fresh flowery plaines,
And bounteous fields, that crowne the Plow-mans paines:
I sigh (that see my native home estrang'd)
For Heaven, whose Lord and tenure's never chang'd.
80. On Pillard with his Periwig.
Pillard, thy Head seemes in a monstrous case,
That weares a French crowne with an English face.
81. To Grace-dieu.
Grace-dieu, that under Charnwood stand'st alone,
As a grand Relicke of Religion,
I reverence thine old (but fruitfull) worth,
That lately brought such noble Beaumonts forth,
Whose brave Heroick Muses might aspire,
To match the Anthems of the Heavenly Quire.
The mountaines crown'd with rockey fortresses,
And sheltering woods, secure thy happinesse,
That highly favour'd art (though lowly plac'd)
Of Heaven, and with free natures bounty grac'd,
Herein grow happier, and that blisse of thine,
Nor Pride ore-top, nor Envy undermine.
82. On a curst wife.
VVhat painfull sorrows wretched man consume!
That burn'd with Feavers is, or drown'd with Rhume.
Rackt with Convulsions, wrung with Stranguries,
Fe [...]ter'd with Gouts, or goar'd with Plurisies.
[Page] If all such mischiefes throw not downe his life
To Hell-ward, damne him to a scolding wife.
83. On Poets.
These Darlings of free Nature want no vigour
Of braine, and therefore to grow rich are liker
Than weaker heads, and might be blest with Angels,
(For which the Souldier fights, and Lawyer wrangles)
Did not their lofty Fancies 'bove the Welkin
Still soare, whilst others are for Treasures delving.
But fie, my verse is foundr'd, all this time
I dream'd on riches, I but rav'd in time.
84. Our Grandames infirmities.
Earth had her dropsie in th' all-drowning Flood,
And now expects her burning Feaver neare:
Her Plurisies effusions are of blood
By wars: her Agues, tremblings of her Spheare:
Which whether yet it proove vertiginous
With round rotations, aske Copernicus,
85. Of Warre.
War's like a curst wife, whence a man may cull
Some fruites of goodnesse, (though of mischiefe full:)
For those land-surfeits wanton peace doth breed,
Warre by incision cures, when Kingdomes bleed.
86. On Scheltco, the Astrologer.
Scheltco, that saw the heavenly Squadrons rang'd
In a strange fashion, and their postures chang'd,
Pretended by those starry lights to see
That the Worlds end in Eighty Eight should be:
And so too thought the Spaniards, (as appeares)
That tooke their leave of it with brinish teares.
87. To Iohn Fretchvile Esquire.
A Good mans Center is his Countries love,
Whither your weighty worth doth swiftly move
After your fathers, whom to honour, bright
Phoebus did friendly aime, and hit the
Sir Peter Fretchvile was honoured by the name of the White Knight.
white.88. The New World.
Some in the Moone another World have found,
Whose brighter parts are Seas, the darker, Ground:
Which were it true, we should have Moone-calves tost
From those sharpe whirling Hornes to every Coast:
And a wild World it were, and full of tricks,
Where all Inhabitants were Lunaticks.
89. On Sir Philip Sidney.
Idols I hate, yet would to Sidneys wit
Offer Castalian healths, and kneele to it.
90. To Charnwood.
Charnwood, if all thy Stones were turn'd to Bread,
(As once the Fiend did such a motion make)
It would be more than Zerxes fed,
Or Tenariffe and Aetna both could bake;
And hungry Churles (that raile at Souldiers)
Would rend up Rock-bread, and turne Pioners.
91. On a Woman.
When Man lay dead-like, Woman tooke her life
From a crook't Embleme of her Nuptiall strife;
And hence (as bones would be at rest) her ease,
Shee loves so well, and is so hard to please.
92. On the same.
Woman was once a Ribbe, (as Truth hath said)
Else, sith her tongue runnes wide from every point,
I should have dream'd her substance had beene made
Of Adams whirle-bone, when it was out o'th'joynt.
93. On the motion of the Starres.
Artists affirme that from the burning Line
Some Starres of Aries North-ward now decline,
And the slow-pac'd Cynosure appeares
Nearer the fixt Pole, than in former yeares:
No marvell then blind Mortals walke astray,
When Heav'ns cleare eies have lost their wonted way.
94. On Gluttony and Lechery.
These fleshly Factors for the Devill deale,
The one in grosse, the other by retaile.
97. To the Honorable Esquire, IOHN MANNOVRS of HADDON.
YOur Honour'd ancestour was stiled King
Of the high Peake, for royall House-keeping:
And well your selfe approves your noble straine
Of Kindred, by that bounty you maintaine:
Whose rarenesse in this iron age bewrayes
A golden Mind, and precious makes your praise.
98. To our Queene MARIE.
HOw are You compast with a Ruby-chayne
Of hearts, deare Queen! that with an endles raigne
Of joy unto You: whose sweet name to all
Sounds mirth, and seemes a heavenly Uirginall.
99. To Vicar Blunder.
Those iron Lungs of thine, and throat of brasse,
(To whose crackt bore loud Stentors wind-pipe was
But a small Reed) cannot with vengeance sacke
Our garnisht wals, or painted windows cracke.
Whereat thou weep'st, as if the fervent paine
Of zealous griefe did melt thy Leaden braine:
Yet (as a puddle soone congeales to Ice)
Thou straight art hardned to thy quaffing vice.
Thus deepe mouth'd Thumper, after fruitlesse paine
In hunting Counter, fals to's lappe againe.
100. On Iohn the Warrener, falne in love with Ioane the Net-worker.
T'Intrap poore creatures he accounts no sin,
But is himselfe now taken with a Gin.
101. To the Lord Uerulam.
Had I a tongue of all Frier Bacons brasse,
Which should (they say) have wal'd this Iland round,
I scarcely could how deepe thy knowledge was,
With all the strength of such an Organ sound
[Page] Fame cannot do't, her trumpet it would split:
Why then should words blow wind on such a wit?
105. To Nathaniel Carpenter, on his Geography.
So well I like the structure of thy Spheare,
(Whereon thou seem'st an obeliske to reare
To thy fames wonder,) that my Muse preferres
Thy skill before th' Ephesian
Cherisiphons Architect of Dianaes Temple.
Carpenters.106. To a Tell-tale.
Thy glowing eares, to hot contention bent,
Are not unlike red Herings, broyl'd in Lent.
107. To Baull, the Cryer.
In thy rude Parish (as thou dost professe)
Thou'rt like the Baptist in the wildernesse:
Yet ere for conscience off thy head should go,
Thou wouldst not cry Oyes, but roare out No.
108. To our King CHARLES.
YOur royall Father our right Atlas was,
And you as high this happy Realme sustaine,
Whose wisedomes glory (as a gemmy glasse
For noblest Kings) out-shines the Arctick waine.
So, though bright Iupiter were set, the skies
Could lacke no lustre, when the Sunne did rise.
109. On deafe Ioan, the Ale-wife.
She prates to others, yet can nothing heare,
Iust like a sounding Iugge, that wants an eare.
110. Copernicus his opinion.
Copernicus did thinke those Orbes above,
Stood as Spectators, while the earth did move:
Nor did he farre from ground of reason stray,
Sith earth takes paines, and Heav'n keeps holy-day.
111. To our Prince CHARLES.
RIch summe of all our hopes on Earth,
Great Heire of England, at your birth
Heaven put his cloudy tresses by,
And smil'd on us with open skie,
Whilst all the Planets seem'd to throw
Their golden radiance at your brow.
A cleare presage, that favours shall
From Heaven upon your Highnesse fall,
And thence on us reflecting, glance
On the glibbe Ocean into France.
112. To Sir THOMAS OVER BURY, on his Wife.
Others by Children lengthen out their life,
Thou onely art eterniz'd by thy wife.
113. To Zounds the Swaggerer.
What dost thou meane to revell roare, and spend?
To drinke, and drabbe, and sweare so? wilt thou rend
Thy way to Hell? The Devill will spy day
At a small hole, and snatch his Chuck away.
114. To the same.
What Gulfe's within thee, that thou swallow'st so?
Is it to drowne all thirst before thou goe
To that Infernall hot-house? such a ground
Of reason's deeper than I list to sound.
115. A point of hard fortune.
A thiefe, that of a Ramme had gelt the Flock,
And ty'd him 'bout his necke, upon a Rocke
Laid his fat load, intending there to rest
His weary shoulders: but the captive beast
Straining and struggling for release, at last
Beyond the pointed stone his body cast,
Whose weight crusht out the fellons breath anon,
That was both strangely hang'd, and dy'd o'th' Stone.
116. To George Slanders, on his Marriage.
Thy basenesse us'd thy Friend in hostile sort,
But hath not Wedlocke snar'd the Woodcock for't?
117. To Th. Ch. Esquire.
Your noble Genius holds (as doth appeare)
The very shadows of the Muses deare,
Who with proud maintenance have leaven'd those,
That scarce will give you thankes in humble Prose,
Nor in high Verse can doe't: So on a sinke
Shines lovely Phoebus, though his object stinke.
118. To Shakespeare.
Thy Muses sugred dainties seeme to us
Like the fam'd Apples of old Tantalus:
For we (admiring) see and heare thy straines,
But none I see or heare, those sweets attaines.
119. To the same.
Thou hast so us'd thy Pen, (or shooke thy Speare)
That Poets startle, nor thy wit come neare.
120. To Aston Cokaine, Esquire.
He that with Learning, Vertue doth combine,
May (though a Laick) passe for a divine
Piece of perfection. Such to all mens sight
Appeares your selfe: who, if you take delight
In these composures, your applausive show
Will stampe conceits, and make them currant goe.
121. The World.
The World's a Forrest, (maim'd with fatall strokes)
Where Wolves and Foxes are wilde youths desires,
Where dead men Ashes are, the living, Oakes;
And Cats and Women are but scratching Bryers.
122. On Blinkes, a pretender to Poetry.
He nine wayes lookes, and needs must learned be,
That all the Muses at one view can see.
123. To William Coke Esquire.
IF Gallants would your wayes of goodnesse chuse,
Each Gentleman would gentle manners use.
[Page] And (to our honour) th' English Court would be
A High-gate, leading to faire curtesie.
124. An Epitaph on Mris. Hope Alford.
Keep off, prophaner feete; here sleeping lyes
A sacred Nimph, that vertue did adore,
And treasur'd all the blessings of the skies:
Whose well-fraught vessell, hasting to the shore,
Strucke deepe into these Sands: but with a tyde
Of glory shall be rais'd, and stellifi'd.
125. Peace and Warre.
Weapons in peace grow hungry, and will eate
Themselves with rust: but War allowes them meate.
126. An adumbration of Mans life.
As't pleas'd the Father of all lights, he made
Man as a Gnomon, and his life the shade:
Which, when it hath bin this and that way throwne
In any projects, with a breath is gone.
127. Dulman to Ignoramus.
Friend, thou this Terme the brabbling Boores hast gelt,
And grow'st so fat, thy belly rots thy Belt.
128. Ignoramus his reply.
What should I do but geld them? when so kind
The Rustickes are, to give me wealth for wind.
129. To Sir Iohn Fitzherbert of Narbury.
SOme worthy cause doth make your Country hold
Your selfe so deare: It is sweet curtesie,
And goodnesse, that adornes you more than gold,
And wins more honour than a crowne can buy.
For though great vices titles rot, the fame
Of vertue keeps her sound, and spreads her name.
130. An Epitaph on Foxe the Tinker.
Here under resteth (deep-earth'd in his grave)
A Foxe old and wily, that smell'd of a Knave:
Yet every day mending, grew holier of late,
And took's hammer with him to knocke at Heav'n gate.
131. On Pride.
Why Pride to others doth her selfe prefer,
The reason's cleare, she's heire to Lucifer.
132. The Miller to the King.
Scorne not the Miller, King: for thou with wind
Thy Mill-like frame dost move, and viands grind
Into thy stomackes bag; and Death that takes
Toule in a Coffin, no distinction makes.
133. On Captayne Milward, lying dead upon Trent banke.
Behold (like treasure in the Banke) a sonne
Of Mars, that had his fathers honor wonne
Out of the fire, yet in water dy'd,
And thus his thirst of glory satisfi'd.
134. On the same.
For thy deaths sake (noble friend)
Be no man before his end
Happy thought, though flattering fame
Fixe amongst the Starres his name:
He that leanes on wealth or strength,
Breakes his staffe, and fals at length.
133. To Iohn Milward Esquire:
Though natures force for such a brothers fate
Your teares exact, yet cease to macerate
Your selfe: the water-Nymphs enough for all
Will weep, and keep a fluent funerall.
136. To Doctor Donne.
Thy Muses gallantry doth farre exceed
All ours; to whom thou art a Don indeed.
137. To the Lords of the privy Councell.
You, that the eyes of this faire Iland are,
How much concernes it you to have a care
That you from filmes of ignorance be free,
From pearles of pride, and rhumes of glutton [...],
Nor in the flatterers Fennell take delight,
But hearbe of Grace, that makes a perfit sight!
138. The foure Elements.
Natures large Empire of Tetrarchy
Of Elements consists, that mutually
Make warre: what wise man then can hope for rest,
Whom foure unruly Naturals molest?
139. On a good Phisitian over-match't with an ill wife.
All Hearbs that painefull Dioscorides,
Or Theophrast, or twenty such as these
Have ere described, his vast Learning knewes,
Yet almost hath forgot where Hearts-case growes.
140. On Nell Lusty.
Charons unwearied Boate to burning Hell
Carryed all commers; so does rampant Nell.
141. On Celestiall bodies.
Some make the Heaven a Quintessentiall frame,
And some the Starres but Elementall fire:
Who would the Probleme cleare, let him the same
Of Lucifer (the Morning Starre) enquire.
142. Death, a sure friend.
The Flesh and Spirit ever fighting are,
But Death soone parts them: Is't not then a friend,
That our dull terrene muster off doth pare,
And makes the flame-like forme to Heaven ascend?
143. A Cure for Impatience.
Who Patience wants, a Rod to him preferre,
And let him Angler turne, or Schoole-master.
144. On the same.
Who would be patient, waite he at the Poole
For Bull-heads, or on Block-heads in the Schoole.
145. To I. P. an old Fencer.
Jacke, thou hast often ventur'd for the Prize
Of Fortitude, and art reputed wise:
For, being beaten to the World, and well
Stricken in yeares, thy prudence may excell.
146. Time alters all things.
All suffer change; by turnes we rise and fall
Of Time, that serves his Processe upon all.
147. To Gilbert Knyveton, Gentleman.
YOu beare his Name that beare me much good-will,
And bound me with the golden tyes of Love
T'addresse my service to his Off-spring still:
Whose true devoire may it accepted prove,
So shall the wandring Starre of my desire
Be culminant, nor farther needs t'aspire.
148. On Sleepe.
Sleepe binds the Senses, but at liberty
It sets the Soule, and mocks the fantasie
With strange illusions, playing (Iugler-like)
At fast and loose, till Death in earnest strike.
149. To Hugh the Cryer.
Thou still dost bawle and brabble, none knowes why;
That all the Towne sounds of a Hugh and cry.
150. A good wits dyet.
That which upholds our tottering walls of flesh
Is food; and that which doth our wits refresh
Is wholesome Study: for like stronger Fare
Be solid Arts, but Sweet-meates Poems are.
151. To the prime Lady Fainebe.
When thou beholdest in thy Mimick Glasse
Thy forme, that most of Beauties doth surpasse
In Natures dainties, wisely then compare
Thy Feature to thy Mirrour bright and faire,
But f [...]aile and brittle, shatter'd with one blow
Into a thousand splinters: thus bestow
Thy cogitations, and thy plumes of pride
Low as thy Grave will fall, and there abide.
152. To Sir Landlesse Ramkin.
What? art thou Knighted? why, thy meanes are small,
And thy flush Lady now will lavish all
Vpon her [...]cke, save what she doth bestow
Vpon thy brow, to make thy Knight-hood show.
156. To the same.
Knighthood's come on thee (as a man should throw
Gold on a dunghill,) and thy Lady so
Sutes with thy gredtnes, that her gowne will be
In stead of coat of armes, and honour thee.
157. To Doctor Butler, in his last sicknesse.
How angry seemes the Fates at thee,
(Rare man!) that thousands hast set free
From their arrests▪ and (sure) didst make
Those adamantine Sisters quake,
Lest through thine Arte their power should
Both be contemned and controul'd:
But Death into his vengefull jawes,
This Butlers selfe now rudely draws.
158. To the Lord Sillysense.
Your greatnes with your Dwarfe delights to passe
The time, and makes your Foole your looking-glasse.
159. To Captaine Iames, after his intended discovery of the North-west passages.
Captaine, that hast endur'd ten thousand knockes
'Gainst floating Iles of Ice, and setled Rockes,
Out-daring tempests with undaunted sense,
And dulling sharpest colds with patience,
Meeting more dangers than each tedious day
Had houres: too ill proud Fortune did repay
Thy hazarde: yet (to th'honor of thy name)
The North-west passage prov'd thy way to Fame.
160. On the Searchers of the North-west passage.
Those that make proofe of what the Spaniards say,
Of that short Cut into the Southerne Maine,
Are like yong Gallants that with Cheaters play
At passage, and with losse repent in vaine.
161. Loves Remedy.
Withdraw the fewell from Loves piercing fire
By abstinence, or come not neere unto't
By dalliance; so mayst thou quench desire:
If not, let marriage for thee do't.
162. The Pulpets complaynt of a Diabolicall Lyer,
Strong was I built, else had I surely bin
Crusht to the ground by thy grand weight of sinne,
Whose pride hath father'd many a loathsome lie,
On the sweet Saints, Bernard and Hillary,
Grave Augustine, with others; and doth vent
More foolish Buls, than ere the Popedome sent
Into the world: nor ever Sermon makes,
But straight turnes vagrant, and the text forsakes.
Base sonne of Levi, that didst never know
Thy father, nor thy pedegree canst show
By th'Booke: if yet thou hast one graine of grace,
Rub off that brazen morphew from thy face,
Do as the begger on a Sunny day
Does by his Lice, throw baser lies away,
And either ballast that light skull of thine
With learnings weight, that makes a grave Divine,
Or at the Altars hornes (for oathes and lies)
Hang a worse Priest than ere did sacrifice.
163. The Lyer.
Twelve stones wore Aaron on his brest, but I
Looke but for one, the
The whetstone.
Embleme of a lye.164. Naked Love.
Nature allowes her Birds and Beasts to weare
Light armour of warme Feathers, Wooll, and Haire,
And unto man gives providence, t'enfold
Himselfe in garment▪ 'gainst invasive cold:
Why then should tender Love be left to go
Naked alone? because 'tis hottest so.
165. An Epitaph on George Agard, Gent.
Here lyes in a dead sleep (unheard and unseene)
Not high George a horse-backe, nor stout Georg a Greene,
But joviall George Agard, made round as a Bowle,
From Taverne to Ale-house the better to [...]owle.
Who 'mongst witty Clerkes many pounds having spent,
Whipt Petties for pennies, and thus was content
In Schoole to do pennance by paynes-taking great,
That so with his owne rod himselfe he might beat.
Mount up at rebound, to drinke Nectar in Heaven.
166. On Nuptiall love.
Adam (before his fall) did fall alone
In love with Eve, who of-spring yet had none;
So that the prime and liveliest touch of all
Loves Consorts, is th' affection conjugall.
167. On Church-bells.
Some Novellists, that Conscience most pretend
With Caps and Surplisses themselves offend;
Others dare raile at other matters else,
As at the Ring, but few against the Bells:
Which should they taxe, the Ropes would undertake
To answer for them, and all quiet make.
168. Evacuation of the foure humours.
Mans head is purg'd (as Galens sonnes declare)
Of Blood and Phlegme by th' Nose, and by the Haire
Of melancholicke drosse; but choler will
Have him by th' eares, and that way vents her ill.
169. On the Kings Iester.
How plumpe's the Libertine! how rich and trimme!
He jests with others, Fortune jests with him.
170. To cracking Iohn.
Fye, make not wise men mad by boasting so,
Sith every child thy sillinesse doth know,
Whose vaporous braine might in a Cherry-stone
Be lodged; cracke't, and where's the kernell Iohn?
171. To Humphrey Okeover, Esquire.
I sometimes heard a kind of Prophesie,
That your name should in faire Longevity
Equall the Tree of Iove: which may it bide
Like Royall Cedar, never putrifi'd,
Nor otherwise impair'd; so sound a fame
To you I wish, and your well-timber'd name.
172. To Robert Lincolne, Gentleman.
Deare Sir, your Fates looke, as our Proverb sayes,
The devill look't o're Lincolne, and would raise
[Page] Contempt against your worth; whose honour'd name
Stands Ensigne-like, defying base defame.
173. On Thomas Draper, Gentleman.
I need not wrappe this Draper in the cleane
Linnen of plausive Verse, and yet I meane
That the indearements of our love shall goe
In as faire dressings as my Muse can show.
For our affections have with many a graine
Of Salt beene season'd, and will still remaine
Sound and unshooke, while Thousands will their hands
To Friendship set, yet breake her strictest bands.
174. To T. R.
How shall I plague thee for thy villanies!
That meane thy beaten bulke to pulverize,
And in an Houre-glasse (while swift Time can flye)
Tosse, turne, and vexe thy powder pitteously.
175. To Sir Henry Merry deceased.
When I have number'd all the golden graines
By Tagus washt, or Iemmes in hidden veines
Of the deepe Earth, then may I here recite
Thy faire and rich endowments, worthy Knight:
Which since we want, we weepe, as if we would
Supply with Pearles what dearer was than Gold:
But (teares exhausted) sadly sigh alone,
And frowne at mirth, now noble Merry's gone.
176. On old Trudge the Termer.
Thy practice hath small reason to expect
Good termes, that doth faire honesty neglect.
177. Christmas in a Consumption.
Old Christmas seemes a weakling child againe,
(A Child of twelve dayes old) nor can containe
Himselfe from soft teares and excessive mone,
Now his kind Nurse, good House-keeping, is gone.
Cookes (that their fingers lick't) their hands may wring,
And Butlers o're their sounding Hogsheads sing
Sad notes: for now their Offices are throwne
Upon the backe of Pride, and all's her owne.
178. On the Ocean.
How strangely doth the humid Ocean moove
By some impulsion from the Spheares above!
And seemes indeed a lesse terrestriall skye,
Whose bubbles, starres; and foame's the Galaxie.
179. An Epitaph on Walter Merry, Gent.
Here buried lyes his kindreds top,
And flower of worth renown'd,
Whom ruder fates too soone did crop,
T' Embosome thus in ground:
Who, having drunke the heavenly dew
Of grace, blind Natures guide,
Straight (like the Heliotrope) withdrew,
Clos'd up his sweets, and dy'd.
Yee virgin Nymphs, with many a teare
Your Christ all Viols fill,
And all those lyquid treasures here
Vpon this Grave distill,
That Roses here and Violets
From beauty sowne below
May spring, to decke your Coronets,
And sweeten all your woe.
180. On old Sharke.
Sharke bad me to his roast, but in the end
Forc'd me to pay both for my selfe and friend:
Thus (though a Coward) shew'd he mettle yet,
In beating of me with a silver spit.
181. To Bertholdus Swart, Inventor of the Gun.
Berthold, thou aptly wast sirnamed Swart,
From the blacke mischiefe, which thy darkesome Art
First brought to light: whereat the Furies frowne
To see their torturing Engines all put downe
By one of thine, whose thunder made to shake
Hels deepest ground-worke, and the Divels quake;
Yea, mightiest armies hath to spoile full death
Sent with a powder, and depriv'd of breath
More then all Mars his brondirons ere did kill,
Yet gapes for prey, and roares for [...]
182. The greatest Clerkes, not the wisest men.
What fancies float in some mens heads! as those
That in the
two Northerne asterismes.
Dragon and great Beare supposeSome Stars to shine, whose power hales amayne
The marine waters towr'd the Arcticke wayne:
Which were to make that payre of Beasts to draw
More than all ere were yoak'd, or Nature saw.
183. On Tobacco taking.
Th'old Germans, that their Divinations made
From Asses heads upon hot embers laid,
Saw they but now what frequent fumes arise
From such dull heads, what could they prophetize
But speedy firing of this worldly frame,
That seemes to stinke for feare of such a flame.
184. Maides and Wives.
Maides are white papers, which no hand did bind:
But wives are blotted bookes, and interlin'd.
The prayse of Poverty.
If smallest thread the choycest cloath doth yeild,
If finest herbage make the daintiest field:
Then slender poverty, wrought with so small
And thin a fortune, must be best of all.
185. To William Lilly.
Grand Schoole-master, some livelier twigs of Bayes
Shall sticke thy Tombe, that merit'st ample prayse:
For though the Lawrell never Lilly beare,
Yet such a Lilly may the Lawrell weare.
186. On Excessive drinking.
Is aged Nature so exhaust and dry,
That men now drinke so much, so greedily?
Or is Hels torrid region neerer to
Vs than it sometimes was? It seemeth so:
For townes smell hot of it in every nooke,
And husbands like her horned monsters looke.
187. On Carnall mirth.
Mirth is but a Musicke-strayne,
Playd upon a fretted heart.
[Page] Whose harsh strings so much complaine
Of the want of Wisedomes Art,
That rude Death in discontent
Strikes to ground the Instrument.
188. To a young and wealthy wanton.
I wonder not to see thee play, that art
One of blind Fortunes puppies, pretty heart.
189. The Aegyptian Isthmus.
Were Aegypts Isthmus cut, the Natives feare
The angry Red-sea to the ground would beare
Their Pyramids, and men like sheepe would dye
Of the Red water, stain'd with cruelty.
190. The Prodigall, on himselfe.
Ingenious Daedalus, whose Art out-went
All fancies of the Greekes, and did invent
Large net-like sayles, to catch all winds that blew,
Which made the Poets fable that he flew,
Did scarce deserve so high a fame as I,
That bravely make bright Gold and Silver flye.
191. To old Canker, a wicked Gardener.
Our Grandsire in a Garden fell, where thou
All vicious licence dost thy selfe allow:
Nor can sharpe warnings penetrate thy heart,
That in thy Trade of lewdnesse rooted art.
192. To Iohn Ford, the Poet.
The Verse must needs be current (at a word)
That issues from a sweet and fluent Ford.
193. To his Brother Iohn Bancroft deceased.
You sold your Land, the lightlyer hence to goe
To forraine Coasts: (yet Fates would have it so)
Did ne're New-England reach, but went with them
That Iourney towards New Ierusalem.
194. The penitent Prodigall, to his loose-bodied Mistresses.
Hence tempting trifles, hence, I here defie
Your sighs and teares, your smiles and flattery.
Your vertues are but vizards, and your wits
But wandering flames, that lead men into pits.
[Page] Be Fooles your play-fellows; I'le trust no more
Women than waves, that flow to every shore,
Offering their forward boldnesse unto all,
Yet when they are at proudest, backward fall.
196. On Lust.
Lust is a Wildernesse, where wantons sow
Their wilder seeds, not caring how they grow.
197. To Iustice Much-ill.
You terme your selfe a Pillar of this Land,
As if our Realme on rotten propps did stand:
But who their Tenants to the quick will pare,
Not Pillars they, but Caterpillars are.
198. A Prince and a Parasite.
Like Cleopatra suckling of a Snake
Is that unhappy Prince, that much doth make
Of a base Parasite, that baskes in sinne,
And folds infection in a Lizards skinne.
199. Of Man.
Man is an Engine, mov'd with Reasons weight,
But Death, that stops his breath, unwinds him streight.
200. Of the Aethiopian Mountaine, Amara.
On this faire Mountaine, sphericall and high,
Stands (as fame goes) a precious Library,
Where Livies whole worke, Enochs Oracles,
Salomons Physicks, and some mysteries else
That did survive the Flood, entreasur'd lye,
Insulting o're Times wastefull tyranny.
O could I thither reach! then should I stand
High in the Muses grace, and all command.
201. Mans gradation.
We climbe the slippery staire of Infancy,
Of Childhood, Youth, of middle age; and then
Decline, grow old, decrepit, bed-rid lye,
Bending to infant-weaknesse once agen;
And to our Cophines (as to Cradles goe,
That at the staire-foot stand, and stint our woe.
203. On Greene-wit Gosling.
Gosling did want his Courtly termes of late,
And did desire the wooing phrase to know:
But having tendered love, with scornfull hate
Hath beene repulst, and finds the way to woe.
204. Hope of preferment.
A sweete enchauntresse is the flattering hope
Of dignity, that gives the phansie scope
To wander to Elyzium, and doth keepe
The wit still waking, though the Conscience sleepe.
205. Loves Motion.
Kind Love, whose motion deepe affection showes,
From th' outward sense to th' inward Center goes.
206. To Plots, a pretender to the Mathematicks.
Thou sai'st, thou by thy figur'd Art dost know
How much broad cloath about the earth will go.
But would thy Charity a garment make
For it, in honor might'st thou equall Drake,
When Fame should say of two such men of note,
Drake made the earth a girdle, Plots a coate.
207. To Mr. Henry Mellor, the first Major of Darby.
You seeme the prime bough of an ample tree,
Whereon if faire expected fruits we see:
Whilst others fames with ranke reproaches meete,
As Mel or Manna shall your name be sweete.
208. To Innocent Heartlesse, on his Imperious Wise.
Not without cause thou still dost weep and pule,
For still raines Winter where the wife doth rule.
209. On Hypocrites in friendship.
False friends are like to Cuckoes, that will haunt
Our pleasant walkes, and scurvily will chaunt
I' th' Spring, and part of Summer: but of all
The flocke not one attends you at the fall.
210. To Sir Iohn Curzon.
Your Ancestours were men of generous parts,
Whose bounty (as in free-hold) held all hearts:
Yet were for solid wisedome short of you,
That long were tutour'd by a learned
Sir Thomas Crew his Father in law.
Crew.211. To a lying Victualler.
False tales are like Trap-doores, which still to bolt
With Oaths against the truth, is to revolt
From him we vow'd to follow, love, and feare.
If therefore thou dost hold that Iewell deare,
For which our Lord a bloody price did pay,
Give not the Devill leave a claw to lay
Upon it, whiles thou wouldst the truth disprove,
And (like thy hang'd Signe) with each winde dost move.
For he's above, that closest faults will bring
To light, and call mine Host to th' reckoning.
212. To Mistresse Mutable.
Love runnes within your veines, as it were mixt
With Quick-silver, but would be wisely fix't:
For though you may for beauty beare the Bell,
Yet ever to ring Changes sounds not well.
213. To a Giglot, with her greene sicknesse.
Thy sicknesse mocks thy pride, that's seldome seene
But in fooles yellow, and the Lovers greene.
214. To Iohn Gell, Esquire.
If Gell from Gellius come, your pedegree
May (like a Pike) be trayl'd from Italy:
Whose farre-fam'd valour the remotest parts
Of Earth hath wonne, as you a world of hearts.
215. On Wood of Kent, that prodigious Gormund.
Some wondeer how the Stone Sarcophagus
Consumes dead bodies with so quicke a power,
But I astonied am my selfe, that thus
A walking Wood should such a masse devoure
Of meates, wherewith a Garrison might dine:
His heart's of Oake sure, and his stomacke Pine.
216. Money, a fruitfull commodity.
As with coyn'd Metalls we our Trades maintaine,
So th' Indians Trafficke with their fruits for gaine:
Yet doe our dealings no lesse fruite inferre
Than theirs; How comes that? aske the Vsurer.
217. The English, too like the French.
A Writer, skill'd in Constellations, notes
That England is ore-rul'd by Mercury:
Which I beleeve, for Delos-like it floats
In the wav'd humours of inconstancy.
218. An Acrostick to Mistris Elizabeth Corbet.
EXpresse your worth I cannot, loveliest friend,
Let those attempt it, whose rare wits ascend
In righter lines above the vulgar spheare;
So (as your forme is) may your fame be cleare,
And all the wandering Starres in beauties skie
Be but as clouds beneath your Galaxy.
Egregious Nymph! whose excellence refines
These drossie fancies, and these weaker lines
Helps to corroborate; if wishes could
Crowne merits, yours were precious stones and gold.
O! could I on a loftier Muses wings
Raise high my straines above terrestriall things,
Bearing the golden treasure of your name
(Endear'd to Vertue) to the starry frame,
Then should you Phoebe see (in honours show)
To plucke her hornes in, and her Orbe forgoe.
219. To Tumbrell Gullygut.
Some Indian Ethnicks use to sacrifice
Their teeth, as things which they most highly prize,
And thinke their gods delight in: wert thou one
Of those, long since thy fanges had all beene gone,
And grinders too; but Hundreds (gladly blest
By such a losse) had wisht thy bones good rest.
220. On Pot-valiant Champions.
Malta is fam'd for many warlike Wights;
But Malt hath more of such, our Ale-house Knights.
221. On Ioane Easie.
Ioane turn'd a Trador in the Stewes, when sent
To lead a pure life in a Nunnery:
And herein Ioane as Ionas did, that bent
His course to Tarsus, balking Ninivy.
222. The Roman Eagle.
The Roman Eagle, once with terrour spred,
Whose two heads East and West were brandished,
Is now dismembred, having left but one
Faint head, and almost all the feathers gone.
No marvell then the crest-fall'n bird doth quake,
When Warre but stroaks her, whom such aydes forsake.
223. To Nath. Bate, Gentleman.
Kind Sir, you once did find me (to your cost)
Where a loath'd life usurping Richard lost:
So may I loose mine owne, when once I prove
To you ingrate, or bate you ought in love.
For sith the Patron mends the Poets Art.
Well may you claime the tribute of my heart,
Who wish your Muses industry repaid
With high respect, and mine her waiting-maid.
224. On Pickwell the Miller.
Pickwell must needs be a sweet youth (they say)
Who lives by floures and fine meales every day.
225. To Iohn Whiteall, Gentleman.
Let no man thinke the first worlds innocence
Quite lost, nor seeke prime goodnesse farther hence
Than your calme brest, embeam'd with Vertues light,
Whose Fame is like your Name, entirely white.
226. To Canary Birds.
The old Aegyptians would not drinke
The Grapes strong juyce, which they did thinke
(In sober sadnesse) to be sprong
From Gyants blood, as cause of wrong,
[Page] Rage, lust, and other mischiefes more:
But were it of Medusa's gore,
And should contort your bodies to
The formes of Snakes; yet would ye show
Your selves such loving wormes to it,
That (by instinct of winding wit)
Ye would cling to the Goblet fast,
And drinke untill your sloughes ye cast.
227. To Master Thomas Lightwood.
Names should give light to things, and so doth thine
To thee, yet to obscurenesse doth oncline,
And falsehood too: for waighty dost thou prove,
That solid art in Learning, sound in Love.
228. To Mammons bond-slaves.
Neare Sicily lyes Sea-girt Strombolo,
That seemes to strive with Aetna, which should throw
Most flames, and loudest roare: which when sometime
Our Merchant Gresham did with Saylers climbe,
These words they heard, (while feare their flesh be-
Dispatch, dispatch, the rich Antonio comes: (numbes)
When one so named, (as they after found)
Whose Chests with coyne and curses did abound,
Yet gap'd for Gold still, at Palermo dy'd.
Was not this Mammons voyce, that did provide
To entertaine that Guest? what thinke ye, friends?
If so, then worldlings, hasten to such ends
Through Bills and Bonds, that at your wisht repaire
You with your golden god may richly share,
Where your intreasur'd hearts may nere be cold
For feare of want, but swimme in molten gold.
229. A tryall of right.
Women and Metalls by their sounds we know,
(If not by touch-stones) whether right or no.
230. To the same.
Thou rayl'st at Rome, and dost her friends oppose;
Yet bear'st her Badge in chiefe, a Roman Nose.
232. Of carnall pleasure.
The strongest shaft, which to the metall'd head
The Devill drawes, each loving heart to slay,
Is that fond pleasure, which in lazybed
Slips from the string of Lust, and hastes away.
233. To Francis Quarles.
My Muse did purpose with a pious strife
To have trac'd out my sinlesse Saviours life:
But thou hadst lanch'd into the Maine (I heare)
Before my Barke was rigg'd; which shall forbeare
To interrupt so prais'd an enterprize,
('Bout which with Quarles no quarrells shall arise)
Ply then thy steereage, while deficient gales
My wishes still supply, and swell thy sailes.
234. To the Honourable Matron, the Lady GRACE CAVENDISH.
Faire Vertues which in single hearts take place,
Are in a double sense the gifts of Grace.
235. An Epitaph on Mistris Anne Port.
Here lyes a creature to be most admir'd,
So good, and yet a woman: who aspir'd
To summe all vertues up before her yeares,
And scale by such ascents the heavenly Spheares
VVhereon she sits, comparing with the Sunne
The Diadem of glory she hath wonne,
And joying to out-shine him, makes the frame
Of Heaven resound her mirth, as Earth her fame,
VVhilst we halfe wrack't with losses of this sort,
Like Sea-men sigh, that want their wished Port.
236. To the Lady Maunsfield, now the Countesse of New-Castle. AN AGRAMME. All Fame liveth in Deeds.
WHile those which nought save fruitlesse titles have,
Bury their greatnesse in Oblivions grave,
[Page] Your reall worth unto your Name shall give
A royall fame, that in your deeds shall live.
237. To his Muse.
No enemy hath done me so much wrong
As thou, that hast betray'd me with a song
To ship-wracke of my fortunes: yet such sport
Thou dost afford me, that I hugge thee for't;
And those that most doe envy thee, delight
To see thee hovering in thine Eagle-flight,
And (proudly pearched on a Meteors backe)
With Ioves maine Thunder vying crack for crack,
While (Swallow-like) Detraction flyes below,
And chatters. For such feates I love thee so,
That were the choyce propos'd, I should refuse
Rich India's bosome, to embrace my Muse.
238. To the Flower of Youngsters, Rose Verney.
By some fore-knowledge wert thou named Rose,
Whose fame-blowne Beauty such a tincture showes
Of vernall brav'ry, as may well compare
With Venus Flower, that in sweet and faire
Dainties excells, yet is not without pricks;
No more art thou: Blush Rose, I smell thy tricks.
239. To Sir Charles Shirley, Baronet.
COuld I but coyne you in my minde, you should
Be of the right stampe, as were all your old
Fore-fathers, men of merit and renowne,
Whose meanest puts our moderne Nobles downe.
Their Houses seem'd as Hospitalls for poore,
And Charity still waited at their doore,
As Fame will upon you, whilst you aspire
To equall their desert; and my desire.
The end of the First Booke.
The second Booke of Epigrammes.
1. To William Davenport, Esquire.
YOur native sweetnesse, which you often have
Diffus'd to others, boldens me to crave
Your favour to this weakling worke of mine:
Whereon if your cleare Iudgment daigne to shine,
All clouds of envy menacing my Verse
I shall despise, and with one puffe disperse.
2. On Theologicall Vertue.
Vertue's a Bridge (neare to the Crosse, whereby
We passe to happinesse beyond the Spheares)
Whose Arches are Faith, Hope, and Charity,
And what's the water but repentant teares?
3. Sinne, like a Serpent.
Sinnes falshood glistereth like the Serpents kind,
(From whence it crept) and beares a sting behind.
4. On Drunkennesse.
The youngest of all vices (that I know)
Is Drunkennesse, which in the age of Noe
First reel'd into the World, and thus appeares
Like the Red Dragon, after thousand yeares:
Yet sure to Hell this sucking Vice hath spew'd
More soules, than all that ancient multitude.
5. On Devotion.
Devotion's like an Eagle, making way
Through cloudy Meteors, when she meanes to pray.
6. Gods Bounty.
No mortall hath seene God, few heard him speake;
(Hence is their love so cold, their faith so weake:)
Yet all his goodnesse taste, which (like the shower
On Gideons Fleece) he on all flesh doth powre.
8. On Lazarus in Abrahams Bosome.
From sorrowes straights, wherein we launch our lives,
In his hopes Haven Lazarus arrives,
And wonders in how short a flight of time,
He to that Crowne of happinesse could climbe;
From Ragges and company of Dogges, to sort
Himselfe with Princes of that glorious Court,
There with those armes, that on the Altar plac'd,
Our dying Saviours lively type embrac'd.
O blissefull change! to be incircled so,
What King would not his Diadem forgoe?
9. Mocking's Catching.
Ieere they that list, whose follies are profest:
With sinnes or swords it is not safe to jest.
10. The body and the soule.
God at one instant did not make the whole
Of man, but first the Body, then the soule:
And hence the fleshly Rebell (for the right
Of eldership) doth with the Spirit fight.
11. Percolation of Waters.
Sea-waters finding passage through the clay,
Lose saltnesse, (as experienc'd Writers say)
And with a sweeter relish please the sence:
So, than the mournfull teares of penitence,
Which sinners through their earthen Organs straine)
No water is more sweete, more soveraigne.
12. Faith and Love.
The aire doth first affect us, though the fire
Be more Celestiall, and more high aspire.
So the first tendrell of straight vertues tree
Is Faith, but the toppe branch is Charity.
13. Of Nature.
In Heavenly things meere Nature's blind and base,
And like a meale of fragments without Grace.
14. David and Goliah. Christ and Sathan.
Five stones tooke David, winning at one throw
Goliah's head: and our meeke Saviour so
[Page] Five wounds receiv'd, that weapon-like did slay
Th' Infernall Gyant, and his Host dismay.
15. The fall of Angells.
Some say, the downe-cast Angells here and there
Alighted, as they bodied Creatures were▪
But whether some of them in Aire reside,
Others in Water, or in Earth abide,
It matters not: for (howsoere they fell)
Who loseth God, findes every place his Hell.
16. Strong encouragement.
He acts as brave a part as David in
Killing Goliah did, who conquers sinne
At the first onset: for that is to wound
A Gyants front, and force him to the ground.
17. Of Mortification.
Sith Paradise is lost, looke not to see
God in soft pleasures walkes: for surely he,
That did to Moses in a Bush appeare,
Loves sharpe compunction, and a life austere.
18. To penitent Magdalen.
Mary, but late the cage of Hell,
Thy heavenly change what Muse can tell?
Those twinkling eyes that did allure
To sordid lust, now droppe the pure
Pearle of Contrition; and that haire
That wandering Cupids did ensnare,
And wav'd its pride in every streete,
Now humbly licks her Saviours feete,
And from those blessed roots derives
Vertue, more worth than thousand lives.
To cleanse thy stain'd affections then,
Still weepe and wipe, kind Magdalen.
19. A beame of comfort.
God that his splendour did to Moses show,
From Aegypt fled, will sure with comfort so
Shine upon those, that gladly bid farewell
To lust, whose lightnesse keeps us darke as Hell.
20. On the two theeves crucified with our Saviour.
As Iew and Gentile did his life oppose,
So here two Theeves our dying Lord enclose:
These, true to falshood, gasping here for breath.
Doe yet invade the King of life and death:
The one wi [...]h worst of weapons playes his part,
The other robbes him of his dearest heart:
Both on the bloody Characters doe looke,
Of life, yet one but saved by the Booke:
That (as in Moses bush) with Raies divine
Sees in the thorny Crowne some glory shine,
And hangs not faster on the fatall wood,
Than his soule cleaves to her eternall good.
Strange Thiefe! that thus by vertue of his vice
Broke loose from Hell, and stole to Paradise.
21. An unfruitfull Reader.
Who reads Gods Word, not following it in deed,
Is like a sounding, but an empty Reed.
22. Sects in Religion.
While Sects are wrangling, Sathan doth contend
To make them all their vertues treasure spend:
Iust, as while Clients strive, the Lawyer takes
Their Metall, but no chaine of Concord makes.
23. To London in time of Pestilence.
London, when I behold thy Ladyes goe
So Bedlam-like with Naked armes, and show
Shoulders and breasts, like Maremaids, all behung
With golden toyes, and precious stones among;
And when againe the roaring boyes I see
Put women downe with manlesse luxury,
Still to be fashion-sicke, and drinke, and sweare.
And rage, as if they Stygian Monsters were:
I wonder not to see thee blacke with woe,
Sith high-built Cities lye in dust below,
For crimes lesse bold: and having drunke thereby
Deepe cuppes of vengeance, thou wilt pledge, or dye.
24. The Arke and Dagon.
Afford not sinne one corner in thy heart,
Sith all's too little for so great a Lord,
That will not for the whole accept the part:
Nor will his Arke and Dagon ere accord,
Whose head and hands at th' entry of desire
Cut wisely off, nor suffer sinne entire.
25. On Palestine.
My sighes out-pace my tongue, when I would tell
How this fam'd Region, which did all excell
In pleasant fruits, and typ'd the happyest place,
Is now a Den of Barbarisme, so base,
So stript and ruin'd, that with grapes and graine,
It scarce a flight of Locusts can maintaine.
Ah cursednesse of sinne, that thus to Gall
Turnes milke and honey, and empoysons all.
26. The motion of sinne.
Sinnes motion's various; and her Zenith well
We terme presumption, but her Nadir Hell.
27. Marke the end.
Iacob held Esau by the Heele, and so
Should every man that feares his Maker doe:
Not stroke the head of sinne, but apprehend
His rugged foote, and marke his fatall end.
28. Nebuchadnezzars Image moraliz'd.
Like this Kings Image with the head of gold,
Th' ambitious seemes, and makes a lofty show
Of wisedome; but his latter end behold,
And you shall see the proud aspirer goe
On earthen feet, whose frailty will not beare
Their master out, from danger or from feare.
29. An old sute.
God not with silken robes old Adam clad,
But skinnes of Beasts, (the most contemned weare)
To shew, that he who Princely Empire had,
Having defac'd Gods Image, did appeare
More like to beasts, and (through his teares) might see
His blinded soule, and bodies misery.
30. Our Saviours first Miracle applyed.
Iesus, that Water turnd to Wine,
Will turne our penitentiall brine
To Nectar, and our bitter moanes
To sweetest joyes, Celestiall tones,
When our white Soules unto this Lambe
Shall married be, and Heavens frame
(While fiery Angels clearely sing)
An endlesse wedding peale shall ring.
31. Pride, not unpunished.
King Ezechias, in a boasting sort,
Shew'd all his Treasures, and was punish'd for't.
For Pride falls with a vengeance on our backs;
And high Clouds scatter when the Welkin cracks.
32. Good Workes,
The stones whereof Gods Altars framed were,
Must be unwrought: so pious deeds should be,
Not mixt with ostentation, but sincere,
For wisedome shines in such simplicity.
33. Heaven and Earth.
As from one Maker Heaven and Earth proceed,
So some resemblance doe they hold indeed:
For as the Boreall parts of Heaven include
Most Starres, and of the greatest magnitude,
So doth our Northerne Hemispheare below,
More of the continent and Ilands show
Than doth the South. Thus Heaven and Earth accord,
And so were men in goodnesse like their Lord,
Or like his quire of Angels there would be
Through the whole World a compleat Harmony.
34. The soules twylight.
As Sea and Earth I view, but with mine eye,
Nor Elementall fire nor aire discry:
So know I men and beasts, but cannot so
High God, and holy Angels reach unto:
For (ah) by Adams fall my knowing part
Seemes dasht and duld'd against a stony heart
35. To Princes.
Ye Royall guides, that 'fore your people goe,
Thinke on that Meteor in the Wildernesse,
Which Israel led: for airy honour so
Still floates and flits, but sooner vanishes.
36. Eminent Examples.
The obvious actions of the great, that strike
Our sences to the quicke, are not unlike
Those varied Rods, which Jacob once did leave
Before his Ewes, what time they should conceive:
For after such impressive objects goe
The sheepish vulgar, which few precepts know.
39. Poverties priviledge.
Ierusalems great Chiefes are forc'd away
By Babels Monarch, when meane persons stay:
And as a prey to the hellish Tyrant are
Rich Worldlings, when poore starvelings better fare.
40. A Boaster.
A Boaster's but a glorious Monster, and
Extends a tongue farre larger than his hand.
41. To Pride.
If silver from superfluous moysture growes,
(Like that which drops from every Driuells nose)
If gold be but the dregs of earth, and stones,
(Though ne're so pretious) but her barren bones;
If flaunting silkes, rich scarlets, daintiest furres
Be but Beasts excrements, (which man abhorres)
Then Pride thou'rt odious, and thy Students be
Scarce able to commence to mans degree.
42. On Iosephs Cloake.
The Snake his slough, the Dove her plumes doth cast,
(Whose innocence and prudence hold we fast)
As Joseph left his garment, yet retain'd
A jewell, which once lost is ne're regain'd.
Thus stone-cold chastity farre off doth flye,
And Lust assumes the Cloake of modesty.
43. On Nebuchadnezzar, Deposed.
What Object's this, of pitty or of feare?
Great Babels Monarch, picking Sallets here
With Hawke-like Tallons, and a Horse-like maine,
That lately did a gemmed Crowne sustaine:
'Twas farre from lo ftiest Royalty to slide
To such subjection: but illusive pride
Ioyes in such Gambolls, jeering, when she brings
Scepters to Bables, and does foole the greatest things.
44. Death of Tyrants.
In the Red Sea sterne Pharaoh dy'd, and in
Christs blood was drown'd that cursed Tyrant, Sinne.
45. Gods Image.
Likenesse breedes love; and therefore God did make
Man as his Image, that he thence might take
A deare occasion in deepe love to fall
With his high Lord, whose grace surmounts to all.
46. Of Divine Precepts.
How good is God! whose every sweete command
Doth with the soules and bodies safety stand,
Whose true and happy preservation lies
In antidotes of vertuous exercise:
But vice is like a worme, that Canker sets
Into the Bone, and harder Conscience frets.
47. Of Repentance.
Put not Repentance off till thou beest old,
For such Devotion heartlesse growes and cold:
Nor ere shall that man for a wise one passe,
That layes much treasure on a tyred Asse.
48. On Worldlings.
Like Gideons troopes, which off the Captaine cast
For bending Beast-like to the ground, to tast
The Crystall River, is the wretched crew
Of Worldlings, which with downe-cast mindes pursue
Their wretched treasure, that like water flowes
By course, and from them with a murmure goes.
49. On the same.
Rich Worldlings are poore Snakes, sustain'd alone
With shining dust, and downe to basenesse throwne.
50. Prosperity perilous.
King Saul, his sonnes, and other Chieftaines more,
Fell under wounds upon Mount Gilboa;
And when in high prosperity we soare,
Well may we feare a downfall and decay:
For honours Bubble, swelling ne're so high,
Breakes with a pricke, and out the winde must flye.
51. Affliction profitable.
A fishes Gall blind Tobit cur'd: and so
Bitter affliction lends us light to know
The World, and all its fashood, that in lieu
Of promis'd Roses sticks our breasts with Rue.
52. On the same.
The higher that the Deluge rose,
More upward did the Arke ascend:
So in the deepest waves of woe
More Heaven-ward our affections tend,
And sad affliction oft doth prove
A beaten path to joyes above.
53. Paine before pleasure.
Vigills and Fasts to joyfull feasts make way,
And Earths short paines to Heav'ns long Holiday.
54. Of Riches.
Like Sparrowes Dung, that seel'd up Tobits sight,
Is wealth, whose love our soules becloudeth quite,
And with pollution so belimes her wings,
That heavily she mounts to heavenly things.
55. Ioseph in Prisan, to Pharaoh's Butler at liberty.
Whilst we in Prison fettered lay
Our loves were fast, and thou didst say,
Thou surely wouldst (if ever grac't
Againe) relieve me: but thou hast
Let slip thy promise, and my paine,
Though Pharaoh's Cuppe thou holdst againe.
[Page] Thus Royall favours Sunne-shine makes
(In Dunghill mindes) ungratefull snakes
Of Libertines, in office set;
And cuppes make men their friends forget.
56. On Tobias his Fish
The Entrailes of this Fish, once laid on fire,
Caus'd all infernali Spirits to retire:
So a zeale-burning heart the fiends doth quell,
And a good liver feares no bugges of Hell.
57. The Devills child, the Devills lucke.
Iudas, that did the Khapsacke beare;
Like a false-hearted Souldier,
The bloody colours did forgoe
Of his deare Lord, to serve his foe
For helish pay, yet in the close
Had not one crosse to helpe his woes;
But (with his empty bagge by's side)
Was hang'd, and broke, and poorely dy'd.
58. On Avarice.
Greedy Gehazies snow-white Leprosie,
Fairely resembleth foulest Covetize,
That makes men lame to workes of Charity,
And hoares our haires ere age their colour dyes,
59. A false World?
This crooked World is serpentine,
And poysons doth with pleasures deale,
Just as the Snake doth brightly shine,
Yet banefull venome doth concile.
So one faire fruit deform'd us all,
Whence all our lives like leaves doe fall.
60. Of Religion.
Religion is a golden chaine, to binde
With tenne strong linkes all Adams stubborne kinde.
61. On Saint Stephen stoned.
Some men are beaten to this world; but here's
One that was battered to the heavenly spheares,
[Page] Whose prayers (faster than the stones did fly)
Vollyed for entrance to the opening sky.
Nor did poore halfe-dead Isaac more rejoyce
To see the Ramme, and heare the Angels voyce,
Than Stephen did to see the Lambe (once slaine
For our sins guilt) with his triumphant traine:
Well might he joy, that was within a small
Stones cast of Heaven; whence treasured blessings fall.
62. Pride and Humility.
Mountaines their tallnesse loose, but vallies grow
Higher, by ruines on their bosome cast;
And climbing pride comes tumbling downe below,
But humble goodnesse will reach Heaven at last.
63. Divine Wisedome.
Moses his reall Serpent had the power,
Those other made by Magicke to devoure;
And Gods transcendent wisedome doth containe,
All others knowledge, as a boundlesse maine;
Which never Creature strove to passe, but fell
Short in his Voyage, lost in darkest Hell.
64. Ignorance, the Divels foole.
The Divell in darke ignorance delights,
And as sterne Nahash once the Gileadites,
Right eyes required; so endeavours he
Knowledge to quench, and arts dexterity.
65. Of Mahomets Religion.
Like to that thousand-slaying Asses jaw,
Which Sampson brandisht, is the sencelesse Law
Of Mahomet; which more weake soules hath slaine,
Than th' Alcaron doth witlesse words containe.
66. On Iacobs wrestling.
Iacob, that Esau had supplanted first,
(With confidence well fortify'd) now durst
Encounter with an Angell, and doth beare
The blessed prize away; though lam'd he were:
Yet no discomfort could him hence dismay,
Sith such maim'd souldiers shall have heavenly pay.
67. On the same.
Iacob went halting, that he might not fly
Farre from his Lord, that loves such company.
68. Mans life in the lapse.
On Tigris banke when once Tobias sate,
Of slippery life he well might meditate,
Which faster than that swiftest river flowes
With downe-right course to death, nor Eddy knowes.
69. Of the Pillar of Salt, the remainder of Lots Wife.
What object's this that doth assault my sense
With feare? the monument of her offence,
Who with good Lot did from lewd Sodome goe,
Yet for apostacy was pillory'd so;
Warning us all to season with this Salt
Our ranke affections, and avoyde her fault.
70. Of a Carnalist.
How like is he, a wanton life that leades,
To hoary Iordan! that the flowery meads
Clippes in his progresse, yet doth swiftly tend
To the dead sea, and makes a bitter end.
71. Seths Pillars.
Seths famous Pillars, that inscribed stood
With Learning and Religion, scap'd the floud:
For (though both Gold and Silver feele decay)
Faire knowledge may be clipt, nere washt away.
72. Of Drunkards.
Drunkards are like to leaking shippes, and in
Great danger to be sunke in seas of sinne.
73. Worldly pleasure.
As Ioab Amaziah did embrace,
And stabbe together: so with flattering face
False pleasure courts us, but with paine the whiles
Wounds whom she wooes, & slaughters when she smiles.
74. Not too fast.
Swift as a sylvan Roe was Asahel,
Yet (overtooke by Fate) he wounded fell
In following Abner. For in veyle of night
[Page] Close by the ground flyes death, and puts to flight
The bold'st pursuers: and from life of grace
Too frequently they fall, that honour chase.
75. To an Epicure.
Thy belly is thy God, thine appetite
All thy Religion; which with tooth and nayle
Thou followest, and with an eager zeale
Dost sacrifice to Riot day and night;
Nor wilt surcease, till death his speare hath tost
In thy vast paunch, or way and weapon lost.
76. Ill enough at the best.
The Skinnes of beasts, that sacrificed were,
Were plucked off; but when we best appeare,
The services which we to God advance,
Are skinned ore with veyles of ignorance,
Pride, and hypocrisie; so much we prove
Strangers to simple truth and naked love.
77. Solace in solitude.
The Coale-blacke Raven in the desart fed
Elias; but that glory-glittering Dove
Those soules doth cherish, that are sequestred
From worldly toyes, and fixt on joyes above.
78. No truth in the World.
False-hearted Laban, in faire Rachels stead,
Put bleare-ey'd Leah on his patient friend:
So though the World much blisse hath promised,
With blind conceite it gulls us in the end.
79. Comfort in selfe conquest.
On troubled waters could not Noahs Dove
Take rest, but in the Arke, that did containe
A wildernesse of Creatures leagu'd in love;
Nor will that Dove-like comforter remaine,
Save that in brest, whose wild affections be
Bound to tame peace, yet strike sweet harmony.
80. An Ocean of Wine.
Wine is a Drunkard, is an in-land maine,
With pleasure tost, but wracking him with paine.
81. Christs rising and setting.
When Christ did rise, at midnight day did spring
With strange light; when he crosly set againe,
Day gloom'd to night, under whose threatning wing
The sad earth quak'd, as conscious of his paine.
Right Sun of Heaven! from whose blest course proceed
Both light and shade. Right Sun of Heav'n indeed.
82. To the Heavenly Host, exulting at our Saviours Birth.
Cease your loud joyes, Celestials, cease,
Your noyse disturbes the Prince of peace;
Whose teares (which who can singing view?)
His cheekes sweet rosaryes bedew,
And at whose plaints th'empassion'd stones
Are chaf'd to droppes, and melt with mones.
Yet haile deare cause of pretious joyes!
For those thy vollying sighes and cryes,
Doe force the ports of Heaven to sly
Open, and make us way thereby
To blisse; and that thy pearly raine
Doth our robb'd soules enrich againe.
Then doe not yet, Celestials, cease;
Your mirth proclaimes the Prince of peace.
83. Of the beatificall Vision.
Peace Epicures, cease Stoicks, with the rest
Of Ancients, to make knowne what makes you blest:
Your chiefe goods are but empty dreames, but mine
A reall vision, glorious, and Divine.
84. To Herod, Murtherer of the Innocents.
Fie brutish Tyrant, sheath thy blade,
So drunke with former slaughters made,
That now it doth at rand on fall
On the most harmelesse things of all.
The Son of Heaven's without thy spheare,
And thou but idlely beat'st the aire
With threats: but mothers groanes and cryes,
That vapour to the vengefull skies,
[Page] From swollen Clouds, shall head-long downe
With Lightning burst, and blast thy Crowne.
85. Patient and prudent.
A suffering man is like the Beare-starre, slow
To move, yet such as may discrection show.
86. To the blessed Virgin at her purification.
Why, favourite of Heaven most faire,
Dost thou bring fowles for Sacrifice?
Will not the armefull thou dost beare,
That lovely Lambe of thine, suffice?
87. On Mary Magdalen, weeping &c.
How fast doth Mary let her floud-gates goe,
As if the bottome of her love to shew!
Catching with golden nets (O rich device!)
That pretious prey, true bird of Paradise.
88. To Iordan, wherein Christ was baptized.
Iordan, that in the Type of Heaven dost spring,
And of all rivers mayst be stiled King,
Crown'd with thine owne delightfull plants, that lave
And deckt their tresses in thy glassy wave,
How happy wast thou, that the King of Kings
(More sweet, more faire, than all thy meads & springs)
Was dipt in thee! Thenceforth thy current should
Have stood for Iasper, set in bankes of gold.
89. Flesh to dust.
Death (a strange Miller) flesh to dust doth grind.
How? not with water, but defect of wind.
90. Comfort in calamity.
In frosty times most starry fires are seene;
And when afflictive sorrowes are most keene,
God comfort daignes, and so to us doth show
His lightfull face, that we his favour know.
91. Of Heaven.
When I admire some starres, whose magnitude
Doth the earths vastnesse many times include;
And those least Lights more radiant to behold
Than Diamonds, or Diadoms of gold:
Me thinkes I feele my lightned heart (inflame
[Page] Of rapture) mount to that illustrious frame,
Yet fall backe like a dying sparke, that must
Be turn'd to ashes, and confus'd with dust.
But (Othe wonder!) when the pavements are
So rich; how glorious, how transcending faire
Is the great Chamber! and how bright that face,
Where pretious beames of beauty, glory, grace,
Are sweetly all (as flowers for sacrifice)
Commixt, and offered to joy-ravisht eyes.
92. To a serpentine Sychophant.
Thou liv'st by doing others deadly wrong
At great mens Tables, with thy banefull tongue:
And yet dependest (as thou dar'st averre)
On Heavens full hand, to be thy Caterer;
That threats to shake thee for detested trickes,
As Paul the Viper into burning Styx.
A generall benefit.
Moses prescrib'd, that holy fumes should be
Temper'd and mixt in equall quantity:
Whereby in a sweet sence is understood,
That equally we share the Soveraigne blood
Of Christ, that doth the beggers soule refine
Pure as the Kings, whose gold-girt temples shine.
94. The power of prayer.
Our prayers are as fired shafts, that shall
Make that old Serpent (like to Python) fall.
95. An invitation to happinesse.
Me thinkes I see a glittering troope of Saints,
Beckning to me from Heavens gilt battlements,
To hasten to them. Here (they seeme to say)
Is the springs flourish, Summers lightsome ray;
The Autumnes plenty, with the Winters ease,
And all that may the high-wrought phansie please:
Who then pure treasures dost preferre to toyes,
Mend thy dull pace, and minde this place of joyes.
96. Evill Objects, infectious.
As those that gaze on bloody galled eyes,
Become obnoxious to their maladies:
[Page] So on lewd precedents who oft will looke
Shall lewdnesse catch, and learne it without booke.
97. Peter, at the transfiguration.
What fulgour's this! what harmelesse lightning's here!
Hath Phaebus vaulted from his radiant spheare
To gaze here on my Lord? or onely spread
His rich flame-coloured mantle on the head
Of happy Tabor? Hence dull shadowy toyes
Of mirth; give me these pure illustrious joyes,
To shine with Moses and Elias still,
And keepe a high-day on this Heavenly hill.
98. The Covetous, to sublime contemplators.
As to his eye who yellow glasse applies,
Sees all things of that golden colour: so
When thoughts of profit taint our phantasies,
We onely are well seene in things below;
But in Celestiall matters blind as Moles,
That hunt for Wormes, and haunt obscurest holes.
99. Of the Wedding Ring.
This precious Embleme well doth represent
That evennesse, that Crownes us with content:
Which when it wanting is, the sacred yoake
Becomes uneasie, yet with ease is broake.
100. Pharaohs Daughter, finding yong Moses in the Water.
What pretty pledge of love swimmes here
Deepely engag'd? How every teare
Shines in the casket, as a Iemme
Doth in my Fathers Diadem!
How (like hope in Pandoraes boxe)
Lovely it lookes! More hard than rockes
Were they, whose hearts would not relent
At sight of such an Innocent.
Come, little Angell, thou with me
Shalt shine in Heaven of Royalty;
And with great Pharaohs Crowne shalt play,
That mayst beare rule another day,
And (as I thee from waters rage)
[Page] My name preserve from wracke of age.
101. To ambitious favourites.
Looke favourites (that ever climbing are)
On Absolon, hung by the lockes on high:
For so your actions goe against the haire,
And danger hangs upon your dignity.
102. On the skales that fell from Pauls eyes.
These skales th'old Serpents were, who when they fell,
Did cast his slough on earth, and slipt to Hell.
103. On Iezabell, to Ladies.
How far'd proud Iezabell, whole dayes that spent
In pruning, painting, courting of her glasse?
Was not her flesh t'an odious excrement
Concocted, and ejected on the grasse?
Ladies, such faults wipe off, as did at end
This Queene of Pride, and dogg'd her to her end.
104. Iphtah, meeting his Daughter after Victory.
Ah ruthfull object, that doth dart
A thousand horrours to my heart!
Poore harmelesse haplesse child! must thou
Make good thy Fathers ill-made vow?
And shall I such rash breath fulfull?
Deare Heaven avert it. Yet I will,
And must, although with trembling hands
I shake in sunder natures bands.
But to thy memory each day
Full summes of sorrows must I pay,
And when salt teares have drain'd mine eyes,
Make Fountaines poore with fresh supplyes.
105. The worlds entertainement.
The World resembles Iael in her tent,
And entertaines us with like complement;
Feeds us, and covers us, while close we lye,
Strecht on the dull couch of obscurity:
But when we sleepe fast, faster to the ground
Our heads and hearts doe fixe, and both confound.
106. Iohn Baptists Head.
This was a Cryers head, and still doth cry,
For vengeance on the crowne of tyranny.
107. Christ Crucified.
How quaintly Heaven his fairest jewels sets
To the Worlds view betwixt two counterfets!
With two pale Pendants hangs this radiant stone,
Yet makes his foyle, takes glory but of one.
Strange Rocke! that in our wildernesse of sinne
Strucke with the rod of Justice, from within
His precious Caves poures liquid life to ground,
Whose Cataracts to highest Heaven resound,
Out-buying with fine golden rivers price
All floods, all fruits, all states of Paradise.
Deare Mates, that through these worldly billows steere,
Bend to this Rocke, or else ye shipwracke here:
Let my kind Muse the singing Syren prove,
To draw you on with charming lines of love.
Haile true Celestiall Comet! which of old
Such flights of ravisht spirits have foretold,
That, by thy bloody streaming in the aire,
Dost make the blacke Prince of his Realme despaire
In lifes sad Night; he cannot wander farre
From joy, that sailes by this transfixed starre.
108. An upstroke to his soule.
Up, Dove-like soule, and make thy Saviours side
Thy restfull Arke, his sprinkled blood thy guide;
Bath in this balme th'enflamed eyes of Lust,
Thy Plumes of pride, thy feete of lame distrust:
Harke how the bubling Current chides thy stay
In thine owne sound, and murmurs at delay;
See how his armes are for thy welcome spread,
And how he beckons with enclining head,
Vrge then thy flight, thy paines will not be lost,
Nor love want comfort, though thy Lord be lost,
109. On our Saviours Crosse.
Our Saviours Crosse, beguilt with guiltlesse blood,
Was fram'd (as some write) of foure kinds of wood,
[Page] Palme, Cedar, Cypresse, Olive; which might show
That blessings thence to the foure parts should flow
Of the vast world, and from the foure windes should
Christs flocke be fetcht to his thrice-blessed Fold.
110. Of the terrours at the Death of our Saviour.
What tempest's this, that from the Tree of Death
Would shake this fruit of Life? what angry breath
Of Heav'n teares up my tender-rooted heart?
Doth the rude world into confusion start?
Or Nature, bending to her finall wracke,
Heare the maine Engine of her motion cracke?
The Temple rends its cloaths, the Rocks (that were
Angry at harder hearts) their Centers teare,
Heav'ns blood-shot eye winkes close for griefe and dread,
The Earth grows sicke, and vomits up her dead,
The Sea howles out, while the loud winds in rage
Hisse at those Actors on their Tragicke Stage,
That, having lost both shape and reasons sparke
In that blacke day, seeme Dragons in the darke.
O poisonous sinne! whose force the solid ground
Thus breakes, and threats whole Nature to confound.
111. On the Spunge filled with Vinegar.
Mans life is like this Spunge, and steepes
It selfe in woes; when crusht, he weepes.
112. The anguish of Conscience.
Who with a guilty soule to bed doth goe,
Fares like a Nightingale with tender brest
Vpon a thorne, and takes as little rest,
But with lesse straines of Musicke, more of woe.
113. Man unnaturally revengefull.
Nature some creatures terrible doth make
With hornes, and hoofes, & tusks, wherewith they take
Bloody revenge, and worke each others woe:
But no such native terrours man doth show,
Yet to harsh mischiefe is most bent of all,
And (with a vengeance) most unnaturall.
114. Our Saviours Parentage.
This flower of Iesse had his blessed birth
From Heaven deriv'd, though planted here on Earth;
Resembling those whereof fam'd Maro sings,
Whose beauties beare th'enscribed names of Kings.
115. Faith a fast friend.
Of Moses body God tooke care,
Nor would allow the Fiend a share
In it; much lesse will he forgoe
A soule (deare-bought with deadly woe)
If but her hand of faith be laid
On his strong Arme, that all doth ayde.
116. Sinnes attendants.
Sinne hath three Bond-maids, Feare, & Guilt, and Shame,
That dayly follow, duely haunt the same:
But be I rather joylesse left alone,
Than on the left hand goe, so waited on.
117. Of silence.
Iohns Birth made glad long-silent Zachary,
And grace attends on Taciturnity.
118. Belly, cease thy grumbling.
God, that for every Beast provided meate
Before (their Master) Man had ought to eate,
Shew'd us how small a care is requisite
For things that please the rambling appetite:
For man that beares a Queene-like Soule, should have
Small stomacke to become his bodies slave.
119. True Knowledge.
The Temples Windows, on their inner side
Farre larger than without, thereby imply'd
That in Gods Church appeares the vitall light
Of Truth, without it shades of Death and night.
120. The Soules Center.
Our bodies in the flitting ayre can take
No rest, nor in the flowing water make
Abode, but on the solid Earth remaine,
Whose ground-worke doth the unweildy world sustaine:
[Page] No more can Soules (for lasting joyes design'd)
In watry wealth or airy honour find
Sure comfort, but in him that all things moves
Must rest, and there concenter all their loves.
122. Against prophane jesting.
Let others scoffe, whose joyes are here at best;
I'm not for Hell in earnest, nor in jest.
123. On Iudges. To Sir Tho. Mitward.
In faire Ierusalem the Iudges sate
On Thrones erected in the Cities gate,
With faces to the East; that learne they might
Of Sol (the heart o' th' Planets) rising bright,
To raise pure hearts to Heaven, and rightly trace
Through Vertues Zodiacke, Signes of heavenly grace.
124. Now, or never.
Vpon their Sabbaths Eve, old Israels Host,
(Preparing for the time they honour'd most)
Stor'd them with Manna for the future day:
So should old Fathers (hoar'd with frosty gray)
Against their finall now-approaching rest
Hoard up good workes, as Treasures in the Chest,
And (Archer-like) with most impulsion send
Devotions shafts, when drawing to their end.
125. Winke not at great faults.
When Paul was preaching, Eutychus asteepe
Came toppling from aloft, and dead was found:
So those that in the Church no watch will keepe,
Fall lame from goodnesse, though their sleepe be sound.
126. Gold like straw.
Straw ripens Fruits with kindly heate (we know)
Yet serves in hot Spaine to conserve the Snow,
That cooles their Wines: so warmes deceitfull gold
The heart with joy, yet makes Devotion cold.
127. On the healing of a crooked woeman.
Christ, that did cure this weakling, doth delight
That wrongs be rectifi'd, and all upright.
128. Against our Fashion-mongers.
In various formes the Tempter doth appeare,
But onely humane shape good Angels weare:
We then that still new-fangled fashions use,
VVhom follow wee? the Fiend, that us pursues.
129. A sight of our Saviour.
Zacheus, whose low stature could not see
Our Saviour passing by him, climb'd a Tree
To take a full view of him: so may we
With Contemplations nimble pace ascend
The Tree whereon our Ransome did depend,
And there behold our all-surpassing friend.
130. A Cure for the Kings evill.
Greatest of Mortalls, that with sparkling Gold
Inspheare your browes, and potent Scepters hold,
VVhen vain pompe swells you, let the Crowne that tore
Our deare Redeemers head, be sadly wore
In your remembrance, so those Thornes will pricke
Ambitious tumours, whilst in minde they sticke.
131. Temptation of the flesh.
This grand Enchantresse deales as Dalilah,
And so importunes us, that we give way
To her desires, to th'losse of Iudgments eyes:
But then th'infernall Philistines devise
Such grinding worke for us, that for their toule
They take what dearest is, the precious Soule.
132. Davids Harpe out of Tune, after its Masters decease.
How am I sleighted now, whose strings
Lately enchain'd the eares of Kings,
And seem'd by vertue of their charme
Th'infernall Dragon to disarme!
Now being of no note at all,
My mirth hangs with me on the wall,
Though still as good as ere did twang:
So may lost favourites goe hang.
133. A consort of Starres.
Each Shepheard knows that of those lights above
Some with a swift course, others slowly move;
And that the fixt Starres in a plaine song-way
Goe on, but Planets (that below them stray)
Seeme to runne descant still and modulate,
Yet are their motions all proportionate,
And regular: How could this wonder be,
But that the God of peace loves Harmony.
134. A guilty Conscience.
A guilty Conscience is a Iayle, wherein
The Soule is chain'd with sorrow, charg'd with sinn [...].
135. On the same.
Like Tobies Dogge's a guilty Conscience,
That still is grumbling wheresoere we come,
And though still beaten backe, and bidden hence,
Yet restlesly pursues and dogges us home.
136. To a busie headed, idle-handed Zelot.
Thou wholly dost neglect thy Family,
And marr'st good acts with such impiety,
Whil'st, like the nayle that stucke in Sisera
His Temples, in the Church thou still wouldst stay.
Such fervent folly doth expose to mocks
Devotion, and such nayles the Devill knocks.
137. The necessity of Respiration.
As humane bodies are conserv'd by breath,
So must our Soules too in a sort respire,
Send sighes and prayers out from hearts entire,
And draw in quickning grace, else looke for Death.
138. An offer of love to our new-borne Saviour.
Sith in the Inne no roome they will afford,
Take up thy lodging in my breast, deare Lord,
Where for a Cradle let my panting heart
Rocke thee asleepe, that dost true rest impart;
And for thy swadling bands, my Muse shall bring
Strong Lines, that binde the passions of a King.
O this poore offer wouldst thou take deare Lord,
A heartier welcome should no flesh afford.
139. On a seared Conscience: to a damnable Swearer.
It is affirm'd, that where the Devill layes
His claw, and markes damn'd witches for his owne,
That part growes stupid, and no sense bewrayes,
Nor bleeds, though pierc'd with Needles to the bone:
Thy Conscience so, which hottest Hell did seare,
Is senselesse growne, nor wounds nor blood doth feare.
140. A flocke of Fooles.
What numbers are there like the sonnes of Gad,
That more than Cana'n lik'd Mount Gilead!
Their folly's infinite that so admire
Hillocks of wealth, though few to Heav'n aspire.
141. A flight of cares.
Like noisome Flies that Aegypt did infest,
Are worldly cares, (whose buzzing doth molest
Our fixt devotions) yet with shorter wings
Than to fly off, though longer be their stings.
142. Light enough in the Scriptures.
Who taxe the Scriptures with obscurity,
Are like old Eli, that could scarce descry
The hallowed Lamps: for in those leaves doth shine
A Sunne, that did our cloudy flesh refine.
143. Our Kingdomes happinesse.
Mild showers make sweet flowers spring amaine,
So blessings grow apace where good Kings reigne.
144. Hard hearts, to be broken.
Mens hearts are like those Tables made of stone
Which God inscrib'd, and by contrition
Must so be broke: such breaking makes us sound
In the best part, and heales us with a wound.
145. David dancing, Michol mocking.
When zealous David danc'd, as if he would
Shake all his sinnes off, Michol could not hold,
But at his holy mirth her mocks she throwes,
And nimbly as his feete, her loose tongue goes.
Yet here's the difference; his quick motions were
Of the right stampe, in hers rude wrongs appeare.
149. David to Michol.
Dost thou frowne, and looke awry
At him, whose zeale mounts uprightly?
Dost thou count loves force a toy,
And jeere because I dance for joy?
Flout and spare not; I (to meete
My Lord) will leape with agile feete,
And 'fore his sacred Arke will move
In measures of unmeasur'd love.
For 'twas an Arke that once to save's
Was glad, and danc'd upon the waves.
150. A devillish uproare.
When Israel would depart, sterne Pharaoh more
Rag'd not, than doth th' infernall Lion roare,
When his revolting Subjects bid good-night
To his darke kingdome, and embrace the light.
151. Lust and Pride.
Abra'm saw Sodome wrap't in smoke and fire;
And who the world beholds, shall it desery
Involv'd in hotter flames of lewd desire,
And smoke of pride, that towreth to the sky
Like to a Meteor; yet descends againe
In teares of sorrow, as a Cloud in raine.
152. Fond delights to be relinquisht.
Abra'm when Isaac left the dugge, did make
A Feast, (though none we heare of at his birth)
And when soft manlesse pleasure we forsake
For wisedomes truth, more cause we have of mirth,
Than if we should false Mammons summes collect,
That make the Chest sound, but the brest infect.
153. Of Death.
Death as a Clocke the Destinies have set,
That still points at us with a fleshlesse hand,
And more than hourely strikes; too sencelesse yet,
His warning blowes we list not understand.
154. Diffusion of goodnesse.
For Iacobs and for Moses sake,
Laban and Pharaoh both were blest:
[Page] For our peace-loving Lord doth take
Delight in gentle soules to rest,
Whose goodnesse doth (like th' Altars fume)
Spread sacred sweets, but nere consume.
156. Of the same.
Sweet vertue, like the humid morne, doth give
Her due to all, that in her compasse live.
157. Meditation of mortality.
The Mariner that best his Barke doth guide,
Sits at the Sterne; and he that would provide
For his soules safety, to the end must fly
Of life, in thoughts of fraile mortality;
So shall he bring his vessell to the Cape
Of his best hope, and wrackfull vengeance scape.
158. No peace without piety.
Ionas once gone from God, on sea or ground
Nor calme of peace, nor shine of comfort found;
But vainely aiming at contentment, is
Like a faint Souldier, that his rest doth misse.
159. Workes of Charity.
The meale and oyle that did Elias feed,
Nere fayl'd; nor will a charitable deed,
Though oft repeated, make the giver poore,
Whilst Heaven keepes Angels to supply his store.
160. To Lavolt, a fauourite.
Moses into the aire light ashes threw,
And forthwith did a heavy plague ensue:
So if (dust that thou art) thou soare too high,
Sad vengeance will deject thy vanity,
Iust as that golden Calfes fine ashes were
In water cast, and worthlesse did appeare.
161. Birds of prey, hardly reclaimed.
Achan was stoned for a wedge of gold,
That stucke too fast in his ill-bent desire:
But stony hearts their barren brests doe hold,
That wealth by stealth and lawlesse shifts acquire.
162. Of incineration.
As Daniel did by strewing ashes find,
The juggling Priests deceite; so in thy mind
And memory the wholsome ashes cast,
Whereto the fates will sift thy flesh at last;
And the false foot-steps of the world thereby
Thou shalt race out, and guilefull trickes desery.
163. Of the same.
Let not fraile red and white delude thine eye,
For the Ash-colour is the surest dye.
164. Of the externall sences.
Who shuts not up his sences with a guard,
Lyes open to the fate of Ishbosheth,
Who having left his pallace gates unbarr'd,
Sly treason entred, and lets out his breath:
So shut these portals then, that Sathans skill
Picke not the Locke, nor sins intrusion kill.
165. The duty of meditation.
Those beasts that serv'd for legall sacrifice,
Were such as chew'd the cud: but men (more wise)
Should thankefully record and meditate
Of his high power, that did all create:
Else, lesse perhaps than things with hoofe and horne
They God adore, and th' universe adorne.
166. A troublesome world.
This World resembles Labans house, wherein
Good Iacob nought save trouble found and sin:
But having left it, by the Angels scale
Takes heavenly heights, and slights this earthly vale.
168. Of concord.
God many of each sort of creatures made,
As of birds, beasts, and plants; but of mankind
His wisedomes depth the first foundation laid
Onely in two, and those as one combind;
That all, remembring how from one they came,
Might with the bent of love at union aime.
169. Of Regeneration.
As Moses put his shooes off, so must we
Our foule desires, that hope our Lord to see:
For like our loose affects, and would
Be so kept under, lest they grow too bold.
170. Of Divine contemplation.
Christ shin'd in glory upon those that went
To Tabors toppe with him; and so when we
By contemplation make our high ascent
'Bove worldly cares, through which we dimly see;
God lights us with his splendour, and displayes
His pretious beauties with propitious rayes.
171 Israels Shepheard upon the mountaines.
Our Saviour oft in mountaines did abide,
To preach or pray, but knew no height of pride.
172. Generall disobedience.
The most men (though no Kings) I may compare
To Saul, who did the lustiest cattle spare
Of Amalek: for so the lives we save
Of brutish passions, though command we have
To slaughter them; so crosse we are to Gods
Iust Lawes, and even with our selves at oddes.
173. To Asia.
Blest Region, where my sacred Saviour walkt,
And God with man in flowery Eden talkt,
I reverence thy soyle, preferring thee,
The worlds fourth part, before the other three,
Though vast America against my straine
Swell with proud hills of gold, and high disdaine.
174. Of abstinence.
Daniel by abstinence disperst abroad
Those steshly vapours which becloud the mind,
And saw thereby the misteries of God
More cleerely than the rest of humane kind:
For fasting (that lusts fervour doth allay)
Makes us as Eagles sharpe, and apt to pray.
175. Holy violence.
Iacob, that rugged Esau's heele did hold,
Taught us thereby some rigid course to take
With hatefull sins, and plucke them (if we could)
From us by th'heeles, that head against us make.
176. Away prophane.
Those Beasts were to be ston'd, that came but neare
That Mount, where God in terrour did appeare:
And men that in Gods Temple dare present
Their beastly lusts, may feare like punishment.
177. Of the Starre, and the stable, upon our Saviours Birth-day.
Me thinkes, the Stable and the Starre I see,
The one above, the other here below:
Which two my Saviours severall natures show,
His Man-hood namely, and his Deity.
178. Double Victory.
As Daniel first destroy'd the Idoll Bel,
And then the Dragon: so if first we quell
The Idoll of our flesh, we quickely shall
Make Sathan fly, and downe like lightning fall.
179. Of humane life.
If life be but a thread, then why may not
Sharpe misery be th' needle, death the knot?
180. Of solitude.
Our Heavenly Saviour (passing all degree
Of humane sanctity) went oft apart
To pray, and found such solitude to be
A fit companion for a single heart.
181. Of Traitors.
Like odious Toades are trait'rous Male contents,
That from faire day-light hide their foule intents,
And in the Denns of mischiefe dormant sit
Till night; but then their blacker venime spit,
While with their harsh ill-boading sounds they breake
The aire, and peace of Kingdomes, where they speake.
182. Of Bablers.
Like the Caldean troopes, that downe did breake
Ierusalems high Walls, are those that speake
Much to small sence, and violate thereby
The bounds of reason, mounds of modesty.
183. The Objects of reproofe.
The stone that Daniel Writes of, did not smite
The Idolls golden head, nor silver brest,
But carthen feet: so heavy blame doth light,
Not on mens rich deserts (with honour blest,)
But at poore errours reprehension flyes,
And stones to death the slight'st infirmities.
184. The fall of fortitude.
Rich golden Vessels pale and sickly grow,
If not well furbusht with a painefull hand:
So men of noblest metall fall below
Their worth by sloth, or as meere cyphers stand,
And (by their dulnesse) making others mount
To Honour, are themselves of no account.
185. Preparation for the Sacrament.
Mens hearts are like hard waxe, which fiery zeale
Should soften, ere they take the heavenly seale.
186. Keepe within compasse.
Wild Esau rang'd the fields, but Iacob still,
Kept home: so Gods indeared Servants will
Themselves in compasse of a Conscience hold,
But impious fooles are straglers from the Fold.
187. Earth to earth.
In Peru lives the Foxe-like Cincia, which
Kind nature doth with a strang bagge enrich,
Under her belly plac'd; to which (in feare)
Her stragling young ones hast to hide them there:
Th' all feeding Earth the like maternall part
Performes to us, which (when the fatall Dart
Of death affrights, and strikes us downe for sin)
Sets ope a grave, and takes her off-spring in.
188. The worme of Conscience.
Sinne like a Serpents egge, in dunghill laid,
Of soule corruption to each heart convay'd,
And hatcht with hot desires of greedy sence,
Becomes a Worme, and gnawes the Conscience.
189. Of tongues.
Our tongues are not of bone, but flesh, to shew
Our words should not be harsh, but gently flow.
190. Good preachers, Gods favourites.
When Salomon the sacred Temple built,
God favour'd him, nor knew he then the guilt
Of what might vexe him, sinfull vanity:
So those that Gods deare Church doe edifie,
Keeping sin under, are in high regard
With him, that Crownes his workemen with reward.
191. Gods feare, with true fortitude.
Gods feare made Moses bold to goe
To that sterne Tyrant Pharaoh,
Not trembling at his harsh replyes:
For when the Lord of earth and skyes
Is lodg'd once in a faithfull brest,
What earth-quake dare his roome molest?
192. Of zealous alacrity.
That God, that did the Israelites command
To eate with eager hast the Paschall Lambe,
Now wills, when pious workes we take in hand,
That we with nimble zeale performe the same:
For he that Heaven incessantly doth move,
Admits no sluggish soules to rest above.
193. Poore and rich.
The Shepheards quickly with their Saviour were,
But the three Kingly Sophies came from farre;
To shew, than poore men are to God as neare
As fortunes Sonnes, that rich and potent are.
For pride (which made both men and Angels erre)
Oft waites on wealth, and leades to Lucifer.
164. Of Prayers.
Prayers are lively sparkes, that mounting flye
From fire of zeale, and penetrate the skie.
195. A Crowne for constancy.
In Aarons vesture, sumptuous to behold,
Betwixt small sounding bels of shining gold
Pomegranates stood, which native Crownes doe beare;
And in the utmost skirts these placed were:
To shew, that good workes (which pure bells expresse▪
Shall in Heavens Court be Crown'd with happinesse,
When in a course of constancy they have
Reacht the Lands-end of life, the finall grave.
196. The Divels temptation.
Sathans temptation seemes the steele,
That striking on our hearts of stone,
Makes lust to sparkle; yet (we feele)
Oft cooles our hott'st devotion.
197. Avoid Sathan.
Good Abra'm drave the noughty fowles away,
That seaz'd upon his solemne sacrifice:
So the fould fiends temptations, when we pray,
Should we expell from th' Heavenly exercise,
And plucke up (for the Lords sake of the soile)
The thornes of care, that grounds of goodnesse spoile.
198. Of perseverance in piety.
Those yoaked Kine, that drew the Arke unto
Beth-shemesh; though their Calves did bleat apace,
Did to their journies end directly goe:
So when Christs yoake upon our neckes we place;
Though our fond lusts importune us to stay;
Yet hold we on, and keepe the heavenly way.
199. To Fewlove, a turbulent Church-man.
What Devils horne compells thee? canst not Preach
Of what thou nere wilt by example teach,
Good life and manners; but thou needs must be
Braying against the fruites of Sanctity:
As bounteous almes, set prayers, and the like,
Whereat thou dost with points of Doctrine strike?
[Page] This 's not to build up, but edge tooles to throw
'Mongst ignorants, and wound their weaknesse so.
200. Of Hypocrisie.
Hypocrisie, like Ieroboams wife,
Walkes in disguise, and rather acts a life
(Vpon this trifling stage of vanity)
Than leads one, that her manners may discry.
For though an outward forme they beare,
Plucke off her Maske, and (oh) the Devill's there.
201. The choice of a wife.
When Adam soundly slept, God Eve did make,
And when our fond desires are least awake,
The sound est course it is a wife to take:
For he that shootes love from a wanton eye,
Though on a faire match he may hit thereby,
Yet fouly erres from th'white of chastity.
202. Of Confession.
Confession deales with sinnes, as Ioshuah
With the five Kings i'th Cave of Makeddah;
That from darke hollow hearts where vices raigne,
Brings them to judging light, and sees them slaine.
203. The blood of our Lord.
Thy vitall blood sweete Saviour doth asswage
Our feaverous sinnes, though hot as Hell they rage
Within our flesh. In sultry Aegypt so
Dire plagues decrease, when Nile doth over-flow.
204. Wisedome without measure.
As Moses Serpent did the rest devoure,
Gods wisedome fooles our knowledge, foyles our power.
205. On bad Patrons.
Some Patrons worse than those our Saviour scourg'd
Out of the House of Prayer, which he purg'd
From sinne: for those i'th' Temple onely sold,
But these will sell the Temples selfe for Gold.
206. Portions for Gods Children.
The doores that to Gods Oracle did lead,
Of Olive were, with Cherubs garnished,
[Page] Whose mysticke wood fat plenty did imply,
As the carv'd worke, Celestiall dignity:
Both which their portions are, whose hearts entire
Ope at Gods knocke, and shut out lewd desire.
208. Heaven hardly entred.
Of new Ierusalem truths Scribe doth write,
That her twelve pearly gates stand opposite,
In Walls, whose Bases are twelve jemmes entire:
To shew, that men from all parts shall aspire
To his faire City, (equalled by none)
Yet hardly make their way by Pearle and Stone.
209. To a vaine Babbler.
Thy prayers are so tedious, that they bee
Long ere they reach to Heav'n, too high for thee.
210. Spirituall bondage.
When Zedechiah must to Babel goe,
They blinded him, and heavy Chaines did throw
Vpon him: so when ignorance doth shut
Mens eyes, and indevotion fetters put
On their affects, how quickly are they gone
To th'horrours of infernall Babylon!
211. A happy Convert.
A yongster going to the Stewes, did meet
By chance a dead mans Coffin in the street:
Which courage-quelling sight a mortall blow
Gave to his lust, and tooke impression so,
That he returnes a Penitent, and drawes
His loose affects up to strict vertues Lawes.
O wholesome spectacle! through which he sees
Folly in grosse, and sinnes deformities.
212. To an Apostate.
That thy loose tongue is so prophanely bold
To carpe at sacred truths, I wonder not,
That heare how much thy zeale hath taken cold,
And sanctity the falling-sicknesse got.
213. Celestiall comfort.
The fire that in few minutes should have turn'd
Three Children into ashes, onely burn'd
[Page] Their bonds asunder: but when once that flame
That shall dissolve the Worlds unwildy frame,
Sinnes chaines shall loosen, and dull flesh refine,
We shall as Eagles soare, as Angels shine.
214. On the ten Lepers in the Evangely.
Ten Lepers cleansed were, one onely blest
His Lord; this towards Heav'n out-leap'd the rest.
215. To Luke Warme.
The Aegyptian Copties, though they long remaine
In Churches, neither kneele, nor sit, but leane
On crutches still: why dost not thou the same,
Whose Sanctity is sicke, Devotion lame.
216. On old Simeon.
Those Pilgrims at Mecha once have beene,
And Mahomets magnifick Temple seene,
Doe usually deprive themselves of sight,
Lest on prophaner objects they should light:
Old Simeon so (if zeale compar'd may be
With madnesse) when he did young Iesus see,
(His hopes rich summe, and Sunne of glory bright)
Desir'd the quenching of his vitall light,
As loth (good man) t'infest his aged eyes
VVith spectacles of sinnes and miseries.
217. To a Communicant.
Thy body is now the pot of Gold,
That doth Celestiall Manna hold:
Then keepe no cankred malice there,
For Golds nere rusts, but shineth cleare.
218. To a Pharisaicall boaster.
VVhen Moses in his bosome thrust his hand,
It came forth leprous; but when thou into
Thine in-side divest, thou wilt understand
That much unsoundnesse in each part doth grow,
Till in the Iordan of Christs blood it be
VVasht soundly off, like Naamans Leprosie.
219. VVho first, for a winding-sheete.
With what a swiftnesse are we hurried on
By Times impulsion to our finall home!
Who first unto the Sepulchre should come.
220. Wormes meate.
The proudest King's but carrion, served in
A Leaden dish to wormes, for heavier sinne.
221. Keepe off your Hatts.
The Foure and twenty Elders did deject
Their Crownes before the Lambe: but yongsters owe
To the Worlds Saviour now so sleight respect,
As in his presence their bold heads to show
Vnseemely veyl'd. O wrong to Sanctity!
Done in the publicke view, yet covertly.
223. Comfort in the Crosse.
VVhen Helena, most deare to Constantine,
(A Lady pregnant with affects divine)
Had happ'ly learned that Christs Crosse did lye
At the low confines of Mount Calvary,
Causing the rubbidge, under which it lay
By Iewes ill-buried, to be cast away,
The broke Earth trembled (as the Story showes)
And from her ruptures dainty odours throwes
Into the Aire: For though the Crosse imprint
Feare in our hearts, yet is there comfort in't,
And such a sweetnesse as was never found
In Tempe's Groves, nor Edens flowery ground.
224. Heavenly endowments.
We should the Robe of glory (as it were)
Spinne out of Christ by faith, embroyder't here
With workes of Piety, perfume it too
With Incense of our Prayers; else we doe
But feast on dainty dreames, and Heaven-ward reare
A scale of phansies, that no weight will beare.
225. An intricate Receptacle.
Mans body's of the Elements compos'd,
VVithin his body is his blood enclos'd,
His spirits in his blood, in these his Soule,
And in it God doth rest, that moves the whole.
226. On Truth.
Truth seekes no corners: How may this appeare?
It comes from Heaven, which is a perfect Spheare.
227. Adams honourable interrement.
In a cleft Rocke, neare which our Saviour dy'd,
Was Adams head found, who had prophesi'd
(As Fame averres) that his Redeemer shou'd
His bones there moisten with effused blood,
What time the Ocean of his love should make
The Nectar-drunken Earth to reele and shake.
O primely honour'd man! thus with the best
Of sweets embalm'd, and rockt to blissefull rest.
228. Treasures of Devotion.
The Starre-led Sages, that would Christ behold,
Did Presents bring, Myrrhe, Erankinsence, and Gold:
So if teares, prayers, pure affects we bring,
We shall with comfort see our heavenly King.
229. On St. Thomas the Apostle.
Thomas for unbeleefe did make amends
At last, and had his Faith at's fingers ends.
230. The place of Christs Nativity.
In a poore Grot on Bethlems Easterne side,
Which for a Stable sometimes was employ'd,
The Sunne of Righteousnesse did (as it were)
Breake from a tender cloud, that held him deare:
But in this lower world hard welcome found,
To whom a Manger hewne i'th' rocky ground
For Cradle serv'd; not to be rock't, unlesse
An Earth-quake came, and pittyed his distresse.
231. On the Star that watched over our Saviour.
Sith other Planets seeme to serve the Sunne,
For Mars, Iove, Saturne, as his Legats runne
About, and when he comes but neare, in show
Of honour to their Epicycles goe;
So Hermes doth as Secretary 'bide,
With him; and Venus, as his amorous Bride,
Still waites upon him when to bed he goes,
And no lesse duty at his rising showes:
[Page] Then with good reason doth this starre expresse,
Such service to this Sunne of righteousnesse.
232. The Forge of devotion.
A beaten brest's the anvile, prayers be
The sparkes, and zeale the fire of sanctity.
233. On our Saviour, wounded in the side.
The Balsame-shrubbe, lanc'd in the rine,
Doth rich and fragrant teares distill:
But here's an upright Palme Divine,
From whose pierc'd side doth Nectar trill,
Whose droppes would dampe the rosie Morne
With sweets, and Galaxie adorne.
234. To an Atheisticall scoffer.
The Tempter set our Saviour (as they say)
On the proud height of Quarantania,
And shew'd him sundry Kingdomes: but should he
Hurle thee to Earths low-bowell'd vastity
Downe Aetnaes fiery jawes, he haply might
So satisfie and terrifie thy sight,
That thou no more wouldst shocke at hideous things,
Nor play with such a flame as sing'd thy wings.
235. To the same.
Thou question'st me of Hell with hot desire
To know the seate of it, and seem'st indeed
Like Peter at the worst, who neare the fire
His Master did deny, as thou thy Creed.
236. On Cocke-fighting. To Master William Latkins.
Some, that dislike what ere their betters love,
This pastime as a cruell sport reprove.
But why should not man, of all creatures Lord,
So use them as they pleasure may afford?
Is it more cruelty for fowles to fight,
Than beasts by th' Butchers Knife to dye outright?
But I can raise good from the Pit, and call
To mind at every sound sad Peters fall;
[Page] And while they fight that are so neare of kinne,
Spurre up mine anger 'gainst (mine inmate) sinne,
That crowes against me. Thus who doth allay
His mirth, and lesse for coine than conquest play,
May (Cocke-sure) take his pleasure; and delight
(With peace of Conscience with) a sportive fight.
237. Of Whoores, and their Masters.
Who will not foule veneriall acts forbeare,
But ready are to mixe with all they meet,
Are like those creatures which to Peter were
Presented in a trance, beasts in a sheet.
238. Gods garden.
Each vertuous brest Gods garden is, where growes
The Lilly of faire Chastity, the Rose
Of shamefastnesse, the Palme of charity,
The lowly Groundsell of humility;
The Camomile of patience, with the rest
Of pious plants, that make their owner blest.
But thornes and brambles (cares and crook'd desires)
Must be extirp'd; they're prickt for Stygian fires.
239. Of Grace.
Grace is like Cedrons Channell, quickly dry,
Unlesse Heaven (still distilling) yeeld supply.
240. Mans dignity, and danger.
Each man an Adam; a good conscience is
His Paradise, and pledge of Heavenly blisse;
Lust the forbidden fruite; which when we tast,
God is displeas'd, from comfort man displac'd.
241. Of the blessed Trinity.
Should I (as sometimes hath beene seene) behold
The King of Planets, with his beames of gold
[Page] Forming upon a Cloud, his Image bright,
And from those two, a third resulting light;
In such cleare objects should I seeme to see,
A shadow of th' all glorious Trinity.
242. To William Davenpore Esquire.
Some argue (as blind phantasie invents)
That active discords of the Elements,
Did worke the World up from its articke Masse:
But howsoere (to let that fiction passe)
Some verball jarres betwixt my selfe and you,
Have made a world of reall love ensue
In our affects. Which when I violate
By mixing friendship with one dramme of hate,
Let Phoebus give me for a Lawrell Crowne
A wreath of Snakes, to hisse my Poems downe.
The end of the Second Booke.
FINIS.