Knowledge Methinks they sole are happy here below That either all things or else no things know 135. Christ. As Morning ends the Night begins the Day So thou Death's End wert and Lifes rising Ray. 136. Who art Thou Whom do mine Eyes behold mine Eyes are blind What sees my mind my mind doth want a mind If my best part my mind it doth not know How can I what I am unto thee show 137. The Kingdom of Heaven Why do so few the Kingdom gain of Heaven Because the way 's so strait uncouth uneven 138. Grief and Pleasure Mans heart and body present Grief doth grieve Future with fear doth vex past doth relieve Present Delight bought with past pain doth please But fear of future pain doth it disease 139. Peter Jerusalems last High Priest Caiaphas was But Romes first High Priest was they say Kephas 140. Of Sleep If Sleep be but as Death Death but as Sleep The more I Sleep the less of Life I keep 141. Rome The world begun Abel was kill'd by Cain Rome Founded Remus was by Rom'lus slain The world and Rome with blood alike stain'd stand Both did begin in blood by Brothers hand 142. Mans Perfection The chief Perfection of ev'ry Creature Is to return t' its principles by Nature Then I shall perfect be when I return My Soul to God my Body to mine Urne 143. Lord increase our Faith Luk. Cap. 17. Faith needs not an increase but a decay Sith scarce so many men as Faiths bear sway Each hath his Faith his Tutor of his own Never more Faiths more faithless men were known Lord diminish our Faith 144. On the Covetous He Hercules Nil ultra doth pass by And Carolus Plus ultra doth apply 145. Good Transcending Good all transcends and boundless is alone None therefore in the world is good not one 146. All is Vanity Heraclite living would our Manners mourn Our Times Democritus would laugh to scorn Though to deride what vain on Earth is seen Democritus hath not enough of spleen Nor to lament poor Mortals miseries Heraclitus hath tears in both his Eyes 147. Of Epicurus Young men complain that short's their youthful sport And old men murmur that their Life 's so short The life of pleasure pleasures life arise Both short who vilipends them both is wise 148. Works Good men shall follow their good works But then Their wicked works shall follow wicked men 149. Wisdoms Beginning None would for Heaven hope if none fear'd Hell Fear in the prudent hope creates 't is well 150. Of Battologus Thou not content to tire the learned ear With words and with vain babbling Time to tear But after a Tautology long spun Dost yet complain that Time too fast did run Return unt ' Oxford and distinguish better Thy Sermon long short time was not thy debtor 151. Of the same Learn'd Tullies long Orations seem not long Nor would thy Sermons couldst thou clip thy Tongue 152. Of Polytheans O foolish folk what madness doth y' insnare To think there be more Gods than worlds there are 153. Of Wit and Study Wit if not whet with Study waxeth null As Knives without the Whetstones help are dull Wit is by Study cherish'd perish'd there As Whetstones make Knives sharp and sharpning tear 154. Know thy Self None knows himself aright yet mind he can Himself a Child when old a younger man 155. Long Art short Life An Age to make one wise doth not suffice Death 's at our backs before we can be wise 156. Of Moranus an old man Not to be learn'd but to be unlearn'd by thee Are many things if thou wilt better be But how thou wilt unlearn or learn wilt thou To be made good thus old is hopeless now 157. To D. T. Twice wretched thou because once fortunate Twice happy 's he who wretched was of late 158. All seek their own The Laick Gain not Christ seeks uncontroll'd And thou O Clerick seek'st not God but Gold 159. Of Brunonius Why doth the Pest as is suppos'd attest God's wrath sith thee the Pest doth not infest The reason 's ready and a solid one Thou to thy Country art a Pest alone 160. Respect thine End Look back on thy beginning and thine End Foresee scorn Earth in Soul unt ' Heav'n ascend 161. Sense Reason Faith Charity God Sense without Reason Reason faithless Dull Faith without love love without God is null 162. Of Prudence Prudence is useful matters to dispence And of three Vertues is the Quintessence For what is Good in Life she doth impart As Logick teacheth what is Truth in Art 163. To his Parents Dear Parents I am of your Flesh and Bone You both are in my Flesh yet Flesh but one 164. Prudence and Fortitude Wise men must ills beware Strong must them bear That those may suffer none these none may fear 165. In the sweat of thy Brows c. He that injoyn'd thee t' eat thy bread in sweat Will not to th' idle give th' eternal Meat 166. Of Faith and Charity As Trees first planted are e're Fruit they bear So where are vertues faith must first appear Life lives by Faith not without Love as poor Do live in hope yet labour more and more Faith's first Love's chief for 't is a vertue great God to believe to love God's more compleat 167. If thy right Eye c. Mat. 5.29 If the Right Eye by sinning oft must out The world would suddenly be blind no doubt 168. Christian Adverbs Adverbs all Adjectives do far excel God less rewards good Deeds than Deeds done well 169. Lifes Brevity T' an unborn Infant and an old man dead Time 's all alike that 's future this is fled Abate time past abate the time to come From both how little then 's Lifes total Summ. 170. Like for like To Aulus Thy Predecessors Facts thou dost not read Strange if Posterity read thine when dead 171. Time Time things Devourer us and all out-wears We wear out Time and thus are we compeers 172. Abundant Caution Not temerous nor timerous nor late Art quickly wary not precipitate Is nature fearful Prudence strength prepares None danger fears of danger that bewares 173. John opposing Though all Antiquities oppose thy sense Thou canst them all with one word No convince 174. Justification Do Faith or Facts sole justifie declare Facts Faith by God sole justified are 175. Doomsday When all for all their works shall t' answer come Sufficeth one day for so great a Doom 176. To Marianus The Good hate sin because they vertue love Few therefore now on Earth good men do prove Vice is so priz'd Vertue so vile reputed That 't is almost a sin to b' unpolluted 177. Mary Magdalens Tears Two fluent Fountains from two Mountains rise Whence flows a double River from mine Eyes 178. Of the Soul The Soul 's from God not drawn from mortal Line For with the Body then it would decline 179. To Marcus In Bed thou prayest with thy Face erect No wonder slothful
Prayers want effect Such praying as vain words of one not praying God hears as if he heard not by gainsaying 180. Hell As Art black colours cannot turn to white So from dark Hell none can return to Light 181. To a poor Friend Is' t bad I would 't were worse for at the worst Oft better things succeed than came at first 182. The Parts of the World The world though round is parted in t ' a Square Whereas four Parts so * Jews Christians Mahumetans Pagans four Religions are 183. The Causes of Discord Self-sense Self-reason each man regulates Each his own will his own Faith estimates Each wilful is hence Brethren strive the while Will only wants all strifes to reconcile 184. The Liberal The just man gives unt ' each his own but thou To Rich men theirs to poor must thine allow 185. The Temperate He that things causes knows with Times complies Calms his affects orders his acts is wise 186. The Wise. Fate governs Fools the wise more sublimate Themselves by wisdom govern not by Fate 187. Anonymus an Infant dead before Baptiz'd What dead Al is unnam'd and unbaptiz'd O Christ I nameless must by thee b' agniz'd I' th' Book of Life without a Name me write For in thy name alone mine hope is scire 188. The Flatterer and Carper These differ not in Nature but in Name This Good that Bad maligneth Both to blame 189. Love and Friendship The knot of Friendship 's to be broke for Love But Love for Friendship must not once remove 190. Peter and Paul The Sword keeps Kingdoms Coyn the Keys by which Peter than Paul reputed is more rich Saint Paul in an Epistle saith he 's poor Saint Peter no where doth his wants deplore 191. Socrates Thou nothing knowst this one thing knowst and this One thing is something something nothing is 192. Man Born weeping being born at first didst cry Thou then not pleas'd why now displeas'd to die 193. To Paul inhum'd Thou naked cam'st to th' world from mothers womb With Shirt and Shroud returnst unto thy Tomb More than thou broughtst thou tak'st hence to thy Grave Thou giv'st thy mother more than she thee gave 194. To the Courtly Reader If much for School for Court here 's little note That this for Court that for the School we wrote 195. Wise Simplicity That thou do wrong to none be like a Dove That none thee wrong wise like a Serpent prove 196. The Common-Wealths Eyes Religion and Law conjoin combine That curbs mens hearts their hands this doth confine 197. To Doctor John Gifford a Learned Physician That in Apollo's Art thou skilful art No wonder for thy parts thou knowst apart If Galen saith not this yet wise Apollo Saith Know thy Self his dictates thou dost follow 198. The Daw. No Birds more loquent-eloquent than I The Goose. But I write more than thou canst Crake or Cry 199. Jobs Miseries Satan the Lord permitting did disrobe Of Children Wealth and Health poor-poorest Job When all was gone his wife did yet remain Who vex'd him more than all his loss and pain 200. The Temples of St. Paul in London St. Peter in Westminster At Peter's West th' Exchequer Law Courts are White-Hall the Princes Palace thence not far At Paul's the Preacher things divine declares And Stationers there vend their sacred Wares All things convene here Paul and Peter there Peter more rich more learn'd doth Paul appear 201. Of the Conspirators in the Gun-Powder Treason upon Tuesday the Fifth of November 1605. Heav'n to provoke from Earth and from below Upon the Gods above our threats to throw What is if this be not t' accumulate On Ossa Pelion to fabricate The Tower Babel old Troy new to burn And in t ' a Chaos all things to return 202. Of the same And would you Troynovant to Cinders turn By the same Fate which Phrygian Troy did burn Unfit was Tuesday for such fatal Flashes Ash wednesday is the day design'd for Ashes 203. The King to Britain Fame brought a Rumour of my death to thee O do not credit Fame but credit Me. 204. To England of the uniting of Britain Concord intern-etern Crowns Britains Brow For her three Nations are united now Scotland with Shield Wales doth like Walls immure Thy Land O England thou maist rest secure 205. To Thomas Nevill an hopeful Child Extract from Nevil's Noble Blood the Grace Of both thy Parents shines in thy sweet Face Their Natures not sole Features thou shewst forth Thy Mothers Vertues and thy Fathers worth 206. Upon the Death of Charles Blount Earl of Devonshire 1606. Whether with Eulogies or Elegies With Praise or Tears thy Death to solemnize 'T is doubtful divers men speak divers things Good speak the best malignants wound with Stings 207. To the Reader Reader these Epigrams are short and few For many if though short they long would shew Reader these Epigrams are few and short For few if long a many would import 208. Of speaking and writing Though words be living voices writings dead Yet these survive when those are vanished The End of the Third Books EPIGRAMS OF John Owen AN OXONIAN AND CAMBROBRITAN A Single Book Dedicated To the most Learned Heroine the Lady ARBELLA STUART LONDON Printed by R. White for Nevil Simmons at the Sign of the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Church-yard and for Thomas Sawbridge at the three Flower-de-Luces in Little-Britain 1677. John Owen's EPIGRAMS A Single Book 1. To the Lady Arbella-Stuart ILlustrious Virgin sprung from Regal Race Whose Real worth thy Royal Birth doth Grace He that his wits First-fruits thee gave ev'n He Doth tender render now new Fruits to Thee Upon thine * A fair Altar Ara-Bella as most fit I consecrate I sacrifice my wit 2. To the same Thy constant Life doth from thy youth express The Genius of thine Ingeniousness Adverse things quell thee not nor prosp'rous swell Thy Sails thy front and mind are parallel And thy rare signal vertues are the cause That none will think I flatter for applause 3. To his Book Before innum'rous Judges thou must plead Not one or two will censure when they read Perhaps unread thou shalt not censures flee And more Reprovers will than Readers be 4. Union to the Britains 1606. Who unless mad will off'red Gold refuse Here 's Union This Pearl who will not choose 5. Vacuity The Ethicks of vacuities complain But Physicks shew that nothing's made in vain 6. On Zoilus Zoilus is torn with an eternal Verse Though e're two thousand years he lies on 's Hearse Is it because his heirs do never die He 's punish'd for his whole Posterity 7. From the Center to the Circumference Not from the Center to th' Circumference Sole one Line 's yet but one way t' Heaven 's hence 8. Cock-Crowing to the Prince France felt and did our English Forces see No Gallick sound could make our Lion flee 9. Of Quintus Money 's a Noun a Verb to promise he Promis'd a Noun but
intreats 94. Of a certain Bedlam for Fools Bride-well for Knaves is best To which of these thou wilt thou mayst b' a Guest 95. The Mother Church You be Christs Brethren I his Spouse thereby I am your Sister call'd your Mother why 96. Of Sects Five Senses in a man the Sophist finds Three Souls But who can tell how many minds 97. Life in the Blood Moses the Legislator did confine Life in the Blood In Christ's Blood I do (a) My Life mine 98. To Thomas Baron of Ellesmer Chancellour of England a Consolation upon the death of Mary his only Daughter an excellent Woman 1612. Nestor no doubt and old Mathusalem Saw many Funerals and wept for them Long livers live oft see their Childrens Urns An happy man unhappy Fortune mourns I of thy Children grieve thy Loss to see But glad that they saw not the loss of thee 99. On a foolish Writer Thy Books eternal are My vote I spend For neither they beginning have nor end 100. To his three Mecaenates E. N. G. S. and R. O. You strive still may you strive which of you three Should be the best Mecaenas unto me This Strife a strife-less strife I will foment And wish your Emulation permanent You by this noble Strife have nothing lost And I thereby great profit have ingrost 101. Upon the Death of Prince Henry 1612. Dead is the Prince bewall'd with Floods of Tears Great Britains Hope his Parents Joys and Fears His second no man but his German Brother And but his German Sister not another A Prince while living honour'd dead belov'd Both of his Countrey while he liv'd he prov'd While I these things with weeping Eyes perpend Salt Tears from both mine Eyes like Floods descend Reader believe me this me so doth touch That I can speak no more I weep so much 102. To the Prince his Ghost Thou living didst m' an yearly Stipend give Lost now because thou didst no longer live Yet O I wish thou hadst surviv'd thought Had nothing gain'd by thy superstity Though neither of us now can t' each incline Yet who can barr my thanks unto thy Shrine 103. To the same Prince Henry I said (a) Epigram 1. lib. 1. To E. Noel thou shalt my Caesar be but I Must now alas Thou wast my Caesar cry The End of the Third Book The Epilogue To the Readers The British Owen with his Latine verse Is here rais'd up in English from his Hearse Here many things of note accost your Eye 'T were pity such-so many things should die Not but that they survive in what he writ Yet all our English understand not it If any thing seem in the Scene obscene 'T is wash'd and here wrapp'd up in Linnen clean You need not fear to lodge between the Sheets They be perfum'd with Aromatick Sweets I wish t' ye all a sweet-a safe repose By day by night And thus the book I close Tho. Harvey Epitaphium Johannis Owen in Templo Divi Pauli Londini Parva Tâ—be Statua est quia parva Statura Supellex â— Parva volat parvus magna per ora Liber Sed non parvus honos non parva est Gloria quippe Ingenio haud quicquam est majus in Orbe tuo Parva domus texit Templum sed grande Poetae Tum verè vitam cum moriuntur agunt Posuit Reverendus Pater D. Johannes Williams Episcopus Lincolniensis Magni Sigilli Anglia custos This Epitaph thus Englished Thy Statue Stature thine Estate thy Book All little great Men yet on this do look Nor is thine Honour or thy Glory small For greater wit than thine is not at all Thy little house in a great Temple lies A Poet lives not truly till he dies Tho. Harvey FINIS