gone and now though much beneath His Coronet is next th' Imperiall Wreath No richer signe his flowry Garland drown's Which shines alone aboue the lesser Crownes This thou inioyd'st as sicke men tedious houres And thought'st of brighter Pearles and fairer flowres And higher Crownes which heau'n for thee reserues When this thy worldly pompe decayes and starues This sacred seruour in thy mind did glow And though supprest with outward state and show Yet at thy death those hind'ring clouds it clear'd And like the lost Sunne to the world appear'd Euen as a strong fire vnder ashes turn'd Which with more force long secretly hath burn'd Breakes forth to be the obiect of our sight Aimes at the Orbe and ioynes his flame with light Vpon his Noble Friend Sir William Skipwith TO frame a man who in those gifts excels Which makes the Country happy where hee dwels We first conceiue what names his Line adorne It kindles vertue to be nobly borne This picture of true Gentry must be grac'd With glitt'ring Iewels round about him plac'd A comely body and a beauteous mind A heart to loue a hand to giue inclin'd A house as free and open as the Ayre A tongue which ioyes in Language sweet and faire Yet can when need requires with courage bold To publike eares his neighbours griefes vnfold All these we neuer more shall find in one And yet all these are clos'd within this stone An Epitaph vpon my deare Brother Francis Beaumont ON Death thy Murd'rer this reuenge I take I slight his terror and iust question make Which of vs two the best precedence haue Mine to this wretched world thine to the graue Thou shouldst haue followd me but death too blame Miscounted yeeres and measur'd age by Fame So dearely hast thou bought thy precious lines Their praise grew swiftly so thy life declines Thy Muse the hearers Queene the Readers loue All eares all hearts but Deaths could please and moue Of my deare Sonne Geruase Beaumont CAn I who haue for others oft compil'd The Songs of Death forget my sweetest child VVhich like a flow'r crusht with a blast is dead And ere full time hangs downe his smiling head Expecting with cleare hope to liue anew Among the Angels fed with heau'nly dew We haue this signe of Ioy that many dayes While on the earth his struggling spirit stayes The name of Iesus in his mouth containes His onely food his sleepe his ease from paines O may that sound be rooted in my mind Of which in him such strong effect I find Deare Lord receiue my Sonne whose winning loue To me was like a friendship farre aboue The course of nature or his tender age Whose lookes could all my bitter griefes asswage Let his pure soule ordain'd seu'n yeeres to be In that fraile body which was part of me Remaine my pledge in heau'n as sent to shew How to this Port at eu'ry step I goe Teares for the death of the truly Honourable the Lord Chandos LEt him whose lines a priuate losse deplore Call them to weepe that neuer wept before My griefe is more audacious giue me one Who eu'ry day hath heard a dying grone The subiect of my verses may suffice To draw new teares from dry and weary eyes We dare not loue a man nor pleasure take In others worth for noble Chandos sake And when we seeke the best with reasons light We feare to wish him longer in our sight Time had increast his vertue and our woe For sorrow gathers weight by comming slow Should him the God of life to life restore Againe we lose him and lament the more If Mortals could a thousand liues renew They were but shades of death which must insue Our gracious God hath fitter bounds assign'd And earthly paines to one short life confin'd Yet when his hand hath quench'd the vitall flame It leaues some cinders of immortall fame At these we blow and like Prometheus striue By such weake sparkes to make dead clay aliue Breath flyes to ayre the body falls to ground And nothing dwels with vs but mournfull sound O might his honor'd Name liue in my Song Reflected as with Ecchoes shrill and strong But when my lines of glorious obiects treate They should rise high because the worke is great No Quill can paint this Lord vnlesse it haue Some tincture from his actions free and braue Yet from this height I must descend againe And like the calme Sea lay my Verses plaine When I describe the smoothnesse of his mind Where reasons chaines rebellious passions bind My Poem must in harmony excell His sweet behauiour and discourse to tell It should be deepe and full of many Arts To teach his wisdome and his happy parts But since I want these graces and despaire To make my Picture like the patterne faire These hasty strokes vnperfect draughts shall stand Expecting life from some more skilfull hand Vpon the vntimely death of the Honourable hopâ—full young Gentleman Edward Stafford Sonne and Heire to the Lord Stafford DEad is the hope of Stafford in whose line So many Dukes and Earles and Barons shine And from this Edwards death his kinred drawes More griefe then mighty Edwards fall could cause For to this House his vertue promist more Then all those great Ones that had gone before No lofty titles can securely frame The happinesse and glory of a Name Bright honours at the point of Noone decay And feele a sad declining like the day But he that from the race of Kings is borne And can their mem'ries with his worth adorne Is farre more blest then those of whom he springs He from aboue the soule of goodnesse brings T' inspire the body of his Noble birth This makes it moue before but liuelesse earth Of such I write who show'd he would haue been Complete in action but we lost him greene We onely saw him crown'd with flowres of hope O that the fruits had giu'n me larger scope And yet the bloomes which on his Herse we strow Surpasse the Cherries and the Grapes that grow In others Gardens Here fresh Roses lie Whose ruddy blushes modest thoughts descry In Flowre-de-luces dide with azure hue His constant loue to heau'nly things we view The spotlesse Lillies shew his pure intent The flaming Marigold his zeale present The purple Violets his Noble minde Degen'rate neuer from his Princely kind And last of all the Hyacinths we throw In which are writ the letters of our woe To the Memory of the Learned and Religious Ferdinando Pulton Esquire AS at a ioyfull Marriage or the birth Of some long wished child or when the earth Yeelds plenteous fruit and makes the Ploughman sing Such is the sound and subiect of my string Ripe age full vertue need no fun'rall Song Here mournefull tunes would Grace Nature wrong VVhy should vaine sorrow follow him with teares VVho shakes off burdens of declining yeeres VVhose thread exceeds the vsuall bounds of life And feeles no stroke of any fatall knife The Destinies enioyne their
here to stay Refusing that sweet change which God prouides To those whom with his rod and staffe he guides Your happinesse consists not now alone In those high comforts which are often throwne In plenteous manner from our Sauiours hand To raise the fall'n and cause the weake to stand But ye are blest when being trodden downe Ye taste his Cup and weare his thorny Crowne On Ascension day YE that to heau'n direct your curious eyes And send your minds to walk the spacious skies See how the Maker to your selues you brings Who sets his noble markes on meanest things And hauing Man aboue the Angels plac'd The lowly Earth more then the Heau'n hath grac'd Poore Clay each Creature thy degrees admires First God in thee a liuing Soule inspires Whose glorious beames hath made thee farre mâ—â—â— bright Then is the Sunne the spring of corp'rall light He rests not here but to himselfe thee takes And thee diuine by wondrous vnion makes What Region can afford a worthy place For his exalted Flesh Heau'n is too base He scarce would touch it in his swift ascent The Orbes fled backe like Iordan as he went And yet he daign'd to dwell a while on earth As paying thankefull tribute for his birth But now this body all Gods workes excels And hath no place but God in whom it dwels An Ode of the blessed Trinitie MVse that art dull and weake Opprest with worldly paine If strength in thee remaine Of things diuine to speake Thy thoughts a while from vrgent eares restraine And with a cheareful voice thy wonted silence breake No cold shall thee benumme Nor darknesse taint thy sight To thee new heate new light Shall from this obiect come Whose praises if thou now wilt sound a right My pen shall giue thee leaue hereafter to be dumbe Whence shall we then begin To sing or write of this Where no beginning is Or if we enter in Where shall we end The end is endlesse blisse Thrice happy we if well so rich a thread we spinne For Thee our strings we touch Thou that are Three and One Whose essence though vnknowne Beleeu'd is to be such To whom what ere we giue we giue thine owne And yet no mortall tongue can giue to thee so much See how in vayne we trie To find some tipe t' agree With this great One in Three Yet can none such descrie If any like or second were to thee Thy hidden nature then were not so deepe and high Here faile inferiour things The Sunne whose heate and light Make creatures warme and bright A feeble shadow brings The Sunne shewes to the world his Fathers might With glorious raies froÌ„ both our fire the spirit spring Now to this toplesse hill Let vs ascend more neare Yet still within the Spheare Of our connat'rall skill We may behold how in our soules we beare An vnderstanding pow'r ioyn'd with effectuall will We can no higher goe To search this point diuine Here it doth chiefly shine This Image must it show These steppes as helpes our humble minds incline T' embrace those certaine grounds which from true Faith must flow To him these notes direct Who not with outward hands Nor by his strong commands Whence creatures take effect While perfectly himselfe he vnderstands Begets another selfe with equall glory deckt From these the Spring of loue The holy Ghost proceeds VVho our affection feeds VVith those cleare flames which moue From that eternall Essence which them breeds And strike into our soules as lightning from aboue Stay stay Parnassian Girle Heere thy descriptions faint Thou humane shapes canst paint And canst compare to Pearle VVhite teeth and speak of lips which Rubies taint Resembling beauteous eies to Orbs that swiftly whirle But now thou mayst perceiue The weakenesse of thy wings And that thy noblest strings To muddy obiects cleaue Then praise with humble silence heau'nly things And what is more then this to still deuotion leaue A Dialogue betweene the World a Pilgrim and Vertue Pilgrim WHat darknes clouds my senses Hath the day Forgot his season and the Sunne his way Doth God withdraw his all-sustaining might And works no more with his faire creature light While heau'n and earth for such a losse complaine And turne to rude vnformed heapes againe My paces with intangling briers are bound And all this forrest in deepe silence drownd Here must my labour and my iourney cease By which in vaine I sought for rest and peace But now perceiue that mans vnquiet mind In all his waies can onely darkenesse find Here must I starue and die vnlesse some light Point out the passage from this dismall night World Distressed Pilgrim let not causelesse feare Depresse thy hopes for thou hast comfort neare Which thy dull heart with splendor shall inspire And guide thee to thy period of desire Cleare vp thy browes and raise thy fainting eyes See how my glitt'ring Palace open lies For weary passengers whose desp'rate case I pitie and prouide a resting place Pilgrim O thou whose speeches sound whose beauties shine Not like a creature but some pow'r diuine Teach me thy stile thy worth and state declare VVhose glories in this desart hidden are World I am thine end Felicity my name The best of wishes Pleasures Riches Fame Are humble vassals which my Throne attend And make you mortals happy when I send In my left hand delicious fruits I hold To feede them who with mirth and ease grow old Afraid to lose the fleeting dayes and nights They seaze on times and spend it in delights My right hand with triumphant crownes is stor'd VVhich all the Kings of former times ador'd These gifts are thine then enter where no strife No griefe no paine shall interrupt thy life Vertue Stay hasty wretch here deadly Serpents dwell And thy next step is on the brinke of hell VVouldst thou poore weary man thy limbs repose Behold my house where true contentment growes Not like the baites which this seducer giues VVhose blisse a day whose torment euer liues World Regard not these vaine speeches let them goe This is a poore worme my contemned foe Bold thredbare Vertue who dare promise more From empty bags then I from all my store VVhose counsels make men draw vnquiet breath Expecting to be happy after death Vertue Canst thou now make or hast thou euer made Thy seruants happy in those things that fade Heare this my challenge one example bring Of such perfection let him be the King Of all the world fearing no outward check And guiding others by his voice or beck Yet shall this man at eu'ry moment find More gall then hony in his restlesse mind Now Monster since my words haue struck thee dumb Behold this Garland whence such vertues come Such glories shine such piercing beames are throwne As make thee blind and turne thee to a stone And thou whose wand'ring feet were running downe Th' infernall steepenesse looke vpon this Crowne Within these folds lie hidden no deceits No golden lures
deepe and trie our better parts O knowledge if a heau'n on earth could be I would expect to reape that blisse in thee But thou art blind and they that haue thy light More clearely know they liue in darksome night See man thy stripes at schoole thy paines abroad Thy watching and thy palenesse well bestow'd These feeble helpes can Scholers neuer bring To perfect knowledge of the plainest thing And some to such a height of learning grow They die perswaded that they nothing know In vaine swift houres spent in deepe study slide Vnlesse the purchast doctrine curbe our pride The soule perswaded that no fading loue Can equall her imbraces seekes aboue And now aspiring to a higher place Is glad that all her comforts here are base Of Sicknesse THe end of Sicknesse Health or Death declare The cause as happy as the sequels are Vaine mortals while they striue their sense to please Endure a life worse then the worst disease When sports and ryots of the restlesse night Breede dayes as thicke possest with fenny light 〈◊〉 oft haue these compell'd by wholsome paine Return'd to sucke sweet Natures brest againe And then could in a narrow compasse find Strength for the body clearenesse in the mind And if Death come it is not he whose dart VVhose scalpe and bones afflict the trembling heart As if the Painters with new art would striue For feare of Bugs to keepe poore men aliue But one who from thy mothers wombe hath been Thy friend and strict companion though vnseene To leade thee in the right appointed way And crowne thy labours at the conqu'ring day Vngratefull men why doe you sicknesse loath VVhich blessings giue in Heau'n or Earth or both Of true Liberty HE that from dust of worldly tumults flies May boldly open his vndazled eyes To reade wise Natures booke and with delight Surueyes the Plants by day and starres by night We need not trauaile seeking wayes to blisse He that desires contentment cannot misse No garden walles this precious flowre imbrace It common growes in eu'ry desart place Large scope of pleasure drownes vs like a flood To rest in little is our greatest good Learne ye that clime the top of Fortunes wheele That dang'rous state which ye disdaine to feele Your highnesse puts your happinesse to flight Your inward comforts fade with outward light Vnlesse it be a blessing not to know This certaine truth left ye should pine for woe To see inferiours so diuinely blest With freedome and your selues with fetters prest Ye sit like pris'ners barr'd with doores and chaines And yet no care perpetuall care restraines Ye striue to mixe your sad conceits with ioyes By curious pictures and by glitt'ring toyes While others are not hind'red from their ends Delighting to conuerse with bookes or friends And liuing thus retir'd obtaine the pow'r To reigne as Kings of euery sliding houre They walke by Cynthiaes light and lift their eyes To view the ord'red armies in the skies The heau'ns they measure with imagin'd lines And when the Northerne Hemisphere declines New constellations in the South they find Whose rising may refresh the studious mind In these delights though freedome shew more high Few can to things aboue their thoughts apply But who is he that cannot cast his looke On earth and reade the beauty of that booke A bed of smiling flow'rs a trickling Spring A swelling Riuer more contentment bring Then can be shadow'd by the best of Art Thus still the poore man hath the better part Against inordinate loue of Creatures AH who would loue a creature who would place His heart his treasure in a thing so base Which time consuming like a Moth destroyes And stealing death will rob him of his ioyes Why life we not our minds aboue this dust Haue we not yet perceiu'd that God is iust And hath ordain'd the obiects of our loue To be our scourges when we wanton proue Go carelesse man in vaine delights proceed Thy fansies and thine outward senses feede And bind thy selfe thy fellow-seruants thrall Loue one too much thou art a slaue to all Consider when thou follow'st seeming good And drown'st thy selfe too deepe in flein and blood Thou making sute to dwell with woes and feares Art sworne their souldier in the vale of teares The bread of sorrow shall be thy repast Expect not Eden in a thorny waste Where grow no faire trees no smooth riuers swell Here onely losses and afflictions dwell These thou bewayl'st with a repining voyce Yet knew'st before that mortall was thy choyse Admirers of false pleasures must sustaine The waight and sharpenesse of insuing paine Against abused Loue. SHall I stand still and see the world on fire While wanton Writers ioyne in one desire To blow the coales of Loue and make them burne Till they consume or to the Chaos turne This beautious frame by them so foully rent That wise men feare lest they those flames preuent Which for the latest day th' Almightie keepes In orbes of fire or in the hellish deepes Best wits while they possest with fury thinke They taste the Muses sober Well and drinke Of Phabus Goblet now a starry signe Mistake the Cup and write in heat of wine Then let my cold hand here some water cast And drown their warmth with drops of sweeter taste Mine angry lines shall whip the purblind Page And some will reade them in a chaster age But since true loue is most diuine I know How can I fight with loue and call it so Is it not Loue It was not now O strange Time and ill custome workers of all change Haue made it loue men oft impose not names By Adams rule but what their passion frames And since our Childhood taught vs to approue Our Fathers words we yeeld and call it loue Examples of past times our deeds should sway But we must speake the language of to day Vse hath no bounds it may prophane once more The name of God which first an Idoll bore How many titles fit for meaner groomes Are knighted now and marshal d in high roomes And many which once good and great were thought Posterity to vice and basenesse brought As it hath this of loue and we must bow As States vsurping Tyrants raignes allow And after ages reckon by their yeeres Such force Possession though iniurious beares Or as a wrongfull title or foule crime Made lawfull by a Statute for the time With reu'rend estimation blindes our eies And is call'd iust in spight of all the wise Then heau'nly loue this loathed name forsake And some of thy more glorious titles take Sunne of the Soule cleare beauty liuing fire Celestiall light which dost pure hearts inspire While Lust thy Bastard brother shal be knowne By loues wrong'd name that Louers may him owne So oft with Hereticks such tearmes we vse As they can brooke not such as we would chuse And since he takes the throne of Loue exil'd In all our Letters he shall Loue be stil'd But if true
Shepherdesse to sing She blusht and sung while they with words of praise Contend her songs aboue their worth to raise Thus being chear'd with many courteous signes She takes her leaue for now the Sunne declines And hauing driuen home her flocks againe She meets her Loue a simple Shepherd Swaine Yet in the Plaines he had a Poets name For he could Roundelayes and Carols frame Which when his Mistresse sung along the Downes Was thought celestiall Musick by the Clownes Of him she begs that he would raise his mind To paint this Lady whom she found so kind You oft saith she haue in our homely Bow'rs Discours'd of Demi-gods and greater pow'rs For you with Hesiode sleeping learnt to know The race diuine from heau'n to earth below My Deare said he the Nymph whom thou hast seene Most happy is of all that liue betweene This Globe and Cynthia and in high estate Of wealth and beauty hath an equall mate Whose loue hath drawne vncessant teares in floods From Nymphs that haunt the waters and the woods Of Iris to the ground hath bent her bow To steale a kisse and then away to goe Yet all in vaine he no affection knowes But to this Goddesse whom at first he chose Him she enioyes in mutuall bonds of loue Two hearts are taught in one small point to moue Her Father high in honour and descent Commands the Syluans on the Northside Trent He at this time for pleasure and retreate Comes downe from Beluoir his ascending seate To which great Pan had lately honour done For there he lay so did his hopefull Sonne But when this Lord by his accesse desires To grace our Dales he to a house retires Whose walles are water'd with our siluer Brookes And makes the Shepherds proud to view his lookes There in that blessed house you also saw His Lady whose admired vertues draw All hearts to loue her and all tongues inuite To praise that ayre where she vouchsafes her light And for thy further ioy thine eyes were blest To see another Lady in whose brest True Wisedome hath with Bounty equall place As Modesty with Beauty in her face She found me singing Floraes natiue dowres And made me sing before the heau'nly pow'rs For which great fauour till my voice be done I sing of her and her thrice-noble sonne On the Anniuersary day of his Maiesties reigne ouer England March the 24. written at the beginning of his twentieth yeere THe world to morrow celebrates with mirth The ioyfull peace betweene the heau'n earth To day let Britaine praise that rising light Whose titles her diuided parts vnite The time since safety triumph'd ouer feare Is now extended to the twenti'th yeere Thou happy yeere with perfect number blest O slide as smooth and gentle as the rest That when the Sunne dispersing from his head The clouds of Winter on his beauty spred Shall see his Equinoctiall point againe And melt his dusky maske to fruitfull raine He may be loth our Climate to forsake And thence a patterne of such glory take That he would leaue the Zodiake and desire To dwell foreuer with our Northerne fire A thanksgiuing for the deliuerance of our Soueraigne King Iames from a dangerous accident Ianuary 8. O Gracious Maker on whose smiles or frownes Depends the Fate of Scepters and of Crownes Whose hand not onely holds the hearts of Kings But all their steps are shadow'd with thy wings To thee immortall thanks three Sisters giue For sauing him by whose deare life they liue First England crown'd with Roses of the Spring An off'ring like to Abels gift will bring And vowes that she for thee alone will keepe Her fattest Lambes and Fleeces of her sheepe Next Scotland triumphs that she bore and bred This Iles delight and wearing on her head A wreath of Lillies gather'd in the field Presents the Min'rals which her mountaines yeeld Last Ireland like Terpsichore attir'd With neuer-fading Lawrell and inspir'd By true Apollos heat a Paean sings And kindles zealous flames with siluer strings This day a sacrifice of praise requires Our brests are Altars and our ioyes are fires That sacred Head so oft so strangely blest From bloody plots was now O feare deprest Beneath the water and those Sunlike beames Were threat'ned to be quencht in narrow streames Ah! who dare thinke or can indure to heare Of those sad dangers which then seem'd so neare VVhat Pan would haue preferu'd our flocks increase From VVolues VVhat Hermes could with words of peace Cause whetted swords to fall froÌ„ angry hands And shine the Starre of calmes in Christian Lands But Thou whose Eye to hidden depths extends To shew that he was made for glorious ends Hast rays'd him by thine All-commanding arme Not onely safe from death but free from harme To his late Maiesly concerning the true forme of English Poetry GReat King the Sou'raigne Ruler of this Land By whose graue care our hopes securely stand Since you descending from that spacious reach Vouchsafe to be our Master and to teach Your English Poets to direct their lines To mixe their colours and expresse their signes Forgiue my boldnesse that I here present The life of Muses yeelding true content In ponder'd numbers which with ease I try'd When your iudicious rules haue been my guide He makes sweet Musick who in serious lines Light dancing tunes and heauy prose declines When verses like a milky torrent flow They equall temper in the Poet show He paints true formes who with a modest heart Giues lustre to his worke yet couers Art Vneuen swelling is no way to faâ—â—â— But solid ioyning of the perfect frame So that no curious finger there can find The former chinkes or nailes that fastly bind Yet most would haue the knots of stitches seene And holes where men may thrust their hands between On halting feet the ragged Poem goes With Accents neither fitting Verse nor Prose The stile mine care with more contentment fills In Lawyers pleadings or Phisicians bills For though in termes of Art their skill they close And ioy in darksome words as well as those They yet haue perfect sense more pure and cleare Then enuious Muses which sad Garlands weare Of dusky clouds their strange conceits to hide From humane eyes and lest they should be spi'd By some sharpe Oedipus the English Tongue For this their poore ambition suffers wrong In eu'ry Language now in Europe spoke By Nations which the Roman Empire broke The rellish of the Muse consists in rime One verse must meete another like a chime Our Saxon shortnesse hath peculiar grace In choise of words fit for the ending place Which leaue impression in the mind as well As closing sounds of some delightfull bell These must not be with disproportion lame Nor should an Eccho still repeate the same In many changes these may be exprest But those that ioyne most simply run the best Their forme surpassing farre the fetter'd staues Vaine care and needlesse repetition saues These outward ashes keepe those inward
Catiline with his whole carkase dyes The carefull Mother when she casts her eyes On Venus Temple in soft lowly wise Demands the gift of beauty for her Boyes But askes it for her Girles with greater noyse At common formes her wish she neuer staies But for the height of delicacy prayes And why should'st thou reprooue this prudent choice Latona in faire Phaebe doth reioyce O but Lucretia's haplesse fate deterres That others wish not such a face as hers Virginia her sweet feature would forsake And Rutilaes crook'd backe would gladly take Where sonnes are beautifull the parents vext With care and feare are wretched and perplext So seldome an exact consent betweene Well fauor'd shapes and chastity is seene For should they be with holy manners taught In homely houses such as Sabines wrought Should bounteous natures lib'rall hand bestow Chast dispositions modest lookes which glow With sanguine blushes what more happy thing To Boyes can fauourable nature bring Whose inclinations farre more pow'rfull are Then many keepers and continuall care Yet are they neuer suffer'd to possesse The name of man such foule corrupters presse And by the force of large expences trust To make their Parents instruments of lust No Tyrant in his cruell Palace gelt Deformed Youths no Noble Child had felt Fierce Neroes rapes if all wry leg'd had beene If in their necks foule swellings had been scene If windy tumours had their bellies rays'd Or Camels bunches had their backes disprais'd Goe now with ioy thy young-mans forme affect Whom greater dangers and worse Fates expect Perhaps he shortly will the title beare Of a profest adult'rer and will feare To suffer iustly for his wicked fact Such paines as angry husbands shall exact Nor can he happier be then Mars his Starre T' escape those snares which caught the god of warre Yet oft that griefe to sharper vengeance drawes Then is permitted by th' indulgent lawes Some kill with swords others with scourges cut And some th' offenders to foule torments put But thine Endymion happily will proue Some Matrons Minion who may merit loue Yet when Seruilia him with money hires He must be hers against his owne desires Her richest ornaments she off will take And strip her selfe of Iewels for his sake What will not Hippia and Catulla giue To those that with them in adult'ry liue For wicked women in these base respects Place all their manners and their whole affects But thou wilt say Can beauty hurt the chaste Tell me what ioy Hippolitus did taste What good seuere Bellerophon receiu'd When to their pure intents they strictly cleau'd Both Sthenobaea and the Cretan Queene Asham'd of their repulse stirr'd vp their teene For then a woman breeds most fierce debate When shame addes piercing stings to cruell hate How would'st thou counsell him whom th' Emp'rors wise Resolues to marry in her husbands life The best and fairest of the Lords must dye His life is quencht by Messallinaes eye She in her nuptiall Robes doth him expect And openly hath in her gardens deckt A purple marriage bed nor will refuse To giue a dowre and ancient Rites to vse The cunning Wizzard who must tell the doome Of this successe with Notaries must come Thou think'st these things are hid from publike view And but committed to the trust of few Nay she will haue her solemne wedding drest With shew of Law then teach him what is best He dies ere night vnlesse he will obay Admit the crime he gaines a little stay Till that which now the common people heares May come by rumour to the Princes eares For he is sure to be the last that knowes The secret shame which in his houshold growes Thy selfe a while to her desires apply And life for some few dayes so dearely buy What way soeuer he as best shall chuse That faire white necke he by the sword must luse Shall men wish nothing wilt thou counsell take Permit the heau'aly powers the choyce to make VVhat shall be most conuenient for our Fates Or bring most profit to our doubtfull states The prudent gods can place their gifts aright And grant true goods in stead of vaine delight A man is neuer to himselfe so deare As vnto them when they his fortunes steare We carried with the fury of our minds And strong affection which our iudgement blinds VVould husbands proue and fathers but they see VVhat our wisht children and our wiues will bee Yet that I may to thee some pray'rs allow When to the sacred Temples thou do'st vow Diuinest entrailes in white Pockets found Pray for a sound mind in a body sound Desire braue spirit free from feare of death Which can esteeme the latest houre of breath Among the gifts of Nature which can beare All sorrowes from desire and anger cleare And thinkes the paines of Hercules more blest Then wanton lust the suppers and soft rest Where in Sardanapalus ioy'd to liue I show thee what thou to thy selfe mayst giue If thou the way to quiet life wilt treade No guide but vertue can thee thither leade No pow'r diuine is euer absent there VVhere wisdome dwells and equall rule doth beare But we O Fortune striue to make thee great Plac'd as a Goddesse in a heau'nly seate A funerall Hymne out of Prudentius O God the soules pure fi'ry Spring Who diff'rent natures wouldst combine That man whom thou to life didst bring By weakenesse may to death decline By thee they both are fram'd aright They by thy hand vnited be And while they ioyne with growing might Both flesh and spirit liue to thee But when diuision them recals They bend their course to seu'rall ends Into dry earth the body falls The feruent soule to heau'n ascends For all created things at length By slow corruption growing old Must needs forsake compacted strength And disagreeing webs vnfold But thou deare Lord hast meanes prepar'd That death in thine may neuer reigne And hast vndoubted waies declar'd How members lost may rise againe That while those gen'rous rayes are bound In prison vnder fading things That part may still be stronger found VVhich from aboue directly springs If man with baser thoughts possest His will in earthly mud shall drowne The soule with such a weight opprest Is by the body carried downe But when she mindfull of her birth Her selfe from vgly spots debarres She lifts her friendly house from earth And beares it with her to the Starres See how the empty bodies lyes VVhere now no liuely soule remaines Yet when short time with swiftnesse flyes The height of senses it regaines Those ages shall be soone at hand VVhen kindly heate the bones reuiewes And shall the former house command VVhere liuing blood it shall infuse Dull carkases to dust now worne VVhich long in graues corrupted lay Shall to the nimble ayre be borne VVhere soules before haue led the way Hence comes it to adorne the graue VVith carefull labour men affect The limbes dissolu'd last honour haue And fun'rall Rites with pompe are deckt
sibi somnium quid audet Altum effare noëma bello-montis Effatum euge Poëma Bello-montî est Dium castalium nitens politum Libatum salibus lepore tinctum Decurrens velut amnis alti monte Feruet delicijs ruit profundo Beaumontus latice Altiùs resultat Fertur nec tenui nec vsitatâ Pennâ per liquidam aetheram biformis Hic Phoebi deus est decus cohortis Summum Palladiae iubar sororum Ipse flos Venerum resurgo legi Ph. Kin. Vpon the Honored Poems of his Vnknowne Friend Sir Iohn Beaumont Baronet I Knew thee not I speake it to my shame But by that cleare and equall Voyce of Fame VVhich with the Sunnes bright course did ioyntly beare Thy glorious Name about each Hemisphere VVhiles I who had confin'd my selfe to dwell VVithin the straite bounds of an obscure Cell â—oke in those pleasing beames of VVit and VVorth VVhich where the Sunne could neuer shine breake forth VVherewith I did refresh my weaker sight â—hen others bath'd themselues in thy full light â—â—t when the dismall rumour was once spred â—â—at struck all knowing soules of Beaumont dead Aboue thy best Friends 't was my benefit 〈◊〉 know thee onely by thy liuing VVit And whereas others might their losse deplore Thou liu'st to me iust as thou didst before In all that we can value Great or Good VVhich were not in these cloathes of flesh and blood Thou now hast laid aside but in that mind That only by 〈…〉 could be confin'd Thou liu'st to me and shalt for euer raine In both the issues of thy Blood and Braine Ia. Cl. Bosworth Field WITH CERTAINE OTHER POEMS c. THe Winters storme of Ciuill warre I sing Whose end is crown'd with our eternall Spring Where Roses ioyn'd their colours mixe in one And armies fight no more for Englands Throne Thou gracious Lord direct my seeble Pen Who from the actions of ambitious men Hast by thy goodnesse drawne our ioyfull good And made sweet flowres Oliues grow from blood While we delighted with this faire release May clime Parnassus in the dayes of peace The King whose eyes were neuer fully clos'd Whose minde opprest with feareful dreames suppos'd That he in blood had wallow'd all the night Leapes from his restlesse bed before the light Accursed Tirell is the first he spies Whom threatning with his dagger thus he cries How darst thou villaine so disturbe my sleepe Were not the smother'd children buried deepe And hath the ground againe been ript by thee That I their rotten carkases might see The wretch astonisht hastes away to slide As damned ghosts themselues in darkenesse hide And calles vp three whose counsels could asswage The sudden swellings of the Princes rage Ambitious Louell who to gaine his grace Had stain'd the honour of his Noble race Perfidious Catesby by whose curious skill The Law was taught to speake his Masters will And Ratcliffe deepely learn'd in courtly Art Who best could search into his Sou'raignes hart Affrighted Richard labours to relate His hideous dreames as signes of haplesse Fate Alas said they such fictions children feare These are not terrors shewing danger neare But motiues sent by some propitious power To make you watchfull at this early hower These proue that your victorious care preuents Your slouthfull foes that slumber in their tents This precious time must not in vaine be spent Which God your helpe by heau'nly meanes hath lent He by these false coniectures much appeas'd Contemning fancies which his minde diseas'd Replies I should haue been asham'd to tell Fond dreames to wise men whether Heau'n or Hell Or troubled Nature these effects hath wrought I know this day requires another thought If some resistlesse strength my cause should crosse Feare will increase and not redeeme the losse All dangers clouded with the mist offeare Seeme great farre off but lessen comming neare Away ye blacke illusions of the night If ye combin'd with Fortune haue the might To hinder my designes ye shall not barre My courage seeking glorious death in warre Thus being chear'd he calles aloud for armes And bids that all should rise whoÌ„ Morpheus charmes Bring me saith he the harnesse that I wore At Teuxbury which from that day no more Hath felt the battries of a ciuill strife Nor stood betweene destruction and my life Vpon his brest-plate he beholds a dint Which in that field young Edwards sword did print This stirres remembrance of his heinous guilt When he that Princes blood so foulely spilt Now fully arm'd he takes his helmet bright Which like a twinkling starre with trembling light Sends radiant lustre through the darksome aire This maske will make his wrinkled visage faire But when his head is couer'd with the steele He telles his seruants that his temples feele Deepe-piercing stings which breed vnusuall paines And of the heauy burden much complaines Some marke his words as tokens fram'd t' expresse The sharpe conclusion of a sad successe Then going forth and finding in his way A souldier of the Watch who sleeping lay Enrag'd to see the wretch neglect his part He strikes a sword into his trembling heart The hand of death and iron dulnesse takes Those leaden eyes which nat'rall ease forsakes The King this morning sacrifice commends And for example thus the fact defends I leaue him as I found him fit to keepe The silent doores of euerlasting sleepe Still Richmond slept for worldly care and feare Haue times of pausing when the soule is cleare While Heau'ns Directer whose reuengefull brow Would to the guilty head no rest allow Lookes on the other part with milder eyes At his command an Angell swiftly flies From sacred truths perspicuous gate to bring A crystall vision on his golden wing This Lord thus sleeping thought he saw and knew His lamblike Vnkle whom that Tiger slew Whose powerfull words encourage him to fight Goâ—â—n iust scourge of murder vertues light The combate which thou shalt this day endure Makes Englands peace for many ages sure Thy strong inuasion cannot be withstood The earth assists thee with the cry of blood The heau'n shall blesse thy hopes and crowne thy ioyes See how the Fiends with loud and dismall noyse 〈◊〉 Presaging Vultures greedy of their prey On Richards tent their scaly wings display The holy King then offer'd to his view A liuely tree on which three branches grew But when the hope offruit had made him glad All fell to dust at which the Earle was sad Yet comfort comes againe when from the roote He sees a bough into the North to shoote Which nourisht there extends it selfe from thence And girds this Iland with a firme defence There he beholds a high and glorious Throne Where sits a King by Lawrell Garlands knowne Like bright Apollo in the Muses quires His radiant eyes are watchfull heauenly fires Beneath his feete pale Enuie bites her chaine And snaky Discord whets her sting in vaine Thou seest said Henry wise and potent Iames This this is he whose happy Vnion tames The
sauage Feudes and shall those lets deface Which keepe the Bordrers from a deare imbrace Both Nations shall in Britaines Royall Crowne Their diffring names the signes of faction drowne The siluer streames which from this Spring increase Bedew all Christian hearts with drops of peace Obserue how hopefull Charles is borne t' asswage The winds that would disturbe this golden age When that great King shall full of glory leaue The earth as base then may this Prince receiue The Diadem without his Fathers wrong May take it late and may possesse it long Aboue all Europes Princes shine thou bright O Gods selected care and mans delight Here gentle sleepe forsooke his clouded browes And full of holy thoughts and pious vowes He kist the ground assoone as he arose When watchfull Digby who among his foes Had wanderd vnsuspected all the night Reports that Richard is prepar'd to fight Long since the King had thought it time to send For trusty Norfolke his vndaunted friend Who hasting from the place of his abode Found at the doore a world of papers strow'd Some would affright him from the Tyrants aide Affirming that his Master was betray'd Some laid before him all those bloody deeds From which a line of sharpe reuenge proceeds With much compassion that so braue a Knight Should serue a Lord against whom Angels fight And others put suspicions in his minde That Richard most obseru'd was most vnkind The Duke awhile these cautious words reuolues With serious thoughts and thus at last resolues â—f all the Campe proue traytors to my Lord Shall spotlesse Norfolke falsisie his word Mine oath is past I swore t'vphold his Crowne And that shall swim or I with it will drowne It is too late now to dispute the right Dare any tongue since Yorke spred forth his light Northumberland or Buckingham defame Two valiant Cliffords Roos or Beaumonts name Because they in the weaker quarrell die They had the King with them and so haue I. But eu'ry eye the face of Richard shunnes For that foule murder of his brothers sonnes Yet lawes of Knighthood gaue me not a sword To strike at him whom all with ioynt accord Haue made my Prince to whom I tribute bring I hate his vices but adore the King Victorious Edward if thy soule can heare Thy seruant Howard I deuoutly sweare That to haue sau'd thy children from that day My hopes on earth should willingly decay Would Glouster then my perfect faith had tryed And made two graues when noble Hastings died This said his troopes he into order drawes Then doubled haste redeemes his former pause So stops the Sayler for a voyage bound When on the Sea he heares the tempests sound Till pressing hunger to remembrance sends That on his course his housholds life depends With this he cleares the doubts that vext his minde And puts his ship to mercy of the winde The Dukes stout presence and couragious lookes Were to the King as falls of sliding brookes Which bring a gentle and delightfull rest To weary eyes with grieuous care opprest He bids that Norfolke and his hopefull sonne Whose rising fame in Armes this day begun Should leade the vantguard for so great command He dares not trust in any other hand The rest he to his owne aduice referres And as the spirit in that body stirres Then putting on his Crowne a fatall signe So offer'd beasts neere death in Garlands shine He rides about the rankes and striues t' inspire Each brest with part of his vnwearied fire To those who had his brothers seruants been And had the wonders of his valour seene He saith My fellow Souldiers though your swords Are sharpe and need not whetting by my words Yet call to minde those many glorious dayes In which we treasur'd vp immortall prayse If when I seru'd I euer fled from foe Fly ye from mine let me be punisht so But if my Father when at first he try'd How all his sonnes could shining blades abide Found me an Eagle whose vndazled eyes Affront the beames which from the steele arise And if I now in action teach the same Know then ye haue but chang'd your Gen'ralls name Be still your selues ye fight against the drosse Of those that oft haue runne from you with losse How many Somersets dissentions brands Haue felt the force of our reuengefull hands From whome this youth as from a princely floud Deriues his best yet not vntainted bloud Haue our assaults made Lancaster to droupe And shall this Welshman with his ragged troupe Subdue the Norman and the Saxon line That onely Merlin may be thought diuine See what a guide these fugitiues haue chose Who bred among the French our ancient foes Forgets the English language and the ground And knowes not what our drums trumpets sound To others minds their willing othes he drawes He tells his iust decrees and healthfull lawes And makes large proffers of his future grace Thus hauing ended with as chearefull face As Nature which his stepdame still was thought Could lend to one without proportion wrought Some with loud shouting make the valleyes ring But most with murmur sigh God saue the King Now carefull Henry sends his seruant Bray To Stanly who accounts it safe to stay And dares not promise lest his haste should bring His sonne to death now pris'ner with the King About the same time Brakenbury came And thus to Stanley saith in Richards name My Lord the King salutes you and commands That to his ayde you bring your ready bands Or else he sweares by him that sits on high Before the armies ioyne your sonne shall die At this the Lord stood like a man that heares The Iudges voyce which condemnation beares Till gath'ring vp his spirits he replies My fellow Hastings death hath made me wise More then my dreame could him for I no more Will trust the tushes of the angry Bore If with my Georges bloud he staine his throne I thanke my God I haue more sonnes then one Yet to secure his life I quiet stand Against the King not lifting vp my hand The Messenger departs of hope deny'd Then noble Stanley taking Bray aside Saith Let my sonne proceede without despaire Assisted by his mothers almes and prayre God will direct both him and me to take Best courses for that blessed womans sake The Earle by this delay was not inclin'd To feare nor anger knowing Stanleyes mind But calling all his chiefe Commanders neare He boldly speakes while they attentiue heare 〈◊〉 is in vaine braue friends to shew the right â—hich we are forc'd to seeke by ciuill fight â—ur swords are brandisht in a noble cause â—o free your Country from a Tyrants iawes â—hat angry Planet What disastrous Signe â—irects Plantagenets afflicted Line â—h was it not enough that mutuall rage 〈◊〉 deadly battels should this race ingage â—ill by their blowes themselues they fewer make And pillers fall which France could neuer shake But must this crooked Monster now be found To lay rough hands on
sickles strokes Strong Ploughmen let their Bulls go free from yokes Wooll feares not to dissemble colours strange But Rammes their fleeces then in pastures change To pleasing Purple or to Saffron die And Lambes turne ruddy as they feeding lie The Fates whose wills in stedfast end agree Command their wheeles to run such daies to see Attempt great honours now the time attends Deare Childe of Gods whose line from Ioue descendâ— See how the world with weight declining lies The Earth the spacious Seas and arched Skies Behold againe how these their griefe asswage With expectation of the future age O that my life and breath so long would last To tell thy deeds I should not be surpast By Thracian Orpheus nor if Linus sing Though they from Phoebus and the Muses spring Should Pan Arcadia iudging striue with me Pan by Arcadia's doome would conquer'd be Begin thou little Childe by laughter owne Thy Mother who ten mon'ths hath fully knowne Of tedious houres begin thou little Childe On whom as yet thy Parents neuer smil'd The God with meate hath not thy hunger fed Nor Goddesse laid thee in a little bed An Epigram concerning Mans life composed by Crates or Posidippus WHat course of life should wretched mortals take In Courts hard questions large contention make Care dwels in houses Labour in the field Tumultuous Seas affrighting dangers yeeld In forraine Land thou neuer canst be blest If rich thou art in feare if poore distrest In wedlock frequent discontentments swell Vnmarried persons as in Desarts dwell How many troubles are with children borne Yet he that wants them counts himselfe forlorne Young men are wanton and of wisedome void Gray haires are cold vnfit to be imploid Who would not one of these two offers choose Not to be borne or breath with speede to loose The answer of Metrodorus IN eu'ry way of life true pleasure flowes Immortall Fame from publike action growes Within the doores is found appeasing rest In fields the gifts of Nature are exprest The Sea brings gaine the rich abroad prouide To blaze their names the poore their wants to hide All housholds best are gouern'd by a wife His cares are light who leades a single life Sweet children are delights which marriage blesse He that hath none disturbs his thoughts the lesse Strong youth can triumph in victorious deeds Old age the soule with pious motion feeds All states are good and they are falsly led Who wish to be vnborne or quickly dead HORAT LIB 2. SAT. 6. THis was my wish no ample space of ground T' include my Garden with a mod rate bound And neere my house a Fountaine neuer dry A little VVood which might my wants supply The gods haue made me blest with larger store It is sufficient I desire no more O sonne of Maia but this grant alone That quiet vse may make these gifts mine owne If I increase them by no lawlesse way Nor through my fault will cause them to decay If not to these fond hopes my thoughts decline O that this ioyning corner could be mine VVhich with disgrace deformes and maimes my field Or Fortune would a pot of siluer yeeld As vnto him who being hir'd to worke Discouer'd treasure which in mold did lurke And bought the Land which he before had till d Since friendly Hercules his bosome fill'd If I with thankfull minde these blessings take Disdaine not this petition which I make Let â—at in all things but my wit be seene And be my safest guard as thou hast been When from the Citty I my selfe remoue Vp to the hills as to a towre aboue I find no fitter labours nor delights Then Satyres which my lowly Muse indites No foule ambition can me there expose To danger nor the leaden wind that blowes From Southerne parts nor Autumnes grieuous raine Whence bitter Libitina reapes her gaine O father of the mornings purple light Or if thou rather would'st be Ianus hight From whose diuine beginning mortalls draw The paines of life according to the law Which is appointed by the Gods decree Thou shalt the entrance of my verses be At Rome thou driu'st me as a pledge to goe That none himselfe may more officious show Although the fury of the Northerne blast Shall sweepe the earth or Winters force hath cast The snowy day into a narrow Sphere I must proceede and hauing spoken cleare And certaine truth must wrestle in the throng Where by my haste the slower suffer wrong And crie VVhat ayles the mad man whither tenâ— His speedy steps while mine imperious frend Intreates and chafes admitting no delay And I must beate all those that stop my way The glad remembrance of Mecaenas lends A sweete content but when my iourney bends To blacke Esquiliae there a hundred tides Of strangers causes presse my head and sides You must before the second houre appeare In Court to morrow and for Roscius sweare The Scribes desire you would to them repaire About a publike great and new affaire Procure such fauour from Mecaenas hand As that his seale may on this paper stand I answer I will trie he vrgeth still I know you can performe it if you will Seu'n yeeres are fled the eighth is almost gone Since first Mecaenas tooke me for his owne That I with him might in his chariot sit And onely then would to my trust commit Such toyes as these what is the time of day The Thracian is the Syrians match in play Now carelesse men are nipt with morning cold And words which open eares may safely hold In all this space for eu'ry day and houre I grew more subiect to pale enuies pow'r This sonne of Fortune to the Stage resorts And with the fau'rite in the field disports Fame from the pulpits runnes through eu'ry streete And I am strictly askt by all I meete Good Sir you needes must know for you are neare Vnto the Gods doe you no tidings heare Concerning Dacian troubles Nothing I. You allwayes loue your friends with scoffes to try If I can tell the Gods my life confound But where will Caesar giue his souldiers ground In Italie or the Tâ—inacrian Ile I sweare I know not they admire the while And thinke me full of silence graue and deepe The onely man that should high secrets keepe For these respects poore wretch I lose the light And longing thus repine when shall my sight Againe bee happy in beholding thee My countrey â—â—rme or when shall I be free To reade in bookes what ancient writers speake To rest in sleepe which others may not breake To taste in houres secure from courtly strife The soft obliuion of a carefull life O when shall beanes vpon my boord appeare Which wise Pythagoras esteem'd so deare Or when shall fatnesse of the Lard anoint The herbes which for my table I appoint O suppers of the Gods O nights diuine When I before our Lar might feast with mine And feede my prating slaues with tasted meate As eu'ry one should haue desire to eate The frolike
Loue vouchsafe againe his sight No word of mine shall preiudice his right So Kings by caution with their Rebels treate As with free States when they are growne too great If common Drunkards onely can expresse To life the sad effects of their excesse How can I write of Loue who neuer felt His dreadfull arrow nor did euer melt My heart away before a female flame Like waxen statues which the witches frame I must confesse if I knew one that had Bene poyson'd with this deadly draught and mad And afterward in Bedlem well reclaym'd To perfect sence and in his wits not maym'd I would the feruour of my Muse restraine And let this subiect for his taske remaine But aged wand'rers sooner will declare Their Eleusinian rites then Louers dare Renounce the Deuils pompe and Christians die So much preuailes a painted Idols eye Then since of them like Iewes we can conuert Scarce one in many yeeres their iust desert By selfe confession neuer can appeare But on presumptions wee proceed and there The Iudges innocence most credit winnes â—iue men trie theeues and Saints describe foule sinnes This Monster loue by day and lust by night 〈◊〉 full of burning fire but voyde of light Left here on earth to keepe poore mortals out Of errour who of Hell-fire else would doubt Such is that wandring nightly flame which leades Th'vn wary passenger vntill he treades His last step on the steepe and craggy walles Of some high mountaine whence he headlong falles A vapor first extracted from the Stewes Which with new fewell still the lampe renewes And with a Pandars sulph'rous breath inflam'd Became a Meteor for destruction fram'd Like some prodigious Comet which foretells Disasters to the Realme on which it dwells And now hath this false light preuail'd so farre That most obserue it is a fixed starre Yea as their load starre by whose beames impure They guide their ships in courses not secure Be witcht and daz'led with the glaring sight Of this proud Fiend attir'd in Angels light Who still delights his darksome smoke to turne To rayes which seeme t'enlighten not to burne He leades them to the tree and they beleeue The fruite is sweete so he deluded Eue. But when they once haue tasted of the feasts They quench that sparke which seuers men froÌ„ beasâ—â— And feele effects of our first Parents fall Depriu'd of reason and to sence made thrall Thus is the miserable Louer bound With fancies and in fond affection drown'd In him no faculty of man is seene But when he sighes a Sonnet to his Queene This makes him more then man a Poet fit For such false Poets as make passion wit Who lookes within an emptie caske may see Where once a soule was and againe may be Which by this diffrence from a Corse is knowne One is in pow'r to haue life both haue none For Louers slipp'ry Soules as they confesse Without extending racke or straining presse By transmigration to their Mistresse flow Pithagoras instructs his Schollers so Who did for penance lustfull minds consine To leade a second life in Goates and Swine Then Loue is death and driues the soule to dwell In this betraying harbour which like hell Giues neuer backe her bootie and containes A thousand firebrands whips and restlesse paines And which is worse so bitter are those wheeles That many hells at once the Louer feeles And hath his heart dissected into parts That it may meere with other double harts This loue stands neuer sure it wants a ground It makes no ordred course it findes no bound It aymes at nothing it no comfort tastes But while the pleasure and the passion lasts Yet there are flames which two hearts one can make Not forth ' affections but the obiects sake That burning glasse where beames disperst incline Vnto a point and shoot forth in a line This noble Loue hath Axeltree and Poles Wherein it moues and gets eternall goales These reuolutions like the heau'nly Spheres Make all the periods equall as the yeeres And when this time of motion finisht is It ends with that great Yeere of endlesse blisse A description of Loue. LOue is a Region full of fires And burning with extreme desires An obiect seekes of which possest The wheeles are fixt the motions rest The flames in ashes lie opprest This Meteor striuing high to rise The fewell spent falles downe and dies Much sweeter and more pure delights Are drawne from faire alluring sights When rauisht minds attempt to praise Commanding eyes like heau'nly rayes Whose force the gentle heart obayes Then where the end of this pretence Descends to base inferiour sense Why then should Louers most will say Expect so much th' enioying day Loue is like youth he thirsts for age He scornes to be his Mothers Page But when proceeding times asswage The former heate he will complaine And wish those pleasant houres againe We know that Hope and Loue are twinnes Hope gone Fruition now beginnes But what is this vnconstant fraile In nothing sure but sure to faile Which if we lose it we bewaile And when we haue it still we beare The worst of passions daily Feare When Loue thus in his Center ends Desire and Hope his inward friends Are shaken off while Doubt and Griefe The weakest giuers of reliefe Stand in his councell as the chiefe And now he to his period brought From Loue becomes some other thought These lines I write not to remoue Vnited soules from serious loue The best attempts by mortals made Reflect on things which quickly fade Yet neuer will I men perswade To leaue affections where may shine Impressions of the Loue diuine The Shepherdesse A Shepherdesse who long had kept her flocks On stony Charnwoods dry and barren rocks In heate of Summer to the vales declin'd To seeke fresh pasture for her Lambes halfe pin'd She while her charge was feeding spent the houres To gaze on sliding Brookes and smiling flowres Thus hauing largely stray'd she lifts her sight And viewes a Palace full of glorious light She finds the entrance open and as bold As Countrey Maids that would the Court behold She makes an offer yet againe she stayes And dares not dally with those Sunny rayes Here lay a Nymph of beauty most diuine Whose happy presence caus'd the house to shine Who much conuerst with mortals and could know No honour truly high that scornes the low For she had oft been present though vnseene Among the Shepherds daughters on the Greene Where cu'ry homebred Swaine desires to proue His Oaten Pipe and Feet before his Loue And crownes the cu'ning when the daies are long With some plaine Dance or with a Rurall song Nor were the women nice to hold this sport And please their Louers in a modest sort There that sweet Nymph had seene this Countrey Dame For singing crown'd whence grew a world of fame Among the Sheepecotes which in her reioyce And know no better pleasure then her voyce The glitt'ring Ladies gather'd in a ring Intreate the silly
Starre should breed VVhich might vpon his meate the vapours feed VVe maruell not that in his Fathers Land So many signes of loue and seruice stand Behold how Spaine retaines in eu'ry place Some bright reflection of his chearefull face Madrid where first his splendor he displayes And driues away the Clouds that dimm'd his rayes Her ioyes into a world of formes doth bring Yet none contents her while that potent King VVho rules so farre till now could neuer find His Realmes and wealth too little for his mind No words of welcome can such Planets greete VVhere in one house they by coniunction meete Their sacred concord runnes through many Signes And to the Zodiakes better portion shines But in the Virgin they are seene most farre And in the Lyons heart the Kingly Starre When toward vs our Prince his iourney moues And feeles attraction of his seruants loues When hauing open brests of strangers knowne He hastes to gather tribute of his owne The ioyfull neighbours all his passage fill With noble Trophees of his might and skill In conqu'ring mens affections with his darts Which deepely fixt in many rauisht hearts Are like the starry chaines whose blazes play In knots of light along the milkey way He heares the newes of his approaching Fleet And will his Nauy see his Seruants greet Thence to the Land returning in his Barge The waues leape high as proud of such a Charge The night makes speed to see him and preuents The slouthfull twilight casting duskie tents On roring Streames which might all men dismay But him to whose cleare soule the night is day The pressing windes with their officious strife Had caus'd a tumult dang'rous to his life But their Commander checks them and restraines Their hasty feruour in accustom'd chaines This perill which with feare our words decline Was then permitted by the hand Diuine That good euent might prooue his person deare â—o heau'n and needfull to the people here VVhen he resolues to crosse the watry maine â—ee what a change his absence makes in Spaine The Earth turnes gray for griefe that she conceiues Birds lose their tongues and trees forsake their leaues Now floods of teares expresse a sad farwell Ambitious sayles as with his greatnesse swell To him old Nerâ—us on his Dolphin rides Presenting bridles to direct the Tides He calles his daughters from their secret caues Their snowy necks are seene aboue the waues And saith to them Behold the onely Sonne Of that great Lord about whose Kingdomes run Our liquid currents which are made his owne And with moyst Bulwarks guard his sacred Throne See how his lookes delight his gestures moue Admire and praise yet flye from snares of loue Not Thetes with her beauty and her dowre Can draw this Peleus to her watry bowre He loues a Nymph of high and heau'nly race The eu'ning Sunne doth homage to her face Hesperian Orchards yeeld her golden fruit He tooke this iourney in that sweet pursuit VVhen thus their Father ends the Nereids throw Their Garlands on this glorious Prince and strow His way with Songs in which the hopes appeare Of ioyes too great for humane eares to heare Vpon the anniuersary day of the Princes return October the fifth VVE now admire their doctrine who maintaâ—â—â— The Worlds creation vnder Autumnes reigâ—â— VVhen trees abound in fruit Grapes swell with iuice These meates are ready for the creatures vse Old Time resolues to make a new suruay Of yeeres and ages from this happy day Refusing those accounts which others bring He crownes October as of moneths the King No more shall hoary VVinter claime the place And draw cold proofes from Ianus double face Nor shall the Ram when Spring the earth adornes Vnlocke the gate of heau'n with golden hornes Dry Summer shall not of the Dog-starre boast Of angry constellations honour'd most From whose strong heate Egyptians still begun To marke the turning circle of the Sunne Vertumnus who hath Lordly power to change The Seasons and can them in order range Will from this Period fresh beginning take Yet not so much for his Pomonaes sake Who then is richly drest to please her Spouse And with her Orchards treasure deckes her browes â—t is our CHARLES whose euer loued name Hath made this point of heau'n increase in fame VVhose long-thought absence was so much deplor'd â—n whom our hopes and all our fruits are stor'd He now attaines the shore O blessed day And true Achates waites along his way Our wise Anchises for his sonne prouides This chosen seruant as the best of guides A Princes glory cannot more depend Vpon his Crowne then on a faithfull friend To the most illustrious Prince Charles of the excellent vse of Poems DIuine example of obedient heires High in my hopes and second in my prayers True Image of your Father to the life VVhom Time desir'd and Fates in iealous strife VVith chearefull voices taught their wheeles to runne That such a Father might haue such a Sonne Since God exalts you on this earthly Stage And giues you wisedome farre aboue your age To iudge of men and of their actiue pow'rs Let me lay downe the fruits of priuate houres Before your feet you neuer will refuse This gift which beares the title of a Muse Among your serious thoughts with noble care You cherish Poets knowing that they are The Starres which light to famous actions giue By whom the mem'ries of good Princes liue You are their Prince in a peculiar kind Because your Father hath their Art refin'd And though these Priests of greatnesse quiet sit Amid'st the silent children of their wit Without accesse of sutours or dispatch Of high affaires at which th' ambitious catch They are not idle when their sight they rayse Beyond the present time to future daies And braue examples sage instructions bring In pleasing verses which our sonnes may sing They oft erect their flight aboue the Land When graue Vrania ioyning hand in hand With soft Thalia mix their diff'rent strings And by their musick make celestiall things More fit for humane eares whose winding rounde Are easly fill'd with well digested sounds Pale Enuy and dull Ignorance reproue This exercise as onely apt for loue Deuis'd t' allure the sense with curious Art But not t' enrich the vnderstanding part So might they say The Sunne was onely fram'd To please the eye and onely therefore nam'd The Eye of Heau'n conceiuing not his wheele Of liuely heate which lower bodies feele Our Muses striue that Common-wealths may be As well from barb'rous deedes as Language free The seu'rall sounds in harmony combin'd Knit chaines of vertue in the hearers mind And that he still may haue his teacher by With measur'd lines we please his curious eye We hold those works of Art or Nature best Where Orders steps most fully are exprest And therefore all those ciuill men that liue By Law and rule will to our numbers giue The name of good in which perfection rests And feele their strokes with sympathyzing
rapine should his courses guide Though all the world conspire to doe him grace Yet he is little and extremely base If in his heart these vices take their seate No pow'r can make the slaue of passions great Vpon my Lord of Buckinghams Armes BEhold the Ensignes of a Christian Knight VVhose Field is like his minde of siluer bright His bloudy Crosse supports fiue golden Shels A precious Pearle in euery Scallop dwels Fiue Vertues grace the middle and the bounds VVhich take their light froÌ„ Christs victorious wounds Vpon the Top commanding Prudence shines Repressing Temp'rance to the foote declines Braue Fortitude and Iustice are the hands And Charity as in the Center stands VVhich binding all the ends with strong effect To euery Vertue holds the same respect May he that beares this Shield at last obtaine The azure Circle of celestiall raigne And hauing past the course of sliding houres Enioy a Crowne of neuer-fading Flow'rs Vpon my Lord of Buckinghams Shield at a Tilting his Impresse being a Bird of Paradise SEe how this Bird erects his constant flight Aboue the Cloudes aspiring to the light As in a quiet Paradise he dwels In that pure Region where no winde rebels And fearing not the thunder hath attain'd The Palace where the Demigods remaind This Bird belongs to you thrice glorious King From you the beauties of his Feathers spring No vaine ambition lifts him vp so high But rais'd by force of your attractiue Eye He feedes vpon your Beames and takes delight Not in his owne Ascent but in your sight Let them whose motion to the Earth declines Describe your Circle by their baser lines And enuy at the brightnesse of your seate He cannot liue diuided from your heate To the Duke of Buckingham at his returne from Spaine MY Lord that you so welcome are to all You haue deseru'd it neuer could there fall A fitter way to prooue you highly lou'd Then when your selfe you from our sights remou'd The clouded lookes of Brittaine sad appeare VVith doubtfull care ah who can bridle feare For their inestimable gemme perplext The good and gracefull Buckingham is next In their desires they to remembrance bring How oft by mediation with the King You mitigate the rigour of the lawes And pleade the orphans and the widowes cause My Muse which tooke from you her life and light Sate like a weary wretch whome suddaine night Had ouerspred your absence casting downe The flow'rs and Sirens feathers from her crowne Your fauour first th' anointed head inclines To heare my rurall songs and reade my lines Your voyce my reede with lofty musick reares To offer trembling songs to Princely eares But since my Sou'raigne leaues in great affaires His trusty seruant to his Subiects pray'rs I willing spare for such a Noble end My Patron and too bold I speake my friend To the Duke of Buckingham THe words of Princes iustly we conceiue As Oracles inspir'd by pow'r diuine Which make the vertues of their seruants shine And monuments to future ages leaue The sweet consent of many tongues can weaue Such knots of Honour in a flowry line That no iniurious hands can them vntwine Nor enuious blasts of beauty can bereaue These are your helpes my Lord by these two wings You lifted are aboue the force of spite For while the publike Quire your glory sings The 〈…〉 rules them keepes the Musicke right Yoâ—â—â—â—ppy name with noble prayse to greet Gods double Voyce the King and Kingdome meet To my gracious Lord the Duke of Buckingham vpon the birth of his first Sonne GIue leaue my Lord to his abounding heart Whose faithfull zeale presumes to beare a part In eu'ry blessing which vpon you shines And to your glory consecrates his lines VVhich rising from a plaine and countrey Muse Must all my boldnesse with her name excuse Shall Burley onely triumph in this Child VVhich by his birth is truly Happy stil'd Nay we will striue that Eccho with her notes May draw some ioy into our homely Cotes VVhile I to solitary bils retire VVhere quiet thoughts my Songs with truth inspire And teach me to foretell the hopes that flow From this young Lord as he in yeeres shall grow First we behold and neede not to presage VVhat pleasing comfort in this tender age He giues his Parents sweetning eu'ry day VVith deare contentments of his harmelesse play They in this glasse their seu'rall beauties place And owne themselues in his delightfull face But when this flowry bud shall first beginne To spread his leaues which were conceal'd within And casting off the dew of childish teares More glorious then the Rose at noone appeares His minde extends it selfe to larger bounds Instinct of gen'rous Nature oft propounds Great Duke your actiue graces to his sight As obiects full of wonder and delight These in his thoughts entire possession keep They stop his play and interrupt his sleepe So doth a carefull Painter fixe his eyes Vpon the patterne which before him lies And neuer from the boord his hand withdrawes Vntill the Type be like th' Exemplar cause To courtly dancing now he shall incline To manage horses and in Armes to shine Such ornaments of youth are but the seeds Of noble Vertues and Heroick deeds He will not rest in any outward part But striues t' expresse the riches of your heart VVithin a litle modell and to frame True title to succession of your fame In riper yeeres he shall your wisedome learne And your vndaunted courage shall discerne And from your actions from your words and lookeâ— Shall gather rules which others reade in bookes So in Achilles more those lessons wrought Which Peleus show'd theÌ„ those which Chiron taught Vpon the Earle of Couentryes departure from vs to the Angels SWeet Babe whose Birth inspir'd me with a Song And call'd my Muse to trace thy dayes along Attending riper yeeres with hope to finde Such braue endeuours of thy noble Minde As might deserue triumphant lines and make My Fore-head bold a Lawrell Crowne to take How hast thou left vs and this earthly Stage Not acting many Months in tender age Thou cam'st into this world a little Spie Where all things that could please the eare and eye Were set before thee but thou found'st them toyes And flew'st with scornefull smiles t' eternall ioyes No visage of grim Death is sent t' affright Thy spotlesse soule nor darknesse blinds thy sight But lightsome Angels with their golden Wings Ore spread thy Cradle and each spirit brings Some precious Balme for heau'nly Physicke meet To make the separation soft and sweet The sparke infus'd by God departs away And bids the earthly weake companion stay VVith patience in that nurs'ry of the ground VVhere first the seeds of Adams limbes were found For time shall come when these diuided friends Shall ioyne againe and know no seu'rall ends But change this short and momentary kisse To strict embraces of Celestiall blisse To my Lord Vicount Purbeck a Congratulation for his health IF we inlarge
this Iland Fame his praise reports As best in martiall deedes and courtly sports When riper age with winged feete repaires Graue care adornes his head with siluer haires His valiant feruour was not then decaide But ioyn'd with counsell as a further aide Behold his constant and vndaunted eye In greatest danger when condemn'd to dye He scornes th' insulting aduersaries breath And will admit no feare though neere to Death But when our gracious Soueraigne had regain'd This Light with clouds obscur'd in walls detain'd And by his fauour plac'd this Starre on high Fixt in the Garter Englands azure skie He pride which dimms such change as much did hate As base deiection in his former state When he was call'd to sit by Ioues command Among the Demigods that rule this Land No pow'r no strong perswasion could him draw From that which he conceiu'd as right and Law When shall we in this Realme a Father finde So truly sweet or husband halfe so kinde Thus he enioyde the best contents of life Obedient Children and a louing Wife These were his parts in Peace but O how farre This noble soule excell'd it selfe in VVarre He was directed by a nat'rall vaine True honour by this painefull way to gaine Let Ireland witnesse where he first appeares And to the fight his warlike Ensignes beares And thou O Belgia wert in hope to see The Trophees of his conquests wrought in thee But Death who durst not meete him in the field In priuate by close trech'ry made him yeeld I keepe that glory last which is the best The loue of Learning which he oft exprest By conuersation and respect to those Who had a name in Artes in verse or prose Shall euer I forget with what delight He on my simple lines would cast his sight His onely mem'ry my poore worke adornes He is a Father to my crowne of thornes Now since his death how can I euer looke Without some teares vpon that Orphan booke Ye sacred Muses if ye will admit My name into the roll which ye haue writ Of all your seruants to my thoughts display Some rich conceipt some vnfrequented way Which may hereafter to the world commend A picture fit for this my noble Friend For this is nothing all these Rimes I scorne Let Pens be broken and the paper torne And with his last breath let my musick cease Vnlesse my lowly Poem could increase In true description of immortall things And rays'd aboue the earth with nimble wings Fly like an Eagle from his Fun'rall fire Admir'd by all as all did him admire An Epitaph vpon that hopefull young Gentleman the Lord Wriothesley HEre lies a Souldier who in youth desir'd His valiant Fathers noble steps to tread And swiftly from his friends and Countrey fled While to the height of glory he aspir'd The cruell Fates with bitter enuy fir'd To see warres prudence in so young a head Sent from their dusky caues to strike him dead A strong disease in peacefull Robes attir'd This Murd'rer kills him with a silent dart And hauing drawne it bloody from the Sonne Throwes it againe into the Fathers heart And to his Lady boasts what he hath done What helpe can men against pale Death prouide When twice within few dayes Southampton dide IVVENAL SAT. 10. IN all the Countries which from Gades extend To Ganges where the mornings beames ascend Few men the clouds of errour can remooue And know what ill t' auoide what good to loue For what doe we by reason seeke or leaue Or what canst thou so happily conceiue But straight thou wilt thine enterprise repent And blame thy wish when thou behold'st th' euent The easie gods cause houses to decay By granting that for which the owners pray In Peace and Warre we aske for hurtfull things The copious flood of speech to many brings Vntimely death another rashly dyes While he vpon his wondrous strength relyes But most by heapes of money choked are Which they haue gather'd with too earnest care Till others they in wealth as much excell As British Whales aboue the Dolphins swell In bloody times by Neroes fierce commands The armed troope about Longinus stands Rich Senecaes large gardens circling round And Lateranus Palace much renown'd The greedy Tyrants souldier seldome comes To ransack beggers in the vpper roomes If siluer vessels though but few thou bear'st Thou in the night the sword and trunchion fear'st And at the shadow of each Reed wilt quake When by the Moone light thou perceiu'st it shake But he that trauailes empty feeles no griefe And boldly sings in presence of the thiefe The first desires and those which best we know In all our Temples are that wealth may grow That riches may increase and that our chest In publike banke may farre exceed the rest But men in earthen vessels neuer drinke Dyre poysons then thy selfe in danger thinke When cups beset with Pearles thy hand doth hold And precious Wine burnes bright in ample gold Do'st thou not now perceiue sufficient cause To giue those two wise men deseru'd applause Who when abroad they from their thresholds stept The one did alwaies laugh the other wept But all are apt to laugh in euery place And censure actions with a wrinkled face It is more maruell how the others eyes Could moysture find his weeping to suffice Democritus did euer shake his spleene With laughters force yet had there neuer been Within his natiue soyle such garments braue And such vaine signes of Honour as we haue What if he saw the Pretor standing out From lofty Chariots in the thronging rout Clad in a Coate with noble Palme-trees wrought A signe of triumph from Ioues Temple brought And deckt with an imbrodred purple Gowne Like hangings from his shoulders trailing downe No necke can lift the Crowne which then he weares For it a publike seruant sweating beares And lest the Consull should exceed in pride A Slaue with him in the same Coach doth ride The Bird which on the Iu'ry Scepter stands The Cornets and the long officious Bands Of those that walke before to grace the sight The troope of seruile Romans cloth'd in white Which all the way vpon thy Horse attends Whō thy good cheare purse haue made thy friends To him each thing he meets occasion mooues Of earnest laughter and his wisdome prooues That worthy men who great examples giue In barb'rous Countries and thicke ayre may liue He laught at common peoples cares and feares Oft at their ioyes and sometimes at their teares He in contempt to threatning Fortune throwes A halter and his scornefull finger showes We rub the knees of gods with waxe to gaine From them such things as hurtfull are or vaine Pow'r subiect to fierce spite casts many downe Whom their large stiles and famous titles drowne The Statues fall and through the streets are roll'd The wheeles which did the Chariots weight vphold Are knockt in pieces with the Hatchets stroke The harmelesse Horses legs are also broke The fires make hissing sounds