giue Largely that shall thy fatall Pen-man bee Each for himselfe laborious none for thee 49 Nor thy poore soule now totally contain'd In some small corner of a panting heart With death thy other members being maym'd Acting on this Worlds Theater that part To which some sooner then their fellowes come Calde Exit such a one whose part is done 50 Which sometimes lights on a relìgious King Or bloudy Tyrant Politician Foole Rich Cormorant or hungar-starued thing Or on some Iulius Caesar borne to rule Though each a part his seuerall part doth play In fine they all goe off the Stage one way 51 A great Commander hauing in the field A hundred thousand men their force to try Such as the World their betters could not yeild Viewing hìs Armie wept demanded why To thinke said he within one hundred yeare Not one of these shall to the World appeare 52 Doe but consider be thou ne're so yong How many deare Companions thou hast lost By course of nature might haue liu'd as long To enioy the wanton pleasures which thou do'st Only that Death in curtesie hath lent Thee some vncertaine minutes to repent 53 Repriu'd by Heau'ns most boundlesse clemencie Who like a too indulgent Parent striues To reconcile vs with that vchemencie By miracle doth oft preserue our liues Of which most fearefull presidents we haue Yet no impression in our hearts ingraue 54 You in whose hearts the seed of wickednesse Whence budded forth mans misery is sow'n Prizing your selues and your owne worthinesse At higher rates then may be call'd your owne As if on Earth you would be Deifide The wormes shall one day triumph ore your pride 55 You Mam mon-mongers horders vp of wealth Slaues to your owne rich only in conceit Whose hungry bellies vnto all your wealth Was ne're beholding for a good meales meate Whose death giues life to others likewise you Must pay the wormes what to yourselues were due 56 Luxurious wanton delicacies Minion Who pampers nature meerly to destroy her Yeelding thy selfe a Slaue vnto opinion Thinking thou most when thou dost least enioy her These are the Barber-Surgeons whose long traines Shall one day scow'r thy infectious raines 57 You the vnworthy burthens of the earth Pine and consume away yet are not old Making of Christain Charity a dearth Laugh only when you some sad sight behold The wormes shall sucke the rancor from your harts With which you poyson your malitious darts 48 You Gormandizers placing your delights In choisest morsels euermore to please Your cloy'd vnsatisfied appetites Nurse vp your selues in idlenesse and ease The silly wormes reioyce to see you eate On deare bought dainties to procure them meate 49 You sencelesse hot-spurres on each slight occasion Banish discretion in your frantique fits Into all mischiefe making an inuasion Wise in the iudgements of your after-wits Alas how little will those silly things Value your terrifying threatnings 60 You mothes in nature Caterpillers men Only in name and forme like fruitlesse plants Who liue but as it were to say Amen To others labours which supply your wants Equally grosse in body and in spirit Which one day these poore vermin must inher it 61 What shall I say of the worlds wealthy Minions Their vncouch'd thoughts and all admired glory Rais'd aboue all meus or their owne opinions Rotten in dust forgotten is their story Vnlesse perhaps what here so glittering shin'de Went out in snuffe and left ill sent behinde 62 Whither are those bewitching beauties fled Subduing them that all the world beside Could neuer vanquish Are they not all dead Nipt in the blossome of intising pride Or else grow'n old like fruit vntimely gotten Their out-side wither'd and their in-side rotten 63 Produce but one victorious Potentate Commanding all liu'd vncontroul'd of any That hath not paid his fealty to fate On whom the fates depended of so many The Sunne that shines most glorious hath its set So deaths th' Omega of our Alphabet 64 The graue Philosophers comming to view The sumptuous Shrine of Alexander made Of massie gold did thus begin to rue Mans miserie and to each other said He that of gold possest so great a measure Is now of gold become the loathsome treasure 65 To whosc aspiring thoughts yet all in vaine The spatious World presented was Loe now Foure foot of Earth doth quietly restraine To whom so many ftubborne necks did bow He that so many but last night could free From death now cannot helpe himselfe you see 66 Fear'd yesterday of all and honored The Earth he did oppresse now presseth him Contemn'd neglected and vnreuerenced None feares his frownes nor seeks his grace to win Greater then any but last night now lies Nor lou'd of Friends nor fear'd of Enemies 67 O greatnesse in whose all-commanding pow're Mercie aud Iustice are established Conn well this Lesson thinke vpon that houre In which you must your selues be summoned Death fear'd no colours For it all commands Both crowned heads and Scepter-bearing hands 68 Who lends mine eyes a Fountaine of fresh teares To re-deplore mans miserable birth The lamentable spending of his yeares His sad returne vnto our Mother Earth Whence what he is and whither he must goe And how men liue as if they did not know 69 'T would soile my paper worse then doth the inke With which I write exactly to expresse What eu'ry wise iudicious man may thinke Of his owne base and selfe vnworthinesse From the first act of generation farre Morelothsome in corruption then beasts are 70 Which heauens all fore-seeing power would haue Contriued so to curbe and keepe in awe Our haughtie proud rebellious flesh to saue Th' immortall soule which otherwise no law Could subiugate since as we are O wonder Nor lawes of God nor man can keepe vs vnder 71 Trees herbes flow'rs plauts produce sweet nourishments Both toour taste delightfull and the smell Man nitts lice spittle stinking Excrements Nay more then that the very beasts excell Mans temperature refusing oft to doe Those things which we inforce our selues vnto 72 If such the first fruits which our spring-tide yeelds In th' height heat vigor Sun-shine of our dayes When youth proclaimes its glory in the fields Crowning our Temples with victorious bayes What lothsome poysonous and vnfauorie iuice Will bruised Autumnc from the presse produce 73 When crutched age wrapt in her carefull Chaire Crow'n white with yeares not innocencie blames Disordered youth whose liu'ry it doth weare Regardlesse truth to heedlesse youth proclaimes Belch't forth in tedious and distastfull stories In th' deare bought purchase of her knowledge glories 74 Becomne the certaine Almanacke of times Vncertaine motion future qualities Whose parched sinewes quauering doth chime All in to their owne funerall Obsequies And being dead with base corruption swels Senting farre worse then any dunghill smels 75 When thy best season'd thoughts seeme to afford Thee most content forgetfull what is past Or yet to come aske them but in a word What it shall be they '
The mind of the Front THe Globe terrestriall Natures randeuouze Heauens all life giuing power did first infuse By secondary causes since preseru'd And multipli'd by doubtfull fate prefer'd Time ripens and time reapes then sowes againe The plentie of her store-house to maintaine Which Death deuoures whom iustly we install Lord Paramount and supreme head of all That 's sublunarie seruing but as fuell T' incense the rage of his victorious Dueil Crown'd with a Lawrell which t' auoid we labour Marcheth in triumph Call'd La dance Machabre LA DANCE MACHABRE or Deaths Duell by W. C. LONDON Printed by William Stansby J. Cecill sculps A la Royne MADAME LA Maiesté la douceur le plus souuennt separeés comme le ciel l'est de la terre sont auec vn aduantage nompareil si diuinement inseparablement assemblées en vous que pour le present estes la gloire d'Angleterre comme des vostre naissance vous estes la splendeur de la France Quélles mont donne la hardiessed e m'adresser à vos piedes ausquels l'on vient de toutes partes aussy facilement qu'aux temples aux autels Pour y faire des prieres presenter des offrandes obtenir des faueurs Car ayant desir de mettre au iour ce petit Escrit pour ayder aux hommes peruertis de cèst sicle corrompu à retourner de l'insolence a la crainte du Ciel de la debanche à la raison par le sentiment de ce quilz doiuent estre par la pensee de ce quilz ne sont pas la malice leur ayant fermé les yeux de l'ame pour ne veior l'impieté bouché les oreilles pour n'entendre à bien faire comme dit le Roy Prophete Ie ne debuois ne pouucis l'offrir qu' a vostre Maiesté Que si plusieurs blasment la temerité de mon entreprise condamnent l'orgueil de ma presomption ce sera trop Madame pour leur fermes la bouche leur donner suiet de lire pratiquer tout ce quilz doiuent si V. M. approuue mon desseing sils'se souuiennent que si selon l'opinion de Seneque le seul iugement d' Auguste vault plus qne les dans de Claudius et vn seul aduis de Socratte plus quaetoute la liberalitè d' Alexandre l'opprobation de V. Auguste M. suffira pour effacer riout le default de mon euure son regard benin luy donner a plus de lustre de pouuoir que le foleil ne fait de chaleur de lumiere à ceste fleur quice tourne deuers luy Ces honorables faueurs dont ie supplie tres humblement V. M. me fauoriser m'obligeront Madame à souhaiter la longueur de vos iours estre sans nombre comme le sont vos vertus Vostre Esleuation dans le Ciel aussy haulte qu'est vostre exaltation dans le monde à desirer l'honneur d'estre pour jamais de V. M. Madame Le tres humble tres Obeissant seruiteur subjet Colman TO THE GREAT Empresse of our little WORLD MAdam may I presume without offence Vpon your Highnesse fauour to dispence With this my rude Composure What I haue I giue and more ther 's no man euer gaue Being the first piece ventur'd on the Stage Since you were ours To craue your Patronage You cannot with your Honour choose but giue It harbour and a libertie to liue For its owne merit rightly vnderstood Let Enuic censure whether it be good What wants he that enioyeth all the wise Philosopher demands Then thus replies Some one to tell him truth which want I haue Suppli'd and humbly your free pardon craue All men will flatter my vnpractiz'd youth In that hath ventur'd to shake hands with truth Which neuer shames the Master Water these Young Plants in time they may grow goodly Trees Liue long the Glorie of your Royall Stem Heau'n crowne with an immortall Diadem Your Highnesse most humble Seruant and Subiect W. Colman The Authour to his Booke GRosse food best suits with vulgar appetites On choicest morsels few place their delights Lasciuious Pamphlets euermore take best When Poems of Deuotion few disgest Brought'st thou some light-heeld passage on the stage Or Planet stricken Louer in a rage Then would the Ladies hug thee old and yong Make thee their Morning Prayer and Euen-song Take thee to bed at night and in the morne Repeate againe the better to enforme Their memories at eu'ry fripping Feast Thou should'st be sure to be a gratefull Guest Didd'st thou discouer stratagems of State How this fell in the nicke and that too late Then might'st thou goe with confidence to Court And be applauded there for doing hurt So for the rest but thou shalt welcome be Only to men in want and miserie With such perhaps thou maist some houres beguile And from amidst their sorrowes force a smile Or in some Hermits melancholy Cell Reside awhile Some few there are that dwell Amongst the monster multitude of men Will freely entertaine thee now and then The rest as old Deuotion out of date Will cast thee off and bid thee hold thy prate If any doe expect strong lines Behold To tell them these sufficient are to hold Them tugging Fairely read with that intent Which they abroad into the world are sent Though not perform'd with that Poeticke fire The nicenesse of our present times inspire He spoyles the operation of a Pill Conformeth it vnto the Patients will Each giddie braine I doe not seeke to please But first find out then cure the foule disease Of wilfull ignorance protracting time Vntill the dolefull signalls fatall chime So I commit thee to th' vncertaine fate Of Censure may perhaps proue fortunate W. C To his deare friend the Author vpon his well fought Duell IF from th' aboundance of the heart we speake None can be so maliciously weake To thinke thee other then thou seem'st to be Iu this th'interiour Character of thee Enuie may spit her venome Critickes ieere But thou art plac'd vpon a rocke so neere To heauen their malice cannot climbe so high But backwards fall vpon themselues and die Iohn Peashall To his deare friend the Author HAue you not heard the melancholly note The Rauen sends from her Propheticke throte The Lich-owles screcke the dreadfull Thunder rore The Martiall Drum men wallowing in their gore A mid-night passing Bell or Belmans Song The raging Lionesse for her lost yong So sound thy sacred Sonets in our eares Stirring vs vp with Musique to our feares E. H. To my Friend the Author and his Booke IF the Grand Rabbies of our moderne times Shall squeese out of thee some poore veniall crimes For which thou shalt be solemnly conuented As was thy Master be not discontented Since both of you are Cannon proofe care not For Baily Button not their Musket shot Authoritie that 's
craz'd is still most briefe And hangs a true man where there wants a thiefe No foole the prouerbe saith vnto the oldest And euermore blind Bayard is the boldest Thomas Veridicus To the Author vpon his Poem VVHile other Muses wanton Poems sing Thy pen being taken from a Cherubs wing Teacheth the way to blisse where they and we Meet in a quire to adore Eternitie Death must begin our triumph and the dust That hangs vpon our fleshie garment must Be first brush'd of the vanities of life Riches and pleasures that but sweeten strife And to the eye of sense makes death appeare Deform'd by thy diuiner raptures here Are quite destroide the rugged path made eauen And men acknowledge thee the way to Heauen Iames Sherlie To my worthiest friend Master W. C. on his Booke La Dance Machabre FRiend thou do'st ill to ranke me in this place Though I shall honor thee in my disgrace For as choice dainties after grosser food Taste better farre then other wayes they would So men by reading this harsh verse of mine Shall rellish better these sweet straines of thine What boot these lines alasse When euery one May read they prayses written in thine owne Such needlesse things may make weake people deeme Thy Booke wants sureties to beget esteeme Here hath thy sad Muse like a dying Swan Sung a sweet storie of the death of man O may shee liue that glad-deceiued we May heare her often sing such melodie Iohn Crompton Sum quod 〈◊〉 Fui quodes Behould fonde man J am what thou shallt be And as thou art soe was Jonee like thee Death's Duell Mors omnibus communis We must all die 1 OLympick Odes soft layes fond Louers breath Domestick iarres nor forrein broiles I bring Nor crown'd Lyaeus with a frantique wreath Twixt life and death the fatall warre I sing Which whilâ—t I but recite me thinkes from all At euery accent should a salt teare fall 2 Assist yee heau'nly powers no other Muse I inuocate cast downe propitious Eyes My humble genius with such fire infuse Our words may fall like Lightning from the Skyes Striking th' amazed mortals with such terrour They may not loue but liue to see their errour 3 Stay not too fast least thou impose an end To what we briefly haue discours'd vpon Before thou truly know what we intend Too hasty feeding hurts digestion Read note if not to profit What 's compriz'd Herein is meerly but cpitomiz'd 4 We highly prize this noble friend and that This boone Companion and that Parasite Whose smooth tongu'd language euer leuels at Those things which doe administer delight But in conclusion Death 's our truest friend Tels vs what we must trust to in the end 5 Tels vs that we are mortall that we know Our last nights habitation not the next That humane pleasures like sweet Roses grow Amidst a thousand miseries perplext Since ioy and griefe inseperably goe Nor can we reape our pleasures without woe 6 The Twins of Fortune at one instant borne Both Male and Female birth-rites due to neither Like Turtle-doues they re-salute each morne Wander all day and lodge at night together All ages all conditions all estates Know this discouer'd in their seuerall fates 7 The strongest Fort besieg'd with powerfull foes Till victuals and munition waxeth scant May for a time subsist but in the close Must of necessity submit to want So youth and nature bare vp stiffe while But in the end Death giues them â—â—…th the foile 8 The life of man is tripertite the first Of nature which is lyable to death The second after which all good men thirst Of same commencing with our vtmost breath The last eternall consummates our bliffe Whither for Death there no admittance is 9 Blest Heau'ns defend me the Worlds maior part Reflect not on whose arrant they are sent The Stage scarce enterd they forget their part Turne dayes to nights and nights to dayes ill spent Such liberty vnto our selves we giue Till Death we know not truly how to liue 10 The thiefe reflects not what it is to steale Before he sees the Gallowes not the Maid Vntill her belly doe the fact reueale A th'stolne imbraces of her loues dismaid The Prodigall reflecteth not vpon A plentifull estate till he haue none 11 Consider wisely what thou hast to doe In this vaine World with serious meditation How short the time what 's likely to ensue And frustrate not the end of thy Creation Since here is nought whereon thou canst relie But to be borne to labour and to die 12 What though thou do'st enioy a greater measure Of temporall felicitie then those That liue reclus'd for eu'ry dram of pleasure Expect a world of happinesse to lose There 's but one Heau'n then thinke not to reioyce Both here and hence thou must not haue it twice 13 Vnthrifty youth time prodigally spends That flyes away with vndilcouer'd hast Mocking our hopes still future ioyes pretends Takes small content in recreations past Imagination sets our thoughts on fire And what we cannot haue we most desire 14 So little Children wish would we were men Freed from the fetters of our pupill age Growne old they couet to be young againe Pretending in their wayes to be more sage And circumspect what is not we thinke best And others in their meaner fortunes blest 15 The carefull Pilot wafting from the Shoare His ful-fâ—aâ—…ght Vessell sitteth at the Sterne Iudiciously to guide what goes before And from the hoary-headed Pole doth learne Which way to steere and furrow vp the Ocean With a secure though vnsteady motion 16 The World 's the Sea and we the Vessels are Consideration Stearesman and pale death The Sterne in which we haue an equall share Swift-footed time still towards vs beckeneth Dappled with age which careles youth doth know Yet all too late beleeues it to be so 17 But so it is what ere we doe pretend And fondly flatter our Imagination Being as neere vnto our Iourneyes end For ought we know as aged declination Experience tels vs Whence we may presage No certainty in youth nor hope in age 18 The one may liue the other cannot long A possibility on which we build Our certaine ruine and receiue a wrong That 's irrecouerable if we yeild Vnto such reasons nature will produce In her desires euermore pro use 19 He whose pulse beats the strongest hath no more Assurance of his life then he that lies Vpon his death-bed and perhaps before His deare companion whom he mournes for dyes The neere ally'd whose care the sicke attends Ouid. Sicken themselues and die before their friends 20 The Priest doth offer holy sacrifice Vpon the Alter for departing soules Liue to be present at his Obsequies And heare the Sextons Death-bell when it toules So the Physitian while he Physicke giues T'another dies himselfe his Patient liues 21 The forward heire Who thinkes that life too long By which he liues desirous to see His Father canoniz'd whilst he is young And not
I think vpon at last Without all question they will answere thee We shall repeut our present vanitic 76 Or when thy tongue the hearts interpreter Strikes vp a false Alarum rauishing Thy sences like a wanton Orator With scurrilous impollisht warbling Thinke but on death and it will soone confute Thy strongest arguments and strike thee mute 77 Or when thine eyes immodestly shall gaze On fading beauties curiositie Which either age or accident may raze And make more vgly then deformitie Thinke how that beautie vnderneath doth weare Deaths pale-fac'd Liucery which all mortals feare 78 And she that takes her false intelligence From the deceitfull Index of a glasse Glad to be cozen'd in her owne defence Bid her reflect what euen now she was Before that nature was abus'd by art Helps not when death shall come to play his part 79 'T is not a borrowed looke or wanton glance Of an alluring eye that can diuert Th' ineuitable fury of his Lance Nor all thy Courtly conges though thou wert Equallin beautie breeding and the rest Of womanish additions with the best 80 And thou fond Louer looke into the graue Of thy dead Mistris and her lost condition Behold the Saintly beauty lately gaue Such motiues of respect and adoration To thy inflamed thoughts which did deuise To deifie't thy selfe the sacrifice 81 Calling her eyes the worlds all glorious lights The splendor of whose Goddesse-like complexion Gaue light sufficient to the darkest night Vowing thy selfe a Slaue to her affection Praiting the loucly tresses of her haires Inchanted threds of gold delightfull snares 82 Which held thee captiue in which bondage thou Inioy'dst most freedome as thy selfe wast wont With fearefull protestations to vow Casting each night a most exact account Of her new purchast fauours now intomb'd Lies putrifide to loath fomnesse consum'd 83 Behold her hands vnto thy hands adioyn'd Whose wanton fingers pretily did weaue Themselues with mutuall amitie conioyn'd Within thy fingers whose moist palmes did leaue In thine the witnesse of vnbridled lust Are now consum'd to nothing or to dust 84 Doc but imagine that she were expos'd Set out withall the ornaments of Art For thee to sport thy selfe withall inclos'd Within thine armes to act a louers part Which so delightfull was but euen now Sealing each wanton promise with a vow 85 No sighes would from fond Ielousie arise Within thy breast for feare of her displeasure No obseruations how she cast her eyes On thy corriuall or in what a measure She intertain'd his loue but couldst betide Him to repose in quiet by her side 86 No wanton Poems in her praise are penn'd No fauours worne no drinking of her health No challenges her honour to defend Nor yet nocturnall visits made by stealth No scruants brib'd fond parents to deceiue But free accesse without demanding leaue 87 Where the Earths Common wealths men each poore worme Into her priuate Bed-chamber repaires And rudely rifles her religious vrne Makes no distinction twixt those precious wares So highly priz'd but euen now and those Which nature doth of courser stuffe compose 88 Or when thy lips hands feet shall dare to touch Forbidden fruit or tread vnhallowed patlâ—â—… Or pallet is delighted ouermuch Or limbes with curious dishes wanton bathes Which for the present so thy fancie please In thy dull graue thou shalt find none of these 89 Thinke when thy squemish smell not satisfi'd With such as nature freely doth produce Takes it in snuffe if that it be not cloy'd With forc'd perfumes vnnaturall stil'd iuice Whose stinking carcasse dead a day or two One hardly can approch within the view 90 No maruell then though artificiall care To natures imperfections we giue Since to our selues our selues more lothsome are Then any other creature that doth liue Which if we want with speed we buried are Left our corruption should infect the aire 91 Why are we then so curiously cloth'd With borrowed beauties perriwiggs perfumes Deceitfull dressings that shall soone be loath'd Eu'n of our selues disrob'd of others plumes Put by the vaile which modestly doth hide Immodestnature and behold thy pride 92 That body which was lately entertain'd With all varietie of daintie meate Soft pillowes beds of Downe so richly chain'd Wrapt warme from cold laid open in the heate On which the winds were scarce allow'd to blow Of all the world neglected lies fullow 93 Within the limits of a winding sheet Confin'd both breathlesse and disrob'd of all Those flattring ornaments from head to feet If one lament ten glory in thy fall Who by thy long life haue beene much perplext Although perhaps their owne turne shall be next 94 But yet to die were nothing if we could Our fowle misdeeds and sinfull acts intreate To stay behind vs then no doubt we should Speed well enough but O alas they threate Our euerlasting ruine and will cry To heau'n for veng'ance when we come to die 95 Then drunkennesse will seeme a mortall sinne Which passeth now but for good fellowship And Lechery be solemnly brought in As matter of damnation which doth slip When we are well but for a trick of youth Till death we neuer truly know the truth 96 Detraction then that white-fac'd Deuill sent From hell attired in a Saint-like weed Pretending good more cunningly to vent Her malice and for eu'ry graine of seed Whole measures sowes of Cockell will I feare Like leprosie vpon thy soule appeare 97 Which passeth now for table-talke and serues Them for discourse else knew not what to say To picke a thanke and happily deserues An inuitation the next holi-day From those that listen after nouelties And seldome but take vp with forged lies 98 So easie of beliefe we are in things Tend to another mans disparagement But he that any well-deseruing brings In question if he gaine tacit assent T is all that he must looke for as afraid By others worths our wants should be betraid 99 The violating of a Fathers will Or trust repos'd in one friend by another Dam'd vsury now held a veniall ill Hypocrisie that doth all mischiefe smother As black as hell will in thy sight appeare And with remorse thy very heart-strings teare 100 Each triuiall transgression then will seeme A capitall offence nor shall we be Backward to craue their pardon we esteeme Our chiefest enemies in all things free Both to knowledge and remunerate All iniuries our tender conscience grate 101 O could our liuing actions correspond But with our dying thoughts how seldome then Should we transgresse or violate the bond Which God and nature hath impos'd on men But O our resolutions then too strong When we are well seldome continue long 102 Much like a fellon that 's condemn'd to dye For misdemeanour sues for a repriue An humble knee and pitty mouing eye With heau'd vp hands each to excell doth striue Plead for their Lord with whom they stand or fall Who being inlarg'd proues often worst of all 103 What Casar is it when he comes to lie