sin-polluted dust embrac'd enclos'd In the foule armes of thy owne base Corruptions How is thy will disturb'd with th'interruptions Of crosse desires desires not knowing where To finde a Center rambling here and there Which like their objects alterable rome Like idle Vagrants without Passe or home Review thy selfe my soule Cast up thy dayes They are but few Thy life is but a blaze Goe take take an Inventory of those Joyes Which thy false Earth allowes They are but Toyes To mock the frailty of thy flatter'd Sense Attended with a thousand discontents Hath Heaven enricht thy paynes with thriving drifts Of mighty Gold endow'd thy wind with gifts Of sacred Art Or glorifi'd thy thy name With honor posted on the wings of Fame What is there then that lyes in earths election To rayse thy happinesse to more high perfection I but my soule what great what higher hand Vers 4 Shall stop the mouth of Envy Or command Her snake-devouring fangs to keep the peace Vpon thy worryed Name To every Lease Of earths best granted happinesse belongs The sharp Proviso of malicious tongues They they shall blast thy fortunes leave a Tang Vpon thy new-broach'd Honor They shall hang Like Burres upon thy welfare and destroy Like th' Easterne worm the Gourd of all thy Joy Or if thou chance to scape the whispering tongue Vers 1 Of secret Envy Force and bold-fac'd Wrong May hap to roar upon thy full-mouth'd Sailes And rude Oppression with her Harpy nailes May gripe thy fair Prosperity and grate Vpon the vastnesse of thy great estate Or if those forain dangers should forbeare To make assault or made prove lesse severe From out thy very bosome may arise Intestine Foes to make thy peace their prize Verse 5 If that dull worme that cloaths the mossy land With rags but kisse thy bosome-folded hand It eats thy Treasure with a secret Rust And layes thy bed-rid Honour in the Dust Or if thy droyling hand should once beslave Verse 8 Thy glorious freedome with a thirst to have And take thee prisner to thy loose desires Thy happinesse even whilst enjoy'd expires Or if a liberall Content should crown Thy Gold with Rest and make thine own thine own Verse 9 Perchance thou want'st a Partner that may share In all thy fortunes or if sped an heyre Whose worth and hopefull merits may revive Thy honor'd Dust and keep thy name alive Or if the pleased hand of heaven subscribe Verse 13 To those desires a self-conceipt may bribe Thy passion-guided Will to take up Arms ' Gainst soveraign Reason at whose bold Alarm's Thy false affections may rise up and shake Thy fancy-baffled Judgment and so make A Gap for mischief which may recommend Thy reeling Fortunes to a ruinous End Now tell me O my soule wherein can earth Deserve thy pains or gratify thy birth In framing equall happinesse nay in freeing Thy partiall heart from unrepented Beeing O is' t not better not to thirst at all Then thirst in vain or quench thy thirst with Gall Vers 3 Are not the Cloysters of the Barren wombe Far more desiderable then to come Into the wilde into the common Hall Of troubled Natures factious Court where all Move in their Orbs of Care and severall wayes Fulfill their Revolutions of sad dayes Vers 2 Are not the shady Bowres of death more sweet Then the bold Sunshine where we howrely meet Fresh ev'lls like Atomes whose deluding breath Tickles our fancies till we laugh to death Our day of birth leads in our days of Trouble My soul prize not this earth this Toy this Bubble Cap. V. 1 Vanities in divine service 8 in murmuring against oppression 9 and in riches 18 Joy in riches is the gift of God Vers 1 ATtend thy footsteps when thou drawest near The house of God and be more apt to hear Then give the Sacrifice of fools which know Not in their sacrifice whatev'll they doe Vers 2 Let not thy tongue be rash Commit no wast Of words before thy God by over hast Since he from heav'n beholds thy actions here All lavish babling let thy lips forbeare Vers 3 As dreams and rest-disturbing fancies flow From floods of businesse which by day we doe So multitude of words are daily sprung From th' idle fountain of a foolish tongue Verse 4 When thou hast bound thee to thy God by vow Defer not payment but perform it thou Discharge thy bonds for heaven takes no delight In fools that violate the faith they plight Verse 5 Far safer 't is thy vows were never made Then having promis'd payment never pai'd Verse 6 Let not thy lips ensnare thee plead not thou Before thy Angel 'T was too rash a vow O why shoutd'st thou provoke thy God and dare His curse upon thy practise and thy pray'r Verse 7 Dreams oft are vain and folly ' is mixt among The language of a multiloquious tongue But let the wisdome of thy lips appear Before thy God with reverentiall fear Verse 8 Seest thou perverted Justice in the land And poor men grip'd beneath th'oppressours hand Stand not amaz'd Th' Almighty views their way And there be pow'rs at hand more high then they Verse 9 The fruitfull surface of the pregnant soyl Enrich'd by the laborious ploughmans toyl Brings forth to all nay very Kings doe build Their whole subsistence from the fertil field Verse 10 'T is not full heaps of eye-rejoycing gold Can feed or screen thy nakednesse from cold Nor can the piles of treasur d wealth sustain Thy drooping spirits This is also vain Verse 11 As goods encrease ev'n so their number who Must share thy goods encrease encreaseth too What hath the owner more then they but this What they consume his eyes behold as his Verse 12 How sweetly pleasant is the sleep of such As labour eat they little or eat much When as the wealth of idle Owners keep Their heart from quiet and their eyes from sleep Verse 13 There is an ev'll that happens now and then Beneath the Sun among the sons of men Oft have I seen encreasing riches grow To be their great-made O wners overthrow And vex their souls with Care and then repay Unprosp'rous pains with grief and melt away Verse 14 His wealth is fled and when he should transfer it Upon his heire there 's nothing to inherit Verse 15 Look how he came into the world the same He shall goe out as naked as he came Of what his lab'ring arm hath brought about His dying hand shall carry nothing out Verse 16 This is a wounding Grief that as he came In ev'ry point he shall return the same What profit can his soules affliction find That toyls for ayre and travels but for wind Verse 17 The pilgrimage of his laborious days Is sordid and obscure and all his ways Are blockt with troubles and his souls disquiet To gain his very life-sustaining diet Verse 18 I hold it therefore the most happy lot To eat and drink and reap what pains hath got To
so were all his Christian vertues more refined and remarkable during the time of his sicknesse His patience was wouderfull insomuch as he would confesse no pain even then when all his friends perceived his disease to be mortall but still rendred thanks to God for his especiall love to him in taking him into his own hands to chastise while others were exposed to the fury of their enemies the power of pistols and the trampling of horses He exprest great sorrow for his sins and when it was told him that his friends conceived he did thereby much harm to himselfe he answered They were not his friends that would not give him leave to be penitent His Exhortations to his friends that came to visit him were most divine wishing them to have a care of the expence of their time and every day to call themselves to an accompt that so when they come to their bed of sicknesse they might lie upon it with a rejoycing heart And doubtlesse such an one was his Insomuch as he thanked God that whereas he might have justly expected that his conscience should look him in the face like a Lyon it rather looked upon him like a Lamb and that God had forgiven him his sins and that night sealed him his pardon And many other heavenly expressions to the like effect I might here add what blessed advice he gave to me in particular still to trust in God whose promise is to provide for the Widow and Fatherlesse c. but this is already imprinted in my heart and therefore I shall not need here again to insert it His charity was extraordinary in freely forgiving his greatest enemies even those who were the cause of his sicknesse and by consequence of his death For whereas a Petition full of unjust aspersions was preferred against him by eight men whereof he knew not any two nor they him save only by sight the first news of it struck him so to the heart that he never recovered it but said plainly it would be his death And when his friends to comfort him told him that Mr I. S. the chief promoter thereof was called to an accompt for it and would goe neer to be punished his answer was God forbid I seek not revenge I freely forgive him and the rest only I desire to be vindicated from their unjust aspersions especially that that for ought they know I may be a Papist whereas I never spake word to any of them in my life Which imputation how slanderous it was may easily be discovered by a passage in his greatest extremity wherein his discretion may perhaps be taxed by some but his religion cannot be questioned by any For a very able Doctor of the Romish religion being sent unto him by a friend he would not take what he had prescribed only because he was a Papist These were the most remarkable passages in him during his sicknesse The rest of the time he spent in Contemplation of God and meditating upon his Word especially upon Christs sufferings and what a benefit those have that by faith could lay hold on him and what vertue there was in the least drop of his precious blood intermingling here and there many devout prayers and ejaculations which continued with him as long as his speech and after as we could perceive by some imperfect expressions At which time a friend of his exhorting him to apply himself to finish his course here and prepare himself for the world to come he spake in Latin * O dulcis Salvator mundi sint tua ultima verba in Cruce mea ultima verba in luce In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum El quae ore meo sari non possint ab animo corde sint à te accepta to this effect as I am told O sweet Saviour of the world let thy last words upon the Crosse be my last words in this world Into thy hands Lord I commend my spirit And what I cannot utter with my mouth accept from my heart and soul Which words being uttered distinctly to the understanding of his friend he fell again into his former Contemplations and Prayers and so quietly gave up his soul to God the eight day of September 1644. after he had lived two and fifty years and lyeth buried in the Parish Church of S. Leonards in Foster-lane Thus departed that blessed soul whose losse I have great reason to bewaile and many others in time will be sensible of But my particular comfort is in his dying words that God will be a Husband to the Widow And that which may comfort others as well as me is what a reverend Divine wrote to a friend concerning his death that our losse is gain to him who could not live in a worse age nor dye in a better time And here again I humbly beg the Readers pardon For I cannot expect but to be censured by some for writing thus much and by others for writing no more To both which my excuse is my want of ability and judgment in matters of this nature I was more averse indeed from medling with the Petition then any other thing I have touched upon lest perhaps it should be thought to savour a little of revenge but God is my witnesse I had no such intention My only aim and scope was to fulfill the desires and commands of my dying husband Who wished all his friends to take notice and make it known that as he was trained up and lived in the true Protestant Religion so in that Religion he dyed URSULA QUARLES A Letter from a Learned Divine upon the news of the death of Mr QUARLES My worthy Friend Mr Hawkins Postscript I Received your Letter joyfully but the news therein contained sadly and heavily It met me upon my return home from Sturbridge and did work on my self and wife I pray God it way work kindly on us all We have lost a true friend and were the losse only mine or yours it were the lesse but thousands have a losse in him yea the Generations which shall come after will lament it But our losse is gain to him who could not live in a worse age nor die in a better time let us endeavour like good Gamesters to make the best we may of this throw cast us by the band of Gods good Providence that it may likewise prove gain to us which will be if in case we draw neerer unto him and take off our hearts from all earthly hopes and comforts using this world as if we used it not so shall we rejoyce as if we rejoyced not in their using and mourn as if we mourned not in the parting with them Your assured friend NEHEMIAH ROGERS Essex Sept. 12. 1644. SOLOMONS Recantation INTITULED ECCLESIASTES CAP. I. 1 The Preacher sheweth that all humane courses are vain 4 Because the creatures are restlesse in their courses 9 They bring forth nothing new and all old things are forgotten 12 And because he hath
found it so in the studies of Wisdome Vers 1 THus sayes the best of Preachers and of Kings Thus Solomon the Sonne of David sings Vers 2 The greatest happinesse that earth can prize Is all most vaine and vainest vanities Vers 3 What profit can accrue to man what gaines Can crown his actions or reward his paines Beneath the Orbe of heavens surrounding Sunne What worth his labour hath his labour done Vers 4 One Generation gives another way But earth abides in one perpetuall stay Vers 5 The Prince of Light puts on his morning Crown And in the Evening layes his Glory down Where leaving Earth to take a short repose He soon returnes and rises where he rose Vers 6 The troubled Ayre provokes the Southern States And then it blusters at the Borean Gates It whirles about in his uncertain Spheare And rides his unknown Circuit ev'ry where Vers 7 All Rivers to the Seas their Tribute yeild And yet th'Hydropick Seas are never fill'd Their sliding Streams pursue their passage home And drive their hasty Tides frō whence they come Vers 8 The world is all compos'd of Change nor can Her vanity be Character'd by Man The eye 's not satisfi'd and what we heare Fils not the Concave of th' insatiate eare Vers 9 The thing that heretofore hath been we see Is but the same that is and is to bee And what is done is what is to be done There 's nothing that is new beneath the Sunne Vers 10 What Novelty can earth proclaim and say It had no Precedent before this day No no there 's nothing modern times can own The which precedent Ages have not known Vers 11 The deeds of former days expire their date In our collapsed Memories and what Times early Sunshine hath not ripened yet Succeeding Generations shall forget Vers 12 I Solomon whose choice affections owne The Churches service dearer then my Throne Was chosen and anointed King and now Wear Israels Crown upon my studious brow Vers 13 I bent my heart by wisdome to descry What ere subsists beneath the spangled sky With such hard travel hath our God thought good To exercise the soules of Flesh and Blood Vers 14 My thoughts have ponder'd all that hath been done Betwixt the solid Center and the Sunne And loe the object of my Contemplation Is but meer Vanity and soules Vexation Vers 15 Not all this knowledge can reduce the state Of crooked nature to a perfect Straight Nor summe our Ignorances which surmount The language of Arithmeticks Account Vers 16 I view'd my heart and there found greater store Of wisdome then all those that liv'd before No knowledge could remain no wisdome lye Close from mine eare nor clouded from mine eye Vers 17 I gave my all-enquiring heart to know Not wisdome only but ev'n folly too And I perceiv'd that all this Contemplation Was vain and nothing but the souls Vexation Vers 18 For he that labours for much wisdome gaines Grief in th' enjoyment in pursuit but paines And who improves his knowledg strives to borrow A fair advantage to encrease his sorrow SOLILOQUIE I. How are the vain desires of flesh and blood Befoold in that mistaken Thing call'd Good How Travell seeks it How unwearyed hearts Make it the object both of Armes and Arts How many certain obvious ev'lls attend The way to this uncertain Journies end We tyre the night in thought the day in toyle Spare neither sweat nor lucubrated Oyle To seek the thing we cannnot finde or found We cannot hold or held we cannot ground So firm as to resist the various swings Of fickle Fortune or the frowns of Kings Poor fruitlesse Labours of deluded Man How vainly are yee spent How short a Span Of seeming Pleasure serves yee to requite Long Leagues of Travell For one drops delight Of ayry Froth how are yee forc'd to borrow Strong Gales of Hope to sayle through seas of sorrow Why doe we thus afflict our lab'ring soules With dregs of Wormwood and carouse full Bowles Of boyling anguish To what hopefull end Droyle we our crazy bodies and expend Our sorrow-wasted spirits to acquire A Good not worth a breath of our desire A Good whose fulsome sweetnesse cloggs and cloyes The soule but neither lasts nor satisfies How poore an Object pleases And how soone That pleasure finds an end How quickly Noone How quickly Night And what to day we prize Above our soules to morrow we despise Beneath a Trifle What in former Times We own'd as Vertue now we taxe as Crimes What is this World but ev'n a great Exchange Of dear bought pen'worths all compos'd of Change Where frothy Honor may be bought and sold With heart-corrupting eye-beguiling Gold Where sullen wealth and friend-betraying treasure May passe in barter for repented Pleasure Where painted sweetnesse though a grain too light Shall buy a Lords Estate for one poor night Where unstain'd Beauties youth shall buy an old Breath-tainted Churl diseas'd with Gouts and Gold Where Birthrights Blessings nay and soules to boot And yet not deem'd a pen'worth under foot Shall passe for fond delights Where very Names Without an Aliàs to lay after Claimes To a poor Lordship shall be swept away For Clods of earth and those for one nights Play Tell me my puzzled soule What wouldst thou buy Goe in and cheapen Let thy curious eye Make her own choice They will present thy view With num'rous Joyes Buy something that is new Vers 9 Alas there 's nothing new beneath the skye Look further further yet Goe please thine eye Search till the Object and thine eye agrees Vers 8 Thine eye 's not satisfy'd with what it sees Buy something that will last that will remain Vers 2 To after dayes All 's momentary all 's vain I but my soul here 's fairer Merchandise Vers 16 Wisdome and Knowledge That to make thee wise This to instruct thee Come thou needst not fear Too hard a bargain Goe and purchase there Vers 18 Alas much wisdome makes thy grief but double Encrease of Knowledge brings increase of trouble I but my soule the gracious eye of heaven Hath smil'd upon thee His full hand hath given A large addition to thy thriv'n estate Thy Barns and Bags are fill'd Thy servants waite Vpon thy Businesse and their shoulders bear Thy fruitfull Burdens who like Pilots stear Thy reeling Vessell Thou art richly'endow'd With Knowledge Wisdome Judgement and allow'd Some Graines to make thee weight Me thinks thy heart So arm'd with strong Resolves should never start At threatning ev'lls Me thinks thy daring eye If all the Crystall Rafters of the skye Should make one Ruine and that Ruine fall About thine eares should be unmov'd at all No no my soule T is neither Barne nor Purse Cramm'd up with Coyn or Corn canbalk the Curse Entayld upon thy sinne Nor height of Blood Nor all that this mistaken Earth cals Good Vers 17 Not very Knowledge no nor Wisdome can Exempt thee from the Common lot of Man Vers 16 The wisest
Prince that ever blest a Nation Found all things vain and when enjoy'd Vexation CAP. II. 1 The vanity of humane courses in the works of pleasure 12 Though the wise be better then the foole yet both have but one event 18 The vanity of humane labour in leaving it they know not to whom 24 Nothing better then joy in our labour but that is Gods gift Vers 1 SInce knowledge then affords my soul no rest My roving thoughts try'd mirth and were possest Of all the pleasures earth could lend yet I Found mirth and pleasure all but vanity Vers 2 I laugh'd at laughter as atoyish Antick And counted all my mirth no lesse then frantick Vers 3 My heart but wisely foolish did encline To costly fare and frolick cups of wine That in these pleasures I might find some good To crown the short lif'd days of flesh and blood Vers 4 I built magnifick Palaces did frame Great buildings to the glory of my name I planted Vineyards whose plump Clusters might Rejoyce my heart and lend my soule delight Vers 5 I made me fruitfull Orchards for my pleasure And curious Gardens to refresh my leisure I stored them with trees and these with Bowers And made a Paradise of fruits and flowers Vers 6 I made me standing pooles to entertain My breathlesse guests and all their num'rous train I cut me Aquiducts whose current flees And waters all my wildernesse of trees Vers 7 Armies of servants doe attend my state Both foreiners and borne within my gate Herds I possest and flocks above all them That reign'd before me in Jerusalem Vers 8 Abundant silver gold and precious stones By Kings presented my Exchequer ownes All sorts of Musick earths delight had I To feed mine ear Beauties to please mine eye Vers 9 Such State magnificence and princely store Wondring Jerus'lem never saw before In all this pomp my heart had not forgot The lawfull use My wisdome fail'd me not Vers 10 I gave mine eyes what ere mine eyes requir'd Deny'd my heart no mirth my heart desir'd For my poor hearts delight was all my gains My pleasure was the portion of my pains Vers 11 At length I cast my serious eye upon My painfull works and what my hands have done But loe beneath the Sun no Contentation All all was vanity and soules vexation Vers 12 With that I turn'd my weary thoughts agen On wisdome and the foolishnesse of men Search they that please to search alas there 's none Can search the truth more strict then Solomon Vers 13 When my impartiall Judgement did compare Folly with wisdome this doth ev'n as farre Excell the other as Meridian light Excels the shadows of the darkest night Vers 14 The wise mans eyes are in his head They stand Like Watchmen in the Towre to guard the land But fools haunt darknesse yet my self perceive The self-same lot both fools and wisemen have Vers 15 Ah! then said I if equall fortune lies For fools and me what vantage to be wise What profit hath my wisdome Then thought I The height of wisdome hath her Vanity Verse 16 The foolish Bauble and the learned Bayes Are both forgotten in succeeding dayes Impartiall death shall close the dying eyes Both of the fool and also of the wise Verse 17 Therefore I hated life for from th' events Of humane actions flow my discontents Life spent in action or in contemplation Is all but vanity and souls Vexation Verse 18 I hated all that e'r my hands had done In seeking happinesse beneath the Sunne For what I did I cannot call mine own Anothers hand must reap what mine hath sown Verse 19 Who knows if my successor is to be A wise man or a fool Howe'r 't is he Must spend with ease what I have earn'd with pain And soules Vexation This is also vain Verse 20 For which my soul thus fool'd with vain pursuit Of blossom'd happinesse that bears no fruit Whisper'd despair of all that I had done To purchase perfect good beneath the Sunne Verse 21 Some men there be whose more elaborate gains The fruits of lawfull cares and prudent pains Descend to those that knew nor pains nor Art This is a vanity and afflicts the heart Verse 22 For what reward hath man of all his droyle His ev'ning trouble and his morning toyle His hearts vexation and his griefs that run Through all his labours underneath the Sun Verse 23 His days are sorrows tedious griefs attend His travail hopelesse of a Journies end His restlesse nights afford his closed eye No slumbers This is also vanity Vers 24 There 's nothing sweeter then to take repast Of meats and drinks and now and then to cast Griefs burthen off and gently loose the rains By intermingling pleasures with our pains But this I know lies not in our command It is a blessing from th' Almighties hand Vers 25 For who can eat what mortall can apply His heart to force a pleasure more then I Vers 26 Heav'n gives the just man wisdome knowledge mirth To sinners travell to heap earth to earth Wherewith t' enrich the righteous Generation This is his vanity and soules Vexation SOLILOQUIE II. BVt stay my Soul Art thou resolved than T' abjure delight and turn Capuccian Because thy earth hath thus eclips'd the light Of thy Contentment wilt thou make it night Wert thou condemn'd to sorrows Wert thou born To live in languishment and die forlorn Abuse not thy Creation Thou wert made Not thus to sterve thy blossomes in the shade Of barren melancholy or to wast Thy pensive howres in the boysterous blast Of stormy discontent Come come my soule Vers 1 Hoyst up thy Sailes to mirth Let others houle And whine Let such as always art at wars With their own fortunes curse their ill-fac'd stars Passe thou thy frolique youth in Revels sports And fresh delights frequent the purple Courts Of prosperous Princes Stue thy heart in mirth And crush the childe of sorrow in her birth Vers 2 O but my soule what profit can accrew From lavish mirth What pleasure is' t to skrue An Antick face and grimme or to enforce An empty laughter in a vain discourse Vers 3 Why then my soul Goe winde the Plummets up Of thy down spirits with a chirping Cup Redeem thee from the gripes of Care and rapes Of Grief and drench them in the blood of Grapes I but perchance in that sad heart of thine There is a wound craves rather Oyle then wine If then thy cure prove worse then thy disease That Grief thou dar'st not cure attempt to ease Forget thy sorrows or if rugged sense Will not be woo'd by language to dispence With her provoking foe advise with Art Those stubborn streams thou canst not stop divert And like a pain-afflicted stripling play With some new Toy to while thy grief away Vers 4 Goe raise great works whose structure may impart The Masters wisdome and the Builders Art Build houses whose magnificence may proclaime Thy worth as lasting
day Among the rest the just man snatcht away In his just works whilst wicked find successe And prosper in their long-liv'd wickednesse Vers 16 Since then th'upright mans recompence is such Be not too wise nor righteous over much Why should thy too much righteousnesse betray Thy danger'd life and make thy life a prey Vers 17 Nor let the flesh suggest thee or advise Thy thoughts to be too wicked too unwise Why should thy folly captivate thy breath And make thee prisner to untimely death Vers 18 In all thy courses therefore it is best To lodge uprightnesse in thy constant brest For he that feareth the Almighty shall Outwear his evâ—ll or find no ev'll at all Vers 19 Wisdome affords more strength more fortifies The undejected courage of the wise Then all the twisted pow'r of those that are The Guides of Cities or their men of warre Vers 20 Yet is there none beneath the crystall skyes So just in action or in word so wise That doeth always good or hath not bin Sometimes polluted with the stains of sin Vers 21 At passions language stop thy gentle eare Lest if thy servant curse thee thou shouldst hear Vers 22 For oftentimes thy heart will let thee see That others likewise have been curs'd by thee Vers 23 This wisdome by my travell I attain'd And in my thoughts conceiv'd that I had gain'd No common height but on a strict revise I found my wisdome came far short of wise Vers 24 Objects far distant secrets too profound What eye can entertain what heart can sound Vers 25 I bent my studious heart to search and pry Into the bosome of Philosophy I gave my self to understands the Art Of folly and the madnesse of the heart I found the harlots ways more bitter are Vers 26 Then death whose arms are Ginnes whose heart 's a snare Whom heav'n doth favour shall decline her Gates But sinners shall be taken by her baites Vers 27 Loe this I have observ'd the Preacher says By strict enquest into their sev'rall ways Vers 28 Whereof my restlesse my laborious mind Would make discov'ry but despairs to find Among a thousand men perchance that one May be trac'd out but among women none Vers 29 Loe here the fruits of all my disquisition Only to know the devious condition Of poor degen'rous man whose first estate Heav'n copied from himself upright and straight SOLILOQUIE VII SInce then my Soul the frail and false Estate Of fading happinesse cannot create The least contentment in thy various minde Whose fancy-guided motion cannot finde The point of Rest but like the boyling waves Tost in the storms of Earth sometimes outbraves The threatning Firmament then at a breath Darts down and dashes at the dores of death Since waxen-winged Honour is not void of danger whether aim'd at or enjoy'd Since heart-enchaunting Profit hath not fruit But care both in fruition and pursuit Since Pleasure like a wanton itch doth breed In the ranck flesh but scratcht untill it bleed Since laughter is but madnesse and high diet Th' officious Pander of our owndisquiet Since glorious Buildings and magnifique Towers Fructiferous Orchards odoriferous Bowers Full clusterd Vineyards Beauties and the choice Of Musick both by Instrument and voice Can lend thy heart no full content nor still The various clamours of th' insatiate will Since humane wisdome is but humane trouble And double knowledge makes our sorrow double Since what we have but lights our wish to more And in the height of plenty makes us poore And what we have not too too apt to crave Ev'n dispossesses us of what we have Nay since the very act of our devotion Can bring no Rest nor qualifie the motion Of our unbounded thoughts to sweeten out This span of frailty plung'd and orb'd about With floods of Bitternesse Since none of these Nor all can crowne our labours nor appease Our raging hearts O my deceived soule Where wilt thou purchase Peace Who shall controule Who shall suppresse those Passions that contest Within the kingdome of thy troubled brest Whither to what strange Region wilt thou fly To finde content and baulk that vanity Which haunts this bubble earth and makes thee still A slave to thy infatuated will Call home thy selfe Inspect thy selfe anew And take thy Birthright to afresh review Thou art immortall art divine by birth A spark of heav'n Thou art not borne of earth Earth is the footstoole of thy heavenly Throne Made for thy baser parts to trample on Look not so low my soule There 's nothing there Fit for thy sacred view It is no Sphere For thee to move in No let worms and beasts And salvage brutes trade there and lay their Gests Of progresse to surround with weary paces The base Confines of those inferiour Places I but my soule th' Alliance of my flesh Claimes kindred there takes pleasure to refresh Her wasted body there Earth is her mother The worme her sister and the beast her brother T is true she is thy spouse Heav'n ty'd the knot For none to loose but Heav'n I know her Lot Is mortall fraile and being born of earth Corrupt and weares the Badges of her birth If she transgresse it 's thou must beare the blame And all her deeds reflect upon thy name O then beware and if she needs must goe To visit earth first let her frailty know How apt she is to fall and she how prone To blurre and stayne thy honor and her owne Verse 1 A name unblemisht with the sinfull soyle Of sordid earth is as a precious Oyle Which like a soveraigne Antidote prevents That plague of vanity which earth presents Then tell her tell her that her mother Earth Must give her buriall as she gave her birth Tell her ô tell her Every gaspe of breath Are minuts moving to the howr of death And let her know The house of mourning brings Verse 2 More profit then the Palaces of Kings Tell her Lesse re all happinesse doth dwell In a full Banquet then a passing Bell Verse 3 Arme her with patience apt to entertaine Verse 8 Thy wise reproofs but if her passion raigne Correct it wisely Teach her sober eye Verse 10 A willing ignorance in things too high If liberall earth should chance to crowne her store Verse 11 Let her wise modesty receive no more Then she can manage Pilots that are wise Proportion out their Canvase to the skies Let not her knowledge with the Eagle fly Vnles her wisdome have an Eagles eye Verse 12 Wisdome digests what Knowledge did devoure Things sweet in tast are indigested sowre Verse 14 In prosp'rous fortunes let her joy be such That in hard times she may not grieve too much Verse 25 Let her count wisdome as her chiefest good And the price easie whether sweat or blood Verse 29 And let the Perclose of her thoughts be this To study what Man was and what Man is So now my soule thy well instructed flesh May visit earth and with her
earth Disturb thy peace or interrupt thy mirth If heav'n hath crown'd thy labours with successe Enjoy it freely Eat and drink and blesse The gracious Giver Let thy soul rejoyce And take a chearfull pleasure in the choice Of all delights and what his bounty gave With a free hand fear not thou to receive With a free heart Refresh thy fainting head Verse 8 With precious Oyles and change thy carefull bread To feasts of Joy Or if a Crosse should greet Thy frolique soul march bravely on and meet Adversity half way and with a heart Too great for earth to wrong shake hands and part Chear then my soul Let not the rubs of earth Disturb thy peace or interrupt thy mirth Goe sweeten up thy labours and thy life Verse 9 With fresh delights Rejoyce thee in the wife And partner of thy bosome Let her brest Suffice thee as the Center of thy rest Deny thy heart no pleasure that may lye Within the lawfull limits of thine eye Verse 10 Take time while time shall serve To morrow may Be none of ours Come come be wise to day And teach thy labours to bestow their sorrow On those that practise to be fooles to morrow CAP X. 1 observations of wisdome and folly 16 Of Riot 18 Slothfulnesse 19 and money 20 Mens thoughts of Kings ought to be reverenced Verse 1 LOok how dead flies though few in number soil Corrupt and putrefy the purest Oil Ev'n so a little folly stains his fame Whom fair Repute for Wisdome lends a name Verse 2 A wise mans heart is plac'd at his right hand His plots and counsels are of strong command But hearts of fools are weak and rash bereft Of sage advice their hearts are at their left Verse 3 Nay if their steps but measure out the way Their Garb their Looks their Language do betray Their folly read by whomsoere they meet Themselves proclaime their selves in ev'ry street Vers 4 If thy Superior happen to incense His jealous wrath at thy suppos'd offence Doe thou thy part and yeild for yeilding slakes The raging flame that great transgression makes Verse 5 I see an ev'll beneath the Sun that springs From error reigning in the breasts of Kings Verse 6 Fools are made Statesmen and command at Court And men of parts are made the lower sort Verse 7 So have I seen proud servants mounted high On Lordly Steeds and Lords to lackey by Verse 8 He that shall dig a pit that shall prepare A snare shall be ensnar'd in his own snare And he that tramples down a hedge shall meet A Serpent to salute his trampling feet Vers 9 He that shall shake a stone-compacted wall Shall undergoe the danger of the fall Who undertakes to cleave the knotty Oak Shall be a painfull Partner in the stroak Vers 10 But if th'unwhetted edge be blunt the arm Must give more strength and so receive more harm But if he challenge wisdome for his guide Wisdome will doe what painfull strength deni'd Vers 11 The rash reproving mouth of fools are arm'd Like unenchaunted serpents if not charm'd Vers 12 The wise mans words are gracious where they goe But foolish language doth themselves o'rethrow Vers 13 Folly brings in the Prologue with his tongue Whose Epilogue is Rage and open wrong Vers 14 The fool abounds in tongue there 's none can know What his words mean or what he means to doe Vers 15 The tedious actions of a fool doth try The patience of the weary stander by Because his weaknesse knows not how to lay His actions posture in a Civill way Vers 16 Woe to the Land whose Princes wisdome sways The scepter in the nonage of her days And whose grave Rulers that should haunt the seat Of sacred Justice rise betime to eat Vers 17 Blessed art thou ô Land when as thy King Derives his royall blood from th' ancient spring Of Majesty and Rulers timely diet Serves to maintain their strength and not their riot Vers 18 By too much slothfulnesse the building fals Into decay and ruine strikes her wals And through the sluggish posture of his hand The weather-beaten house forgets to stand Vers 19 Who eats and drinks and frolicks uncontrol'd Maintaining riot with his wanton gold Vers 20 Curse not the King nor them that bear the sword No not in thought tho thought express no word The fowls of heav'n shall vent such hideous things And swift Report shall fly with secret wings SOLILOQUIE X. BVt ah my soul How closely folly cleaves To flesh and blood How mungrell nature weaves Wisdome and Folly in the self-same Loome Like webbe and woof whereby they both become One perfect Webbe to cloathe our imperfections With Linsy-woolsy and our mixt affections With foolish wisdome O how full of earth Was our first Ore which at our sinfull birth Was taken from the Womb Now purifi'd In sacred Fires and more then seven times tri'd In sharp afflictions furnace yes how base Our Bullion is not worthy of the Face That makes us currant O how apt and prone Is flesh and blood to fall if let alone But one poor Minute Most in danger then To be surpris'd and foyl'd with Folly when Our bold Presumption tempts our thoughts to prise Our wisdoms overmuch and seem too wise Vers 1 How one rash action O how one dead Flie Embalm'd in thy sweet Oyle does putrefie Thy Box of Spikenard How it casts a shame Vpon the beauty of thy honour'd Name O then my soul take heed to keep thy heart Vers 2 At thy right hand There there she will impart Continuall secrets and direct thy ways In sacred Ethicks sweetning out thy days With season'd Knowledge knowledge past the reach Of black-mouth'd Error shall instruct and teach Thy tongue wise silence Wisdome when to break Thy closed lips and Judgement how to speak Shee 'l teach thee Christian Policy and how Vers 4 To keep thee safe when as thy Princes brow Shall threaten death even when the flame shall flye Like horrid Lightning from his wrathfull Eye I but the rage of Princes oftentimes Darts Lightning at the Person not his Crimes And their misguided will oft times demands Obedience there where Conscience countermands Take heed my soul Thou tread'st upon the Ice Be not too vent'rous here nor too too nice Rush not too bold thou mayst as soon convince An â—rror in thy Conscience as thy Prince To lay commands upon indifferent things Is a sole Royalty belongs to Kings If here thy conscience doubt the Book of Life Must cast the balance and decide the strife If this way thy enforc'd obedience then Must stoop If that Please rather God then men If th' Embers of his rage should chance to lye Rak'd up or furnace from his angry eye Vers 4 Quit not thy duty 'T is thy part t' asswage The jealous flames of his consuming rage What if through Error or misguided will He leaves the way to Good and cleaves to Ill Lend him thy Prayers Lament advise perswade Lift
rarely found Sow closely what thou sow'st and least in sight The eyes of Doves will make thy harvest light But stay Thou mayst surcharge as well as sterve The soile But wise men know what seed will serve Thy work thus wisely done what then remains Give Heav'n the glory and expect the Gains CAP. XII 1 The Creatour rs to be remembred in due time 8 The Preachers care to edifie 13 The feare of God is the chief Antidote of vanity Vers 1 REmember thy Creator in thy prime Of present youth before the black-mouth'd time Of sullen age approach before the day Thy dying pleasures find a dull decay Vers 2 Before the Sun and Moon and Stars appear Dark in thy Microcosmal Hemisphear Vers 3 Before the Clouds of sorrows multiply And hide the Crystall of thy gloomy sky Before the Keepers of thy crazy Tow'r I 'e palsie-stricken and thy men of pow'r Sink as they march and Grinders cease to grind Distastfull bread and windows are grown blind Vers 4 Then shall the Castles two-leafd gates be barr'd When as the Milstones language is not heard The horn-mouth Belman shal affright thy slumbers Thy untun'd ear shall loath harmonious numbers Vers 5 Each obvious mole-hill shall encrease thy fears And carefull snow shall blanch thy falling hairs A fly shall load thy shoulders Thy desire And all thy bed-rid passions shall expire Pale death 's at hand and mourners come to meet Thy tear-bedabled fun'rals in the Street Vers 6 Then shall the sinews silver cord be los'd Thy brains gold bowle be broke The undispos'd And idle liver 's ruby fountain dri'd The blouds Meandring Cisterns unsuppli'd Vers 7 Then shall the dust her dust to dust deliver Whose spirit shall return to God the Giver Vers 8 Whereto th'Ecclesiastick thus replies All all is vain and vainest vanities Vers 9 Because his true repentant soul was wise He read this wisdome-lecture did advise And search the Fountain whence he did convay The fruitfull streams in a Proverbiall way Vers 10 He sought and found such words which had the might To entermingle profit with delight And what his spirit-prompted pen did write Was truth it self and most exact upright Verse 11 The wise mans words are like to Goads that doe Stir up the drowzy and spur up the slow And like to nailes to be made fast and driv'n By hands to th' hearts of mē sent down from heav'n Verse 12 Make use my Son of what this hand hath penn'd There is no end of Pamphlets to no end These tire the flesh and after age is spent They breathe some knowledge but no true content Verse 13 Mark then the ground where the main building Fear thou thy God Observe his just Commands Within the limits of this sacred Ground stands Mans duty lies true Happinesse is found Verse 14 No work shall passe untri'd No hand hath done What shall not plead at heav'ns Tribunall Throne All secrets good and bad attend his Eye His Eyes behold where day could never prye Deus his quoque finem SOLILOQUIE XII NOw launch my soul into this Sea of Tears Fear storms and Rocks yet smile upon thy fears Weigh Anchor Hoist thy weather-beaten Sailes The Tides run smooth The wind breaths prosp'rous Gales Tridented Neptune now hath struck a peace With full-mouth'd Aeolus and the wars surcease They sound a parley and begin to treat And Sea-green Triton sounds a shrill Retreat March new my soul through Hadadrimmons Vale Without a tear or if thou must bewaile Mourn for vain Earth and drop in alms one teare For him that finds no happinesse but there Now mayst thou trample on the Asp and tread on the young Lyon and th' old Dragons head Wisdome shall guide thee Love shall circumclose thee That fraud shall not beguile or force oppose thee Thy Prince shall honor thee thy Peers embrace thee No Crime shall shame thee and no tongue disgrace thee The rich shall rev'rence thee the poor shall blesse thee Wrath shall not over-rule nor pride oppresse thee Thy want shall not afflict nor wealth betray thee This shall not puffe thee up nor that dismay thee Pleasure shall not ensnare nor pains torment thee This shall not make thee sad nor that repent thee Blest shall thy Labours be and sweet thy Rest Blest shall thy Thoughts be and thy Actions blest Blest in thy peace and blest in thy promotion Blest in thy sports and blest in thy devotion Blest in thy losses blest in thy encreases Blest in thy health and blest in thy diseases Blest in thy Knowledge blest in thy Corrections Blest in thy Soul and blest in thy Affections O then my soul let thy Affections flow In streams of love to Him that lov'd thee so Let not his high-priz'd benefits depart From thy remembrance grave them in thy heart With Tools of Adamant that they may last To after times that when thy days be past Thy well-instructed children may emblaze Thy Makers goodnesse to the last of days Blesse thou the Lord my soul Let thy whole frame And all within thee magnifie that Name That blest thee so Blesse thou the Lord my soul Report his precious favour◠and enroll His numerous mercies in thy gratefull brest Vers 1 Remember thy Creator O protest His praises to the world and let thy tongue Make him the subject of thy youthfull song Give him the firstlings of thy strength even than When fading Childehood seeks to ripen man Vpon thy downy cheeks when vigour trains The sparkling blood through thy Meandring veins Before thy flowing marrow shall foment Thy lust full fires before the false content Of frothy pleasures shall begin t' invite Thy fond Affections to a vain delight Then then my soul whilst thy supplies are fresh And strong wage war with thy rebellious ftesh Gird up thy loyns and march spare neither sweat Nor blood take courage strike subdue defeat Sing a triumphant song sing Io Paean Adorn thy brows with Palm and again sing Io Paean Take time while time shall serve 't is thine to day But secret danger still attends delay Doe while thou mayst To day has eagle wings And who can tell what change to morrow brings Advantage wasts and strength of body wears Life has no Lease and Youth no Tearm for years Vers 3 When creeping Age shall quench thy sprightly fires And breathe cold Winter on thy chill desires Vers 2 What fire shall burn thy offerings O what praise Can issue forth from cold decrepit dayes When ebbing bloods neap-tides shall strike thy lims With trembling Palsies when dry Age bedims The optick sunshine of thy bed-rid days What boots thy cold thy Paralytick praise When secret Vlcers shall attaint thy breath With fumes more noysome then the sinks of death What pleasure shall thy great Creator raise From thy breath-tainted and unsav'ry praise Come then my soul Rouze up thy dull desire And quicken thy faint coals of sacred fire That lie rak'd up in th'Embers of thy flesh Fetch