but small For in those points the best knowe nought at all verse 15 He tyres himselfe in highest points yet knowes not common way verse 16 O wretched land ruld by such child whose peeres do feast by day 15. The labour of the foolish doth weary him for he knoweth not to go into the citie Thus do the foolish vainely take in hand To vexe their braines with things for them to hie They know that future things none vnderstand Yet they their faculties therein will try Such wise fooles fondly wise the world hath many It fares with them if it be rightly scand As with the blind that would the seeing guide As if one wandring in an vncouth land Would those instruct the way dwell hard beside They silly fooles know not their next way home And yet their wits would ouer all things rome 16. Wo to thee ô land when the king is a child and thy Princes eat in the morning Wo be to such that by such ruled are But speciall wo be to thee land where they Do beare the Scepter least they all do marre As ill as infants when they beare the sway Who not themselues much lesse thy state can stay And doubled is thy woe and mischiefe farre If that thy Magistrates who should aduise Their Prince in highest points of peace or warre To banqueting and surfets early rise Neglecting common good which first of all With temperate braine they should to counsell call verse 17 But blest ô land where honor rules where Nobles feed to liue verse 18 By sloth the house decays rain through top of roofe doth driue 17. â—lessed art thou â— land when thy king is the sonne of Nobles and thy Princes eat in time for strength and not for drunkennesse And thou thrice happy soyle whose Prince descends Of pedegree of Emp'rors and of Kings Of auncient honor which to vertue bends Whose rule both peace and plenty to thee brings Where through thy fame moÌ„gst forreÌ„ regions rings And happy Prince whom God a Councell sends Of noble Peeres and wise whose watchfull eyes Thy subiects from all forren foes defends And ciuill broyles that might at home arise Such do in temperate wise their plentie vse And feed for strength and plenty not abuse 18. By slothfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decay by the idlenes of the hand the house droppeth through They cause the Pesant in sweet peace manure The land the treasury of wealths encrease Vnto the needy they do worke procure And see the poore with wealthy liue in peace And all oppression in the land to cease Their waking eyes doth Princes state assure Doth to the people courage giue to toyle Gaines to themselues a fame shall aye indure Giues to the foe the most disgracefull foyle All this with paine and diligence is wonne Slouth ruines all makes all to hauock ronne verse 19 Bread streÌ„gthens hart wine cheers the mind but siluer al doth by verse 20 Curse not thy king or Peeres in thought lest birds the same descry 19. They prepare bread for laughter and wine comforteth the liuing but siluer answereth to all They giue the safetie for to vse thy owne And peace of plentie that thou mayest feed Thou feedst by them of best on earth hath growne Of fatlings which thy flocks and heards do breed To recreate thy soule at time of need And for by gold and siluer wealth is showne They do inrich the land with purest quine By which thy trafficke farre and neere is knowne And Indian gems and Arabian drugs are thine Gold gayneth all and Ophire gold thou hast Then happie thou if hap in wealth be plast 20. Curse not the king no not in thy thought neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber for the heauen shall carry thy voice and that which hath wings shall declare the matter Then slander not such Prince that counsell graue By whom so many benefits we find Their many merits many thankes do craue Each honest hart to reuerent loue they bind And base backbiters only are vnkind The lawes of God and nature willed haue The Magistrate should reuerenced bee The lawes of man the bounds vnto thee gaue Of words and deeds but God the thought doth see In deed then word and thought them honor aye Least flying fowles of ayre thy guilt bewray Chap. 11. verse 1 Cast bread on waters freely spend ere long thou shalt it find verse 2 To seuen seuen giue if they need earths wants are great behind 1. Cast thy bread vpoÌ„ the waters for after many days thou shalt find it NOw since no lesse discretion is requir'd In vsing wealth then getting of the same And that the bounteous mind is most admir'd Doth profit others most and gaines best name I therefore wish thereto thy hart to frame I would not haue thy hand too quickly tyrde Nor too respectiue vnto whom to giue Some I haue seene for shame haue not desyrde An almes whom greatest need to craue might driue Though water powred in the sea seeme vaine Yet needlesse gift a gratefull hart may gaine 2. Giue a portion to seuen also to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth Some giue in hope a gift to gaine thereby Such gifts I rather bribes then gifts do call Some feare to giue least they themselues may try Like want ere long and so giue nought at all Some sometimes giue but yet their gifts are small But I would haue thy almes giuen cheerefully Vnaskt sometimes if crau'd to none denide Let none lacke to thy powre in need that lye And to preuent their need some goods deuide For God all bountie is and so should we Dispose our goods if like him we would be verse 3 If clouds be full raine fals on earth and trees in north south verse 4 Who sowes and reapes by rules of wind but little land he plow'th 3. If the cloâ—des be full they wil powre forth raine vpon the earth and if the tree do fall toward the South or toward the North in the place that the tree falleth there it shal be Yea looke how plenteously thou seest the raine Fro out the deaw-fild clouds on earth distill So long as any drops in them remaine Wherewith earths dryed cesterns vp to fill So in thy almes be thou as forward still And as each soile some sap from heauen doth gaine And euery tree and shrub of deaw hath part So thinke thou not thy gift bestowd in vaine To whom or when so ere thou giuing art And if thy store be great more mayst thou spend If lesse yet some vnto more needy lend 4. He that obserueth the wind shall not sow and he that regardeth the clouds shal not reape Take all occasions to be doing well Let euery season for it proper seeme The husbandmen that most in skill excell Though sometimes they to sow more fit do deeme Yet to be too precise vnfit esteeme Who marketh alwaies where the wind doth dwell And
To the vertuous Lady the Lady Woollie FArre fet deare bought doth fit a Lady best Such you deserue such would my will bestow Good things are rare rare things esteem'd you know Rare should yours be as you rare of the rest Such hold this gift fetcht from a forraine land Which wisest King as pretious did prouide Who viewing all the earth hath nought espide Whose worth herewith coÌ„par'd may longer stand The price I dare assure is very deare As puchasd by your merit and my care Whose trauell would a better gift prepare If any better worthy might appeare Then this accept as I the same intend Which dutie to the dead would will me send ECCLESIASTES OTHERVVISE CALLED THE PREACHER Containing Salomons Sermons or Commentaries as it may probably be collected vpon the 49. Psalme of Dauid his father Compendiously abridged and also paraphrastically dilated in English poesie according to the analogie of Scripture and consent of the most approued writer thereof Composed by H. L. Gentleman Whereunto are annexed sundrie Sonets of CHRISTIAN PASSIONS heretofore printed and now corrected and augmented with other affectionate Sonets of a feeling conscience of the same Authors Psal. 144. 3 Lord what is man that thou regardest him or the sonne of man that thou thinkest vpon him 4 Man is like to vanitie his dayes like a shadow that vanisheth LONDON Printed by Richard Field dwelling in the Blacke-friers neare Ludgate 1597. TO THE RIGHT EXCELLENT AND NOBLE PRINCESSE LADIE OF RAREST VERTVES Queene Elizabeth our most gracious Soueraigne her Highnes faithfull subiect Henrie Lok wisheth perfect and perpetuall felicitie THE purest liquor drawne out of the heauenly fountaine of SALOMONS inspired wisdom I here with all zeale of your Highnesse seruice in most huÌ„ble dutie offer to your thrise sacred Maiestie vnder whose most glorious Empire hauing first receiued the breath of this life and by whose shining beames of most gracious gouernement that life hauing tasted part of the common comfort of your many happie subiects and peculiar fauor of your most princely countenance I cannot but as I acknowledge all my powers of right to pertain to your Highnesse disposition so to force my weake indeuours to testifie the sinceritie of the same This my present which in a rustie caske in steed of a golden cup I haue ventured to purchase for your Highnesse is I confesse farre vnworthie your Maiesties tasting of though in the benignitie of Dauids spirit I doubt not your Highnes will accept the same which as it is borrowed from the labours of so mightie and worthie a king as was Salomon the true Author therof it seems most fit the dedication to your Maiestie who in Empire being a peere vnto him in election a partner in happinesse a riuall and in wisedome a Sabian obseruer of his soundest doctrines can perfectliest iudge and will kindliest I assure my selfe welcome this his child for his fathers sake which must be and so I desire his onely grace For with me it is true that in the composition hereof it fared as with more worthie Nehemias when he attempted the repaire of the holy Citie who being oftentimes disturbed therein by the practise and malice of Sanballat Tobia and Geshem was sometimes forced to desist from his attempt and in the end to effect it with sword in one hand and mattock in the other so whilest common cares and domestik duties the direct enemies to all ingenious actions and proper poyson of pure inuention did many times confound my iudgement disturbe my leisure in a maner vtterly disable my disposition for so waighty an affaire remouing so often my hand from my mind and my minde almost from the affection of my heart I with half my weak selfe haue bene driuen thus to peece together this often broken off now vnworkmanly perfected taske VVhich yet as a well fauoured person euen in meane attires seemes yet euer comely will I doubt not shew some excellencie of the coÌ„posers spirit though it be not artificially clothed with borowed bewties froÌ„ my barren braine And your Highnesse whose course of life so wel conformeth with this his discourse teaching vs your subiects by holy practise what he by deuine precepts instructed his may as iustly chalenge me seemeth the publication of the like discourse as we without defrauding God of his honor your Highnesse of your due may not conceale the perfect resemblance your Highnes hath of him in name disposition and fortune we with his subiects in honor prosperitie and peace which albeit we your inferior subiects as the weake sighted eyes which cannot behold perfectly the face of the sunne but looking downe in the water nor see his first appearing in the East but by looking for the shadow in the VVest knowing our disabilities iudicially to obserue the cleare brightnes of your shining vertues referring to bordering Princes and attendant Peeres the more fit recording of the same we take palpable assuraÌ„ces of the blessed Spirit of God working in you by the like frute of peace prosperitie and plenty deriued by your Maiesties most excellent gouernement and wisdome vnto vs whos 's first worke of building vp the Church of Christ prouiding for learning restoring the decayd streÌ„gth and munitions of the realme enriching the treasurie of the land by refined coine retaining with most princely magnanimity the ancient ample bounds of your Empire the establishment of so many profitable factories for vnfrequented trafficke the chargeable discoueries of so many vnknown parts the honorable repulsioÌ„ of so many foes the bounteous purchase of so many neighbor frieÌ„ds the charitable relief of so many Christians oppressed the equal distribution of iustice vnto all all tending to the glory of God prosperitie of your raigne do sensibly without any disparagement of the greatnesse of that mightie Prince draw on a certaine liuely comparison of both your ê“perties blessings which therfore might excuse me of flatterie if in a few words I should point thereat But I wil leaue the ampler relatioÌ„ hereof to future posterities herein huÌ„bly crauing pardon of your Maiestie for this my presumption which indeed hath bene founded on your Highnesse gracious acceptance of my former Passionate present and recommending them anew to your Maiesties fauor herewithall augmented and reformed I will with all feruencie of prayer coÌ„mend your Highnes to the protection of the Almightie who as he hath confirmed your throne these now nigh fortie yeares amongst vs to the vniuersall peace and comfort of his Israell the Church of Europe so may he redouble and continue euen to the end if so his Highnesse please your Maiesties most happie raigne ouer vs for euer Your Maiesties most dutifull and loyall subiect HENRY LOK To the Christian Reader IT is the most fit subiect for the nobility of mans spirit to meditate of felicitie and a true saying of Aristotle that Omnia appetunt bonum Yea the common practise of our high minded age is to striue for the same in the
remember that they are but men And vse good words as wisedome teacheth when For words well vsed workes the grossest wits Vnto a plient patience more to heare And patience fauour more in time begits And time forgetfulnesse if thou forbeare And mild forbearance makes thy fault the lesse And him his fault if grace he haue confesse verse 5 This euill on earth I oft haue seene great rulers greatly fall verse 6 The foole aduanst the rich and wise reiected most of all 5. There is an euil that I haue seene vnder the sunne as an error that proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth But yet this rule I find not alwayes true Nay rather often times it fayleth quight A thing I cannot mend though it I rue And is the thing I hold the greatest spight That euer may to common wealth alight To see that those to whom all rule is due And should be guides to other men in good Should all the vices of the world insue And may not be by any meanes withstood By whose examples many others fall To ruine as do shrubs with Cedar tall 6. Folly is set in great excellencie and the rich set in the low place How can it be in any other wise If folly sit in seat of excellence Like will to like and as the bad arise Downe goes the good and vertue'is banisht thence For wicked ones in wicked seeke defence Pure vertue naked in a beggers guise May wander for protection and for ayde For euery one her merits will despise Because like gifts their natures haue denayd Thus topsie turuie euery thing will grow As cart the horse the sterne ships way should show verse 7 Slaues by desart a cockhorse ride right nobles lackie by verse 8 But who layes snares himselfe may fall and pricks in hedges try 7. I haue seene seruants on horses Princes walking as seruants on the ground For what obsurder thing can you suppose Then what is oftentimes before your eye When you on cockhorse see a prauncing those Whose birth and qualities you may despise Whilst wise and noble both contemned lies Nay lackie-like in trotting time do loose In seruing such as know not true desart A worser life there could be no way chose Or that could more torment an honest hart For where shall they expect their paines reward Which they to foole all readie see is shard 8. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it and he that breaketh the hedge a Serpent shall bite him But for my part I can be well content To yeeld all honor where God honor giues But yet oppressors should in time repent For God in heauen a iudge for euer liues And to confusion wicked worldlings driues He doth preuent their fraudulent intent And makes them fall into the pit they cast Whilst they indeuour others to preuent The Serpents sting to martyr them as fast For fraud with fraud is oftentimes repayd And wicked snard in grin for others layd verse 9 Bounds changers and wood stealers are oft tane and punished verse 10 By slight force men may do much but blunt wits cut like lead 9. He that remoueth stones shall hurt himselfe thereby and he that cutteth wood shall be in danger thereby If lawes of kingdomes chastisement procure For such as alter auncient bounds of land If that poore pilfring hedge-breakers be sure To sit in stockes if owners vnderstand And euery crime is punisht out of hand Shall wrong or shall oppression still assure The mightie ones to tread the weaker downe Nay God the king of kings will not endure But in his wrath on them will fiercely frowne For though his patient suffring doth excell Yet moued long he striketh downe to hell 10. If the yron be blunt and one hath not whet the edge he must then put too more strength but the excellencie to direct a thing is wisedome Let no man therefore so misuse his wit To hurt of neighbour or to proper shame But let him do the thing he findeth fit And let him wisely his intentions frame So shall lesse toyle more sweet insue the same For as the dulled toole craues force with it Of doubled strength to make it pierce aright Yet will with all thy paines scarce cut awhit Vnlesse thou ioyne thy skill vnto thy might So in all actions reason must be guide Else no good issue will the same betide verse 11 As serpents sting if charmes do want so babbling tongs do bight verse 12 Himselfe he doth deuour whilst words of wise men do delight 11. If the Serpent bite when he is not charmed no better is a babbler And as in deeds euen so in words beware How thou dost guide thy tongue in any case Wherein to find a wise man it is rare Licentious speech hath now so common place And slanderous tongues do find such speciall grace Yet not the Serpents which in Lybia are Whilst they vncharmed lye in wait for man More daungerously do sting or do prepare More present poyson then vile slander can If it haue hearing once and credit lent It will destroy the saint most innocent 12. The words of the mouth of a wise man haue grace but the lips of a foole deuoure himselfe The lauish tatling tongue on prating set Spares no man nor regardeth what it sayth It cuts like to a razor which is whet And prickes himselfe which rashly with it playth And him that so it vseth fond bewrayth But wise men speake when matter good they get With modestie and vnto matter good Out of their lips no vaine vntruths they let They speake distinctly to be vnderstood And words accompany'd with matter graue For which of all they commendations haue verse 13 His speech begins with foolish talke with wicked madnesse ends verse 14 Increasing words of future things strange questions he defends 13. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishnesse and the latter end of his mouth is wickednesse Fooles if they once begin can neuer end And with their will they all the words will haue They loue to heare themselues and will defend Their follies euen before the wise and graue And thinke they brauely do themselues behaue They do begin their speech if eare you lend With vaine and foolish talkes or lying toyes But in the middle they to mischiefe bend In fine with madnesse ends he and annoyes The honest eare and soule that heares him speake And them compell his senslesse tale to breake 14. For the foole multiplyeth words saying man knoweth not what shall be and who can tell him what shall be after him From table talke and childish toyes he growes To highest points of learning and of skill In deepe points of diuinitie he showes That with best learned clarke compare he will And all the world with paradoxes fill Gods secrets he by inspiration knowes He prophecies of things yet long to come With super-naturall skill he ouerflowes And in each science seemeth to haue some When silly wretch his knowledge is
shal speake thy praise 172 My tongue shall tell thy word of truth and walke thy righteoâ—s wayes 173 Helpe with thy hand for I entend thy precepts to pursue 174 Thy sauing helpe and law I seeke Lord do my faith renue 175 Let liue my soule to praise thy name thy mercie me vphold 176 I feare thy law then clense my sinnes and bring me to thy fold Psalme 121. 1 VNto the hils I lift my eye from whence my helpe shall grow 2 EueÌ„ to the Lord which fram'd the heauens made the deeps below 3 He will not let my feete to slip my watchman neither sleepes 4 Behold the Lord of Israell still his flocke in safety keepes 5 The Lord is my defence he doth about me shadow cast 6 By day nor night the Sunne nor Moone my limbs shall burne or blast 7 He shall preserue me from all ill and me from sinne protect 8 My going in and comming forth he euer shall direct Psalme 130. 1 FRom pit of deepe perplexities to thee for helpe I cry 2 O Lord giue â—are vnto my plaâ—â—t and 〈◊〉 me speedily 3 If strictly thou my sinnes behold ô Lord what â—â—esh is iust 4 But mercy proper is to thee and thereto dâ— we trust 5 Vpon thy promise I attend thy word is alwayes true 6 With morning and with euening watch I will my sute renue 7 Thy seruant must depend on thee in thee iâ— mercie found 8 Thou wilt redeeme their â—oules from death thy grace doth so abound Lords Prayer OVr Father which in heauen art Lord halowed be thy name Thy knigdome come thy will be done in heauen and earth the same Giue vs this day our daily bread our trespasses forgiue As we for other mens offence do freely pardon giue Into temptation leade vs not but liuer vs from ill For thine all kingdome glory powre is now and euer will SVNDRY CHRISTIAN PASSIONS CONTAINED in two hundred Sonnets Diuided into two equall parts The first consisting chiefly of Meditations Humiliations and Prayers The second of Comfort Ioy and Thankesgiuing By H. L. Call vpon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me LONDON Printed by Richard Field 1597. To the rIght renoVVneD VertVoVs VIrgin ELIzabeth VVorthy QVeene of happIe EngLanD her hIghnesse falthfVL subleCâ— Henry Lok VVIsheth Long Lyfe VVIth eternaL bLIsse IVne VII MY worthlesse pen To eternize In holy flame VVhich doth dispise Thee sacred dame That should protect VVhose Phoenix quil And those hath dect Heauens do distill As come from thence Ioue long you saue For whose defence Venus would craue VVhich Pallas wils Presumeth to deuise Your peerles vertuous fame Of zeale my hart doth rise A theame of vulgar frame The graces haue select The holy Muses hill Doth heauenly Crowne affect VVhich Romane Trophies fill Their happie influence You there your portion haue VVhose Scepters you dispence True English hearts he gaue And Dain doth that due Me yeeld alone to you The obseruations of the square following 1 A Saint Georges crosse of two collumbs in discription of her Maiestie beginning at A. and B. in the middle to be read downward and crossing at C. and D. to be read either single or double 2 A S. Andrews crosse beginning at E. read thwartwaies and ending with F. containing the description of our happie age by her highnesse 3 Two Pillers in the right and left side of the square in verse reaching from E. and F. perpendicularly containing the sum of the whole the latter columbe hauing the words placed counterchangeably to rime to the whole square 4 The first last two verses or the third and fourth with seuenth and eighth are sense in them selues containing also sense of the whole 5 The whole square of 100. containing in it self fiue squares the angles of each of them are sense particularly and vnited depend each on other beginning at the center 6 The out-angles are to be read 8. seuerall waies in sense and verse 7 The eight words placed also in the ends of the S. Georges crosse are sense and verse alluding to the whole crosse 8 The two third words in the bend deaeter of the S. Andrews crosse being the middle from the angles to the center haue in their first letters T. and A. for the Author and H. L. in their second for his name which to be true the words of the angles in that square confirme 9 The direction to her Maiestie in prose aboue containeth onely of numerall letters the yeare and day of the composition as thus DD. C LL LL LL LL. VV VV VV VV VV VV VV VV. IIIIIIIIIIIII For 1593. Iune V. A Square in verse of a hundred monasillables only Describing the cause of Englands happinesse  Haec   ◠   A B    F  In           â—oc  God 5 hath pourd forth Rare Grace On this Iâ—â—e And   Makes Cround 4 your rule Queene In the same so 4 still   Kings lawd THis 3 saint Faire that with truth 3 doth stand   Rule so long time 2 milde Prince ioy 2 land it will  C Forma For proofe you showes 1 wise 1 of earths race whome There Quadrata  HeaueÌ„s haue vp held Iust 1 choice 1 whome God thus sheilds   Your stocke of Kings 2 worlds rich of 2 spring and feare   States fame Known 3 farre Praise Isle which ALl 3 blisse yeilds   Hold God 4 there fore sure stay of all the 4 Bâ—st  Vinces Blâ—st 5 is your raigne Here Builds sweet Peace true Rest 5 Signâ—â— Â Fiâ—â—â— Â The Square plainely set downe GOd hath powr'd forth rare grace on this I le and Makes crown'd your rule Queene in the same so still Kings laud this Saint faire that with truth doth stand Rule so long time mild Prince ioy land it will For proofe you showes wise of earths race whom there Heauens haue vpheld lust choyce whom God thus shields Your stocke of kings worlds rich ofspring and feare States fame knowne farre praise I le which all blisse yeelds Hold God therefore sure stay and port the best Blest is your raigne here builds sweet peace true rest To the Christian Reader WHo so shall duly consider the whole progresse of mans estate from life to death shall find it gentle Reader to be nothing else but a very pilgrimage through this earth to another world for whether we obserue the common course of all flesh which from the mothers wombe to the graue is still trauelling with change of bodily constitution from youth to age from health to sicknesse so from one estate to another Or if we behold the particular incounters which each man findeth in himselfe in the variable change of hopes and crossing of his purposes in both it shall by a generall experieÌ„ce of all mens calamities be assuredly confirmed to be too true But
may no more tormented bee Lest that my soule eternally he kill But from the force of Satan make me free These brutish sinnes in swine more fit to dwell Drowne in repentant seas of teares which swell SON XLIII IN deadly sleepe ô Lord sin hath me cast Wherein secure I lye and so remaine Raise me ô Lord out of this dreame at last And let me sight and light of heauen attaine The heauie humors which my iudgment staine And dazell so the reason of my minde Grant that they may their proper vse attaine And comfort in thy grace and promise finde All fleshly wisedome of it selfe is blinde Till thou by knowledge cleare their wandring sight Out of the snare of sin flesh cannot winde Vnlesse by faith they see thy Sonne so bright Him let me still both see and eke admire And thee in him ô Lord I thee desire SON XLIIII MY wicked flesh ô Lord with sin full fraight Whose eye doth lust for euerie earthly thing By couetise allurde hath bit the baight That me to Satans seruitude will bring By violence I vertues right would wring Out of possession of the soule so weake Like vineyard which the wicked Achab king Possest by tyrants power which lawes do breake Let Prophets thine Lord to my soule so speake That in repentant sackcloth I may mone The murther of thy grace which I did wreake Whilst to my natiue strength I trust alone And let my Sauiour so prolong my daies That henceforth I may turne from sinfull waies SON XLV IF thou vouchsafdst Lord of thy goodnesse rare To sanctifie with holie presence thine The Cana marriage where thou didst not spare First miracle of water turnd to wine Then be thou present at this wedding mine Which twixt thy Church and me by faith is ment To see the want in me thy eyes encline Whose wine of grace by wanton youth is spent But being toucht with view thereof repent And craue that water of earthes healthles well May issue forth from heart with sorrow rent And turnd to wine may so with grace excell That all that see and tast this change in me May grant this worke of thee alone to be SON XLVI SInce it hath pleased thee ô Lord to send Now in my barren age of hope and grace Repentant childe from ruine to defend My name and soule to liue before thy face Thy blessings I do thankfully embrace And in thy feare will frame his tender yeare The worlds regard in me shall haue no place If once thy word and will my heart do heare And when thou calst we both will then appeare Before thy Aulter in Moriath land To offer vp thy gift my sonne so deare Obedient childe to faithfull fathers hand Which sacrifice not worthie gift for thee With Christ my Sauiors suffrings quit let bee SON XLVII OF euerie creature vncleane to fore Whereof thy holy people might not tast Thou didst present ◠Lord to Peter store Which were from heauen in sheet before him plast Which he at first refusde with mind most chast Not touching things polluted or defilde But afterward thy counsell he embrast And saw himselfe had bene before beguilde To thinke all sinners were for aye exilde From presence of thy mercies which abound Whom oft thou doest receiue as father milde If faith in Christ thy sonne in them be found By praiers faith by faith thy grace doth grow Cornelius blessing Lord on me bestow SON XLVIII HOw hard it is ô Lord for man to frame His minde corrupt to be preparde for thee With tongue vncleane to praise thy holie name With fleshly eies thy glorie for to see Homeward I bring thy blessings vnto me And make my soule their dwelling place to rest But so forgetfull of thy lawes we be That this my action Lord I see not blest Pride and contempt the waies haue so opprest That danger is the carriage ouerthrow Grant that thy grace to staie it may be prest That so my soule thy sauing health may know For to my flesh vnsanctified to trust Were aie to hasten death by iudgement iust SON XLIX MY traitrous heart which long time hath rebeld Against thy spirit which should feed me still A secret counsell in it selfe hath held To contrarie thy knowne reuealed will Whose mutinie my sences so do fill With deeds repining to thy holie law That raging pride and lust lead me to ill Forgetting tokens of thy wrath they saw As Dathan and Abyram had no awe Of Moyses and of Aron thine elect But sought a way thy people how to drawe And Prophets thine by pride for to reiect So doth my soule alas thy grace resist And in the follies of the flesh persist SON L. A Tenant most vntrue ô Lord to thee In vineyard of my bodie haue I bin To craue thy rent thy seruants came to me But nothing but intreatie bad they win My trauell therein was to nourish sin And wast the wine of thy abounding plant The more to call me backe thou didst begin The more to thee my gratitude did want Ne would my lacke of grace let me recant When thou thy onely Sonne to me didst send For sin and Satan did me so supplant That to his ruine I did also bend But Lord me lend In time repentant hart That from this vineyard I may not depart SON LI. WHilst in the garden of this earthly soile My selfe to solace and to bath I bend And fain wold quench sins heat which seems to boile Amidst my secret thoughts which shadow lend My sence and reason which should me defend As iudges chosen to the common weale Allur'd by lust my ruine do pretend By force of sin which shamelesse they reueale They secretly on my affections steale When modestie my maides I sent away To whom for helpe I thought I might appeale But grace yet strengthens me to say them nay Yet they accuse me Lord and die I shall If Christ my Daniell be not iudge of all SON LII I Iustly am accusde and now am brought By law and gilt of conscience I confesse Before thy throne conuict by deed and thought Of sinfull lust which did me so possesse That quickning graces thine I did suppresse By fading loue of world procliue to ill Whose dome eternall death and nothing lesse My soule doth see to threaten to me still But since that frailtie so the world doth fill That no one fleshly wight thereof is free For mercy Lord to thee repaire I will Who seest the hart and canst best comfort me Quit me from death grant I may fall no more But remnant of my daies thy grace implore SON LIII A Husbandman within thy Church by grace I am ô Lord and labour at the plough My hand holds fast ne will I turne my face From following thee although the soile be rough The loue of world doth make it seeme more tough And burning lust doth scorch in heat of day Till fainting faith would seeke delightfull bough To shade my soule from danger of decay
The memory of Egypts store I saw Of vanities which carnall senses feed Made me to wish to fill againe my maw With dishes such as to destruction lead Wherfore inwrath with quailes thou cloidst me so That plagu'd with sin my error now I know SON LXV SInce thou hast raysd my poore abiected spright From threshing floore where captiue I did stand And callest me thy battels for to fight Gainst sin the Madianite which wasts thy land Giue me a token by thy mightie hand O Lord whereby my faith may be assurde And be to me a pledge of former band That victorie by me shall be procurde Let heauenly deaw by prayer be allurde To moysten this my freewill fleece of wooll Then dry the dâ—regs thereof to sin inurde Whose heauy waight makes grace and vertue dull And offring mine of prayers to thy name Accept and with a holy zeale inflame SON LXVI WHilst that in wealth and ease I did possesse The Empire of thy many blessings sent I tooke in hand pure vertue to suppresse And pride with lust my powres they wholly bent To conquere reason which thy grace had lent And quite forgetting worlds late floud for sin To build a tower of trust wherein I spent The strength of flesh bloud high heauen to win As though in natures strength the force had bin To shield themselues from floud or heauenly fire But now confusion iust my soule is in Makes labouring flesh from folly such retire And craues alone within thy Church to dwell Whose wals of faith truth may death expell SON LXVII THe Temple Lord of this my bodie base Where thou vouchsafdst to place my soule to dwell And promisedst to make thy chosen place Whence sacrifice of praises thou wouldst smell Behold against thy lawes doth now rebell By worldly vanities thereto allurde Where couetise and pride their packe doth sell At such a price as flesh and sin affoord But since ô Lord thy promise hath assurde My soule that thou art alwaies prest to heare The plaints of penitents which hath procurde Thy Sonne himselfe in temple this t' appeare Whip forth fling down this worldly wicked pack Fro out my soule repell thou Satan back SON LXVIII WIthin thy house this bodie base of mine It pleased thee ô Lord my soule to plant A steward of the gifts the which were thine And nature fild with measure nothing scant Of bodie or of mind no blessings want And fortunes fauours sharde with me no lesse In such proportion Lord I needs must grant As thou doest giue when thou doest vse to blesse But wantonly I wested I confesse Thy treasure put into my hands of trust And now alas though late I seeke redresse Wise steward-like to liue when dye I must I cast my count by Christ my debt to pay And frutes of faith from hell my soule shall stay SON LXIX NOw that it pleaseth thee Lord of thy grace To plucke me forth of sinfull Sodoms lake Where I haue dwelt alas this life long space Since I of holie Abram leaue did take Vouchsafe I pray thee for thy mercies sake To graunt thy Church be refuge for my life The Zoar where I may my dwelling make Safe from reuenging Angels bloudie knife And though the frailtie of Lots lingring wife Looke back with loue on sinfull worlds delight Which common weaknesse to all flesh is rife Yet keepe me constant by thy heauenly might And let me not grow drunke with blessings thine To procreate sin on lustfull daughters mine SON LXX WHilst in this worldly wildernesse about For want of faith I backe am forst to go Affraid of sinnes which Giant-like are stout And foule affections which like cruell foe Of Esawes race their might and powre bestow To stop my passage to the promist land I gin to faint and to repine also Against the powre of thy most mightie hand For which the Serpent Satan now doth stand In readinesse my silly soule to sting And close me vp in deaths eternall band Vnlesse to me thy mercie succour bring That brasen Serpent Christ nayld on the tree Whose sight by faith alone is cure to mee SON LXXI WHat am I else Lord but a sinfull wretch In sin and in iniquitie begot In conscience guiltie of the common breach Of euerie law that may my honor spot Thy blessings giu'n me I regarded not Thy threatned iudgments I did not esteeme My vowes to thee I almost had forgot My sinnes no sinnes to hardned heart do seeme Like to my selfe I did thy power deeme Because thou didst forbeare thy rod a while I sought by Idols ayd to heauen to clime Whilst worlds delight my sences did beguile But helplesse now alas I turne to thee To stay my race let grace Lord succour mee SON LXXII THou formedst me at first out of the clay Vnto the image of thy glorious frame O Lord of might thou shewdst to me the way To magnifie thy pure and holie name Like Potters vessell first my modell came Out of a rude vnformed lumpe of earth To holy vse it pleasd thee me reclaime Before my life tooke vse of carnall breath Thou fedst me in the common humane dearth Of knowledge of thy will with such a tast Of pleasing frute as fild my soule with mirth And readie makes me now no more to wast Thy offred mercies which so blesse in me Of glorie that I may a vessell be SON LXXIII A Seruant Lord euen from my day of byrth I vowed was by parents vnto thee A Nazarit I liued on the earth And kept thy vowes as grace did strengthen mee Till Satan made me worlds deceipt to see And trapt my senses with forbiden lust As Eue did tast of the restrained tree So fond affections did me forward thrust A sinfull Philistine of faith vniust To like to loue to craue to wed to wife Thy grace my strength to her reueale I must Till she to Satan sell my slumbring life A prisoner I thus scornd and voyd of sight Sinnes house to ouerthrow craue heaueÌ„ly might SON LXXIIII WHilst in the plentie of thy blessings sent I sought to solace Lord my selfe secure And gazing on worlds beautie long I went In pridefull tower which did prospect procure I saw the baytes of sin which did allure My idle thoughts to follow wicked lust My kindled passions could not long endure But vnto furious flames breake forth they must I did pollute my soule by fraude vniust And reft thy grace from his true wedded wife And that I might away all mendment thrust I did bereaue my knowledge of this life Whose bastard frutes slaie Lord but let her liue That penitent we may thee prayses giue SON LXXV A Seruant sold to sin ô Lord I am Whom Satan Syrian proud doth sore assaile Nine hundted Chariors of desire there came Armed with lust which sought for to preuaile And to subdue by strength they cannot faile Vnlesse thou raise my fainting strength by grace Let constant faith the flying furie naile To ground where
cause to blush full oft for shame To see how we neglect our neighbours need How slow to helpe where we might stand in steed How slight excuses we do vse to frame When yet our Sauiour seemeth to respect The silly Oxe which in the ditch doth lye Whose aide a stranger ought not to neglect If but by chance he saw it passing by But if our brother readie were to dye For very want necessities to feed We let him sterue and take of him no need Yea though he craue we sticke not to deny As though it vs suffisd to beare the name Of Christians yet in life deny the same SON XLVI NOt onely doth the Lord repute as good The deedes which he in vs himselfe hath wrought Yea though our wils gainst him in thē haue fought And he perforce by grace our powers withstood But if we euill do by stubborne will And seeke indeed no good at all thereby But euen our lewd affections to fulfill So that all grace in vs do seeme to dye Yet euen in them this good we shall espy If we his children be whom Christ hath bought That he permits vs not to fall for nought But that our frailtie and our wits we try And so more earnestly vnto him pray And find that pretious fruit a Christian may SON XLVII VVE had not need in idlenesse to spend The dayes both few and euill which we haue The reason powre strēgth helth which God vs gaue To some good end no doubt he did vs lend Full many businesses shall we find Enuironing our life on euery side Which if they were retayned still in mind In watch and trauell they should cause vs bide The worldly cares of all men well are tride The daunger of the soule I seeke to saue A world of lusts attend vs to the graue And Sathan lyes in waite to leade vs wide From heauen wherto true wisedome wils vs bend Thinke then if man haue need watch to the end SON XLVIII SInce it hath pleasd the Lord to send such store Of blessings to the bodie that it may In peace and plentie spend one ioyfull day Which many want and it long'd for before I not repin'd that it the same should vse But feard the frailty of the flesh alas Which made my soule for safest way to chuse With Iob in feare and care my time to pas For sacrifice my soule there offered was Thy holy spirit the Priest my will did slay His zeale inflam'd the thoughts which prostrate lay And quencht thy wrath with teares like fluent glas So that though Sathan readie was at dore Me to accuse and try I feare no more SON XLIX VVHat miracle so great hath euer bin So farre from reasons or from natures bounds What thing Gods glory and his prayse resounds More then his mercie in forgiuing sinne If things contrary to their natiue kind To ioyne accord producing strange effects Do admiration breed in euery mind What thing so much Gods glory then detects As this to see how daily he protects And blesseth vs in whom all vice abounds How he doth hide our faults which so him wounds Supplies the want which proper powre neglects Then since distrust his miracles keepe backe Let vs be sure that we true faith not lacke SON L. AS those whose skill with colours life-like draw The portraitures of men with shadowes rare Yet shapes deformed they ne will nor dare To shew to others as themselues them saw So when I make suruay by rule of truth Of all my actions and my soules estate I am asham'd to see the scapes of youth And feare to looke on that I lou'd of late And as I do my selfe euen for them hate So feare I others could no more me spare If I should shew my selfe naked and bare Who with these fowle affects held no debate Yet since they are but breaches of the law The Gospell will me shrowd from Sathans paw SON LI. AMong the many trauels of the iust The last which holy Iob alas sustaind I thinke his soule and bodie most it paind And like thereto vs likewise martyr must When we vpon vs feele Gods heauy curse For sinne from which no one of vs is free That comforters should seeke to make vs worse And friends like foes should our tormenters bee To hud-blind vs when most we need to see By colouring sinne which ought to be explaind Or amplifying errors which are faind To make our soules and bodies disagree All these he felt by friends he most should trust To hell by pride or by dispaire to thrust SON LII SLow is our God indeed and very slo To wrath and that the wicked dearly find His children sooner feele correction kind And so repent whilst sinfull forward go Slow though he be yet sure his iudgements are They are deferd they are not cleane forgot He tries our natures letting raines so farre Lose to our wils till we regard him not But when we furiously to hell do trot He stayes our steps and wils doth gently bind Whiles he the reprobates the more doth blind Till they through sinne do fall to Sathans lot By Gods correcting hand and patience so The one to sinne inclines the other fro SON LIII VVHen I consider of the holy band Of loue and mercie with the Iewes was made The heauenly and earthly blessings which did lade Their soules and bodies whilst in grace they stand When I examine cause of this their change And note in soule and bodie wofull fall How exiles comfortlesse the earth they range Depriu'd of knowledge glory hope and all When I as cause hereof to mind do call Their stubborne faithlesse and ingratefull trade With which the Prophets did them oft vpbrayd And causes were of wrath from heauen not small Me thinkes I see like iudgement neare at hand For trespasse like to punish this our land SON LIIII O That we could be rauished awhile Fro out these fleshly fogs and seas of sin Which grosse affections daily drench vs in And do the tast of perfect sense beguile That so whilst selfe-loue slept true loue might show That pride might so put on an humble mind That patience might in steed of rankor grow And naked truth from craft might freedome find That vertue had some harbor safe assignd And reason had his scope and did begin Of these fowle siends a victorie to win And them in bondage to the soule to bind Then should we see how farre they do exile Our perfect blisse whilst thus they vs defile SON LV. LIke master like the seruants proue say we We therefore are of like of Sathans traine His auncient lesson which did parents staine We learne as yet and lie as fast as he False are his rules himselfe an old deceiuer Vntrue he is vntruth he first did teach God being truth nought can so soone disseuer And no one sin to more offence doth reach Sathan himselfe can not Gods lawes appeach To be vniust nor say we iust remaine But by new
grace ere he proceed too farre Your count'nance may his progresse mend or marre Because as of you first his life did grow So must his course be guided by your starre Which him first hope of heauenly light did show Vouchsafe then to bestow one reading more To welcome him or thrust him out of dore To the graue and learned Sir Iohn Popham Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of England O Would I might without my hearts deepe griefe For common crosses following men opprest Record your worth whence many find reliefe Which makes you iustly chiefe of all the rest Your carefull thought and bodies paine addrest To reconcilement of contentious mind Your vniuersall loue to truth profest By which the desolate do fauour find Doth as me seemes in common dutie bind My pen to chalenge you truths true defence Though dull my Poem be my sight not blind That sought to take his priuiledge from thence You chiefe of Iudges best of truth can treat To you therefore I truth of truths repeat To Sir Edmond Anderson Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of the Common pleas YOur eares so daily exercisd to heare The plaints and the petitions sutors make Make you most fit of many to appeare My selfe and workes protection both to take Not for my selfe but for the Commons sake I presse it thus into your presence now Whose theame may hap some drowsie heads awake To chalenge if I dare this worke auow But if that you whose wisedome best knowes how That lawfull make to speake what Scripture taught I know the common sort dare but allow My publishing what from wise king I brought Then you the common shield to guiltlesse wight Vouchsafe this worke find fauour in your sight To Sir William Perriam Knight Lord chiefe Barron of the Exchequor THou kind accorder of the dreamt discord Twixt law and conscience Gods and mans decree By whom oppression'and brib'rie are abhord The common poysons of lands peace that bee I not vnfitly do direct to thee These monuments of wisest kings experience Them to allow if you them worthy see Me to reproue if I haue made offence I no man craue to stand in wrongs defence I may as all men do some weaknesse show If great my fault spare not if small dispence Because it did not of meere malice grow This will you do vncrau'd that done I pleasd Both God and man submission hath appeasd To the valorous Knight Sir William Russell Lord Deputie of Ireland IF iustly Dauid did by law ordaine That they an equall part of spoyle should haue Who when he fought behind did still remaine The carriage from the spoyle of foes to saue Doth not your merits by more reason craue To be recorded in my Kalender By whose blest worke God of his goodnesse gaue Part of our peace amidst such threatned warre In worthy vertues most mens peere you are In true religious zeale by none exceld Your noble house like to a blazing starre Hath showne wherein true honour euer dweld Then share with worthies all in blessed fame And reade this worke which treateth of the same To the valorous Knight Sir Walter Rawleigh Lord Warden of the Stannerie and Captaine of the Guard OF happinesse when as I hapt to write Me thoughts did make a period Sir in you Who being sworne to Mars and Pallas knight They both with equall honor did endew And therefore might become a censurer trew Of greatest blessings men propound or find Vouchsafe you then this tract thereof to vew As if that Salomon had it assignd Whose interest in you expects your kind And grate acceptance of his graue aduise From whom though many other men were blind He chalengeth a doome right godly and wise But as for me his messenger suffiseth The prayse too truly speake what he deuiseth To the valorous Knight Sir Iohn Norris Lord Generall of her Maiesties forces in Ireland AMong the blessed worthies of our time Your flickering fame aloft I do espy Whose toylesome trauell such a pitch doth clime As euery auncient worthy came not ny The moderne Marses did your vertues try Whilst you the proud Iberian forces quayld In Britany and in Netherland whereby With equall armes they seldome haue preuayld The trecherous practise wherewith they assayld Th' inconstant humors of the Irish foes Your pollicies haue stayd when force hath fayld Whereby your merits measure daily growes So that I must of due make roome for you Though twise nine worthies shold be coynd anew To the valorous Knight Sir Francis Veare MY pen was stayd but purpose chang'd anew So soone as I amidst the noble traine Of worthy knights did cast a thought on you Who yet vnsu'd to did for grace remaine If you I win I shall not litle gaine Because both much you can and much you will For wisedome vertue honor sure sustaine Which haue bene your supporters hereto still I need not then perswasiue lines to fill The matter will suffise to moue your mind If that my hand the beauty of it spill Then let my loue of good your fauour find Whose wisedome can whose goodnes may excuse The faults which want not malice made me muse To the worthy Knight Sir Iohn Stanhop Treasurer of the Chamber to her Maiestie NO common thing it is to find I graunt Humilitie and honour both in one Who loueth vertue of them both may vaunt True honor still hath mild and vertuous showne Then since this worke of vertue treats alone For sure true wisedome doth pure vertue teach It shall offensiue be I trust to none Their words of fauour for truths shield to reach Much lesse a shame what mighty king did preach The same to suffer passe them vncontrold But now adayes men euery worke appeach As barren borrow'd base or ouer bold This makes me craue by you wise noble good My wrong deprauers malice be withstood To the worthy knight Sir Edward Dyer Chauncellor of the most Honorable order of the Garter NOt last nor least for common good desarts I you repute though fortune point your place Your loue to vertue winneth many harts And vertues followers do your loue imbrace I know my argument requires no grace Because grace it doth send it brings delight For both all sue all loue their pleasing face Yet vainely world for both of them doth fight To make more plaine the way for euery wight This princely moderator paines did take Which to your equals men of learned sight A full accord if well iudg'd worke will make You then kind Courtier sound scholler knowne Accept reade and protect these as your owne To the worthy Knight Sir Henry Killegrew THe natiue dutie which of right I owe To you good Knight for many fauours past To me and mine do will me now bestow Some token of my thankfull mind at last Which I more fitly no way yet can show Then by presenting of this volume small Which from repentant heart of king did flow And may a warning be vnto vs all Who daily into new
of by most censured by some Which cannot iudge yet will not be refusde Where wants are pride into and soone accused If shape attire grace skill be not the best Where curious conceits will seeme abused If euery word phrase period bide not test Least that this worke too rashly be supprest Vntried halfe vnderstood disgraced quight I needfull thinke it be to some addrest VVho can and will protect from causelesse spight Which that you will vouchsafe I nothing feare Since to the matter you such zeale do beare To the vertuous Lady the Lady Woollie FArre fet deare bought doth fit a Lady best Such you deserue such would my will bestow Good things are rare rare things esteem'd you know Rare should yours be as you rare of the rest Such hold this gift fetcht from a forraine land Which wisest King as pretious did prouide Who viewing all the earth hath nought espide Whose worth herewith cōpar'd may longer stand The price I dare assure is very deare As puchasd by your merit and my care Whose trauell would a better gift prepare If any better worthy might appeare Then this accept as I the same intend Which dutie to the dead would will me send To the vertuous Lady the Lady Carey IF any thing might in this worke appeare Worthy the reading fit for to content I should then hold it best bestowed here Where most my time in frame thereof was spent By view of your rare vertues I was bent To meditate of heauen and heauenly thing By comfort of your counsell forward went My halting muse this heauenly note to sing And now that time doth forth this haruest bring Which must till need be layed vp in store As medicine meet to cure cares deadliest sting And to restore healths comfort weake before You Lady who of right best int'rest haue Must here receiue and keepe what first ye gaue To the vertuous Lady the Lady D IF kinred be the neerenesse of the blood Or likenesse of the mind in kind consent Or if it be like pronenesse vnto good Or mutuall liking by two parties ment If kindnesse be in truth a firme intent With open heart to testifie good-will If true good will be to contentment bent If true contentment cannot be in ill I know you will repute this token still A pledge of kinsmans loue in ech degree Which though it do your treasure litle fill Yet way to perfect wealth will let you see My selfe in kindnesse wish and hope in you Profit of mind and soules content t'insue To the vertuous Gentlewoman Mistresse E. Bowes AMong the many profits which do rise Vnto the faithfull which the truth do loue A greater comfort can I not deuise Then is the sweet societie they proue When each doth seeke for others best behoue To strengthen that which flesh and bloud doth shake Their weakned soules I meane which sorows moue Through feare of sin and guilty thoughts to quake Whereof by you since I experience make Whose mild and kind accord with neighbours woe Doth cause them oft the crosse with patience take And forward still in hope and courage goe I were vngrate if I should not indeuer To nourish that your grace I honord euer To the Honorable Ladies and Gentlewomen attendants in the Court. YE worthy Nymphes of chast Dyanaes traine Who with our Soueraignes presence blessed bee Whereby ye perfect beauty shall attaine If ye affect the gifts in her you see Scorne not to yeeld your mild aspects to mee Who with you do attend her high behest It can no whit disparage your degree To looke on that is liked of the best This worke for style inferiour to the rest Which many worthier wits to you present Craues welcome yet as some no common guest Whom best to greet your greatest care is spent For kings words these do guide to blisse you craue The fruit of fauour which you striue to haue To all other his Honorable and beloued friends in generall WHat shall I do proceed or stay my pen To either side great reason vrg'd my mind Vnto most powrefull would I yeeld but then Defect of powre makes hand to stay behind Of well deseruing friends I many find Of worthy persons vnsaluted more Those I neglect may hold my heart vnkind And some my iudgement partiall hold therefore Yet as I find so they must graunt the store Of happy Englands well deseruing state Exceeds the bounds my worke prescribd before And doth restraine my mind to stricter rate But if one word may shew a world of loues Vse this and me to all your best behoues