â—o traÌ„sgres theÌ„ a They that favor sin are aâ— worthye of death as they that coÌ„mit the sin Rom 1.31 The way by precepts is obscure long but by exampleâ— shoâ—te plaine Senec. b Princes and Priests ought to be the Exchequers of Gods inestimable Graces c Good works ar much more perswasiue to good life theÌ„ good wordes d Good life is the effect and glory of the church militaÌ„t of the good Pastors thereof Blessed is the Prince Priest whose liues serue for vnwriâ—en law Mâ—s-goveâ—nment â—or the most parte iâ— cauâ—e of rebellion an aâ—gument of the goodnes of ours WilliaÌ„ Duke of Normandy Others harme teach vs to shuÌ„ what caused them Brittanâ— Saxon Dane It is a glorious matter to coÌ„quer but a much more glorious to vse the Conquest well The way to establish a state purchased with the sword A consequent of removing great ones in a newe-conquered kingdome 20 And odde descentes of Kings and Queens since the conquest As this of this Conqueror France Our glory shame Avaâ—ice and Pride the perverters of Peace It is meer madnes to trust the Crown in their handes that long to put it on their owne heads Rich 1. taken prisoner in Austria The sincerest minds may be teÌ„pted aboue their strength by the glitering glosse of a crown lying within reach The Pope interdicted the land By poison as some saie Edward 1. All kings that thought so thrivâ—d the better * WaÌ„ ScotlaÌ„d That which is gotâ—eÌ„ with the Sword must so bee mainetained which little instrument can remooue Obstacâ—es bee they never so gâ—eat or keep them downe that wold rise without permission To rule is as much as to amend that which is amisse or awry b A Prince once in obloquie doe hee wel or ill al is ill taken of his subiects Tacitus Hist. Simil. Claw-backs and Sinn-soothers d The more wealth the more woo if evil imployed Edward 3. The divine Vengeance sleepes not though it wincks Richard of Burdeux One evil corrupteth another and evill put to evill is cause of mutuall destructioÌ„ h God executes his owne iustice by the iniustïce of others i Present pleasures take away the thought of future paine Henry 4. k A Kinge should be able to councell as chiefe councellor and direct as chiefe Captaine Henry 5. l Vengeance attends the 3. and 4 generation of mercilesse maÌ„quellers Henry 6. Rich. Duke of York claimed the crowne in Parliament * No king iâ— but halfe onâ—â— The fruites springing froÌ„ the powâ—e of ParliameÌ„ts to make Kings in England * Germanicus because one or two in the Army had only a purpose to salute him by the name of Emperor was never wel brooked til by his own death he had paide the price of other meÌ„s rashnes Tac Hist. * No wisdome prevailes against Gods decree Edward 4. a The effects of civil warre for looke how much Peace is betâ—er then warr so mâ—ch is â—orraine invasion better then civill dissention b Civill warre tenâ—es to the preiudice of the yet vnborne c Kings houses yeeld many such Vermine d For a poore and hungry Army cannot observe military disciplin Casiodorus e Ambition vpon the least opportunitie setts vpoÌ„ what so ere hinders hir rising f More coÌ„mon weales are ruined for want of good obayers theÌ„ good commanders g Iealousy is glued to loue and to a Crowne h Birth Bequest Laws of God Nature Nations and ReasoÌ„ togeather with all kingly worthines makes good our now kings possession i Neerenesse of blood doth oft put hartes furthest a sunder in Kâ—ngdomes cases k The Lawe it selfe will rather admitt a mischiefe theÌ„ an inconvenience l He alwaies shal be suspected hated of the Prince in possession whoÌ„ men doe account worthy or like to be Prince in succession Tacitus Hist. The Valor fierce courage of the great Cousin displeaseth the iealous Soveraigne Tacit. m All crafty Achitophell-like councels are in showe pleasant in execution hard and in event deadly dangerous n A BaÌ„kerours peace is in civill discord his discord is in peace o Gods Iudgments are inscrutable but none vniust p Iustice equal in quality quantity for Henry 6. and his Sonne were murdered c. q Man ought not to vse maÌ„ prodigally Seneca Richard 3. r Vnder this King to do ill wasâ— not alwaies safeâ— alwaies vnsafe to doe well as Tacitus reports of Neros raigne Princes that tyrannously governe their people haue greater cause to feare good men then theÌ„ that bee evill They which coÌ„teÌ„n peace and covet honour doe lose both peace honor A good cause in publike war like the Cape Bone spei coÌ„ducts to the laÌ„d of triumph Hen. 7. A good prince makâ— war that hee may haue peace and endures labor in hope of rest Salust Eccles. 5 8â— * Where God is praised meÌ„s endevors are blessed * Two things doe establish the Throns of kings prudeÌ„ce pietie the one aâ—earing in their Actions the other in their manners 1. King 3.12 Homer faineth all the Gods to sleep except Iupiter implying ther by the care of a good King for his subiectâ— Princes ought to measure their Actions by the standerd of their Laws as this did Hen. 8. His sword was so successefull as made his neighbours glad of his friendship feareful of his indignation Mercie may haue her excesse in humaÌ„ things Clemency is most daungerous where wheÌ„ soft quiet dealing draweth on more evil then severityâ— * Forrain CoÌ„questes were costly in achiving costly in holding oft no lesse costly then dishonoâ—rable in forgoing * In liberal larges to his friends servants Our Kinges might haue had a double intrest in their subiectes The hearts of Kings are in his hands that disposeth all things to effect his inevitable decrees Beheaded him He knew it was not the speach of a wise man to say who woulde haue thought it Edw. 6. Simil. a For private good b Disorder mother of Confusion c Sedition the plague of perverâ—nesse d Fortune ofteÌ„ reserveth tâ— the hardest chanceâ— them whoÌ„ she advaÌ„ceth to the greatest dignity The fortunate cannot doe ill iâ— they would He is made wise too late that is made wisâ— by his owne hâ—rme and irrecovâ—rable lâ—sâ—e f Dâ—pâ—â—t from thâ—â—e enemies and bewâ—re of thy fâ—iendes Eccle. 6.13 g Frailty is ful of falshood h There is nothing more profitable to mortall men then distrust Euripides i They that stand with all worldes will stand with no world if the world stand not with theÌ„ Queen Mary k Love covers the multitude oâ— sins in our neighboure what should it doe theÌ„ in our Soveraignes that haue more meanes inducemeÌ„ts to sin theÌ„ private peâ—sons l Queene Elizabeth m All that vnderstand the worth of blessed Peace will say Amen to a praier for Peace God will rather heare the Orisons of theÌ„ that pray for Peace theÌ„ the TruÌ„pets that proclaime warres n So often wee play with Gods
one selfe-wombe that both should be the same In Spirite in vertue nature and in name This World beginnes to cotton now for thee For whom the World sometimes was much to blame Vertue deere Sidney now advaunc'd shal be Sith Vertue knowes no partialitee Thou virgin Knight that dost thy selfe obscure From Worlds vnequall eies and faine wouldst dy Er ' thy name should be knowne to Worlds impure Now shew thy selfe thou canst not hidden lie From our newâ— Worlds desert â—out-searching Eie Great Sidneies loue true proofe of thy great worth Liue now for now thou maist not living die Vertue must vse thee then Dyer Knight come forth To haile thy vertues Loadstarre from the North. And Albions Scaeva whose crosse-wounded Corse Like t' an imbalmed dead-Corpse in aspect Twenty times dead yet still hast vitall force And so dost cousin death through deaths defect Yet scornst nay hat'st thy life in Fames respect Vp with thy Coate of Steele its time for thee No foe is now in field and in effect Thy Veines are drie thine eies do dimmely see Then ioy in peace with life at last agree Great Maiestie last let the least of all Thy Subiects least send from his hart a signe Of that it holds and whiles it is it shall That is that loue thou only mai'st define By that vnbounded loue to vs of thine I haile thee happy Sov'raigne from a farre Vnworthy to approach thy view of Eine Saying blest be him that blessed thee from warre To be our peace in whom we blessed are And be thine owne though others praise come short O sacred Sou'raigne Soule of Englandes ioy Let matchlesse vertues Vertues praise report VVhich thou alone dost questionlesse enioy The Vulgars laudes thine Eares doe nought but cloy The Concaue of a Crowne may cause that winde VVhich froward Fates haue power to destroy But that pure praise that 's due to thy pure Minde From Fates is free'd being of immortall kinde VVell wott'st thou Princes liues haue much more force Then purest Lawes their Subiects to refine For Subiects follow still their Sov'raignes course As Sunne-like Marigolds doe Sol divine VVho lose their grace when hee doth ceasse to shine This makes thee shun what may ecclipse thy light Because thou lead'st all by that light of thine And striv'st to glitter in all vertue bright That all might haue thereby direction right Though at thy becke be all sons-pleasing sweetes Yet art thou pleas'd with what thy sense containes In Straightes where Abstinence with Reason meetes Which head-strong Appetite Synne-spurred raignes And binds thy Passions in Soule-staying chaines Thus Reason strictly ruleth thee we see VVhich over thee as thou raign'st ore vs raignes If Reason thou obai'st much more should wee That are borne to obey Reason and thee How came I with thee to bee so acquainted That so I should discribe each part of thee Thy Booke wherin so liuely thou art painted Deere Liege I once ioy-ravished did see For which I shall till death the better bee Then saw I thee and then I heard thy VVordes VVhich with Gods and thy glory did agree And Charity beliefe to them affords Sith â—hee knowes nothing that with them discords And if the Bookes compil'd by vs do beare The Image of our Mindes as thou do'st say Then in that Booke that Image doth appeare Bright as the Sunne in Vertues best araye To light all Kinges to keepe their Kinges high Way No Sentence Line Clause VVord or Syllable Therein contain'd but doth pure thoughts bewraie Then sith thy Minde is to it semblable No Earthly King is to thee sutable Never was Piety with Policy So well componnded in the Head of State The Serpents wisedome many Snakes apply To Sores of Kinges Simplicity but hate The Doue-like innocence as out of date If Piety and Policy doe iarre As some suppose then can we bee s'ingrate As not to crowne him that did end the warre Nor be compos'd by such a Temperer For if from Hartes abundance Mouthes disperse Vertue or Vices Mammon all abroade What may we deeme thee theÌ„ that did'st reherse Such precepts as beseem'd a Semi-God How best the Sonne should beare an Empires Lode Which weakenesse oft back-broken vndergoes We needes must weene that Vertue makes abode As in her home in thy Hart sith it floes VVith goodnesse like Gods to thy Friends Foes How like a Lord of thy selfe do'st thou striue To conquer Passion Princes great'st disease In him that likely is thee to survive And as an oldâ—tride Sea-man tells at Seas VVhat Rocks and â—latts a yong one may displease Ere â—irst he setts out that he them may shunne So from thy proofe for thy Succeeders ease Thou tell'st him ere to rule he hath begune What Compasse he should keep safe Course to run For Empire is a Sea most faire to see But perillous to proue as they best kno That all their life-long to it bounden be Subiect each Tyde to be orewhelm'd with woe If not to wracke and finall overthro Wherein thou dost thy course so wisely guide That like a skilful Pilot thou dost sho By demonstration how this Sea t' abide And safely saile or else at Ancor ride Then ô how blessed is this blisful Ile VVhose God is Loue whose King is Vertues Host VVhose Grace and VVisdome with an holy guile Doth catch the Least and binds them to him most As to their Piller and vpholding Post VVho makes his Subiects great as good as great By his example without Checke or cost And to vnequalls equal Law doth meate With Loues right haÌ„d which stil doth hate defeate The Fire as be'ng the noblest Element Is plac'd by Natures hand aboue the rest That by it's actiue vertue prevalent It might repurifie the worst and best That be inferior or in lesse request So thou art iustly plac'd in Natures right Aboue the great'st that with thy vertue least Canst purge them from their greatest vices quight And make them shine through thy high vertues light Such Kings should be obaid and glory-cround Because their Vertues al mens else exceede For they that are in all abundance drownd Yet set no more in then may Nature feede And spare the rest for those that haue more need O! these are rightly Fames Superlatiues Gods vpon Earth that 's Kings like Gods in deede From whom the subiect vertue high derives VVhose liues are Lights to lead obscurer liues And Vertue in a King is more of price Then in a poore man though most vertuous For Kings haue more meanes to be drawn to Vice And may without controle be vicious But poore-men not for Want and Summumius If Sol would Venus vse what Starre comes not At becke wel-neere too neere to him to vse But if a naked poore Snake be so hott He may be coold but so be coold cannot VVhat glory gettes constrain'd Sobrietie If glorie gotten be by Vertue right Constrain'd b'imperious Necessitie Other then to be chast for want of might In
From making such too great for they wil pare The Prince and polle the Commons without care For Slaves though Kinges in disposition Are most vnmeete to manage Kingdomes states And so are Men of base condition Vnfitt to make inferior Maiestrates The Floures of Crownes fitt not Mechanick Pates No more then costly plumes doe Asses heads They are call'd Crafts-men quasi craftie mates Let these rule such if they must governe needes For they at best are nought but holsome vveedes But some as voide of honestie as Arte Advance themselues by wealth the Nurse of Vice And with good gifts supply want of desert Good-giftes that Givers of Commands entice To part with them though they be nere so nice These seing wealth hath giv'n them Vertues meede Doe make port-sale of Vertue and Iustice T' enrich themselues to clymbe thereby with speed From whence the wracks of CoÌ„mon-weales proceed Did they but good themselues by some mens harme It might be borne although it heavy were But they hereby make all themselues to arme With gold that seeke authoritie to beare Because they see it s gotten by such geare When Vertue 's thus neglected and dispis'd Then Vice perforce doth in her place appeare And where dam'd Vice hath Vertues place surpris'd A Common-woe with Common-wealth's disguis'd That must be deerely sold that 's deerely bought And whereas Iudgments thus are bought and sold There by iust Iudgment al goes stil to nought Yet â—ustice and iust Iudgments States vphold Whose want wrappes them in mis'ries manifold The Iudgments of that Iust orewhelme that Land That armes Oppression gainst the Lawes with Gold For where it s so there VVill for Law must stand And Law goes with Confusion hand in haâ—d Intelligence supreme pow'r of the Soule Wherein alone w' are like the Deity Is that alone which makes vs meete to rule For Natures lawes and Reas'ns authority Requires that such should haue high'st dignity That by their vertue and their high estate They might conserve men in prosperity For right it is they should be rais'd to State That make the state of all most fortunate For Honor is high Vertues sole Reward For which all vertuous Men all paine endure If then such men from Honor should be barr'd All to be vicious it would soone procure For Vice doth raigne where Vertue hath no pow'r Where Honors are bestow'd without respect On good and badd as cloudes bestowe their shower There must of force ensue but badd effect For who 'l be good if Grace the good neglect In ancient Common-weales they wonted were Statues of mettall Arches triumphal With Publike Sepulture and praises cleere These and such like they did bestow on all That to their Common-weales were as a VVall For they that watch whilst others sound doe sleepe To stay the State that else perhapps might fall And laboure stil the Lambes from VVolves to keepe Such Shepherds should be honor'd of the Sheepe For to give Rule to none but Midasses Is ev'n as if a Shippe were rendered In greatest Tempests and VVindes outrages To richest Marchants to be governed Not to the skillful'st to be mastered Whereof ensues the wracke of shippe and freighâ— From which in Stormes it is delivered By skilful Pilotts which haue gott the sleight by their experience to direct her right Themistocles is iustly famoused For that by Valor and great Policie He did reduce th' Athenians beastly bredd To live by Lawes in great civility But Solon's prais'd more meritoriously Who finding Athens at the point to fall With shocke of Civill warre he readily Did staie the same and reestablish't all The Lawes Maiestrats driv'n to the wall Nor did Camillus that repulst the Galls And Rome preserved from their furies flame Deserve lesse if not more memorialls TheÌ„ the two BrethreÌ„ that first built the same Nor yet can Caesars or great Pompeies fame Though they Romes Empire stretcht from East to VVest Be so renowmed as his glorious name That found it neere by Haniball possest Yet rescu'd it and gaue it roome and rest Then Rule should not be given to the rich If with their wealth they were but fooles vniust The Common-wealth would private be to such For they would rule by Lawes squar'd by their lust And for their gaine stil buy and sell the Iust VVisedome and Iustice with wealth competent Should be in Rulers such â—he Prince might trust With greatest charge next them in government For each will rule as Vertues President For how i st possible men should perswade Others to vertue and to keepe the Lawes If they them-selues them-selues there froÌ„ disswade And by their lewdnesse others lewdnesse cause A Rulers Vice to vice the People drawes Sylla might wel be laught to scorne when hee Perswaded Temperance to all because He liv'd himselfe none more licenciouslee For none lesse loved mediocritee Lisander was no lesse to blame for hee Allow'd those Vices in the Multitude FroÌ„ which himselfe refrain'd religiouslee For if by Princes vices bee alowd It is al one as if they vice ensude But iust Licurgus nere did ought forbid But by himselfe the same should be eschude Whose subiects did no more theÌ„ himself did Such Legislators should bee deifide Such Prince or Priest such people saith the Saw Examples more then Lawes make men liue wel Doe Priests liue so their liues like Loadstones draw The people to the same And doe compel Sans-force t' obedience such as would rebel Then weigh what good or ill your liues doe cause Ye Prophets Sonnes that should in grace excel Is your life il its double ill because It hurts your selues and to vice others drawes And where Vice raignes Rebellion oft doth rule That diss-vnites the best vnited state Which growes from Governors vice or mis-rule That makes the Commons with no common hate Watch al advantage to abridge their date The forraine Foe then findes domesticke aide Aide that assists all that wil innovate So by their Subiects Sov'raignes are betraide VVhen their mis-rule makes them be disobaide ANd here my Muse leads me as by the hand Out of the way as it were by the way To view the liues of Princes of this Land Since first the Norman did the Scepter sway And scanne their vndertakings as I may For by th' event of Actions past wee shall The present and future the better sway Which is the vse of storie for they fal Seldome or nere that haue light to see All. VVilliam the Norman surnam'd Conquerer By his succesful sworde having subdude This compound Nation weake through civil war The Conquest hee so thorowly pursude As that an admirable peace ensude This fierce Invader with resistlesse force Dissolu'd the state and made the Multitude To liue by Lawes which Lawyers yet enforce Which of all former lawes did crosse the course Hee pull'd vp all that might pul downe his state
THough Saturne now with Iupiter doth sitt Where earst Minerua the Muse did raigne Ruling the Common-wealth of vvill and vvitt Plac'd in the kingdomes of thy hart and braine Those Planetts I adore whose influence Insuseth vvisedome Counsell gravity Minâ—â—ua the Muse ioyes my Soules sence Sith Soule-delighting lines they multiplie In both respects for that that was and is I tender thee the service of my Muse Which shal not marre thy fame though it may misse To give the same that which to it accrues Yet this Giâ—t through thy Gifts she gives to thee Times future Dyer die shal never see I. D. To the right worshipfull venerable Prelate Doctor Tompson Deane of VVindsor MY frend my father naie which is more deere My selfe should I ere thee belov'd forgett VVhose loue to mee to mee doth thee indeere Whose life my will for like on edge doth sett In the vvombe fashiond for a right Divine Pleasing to God to Angells and to Men In whose face vvitt and pietie doth shiâ—e To leade the blinde drawe perverse Bretheren An hart of flesh clos'd in a Brest of Brasse To feele Mens paines and paine endure to ease theÌ„ Charities Mirror or thick christal glasse Wher-through God SuÌ„ beams burne what doth disease theÌ„ Good to the good and badd to great and small And my good freind though I be worst of all I D. Memories tribute due to the most worthie and no lesse learned Gentleman Edward Herbert of Mountgomeroy Esquier CAN I forgett that 's aie myne Eyes before If so I could I may not thee forgett That vow'd my Memorie to thee of yore Then thou of me maist claime that as thy Debt There are in thee partes worth my memorie Although it could thy paâ—tes immortal make Who knowes â—hee wil my iudgement iustify If not he doth both thee and mâ—e mistake I cannot iudge of coulors with such Eyes As cannot be deceaved but I can Discerne the knowne foole from th' approved wise And without Spectacles a Beast froÌ„ Man If then sweete Sir shouldst thou but please the sense Sense must needs praise thy pleasing excellence He in whose Memoâ—ie you shall live till you saile to be what you are or it what it is I. D. To all the right noble Nobilitie of England IF I were not disabled through Defect For my Inventions Poise which witt vp-wound Lies now for want of streÌ„gth stock-still on ground No vertuous Peere I would by name neglect The VVheeles which did my Fancy working turne Are at a stand O then impute it not To want of VVill as if I had forgott In wilfull wise to name you in your turne But wheÌ„ my VVitts haue strength recovered To winde the Poise vp to Inventions height I le doo my best to give each one his right Though by your selves you are most honored Meane while with Favors Eye looke on my VVill Which may excuse my present want of skill I. D. To all the right Honorable Earles Lords of Scotland I Want no loue how ere my skill may faile In Honors Catalogue your names to putt Yet now am forc'd theÌ„ al vnseene to shutt In these straite Lines as in the Muses â—aile Where I le detaine theÌ„ not without your leaue Till I doe set them foorth with better grace Each one in his true Coulors forme and place And as I found them faire so them to leave When you awhile before my Muse have sate For Painters make theÌ„ sitt whose formes they paint Her skill shall faile but then shee will depaint According to the Life your life and State Pictures are vs'd life after death to sâ—o And youres my Pen must picture shal be so I. D. To the most faire most fortunate and no lesse famous Magdalen Colledge in Oxford And can I seeme much lesse then can I be Grateful if I should thee or thine forget Whose Head and Members bind me so to thee That thou maist giue or take me as thy debt Thy discreete head 's a Bond that bindes my head My hart my hand and vvhat besides is mine To him for thee to thee for him in Deede So being bound in Deede in deede am thine The Members of thy body not of stone Squar'd by the cunning of a mortall hand But living loving made by Loue alone Haue by their loue in ever-lasting Band So tide me to them that as they doe moue So moue I forc'd by force of mutuall loue Againe BLest be that Thought past time beyond al thought That first did moue that wise as holy hart To reare this Trophey where his vertues fought And coÌ„quer'd Rage with whoÌ„ those times took part A sacred Trophey left for Vertues vse Not onely as are others for meere fame But as a nere-dri'd Dugge vnto the Muse That times past time might suck sweets froÌ„ the same Sing sweetly blessed Babes that sucke the Brest Of this sweete Nectar-dropping Magdalen Their praise in holy Hymnes by whom yee Feast The God of Gods and VVaineslet best of Men Sing in an Vnion with the Angels Quires Sith Heav'ns your house coÌ„tenting your desires I. D. To the VVorld PErhaps in Iudgements eie it may appeare I lou'd Him living whom I honor dead Whose loue I think to all was no lesse deare Sith hee was such as all men honored All that is some or rather most of All If some did not the harme I wish to them Is that they may deserue loue generall Or els made free of new Ierusalem No creature bearing God-almighties forme But I desire to loue and wish him vvel If good desires farre worse Affects deforme It comes from that for which the fiâ—st MaÌ„fel But howsoere I am resolv'd herein To wish al grace in spight of flesh sinne I. D. To my beloved Mr. Iohn Davies of the Middle-Temple Councellor at the Law WHy should it not content me sith thy praise Pertaines to me to whoÌ„ thy name pertaines If thou by Art to heav'n thy fame canst raise Al 's but Iohn Davies that such glory gaines Admit it liues enrol'd in lasting lines In the Exchequer of the sacred Muse Thy name thy fame vnto my name coÌ„bines In future times nor Thou nor I can choose For if Iohn Davies such such times brought forth To wit these times in vvhich vve both doe liue Then must Iohn Davies share Iohn Davies worth For times to come can no distinction giue Then what neede I to beate my tired braines To make Iohn Davies liue to after Ages When thou hast don 't by thy praise-worthy paines For were I idle I haue thy VVorkes wages Or what if like an intellectual Sprite I able were Artes Spirits to purifie To ravish VVorlds to come with rare delight They would with my fame thy name glorifie Then may I play sith thou dost worke for me And sith thy works do so in beauty shine What neede I then for fame thus busie be Sith thine is mine and mine is likewise thine It is because my Minde
which VVitt wel applies Then he that hath but Tongues though all that are And not the wisdomes which those Tongues cōprise May amongst fooles be held a Doctor rare But with the wise al Tongue and nothing spare Giue me the Man that knowes more then a Man Yet thinkes he knoweth no more then a Beast Giue me him quoth I where is he and who can Give me that Gifte sith such are al diceast Or if they bee not to be found at least Sage Socrates is deade and with him gon His Pupills that knew more then al the rest Yet thought they knew farre lesse then ev'ry one But now al seeme to know yet know doth none O! had a man al learning in his braine And were to heare or see the wondrous VVritt Of some deepe Doctors he should track them plaine From place to place where they haue borrowed it And nought their owne perhaps but what 's vnfitt Yet as if all were theirs they are admir'd As if their Sculls ensconst al skill and VVitt Or with some sacred furie were inspir'd When as God wott their VVitt is al-bemir'd Yet all take on as if all were their owne So t is all thinke or few know otherwise Which few perhaps as well as they haue stolne Borrow'd I would say but yet they are wise Not to detect each others pilferies The greatest skill these present times affoord Is others sayings cleanely to comprise In ours so that it be not word for word Which wit with moderne wisedome doth accorde But say a Man knew al that Man can know Yet doth the Divell know more then that Man What cause of pride then can it be to show Lesse knowledge and more pride then dam'd Sathan Who hath obseru'd all since the VVorld began Nor doe the Elementes repugnance marre His wits for he of Aire consists and can Command the same But in Man so they warre That he is taken Follies Prisoner Who knowes nought in the Cause but in th' effect The Divels knowledge to the cause extends Who enters Natures Brest and doth select All secrets of the same to secret endes For he th' Abysse of Causes darke descendes And with his Owles-eies that see best in darke Those Causes to the Causer comprehendes And how they are togither linckt doth marke Yet is lesse prowde of this then some meane Clarke Yet he can wonders worke amusing all For having view'd the forces of all thinges VVhether celestiall or terrestriall And with most curious search their true workings Their forces he with sleight togither brings And actiue to their passiue powres doth binde Yea one another so togither minges That it brings foorth by sympathie of kinde VVonders surmounting all conceite of minde No one excels him but that Three in One In wondrous workes which may amaze the wise But that same onely-wise Trin-vnion Workes Miracles wherein all wonder lies For Miracles aboue all VVonders rise Sith they are truely supernaturall But VVonders he to Natures Secrets ties Then wonders simplie are but naturall But Miracles meere Metaphysicall But be it that some Begger can extract By distillation or some other meane The Quintessence of any thing That Acte Suffiseth him to be as prowde as meane And though the starueling be as lewd as leane Yet thinkes he Kings should feede and make him fat Nay doe him homage O base Thing vncleane Canst thou for this thinke thou deservest that Or can a skill so base thee so inflate What Brest coulde bound thy Heart then if thou couldst Make the Elixer which so many marre It 's past most probable◠that then thou wouldst Seeke to be Deifide or els turne starre That Dull-heades might adore thee from afarre It is a skill indeede of rich esteeme And worthy of the rar'st Philosopher But could one doe the same as many seeme Yet no great wise one he himselfe should deeme For al his wits to this should be restrain'd Sith to worke wonders the whole man requires And though at length perhaps he it attain'd Yet should he bee to seeke that VVit desires In other matters then these feates by fires Sage Salomon whose wisedome wonder wan Knew al in all which all in one admires Yet knew that all was vaine and he a man Vainer then Vanitie that nothing can Our knowledge is so slender and so fraile That the least pride cannot depend thereon Pride breaks our Cōnings necke which oft doth faile To hold aright the nature of one Stone Much lesse to know the kindes of ev'ry one Compare the All we know with the least part Of that we know not wee shall see alone That God is wise And men are voide of Art And blinde in wit and will in Minde and Hart. Be he a Pleader and a wordie Man Whose VVinde the true Elixer is for it The Aire to Aurum transmute lightly can If once he gets a name for law-ful wit Hee thinkes high pride for him alone is fit Convoies of Angels then must help the most Vnto his speech for he makes benefit Of ev'ry word for not one shal be lost Or if it be the next shall quit that cost Vp goe his Babell-Towres of Pompe and Pride That to the High'st he may next neighbour be No neighbour neeres him his grounds are so wide Then not a Nod without a treble fee An Angell though most bright he cannot see And yet to know the Law is but to know How Men should liue and without Law agree Which Reason to the simplest Soule doth show Then pride is farre too high for skill so low But though the Lawyer liues by others losse And hath no place in Platoes Common-weale Yet if he will not crosse Law for the crosse That no Man hates but all doe loue to feele Hee 's worthy of the Crosse sweete Comforts Seale For Lawyers ought like Lawes to make Men good And who are in the wronge or Right reveale Then are they worthy of al liuelyhood That make men liue in perfect Brotherhood But that a Petti-fogging prating patch That gropes the Law for nothing but for Galles Should be so prowde as if he had no match For tossing Lawes as they were Tennis Bals This vexeth God and Good-men at the Galles Yet such there are too many such there are Who are the Seedes-men of Litigious Bralls And are so prowde that by the Lawes they dare Contend with Crassus though they nought cāspare I graunt the Law to bee an holy thing Worthy of reverence and all regard But the abuse of Law and so of King By such as will abuse both for reward Is dam'd hard tearme yet that course is more hard Can such finde patrones such course to protect They can and doe but would they might be barr'd From Barres or that ore Barres they might be peckt El◠at Barres with as hard a doome be checkt Hinc ille Lachrymae ô griefe of griefes My Muse be