A Happy Husband OR Directions for a Maide to choose her Mate IN Paradice God Marriage first ordaind That lawfully kind might be so maintaind By it the Man is made the Womans head And kind immortalized in their seed For like produces like it so should be God blest it with encrease and multiply Nature requires it nothing is more iust Who were begot beget of duty must It Youth becomes Age is vnapt to breed Old stocks are barren youthfull plants haue seed Then vertuous Virgin since such blessings springs Frō wedlock which earth 's greatest cōfort brings Compeld by loue which to thy worth is due How to choose well thy mate I will thee shew Whose sympathizing vertues may combine Your harts in loue till death lifes thread vntwine It 's not my mind the rarities to gleane Of best perfections I haue heard or seene And take the best where bounty doth abound And make a H◅sband no where to be found The Painter so from boyes and girles did take Best of their beauties Helen faire to make No I will paint thy mate in such a hew As Care may find Discretion must allow To choose aright know from what stocke hee 's grown The birth suites best is equall to thine owne Dislike makes higher Birth deeme lower base Lower will neuer by thy Birth take place In Man the fault is more to be excus'd Who of low birth for beauty hath one chus'd His lightnes therein euer loue is deem'd Yet as his place his Wife shall be esteem'd But when a Woman of a noble race Doth match with Man of farre inferiour place Shee cannot him innoble He is still In place as shee first found him good or ill His breeding will his birth stil to thee tell For as the caske the liquor still doth smell A crab thogh dig'd dung'd cannot bring forth A luscious fruit so hardly man of worth Doth from base stocke proceed still like it selfe Nature produces force of golden pelfe To alter that 's not able yet we know Oft Men of worth haue come of Parents low For Parents place is not the Childrens merit Yet it addes grace if they their worth inherit If not it addes to shame for from high race Vertue 's expected due to such a place For indegenerate heroicke minds They should possesse are come of noble kinds What man 's owne worth acquires with vertuous ends Is truly his and not that which descends Cicero brags and iustly that his line He did in glorious vertue farre outshine Which was his honour They no honour hau◅ Who idle adde not to what they receine It is his owne worth euery Man doth grace Lesse or more eminent as is his place For Vertue though aye cleare yet clearest shines VVhen shee doth dart her lights from noble lines A glorious flame blazing in valley low Is soone bar◅'d sight nor doth it farre way show Obscur'd with neighbour obiects but on hie A little Beacon to both farre and nie Shewes like a bearded Comet in the Aire Admir'd of some of most accounted rare Choose thou a Husband equall to thy race VVho 's grac'd by vert◅ and doth vertue grace Things different doe neuer well agree Trv◅ liking lodges in equality Better then birth his Parents vertues know From poyson'd springs no wholsome waters flow As for his shape I would it should be free From Natures not of spite Deformity Deformed shape is of so bad a nature That it s disliked euen in a noble creature VVhere comely shape with loue attracts the eyes By secret sympathy os all it sees Englands third Richard and the wife of Shore The one deform'd the other grac'd with store Of bountious Nature◅ gifts doe shew the effects Of Loue and Hate to goo◅ and bad aspects Shee when shee barefoote with a Taper light Did open pennance in the peoples sight VVent so demure with such a lo◅ely ◅ace That beau◅y seem'd apparreld in disgrace But most when shame summon'd the blood too hie V◅ith natiue staines her comely cheekes to die In scarlet tincture Shee did so exceed That euen di◅grace in her delight did breed Firing beholders hearts that came to scorne her So Beauty cloath'd in basenesse did adorne her That euen the good who else the vice did blame Thought shee deserued pitty more then shame Condemning cunning Richards cruell mind VVho caus d her shame the multitude to blind Lest it his greater mischiefe should behold VVhich his ambition plotters had in mold So in them was the force of feature seene Who if lesse famous had more happy beene Thus Nature makes each Body with the mind Some way to keepe Decorum for we find Mark'd bodies Manners crosse accompany VVhich in well shap'd we seld or neuer see For shee doth Builder-like a Mansion frame Fit for the guest should harbour in the same No Stature chuse too low for so in t◅me Thy off-spring may proue dwarffes yet doe not clime To one too tall for buildings mounted hi◅ Their vpper roomes seldome well furnish'd be Herein obserue the meane its best of all Let him not be obseru'd for low nor tall Fresh liuely colours which faire women grace Modest effeminate alluring face Is not so much in Man to be respected As other graces are to be affected The bloome of Beauty is a fading flower VVhich Age and Care consumeth euery houre It blasted once is euer after lost Like to a rose nipt with vntimely frost A manly face in Man is more commended Then a faire face from Sun and Wind defended A Carpet Knight who makes it his chiefe care To tricke him neatly vp and doth not spare Though sparing precious time for to deuoure Consulting with his glasse a tedious houre Soone flees spent so whiles each irrigular haire His Barbor rectifies and to seeme rare His heat-lost-lockes to thicken closely curles And curiously doth set his misplac'd purles Powders perfumes are then profusely spent To rectifie his natiue nasty sent This forenoones task perform'd his way he takes And chamber-practis'd crauing cursies makes To each he meets with cringes screw'd faces which his too partial glasse approu'd for graces Then dines and after courts some courtly Dame Or idle busie-bout misspending game Then suppes then sleepes then rises for to spend Next day as that before as t' ware the end For which he came so womaniz'd turn'd Dame As place mōgst O◅ids changlings he might claim VVhat Doe not such discouer their wake mind Vnapt for actiue vertue is inclind To superficiall things and can imbrace But outward Habits for internall Grace The minds gifts doe the bodies grace adorne Where that 's defectiue to affect is scorne For Actions hinder'd by too much obseruing Of decency but where a well deseruing And setled reputation is then there Each thing becomes and is accounted rare VVhere that 's defectiue striuing to affect Anothers worth their weaknesse doth detect Let thy Mate be what such doe striue to seeme Thou must the substance not the shade esteeme VVhen thou hast
both still striue and striuing are orecome The rocke is worne the Billow's crush'd in fome Whereas the Sea calmely the Sand imbraces And with smooth forehead louingly it graces Being content that it should bound his shore Yeelding to mildnesse where force fail'd before So let thy mildnesse winne thy Husband to it If that doe not then nothing else will doe it Beware you willing to no anger moue him If he perceiue't he cannot thinke you loue him If anger once begin twixt Man Wife If soone not reconcil'd it turnes to ◅trife Which still will stirre on euery light occasion What might haue ceas'd in silence then perswasiō Of friends will hardly end for euery iarre Is ominons presaging life-long warre And where two ioin'd doe iar their state decaies They goe not forward wh◅ draw diuers wayes Being yoakt together your first care must be That with your Husband you in loue agree As farre from fondn◅sse be as from neglect Mixing affection with a staid respect If toying fondnesse were Mans onely aime Not reason but his lust should chuse his Dame VVhere Whores lasciuious that can wayes inuen◅ Should equalize thee nay giue more content No th◅se are not the Ioyes he hopes to find The Body not so much he weds as mind Be neuer fond nor without cause vnkind These are the fruits of an inconstant mind Thou must not if his fortunes doe decline Be discontented or seeme to repine But beare a constant countenance not dismaid As if you were of misery afraid His fortunes you must good or bad abide VVith chaines of mutuall loue together tide The losse of that which blind-fold Chance doth giue Cannot a worthy generous mind agrieue For it will neuer take it for a crosse VVhich cannot make one wicked by its losse Nor by the gaining good both foole and knaue Are often rich if such afflictions haue They driue them to despaire but draw the wise VVith eleuated thoughts such things despise Seneca saith the gods did take delight To see graue Cato with his Fate to fight O what should we whose hopes doe higher rise If Heathens thus could worldly things despise Affliction oft doth mount the Wiser hie Ioseph and Iob rose by aduersity Its signe of a weake mind to be deiected For worldly losse such neuer are respected If thou wouldst not be irksome to thy mate Be cheerefull not succumbling with his fate Yet if that anguish doth afflict his mind You must not seeme so from the world refind As to disdaine what humaine crosse brings forth Pride to be singular that is not worth Nay thou must be a mirror to reflect Thy Husbands mind for as is his aspect So should be thine Pale Phaebe yeelds no light VVhē the interpos'd earth bars his Phaebus sight But when no obiect intercepts his streames Shee decks her selfe with light rebating beames Euen so as is thy Husbands ioy or paine So must thy ioy and sorrow wax or waine Be not too curious in his waies to prie Suspition still makes the suspected trie Iealousie 's feare for why should shee suspect That knowes her selfe guilty of no defect If he perceiue thee of thy selfe despaire He will thinke sweeter ioyes are otherwhere which thou dost want so thou thy selfe shalt giue The first occasion to what may thee grieue Thy owne desert must Him vnto thee bind Desert doth make a sauage to be kind It is an Adamantine chaine to knit Two soules so fast nought can them disunit Where that most sweet communion of the minds Saue each in other no contentment finds And whatsoeuer the one touches neare Iealousie the other nere conceales for feare Brutus his honor dearer pris'd then life Concredited to Portia his Wife What feare from dearest friends caus'd him conceale Worth and desert made him to her reueale Great Caesars death and who his consorts were VVith their designes he did impart to her Nor is their birth or beautie of such might To alienate their hearts or giue delight VVho had more beauty then that captiu'd Queen The faire Statira when in griefe was seene The pearly haile blasting her beautie fields VVhich seemelinesse euer cloath in sorrow yeelds Being grac'd with modesty and vnstain'd faith More force still fairenesse with such fellowes hath Yet could not her faire beauty moue the thought Of Alexander though lesse faire haue brought Oft Captaines to be captiues nor her state Shee being married did affection bate For then her Virgin Daughter yet vnstaind VVhose beauty all comparison disdaind Going her louely Mother so before As shee did all the rest of Asia's store Should quickly haue intangled his desire VVhose heart all one Roxane's loue did fire For if proportion colour wealth or birth Could haue captiu'd the Monarch of the Earth These should haue won but he did her preferre VVhose onely merits pleaded loue for her Deserue then not in shew but from the heart Loue is perpetuated by desert As it befits not Man for to imbrace Domesticke charge so it s not Womans place For to be busied with affaires abroad For that weake sexe it is too great a load And its vnseemely and doth both disgrace When either doth vsurpe the others place Leaue his to him and of thine owne take charge Care thou at home and let him care at large Thou hast enough thy selfe for to imploy VVithin door◅s 'bout thy house and huswifery Remember that its said of Lucresse chast when some Dames wantoniz'd others tooke rest Shee with her Maidens first her taske would end Ere shee would sleepe shee did not idle spend Swift running Time nor ga◅e alluring pleasure The least aduantage to make any seisure On her rare vertues A soule vacant stili Is soone seduced to doe good or ill For like perpetuall motion is the mind In action still while to this flesh confind From which foule prison it takes often staines For absolutely good no man remaines Imploid if not bout good about some ill Producing fruits which doe discouer still How it is labour'd like a fertile field VVhich fruit or weeds aboundantly doth yeeld As it is mannur'd be not idle then Nor giue vice time to worke vpon thy braine Imagined ill for what it there conceiues It oft brings out and in dishonor leaues The purest things are ea◅iest to be staind And it 's soone iost which carefully was gaind Penelope did wheele and distaffe handle And her dayes worke vndid at night by candle Nor labour-forcing need compeld that taske which toyling dayes and tedious nights did aske For shee was Queene of Ithack t was her name which vertuous care kept spotles free from blame One of so many suiters of each sort As for her loue did to her Court resort Not speeding would haue spoke that might her staine The greatest hate when loue turnes to disdaine If colour could haue made their knauery stronger But enuie could not find a way to wrong her Be thou as these carefull of hous-wifery With Prouidence what 's needful still supply Looke thy Maids
sincere or for a cloake pretended The vulgar Honesty seruant to Lawes Customes Religions Hope and feare it drawes Be more or lesse According to the times It still is wauering difference of climes Makes it vnequall rather Policy I may call such Respect then Honesty VVhich still aspiring quickly oft mounts hie And in short time vnto that marke comes nie At which it aimes but builded on false grounds A sudden fall it vnawares confounds But Honesty doth alwaies goe vpright VVith setled pace not wauering for the might Of winds times nor occasions it goes slow But still attains the end towards which doth goe Now such an Honest man I wish thâ—…e find As still is Honâ—…st out of Honest mind That 's Wisdomeâ—… first ground next is to propose A certaine forme of life sor euer those VVho diuers in themselues aime at no end But as occasion offers each way tend Neuer attaine the marke If Hawke assay To trusse two Birds shee doth on neither pray These grounds being laid an vnfain'd Piety Must build thereon and though that diuers be Religions Lawes yet ours amongst them all Is truest purest most authenticall Religion true loues God and quiets vs And rests in a Soule free and generous VVheâ—…e superstition is a franticke error A weake minds sicknes the owne Soules terror Religious men doe still feare God for loue The supersticious lest they torments proue Let thy Mate be a man whose setled faith In true Religion sure foundation hath For twixt those bodyes loue doth best reside Whose soules no selfe opinions doe deuide The foure chiefe â—…irtues next in order goe From which the rest as from four fountains flow Prudence the first place hath to see and chuse Which is so needfull and of so great vse That with it weighty things doe seeme but light VVithout it nothing can be done of weight By it things euen gainst Nature are achieued A wise mind gaineâ—… what many hands hath grieued Iustâ—…e â—…e must be Himselfe first to command For sensuall things at Reasons Law must stand The Spirits power keepes the passions still in awe And strictly bounds them with an austere Law VVith Moderation it guides our desires VVe must not all condemne Naturâ—… requires To loue things neat and needful base things hate Its wantonnesse to liue too delicate But its mere madnesse to condemne the things Which needfull vse and common custome brings Next to his Neiâ—…hbour he that right must doe Which he expects freely not forced thereto Whom Law constraines they falsifie all trust Its conscience not constraint that makes men iust As iust so valiant would I haue him be Not out of rashnesse or stupidity It is a constant patient resolutiâ—…n Of bashlesse Courage gainst the reuolution Of times and fortunes it regards not paines VVhere Honor is the Hire Glory the gaines It s sensible carefull mans selfe to saue Not daring offer wrong more then receiuâ—… As Prudent Iust and valiant so He must Be temperate this vertue hath foule lust And pleasure for its obiect it commands Laps reâ—…ormes our sensuall thoughts it stands Twixt a desire and dulnesse of our nature And is the spurrer on or the abater Of ill or good shamefast in refusing Thing filthy honest in things comely chusing Though with perfection these no one man fits Yet let him be free from their opposits He must be sober not giuen to excesse It cures and keepes in health mind it doth dresse Making it pure and capable of good It 's Mother and good counsell is the Brood Excesse doth dull the Spirits and breeds disease So after punished by what fiâ—…st did please Learn'd let him be his learning generall Profound in none yet haue some skill in all VVhos 's deeply learn'd his Booke is most his Wife Conuersing still with it so of his Life His Wife not halfe enioyes for most iâ—… spent In study so what should yeeld most content Societies debard I doe wish then VVho are meere Schollars may liue single men Learning besots the weake and feeble mind But pollishes the strong and well inclind The one â—…aine-glory puffes with selfe-conceit The others braine is setled iudgements seat Then so learn'd let him be as may chuse Flowâ—…rs of best Bookes whosâ—… sweet sent he may vsâ—… To rectifie his knowledge and distill From thence life-blessing precepts which so will Temper his vnderstanding that the frowne Of fickle Fortune neuer shall cast downe Not bould in speech no man of many words Chuse thou a Husband leauy tree affords The smallest store of fruit Both words and deeds Seldome or neuer from one Man proceeds Who guides his words he in a word is wise Yet let him not be sullenly precise But gentle pleasing not crabbed or tart The wise mans tongue is euer in his heart The fooles heart 's in his tongue it is great gaine For to be silent and ones selfe containe And see with whomsoeuer he conuerse Left he be thought ill nurtur'd or peruerse That he be kind obsequious affable To fit himselfe vnto their humors able To change condition with the time and place Is wisdome and such leuity doth graâ—…e So Aristippus each face each behauiour Did still become and was a gracing fauour Choose thou a Husband older by some yeares Then thou thy selfe art Man age better beares Then Women for bearing of children makes Their Strength decay soon beauty them forsakes Many crops makes a field soone to be bare Where that that bâ—…ares not long continues faire Now Lady such a man I wish you find As here I haue describ'd with whom'to bind Your selfe is to be blest leading a life Full of content free from contentious strife A Wiues behauiour BVt to find good is not enough to show But hauing found him how to keepe him so Then since I haue aduis'd you how to chuse him I will giue some aduice how you should vse him Obedience first thy will to his must fit He is the Pylot that must gouerne it It man condemnes of inability VVhen Women rule that is born to obey Nor is it Honor to Her but a shame To be match'd with one onely man in naâ—…e But if imperious He should more desire Then due respect doth of a Wife require Think not harsh stubbornnes wil ere procure him To be more mild it rather will obdure him The whip and lash the angry Horse inrages Mild voice and gentle strâ—…ke his irâ—… asswagâ—…s From steele-struck flint we see the lightning flies But struck gainst wooll the flasâ—…ing flame none spies Nor is the clangor hard the ones soft nature Is to the others hardnesse an abature VVin thou thy Mate with mildenes for each crâ—…sse Answer'd with anger is to both a losse Like as the Sea which gainst a churlish rocke Breaks brauing billowes with a boistrous stroke Seeking by raging force to throw on sands The stiffe resisting rocke which vnmou'd stands Repelling his bold billowes with like scorne As th' others brauery had bownst them beforne Thus
Yet be their oathes shrowdes to licentiousnesse Which thogh they seem a faire preteÌ„ce to bearâ—… Take but their vizard off they 're nothing lesse Then what they did protest Beware of â—…hem For these be dangerous Hollow harâ—…ed men Yet these be fooles though they be politike In that they aime more at a priuate good A sensuall pleasure honour or such like Then at that suprâ—…ame end which vnderstood VVould their conceits to admiration strike For weak's their iudgement and elâ—…ion rash That poize souls treasure lesse theÌ„ worlds trash Next vnto these be such as doe aspire Aboue their pitch and with ambitious wings So are far aboue their sphere thâ—…se do desire Nought more then to be popular which brings A timelesse merited end for they conspire Their owne subuersion for few euâ—…r â—…aue Aâ—…bition sene graye-headed tâ—…â—…er graue These reach at Scepters but do â—…fttimes fall Belâ—… their Center and though they do make Their owne opinions Axioms and will call Nought good but what themselues do vndertake Yâ—…t by a publiqe verdit when they shall Conuictâ—…d bee then they 'le confesse say Non thogh more seemin-gwise more fools theÌ„ they Next these be Prodigals who spend their time Like Circes chanted guests these are but men Onely in forme for th'part which is diuine Remaines obscure and darker shines in them Then a small star clâ—…ath'd in a cloud doth shine These men we well may formal shadowes call For saue meere shadowes these are nought at all Alcynous mates such as were borne to bee But not to liue pageants that goe and moue And weare good cloath's yet view theÌ„ inwardly They are but Trunks at best or Apes that loue Or make a shew of loue whose ends we see When they haue run on shelfe their whole estate Their grâ—…ting's changd into a grate And are not these vaine fooles that make a losse Of credit bodie state to yeeld delight For one poor moment ô when they shall tosse Those leaue of their account where appetite Made them insensate and that weeping crosse Which their profuser follies brought them to They 'le style themselues then Fooles in fâ—…lio Next be thâ—…se staines of honour which defile Those Temples which ought to be dedicate To an Ethereall power These though they 'ue stile Of women are nought lesse for why they hate What best beseemes that sex hence this I le Deriues her Name and aptly doth it take When th'stronger sâ—…xe is ruled by the weake These are those lurâ—…s of death which drawe men on Vnto perdition These are they that show Like Flowers in May but they are withered soon Euen with one breth for painting if you blow Makes the Complexion to be quite vndone Vnhappie she that when she sees one breath Dissolues her varnish will not think on death Of these my sonne no more will I relate Then what I haue now meane I to descend To teach thee somthing for thy own estate And how thou maist be to thy selfe a friend With a good Conscience which to violate Were worst of euills and to forme thy life Better I 'le tell thee how tâ—… chuse a wife Chuse thou thy wife my Sonne nor faire nor foulâ—… Nor gay nor sluttish silent yet knowes when And where it 's fit to speak one whose chaste soule Shews modestie in blushes and wilâ—… len No eare to light affections but caâ—… coole Heate of desire for such desires may bee In purest loue by her enioying thee Chuse a fixt eye for wandring lookes display A wauering disposition let her cheeke Be without art Chuse me a bashfull nay Before a quiâ—…k assent for such as seeke Husbands for feare they should too long time stay Resemble thosâ—… who know their ware is worst And therefore mean to sell 't to whoÌ„ comes first Chuse one that 's so discreet knows when to spare VVhen to expresse herselfe in bountie so As neither niggard-nature may haue share In her nor lauishnes when shees'd bestow What Repâ—…tation claimes which speciall care Imports a soueraigne complement or end To such know when where to spare or spend Chuse thee no gadder for a wife should bee In this respect I 'me sure like to a Snaile VVho hous-wifelike still in heâ—… house we see For if her care or prouidence do faile Her howse-affaires will go disorderlie And hardlie can that VVife endure to stay In her owne house whose minde 's another way Chuse thee no liquorish Gossip whose delight Is how to please her taste for seldome can One that 's exposed to her appetite Conforme her to the state of any man VVhich to an honest minde would be a spite That when thou wish's thy wife a competent Fitting her ranke she will not be content Chuse thee no coy precisian she is too smooth To proue sincere in simpringst looks we finde Oft most deceit for these as th' water doth Seeme calmest where thei 're dâ—…pest let thy minde Be so prepar'd as thou wilt euer loath Such formalists She-doctâ—…ns who haue sought To teach far more then euer they were taught Chuse thee no wanton that will prostitute Her soule for sensuall pleasure there attends Nought vpon such but blasting of repute Horrid diseases miserable ends With which their viâ—…ious liues doe euer sute And worst of worsts that issue which is got Of Such may seeme thine owne but it is not Chuse thee no VVife that is selfe-singular She 'le be her owne instructresse and in that Shee through presumption will be bold to errâ—… Hating reproofe which will orethrow thy state Beware my Sonne thou shalt be tide to her Which seruitude though it be too to common Disualues man that 's subiect to a woman Chuse one for vertue though a Portion 's good Yet deare's the Portion if thy wife be ill Ranke not in mariage with too high a blood Lest with her birth she chance to twitt â—…hee still Equalitie hath euer firmest stoode Where if descent of different order be It 's seldome sene that th'parties do agree Chuse one that 's wise yet to herselfe not so Louing to all familiar to few Inwardly faire though meane in outward show Seldom conuersing in a publique vew Nor yong nor old but has of yeares enow To know vvhat huswife meanes such an one As may supplie thy place wheÌ„ th' art from home Chuse one that like a Bosome-friend can keepe Th'imparting of a secret yet before Thou dost commit to her matters more deepe And consequent thy iudgement should explore And sound her disposition so mai'st reape What thou expectst for if thou find a power Apt to conceale make her thy counsellâ—…ur Chuse one whose Spirit 's ready to receaue Impression of remorce for others grieues For such best tempered natures euer haue And kind is she that others vvoes relieues Let her be open-hand'd to such as craue If they be needie for thou neâ—…er heard Almeâ—… in charitie lose her reward Chuse one whose Education is more good Then curious whose life 's more approu'd
afterwards robbing the Altars and Temples of their sacred ornaments For coming one day to the Temple of Iupiter Olympius and seeing his Image gloriously beautified with a vestment of gold of an exceeding weight and inestimable price commanded it to be taken from him and a woollen garment to be giuen him in the stead of it saying A coaâ—…e of gold was too heauy for him in Summer too cold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a woollen garment was fitter for both 〈◊〉 Many oâ—… these haue we recorded by Historians whose liues were no lesse prophane then their ends miserable Vpon all which if we might insist vpon this argument Epitaphs very answerable to their infamous and despicable liues might be produced But we must proceed because this summarie discourse which I haue heere placed and prefixed as a preamble or fore-runner to our Epitaphs following is but intended onely to demonstrate the vse and effect of Epitaphs with their first institution their distinct kinds arising from their primarie vses It is true that there is no necessitie in Sepulchers or specious monuments for coelo tegitur qui non habet vrnam which moued Diogenes the Cynick to bid his friends cast his body vnto the dogges when he was dead and being answered by them that the dogges would teare and rent it Set a staffe by me quoth he and I will beate them from it Yet in this seeming contempt of buriall we shall reade in most of the liues of the Pagans that they were respectiue where they should be interred erecting as in part hath beene mentioned very goodly and glorious Sepulchers in their life times to eternise their memory after death with whom it fared many times as it fared once with Shebna who made himselfe a Sepulcher in one Countrie but was buried in another Hercules we reade to be the first that euer buried such as fell in warre Many ancient Epitaphs we haue by transcriptâ—…on engrauen vpon the monuments of the deceased as in the Northerne parts especially where in the very ruines of time we may see some monumentall inscription inserted to reuiue the memory of the dead As in the warres of the Saxons Picts and Danes no coast being moâ—…e frequent then the North to expresse the memorable acts done in former time as also to set out the very places and circumstances of things atchieued with the manuscripts traduced from former occurrents euen to these present times many curious and serious Antiquaries hauing viewed and particularly set downe the especiallest records heereof with diuers memorable inscriptions happily occurring to their surueigh I will ouerpasse the same lest I should seeme to trifle out my time with an impâ—…ent discourse It is true that a Souldiers resolution eueâ—… fixed on braue attempts and the inlarging of his Countries gloâ—…y should rather aime at fame after death then to erect for himselfe a curious monument in his death which moued Caesar in the plaine of Pharsalie to sâ—…y Capit omnia tellus Quae genuit coelo tegitur qui non habet vrnam And againe that martiall straine of valour Nil agis hac ira tabesne cadauera soluat An rogus haud spectat placido 〈◊〉 receptat cuncta sinu And so concludes the Declamour in Seneca Nature gâ—…es euery man a graue seccnded by old Anthises resolution Nec tumulum curo sepelit natura relictos Yet humanitie requires these finall obsequies not onely in remembrance of our dead friends but euen to manifest the sinceritie of our loues in erecting monuments ouer them dead which might preserue their memory and confirme our affections in their deaths The friends of Cleombrotus surnamed Ambrociat seeing his much lamented end desired much to expresse their loue vnto their dead friend yet withall to conceale the infamie and reproach of his death yet Callimâ—…chus plaied the Epigrammatist vpon his graue whilest his deare friends deplored his vntimely end The Epigram inscribed after the forme of an Epitaph being fixed on his Tombe whence all Epitaphs haue their denomination was this Vita vale muro praeceps delapsus ab alto Dixisti moriens Ambrociata puâ—…r NulluÌ„ in morte maluÌ„ credeÌ„s sed scripta Platonis Non ita erant aâ—…imo percipienda tuo In English thus The yong Ambrociat whilst himselfe he threw From off the wall bad to his life adew Deeming as Plato wrote in death's no woe But he mistooke it Plato meant not soe This booke which mooued Ambrociat to this precipitate attempt is imagined to be Platoes Phâ—…do of the immortalitie of the soule which also by a misconstruction Cato Vâ—…ican apprehending laid violent hand vpon himselfe to free himselfe from the tyrannie and illimited soueraignty of the vsurping Câ—…sar But to our argument propounded We haue shadowed briefely the first branch or kinde which we proposed in the beginning to wit morall Epitaphs being such as conduce to instruction either publike or priuate wherein by the very inscriptions or titles engrauen vpon the Tombes of the deceased some haue beene moued to imitate their memorable liues in actions and attempts of like nature as Caesar in the surueigh of Mithridates Augustus in the surueigh of Câ—…sar Alexander by the monument of Achilles Achilles by the fame-engrauen monument of Patroclus Aenaeas by the renowned Tombe of the matchlesse Hector and Hector by the eternized memorie of Antenor These were morall inducing or exciting Impresses drawing the mindes of the beholders to the management of the like approued and redoubted acts We will now proceede to Epitaphs comming neerer a 〈◊〉 composition excellent for their graue and diuinely mouing sentences pithy for their effect and profitable for their vse That is an excellent one of Scaligers Scaligeri quod reliquum est and that no lesse diuine of Caâ—…us Fui Caiâ—…s Epitaphs of this kinde seeme little affectiue yet include so exquisite a straine as they may rightly be termed diuine surpassing moralitie in description of our mortality they delineate the state of man extenuate his pompe and shew to what end man was created not to be onely but to liue there being an essentiall difference twixt being and liuing as I haue before specified We haue some of these which set out vanity in her naturall colours and imply diuinely what they propound morally Diuers we reade of that fearefull it seemes to commend the writing of their Epitaphs to posteritie would euer be prouided of one in their owne time which to expresse their worth better did not shew or character their worth but in a modest silence describe their owne frailtie shutting vp their fame and memory with a farewell to Earth and Vanitie These be soueraigne cordials to cheere the drouping and deiected spirit such as liue iniuried by time oppressed by greatnesse of enmity and slaued to penurie Such I say as liue obscurely in the eye of the World neither noted nor reputed When the rich-man seeth nothing vpon Croesus graue but a Fui Croesus nor the poore-man vpon Irus then Fui Irus what difference
and nature in one span appeare So lest the name should do the nature wrong Being short by nature name would not be long ¶ Vpon one Flower a hopefull yong Student Mans life 's a flower how should it then but fade Since at the first for dying it was made Yet if this Flower had beene exempted then We might haue thought this Flower not for men To crop no more it was and therâ—…fore giuen As one aboue desert of earth to Heauen Once thou was planted in the Cambrian Groue Where thou was watred with the Students loue But now from thence I see thy glory rise From Cambrian Beakes to Brookes in paradise ¶ Vpon a Reuerend and honourable Iudge of this land was this Epitaph inscribed Who so would Honours frailetie pictur'd haue Let him behold that picture in this graue Where frailetie ne're was with more honours clad Nor more deseru'd those honours which he had Had lasse that we should say wee had thee haue Would be a Tence the state would rather craue Small difference twixt the accents Haue and Had Yet th' one did cheare vs th' other makes vs sad But whence these teaâ—…es whence be they to expresse His worth our want his peace our pensiuenesse For to discribe him in each liniment He gaue his toâ—…gue vnto the Parlament His hands to sacred writ his eare to heare Iudgement pronounc'd his eye to see more cleare In the 〈◊〉 of Iustice and his feete To walke in paths for Christian soules most meete Thus his impartiall tongue hand eare foote eye Show'd him a mirror in mortalitie Yet in his age a Reuerence appeares Many are yong in houres are olde in yeares But he was old in both full seuentie sixe Surpassing Dauids fiâ—…st Arithmeticke Fifty one yeares he with his Lady liu'd That in himselfe his race might be reuiu'd For what was by the vertuous Father done Seemes by resemblance shadowâ—…d in the Sonne Sergeant vnto the Queene Iudge o' th kings Bâ—…nch For twelue yeares space wherein his eminence Did not transport his passions For his thought Fixt on his end esteem'd all honour nought Thus liu'd he thus he di'de liu'd long di'de wel Heere Iudge on Earth now Iudge in Israel Terras Astraea reliquit ¶ Distichon funebre in obit princip ob eximiam corporis mentis temperiem qua licet nos reliquit altiora petit Qui formam mirantur ament Uestigia mentis Illi forma perit nescit at illa mori ¶ An Epitaph vpon the Sonne buried in his Fathers graue Stand goe no further looke but downe and reade Youth fed that body on which wormes doe feede Looke lower downe and thou portrai'd shalt haue Father and Sonne both buried in one graue And what does couer them poore mother Earth Which gaue to Sonne and Father both their birth Thus one to three reduc'd and three to one Sonne Mother Father Father Mother Sonne Make then this vse on 't wheresoe're thou come Earth was thy cradle Earth must be thy tombe ¶ Vpon one who louing honour died ere hee possest it Thus fadeth honour and returnes to nought Which is not got by merit but is bought For it affoords th' aspiring minde small good When wreaths of honour are not drawne from blood Nor from desert for honour cannot bide Being supported by the stayes of pride ¶ Vpon Master Laurence Death an Epicede accommodate to his Name Why should one feare to grapple with his Name Death thou wast liuing and art now the same No I may say farre more renewing breath Tels me th' art liuing for thou hast kil'd Death Liue then victorious Saint still may thou be Though dead by Name â—…et fresh in memory That who so passeth or shall chance to come This way may say Here lies Deaths liuing Tomb. ¶ Vpon one Merie Merie why liest thou like Heraclitus That vs'd to laugh like blith Democritus Thou seemes in disâ—…ontent pray thee tell why Thou liest so sad Thou art learning how to die Learning to die why th' art already dead I st possible that Peter Meries head That was so full of wit so stuft with sage As he appear'd the mirror of this age Peter that knew much and could speake much more Then ere be knew should now fall to deaths store Alas poore Merie wormes begin to feast Upon that skonce fed Gallants with fresh ieasts Those saucer eyes plast in that witty skonse Which vs'd to looke some twenty waies at once For if they had matches beene some might enquire Whether they set thy sparkeling-nose a fire Those hollow eyes I say or lamps of thine Are now like Hogs-heads emptied of their wine For hollow Hogs-heads giue an empty sound And so does Merie being laide in ground ¶ Vpon one Hogge Hog by name and by condition Heere lies Hog that blunt Physition Christian nor good moralist But liu'd and dide an Atheist Yet after death giue Hog his dew He was a foe vnto the Iew. And that he might expresse the same He gloried euer in his name He bad me write vpon him dead Heere lies Iohn Hog or Iohn Hogs-head ¶ Vpon a vaine-glorious Student that would needes be called Aristarchus Fate last night hath beene i' th warke house Of our renowmed Aristarchus Where fate no sooner entred in Then shee a starke-Asse made of him For Aristarchus Authors say Inuited death from day to day But our last Aristarchus prai'd Seeing Death come as one dismaied That he his summons would delay And come for him another day Vpon two Twins that died together Heere lie two faithfull Brothers in one tombe As they did lie together in one wombe Heere they came hand in hand and they do craue That hand in hand they may goe to their Graue ¶ Vpon an ancient Tombe was this inscription found Church-men that should be best of al are pardie growne the worst The Fâ—…x I ken the Prouerb saies fares best when he is curst This Abbot heere that lies in ground proues this to be too true Due would he giue to Prieâ—… nor Cleark yet would he haue his due But marke his end who â—…re thou be for 't was a fearefull end No friend he had as he did thinke to whom he might commend His Gold therefore one day he went to finde out some darke caue Where be might hoord his treasure vp where he this voice receau'd Tâ—… iudgement churlish Nabal had fall presently on thee Wâ—…ich voice being past the Abbot droupt and died presently ¶ Vpon my Lady Woodbâ—…e What would my Lady be lasse shee has sought To rise to something and shee 's falne to nought Poore Lady that so faire and sweete a face Should haue no other home or dwelling place Then a poore Sepulcher lasse it s not meete So faire a Lady should shroud in one sheete Who whilst shee liu'd which was but very now Did vse to lie perfum'd and chaf'd in two ¶ Vpon the same Subiect extracted Looke throgh throgh see Ladies with false formes You deceiue
terram repetat pars altera coelum Nec mutas mores caela petendo tuos At vale â—…am faciem nequeo discernere gratam Qua mihi semper erit gratia sed arcta nimis Arcta nimis sed amaena satis dum fider a vultum Splendida praestantem continuere tuum Sie perijt quod terra parit quod verticâ—… coeli Profluit in coelum tendat alta petat Aliud Hic fitus est Satyruâ—… qui stupra latere potentum Impatiens patiens limina mortis adit Englished Heere lies a Satyre now reduc'd to dust Who scourg'd dâ—…sertlesse honour great mens lust These taxt He roundly and had vow'd to doe it More boldly yet if He had liu'd vnto it ¶ A Funerall Poeme vpon the death of the hopefull yong Gentleman Mast. Will. Horsey who deceased the 24. of Aprill Ann. Dom. 1615. Plants that transplanted are haue 〈◊〉 grouth Yet fares it otheâ—…ise with this blest youth For he transplanted to another Sphere Perfects that tender grouth which he had here Tender indeed yet me thinks there appeares Age in his houres though youth was in his yeares For by experience of this surâ—… I am Neuer came childe more neere vnto a Man Well may we then excuse his mothers mone To lose her Sonne and that her onely One Whose hope gaue life vnto her house and her If mothers erre in this they lightly erre For natiue loue must â—…eeds enforce a teare To see them laid on Beare whom they did beare To see their Birth turn'd Earth their very wombâ—… Which brought them forth conuerted to a Tombe Yet this should make his mother change her song To see her hope translat'd ' boue hope so yong To see her onely and now happy Sonne To haue his Pilgrime-taske so quickly done But shee ha's lost him no he is not lost For where He seemes to lose He gaineth most And though He haue not Her He ha's another For now the Church triumphant is his Mother Feeding his infant-glory with her pap Dandling him sweetely in her heauenly lap For this is confirm'd by the sacred word He cannot die that dieth in the Lord. Cease then thou tender Mother cease to wâ—…epe Thy Sonne 's not dead but onely falne asleepe Which sleepe dissolu'd his corps shall be vnited Vnto his soule amongst the Saints deligâ—…ted Peace happy Soule crowne thy eternall daiâ—…s With wreath of glory to thy Makers praise That as thou liu'd a Mirror to thy Age So thou may shine in Sions heritage His Epitaph Heere interred in this Tombâ—… Yong yet vertues hopâ—…full Bloome Fathers Boy Mothers ioy Shrined is yet from this shrine There 's a substance that 's diuine Which no graue Can receaue Making claime to Heauens pure clime ¶ The Author vpon his selected and euer to be remembred E. C. Parragon for beautie and vertue who died the 5. of Decemb Ann. Dom. 1615. Take mother Earth thy virgin-daughter heerâ—… Bornâ—… on her Bere ere shâ—… was borne to bâ—…are Take her for of her wonders may be said Heerâ—… one and 〈◊〉 lies who di'dâ—… a Maid ¶ Vpon the much lamented Death of the vertuous virgine A. T. in Scarborough lately deceased and of her sorrowfull Parents incessantly moned Dead say no more shee 's dead keepe in that word It will goe neere to drowne her teare-swolne Foord Why He must know it true yet such as these If grieues should be imparted by degrees How must they be imparted By her Tombe It cannot speake Such grieues are seldome dumbe Vpon her Tombe Weepe weepe Rosemarie sprig and shew remorâ—…e Thou shold haue deckt her bride now decks her corse ¶ Vpon the Tombe of ..... lately erected ..... Perhaps thou may haue Shebnaes doome To haue thy corps deuided from thy Tombe And haue name of that crest thou gaue thy Neighbor To close thy corps in Earth and saue this labor How fond then thou to build so costly Shrine Neither perchance for * thee nor none of thine Yet if thou want thy Tombe thou shalt not misse To haue thy Epitaph and this it is ....... Is Dead The cause if you would know His winde-pipe burst and he no more could blow ¶ Vpon a late deceased Pinch-gut Macer dide rich they say but it 's not so For he dide poore and was indebted too How shâ—…ld that be Obserue me and I le tell ye He dide indebâ—…ed bâ—…th to backe and belly For all he scrap't from his Atturnies Fees Seru'd but to starue his Maw with bread cheese So as'mongst those we rightly may him call Whose life spent lesse then did his Funerall For all his life his House scarse eate one Beast Yet Dead his Sonne makes vp the Churles Feast ¶ This the Authour wrote vpon an excellent Bowler and his Friend aptly resembling Mans life to a game at Bowles The World is the Alley whâ—…re we play The Bowles we play with Creatures that we vse The Rubs the Passioâ—…s of our minds the way Needs no Ground-giuer there 's but one to chuse The way of all Flesh Seauen's our Game we say For Seauen yeere is liues-lease that limits vs The Blocke our end which when it drawâ—…th on We poâ—…ke our Bowles and so our Game is done ¶ Vpon a singular Irishman By him lies heere I finde from whence we came Where we must goe how lifâ—…'s an Irish game This day in health and wealth next poore sicke For Irish games haue still an Iriâ—…h tricke ¶ Vpon the death of one Cookes wife an Inscription allusiue to her name Death 's the cooke proâ—…ideth meate For the crawling wormes to eate Why shouldst thou then Cool e repine Death should dresse that wife of thine All must die yea time will be Thou wilt thinke he pleasur'd thee For no question being told She was sâ—…plesse 〈◊〉 old He thought fit she'sd liue no longer That thou might chuse out a yonger This then on her Age thy youth May be writ as grounded truth Heere she lies long may she liâ—… Ere she d. de was wish'd to die This the Author presently composed vpon this occasion being with sundry Gentlemen at Waltham exceeding merrily disposed one Cooke a neighbour of the Hoasts where he lay came suddenly in pitteously lamenting the death of his wife being newly departed euery one laboured to allay his sorrow but by how much more instant were their comforts by so much more violent were his Passions at last the Author perceiâ—…ing by his Hoast that he expressed a dissembling sorrow being impatient of her life and therefore by all probabilitie inwardly content with her death being an old decrepite woman and He in the Prime of his age in stead of all vnnecessarie comforts applied this soueraigne Discourse as a salue to his griefe without further premeditation coenae fercula nostrae Mallem conuâ—… quà m placuisse cocis Englished As in my choise of meate so in my Booke I 'd rather please my guests then please my Cooke ¶ In Actorem Mimicum cui vix parem