wheeles to run Vntill the length of his whole course be spun No enuious cloud obscures his struggling light VVhich sets contented at the point of night Yet this large time no greater profit brings Then eu'ry little moment whence it springs Vnlesse imploy'd in workes deseruing praise Most weare out many yeeres and liue few dayes Time flowes from instants and of these each one Should be esteem'd as if it were alone The shortest space which we so lightly prize VVhen it is comming and before our eyes Let it but slide into th' eternall Maine No Realmes no worlds can purchase it againe Remembrance onely makes the footsteps last VVhen winged Time which fixt the prints is past This he well-knowing all occasions tries T' enrich his owne and others learned eyes This noble end not hope of gaine did draw His minde to trauaile in the knotty Law That was to him by serious labour made A Science which to many is a Trade VVho purchase lands build houses by their tongue And study right that they may practise wrong His bookes were his rich purchases his fees That praise which Fame to painefull works decrees His mem'ry hath a surer ground then theirs VVho trust in stately Tombes or wealthy Heires To the immortall memory of the fairest and most vertuous Lady the Lady Clifton HEr tongue hath ceast to speake which might make dumbe All tongues might stay all Pens all hands benâ—â—â— Yet I must write O that it might haue beene While she had liu'd and had my verses seene Before sad cries deaf'd my vntuned eares When verses flow'd more easily then teares Ah why neglected I to write her prayse And paint her Vertues in those happy dayes Then my now trembling hand and dazled eye Had seldome fail'd hauing the patterne by Or had it err'd or made some strokes amisse For who can portray vertue as it is Art might with Nature haue maintain'd her strife By curious lines to imitate true life But now those Pictures want their liuely grace As after death none can well draw the face We let our friends passe idlely like our time Till they be gone then we see our crime And thinke what worth in them might haue beene known What duties done and what affection showne Vntimely knowledge which so deare doth cost And then beginnes when the thing knowne is lost Yet this cold loue this enuie this neglect Proclaimes vs modest while our due respect To goodnesse is restrain'd by seruile feare Lest to the world it flatt'ry should appeare As if the present houres deseru'd no prayse But age is past whose knowledge onely stayes On that weake prop which memory sustaines Should be the proper subiect of our straines Or as if foolish men asham'd to sing Of Violets and Roses in the Spring Should tarry till the flow'rs were blowne away And till the Muses life and heate decay Then is the fury slak'd the vigour fled As here in mine since it with her was dead Which still may sparkle but shall flame no more Because no time shall her to vs restore Yet may these Sparks thus kindled with her fame Shine brighter and liue longer then some flame Here expectation vrgeth me to tell Her high perfections which the world knew well But they are farre beyond my skill t' vnfold They were poore vertues if they might be told But thou who faine would'st take a gen'rall view Of timely fruites which in this garden grew On all the vertues in mens actions looke Or reade their names writ in some morall booke And summe the number which thou there shalt find So many liu'd and triumph'd in her minde Nor dwelt these Graces in a house obscure But in a Palace faire which might allure The wretch who no respect to vertue bore To loue It for the garments which it wore So that in her the body and the soule Contended which should most adorne the whole O happy Soule for such a body meete How are the firme chaines of that vnion sweete Disseuer'd in the twinkling of an eye And we amaz'd dare aske no reason why But silent think that God is pleas'd to show That he hath workes whose ends we cannot know Let vs then cease to make a vaine request To learne why die the fairest why the best For all these things which mortals hold most deare Most slipp'ry are and yeeld lesse ioy then feare And being lifted high by mens desire Are more perspicuous markes for heau'nly fire And are laid prostrate with the first assault Because our loue makes their desert their fault Then Iustice vs to some amends should mooue For this our fruitelesse nay our hurtfull loue We in their Honour piles of stone erect With their deare Names and worthy prayses deâ—â—â—â— But since those faile their glories we rehearse In better Marble euerlasting verse By which we gather from consuming houres Some parts of them though time the rest deuoures Then if the Muses can forbid to die As we their Priests suppose why may not I Although the least and hoarsest in the quire Cleare beames of blessed immortality inspire To keepe thy blest remembrance euer young Still to be freshly in all Ages sung Or if my worke in this vnable be Yet shall it euer liue vpheld by thee For thou shalt liue though Poems should decay Since Parents teach their Sonnes thy prayse to say And to posterity from hand to hand Conuay it with their blessing and their land Thy quiet rest from death this good deriues Instead of one it giues thee many liues While these lines last thy shadow dwelleth here Thy fame it selfe extendeth eu'ry where In Heau'n our hopes haue plac'd thy better part Thine Image liues in thy sad Husbands heart Who as when he enioy'd thee he was chiefe In loue and comfort so is he now in griefe Vpon the death of the most noble Lord Henry Earle of Southampton 1624. WHen now the life of great Southampton ends His fainting seruants and astonisht friends Stand like so many weeping Marble stones No passage left to vtter sighes or grones And must I first dissolue the bonds of griefe And straine forth words to giue the rest reliefe I will be bold my trembling voyce to trie That his deare Name may not in silence die The world must pardon if my song bee weake In such a case it is enough to speake My verses are not for the present age For what man liues or breathes on Englands stage That knew not braue Southampton in whose sight Most plac'd their day and in his absence night I striue that vnborne Children may conceiue Of what a Iewell angry Fates bereaue This mournefull Kingdome and when heauy woes Oppresse their hearts thinke ours as great as those In what estate shall I him first expresse In youth or age in ioy or in distresse When he was young no ornament of youth Was wanting in him acting that in truth Which Cyrus did in shadow and to men Appear'd like Peleus sonne from Chirons Den While through
on which perdition waites But when thine eyes the prickly thornes haue past See in the circle boundlesse ioyes at last Pilgrim These things are now most cleare thee I imbrace Immortall Wreath let worldlings count thee base Choyce is thy matter glorious is thy shape Fit Crowne for them who tempting dangers scap̄e An act of Contrition WHen first my reason dawning like the day Disperst the clouds of childish sense away Gods Image fram'd in that superior Tow'r Diuinely drew mine vnderstanding pow'r To thinke vpon his Greatnesse and to feare His darts of thunder which the mountaines teare And when with feeble light my soule began T' acknowledge him a higher thing then man My next discourse erected by his grace Conceiues him free from bounds of time or place And sees the furthest that of him is knowne All spring from him and he depends of none The steps which in his various workes are seal'd The doctrines in his sacred Church reueal'd Were all receiu'd as truths into my mind Yet durst I breake his lawes O strangely blind My festring wounds are past the launcing cure Which terrour giues to thoughts at first impure No helpe remaines these vlcers to remoue Vnlesse I scorch them with the flames of loue Lord from thy wrath my soule appeales and flyes To gracious beames of those indulgent eyes Which brought me first from nothing and sustaine My life lest it to nothing turne againe VVhich in thy Sonnes blood washt my parents sinne And taught me waies eternall blisse to winne The Starres which guide my Bark with heau'nly calls My boords in shipwrack after many falls In these I trust and wing'd with pleasing hope Attempt new flight to come to thee my scope VVhom I esteeme a thousand times more deare Then worldly things which faire and sweet appeare Rebellious flesh which thee so oft offends Presents her teares alas a poore amends But thou accept'st them Hence they precious grow As liuing waters which from Eden flow VVith these I wish my vitall blood may runne Ere new Eclipses dimme this glorious Sunne And yeeld my selfe afflicting paines to take For thee my Spouse and onely for thy sake Hell could not fright me with immortall fire VVere it not arm'd with thy forsaking ire Nor should I looke for comfort and delight In heau'n if heau'n were shadow'd from thy sight In Desolation O Thou who sweetly bend'st my stubborne will VVho send'st thy stripes to teach and not to kill Thy chearefull face from me no longer hide Withdraw these clouds the scourges of my pride I sinke to hell if I be lower throwne I see what man is being left alone My substance which from nothing did begin Is worse then nothing by the waight of sin I see my selfe in such a wretched state As neither thoughts conceiue or words relate How great a distance parts vs for in thee Is endlesse good and boundlesse ill in mee All creatures proue me abiect but how low Thou onely know'st and teachest me to know To paint this basenesse Nature is too base This darknesse yeelds not but to beames of grace Where shall I then this piercing splendor find Or found how shall it guide me being blind Grace is a taste of blisse a glorious gift Which can the soule to heau'nly comforts lift It will not shine to me whose mind is drown'd In sorrowes and with worldly troubles bound It will not daigne within that house to dwell Where drinesse raignes and proud distractions swell Perhaps it sought me in those lightsome dayes Of my first feruour when few winds did raise The waues and ere they could full strength obtaine Some whisp'ring gale straight charm'd them downe again When all seem'd calme yet the Virgins child On my deuotions in his manger smild While then I simply walkt nor heed could take Of complacence that slye deceitfull Snake When yet I had not dang'rously refus'd So many calls to vertue nor abus'd The spring of life which I so oft enioy'd Nor made so many good intentions voyd Deseruing thus that grace should quite depart And dreadfull hardnesse should possesse my heart Yet in that state this onely good I found That fewer spots did then my conscience wound Though who can censure whether in those times The want of feeling seem'd the want of crimes If solid vertues dwell not but in paine I will not wish that golden age againe Because it flow'd with sensible delights Of heauenly things God hath created nights As well as dayes to decke the varied Globe Grace comes as oft clad in the dusky robe Of desolation as in white attire Which better fits the bright celestiall Quire Some in foule seasons perish through despaire But more through boldnesse when the daies are faire This then must be the med'cine for my woes To yeeld to what my Sauiour shall dispose To glory in my basenesse to reioyce In mine afflictions to obey his voyce As well when threatnings my defects reproue As when I cherisht am with words of loue To say to him in eu'ry time and place Withdraw thy comforts so thou leaue thy grace In spirituall comfort ENough delight O mine eternall good I feare to perish in this fiery flood And doubt lest beames of such a glorious light Should rather blind me then extend my sight For how dare mortals here their thoughts erect To taste those ioyes which they in heau'n expect But God inuites them in his boundlesse loue And lifts their heauy minds to things aboue VVho would not follow such a pow'rfull guide Immid'st of flames or through the raging tide VVhat carelesse soule will not admire the grace Of such a Lord who knowes the dang'rous place In which his seruants liue their natiue woes Their weake defence and fury of their foes And casting downe to earth these golden chaines From hels steepe brinke their sliding steps restraines His deare affection flies with wings of haste He will not stay till this short life be past But in this vale where teares of griefe abound He oft with teares of ioy his friends hath drown'd Man what desir'st thou wouldst thou purchase health Great honour perfect pleasure peace and wealth All these are here and in their glory raigne In other things these names are false and vaine True wisdome bids vs to this banquet haste That precious Nectar may renew the taste Of Edens dainties by our parents lost For one poore Apple which so deare would cost That eu'ry man a double death should pay But mercy comes the latter stroke to stay And leauing mortall bodies to the knife Of Iustice striues to saue the better life No sou'raigne med'cine can be halfe so good Against destruction as this Angels food This inward illustration when it finds A seate in humble and indiff'rent minds If wretched men contemne a Sunne so bright Dispos'd to stray and stumble in the night And seeke contentment where they oft haue knowne By deare experience that there can be none They would much more neglect their God their end
deepe and trie our better parts O knowledge if a heau'n on earth could be I would expect to reape that blisse in thee But thou art blind and they that haue thy light More clearely know they liue in darksome night See man thy stripes at schoole thy paines abroad Thy watching and thy palenesse well bestow'd These feeble helpes can Scholers neuer bring To perfect knowledge of the plainest thing And some to such a height of learning grow They die perswaded that they nothing know In vaine swift houres spent in deepe study slide Vnlesse the purchast doctrine curbe our pride The soule perswaded that no fading loue Can equall her imbraces seekes aboue And now aspiring to a higher place Is glad that all her comforts here are base Of Sicknesse THe end of Sicknesse Health or Death declare The cause as happy as the sequels are Vaine mortals while they striue their sense to please Endure a life worse then the worst disease When sports and ryots of the restlesse night Breede dayes as thicke possest with fenny light 〈◊〉 oft haue these compell'd by wholsome paine Return'd to sucke sweet Natures brest againe And then could in a narrow compasse find Strength for the body clearenesse in the mind And if Death come it is not he whose dart VVhose scalpe and bones afflict the trembling heart As if the Painters with new art would striue For feare of Bugs to keepe poore men aliue But one who from thy mothers wombe hath been Thy friend and strict companion though vnseene To leade thee in the right appointed way And crowne thy labours at the conqu'ring day Vngratefull men why doe you sicknesse loath VVhich blessings giue in Heau'n or Earth or both Of true Liberty HE that from dust of worldly tumults flies May boldly open his vndazled eyes To reade wise Natures booke and with delight Surueyes the Plants by day and starres by night We need not trauaile seeking wayes to blisse He that desires contentment cannot misse No garden walles this precious flowre imbrace It common growes in eu'ry desart place Large scope of pleasure drownes vs like a flood To rest in little is our greatest good Learne ye that clime the top of Fortunes wheele That dang'rous state which ye disdaine to feele Your highnesse puts your happinesse to flight Your inward comforts fade with outward light Vnlesse it be a blessing not to know This certaine truth left ye should pine for woe To see inferiours so diuinely blest With freedome and your selues with fetters prest Ye sit like pris'ners barr'd with doores and chaines And yet no care perpetuall care restraines Ye striue to mixe your sad conceits with ioyes By curious pictures and by glitt'ring toyes While others are not hind'red from their ends Delighting to conuerse with bookes or friends And liuing thus retir'd obtaine the pow'r To reigne as Kings of euery sliding houre They walke by Cynthiaes light and lift their eyes To view the ord'red armies in the skies The heau'ns they measure with imagin'd lines And when the Northerne Hemisphere declines New constellations in the South they find Whose rising may refresh the studious mind In these delights though freedome shew more high Few can to things aboue their thoughts apply But who is he that cannot cast his looke On earth and reade the beauty of that booke A bed of smiling flow'rs a trickling Spring A swelling Riuer more contentment bring Then can be shadow'd by the best of Art Thus still the poore man hath the better part Against inordinate loue of Creatures AH who would loue a creature who would place His heart his treasure in a thing so base Which time consuming like a Moth destroyes And stealing death will rob him of his ioyes Why life we not our minds aboue this dust Haue we not yet perceiu'd that God is iust And hath ordain'd the obiects of our loue To be our scourges when we wanton proue Go carelesse man in vaine delights proceed Thy fansies and thine outward senses feede And bind thy selfe thy fellow-seruants thrall Loue one too much thou art a slaue to all Consider when thou follow'st seeming good And drown'st thy selfe too deepe in flein and blood Thou making sute to dwell with woes and feares Art sworne their souldier in the vale of teares The bread of sorrow shall be thy repast Expect not Eden in a thorny waste Where grow no faire trees no smooth riuers swell Here onely losses and afflictions dwell These thou bewayl'st with a repining voyce Yet knew'st before that mortall was thy choyse Admirers of false pleasures must sustaine The waight and sharpenesse of insuing paine Against abused Loue. SHall I stand still and see the world on fire While wanton Writers ioyne in one desire To blow the coales of Loue and make them burne Till they consume or to the Chaos turne This beautious frame by them so foully rent That wise men feare lest they those flames preuent Which for the latest day th' Almightie keepes In orbes of fire or in the hellish deepes Best wits while they possest with fury thinke They taste the Muses sober Well and drinke Of Phabus Goblet now a starry signe Mistake the Cup and write in heat of wine Then let my cold hand here some water cast And drown their warmth with drops of sweeter taste Mine angry lines shall whip the purblind Page And some will reade them in a chaster age But since true loue is most diuine I know How can I fight with loue and call it so Is it not Loue It was not now O strange Time and ill custome workers of all change Haue made it loue men oft impose not names By Adams rule but what their passion frames And since our Childhood taught vs to approue Our Fathers words we yeeld and call it loue Examples of past times our deeds should sway But we must speake the language of to day Vse hath no bounds it may prophane once more The name of God which first an Idoll bore How many titles fit for meaner groomes Are knighted now and marshal d in high roomes And many which once good and great were thought Posterity to vice and basenesse brought As it hath this of loue and we must bow As States vsurping Tyrants raignes allow And after ages reckon by their yeeres Such force Possession though iniurious beares Or as a wrongfull title or foule crime Made lawfull by a Statute for the time With reu'rend estimation blindes our eies And is call'd iust in spight of all the wise Then heau'nly loue this loathed name forsake And some of thy more glorious titles take Sunne of the Soule cleare beauty liuing fire Celestiall light which dost pure hearts inspire While Lust thy Bastard brother shal be knowne By loues wrong'd name that Louers may him owne So oft with Hereticks such tearmes we vse As they can brooke not such as we would chuse And since he takes the throne of Loue exil'd In all our Letters he shall Loue be stil'd But if true
gone and now though much beneath His Coronet is next th' Imperiall Wreath No richer signe his flowry Garland drown's Which shines alone aboue the lesser Crownes This thou inioyd'st as sicke men tedious houres And thought'st of brighter Pearles and fairer flowres And higher Crownes which heau'n for thee reserues When this thy worldly pompe decayes and starues This sacred seruour in thy mind did glow And though supprest with outward state and show Yet at thy death those hind'ring clouds it clear'd And like the lost Sunne to the world appear'd Euen as a strong fire vnder ashes turn'd Which with more force long secretly hath burn'd Breakes forth to be the obiect of our sight Aimes at the Orbe and ioynes his flame with light Vpon his Noble Friend Sir William Skipwith TO frame a man who in those gifts excels Which makes the Country happy where hee dwels We first conceiue what names his Line adorne It kindles vertue to be nobly borne This picture of true Gentry must be grac'd With glitt'ring Iewels round about him plac'd A comely body and a beauteous mind A heart to loue a hand to giue inclin'd A house as free and open as the Ayre A tongue which ioyes in Language sweet and faire Yet can when need requires with courage bold To publike eares his neighbours griefes vnfold All these we neuer more shall find in one And yet all these are clos'd within this stone An Epitaph vpon my deare Brother Francis Beaumont ON Death thy Murd'rer this reuenge I take I slight his terror and iust question make Which of vs two the best precedence haue Mine to this wretched world thine to the graue Thou shouldst haue followd me but death too blame Miscounted yeeres and measur'd age by Fame So dearely hast thou bought thy precious lines Their praise grew swiftly so thy life declines Thy Muse the hearers Queene the Readers loue All eares all hearts but Deaths could please and moue Of my deare Sonne Geruase Beaumont CAn I who haue for others oft compil'd The Songs of Death forget my sweetest child VVhich like a flow'r crusht with a blast is dead And ere full time hangs downe his smiling head Expecting with cleare hope to liue anew Among the Angels fed with heau'nly dew We haue this signe of Ioy that many dayes While on the earth his struggling spirit stayes The name of Iesus in his mouth containes His onely food his sleepe his ease from paines O may that sound be rooted in my mind Of which in him such strong effect I find Deare Lord receiue my Sonne whose winning loue To me was like a friendship farre aboue The course of nature or his tender age Whose lookes could all my bitter griefes asswage Let his pure soule ordain'd seu'n yeeres to be In that fraile body which was part of me Remaine my pledge in heau'n as sent to shew How to this Port at eu'ry step I goe Teares for the death of the truly Honourable the Lord Chandos LEt him whose lines a priuate losse deplore Call them to weepe that neuer wept before My griefe is more audacious giue me one Who eu'ry day hath heard a dying grone The subiect of my verses may suffice To draw new teares from dry and weary eyes We dare not loue a man nor pleasure take In others worth for noble Chandos sake And when we seeke the best with reasons light We feare to wish him longer in our sight Time had increast his vertue and our woe For sorrow gathers weight by comming slow Should him the God of life to life restore Againe we lose him and lament the more If Mortals could a thousand liues renew They were but shades of death which must insue Our gracious God hath fitter bounds assign'd And earthly paines to one short life confin'd Yet when his hand hath quench'd the vitall flame It leaues some cinders of immortall fame At these we blow and like Prometheus striue By such weake sparkes to make dead clay aliue Breath flyes to ayre the body falls to ground And nothing dwels with vs but mournfull sound O might his honor'd Name liue in my Song Reflected as with Ecchoes shrill and strong But when my lines of glorious obiects treate They should rise high because the worke is great No Quill can paint this Lord vnlesse it haue Some tincture from his actions free and braue Yet from this height I must descend againe And like the calme Sea lay my Verses plaine When I describe the smoothnesse of his mind Where reasons chaines rebellious passions bind My Poem must in harmony excell His sweet behauiour and discourse to tell It should be deepe and full of many Arts To teach his wisdome and his happy parts But since I want these graces and despaire To make my Picture like the patterne faire These hasty strokes vnperfect draughts shall stand Expecting life from some more skilfull hand Vpon the vntimely death of the Honourable hopâ—full young Gentleman Edward Stafford Sonne and Heire to the Lord Stafford DEad is the hope of Stafford in whose line So many Dukes and Earles and Barons shine And from this Edwards death his kinred drawes More griefe then mighty Edwards fall could cause For to this House his vertue promist more Then all those great Ones that had gone before No lofty titles can securely frame The happinesse and glory of a Name Bright honours at the point of Noone decay And feele a sad declining like the day But he that from the race of Kings is borne And can their mem'ries with his worth adorne Is farre more blest then those of whom he springs He from aboue the soule of goodnesse brings T' inspire the body of his Noble birth This makes it moue before but liuelesse earth Of such I write who show'd he would haue been Complete in action but we lost him greene We onely saw him crown'd with flowres of hope O that the fruits had giu'n me larger scope And yet the bloomes which on his Herse we strow Surpasse the Cherries and the Grapes that grow In others Gardens Here fresh Roses lie Whose ruddy blushes modest thoughts descry In Flowre-de-luces dide with azure hue His constant loue to heau'nly things we view The spotlesse Lillies shew his pure intent The flaming Marigold his zeale present The purple Violets his Noble minde Degen'rate neuer from his Princely kind And last of all the Hyacinths we throw In which are writ the letters of our woe To the Memory of the Learned and Religious Ferdinando Pulton Esquire AS at a ioyfull Marriage or the birth Of some long wished child or when the earth Yeelds plenteous fruit and makes the Ploughman sing Such is the sound and subiect of my string Ripe age full vertue need no fun'rall Song Here mournefull tunes would Grace Nature wrong VVhy should vaine sorrow follow him with teares VVho shakes off burdens of declining yeeres VVhose thread exceeds the vsuall bounds of life And feeles no stroke of any fatall knife The Destinies enioyne their
brests Not Oratours so much with flowing words Can sway the hearts of men and whet their swords Or blunt them at their pleasure as our straines Whose larger Spheare the Orbe of prose containes Can mens affections lessen or increase And guide their passions whisp'ring warre or peace Tyrtaeus by the vigour of his verse Made Sparta conquer while his lines reherse Her former glory almost then subdude By stronger foes and when the people rude Contend among themselues with mutuall wrongs He tempers discord with his milder songs This poore lame Poet hath an equall praise With Captaines and with States men of his dayes The Muses claime possession in those men Who first aduentur'd with a nimble pen To paint their thoughts in new inuented signes And spoke of Natures workes in numbred lines This happy Art compar'd with plainer wayes Was sooner borne and not so soone decayes She safer stands from times deuouring wrong As better season'd to continue long But as the streames of time still forward flow So Wits more idle and distrustfull grow They yeeld this Fort and cowardly pretend Prose is a castle easier to defend Nor was this change effected in a day But with degrees â—nd by a stealing way They pull the Muses feathers one by one And are not seene till both the wings be gone If man inioying such a precious Mine Esteem'd his nature almost made Diuine When he beheld th' expression of his thought To such a height and Godlike glory brought This change may well his fading ioy confound To see it naked creeping on the ground Yet in the lands that honour'd learnings name Were alwayes some that kept the vestall flame Of pow'rfull Verse on whose increase or end The periods of the soules chiefe raigne depend Now in this Realme I see the golden age Returne to vs whose comming shall asswage Distracting strife and many hearts inspire To gather fewell for this sacred fire On which if you great Prince your eyes will cast And like Fauonius giue a gentle blast The liuely flame shall neuer yeeld to death But gaine immortall spirit by your breath To the Prince IF eu'ry man a little world we name You are a World most like the greatest frame Your loue of Learning spreads your glory farre Lifts you to heau'n and makes you there a Starre In actiue sports and formes of martiall deeds Like Fire and Ayre your nimble courage breeds A rare amazement and a sweet delight To Brittaines who behold so deare a sight Though higher Orbes such glorious signes containe Doe not braue Prince this lower Globe disdaine In pure and fruitfull water we may see Your minde from darkenesse cleare in bounty free And in the steddy resting of the ground Your noble firmenesse to your friend is found For you are still the same and where you loue No absence can your constant mind remoue So goodnesse spreads it selfe with endlesse lines And so the Light in distant places shines He that aduentures of your worth to sing Attempts in vaine to paint a boundlesse thing An Epithalamium vpon the happy marriage of our Soueraigne Lord King Charles and our gracious Lady Queene MARY THe Ocean long contended but in vaine To part our shore from France Let Neptune shake his mace swelling waues aduance The former Vnion now returnes againe This Isle shall once more kisse the Maine Ioyn'd with a flowry bridge of loue on which the Graces dance Leander here no dang'rous iourney takes To touch his Heros hand Our Hellespont with Ships becomes as firme as Land When this sweete Nymph her place of birth forsakes And England signes of welcome makes As many as our gladsome coasts haue little graines of sand That voyce in which the Continent was blest Now to this Iland calls The liuing Woods and Rocks to frame new rising Walls The moouing Hills salute this happy guest The Riuers to her seruice prest Seine into Thames Garonne to Trent and Loire to Seuerne falls This Royall Payre the Bridegroome and the Bride With equall glory shine Both full of sparkling light both sprung from race diuine Their Princely Fathers Europs highest pride The Westerne World did sweetly guide To theÌ„ as Fathers of their Realmes we goldeÌ„ Crownes assigne Great Henry neuer vanquisht in the field Rebellious foes could tame The Wisdome of our James bred terror in his Name So that his proudest Aduersaries yeeld Glad to be guarded with his shield Where Peace with drops of heau'nly dew supprest Dissention flame Our Charles and Mary now their course prepare Like those two greater Lights Which God in midst of Heau'n exalted to our sights To guide our footsteps with perpetuall care Times happy changes to declare The one affoords vs healthfull daies the other quiet nights See how the Planets and each lesser fire Along the Zodiake glide And in this stately traine their offices diuide No Starre remaines exempted from this Quire But all are ioyn'd in one desire To moue as these their wheeles shall turne and rest where thâ—â— abiâ—â— What can these shouts and glit'tring showes portend But neuer fading ioyes The Lords in rich attire the people with their noyse Expresse to what a height their hopes ascend Which like a Circle haue no end Their strength no furious tempests shake nor creeping age destroyeâ— On this foundation we expect to build The Towres of earthly blisse Mirth shall attend on Health and Peace shall plenty kisse The Trees with fruite with Flowres our Gardens fill'd Sweete honey from the leaues distill'd For now Astraeas raigne appeares to be a Tipe of this O may our Children with their rauish't eyes A race of Sonnes behold Whose birth shal change our Ir'n to Siluer Brasse to Gold Proceede white houres that from this stocke may rise Victorious Kings whom Fame shall prize More dearely then all other names within her Booke enroll'd At the end of his Maiesties first yeere Sonnet first YOur Royall Father Iames the Good and Great Proclaim'd in March wheÌ„ first we felt the Spring A World of blisse did to our Iland bring And at his Death he made his yeeres compleate Although three dayes he longer held his seate Then from that houre when he reioyc'd to sing Great Brittaine torne before enioyes a King Who can the periods of the Starres repeate The Sunne who in his annuall circle takes A dayes full quadrant from th' ensuing yeere Repayes it in foure yeeres and equall makes The number of the dayes within his Spheare Iames was our earthly Sunne who call'd to Heau'n Leaues you his Heire to make all fractions eu'n Sonnet second ABout the time when dayes are longer made When nights are warmer the aire more cleare When verdant leaues and fragrant flowers appeare Whose beauty winter had constrained to fade About the time when Gabriels words perswade The blessed Virgin to incline her care And to conceyue that Sonne whom she shall beare Whose death and rising driue away the shade About this time so oft so highly blest By precious gifts
this Iland Fame his praise reports As best in martiall deedes and courtly sports When riper age with winged feete repaires Graue care adornes his head with siluer haires His valiant feruour was not then decaide But ioyn'd with counsell as a further aide Behold his constant and vndaunted eye In greatest danger when condemn'd to dye He scornes th' insulting aduersaries breath And will admit no feare though neere to Death But when our gracious Soueraigne had regain'd This Light with clouds obscur'd in walls detain'd And by his fauour plac'd this Starre on high Fixt in the Garter Englands azure skie He pride which dimms such change as much did hate As base deiection in his former state When he was call'd to sit by Ioues command Among the Demigods that rule this Land No pow'r no strong perswasion could him draw From that which he conceiu'd as right and Law When shall we in this Realme a Father finde So truly sweet or husband halfe so kinde Thus he enioyde the best contents of life Obedient Children and a louing Wife These were his parts in Peace but O how farre This noble soule excell'd it selfe in VVarre He was directed by a nat'rall vaine True honour by this painefull way to gaine Let Ireland witnesse where he first appeares And to the fight his warlike Ensignes beares And thou O Belgia wert in hope to see The Trophees of his conquests wrought in thee But Death who durst not meete him in the field In priuate by close trech'ry made him yeeld I keepe that glory last which is the best The loue of Learning which he oft exprest By conuersation and respect to those Who had a name in Artes in verse or prose Shall euer I forget with what delight He on my simple lines would cast his sight His onely mem'ry my poore worke adornes He is a Father to my crowne of thornes Now since his death how can I euer looke Without some teares vpon that Orphan booke Ye sacred Muses if ye will admit My name into the roll which ye haue writ Of all your seruants to my thoughts display Some rich conceipt some vnfrequented way Which may hereafter to the world commend A picture fit for this my noble Friend For this is nothing all these Rimes I scorne Let Pens be broken and the paper torne And with his last breath let my musick cease Vnlesse my lowly Poem could increase In true description of immortall things And rays'd aboue the earth with nimble wings Fly like an Eagle from his Fun'rall fire Admir'd by all as all did him admire An Epitaph vpon that hopefull young Gentleman the Lord Wriothesley HEre lies a Souldier who in youth desir'd His valiant Fathers noble steps to tread And swiftly from his friends and Countrey fled While to the height of glory he aspir'd The cruell Fates with bitter enuy fir'd To see warres prudence in so young a head Sent from their dusky caues to strike him dead A strong disease in peacefull Robes attir'd This Murd'rer kills him with a silent dart And hauing drawne it bloody from the Sonne Throwes it againe into the Fathers heart And to his Lady boasts what he hath done What helpe can men against pale Death prouide When twice within few dayes Southampton dide IVVENAL SAT. 10. IN all the Countries which from Gades extend To Ganges where the mornings beames ascend Few men the clouds of errour can remooue And know what ill t' auoide what good to loue For what doe we by reason seeke or leaue Or what canst thou so happily conceiue But straight thou wilt thine enterprise repent And blame thy wish when thou behold'st th' euent The easie gods cause houses to decay By granting that for which the owners pray In Peace and Warre we aske for hurtfull things The copious flood of speech to many brings Vntimely death another rashly dyes While he vpon his wondrous strength relyes But most by heapes of money choked are Which they haue gather'd with too earnest care Till others they in wealth as much excell As British Whales aboue the Dolphins swell In bloody times by Neroes fierce commands The armed troope about Longinus stands Rich Senecaes large gardens circling round And Lateranus Palace much renown'd The greedy Tyrants souldier seldome comes To ransack beggers in the vpper roomes If siluer vessels though but few thou bear'st Thou in the night the sword and trunchion fear'st And at the shadow of each Reed wilt quake When by the Moone light thou perceiu'st it shake But he that trauailes empty feeles no griefe And boldly sings in presence of the thiefe The first desires and those which best we know In all our Temples are that wealth may grow That riches may increase and that our chest In publike banke may farre exceed the rest But men in earthen vessels neuer drinke Dyre poysons then thy selfe in danger thinke When cups beset with Pearles thy hand doth hold And precious Wine burnes bright in ample gold Do'st thou not now perceiue sufficient cause To giue those two wise men deseru'd applause Who when abroad they from their thresholds stept The one did alwaies laugh the other wept But all are apt to laugh in euery place And censure actions with a wrinkled face It is more maruell how the others eyes Could moysture find his weeping to suffice Democritus did euer shake his spleene With laughters force yet had there neuer been Within his natiue soyle such garments braue And such vaine signes of Honour as we haue What if he saw the Pretor standing out From lofty Chariots in the thronging rout Clad in a Coate with noble Palme-trees wrought A signe of triumph from Ioues Temple brought And deckt with an imbrodred purple Gowne Like hangings from his shoulders trailing downe No necke can lift the Crowne which then he weares For it a publike seruant sweating beares And lest the Consull should exceed in pride A Slaue with him in the same Coach doth ride The Bird which on the Iu'ry Scepter stands The Cornets and the long officious Bands Of those that walke before to grace the sight The troope of seruile Romans cloth'd in white Which all the way vpon thy Horse attends Whō thy good cheare purse haue made thy friends To him each thing he meets occasion mooues Of earnest laughter and his wisdome prooues That worthy men who great examples giue In barb'rous Countries and thicke ayre may liue He laught at common peoples cares and feares Oft at their ioyes and sometimes at their teares He in contempt to threatning Fortune throwes A halter and his scornefull finger showes We rub the knees of gods with waxe to gaine From them such things as hurtfull are or vaine Pow'r subiect to fierce spite casts many downe Whom their large stiles and famous titles drowne The Statues fall and through the streets are roll'd The wheeles which did the Chariots weight vphold Are knockt in pieces with the Hatchets stroke The harmelesse Horses legs are also broke The fires make hissing sounds