Reason vvould Many that haue nought els but daring Harts And leafe their Liues for Nothing to Dispaire On this Worlds Stage do oft play Princes parts To which they climb by Bloud a slppry Staire And desprate Resolution so is held Vp by the Chin while it doth bath in bloud By Greatnesse of smal worth that it doth weld The world at wil and sâ—ld if ere withstood Yea oft it makes Authority to shake Sith they owe others liues that loath their owne And so it doth his owne Conditions make As if it could at wil put vp and downe This Ladies loue for this doth Ladies win Faint Hart they say I le ow the rest for shame This is a VVorld-commanding gracefull sin In the Conceit of each conceited Dame He that dares ioule togeâ—her highest Heades Though he may faile in that too high attempt The High his haughty Resolution dreads VVhile he as Crauens holds them in Contempt â—o thus may Reason reason gainst a Wrong That Passion doth approue and vse as right I vs'd the more my vice this vertue long If it be Veâ—tue vitiously to fight VVhat now vaunts VVit and vailes the same with skil Would it be knowne it was to Courage Knit Do I condemn yet glory in mine ill So crack of Courage with and without Wit Here lie I open to Wits priuy Nips Or open Thumps lay on Wit spare me not And I le oreturne as thou shalt offer Trips Sith through my weaknesse thou the best hast got Yet stay thy Wisedome wit and hold thy hand Vse thou the Conquest like a Conqueror That is foile thou the ill which thee withstand But let the faultlesse neuer feel thy powr For t is not simply ill a truth to tell Though it perhaps be told for scarce good end And doubtful words with Letters Loue doth spel That alwaies only doth the best intend But sith al those that know me knew me such As once I was my Line sare of lesse force Vnlesse my hate of what I was I touch To dravv Sword-dravvers to a quiet Course For stealst thou Theefe and yet exhorst to Truth Or Kilst thou Butcher yet dehortst from Bloud Shal he perswade vs who reuenge pursuth That mercy is the best reuenging mood I am turnd Crauen and am held-therein By Loue which holds for true diuinity That Faiths Deuotion is but deadly sin If it be not deuout in Charity Then he that makes his life a lasting Brall And seems to feed on nought but Wounâ—s and Gore May pray for grace to change his life withall But other praiers make his sins the more And they that loue their sins to mulâ—iply Stil let â—hem pray in Hate and thirst of Bloud So shal they liue while they make others die To dy the death of Dogs in damned moode Now if this Charme of Words want violence To make these brauing Spirits lesse bloudy-bold And bring them into Loues Circumference Sufficeth me I Coniur'd as I could But if thereby they wax more turbulent I can but rue but they shall more repent Blessed is the Man that doth meditate honest things by Wisedome Ecclus. 14. 21. DId Wisedome write or speake the world to please Shee were not wisedom in a pleasing Sence Then who doth please with any one of these Doth please vnwÃsely but the World or Sence Then áre they worldly wise or sensual That doe soe write òr speake but none of those Can be in them whose words can sweeten Gall Which Sweets do rest where sweetest Soules repose And they repose but in the Sweet of Sweets God only wise or Bodies of the Blest In whom true Wisedome Grace and Nature meets Whose gracefull VVords are naturally exprest If VVords inchaunt the Sense and not the Soule That Charme of VVords coniures no holy Spright For Such such VVords not Such such VVords controules Soule-pleasing VVords must then bee rare and right Yet though a Sonnet bee as right as rare For Number Measure VVaight or Nouclâ—â—â— Yet if it sounds so but to Senses Eare The Soule as harshe doth hold that Hermonie Then all our Straines that relishe double Loue Sweet double-Relishe worthie treble praise To Soule and Bodie Soule and Body moue VVith ioy to listen as to Angells Lâ—ies These bee the Aires that gett the Aire of Fame Of Fame whose Aire diuinely is refinde That feeds with purest praise immâ—rt all Name Fitting the nature of each mightie Minde And they are only mightie that disdaine All that that disagrees with Mightinesse As is light Loue fraile Fancies Shadowes vaine VVeake VVitt base Blisse VVorlds weale or VVretchednes Then as to Nature curst but kind to Grace I herehaue made a Rodd my selfe to beate VVhose highest reach in Straines of Loue is base Sith Lightnesse incasures them with heauie Feete Yet if this Lightnesse heauy make the Light In Summing vp my Numbers totall Summe I hope the weight thereof will bee of weight Their Lightnesse if it rise to ouercome For they are too Light that in Those but waigh VVhat Lusters not what Louers ought to say Sic transit gloria Mundi LIfe stay or if thou wilt not let my Soule Moue with thee to the Rest Thou mouest to The Twyne by which thou hangst Time vp doth rowle On Heau'ns round reeling Spheares which thee vndâ—os Thenô my Soule let Truth thy Vertues woo To ioyne their Force t' inforce th' infirmitie Of this Lifes excesse in Deficiency For truth to say wee Bee and Bee not bothe Wee Bee in show but Bee not as wee ought If then wee Bee not but in show in sooth Wee Are as if wee Were not Ought and Nought Dying as soone as wee to Life are brought Twixt Generation and Corruption The Meane inclines but to destruction And if we straine the Circle of our Thoughâ— To comprehend some Essence of the same It is as if to catch a Shade we sought Or clos'd our Fist to hold the blast of Fame Yet that is Aire but Man is but in Nameâ— Then looke how much a Name hath beeing found So much hath Man which is a Sound vnsound Vnsound it is for were it sound it were That which fraile Man is nothing lesse then like For Sounds haue Beeing yea they plaine appeare And on the Organs of our Hearing strike Of which those Organs are with vs to seeke For while the Sound resoundeâ—h wee are gonne So are wee SouÌ„ds that haue not Time nor Toneâ— Then Reason seeking for a reall Thing Of Humane-nature fowly is deceau'd Because the same hath no continuing But runnes hir Race ere really perceau'd Whose Life of Life is instantlie bereau'dâ— A Dreame a Shade ô no it s not so much A shadow of a Dreame at most is such That 's the Similitude the Lord of Life Doth vse to show our Liues vnbeeing Beeing What! in the World where all things are so â—ife Is nought but Nothing to the same agreeing Which not appeares nor scarse suppos'd by Seeing And beeing scarse supposed then it is To Nothing next or
grace in Fortunes Frownes To liue as in an Hell a Liuing Death They well may Chronicle what holds in Crownes Which turne about like Fanes eun with a Breath There may I Nobles see vnnobly striue Who shall be greatst in grace for want of grace Who by the damage of each other thriue And grace themselues b'each others great disgrace While vnperceaud I laugh to see how thay Like Fiends each other restlestly torment And blesse my state that on their Plagues may play In my Minds mirry Kingdome of CONTENT In few there may I see how all Estates That lifted are aboue the myrry Meane Do falling stand twixt Dangers and Debates Whiles of their Falls I make a swelling Sceane So that this World the Sea of misery Becomes my Helicon and Streames affords To make my Muse to flow stil swellinghie In matter far aboue the reache of Words Then you that shouldring buckle for the best Holding the Meane the best of all the worst Rest you or else my Muse shall neuer rest To make your States and Strifs lothd as accurst And you ô you vnpassiond peacefull Harts That with me liue secure in meane estate Be ioyfull though you play but simple Parts Ye simply play the best blâ—â—hst freest from hate And though these great Ones scorne our Case and Core Let vs laugh at them sith we know they dote A Dump vpon the death of the most noble Henrie late Earle of Pembrooke DEath hath depriud 〈◊〉 of my deerest friend My Deerest friend is dead and laid in Graue 〈◊〉 Graue He rests vntill the World shall end The World shall end and end shall all I hings haue All Things haue end on Earth that Nature wrought That Nature wrought shall vnto Dust be brought To Dust be brought the worthiest Wights on Ground On Ground who liues in Ground consume he must Consume he must whom â—rorow doth confound Sorrow doth confound the Mind that Care doth rust That Care doth rust full soone Care will deuour Care will deuour where Care hath greatest powr Where Care hath greatest powr it frets the Heart It frets the Heart and doth perplex the Spirit The Spirit perplext ptocures the Bodies â—mart The Bodies smart doth quite expell delight Expell delight then Life is like to Death To Death I yeeld yet cannot lose my Breath My Breath why did it not forsake me than Me than eun then when that my friend deceast My friend deceast eun as my Ioyes began My Ioyes began eun as my Ioyes surceast My Ioyes surceast eun as my friend did dy My friend did die and so would God might I. I aid vnto Laughter what art thou mad And to Mixth what dost thou Eccles. 2. 2. AMong the 〈◊〉 Sinne 〈◊〉 for heedles Flesh Though Lust be more attractiue in her powr None takes so soon sith 〈◊〉 doth it refresh As Myrth For Myrth doth ioy and health procure The Graue and Light wil lightly mirry bee Mirth so doth tickle Splâ—eneâ— of either kinde For recreation oâ—e the other glees And boâ—h because therein they pleasure finde It is Earths Heauen yet It doth hale to Hell But so doth hale as with bewitching 〈◊〉 It makes them willing whome it doth compel To ioy in Pleasure which procureth Smart When Fortune smiles who then laughs not outright And oft mad mirry plaies not with each straw Makes Pleasure all their paine their care Delight These Mirth with Ropes of Vanity doth draw These in the Night think how to spend the Day If thinking-sad Ambition let them not In pas-time so Time passeth with ill play Til they lose All and He the same hath got In Weale we flote on Pleasures Streams with ease In sugred satisfaction of our Sense And often seeke to sound those sensual Seas With the decep'st reach of our Intelligence Then wee embozom all that Myrth can yeeld Musutions Plaiers Buffons Birds-and Beasts Do at their pleasure vs most wanton weeld And decrer then our Wisedomes deeme their lests A Zane farther off from Wit then Grace And yet as farre from Grace as Grace from Synne That can at Feasts prate with a brazen face When sober Witt 's kept out must needs come in Our Dainties will not downe with out some such A Shamelesse-gracelesse wittlesse Thing wee gett To make vs Fatt as fooles with Laughing much And on his follie feede to make vs eate My Lady shee will laugh as madd shee were Lord why should Mirth make sober Ladies madd If shee but see Him like an Asse to fleere So shee kind Mule to see an Asse is gladd And when such Buffons ball and Cornetts sound The Ghests loud-Laughing Who can then bee heard That speakes like Phiâ—â—pps Page as shrill as sound That Voice hath then no grace and lesâ—e regard And if one sober Soule amonge the rest Do mind the rest of theiâ— Excesse in This Some seeming wise-man makes him straight a lest While all as at a Goose like Geese do 〈◊〉 Then one Goose that seemes reason most t' affect Yeelds him a reason for their hissing so And saith that Wisedome doth hir selfe reiect When shee comes out of season ought to do This Diu'l with reason dammnes Diuinity And with his Wisedome stopps selfe Wisedomes Mouth Which saith all Seasons wee should mortifie Our Eares to heare the liuely Word of TRVTH Paule hold thy peace thou blessed Saint be still Though if thou preach not thou saist wo to Thee Lest they do hisse thee too for thy good will Who hold all Geese that not madd-mirry bee Tell them they ought in season and without To heare the Word of Life they dead in sinne Will for thy zeale requite thee with a floute For so to quite such zeale they vs'd haue binâ— The most voluptuous ouer-wanton Rigge Proud Plentie scornes meeke Pieties VVoman-hood And swelling Supra-aboundance lookes so bigg That nought it sees so Low as Soberâ—moode Variety of Crownes Robes Mirth and Meate And all that rauish Sense with sweet'st delight These are the Heau'nsâ— desired of the GREATE VVho weene no Heau'n nor Hell is out of sight Frolicke greatâ—great Ones while these Heauns you hold Sith you will not attend true VVisedoms VVords Laugh and bee fatt sith al you touch is Gold Though that foode your Soules famishment affordes Soule tush what Soule how idly dost thou chatt Madd Muse that now they thinke dost Poetize There is no Soule nor no such Thing as that These are but Fictions Law-confirming Lies VVhat resurrection Pish who euer came From Death to Life VVho can Cadaueres raise Some say a Nazarite once did the same But Tacitus nor Machiauel to saies These were wise Men in deede and known for such If such had said it we might trust their VVorde But fow'r poore Fellowes poorely it doth touch That often with themselues do scarse accord VVho had no action in the Common weale No Office no Command nor no great Braine Yet wee for sooth for vaine Soules only Heale Must credit them in all their prattle vaine
our like we loue Which makes me loue in thine Eies still to prie Because I see in Thine how mine do mooue And mine do mooue as thine doe louingly Then looke in mine and thou shalt see thine Eyes Attest for thee what mine for me protest Then let thie tongue no longer subtilize But saie thou lou'st me as I loue thee best For if we see the Hart-Roote in the eyne Thy eies are false or It is truly mine 8 SOme say they wonder how so well I write Although my lines to no greate wonders stretch Sith Art my skill of Theft cannot indite Yet I endite with skill aboue my reache Loue learnes me Art which Art inspires my Muse For Grammer Logicke Retorick and the rest Musicke especially Loues arte doth vse For loue vntun'd in Tune is best exprest Loue most diuine makes men do miracles And most humane loue Woonders doth produce But Beauties loue in vertues Spectacles Makes men do woonders most miraculous Then they a woonder do not vnderstand That woonder sith an Angell guides my hand 9 VVHen first I learnd the A B C of loue I was vnapt to learne and sith a Crosse Crost my way to them I was loth to prooue That learning that might tend but to my losse The Vowels Looks that speld mute Consonants I hardly could distinguish what they were And sith the rest to them were Disonantes To make them ioyne with Vowels cost me deere The Mutes and Consonants being Deedes and Words Were harsh without sweet vowels sweetest Looks My youth was spent for age such skill affoords Ere them I knew with and without my bookes But Teares the Liquides still being in my Eyes I saw through them at last Loues misteries 10 THe Partes of all Loues speeche are eighty eight A fatall number but more fatall speeche And long it is ere we men learne the sleight But Women straite do learne and we men teache If eight to eighty eight be multiplide Loues language doth more Veâ—bes then Nownes embrace Then full of Aduerbes is the same beside Of Swearing Flattring Choosing Time and Place Why eighty eight Parts iust no more nor lesse This speeche is figuratiue A few for more For all the parts Speeche neuer can expresse Sith euer they increase in strength and Store Then if Time raise his armes aboue his bounds Loues speech will Towre til Error it confounds 11 FOâ—bidden Hopes ô why were yee forbid Since yee direct your aime at Blisse of Blisses Which is most euident yet most is hid Apparant on hir lips hid in hir kisses Can labour of the lips deserue such meede Or bodies trauell earne such recompence That with but scarce a view each sence doth seede And with a touch reuiues the buried sence Is Sence made capable of such high grace And yet forbid to hope the same to haue Is Heauen most conspicuous in her Face Yet must not Sense there hope it selfe to saue Ah what is this but sense to Sense to gliue To make it feele in death what t is to liue 12 FOrbidden hopes the comforts of my Care Yet Care that kils all comforts cheering me I am no more my selfe the whiles you are And yet much more then so the whiles you be If ye stay with me from my selfe I runne If you part from me past my selfe I fly Stay or part from me death I cannot shun VVith or without your helpe I needs must dy I needs must dy for life-inspiring you And dy if dy you do by whom I liue I do decay when I do yee renew I grieue with you but more without you grieue O then what choise remaines to wretched me But to be nought or not at all to Be. 13 FOrbidden-Hopes the Heauens of my Hell O ceasse your Heau'nly-Hellish Regiment My Hart the Hellish Heau'n wherein you dwell You rule at once with ioy and Dryryment Sith Contradictions ye do then maintaine And that they Reas'n resist that suche defend Then ô part not my single Hart in twayne To make it double for this double end The ioyes you yeeld are forg'd but by Conciete The griefes you giue haue euer reall byn Your pleasures are accomplisht by Deâ—â—ile Which with their ending endlesse Woes begin Sith endlesse Woes your ending pleasures giue Dy dy damn'd Hopes and let me die to liue 14 FOrbidden-Hopes why flutter yee in Aire Aboue the Compasse of your Spheare assign'd More Fitt how ere vnfitt were deepe dispaire Then Hopes forbidden to the mounting Minde Forbidden-Hopes why gaze yee on the Sunne Like Bastard Egletts that quite blinds your Eyes For Iustice Sonne such Hopes hath oft orerune And molt those Hopes forbidden in their rise Forbidden-Hopes whie do yee impe your Winges With Feathers culled from the Birdes of Loue Sith Doues are harmelesse withont Gall or Stings But both at once you make your Subiect proue Then ofrom whence haue such strange Hopes their being That see by blindnesse and are blinde by seeing 15 IF those translucent Lamps thine heau'nly eyes Shall stretche their beames of comfort to my passion I still will gaze on thy Cheekes Beauties Skyes With eyes of Wonder Loue and Adoration For if the Gods their Heau'ns haue made in Starrs Thine Eyes bright Starres containe right Deities VVho are the Presidents of Peace or warrs And either cause as either fall or rise Then may I with no Godlesse Nations take Those Starrs for Deities and them adore They hauing pow'r or Peace or Warre to make To make my peace sith warr hath made me poore For loues hott wars Lifes Store haue wasted quite Then grace the Foile thus soild to grace thy might 16 VVHen well I weigh thy Fassions and thy Forme Both being of Celestiall temp'rature Which no Change can endammage or deforme My loue becomes like Them as firme as pure Thy Soule vpon so sweet an Organ plaies As makes the Parts she plaies as sound as sweete Which sounds the heau'nly Setters and thy praise The Close wherof with groundlesse blisse doth meet This makes desire in me vnlike Desire Like Christall cold and cleare through heat and colde This makes me flame like Sol with heau'nly fire Which fructifies mine Earth as vertue would Then what I am at best I am of Thee Vertues best Instrument to fashion mee 17 THy nere too much priz'd Person deerest Deer The past most pretious sacred Temple is Wherein pure Chastity and Beauty cleere Espoused are to Loue and Louers blisse Thy mildnesse makes Pride poore and Meeknesse ritch Thy looks raise Hope yet staidly keep it downe Within the compasse of a modest pitch Wherein thy highest grace with grace is showne Thou art a Pearle which nothing can relent But Viniger made of Deuotions Teares If it be counterfet or euill bent For it thou hast nor Hart nor Eyes nor Eares But Hart and Eyes and Eares thou hast for myne Whose Hart and Eyes and Eares are ruld by Thine 18 TO touch on Sylla yet to scape the same And yet be drowned in the Hauens mouth Is
Sâ—nce â—or that doth blind the Soule and lame the Mind But must I sensuall 〈◊〉 to seem excus'd â—hen woâ—se and worse falls ouâ— mine ill excuse â—were better say by Loue I am abusd 〈◊〉 I to loue haue offâ—ed much abusâ— Abusd by Loue without my Lustâ— consent That is too strange a strength for Loue or Lust And eithers powr in me is impotent â—oâ— how boileâ— Bloud that long since is addust Wel be it as it may it seems my might Giues way to what it would not what it should Which on the bent of my Minds Motions light Puts these right Lines of Loue which long will hold But iâ— they breake when my Mind is vnbent Now shal they breake for I eu'n now repent Qualis vir talis oratio FAces do not more varrie in their Formes Then Wits in shapes though most be shapelesse Wits For breeding base oft well-shapt Wit deformes So 〈◊〉 comes off comly but by fits And 〈◊〉 oâ—t part are better fed then bred But they that feeding want want Wit and Wealth Then most Mens Wits are most il-fauoured And what they show by Wit they show by stealth Yet many Members oâ— that Blockâ—head Body The Multitude write idly without stint And he that 's not in Pâ—int they hold a Noddy Because themselues are Noddies still in Print Some Ryme in rage which rage puts Reason downe Yet puts not Reason downe in their Rymes rage These Arrs run rough but their Rimes if their owne With reason rnnne like a thwart Marriage Yet if too smooth be this smart Simily Although it be as rough as Rage or VVrack Their Rymes and Reason then runne like a Cry Of brayning Beasts that Rime and Reason lack Yet will they force Minerua not by Arte But forâ—e or feare of their wittes strength or stature For so these Asses weene to take their part So like the Giants â—ight gainst God and Nature Some make in Prose greate Tomes their witâ—s t'intomb To bee as Monuments of Witt for euer Yet sith those Monuments no Witt enwombe Being quite consumed they continue neuer The moâ—'s the pitty that such stately Tombes That of haue* gold without though drosse within Should bee gazd on by Leaâ—â—ings drugging Gromes And by their Engin razd ô dâ—â—dly sinne Minerua bleâ—â—e my Booke Witts Monâ—ment A little Monument for lesser Witt From such vsurpiâ—g Benâ—clarkes violent Lest â—hey pul out Wittes ere 's their turnes to fit Yet will I leaue it them while fearelesse I To â—ury goe in expedition To trie their trúth or taste their Tyranny The woâ—st is Eylesse deposition And if it happ I hope Ile Sion gaine Sith I the Cause of Sion will maintaine When the ritch man speakes euery man holds his tongue and what he saith is praised vnto the Clouds c Ecclus. 13. 24. THe Tongue of tâ—uth hath said hen true it is Though Indigence could speake like Salomon The VVorld is mute or saies he speakes amisâ—e Sith but the golden Asse speaks well alone Thus golden Asses clawd by Claw-backs are Where they do ytch and but for clawing itch Yet like lades pinch each other being baâ—e And so the Riâ—ch are praisd by poore and ritch 〈…〉 Wings of Sunâ—bâ—ight Seraphins 〈…〉 Peâ—s and make them Nectar flow 〈…〉 not gult like Cherubins 〈…〉 in deed but sink in show 〈…〉 World is wise herein Though wise â—â—â—ein more then most wickedly 〈◊〉 Detraction is esteemd no sin So â—hat the great be greatly praisd thereby 〈…〉 greatly praisd when all but Theirs 〈…〉 is how lawdable soere Their 〈◊〉 â—hough Crabs are sweet with Apple squires 〈…〉 for Loue and Loue for meed or feare They may be bold they woâ— well with the poore 〈◊〉 pack-horsâ—s beare when Asses bray Thâ—y 〈◊〉 may wince but they can do no more And for their wincing They on them may lay â—ut heer 's the comfort vpright after â—imes Vpright sith that which Is not no way bends Will Lawrell-Crowne them for their roiall Rimes â—or Enuies selfe Desert if dead commends Then Rimes how ere vnroial run you on You may in time perhaps come neer that Crowne Meane while look for no Coronation â—ut such as Enuy giues high-borne Renowne Yet with your Wit those after times perswade That some were mard perhaps eâ—e al were made Vpon Apparitions in the Night YE gâ—izly Ghosts that walk in shades of Night Like Shades whose Substance though quite Matterlesse The dayly fowle Offender doth aftright Why make ye Darknesse Paper for your Presse Do you imprint in Blacknesse blacker formes Of matters worse or in our Fantaziâ— â—mpresse ye Figures raising Horrors stormes Or how in darknesse come you to the Eye Do you but show or show in Substances Thicken you Aire and so a Shape assume Or creepe you in some Corprall Efâ—ences Or els the Sight deceaue with lesse then Fume And why ô Hell hounds range you in the Night Out of Earthes Center your infernall Hold Lothe ye the Sunne a or is the day too light To do your deeds of Darknesse as ye would Can ye dead Bodies truly actuate And so such Bodies borrow of the Saints Or can ye Wicked Bodies animate So take from God the cause of his Complaints For if you Soules infuse into the iâ—l You are the Father of their Spiâ—ites and God Complaines without cause that â—hey crosâ—e his Will Nor are they vnder naturally his Râ—dd But He it is alone that Soulâ—â— crâ—ates Without whome nought was made that made hath bin And Bodies good and Badd he animates Only he made not Death first made by Sinne. And what is Sinne but only meere Defect So Sinne is nought then nought hath Death begott And Nothing should in sense haue no effect So Sinne and Death Nought made and Nought Is not I would it were not but too true it is But is as Canker doth to Siluer cleaue So you fowle â—iends that loue such Filth as this Do leaue no Sinners that no sinne do leaue The purest Places you do hold an Hell And Places most impure you Heau'n esteeme The one do plague the other please you well And so of deeds of either Kinde you deeme To be among the the deads Graues you are gladd Wherein youâ—seeke their senslesâ—e Bones to griue And loue to rattle them in signe you had The Conquest of Mankind through Adams Eâ—ue So by a Woman your familier Y' are now familier with Men night and Day And which of both Familiers worse do warre With Men and Reason it is hard to say These femine Familiars but too oft Torment vs men as if you friends they were Whose hard harts plac'd in their faire Bodies soft Plague whom that Beauty doth to them indeere Yet some so filthy are that they are best When they are worst that is when fowle defame With vse of trading ill their Trade hath ceast Then with a Pox they liue Chast to their shame Thus haue we got double Familiars Women and Diuels by a VVomans pride Both which familiarly vvage
effect his own desires She makes the Wit as Vassall to the Wil To do what she how ere vnright requires Which Wit doth though repiningly fulfill Yet as well pleas'd ô temporizing VVit He seems t'effâ—ct hir pleasure willingly And all his Reasons to hir Reach doth fit So like the World gets loue by flattery That this is true a Thousand VVitnesses Impartial Conscience wil directly proue Then if we would not willingly transgresse Our Will should swayed be by Rule of Loue VVhich hides the Multitude of Sins because Hir Sire thereby to him his Seruants drawes 17 IT is no easie skill to rule aright The Helm of State one Hand can hardly sway They must needs vse the left as wel as right That in a right Course wil a Kingdome stay For like as Hercules as Poets faine VVas gotten in a Night as long as two Because that Phebus did his horses raigne Till Iupiter that Deed did throughly Do So a right Staâ—seman must of force be bred In along Night of Silence and sad thought And in deep skill should hide his subtil Head Til his skill be Herculean as it ought And then though Atlas on him Heu'n impose He that huge Burden staidly under-goes 18 VVHen Verity and Vertue be at one with Peoples-loue cald Popularity They like a forewind in the Poop driue on The Owner to sway Kingdoms easilye But if this tripple Vnion be at ods The lack of one may cause the wrack of al Although the lackers were terrestrial gods Yet wil they ruling reel or reeling fall I grant a time vice may have good successe And rule at wil by rules of Policy But in Conclusion â—will haue nothing lesse If true the Rules be of Diuinity For who doth rule by Rules that vertue lack In Vices spight his Rule shal be his wrack 6 MEn ouertoild in Common-VVealth affaires Gett much Tantaliaâ— wealth by wealthie paines VVhich they enioy not through vncessant Cares So all their Comfort is in Care and Gaines Good reason then that they should care to gett Who gett great Cares by getting great CoÌ„mands That will not let them sleepe sith sleepe they lett For who sleepes well in Bands though golden BaÌ„ds VVell fare they then with glittering Miseries Though they â—are costly yet they coldly sare That feede on nought but what doth feede the Eyes And cloy their Stomackes with consuming Care Care for such Gaudies who so list for mee Sith Commons much more Common better bee 20 DAm'd Auarice like a slie greedie VVhore Stirrs vp Desire and pleasure doth â—ordidd And makes his Louers starue amiddst their Store As Midas with his golden Viands did All other Lusts them selues helpe euery way For who 's a Glutton that will spare to feede Or who are carnall that forbeare the plaie Vpon an appetite to acte the Deede But wealthie Misers haue not what they hold And money vse not through desire of it As wee should Clothes forbeare for being cold And for wee hungrie are eate not a Biâ—t This is an Ill that Good doth most abuse Because it loues the good it hates to vse 8 A Time there was when as thee Moone desird The Sunne to make his a fitt Peticote Who did refuse to doe what she requir'â— Sith hee in hir suche often change did note So can no wisedome well proportion out To these Phantasticks â—arious as vaine A rate of Wealth to bring the year about Sith now they loue what straight they lothe againe These of all light Things burden most the Earth Of whome there is no helpe no hope no vse Whose Mothers labored idly in their birthe To beare such idle Things for Things abuse Each Slaue to vice may vs'd bee in his Kind But ther 's no vse of the vnconstant Mynd 22 THe ignorance of the Omnipotent Into two Branches doth it selfe diuide Atheisme and Superstition either bent From Truth and in their backward bent abide The first incountring Natures stiff and hard Begetts in them scorne of Religion The last with supple Natures more afeard In them ingenders Superstition These to Religion are the two Extreames Twixt whome the rests a Vertue most Diuine Crowned with three in One rare Diadems By Heau'ns great Thre in One or single-Trine These Two bewitche the World for at this daie Most pray amisse or els they misse to pray 23 PLeâ—sure with Profitt is the Pynn whereto 〈◊〉 Penns direct their best directed ayme Which if they splitt they do as they should do And iustly for it Glories prize they claime Now from my Will well-bent as I suppos'd With Shafts of the indeuors of my Witt I haue roud at this Point and them disposd As the Winde sate abrode the Pynn to splitt If I haue shott too much on the left hand I as not weather-wise the Winde mistooke Yet I considered both the Aire and Land But though my Shafts can neither of them brooke I loost them right though light mine Arrowes were Yet some being weightie I must needs bee neere 24 PLato putts difference these Tearmes betweene A Man Is not and is that hath no Beeing For in the first a Nullity is seene Which with nor Sence nor Substance hath agreeing The other showeth but the difference Betweene the Cause and Matter or more plaine Betweene the Pow'r and Passion wherein Sence Perceaues that Odds doth really remaine For This distinguisheth twixt that which Is Yea of It selfe Is euermore the same And That which of another's That or This Yet holds nor This nor That but alters Frame So Man compared with his constant Cause No Beeing hath at all by Natures Lawes 25 SInce first I came to yeeres my selfe to know To know my selfe I haue done what I can Who am not as I am in outward show And yet I seeke to show my selfe a man For sith of Soule and Body I consist And that my Body for my Soule was made I ought in searching of that Soule insist Sith that's my selfe that Is and cannot fade Shee Is that is Like hir Originall immortall and inuisible that is Past comprehention of Witt naturall So still I search to know to know I misse Then if my knowledge bee but this to kno That I know nothing I am humbled so 26 THe Accademicks held it better farre Quite to distrust th' Imagination Then to beleeue all which it doth auerre Which breeds more false then true opinion Then sith the case so stands with this Soules Powre We should suspend our Iudgment sith Things seeme Not as they bee though Sence the same assure But bee but in Conceite as them we deeme For through the Sences Chanells that doth runne That is conuaid to the Iâ—telligence Then Sence as in the greatnesse of the Sunne Beeing deceau'd decâ—aues eache inward Sence O then for Men who seeke but good to show How long ought wee suspect they are not so 27 SO long as Vnity retaines hir might She is but only One the Number Two Breeding but diffrence so indefinite Doth stil deuide that
so it may vndo Eu'n so a VVord or Speech whil they abide But in the Thought It 's cald a Secret right But if put forth forthwith abrode it glydes For words haue wings as swift as Thought in flight A Ship vpon her wings the Sailes may be In roughest winds stayd by her Anchor hold When she would into wel-known dangers flee And so the same from vtter wrack withhould But speak a word and nought shal let it hie Oft to the wrack of him that let it fly 28 THen if we show what vnshown haue we would To any other we bewray thereby We ween thei l keep that closer then we could So shew our Secrets for more secresie But do the Geese that into Cicily Ouer the mountain Taurus fly by night Gag them with Stones for Gaggling as they fly Lest Eagles breeding there should stop their flight And shall men haue lesse Wit then witlesse Geese To make that known that Wit wold close conceal And put no Gag into their glib Mouth-peece But like tame Guls by gagling it reueale Then if my Tongue were of this twatling kinde It should more tast my meat then feel my mind 29 They that haue skil to keep and nourish Bees Do hold that Hiues wherein most noyse they make To be the best or with them best agrees Who to the same most honied Riches rake But they that haue the Charge of humane Swarmes Do hold them happiest when they quietst be And furthest off from vproares and Alarms As hauing honied Sufficiency Sufficiency the Nurse of Rest and Peace For excesse breeds excesse of Sin and Shame And Sin and Shame do wars and Woes increase VVhere Wasps make honed Ritches spoile their game Then in our treble Hiues of treble Realmes We want no peace because we want Extreames 30 THe Frosty Beard inclining al to white The Snowy Head or Head more white then Snow The Crow-foot neer the Eyes Browes Furrow'd quite With Trenches in the Cheeks Experience show These are the Emblems of Authority Which ioynd to those do much augment her might These are the Signes of Reasons Soueraignty And Hyâ—rogliphicks spelling Iudgement right These are the Trophies rear'd by Times left hand Vpon the spoile of Passion and her Powres We by these Symbols Wisedome vnderstand That vs directeth and protecteth ours All these in me begin to come in sight Yet can I hardly rule my selfe aright 31 ALl Dignities that sodainly begin And gloriously increase in hast post hast So orerunne Enuie that shee cannot synne Nor synne before for straight hir pow'r they past If Flax on fire bee put it makes no smoke Because it in a Moment falls to flame No more can Enuy Pompe to fume prouoke That on the soddaine blazeth on the same But Greatnesse gotten slowlie by degrees Lies most expos'd to Enuies crueltie Those Beames are faint and vs'd thereto shee sees Them at the brightest with a banefull Eye Then blessed They that are from State exempt That lies expos'd to Enuy and Contempt 32 THe more vnlike to God the worse the Man Things most like Gods vnlike are most vile things God Brightnesse is with Him it first began The Deuill is darkenesse and from him it springs Who 's bright or loueth brightnesse is like God Who 's darke or Darkenesse loues is like the Deuil Who then in Darked â—sse liues or makes abode Doth liue like Gods vnlike â—he Fount of Euill To liue or die alone it is all one Saâ— that of both extreames to die is best The Beasts most brute delight to liâ—e alone And whosoe liueth â—oe liues like a Beast I cannot think that Men such Beasts will bee For Men and Beasts lyue with their like we see 5. Sonnets in ppaise of Eminâ—acy or a publike Life 33 VVEalth of Heau'ns Heau'n and want of Hell of Hells Angells renowne and Mens euangeliz'd The Summ of all their All imparadiz'd Glorious Elier that it selfe excells Blacknesse Antipodes Fowlenesse Opposite Mindes ioye Ioyes blisse and Blisses blandishment Laudes Crowne Crownes pompe and Pompes best ornament Kynnet of Darknessr lightly turning it Deathes death Lifes life and life of Lifes liues Life Eyes eye Witts eye Soules eye Eye of all Eyes Fames pride Prides foile yet Foiles doth scandalize Gods glory Glories God and stay of strife This is obscure and yet t is extreame Light Manns Summum bonum and Gods Soules delight 34 TO Liue alone alone is not to liue To die alone alone is not to die For Death is Life to such a liuelesse one That liues alone and lothes all Company Who liues alone alone doth lyuing Die Who dies alone alone doth dying liue For Life gaue life for sweet Societie And Death for Life and Life for Death did giue Earth's not alone for Earthling creepe vpon it And Water 's not alone for Fish liue in it Ayre 's not alone for Sprights liue in not on it And Cricketts Liue with Fire as all haue seene it Since these are all from whence all Creatures spring Who Liues alone liues not like any Thinge â— THen least alone when I am most alone Quoth one that least loud most Mens Company But what was hee a Ruler such a one Oft liues alone to keepe Societie For Kings whose cares are how from cares to keepe Their Subiects liues in Lifes Communion Oft liue alone and wake when sound they sleepe That he with them may sleep when theirs is gon But priuate Men if they too priuate are Are most iniurious to mens publike good And who are such liue past all kind of Care So liu'd not Hee that for Men spent his bloud If hee Kind Lord had lou'd to liue alone Hee had not died and wee had liu'd vnknowne 36 MArtha and Mary two of his belou'd That was the Sonne of Mary mother Maide Chose diffrent liues by grace and Nature mou'd Contemplatiue and Actiue as it s said Mary the first the last did Martha choose The first preferred was before the last By Him for whome she did the last refuse Through whom she was therfore with glory grac't If glorified she were then not obscure And if with Him shee were then not alone Alone she was with Him vpon whose powre All Creatures rest yet still hee rests all one Bâ—t such a one as euery One attends Who liues alone then liues not like his Frends 37 I cannot say but Beauty is a Guist But to fewe giuen that haue other grace For it the Minde aboue it selfe doth lift Although the Minde and Body bee but base Beauty is bright then then t is light lightly And if too bright too light too oft it is Yet t is the Signe where Grace doth vse to lie But if thrust out the Inne is most amisse And most amisse to misse what most adornes And hath but meerely stained-painted Walls Which Vice doth honour much but Vertue scornes Sith It to Vice from grace and Vertue falls Then Beauty if thou bee not Graces Inne Grace suing to thee sueth but to Sinne. 38