dy'd Was not this Mammons voyce that did provide To entertaine that Guest what thinke ye friends If so then worldlings hasten to such ends Through Bills and Bonds that at your wisht repaire You with your golden god may richly share Where your intreasur'd hearts may nere be cold For feare of want but swimme in molten gold 229. A tryall of right Women and Metalls by their sounds we know If not by touch-stones whether right or no. 230. To the same Thou rayl'st at Rome and dost her friends oppose Yet bear'st her Badge in chiefe a Roman Nose 232. Of carnall pleasure The strongest shaft which to the metall'd head The Devill drawes each loving heart to slay Is that fond pleasure which in lazybed Slips from the string of Lust and hastes away 233. To Francis Quarles My Muse did purpose with a pious strife To have trac'd out my sinlesse Saviours life But thou hadst lanch'd into the Maine I heare Before my Barke was rigg'd which shall forbeare To interrupt so prais'd an enterprize 'Bout which with Quarles no quarrells shall arise Ply then thy steereage while deficient gales My wishes still supply and swell thy sailes 234. To the Honourable Matron the Lady GRACE CAVENDISH Faire Vertues which in single hearts take place Are in a double sense the gifts of Grace 235. An Epitaph on Mistris Anne Port. Here lyes a creature to be most admir'd So good and yet a woman who aspir'd To summe all vertues up before her yeares And scale by such ascents the heavenly Spheares VVhereon she sits comparing with the Sunne The Diadem of glory she hath wonne And joying to out-shine him makes the frame Of Heaven resound her mirth as Earth her fame VVhilst we halfe wrack't with losses of this sort Like Sea-men sigh that want their wished Port. 236. To the Lady Maunsfield now the Countesse of New-Castle AN AGRAMME All Fame liveth in Deeds WHile those which nought save fruitlesse titles have Bury their greatnesse in Oblivions grave Your reall worth unto your Name shall give A royall fame that in your deeds shall live 237. To his Muse. No enemy hath done me so much wrong As thou that hast betray'd me with a song To ship-wracke of my fortunes yet such sport Thou dost afford me that I hugge thee for 't And those that most doe envy thee delight To see thee hovering in thine Eagle-flight And proudly pearched on a Meteors backe With Ioves maine Thunder vying crack for crack While Swallow-like Detraction flyes below And chatters For such feates I love thee so That were the choyce propos'd I should refuse Rich India's bosome to embrace my Muse. 238. To the Flower of Youngsters Rose Verney By some fore-knowledge wert thou named Rose Whose fame-blowne Beauty such a tincture showes Of vernall brav'ry as may well compare With Venus Flower that in sweet and faire Dainties excells yet is not without pricks No more art thou Blush Rose I smell thy tricks 239. To Sir Charles Shirley Baronet COuld I but coyne you in my minde you should Be of the right stampe as were all your old Fore-fathers men of merit and renowne Whose meanest puts our moderne Nobles downe Their Houses seem'd as Hospitalls for poore And Charity still waited at their doore As Fame will upon you whilst you aspire To equall their desert and my desire The end of the First Booke The second Booke of Epigrammes 1. To William Davenport Esquire YOur native sweetnesse which you often have Diffus'd to others boldens me to crave Your favour to this weakling worke of mine Whereon if your cleare Iudgment daigne to shine All clouds of envy menacing my Verse I shall despise and with one puffe disperse 2. On Theologicall Vertue Vertue 's a Bridge neare to the Crosse whereby We passe to happinesse beyond the Spheares Whose Arches are Faith Hope and Charity And what 's the water but repentant teares 3. Sinne like a Serpent Sinnes falshood glistereth like the Serpents kind From whence it crept and beares a sting behind 4. On Drunkennesse The youngest of all vices that I know Is Drunkennesse which in the age of Noe First reel'd into the World and thus appeares Like the Red Dragon after thousand yeares Yet sure to Hell this sucking Vice hath spew'd More soules than all that ancient multitude 5. On Devotion Devotion 's like an Eagle making way Through cloudy Meteors when she meanes to pray 6. Gods Bounty No mortall hath seene God few heard him speake Hence is their love so cold their faith so weake Yet all his goodnesse taste which like the shower On Gideons Fleece he on all flesh doth powre 8. On Lazarus in Abrahams Bosome From sorrowes straights wherein we launch our lives In his hopes Haven Lazarus arrives And wonders in how short a flight of time He to that Crowne of happinesse could climbe From Ragges and company of Dogges to sort Himselfe with Princes of that glorious Court There with those armes that on the Altar plac'd Our dying Saviours lively type embrac'd O blissefull change to be incircled so What King would not his Diadem forgoe 9. Mocking's Catching Ieere they that list whose follies are profest With sinnes or swords it is not safe to jest 10. The body and the soule God at one instant did not make the whole Of man but first the Body then the soule And hence the fleshly Rebell for the right Of eldership doth with the Spirit fight 11. Percolation of Waters Sea-waters finding passage through the clay Lose saltnesse as experienc'd Writers say And with a sweeter relish please the sence So than the mournfull teares of penitence Which sinners through their earthen Organs straine No water is more sweete more soveraigne 12. Faith and Love The aire doth first affect us though the fire Be more Celestiall and more high aspire So the first tendrell of straight vertues tree Is Faith but the toppe branch is Charity 13. Of Nature In Heavenly things meere Nature's blind and base And like a meale of fragments without Grace 14. David and Goliah Christ and Sathan Five stones tooke David winning at one throw Goliah's head and our meeke Saviour so Five wounds receiv'd that weapon-like did slay Th' Infernall Gyant and his Host dismay 15. The fall of Angells Some say the downe-cast Angells here and there Alighted as they bodied Creatures were But whether some of them in Aire reside Others in Water or in Earth abide It matters not for howsoere they fell Who loseth God findes every place his Hell 16. Strong encouragement He acts as brave a part as David in Killing Goliah did who conquers sinne At the first onset for that is to wound A Gyants front and force him to the ground 17. Of Mortification Sith Paradise is lost looke not to see God in soft pleasures walkes for surely he That did to Moses in a Bush appeare Loves sharpe compunction and a life austere 18. To penitent Magdalen Mary but late the cage of Hell Thy heavenly change what Muse can tell
onely blest His Lord this towards Heav'n out-leap'd the rest 215. To Luke Warme The Aegyptian Copties though they long remaine In Churches neither kneele nor sit but leane On crutches still why dost not thou the same Whose Sanctity is sicke Devotion lame 216. On old Simeon Those Pilgrims at Mecha once have beene And Mahomets magnifick Temple seene Doe usually deprive themselves of sight Lest on prophaner objects they should light Old Simeon so if zeale compar'd may be With madnesse when he did young Iesus see His hopes rich summe and Sunne of glory bright Desir'd the quenching of his vitall light As loth good man t'infest his aged eyes VVith spectacles of sinnes and miseries 217. To a Communicant Thy body is now the pot of Gold That doth Celestiall Manna hold Then keepe no cankred malice there For Golds nere rusts but shineth cleare 218. To a Pharisaicall boaster VVhen Moses in his bosome thrust his hand It came forth leprous but when thou into Thine in-side divest thou wilt understand That much unsoundnesse in each part doth grow Till in the Iordan of Christs blood it be VVasht soundly off like Naamans Leprosie 219. VVho first for a winding-sheete With what a swiftnesse are we hurried on By Times impulsion to our finall home That seeme to strive as Peter did and Iohn Who first unto the Sepulchre should come 220. Wormes meate The proudest King 's but carrion served in A Leaden dish to wormes for heavier sinne 221. Keepe off your Hatts The Foure and twenty Elders did deject Their Crownes before the Lambe but yongsters owe To the Worlds Saviour now so sleight respect As in his presence their bold heads to show Vnseemely veyl'd O wrong to Sanctity Done in the publicke view yet covertly 223. Comfort in the Crosse. VVhen Helena most deare to Constantine A Lady pregnant with affects divine Had happ'ly learned that Christs Crosse did lye At the low confines of Mount Calvary Causing the rubbidge under which it lay By Iewes ill-buried to be cast away The broke Earth trembled as the Story showes And from her ruptures dainty odours throwes Into the Aire For though the Crosse imprint Feare in our hearts yet is there comfort in 't And such a sweetnesse as was never found In Tempe's Groves nor Edens flowery ground 224. Heavenly endowments We should the Robe of glory as it were Spinne out of Christ by faith embroyder't here With workes of Piety perfume it too With Incense of our Prayers else we doe But feast on dainty dreames and Heaven-ward reare A scale of phansies that no weight will beare 225. An intricate Receptacle Mans body's of the Elements compos'd VVithin his body is his blood enclos'd His spirits in his blood in these his Soule And in it God doth rest that moves the whole 226. On Truth Truth seekes no corners How may this appeare It comes from Heaven which is a perfect Spheare 227. Adams honourable interrement In a cleft Rocke neare which our Saviour dy'd Was Adams head found who had prophesi'd As Fame averres that his Redeemer shou'd His bones there moisten with effused blood What time the Ocean of his love should make The Nectar-drunken Earth to reele and shake O primely honour'd man thus with the best Of sweets embalm'd and rockt to blissefull rest 228. Treasures of Devotion The Starre-led Sages that would Christ behold Did Presents bring Myrrhe Erankinsence and Gold So if teares prayers pure affects we bring We shall with comfort see our heavenly King 229. On St. Thomas the Apostle Thomas for unbeleefe did make amends At last and had his Faith at 's fingers ends 230. The place of Christs Nativity In a poore Grot on Bethlems Easterne side Which for a Stable sometimes was employ'd The Sunne of Righteousnesse did as it were Breake from a tender cloud that held him deare But in this lower world hard welcome found To whom a Manger hewne i' th' rocky ground For Cradle serv'd not to be rock't unlesse An Earth-quake came and pittyed his distresse 231. On the Star that watched over our Saviour Sith other Planets seeme to serve the Sunne For Mars Iove Saturne as his Legats runne About and when he comes but neare in show Of honour to their Epicycles goe So Hermes doth as Secretary ' bide With him and Venus as his amorous Bride Still waites upon him when to bed he goes And no lesse duty at his rising showes Then with good reason doth this starre expresse Such service to this Sunne of righteousnesse 232. The Forge of devotion A beaten brest 's the anvile prayers be The sparkes and zeale the fire of sanctity 233. On our Saviour wounded in the side The Balsame-shrubbe lanc'd in the rine Doth rich and fragrant teares distill But here 's an upright Palme Divine From whose pierc'd side doth Nectar trill Whose droppes would dampe the rosie Morne With sweets and Galaxie adorne 234. To an Atheisticall scoffer The Tempter set our Saviour as they say On the proud height of Quarantania And shew'd him sundry Kingdomes but should he Hurle thee to Earths low-bowell'd vastity Downe Aetnaes fiery jawes he haply might So satisfie and terrifie thy sight That thou no more wouldst shocke at hideous things Nor play with such a flame as sing'd thy wings 235. To the same Thou question'st me of Hell with hot desire To know the seate of it and seem'st indeed Like Peter at the worst who neare the fire His Master did deny as thou thy Creed 236. On Cocke-fighting To Master William Latkins Some that dislike what ere their betters love This pastime as a cruell sport reprove But why should not man of all creatures Lord So use them as they pleasure may afford Is it more cruelty for fowles to fight Than beasts by th' Butchers Knife to dye outright But I can raise good from the Pit and call To mind at every sound sad Peters fall And while they fight that are so neare of kinne Spurre up mine anger 'gainst mine inmate sinne That crowes against me Thus who doth allay His mirth and lesse for coine than conquest play May Cocke-sure take his pleasure and delight With peace of Conscience with a sportive fight 237. Of Whoores and their Masters Who will not foule veneriall acts forbeare But ready are to mixe with all they meet Are like those creatures which to Peter were Presented in a trance beasts in a sheet 238. Gods garden Each vertuous brest Gods garden is where growes The Lilly of faire Chastity the Rose Of shamefastnesse the Palme of charity The lowly Groundsell of humility The Camomile of patience with the rest Of pious plants that make their owner blest But thornes and brambles cares and crook'd desires Must be extirp'd they 're prickt for Stygian fires 239. Of Grace Grace is like Cedrons Channell quickly dry Unlesse Heaven still distilling yeeld supply 240. Mans dignity and danger Each man an Adam a good conscience is His Paradise and pledge of Heavenly blisse Lust the forbidden fruite which when we tast God is displeas'd from comfort man displac'd 241. Of the blessed Trinity Should I as sometimes hath beene seene behold The King of Planets with his beames of gold Forming upon a Cloud his Image bright And from those two a third resulting light In such cleare objects should I seeme to see A shadow of th' all glorious Trinity 242. To William Davenpore Esquire Some argue as blind phantasie invents That active discords of the Elements Did worke the World up from its articke Masse But howsoere to let that fiction passe Some verball jarres betwixt my selfe and you Have made a world of reall love ensue In our affects Which when I violate By mixing friendship with one dramme of hate Let Phoebus give me for a Lawrell Crowne A wreath of Snakes to hisse my Poems downe The end of the Second Booke FINIS * White Characters in black Marble * Sir Peter Fretchvile was honoured by the name of the White Knight * Cherisiphons Architect of Dianaes Temple * The whetstone * two Northerne asterismes * Sir Thomas Crew his Father in law
casket as a Iemme Doth in my Fathers Diadem How like hope in Pandoraes boxe Lovely it lookes More hard than rockes Were they whose hearts would not relent At sight of such an Innocent Come little Angell thou with me Shalt shine in Heaven of Royalty And with great Pharaohs Crowne shalt play That mayst beare rule another day And as I thee from waters rage My name preserve from wracke of age 101. To ambitious favourites Looke favourites that ever climbing are On Absolon hung by the lockes on high For so your actions goe against the haire And danger hangs upon your dignity 102. On the skales that fell from Pauls eyes These skales th' old Serpents were who when they fell Did cast his slough on earth and slipt to Hell 103. On Iezabell to Ladies How far'd proud Iezabell whole dayes that spent In pruning painting courting of her glasse Was not her flesh t'an odious excrement Concocted and ejected on the grasse Ladies such faults wipe off as did at end This Queene of Pride and dogg'd her to her end 104. Iphtah meeting his Daughter after Victory Ah ruthfull object that doth dart A thousand horrours to my heart Poore harmelesse haplesse child must thou Make good thy Fathers ill-made vow And shall I such rash breath fulfull Deare Heaven avert it Yet I will And must although with trembling hands I shake in sunder natures bands But to thy memory each day Full summes of sorrows must I pay And when salt teares have drain'd mine eyes Make Fountaines poore with fresh supplyes 105. The worlds entertainement The World resembles Iael in her tent And entertaines us with like complement Feeds us and covers us while close we lye Strecht on the dull couch of obscurity But when we sleepe fast faster to the ground Our heads and hearts doe fixe and both confound 106. Iohn Baptists Head This was a Cryers head and still doth cry For vengeance on the crowne of tyranny 107. Christ Crucified How quaintly Heaven his fairest jewels sets To the Worlds view betwixt two counterfets With two pale Pendants hangs this radiant stone Yet makes his foyle takes glory but of one Strange Rocke that in our wildernesse of sinne Strucke with the rod of Justice from within His precious Caves poures liquid life to ground Whose Cataracts to highest Heaven resound Out-buying with fine golden rivers price All floods all fruits all states of Paradise Deare Mates that through these worldly billows steere Bend to this Rocke or else ye shipwracke here Let my kind Muse the singing Syren prove To draw you on with charming lines of love Haile true Celestiall Comet which of old Such flights of ravisht spirits have foretold That by thy bloody streaming in the aire Dost make the blacke Prince of his Realme despaire In lifes sad Night he cannot wander farre From joy that sailes by this transfixed starre 108. An upstroke to his soule Up Dove-like soule and make thy Saviours side Thy restfull Arke his sprinkled blood thy guide Bath in this balme th'enflamed eyes of Lust Thy Plumes of pride thy feete of lame distrust Harke how the bubling Current chides thy stay In thine owne sound and murmurs at delay See how his armes are for thy welcome spread And how he beckons with enclining head Vrge then thy flight thy paines will not be lost Nor love want comfort though thy Lord be lost 109. On our Saviours Crosse. Our Saviours Crosse beguilt with guiltlesse blood Was fram'd as some write of foure kinds of wood Palme Cedar Cypresse Olive which might show That blessings thence to the foure parts should flow Of the vast world and from the foure windes should Christs flocke be fetcht to his thrice-blessed Fold 110. Of the terrours at the Death of our Saviour What tempest 's this that from the Tree of Death Would shake this fruit of Life what angry breath Of Heav'n teares up my tender-rooted heart Doth the rude world into confusion start Or Nature bending to her finall wracke Heare the maine Engine of her motion cracke The Temple rends its cloaths the Rocks that were Angry at harder hearts their Centers teare Heav'ns blood-shot eye winkes close for griefe and dread The Earth grows sicke and vomits up her dead The Sea howles out while the loud winds in rage Hisse at those Actors on their Tragicke Stage That having lost both shape and reasons sparke In that blacke day seeme Dragons in the darke O poisonous sinne whose force the solid ground Thus breakes and threats whole Nature to confound 111. On the Spunge filled with Vinegar Mans life is like this Spunge and steepes It selfe in woes when crusht he weepes 112. The anguish of Conscience Who with a guilty soule to bed doth goe Fares like a Nightingale with tender brest Vpon a thorne and takes as little rest But with lesse straines of Musicke more of woe 113. Man unnaturally revengefull Nature some creatures terrible doth make With hornes and hoofes tusks wherewith they take Bloody revenge and worke each others woe But no such native terrours man doth show Yet to harsh mischiefe is most bent of all And with a vengeance most unnaturall 114. Our Saviours Parentage This flower of Iesse had his blessed birth From Heaven deriv'd though planted here on Earth Resembling those whereof fam'd Maro sings Whose beauties beare th'enscribed names of Kings 115. Faith a fast friend Of Moses body God tooke care Nor would allow the Fiend a share In it much lesse will he forgoe A soule deare-bought with deadly woe If but her hand of faith be laid On his strong Arme that all doth ayde 116. Sinnes attendants Sinne hath three Bond-maids Feare Guilt and Shame That dayly follow duely haunt the same But be I rather joylesse left alone Than on the left hand goe so waited on 117. Of silence Iohns Birth made glad long-silent Zachary And grace attends on Taciturnity 118. Belly cease thy grumbling God that for every Beast provided meate Before their Master Man had ought to eate Shew'd us how small a care is requisite For things that please the rambling appetite For man that beares a Queene-like Soule should have Small stomacke to become his bodies slave 119. True Knowledge The Temples Windows on their inner side Farre larger than without thereby imply'd That in Gods Church appeares the vitall light Of Truth without it shades of Death and night 120. The Soules Center Our bodies in the flitting ayre can take No rest nor in the flowing water make Abode but on the solid Earth remaine Whose ground-worke doth the unweildy world sustaine No more can Soules for lasting joyes design'd In watry wealth or airy honour find Sure comfort but in him that all things moves Must rest and there concenter all their loves 122. Against prophane jesting Let others scoffe whose joyes are here at best I 'm not for Hell in earnest nor in jest 123. On Iudges To Sir Tho. Mitward In faire Ierusalem the Iudges sate On Thrones erected in the Cities gate With