the hearts of Men that all the land Shall cry a Solomon and sweetly stand Rapt with sweet Peace and sacred admiration How happy is that land how blest the Nation CAP. II. 1 Directions for Charity 7 Death in life 9 and the day of judgement in the days of youth are to be thought on Vers. 1. VPon the waters let thy bread be cast And thou shalt find it when some dayes are past 2. Give lib'rall Almes for it 's unknown to thee How full of wants thy after days shall be 3. If clouds be full will they deny to powr Their fruitfull blessings in a lib'rall show'r Or North or South or wheresoere the Tree Shall fall no question it shall fall to thee 4. He that observes the winde shall never sow Who marks the clouds shall never reap nor mow 5. Like as the Embryo's growth within their wombs Is strange to thee and how the soul becomes The bodies inmate ev'n so all the rest Of Heav'ns high works are strangers to thy brest 6. Cast thou thy morning seed upon the land And at the evening hold not back thy hand For who is he can tell thee which of these Shall prosper best or bring the best encrease 7. 'T is true the light is sweet and every one Takes pleasure in the world-rejoycing Sunne 8. But who lives many joyfull years if he But count how long his after shades shall be In earths dark bosome how can he refrain To think these short-liv'd flattering pleasures vain 9. Rejoyce ô young man in thy youthfull ways Let thy heart cheer thee in thy youthfull days Delight thine eyes thy heart and take thy way But know that heavens accompt will find a day 10. Then banish fals-ey'd mirth Be dispossest Of those lewd fires that so inflame thy brest For childhood youth and all their joyes remain But for a season and they all are vain SOLILOQUIE XI SO now my soul thy wisdome-season'd brest May eat and drink and labour and digest Thy carefull morsels and with holy mirth Disperse the clouds of melancholy earth Now maist thou sit beneath thy clustred Vine And presse thy Grapes and drinke thy frolick wine In soft and plenteous Peace and leave tomorrow To bear the burden of her selfe-borne sorrow Now maist thou walk secure from all those threats Of peevish Fortune and the sly deceits Of flattering pleasure Plenty cannot drown Thine eyes in mirth nor misery cast thee down If the blew Rafters of the falling skies Should leave their spangled Mansion and surprise Thy feeble strength well may their ruines smite thee And grinde thy clod to dust but not affright thee What want'st thou then my soul that may augment The reall happinesse of a true content What vertue 's wanting now whose absence may Encourage bold-fac'd vanity to betray Thy even-spunne dayes to sorrow or occasion Thy fair-contriv'd designes to tast vexation Wouldst thou have Honor thou enjoy'st it Treasure Thou hast it wouldst thou gain the greater pleasure Of a true noble Spouse whose life may show Vertues rare quintessence Thou hast that too Wouldst thou have hopefull Sonnes to crown thy Last With Peace and Honour Such rare Sonnes thou hast Thy Princes favour Or thy peoples love All this thou hast Wisdome in things above Thou hast it Knowledge in these Toyes beneath Thou hast it Skill in th' Arts or curious breath Of whispering State All this thou hast Where then Shall thy new wishes â—ix Rare Man of men I but my soul one good is wanting still To summe a full perfection and to fill Thy Cruise with happinesse which if possest Thou hast a Diademe crownes all the rest Hadst thou the tongues of men and couldst thou break Thy lips in Oracles Or couldst thou speak The dialects of Angels when they sing Their sacred Canzons to their Soveraign King A tinkling Cymball or the hideous sounds Of discomposed discords or the Rounds Of frolick midnight madnesse would requite Thy wild attention with as much delight And breathe as sweetly in the Almighties eare If heart-rejoycing Charity be not there Hadst thou what strength the Parnassean Muse Can blesse thy fancy with or heaven infuse Hadst thou a Faith to make the mountaines fly In the vast Orbe like Atomes in thine eye Lesse then those Atomes would thy faith appear If faith-confirming Charity be not there Shouldst thou to purchase heaven renounce thy Right Of all thy goods and turne an Anchorite Or should thy courage to deserve the name Of Martyr give thy body to the flame When that blood pleads heaven will not lend an eare If heav'n-engaging Charity be not there Since then my soul both Faith and Works lie dead If Charity fail be wise and cast thy bread Upon the Waters As the Waters runne Deal thou thy dole untill thy dole be done Man is Gods Husbandry If then the Plough Of carefull want hath struck the furrow'd Brow And make it fit for seed Hold not thy hand He robs himself that faintly sows the Land Stay not for showres The soile if overflowne Will drown thy seed-corn and return thee none Let not some weeds discourage thee to sow The Plough will root them up or if they grow Too sturdy for the Coulters point to kill Fear not thy harvest A hard Winter will Cast not lank grain upon too lean a ground Fair Crops from off all Corn are rarely found Sow closely what thou sow'st and least in sight The eyes of Doves will make thy harvest light But stay Thou mayst surcharge as well as sterve The soile But wise men know what seed will serve Thy work thus wisely done what then remains Give Heav'n the glory and expect the Gains CAP. XII 1 The Creatour is to be remembred in due time 8 The Preachers care to edifie 13 The fear of God is the chief Antidote of vanity REmember thy Creator in thy prime Of present youth before the black-mouth'd time Of sullen age approach before the day Thy dying pleasures find a dull decay 2. Before the Sun and Moon and Stars appear Dark in thy Microcosmall Hemisphear 3. Before the Clouds of sorrows multitiply And hide the Chrystall of the gloomy sky Before the Keepers of thy crazy Tow'r Be palsie-striken and thy men of pow'r Sink as they march and grinders cease to grind Distastfull bread and windows are grown blind 4. Then shall the Castles two-leafd gates be barr'd When as the Milstones language is not heard The horn-mouth Belman shal affright thy sluÌ„bers Thy untun'd ear shall loath harmonious numbers 5. Each obvious mole-hill shall encrease thy fears And carefull snow shall blanch thy falling hairs A fly shall load thy shoulders Thy desire And all thy bed-rid passions shall expire Pale death 's at hand and mourners come to meet Thy tear-bedabled fun'rals in the street 6. Then shall the sinews silver cord be los'd Thy brains gold bowle be broke The undispos'd And idle liver 's fountain dri'd The blouds Meandring Cisterns unsuppli'd 7. Then shall the
that earth can prize Is all most vain and vainest vanities 3. What profit can accrue to man what gains Can crown his actions or reward his pains Beneath the Orbe of heavens surrounding Sun What worth his labour hath his labour done 4. One Generation gives another way But earth abids in one perpetuall stay 5. The Prince of Light puts on his morning Crown And in the Evening layes his glory down Where leaving earth to take a short repose He soon returns and rises where he rose 6. The troubled Ayre provokes the southern States And then it blusters at the Borean gates It whirles about in his uncertaine spheare And rides his unknown Circuit ev'ry where 7. All Rivers to the Seas their tribute yield And yet th' Hydropick Seas are never fill'd Their sliding streames pursue their passage home And drive their hasty tides froÌ„ whence they come 8. The world is all compos'd of change nor can Her vanity be Character'd by Man The eye 's not satisfi'd and what we heare Fils not the Concave of th' insatiate eare 9. The thing that heretofore hath been we see Is but the same that is and is to be And what is done is what is to be done There 's nothing that is new beneath the Sunne 10. What Novelty can earth proclaim and say It had no Precedent before this day No no there 's nothing modern times can owne The which precedent Ages have not known 11. The deeds of former days expire their date In our collapsed Memories and what Times early sunshine hath not ripened yet Succeeding Generations shall forget 12. I Solomon whose choice affections owne The Churches service dearer then my Throne Was chosen and anointed King and now Wear Israels Crown upon my studious brow 13. I bent my heart by wisdome to descry What are subsists beneath the spangled sky With such hard travel hath our God thought good To exercise the souls of flesh and blood 14. My thoughts have ponder'd all that hath been done Betwixt the solid Center and the Sunne And loe the object of my Contemplation Is but meer vanity and souls vexation 15. Not all this knowledge can reduce the state Of crooked nature to a perfect straight Nor summe our Ignorances which surmount The language of Arithmeticks Account 16. I view'd my heart and there found greater store Of wisdome then all those that liv'd before No knowledge could remaine no wisdome lye Close from mine eare nor clouded from mine eye 17. I gave my all enquiring heart to know Not wisdome onely but ev'n folly too And I perceiv'd that all this Contemplation Was vain and nothing but the souls Vexation 18. For he that labours for much wisdome gains Grief in th' enjoyment in pursuit but pains And who improves his knowledg strives to borrow A fair advantage to encrease his sorrow SOLILOQUIE I. HOw are the vain desires of flesh and blood Befoold in that mistaken thing call'd good How Travell seeks it How unwearied hearts Make it the object both of Armes and Arts How many certaine obvious ev'lls attend The way to this uncertain Iournies end We tyre the night in thought the day in toyl Spare neither sweat nor lucubrated oyl To seek the thing we cannot find or found We cannot hold or held we cannot ground So firm as to resist the various swings Of fickle Fortune or the frowns of Kings Poor fruitlesse labours of deluded Man How vainly are ye spent How short a span Of seeming pleasure serves ye to requite Long Leagues of travell For one drops delight Of ayry Froth how are ye forc'd to borrow Strong Gales of Hope to sail through seas of sorrow Why do we thus afflict our lâ—b'ring soules With dregs of wormwood and carouse full Bowls Of boyling anguish To what hopefull end Droyl we our crazy bodies and expend Our sorrow-wasted spirits to acquire A Good not worth a breath of our desire A Good whose fulsome sweetnesse clogs and cloyes The soul but neither lasts nor satisfies How poore an Object pleases And how soon That pleasure finds an end How quickly Noon How quickly Night And what to day we prize Above our souls to morrow we despise Beneath a Trifle What in former Times We own'd as Vertue now we tax as Crimes What is this World but ev'n a great Exchange Of dear-bought pen worths all compos'd of Change Where frothy Honour may be bought and sold With heart-corrupting eye-beguiling Gold Where sullen wealth and friend-betraying treasure May passe in barter for repented Pleasure Where painted sweetnesse though a grain too light Shall buy a Lords Estate for one poor night Where unstain'd beauties youth shall buy an old Breath-tainted Churl diseas'd with Gouts and Gold Where Birthrights Blessings nay and souls to boot And yet not deem'd a pen'worth under foot Shall passe for fond delights where very Names Without an Alias to lay after Claimes To a poor Lordship shall be swept away For Clods of earth and those for one nights Play Tell me my puzled soul what wouldst thou buy Goe in and cheapen Let thy curious eye Make her own choice They will present thy view With numerous joyes Buy something that is new Alas there 's nothing new beneath the skie Look further further yet Goe please thine eye Search till the object and thine eye agrees Thine eye 's not satisfi'd with what it sees Buy something that will last that will remain To after dayes All 's momentary all 's vain I but my soul here 's fairer Merchandise Wisdome and Knowledge That to make thee wise This to instruct thee Come thou needst not fear Too hard a bargaine Goe and purchase there Alas much wisdome makes thy grief but double Encrease of Knowledge brings increase of trouble I but my soul the gracious eye of heaven Hath smil'd upon thee His full hand hath given A large addition to thy thriv'n estate Thy barns and bags are fill'd thy servants wait Vpon thy businesse and their shoulders bear Thy fruitfull burdens who like Pilots stear Thy reeling vessell Thou art richly ' endow'd With Knowledge Wisedome Iudgement and allow'd Some Grains to make thee weight Me thinks thy heart So arm'd with strong Resolves should never start At threatning evills Me thinks thy daring eye If all the Crystall Rafters of the skie Should make one ruine and that ruine fall About thine ears should be unmov'd at all No no my soul 't is neither Barn nor purse Cramm'd up with coin or Corn can balk the Curse Entaild upon thy sinne Nor height of Blood Nor all that this mistaken Earth calls Good Not very Knowledge no nor Wisdome can Exempt thee from the Common lot of Man The wisest Prince that ever blest a Nation Found all things vain and when enjoy'd Vexation CAP. II. 1 The vanity of humane courses in the workes of pleasure 12. Though the wise be better then the fool yet both have but one event 18. The vanity of humane labour in leaving it they
know not to whom 24. Nothing better then joy in our labour but that is Gods gift 1. SInce knowledge then affords my soul no rest My roving thoughts tri'd mirth were possest Of all the pleasures earth could lend yet I Found mirth and pleasure all but vanity 2. I laugh'd at laughter as a toyish Antick And counted all my mirth no lesse then frantick 3. My heart but wisely foolish did encline To costly fare and frolick cups of wine That in these pleasures I might find some good To crown the short lif'd dayes of flesh and blood 4. I built magnifick Palaces did frame Great buildings to the glory of my name I planted Vineyards whose plump clusters might Rejoyce my heart and lend my soul delight 5. I made me fruitfull Orchards for my pleasure And curious Gardens to refesh my leisure I stored them with trees and these with Bowers And made a Paradise of fruits and flowers 6. I made me standing pools to entertain My breathlesse guests and all their num'rous train I cut me Aquiducts whose current flees And water all my wildernesse of trees 7. Armies of servants do attend my state Both foreiners and born within my gate Herds I possest and flocks above all them That reign'd before me in Jerusalem 8. Abundant silver gold and precious stones By Kings presented my Exchequer ownes All sorts of Musick earths delight had I To feed mine ear Beauties to please mine eye Such State magnificence and princely store 9. Wondring Jerus'lem never saw before In all this pomp my heart had not forgot The lawfull use My wisedome fail'd me not I gave mine eyes what ere mine eyes requir'd 10. Deny'd my hearts no mirth my heart desir'd For my poor hearts delight was all my gains My pleasure was the portion of my paines At length I cast my serious eye upon 11. My painfull workes what my hands have done But loe beneath the Sun no contentation All all was vanity and souls vexation With that I turn'd my weary thoughts agen 12. On wisdome and the foolishnesse of men Search they that please to search alas the'r s none Can search the truth more strict then Solomon When my impartiall Judgement did compare 13. Folly with wisdome this doth ev'n as farre Excell the other as Meridian light Excels the shadows of the darkest night The wise man eyes are in his head They stand 14. Like Watchmen in the Towre to guard the land But fools haunt darknesse yet my selfe perceive The self-same lot both fools and wisemen have Ah! then said I if equall fortune lies 15. For fools and me what vantage to be wise What profit hath my wisdome Then thought I The height of wisdome hath her Vanity 16. The foolish Bauble and the learned Bayes Are both forgotten in succeeding dayes Impartiall death shall close the dying eyes Both of the fool and also of the wise 17. Therefore I hated life for from th' events Of humane actions flow my discontents Life spent in action or in contemplation Is all but vanity and souls Vexation 18. I hated all that e'r my hands had done In seeking happinesse beneath the Sunne For what I did I cannot call mine own Anothers hand must reap what mine hath sown 19. Who knows if my successour is to be A wise man or a fool Howe'r 't is he Must spend with ease what I have earn'd with pain And souls Vexation this is also vain 20. For which my soul thus fool'd with vain pursuit Of blossom'd happinesse that bears no fruite Whisper'd despair of all that I had done To purchase perfect good beneath the Sunne 21. Some men there be whose more elaborate gains The fruits of lawfull cares and prudent pains Descend to those that knew nor pains nor Art This is a vanity and afflicts the heart 22. For what reward hath man of all his droyl His ev'ning trouble and his morning toyl His hearts vexation and his griefs that run Through all his labours underneath the Sun 13. His dayes are sorrows tedious griefs attend His travail hopelesse of a journies end His restlesse nights afford his closed eye No slumbers This is also vanity 24. There 's nothing sweeter then to take repast Of meats and drinks and now and then to cast Griefs burthen off and gently loose the rains By intermingling pleasures with our pains But this I know lies not in our command It is a blessing from th' Almighties hand 25. For who can eat what mortall can apply His heart to force a pleasure more then I 26. Heaven gives the just man wisdome knowledg mirth To sinners travell to heap earth to earth Wherewith t' enrich the righteous Generation This is his vanity and souls Vexation SOLILOQUIE II. BUt stay my soule Art thou resolved than T' abjure delight and turne Capuccian Because thy earth hath thus eclips'd the light Of thy contentment wilt thou make it night Wert thou condemn'd to sorrows wert thou born To live in languishment and die forlorn Abuse not thy Creation Thou wert made Not thus to sterve thy blossomes in the shade Of barren melancholy or to wast Thy pensive hours in the boysterous blast Of stormy discontent Com com my soul Hoyst up thy sails to mirth Let others houle And whine Let such as alwayes are at wars With their owne fortunes curse their ill fac'd stars Passe thou thy frolique youth in Revels sports And fresh delights frequent the purple Courts Of prosperous Princes Stâ—e thy heart in mirth And crush the childe of sorrow in her birth O but my soul what profit can accrew From lavish mirth what pleasure is 't to skrue An Antick face and grimme or to enforce An empty laughter in a vain discourse Why then my soul Goe winde the Plummets up Of thy down spirits with a chirping cup Redeem thee from the gripes of care and rapes Of grief and drench them in the blood of grapes I but perchance in that sad heart of thine There is a wound craves rather oyle then wine If then thy cure prove worse then thy disease That grief thou dar'st not cure attempt to ease Forget thy sorrows or if rugged sense Will not be woo'd by language to dispense With her provoking foe advise with Art Those stubborn streames thou canst not stop divert And like a pain-afflicted stripling play With some new toy to while thy grief away Goe raise great works whose structure may impart The masters wisdome and the builders Art Build houses whose magnificence may proclaim Thy worth as lasting Monuments of thy name Plant Orchards for thy pleasure Deck thy bowers With dainty fruits and delectable flowers Cut Waterworks instruct the silver tide To wanton up and down Teach her to slide In soft Meanders through the fluid veins Of the green breasted stream embroydered plains Ravish thy soul with Musick and refresh The wasted spirits of thy unweildy flesh With high-bred raptures Let harmonious Ayres Compose the discords of thy droyling cares Take
pleasure in thy pale-enclosed grounds And let the Rhet'rick of thy deep-mouth'd hounds Perswade thy head-strong sorrows so to fly Before thy Heard as they before the Cry Alas Alas my poore deluded soul Think'st thou to quench thy fire with oyl or cool Thy flame with Cordials Can thy born disease Expect a Cure from such Receipts as these No no these bellows mount the blaze the higher Thou leap'st but from the pan into the fire I but my soul me thinks a wife forecast Though not redresse the mischiefs that are past May claim some kind of priv'ledge to prevent The ev'lls that future changes may present If not what harm what disconvenience lies In being fool what vantage to wise Both fool and wise must pay an equall shot At Natures table have the self-same lot Why then my soul since sorrow needs must haunt Thy life condemn'd to labour cease to daunt Thy bold endeavours with the sense of care Cheare up thy whining heart and take thy share Of all thy labours eat and drink and let Thy sense enjoy the wages of thy sweat 'T is all thy Portion Take what may be had Bad is the best then make the best of bad Sweeten thy pains Mixe pleasure with thy sorrow Who knows to day what shall betide to morrow CAP. III. 1 By the necessary change of times vanity is added to humane travail 11 There is an exellency in Gods works 16 But as for man God shall judge his works there and here he shall be like a beast Vers. 1. THe great creator in his wise Decree Hath pitcht a time when every change shall be And through his watchfull Providence hath given A season to each purpose under heaven 2. There is a time appointed for our birth And there 's a time for earth to turn to earth There is a time to plant A time wherein To pluck those plants thus planted up again 3. There is a season when to build ev'n so There is a season to demolish too There is a season to inflict a wound And there'is another season to make sound 4. There is a time for teares to drown thy eye A time to laugh and lay thy sorrowes by There is a time to mourn A time to meet The sprightly Musick with thy numerours feet 5. There is a due appointed season either To scatter stones or gather stones together There is a time t' embrace and there be spaces Of time appointed to resrain embraces 6. There is a time to gain and there 's ordain'd An other time to loosse the things we gain'd There is a time to recollect and lay Thy treasure up a time to cast away 7. There is a time appointed when to rend And there 's a time appointed when to mend A time for silence and a time to break Reserved silence there 's a time to speake 8. A time to love and there 's a time t' abate Our warm affections there 's a time to hate A time of warre and there 's a time to cease The Bloody Battell There 's a time for Peace 9. If heavens decree thus bound the works of men What profit gaines the fruitlesse worker then What boots our travell or those works of ours If all our plots depend on heav'nly pow'rs 10. Nor are our actions or their secret ends Govern'd by chance nor doe our works depend On hood wink'd Fortune no pleas'd heaven thinks good To exercise the soule of flesh and blood 11. What ere he did is fair and timely done He gave the world for man to muse upon Whose eye with admiration may discover The motion not the progresse of the Mover 12. I know that from the works of flesh and blood As they are mans there can arise no good Unlesse perchance to qualifie with oyle The soul-afflicting vin'gre of his toyle 13. Or if it happen that his soule may eat And drink and reap the harvest of his sweat To sweeten sorrows may we understand It is a gift from the Almigties hand 14. I know that heavens Decree is seal'd and free From alteration a most firme Decree And so or dain'd that the presumptuous Race Of man may feare the Majesty of 's face 15. The thing that is hath been and what of old Hath been succeeding ages shall behold The great Disposer keeps the selfe-same track And calls his timely revolutions back 16. I view'd the Chair of Judgement where I saw In stead of Righteousnesse perverted Law I view'd the Courts of Equity and spy'd Corruption there and Justice warp'd aside 17. O then thought I the Judge of heav'n shall do Right to the wicked and the righteous too For ther 's a time true Justice shall proceed On ev'ry Purpose upon every Deed 18. Then puzzel'd in my thoughts I thus advis'd Heav'n suffers mortalls to be exercis'd In their own miseries that they may see They 'r not more happy then the sensuals bee 19. To man and beast the self-same lots befall Man dies so dies the Beast alas they all Enjoy one breath what Royalties remain To Man above a Beast For both are vain 20. Both travell to the self same place Both tend Their paces to the self-same Journies end The substance of their flesh is both the same But dust to dust both turn from whence they came 21. What curious Inquisitor doth know The place whereto ascending souls do goe Or can renown'd Philosophy declare Whither the dying spirits of beasts repair 22. This rightly weigh'd it seems the better choyce For man to suck his labours and rejoyce 'T is all the Portion he is like to have Who knows the entertainments of the Grave SOLILOQUIE III. COme now my Soul thou hast with toylsome pains Outworn the day and with thy dear-bought gains Thou hast refresht thy spirits and at length With lusty diet hast redeem'd thy strength Thou hast forgot thy labours and thy Rest Hath crown'd contentment in thy peace full brest Art thou now pleas'd what can thy heart require More then thou hast to fill thy vast desire True if my bubble life could get a Lease Of his small Rest nay if the present Peace Were but secur'd from this succeeding sorrow Long since design'd to the next neighb'ring morrow It were some hapinesse and would present A large proportion of a short content But Change the Moth of transitory things That 's never worse then when the seasons brings A flash of Good doth all things so unframe That earths content doth scarce deserve the name Of common happinesse which like the wind Varits still meeting with a various mind Vnconstant earth what can thy treasure show That is not like thy selfe unconstant too How full of Change How full of alteration Nay fixt in nothing but thy meer foundation And like thy selfe our naturall parent we Constant in nothing but in loving thee One while we plunge in tears and by and by We rage in laughter yet not knowing why To day the Zeal of our affection 's such We
burn in love to marrow hate as much Sometimes we feare not when our ev'lls appear Sometimes affrighted at no cause of fear One while we should and will not will and should not Nay at the self same moment would not would not To day we feast and quaffe in frolique Bowles To morrow fast and pinch our guilty Soules Now Musick now a Knell saluts our eares at noon we swim in wine at night in teares Ore night our vowes are made our joy concluded To day the danger 's past and heav'n deluded The last six Monthes our fortune swell'd with store And now they break was never Iob so poore Time was that Peace enricht our joyfull I and Time is our martiall drum beats Warre at hand Unconstant Earth O is it not enough Thy days are ev'll at best and but a puffe At longest At the fruitfullest but vain But sad at merriest and at sweetest pain Is not all this enough enough to make The miserable childe of man forsake The false protection of thy magick eye With out th' addition of inconstancy It't not enough that we poor Farmers pay Quit-rent to Nature at the very day And at our dying howre bequeath to thee Our whole subsistence for a Legacie But thou must leave our frailties as a prey To time born Change that will permit no stay In one estate nor give us leave to lye Sad Patients in a quiet misery O but my saul why dost thou thus contend With thy Creators pleasure Cease to spend This needlesse breath Shall thy disordered will Confront his Providence or call that ill Which he thinks good Tell me my soul shall he That gave thee being be prescrib'd by thee He made thee for his glory not to spend Thy days in slavish labour nor to end Thy painfull travell in the shades of death But thou hast tainted that immortall breath Which qualif'd thy life and made thee free Of heavâ—n and earth and joynt Patentee With smooth fac'd Cherubims And too too proud Of thy short honoure wrapt thy thoughts and bow'd Thy straight desiers to unknown delight And wrapt thy glory in the clouds of night Lost thy freewill to good didst overthrow Thy perfect knowledg with desire to know bereft of wisdome lab'ring to be wise Now peer'd with beasts that only works and dies Both born to sorrow breathe the selfe same breath Live both alike both die the selfe same death Since then my soule thy hopes may not aspire To what thou wouldst suit thy supprest desire To what thou maist and let thy wisdome play Bad cards with best advantage what the day Brings in by travell let the frolique night Consume in Mirth and spend in full Delight Take thou to day let others take to morrow He earns the Solace that endures the sorrow CAP. IV. 1. Vanity is increased unto men by oppression 4. By envy 5. By idlenesse 7. By covetousnesse 9. By solitarinesse 13. By wilfullnesse 1. MY soul return'd and fixt her thoughts upon The hard oppressions made beneath the Sun And loe the tears of captives in distresse Cry'd loud for Comfort yet were comfortlesse Great was th' oppressors power yet the grief Of the opprest was void of all relief 2. O then I counted their condition blest Whom death hath lulld in everlasting rest Yea farre more blest then those that live to stand Afflicted patients at th' oppressors hand 3. Nay farre then both are they more blessed whom Conception never hansell'd in the womb Or those Abortives whom untimely birth Excus'd from all the sorrowes of the earth 4. I mus'd again and found when pains had crakt The harder shell to some Heroick act Pale envy stricks the kernell with taxation O this is vanity and souls vexation 5. The sluggish fool that solitary stands With yauning lips and bosome-folded hands Consumes his empty dayes at last is fed With his own flesh that would not move for bread 6. His idle tongue thus pleading for his sloth Better one hand be fill'd with rest then both Stretch'd forth in travell to prepare full diet With hearts vexation and the souls disquiet 7. Thus pausing Contemplation shew'd mine eye A new prospect of humane vanity 8. There is a lonely man that hath none other To foster then himselfe nor child nor brother Whose droyling hands think nothing can supply The greedy wants of his insatiate eye He robs himselfe nor knows for whose relife This is a vanity and wounding grief 9. The single state of him that lives alone Is double grief Two better is then One For two can share the sorrows that befall To one One 's worse then not to be at all 10. If eithers drooping shoulders be betray'd To a sad burden there 's a mutuall ayd Woe to the man whom danger meets alone For ther 's no arme to help him but his owne 11. When two divide the comforts of a Bed If one gains kindly warmth the others sped But warmth turns back to him that lies alone The steel will yeeld no sparks without the stone 12. If fury from a stronger arme assailes One falls before the foe when two prevails But if a third put in a timely stroke The Cord that 's threefold is not quickly broke 13. To be a poore wise child is jud'gd a thing More honourable then to be a King That 's old and foolish and whose disposition Checks at advice and spurns at admonition 14. The low and lanke estates are often known To clime from Prisons to the princely Throne And glorious Monarchs have been seen to fail And change their glittering Glory for a Goal 15. So have I seen the vulgar hearts grow cold To with'ring Greatnesse whilest their eyes behold The blooming heyre to whom affections run Like morning eyes to greet the rising Sun 16. Past Ages quench the fathers fading light In the Sons hopes and future dayes benight The Son in his Succeeders expectation O this is vanity and souls vexation SOLILOQUIE IV. MY soul to what a strange disguised Good Art thou bewitcht O how hath flesh and Blood Betray'd thee to a happinesse that brings No comfort but from transitory things How is thy freedome curb'd How art thou clogg'd With dull mortality bestow'd and bogg'd In thine own frailty How art thou repos'd In sin polluted dust embrac'd enclos'd In the foul armes of thy owne base Corruptions How is thy will disturb'd with th' inturruptions Of crosse desires desires not knowing where To finde a Center rambling here and there Which like their objects alterable rome Like idle vagrants without passe or home Review thy selfe my soul Cast up thy dayes They are but few Thy life is but a blaze Go take an inventory of those Ioyes Which thy false earth allowes I hey are but toyes To mock the frailty of thy flatter'd Sense Attended with a thousand discontents Hath Heaven inricht thy pains with thriving drift's Of mighty Gold endow'd thy minde with gifts Of sacred Art Or glorifi'd thy name With honour
sin 21. At passions language stop thy gentle eare Least if thy servant curse thee thou shouldst heare 22. For often times thy heart will let thee see That others like wise have been curs'd by thee 23. This wisdome by my travell I attain'd And in my thoughts conceiv'd that I had gain'd No common height but on a strict revise I found my wisdome came far short of wise 24. Objects far distant secrets too profound What eye can entertain what heart can sound 25. I bent my studies heart to search and pry Into the bosome of Philosophy I gave my selfe to understand the Art Of folly and the madnesse of the heart 26. I found the harlots wayes more bitter are Then death whose arms are Ginnes whose heart 's a snare Whom heav'n doth favour shall decline her Gates But sinners shall be taken by her baites 27. Loe this I have observ'd the Preacher sayes By strict enquest into their sev'rall wayes 28. Whereof my restlesse my laborious mind Would make discov'ry but dispairs to find Among a thousand men perchance that one May be trac'd out but among women none 29. Loe here the fruits of all my disquisition Onely to know the devious condition Of poore degen'rous man whose first estate Heav'n copied from himselfe upright and straight SOLILOQUIE VII SInce then my Soul the frail and false Estate Of fading happinesse cannot create The least contentment in thy various minde Whose fancy-guided motion cannot finde The point of Rest but like the boyling waves Tost in the stormes of Earth sometimes outbraves The threatning Firmament then at a breath Darts down and dashes at the dores of death Since waxen-winged Honour is not void Of danger whether aim'd at or injoy'd Since heart enchaunting Profit hath not fruit But care both in fruition and pursuit Since Pleasure like a wanton itch doth breed In the Ranck flesh but scratcht untill it bleed Since laughter is but madnesse and high diet Th' officious Pander of our own disquiet Since glorious Buildings and magnifique Towers Fructiferous Orchards oderiferous Bowers Full clusterd Vineyards Beauties and the choice Of Musick both by instrument and voice Can lend thy heart no full content nor still The various clamours of th' insatiate will Since humane wisdome is but humane trouble And double Knowledge makes our sorrow double Since what we have but lights our wish to more And in the height of plenty makes us poore And what we have not too too apt to crave Ev'n dispossesses us of what we have Nay since the very act of our devotion Can bring no Rest nor qualifie the motion Of our unbounded thoughts to sweeten out This span of frailty plungd and orb'd about With floods of Bitternesse Since none of these Nor all can crown our labours nor appease Our raging hearts O my deceivd soule Where wilt thou purchase Peace Who shall controule Who shall suppresse those Passions that contest Within the kingdome of thy troubled brest Whither to what strange Region wilt thou fly To finde content and baulk that vanity Which haunts this bubble earth and makes thee still A slave to thy infatuated will Call home thy selfe Inspect thy selfe a new And take thy Birth-right to a fresh review Thou art immortall art divine by birth A spark of heav'n Thou art not borne of earth Earth is the foot stoole of thy heavenly Throne Made for thy baser parts to trample on Look not so low my soul There 's nothing there Fit for thy sacred view It is no Sphere For thee to move in No let worms and beasts And salvage brutes trade there and lay their Gests Of progresse to surround with weary paces The base Confines of those inferiour Places I but my soul th' Alliance of my flesh Claims kindred there takes pleasure to refresh Her wasted body there Earth is her mother The worme her sister and the beast her brother T is true she is thy spouse Heav'n ty'd the knot For none to loose but Heav'n I know her lot Is mortall fraile and being born of earth Corrupt and weares the Badges of her birth If she transgresse it 's thou must beare the blame And all her deeds reflect upon thy name O then beware and if she needs must goe To visit earth first let her frailty know How apt she is to fall and eke how prone To blurre and strain thy honour and her owne A name unblemisht with the sinfull soyle Of sordid earth is as a precious oyle Which like a soveraign Antidote prevents That plague of vanity which earth presents Then tell her tell her that her mother earth Must give her buriall as she gave her birth Tell her O tell her Every gasp of breath Are minuts moving to the howre of death And let her know The house of mourning brings More profit then the Palaces of Kings Tell her Lessereall happinesse doth dwell In a full Banquet then a passing-Bell Arme her with patience apt to entertaine Thy wisereproofs but if her passion raigne Correct it wisely Teach her sober eye A willing ignorance in things too high If liberall earth should chance to crowne her store Let her wise modesty receive no more Then she can manage Pilots that are wise Proportion out their Canvase to the skies Let not her knowledg with the Eagle fly Ilulesse her wisdome have an Eagles eye Wisdome digests what Knowledge did devoure Things sweet in taste are indigested sowre In prosp'rous fortunes let her joy be such That in hard times she may not grieve too much Let her count Wisdome as her chiefest good And the price easie whether sweat or blood And let the perclose of her thoughts be this To study what Man was and what Man is So now my soule thy will instructed flesh May visit earth and with her sweets refresh Thy wasted spirit secure from all those ills Which threaten ruine to distempered wills Now maist thou eat and drink and make supplies For after dayes and close thy peacefull eyes In calme content and scape those hidden snares That lurke in pleasures and increase our cares He onely takes advantage of his Lot That uses earth as if he us'd it not CAP. VIII 1 Kings are greatly to be respected 6 Divine providence is to be observed 12 It is better with the Godly in adversity then with the wicked in prosperity 16 The worke of God is unsearchable 1. WHo 's equall to the Wiseman who but he can judge of things or what their naturs be Wisdome adornes the Cheek with lovely grace And plants courageous boldnesse in the face 2. Let me advise the Subjects heart to stand Devoted alwayes to the Kings command For having sworn Allegeance to him both Heav'n and thy Conscience doe attest thy oath 3. Let not thy discontented haste incite Abrupt departure from his awfull sight If thou hast err'd continue not in ill For Princes Acts are guided by their will 4. The potent Majesty of a Princes word Is backt
and made authentick by the sword What vent'rous tongue dare question or demand The least account from his illustrious hand 5. Whose loyall brests observe the Laws of Kings Shall never know the grief Rebellion brings The wisemans heart knowes times and judgment too Not only when to speak but what to doe 6. For ther 's to every purpose among men A judgement how to doe a season when Which if mistaken or not understood Brings so much mis'ry upon flesh and blood 7. For man is ignorant of what may fall And who is he can tell him when it shall 8. No man hath power to prolong his breath Or make him shot-free in the day of death There 's no retreat in that sad warre nor can Mans wickednesse preserve the wicked man 9. All this have I observed and have given My heart to note each action under Heaven There was a time when th' oppressors arme Opprest his brother to th' oppressors harme 10. So have I seene grave Judges but unjust That sat in judgement honor'd to the dust Which hid their crimes these seemed to obtain Some happinesse This happinesse is vain 11. Because a present sentence is not past Upon the wicked their dull hearts at last Grow quite obdure resolv'd and fully bent To act what evll's their greedy lusts present 12. Put case the sinner multiply his Crime And his long dayes ev'n rust the Sithe of Time Yet well I know they only shall be blest That sear th' Almighty with a filiall brest 13. I but the wicked shall not scape secure Though he live long he shall not long endure But like a shadow shall his dayes appeare Because he fear'd not whom he ought to feare 14. There is a vanity raigns here below I see the wise man reap what sinners sow And sinners share when just men sow the seed This Grief said I all other Griefs exceed 15. Then prais'd I mirth and held it the best choice Beneath the sun to eat and to rejoyce For this is all the good this all the gains Is like to chear our days and crown our pains 16. But when I set my busie heart to know Wisdome and heav'ns strange working here below For day and night my studyes did deny Sleep to mine eye-lids slumbers to mine eye 17. O then I found his works beneath the sun Past finding out my fruitlesse thoughts did run This heav'nly maze till they at length concluded Mans wit stoops here here wisdom stands deluded SOLILOQUIE VIII BUt stay my soul What language does appear Am I deceiv'd Or did I seem to hear Which Tenet shal I baulk And which imbrace Hath Truth like Janus got a double face Did not that voice that voted Wisdome vain But very now now cry it up againe Shall what was late condemn'd as a disease Now prove a Remedy Such slips as these Are brands of humane frailty which belong To us and ours It well be seems our tongue To contradict and jangle Error 's known By many faces Truth admits but one How haps it then that wisdome whose encrease Adds to our Grief yet crowns our dayes with peace Be not deceiv'd my soul Let not one Name Confound two Natures and make two the same Shall Names give Natures Dare thy tongue professe An equall priviledge to Curse and Blesse For one Names sake No my deluded soul Sooner may Light and Darknese Fair and Foul Sooner may Good and Evill nay Heaven and Hell May sooner startle from their Parallel And turn Joynt-tenants in one perfect Line Then these two Wisdomes Humane and Divine That breeds a Tumor in the flatuous brest This lays it That brings trouble and This rest That kindles fires and those fires encrease To self-contention This concludes a Peace That duls the thoughts supprest with low desires This mounts thy soule with more heroick fires That cannot brook the transitory frown Of Fortunes brow This makes a Crosse a Crown That fils thy hopes with froth and blurs thy youth With black-mouth'd Error This directs to Truth That scorns advice and like an own-selfe Lover Befools thee But this honors the Reprover That fears and flees or fals at every breath Of discontent This triumphs even in death That breaks Relations and for private ends Dissolves Allegeance and disbands true friends This loves society cals not Mine but Ours Yeilds due obedience to superior Pow'rs That prickt by Passion rushes into crimes This backt with Reason councels with the Times That gives the name of Power This the thing That makes a Tyrant This creates a King That lights thy Honor fading like a blaze This crowns thy Name with everlasting dayes That breeds a Serpent This brings forth a Dove That works a servil fear This filiall love That deads thy spirit This makes thee wisely bold That scowres thy Brass But this refines thy Gold That fills thy Feast with Cares with fears thy Breast This makes thy morsell a perpetuall Feast That cools thy Palate but inflames thy fire This slakes thy Thirst and satiates thy desire O then my soul correct that flesh and blood That blinds thee so and like a gloomy Cloud Thus interposes and obscurely flyes Betwixt the sacred object and thine eyes Clear up my soul and like the eye of day Chastise that peccant darknesse and display Those mists of earth which like false Glasses shew Fanatick figures and present thy view With specious objects precious in esteem Alas but nothing lesse then what they seem Then shall the wisdome of that scarlet Whore And all her bald-pate Panders painted o're With counterfaited Holinesse appear In her true colours so that every ear That hears her base Impostures and the fame Of her lewd Piety shall abhorre the Name Of bloudy Rome Then shall the spotted Beast Put off her golden Trappings and undrest Of all her glory be turn'd out to graze In uncouth deserts and consume her dayes With Dragons Tigers and those salvage things Now pamper'd with the bloud of Saints and Kings O then the crooked Paths of Error fraud And Candle-light devotion trim'd and straw'd With sweet-lipt Roses shall appear as plain As tide-forsaken Rocks along the Main Then shall true wisdome like fair Sheba's Queen Begin her royall Progresse and now seen In perfect Beauty shall erect her Throne In every breast and every Solomon Shall court her Glory and intranc'd in pleasure Shall smell her spices and divide her treasure CAP. IX 1 Like things happen to good and bad 4. There is a necessity of death unto men 7 Comfort is all their portion in this Iife 11 Gods providence ruleth over all 13 Wisdome is better then strength Vers. 1. ALL this I ponder'd and at length I found All actions whether just or wise are crown'd By secret providence And no man knows Gods love or hate by blessings or by blows 2. All haps alike to all The same things doe Befall the righteous and th' unrighteous too Th' unclean and clean have here the self-same pay And he
that prays and he that doth not pray Alike befals to good and bad and both To him that swears and him that fears an oath 3. It is a grief that grates beneath the Sun That like events betide to every one Which makes the desp'rate hearts of men to rave With mischief till they drop into the Grave 4. For the ambition of their hopes extend But to this life and with this life they end Better to be a living dog they plead Then to be known a Lyon that is dead 5. For they that live know well that they shall die And therefore take their time But they that lie Rak'd up in deaths cold Embers they know not Or good or ill Their names are quite forgot 6. They have no friends to love no foes to hate They know no vertue to spit venome at They sell no sweat for gains nor do they buy Pleasure with pains or trade beneath the sky 7. Goe then rejoyce and eat Let a full boul Casheire thy cares and chear thy frolick soul What heaven hath lent thee with a liberall hand To serve and chear thy frailty up command 8. Indulge thy carefull flesh with new supply And change of garments of the purest dy Refresh thy limbs annoy'd with sweat and toyle With costly bathes thy head with precious oyle 9. Delight thy self in thy delicious wife All the vain days of thy vain wasting life Of all the works thy painfull hand hath done This this is all the price beneath the Sunne 10. What ere thy hand endavours that may gain Contentment spare not either cost or pain For there 's no hand to work no pow'r to have No wisdome to contrive within the grave 11. I find the swift not always win the prize Nor strength of arm the battell nor the wise Grow rich in fortunes nor the men of skill In favour all as time and fortune will 12. Man knoweth not his time As Fishes are Snar'd in the net Birds tangled in the snare So be the sons of men surpriz'd with snares When mischief fals upon them unawares 13. This wisdome have I seen beneath the skye Which wisely weigh'd deserves a wise mans eye 14. There was a little City poorly mann'd 'Gainst which a Potent King brought up a band Of Martiall strength besieg'd it and withall Built mighty Bulwarks 'gainst her slender wall 15. In this half conquer'd City there was found A poor wise man whose wisedome did confound Both thē al the works their strength could plant Yet no reward reliev'd this poor mans want 16. O then thought I poor wisdome will at length Discover greater worth then golden strength Yet is the poor mans wisdome poorly priz'd His word 's not heard or being heard despis'd 17. The whisp'ring wise mans tongue prevaileth more Then when the lips of foolish Rulers roare 18. Prudent advise is more transcendent far Then strength of Arm or Instruments of war But rash attempts of a misguided hand Defeat themselves and ruine all the land SOLILOQUIE IX BUt ah my soul what boots it to be wise Or what Advantage what great profit lies In a fair Iourny to be well supply'd With all Accoutrements a knowing Guide A metled Steed a sweet and temperate sky Short miles and way-beguiling Company When armed death stands ready to attend Thy parting Stirrop at thy Iournies end Thy wisdome cannot save thee ha's no power To keep thee shotfree or to quit that hower Dull Nabals Howreglasse runs as slow a pace As active Solomons An equall space Divides their minuts Deaths impartiall hand Wounds all alike and death will give no sand What then my soul If wisdome should entaile Our happinesse on this life or fill our Saile In this wilde Ocean with perpetuall breath When should we finde a Hav'n If partiall death Should favour wisdome and not exercise Her office there 't were misery to be wise The prudent Pilot whose marinall skill Makes the proud windes obedient to his will And ploughs the Billows with lesse fear then wrong Takes no delight to make his voyage long But with his wise endeavours seeks to guide His slender Pinnace and to curb the pride Of the rebellious waves and doth addresse His care to crown his voyage with successe Our life 's the voyage and this world the Ocean Our cares are waves tost in continuall motion Our thoughts are busie windes that often blow Too strong a Gale and tosses to and fro Our crazie Vessels Every soul does bear The office of a Pilot now to stear Now to advise and still to lay commands Upon th' Affection-Saylors whose rude hands Are alwayes active ready to fulfill The wise directions of the Pilots will It matters not my soul how long or short Thy voyage be if safe they gain the Port With best advantage that in peace arrive With ribs unshook and all their men alive It lies not in the skilfull Pilots power T' avoid tempestuous Seas but to endure 'T is wisdome to endure as well as doe Who bravely suffers is victorious too Then chear my soul Let not the frowns of earth Disturb thy peace or interrupt thy mirth Let not that rude that Apogean storm Of flesh and blood dismay thee or deform The beauty of thy thoughts or cast thy minde Into a base despondence Let the winde Blow were it please a well-prepared brest Will give thee shelter and afford thee rest When worldly crosses tempt thee understand Heav'n tryes thy temper then If then thou stand Upright in Court and of unshaken minde The Test approves thee and thou art refin'd Then chear my soul Let not the rubs of earth Disturb thy peace or interrupt thy mirth If heav'n hath crown'd thy labours with successe Enjoy it freely Eat and drink and blesse The gracious giver Let thy soul rejoyce And take a chearfull pleasure in the choice Of all delights and what his bounty gave With a free hand fear not thou to receive With a free heart Refresh thy fainting head With precious Oyles and change thy carefull bread To feasts of Ioy Or if a crosse should greet Thy frolique soul march bravely on and meet Adversity half way and with a heart Too great for earth to wrong shake hands and part Chear then my soul Let not the rubs of earth Disturb thy peace or interrupt thy mirth Goe sweeten up thy labours and thy life With fresh delights Rejoyce thee in the wife And partner of thy bosome Let her brest Suffice thee as the Center of thy rest Deny thy heart no pleasure that may lye Within the lawfull limits of thine eye Take time while time shall serve To morrow may Be none of ours Come come be wise to day And teach thy labours to bestow their sorrow On those that practise to be fooles to morrow CAP. X. 1 Observations of wisdome and folly 16 Of Riot 18 Slothfulnesse 19 and money 20 Mens thoughs of Kings ought to be reverenced Vers. 1. LOok how dead flies thoughfew in number soil
dust her dust to dust deliver Whose spirit shall return to God the Giver 8. Whereto th' Ecclesiastick thus replies All all is vain and vainest vanities 9. Because his true repentant soul was wise He read this wisdome-lecture did advise And search the Fountain whence he did convay The fruitfull streams in a Proverbiall way 10. He sought and found such words which had the might To entermingle profit with delight And what his spirit-prompted pen did write Was truth it self and most exact upright 11. The wise mans words are like to Goads that doe Stir up the drowzy and spur up the slow And like to nailes to be made fast and driv'n By hands to th' hearts of men sent down from heav'n 12. Make use my Son of what this hand hath penn'd There is no end of Pamphlets to no end These tire the flesh and after age is spent They breathe some knowledg but no true content 13. Mark then the ground where the main building stands Fear thou thy God Observe his just commands Within the limits of this sacred Ground Mans duty lies true Happinesse is found 14. No work shall passe untri'd No hand hath done What shal not plead at heav'ns Tribunall Throne All secrets good and bad attend his Eye His Eyes behold where day could never prye Deus his quoque finem SOLILOQUIE XII NOw launch my soul into this Sea of Tears Fear storms and Rocks yet smile upon thy fears Weigh Anchor Hoist thy weather-beaten Sailes The Tides run smooth The wind breaths prosp'rous Gales Tridented Neptune now hath struck a peace With full-mouth'd Aeolus and the wars surcease They sound a parley and begin to treat And Sea-green Triton sounds a shrill Retreat March now my soul through Hadadrimmons Vale Without a tear or if thou must bewaile Mourn for vain Earth and drop in alms one tear For him that findes no happinesse but there Now mayst thou trample on the Asp and tread On the young Lyon and th' old Dragons head Wisdome shall guide thee Love shall circumclose thee That fraud shall not beguile or force oppose thee Thy Prince shall honor thee thy Peers embrace thee No Crime shall shame thee no tongue disgrace thee The rich shall rev'rence thee the poor shall blesse thee Wrath shall not over-rule nor pride oppresse thee Thy want shall not afflict nor wealth betray thee This shall not puffe thee up nor chat dismay thee Pleasure shall not ensnare nor pains torment thee This shall not make thee sad nor that repent thee Blest shall thy labours be and sweet thy Rest Blest shall thy thoughts be and thy Actions blest Blest in thy peace and blest in thy promotion Blest in thy sports and blest in thy devotion Blest in thy losses blest in thy encreases Blest in thy health and blest in thy diseases Blest in thy Knowledge blest in thy Corrections Blest in thy Soul and blest in thy Affections O then my soul let thy Affections flow In streams of love to Him that lov'd thee so Let not His high-priz'd benefits depart From thy remembrance grave them in thy heart With Tools of Adamant that they may last To after-times that when thy days be past Thy well-instructed children may emblaze Thy Makers goodnesse to the last of days Blesse thou the Lord my soul Let thy whole frame And all within thee magnifie that name That blest thee so Blesse thou the Lord my soul Report his precious favours and enroll His numerous mercies in thy gratefull brest Remember thy Creator O protest His praises to the world and let thy tongue Make him the subject of thy youthfull song Give him the firstlings of thy strength even than When fading Childehood seeks to ripen man Upon the downy cheeks when vigour trains The sparkling blood through thy Meandring veins Before thy flowing marrow shall foment Thy lust full fires before the false content Of frothy pleasures shall begin t' invite Thy fond Affections to a vain delight Then then my soul whilst thy supplies are fresh And strong wage war with thy rebellious flesh Gird up thy loyns and march spare neither sweat Nor bloud take courage strike subdue defeat Sing a triumphant song sing Io Paean Adorn thy brows with Palm and again sing Io Paean Take time while time shall serve 't is thine to day But secret danger still attends delay Doe while thou mayst To day has eagle wings And who can tell what change to morrow brings Advantage wasts and strength of body wears Life has no lease and Youth no Tearm for years When creeping Age shall quench thy sprightly fires And breathe cold Winter on thy chill desires What fire shall burn thy Offerings O what praise Can issue forth from cold decrepit dayes When ebbing bloods neap-tides shall strike thy lims With trembling Palsies When dry Age bedims The optick sunshine of thy bed-rid days What boots thy cold thy Paralytick praise When secret Ulcers shall attaint thy breath With fumes more noysome then the sinks of death What pleasure shall thy great Creator raise From thy breath tainted and unsav'ry praise Come then my soul Rouze up thy dull desire And quicken thy faint coals of sacred fire That lie rak'd up in th' Embers of thy flesh Fetch breath from heaven with that breath refresh Thy glim'ring sharks Brook not the least delay Embers grow cold and sparks will soon decay THE END In obitum viri clarissimi atque ingeniosissimi Poëtae Francisci Quarles {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} I Cygne felix ocyùs avola Cantator ales cùm neque jam vada Ripis supersint nec quietae Purus aquae fluat ecce rivus Fontes nec ipsi Sanguine sanguine Heu cuncta manant quod mare civicae Non decoloravêre caedes Ipsa vides rubet Hippocrene Et quis poëtis jam locus aut latex Quae lympha Musis cùm cruor undique Hinc hinc migrandum ni bibemus Purpureas Heliconis undas At ô Camaenarum dolor decus Tu si recedas quis tua funera Cantabit ô divine vates Quo moritur moriente Phoebus Quisquámne fundet jam querulum melos Falsum nec omen nominis hoc tui Moestúmve panget carmen artâ— Melpomenes citharâ canorus Quis sertacoelojam dabit aut pium Emblema texet floribus ingenî Quis symbolorum voce pictâ Vnà oculos animúmque pascet Quis melle puro jam calami potens Condîta promet dia poëmata Aut funditabit grande sacro Enthea metra calens furore Quis sanctitatem nectáre carminis Tinctam propinans digna Deo canet Coelúmque versu claudet omni Atque fidem fidibus sonabit Tu nempe litem si pote publicam Compescuisses dulcisonis modis Ni laeva nobis mens orbi Harmoniam reducem dedisses Mollîsse magnos tu poter as duces Fer as ut Orpheus flexanimis sonis Pacémque pulsam júsque mundo aâ— Eurydicen retulisse cantu Per te coîssent dissita pectora Per te coîssent diruta moenia Tu solus Amphion periâ—us Vel lapides sociare plectro Postquà m hoc negatum ponere nover as Emblema saltem flebile seculi Bellique nostris sed nec ullum Par Hieroglyphicum ruinis Quando ergo te nec terra capit tuis Nec digna Musis I pete coelites Intérque coetus Angelorum Perpetuum modulare carmen Jacobus Duport Graecae Linguae Professor Cantab. An Elegle upon the famous Poet FRANCIS QUARLES IS Quarles dead his active spirit flown And none to lend a tear a sigh a groan For the worlds losse me thinks at least all eyes Since tongues can not should weep large Elegies Expect no Muses for they at his death Compassionate lost their Poetique breath Expect no marble Tombe he 's above fate His name if Learning live shall know no date His issue shall survive posterity This age and th' next and so t' eternity Peruse his Phansies and his Emblems wrapt And see S. Paul into the third heav'ns rapt Or else some Cherubim sent down from thence T' unfold heav'ns Mysteries in heav'ns Eloquence A Poet-saint he was in him each line Speakes out at large rare Poet choyce Divine His message done he flyes unto his Maker Of what he told us here to be partaker His prison'd soul was so harmonious here Now loose what Musick think you makes she there She wept then sung now sung ' gaine wept in rime Her Rests now know no stop her joy no time Her Phansy Vision is she now doth live With Angels food knowledge intuitive By Emblems dark to spell the Deity She taught before now sees Divinity But stay my Muse the clouds doe interpose Twixt thee and her 't is better for thee close Then pierce or peep too farre Phoebus is set Th' hast pay'd thy tribute light thy tribute heat Sigh out the rest or wouldst thou to him go Thy Love thy Life Go be entombed too R. Stable FINIS Vide Psal. 31. ver. 7. 20. I have hated them that hold of superstitious vanities and my trust hath been in the Lord Let the lying lips be put to silence which cruelly disdainfully and despitefully speak against the righteous Postscript Vers. 9 Vers. 8 Vers. 2 Vers. 16 Vers. 18 Vers. 17 Vers. 16 Vers. 1 Vers. 2 Vers. 3 Vers. 4 Vers. 5 Vers. 6 Vers. 12 Vers. 13 Vers. 15 Vers. 24 Vers. 1 Vers. 4 Vers. 8 Vers. 4 Vers. 8 Vers. â—â— Vers. â—â— Vers. 19 Vers. 22 Vers. 4 Vers. 1 Vers. 5 Vers. 8 Vers. 9 Vers. 13 Vers. 2 Vers. 3 Vers. 1 Vers. 2 Vers. 4 Vers. â— Vers. 2 Vers. 3 Vers. 5 Vers. 7 Vers. 1 Vers. 2 Vers. 3 Vers. 8 Vers. 10 Vers. 11 Vers. 12 Vers. 14 Vers. 25 Vers. 29 Chap. 1. 18 Chap. 8. 1. Vers. 2 Vers. 8 Vers. 9 Vers. 10 Vers. 1 Vers. 2 Vers. 4 Vers. 4 Vers. 6 Vers. 17 Vers. 1 Vers. 6 Vers. 6 Vers. 3 Vers. 2