a Bad one A Giant-like tall stammell-Wife Though Exâ—'lleâ—t I 'de not choose A Bad-condition'd though a Dwarfe I will as soone refuse EPIG 88. Loue is Blinde LIke one another Drunkennesse And Loue are in effâ—ct Drunkennesse Blindes the Bodies Eyes Loue Blinds the Mindes aspect EPIG 87. An Amorous Epistle NO Loue is Hopelesse this makes Louers free The Thing not Hope I Loue No-Thing but Thee EPIG 91. A Christian Zodiacke TH' Apostles goodly Fellowship Are my twelue heauenly Signes My Zodiacke is perfâ—ct Faith My Sunne in Iesus shines EPIG 100. To the Reader I Leaue Narcissus when I Verses write When thou do'st Reade them banish Him thy sight FINIS EPIGRAMS Out of the third Booke EPIG 1. GOD the Beginning of All Things GOd was the first i th' first God did reside Before the first after the first shall bide First without firsts and from this first each thing That first was made did first-beginning bring EPIG 4. The Art of Memory SImonides found th' Art of Memory But none the Art of Wit could ere descry EPIG 6. SAtan o' th' Woman Bought-vs Christ re-Bought-vs Adam Impure but Christ Most-Pure hath wrought-vs EPIG 7. The Prayse of Liberalitie WHat e're we Giue doth euer liue Gifts follow Him that Giues The Giuer and the Taker both By Gifts the better Liue. EPIG 10. To Queene Anne Wife Daughter Sister Mother to a King What rarer Titles may wee to Thee bring With these foure Titles thou foure Vertues hast With what more Glory may a Queene be grac't EPIG 13. A New-Man DRiue what thou didst Deriue from th' Old-Man-Sinne Soone to Refresh thy Flesh from Sinne Beginne EPIG 14. Health EVen from my Heart much Health I Wish No Health I 'le Wash with Drinke Health Wish't not wash't in Words not Wine To be the best I thinke EPIG 15. Forbidden-Fruit WHen Adam Ate Forbidden-Meate Deluded by the Diuell He was not Euils Primitiue But worse than th' Apple of Euill EPIG 16. Troians and Greekes THe Troian sayes I much doe feare The Greekes when they bring Gifts Who is the Greeke The Poore-Man Who Are Troians Rich-Make-Shifts EPIG 21. N. A. N's first A followes Nought than All 's more old That God of Nought made All all Truth doth hold EPIG 23. Holinesse is Healthfulnesse NO man can Long Well all Men may Yet no Man Will Liue Well If thou 'lt Liue Long endeuour then In Vertue to excell A Bride is a Ship EPIG 25. THe Taile 's the Sterne Fore-Deckâ— the Beake The Keele the Belly is Her Wings the Sayles a Bird a Barke Is then not much amisse EPIG 30. Against Pannicus a Rich-Asse THat Fortune fauours Fooles canst thou not see Beleâ—ue thy Selfe if thou 'lt not Credit Mee EPIG 33. Homer MAruell not much though Homer blind tell Lyes Since He by Heare-say went not Sight of 's Eyes EPIG 35. Little Nothing Too-much Enough THe Poore haue Little Beggers None The Rich Too-much Enough not One. EPIG 37. To the Right Honourable William Earle of Pembrooke c. NOt Old in yeeres nor Young in each rare Part One of the Kings and Kingdomes Props thou art That on thee this great Grace thy King doth Lay Or should I ioy thy Merit Beth I may EPIG 48. Humility AS Low-Dales beare more fertile Grasse More Sterill Mountaines-high In Wisedome so Meeke Minds doe passe Selfe-flated Subtilty The Mind 's a Mount our Will 's a Hill The Mounts Top is Wils Wit Each highest Hill is Sterill still And Nimblest Wit vn-fit EPIG 54. The Clyent IF to thy Cause the Iudge shall Helpe apply Thy Knees to Him Clyent in-Cline wisely EPIG 57. The Serpent Eue Adam THe subtill Serpent heed-lesse Eue Deceiu'd was not deceiued Not Adam Her Shee Him made fall Both thus of Ioy bereaued Both Actiuely and Passiuely Shee therefore thus did Sin Deceiu'd Her-Selfe deceiueth Him Snar'd Snares Him in Deaths Grin EPIG 59. To Polydore O Polydore to Men most Poore The Datiue-Case is best Your Ablatiue doth them depriâ—e Of Comfort Ease and rest Giuers than Takers better are True but these Ablatiues This Age doth see too frequent bee Seld ' seene are Rich-Datiues EPIG 60. To ALas poore Creature-Seruing two Thou art in wofull state One-Master nothing hath to Giue Thy tother is Ingrate EPIG 61. Three-fold Continency WHen thou dost any Ill-thing Heare or See Thy Windowes Eares and Eyes fast shut let bee And that thou Speake-not vnaduisedly Locke-fast thy Doores thy Lips thy Tongue fast tye EPIG 62. Saturnes three Sonnes THree Sonnes had Saturne Poets faine And of especiall fame Hell was ones place Riches his Grace Nummi-potent by Name The Second had i th' Sea abode His Name Amni-potent To th' Third was giuen his seat in Heauen Call'd Ioue Omni-potent EPIG 63. The Old-man speakes to the Yong-man MY Life is short and Liue I cannot Long Thine shortly will bee short though now th' art strong EPIG 67. To an Angry-Man LEt Wrath and Anger with the Day decay Yet let them not with Phoebus next Day rise But as from thy Horizon Titan flyes Vnto th' Antipodes there let them stay EPIG 73. The Lord loueth Liberality THy Benefits it not-be-fits When Giuen to count and tell God will them both Remunerate And Ruminate full well EPIG 77. Heauen HEauen is Gods Spacious Spâ—cious Throne of Grace The Lords All-potent and All-patent Place EPIG 80. Against Pontilianus DOgges on thâ—ir Masters fawne and leape And wag their Tailes apace So though the Flatt'rer want a Taile His Tongue supplyes the place EPIG 81. To Distrust LEt none distrust though Dust Heau'ns light to see Nor none despaire though's Soule a shaddow be Our Flesh is Dust true but o' th very same The glorious Body of Christ Iesus came And though our Soule in vs a shaddow bee Yet 't is th' Idea of the Deitie EPIG 83. The Rich-Man THat Man 's most ' Retch which is most Rich Th' are oft defil'd that play with Pitch Men to be Great not Good desire Greatnesse not Goodnesse most acquire EPIG 87. To the Iewes The Law is your Religion And ours is Faith most pure You to beleeue will not be-led Nor we Good-workes inure EPIG 97. Riches GOld 's th' onely-God Rich-Men beare Rule Mony makes Maiesty Rich-Pluto not Plaine-Plato now Speakes with applause most high EPIG 98. Three Genders A Wife although most Wise and Chaste Is of the Doubtfull Gender A Queane o th' Common Foeminines Are Women small and tender EPIG 99. ST ST a Signe of Silence ST ST Men say Silence to signifie S Silence noâ—es T Taciturnity EPIG 100. Where I Doe-Well There I Dwell THat is my Country where I 'm Fed not Bred Not where I 'm Borne but where I 'm best-bested Where I may haue sufficient Sustenance And Liue in Loue ther 's my Inheritance EPIG 103. Actaeon ACtaeons Dogs his flesh bones skinne ate cleane His Hornes remayne in London to bee seene EPIG 112. A Paradox of Dreames DReames which be Bad are very Good Dreames that be Good are
FAith is our Shaft our Bow-string Hope Our Bow is well-bent Loue Our Length and Height is Heau'n on high Our Marke is God aboue EPIG 81. To a Litigious Debtor TH' art much perplext and troubled day by day Not How thou Mayst but How thou Mayst Not Pay EPIG 91. Couetous Liberality Against Acerra ACerra Giues to Take to Giue Takes not To Take's his Marke to Giue 's his Shaft and Shot EPIG 92. Against the Romish Catholike IF any one would thy Religion know 'T's Catholike Apostolike thou'lt say Catholike Loue I thinke to All thou'lt show But why do'st not for Catholike Faith pray EPIG 101. The Soules Eclipse AS Earth is Interpos'd betweene The Sunne and Moones thicke shade So Sinne betwixt Me and my God Hath Sepâ—ratioâ— made EPIG 112. From the Wombe to the Tombe AS Beasts i th' Fields to be our Food doe Fate So Wormâ—ling-Man is Borne to be Wormes-Meate EPIG 119. Womens Tyre YOur high-horn'd Laces are more like A House-Top than a Tyre To Build not Beautifie their Heads Is Womens fond desire EPIG 120. All-things are Nothing HE which made All of Nought Himselfe is All And what God made of Nought wee Nought may call EPIG 135. Funerall Sermons WE wrong Men Liuing Prayse them being Dead O Pleasant Death ô gloomy-Life so Led EPIG 121. Anger and Patience AS Water cooles the Fires hot flame And Fire Cold-water warmes So Patience Peaseth Angry mindes Wrath moues the Dull to Armes EPIG 143. The Bodie bids the Soule fare-well FOr thee ô Soule my Mother Earth I left And now I must of thee be thus bereft The Soule bids the Bodie fare-well And I fond Foole did God my Father Leaue For thee who Now to Heauen will Me receiue I must to Him Thou must to Her depart From Heau'n am I from Earth deriu'd Thou art There till wee meet we must Disioyn'd remayne Till Earth Mee thee God Thee Mee giue againe EPIG 145. Hot-Waters OVr trickling Teares expresse our priuate Loue Loue causeth Teares strange Fire should Water proue EPIG 147. Poore Comfort to his Rich Friend VNconstant Fortune Changeth in short space Hence growes my Hope thy Feare â—uch is thy case EPIG 153. To his Friend waxing-old THou lately wast a Yong-man I a Childe My Selfe a Yong-man now Thee Old I see Death shortly Lookes for Thee Old-Age for Mee Thy Lot's most Sure but I may bee beguilde EPIG 157. To Pontilian POntilian art thou iealous o're thy Wife Th' art wise but art Not then I say th' art wise Watch Her or Not in vaine is all thy strife For if Shee list Shee 'le Foole thee 'fore thine eyes But Shee 's a â—ife most Louing wise and iust Who though She could ne're wrongs her Housbands trust EPIG 160. London to I. W Citizen and Gold-Smith EVen as the Thames small Springâ— and Streames Drinkes in So London Wealth from poorer Towns doth win But though the Thames to Sea Runnes euery Tide Siluer and Gold at London still abide EPIG 161. To William Cawley a London Marchant Debtour and Creditour THough in my Booke thy Name heere bee Yet Mine in Thine thou canst not show For more than Loue Thee Nought I owe This I 'le expect and Pay to thee EPIG 166. A Marriage-Song i Th' Day thou art the Obiect of mine Eyes i th' Night Loues Subiect thou shalt be likewise EPIG 168. To his Beloued I Loue thee well Now-Knowne I lou'd th' vn-kowne Thy fame did first thy forme now hath me taken Loue now I know I Loue not Lou'd forsaken I know what 's I Loue not I'm Lou'd ô Moane EPIG 169. A Younger Brother I 'm Poore t is true my Parents Me blame not Who 'fore my Brother haue not Me begot EPIG 180. To Old Ponticus THou which didst neuer Doe good Deed But still adde Sinne to Sinne When wilt thou these Bad Courses leaue And to be Good beginne O when I Dye I 'le Leaue sayst Thou To th' Poore my Whole-Estate He that 's not Wise vntill he Dyes I thinke is Wise too Late EPIG 181. A Black-Moore in White Clothes O Rare seene Bird much like a Swan most white Thy Clothes as Snow thy Skin like Pitch in sight Epig. 199. Gold out of Doung VIrgil from â—innius Doung did Gold extract And our Phisicians doe the selfe-same Act. EPIG 205. To his Couetous Friend WHat Ricâ—-mâ—n haue t is All their-owne From Friends Themselues they 'le Spare But yet they Haue-â—ot what they Haue This is the Misers share EPIG 208. Christ-Masse and Mid-sommer IOhn Baptist came i th' Sommers prime And Christ i th' Winter season They Fire and Water both fore-show And both for holy Reason How well these Contrarieâ— concurre Iohn's Fire Christs Water pure Gods Fire our Sinnes to purifie Christs Water Sinne to Cure EPIG 214. Aesops Tongue OF all Mans Members than the Tongue there 's none More Noble-Good more Nimble Bad be knowne EPIG 220. Hard'ned Wickednesse Against Linus GOod-Wine they say makes Vineger most Tart Thou the more Witty the more Wicked art EPIG 240. Against Ponticus a Selfe-Louer NEyther the Minde nor Eye themselues doe see That thou thy selfe shuldst Loue then how may 't bee EPIG 241. A Querê O Would to God that that which Christ enquired Of his Disciâ—les what men of him spake The same of Prince Priest People were desired Of their Good-name and fame suruey to take If euery one would this desire to know Hee 'd Know hee 's Bad and Better striue to grow EPIG 242. Report Errour ERrours by Errour Tales by Tales great grow As Small Snow-balls by rowling too and fro EPIG 249. Of Himselfe SOme men there be which say of mee That I am not a Poet They say well why I doe not Lye I write the Truth I know it EPIG 253. The Worlds Dungeon THis World 's a Prison Heau'n as Walls doth stand The â—aylour's Sinne Women our Iron-band EPIG 259. The Bagge AS Birds with Bird-Lime commonly are caught So wide-Bags are with Wealth wel fil'd fraught A Bagge and Bird Liâ—e are mâ—â—â—h like in vsing This Hangs that Holds Birds Gold both safe from losing EPIG 276. To the Lady Arbella Stuart IF Fame or Vertue did consist in Words In thy Praise I might Thousand-Verses write My Muse cannot Promote thy Glory bright Thy Vertue rather Grace to It affords EPIG 138. Euery one thinkes his owne fairest Cic. Tuscul. Quaest. Lib. 5. THy Neighbours Wife to Theâ— to Him thine 's fairest Then that 's not true that All thinke their owne rarest EPIG 255. Mans Condition TIll one Foot falls the tother doth not Rise So one Mans wracke Another magnifies EPIG 262. Two Contrary Courtiers AT Court these Copesmates dwell though not the same Momus who All Gnatho who Nought will blame FINIS EPIGRAMS Out of the sixe last Bookes The first Booke To the Reader DO'st maruell why since now adayes Men vse Verses in prayse of th' Authour I't refuse My Verses need no Patron to protect them If Good th' are Good if Bad
th' are Bad neglect them EPIG 4. To the Prince THy Heart in Brest Heaâ—ts Chest Sense Reason Will Thy Head thy Wit in Thee their Parts fulfill For Reason Sense thy Wit thy Will doth guide Thy Head is by thy Heart well rectifide Wales had three Princes stiled-Great thy Brother Made-vp the fourth i th' fift place Thou art th' other EPIG 6. Orpheus ORpheus his Wife Redeem'd from Hels hot flame Who e're knew Wife for Husband do the same EPIG 8. Whether Saint Peter were at Rome WHether or no Saint Peter were At Rome is Disputable â—ut yet that Simon hath beene there Is most Vn-refutable EPIG 16. Honours Etymo logic Honours Genea logic EBricians Hon French Or ' doe Riches call Hence then we see Hon-ors originall And since that Wealth is Honors Pedegree No maruell though Rich-Asses Honour'd bee EPIG 19. A Regular Woman A Woman to a Gen'rall-Rule We fitly may compare Why so Those Rules doe oft deceiue And so doe Women faire EPIG 20. Salomons Wish WHy did the Wisest King for Wisdome craue He had bin Wise t' haue wished Wealth to haue Hee wisht not Wealth Wisdome was his best Prize Wisdome hee wisht why 'Cause he was not Wise. EPIG 24. Blessed are the Power makers Blessed are the Peace makers GReat Britaines tott'ring State affaires Munite ' Vnited bee King IAMES our Gracious Peace-maker Power-maker blest is Hee EPIG 34. Irregularitie WHat I Require I can't Acquire And what I Can I Nill Thus all Mans Life is nought but Strife Now Nill anon hee Will. EPIG 63. To a Batchelour A Wife is Good Better 's a Good But Best is none at-all I wish the Best may be my Lot And none to thee may fall EPIG 66. Three Delta's THat i th' Worlds-Sea thou mayst not Ship-wracke make These Delta's three as Rockes see thou forsake Dis worldly Riches Diuels and Delight These Three to th' Spirit beare a mortall spight EPIG 67. A Payre of Gallowes to P. L. A Thiefes Hope is a Rope Death is his Due The Gallowes all such Fellowes doth pursue But many scape true yet their Fates attend them And at the last the horrid Hempe will end them EPIG 72. Whether Bacchus be a God To a Drunkard SEest thou not when th' art Drunke with dulcid Wine How Bacchus makes thy Head to th' Foot decline Since He low feet exalts high Heads brings downe This shewes that He 's thy God of high Renowne EPIG 76. The Priest the People THe Priests doe Pray both Night and Day The Lay-men they take paines These Plough the Soyle those Plough the Soule These Teach those Tithe their Gaines EPIG 58. To the most Learned King Iames. TO be a poet-Poet-Good me thinkes is much To be a Good-Man is me thinkes as faire To be a Good-King I suppose few such Thou art Good Poet Man and King most rare EPIG 44. Against Quintus a Dreamer I Oft haue seene thee Quintus in sad plight And mourne i th' morne when thou from sleep didst rise Because thy dreames did neuer fall out right And maruell not for daily thou tell'st Lyes How then can Dreames the Truth to thee declare When all the Day to forge-Lyes is thy care EPIG 8â— Deaths Indifferencie FLouds fight with Flouds so Man with MaÌ„ 's at strife The Ocean striues in 's Motion Man in 's Life Riuers once Run to Sea haue the same sauour Death equals All as Waues Waues without fauour EPIG 86. Against Cinna a Phisician CInna cures sicknesse how he kils the sickly And what he doth he Iudas-like doth quickly Happy thrice happy are his Patients sure A tedious sicknesse they shall ne're indure EPIG 92. To the Prince ALL Night I Dreame of nought but Gold and Gaine Thus am I Rich all Nighâ— a Wreâ—ch all Day With Gold make-good my Dreames sweet Prince I pray So Reall-Royall-Rich I shall remaine EPIG 94. A Court Louse THe Smooâ—h-boote Flatt'rer Runs about the Court And vnâ—o Prince and Peeres doth most resort So Laâ—ines name the Louse for 's many-feet Lice much to th' Body most to th' Head doe fleet EPIG 96. Against Galatèa HArts yeerely change their snaggie Hornes they say Thy Husbands Hornes are changed euery-day EPIG 102. Against Gellia WIth Papists Gellia thou didst e're take part Worse art thou now how Catholike thou art EPIG 103. Against Aulus WHen Aulus is a little Sicke in bed Or hath the Tooth-ach or distemp'red Head O would to God I were in Heauen hee 'le say So th' Heyre for 's Father Would to God doth pray EPIG 108. Against Festus FEstus th' art old and yet wouldst marryed bee Ere thou doe so this Counsell take of mee Looke into Lillies Grammar there thou 'lt finde Cornu a Horne a word still vndeclin'd This Counsell's good take it not as a mocke For sure I thinke few old-men scape this Rocke EPIG 110. Against Cornelius ALthough Corn-elius know himselfe Cornute Yet hee with pacience holds his peace is mute Therefore I thinke hee 's not Cornelius But fitlier may be termed Tacitus FINIS EPIGRAMS Out of second Booke EPIG 5. What Loue is A Iocund-Iayle a wanton-warre A most vnpleasant Pleasure A tottering Trust a Bitter-sweet Is Loue Mirth without Measure EPIG 14. A Mathematicall Instrument called a Iacobs-Staffe to Mathematicks THy Iacobs-Staffe take vnto thee I le Iacobs-Ladder choose These Steps more than thy Staffe can show If I them well will vse EPIG 17. Death's Epitaph to the Death of Death DEaths Losâ—e was in Christs Crosse Thence ne're more rising Christs Death Deaths Death Christs Crosse Deaths Tombe comprizing EPIG 19. Of God and Man God is the Word and by his Word God All i th' World hath wrought Man vtters Words Words Mans chiefe Marke than words Man else is nought EPIG 21. Of Fasts POpes in the Yeere as may appeare Doe many Fasts ordayne For to declare that Peters Chaire They rightly doe retayne EPIG 39. Socrates Wisedome WHen I was Yong I thought I All-things knew The more I now-know more my wants I rue EPIG 44. Earths Body EArths Sinewes are her Mettels rich Her Bones are Stones most strong Water 's her Bloud her Superfice Her Skinne Grasse her Haire long EPIG 54. The Religious Man WHat 's Well-done 's Ill-done if too Publikely Politician What 's Ill-done 's Well-done if none doe it Spie EPIG 56. An English Proteus IN Clothes we Thrift and Honesty refuse For Pride and Pleasure 's All Nought Long wee vse EPIG 66. A Shrow Tamed WOuld'st Tame thy Wife first Tame her Tongue as Dumbe Who thus his Wife Comes-o're shall Ouer-come EPIG 74. Pride of Life MAn sweâ—s although his Gran-Dame is the Earth Earâ—h swels although from Nothing it had Birth So Man as Mouâ—d Him past Himselfe doth raise Mould swâ—ls with Mounts Mans Minde his Pâ—ide dâ—splayes EPIG 81. Eues and the Serpents meeting EVes and the Serpents Prattling wrought our Sin Oh would to God Hee Dumbe Shee Deafe had bin EPIG 85. Neyther too great a Good one Neyther too little