all readings those Antelucanas Lectiones are to me the most pleasant and profitable And surely there is something in it that Lectus and Lectio are of near affinitie These are the onely Curtain-Lectures Not long since I fastened upon Sir Richard Bakers Soliloquie or as he calls it Pillar of thoughts deservedly so styled for the solidity of the composition the rareness of the materials and height of the fancie There amongst other choise notions he falls upon the immortality of the Soul and hath so well discharged himself in it that he hath left no place for a Sceptick to rest in Onely I could not see for indeed my candle is not of the largest size how he doth clearly evince the Original of the rational soul but with St. Augustine refuseth to determine whether it be propagated or infused I dare not resolve where so great men doubt and wherein the soul it self is ignorant or silent as if it had drank of Virgils Lethe before it came into the bodie forgetting how it came there Weighing the arguments of both sides my reason holding the ballance with an equal hand the arguments for the Traduction in my eye seem to be most weightie Perhaps because I know not how to answer them When I consider the births of bastards and other such like irregular productions the Anomalies of nature I cannot me thinks salve Gods justice who if the soul be not ex traduce must favour those irregularities so much against his Holiness And what hath the poor innocent soul done to be imprisoned in a sinful polluting bodie For if the soul be not propagated then the bodies of Infants onely have sinned and are onely liable to the punishment of Original sin Now certainly it cannot be properly said that the bodie sinneth for the bodie is but the souls instrument and what evil hath the soul of a young dying Infant committed if his soul were not derived from Adam And if the soul be infused who doubts but that it comes pure and unspotted from the hands of God It was an errour reckoned upon the score of the Arrians that our Saviour took onely flesh of the Virgin but not the soule But it is the opinion of the Church of England that Christ took mans nature upon him in the Virgins womb whence it must necessarily follow that he took both body and soul since either without the other make not perfect man Yet if this be evaded as extraordinary in the Historie of the Creation when God took Eve out of Adams side it is not said that He breathed into her the breath of life as before He did to Adam Perhaps and if silence may be interpreted consent to intimate that her soul was derived with her body from the man But that the soul which Philosophers call Anima composed of the vegetative and sensitive faculties is ex traduce is yielded the onely question being about the Spiritus which they say is the breath of God infused in the third or four th' or sixth moneth or to say truth they know not when Now if this Spirit be infused before the birth why see we not the effects and workings of this Spirit But it seems as dull as the body is feeble whereas experience tels us Chickens as soon as hatch'd fall to pecking ducklings to padling the colt fals to sucking as soon as foald the lamb as soon as faln whereas this Spirit in man is not seen till almost the third part of his life be spent and perhaps not at all Let a child be brought up in a wood or a wilderness what difference will appear between him and a beast So that this Spirit seems to be encreased by if not derived from civil societie and liberal education whereas if the soul be infused by God that it must come perfect from his hands who makes a question These things my faith can easily leap over and turn these mountains into mole-hils but my reason is at a stand and craves the favourable assistance of your courteous hand because I know you will doe it and that dexterously If you have the good fortune to rout these light arguments which I send out as my forlorn hope I have yet a reserve left which may tell you that a man may be victus in praelio and yet victor in bello But I leave you to your good fortune with assurance that your enemy is no other than Sir your Friend and Servant T. F. D. P. B. INfandum Philippe jubis renovare dolorem Dolorem sub sigillo silentis signandum esse vel lachrymis potius quam verbis exprimendum Nefandâ illâ nocte flagranti amicitiâ fluenti eloquentiâ medio de fonte leporum surgit amari aliquid A Cacumine montium sum dejectus è Paradiso ejectus in orbem iturus rediturus nunquam foemininae linguae gladius versatilis regressum prohibet Heu quae nunc tellus quae me aequora possunt accipere aut quid jam misero mihi denique restat Silentium olim pendidit Amyclas jam vana loquacitas perdidit Amicos Nunc seriò ah nimis sera illud Câ—mici Mulier aut amat aut odit nihil est tertium Tu tamen vale constanter Ama. Constantissimum tuum Amicum T. F. To Mr. S. S. Sir CHristian moderation is the best reconciler of all controversies for it hath been too often found by sad experience that in the heats of disputations men have sought victory rather than verity Truth being often lost by an over-hot and hasty search Witness the many and too eager Disputes concerning Admission to the Lords Supper to which some men by a too hasty and less charitable zeal have excluded all though never so worthy lest they should lose the authoritie of Examination which the Scripture no where commands noâ— hardly anywhere allowes it being not possible for any man to know what is in man but the Spirit of man which is within him The Apostle St. Paul therefore layes the injunction upon every man to examine himself not sending him to another to usurp the power of Auricular Confession which they condemn in the Papists yet would exercise themselves I denie under submission that any man can shew any one direct place of Scripture that commands or enjoynes the Minister to examine his Parishioners it being his Office to teach them their duties to reprove them for and convince them of their errours and it is left to the people to examine and reform themselves by that glasse which the Minister holds out unto them We accuse the Romanists and justly of grand Sacriledge for denying the Cup unto the people whilest we are deprived not onely of part but of all How justly let the Scripture and the practice of all Ages till ours shew It is denied that Judas received the Sacrament with the other disciples though three Evangelists absolutely relate it and the fourth doth not denie it It is also denied that the Sacrament is a converting Ordinance because the Scripture
care not too much to indulge my body as knowing that those things the body inclines to most are of the world which is enmity with God and what the Spirit prompts to most must needs be best because the Spirit is heavenly and more of kin to the Deity Honestum ei vile est cui corpus nimis charum est said one that knew well what he said 'T is not for nothing that our inward spirit is alwayes most sad when our outward man is most merry In the second place 'T is my desie to avoid ill company because as 't is said of the Tyrant Mezantius Corpora corporibus jungebat mortua vivis In that the Living rather putrefied by reason of the Dead but the Dead did not revive by the Living Such is the nature of man saith St. Gregory Vt quoties bonus malo conjungitur non ex bono malus meliocriter sed ex malo bono contaminetur It is a good caution therefore St. Bernard gives in his 48th Serm. in Cantic writing upon these words As the Lilly among thorns c. Vide saith he quomodo cautè ambulas inter spinas I speak this the rather because I presume you walk there among thorns and I know not whether there be a place there like the street in Rome that was called vicus sobrius because there was never an Ale-house in 't And as Socrates said of Alcibiades that miracle of his time when he saw him among Gallants I fear not Him but his Company Now the number of this Company should not be a meanes to make us run with them but rather to run from them And to this end 't is necessary for a man to be ever resident on his Calling lest he be turn'd out of his Living or at least of his well living for non-residency Out of a mans Calling out of Gods Protection 'T is an Apothegme of a late Wit That he who counts his Calling a Prison shall at length make a Prison his Calling But whither do I straggle Me thinks I hear you say as Queen Elizabeth once did to an Embassador who made a long Oration before her in high terms She answer'd him Expectavi Legatum Inveni Heraldum I expected an Embassador but find an Herald So me thinks I hear you say Expectavi Epistolam Inveni concionem I must confess I might have learn'd so much modesty from Roscius the Roman Orator who was ever mute when he din'd with Cato and the Thrush never sings if the Nightingal be by I might very well have spar'd this labour it being perform'd so well by yet if I have done amiss it shall satisfie me that I did it to satisfie mine own conscience Now might I relaxare animum recreate your mind by making you some mirth with the discords of our Times but truly they appear to me a fitter subject for our tears of sorrow than of mirth Assure your self I had not thus far transgrest upon your patience did you not know me to be Perfectly your Friend T. F. To Mr. A. E. Sir THough I have not had the happiness of late to be so propitiously be-friended by occasion as to write to you yet am I so confident of your wonted ingenuitie that you will not attribute it to any neglect of mine which if I were conscious to my self were so I should judge it a crime so great that I should not forgive my self But the truth is I find more danger in the conveying of Newes than in the hearing of it Nay my misery is I cannot or dare not at least inform you of more than every Pamphlet can to such a height of suspition are we now arrived Besides so barren is each day of Newes that 't is not worth doing penance in a sheet yet because you are desirous to know and I as willing to satisfie your desire what 's done in the Assembly and P. I will venture to tell you in an old story 'T is this Mr. Popham when he was Speaker and the lower House had sate long and done in effect nothing comming one day to Queen Elizabeth She said to him Now Mr. Speaker what hath pass'd in the lower House He answered If it please your Majesty seven weeks You need fear no danger in this for 't is Nothing and the Treaty is come to as much both Parties being not like to meet standing still at their former distance This was prettily Emblem'd by two Sphaerical bodies touching onely in Puncto with this Motto Pungere possunt pacificari non possunt Thus Sir you see amidst these dusky clouds Friendship dares mingle flames in a Convex though not in a direct line Ascertain your self of this That as it shall ever rejoyce me to hear of your health so it shall be my endeavour alwayes to be Your unfeigned Friend T. F. To my Father Sir AFter the remembrance of my duty which at all times wants not in my will though sometimes in my power I lately saw Mr. M. but cannot tell you whether with greater joy or grief It rejoyc'd me exceedingly to hear of your health but grieved me more to hear of my Mothers grief for a false information that I was a Sectary and a Malignant Give me leave therefore to say something whereby I may at once recover her right opinion and my reputation And first for the Sectary Should I say nothing my practice were enough to testifie that I do as much shun their Companies as hate their Tenents I count them as moles and warts nay wens in the face of the Body Politick which if not timely lanced will in time not onely deface but destroy our Common Mother the Church Neither do I love to run into those by-wayes of Sects and Schismes but rather keep the safer road of the Churches practice There is but one Way one Truth and I account all those not one better than another but all out of that one Way all opposites to that one Truth I esteem them but as wilde beasts broken into the Vineyard of the Church the hedge of our Government being pull'd up but as nettles and weeds sown and water'd by that envious man grown up to such an height that will in time not onely o're-top but o'return the good corn They are true vipers a beast whereof Naturalists report that first the she-viper biteth off the he-vipers head and so she conceives with young and those young gâ—aw a passage through their dams belly so that their life is the death of both Father and Mother as I may so speak This story I onely relate not apply the Time and Times will not permit me But that these Vermin do daily encrease is as true as lamentable and they go on with that impudence that they dare to quote Authority for their false actions If this be not enough to evince my integritie in this particular I here protest that I am so far from falling or leaning after any of these wayes that I utterly abhor and detest them I come
that veneration in length to your memorie which it yet wants in breadth Those Religious Houses erected by a better devotion than that which destroy'd them are more beholding â—o your Pen than to their Founders or Materials you having made them a task for the remembrance and admiration of future Ages so long as Time shall hold a Sythe or Fame a Trumpet I would say more if the universal applause of all knowing men had not saved me a labour And to pay you in some of your own coyn It is no flattery to affirm what envy cannot deny Did I not fore-see that the relation would swell my discourse beyond the limits of a Letter or the length of your patience I should assume the libertie to inform you that my neighbourhood to the place acquaints me with some Relicts of Religious Houses at and near Maâ—don bearing still the name of an Abbey a Friery and a Nunnery And if we may judge of Hercules by his foot of the whole piece by the remnant and of them by their Remaines I should suppose them not behind many in England As yet I know little of them but their ruines but if you vote it convenient I shall endeavour to improve my present ignorance into a discoverie of them I suppose it will be no hard task I am sure it shall not when in relation to your command I must now take pitie of your patience which had not run this hazard of abuse did I not know I have to do with so great a Candor from which I can expect no less than pardon And in that presumption I crave your leave to be as I subscribe my self Sir your most assured servant T. F. To M. Madam WEre I sure of the cause of your malady I could easily hope the Cure but being to guess at the one it will be no wonder if I miss the other Of all diseases those of the mind are worst of those that of melancholy of melancholies the religious I know not by what unhappy wit the the badge of melancholy hath been fastned upon the spirit of Calvin that Patriarch of Presbytery This I know since that unhappy Planet hath reigned over us we have too sensibly felt all those unlucky effects that an ill-boading Comet could produce What wars what blood-shed what ruines have we seen in the State What factions what fractions in the Church What envy what hatred what divisions amongst private persons What doubts what feares what distractions in all mens minds In a word what not Gladly doe I remember those happy dayes now happy onely in the remembrance that Golden Age wherein we had but one Truth but one Way wherein men walked lovingly together without contentious justling one another When those Silver Trumpets of the Sanctuary gave no uncertain sound when the way to Heaven was though a narrow yet a plain and direct path not block'd up by envious censures by distracting clamours But now I sadly see and sigh to say our Rents are like to prove our Ruine and our distractions our destruction I remember a Storie of a knavish Painter so my Author calls him who being to make the Picture of some goddess for a Citie to worship drew the Counterfeit of his own Mistris and so caused her to be courted that perhaps better deserved to be carted I wish this tale were not too true of our times It is too obvious to conceal the Parallel Do we not daily see Religion drest up in the several shapes of every ones fancie and obtruded upon the easie multitude as the onely Deitie for their adoration and observance our faith made as changeable as our fashions And what 's the miserie of our miseries none are so easily deluded as the well-meaning simple-hearted honest Christians who out of an excesse of Charitie are ready to believe all men mean truly because they doe so themselves If this be your case and I am to seek if it be not let me give you this Caution Beware of that evil which commeth near to the shew-of good none can so easily deceive you as those Hyaena's who have learn'd your voice to draw you out of the way Take heed of those serpents of the colour of the ground Let St. Paul beseech you to mark them which cause divisions and offences Contrary to the Doctrine which you have learned and avoid them I am mis-inform'd if the same word which we read Contrary doth not also import near There are no opinions so dangerously contrary to the truth as they that seem very near it Let me assure you it is the old way which is the good way wherein you shall find rest There shall you find a direct road without any turnings and windings of private interest or faction No briars and thorns of quarrelling disputes no soul-destroying doctrines under the ostentious titles of soul-saving truths It is no such long and melancholy way as we see now chalk'd out by those who have found out new paths to heaven that our Fathers never dream't of There shall you find gravity without morosity and mirth without madness Christian cheerfulnesse as well commanded as commended Religion is no such frowning fury Psalms and Hymns ar her daily practice as well as prayers and teares The same Holy Spirit that commands us to pray alwayes enjoyns us also to rejoyce evermore We sin if we rejoyce not There is not more errour in false mirth than in unjust heaviness Can they be sad who have a God to defend a Christ to save and an Holy Ghost to comfort them It is for those that know not God or know him displeas'd to droop as men without hope An humble practice of those Common truths alone necessary to salvation is far more safe more happy than all the towring and lofty speculations of unquiet Heads and too busie Brains There is some reason in the old Scotch Rithme Rob. Will. and Davy Keep well thy Pater noster and Ave And if thou wilt the better speed Gang no farther than thy Creed Say well and do none ill And keep thy self in safety still Our way is not tedious nor our burthen heavy why then should we add length to the one and weight to the other by an un-necessarie sadness Whilest hypocrisie lies under the clouded brow of a Pharisee a cheerful countenance is the badge of innocence It is a disparagement to our Master and his service to follow him sighing I have done Pardon me this perhaps un-necessary length and believe me however the Physick chance to work it is tender'd with an hand ayming onely at your happinesse and that would gladly wish no better employment than to strew your way to heaven with Roses This is the height of his ambition who is Madam your most humble Servant T. F. To M. D. P. Sir THe Italians say in a Proverb That words are but females deeds are males I can allow them to be females so they be fruitful in these masculine productions and not subject to miscarry of
but please To take that kindly which I freely give Sam. But Melecertus can I hope to find You real unto me whose worth I know Cannot but be engag'd already to Some more deserving creature than poor I. Mel. Lady my services were never due To any but to one which bond harsh death Hath cancelled to make me yours alone Sam. You call death harsh for freeing you from them And would you be in the like bonds again Mel. Your heavenly likeness doth compel me to 't You are the same but in another dress Let me no longer therefore strive to win That fort I so much covet to be in Sam. Then Melecertus take thy Samela Mel. Oh happy word oh happy fate the gods If they would change with me should give me odds Finis Act. 4. Act. 5. Scaen. 1. Enter King Damocles like a Shepherd THus Jove chang'd shapes to satisfie his love He laid his god-head by my Kingdome I Have for a time forsaken and exchang'd My royal robes for shepherds weeds How light Me thinks I feel my self having laid by My crown with its companions heavy cares Enter Plusidippus But who comes here His paces to me tend Plu. Shepherd well met but why without a flock What hath the rot consum'd thy sheep or are They gone astray Kin. No not my sheep but I Aside So far I almost know not where or what I am to seek as yet I know not whom Plu. This old man dotes and knows not what he sayes Where is thy bag-pipe and thy merry layes That shepherds use to have in readiness Surely thou art no shepherd but some goat Crept lately into a sheeps habit Dost Thou know the field of the fair Samela Kin. This boy will be my Rival for that name Aside Sounds like the creatures that I seek for No Go seek your Stamela I know no such Plu. This is intolerable I will scourge Enter Samela passing by Draws Thee into better manners But that divine Appearance makes my spirits calm and strikes An awful reverence into my breast This is the beautie of th' Arcadian Plains Sh' has shot her rayes so home into my heart But partial fame was niggardly and base In giving but a glimpse of this rare beautie Sam. D' you know me Sir or have you lost your way Plu. I cannot likely lose my way where I Do find such glistring goddesses as you Indeed the force of such a light may rob Me of the office of mine eyes and make Them dark with too much brightness can I chuse But gaze upon the Sun when first I see 't Sam. I think you lost your wits or else your eys That you mistake a glo-worm for the sun And make a goddess of a shepherdess Plu. Lady if I have lost my wits or eyes It was with seeking you whose beautie drew Me hither for your sake alone have I Shook hands with Thessaly and all my friends Onely to joyn my hands and heart with you Sam. I should be loth to give my hand unto So sudden a conclusion and my heart Is neither in my power or possession Plu. Fair Shepherdess my errand is in love To yield my heart into your hands 't is yours By gift and conquest I 'm at your command Sam. If that you are at my command be gone I cannot will not listen to your words Exit Plu. And have I left my dear Euriphila For this I see beautie makes women proud I would I were at Thessaly again There should I welcome be unto Euriphila Whose heart I know's my fellow-traveller Her salt rears by this time would make a sea Wherein I might swim back again with ease Exit Scaen. 2. Kin. I see this youth 's repul'st and he is young And stout and well deserving how shall I Hope to prevail with her if lively youth She do despise then much more cripling age Nor do I know what arguments to use Unless to tell her that I am a King And lay my Crown and Scepter at her feet Which she will scarce believe my shepherds hook Will not be taken for a scepter nor This poor cap for th' usurper of a crown I have a way whereby to work my will And this young man shall be my instrument There stands a castle hard by whither he Perforce shall carry her I 'll work my will Upon her when I have her there confin'd Enter Plusidippus Plu. I will revenge this scorn if force or wit Will do I 'll make her pride come down Kin. Be wise Young man and valiant and I will tell Thee how thou shalt obtein thy full desire Plu. But tell me how and then let me alone To act what e're it be Kin. A Castle stands Near by guarded with crows and negligence Thither thou mayst by force convey her and Then force her unto what entreaties can't Plu. Old man if I do gain her by thy means Thou shalt not want reward I know the place Where she doth tend her flock and I 'l watch her As she doth them and when I see my time I will convey her where you shall direct Exit Kin. I will attend you here Now must I plot To get her in my power and then I shall Advance her to a crown against her will But yet I cannot think Honour should need An Advocate womens ambitious thoughts Do swim aloft they love to be above Their neighbours envying ev'ry one whose height Doth over-look and seemeth to upbraid Their lowness by comparison their minds Are always climbing up to honours hill And pride and self-conceit are the two wings Which elevate their thoughs to flie aloft Enter Plusidippus with Samela Plu. Now Mistris Coy y' are not in your own power But mine Old shepherd take thee charge of her Exit Kin. Lady you see what folly 't is for you To denie men what they can take without Your leave Now must you yield unto the Of Thessaly But if you will be wise And see a good when proffer'd you may be Knight A Queen by granting of my suit who am King of Arcadia although thus disguis'd Sam. My father Damocles 't is he now sues aside To me his dauughter He 's incestuous grown Kin. This is too woman-like to turn away From your own happiness And it is strange That honour doth not tempt her thou shalt have A Crown and Kingdom at thy sole command And change these rural weeds for princely robes If thou wilt be my wife pleasure for pain And plenty for thy povertie What sayst Sam. Your potent batteries and golden baits Might win perhaps on some ambitious soul They nothing move me to remove my love Already plac'd on Melecertus He He onely doth and shall possess my heart Kin. A shepherd Shall a shepherds basnesse stand In competition and out-weigh a King A subject be before his Sovereign Prefer'd Oh how prepostrous are the minds Of these fond women Come be well advis'd And change that pettie pebble for a pearl 'T is in my power to make thee
Why a miracle of beautie and I think You 'l be a miracle of folly if you Don't love me now Car. What small Poet have you hired To make a miracle of my name Dor. Nay I have more yet and better That I found in the Nichodemus Of Complements that 's a sweet book 'T is a very magazine of Poetrie a Store-house of wit do but hear Them Carmila Car. Let 's hear them Doron are they Worth a laughing at Let 's hear Dor. Well well it is no laughing matter but I 'm Sure your laughing ha's made me crie Now Carmila you must imagine that 't is I and only I say this to you and none but you For the unhappy wag ha's so fitted my Fancie as if 't were made for no bodie but me Excellent Mistris brighter than the Moon Than scowred pewter or the silver spoon Fairer than Phoebus or the morning Star Dainty fine Mistris by my troth you are Thine eyes like Diamonds shine most clearly As I 'm an honest man I love thee dearly What think you now Carmila is not this Admirable if these strong lines will Not draw your love I know not what will Car. Had it been your own mother-wit Doron I could have like't it well But for you to father the brat of Another's brain is too ridiculous I like your love much better than your Hackney lines but bought wit's best Dor. If you like not my lines because they are None of mine you will not love my Heart neither for that 's not mine but yours Car. Yes Doron if you have given me your Heart I will not die in your debt but Give you mine in exchange for yours Dor. Than welcome to me my new found heart We 'l live and love and never part Exeunt Scaen. 7. Enter Melecertus Revenge shall soon o're-take this proud boy who Committed hath so bold a rape upon My Samela He had been better to Have lodged snakes in his breast than to steal This spark that shall consume him and his nest Samela Samela that name alone Infuseth spirits into me inflames My soul with vengeance till I recover My dearest love Enter Menaphon Men. Now shall I be reveng'd on Samela And on her Melecertus both at once I 'll make her know neglected love may turn To hate and vengeance take the place of scorn Well met friend Melecertus what alone Mel. I 'm solitarie since my mate is gone Men. Your mate has taken flight she 's on the wing But I can tell thee where she nests and bring Thee guickly where thou shalt retrive the game Mel. If thou wilt do this Menaphon I shall Be studious to requite thy love with mine I pay thee sterling thanks and services Men. I will not sell my favours to my friends My work is all the wages I expect Come follow me I 'll lead thee to the place Where the fresh gamesters have thy love in chase Exeunt Scaen. 8. Enter King Damocles in his Royal robes Plusidippus and Samela prisoners Kin. Now Sir you see the shepherd is become A King and though you have deserved death Yet since you have but acted our commands We here release you and not onely so But entertain you with all due respect At once belonging to our neighbour-Prince And near Allie the King of Thessaly Some secret power doth force me love him so That if I had a daughter to bestow I 'de wish no other Son-in-law but him Now my Sephestia what would I give Thou wert alive I had thee and thou him Sam. He little thinks I am so near or that It is his daughter he would make his wife Kin. Thus Gentlewoman you are once more faln Into my hands I am th' Arcadian King Be sudden therefore to give me your love Or else forseit your life for your contempt Think on 't and chuse which you 'l rather do Sam. Sir I am still the same I was before My love like to a mighty rock stands fast Disdaining the proud billows of your threats Crowns cannot tempt nor Kings command my love My love is free and cannot be compell'd True love admits no partners is content With one and Cupids statute law forbids Pluralities of loves Kin. Since y' are so stiff You will not bow I 'll make you bend or break Enter Menaphon with Melecertus Mel. I am betray'd by this base Menaphon Kin. Here comes my Rival when I have dispatch'd Him to the other world your plea is spoil'd My sword shall cut your gordian knot in two Your ghosts may wed your bodies never shall I 'll be his Executioner my self I 'll trust no other eyes to see it done Sam. Now is it time t' unmask and let him know He wounds his daughter through her Lovers sides She kneels Father your furie once expos'd me to The greedie jaws of death which yet more kind In pitie sav'd my life you sought to lose I 'm your Sephestia Father know your child Mel. And is it possible Sephestia lives Once more t' enjoy her truest Maximus Sam. My Maximus I 'm thy Sephestia Oh that our Plusidippus too were here Plu. And I am he my name is Plusidippus Seph My dearest son 't is he now were my joys Compleat indeed were but my Uncle here Mel. I am so wrapt with joy I scarce can get Breath to express my thanks unto the gods Men. What will become of me I shall be hang'd Or lose my place at least I 'll get me home Amidst their mirth they will not think on me Exit Kin. My onely daughter Dear Sephestia And you kind Maximus I ask Both of you pardon for your injuries And for requital thus I do create Thee King of Arcadie and may the gods Requite your sufferings and forgive my crimes Long may ye live and happy may your dayes Be sun-shine all and know no clouds nor night Enter Lamedon And that we may not leave one string untun'd My brother comes to make our consort full The best of brothers and the best of friends Thanks for your care of her whom you have made Your daughter by a better claim than mine Now let the whole land swim in mirth and load The altars with their thankful sacrifice Unto the kinder deities who through A sea of woes have sent us happiness Let 's in and hear the strange adventures have Befaln your heaven-protected persons griefs Grow less by telling joyes are multiplied Although against them all things seem to strive At last just men and lovers alwayes thrive FINIS Fragmenta Poetica OR Poetical Diversions WITH A PANEGYRICK UPON HIS SACRED MAJESTIE' 's Most happy Return on the 29. May 1660. By THO. FORDE Philothal LONDON Printed by R. and W. Leybourn for William Grantham and are to sold at the Signe of the Black Bear in St. Pauls Church-yard 1660. Poetical Diversions For Christmass-day 1 Shepherd WHat have we slept or doth the hastie Sun Bring back the day before the night be done 2 Shep. What melodie is this that charms our
fame Where every whisper every sound Is taken at the first rebound And like an aiëry bubble blown By vainer breath till it be grown Too big to be conceal'd it flies About a while gaz'd at then dies Something he tells and hasts away He could not and fame would not stay To near the rest for she well knew By mixing of false tales with true To make it more To Rome she plyes Her greatest Mart of truths and lyes The gods says she will dwell on earth And give themselves a mortal birth But they of fame had got the ods For they themselves made their own gods And car'd not to encrease their store For they had gods enough before To Solyma she takes her flight And puts the Citie in a fright Unwelcome newes fills Herods ears And then his head with thoughts and fears The King of whom the Sages told And all the Prophecies of old Is born sayes fame a King who shall Deliver Judah out of thrall Kings shall his subjects be and lay Their scepters at his feet his sway Shall know no bounds nor end but he Beyond all time so fates decree By this the Sun had cross'd the seas And told the newes to th' Antipodes The aiëry spirits pack'd hence away Chas'd by the beams of this bright day The fiends were in an uproar hell Trembl'd with the dismal yell The Prince of darkness was in doubt The Lord of light would find him out And that the word of truth being come His oracles must all be dumb Pale death foresaw he was betray'd That King of terrors was afraid Glory be to God above For this miracle of love Ever blessed be the morn When the God of Love was born Love so charming that it can Contract a God into a Man And by the magick of his birth Make an Heaven of the Earth Ever ever sing we thus Till Angels come and joyn with us They rejoyce with all their powers Yet the Benefit is Ours They with joy the tydings bring Shall We be silint when They sing The 25. Cap. of Job Paraphras'd Then Bildad answers dominion and fear Which rule us mortals loe his In-mates are Can numbers shallow bounds confine his hoasts Or does his light baulk any unknown coasts Can man be Gods Corrival to be just Can he be clean that is defiled dust The Moon in th' ocean of his light is drown'd The stars impure in his bright eyes are found Then what is man alas poor worthless span Or what 's his son a worm less than a man 35. Cap. of Job Then 'gan Elihu speak vileness dost dare Thy righteousness with Gods thus to compare Thou sayst what gain will righteousness bring in Or shall I thrive by that more than by sin I 'll answer thee Behold the clouds that stand His surer guard against thy sinning hand Legions of doubled sins cannot assault Thy God or pierce his starry-guarded vault Nor can thy stock of good encrease his store Thy hand may hurt or help like thee the poor c. On the Widows 2 Mites How comes it that the widows mites are more Than the abundance the rich gave the poor Whilst they their worldly goods lib'rally hurl'd She gave her heart more worth than all the world On Christs Cross As from a Tree at first came all our woe So on a tree our remedie did grow One bare the fruit of death the other life This was a well of Salem that of strife On Christs Death and Resurrection What can God die or man live being slain He dy'd as man as God he rose again Gen. 2. 18. When man was made God sent an helper to him And so she prov'd for she help'd to undoe him On the miracle of the Loaves This was a miracle indeed when bread Was by substraction multiplied Why wonder we at this strange feast When Gods's both giver and a guest On Christ's Resurrection The Lord of life lay in a tomb as in the womb His Resurrection was a second birth from th'womb of th' earth On M. M. weeping at Christs death What weep to see thy Saviour die Whereby thou liv'st eternally But now I know 't was cause thy sins Were the sharp spears that wounded him Mark 12. Give to God c. And to Caesar c Give God and Caesar both how shall I do Give Gods receiver and thou giv'st him too On the world That the worlds goods are so inconstant found No wonder is for that it self is Round Similis simili gaudet Wherefore doth Dives love his Money so That 's earth So 's Hee Like will to like we know On Calvus Calvus of late extream long locks doth wear The reason is Calvus hath lost his Hair On Malâ—ido Malâ—ido on his neighbour looks so grim Proximus is Postremus sure with him On Will who had run through all trades and was now a Cobler I prethee Will whither wilt thou so fast Thou canst not farther for th' art at thy Last Better fortune Whilst that the Huntsman stared he became Unto his dogs their banquet and their game But from Acteons fortune I am free Because whilst I saw her she could not me On Cornuto Cornuto cries Hee 's weary of his life He cannot bear the Lightness of his wife She wants so many Grains she 'l go with loss Yet a Light Woman is an Heavie Cross Mart. Ep. 24. lib. 2. If unjust fortune hale thee to the bar In rags paler than guilty prisoners are I 'll stick to thee banîshd thy native soyl Through Seas and Rocks I will divide thy toyl On one who fell in love with Julia throwing Snow-balls at him I 'me all on fire strange miracle of Love These Watry Snow-bals Hand-Granadoes prove If from cold clouds thou dost thy lightnings dart Julia what Element will â—ence my heart J. Cesaris Epigram A Thracian lad on Ice-bound Heber playes The glassie Pavement with his waight decayes Whilsts with his lower parts the river fled The meeting Ice cut off his tender head Which having found the Son-less mother urnd Those to be drownd were born this to be burnd Hensii Epitaph Trina mihi juncta est variis aetatibus vxor Haec Juveni illa viro tertia nupta seni est Prima est propter Opus teneris sociata sub annis Altera propter Opes tertia propter Opem Englished Three wives I had in severall ages Past A Youth a Man an old man had the last The first was for the Work a tender maid The second was for VVealth the third for Ayd Out of Italian My Mistris hath my heart in hold But yet 't is under locks of gold In which the wind doth freely play But my poor heart doth prisoner stay What happier prison can there be Confinement is my libertie H. Grotius S. Petâ—i Querela Quae me recondet recondet regio quâ moestum diem Fallam latebrâ quaero nigrantem specum Quâ me sepeliem vivus ubi nullum videns Nulli videndus lachrymas foveam meas Englished