their words more priz'd For whatsoe're my outward Fate appeares My Soule 's as good my Heart as great as theirs My loue vnto my Country and to thee As much as his that more would seeme to be And would this Age allow but meanes to show it Those that misdoubt it should ere long time know it Pitty my youth then and let me not lie Wasting my time in fruitlesse miserie Though I am meane I may be borne vnto That seruice which another cannot doe In vaine the little Mouse the Lyon spar'd not She did him pleasure when a greater dar'd not If ought that I haue done doe thee displease Thy misconceiued wrath I will appease Or sacrifice my heart but why should I Suffer for God knowes whom I know not why If that my words through some mistake offends Let them conceiue them right and make amends Or were I guilty of offence indeed One fault they say doth but one pardon need Yet one I had and now I want one more For once I stood accus'd for this before As I remember I so long agon Sung Thame and Rhynes Epithalamion When SHE that from thy Royall selfe deriues Those gracious vertues that best Title giues She that makes Rhine proud of her excellence And me oft minde her reuerence Daign'd in her great good-nature to encline Her gentle care to such a cause as mine And which is more vouchsaf'd her word to cleare Me from all dangers if there any were So that I doe not now intreate or sue For any great boone or request that 's new But onely this though absent from the Land Her former fauour still in force might stand And that her word who present was so deere Might be as powerfull as when she was here Which if I finde and with thy fauour may Haue leaue to shake my loathed bands away As I doe hope I shall and be set free From all the troubles this hath brought on me I le make her Name giue life vnto a Song Whose neuer-dying note shall last as long As there is either Riuer Groue or Spring Or Downe for Sheepe or Shepheards Lad to sing Yea I will teach my Muse to touch a straine That was ne're reach't to yet by any Swaine For though that many deeme my yeeres vnripe Yet I haue learn'd to tune an Oaten Pipe Whereon I 'le try what musicke I can make me Vntill Bellona with her Trumpe awake me And since the world will not haue Vice thus showne By blazing Vertue I will make it knowne Then if the Court will not my lines approue I 'le goe vnto some Mountaine or thicke Groue There to my fellow Shepheards will I sing Tuning my Reede vnto some dancing Spring In such a note that none should dare to trouble it Till the Hils answere and the Woods redouble it And peraduenture I may then goe neare To speake of something thou l't be pleas'd to heare And that which those who now my tunes abhorre Shall reade and like and daigne to loue me for But the meane while oh passe not this suite by Let thy free hand signe me my liberty And if my loue may moue thee more to do Good King consider this my trouble to Others haue found thy fauour in distresse Whose loue to thee and thine I thinke was lesse And I might fitter for thy seruice liue On what would not be much for thee to giue And yet I aske it not for that I feare The outward meanes of life should faile me here For though I want to compasse those good ends Iaime at for my Countrie and my Friends In this poore state I can as well content me As if that I had Wealth and Honours lent me Nor for my owne sake doe I seeke to shunne This thraldome wherein now I seeme vndone For though I prize my Freedome more then Gold And vse the meanes to free my selfe from hold Yet with a minde I hope vnchang'd and free Here can I liue and play with miserie Yea in despight of want and slauerie Laugh at the world in all her brauerie Here haue I learn'd to make my greatest Wrongs Matter of Mirth and subiects but for Songs Here can I smile to see my selfe neglected And how the meane mans suite is dis-respected Whil'st those that are more rich and better friended Can haue twice greater faults thrice sooner ended All this yea more I see and suffer to Yet liue content midst discontents I do Which whil'st I can it is all one to me Whether in Prison or abroad it be For should I still lye here distrest and poore It shall not make me breathe a sigh the more Since to my selfe it is indifferent Where the small remnant of my daies be spent But for Thy sake my Countries and my Friends For whom more then my selfe God this life lends I would not could I helpe it be a scorne But if I might liue free as I was borne Or rather for my Mistris vertues sake Faire Vertue of whom most account I make If I can chuse I will not be debas'd In this last action lest She be disgrac'd For 't was the loue of her that brought me to What Spleene nor Enuie could not make me do And if her seruants be no more regarded If enemies of Vice be thus rewarded And I should also Vertues wrongs conceale And if none liu'd to whom she dar'd appeale Will they that doe not yet her worth approue Be euer drawne to entertaine her loue When they shall see him plagu'd as an Offender Who for the loue he beares her doth commend her This may to others more offensiue be Then preiudiciall any way to me For who will his endeauours euer bend To follow her whom there is none will friend Some I doe hope there be that nothing may From loue of Truth and Honesty dismay But who will that shall see my euill Fortune The remedy of Times Abuse importune Who will againe when they haue smother'd me Dare to oppose the face of Villany Whereas he must be faine to vndertake A Combat with a second Lernean Snake Whose euer-growing heads when as he crops Not onely two springs for each one he lops But also he shall see in midst of dangers Those he thought friends turne foes at least-wise stranger More I could speake but sure if this doe faile me I neuer shall doe ought that will auaile me Nor care to speake againe vnlesse it be To him that knowes how heart and tongue agree No nor to liue when none dares vndertake To speake one word for honest Vertues sake But let his will be done that best knowes what Will be my future good and what will not Hap well or ill my spotlesse meaning 's faire And for thee this shall euer be my prayer That thou maist here enioy a long-blest Raigne And dying be in Heauen re-crown'd againe SO now if thou hast daign'd my Lines to heare There 's nothing can befall me that I feare For if thou hast compassion on my trouble
A SATYRE Written to the KINGS most Excellent Maiestie BY GEORGE WITHER When hee was Prisoner in the Marshallsey for his first BOOKE LONDON Printed by T.S. for Iohn Budge dwelling in Pauls-Church-yard at the signe of the Greene Dragon 1622. The Satyre to the meere Courtiers SIrs I doe know your mindes You looke for fees For more respect then needes for caps and knees But be content I haue not for you now Nor will I haue at all to doe with you For though I seeme opprest and you suppose I must be faine to crouch to Vertues foes Yet know your fauours I doe sleight them more In this distresse then ere I did before Here to my Liege a message I must tell If you will let me passe you shall doe well If you denie admittance why then know I meane to haue it where you will or no Your formall wisedome which hath neuer beene In ought but in some fond inuention seene And you that thinke men borne to no intent But to be train'd in Apish complement Doth now perhaps suppose mee indiscreet And such vnused messages vnmeet But what of that Shall I goe sute my matter Vnto your wits that haue but wit to flatter Shall I of your opinions so much prize To lose my will that you may thinke me wise Who neuer yet to any liking had Vnlesse he were a Knaue a Foole or mad You Mushroms know so much I weigh your powers I neither value you nor what is yours Nay though my crosses had me quite out-worne Spirit enough I 'de finde your spight to scorne Of which resolu'd to further my aduenture Vnto my King without your leaues I enter To the Honest Courtiers BVt You whose onely worth doth colour giue To Them that they doe worthy seeme to liue Kinde Gentlemen your ayde I craue to bring A Satyre to the presence of his King A show of rudenesse doth my fore-head arme Yet you may trust him he intends no harme He that hath sent him loyall is and true And one whose loue I know is much to you But now he lyes bound to a narrow scope Almost beyond the Cape of all good Hope Long hath he sought to free himselfe but failes And therefore seeing nothing else preuailes Me to acquaint his Soueraigne here he sends As one despairing of all other friends I doe presume that you will fauour shew him Now that a Messenger from thence you know him For many thousands that his face ne're knew Blame his Accusers and his Fortune rue And by the helpe which your good word may doe He hopes for pitty from his Soueraigne to Then in his presence with your fauours grace him And there 's no Vice so great shall dare out-face him To the Kings most Excellent MAIESTIE A SATYRE Quid tu si pereo WHat once the Poet said I may auow 'T is a hard thing not to write Satyrs now Since what we speake abuse raigns so in all Spight of our hearts will be Satyricall Let it not therefore now be deemed strange My vnsmooth'd lines their rudenesse do not change Nor be distastefull to my gracious King That in the Cage my old harsh notes I sing And rudely make a Satyre here vnfold What others would in neater tearmes haue told And why my friends and meanes in Court are scant Knowledge of curious phrase and forme I want I cannot bear 't to runne my selfe in debt To hire the Groome to bid the Page entreat Some fauourd Follower to vouchsafe his word To get me a cold comfort from his Lord. I cannot sooth though it my life might saue Each Fauourite nor crouch to eu'ry Knaue I cannot brooke delayes as some men do With scoffes and scornes and tak 't in kindnesse to For ere I 'de binde my selfe for some slight grace To one that hath no more worth then his place Or by a base meane free my selfe from trouble I rather would endure my penance double Cause to be forc'd to what my mind disdaines Is worse to me then tortures rackes and chaines And therefore vnto thee I onely flye To whom there needs no meane but Honesty To thee that lou'st nor Parasite or Minion Should ere I speake possesse thee with opinion To thee that do'st what thou wilt vndertake For loue of Iustice not the persons sake To thee that know'st how vaine all faire shewes be That flow not from the hearts sinceritie And canst though shadowed in the simplest vaile Discerne both Loue and Truth and where they faile To thee doe I appeale in whom Heau'n knowes I next to God my confidence repose For can it be thy Grace should euer shine And not enlighten such a Cause as mine Can my hopes fixt in thee great King be dead Or thou those Satyrs hate thy Forrests bred Where shall my second hopes be founded then If euer I haue heart to hope agen Can I suppose a fauour may be got In any place when thy Court yeelds it not Or that I may obtaine it in the land When I shall be deni'd it at thy hand And if I might could I delighted be To tak 't of others when I mist of thee Or if I were could I haue comfort by it When I should thinke my Soueraigne did deny it No were I sure I to thy hate were borne To seeke for others fauours I would scorne For if the beft-worth-loues I could not gaine To labour for the rest I would disdaine But why should I thy fauour here distrust That haue a cause so knowne and knowne so iust Which not alone my inward comfort doubles But all suppose me wrong'd that heare my troubles Nay though my fault were Reall I beleeue Thou art so Royall that thou wouldst forgiue For well I know thy sacred Maiesty Hath euer beene admir'd for Clemency And at thy gentlenesse the world hath wondred For making Sun-shine where thou mightst haue thundred Yea thou in mercy life to them didst giue That could not be content to see thee liue And can I thinke that thou wilt make me then The most vnhappy of all other men Or let thy loyall Subiect against reason Be punisht more for Loue then some for Treason No thou didst neuer yet thy glory staine With an iniustice to the meanest Swaine 'T is not thy will I 'me wrong'd nor dost thou know If I haue suffred iniuries or no. For if I haue not heard falfe Rumours flie Th' ast grac'st me with the stile of Honesty And if it were so as some thinke it was I cannot see how it should come to passe That thou from whose free tongue proceedeth nought Which is not correspondent with thy thought Those thoughts to being fram'd in Reasons mould Should speake that once which should not euer hold But passing it as an vncertainety I humbly beggethee by that Maiesty Whose sacred Glory strikes a louing-feare Into the hearts of all to whom 't is deare To deigne me so much fauour without merit As read this plaint of a distempered spirit And thinke
vnlesse I saw some hideous storme Too great to be endur'd by such a worme I had not thus presum'd vnto a King With Aesops Fly to seeke an Eagles wing Know I am he that entred once the list Gainst all the world to play the Satyrist T was I that made my measures rough and rude Dance arm'd with whips amidst the multitude And vnappalled with my charmed Scrowles Teaz'd angry Monsters in their lurking holes I 'ue plaid with Waspes and Hornets without feares Till mad they grew and swarm'd about my eares I 'ue done it and me thinkes t is such braue sport I may be stung but nere be sorry for 't For all my griefe is that I was so sparing And had no more in 't worth the name of daring He that will taxe these times must be more bitter Tart lines of Vinegar and Gall are fitter My fingers and my spirits were benum'd My inck ran forth too smooth t was two much gum'd I 'de haue my Pen so paint it where it traces Each accent should draw blood into their faces And make them when their Villanies are blazed Shudder and startle as men halfe amazed For feare my Verse should make so loud a din Heauen hearing might raine vengeance on their sin Oh now for such a straine would Art could teach it Though halfe my spirits I consum'd to reach it I de learne my Muse so braue a course to flie Men should admire the power of Poosie And those that dar'd her greatnesse to resist Quake euen at naming of a Satyrist But when his scourging numbers flow'd with wonder Should cry God blesse vs as they did at thunder Alas my lines came from me too-too dully They did not fill a Satyrs mouth vp fully Hot blood and youth enrag'd with passions store Taught me to reach a straine nere touch'd before But it was coldly done I throughly 〈◊〉 not And somewhat there is yet to doe I did not More soundly could my scourge haue yerked many Which I omitted not for feare of any For want of action discontentments rage Base dis-respect of Vertue in this age With other things which were to Goodnesse wrong Made me so fearelesse in my carelesse Song That had not reason within compasse won me I had told Truth enough to haue vndone me Nay haue already if that her Diuine And vnseene power can doe no more then mine For though fore-seeing warinesse was good I fram'd my stile vnto a milder mood And clogging her high-towring wings with mire Made her halfe earth that was before all fire Though as you saw in a disguised shew I brought my Satyres to the open view Hoping their out-sides being mis-esteem'd They might haue passed but for what they seem'd Yet some whose Comments iumpe not with my minde In that low phrase a higher reach would finde And out of their deepe iudgements seeme to know What 't is vncertaine if I meant or no Ayming thereby out of some priuate hate To worke my shame or ouer-throw my state For amongst many wrongs my foe doth doe me And diuers imputations laide vnto me Deceiued in his ayme he doth mis-conster That which I haue enstil'd a Man-like Monster To meane some priuate person in the State Whose worth I sought to wrong out of my hate Vpbraiding me I from my word doe start Either for want of better Ground or Heart Cause from his expectation I did vary In the denying of his Commentary Whereas t is knowne I meant Abuse the while Not thinking any one could be so vile To merit all those Epithites of shame How euer many doe deserue much blame But say I grant that I had an intent To haue it so as he interprets meant And let my gracious Liege suppose there were One whom the State may haue iust cause to feare Or thinke there were a man and great in Court That had more faults then I could well report Suppose I knew him and had gone about By some particular markes to paint him out That he best knowing his owne faults might see He was the Man I would should noted be Imagine now such doings in this Age And that this man so pointed at should rage Call me in question and by his much threatning By long imprisonment and ill-intreating Vrge a Confession wert not a mad part For me to tell him what lay in my heart Doe not I know a great mans Power and Might In spight of Innocence can smother Right Colour his Villanies to get esteeme And make the honest man the Villaine seeme And that the truth I told should in conclusion For want of Power and Friends be my confusion I know it and the world doth know t is true Yet I protest if such a man I knew That might my Country preiudice or Thee Were he the greatest or the proudest Hee That breathes this day if so it might be found That any good to either might redound So far I le be though Fate against me run From starting off from that I haue begun I vn-appalled dare in such a case Rip vp his foulest Crimes before his face Though for my labour I were sure to drop Into the mouth of Ruine without hope But such strange farre-fetcht meanings they haue sought As I was neuer priuie to in thought And that vnto particulars would tie Which I intended vniuersally Whereat some with displeasure ouer-gone Those I scarce dream'd of saw or thought vpon Maugre those caueats on my Satyrs brow Their honest and iust passage disallow And on their heads so many censures rake That spight of me themselues they 'le guilty make Nor is 't enough to swage their discontent To say I am or to be innocent For as when once the Lyon made decree No horned beast should nigh his presence be That on whose fore-head onely did appeare A bunch of flesh or but some tuft of haire Was euen as farre in danger as the rest If he but said it was a horned beast So there be now who thinke in that their power Is of much force or greater farre then our It is enough to proue a guilt in me Because mistaking they so think 't to be Yet 't is my comfort they are not so high But they must stoope to Thee and Equitie And this I know though prickt they storme agen The world doth deeme them ne're the better men To stirre in filth makes not the stench the lesse Nor doth Truth feare the frowne of Mightinesse Because those numbers she doth daigne to grace Men may suppresse a while but ne're deface I wonder and 't is wondred at by many My harmelesse lines should breed distaste in any And so that whereas most good men approue My labour to be worthy thankes and loue I as a Villaine and my Countries foe Should be imprison'd and so strictly to That not alone my liberty is barr'd But the resort of friends which is more hard And whilst each wanton or loose Rimers Pen With oyly words sleekes o're the sinnes of men Vayling
The Ioy I shall receiue will be made double And if I fall it may some Glory be That none but IOVE himselfe did ruine me Your Maiesties most loyall Subiect and yet Prisoner in the Marshalsey GEORGE WITHER Epithalamia OR NVPTIALL POEMS VPON THE MOST BLESSED AND HAPPY MARRIAGE betweene the High and Mighty Prince Frederick the fifth Count Palatine of the Rhine Duke of Bauier c. AND THE MOST VERTVOVS Gracious and thrice Excellent Princesse Elizabeth Sole Daughter to our dread Soueraigne Iames by the grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. Celebrated at White-Hall the fourteenth of February 1612. Written by George Wither LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge dwelling in Pauls-Church-yard at the signe of the Greene Dragon 1622. TO THE ALL-VERTVOVS AND THRICE EXCELLENT PRINCESSE Elizabeth sole daughter to our dread Soueraigne Iames by the grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland c. AND WIFE TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE FREDERICK the fifth Count Palatine of the Rheine Duke of Bauier c. Elector and Arch-sâ—w er to the sacred Roman Empire during the vacancy Vicar of the same and Knight of the most honorable Order of the Garter George Wither wisheth all the Health Ioyes Honours and Felicities of this World in this life and the perfections of eternity in the World to come To the Christian Readers REaders for that in my booke of Satyricall Essayes I haue been deemed ouer Cynicall to shew that I am not wholly inclined to that Vaine But indeede especially out of the loue which in duty I owe to those incomparable Princes I haue in honour of their Royall Solemnities published these short Epithalamiaes By which you may perceiue how euer the world thinke of me I am not of such a Churlish Constitution but I can afford Vertue her deserued honour and haue as well an affable looke to encourage Honesty as a sterne frowne to cast on Villanie If the Times would suffer me I could be as pleasing as others and perhaps ere long I will make you amends for my former rigor Meane while I commit this vnto your censures and bid you farewell G. W. Epithalamion BRight Northerne Starre and great Mineruaes peere Sweete Lady of this Day Great Britaines deere Loe thy poore Vassall that was erst so rude With his most Rusticke Satyrs to intrude Once more like a poore Siluan now drawes neare And in thy sacred Presence dares appeare Oh let not that sweete Bowe thy Brow be bent To scarre him with a Shaft of discontent One looke with Anger nay thy gentlest Frowne Is twice enough to cast a Greater downe My Will is euer neuer to offend These that are good and what I here intend Your Worth compels me to For lately greeu'd More then can be exprest or well beleeu'd Minding for euer to abandon sport And liue exilde from places of resort Carelesse of all I yeelding to securitie Thought to shut vp my Muse in darke obscuritie And in content the better to repose A lonely Groue vpon a Mountaine chose East from Caer Winn mid-way twixt Arle and Dis True Springs where Britains true Arcadia is But ere I entred my entended course Great Aeolus began to offer force The boisterous King was growne so mad with rage That all the Earth was but his furies stage Fire Ayre Earth Sea were intermixt in one Yet Fire through Water Earth and Ayre shone The Sea as if she ment to whelme them vnder Beat on the Cliffes and rag'd more loud then thunder And whil'st the vales she with salt waues did fill The Aire showr'd flouds that drencht our highest hill And the proud trees that would no dutie know Lay ouer-turned twenties in a Row Yea euery Man for feare fell to Deuotion Lest the whole Ile should haue bin drencht in th' Ocean Which I perceiuing coniur'd vp my Muse The Spirit whose good helpe I sometime vse And though I ment to breake her rest no more I was then faine her aide for to implore And by her helpe indeed I came to know Why both the Ayre and Seas were troubled so For hauing vrg'd her that she would vnfold What cause she knew Thus much at last she told Of late quoth she there is by powers Diuine A match concluded twixt Great Thame and Rhine Two famous Riuers equall both to Nile The one the pride of Europes greatest Ile Th' other disdaining to be closely pent Washes a great part of the Continent Yet with abundance doth the Wants supply Of the still-thirsting Sea that 's neuer dry And now these being not alone endear'd To mightie Neptune and his watrie Heard But also to the great and dreadfull Ioue With all his sacred Companies aboue Both haue assented by their Loues inuiting To grace with their owne presence this Vniting Ioue call'd a Summons to the Worlds great wonder 'T was that we heard of late which we thought thunder A thousand Legions he intends to send them Of Cherubins and Angels to attend them And those strong Windes that did such blustring keepe Were but the Tritons sounding in the Deepe To warne each Riuer petty Streame and Spring Their aide vnto their Soueraigne to bring The Floods and Showres that came so plenteous downe And lay entrencht in euery Field and Towne Were but retainers to the Nobler sort That owe their Homage at the Watrie Court Or else the Streames not pleas'd with their owne store To grace the Thames their Mistris borrowed more Exacting from their neighbouring Dales and Hills But by consent all nought against their wills Yet now since in this stirre are brought to ground Many faire buildings many hundreds drown'd And daily found of broken Ships great store That lie dismembred vpon euery shore With diuers other mischiefes knowne to all This is the cause that those great harmes befall Whilst other things in readinesse did make Hells hatefull Hags from out their prisons brake And spighting at this hopefull match began To wreake their wrath on Ayre Earth Sea and Man Some hauing shapes of Romish shauelings got Spew'd out their venome and began to plot Which way to thwart it others made their way With much diffraction thorough Land and Sea Extreamely raging But Almightie Ioue Perceiues their Hate and Enuie from aboue He 'le checke their furie and in yrons chain'd Their libertie abus'd shall be restrain'd Hee 'le shut them vp from comming to molest The Meriments of Hymens holy feast Where shall be knit that sacred Gordian knot Which in no age to come shall be forgot Which Policie nor Force shall nere vntie But must continue to eternitie Which for the whole Worlds good was fore-decree'd With Hope expected long now come indeed And of whose future glory worth and merit Much I could speake with a prophetike spirit Thus by my Muses deare assistance finding The cause of this disturbance with more minding â—y Countries welfare then my owne content â—nd longing to behold
force his Childe to one he doth abhor From her he loues and justly seeketh for Compelling him for such mis-fortune grieu'd To die with care that might with ioy haue liu'd This you may say is Loue and sweare as well There 's paines in Heauen and delights in Hell Or that the Diuels fury and austerity Proceeds out of his care of our posterity Would Parents in this age haue vs begin To take by their eyes our affections in Or doe they thinke we beare them in our fist That we may still remoue them as wee list It is impossible it should be thus For we are rul'd by Loue not Loue by vs And so our power so much ner'e reached to To know where we shall loue vntill we doe And when it comes hide it awhile wee may But 't is not in our strengths to driu't away Either mine owne eye should my chuser be Or I would ner'e weare Hymens Liuery For who is he so neare my heart doth rest To know what 't is that mine approued best I haue my selfe beheld those men whose frame And outward personages had nought of blame They had what might their good proportion grace The much more mouing part a comely face With many of those complements which we In common men of the best breeding see They had discourse and wit enough to carry Themselues in fashion at an Ordinary Gallants they were lou'd company and sport Wore fauours and had Mistresses in Court And euery way were such as well might seeme Worthy of note respect and much esteeme Yet hath my eye more cause of liking seene Where nought perhaps by some hath noted beene And I haue there found more content by farre Where some of those perfections wanting are Yea so much that their beauties were a blot To them me thought because he had them not There some peculiar thing innated That beares an vncontrouled sway in this And nothing but itselfe knowes how to fit The minde with that which best shall suit with it Then why should Parents thrust themselues into What they want warrant for and power to doe How is it they are so forgetfull growne Of those conditions that were once their owne Doe they so dote amidst their wits perfection To thinke that age and youth hath like affection When they doe see 'mong those of equall yeares One hateth what another most endeares Or doe they thinke their wisedomes can inuent A thing to giue that 's greater than Content No neither shall they wrap vs in such blindnesse To make vs thinke the spight they doe is kindnesse For as I would aduise no childe to stray From the least duty that he ought to pay So would I also haue him wisely know How much that duty is which he doth owe That knowing what doth vnto both belong He may doe them their right himselfe no wrong For if my Parents him I lothe should chuse T is lawfull yea my duty to refuse Else how shall I leade so vpright a life As is enioyned to the Man and Wife Since that we see sometime there are repentings Eu'n where there are the most and best contentings What though that by our Parents first we liue Is not life misery enough to giue Which at their births the children doth vndo Vnlesse they adde some other mischiefe to Cause they gaue being to this flesh of our Must we be therefore slaues vnto their power We nere desir'd it for how could we tell Not being but that not to be was well Nor know they whom they profit by it seeing Happy were some if they had had no being Indeed had they produc'd vs without sin Had all our duty to haue pleas'd them bin Of the next life could they assure the state And both beget vs and regenerate There were no reason then we should withstand To vndergoe their tyrannou'st command In hope that either for our hard endurance We should at last haue comfort in assurance Or if in our endeauours we mis-sped At least feele nothing when we should be dead But what 's the Reason for 't that we shall be Inthral'd so much vnto Mortality Our soules on will of any Men to tye Vnto an euerlasting misery So farre perhaps to from the good of either We ruine them our selues and altogether Children owe much I must confesse 't is true And a great debt is to the Parents due Yet if they haue not so much power to craue But in their owne defence the liues they gaue How much lesse then should they become so cruell As to take from them the high-prized Iewell Of liberty in choyce whereon depends The maine contentment that the heauen here lends Worth life or wealth nay far more worth then either Or twenty thousand liues put all together Then howsoeuer some seuerer bent May deeme of my opinion or intent With that which followes thus conclude I doe And I haue Reason for 't and Conscience to No Parent may his Childes iust sute deny On his bare will without a reason why Nor he so vs'd be disobedient thought If vnapprou'd he take the match he sought So then if that thy faith vncrazed be Thy friends dislike shall be no stop to me For if their will be not of force to doe it They shall haue no cause else to driue them to it What is it they against vs can alleage Both young we are and of the fittest age If thou dissembledst not both loue and both To admit hinderance in our loues are loth 'T is prejudiciall vnto none that liues And Gods and humane Law our warrant giues Nor are we much vnequall in degree Perhaps our Fortunes somewhat different be But say that little meanes which is were not The want of wealth may not dissolue this knot For though some such preposterous courses wend Prescribing to themselues no other end Marr'age was not ordain'd t' enrich men by Vnlesse it were in their posterity And he that doth for other causes wed Nere knowes the true sweetes of a marriage bed Nor shall he by my will for 't is vnfit He should haue blisse that neuer aym'd at it Though that bewitching gold the Rabble blindes And is the obiect of all Vulgar mindes Yet those me-thinkes that graced seeme to bee With so much good as doth appeare in thee Should scorne their better-taught desires to tye To that which fooles doe get their honour by I can like of the wealth I must confesse Yet more I prize the man though mony-lesse I am not of their humour yet that can For Title or Estate affect a Man Or of my selfe one body deigne to make With him I lothe for his possessions sake Nor wish I euer to haue that minde bred In me that is in those who when they wed Thinke it enough they doe attaine the grace Of some new honour to fare well take place Weare costly cloathes in others sights agree Or happy in opinion seeme to bee I weigh not this for were I sure before Of Spencers wealth or