And round about encircled with a Snake The Childe so pictur'd was to signifie That from our very Birth our Dying springs The Snake her Tatle devouring doth implie The Revolution of all Earthly things For whatsoever hath beginning here Beginnes immediately to vary from The same it was and doth at last appeare What very few did thinke it should become The solid Stone doth molder into Earth That Earth e're long to Water rarifies That Water gives an Airy Vapour birth And thence a Fiery-Comet doth arise That moves untill it selfe it so impaire That from a burning-Meteor backe againe It sinketh downe and thickens into Aire That Aire becomes a Cloud then Drops of Raine Those Drops descending on a Rocky Ground There settle into Earth which more and more Doâ—h harden still so running out the round It growes to be the Stone it was before Thus All things wheele about and each Beginning Made entrance to it owne Destruction hath The Life of Nature entreth in with Sinning And is for ever wayted on by Death The Life of Grace is form'd by Death to Sinne And there doth Life-eternall straight beginne Though very small at first it be A Sprout at length becomes a Tree TANDEM FIT ARBOR ILLVSTR. XLVI Book 1. WEe finde it common but not comely thou That when a good Endeavour is begot Vnlesse at very first it equall grow With our Expectance we regard it not Nor Wit nor Patience have we to conceive That ev'ry thing which may by Man be wrought Proportionable Time and Meanes must have Before it can be to Perfection brought Yet ev'ry day in things of ev'ry kinde Experience hath informed us herein And that in many things a change we finde Which at the first would scarce believ'd have bin For though a Gosling will not prove a Swan Vnruely-Colts become well-trayned Steeds A Silly Childe growes up a Mighty-Man And Lofty-Trees doe Spring from Little Seeds Learne therefore hence that nothing you despise Because it may at first imperfâ—ct seeme And know how all things in some sort to prise Although you give them not the best esteeme From hence moreover learne not to despaire When you have just occasion to pursue A toylesome worke or any great affaire Since all-things at the first from nothing grew And I my selfe will also learne from hence Of all my Paines though little fruits I see Nor to repine nor to receive Offence But rather joy in what befalleth mee For though my Hopes appeare but meanely growne They will be Great when some shall thinke them none When we above the Crosse can rise A Crowne for us prepared lies SVPERATA CRVCE CORONOR ILLVSTR. XLVII Book 1. A Serpent rais'd above the Letter Tau Aspiring to a Crowne is figur'd here From whence a Christian-Morall we may draw Which worth our good-regarding will appeare For by those Characters in briefe I see Which Way we must to Happinesse ascend Then by what Meanes that Path must clymed bee And what Reward shall thereupon attend The Crosse doth shew that Suffring is the Way The Serpent seemes to teach me that if I Will overcome I must not then assay To force it but my selfe thereto applye For by embracing what we shall not shunne We winde about the Crosse till wee arise Above the same and then what Prize is wonne The Crowne which overtops it signifies Let me O God obtaine from thee the Grace To be partaker of thy Blessed Passion Let me with Willingnesse thy Crosse imbrace And share the Comforts of thy Exaltation To beare that Part whereto I doomed am My Heart with Strength and Courage Lord inspire Then Crucifie my Flesh upon the same As much as my Corruption shall require And when by thy Assistance I am rear'd Above that Burthen which lyes yet upon me And over all which justly may be fear'd Shall during Life-time be inflicted on me Among those Blessed-Soules let me be found Which with eternall Glory shall be Crown'd In Death no Difference is made Betweene the Scepter and the Spade MORS SCEPTRA LIGONIBUS AEQVAT ILLVSTR. XLVIII Book 1. LEt no man be so sottish as to dreame Though all Men in their Déath made equall are That therfore they may gather by this Theame That Parity in Life-time fitting were For as the Bodies Members which in Death Have all the like esteeme had their Degrees And Honours differing in time of breath The same in States Discretion comely sees Nor should we hence inferre that it were just To disesteeme the breathlesse Carcasses Of Kings and Princes when they sleepe in Dust For Civill-Reverence is due to these Nor ought we in their Life-time to apply The Truth which by this Emblem is declar'd The Dignities of Men to vilifie Or bring upon their Persons lesse regard That which from hence I rather wish to preach Is this that ev'ry Man of each degree Would marke it so that he himselfe might teach What thoughts and deeds to him most proper be If he be great let him remember then That since nor Wealth nor Title can procure him Exemption from the Doomes of other Men He ought to seeke how Vertue may secure him If he be Poore let him this Comfort take That though awhile he be afflicted here Yet Death â—ay him as fully happy make As hâ— that doth a Crowne Imperiall weare For when his Fatall-blow Death comes to strike He makes the Beggar and the King alike What cannot be by Force attain'd By Leisure and Degrees is gain'd PAVLATIM NON IMPETV ILLVSTR. XLIX Book 1. SOme Foolish Boyes and such a Boy was I When they at Schoole have certaine houres to passe To which they are compell'd unwillingly Much time they spend in shaking of the Glasse Thus what they practise to make-short their stay Prolongs it more for while they seeke to force The Sands to runne more speedily away They interrupt them and they passe the worse Right so in other things with us it fares And seeming wise we act a foolish part For otherwhile what Time alone prepares We seeke to make the subject of an Art Sometimes by Rashnesse we endeavour what We ought with Leisure and Advice to doe But if a good Successe doth follow that Our Wit was nothing helpefull thereunto Sometime againe we prosecute a thing By Violence when our desir'd effect No other meanes so well to passe can bring As Love and Gentlenesse which we neglect But let this Emblem teach us to regard What Way of Working to each Worke pertaines So though some Portion of our Hopes be barr'd We shall not altogether lose our paines Some things are strong and othersome are weake With Labour some and some with Ease be wrought Although the Reed will bend the Kexe will breake And what mends one thing makes another naught Marke this And when much Haste will marre thy Speed That then thou take good Leisure take thou Heed Of Little-Gaines let Care be had For of small Eares great Mowes are made DE PARVIS GRANDIS A
hopefull Prince JAMES Duke of YORKE c. Sweet PRINCE YOur hand I kisse and thus my Lines addresse Vnto your wise and vertuous GOVERNESSE For MADAME as his PROXY it is fit That YOv both Read and answere for him yet To YOv for HIM I therefore tender here To welcome-in the New-beginning Yeare This harmelesse PLAY-GAME that it may have place When somewhat riper Daies shall Make his GRACE Affect such Objects which to looke upon May pleasure yeeld him e're this Yeare be gone 'T is not the least Discretion in great COVRTS To know what Recreations and what Sports Become young PRINCES or to find out those Which may with harmelesse pleasantnesse dispose Their Mindes to VERTVE neither in their Cradles Should this be heeded lesse than in their Sadles Because when first to know we doe begin A small Occasion le ts much Evill in Among those things which both Instruct and please But few for Children are surpassing these For they to looke on Pictures much desire And not to Looke alone but to enquire What things those are that represented be In ev'ry MAP or EMBLEM which they see And that which they shall view or shall be told By meanes of any Figure they behold Experience breedes assisteth Memory Or helps to forme a Witty Fantasie And if those Formes to good Instruction tend Oft steads them also till their lives have end Then since ev'n all of us much Good receive By Vertuous PRINCES And should therefore strive To adde some helpes whereby they might acquire That Excellence which wee in them desire I being able to present his GRACE With nothing but a Rattle or a Glasse Or some such Cradle-play-game bring to day This BOOKE to be as usefull as it may And how and when it will most usefull grow Without my Teaching YOV can fully show For what is of your Ablenesse believ'd Through all these famous Ilands hath receiv'd A large applause in that from out of those Which ablest were both King and State have those Your Faith and Wisedome to be TREASVRESSE Of their chiefe Iewels and the GOVERNESSE Of our prime Hopes And now Iibi have weigh'd Me thinks there needs no more by me he said But having pray'd your HONOVâ— to receive This PRESENT for the DVKE to take my leave And Versifie to him some other day When Hee can understand mee what I say Till then let it please your Honour sometimes to remember Him that I am his Graces daily and humble Oratour GEO WITHER We best shall quiet clamorous Thronges When we our selves can rule our Tongues NEQVEO COMPES CERE MVLTOS ILLVSTR. I. Book 2 WHen I observe the Melanchollie Owles Considering with what patience they sustaine The many clamours of the greater Fowles And how the little Chirpers they disdaine When I remember how their Injuries They sleight who causeles give them an offence Vouchsafing scarce to cast aside their eyes To looke upon that foolish Insolence Me thinkes by their Example I am taught To sleight the slaunders of Injurious Tongues To set the scoffes of Censurers at naught And with a brave neglect to beare out Wrongs Hee doubtles whom the Psalmist long agoe Vnto a lonely Desert-Owle compar'd Did practise thus And when I can doe so I shall for all affronts become prepar'd And though this Doctrine Flesh and blood gaine-say Yet sure to stopp the malice of Despight There is no better nay no other way Since Rage by Opposition gathers Might Good God! vouchsafe sufficient grace and strength That though I have not yet such Patience gott I may attaine this happy gift at length And finde the cause that yet I have it not Though me my Neighbours and my Foes revile Make me of all their words a Patient-bearer When er'e I suffer let me be the while As is the silent Lambe before the Shearer So though my speakings cannot quiet any My Patience may restraine the Tongues of many When wee by Hunger VVisdome gaine Our Guts are wiser then our Braine INGENII LARGITOR VENTER ILLVSTR. II. Book 2 THe Crowe when deepe within a close-mouth'd Pot. She water finds her thirstinesse to slake And knoweth not where else it might be got Her Belly teacheth her this course to take She flies and fetcheth many Pibbles thither Then downe into the Vessell lets them drop Vntill so many stones are brought together As may advance the water to the top From whence we might this observation heed That Hunger Thirst and those necessities Which from the Bellies craving doe proceed May make a Foole grow provident and wise And though in sport we say the braines of some Not in their Heads but in their Gutts doe lye Yet that by wants Men wiser should become Dissenteth not from true Philosophy For no man labours with much Willingnesse To compasse what he nought at all desires Nor seeketh so his longing to possesse As when some urgent neede the same requires Nay though he might a willingnesse retaine Yet as the Belly which is ever full Breeds fumes that cause a sottish-witles-braine So plenteous Fortunes make the Spirits dull All borne to Riches have not all-times witt To keepe much lesse to better their degree But men to nothing borne oft passage get Through many wants renown'd and rich to bee Yea Povertie and Hunger did produce The best Inventions and of chiefest use Though Musicke be of some abhor'd She is the Handmaid of the Lord. QVI ME ALIT ME EXTINGVIT ILLVSTR. III. Book 2 TO Musicke and the Muses many beare Much hatred and to whatsoever ends Their Soule-delighting-Raptures tuned are Such peevish dispositions it offends Some others in a Morall way affect Their pleasing Straines or for a sensuall use But in Gods Worship they the same suspect Or taxe it rather as a great abuse The First of these are full of Melancholy And Pitty need or Comfort more then blame And soone may fall into some dangerous folly Vnlesse they labour to prevent the same The Last are giddie-things that have befool'd Their Iudgements with beguiling-Fantasies Which if they be not by discretion fchool'd Will plunge them into greater Vanities For Musicke is the Handmaid of the LORD And for his Worship was at first ordayned Yea therewithall she fitly doth accord And where Devotion thriveth is reteyned Shee by a nat'rall power doth helpe to raise The mind to God when joyfull Notes are founded And Passions fierce Distemperatures alaies When by grave Tones the Mellody is bounded It also may in Mysticke-sense imply What Musicke in our-selves ought still to be And that our jarring-lives to certifie Wee should in Voice in Hand and Heart agree And sing out Faiths new-songs with full concent Vnto the Lawes ten-stringed Instrument Marke what Rewards to Sinne are due And learne upriâ—â—tnesse to pursue DISCITE IVSTICIAM ILLVSTR. IIII. Book 2 A Sword unsheathed and a strangling-Snare Is figur'd here which in dumbe-shewes doe preach Of what the Malefactor should beware And they doe threaten too aswell as Teach For some there
threads And crooked Arrowes tipt with Golden heads Delight not Archers tyet such uselesse Toyes Be fit enough for Bunglers and for Boyes A skilfull Artist in what Art soe're He seekes to make his ablenesse appeare Will give large Prices with much more content To buy a plaine if perfect Instrument Then take for nothing or for thankes alone An uselesse Toole though gay to looke upon From whence observe that if there must be sought When meere Mechanick-workes are to be wrought Such Instruments as rather have esteeme For their true-being then for what they seeme Much more should all those Rules be such whereby Wee goe about our selves to rectify And build up what in Body or in minde We may defective or impaired finde Else peradventure that we thinke to mend More faulty may become at later end But hence I chiefly learne to take a care My Life and Actions rather be sincere Then seeming such And yet I le thinke no shame To seeme to be as honest as I am My Substance and my Light are spent In seeking other mens content ALIIS IN SERVIENDO CONSUMOR ILLVSTR. XXXI Book 3 IF this nigh-wasted Candle you shall view And heed it well it may enlighten you To looke with more compassion on their paines Who rob themselves to multiply your gaines The Taper burnes to give another light Ev'n till it selfe it hath consumed quite And all the profit which it thence doth winne Is to be snufft by ev'ry Commer-in This is the Lot of some whom I have knowne Who freely all their life-time have bestowne In such industrious labour as appeares To further others profits more then theirs And all their Patrimonies well nigh spent The ruining of others to prevent The wit the strength and all the pow'r they had Which might by probability have made Good meanes to raise them in this world as high As most who climbe to wealthy dignity Ev'n these they have bestow'd to better them Who their indeavors for their paines contemne These are those Lamps whose flames from time to time Have through each Age and through-our ev'ry Clime To one another that true Light convey'd Which Ignorance had els long since betray'd To utter darknesse These despightfull Pride Oft snuffs and oft to put them out hath try'd But from the brightnesse of such Lights as they We got our Light of knowledge at this day To them God make us kinder and to Him More thankfull that we gain'd such light by them The safest Riches hee shall gaine Who alwayes Faithfull doth remaine DITAT SERVATA FIDES ILLVSTR. XXXII Book 3 THe Horne-of-plenty which Wealth signifies The Hand-in-hand which Plighted faith implies Together being painted seeme to teach That such as will be honest shall be rich If this be so why then for Lucre-sake Doe many breake the Promises they make Why doe they cheat and couzen lye and sweare Why practise they all Villanies that are To compasse Wealth And how doe such as they Inlarge their ill-got Portions ev'ry day Or whence proceedes it that sometimes we see Those men grow poore who faithfull seeme to bee Thus oft it proves and therefore Falshood can In likelihood much more inrich a man Then blamelesse Faith and then the Motto here Improper to this Emblem doth appeare But well enough they sute and all is true Which these things being thus united shew Should it be then concluded that all those Who poore and honest seeme have made but showes Of reall Faith And therfore plagu'd have bin With publicke lashes for their private sin Indeed sometime it hath succeeded so But know you should that most who richest grow In Outward-wealth are very poore in that Which brings true Plentie and a blest Estate And that Good men though poore they seeme to bee Have Riches which the Worldling cannot see Now He who findes himselfe endow'd with such What e're wee thinke him is exceeding rich Poore-Theeves in Halters we behold And great-Theeves in their Chaines of gold FVRES PRIVATI IN NERVO PVBLICI IN AVRO ILLVSTR. XXXIII Book 3 IF you this Emblem well have look'd upon Although you cannot helpe it yet bemone The Worlds blacke Impudence and if you can Continue or become an honest man The poore and petty Pilferers you see On Wheeles on Gibbets and the Gallow tree Trust up when they that farre more guilty are Pearle Silke and costly Cloth of Tissue weare Good God! how many hath each Land of those Who neither limbe nor life nor credit lose But rather live befriended and applauded Yet have of all their livelihoods defrauded The helplesse Widowes in their great distresse And of their Portions robd the Fatherlesse Yet censur'd others Errours as if none Had cause to say that they amisse have done How many have assiâ—ted to condemne Poore soules for what was never stolne by them And persecuted others for that Sin Which they themselves had more transgressed in How many worthlesse men are great become By that which they have stolne or cheated from Their Lords or by some practices unjust From those by whom they had beene put in trust How many Lawyers wealthy men are growne By taking Fees for Causes overthrowne By their defaults How many without feare Doe rob the King and God yet blamelesse are God knowes how many would I did so too So I had pow'r to make them better doe Whil'st thou dost here injoy thy breath Continue mindfull of thy Death MEMENTO MORI ILLVSTR. XXXIV Book 3 WHen thou beholdest on this Burying-stone The melancholly Night-bird sitting on The fleshlesse ruines of a rotten-Skull Whose Face perhaps hath been more beautifull Then thine is now take up a serious thought And doe as thou art by the Motto taught Remember Death and minde I thee beseech How soone these Fowles may at thy window screech Or call thee as the common people deeme To dwell in Graves and Sepulchers by them Where nothing else but Bats and Owles appeare Or Goblins form'd by Fancies and by Feare If thou shalt be advis'd to meditate Thy latâ—er end before it be too late And whil'st thy friends thy strength and wits may bee In likely case to hâ—lp and comfort thee There may be courses taken to divert Thosâ— Frights which else would terrifie thy heart When Deaâ—h drawes neare and helpe thee plucke away That Sâ—ng of his which would thy Soule disâ—ay But iâ— thou madly ramble onward still Til tâ—ou art sinking downe that darkesome hill Which borders on the Grave and dost bâ—ginne To see â—he Shades of Terrour and of Sinne To fly â—crosse thy Conscience 't will be hard To 〈◊〉 this Lesson or to be prepar'd For thâ—â— sad parting which will forced bee Beâ—â—â— eâ—hiâ— much beloved World and thee Consider this therefoâ—e while Time thou hast Anâ— put not off this Bus'nesse till the last Doe not the golden Meane exceed In Word in Passion nor in Deed. SERVA MODVM ILLVSTR. XXXV Book 3 AS is the head-strong Horse and blockish Mule Ev'n such without the Bridle and
my Flesh my Time and my Estate Be so consum'd so spent so wasted bee That they may nourish Grace and peâ—fit that For which all these were first bestowd'd on me So when I quite am vanish'd out of seeing I shall enjoy my Now-concealed-Being When to suppresse us Men intend They make us higher to ascend CONCVSSVS SVRGO ILLVSTR. XVI Book 1. WHen we observe the Ball how to and fro The Gamesters force it we may ponder thus That whil'st we live we shall be playd with so And that the World will make her Game of us Adversities one while our hearts constraine To stoope and knock the Pavements of Despaire Hope like a Whirle-wind mounts us up againe Till oft it lose us in the empty ayre Sometimes above the Battlements we looke Sometimes we quite below the Line are tost Another-while against the Hazard strooke We but a little want of being lost Detraction Envie Mischief and Despight One Partie make and watchfully attend To catch us when we rise to any Height Lest we above their hatred should ascend Good-Fortune Praises Hopes and Industries Doe side-together and make Play to please us But when by them we thinke more high to rise More great they make our Fall and more disease us Yea they that seeke our Losse advance our Gaine And to our Wishes bring us oft the nigher For we that else upon the Ground had laine Are by their striking of us lifted higher When Balls against the Stones are hardest throwne Then highest up into the Aire they fly So when men hurle us with most fury downe Wee hopefull are to be advanc'd thereby And when they smite us quite unto the Ground Then up to Heav'n we trust we shall rebound Till God hath wrought us to his Will The Hammer we shall suffer still DVM EXTENDAR ILLVSTR. XVII Book 1. WHy should the foolish World discourage Men In just endurances or bid them shunne Good Actions ' cause they suffer now and then For Doing well as if some Ill were done Ere Plates extended are they must abide A thousand hamm'rings And then that which fill'd So little roome it scarce your Hand could hide Will serve a goodly Monument to gild So he that hopes to winne an honest Name Must many blowes of Fortune undergoe And hazard oft the blast of Evill-Fame Before a Good-Report her Trumpe will blow A thousand Worthies had unworthily Been raked up in Ashes and in Clay Vnknowne and bury'd in Obscurity If Malice had not fil'd their Rust away But loâ— their lasting prayses now are spread And rais'd by Adverse-Chance to such a height That they most glorious are now they are dead And live in Injuries and Deaths despight For by Afflictions man refined growes And as the Gold prepared in the Fire Receiveth such a Forme by wrongs and blowes That hee becomes the Iewell we desire To thee therefore Oh God! Mv Prayers are Not to be freed from Griefes and Troubles quite But that they may be such as I can beare And serve to make me precious in thy Sight This please me shall though all my Life time I Betweene thine Anvill and the Hammer lie From thence where Nets and Snares are layd Make-hast lest els you be betray'd MATVRA ILLVSTR. XVIII Book 1. THe nimble Spider from his Entrailes drawes A suttle Thread and curious art doth show In weaving Nets not much unlike those Lawes Which catch Small-Thieves and let the Great-ones goe For as the Cob-web takes the lesser Flyes When those of larger size breake through their Snares So Poore men smart for little Injuries When Rich-men scape whose Guilt is more then theirs The Spider also representeth such Who very curious are in Trifling things And neither Cost nor Time nor Labour grutch In that which neither Gaine nor Pleasure brings But those whom here that Creature doth implye Are chiefely such who under cunning shewes Of simple-Meanings or of Curtesie Doe silly Men unwarily abuse Or else it meanes those greedy Cormorants Who without touch of Conscience or Compassion Seeke how to be enricht by others wants And bring the Poore to utter Desolation Avoyd them therefore though compell'd by need Or if a Storme inforce yee lab'ring Bees That yee must fall among them Flie with speed From their Commerce when Calmes your passage frees Much more let wastfull Gallants haste from these Else when those Idling-painted Butterflies Have flutter'd-out their Summer-time in ease And spent their Wealth in foolish Vanities The Blasts of Want may force them to be brought For shelter thither where they shall be caught When thou a Dangerous-Way dost goe Walke surely though thy pace be slowe LENTE SED ATTENTE ILLVSTR. XXI Book 1. EXperience proves that Men who trust upon Their Nat'rall parts too much oft lose the Day And faile in that which els they might have done By vainely trifling pretious Time away It also shewes that many Men have sought With so much Rashnesse those things they desir'd That they have brought most likely Hopes to nought And in the middle of their Courses tir'd And not a few are found who so much wrong Gods Gratiousnesse as if their thinkings were That seeing he deferres his Iudgements long His Vengeance he for ever would forbeare But such as these may see wherein they faile And what would fitter be for them to doe If they would contemplate the slow-pac'd Snaile Or this our Hieroglyphicke looke into For thence we learne that Perseverance brings Large Workes to end though slowly they creepe on And that Continuance perfects many things Which seeme at first unlikely to be done It warnes likewise that some Affaires require More Heed then Haste And that the Course we take Should suite as well our Strength as our Desire Else as our Proverbe saith Haste Waste may make And in a Mysticke-sense it seemes to preach Repentance and Amendment unto those Who live as if they liv'd beyond Gods reach Because he long deferres deserved Blowes For though Iust-Vengeance moveth like a Snaile And slowly comes her comming will not faile A Sive of shelter maketh show But ev'ry Storme will through it goe TRANSEAT ILLVSTR. XX. Book 1. SOme Men when for their Actions they procure A likely colour be it nere so vaine Proceede as if their Projects were as sure As when Sound Reason did their Course maintayne And these not much unlike those Children are Who through a Storme advent'ring desp'rately Had rather on their Heads a Sive to beare Then Cov'rings that may serve to keepe them drye For at a distance that perchance is thought A helpfull Shelter and yet proves to those Who neede the same a Toy which profits nought Because each drop of Raâ—ne quite through it goes So they whose foolish Projects for a while Doe promise their Projectors hopefull ends Shall finde them in the Tryall to beguile And that both Shame and Want on them attends Such like is their estate who to appeare Rich-men to others doe with Inward-payne A gladsome out-ward Port desire to
Maries or of Creeds Or many houres formally to pray When from a dull Devotion it proceedes Nor is it up and downe the Land to seeke To finde those well breath'd Lecturers that can Preach thrice a Sabbath and sixe times a weeke Yet be as fresh as when they first beganne Nor is it such like things perform'd by Number Which God respects Nor doth his Wisdome crave Those many Vanities wherewith some cumber Their Bodies as if those their Soules could save For not Much-doing but Well-doing that Which God commands the Doer justifies To pray without Devotion is to Prate And Hearing is but halfe our Exercise We ought not therefore to regard alone How often but how Well the Worke be done With Patience I the Storme sustaine For Sun-shine still doth follow Raine DVRABO ILLVSTR. XXVI Book 1. THe little Squirrell hath no other Food Then that which Natures thrifty hand provides And in purveying up and downe the Wood She many cold wet Stormes for that abides She lyes not heartlesse in her Mossie Dray Nor feareth to adventure through the â—aine But skippeth out and beares it as she may Vntill the Season waxeth calme againe Right thus have I and others often far'd For when we first into the World were brought We found but little for our Vse prepar'd Save that which by Hard-Labour must be sought In many Stormes unheeded we are faine To seeke out needfull things and smilingly To jest at what some others would complaine That none might laugh at our Necessity Yea some have liv'd on Huskes whil'st others fed On that which was their Labours due Reward And were pursu'd till they almost were dead Without the Worlds Compassion or Regard Yet by Enduring they out-liv'd the Blast Of Adverse-Fortune and with good successe Expecting calmer Seasons at the last Arrived at the Port of Happinesse Their Suffring-much hath made their Suffrings none And brought forth Hopes by which perceive they may That Nights have but their Turnes and they once gone Their Darkenesse makes much welcomer the Day All Griefe shall have an ending I am sure And therefore I with Patience will Endure Where Hellen is there will be Warre For Death and Lust Companions are VBI HELENA IBI TROIA ILLVSTR. XXVII Book 1. THeir foolish Guise I never could affect Who dare for any cause the Stewes frequent And thither where I justly might suspect A Strumpet liv'd as yet I never went For when as Fooles pretend they goe to seeke Experience where more Ill then Good they see They venture for their Knowledge Adam like And such as his will their Atchievements bee Let therefore those that would loose Trulls detest Converse with none but those that modest are For they that can of Whoredome make a Iest Will entertaine it ere they be aware Chast-Company and Chast-Discourse doth make The Minde more pleased with it ev'ry day And Frequent viewes of Wantonnesse will take The Sense and Hatred of the Vice away Some I have knowne by Harlots Wiles undone Who but to see their Fashions first pretended And they that went for Company alone By suddaine Quarrells there their Dayes have ended For in the Lodgings of a Lustfull Woman Immodest Impudence hath still her Being There Furie Fraud and Cruelties are common And there is Want and Shame and Disagreeing Ev'n Beauty of it selfe stirres loose Desires Occasioning both Iealousies and Feares It kindleth in the Brest concealed Fires Which burne the Heart before the Flame appeares And ev'ry day experienced are wee That there where Hellen is Troyes Fate will bee No Inward Griefe nor outward Smart Can overcome a Patient-Heart VICTRIX PATIENTIA DVRI ILLVSTR. XXVIII Book 1. SOme Trees when Men oppresse their Aged Heads With waighty Stones they fructifie the more And when upon some Herbs the Gard'ner treads They thrive and prosper better then before So when the Kings of Aegypt did oppresse The Sonnes of Iacob through their Tyrannies Their Numbers every day did more encrease Till they grew greater then their Enemies So when the Iewes and Gentiles joyn'd their Powre The Lord and his Annoynted to withstand With raging Furie lab'ring to devoure And roote the Gospel out of ev'ry Land The more they rag'd conspired and envy'd The more they slander'd scorn'd and murthered The more the Faithfull still were multiply'd And still the further their Profession spred Yea so it spred that quite it overthrew Ev'n Tyranny it selfe that at the last The Patience of the Saints most pow'rfull grew And Persecutions force to ground was cast The selfe-same Pow'r true Patience yet retaines And though a thousand Suffâ—rings wound the same She still hath Hope enough to ease her paynes That Hope which keepeth off all Feare and Shame For 't is not Hunger Cold nor Fire nor Steele Nor all the Scornes or Slanders we can heare Nor any Torment which our Flesh can feele That conquers us but our owne Trayt'rous Feare Where Honest Mindes and Patient Hearts are Mares They grow victorious in their Hardest-Fates By many Strokes that Worke is done Which cannot be perform'd at One. NON VNO STERNITVR ICTV ILLVSTR. XXIX Book 1. DEspaire not Man in what thou oughtst to doe Although thou faile when one Attempt is made But adde a New-Endeavour thereunto And then another and another adde Yea till thy Pow'r and Life shall quite be spent Persist in seeking what thou shouldst desire For he that falleth from a good Intent Deserves not that to which he did aspire Rich Treasures are by Nature placed deepe And ere we gaine them we must pierce the Rockes Such Perills also them as Guardians keepe That none can winne them without wounds and knockes Moreover Glories Thrones are so sublime That whosoever thinkes their Top to gaine Till many thousand weary steps he clime Doth foole himselfe by Musings which are vaine And yet there is a Path way which doth leade Above the highest things that Man can see And though it be not knowne to all who tread The Common-Tract it may ascended be As therefore none should greater things presume Then well becomes their strength So none should feare Through Folly Sloth or Basenesse to assume Those things upon them which beseeming are In Time and by Degrees may things be wrought That seem'd impossible to have beene done When they were first conceived in the thought And such as these we may adventure on Mine Arme I know in time will fell an Oke But I will nev'r attempt it at a Stroke Afflictions Fire consumeth Sinne But Vertue taketh Life therein NVDRISCO IL BVONO ET SPENGO IL REO ILLVSTR. XXX Book 1 WHether the Salamander be a Beast Or Precious-Stone which overcomes the Flame It skills not Since by either is exprest The Meaning which we purpose by the same Both brooke the Fire unhurt And more then so The fiercer and the longer Heats there are The livelyer in the same the Beast will grow And much the brighter will the Stone appeare This Crowned-Salamander in the Fire May therefore not unfitly
CERVVS ERIT ILLVSTR. L. Book 1. AMong the many Faylings of the Time This Emblem giveth Cause to mention one Which unto me doth seeme the greater Crime Because to many it appeareth none I finde that petty things are so neglected Well nigh of all in Losings and in Winnings As if what ere they thought to have effected Subsisted without Members or Beginnings The Man that loseth every Month a Penny May salve-up Twelve-months Losses with a Shilling But if of other Losses he hath many To save a Pin at length he shall be willing For he that sees his Wine-fill'd Vessell drop Although a Drop in value be but small Should thence Occasion take the Leake to stop Lest many Droppings draine him drye of all Moreover they that will to Greatnesse rise A Course not much unlike to this must keepe They ought not Small-Beginnings to despise Nor strive to runne before they learne to creepe By many single Eares together brought The Hand is fill'd by Handfulls we may gaine A Sheafe with many Sheaves a Barne is fraught Thus oft by Little we doe much obtaine Consider this And though I wish not thee To take of Trifling-things too great a care Yet know thus much for truth it best will bee If all things may be weighed as they are By slender Losses great-ones are begunne By many trifling Gaines much Wealth is wonne FINIS Libri primi THE FIRST LOTTERIE 1 THou dost overmuch respect That which will thy harme effect But some other things there bee Which will more advantage thee Search thy heart and thou shalt there Soone discover what they are Yea thine Emblem showes thee too What to shunne and what to doe 2 It is a little fear'd that you Are to your owne Designes untrue And that if you more constant were You would be richer then you are It may be also wiser too Looke therefore what you are to doe Then follow it and you will say That well advis'd you were to day 3 How rich or poore soe're thou be Thou art a Prince in some degree And o're thy selfe thou shouldst command As doth a Monarch in his Land Within thy Heart therefore ingrave The Lawes that Grace and Nature gave For thus to counsell thee inclines That Emblem which thy Lot assignes 4 Much Liberty thou hast assum'd And heretofore so much presum'd On Time which alway rideth poast That for awhile some Hopes are crost But loe to keepe thee from Despaire And thy Misfortune to repaire Marke what to thee by Lot befell And practise what is counsell'd well 5 Thou seekest Honour to obtaine By meanes which frustrate all thy paine Thy Predecessors rich were made By using of the Plough and Spade Thou honourable wouldst be thought By taking Courses that are naught But if right noble thou wilt be Looke what thine Emblem counsells thee M 6 This Man what ever he may seeme Is worthy of a high esteeme Though Fortune may his person grinde She cannot harme him in his Minde Right blest this Company would be If all of them were such as He. Reade that Impresa which he drew For that in part the same will shew M 7 If some now present this had got They would have blushed at their Lot Since very fit the same doth prove For one that 's either light of Love Or troubled with a fickle Mate If you enjoy a better Fate Yet hearken what your Lot doth say Lest you hereafter need it may 8 For ought that plainely doth appeare You may out-live the longest here Yet seeing now of all this crew The Lot of Death you onely drew See what your Emblem hath injoyn'd And still that Morall beare in minde So Deaths deform'd and ghastly Shade Shall Meanes of Life to thee be made 9 Though you have Wit and know it well That rash you are your Friends can tell Yea Sleepe and Ease possesse you so That some doe feare you 'l sottish grow But lo your hind'rance to prevent This Lot was peradventure sent For in the Moralls that insue Are Counsells fit for such as you 10 You have beene wronged many wayes Yet patient are and that 's your praise Your Actions also seem'd upright Yet some there are that beare you spite Lest therefore you discourag'd grow An Emblem you have drawne to show What other Innocents have borne And how the worlds despites to scorne M 11 Doubtlesse you are either wooing Or some other Bus'nesse doing Which you shall attempt in vaine Or much hazzard all your paine Yet if good your meanings are Doe not honest meanes forbeare For where things are well begunne God oft workes when Man hath done 12 Be not angry if I tell That you love the World too well For this Lot perhaps you drew That such Faults you might eschew Marke to what their Soules aspire Who true Blessednesse desire For if you can doe like those Heav'n you gaine when Earth you lose 13 You love the Rich and honour them The needy person you contemne Yet Wealth nor want of Wealth is that Which wretched makes or fortunate From other Causes those things flow Which since you either doe not know Or heede not much this Emblem came That you might learne to minde the same M 14 Thy Chance is doubtfull and as yet I know not what to say of it But this I know a foe thou art To what thine Emblem hath in part Expressed by a Mimicke Shape Or thou thy selfe art such an Ape Now which of these pertaines to thee Let them that know thee Iudges bee 15 Thy Vertues he may wrong that sayes Thou spend'st thy selfe in wanton wayes But some have thought and sayd of late That those thou lov'st consume thy state Yet spare nor Time nor Substance tho Where them thou oughtest to bestow But to thine Emblem turne and see When Life and Wealth well ventur'd bee 16 Though Troubles you may have or had Enough to make some others mad Yet be content for they that are As weake have had as much to beare And that which Malice did contrive To make them poore hath made them thrive That Emblem which by Lot you drew Prognosticates as much for you 17 Though you suffer blame and paine You at last may Comfort gaine Sharing Honours truely gotten When your Foes are dead and rotten For of this you have a pawne In the Lot that you have drawne And by that it may appeare What your paines and wages are 18 Take you serious heed I pray Whither you doe goe to day Whom you credite and for whom You ingaged shall become And unlesse you wish for Sorrow Be as provident to morrow For there are some traps and Snares Which may take you unawares 19 Your Wit so much you trust upon That weaker Meanes hath yours out-gone Sometime you runne when there is need Of much more Warinesse then Speed But you to God ward worse have err'd And yet Amendment is deferr'd
anothers tongue from whom This Mischiefe unto thee shall come But much the better thou shalt speed If now thine Emblem well thou heed 43 Vnworthy things thou dost affect With somewhat overmuch respect Vnto the World inclining so As if thy Hopes were all below But now to rowse thee from this crime Good Counsell comes in happy time Make use thereof and thinke it not Meere casuall or a needlesse Lot 44 Thou either too much love hast plac't On things that will not alway last Or else thou art a little scar'd Because thy Hopes are long deferr'd Nay thou art touch'd in both of these Thy Profit therefore and thine ease It will effect if well thou minde What in thine Emblem thou shalt finde 45 When thou hast Changes good or bad Ore-joy'd thou art or over-sad As if it seemed very strange To see the Winde or Weather change Lo therefore to remember thee How changeable things Mortall bee Thou art assisted by this Lot Now let it be no more forgot 46 Of thy just Aymes though meanes be slight Thou mayst attaine their wished height Vnlesse thy Folly shall destroy The Weale thou seekest to injoy By thy Despaire or by neglect Of that which may thy Hopes effect For by thine Emblem thou mayst know Great things from small Beginnings grow 47 Thou must have Crosses but they shall To Blessings be converted all And Suffrings will become thy Praise If Wisedome order well thy wayes Yea when thy Crosses ended are A Crowne of Glory thou shalt weare Yet note how this to passe is brought For in thine Emblem it is taught 48 If they who drew this Lot now be Of great Estate or high Degree They shall ere long become as poore As those that beg from doore to doore If poore they be it plaine appeares They shall become great Princes Peeres And in their Emblem they may know What very day it will be so 49 You have attempted many a thing Which you to passe could never bring Not that your Worke was hard to doe But ' cause you us'd wrong Meanes thereto Hereafter therefore learne I pray The Times of Working and the Way And of thine Emblem take thou heed If better thou desire to speed 50 If you to greater Wealth will rise You must not slender Gaine despise Nay if you minde not to be poore You must regard slight Losses more For Wealth and Poverty doe come Not all at once but some and some If this concerne you any wayes See what your Emblem further sayes 51 Your Fortune hath deserved thank That she on you bestowes a Blank For as you nothing good have had So you have nothing that is bad Yea she in this hath favour showne If now your Freedome well be knowne For you by Lot these Emblems mist That you may chuse out which you list 52 You by an Emblem seeke to get What Counsel your Affaires may fit But in particular there 's none Which you by Lot can light upon And why because no Morall there Doth worthy of your Heed appeare No but because you rather need Of ev'ry Emblem to take heed 53 The Starres are now no friends of your Or this is not their lucky houre For at this time unto your Lot They by an Emblem answer not If therefore you desire to know What good advice they will allow Some further Meanes you must assay Or trye your Chance another day 54 You in your secret thoughts despise To thinke an Emblem should advise Or give you cause to minde or heed Those things whereof you may have need And therefore when the Lot you try'd An answer justly was deny'd Yet by your leave there are but few Who need good Counsell more then you 55 In some extreame you often are And shoot too short or else too farre Yea such an errour you were in When for a Lot you mov'd the Pin For one touch more or lesse had layd Our Index where it should have stayd But if you can be warn'd by this To keepe the Meane which oft you misse You have obtain'd as good a Lot As any one this day hath got 56 Among these Emblems none there be Which now by Lot will fall to thee However doe not thou repine For this doth seeme to be a signe That thou thy Portion shalt advance By Vertue not by fickle Chance Yet nerethelesse despise thou not What by good Fortune may be got FINIS A COLLECTION OF EMBLEMES ANCIENT AND MODERNE Quickened VVITH METRICALL ILLVSTRATIONS And disposed into LOTTERIES both Morall and Divine That Jnstruction and Good Counsell may bee furthered by an Honest and Pleasant Recreation By GEORGE WITHER The Second Booke LONDON Printed by AVGVSTINE MATHEVVES MDCXXXIV TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY Prince CHARLES Prince of Wales c. FAir'st Blossome of our hopes and Morning-starre To all these Ilands which inclosed are By Neptunes armes within our Northern cliâ—nes And who wee trust shall rise in future times To be the brightest Light that then will shine Betwixt the Artick-Circle and the LINE To Yov as now you are that I present These EMBLEMS 't is not so impertinent As those may thinke it who have neither seene What of your Cradle-sports hath heeded beene Nor heard how many serious Questionings Your Child-hood frameth out of trifling things And if mine aime I have not much mistooke I come not oversoone with such a Booke So long as in this Infant-Age you are Wherein the speechlesse Portraitures appeare A pleasurefull delight your HIGHNESSE may Among our EMBLEMS finde a Harmelesse-play And those mute Objects will from time to time Still Riper seeme till you to ripenesse clime When their dumb Figures no more sport can make Their Illustrations will begin to speake And ev'ry day new matter still disclose Vntill your Iudgement to perfection growes They likewise who their Services to do Frequent your Presence may have pleasure too From this your Play-game yea and some perchance May cure a Folly or an Ignorance By that which they shall either heare or view In these our Emblems when they wait on You Or shall be called by your EXCELLENCE To try what LOT they shall obtaine from thence It may moreover much increase the sport Which is allowed in a vertuous COVRT When they whose faults have long suspected bin Shall draw forth private Censures of their Sin And heare their EMBLEMS openly display What others dare not but in private say Nor will to Yov the MORALS be in vaine Ev'n when to manly Knowledge you attaine For though to Teach it will not them become To be Remembrancers they may presume And that which in their hild-hood men shall heed Will soonest come to minde in time of need Incourag'd by these Hopes I thought it meet To lay this humble Present at your feet Accept it now and please to favour me When I growe old and You a Man shall be To your Highnesse most humbly devoted GEO WITHER TO THE MOST HIGH-BORNE and
for grace There shall be for Compassion time and place And this I hold a branch of that Decree Which Men may say shall never changed be My Fortune I had rather beare Then come where greater perills are DETERIVS FORMIDO ILLVSTR. XXXIV Book 2 MArke well this Caged-fowle and thereby see What thy estate may peradventure be She wants her freedome so perhaps dost thou Some freedomes lacke which are desired now And though thy Body be not so confin'd Art straitned from some liberty of Minde The Bird in thrall the more contented lyes Because the Hawke so neere her she espyes And though the Cage were open more would feare To venture out then to continue there So if thou couldst perceive what Birds of prey Are hov'ring round about thee every day To seize thy Soule when she abroad shall goe To take the Freedome she desireth so Thou farre more fearefull wouldst of them become Then thou art now of what thou flyest from Not Precepts but Experience thus hath taught me Which to such resolutions now have brought me That whatsoever mischiefes others doe me I make them yield some true Contentments to me And seldome struggle from them till I see That smother-fortunes will securer be What spight soere my Foes to me can doe I laugh thereat within an houre or two For though the World and I at first believe My Suffrings give me cause enough to grieve Yet afterward I finde the more to glad me That better Fortunes might farre worse have made me By some young Devills though I scratched am Yet I am hopefull I shall scape their Dam. The more contrary Windes doe blow The greater Vertues praise will grow ADVERSIS CLARIVS ARDET ILLVSTR. XXXV Book 2 OBserve the nature of that Fiery-flame Which on the Mountaines top so brightly showes The Windes from every quarter blow the same Yea and to blow it out their fury blowes But lo the more they storme the more it shineth At every Blast the Flame ascendeth higher And till the Fuells want that rage confineth It will be still a great and glorious Fire Thus fares the man whom Vertue Beacon-like Hath fixt upon the Hills of Eminence At him the Tempests of mad Envie strike And rage against his Piles of Innocence But still the more they wrong him and the more They seeke to keepe his worth from being knowne They daily make it greater then before And cause his Fame the farther to be blowne When therefore no selfe-doting Arrogance But Vertues cover'd with a modest vaile Breake through obscurity and thee advance To place where Envie shall thy worth assaile Discourage not thy selfe but stand the shockes Of wrath and fury Let them snarle and bite Pursue thee with Detraction Slanders Mockes And all the venom'd Engines of Despight Thou art above their malice and the blaze Of thy Caelestiall-fire shall shine so cleare That their besotted soules thou shalt amaze And make thy Splendours to their shame appeare If this be all that Envies rage can doe Lord give me Vertues though I suffer too Even as the Smoke doth passe away So shall all Worldly-pompe decay SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI ILLVSTR. XXXVI Book 2 SOme better Arguments then yet I see I must perceive and better causes why To those gay things I should addicted bee To which the Vulgar their Affections tye I have consider'd Scepters Miters Crownes With each appurtenance to them belonging My heart hath search'd their Glories and Renownes And all the pleasant things about them thronging My Soule hath truely weigh'd and tooke the measure Of Riches which the most have so desired I have distill'd the Quintessence of Pleasure And seene those Objects that are most admired I likewise feele all Passions and Affections That helpe to cheat the Reason and perswade That those poore Vanities have some perfections Whereby their Owners happy might be made Yet when that I have rouz'd my Vnderstanding And cleans'd my Heart from some of that Corruption Which hinders in me Reasons free commanding And shewes things without vailes or interruption Then they me thinkes as fruitlesse doe appeare As Bubbles wherewithall young-children play Or as the Smoke which in our Emblem here Now makes a show and straight consumes away Be pleas'd Oh God my value may be such Of every Outward-blessing here below That I may neither love them overmuch Nor underprise the Gifts thou shalt bestow But know the use of all these fading Smokes And be refresht by that which others chokes Death is unable to divide Their Hearts whose Hands True-love hath tyde IVSQVE A LA MORT ILLVSTR. XXXVII Book 2 UPon an Altar in this Emblem stands A Burning-heart and therewithall you see Beneath Deaths-head a paire of Loving-hands Which close and fast-united seeme to be These moderne Hieroglyphickes vulgarly Thus bundled up together may afford Good-meanings with as much Propriety As best with common Iudgements will accord It may imply that when both Hand and Heart By sympathizing dearenesse are invited To meet each others nat'rall Counterpart And are by sacred Ordinance united They then have entred that strict Obligation By which they firmely ev'ry way are ty'd And without meanes or thought of separation Should in that Vnion till their Deaths abide This therefore minde thou whatsoere thou be Whose Marriage-ring this Covenant hath sealed For though thy Faith's infringement none can see Thy secret fault shall one day be revealed And thou that art at liberty take heed Lest thou as over great a number doe Of thine owne person make a Privy-deed And afterwards deny thy doing so For though there be nor Church nor Chappell nigh thee Nor outward witnesses of what is done A Power-invisible doth alwayes eye thee And thy pretended Love so lookes upon That if thou be not till thy dying true Thy Falsehood till thy dying thou shalt rue False Weights with Measures false eschew And give to ev'ry man their Due SVVM CVIQVE TRIBVE ILLVSTR. XXXVIII Book 2 FOrth of a Cloud with Scale and Rule extended An Arme for this next Emblem doth appeare Which hath to us in silent-showes commended A Vertue that is often wanting here The World is very studious of Deceipts And he is judged wisest who deceives False-measures and Adulterated-weights Of many dues the needy-man bereaves Ev'n Weights to fell and other Weights to buy Two sorts of weights in practice are with some And both of these they often falsifie That they to great and suddaine-wealth may come But Conscience make of raysing your estates By such a base and such a wicked way For this Injustice God expressely hates And brings at last such thrivers to decay By Weight and measure He on all bestowes The Portions due That Weight and Measure then Which Man to God or to his Neighbour owes Should justly be returned backe agen Give ev'ry one in ev'ry thing his owne Give honour where an honour shall be due Where you are loved let your love be showne And yield them succours who have succour'd you Give
add To those good-meanings thou hast had The Morall of thine Emblem view And what it counsels that pursue 18 To your Long-home you nearer are Than you it may bee are aware Yea and more easie is the Way Than you perchance conceive it may Lest therefore Death should grim appeare And put you in a causelesse feare Or out of minding wholly passe This Chance to you allotted was 19 In slippery Paths you are to goe Yea they are full of danger too And if you heedfull should not grow They 'l hazzard much your overthrow But you the mischiefe may eschew If wholsome Counsell you pursue Looke therefore what you may be taught By that which this your chance hath brought 20 This present Lot concernes full neere Not you alone but all men here For all of us too little heed His love who for our sakes did bleed T is true that meanes hee left behind him Which better teacheth how to minde him Yet if wee both by that and thâ—â— Remember him 't is not amisse 21 T is hop'd you just and pious are More out of Conscience than for feare And that you 'l vertuous courses take For Goodnesse and for Vertue-sake Yet since the best men sometimes may Have need of helpes in vertues way Those usefull Moralls sleight you not Which are presented by this Lot 22 This Lot pertaineth unto those And who they bee God onely knowes Who to the world have no desire But up to heav'nly things aspire No doubt but you in some degree Indow'd with such Affections bee And had this Emblem that you might Encourag'd bee in such a Flight 23 The state of Temp'rall things to shew Yee have them still within your view For ev'ry object that wee see An Emblem of them serves to bee But wee from few things helps doe finde To keepe Eternitie in minde This Lot an Emblem brings therefore To make you thinke upon it more 24 Vnlesse you better looke thereto Dis-use and Sloth will you undoe That which of you despayred was With ease might have bin brought to passe Had but so much bin done as may Bee equall'd with One Line a day Consider this and to that end The Morall of your Lot attend M 25 If wee mistake not thou art one Who loves to court the Rising-Sunne And if this Lot thy nature finde Thou to Preferment hast a minde If so learne hence by whose respect Next God thou mayst thy hopes effect Then seeke to winn his grace to thee Of what estate soe're thou bee 26 Thou to a double-path art come And peradventure troublesome Thou findest it for thee to know On whether hand thou oughtst to goe To put thee out of all suspect Of Courses that are indirect Thy Morall points thee to a path Which hardship but no perill hath 27 You warned are of taking heede That never you your Bounds exceed And also that you be not found To come within your Neighbours Bound There may be some concealed Cause That none but you this Emblem drawes Examine it And If you see A fault let it amended be 28 Your Emblems morall doth declare When Lovers fitly matched are And what the chiefest cause may be Why Friends and Lovers disagree Perhaps you somewhat thence may learne Which your Affection doth concerne But if it Counsell you too late Then preach it at your Neighbours gate M 29 Some vrge their Princes on to Warre And weary of sweet Peace they are Some seeke to make them dote on Peace Till publike Danger more encrease As if the World were kept in awe By nothing else but preaching Law Thy Morall if of those thou art Doth act a Moderators part 30 T is feared thou dost lesse esteeme Vpright to bee than so to seeme And if thine actions faire appeare Thou carest not how soule they are Though this bee not thy fault alone Yet have a care of mending One And study thou Vpright to grow As well in Essence as in Show 31 Some all their time and wealth have spent In giving other men content And would not grudge to waste their Blood To helpe advance the Common-good To such as these you have been thought Not halfe so friendly as you ought This Lot therefore befalls to shew How great respects to such are due 32 You have been tempted by your leave In hope of Lucre to deceive But much as yet you have not swerv'd From Faith which ought to be observ'd If well hereafter you would speed In dealing-honestly proceed For by your Emblem you shall see That Honest-men the richest bee 33 We hope no person here beleeves That you are of those wealthy Theeves Who Chaines of gold and pearle doe weare And of those Theeves that none you are Which weares a Rope wee plainly see For you as yet unchanged bee But unto God for Mercie crie Else hang'd you may bee e're you die 34 You willing are to put away The thinking on your Latter-day You count the mention of it Folly A meanes of breeding Melancholly And newes unfit for men to heare Before they come to sixtie-yeare But minde what Counsels now are sent And mend left you too late repent 35 Your Wits your Wishes and your Tongue Have run the Wild grose-chase too long And left all Reason you exceed Of Rules and Beines you now have need A Bridle therefore and a Square Prime Figures in your Emblem are Observe their Morall and I pray Be Wise and Sober if you may 36 Because her Ayd makes goodly showes You on the World your trust repose And his dependance you despise Who meerly on God's helpe relies That therefore you may come to see How pleas'd and safe those men may bee Who have no ayd but God alone This Emblem you have lighted on 37 Some thinke your Vertue very much And there is cause to thinke it such For many wayes it hath been tride And well the Triall doth abide Yet think not but some brants there are Which your owne strength shall never beare And by the Morall of your Lot Learne where Assistance may bee got 38 Thou hast been grieved and complain'd Because the Truth hath wrong sustain'd But that dismayd thou shouldst not be Thine Emblem will declare to thee That though the Truth may suffer spite It shall not bee depressed quite But by opposing spread the more And grow more pow'rfull than before 39 By Rashnesse thou hast often err'd Or else thou hadst been more preferr'd But future errours to prevent Thou to the slow pac'd Oxe art sent To learne more Slaydnesse and to doe Thy Workes with Perseverance too Hee that this creatures Vertue scornes May want it all except his Flornes 40 Dame Fortunes favour seemes to bee Much lov'd and longed for of thee As if in what her hand bestowes Thou mightst thy confidence repose But that her manners may bee knowne This Chance upon thee was bestowne
five hundred Marks decrease Through that which for my profit was bestowne And I ere this had wholly been undone But that the Wealth which I relie on most Consists in things which never can be lost Yet by this Losse I have Occasions had To feele why other men are often sad And I who blushed to be troublesome To any Friend therby almost am come To such a passe that what I wish to have I should grow impudent enough to Crave Had not impartiall Death and wasting Time Of all my Friends quite worne away the Prime And left mee none to whom I dare present The meanest suite withom encouragement Although the greatest Boone I would implore Should cost them but a Word or little more Yet some there are no doubt for whose respect I might endeavour with no vaine effect Had I but cause to have as high esteeme Of mine owne Merits as I have of them And if your Honour should be so inclin'd As I desire I now am sure to finde Another Pembrooke by whose ayde sustain'd I may preserve what by the Last I gain'd To make adventure how it will succeed I now am come And lo my LORD insteed Of better Advocates I first begin Mine EMBLEMS by these Lines to Vsher in That they by their admittance may effect For Mee and for themselves your kinde respect That which in them best Worthy you shall find Is this that they are Symptomes of a Minde Affecting honestie and of a Heart So truly honouring a true desert That I am hopefull made they will acquire As much respect as I can well desire And SIR your Candor your knowne Courtesies With other praisefull Vertues make mee rise To this Beliefe that YOV by fav'ring mee Hereafter may as highly honour'd be As by some former Bounties and encrease My Future Merit by your Worthinesse However what I am or shall be knowne To Bee by Your Deservings or mine owne You may command it and be sure to finde Though false my Fortunes prove a Faithfull Mind Thus unfainedly professeth Your Honours truest Honourer GEO WITHER TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HENRIE Earle of HOLLAND c. Captaine of the Guard Lord-chiefe-Iustice in Eyre of all his Majesties Forrests Parkes and Chases on this side Trent Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter and one of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Counsell Right Noble SIR HAving of late some Cause to overlooke That thankfull Register wherein I booke My noblest Friends I found so many Names Possessing nothing but their honour'd Fames Whose living Persons wee injoyed here A while agoe that I began to feare I might grow Friendlesse having now so few Vnlesse I sought their Number to renew By some Disasters also gaining proofe How much this Course would make for my behoofe I call'd my Wits to Counsell Where and How I might with hopefulnesse begin to sow The seeds of such a Blessing And me thought Within mee something said Where should be sought What thou so gladly wouldst renewed finde But from some BRANCHES of the selfe-same kinde Whose faire Aspects may seeme to promise fruit According to the Virtues of the Roote Assoone as Fancie had inform'd me so Your Lordship came to my remembrance too With what our Soveraigne's Favour Vulgar Fame Or your owne Merits addeth to your Name Which having weigh'd no doubts at all I had Of Worth in YOV But rather doubtings made That all my Wits would insufficient be To make that Worth become a Friend to mee For I have oft observ'd that Favour shunnes The best Desert if after her it runnes Yet who can tell what may befall thought I It is no great Adventure if I try Without successe And if I gaine my End I am assured of a Noble-Friend His honourable FATHER deem'd mee worth So much respecting as to seeke me forth When I was more Obscure And MEE for nought 〈…〉 to Befriend mee forth HEE sought 〈◊〉 wherefore of his SONNE should I suspect 〈◊〉 seeking HIM hee can my love reject 〈◊〉 Couâ—tesie doth alwaies there abound 〈◊〉 such a lovely Personage is found My LORD these were my Fancies But I take them To be of no more worth than you shall make them By your Acceptance Nor is' t my intent To Court you with a fruitlesse Complement But to attempt your Favour with a mind As readily and really inclinde To serve you when my services may steed As to expect your Favours in my need For had my Fates enabled me so much I should more willingly have sought out such On whom I Courtesies might have bestowne Than seeke to cure Misfortunes of mine owne No doubt but every day your Lordship heares Inventions which may better please your eares Than these I now present And yet you might For ought I knew finde profit or delight By our plaine EMBLEMS or some uses in them Which from your Honour some respects may win them Ev'n for that good Moralitie which they To Vulgar Vnderstandings will convay But Truth to speake the chiefest cause which drew My minde to make them PRESENTS for your view Was but to take Occasion to professe That I am Servant to your WORTHINESSE In which if YOV are pleased All is got At which I aym'd And though you like it not It shall but teach Mee for the time to come To take more heed where I am troublesome And I shall be neverthelesse your Honours to be commanded as becommeth your Servant GEO WITHER Whil'st I the Sunne 's bright Face may view I will no meaner Light pursue NON INFERIORA SECUTUS ILLVSTR. I. Book 4 WHen with a serious musing I behold The gratefull and obsequious Marigold How duely ev'ry morning she displayes Her open brest when Titan spreads his Rayes How she observes him in his daily walke Still bending towards him her tender stalke How when he downe declines she droopes and mournes Bedow'd as 't were with teares till he returnes And how the vailes her Flow'rs when he is gone As if she scorned to be looked on By an infâ—riour Eye or did contemne To wayt upon a meaner Light then Him When this I meditate me-thinkes the Flowers Have spirits farre more generous then ours And give us faire Examples to despise The servile Fawnings and Idolatries Wherewith we court these earthly things below Which merit not the service we bestow But oh my God! though groveling I appeare Vpon the Ground and have a rooting here Which hales me downward yet in my desire To that which is above mee I aspire And all my best Affections I professe To Him that is the Sunne of Righteousnesse Oh! keepe the Morning of his Incarnation The burning Noone-tide of his bitter Passion The Night of his Descending and the Height Of his Ascension ever in my sight That imitating him in what I may I never follow an inferiour Way The Earth is God's and in his Hands Are all the Corners of the Lands IN MANU DOMINI OMNES SUNT FINES TERRAE ILLVSTR. II. Book 4 LOng since the sacred Hebrew
is an Emblem fitly shaddowing those Who making faire and honest outward showes Are inwardly deform'd and nothing such As they to bee suppos'd have strived much They chuse their words and play well-acted parts But hide most loathsome projects in their hearts And when you think sweet Friendship to embrace Some ugly Treason meets you in the face I haâ—â— a painted Brow I much dislike A Mayden-blush dawb'd on a furrowed Cheeke And I abhorre to see old Wantons play And suite themselves like Ladies of the May. But more yea most of all my soule despiseth A Heart that in Religious formes disguiseth Prophane intentions and arrayes in white The coale-blacke conscience of an Hypocrite Take heed of such as these and if you may Before you trust them tract them in their way Observe their footsteps in their private path For these as 't is beleev'd the Devill hath Have cloven feet that is two wayes they goe One for their ends and tother for a show Now you thus warned are advise embrace And trust nor gawdy Clothes nor painted Face My Hand and Heart in one agree What can you more desire of mee EN DEXTRA FIDESQUE ILLVSTR. XXII Book 4 A Heart with Hand-in-hand united thus Makes here an Emblem not unknowne to us And 't is not hard for any Vulgar wit Without a Comment to interpret it But though of ev'ry man confest it be That Hand and Heart together should agree And that what we in outward shew expresse Perform'd should be with inward heartinesse Since now the World to such a passe is growne That all is not consider'd which is knowne I cannot thinke it altogether vaine To speake of that which may appeare so plaine When thou dost reach thy hand unto thy friend Take order that thy heart the same intend For otherwise in Hand or Heart thou lyest And cuttest off a Member e're thou dyest Some give their Hearts as many Lovers do Yet are afraid to set their hands thereto Some give their Hands and then by many a deed To ratifie the gift they dare proceede Yet keep their tongues from saying what they meant To helpe excuse their hearts when they repent Yea some can very cunningly expresse In outward shew a winning heartinesse And steale the deare affections they have sought From those to whom they meant nor promis'd ought Then will they if advantage come thereby Make all their Deeds for want of Words a ly Among Dissemblers in things temporall These Raskalls are the ver'est Knaves of all No Emblem can at full declare How fickle Minds-unconstant are VARIUM ET MUTABILE SEMPER ILLVSTR. XXIII Book 4 SOme thinke this Emblem serveth to expresse No more but onely Womens ficklenesse And they will most desire to have it so Who like those best that most inconstant grow Although my Fortunes were in some things bad I never in my life experience had Of an inconstant woman Wherefore then Should I condemne the Females more than men I heare some talke that Women fickle be And so I thinke and so I know are wee And being put together say I dare That they and wee in equall manner share A giddinesse and ficklenesse of minde More wavering than a Feather or the Winde The Woman heere is plac'd to typisie A minde distracted with much levitie Not that the womans Wav'rings are the more But for this cause Most Vices heretofore And Vertues too our Ancestors did render By words declined in the female-gender The winged-Ball whose tottering Foundation Augments the causes of our variation Meanes here those uselesse and vaine temp'rall things That come and goe with never-staying wings And which if thereupon our hearts we set Make Men and Women the Vertigo get Hereafter then let neither Sexe accuse Each other but their best endeavours use To cure this Maladie in one another By living well and lovingly together Hee that enjoyes a patient Minde Can Pleasures in Afflictions finde GAUDET PATIENTIA DURIS ILLVSTR. XXIV Book 4 WHat meanes this Countrey-peasant skipping here Through prickling Thistles w th such gamesom cheere And plucking off their tops as though for Posies He gather'd Violets or toothlesse Roses What meaneth it but onely to expresse How great a joy well-grounded Patientnesse Retaines in Suffâ—rings and what sport she makes When she her Iourney through Affliction takes I oft have sayd and have as oft beene thought To speake a Paradox that savours nought Of likely truth that some Afflictions bring A Honey bag which cureth ev'ry Sting That wounds the Flesh by giving to the Mind A pleasing taste of Sweetnesses refin'd Nor can it other be except in those Whose Better part quite stupifyed growes By being Cauterized in the Fires Of childish Feares or temporall Desires For as thâ— Valiant when the Coward swounds With gladnesse lets the Surgion search his Wounds And though they smart yet cheerefully indures The Plaâ—sters and the Probe in hope of Cures So Men assured that Afflictions paine Comes not for vengeance to them nor in vaine But to prepare and fit them for the place To which they willingly direct their pace In Troubles are so farre from being sad That of their Suffring they are truely glad What ever others thinke I thus beleeve And therefore joy when they suppose I grieve All is not Gold which makes a show But what the Touchstone findeth so SIC SPECTANDA FIDES ILLVSTR. XXV Book 4 WHen Silver Medalls or some coynes of Gold Are by the Gold-smith either bought or sold Hee doth not only search them with his Eye But by the Scale their weight will also trie Or by the Touchstone or the Test assay The truenesse of them and their just Alay Now by their warinesse who thus proceed Wee fairely are admonished to heed The faithfulnesse of him wee make our Friend And on whose love wee purpose to depend Or else when wee a Iewell thinke to get Wee may bee cheated by a Counterfet All is not Gold that glisters Otherwhile The Tincture is so good it may beguile The cunningst eye But bring it to the Touch And then you find the value not so much Some keepe the Tincture brooking likewise well An ordinarie Touch but yeeld a Smell Which will discover it if you apply Vnto your Nose that piece of Chymistrie Sometime when there 's enough to give content In Colour in the Touch and in the Scent The Bulke is more than answers Gold in weight And proves it a sophisticall deceit Nay some is fully that which you desire In all these Properties and till the fire Hath made assayes you 'l thinke you might be bold To pawne your life it had been Ophir-gold But to bee false the Metall 's then descride And such are many Friends when they are tride Apollo shoots not ev'ry day But sometime on his Harpe doth play NON SEMPER ARCUM TENDIT ILLVSTR. XXVI Book 4 THere are a sort of people so severe That foolish and injurious too they are And if the world were to bee rul'd by these
Though brighter than the Day light shee doth shine It likewise very fitly typifies Those in our dayes who spie out mysteries Beyond the Moone yet cannot gaine the view Of that which common Reason proveth true And therefore onely crie it madly downe Because by Reasons light it may be knowne These when 't was offred first the light refused And they have now the darknesse which they chused Till therefore God shall offer Grace againe Man strives to set up Lights to these in vaine For what are Lights to those who blinded bee Or who so blinde as they that will not see None knowes untill the Fight be past Who shall bee Victor at the last INTER UTRUMQUE VOLAT ILLVSTR. XLVI Book 4 WHile these two Champions for the Conquest fight Betwixt them both Victoria takes her flight On doubtfull wings and till the fray bee past None knowes to whether shee the Wreath will cast Which Emblem serves not onely to expresse The danger and the issues doubtfulnesse In all Contentions but may warne us too That wee no strivings rashly undergoe Since they who long with painfull skill have striv'd Of likely Conquests are at length depriv'd Force much prevailes but Sleight and Wit hath pow'â— Sometime to hurle downe Strength upon the floore Sometimes againe our Ingineeres doe faile And Blowes doe more than Stratagems prevaile Though I upon mine honest-Cause depend Another may o'rethrow it by his Friend And hee that boasteth of his Patrons grace May lose his hopes if Bribing come in place To say the Truth in whatsoever Cause Wee by the Sword contend or by the Lawes There 's no event or issue more assured Than this that losse to both shall bee procured And that sometime as well an innocent As guilty-guilty-cause may finde an ill event Let therefore our endeavours be to strive Who shall hereafter least occasion give Of those contentions and of those debates Which hurt our honor safetie or estates That we a Conquest may be sure to gaine And none repine at that which we obtaine Why should I feare the want of Bread If God so please I shall be fed SI DEUS VOLUERIT The blessed Psalmist fitly did expresse By grinning-dogs which howling roame by night To satisfie their grudging appetite Here therefore by an Emblem wee are showne That God who as hee lists bestowes his owne Providing so that none may bee unfed Doth offer to the Dogges the Childrens bread And by this Emblem wee advised are Of their presumptuous boldnesse to beware Who bound God's Mercie and have shut out some From hope of Grace before the Night is come Since to the Dogs his meat is not denide If they returne though not till Evening tide Moreover wee some notice hence may take That if provision God vouchsafes to make For Lyons Dogs and Ravens in their need Hee will his Lambes and harmlesse Turtles feed And so provide that they shall alwayes have Sufficient to maintaine the Life hee gave I must confesse I never merit shall The Crummes which from thy Childrens table fall Yet thou hast oft and freely fed mee Lord Among thy Children at thy Holy-board Nor have I there been fill'd with Bread alone But on the blessed Bodie of thy Sonne My Soule hath feasted And if thou dost grant Such favours Lord what can I feare to want For doubtlesse if thy Sonne thou please to give All other things with him I shall receive All Flesh is like the wither'd Hay And so it strings and fades away OMNIS CARO FOENUM ILLVXTR XLVIII Book 4 THis Infant and this little Trusse of Hay When they are moral zed seeme to say That Flesh is but a tust of Morning Grasse Both greene and wither'd ere the day-light passe And such we truly finde it for behold Asâ—oone as Man is borne hee waxeth old In Griefes in Sorrowes or Necessities And withers ev'ry houre untiâ—l hee dyes Now flourishing as Grasse when it is growne Straight perishing as Grasse when it is mowne If wee with other things mans Age compare His Life is but a Day For equall'd are His Yeares with Houres His Months with Minutes bee Fit parallels and ev'ry breathing wee May tearme a Day yet some ev'n at the Night Of that short Day are dead and witherd quite Before the Morning of our lives bee done The Flesh oft fades Sometime it growes till Noone But there 's no mortall Flesh that will abide Vnparched longer than till Evening-tide For in it selfe it alwayes carries that Which helpeth so it selfe to â—uinate That though it feele nor storme not scorching flame An inbred Canker will consume the same Considering well and well remembring this Account the Flesh no better than it is Wrong not thine everlasting Soule to cherish A Gourd which in a moments time will perish Give it the tendance fit for fading Crops But for Hay harvest lose not better hopes Make use of Time that 's comming on For that is perish'd which is gone PERIT QUOD ELAPSUM EST. ILLVSTR. XLIX Book 4 THis Glasse declares how Time doth passe away And if the Words about it rightly say Thy Time that 's gone is lost and proofe will shew That many find both Words and Emblem true How fâ—st their Time departs they best perceive From whom it steales before they take their leave Of what they love and whose last houre is gone Before their chiefest businesses are done How fast it slides ev'n they are also taught Too late perhaps who never kept in thought Their ending-day but alwayes did presume Or largely hope upon the Time to come The present-howres nor thankfully enjoying Nor honestly nor usefully employing That yeares expir'd are lost they likewise find For when their understanding brings to mind How fondly or how ill perchance they spent Their passed age they see with discontent The Time not onely lost but worse than so Lost with a thousand other Losses moe And that when they shall need it wealth nor pow'r Can purchase them one minute of an howre Consider this all ye that spend the prime The nonne-tide and the twilight of your Time In childish play-games or meere worldly things As if you could at pleasure clip Times wings Or turne his Glasse or had a Life or twaine To live when you had fool'd out this in vaine Short is the present lost Times-passed bee And Time to come wee may not live to see The Garland He alone shall weare Who to the Goale doth persevere PERSEVERANTI DABITUR ILLVSTR. L. Book 4 AN Arme is with a Garland here extended And as the Motto saith it is intended To all that persevere This being so Let none be faint in heart though they be slow For he that creepes untill his Race be done Shall gaine a Wreath aswell as they that runne This being so let no man walke in doubt As if Gods Arme of Grace were stretched out To some small number For whoe're begins And perseueres the profer'd Garland winns And God respects no persons neither layes A stumbling