From making such too great for they wil pare The Prince and polle the Commons without care For Slaves though Kinges in disposition Are most vnmeete to manage Kingdomes states And so are Men of base condition Vnfitt to make inferior Maiestrates The Floures of Crownes fitt not Mechanick Pates No more then costly plumes doe Asses heads They are call'd Crafts-men quasi craftie mates Let these rule such if they must governe needes For they at best are nought but holsome vveedes But some as voide of honestie as Arte Advance themselues by wealth the Nurse of Vice And with good gifts supply want of desert Good-giftes that Givers of Commands entice To part with them though they be nere so nice These seing wealth hath giv'n them Vertues meede Doe make port-sale of Vertue and Iustice T' enrich themselues to clymbe thereby with speed From whence the wracks of CoÌ„mon-weales proceed Did they but good themselues by some mens harme It might be borne although it heavy were But they hereby make all themselues to arme With gold that seeke authoritie to beare Because they see it s gotten by such geare When Vertue 's thus neglected and dispis'd Then Vice perforce doth in her place appeare And where dam'd Vice hath Vertues place surpris'd A Common-woe with Common-wealth's disguis'd That must be deerely sold that 's deerely bought And whereas Iudgments thus are bought and sold There by iust Iudgment al goes stil to nought Yet â—ustice and iust Iudgments States vphold Whose want wrappes them in mis'ries manifold The Iudgments of that Iust orewhelme that Land That armes Oppression gainst the Lawes with Gold For where it s so there VVill for Law must stand And Law goes with Confusion hand in haâ—d Intelligence supreme pow'r of the Soule Wherein alone w' are like the Deity Is that alone which makes vs meete to rule For Natures lawes and Reas'ns authority Requires that such should haue high'st dignity That by their vertue and their high estate They might conserve men in prosperity For right it is they should be rais'd to State That make the state of all most fortunate For Honor is high Vertues sole Reward For which all vertuous Men all paine endure If then such men from Honor should be barr'd All to be vicious it would soone procure For Vice doth raigne where Vertue hath no pow'r Where Honors are bestow'd without respect On good and badd as cloudes bestowe their shower There must of force ensue but badd effect For who 'l be good if Grace the good neglect In ancient Common-weales they wonted were Statues of mettall Arches triumphal With Publike Sepulture and praises cleere These and such like they did bestow on all That to their Common-weales were as a VVall For they that watch whilst others sound doe sleepe To stay the State that else perhapps might fall And laboure stil the Lambes from VVolves to keepe Such Shepherds should be honor'd of the Sheepe For to give Rule to none but Midasses Is ev'n as if a Shippe were rendered In greatest Tempests and VVindes outrages To richest Marchants to be governed Not to the skillful'st to be mastered Whereof ensues the wracke of shippe and freighâ— From which in Stormes it is delivered By skilful Pilotts which haue gott the sleight by their experience to direct her right Themistocles is iustly famoused For that by Valor and great Policie He did reduce th' Athenians beastly bredd To live by Lawes in great civility But Solon's prais'd more meritoriously Who finding Athens at the point to fall With shocke of Civill warre he readily Did staie the same and reestablish't all The Lawes Maiestrats driv'n to the wall Nor did Camillus that repulst the Galls And Rome preserved from their furies flame Deserve lesse if not more memorialls TheÌ„ the two BrethreÌ„ that first built the same Nor yet can Caesars or great Pompeies fame Though they Romes Empire stretcht from East to VVest Be so renowmed as his glorious name That found it neere by Haniball possest Yet rescu'd it and gaue it roome and rest Then Rule should not be given to the rich If with their wealth they were but fooles vniust The Common-wealth would private be to such For they would rule by Lawes squar'd by their lust And for their gaine stil buy and sell the Iust VVisedome and Iustice with wealth competent Should be in Rulers such â—he Prince might trust With greatest charge next them in government For each will rule as Vertues President For how i st possible men should perswade Others to vertue and to keepe the Lawes If they them-selues them-selues there froÌ„ disswade And by their lewdnesse others lewdnesse cause A Rulers Vice to vice the People drawes Sylla might wel be laught to scorne when hee Perswaded Temperance to all because He liv'd himselfe none more licenciouslee For none lesse loved mediocritee Lisander was no lesse to blame for hee Allow'd those Vices in the Multitude FroÌ„ which himselfe refrain'd religiouslee For if by Princes vices bee alowd It is al one as if they vice ensude But iust Licurgus nere did ought forbid But by himselfe the same should be eschude Whose subiects did no more theÌ„ himself did Such Legislators should bee deifide Such Prince or Priest such people saith the Saw Examples more then Lawes make men liue wel Doe Priests liue so their liues like Loadstones draw The people to the same And doe compel Sans-force t' obedience such as would rebel Then weigh what good or ill your liues doe cause Ye Prophets Sonnes that should in grace excel Is your life il its double ill because It hurts your selues and to vice others drawes And where Vice raignes Rebellion oft doth rule That diss-vnites the best vnited state Which growes from Governors vice or mis-rule That makes the Commons with no common hate Watch al advantage to abridge their date The forraine Foe then findes domesticke aide Aide that assists all that wil innovate So by their Subiects Sov'raignes are betraide VVhen their mis-rule makes them be disobaide ANd here my Muse leads me as by the hand Out of the way as it were by the way To view the liues of Princes of this Land Since first the Norman did the Scepter sway And scanne their vndertakings as I may For by th' event of Actions past wee shall The present and future the better sway Which is the vse of storie for they fal Seldome or nere that haue light to see All. VVilliam the Norman surnam'd Conquerer By his succesful sworde having subdude This compound Nation weake through civil war The Conquest hee so thorowly pursude As that an admirable peace ensude This fierce Invader with resistlesse force Dissolu'd the state and made the Multitude To liue by Lawes which Lawyers yet enforce Which of all former lawes did crosse the course Hee pull'd vp all that might pul downe his state
loue him not for he did vs make But for his goodnesse onely and alone And loue al goodnesse for and in that One A father loues his sonne not in regard Of any gaine but for he is his owne Nor should a Sonne his Sire loue for reward But for he is his Sire in Nature dear'd For if we loue ought for the good we have From it we loue our selves more then the same Or loue it for our selves our selues to save From want of that which from it to vs came So such loue is selfe-loue which Love doth blame But we must loue the Lord of Love for love Nay though he hate vs we must love his name Sith to make man Loue onely did him move But to loue him againe for Mannes behove If then we weigh by vvhat degrees wee mount To him from vvhom our soules did first descend We finde that as through loue which doth surmouÌ„t They came from him so to him they ascende The selfe-same way as to their proper end For comming from him they must know him needs Aud knowing him they needes must to him tend But so they cannot but by loues good deedes For what is not of loue from sinne proceedes The order then of the degrees to loue Is first vvee at things corporall beginne For our birth to that Steppe vs streight doth moue Vnto our outward senses then wee rinne To Fancie next and so wee never linne Till through Reas'n Iudgement Contemplation VVe come to loue and so wee rest therein But to descend by the selfe same gradation And there to rest descendeth to damnation For to dismount from true loues loftie pitch Loue of the High'st so lowe as to selfe-loue Is Sow-like to lie mired in the ditch Of lowest Hell where we all Sorowes proue And cannot for our soules from thence remoue Without kinde heav'nly loues all-helping hand Which onely and alone hath powre to moue Our Mindes from Earth vnto the Livings Land And breake the linckes of selfe-loues mortall Band. Loue makes an Vnion of Diversitie If then wee loue God hee and wee are One One although diverse through true amitie VVee loue him and our selues for him alone So may we loue our selues as wee loue none Likenesse breedes loue which makes him loue vs so Who made vs to his Image and his Sonne Assum'd our shape which makes his loue the mo Then by like reason wee should loue him to The more his Image is renew'd in vs The more he loues vs and wee loue the more Then to deforme the same 's most odious And he detesteth vs alone therefore VVhich makes vs likewise loath him and his loâ—e All which proceedes from dissimilitude For God and Beliall are foes evermore Then sith wee are with his faire Forme indu'd Let it by vs bee euermore renew'd For Beauty is an vrgent cause of Loue If so wee should embrace the fairest Faire With loue that should be farre all loue aboue Yea die for loue that Loue might life repaire And glorifie the same as Beauties Heire See wee an hue that mortall beauty staines As doth the Sunne the Moone by his repaire This sov'raigne Beauty all the glorie gaines Sith but a sparke thereof the same sustaines Then Beauty blush to glorie in thy Blaze And much more blush to blaze thy glorie vaine With coulors fresh to make fraile eies to gaze And such as cannot iudge of coulors faine No coulor hast thou so thy selfe to staine The best is too too bad and bad 's the Best That without coulor doe their face ingraine In earnest such I thinke doe loue to Iest As Chaucer but my Muse will owe the rest But outward beauty loue procures because It argues th' inward beauty of the Minde For goodnes is th' effect Beauty the Cause And both togither commonly we finde For Nature both togither stil doth binde A good Complexions disposition Is for the most part vertuously inclinde But VVeomens beauty by permission Being often tempted breedes suspition For hardly is that kept that many craues And chastitie with beautie 's stil at strife For much more beautiful are Frailties slaues TheÌ„ for the most part they of vertuous life And aske a man that hath a beautious wife How much he fears the fowle fal of his faire Because that nothing in the world 's more rife Then at faire beauties byding mens repaire And where they hauÌ„t they do not stil repaire But this by accident is rather thus Then any waie to beauty naturall For it by Nature is most vertuous Sith Tempers good to Ill are seldome thrall For bodies meerely are Organicall Wheron the mind doth play al parts in one If then they be in tune most cordiall Their motioÌ„s must be needs sith there is none That moues theÌ„ but the minde or God alone But for that beauty stil alures the eie The â—ie the hart the hart the soule Sp'rite Of those that on the same do chance to pry Because it doth beheau'n them with delight This makes them instantly the same incite To yeeld to loue or lust and their desire Then being subiect thus to restlesse fight It oft enflames and is ensâ—am'd with fire That Flesh and Sprite makes but one flame intire How many may wee see distracted quight Or pyning liue or rather dy with paine Yea some to spill themselues with all despight For others beautie which they cannot gaine If beauty then so ore fraile sense doth raigne Sense being subiect to her sov'raigntie Doth sue and serue her favour to obtaine VVith most impetuous importunitie Till shee as subiect to her Subiect lie And never times except the times of old For whose corruption al the world was drown'd But these curst times of ours durst be so bold To make it common with estates renown'd To couâ—t bright beauty match'd as t' were vnbound Call yee it Courtshippe cal it what yee please Though it be in request it was not found In chaster times â—or oft it doth disease The head with swellings which nought can appease Mee thinkes I see as I haue often seene A well-made Male as male-content to stand In silke or silver clad right well-beseene VVringing a match'd faire Female by the hand VVhil'st in her eare he lets her vnderstand How much shee ought to loue him â—or his loue Meane while hard by stands Patience the Husband And lets Temptation his weake vessell proue VVhich in his sight her vnseene Spright doth moue It s prettie pastime so to passe the time It savoures of good breeding and good VVitt The Howres are made more pleasant by this Chime Who would not stil to here the same stil sitt Although a man transformed were by it O t is a iolly matter to give eare Nay to give leaue to Musicke in her fitt He is a Beast that wil not then forbeare Though he thereby be made a Beast to beare Foure kinds of
Purse or Parts or all the Bodie quight VVhere 's no Foe to oppunge what conquest iâ—t But where be many great Ones there to fight And with a Kingly courage them resist O such an one is a true Martialist How easie this is sedd who doth not see How Arte may picture Vertue all perceaue But to inspire hir with vitalitee This none but onely Gods haue powr to geue From whom alone shee doth her life receaue O deere Liege that I could as faine I would Make Vertue lively then by thy good leave Thou should'st not leave me wretch sith then I could Leaue all the World to serue thee as I should Then would I with a never vvearied Eye Help thee to watch from wolues thy Flocke to keepe Thy Flocke is great and Wolues may lurckiâ—g lye In each darke Corner to devoure thy Sheepe But blest were he that would could dive deepe Into th' Abissâ— of ev'ry darke device While thou gav'st Nature necessarie sleepe To feele their Snares to catch Lures t' intice So make them knowne that would thee preiudice Diue diue to Hell blacke Hels inhabitants Children of darkenesse that envie our light Albion's no place for such blacke Miscreants For God and Man there with not for you fight Then doe your selues ensconse in endlesse night There stand vpon your guard guarded with â—iends â— That guard grieue you both at once with spight There shall yee feele smart of Gods fingers ends Sith divine Iustice deeper nere descends Deere Loue sweet Lord goodnes-surmounting God How stands this Land oblig'd vnto thy loue This little-great Land or great-little Clod Thou more regard'st it seemes theÌ„ heav'n aboue For there thou plaguedst sinne as Angels proue Bâ—t though this Isle doth flote on seas of sinne Thou mou'd with loue froÌ„ it dost plagues remoue As if against the streame thou wouldst it winne To perfect goodnesse and to rest therein O bow our Harts of steele make them well bent That they may through thy hart shoot shâ—fâ—s of loue And wound the same with loue most violent But what neede that sith now the same we proue But yet sith thou such shooting dost approue And by thy lawes alone its lawfull game Let aâ—l the shafts of our indevors roue At thy harts whitest loue sith in the same Consists our game grace glory ioy and fame Gaine for all 's gain'd in thy all-giving loue Grace for Gods loue is mans extreamest grace Glorie for thou do'st glorifie thy loue Ioy sith they needs must ioy whom ioies embrace And â—ame for Fame ensues the loue of Grace All these winne we if we thy loue doe win Then should we draw our Soules out of sins Case And be'ng well bent shoote loue-shafts at the Piâ— Of thy deere loue which lies thine hart within Orecome vs Lord in kindnesse let thy grace Ever triumph ore our vngrac'ousnesse So wee le triumph in that gracious disgrace Giving all glorie to thy graciousnesse And loue and feare thy dread almightynesse Let not these Blessings greater make thy Curse Against our inbred base vngratefulnesse O let not thy grace make vs worse and worse But to be gracious let it vs enforce These super-supererogating Workes Proceeding from thy sup'rinducing loue Might make vs though farre worse then Iewes or Turkes To entertaine them as thou do'st approue And giue thy loue no cause ours to reprooue Since borne I was I saw but sinne abound And thy grace ore abounding which might moue A senslesse stone to sincke in Teares profound Flowing from highest loue in Teares ydrownd Thou deal'st not thus with the adiacent Lands Although perhaps they haue provokt thee lesse Captivitie hath oft bound them in Bands And the Destroiers Sword hath had egresse Through all the Members of them more and lesse Which did not cut but eate flesh greedy sword Nor shed but was made drunke with blouds excesse But to out land alone thou do'st afford Peace Plentie Freedome Health Wealth and thy Word Yet from him sitting on the kingly Throne Vnto the Slaue that at the Hand-mill grindesâ— Others by civill Sword haue beene orethrone And Masacres of Bodies and of Mindes Haue beene performed in all hellâ—sh kindes Vpon their Walles were Woes and Wellawaies Breath'd out with grones like hollow-voiced windes Their streetes with shrikes through soddaine stabs dismaiâ—s By Nights did eccho and did ring by Daies While stormes of rage did bloudy billowes raise The venerable Lore that Time and Artâ— Exchequer'd had in one Head rarely wrought Was let-out by a Dagger or a Dart As good for nothing but to bring to nought Vertue was held a Rebell and still sought But to be slaine and so by Death embrac'd Vice was secur'd by that which Vice had wrought By Vertues helpe by Vice now quite defac'dâ— So all but Vice then dide or were disgrac'd And heerewith keene-cheek'd Famine made away Through their best Citties bowels so to bring Their Bellies and their Backes to kisse and plaie So to beguile the smart of famishing Which in the hollowes of the Hart did sting Dogs Câ—ts Mice Rats stale Carion and Horse-dung Wherewith perchance they humane-flesh did minge These did they eate they were so hunger-stunge Nay dide for want of these through famine longe Thinke what it is to Sowe and not to Reape Or what to haue what others haue in hold That haue no hold yet all away doth sweepe And so by spoile of all liue vncontrold What t is to haue a Wife yet haue thy wife To haue no powre to doe as thy wife should But to avoide the Ravishers rude knife Cannot avoide the losse of more then life O could a Man behold at one aspect The many Hels attending Civill-warre He would suppose no doubt by the effect Hell had broke loose and tane Earth prisoner And vsd it worser then worst Hell by farre For if the God of Heav'n a Realme would damme Aboue the Earth he neede but let it iarre Within it selfe and then no Hellish flame Can so torment with anguish as the same Diffring in nothing but in Time and Place Saue that the Sunnes light makes the griefe the more For it giues light to see the hidious case Of all when all are almost drown'd in Gore That like a Deluge oreflowes Sea and Shore VVhich if it might be felt and not be seene Sâ—nse would suppose the same to be lesse sore For Sight the Senses Soveraigne would weene That that is still vnfelt that is vnseene And but that Woes are priviledg'd from iest I well might say and yet but iest in sho That this damnation Divels more detest Then the perdition in the Hell belo For there their vtmost miseries they kno And well they wot if they as these should iarre Their kingdome like these should to ruine goe So they much more then Hell feare civill-warre â— Because a kingdome it doth more then marre The Night that Nature hath ordain'd for rest Then yeâ—lds no rest yet
force As it hath powre it selfe to overcome How blest are they that doe themselues divorce From Custome ill by force of good custome And ten times blessed they that from the VVombe Accustom'd are to Vertues straightest VVay For such by Custome vertuous become Though powreful Nature doe her selfe say nay For Nature Customes powre is forc'd t' obay When the Affections Acts are habits growne Then Vertues or els Vices are they nam'd A vicious Habit 's hardly overthrowne For our Affection is therewith enflam'd As with the fire infernall are the damn'd Who though they would and though they anguish haue Yet cannot that outragious mood be ram'd But still they raging sin and cannot saue Themselues from that that makes their griefe their graue A vicious Habit is Hels surest Gin Wherewith a Man is sold to sinne and shame Running from sinne to sinne and nought but sinne As Rivers runne the same and not the same Til the mindes Iointes sinnes force doth so vnframe That it becomes most loose and dissolute Neither regarding heav'n hell shame nor fame But to liue loathsomly its resolute Thus Habits ill make evill absolute But few there are in whom all vice concurres And fewer are they that all faults doe want Vnto the worst offences cling like Burres And to the best as to the Adamant The Iron cleaues for the Church militant By nature is accompanied with sinne Yet the least force of faith partes them I grant Because it cleaues but sleightly to the skinne But to the wickeds flesh its fastned in For as a burre the longer it abides Vpon a garment being cott'nd hy The more the VVooll windes in his hooked sides So sinne the longer it in Flesh doth ly The faster to the same it s fixt thereby If Nature then sinne soone doth entertaine Vse violence to Nature by and by That it perforce may from the same refraine For what skill cannot force may yet constraine And as the Burre to VVooll so being fixt With skill or force cannot be parted thence But that some part will with the VVooll be mixt So sinne where it hath had long residence Will leaue remaines there maugre violence But Iron from the loadstone cleane will fall With but a touch and so wil sinnes offence From those in whom it s not habitual With but a touch of Faith though nere so small That I may touch the Subiect of my Rimes More home though homely I the same doe touch And for my travell'd Muse might breath somtimes And that the Reader too might doe as much Lest that prolixitie might make him grutch Here shall shee make a stande and looke a-backe As Riders rancke on Steepes haue customes such To breath their bony Nags when winde they lacke And courage them againe like toile to take THe knowledge of the Soule and of her Powres Is the well-head of morrall-VVisedomes flood Hence know we al worth knowing that is ours In body or in Soule that 's ill or good And if these Powres be rightly vnderstoode We know the founts from whēce our Actions slow And from what cause proceedeth ev'ry moode Or good or ill and where that cause doth grow Al this and more this knowledge makes vs know For in the Soule doth shine though sinne-obscur'd By Natures light great light of such science Whereby the Soule is made the more assur'd In all her Actions and Intelligence Though oft deceav'd by seeming goods pretence And for the Soule is to the body bound Affections therein haue their residence That as with wings the soule with thē might boūd Aboue her selfe from being bloud y drown'd Wherefore shee hath Affections of two kinds The one eggs on the other doe restraine By which the Minde the body turnes and windes As they the mind and minde the Corpes constraine Yet whē these Curbs our head-strong nature paine It winceth with the Heele of willfull-will Orethrowing those Affects that doe it reigne And in extremities it runneth still Which is the Race of Ruine Rest of Ill. This comes to passe when as we overpasse The bounds of Nature by our Natures vice And in some one excesse we do surpasse Desiring more then Nature may suffice To which our corrupt natures vs intice For let the least Necessity appeere A ken from vs though neere so smal of price We hold what els we hold though nere so deere VVorthlesse and for that want with woe we steere Hence is it that with never-ceasing toile And no lesse care we traverse all this All Nay all that All we restleslie turmoile And bandy as it were this Earthie Ball Past reasons reach to win worlds wealth withal Desire of having thus still moiles the minde Though Nature be suffis'd with pittance small VVhich makes vs loose our selues when wee it finde Sith see our selues we cannot being blinde It blinds our Eyes that seldom'st are deceav'd Eyes of our Soule that make our Bodies see Then Soule and Bodie cannot be perceav'd By their owne vertue when they blinded be And mine and thine doth sever mee and thee Nought can content vs. Therefore the Affects Are in the soule like windes that nere agree Vpon the Sea and worke the like effects Some great some smal yet like in most respects Beside the chiefe windes and Collaterall Which are the VVindes indeede of chiefe regard Sea-men observe more thirtie two in all Al which are pointed out vpon their Carde But our Minds Mapp though many may be spar'd Containeth many more Affects then these All which though sett our Minds Content to guard Yet sturr they vp as VVindes doe on the Seas Vnquiet Passions which the Minde disease When Zephire breathes on Thetis she doth smile Shee entertaines that gale with such content But if proude Boreas doe puffe the while Shee 's madd with rage and threates the Continent For those proud puffes her soule doe discontent So some Affections our soules browes vnbend And other some doe sextiply each dent Some meanely please some meanely doe offend And some doe make the Soule her Soule to rend Those that doe meanely moue Affections hight The other Huff-snuffes Perturbations be These later rudely gainst their Guides doe fight And so enfume them that they cannot see Or make them from their Charge away to flee So that the soule being left without a Guide And tost with Passions that still disagree Doth like a Sternelesse Shippe at randon ride On mightiest Seas wrack-threatn'd on each syde For if our Reasons iudgment blinded be Th' Affections needes must ever run awrie And draw with thē each sense tumultuoslee To offer violence to lowe and hye That God and Nature tast their tyranny Let but the Hart bee loue-sicke and the same Will carry Iudgment where his Loue doth ly And there confine it setting all on flame That offers but resistance once to name The lower Iudgment in our blood is sunck The lower is her reach in Reas'ns discourse For Iudgmēt
of Kings Whose Crownes are ever subiect to her shot There like a Snake that hisses not shee stings And oft ere shee is seene Confusion bringes For not without iust cause doe Poets faine That shee as one of the infernall broode Doth poison sucke to vomit it againe And makes of Snakes her flesh-consuming foode Which makes her like a blind-worme without bloud Who often creepeth like this abiect VVorme Not wotting which way each way but the good And in Preferments way shee doth enorme All feete shee meets with which none can reforme Envie therefore the hart doth macerate Because the Tongue dares not the griefe disclose That makes that griefe still on the hart to grate Which the leane looke alone in silence shoes Yet eies shrinke in as loth to tell the woes And looke ascue as if in looking straight They might directly so discouer those All which makes woe to haue the greater waight The soule and bodie so to over-fraight One said beholding one with envie pin'd I know not by thy lookes which all doe loth If they fare well or thou ill for thy Minde Is vext alike alike thou look'st for both Which subtill speech included simple troth For envi's griev'd no lesse for others good Then for her proper ill and is as wroth For others praise as if hers were with-stood And for both sucks alike her Subiectes bloud Shee envies all to all except envie And that shee envies to if it exceede Like Argus shee nere sleepes but when her eie Is charm'd by Mercuries sweete sounding Reede For envie flattered is well agreed When all respect is had of her and hers And all neglected els her All to feede No more till shee neglected be shee stirres Then as before her selfe shee straight bestirres The sunne at highest shee resembles right Though base shee be and darke as nether Hell For as the sunne obscureth things most bright And makes the light of things obscure excell So envie seeks men famous most to quell And praiseth most men least deserving praise Such as their deerest fame to shame doe sell All such if any at all shee most doth raise And all men els doth most of all dispraise The more Men want of what they faine would bee The more their want with envie is supplide The lesse if prowde they are in their degree The lesse they can their betters farre abide And horse prowd Beggars they like Kings will ride Now as each Vice doth in it beare about An inbred plague so in this doth reside The plague of plagues to weare it selfe quite out With fretting gainst the rich or roiall Rowt The envious privie to their owne defects Doe witnesse to themselues their small esteeme For which the VVorld they see them still reiects Through which they inly burst with griefe extreme But dare not let the world them envious deeme For no Affect is lesse disclos'd then this Because it makes men lesse then worthlesse seeme Therefore the much more dolorous it is For griefes doe breake the heart if vent they misse What Common-weales and mighty Monarchies What glorious Kings and famous Generals Yea which is strange what heau'nly Hirarchies Whose wretched state and miserable fals By envie wrought remaine in Capitals Whence all may see how actiue and how fell This Furie is who rests in Funerals Or when on earth Men rest i◠such an Hell That to th' infernall may be Paralell FRom Envy springs ay-watchful Iealousie Ore-plus of Loue as iealous Lovers would Which worse then Hell hates al Rivalitie And cannot brooke that any other should Possesse that wee or ours would or doe hold Yet some restraine it onely vnto Loue For being as they say more manifold It Obtrectation hight which who doth prove Shal finde the Minde vnlike it selfe to moue For she can thinke of nought but that alone That makes her iealous and when shee 's restrain'd Of former freedome shee is not her owne But like a Body bound t' a Racke is pain'd And thinks of nought but paine be'ng so constrain'd This is the Linx in Loue that never sleepes And oft too oft by Lust is entertain'd Who through nine walles of Mudd or Mettle peeps And so like Argus Loves beloved keepes Now as the thinges belov'd are good or badd So iealousie is good or badd thereby If Men be iealous of their thoughts that gadd From the chiefe Good good is that iealousie And in a Prince t is no impiety When he suspects Ambition in his State Nor in the mari'd ist an Heresy If loving iealousie without debate Doe keepe each others Love from cause of hate Like may bee sedd of Parents Kinne and Frendes So longe as it aymes but at like respect An harmelesse iealousie from harme defends Those whom they governe and by kinde affect Such ieal'usie doth in God our good effect Which makes him watch vs where wee wake or sleepe VVho in his loue thereby doth vs protect From al those vnseene ills that on vs creepe And by the same his honor safe doth keepe But iealousie conceau'd through cause vniust Be it in VVeddlocke Freindshippe or where not Makes Loue a Languishment for false mistrust Is not by God but by his Foe begott Which Loue with Lust doth evermore besott Hence come the Quarrells twixt the mari'd Paires When they through iealousie are overshott This makes Affraies too oft of great Affaires And ruynes that which loyal Love repaires The fell disturber of Loves sweete repose Copesmate of Care tormenter of the Minde The Canker of faire Venus sweetest Rose The Racke that over-racks the over-kinde The over-watchful Eye of Loue stil blinde The Hart of Caution wherein ay are bredd The vital Sp'rites of Arte to State assign'd Soule of Regard alive when it seemes deade All this is Iealousie that holds the Heade The Caucasus whereto Loues Hart is bound The Vulture which the thoughts thereof devoures The Primum mobile which turneth round The Braine which to the rest vnrest procures A Sore which nought that 's good for ought recures That 's Mummy made of the meere Hart of Love A temp'rall Hell whose torment still eudures The Pennaunce of Mistrust which Lovers proue All this is Iealousie which I reprove And now to ende where we should haue begunne When we began to touch corrupt Affects With Pride because from her al Vice doth runne As from the Fountaine which the Soule infects Which may be thus describ'd by her effects A swelling of the Hart which doth proceede From Selfe-conceite that gainst the Soule reflects And showes more glorious then it is indeede Which makes vs thinke our gifts al mens exceede THis Prodigie this more then mounstrous Pride This Soules envenomn'd Botch This Sourse of Sinne Can nothing lesse thē hir owne selfe abide When shee doth see her selfe another in If shee her selfe doth hate what can shee wynne But hate of all
which VVitt wel applies Then he that hath but Tongues though all that are And not the wisdomes which those Tongues cōprise May amongst fooles be held a Doctor rare But with the wise al Tongue and nothing spare Giue me the Man that knowes more then a Man Yet thinkes he knoweth no more then a Beast Giue me him quoth I where is he and who can Give me that Gifte sith such are al diceast Or if they bee not to be found at least Sage Socrates is deade and with him gon His Pupills that knew more then al the rest Yet thought they knew farre lesse then ev'ry one But now al seeme to know yet know doth none O! had a man al learning in his braine And were to heare or see the wondrous VVritt Of some deepe Doctors he should track them plaine From place to place where they haue borrowed it And nought their owne perhaps but what 's vnfitt Yet as if all were theirs they are admir'd As if their Sculls ensconst al skill and VVitt Or with some sacred furie were inspir'd When as God wott their VVitt is al-bemir'd Yet all take on as if all were their owne So t is all thinke or few know otherwise Which few perhaps as well as they haue stolne Borrow'd I would say but yet they are wise Not to detect each others pilferies The greatest skill these present times affoord Is others sayings cleanely to comprise In ours so that it be not word for word Which wit with moderne wisedome doth accorde But say a Man knew al that Man can know Yet doth the Divell know more then that Man What cause of pride then can it be to show Lesse knowledge and more pride then dam'd Sathan Who hath obseru'd all since the VVorld began Nor doe the Elementes repugnance marre His wits for he of Aire consists and can Command the same But in Man so they warre That he is taken Follies Prisoner Who knowes nought in the Cause but in th' effect The Divels knowledge to the cause extends Who enters Natures Brest and doth select All secrets of the same to secret endes For he th' Abysse of Causes darke descendes And with his Owles-eies that see best in darke Those Causes to the Causer comprehendes And how they are togither linckt doth marke Yet is lesse prowde of this then some meane Clarke Yet he can wonders worke amusing all For having view'd the forces of all thinges VVhether celestiall or terrestriall And with most curious search their true workings Their forces he with sleight togither brings And actiue to their passiue powres doth binde Yea one another so togither minges That it brings foorth by sympathie of kinde VVonders surmounting all conceite of minde No one excels him but that Three in One In wondrous workes which may amaze the wise But that same onely-wise Trin-vnion Workes Miracles wherein all wonder lies For Miracles aboue all VVonders rise Sith they are truely supernaturall But VVonders he to Natures Secrets ties Then wonders simplie are but naturall But Miracles meere Metaphysicall But be it that some Begger can extract By distillation or some other meane The Quintessence of any thing That Acte Suffiseth him to be as prowde as meane And though the starueling be as lewd as leane Yet thinkes he Kings should feede and make him fat Nay doe him homage O base Thing vncleane Canst thou for this thinke thou deservest that Or can a skill so base thee so inflate What Brest coulde bound thy Heart then if thou couldst Make the Elixer which so many marre It 's past most probable◠that then thou wouldst Seeke to be Deifide or els turne starre That Dull-heades might adore thee from afarre It is a skill indeede of rich esteeme And worthy of the rar'st Philosopher But could one doe the same as many seeme Yet no great wise one he himselfe should deeme For al his wits to this should be restrain'd Sith to worke wonders the whole man requires And though at length perhaps he it attain'd Yet should he bee to seeke that VVit desires In other matters then these feates by fires Sage Salomon whose wisedome wonder wan Knew al in all which all in one admires Yet knew that all was vaine and he a man Vainer then Vanitie that nothing can Our knowledge is so slender and so fraile That the least pride cannot depend thereon Pride breaks our Cōnings necke which oft doth faile To hold aright the nature of one Stone Much lesse to know the kindes of ev'ry one Compare the All we know with the least part Of that we know not wee shall see alone That God is wise And men are voide of Art And blinde in wit and will in Minde and Hart. Be he a Pleader and a wordie Man Whose VVinde the true Elixer is for it The Aire to Aurum transmute lightly can If once he gets a name for law-ful wit Hee thinkes high pride for him alone is fit Convoies of Angels then must help the most Vnto his speech for he makes benefit Of ev'ry word for not one shal be lost Or if it be the next shall quit that cost Vp goe his Babell-Towres of Pompe and Pride That to the High'st he may next neighbour be No neighbour neeres him his grounds are so wide Then not a Nod without a treble fee An Angell though most bright he cannot see And yet to know the Law is but to know How Men should liue and without Law agree Which Reason to the simplest Soule doth show Then pride is farre too high for skill so low But though the Lawyer liues by others losse And hath no place in Platoes Common-weale Yet if he will not crosse Law for the crosse That no Man hates but all doe loue to feele Hee 's worthy of the Crosse sweete Comforts Seale For Lawyers ought like Lawes to make Men good And who are in the wronge or Right reveale Then are they worthy of al liuelyhood That make men liue in perfect Brotherhood But that a Petti-fogging prating patch That gropes the Law for nothing but for Galles Should be so prowde as if he had no match For tossing Lawes as they were Tennis Bals This vexeth God and Good-men at the Galles Yet such there are too many such there are Who are the Seedes-men of Litigious Bralls And are so prowde that by the Lawes they dare Contend with Crassus though they nought cāspare I graunt the Law to bee an holy thing Worthy of reverence and all regard But the abuse of Law and so of King By such as will abuse both for reward Is dam'd hard tearme yet that course is more hard Can such finde patrones such course to protect They can and doe but would they might be barr'd From Barres or that ore Barres they might be peckt El◠at Barres with as hard a doome be checkt Hinc ille Lachrymae ô griefe of griefes My Muse be
mute defile not thine owne Nest O let the longest Largs be shortest Briefes In this discordant Note and turne the VVrest So that this Note by thee bee nere exprest Canst thou my Muse canst thou my cruel Muse Make Men the Muses Minions detest Forbeare forbeare thy Soules loue to abuse Or touch that tenderly which thou dost vse I st possible a Poet should bee proude That for the most part is past passing poore That can paint Vice with without a Cloude And be'ng most vgly make her vgly more Can he be proude only proude therfore It cannot be in sense and Poets are Sense-masters subtilized by their Lore Yet t is too true that scarse one Poet rare Is free frō Pride though Back be leane as bare I cannot but confesse the Skill's divine For holy Raptures must the Head entrance Before the Hand can draw one lasting Line That can the glory of the Muse advance And sacred Furies with the thoughts must dance To leade them Measures of a stately kinde Or iocond Gigges Then if Pride with them prance Shee wil be foremost then shame comes behinde Both which disgrace the motions of the minde Wilt thou be lofty Muse then scale the Mount Where Ioues high Alter stands and on the same Offer thou lowly that which doth surmount The reach of Vulgars in no vulgar Flame There sacrifize to Ioue thy fairest fame In lowest depth of high'st humilitie Humility that can advance thy name To highest height of immortalitie Embosom'd by diuinest Dëitie Art great with yonge with numbers infinite The least of which hath pow'r to peirce the Skie Yet lowly be that the wombe of thy VVitt That rare Conception may yeeld readilie Their mother so to glad and glorifie Thou art from Heav'n my Muse thē be thou such As Heau'nly be ful of humilitie Is thy skill much be meeke then more thē much For Pride's most dam'd that heav'nly thinges doth touch Plunge thee ore head and eares in Helicon Dyue to the Bottome of that famous Fludd Although it were as deepe as Acheron Thēce make thy fame vp-dive although withstood With weeds of Ignorance Envies Mudd But though thy fame faire Sol should equalize For height and glorie yet let al thy good Consist in that If thou woul'st thou could'st rise But lou'st bum-basted mountings to dispise Yet let me giue this Caesar but his due Caesar of speech that monarchizeth Eares Sweete Poesie that can al Soules subdue To Passions causing ioy or forcing Teares And to it selfe each glorious sp'rite endeeres It is a speech of most maiestike state As by a wel-pen'd Poëm wel appeeres Thē Prose more cleanely coucht dilicate And if wel done shal liue a longer Date For it doth flow more fluent frō the Tonge In which respect it wel may tearmed be Having a Cadence musicall among A speech melodious ful of harmonee Or Eare-enchanting matchlesse melodee Succinct it is and easier to retaine Sith with our sp'rits it better doth agree Then that which tedious ambage doth containe Albe't the VVitt therein did more then raigne It s deckt with Coulors fresh and figures fine Which doth the Iudgment ay inveagle so Making the Eare to it of force incline That Iudgment often doth her selfe forgoe And like VVaxe bends Opinion to and fro In Prose the speech is not so voluble Because the Tongue in numbers doth not flo Ne yet the accent halfe so tunable Then to our spirites much lesse sutable And for it s ofter vs'd it cloies the Eare Be'ng not contriv'd with Measures musicall And not alow'd that beauty Verse doth beare Nor yet the Cadence so harmonicall Much lesse the relish so Angelicall It s not adorn'd with choise of such sweete VVordes VVords that haue pow'r to sweeten bitter'st Gall Nor licence't that fine Phrase Arte Verse affords Which makes huge Depthes oft times of shallow Foorde◠◠Therfore the Poets from the VVorlds first Age As best persuaders whose sweete Eloquence They playing best partes on this Earthly Stage Was the first retorick borne of Sapience That glorie giues to VVisedomes influence Herehence it came that divine Oracles Apollos speech of highest excellence Were stil exprest in measur'd Syllables The voice of VVisdomes truest Vocables In which respect t' was meet'st to make Records Of memorable Accidents of Time Of Princes liues and actions of great Lordes Which Poets first did Chronicle in Rime And farre aboue Chronography did clyme For they were first of al that did observe Though Poets now are neither flush nor Prime The workes of Nature for Mans vse to serve But now gainst Nature their works make thē sterve They searcht the causes of things generable VVith their effects and distinct properties And made them by their skill demonstrable Mounting from thence vnto the loftie skies To note their motions and what in them lies They first did finde the Heav'ns plurality And how they did each other so comprise That in their motion they made melody Caus'd by their closnesse and obduracy Yea sought to finde each substance seperate And in their search they were most curious Of divine Essenses to know the state VVhich having found◠were most laborious Them to expresse in Poems precious They were therefore the first Astronomers◠That travell'd through the Heau'ns from house to house First Metaphisicks and Philosophers Vnfolding Heav'n Earth Sun Moone Starre◠Thus much for Poets and sweete Poesie In whose praise never can be said too much Yet Pride their praise may blemish vtterly For she defiles like pitch what she doth tuch And maks both heau'n earth at it to grutch For no Perfection can be toucht with pride But it wil looke as if it vvere not such Deform'd in fauour which none can abide For Grace is base being thus double dide But that which grates my Galle and mads my Muse Is ah that ever such iust cause should Bee To see a Player at the put-downe stewes Put vp his Peacockes Taile for al to see And for his hellish voice as prowde as hee What Peacocke art thou prowd Wherfore because Thou Parrat-like canst speake what is taught thee A Poet must teach thee from clause to clause Or thou wilt breake Pronunciations Lawes Lies al thy vertue in thy Tongue stil taught And yet art prowd alas poore skum of pride Peacocke looke to thy legs and be not haught No patience can least pride in thee abide Looke not vpon thy Legs from side to side To make thee prowder though in Buskine fine Or silke in graine the same be beautifide For Painters though they haue no skil divine Can make as faire a legge or limbe as thine Good God! that euer pride should stoope so low That is by nature so exceeding hie Base pride didst thou thy selfe or others know Wouldst thou in harts of Apish Actors lie That for a Cue wil sel their Qualitie Yet they through thy
â—o traÌ„sgres theÌ„ a They that favor sin are aâ— worthye of death as they that coÌ„mit the sin Rom 1.31 The way by precepts is obscure long but by exampleâ— shoâ—te plaine Senec. b Princes and Priests ought to be the Exchequers of Gods inestimable Graces c Good works ar much more perswasiue to good life theÌ„ good wordes d Good life is the effect and glory of the church militaÌ„t of the good Pastors thereof Blessed is the Prince Priest whose liues serue for vnwriâ—en law Mâ—s-goveâ—nment â—or the most parte iâ— cauâ—e of rebellion an aâ—gument of the goodnes of ours WilliaÌ„ Duke of Normandy Others harme teach vs to shuÌ„ what caused them Brittanâ— Saxon Dane It is a glorious matter to coÌ„quer but a much more glorious to vse the Conquest well The way to establish a state purchased with the sword A consequent of removing great ones in a newe-conquered kingdome 20 And odde descentes of Kings and Queens since the conquest As this of this Conqueror France Our glory shame Avaâ—ice and Pride the perverters of Peace It is meer madnes to trust the Crown in their handes that long to put it on their owne heads Rich 1. taken prisoner in Austria The sincerest minds may be teÌ„pted aboue their strength by the glitering glosse of a crown lying within reach The Pope interdicted the land By poison as some saie Edward 1. All kings that thought so thrivâ—d the better * WaÌ„ ScotlaÌ„d That which is gotâ—eÌ„ with the Sword must so bee mainetained which little instrument can remooue Obstacâ—es bee they never so gâ—eat or keep them downe that wold rise without permission To rule is as much as to amend that which is amisse or awry b A Prince once in obloquie doe hee wel or ill al is ill taken of his subiects Tacitus Hist. Simil. Claw-backs and Sinn-soothers d The more wealth the more woo if evil imployed Edward 3. The divine Vengeance sleepes not though it wincks Richard of Burdeux One evil corrupteth another and evill put to evill is cause of mutuall destructioÌ„ h God executes his owne iustice by the iniustïce of others i Present pleasures take away the thought of future paine Henry 4. k A Kinge should be able to councell as chiefe councellor and direct as chiefe Captaine Henry 5. l Vengeance attends the 3. and 4 generation of mercilesse maÌ„quellers Henry 6. Rich. Duke of York claimed the crowne in Parliament * No king iâ— but halfe onâ—â— The fruites springing froÌ„ the powâ—e of ParliameÌ„ts to make Kings in England * Germanicus because one or two in the Army had only a purpose to salute him by the name of Emperor was never wel brooked til by his own death he had paide the price of other meÌ„s rashnes Tac Hist. * No wisdome prevailes against Gods decree Edward 4. a The effects of civil warre for looke how much Peace is betâ—er then warr so mâ—ch is â—orraine invasion better then civill dissention b Civill warre tenâ—es to the preiudice of the yet vnborne c Kings houses yeeld many such Vermine d For a poore and hungry Army cannot observe military disciplin Casiodorus e Ambition vpon the least opportunitie setts vpoÌ„ what so ere hinders hir rising f More coÌ„mon weales are ruined for want of good obayers theÌ„ good commanders g Iealousy is glued to loue and to a Crowne h Birth Bequest Laws of God Nature Nations and ReasoÌ„ togeather with all kingly worthines makes good our now kings possession i Neerenesse of blood doth oft put hartes furthest a sunder in Kâ—ngdomes cases k The Lawe it selfe will rather admitt a mischiefe theÌ„ an inconvenience l He alwaies shal be suspected hated of the Prince in possession whoÌ„ men doe account worthy or like to be Prince in succession Tacitus Hist. The Valor fierce courage of the great Cousin displeaseth the iealous Soveraigne Tacit. m All crafty Achitophell-like councels are in showe pleasant in execution hard and in event deadly dangerous n A BaÌ„kerours peace is in civill discord his discord is in peace o Gods Iudgments are inscrutable but none vniust p Iustice equal in quality quantity for Henry 6. and his Sonne were murdered c. q Man ought not to vse maÌ„ prodigally Seneca Richard 3. r Vnder this King to do ill wasâ— not alwaies safeâ— alwaies vnsafe to doe well as Tacitus reports of Neros raigne Princes that tyrannously governe their people haue greater cause to feare good men then theÌ„ that bee evill They which coÌ„teÌ„n peace and covet honour doe lose both peace honor A good cause in publike war like the Cape Bone spei coÌ„ducts to the laÌ„d of triumph Hen. 7. A good prince makâ— war that hee may haue peace and endures labor in hope of rest Salust Eccles. 5 8â— * Where God is praised meÌ„s endevors are blessed * Two things doe establish the Throns of kings prudeÌ„ce pietie the one aâ—earing in their Actions the other in their manners 1. King 3.12 Homer faineth all the Gods to sleep except Iupiter implying ther by the care of a good King for his subiectâ— Princes ought to measure their Actions by the standerd of their Laws as this did Hen. 8. His sword was so successefull as made his neighbours glad of his friendship feareful of his indignation Mercie may haue her excesse in humaÌ„ things Clemency is most daungerous where wheÌ„ soft quiet dealing draweth on more evil then severityâ— * Forrain CoÌ„questes were costly in achiving costly in holding oft no lesse costly then dishonoâ—rable in forgoing * In liberal larges to his friends servants Our Kinges might haue had a double intrest in their subiectes The hearts of Kings are in his hands that disposeth all things to effect his inevitable decrees Beheaded him He knew it was not the speach of a wise man to say who woulde haue thought it Edw. 6. Simil. a For private good b Disorder mother of Confusion c Sedition the plague of perverâ—nesse d Fortune ofteÌ„ reserveth tâ— the hardest chanceâ— them whoÌ„ she advaÌ„ceth to the greatest dignity The fortunate cannot doe ill iâ— they would He is made wise too late that is made wisâ— by his owne hâ—rme and irrecovâ—rable lâ—sâ—e f Dâ—pâ—â—t from thâ—â—e enemies and bewâ—re of thy fâ—iendes Eccle. 6.13 g Frailty is ful of falshood h There is nothing more profitable to mortall men then distrust Euripides i They that stand with all worldes will stand with no world if the world stand not with theÌ„ Queen Mary k Love covers the multitude oâ— sins in our neighboure what should it doe theÌ„ in our Soveraignes that haue more meanes inducemeÌ„ts to sin theÌ„ private peâ—sons l Queene Elizabeth m All that vnderstand the worth of blessed Peace will say Amen to a praier for Peace God will rather heare the Orisons of theÌ„ that pray for Peace theÌ„ the TruÌ„pets that proclaime warres n So often wee play with Gods