vnlesse I saw some hideous storme Too great to be endur'd by such a worme I had not thus presum'd vnto a King With Aesops Fly to seeke an Eagles wing Know I am he that entred once the list Gainst all the world to play the Satyrist T was I that made my measures rough and rude Dance arm'd with whips amidst the multitude And vnappalled with my charmed Scrowles Teaz'd angry Monsters in their lurking holes I 'ue plaid with Waspes and Hornets without feares Till mad they grew and swarm'd about my eares I 'ue done it and me thinkes t is such braue sport I may be stung but nere be sorry for 't For all my griefe is that I was so sparing And had no more in 't worth the name of daring He that will taxe these times must be more bitter Tart lines of Vinegar and Gall are fitter My fingers and my spirits were benum'd My inck ran forth too smooth t was two much gum'd I 'de haue my Pen so paint it where it traces Each accent should draw blood into their faces And make them when their Villanies are blazed Shudder and startle as men halfe amazed For feare my Verse should make so loud a din Heauen hearing might raine vengeance on their sin Oh now for such a straine would Art could teach it Though halfe my spirits I consum'd to reach it I de learne my Muse so braue a course to flie Men should admire the power of Poosie And those that dar'd her greatnesse to resist Quake euen at naming of a Satyrist But when his scourging numbers flow'd with wonder Should cry God blesse vs as they did at thunder Alas my lines came from me too-too dully They did not fill a Satyrs mouth vp fully Hot blood and youth enrag'd with passions store Taught me to reach a straine nere touch'd before But it was coldly done I throughly 〈◊〉 not And somewhat there is yet to doe I did not More soundly could my scourge haue yerked many Which I omitted not for feare of any For want of action discontentments rage Base dis-respect of Vertue in this age With other things which were to Goodnesse wrong Made me so fearelesse in my carelesse Song That had not reason within compasse won me I had told Truth enough to haue vndone me Nay haue already if that her Diuine And vnseene power can doe no more then mine For though fore-seeing warinesse was good I fram'd my stile vnto a milder mood And clogging her high-towring wings with mire Made her halfe earth that was before all fire Though as you saw in a disguised shew I brought my Satyres to the open view Hoping their out-sides being mis-esteem'd They might haue passed but for what they seem'd Yet some whose Comments iumpe not with my minde In that low phrase a higher reach would finde And out of their deepe iudgements seeme to know What 't is vncertaine if I meant or no Ayming thereby out of some priuate hate To worke my shame or ouer-throw my state For amongst many wrongs my foe doth doe me And diuers imputations laide vnto me Deceiued in his ayme he doth mis-conster That which I haue enstil'd a Man-like Monster To meane some priuate person in the State Whose worth I sought to wrong out of my hate Vpbraiding me I from my word doe start Either for want of better Ground or Heart Cause from his expectation I did vary In the denying of his Commentary Whereas t is knowne I meant Abuse the while Not thinking any one could be so vile To merit all those Epithites of shame How euer many doe deserue much blame But say I grant that I had an intent To haue it so as he interprets meant And let my gracious Liege suppose there were One whom the State may haue iust cause to feare Or thinke there were a man and great in Court That had more faults then I could well report Suppose I knew him and had gone about By some particular markes to paint him out That he best knowing his owne faults might see He was the Man I would should noted be Imagine now such doings in this Age And that this man so pointed at should rage Call me in question and by his much threatning By long imprisonment and ill-intreating Vrge a Confession wert not a mad part For me to tell him what lay in my heart Doe not I know a great mans Power and Might In spight of Innocence can smother Right Colour his Villanies to get esteeme And make the honest man the Villaine seeme And that the truth I told should in conclusion For want of Power and Friends be my confusion I know it and the world doth know t is true Yet I protest if such a man I knew That might my Country preiudice or Thee Were he the greatest or the proudest Hee That breathes this day if so it might be found That any good to either might redound So far I le be though Fate against me run From starting off from that I haue begun I vn-appalled dare in such a case Rip vp his foulest Crimes before his face Though for my labour I were sure to drop Into the mouth of Ruine without hope But such strange farre-fetcht meanings they haue sought As I was neuer priuie to in thought And that vnto particulars would tie Which I intended vniuersally Whereat some with displeasure ouer-gone Those I scarce dream'd of saw or thought vpon Maugre those caueats on my Satyrs brow Their honest and iust passage disallow And on their heads so many censures rake That spight of me themselues they 'le guilty make Nor is 't enough to swage their discontent To say I am or to be innocent For as when once the Lyon made decree No horned beast should nigh his presence be That on whose fore-head onely did appeare A bunch of flesh or but some tuft of haire Was euen as farre in danger as the rest If he but said it was a horned beast So there be now who thinke in that their power Is of much force or greater farre then our It is enough to proue a guilt in me Because mistaking they so think 't to be Yet 't is my comfort they are not so high But they must stoope to Thee and Equitie And this I know though prickt they storme agen The world doth deeme them ne're the better men To stirre in filth makes not the stench the lesse Nor doth Truth feare the frowne of Mightinesse Because those numbers she doth daigne to grace Men may suppresse a while but ne're deface I wonder and 't is wondred at by many My harmelesse lines should breed distaste in any And so that whereas most good men approue My labour to be worthy thankes and loue I as a Villaine and my Countries foe Should be imprison'd and so strictly to That not alone my liberty is barr'd But the resort of friends which is more hard And whilst each wanton or loose Rimers Pen With oyly words sleekes o're the sinnes of men Vayling
The Ioy I shall receiue will be made double And if I fall it may some Glory be That none but IOVE himselfe did ruine me Your Maiesties most loyall Subiect and yet Prisoner in the Marshalsey GEORGE WITHER Epithalamia OR NVPTIALL POEMS VPON THE MOST BLESSED AND HAPPY MARRIAGE betweene the High and Mighty Prince Frederick the fifth Count Palatine of the Rhine Duke of Bauier c. AND THE MOST VERTVOVS Gracious and thrice Excellent Princesse Elizabeth Sole Daughter to our dread Soueraigne Iames by the grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. Celebrated at White-Hall the fourteenth of February 1612. Written by George Wither LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge dwelling in Pauls-Church-yard at the signe of the Greene Dragon 1622. TO THE ALL-VERTVOVS AND THRICE EXCELLENT PRINCESSE Elizabeth sole daughter to our dread Soueraigne Iames by the grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland c. AND WIFE TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE FREDERICK the fifth Count Palatine of the Rheine Duke of Bauier c. Elector and Arch-sâ—w er to the sacred Roman Empire during the vacancy Vicar of the same and Knight of the most honorable Order of the Garter George Wither wisheth all the Health Ioyes Honours and Felicities of this World in this life and the perfections of eternity in the World to come To the Christian Readers REaders for that in my booke of Satyricall Essayes I haue been deemed ouer Cynicall to shew that I am not wholly inclined to that Vaine But indeede especially out of the loue which in duty I owe to those incomparable Princes I haue in honour of their Royall Solemnities published these short Epithalamiaes By which you may perceiue how euer the world thinke of me I am not of such a Churlish Constitution but I can afford Vertue her deserued honour and haue as well an affable looke to encourage Honesty as a sterne frowne to cast on Villanie If the Times would suffer me I could be as pleasing as others and perhaps ere long I will make you amends for my former rigor Meane while I commit this vnto your censures and bid you farewell G. W. Epithalamion BRight Northerne Starre and great Mineruaes peere Sweete Lady of this Day Great Britaines deere Loe thy poore Vassall that was erst so rude With his most Rusticke Satyrs to intrude Once more like a poore Siluan now drawes neare And in thy sacred Presence dares appeare Oh let not that sweete Bowe thy Brow be bent To scarre him with a Shaft of discontent One looke with Anger nay thy gentlest Frowne Is twice enough to cast a Greater downe My Will is euer neuer to offend These that are good and what I here intend Your Worth compels me to For lately greeu'd More then can be exprest or well beleeu'd Minding for euer to abandon sport And liue exilde from places of resort Carelesse of all I yeelding to securitie Thought to shut vp my Muse in darke obscuritie And in content the better to repose A lonely Groue vpon a Mountaine chose East from Caer Winn mid-way twixt Arle and Dis True Springs where Britains true Arcadia is But ere I entred my entended course Great Aeolus began to offer force The boisterous King was growne so mad with rage That all the Earth was but his furies stage Fire Ayre Earth Sea were intermixt in one Yet Fire through Water Earth and Ayre shone The Sea as if she ment to whelme them vnder Beat on the Cliffes and rag'd more loud then thunder And whil'st the vales she with salt waues did fill The Aire showr'd flouds that drencht our highest hill And the proud trees that would no dutie know Lay ouer-turned twenties in a Row Yea euery Man for feare fell to Deuotion Lest the whole Ile should haue bin drencht in th' Ocean Which I perceiuing coniur'd vp my Muse The Spirit whose good helpe I sometime vse And though I ment to breake her rest no more I was then faine her aide for to implore And by her helpe indeed I came to know Why both the Ayre and Seas were troubled so For hauing vrg'd her that she would vnfold What cause she knew Thus much at last she told Of late quoth she there is by powers Diuine A match concluded twixt Great Thame and Rhine Two famous Riuers equall both to Nile The one the pride of Europes greatest Ile Th' other disdaining to be closely pent Washes a great part of the Continent Yet with abundance doth the Wants supply Of the still-thirsting Sea that 's neuer dry And now these being not alone endear'd To mightie Neptune and his watrie Heard But also to the great and dreadfull Ioue With all his sacred Companies aboue Both haue assented by their Loues inuiting To grace with their owne presence this Vniting Ioue call'd a Summons to the Worlds great wonder 'T was that we heard of late which we thought thunder A thousand Legions he intends to send them Of Cherubins and Angels to attend them And those strong Windes that did such blustring keepe Were but the Tritons sounding in the Deepe To warne each Riuer petty Streame and Spring Their aide vnto their Soueraigne to bring The Floods and Showres that came so plenteous downe And lay entrencht in euery Field and Towne Were but retainers to the Nobler sort That owe their Homage at the Watrie Court Or else the Streames not pleas'd with their owne store To grace the Thames their Mistris borrowed more Exacting from their neighbouring Dales and Hills But by consent all nought against their wills Yet now since in this stirre are brought to ground Many faire buildings many hundreds drown'd And daily found of broken Ships great store That lie dismembred vpon euery shore With diuers other mischiefes knowne to all This is the cause that those great harmes befall Whilst other things in readinesse did make Hells hatefull Hags from out their prisons brake And spighting at this hopefull match began To wreake their wrath on Ayre Earth Sea and Man Some hauing shapes of Romish shauelings got Spew'd out their venome and began to plot Which way to thwart it others made their way With much diffraction thorough Land and Sea Extreamely raging But Almightie Ioue Perceiues their Hate and Enuie from aboue He 'le checke their furie and in yrons chain'd Their libertie abus'd shall be restrain'd Hee 'le shut them vp from comming to molest The Meriments of Hymens holy feast Where shall be knit that sacred Gordian knot Which in no age to come shall be forgot Which Policie nor Force shall nere vntie But must continue to eternitie Which for the whole Worlds good was fore-decree'd With Hope expected long now come indeed And of whose future glory worth and merit Much I could speake with a prophetike spirit Thus by my Muses deare assistance finding The cause of this disturbance with more minding â—y Countries welfare then my owne content â—nd longing to behold
this Tales euent My lonely life I suddenly forsooke â—nd to the Court againe my lourney tooke Meane-while I saw the furious Windes were laid The risings of the swelling Waters staid The Winter gan to change in euery thing And seem'd to borrow mildnesse of the Spring The Violet and Primrose fresh did grow And as in Aprill trim'd both Cops and rowe The Citie that I left in mourning clad â—rouping as if it would haue still beene sad â— found deckt vp in roabes so neat and trimme â—aire Iris would haue look't but stale and dimme 〈◊〉 her best colours had she there appear'd The Sorrowes of the Court I found well cleer'd Their wofull habits quite cast off and ty'rd 〈◊〉 such a glorious fashion I admir'd All her chiefe Peeres and choisest beauties to 〈◊〉 greater pompe then Mortals vse to doe Wait as attendants Iuno's come to see â—ecause she heares that this solemnitie â—xceeds faire Hippodamia's where the strife Twixt her Minerua and lame Vulcans wife â—id first arise and with her leades along 〈◊〉 noble stately and a mighty throng Venus attended with her rarest features Sweet louely-smiling and heart-mouing creatures The very fairest Iewels of her treasure Able to moue the senceles stones to pleasure Of all her sweetest Saints hath robd their shrines And brings them for the Courtiers Valentines Nor doth Dame Pallas from these triumphs lurke Her noblest wits she freely sets on worke Of late she summond them vnto this place To doe your maskes and Reuels better grace Here Mars himselfe to clad in Armour bright Hath showne his furie in a bloudlesse fight And both on land and water sternely drest Acted his bloudy Stratagems in iest Which to the people frighted by their error With seeming wounds and death did ad more terror Besides to giue the greater cause of wonder Ioue did vouchsafe a ratling peale of thunder Comets and Meteors by the starres exhald Were from the Middle-Region lately cald And to a place appointed made repaire To show their fierie Friscols in the aire People innumerable doe resort As if all Europe here would keepe one Court Yea Hymen in his Safferon-coloured weed To celebrate his rites is full agreed All this I see which seeing makes me borrow Some of their mirth a while and lay downe sorrow And yet not this but rather the delight My heart doth taken in the much hoped sight Of these thy glories long already due And this sweet comfort that my eyes doe view Thy happy Bridegroome Prince Count Palatine Now thy best friend and truest Valentine Vpon whose brow my minde doth reade the storie Of mightie fame and a true future glorie Me thinkes I doe foresee already how Princes and Monarchs at his stirrop how I see him shine in steele the bloudy fields Already won and how his proud foe yeelds God hath ordaind him happinesse great store And yet in nothing is he happy more Then in thy loue faire Princesse For vnlesse Heauen like to Man be prone to ficklenesse Thy Fortunes must be greater in effect Then time makes show of or men can expect Yet notwithstanding all those goods of fate Thy Minde shall euer be aboue thy state For ouer and beside thy proper merit Our last Eliza grants her Noble spirit To be re-doubled on thee and your names Being both one shall giue you both one fames Oh blessed thou and they to whom thou giu'st The leaue for to be attendants where thou liu'st And haplesse we that must of force let goe The matchlesse treasure we esteeme of so But yet we trust 't is for our good and thine Or else thou shouldst not change thy Thame for Rhyne We hope that this will the vniting proue Of Countries and of Nations by your loue And that from out your blessed loynes shall come Another terror to the Whore of Rome And such a stout Achilles as shall make Her tottering Walls and weake foundation shake For Thetis-like thy fortunes doe require Thy Issue should be greater then his fire But Gracious Princesse now since thus it fares And God so well for you and vs prepares Since he hath daign'd such honours for to doe you And showne himselfe so fauourable to you Since he hath chang'd your sorrowes and your sadnes Into such great and vnexpected gladnesse Oh now remember you to be at leasure Sometime to thinke on him amidst your pleasure Let not these glories of the world deceaue you Nor her vaine fauours of yourselfe bereaue you Consider yet for all this Iollitie Y' are mortall and must feele mortalitie And that God can in midst of all your Ioyes Quite dash this pompe and fill you with annoyes Triumphes are fit for Princes yet we finde They ought not wholly to take vp the minde Nor yet to be let passe as things in vaine For out of all things wit will knowledge gaine Musique may teach of difference in degree The best tun'd Common-Weales will framed bee And that he moues and liues with greatest grace That vnto Time and Measure ties his pace Then let these things be Emblemes to present Your minde with a more lasting true content When you behold the infinite resort The glory and the splendor of the Court What wondrous fauours God doth here bequeath you How many hundred thousands are beneath you And view with admiration your great blisse Then with your selfe you may imagine this 'T is but a blast or transitory shade Which in the turning of a hand may fade Honours which you your selfe did neuer winne And might had God been pleas'd anothers binne And thinke if shadowes haue such maiestie What are the glories of eternitie Then by this image of a fight on Sea Wherein you heard the thundring Canons plea And saw flames breaking from their murthering throts Which in true skirmish fling resistlesse shots Your wisedome may and will no doubt begin To cast what perill a poore Souldiers in You will conceaue his miseries and cares How many dangers deaths and wounds he shares Then though the most pass't ouer and neglect them That Rethoricke will moue you to respect them And if hereafter you should hap to see Such Mimick Apes that Courts disgraces be I meane such Chamber-combatants who neuer Weare other Helmet then a Hat of Beuer Or nere board Pinnace but in silken saile And in the steed of boysterous shirts of maile Goe arm'd in Cambrick If that such a Kite I say should scorne an Eagle in your sight Your wisedome iudge by this experience can Which hath most worth Hermaphrodite or Man The nights strange prospects made to feed the eies With Artfull fiers mounted in the skies Graced with horred claps of sulphury thunders May make you minde th' Almighties greater wonders Nor is there any thing but you may thence Reape inward gaine as well as please the Sense But pardon me oh fairest that am bold My heart thus freely plainely to vnfold What though I know you knew all this before My loue this showes and that
Both in shrill hallowes and loud yernings smother Yea the strong mettled and my long-breath'd crew Seeing the game increasing in their view Grew the more frolicke and the courses length Gaue better breath and added to their strength Which Ioue perceiuing for Ioue heard their cries Rumbling amongst the Spheares concauities Hee mark'd their course and courages increase Saying 't were pitty such a chase should cease And therewith swore their mouthes should neuer wast But hunt as long 's mortality did last Soone did they feele the power of his great gift And I began to finde their pace more swift I follow'd and I rated but in vaine Striu'd to o'retake or take them vp againe They neuer stayed since nor nights nor dayes But to and fro still run a thousand wayest Yea often to this place where now I lie They 'l wheele about to cheare me with their cry And one day in good time will vengeance take On some offenders for their Masters sake For know my Friends my freedome in this sort For them I lose and making my selfe sport Willy Why was there any harme at all in this Philarete No Willy and I hope yet none there is Willy How comes it then Philarete Note and I 'le tell thee how Thou know'st that Truth and Innocency now If plac'd with meannesse suffers more despight Then Villainies accompan'ed with might But thus it fell while that my Hounds pursu'd Their noysome prey and euery field lay strew'd With Monsters hurt and slaine vpon a beast More subtile and more noysome then the rest My leane-flanckt Bitch cald Enuy hapt to light And as her wont is did so surely bite That though shee left behinde small outward smart The wounds were deepe and rankled to the hart This joyning to some other that of late Were very eagerly pursu'd by Hate To fit their purpose hauing taken leasure Did thus conspire to worke me a displeasure For imitation farresurpassing Apes They laide aside their Foxe and Woluish shapes And shrowded in the skinnes of harmlesse Sheepe Into by-wayes and open paths did creepe Where they as hardly drawing breath didly Shewing their wounds to euery passer by To make them thinke that they were sheepe so foyl'd And by my Dogges in their late hunting spoyl'd Beside some other that enuy'd my game And for their pastime kept such Monsters tame As you doe know there 's many for their pleasure Keepe Foxes Beares Wolues as some great treasure Yea many get their liuing by them to And so did store of these I speake of do Who seeing that my Kennell had affrighted Or hurt some Vermine wherein they delighted And finding their owne power by much to weake Their Malice on my Innocence to wreake Swolne with the deepest rancour of despight Some of our greatest Shepheards Folds by night They closely entred and there hauing stain'd Their hands in villany of mee they plain'd Affirming without shame or honesty I and my Dogges had done it purposely Whereat they storm'd and cald mee to a tryall Where Innocence preuailes not nor denyall But for that cause heere in this place I lie Where none so merry as my dogges and I. Cuddy Beleeue it heere 's a Tale will suten well For Shepheards in another Age to tell Willy And thou shalt be remembred with delight By this hereafter many a Winters night For of this sport another Age will ring Yea Nymphes that are vnborne thereof shall sing And not a Beauty on our Greenes shall play That hath not heard of this thy hunting day Philarete It may be so for if that gentle Swaine Who wonnes by Tauy on the Westerne plaine Would make the Song such life his Verse can giue Then I doe know my Name might euer liue Alexis But tell me are our Plaines and Nymphs forgot And canst thou frolicke in thy trouble be Philarete Can I Alexis sayst thou Can I not That am resolu'd to scorne more misery Alexis Oh but that youth 's yet greene and young bloud hot And liberty must needs be sweet to thee But now most sweet whil'st euery bushy Vale And Groue and Hill rings of the Nightingale Me thinkes when thou remembrest those sweet layes Which thou would'st leade thy Shepheardesse to heare Each Euening tyde among the Leauy sprayes The thought of that should make thy freedome deare For now whil'st euery Nymph on Holy-dayes Sports with some iolly Lad and maketh cheere Thine sighes for thee and mew'd vp from resort Will neither play her selfe nor see their sport Those Shepheards that were many a Morning wont Vnto their Boyes to leaue the tender Heard And beare thee company when thou didst hunt Me thinkes the sport thou hast so gladly shar'd Among those Swaynes should make thee thinke vpon 't For 't seemes all vaine now that was once indear'd It cannot be since I could make relation How for lesse cause thou hast beene deepe in passion Philarete 'T is true my tender heart was euer yet Too capable of such conceits as these I neuer saw that Obiect but from it The Passions of my Loue I could encrease Those things which moue not other men a whit I can and doe make vse of if I please When I am sad to sadnesse I apply Each Bird and Tree and Flowre that I passe by So when I will be merry I aswell Something for mirth from euery thing can draw From Miserie from Prisons nay from Hell And as when to my minde griefe giues a flaw Best comforts doe but make my woes more fell So when I 'me bent to Mirth from mischiefes paw Though ceas'd vpon me I would something cull That spight of care should make my ioyes more full I feele those wants Alexis thou doest name Which spight of youths affections I sustaine Or else for what is 't I haue gotten Fame And am more knowne then many an elder Swaine Iâ— such desires I had not learn'd to tame Since many pipe much better on this Plaine But tune your Reedes and I will in a Song Expresse my Care and how I take this Wrong Sonnet I That ere'st-while the worlds sweet Ayre did draw Grac'd by the fairest euer Mortall saw Now closely pent with walles of Ruth-lesse stone Consume my Dayes and Nights and all alone When I was wont to sing of Shepheards loues My walkes were Fields and Downes and Hils and Groues But now alas so strict is my hard doome Fields Downes Hils Groues and al 's but one pooreroome Each Morne as soone as Day-light did appeare With Natures Musicke Birds would charme mine eare Which now instead of their melodious straines Heare ratling Shackles Gyues and Boults and Chaines But though that all the world's delight forsake me I haue a Muse and she shall Musicke make me Whose ayrie Notes in spight of closest cages Shall giue content to me and after ages Nor doe I passe for all this outward ill My hearts the same and undeiected still And which is more then some in freedome winne I haue truerest and peace and ioy
consume the sullen Night She doth for my comfort stay And keepes many cares away Though I misle the flowry Fields With those sweets the Spring-tyde yeelds Though I may not see those Groues Where the Shepheards chant their Loues And the Lasses more excell Then the sweet voyc'd Philomel Though of all those pleasures past Nothing now remaines at last But Remembrance poore reliefe That more makes then mends my griefe Shee 's my mindes companion still Maugre Enuies euill will Whence she should be driuen to Wer 't in mortals power to do She doth tell me where to borrow Comfort in the midst of sorrow Makes the desolatest place To her presence be a grace And the blackest discontents To be pleasing ornaments In my former dayes of blisse Her diuine skill taught me this That from euery thing I saw I could some inuention draw And raise pleasure to her height Through the meanest obiects sight By the murmure of a spring Or the least boughes rusteling By a Dazie whose leaues spred Shut when Tytan goes to bed Or a shady bush or tree She could more infuse in mee Then all Natures beauties can In some other wiser man By her helpe I also now Make this churlish place allow Some things that may sweeten gladnes In the very gall of sadnes The dull loannesse the blacke shade That these hanging vaults haue made The strange Musicke of the waues Beating on these hollow Caues This blacke Den which Rocks embosse Ouer-growne with eldest Mosse The rude Portals that giue light More to Terror then Delight This my Chamber of Neglect Wall'd about with Disrespect From all these and this dull ayre A fit obiect for Despaire She hath taught me by her might To draw comfort and delight Therefore thou best earthly blisse I will cherish thee for this Poesie thou sweetest content That e're Heau'n to mortals lent Though they as a trifle leaue thee Whose dull thoughts cannot conceiue thee Though thou be to them a scorne That to nought but earth are borne Let my life no longer be Then I am in loue with thee Though our wise ones call thee madnesse Let me neuer taste of gladnesse If I loue not thy mad'st fits More then all their greatest wits And though some too seeming holy Doe account thy raptures folly Thou dost teach me to contemne What make Knaues and Fooles of them Oh high power that oft doth carry Men aboue Willie Good Philarete tarry I doe feare thou wilt be gon Quite aboue my reach anon The kinde flames of Poesie Haue now borne thy thoughts so high That they vp in Heauen be And haue quite forgotten me Call thy selfe to minde againe Are these Raptures for a Swaine That attends on lowly Sheepe And with simple Heards doth keepe Philarete Thankes my Willie I had runne Till that Time had lodg'd the Sunne If thou had'st not made me stay But thy pardon here I pray Lou'd Apolo's sacred sire Had rais'd vp my spirits higher Through the loue of Poesie Then indeed they vse to flye But as I said I say still If that I had Willi's skill Enuie nor Detractions tongue Should ere make me leaue my song But I 'de sing it euery day Till they pin'd themselues away Be thou then aduis'd in this Which both iust and sitting is Finish what thou hast begun Or at least still forward run Haile and Thunder ill hee ' l beare That a blast of winde doth feare And if words will thus afray thee Prethee how will deeds dismay thee Doe not thinke so rathe a Song Can passe through the vulgar throng And escape without a touch Or that they can hurt it much Frosts we see doe nip that thing Which is forward'st in the Spring Yet at last for all such lets Somewhat of the rest it gets And l'me sure that so maist thou Therefore my kind Willie now Since thy folding time drawes on And I see thou must be gon Thee I earnestly beseech To remember this my speech And some little counsell take For Philarete his sake And I more of this will say If thou come next Holy-day FINIS The Shepheards Hunting The fifth Eglogue THE ARGVMENT Philaret Alexis moues To embrace the Muses loues Bids him neuer carefull seeme Of anothers dis-esteeme Since to them it may suffice They themselues can iustly prize PHILARETE ALEXIS Philarete ALexis if thy worth doe not disdaine The humble friendship of a meaner Swaine Or some more needfull businesse of the day Vrge thee to be too hasty on thy way Come gentle Shepheard rest thee here by mee Beneath the shadow of this broad leau'd tree For though I seeme a stranger yet mine eye Obserues in thee the markes of courtesie And if my iudgement erre not noted to More then in those that more would seeme to doe Such Vertues thy rare modesty doth hide Which by their proper luster I espy'd And though long maskt in silence they haue beene I haue a Wisedome through that silence seene Yea I haue learned knowledge from thy tongue And heard when thou hast in concealement sung Which me the bolder and more willing made Thus to inuite thee to this homely shade And though it may be thou couldst neuer spie Such worth in me I might be knowne thereby In thee I doe for here my neighbouring Sheepe Vpon the border of these Downes I keepe Where often thou at Pastorals and Playes Hast grac'd our Wakes on Summer Holy-dayes And many a time with thee at this cold spring Met I to heare your learned shepheards sing Saw them disporting in the shady Groues And in chaste Sonnets wooe their chaster Loues When I endued with the meanest skill Mongst others haue been vrg'd to tune my quill But cause but little cunning I had got Perhaps thou saw'st me though thou knew'st me not Alexis Yes Philaret I know thee and thy name Nor is my knowledge grounded all on fame Art thou not he that but this other yeere Seard'st all the Wolues and Foxes in the Sheere And in a match at Foot-ball lately tride Hauing scarce twenty Satyrs on thy side Held'st play and though assailed kept'st thy stand Gainst all the best-tride Ruffians in the Land Did'st thou not then in dolefull Sonnets mone When the beloued of great Pan was gone And at the wedding of faire Thame and Rhine Sing of their glories to thy Valentine I know it and I must confesse that long In one thing I did doe thy nature wrong For till I mark'd the ayme thy Satyrs had I thought them ouer-bold and thee halfe mad But since I did more neerely on thee looke I soone perceiu'd that I all had mistooke I saw that of a Cynicke thou mad'st show Where since I finde that thou wert nothing so And that of many thou much blame had'st got When as thy Innocency deseru'd it not But that too good opinion thou hast seem'd To haue of me not so to be esteem'd Preuailes not ought to stay him who doth feare He rather should reproofes then prayses heare 'T
Cupids fancies blam'd That was so cold so hard to be inflam'd Am I my selfe or is my selfe that Shee Who from this Thraldome or such falshoods free Late own'd mine owne heart and full merry then Did fore-warne others to beware of Men And could not hauing taught them what to doe Now learne my selfe to take heede of you to Foole that I am I feare my guerdon's iust In that I knew this and presum'd to trust And yet alas for ought that I could tell One sparke of goodnesse in the world might dwell And then I thought If such a thing might be Why might not that one sparke remaine in thee For thy faire out-side and thy fayrer tongue Did promise much although thy yeares were young And Vertue wheresoeuer she be now Seem'd then to sit enthron'd vpon thy brow Yea sure it was but whether 't were or no Certaine I am and was perswaded so Which made me loth to thinke that words of fashion Could be so fram'd so ouer-laid with Passion Or sighes so feeling fain'd from any brest Nay say thou hadst been false in all the rest Yet from thy eye my heart such notice tooke Me thought guile could not faine so sad a looke But now I 'ue try'd my bought experience knowes They oft are worst that make the fairest showes And howsoe're men faine an outward grieuing 'T is neither worth respecting nor belieuing For she that doth one to her mercy take Warmes in her bosome but a frozen snake Which heated with her fauours gather sence And stings her to the heart in recompence But tell me why and for what secret spight You in poore womens miseries delight For so it seemes else why d' yee labour for That which when 't is obtained you abhor Or to what end doe you endure such paine To win our loue and cast it off againe Oh that we either your hard hearts could borrow Or else your strengths to helpe vs beare our sorrow But we are cause of all this griefe and shame And we haue none but our owne selues to blame For still we see your falshood for our learning Yet neuer can haue power to tak 't for warning But as if borne to be deluded by you We know you trustlesse and yet still we try you Alas what wrong was in my power to doe thee Or what despight haue I er'e done vnto thee That thou shouldst chuse Me aboue all the rest To bethy scorne and thus be made a iest Must mens il natures such true villaines proue them To make thē wrong those most that most do loue them Couldst thou finde none in Countrey Towne or Court But onely Me to make thy Foole thy sport Thou knowst I haue no wanton courses runne Nor seemed easie vnto lewdnesse wonne And though I cannot boast me of much wit Thou saw'st no signe of fondnesse in me yet Nor did ill nature euer so ore-sway me To flout at any that did woe or pray me But grant I had been guilty of abusage Of thee I 'me sure I ne're deseru'd such vsage But thou wert grieued to behold my smilings When I was free from loue and thy beguilings Or to what purpose else didst thou bestow Thy time and study to delude me so Hast thou good parts and dost thou bend them all To bring those that ne're hated thee in thrall Prethee take heed although thou yet inioy'st them They 'l be tooke from thee if thou so imploy'st them For though I wish not the least harme to thee I feare the iust Heauens will reuenged be Oh! what of Mee by this time had become If my desires with thine had hapt to rome Or I vnwisely had consented to What shamelesse once thou didst attempt to doe I might haue falne by those immodest trickes Had not some power beene stronger then my Sex And if I should haue so been drawne to folly I saw thee apt enough to be vnholy Or if my weakenesse had beene prone to sinne I poorely by thy strength had succour'd bin You Men make vs belieue you doe but try And that 's your part you say ours to deny Yet I much feare if we through frailty stray There 's few of you within your bounds will stay But maugre all your seeming Vertue be As ready to forget your selues as we I might haue fear'd thy part of loue not strong When thou didst offer me so base a wrong And that I after loath'd thee not did proue In mee some extraordinary Loue. For sure had any other but in thought Presum'd vnworthily what thou hast sought Might it appeare I should doe thus much for him With a scarce reconciled hate abhorre him My young experience neuer yet did know Whether desire might range so farre or no To make true Louers carelesly request What rash enioyning makes them most vnblest Or blindly thorow frailty giue consenting To that which done brings nothing but repenting But in my iudgement it doth rather proue That they are fir'd with lust then warm'd with loue And if it be for proofe men so proceed It shewes a doubt else what doe tryals neede And where is that man liuing euer knew That false distrust could be with loue that 's true Since the meere cause of that vnblam'd effect Such an opinion is that hates suspect And yet thee and thy loue I will excuse If thou wilt neither me nor mine abuse For I le suppose thy passion made thee proffer That vnto me thou to none else wouldst offer And so thinke thou if I haue thee deni'd Whom I more lou'd then all men else beside What hope haue they such fauour to obtaine That neuer halfe so much respect could gaine Such was my loue that I did value thee Aboue all things below eternity Nothing on Earth vnto my heart was nearer No Ioy so prized nor no Iewell dearer Nay I doe feare I did Idolatrize For which Heauens wrath inflicts these miseries And makes the things which were for blessings lent To be renewers of my discontent Where was there any of the Naiades The Dryad's or the Hamadryades Which of the Brittish shires can yeeld againe A mistresse of the Springs or Wood or Plaine Whose eye enioy'd more sweet contents then mine Till I receiu'd my ouerthrow by thine Where 's she did more delight in Springs and Rils Where 's she that walk'd more Groues or Downs or Hils Or could by such faire artlesse prospect more Adde by conceit to her contentments store Then I whilst thou wert true and with thy Graces Didst giue a pleasing presence to those places But now What is What was hath ouerthrowne My Rose deckt allies now with Rue are strowne And from those flowers that honyed vse to be I sucke nought now but iuyce to poyson mee For eu'n as she whose gentle spirit can raise To apprehend Loues noble mysteries Spying a precious Iewell richly set Shine in some corner of her Cabenet Taketh delight at first to gaze vpon The pretty lustre of the sparkling stone And pleas'd in
my cause but see my fatall curse Sure I was either mad or somewhat worse For I saw Vices followers brauely kept In Silkes they walkt on beds of Downe they slept Richly they fed on dainties euermore They had their pleasure they had all things store Whil'st Vertue begg'd yea fauours had so many I knew they brook 't not to be touch'd of any Yet could not I like other men be wise Nor learne for all this how to temporize But must with too much honesty made blind Vpbraid this loued darling of mankind Whereas I might haue better thriu'd by fayning Or if I could not chuse but be complaining More safe I might haue rail'd on Vertue sure Because her louers and her friends are fewer I might haue brought some other things to passe Made Fidlers Songs or Ballads like an Asse Or any thing almost indeed but this Yet since 't is thus l'me glad 't is so amisse Because if I am guilty of a crime 'T is that wherein the best of euery time Hath beene found faulty if they faulty be That doe reproue Abuse and villany For what I 'me taxt I can examples show In such old Authors as this State allow And I would faine once learne a reason why They can haue kinder vsage here then I I muse men doe not now in question call Seneca Horace Persius Inuenall And such as they Or why did not that Age In which they liued put them in a Cage If I should say that men were iuster then I should neere hand be made vnsay't agen And therefore sure I thinke I were as good Leaue it to others to be vnderstood Yet I as well may speake as deeme amisse For such this Ages curious cunning is I scarcely dare to let mine heart thinke ought For there be some will seeme to know my thought Who may out-face me that I thinke awry When there 's no witnesse but my Conscience by And then I likely am as ill to speed As if I spake or did amisse indeed Yet lest those who perhaps may malice this Interpret also these few lines amisse Let them that after thee shall reade or heare From a rash censure of my thoughts forbeare Let them not mold the sense that this containes According to the forming of their braines Or thinke I dare or can here taxe those Peeres Whose Worths their Honours to my soule endeares Those by whose loued-fear'd Authority I am restrained of my liberty For lest there yet may be a man so ill To haunt my lines with his blacke Coment still In hope my lucke againe may be so good To haue my words once rightly vnderstood This I protest that I doe not condemne Ought as vniust that hath been done by them For though my honest heart not guilty be Of the least thought that may disparage me Yet when such men as I shall haue such foes Accuse me of such crimes to such as those Till I had meanes my Innocence to show Their Iustice could haue done no lesse then so Nor haue I such a proud conceited wit Or selfe-opinion of my knowledge yet To thinke it may not be that I haue run Vpon some Errors in what I haue done Worthy this punishment which I endure I say I cannot so my selfe assure For 't is no wonder if their Wisedomes can Discouer Imperfections in a man So weake as I more then himselfe doth see Since my sight dull with insufficiencie In men more graue and wiser farre then I Innumerable Errors doth espye Which they with all their knowledge I 'le be bold Cannot or will not in themselues behold But ere I will my selfe accuse my Song Or keepe a Tongue shall doe my Heart that wrong To say I willingly in what I penn'd Did ought that might a Goodmans sight offend Or with my knowledge did insert one word That might disparage a true Honour'd Lord Let it be in my mouth a helpelesse sore And neuer speake to be beleeued more Yet man irresolute is vnconstant weake And doth his purpose oft through frallty breake Lest therefore I by force hereafter may Be brought from this minde and these words vnsay Here to the World I doe proclaime before If e're my resolution be so poore T' is not the Right but Might that makes me doe it Yea nought but fearefull baseuesse brings me to it Which if I still hate as I now detest Neuer can come to harbor in my brest Thus my fault then if they a fault imply Is not alone an ill vnwillingly But also might I know it I entend Not onely to acknowledge but amend Hoping that thou wilt not be so seuere To punish me aboue all other here But for m'intents sake and my loue to Truth Impute my Errors to the heate of Youth Or rather Ignorance then to my Will Which sure I am was good what e're be ill And like to him now in whose place thou art What e're the residue be accept the Heart But I grow tedious and my loue abusd Disturbs my thoughts and makes my lines confus'd Yet pardon me and daigne a gracious eye On this my rude vnfil'd Apologie Let not the bluntnesse of my phrase offend Weight but the matter and not how 't is penn'd By these abrupt lines in my iust defence Iudge what I might say for my innocence And thinke I more could speake that here I spare Because my power suites not to what I dare My vnaffected stile retaines you see Her old Frize-Cloake of young Rusticitiê If others will vse neater tearmes they may Ruder I am yet loue as well as they And though if I would smooth't I cannot doo 't My humbel heart I bend beneath thy foot While here my Muse her discontent doth sing To thee her great Apollo and my King Emploring thee by that high sacred Name By Iustice by those Powers that I could name By whatsoe're may moue entreate I thee To be what thou art vnto all to mee I feare it not yet giue me leaue to pray I may haue foes whose power doth beare such sway If they but say I 'me guilty of offence 'T were vaine for me to pleade my innocence But as the Name of God thou bear'st I trust Thou imitat'st him to in being iust That when the right of Truth thou comm'st to scan Thou l't not respect the person of the man For if thou doe then is my hope vndone The head-long-way to ruine I must runne For whil'st that they haue all the helpes which may Procure their pleasure with my soone decay How is it like that I my peace can win me When all the ayde I haue comes from within me Therefore good King that makst thy bounty shine Sometime on those whose worths are small as mine Oh saue me now from Enuies dangerous shelfe Or make me able and I 'le saue my selfe Let not the want of that make me a scorne To which there are more Fooles then Wise-men borne Let me not for my Meannesse be dispis'd Nor others greatnesse make
their words more priz'd For whatsoe're my outward Fate appeares My Soule 's as good my Heart as great as theirs My loue vnto my Country and to thee As much as his that more would seeme to be And would this Age allow but meanes to show it Those that misdoubt it should ere long time know it Pitty my youth then and let me not lie Wasting my time in fruitlesse miserie Though I am meane I may be borne vnto That seruice which another cannot doe In vaine the little Mouse the Lyon spar'd not She did him pleasure when a greater dar'd not If ought that I haue done doe thee displease Thy misconceiued wrath I will appease Or sacrifice my heart but why should I Suffer for God knowes whom I know not why If that my words through some mistake offends Let them conceiue them right and make amends Or were I guilty of offence indeed One fault they say doth but one pardon need Yet one I had and now I want one more For once I stood accus'd for this before As I remember I so long agon Sung Thame and Rhynes Epithalamion When SHE that from thy Royall selfe deriues Those gracious vertues that best Title giues She that makes Rhine proud of her excellence And me oft minde her reuerence Daign'd in her great good-nature to encline Her gentle care to such a cause as mine And which is more vouchsaf'd her word to cleare Me from all dangers if there any were So that I doe not now intreate or sue For any great boone or request that 's new But onely this though absent from the Land Her former fauour still in force might stand And that her word who present was so deere Might be as powerfull as when she was here Which if I finde and with thy fauour may Haue leaue to shake my loathed bands away As I doe hope I shall and be set free From all the troubles this hath brought on me I le make her Name giue life vnto a Song Whose neuer-dying note shall last as long As there is either Riuer Groue or Spring Or Downe for Sheepe or Shepheards Lad to sing Yea I will teach my Muse to touch a straine That was ne're reach't to yet by any Swaine For though that many deeme my yeeres vnripe Yet I haue learn'd to tune an Oaten Pipe Whereon I 'le try what musicke I can make me Vntill Bellona with her Trumpe awake me And since the world will not haue Vice thus showne By blazing Vertue I will make it knowne Then if the Court will not my lines approue I 'le goe vnto some Mountaine or thicke Groue There to my fellow Shepheards will I sing Tuning my Reede vnto some dancing Spring In such a note that none should dare to trouble it Till the Hils answere and the Woods redouble it And peraduenture I may then goe neare To speake of something thou l't be pleas'd to heare And that which those who now my tunes abhorre Shall reade and like and daigne to loue me for But the meane while oh passe not this suite by Let thy free hand signe me my liberty And if my loue may moue thee more to do Good King consider this my trouble to Others haue found thy fauour in distresse Whose loue to thee and thine I thinke was lesse And I might fitter for thy seruice liue On what would not be much for thee to giue And yet I aske it not for that I feare The outward meanes of life should faile me here For though I want to compasse those good ends Iaime at for my Countrie and my Friends In this poore state I can as well content me As if that I had Wealth and Honours lent me Nor for my owne sake doe I seeke to shunne This thraldome wherein now I seeme vndone For though I prize my Freedome more then Gold And vse the meanes to free my selfe from hold Yet with a minde I hope vnchang'd and free Here can I liue and play with miserie Yea in despight of want and slauerie Laugh at the world in all her brauerie Here haue I learn'd to make my greatest Wrongs Matter of Mirth and subiects but for Songs Here can I smile to see my selfe neglected And how the meane mans suite is dis-respected Whil'st those that are more rich and better friended Can haue twice greater faults thrice sooner ended All this yea more I see and suffer to Yet liue content midst discontents I do Which whil'st I can it is all one to me Whether in Prison or abroad it be For should I still lye here distrest and poore It shall not make me breathe a sigh the more Since to my selfe it is indifferent Where the small remnant of my daies be spent But for Thy sake my Countries and my Friends For whom more then my selfe God this life lends I would not could I helpe it be a scorne But if I might liue free as I was borne Or rather for my Mistris vertues sake Faire Vertue of whom most account I make If I can chuse I will not be debas'd In this last action lest She be disgrac'd For 't was the loue of her that brought me to What Spleene nor Enuie could not make me do And if her seruants be no more regarded If enemies of Vice be thus rewarded And I should also Vertues wrongs conceale And if none liu'd to whom she dar'd appeale Will they that doe not yet her worth approue Be euer drawne to entertaine her loue When they shall see him plagu'd as an Offender Who for the loue he beares her doth commend her This may to others more offensiue be Then preiudiciall any way to me For who will his endeauours euer bend To follow her whom there is none will friend Some I doe hope there be that nothing may From loue of Truth and Honesty dismay But who will that shall see my euill Fortune The remedy of Times Abuse importune Who will againe when they haue smother'd me Dare to oppose the face of Villany Whereas he must be faine to vndertake A Combat with a second Lernean Snake Whose euer-growing heads when as he crops Not onely two springs for each one he lops But also he shall see in midst of dangers Those he thought friends turne foes at least-wise stranger More I could speake but sure if this doe faile me I neuer shall doe ought that will auaile me Nor care to speake againe vnlesse it be To him that knowes how heart and tongue agree No nor to liue when none dares vndertake To speake one word for honest Vertues sake But let his will be done that best knowes what Will be my future good and what will not Hap well or ill my spotlesse meaning 's faire And for thee this shall euer be my prayer That thou maist here enioy a long-blest Raigne And dying be in Heauen re-crown'd againe SO now if thou hast daign'd my Lines to heare There 's nothing can befall me that I feare For if thou hast compassion on my trouble
aboue all other places Must be blest with their embraces Reuellers then now forbeare yee And vnto your rests prepare yee Let 's a while your absence borrow Sleep to night and dance to morrow We could well allow your Courting But 't will hinder better sporting They are gone and Night all lonely Leaues the Bride with Bridegroome onely Muse now tell for thou hast power To flie thorough wall or tower What contentments their hearts cheareth And how louely she appeareth And yet doe not tell it no man Rare conceits may so grow common Doe not to the Vulgar show them 'T is enough that thou dost know them Their ill hearts are but the Center Where all misconceiuings enter But thou Luna that dost lightly Haunt our downes and forrests nightly Thou that fauourst generation And art helpe to procreation See their issue thou so cherish I may liue to see it flourish And you Planets in whose power Doth consist these liues of our You that teach vs Diuinations Helpe with all your Constellations How to frame in Her a creature Blest in Fortune Wit and Feature Lastly oh you Angels ward them Set your sacred Spels to gard them Chase away such feares or terrors As not being seeme through errors Yea let not a dreames molesting Make them start when they are resting But THOV chiefly most adored That shouldst onely be implored Thou to whom my meaning tendeth Whether er'e in show it bendeth Let them rest to night from sorrow And awake with ioy to morrow Oh to my request be heedfull Grant them that and all things needfull Let not these my straines of Folly Make true prayer be vnholy But if I haue here offended Helpe forgiue and Ice it mended Daigne me this And if my Muses Hastie issue she peruses Make it vnto her seeme gratefull Though to all the World else hatefull But how er'e yet Soule perseuer Thus to wish her good for euer THus ends the Day together with my Song Oh may the Ioyes there of continue long Let Heauens iust all-seeing sacred power Fauour this happy marriage day of your And blesse you in your chast embraces so We Britains may behold before you goe The hopefull Issue we shall count so deare And whom vnborne his foes already feare Yea I desire that all your sorrowes may Neuer be more then they haue been to day Which hoping for acceptance now I sue And humbly bid your Grace and Court adue I saw the sight I came for which I know Was more then all the world beside could show But if amongst Apolloes Layes you can Be pleas'd to lend a gentle eare to Pan Or thinke your Country Shepheard loues as deare As if he were a Courtier or a Peere Then I that else must to my Cell of paine Will ioyfull turne vnto my flocke againe And there vnto my fellow shepheards tell Why you are lou'd wherein you doe excell And when we driue our flocks a field to graze them So chaunt your praises that it shall amaze them And thinke that Fate hath new recald from death Their still-lamented sweete Elizabeth For though they see the Court but now and then They know desert as well as Greater men And honord Fame in them doth liue or die As well as in the mouth of Maiestie But taking granted what I here intreat At heauen for you my deuotions beat And though I feare fate will not suffer me To doe you seruice where your Fortunes be How ere my skill hath yet despised seem'd And my vnripened wit been misesteem'd When all this costly Showe away shall flit And not one liue that doth remember it If Enuies trouble let not to perseuer I 'le find a meanes to make it knowne for euer CERTAINE EPIGRAMS CONCERNING MARRIAGE Epigram 1. T Is said in Marriage aboue all the rest The children of a King finde comforts least Because without respect of Loue or Hate They must and oft be ruled by the State But if contented Loue Religions care Equalitie in State and yeares declare A happie Match as I suppose no lesse Then rare and great 's Elizaes Happinesse Epigram 2. GOd was the first that Marriage did ordaine By making One Two and Two One againe Epigram 3. SOuldier of thee I aske for thou canst best Hauing knowne sorrow iudge of Ioy and Rest What greater blisse then after all thy harmes To haue a wife that 's faire and lawfull thine And lying prison'd 'twixt her Iuory armes There tell what thou hast scapt by powers diuine How many round thee thou hast murthered seene How oft thy soule hath beene neere hand expiring How many times thy flesh hath wounded been Whil'st she thy fortune and thy worth admiring With ioy of health and pitty of thy paine Doth weepe and kisse and kisse and weepe againe Epigram 4. FAire Helen hauing stain'd her husbands bed And mortall hatred 'twixt two Kingdomes bred Had still remaining in her so much good That Heroes for her lost their dearest blood Then if with all that ill such worth may last Oh what is she worth that 's as faire and chast Epigram 5. OLd Orpheus know a good wiues worth so well That when his dy'd he followed her to hell And for her losse at the Elizean Groue He did not onely Ghosts to pitty moue But the sad Poet breath'd his sighes so deepe 'T is said the Diuels could not chuse but weepe Epigram 6. LOng did I wonder and I wonder much Romes Church should from her Clergie take that due Thought I why should she that contentment grutch What doth she all with continence indue No But why then are they debar'd that state Is she become a foe vnto her owne Doth she the members of her body hate Or is it for some other cause vnshowne Oh yes they find a womans lips so dainty They tye themselues from one cause they 'l haue twenty Epigram 7. VVOmen as some men say vnconstant be 'T is like enough and so no doubt are men Nay if their scapes we could so plainely see I feare that scarce there will be one for ten Men haue but their owne lusts that tempt to ill Women haue lusts and mens allurements to Alas if their strengths cannot curbe their will What should poore women that are weaker do Oh they had need be chast and looke about them That striue ' gainst lust within and knaues without them FINIS THE SHEPHEARDS HVNTING Being certaine Eglogues written during the time of the Authors Imprisonment in the Marshalsey By George Wither Gentleman LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge dwelling in Pauls-Church-yard at the signe of the Greene Dragon 1622. To those Honoured Noble and right Vertuous Friends my Visitants in the Marshalsey And to all other my vnknowne Fauourers who either priuately or publikely wished me well in my imprisonment NOble Friends you whose vertues made me first in loue with Vertue and whose worths made mee be thought worthy of your loues I haue now at last you see by Gods assistance and your
this Mortall breath So Seules on Meditations liue And shunne thereby immortall death Nor art thou euer neerer rest Then when thou find'st me most opprest First thinke my Soule If I haue Foes That take a pleasure in my care And to procure these outward woes Haue thus entrapt me vnaware Thou should'st by much more carefull bee Since greater foes lay waite for thee Then when Mew'd vp in grates of steele Minding those ioyes mine eyes doe misse Thou find'st no torment thou do'st feele So grieuous as Priuation is Muse how the Damn'd in flames that glow Pine in the losse of blisse they know Thou seest there 's giuen so great might To some that are but clay as I Their very anger can affright Which if in any thou espie Thus thinke If Mortals frownes strike feare How dreadfull will Gods wrath appeare By my late hopes that now are crost Consider those that firmer be And make the freedome I haue lost A meanes that may remember thee Had Christ not thy Redeemer bin What horrid thrall thou had'st been in These yron chaines these bolts of steele Which other poore offenders grind The wants and cares which they doe feele May bring some greater thing to mind For by their griefe thou shalt doe well To thinke vpon the paines of Hell Or when through me thou seest a Man Condemn'd vnto a mortall death How sad he lookes how pale how wan Drawing with feare his panting breath Thinke if in that such griefe thou see How sad will Goe yee cursed be Againe when he that fear'd to Dye Past hope doth see his Pardon brought Reade but the ioy that 's in his eye And then conuey it to thy thought There thinke betwixt thy heart and thee How sweet will Come yee blessed bee Thus if thou doe though closed here My bondage I shall deeme the lesse I neither shall haue cause to feare Nor yet bewaile my sad distresse For whether liue or pine or dye We shall haue blisse eternally Willy Trust me I see the Cage doth some Birds good And if they doe not suffer too much wrong Will teach them sweeter descants then the wood Beleeue 't I like the subiect of thy Song It shewes thou art in no distempred mood But cause to heare the residue I long My Sheepe to morrow I will neerer bring And spend the day to heare thee talk and sing Yet e're we part Philarete areed Of whom thou learnd'st to make such songs as these I neuer yet heard any Shepheards reede Tune in mishap a straine that more could please Surely Thou do'st inuoke at this thy neede Some power that we neglect in other layes For heer 's a Name and words that but few swaines Haue mention'd at their meeting on the Plaines Philarete Indeed 't is true and they are sore to blame They doe so much neglect it in their Songs For thence proceedeth such a worthy fame As is not subiect vnto Enuies wrongs That is the most to be respected name Of our true Pan whose worth sits on all tongues And what the ancient Shepheards vse to prayse In sacred Anthemes vpon Holy-dayes Hee that first taught his Musicke such a straine Was that sweet Shepheard who vntill a King Kept Sheepe vpon the hony-milky Plaine That is inrich't by Iordans watering He in his troubles eas'd the bodies paines By measures rais'd to the Soules rauishing And his sweet numbers onely most diuine Gaue first the being to this Song of mine Willy Let his good spirit euer with thee dwell That I might heare such Musicke euery day Philarete Thankes Swaine but harke thy Weather rings his Bell. And Swaines to fold or homeward driue away Willy And you goes Cuddy therefore fare thou well I 'le make his Sheepe for mee a little stay And if thou thinke it fit I 'le bring him to Next morning hither Philarete Prethee Willy do FINIS The Shepheards Hunting The second Eglogue THE ARGVMENT Cuddy here relates how all Pitty Philarete's thrall Who requested doth relate The true cause of his estate Which broke off because 't was long They begin a three man Song WILLY CVDDY PHILARETE Willy LO Philaret thy old friend heere and I Are come to visit thee in these thy Bands Whil'st both our Flocks in an Inclosure by Doe picke the thin grasse from the fallowed lands He tels me thy restraint of liberty Each one throughout the Country vnderstands And there is not a gentle-natur'd Lad On all these Downes but for thy sake is sad Cuddy Not thy acquaintance and thy friends alone Pitty thy close restraint as friends should doe But some that haue but seene thee for thee moane Yea many that did neuer see thee to Some deeme thee in a fault and most in none So diuers wayes doe diuers Rumors goe And at all meetings where our Shepheards bee Now the maine Newes that 's extant is of thee Philarete Why this is somewhat yet had I but kept Sheepe on the Mountaines till the day of doome My name should in obscuritie haue slept In Brakes in Briars shrubbed Furze and Broome Into the Worlds wide eare it had not crept Nor in so many mens thoughts found a roome But what cause of my sufferings doe they know Good Cuddy tell me how doth rumour goe Cuddy Faith 't is vncertaine some speake this some that Some dare say nought yet seeme to thinke a cause And many a one prating he knowes not what Comes out with Prouerbes and old ancient sawes As if he thought thee guiltlesse and yet not Then doth he speake halfe Sentences then pawse That what the most would say we may suppose But what to say the Rumour is none knowes Philarete Nor care I greatly for it skils not much What the vnsteady common-people deemes His Conscience doth not alwaies feele least touch That blamelesse in the sight of others seemes My cause is honest and because 't is such I hold it so and not for mens esteemes If they speake iustly well of mee I 'me glad If falsely euill it ne're makes me sad Willy I like that mind but Shepheard you are quite Beside the matter that I long to heare Remember what you promis'd yester-night Youl 'd put vs off with other talke I feare Thou know'st that honest Cuddies heart's vpright And none but he except my selfe is neere Come therefore and betwixt vs two relate The true occasion of thy present state Philarete My Friends I will You know I am a Swaine The kept a poore Flocke on a barren Plaine Who though it seemes I could doe nothing lesse Can make a Song and woe a Shepheardesse And not alone the fairest where I liue Haue heard me sing and fauours daign'd to giue But though I say 't the noblest Nymph of Thame Hath grac'd my Verse vnto my greater fame Yet being young and not much seeking prayse I was not noted out for Shepheards layes Nor feeding Flocks as you know others be For the delight that most possessed me Was hunting Foxes Wolues and Beasts of Prey
Hunting goe quarrell with the Stationer who bid himselfe God-Father and imposed the Name according to his owne liking and if you or hee finde any faults pray mend them Valete FINIS FIDELIA BY GEORGE WITHER GENT LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge dwelling in Pauls-Church-yard at the signe of the Greene Dragon 1622. An Elegiacall Epistle of Fidelia to her vnconstant Friend THE ARGVMENT This Elegiacall Epistle being a fragment of some greater Poeme discouers the modest affections of a discreet and constant Woman shadowed vnder the name of Fidelia wherein you may perceiue the height of their Passions so farre as they seeme to agree with reason and keepe within such decent bounds as beseemeth their Sex but further it meddles not The occasion seemes to proceed from some mutability in her friend whose obiections shee heere presupposing confuteth and in the person of him iustly vpbraideth all that are subiect to the like change or sicklenesse in minde Among the rest some more weightie Arguments then are perhaps expected in such a subiect are briefly and yet somewhat seriously handled OFt I haue heard tel and now for truth I finde Once out of sight and quickly out of minde And that it hath been rightly said of old Loue that 's soon'st hot is euer soonest cold Or else my teares at this time had not stain'd The spotlesse paper nor my lines complain'd I had not now been forced to haue sent These lines for Nuncio's of my discontent Nor thus exchanged so vnhappily My songs of Mirth to write an Elegie But now I must and since I must doe so Let mee but craue thou wilt not flout my woe Nor entertaine my sorrowes with a scoffe But reade at least before thou cast them off And though thy heart 's too hard to haue compassion Oh blame not if thou pitty not my Passion For well thou know'st alas that er'e 't was knowne There was a time although that time be gone I that for this scarce dare a beggar bee Presum'd for more to haue commanded thee Yea the Day was but see how things may change When thou and I haue not been halfe so strange But oft embrac'd each other gently greeting With such kinde words as Turtle Doue or Sweeting Yea had thy meaning and those vowes of thine Prou'd but as faithfull and as true as mine It still had been so for I doe not faine I should rejoyce it might be so againe But sith thy Loue growes cold and thou vnkinde Be not displeas'd I somewhat breath my minde I am in hope my words may proue a mirrour Whereon thou looking may'st behold thine error And yet the Heauen and my sad heart doth know How griu'd I am and with what feeling woe My minde is tortured to thinke that I Should be the brand of thy disloyalty Or liue to be the Author of a line That shall be printed with a fault of thine Since if that thou but slightly touched be Deepe wounds of griefe and shame it strikes in me And yet I must ill hap compels me to What I nere thought to haue had cause to do And therefore seeing that some angry Fate Imposes on mee what I so much hate Or since it is so that the Powers diuine Mee miserable to such cares assigne Oh that Loues patron or some sacred Muse Amongst my Passions would such Art infuse My well-fram'd words and aiery sighs might proue The happy blasts to re-inflame thy loue Or at least touch thee with thy fault so neere That thou might'st see thou wrong'st who held thee deere Seeing confesse the same and so abhorre it Abhorring pitty and repent thee for it But Deare I hope that I may call thee so For thou art deare to mee although a foe Tell mee is 't true that I doe heare of thee And by thy absence true appeares to bee Can such abuse be in the Court of Loue False and inconstant now thou Hee should'st proue He that so wofull and so pensiue sate Vowing his seruice at my feete of late Art thou that quondam louer whose sad eye I seldome saw yet in my presence dry And from whose gentle-seeming tongue I know So many pitty-mouing words could flow Was 't thou so soughtst my loue so seeking that As if it had been all th'hadst aymed at Making me think thy Passion without staine And gently quite thee with my loue againe With this perswasion I so fairely plac'd it Nor Time nor Enuy should haue ere defac'd it Is 't so haue I done thus much and art thou So ouer-cloyed with my fauours now Art wearsed since with louing and estranged So far Is thy affection so much changed That I of all my hopes must be deceyued And all good thoughts of thee be quite bereaued Then true I finde which long before this day I fear'd my selfe and heard some wiser say That there is nought on earth so sweet that can Long relish with the curious taste of Man Happy was I yea well it was with mee Before I came to be bewitch'd by thee I ioy'd the sweet'st content that euer Maid Possessed yet and truely well-a-paid Made to my selfe alone as pleasant mirth As euer any Virgine did on earth The melody I vs'd was free and such As that Bird makes whom neuer hand did touch But vn-allur'd with Fowlers whistling flies Aboue the reach of humane treacheries And well I doe remember often then Could I reade o're the pollicies of men Discouer what vncertainties they were How they would sigh looke sad protest and sweare Nay faigne to die when they did neuer proue The slendrest touch of a right-worthy loue But had chil'd hearts whose dulnesse vnderstood No more of Passion then they did of good All which I noted well and in my minde A generall humour amongst women-kinde This vow I made thinking to keepe it than That neuer the faire tongue of any man Nor his complaint though neuer so much grieu'd Should moue my heart to liking whil'st I liu'd But who can say what she shall liue to do I haue beleeu'd and let in liking to And that so farre I cannot yet see how I may so much as hope to helpe it now Which makes mee thinke what e're we women say Another minde will come another day And that men may to things vnhop'd for clime Who watch but Opportunity and Time For 't is well knowne we were not made of clay Or such course and ill-temper'd stuffe as they For he that fram'd vs of their flesh did daigne When 't was at best to new refine't againe Which makes vs euer since the kinder Creatures Of farre more flexible and yeelding Natures And as wee oft excell in outward parts So wee haue nobler and more gentle hearts Which you well knowing daily doe deuise How to imprint on them your Cruelties But doe I sinde my cause thus bad indeed Or else on things imaginary feed Am I the lasse that late so truly iolly Made my selfe merry oft at others folly Am I the Nymph that
though aim'd with Passions Art Could pierce so deepe to penetrate my hart No name but thine was welcome to my care No word did I so soone so gladly heare Nor euer could my eyes behold or see What I was since delighted in but thee And sure thou wouldst beleeue it to be so If I could tell or words might make thee know How many a weary night my tumbled bed Hath knowne me sleepelesse what salt-teares I 'ue shed What scalding-sighes the markes of soules opprest Haue hourely breathed from my carefull brest Nor wouldst thou deeme those waking sorrowes 〈◊〉 If thou mightst see how sleeping I am paind For if sometimes I chance to take a slumber Vnwelcome dreames my broken rest doth cumber Which dreaming makes me start starting with feares Wakes and so by waking I renew my cares Vntill my eyes ore-tir'd with watch and weeping Drownd in their owne flouds fall againe to sleeping Oh! that thou couldst but thinke when last wee parted How much I grieuing for thy absence smarted My very soule fell sicke my heart to aking As if they had their last Farewels beene taking Or feared by some secret Diuination This thy reuolt and causelesse alteration Didst thou not feele how loth that hand of mine Was to let goe the hold it had of thine And with what heauy what vnwilling looke I leaue of thee and then of comfort tooke I know thou didst and though now thus thou doe I am deceiu'd but then it grieu'd thee to Then if I so with Loues fell passion vext For thy departure onely was perplext When I had left to strengthen me some trust And hope that thou wouldst nere haue prou'd vniust What was my torture then and hard endurance When of thy falshood I receiu'd assurance Alas my Tongue a-while with griefe was dumbe And a cold shuddering did my ioynts benumme Amazement seiz'd my thought and so preuailed I found me ill but knew not what I ailed Nor can I yet tell since my suffering then Was more then could be showne by Poets Pen Or well conceiu'd by any other hart Then that which in such care hath borne a part Oh me how loth was I to haue beleeu'd That to be true for which so much I grieu'd How gladly would I haue perswaded bin There had bin no such matter no such sin I would haue had my heart thinke that I knew To be the very truth not to be true Why may not this thought I some vision be Some sleeping dreame or waking phantasie Begotten by my ouer-blinded folly Or else engendred through my Melancholy But finding it so reall thought I then Must I be cast from all my hopes agen What are become of all those fading blisses Which late my hope had and now so much misses Where is that future fickle happinesse Which I so long expected to possesse And thought I to where are his dying Passions His honied words his bitter lamentations To what end were his Sonnets Epigrams His pretty Posies witty Anagrams I could not thinke all that might haue been fain'd Nor any faith I thought so firme bin stain'd Nay I doe sure and confidently know It is not possible it should be so If that rare Art and Passion was thine owne Which in my presence thou hast often showne But since thy change my much-presaging heart Is halfe afraid thou some impostor wert Or that thou didst but Player-like addrest Act that which flow'd from some more gentle brest Thy puft inuention with worse matter swolne Those thy conceits from better wits hath stolne Or else I know it could not be that thou Shouldst be so ouer-cold as thou art now Since those who haue that feelingly their owne Euer possesse more worth conceal'd then knowne And if Loue euer any Mortals touch To make a braue impression 't is in such Who sworne loues Chaplaines will not violate That whereunto themselues they consecrate But oh you noble brood on whom the World The slighted burthen of neglect hath hurl'd Because your thoughts for higher obiects borne Their groueling humors and affection scorne You whom the Gods to heare your straines will follow Whilst you doe court the sisters of Apollo You whom there 's none that 's worthy can neglect Or any that vnworthy is affect Oh let not those that seeke to doe you shame Bewitch vs with those songs they cannot frame The noblest of our Sexe and fairest to Doe euer loue and honour such as you Then wrong vs not so much to giue your Passion To those that haue it but in imitation And in their dull breasts neuer feele the power Of such deepe thoughts as sweetly moue in your As well as you they vs thereby abuse For many times when we our Louers chuse Where we thinke Nature that rich Iewell sets Which shines in you we light on counterfets But see see whither discontentment beares me And to what vncoth straines my Passion reares me Yet pardon me I here againe repent If I haue erred through that discontent Be what thou wilt be counterfeit or right Be constant serious or be vaine or light My loue remaines inuiolate the same Thou canst be nothing that can quench this flame But it will burne as long as thou hast breath To keepe it kindled if not after death Nere was there one more true then I to thee And though my faith must now despised be Vnpriz'd vnualued at the lowest rate Yet this I le tell thee 't is not all thy state Nor all that better-seeming worth of thine Can buy thee such another Loue as mine Liking it may but oh there 's as much oddes Twixt loue and that as betweene men and Gods It is a purchase not procur'd with treasure As some fooles thinke nor to be gaind at pleasure For were it so and any could assure it What would not some men part with to procure it But though thou weigh't not as thou ought'st to do Thou knowst I loue and once didst loue mee to Then where 's the cause of this dislike in thee Suruey thy selfe I hope there 's none in mee Yet looke on her from whom thou art estranged See is my person or my beauty changed Once thou didst praise it prethee view 't agen And marke i ft be not still the same t was then No false Vermilion-dye my cheeke distaines 'T is the poore bloud disperst through pores and vaines Which thou hast oft seen through my fore-head flushing To shew no dawby-colour hid my blushing Nor neuer shall Vertue I hope will saue mee Contented with that beauty Nature gaue mee Or i ft seeme lesse for that griefes-vaile had hid it Thou threwst it on mee 't was not I that did it And canst againe restore what may repaire All that 's decay'd and make me far more faire Which if thou doe I 'le be more wary than To keep 't for thee vnblemisht what I can And cause at best 't will want much of perfection The rest shall be supply'd with true affection But I doe
feare it is some others riches Whose more abundance that thy minde bewitches That baser obiect that too generall aime Makes thee my lesser Fortune to disclaime Fie canst thou so degenerate in spirit As to prefer the meanes before the merit A though I cannot say it is in mee Such worth sometimes with pouerty may be To equalize the match she takes vpon her Tho th' other vaunt of Birth Wealth Beauty Honour And many a one that did for greatnesse wed Would gladly change it for a meaner bed Yet are my Fortunes knowne indifferent Not basely meane but such as may content And though I yeeld the better to be thine I may be bold to say thus much for mine That if thou couldst of them and me esteeme Neither thy state nor birth would mis-beseeme Or if it did how can I help't alas Thou not alone before knew'st what it was But I although not fearing so to speed Did also disinable't more than need And yet thou woo'dst and wooing didst perseuer As if thou hadst intended Loue for euer Yea thy account of wealth thou mad'st so small Thou had'st not any question of 't at all But hating much that peasant-like condition Did'st seeme displeas'd I held it in suspition Whereby I thinke if nothing else doe thwart vs It cannot be the want of that will part vs. Yea I doe rather doubt indeed that this The needlesse feare of friends displeasure is Yes that 's the barre which stops out my delight And all my hope and ioy confoundeth quite But beares there any in thy heart such sway To shut mee thence and wipe thy loue away Can there be any friend that hath the power To disvnite hearts so conioyn'd as our E're I would haue so done by thee I 'de rather Haue parted with one deerer then my father For though the will of our Creator bindes Each Childe to learne and know his Parents mindes Yet sure I am so iust a Deitie Commandeth nothing against Pietie Nor doth that band of duty giue them leaue To violate their faith or to deceiue And though that Parents haue authority To rule their children in minority Yet they are neuer granted such power on them That will allow to tyrannize vpon them Or vse them vnder their command so ill To force them without reason to their will For who hath read in all the Sacred-writ Of any one compeld to marriage yet What father so vnkinde thereto requir'd Denide his Childe the match that he desir'd So that he found the Lawes did not forbid it I thinke those gentler ages no men did it In those daies therefore for them to haue bin Contracted without licence had been sin Since there was more good Nature among men And euery one more truly louing then But now although we stand obliged still To labour for their liking and good-will There is no duty whereby they may tie vs From ought which without reason they deny vs For I do thinke it is not onely meant Children should aske but Parents should consent And that they erre their duty as much breaking For not consenting as we not for speaking It is no maruell many matches be Concluded now without their priuity Since they through greedy Auarice misled Their interest in that haue forfeited For some respectlesse of all care doe marry Hot youthfull May to cold old Ianuary Some for a greedy end doe basely tie The sweetest-faire to soule-deformitie Forcing a loue from where 't was placed late To re-ingraffe it where it turnes to hate It seemes no cause of hindrance in their eyes Though manners nor affections sympathize And two Religions by their rules of state They may in one made body tolerate As if they did desire that double stemme Should fruitfull beare but Neuters like to them Alas how many numbers of both kindes By that haue euer discontented mindes And liue though seeming vnto others well In the next torments vnto those of hell How many desprate growne by this their sinne Haue both vndone themselues and all their kinne Many a one we see it makes to fall With the too-late repenting Prodigall Thousands though else by nature gentler giuen To act the horridst murthers oft are driuen And which is worse there 's many a carelesse else Vnlesse Heauen pitty kils and damnes his selfe Oh what hard heart or what vnpittying eyes Could hold from teares to see those Tragedies Parents by their neglect in this haue hurld Vpon the Stage of this respectlesse World 'T is not one Man one Family one Kinne No nor one Countrey that hath ruin'd bin By such their folly which the cause hath prou'd That forraine oft and ciuill warres were mou'd By such beginnings many a City lies Now in the dust whose Turrets brau'd the skies And diuers Monarchs by such fortunes crost Haue seene their Kingdomes fir'd and spoil'd and lost Yet all this while thou seest I mention not The ruine shame and chastity hath got For 't is a taske too infinite to tell How many thousands that would haue done well Doe by the meanes of this suffer desires To kindle in their hearts vnlawfull fires Nay some in whose could breast nere flame had bin Haue onely for meere vengeance falne to sin My selfe haue seene and my heart bled to see 't A wit-lesse Clowne enioy a match vnmeet She was a Lasse that had a looke to moue The heart of cold Diogenes to loue Her eye was such whose euery glance did know To kindle flames vpon the hils of Snow And by her powerfull piercings could imprint Or sparkle fire into a heart of flint And yet vnlesse I much deceiued be In very thought did hate immodestie And had sh'enioyd the man she could haue lou'd Might to this day haue liued vn-reprou'd But being forc'd perforce by seeming friends With her consent she her contentment ends In that compel'd her-selfe to him shee gaue Whose Bed shee rather could haue withâ— her Graue And since I heare what I much feare is true That shee hath hidden shame and fame adue Such are the causes now that Parents quite Are put beside much of their ancient right Their feare of this makes children to with-hold From giuing them those dues which else they would And these thou see'st are the too-fruitfull ils Which daily spring from their vnbridled wils Yet they forsooth will haue it vnderstood That all their study is their childrens good A seeming Loue shall couer all they do When if the matter were well look't into Their carefull reach is chiefly to fulfill Their owne foule greedy and insatiate will Who quite forgetting they were euer young Would haue the Children dote with them on dung Grant betwixt two there be true loue content Birth not mis seeming wealth sufficient Equality in yeares an honest fame In euery-side the person without blame And they obedient too What can you gather Of Loue or of affection in that father That but a little to augment his treasure Perhaps no more but onely for his pleasure Shall
force his Childe to one he doth abhor From her he loues and justly seeketh for Compelling him for such mis-fortune grieu'd To die with care that might with ioy haue liu'd This you may say is Loue and sweare as well There 's paines in Heauen and delights in Hell Or that the Diuels fury and austerity Proceeds out of his care of our posterity Would Parents in this age haue vs begin To take by their eyes our affections in Or doe they thinke we beare them in our fist That we may still remoue them as wee list It is impossible it should be thus For we are rul'd by Loue not Loue by vs And so our power so much ner'e reached to To know where we shall loue vntill we doe And when it comes hide it awhile wee may But 't is not in our strengths to driu't away Either mine owne eye should my chuser be Or I would ner'e weare Hymens Liuery For who is he so neare my heart doth rest To know what 't is that mine approued best I haue my selfe beheld those men whose frame And outward personages had nought of blame They had what might their good proportion grace The much more mouing part a comely face With many of those complements which we In common men of the best breeding see They had discourse and wit enough to carry Themselues in fashion at an Ordinary Gallants they were lou'd company and sport Wore fauours and had Mistresses in Court And euery way were such as well might seeme Worthy of note respect and much esteeme Yet hath my eye more cause of liking seene Where nought perhaps by some hath noted beene And I haue there found more content by farre Where some of those perfections wanting are Yea so much that their beauties were a blot To them me thought because he had them not There some peculiar thing innated That beares an vncontrouled sway in this And nothing but itselfe knowes how to fit The minde with that which best shall suit with it Then why should Parents thrust themselues into What they want warrant for and power to doe How is it they are so forgetfull growne Of those conditions that were once their owne Doe they so dote amidst their wits perfection To thinke that age and youth hath like affection When they doe see 'mong those of equall yeares One hateth what another most endeares Or doe they thinke their wisedomes can inuent A thing to giue that 's greater than Content No neither shall they wrap vs in such blindnesse To make vs thinke the spight they doe is kindnesse For as I would aduise no childe to stray From the least duty that he ought to pay So would I also haue him wisely know How much that duty is which he doth owe That knowing what doth vnto both belong He may doe them their right himselfe no wrong For if my Parents him I lothe should chuse T is lawfull yea my duty to refuse Else how shall I leade so vpright a life As is enioyned to the Man and Wife Since that we see sometime there are repentings Eu'n where there are the most and best contentings What though that by our Parents first we liue Is not life misery enough to giue Which at their births the children doth vndo Vnlesse they adde some other mischiefe to Cause they gaue being to this flesh of our Must we be therefore slaues vnto their power We nere desir'd it for how could we tell Not being but that not to be was well Nor know they whom they profit by it seeing Happy were some if they had had no being Indeed had they produc'd vs without sin Had all our duty to haue pleas'd them bin Of the next life could they assure the state And both beget vs and regenerate There were no reason then we should withstand To vndergoe their tyrannou'st command In hope that either for our hard endurance We should at last haue comfort in assurance Or if in our endeauours we mis-sped At least feele nothing when we should be dead But what 's the Reason for 't that we shall be Inthral'd so much vnto Mortality Our soules on will of any Men to tye Vnto an euerlasting misery So farre perhaps to from the good of either We ruine them our selues and altogether Children owe much I must confesse 't is true And a great debt is to the Parents due Yet if they haue not so much power to craue But in their owne defence the liues they gaue How much lesse then should they become so cruell As to take from them the high-prized Iewell Of liberty in choyce whereon depends The maine contentment that the heauen here lends Worth life or wealth nay far more worth then either Or twenty thousand liues put all together Then howsoeuer some seuerer bent May deeme of my opinion or intent With that which followes thus conclude I doe And I haue Reason for 't and Conscience to No Parent may his Childes iust sute deny On his bare will without a reason why Nor he so vs'd be disobedient thought If vnapprou'd he take the match he sought So then if that thy faith vncrazed be Thy friends dislike shall be no stop to me For if their will be not of force to doe it They shall haue no cause else to driue them to it What is it they against vs can alleage Both young we are and of the fittest age If thou dissembledst not both loue and both To admit hinderance in our loues are loth 'T is prejudiciall vnto none that liues And Gods and humane Law our warrant giues Nor are we much vnequall in degree Perhaps our Fortunes somewhat different be But say that little meanes which is were not The want of wealth may not dissolue this knot For though some such preposterous courses wend Prescribing to themselues no other end Marr'age was not ordain'd t' enrich men by Vnlesse it were in their posterity And he that doth for other causes wed Nere knowes the true sweetes of a marriage bed Nor shall he by my will for 't is vnfit He should haue blisse that neuer aym'd at it Though that bewitching gold the Rabble blindes And is the obiect of all Vulgar mindes Yet those me-thinkes that graced seeme to bee With so much good as doth appeare in thee Should scorne their better-taught desires to tye To that which fooles doe get their honour by I can like of the wealth I must confesse Yet more I prize the man though mony-lesse I am not of their humour yet that can For Title or Estate affect a Man Or of my selfe one body deigne to make With him I lothe for his possessions sake Nor wish I euer to haue that minde bred In me that is in those who when they wed Thinke it enough they doe attaine the grace Of some new honour to fare well take place Weare costly cloathes in others sights agree Or happy in opinion seeme to bee I weigh not this for were I sure before Of Spencers wealth or