others faults but reprehend them boldly So hauing for this good assistance praid My Muse goes forward trusting to thine ayd To guide me in the Wildernes of Sinne Great Vanities Suruey for being in I see now 't is an intricate Maeander In which I feare I shall confus'dly wander It is a Labyrinth so full of wayes And seemes so endlesse if my pen oâ—ce strayes As doth the Fisherman amazed stand That knoweth not which way to row to land When all alone in some close misty day Far from the Hauen he hath lost his way Knowing he may as well strike vp the Maine As turne vnto the wished Shore againe So I doe feare least this may carry me Into an Ocean where no Sea-marks be Because what way so ere my course I bend There Vanity I see without all end Which hath not vnder her Subiection gain'd Such things alone as are on earth containd Or vnderneath the Orbs of Ayre and Fire But reaches farther and encroaches higher According to his meaning who said plaine That all things vnderneath the Sunne were vaine But now I thinke it may a question be Whether the Sunne the Moone and Starres be free For sometimes false predictions they impart Or are belyed by abused Art But of Man onely here my Muse must tel's Who is by much more vaine then all things els For Vanity his reason ouerswayes Not onely on some certaine Monthes or Dayes But is at all times in him resident As if it were his proper accident Neither doth age in which he groweth on Any thing lessen the proportion Of Vanities he had But in the steed Of some reiected follies there succeed Others as bad for we perceiue when boyes Begin to Man asham'd of childish toyes These then leaue off their former idle chat And foolish games but what 's the cause of that For being ill No rather they contemne Those bad things as not bad enough for them And as one poore playes first for points and pins Once growing rich leaues that and then begins To venture Crownes dislikes not gaming tho He shun the first game as not fit enough For his estate So yong men doe forsake The rope-ripe tricks that their first age did take Cheef pleasure in not cause they wicked deem them But being men they think 't will not beseeme them Then Hounds Haukes Whores aâ— their delight Quarrels and Braules doe fit their humors right Disordred meetings Drunken Reuellings Consuming Dice and lauish Banquettings Proud costly Robes this is the yong mans Vaine The which his Elder doth dislike againe Not since ill neither But because his yeares Him vnto other Vanities endeares As Selfe Conceit much Care for worldly pelfe Heaping vp what he nere enioyes himselfe Prone to Contentions much desiring still Be it his weale or woe to haue his will Extreamely louing lies and giuen to prate Yet making shew as if he both did hate Yea old men boast of what they did in youth VVhich none disproouing we must take for truth And thousands more or else they are belied Each age is pester'd with and yet beside Vanitiesâ—proper vnto each degree Millions of thousands I suppose there be Princes haue these They very basely can Suffer themselues that haue the rule of man To be oreberne by Villaines so insteed Of Kings they stand when they are slaues indeed By blood and wrong a heauenly Crowne thei 'l danger T' assure their State heere often to a stranger They quickly yeeld vnto the Battaries Of slye insinuating flatteries Most bountifull to fooles too full of feare And far to credulous of that they heare So giuen to pleasure as if in that thing Consisted all the Office of a King But if heere in my harmeles halting Rimes Were onely ti'de vnto this Place and Times And shold of none but of my Soueraigne tell Spight of her heart she could not speake but well For I suppose the Truth I must confesse That Vanity no Prince ere harbord lesse Then IAMES hath done vnlesse corrupted stories Rob's former ages of deserued Glories If any say to sooth I now deuise His heart I know wil tel his tong he lies For did I not thinke true what heere I Sing I 'de not wrong Iustice for to please the King Great men are vaine toe In much seâ—king Fames With Nimrod and his Mates they raise their Names By building Babels yea and they suppose Honour consists in Titles and in showes They Thraso-like in Parasites delight That do in presence claw in absence bite They vse their Pleasures not as pleasures now Or Recreations as 't were fit but how 'T is all their care their cheefe and only ioy In satisfying which they doe employ Both wealth and wit and all if they would take Somthing in hand for recreations sake They are wiâ—h pleasures so o'recloyâ— we see It must be that which their affaires should be A wondrous Vanity And their Care Is for rich rayment and the Curioust fare Pamâ—ring their flesh when all is but in vaine For Dust it was and shal to Dust againe Then since their euils we seeme not to see In vaine they think that they wel thought of be Tush men their lewdnes cease for to repeat Why cause th' are faultles no because th' are greatâ— But for their vices though now none dare shew the Ì„ Vnlesse they mend another age shal know them And therefore if they count their Honors deare Let them be Good as wel as Great men heare Let them leaue Vanity and not suppose The World wil euer blinded be with showes For that great mighty Peere that died so lately Ere while was mighty powerful and stately He was most croucht vnto and oft implor'd Yea almost like a Demi-God ador'd He onely as my selfe haue heard some prate Was the vpholder of the Brittaine State And all the wit this Kingdome did containe Some thought was harborâ—d in his little braine Ahd had he liu'd if all be true men say He might haue wel beene Pater Patriae But now alas hee s gone and all his Fame You sees not able to preserue his name From foule Reproach but each one breaks his mind Which shewes though they winkt they were not blind In spight of all his Greatnes 't is wel knowne That store of Rimes and Libels now are sowne In his disgrace But I heare diuers say That they are slanders then the more knaues they That were the Authors but if so it be He were from those vild imputations free If that his Vertue 's paid with such a curse What shal they looke for that are ten times worse Wel Nobles I le the Court ere long suruay And if I find among you such as stray Through Vanity or Pride vnlesse it be Into some small faults through infirmity If there be no man that dare taxe you for 't My Muse shal do it e'ne to make me sport For though she keepe but a plaine hobling forme Shee shall haue wit enough to make you storme I wil not
friend neare death and ready for to leaue This wretched life and if they heare him say Some parâ—ing words as if he might not stay Nay say not so these comforters reply Take heart your time 's not come ye shall not die What man and grace of God you shal be stronger And liue no doubt yet many a faire day longer Thinke not on Death with many such like words Such as their vnderstanding best affoords But where is now become this peoples wit VVhat doth their knowledges esteeme more fit Then death to thinke on chiefly when men be About to put off their Mortalâ—tie Me thinkes they rather should perswade them then Fearelesse to be resolu'd to die like Men. For want of such a resolution stings At point of Death and dreadfull horror brings â—e'ne to the soule cause wanting preparation She lies despairing of her owne saluation Yea and moreouer this full well know I He that 's at any time afraide to die â—s in weake case and whatso'ere he saith Hath but a wauering and a feeble Faith But what need I goe farther to relate The frailty I haue seene in Mans estate Since this I haue already said makes cleere That of all Creatures God hath placed here Prouided we respect them in their kind VVe cannot any more vnable finde For of our selues we haue not power to speake No nor to frame a thought we are so weake Against our bodies eue'ry thing preuailes And oft our knowledge and our iudgement failes Yea if that one mans strength were now no lesse Then all men doe in generall possesse Or if he had attaind to ten-times more Then all Gods creatures ioyn'd in one before Yet would his power be eauen then so small When he stands surest he 's but sure to fall 'T is onely weakenesse that doth make vs droupe And vnto Crosses and diseases stoupe That makes vs Vaine Inconstant and Vnsure Vnable any good things to endure It brings vs to the seruile base subiection Of all loose Passion and vntam'd affection It leads vs and compels vs oft to stray Both beside Truth and out of Reasons way And lastly we and that because of this Either doe Nothing or do all amisse Which being so we may with Dauid then Confesse that we are rather Wormes then men OF PRESVMPTION SATYR 4. SOft heedlesse Muse thou no aduisement tak'st Wast not of Men that last of al thou spak'st It was and of the weaknessâ— too of men Come then with shame now and denie 't agen Recaâ—t for so the matter rhou didst handle Thou maist be curst for t with Bell Booke Candle Is mankind weake who then can by their powers Into the Aire hurle Palaces and Towers And with one blaste'ne in a moment make Whole Kingdomes and braue Monarchies to shake Or what are they that dare for toaspire Into Gods seat and if it might be higher That forgiue sinnes as fast as men can do them And make Iehouah be beholding to them I 'ue heard of such what are they would I wist They can make Saints they say of whom they list And being made aboue the Stars caÌ„seat them Yea with their own hands make their Gods eat theÌ„ Ha are they men How dar'st thou then to speake Such Bâ—asphemy to say mankinde is weake I tell thee this Muse either Man is strong And through thy babling thou hast done him wrong Or else beyond his limits he doth erre And for presumption puts downe Lucifer I st so Nay then I prethee Muse goe on And let vs heare of his presumption For I doe know cause I haue heard him vaunt That he 's a Creature proud and Arrogant And it may be he is not of such might As he makes show for but vsurps some's right There't goe's indeed for though he be so base So weake and in such miserable case That I want words of a sufficient worth To paint his most abhorred vilenesse forth Yet such is also his detested Pride That I suppose the Diuell is belide By euery man that shall affirme or say He is more proud for doe but marke I pray This Creature man did Natures powerfull King God that of nothing framed eu'ry thing Mâ—uld out of Clay a peece which he had rent E'ne from the Earth the basest Element And whereas he might haue beene made a Thrall Yea and the very Vuderling of all That God with title of Chief Ruler grac't him And as a Steward ouer all things plac't him Gaue him a pleasant garden for to till And Leaue to eate of eu'ry tree at will Onely of one indeed he did deny him And peraduenture of that one to try him But see his insolence though God did threat Death if he eate and though that God was great And so exceeding Iust that he well knew All that he threatned doubtles would ensue Thogh God were stroÌ„g could had maÌ„ bin prouder Pore clay-bred worm haue stampt him into pouderâ— Yet not withstanding all this same did he Presume to tast of that forbidden tree A rash beginning but he sped so ill D' yee thinke he held on this presumption still To heare he had left that offence 't were newes But Cain and Nimrod Pharaoh and the lewes Shew'd it continued and grew much more Rather then lesser then it was before Caine in his murther and his proud replie Nimrod in that he dar'd to build so high Pharaoh by boldly tempting God to shew His sundry plagues to Egypts ouerthrow And many waies the last but what need I Recite examples of Antiquitie Or for to taxe old ages for that crime Since there was nere a more presumptuous time Then this that 's now what dare not men to doe If they haue any list or minde thereto Their fellow creatures they doe much contemne Vaunting that all things were ordain'd for them Yea both the gladsome daies and quiet nights Sun Moone Heauen with those glorious lights Which so be spangle that faire azure roofe They thinke were onely made for their behoofe When as alas their poore and weake command Cannot extend so farre for to withstand The least Starres force and them and their estate Sunne Moone and starres too do predominate Before our fall indded we did excell All other creatures that on earth did dwell But now I thinke the very worst that be Haue iust asmuch to boast vpon as we Our soule 's defil d And therefore if in Sence We place our worth and cheefe prehemmence T is knowne that there be diuers Creatures then VVill haue the vpper hand for they passe men And though we still presume vpon 't t is vaine To challenge our old Soueraingty againe For when that we from our obedience fell All things against vs also did rebell Lyons and Beares and Tigers sought our blood The barren earth deny'd to yeeld vs food The clouds raignd plagues and yet dare we go on We find such pleasure in Presumption But for because there 's some do scarcely know How we do in that
do not at my handes require My youthfull sinnes though that my flesh be fraile And my affections often do preuaile Seeing thou knowest the weake estate of man And what a little his small power can Accept my will and let thy blood suffice To quit the rest of mine iniquities But now because I haue obseru'd such store I needs must tell a few presumptions more Some in contemning others wisdome show That they presume themselues do all things knoâ— But that vile selfe-conceit nere raised any Certaine I am it is the fall of many Others and they in this kind too offend On their owne Memories too much depend Such I haue heard so confidently speake As if they had no thought that men were weaâ— Yea those though twenty men haue all gaine-said What they affirmed were not yet affraid Their owne bare affirmation to out-face With sundry oathes such wondrous trust they place In their remembrance yea my selfe ere now Haue beene oft-times more rash for to anow What I thought truth then ere I le be againe For what I deemd to be so sure and plaine That I not onely stood in 't to my might But would haue paun'd my life ' thad been the right That to my shame I haue my selfe alone Found to be false when all the rest were gone VVhich greeu'd me so that I le nere more rely Or trust so much to mine owne memory But what may I terme those who for a name Or for to get some vile prepostrous fame VVill desperately for the nonce begin To put in action some vngodly sinne That all men loath and only as they say For to be talkt of VVhat are such I pray Presumptuous vaine or weake or all that 's bad The last I thinke and ten-times more then mad Yet we haue gallants and great store of such That in their great Brauadoes care not much VVhat villanies they doe But 't is their humor Only to fill mens mouthes with idle Rumor And cause they know the Vulgar sort do deeme them Youths of great Spirit and do much esteeme them But amongst wise-men they are sure to gaine Reprochfull shame and wel deseru'd disdaine Yet for to adde some fame vnto this story We will be queath them Erostratus glory Nor haue our old men left that humor yet For though through feeblenesse they are vnfit To put in practise their old tricks againe Yet for to show they like them and would faine Thei 'le often with a lie or two recite them And the rememberance doth so much delight them That whereas they ought rather to repent And with a grieued heart for to lament Their former follie They with Ioy and Laughter Seeme to approu't in those that shall come after Yet there 's a crew the which my Muse wel knows To them she here a Memorandum owes And yet no Commendations for they are But busie fellowes that doe boldly dare Take on them in their comments for to finde The secret meaning of each Authors minde And to apply that in particular That should extend to all in generall And in this little booke perhaps they can Say here I ment one there another man And by their names they wil not stick to shew them When as perhaps I nere so much as knew them So from my honest meaning they will reare them A slander for some priuat grudge they beare them But though these are so bold yet I beleeue Or hope at least no men of wisedome giue Credit to any such interpretations That are but false imaginations Since each of these what stile soere he craue Doth show him a presumptuous foole and knaue But heare all you that are quite voyd of care VVhat you presume in chiefly you that dare Maugre Gods threates go foreward to fulfill Your naughty rash vnbridled hare-braine will As if you thought that you your selues made all And that indeed there were no God at al. Know this ere long time it shall come to passe That you shall houling sit and cry alas Cursing your births and miserable state VVith sad repentance when it is too late Vnlesse you now take time Oh wormes oh men Forsake your sollies oh forsake them then VVhat wil you do else when that seiz'd by death Ready to draw the latest gaspe of breath VVhen as you are so weak that you would faine But cannot mooue your tongues for to complaine VVhat would you do if then their should appeare The Authors of most miserable feare Your guilty Consciences and there vnroll To your remembrances the dreadfull scroll Of your Presumptions and with all present â— vision of th ' infernall punishment â—repar'd for such And if in that bad case You should behold him you esteemd so base â—t with such power that at each frown he makes â—he earth doth tremble and the heauen shakes VVhat would you doe Oh any thing I 'me sure â—o paine there is but you would then endure To scape his wrath if you do not dispaire Then wil you beg entreat and promise faire Or any thing if so it were you might Returne to life againe then you would quite Alter your doings then forsooth you 'l be A patterne vnto all posterity You would be humble meeke deuout and chaste But now there 's time and then it may be past Yet I my selfe haue heard those that haue vow'd Much in their anguish and God hath allow'd A longer time yea hath vouchsaft to saue And giue them life againe e'ne at the graue And yet haue these forgot their former paine And turnd vnto their owne ill wayes againe Which hauing seene this for vs men I 'le speake Not without griefe though nothing be so weake Yet we are in our owne conceits so tall That for presumption we do out-passe all And if so be that this same hardning sinne Do seaze vpon the heart once and get in My mind is this 't will nere be purg'd thence well No not with all the feares and pangs of Hell EPILOGVS SO in some measure I haue now made knowne What foule abuses Time to me hath showne And what man is I haue explain'd some Crimes That I haue noted in these present times Then though I haue beene stil accounted idle This showes I haue not giuen time the bridle To run away vnmannag'd But did vse it Then best when I seem'd most for to abuse it Here sinfull man thou maist behold in part Thy miserable state and what thou art Thy Passions thy vanities heere see In part I say for all there cannot be Thy wauerings and thy frailties I 'ue explain'd With thy Presumption yet nothing fain'd If thou hast read it then I hope thou know'st Though thou seem'st bad thou art worse then thou show'st And I do trust thy wretchednesse espide Will quell thy most intollerable pride I mus'd a while thou wert so prone to sinning But 't was thy fault I see from the beginning And as the Lord himselfe once said so stil T' immaginations of thy heart are ill That 's