the Highst obscure him selfe from sight While all that see do see but by his Light What neede wee seeke quaint words Phrases finâ— Sith by one Word all Truth is knowne alone Which Word made al things by his pow'r Diuine So all things by that VVord are only knowne Then they that learne this onelie World to know Know more then World or Witt it selfe can show All other Knowledge doth but vex the Sp'rite Though hir it makes much more intelligent In it alone is Knowledge with Delight Sith it the Witt doth cleere the Will content Then they that know this singleâ—simple Worde Do know much more then Knowledge can afforde No State so holie nor no Place so Sole Much more no Science but is full of Doubt Cares creeping fill each solitarie Hole And many more vexations swarme without And till wee leaue the World or wayward Will Wee beare with vs a VVorld of trouble still Then t is not shun'd by flight vnlesse wee could Flie from our selues our aduersaries chiefe For while our selues our selues haue fast in hold Wee hold our selues to Sinne and so to Griefe For they that griue not when they do transgresse Short pleasures feele not extreame wretchedneâ—se The lack of VVill in faith still fixt to bee Is the sole cause wee want our true repose For who so blinde as they that will not see And who more subâ—ect to hard ouâ—rthrowes Inâ—uitable Sorrowes still attend On none but on the wilfull past their end To shunne the Tempter wee must shut the Gaâ—â— Of our Intelligence against his Charmes Or lest he should our Will predominate Repulse him from our VVitt by force of Armes If yet he stands vpon him straight Discharge Truthes double * Cannon with a double Charge Then will he flie or if he stands hâ— falls For nothing can resist his Ordinance VVho makes the meekest Mindes his Generallâ— That yeelding fight and foile by sufferance O t is a wondrous Conquest when a Foe By ouercomming hath the ouerthro The longer wee forbeare him to withstand The weaker are wee when wee do resist And much the stronger is hee to commaâ—nâ— For Thoughts are actiue when they do persist Because Thoughts trauell with Delight in paine Till He bee borne and they conceaue againe Greate Troubles well are borne by beaâ—ing small As Milo bare a Calfe turn'd Bull at last They in the roughest Tempests needs must fall That are orethrowne with eury little Blast In Summe the Summe of all our earthlie ioy Is in our patient bearing all annoy Againe IF Hope and Patience did not hold the Hart From being squiz'd to nought with gripes of griefe It could not bee by Nature nor by Arte But Death would hold that Seate of Life in chiefe For in this Life Deathes do so multiplie Or Dolors at the best farre worse then Deathes That wee do liue no longer then wee die VVho lyuing die and breathing spend our breathes So that in patience only wee possesse The Soules we haue which haue the Liues we hold And Hope Sustaines the Soule in heauynesse So patient hope is fraile Lifes strongest Hold. If both those vertues then in one must ioyne To make our Soules and Bodies ioyne in one Els Death and Dolor will fraile Life purloyne VVho ioyne to vnioyne that Coniunction VVee must inuoke the Heaun's to giue vs Hope VVell arm'd with Patience fith wee liue thereby Secur'd in Dolors which to Death lie ope And makes vs liue when Death and Dolors die Then patient Hope the Soule of our Lifes Soule Arme thou my Soule thereby to gard hir life And Passions furie with thy pow'r controule So shall I striue in rest and rest in strife For no way looke I but my sights annoyd VVith Troopes of Sorrowes menacing my wrack And in my spacious Mynd no place is voyd For Campes of Cares that seeke my Soule to Sack For if I liue I can but liue in sinne And if I sin I ioy I can but grieue So when fin ends my griefs and Cares begin And cease not til I cease to sin or liue Yet what I would He knows that knowes my wil Which though peruerse is preâ—t his grace to serue Which Grace ingenders Hope on my Good wil And makes me patient sith I ill deserue Thus patient Hope by Grace got on my Will Doth make me wel to liue in spight of Ill. In vindicando criminosa est celeritâ—â— WHat gaine gets witlesse Courage but the losse Of Life or Limb Lands Contry Goods or fame Or to the Gallowes goes by weeping Crosse And desprate dies to his Soules death and shame Would any that had Courage Wit and Grace As point to part this life Mans life bereaue To make a crying Sin his Soule to chase And neuer till she dies the Chase to leaue None would that would be wise and valiant Then so we ought to liue as dying stil Sith of our death our life is ignorant Then who but Fiends would liue in Hel to kil Admit in priuate Quarrels fist to fist Thou hast slaine al that durst thy powr oppose Nay say that no man durst the same resist Sith like a God thou couldst of life dispose Were it hnmane much lesse were it diuÃne To glory but in bathing but in bloud Were it not sauage and too Leonyne For any that would faine be great and good O Then what Quarrell but the publike one Can make a wise and valiant man to fight What staine takes honest-reputation By taking wrong to make it selfe more right Can but the Lye one silly Sillable By Time made much more hainous then by Truth Make great men make their Humors sutable To Hoâ—â—leaches that haue by bloud their growth Or can the Loue but of an hateful Queane For such no better be though Queens they are Broche pretious bloud as if that were the meane To measure out sound Loue for such crackt Ware Can but an od Looke or a simple Smile Which may be taken wel as wel as ill Make men their Harts and Hands with bloud defile So bloud like water for but Looks to spil Then Men are Monsters Monsters al too good Is eu'ry name that is too monstrous For such as liue alone but to suck bloud Which al do hate that are magnanimous For all great Minds desire such things to do That are as good as great els scorne the same For Valor they l be prais'd and Vertue too Els Valor they esteem the price of Shame And no where can the same so wel be showne As with offensiue Armes in Contries right And with defensiue guard the ouerthrowne From the Oppressors mercilesse despight Els Fights vnciuil sauage and too bad For Beasts much more for Men whom Angels serue All Quarrels els are monstrous moody mad And mortal hate of God and man deserue Yet by such sucking bloud we see some swel Vnto that Greatnesse that they scarce can hold On Gore they ground great Howses where they dwel VVhich often sink in bloud as
Grace to me is good Free from vnkind desires of Flesh and Bloud Inuentions Life Death and Funerall 102 Busie Inuention whie art thou so dull And yet still doing Are no Conceits ensconst within thy Scull To helpe my woing Canst not with Iudgments aide once â—ally out with Words of power My Ladies dreaded Forces to disrout and make way to her Or can'st thou vse no Stratagem of VVitt That may entrappe her To yeeld vnto Conditions faire as fitt els loue enwrappe her Fy fy thou lin'st my hedd-peece to no end Sith by thy Lyninge I cannot in Loues warres my Witt defend from foule declyning Doth Loue conâ—ound thee that thy Founder is Bewitcht Inuention Can she which can but make thee pregnant misse of hir inâ—ention The powers of Witt cannot defend thee then from Shames confusion But thou must die with shame and liue agen By Hopes infusion Hope hold my Hart and Head for they are sick Inuention dyeth Loue-sicke they are and neede an Emperick which Loue denieth Inuention now doth draw his latest breath for comfort crying Hee dies and yet in dying striues with Death To liue still dying Ring out his Knell for now he quite is dead Ding dong bell well ronge Sing out a Dirge for now hee 's buried Farewell Hee well songe This Epitath fix on his senslesse Head Here lies Inuention That stood his louing Master in no steade In Loues contention Yet for his Soule lest it should quite bee dam'd Some Dole bestow yee Giue my poore Witts which he hath â—owly sham'd what he doth owe me So Mortus et sepultus now he is Heau'n graunt his rising Bee not to vtter darknesse but to Blisse of highe Deuising 103 DIe dâ—e Forbidden Hopes ô die Foâ— while you liue in Death liue I Sith from Forbidden Hope Death first had life and scope Ambitious hope forbidden Then if thou liu'st needes die I must For Death doth liue in hope vniust Or at the least Dispaire Whereof Death is the Haire Then die or still liue hidden 104 NOw to this Sea of Cittie-Common-wealth Lymitâ—lesse London am I come obscu'rd Where twofold Plagues endanger may the health Of Soule and Bodie of the most securd The Bodies Plague's an Ill which God can do For is Ill in the Cirtie hee doth not But Synne the Plague which doth the Soule vndo He cannot do though how he well doth wott Then now my Soule stand stiffly on thy gâ—ard Sith many mortall Dangers thee surrouâ—d Lett Grace thy guide thy House still watch warde To keepe thy Habitation cleane as sound And if thou canst with Loâ—t liue chastlie here Angels will fetche thee hence when Plagues are neere Other Sonnets vpon other Subiects The Trinity illustrated by a three-square perspectiue Glasse 1 IF in a three-square Glasse as thick as cleare Be'ing but dark Earth though made Diaphanall Beauties diuine that rauish Sence appeare Making the Soule with ioy in Trance to fall What then my Soule shalt thou in Heau'n behold In that cleare Mirror of the TRINITY What ô It were not THAT could it be told For t is a glorious yet dark Mistery It is THAT which is furthest from description Whos 's beaming-beauty's more then infinite It's Glories Monument whose Superscription Is Here lies LIGHT alone indefinite Then ô Light limitlesse let me poore me Still liue obscure so I â—ay still see Thee 2 I Loue the life that Loue doth most mislike That is the life which is most like to Death On Lifes Haâ—r-strings when Death at last shall strike Soules Organs then do sound with sweetest breath The Discords of this Life annoy their Eares Where but Faithes Concords onely sweetly sound From Discords Dangers rise from Dangers Feares Which Three these Three the Soule Minde Body wound I would therefore liue dead to sâ—ch a life Within the Graue of most obscure estate So dead to liue as farre from State as Sâ—riâ—â— To check those Lusts that would giue Loue the Mate But ô this Faith fraile faith and Loue selfe-Loue Be dead sith they but liue for selfe-behoue 3 TIme faster then my Thought away doth hast Who thought not to haue lost It but for gaine But as that thought was present Time was past So left mee but to thinke that Thought was vaine While I am musing how my Time to spend Time spends It selfe and me but how I muse So still I muse while Time drawes on mine ende Thus Time doth me and I do it abuse I thinke and while I thinke I io'ly acte Yet Thought 's no idle action of the Minde So idle actions Time and mee haue wrackt Yet in these Ruines I my making finde For I am made by musing what I am That 's one that lynes the Ornaments of Fame 4 SIth Rest and Labour weares this Life away For Rest doth toile as Toile doth fatigate Sith Payne in Laboure stirres and rests in Play For Laboure paines That Rest doth satiate What maruell though the Hoast of Animalls Do groning longe to bee Life dispossest Sith their whole Pow'r by Natures forces falles Into the life of Laboure Death of Rest. Then how should Man but longe to leaue that Stage Where Paine doth plaie in Rest and Rest in Payne Sith Rest's his Home and Payne's his Pilgrimage Who cannot rest where hee cannot remayne It then remaines that wee this Life detest Sith it doth rest in Toile and toile in Rest 5 SIth glorious Princes like to Mirrours are As cleare as brittle how dare they contend Sith when they meete and light vpon the bare They may see their beginnings in their ende And sith base Vp-starts like to Bladders bee Puâ—t vp with winde which maks them stiffe as stout Mee thinkes each bound they should rise heauily Sith That which makes them mount may let It out Lastlie sith Men to Bubbles are compar'd Then which no Being's neerer kin to Nought Why from ill Thoughts do they their Wills not warde Sith they may bee extinguisht with a thought It is sith Bubbles do but weake appeare So in their VVeaknesse Men to Nought are neere 6 VVOrke on my Soule while Sleepes Soule takes hir rest And Sence held idle by hir heauy hand Acte in Dumbe-Showes which idle Spirits detest That Wit thy Wiâ—l thereby may vnderstand Let Fancy offer to Iâ—telligence The Shade of Shapes whose Substance thou dost loue So Sence shall sâ—e without the Seeing Sence When Reason is rest how thou dost moue Mount thee vppon thy Wings of Witt and Will Vnto the height of thy Wills true desires There worke thy pleasure bee it good or ill That wakeing Will may worke what Witt requires For t is VVitts worke in sleepe VVills worke to spy That wakfull VVitt may right what is awry 7 THe Match is double made where Man and Wife Of diuese Bodies make one perfect Minde Striuing to bee as farre from Hate as Strife In kindnesse constant of a diuerse kinde Hee gladd of hir Shee of his selfe more gladd Sith as hir better halfe shee Him
so it may vndo Eu'n so a VVord or Speech whil they abide But in the Thought It 's cald a Secret right But if put forth forthwith abrode it glydes For words haue wings as swift as Thought in flight A Ship vpon her wings the Sailes may be In roughest winds stayd by her Anchor hold When she would into wel-known dangers flee And so the same from vtter wrack withhould But speak a word and nought shal let it hie Oft to the wrack of him that let it fly 28 THen if we show what vnshown haue we would To any other we bewray thereby We ween thei l keep that closer then we could So shew our Secrets for more secresie But do the Geese that into Cicily Ouer the mountain Taurus fly by night Gag them with Stones for Gaggling as they fly Lest Eagles breeding there should stop their flight And shall men haue lesse Wit then witlesse Geese To make that known that Wit wold close conceal And put no Gag into their glib Mouth-peece But like tame Guls by gagling it reueale Then if my Tongue were of this twatling kinde It should more tast my meat then feel my mind 29 They that haue skil to keep and nourish Bees Do hold that Hiues wherein most noyse they make To be the best or with them best agrees Who to the same most honied Riches rake But they that haue the Charge of humane Swarmes Do hold them happiest when they quietst be And furthest off from vproares and Alarms As hauing honied Sufficiency Sufficiency the Nurse of Rest and Peace For excesse breeds excesse of Sin and Shame And Sin and Shame do wars and Woes increase VVhere Wasps make honed Ritches spoile their game Then in our treble Hiues of treble Realmes We want no peace because we want Extreames 30 THe Frosty Beard inclining al to white The Snowy Head or Head more white then Snow The Crow-foot neer the Eyes Browes Furrow'd quite With Trenches in the Cheeks Experience show These are the Emblems of Authority Which ioynd to those do much augment her might These are the Signes of Reasons Soueraignty And Hyâ—rogliphicks spelling Iudgement right These are the Trophies rear'd by Times left hand Vpon the spoile of Passion and her Powres We by these Symbols Wisedome vnderstand That vs directeth and protecteth ours All these in me begin to come in sight Yet can I hardly rule my selfe aright 31 ALl Dignities that sodainly begin And gloriously increase in hast post hast So orerunne Enuie that shee cannot synne Nor synne before for straight hir pow'r they past If Flax on fire bee put it makes no smoke Because it in a Moment falls to flame No more can Enuy Pompe to fume prouoke That on the soddaine blazeth on the same But Greatnesse gotten slowlie by degrees Lies most expos'd to Enuies crueltie Those Beames are faint and vs'd thereto shee sees Them at the brightest with a banefull Eye Then blessed They that are from State exempt That lies expos'd to Enuy and Contempt 32 THe more vnlike to God the worse the Man Things most like Gods vnlike are most vile things God Brightnesse is with Him it first began The Deuill is darkenesse and from him it springs Who 's bright or loueth brightnesse is like God Who 's darke or Darkenesse loues is like the Deuil Who then in Darked â—sse liues or makes abode Doth liue like Gods vnlike â—he Fount of Euill To liue or die alone it is all one Saâ— that of both extreames to die is best The Beasts most brute delight to liâ—e alone And whosoe liueth â—oe liues like a Beast I cannot think that Men such Beasts will bee For Men and Beasts lyue with their like we see 5. Sonnets in ppaise of Eminâ—acy or a publike Life 33 VVEalth of Heau'ns Heau'n and want of Hell of Hells Angells renowne and Mens euangeliz'd The Summ of all their All imparadiz'd Glorious Elier that it selfe excells Blacknesse Antipodes Fowlenesse Opposite Mindes ioye Ioyes blisse and Blisses blandishment Laudes Crowne Crownes pompe and Pompes best ornament Kynnet of Darknessr lightly turning it Deathes death Lifes life and life of Lifes liues Life Eyes eye Witts eye Soules eye Eye of all Eyes Fames pride Prides foile yet Foiles doth scandalize Gods glory Glories God and stay of strife This is obscure and yet t is extreame Light Manns Summum bonum and Gods Soules delight 34 TO Liue alone alone is not to liue To die alone alone is not to die For Death is Life to such a liuelesse one That liues alone and lothes all Company Who liues alone alone doth lyuing Die Who dies alone alone doth dying liue For Life gaue life for sweet Societie And Death for Life and Life for Death did giue Earth's not alone for Earthling creepe vpon it And Water 's not alone for Fish liue in it Ayre 's not alone for Sprights liue in not on it And Cricketts Liue with Fire as all haue seene it Since these are all from whence all Creatures spring Who Liues alone liues not like any Thinge â— THen least alone when I am most alone Quoth one that least loud most Mens Company But what was hee a Ruler such a one Oft liues alone to keepe Societie For Kings whose cares are how from cares to keepe Their Subiects liues in Lifes Communion Oft liue alone and wake when sound they sleepe That he with them may sleep when theirs is gon But priuate Men if they too priuate are Are most iniurious to mens publike good And who are such liue past all kind of Care So liu'd not Hee that for Men spent his bloud If hee Kind Lord had lou'd to liue alone Hee had not died and wee had liu'd vnknowne 36 MArtha and Mary two of his belou'd That was the Sonne of Mary mother Maide Chose diffrent liues by grace and Nature mou'd Contemplatiue and Actiue as it s said Mary the first the last did Martha choose The first preferred was before the last By Him for whome she did the last refuse Through whom she was therfore with glory grac't If glorified she were then not obscure And if with Him shee were then not alone Alone she was with Him vpon whose powre All Creatures rest yet still hee rests all one Bâ—t such a one as euery One attends Who liues alone then liues not like his Frends 37 I cannot say but Beauty is a Guist But to fewe giuen that haue other grace For it the Minde aboue it selfe doth lift Although the Minde and Body bee but base Beauty is bright then then t is light lightly And if too bright too light too oft it is Yet t is the Signe where Grace doth vse to lie But if thrust out the Inne is most amisse And most amisse to misse what most adornes And hath but meerely stained-painted Walls Which Vice doth honour much but Vertue scornes Sith It to Vice from grace and Vertue falls Then Beauty if thou bee not Graces Inne Grace suing to thee sueth but to Sinne. 38
Nothing 's like to This And as we cannot bathe twice in one Brooke Sith still it runnes the same and not the sameâ— So twice on our Estats wee cannot looke And see it One so soone it alters Frame Wee are aud are not straite like Light'nings Flame ' At once wee go and come ye go ere come VVhich is the Summe of all of all and Some And if wee liue long Lifs extremitie VVee die as many Deathes as Ages liue The Life of Youth is Death of Infanâ—le The Death of Youth doth Life to Manhood giue So of the rest Death rests in Lifes Depriue To Day dies Yesterday to Morrow shall This Day bee dead and Nightâ—s their funerall VVee change each Day as Dayes do rise and fall And what is chang'd continues not the same If not the same the same Is not at all For Change transsormes the Nature and the Name Our Passions are as sickle as too blame Now This then That then next to This and That Still changing well I wott t' I wott not what Thus is our Sence deceaud mistaking that Which but appeares for that which 〈◊〉 in deede And so our Sence our Sence doth Captiuate To mis-conceit Corrupting Fancies Creede VVhich taks Not-beeing in ttue Beeings steede For that is truly-false what ere it is That is but true in Show and so is This. To BEE in deede aeternall is to Bee To Bee aeternall is to Bee alone To Bee alone excluds the Pronowne VVee Yet VVee do stand by that Trin-Vnion Though wee therewith hold no Comparison And yet wee looke most like that Triniâ—y In Vndeâ—standing VVill and Memorie Tim 's like a Leaking Vessell which contames Both Generations and Corruptions The Fates like Danaus daughters take the paines To fill the same as oft as out it runnes From whencè do flow Times daughters Slaues and Sonnes And these are Tearmes that to Times Turnes agree Before and After Hath byn and shall Bee Which show that no Time but Aeternitie Hath Beeing for wee cannot say that Is Which yet is not and Now doth cease to Bee Or if wee say Time Is Time shrinks at This Which cannot stand to proue that Terme for His For NOW the Notion which Denoteth Time Is Past while Present and is Last while Prime Then if Time Bee it is Past or Future The Past Is not the Future Beeing wants Because it is to come and most vnsure For Time still houers where no Beeing haunts Sith Time and Beeing still are Diserepants Then That as erst was said Eternall is Which Is in Deede and only ONE is This Of whome it cannot properly be sayd Hee Hath Byn or Shall Bee These Turnes of Time Can neuer stand with That that 's euer staid Yet farre aboue Times highest Turnes doth climbe And is the First aud Last and lasts in Prime Who by this NOW spreads his Aeternitie Vnto the boundlesse Bounds of Deitie For hee is ONE and One Is and no more For as what â—s ought to bee onely ONE So onely ONE ought to Bee euermore Which Is still Is Is only and alone The Cause of All And caused is of None To Him alone that Is and only Is Bee only Praise sith Praise is only His Non est mortale quod optâ— Respice finem _â—Hen as I heare Times sober Tongue the Clock Call on me eu'rie howâ—e to minde nune end It strikes ny hart with feare at eu'rie stroke Because so ill Time Life and Breath I spend Then straight resolue I to bestow them all Vpon that Lord of all that gaue them nice When lo the World vpon mee straight doth call And bids me look to it lest poore I be Twixt these two Calls I patted am intwaine The first my Spirit the last my Flesh attends So twixt them two my pleasure is but paine For each the other euermore offends Sin tenders me al Ioyes that rauish Sence And Sense doth pine if from Them It be held Grace offers Ioyes of much more excellence And faine my spirit would with Them befild But in fraile Flesh Sense such a Caesar is That It Commands it to withstand the Sprit While it doth feed the Flesh with Earthly Blisse And so my Sprite is vext with that delight Thus while I am distracted in desire Time in his Language after some Howrs pawse Tels me he flies and bids me to retire Before Confusion catch me in his iawes O Time that thus endeerst me to thy loue I constantly adore thy sicklnesse That neuer mou'st but dost my Sences moue To mind thy flight and this lifes trickelnesse O that I could make thee Aeternity And honor thee for this vvith state diuine That with the God of Glory thou and I Might like the Sun and Moone for euershine Teach me ô learned long-experienc'd Time To glorifie thee with some heaunly Art Whose humble Muse would to thy Temples climb To Lawrel-Crowne them ere from Thee I part O let me be the Triton of thy praise Teach me to Trumpet foorth thyne Excellence Let me though most vnworthy grace thy Dayes Wiâ—h all that may delight Intelligence Let me by thee deer Time be brought to Death Ere I abuse thee in the least degrees For he wins Blisse that doth but lose his Breath To be still found from Times Abuses free Then now ô now sith novv my Daies decline Let me this Moment enter in the Way Of Vâ—rtue Grace and holy Discipline And being in thence let me neuer stâ—aie Proâ—â—â—stination doth but Plagues protract Due to protraction of Conuersion Then Time with Plagues my way ward Will Coact To turne to Gracé ere my subuersion Let it sufflce that I haue thee abusd Since I was borne in Wrongs not to be borne Then be thou by me hence foorth rightly vsd Or let me by Thee die or liue forlorne For I am wery now of wronging Thee Then let me flee from Vice as thou dost Flee A blind man cannot see the default of his Eyes WEll what of this this restlesse toile for State What is the end of that which Care begins And without Worlds of Guifts gets Worlds of Hate Is this the All Pride at All casting wins Must Truths Disciples Graces Officers Sacred Apostles Saints by calling striue For Headship by vnciuill-ciuil Wars Though they beleeue they meanly ought to liue Nay but for this if those resplendant Spirits That do surround the highst Celestiall Throne Aduance themselues aboue their place and Merits For which they worthily were ouerthrowne Then Iudgement where dost thou enthrone thy State That should be in the Kingdome of the Braine Dost thou that Seate sith Pride vsurpes it hate And only in the Humble dost thou raigne Then where are they true Iudgement tel me where If neither with the Angels Saints nor Men They may be found as it doth well appeare Where shall we seek for these so humble then Or is the totall Summe of All but One Who was made truly humble for vs all And dost thou rest in him meek Lamb alone Leuing
These are the damnd discourses of these Diuells Thus their blasphemous Tongues â—erlde the Truth Whose greatest gooddesse is in greatest Euills And growing Greate through Mischiefe haue their growth Great Witt should haue great Grace the same to guide Or Witts owne greatnesse will it selfe oppresse Or make it runne to rage it selfe beside And sinck the Owner in the deep'st distresse If Witt and Wealth concurre to Hell they runne If Grace in mightie measure stay them not Who are vndone if they be not vndone Before they do receiue their later Lott For Frolick Fate is most vnfortunate If sanctified Discretion hold not in Vnruly Nature then in sober gate For from Aboundance springs aboundant Sinne. In Wealthes excesse to be most continent Is most miraculous and seldome seene For Appetite is then most violent And Passion with high-hand growes Reasons Queene Then Pleasur 's Actiue and most Passiue Sense Madd-Mirhes rude-hand the Soule a sunder teares Which is distracted by Ioyes violence Aswell as by Griefes Gripes or sodaine Feares If hee that doth the happiest State possesse Looke well within him and without him too Hee lightly shall see cause of heauynesse Seeing All to threaten him quite to vndoo But hardly shall hee sinde a cause of myrth Though hee sought all the World the same to finde Sith Sorrow only is our â—ight of Birth With Laboure of our Body Soule and Mind O Myrth strong Strumpett Whore to Worldly-Weale O Laughter Light Thing Baude to both those Beasts Why do you not your Luxury conceale But that bewray which Modestie detests It is because yee are madd as are those That willinglie still rest at your dispose Omnium rerum vicissitudo est Terence AS I me sate vpon a Riuer side And markt the Water how it past away And how that past with like was straight supplide That still is past and still held at a stay Mee thought tâ—was like this Sea of Sorrowes Tide Wherein the Race of Man-kinde runneth so For downe the Streame of Days to Death we glide And still Some come as fast as Others go And as the Streame with many Reaches runnes So runnes our Course with many way-ward Reaches This Ill it runnes to and that Good it shunnes And to ruune out of Course makes many Breaches Then with my selfe I thus discourst at last I with the rest am running downe this Streame Here now there then then presently am past Like Streames swift Course if not much more extreame For ah I cannot think how swift I flee But I flee swifter then that Thought to Death For Times least Partes then Thoughts much breefer bee Which Thought with thought my 〈◊〉 me shorteneth I am orewheldm'd in Thoughts as deepe as Hell And high as Heau'n when thus my state I waigh And twixt those Thoughts I as intraunc't do dwell While Time drawes mee to Death the neerest way For Thought breedes Melancholie which doth breede The Enemies of Health and they do sow In Fleshes Earth our Dissolutions Seede That vs dissolues when it begins to grow If from my selfe I do my selfe diuide The longer so to keepe my selfe intire And giue my Sense delight my Thoughts to guide To Mirth abroade for health they straite reâ—ire And sooner can long married Men forgett They married are then I forgett the Thought To which I owe my selfe as duest Debt Since I was matcht to Ill and knew it Nought For if I lett my easi-moouing Minde With lightest shock turne from his weightie Point It rests no where but in this Point by Kinde So Lightest Purposes doth disappoint The Elements though still at Warre in mee Do yet in firme accord mine ende conspire For It they hasten sith they disagree Which well agrees to make mâ— vnintire Then ô why should I add sadd care to Care When one 's of pow'r the Pow'res of Life to foile Why should I care to spend and care to spare To spare a Life which sparing doth but spoile Why should I care to liue sith die I should If I would liue quite free from Thought and Care For Thought 's the Deede by which this life we hold Which yet determines Life ere Thought beware Suppose with cark past Care I could obtaine A golden Crowne but better t'wrere of Baies And with Hell-paines a tripple One attaine What gott I but more Care to ende my Days And were Time staid and Life most stedfast too Such endlesse Kings had gott but endlesse Cares And so the longer Life the more adoo The more adoo the Dooer worser fares While thus my Thoughts are temp'ring lo with Time Time hath stoll'n on mee to steale mee away Awaie with Time I go hark hark the Chime Saith Musicks charming Notes Time cannot stay And if not Musick no Mirth vnder Sunne Hath pow'r to stay Him but Mirth Pas-time is By It the sooner Time away doth runne Then Life is wretched both in Bale and Blisse If it be wretched lothsome is it then If so then so wee are to loue it so Men-Beasts wee bee that reason want of Men To Loue our Prison perill paine and wo. Thus while with healthfulbreath I breathe out This I can contempne this Life and those condemne That are in Loue with it as with their blisse But were Death neere I might be one of Them Yet let me not my dying Heart bely Which dyeth as it liues in thought of Death It nought but Hean'n desires more then to dy And yeeld to endlest rest my weary breath Weery I well may tearme it that still toiles To keepe a toilesome Life from endlesse rest So wrongeth Life the more the more it moiles Which is at worst when it is at the best O Breath fraile Breath base-Daughter of the Aire Flie to thy Mother me no longer griue Nor would I dy because I do dispaire But dy because I hope in rest â—o liue Here is but Toile and thou holdst mee to It Which I abide sith Thou abidst in mee So but losse wynn I by thy benefitt The losse of Rest that restlesse am through thee Yet till thy Giuer take thee make no hast For I was borne to toile for rest at last Difficilia quaeâ—pulchra THE Coaeternall 〈…〉 WORD Selfâ— WISDOMS wisedâ— me Image of the HIGHST Sole KING of Kings of Lordes the onely LORD And heaunly HEAD of CHRISTIANS â—ESVS CHRIST In compleate Time tooke FLESH by MIRACLE Of a pure VIRGIN through HIS Work that was The Prompter of each sacred ORACLE That did fore-show how THIS should come to passe VVith his vnualued Wonder working BLOVD To manumisâ—vile Man a Slaue to Sin Was borne in Beth'lem without 〈◊〉 And without all that State doth gloâ—y in His THRONE a Manger and a Crach his Cradle His ROBES course Ragges poore Reliques of meane Lynnen His WAITERS Beasts his COVRT 〈◊〉 Stable That worse no Begget euer borne had been in Where yet foorth-with by Angels glorifiyng Sheepherds agnition worship of the WISE The guiding STARRE Old Symeons Prophecying And Doctors wondring ALL HIM GREAT
of all griefes the great'st and greatest blame To Fortune or Discretion Paines or Slouth But I that scapt the Gulphe and Rock of Wrack VVhich in the Ocean of my boundlesse loue I found to draw me on and put me back Am like in my Hope 's Haun the like to prooue For when I hopt I had Thee as myne owne O too too credulous am like to those That loue by which for mine thou long wast knowne Through winds of misreport which Enuie bloes But if these bitter blasts thee from me beare My Hopes sinke causelesse where there was no feare 19 THe Stoicks in their strange Philosophie Make All and Nothing nothing but all one VVho say that this World Is but yet deny That it hath any Essence of the owne But in our loues deere Loue the same is true For Thou bâ—â—ng All art mine that Nothing am I Nothing am that is not All thy due So All and Nothing 's nothing but the same Then sith my Nothing and thy All all 's one Thou All I Nothing make an Vnity For All to Nothing hath conuersion And Nothing vnto All by sympathie Then neede I Nothing Thee All nothing feare But All and Nothing still shall One appeare 20 VVHo cannot loue without to lust it runne Or els to Passions that as wild appeare Are like ill Eyes that cannot brooke the Suune Or most weake Braines that strong wine cannot beare But in high Loue whose â—ase on vertue rests Ther 's no distemprature of Flesh or Spritie The Mouth of true Loue sucks true Pleasures Brests VVhich it augments with pure not grosse delight Hence flow all Nectard Sweets into the Soule That Heau'n or Earth in highest height can yeeld As sweet and faire as Lust is sowre and sowle And doth at pleasure Pleasures Passions weld But he that is impatient in desire As Clogd with flesh cannot this Heaun aspire 21 O That I could as willingly I would By breathing on thy lips my Soule infuse Into thy beanteous Body then it should Make Thee as still it doth on It still muse For muse I do and nonght but muse alone Because it makes my Muse to make my Loue Vnto such only Beauty only knowne By waight and measure so thy Soule to mooue Moue Soule sweet Soule Soule of my sweetest Sweet VVith equall motion moue as moues my Soule Which moues to Thine then let Thine with It meet It to embrace in loue not It controule But yet if so thou moue thou shalt Deere Sweete Controule it still when it moues ought vnmeet 22 SO looks an Angell on Heauns Christall Wall As looks my Saint or Angell in her Glasse Each see in each they are Celestiall Hir flesh then being Heaunly is not Grasse Grasse no ô no though Grasse doth glad the Eie With Ey-delighting Greennesse it s too darke To be like her diâ—â—ne Serenity That of highst GLORY is a flaming Spark Which sets the World on fire and al therein Like Phaetons Pride the Proude should I now that Story No Eye sees it but would lose sight to win That Light by which Eyes see Sight dimd with glory O might mine Eies be dimd stil with that Light I would be nought but Eies yet blinded quite 23 STir'st thou me vp to loue yet me restrain'st From that thy stronge perfections stirr me to Frown'st thou in ernest or els frowning fain'st Sith thee in ernest ernestly I woo If thou can'st be thine owne true Antitype That 's most deform'd sith most well form'd Thou art If thou can'st rotten be now thou art ripe Then can I ceasse to sue but not to smart For smart I should no lesse for thy disgrace Then I do smart for loue of gracefull Thee Then let me loue thee in thy better case That in thy worst so much should greeued be But if thou wilt not haue me woo nor loue Then either cease to Bee or cease to moue 24 SO art thou Cruell like a Ballance-Scale For when I sinck with Bale thou mount'st with Blisse And when I rise with Blisse thou sink'st with Bale So stil thou art myne Opposite by This And whie all this O froward Faire ô whie In myne annoy dost thou so much delight Can I not liue but thou fourthwith must die Or doth my death giue thy life life and spright Ther 's no necessity herein at all Vnlesse Thou be the same Who Parchas-like Dost neuer rise but by anothers fall That is their Threede of life quite off to strike For while I waighe them wonnded by thy Beames Their uumber rising falls into Extreames 25 LOue like a Center in a Circle standes As neere to Beggars as Hee doth to Kings And like a Kinge them both alike Commands As Hee commands likewise all other Things What Hart is of such st'eely temprament Or much more hard for Steele the Magnes loues But gently bowes when it by Loue is bent Onely thy Heart hard Heart Hee nothing moues Nature nere made what hath no grace in it Then thee she made not that art so vnkinde So thou art nothing sith all Beeings fitt The Endes to which as Meanes they were assign'd Women are Meanes that Men Bee bee not then As Nothing but with Something bring some Men. 26 THe sweetnesse Sweete which in thy loue I feele Sweetens the sorrow which through it I tast It mee vpholds as It doth make me reele And doth enlarge my Heart which It doth wast LOVE though Thou kill me yet I must confesse Thou hast disbur'sd my Loue where it is due And though it boundlesse be yet is it lesse Then to my Loues worth doth ' of right accrue And though thou bee a Spectacle through which Each grace seemes greater then in deede it is Yet setled Iudgment mounts hir prices Pitch For Heau'n and Earth do offer faire for This Then sith Thou art more Faire then Eyes can see I le offer Thee as faire my Soule for Thee 26 BY Nature when wee are most cold without As in the Winter wee are hott'st within And hott'st without when cold'st the Hart about Thus in and out this Hott and cold do ryn The truth here of I know too well you know To question it Then why do you suppose My Loue is cold within sith so in show When that Show showes you how within it glowes Wilt thou distrust Affections Miracle I per se I so rauisht with thy Loue As now I am Loues Forces Spectacle Which Cold and Heate yet cleere in both do proue Then o looke through my cold-cleere Eyes and see My Hart still sacrific'd in flames to Thee 27 LEt not deere Sweete the wheeling of the Spheares That spight thy Christaline translucencie Winde vp thy lifes-Threed on the Spowle of Yeares Ere thou dost as thy Mother did for Thee Least that thy Glasse thy beauie doo accuse Before the soueraign'st Sence for being deflowr'd By Time which Thee as thou did'st Him abuse Which by thy Beautie will be ill endur'd Why mak'st an Idoll of Diuinitie Thy Beauiie
and with It the Pagan play By off'ring vp thy selfe to It and dy In Flames but of Selfe-loue condempn'd eache waie Then better thou hadst nere bin borne sith birth Thy diuiue Beauty so condempnes to Earth 28 IF as the Pithagoreans do beleeue The Sea be nought but one of Saturnes Teares Its not vnlike sith still I weeping grieue That myne Eyes Seas should shed in many years This is the seaunth Sunne hath seen my loue As firm as flaming towards thy Beauties Heaun Yet ouerthwartly that Heauns Sunnes do moue Through euil Signes that to no grace are giun Nere did they shine on me but to exhale A Sea of Teares from my stil-springing Eyes Or els to parche my Bloud and make me pale So fall my Teares that still do falling rise And if those Sunnes thou Cloude still with disdainâ— Myne eyes shall end the World with endlesse Raine 29 SOme say the Weezel-masculine doth gender With the Shee-Weezel only at the Eare And she her Burden at hir Mouth doth render The like sweet Loue doth in our loue appeare For I as Masculine beget in Thee Loue at the Eare which thou bearst at the Mouth And though It came from Hart and Reynes of me From the Teeth outward It in thee hath growth My Mouth thine Eares doth euer chastly vse With putting in hot Seed of actiue Loue Which streight thine Ear conueyeth like a Sluce Into thy Mouth and there but Aire doth proue Yet Aire is actiue but not like the fire Then ô how should the Sonne be like the Sire 30 IF Fire hath oft Barbarian Honors done it By reason it resembles so the Sunne Yet scarse is seene when his Raies ouer-runne it What would Barbarians to thine Haire haue donne Which ô faire Sweete oreshines Fire Sunne and all Whose rare resplendance no Eyes can behold That are not like it most Angellicall And being so will them in wonder hold Then sith that Nature Crown'd Thee with such Light As makes all Eyes adoreing wonder at Bee not ô bee not then in loue so light As makes thee darke by being This to That My speach is darke yet what by light I meane Is more vnconstant then it is vncleane 31 IT is as true as strange els Triall faines That whosoeuer in the Moone-shine sleepes Are hardly wak't the Moone so rules the Braines For Shee is Soueraigne of the Braines aud Deepes So thou faire Cynthia with thy borrowed Beames Borrow'd of Glories Sunne great Lord of Light Makst me still sleepe in Loue Whose golden Dreames Giue Loue right Currant sith well-Coyn'd Delight I cannot wake while thou on me dost shine Thy shyning so makes mee so sweetly Dreame For still me thinks I kisse those lippes of thine And nothing els for I will not blaspheame But thought is free and Dreames are Dreames and so I dreame and dreame and dreame but let That go 32 LVst is a Tyrant Loue a Seruant Is This is the Sentence of Proofes euidence For I nere see you Sweete but feele by This Both Cold and Hâ—ate through Loue and reuerence VVhat Eye can look through cleere Loues Spectacle On Vertues Maiestie that shines in Beauty But as to Natures diuin'st Miracle Performes not to It all subiectiue dutie BEAVTIES Diuinitie none dare prophane That are of Humane or of Brutish Kinde But when It s full where Vertue 's in the wane VVhere a faire Body hids a filthie Minde But were thy Mind and Bodies beauty one T were Natures Maiesties diuinest Throne 33 YNough fell Faire for thou hast donne the Deede That thou hast longe bin doing which doth make Thy mercy lesse for that to kill with speede Shewes more remorce then they that leasure take How and how longe hast thou bin mart'ring mee To make my Deathe beyond my death to stand Who haue bin so Anatomiz'd by Thee That eu'ry Nerue hath felt thy Rigors hand Out of my Hart and Braines that Hand hath squiz'd The Spirits that either Life or Sence maintaine For I am all as dead as vnaduiz'd Only for Thee I Life in show retaine And if thou wilt haue That sith That 's for Thee Then take Thou All and leaue the rest for mee 34 OMemorie the Relicke of my Sence Whie yet remainst to make me yet remaine A Relike of my Fancies sowle offence That lov'd for hate and woo'd but for disdaine Carowse of Loethe make thie Cuppe my Scull Vntill thou bee dead-drunke then like the Blest I shall bee full of rest as thou art full Of that forgetfulnes which myndes but rest And thou relentlesse Diamond too deere Too deere for mee that offer'd mee for thee Shal to the World in woorth the lesse appeare Sith thou proust nothing woorth to wronged mee Then sith thou art nought woorth but in th' Exchange I will not mee for thee now interchange 35 NOw plaies my Mind vpon hir Instrument Thought-wasted Body Organ of my Minde No Parts but such as wholy discontent My Parts are so vntun'd by Thee Vnkinde My Longues the Bâ—llowes draw in nought but Aire That 〈◊〉 my Wind-pipes but with harshe Complaints Tending to Diapassons of Dâ—spaire Which often die for that Winde often faints My Hart and Braines the Stoppes that cause the Moode Do often stopp sith oft such Moodes they cause As by the Pangs of Death are oft with-stood Through which the Organs Voice doth sinking pause But if thou SWEET wilt haue It sweetly rise Then breathe sweet Aire into It as It dies 36 IN the' Abstract Nature is immutable But in the Subiect it doth varie still My Loue each way is to It sutable In th' Abstract firme the Subiect varie will Whie wilt thou varie Subiect of my Loue More sweete then Sweetnesse whie wilt alter Sweete Is it because thou wilt a Tyrant proue Or scornst Subiection or thy Match to meete If so it bee ô fayrest Faire then know I am thy Subiect though thou subiect bee To my high Loue that makes me subiect so Then thy Subiection giues thee Sou'raigntie Sith so it is then firme to me remaine Whose Loue doth make thee Subiect so to Raign 37 IF two Sunnes should at once adorne the Skies All in Combustion would bee soone beneath Then t is no wonder though thy Sunne-bright Eyes O most faire Faire make all to burne that breath For in thy Faces midd-heau'n so they shine As comforts Nature in her workes of grace Yet makes It flame with furie oft Diuine While it as Heanu'ly doth adorne thy Face Then sith I am great Mother Natures Sonne Let thine Eyes comfort mee with grace to moue As if I were all flaming in the Sunne Vnto the endlesse Orbe of thy bright loue Wherein if quite thou melt me I shal be That which I wishe that is A parle of Thee 38 AS great paines are not durable at most So long Griefes are supportable at least For nought is violent but ends in post And that which dureth Nature may digest This is most true els lies Philosophy And I would say she
doth hold Each giues to each yet haue more then they hadd For loue and wealth so growes more manifold Doubling one life sith they of Two make One Where Loues Desires rest pleased in vnrest For true Ioy rests vntir'd in motion And by their motions that is still exprest He rules sith Shee obaies or rather Shee Obaying rules Thus Soules may married bee 8 VVEre Mannes Thoughts to bee measured by Daies Tenn thouzaÌ„d Thoughts teÌ„ thousaÌ„d Days should haue Which in a Day the Mynd doth daily raise For still the Mind 's in motion like a Wave Or should his Daies bee measured by Thought Then Times shortst Moment they would faster flee Yet Thought doth make his life both long nought That 's nought if longe and longe if nought it bee If longe it bee for being nought though short The shortest thought of longe life is too longe Which thinkes it longe in laboure short in sport So Thought makes Life to bee still old or yonge But sith its full of thought sith full of Synnes Thinke it may ende as thought of it beginnes 9 SEarch all the Sonnets set Loue wealth to wynne And you shall see how euer darkly donne That lightly with the Eye they do begin As if Loues heate and Witts came from that Sunne And I as if the Eye bewitched mee Oft sett my Sonetts Seane iust in the Eye Of beaming Beauty that it so may see Wherein consists Loues Comick-Tragedie Thus is the Sences Soâ—'raignes Subiect made Loues Sonetts Subiect in faire Paper Reames Sith with Loues fire it doth the Hart inuade For that cold Christall burnes with Beauties Beames Then ô the Eye the Eye I I that 's it Wherein men see their want of Grace and Wit 10 VVIsedome and Vertue cannot if they would Misguide the Soule to whom they stil are Guides They guide to Glory going bâ—t on Gold And all that Earth doth pretious hold besides Or if ill Times should with iniurious hand Oppresse Them in their Course or Crosse theyr way Yet must He needs about Times Compasse stand That with such firm Vp-lifters falls away The ayme of Wisedome yea aud Fortunes too Is at one White to make bright whom they loue Ne can Crosse Fortune Wisedoms Friends vndo Sith their vndoings do their makinges proue The Stars rule Fools both ru'ld by Wisemen are So ech Mans Manners do his Fortunes square 11 WHen with my Minds right Eye I do behold From nought made nothing lesse great Tamburaline Like Phaeton drawne encoach in burnisht Gold Raigning his drawers who of late did Raigne I deem me blessed in the Womb to be Bâ—rne as I am among indiffrent Things No King nor Slaue but of the meane degree Where I see Kings made Slaues and Slaues made Kings When if my Meannesse but one Thought conceaue That minds but Mounting this Thought keeps it downe And so I liue in Case to take or giue For Loue or Meed no Sâ—epter â—ut a Crowne Yet Flowres of Crownes for Roesies expence Poets might take and giue no recompence In praise of Poesie THou that by force of All commanding wordes Makst all Affections follow thy Commands To whome the High'st such height of powre affords As fully with his grace and glory stands To thee sweet Poesie offer I this Mite Of Forcelesse words deriu'd from lesser might Thou that dost scorne Commers with muddy Braines Or with oughte lesse then Spirits Angelicall Who chaunt inchaunting Soule bewitching straines Where of but some includes the Summe of All To thee I sacrifice these Laudes to leaâ—e In flames of zeale that farre surmount the Meane For ô Thoâ— scornst so base as Meane to beare Sith that the Meane in Thee is held but base Though other Arts the Meane doe highly reare Thou holdst the Meane to bee an high disgrace Then â— with what high Raptures should my Braynes Entraunced bee to ope thy vertues Vaines Which while I striue to do my Braines do beate As if they would worke out their Freedome so Who doe attempt to leaue their narrow Seate As if they scorn'd to be the Crowne below But would be compast in an Angels Crowne To make thee Angell-bright in deâ—re renowne Sweet Helicon my Braines quite overflow So shall thy Nectar them intoxicate And with a firy Wreathe bind thou my Brow That mak'st the Muse in Flames to fulminate While She with voice like Thunder rattles forth The Peales of Praises due to Poesies worth From this Foundation might my Muse transcend The ten-â—old Orbs of Heau'n eu'n to his Throne That 's all in All there should these praises end That higher praises might be His alone But such Transcendents are too high to climb For my tir'd Muses Wings that Le ts do lime Yet in my Sconce â— make your Rendeuous All words that may wing Praise with Angels Plumes And Iudgement ioyne them fast with Arts Mouth-gâ—ue That they may hold past Time that all conâ—umes But â— my Will all Words hâ—th ouershoâ— Then let my silence praise what Words cannot 13 WHiles in my Soule I feel the soft warme Hand Of Grace to shaw the Frozen dregs of Sin She Angell arm'd on Edens Walls doth stand To keep out outward Ioyes that would come in But when that holy Hand is â—ane away And that my Soule congealeth as before She outward Comforts seeks with Care each way And runs to meet them at each Sences Doore Yet they but at the first sight only please Then shrink or breed abhor'd Satiety But diuine Comforts far vnlike to These Do please the more the more they stay and Be Then outward Ioyes I inwardly detest Sith they stay not or stay but in vnrest â—4 It 's not Cocytus Riuer of sad teares Nor ought besides that may sense most torment Doth cause the feare of death or life indeeres In Epicures that sensually are bent But t is the relaps into Nullity Which of all griefs and miseries is chiefe To those that scoffe at immortalitie Sith in Not-being's Beings greatest griefe For what ioy is so great but the conceipt Of falling to his Infinition Of blacke Non-essence will confound it streight In those that thinke this life their Portion Sith then their Heau'n on their fraile life depends Their Heau'n must melt when they do minde their ends 15 MEn Worlds of Mould that fil the great Worlds Mold Creep like vile Wormes in whom is nought but Slime To find some Hole wherein to make their Hold VVhich found they fil then restlesse straite they climb Til hauing rais'd themselues about the Ground They open lye to be to dust dissolu'd As litle by great Clods to Dust are ground So Clods resolu'd to climb are soone resolu'd For litle Worlds that would deuour the great Break sith they cannot that huge Masse containe For they that Eat the Earth the Earth wil eat So Earth to quick is quickly dead againe Then in the Earth if Men wil be secure They must like Wormes straite Holes or death indure 16 VVHen Will doth long t'
well sedd now thy Motion 's Kind Beware thou double not a single friend Cannot endure suche Trickes but let thy Feete Bee placâ—d â—o please yet please not to offend And in their motion Rime and Reason meete I loue Thee for thy Loue lo ther 's my Reason Nay did'st thou hate mee as thou maist in time Yet should I loue VVitts Salt which Thee doth season And thy rare other Guifâ—s lo here 's my Rime Thus farre in measure hath my prancing Peâ— To Thee approcht Pen homage now why so So should it bee for still the worser men Must paie the better reurence which they owe. Now Sir if my rude Pen may fetch yours in After the manner of a Cooshin-dance Leaue when you will and as you liâ—t begin Your Discords to mine breede no variance But how so ere your Feete bee placd they shall In Loue iumpe with my Feete Hand Hart and all Bee thou my Damon then and I will bee At least a Pitâ—ias if not more to Thee An Epitaph or what you will on the death of Maister Mâ—ece an harmelesse professed Foole who shall decease when it shall please God and him made at his ernest request HEre low he lies that sate still with the Hie For foolish Witt and honest Knauerie Neuer poore-Foole him selfe more wisely bare For hee gott loue of All and tooke no care Then neueâ— Foole on this World reeling Stage Plaid his Part better till forescore of age Then Time and Death on him their force did proue And tooke him from this Life but not our loue Now make Wormeâ— mirry Meece as Thou mad'st Men Vâ—till in endlesse Mirth Wee meere agen For to that Mirth if now thou be not gon God knowes what is become of Salomon Who though Hee knew much Good and did it to Yet knew much Ill which hee much worse did doo But Thou like Adam Meece in innocence Knewst not so much as how to giue offence Or if thou knewst thou did'st conceale the same So like a wise-Foole liudâ—st thou with-out blame Then Meece sith Death doth play the Foole with Thee Showing his Teeth laughiâ—g ill fauour'dly Put on his Pate thy Capp and on his Back Thy pideâ—Coate put with eu'rie foolish â—nack And say â—ith hee sittes quite be fide the Stoole Looke on she Foole that cannot kill a Foole For I poore Meece that was a Foole to Death Haue made Death now my Foole eu'n with a Breath Sith I haue Couâ—nd him with only That That made mee to bee mocks and laughed at Namely but with mine onely outward* Weede Whereof poore naked Snake hee stood in needâ— And I beeing wearie of it gaue it then When I was like to liue with God and Men. For what hath the wise-man more then the Foole Eccles 6. 8. 〈…〉 serious and sacred Subiects Mortall Life compared to Post and Pare WHen well I weigh the state of mortall Life Mee seemes it seemes but too like Post and Pare Where eache Man seekes to winn by ciuill strife While most make show of more then what they are One vies it beeing but a Knaue perchance Against a King or Queene or Paires of both Our-brauing Cowardize and Ignorance And others part Stakes that to lose are loth Some Nothing seeme to gett Some-thinge by it These some passe all to goe beyond the rest These better their Goods-fortunes by good Witt Who crouch as being worst till they are best Some some-what giue to fetch some others in That so at last they may bee furthest out These little giue by small guifts much to winne Yet oft so loose they all to winne a Flout Some beeing Paâ—riall dare to do what not Vy and reâ—uy and weene they all shall winn When some One other better Cards hath gott That they are furthest out when furthest in Some Elders for re-uies passe Pare and Post When lo the Yonger shares or Doubles it Then fretts the VVinner for his wynning lost Sith foolish Fortune Conny-catched VVitt Some vy and reuy faceing so to foile That haue no Games but game some seem with griefe The while the rest haue game to see their spoile Who yet out brau'd do blush sith they were chiefe Some being Cock like Crauens giue it ore To them that haue the worst Cards in the Stock For if the one be ritch the other poore The Cock proues Crauen and the Crauen Cock Some hauing lost the double Pare and Post Make their aduantage on the Purrs they haue Whereby the Winners winnings all are Loâ—t Although at best the other 's but a Knaue Pur Ceit deceaues the expectation Of him perhaps that tooke the Stakes away Then to pur Tanthee's in subiection For Winners on the Losers oft do play Flush is oreâ—boren oft by a better Flush And Kings do conquer Kings but by the hand As Stronger do the weaker euer crush And still win of them Glory Goods and Land Some look awry to see it they can spie Anothers Cards thereby to make their game Then on a Nine ten times perhaps they vy Knowing the other's blind though they are lame Some Pack and others Cut to breake the Pack Some shuffle cunningly and shift thereby Some take a Card and some a Card put back More then they should to back their vice and Vie Some haue Confedrates of the Lookers on Whol ook as friends they were to all alike Then with a signe of least suspition They note the Conny which they meane to strike And if the Gamsters do play ouer-long All drawne by all the Butlers Box doth drawe As Lawiers gett all bee it right or wronge That 's wonne and lost it Men bee long in Lawe Thus properlie we may this Life compare Vnto the bragging game of Post and Pare My Corollarie WEalth like a Pegasus doth runne or Flee As swift as Thought especially from those That nere are gladd but when at game they bee Though all their Wealth thereby in Post they loose And so when Wealth away is posted quite They runne away or else play least in sight Written to the Right Noble and well accomplished Ladie the Countesse Dowager of Pembroke I Grace inuoke which had would make me pray To Thee great Ladie greate and glorious to I pray to Thee 〈◊〉 to a Comforts Staie Then lett my comfort still bee tyde thereto To Thee my whole Man is dyaphanall The Raies of whose Witts Eyes pierce through mee quite Who like a Goddesse seeth all in All Which in me is or Fowle Faire Wrong or Right If ought be Faireâ— or Right in mee it is Not mine but Thine whose Woorth possesseth mee But if ought fowle bee in mee or amisse I hate for That for that it s not for Thee If I bee All amisse I All assigne To Shame and Sorow sith no part is Thine Your Honors while he is worthie of that Honor I. D. Againe to Hir. FAine would I write that Wiâ—t nere yet concea'ud But abiect Witt withstands my highe Deâ—ire So diuerse write and weene yet
him a Make On whome awake for ioy his Hart doth melt And seeing Hir for all he saw â—e knew Bone of my Bone Flesh of my Fleshâ—said he This Creature is for in my selfe the grew And as my selfe I le loue hir while we Be. This nay alas This naught is to the Good That He enioyed in that earthly Heauâ—t Which by Mans Thought cannot be vnderstood Whereof alas we through him are bereaun For He was wâ—rn'd but one Tree not to touch The Tree of Knowledge by which well he knew He naked was and sham'd to know so much For Shame doth Euil euermore ensue Then euil was it that he knew and did When through his serpentine seduced wife He tasted of The Tree which was forbidd So Lost wee with Him Paradice and life None otherwise then by our Lawes wee see The Sons plagu'd for the Sires successiuely For if the Sire a proued Traitor be Hee s plagu'd him selfe and his Posterity Which with highst Iustice iust proportion holds So wills the Highst whose Will giues Iustice formâ— Whose Grace true Iustice euermore infolds Then neither can or will he It deforme Hence comes it that from Loue we fall to Lust Fowle Lust that 's but the Excrement of Loue And hence it is we proue in both vniust When Lust another Way our Mind doth moue Thus was a Woman made the Instrument Wherewith the Deuil did mans Eare allure To heare the Syren Sins first Straines consent Which drue him on to Death which vve endure And vvhat but Wo-men cause our Sonnetting Wherein we show vvhat languishnes vve haue Within our Soules for them which often bring Our Minds to naught and Bodies to the Graue Whose Tongues drue vertue from the Tongue of Eue If it be Vertue vvhich to Vice doth draw To make vs loue then What they List belieue For Lou's as free from Reason as from Law O VVo-men that vvere made but for Mensâ—ake To helpe and comfort them in weale and wo Why do your selues your selues their plaguers make And Crosse the Cause of your creation so Do not o do not so degenerate From what ye should be by creation You giue vs life and life abbreuiate So make and mar our Generation But if you wil be like your Mother Eue. When you haue vs vndone helpe vs to liue In iudicando criminosa est celeritas TO cut off life by Law of such whose Crimes Fall out as euill from an hopefull good May proue though iust iniurious to the Times Wherein they liue in deed or likelihood For Iustice though she equall be to all Yet by aduice of Prudence she doth spare Hopefull Delinquents though they fowly fall Only because they oft most hopefull are For had Miltiades at first bin slaine When he in Chersonesus tyranizd Where had the Battaile bin got on the Plaine Of Marrathon that 's so immortalizd Or els had Cimon or Themistocles Bin done to death for their lasciuious life For vvhich proscribd was Alâ—ibiades How had the Athenians conquest been so rise The Battailes neere the flood Eurimedon Had not bin gaind to their past gaineful good Nor from the Mountaine Artemision Had they sent streaming downe their Foe-mens Bloud For royall Mynds greate Harts and actiue Haâ—ds With nimble Wit among can nought effect But what with wonder if not glory stands Sith meane Attempts they do as base reiect Nor can their Natures motion idle be That is so restlesse quick and violent Still working like a Billow of the Sea Til it bee staid in some moode premanent But as vnskilfull Husbandmen reiect The fattest Grounds sith they beare Weeds or woâ—se When expert'st Husbands those in chiefe ellect Sith well they wott fatt Grounds make fatt their Purse So do at first greate Witts and haughtie Sprights Produce strange fruits that feede butâ—leane Decay Which wee detesting weene they had their rights To bee cut off and ridd out of the way Which doth proceede from iudgment most deprau'd Though in desire that Iustice might take place Sith if those Men had bin in mercie saud They for that mercie might their Countrie grace For when with Iudgments best-discerning Eye Wee see good matter in an euill Man As Courage VVitt and great actiuitie Wee long must hope he will do wel that can For Age with Vertue is Cooperatiue Youths prone to Vice sith Vice doth cocker it So they in time great matters may achiue That may their King and Kingdome benefit Then each wise Iudges iudgment hath this scope To spare the hopelesse Felon full of hope Fortuna vitrea est quae cum splendet frangitur Publi _â— GREATNESSE what great Good dost thou containe â—allure the VVill to bee in loue with thee â—st souraigne-Good to bee a Soueraigne VVhen high'st degree of Ills threats that Degree VVho buyes a Crowne with neuer-ending Care Buyes Gold too deere by al that Life is worth For Care doth nought but Life to Death prepare Yet vnprepard to meet Death flieth foorth For Kingdoms Cares so many are and great That they constraine the Thought but them to mind That though vntimely Death they do beget Yet Thought though free from thought thereof they bind Then ô my Soule poore Soule ritch in Conceit Which dost conceiue Kings glittering misery To be as t is false pomp true perils Baite Suffice thee still with meere Sufficiency Make me aswell content to be the least As others are well pleasd the Greatst to be Sith Man in honor liues and dies a Beast For Men proue oft base Beasts in high degree Let mine ambition reach but to Content And that Content reach but the Mean to touch That 's All sith it s omni-sufficient More meet for richest Mynds then more then Much There may I fiâ—t by Vertues surest side For in the Meane sheedoth hir selfe install Secure from wrack while those that Scepters guide Do find no meane betweene their Rise and Fall VVhere I may all vnseene see all the rest Of this Worlds Reuolutions and make vse Of Best and VVorst discreetly for my best And store my Mind with Matter for my Muse Like a Spectator that doth fitt at ease Secure vpon the Shore and thence doth see How others are neere sincking on the Seas In ceaslesse Stormes that full of danger bee Or like a looker on a Tragedie VVithin the Middle Roome among the Meane I see the fall of State and Maiesty VVhile mongst the Presseâ—a Piller sure I leane So see I others sorrowes with delight Though others sorrowes do but make me sadd But plagues to see which on our selues might light Free from their fall makes Nature grieuing gladd Where while I see some Phaeton striue to guide The Sunne of Souraigntie I see him set All in Combustion so dissolues through pride All Mouers causing his Ambitions heate Where I may see but late-Court-Minions Liue like to Spunge hard squizd aliue and dead Through change of Kings or Kings opinions For when their Heads fail off off falls their Head Or if they find more
grace in Fortunes Frownes To liue as in an Hell a Liuing Death They well may Chronicle what holds in Crownes Which turne about like Fanes eun with a Breath There may I Nobles see vnnobly striue Who shall be greatst in grace for want of grace Who by the damage of each other thriue And grace themselues b'each others great disgrace While vnperceaud I laugh to see how thay Like Fiends each other restlestly torment And blesse my state that on their Plagues may play In my Minds mirry Kingdome of CONTENT In few there may I see how all Estates That lifted are aboue the myrry Meane Do falling stand twixt Dangers and Debates Whiles of their Falls I make a swelling Sceane So that this World the Sea of misery Becomes my Helicon and Streames affords To make my Muse to flow stil swellinghie In matter far aboue the reache of Words Then you that shouldring buckle for the best Holding the Meane the best of all the worst Rest you or else my Muse shall neuer rest To make your States and Strifs lothd as accurst And you ô you vnpassiond peacefull Harts That with me liue secure in meane estate Be ioyfull though you play but simple Parts Ye simply play the best blâ—â—hst freest from hate And though these great Ones scorne our Case and Core Let vs laugh at them sith we know they dote A Dump vpon the death of the most noble Henrie late Earle of Pembrooke DEath hath depriud 〈◊〉 of my deerest friend My Deerest friend is dead and laid in Graue 〈◊〉 Graue He rests vntill the World shall end The World shall end and end shall all I hings haue All Things haue end on Earth that Nature wrought That Nature wrought shall vnto Dust be brought To Dust be brought the worthiest Wights on Ground On Ground who liues in Ground consume he must Consume he must whom â—rorow doth confound Sorrow doth confound the Mind that Care doth rust That Care doth rust full soone Care will deuour Care will deuour where Care hath greatest powr Where Care hath greatest powr it frets the Heart It frets the Heart and doth perplex the Spirit The Spirit perplext ptocures the Bodies â—mart The Bodies smart doth quite expell delight Expell delight then Life is like to Death To Death I yeeld yet cannot lose my Breath My Breath why did it not forsake me than Me than eun then when that my friend deceast My friend deceast eun as my Ioyes began My Ioyes began eun as my Ioyes surceast My Ioyes surceast eun as my friend did dy My friend did die and so would God might I. I aid vnto Laughter what art thou mad And to Mixth what dost thou Eccles. 2. 2. AMong the 〈◊〉 Sinne 〈◊〉 for heedles Flesh Though Lust be more attractiue in her powr None takes so soon sith 〈◊〉 doth it refresh As Myrth For Myrth doth ioy and health procure The Graue and Light wil lightly mirry bee Mirth so doth tickle Splâ—eneâ— of either kinde For recreation oâ—e the other glees And boâ—h because therein they pleasure finde It is Earths Heauen yet It doth hale to Hell But so doth hale as with bewitching 〈◊〉 It makes them willing whome it doth compel To ioy in Pleasure which procureth Smart When Fortune smiles who then laughs not outright And oft mad mirry plaies not with each straw Makes Pleasure all their paine their care Delight These Mirth with Ropes of Vanity doth draw These in the Night think how to spend the Day If thinking-sad Ambition let them not In pas-time so Time passeth with ill play Til they lose All and He the same hath got In Weale we flote on Pleasures Streams with ease In sugred satisfaction of our Sense And often seeke to sound those sensual Seas With the decep'st reach of our Intelligence Then wee embozom all that Myrth can yeeld Musutions Plaiers Buffons Birds-and Beasts Do at their pleasure vs most wanton weeld And decrer then our Wisedomes deeme their lests A Zane farther off from Wit then Grace And yet as farre from Grace as Grace from Synne That can at Feasts prate with a brazen face When sober Witt 's kept out must needs come in Our Dainties will not downe with out some such A Shamelesse-gracelesse wittlesse Thing wee gett To make vs Fatt as fooles with Laughing much And on his follie feede to make vs eate My Lady shee will laugh as madd shee were Lord why should Mirth make sober Ladies madd If shee but see Him like an Asse to fleere So shee kind Mule to see an Asse is gladd And when such Buffons ball and Cornetts sound The Ghests loud-Laughing Who can then bee heard That speakes like Phiâ—â—pps Page as shrill as sound That Voice hath then no grace and lesâ—e regard And if one sober Soule amonge the rest Do mind the rest of theiâ— Excesse in This Some seeming wise-man makes him straight a lest While all as at a Goose like Geese do 〈◊〉 Then one Goose that seemes reason most t' affect Yeelds him a reason for their hissing so And saith that Wisedome doth hir selfe reiect When shee comes out of season ought to do This Diu'l with reason dammnes Diuinity And with his Wisedome stopps selfe Wisedomes Mouth Which saith all Seasons wee should mortifie Our Eares to heare the liuely Word of TRVTH Paule hold thy peace thou blessed Saint be still Though if thou preach not thou saist wo to Thee Lest they do hisse thee too for thy good will Who hold all Geese that not madd-mirry bee Tell them they ought in season and without To heare the Word of Life they dead in sinne Will for thy zeale requite thee with a floute For so to quite such zeale they vs'd haue binâ— The most voluptuous ouer-wanton Rigge Proud Plentie scornes meeke Pieties VVoman-hood And swelling Supra-aboundance lookes so bigg That nought it sees so Low as Soberâ—moode Variety of Crownes Robes Mirth and Meate And all that rauish Sense with sweet'st delight These are the Heau'nsâ— desired of the GREATE VVho weene no Heau'n nor Hell is out of sight Frolicke greatâ—great Ones while these Heauns you hold Sith you will not attend true VVisedoms VVords Laugh and bee fatt sith al you touch is Gold Though that foode your Soules famishment affordes Soule tush what Soule how idly dost thou chatt Madd Muse that now they thinke dost Poetize There is no Soule nor no such Thing as that These are but Fictions Law-confirming Lies VVhat resurrection Pish who euer came From Death to Life VVho can Cadaueres raise Some say a Nazarite once did the same But Tacitus nor Machiauel to saies These were wise Men in deede and known for such If such had said it we might trust their VVorde But fow'r poore Fellowes poorely it doth touch That often with themselues do scarse accord VVho had no action in the Common weale No Office no Command nor no great Braine Yet wee for sooth for vaine Soules only Heale Must credit them in all their prattle vaine
Agnize Who in his youth grew quickly old in grace With GOD and Man for GOD and Man was HEE Baptis'd by him which made and gaue Him place That HEE to all might Pieties Patterne bee Conquering his FLESH with fasting uncoâ—strain'd The World with meeknesse and the Fiend with 〈◊〉 And when the WEEKS of DANIELL end attainâ—d Heâ—â—â—light and sought RIGHTS Ruines to repaire Sometimes with Words that wonder-mazed men Sometimes with Deedes that Angels did admire With mercy still with Iustice seldome when He made as HEE was God and man entire He tought EARTH Truth and HELL to know her error He showed the MEEDE ordainâ—d for Good and Bad Then to confirme All to All 's ioy and terror Hee calmâ—d the Elements reform'd the madd Heald all Diseases brought to life the Dead The quickt ' obedience secret thoughts to light To Sinnes restraint or to be banished And lastly to the Deuil feare and flight These Notwithstanding and much more then these For all the World the Books would not comprise That of his Acts should hold the working-Seas Which to a boundlesse Magnitude do risel Hee was alas when he had vnder-gon All Paines and Passions Sin all onely saud Proper to Man yet had his God-head showne By his owne People scorned and depraud Yea by his owne his owne chiefe Officer Iudas betraying Him He was accusd Arraignd condemnd bound seurgd hald here and there With Thorns Crownd crucified and worse abusd So He All being fulfild the Sun obsurd The Earth all quaking Graues self-opening And NATVRES Frame dissoluing Death endurd Life thereby to his Enemies to bring Then being interd loost Hell and rose againe In triumph hauing conquerd Death and Sin And forty Daies with HIS on Earth did raigne A Man-GOD glorifid without and in And of his age the three and thirtith Yeare He in the sight of his Saints did assend To Heaun with glory triumph ioy and cheere And sits on his right Hand that Him did send From whence being now our Spokes-man He shal come When all this All shall melt in funerall fire On Quick and Dead to giue his finall Doom When as their Works shal be shal be their Hire Then Good and Bad diuided endlesly The Worle refind and all things put in frame To this greate Iudge the totall EMPERY Shal bee giu'n vp of this Great-double FRAME To whome Celestiall and Terrestriall Knees And Knees infernall shall for euer bow And eu'ry Tongue confesse and Eye that sees That HEE is All in All in High and Low Vnto His glory that VVas is and shall In all Aeternity bee ALL in All I long for Life vnlike to Death SO runnes the Tenor of the Treble Ills Existing by the Meane of three fel Foes The Flesh the World the Deuill euer spills Vs miserable miserable Men with mortal Bloes Yet like Fiends taking pleasure but in paine In paine that to noe perfect profit tends We seeke to rule and if we can to raigne And rule and raigne but for vnruly Ends O Rest the Image of that Saboth sweete VVherein sweete Saints do from their Labours rest O riche repose of Spirit for Angells meete How do I toile to bee of Thee possest Then Slouth it is not that delights my VVill Nor would mine Vnderstanding idle bee But both desire to bee in Action still Yet rest in action like the Trinitie The Date of my lifes Lease is neere expird Yet labour I for life sith still I swimme In Sorrowes Seas as one as neerely tride As hee is neere the Bottome or the Brym I scarse can keepe me Head aboue the VVaues VVith all my Laboures my Starres are so crosse Yea vnder VVater oft my Science saues From Death my Life which Stormes of Troubles tosse But as the Deluge swelling more and more Made th'Arke thereby to Heau'n-warde mount a pace So when Afflictions VVaues increase their Store They lift me vp thereby the more to Grace Yet as they multiplie their struggle so That they turmoile my Bodie toyle my Mynd For both in anguishe flote when Sorrowes flo And sorrowes flow from Fortunes Ebbe by kind So that I cannot yet that Rest attaine Which my poore Soule and Spirit so requires I longing labour for it yet in vaine For base Defect withstands my high Desires And by how much the more for it I longe So much the more I do Worlds weale neglect Wherein my selfe and my Desires I wrong That are the more supprest by that Defect I was not moulded sure in earthlie Mould Though of the Filth thereof my Fleshe was fram'd For if I were then sure it fitt mee should But nothing lesse whereof I am asham'd I see some Men who when wee weigh their Witt Wee as miraculous their wealth admire To this Worlds Mould do make them selues as fitt As if their VVitt and Mettall were all Fire Yea some meere Blocks that are as bluut as base Rise from still lying but in Duâ—t and Dung To high estate which standeth with therir Case Though Fate through too much right them too much wrong Yet I whose Braines are plac'd in betteâ— Cells And haue the influence of clearer light Can compas nothing by Wits magick-Spells These charming Numbers but mine ovvne delight I stoln am from my self by nine svveet Queenes Who do predominate my Witt and Will While Time steals from me both my Life and Meanes And leaues mee nought to liue with but my Skill Yet from Times Wings I steale his blackest Plumes The Night to rest in motion of my Muse And til my Witt by â—tealth of Time consumes In spight of VVant this wealth of VVitt I le vse And with Aurora raiser of the Muse I le wake if Rests friend Sleepe should rest mine Eyes To steale from Time what I may iustlâ—e vse So to supplie Times want with 's owne Supplies And for the Stuffe whereof I le draw my Lines It shall bee such as from his Throne shall come VVhose Muse-immortalizing Spirit them twines And Silkeworme like I le worke me in my Tombe VVhere though I poore VVorme from my Labours rest My VVorks well wou'n by some more dextrous VVitt May line perhapps the Note-bookes of the best Yea for Apparrell of the Mind be fitt And though the Viperous Iron Teeth of Time May gnaw away to wrack through my VVorks VVombe Yet if my Spirit thereby aboue Him climbe Lett my Lines ruynd bee to giue Him Roome For though content I could bee dead to liue In Fames strongst Fort though Paper be the VVall And Sense of Fame my life cannot suruiue Yet if I rise thereby lett my Fame fall For what feeles Naso that a VVorke compos'd That liues and shall till Time bee Toothlesse quite Sith heeâ—s disposd where now hee 's indisposd To feele a VVinde that is so vaine and light Yet heerâ—s the VVinde that beares the VVorld away Though it bee weaker then the lightest Mynd Then weake is That so weake a Winde doth swaie And â—ie they oughâ— that liue but for such Winde But