Mind so brave If Nature's stock were wholly spent Here Beauty might again be lent T' enrich the world because that she Hath Beauty's sole Monopoly She like a lively Spring oreflows And daily in perfection grows The Leper IAm a filthy Leper from my head Unto the foot with scurf of sin o're sâ—read I want no art or help to cleanse my skiâ— The stream may wash my body not my sin Lord let the Jordan of thy grace restore My perfect health and let me sin no more An Epitaph upon my beloved Daughter Susanna Watkyns who was born upon Ashwednesday 1655. and dyed the 5. of August 1658. HEre lies a pleasantRose rash Death thought good To take and crop it in the tender bud God is a Husbandman who doth remove His younger plants to make them better prove She for her mornings work shall have her pay Equal with those that labour'd all the day Ashwednesday she was born for her I mone Because she is so soon to Ashes gone Hic noster dolor est hic nostri germen amoris Hic Rosa slos campi gemma sepulta jacet Upon the most pious and learned Work intituled Davids Harp strung and tuned being a brief Analysis of Davids Psalms with devout Prayers and Meditations on each Psalm Composed by that Orthodox most learned and excellently qualified Prelate William Nicolson Lord Bishop of Gloucester VVHen David on his skilful Harp did play Saul was refresht the Devil fled away Sure David with the Harp did sing a Psalm Which did King Saul's fanatick nature calm The Psalms are Davids Harp now plaid upon And tun'd by Englands chief Musition He handles Davids Harp and playes so well That where 't is heard no sad distractions dwell With the wise Prophet he doth well dispence â—y clearing not by changing of the sence Have you observ'd how the laborious Bee Doth feed on flowers of all varietie And thence pure honey doth extract and we Receive much profit from her Treasurie So he hath travel'd through the fruitful field Of Davids Psalms which like rich flowers do yield Pleasure and profit to judicious men Who will admire the sweetness of his pen. On every Psalm each holy Meditation And Prayer merits heavens approbation Who meditates or prayes so well as he From sin from Satan and from hell is free Here thou may'st learn to write and learn to pray Here thou may'st learn to think on heavens way Upon a most pious and learned Exposition of the Apostles Creed by the same right reverend Father in God William Nicolson Lord Bishop of Gloucester HE that desires to tract the Sacred way Which leads to heaven soon shall go astray Uâ—nless he hath a perfect rule or line Safely to guide him through all paths divine All is involved in th' Apostles Creed Which sinners do unto salvation need Twelve Articles of faith the Creed contains Which are explain'd by his laborious pains He lean'd with John on Christs own bosome thence He suckt deep knowledge which he doth dispence Unto the world to open heavens door Use but this key and you shall want no more The two Books above mentioned written by the Bishop of Gloucester are to be sold at the Crown in Fleet-street Ambition exemplified in the Parable Judg. 9. THe trees would chuse a King they all agree The Olive should their King elective be The Olive would not her rich fatness leese To be promoted over all the trees The Vine would not be King to lose her wine Which doth all hearts rejoice all wits refine The Fig-tree much did of her sweetness boast And would not reign to have her sweetness lost At last the Bramble doth intrude and would Though most unfit the Royal Scepter hold With vain ambition those do never swell In whom high gifts of grace and nature dwell Ambition spurs the bad by some sad fate Who many times usurp the Chair of State To row their Boats for wind and tide they watch And at Promotion like the Bramble catch Ambition moves me not my self I yield To be the meanest flower in all the field Yet from preferment I 'le not turn aside Nor go on foot when God doth bid me ride The Conclusion THese Poems so compendious I presume No time no fire nor envy shall consume Those Hero's writ of in this Book shall be A President to all Posterity Nature a short life gave them this will give A second birth and make them ever live BReconium quondam veteres coluere Silures Terra bona est mala gens litigiosa sagax Hic domus est angusta mihi cum stramine tecta Pastor sum templi Barnace sancte tui Sed natale solum est soelix Heresordia longà Villâ sub nigro Monteque nâ—tus eram Proverbial Sentences 1. A Hood makes not a learned Monk they err Who think a Beard makes a Philosopher 2. Some cross the Seas to gain more wit we finâ— They only change the air but not the mind 3. All is not gold that glisters painted glasâ— With fools and children for true peaâ—l may pass 4. Who riseth up and prays not turnâ— the light Or natural day into spiâ—itual night 5. Ice will convert to water Man to dust Young men may die but Old men die they must 6. Be merry Maids you cannot Husbands lack For every Gill there is an equal Jack 7. A man which falleth in a dirty way The fouler is the longer there he 'll stay 8. An hundred weight of sorrow will not pay One pound of debt to clear the Serjeants way 9. He that hath many children it is known That all his morsels cannot be his own 10. He that hath spice enough within his fist His cup of drink may season as he list 11. Who hath a Fox to be his mate must set Or at his girdle hang a constant net 12. Who hath one Hog doth make him fat and he Who hath one Son makes him a fool to be 13. Who lets his wife go unto every feast And lets his horse of every water taste Hâ— shews but little wit for all his life He 'll have a horse that 's bad and so a wife 14. Who hath the better game doth fear the end Who hath the worse doth hope the game may mend 15. Iâ— that thou do'st desire to know a Knave 〈…〉 him a staff and let him power have 16. Who climbs the highest hill above shall find More frequent storms and greatest force of wind 17. He pulls with a long rope who first must wait Anothers death before he hath his bait 18. He that to market sends an idle fool Must follow him and let his porredge cool 19. Who hath a Wolf for his companion can Never do well without a Dog his man 20. A cheerful look doth much content a guest And makes a homely dish a dainty feast 21. When holy Prayers at the Church are done Forsooth my Lady 's ready then to come 22. An antient wise man's shadow or his word Is better far than a
his youthful days As do foreshew this Morning star will prove A glorious body in the oâ—b of Love Thus purest Springs as they do forward go The wider still and still the deeper grow Upon the death of the Right worshipful Sir Walter Pye of the Mynde THus full grown fruitful trees we often find Blown down by sad and unexpected wind He was an Evening-star but so divine As did in glory Morning-stars outshine Vertue was strong in him if truly scan'd As when the Sun doth in his Zenith stand The King hath lost a Subject who should have An everlasting April on his grave Have you observ'd how the pure Frankincense Or Storax burning out delights the sense So he consum'd and dy'd He left a Name A glory to his friends to foâ—s a shame His death deserves of tears more ample store Than there be sands upon rich Nilus shore The Passion of Christ Vita mea fuit mors Christi Mors Christi vita meaest ADam who names to Creatures gave Did in fair Edens garden sin Christ in a garden man to save His bitter Passion did begin There did his sweat and drops abound Yeâ— drops of precious holy blood Which trickled down unto the ground And flowed like a crimson flood There Judas did his Lord betray With a foul and deceitful kiss Dissembleâ—s cast their souls away Regarding not eternal bliss From thence with lanthorns staves and swords They led him like a wicked thief No faithful friend now aid affords No Angel ministers relief To Annas then they brought the Lord The holy Lamb is strongly bound To murther him they all accord In whom no guile or sin was found He could these cords asunder break His mighty hands did heaven frame My sins did bind and make him weak And subject unto pain and shame Herod did scorn him and disdain To see so poor and vile a thing The Lamb no favour can obtain When that the crafty Fox is King To Pilate's Hall they brought him bound For Pilate judgment was to give The Judge in him no evil found But that he might in justice live They did blindfold the God of Light And struck the peaceful Prince of Love Though to the blind he gave their sight Yet nothing could these tyrants move They spit in his most glorious face Whose healing spittle cur'd the blind Although he gave to sinners grace Yet here he could no favour find They 'twixt two thieves him crucifie Who did him mock and basely scorn Between two thorns you might espy The Lilly of the vallies torn This was our Saviour's nuptial day The bitter Cross his marriage bed Where he his patient head down lay His loving Spouse the Church to wed With nails they pierce his hands and feet And with a cruel spear his side From whence the Sacraments most sweet Like to a lively stream did glide At last he bow'd his head divine All things were finisht and compleat His Spirit to God he did assigne And unto us his Merits great The Children of Bethlehem Vox Sanguinis A Voice was heard in Ramab or on high Fair Rachel wept because her babes must die In Betblem Rachel's buried therefore she Is stil'd the Mother of this Infantrie No voice comes sooner to the ears of God Or crieth louder than the voice of blood Herod the Fox these pretty Lambs did kill Who the first Martyrs were by act not will In act and will I would a Martyr prove And give this world to gain the world above Vpon the Worshipful and most hospitable Gentleman Andrew Barker Esq of Fearfwood in the County of Gloucester Integer vitae sâ—elerisque purus OBseâ—ve bright Heavens constellation how The stars do join and make a glorious show Thuâ— vertues meet in him whose noble thought Hath pâ—ous woâ—ks unto perfection brought Hâ— keeps a house compleat to strangers free Without vain-glorious prodigality N 〈…〉 Poâ—teâ— dares to shut his door Agâ—â—nst the sad petitions of the poor No 〈…〉 sie no Treason â—re possest Q 〈…〉 eâ—'d once into his seriâ—uâ— bâ—â—ast Fidelity and truth did ever guide And steer his ship through every wind and tide His Wife is like the pleasant Vine that she May stock the world with good posterity His lovely Children blest with grace and wit Like Olive branches at his table sit And strangers which behold them soon may gather They are the children of so good a Father May he ne're cease through the great power of God To bud and flourish like old Aarons rod. Vpon Saul seeking his fathers Asses SAul did much care and diligence express By seeking Asses in the Wilderness Three days he travell'd with a serious mind To find them out but could no Asses find Find out a hundred you in London may Of Presbyterian Asses in one day The Moon IT is beleev'd the Moon so fair so bright Doth from the Sun receive her candid light My soul no beauty no perfection knows But what the Sun of glory still bestows Upon the fair and vertuous Gentlewoman Mrs M. S. that can sing excellently Gratior est virtus veniens è corpore pulchro WHen first I did this Virgin spie The object pleas'd my serious eye But when I heard her sing I swear The musick took both heart and ear Those inward vertues please us best Which are with outward beauty drâ—st And 't is a comely thing to find In bodies fair a â—airer mind The Harp the Viol hither bring And Birds musitians of the Spring When she doth sing those must be mutâ— They are but Gymbals to the Luâ—e She with her Notes doth rise and fall More sweetly than the Nightingal God in her pious heart keeps place Some Angel in her voice and face The Hen and Chickens SEe how the careful Hen with daily pain Her young and tender Châ—ckens doth maintain From ravenous birds secure her young ones lie Under their motâ—â—ers feather'd canopy Thus his dear children God together brings And still protects them with his gracious wings The bird oâ— pâ—ey Gods Doves would soon dâ—vouâ— Diâ— hâ— nâ—t guaâ—d them with his watchful pow'r Upon the Honourable Colonel Sir Randolph Egerton Knight In pace optimus in bello maximus MY trumpet is to dull too sound his praise Who guilds this Nation with his vertuous rayes His merits do like Nilus overflow The banks of comprehension and I know No better way than silence to commend His vertues which no measure have nor end The muses shall meloudious Anthems sing Of his bold love and valour for the King Upon the fair and vertuous Gentlewoman Mrs. Elizabeth Gwyn of the Hay I Cannot speak her worth but shew my will Her meriâ—s are beyond my pen or skill Her face and mind is fair like to the day Unclouded or like heaven's milkie way When she inclines to marriage may she find A lover correspendent to her mind As she is rich and comely so may he Equal in portion and proportion be As she is kind from him let kindnesse flow And love
too good to lie Under a bushel in obscurity He was not Linsey woolsey or content To be compos'd of King and Parliament He was most loyal and could not dispence With such base freedom to his conscience As to neglect his King he hath a heart From whence transparent beams of Vertue dart After sad years of cruel storms and wind He shall a Haven and a Heaven find The Gardener She supposing him to be the Gardener said unto him Job 20. MARY prevents the day she rose to weep And see the bed where Jesus lay a sleep She found out whom she sought but doth not know Her Masters face he is the Gardener now This Gardener Edens Garden did compose For which the chiefest Plants and Flowers he chose He took great care to have sweet Rivers run T' enrich the ground where he his work begun He is the Gardener still and knoweth how To make the Lilies and the Roses grow He knows the time to set when to remove His living plants to make them better prove He hath his pruning knife when we grow wild To tame our nature and make us more mild He curbs his dearest children when 't is need He cuts his choycest Vine and makes it bleed He weeds the poisonous herbs which clog the ground He knows the rotten hearts he knows the sound The blessed Virgin was the pleasant bower This Gardener lodg'd in his appointed hour Before his birth his Garden was the womb In death he in a Garden chose his Tomb. Copernicus his opinion confirm'd COpernicus his fancy may hold good The earth did only move the heavens stood So earth and houses wheeling round about And changing Climats sound new Masters out The Changes Tempora mutantur nos mutamur in illis THe painful Bee which to her hive doth bring Sweet honey in her tail retains a sting Our sweetest joyes are interlin'd with cares No field of corn but hath some choaking tares The stream which doth with silent motion slâ—de Is oftentimes disturb'd with wind and tide Who sits to day in Honours lap and sings God soon can change his tune and clip his winâ— Sometimes the Sea doth ebb and sometimes floâ— Now with anon against the tide we row No haven's so secure but somâ— ill blast May toss the ship and break the stately Mast Who now in Court doth dance and liâ—t his head To morrow droops and sickly keeps his bed The King may beg and beggars may command High Cedars fall when little shrubs do stand The sweetest com oâ—t I do feel or find Though fortune change is not to change my mind The Hour-glass Inter spemque metumque timores inter ir as Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum OUR time consumes like smoke and posts away Nor can we treasure up a month or day The sand within the transitory glass Doth haste and so our silent minutes pass Consider how the lingring hour-glass sends Sand after sand until the stock it spends Year after year we do consume away Until our debt to Nature we do pay Old age is full of grief the life of man If we consider is but like a span Stretcht from a swollen hand the more extent It is by strength the more the pains augment Desire not to live long but to live well How long we live not years but actions tell Pride and Humility Humilis descendendo ascendit superbus ascendendo descendit WHat pride possesseth man that is but clay Which must dissolve and melt like yce away What frothy baâ—m of self-conceit and love Doth puff his heart and such high fancies move Who doth presame to climb the highest wall Will soonest slip and catch the heaviest fall Proud men have fallen from their stately chairs And falling once have tumbled down the staâ—â—s The shâ—ubs are most secure and free from wind When lofty trees a strong resistance find Behold the twig which gently bends and bows When stubborn Oaks are broken stands and grows Vertue is sooner found in Cotts and Cells Than in great Courts where pride and envy dwells A contrite heart O Lord a bended knee Like sweet perfume shall at thy Altar be Christs Resurrection-day or Easter AS when through misty clouds and troubled air The Sun breaks forth and makes the heavens saâ—â— So Christ the glorious Bridegroom came this day Out of his Chamber whore he secret lay The brighter Sun is up whose pleasant rayes Do bless the earth with good and happy dayes Display thy warmer beams and to my heart More fervent heat of zeal and love impart Death could not kill or conquer life nor might The thickest darkness comprehend the light Had he bin still interr'd then we had bin For ever slaves to Satan Death and Sin The Jews to keep him there O fond conceit Roul'd to his grave a stone of heavy weight His body pierc't the stone but was not able To pierce their hearts far more impenetrable He could remove vast Mountains with his Word And in the Sea to them a grave afford The Mountain of my sins from me remove And drown them Lord in thy deep Sea of Love This joyful morning at the break of day Our Saviour rose and left his bed of clay Awake betimes my soul from slumber free And leave thou sin before that sin leaves 〈◊〉 The Spring SEe how the wanton Spring In green is clad Heark how the birds do sing I 'le not be sad Doth not the blushing Rose Breath sweet perfume I will my spice disclose But not presume The dew falls on the grass And hastes away Which makes me mind my glass Which will not stay Now plants and herbs do grow In every place Lord let not me be slow In growth of Grace Behold the fruitful trees And fertil ground Observe the painful Bees Whose hives abound I will not barren be Nor waste my dayes Like slaggards that are free From vertuous wayes The Poets Soliloquy WHy do I droop like flowers opprest with rain What cloud of sorrow doth my colour stain I like a Sparrow on the house alone Do sit and like a Dove I mourn and groan Doth discontent or sad affliction bind And stop the freedom of my Nobler mind No no I know the cause I do retire To quench old flames and kindle better fire It is my comfort to escape the rude And sluttish trouble of the multitude Flowers rivers woods the pleasant air and wind With Sacred thoughts do feed my serious mind My active soul doth not consume with rust I have been rub'd and now are free from dust Let moderation rule my pensive way Students may leave their books and sometimes play I am the Way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14. 6. Via in exemplo veritas in promisso vita in praeâ—â—io CHrist is the Way which leads to heavens joy He is the Truth which errours can destroy He is the Life which raiseth up the dead He is the Way Truth Life unlimited The way is narrow strive to enter in
The Tâ—uth is pure to clense our souls from sin I ft we do walk this Way this Truth maintain Eernal life is ours exempt from pain This is the Way without all rubs of grief This is the Truth which claims a just belief Here is the Life which conquer'd death and sin Truth Life is ones if we the way be in Theâ— Truth informs us and the Way doth gulde The Life rewards us if we constant bide Follow this Way embrace this Truth desire This Life the crown of Saints in Heavens quire Thankfulness Ascensus gratiarum est descensus gratiae IN thee I have my being live and move Who art the King of glory and of love From thy rich storehouse of delight and pleasure I do receive my joy my gifts and treasure Who gives me bread to strengthen me and wine To glad my heart who made my soul divine Who gave me wisdom or spiritual eyes Good to discern from bad and Truth from lyes Who doth direct my ways but thou my King Which art the Fountain whence all vertues spring What shall I render thee I have no more Than what 's thine own thy riches are my store If thou sweet Lord wilt not my Heart disdain Thou gav'st it me I give it thee again The Holy Maid Dum fugio homines invenio angelos nunquam minùs sola quà m cùm sola IAm resolv'd no sond desire Shall kindle in me Cupids fire No amorous toyes no wanton kiss Shall â—ob me of eternal bliss I 'll write I 'll read I 'll spin I 'll pray To drive vain thoughts of Love away A silent Cloyster which is free From change and chance best pleaseth me When I do not converse with men I speak with God and Angels then I will not wear a rich attire Of gold or silk to set on fire Beholders eyes The care I find Most needful is to dress my mind No cunning Lover shall beguile Or win me with a gift or smile I will accept no pretty thing As Ribans Gloves a Watch or Ring Weak man's estate as in a glass Is truly seen in fading grass The choisest Man the fairest Rose Will languish and perfection lose And yet I am in love but where My love ascends a higher sphere Where honor beauty pleasures be Inthron'd and full of constancie My Beloved's white and ruddy My red sins made him all bloody His head is like fine gold most free From dross and all impurity His gracious eyes are like Doves eyes And in his cheeks composed lies A bed of spices and flowers sweet Where all perfumes together meet His mouth breathes roses and no bliss Can equal his delicious kiss But see where my Beloved lies And courts me with his dying eyes He spreads his arms me to embrace Who would noâ— love so sweet a face Rich drops of blood like rubies fall To ransom my poor soul from thrall The Cross my pillow and my bed Shall be his Grave to rest my head All sweets are sour all fair perfections foul Compar'd with Christ the Bridegroom of my soul In laudem Comitatus Herefordiensis Hic benè natus eram non benè notus eram Haec tell us pleno ditescit munere coeli Nec magè fructiferas dat Paradisus opes Optima qainque bonis florescunt commoda terris Unda silva frequens faemina lana seges Vitro splendidior lucido fluit unda salubris Quae faelix multo pisce notatur aqua Daâ—â— viâ—ides campis turgentia flumina vestes Wy Lug sunt patriae fluminâ— prima meae Hic quâ—rcus Jovis arbor adest quâ scindimus aequor Nobilitat varios plurima silva locos Hic est inâ—ocuae tam praestans forma puellae Verteret ut Monachos in nova vota pios Non pâ—aebet tibi tam pretiosam Hispania lanam Qualia dives opum veller a Lemster habet Diverso telum componit tramite bombyx Cum videas lanam hanc negligis illud opus Alma Ceres crescit gravidisque laboraâ— aristis Nec datur in toto copia parca so'o Paâ—rem hic tam placidum comedas ut credere posses maâ—â—â—m de summo vel cecidisse poto Teâ—tarent Evam fâ—lgâ—nâ—ia poma per agros Câ—â—scit pomorum â—uxuâ—iâ—sâ— proles 〈◊〉 Sâ—cera nâ—enâ—o non postponâ—nda Lyaeo Qâ—â—â— Nâ—ctâ—r magni credo fuisse Jovis Haec gens fidelis gaudens virtute laboris Experiens fortis blâ—nda jocosa sagar Hospitio gaudet populus studiosus amoris Et colâ—t antiquum Religiâ—nis opus Musa silere jubâ—t nunquam imbecilla son â—bit Ex merito laudes buccina nostra tuas Come unto me all you that labour and are heavy laden and I will ease you Matthew 11. 28. Clamat Diabolus Venite ad me ego intersiciam Clamat Mundus Venite ad me ego desiciam Clamat Caro Venite ad me ego inficiam Clamat Christus Venite ad me ego refâ—ciam NOt Gilead's Balm no Pool in Siloam Not David's Hyssop and no Angel can Or blessed Saint in heaven cure the soul When sin hath made it like a Leper foul Christ is our Balsom and we have no Tree Whose leaves do Nations heal but only he Our Saviours sacred blood speaks better things Than Abels blood and greater comfort brings Gods anger was incens'd when Abel dy'd Our Saviours blood his anger pacifi'd The blood of Abel did for vengeance call Christs blood for love and mercy to us all Just Abels blood cry'd once and cry'd no more Our Saviours blood cries still God hath in store A Sea of mercies if we do depend On Christ our loving Bridegroom and our Friend He makes the lame to walk the blind to see The sad to sing for joy the pris'ner free Come all that labour Blessed is the man That hath some oil from this Samaritan Come not by strength of legs or feet but mind By prayers not by steps if rest you 'll find Mount with the wings of prayer and ascend Gods holy hill where pleasures never end The Hypocrite Monumentum speciosum THe Hypocrite his face his words his mind Into a thousand forms and shapes can wind This weather-cock with every blast can turn And he had rather change his faith than burn He cares not how so he may fill his dish He can in cleer and troubled waters fish He love protests where he doth deadly hate His words will run like oil and break your pate If men do hunt the Fox he 'll shout and cry 'T is fit the Fox which kill'd the lambs should die But if the Fox sits in the chair of State The Fox shall have his love the Lamb his hate If here the Tuâ—k should reign this man alone Would sell his Bible for an Alcharon I 'll speak no more of dung my heart is free From the base leaven of Hypocrisie Chastity A Woman chaste is like a Meadow fair Enricht with pleasant flowers and sweetest air Then woman lock thy privy chamber be A fountain seal'd not to all