That the Volume is small my diligence hath been the greater for I have laboured to substract rather than multiply them not putting in every one I met with but what was best at least in my opinion These are but the fi st fruits your acceptance may ripen them into a larger harvest if God shall lend me time and opportunity I have waved any particular Dedication as not willing to entitle any man to the Patronage of my weaknesses nor am I of that vain humour of Appian the Grammarian who promised immortality to those to whom he dedicated any of his Works And they who write to Lords rewards to get Donnes Sat. Are they not like singers at doors for meat There is a Vine in Asia that brings forth Burnt-wine Johnston Hist Nat so excellent saith mine Author that none exceeds it Such is the nature of these short sentences they are ready dress'd and dish'd out to thy hand like some Diamonds which grow smoothand polished and need no farther labour to fit them for use but using As it is said of Isidore the Philosopher that he spake not words but the very substance and essence of things They contain magnum in parvo much matter in a few words Significant potius quam exprimunt You have here much gold in a little ore easie for carriage ready for use We have many things to learn and but little time to live I know not therefore any kind of Learning more pleasant or more profitable than this which teacheth us many lessons in a few lines But I will not waste thy time Reader whilst I study to improve it and to approve my self Thy servant T. F. Apothegmes AN old Mass-Priest in the dayes of Hen. 8. reading in English after the Translation of the Bible the mircale of the five loaves and two fishes when he came to the verse that reckoneth the number of the guests he paused a little and at last said they were about 500 the Clerk whispered into the Priests ears that it was 5000 but the Priest turned back and replied with indignation Hold your peace sirrah we shall never make them believe they were 500. Aristides said concerning the Elegance of the City of Smyrna that no man except he which shall see it will be drawn to believe it The Savages an English Family held Ardes in Ireland long in possession amongst whom there goeth a great name of Him who said no less stoutly than pleasantly when he was moved to o build a Castle for his defence that he would not trust to a castle of stones but rather to a castle of bones Meaning his own body Columbane a Monk of Ireland when Sigebert King of the Frankners dealt very earnstly with him and that by way of many fair and large promises that he should not depart out of his Kingdom Answered him That it became not them to embrace other mens riches who for Christs sake had forsaken their own Porpherie in regard of the many tyrants rising up in his dayes in Britain cried out in these terms Britain a foolish Province of tyrants St. Ambrose in his Funeral Sermon of Theodosius cryeth out in these terms that Eugenius and Maximus who had five years usurped the Empire by their woful example doe testifie in hell what a heavy thing it is to bear arms against their Natural Prince Of this Maximus it is said that he was a valiant man victorious and worthy the title of Augustus but that against his allegiance he had by way of tyranny and usurpation attained the place Homer saith of one that had a misfortune It was because he did not honour his Parents Upon a triumph all the Emperor Severus's Souldiers for the greater pomp were to put on Crowns of Bayes but one Christian there was amongst them which wore it on his arm and being demanded the reason boldly answered It becomes not a Christian to be crowned in this life Arnobius was wont to say that persecution brings death in one hand and life in the other for while it kills the body it crowns the soul The Empress Eudoxia sending a threatning message to Chrysostom for boldly reproving her He answered Go tell her I fear nothing but sin Justus Jonas said of Luther that he could have of God what he pleased Epaminondas being asked what was the greatest joy he ever had in the world He said Leutrica Victoria the Battel of Leutrick Rocardus King of Frisland being by Wolfranius perswaded to be Baptized having one foot in the Font the other out asked Wolfranius where went the most part of his Predecessors that were not Baptized To hell said Wolfranius then Rocardus drew his foot out of the Font saying It was best following of the greatest company The Devil meeting with a devout Hermit asked him three questions First what should be the strangest thing that God made in a little frame He answered a mans face The second Where was the Earth higher than all the Heavens Where Christs body born of the Virgin Mary was adored of Angels and Archangels The third What space was between Heaven and Earth Thou knowest best said the Hermit which wast from Heaven thrown down to the Earth L. Silla finding his souldiers timâ—rous and fearful to fight with Archelaus 〈◊〉 General drew out his sword and said You souldiers that mean to fly to Rome tell them at Rome that you left Silla your General fighting in the midst of the Battel with the enemies in Boetia Philipides the Poet refused to be of King Lysimachus Counsel that when the King said to him What wilt thou that I give unto thee Nothing said the poor Poet but onely this that I may not be of thy Council In a publick meeting with all the Princes of Germany at Wormatia where the Duke of Saxon first preferring his mettals and rich veins of earth the Duke of Bavaria much commending his strong and brave Cities and Towns and the Duke Palatine of his wines and fertility of his lands the Duke of Wittenbergh said I can lay my head and sleep upon the lap of any of my subjects I have abroad in the field every where Huic facile concedite palmam said Maximilian the Emperor Give him the palm Themistocles being asked whose Oration he would hear Even him said Themistocles that can best set forth my praise and advance my fame Isocrates repeating an Oration of Demosthenes his adversary at Rhodes they of Rhodes much delighting therein and much commending the Oration that Isocrates made though he was enemy to Demosthenes was forced against his will to say to the people What if you had heard the beast himself pronouncing his own Oration Julius Caesar seeing certain men of Apulia in Rome carrying Apes upon their arms playing asked the men If they had no women in Apulia to get children to play withal Diogenes when he saw mice creeping for some crums to his table would say Behold Diogenes also hath his parasites Lewis the â—th was wont
or be put out With any cold extinguisher but death If many shoulders make griefs burthen light Then so shall ours and may mine cease to be When they shall cease to bear their equal part And sympathize with thee as doth my heart Seph Uncle my thanks How rare it is to find A friend in misery Men run from such Like Deer from him is hunted with the dogs As if that misery infectious were Men fly with Eagles wings away But creep like snails when they should succour lend I cannot therefore chuse but prize your love Who dare be true unto your friend a name Nearer than that of kindred or of blood This is th' effect of noblest virtue which Ties firmer knots than age can e're undo Such is the knot my Maximus and I Have tied spight of my fathers anger it Shall hold when envy 's tired to invent Mischiefs in vain to cut the knot in two Which heaven hath knit too fast to loose again Alas fond man who thinks to unravel what The gods have wove together 'T is in vain Scaen. 3. 1 Lo. Lady time cals upon you not to stay Lest by a fond delay you call upon His fury to convert into some worse And sudden punishment which may deny All hopes of future safety of all ills The least is always wisely to be chosen Seph Go and prepare that floting grave which must Devour's alive I will attend you here Before when will my dearest find his grief In finding me thus lost without relief Exeunt Manet Sephestia Why doth my Love thus tarry surely he Forgotten hath the place or time or else He would not stay thus long but can I blame Him to be slow to meet his ruine I Could wish he would not come at all that so He yet might live although I perish but How fondly do I wish to be without Him without whom alas I cannot live 'T were as impossible as without air He 'tis for whom I suffer and with him All places are alike to me See where He comes who is sole keeper of my heart Enter Maximus Max. My dear Seph Ah dear indeed for whom thy life Must pay the shot of cruelty enrag'd Max. What meanes my love is' t she or do I dream Sure this cannot be she whose words were wont To be more sweet than honey soft as oil These words more sharp than daggers points ne're came From her I know What sayst thou my sweet Seph The same truth will not suffer me to speak Other lest I should injure her O that 'T were possible so to dispense with truth Not to betray our selves I know not what to say Max. Heavens bless us what a sudden change is here Love who hath wrong'd thee tell me that I may Thrid their lives upon my sword make their Dead trunks float in their own blood till they blush At their own shame Tell me my heart who is' t Seph Alas poor soul thou little dreamst what sad News do's await thine ears my tongue doth fail Not daring once to name the thing must be Our loves sad end and dire Catastrophe My fathers fury Oh that that name I once delighted in should odious be To mine affrighted senses But for thee Alone it is I grieve not for my self Max. Be 't what it will so that it be but in Relation to thy love I will embrace And hug and thank that malice too that so Invented hath a means whereby I may But testifie my loyalty to thee For whose sweet sake I would encounter with Legions of armed furies sacrifice My dearest blood unto thy service which I more esteem than all the wealth the world Can boast of 'T is thee alone I value Above whatever mens ambitious thoughts Can fathom with their boundless appetites Seph This flame of love must now be quenched in The foaming sea we are design'd a prey Unto the fury of winds and waves The deadly Barque's providing which must be Our moving habitation the sea Must be our Kingdom and the scaly frie Our subjects This this the portion is Of fortunes frowns and fathers fiercer hate Fly fly my dearest Maximus and save My life in thine oh stay no longer here weeps Max. Why dost thou torment thy self before Thy time wilt thou anticipate the sea And drown thy self in tears Deny me not To share with thee in suffering as well As I have done in pleasure 't is for me This storm is rais'd were I once cast away His rage would cease I I have wrong'd thee And I 'll be just to thee and to my word draws I 'll ope the sluces of my fullest veins And set them running till they make a flood Wherein I 'll drown my self He offers to kill himself She stays his hand Seph Thine heart lies here 'T is here lock't up securely in my brest First open that and take it out for death Shall ne're divorce me from thy company I will attend thee through those shady vaults Of death or thou shalt live with me Dost think This body possible to live without A soul or without thee Have pitie on Thy tender babe whose life depends on thine And make not me widow and him orphan With unadvised rashness Sheath thy sword Max. Mine eyes will ne're endure it to behold Thee miserable no no death first shall draw A sable veil of darkness over them Pardon my rashuess I will live with thee And tire thy fathers rage with suffering So he 'l but suffer thee to live in mirth The greatest sorrow shall not make me sad Seph Here comes my father cerainly his rage Will know no bounds I fear it will Break forth into some desperate act on me Max. Although he be a King which sacred name I reverence and as a mortal god Adore he shall not dare to injure you Before my face first shall he wear my life Upon his sword if he but dare to touch Thy sacred self Scaen. 4. Enter Damocles Kin. How now light-skirts have you got your Champion To shield you from our anger know I have Not yet forgot the name of father though You thus have slighted it but as a King We must be just to punish your contempt Did you so well know your beauty to be Proud of it and yet so little value it As thus to throw it all away at once Well get you gone Since that you have esteem'd A strangers love before your lovalty To me or my care to you a stranger shall Inherit what you were born to had not Your fond affections forc'd this vile exchange Max. Sir for your fury will not suffer me To call you father think not your daughter Undervalued by her love to me Her love ran not so low as to be stoop'd To meet with crime who am a Prince no less Than is your self Cyprus my Kingdome is Kin. What drew you hither then you must needs know It is no less than treason for to steal An heir to our crown what drew you hither Max.
flower of thy hopes And to repay thy folly with thy shame Do not go on to kindle such a fire Within my breast as shall consume both thee And all that cross the current of my will Sam. I have already sad experience of The wilde effects of his enraged will aside Yet such the crosness of my fortune is I must again be made the subject of His furious tyrannie but I 'm resolv'd Know Sir I value more my minds content Than all the gawdie shows Courts can present I am too well confirmed in the bliss And sweet content attends a Country life To leave it for the giddy-headed Court. Besides my true affections are so riveted Unto my Melecertus that nor frowns Nor flatteries shall part my heart from him Cease therefore farther to commence a suit Nature forbids me grant and you to ask Kin. And have I with my Kingly robes laid by My Kingly mind No it shall ne're be said A womans will hath contradicted mine But 't is by policie that I must work Since I have laid my Kingly power aside I 'll set my brains o'th'tenter hooks and stretch Them to their uttermost abilities To win this scornful beautie to my wife Or else revenge it with her dearest life Exit Scaen. 3. Sam. My life hath hitherto been chequer'd with Varietie of fortunes sometimes with A white of happiness and then a black Of miserie thus loves bright day of mirth Is follow'd with a darker night of woe How fair of late my fortune seem'd to be And now alas o're-cast with blackest clouds Of discontents wherein I labour with Important suits I cannot may not grant No no my Melecertus I am firm To thee nor shall the rain of tears Or winds of threats remove me from thy love Be thou but constant nay I know thou art I will not wrong thee with so foul a thought As once to doubt thou canst be otherwise Enter Plusidippus Plu. You 're from your shepherds now or their defence Presume not they can rescue you 't is past Their skill or power to force you from mine arms Sam. Alas fond boy I scorn thy threats as much As I hate thee or slight thy boasted strength Were but my Melecertus here he would Whip thy rudeness into better manners Plu. 'T is well you are a woman not a man And have no other weapon but your tongue Which you are priviledg'd to use and we To laugh at But in short if you 'l accept My love and service then shall you be safe And happy Souldiers cannot talk but with Their swords and then they strike gain-sayers dumb Sam. All this is nothing for your words nor swords Shall not remove me from my dearest friend He hath my heart and I have nothing left But hate if you 'l accept of that 't is all That I can give or you receive from me Plu. You must be dealt with as we use to do With sullen birds I 'll shut you up and then Perhaps you 'l sing another note you are Not yet in tune you are too high for me But I will take you lower I will plough Your heart with grief and then perhaps it will Better receive the seed of my true love Sam. Sooner the turtle shall forget her mate Than I my Melecertus and when I Can't see him with mine eys my mind shall rove Wing'd with desire throughout the spacious world And find no rest until it meet with him And though our bodies never meet our souls Shall joyn and love each other after death Thus is true love immortal and shall never Die but with our souls shall live for ever Plu. Shepherd who e're thou art I cannot chuse But envie thee thy happiness who hast So true a love I cannot but admire This noble soul and love her though she hate Me for 't I 'll treat her civilly and it I can't obtain her for a wife she shall My goddess be and I 'll adore her name Though at a distance Lady will you walk Exeunt Scaen. 4. Enter King Damocles It is an ill wind that blows no man good Though the Thessalian lad have got the prize In his possession it shall not be long But I will have them both in mine I have Dispatch'd a letter to my Lords to send Me suddenly some servants to assist Enter Menaphon My plot Now Menaphon what is the newes Men. Great Sir the messenger 's return'd and brought The men you sent for they are here at hand Kin. 'T is well direct them to the castle that I told you of and give them charge to seize Upon the buzzard and his prey and bring Them both to me mean-time go you and find Out Melecertus that I may be sure Of him for he 's my rival in my love Men. My Liege all shall be done to your desire Exit Kin. Blest policie thou far exceed'st dull strength That wanders in the dark of ignorance Wanting the eye of wisedome both to guide And to defend it from approaching harms Thus art with ease doth move the pondrous load Which strength could never master or remove The Foxes tail must piece the Lions skin Little Ulysses with his wit did more Against the foe than Ajax with his strength Exit Scaen. 5. Enter Samela It is some comfort yet that I can change My prison though I am a pris'ner still Would I could change my companie as soon But ah most wretched Samela who wert Born to misfortunes and to nothing else As if that I alone were fortunes mark At which she onely ayms her angry darts The morning of mine age was clouded with Mishaps and now my noon is like to be The fatal night unto my miserie My Gaoler is so kind as if he meant To bribe my love but these are gilded pills I cannot swallow Should my Father get Me into his possession once again I were as bad or worse I know too well His passion to hope any help from him I 'll tell him plainly who I am and trie If time have dull'd the edge of 's crueltie Perhaps the kinder gods may move his heart To pitie and convert his rage to love He is my father still and though unkind To me yet can I not forget I am His child and owe a dutie to his name He is my King and so I must obey His will if I must suffer let it be From his rather than from a strangers hands Exit Scaen. 6. Enter Doron reading I think I am provided now if Poetrie Will do 't my Carmila is mine these Wittie knaves what fine devices they Have got to fetter maidens hearts The Poet Orpheus made the Thracian Dames dance after his pipe and Ovid Charm'd the Emperours daughter with His Poetrie there are some secret Charms in these same verses sure Enter Carmila Let me see here what I have got Ha Carmila look here I think You 'l love me now Reads Carmila A Miracle Car. A miracle for what Doron Dor. Why a miracle of beautie and I
to brag of his own Kingdom of France that it far exceeded all other Kingdoms wanting but one thing and being requested to know what that was he answered Truth The great Antiochus brought Hannibal to his treasures and shewed him his gold his silver his wealth and treasures and asked him if all that would not please the Romans Yea said Hannibal it would please the Romans but not satisfie the Romans A Councellor of State said to his Master the King of Spain that now is upon occasion Sir I will tell your Majesty thus much for your comfort your Majesty hath but two enemies whereof the one is all the World and the other is your own Ministers Domitian perceiving many of his Predecessors in the Empire to be hated asked one how he might so rule as not to be hated the party answered Tu fac contra By not doing what they did When M. Cicero stood for the Consulship of Rome Q. Cicero wished him to meditate on this Novus sum Consulatam peto Roma est Alexander having a souldier of his name that was a coward He bad him either leave off the name of Alexander or be a souldier A brave Roman Captain told his souldiers That if they could not conquer Britain yet they would get possession of it by laying their bones in it It was a smart answer which Mr. Durant a witty and learned Minister of the Reformed Church of Paris gave a Lady of suspected chastity and since revolted when she pretended the hadness of the Scripture Why said he Madam What can be more plain then Thou shalt not commit adultery It was the saying of the dying Emperor Julian He that would not die when he must and he that would die when he must not are both of them cowards alike Aristippus told the Sailers that wondred why he was not as well as they afraid in the storms that the odds was much For they feared the torments due to a wicked life and he expected the rewards of a good one It was cold comfort Diogenes gave a lewd liver that banished complained he should die in a forreign soil Be of good cheer man wheresoever thou art the way to hell is the same It was the admonition of dying Otho to Cocceius Neither too much to remember nor altogether to forget that Caesar was his Vncle Isocrates of a Scholar full of words asked a double Fee One he said to learn him to speak well another to teach him to hold his peace Euripides when he brings in any woman in his tragedies makes them alwayes bad Sophocles in his tragedies maketh them alwayes good whereof when Sophocles was asked the reason he made this answer Euripides saith he represents women as they be I represent them as they ought to be Sir Henry Wotton was wont to say of Sir Philip Sydneys wit that it was the very measure of congruity Having in Italy acquaintance with a pleasant Priest who invited him one evening to hear their Vesper musick at Church the Priest seeing Sir Henry standing obscurely in a corner sends to him by a boy this question writ in a small piece of paper Where was your Religion to be found before Luther To which Sir Henry Wotton presently under-writ My Religion was to be found then where yours is not to be found now in the written word of God To another that asked him whether a Papist may be saved He replied You may be saved without knowing that look to your self To another that was still railing against the Papists he gave this advice Pray Sir forbear till you have studied the points better for the wise Italians have this Proverb He that understands amiss concludes worse To one being designed for the office of an Embassador requesting from him some experimental rules for his prudent and safe carriage in his Negotiation Sir Henry Wotton gave this for an infallible Aphorisme That to be in safety himself and serviceable to his Country he should alwayes and upon all occasions speak the truth for said he you shall never be believed and by this meanes your truth will secure your self if you shall ever be called to any account and it will also put your adversaries who will still hunt counter to a loss in all their disquisitions and undertakings He directed this sentence onely to be inscribed on his Tomb-stone Hic jacet hujus sententiae Author Disputandi pruritus fit Ecclesiarum scabies Bolislaus the 4th King of Poland who bearing the picture of his Father hanged about his neck in a plate of gold when he was to speak or doe any thing of importance he took his picture and kissing it said Dear Father I wish I may not doe any thing remissly unworthy of thy name A gentile spirit said to an old man who caused his grisly hairs to be painted with the lustre of green youth Poor fool although thou couldst deceive the whole world with thy hair yet death well knoweth they are grey Sit te Proserpina canem It is said a French King enquiring one day of a Wise-man after divers instructions to govern himself and guide his Kingdome this Wise-man took a fair large sheet of paper and for an infinite number of precepts which others use to produce upon this subject he onely wrote this word Modus measure or mean One who having lived free from the bonds of mariage caused to be set on his Tomb Vixit sine impedimento He lived without hinderance A mother grieving for the death of her son said That all her evil came from loving too much what she might lose Amabam misera periturum c. An old humourist vapouring once that women had no souls was answered by a modest Lady Sure Sir you are deceived for I can produce a good text to the contrary My soul doth magnifie the Lord and it was a woman that spoke it Isocrates had an excellent wit notwithstanding finding himself destitute of countenance gesture and confidence he never durst to speak in publique contenting himself to teach even to his decrepit dayes and commonly saying He taught Rhetorick for a 1000 Rials but would give more than 10000 to him who would teach him confidence It was the saying of Lewis the French King to Henry the third of England who asking him in those times of implicit faith whether he would goe sooner to the Eucharist or to a Sermon He answered I had rather see my friend than hear him onely spoken of One said that Aristotles School was a great Scold It was not said improperly of him who having passed his grand Climacterique That he was got loose from his unruly passions as from so many lyons and wolves A French Baron not long since meeting two Capuchins going bare-foot in cold frosty weather with their scrips upon their backs a begging and knowing them to be Gentlemen of a good Family he said How grossly are these men cozen'd if there be no heaven An Italian Prince being upon his death-bed and comforted by his friends
have forborn them now Onely this rudeness may serve to let you see how much I esteem you my friend in that I have taken no more care to entertain you with that studied respect which I should to any but my Familiar I shall not Apologize for the rudeness of this undrest Pamphlet which now waits upon you in obedience to your call nor tell you that I desire you would read it to your own ears onely nor that I shall long to see it again But onely desire you to remember what place you hold in the number of his first friends who is Sir your old Friend and Servant T. F. To M. C. F. Sir I Have heard of those men-moles that Nero-like rip up the entrails of their Mother Earth to plunder her of her hidden Excrements who many times dig so long under ground that they meet with their own graves before they are willing though none of the best men yet have they this good qualitie that they are continually calling and talking to one another that if a sudden damp should surprize any of them the rest may speedilie be readie to help and assist them It is no shame for the best to learn what 's good though from the worst of men Considering therefore the many clouds and vapours that continually are readie to overwhelm and stifle us in this vault of earth where we are but day-labourers it is a necessarie dutie of friends to be frequent in these Offices of friendship How unhappie had I been had that boisterous wind blown down your earthlie tabernacle and deprived me of a friend without any warning And though my eyes and ears were lately the happie witnesses of your recoverie Yet me thinks I know not how to credit them till you vouchsafe to give it me under your hand and seal and confirm to me the continuance of my health and happiness in yours Certainly there is more intended in these visits than common custome and complement Letters are the lawful Spies and Intelligencers of amitie the honourable Leigers to continue a good correspondencie amongst friends And if as our late Physicians hold most diseases and distempers of the bodie are occasioned by the stopping of the bloods circulation surely the omitting of these correspondencies breed no good blood but like the intermitting pulse proclame the decay if not the death of friendship It is not enough that you are alive and well unless you tell me so and communicate your happiness to me by the information I cannot safely say I am well unless I know my friends are so who are my self Let your Letters sometimes tell me how I do and be at once my physick and Physician and I shall duly pay you the Fee of being Sir your officious servant T. F. To Mr. S. S. Sir HAving sounded a retreat to my self from my former perhaps too familiar converse with the world being able by experience to confirm the wise mans censure that it is not only vanity but vexation of spirit I have confined my self to my own home Yet because man is Animal sociale and God himself thought it not fit for Him to be alone I have undertaken that lawful Negromancie to converse with the dead the best and most impartial instructors I shall make bold in obedience to your command from your well-furnished Market to borrow some supply For knowledge is truly pabulum Animae and Books the best Caterers of that entertainment Had I time I would venture at an Encomium of those best of Companions But the messenger stayes and I cannot Let me therefore without a Preface crave the priviledge of your Fuller from whose Pisgath I am ambitious to take a view of that Holy Land for which and your many former favours I must subscribe my self Sir yours obliged T. F. To Mr. T. L. Sir AMongst the ill turns of my cross fortune it was not the least that I could not attein the happiness of seeing you when last in London though your goodness often endeavoured it and I was not idle in the like returns If you will pardon me my City-misfortune in recompence I will enjoyn my self the penance or rather the happiness of a twelve miles pilgrimage to kiss your hands at your own home when the weather and the way shall so far be-friend me In pursuance of that service I owe you I have now sent c. I suppose you expect and I presume as good and as cheap as you could have bought them For I would willingly obtein your belief that my service to my friends is not mercenary and that I look not to be paid again for those acts of dutie which your courtesies have paid me for before-hand This is no complement but the real though ex tempore dictates of my Heart Sir your humble servant T. F. To Dr. S. Noble Dr. THe ingenious Italians have three significant phrases whereby they character a work exactly done They say it was performed Con diligenza constudio con amore Without any ambition I must crave leave to tell you that in order to the content I take in serving my friends and especially your self to whom I am bound by so many repeated acts of friendship I have not failed in any of those particulars in my search for For to have enjoy'd the pleasure of satisfying your expectations I used all the diligence and care that could be thought on For I think I left not a shop unvisited though yours were my onely errand and but for one place I must have returned with a non est inventus Sir your goodness makes me apt to believe that you will not censure the Act by the Issue and I shall live in hope that some other command may render me more happy in the performance Let the shortness of my time and paper excuse this abrupt tender of my thanks and service to your self your good bed fellow and the rest of your happie Familie and do me the favour or rather the justice to believe me to be Sir your very ready and real servant T. F. To Mr. S. S. Sir AS needie debtors pay one sum but with an intent to borrow a bigger so I send you home three Books with a request to borrow a fourth Thus doe I link your courtesies and my engagements together and knowing the undoubted fertilitie of your friendship I shall make every former favour the Parent of another So that if it be a fable that Pliny tells of some Mice in Caria that are so fruitful that the young ones are with young in their Dams belly The pregnant acts of your Friendship may be the Moral I shall therefore request the use of your Plutarch's Morals which I doubt not will instruct me how to return you due thanks for your many courtesies whereby you have so many times bound me to be Sir your thankeful Friend and Servant T. F. To Mr. C. F. Sir OF all pleasures reading is the best of all readings those Antelucanas Lectiones are to me the
think You 'l be a miracle of folly if you Don't love me now Car. What small Poet have you hired To make a miracle of my name Dor. Nay I have more yet and better That I found in the Nichodemus Of Complements that 's a sweet book 'T is a very magazine of Poetrie a Store-house of wit do but hear Them Carmila Car. Let 's hear them Doron are they Worth a laughing at Let 's hear Dor. Well well it is no laughing matter but I 'm Sure your laughing ha's made me crie Now Carmila you must imagine that 't is I and only I say this to you and none but you For the unhappy wag ha's so fitted my Fancie as if 't were made for no bodie but me Excellent Mistris brighter than the Moon Than scowred pewter or the silver spoon Fairer than Phoebus or the morning Star Dainty fine Mistris by my troth you are Thine eyes like Diamonds shine most clearly As I 'm an honest man I love thee dearly What think you now Carmila is not this Admirable if these strong lines will Not draw your love I know not what will Car. Had it been your own mother-wit Doron I could have like't it well But for you to father the brat of Another's brain is too ridiculous I like your love much better than your Hackney lines but bought wit's best Dor. If you like not my lines because they are None of mine you will not love my Heart neither for that 's not mine but yours Car. Yes Doron if you have given me your Heart I will not die in your debt but Give you mine in exchange for yours Dor. Than welcome to me my new found heart We 'l live and love and never part Exeunt Scaen. 7. Enter Melecertus Revenge shall soon o're-take this proud boy who Committed hath so bold a rape upon My Samela He had been better to Have lodged snakes in his breast than to steal This spark that shall consume him and his nest Samela Samela that name alone Infuseth spirits into me inflames My soul with vengeance till I recover My dearest love Enter Menaphon Men. Now shall I be reveng'd on Samela And on her Melecertus both at once I 'll make her know neglected love may turn To hate and vengeance take the place of scorn Well met friend Melecertus what alone Mel. I 'm solitarie since my mate is gone Men. Your mate has taken flight she 's on the wing But I can tell thee where she nests and bring Thee guickly where thou shalt retrive the game Mel. If thou wilt do this Menaphon I shall Be studious to requite thy love with mine I pay thee sterling thanks and services Men. I will not sell my favours to my friends My work is all the wages I expect Come follow me I 'll lead thee to the place Where the fresh gamesters have thy love in chase Exeunt Scaen. 8. Enter King Damocles in his Royal robes Plusidippus and Samela prisoners Kin. Now Sir you see the shepherd is become A King and though you have deserved death Yet since you have but acted our commands We here release you and not onely so But entertain you with all due respect At once belonging to our neighbour-Prince And near Allie the King of Thessaly Some secret power doth force me love him so That if I had a daughter to bestow I 'de wish no other Son-in-law but him Now my Sephestia what would I give Thou wert alive I had thee and thou him Sam. He little thinks I am so near or that It is his daughter he would make his wife Kin. Thus Gentlewoman you are once more faln Into my hands I am th' Arcadian King Be sudden therefore to give me your love Or else forfeit your life for your contempt Think on 't and chuse which you 'l rather do Sam. Sir I am still the same I was before My love like to a mighty rock stands fast Disdaining the proud billows of your threats Crowns cannot tempt nor Kings command my love My love is free and cannot be compell'd True love admits no partners is content With one and Cupids statute law forbids Pluralities of loves Kin. Since y' are so stiff You will not bow I 'll make you bend or break Enter Menaphon with Melecertus Mel. I am betray'd by this base Menaphon Kin. Here comes my Rival when I have dispatch'd Him to the other world your plea is spoil'd My sword shall cut your gordian knot in two Your ghosts may wed your bodies never shall I 'll be his Executioner my self I 'll trust no other eyes to see it done Sam. Now is it time t' unmask and let him know He wounds his daughter through her Lovers sides She kneels Father your furie once expos'd me to The greedie jaws of death which yet more kind In pitie sav'd my life you sought to lose I 'm your Sephestia Father know your child Mel. And is it possible Sephestia lives Once more t' enjoy her truest Maximus Sam. My Maximus I 'm thy Sephestia Oh that our Plusidippus too were here Plu. And I am he my name is Plusidippus Seph My dearest son 't is he now were my joys Compleat indeed were but my Uncle here Mel. I am so wrapt with joy I scarce can get Breath to express my thanks unto the gods Men. What will become of me I shall be hang'd Or lose my place at least I 'll get me home Amidst their mirth they will not think on me Exit Kin. My onely daughter Dear Sephestia And you kind Maximus I ask Both of you pardon for your injuries And for requital thus I do create Thee King of Arcadie and may the gods Requite your sufferings and forgive my crimes Long may ye live and happy may your dayes Be sun-shine all and know no clouds nor night Enter Lamedon And that we may not leave one string untun'd My brother comes to make our consort full The best of brothers and the best of friends Thanks for your care of her whom you have made Your daughter by a better claim than mine Now let the whole land swim in mirth and load The altars with their thankful sacrifice Unto the kinder deities who through A sea of woes have sent us happiness Let 's in and hear the strange adventures have Befaln your heaven-protected persons griefs Grow less by telling joyes are multiplied Although against them all things seem to strive At last just men and lovers alwayes thrive FINIS Fragmenta Poetica OR Poetical Diversions WITH A PANEGYRICK UPON HIS SACRED MAJESTIE' 's Most happy Return on the 29. May 1660. By THO. FORDE Philothal LONDON Printed by R. and W. Leybourn for William Grantham and are to sold at the Signe of the Black Bear in St. Pauls Church-yard 1660. Poetical Diversions For Christmass-day 1 Shepherd WHat have we slept or doth the hastie Sun Bring back the day before the night be done 2 Shep. What melodie is this that charms our ears Is it the musick of th'harmonious
that there I may Deceive th' approaches of discovering day I 'll seek some gloomy cave where I may lie Entomb'd alive in shades of secrecie There seeing none nor any seeing me I will indulge my tears with libertie Out of Italian I am a child and cannot love Ah me that I my death must prove Wilt thou that I thee adore Cruel thou must be no more Torments my heart cannot bear Nor must any grief come there To Henry the 4th out of Bahusius O mighty King glory of Princely race Thy Kingdoms safety and it 's chiefest grace We wish our Muse worthy thy worth t' adorn She nothing more desires can nothing less perform Thou grace of arms mak'st war a sport to be To labour's rest to wake is sleep to thee Thy call makes souldiers whom th' hast so in awe Thy word is a decree thy beck a law Thou lead'st them on thy deeds serve for commands They learn their dutie from thy feet and hands Thou conquer'st e're thou fight'st fortune's decree Assures thee triumph 'fore the victorie Thy helmet lawrel fights all trophies be To fight and conquer is all one with thee Thy mercie strives thy sword for to reprieve And when thou strik'st thy foe thy self doth grieve Though forc'd to fight to expiate their deed Thine eyes do weep fast as thy foes do bleed Pardons are thy revenges whilst thy sword Doth wounds dispence thy hand doth help afford Like dreadful lightning to the war thou com'st Conquerour than conquer'd milder thou return'st To conquer others were too small but thou A nobler triumph o're thy self dost show Loves Duel out of Anacreon CUpid all his arts did prove To invite my heart to love But I alwayes did delay His mild summons to obey Being deaf to all his charms Strait the god assumes his arms With his bow and quiver he Takes the field to duel me Armed like Achilles I With my shield and spear defie His bold challenge as he cast His golden darts I as fast Catch'd his arrows in my shield Till I made him leave the field Fretting and dis-armed then Th' angry god returns agen All in flames ' stead of a dart Throws himself into my heart Useless I my shield require When the fort is all on fire I in vain the field did win Now the enemy 's within Thus betray'd at last I cry Love th' hast got the victory With a Letter to Aglaia Goe happy paper view those eyes Where beauties richest treasure lies The quiver whence he takes his darts Wherewith he wound 's poor mortalls hearts But yet fond paper come not near Those all-consuming flames for fear Thou perish by their cruell art That have inflam'd thy masters heart Yet if thou wil't so hardy be To venture on a batterie On that presuming Castle say Wonder not I have found the way For fairest Lady hereby know The dart came first from your own Bow Excuse for absence You need inflict no other banishment The fault it self 's my greatest punishment Oft would I pardon crave but still my Muse Prompts me foul weather is a fair excuse If that will not suffice then let this be That I have none my best apologie Convict me of my crime and as 't is meet I 'le do you daily Penance in a sheet But prove me absent first and then I l'e write apologies or burn my Pen. Planets are where they worke not where they move I am not where I live but where I Love With Herberts Poeme The Poet 's now become a Priest and layes His Poem at your feet expects no Bayes But your acceptance kind'le it with your eyes And make this Offering prove a Sacrifice The Vestal fire that 's in your breast will burn Up all his drosse and make it Incense turne And then your smile a second life will give Hee 'l fear no death if you but bid him live Pardon this bold ambition t is his drift To make the Altar sanctifie the Gift Visit this Temple at your vacant houres T was Herberts Poem once but now t is Yours On the death of M. A. S. Fain would I pay my tribute to thy Herse And sigh thy death in never dying verse But I in vain invoke my Muse for she Alas is dead with him for company Like to those Indian wives who count the thred Of their life ended when their Mate is dead When souls thus linck'd divorce one cannot part Without the breaking of the others heart To vent my sorrowes yeelds me no relief He grieves but little that can tell his grief Let others less concern'd this truth approve And strive to shew their Wit more than their Love My grief confutes the Laws of Numbers I Whilst others Write will Weep thine Elegie Each line my tears a Colons charge defray Verses have Periods but no Period they Reader since He my better half is gone My heart is but his Monumentall Stone On which this Epitaph inscrib'd shall be I di'd in him and yet he lives in me Laus votum vitae Beatae Out of Lipsius EQuall unto the Gods is he And much above what Mortalls be Who the uncertain day of fate Nor wisheth nor repineth at T'whom impotent Ambition nor The hope of gaine 's Solicitor Whom Princes thundring threats can't move No nor the darts of angry Jove But seated in Securitie Laughs at the vulgars vanitie Whose life 's thread 's spun so ev'n that there Can not be seen th' least knot of care O might I but thus far aspire To shape my life to my desire Nor Offices nor Wealth I 'de crave Nor with white Stee'ds in triumph brave To lead along poor Captiv'd Slaves I in vast Solitude should dwell A neighbour to the Muses Well Orchards and Gardens to frequent There would I seat my sole content So that when as full ripened Death Shall put a period to my breath Tedious to none and without strife Calmely to end my aged life On T. Bastard and his Epigrams That thy names Bastard friend is thy hard fate Thy Births I 'm sure are Legitimate Well may'st a Bastard be all Common race To thy diviner wit must need give place No Jove himself begat thee and thy Birth Gets in us Wonderment as well as mirth Momus to Bastard The proverb sayes Bastards remember it Must fling no stones least they their father hit Answer Momus stand off gald backs will winch t is true Here 's Salt or we should never hear of you Again to Bastard Bastard that is of best wit say the Dutch Then as thy name is so 's thy nature such What if the multitude laugh at thy Name Know their disprayses do advance thy fame To the Reader Out of Faius Who will read these None Why nor mock nor jeere Nor Baudry wishd by many comes not here But one or other hap'ly they may finde Preferring good before Jests he will minde But if none read griefe doth not me assault For if none read then none can find a fault Upon His