our hearts extend our voyce To shew with what affection we reioyce VVhen friends or kinsmen wealth and honour gaine Or are return'd to freedome from the chaine How shall your seruants and your friends my Lord Declare their ioy who find no sound no word Sufficient for their thoughts since you haue got That Iewell Health which Kingdomes equall not From sicknesse freed a Tyrant farre more fell Then Turkish Pirates who in Gallies dwell The Muses to the friend of Musicke bring The signes of gladnesse Orpheus strikes a string VVhich can inspire the dull can cheare the sad And to the dead can liuely motion adde Some play some sing while I whose onely skill Is to direct the organ of my Quill That from my hand it may not runne in vaine But keepe true time with my commanding braine I will bring forth my Musicke and will trie To rayse these dumbe yet speaking Letters high Till they contend with sounds till arm'd with wing My featherd pen surmount Apollo's strings We much reioyce that lightsome calmes asswage The fighting humours blind with mutuall rage So sing the Mariners exempt from feare When stormes are past and hopefull signes appeare So chaunts the mounting Larke her gladsome lay When night giues place to the delightfull day In this our mirth the greatest ioy I finde Is to consider how your noble minde Will make true vse of those afflictions past And on this ground will fix your vertue fast You hence haue learn'd th' vncertaine state of man And that no height of glitt'ring honour can Secure his quiet for almighty God Who rules the high can with his pow'rfull rod Represse the greatest and in mercy daignes With daug'rous ioyes to mingle wholsome paines Though men in sicknesse draw vnquiet breath And count it worst of euils next to death Yet such his goodnesse is who gouernes all That from this bitter spring sweete riuers fall Here we are truly taught our selues to know To pitty others who indure like woe To feele the waight of sinne the onely cause Whence eu'ry body this corruption drawes To make our peace with that correcting hand Which at each moment can our liues command These are the blest effects which sicknesse leaues VVhen these your serious brest aright conceaues You will no more repent your former paine Then we our ioy to see you well againe To the memory of the faire and thrice vertuous Gentlewoman Mistris Elizabeth Neuell ANymph is dead milde vertuous young faire Death neuer counts by dayes or mon'ths or yeeres Oft in his sight the Infant old appeares And to his earthly mansion must repaire VVhy should our sighes disturbe the quiet Aire For when the flood of Time to ruine beares No beauty can preuaile nor parents teares VVhen life is gone we of the flesh despaire Yet still the happy soule immortall liues In heauen as we with pious hope conceiue And to the Maker endlesse prayses giues That she so soone this lothsome world might leaue VVe iudge that glorious Spirit doubly blest VVhich from short life ascends t' eternall rest Of the truly Noble and Excellent Lady the Lady Marquesse of Winchester CAn my poore lines no better office haue But lie like Scritch-Owles still about the graue VVhen shall I take some pleasure for my paine Commending them that can commend againe VVhen shall my Muse in loue-sicke lines recite Some Ladies worth which she of whom I write VVith thankfull smiles may reade in her owne dayes Or when shall I a breathing woman prayse Oneuer Mine are too ambitious strings They will not sound but of eternall things Such are freed-soules but had I thought it fit T' exalt a spirit to a body knit I would confesse I spent my time amisse VVhen I was slow to giue due praise to this Now when all weepe it is my time to sing Thus from her ashes must my Poem spring Though in the race I see some swiftly runne I will not crowne them till the goale be won â—ill death ye mortals cannot happy be VVhat can I then but woe and dangers see If in your liues I write now when ye rest I will insert your names among the blest And now perhaps my Verses may increase Your rising fame though not your boundlesse peace Which if they euer could may they make thine Great Lady further if not clearer shine I could thy husbands highest Styles relate Thy Fathers Earledome and that Englands state VVas wholy manag'd by thy Grandsires brow But those that loue thee best will best allow That I omit to praise thy match and Line And speake of things that were more truely thine Thou thought'st it base to build on poore remaines Of noble bloud which ranne in others veines As many doe who beare no flowres nor fruite But shew dead stocks which haue beene of repute And liue by meere remembrance of a sound Which was long since by winds disperst and drown'd While that false worth which they suppose they haue Is digg'd vp new from the corrupting Graue For thou hadst liuing honours not decay'd With wearing time and needing not the ayd Of Heraulds in the haruest of whose art None but the vertuous iustly clayme a part Since they our Parents memories renew For imitation not for idle view Yet what is all their skill if we compare Their paper works with those which liuely are In such as thou hast been whose present lookes If many such were would surpresse all bookes For their examples would alone suffice They that the Countrey see the Map despise For thee a Crowne of Vertues we prepare The chiefe is Wisdome in thy Sex most rare By which thou didst thy husbands state maintaine VVhich sure had falne without thee and in vaine Had aged Paulet wealth and honours heap'd Vpon his House if strangers had them reapt In vaine to height by safe still steps he climes And serues fiue Princes in most diff'rent times In vaine is he a Willow not an Oke Which winds might easly bend yet neuer broke In vaine he breakes his sleepe and is diseas'd And grieues himselfe that others may be pleas'd In vaine he striues to beare an equall hand 'Twixt Somerset and bold Northumberland And to his owne close ends directing all Will rise with both but will with neither fall All this had been in vaine vnlesse he might Haue left his heires cleare knowledge as their right But this no sonne infallibly can draw From his Descent by Nature or by Law That treasure which the soule with glory decks Respects not birth-right nor the nobler Sex For women oft haue mens defects suppli'd VVhose office is to keepe what men prouide So hast thou done and made thy name as great As his who first exalted Paulets seate Neere dew yet not too neere the thunders blow Some stood 'twixt Ioue and him though most below O well waigh'd dignity selected place Prouided for continuance of his race Not by Astrologie but Prudence farre More pow'rfull then the force of any Starre The Dukes are
sauage Feudes and shall those lets deface Which keepe the Bordrers from a deare imbrace Both Nations shall in Britaines Royall Crowne Their diffring names the signes of faction drowne The siluer streames which from this Spring increase Bedew all Christian hearts with drops of peace Obserue how hopefull Charles is borne t' asswage The winds that would disturbe this golden age When that great King shall full of glory leaue The earth as base then may this Prince receiue The Diadem without his Fathers wrong May take it late and may possesse it long Aboue all Europes Princes shine thou bright O Gods selected care and mans delight Here gentle sleepe forsooke his clouded browes And full of holy thoughts and pious vowes He kist the ground assoone as he arose When watchfull Digby who among his foes Had wanderd vnsuspected all the night Reports that Richard is prepar'd to fight Long since the King had thought it time to send For trusty Norfolke his vndaunted friend Who hasting from the place of his abode Found at the doore a world of papers strow'd Some would affright him from the Tyrants aide Affirming that his Master was betray'd Some laid before him all those bloody deeds From which a line of sharpe reuenge proceeds With much compassion that so braue a Knight Should serue a Lord against whom Angels fight And others put suspicions in his minde That Richard most obseru'd was most vnkind The Duke awhile these cautious words reuolues With serious thoughts and thus at last resolues â—f all the Campe proue traytors to my Lord Shall spotlesse Norfolke falsisie his word Mine oath is past I swore t'vphold his Crowne And that shall swim or I with it will drowne It is too late now to dispute the right Dare any tongue since Yorke spred forth his light Northumberland or Buckingham defame Two valiant Cliffords Roos or Beaumonts name Because they in the weaker quarrell die They had the King with them and so haue I. But eu'ry eye the face of Richard shunnes For that foule murder of his brothers sonnes Yet lawes of Knighthood gaue me not a sword To strike at him whom all with ioynt accord Haue made my Prince to whom I tribute bring I hate his vices but adore the King Victorious Edward if thy soule can heare Thy seruant Howard I deuoutly sweare That to haue sau'd thy children from that day My hopes on earth should willingly decay Would Glouster then my perfect faith had tryed And made two graues when noble Hastings died This said his troopes he into order drawes Then doubled haste redeemes his former pause So stops the Sayler for a voyage bound When on the Sea he heares the tempests sound Till pressing hunger to remembrance sends That on his course his housholds life depends With this he cleares the doubts that vext his minde And puts his ship to mercy of the winde The Dukes stout presence and couragious lookes Were to the King as falls of sliding brookes Which bring a gentle and delightfull rest To weary eyes with grieuous care opprest He bids that Norfolke and his hopefull sonne Whose rising fame in Armes this day begun Should leade the vantguard for so great command He dares not trust in any other hand The rest he to his owne aduice referres And as the spirit in that body stirres Then putting on his Crowne a fatall signe So offer'd beasts neere death in Garlands shine He rides about the rankes and striues t' inspire Each brest with part of his vnwearied fire To those who had his brothers seruants been And had the wonders of his valour seene He saith My fellow Souldiers though your swords Are sharpe and need not whetting by my words Yet call to minde those many glorious dayes In which we treasur'd vp immortall prayse If when I seru'd I euer fled from foe Fly ye from mine let me be punisht so But if my Father when at first he try'd How all his sonnes could shining blades abide Found me an Eagle whose vndazled eyes Affront the beames which from the steele arise And if I now in action teach the same Know then ye haue but chang'd your Gen'ralls name Be still your selues ye fight against the drosse Of those that oft haue runne from you with losse How many Somersets dissentions brands Haue felt the force of our reuengefull hands From whome this youth as from a princely floud Deriues his best yet not vntainted bloud Haue our assaults made Lancaster to droupe And shall this Welshman with his ragged troupe Subdue the Norman and the Saxon line That onely Merlin may be thought diuine See what a guide these fugitiues haue chose Who bred among the French our ancient foes Forgets the English language and the ground And knowes not what our drums trumpets sound To others minds their willing othes he drawes He tells his iust decrees and healthfull lawes And makes large proffers of his future grace Thus hauing ended with as chearefull face As Nature which his stepdame still was thought Could lend to one without proportion wrought Some with loud shouting make the valleyes ring But most with murmur sigh God saue the King Now carefull Henry sends his seruant Bray To Stanly who accounts it safe to stay And dares not promise lest his haste should bring His sonne to death now pris'ner with the King About the same time Brakenbury came And thus to Stanley saith in Richards name My Lord the King salutes you and commands That to his ayde you bring your ready bands Or else he sweares by him that sits on high Before the armies ioyne your sonne shall die At this the Lord stood like a man that heares The Iudges voyce which condemnation beares Till gath'ring vp his spirits he replies My fellow Hastings death hath made me wise More then my dreame could him for I no more Will trust the tushes of the angry Bore If with my Georges bloud he staine his throne I thanke my God I haue more sonnes then one Yet to secure his life I quiet stand Against the King not lifting vp my hand The Messenger departs of hope deny'd Then noble Stanley taking Bray aside Saith Let my sonne proceede without despaire Assisted by his mothers almes and prayre God will direct both him and me to take Best courses for that blessed womans sake The Earle by this delay was not inclin'd To feare nor anger knowing Stanleyes mind But calling all his chiefe Commanders neare He boldly speakes while they attentiue heare 〈◊〉 is in vaine braue friends to shew the right â—hich we are forc'd to seeke by ciuill fight â—ur swords are brandisht in a noble cause â—o free your Country from a Tyrants iawes â—hat angry Planet What disastrous Signe â—irects Plantagenets afflicted Line â—h was it not enough that mutuall rage 〈◊〉 deadly battels should this race ingage â—ill by their blowes themselues they fewer make And pillers fall which France could neuer shake But must this crooked Monster now be found To lay rough hands on
measures erre not with a faulty line That all within be solid lest some blow Should by the sound the empty vessell show Ere he to gentle sleepe his eyes will lay His thoughts reuolue the actions of the day What houres from me with dull neglect haue runne What was in time or out of season done Why hath this worke adorning-beauty lackt Or reason wanted in another fact What things haue I forgotten why design'd To seeke those ends which better were declin'd When to the needy wretch I gaue reliefe Why was my broken soule possest with griefe In what haue my mistaking wishes err'd Why profit more then honesty preferr'd Could my sharpe words another man incense Or were my bookes compos'd to breed offence How comes it that corrupted nature-drawes My will from disciplines amending lawes Thus going slowly through his words and deeds He from one eu'ning to the next proceeds Peruerting crimes he checkes with angry frownes Straight leuell'd Vertues he rewards with Crownes Claudians Epigram of the old man of Verona THrice happy he whose age is spent vpon his owne The same house sees him old which him a child hath known He leanes vpon his staffe in sand where once he crept His mem'ry long descents of one poore cote hath kept He through the various strife of fortune neuer past Nor as a wand'ring guest would forraine waters taste He neuer fear'd the seas in trade nor sound of warres Nor in hoarse courts of law hath felt litigious iarres Vnskilfull in affaires he knowes no City neare So freely he enioyes the sight of heau'n more cleare The yeeres by seu'rall corne not Consuls he computes He notes the Spring by flowres and Autumne by the fruits One space put downe the Sunne and brings againe the rayes Thus by a certaine Orbe he measures out the dayes Remembring some great Oke from small beginning spred He sees the wood grow old which with himselfe was bred Verona next of Townes as farre as India seemes And for the ruddy Sea Benacus he esteemes Yet still his armes are firme his strength vntam'd and greene The full third age hath him a lusty Grandsire seene Let others trauaile farre and hidden coasts display This man hath more of life and those haue more of way Vpon the two great Feasts of the Annunciation and Resurrection falling on the same day March 25. 1627. THrice happy day which sweetly do'st combine Two Hemispheres in th'Equinoctiall line The one debasing God to earthly paine The other raising man to endlesse raigne Christs humble steps declining to the wombe Touch heau'nly scales erected on his Tombe We first with Gabriel must this Prince conuay Into his chamber on the marriage day Then with the other Angels cloth'd in white We will adore him in this conqu'ring Night The Sonue of God assuming humane breath Becomes a subiect to his vassall Death That Graues and Hell laid open by his strife May giue vs passage to a better life See for this worke how things are newly styl'd Man is declar'd Almighty God a Child The Word made Flesh is speechlesse and the Light Begins from Clouds and sets in depth of night Behold the Sunne eclips'd for many yeeres And eu'ry day more dusky robes he weares Till after totall darkenesse shining faire No Moone shall barre his splendor from the Aire Let faithfull soules this double Feast attend In two Processions let the first descend The Temples staires and with a downe-cast eye Vpon the lowest pauement prostrate lie In creeping Violets white Lillies shine Their humble thoughts and eu'ry pure designe The other troope shall climbe with sacred heate The rich degrees of Salomons bright seate In glowing Roses feruent zeale they beare And in the Azure Flowre de lis appeare Celestiall contemplations which aspire Aboue the skie vp to th' immortall Quire Of the Epiphany FAire Easterne Starre that art ordain'd to runne Before the Sages to the rising Sunne Here cease thy course and wonder that the cloud Of this poore Stable can thy Maker shroud Ye heauenly bodies glory to be bright And are esteem'd as ye are rich in light But here on earth is taught a diff'rent way Since vnder this low roofe the Highest lay Ierusalem erects her stately Towres Displayes her windowes and adornes her bowres Yet there thou must not cast a trembling sparke Let Herods Palace still continue darke Each Schoole and Synagogue thy force repels There pride enthron'd in misty errours dwels The Temple where the Priests maintaine their quite Shall taste no beame of thy Celestiall fire While this weake Cottage all thy splendor takes A ioyfull gate of eu'ry chinke it makes Here shines no golden roofe no Iu'ry staire No King exalted in a stately chaire Girt with attendants or by Heralds styl'd But straw and hay inwrap a speechlesse Child Yet Sabaes Lords before this Babe vnfold Their treasures off'ring Incense Myrrh and Gold The Cribbe becomes an Altar therefore dies No Oxe nor Sheepe for in their fodder lies The Prince of Peace who thankfull for his bed Destroyes those Rites in which their blood was shed The quintessence of earth he takes and fees And precious gummes distill'd from weeping trees Rich Metals and sweet Odours now declare The glorious blessings which his Lawes prepare To cleare vs from the base and lothsome flood Of sense and make vs fit for Angels food Who lift to God for vs the holy smoke Of feruent pray'rs with which we him inuoke And trie our actions in that searching fire By which the Seraphims our lips inspire No muddy drosse pure Min'ralls shall infect We shall exhale our vapours vp direct No stormes shall crosse nor glitt'ring lights deface Perpetuall sighes which seeke a happy place Of the Transfiguration of our Lord. YEe that in lowly valleyes weeping sate And taught your humble soules to mourne of laâ—â— For sinnes and suff'rings breeding griefes and feares And made the Riuers bigger with your teares Now cease your sad complaints till fitter time And with those three belou'd Apostles clime To lofty Thabor where your happy eyes Shall see the Sunne of glory brightly rise Draw neere and euer blesse that sacred hill That there no heate may parch no frost may kill The tender plants nor any thunder blast That top by which all mountaines are surpast By steepe and briery paths ye must ascend But if ye know to what high scope ye tend No let nor danger can your steps restraine The crags will easie seeme the thickets plaine Our Lord there stands not with his painefull Crosse Laid on his shoulders mouing you to losse Of precious things nor calling you to beare That burden which so much base worldlings feare Here are no promist hopes obscur'd with clouds No sorrow with dim vailes true pleasure shrowds But perfect Ioy which here discouer'd shines To taste of heauenly light your thoughts inclines And able is to weane deluded mindes From fond delight which wretched mortals blinds Yet let not sense so much your reason sway As to desire for euer
whose walls VVere made of clay his whole ambition falls Into a graue death onely can declare How base the bodies of all mortals are The lying Greekes perswade vs not to doubt That Persian Nauies sailed round about The Mountaine Athos seuer'd from the Maine Such stuffe their fabulous reports containe They tell vs what a passage framed was Of ships that wheeles on solid Seas might passe That deepest Riuers failed we must thinke VVhose Floods the Medians at one meale could drink And must beleeue such other wond'rous things VVhich Sostratus relates with moyst'ned wings But that great King of whom these tales they frame Tell me how backe from Salamis he came That barb'rous Prince who vs'd to whip the VVinds Not suff'ring strokes when Aeolus them binds He who proud Neptune in his fetters chain'd And thought his rage by mildnesse much restrain'd Because he did not brand him for his slaue VVhich of the Gods would such a Master haue But how return'd he with one slender bote VVhich through the bloody waues did slowly flote Oft stay'd with heapes of carkases these paines He as the fruits of long-wisht glory gaines Giue length of life O Ioue giue many yeeres Thou prayst with vpright count'nance pale with feares Not to be heard yet long old age complaines Of great continuall griefes which it containes As first a foule and a deformed face Vnlike it selfe a rugged hide in place Of softer skin loose cheekes and wrinkles made As large as those which in the wooddy shade Of spacious Tabraca the mother Ape Deepe furrow'd in her aged chaps doth scrape Great diff'rence is in persons that be young Some are more beautifull and some more strong Then others but in each old man we see The same aspect his trembling limbes agree With shaking voyce and thou may'st adde to those A bald head and a childish dropping nose The wretched man when to this state he comes Must breake his hard bread with vnarmed gummes So lothsome that his children and his wife Grow weary of him he of his owne life And Cossus hardly can his sight sustaine Though wont to flatter dying men for gaine Now his benummed palate cannot taste His meate or drinke the pleasures now are past Of sensuall lust yet he in buried fires Retaines vnable and vnfit desires What ioy can musicke to his hearing bring Though best Musicians yea Seleucus sing Who purchase golden raiments by their voyce In Theaters he needs not make his choice Of place to sit since that his deaf'ned eare Can scarce the Corners and the Trumpets heare His Boy must cry aloud to let him know Who comes to see him how the time doth goe A Feuer onely heates his wasted blood In eu'ry part assaulted with a flood Of all diseases if their names thou aske Thou mayst as well appoint me for a taske To tell what close adulterers Hippia loues How many sick-men Themison remoues Out of this world within one Autumnes date How many poore confederates of our State Haue been by griping Basilus distrest How many Orphanes Irus hath opprest To what possessions he is now preferr'd Who in my youth scorn'd not to cut my beard Some feeble are in shoulders loynes or thighes Another is depriu'd of both his eyes And enuies those as happy that haue one This man too weake to take his meate alone With his pale lips must feede at others hands While he according to his custome stands With gaping iawes like to the Swallowes brood To whom their hungry mother carries food In her full mouth yet worse in him we find Then these defects in limbes a doting mind He cannot his owne seruants names recite Nor know his friend with whom he supt last night Not those he got and bred with cruell spots Out of his will his doubtlesse heires he blots And all his goods to Phialè bequeathes So sweet to him a common Strumpet breathes But if his senses should not thus be spent His childrens fun'ralls he must oft lament He his deare wiues and brothers death bemones And sees the vrnes full of his sisters bones Those that liue long endure this lingring paine That oft they find new causes to complaine While they mishaps in their owne house behold In woes and mournefull garments growing old The Pylian King as Homers verses show In length of life came nearest to the Crow Thou thinkst him blest whom death so long forbeares Who on his right hand now accounts his yeeres By hundreds with an ancient num'rall signe And hath the fortune oft to drinke new wine But now obserue how much he blames the law Of Fates because too large a thread they draw When to Antilochus last Rites he came And saw his beard blaze in the fun'rall flame Then with demands to those that present are He thus his gre'uous mis'ry doth declare VVhy should I last thus long what hainous crime Hath made me worthy of such spatious time Like voyces Peleus vs'd when he bewail'd Achilles whom vntimely death assail'd And sad Laertes who had cause to weepe For his Vlisses swimming on the deepe When Troy was safe then Priam might haue gone With stately Exequies and solemne mone T' accompany Assaracus his ghost His fun'rall Herse enricht with Princely cost VVhich Hector with his other brothers beares Amidst the flood of Ilian womens teares VVhen first Cassandra practis'd to lament And faire Polyxâ—na with garments rent If he had dy'd ere Paris plac'd his sayles In ventrous ships see what long age auailes This caus'd him to behold his ruin'd Towne The swords and fiers which conquer'd Asia drowne Then he a trembling souldier off doth cast His Diademe takes armour but at last Falls at Ioues Altar like an Oxe decai'd VVhose pittifull thinne necke is prostrate laid To his hard Masters knife disdained now Because not fit to draw th' vngratefull plow Yet dy'd he humane death but his curst wife Bark't like a Dog remaining still in life To our examples willingly I haste And therefore Mithridates haue orepast And Croesus whom iust Solon bids t' attend And not to iudge men happy till the end This is the cause that banisht Marius flies That he imprison'd is and that he lies In close Minturnaes Fennes to hide his head And neere to conquer'd Carthage begs his bread VVise nature had not fram'd nor Rome brought forth A Citizen more Noble for his worth If hauing to the view his captiues led And all his warlike pompe in glory spred Then his triumphant soule he forth had sent VVhen from his Cimbrian Chariot downe he went Campania did for Pompeyes good prouide Strong Feuers which if he had then espy'd What would ensue were much to be desir'd But many Cities publike vowes conspir'd And this so happy sicknesse could deface Reseruing him to dye with more disgrace Romes and his fortune onely sau'd his head To be cut off when ouercom'n he fled This paine the Traytor Lentulus doth scape Cethegus not disfigur'd in his shape Enioying all his limbes vnmaimed lyes And
The custome is to spread abroad VVhite linnens grac'd with splendour pure Sabaean Myrrh on bodies strow'd Preserues them from decay secure The hollow stones by Caruers wrought VVhich in faire monuments are laid Declare that pledges thither brought Are not to death but sleepe conuay'd The pious Christians this ordaine Beleeuing with a prudent eye That those shall rise and liue againe Who now in freezing slumbers lye He that the dead disperst in fields In pittie hides with heapes of molds To his Almighty Sauiour yeelds A worke which he with ioy beholds The same Law warnes vs all to grone VVhom one seuere condition ties And in anothers death to mone All Fun'rals as of our Allies That Reu'rend man in goodnesse bred VVho blest Tobias did beget Preferr'd the buriall of the dead Before his meate though ready set He while the seruants waiting stand Forsakes the cups the dishes leaues And digges a graue with speedy hand Which with the bones his teares receiues Rewards from heau'n this worke requite No slender price is here repaid God cleares the eyes that saw no light While Fishes gall on them is laid Then the Creator would descry How farre from reason they are led VVho sharpe and bitter things apply To soules on which new light is spred He also taught that to no wight The heau'nly Kingdome can be seene Till vext with wounds and darksome night He in the worlds rough waues hath been The curse of death a blessing finds Because by this tormenting woe Steepe waies lye plaine to spotlesse minds VVho to the Starres by sorrowes goe The bodies which long perisht lay Returne to liue in better yeeres That vnion neuer shall decay VVhere after death new warmth appeares The face where now pale colour dwels VVhence foule infection shall arise The flowres in splendour then excels VVhen blood the skinne with beauty dies No age by Times imperious law With enuious prints the forehead dimmes No drought no leanenesse then can draw The moysture from the wither'd limmes Diseases which the body eate Infected with oppressing paines In midst of torments then shall sweate Imprison'd in a thousand chaines The conqu'ring flesh immortall growes Beholding from the skies aboue The endlesse groning of her foes For sorrowes which from them did moue VVhy are vndecent howlings mixt By liuing men in such a case VVhy are decrees so sweetly fixt Reprou'd with discontented face Let all complaints and murmurs faile Ye tender mothers stay your teares Let none their children deare bewaile For life renew'd in death appeares So buried seeds though dry and dead Againe with smiling greenenesse spring And from the hollow furrowes bred Attempt new eares of corne to bring Earth take this man with kind embrace In thy soft bosome him conceiue For humane members here I place And gen'rous parts in trust I leaue This house the soule her guest once felt VVhich from the Makers mouth proceeds Here sometime feruent wisdome dwelt VVhich Christ the Prince of VVisedome breeds A cou'ring for this body make The Author neuer will forget His workes nor will those lookes forsake In which he hath his Picture set For when the course of time is past And all our hopes fulfill'd shall be Thou op'ning must restore at last The limbes in shape which now we see Nor if long age with pow'rfull reigne Shall turne the bones to scatter'd dust And onely ashes shall retaine In compasse of a handfull thrust Nor if swift Floods or strong command Of VVindes through empty Ayre haue tost The members with the flying Sand Yet man is neuer fully lost O God while mortall bodies are Recall'd by thee and form'd againe VVhat happy seate wilt thou prepare VVhere spotlesse soules may safe remaine In Abrahams bosome they shall lie Like Lazarus whose flowry Crowne The rich man doth farre off espie While him sharpe fiery torments drowne Thy words O Sauiour we respect Whose triumph driues black Death to losse When in thy steps thou would'st direct The Thiefe thy fellow on the Crosse The faithfull see a shining way Whose length to Paradise extends This can them to those trees conuay Lost by the Serpents cunning ends To Thee I pray most certaine Guide O let this soule which thee obay'd In her faire birth-place pure abide From which she banisht long hath stray'd While we vpon the couer'd bones Sweet violets and leaues will throw The title and the cold hard stones Shall with our liquid odours flow FINIS
fearelesse with the Lions meet You who the Harpe of Orpheus so inspir'd That from the Stygian Lake he safe retir'd You could Amphions Harpe with vertue fill That euen the stones were pliant to his will To you you therefore I my Verse direct From whom such beames celestiall can reflect On that deare Author of my life inspir'd VVith heauenly heate and sacred Fury fir'd VVhose Vigour quencht by death you now reuiue And in this Booke conserue him still aliue Here liues his better part here shines that Flame VVhich lights the entrance to eternall Fame These are his Triumphs ouer death this Spring From Aganippe's Fountaines he could bring Cleare from all drosse through pure intentions drain'd His draughts no sensuall waters euer stain'd Behold he doth on euery paper strow The loyall thoughts he did his Sou'raigne owe. Here rest affections to each neerest friend And pious sighs which noble thoughts attend Parnassus him containes plast in the Quire With Poets what then can we more desire To haue of him Perhaps an empty voyce While him we wrong with our content lesse choyce To you I this attribute Sisters nine For onely you can cause this VVorke diuine By none but you could these bright fires be found Prometheus is not from the Rocke vnbound No Aesculapius still remaines on earth To giue Hippolitus a second birth Since then such Godlike pow'rs in you remaine To worke these wonders let some soule containe His spirit of sweet musicke and infuse Into some other brest his sparkling Muse But you perhaps that all your pow'r may speake VVill chuse to worke on subiects dull and weake Chuse me inspire my frozen brest with heat No Deed you euer wrought can seeme more great Iohn Beaumont Vpon the following Poems of my deare Father Sir Iohn Beaumont Baronet deceased YOu who prepare to reade graue Beaumonts Verse And at your entrance view my lowly straines Expect no flattâ—ring prayses torcherse The rare perfections which this Booke containes But onely here in these few Lines behold The debt which I vnto a Parent owe Who though I cannot his true Worth vnsold May yet at least a due affection show For should I striue to decke the Vertues high Which in these Poems like faire Gemmes appeare I might as well adde brightnesse to the skie Or with new splendour make the Sunne more cleare Since eu'ry Line is with such beauties grac'd That nothing further can their prayses sound And that deare Name which on the Front is plac'd Declares what ornaments within are found That Name I say in whom the Muses meete And with such heate his Noble spirit raise That Kings admire his Verse whil'st at his feete Orpheus his Harpe and Phoebus casts his Bayes Whom though fierce death hath taken from our sights And caus'd that curious Hand to write no more Yet maruell not if from the fun'r all Rites Proceed these branches neuer seene before For from the Corne arise not fruitfull Eares Except at first the earth receiue the same Nor those rich Odors which Arabia beares Send forth sweet smells vnlesse consum'd with flame So from the ashes of this Phoenix flye These off-springs which with such fresh glory shine That whil'st time runneth he shall neuer dye But still be honour'd in this famous Shrine To which this Verse alone I humbly giue He was before but now begins to liue Francis Beaumont Vpon these Poems of his dearest Brother Sir Iohn Beaumont Baronet WHen lines are drawn greater then Nature Art Commands the Obiect and the Eye to part Bids them to keepe at distance know their place VVhere to receiue and where to giue their grace I am too neere thee Beaumont to define VVhich of those Lineaments is most diuine And to stand farther off from thee I chuse In silence rather to applaude thy Muse And lose my censure t is enough for mee To ioy my Pen was taught to moue by thee George Fortescue On the honor'd Poëms of his honored Friend Sir Iohn Beaumont Baronet THis Booke will liue It hath a Genius This Aboue his Reader or his Prayser is Hence then prophane Here needs no words expense In Bulwarkes Rau'lins Ramparts for defense Such as the creeping common Pioners vse When they doe sweat to fortifie a Muse Though I confesse a Beaumonts Booke to bee The Bound and Frontire of our Poëtrie And doth deserue all muniments of praise That Art or Ingine on the strength can raise Yet who dares offer a redoubt to reare To cut a Dike or sticke a Stake vp here Before this worke where Enuy hath not cast A Trench against it nor a Battry plac't Stay till she make her vaine Approches Then If maymed she come off T is not of men This Fort of so impregnable accesse But higher power as spight could not make lesse Nor flatt'ry but secur'd by the Authors Name Dâ—â—ies what 's crosse to Piety or good Fame And like a hallow'd Temple free from taint Of Ethnicisme makes his Muse a Saint Ben Ionson To the deare Remembrance of his Noble Friend Sir Iohn Beaumont Baronet THis Posthumus from the braue Parents Name Likely to be the heire of so much Fame 〈◊〉 haue at all no portion by my prayse â—â—â—ly this poore Branch of my with'ring Bayes offer to it and am very glad â—et haue this which if I better had â—â—y Loue should build an Altar and thereon â—ould offer vp such VVreaths as long agone â—â—ose daring Grecians and proud Romans crownd â—â—â—ing that honour to their most Renown'd But that braue World is past and we are light After those glorious dayes into the night Of these base times which not one Heröe haue Onely an empty Title which the graue Shall soone deuoure whence it no more shall sound Which neuer got vp higher then the ground Thy care for that which was not worth thy breath Brought on too soone thy much lamented death But Heau'n was kind and would not let thee see The Plagues that must vpon this Nation be By whom the Muses haue neglected bin VVhich shall adde weight and measure to their sinne And haue already had this curse from vs That in their pride they should grow barbarous There is no splendor that our Pens can giue By our most labor'd lines can make thee liue Like to thine owne which able is to raise So lasting pillars to prop vp thy prayse As time shall hardly shake vntill it shall Ruine those things that with it selfe must fall Mi. Drayton Ad posthumum opus D. Io. Bello-Montij Equitis aurati Baronetti viri Nobilissimi Hâ—ndecasyllabon LEctum discubui biceps gemello Parnassus bijugo imminebat vnde Fontes desiliunt leues loquaces Pellucent vitreo liquore sontes Sudo sub loue sydere secundo Discumbo Teneras rosas pererro Narcissum Violas odore gratas Vnguento Ambrosio has has refectas Quas inter Philomela cantitillat Praepes blandula mellilinguis ales Quas inter volitant Apollinesque Et Musae Veneresque mille mille Insomne hoc
that vnclosed wound His secret plots haue much increast the flood He with his brothers and his nephewes blood Hath stain'd the brightnesse of his Fathers flowres And made his owne white Rose as red as ours This is the day whose splendour puts to flight Obscuring clouds and brings an age of light We see no hindrance of those wished times But this Vsurper whose depressing crimes Will driue him from the mountaine where he stands So that he needs must fall without our hands In this we happy are that by our armes Both Yorke and Lancaster reuenge their harmes Here Henries seruants ioyne with Edwards friends And leaue their priuat griefes for publike ends Thus ceasing he implores th' Almighties grace And bids that euery Captaine take his place His speach was answer'd with a gen'rall noyse Of acclamations doubtlesse signes of ioyes Which souldiers vtterd as they forward went The sure forerunners of a faire euent So when the Winter to the Spring bequeathes The rule of time and milde Fauonius breathes A quire of Swans to that sweete Musicke sings The Ayre resounds the motion of their wings When ouer plaines they flie in orderd rankes To sport themselues vpon Caïsters bankes Bold Oxford leades the vantguard vp amaine Whose valiant offers heretofore were vaine When he his loue to Lancaster exprest But now with more indulgent Fortune blest His men he toward Norfolkes quarter drew And straight the one the others Ensignes knew For they in seu'rall armies were display'd This oft in Edwards that in Henries ayde The sad remembrance of those bloudy fights Incenst new anger in these noble Knights A marish lay betweene which Oxford leaues Vpon his right hand and the Sunne receiues Behind him with aduantage of the place For Norfolke must endure it on his face And yet his men aduance their speares and swords Against this succour which the heau'n affords His horse and foote possest the field in length While bowmen went before them for their strength Thus marching forth they set on Oxfords band â—e feares their number and with strict command â—is souldiers closely to the standard drawes â—hen Howards troupes amaz'd begin to pause â—hey doubt the slights of battell and prepare â—o guard their valour with a trench of care â—his sudden stop made warlike Vere more bold â—o see their fury in a moment cold â—is rankes he in a larger forme displayes Which all were Archers counted in those dayes The best of English souldiers for their skill Could guide their shafts according to their will The featherd wood they from their bowes let flie No arrow fell but causd some man to die So painefull Bees with forward gladnesse striue To ioyne themselues in throngs before the hiue And with obedience till that houre attend When their commander shall his watchword send Then to the winds their tender sailes they yield Depresse the flowres depopulate the field Wise Norfolke to auoyde these shafts the more Contriues his battaile thin and sharpe before He thus attempts to pierce into the hart And breake the orders of the aduerse part As when the Cranes direct their flight on high To cut their way they in a Trigon flie Which pointed figure may with ease diuide Opposing blasts through which they swiftly glide But now the wings make haste to Oxfords ayde The left by valiant Sauage was display'd His lusty souldiers were attir'd in white They moue like drifts of snow whose sudden fright Constraines the weary passenger to stay And beating on his face confounds his way Braue Talbot led the right whose Grandsires name Was his continuall spurre to purchase fame Both these rusht in while Norfolke like a wall Which oft with engines crackt disdaines to fall Maintaines his station by defensiue fight Till Surrey pressing forth with youthfull might Sends many shadowes to the gates of death When dying mouths had gaspt forth purple breath His father followes Age and former paines Had made him slower yet he still retaines His ancient vigour and with much delight To see his sonne do maruailes in his sight He seconds him and from the branches cleaues Those clusters which the former Vintage leaues Now Oxford flyes as lightning through his troupes And with his presence cheares the part that droupes His braue endeuours Surreyes force restraine Like bankes at which the Ocean stormes in vaine The swords and armours shine as sparkling coales Their clashing drownes the grones of parting soules The peacefull neighbours who had long desir'd To find the causes of their feare expir'd â—re newly grieu'd to see this scarlet flood â—nd English ground bedew'd with English blood â—out Rice and Herbert leade the power of Wales â—heir zeale to Henry moues the hills and dales â—o sound their Country-mans beloued name Who shall restore the British off-springs fame â—hese make such slaughter with their galues hooks â—hat carefull Bardes may fill their precious bookes With prayses which from warlike actions spring â—nd take new themes when to their Harpes they sing â—esides these souldiers borne within this I le We must not of their part the French beguile Whom Charles for Henries succour did prouide â— Lord of Scotland Bernard was their guide â— blossome of the Stuarts happy line Which is on Brittaines Throne ordain'd to shine The Sun whose rayes the heau'n with beauty crowne From his ascending to his going downe Saw not a brauer Leader in that age And Bosworth field must be the glorious stage In which this Northerne Eagle learnes to flie And tries those wings which after rayse him high When he beyond the snowy Alpes renown'd Shall plant French Lillies in Italian ground And cause the craggy Apennine to know What fruits on Caledonian mountaines grow Now in this ciuill warre the troupes of France Their banners dare on English ayre aduance And on their launces points destruction bring To fainting seruants of the guilty King When heretofore they had no powre to stand Against our armiees in their natiue land But melting fled as waxe before the flame Dismayd with thunder of Saint Georges name Now Henry with his vnkle Pembroke moues The rereward on and Stanley then approues His loue to Richmonds person and his cause He from his army of three thousand drawes A few choyse men and bids the rest obay His valiant brother who shall proue this day As famous as great Warwick in whose hand The fate of Englands Crowne was thought to stand With these he closely steales to helpe his friend While his maine forces stirre not but attend The younger Stanley and to Richards eye Appeare not parties but as standers by Yet Stanleyes words so much the King incense That he exclames This is a false pretense His doubtfull answere shall not saue his sonne Yong Strange shall die see Catesby this be done Now like a Lambe which taken from the folds The slaughter-man with rude embraces holds And for his throte prepares a whetted knife So goes this harmelesse Lord to end his life The axe is sharpen'd and the
in the seas Then Richard with these newes himselfe doth pleâ—â— He now diuerts his course another way And with his Army led in faire array Ascends the rising ground and taking view Of Henries souldiers sees they are but few Imperiall courage fires his noble brest He sets a threatning speare within his rest Thus saying All true Knights on me attend I soone will bring this quarrell to an end If none will follow if all faith be gone Behold I goe to try my cause alone He strikes his spurres into his horses side VVith him stout Louell and bold Ferrers ride To them braue Ratcliffe gen'rous Clifton haste Old Brakenbury scornes to be the last As borne with wings all worthy spirits flye Resolu'd for safety of their Prince to dye And Catesby to this number addes his name Though pale with feare yet ouercomne with shame Their boldnesse Richmond dreads not but admires He sees their motion like to rolling fires VVhich by the winde along the fields are borne Amidst the trees the hedges and the corne VVhere they the hopes of husbandmen consume And fill the troubled Ayre with dusky fume Now as a carefull Lord of neighb'ring grounds He keepes the flame from entring in his bounds Each man is warn'd to hold his station sure Prepar'd with courage strong assaults t' endure But all in vaine no force no warlike Art From sudden breaking can preserue that part VVhere Richard like a dart from thunder falles His foes giue way and stand as brazen walles On either side of his inforced path VVhile he neglects them and reserues his wrath For him whose death these threatning clouds would cleare WhoÌ„ now with gladnes he beholdeth neere And all those faculties together brings VVhich moue the soule to high and noble things Eu'n so a Tyger hauing follow'd long The Hunters steps that robb'd her of her young VVhen first she sees him is by rage inclin'd Her steps to double and her teeth to grind Now horse to horse and man is ioyn'd to man So strictly that the souldiers hardly can Their aduersaries from their fellowes know Here each braue Champion singles out his foe In this confusion Brakenbury meetes VVith Hungerford and him thus foulely greetes Ah traytor false in breach of faith and loue What discontent could thee and Bourchier moue Who had so long my fellowes been in Armes To flie to Rebels What seducing charmes Could on your clouded minds such darknesse bring To serue an Out-law and neglect the King VVith these sharpe speeches Hungerford enrag'd T'vphold his honour thus the battaile wag'd Thy doting age saith he delights in words But this aspersion must be try'd by swords Then leauing talke he by his weapon speakes And driues a blow which Brakenbury breakes By lifting vp his left hand else the steele Had pierc'd his burgonet and made him feele The pangs of death but now the fury fell Vpon the hand that did the stroke repell And cuts so large a portion of the shield That it no more can safe protection yeeld Bold Hungerford disdaines his vse to make Of this aduantage but doth straight forsake His massy Target render'd to his Squire And saith Let cowards such defence desire This done these valiant Knights dispose their blades And still the one the others face inuades â—â—ll Brakenburies helmet giuing way â—o those fierce strokes that Hungerford doth lay â—â—brus'd and gapes which Bourchier fighting neare Perceiues and cries Braue Hungerford forbeare Bring not those siluer haires to timelesse end He was and may be once againe our friend But oh too late the fatall blow was sent From Hungerford which he may now repent But not recall and digges a mortall wound In Brakenburies head which should be crown'd VVith precious Metals and with Bayes adorn'd For constant truth appearing when he scorn'd To staine his hand in those young Princes blood And like a rocke amidst the Ocean stood Against the Tyrants charmes and threats vnmou'd Though death declares how much he Richard lou'd Stout Ferrers aimes to fixe his mighty Launce In Pembrokes heart which on the steele doth glaunce And runnes in vaine the empty ayre to presse But Pembrokes speare obtaining wisht successe Through Ferrers brest-plate and his body sinkes And vitall blood from inward vessels drinkes Here Stanley and braue Louel trie their strength VVhose equall courage drawes the strife to length They thinke not how they may themselues defenâ— To strike is all their care to kill their end So meete two Bulls vpon adioyning hills Of rocky Charnwood while their murmur fills The hollow crags when striuing for their bounds They wash their piercing hornes in mutuall wounâ— If in the midst of such a bloody fight The name of friendship be not thought too light Recount my Muse how Byrons faithfull loue To dying Clifton did it selfe approue For Clifton fighting brauely in the troope Receiues a wound and now begins to droope Which Byron seeing though in armes his foe In heart his friend and hoping that the blow Had not been mortall guards him with his shield From second hurts and cries Deare Clifton yeeld Thou hither cam'st led by sinister fate Against my first aduice yet now though late Take this my counsell Clifton thus replied It is too late for I must now prouide To seeke another life liue thou sweet friend And when thy side obtaines a happy end Vpon the fortunes of my children looke Remember what a solemne oath we tooke That he whose part should proue the best in fight Would with the Conqu'rour trie his vtmost might To saue the others lands from rau'nous pawes Which seaze on fragments of a lucklesse cause My fathers fall our house had almost drown'd But I by chance aboord in shipwracke found May neuer more such danger threaten mine â—eale thou for them as I would doe for thine This said his senses faile and pow'rs decay While Byron calles Stay worthy Clifton stay And heare my faithfull promise once againe Which if I breake may all my deeds be vaine But now he knowes that vitall breath is fled And needlesse words are vtter'd to the dead Into the midst of Richards strength he flies Presenting glorious acts to Henries eyes And for his seruice he expects no more Then Cliftons sonne from forfeits to restore While Richard bearing downe with eager mind The steps by which his passage was confin'd Laies hands on Henries Standard as his prey Strong Brandon bore it whom this fatall day Markes with a blacke note as the onely Knight That on the conqu'ring part forsakes the light But Time whose wheeles with various motion runne Repayes this seruice fully to his sonne Who marries Richmonds daughter borne betweene Two Royall Parents and endowed a Queene When now the King perceiues that Brandon striues To saue his charge he sends a blow that riues His skull in twaine and by a gaping hole Giues ample scope to his departing soule And thus insults Accursed wretch farewell Thine Ensignes now may be display'd in hell There thou shalt know
deepe and trie our better parts O knowledge if a heau'n on earth could be I would expect to reape that blisse in thee But thou art blind and they that haue thy light More clearely know they liue in darksome night See man thy stripes at schoole thy paines abroad Thy watching and thy palenesse well bestow'd These feeble helpes can Scholers neuer bring To perfect knowledge of the plainest thing And some to such a height of learning grow They die perswaded that they nothing know In vaine swift houres spent in deepe study slide Vnlesse the purchast doctrine curbe our pride The soule perswaded that no fading loue Can equall her imbraces seekes aboue And now aspiring to a higher place Is glad that all her comforts here are base Of Sicknesse THe end of Sicknesse Health or Death declare The cause as happy as the sequels are Vaine mortals while they striue their sense to please Endure a life worse then the worst disease When sports and ryots of the restlesse night Breede dayes as thicke possest with fenny light 〈◊〉 oft haue these compell'd by wholsome paine Return'd to sucke sweet Natures brest againe And then could in a narrow compasse find Strength for the body clearenesse in the mind And if Death come it is not he whose dart VVhose scalpe and bones afflict the trembling heart As if the Painters with new art would striue For feare of Bugs to keepe poore men aliue But one who from thy mothers wombe hath been Thy friend and strict companion though vnseene To leade thee in the right appointed way And crowne thy labours at the conqu'ring day Vngratefull men why doe you sicknesse loath VVhich blessings giue in Heau'n or Earth or both Of true Liberty HE that from dust of worldly tumults flies May boldly open his vndazled eyes To reade wise Natures booke and with delight Surueyes the Plants by day and starres by night We need not trauaile seeking wayes to blisse He that desires contentment cannot misse No garden walles this precious flowre imbrace It common growes in eu'ry desart place Large scope of pleasure drownes vs like a flood To rest in little is our greatest good Learne ye that clime the top of Fortunes wheele That dang'rous state which ye disdaine to feele Your highnesse puts your happinesse to flight Your inward comforts fade with outward light Vnlesse it be a blessing not to know This certaine truth left ye should pine for woe To see inferiours so diuinely blest With freedome and your selues with fetters prest Ye sit like pris'ners barr'd with doores and chaines And yet no care perpetuall care restraines Ye striue to mixe your sad conceits with ioyes By curious pictures and by glitt'ring toyes While others are not hind'red from their ends Delighting to conuerse with bookes or friends And liuing thus retir'd obtaine the pow'r To reigne as Kings of euery sliding houre They walke by Cynthiaes light and lift their eyes To view the ord'red armies in the skies The heau'ns they measure with imagin'd lines And when the Northerne Hemisphere declines New constellations in the South they find Whose rising may refresh the studious mind In these delights though freedome shew more high Few can to things aboue their thoughts apply But who is he that cannot cast his looke On earth and reade the beauty of that booke A bed of smiling flow'rs a trickling Spring A swelling Riuer more contentment bring Then can be shadow'd by the best of Art Thus still the poore man hath the better part Against inordinate loue of Creatures AH who would loue a creature who would place His heart his treasure in a thing so base Which time consuming like a Moth destroyes And stealing death will rob him of his ioyes Why life we not our minds aboue this dust Haue we not yet perceiu'd that God is iust And hath ordain'd the obiects of our loue To be our scourges when we wanton proue Go carelesse man in vaine delights proceed Thy fansies and thine outward senses feede And bind thy selfe thy fellow-seruants thrall Loue one too much thou art a slaue to all Consider when thou follow'st seeming good And drown'st thy selfe too deepe in flein and blood Thou making sute to dwell with woes and feares Art sworne their souldier in the vale of teares The bread of sorrow shall be thy repast Expect not Eden in a thorny waste Where grow no faire trees no smooth riuers swell Here onely losses and afflictions dwell These thou bewayl'st with a repining voyce Yet knew'st before that mortall was thy choyse Admirers of false pleasures must sustaine The waight and sharpenesse of insuing paine Against abused Loue. SHall I stand still and see the world on fire While wanton Writers ioyne in one desire To blow the coales of Loue and make them burne Till they consume or to the Chaos turne This beautious frame by them so foully rent That wise men feare lest they those flames preuent Which for the latest day th' Almightie keepes In orbes of fire or in the hellish deepes Best wits while they possest with fury thinke They taste the Muses sober Well and drinke Of Phabus Goblet now a starry signe Mistake the Cup and write in heat of wine Then let my cold hand here some water cast And drown their warmth with drops of sweeter taste Mine angry lines shall whip the purblind Page And some will reade them in a chaster age But since true loue is most diuine I know How can I fight with loue and call it so Is it not Loue It was not now O strange Time and ill custome workers of all change Haue made it loue men oft impose not names By Adams rule but what their passion frames And since our Childhood taught vs to approue Our Fathers words we yeeld and call it loue Examples of past times our deeds should sway But we must speake the language of to day Vse hath no bounds it may prophane once more The name of God which first an Idoll bore How many titles fit for meaner groomes Are knighted now and marshal d in high roomes And many which once good and great were thought Posterity to vice and basenesse brought As it hath this of loue and we must bow As States vsurping Tyrants raignes allow And after ages reckon by their yeeres Such force Possession though iniurious beares Or as a wrongfull title or foule crime Made lawfull by a Statute for the time With reu'rend estimation blindes our eies And is call'd iust in spight of all the wise Then heau'nly loue this loathed name forsake And some of thy more glorious titles take Sunne of the Soule cleare beauty liuing fire Celestiall light which dost pure hearts inspire While Lust thy Bastard brother shal be knowne By loues wrong'd name that Louers may him owne So oft with Hereticks such tearmes we vse As they can brooke not such as we would chuse And since he takes the throne of Loue exil'd In all our Letters he shall Loue be stil'd But if true
gone and now though much beneath His Coronet is next th' Imperiall Wreath No richer signe his flowry Garland drown's Which shines alone aboue the lesser Crownes This thou inioyd'st as sicke men tedious houres And thought'st of brighter Pearles and fairer flowres And higher Crownes which heau'n for thee reserues When this thy worldly pompe decayes and starues This sacred seruour in thy mind did glow And though supprest with outward state and show Yet at thy death those hind'ring clouds it clear'd And like the lost Sunne to the world appear'd Euen as a strong fire vnder ashes turn'd Which with more force long secretly hath burn'd Breakes forth to be the obiect of our sight Aimes at the Orbe and ioynes his flame with light Vpon his Noble Friend Sir William Skipwith TO frame a man who in those gifts excels Which makes the Country happy where hee dwels We first conceiue what names his Line adorne It kindles vertue to be nobly borne This picture of true Gentry must be grac'd With glitt'ring Iewels round about him plac'd A comely body and a beauteous mind A heart to loue a hand to giue inclin'd A house as free and open as the Ayre A tongue which ioyes in Language sweet and faire Yet can when need requires with courage bold To publike eares his neighbours griefes vnfold All these we neuer more shall find in one And yet all these are clos'd within this stone An Epitaph vpon my deare Brother Francis Beaumont ON Death thy Murd'rer this reuenge I take I slight his terror and iust question make Which of vs two the best precedence haue Mine to this wretched world thine to the graue Thou shouldst haue followd me but death too blame Miscounted yeeres and measur'd age by Fame So dearely hast thou bought thy precious lines Their praise grew swiftly so thy life declines Thy Muse the hearers Queene the Readers loue All eares all hearts but Deaths could please and moue Of my deare Sonne Geruase Beaumont CAn I who haue for others oft compil'd The Songs of Death forget my sweetest child VVhich like a flow'r crusht with a blast is dead And ere full time hangs downe his smiling head Expecting with cleare hope to liue anew Among the Angels fed with heau'nly dew We haue this signe of Ioy that many dayes While on the earth his struggling spirit stayes The name of Iesus in his mouth containes His onely food his sleepe his ease from paines O may that sound be rooted in my mind Of which in him such strong effect I find Deare Lord receiue my Sonne whose winning loue To me was like a friendship farre aboue The course of nature or his tender age Whose lookes could all my bitter griefes asswage Let his pure soule ordain'd seu'n yeeres to be In that fraile body which was part of me Remaine my pledge in heau'n as sent to shew How to this Port at eu'ry step I goe Teares for the death of the truly Honourable the Lord Chandos LEt him whose lines a priuate losse deplore Call them to weepe that neuer wept before My griefe is more audacious giue me one Who eu'ry day hath heard a dying grone The subiect of my verses may suffice To draw new teares from dry and weary eyes We dare not loue a man nor pleasure take In others worth for noble Chandos sake And when we seeke the best with reasons light We feare to wish him longer in our sight Time had increast his vertue and our woe For sorrow gathers weight by comming slow Should him the God of life to life restore Againe we lose him and lament the more If Mortals could a thousand liues renew They were but shades of death which must insue Our gracious God hath fitter bounds assign'd And earthly paines to one short life confin'd Yet when his hand hath quench'd the vitall flame It leaues some cinders of immortall fame At these we blow and like Prometheus striue By such weake sparkes to make dead clay aliue Breath flyes to ayre the body falls to ground And nothing dwels with vs but mournfull sound O might his honor'd Name liue in my Song Reflected as with Ecchoes shrill and strong But when my lines of glorious obiects treate They should rise high because the worke is great No Quill can paint this Lord vnlesse it haue Some tincture from his actions free and braue Yet from this height I must descend againe And like the calme Sea lay my Verses plaine When I describe the smoothnesse of his mind Where reasons chaines rebellious passions bind My Poem must in harmony excell His sweet behauiour and discourse to tell It should be deepe and full of many Arts To teach his wisdome and his happy parts But since I want these graces and despaire To make my Picture like the patterne faire These hasty strokes vnperfect draughts shall stand Expecting life from some more skilfull hand Vpon the vntimely death of the Honourable hopâ—full young Gentleman Edward Stafford Sonne and Heire to the Lord Stafford DEad is the hope of Stafford in whose line So many Dukes and Earles and Barons shine And from this Edwards death his kinred drawes More griefe then mighty Edwards fall could cause For to this House his vertue promist more Then all those great Ones that had gone before No lofty titles can securely frame The happinesse and glory of a Name Bright honours at the point of Noone decay And feele a sad declining like the day But he that from the race of Kings is borne And can their mem'ries with his worth adorne Is farre more blest then those of whom he springs He from aboue the soule of goodnesse brings T' inspire the body of his Noble birth This makes it moue before but liuelesse earth Of such I write who show'd he would haue been Complete in action but we lost him greene We onely saw him crown'd with flowres of hope O that the fruits had giu'n me larger scope And yet the bloomes which on his Herse we strow Surpasse the Cherries and the Grapes that grow In others Gardens Here fresh Roses lie Whose ruddy blushes modest thoughts descry In Flowre-de-luces dide with azure hue His constant loue to heau'nly things we view The spotlesse Lillies shew his pure intent The flaming Marigold his zeale present The purple Violets his Noble minde Degen'rate neuer from his Princely kind And last of all the Hyacinths we throw In which are writ the letters of our woe To the Memory of the Learned and Religious Ferdinando Pulton Esquire AS at a ioyfull Marriage or the birth Of some long wished child or when the earth Yeelds plenteous fruit and makes the Ploughman sing Such is the sound and subiect of my string Ripe age full vertue need no fun'rall Song Here mournefull tunes would Grace Nature wrong VVhy should vaine sorrow follow him with teares VVho shakes off burdens of declining yeeres VVhose thread exceeds the vsuall bounds of life And feeles no stroke of any fatall knife The Destinies enioyne their
wheeles to run Vntill the length of his whole course be spun No enuious cloud obscures his struggling light VVhich sets contented at the point of night Yet this large time no greater profit brings Then eu'ry little moment whence it springs Vnlesse imploy'd in workes deseruing praise Most weare out many yeeres and liue few dayes Time flowes from instants and of these each one Should be esteem'd as if it were alone The shortest space which we so lightly prize VVhen it is comming and before our eyes Let it but slide into th' eternall Maine No Realmes no worlds can purchase it againe Remembrance onely makes the footsteps last VVhen winged Time which fixt the prints is past This he well-knowing all occasions tries T' enrich his owne and others learned eyes This noble end not hope of gaine did draw His minde to trauaile in the knotty Law That was to him by serious labour made A Science which to many is a Trade VVho purchase lands build houses by their tongue And study right that they may practise wrong His bookes were his rich purchases his fees That praise which Fame to painefull works decrees His mem'ry hath a surer ground then theirs VVho trust in stately Tombes or wealthy Heires To the immortall memory of the fairest and most vertuous Lady the Lady Clifton HEr tongue hath ceast to speake which might make dumbe All tongues might stay all Pens all hands benâ—â—â— Yet I must write O that it might haue beene While she had liu'd and had my verses seene Before sad cries deaf'd my vntuned eares When verses flow'd more easily then teares Ah why neglected I to write her prayse And paint her Vertues in those happy dayes Then my now trembling hand and dazled eye Had seldome fail'd hauing the patterne by Or had it err'd or made some strokes amisse For who can portray vertue as it is Art might with Nature haue maintain'd her strife By curious lines to imitate true life But now those Pictures want their liuely grace As after death none can well draw the face We let our friends passe idlely like our time Till they be gone then we see our crime And thinke what worth in them might haue beene known What duties done and what affection showne Vntimely knowledge which so deare doth cost And then beginnes when the thing knowne is lost Yet this cold loue this enuie this neglect Proclaimes vs modest while our due respect To goodnesse is restrain'd by seruile feare Lest to the world it flatt'ry should appeare As if the present houres deseru'd no prayse But age is past whose knowledge onely stayes On that weake prop which memory sustaines Should be the proper subiect of our straines Or as if foolish men asham'd to sing Of Violets and Roses in the Spring Should tarry till the flow'rs were blowne away And till the Muses life and heate decay Then is the fury slak'd the vigour fled As here in mine since it with her was dead Which still may sparkle but shall flame no more Because no time shall her to vs restore Yet may these Sparks thus kindled with her fame Shine brighter and liue longer then some flame Here expectation vrgeth me to tell Her high perfections which the world knew well But they are farre beyond my skill t' vnfold They were poore vertues if they might be told But thou who faine would'st take a gen'rall view Of timely fruites which in this garden grew On all the vertues in mens actions looke Or reade their names writ in some morall booke And summe the number which thou there shalt find So many liu'd and triumph'd in her minde Nor dwelt these Graces in a house obscure But in a Palace faire which might allure The wretch who no respect to vertue bore To loue It for the garments which it wore So that in her the body and the soule Contended which should most adorne the whole O happy Soule for such a body meete How are the firme chaines of that vnion sweete Disseuer'd in the twinkling of an eye And we amaz'd dare aske no reason why But silent think that God is pleas'd to show That he hath workes whose ends we cannot know Let vs then cease to make a vaine request To learne why die the fairest why the best For all these things which mortals hold most deare Most slipp'ry are and yeeld lesse ioy then feare And being lifted high by mens desire Are more perspicuous markes for heau'nly fire And are laid prostrate with the first assault Because our loue makes their desert their fault Then Iustice vs to some amends should mooue For this our fruitelesse nay our hurtfull loue We in their Honour piles of stone erect With their deare Names and worthy prayses deâ—â—â—â— But since those faile their glories we rehearse In better Marble euerlasting verse By which we gather from consuming houres Some parts of them though time the rest deuoures Then if the Muses can forbid to die As we their Priests suppose why may not I Although the least and hoarsest in the quire Cleare beames of blessed immortality inspire To keepe thy blest remembrance euer young Still to be freshly in all Ages sung Or if my worke in this vnable be Yet shall it euer liue vpheld by thee For thou shalt liue though Poems should decay Since Parents teach their Sonnes thy prayse to say And to posterity from hand to hand Conuay it with their blessing and their land Thy quiet rest from death this good deriues Instead of one it giues thee many liues While these lines last thy shadow dwelleth here Thy fame it selfe extendeth eu'ry where In Heau'n our hopes haue plac'd thy better part Thine Image liues in thy sad Husbands heart Who as when he enioy'd thee he was chiefe In loue and comfort so is he now in griefe Vpon the death of the most noble Lord Henry Earle of Southampton 1624. WHen now the life of great Southampton ends His fainting seruants and astonisht friends Stand like so many weeping Marble stones No passage left to vtter sighes or grones And must I first dissolue the bonds of griefe And straine forth words to giue the rest reliefe I will be bold my trembling voyce to trie That his deare Name may not in silence die The world must pardon if my song bee weake In such a case it is enough to speake My verses are not for the present age For what man liues or breathes on Englands stage That knew not braue Southampton in whose sight Most plac'd their day and in his absence night I striue that vnborne Children may conceiue Of what a Iewell angry Fates bereaue This mournefull Kingdome and when heauy woes Oppresse their hearts thinke ours as great as those In what estate shall I him first expresse In youth or age in ioy or in distresse When he was young no ornament of youth Was wanting in him acting that in truth Which Cyrus did in shadow and to men Appear'd like Peleus sonne from Chirons Den While through
Catiline with his whole carkase dyes The carefull Mother when she casts her eyes On Venus Temple in soft lowly wise Demands the gift of beauty for her Boyes But askes it for her Girles with greater noyse At common formes her wish she neuer staies But for the height of delicacy prayes And why should'st thou reprooue this prudent choice Latona in faire Phaebe doth reioyce O but Lucretia's haplesse fate deterres That others wish not such a face as hers Virginia her sweet feature would forsake And Rutilaes crook'd backe would gladly take Where sonnes are beautifull the parents vext With care and feare are wretched and perplext So seldome an exact consent betweene Well fauor'd shapes and chastity is seene For should they be with holy manners taught In homely houses such as Sabines wrought Should bounteous natures lib'rall hand bestow Chast dispositions modest lookes which glow With sanguine blushes what more happy thing To Boyes can fauourable nature bring Whose inclinations farre more pow'rfull are Then many keepers and continuall care Yet are they neuer suffer'd to possesse The name of man such foule corrupters presse And by the force of large expences trust To make their Parents instruments of lust No Tyrant in his cruell Palace gelt Deformed Youths no Noble Child had felt Fierce Neroes rapes if all wry leg'd had beene If in their necks foule swellings had been scene If windy tumours had their bellies rays'd Or Camels bunches had their backes disprais'd Goe now with ioy thy young-mans forme affect Whom greater dangers and worse Fates expect Perhaps he shortly will the title beare Of a profest adult'rer and will feare To suffer iustly for his wicked fact Such paines as angry husbands shall exact Nor can he happier be then Mars his Starre T' escape those snares which caught the god of warre Yet oft that griefe to sharper vengeance drawes Then is permitted by th' indulgent lawes Some kill with swords others with scourges cut And some th' offenders to foule torments put But thine Endymion happily will proue Some Matrons Minion who may merit loue Yet when Seruilia him with money hires He must be hers against his owne desires Her richest ornaments she off will take And strip her selfe of Iewels for his sake What will not Hippia and Catulla giue To those that with them in adult'ry liue For wicked women in these base respects Place all their manners and their whole affects But thou wilt say Can beauty hurt the chaste Tell me what ioy Hippolitus did taste What good seuere Bellerophon receiu'd When to their pure intents they strictly cleau'd Both Sthenobaea and the Cretan Queene Asham'd of their repulse stirr'd vp their teene For then a woman breeds most fierce debate When shame addes piercing stings to cruell hate How would'st thou counsell him whom th' Emp'rors wise Resolues to marry in her husbands life The best and fairest of the Lords must dye His life is quencht by Messallinaes eye She in her nuptiall Robes doth him expect And openly hath in her gardens deckt A purple marriage bed nor will refuse To giue a dowre and ancient Rites to vse The cunning Wizzard who must tell the doome Of this successe with Notaries must come Thou think'st these things are hid from publike view And but committed to the trust of few Nay she will haue her solemne wedding drest With shew of Law then teach him what is best He dies ere night vnlesse he will obay Admit the crime he gaines a little stay Till that which now the common people heares May come by rumour to the Princes eares For he is sure to be the last that knowes The secret shame which in his houshold growes Thy selfe a while to her desires apply And life for some few dayes so dearely buy What way soeuer he as best shall chuse That faire white necke he by the sword must luse Shall men wish nothing wilt thou counsell take Permit the heau'aly powers the choyce to make VVhat shall be most conuenient for our Fates Or bring most profit to our doubtfull states The prudent gods can place their gifts aright And grant true goods in stead of vaine delight A man is neuer to himselfe so deare As vnto them when they his fortunes steare We carried with the fury of our minds And strong affection which our iudgement blinds VVould husbands proue and fathers but they see VVhat our wisht children and our wiues will bee Yet that I may to thee some pray'rs allow When to the sacred Temples thou do'st vow Diuinest entrailes in white Pockets found Pray for a sound mind in a body sound Desire braue spirit free from feare of death Which can esteeme the latest houre of breath Among the gifts of Nature which can beare All sorrowes from desire and anger cleare And thinkes the paines of Hercules more blest Then wanton lust the suppers and soft rest Where in Sardanapalus ioy'd to liue I show thee what thou to thy selfe mayst giue If thou the way to quiet life wilt treade No guide but vertue can thee thither leade No pow'r diuine is euer absent there VVhere wisdome dwells and equall rule doth beare But we O Fortune striue to make thee great Plac'd as a Goddesse in a heau'nly seate A funerall Hymne out of Prudentius O God the soules pure fi'ry Spring Who diff'rent natures wouldst combine That man whom thou to life didst bring By weakenesse may to death decline By thee they both are fram'd aright They by thy hand vnited be And while they ioyne with growing might Both flesh and spirit liue to thee But when diuision them recals They bend their course to seu'rall ends Into dry earth the body falls The feruent soule to heau'n ascends For all created things at length By slow corruption growing old Must needs forsake compacted strength And disagreeing webs vnfold But thou deare Lord hast meanes prepar'd That death in thine may neuer reigne And hast vndoubted waies declar'd How members lost may rise againe That while those gen'rous rayes are bound In prison vnder fading things That part may still be stronger found VVhich from aboue directly springs If man with baser thoughts possest His will in earthly mud shall drowne The soule with such a weight opprest Is by the body carried downe But when she mindfull of her birth Her selfe from vgly spots debarres She lifts her friendly house from earth And beares it with her to the Starres See how the empty bodies lyes VVhere now no liuely soule remaines Yet when short time with swiftnesse flyes The height of senses it regaines Those ages shall be soone at hand VVhen kindly heate the bones reuiewes And shall the former house command VVhere liuing blood it shall infuse Dull carkases to dust now worne VVhich long in graues corrupted lay Shall to the nimble ayre be borne VVhere soules before haue led the way Hence comes it to adorne the graue VVith carefull labour men affect The limbes dissolu'd last honour haue And fun'rall Rites with pompe are deckt