Grace to me is good Free from vnkind desires of Flesh and Bloud Inuentions Life Death and Funerall 102 Busie Inuention whie art thou so dull And yet still doing Are no Conceits ensconst within thy Scull To helpe my woing Canst not with Iudgments aide once â—ally out with Words of power My Ladies dreaded Forces to disrout and make way to her Or can'st thou vse no Stratagem of VVitt That may entrappe her To yeeld vnto Conditions faire as fitt els loue enwrappe her Fy fy thou lin'st my hedd-peece to no end Sith by thy Lyninge I cannot in Loues warres my Witt defend from foule declyning Doth Loue conâ—ound thee that thy Founder is Bewitcht Inuention Can she which can but make thee pregnant misse of hir inâ—ention The powers of Witt cannot defend thee then from Shames confusion But thou must die with shame and liue agen By Hopes infusion Hope hold my Hart and Head for they are sick Inuention dyeth Loue-sicke they are and neede an Emperick which Loue denieth Inuention now doth draw his latest breath for comfort crying Hee dies and yet in dying striues with Death To liue still dying Ring out his Knell for now he quite is dead Ding dong bell well ronge Sing out a Dirge for now hee 's buried Farewell Hee well songe This Epitath fix on his senslesse Head Here lies Inuention That stood his louing Master in no steade In Loues contention Yet for his Soule lest it should quite bee dam'd Some Dole bestow yee Giue my poore Witts which he hath â—owly sham'd what he doth owe me So Mortus et sepultus now he is Heau'n graunt his rising Bee not to vtter darknesse but to Blisse of highe Deuising 103 DIe dâ—e Forbidden Hopes ô die Foâ— while you liue in Death liue I Sith from Forbidden Hope Death first had life and scope Ambitious hope forbidden Then if thou liu'st needes die I must For Death doth liue in hope vniust Or at the least Dispaire Whereof Death is the Haire Then die or still liue hidden 104 NOw to this Sea of Cittie-Common-wealth Lymitâ—lesse London am I come obscu'rd Where twofold Plagues endanger may the health Of Soule and Bodie of the most securd The Bodies Plague's an Ill which God can do For is Ill in the Cirtie hee doth not But Synne the Plague which doth the Soule vndo He cannot do though how he well doth wott Then now my Soule stand stiffly on thy gâ—ard Sith many mortall Dangers thee surrouâ—d Lett Grace thy guide thy House still watch warde To keepe thy Habitation cleane as sound And if thou canst with Loâ—t liue chastlie here Angels will fetche thee hence when Plagues are neere Other Sonnets vpon other Subiects The Trinity illustrated by a three-square perspectiue Glasse 1 IF in a three-square Glasse as thick as cleare Be'ing but dark Earth though made Diaphanall Beauties diuine that rauish Sence appeare Making the Soule with ioy in Trance to fall What then my Soule shalt thou in Heau'n behold In that cleare Mirror of the TRINITY What ô It were not THAT could it be told For t is a glorious yet dark Mistery It is THAT which is furthest from description Whos 's beaming-beauty's more then infinite It's Glories Monument whose Superscription Is Here lies LIGHT alone indefinite Then ô Light limitlesse let me poore me Still liue obscure so I â—ay still see Thee 2 I Loue the life that Loue doth most mislike That is the life which is most like to Death On Lifes Haâ—r-strings when Death at last shall strike Soules Organs then do sound with sweetest breath The Discords of this Life annoy their Eares Where but Faithes Concords onely sweetly sound From Discords Dangers rise from Dangers Feares Which Three these Three the Soule Minde Body wound I would therefore liue dead to sâ—ch a life Within the Graue of most obscure estate So dead to liue as farre from State as Sâ—riâ—â— To check those Lusts that would giue Loue the Mate But ô this Faith fraile faith and Loue selfe-Loue Be dead sith they but liue for selfe-behoue 3 TIme faster then my Thought away doth hast Who thought not to haue lost It but for gaine But as that thought was present Time was past So left mee but to thinke that Thought was vaine While I am musing how my Time to spend Time spends It selfe and me but how I muse So still I muse while Time drawes on mine ende Thus Time doth me and I do it abuse I thinke and while I thinke I io'ly acte Yet Thought 's no idle action of the Minde So idle actions Time and mee haue wrackt Yet in these Ruines I my making finde For I am made by musing what I am That 's one that lynes the Ornaments of Fame 4 SIth Rest and Labour weares this Life away For Rest doth toile as Toile doth fatigate Sith Payne in Laboure stirres and rests in Play For Laboure paines That Rest doth satiate What maruell though the Hoast of Animalls Do groning longe to bee Life dispossest Sith their whole Pow'r by Natures forces falles Into the life of Laboure Death of Rest. Then how should Man but longe to leaue that Stage Where Paine doth plaie in Rest and Rest in Payne Sith Rest's his Home and Payne's his Pilgrimage Who cannot rest where hee cannot remayne It then remaines that wee this Life detest Sith it doth rest in Toile and toile in Rest 5 SIth glorious Princes like to Mirrours are As cleare as brittle how dare they contend Sith when they meete and light vpon the bare They may see their beginnings in their ende And sith base Vp-starts like to Bladders bee Puâ—t vp with winde which maks them stiffe as stout Mee thinkes each bound they should rise heauily Sith That which makes them mount may let It out Lastlie sith Men to Bubbles are compar'd Then which no Being's neerer kin to Nought Why from ill Thoughts do they their Wills not warde Sith they may bee extinguisht with a thought It is sith Bubbles do but weake appeare So in their VVeaknesse Men to Nought are neere 6 VVOrke on my Soule while Sleepes Soule takes hir rest And Sence held idle by hir heauy hand Acte in Dumbe-Showes which idle Spirits detest That Wit thy Wiâ—l thereby may vnderstand Let Fancy offer to Iâ—telligence The Shade of Shapes whose Substance thou dost loue So Sence shall sâ—e without the Seeing Sence When Reason is rest how thou dost moue Mount thee vppon thy Wings of Witt and Will Vnto the height of thy Wills true desires There worke thy pleasure bee it good or ill That wakeing Will may worke what Witt requires For t is VVitts worke in sleepe VVills worke to spy That wakfull VVitt may right what is awry 7 THe Match is double made where Man and Wife Of diuese Bodies make one perfect Minde Striuing to bee as farre from Hate as Strife In kindnesse constant of a diuerse kinde Hee gladd of hir Shee of his selfe more gladd Sith as hir better halfe shee Him
the Highst obscure him selfe from sight While all that see do see but by his Light What neede wee seeke quaint words Phrases finâ— Sith by one Word all Truth is knowne alone Which Word made al things by his pow'r Diuine So all things by that VVord are only knowne Then they that learne this onelie World to know Know more then World or Witt it selfe can show All other Knowledge doth but vex the Sp'rite Though hir it makes much more intelligent In it alone is Knowledge with Delight Sith it the Witt doth cleere the Will content Then they that know this singleâ—simple Worde Do know much more then Knowledge can afforde No State so holie nor no Place so Sole Much more no Science but is full of Doubt Cares creeping fill each solitarie Hole And many more vexations swarme without And till wee leaue the World or wayward Will Wee beare with vs a VVorld of trouble still Then t is not shun'd by flight vnlesse wee could Flie from our selues our aduersaries chiefe For while our selues our selues haue fast in hold Wee hold our selues to Sinne and so to Griefe For they that griue not when they do transgresse Short pleasures feele not extreame wretchedneâ—se The lack of VVill in faith still fixt to bee Is the sole cause wee want our true repose For who so blinde as they that will not see And who more subâ—ect to hard ouâ—rthrowes Inâ—uitable Sorrowes still attend On none but on the wilfull past their end To shunne the Tempter wee must shut the Gaâ—â— Of our Intelligence against his Charmes Or lest he should our Will predominate Repulse him from our VVitt by force of Armes If yet he stands vpon him straight Discharge Truthes double * Cannon with a double Charge Then will he flie or if he stands hâ— falls For nothing can resist his Ordinance VVho makes the meekest Mindes his Generallâ— That yeelding fight and foile by sufferance O t is a wondrous Conquest when a Foe By ouercomming hath the ouerthro The longer wee forbeare him to withstand The weaker are wee when wee do resist And much the stronger is hee to commaâ—nâ— For Thoughts are actiue when they do persist Because Thoughts trauell with Delight in paine Till He bee borne and they conceaue againe Greate Troubles well are borne by beaâ—ing small As Milo bare a Calfe turn'd Bull at last They in the roughest Tempests needs must fall That are orethrowne with eury little Blast In Summe the Summe of all our earthlie ioy Is in our patient bearing all annoy Againe IF Hope and Patience did not hold the Hart From being squiz'd to nought with gripes of griefe It could not bee by Nature nor by Arte But Death would hold that Seate of Life in chiefe For in this Life Deathes do so multiplie Or Dolors at the best farre worse then Deathes That wee do liue no longer then wee die VVho lyuing die and breathing spend our breathes So that in patience only wee possesse The Soules we haue which haue the Liues we hold And Hope Sustaines the Soule in heauynesse So patient hope is fraile Lifes strongest Hold. If both those vertues then in one must ioyne To make our Soules and Bodies ioyne in one Els Death and Dolor will fraile Life purloyne VVho ioyne to vnioyne that Coniunction VVee must inuoke the Heaun's to giue vs Hope VVell arm'd with Patience fith wee liue thereby Secur'd in Dolors which to Death lie ope And makes vs liue when Death and Dolors die Then patient Hope the Soule of our Lifes Soule Arme thou my Soule thereby to gard hir life And Passions furie with thy pow'r controule So shall I striue in rest and rest in strife For no way looke I but my sights annoyd VVith Troopes of Sorrowes menacing my wrack And in my spacious Mynd no place is voyd For Campes of Cares that seeke my Soule to Sack For if I liue I can but liue in sinne And if I sin I ioy I can but grieue So when fin ends my griefs and Cares begin And cease not til I cease to sin or liue Yet what I would He knows that knowes my wil Which though peruerse is preâ—t his grace to serue Which Grace ingenders Hope on my Good wil And makes me patient sith I ill deserue Thus patient Hope by Grace got on my Will Doth make me wel to liue in spight of Ill. In vindicando criminosa est celeritâ—â— WHat gaine gets witlesse Courage but the losse Of Life or Limb Lands Contry Goods or fame Or to the Gallowes goes by weeping Crosse And desprate dies to his Soules death and shame Would any that had Courage Wit and Grace As point to part this life Mans life bereaue To make a crying Sin his Soule to chase And neuer till she dies the Chase to leaue None would that would be wise and valiant Then so we ought to liue as dying stil Sith of our death our life is ignorant Then who but Fiends would liue in Hel to kil Admit in priuate Quarrels fist to fist Thou hast slaine al that durst thy powr oppose Nay say that no man durst the same resist Sith like a God thou couldst of life dispose Were it hnmane much lesse were it diuÃne To glory but in bathing but in bloud Were it not sauage and too Leonyne For any that would faine be great and good O Then what Quarrell but the publike one Can make a wise and valiant man to fight What staine takes honest-reputation By taking wrong to make it selfe more right Can but the Lye one silly Sillable By Time made much more hainous then by Truth Make great men make their Humors sutable To Hoâ—â—leaches that haue by bloud their growth Or can the Loue but of an hateful Queane For such no better be though Queens they are Broche pretious bloud as if that were the meane To measure out sound Loue for such crackt Ware Can but an od Looke or a simple Smile Which may be taken wel as wel as ill Make men their Harts and Hands with bloud defile So bloud like water for but Looks to spil Then Men are Monsters Monsters al too good Is eu'ry name that is too monstrous For such as liue alone but to suck bloud Which al do hate that are magnanimous For all great Minds desire such things to do That are as good as great els scorne the same For Valor they l be prais'd and Vertue too Els Valor they esteem the price of Shame And no where can the same so wel be showne As with offensiue Armes in Contries right And with defensiue guard the ouerthrowne From the Oppressors mercilesse despight Els Fights vnciuil sauage and too bad For Beasts much more for Men whom Angels serue All Quarrels els are monstrous moody mad And mortal hate of God and man deserue Yet by such sucking bloud we see some swel Vnto that Greatnesse that they scarce can hold On Gore they ground great Howses where they dwel VVhich often sink in bloud as
so it may vndo Eu'n so a VVord or Speech whil they abide But in the Thought It 's cald a Secret right But if put forth forthwith abrode it glydes For words haue wings as swift as Thought in flight A Ship vpon her wings the Sailes may be In roughest winds stayd by her Anchor hold When she would into wel-known dangers flee And so the same from vtter wrack withhould But speak a word and nought shal let it hie Oft to the wrack of him that let it fly 28 THen if we show what vnshown haue we would To any other we bewray thereby We ween thei l keep that closer then we could So shew our Secrets for more secresie But do the Geese that into Cicily Ouer the mountain Taurus fly by night Gag them with Stones for Gaggling as they fly Lest Eagles breeding there should stop their flight And shall men haue lesse Wit then witlesse Geese To make that known that Wit wold close conceal And put no Gag into their glib Mouth-peece But like tame Guls by gagling it reueale Then if my Tongue were of this twatling kinde It should more tast my meat then feel my mind 29 They that haue skil to keep and nourish Bees Do hold that Hiues wherein most noyse they make To be the best or with them best agrees Who to the same most honied Riches rake But they that haue the Charge of humane Swarmes Do hold them happiest when they quietst be And furthest off from vproares and Alarms As hauing honied Sufficiency Sufficiency the Nurse of Rest and Peace For excesse breeds excesse of Sin and Shame And Sin and Shame do wars and Woes increase VVhere Wasps make honed Ritches spoile their game Then in our treble Hiues of treble Realmes We want no peace because we want Extreames 30 THe Frosty Beard inclining al to white The Snowy Head or Head more white then Snow The Crow-foot neer the Eyes Browes Furrow'd quite With Trenches in the Cheeks Experience show These are the Emblems of Authority Which ioynd to those do much augment her might These are the Signes of Reasons Soueraignty And Hyâ—rogliphicks spelling Iudgement right These are the Trophies rear'd by Times left hand Vpon the spoile of Passion and her Powres We by these Symbols Wisedome vnderstand That vs directeth and protecteth ours All these in me begin to come in sight Yet can I hardly rule my selfe aright 31 ALl Dignities that sodainly begin And gloriously increase in hast post hast So orerunne Enuie that shee cannot synne Nor synne before for straight hir pow'r they past If Flax on fire bee put it makes no smoke Because it in a Moment falls to flame No more can Enuy Pompe to fume prouoke That on the soddaine blazeth on the same But Greatnesse gotten slowlie by degrees Lies most expos'd to Enuies crueltie Those Beames are faint and vs'd thereto shee sees Them at the brightest with a banefull Eye Then blessed They that are from State exempt That lies expos'd to Enuy and Contempt 32 THe more vnlike to God the worse the Man Things most like Gods vnlike are most vile things God Brightnesse is with Him it first began The Deuill is darkenesse and from him it springs Who 's bright or loueth brightnesse is like God Who 's darke or Darkenesse loues is like the Deuil Who then in Darked â—sse liues or makes abode Doth liue like Gods vnlike â—he Fount of Euill To liue or die alone it is all one Saâ— that of both extreames to die is best The Beasts most brute delight to liâ—e alone And whosoe liueth â—oe liues like a Beast I cannot think that Men such Beasts will bee For Men and Beasts lyue with their like we see 5. Sonnets in ppaise of Eminâ—acy or a publike Life 33 VVEalth of Heau'ns Heau'n and want of Hell of Hells Angells renowne and Mens euangeliz'd The Summ of all their All imparadiz'd Glorious Elier that it selfe excells Blacknesse Antipodes Fowlenesse Opposite Mindes ioye Ioyes blisse and Blisses blandishment Laudes Crowne Crownes pompe and Pompes best ornament Kynnet of Darknessr lightly turning it Deathes death Lifes life and life of Lifes liues Life Eyes eye Witts eye Soules eye Eye of all Eyes Fames pride Prides foile yet Foiles doth scandalize Gods glory Glories God and stay of strife This is obscure and yet t is extreame Light Manns Summum bonum and Gods Soules delight 34 TO Liue alone alone is not to liue To die alone alone is not to die For Death is Life to such a liuelesse one That liues alone and lothes all Company Who liues alone alone doth lyuing Die Who dies alone alone doth dying liue For Life gaue life for sweet Societie And Death for Life and Life for Death did giue Earth's not alone for Earthling creepe vpon it And Water 's not alone for Fish liue in it Ayre 's not alone for Sprights liue in not on it And Cricketts Liue with Fire as all haue seene it Since these are all from whence all Creatures spring Who Liues alone liues not like any Thinge â— THen least alone when I am most alone Quoth one that least loud most Mens Company But what was hee a Ruler such a one Oft liues alone to keepe Societie For Kings whose cares are how from cares to keepe Their Subiects liues in Lifes Communion Oft liue alone and wake when sound they sleepe That he with them may sleep when theirs is gon But priuate Men if they too priuate are Are most iniurious to mens publike good And who are such liue past all kind of Care So liu'd not Hee that for Men spent his bloud If hee Kind Lord had lou'd to liue alone Hee had not died and wee had liu'd vnknowne 36 MArtha and Mary two of his belou'd That was the Sonne of Mary mother Maide Chose diffrent liues by grace and Nature mou'd Contemplatiue and Actiue as it s said Mary the first the last did Martha choose The first preferred was before the last By Him for whome she did the last refuse Through whom she was therfore with glory grac't If glorified she were then not obscure And if with Him shee were then not alone Alone she was with Him vpon whose powre All Creatures rest yet still hee rests all one Bâ—t such a one as euery One attends Who liues alone then liues not like his Frends 37 I cannot say but Beauty is a Guist But to fewe giuen that haue other grace For it the Minde aboue it selfe doth lift Although the Minde and Body bee but base Beauty is bright then then t is light lightly And if too bright too light too oft it is Yet t is the Signe where Grace doth vse to lie But if thrust out the Inne is most amisse And most amisse to misse what most adornes And hath but meerely stained-painted Walls Which Vice doth honour much but Vertue scornes Sith It to Vice from grace and Vertue falls Then Beauty if thou bee not Graces Inne Grace suing to thee sueth but to Sinne. 38
Sâ—nce â—or that doth blind the Soule and lame the Mind But must I sensuall 〈◊〉 to seem excus'd â—hen woâ—se and worse falls ouâ— mine ill excuse â—were better say by Loue I am abusd 〈◊〉 I to loue haue offâ—ed much abusâ— Abusd by Loue without my Lustâ— consent That is too strange a strength for Loue or Lust And eithers powr in me is impotent â—oâ— how boileâ— Bloud that long since is addust Wel be it as it may it seems my might Giues way to what it would not what it should Which on the bent of my Minds Motions light Puts these right Lines of Loue which long will hold But iâ— they breake when my Mind is vnbent Now shal they breake for I eu'n now repent Qualis vir talis oratio FAces do not more varrie in their Formes Then Wits in shapes though most be shapelesse Wits For breeding base oft well-shapt Wit deformes So 〈◊〉 comes off comly but by fits And 〈◊〉 oâ—t part are better fed then bred But they that feeding want want Wit and Wealth Then most Mens Wits are most il-fauoured And what they show by Wit they show by stealth Yet many Members oâ— that Blockâ—head Body The Multitude write idly without stint And he that 's not in Pâ—int they hold a Noddy Because themselues are Noddies still in Print Some Ryme in rage which rage puts Reason downe Yet puts not Reason downe in their Rymes rage These Arrs run rough but their Rimes if their owne With reason rnnne like a thwart Marriage Yet if too smooth be this smart Simily Although it be as rough as Rage or VVrack Their Rymes and Reason then runne like a Cry Of brayning Beasts that Rime and Reason lack Yet will they force Minerua not by Arte But forâ—e or feare of their wittes strength or stature For so these Asses weene to take their part So like the Giants â—ight gainst God and Nature Some make in Prose greate Tomes their witâ—s t'intomb To bee as Monuments of Witt for euer Yet sith those Monuments no Witt enwombe Being quite consumed they continue neuer The moâ—'s the pitty that such stately Tombes That of haue* gold without though drosse within Should bee gazd on by Leaâ—â—ings drugging Gromes And by their Engin razd ô dâ—â—dly sinne Minerua bleâ—â—e my Booke Witts Monâ—ment A little Monument for lesser Witt From such vsurpiâ—g Benâ—clarkes violent Lest â—hey pul out Wittes ere 's their turnes to fit Yet will I leaue it them while fearelesse I To â—ury goe in expedition To trie their trúth or taste their Tyranny The woâ—st is Eylesse deposition And if it happ I hope Ile Sion gaine Sith I the Cause of Sion will maintaine When the ritch man speakes euery man holds his tongue and what he saith is praised vnto the Clouds c Ecclus. 13. 24. THe Tongue of tâ—uth hath said hen true it is Though Indigence could speake like Salomon The VVorld is mute or saies he speakes amisâ—e Sith but the golden Asse speaks well alone Thus golden Asses clawd by Claw-backs are Where they do ytch and but for clawing itch Yet like lades pinch each other being baâ—e And so the Riâ—ch are praisd by poore and ritch 〈…〉 Wings of Sunâ—bâ—ight Seraphins 〈…〉 Peâ—s and make them Nectar flow 〈…〉 not gult like Cherubins 〈…〉 in deed but sink in show 〈…〉 World is wise herein Though wise â—â—â—ein more then most wickedly 〈◊〉 Detraction is esteemd no sin So â—hat the great be greatly praisd thereby 〈…〉 greatly praisd when all but Theirs 〈…〉 is how lawdable soere Their 〈◊〉 â—hough Crabs are sweet with Apple squires 〈…〉 for Loue and Loue for meed or feare They may be bold they woâ— well with the poore 〈◊〉 pack-horsâ—s beare when Asses bray Thâ—y 〈◊〉 may wince but they can do no more And for their wincing They on them may lay â—ut heer 's the comfort vpright after â—imes Vpright sith that which Is not no way bends Will Lawrell-Crowne them for their roiall Rimes â—or Enuies selfe Desert if dead commends Then Rimes how ere vnroial run you on You may in time perhaps come neer that Crowne Meane while look for no Coronation â—ut such as Enuy giues high-borne Renowne Yet with your Wit those after times perswade That some were mard perhaps eâ—e al were made Vpon Apparitions in the Night YE gâ—izly Ghosts that walk in shades of Night Like Shades whose Substance though quite Matterlesse The dayly fowle Offender doth aftright Why make ye Darknesse Paper for your Presse Do you imprint in Blacknesse blacker formes Of matters worse or in our Fantaziâ— â—mpresse ye Figures raising Horrors stormes Or how in darknesse come you to the Eye Do you but show or show in Substances Thicken you Aire and so a Shape assume Or creepe you in some Corprall Efâ—ences Or els the Sight deceaue with lesse then Fume And why ô Hell hounds range you in the Night Out of Earthes Center your infernall Hold Lothe ye the Sunne a or is the day too light To do your deeds of Darknesse as ye would Can ye dead Bodies truly actuate And so such Bodies borrow of the Saints Or can ye Wicked Bodies animate So take from God the cause of his Complaints For if you Soules infuse into the iâ—l You are the Father of their Spiâ—ites and God Complaines without cause that â—hey crosâ—e his Will Nor are they vnder naturally his Râ—dd But He it is alone that Soulâ—â— crâ—ates Without whome nought was made that made hath bin And Bodies good and Badd he animates Only he made not Death first made by Sinne. And what is Sinne but only meere Defect So Sinne is nought then nought hath Death begott And Nothing should in sense haue no effect So Sinne and Death Nought made and Nought Is not I would it were not but too true it is But is as Canker doth to Siluer cleaue So you fowle â—iends that loue such Filth as this Do leaue no Sinners that no sinne do leaue The purest Places you do hold an Hell And Places most impure you Heau'n esteeme The one do plague the other please you well And so of deeds of either Kinde you deeme To be among the the deads Graues you are gladd Wherein youâ—seeke their senslesâ—e Bones to griue And loue to rattle them in signe you had The Conquest of Mankind through Adams Eâ—ue So by a Woman your familier Y' are now familier with Men night and Day And which of both Familiers worse do warre With Men and Reason it is hard to say These femine Familiars but too oft Torment vs men as if you friends they were Whose hard harts plac'd in their faire Bodies soft Plague whom that Beauty doth to them indeere Yet some so filthy are that they are best When they are worst that is when fowle defame With vse of trading ill their Trade hath ceast Then with a Pox they liue Chast to their shame Thus haue we got double Familiars Women and Diuels by a VVomans pride Both which familiarly vvage
all do couet only but to seemeâ— Illseemeth good and sorrow seemeth Blisse And Men but by their show do men esteem Where the whole frame of Natur 's out of frame And at the point to be disâ—olued quite Where VVit and Learning are both blind and lame Yet scorne through pride a Guide to leade them right VVhere no man hath an Eare to heare sith Eares Are now turnd all to Tongues or Teeth to gnaw If one haue Eares none but himselfe he heares As bound â—hereto by self-loues lawlesse law Where Loue and Lordship can no Riualls beare That yet should beare with all that Grace doth brooke Where euery thinge amisse is euery where And nought found good vnlesse it be in looke Where vertue is despised though bright she bee Yf she be bare Yet Venus bare is lou'd Where nought hath tast els that is bare to see Yea Truth it self if bare is not approud Where all and some make but the sum of al Vainst Vanities for so at best they be VVhere each one riseth by anothers fal Yet mounts in vaine for quickly fal must he So on this Sorrowes Sea this VVorld of VVoc Al falls to Earth that riseth from the same And so all Earthly Things do ebb and flo And ebb in nature as they slow in name Then ô haue I not reason to desiâ—e My Natures dissolution sith it is VVith these â—lls conuerâ—ant which do conspire To make it like them more then most amisse Then Death the end of Il vnto the good Enshore my Soule neer drownd in flesh and bloud Quotidie est deterior posterior dies HOw many piercing Pens haue launct the Vaines Of this vaine World to let her humors out How many Satyres beate their tried Btaines How from this Ioyntâ—sick Age to bite the Gowt And yet like those anoyd with that disease These Times haue rather rest then helpe thereby For they displease them that do them displease So rest renengd but toild in malady And oft those Surgeans are as humorous As are the Aches which they seek to heale Who hauing Teeth as sharp as mumerous Through others bite themselues which seld they feele Because themselues are senselesse of their Ills Which this obseruing World perceiuing well Measures their Medicines by their wicked Wills So loths their Corsiues and themselues doth quell But he that looks with wellâ—discerning Eyes Into the worlds ineuitable woes Shal see it sick of mortal maladies And wil as from the plague flie far from those I see them well though wel I cannot see Sith I am Hoodâ—winckt still with darke desires And I confesse the World 's the worse for me Though to the best my Spirit at worst aspires Faine woâ—ld I leaue this fardle of my Flesh In Fastings Charge the lighter so to flye From these stillâ—following plagues which are most fresh When we are weariest of their company But â—o the World still rounds me in the eare With Wind that sweetly in that Organ sounds Which me alures to loue mirth ioye and Cheare So downe it beates my wil when it rebounds Thus the Worlds heauy and vnholy hand My Sprit suppreâ—â—eth that would faine aspire And with my Flesh conspires it to withstand With whom the Dâ—uel ioynes in that desire Thus do I rest in that Church militant Which still withâ—stands these three stil fighting Fâ—â—s Stil warring with them til that strength I want To gard with grace their most vngratious Blowes Then through my weaknesse am I forcd to yeeld VVho then like Tyrants triumph in my spoile And wrack my Hopes best haruest in the Field VVhich they haue got so feareful make my foile And thus twixt good and euil Sin and grace I stil do striuing run a tedious Racel Enuy is blind and can do nothing but dispraise Vertue THe best conceit that euer Braine did breede Though better borne then bred or first conceau'd May in good birth yet haue such euil speed That scarse the spirit of life may be perceaud For Emulation hath no patience No more then Ignorance to stand vpon The narrow search of strict intelligence But dooms it dead sith it liues so alone That liues alone that singularly liues VVhich is the life of Singularity To liue that life stil Emulation striues Or to obserue his skill that liues thereby Enuy seemes poisned with anothers praise Which as those praises swell swells more and more Who worne to nought hir selfe yet only waighes And weighes no others woorths vulesse tooâ—poore But that shee seeketh to enrich alone Not of Deuotion but of damd desire To make the greater woorth the lesser knowne For shee doth most ecclipse what is most cleir Whie toile weâ—then or lose our golden Sleepes To gaine with golden Time more glorious praise Sith basest Enuy highest Honor keepes By whose dispight hir glorie oft decayes It is because the longer after Death Our Fames do flee the longer breathe they shall For Enuies winde doth vanish with our breath And when our harts breake broken is hir Gall Then this doth comfort all that merit fame Vertue liues when Enuy dies with shame Vincit qui patiâ—â—â— TO seeke for ease where wee are borne to toile Is but to rest in toile and toile in rest To toile for ease where Slouth may worke our spoile Is but by ease to bee cafe dispoâ—â—est They fish and catch a Frogg which so do fishe That â—aue the Soules repose catch all they wishe It s better farre to giue our Soules to rest In Patience then in Pleasures sith they doo Sweetly like rubbings of an Ytch molest â—ut Patience gladds vs while Paines us vndoo Then giue mee Patience and let Pleasure go As that which workes in sport our ouerthro That comfort I detest that takes from mee Vncessant sorrow for vncessant sinne Nor loue I that sharpe sight that all doth see Saue onely That which is my selfe withinâ— That Knowledge is as coorse as counterfett That makes Men vtterlie them selues forget Giue mee an Hell of paine so I may haue The Heauen which a Conscience sound dâ—th giues Sith hee is but vncessaunt Sorrowes Slaue That sick in Soule in pleaâ—ures Heau'n doth liue If Patience Hiue the Soule in Sorrowes Swarâ—es She Heau'n enioyeth in an Hell of Harmes Who rightlie knowes him selfe him selfe contemns And though men clappe their hands in his applause Yet hee their praises with him selfe condempnes By euidence of Conscience hir Lawes The cause why others flatter vs with ease Is wee our selues our selues too wel do please How much the more our knowledge al surâ—ountâ— So much the lower we in in Hel shal fal If when we come to make our last accounts Our vertue be not found much more then al And simply better t' were from Sinne to flee Then cunningly Define what Sinne should bee With brightest Knowledge to liue most obscure Is to find Hea'n which in that Light doth lie Yet like the Sunne through thick Clouds couertâ—re To light the World that Men may walke thereby So doth
him a Make On whome awake for ioy his Hart doth melt And seeing Hir for all he saw â—e knew Bone of my Bone Flesh of my Fleshâ—said he This Creature is for in my selfe the grew And as my selfe I le loue hir while we Be. This nay alas This naught is to the Good That He enioyed in that earthly Heauâ—t Which by Mans Thought cannot be vnderstood Whereof alas we through him are bereaun For He was wâ—rn'd but one Tree not to touch The Tree of Knowledge by which well he knew He naked was and sham'd to know so much For Shame doth Euil euermore ensue Then euil was it that he knew and did When through his serpentine seduced wife He tasted of The Tree which was forbidd So Lost wee with Him Paradice and life None otherwise then by our Lawes wee see The Sons plagu'd for the Sires successiuely For if the Sire a proued Traitor be Hee s plagu'd him selfe and his Posterity Which with highst Iustice iust proportion holds So wills the Highst whose Will giues Iustice formâ— Whose Grace true Iustice euermore infolds Then neither can or will he It deforme Hence comes it that from Loue we fall to Lust Fowle Lust that 's but the Excrement of Loue And hence it is we proue in both vniust When Lust another Way our Mind doth moue Thus was a Woman made the Instrument Wherewith the Deuil did mans Eare allure To heare the Syren Sins first Straines consent Which drue him on to Death which vve endure And vvhat but Wo-men cause our Sonnetting Wherein we show vvhat languishnes vve haue Within our Soules for them which often bring Our Minds to naught and Bodies to the Graue Whose Tongues drue vertue from the Tongue of Eue If it be Vertue vvhich to Vice doth draw To make vs loue then What they List belieue For Lou's as free from Reason as from Law O VVo-men that vvere made but for Mensâ—ake To helpe and comfort them in weale and wo Why do your selues your selues their plaguers make And Crosse the Cause of your creation so Do not o do not so degenerate From what ye should be by creation You giue vs life and life abbreuiate So make and mar our Generation But if you wil be like your Mother Eue. When you haue vs vndone helpe vs to liue In iudicando criminosa est celeritas TO cut off life by Law of such whose Crimes Fall out as euill from an hopefull good May proue though iust iniurious to the Times Wherein they liue in deed or likelihood For Iustice though she equall be to all Yet by aduice of Prudence she doth spare Hopefull Delinquents though they fowly fall Only because they oft most hopefull are For had Miltiades at first bin slaine When he in Chersonesus tyranizd Where had the Battaile bin got on the Plaine Of Marrathon that 's so immortalizd Or els had Cimon or Themistocles Bin done to death for their lasciuious life For vvhich proscribd was Alâ—ibiades How had the Athenians conquest been so rise The Battailes neere the flood Eurimedon Had not bin gaind to their past gaineful good Nor from the Mountaine Artemision Had they sent streaming downe their Foe-mens Bloud For royall Mynds greate Harts and actiue Haâ—ds With nimble Wit among can nought effect But what with wonder if not glory stands Sith meane Attempts they do as base reiect Nor can their Natures motion idle be That is so restlesse quick and violent Still working like a Billow of the Sea Til it bee staid in some moode premanent But as vnskilfull Husbandmen reiect The fattest Grounds sith they beare Weeds or woâ—se When expert'st Husbands those in chiefe ellect Sith well they wott fatt Grounds make fatt their Purse So do at first greate Witts and haughtie Sprights Produce strange fruits that feede butâ—leane Decay Which wee detesting weene they had their rights To bee cut off and ridd out of the way Which doth proceede from iudgment most deprau'd Though in desire that Iustice might take place Sith if those Men had bin in mercie saud They for that mercie might their Countrie grace For when with Iudgments best-discerning Eye Wee see good matter in an euill Man As Courage VVitt and great actiuitie Wee long must hope he will do wel that can For Age with Vertue is Cooperatiue Youths prone to Vice sith Vice doth cocker it So they in time great matters may achiue That may their King and Kingdome benefit Then each wise Iudges iudgment hath this scope To spare the hopelesse Felon full of hope Fortuna vitrea est quae cum splendet frangitur Publi _â— GREATNESSE what great Good dost thou containe â—allure the VVill to bee in loue with thee â—st souraigne-Good to bee a Soueraigne VVhen high'st degree of Ills threats that Degree VVho buyes a Crowne with neuer-ending Care Buyes Gold too deere by al that Life is worth For Care doth nought but Life to Death prepare Yet vnprepard to meet Death flieth foorth For Kingdoms Cares so many are and great That they constraine the Thought but them to mind That though vntimely Death they do beget Yet Thought though free from thought thereof they bind Then ô my Soule poore Soule ritch in Conceit Which dost conceiue Kings glittering misery To be as t is false pomp true perils Baite Suffice thee still with meere Sufficiency Make me aswell content to be the least As others are well pleasd the Greatst to be Sith Man in honor liues and dies a Beast For Men proue oft base Beasts in high degree Let mine ambition reach but to Content And that Content reach but the Mean to touch That 's All sith it s omni-sufficient More meet for richest Mynds then more then Much There may I fiâ—t by Vertues surest side For in the Meane sheedoth hir selfe install Secure from wrack while those that Scepters guide Do find no meane betweene their Rise and Fall VVhere I may all vnseene see all the rest Of this Worlds Reuolutions and make vse Of Best and VVorst discreetly for my best And store my Mind with Matter for my Muse Like a Spectator that doth fitt at ease Secure vpon the Shore and thence doth see How others are neere sincking on the Seas In ceaslesse Stormes that full of danger bee Or like a looker on a Tragedie VVithin the Middle Roome among the Meane I see the fall of State and Maiesty VVhile mongst the Presseâ—a Piller sure I leane So see I others sorrowes with delight Though others sorrowes do but make me sadd But plagues to see which on our selues might light Free from their fall makes Nature grieuing gladd Where while I see some Phaeton striue to guide The Sunne of Souraigntie I see him set All in Combustion so dissolues through pride All Mouers causing his Ambitions heate Where I may see but late-Court-Minions Liue like to Spunge hard squizd aliue and dead Through change of Kings or Kings opinions For when their Heads fail off off falls their Head Or if they find more
grace in Fortunes Frownes To liue as in an Hell a Liuing Death They well may Chronicle what holds in Crownes Which turne about like Fanes eun with a Breath There may I Nobles see vnnobly striue Who shall be greatst in grace for want of grace Who by the damage of each other thriue And grace themselues b'each others great disgrace While vnperceaud I laugh to see how thay Like Fiends each other restlestly torment And blesse my state that on their Plagues may play In my Minds mirry Kingdome of CONTENT In few there may I see how all Estates That lifted are aboue the myrry Meane Do falling stand twixt Dangers and Debates Whiles of their Falls I make a swelling Sceane So that this World the Sea of misery Becomes my Helicon and Streames affords To make my Muse to flow stil swellinghie In matter far aboue the reache of Words Then you that shouldring buckle for the best Holding the Meane the best of all the worst Rest you or else my Muse shall neuer rest To make your States and Strifs lothd as accurst And you ô you vnpassiond peacefull Harts That with me liue secure in meane estate Be ioyfull though you play but simple Parts Ye simply play the best blâ—â—hst freest from hate And though these great Ones scorne our Case and Core Let vs laugh at them sith we know they dote A Dump vpon the death of the most noble Henrie late Earle of Pembrooke DEath hath depriud 〈◊〉 of my deerest friend My Deerest friend is dead and laid in Graue 〈◊〉 Graue He rests vntill the World shall end The World shall end and end shall all I hings haue All Things haue end on Earth that Nature wrought That Nature wrought shall vnto Dust be brought To Dust be brought the worthiest Wights on Ground On Ground who liues in Ground consume he must Consume he must whom â—rorow doth confound Sorrow doth confound the Mind that Care doth rust That Care doth rust full soone Care will deuour Care will deuour where Care hath greatest powr Where Care hath greatest powr it frets the Heart It frets the Heart and doth perplex the Spirit The Spirit perplext ptocures the Bodies â—mart The Bodies smart doth quite expell delight Expell delight then Life is like to Death To Death I yeeld yet cannot lose my Breath My Breath why did it not forsake me than Me than eun then when that my friend deceast My friend deceast eun as my Ioyes began My Ioyes began eun as my Ioyes surceast My Ioyes surceast eun as my friend did dy My friend did die and so would God might I. I aid vnto Laughter what art thou mad And to Mixth what dost thou Eccles. 2. 2. AMong the 〈◊〉 Sinne 〈◊〉 for heedles Flesh Though Lust be more attractiue in her powr None takes so soon sith 〈◊〉 doth it refresh As Myrth For Myrth doth ioy and health procure The Graue and Light wil lightly mirry bee Mirth so doth tickle Splâ—eneâ— of either kinde For recreation oâ—e the other glees And boâ—h because therein they pleasure finde It is Earths Heauen yet It doth hale to Hell But so doth hale as with bewitching 〈◊〉 It makes them willing whome it doth compel To ioy in Pleasure which procureth Smart When Fortune smiles who then laughs not outright And oft mad mirry plaies not with each straw Makes Pleasure all their paine their care Delight These Mirth with Ropes of Vanity doth draw These in the Night think how to spend the Day If thinking-sad Ambition let them not In pas-time so Time passeth with ill play Til they lose All and He the same hath got In Weale we flote on Pleasures Streams with ease In sugred satisfaction of our Sense And often seeke to sound those sensual Seas With the decep'st reach of our Intelligence Then wee embozom all that Myrth can yeeld Musutions Plaiers Buffons Birds-and Beasts Do at their pleasure vs most wanton weeld And decrer then our Wisedomes deeme their lests A Zane farther off from Wit then Grace And yet as farre from Grace as Grace from Synne That can at Feasts prate with a brazen face When sober Witt 's kept out must needs come in Our Dainties will not downe with out some such A Shamelesse-gracelesse wittlesse Thing wee gett To make vs Fatt as fooles with Laughing much And on his follie feede to make vs eate My Lady shee will laugh as madd shee were Lord why should Mirth make sober Ladies madd If shee but see Him like an Asse to fleere So shee kind Mule to see an Asse is gladd And when such Buffons ball and Cornetts sound The Ghests loud-Laughing Who can then bee heard That speakes like Phiâ—â—pps Page as shrill as sound That Voice hath then no grace and lesâ—e regard And if one sober Soule amonge the rest Do mind the rest of theiâ— Excesse in This Some seeming wise-man makes him straight a lest While all as at a Goose like Geese do 〈◊〉 Then one Goose that seemes reason most t' affect Yeelds him a reason for their hissing so And saith that Wisedome doth hir selfe reiect When shee comes out of season ought to do This Diu'l with reason dammnes Diuinity And with his Wisedome stopps selfe Wisedomes Mouth Which saith all Seasons wee should mortifie Our Eares to heare the liuely Word of TRVTH Paule hold thy peace thou blessed Saint be still Though if thou preach not thou saist wo to Thee Lest they do hisse thee too for thy good will Who hold all Geese that not madd-mirry bee Tell them they ought in season and without To heare the Word of Life they dead in sinne Will for thy zeale requite thee with a floute For so to quite such zeale they vs'd haue binâ— The most voluptuous ouer-wanton Rigge Proud Plentie scornes meeke Pieties VVoman-hood And swelling Supra-aboundance lookes so bigg That nought it sees so Low as Soberâ—moode Variety of Crownes Robes Mirth and Meate And all that rauish Sense with sweet'st delight These are the Heau'nsâ— desired of the GREATE VVho weene no Heau'n nor Hell is out of sight Frolicke greatâ—great Ones while these Heauns you hold Sith you will not attend true VVisedoms VVords Laugh and bee fatt sith al you touch is Gold Though that foode your Soules famishment affordes Soule tush what Soule how idly dost thou chatt Madd Muse that now they thinke dost Poetize There is no Soule nor no such Thing as that These are but Fictions Law-confirming Lies VVhat resurrection Pish who euer came From Death to Life VVho can Cadaueres raise Some say a Nazarite once did the same But Tacitus nor Machiauel to saies These were wise Men in deede and known for such If such had said it we might trust their VVorde But fow'r poore Fellowes poorely it doth touch That often with themselues do scarse accord VVho had no action in the Common weale No Office no Command nor no great Braine Yet wee for sooth for vaine Soules only Heale Must credit them in all their prattle vaine