thy death thou shalt not fully know Whether thy Purchase be good cheap or no And at that day beleev 't it will appeare If not extreamely cheape extreamely deare 99. On the Buying of the New Testament REader If thou wilt prove no more Then what I terme thee ev'n before Thou aske the price turne backe thine eye If otherwise unclaspe and buy Know then the Price of what thou buy'st Is the deare Blood of Iesus Christ Which Price is over-deare to none That dares protect it with his owne If thou stand guilty of the price Ev'n save thy purs-strings and be wise Thy mony will but in conclusion Make purchase of thy owne Confusion But if that guilt be done away Thou mayst as safely buy as pay 100. To my BOOKE MY Little Pinnace strike thy Sayles Let slippe thy Anchor The VVinâ—e fayles And Sea-men oft in Calmes doe feare That foule and boy â—â—rous â—â—ather's neare If a 〈◊〉 Storme should rise And blâ—â—â—er from Censorious Eyes Although the swelling VVaâ—es be rough And proud thy 〈◊〉 saâ—e enough Rest Rest a while â—ill â—bbing Tides Shall make thee stanch and breme thy sides When VVinds shall serve hoyst up thy Sayle And flye before a prosp'rous Gale That all the Coasters may resort And bid thee welcome to thy PORT The end of the first Booke DIVINE FANCIES The second Booke 1. To Almighty GOD. LORD Thou requir'st the first of all our Time The first of all our Actions and the prime Of all our Thoughts And Lord good reason we When Thou giv'st all should give the First to Thee But O we often rob thee of thy due Like Elies Children whom thy vengeance slue We pinch thy Offring to enlarge our Fee We keepe the Fat and carve the Leane to thee We thrust our three-tooth'd Flesh-hook in thy Pot That only what the Flesh-hook taketh not We share to thee Lord we are still deceiving We take the Prime and feed thee with our leaving Our Sluttish Bowles are cream'd with soile filth Our Wheat is full of Chaffe of Tares our Tilth Lord what in Flesh and Blood can there be had That 's worth the having when the best is bad Here 's nothing good unlesse thou please to make it O then if ought be worth the taking take it 2. On Gods Dyet DEare Lord when wee approch thy sacred Fire To burne our Sacrifice thou do'st require The Heads of ev'ry Beast that dyes the Hearts Th'enclosed Fatâ— and all the Inward parts Our Senses and our Memories must be All set apart and sanctifi'd to Thee The strength of our Desires the best perfections Of our imperfect Wills the choyce Aflections Of our refined hearts must all conjoyne To seeke thy Glory They must all be thine I know thy Dyet Lord Of all the rest Thou do'st affect the Head and Purâ—nance best 3. On Moses Birth and Death VVE read no sooner new-borne Moses crept Into this vale of Teares but th'Infant wept But being warned of his Death his Last We find it storied that he sung as fast These sev'rall Passions found their reason why He dy'd to live but he was borne to dye To whom this Transitory life shall bring Just cause to weepe there death gives cause to sing 4. On Ieptha's Vow VIctorious Ieptha could thy Zeale allow No other way then by a rash-made Vow T' expresse thy Thanks A Vow whose undertaking Was ev'n a Sin more odious then the making 'T was cruell Piety that taught thee how To paddle in thy Daâ—ghters Blood But thou Vnlucky Virgin was there none to â—e Betwixt thy Fathers mortall Brow and Thee Why cam'st thou forth sweet Virgin To what end Mad'st thou such needlesse hast Thou cam'st to lend Thy filiall Triumph to thy Fathers Wreath Thou thought'st to meet a Blessing and not Death Rash Ieptha may not thy repentance quit That Vow when Rashnesse was the Cause of it O canst thou not dispence with that wherein Thy strict Religion 's a presumptuous Sin Is she unhappy or thou cruell rather Vnhappy Child and too too cruell Father 5. On Jesus and Sampson AN Angel did to Mâ—noâ—hs wife appeare And brought the news her barren Womb should beare Did not another Angel if not He Thrice blessed Virgin bring the same to thee The Wife of Mâ—noâ—h nine moneths being run Her Heâ—v'n-saluted womb brought forth a Son To thee sweet Virgin full of Grace and Heaven A Child was borne to us a Son was given The name of hers was Sampson borne to fight For captiv'd Israel and a Nazarite Thine was a Naz'rite too and borâ—e to ease us From Sathans burâ—hens and his name is Iesus Sâ—â—pson espons'd and tooke in Marriage her That was the child of an Idolater Our Iesus tooke a wife that bow'd the knee And â—orshipt unknown◠〈◊〉 as well as she Assaulted Saâ—psoâ— meâ— and had to doe VVith â— fierce Lyon â—oyld and 〈◊〉 him too Our conquering Iesus purchas'd higher fame His arme encountred Death and overcame 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 But what Is Sampson singular in this Did not our Iesus doe the like to his Sampson propounds a Riddle and does hide The folded Myst'ry in his faithles Bride Our blessed Iesus propounds Riddles too Too hard for Man his Bride unsought t' undoe The Bride forsakes her Sampson do's betroth her To a new Love and falsly weds another And did not the adult'rous Iewes forgoe Their first Love Iesus and forsake him too Displeased Sampson had the choyce to wed The younger Sister in the Elders stead Displeased Jesus had espous'd the Younger God send her fairer and affections stronger Sampson sent Foxes on his fiery errant Among their corn made their crimâ—s his warrant Offended Jesus shewes as able signes Of wrath His Foxes have destroyd their Vines Our Sampsons love to Delilah was such That for her sake poore Sampson suffer'd much Our Jesus had his Delilah For her His Soule became so great a sâ—ffâ—râ—r Sampson was sâ—bject to their scorne and shame And was not Jesus even the very same Sampson's betrayd to the Philistians hands VVas bound a while but quickly brake his bands Jesus the first and sâ—cond day could be The Graves closâ— pris'ner but the third was free In this they differ'd Jesus dying Breath Cry'd out for Life but Sampsons cald for Death Father forgive them did our Jesus crye But Sampson Let me be reveng'd and dye Since then sweet Saviour t is thy Death must ease us We flye from Sampson and appeale to Iesus 6. On Elyes double â—ensure VVHen barren Hanna prostrate on the Floore In heat of zeale and passion did implore Redresse from Heav'n censorions Ely thought She had beene drunk and checkt her for her fault Rough was his Censure and his Check ausâ—ere Where mildnesse should be us'd w' are oft severe But when his lustfull Sonnes that could abuse The House of God making her Porch their Stues Appear'd before him his indulgent tongue Compounded rather then rebuk'd the wrong He dare not shoot for feare he
have bin lengthen'd had th'untrodden way To life beene found He might have â—ose agin If something had or something had not bin What mine sees past Heav'ns eie foresaw to come He saw how that contingent Act should summe The toâ—all of his Dayes His knowing Eye As mine doth see him dead saw he should die That very fatall howre yet saw his death Not so so necessary but his Breath Might beene enlarg'd unto a longer date Had he neglected This or taken That All times to Heav'n are now both first and last He seeâ— things present as we see them past 3. On the Sacraments THe Loâ—ves of Bread were five the Fishes two Whereof the Multitude was made partaker Who made the Fishes God But tell me who Gave being to the Loaves of Bread the Baker Ev'n so thâ—se Sacraments which some call seaven Five were ordain'd by Man and two by Heaven 4. On the Infancie of our Saviour HAyle blessed Virgin full of heavenly Grace Blest above all that sprang from humane race Whose Heav'n-saluted Womb brought forth in One A blessed Saviour and a blessed Son O! what a ravishment ' thad beene to see Thy little Saviour perking on thy Knee To see him nuzzle in thy Virgin Brest His milke white body all unclad undrest To see thy busie Fingers cloathe and wrappe His spradling Limbs in thy indulgent Lappe To see his desprate Eyes with Childish grace Smiling upon his smiling Mothers face And when his forward strength began to bloome To see him diddle up and downe the Roome O who would thinke so sweet a Babe as this Should ere be slaine by a false-hearted kisse Had I a Ragge if sure thy Body wore it Pardon sweet Babe I thinke I should adore it Till then O grant this Boone a boone far dearer The Weed not being I may adore the Wearer 5. On Iudas Iscariot VVE raile at Iudas him that did betray The Lord of life yet doe it day by day 6. On the life and death of Man THe World 's a Theater The Earth a Stage Plac'd in the midst wheron both Prince Page Both rich and poore foole wiseman base and high All act their Parts in Lifes short Tragedy Our Life 's a Tragedy Those secret Roomes Wherein we tyre us are our Mothers Wombes The Musicke ush'ring in the Play is Mirth To see a Manchild brought upon the Earth That fainting gaspe of Breath which first we vent Is a Dumb-Shew presents the Argumâ—nt Our new-born Cries that new-born Griefes bewray Is the sad Prologue of th' ensuing Play False hopes true feares vaine ioyes and fierce distracts Are like the Musicke that divides the Acts Time holds the Glasse and when the hower's run Death strikes the Epilogue and the Play is done 7 On the seven liberall Sciences of a Christian. Grammar IT is an Art that teaches not t' excell In Writing Speaking as in Doing well Logicke IT is an Art sometimes of Plotting treason Against the Crowne and Dignity of Reason Rhetoricke IT is an Art whereby he learnes t' encrease His knowledge of the time to Hold his Peace Arythmeticke IT is an Art that makes him apt to raise And number out Gods Blessings and his Dayes Musicke IT is a potent Science that infringes Strong Prison dores and heaves them from their hinges Astronomie IT is an Art of taking out the Lead From hiâ— dull Browes and lifting â—p the Head Geometrie IT is an Art insâ—ructs him how to have The World in scorne and measure out his Grave 8. Christs foure houses HIs first house was the blessed Virgins Wombe The next a Cratch the third a Crosse the fourth a Tombe 9. Of Light and Heate MArk but the Sun-beames when they shine most bright They lâ—â—d this lower world both heat light They both are Children of the selfe-same Mother Twinnes not subsisâ—iâ—g one without the other They both conspire unto the Common good When in their proper places understood Is 't not rebellion against Sense to say Light helps to quicken Or the Beames of day May lend a Heat and yeâ— no Light at all 'T is true some obvious Shade may chance to fall Vpon the quickned Plâ—nt yet not so great To quench the 〈◊〉 of the Heate The Heate cannot be parted from the Light Nor yet the Light from Heate They neither might Be mingled in the Act nor found asunder Distinguish now fond man or stay and wonder Know then Their vertues differ though themselves agree Heat vivifies Light gives man power to see The thing so vivifyed no Light no Heate And where the heat 's but small the light 's not great They are inseparable and sworne Lovers Yet differing thus That quickens This discovers Within these lines a sacred Myst'ry lurkes The Heat resembles Faith the Light Good workes 10. On Judas Iscariot SOme curse that traytour Iudas life and lim God knows some curse theÌ„selves in cursing him 11. On the possession of the Swine WHen as our blessed Saviour did un-devill The Man possest the Spirits in conclusion Entred the Swine being active still in evill And drove them headlong to their owne confusion Druâ—kards beware and be advised then They 'l find you as y' are Swine if not as Men 12. On a Sunâ—Dyall THis Horizontall Dyall can bewray To the sad Pilgrim the houre of the Day But if the Sun appeare not his Adviser His eye may looke yet he prove nâ—'er the wiser Alas alas there 's nothing can appeare But onely Types and shadow'd Figures there This Dyall is the Scripture and the Sun Gods holy Spirit Wee the â—ookers on Alas that saceed Letter which we read VVithout the Quickning of the Spirit 's dead The knowledge of our Peace improves no better Then if our Eye had not beheld a Letter I but this glorious Sun shines alwayes bright I but we often stand in our owne light Vse then the day for when the day is gon There willl be darknes there will be no Sun 13. On the three Christian Graces Faith IT is a Grace that teaches to deprave not The Goods we have To have the goods we have not Hope IT is a Grace that keeps th' Almighty blamelesse In long delay And men in begging shamelesse Charitie IT is a Grace or Art to get a Living By selling Land and to grow rich by giving 14. On a Feast THe Lord of Heav'n and Earth ha's made a Feast And ev'ry Soule is an invited Guest The Word 's the Food the Levits are the Cookes The Fathers Writings are their Dyet-bookes But seldome us'd for 't is a fashion growne To recommend made Dishes of their owne What they should boyle they bake what râ—st they broyle Their lushious Sallats are too sweet with Oyle In briefe 't is now a dayes too great a fault T' have too much Pepper and too little Salt 15. On Dives THat drop-requesting Dives did desire His Brothers might have warning of that Fire Whose flames he felt Could he a Fiend wish well To Man What is there Charity in Hell
Great ones would not let us feed thy flock Vnles we plaâ—'d the fooles and wore a Frock We were forbid unles wee 'd yeeld to signe And crosse their browes they say a mark of thine To say the truth great Iudge they were not fed Lord here they be but Lord they be all dead Ah cruel Shepheards Could your conscience serve Not to be fooles and yet to let them sterve What if your Fiery spirits had bin bound To Antick Habits or your heads bin crownd With Peacocks Plumes had ye bin forc'd to feed Your Saviours dear-bought Flock in a fools weed He that was scorn'd revil'd endur'd the Curse Of a base death in your behalfs nay worse Swallow'd the cup of wrath charg'd up to th' brim Durst ye not stoope to play the fooles for him 34. Doe this and live DOe this and live T is true Great God then who Can hope for life for who hath power to Doe Art thou not able Is thy Taske too great Canst thou desier help Canst thou intreat Aid from a stronger Arm Canst thou conceive Thy Helper strong enough Canst thou beleeve The suffrings of thy dying Lord can give Thy drooping shoulders rest Doe this and live 35. On Ioseph and his Mistresse WHen as th' Egyptian Lady did invite Wel-favor'd Ioseph to unchast delight How well the motion and the place agreed A beastly Place and t was a beastly Deed A place well season'd for so foule a sin Toâ— sweet to serve so foule a Master in 36. On Scriptum est SOme words excell in vertue and discover A rare conclusion thrice repeated over Our Saviour thrice was tempted thrice represt Th'assaulting tempter with thrice SCRIPTVM EST. If thou would'st keepe thy soule secure from harme Thoâ— know'st the words It is a potent Charme 37. On the flourishing of the Gospell HOw doe our Pastures florish and refresh Our uberous Kine so faire so full of flesh How doe our thriving Cattell feed our young With plenteous Milk with their flesh the strong Heav'n blest our Charles and he did our late Iames From Pharohs troubles and from Pharohs Dreames 38. On Ioseph's Speech to his Brethren GOe â—etch your Brother said th' Egyptian Lord If you intend our Garniers shall afford Your craving wants their so desir'd supplies If He come not by Pharoes life y' are Spies Ev'n as your Suits expect to find our Grace Bring him or dare not to behold my face Some little food to serve you on the way We here allow but not to feed delay When you present your Brother to our Hand Ye shall have plenty and possesse the Land Away and let your quicke obedience give The earnest of your Faiths Do this and live If not your wilfull wants must want supply For ye are Spies and ye shall surely dye Great God th' Egyptian Lord resembles Thee The Brother 's Iesus and the Suitors Wee 39. Of common Devotion OVr God and Souldiers we alike adore Ev'n at the Brink of danger not before After deliverance both alike requited Our God 's forgotten and our Souldier's slighted 40. On the Day of Iudgement O When shal that time come wheÌ„ the loud Trump Shall wake my sleeping Ashes from the Dump Of their sad Vrne That blessed Day wherein My glorifi'd my metamorphiz'd Skin Shall circumplexe and terminate that fresh And new refined substance of this flesh When my transparent Flesh dischargd froÌ„ groanâ—s And paynes shall hang upon new polisht Bones When as my Body shall re-entertaine Her cleansed Soule and never part againe VVhen as my Soule shall by a new Indenture Possesse her new-built house come down and enter VVhen as my Body and my Soule shall plight Inviolable faith and never fight Nor wrangle more â—or alcercat agin About that strife-begetting question Sin VVhen Soule and Body shall receive their Doome Of O yee Blessed of my Father Come VVhen Death shall be exil'd and damn'd to dwell VVithin her proper and true Center Hell VVhere that old Tempter shall be bound in Chaynes And over-whelm'd with everlasting paynes VVhilst I shall sit and in full Glory sing Perpetuall Anthems to my Iudge my King 41. On Death VVHy should we not as well desier Death As Sleep No diffrence but a little Breath 'T is all but Rest 't is all but a Releasing Our tyred lims VVhy then not alike pleasing Being burthen'd with the sorrowes of the Day VVe wish for night which being come we lay Our Bodies downe yet when our very Breath Is yrkesome to us w' are affraid of Death Our Sleepe is oft accompanied with â—rights Distracting Dreames and dangers of the nights VVhen in the Sheets of Death our Bodie 's sure From all such Evils and we sleepe secure VVhat matter Doune or Earth what boots it whether Alas Our Bodye's sensible of neither Things that are senslesse feele nor paynes nor ease Tell me and why not Wormes as well as Fleas In Sleepe we know not whether our clos'd eyes Shall ever wake from Death w' are sure to rise I but 't is long first O is that our feares Dare we trust God for Nights and not for Yeares 42. On the Body of Man MAns Body 's like a House His greater Bones Are the maine Timber And the lesser Ones Are smaller Splints His Ribs are Laths daubd o'er Plaister'd with flesh and bloud his Mouth 's the Doore His Throat 's the narrow Entry And his Heart Is the Great Chamber full of curious Art His Midreife is a large partition Wall 'Twixt the Great Chamber and the spacious Hall His Stomacke is the Kitchin where the Meate Is often but halfe sod for want of Heate His Spleen 's a Vessell Nature does allot To take the skimme that rises from the Pot His Lungs are like the Bellowes that respire In ev'ry office quickning ev'ry Fire His Nose the Chimney is whereby are vented Such Fumes as with the Bellowes are augmented His Bowels are the Sinke whose part 's to drâ—ine All noysome filth and keepe the Kitchin cleane His Eyes like Christall Windowes cleare and bright Lets in the Obâ—ect and le ts out the sight And as the Timber is or great or small Or strong or weake 't is apt to stand or fall Yet is the likelyest Building sometimes knowne To fall by obvious Chances overthrowne Oft-times by Tempests by the full mouth'd Blasts Of Heav'n Sometimes by Fire Somtimes it wasts Through unadvis'd neglect Put case the Stuffe Were ruin-proofe by nature strong enough To conquer Time and Age Put case it should Ne'er know an end Alas Our Leases would What hast thou then proud flesh and bloud to boast Thy Dayes are ev'll at best but few at most But sad at merryest and but weake at strongest Vnsure at surest and but short at longest 43. On the young man in the Gospell HOw well our Saviour and the landed Youth Agreed a little while And to say truth Had he had will and power in his hand To keepe the Law but as he kept his Land No doubt
wound his Childe Where we should be severe w' are oft too milde Vnequall Ely was thy Sentence iust To censure Zeale and not to punish Lust Could thy parentall mildnesse but have past The former by as eas'ly as the last Or had the last by just proportion bin Rated but like the first supposed sin Perchance thy aged head had found encrease Of some few dayes and gone to sleepe in peace Passions misplac'd are dangerous Let all Remember Elies Faults with Elies Fall 7. On the refining of Gold HAst thou observed how the curious hand Of the Refiner seekes to understand The inadult'rate purenesse of his Gold He waighs it first and after does infold In Lead and then commits it â—o the Fire And as the Lead consumes the Gold drawes â—igher To his perfection without wast or losse Of his pure substancâ— but his waight his drosse The Great Refiner of Mans baser Heart Vses the like nay showes the selfe-same Art He weighs it first and finding it too full Of Trash and Earth he wraps it in some dull And leaden crosse of Punishment or Sin Then tryes it in Afflictions Fire wherein The Lead and Drosse evaporate together And leaves the Heart refin'd and quit of â—ither Thus though Mans Heart be lessen'd by the Crosse And lighter 'T is but lighter by the Drosse 8. On Dagon and the Arke WHat newes with Dagon Is thy Shrine so hot Thou canst not keepe it Or has Dagon got The falling sicknes that his Godship's found On such a posture prostrate on the Groâ—nd Poore helplesse God! But stay Is Dagon growne So weake ith'hamms Nor stand nor rise alone A God and cannot rise T is very odde He must have help or lye A proper God! Well Dagon must requier helpe of hands Vp Dagon goâ—s the second time and stands As confident as though his place had bin His owne in Fee Downe Dagon falls agin But Dagon's shrewdly martyr'd with the jumpe Lost hands and Head and nothing left but stumpe Sure all 's not well with Dagon now a late Hee 's either sicke or much forgot the State Belonging to so great a God Has none Offer'd some stinking Sacrifice or blowne Some nauseous fume into his Sacred Nose And made his God-ship dizzy Or who knowes Perchance h 'as taken Pett and will resigne His sullen place and quitt his empty Shrine No wonder a false God should stoope and lye Vpon the floore when as a true God's by It was unlikely Dagon should forbeare Respite of Homage when the Arke was there If I would worship a false God at all It should be one that would not scorne to fall Before his Betters whose indiff'rent arme If it could doe no good could doe no harme I 'd rather choose to bend my idle knee Of all false gods to such a God as Hee Whose spirit 's not too quick The fabulous Frogg Found greater danger in the stork then Logge And to conclude I 'd choose him Dagon-like Not having Head to plot nor Hand to strike 9. On Saul and David SVre Saul as little lookd to be a King As I and David dreamd of such a thing As much as he when both alike did keepe The one his Fathers Asses t'other Sheepe Saul must forsake his Whip And David flings His Crooke aside And they must both be Kings Saul had no sword and David then no speare There was none Conquer'd nor no Conqu'ror there There was no sweat There was no blood to shed The unsought Crowne besought the wearers head There was no Stratagem No Opposition No taking parts No jealous Competition There needs no Art There needs no sword to bring And place the Crown where God appoints the King 10. On David and Goliah SAthan's the great Goliah that so boasts And threats our Israel and defyes her Hosts Those smoother Stones couragious David tooke From the soft bosome of the silver Brooke Are Scriptum ests The Sling that gives them flight Is Faith That makes them flye and flye aright Lord lend me Davids Sling and then I know I shall have Davids strength and courage too Give me but skill to pick such Stones as these And I will meet Goliah when he please 11. On Sauls Witch WHen Saul receiv'd no answer down froÌ„ heav'n How quickly was his jealous passion driven A despr'ate Course He needs must cure the Itch Of his extreame desiers by a Witch When wee have lost our way to God how levell How easie to be found 's the way toth ' Divell 12. On the necessity of Gods presence VVHen thou wert present with thy strengthning Grace Saul prophesied and fought But when Great God thou didst with-draw thy face Murther was in his thought Thus as thou giv'st or tak'st away thy hand We either fall or stand 13. Davids Epitaph on Jonathan HEre lyes the fairest Flowre that stood In Isr'els Garden now in Blood Which Death to make her Girland gay Hath cropt against her Triumph Day Here here lies Hee whose Actions pen'd The perfect Copie of a Frend Whose milke-white Vellam did incurre No least suspition of a Blurre Here lyes th' example of a Brâ—ther Not to be follow'd by another The faire indented Counter-part Of Davids Joy of Davids Heart Rest then For â—ver rest alone Thy Ashes can be touch'd by none Till Death hath pickt one such another Here lyes a Flow'r a Friend a Brother 14. On Gods Word GOds sacred Wâ—rd is like the Lampe of Day Which softens wax but makes obdure the clay It either melts the Heart or more obdures It never falls in vaine It wounds or cures Lord make my brest thy Hive and then I know Thy Bees will bring in Waxe and Honey too 15. On Man BY Nature Lord men worse then Nothing be And lesse then Nâ—thing if compar'd with Thee If lesse and worse then Nothing tell me than Where is that Sâ—mthing thou so boasts proud Man 16. On Ahazâ—Diall MAns Heart 's like Ahaz Diall If it flees Not forward it goes backward ten Degrees 17. On Lust. LVst is an Ignis fatuus that arises From the base Earth that playes her wanton prizes In solitary Hearts and ever haunts Darke places whose deceitfull flame inchaunts The wandring steps of the diverted stranger Still tempting his mis-guided feet to danger She never leaves till by her faire delusion Shee brings him headlong to his owne confusion 18. On Thamar and Ammon SHe must be lov'd Then courted and what more Enjoy'd then hated then expeld the dore Ammon must be discov'red must obtaine License to Feast and then be drunke then slaine O what Repose is had in sinfull Breath Whose love in hate whose mirth coÌ„cludes in death 19. On Love and Lust. THey 'r wide that take base Lust for Loves halfe-brother Yeelding two Fathers but the selfe same Mother Lust is a Monster that 's conceiv'd and bred Of the abused Will maintain'd and fed With sensuall thoughts Of nature rude uncivill Of life robustious and whose Sire 's the Devill But Love 's the Childe of
th' uncorrupted Will Nourisht with Vertue poys'ned with the swill Of base respects Of nature sweet and milde In manners gentle eas'ly knowne whose Childe For by the likenesse ev'ry eye may gather That he 's the Off-spring of a heav'nly Father This suffers all things That can suffer nothing This never ends That ever ends in loathing T'one loves the Darknesse most The other Light The last's the Childe of Day The first of Night The one is meeke The other full of Fyre This never laggs That ever apt to tyre T'one's rash and furious T'other milde and sage That dies with youth whilst This survives with age The One's couragious Tother full of Feares That seekes The other baulks both eyes and eares In briefe to know them both aright and misse not In all respects t'one is what to'ther is not So farre from Brothers that they seeme disioyn'd Not in Condition only but in kinde Admit a falshood that they had one Mother The best that Lâ—st can claime 's a Bastard Brother Great God must thou be conscious of that Name Which jealous Mortals â—ount the height of shame And not thy Nuptiall Bed alone defil'd But to be charged with the base-borne Childe And yet not mov'd and yet not move thy Rod Hast thou not cause to be a Iealous God Can thy just Iealousies Great God be grounded On Mans disloyalty not Man confounded 20. On a Tinder-Boxe MY Soule is like to Tinder whereinto The Devill strikes a Sparke at ev'ry blow My Heart 's the Flint The Steele Temptation is And his Suggestions hit and never misse His Hand is sure My Tinder apt to catch Soone sets on fier ev'ry profer'd Match 21. On ACHITOPHEL SAge were thy Counsels and as well apply'd If thou hadst had but Loyalty on thy side I like thy last Designe above the rest When thou hadst set thy house in order best In all Exploits the Rule is not so ample Not halfe so beneficiall as th' Example Th' Almighty prosper Christian Crownes and blesse All such like Counsels with the like successe Confound Achitophel and Lord impart His Head to us and to our Foes his Heart 22. On Sinne. Vnhappy man Whos 's every breath Is Sin Whos 's every Sin is death SIN first Originall Then our actuall Sin Our Sins that sally forth Our Sins that lurk within Our wilfull Sins and worlds of Sins by chance Our conscious Sins our Sins of darker Ignorance Our oâ—t-repeated Sinsâ—never â—never reckon'd Gainst the first Table Sins Sins done against the second Our pleading Sins our Sins without a cause Our gospel Sins rebâ—llious Sins against thy laws Our Sins against our vowes fresh Sins agin Sin of infirmity and high presumptious Sin Thus like our Lines our Lives begin Continue and conclude in Sin 23 On the Sun and starres OVr dying Saviour's like the setting Sun His Saints on earth are like the Stars of night Experience tels us till the Sun be gon The starres appeare not and retaine no light Till Sun-set we descerne no Starres at all And Saints receive their Glory in his fall 24. On Absolon and Sampson SAmpsons defect and thy excesse of hayre Gave him his death oth'ground thee thine i th' ayre His thoughts were too deprest thine sor'd too high As mortals live so oftentimes they die 25. On Gods favour GOds favour 's like the Sun whose beams appeare To all that dwell in the worlds Hemispheare Though not to all alike To some they expresse Themselves more radiant and to others lesse To some they rise more early and they fall More late to others giving day to all Some soyle's more grosse and breathing more impure And earthy vapours forth whose foggs obscure The darkned Medium of the moister aire Whilst other Soiles more perfect yield more rare And purer Fumes whereby those Beames appeare To some lesse glorious and to some more cleare It would be ever Day Day alwayes bright Did not our interposed Earth make night The Sun shines alwayes strenuous and faire But ah our sins our Clouds benight the ayre Lord drayne the Fenns of this my Boggy soule Whose grosser vapours make my day so foule Thy SON hath strength enough to chase away These rising Foggs and make a glorious Day Rise and shine alwayes cleare but most of all Let me behold thy glory in thy Fall That being set poore I my flesh being hurld From this may meet thee in another world 26. On a spirituall Feaver MY soule hath had a Fever a long while O I can neither rellish nor digest My nimble Pulses beat my veynes doe boile I cannot close mine eyes I cannot rest O for a Surgeon now to strike a Vaine That that would lay my Heate and ease my Paine No no It is thy Blood and not my owne Thy Blood must cure me Iesus or else none 27. On Davids â—hoise FAmine the Sword the Pestlence which is least When all are great which worst when bad 's the best It is a point of Mercy yet to give A choise of death to such as must not live But was the choise so hard It seemes to me There was a worse and better of the three Though all extreame Me thinks the helpe of hands Might swage the first The bread of forraine lands Might patch their lives make some slender shift To save a while with necessary thrift Me thinks the second should be lesse extreame Then that Alas poore Israel could not dreame Of too much peace that had so oft division Among themselves and forrain opposition Besides their King was martiall his acts glorious His heart was valiant and his hand victorious Me thinks a Conquerour a Man o th' sword Should nere be puzzeld aâ— so poore a word In both however David at the worst Might well presume he should not die the first But oh the Plague's impartiall It respects No quality of Person Age nor Sex The Royall brest 's as open to her hand As is the loosest Pesant in the land Famin the Sword the Pest'lence David free To take his choice and pick the worst of three He that gave David power to reâ—use Instructed David in the Art to chuse He knew no forrain KingdoÌ„e could afford Supply where God makes Dearth He knew the Sword Would want an arm the arm would want her skill And skill successe where heav'n prepares to kill He knew there was no trust no safe recourse To Martiall man or to his warlike horse But it is Thou Great God the only close Of his best thoughts and the secure repose Of all his trust He yields to kisse thy Rod Israel was thine and thou art Israels God He knâ—w thy gratious wont thy wonted Grace He knew thy Mercy tooke the upper place Of all thy Attributes 'T was no adventure To cast himselfe on Thee the only Center Of all his hopes Thy David knâ—w the danger To fall to th' hands of man or frend or stranger Thus Davids filiall hopes being anchor'd fast On Gods knowne Mercy wisely â—hose the
God we make them evill Thou mak'st them few 69. On Sinnes MY Sinnes are like the Sands upon the shore Which every Ebbe layes open to the Eye In this they differ These are cover'd ore With ev'ry Flood My sinnes still open lye If thou wilt make mine Eyes a Sea of teares O they will hide the sinnes of all my yeares 70. On KAIN and DAVID THeir Sins were equall Equall was their guilt They both committed Homicide Both spilt Their Brothers guiltles blood Nay of the twayne The first occasion was lesse foule in Kain 'T was likely Kains Murther was in heate Of blood There was no former grudge no threate But Davids was a Plott He tooke the life Of poore Vriah to enjoy his Wife Was Iustice equall Was her Ballance even Kain was punisht David was forgiven Both came to tryall But good David did Confesse that Sin which cursed Kain hid Kain bewaild the punishment wherein His Sin had plung'd him David wayles his Sin If I lament my sins Thou wilt forbeare To punish Lord or give me strength to beare 71. On PLAVSVS PLausus of late hath rais'd an Hospitall Repay'rd a Church Founded a Colledge Hall Plausus hath built a holy Temple vow'd it To God Erects a Schoole and has endow'd it Plausus hath given through his abundant pity A Spittle to the blind and lame o' th' Citty Plausus allowes a Table for the poore O' th â—Parish besides those he seeds at doore Plausus relieves the Prisons Mends the Wayes Maintaines a Lecture on the Market dayes Plausus in briefe for bounty beares the Bell Plausus has don much Good but nothing Well 72. On Sinnes MY Sinnes are like the Starres within the skyes In view in number ev'n as bright as great In this they differ These doe set and rise But ah my Sinnes doe rise but never seit Shine Son of glory and my sins are gon Like twinkling Starres before the rising Sun 73. On change of Weathers ANd were it for thy profit to obtaine All Sunshine No vicissitude of Raine Thinkst thou that thy laborious Plough requires Not Winter frosts as well as Summer fires There must be both Somtimes these hearts of ours Must have the sweet the seasonable Showres Of Teares Sometimes the Frost of chill despaire Makes our desired sunshine seeme more faire Weathers that most oppose to Flesh and Blood Are such as helpe to make our Harvest good We may not choose great God It is thy Task We know not what to have nor how to ask 74. On PROSPER TAke heed thou prosp'rous sinner how thou liv'st In Sin and thriv'st Thou that dost flourish in thy heapes of gold And summes untold Thou that hadst never reason to complaine Of Crosse or paine Whose unafflicted Conscience never found Nor Check nor Wound Beleeve it Prosper thy deceitfull Lease Allowes thee neither wealth nor Ioy nor Peace Thy golden heapes are nothing but the price Of Paradise Thy Flattering pleasures and thy ayrie â—oyes But painted Toyes Thy peacefull Conscience is but like a Dogge Tyed in a Clogge Beleeve it Prosper thy deceitfull Lease Allowes thee neither Wealth nor Ioy nor Peace Thy heapes of Gold will stand thee in no steed At greatest need Thy Eâ—pty Pleasures will convert thy laughter To groanes hereafter Thy silent Conscience when enlarg'd will roare And rage the more Beleeve it Prosper thy deceitfull Lease Affords thee neither Wealth nor Ioy nor Peace 75. On the Sight of a Plague bill FIve thousand in a weeke in one poore City Because it was thy Pleasure t was no pity Why should thou pity us Just God when we Could never finde a time to pity thee Thou never strik'st without a reason why Nor often then We easily cast our eye Vpon the punishment but blinde toth ' sin That farre transcends the judgement it calls in O if the weekly Bills of our Transgression Could but appeare and make as deepe impression In our sad hearts to make our hearts but know As great a sorrow as our Plague-bills doe No doubt no doubt but Heav'ns avenging hand Would turne a Stranger to our prosprous Land O if that weekly Catalogue of Siâ— Could with our City Bills be brought but in And be compar'd wee 'd think our Bills not high But rather wonder there are men to dye 76. On Theaters SIx dayes were made for work the seventh for rest I read of none that Heav'n ordaind for Play How have our looser Theaters transgrest The Decalogue that make it ev'ry Day Me thinkes that they should change their Trade for shame Or honour 't with a more laborious name 77. On Players and Ballad mongers OVr merry Ballads and â—ascivious Playes Are much alike To common censure both Doe stand or fall T'one sings the other sayes And both are Frippries of anothers Froth In short They 'r Priest and Clark of Belials Altar T'one makes the Sermon T'other tunes the Psalter 78. On God and the King OVr God and Prince whom God for ever blesse Are both in Mercy of a Constitution Both slow till meere necessity shall presse To put their penall Lawes in Execution And marke How in a like successe they joyne At both we grumble and at both repine 79. On the life and death of Man THe life of Man is but th' imperfect Story Of his Adventure towards future Glory For death to finish Who will sticke to say A glorious Ev'n foretells a glorious Day 80. On FOX THere was a time wo-worth that heavy time When rav'noâ—is Foxes did devoure the prime And choyce of all our Lambs But Heav'n did raise A more ingenuous Fox in after dayes Whose high immortall Pen redeem'd their breath And made those Lambs revive in spight of death To see how mutuall Saintly Favours be Thou gav'st them life that now give life to thee 81. On the Booke of Common Prayes THe Booke of Common Pray'r excels the rest For Pray'rs that are most Common are the beâ—â— 82. To MVNDANO WOldst thou Mundano prove too great too strong For peevish Fortunes angry brow to wrong Renounce her power Banish Fortune hence And trust thee to the hands of Providence The poorest heart that ever did importune Heav'ns ayd is farre above the frownes of Fortune 83. On Romes Sacrifices IT cannot be excus'd It is a wrong Proceeding from a too-too partiall tongue To say The profer'd service of false Roâ—â— Had no good savor and did never come Toth ' gates of Heav'n Eye poore Rome's belyde For when our Troopes of glorious Martyrs dy'd In that warm age who were their Priests By whom Was their blood shed Was 't not by holy Rome Such sweet Perfumes I dare be bold to say Rome never burnt before nor since that day A sweeter Incense save his dying Son Heav'n ne'r accepted since this World begun 84. On a dead Man IT is a common use to entertaine The knowledge of a great man by his Trayne How great 's the dead-man then There 's none that be So backt with troopes of Followers
Some hotly mounted fiercely gallop up On spurgal'd Broyles whose Frantick motions send Their hasty spirits to their Iournies end Some ride upon the racking Steeds of Treasure Others false-gallop on the backs of Pleasure All journey forwards to the selfe-same Place Some the next way and some the faster pace All post an end till beaten out of Breath They all arrive at the great gates of Death Lord in this common Roade I doe not care What pase I travell so my Way be faire 69. On the life of Man OVr Life is nothing but a Winters Day Some onely breake their Fast and so away Others stay Dinner and depart full fed The deepest Age but sups and goes to bed Hee 's most in debt that lingers out the Day Who dyes betimes has lesse and lesse to pay 70. On Gods Image IT was a dainty piece In every part Drawne to the life and full of curious Art It was as like thee as a shadow could Be like a substance There was none but would Have known thee by 't There needed then no name No golden Characters that might proclaime Whose Picture t' was the Art was so divine That very Beasts did reverence as thine But now alas 't is blurr'd the best that we Or they can judge is this 't was made for thee Alas'tis faded soyl'd with hourely dust Sullyed and shadow'd with the smoke of Lust So swarthy as if that glorious face of thine Were tawnyed underneath the torrid Line How is thy Picture altred How ill us'd By our neglects How slubberd How abus'd Her Cedar Frame 's disioynted warp'd and broke Her curious Tablet's tainted with the smoke The Objects both offensive and the savor Retaining neither Beauty nor thy Favour Lord let not thy displeased eye forsake Thy handy-worke for the bad keepers sake Behold it still and what thou seest amisse Passe by Thinke what it was not what it is What though her beauty and her colours fade Remember O 't was like thee when 't was made There is a great Apelles that can lim With thy owne Pencell we have sought to Him His skilfull hand will wash off all the soyle And clense thy Picture with his sacred Oyle Hee 'l mak 't more faire then 't was at least the same Hee 'l mend the Tablet and renew the Frame Till then be pleas'd to let thy Picture be Acknowledg'd thine 'T was made for none but Thee 71. On the Penny HE that endur'd the Tyranny of Heate The Morning-sorrowes and the Midday-sweat The Evening-toyle and burthen of the Day Had but his promis'd Penny for his pay Others that loyter'd all the Morning stood i th' idle Market whose unpractis'd blood Scarse felt the warmth of labour nor could show A blush of Action had his Penny too What Wages can we merit as our owne Slaves that are bought with price can challeng none But onely Stripes alas if Servants could Doe more then bid they doe but what they should When man endeavours and where heav'n engages Himselfe by promise they are Gifts not Wages He must expect We must not looke t' obtaine Because we Run Nor doe we run in vaine Our Running showes th' effect produces none The Penny 's giv'n alike to every one That works i th' Vinâ—yard Equall price was shar'd T'unequall workes Therefore no Reward Lord set my hands a worke I will not serve For Wages lest thou give what I deserve 72. On a Christian. THe Generous Christian must as well improve i th' quality of the Serpent as the Dâ—ve He must be Innocent affraid to doe A wrong And crafty to prevent it too They must be mixt and temper'd with true love An Ounce of Serpent serves a Pound of Dove 73. On Gods bountie GOd freely gives as freely we receive It is not Doe but Ask and thou shalt have 74. On Sinnes MY Sinnes are like to Mountaines that arise Above the Clouds threat the threatning skyes Lord give me Faith and let that Faith be prov'd In leaving not a Mountaine unremoov'd 75. On the life of Man A Thousand yeares with God the Scriptures say Are reckon'd but a Day By which accompt this measur'd Life of our Exceeds not much an hower The halfe whereof Nature does claime and keepe As her owne debt for sleepe A full sixt part or what remaines we ryot In more then needfull Dyet Our Infancy our Child hood and the most Of our greene youth is lost The little that is left we thus divide One part to cloathe our Pride An other Share we lavishly deboyse To vaine or sinfull joyes If then at most the measur'd life of Man Be counted but a Span Being half'd and quarter'd and disquarter'd thus What what remaines for us Lord if the Totall of our dayes doe come To so-so poore a summe And if our shares so small so nothing be Out of that Nothing what remaines to Thee 76. On the Childrens Bread THy strengthning Graces are the Childrens Bread Which maks thy thriving Children strong able Honour and Riches are the Crummes that feed The Dâ—ggs that lurk beneath their Masters Table Lord if thy gracious pleasure will allow But Bread I 'am sure I shall have Crums enow 77. On Trust and care OVr Trust in God for Riches neither must Exclude our Care nor Care exceed our Trust. 78. On RVSCVS ILliterate Ruscus heard Pedantius preach Admir'd the Church mans learning commended Such things alone that were above his Reach But meanly slighted what he appprehended What hinders then to thinke that Ruscus hath At least the twi-light of a Bastard Faith 79. On the receiving of the Lords Supper MEn take the Sacred Seales of their Salvation As some doe Physick not for health but fashion The Day preceding and the following Day There 's none so strict none so reform'd as they They curb the fury of their wanton Ryot And call their Surfets to a stricter Dyet The Time expir'd the first Assault that haps Prevailes and strikes them to a worse Relaps Like Doggs to vomits they returne agin As though they'ad past a Patent now to sin Let such Day-Christians on the very toppe Of all their mirth remember Judas Sopp 80. On Faith TH'oft shaken Tree growes faster at the root And faith 's most firm that 's somtimes urg'd with Doubt 81. On the Story of Man THe word was spoke And what was Nothing must Be made a Chaos of confused Dust The word was spoke The Dust began to thicken To a firme Clay The Clay began to quicken The grosser substance of that Clay thought good To turne to Flesh The moyster turn'd to Blood Received Organs and those Organs Sense It was imbellisht with the Excellence Of Reason It became the Height of Nature Being stampt with th' Image of the great Creator But Lord that glorious Image is defac'd Her Beautye's blasted and her Tablet's raz'd This Height of nature has committed Treason Against it selfe Declin'd both Sense and Reason Meere Flesh and Blood containing but a Day Of painted
Pleasure and but breathing Clay Whose Moysture dry'd with his owne sorrow must Resolve and leave him to his former Dust VVhich Dust the utter object of our loathing Small time consumes brings to his first Nothing Thus from this Nothing from this Dust began Thus Something turnd to Dust to Nothing Man 82. On ANANIAS THe Land was his The land was his alone 'T was sold And now the Money was his owne The powre remain'd in the Possessors hand To keepe his money or have kept his Land But once devoted to the Churches good And then conceald it cost his life his blood If those that give may not resume agin VVithout a Punishment without a Sin VVhat shall become of those whose unjust power Dispoyles the widdowed Temple of her Dower VVho take her Profits and in stead of giving Encrease to her revenues make a living Vpon her Ruines growing plump and full Vpon her Wants being cloathed in her Wooll VVhile she sustains th'extremes of cold and hunger To pamper up the fat Advousion-monger VVho thrust their Flesh-hooks in their thristy Pot And only leave her what they value not The whilst her sacred Priests that dayly tread Their slighted Corne must begge their early Bread Or else be forc'd to purchase easie shares VVith the deare price of their ungranted Prayres Let such turne backe their sacrilegious eyes And see how breathlesse Ananias lyes Behold the Wages that his sin procures That was a Mole-hill to these Alpes of yours He tooke not from the Church Did but conceale Some part he gave But your false fingers steale Her maine Inheritance her owne Possession His was but bare deceipt yours bold Oppression O if no lesse then the first death was due To him what death d' ye think's prepar'd for you So often as your pamper'd Eyes shall looke On your Estates thinke on the Flying Booke 83. On pious Vses THey that in life oppresse and then bequeath Their Goods to pious uses at their death Are like those Drunkards being layd to sleepe That belch and vomit what they cannot keepe To Gods and Mans acceptance I presume Their severall Actions send the like perfume 84. On SOPHRONIA THe chast Sophronia knowes not how to scape Th' inevitable danger of a Rape Cruell Sophronia drawes her hasty knife And would relieve her Chastity with life Doubtfull Sophronia knowes not what to doe She cannot keepe the one and t'other too Sophronia's in a strait One eye is fixt O' th' seventh Commandment t'other on the sixt To what Extreames is poore Sophronia driven Is not Sophronia left at Sixe and Seaven 85. On the knowing Man HEe 's like a lusty Soyle whose Moysture feeds If not a world of Corne a world of Weeds 86. On Romes Pardon IF Rome could pardon sins as Romans hold And if such Pardons might be bought for Gold An easie Iudgement might determine which To choose To be religious or else Rich Nay Rome does pardon Pardons may be sold Wee 'l search no Scriptures but the Mines for Gold 87. On the World THe World compos'd of heaven earth 's the story Of Gods Eternall and Mans Temp'rall Glory 88. On formall Devotion MEn doe God Service with the same devotion As the soule Body takes his loathed Potion They stay and stay then gulp it downe in hast Not for the pleasure but to have it past Whose druggy Tast goes so against their minde That oft the better part is left behind And what is taken 's taken but in vaine It either works not or comes up againe 89 On heavenly Manna O What a world of heav'nly Manna falls Within the Circuit of our happy Walls With how great Ioy wold neighb'ring lands receive The Fragments of those Fragments that we leave Our furnisht Markets flourish all the yeare We need no Ephaths nor yet Omers here We take unmeasur'd from the bounteous heape Thanks never were so deare not that so cheape VVe never hoard but tosse from hand to hand As if that Famine had forsworne the Land Our satiate stomacks are so lavish fed That we ev'n sleight and wanton with our Bread Ah Lord I feare when carelesse children play VVith their spoyl'd Bread 't is time to take away 90. On naturall Sins TO murther Parents or our selves has bin Though falsly counted an unnaturall Sin By Nature we are apt to fall into 't I rather think 't unnaturall not to doe 't If heav'n should but forsake us 't were agin The very course of Nature not to sin 91. On the Arke IF Flouds of Teares should drown my world of Sin Alas my floating Arke retaines within A cursed Cham to store the World agin What then so long as holy Sem vouchsafeth But to divide a Tent with bashfull Iapheth 92. On SOPHRONIA SOphronia chooses rather to commit Selfe Murther then by violence to submit Her ventur'd honor to th' injurious trust Of the eye sparkling Tyrants furious Lust What means Sophronia Dare her conscience frame To act a Sin but to prevent a Shame 93. On a faire Prospect LOoke up And there I see the faire abode And glorious Mansion of my gracious God Looke downe In ev'ry garnisht corner lyes Favours objected to my wondring eyes Looke on my right hand There the sweet encrease Of Joyes present me with a joyfull Peace Looke on my left hand There my Fathers Rod Sublimes my knowledge from my selfe to God Looke forward There I see the lively Story Of Faiths improvement and of future Glory Looke backward There my thankfull eye is cast On Sinnes remitted and on Dangers past Looke inwards And mine eye is made partaker Of the faire Image of my glorious Maker Looke up or downe About above or under Nothing but Objects of true Love and wonder 94. A Resolution IF thou hast giv'n me Wealth great God I crave Content and Grace to have the goods I have If otherwise thy will be done I crave not So much to have as use the goods I have not Lord make me Thine And then I shall appeare If not thy Almner yet thy Beads-man here 95. On the worlds Welcome EArths Entertainments are like those of Iael Her left hand brings me Milke Her right a nayle 96. On our Meditation upon God VVHen thy ambitious knowledge would attempt So high a Taske as God she must exempt All carnall sense Thy Reason must release Her pow'r Thy Fancy must be bound toth ' peace Thy Spirits must be rapt They must exile Thy flesh and keepe a Sabbath for a while Thou must forget thy selfe and take strong Bands Of thy owne Thoughts and shake eternall hands With thy rebellious Lusts discard and cleare Thy heart of all Idea's Then with Feare And holy Reverence thou must thinke of One As though he were not to be thought upon Conceive a Spirituall a most perfect Beeing Pure simple At the selfe-same instant seeing Things Present Past and Future One whose Might Whose Wisedome Iustice Mercy in a height Above Exceeding is Himselfe being Great Without a Quantity and most
DIVINE FANCIES Digested into EPIGRAMMES MEDITATIONS AND OBSERVATIONS BY FRA QVARLES LONDON Printed by M. F. for IOHN MARRIOT and are to be sold at his Shop in St. Dunstans Churchyard in Fleetstreet 1633. TO THE ROYALL BVDDE OF MAIESTIE and Center of all our Hopes and Happinesse CHARLES Prince of Great BRITAINE France and Ireland SONNE and HEYRE Apparant to the High and Mighty CHARLES by the Grace of GOD King of Great BRITAINE FRANCE and IRELAND c. Illustrious Infant GIve mee leave to acknowledge my selfe thy Servant ere thou knowst thy Selfe my Prince My Zeale burnes mee and my desires are impatient My breeding Muse longs for greene fruit and cannot stay thy ripenesse Sweet Babe The loyalty of my Service makes bold to consecrate these early Leaves to thy sacred Infancie not knowing how to glorifie themselues more then by the Patronage of such Princely Innocencie Modell of Sweetnesse Let thy busie Fingers entertaine this slender Present and let thy harmelesse Smiles crowne it When thy Infancie hath crackt the Shell let thy Childhood tast the Kernell In the meane while let thy little hands and Eyes peruse it Lugge it in thy tender Armes and lay thy burthen at thy Royall Parents feet for whose sake it may gaine some honor from their glorious Eyes Heaven blesse thy Youth with Grace and crowne thy Age with Glorie Angells conduct thee from the Cradle to the Crowne Let the English Rose and the French Lilly florish in thy louely Cheeke And let their united Colours presage an euerlasting League Let the eminent Qualities of both thy renowned Grand-fathers meet in thy Princely Heart that thou mayst in Peace be honourable and in Warre victorious And let the great addition of thy Royall Parents Vertues make thee vp a most incomparable Prince the firme Pillar of our happines and the future Object of the Worlds wonder Expected and prayd for by Your Highnesses most Loyall and humble servant FRA QVARLES TO THE RIGHT HONOVrable and truely vertuous Lady MARY Countesse of Dorset Governesse to that Royall Infant CHARLES Prince of Great BRITAINE France and Ireland the Mirror of unstained HONOVR Most excellent LADY YOV are that Starre which stands over the place where the Babe lyes By whose directions light I am come from the East to present my Myrrh and Frankincense to the yong Child Let not our Royall JOSEPH nor his Princely MARY be affrayd there are no Herods here We have all seene his Starre in the East and have rejoyced Our loyall hearts are full for our eyes have seene him in whom our Posterity shall bee blessed To him most honorable Lady I addresse my thoughts To Him I presume to consecrate these Lines which since it hath pleased our gracious Soveraigne to appoint you the Governesse of his Royall Infancy I have made bold to present first to your noble hands not daring in my very thoughts to disjoyne whom his Sacred Majestie in so great Wisedome hath put together or to consider severally where his Highnesse hath made so in violable a Relation Madam May your Honors increase with your howers and let eternall Glory crowne your Uâ—rtues that when this Age shall sleepe in Dust our Children yet unborne may honour your glorious Memory under the happinesse of his Government whose Governesse you are which shall be daily the Subject of his Prayers who is The sworne-Servant of your Ladiships Perfections FRA QVARLES To the Readers REaders I wil not like One that knowes the strength of his owne Muse commit Rape upon your Vnderstandings nor rayle at your Ignorances if our Wits jumpe not I have written at my owne peril understand you at your owne pleasures I have nor so little Man in me as to want my faults nor so much Foole in me as to thinke it nor so little Modesty as to sweare it nor so much Childe in me as to whine at Zoilus My request is That the faultles hand may cast the first stone So although I cannot avoyd the common Lot of man Error I may escape the punishment of the Common Man Censure I heere present thee with a Hive of Bees laden some with Waxe and some with Honey Feare not to approach There are no Waspes there are no Hornets here if some wanton Bee should chance to buzze about thine eares stand thy Ground and hold thy hands There 's none wil sting thee if thou strike not first If any doe she hath Honey in her Bagge will cure thee too In playner tearmes I present thee with a Booke of Fancies Among which as I have none to boast of so I hope I shall have none to blush at All cannot affect all If some please all or all some 't is more then I expect I had once thought to haue melted the Title and cast it into severall Bookes and have lodg'd Observations Meditations and Epigrams by themselves but new thoughts have taken place I have required no helpe of Herauld either to place or to proclaime them Cards well shuffled are most fit for Gamesters And oftentimes the pastime of Discovery adds pleasure to the Enioyment The Generous Faulkner had rather retrive his Partridge in the open Feilds then meet her in his coverd Dish Only this when you read a Meditation let me entreate thee to forget an Epigramme Fare-well AD LECTORES VTRIVSque GENERIS Candide si mala sint nostra inter carmina parce Et bona si quae sint Zoile parco tibi To GOD. GLorious and Great whose power did divide The Waves and made them Walls on either side That didst appeare in Cloven-tongues of Fyre Divide my thoughts and with thy selfe inspire My soule O cleave my Tongue and make it scatter Various Expressions in a various Matter That like the painefull Bee I may derive From sundry Flow'rs to store my slender Hive Yet may my Thoughts not so divided be But they may mixe againe and fixe in Thee DIVINE FANCIES Digested into EPIGRAMMES MEDITATIONS AND OBSERVATIONS 1. On the Musique of Organs OBserve this Organ Marke but how it goes 'T is not the hand of him alone that blowes The unseene Bellowes nor the Hand that playes Upon th'apparent note-dividing Kayes That makes these wel-composed Ayres appeare â—â—fore the high Tribunall of thine earâ— They both concurre Each acts his severall part Th' one gives it Breath the other lends it Art Man is this Organ To whose every action Heav'n gives a Breath a Breath without coaction Without which Blast we cannot act at all Without which Breath the Vniverse must fall To the first Nothing it was made of seeing In Him we live we move we have our Being Thus fill'd with his Diviner breath and back't With his first power we touch the Kayes and act He blowes the Bellowes As we thrive in skill Our Actions prove like Musicke Good or Ill. 2 On the contingencie of Actions I Saw him dead I saw his Body fall Before Deaths Dart whoÌ„ tears must not recall Yet is he not so dead but that his Day Might