thou dost liue giue life vnto my pen Which when thou dyest will pay it the agen Epigr. 22. Ad Lectorem REader I grant I doe not keepe the lawes Of riming in my verse but I haue cause I turne the pleasure of the ende sometimes Least he that likes them not should call theÌ„ rymes Epigr. 23. De tribus pueris in fornace ignea WHat were the children Nabucadnessar Which walking in the fornace thou did'st see Was each an Angel or an heauenly starre Aboue the act of natures soueraigntie Were they three wedges of the finest goold Which the heauens treasurer doth so desire Or had they power to turne the heat to colde Were they three Salamanders in the fire The flame was martyred with her heat spent And the fire suffred for the innocent Epigr. 24. Epitaphum Cannij OF fighting Cannius here lye the bones Which neuer receiued the lye but ones He thought to auenge him he drew forth his sword He ventured his life vpon a bare word Now I say he lyeth in him the cause is Had he tane that lye he had not tane this Epigr. 25 OVr Water Drake long seas strange ieopardies Farr countries great attempts haue ouertane Hee payde his life there whence his glory came Adorne him India for in thee he lies We haue a worthier worthy of our state And would not leaue our Water for our Drake Epigr. 26. INdie which so long fearde now hath our Drake Her feare lyes buried in her golden sands Which we will oft reuisite for his sake Till we haue ransomde him out of her handes You which will venter for a goolden pray Go on braue lads by Water is your way Epigr. 27. In cultum reliquiarum TO seeke thee in thy Tombe sweete Iesu when The women with their oyntment hastened Two Angels did appeare forbidding them To seeke thee liuing there among the dead Did Rome by diuing in the tombes of saintes But seeke the liuing whence they now are sled Yet might they heare the Angels making plaint Seeke not the liuing Rome among the dead But to tye holy worshipp to dead bones To bowe religion to the wicked trust Of crosses reliques ashes flickes and stones To throwe downe liuing men to honour dust Is not to seeke but like Mezentius rather To ioyne the liuing and the dead together Epigr. 28. Epitap Richardi Pinuer HEre lyes Dicke Pinner O vngentle death Why didst thou rob Dick Pinner of his breath For liuing he by scraping of a pinn Made better dust then thou hast made of him Epigr. 29. Ad Lectorem REader but halfe my labour is expirde And Poet matter witt and all are tyrde Thrise fiftie labours haue worne out my veyne An hundred meanings and an halfe remayne Heere would I rest were my first worke to doe VVere the last at an end heere would I to Epigr. 30. MElus was taught to speake to read to write Yet clerkly sooth he can do none of these He learned Logicke and Arithmetique Yet neither brauls nor ciphers worth a peaze The musicke schoole did teach him her sweet art He dealt with Rhetorique and Astrologie Yet nether can he chaunt it for his part Ne can he tell a tale or prophesie And yet he â—ides as scholerlike tis thought As neuer any yet was neuer taught Epigr. 31. De Francisco Walsingham Philppo Sidneio Equit. SIr Francis and sir Philip haue no Toombe Worthy of all the honour that may be And yet they lye not so for want of roome Or want of loue in their posteritie Who would from liuing hearts vntombe such ones To bury vnder a fewe marble stones Vertue dyes not her tombe we neede not raise Let theÌ„ trust tombs which haue outliu'd their praise Epigr. 32. WHen I beholde with deepe astonishment To famous Westminster how there resorte Liuing in brasse or stony monyment The princes and the worthies of all sorte Doe not I see reformde Nobilitie Without contempt or pride or ostentation And looke vpon offenselesse Maiesty Naked of pompe or earthly domination And howe a play-game of a painted stone Contents the quiet now and silent spirites Whome all the world which late they stood vpon Could not content nor squench their appetites Life is a frost of cold felicity And death the thawe of all our vanitie Epigr. 33. THe first and riper world of men and skill Yeeldes to our later time for three inuentions Miracolously we write we saile we kill As neither ancient scroll nor story mentions The first hath open'd learnings old conceald And obscurde artes restored to the light The second hiddeÌ„ countries hath reuealed And sent Christes Ghospell to each liuing wight These we commend but O what needed more To teach death more skill then it had before Epigr. 34. Ad Iohannem Reynolds DOe I call iudgement to my foolish rimes And rarest art and reading them to viewe Reynoldes Religions Oracle most true Mirrour of arte and Austen of our times For loue of these I call thee which I pray That thou in reading these would'st put away Epigr. 35. I Sawe a naked corpse spread on the ground Ouer the dead I sawe the liuing fight If euer ought my senses did confound Or touch my heart it was this wofull sight To wound the graue to dare the dead to dye To sprinkle life on ashes putrifide To weepe with blood to mourne with villanie To looke on death and not be mortifide Such funerals if we sustaine to keepe I thinke the dead will rise and for vs weepe Epigr. 36. CHito and Trogus sinn th'extremitie Chito of pride Trogus of gluttonie Chito will weare his dinner on his backe Trogus will eate his shoes rather then lacke Chito hath earthen plate but golden cuts Tragus hath a freize coate but veluet guts Epigr. 37. De Gualtero Deurox in expeditione gallica caeso T'Honour and blisse Deurox thou didst aspyre By worthy means though fortune not thy friend Tooke from thy ioyes what vertue did desire To giue thy life but paide thee in thine ende Onely at this thy country doth repine That her reioycing is not ioynde with thine Epigr. 38. Ad Lectorem HAd I my wish contented I should be Though nether rich nor better then you see For tis nor wealth nor honour that I craue But a short life Reader and a long graue Epigr. 39. Ad Henricum Wottonem WOtton my little Beere dwels on a hill Vnderwhose foot the siluer Trowt doth swim The Trowt siluer without and goold within Bibbing cleere Nectar which doth aye destill From Nulams lowe head there the birds are singing And there the partiall Sunnne still giues occasion To the sweete dewes eternall generation There is greene ioy and pleasure euer springing O iron age of men O time of rue Shame ye not that all things are goold but you Epigr. 40. MY merry exercises of conceipt When I was once in a seuerer veyne Had felt one dash my fury was so great Vp was my pen and scarse
sweares he is nor false nor wicked Free from great faults and hath no other lett Saue this great fault he is in debt This is the greatest sinne he hath committed This is a great and hainous sinne indeede Which will commit him if he take not heede Epigr. 13. GAllus would made me heire but suddainly He was preuented by vntimely death Scilla did make me heire when by and by His health returnes and he recouereth He that entendes me good dies with his pelfe And he that doth me good hath it himselfe Epigr. 14. In Matho nem optatinum MAtho the wisher hath an ill entent But for the fact I thinke him innocent If he see ought he wisheth it straight way Wishing the night wishing he spendes the day Nor horse nor man nor wife nor boy nor maide Can scape his wish nor ought that can be said Your house your bed your board your plate your dish All he deuours tis all his with a wish He views whole fields sheep on them which stray Riuers woods hils he wisheth all away Yea witt and learning and good qualities He would not want if wishing might suffice And this the disarde Matho nothing games By wishing oft and yet he takes great paines Epigr. 15. In Mirum medicum PHisition Mirus talkes of saliuation Of Tophes and Pustules and Febricitation Who doth ingurgitate who tussicate And who an vlcer hath inueterate Thus while his Inkehorne termes he doth apply Euacuated is his ingenie Epigr. 16. SOme say that some which Colledges did found Were wicked men I grant it may be so But what are they which seeke to pull them downe Are not these wicked builders let me know How do times differ how are things discust For see their wicked do excell our iust Epigr. 17. de poëta Martiali MArtiall in sooth none should presume to write Since time hath brought thy Epigrams to light For through our writing thine so prais'de before Haue this obteinde to be commended more Yet to our selues although we winne no fame Wee please which get our maister a good name Epigr. 18. THe poore man plaines vnto a Crocodile And with true tears his cheeks he doth bedew Sir I am wrong'd and spoild alas the while I am vndone good sir some pitie shewe Then weepes the Crocodile but you may see his teeth preparde and hollow rauening iawe Then dry the poore mans teares away goes he Must rape be pitied is there such a lawe He did me wrong which robde me as you see But he which stole my tears stole more from me Epigr. 19. in Auaritiam AVarice hath an endlesse eye Attende and I will tell you why The minde the bodies good doth craue Which it desiring cannot haue The like resemblance may be made As if the bodie lou'd a shade Epigr. 20. in Cacum CAcus desired me to set him foorth O how I burne saith he O how I long And yet I cannot register his worth And why for Cacus neuer did me wrong Epigr. 21. De Typographo THe Printer when I askt a little summe Huckt with me for my booke came not nere Ne could my reason or perswasion Moue him a whit though al things now were deere Hath my conceipt no helpe to set it forth Are all things deere and is wit nothing worth Epigr. 22. In Scillam SCilla had bin in France a weeke or two When he returned home with victory Boasting of ten which he to death did do Nine in the fight the tenth but cowardly For him he smote vntrussing of his hose Alas that soldier di'de a filthy death Yet he made vp the compleat summe of those Of whose occision Scilla glorieth And by his Rapiar hilts O bloody deed Embrau'de with golde he sweares victoriously And hundred at his next returne to speede Ten him no tens an hundred more shall die But neuer he returnde nor euer will Counting more glory now to saue then kill Epigr. 23. in Caluum CAluus hath hayre neither on head or brow Yet he thanks God that wit the hath enowe The witt may stand although the hayre doe fall Tis true but Caluus had no witt at all Epigr. 24. FAustus is sicke of care the doctors say His cure and remedy must be delay While sicke consuming Faustus keeps his bedde An hundred whole men are consum'd and deade After all this Faustus recouereth I see care is a tricke to cosin death Epigr. 25. in fucantem faciem suam HE which put on a false vpon thy face Hath done that ill which was done well before Thus he hath put thy picture in thy place Making thee like thy selfe thy selfe no more Depriude of liuing comlinesse and feature Fye on thee art thou com'st to neere to nature Epigr. 26. de Adam primo homine WHen Adam couered his first nakednes With figge tree leaues he did he knew not what The leaues were good indeed but not for that God ordaind skins gainst his skins wretchednesse But gainst diseases and our inward neede To piece our life which slitting still doth passe What leafe do we not vse what herbe what grasse Their secret vertues standing vs in steede Thus in our garmentes these we cast away And yet our life doth weare them euery day Epigr. 27. In Cophum COphus on Antimonium doth plodd Beleeue me Cophus but you are too bolde To search into the secret depth of God After Potatoes of resolued golde The Paracelsians taught you this to doe And you will ferett Nature from her denne Yee'le make men liue whether they will or no. But trust me Cophus they are trustlesse men For Cophus they haue taskt you like a noddy To study th'immortalitie of the bodie Epigr. 28. THey which reade Horace Virgill and the rest Of ancient Poets all new wits detest And say O times what happy wits were then I say O fooles rather what happy men Epigr. 29. In Gallum THe good turne Gallus which you promised When I beleeuing foole doe aske of you Then you obiect your name is blemished By my reportes and more which is not true You might bin liberall as ye did boast But you are angry now with halfe the cost Epigr. 30. FLorus exceeded all men of our time So braue so pert so lust ye and so trimme But sodainly me thought he did decline So wanne so blanke so sily and so thinne I aske the cause he leads me through the streete He brings me to his house where I may see A woman fayre softe gentle and discreete Behold saith Florus what hath tamed me What is this true can such a wife doe so Then how must he be tamd which hath a shroe Epigr. 31. Epitaphium Timonis HEere I lie sealed vnder this stone Deathes loathsome prisoner lifes castaway Which when I liued was loued of none Nor louely to any as all men can say Now all men for dying doe loue me though ill I would not reuiue to loose their good will Epigr. 32. THey say the Spaniards make
he Sir I can shewe you more the more the worse And to his worke he wente but t'wolde not be For all the wantes were crept into my purse Farewell friend wantcatcher since t'will not be Thou canst not catch the wants but they catch me Epigr. 9. WEstminster is a mill which gryndes all causes And grinde his cause for me there he that list For by Demurrs and Pleas appeales and clauses The tole is oft made greater then the gryste Epigr. 10. A Gentleman if once decline chance Theres meate for peasants there is dainty fare One snaps the sides an other hath the haunch One hath the vmbles euery one a share O vile base ende of riott and excesse He which had liuing landes and dignitie Is eaten vp of very filthinesse Falne among swine a pray to slauerie But see the ende this sweete and daintie foode Turns into finer molde vpstartes a sonne He is a Gentleman of your lands blood He buyes your Armes who could be thus vndone First would I sterue my selfe and eate my nayles Or these rude chufs should drayle me through their tayles Epigr. 11. HE which to London did conuey the pigge Which was so wōdrous long so monstrous big Tell him from me he was a very mome For I knowe greater piggs he left at home Epigr. 12. In Zoilum ZOile now stinkes cold wann and withered How shall one know when Zoilus is dead Epigr. 13. In Cacum CAcus if any chance on him to call Drawes forth the loafe cheese but if they eate A golden sentence he drawes forth withall Friendship consisteth not in drinke and meate This is a goolden sentence I dare sweare This sentence saues him many pound's a yeare Epigr. 14. Epitaphium barbae cuius erat Psillus HEre lies a bounch of haire deepe falowed Of fayre long hayre trilling a downe the brest With goodly flakes and peakes now all is dead The shaking and the count'nance and the crest Now death of mooches hath dissolude that twynn And seased on that goodly sett of hayre And marde the order of that famous chynn With his posteritie alone so fayre Which to posteritie I will commende Heere lies a beard and Psillus at the ende Epigr. 15. HEywood goes downe saith Dauis sikerly And downe he goes I can it not deny But were I happy did not fortune frowne Were I in heart I would sing Dauy downe Epigr. 16. Ad Lectorem REader there is no biting in my verse No gall no wormewood no cause of offence And yet there is a biting I confesse And sharpenesse tempred to a wholsome sense Such are my Epigrams well vnderstood As salt which bites the wound but doth it good Epigr. 17. Ad Aulicos YE Courtiers so may you in courtly sorte With manners old old Courtiers long remaine So that some vpstart courtiers ye refraine vnworthy of a peerelesse princes port As courtier leather courtier pinne and sope And courtier vinegeer and starch and carde And courtier cups such as were neuer heard And such as shall not court it long we hope The true gentilitie by their owne Armes Aduance themselues the false by others harmes Epigr. 18. In inuidum I Chanced on a monster of a man With health heart sick sterued with store of food With riches poore with beauty pale and wanne Wretched with happinesse euill with good One eye did enuie at the other eye Because the other enuide more then he His hands did fight for the first iniurie So enuie enui'de enuied to be And as he went his hinder foote was sore And enuide at the foote that went before Epigr. 19. In Foenatores NEuer so many vserers were knowne As we haue now yet haue we not enowe So many borowing neede hath ouerthrowne Which would be more in debt but know not how The vserers are tane vp of Gentlemen Of Merchants of the Nobles of the land The poore can now haue no accesse to them Vnder vndoing thrise vnder good band Methinkes I heare the wretches how they call Let's haue more vsurers or none at all Epigr. 20. HE that will in the mid'st of dronkennesse Learne how he may miraculously be fresh And in one instant honger after cates Which his cramde surfeyting with loathing hates And ipso facto cure the rume destilling And that which heere to name I am not willing Vnlesse Tabaccho vanish his disease He must stay longer or he can haue ease Epigr. 21. In Momum MOmus to be a Poet Lawreate Hath straynde his wits through an yron grate For he hath rimes and rimes and double straynes And golden verses and all kindes of veynes Now to the presse he presseth hastely To sell his friendes stinking eternitie For who would be eternall in such fashion To be a witnesse to his condemnation Epigr. 22. I Mett a courtier riding on the plaine Well mounted on a braue and gallant steede I sate a iade and spurred to my paine My lazy beast whose tyred sides did bleede He sawe my case and then of courtesie Did reyne his horse and drewe the bridle in Because I did desire his companie But he coruetting way of me doth winne What should I doe which was besteaded so His horse stoode still faster then mine could go Epigr. 23. In Misum MIsus thy wealth will quickly breath away Thine honestie is shorter then thy breath Thy flesh will fall how can it longer stay Which is so ripe and mellow after death Yet while thou liu'st men make of thee a iest Heere lies olde Misus soule lockt in his chest Epigr. 27. In Lalum LAlus is drunke and able scarse to speake He sweares he is not drunke when by an by The nimble licour foyles him on his necke How durst ye Lalus giue your Ale the lie Next time if you will be beleeu'd confesse That when you haue not drunk you are not fresh Epigr. 25. In habentem longam barbam THy beard is long better it would thee fitt To haue a shorter beard and longer witt Epigr. .26 I Want an hundred pounds my bookes I seeke Their answere is that learning hath a fall I seeke my braines conceipts be so good cheepe One dramme of siluer may buy head and all Then to the Muses I amased flye They tell me Homers case and others more Then to my bookes againe as fast I hie And backe againe as wretched as before Betraying studies standing few in steede Why doe ye this forsake me in my neede Epigr. 27. In Laetum LAetus would begge of me I knowe not what But first he couenants denye not me Nay Laetus begge me then if I grant that If I will binde my selfe to sett you free Twere well if after asking you might haue it But you will haue a thing before ye craue it Epigr. 28. SO harde it was for Poets to reiect The once conceiued issue of their braine As for a mother her babe to neglect For whom in trauayling she tooke such paine Then if we loue out faultes for our owne sake Loue doth
of Bakers of all such as brewe Of Tanners of Taylers of Smithes and the rest Of all occupations that can expres'de In the yeare of our Lorde six hundred and ten I thinke for all these will be Gentlemen Epigr. 19. in Philonem PHilo if naked loue you aske of me White loue cleare loue and such as loued was Of our forefathers in simplicity Then loue and looke on me I am your glasse This cuts you off your friend must fawne flatter Nay more then this your friend must you beelie I to your face and that for no small matter But for your woorth your wirt and honesty This cuts me of the cause if you require I would not haue my friend proue me a lyar Epigr. 20. In Misum Mopsam MIsus and Mopsa hardly could agree Striuing about superioritie The text which sayth that man and wise are one Was the chiefe argument they stoode vpon She held they both one woman should become He held both should be man and both but one So they contended dayly but the the sâ—rife Could not be ended till both were one wife Epigr. 21. In Gillonem YOu which haue sorrows hiddeÌ„ bottom sounded And felt the ground of teares and bitter moâ—n You may conceiue how Gilloes heart is wounded And iudge of his deepe feeling by your owne His toothlesse wife then she was left for dead When graue and all was made recouered Epigr. 22. In Lanionem medicum PHisition Lanio neuer will forsake His golden patiente while his head doth ake When he is dead farewell he comes not there He hath nor cause nor courage to appeare He will not looke vpon the face of death Nor bring the dead vnto her mother earth I will not say but if he did the deede He must be absent lesse the corpse should bleed Epigr. 23. in Dacum DAcus hath all things that he can desire He hath fayre land and yellow goold to spare The good of which God knows he comes not nere But pickes out paine and fee deth on the care He will not warme his backe with one good coate Nor spend one penny to offend his store He will not feast his belly with a groate Hunger and he are matches and no more Heele tast no sweete of all his happinesse Belike he knowes his owne vnworthinesse Epigr. 24. OVr peruerse age doth recon least of all Of the true noble plaine and liberall And giueth honour most iniurious Vnto the base craftie and couetous What makes the good repine what wrongs the wise What is the spoyle of all fortunate vice Epigr. 25. in Timonem TImon is sicke of seuen which deadly be And yet not like to die for ought I see He hath the soggie sinn of Ale and cakes He hath the sinn of lace and fustniapes He hath the seeing sinn the heartes great'st woe And yet he hath the sinn of winken to He hath the sparrowes sinn these which follow He hath he hath the redd sinn and the yellow Epigr. 26. In Septimium SEptimius doth excell for daintie cheere His diet is olde Murton and new beere And sugred mustard and sweete vinegeere Epigr. 27. In Cophum COphus doth liue as if he could bestowe Life on his friende and life vpon his foe As if he had a life to sport and play As if he had a life to cast away As if he had change of liues and life did sound Not as one farthing of his thousand pound As if his landes were wondrous large and great And life but one small dust to that huge heape Yet life is all his goold and all his land Himselfe and all if he did vnderstand Epigr. 28. Translatum ex Martiali NEighbours I meruaile much to see your strife Since ye are so well matcht so like of life A most vile husband a most wicked wife Epigr. 29. In Lalum A Dry beame feedes the mind as Pyndar writes And quickneth reason with refined spirits But your conceipt is dull and nothing such Lalus I thinke you wett your mind to much Epigr. 30. In Castorem THe gooldsmith guildeth siluer tinn or brasse The painter paints on wood or baserstone What gooldsmith guilded goold that euer was What painter euer painted rubies none But Castor paints himselfe and thinks it good To steale away his pictures praise from wood Epigr. 31. In Lotum LOtus owes little vnto memory He will forget his purse his cloake his hat I both a good turne and an iniury His friend himselfe and more I know not what Nothing remaines of all things more and lesse To be forgotten but forgetfulnesse Epigr. 32. In Momum HEaring my short writs Momus saith of me Why should not I endite as well as he As well as I Momus so mought ye doe Rather then I should write as well as you Epigr. 33. in Vlyssem VLysses hauing scapt the ocean floood â— wise ten yeares pilgrimage in foreyn landes And the sweete deathes of Syrens tunde with blood And Cyclops iawes and Circes charming handes Comes home and seeming safe as he mistakes He steps awaie and fals in to a Aiax Epigr. 34. in Medonta TOward my martâ— Medon I will said I 〈…〉 a booke but you refused Which for your kindnesse sake I did denie 〈…〉 nde as being more abused And cause you had of both to be afraide Whether it were to paie or to be paide Epigr. 35. WIth charge of soules as Polititians say Possesse one clerke should but one benefice But without charge of soules we see how they Sticke not to lay vp fowre and seauen apiece We clerkes would keepe one liuing and no moe So you which are not clerks would keepe but two Epigr. 36. in festum TEll Festus that this mirth and iollitie These suts these feasts this daily flocking to him This gameling and this wanton luxurie This carelessenesse this free heart will vndoe him He cannot heare his wits are not his owne But his sweete fortunes whose commaund is such That Festus senses quite are ouerthrowne Since she gaue him of hers a little too much Then why aduise you him let it suffice That he doth that himselfe must make him wise Epigr. 37. In Asbestum CHlorus was greene when in his tendernesse Asbestus did contemne his littenesse Yet did he force his buds and wreake his spite Vpon his leaues before his fruite was ripe When thou bar'st fruite Chlorus as little tree Then did Asbestus pull thy fruite from thee Till time drew on which did his rage impeach And bare thy fruite on high aboue his reach Then other meanes by malice he had none To worke reuenge but hang himselfe thereon Epigr. 38. in Scillam NO enemie of Scillas can accuse him Of any wrong or villanie pretended Of any prouocation or abusing Or the least cause why they should be offended Yet Scilla hath a fault to make amendes He will abuse none but his deerest friends Epigr. 39. in Merum MErus doth reconcile Philosophie To belies want and
But we succeding husbands can haue none Which are so wicked husbands to our owne The wife tofore which many husbands had With their soft rayment and rich iewels clad Deckt with their comely loue and costly care Tyr'de like a Princesse and without compaire VVe haue cast of from her owne blood kinne To serue a stranger and to stoope to him And she alreadie groanes as thrall indeed And we yet liuing stinke of this foule deede VVhat should the enemie do with barbrous knife Learne of the husband to torment the wife Wolues to your selues vipers to your own mother And caterpillers eatinge one an other Epigr. 32 HOw deerly doth the simple husband buy His wiues defect of will when she doth dye Better in death by will to lett her giue Then let her haue her will while she doth liue Epigr. 33. De Poeta Martiali MArtiall in Rome full thirtie yeares had spent Then went he home was not that banishment Epigr. 34. In Laetum LEtus in vertuous manners may excell But what neede hath he so rath to be good His strength of body which he knowes to well His life forbids him and his youthly blood Thus vice and pleasure haue our strength prime And vertue hath the leauings of them both She hath the orts and parings of our time Then when euen sinne our carion course doth loath We may be good but must be aged surst Thus we are good neuer or at our worst Epigr. 35. Epitaph Iohannis Sande WHo would liue in others breath Fame deceiues the dead mans trust Since our names are chang'de in death Sand I was and now am dust Epigr. 36. De puero balbutiente ME thinkes tis pretie sport to heare a childe Rocking a worde in mouth yet vndefild The tender racket rudely playes the sound Which weakely banded cannot backe rebound And the soft ayre the softer roofe doth kisse With a sweete dying and a pretie misse Which heares no answere yet from the white ranke Of teeth not risen from their corall banke The alphabet is searcht for letters soft To trye a worde before it can be wrought And when it slideth forth is goes as nice As when a man doth walke vpon the yce Epigr. 37. SVch was my griefe vpon my fatall fall That all the world me thought was darke withall And yet I was deceiued as I knowe For when I proou'de I found it nothing so I shewde the Sunn my lamentable sore The Sunne did see and shined as before Then to the Moone did I reueale my plight She did deminish nothing of her light Then to the stars I went and lett them see No not a starre would shine the lesse for me Go wretched man thou seest thou art forlorne Thou seest the heauēs laugh while thou dost mourn Epigr. 38. YE Cookes and Pothecaries be my friend For ye of all my booke dares not offend I made him for the homely countries tast They loue not spice they vse not feede on past If he haue salt enough then let him go You haue no neede to put in pepper to Epigr. 39. Ad Do. Mountioy IF in these naked lines perhaps be ought Great Lord which your conceipt or sense may fit Then had that dy'de and perisht from your thought Had not audacious neede preserued it If neede haue well done I am glad therfore But I be seech you lett her do no more Epigr. 7. ad Lectorem IF my bookes easie of digestion be Thanke not my matter reader but thanke me How many verses haue I cancelled Howe many lompes of meaning seasoned I suffer Epigrams to sprowte forth when I vse mine arte and prune them with my pen. For he that will write Epigrams indeed Must vse to wring the meaning till it bleede Epigr. 41. in Sabellum BIting Sabellus hereat takes offence Because I lay not open all my sense All must be plaine and nothing I must hide There must be notes at ende and notes by side There must be nothing fett and nothing strayned The reader must delighted be not payned But I am of an other minde for why Should not he take some paines a well as I Epigr. 42. OVr vice is runne beyond all olde mens sawes And farre authenticall aboue our law S. And scorning vertues safe and goolden meane Sits vncontrolde vpon the high extreame Circes thynne monsters painted out the hue Of fayned filthinesse but ours is trewe Our vice puts downe all prouerbes and all theames Our vice excels all fables and all dreames Epigr. 43. WHē books poore men they their parish burned These their low houses raz'd ouerturned Are driuen to seeke changing their olde repayre They in the ground these dwelling in the ayre When sport is made of damned fornication And vsurie an honest occupation When dull cramde grosse and swollen gluttony Scornes wholsome temperance with leaden eye When pride like polling miller sits vpon The bated gryst of poore religion When holy tithes the highest callings price Make iags for coates and fuell for the dice May we not well O times on manners cry This were an ease it were no remedie Epigr. 44. In Brillum BRillus tolde such a tale as neuer man Did heare or thinke of since the world began Tw'as not of murther strange nor filthinesse Nor open wrong nor secret wickednesse Nor legend tale nor ancient poets fable Nor such as parasites do tell at table It was nor monstrous lie nor pleasant fiction Nor of affirming nor of contradiction All writers trauellers merchants are to seeke Yea Iohn deuiser neuer tolde the like It was a tale of oaths abhominable God was the iest and our dread Christ the fable Epigr. 45. LAetus did in his mistresse quarrell die Quintus was slayne defending of the lie Germanus in his friendes defence did fall Sakellus died striuing for the wall Merus did spend his life vpon a iest Sanmus lost it at a dronken feast Merus at Sundaies wake reueng'de the wrong Of his bull dogge vntill he lay along What sayst thou now contemn'de religion Vice hath her Saynts and martyrs thou hast none Epigr. 46. In Porum BItus desired Porus of his grace That in his seruice he might haue a place He sayde he was of of honest occupation He could no lye nor false dissimulation He knewe no wicked meanes to fill his purse But Porus answred he likes him the worse Epigr. 47. De Hominis Ortu sepultura NAture which head long into life doth thring vs with our feet forward to our graue doth bring vs What is lesse ours then this our borrowed breath We stumble into life we goe to death FINIS Printe Loade stone Gunne Herlilques