our Parents drew the Sin Which we must wash and purge away with tears Of Penitence which guilty Souls still clears Or else we can't unspotted Garments keep Nor please our Lord the Shepherd of his Sheep Turn then O turn to God repent your Crimes That Christ may own you in the latter times A Hymn of Confession 1. GOod God! In what an everlasting gire My black and loathsome sins go round They pass the num'rous Sands o' th' shore Nor are the Stars of Heaven more Yet still encrease they more abound And ev'ry day doth raise the number higher 2. Oh! Rouze my sleepy Soul A stronger guard Thy watchful Enemies require Still stand prepared with thy arms T' oppose the Devil and his Charms And when thy subtle Foe creeps nigher Strait with the Shield of Faith his force retard 3. How long wilt thou th' Aegyptian darkness love How long intend'st to live secure How long the light of Goshan spurn Wilt from thy obscure ways ne're turn How can'st such Labyrinths endure Where light ly's hid and thou i' th' dark dost rove 4. With speed prevent this steep descent of Hell This Precipice tread on no more Climb up again repent thy fall And for God's boundless mercy call Then He 'll forgive thy sins before And Satan's future onsets will repel Another 1. TOo long O Lord for Earthly Vanities I 've been a Candidate 'T was worse than Hell or fate To live reserv'd for Heav'n and leave my toys With magick charms they tic'd me on Obscuring their delusion 2. Those Circe's-Cups Those Syren-Songs of sin Allur'd my Soul away Pleasing when they 'd destroy But now kind Heav'n their betray'd Snares begin To shew a treach'rous Scene of woes The precipice of my repose 3. Good God! What trifles did my Soul pursue On what weak grounds I stood Bubbles or worse I woo'd Fate Death and Hell these pleasures would ensue Dead in sin charm'd with toys no care For an Immortal Life I 'd spare 4. O mighty Lord in what prepost'rous ways Was my blind Soul then lead Bow down Bow down my head Bend Bend my Knees Implore my hands Thy praise My Tongue sing forth and mercy crave Mercy which doth poor peccants save 5. I now O Lord divorce those blandishments That thus to sin entice Away begone black Vice My purged Breast no more shall prove your Tents To thee great God! my Heart doth soar Guide then that it relapse no more My PRAYER MY God! My God! who dwel'st in Heav'n above And yet vouchsaf'st to us poor Worms thy love Accept Accept a truly contrite heart And to my early Pray'rs thy Ears impart Prevent O Lord prevent my sinful ways And turn my heart from all these Earthly toys Direct direct my sliding steps to thee And still preserve me from sin's Lethargie O purge my Soul and the Old Man divorce Guard me with Angels and damp Satan's force Let me O Lord no more sin's Vassal be But keep me from Satan's temptations free To Faith and Righteousness my heart incline And let thy dictates still my will confine So that when I have led a godly Life And well have finished my Warlike strife And thou O Lord art pleas'd to call away My Soul to thee to tast of Heav'nly Joy I may it cheerfully to thee restore And joyfully to thy Tribunal soar Where I through Christ may absolution have And through thy mercy Crowns of glory crave There with thy Choirs of Angels sing always Praises to thee until the latter days When Heav'n and Earth shall in confusion ly And Christ shall come in his bright Majesty And in Jehoshaphat Assizes keep When the last Trump shall rowze all those that sleep And Summon in all Nations to appear In Judgment their last Sentence now to hear Where all to give a strict account must come Some to receive their Bliss and some their doom Then then let me O God! on thy right hand Amongst th' Elected Saints in glory stand And when each Judgment 's giv'n take me with thee Enjoying thy bright presence still to be Vale Musis 1. FArewel ye fair Inspirers of Man's Soul Farewel O sacred Muse Adieu Adieu Tho' I could rather choose To dwell with you Did Heav'n by Contra's not my will controul 2. To Law I 'm call'd Then must I not obey What Heav'n for me ordains Let Fancy fret Confin'd in golden Chains No more I 'll treat My fruitless Muse at best a pleasing toy FINIS
A MISCELLANY OF POEMS UPON Several Occasions BOTH Moral and Amorous WITH Many Odes Songs Acrosticks Epigrams and Elegies AS ALSO DIVINE HYMNS Composed by T.S. LONDON Printed for Joseph Knight at the Blue Anchor in the Lower-Walk of the New-Exchange 1689. To the Worthy Thomas Coventry Esq With his most loving Brother Mr GILBERT COVENTRY Sons of the Right Honourable Thomas Lord Coventry THE high esteem and honour which I'm infinitely oblig'd always to bear your Name hath greatly urg'd me to exert some Specimen of my gratitude although so mean that I cannot chuse but blush at my boldness therein as being conscious to my self that unless your Clemency transcend all this my fond Oblation may justly require a second Atonement But your Merits being daily as perspicuous as the Sun and your Influence too as propitious are so Infallible Probates of your Candor that I should assert my self most unworthy did I even doubt but that you like Heaven whose Image you both most manifestly bear would accept the true and sincere intent of your Oblator be the act in it self never so frivolous and contemptible In quo nil vobis dignum nisi dantis amores Wherefore I here presume as a Candidate of your Favour to tender at your Altar my First-fruits however they may seem at least imperfect if not wholly abortive And whence I likewise hope for your Patronage as being sufficient to defend this my weak Product from the churlish humours of Criticks The former of which if you 'll both be pleas'd to accept and grant the latter you 'll transport me into an Elysium and more if more can be oblige Your most devoted Servant Thomas Steevens TO THE Landid Reader MY Genius being always somewhat inclining to entertain the Muses did by my diligent promotion at length exert some light and aery Flashes of Fancy though truly I fear scarce rightly ballanc'd with sound Judgment by reason of my Immaturity and Nonage when this imperfect and abortive Product did by many interruptions at length creep out of my tender and too too weak I doubt capacity Wherefore I hope should I here expose it how mean soever it may seem that the greatest Censurers and strictest Criticks first considering my Circumstances and justly attributing its Imbecillity to my Minority Dum nihil ortum est simul perfectum may not dart on it a Grande supercilium and so utterly abash it in its Infancy But whether they frown or smile damn or applaud This is my safest Asylum I matter not Only I wish all as much pleasure in the reading as I had in the writing T. S. A MISCELLANY OF POEMS Of humane Frailty MAn's Days are few His Glass is run His Life is spent soon as begun And dy he must A living Man he proves to day To Morrow but a Lump of Clay And turns to dust He 's made of Earth to Earth he goes His Days are full of Grief and Woes Which shorten Life But yet he toils for Earthly pelf Whereby he may enrich himself With utmost strife He presses on with greatest power Not dreaming that his fatal hour Doth draw so nigh But in the midst of all his Joy He many times is snatcht away And forc'd to dy His breath like smoak before the wind Or like a fleeting Cloud doth find An easy way He flourishes i' th' Morning Sun But is cut down like Grass ere Noon And fades away Let 's therefore spend our time to day As tho' we were no more to stay On wretched Earth Lest hasty Fate doth call away Before w' are ready for that day In vertue 's dearth Of a guilty Conscience ALas the Poets Fictions prove too true Who feign that hellish Furies do pursue And lash with secret strokes a guilty Mind Which hath to wickedness been long inclin'd For lo what horrid Terrours do surround What poyson'd bites Scorpion's stings to wound A guilty Man He falls into a maze His fiery sparkling Eyes about do gaze He thinks each hour he sees a dreadful Ghost As tho' grim Pluto had sent forth his Host To take revenge and hurry him away To his black Cell to prove Perdition's prey He beats his Breast he raves he storms he swears And blatters nonsence intermixt with tears His burning heart doth shoot he 's all on flame As tho' Hell's Fires were now already come He gasps for breath his Hair doth stand on end He tears his flesh and doth his Members rend Yet sometimes seems to rest and close his Eyes But hence a sudden storm doth strait arise And like a Hurricane on Indian Seas A second Tyde of grief disturbs his ease He fain would live but dreads alas to dy Twixt Life and Death he stupefy'd doth ly But yet the pangs and pains that he endures Are worse than death it self and have no Cures He now becomes forlorn and desperate too He now denies that God can mercy shew He nothing doth expect but fatal doom And a long series of woes to come When he shall suffer to Eternity Sad scorching flames due to 's Iniquity O what a state is this what pains are these Which nothing neither Time nor Death can ease O mortal Men correct your evil ways Shake off your Vice before your latter days That when Death Summons gives you may embrace Your instant Fate with an undaunted Face For lo what Comfort and what Peace is this To dying Men to have not done amiss From whence they take the hopes of future bliss Of Beauty's Frailty 1. ALas How soon doth Beauty fade How like unto an empty shade It vanishes away Without delay 2. Thus th' new-sprang Rose i' th' Morning dew Triumphs but ere night bid's adieu Faints falls hangs down her head So soon she 's dead 3. Thus twinkling Stars do give one dash Thus Lightning breaks into one flash And then the vap'ring fire Doth strait expire 4. Lo Beauty but salutes our Eyes Like Sodom's Fruit and then denys All bliss and toucht to clay Doth mould away 5. Alas Alas Anon pale Snow Will sit where cheerful Lillies grow And thus the fairest Face Will lose its grace 6. Each day nay hour receives a spoil And lab'ring storms do seem to toil To plunder beauty's shapes With cruel rapes 7. Sharp Sickness Beauty's fairest blow Doth blast when Fevers beat the brow Like Whirl-winds furious storms Oh burst of harms 8. Old Age plows up the smoothest skin And turns a Furrow too wherein It seems to cast and hide All Beauty's Pride 9. And when at length pale Death invades And calls unto th' Elysian shades The fainting Body dies And Beauty flies 10. What fatal ruins do pursue A bright Idea's Front which do Corrupt all Beauty's joys And plead 'em toys 11. Those fleeting charms of Hellen's Face Do witness to the World no space Of permanence since they Are turn'd to clay 12. Go too thou Fop Thy self admire And doat and pride 't will strait expire The faded Rose's state Doth shew thy fate The old
Man. LO Lo how creeps the long-liv'd Man Whose time 's reduc'd into a span Whose days are spent Lo Lo I seek the Port of bliss And am of Life it self remiss To dy content My only Pray'r is present death O God receive my latest breath O let me dy You 'll thus exterminate my grief And to my Soul bring kind relief O hear my Cry My fatal Thread is spun fie fie O Atropes cut off that May be at rest My Life is worse than Death In vain I cry for help what horrid pain Doth me invest The Sons of Art can find no Cure To heal those pangs which I endure O wretched State Death's stroke's my only remedie How glad how willing should I be T' imbrace my Fate Pandora's Troops do sound Alarms And for my Blood do whet their Arms And Battle give They captivate my trembling parts And wound each Member with their Darts But yet I live How oft I 've call'd upon the Grave With tott'ring steps my limbs to crave Before this day When Nature first began to faint And with her self all joys did taint And drive away My Senses fly my Spirits fall A burthen to my self and all I am now made I cannot taste the daintiest meat I can't distinguish what I eat Be 't good or bad My deafer Ears are stopt up quite Hence Musick proves a dull delight ' Cause 't is not heard My bleer Eyes lose their sight and close As tho' they 're going to repose Yet do retard Alas Alas All joys do go And pleasure 's turn'd to grief and woe May I then dy So that these horrid pains may cease And I at length may be at ease From misery Lo Lo how like a Lamb I dy Without regret a screak or cry Worn out with years I have now run this mortal race I will Christ now in Heav'n embrace who 'll wipe my tears Time brings all to the Grave HOW fleet do Minutes post away How soon the Glass runs out the Day The Morning draws the Noon puts on The Sun doth set the Day is gone And thus the Year is wheel'd about And thus Man's Thread is soon spun out And Death draws nigh Which is a Debt we all must pay Whose pow'r we all must once obey Sceptres and Crowns must yield to Death And Kings with Peasants lose their Breath The pious Saint receives his Fate And stoutest Hectors change their state For all must dye Impartial Death we can't appease With Hecatombs nor get release By all our Sacred Piety Nor can with threats her terrify But all must visit Charon's Boat And o'r the Stygian Waters float When she invades We must once leave all Earthly Toys And vanish from these frailer Joys For Death O Man thy self prepare That thou thy Fate t' embrace may'st dare And ne'r for this thy short Life grieve But live to dye and dye to live In happy Shades A Farewel to Fortune FOrtune farewel No more I 'll court thy Shrine Nor shall thy Smiles my vassal heart combine Thou fickle Goddess of these Earthly Dregs I thee contemn and scorn thy falsest Leagues Why doth the foolish World so dote on thee As though thou wert the greatest Deity I can't nor will not such a one adore And for thy frail inconstant Gifts implore Thou never constant ' less in motion prov'st And now dost hate whom once thou dearly lov'dst If now thou smil'st thou strait wilt grimly frown And whom thou 'st rais'd to day thou 't soon cast down Hence Princes tho' long flourishing in Thrones At length lament their Fate with woful Groans All Mortals who now Fortune's Gifts enjoy E're long will know how quick they fly away I 'll therefore stedfast Vertue 's face adore And hence above this fickle Goddess soar Where me her furious Storms cannot injure But I 'll despise her empty Blasts secure Her Onsets I 'll beat back with Vertue 's Shield For Vertue can to Fortune's Power ne'r yield Qui non est hodie cras minùs aptus erit SO ho thou Fool that dost let loose the reins Whilst lively blood doth boil in youthful veins And think'st thou may'st them time enough recal In latter days before thy deadly Fall Unless thou 'lt sleep secure and pleasures take Till the last sounding Trump doth thee awake Disperse with speed the dismal Clouds of Vice And crush i' th' Egg the priding Cockatrice Begin to day to leave thy evil ways And to divorce thy vain and sinful toys By long delays for they 'll habitual grow And ev'ry hour will greater force bestow Vice like Diseases craves more timely Cures And long being nurs'd no remedy endures He that neglects to purge his Soul to day His Vices him to morrow will more sway But grant thou may'st to Good at length return And all thy former ways and follies spurn Thou can'st not tell but Death may sweep away And put a period to thy Life this day Non est mortale quod opto LET doting Worldlings seek w th grov'ling eyes These vain and earthly Dregs as th' only prize Let Misers with poor Gold fill up their Chests And amplifie their Stocks with â—areful Brests Let Honour's Minions up to Heaven soar Let Statesmen pride and domineer in pow'r Let Beauty's Darling boast of 's Symmetrie And joy because there 's none so fair as he But know they this they will themselves deceive When suddenly these Toys will take their leave Riches have Wings and straight do fly away Honour 's the Darling but of one short day Beauty like Lightning but salutes our eyes With one bright flash and then falls sick and dyes Such vain and frailer Goods I don't admire Nor do such pamphlet trifling Toys desire Immortal Vertue is my only Aim Whereby t' all Ages I 'll extend my Fame Beauty Wealth Honours pass away like Shades But Vertue keeps alive when Death invades Hic vivimus ambitiosâ Paupertate omnes THE poorest Irus here ambitious grows And on his Back now all his Wealth bestows That like a Croesus gay he might appear T' th' World and in his Purple domineer And tho' his meanness should these thoughts suppress He 'll pride and leave the World the rest to guess His Outside proves a Royal Ornament When with poor Food his Belly is content His sordid House perhaps is all of Clay And wants provision for the present day Nay more perhaps he 's o'r-head plung'd in debt And knows not how from Us'rers Bonds to get Thus Beggars fain would wealthy Courtiers seem And eager seek a Gentleman's esteem Go to Thou Fool thy Tyrian Robes now buy And tho' thou' rt poor yet boast of Gallantry At length thou like the priding Jay wilt know When thou art stript of these bright plumes thy wo. 'T is better still a Medium to pursue And live to day like as to morrow too Qui suum jactat genus aliena laudat WHY dost thou boast O Spark of Pedigree And claim thy Parents worth thy own to be
true As mine from whence it came There let it rest And banish black Oblivion from your Breast That you may ne're our former Leagues disown Tho' separation doth make two of one Long absence breeds a shiv ring cold in love And Ague-like doth ardency remove Hence by experience we too often find That absent Darlings soon slip out of mind May you then this Memento bear along Which seal'd with heart shew's no perfidious Tongue It bear's sincere Affection's stamp and coin And like the purging Mint doth dross disdain Thus now my Zeal a fond Oblation brings Till presence pays more stately Offerings But whensoe'r your vacant Eyes shall see This monumental Verse Remember me Too much of School CUrst Fate How long wilt thou me doom to Schools Must I ne'r mount above the Sphere of Fools Who scarce their Alphabet can scrutinize Unless the Festraw guide their roving Eyes Both Latin and Greek Authors I have read And know in higher Elements to tread Yet read I may and read and read again And when all 's done my labour proves but vain For no sublimer steps I can ascend My long Beginning 's like to want an end Within the School's severe and dismal Cell As an Imprison'd peccant I must dwell And spend my Age in vain I plow the Sands And wash the Black'moor's Head with frustrate hands For progress now ly's dead no pains no sweat Since what I 've learnt already I repeat But hence I toss disturb'd I take no ease The oft-boyl'd Crambe doth my doom increase 'Twixt Life and Death like Tityus I do ly And wish a clear Reprieve or quite to dy An Epilogue to an old Play as it was acted by Country Bumkins OUR Play is done Concoct it as you please 'T is time our Theatre should be at ease Since you have seen what we poor Swains can do How we can play the Fool as well as you But tho' perhaps some Criticks damn our Play And swear that we our ignorance betray Yet with these thoughts it may more currant pass Vt desint vires tamèn est landanda voluntas 'T was Fame tho' not hereby we fear acquir'd That then these our fantastick Souls inspir'd We don't exhaust your Purse Hence we have cause Since not your Coyn to challenge your applause But since o' th' Comick Scene your Tragick brow To kill the Players doth now Cloudy grow We go to celebrate our nuptial rites And then to crop the Lover's sweet delights For which prepare a Joy and so good night To a very accomplish'd Lady BE pleas'd Dear Madam these submissive lines T' accept which do triumph in their designs O kindest Heav'ns O most propitious Fates O prosp'rous Stars O too too joyful States The Phoenix now has left th' Arabian shores And in our Hemisphere aloft now soars A Heav'n-bred Goddess now descends on Earth And ravishes the World in Beauty's dearth Heav'n hath her charming Venus now distill'd Whose splendid Beams my heart with bliss have fill'd My Soul fair Charmer gluts it self with joys E'r since it felt the comfort of your rayes Heav'n's Monarch did his greatest blessing shew When he blest my Eyes with Heavn'n's darling you But if Jove should such gifts more oft bestow The priding World would too too happy grow Nay two Heav'ns there would be of equal bliss And th' envious Gods would sometimes visit this You Dear Nymph the true Elysium prove Fair as Venus kind as the Turtle-Dove The Golden Age doth now return in you You like the Day-star happy times renew Old banish'd Piety has found a shore In your fair Breast where lyes all vertue 's store Heav'n's spangled roof too glitters in your Eyes You are our Jewel and our choicest prize With whom I vow no merits upon Earth Can parallel for Beauty Wit or Birth We all can put no prize upon your worth But Sol shall freeze and Night's pale Goddess burn The solid Globe into its Chaos turn Ere I 'll desist your Beauty to adore And for your Blessing Candor to implore A Dream D. M. WHen Morpheus last Night clos'd my slumbring Eyes And sleepy vapours did my Brain surprize How did my active Soul chose you her Theam On which she might insist in golden Dream I re'lly thought the Heav'ns to me being kind That put these charming Amours in my mind Whilst I Parnassus forked top did seek I found you slumb'ring in a silent Creek Near to the Muses Helicon Where I With bended Knees first pay'd my obsequy And then being shot with Cupid's Fiery Dart I sought the Joys which Beauty's Charms impart I prostrate fell upon your Snowy Breast Where strait my ravish'd Soul did seize her Nest Congratulating both our prosp'rous Fate We lay some Minutes in that joyful state And then O how great bliss my Soul possest Being with your kind and sweet embraces blest But whilst the dawning Morn Aurora brings My lively Soul return'd with hov'ring wings And strait to me rehearst her rapt'ring joys How she had past into th' Elysian ways And if my Body had from sleep been freed I 'd thought that dreams and truth had now agreed But tho' it did a fancy'd Image prove It may I hope portend to me your love Mr. Pye. TEll me O tell me Sir the reason why Your glutted Eyes not Stomach did deny That tempting bait of Christmas Guests call'd Pye Was 't Temp'rance No 't was rather Modesty Modesty's Mean I must confess is good But Modesty's extream is ill pursu'd Thus when t' her dictates you t' obedient prov'd The Mouth deny'd that which the Center lov'd But were not you with tim'rous thoughts possest And did strange Chimaera's shake your Breast Whereas you sate near an Enormous Bug Who empty'd one to fill a greater Mug. Expect therefore nor don't response you 've done Before you plainly see all Courses gone Nor like an Ass put up your Instrument Lest you too late again the deed repent Vnto a very fair Lady though somewhat freckled BEauty Dear Madam is the Poet's Theam Religion's Idol and the Lover's Dream 'T is you are Beauty's Darling Beauty's Joy Who need not Art nor such an idle toy To force out Love and wound a doting heart But real Beauty grace's ev'ry part Your Cheeks like Peacock's brighter Plumes do shine Compos'd of Metals of a diverse mind For lo therein the Snowy Lilies grow And Crimson Roses intermixt do blow Those neater marks which on your Front remain Do not deface but prove a charming stain Nay kinder Nature seems to place 'em there As Stars and Lights to govern Mortals here Your Face is Heaven's Starry Firmament On which Astronomers may now content Themselves to gaze and you alone admire Who influence the Earth and govern higher Hence did not Phoebe sometimes cloud her light And seem to frown and fume i' th' o'recast Night I should have thought that you had soar'd up there And rul'd your Chariot in the Heav'nly Sphere What Monarch can't subject his Throne to you And to
Monuments shall be my Bride Which don 't like Women glory in their Pride Or else to Heaven I 'll attoll my Eyes And there admire the glory of the Skies With which there 's none on Earth can parallel Whilst glitt'ring Stars the fairest Eyes excel So fair a Front no Earthly Phoenix wears As Phaebe doth riding i' th' lofty Spheres No Earthly Beauty then I 'll more adore Nor e're for Beauty's fairest Queen implore The spangled Heaven shall my Mistress be To which I 'll tend my cries and bend my knee Acrosticks On Mrs Bridget Wood. Boast th' happy World of these Halcyon days Rising from you the native spring of joys In you the fainting World begins to move Drowning all cares i' th' Ecstasies of love Great-Britain's shore a Paradise became Ere since kind Heaven blest it with your name This is our blazing Star our Nation 's Fame Witty brisk kind and fair nay Pious too O Heav'ns you are Who merits thus like you O Muses Darling Hail Hail Beauty's gem Dropt to Earth from Heav'n in a golden dream On Madam Frances Bosworth Farewel to frowning Nature's Tragick Face Resplendent Beauty now the Scene doth grace AVenus lightens our dark Hemisphere Nor doth she less than Heaven's pow'rs appear Confinement only to these Earthly toys Eclipses Madam your Coelestial rayes Seize Heav'n and you shall have Immortal praise Beauty's chief Idol and true vertue 's gem O Heav'ns you prove and honours noble stem Serener Nature all her gifts did heap When you her dearest Darling she did shape Or like Apelles the whole World did fleece Rejoycing to make you her Master-piece The Heav'ns triumph in these too happy days Hail fairest Phoenix and the Font of joys On Madam Anna Cole ASsist O Muse the subject is too high For such a rustick silly Swain as I. All former times your worth Dear Madam shew No sacred Nymph was e're so fair as you Not Greece may charming Hellen more admire A fairer Venus doth our Souls inspire Can't this tho' seem a grand mysterious truth Once that a Cole should prove so fair forsooth Lo candid Lilies in this Cole do blow Each lovely part appears like driven snow If this poor piece my meanness hath betray'd Fair Madam pardon ' cause you were obey'd Another on Madam Frances Bosworth From Beauty Madam flows your Poet's theam Religion's Idol and the Lover's dream Afairer Nymph the World did never know Nor could the Heav'ns a greater gift bestow Conceding you then when they blest our Coasts Each charmed heart since of your influence boasts Sure Nature made you of refined Clay Being kind to Man and studious of his joy Or Heaven's Senate did your beams dismiss Streaming on Mortals their coelestial bliss Wise fair you be nay good and vertuous too Of which each act 's a proof that comes from you Rejoice the World Rejoice ye mortal Crew Two Heav'ns to us the kindest Gods do shew Heav'n with them and Heav'n Dear Madam with you In eandem Fausta dies felix tempus Redit Aurea Proles Redduntur mundi gaudia prima sacri Auster mutatur Zephyro Fugêre labores Nullus adest moeror Nullus adestque dolor Cuncta renascentis gaudent confinia mundi Et nunc virtutes nunc pietasque viget Saturni veteris redeunt sic tempora laeta Buccina nulla strepit Ridet at alma quies Ofelix aevum Quam prospera secula currunt Sic tu laetitiam Nympha Venusta paris Virtus influxu radiis tua forma coruscis Vultus sideribus pectora nostra beat O faciles superi Claro de limine Coeli Redditur alma Venus Numen habemus Ave. Tellus fit Coelum Coelum Dea pulchra tulisti Hinc tibi sacra cadant Hinc tibi Thura fluant Of Man. May'st thou Hyperbolized nothing Man An empty shade or Bubble know thy span Now Life strait Death so frail a Creature 's Man. On Beauty in its praise Bright Beauty doth the World's chief Idol prove Each charming feature doth affection move A Heav'n on Earth through Beauty we enjoy Vain are all Forts where Beauty leads the way The Gods themselves to Beauty's charms indulge Year's frozen Ice fair Beauty's beams infulge On Time. Time stays for none but still with fleeting wings Is posting on With Scythe our doom she brings Made bald behind she 's too Take Lock before Else once being past you ne're will see it more On Death Death's fatal stroke in time will pierce all hearts Each mortal Man lies subject to her Darts A Prince and Peasant in thy Laws agree Thou Death that summon'st all away to thee Hence we but frail and fading Blossoms be Epigrams Unto Madam Wood. THE Fawns and Satyrs once the saced Woods did store But never was a Wood a Goddess made before We now have thanks to Fate a Goddess and a Wood In you the double comfort of this mortal brood For like a Goddess you do fill the World with grace And in your arms you like a shelt'ring Wood embrace In Paulam nasum oblongum sortientem AVricomâ Venere formâ formosior ipsâ Paula foret brevior si modo Nasus erat Mille juventutis flagrantis basia Paula Acciperet brevior si modò Nasus erat Denique connubio frueretur Paula beato Ter felix brevior si modò nasus erat Consilium si Paula meum petis ultima nasi Dâ—rahe nec Tantum Rhinocerotis habe In Rosellam odoribus nimis indulgentem JVrabo quod sis hederâ formosior albâ Et puto quod morbis pulchra Rosella cares Sed quorsum cunctis membris diapasmata spirant Crede mihi bene olet nil olitura Venus De Leone Cane DVM pavidum Leporem sequitur Canis acris Asylum Commiserans tutum praebuit ora Leo. Hoc decus en fuerat Romani Caesaris olim Dignius at tu nunc Maxime Caesar habes Dum Canis atque Leo concordant vivitur una Amplexasque Canem dormitat ungue Leo Quos decet esse hominum tali sub Principe mores Dum fera mitescens nil feritatis habet Ad Amicam NYmpha Venus Pallas Virtus Dea Virgo Virago Indulge lachrymis Verba suprema cape En Lachrymae trivêre genas suspiria pectus Venit summa dies Captus amore cado On Phillis COY Phillis vows she hates a kiss And swears from thence proceeds no bliss And if in Company you dare Her Lips but touch she 'll tear your hair But if in private you her greet She 'll with her open Mouth you meet Thus Maids affect a silent joy And kissing love tho' they seem coy On Superba WHat double Scents Superba thou dost bring Thou' rt sweet yet stink'st Thou smel'st of ev'ry thing The sweet Pomanders do thy toys perfume Thy poys'nous breath my Spirits doth consume On Ficosa WEll-bred Ficosa doth so tune her speech Thro' Nose you 'd swear she 'd imitate your Breech Nay 't is force put for she is an old Strumpet Whose half-eat Nose doth wrattle like a Trumpet
to Heav'n advance 4. To Gods themselves we come most near When true love reigns Hence we to th' stars like Comets Sphere With fiery trains Thus Heav'nly joys abound When love's pure Sphere turns round To the Fair One. 1. HOW Cupid in Clarinda's Eyes Doth skip doth sport and play From whence his flaming Arrow flies And makes us all obey 2. We like the Persians do adore Those glorious Orbs of thine And when we may not see them more In Sables we repine 3. The Venus-Star is not so bright When Night's dark Scene doth draw As thy fair Eyes which can by right To Monarchs give a Law. 4. My Dear Clarinda don 't be coy Nor dart on me a frown Lest you your Lover quite dismay And cast your Suiter down The Combate 1. AS Strephon and fair Flora lay Enwrapt with clasped Arms And silent cropt the rapt'ring joy That flows from Beauty's charms 2. The much-belov'd Amyntas came To pay his Sacrifice And strait spy'd out their secret Game With 's envious sparkling Eyes 3. He then incens'd could not endure A Rival of his Love But did his Foe forthwith assure His right to her he 'd prove 4. They then an equal Duel fought For her their only prize Until her trembling Spirits taught Their Hearts to sympathize 5. She sigh'd and strait did prostrate fall To beg a mutual Peace Oh Heav'ns Oh Heav'ns To you I call Their Passion to appease 6. Each furious blow to me brings Death Hold Hold these thoughts resign Will ye drive out my wav'ring Breath Was ever Fate like mine The Lover's Complaint 1. WHY dost thou cruel God of Love So wound my flagrant heart Thy tort'ring Brand I can't remove By all the helps of Art. 2. I burn I freeze I take no ease But toss like Waves o' th' main I hate I love My pains encrease I strive alas in vain 3. My Fair One's scorn nor cold repulse Extinguish not my fire The more she frowns and seems averse The more I her admire 4. What then may I now ruminate All hopes of her do dy Despair must prove my horrid fate I 'll languish faint and dy The Lover's Wish 1. LET Monarchs triumph in their Pride And Caesars at Court still reside Jove grant me the Phoenix I love Then th' happiest of Swains I shall prove 2. The Pomps of the World I reject Which cannot from troubles protect Jove c. 3. Love's raptures the sweetest of toys Which locks up our senses in joys Jove c. 4. Love's charms still great Souls should inspire And warm their brave Blood with hot fire Jove c. 5. The Elysium of bliss we enjoy When love in our hearts bears the sway Jove grant me the Phoenix I love Then the happiest of Swains I shall prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. TO Mars I will my Life devote Come Vulcan come make me a Coat Of Mail Command each Slave That works in Aetna's Cave My Thunderbolts to carve 2. Achilles-like in Armour bright I 'll march and lead the Fight My Sword shall clear the way And to Thee Victims pay By ev'ry Man I slay 3. On threat'ning Death I 'll boldly gaze No terrors shall my Soul amaze My Courser I will ride And like a Bride-groom Pride To marry Death my Bride 4. Let Trumpets sound let Drums alarm Let Cannons roar let Bullets storm It 's Musick in my ear Grim Death I scorn to fear I 'll break through dangers near Gynemisia 1. UNhappy Man Why dost thou dote Thus on faithless Woman This is to trust thy tott'ring Boat To Waves that toss o' th' Main 2. Though in their mouths like murm'ring Bees They do sweet Honey bring Yet in their Tayls there lurking lies A sharp and deadly sting 3. Their winks their becks their glancing smiles Their fleers and seemings glad Are Lures whereby they do beguile And Deaths in Liveries clad 4. Tell 'em what Hell-exceeding pain For them you undergo They 're all of Marble and in vain Your grief you let 'em know 5. Nay then the more they 'll seem to scorn And cast a killing Eye That thou may'st wish thou ne're wast born Or being born to dy 6. But grant thy Prayers should prevail And get a nuptial Bed Ere Morn thou would'st thy case bewail And see thy joys were fled 7. Perhaps she 'll prove a Wife o' th' Horn And seek unlawful play She 'll have Gallants and thee quite scorn And then where is thy joy 8. 'T is best to lead a single life Void of these gilded Ills Where pleasure sits without all strife As in th' Elysian Fields On Caelia 's glancing Eyes 1. AS lovely Caelia fraught with joys Doth cross the spacious Plains Her glancing Eye her heart betrays And charms the rural Swains 2. The Lightning flash doth melt the steel And makes it flow with streams Thus thus our hearts to melt we feel Being pierc'd with Caelia's beams 3. The Star shoots through the spangled parts Till it in gelly dies But killing are the sparkling Darts That fly from Caelia's Eyes 4. The Basilisk with 's poys'nous Eyes Doth close pursuers kill When Caelia looks on Man he dies She acts new murthers still 5. She hates compassion loves to see Man burn and dy in charms Who ardently implore to be Embraced in her arms 6. Hence may these cruel Planets set Ne're to be more ador'd ' Less all their rigour they 'll forget And bless whene're implor'd On my dubious Condition COme all ye Feathers of my Soul And Wing me to the starry Pole To the Elysium let me soar Where doubtful Fate can harm no more But if the Gods do joys deny In some dark Chaos let me ly Where I may know my fatal pain And not 'twixt Life and Death remain 'T is worse than Death to hang in doubt 'Twixt Heav'n and Hell and ne're get out Like Tantalus I strive in vain The flying Waters to detain I 'm tost from Rock to Rock and then Fond hope doth rigg me up agen Till hard despair doth overthrow All that weak hope did build so slow O then that I could know my fate And Fortune's Wheel would keep one state That its swift turns might cheat no more I 've been deceiv'd enough before The Vale. PHillis farewel For 't is time to rebel When Tyrants with fury do swell Long have I lain and ador'd you in vain And now would you kill me with pain But cold is my heart nor e're shall it smart ' Cause you 'll not your Amours impart Then never believe that hence I will grieve But scorn for your scorn I can give I 'll love you no more my folly is o're Which made me so ardent before No Beauty I see my Eyes being free Which once were so blinded with thee Fancy did move when I courted thy love For thou did'st a Venus ne're prove But grant thou hadst been as fair as a Queen Thy cruelty spoiled thy mien For those that still are as cruel as fair Be never
blest Throne he sits in now Before he seiz'd he did acquire below So falls this Pharaoh's Tow'r our Ages cost I' th' dust so this Ephesian Temple's tost Whose great renowned Fame shall never dy But prove the Mirror of Eternity But oh our Fate Why did'st Dear Saint so soon Turn from our Eyes thy Morning Beams to Noon We now like Hermites live all desolate Depriv'd of thee we 've lost our happy State. Like Adam when expell'd from Paradise We rove in Desarts and can find no bliss We like Heraclitus do nought but mourn And water with our tears thy silent Urn But oh that hence we Phoenix-like could bring Out of thy ashes a new Soul to spring Whose Numen might triumph o're conquer'd Fate And all our fading Joys refuscitate But ah how vain 's our wish Death's fatal stroke When once is giv'n we never can revoke O cruel Fate Could'st thou not pitch thy Toyl For other preys Must thy black doom assail This starry Sphere Do not ten thousand ly Who fondly court their Fate yet cannot dy Than him we might a Myriad better spare Whose breath and name like bubbles in the air Might vanish and the World yet feel no wo He was our Phosphore and Palladium too His worth whole Millions did preponderate Hence he so soon was struck by envious Fate So that if any one would sphere on high Transcending all he must resolve to dy For Herriot-like Fate loves to seize the best She takes them first to mend she leaves the rest Now in what Eulogies my Muse doth faint And can't express thy worth pardon Dear Saint Pardon I beg In matters so sublime To be deficient may not seem a crime But where my Pen enough can't celebrate Let Fame's shrill Trump the rest ebuccinate An Elegie on the Death of his Grace the Duke of Ormond deceas'd July the 20th 1688. WHen Heav'n's bright Orb withdraws his ruddy Face And Nights black Scene invades the World apace How do the Persians veil their streaming Eyes And still emplore their flying God with cries So when our radiant Earthly Stars do fall Their horrid Fate lamented is by all Whose stony hearts are not enmarbl'd round And where a place for pity may be found Thus all now mourn cause the great Ormond's dead Ormond with whom now all our joys are fled Ah Tragic Scene Tears sparkle in our Eyes And with sad groans we all do sympathize The Marble melts through grief The Rocks rebound And from all Coasts most doleful shrieks resound The Court which sparkling Jewels did adorn In Sables is now drest in blacks doth mourn Whilst all the Great Ones Eyes do silent weep Which manifests their sorrow 's the more deep Nor is it e're to be compris'd in Verse How many Mourners did pursue his Herse But should we all our Tribute-tears now pay Equal to 's worth and our own loss this day The Strand would like the Thames with Water flow And ev'ry street would a deep River grow White-Hall would feed the streams with new supplies And to make Waves would vent out deep-fetcht sighs Since he from noble Veins deriv'd his Blood He by great acts his Pedigree made good If Loyalty on Earth hath now esteem It 's Magazine was situate in him No greater loss could on our State befal He was the great Palladium of all His sacred Vertue did transcend each Sphere He dwelt in Heaven when he sojourn'd here No Pride no Pomp nor praise puft up his Soul 'T was Zeal that wing'd him to the Starry Pole. Humility her Darling might him call So ready he would condescend to all If Honour then and Vertue e're in One Conjoin'd he was that Heav'nly One alone Divine Poems AND HYMNS Divine Poems AND HYMNS A Penitential Hymn 1. AWake Awake my drowsy Soul How long wilt sleep secure Shall nothing nothing thee controul Dost rest Oh! this is pure When Hell for thee doth gape her thirsty jaws And Satan threatens with his angry Paws 2. Break forth my Breast in sudden cries Prevent th' approaching woes Rouze alas rouze my slumb'ring Eyes Will ye for ever close Ah! Gush forth tears deplore those fruitless ways Wherein I foolish spent my former days 3. The dying Tree doth now revive And I forsaking Death Do now begin to seem alive And draw my wav'ring breath I 'll triumph now and drown my crimes in tears I 'll trust in God and cast off Hellish fears 4. Begon O works of darkness fly No more I 'll call you mine I now shake off sin's Lethargy And am O Lord all thine O guide me therefore in these steps to thee And grant that I thy Servant still may be A Spiritual Hymn 1. O Greatest God! O Highest Pow'r Mercy afford O mighty Lord Who dwell'st in the Coelestial Tow'r 2. The Heav'n The Earth doth thee obey Thou calm'st the Waves Thou free'st sin 's Slaves O're all things thou dost bear the sway 3. O cleanse me from Sin 's Leprosie O purge my heart And ev'ry part Let me no more sin's Vassal be 4. O wash O wash away each spot Let not one stain In me remain And all my former Crimes out blot 5. My Soul O Lord create anew And pure like thee O let it be That I thy wond'rous works may shew 6. In thee my God! I 'll put my trust I 'll serve thee still And fear none ill Let envious Satan do his worst 7. My God! My God! I 'll spread thy Fame I 'll sing always Hallelujahs And will for ever praise thy Name Penitence PUT on O Muse a penitential hue And with Castalian drops thy Face bedew That with a weeping show'r of mournful Verse I may the praise of penitence rehearse Welcome O pleasing Legacy of tears Welcome deep sighs which pierce the Heav'nly Spheres A contrite heart is Heav'n's best Sacrifice Acceptable'st in great Jehovah's Eyes The Cordial of Repentance doth revive Our Souls being dead in sin tho' seem alive The groans of Converts open Heaven's Gate And do provide for them a happy State. Thus pious David tho' had gone astray Did Heaven's wrath by 's penitence allay And as his sins were great when he rebell'd ' Gainst God so he in penitence excell'd 'T is this that doth our drossy Souls refine And makes us in pure innocence to shine No Man's own Merits can him ever save ' Less he for Christ with penitence doth crave Thou must with trembling and with careful fear O Man thy own Salvation work out here Since none alas can prove so innocent Who may not for 's repeated Crimes repent Whilst still we swell the number of our sins And ev'ry day a new addition brings The best of men in frequent errors fall And can't preserve themselves scot-free from all The tempting lures of sin But forc'd to yield Do beat it off again with Christian Shield But grant we could persist without a fault And ne're from sacred Righteousness revolt We all did in Sin 's Leprosie begin Our Lives and from