the Pole-Star which directs the way To Navigate in this World 's troubled Sea Rare Virtues Emanations far transcend the price Of the West-Indies Gold or the East-Indies Spice Rich men are Poor in covetous Conditions Poor men are Rich in envious Dispositions Refuse to Act to Day what may to morrow Procure your Torment or at least your Sorrow Rage breaks down Reasons bounds keeps no decorum Passions and Rage tumble down all before ' em Remuneration like soft April Showers In Virtues May produces Gallant Flowers Ransack the treasuring Casket of each Rock And keep the Key of that exhaustless Stock Let every Sun still view the more Renown'd Till thou the Worlds Grand Emperour art Crown'd Then take thy Shadows length see how much more Its Mensuration exceeds that before S SEcrets of Art by Industry are found Industrious Pains with noblest Gains are crown'd Such as exalt themselves above the Skies In wise mens Thoughts appear extreamly wise Soul-saving Knowledge make thy grand Inquest What Signifies all Knowledge if not blest Stars Sands and Sins vast Numbers are yet are But Cyphers when God's Mercies we compare Such as delight in others Debts to run Have pleas'd themselves till they have been undon Stars govern Men but God sets Bounds and Bars To glorius Phebus Luna and the Stars Some Lines Embryoder'd are and some more plain Which shews that Mercury does not always reign Soul-plaguing Fears Jealousie and suspition Reduce a man into a strange Condition Small Commendation serves to crown that Friend Who is a Friend for Ends unto the end Sweeter than Civet smells industrious sweat Who takes no pains he should no Panis Eat Suffering for Sin should breed no Discontent Since many have prov'd chast by Chastisement Since every Meeting must a parting have Soul soar to Heaven sink Body to the Grave Since Riches Honours Pleasures All we see Are but Injoyments here pro Tempore Let my poor Soul fix nobler hopes Above Where streams of Glory mix with Light and Love Soar not too high in Sublunary things For fear lest yours should prove Icarian Wings Satan Imploys all Instruments he can To bring to ruin that poor Thing call'd Man Skie-scaling Groans from Contrite hearts ascend In favour to their never-ending End Sloath without armed Armies can Suprize All the Souls powers and noble Faculties Sleep is Death's Picture to the Life drawn forth Who sleeps too much loses both wit and worth Small Friendship less Reality is found Where fawning feighing Complements abound Some by the constant hands of Industry Out-strip the Wings of Ingenuity Sin 's pleasure like a flash is quickly past But who can tell how long the Pain may last Sleep renders Nature brisk and brave and tends To the refreshing of Man's five best Friends Shew me the man that has no Faults and I VVill teach him in the Ayre soon how to fly Some by their Tongues accumulate such wrongs That they could after wish they 'd had no Tongues Sound sence in a short sentence oft we find More than high Raptures to inform the Mind So live in every Station and Relation As that Salvation is your expectation Silver and Gold though best Times scorn'd to own 'em Are of this last worst Age the Summum Bonum Still acquiesce in Providence Divine What 's not to day to Morrow may be thine Sins Sinners minds enslave blind the Souls Eyes But in God's Service perfect Freedom lyes Sleep though a kind of Death Lifes Life appears Revivifies the Brain the Spirits chears Since a close Mouth makes a wise Head do you Hear others talk while you think what to do Some dare not live for fear of Death and some Dye to prevent the Evils that may come Such as their Minds to Curious Arts address Lay Earnest for the Worlds Chief happiness Strive to raise Monuments of lasting Fame And scorn that worthless Works should soyl your name Saying with those but little can perswade Who to believe by seeing can't be made Some think and think so long what they would do That they lose both their thoughts and Actions too Small Pain constrains us to complain but while Contentment Smiles upon us we can Smile So many men so many Minds we find And every mind as fixed as the Wind. Since Words the Minds most noble Cloathing are And Words are best Embroydered with sence And Sence is best that shines with Eloquence And Eloquence is then most Rich and Rare When Tropes and Figures shew its excellence With glitt'ring Metaphors which beam from thence These properties let my Minds Vesture share T TRuth 's lucid Paths the sacred Scriptures shew Who tread not them trace Labyrinths of wo. Time 's but the short duration of a VVink VVhen on Immence Eternity we think The want of sleep which wildest Creatures tames Men to the height of Madness oft inflames The noblest of examples imitate And let contentment crown thy blest Estate To day we laugh and frolick and to morrow VVe Grunt and Groan upon the Bed of sorrow 'T is dangerous to be Great proud Cedars bow VVith Storms which move not humble Shrubs below T' insult or exsult over Misery Shews baseness mixt with inhumanity Those Lines which some may think impertinent By others will be thought most Excellent Time Tide and Carriers with the flying Sun Will stay for no man till their Race is run Think humbly of your self no Commendation Can mount you then above your proper Station Time past who hath forgot neglects the present And fears the future hath lost all things pleasant The Serpents wiles to save your self embrace And others not to harm give the Dove place The sacred Rules of Virtue bear small price With the unbounded sordid Sons of Vice This is an observation true though plain Those who most feast the Belly starve the Brain The Soul 's the Salt which doth the Body season And keep alive and the Soul's Salt is Reason Though God be Omnipresent men dare swear Were the King near them they would then forbare The Life of Nature's given that we might trace The happy foot-steps to the Life of Grace Which Life of Grace will crown those who persever Faithful till Death with Glories Life for ever Then your desires have reason to be crown'd With what you ask when Reason is their Ground 'T is not how many Arts or curious Parts we have But how well we improve the Talent that God gave To none the secret Counsels of your mind Communicate for can you hope to find One that has VVill and Power to do for you What for your self you your self could not do Th' Immaculate Fountain of all holyness Those most who most resemble Him will bless The Pen all curious Instruments transcends And in its usefulness it self commends No need of swelling high Encomiums then To Trumpet forth the praises of the Pen This does like Virtue it s own Trophies raise Sublimely high beyond the reach of praise Times change and we in them both Men and Nations
Cocker's Morals OR THE MUSES Spring-Garden Adorned with many Sententious Disticks Poems In ALPHABETICAL ORDER Fitted for the Use of all Publick and Private Grammar and Writing Schools for the Scholars of the first to turn into Latin and for those of the other to Transcribe into all their various and curious Hands Omne Bonum Dei Donum By Edward Cocker Practitioner in the Arts of Writing Arithmetick and Engraving and published for the benefit of Learners London Printed for Thomas Drant at the Ship in St. Mary Axe and T. L. at the Golden Lyon near the Meal-Market in Southwark Stationer 1675. To my Honoured FRIEND Mr. ELEAZAR WIGAN That Famous Writing-Master Living at the Hand and Pen on Great Tower-Hill LONDON TO you you rare Commander of the Quill Whose Wit and Worth deep Learning and high Skil Speak you the Honour of Great Tower-Hill How said I Honour of Great Tower-Hill Yea all Great London all the World your Skill Will with excessive admiration fill To You th' ensuing Verses I present Whose great Imployments prudent Management Proclaims your Skill and Conduct Excellent Crown them with Rayes of your auspitious Sight Survey them first then let them take their flight For every Learner's profit and Delight Thus round the World you will Vrania send Thus will her spreading Wings your Fame extend And thus you will endear your real Friend Edward Cocker To the Reader IF here you meet with any worthless Line Humanum est errare Stamps it mine But if you find here any Worthy Line It from a Fountain flows that's more Divine So Read as to commit to Memory All Sentences worthy that Treasury And so remember all as that you may In season practice them and so display Their Influence as Honour may redound To GOD and you may be with profit crown'd AGAIN SOme in compendious Epigrams shew forth With charming Artifice their Wit and Worth Some with rich Lines and Emblems well design'd At once affect the Readers Eye and Mind Some in Soul-pleasing Pastorals do prove How Coridon did Amarillis love Some high flown Brains in lofty Strains indite The amazing terrours of some horrid Fight Some with Satyrick lashes of the Pen Anatomize the vicious Lives of men Some with Historick Lines their Readers please Relating Feats and Fights on Land and Seas Some with high Raptures fitted to the Lyre Ingenious Readers well-pleas'd Souls inspire Some with Heroick Strains of noblest kinds And choicest Theams inflame their Readers Minds Some which beyond the rest deserve the Bays Wisely exalt their great Creators Praise With many more whose varions rare Inventions Delight their own and others Apprehensions But I the last and least strive to teach Youths Good Manners and inrich their Minds with truths Edward Cocker A A Christians noblest Ensign is the Cross And all things to belief in Christ are dross Alas what are the Best of Human Race Till their rude Natures are improv'd by Grace All Arts by powerful Industry are gain'd And by continu'd Exercise retain'd Affection make your Servant Will your Slave Passion your Drudge you 'r then a Prince most brave A love to Learning is th' unfailing Clue That leads us Learnings Rarities to view Advance your Plumes be bold yet humbly wise Thus high you may stand firm and low arise A faithful Friend is as the Phoenix rare And who can find where two such Creatures are Action and Virtue if we separate They both into the Aire evaporate Abhor to Navigate in troubled Seas And hate the Company of Sloath and Ease A good Effect may spring from a bad Cause Both cross to Reasons and to Natures Laws Accept a Courtesie at first Rebound And wait not till a second may be found Arithmetick scorning all Bounds and Bars Transcends Earths Sands in numbers and Heavens Stars As by degrees ill Customes have been taken So by degrees they best may be forsaken Ascend not Honours Alpes the price is small Tempt not the danger of a dreadful Fall Although we know our Steps would lead to Woe We find it hard not in those steps to goe Action thou Queen of Virtues what high Praise What Trophies to thy Honour shall I raise It far transcends Man's skill thy Worth to rate All those who Love not Thee their own Souls hate All famous Monuments beneath the Skie Thy Excellence commend and magnifie A healthful Temper you may best advance By Moderation and wise Temperance At other Mens enjoyments to Repine What augmentation will it prove to thine As Tygres vex'd their Spots more plain appear So Men provok'd their Passions Domineer Amendment of concernment is to all Virtues vast Columnes but for this would fall A Suretie is a sure tie he 's most sure Who is from Bonds and Surety-Ship secure Ambition and Presumption mount Men high But if they fall the more 's their misery Abstain from Creature-Comforts all you can And that 's the way to prove a happy Man Amazing heights fondly aspire not to Fools mount and fall the Wise walk safe below Act nothing but what you may safely own And what you need not blush at being known At smallness of Estate never Repine He that hath less would gladly change for thine Artists invested with rare Skill and worth Scorn that their Tongues the same should trumpet forth Always with Honour Fear and Reverence Meditate on th' Immense Omnipotence Adorn your Place if entertain'd in Trust By being Impartial Diligent and Just All you that in fair Writing would excell How much you write regard not but how Well A Gift with a sweet violence entrance makes And the deceiv'd Receiver Captive takes At Board accept what your Friend 's pleas'd to Carve Observe not hastily your self to serve A man would strange to view the distances Of Promises and their Performances A Tongue that 's now rough as the coursest File Can in a moment be more smooth than Oile Always contend not do not always strive For sometimes to Retreat is to Retrive All Scholars these three Lessons much concern Grace and good Manners with a will to learn A Christian contemplating things Divine Enjoys a Pasgah-Sight of Palestine Assume a noble Resolution strain Your Faculties rare Sciences to gain Amorous Embracements and Adulterous fires Abhor and quench hate all but chast desires Arithmetician make your Art appear Compute your Sins Sum-Total for a Year All rare Projections sink though nobly high Projectors wanting Chink for their supply All our Designs in this vain World should tend To future-Hopes this Life will quickly end Affection with Instruction and Direction Are the Renowned Handmaids of Perfection Against that time when Death and Time must die Resigning all up to Eternitie Most solemnly prepare that you may stand Amongst the ever blest on Christ's right hand All God's Commandments are Divinely pure By keeping them men keep their Souls secure Art rarifies the Mind and various wayes Improves dull Nature to JEHOVA's Praise All things are mutable beneath the Skie And nothing constant but
or your Graver Hath equal'd those strive to produce still braver Thus well resolv'd and keeping constant pace You may prove first in Arts renowned Race In Hells out-courts that wretched Soul appears Who lives a Slave to Jealousies and Fears If worse than we should prove our Generation Abomination will turn Recreation In dubious Matters prudent Counsel chuse This Solomon himself would not refuse If we gain Arts with industry 't is fair But to come see and overcome 't is rare If thy own Country be for thee too small Begin betimes to Travel o're Earth Ball. Imploy your Wisdom all your pow'rs apply In time to gain a blest ETERNITY If thy Friend flinches let that Friend therefore Come to thy Bosomes Cabinet no more Injustice offer not unto the just God will revenge they trust in whom they trust If every idle word requires account To what will Oaths and Blasphemies amount If some Lines want such Wit as you could wish Know we 're not bound to Sauce you every Dish In this Worlds Maze thousands of ways men run With full speed to undo or be undon If other men with Arts and Parts out-vie Strive to transcend them all in Industrie If Elegantly how to Write you 'd know Read such Composures as are written so If men by sinning any Good could win They would not want it for the want of Sin If to be cheated you no Stomach have Mens Deeds not words your best attention crave In hot Disputes men strain Mouthe and rant high Striving for Victory not VERITY In greatest Calms for greatest Storms prepare Wisdom's Grand Admonition is Beware If our Lifes Glass could thousand Ages run Yet at the last those thousands would be don If Portion to thy parts Proportion bears Give Thanks to him who gives to all their Shares In his own presence no man's Praise proclaim Nor In his absence any one defame If your hand works not to procure a Stock 'T is ten to one but it your Mouth will mock If you would conquer your Souls Mortal Foes To armed Vices Virtues arm'd oppose In Choice and Judgment he Extreamly errs Who Strangers before well-known Friends prefers Imployment prove Improvement of our parts And Practice gains Experience in all Arts. Into Arts Labyrinths or Natures Pry Be bold Beneath but not above the Skie Is your State low would you to Riches soar Abandon all those ways that made you Poor If you intend to help a Friend at Need Do it with all Imaginable Speed If by fair Promises you Friends do gain Let fair performances those Friends maintain If Industry produces Excellence VVe multiply't to Quantities Immense It is not for the want of Negligence That many thousands want Arts Excellence If Nature gives Proportion and rare Beauty To match them with good Manners is your Duty If you Proportion want and are not fair Let Grace and Manners their defects repair Ill Will never speaks well curs'd Spleen and Spight VVere never Cordial Friends to Truth and Right If you so nobly cannot Act as you see another man do Boldly bravely quit your self by doing what you can do If the wise Gard'ner lays aside his Knife His Plants will riot in a vitious Life K KEep Company with Virtues true Relations Of uncontaminated Reputations Knowledge that puffs up the Possessor's mind Is evermore of a pernicious kind Knowing the way couragiously advance And shun Converse with Sons of Ignorance Know how to time your Business this Concern Puts thousands to a loss that are to Learn Know thy self first and then begin to Scan The imperfections of another Man Keep Company with Virtues true Relations Of uncontaminated Reputations Know all Mechanicks that for Riches strive To mind your Business is the way to thrive Keep up the Top-sail of your Reputation Let none out-sail you in your Occupation Knew you the worth of the Pens Excellence And how its Lovers it does Recompence And of what high Account Accompts do make Knowing accomptants then you Pains would take Both Night and Day play should aside be thrown To make these profitable Arts your own Knaves commonly for Fools do prove Providers Riches like head-strong Horses throw their Riders Keep Peace in thine own Breast who keeps this Road May bid defiance to all Wars abroad Know you not this vain Worlds Imperious Minion It is that All-commanding Quean Opinion Kindle no Flames of Strife he that loves Strife Hates peace the Comfort of a Christian Life Knaves are the Bane of their own Reputation The Pest and Caterpillers of a Nation Kind hearts are unkind only to themselves Whose Barks oft split on their own Rocks and Shelves Kidds may grow Goats so young Sins may grow old If you with Satans Baits dare be too bold Kick not nor Spurn at Government Inferiors Must live in due obedience to Superiors Keep at a distance from the Sons of Vice Once known endanger not your Souls health twice Knock hard at Mercies Gate and think no pains To hard nor time too long for such bless'd Gains Kindred in Friendships Orb but rarely move So certainly as Strangers linck'd in Love Keels ballasted with Gold from Ophir came To inrich wise Solomon and gild his Fame Kingdoms to Heav'ns Immensitie appear As Birds Neasts small compar'd to Kingdoms here Kill growing Vices for if they Controul They will destroy your Body and your Soul L Lovers of Learning learned soon will prove The half-way house to Learning is their love Let brave examples your prompt mind inspire To imitate what others most admire Learn so to live as not to fear to dye That you may dye to live Eternally Let us not soar too high nor sink too low But every one his proper Station know Let Order Measure and Proportion make All Actions noble which you undertake Labour proves light where true Delight attends Where Love begins Industry bravely ends Let no vain Pleasures your clear Reason blind And hate to seek what you abhor to find Love covers multitudes of Faults but hate Old Faults discovers and does new create Let 's not desirous be to live here long Or once to Act our old Sins o're again As we grow weak Diseases grow more strong And we complain because Complaints in Vain Fly from our troubled Breast O therefore let Us Earth discard and Heav'ns Assurance get Let all wild Worldlings this unto their Sence apply They most themselves enjoy who most themselves deny Love distant Climes unites in this we find It is not where the Man is but the Mind Let Esculape's wise Son who heals thy Wound Be with the Garland of thy Praises Crown'd Life lives in Temperance Intemperance Most of all Sins Death's Standard doth advance Lifes noblest Theory good Precepts are Examples shew Lifes practick part most rare Let Moderation your requests commend By thus demanding yo command your Friend Lines worded well and season'd well with Sence Have on Ingenious Minds great Influence Leave Youths to their own Conscience and then How soon think you
sways Our Faults our Friends and our Instructions we Are strangely subject to forget those Three Of bad Examples Satan's Baits beware And shun them as a Pestilential Ayre Our choicest Flowers we smell to most and they Soon breath their last their Glories first decay Of a quick Friend and a slow Enemy Beware and glozing Adulators fly Only those Noble Souls are truely free That can deny themselves their Libertie One great part of our life is swallow'd by Death's brother Our Meals and Recreations do devour another That part which we imploy in worthy VVorks is small But smaller's that wherein we serve Him who gives all Opinion guides our Passions and Affections And all our Fancies follow her Directions Our Time our VVit our Strength we spend our Coyn to gain And spend our Strength VVit Time to spend that Coyn in vain O that I could invent some powerful Rhime To make all Learners learn to prize their Time Of all the Birds whose Wings divide the Ayre Arabias Phaenix is the only Rare Shee from the Ashes of her fragrant Urn Another Glorious Phaenix does return Which shews a supernatural Perfection And Typifies Man's happy Resurrection P PRofess not what you know you know not for All knowing Men will such a Man abhor Proportion is the Golden Rule whence you May learn what 's fit to do and not to do Pride and Ambition lend men Spreading wings To Act the most ridiculous of Things Praise others but deny your self and then Your Company will please Ingenious Men. Procrastination dangerous was found Where quick-dispatch might the Event have Crown'd Philosophers those thriving Seeds Sow which More than their own do future Times enrich Presume not on Futuritie Vexation Most commonly attends Procrastination Pass not thy judgment on anothers end But inward look and know the Best may Mend. Pitty it is so many should enjoy Learning and yet their Talents not Imploy Parents would have their Children Richly learn But Masters poor Rewards pinch that concern Praise some desire when they dispraise deserve Thus worthless Fools their own vain humours serve Presume not on Lifes length Death a young Lam Bears to his Fold as soon as an old Ram. Praise or applause which from without we win Signifies nothing if not Crown'd within Pride when her Plumes are spread in Pomp and Glory Forgets her Gallantry is transitory Prize beyond western Gold or Eastern Spice The Sole-advancing Treasures of advice Practice gives Motion to the Pen-mans hand Fair Writings Excellencies to command Pelion on Ossa Sin on Sin we heap Yet though we sow so so we would not Reap Philosophy Divine court and recourt She can As man's above a Beast mount man above a Man Prodigious Products from mens Acts we see From not fore-thinking what th' Events might be Pitty it is that Heaven-born Charity Is grown of late so great a Rarity Poor Worms-meat Soar not to the hight of State Humility is honours Palace Gate Pure Temperance a pure good Temper breeds But Gluttony all noysom Humours feeds Perform thy promise keep within Faiths Bounds Who breaks his Word his Reputation wounds Patience Disquiet calmes charms Discontents And arms mens Minds against the worst events Prosperity first greets them with her Smiles And in the End her Proselytes beguiles Praise and dispraise the VVise esteem alike One cannot Stroke them nor the other Strike Prudence commands that Silence we should break When we than that can Something better Speak Pitty it is so many go to learn Who not so much as think of that Concern Q QUickly are all those Sublunaries goâ—… Which we vain Mortals so 〈…〉 Quickly therefore their â—…mpting 〈…〉 Since they must go from us or we from 〈◊〉 Questions profound and dark Enigmas tend To exercise mens Brains but to no end Qualms qualms succeed like as our Stomacks so Our Minds have Crudities that breed our Wo. Quaint Out-sides win on most Spectators Eyes Whilst real worth ill cloath'd neglected lyes Quarles quondam Poet for rare Lines Divine Still wares fresh Lawrels still his Tapers shine Quintus Curtius Embalm'd great Alexander's name Whose Pen from Age to Age perpetuates his Fame Quintilian's Tongue as in Fames Rolls appears Lead his admiring hearers by the Ears Quash Calumnies defame the Defamations Darted from Envious Tongues at your Relations Quills into curious Pens are made from whence Letters flow which make words and words make sence Quilt Earth's vast Ball with Numbers all imply But Cyphers to Immence Eternity Quotidian Practice may make this Imployment Of Sublunary Things your best Enjoyment Question not but wise management of Time Will make your humble Fortunes more sublime Quoth Will I am resolv'd reveng'd to be Quoth Wit have patience and be rul'd by me Qualifications Virtuous and Pious Should be belov'd honour'd and sought for by us Quit this Worlds Stage you must when your part 's play'd Get Earnest timely for a better lay'd Quarrelsom Natures meet their unkind Kind And commonly what such Men seek they find Quadrate with none whose Acts pronounce them base No Goodness springs from an ungodly Race Quadrunities high-priz'd I wish these mine Good parts good Books good Friends good store of Coin Quinsay China's cheif City even Immense An hundred Miles is in Circumference Quote in the Folio of your best Affections Him that 's a faithful Friend without Objections Quality oft for Soveraignty contends VVith quantity and her vast Bulk transcends Quietness and Serene Contentment are The best Companions in this Mundane Sphear No Golden Fear no heart-consuming Care Dare in their charming presence to appear All is sweet safe and sound within their Bounds No noise their Rest no VVar their peace confounds R RAnge the worlds VVildernesses and you can Find no such Beast of Prey as man to man Rashness draws crooked and un-artful Lines And is a Remora to brave Designs Reason and Learning much concern his pate VVho from his Cradle is Illiterate Rouze up my flaming Genius Heav'n inspire My Soul with something of Etherial Fire Let all brave English Youths who read these Lines Be ev'n inchanted with my good Designes Let these their brave Heroick Spirits raise To practice Virtue and give Him the praise From th' Influence of whose great Providence The Excellent derive their Excellence Reports somtimes which sland'rous Tougues have spread Have caus'd a difference 'twixt the Eares and Head Resolve Revolve Involve Inform Reform But keep God's Fort your Conscience from a Storm Rather depend upon your Fingers Ends Then fix your Expectations on your Friends Read Books Men Manners Times and you 'l confess That the VVorld's Supreme Virtue is Success Reason VVit Knowledge all your parts present To Him by whom they were but only lent Rather than be quite broke wisely submit and Bend 'T is mighty folly with the mighty to contend Religion is the Soul of Innocence Moving in an unspotted Conscience Rare ARTS with Care and Pains obtain and keep Into mens mouths they drop not as they sleep Reason's