dayes sample shew'th Set in their graves in 'th morning of their youth A needfull caution to the younger frie Sith life it selfe is but uncertaintie And death no time prescribes or can it stay But it will come at all how'rs of the day That every one they stand upon their guard Remembring ever that death never spar'd Youth for youths sake But for the practice of his bow will slay All sorts of game that comes within his way Be 't Stagge Buck Hynd Doe Herse Calfe or Phone All 's one to him and he to all is one Whether it out of season be or in Impartially he reaketh not a pin Ah when I heard them sorrowfully say That thou wert dead the very like dismay In every face I did observe mee thought As when in Pharo's Land sad newes was brought That in one instant time and casually One was found slaine in every familie Somuch unhappy tydings one nights scope Can bring to light to strangle all our hope Sith when to day with joy I heard them tell The worst is past and hope thou shouldst doe well The morrow next by breake of day I heare The Passing-bell invite thee to thy Beare And to prepare thy selfe for going hence Which message though with Christian confidence Through strength of highest hope and faith-unfain Didst readily and joyfull entertain So like a full ripe nutt slipt from the shell Thou slip'st away and bad'st us all farewell But well without thee Ah! how can wee fare With whose sweete company we wont repare Our former losse of time which wee mispent In idlenesse or things impertinent Oh my deere WELD whose conversation was So lovely unto mee could sighs alas And true-shed teares the characters of griefe Unto thy sicknesse added have reliefe Had it in power of learned Leach-craft ly'n Or in the miracle of Medicine A noble Art no doubt which can againe New twist the thred of life nigh crackt in twaine Could devout pray'rs of friends have thee repriv'd From death and made thee to be longer liv'd Thou shouldst not now thy Friends and Parents backs Have cloath'd all over thus in mourning blacks Ne all their heavie hearts shouldst now have clad In sable mantle of thoughts dark and sad Ne should my Muse have on thy heavie Herse O heavie Herse attend in sable Verse Ne yet the eyes of my ink-stained quill On my white-cheekt leaves these blacke teares distill How lovely wert thou living unto all All for thou wert not sullen-cynicall Nor of a supercilious-haughtie eye But affable and full of courtesie Well pleas'd with mirth and harmlesse merriment Which but injuriously can ne're be shent How did all hugge thee and embrace for thy ' Thy hardly-sampled selfe and company How joy'd all at thy comming and in heart How sad and sorrowfull at thy depart Yea and now dead how doth each thing retaine Like love to thee and of thee beene as faine When weary thou thy death-bed didst forsake How readie was thy winding-sheet to take Thee in her milke-white armes not satisfi'd Till wholly to her selfe the did thee hide And next thy coffin being very proud At'th second hand t' injoy thee in thy shrowd For love of thee the sheete where thou dost dwell Doth hugge and kisse much like the loving shell That for the almons sake the tender skin Encloseth round where th'almond lyeth in And then the Earth which living lov'd thee so To kisse thy feet where ever thou didst goe With no lesse love doth now embrace thy chest Within her owne deere bosome long to rest Till thou whom shee seemes so in love withall In thine owne dust into her armes dost fall Last when thy soule of thee did take her leave An Angell readily did it receive And in his winged armes did it convey Nimbly to Heaven and still all the way With sacred kisses courted it and sang To it a Requiem sweet whereat it sprang In 's Armes for joy no doubt for very joy That it should now so suddenly enjoy The blessed vision of her Lord who dy'd Ingloriously her glory to provide How can I then but living thee admire Whom ' live and dead both Heaven and Earth desire Farewell deerfriend too soone ripe long to last Happie young man who so long journey hast In so small time dispatcht such hap as this The first heires of the first world long did misse And staid sometimes a thousand yeares well nigh Ere they as thou su'd out their Livery Happy young man and fortunately blest In all and amongst all not blessed least In thy Mecoenas that thrice-noble Lord Who count'nance to thy learning did afford Ne onely did thee hold in great regard But thee with bounteous hand did oft reward And grac'd thy person for thy vertues sake Mote learning-selfe and learned men him make Full great requitall gentle Lord for this And make his fame the golden Starres to kisse And by the power of their mightie Muse The praises eccho lowd of the Great Bruce And honour him who in so deere account Holds the true sonnes of the Syonian Mount Him leaving henceforth standing brave enrowl'd Amongst the Ancient Roman Peeres of old Mecoenas Varus Pollio Patrons all Whose show'rs of bountie downe did daily fall On merit and true worth and men of Art Cherisht and by their goodnesse kept in heart Forsooth the Lord whom I so truly vant All noble vertues in his bosome hant And as himselfe indeed right learned is Which Ah great pittie most great men doe misse So hath hee al 's ' a bounteous heart to prize And tender vertue and good qualities In all in whomsoever they appeare The very essence of a noble Peere Pardon great Lord this poore Parenthesis Which but the skirt of thy just praise doth kisse And which by way of humble thankes I send In name of my late living now dead friend Who living honour'd thee and spake all good Of thee and thine and thy rare bountihood That in his sicknesse didst so oft addresse Thy messengers and golden messages Yea and in person daign'st to visit him Where in he read to him thy great esteeme That had not mortall beene his maladie It much had made to his recoverie The joy and heartie comfort he conceiv'd Of'th gracious words and deeds from thee receiv'd God recompence this love to thee and thine Tenfold which thou to that deere friend of mine Whilst I returne againe to make an end Of this course webbe which I did him intend Which ere I fully finish take by the way Deere NAT this little what I have to say Unmanly 't is I know for men alive With Soule-divorced bodies once to strive Yet well as once I lov'd thee I must have A Contestation with thee in thy Grave Wee see by proofe 't is usuall in our Land For Traders having got into their hand All upon trust from others what they may Oft suddenly to breake and run away For their owne ends not caring to undoe Their Creditors with wives and
Whose riddle who so wise is to unfold Why the Suns course it daily follows so That as that to the South or West doth goe So broad or narrow this doth shut or ope And hight for thy ' the faithfull Heliotrope Then with Rose-buds if Rosebuds may be found It tissue thicke and traile it all around And last a traile of winding Ivie let Run all along on either side beset With sprigs of Daphnis stain'd with drops of gold And Olive leaves that still with peace doth hold In signe that hee with conquest dy'd in peace And doth the number of the Saints increase In eviternall peace free from annoy Of all this worlds fond cares which wont destroy All true content and racks mens hearts in twaine And makes them old before their time to gaine Some one or other worldly good which hence They must not with them beare and this torments Their very soules and makes that grudgingly With great reluctance hopelesse many die So nor in life nor death with peace are blest But to returne whence I too farre digrest Now on his Herse a counterpoint be cast And on this counterpoint this Garland plac't In token of th'integritie and truth And single Caelibat of his chast youth For single life right soberly maintain'd And kept from being vitiously profan'd Gaines thanks of God and man and with renowne And happy praise both life and death doth crowne Now forward set in order two and two And to the Temple doe before him goe Some with long Rosemary-branches in your hands Dangling with blacke and ashie-pale Ribbands And some againe with both your handfulls come Of sav'ry Dyll and senting Marjorum And that Thessalian herbe whence busie bees Suck hunny and with waxe doe load their knees And all the way with slips of wormwood dresse In signe of this dayes bitter heavinesse Clean-purging Isop bring and Germander With Cotton and her sister Lavander Bring Balme that quickly heales any green wound And sage that all the vitall parts keeps sound And Camomel how ever meane and base The Embleme of true constancie and grace That doth against all scornfull feet oppose And much more sweet for thy ' and thicker growes And Sallet-budded Broom wholsome and good To purge and eeke the waterish-wasted blood Bring Strawberry Primrose Plantan leaves Toutsain And all what ever Simples soveraigne For mans reliefe for in or outward cure Bring some of all leave none behinde be sure Bring Saint Iohns Wort whose vertuous oyle may dare For skill in healing with selfe Balme compare And Lungwort soveraigne above all the rest To ease the straitned bellowes of the brest And all the worts that ere yee reckon can For they are all wel-willers unto man And let not herbe of Grace forgotten bee Which as 't is such with him doth well agree For full was hee of grace and as 't is Rewe It us befits our rewfull hearts to shew Yea Rushes bring which strewed wont to been To welcome friendly strangers seldome seene But bring no hearbs I charge of evill fame That banefull ever to mans life became To let in death ere their appointed howre By their cold juice and inward deadly power Therefore I you areed no sleepie slip Of Poppie 'mongst your other hearbs let slip No Coloquintida ne no Henbane Nor Hemlocke that intoxicates the braine Nor Fennell-finkle bring for flattery Begot of lies and fained courtesie But above all as yee love him this day Whose funerall yee doon attend I pray Bring not the leaves of that sowre Indian fume The common Mountebanke which not the rheum But all diseases else to cure dare vaunt At least prevent which in our bodies haunt Which taints the breath and worse than any goat Doth make it stinke whereon men so do doate That morning Noone and Night they wont it take And their continuall deere companion make So like that poysonous Arrian Heresie It all the world hath over-run well nigh For now all matters ended or begun Must through this smoakie purgatory runne And all what ere wee eate and drinke is choak'd Yea sacred meat and drinke therewith are smoak'd With that pragmatick-crotched-pated Fryer Who Niter first devis'd to set on fire And to discharge it from that fatall gin To 'th bane of men to thunder neere of kin May he of all posteritie be curst Who brought this weed in daily practice first Ah for 't was this unsavory fulsome weed That traiterously conspir'd his death indeed Provoking him to cough which broke a veine Within his lungs first causer of his bane All wee for thy ' who now bewitched are With this deceitfull drugge in time beware Now all ye mourners who the honour have To beare him on your shoulders to his grave Take up your load and weeping all the way Unto his shadie chamber him convey The mother earth is readie to receive Her welcome child there in her armes him leave Thus finisht is midway my dolefull song Which ere I any further doe prolong My selfe I doe apply and turne my speech To whom it most concernes and them beseech For his deere sake whose memory is deere As was his life and love to mee too here In Jet or Touch these sorry lines ingraffe Too much though true is for an Epitaph Here WELD hath left his body in this Tombe In pawne till hee againe from Heaven come Whither hee 's gone on pilgrimage before The happy Saints to visit and adore His blessed Lord and Saviour till Doomes-day Where hee to wait on him intends to stand Then underneath his Monument write this Though of farre better hee most worthy is In plates of shining Brasse of purpose made And in black Marble on his Grave inlaid Here lyes the Mould the Coffin and the Shell That doth the Shell the Mould and Coffin hold Where late our deare friends blessed soule did dwell Now Heaven is to this blessed soule the Mould The Coffin and the Shell become untill The generall Assises of the world when all Soules their owne Moulds and Coffins shall fulfill And to their old Shels every Kernell fall In hopefull expectation of which day Our worthy WELD whom wee so justy mourne Leaves here his Gage that he 'll no longer stay Than he must needs but suddenly returne True signe that of his word hee will be just Thus in his absence to leave us the care Of his deere dust as his Feoffees in trust O Grave for his sake sacred be well ware No violence be done unto his dust But kept inviolate untill he come Till then religious Ashes rest in peace More than Mausolus in his glorious Tombe Till the renewing of your lives old lease And as a poore Appendix to his Tombe Writ so as to be read vouchsafe a roome To this my secret plaint and private mone Conceiv'd in silence to my selfe alone When at his grave I did recall to minde The fickle-fraile condition of mankind Ah for my friend who wish'd and lov'd mee well I him as well I
defend it should in sovenance And faire requitall of your love I le pay You teares for teares and sighs for your sighs nay Unwilling barely to repay your owne I le pay you interest of ten for one And till my briny braine be drayned dry Will side with you and mourne incessantly Ab for your griefe will bring to memorie Mine owne unhappy griefe and keepe my wound Still bleeding fresh whilst ev'ry seeming sound And each like word that even but relates And to his name alludes insinuates And will my heart with newes thereof informe Still raising in my bosome a new storme So shall your mone my mournfull mone augment For full of harmony a sweet consent Of sorrow is with sorrow teares with teares And griefe in parts the musicke higher reares But now from you my conference must breake Whilst all my other mourners I do thus bespeake PHYALA LACRHYMARUM YE Lady Graces and yee Muses nine And all ye vertues Morall and Divine Ye Sciences and most renowned Arts And all yee sons of Art come weepe in parts And each good man who goodnesse doth admire And all save ye of the Celestiall Quire Yee Angels and ye blessed Saints possest Alreadie in Heaven of your happy rest For by our losse and sorrow all yee reape A gainfull harvest and for joy do leape All clad in sable weeds with Heben wands And Cypresse branches in your friendly hands Disshevel'd haire about your shoulders throwne With all the sorry signes of hearty mone With panting breasts with sighing well nigh rent With carefull lookes and eyes oft upward sent With ' haviour speaking nothing save neglect Of all but what on sorrow doth reflect Come sit with mee and helpe mee to condole The sad departure of the blessed soule From the dead corps of this deare friend of ours And with your teares as with so many showers Embalme it over all and strew his herse With the sweet fragrant odours of your verse Sith like a body that hath lost a limbe Each of you all do suffer losse in him Yea with so lowd alewes and drerement Let be your plaints and over him lament That future Ages in your griefe likewise For losse of him with you may sympathize And cause an Annuall Obit to be held In his remembrance whom they nee'r beheld But that you may no Ceremonies fit In your last dutie unto him omit Ere yee upon him locke his Coffin doore And in a bath of your salt teares all o're And dewe of Roses steep'd in Amber grize Having first drencht him much as may suffice Bring some of those Arabian merchandise Sweete Aromatick Gummes and pretious spice Pure Frankincense and pounded Cynamom Nutmegs with Cloves and Mace and Saffron some Add Storax-Calamite and Bengewine And pretious Spicknard unto these conjoyne Aloes with Myrrhe and Cassia-Fistula The fragrant fuell and the spicie spray Whereof that bird of selfe dusts selfe worme bred Doth build her neast to serve for her death-bed Which flaming round about her she sits downe And with sweet martyrdome her selfe doth crowne In stead of others more with these same few Thicke over all his pale dead corps bestrew But chiefe and principall of all the rest These three bestrew the Head the Mouth the Breast Sith in these three his Breast his Mouth his Head Many sweet Notions fostred were and bred And Meditations sweet well styl'd indeed The fodder of the soule did hence proceed And many sweet discourses sweetly made And pray'rs so sweet that God selfe could perswade Ne onely thus these pretious perfumes serve His corps from putrefaction to preserve But signifie how sweet and fragrant is How gratefull and accept this sacrifice Of soule and body which in life and death Hee offred hath to God and witnesseth The good report and praise like savory sent Of sweet delicious Nard of 's life well spent Which here he to the world behind him leaves So double guerdon he both here and there receives This done him in his Coffin sweetly lay Yet ere yee to his Beare do him convey Weave him a Chaplet all of flowers sweet For flowers and garlands been for virgins meet Now come with flowers not flowers by them worne Who losse of love do suffer all forlorne Bring here therefore no caytive Columbines Flowers of ill omen and unhappy signes No gaudie Tulips here admitted be Emblemes of false faire-fained sanctitie Whose worth all outward is in shew alone But inward sent hath not ne vertue none For thy ' true flowers I do not them areed But at the best a glorious kinde of weed As worthlesse simples numbred amongst them Gay Dazies of the field which wee contemne Instead of these bring store of fragrant flowers By faithfull friends and pious paramours In honour greatly held whose savorie sent Of mingled sweets doe shew the sweet content Who ere so happy be thereof to taste Of two true hearts in love united fast For well his tongue and ' haviour could indeed Of faithfull love a learned lecture read And well him love became who loyall was Unto his love unhappie love alas Which when both hearts and hands and friends consent Had all clapt hands with infinite content And all things ready to enjoying had Save publication death the Banes forbad Worthy for this were death to be contrould For certes too too blame was death and bold So hopefull crop of love like full ripe wheate To blast and smite which ready was to reape Bring bashfull Pinkes in which is to discry Sweet Embleme of faire-maiden-modestie Which though of flowers least almost the field For sweetnesse to the greatest need not yeeld Then Gilliflowers and sparkling Sops in wine With Rosemary and senting Eglantine Whose leaves with prickles fenc'd teach sweetest gains Is that that 's conquer'd with the hardest paines Next Hyacynths and black-fac'd Violets In which me seems the God of Nature sets The world to schoole not ever to esteeme Ought at first sight as it doth outward seeme But on the hidden vertue to reflect For th' inward good meane outsides to respect Sith though this flowre be blacke of stature low A hanging-guilty looke that makes no show Yet amongst all scarce one may parallel Her savory sent and sweet delightfull smell Bring Hearts-ease store Oh flower most blest of all Which all they weare whom nothing can befall Beyond their expectation ill ne ought So good as to excesse to tempt their thought Of prettie Panses plentie let be brought For this flowers name doth signifie a thought And therefore chiefly unto such belongs Who dare not trust their love unto their tongues But in a Labyrinth of thoughts doe walke And to themselves in pleasing silence talke Unthinking still what ever they first thought So nought by them is into practice brought Bring Medway Cowslips and deft Daffodillies The country Primrose and all sorts of Lillies And Floure-de-Luce Le fleur de lice more right Deliciae flos the flower of delight Then usher in th' obsequious Marigold
living saw him dead who mote have liv'd t' have bidden mee farewell And seene mee gasp my last on my death-bed But so 't pleased him who each mans vitall thread Spins as him list his thread of life to break And mine hath spar'd and longer lengthened The longer though so much more still the weake Ah the weake webbe of mans fraile flesh how soone That long was weaving is 't againe undone But if of all thy friends there be not one Some little monument of carved stone That will thee raise thy name whereon to write And none to thee this duty will acquite Yet I shall joy that I have thought it fit And that I thus to them have mention'd it And were thy friend thy sound-whole-hearted friend As thy good nature wont him oft commend In heart as once hee was and may againe If God to his indeavours say Amen This charge by him should be for thee defraid For in small cost much love may be bewrayd And if prayers lawfull were to any Saint And Saints our prayers could heare and God acquaint With what we want and in necessitie We mote poore men relieved be thereby Thou should'st my Saint of Intercession be And my deare Nat I 'de onely pray to thee For thou amongst the Saints a Saint dost dwell And reap'st the fruit there of here living well Where hope and faith both being at an end Nought thou save charitie hast to intend And Gloria Patri and Te Deum sing And quousque Domine ceasest thou to bring The world to question and the hard constraints And sufferance to avenge of thy deare Saints Thus thou in prayers and praises mixt among Dost spend or rather dost thy time prolong But now thou Muse of all the mournfullest Who at a sad and dolefull tale art best And thou Calliope whose powerfull Muse Can minister and goodly well infuse Meete matter and fit words to any one For fancie and conceit to workeupon For vertues sake assist mee to bewary Sith well I meane what I have here to say And as my Midwives helpe me forth to throw The Infants of my braine wherewith I goe And teach their new-borne tongues however weake Of this your darling worthily to speake Wherein if they so fairly them acquite To say but somewhat that may doe him right 'T will welcome prove their very naming him Will grace and adde enough to their esteeme For never man more worthy is than hee To be remembred both of you and mee Rarely was ever seen bee 't not envi'd Such a combination and so full a tyde In such an under-age of all true vvorth Where nature and Grace consented to set forth A modell to the world of what they can When they intend to frame some speciall man For every purpose and intention fit A most acuminous quick-pregnant wit A cleare fine fancie and a quaint conceit Active and nimble and yet full of weight A piercing present strong capacitie A spacious vast tenacious memorie A minde compos'd of art and industrie A heart affecting unaffectedly To make pure profit of all good mens good And each vainefull of piety as blood I say unaffectedly sith what need hee Whom Nature hath enabled to bee What ere him pleas'd affect the speech the tone The phrase gest or garb of els any one Here Art Learning Knowledge Wisedome Judgement Above his age and strange Intendement With learning and the Learned tongues as well He furnisht was the kernell as the shell Excellent in some scarce yeelding to the best Well seen and rationall in all the rest Yea what himselfe would not I dare him vant In no scientiall knowledge ignorant In so small time how deeply wert thou read And how farre travelled and traversed 〈◊〉 in the bookes of God and Nature fit to teach Both learned and unlearned out of each Loyall and full of faith and faithfulnesse To God and man in all hee did professe Here Bountie and all courteous Amenage Of Generositie the true presage As farre from surquedrous-proud-selfe-conceit Which all great wits doth commonly await As his religion and his faith was free From spot or taint of unsound heresie Here that Sal Gemmae as wee may it call Discretion which doth kindly season all A breast full fraught with cleere integritie And all set off with sweet Humilitie A winning vertue and a speciall grace To usher in a man before Gods face Than which no vertue shines but halfe so bright And without which the weightiest gold is light This added lustre and imbellishment To all his other worth where ere hee went So that as hee by vertue gain'd respect Vertue by him regain'd the like effect Each of them honour'd by each others worth As pearle in gold both sets and is set forth Yea all that man to God and man indeares Were met together in these tender yeeres Scarce the sixt yeare of 's manhood he attain'd When he this masse of vertuous treasures gain'd Where had hee but gone on as hee began And doubled his few yeares Lord what a man And to what excellence would he have growne To the worlds wonder and emulation Much have I heard of thy rich Mines Perue Thy Rubies Diamonds and Saphyrs blew And of that Island-rivers pretious shells Where orient pearle of namelesse value dwells But in one Mine one Shell one Rocke or Shore Some of all these were never found before Gardens and orchards infinite there are With all sorts of fruits and flowers rare But all at once growne on one stalke and tree I never saw till now deere NAT in thee Ah my deere Lord pardon this fault of mine If not considering well this deed of thine I too too foolish fondly have repin'd And in the heate of griefe have spoke my minde Thus sawcely Farre better a great deale Ne're to the world this jewell to reveale Than showne a while to put it up againe I' th case unseene for ever to remaine But 't was thy will and thus I answer must My discontent sith certes 't is but just That hee who makes the jewell may dispose Thereof at pleasure lest it else mote lose In this unbeveld age when 't is so hard For vertue-selfe from taint her selfe to guard Any those Diamonds and Pearls of Grace Which round about his Gemme he did enchase Unfained friend Oh how unfainedly Do I lament when I say thou didst die Why mote not I whose life is of no use Thy too too hastie death by death excuse The Sunne to set at night is naturall But if at noone to set it should befall It would the world with wonder deep dismay But should it set in 'th nonage of the day The course of nature all sorts would crye out Confounded is and quite turn'd round about And is 't not thus the very same in men When we see fouresocore fiftie threescore yeares and ten Climbe back as 't were the westerne hill againe As if the South point of their life to gaine Whilst younglings such as this
be releast Could ere redeeme such is the law of all Onely like fruit some sooner and some later fall I saw this blossome blasted in the spring I saw this flower wither'd in the budde And to my hearts eternall sorrowing This lamp new lighted beeing all too good Longer to burne in it owne oylely blood I drowned saw and quite extinguished Such is condition of all fleshlyhood Just like a buble that 's ingendred Of ayre and blistred water which eftsoone Breakes and with each small puffe of winde 's againe undone Monocchio non e misero nel presenza del cieco VVHen I consult the sacred Histories And other Stories of inferior sort And finde therein what under mysteries And plainly what they of mans life report Oft in the prime oft suddenly cut short And every day sad samples thereof see Mee seemes they secretly do mee exhort To fit my selfe the very next to be And meekly more my misery to beare Compar'd with others greater in degree As hee whose one eye perled is and bleare Seemes blest to him who can at all not see So they who others greater griefe and mone Can call to minde gaine strength to beare their owne Animali d'ogni sorte se trovarno nel Rete della morte HOw many a subtile snare and guilefull gin Hath man devis'd and daily doth devise To take all sorts of feather'd fowles therein Some birds nathlesse so warie been and wise Not to be tane for all his subtilties But there 's a fowler layes his deadly gins Man to intrap as man doth birds surprize Spreading his nets when his life first begins And though all things his fatall nets perceive Yet never bird this fowler could deceive All sorts to him beene all indifferent Ringtailes Buzzards Puttocks Ravens Crowes Pyes Th' imperiall Eagle and the Falcon Gent Pigions Parakitoes Peacocks and Popingies And Nightingales which pipe and minstrelize By night to all that fearfull shunne the day Yea and the Phoenix if yet mortall eyes Such Phoenix ever saw as Stories say In that foule-crab-fac'd-fowlers horrid hands Must gasp their last-fetcht-breath see where he stands O'gni dolore nuntio di morte SOre sicke him chanc'd a jolly Courtier fall Though not to death as he him surely thought But death unthought of doth upon him call And readie was away him to have caught Whereat amaz'd this Courtier him besought Not all so suddenly him to surprize But respit him some time that so he mought Prepare himselfe to die before he dies And three dayes warning prayes him send before He from this light his life did meane to reave To which death soone agrees so takes his leave Many yeares after as this Courtier sate For ought he felt in perfect strength and health Seriously thinking how to antidate Anothers life and seize on all his wealth Death suddenly comes skipping in by stealth Crying away The Gallant him upbraids of promise breach Not I quoth death but thou false to thy selfe Five fits o' th stone foure agues two fevers each Gray-haire the paine and losse of teeth all these With many a wrinkle since I from thee went My warnings and fore-runners I thee sent Dopo il Givoco cosi va nel sacco il Re come il Pedone IF in my weake conceit for selfe disport The world I sample to a Tennis-court Where fate and fortune daily meet to play I doe conceive I doe not much misse-say All manner chance are Rackets wherewithall They bandie men like balls from wall to wall Some over Lyne to honour and great place Some under Lyne to infame and disgrace Some with a cutting stroke they nimby send Into the hazzard placed at the end Resembling well the rest which all they have Whom death hath seiz'd and placed in their grave Some o're the wall they bandie quite away Who never more are seene to come in play Which intimates that even the very best Are soone forgot of all if once deceast So whether silke-quilt ball it bee or whether Made of course cloth or of most homely lether They all alike are banded to and fro And all at last to selfe same end do goe Where is no difference or strife for place No odds betweene a Trype-wife and your Grace The penny-counter's every whit as good As that which in the place of thousands stood When once the Audit's full cast up and made The learned Arts well as the manuall Trade The Prisoner and the Judge upon the Bench The pampred Lady and the Kitchin-wench The noble Lord or Counsailor of State The botchy-Lazer begging at the gate Like Shrubs and Cedars-mingled ashes lye Without distinction when they once do dye Ah for unpartiall death and th'homely grave Looke equall on the freeman and the slave So most unpartiall umpires are these twain A King with them 's but as a common Swain No upper hand 'twixt dust of poore and rich No Marshall there to sentence which is which And once resolv'd to powder none can ken The dust of Kings from dust of other men But as at Chesse when once the game is doon The side which lost and that as well which woon The victor King and conquer'd pawne together Jumbled are tumbled to th' same bagge of lether Without regard whether the pawne or King Therein lye uppermost or underling Nathlesse all sorts each sexe of purpose winke And of this destinie doon seldome thinke Living alacke as life should never faile And deeme of death but as an old wives tale Post mortem nescio cujus VVHy do the mightie beare themselves so high And vant their parentage and long discent Why do the rich so swell with surquedry Of their huge wealth which is but to them lent But till their lives uncertaine terme be spent Though where's the odds or what 's the difference Between the wealthy and the indigent When both unto the grave once part from hence Within a while their dust so mingled is That none can safely say this dust was his or his So have I seene the boistrous-body'd oake That above all her wide-spred armes enhanc't I saw it lopt with many a sturdie stroke From side to side I saw it thorow lanc't I saw it fall and headlong disadvanc't The silly shrub that there beside was growne I likewise saw quite rooted up and rancht I saw them both into the fire throwne I saw them wasted and in ashes lye But whethers ashes were by no meanes could discry Il sonno e una morte vivente VVHen I doe weigh how little differing Life is from death how little or nought at all Death is from sleepe when neere so small a thing Can make them all be transubstantiall Oh what amazement on my minde doth fall And I do wonder how I sleepe or wake Sith unto death in nature they so neere partake And in the morning after quiet sleepe When I consider to how
weake a guard My pretious life I did commit to keepe Being for death a thing not very hard To seize his brothers right sith if compar'd Sleep 's but a breathing death death breathlesse sleep I feele a tingling chilnesse over all my bones to creepe Prosopopeia Corporis Animae valedicturi Adios a rivederci MY lovely frend that long hast been content To dwell with mee in my poore Tenement Whose bulke and all the stuffe both warp and woofe Is all of clay the floor and the roofe Though yet thou ne're foundst fault ne didst upbraid This homely hermitage so meanly made O mine owne darling my deere daintie one And wilt thou now indeed from mee be gone Ah for thou seest all running to decay The thatchie covering 's now nigh falne away The windows which give light to every roome Broken and dimme and mistie beene become The Mill-house and selfe Miller 's out of frame My Kitchin smoakes my Larder is too blame And from the Studds each where the Lome doth shrink And the breeme cold blowes in at every chinke The brases and supporters of my house Tremble and waxen wondrous ruinous So that all bee it grieve mee to the heart To thinke that thou and I old frends must part Yet sith my Cabban's all out of repaire Darling farewell goe sojourne now else where In some cleane place untill that premier Main That built mee first rebuild mee up againe All of the selfe same stuffe but with such art So polisht and imbellisht every part That it shall ne're be out of Kilture more Then shalt thou come againe as heretofore And dwell with mee for ever and for aye So God us both to blesse untill that happie day Dal Cielo al Cielo SUndry opinions amongst learned men Have raised beene about the meanes and way And 'bout the certaine time and season when That soule of man which never can decay Into the bodie doth it selfe convey Whether 't beginning with the body take Or long before if so where it doth stay Which strife the soule it selfe thus plaine doth make From Heaven I not from mans seed proceed For with the bodie if it rise it dies Animae Prosopopeia Morta la pecora non cresce piu la lana YEe gentle frends who mourning here attend My livelesse corps unto this Earthie bed There leaving it to sleepe untill the end When all shall live againe who now are dead Weepe not for mee sith I can neither see Nor heare your teares that here for mee are shed Ne all your prayers a whit can profit mee The sheepe once dead the wooll ne're growes againe But as shee dies it lyes all after-helpes are vaine Agree therefore while yee are in the way With death the adversary of mankinde For when he comes no pray'r can make him stay But hee takes all sorts as he doth them find If good 't is not in him to make them bad If bad no time to mend by him assign'd What faith and hope wee at our parting had Is onely ours but all done after death Nor hurts nor helps but passeth with the breath For whilst we live though at last gaspe wee been Our owne or others pray'rs mote doon us good Betweene the stirrup and the ground betweene The bridge and headlong downfall to the flood Mercie can cause the soule catch hold of grace But soone as once the life forsakes the blood So fast it posteth to its proper place Of weale or woe where it must ever stay No pray'r it overtakes or profit may The ardent suite of that great man of meat Was him deny'd a seeming-small request One moyst coole drop to quench his scalding heat Yet sith before his pray'r he was possest Of his just doome his due-deserved meed His tardie suit forth of the Court was cast For as the soule once from the body freed No more may be recall'd no more can shee By any humane helpe relieved bee In vaine therefore doon silly soules relie On pray'rs of frends at their departure hence Sith with our last breath Heaven instantly Is wonne or lost no comming is from thence Ne is redemption from the place of Hell And Purgatory is a meere non-sense Where goodmens soules till bought from thence must dwell Onely his pray'rs whose blood for us was shed Living and dying stands our soules in stead Divortium Animae HAst ever knowne two faithfull bosome frends Affected like in all their aimes and ends After long absence hast observ'd their meeting Their over-joy and manner of their greeting Silent long-looking in each others faces Whilst each his frend within his armes embraces Like April-showr's and Sun-shine mixt together Each weeping and each laughing over either Till mutuall passions having run their course Both by degrees fall freely to discourse Ah but say now hast ever seene these twaine Upon occasion forc'd to part again Hast seene two lovers new made man and wife Inforc'd to part how bitter is their strife What sighs what teares what namelesse Creve-coeur What greefe unutterable doon they endure What lowd Alewes what heavinesse of heart What lamentations when they come to part What anguish and with what a deale of paine Take these their leave as ne're to meete againe Hast seene a man from his deere home exil'd Hast heard a mother parting from her child What weeping wailing and what heavinesse What contristation even to excesse And how unable reason is to sway Th'unbeveld passion or it make obey Or hast thou ere observ'd that passionate And dolefull quest that heart affecting-blate Of lambes lamenting their deere dammes restraint Or mark'd the mournfull noise and pitteous plaint Doubled and oft redoubled by the dammes At present parting from their little lambes Hast ere beene present at some Cities sacke And seene the havocke and the wofull wrack When to the surly souldier once betraid The modest matron and the untoucht maid So most unmannerly spite of their heart With their deere honours are compell'd to part What reluctation and what sturdie strife What meanes what shifts the jewell of their life To save from spoyle and losse what vows what pray'r What humble ' haviour and what speaking faire What deep distraction and what heavie cheere How loth to yeeld alacke yet ne're the neere Like loth and with as much or more adoe Bodie and soule each other do forgoe Ah when the soule comes warning once to give That shee no longer in her house will live Ne not so much as sojourne any more Where shee hath dwelt so many yeares before At this sad news like fruit with windie blast Downe in a transe the weakly bodie 's cast Inly the very bowels yearne with griefe The stomacke nauseats at wont reliefe The straightned lungs breath hardly short and thicke The head 's distempred and the heart is sicke And every roome and corner of the house Fill'd with darke steems and vapours nubilous In this disconsolate and sickly
state The soule the body doth commiserate And through meere sympathy is ill at ease Therefore all griefe on both sides to appease And now resolv'd no longer while to stay Shee forth of doores slips suddenly away Eftsoons all 's husht and the whole house at rest Onely the eyes which but they beene supprest Wide open stand and their lids upward raise Still after her that was their life and light to gaze O valente huomo chi puo esser misero FUll easie is for men in miserie Weary of life t' importune death to die Who dare not looke misfortune in the face Nor griefe nor paine nor sicknesse nor disgrace But cowardly with horror and dismay Out of themselves oft times do runne away Like Grashoppers that skip and sing and dance While Summer lasts but as flyes in a transe When Winter comes with stormes accompan'ed In every hole and corner them doe hide Quite out of love with life for such to call For death no fortitude it is at all But he whose countenance at all assayes Is ever one in Sun or cloudie dayes Whose minde can bend as buxom as a twigge To all estates bee 't high low small or bigge If fortune say he must doe thus or thus With her the matter he doth ne're discusse Who with same freenesse that he wins can lose Who with small noise can beare all fortunes blowes And any part that fortune shall her please To put him to can personate with ease This is a man one of a thousand men A right-bred chicken of the milke-white hen Right truly wise and valiant is this man Who selfe submit to all manner weather can Who 'gainst it comes for fortune doth provide Not mov'd with Ebbe nor flowing of her tyde So great the strength of his true temperd minde To welcome faire and foule in selfe same kinde Come good why well and good come bad why well So 'gainst all paines his patience is his spell Hee eekes nor aggravates his weale or woe Ne takes long farewells of them when they goe And in his open doore still readie stands When ere they come to take them by the hands So evenly he knowes to beare himselfe Hee rich in povertie and poore in wealth Either or neither can contented bee Oh blessed man how feâ—e in bonds is hee Who though his bread too sow'r of leaven taste Can eate and it digest as finest paste And water drinke yea vineger for need This is the truely valiant man indeed L'Envoy MOngst all things possible and yet so hard Almost next doore t'impossibilitie That man or woman is who having far'd All their life long and liv'd deliciously Not crost nor vext with contrarietie Of chance or fortune which most men dismay When death them calls can answer patiently Wherefore my soule doe thou still humbly pray Nature of nature good God grant when I Must leave to live pow'r willingly to die Naturae natura Deus bone cum mihi posse Vivere sustuleris da mihi velle mori FINIS * * Bertholdus Swart a German borne by Profession a Franciscan Fryer a great Alchimist first inventer of the Gun and Gunpouder this invention hee taught to the Venetians about the yeare 1330 who therewith gave the Genowayes a notable overthrow * * Talia jactantem verbis conabar amicis Flectere sed vulnus nil insanabile curat Ite procul Medicae non sum sanabilis Artes Ista tamen quocunque ferar me cura sequetur a a Ovid. ad Pison Nec te fortuna colentem Natalesve movent probitas spectatur in illis b b Unus amicitiae summos tenor ambit imos Rara domus tenuem non aspematur amicum Raraque non humilem caleat fastosa clyentem Mant. Egl. 3. Saepe alios qui spem dederint invenimus ore Magnisicos sed re modicos tibi fidimus uni * * Sen. Megar Her furens Una res superest mihi fratre ac parente charior Regno Lare odium tui * * Graci Bibliotheeam seu obambulans vivumque Musaeum virum eruditum vocarunt qui velut ex professo respondere inextricables Authorum nodos tanquam ex secretiore Musarum Adyto cuncta depromere atque dissolvere possit Erasmus Chyliad a a Ovid. ad Pisonem Sed virtus numerosa juvat tu pronus in omne Pectora ducis opus seu te graviora vocarunt Seu leviora juvant c. a a O vos Aetherei cives quibus esse beatis Contingit solis quibus est aeterna voluptas Humanas si forte preces attenditis si Non penetus miseros homines avertitis oro Egregiam puramque mihi concedite mentem A vero falsum discernere quae sciat apte Quae bona cognoscat vera contraria veris Ne stulte fugienda sequar fugiamve sequenda Nam si mortali cuiquam licet esse beato Arbitror hoc pacto fieri me posse beatum a a Loca sola nocent loca sola caveto Quo fugis in populo tutior esse potes b b Tristis eris si solus eris dominaeque relictae Ante oculos facies stabit ut ipsa tuos Tristior idcirco nox est quam tempora Phoebi Quaeque levet luctus turba sodalis abest a a Ovid. ad Pisonem Asperitate carens positoque per omnia fastu Inter ut aequales unus numeraris amicos Obsequiumque doces amorem quaeris amore b b Meminisse debet is in quem collatum est beneficium non commemorare qui contulit c c Ovid. ad Pis. Additur huc justa fides plena pudoris Libertas Animusque mala ferrugine purus Ipsaque possesso mens est opulentior auro d d Ovid. Semper habe Pyladem aliquem qui curet orestem Hic quoque amicitiae non levis usus erit a a O Fragilis nimium innumerisque obnoxia vita Casibus O nimium brevis atque incerta recedens Fumi instar nunc hic moritur nunc ille hodie tu Cras ego sic demum paulatim extinguimur omnes Natalis Chytr in viatico Quid nisi foetor homo est foetores inter alvo Gignitur latitat tener è foetente favissa Eruitur foetens totius tempore vitae Sese intra foetet foetores ejicit ex se Corpus inane animae tandem foetore maligno A se abigit cunctos cum foetore sepulchro Foetenti infertur quaeso unde superbia tanta Nos inflat tanto cur cum torpore geluque Coelestem patriam expertem foetoris avemus a a Mors quasi regia via est in coelum One Tuscul. quaest Mors non est interitus omnia tollens atque delens sed quaedam quasi migratio commutatioque vitae quae in claris viris foeminis dux in Coelum solet esse a a Serius aut citius finem properamus ad