Strength is counted vaine Beauty deceitfull wit affords no gaine Art 's little usefull Learning 's lesse regarded Thus things most good becomes most ill rewarded And all because the Authours hand doth place them Where wealth affords not countenance to grace them Oh precious riches whatsoere men say Wealth is the chiefest earthly god beares sway Concludes most cases of the wise approv'd Of most desired and is best belov'd All this is true and yet for my part know I take no care to gaine such riches though My sublime thoughts fly higher and have wings Which carry my desires above such things And in my heart I count such doters vaine As for such trifles doe molest their braine As earthly riches which are gain'd with care And being gotten are possest in feare The sad imployments of such fretting cares Are much unfitting for my tender yeares And quite against my nature which I finde Is unto sweeter liberty inclin'd My Parents they their youthfull time have spent And in their youth tooke part of youths content But now growne staid and wanton thoughts supprest More weighty studyes doe become them best Let them take care for getting gaine not I Their saving wisedome must my want supply The elder for the younger doth provide As by a Law in Nature strictly ty'd Especiall the Parent for the Childe It is the care of creatures bruite and wilde To feede and foster up their young but then Much more the care of reasonable men And afterward if I a Parent be I le doe for mine as Parents doe for me I le then be carefull of these outward things And slip no meanes that show of profit brings But count it duty as it is indeed To make provision for my tender seed The meane time Parents will I hope be won To give me lēave to doe as they have done To seeke to fit my selfe unto the time And like to all things flourish in my prime Now in my youth be youthfully inclin'd With youthfull pleasures satisfie my minde And take those freedomes due unto my state Youth justly pleades its liberties are great Which if my Parents labour to restraine Injustice will appeare therein so plaine That Parents shall be pleased to give way Or I excus'd if I doe not obey Discretion BUt stay mad Passion whether dost thou run Fond and mistaken sense what hast thou done By what illusions hast thou showne thy skill To make my reason subject to my will Thy motives and thy Rhetoricke are such As may perswade and doe perswade too much But soothing Passion whatsoere is past I now resolve to answer thee at last All things created doe observe their time And doe by nature flourish in their prime From whence thou labourst to infer for truth That I by nature should rejoyce in youth All which in part I doe acknowledge true And Nature seemes to challenge it as due And therefore may not be deny'd by me In ought where sense with reason doth agree But if my nature would beare all the sway And make my reason to my sense obey I doe in reason no such justice see To let my reason so subjected be Besides I doe my youthfull nature finde So much unto the worlds delights inclin'd That my estate in this respect requires The greatest care to bridle my desires Then restlesse Passion keepe thy selfe retir'd I with thy Fury need not be inspir'd Nor will I if I can the same prevent I trust without thee to reape best content Come then Oh! come then be advis'd by reason Mine owne deare selfe this is the onely season The fruitfull earth doth afterward make knowne What seed was in it in the Spring time sowne The stocke with what t is grafted in the Spring Such fruite doth forth for ever after bring And with what scent the vessell first is fild The savour of it is not soone expeld Such is thy apt and youthfull nature know What now is sowne in thee is like to grow What habite now is got will prove the strongest What custome now is learn'd will last the longest And therefore it doth now concerne thee sure To have most care to keepe thy selfe secure To seeke content where reason doth admit To settle thy desires in what is fit That thou hereafter maist not cry in vaine I learn'd what now I would unlearne againe Thou then my selfe whose safety is mine owne And favour mine that unto thee is showne As thou hast a respect unto Discretion I doe advise thee to be ware of Passion And labour to discover those deceites Whose gall lyes hidden in most pleasant baites Yea though most neare and deare unto thee seated In thine owne bosome let them be defeated If thine owne heart which is to the most deare Would fall in love with any creature here Before thou dar'st to render thy consent Thou must take heed there be no danger in 't Or if that any more inferiour part Of body or of mind would plead desert As if they were some excellence allow'd Which vainely might induce thee to be proud Here it behooves thee to have speciall care To arme thy selfe against this inbred snare This bosome brat which will not be excluded That by thy selfe thou be'st not selfe-deluded It as in Youth it often comes to passe Thy wanton eye views beauty in thy glasse Whose beames reflecting would thy thoughts inflame With any admiration of the same Trust not thine eye nor yet thy glasse too farre They both deceitfull both uncertaine are But say thy beauty be the same indeed That it appeares yea though it doth exceed Yet weigh the honey of it with the gall And thou shalt see the vantage of it small It gaines much savour and is most alluring T is true but favour gain'd by its procuring Is sometimes such as yeelds a present friend But seldome chaste and constant to the end For looke as beauty fades and weares away So doth such friendship vanish and decay It tis alluring t is indeed but how To that which modest vertue doth allow Sure no the nature of it doth intice In humaine faces rather unto vice Againe t is beauty that doth beare the praise And oft doth unto much preferment raise Indeed t is so upon the sudden oft It from the dunghill doth draw up a loft But what this Sun-shine doth exhale like raine Falls for the most part in a cloud againe And for the praise and vertue on 't suspition So often brings the truth of it in question That all the comfort which doth in it lye As it appeares is but to feed the eye Whiles it doth glister whiles it doth indure Which every little shaddow doth obscure But if thou wouldst give beauty an excuse Then of thy beauty strive to make this use That as thy Youthfull face is faire as cleere Thy vertues may unto the world appeare That so thy face this outward grace assign'd May shew the inward beauties of thy mind Or hast thou strength and in thy bosome
art thou subject to such error To give most honour to the most inferiour To let those parts meere sensitive beare sway Which should to reasons just commands obey Thy reason is deluded by thy sense And so thy judgement proves corrupted thence Which makes thee to thinke best of that condition Which is most pleasing to thy disposition Thus far meere beasts and savage creatures goe They are as stayd and moderate as so They which of reason wholly are deny'd And have but onely appetite for guide But thou must passe the savage creatures guise Because indu'd with reasons faculties Or else the beast without these powers of mind May be preferd before thee in his kind Yea mine owne heart which dost by reason scan Thou must by reason shew thy selfe a man And alwayes unto reason yeeld subjection Both in thy understanding and affection Besides thy youth is subject to obey Affection which in youth will run astray And therefore thou must use the greatest ayd Now in thy Youth to keepe affection stayd But here I doe not goe about to prove That thou in Youth shouldst disalow of love So it be lawfull but the thing admit As in thy Youth most absolutely fit For love in Youth united proves most pure And is againe most likely to indure Besides it serves to settle the desire Which otherwise Youth could not so retire What then deare selfe why this must be thy care Not so much when to place thy love as where Not so much sway'd by sensuall delight To rule thy reason by thy appetite Thou seest affection fetters like a chaine It plac'd is hard to be displac'd againe And like the seale which leaves the print behind It makes a deepe impression in the mind And therefore doubtlesse it behooves thee much That in thy Youth thy providence be such That thou hereafter dost not find this true I had my will but willfulnesse I rue Yea be resolved mine owne tender heart Youth which are wilfull often feele this smart And therefore be deare selfe herein discerning Let others sad experience give thee warning Be well advis'd stay thy affections ponder And for a while let reason keepe them under What art thou to confirme a league in love Which once confirmed must not then remove But like those lawes unchangeable abides Till death the parties joyned thus divides Art thou to doe this weighty thing indeed Sure it requires the dilligentest heed The deepest meditation and the best Because the chiefest thing of all the rest For if thy choyce be bad thy joyes are done If otherwise they are but then begun For in thy choyce consisteth peace or strife In it remaines the issues of thy life For that whereto thou now thy selfe dost binde That is the portion thou must looke to find T is so deare selfe then ere this knot be ty'd Consider well let counsell be thy guide Such can instruct thee best directions frame As have had just experience of the same But above all these thou must have respect Unto the way thy Parents doe direct For their consent and blessing in this thing Doth with their owne Gods blessing also bring And where the Parents fit consent is missing There for the most part God affords no blessing This is a rule in generall most fit And thou in duty must acknowledge it But yet there are some Parents in this kind Which are so much unto the earth inclind That if their children will not have their blame They must like them be marryed to the same For earth and earthly things is all their ayme Those are the onely heritage they clayme Without the least regard of what is fit Either in vertue breeding shape or wit Now such as these which onely doe belay To basely mould their children up in clay And thinke them then in heav'n when they poore soules In earth possest ly scrambling like moules Such men as these must not be too unkind Although their children beare a better mind Nor are their children to be blam'd although They stead of duty doe their wisdome show And rather follow reason for their guide Than duty which would lead them thus aside This freedome may in modesty be us'd And upon such necessity excus'd But my deare selfe make thou not this a snare Upon this freedome cast not off all care But to thy parents willingly incline So far as reason doth with duty joyne But above all things aym'd at in thy choyce Let vertue please thee make thee most rejoyce For vertue herein must be valu'd higher Than either Parents or thine owne desire Parents are to be reverenc'd as due Riches may be respected too t is true Good breeding's to be honour'd in election And beauty seemeth to command affection Yet beauty riches breeding or good birth All without vertue are but little worth And though these outward things cannot be had If vertue may the choyce cannot be bad Besides if in thy choyce thou hast the grace To ayme at vertue in the chiefest place Then needst thou use no apish imitation In thy attire by following the fashion Devising fondly to new forme each part As if thy skill exceed Natures art No these are fruitlesse and accounted vaine Within that brest where vertue doth remaine And rather serves thy weakenesse to discover Then any way delight a vertuous Lover To be thus fond or vaine in this condition Doth but ingender or beget suspicion Because immodesty in the attire Doth note immoderation in desire Imports a want of wit and doth impart A shrewd presumption of a wanton heart That all such fondnesse or as vaine expence Are lost where vertue hath its residence For vertue stoups to no such baites as they But soares a pitch is far above such prey Like as the precious Diamond which but By Diamond or nothing can be cut So love in vertues brest will take no print But onely that which vertue doth indent That vertue is the onely way to wooe And eke to win where vertue hath to doe Let vertue then be first thine owne and sure Thou shalt prevaile where vertuē doth indure For like to like most willingly incline And vertues met most readily doe joyne Which joyn'd what tongue is able to expresse The joy such vertuous bosomes doe possesse No change can turne their honey into gall Because that vertuē makes good use of all Resembling much though in a lower kind The heavenly highest marriage of the mind Passion VVHat strange harsh strictnes is here urged still As if that Love could be confin'd at will My love is settl'd where I hope to finde Those vertues which are pleasing to my minde Shall Parents then whose sight is not so cleare To see the Truth before it doth appeare Condemne my choyce as wonderfull to blame Before they know the tryall of the same Deare friends I know you wish me not amisse But you may erre as well as I in this In this my choyce may blessings hidden lye Which deepest insight cannot
and evidently seene That goods which have unjustly gotten beene As they were badly gotten by as vaine Or sordid meanes they doe consume againe For t is a Maxime with a full consent Goods badly gotten will be badly spent As if the father did the child constraine To spend in vice what he in vice did gaine Which is a curse though children judge amisse The largest portion is the greatest blisse And thinke them fooles that thinke there is a curse That children may inherit from the purse Or from the portion that their Parents give them So it be large or great enough they leave them Although experience teacheth the conclusion Of goods ill got is ruine and confusion Deare selfe then doe not thou thy selfe this wrong Nor those that doe unto thy selfe belong Torment not thou thy body and thy minde To heape up store of riches in this kinde What idle madnesse is it or as vaine To lye downe late and early rise againe To eate the bread of carefullnesse and thinke The dregges of pleasure good enough to drinke And all to gaine a little goods which got T were ten times better that thou hadst them not But hadst beene to thy happinesse more wise Both for thy selfe and for thy seed likewise For thee because thy gaine will prove thy shame For thine because deluded by the same Deluded yea most grossely too deluded It can not sure be otherwise concluded For what can more deceitfull be than this A curse should be intended for a blisse A child which on his portion doth relye Should when he hath it be undone thereby Undone indeed because it can not stay But as 't was got in hast it must away And when t is vanish'd out of sight and gone How is that child deluded that alone Rely'd thereon is he not quite undone Yes certainely most wretched is that Sonne Whose haplesse Father or unhappy fate Provided for him such a failing state Had not his Father by delusion guided Such a deluding state for him provided He should not then have on that meanes rely'd As onely to that meanes of living ty'd But should have in his tender yeares as fit Instructed beene to exercise his wit To gaine such knowledge in some honest way As might have yeelded meanes another day Some lawfull Art or Science which are sure When other portions vanish to indure When he that wholly is without such aide Whose meanes or patrimony is decay'd Whiles he on most inconstant fortune waites Is urg'd to meanes unlawfull or to straites Mine owne deare selfe this is a certaine Truth Which still hath beene most incident to Youth Then if thou wouldst not have thy name defil'd Or if thou hast respect unto thy Child Then scrape not for him such uncertaine gaine But rather teach him that which will remaine That so the portion that thou dost provide May to thy credit with thy child abide What though the portion that thou giv'st be smal Yet if it hath that blessing there withall That it was justly gain'd and when injoy'd As justly and as piously imploy'd It doubtlesse shall be for their comfort more That shall injoy thy riches or thy store Then if it had beene ten times more and got By meanes unjust which Truth admitteth not Foundations sound which like the Rockes lye low Are better farre to build upon you know Then hugest mountaines that are heapes of sand Or hollow caves where buildings cannot stand Even so that well got substance which is sound Although it lyes but levell with the ground Is very little Yet t is better sure To build upon and longer will indure Then that estate which by deceit did rise Although it threates to reach unto the Skies But being windy hovering and light One blast from heav'n doth overthrow it quite And by this ever sad event insuing Brings building and the builder both to ruine But if deare selfe thy seed by thy intent Should be the better for thee by descent Then thou must labour to be here the same That may hereafter yeeld thee a good name That so that pretious jewell it may live When thou art dead and to thy issue give That true bred worth or credit which I know The richest worldling hath not to bestow If this then thou canst purchase up in store To leave behind thee though thou leav'st no more This is alone a patrimony great The comfort of which portion or estate With thy example may provoke thy seed When thou art hence departed to take heed To be to their succeeding race so kind To leave them this inheritance behind That as it in them by descent tooke place It may be still descending in their race That so they to their issue may restore What from their parents they receiv'd before Which is a debt or rather duty laid On men by Conscience should be duly paid A Postscript VVHat shall I here conclude Oh yes t is time Fond Hypocrites can not indure this rime T is idle t is Phantasticall they say And altogether fruitlesse what are they Sure had my verse no more true meaning in 't Then they have it should never come in Print But can men make no Musicke on the Viall Because some make a noyse confus'd in tryall Yes hypocrites though it like you be hollow Yet strain'd by art the notes are sweet that follow So verse or rather Poesie if it meetes With Art is like a Posie full of sweetes Though some like Apes to imitate the same Doe spue out rimes distastfull to their shame BUt harke what voyce is this that answers mine Me thinkes I heare malicious envy grine As if it were in malice with my quill And tells me that I boast upon my skill When I of knowledge am as farre to seeke As he that knowes not Grammar is of Greeke Fond Hagge take heed I have not done thee wrong By an usurping thy invenum'd tongue Nor borrow'd Language thereby to make knowne The skill of other men and not mine owne Though it perhaps doth often come to passe An English Foole becomes a Latine Asse But looke what herein hath beene my endeavour T is all mine owne how ignorant soever And I perhaps may reach a higher straine Though here I cease till I begin againe To his Most Noble and much Reverenced Friend and Kinsman Master JOHN STRVT Sir I Doe so far presume of your favor as to shelter these insuing Lines under the shadow of your Protection J indeed acknowledge my boldnesse in thus intruding upon your worth to defend my weakenesse Notwithstanding J am herein incouraged in part to presume of your Pardon The slender subject here presented to your view consists of two parts Passion and Discretion The first part which is Passion that is absolutely mine owne an inheritance discending from most auncient Parentage The other which is Discretion is yours by Possession and due by Desert in which J doe but bring the shadow to your Sight of that which you have the substance in your selfe
In which respect it is but my duty to intitle you to that which is yours by due Jn which kind also not onely that which insues but that which is precedent may begge your Patronage as part of your Inheritage J doe confesse J have imprinted the name of that noble Lady Temperance in the front of my Endeavours but J know you will account it no disgrace to part with so worthy a partner whose beauties J am confident doe if possibly they may do As much delight your heart as the alone Lady of your affections doth your bosome which can no way be imputed to wantonnesse but to wisdome For what can be of more validity to preserve the nuptiall knot inviolate then the sacred tye of vertuous Temperance But not any way to direct but onely to delight you J have thus farre incroached upon your leave And in Fine humbly petitioning for your favour J rest Yours at Command as bound Edward Calver To the Jmpartiall Reader WHat shall I here proceed and seem'd to cease Resolve me Reade speake or hold my peace But thou art silent or I out of hearing Sure till I know thy mind I de best be sparing But if thy judgement justly shall reprove me I shall recant but Judge not things above thee Passion and Discretion The Second Booke Passion in Wealth HAving full tyde why should I slacke mine Oare When windes beside stand prosp'rous for my shore And with a soft and gentle fruitfull gale As waiting on my will doe fill my saile If Heav'n raines Manna in a plentious measure Shall man refuse to taste the same with pleasure When senslesse earth in Summer time is proud To drinke the show'rs of an inferiour cloud Then if Heavens bountious hand fils full my cup Shall I in dread that I should drinke it up Not taste thereof but childishly forbeare The use of such a happinesse for feare No no I must not so forgetfull prove To slight a favour slackes the doners love And oftentimes a gift bestow'd in vaine Provokes the giver to recall't againe Rouze then my faint sad mis-informed heart And take some pleasure make use of thy part And let not thy neglecting favours showne Rob thee of both Gods blessing and thine owne Most prosp'rous yea if not Divinest fate With earths chiefe blisse hath dignifi'd my state Hath given me wealth which is the onely worth Or onely that accounted so on earth Then rise my thoughts above the common pitch And count it height of honour to be rich Inspir'd with comfort all your powers unite To hugge my fortunes with most deepe delight What sublunary blisse can I have higher Then wealth and so the world at my desire For Wealth hath got the world at such a bay That wealth doth almost beare the greatest sway What foe that 's mortall have I cause to dread When I have such a friend as Wealth at neede What poyson-pointed weapon need I feare When I have such a coate of Male to weare What blacke mouth'd Envy breathing in my face Can blast my Reputation with disgrace When I possesse an Antidote so strong As can expell the poyson of the tongue What sable fortune can disturbe my rest When I have such a comfort in my chest Nay it is such a Cordiall as can Revive the most dejected heart of man If I desire to satisfie my senses I need not curbe my Nature for expences For I have Wealth to satisfie it still And having Wealth I need not want my will Or if there were no danger to clime high Who hath more meanes of getting up than I When if I should but such a thing intend I have the onely Ladder to aâ—cend Or otherwise should Fortune turne her wheele To turne me downe yea though the world should reele Or seeme to stagger yet my standing's such I feare no fall nor changing fortune much I feare grim faces as I feare the frowne Of Mars his picture in a Curtaine drawne Before his Venus so her smiles to hide When I have cords to draw that vaile aside What servile office nav what sordid act If I had a delight in such a fact Could I not get effected out of hand And for my coyne have agents at command The thoughtfull poore man thinks it doth him grace To doe me honour when I come in place And if my coyne commands him to his force To beare my burden he becomes my horse Both rich and poore are silent when I speake The poore for feare the rich for favours sake And should I misse what man can not afford The Elements themselves will store my board What cates can I imagine for my taste What guest can I delight in at my feast What sense-contenting solace can I name That I can want if I desire the same What is there made that is not made for me When for my turne the Elements agree And all the creatures in the same are sent By the Creator to give me content Yea all are mine Hauke hounds stately geldings The sweetest musicke the most sumptuous buildings The chiefe applause the richest robes that be And fairest objects all are made for me Then is not my estate to be desired Or I in my estate to be admired My state affords what heau'ns on earth bestow And I am in the onely Heav'n below Againe if heav'ns as though rebuk'd for keeping Themselves from teares fall to excessive weeping Or otherwise beneath the heav'nly Tapers The liquid clouds convert to dusty vapours From whence the earth whose fruitfulnesse depends Upon those blessings which from heaven descends Proves fruitlesse and a famine doth begin To seise the Land I suffer not therein Nay should the shrill and dreadfull Ecchoes flye From cost to cost of fell Bellonas cry Yea angry heav'ns and earth should seeme at strife What need I care it threaten'd not my life If awfull Caesar my assistance lackes I can put armes upon some others backes And though a famine may consume the poore I need not feare a famine in my store What lacke I then or what doth me oppresse I feele no want nor wish my portion lesse I have sufficient whiles I live and when I dye have issue to injoy it then But were I childlesse or my portion greater I should have children though not sonnes by nature But by adoption who would be full glad To become heires unto so kind a dad Rest then I may and reape what is mine owne Yea crop the fruits which other men have sowne And thus on earth imparadis'd in pelfe Most sweetly sing a Requiem to my selfe Stay then my thoughts t is vanity to range My state is such that I desire no change Let men distrest or poore men strive in cares Whose suites and cryes are tedious in mine eares My state is here depending upon none I can subsist within the same alone I take mens favours not as kindnesse showne But service due and so receive mine owne Or if I had a tytle to be try'd