shal speake thy praise 172 My tongue shall tell thy word of truth and walke thy righteoâ—s wayes 173 Helpe with thy hand for I entend thy precepts to pursue 174 Thy sauing helpe and law I seeke Lord do my faith renue 175 Let liue my soule to praise thy name thy mercie me vphold 176 I feare thy law then clense my sinnes and bring me to thy fold Psalme 121. 1 VNto the hils I lift my eye from whence my helpe shall grow 2 EueÌ„ to the Lord which fram'd the heauens made the deeps below 3 He will not let my feete to slip my watchman neither sleepes 4 Behold the Lord of Israell still his flocke in safety keepes 5 The Lord is my defence he doth about me shadow cast 6 By day nor night the Sunne nor Moone my limbs shall burne or blast 7 He shall preserue me from all ill and me from sinne protect 8 My going in and comming forth he euer shall direct Psalme 130. 1 FRom pit of deepe perplexities to thee for helpe I cry 2 O Lord giue â—are vnto my plaâ—â—t and 〈◊〉 me speedily 3 If strictly thou my sinnes behold ô Lord what â—â—esh is iust 4 But mercy proper is to thee and thereto dâ— we trust 5 Vpon thy promise I attend thy word is alwayes true 6 With morning and with euening watch I will my sute renue 7 Thy seruant must depend on thee in thee iâ— mercie found 8 Thou wilt redeeme their â—oules from death thy grace doth so abound Lords Prayer OVr Father which in heauen art Lord halowed be thy name Thy knigdome come thy will be done in heauen and earth the same Giue vs this day our daily bread our trespasses forgiue As we for other mens offence do freely pardon giue Into temptation leade vs not but liuer vs from ill For thine all kingdome glory powre is now and euer will SVNDRY CHRISTIAN PASSIONS CONTAINED in two hundred Sonnets Diuided into two equall parts The first consisting chiefly of Meditations Humiliations and Prayers The second of Comfort Ioy and Thankesgiuing By H. L. Call vpon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me LONDON Printed by Richard Field 1597. To the rIght renoVVneD VertVoVs VIrgin ELIzabeth VVorthy QVeene of happIe EngLanD her hIghnesse falthfVL subleCâ— Henry Lok VVIsheth Long Lyfe VVIth eternaL bLIsse IVne VII MY worthlesse pen To eternize In holy flame VVhich doth dispise Thee sacred dame That should protect VVhose Phoenix quil And those hath dect Heauens do distill As come from thence Ioue long you saue For whose defence Venus would craue VVhich Pallas wils Presumeth to deuise Your peerles vertuous fame Of zeale my hart doth rise A theame of vulgar frame The graces haue select The holy Muses hill Doth heauenly Crowne affect VVhich Romane Trophies fill Their happie influence You there your portion haue VVhose Scepters you dispence True English hearts he gaue And Dain doth that due Me yeeld alone to you The obseruations of the square following 1 A Saint Georges crosse of two collumbs in discription of her Maiestie beginning at A. and B. in the middle to be read downward and crossing at C. and D. to be read either single or double 2 A S. Andrews crosse beginning at E. read thwartwaies and ending with F. containing the description of our happie age by her highnesse 3 Two Pillers in the right and left side of the square in verse reaching from E. and F. perpendicularly containing the sum of the whole the latter columbe hauing the words placed counterchangeably to rime to the whole square 4 The first last two verses or the third and fourth with seuenth and eighth are sense in them selues containing also sense of the whole 5 The whole square of 100. containing in it self fiue squares the angles of each of them are sense particularly and vnited depend each on other beginning at the center 6 The out-angles are to be read 8. seuerall waies in sense and verse 7 The eight words placed also in the ends of the S. Georges crosse are sense and verse alluding to the whole crosse 8 The two third words in the bend deaeter of the S. Andrews crosse being the middle from the angles to the center haue in their first letters T. and A. for the Author and H. L. in their second for his name which to be true the words of the angles in that square confirme 9 The direction to her Maiestie in prose aboue containeth onely of numerall letters the yeare and day of the composition as thus DD. C LL LL LL LL. VV VV VV VV VV VV VV VV. IIIIIIIIIIIII For 1593. Iune V. A Square in verse of a hundred monasillables only Describing the cause of Englands happinesse  Haec   ◠   A B    F  In           â—oc  God 5 hath pourd forth Rare Grace On this Iâ—â—e And   Makes Cround 4 your rule Queene In the same so 4 still   Kings lawd THis 3 saint Faire that with truth 3 doth stand   Rule so long time 2 milde Prince ioy 2 land it will  C Forma For proofe you showes 1 wise 1 of earths race whome There Quadrata  HeaueÌ„s haue vp held Iust 1 choice 1 whome God thus sheilds   Your stocke of Kings 2 worlds rich of 2 spring and feare   States fame Known 3 farre Praise Isle which ALl 3 blisse yeilds   Hold God 4 there fore sure stay of all the 4 Bâ—st  Vinces Blâ—st 5 is your raigne Here Builds sweet Peace true Rest 5 Signâ—â— Â Fiâ—â—â— Â The Square plainely set downe GOd hath powr'd forth rare grace on this I le and Makes crown'd your rule Queene in the same so still Kings laud this Saint faire that with truth doth stand Rule so long time mild Prince ioy land it will For proofe you showes wise of earths race whom there Heauens haue vpheld lust choyce whom God thus shields Your stocke of kings worlds rich ofspring and feare States fame knowne farre praise I le which all blisse yeelds Hold God therefore sure stay and port the best Blest is your raigne here builds sweet peace true rest To the Christian Reader WHo so shall duly consider the whole progresse of mans estate from life to death shall find it gentle Reader to be nothing else but a very pilgrimage through this earth to another world for whether we obserue the common course of all flesh which from the mothers wombe to the graue is still trauelling with change of bodily constitution from youth to age from health to sicknesse so from one estate to another Or if we behold the particular incounters which each man findeth in himselfe in the variable change of hopes and crossing of his purposes in both it shall by a generall experieÌ„ce of all mens calamities be assuredly confirmed to be too true But
Elizabetham REgia Virgineae soboles dicata parenti Virgo animo patriaemater Regina quid quid optas Chara domi metuenda foris Regina quid optas Pulchra piaes princeps foelix Regina quid optas Coelum est Certò at serò sit Regina quod optas Ioh. Lily Ad Lockum eiusdem INgenio genio locuples dic Locke quid addam Addo quod ingenium quondam preciosius auro Ad Authorem NOn vane vanos sapiens perstringit abusus Nec vano enarras regalem carmine mentem Nec qui suasit opus fuerat vanúsve malúsve Nec vanum diuae sacrum dicare laborem Cuius quid vani quid non memorabile dictu Non vanumest sceptro populum rexisse potentem Non iusto regem bello superasse superbum Non Antichristi virès fregisse furentis Non armis miseros vicináque regna fouere Si vanus repeto ignosce ô regia virgo Vano Pergetamen Sola haec vera putato L. P. To the worke THee Princes pen now present to a Prince And poeme to a princely sprited Muse Ye full sound Ethicks of the sweet essence Of heauenly truth which all ought to peruse View all reape good leaue ill without excuse H. A. To the Author FOr me to praise this worke it were no praise Whil'st thou doest publish it it prayseth thee Thing once cald perfect further praise denayes Because all other words inferior bee With happie sight thy muse appeares to see That could select a subiect of such choyce Which hath enforced many more then mee With silence for thy blist attempt reioyce Thy former vaine no vaine conceipt bewrayes By Passions patternes of a Christian fight But for this worke yet highest honor stayes And therefore henceforth feare no others flight Thy Zeale thy theame thy gift thy fame to staine Which imitate they may but not attaine M. C. TO THE QVEENES MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE TO you thrise sacred Princesse of this I le By God By countrie By true wisdomes praise Elect Annointed Soueraigne is the stile Religous Empresse Beautie of our dayes His Church you cherish that your state did raise Our peace you purchase where your throne is plast Eternall glorie on your actions stayes Rare Crowned Vertue Holy Humble Chast Whom all heauens high perfections fully grac't Whom all earth honors should do will adorne VVhom all the Muses haue with loue embrac't VVho doth pale Enuie and blind Fortune scorne To you wise kings discourse of blisse I bring Renowned Queene true type of happiest King Chap. 1. verse 1 Those sacred words king Dauids son did preach who Israel taught verse 2 All vanitie of vanities he calls more light then thought 1. The words of the Preacher the sonne of Dauid king in Ierusalem THe heauenly words of holy Dauids sonne Who ouer Israels race sometimes did raigne Wherewith to vertue he his subiects wonne Whilst in Ierusalem he did remaine And to instruct them thus did not disdaine Those words no vaine discourse it is I write Pend by a Prince as God did them indite Strange doctrines which some paradoxes call But yet the quintessence of holy creed Liues pure Elixer which is sought of all T' asswage cares corasiues in heart that breed Of happinesse the generatiue seed Of morall speculation practise sound Of constant faith the quiet fruit he found 2. Vanitie of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities all is vanitie The farre fet happinesse which some propound In minds in bodies and in fortunes gifts Which all conioyned seeldome times are found But to a vaine conceit the fancie lifts And their best Sectaries do lose their drifts The crowne it is of heauens most glorious state Earths fruites all vaine care folly and debate Yea vaine all vaine saith he mans soule well proues What euer on earths spatious Orbe below Hath breath life being sense or what so moues By vegetatiue kind or which doth ow To nature a declyning state to grow Vaine in the roote in bud in flower all vaine Vaine fruit whose of-springs vainly vades againe verse 3 What solid fruite finds tyred man of trauell vnder Sunne verse 4 The earth is firme whilst mans age past another age doth runne 3. What remaineth vnto man in all his trauel which he suffereth vnder the Sunne What if some one amids a multitude More happie in many points then others be Yet truly can you not thereby conclude That perfect happie in all respects is he Nor long time can enioy the same we see Vpon a tickle point earths blessings stand And come and go in turning of a hand All must confesse that nothing long remaines To man for all the trauels of his mynd Sustained in this life with bodies paines Since earth and earthly things all vade by kynd As doth a shadow or a puffe of wynd No prouidence preuenteth destinie Earth and her fruites do liue but for to die 4. One generatiō passeth and an other generatiō succeedeth but the earth remaineth for euer Mans life like to a burning lampe doth wast And like the ship on sea all stormes abyde Flies swift as thought which straight is come and past Whose memorie as soone away doth slyde As trace which soaring fowle through aire did guyde Whose entercourse of change so swift doth go That sence can scarce discerne that it was so And as on stage new actors issue still Vntill each part expir'd the play be done So generations newe the world do fill And ages newe past ages ouer-runne And shall till this worlds end haue new begun That other world which neuer shall haue end To which we posting thus our hopes should bend verse 5 The mouing sun doth rise and set and turnes from whence it came verse 6 The wind frō north to south blows roūd calmeth with the same 5. The sunne riseth and the sunne goeth downe and draweth to his place where he riseth Yea all heauens elements full well we see Though farre more durable then man by kind Yet for our vse in motion still to bee And by their change of change put vs in mind As in the lightsome sunne we proofe may find Whose time in measuring out our time is spent Whilst we to marke his motion onely ment This glorious Bride in loue of earth his spouse From his Starchambered pallace of the sky Drawne on by mornings wings betimes doth rouse Through either Hemi-sphere and passing by Th' Antipodes from East to East doth fly With euery step Horizons making new Wherewith the earth new bewties doth indew 6. The wind goeth toward the South and cōpasseth toward the North the wind goeth round about and returneth by his circuit This pure sweete aire wherein things breathing liue Th'all filling essence of vacuitie He vnto life the very spright doth giue And neuer rests his presence to applie To our behoofe who languishing would lie If long he should retire his flagrant breath Whose vse from vs restraind doth menace death He being speedie guide to motions all In tender care and
and shall Yet we as they one common end do find One dissolution of this earthly frame Whose matter doth returne vnto the kind From whence at first creation forth it came The memory whereof the mind should tame Of those ambitious braines vnbounded will Which whilst they liue the world with comber fill verse 21 Who knows mans soule ascends or beasts vnto the earth desceÌ„ds verse 22 Best then say I ioy in thy owne which thee thy knowledge ends 21. Who knoweth whether the Spirit of man ascend vpward and the Spirit of the beast descend downward to the earth And though indeed the soules immortall seed Which had his being from a cause more pure Vpon a higher hope doth iustly feed And shall in all eternitie endure Yet to the eye of man who can assure The same if faith the light vnto the soule Did not distrustfull fleshes thoughts controule For euen the selfe same instruments of life The same necessities of nutriment The same effects of sicknesse with vs rife The same abhorred death hath nature lent To euery creature that on earth she sent And at and after parting of the spright The carkasses of both seeme like to sight 22. Therfore I see that there is nothing better then that a maÌ„ should reioyse in his affayres because that is his portion for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him So that I see no vse of earths increase Fit for our bodies but whilst here we liue With them to cheere our sprights and purchase peace And vnto God for them due praise to giue Mans wit no further can his pleasure driue For he and they are subiect as you see To chaunge and to earths fraile mortalitee As for the care the wise and goodly haue Of their successors competent estate It is but due and nature doth it craue But for their loue our selues we ought not hate And toyling vex our soules with worlds debate What they will proue or what in time may grow We know not nor should curious be to know Chap. 4. verse 1 TheÌ„ earths vnrights I viewd tears of wroÌ„gd by worthles iudg verse 2 And therwith thought theÌ„ blessed dead need not the liuing grudge 1. So I turned conâ—idereâ— all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the sunne and behold the teares of the oppressed and none conforteth them and â—o the strength is of the hand of them that oppresse them and none comforteth him BVt whither doth this passion me transport My thoghts with thinking haue forgot my thought Whilst earthly I with earthly worlds consort And to the bodies cares haue comfort brought My meditations haue the heauens sought And those eternities which passe my skill But now descend to earth againe I will And of more humaine actions will intreat Where we a tragedie of woes shall see Whilst weaker ones oppressed by the great Are destitute of place whereto to flee For succour since their foes their Iudges bee And farre too powrefull wherewith to contend And most men backward poore men to defend 2. Wherefore I prayied the dead which now are dead aboue the liuing which are yet aliue Which makes me thinke though nature it deny That much more happie is the dead mans state Then those that in this life such troubles try And life like death my heart begins to hate Death vnto endlesse life is but the gate But life is vnto death a longsome way Where tyresome troubles vexe vs day by day And death that lothsome state which life doth shun By life itselfe with care and toyle is sought Through perils men to purchase death do run And with lifes scorne holde death but cheaply bought Which honour to them selues or countrey brought For life could not exempted be from wo Whilst dying they all worldly cares forgo verse 3 The vnhorne better then them both who such ill daies not saw verse 4 It vexed me the spight to see that vertuous workes do draw 3. And I count him better theÌ„ them both which hath not yet bin for he hath not seene the euill works which are wrought vnder the suune But yet indeed since both by life and death The state of many men is wretched still They may most happie seeme which nere drew breath Or infants dyed neuer knowing ill And reason good for both produce I will The ones not being making them to bee Incapable of vengeance wicked see The other cleane exempt from humane care As being dead now needing nothing more Whose actuall crimes hels doome could not prepare Originall sinnes by grace were cleansd before And mercie guiding them to high heau'ns dore Whose want of reason liuing knew no wo But voyd of feare to death did mildly go 4. Also I beheld all trauell and all perfection of workes that this is the enuy of a maÌ„ against his neighbour this also is vanitie and vexation of the Spirit This other plague besides doth follow man A vice alas too common in this age The more of vertue that he glory can The more the baser sort repine and rage And with reprochfull slander malice swage Depriuing or deprauing best desart Or it Eclipsing with some guilefull art No foe to learning like the ignorant Nor to the good like to the bad we say Gods kingdome Beliall seeketh to supplant And vertue fayling his another way Euen viciously they vertue would betray Who herein yet themselues do but disgrace For slander can not iust deserts deface verse 5 The slothfull foole he folds his hands but hunger staru'd he pines verse 6 Whilst to a poore but lasie life his chosen course inclines 5. The foole foldeth his hands and eateth vp his owne flesh Themselues like fooles and feeble helplesse wights Vnable or vnwilling to attaine The trauell which belongs to vertues rights Doe poore disgracefull liue and so remaine And caterpiller like on others paine Doe feed and liue to world improfitable Driuen to depend on scraps of others table Nay well it were with some if so it were Who foodlesse are compeld to begge or starue Because their idle fingers doe forbeare The honest trades which might their liuing serue Whose folded hands no better doth deserue But as they to themselues do proue vnkind So they of others should no better find 6. Better is an handfull with quietnes then two handfuls with Iâ—bor and vexation of the Spirit Yet which is lamentable to be told They senselesse so in idlenesse delight That they their course of life to prayse are bold And all virilitie excluding quight Their base borne humours glose so well in sight As though an humble thought and peace of mind From all industrie did the honest bind As though that peace and plentie neuer met As if wealth were attain'd with bare desire As though they carelesse were that liue in debt As if they grieselesse who not wealth aspire As though God did not trauell'of vs require As though an humble mind appeard not best In modest vse of plentie and of rest verse
below That as they well or ill their flocke intreat He moueth so their subiects harts to grow He maketh fierce Adonebesock know Himselfe of mightie Prince most wretch aliue And captiu'd Ioseph by his bondage thriue Yea so vnstable are mens minds withall That nothing can long time their minds content Vnhappy are those men who vnder-fall The vulgar censure which is lightly bent Vnto new-fangled liking And who rent The right of rule from father to bestow On child ofttimes before he merit show 16. There is none end of all the people nor of all that were before them and they that come after shal not reioice in him surely this is also vanitie and vexation of the spirit So doth man gaze vpon the rising sunne So soone we surfet feeding on the best So fast the multitude to mischiefe runne So hardly can the fonder sort digest Obedience where their safest state should rest That monster like they many heads do reare And euery head ten thousand fancies beare In which their choice by chance if they attaine Vnto a worthy guyder of their state He in their likings can not long remaine Whilst causelesse malcontents turne loue to hate Which cares with many more their ioyes abate And makes their raysed state more deeply way That wo which nature doth on all men lay verse 17 For all is vaine saue to serue God which wheÌ„ thou dost prepare Heare ere thou speake of sacrifice of babbling foole beware 17. Take heed to thy foot when thou enterest into the house of God and be more neare to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they do euill Now least my speech which tended to thy cure Should in thy mind worlds meere misliking breed Which yet perforce a space thou must indure I will thee now with wholesome counsell feed With God and man instructing thee the way To liue in peace and worldly cares alay And first as chiefest comfort of the rest I will direct they steps to God aboue Vnto whose seruice when thou art addrest Let reuerent feare thy whole affection moue Come thou to learne thy schoole his Temple make And fond prescriptious of thy owne forsake Chap. 5. verse 1 Vse few and pithy words to God from heauen full well he heares verse 2 As busied braine by dreames so want of wit by words appeares 1. Be not tasâ—â— with thy mouth not let thine heart be hastie to vtter a thing before God for God is in the heauens and thou art on the earth therfore let thy wordes be few BEthinke thee well ere thou begin to pray And so prepare thy humble soule thereto That thou thy worthlesse state do duely way Gods power beleeue and will thee good to do And then thy needfull wants craue and commend To his best pleasure to restraine or send For he inthronized in mercies seat All-seeing is all-powerfull alwayes prest To view our wants to yeeld what we intreat If as they ought our prayers be addrest Few words if feruent will to heauen ascend He knowes our thoughts ere hart to pray we bend 2. For as a dream commeth by the multitude of businesse so the voice of a foole is in the multitude of words The multitude of numbred words we heare Some vse in prayer sheweth want of faith Like Balaams Priests their passions do appeare Whose hope on their enchaunting fury stayeth And doth not as it should on God depend Who knoâ—wes the fittest time thy cares to end For looke how cares of passed day do cause A swarme of aparitions in the night Which on the sleeping senses terror drawes And doth the tyred body oft affright So folly moues the tongue which vainely speakes And vaine that is which modest measure breakes verse 3 If ought thou vow performe it soone God likes not fond delâ—y verse 4 It better were vow were not made then deede should it denay 3. 〈…〉 And as in prayer so aduise thee well When vnto God thou any thing wilt vow Earth is his footstoole heau'n his throne to dwell What need hath he then of thy presents now Yet free will offrings he doth kindly take If gratefull heart a lawfull promise make Be therefore sure thou dally not therein But if thou vow such things performe the same Vntruth with men but foule defame doth win â— With God it can not then but purchase blame Ne ignorance ne rashnesse may excuse So foule a fault refraine it then to vse 4. It is better that thou shouldest not vow then that thou shouldest vâ—w and not pay it Thou hadst bene better farre to haue with-held Thy promise when thou first the same didst make Thou wast not then by any law compeld Thereto but freely didst it vndertake Compulsiue promises no promise bee But vow premeditate it bindeth thee It bindeth thee euen by the highest band That heauen and earth affordeth vnto man Thy hart as spokes-man for thee long doth stand And God the hearer who conceiue it can Thy selfe faith breaker vnto God art found If thou performe not then what vow hath bound verse 5 Sin not by words ne ignorance plead least God thy works coÌ„found verse 6 But feare thou God count as dreams those vaine words which abound 5. Suffer not thy mouth to make thy flesh to sin neither say before the Angel that this is ignorance wherfore shall God be angry by thy voice and destroy the worke of thine hand Yet if thy promise were to do the thing Which is contrary to his holy law I rather wish thee it forbeare then bring The price of sinne that should more iudgements draw Of euils two the least the wise do chuse If vow were wicked rather it refuse And first beware as I before did say That thou no euill thing in vow pretend Then how thou canst performe it see thou way And freely then with speed performe intend Least God and Angels witnesse thee vntrew And thou and thine with vengeance for it rew 6. For in the multitude of dreames and vanities are also many words but feare thou God Thus in a word I haue informed thee How vaine a rash and foolish prayer is How daungerous a heape of words that bee Impertinent and vowes that are amisse Euen fruitlesse vapors of corrupted braine Which like vaine dreames the rest of soule do staine Leaue them therefore and do thou wholly bend Thy holy thoughts to please thy God aright In word and deed and pray him grace to send That thy weake workes be pleasing in his sight So though the world with wrong and woe abound Thy faith and peace of conscience shall be sound verse 7 If poore oppressed be feare not one sits in heauen it seeth verse 8 Earths plenty passeth all the rest and kings are fed therewith 7. If in a countrie thou seest the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice be not astonied at the matter for he that is higher theÌ„ the highest regardeth and there be higher then
they What if the wicked age wherein we liue Or lawlesse place wherein thou hapst to dwell Do sacred Iustice from her Scepter driue And make the poore mans life seeme worse then hell As though there were no God nor prouidence To punish sinne or yeeld the iust defence Yet be thou sure God seeth all full well And though he pacient be yet moued long He will dismount from heauen where he doth dwell To do thee right and wreke thee of their wrong With hoast of Angels and earths meanes beside To powre his wrath on them for lawlesse pride 8. And the abouÌ„dance of the earth is ouer all the king also consisteth by the field that is tilled When happie shall be held their blessed state Who humbly yeelded vnto Gods decree Who with the sweat of browes their liuing gate And with liues needfull food contented bee Whose trauell on this earth of mans vnrest With fruitfull crop from God aboue is blest Thrise blest thou silly swaine that tilst the ground Voide of the crafts and cares in Courts that bee More honest profit or content not found In Princes pallace then in cot with thee Kings without thee ne liue ne can be kings Thy paine to Court and Countrey plently brings verse 9 Who loueth gold shall lacke and he who couets much want store verse 10 With wealth charge growes the owner but moreaseth paine the more 9. He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof this also is vanitie What though the world through hateful lust of gold Be thus transported with a greedy mind To purchase wealth which makes the coward bold To search land sea and hell the same to find Yet as it doth increase so doth desire And soone consume as oyle amidst the fire A iust reward of so vnworthy trade As doth debase nobilitie of soule Which made immortal scornes those things that vade And in the wise should earthly'affects controule But mouldwarp like these blindfold grope in vaine Vaine their desires more vaine the fruit they gaine 10. When goods increase they are increased that eat them and what good commeth to the owners thereof but the beholding therof with their eyes If honor wealth and calling do excell The common sort so charge doth grow with all Few with a litle sure may liue as well As many may though greater wealth befall It is not wealth to haue of goods great store But wealth to be suffisd and need no more Who hath aboundance and it vseth well Is but a steward to his family A purse-bearer for such as neare him dwell An Amner to the poore that helplessely He but his share doth spend though somwhat better And what he leaues he is to world a detter verse 11 Poore labourers empty mawd sleep sound whilst gluttons want their sleepe verse 12 This plague I see some with their wealth their proper mischiefe keepe 11. The sleepe of him that trauelleth is sweet whether he eat litle or much but the societie of the rich will not suffer him 〈◊〉 sleepe The labouring man that in his lawfull trade Hath past the toylesome day to gaine to liue No surfet hath his stomacke to vpbrayd Nor fearefull dreames which into horror driue His fraudlesse soule whilst he the longsome night Doth rest and rise to worke as day doth light When as the glutton after crammed gorge Whose surfets vpon surfets buried bee In his insatiat maw of hellish forge In bed no rest can find but slumbering see A swarme of visions breed by vapours vaine Which from a putride stomacke rise to braine 12. There is an euil sicknesse that I haue seene vnder the sun to wit riches reserued to the â—wners thereof for their euill And which I further see doth oft ensew The wealthier sort and which I much lament Is that they often times themselues do rew Their euill gotten wealth with time mispent As meanes for so it proues of greater care And which in end doth leaue them poore and bare Like to a spunge which store of sap hath suckt Or to the Bee that hony hath in hyue Their wealth is wrong their hony combe is pluckt Out of their hord by which they thought to thryue Their liues do for their goods fare oft the worse For enuious eyes pursue the plenteous purse verse 13 Their riches perish with their pains their childreÌ„ poore remaine verse 14 As naked buried as were borne leaue all their trauels gaine 13. And these riches perish by euil trauell and he begetteth a sonne and in his hand is nothing Which though they hap to scape yet many wayes There are besides which doth their ioyes bereaue Ill gotten goods we say not long time stayes And hastie wealth few heires to heires do leaue The getters faults or follies all may lose And chance or change of times it new dispose So that the of-spring of these mightie men By due vicisitude do oft descend From their aspired greatnesse hoped then Vnto the meanest ranke from whence they wend Each Crow his feather hath and naked they Their parents sinnes by their mishaps bewray 14. As he came forth of his mothers belly he shall returne naked to go as he came and shall beare away nothing of his labor which he hath caused to passe by his hand The Father he all naked went before Vnto the earth whence first he naked came The sonne as readie standeth at the dore To follow fathers steps and with the same Poore naked helplesse state that borne he was From all his pompe vnto his graue to pas Not any thing with him from hence to beare Of earthly substance that he did possesse The soule immortall is and may not weare Nor any vertues that our way addresse To heauen they shall suruiue vs after death WheÌ„ death shal liue by liues soone smothred breath verse 15 Gone as they came ô griefe of griefes his trauels paid with wind verse 16 His daies in darknes spent his bread consumd with grief of mind 15. And this also is an euill sicknes that in al points as he came so 〈◊〉 he go and what profit hath he that he â—â—th trauelled 〈◊〉 the windâ— If so it be alas what woe is this That not alone as poorest man beside All naked vnto graue he posting is But euen the common pangs must him betide That to all flesh at houre of death is rife When soule and bodie parting finish life And that with him his trauels fruits do end Who hath no share in all his former gaine But what soeuer blisse he did pretend His haps as others chance do voide remaine His hopes like dust dispersed with the wind Or sownd on sea where they no root could find 16. Also all his daies he eateth in darknesse with much griefe and in his sorrow and anger Which when he doth fore-think with heauy cheare He pines away the remnant of his dayes How much the more he happie did appeare The more vnhappy
to repent That wrong on wrong vpon the iust they lade Euen whilst they able are no more to beare So voide they are of any kind of feare 12. Though a sinner do euill an hundreth times and God prolongeth his dayes yet I know that it shall be well with them that feare the Lord and do reueâ—ence before him But though they scape vnpunished awhile For hundred yeares are but a while with God Though flatteringly them selues they do beguile And feele no smart of Gods correcting rod But rather find their dayes prolongd with peace As though their happinesse should neuer cease Yet sure I am it one day shall be well With such as in the feare of God do liue As in his holy lawes and Church do dwell And proofe of their beliefe in life do giue That they exempted farre from tyrants rage Shall liue and rest in peace an endlesse age verse 13 Who feares not God shall not escape his daies as shadows paâ— verse 14 Though wicked men triumph sometimes iust men waile alas 13. But it shall not be well to the wicked neither shal he prolong his dayes he shall be like a shadow because he feareth not before God When as contrariwise the wicked one Shall be dismounted from his seat of trust Dismayd and desolate forlorne alone Pursu'd by heauen and earth by iudgement iust Of God and man forsaken and contemnd As he the innocent before condemnd The pompe and glory of his passed pride Like to a flowre shall vanish and decay His life like ruines downe shall headlong slide His fame like to a shadow vade away Because he feared not the God of might In iustice shall these woes vpon him light 14. There is a vanitie which is done vpon the earth that ther be righteous men to whom it commeth according to the worke of the wicked and there be wicked men to whom it commeth according to the worke of the iust I thought also that this is vanitie And yet in truth it is a wondrous case To see the iust so many woes sustaine Not that I thinke that pitie can haue place With wicked ones to make them wrong refraine But that the God of iustice doth permit His seruants to be subiect vnto it For you shall lightly see the better man The more afflicted in his worldly state The vilest person worst that find you can Most wealthy'and loued most though worthy hate But it is vaine to search Gods mind herein Thereof to descant I will not begin verse 15 I best commend a ioyfull vse of blessings falne to share verse 16 For wisedome made me but behold mans life more full of care 15. And I praysed ioy for there is no goodnesse to man vnder the sunne saue to eat and to drinke and to reioyce for this is adioined to his labour the daies of his life that God hath giuen him vnder the sunne But drawing this discourse vnto an end Concluding it as I the former did I say that in this life who doth intend Himselfe of many combers well to rid And to enioy the blisse that earth can giue Must cast off care and seeke in peace to liue I meane those curious studies fore-reprou'd Which do but multiply a bootlesse care And ioy himselfe when ioy may best be mou'd With vse of euery creature and prepare To take a plenteous part of them as gaine Of all his trauels to him shall remaine 16. When I applyed mine heart to know wisedome and to behold the businesse that is done on earth that neither day nor night the eies of man take sleepe For though it be a thing some wisemen vse And man by nature is thereto inclind And I my selfe the same did not refuse Euen studies trauell to inrich my mind Who knew thereby what studie might attaine Or which a forward wit and will might gaine Who searched had mens actions curiously And all the accident that world doth yeeld Who in my selfe great part of them did try On others proofe did likewise knowledge build Both day and night applying thereunto My busie braines as many others do verse 17 I see therby Gods works profound beyond mans reach to sound Be'he nere so wise toile nere so much their depth cannot be found 17. Then I beheld the whole works of God that man can not find out the worke that is wrought vnder the sunne for the which man laboureth to seeke it and cannot find it yea though the wise man thinke to know it he cannot find it Yet loe I found that I much time had lost That all my studie was imployd in vaine That I in vaine my bookes had turnd and tost That my experience did small knowledge gaine That out the meanest creature God did make I might a new full many a lesson take That all we know but meere supposall is That we know not the least of truth of them That in the principles of art we mis That we vniustly name of knowledge claime Who only truely know we nothing know As wise men in the end to see do grow Chap. 9. verse 1 All this I know that wise iust are Gods whose loue showes not verse 2 By hap they haue wise fooles good bad are subiect to like lot 1. I haue surely giuen mine hart to all this and to declare all this that the iust and the wise and their workes are in the hand of God and no man knoweth either loue or hatred of all that is before them IT resteth now my part to perfect that I in my former speeches haue begunne That I may hit the marke I aymed at And so my course vnto your comfort runne That I may see that some haue profit wonne Which I will do by laying plaine to thee The proofes which both by good and bad I make Their weale nor woe no perfect markes to bee Of loue or hate of God from whom we take All powre and all successe and vaine are they That mens intentions by their issue way 2. Al things come a like to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked to the good and to the pure to the polluted and to him that sacriâ—iceth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an oth For much a like you all mens states shall find And like euents to good and bad befall To wisest men as men most grossely blind To rich as poore and wretchedst man of all For in this life you none can happie call Obserue the man that is of honest mind And marke the most deceitfull man aliue Looke on the Athiest most profane by kind And holy man and you shall see them thriue Both oft a like the foule blaspheming wight As he that prayes and serues God day and night verse 3 All during life to folly sold a like all go to graue verse 4 In life is hope liue dogs more price then once dead Lyons haue 3. This
feareth euery cloud that is in sky But little corne shall sow or reape to sell If alwaies he do guide his workes thereby So giue thou when thou maist and thinke thy store Increast thereby no whit impaird the more verse 5 As child in wombe so al things God makes grow vnknown to thee verse 6 TheÌ„ morn euen sow thou thy seed God knows which best shal be 5. As thou knowest not which is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the wombe of her that is with child so thou knowest not the worke of God that worketh all Thinke this that euen that God which gaue to thee The present blessings that thou dost possesse Thy charitable workes from heauen doth see And will thy labours in due season blesse If thou thy faith by neighbours loue expresse And thinke that as the infants borne that bee Conceiued are do grow do liue do feed And be by birth in time from prison free By meanes vnknowne to mothers them that breed Se be assur'd that God which it hath wrought Can wealth restore by meanes to thee vnthought 6. In the morning sow thy seed and in the euening let not thine hand rest for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that or whether both shall be a like good Both rath and late at euery time and tide Then do vnto thy power some almes deed Without some others good let no day slide So oft as thou canst find aman hath need And who this can performe is blest indeed For man can not his worke so wisely guide To know to whom and when to giue is best But who for pittie giues and not for pride Though needlesly some fall among the rest Yet some no doubt is blessedly bestowd And in thy will of good good worke is showd verse 7 Sure life is sweete and all desire long time to see the sunne verse 8 Though long life last yet death maks hast times do vainly run 7. Surely the light is a pleasant thing and it is a good thing to the eyes to see the sunne And since but whilst thou liu'st thy goods are thine And what thou freely giu'st deserueth prayse Giue while thou mayst so mayst thou find in fine Well sau'd what well was spent in liuing dayes For godly worke with God aye present stayes Long mayst thou liue but must in end decline To death the end of euery liuing thing To yeeld to death yet needst thou not repine If liuing thou to man no good canst bring And hauing left some good by life to men More welcome death may be vnto thee then 8. Though a man liue many yeares and in them all he reioyce yet he shal remember the dayes of darknesse because they are many all that commeth is vanitie For death thou knowest vnto life is due And life doth but prepare a man to die Liues cares a daily death in vs renue To worke in vs consent to death thereby Which else no flesh with patience sure would try The many dayes or yeares which do insue Of wariest gouernment to happiest wight Cannot perswade him but that this is true That lightsome day will turne to darksome night That times most long haue end and what doth vade Is little better then a very shade verse 9 Reioyce in youth fulfill desire yet know God iudgeth all verse 10 To clense thy hart wicked flesh graue age vain youth doth cal 9. Reioyce ô young man in thy youth and let thine hâ—rt chere thee in the dayes of thy youth and waâ—ke in the wayes of thine hâ—rt and in the sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement Delight he then in what so ere he please In youth in beauty strength or wealthy store Let him delight himselfe in vse of these And cheare his hart as cause he hath therefore Yet let him thinke death knocketh at his dore And that they all do vanish with their wayes That God alone remayneth euer â—ure That only vertue with vs longest stayes And can eternall blessednesse procure When to the iudgement of a God seuere Our workes must come who all in mind doth beare 10. Therefore take away griefe out of thine heart cause euill to depart from thy flesh for childhood and youth are vanitie Let him and all the wise whilst yet they may Prepare themselues to beare with chearefull mind The fierce assaults in death that for vs stay And but by faith can strong resistance find Since all our other workes come short behind Let vs abandon euery wicked way And lay our treasure vp in heauen aboue Youth is a flowre that springeth out in May But euery frost or blast doth soone remoue But heauen and heauenly ioyes will still remaine When youth and earthly works proue meerely vaine Chap. 12. verse 1 Remember thy creator then in these thy youthfull dayes Ere croked age all pleasure to thy lothed life denayes 1. Remember now thy creator in the daies of thy youth whilst the euill dayes come not ANd since thou canst not shun deaths fatall day And as the tree doth fall so shall it rise Whilst yet thou mayst prepare a quiet way Vnto thy soule which in such danger lies If thou in time reliefe do not deuise The earth and earthly things do helpe denay Heauen is the harbor where thy soule doth dwell Let not thy hope on earth then longer stay But it and workes thereof from hart expell Delay no time in hope long life to haue Youth may age must ere long time go to graue Nor the yeares approach wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them To heauen thy progresse thou dost wish to make Then cloth thy selfe accordingly therefore The clogs of worldly loue and lust forsake And thinke them burdens to thee euermore And in thy life haue lights of vertue store Let thought of thy creator thee awake From sinnes of youth hart burdensome in age Remember God account of thee will take If thy repentance not his wrath asswage Yea leaue thou sinne ere lust leaue tempting thee Thy abstinence else can not vertue bee verse 2 Whilst sunne moone stars seeme light and rayny clouds are farre verse 3 Whilst keepers of thy house are strong whose pillers stedfast are 2. Whâ—les the sunne is not darke nor the light nor the moone nor the starres nor the clouds returne after the raine The feeble members which haue lost their might Through which their senses did affection proue No maruell now if they take lesse delight In vaine prospects which they tofore did loue Since they the meanes do want doth liking moue The sunne moone stars heauens ornameÌ„t earths light Can yeeld small comfort to the senslesse corse When all thy ioynts begin by day and night Do tyre thy life and breed the soules remorse No maruell if thou then proue continent But thou shouldst temp'rance euen in youth frequent 3. When the keepers of the house shall treÌ„ble
PART 10. 73 Thy hand hath fashioned me therefore teach me thy holy will 74 So shall thy seruants all reioyce and I obey thee still 75 Thy iudgements Lord I graunt are iust I did thy wrath deserue 76 Haue mercie yet and pardon me thy promise cannot swarue 77 Lord let me liue I thee beseech thy law is my delight 78 Bring thou to shame my foes and driue the wicked out of sight 79 And let thy seruants all behold thy mercies showd to me 80 Who walking in thy statutes iust shall not ashamed be PART 11. 81 My soule is almost faint for feare yet on thy word 〈◊〉 82 My eyes are dim with looking sore send me thy comfort iust 83 My bones are withered with despaire till thou thy promise pay 84 My life is short thy iustice on the wicked Lord beâ—ray 85 By fraud they seeke to take my life contrary vnto right 86 But thou art iust vniust are they therefore put them to flight 87 They had almost consumed me my faith yet did not faint 88 Reuiue thou me and with thy truth my mouth I will acquaint PART 12. 89 O Lord thy word immutable in heauen doth still indure 90 Thy truth from euer was thou laidst the earths foundation sure 91 All things continue at a stay and do thy people serue 92 Vnlesse thy word did comfort me my faith with griefe would sterue 93 I neuer therefore will forget thy lawes which quicken me 94 I am thy seruant saue thou me who vnto thee do flye 95 The wicked seeke me to destroy but in thâ—e will 〈◊〉 rust 96 Thy truth endures for aye but else all things returne to dust PART 13. 97 So much I loue thy law ô Lord I studie on it still 98 Thy grace beyond my enimies doth me with true knowledge fill 99 I better vnderstand thy will then they which do me teach 100 I better know thy lawes to keepe then they which should them preach 101 That I thy word might keepe my feete refraine each eâ—ill way 102 My iudgement grees vnto thy law which taught me what to say 103 Then hony combe vnto my tast thy word is far more sweet 104 Thereby thy will I learne and falshood shun as most vnmeet PART 14. 105 Thy word is light vnto my feete and guides me in my way 106 My hart hath sworne I will performe thy 〈◊〉 â—ight and day 107 My soule is sore opprest ô Lord do thou me ioy now send 108 Teach me thy will to my request a gratefull â—earing 〈◊〉 109 Though I in daunger daily be thy lawes I not forget 110 But keepe them still while me to snare the prowd a bayâ— haue seâ— 111 They are the portion I haue chose they are my harts delight 112 My hart is vowd thy lawes to keepe with all my power and â—â—ight PART 15. 113 Thy word I loue but do detest the vanities of minde 114 My shield thou art my refuge safe in whom I trust do finde 115 Away from me ye wicked men my God alone I serue 116 He will performe my hope his word from truth doth neuer swerue 117 Support thou me then am I safe in thee is all my trust 118 Thou hast supprest the proud and such as follow worldly lust 119 I loue thee Lord because thou doest from earth the vaine remoue 120 Yet do I feare thy iudgements Lord which shall my sinnes reproue PART 16. 121 Let me not then oppressed be I iustice do obserue 122 Plead thou my cause gainst wicked men which froÌ„ thy will do swerue 123 My eyes are dim with longing Lord to see thy promist ayde 124 Teach me my God and let thy seruant be with mercy payd 125 I wait on thee let me therefore of wisedome thine haue part 126 Helpe Lord in time for all the world do from thy lawes depart 127 Yet do I thy precepts esteeme more then the richest gold 128 Most iust are they but such I hate as vnto sinne are sold. PART 17. 129 Thy testimonies I admire on them my soule doth muse 130 The wayes thereto do shine so bright the simple it may chuse 131 The zeale I bare vnto thy law did make my hast to moue 132 Looke on me then in mercy Lord because thy law I loue 133 Direct my deedes so that no sinne may beare in me asway 134 I keepe thy will to wicked men let me not be a pray 135 Thy shining face vnto me turne thy statutes teach thou mee 136 With teares my eyes do daily flow because they trespasse thee PART 18. 137 Thou righteous God most iust indeed thy iudgements all are found 138 To truth aâ—d equitie alone thy lawes thy seruants bound 139 My zeale doth burne because my foes thy lawes haue cleane forgot 140 Thy word we finde most pure and I haue chose it to my lot 141 Though I be poore and in contempt I do remember well 142 Thy righteous precepts which for aye in glorious truth excell 143 Anguish and eares vpon me come thy law yet do I loue 144 Teach me thy truth that I may liue eternally aboue PART 19. 145 Heare me ô Lord to thee â— cry thy â—â—atutes I will keepe 146 Saue me and graunt that in thy house I may in safetie sleepe 147 Before the 〈…〉 to thee I call and wait thy wâ—ll 148 By night I watch to meditate and studie of thee still 149 Heare me ô gracious God in time and quicken thou my spright 150 They are at hand that hate thy law and me pursue with spight 151 Thy promises assure me Lord that thou arâ— nigh at hand 152 I knew 〈◊〉 since thy high decree should firme for euer stand PART 20. 153 Behold my sorrowes then and helpe â—â—y pleasure I obay 154 Plead thou 〈…〉 me vpon thy word I stay 155 The wicked they are farre from helpe which do not thee regard 156 But for thy seruants we do know thy mercy is prepard 157 Many they are thaâ— me pursue yet will I follow thee 158 I see the wicked scorne thy â—ord and much it grieueth mee 159 Consider Lord my 〈◊〉 too thee so quicke 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 160 For from for aye thy word of truth and righteousnesse I finde PART 21. 161 Princes of might do me pursue yet onely thee I feare 162 Thy word delights my hart as if my richesse great it weare 163 Thy law I loue but do abhorte all falshood and deceit 164 Seauen times a day I praise thy name and on thee alwayes wait 165 The keepers of thy law shall stand from danger alwayes free 166 I keepe thy heasts because I hope thy sauing health to see 167 Yea for the loue I beare to them I will them not transgresse 168 Thou seest ô Lord in all my wayes thy name I do confesse PART 22. 169 Let then my plaint before thee come and be thou still my guide 170 Giue â—are vnto my sute and let thy promise firme abide 171 When thou hast me thy statutes taught my lips
But yet in hope of grace from thee I stay And do not yeeld although my courage quaile To rescue me be'prest I do thee pray If sinfull death do seeke me to assaile Let me runne forth my race vnto the end Which by thy helpe ô Lord I do intend SON LIIII ABase borne sonne to sin by kinde I am From natiue soile by want of grace exilde Of idle fances captaine I became Whilst I in Tob my resting place did bilde With worldly vanities I was defilde Till home thou caldst me by thy heauenly word Who trusting to my selfe was soone beguilde When I sought workes to be a conquering sword Whose vowes did seeme a present to afford Of frute of victorie at my returne Which rashnesse hath a mischiefe great incurd Compelling me my owne deserts to burne And now I mourne and better frute do craue The blessing of thy sonne Lord let me haue SON LV. WHen thou vouchsafedst Lord to raise my state From base degree of common humane kinde And gau'st me knowledge and a will to hate Each wickednesse contrarie to thy minde By promise thou didst me most strictly binde To slaye each wicked seed which doth possesse My sinfull flesh Amalekite most blinde Which vertue and thy grace seekes to suppresse But wretched I alas I do confesse Haue kept a part of that accursed spoile Vndaunted which thou seest nere the lesse And therefore wilt accurse my sinfull soile And take from me the kingdome thou didst giue Except thy mercy do my soule relieue SON LVI THe onelie daughter Lord of my delight Dina the vertue of my iudgment best Is rauished alas by Satans might Whil'st I secure in Hiuits countrie rest In worldlie vanities a wandring guest Amongst the wicked I remainde a while Where sillie she by foolish will addrest Gazde on those godlesse youths which her beguile For lustfull Sichem sonne to sin most vile Did lay a traine of loue which led to shame Whose flattering speech did modestie exile And left a spot of guilt and foule defame But faith zeale the first frutes of my strength By grace shall venge my honour iust at length SON LVII THe silly babes the motions of the minde Which natiue vertue seeketh forth to bring Concupiscence the midwife most vnkinde To deadly sin and Satan straight doth fling The mothers power suffiseth not to wring Out of this tyrants hands her dying childe Her mone to see it is a piteous thing When reasons lawes so lewdly are defilde But if thy fauour Lord be reconcilde By loue vnto thy sonne by him to mee Then though my hope of grace be neare exilde Yet thou a childe Of faith wilt let me see A coffin Lord of comfort for me make Where safe I may swim in the words wilde lake SON LVIII VVHere shall I build ô Lord a quiet rest To bring forth birds of turtle Pigeons kinde My wearied wings do wander without rest And cannot gaine a harbour to my minde The Swallow Lord a setling place doth finde Within thy temple free from Eagles claw Not moued with tempestuous stormes of winde Or dangers which their kind doth stand in awe A place as fit for me my faith once saw VVheras my soule might safely be inclosd Thy Church inuisible to which I draw My life retirde therein to be reposd Make frutefull Lord my barren heart therein Shield me from storme of still assailing sin SON LIX VVHilst in the vale of carnall sense I dwell Foule Sodome sinke of sin and badge of shame Of whose polluted nature I do smell And aptly bend my selfe to them to frame Sent by thy mercie Lord thy Angels came And did vouchsafe a harbor to accept Within my soule which did professe thy name But Satan who a watch on me had kept When as these guests within my conscience slept Inuironed with lust my harbor weake For sorrow of this sin my soule it wept Whilst violently my bodies bands they breake But strike thou blinde their fury them expell Take me Lord from the flame of burning hell SON LX. MY bodie Lord infected long with sin Whose running issue is almost past cure Which helpe my humane phisicke cannot win And without comfort cannot long endure By viewing mercies thine becommeth sure If but thy gracious hem my hand may reach That loue in Christ my pardon shall procure And reunite in strength healths former breach Through presse of worldly lets faith shall me teach To seeke my safetie in thy promise true Vouchsafe thou eke repentance so to preach That I no more offending health insue Thy vertue Lord which bidding me be cleane To yeeld me health of soule is readie meane SON LXI NOw that I see ô Lord my open shame Conuict of sin and voyd of clothing pure Which couer might my soule which naked came Of grace and me from storme of world assure I do mistrust my selfe long to endure The heat and cold which feare and frailtie bring And clothing of my owne workes to procure I finde in deed to be a frutelesse thing To hide my selfe vnder thy mercies wing I therefore hasten now in hope of grace Grant I beseech the world no more me wring Out of thy hands but let me see thy face With faith and comfort clothed by thy hand And Christ thy Sonne in my defence to stand SON LXII VVHilst that the chosen chieftaines of thy word Do bend their power by preaching to subdue The fleshly Canaan and put sin to sword And giue the soule to be possest a new With righteous Israel vnto whom of due Those earthly blessings rather do pertaine They send two spies my secret thoughts to vew The law and Gospell which discouer plaine My fainting force in feare for to remaine Where yet repentant Rahab readie is To lodge them safe whilst Satan seekes in vaine To slaie these messengers of heauenly blis I craue therefore sweet Sauiour for a sine Faith bearing frutes as pledge of safetie mine SON LXIII HOw oft ô Lord with more then tender care Hast thou by Prophets cald me to repent How great thy loue by sonne which didst not spare To staie me backe from hell whereto I went Who to that end from heauen to earth was sent Whose graces daily preached offred peace And sought to stop my course to ruine bent And me from guilt of death for to release Like as the henne whose voice doth neuer cease To clocke her tender chickens vnder wings When furious foules on silly pray do prease And would deuour alas the helplesse things Such Lord thy care I feele and loue of me That thrall to Satan wouldst not haue me be SON LXIIII. VVHilst with the wholesome food of heauēly truth The Manna which thy written word doth giue Thou soughtst ô Lord to feed my wandring youth That it in plenteous peace by grace might liue By lust lo Satan sought my soule to driue To breake obedient bands vnto thy law Which my offences I protest do griue My helplesse heart the which delight did draw
I feare it be to soule a dangerous thing Shield me Lord vnder thy protecting wing Of mercy which may saue from Satans rage My heart and voyce shall still thy prayses sing If thou the malice of my foes asswage In Sychem shall my heart an alter reare The mightie God to loue to serue to feare SON LXXXVII THe talent which thou pleasedst Lord to giue To me thy seruant that I should bestow Whilst in thy seruice on the earth I liue My diligent increase thereof to show I haue abused Lord too long I know And feare thy comming to be nigh at hand I see for breach of dutie what I owe And of thy iudgments do in terror stand Thy grace hath left me in a forreine land Where vnexpert of vertue I do straie I shall be throwne to Satans thralfull band Voyd of thy heauenly ioy and blisse for aye Vnlesse thou helpe for thou doest vse to giue Grace vnto grace and faith from faithlesse driue SON LXXXVIII SInce that it pleaseth thee thy selfe to show A iust reuenger Lord of Heath'nish sin And bring the pride of bold Philistines low Who thee defame when holy Arke they win Now that to fetch it home I do begin And in the temple of my heart to place Grant so I may thy secrets see therein That plagues for my presumption do not chase It so from me as they that fled the face Of glorie thine which therein did appeare Let faith and loue draw home by trustie trace The constant cart whose carriage is so deare And let me order so this holie worke That dregs of sin not in my deeds may lurke SON LXXXIX IN famine great of grace and comfortlesse Thy seruant Lord doth in Samaria dwell For Lord fierce Aram doth with sin oppresse The citie where my soule to harbour fell I want the strength his armies to repell Of lust and of affections most vncleane My mind whose loue doth motherlike excell Her children thoughts of mendment sees so leane That forst by famine she can find no meane To feed them long her faith so poore is growne That natiue pitie now secluding cleane Her greedie nature doth deuour her owne Beleeue in time this siege Lord cause a feare Of thee this camp of cruell sin to reare SON XC ON sweet and sauorie bread of wholesome kinde Which in thy word thou offrest store to mee To feed vpon the flesh doth lothing finde And leaues to leane ô Lord alone on thee The leauen of the Pharisies will bee The surfet of my soule and death in fine Which coueting to tast forbidden tree To carnall rules and reasons doth incline So lauishly my lusts do tast the wine Which sowrest grapes of sin filles in my cup That lo my teeth now set on edge I pine Not able wholesome food to swallow vp Vnlesse thou mend my tast and hart doest frame To loue thy lawes and praise thy holy name SON XCI OVt of thy flocke ô Lord through my defect A silly sheepe my selfe behold am lost To seeke me forth in time do not neglect Since I so precious price to thee haue cost By many by-paths Lord my feete haue crost And cannot find the way vnto thy fold Through many stormes of deep despaire thus tost To craue thy aide at last I now am bold If thou of silly groat that count doest hold That thou doest search the house to find the same No doubt my soule to sin by nature sold May mercy find by calling on thy name The Saints in heauen conuertids gaine reioyce On earth thy praise is song in heart and voice SON XCII BEhold amidst worlds desert all alone Seduced by the frailtie of the sprite Accompany'd with fleshly comfort none My soule with sin compelled is to fight Where suddenly alas before my sight I Satan see me ready to assaile By two his seruants which are most of might Presumption and dispaire which seldome faile The best perfections of mans strength to quaile By pride or want of faith or couetise By lust or gluttony or fained vaile Of vertue which doth mamy sinnes disguise But chase him Lord away by written word Which is more sharpe then his two edged sword SON XCIII THe dreame which thou to Pharo didst reueale Thou in my selfe hast made me see in deed The state alas of mans weake common weale Whereas affections of all sorts do feed The frutefull soyle of grace some whiles did breed Full faire effects in truth of heauenly kinde But many barren thoughts alas succeed And threaten famine to a vertuous minde Store of such yeares as yet I feare behinde Which Lord will starue the comfort of my faith Vnlesse thy mercy and thy wisedome finde A store house to laie vp what scripture saith In hope of which thy goodnesse lo I liue Which of thy grace Lord do thou to me giue SON XCIIII THe seed which thou the husbandman hast sowde Within my soule ô Lord by Prophets hand Hath taken roote at last by deaw bestowd Form heauenly grace which fructifies my land But lo I saw the worlds deceipt to stand In readinesse to mingle tares therein Whilst sleeping me in vanities he fand He made my frutes to ouerflow with sin But ere thy haruest to approach begin Vouchsafe to weed these frailties so away That when thy corne is to be gathered in I may be cleane and in thy garner stay Burne Lord with chastisement my fleshly lust And clense my life by faith both pure and iust SON XCV WHat strength hath man wherin may he repose A power to stay him in a vertuous way To loue thy flocke thou Lord my soule hast chose Whom to obey my vowes and words did say But in my power alas there is no stay For light temptations made me cleane forget My dutie to my Lord and to denay Him who thus long I haue too lightly set But now my heart with teares my cheekes doth wet In sorrow of my so inconstant faith Repentance hath my sin before me set And conscience now my error duly way'th Grant that thy word crow thrise thrise to mee And warne me of my dutie vnto thee SON XCVI THe malice of this monster auncient foe Of man and of the Church which thou didst plant Euen Satan Herod-like about doth goe To make my frutes of faith to grow more scant Whilst yet with weaknesse feeble youth doth pant And wanteth grace to strengthen their estate The motions of the mind doth straight recant To see soules safetie which sin faine would hate The counsels of affections do debate And do conclude to murder vertues breed Lust pride and enuy open wide the gate To furious flesh that doth the wicked deed My soule their mother mourns ô Lord their end My future frutes of grace do thou defend SON XCVII SO foolish Lord haue my affections bin So carelesse of the blessing thou doest giue So prone my nature vnto euerie sin So thanklesse of thy grace by which I liue That violently thy loue away I driue
fine Where all thy treasures safely I may see And happie hee Bestows his loue so well Whose hope is payd with pleasures that excell SON XXXIX LOue then I will and loue thee Lord alone For fellowship in loue there may not bee Loue for thy loue ô Lord shall be thy â—ee For other recompence thou crauest none My vowes and deeds they shall be alwaies one All dedicated to adorne thy name My heart my soule my strength shall do the same Thy loue shall be my faiths true corner stone The loue of thee shall my affections frame To follow that may pleasing be to thee My eyes no beautie but in thee shall see And thy regard my wandring will shall tame Yea I will blame And scorne each other thing Saue what shall me vnto thy fauour bring SON XL. FAine would I praise thee Lord with such a zeale And feruencie as might my loue expresse Faine would my loue yeeld vnto thee no lesse Due praise then thou didst loue to me reueale But wanting power thereto I yet appeale To that thy goodnesse which thee first did moue In fragill flesh of mine the strength to proue Whose weaknes thou by heaueÌ„ly powre didst heale Mans wit in words comes short in this behoue To recompence nay onely to confesse The many waies thou doest our bodies blesse Much more our soules which freely thou didst loue Thy trustie doue Thy holy spright of grace Makes yet our weaknesse stand before thy face SON XLI O Perfect Sunne whereof this shadow is A slender light though it some beautie show On whom thy influence thou doest bestow Whose constant course still shines in endlesse blisse To scan thy glorie wit of man doth misse How far thy mercies beames abroad extend Tong cannot speake nor wit can comprehend And humane frailtie is bewrayd in this The fire ayre water earth they wholly bend The host of heauen and creatures belowe To pay their dutie vnto thee they owe Which didst their being and their vertue send And I intend With them in what I may To witnesse forth thy laud and praise for aye SON XLII WHat present should I bring of worthie prise To witnesse well the loue to thee I owe I nothing haue but what thou didst bestow Ne likest thou the toyes of mans deuise I would not spare my powre in any wise No treasure seemes to me for thee too deare The pleasures of the world the which are here Too base they are how ere wit them disguise To yeeld thee faith it doth the best appeare But mine is very weake alas I know To yeeld thee praise doth make a decent show But to thy merit neither doth come neare With garment cleare Yet clothd of righteous son My selfe to offer vnto thee I run SON XLIII WHo so beholds the works ô Lord of thine The stretched heaueÌ„s the seat where thou doest dwel The earth thy footstoole which dares not rebell Which all vnto thy will do still incline The Sunne and Moone by day and night which shine The changing flouds the firme and frutefull land The Planets which do firme for euer stand All which gainst thy behest dare not repine The host of Angels in thy heauenly band Th' infernall fiends with Lucifar which fell The fish the foule the beast agreeing well And all obedient to thy heauenly hand May vnderstand Thy glorie loue and powre Without whose help maÌ„ could not liue an howre SON XLIIII AS doth the Moone by daily change of hew By growing or decreasing beautie show The influence the greater lights bestow Whose absence or whose presence her renue So must all flesh confesse and thinke most true The faith or feare they haue for to proceed From heauenly grace which heaueÌ„ly gifts doth feed Without whose face blind darknesse doth insue Mans proper powre is so obâ—curde indeed With shades which rise froÌ„ earthly thoughts below That nothing but blinde ignorance would grow Vnlesse this sunne did shining comfort breed Which serues in steed Of fire vnto the same Fro whence this light of faith receiues his flame SON XLV IF Saba Queene a iourney tooke in hand From South to North wise Salomon to heare If humane wisedome was to her so deare That she did visit thus his holy land Then do I muse why men do idle stand In pride of youth when wit and meanes abound Their tender braines to feed with wisedome sound Far passing that this Queene for trauell found This error is the scarre of Adams wound Who sought his knowledge not in fountain cleare To whom forbidden skill did best appeare Neglecting graces him inclosing round But on the sound And written word I build Not Salomon such Oracles could yeeld SON XLVI HOw fond a thing it is which men do vse To beat their braines and so torment their hart In compassing the thing which breeds their smart And do not know what is the thing they chuse They childishly the name of loue abuse And would define the nature of the same By passions which belong to hatreds name Wherein to pine with pleasure they do chuse Who euer saw that figs on thorne-tree came Or thistels roses beare by any art With pain with grief with shame with losse impart Their passions which they for their loue do frame With iudgment lame Loue is a heauenly thing Where being plast it perfect loue doth bring SON XLVII LEt earthly things in earth their loue repose For flesh and bloud on faith they cannot feed It is a frute indeed of heauenly seed Which who disgesteth well life cannot lose The soule fro out of other matter growes And vnto other matter turnes againe Immortally to liue in ioy or paine As grace to sundry vses it hath chose Then is it time my thoughts at length to waine From laying vp my treasure for my need Where mothes and canker do so common breed As in the world whose wealth is meerely vaine If I attaine But faith layd vp in store In Christ my Sauious I desire no more SON XLVIII FYe fainting faith disswade me not so much From following of my louely heauenly choyce To thinke on whom I cannot but reioyce Whose name or memorie my heart doth touch What trauell ere befall I will not grutch Through fire and water I will him pursue Whose sight my fainting soule doth straight renue His loue and mercy both to me are such If I should dye for him it were but due By him I liue and follow will his voyce Regarding lightly fame or common noyse Which threaten paine and trauell to insue There are but few That passe the narrow way But crowne of honor doth their trauell pay SON XLIX I Find my heart is bent for to amend And follow thee forsaking wicked way From wickednesse my foâ—tsteps for to stay And to thy will my works henceforth to bend But yet the cause which makes me this intend I finde is rather feare then loue of right Yet free-will offrings do thee more delight And to such works thou doest thy
this treasure none shall finde VVhose pleasures quickly vanish out of sight The earth doth chaunge as seas do rise with tyde And stormes insue the calme before that went This happinesse but for a time is lent And payd oft times with penance more vnkinde By fortune blinde True blisse consists herein To loue the Lord and to abandon sin SON LXI HOw many priuiledges great and rare Do we enioy that do thy name professe Euen many more by far I do confesse Then we obserue or how to vse be ware To giue thy onely Sonne thou didst not spare Vs to redeeme from deaths eternall wound The sting of hell and sin he did confound And way to heauen for vs he did prepare Yea so his mercies do to vs abound That all the worldly creatures more and lesse Yea heauenly Angels do themselues addresse To serue mans needfull vse are readie found He doth propound In Christ all these to man And hauing him no want annoy vs can SON LXII BY many gifts ô Lord thou doest declare Thy mercies vnto man whom thou wilt saue The vse of all the which in Christ we haue By hand of faith that precious blessing rare That doth his righteousnesse for vs prepare Our stubburnnesse with his obedience hide His patience doth our grosse impatience guide His temperance with our intemperance share His continence our frailtie lets not slide For changing nature ours his strength it gaue Our pride it hides and hopes which faithlesse waue And shades our hart with loue which still shall bide Thus euery tide It readie is at hand For our defence a buckler safe to stand SON LXIII HOw should the quiet mind in peace and rest Possessed of the thing it most desirde A thing so precious none durst haue aspirde To gaine vnlesse the giuer had him blest How may it morne how may she be opprest Who hath the bridegrome alwaies in her sight Who in her loue doth take so great delight As by his bountie hourely is exprest The dolefull darknesse fitteth blinded night The shining Sunne hath cloudes of care retirde With heauenly heate my heart it hath inspirde Since in thy sunne I saw thy fauour bright The which did fight As champioÌ„ strong for mee From cloudes of darknesse and from sin to free SON LXIIII. WHo so of perfect temprature is framde Must needs delight in heauenly harmony His sences so shall be renewd thereby As sauage beasts by Orpheus harpe were tamde Yong Dauids harpe Sauls furious spirit shamde And Dolfins did Aryons musicke heare Such sympathie in all things doth appeare That neuer musicke was by wisedome blamde But he that could conceiue with iudgement cleare The sweet records that heauenly motions cry Their constant course that neuer swarues awry But by discords whose concords after cheare Would hold so deare The mouer of the same That loue of him should base affections tame SON LXV GReat is thy powre and more then we conceiue Thy glorie more then can discerned be Mans greatest gift is this that he may see Or know that vertue thine doth his bereaue His dazeling eyes each shadow doth deceaue His iudgement builded on inconstant ground His strength but weaknesse in it selfe is found His glorie greater glorie must receiue From thee in whom all glorie doth abound What maiestie dare man compare with thee To whom all creatures bow obedient knee Whose contemplations thou doest cleane confound Vpon this ground True blisse wisdome stand To know our wisedome floweth from thy hand SON LXVI AS but vaine hope it is for man to trust To thing not promised or not in powre Of speaker to performe at pointed howre Which is the case of flesh and bloud vniust So call that hope no wise man can or must Which is performance of expected thing When as possession doth assurance bring Of thing whereafter we tofore did lust The Saints in heauen in ioyfull rest do sing Whom hope nor feare do raise or yet deuower But men on earth haue hope a resting tower To shield them from despightfull Satans sting Faith is the wing Makes me to hope ascend And truth in Christ will make my hope haue end SON LXVII GReat are the gifts ô Lord thou doest bestow On sinfull man by thy abounding grace Who when they want doest neuer hide thy face But still a patron of thy bountie show Which makes vs both thy powre and mercy know And so with shame and sorow to repent Our thanklesse natures so vnkindly bent So slacke to pay the praises which we owe But when I do consider thou hast sent Thy Sonne himselfe for to supply our place Whose patience did the death on crosse imbrace Those to acquite who did with faith assent All speeches spent Seeme then to me in vaine And onely I admyring do remaine SON LXVIII I Haue bene blind and yet I thought I saw And now I see yet feare that I am blind No blindnesse like to that is of the mind Which doth the soule to deadly danger draw My carelesse steps did stumble at a straw And yet supposd my walke had bene so ware That to haue err'd had bene a matter rare When euery thought did violate thy law But since to search my felfe I do prepare So darke of sight my soule and sence I find That if thy Christ my loue were not more kind Eternall death I see should be my share But now I dare In spight of wicked foe A better course with constant courage goe SON LXIX WHy should he faint or thinke his burden great That hath a partner to support the same Why coward-like should he his honour shame That hath a champion readie at intreat Who can and doth death and confusion threat To all impediments which stop our way On whom repose our trust we boldly may He being iudge and plast in mercies seat He sees our thoughts and knows what we would say He doth our mouthes to fit petitions frame He hides our errors if our faith be lame And he himselfe doth also for vs pray We need but stay And trust to his good will And we are sure he will our want fulfill SON LXX ALthough the world do seek to stop my way By many stumbling blocks of feare and doubt And bid me seeke a farther way about And on the staffe of carnall strength to stay Though sin though hell though death do me denay That any powre shall bridle their intent But would compell me walke as worldlings went The headlong path of pleasure to decay Yet will I not this purpose mine repent So long as faith will be my souldier stout To ouerthrow this fearefull thronging rout Whom to subdue this grace was to me sent No shall be spent In vaine this paine of mine Hope against hope shall win the field in fine SON LXXI IT were vnfit a concubine to keepe Or that her children should possession haue Among the frutes which lawfull wedding gaue By vetuous spowse which in the soule doth â—leepe And yet behold how shamefully
do creepe Into possession of my powre and will These thoughts and works which motions are to ill And trench themselues in fleshly fortresse deepe Whose base societie will with vices fill The holy brood which grace would spotlesse saue In such a boubt my yong affections waue That they consent I should them foster still But that would spill More vertuous heritage Therefore exilde these be though hell do rage SON LXXII SOmetimes my nature seemeth to repine To see the pleasure and the plenteous store The wicked do enioy for euermore Abounding in their corne their oyle and wine But when I see my weakenesse so encline To the abuse of portion I possesse My heart with ioy full often doth confesse Thy loue doth much in earthly scarstie shine These things are good and bad as thou doest blesse Which I dare not directly craue therefore Such danger followes them euen at the dore That plentie lightly doth the â—oule oppresse And as I guesse Contentednesse doth grow In gratefull mind though state be neare so low SON LXXIII IF he vnworthie be the sweet to tast That shuns the sowre as we in prouerbe say To honor pleasure profit in the way Great perill paine and cost so often plast If as vnworthie health he be disgrast That will refuse a bitter purge to take When he doth know it will his feauer slake So do temptations proue the mind more chast If we with courage do the combat make And to the end immoueable do stay The more that Satan doth his spight display The more the pride and powre of him we shake And he will quake And sin shall haue a fall And faith in Christ shall triumph ouer all SON LXXIIII TO shun the rocks of dangers which appeare Amidst the troubled waues of worldly life Which in each company are alwaies rife Which with soules perill most men buy full deare I feare almost to keep my course so neare The conuersation of such tickle tides And thinke him blest that banished abides In desert where of sin he may not heare But when I note where so a man him hides That still affections breed an inward strife That nature beares about the bloudie knife And to the death the proper soule it guides That fancie slides Away and I prepare In combats of the world to fight my share SON LXXV WEre it not straunge that members of the same One liuiâ—g bodie and one parents childe Should by the other daily be defilde And of vnseemly thing should haue no shame And yet we which of Christ do beare the name And children of his father vs do call At discord with this parent daily fall And Christ our eldest brother do defame It seemeth well we be but bastards all Though stock be true we be but Oliues wilde Who thinks vs better he is but beguilde Our frutes are bitter and increase but small And who so shall Examine well his works Shall see that gall in purest thoughts there lurks SON LXXVI IT is no light or curious conceipt O Lord thou knowst that maketh me to straine My feeble powres which blindfold did remaine Vpon thy seruice now at length to waight But onely shame to see mans nature fraight So full of pregnant speech to litle vse Or rather oftentimes to thy abuse Whilst to deceiue they laie a golden baight And do not rather thinke it fit to chuse By praises thine true praise themselues to gaine And leaue those fond inuentions which do staine Their name and cause them better works refuse Which doth abuse The gifts thou doest bestow And oftentimes thy high contempt do show SON LXXVII FOr common matter common speech may serue But for this theame both wit and words do want For he that heauen and earth and all did plant The frutes of all he iustly doth deserue No maruell then though oft my pen do swarue In middle of the matter I intend Since oft so high my thoughts seeke to ascend As want of wisedome makes my will to starue But thou ô Lord who clouen tongs didst send Vnto thy seruants when their skils were â—cant And such a zeale vnto thy praise that brant As made them fearelesse speake and neuer bend Vnto the end One iot from thy behest Shall guide my stile as fits thy glory best SON LXXVIII HOw happily my riches haue I found Which I no sooner sought but it is wonne Which to attaine my will had scarce begunne But I did finde it readie to abound The silly faith I had was setled sound In Christ although for feare it oft did pant Which I did wish more constantly to plant That it might all temptations so confound With feruency this little sparkle brant Till it inflamde my zeale and so did runne Vnto the fountaine of true light the sunne Whose gracious soyle to feed it was not scant Men finde more want The more they couet still But more man couets this it more doth fill SON LXXXIX WHen desolate I was of worldly ayde Vnable to releeue my selfe at need Thou hadst a care my fainting soule to feed Because my faith vpon thy fauour stayde My dying hope thou hast with mercy payde And as thou didst releeue thy seruant deare Elias whom the Rauens in desert cheare So am I comforted whom sin affrayde The cries of little Rauens thine eare doth heare And slakst their hunger kindly Lord indeed When parents do forsake deformed breed That so thy prouidence might more appeare Which shineth cleare In blessings euery day To me much more then I can duly way SON LXXX AMidst this pilgrimage where wandring I Do trace the steps which flesh and bloud doth tred My comfort is that aye mine eyes are led By gracious obiect which in faith I spy Whose brightnesse guides my steps which else awry Were like to slide through Satans subtil slight Gainst whom his holy Angels alwaies fight And suffer not my strength too farre to try By day his word and works are in my sight Like to a cloud to comfort me in dread By fire through deserts and the sea so red His hand doth gouerne me in dangerous night His fauour bright Conducting this my way An host of stops shall not my iourney stay SON LXXXI I See a storme me thinks approach a farre In darkned skie which threatens woe at hand Vnto my tackle I had need to stand Lest sudden puffs my purposd course debarre These tempting thoughts full oft forerunners are Of fierce affections which do moue the minde VVhich if resistance not in time they finde The strongest tackling they do stretch or marre I closely therefore will my conscience binde And arme my vessell with couragious band Of skilfull saylers which do know the land VVhose harbors for my safetie are most kinde And in my minde Shall faith the Pylot bee VVhose skill shall make me wished port to see SON LXXXII HOw is it that my course so soone would stay Before I haue begun the thing I thought If ease or pleasure I herein had sought I
vplift Contend to cause the world thy name admire Thy prayses do not mortall praise require For lo alas they no way can come nye Vnto the holy hymnes thy Saints apply And Angels sing inflam'd with heauenly fire Yet shall my soule such zealous present bring As shall record my loue to heauens high king SON II. EXild be mortall cares raysd be my song To treat with stile condigne thy honor still O mighty Ioue who heauen and earth dost fill With myrror of thy power to thee belong All powers and wils of body and of mind Thou mak'st and blessest with thy prouidence Thy bountie to the needy is so kind As nought but mercieâ—and loue proceedeth thence At our right hand a readie safe defence If Satans practise once assaile vs will Thou holy motions dost in vs distill And dost illuminate our dulled sence Thou dost redeeme fro out the enemies throng The innocent whom worldlings vse to wrong SON III. VVRo out what dreame what sleepe what charmed rest Rouse I my selfe who too too long haue stayd With worldly cares and vanities dismayd And cleane forgot almost soules solace blest My greedy nature quaffed ouer much Restrained poyson potions of delight New libertie did former dyet grutch Though life the one death other show'd to sight Nature gainst grace prouoketh still this fight World to our wils doth yeeld accursed ayd Satan our senses dulles that not affrayd We worke our wracke with greedy force and might But waken me ô Lord I thee request With pleasure paine welth wo as likes thee best SON IIII. WHat is thy measure full dost thou suppose Of strength of perfectnesse of plenteous store Of frutes of faith profest that now no more Thou carest albeit thy tree true beautie lose It can not be whilst life and sap remaine That barren branch so holy plant should beare A faire greene tree of goodly leaues were vaine Vnlesse that kindly frute also there were Words are but leaues works fruits that should be there Shew that thou liu'st by charitie therefore True holinesse doth teach a righteous lore Whereby to neighbors good our thoughts we reare Vaine is our knowledge and our holy showes If in our life the fruite of loue not growes SON V. HOw can I hope for all my forward speed My fresh incounters of the riuals first My bold intent and zeale which venter dirst To runne so hard a race and long indeed To win the prize if past the greater paine I faint or do begin my speed delay Or trusting ouer much the goale to gaine Let euery leaden heele leade me the way In race of soule to heauen light many a stay And fainting body doth for pleasnre thurst The world strowes golden fruits of tast accurst Which toucht with loue we lose to soules decay Then let me still runne on so haue I need For constancie stands most the soule in steed SON VI. ALl will not serue the more I would beware The more I headlong fall and drowne in sinne So farre vnlike the victorie to winne That to his building morter I prepare One thing I say an other thing I do One show of worke I haue an other deed I runne cleane from the marke I looke vnto With one hand quench the fire with'other feed One error doth a hundred errors breed If one I cut to grow do ten begin This fleshly laberinth that I am in Is of the sinnefull race of Hydras seed But yet my trauell still I will not spare Because I know God hath on me a care SON VII FAine would I bring some fruit of sauorie tast For offering of freewill and of my zeale But I do feare my weakenesse to reueale Like new wine in a crazed vessell plast The vessell yet not liquor being mine And it fild in by master of the store I hope he will not at my gift repine But if it faile will it replenish more My weakenesse I do oftentimes deplore And for reliefe to him I do appeale Yet ioy the bounty that he daind to deale And halting hast to those that go before In hope that my nay his gifts shall be grast Through loue vnto his sonne whom he imbrast SON VIII I Maruell much sometimes to see my will Contraried by my selfe with harts consent To see me crosse the course my purpose ment And yet th' euent thereof proue better still I am by nature vnto euill prone And that pursue with forward fleshly ayd Straight way my mind is chaÌ„gd by means vnknown And heart consents my former will be stayd The cause hereof and issues I haue wayd And find them strange yet bending in intent Vnto my good sometimes though ill I ment And fayld of plots my greatest wisedome layd Which doth my soule in fine with comfort fill To see Gods prouidence my purpose spill SON IX I Now begin to doubt my present state For that I feele no conflict in my mind A settled concord needs must be vnkind Twixt flesh and spright which should ech other hate They neere agree but to their common woe And that through sin which luld them both a sleepe A warfare in this bodie would I goe Lest fraud or treason in through rest should creepe The practises of Sathan are so deepe Armed with flesh and lust whom prone we find That hardly can the soule his freedome keepe But that these fiendes would him with frailty bind Vnlesse with heauenly weapons at debate With them we stand and fight both rare and late SON X. VVHen I remember with what speed in post The Iewes return'd from bondage tooke in hand Their Temple to restore and armed stand In breach of wals to build what enemies crost When I their bountie note in offering store All freely giuen and more then they could vse How true their treasures were that would no more Their workmens faith accounts whilst Kings refuse How these our latter times which we accuse Of ignorance through fraud of Balaams band Did yet powre forth the plenty of the land To holy vse which other did abuse I sorrow much to see true zeale cleane lost And pure religion shakt for sauing cost SON XI VVHat loue is this whereof the world doth tell Which they to God professe and men admire Loue hath his lawes and doth effects require Of charitie to neighbour to excell For as the members of one bodie bee Partakers of the passion others haue And speedily concurre to helpe we see Because thereby the bodies good they craue So if their loue to God they freely gaue And held him head their zeale would burne like fire To serue his Saints the needy to attire And home the stray to call the lost to saue For how can they th'inuisible God loue well WheÌ„ they neglect their neighbors neer that dwel SON XII VVHo so will serue the Lord he must bestow The whole not part of body or of mind If in his heart dislike hereof he find His soule not yet regenerate we may know Betwixt two stooles no sitting
our selues they stand in steed And vs vnto repentant feare do call They are not alwayes worst who do sustaine The greatest plagues ne yet the others free Of guilt how be it vnpunisht they remaine But rather for the more part worse they bee Christs holy iudgement teacheth this to mee By fall of Sylo towre the which indeed Slue not the worst and euen the best had need Their due deserts in others doome to see Let one mans wo be warning then to all And life reformd amend sinnes great and small SON XXXV I Often times endeuour to prepare My mind to beare with patience natures due Death which though fearefull must perforce insue And which no humane flesh did euer spare I therefore when I see the many woes That others do sustaine by liuing long The sicknesse want dishonor spight of foes Which most men must sustaine by right or wrong The hazards which on earth to vs belong The doubtfull hopes and feares which aye renue Ten thousand fained pleasures for one true And care to compasse them we haue among I grow to graunt that life is but a snare Death way to life a life deuoyd of care SON XXXVI VVHo sees the seed that in the ground is cast Cleane frō all weeds without both chaffe straw Yet afterward when haruest neare doth draw Shall see the weeds increase therein so fast Who sees the trauell to receiue againe The corne from chaffe and stubble cleansed made May see corruption in the soule remaine Which so with drosse the slender crop doth lade And in the soule may see like daily trade By natures weakenesse which vs keepes in awe So much that though we heare and feare the law And Gospell and in them a while do wade We bring few fruits and them most bad at last Which Sathan world flesh with sin haue blast SON XXXVII THough lawfull many things indeed I find To such as do them with a conscience pure Yet like I not my selfe for to inure To things not pleasing to the weaker mind And many lawfull things there are beside Which be not yet expedient to be done A Christians actions must the tutch abide Of such as by example will be wonne For why the ignorant do blindfold runne The trade that others tread as way most sure And memory of ill doth more indure Then good wherefore we warily should shunne The action which may chance insnare the blind Although the wise from hazard safely wind SON XXXVIII VAine are the brags and faith but fruitlesse is Of such who bost of vertue and holinesse When as profaned speech doth yet expresse A hollow heart by tongue that talkes amisse The tongue declares th' abundance of the hart And by our speech we vse t' expresse our mind A truly touched soule with wound doth smart When vaine or fruitlesse speech to rise they find But nature forst will foone returne to kind And who his seemelesse speech will not suppresse Vaine and deceitfull must his brags confesse And that delight in sinne is yet behind Who therefore hath no care at all of this His knowledge zeale and life receiues no blis SON XXXIX I Often others heare lament and say They cannot see the fruit they do expect By prayer and my selfe feele like effect Because indeed I vnprepared pray Not that my knees with reuerence do not bow Or that my tongue it doth not craue reliefe Or that my heart my words doth not allow But charitie doth want and firme beliefe Which to true praiers are assistants chiefe Both which for most part man doth vse neglect For want of either of which we are reiect And to our weaknesse addeth double griefe Who doth till reconcilement offring stay His faithfull lawfull prayers find no nay SON XL. THe season of the yeare the natiue kind Of euery creature to produce some thing Into my conscience doth this motion bring To God and nature not to be vnkind Two soyles I haue and both vnfruitfull be Through weedes of sin which both them ouer grow The body barren and the soule I see Of vertuous fruits which God and world I owe. Vouchsafe yet Lord Phauonean breath to blow With heauenly grace inspiring so my mind That soule regenerate in body find Reformed life true life in me to show For fleshly fruits too rife to hell do fling Soules blessed seed ascends on Angels wing SON XLI ALl men by nature greedy are to know And knowing much the more they do contend To draw vnto true knowledge perfect end By practise to the world some fruits to show What knowledge is there then in heauen or earth For one of wisedome great so high and fit To trauell in euen from the day of birth As that is gathered out of holy writ Therein is matter for each kind of wit Strange ancient pleasing subtle for to spend The finest wits and make them stoope and bend Whilst weakest braines find skill and ioy in it Though high it reach it beareth fruit below Which tasted once makes stomack strōger grow SON XLII STrange are in truth the fruits that man doth win And plentifull by vse of studie indeed Which appetite and matter still doth breed If but to gather them we do begin But heauenly studie much more copious is Contayning all that humane art doth teach And not alone it feeds our minds with this But soules true solace it doth farther reach It doctrine supernaturall doth preach And doth diuinely sow the sacred seed Which shall our soules with lasting comfort feed And worldly skill of ignorance appeach That is the studie we should neuer lin To spell reade conster and to practise in SON XLIII DOwne let vs fling these battlements begonne Of sinne which in our soules so fast are built At first or not at all it must be spilt Or else his fort once made the field is wonne If we neglect our watch and not preuent His practises but euen a little while Our trauell afterward is vainely spent And he our best attempts will soone beguile If we at lusts assaults but seeme to smile Though lowly first he creepe yet straight on stilt He will vpstart and make vs yeeld to gilt And we our selues soules slaughter be the while Because we stay not sinne till it be donne But rather after it do fondly runne SON XLIIII THere is great ods we see and must confesse Betwixt the speakers and the doers faith Words well but deeds much better man bewraith And both conioynd do dutie best expresse One promiseth to come as was requir'd To feast the other it denyeth but went The first he did neglect what was desir'd The latters deedes do shew he did relent He had the prayse and feast who did repent His words his blame who breaking promise stayth Whose life doth not comfirme what tongue it sayth For all his brags in end shall sure be shent But who doth tongue and hart to God addresse His deeds be sure with grace he still will blesse SON XLV HAue we not
vnto his soule forthwith to craue Whereby it sleeping void of holy rayes Of grace in sinne doth spend away the dayes Which Christ our Sauiour died the same to saue Vnto thee Lord Creator powrefull king With birds by break of day they prayse shold sing SON LXVII I List not iudge nor censure other men As I do iudge so iudge me others will And God himselfe that part can best fulfill With others faults I will not meddle then Vnlesse so farre as dutie doth desire Which is with loue to warne them of the way Whose weaknesse doth our louing aide require To stay their steps wherein they are astray But I must iudge my selfe doth scripture say And that I will but not by natiue skill The law and Gospell they shall try me still And their true touch shall my estate bewray My conscience witnesse more then thousands ten My hart confesse my faults with tongue and pen. SON LXVIII I See sometimes a mischiefe me beset Which doth amaze me much and griefe procure I haue a hope or hap I wish t' endure But it doth vanish straight and I do fret I craue sometimes of God with feruencie A thing me thinkes which might worke to my ioy My prayers yet he seemeth to denie And by the contrary doth worke my'annoy I find at length the thing I scorn'd as coy Fall to my profit and doth me assure That God by this his goodnesse doth allure Me to depend on him and not to toy By natiue reason guided but to let His prouidence haue praise and honor get SON LXIX HOw should I vse my time henceforth the best The little that remaines ought well be spent Too much lost time cause haue I to repent Best mends must be well to imploy the rest To pray and prayse the Lord is fit for me To craue things needfull and his mercies tell My spirituall wants and carnall plenties be As many yet his blessings which excell But multitude of words please not so well He knowes the heart which righteously is bent All holy actions are as prayers ment And he is praysd when sinne we do repell Then if my life the world and flesh detest I pray and prayse and shall find actions blest SON LXX Good words are praisd but deeds are much more rare One shadow is the other substance right Of Christian faith which God and man delight Without which fruits our barren tree is bare Once well done is more comfort to the soule More profit to the world to God more prayse Then many learned words which sinne controule Or all lip-labour that vaine glorie sayes Who in a holy life doth spend his dayes And still maintaine gainst sinne a valiant fight He preacheth best his words are most of might He shall conuert men most from sinfull wayes Such shall haue honor most affirme I dare With God and man and lesse of worldly care SON LXXI SInce we by baptisme seruants are profest To Christ whose name we as an honor beare It is good reason we his liuery weare And not go ranging vainely with the rest Since we do feed by bountie of his hand On precious food which he doth giue and dresse Who at the well of life doth ready stand Vs to refresh if thirst do vs oppresse We are too slow our selues to him t' addresse To craue and vse these gifts in loue and feare His righteous liuery we do rather teare Then whom we serue by vse thereof expresse Little he got that was such bidden guest And how can thanklesse seruants then be blest SON LXXII SInce shame of men much more then godly feare Restraineth vs from sinne as proofe doth preach Since more we after name of vertue reach Then to the truth thereof we loue do beare It were a part of wisedome to deuise To vse our nature of it selfe so vaine From so base custome euen for shame to rise To actions good which might true honor gaine The best remede I therefore find remaine To purchase prayse and vertues habit teach Is to professe in speech the same whose breach In life we should refraine least we should staine Our name which would at length our liking reare To loue of God indeed and sinnes forbeare SON LXXIII THe difference is right great a man may see Twixt heauen and earth twixt soule and body ours Twixt God man heauens powre earthly towres As great the difference in their vse must bee By high ambitious and by wrathfull sword Are earthly transitory kingdomes gaynd Humilitie with patient deed and word To heauenly crowne and honour doth attaine Man will his conquest with vaine glory staine Heauens kingdom former pride forthwith deuowrs It equals all estates sects skils and powres And makes the bodie well vnite remaine Whereof the head is Christ the members we And held coheires of heauen with him we be SON LXXIIII FOr vs who do by nature still incline Vnto the worst and do the best forget Who do all passed benefits lightly set And so vnthankfully gainst God repine It were great wisedome dayly to obserue Such sundry haps as do to vs befall By which to learne how much God doth deserue Who those and passed benefits gaue vs all And since there is not any blisse so small But for the which we ought acknowledge debt On each occasion we should gladly get A meanes our minds to thankfulnesse to call For nought God craues newe can giue in fine But drinke with thankes his cup of sauing wine SON LXXV THe parable of seed well sowne on ground Which did according as the soyle did sarue Some neuer bud some bloome some straightway starue Some grow in his crop so much abound Doth well describe as Christ full well applyes The nature of the word the which is sent By written Gospell and by preachers cryes Into the heart which hearing it doth rent And as well tild sometimes begins relent And yeeldeth blessed fruit and prayse desarue As God the showres of grace doth freely carue And diligence in weeding it is spent For many times such sinfull tares are found As good had bin the seed in sea had drownd SON LXXVI I Cannot chuse but yet deuoyd of pride To note the happie and the glorious time Wherein we liue and flourish in the prime Of knowledge which those former dayes not tride For all preheminences which are read Forespoke of latter age by Prophets all As happily were perform'd as promised When Christ those mysteries did on earth vnfold And those accomplish which were long foretold The same yea more by farre we dust and slime Vnworthy wayers of thee high we clime Enioy through preached truth more worth thē gold But woe is me this grace is vs denyde We to our selues haue not the same applyde SON LXXVII IF thou do feele thy fleshly thoughts repine When thou doest beare the crosses God doth send And that thou vnder burden of them bend And out of due obedience wouldst vntwine Remember when as yet a child thou wast
case But stay a while and let me see the end Which crowneth euery good and perfect deed And you shall find their slipperie way to bend To ruine if in time they take not heed For earthly ease securitie doth breed Securitie the soule doth lightly kill It breeds forgetfulnesse of God and still Doth quench the spright and body pampering feed Who therefore doth delights too much imbrace Among the blest may hap to lose his place SON C. LIke as the sunne whose heat so needfull is Produceth daily different effects According to the nature of obiects Which hardneth that yet molifieth this So doth the Gospell preached euen the same It makes some to repent and melt in teares Some stubborne hearts repine and cauils frame To quarrell at and scorne such needlesse feares The lowly heart in ioy and hope it reares The haughty mind as low assoone deiects In zealous hearts it neighbour-loue reflects Whiles other conscience spight and rankor beares The natiue powre it keepes of perfect blisse And holy heat consuming all amisse EPIL TEmpt me no more to dwell in Cedar tents Pauilions of Princes and of pride My tickle strength is dayly like to slide And makes my bodie do what soule repents My yeares forwarne me to forbeare annoy In liked things which do the senses feed In costly colours gems or games to ioy Or stately troopes or honors fruitlesse seed For passed vanities my heart doth bleed And vowed hath the resting time I bide If God in constancie my heart shall guide Some ryper fruits on former soyle to breed Which graunt me Lord that so thy seruant I May in thy Courts remaine and flesh defye AN INTRODVCTION TO PECVLIAR PRAYERS TO thee ô Lord who only knowst my sin And only able art my state redresse To thee alone my plaints directed bin To thee my guilt alone I do confesse In hope thy gracious aide at need to win Who giuest me grace these prayers to addresse My words can not expresse My inward griefe My deedes declare too well my true disease Yet doubt I not to craue of thee reliefe Because thy Sonne did first thy wrath appease These are my wants and many more then these But of them all vnfaithfulnesse is chiefe Yet as repentant thiefe On crosse found grace Vouchsafe my plaints with mercie to imbrace SON CI. Craues grace to pray O Powrefull God in Christ our father deare Who mad'st and rul'st all things euen by thy will Whose truth and loue the heauens and earth do fill Vouchsafe my will to frame and prayers heare Touch thou my heart my blinded iudgement cleare That sorrow for my sinnes may teares distill Let true repentance kill All carnall lust Let purpose to amend my soule direct To craue thy aide who only canst protect Mans feeble strength from thoughts words deeds vniust Fraile is mans powre and will his substance dust His purest actions hourely it detect Yet do thou not reiect Thy worke in me Who craue a will to pray and faithfull be SON CII Salutation of the Church HAile sacred seat of Gods eternall peace Where all his blessings kept in treasure are Twixt soule and bodie which accords the iarre And causest cumbers of discord to cease From wandring worldly thoughts thou doest release My doubtfull hope which sought for help from farre In Sathans fiercest warre A bulwarke strong In natures hote assault a sure defence An Arke of safety for our feeble sence A watchmans towre to those to thee belong A harmony of heauenly musicks song Kind shepherd to the soule which strayes not thence For still with sweet insence Thy lights do flame And Christ thy Priest Captaine gards the same SON CIII For constancie ALas ô Lord how fraile the flesh I find How readie to reuolt vnto distrust How willing to seeke helpe in flesh vniust Vngratefull fruit of gracelesse humane kind Which harboreth such monsters in the mind As soule and bodie both needs ruine must Like wauering sand or dust With winds which moue From good to ill from ill to worse we fall We haue not sooner grace for helpe to call And budding faith thy mercies for to proue But weary long to seeke our ioyes aboue We quench this spright and haue no helpe at all The perill is not small Lord I am in Inflame the faith and zeale thou didst begin SON CIIII. For faith SInce thus myselfe I find to be vncleane Vnfit to bide before Gods iustice throne Who recompence for sinne accepteth none But to the rigor of desert doth leane To fly to thee my Sauiour Christ I meane Who paydst my debt sufficiently alone I need but make my mone To thee I know For thou art readie to relieue my want Thy fathers loue and thy obedience brant With zeale thy mercies on vs to bestow Whereof since faith the vse to vs must show And as it is more feruent or more scant More powrefull is to dant Deaths bitter sting craunt faith may prayers frame comfort bring SON CV For grace to iudge of good euill AMidst these dangerous dayes wherein I liue Poore silly Orphane distitute of skill By parents fall forlorne by nature ill Craue grace of thee ô Lord and therwith giue Powre to my weaknesse sin away to driue That so I may thee serue and honour still Reforme my feeble will And it incline To haue henceforth a wise and solide tast Of truth and falshod let my choyse be plast On perfect patterne drawne with vertuous line With serpents wisedome let my iudgment shine To shun the snares whereto my lust would hast Vouchsafe my sute be grast With help from thee Thy word the lampe of light vnto me bee SON CVI. For innocencie in euill SInce so simplicitie thy word doth prayse O Lord as that thy Sonne example gaue By all his life and workes that he did craue His seruants wherein to direct their wayes Like to the babe on mothers breast that stayes And sylly Lambes and doues which no guile haue Since he is prest to faue And to imbrace The lame blind naked leaporous reiect Since to yeeld health to all and such protect As simply do with faith approch the place When he in mercies seat doth shew his face And prayers heare and needfull suites effect Lord do me not neglect Poore silly blind Who meritelesse yet mercy hope to find SON CVII Shame of sinne HOw could I Lord but be asham'd indeed To lift my eyes to thee to craue for ayde When I of thought word deed haue sins displayd With multitude of monstrous of springs breed The true portrait of Adams carnall seed Which made him hide himselfe when he it wayd I therefore am affrayd And shun to show Vnto the world the shamefull brood I beare Which thoughts do hatch and vile affections reare Too hatefull for a Christian soule to know And do so hastily to hugenesse grow As vaine it is a figge-tree leafe to weare I know no other where My shame to hide But with thy merits or thy
He need but take a patterne of your state Borne noble learned bred whose acts expresse That honor cannot vertues force abate In home-kind loue abroad vnmenast hate In bodies value and in spright of mind You haue no cause to blame your aduerse fate Which such a great aspect hath you assignd Yet that you yet more happinesse might find The common loue your countrey you doth owe To offer you this meanes thereto doth bind My will which in this lowly gift I show Which yet accept for worthy Princes sake Who of each point a perfect proofe did make To the Right Ho. the Earle of Shrewsburie VVEll placed vertue in high honors seat Well bending honour to a Christians state Vouchsafe my pen your pardon may intreat Who this my vowed seruice offer late Your shining glory did my hope abate When first to seeke your sight my fancie ment Your fame for vertue yet did animate My pen which vnto you this present sent Your true nobilitie which seemeth bent To foster innocents from powrefull foe Doth promise me wisht fruit of hearts intent If vnder your protection it doth goe The rather since of honor I do wright And happinesse which is your soules delight To the right Honourable the Earle of Cumberland THe Crowned honor iustly which befell To valiant Iosua and wise Calebs race Whose faith to fainting people did foretell The fruitfull spoyle of proud resisters place Their natiue vertues which you haue by grace Whose sword doth fight the battels of the iust Which makes our Hemis-phere your fame imbrace And feebled hearts on your stout courage trust My confidence in you excuse they must Who do my Poems muster in your traine Whose theame hath bin by wisest king discust And in your practise do of proofe remaine Which leade the way vnto the holy land For which whilst here you liue you fighting stand To the Right honorable the Earle of Sussex THe skilfull Pilots that the Ocean haunt In stormes are found to be of merry cheare Whom fairest calmes with feare dread do daunt Because a signe of change doth seeme appeare The expert souldiers vsed to the warre In time of peace do arme them for the fight And carefull Christians will foresee from farre The fierce temptations may in pleasure light Then since no settled rule there can be here Whereby to know the issues growing are But change of times may comfort clips or cleare And so our present state amend or marre Learne here braue Chāpion noble vertuous wise To beare all brunts that may in life arise To the Right Ho. the Earle of Southampton AMongst most noble noble euery way Among the wise wise in a high degree Among the vertuous vertuous may I say You worthy seeme right worthy Lord to mee By bloud by value noble we you see By nature and by learnings trauell wise By loue of good ils hate you vertuous bee Hence publike honor priuate loue doth rise Which hath inuited me thus to deuise To shew my selfe not slacke to honour you By this meane gift since powre more fit denies Which let me craue be read and held for true Of honor wisedome vertue I delate Which you pursuing will aduance your state To the Right Honorable the Lord Zouch VVHat haue I done that I would take in hand To picke forth Patrons should my work defend When such a Lordly troope of Nobles stand As in the choyce of them I find no end But hauing thus begun I do intend To fawne on those whose fauours I haue found Amongst the which I trust you helpe will lend Because the building is on such a ground I know your learned skill and iudgement sound Which might deter it to approch your sight But whereas loue they say doth once abound There feare and all suspect is banisht quight Your vertues loue your honor force me yeeld To you on whose kind fauour I do build To the Right Honorable the Lord Willougbie of Ersbie MIght I forget the Comforts of my prime Might I neglect the matter which I wright Might I not know the hopes of present time Forgetting you I might my selfe acquight But parentes fauours once my youths delight Your selfe apatterne of a happie peere Whose proofes of vertue publike are to sight Might me vpbraid with peeuish silence here If I should hold so meane a gift too deare For one whose ancient debter yet I rest For whom my Poeme doth so fit appeare Since you our age recordes among the best Then thinke not I by slight would kindnes gaine But hold this due If honest I remaine To the Right Honourable the Lord Burrowes I Not intend by present of a booke Which for the title most men will allowe For equall praise with first true author looke Because I newly it transformed now Nor for my owne presume I it to'avow Vnworthie herald of that princes says Which duely to deliuer few know how And I of all most weake by many ways Yet since your high praisd bountie not denays A grate acceptance of a kindly gift Vpon that hope my present boldnesse stays Who in my purpose haue no other drift But let you see earths vaine heauens perfect blis Which with my heart I wish you tast in this To the Right Honorable the Lord Mountioy TO you the noble light of happie I le In whose most vertuous breast the holy fire Vnquenched liues when all the world the while Nigh drowned lyes in dreames of vaine desire Whose holy zeale the godly do admire Whose worthie constancie the wise commend For whom heauens glorie waights as vertuous hire To whom the hearts of men with honour bend Who do pure vertue to your powre defend Whom vaine delights of earth cannot defile Whom to protect religion God did send Vouchsafe to listen to my song a while Which right true tidings to the world doth bring Of what obserued was by wisest king To the Right Honorable the Lord of Hunsdon OF good king Dauids holy'and carefull bent Of wise and happie Salomons desire Their liuely patterns here I do present To you braue Lord as kind deserts require Your gifts of nature rare I not admire Since heire you were vnto so noble a father Whose wisdome to true honour did aspire But gifts of grace which by your life I gather And for the which you reuerenc't are the rather As heire to both those kings in common care Of God and realme gainst which most lewd deprauer Is forth his poysoned tongue for shame to spare As for that good to me by you hath flowne Was but one frute of many vertues knowne To the Right reuerend father in God To by Bishop of Duresme IF double cumber of the publike care Of Paules and Peters sword and keyes may rest I would intreat you some small time to spare To view the face of your inuited gest Of all men you haue cause to vse him best Because you more then halfe the father are To you therefore I haue him first addrest To haue his
temptations fall And daily need assistance gainst the same In such respect this worke you well may call An Antidote a happie life to frame Whereto since hitherto your vertues bend You will accept I trust the gift I send To the vertuous gentleman Robert Bowes Esquire Embassador for her Maiestie in Scotland AS Painters vse their Tables set to show Of euery sight ere they perfected bee By others better skill the truth to know Of faults which they themselues could hardly see And as best drugs on meanest shrub and tree By skilfull Simplers gathred are sometime As gold in sand as pearles in shell-fish wee Do find and amber in the sea shore slime So vnder this ill-couched ragged rime Which to your clearer sight I do present It may appeare how high his thoughts did clime That first to frame the same his studie bent And I excusd who only do bestow What I to you by auncient promise owe. To the vertuous Gentleman Fulke Greuill Esquire VVHo can of learning treat and you forget Who may of vertue talke and you neglect Who would true fame from your due praises let Who should not knowing you your loue affect I therefore forced am in this respect To offer publikely for you to reed The thing the which vncrau'd you would protect If by malignors blame it stood in need In diuerse diuersly this worke will breed I know an humor in the censurers braine The wisest on the best contents will feed The curious for some scapes count all but vaine But of the better sort true prayse must grow The prayse of some is meere disprayse I know To the reuerend Doctor Andrews professor in Diuinitie I Would not flatter Court the Church much lesse But honouring both I would them homage yeeld In Courts I liu'd in Church I do confesse I wish to die and on that hope to build Then maruell not I also seeke to shield My bold attempt with fauour of your wing Since your diuine conceit can easliest wield The burden which this waighty theame can bring I meant in English dittie only sing The tragike notes of humane well away But waightie matter of so wise a king Compeld me yet a greater part to play Wherewith halfe fainting for your aide I craue Well meaning mind from feared blame to saue To his especiall friend Richard Carew of Anthony Esquire AS parents of their children fond appeare Oft times because with trauell them they bare Which makes them prise thē sometimes ouer deare When other see small cause for them to care As such likewise are often times to spare In care of children that themselues haue none So is it like with this my worke to fare With many readers when they are alone Who senslesse of my trauell like a stone As neuer hauing yet so tride their braine Will thinke I cocker this my brood as one Growne proud that I some issue do attaine But you whose painfull pen hath shown your skill Can iudge my part and it well conster will To his louing brother in law Robert Moyle of Bake Esquire and Anne his wife IF like the world a while I seeme to you Forgetfull and vnkind for kindnesse showne Thinke it not strange their natures I ensue Where most I liue whose proofe is dearly knowne The world to me vnkind and carelesse growne Conuerts my nature to her temperature My youth with loue of her puft vp and blowne Is cause that I now iustly this endure Yet worlds delights nor cares nere alter'd sure So farre my mind that I ingrate did proue Heauens faith earths friendship doth my soule inure To take far greater paines where once I loue You then by bloud and friendships holy vow Right deare take this and for loues seale allow To the Gentlemen Courtiers in generall REiect me not ye Peares of gentle spright Because I do appeare in plaine array Sometimes for change the curious do delight In meane attyres and homely food we say They are not limbd the best that go most gay Nor soundest meats that most the tast do please With Shepheards russets shield from cold ye May With hungry meales preuent oft times disease Such home-wouen robes such wholesome dyet these Euen these rude lines of my compiled frame Do offer you your iudgements to appease As may him nourish that doth vse the same Not mine but wisest Salomons recait To gaine the blessed state we all await To the Right Ho. the Lady Marquesse of Northampton THe part which I haue taken now in hand To represent on stage to common sight With my true nature seemes at strife to stand And on an actor farre vnfit to light Accustom'd more on vainer theames to write Then with the taske which now I do pretend Which being to be view'd by iudgements bright Makes me to seeke your fauour it defend Vouchsafe a gracious glose thereto to lend I then beseech you worthy Patronesse To whose applause full many more will bend Because they know you vertue do professe And vertue is this theame and that diuine With grace consent then to my sute incline To the Right Honourable the Countesse of Darby WHen this my bold attempt to mind I call VVho Phaëton like would Phebus Chariot guide From doubtfull thoughts into dispaire I fall How such cleare light my weake sight may abide From one presumption vnto more I slide And giue the raigne so much to rash desire That I make publike what I ought to hide And seeke my sanctuary in that heauenly fire VVhose Image of perfection I admire In our rare Goddesse wisdomes clearest light VVhose grate aspect my many wants require To clense the clouds which blind my iudgmēts sight And such faire starres as you who influence haue Of her bright Beames to giue some light I craue To the Right Honorable the Countesse of Cumberland AS one whose rashnesse once hath made him bold To breake the bands of vsed modestie If of his error he shold hap be told VVill hardly yeeld that he hath gone awrye So worthie Lady I confesse that I Vnworthie scribe of such a heauenly stile Now that I needs my boldnesse must espie VVould couer from iust blame my selfe a while VVith borrowed grace therefore I seeke beguile The cōmon sights who least would spare my name If worthie you therefore but kindly smile I know that many more will do the same For wisest sort on vertuous do depend And vertuous ones will vertues cause defend To the Right Honorable the Countesse of Warwicke IN Courtly life to keepe a conscience pure In youngest yeares to shew a matrons stay In honours type a lowly mind t'inure No doubt a hart regenerate doth bewray Such you are held of such as rightly way The practise of your life to your great praise Whose vertues all temptations ouersway And your rare gifts vnto the heauens raise No common thing it is in these our dayes To see such starres in our darke firmament Your worth your soueraignes influence wel bewraies Which so transformes where
so her vigor went Your birth your mariage natures gifts most rare With gift of grace herein may not compare To the Right Honorable the Countesse of Pembrooke OF all the Nymphes of fruitfull Braitaines race Of all the troopes in our Dianaes traine You seeme not least the Muses Trophes grace In whom true honour spotlesse doth remaine Your name your match your vertues honour gaine But not the least that pregnancie of spright Whereby you equall honour do attaine To that extinguisht Lampe of heauenly light Who now no doubt doth shine midst Angels bright VVhile you faire starre make cleare our darkned sky He heauens earthes comfort you are and delight Whose more then mortall gifts you do apply To serue their giuer and your guiders grace Whose share in this my worke hath greatest place To the Right Honorable the Countesse of Essex THese Oracles by holy spright distild Into the hart of wisest happie king To you most vertuous Ladie here are wild As heire to parent worthie in euerie thing His carefull trauell countries peace did bring His solide wisedome vertue did pursue His bountie to the poore the world doth sing Whose honour him suruiueth crownd in you So nobles if to God they yeeld his due So people ought to Nobles render fame So shall succeeding ages still renue By old records his euer reuerent name Wherein your double blessed spousall bed Shall wreath an Oliue garland on his head To the Right Honourable Ladie the Ladie Scroope THe bountie which your vertues do pretend The vertues which your wisdome hath imbrast The wisdome which both grace and nature lend The gracious nature which so well is plast Doth witnesse well the heauens your beauty grast With borrowed wisdome not of humane kind Which so hath fostred vertues mild and chast As benigne beautie might a dwelling find Fit to receiue such presents as in mind Are consecrated to that sacred shrine VVhereon as vestall Virgin you assignd Do worthie waight whose eye vouchsafe incline To take in worth reade iudge of and defend This worke weake record of my hearts intend To the Honourable Ladie the Ladie Rich. THe perfect beautie which doth most reclaime The purest thoughts from base and vaine desire Not seene nor leuied is by common aime Of eies whom coullers vse to set on fire The rare seene beautie men on earth admire Doth rather dazell then content the sight For grace and wisdome soonest do retire A wandring heart to feed on true delight Seldome all gifts do in one subiect light But all are crownd with double honour then And shine the more adornd with vertue bright But with Religion grast adord of men These gifts of nature since they meet with grace In you haue powre more then faire Venus face To the Right Honourable the Ladie of Hunsdon OF soule and bodie both since men consist Of diuers humors since our bodies be Since sundry affects do one selfe thought resist Since body soule thought will are all in me Thinke you not strange these passions new to see VVhich to my wonted humors different seeme They both are frute of one and selfe same tree The first for yonger hold this elder deeme If you of my indeuors well esteeme VVhom well the world doth know can iudge the best VVhose course of life a happie pitch doth cleeme In verteous proues wherein your fame is blest Then shall I haue a part of my desire VVho for my trauell craue but likings hire To the Honourable gentlewomen Mistresse Elizabeth and Anne Russels THe double giftes of nature and of grace Redoubled in you both with equall share VVhilst beautie shineth in the modest face And learning in your mindes with vertue rare Do well expresse of what discent ye are Of heauens immortall seed of blessed kind Of earths twise honord stock which ye declare In noble parts composd of eithers mind Them both in you rare gems we blessed find Ye both by them are honord happily Then both vouchfafe what I to both assignd To read and to conceiue of graciously So ye like to your kind the world shall know And to your selues frō hence some fruit shal grow To the Honourable Gentlewoman Mistresse Elizabeth Bridges SInce I haue growne so bold to take in hand A theame so farre indeed vnfit for me As by the reading you will vnderstand Whereto my style in no sort doth agree I cannot chuse but feare lest you should see Some signe of high presumption in my mind Which cause of iust reproch to me might be And for my sake the worke lesse fauour find Vnto you therfore haue I this assignd To craue for me remission at your hand VVhose vertues show you cannot be vnkind If kindnesse may with modest vertues stand And of and for true vertue do I pleade Which to desired blisse and honour leade To the Honorable Lady the Lady Southwell TO you the vowed seruice of my mind Faire Mistresse of the purest thoughts I bred As youths conceit could best inuention find I dedicated with affection fed My elder thoughts with your high honor led Haue often stroue to shew continued zeale But was discourag'd through mistrust and dred Of my defects which did my will conceale Yet now compeld my weaknesse to reueale Vnto a world of worthy witnesses I craue to be excusd if I appeale To you for grace to whom I guilt confesse And hope you will for auncient seruice sake Excuse my wants and this in worth will take To the Honorable Lady the Lady Cecill IN counter-poise of your right high desart My dutie made my gratefull mind consent To straine my braine to equall with my hart In finding forth for you some fit present Which to performe thus will and powre first bent Was checkt by iust regard of your esteeme Which me preuented of my hopes intent Since for your worth vain things not pleasing seeme Yet least a meere excuse you that might deeme To cloke a thanklesse heart with idle hand With more then natiue strength a pitch I cleeme To treat of blisse which I not vnderstand But Gods inspiring grace to king once tought I here as pawne of dutie haue you brought To the Honorable Ladie the Ladie Hobbye LEst that this change of style at first might breed A doubt in you whose worke it were and gift I thinke it fit your searching thoughts to feed With truth who writ it and therein his drift When scorne of hap did force my hope to shift The place wherein felicitie I sought As tyr'd on earth to heauen my thoughts I lift Which in me this strange Metamorphos wrought But so vnperfect fruit of what it ought Mixt with the dregs of old imprinted phrase Require a fauour in the Readers thought With kind construction frailties forth to raze To you my wants to me your vertues tryde Giues me good hope this sute is not denyde To the vertuous Lady the Lady Layton SInce stranger like to Court but newly come This home-bred child may hap for to be vsde Inquired