nayle Thou followest and with an eager zeale Dost sacrifice to Riot day and night Nor wilt surcease till death his speare hath tost In thy vast paunch or way and weapon lost 76. Ill enough at the best The Skinnes of beasts that sacrificed were Were plucked off but when we best appeare The services which we to God advance Are skinned ore with veyles of ignorance Pride and hypocrisie so much we prove Strangers to simple truth and naked love 77. Solace in solitude The Coale-blacke Raven in the desart fed Elias but that glory-glittering Dove Those soules doth cherish that are sequestred From worldly toyes and fixt on joyes above 78. No truth in the World False-hearted Laban in faire Rachels stead Put bleare-ey'd Leah on his patient friend So though the World much blisse hath promised With blind conceite it gulls us in the end 79. Comfort in selfe conquest On troubled waters could not Noahs Dove Take rest but in the Arke that did containe A wildernesse of Creatures leagu'd in love Nor will that Dove-like comforter remaine Save that in brest whose wild affections be Bound to tame peace yet strike sweet harmony 80. An Ocean of Wine Wine is a Drunkard is an in-land maine With pleasure tost but wracking him with paine 81. Christs rising and setting When Christ did rise at midnight day did spring With strange light when he crosly set againe Day gloom'd to night under whose threatning wing The sad earth quak'd as conscious of his paine Right Sun of Heaven from whose blest course proceed Both light and shade Right Sun of Heav'n indeed 82. To the Heavenly Host exulting at our Saviours Birth Cease your loud joyes Celestials cease Your noyse disturbes the Prince of peace Whose teares which who can singing view His cheekes sweet rosaryes bedew And at whose plaints th'empassion'd stones Are chaf'd to droppes and melt with mones Yet haile deare cause of pretious joyes For those thy vollying sighes and cryes Doe force the ports of Heaven to sly Open and make us way thereby To blisse and that thy pearly raine Doth our robb'd soules enrich againe Then doe not yet Celestials cease Your mirth proclaimes the Prince of peace 83. Of the beatificall Vision Peace Epicures cease Stoicks with the rest Of Ancients to make knowne what makes you blest Your chiefe goods are but empty dreames but mine A reall vision glorious and Divine 84. To Herod Murtherer of the Innocents Fie brutish Tyrant sheath thy blade So drunke with former slaughters made That now it doth at rand on fall On the most harmelesse things of all The Son of Heaven 's without thy spheare And thou but idlely beat'st the aire With threats but mothers groanes and cryes That vapour to the vengefull skies From swollen Clouds shall head-long downe With Lightning burst and blast thy Crowne 85. Patient and prudent A suffering man is like the Beare-starre slow To move yet such as may discrection show 86. To the blessed Virgin at her purification Why favourite of Heaven most faire Dost thou bring fowles for Sacrifice Will not the armefull thou dost beare That lovely Lambe of thine suffice 87. On Mary Magdalen weeping c. How fast doth Mary let her floud-gates goe As if the bottome of her love to shew Catching with golden nets O rich device That pretious prey true bird of Paradise 88. To Iordan wherein Christ was baptized Iordan that in the Type of Heaven dost spring And of all rivers mayst be stiled King Crown'd with thine owne delightfull plants that lave And deckt their tresses in thy glassy wave How happy wast thou that the King of Kings More sweet more faire than all thy meads springs Was dipt in thee Thenceforth thy current should Have stood for Iasper set in bankes of gold 89. Flesh to dust Death a strange Miller flesh to dust doth grind How not with water but defect of wind 90. Comfort in calamity In frosty times most starry fires are seene And when afflictive sorrowes are most keene God comfort daignes and so to us doth show His lightfull face that we his favour know 91. Of Heaven When I admire some starres whose magnitude Doth the earths vastnesse many times include And those least Lights more radiant to behold Than Diamonds or Diadoms of gold Me thinkes I feele my lightned heart inflame Of rapture mount to that illustrious frame Yet fall backe like a dying sparke that must Be turn'd to ashes and confus'd with dust But Othe wonder when the pavements are So rich how glorious how transcending faire Is the great Chamber and how bright that face Where pretious beames of beauty glory grace Are sweetly all as flowers for sacrifice Commixt and offered to joy-ravisht eyes 92. To a serpentine Sychophant Thou liv'st by doing others deadly wrong At great mens Tables with thy banefull tongue And yet dependest as thou dar'st averre On Heavens full hand to be thy Caterer That threats to shake thee for detested trickes As Paul the Viper into burning Styx A generall benefit Moses prescrib'd that holy fumes should be Temper'd and mixt in equall quantity Whereby in a sweet sence is understood That equally we share the Soveraigne blood Of Christ that doth the beggers soule refine Pure as the Kings whose gold-girt temples shine 94. The power of prayer Our prayers are as fired shafts that shall Make that old Serpent like to Python fall 95. An invitation to happinesse Me thinkes I see a glittering troope of Saints Beckning to me from Heavens gilt battlements To hasten to them Here they seeme to say Is the springs flourish Summers lightsome ray The Autumnes plenty with the Winters ease And all that may the high-wrought phansie please Who then pure treasures dost preferre to toyes Mend thy dull pace and minde this place of joyes 96. Evill Objects infectious As those that gaze on bloody galled eyes Become obnoxious to their maladies So on lewd precedents who oft will looke Shall lewdnesse catch and learne it without booke 97. Peter at the transfiguration What fulgour's this what harmelesse lightning's here Hath Phaebus vaulted from his radiant spheare To gaze here on my Lord or onely spread His rich flame-coloured mantle on the head Of happy Tabor Hence dull shadowy toyes Of mirth give me these pure illustrious joyes To shine with Moses and Elias still And keepe a high-day on this Heavenly hill 98. The Covetous to sublime contemplators As to his eye who yellow glasse applies Sees all things of that golden colour so When thoughts of profit taint our phantasies We onely are well seene in things below But in Celestiall matters blind as Moles That hunt for Wormes and haunt obscurest holes 99. Of the Wedding Ring This precious Embleme well doth represent That evennesse that Crownes us with content Which when it wanting is the sacred yoake Becomes uneasie yet with ease is broake 100. Pharaohs Daughter finding yong Moses in the Water What pretty pledge of love swimmes here Deepely engag'd How every teare Shines in the
all our hopes on Earth Great Heire of England at your birth Heaven put his cloudy tresses by And smil'd on us with open skie Whilst all the Planets seem'd to throw Their golden radiance at your brow A cleare presage that favours shall From Heaven upon your Highnesse fall And thence on us reflecting glance On the glibbe Ocean into France 112. To Sir THOMAS OVER BURY on his Wife Others by Children lengthen out their life Thou onely art eterniz'd by thy wife 113. To Zounds the Swaggerer What dost thou meane to revell roare and spend To drinke and drabbe and sweare so wilt thou rend Thy way to Hell The Devill will spy day At a small hole and snatch his Chuck away 114. To the same What Gulfe's within thee that thou swallow'st so Is it to drowne all thirst before thou goe To that Infernall hot-house such a ground Of reason's deeper than I list to sound 115. A point of hard fortune A thiefe that of a Ramme had gelt the Flock And ty'd him 'bout his necke upon a Rocke Laid his fat load intending there to rest His weary shoulders but the captive beast Straining and struggling for release at last Beyond the pointed stone his body cast Whose weight crusht out the fellons breath anon That was both strangely hang'd and dy'd o' th' Stone 116. To George Slanders on his Marriage Thy basenesse us'd thy Friend in hostile sort But hath not Wedlocke snar'd the Woodcock for 't 117. To Th. Ch. Esquire Your noble Genius holds as doth appeare The very shadows of the Muses deare Who with proud maintenance have leaven'd those That scarce will give you thankes in humble Prose Nor in high Verse can doe 't So on a sinke Shines lovely Phoebus though his object stinke 118. To Shakespeare Thy Muses sugred dainties seeme to us Like the fam'd Apples of old Tantalus For we admiring see and heare thy straines But none I see or heare those sweets attaines 119. To the same Thou hast so us'd thy Pen or shooke thy Speare That Poets startle nor thy wit come neare 120. To Aston Cokaine Esquire He that with Learning Vertue doth combine May though a Laick passe for a divine Piece of perfection Such to all mens sight Appeares your selfe who if you take delight In these composures your applausive show Will stampe conceits and make them currant goe 121. The World The World 's a Forrest maim'd with fatall strokes Where Wolves and Foxes are wilde youths desires Where dead men Ashes are the living Oakes And Cats and Women are but scratching Bryers 122. On Blinkes a pretender to Poetry He nine wayes lookes and needs must learned be That all the Muses at one view can see 123. To William Coke Esquire IF Gallants would your wayes of goodnesse chuse Each Gentleman would gentle manners use And to our honour th' English Court would be A High-gate leading to faire curtesie 124. An Epitaph on Mris. Hope Alford Keep off prophaner feete here sleeping lyes A sacred Nimph that vertue did adore And treasur'd all the blessings of the skies Whose well-fraught vessell hasting to the shore Strucke deepe into these Sands but with a tyde Of glory shall be rais'd and stellifi'd 125. Peace and Warre Weapons in peace grow hungry and will eate Themselves with rust but War allowes them meate 126. An adumbration of Mans life As 't pleas'd the Father of all lights he made Man as a Gnomon and his life the shade Which when it hath bin this and that way throwne In any projects with a breath is gone 127. Dulman to Ignoramus Friend thou this Terme the brabbling Boores hast gelt And grow'st so fat thy belly rots thy Belt 128. Ignoramus his reply What should I do but geld them when so kind The Rustickes are to give me wealth for wind 129. To Sir Iohn Fitzherbert of Narbury SOme worthy cause doth make your Country hold Your selfe so deare It is sweet curtesie And goodnesse that adornes you more than gold And wins more honour than a crowne can buy For though great vices titles rot the fame Of vertue keeps her sound and spreads her name 130. An Epitaph on Foxe the Tinker Here under resteth deep-earth'd in his grave A Foxe old and wily that smell'd of a Knave Yet every day mending grew holier of late And took's hammer with him to knocke at Heav'n gate 131. On Pride Why Pride to others doth her selfe prefer The reason 's cleare she 's heire to Lucifer 132. The Miller to the King Scorne not the Miller King for thou with wind Thy Mill-like frame dost move and viands grind Into thy stomackes bag and Death that takes Toule in a Coffin no distinction makes 133. On Captayne Milward lying dead upon Trent banke Behold like treasure in the Banke a sonne Of Mars that had his fathers honor wonne Out of the fire yet in water dy'd And thus his thirst of glory satisfi'd 134. On the same For thy deaths sake noble friend Be no man before his end Happy thought though flattering fame Fixe amongst the Starres his name He that leanes on wealth or strength Breakes his staffe and fals at length 133. To Iohn Milward Esquire Though natures force for such a brothers fate Your teares exact yet cease to macerate Your selfe the water-Nymphs enough for all Will weep and keep a fluent funerall 136. To Doctor Donne Thy Muses gallantry doth farre exceed All ours to whom thou art a Don indeed 137. To the Lords of the privy Councell You that the eyes of this faire Iland are How much concernes it you to have a care That you from filmes of ignorance be free From pearles of pride and rhumes of gluttonâ— Nor in the flatterers Fennell take delight But hearbe of Grace that makes a perfit sight 138. The foure Elements Natures large Empire of Tetrarchy Of Elements consists that mutually Make warre what wise man then can hope for rest Whom foure unruly Naturals molest 139. On a good Phisitian over-match't with an ill wife All Hearbs that painefull Dioscorides Or Theophrast or twenty such as these Have ere described his vast Learning knewes Yet almost hath forgot where Hearts-case growes 140. On Nell Lusty Charons unwearied Boate to burning Hell Carryed all commers so does rampant Nell 141. On Celestiall bodies Some make the Heaven a Quintessentiall frame And some the Starres but Elementall fire Who would the Probleme cleare let him the same Of Lucifer the Morning Starre enquire 142. Death a sure friend The Flesh and Spirit ever fighting are But Death soone parts them Is 't not then a friend That our dull terrene muster off doth pare And makes the flame-like forme to Heaven ascend 143. A Cure for Impatience Who Patience wants a Rod to him preferre And let him Angler turne or Schoole-master 144. On the same Who would be patient waite he at the Poole For Bull-heads or on Block-heads in the Schoole 145. To I. P. an old Fencer Jacke thou hast often ventur'd for the Prize Of Fortitude
casket as a Iemme Doth in my Fathers Diadem How like hope in Pandoraes boxe Lovely it lookes More hard than rockes Were they whose hearts would not relent At sight of such an Innocent Come little Angell thou with me Shalt shine in Heaven of Royalty And with great Pharaohs Crowne shalt play That mayst beare rule another day And as I thee from waters rage My name preserve from wracke of age 101. To ambitious favourites Looke favourites that ever climbing are On Absolon hung by the lockes on high For so your actions goe against the haire And danger hangs upon your dignity 102. On the skales that fell from Pauls eyes These skales th' old Serpents were who when they fell Did cast his slough on earth and slipt to Hell 103. On Iezabell to Ladies How far'd proud Iezabell whole dayes that spent In pruning painting courting of her glasse Was not her flesh t'an odious excrement Concocted and ejected on the grasse Ladies such faults wipe off as did at end This Queene of Pride and dogg'd her to her end 104. Iphtah meeting his Daughter after Victory Ah ruthfull object that doth dart A thousand horrours to my heart Poore harmelesse haplesse child must thou Make good thy Fathers ill-made vow And shall I such rash breath fulfull Deare Heaven avert it Yet I will And must although with trembling hands I shake in sunder natures bands But to thy memory each day Full summes of sorrows must I pay And when salt teares have drain'd mine eyes Make Fountaines poore with fresh supplyes 105. The worlds entertainement The World resembles Iael in her tent And entertaines us with like complement Feeds us and covers us while close we lye Strecht on the dull couch of obscurity But when we sleepe fast faster to the ground Our heads and hearts doe fixe and both confound 106. Iohn Baptists Head This was a Cryers head and still doth cry For vengeance on the crowne of tyranny 107. Christ Crucified How quaintly Heaven his fairest jewels sets To the Worlds view betwixt two counterfets With two pale Pendants hangs this radiant stone Yet makes his foyle takes glory but of one Strange Rocke that in our wildernesse of sinne Strucke with the rod of Justice from within His precious Caves poures liquid life to ground Whose Cataracts to highest Heaven resound Out-buying with fine golden rivers price All floods all fruits all states of Paradise Deare Mates that through these worldly billows steere Bend to this Rocke or else ye shipwracke here Let my kind Muse the singing Syren prove To draw you on with charming lines of love Haile true Celestiall Comet which of old Such flights of ravisht spirits have foretold That by thy bloody streaming in the aire Dost make the blacke Prince of his Realme despaire In lifes sad Night he cannot wander farre From joy that sailes by this transfixed starre 108. An upstroke to his soule Up Dove-like soule and make thy Saviours side Thy restfull Arke his sprinkled blood thy guide Bath in this balme th'enflamed eyes of Lust Thy Plumes of pride thy feete of lame distrust Harke how the bubling Current chides thy stay In thine owne sound and murmurs at delay See how his armes are for thy welcome spread And how he beckons with enclining head Vrge then thy flight thy paines will not be lost Nor love want comfort though thy Lord be lost 109. On our Saviours Crosse. Our Saviours Crosse beguilt with guiltlesse blood Was fram'd as some write of foure kinds of wood Palme Cedar Cypresse Olive which might show That blessings thence to the foure parts should flow Of the vast world and from the foure windes should Christs flocke be fetcht to his thrice-blessed Fold 110. Of the terrours at the Death of our Saviour What tempest 's this that from the Tree of Death Would shake this fruit of Life what angry breath Of Heav'n teares up my tender-rooted heart Doth the rude world into confusion start Or Nature bending to her finall wracke Heare the maine Engine of her motion cracke The Temple rends its cloaths the Rocks that were Angry at harder hearts their Centers teare Heav'ns blood-shot eye winkes close for griefe and dread The Earth grows sicke and vomits up her dead The Sea howles out while the loud winds in rage Hisse at those Actors on their Tragicke Stage That having lost both shape and reasons sparke In that blacke day seeme Dragons in the darke O poisonous sinne whose force the solid ground Thus breakes and threats whole Nature to confound 111. On the Spunge filled with Vinegar Mans life is like this Spunge and steepes It selfe in woes when crusht he weepes 112. The anguish of Conscience Who with a guilty soule to bed doth goe Fares like a Nightingale with tender brest Vpon a thorne and takes as little rest But with lesse straines of Musicke more of woe 113. Man unnaturally revengefull Nature some creatures terrible doth make With hornes and hoofes tusks wherewith they take Bloody revenge and worke each others woe But no such native terrours man doth show Yet to harsh mischiefe is most bent of all And with a vengeance most unnaturall 114. Our Saviours Parentage This flower of Iesse had his blessed birth From Heaven deriv'd though planted here on Earth Resembling those whereof fam'd Maro sings Whose beauties beare th'enscribed names of Kings 115. Faith a fast friend Of Moses body God tooke care Nor would allow the Fiend a share In it much lesse will he forgoe A soule deare-bought with deadly woe If but her hand of faith be laid On his strong Arme that all doth ayde 116. Sinnes attendants Sinne hath three Bond-maids Feare Guilt and Shame That dayly follow duely haunt the same But be I rather joylesse left alone Than on the left hand goe so waited on 117. Of silence Iohns Birth made glad long-silent Zachary And grace attends on Taciturnity 118. Belly cease thy grumbling God that for every Beast provided meate Before their Master Man had ought to eate Shew'd us how small a care is requisite For things that please the rambling appetite For man that beares a Queene-like Soule should have Small stomacke to become his bodies slave 119. True Knowledge The Temples Windows on their inner side Farre larger than without thereby imply'd That in Gods Church appeares the vitall light Of Truth without it shades of Death and night 120. The Soules Center Our bodies in the flitting ayre can take No rest nor in the flowing water make Abode but on the solid Earth remaine Whose ground-worke doth the unweildy world sustaine No more can Soules for lasting joyes design'd In watry wealth or airy honour find Sure comfort but in him that all things moves Must rest and there concenter all their loves 122. Against prophane jesting Let others scoffe whose joyes are here at best I 'm not for Hell in earnest nor in jest 123. On Iudges To Sir Tho. Mitward In faire Ierusalem the Iudges sate On Thrones erected in the Cities gate With