a Bad one A Giant-like tall stammell-Wife Though Exâ—'lleâ—t I 'de not choose A Bad-condition'd though a Dwarfe I will as soone refuse EPIG 88. Loue is Blinde LIke one another Drunkennesse And Loue are in effâ—ct Drunkennesse Blindes the Bodies Eyes Loue Blinds the Mindes aspect EPIG 87. An Amorous Epistle NO Loue is Hopelesse this makes Louers free The Thing not Hope I Loue No-Thing but Thee EPIG 91. A Christian Zodiacke TH' Apostles goodly Fellowship Are my twelue heauenly Signes My Zodiacke is perfâ—ct Faith My Sunne in Iesus shines EPIG 100. To the Reader I Leaue Narcissus when I Verses write When thou do'st Reade them banish Him thy sight FINIS EPIGRAMS Out of the third Booke EPIG 1. GOD the Beginning of All Things GOd was the first i th' first God did reside Before the first after the first shall bide First without firsts and from this first each thing That first was made did first-beginning bring EPIG 4. The Art of Memory SImonides found th' Art of Memory But none the Art of Wit could ere descry EPIG 6. SAtan o' th' Woman Bought-vs Christ re-Bought-vs Adam Impure but Christ Most-Pure hath wrought-vs EPIG 7. The Prayse of Liberalitie WHat e're we Giue doth euer liue Gifts follow Him that Giues The Giuer and the Taker both By Gifts the better Liue. EPIG 10. To Queene Anne Wife Daughter Sister Mother to a King What rarer Titles may wee to Thee bring With these foure Titles thou foure Vertues hast With what more Glory may a Queene be grac't EPIG 13. A New-Man DRiue what thou didst Deriue from th' Old-Man-Sinne Soone to Refresh thy Flesh from Sinne Beginne EPIG 14. Health EVen from my Heart much Health I Wish No Health I 'le Wash with Drinke Health Wish't not wash't in Words not Wine To be the best I thinke EPIG 15. Forbidden-Fruit WHen Adam Ate Forbidden-Meate Deluded by the Diuell He was not Euils Primitiue But worse than th' Apple of Euill EPIG 16. Troians and Greekes THe Troian sayes I much doe feare The Greekes when they bring Gifts Who is the Greeke The Poore-Man Who Are Troians Rich-Make-Shifts EPIG 21. N. A. N's first A followes Nought than All 's more old That God of Nought made All all Truth doth hold EPIG 23. Holinesse is Healthfulnesse NO man can Long Well all Men may Yet no Man Will Liue Well If thou 'lt Liue Long endeuour then In Vertue to excell A Bride is a Ship EPIG 25. THe Taile 's the Sterne Fore-Deckâ— the Beake The Keele the Belly is Her Wings the Sayles a Bird a Barke Is then not much amisse EPIG 30. Against Pannicus a Rich-Asse THat Fortune fauours Fooles canst thou not see Beleâ—ue thy Selfe if thou 'lt not Credit Mee EPIG 33. Homer MAruell not much though Homer blind tell Lyes Since He by Heare-say went not Sight of 's Eyes EPIG 35. Little Nothing Too-much Enough THe Poore haue Little Beggers None The Rich Too-much Enough not One. EPIG 37. To the Right Honourable William Earle of Pembrooke c. NOt Old in yeeres nor Young in each rare Part One of the Kings and Kingdomes Props thou art That on thee this great Grace thy King doth Lay Or should I ioy thy Merit Beth I may EPIG 48. Humility AS Low-Dales beare more fertile Grasse More Sterill Mountaines-high In Wisedome so Meeke Minds doe passe Selfe-flated Subtilty The Mind 's a Mount our Will 's a Hill The Mounts Top is Wils Wit Each highest Hill is Sterill still And Nimblest Wit vn-fit EPIG 54. The Clyent IF to thy Cause the Iudge shall Helpe apply Thy Knees to Him Clyent in-Cline wisely EPIG 57. The Serpent Eue Adam THe subtill Serpent heed-lesse Eue Deceiu'd was not deceiued Not Adam Her Shee Him made fall Both thus of Ioy bereaued Both Actiuely and Passiuely Shee therefore thus did Sin Deceiu'd Her-Selfe deceiueth Him Snar'd Snares Him in Deaths Grin EPIG 59. To Polydore O Polydore to Men most Poore The Datiue-Case is best Your Ablatiue doth them depriâ—e Of Comfort Ease and rest Giuers than Takers better are True but these Ablatiues This Age doth see too frequent bee Seld ' seene are Rich-Datiues EPIG 60. To ALas poore Creature-Seruing two Thou art in wofull state One-Master nothing hath to Giue Thy tother is Ingrate EPIG 61. Three-fold Continency WHen thou dost any Ill-thing Heare or See Thy Windowes Eares and Eyes fast shut let bee And that thou Speake-not vnaduisedly Locke-fast thy Doores thy Lips thy Tongue fast tye EPIG 62. Saturnes three Sonnes THree Sonnes had Saturne Poets faine And of especiall fame Hell was ones place Riches his Grace Nummi-potent by Name The Second had i th' Sea abode His Name Amni-potent To th' Third was giuen his seat in Heauen Call'd Ioue Omni-potent EPIG 63. The Old-man speakes to the Yong-man MY Life is short and Liue I cannot Long Thine shortly will bee short though now th' art strong EPIG 67. To an Angry-Man LEt Wrath and Anger with the Day decay Yet let them not with Phoebus next Day rise But as from thy Horizon Titan flyes Vnto th' Antipodes there let them stay EPIG 73. The Lord loueth Liberality THy Benefits it not-be-fits When Giuen to count and tell God will them both Remunerate And Ruminate full well EPIG 77. Heauen HEauen is Gods Spacious Spâ—cious Throne of Grace The Lords All-potent and All-patent Place EPIG 80. Against Pontilianus DOgges on thâ—ir Masters fawne and leape And wag their Tailes apace So though the Flatt'rer want a Taile His Tongue supplyes the place EPIG 81. To Distrust LEt none distrust though Dust Heau'ns light to see Nor none despaire though's Soule a shaddow be Our Flesh is Dust true but o' th very same The glorious Body of Christ Iesus came And though our Soule in vs a shaddow bee Yet 't is th' Idea of the Deitie EPIG 83. The Rich-Man THat Man 's most ' Retch which is most Rich Th' are oft defil'd that play with Pitch Men to be Great not Good desire Greatnesse not Goodnesse most acquire EPIG 87. To the Iewes The Law is your Religion And ours is Faith most pure You to beleeue will not be-led Nor we Good-workes inure EPIG 97. Riches GOld 's th' onely-God Rich-Men beare Rule Mony makes Maiesty Rich-Pluto not Plaine-Plato now Speakes with applause most high EPIG 98. Three Genders A Wife although most Wise and Chaste Is of the Doubtfull Gender A Queane o th' Common Foeminines Are Women small and tender EPIG 99. ST ST a Signe of Silence ST ST Men say Silence to signifie S Silence noâ—es T Taciturnity EPIG 100. Where I Doe-Well There I Dwell THat is my Country where I 'm Fed not Bred Not where I 'm Borne but where I 'm best-bested Where I may haue sufficient Sustenance And Liue in Loue ther 's my Inheritance EPIG 103. Actaeon ACtaeons Dogs his flesh bones skinne ate cleane His Hornes remayne in London to bee seene EPIG 112. A Paradox of Dreames DReames which be Bad are very Good Dreames that be Good are
's a Hurt procur'd by Care Our Corps Corruption dry W' are borne but how Oft to be sicke We Liue why oft to Dye EPIG 112. Eloquence NOt many Weedes but wholâ—some Herbes The fertile Grounds declare They 're Eloquent which Well can speake Not those which Babblers are EPIG 117. O Times and Manners WHy thus doe Men Mâ—nners and Times accuse When Mâ—n themselues Manners and Times abuse W' are Bad in theâ— they worsâ— by vs do grow Yet wee complaine that helpe to make them so EPIG 120. Of Strife or Contention O I could wish I might so happy bee Men Striue to Loue not Loue to Striue to see EPIG 124. Marryed-folke A House vs both in Discord can't contayne In Bed we both in Concord doe remayne EPIG 135. Christ. AS Morning is Nights End and Dayes beginning So Christ is Deaths End and Saluations Spriâ—ging EPIG 140. Of Sleepe IF Sleepe be Death then Death than Sleepe Can be esteeâ—'d nougâ—t els The more thou Sleeâ—'st then lesse thou Liu'st This playne â—xperience tels Aâ—d is our Death but like a Sleepe When Men haue Slept they Wake Then Courage Christian Feare ô Wretch Thee Heauen thee Hell shall take EPIG 147. Against Epicures OFt haue I heard both Yong and Old complaine That Loue Life don't Long-enough remaine Lifes Pleasure Pleasures Life is short soone spent He 's wise therefore can leaue both with content EPIG 148. Workes GOod-men to Heau'n their Good-Deedes follow well The Wicked's Ill-Deeds follow them to Hâ—ll EPIG 161. Sence Reason Faith Loue God SEnce voyd of Reason silly is Reason's bad without Faith Faith's Nothing-worth if Loue it lacke Loue 's good if God it hath EPIG 164. Wisedome Fortitudâ— T Is Wisedome Euils to beware To beare them 's Fortitude The Wise not beares nor Valiant feares Harmes borne and well eschew'd EPIG 165. Labour HE which by Sweat would haue Men Eate And by their Labour Liue If they take paine with him to Raigne Heau'ns Dainties will them giue Epig. 168. Christian Aduerbes Not Adiectiues but Aduerbes best can doe Not What-Good Hoâ—-Well God hath care vnto EPIG 171. Time TIme All Consumes both Vs and euery Thing We Time Consume thus Both one Song doe Sing EPIG 172. Much Admonition to his Friend Michael Heydon DOe nothing Rashly Faintly All with Heed Too-Late too-Soone doe nothing All with Speed Nature Thee faint Wisedome Thee valiant makes Who feares things fearefull which Heed of them takes EPIG 176. Honesty Dishonesty GOod-men hate Vice because they Vertue loue That there 's few-Good this then doth plainely proue Dishonesty is now so high ascended And Honesty so Low so vilipended That in these Sin-full Sin-foule dayes well-nigh T is counted Vicious to Liue Vertuously EPIG 178. Of the Soule MAns Soule Coelestiall is aboue the Skies For with the Body if it Rise it Dies EPIG 180. Hell AS Blacke by no meanes can be Dyed White From Hell to Heau'n so None can take their flight EPIG 192. Man MAn cryes in 's Birth what Ioy 's then to be Borne Why weep we at Mens Deaths as Men forlorne EPIG 196. Wise Simplicitie LIke harmelesse Doue to Liue in Loue To all Men doth belong Like Serpents wise Liue I aduise That none may doe thee wrong EPIâ— 206. Vpon the Death of Charles Blunt Earle of Deuonshire WHether Sad-Passion or sweet Prayse to vse An Elegie or Elogie to choose I doubt deuise such is my Loue thy Losse Oh greedy Death to take Gold leaue vs Drosse Now thou art Dead many trâ—ke much of Thee Good Best Bad Worst this is well prays'd to bee FINIS EPIGRAMS Out of one sole Booke EPIG 23. Against Marcus NAture hath giuen two-Hands one Tongue to Men They should performe more than they promiâ—e then Thou 'lt promise much nought giue but All delay As though thou hadst two Tongues no Hands to pay EPIG 24. The Romish Masse-Priest and Geneuian Minister Massâ—-Priest FOr Adultery no man should Dye Thus Baals Priest still cryes His Neighbours Wife he Loues a Life Himselfe hath None He 's Wise. Geneuian Minister For Adultery 't's fit Men should Dye Thus the Geneuian cryes But what 's the Cause hee 'd haue such Lawes His Wife is faire Hee 's Wise. EPIG 27. Against a Couetous Clyent WHat doft thou grudge because the Iudge Is Deafe and will not heare Thy Selfe 's to blame who to him came And Feeling didst forbeare EPIG 34. Against Linus THou wast my Debtour when I Lent thee Coine Pay mee mine owne and then I will be thine EPIG 39. Man is a Stage-Player MAns Life 's a Tragike Comedie Hope is his Argument The Prologue Faith the Acts are Loue The Stage Earths Continent And in this Manner when to Day Kings and Meane-Men doe end their Play To Morrow others take their Roomes Whiles they doe fill vp Graues and Tombes EPIG 44. Neyther in this World nor in the World to come Against Damiane WHether things Present or to Come I mind Than thou more Wretch i th' World I cannot find The World to Come auailes thee nought Th' art Bad And being a Foole no Good can heere be had EPIG 52. Against byting Momus or Carping Zoilus BAck-byter why doest thou thy Brother Bite In Enuying what he hath well effected In Carping-at what he hath Ill-neglected Brothers each Others Slips let-slip not smite EPIG 54. Against a Selfe-Louer VNto thy Neighbour be as kinde As to thy Selfe thou art Thou 'lt say I am how 's that my Selfe Am neerest mine owne Heart EPIG 63. Learning most neglected LEarned Apollo once vnshaued went But now Hee 's Cut shoâ—ne torne and all-berent space His Louely face is now in such a Case As scarce it Smiles once in a twelue-moneths Alas he Dreames that Deemes Parnassus pleasant Honour Arts Hope is giuen to euery Pesant To play on Phoebus Lute 's to play the Lout Learning goes Lame now and is Sicke o' th' Gout When Dâ—lâ—s haue Lucke on Honours step to stay Let Schollers burne their Bookes and goe to play EPIG 67. 'T is Better to Giue than to Receiue MAns propertie's to Take and Gods to Giue Too few such Giuing-Gods in these dayes Liue. EPIG 68. Against Ponticus the Clyent CLyent art Sicke of the Câ—thâgran-Gout And nothing on thy Lawyer wilt bestow O' th' Podagra He 's ill then cann't stirre out A Lazie Lamenes then doth on him grow For if he be not both oft Pray'd and Pay'd Thy Causâ— for this cause shall be long delayd EPIG 71. Philautus and Philaristo Philautus THou do'st expect my Philarist That I a Gift should send Except my Selfe Gift haue I none This I to Thee commend EPIG 72. Philaristo YOu sent a Gift and Nothing 't was I Nothing send to you You Gaue your Selfe your Selfe to you I send-backe so Adieu EPIG 73. To Sir Henry Fanshaw Knight IF Fortune had Alotted thee by Lot Augustus Empire or Mecoenas Store This Age had seene Poetick-Maro's more But No Mecoenas Maro is forgot EPIG 78. A Heauenly Archer
FAith is our Shaft our Bow-string Hope Our Bow is well-bent Loue Our Length and Height is Heau'n on high Our Marke is God aboue EPIG 81. To a Litigious Debtor TH' art much perplext and troubled day by day Not How thou Mayst but How thou Mayst Not Pay EPIG 91. Couetous Liberality Against Acerra ACerra Giues to Take to Giue Takes not To Take's his Marke to Giue 's his Shaft and Shot EPIG 92. Against the Romish Catholike IF any one would thy Religion know 'T's Catholike Apostolike thou'lt say Catholike Loue I thinke to All thou'lt show But why do'st not for Catholike Faith pray EPIG 101. The Soules Eclipse AS Earth is Interpos'd betweene The Sunne and Moones thicke shade So Sinne betwixt Me and my God Hath Sepâ—ratioâ— made EPIG 112. From the Wombe to the Tombe AS Beasts i th' Fields to be our Food doe Fate So Wormâ—ling-Man is Borne to be Wormes-Meate EPIG 119. Womens Tyre YOur high-horn'd Laces are more like A House-Top than a Tyre To Build not Beautifie their Heads Is Womens fond desire EPIG 120. All-things are Nothing HE which made All of Nought Himselfe is All And what God made of Nought wee Nought may call EPIG 135. Funerall Sermons WE wrong Men Liuing Prayse them being Dead O Pleasant Death ô gloomy-Life so Led EPIG 121. Anger and Patience AS Water cooles the Fires hot flame And Fire Cold-water warmes So Patience Peaseth Angry mindes Wrath moues the Dull to Armes EPIG 143. The Bodie bids the Soule fare-well FOr thee ô Soule my Mother Earth I left And now I must of thee be thus bereft The Soule bids the Bodie fare-well And I fond Foole did God my Father Leaue For thee who Now to Heauen will Me receiue I must to Him Thou must to Her depart From Heau'n am I from Earth deriu'd Thou art There till wee meet we must Disioyn'd remayne Till Earth Mee thee God Thee Mee giue againe EPIG 145. Hot-Waters OVr trickling Teares expresse our priuate Loue Loue causeth Teares strange Fire should Water proue EPIG 147. Poore Comfort to his Rich Friend VNconstant Fortune Changeth in short space Hence growes my Hope thy Feare â—uch is thy case EPIG 153. To his Friend waxing-old THou lately wast a Yong-man I a Childe My Selfe a Yong-man now Thee Old I see Death shortly Lookes for Thee Old-Age for Mee Thy Lot's most Sure but I may bee beguilde EPIG 157. To Pontilian POntilian art thou iealous o're thy Wife Th' art wise but art Not then I say th' art wise Watch Her or Not in vaine is all thy strife For if Shee list Shee 'le Foole thee 'fore thine eyes But Shee 's a â—ife most Louing wise and iust Who though She could ne're wrongs her Housbands trust EPIG 160. London to I. W Citizen and Gold-Smith EVen as the Thames small Springâ— and Streames Drinkes in So London Wealth from poorer Towns doth win But though the Thames to Sea Runnes euery Tide Siluer and Gold at London still abide EPIG 161. To William Cawley a London Marchant Debtour and Creditour THough in my Booke thy Name heere bee Yet Mine in Thine thou canst not show For more than Loue Thee Nought I owe This I 'le expect and Pay to thee EPIG 166. A Marriage-Song i Th' Day thou art the Obiect of mine Eyes i th' Night Loues Subiect thou shalt be likewise EPIG 168. To his Beloued I Loue thee well Now-Knowne I lou'd th' vn-kowne Thy fame did first thy forme now hath me taken Loue now I know I Loue not Lou'd forsaken I know what 's I Loue not I'm Lou'd ô Moane EPIG 169. A Younger Brother I 'm Poore t is true my Parents Me blame not Who 'fore my Brother haue not Me begot EPIG 180. To Old Ponticus THou which didst neuer Doe good Deed But still adde Sinne to Sinne When wilt thou these Bad Courses leaue And to be Good beginne O when I Dye I 'le Leaue sayst Thou To th' Poore my Whole-Estate He that 's not Wise vntill he Dyes I thinke is Wise too Late EPIG 181. A Black-Moore in White Clothes O Rare seene Bird much like a Swan most white Thy Clothes as Snow thy Skin like Pitch in sight Epig. 199. Gold out of Doung VIrgil from â—innius Doung did Gold extract And our Phisicians doe the selfe-same Act. EPIG 205. To his Couetous Friend WHat Ricâ—-mâ—n haue t is All their-owne From Friends Themselues they 'le Spare But yet they Haue-â—ot what they Haue This is the Misers share EPIG 208. Christ-Masse and Mid-sommer IOhn Baptist came i th' Sommers prime And Christ i th' Winter season They Fire and Water both fore-show And both for holy Reason How well these Contrarieâ— concurre Iohn's Fire Christs Water pure Gods Fire our Sinnes to purifie Christs Water Sinne to Cure EPIG 214. Aesops Tongue OF all Mans Members than the Tongue there 's none More Noble-Good more Nimble Bad be knowne EPIG 220. Hard'ned Wickednesse Against Linus GOod-Wine they say makes Vineger most Tart Thou the more Witty the more Wicked art EPIG 240. Against Ponticus a Selfe-Louer NEyther the Minde nor Eye themselues doe see That thou thy selfe shuldst Loue then how may 't bee EPIG 241. A Querê O Would to God that that which Christ enquired Of his Disciâ—les what men of him spake The same of Prince Priest People were desired Of their Good-name and fame suruey to take If euery one would this desire to know Hee 'd Know hee 's Bad and Better striue to grow EPIG 242. Report Errour ERrours by Errour Tales by Tales great grow As Small Snow-balls by rowling too and fro EPIG 249. Of Himselfe SOme men there be which say of mee That I am not a Poet They say well why I doe not Lye I write the Truth I know it EPIG 253. The Worlds Dungeon THis World 's a Prison Heau'n as Walls doth stand The â—aylour's Sinne Women our Iron-band EPIG 259. The Bagge AS Birds with Bird-Lime commonly are caught So wide-Bags are with Wealth wel fil'd fraught A Bagge and Bird Liâ—e are mâ—â—â—h like in vsing This Hangs that Holds Birds Gold both safe from losing EPIG 276. To the Lady Arbella Stuart IF Fame or Vertue did consist in Words In thy Praise I might Thousand-Verses write My Muse cannot Promote thy Glory bright Thy Vertue rather Grace to It affords EPIG 138. Euery one thinkes his owne fairest Cic. Tuscul. Quaest. Lib. 5. THy Neighbours Wife to Theâ— to Him thine 's fairest Then that 's not true that All thinke their owne rarest EPIG 255. Mans Condition TIll one Foot falls the tother doth not Rise So one Mans wracke Another magnifies EPIG 262. Two Contrary Courtiers AT Court these Copesmates dwell though not the same Momus who All Gnatho who Nought will blame FINIS EPIGRAMS Out of the sixe last Bookes The first Booke To the Reader DO'st maruell why since now adayes Men vse Verses in prayse of th' Authour I't refuse My Verses need no Patron to protect them If Good th' are Good if Bad