What thing is fauour but a shade It hath no certaine lasting hower Whereof is wanton beautie made That withers like a Sommers flower When these shall end their date in dayes She that feares God shall liue with praise And such a wife of worthie worth Due glories lot will to her fall And great assemblies will giue forth What vertues shee 's adorn'd withall Her lifes renowne to fame shall reach Her good example others teach Salomons Harlot in the 2. 7. and 8. chapt of his Prouerbs A Harlot of the whorish kind Describ'd by Wisedomes King Whose paths are crooked and whose wayes Vnto destruction bring That impudent with shamelesse brow Doth modest life detest And of all brutish filthynesse Insatiate is possest Is noted to be full of words And doth the streets frequent Not qualited as Sara was To keepe within the tent But haunts the citie to be seene Of all that passeth by Cal's simple people voyd of sence Her kindnesse to come try Like curl'd and painted Iesabel She at her doore will sit Without are dogs whoremungers murderers And whosoeuer loues or maketh lies Gracelesse inchanters and idolaters For entrance vnto these the Lambe denies They are for horror and eternall wo And must with trembling to destruction go O sonnes of Adam sinfull race of clay Most miserable blind deceiued men You scattred sheepe that wander from the way If this place be your fold where stray you then Why is your pace to heauen so slow and slacke Or rather why from thence retire you backe O foolish louer of vaine earthly things Why seek'st thou honor and promotion here Which onely care griefe and vexation brings To build to purchase and let leases deare Ioyne house to house and pile vp gold beside Fixing thy thoughts on gaine thy heart on pride Thou neuer canst attaine ike blessednesse In the inioying all thy soue can craue Nor once come neare tast of the happinesse That the least seruant in Gods house shall haue For in this holy citie wâ—ere they liue Is treasure which the world can neuer giue Which shall endure perpetually their lot The lot and portion in the liuing land A giuers gift whose purpose alters not But for the length of endlesse time shall stand In all perfection and securitie True holinesse and perfect puritie When thou with this worlds pompe and dignity Which hereon earth did please thy soule so well Shalt beare that same rich glutton company Whose burial's in the dreadfull vault of hell Excluded from all mercy comfort grace In that same endlesse easelesse hopelesse place Times swiftnesse I Run I flie I neuer stand at shy There 's no recalling of me being past Wise men take hold and meet me in the way Fooles first neglect their late repent comes last He that will vse me to his endlesse gaines Must spend time well while he on earth remaines Mans neglgence I Had a time in youth for learnings treasure I had a time to haue attaineâ— grace I spent that time in worlds bewitching pleasure And wish for time now time hath turn'd his face Time runs before and instantly forsakes vs Death posts behind and sodaine ouertakes vs. Deaths powerfulnesse I Make all feare that am a fearlesse creature The world doth euen tremble at my name Ender I am of all begun by nature Proud flesh and blood in graues of earth I tame Though bitter vnto many sweet to some That loath this life for loue of life to come A view of this world the Globe of Vanitie LOoke mortals on this stage of earthly things View well the changes of inconstant time Begin at poore men and go vp to kings From humble hearts to such as loue to clime From innocents to such as liue by crime From low to high from high againe to low What man is he would worlds delights forgo Oh fond felicitie that all men find On this vnsetled pauement of the earth Where 's nothing but perplexitie of mind None prouing still the period to our mirth Backe from our graue to our first houre of birth Onely this blindnesse doth some fooles besot They liue in sorrow and they see it not For what 's a King or mightie potent Lord That like a god millions of people swayes That saues and kils with his commanding word Whose will the flattrer sooths and all obayes Pray what 's the pleasure of his kingly dayes If he be good as great men good is rare His kingdome then is but his hourely care What 's a great conqueror whose name is fear'd Like Caesar or the dreaded Tamberlaine Who by his sword Piramides hath rear'd With bones and scalpes and ensignes of the slaine Looke on him well and find him meerly vaine The fitttest Epithet for him is this This mightie man a mightie murdrer is What 's a great traueller by sea and land That doth suruey the world with curious eye And sees what wonders the Creators hand Wrought in the deepes in vales or mountaines hie Who doth not thinke this traueller doth lie Though he tell truth then what 's a greater shame For man to toile and get a liers name What is it to be rich and pile vp store To build great houses titling them our owne To haue abundance yet still couet more To rise by many wrong'd and ouerthrowne What is all this when it is truly knowne Misers oppresse build gather to this end For vnthrift heires to ruine spoile and spend What is it to be great in peoples eyes And to be puft vp with their bubble praise What is the issue of their vulgar cries Their songs and rimes and high applauding layes Here 's onely all it shortens honors dayes Whom the rude greete with shouts and garlicke breath The mightie hate and hasten vnto death What is it to be faire and so composed That being earth we yet seeme angeline To haue in vs all beauties grace inclosed And Venus fooles account vs most diuine What is the end to be thus goodly fine On beauties brow is this inscription plac'd T is rare to find a person faire and chast What is it to be any thing indeed That mortals in their dull conceits commend What is it on the worlds delights to feed And haue each vanitie on vs attend Euen nothing all for here 's of all the end As we were borne with teares to liue in paine Death comes with sighes and takes vs hence againe A summe of good desires GReat God which hast al wisdome at commanding Be in my head inspire my vnderstanding Almightie God the obiect of true light Be thou director of mine eyes and sight Dread God whose word is sacred and diuine Be in my mouth and guide this tongue of mine Mercifull God the fulnesse of all grace Be in my heart and purge that filthy place Eternall God on whom I whole depend Be at my last departing and mine end Times Epigramme STep Caesar on earths stage and act thy part Shew now what monarch of the world thou art Let Alexander
be sold for Aegypts store What 's gold to him that food doth need The mettall cannot hunger feed What 's meate to him wants appetite Sicknesse doth loath though health inuite But loue doth choisest welcome bring To lowest beggar highest king How oft haue I emboldned thee With that kind word Come lie with mee Where is thy sence and manly sprite That should be ready to requite Wilt thou so haâ—shly go away My hearts desire mild Ioseph stay Doest turne thy backe wilt not consent By Pharaoes life thou shalt repent I le keepe this garment to thy shame Thy Lord I vowe shall see the same I le tell him if I had not cride I had bin forced to abide Foule rauishment which to preuent Clamors vnto the skies I sent And thou for feare that durst not stay Leauing thy mantle ranst away This plot the harlot put in vre Ioseph this slaunder did endure Yet still continude constant chast With lust allur'd with lies disgrac'd Sampson betrayed by Dalilah WOnder of men thou great in might My hearts chiefe ioy my soules delight Thou onely admirable man Of all the stocke and tribe of Dan. Thou that at Thamnah valiant did Euen rend a Lion like a Kid. At Askalon in valour tride Where thirtie by thine owne hand dide That Azah gates with powrefull will Didst carry vp to Hebron hill Oh let me craue a boone of thee As thou in loue shall gaine of mee Thy strength to other men denide Great Samson where doth that abide Oh proue thy selfe to me so kind As tell me but how I may thee bind Delude me not kind sweete with mockes Not withes nor tying of thy lockes Is ought auailing thereunto Deere Samson tell me what to do Thrice by thee I haue bin deluded Now tell me where 's thy might included Wilt thou this small request denay Wilt thou refuse thy Dalila Then I resolue thou lou'st me not For out of loue is all things got Thy sute quoth he my deare hath sped There nere came razor on my head I haue bene from my mothers wombe A Nazarite by heauens doome Loue if my head be shauen bare I shall be weake as others are Then on her lap his head she layd And with his curious lockes she playd And so in dalliance did him keepe Till she had wantond him asleepe Then sent for one that shau'd him quite Of all the haire contain'd his might Which done her sexes nature showes Betraid him instant to his foes The Philistines who him despise And cruelly put out his eyes Then set him in a mill to grind This woman-trust did Samson find King Sauls despairefull Tragedie DAunted with feare of the Philistines force Disanimated Saul where shall I flie Of my distresse there 's no man hath remorce To answer me by dreames God doth denie No helpe by Prophets all my comfort 's fled Oh Samuel that man of God is dead I know inchantment is a grieuous sin And Israels God forbids it in his law Yet with a witch at Endor I haue bin To speake with Samuel whose shape I saw Appeare in 's mantle reuerent graue and old Who my destruction and my end foretold Wherefore hast thou disturbed me he said In causing of me to be raised thus I answered him for that I was afraid Of Philistines that vexe and trouble vs And God is gone he answers not at all Oh tell what will become of wretched Saul Because quoth he thou didst not God obay To execute on the Amalekites Therefore he hath done this to thee this day Thy disobedience thus his wrath requites Thy kindome from thee he away hath rent And giuen it Dauid this is Gods intent Moreouer Israel and also thee The Lord will put in the Philistins hands And euen to morrow shalt thou be with mee Thou and thy sonnes thus Saul thy kingdome stands Thy hoast subdude thy selfe of life bereft And thou become the man whom God hath left With this I fell despairefull on my face My strength was gone with fasting and with feare O wretched man depriued of Gods grace That mine owne end with dread did trembling heare To morow he hath tould me is the day That Philistines my sonnes and me will slay Come fatall day come cursed Philistines The men of Israel now are forc'd to flie My three deare sonnes their latest breath resignes Mount Gilboa in thee their bodies lie Abinadab Melchisua Ionathan I le follow you with all the speed I can See harnesse-bearer th'archers haue me found I will not haue them triumph in my death Oh draw thy sword I do intreate a wound Shew me the kindnesse to depriue my breath Art thou afraid to shed thy Princes blood Why then my selfe will do my selfe that good This mine owne sword the instrument I le make Of this my last and bloudy sacrifice Vpon this point the worlds farewell I le take Here the distressed King of Israel dies He dies that least his foes should glorying stand Will kill himselfe euen ready to their hand The Virgine-sacrifice of Duke Jepthahs daughter THe mightie Marshall of the Israelites In armes against contending Amonites Soliciting th' Almightie for successe And whole depending on his powrefulnesse When he towards Gilead in armes did passe And thence to Mispah where proud Ammon was Vow'd if the victory he might obtaine Gainst those that held Gods people in disdaine And home returne a conqueror in peace His feruour to the Lord should so increase In gratitude that in most humble wise He to his Maiestie would sacrifice What ere it were that his sight first beheld Come forth his doore at his returne from field Iephthah in conquest to his hearts desire From Aroer a victor doth retire But here behold the end of Amons slaughter Begins the tragedie of his owne daughter To welcome him all her endeuours striues True loue 's most ioyfull when beloued thriues With daunces and with timbrels she doth meete him And all the solace she can make to greete him When he beheld his deare and onely child Surpriz'd with griefe in raging humor wild He rent his clothes and vnto heauens cride Oh worse then death the sight I now abide Thy presence all my fortunes doth confound Within a sea of teares mine eyes be drownd Most louing child to God my vow is made With sacrifice of thee it must be paide Wherewith obediently she did reply Grieue not so much deare father that t is I To Iacobs God be faithfull in your vow Onely kind father vnto me allow Two months of mourning to bewaile the state Of my virginitie disconsolate Euen at the mountaines will I go and mourne And at the time appointed thence returne His leaue she had with mournfull maides attending Each one her griefe and teares and sorrow lending Their virgin teares compassions rules did keepe They waild for her she mourn'd to see them weepe The time expir'd of her short stinted houres To him that had the guide of Israels powres She meekly came and with most
please shall be mine onely care I le bow I le smile I le kindly giue embrace And shew a cheerfull looke a louing face With Dauids gouernment dislike I le find Faining much griefe and passion of the mind For euery wronged and oppressed wight And wish that I had powre their cause to right From Gilo for Ahitophel I le send And worke that Counsellor to be my friend With euery sort making my faction strong Which done I le do no right nor take no wrong My father growes already in disgrace And Semei hath cursde him to his face Threw stones at him and did him thus vpbraid Come forth thou man of Belial he said The Lord hath brought reuenge vpon thy head For all the blood that of Sauls house is shed This doth discourage him animate me And tels my soule that I a King must be March on braue Isralites resolued powers Victoriously preuaile the day is ours Wee l pitch our battell in this Ephraim wood Here let dead bodies glut the earth with blood Here Dauids crowne is either won or lost Here in this place it must his kingdome cost Here of our liues we will be prodigall And that great monarch into question call Draw forth your swords let courage be their guide The controuersie of a crowne decide Either a King and all my foes conuince Or let me not remaine one hower Prince Oh cruell battell fatall bloody day Vnto my death some mortall wound make way We are subdude euen twentie thousand slaine Our scattred bodies on the earth remaine What shall I do or whither shall I flie It is no matter any where to die For shelter into this huge wood I le ride Come on Despaire be thou misfortunes guide Day turne to darknesse and entinguish light And wrap my treason vp in vapory night Let not a little bird presume to sing Wither you trees and leaues and each greene thing Post on poore Mule and spare no speed to run Thy riders race of life is almost done My royall birth is now of no esteeme My rarest beautie will deformed seeme Vengeance is come Gods iudgement lights on mee I am caught hold off by a senslesse tree For my ambition thus I mount on hie For pride my lockes are ropes to hang me by Yonder comes Ioab now my end is neare He brings my death vpon his bloody speare Come pierce me captaine rid this life from hence Fearefull my end and grieuous my offence Dauids deare issue Absolom the faire Hangs without mercie bleeding in the aire Ahitophels wisedome conuerted to follie HOw is disgrace imposde vpon my head That for my counsell haue bene honored All Israel haue said Ahitophel Speakes euen as doth the heau'nly oracle T was my aduise none plotted it but I The Prince with 's fathers concubines should lie And he embrac'd it and it sorted well For as our expectation was it fell And shall I chiefest states-man in the land That still in high affaires haue had a hand Be crost by Husai the Arachite No first vpon my selfe shall vengeance light I said t was best chose out twelue thousand men And set on Dauid weary tired then That instant night being ouerworne and weake The hearts of all his people this would breake Vpon my life it was the onely way Yet Husai hath crost it with his nay He sayes that Dauid and his men be strong Th' are valiant and haue had experience long And like a Beare rob'd of her whelpes they be All this the Prince approues reiecting me Thus of my wonted honor I haue mist But from this day giue counsell he that list I le home and take an order for my pelfe And then giue counsell how to hang my selfe My house shall be in order ere I die Then for my life another course haue I Though out of order to the world it seeme Despaire and I thereof do well esteeme Not on my weapons point I meane to fall As did the desperate King resolued Saul But to some fatall tree I will repaire And hang my breathlesse bodie in the ayre Life I detest thee thou art almost done Time hold thy hand with me the glasse is run Honor farewell and in dishonor now I will go hang thee vp vpon some bough It was vaine honor did my heart intice And now I le sell it for a halters price All I haue learn'd in earthly honors schoole Is worldly wise man proues a heauenly foole Salomons censure in the two Harlots controuersie TWo harlots striuing with each other Would both vnto one child be mother And did to Wisdomes King complaine That he true iustice would maintaine My Lord said one iustice I craue Sayes tother iustice let me haue We both within a house do lie She had a child and so haue I Betweene their births but three dayes space Pray heare me I beseech your grace Her child my Soueraigne in the night Of life she hath depriued quite She smoothred it as I suppose And about midnight then she rose I being fast asleepe God wot My liuing child away she got And thrust her dead one vnto me This is as true as true may be When in the morning I did wake Intending mine owne child to take And giue it sucke I found it dead Which when I did behold with dread Viewing it well with weeping eyne I plainely saw t was none of mine The tother harlot did reply An 't please your Grace this is a lie I neuer changed child for child Neither will I be thus beguild To take hers dead for mine aliue Would God that I might neuer thriue If that the liuing be not mine Thou liest said tother t is not thine Thou shalt not dame delude me so My louing babe I well do know The very cheekes the eyes the nose The mothers fauour plainly showes Thy selfe I will be sworne did say T was wondrous like me tother day And now forsooth it is your owne How shamelesse Lord this world is growne My gracious Prince sayes tother heare Vpon my soule great King I sweare If with this child she haue to do Then she is mother of them two The dead child is her owne in troth Now this she claimes so shee le haue both I do deny the dead said she The liuing child belongs to me Oh God art thou so voide of shame Another womans fruite to claime Wilt thou stand stout in that 's vntrue And say my infant is thy due When in thy conscience thou art sure The paines for it I did endure The mothers griefe when it was borne Fie wicked woman I would scorne To beare so bad and leud a mind I grieue thou art of woman kind Then said the King this strife I le end You both for one liue child contend That child I le with a sword deuide And giue to each of you a side A iust diuision I will make And halfe a child shall either take Then spake the mother whose it was Dread Lord let no such sentence passe