Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	earl_n	john_n	viscount_n	38,711	5	12.0935	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75932	The fables of Æsop paraphras'd in verse, and adorn'd with sculpture, by John Ogilby.; Aesop's fables. English	Ogilby, John, 1600-1676.; Aesop.	1651 (1651)	Wing A689; Thomason E792_1; ESTC R207328	78,245	371

Th. Fables of Aesop Paraphras'd in Vers and adornd with Sculpture by Iohn Ogilby THE FABLES OF AESOP Paraphras'd in Verse and adorn'd with Sculpture By JOHN OGILBY LONDON Printed by Thomas Warren for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in St. Pauls Church-yard 1651. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE HENEAGE FINCH Earl of Winchilsea and Viscount Maidston AND THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE HENRY SEYMOUR Lord BEAUCHAMP My Lords AFter the Felicity my first labour the translation of Virgil receiv'd in the protection of so Learn'd and so Honourable a Patron as your noble Father my very good Lord I could not nor did resist being charg'd home with Gratitude Duty and the Harmony of Order to intitle my Second Piece to the same renowned Family by this humble Dedication to your Lordships Nor is it may it please your Honours without something of design by which this my last work what ere it be may in such a Grove of Honour with your Names inscrib'd and influenc'd by your Vertues last untill the truest Test of Books shall sign its Commission for milder ages and perhaps more cleer from Prejudice Barbarity and the most cruell of all enemies Ignorance If any my good Lords shall accuse my Iudgement and Choice who had the Honour of Conversation with Virgil that I have descended to Aesop whose Apologs this day are read and familiar with Children in their first Schools and in these latter times dishonour'd by unworthie Translators though the Dictates of my own reason denie I should make Answer to such men It shall not be impertinent to say this Antient Mythologist hath through all and the most learned Times been highly esteem'd by the wisest and studied to the great Advantage of Humane Life Macrobius of most eminent Iudgement allowd his Book a place in the Temple of Wisdome and Socrates who was judg'd by the Oracle the wisest man then living follow'd him in all his waies of perswasive Oratory not disdaining to translate him into Verse But I fear I have troubled your Lordships with this Vindication and now be pleas'd to receive your own the old Philosopher in a modern and Poeticall dresse if he find entertainment from you it shall be an honour to him and the greatest engagement upon My Lords Your most humble and obedient Servant JOHN OGILBY To my Friend Mr. Ogilby IN Empire's Child-hood and the dawn of Arts When God in Temples dwelt not but in Hearts When Men might Teachers by their Deeds believe When Pow'r rob'd none nor Science did deceive Nor soaring Thought wildly to Heaven did fly Searching Records which in Gods Closet ly To know since none like God eternall were How his Dominion could at first appear Presuming he nor Honour had nor Sway Before some were to Worship and Obey Vain Thought could Man doubt God was ere alone Whose severall beings to himself were known Who if he Pow'r could want it must but be Because he could not make fit Companie To tend his own perfections which were more Than now best souls can perfectly adore Or could he if alone feel want of sway Who worlds could make and make those worlds obey For what he since created Argues more His Love of doing good than Love of power Nor so could God mistake as to believe That to be honor which his Creatures give Nor could he then since honor is respect Want honor till himself he did neglect For if it might be said he was alone Yet to himself his Excellence was known Which was so great that if himself could raise His honor higher with his own just praise He was himself his own abundant Theme And only could himself enough esteem But these vext Thoughts which Schools unquiet make And like to madness keep their souls awake Took rest and slept in th' Infancy of Time And with seeld eys did never upward climb To study God God's Student Man was made To read him as in Natures Text convaid Not as in Heaven but as he did descend To Earth his easier Book where to suspend And save his Miracles each little Flower And lesser Fly shews his familiar power Then usefully the studious world was wise Not learn'd as now in useless subtilties Truth naked then not arm'd with Eloquence Walk'd safe because all rose in her defence But now the gravest Schools through Pride contend And Truth awhile at last themselves defend So vext is now the world with mysteries Since prouder minds drest Truth in Arts disguise And so Serene and Calm was Empire then Whilst States-men study'd Beasts to Govern Men. Accurst be Aegypt's Priests who first through Pride And Avarice this common light did hide To Temples did this morall Text confine And made it hard to make it seem Divine In Creatures formes a fancy'd Deity They drew and rais'd the mysterie so high As all to reach it did require their aide For which they were as hyr'd Expounders paid This clouded Text which but to few was known In time grew darker and was read by none So weak of Wing is soaring Mystery And Learning's Light goes out when held too high But blest be Aesop whom the wise adore Who this dark Science did to light restore Which though obscur'd when rais'd and made Divine Yet soon did in his humble Morals shine For that which was by Art for profit hid And to the Laitie as to Spies forbid He as the hirelesse Priest of Nature brought From Temples and her Doctrine freely taught Whilst even to Beasts Men blushing seem'd asham'd That Men by Beasts he counsel'd and reclam'd Blest be our Poet too whose fire hath made Grave Aesop warm in Death's detested shade Though Verses are but Fetters deem'd by those Who endlesse journys make in wandring Prose Yet in thy Verse me thinks I Aesop see Lesse bound than when his Master made him free So well thou fit'st the measure of his mind Which though the Slave his body were confind Seem'd as thy wit still unconstraind and young And like thy numbers easie and as strong Or as thy Muse in her Satyrick strain Doth spare the Person whilst the Vice is slain So his rebukes though sharp were kind and grave Like Judges chiding those whom they would save Thus since your equall souls so well agree I needs must paint his mind in drawing thee Be both renown'd and whilst you Nature preach May Art ne'r raise your Text above our reach Your Morals will they are so subt'ly plain Convince the Subtile and the Simple gain So pleasant too that we more pleasure take Though only Pleasure doth our Vices make To hear our sins rebuk'd with so much wit Than e'r we took when those we did commit Laws doe in vain with force our wils invade Since you can Conquer when you but Perswade W D' AVENANT From the Tower Sep. 30. 1651. To my Worthy Friend Mr. JOHN OGILBY IN what part of our Hemisphear could spread A cloud so long t' obscure thy radiant Head Shine forth Prodigious Star and make us know What to thy