dy'd Was not this Mammons voyce that did provide To entertaine that Guest what thinke ye friends If so then worldlings hasten to such ends Through Bills and Bonds that at your wisht repaire You with your golden god may richly share Where your intreasur'd hearts may nere be cold For feare of want but swimme in molten gold 229. A tryall of right Women and Metalls by their sounds we know If not by touch-stones whether right or no. 230. To the same Thou rayl'st at Rome and dost her friends oppose Yet bear'st her Badge in chiefe a Roman Nose 232. Of carnall pleasure The strongest shaft which to the metall'd head The Devill drawes each loving heart to slay Is that fond pleasure which in lazybed Slips from the string of Lust and hastes away 233. To Francis Quarles My Muse did purpose with a pious strife To have trac'd out my sinlesse Saviours life But thou hadst lanch'd into the Maine I heare Before my Barke was rigg'd which shall forbeare To interrupt so prais'd an enterprize 'Bout which with Quarles no quarrells shall arise Ply then thy steereage while deficient gales My wishes still supply and swell thy sailes 234. To the Honourable Matron the Lady GRACE CAVENDISH Faire Vertues which in single hearts take place Are in a double sense the gifts of Grace 235. An Epitaph on Mistris Anne Port. Here lyes a creature to be most admir'd So good and yet a woman who aspir'd To summe all vertues up before her yeares And scale by such ascents the heavenly Spheares VVhereon she sits comparing with the Sunne The Diadem of glory she hath wonne And joying to out-shine him makes the frame Of Heaven resound her mirth as Earth her fame VVhilst we halfe wrack't with losses of this sort Like Sea-men sigh that want their wished Port. 236. To the Lady Maunsfield now the Countesse of New-Castle AN AGRAMME All Fame liveth in Deeds WHile those which nought save fruitlesse titles have Bury their greatnesse in Oblivions grave Your reall worth unto your Name shall give A royall fame that in your deeds shall live 237. To his Muse. No enemy hath done me so much wrong As thou that hast betray'd me with a song To ship-wracke of my fortunes yet such sport Thou dost afford me that I hugge thee for 't And those that most doe envy thee delight To see thee hovering in thine Eagle-flight And proudly pearched on a Meteors backe With Ioves maine Thunder vying crack for crack While Swallow-like Detraction flyes below And chatters For such feates I love thee so That were the choyce propos'd I should refuse Rich India's bosome to embrace my Muse. 238. To the Flower of Youngsters Rose Verney By some fore-knowledge wert thou named Rose Whose fame-blowne Beauty such a tincture showes Of vernall brav'ry as may well compare With Venus Flower that in sweet and faire Dainties excells yet is not without pricks No more art thou Blush Rose I smell thy tricks 239. To Sir Charles Shirley Baronet COuld I but coyne you in my minde you should Be of the right stampe as were all your old Fore-fathers men of merit and renowne Whose meanest puts our moderne Nobles downe Their Houses seem'd as Hospitalls for poore And Charity still waited at their doore As Fame will upon you whilst you aspire To equall their desert and my desire The end of the First Booke The second Booke of Epigrammes 1. To William Davenport Esquire YOur native sweetnesse which you often have Diffus'd to others boldens me to crave Your favour to this weakling worke of mine Whereon if your cleare Iudgment daigne to shine All clouds of envy menacing my Verse I shall despise and with one puffe disperse 2. On Theologicall Vertue Vertue 's a Bridge neare to the Crosse whereby We passe to happinesse beyond the Spheares Whose Arches are Faith Hope and Charity And what 's the water but repentant teares 3. Sinne like a Serpent Sinnes falshood glistereth like the Serpents kind From whence it crept and beares a sting behind 4. On Drunkennesse The youngest of all vices that I know Is Drunkennesse which in the age of Noe First reel'd into the World and thus appeares Like the Red Dragon after thousand yeares Yet sure to Hell this sucking Vice hath spew'd More soules than all that ancient multitude 5. On Devotion Devotion 's like an Eagle making way Through cloudy Meteors when she meanes to pray 6. Gods Bounty No mortall hath seene God few heard him speake Hence is their love so cold their faith so weake Yet all his goodnesse taste which like the shower On Gideons Fleece he on all flesh doth powre 8. On Lazarus in Abrahams Bosome From sorrowes straights wherein we launch our lives In his hopes Haven Lazarus arrives And wonders in how short a flight of time He to that Crowne of happinesse could climbe From Ragges and company of Dogges to sort Himselfe with Princes of that glorious Court There with those armes that on the Altar plac'd Our dying Saviours lively type embrac'd O blissefull change to be incircled so What King would not his Diadem forgoe 9. Mocking's Catching Ieere they that list whose follies are profest With sinnes or swords it is not safe to jest 10. The body and the soule God at one instant did not make the whole Of man but first the Body then the soule And hence the fleshly Rebell for the right Of eldership doth with the Spirit fight 11. Percolation of Waters Sea-waters finding passage through the clay Lose saltnesse as experienc'd Writers say And with a sweeter relish please the sence So than the mournfull teares of penitence Which sinners through their earthen Organs straine No water is more sweete more soveraigne 12. Faith and Love The aire doth first affect us though the fire Be more Celestiall and more high aspire So the first tendrell of straight vertues tree Is Faith but the toppe branch is Charity 13. Of Nature In Heavenly things meere Nature's blind and base And like a meale of fragments without Grace 14. David and Goliah Christ and Sathan Five stones tooke David winning at one throw Goliah's head and our meeke Saviour so Five wounds receiv'd that weapon-like did slay Th' Infernall Gyant and his Host dismay 15. The fall of Angells Some say the downe-cast Angells here and there Alighted as they bodied Creatures were But whether some of them in Aire reside Others in Water or in Earth abide It matters not for howsoere they fell Who loseth God findes every place his Hell 16. Strong encouragement He acts as brave a part as David in Killing Goliah did who conquers sinne At the first onset for that is to wound A Gyants front and force him to the ground 17. Of Mortification Sith Paradise is lost looke not to see God in soft pleasures walkes for surely he That did to Moses in a Bush appeare Loves sharpe compunction and a life austere 18. To penitent Magdalen Mary but late the cage of Hell Thy heavenly change what Muse can tell
Those twinkling eyes that did allure To sordid lust now droppe the pure Pearle of Contrition and that haire That wandering Cupids did ensnare And wav'd its pride in every streete Now humbly licks her Saviours feete And from those blessed roots derives Vertue more worth than thousand lives To cleanse thy stain'd affections then Still weepe and wipe kind Magdalen 19. A beame of comfort God that his splendour did to Moses show From Aegypt fled will sure with comfort so Shine upon those that gladly bid farewell To lust whose lightnesse keeps us darke as Hell 20. On the two theeves crucified with our Saviour As Iew and Gentile did his life oppose So here two Theeves our dying Lord enclose These true to falshood gasping here for breath Doe yet invade the King of life and death The one wiâ—h worst of weapons playes his part The other robbes him of his dearest heart Both on the bloody Characters doe looke Of life yet one but saved by the Booke That as in Moses bush with Raies divine Sees in the thorny Crowne some glory shine And hangs not faster on the fatall wood Than his soule cleaves to her eternall good Strange Thiefe that thus by vertue of his vice Broke loose from Hell and stole to Paradise 21. An unfruitfull Reader Who reads Gods Word not following it in deed Is like a sounding but an empty Reed 22. Sects in Religion While Sects are wrangling Sathan doth contend To make them all their vertues treasure spend Iust as while Clients strive the Lawyer takes Their Metall but no chaine of Concord makes 23. To London in time of Pestilence London when I behold thy Ladyes goe So Bedlam-like with Naked armes and show Shoulders and breasts like Maremaids all behung With golden toyes and precious stones among And when againe the roaring boyes I see Put women downe with manlesse luxury Still to be fashion-sicke and drinke and sweare And rage as if they Stygian Monsters were I wonder not to see thee blacke with woe Sith high-built Cities lye in dust below For crimes lesse bold and having drunke thereby Deepe cuppes of vengeance thou wilt pledge or dye 24. The Arke and Dagon Afford not sinne one corner in thy heart Sith all 's too little for so great a Lord That will not for the whole accept the part Nor will his Arke and Dagon ere accord Whose head and hands at th' entry of desire Cut wisely off nor suffer sinne entire 25. On Palestine My sighes out-pace my tongue when I would tell How this fam'd Region which did all excell In pleasant fruits and typ'd the happyest place Is now a Den of Barbarisme so base So stript and ruin'd that with grapes and graine It scarce a flight of Locusts can maintaine Ah cursednesse of sinne that thus to Gall Turnes milke and honey and empoysons all 26. The motion of sinne Sinnes motion 's various and her Zenith well We terme presumption but her Nadir Hell 27. Marke the end Iacob held Esau by the Heele and so Should every man that feares his Maker doe Not stroke the head of sinne but apprehend His rugged foote and marke his fatall end 28. Nebuchadnezzars Image moraliz'd Like this Kings Image with the head of gold Th' ambitious seemes and makes a lofty show Of wisedome but his latter end behold And you shall see the proud aspirer goe On earthen feet whose frailty will not beare Their master out from danger or from feare 29. An old sute God not with silken robes old Adam clad But skinnes of Beasts the most contemned weare To shew that he who Princely Empire had Having defac'd Gods Image did appeare More like to beasts and through his teares might see His blinded soule and bodies misery 30. Our Saviours first Miracle applyed Iesus that Water turnd to Wine Will turne our penitentiall brine To Nectar and our bitter moanes To sweetest joyes Celestiall tones When our white Soules unto this Lambe Shall married be and Heavens frame While fiery Angels clearely sing An endlesse wedding peale shall ring 31. Pride not unpunished King Ezechias in a boasting sort Shew'd all his Treasures and was punish'd for 't For Pride falls with a vengeance on our backs And high Clouds scatter when the Welkin cracks 32. Good Workes The stones whereof Gods Altars framed were Must be unwrought so pious deeds should be Not mixt with ostentation but sincere For wisedome shines in such simplicity 33. Heaven and Earth As from one Maker Heaven and Earth proceed So some resemblance doe they hold indeed For as the Boreall parts of Heaven include Most Starres and of the greatest magnitude So doth our Northerne Hemispheare below More of the continent and Ilands show Than doth the South Thus Heaven and Earth accord And so were men in goodnesse like their Lord Or like his quire of Angels there would be Through the whole World a compleat Harmony 34. The soules twylight As Sea and Earth I view but with mine eye Nor Elementall fire nor aire discry So know I men and beasts but cannot so High God and holy Angels reach unto For ah by Adams fall my knowing part Seemes dasht and duld'd against a stony heart 35. To Princes Ye Royall guides that 'fore your people goe Thinke on that Meteor in the Wildernesse Which Israel led for airy honour so Still floates and flits but sooner vanishes 36. Eminent Examples The obvious actions of the great that strike Our sences to the quicke are not unlike Those varied Rods which Jacob once did leave Before his Ewes what time they should conceive For after such impressive objects goe The sheepish vulgar which few precepts know 39. Poverties priviledge Ierusalems great Chiefes are forc'd away By Babels Monarch when meane persons stay And as a prey to the hellish Tyrant are Rich Worldlings when poore starvelings better fare 40. A Boaster A Boaster's but a glorious Monster and Extends a tongue farre larger than his hand 41. To Pride If silver from superfluous moysture growes Like that which drops from every Driuells nose If gold be but the dregs of earth and stones Though ne're so pretious but her barren bones If flaunting silkes rich scarlets daintiest furres Be but Beasts excrements which man abhorres Then Pride thou' rt odious and thy Students be Scarce able to commence to mans degree 42. On Iosephs Cloake The Snake his slough the Dove her plumes doth cast Whose innocence and prudence hold we fast As Joseph left his garment yet retain'd A jewell which once lost is ne're regain'd Thus stone-cold chastity farre off doth flye And Lust assumes the Cloake of modesty 43. On Nebuchadnezzar Deposed What Object 's this of pitty or of feare Great Babels Monarch picking Sallets here With Hawke-like Tallons and a Horse-like maine That lately did a gemmed Crowne sustaine 'T was farre from lo ftiest Royalty to slide To such subjection but illusive pride Ioyes in such Gambolls jeering when she brings Scepters to Bables and does foole the greatest things 44. Death of
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