pleasure And put repentance off to our last leasure To shew vs though we liu'd like Iewes and Turkes Yet Gods great mercy is aboue his workes To warne vs not presume or to despaire Here 's good example in this theeuing paire These seas of care with zealous fortitude This Virgin past among the multitude Oh gracious patterne of a sex so bad Oh the supernall patience that she had Her zeale her constancy her truth her loue The very best of women her doth proue Maids wiues and mothers all conforme your liues To hers the best of women maides or wiues But as her Sonnes death made her woes abound His resurrection all griefe did confound She saw him vanquish't and inglorious And after saw him Victor most victorious She saw him in contempt to lose his breath And after that she saw him conquer death She saw him blest a cursed death to dye And after saw him rise triumphantly Thus she that sorrowed most had comfort most Ioy doubly did returne for gladnesse lost And as before her torments tyranniz'd Her ioy could after not be equalliz'd Her Sonnes all-wondred resurrection Her Sauiours glorious ascension And last the Holy Ghost from heauen sent downe These mighty mercies all her ioyes did crowne Suppose a man that were exceeding poore Had got a thousand tunnes of golden ore How would his heart be lifted vp with mirth As this great masse of treasure most part earth But to be rob'd of all in 's height of glory Would not this lucklesse man be much more sory Then euer he was glad for in the minde Griefe more then ioy doth most abiding finde But then suppose that after all this lâ—sse The gold is well refined from the dresse And as the poore man doth his losse complaine His weath more pure should be relâ—â— againe Amidst his passions in this great reliefe I doubt not but his ioy would conquer griefe Euen so our bressed Lady hauing lost Her ioy her lewell she esteemed most Her all in all the heau'n and earths whole treasure Her gracious heart was grieued out of measure But when she found him in triumphant state No tongue or pen her ioy cou'd then relate She lost him poore and â—are and dead and cold She found him rich most glâ—â—â— to behold She lost him when vpon his backe was hurld The burthen of the sinnes of all the World She lost him mortall and immortall found him For crown of thorns a crown of glory crownd him Thus all her griefes her losse her cares and paine Return'd with ioyes inestimable gaine But now a true relation I will make How this blest Virgin did the world forsake 'T is probable that as our Sauiour bid Saint Iohn to take her home that so he did And it may be suppos'd she did abide With him and in his house vntill she dide Iohn did out-liue th'Apostles euery one For when Domitian held th' Imperiall Throne To th'Ile of Pathmos he was banisht then And there the Reuelation he did pen But whilst Iohn at Ierusalem did stay God tooke the blessed Virgins life away For after Christs Ascension it appeares She on the earth suruiued fifteene yeeres Full sixty three in all she did endure A sad glad pilgrimage a life most pure At sixty three yeeres age her life did fade Her soule most gracious was most glorious made Where with her Son her Sauiour her Lord God She euerlastingly hath her abode In such fruition of immortall glory Which cannot be describ'd in mortall story There mounted meelâ—e she sits in Maiesty Exalted there is her humility There she that was adorned full of Grace Beheld her Maker and Redeemers face And there she is amongst all blessed spirits By imputation of our Sauiours merits She there shall euer and for euer sing Eternall praise vnto th' Eternall King When she had paid the debt that all must pay When from her corps her soule was past away To Gethsemany with lamenting cheare Her sacred body on the Beere they beare There in the earth a Iewell was inter'd That was before all earthly wights prefer'd That Holy wife that Mother that pure Maid At Gethsemany in her graue was laid LENVOY This worke deserues the worke of better wit But I like Pilate say What 's writ is writ If it be lik'd poore artlesse I am glad And Charity I hope will mend what 's bad I know my selfe the meanest amongst men The most vnlearnedst that e'r handled pen But as it is into the world I send it And therefore pray commend it or come to end it FINIS TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WORTHY and Learned Gentleman S r. THOMAS Richardson Knight Lord Chiefe Iustice of his Maiesties Court of Common Pleas and Speaker in the High Court of PARLIAMENT c. A double Anagramme THOMAS RICHARDSON AS MAN HONORDE CHRIT SO CHRIST HONERD A MAN YOur name includes that As Man honorde Christ So God againe through Christ honord a Man For if Man truely honor the most High'st Then Christ to honor Man both will and can Right Worthy Lord this in your name is true You honor Christ and Christ hath honord you RIGHT HONOVRABLE BVt that I am assured that your Noble disposition in all parts is sutable to the inside of this Booke I should neuer haue dared to Dedicate it to your Patronage for as it is a Diuine Poem so haâ—â— your Worship a religious heart As it hath an honest intention so haue you a brest euer full of â—â—â— thoughts which bring forth worthy actions as it is a whip or Scourge against all sorts of priat so hâ—â—e you euer beene an vfaigned louer of Courteous humanity and humility I humbly beseech your Honour although the method and stile be plaine to be pleased to giue it fauourable entertainment for the honesty that is in it and the dutifull affection of the Author Who is most obsequiously obliged to your Honour IOHN TAYLOR TO NO MATTER VVHO NO GREAT MATTER VVHERE YET TO BE READ THERE IS MATTER WHY ALTHOVGH NOT MVCH MATTER WHEN IT is no matter in whose hands or censure this my Superibae Flagellum or Whipping or Stripping of Pride fall into If it come into the view of true Nobility or Gentry I know it will be charitably accepted If into the hands of degenerate yongsters that esteeme Pride more then all the Liberall Sciences who account the foure Cardinall vertues inferiour to their owne carnall vices such a one will put me off with a scornefull tush a pish or a mew and commit my Booke to the protection of Ajax If a wise man reade it I know it will be discreetly censur'd if a Foole his Bolt is soone shot and I am arm'd against it if a Learned man peruse it he will beare with my bad Schollership if an vnlearned I care not for his opinion if a man of knowledge view it he will pardon my ignorance if an ignorant Asse see it he will bray out his owne if an honest rich man spy it he will be
therefore vp with them The Schismaticall Separaust I haue many times discourst with him and though hee be but a Botcher or a Button-maker and at the most a lumpe of opinionated ignorance yet he will seeme to wring the Scriptures to his opinions and presume to know more of the mysteries of Religion then any of our reuerend learned Bishops and Doctors I know this worke will be vnrelished in the pestiferous pallats of the dogmaticall Amsterdammarists but I doe must and will acknowledge a most reuerend honour and regard vnto the sacred memory of this blessed Virgin Lady Mother of our Lord and Redeemer IESVS and in my thoughts she shall euer haue superlatiue respect aboue all Angels Principalities Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Euangelists or Saints whatsoeuer vnder the blessed Trinity yet mistake me not as there is a difference betwixt the immortali Creator and a mortall creature so whilst I haue warrant sufficient from God himselfe to inuocate his name onely I will not giue Man Saint or Angell any honour that may bee derogatory to his Eternall Maiestie As amongst women she was blest aboue all being aboue all full of Grace so amongst Saints I beleeue she is supreme in Glory and it is an infallible truth that as the Romanists doe dishonour her much by their superstitious honourable seeming attributes so on the other part it is hellish and odious to God and good men either to forget her or which is worâ—e to remember her with impure thoughts or vnbeseeming speech for the excellency of so Diuine a Creature I confesse my selfe the meanest of men and most vnworthy of all to write of her that was the best of Women but my hope is that Charity will couer my faults and accept of my good meaning especially hauing endeuoured and striuen to doe my best So wishing all hearts to giue this holy Virgin such honour as may be pleasing to God which is that all should patterne their liues to her liues example in lowlinesse and humility and then they shall be exalted where she is in Glory with eternity IOHN TAYLOR THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE MOST BLESSED AMONGST ALL VVOMEN THE VIRGIN MARY The Mother of our Lord IESVS CHRIST BEfore the fire ayre water earth were fram'd Sunne Moone or any thing vnnam'd or naun'd God was who ne'r shal end nor ne'r began To whom all ages and all time 's a span By whose appointment each thing fades or growes And whose eternall knowledge all things knowes When Adams sinne pluck'd downe supernall lre And Iustice iudg'd him to infernall fire The Mercy did the execution stay And the great price of mans great debt did pay And as a Woman tempted Man to vice For which they both were thrust from Paradise So from a woman was a Sauiours birth That purchas'd Man a Heauen for losse of earth Our blest Redeemers Mother that blest Shee Before the World by God ordain'd to be A chosen vessell fittest of all other To be the Sonne of Gods most gracious Mother She is the Theame that doth my Muse inuite Vnworthy of such worthinesse to write I will no prayers nor inuocations frame For intercession to this heau'nly Dame Nor to her name one fruitlesse word shall runne To be my Mediatresse to her Sonne But to th' eternall Trinity alone I le sing He sigh He inuocate and mone I prize no creatures glory at that rate The great Creators praise t'extenuate But to th' Almighty ancunt of all dayes Be all dominion honour laud and praise I write the blest conception birth and life Of this beloued Mother Virgin Wife The ioyes the griefes the death and buriall place Of her most glorious gracious full of grace Her Father IOACHIM a vertuous man Had long liu'd childlesse with his wife S. ANNE And both of them did zealously intend If God did euer Sonne or Daughter send That they to him would dedicate it solely To be his seruant and to liue most holy God heard and granted freely their request And gaue them MARY of that sex the best At three yeeres age she to the Temple went And there eleu'n yeeres in deuotion spent At th' end of fourteene yeeres it came to passe This Virgin vnto IOSEPH spoused was Then after foure months time was past and gone Th' Almighty sent from his tribunall throne His great Ambassador which did vnfold The great'st ambassage euer yet was told Haile MARY full of heau'nly grace quoth he The high omnipotent Lord is with thee Blest amongst women oâ— Gods gracious doome And blessed be the fruâ—â— of thy blest wombe The Angels presence and the words he said This sacred vndefiled Maid dismaid Amazed musing what this message meant And wherefore God this messenger had sent Feare not said GAERIEL MARY most renown'd Thou with thy gracious God hast sauour foâ—â—â—â— For lo thou shalt conceiue and beare a Sunne By whom redemption and saluation's wonne And thou bis sauing Name shalt IESVS call Because hee'lâ— come to saue his people all She humbly mildly heau'ns high Nuncius heares But yet to be resolu'd of doubts and feares How can these things quoth she accomplisht be When no man hath knowledge had with me The Holy Ghost the Angell then replide Shall come vpon thee and thy God and guide The power of the most High shall shadow thee That Holy thing that of thee borne shall be Shall truely called be the Sonne of God Be whom Sinne Death and Hell shall downe be trod Then MARY to these speeches did accord And said Behold the hand-Maid of the Lord Be it to me ' according to ' thy well I am thine owne obedient seruant still This being said she turn'd her Angel tongne My soule doth magnist the Lord the song My spirit and all my faculties and doyce In God my Sauiour solely doth reioyce For though mans sinnes prouoke his grieuous wrath His humble hand-maid he remembred hath For now behold from this time hence I forth shall All generations me right blessed call He that is mighty me hath magnifide And bo'y is his name his mercies hide On them that feare him to prouoke his rage Throughout the spacious world from age to age With his strong arme he hath shew'd strength and batterd The proud and their imaginations scatterd He hath put downe the mighty from their seat The mecke and humble he exalted great To fill the hungry he is prouident When as the rich away are empty sent His mercies promis'd Abr'am and his seed He hath remembred and holpe Israels need This Song she sung with heart and holy spright To land her Makers mercy and his might And the like Song sung with so sweet a straine Was neuer nor shall e'r be sung againe When MARY by the Angels speech perceiu'd How old ELIZABETH a child conceiu'd To see her straight her pious minde was bent And to Ierusalem in three dayes she went And as the Virgin come from Nazareth Talk't with her kinfwoman ELIZABETH IOHN Baptist then vnnam'd an vnborne boy
labours and takes paine May with a better Conscience sleepe in bed Then he that is with ill got thousands sped So well I like it and such loue I owe Vnto it that I 'll fall againe to Rowe 'T will keepe my health from falling to decay Get money and chase Idlenesse away I 'm sure it for Antiquity hath stood Since the worlds drowning vniuersall Flood And howsoeuer now it rise or fall The Boate in Noahs Deluge carried all And though our wits be like our purses bare With any Company wee 'll make compare To write a Verse prouided that they be No better skild in Schollership then wee And then come one come thousands nay come all And for a wager wee 'll to Versing fall Epilogue to those that know what they haue read and how to censure TO you whose eares and eyes haue heard seene This little pamphlet and can iudge betweene That which is good or tol'rable or ill If I with Artlesse Nature wanting skill Haue writ but ought that may your thoughts content My Muse hath then accomplisht her intent Your fauors can preserue me but your frownes My poore inuentions in obliuion drownes With tolerable friendship let me craue You will not seeke to spill what you may saue But for the wrymouth'd Critick that hath read That mewes puh's and shakes his brainlesse head And saies my education or my state Doth make my verse esteem'd at lower rate To such a one this answer I doe send And bid him mend before he discommend His Enuy vnto me will fauours prooue The hatred of a foole breeds wise-mens loue My Muse is iocund that her labours merits To be malign'd and scornd by Enuious spirits Thus humbly I craue pardon of the best Which being gaind Sir reuerence for the rest FINIS A MEMORIALL OF ALL THE ENGLISH MONARCHS being in number 151. from Brute to King CHARLES TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE LIONEL Lord Viscount Cranefield Earle of Middlesex c. MY humble Muse in lofty manner sings a The y. Kingdomes were 1. Kent 2 â—â—â— Sussx and Surry 3 â—â—â—â— â—â—â— Norfolke and Cambridge-shire 4 â—â—â—â—â—â— â—â—â— Somersetshire and Corneâ—â—â— 5 Mertia Glostershire Hertfordshire Worcester Shraâ—â—â— Staffordshire Cheshire Warwike Leycester North Oxford Buckingham Bedford and halfe Hartfordshire 6 East-Saxon Essex Middlesex and halfe Hartfordshire 7 Northumberland diuided to two Kingdomes Deyrs and all brought to one Monarchy by Eghert King of saeâ—â—â— and called England 1968. yeeres after Brute A Catalogue of Englands mighty Kings At first I do begin with Troian BRVTE And following Chronicles I do dispute Proceeding briefely with their Raignes and Names Till these blest dayes of our best Monarch IAMES T is but an Argument that 's written here That in such time such and such Princes were But he that meanes their Actions were to know May read Boetius Hollinshed or Stow Or our true labouring Moderne Master How Which Authors Learned Iudgement do allow Or if you le see how former times doe runne Reade the laborious paines of Middleton We haue had Kings since Brute of royall Blood One hundred forty sixe some bad some good Foure Queenes in all this time did only Raigne Whose Memories in Histories remaine So in two thousand and seuen hundred yeeres We had thrice 50 Princes it appeares This Kingdome here was fiue times won and lost And Kings as God decreed oft chang'd and tost Sometimes one swaid the Scepter sometime twaine And sometime seuen at once did rule and raigne Till sixe by bloudy warres lost life and throne And valiant Egbert ioyn'd them all in one But since through Heauens high prouidence I see T is growne more great and greater like to be Long may He liue by whom in one 't is guided And may they sinke that wish't againe diuided â—â—â—e Noble Lord with good acceptance take â— Poem for the Royall Subiects sake â—â—though it be not compleate as it should â—â—with it and accept of what I could â—â—â—â—â— matter 's worthy though the manner 's poore Which makes me heere your Patronage implore And may you be externall and internall Blest and aduanc'd to happinesse eternall Your Honours in all obseruance to be commanded Iohn Taylor BRVTE THE FIRST KING OF BRITTAINE began his Reigne 1. BRVTE â—â—â—â—â—â—munds 2858. Before Christ 1108. AENE AS from subuerted Troy exilde In Tuscais wedded King Latinus childe By whom the Realme of Italy he gain'd And after he had 3. yeeres fully raign'd He died and left Ascanius in his stead To whom Siluius Posthumus did succeed From which Posthumus Royall loynes did spring â—â—â— Great Brutus Brittaines first commanding King The people then were here all voyd of pride Borne Naked Naked liu'd and Naked dy'd Three Sonnes Brute left Locrinus was his Heire To England Cambria Wales was Cambers share To Albanact the youngest 't was his lot To sway the Scepter of the valiant Scot. Thus 'mongst his Sonnes this Ile he did diuide And after twenty foure yeeres Reigne he dy'd Brute being of the age of 15 yeeres as he shot at a wild beast the arrow glanced unfortunately and slew his Father Sinius AEneas for the which he was exiled and came on this â—â—â—â—â— then called Albyon I follow the common opinion for many Writers doe neither write or allow of Brutes being here accounting it a dishonor for our Nation to haue originall from a Paâ—â—â—ide and one that deriued his descent from the Goddesse alias strumpet Venus Howsoeuer Histories are obseured and clouded with ambiguities some burnt left defaced by antiquity and some abused by the malice ignorance or partialitie of Writers so that truth is hard to be found Amongst all which variations of Times and Writers I must conclude there was a BRVTE Locrine 20. yeeres 1034. LOcrinus Eldest of old Brutus Sonnes By Valour vanquisht the inuading Hunnes He chas'd them their power did quite confound And their King Humber was in a The Riuer of Humber tooke the name from the drowned King of the Huns now Hungarians Humber drownd This Locrine had a Queene faire b Guendoline was daughter vnto Corineus Duke of Cornewall Estrild was a beautious Lady of King Humbers whom Locrinus tooke prisoner Guendolin Yet folly led him to the Paphaean sinne Besotted sence and blood with lust inflam'd He lou'd a beautie Beautious Estrild nam'd By whom he had a Daughter Sabrin hight In whome the King had whole and sole delight For which the Queene made war vpon her Lord And in the Fight she put him to the Sword And after a reuengefull bloody slaughter Queene Guendoline tooke Estrild and her daughter And drownd them both to quéch her ielous flame And so from Sabrine Seauerne got the name Yeeres before Christ. Q. Guendoline 1064. About this time Saul was King of Israel VVHen 15. yeeres this Queen'had wisely raign'd She dy'd then her Son the kingdome gain'd Queene Guendoline was allowed the gouernment in her Sonne Madans minority whose prudent reigne is applausefully recorded in histories Madan
were grau'd in Brasse His Fury like a wandring Starre soon gone His Clemency was like a fixed one So that as many lou'd him whilst he liu'd More then so many by his Death are grieu'd The hand of Heauen was onely his support And blest him in the Nobles of his Court To whom his Bounty was exprest so Royall That he these twenty yeeres found none disloyall But as bright Iewels of his Diadem They faithfully soru'd him he honour'd them And as in life they were on him relying So many of them vshered him in dying Richmonds and Linox Duke fiirst led the way Next Dorsets spirit forsooke her house of Clay Then Linox Duke againe Duke Lodwicks brother Was third and good Southampton fourth and her Lord wriothsly next Southamptons Noble sonne The race of his mortality did runne Next dy'd old Charles true honor'd Nottingham The Brooch and honor of his house and name Braue Belsast next his vitall threed was spun And last the Noble Marquesse Hambletoâ— These in the compasse of one yeere went hence And led the way to their beloued Prince And our deceased Soueraigne quickely went To change earths Pompe for glory permanent Like Phoebus in his Course h'arose and ran His reigne in March both ended and began And as if he had bin a Starre that 's fixt His Rise and Set were but two daies betwixt And once in two and twenty yeeres t is prou'd That the most fixed Stars are something mou'd But in his end his Constancy we finde He had no mutable or wauering minde For that Religion which his tongue and pen Did still defend with God maintaine with men That faith which in his Life he did expresse He in his Death did constantly prosesse His Treasure and his Iewels they were such As I thinke Englands Kings had ne'r so much And still to men of honour and desert His Coffers were as open as his heart Peace Patience Iustice Mercie Pittie These were his Iewels in variety His Treasure alwaies was his Subiects Loue Which they still gaue him as th' effects did proâ—â—â— Which like to Earths contributary streames Paid homage to their Soueraigne Ocean lâ—â—â—â— He knew that Princes Treasure to be best That 's layd vp in the loyall Subiects brest And onely 't was the riches of the minde To which he couerously was inclinde Thus was he blest in Person blest in State Blest in his first and his in latter date Blest in his education blest in 's learning Blest in his wisdome good and ill discerning Blest in his marriage and in his royall Race But blessed most of all in Gods high grace He did his God deuoutly serue and feare He lou'd him and he held his loue most deare He honour'd and obeyde him faithfully He is his fauour liu'd and so did dye His duty vnto God hee knew the way And meanes to make his Subiects him obey He knew that if he seru'd his God that then He should be seru'd and fear'd and lou'd of men And that if he Gods Statutes did respect That men would feare his Statutes to neglect That his Obedience vpward did bring downe Obedience to his Person and his Crowne He did aduance the good supprest the bad Relieu'd the poore and comforted the sad The Widdow and the orphant fatherlesse He often hath suppll'd in their distresse â—or why to rich and poore to great and small He was a common Father vnto all His affability and Princely parts Made him a mighty Conquerour of Hearts Offenders whom the law of life depriues His mercy pardon'd and preseru'd their liues To prisoners and poore captiues miserie Hee was a Magazine of charity For losses that by sea or fire did come He hath bestowed many a liberall summe Besides for Churches it most plaine appeares That more hath bin repair'd in twenty yeeres Is honour of our God and Sauiours name Then in an hundred yeeres before he came Our ancient famous Vniuersities Diuine and Humane learnings Nurseries Such dewes of orace as the Almighties will Was pleased through those Limbecks to distiil Which spight of Romish rage or Satans hate Hâ—â— caul'd the glorious Gospell propogate Our light of learning Iames did still protect them And as a nursirg Father did affect them Thus was Hee for our soutes and bodies health Defender of both Church and Common-wealth For Ireland he hath much reduc'd that nation Churches with land endow'd caus'd much plantation Whereby Ciuility is planted there The Kings obedience and th' Almighties feare These deeds this worthy godly Prince hath done For which he hath perpetuall praises wonne Ah! what a gracious Man of God was this Mercy and Iustice did each other kisse His Affabilitie whilst he did liue Did make all men themselues to him to giue Thus liu'd Great Iames and thus great Iames did dye And dying thus doth liâ—e Eternally With Honour he did liue and Life forsooke With Patience like a Lambe his death he tooke And leauing Kingly cares and Princely paine He now inherits an Immortall Reigne For royall grieu'd perplexed Maiesty He hath a Crowne of perpetuity For miserable Pompe that 's transitory Hee is aduanc'd to euerlasting glory And as he lou'd and liu'd and dy ' din Peace So he in Peace did quietly decease So let him rest in that most blest condition That 's subiect to no change or intermission Whilst we his seruants of him thus berest With grieued and perplexed hearts are lest But God in mercy looking on our grife Before he gaue the wound ordain'd reliefe Though duteous Sorrow bids vs not forget This cloud of death I wherein our Sunne did set His Sonnes resplendent Maiestie did rise Load stone and Load starre to our hearts and eyes He cleares our drooping spirits he frees our scares And like the Sunne dries vp our dewey teares All those his seruants that lamenting grieue King Charles his Grace and fauour doth releeue But as they seru'd his Father so he will Be their most louing Lord and Soueraigne still As they were first to their Master liuing being dead They are releeued and re-comforted Thus Charity doth in succession runne A Pious Father leaues a godly Sonne Which Sonne his Kingly Gouernment shall passe His Kingdomes Father as his Father was For though great Iames inter'd in earth doth lye Great Charles his brest intombes his memorie And heer 's our comforts midst our discontents Hee 's season'd with his Fathers Documents And as th' Almighty was his shield and speare Protecting him from danger euery where From most vnnaturall foule Conspiracie From Powder-plots and hellish Treachery Whilst he both liu'd and dy'd belou'd renound And Treason did it selfe it selfe confound So I inuoke th' Eternall Prouidence To be to Charles a buckler and defence Supported onely by the Power Diuine As long as Sunne or Moone or Starres shall shine To all that haue Read this Poeme I Boast not but his Maiesty that 's dead Was many times well pleas'd my lines to read And euery line word Syllable and letter
you stand In duty for your liues and honours bound To him for by him haue you beene renown'd Yet Death that 's common vnto euery one Should be intolerable vnto none And therefore let his noble spirit rest Amidst those ioyes which cannot be exprest Let those that liue his goodnesse imitate And yeeld vnto the course of mortall fate FINIS A FVNERALL ELEGIE IN THE SACRED MEMORY OF THE Right Reuerend Right Honourable and Learned Father in GOD LANCELOT Lord Bishop of VVinchester Deane of his Maiesties Chappell Prelate of the Right Honourable Order of the Garter and one of the Lords of his Maiestices most Honourable Priuie COVNCELL Who departed this life at his house in Southwarke on Munday the 25 th of September last 1626 and was Honourably Interred in Saint Sauiours Church in Southwarke the XI of Nouember TO THE WORSHIPFVLL AND RELIGIOVS GENTLE man M r. Iohn Parker Citizen of London and of the worshipfull Societie of Marchant-Taylors Right Worthy Sir IN these ingratefull daies of ours wherein mens merits are forgotten with the expiration of the life and that too many doe glory to leaue happy or vnhappy posterities behinde them to â—â—â— their memories liue when they are gone or else put a vaine hope of a long lasting same by eâ—â—â—cting painted vaine-glorious Sepulchers and marble Monuments whilst small are theâ—â—â— ber of those that by Piety Charity Noble and vertuous Actions and good life and conuersation â—â— seeke to attaine the neuer-fading memory of Eternity and true lmmortality so that it is a doubt whâ—ther the death of the good or the life of the bad are most to be lamented Yet although the true worthâ—â— this deceased Right Reuerend Right Honourable and right Learned Father whom God in merry â—â— taken from the euill to come is of that inuincible and impregenable strength that the flattery or battle of future time cannot beat it downe into the gulfe of obliuion and forget fulnesse yet though weâ—â— lesse I in dutious loue and reuerence to the Dead and true in affection to the liuing amongst whom â—â—â—â— of my departed Lords Friends and Seruants I am much endeared and oblieged vnto I haue set â—â— rudely to paper and as I could though not as I should I haue as it were onley look'd into the Suiâ—â—â—â— of a goodly City tasted Manna afarre off and touched the skirts or hem of his meritorious vertues whâ—â— I have made bold to dedicate to your Worships graue and iudicious view and censure humbly desirâ— your VVorship to accept my intention more then my Labour in hope whereof I cease to enlarge my Eâ—â—â— further wishing you such happinesse in this life as is correspondent to your worth and such felicity in â—â— life to come as is layd vp for good men in Heauen Your Worships to command IOHN TAYLOR A Silly Taper or a Candles light Are vaine additious to make Sol more bright â—â—â— can one little water-drop augment The mighty bounds of Neptunes continent The raging Winds that threaten sea and shore â—â—â— one mans breath is not increas'd the more â—â—â— or can a handfull of vnstable sand â—â—yse mounts of earth or amplifie the land â—â—â— that am the meanest man of men â—â—rane wanting learning meaner for the pen â—th glimering raper or a drop of raine â—â—not increase the light inlarge the maine â—â—â— any way in sitting tearmes set foth â—ght Reuerend Winchester Admired worth â—â—â—all the learned Poets of these dayes â—â—ght write and speake in his deserued prayse â—â—â— spend their inke and paper and their spirits â—â—â—â—add no fame or honour ot his merits â—â—â—as pute snow shewes whiter to the eye â—â—â—â—hen cole-black Crowes or swarty Rauens are by â—â—â—as the darknesse makes light seeme more cleare â—â—â—will his Vertues in my lines appeare â—â—â—speake his passage in this vale of strife London he had being first and life â—hose Parents as became their reputation â—â—â—bring him vp in worthy education â—â—â— Prem brooke Hall in Cambridge witnesse will â—hereas his noble memory liues still â—passing on in this his morall race â—â—ne'd by grace from higher place to place â—â—â—to the Deanery of Westminster â—â—â—to this Bishopricke of Chichester â—â— Iames did next to Elye him preferre â—ich learned Prince made him his Almoner â—â—â— by Gods prouidence nor his desire â—â—â—to Winchester translated higher â—â—â—of the Royall Chappell and beside Garters Prelate he was dignifide â—â—â—gracious Iames did in his wisedome see â—â—â— worthy Lords vpright integrity â—hom all loyall vertues were innate â—â—â—â—him a priuy Councellour of State â—â—â—his honours still did higher grow â— minde in meeke humillity was low â—â—â—like a blessed Samuel was he â—yned from his infancy to be â—iant souldier of Christs faithfull Campe â—in God Church a learn'd illustrious Lamp â—â—â—â—at the lord to Abraham did say From thy Country and thy Kin away â—â—â—from thy Fathers house I charge thee goe â—â—â—Lord that I to thee will showe â—is right reuerend Lord was from his youth â—â—â—from the world to Gods eternall truth â—being one in Heau ' ns high businesse sent â—igh in this world yet from the world he went For though the world is as 't is vnderstood Mans natiue Country as he 's flesh and blood Yet is his worldly part a prison foule Wherein in bondage lyes his purer soule Which soule is heauenly makes heauen her aime And here she 's in the World not of the same So this deceased Subiect of my muse He liu'd and grieu'd to see the worldsabuse And like a â—eremy â—â— had â—â—â—ments He sigh'd and greu'd bewaynng the euents Which haue and doe and dad â—â— are like Vpon this woefull age of ours to strike He saw and grieu'd a what all men should grieue How goodnesse small reipect could here achieue And how the chiefest good that men doe craue Is pompe and wealth and rich appreil braue How man will for his body haue good food Good fire good cloathes good house and lodging good And all the care's how these goods may be had And few men cared though their soules be bad Thus the sraile World in pous â—â—â— Strooke in his Christian heart griefes deepe impression That all that worldly was he quite â—orgor And vs'd the World as if hee vs'd itâ— oâ— Hee by the Spirit of God perceiued plaine That all earthes pompe and glory is but vayne And therefore with a lowly minde and meeke He did Christs righteousnesse kingdome seeke For which euen as our Sauiours word is past His earthly treasures were vppon him cast For still the word of God confirm'd shall be I 'le honour them saith he that honour me His heart was free from an ambitious thought No popular applause of men he sought His pride was godly a true Christian pride To know Christ and to know him crucifide And though fraile men are with vaine toyes intis'd Hee with'd to be disolu'd to be with Christ. His charity was not in out-ward show No Pharisey-like Trumpet ere did blow To make the World applause with