Rime Faith I would do it though thou wisht me choakt Did'st thou but see how thy faire antique shape Is now transformed to a shapelesse hew How like thou look'st to some Barbarian Ape Could'st thou I say with me thine owne selfe view Thou wouldst be Metamorphosed anew Run quite away and either all amend Or wish thy selfe and all things at an end And yet dispaire not Time though thou art ill The worst that euer yet was knowne to be T is not ordain'd thou shouldst remaine so still For I my selfe this age do hope to see The gloriou'st work that euer Time brought forth The master-peece and the most noble act In the respect of which 't were nothing worth If all the braue deeds done were but one fact Romes fall I meane I heard it when it crack't Yea from my Cradle I did still surmize I should see Babell tumble Bethell rise EPIG 2. I Heare there 's some aske how I dare so plaine Tax the Abuses that I now see raigne I muse as much they dare say ill vnto it Or dare but aske but how I dare to doe it To the Stranger 3. THou that wert so vnhappy first to breath Without the compasse of Great Brittans poweâ— And blest againe that fate did thee bequeath The knowledge of so rich a tongue as our If vnderstanding thou dost hap to read This booke wherein thou seest my nations shamâ— Yet do not thou against my Country plead For thine thou know'st doth merit as much blame Our faults are many this indeed is true But were they moe we were no worse then you To the Satyro-mastix 4. OH Lord Sir y' are deceiu'd I 'me none of thoâ—â— That write in Anger or malicious spleene I haue not taken pepper in the Nose Nor a base forger of false libels beene Such ones there be indeed such I haue seene I enuy no man for his greatnes I Nor seeke I any honest mans disgrace I ioy in euery ones prosperity I le not the credit of a dogge deface My Aduersaery shall not prooue the case Then stand back sirrah Whip-Iack with your scourge Do not incense my Satyr for thy life Hee 's patient enough vnlesse thou vrge Contentions are now a dayes to rife And he is very backward vnto strife But notwithstanding heere he lets thee see As long as there is cause and reason why In spight of all that foes to Satyrs be He shall if I list taxe iniquitie It is a matter of necessity What you would faine haue all the great ones freed They must not for their vices be controld Beware that were a saucines indeed But if the Great-ones to offend be bold I see no reason but they should be told Yea and they shall their faults most hurtfull be And though I will not put them to that shame I no iniustice in the matter see If they were taxed by their proper name For no sinne can on earth haue her full blame Then Scourge of Satyrs hold thy whip from mine Or I will make my rod lash thee and thine To the gald Reader EPIG 8. SIr he that 's night-gald or hath cornes on 's toes May blame the Shoomaker and curse his shooes But those that are acquainted with the fault Can tell the reason wherefore he doth halt So thou maist think perhaps these Satyrs sting thee Where only thy owne guiltines doth wring thee For if thou wert from these diseases free Thou wouldst be quiet as some others be But t is well known a ticklish beast hath tricks And the old Prouerb saith a gold la â—e kicks But I 'le aduise thee if thou feele it smart Be rule by me and play not the fooles part Keep 't to thy selfe and there are none shall know Whether that thou art toucht therein or no Thou seest thou neither art markt out nor na'md And therefore onely to thy selfe art sham'd Now if thou stir at best thou shalt but make The Country of thy faults more knowledge take And as indeed it iustly may diuine The worst faults that I write against are thine Then since to be reprooued seemes a curse And to be mooued makes the matter worse Either for to amend thy life haue care Oâ— like a Pack orse and an Asse stil beare To the Impartiall Author CEorge I did euer thinke thy faithfull breast Conteind a mind beyond the common sort Thy very looke and honest heart exprest And seem'd an aw-full mildnes to import Poets may vaunt of smooth and lofty straines Thine with thy subiect fitly do agree But then thy Muse a better praise obtaines For whilst the greatest but time-pleasers be Thou vnappald and freely speak'st the truth Not any one for feare or lucre sparing A vertue rare in age more rare in youth Another Cato but I think more daring Wel maist thou speed in these tempestuous times Thou soone begin'st to make the world thy foe Yet I so wel do like thy honest rimes That I could wish al Poets would write so For thou the way of truth so rightly tend'st I hold them double prais'd whom thou commendst Thy deare friend TH. C. The Contents of the first BOOKE The Occasion The Introduction Of Man Offond Loue. Satyr 1 Of Lust. 2 Of Hate 3 Of Enuy. 4 Of Reuenge 5 Of Choller 6 Of Iealousie 7 Of Couetousnes 8 Of Ambition 9 Of Feare 10 Of Despaire 11 Of Hope 12 Of Compassion 13 Of Cruelty 14 Of Ioy. 15 Of Sorrow 16 The Conclusion of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE Of Vanity Satyr 1 Of Inconstancy 2 Of Weaknes 3 Of Presumption 4 The Scourge Epigramms to the King c. and to certaine noble Personages and friends to whom the Author gaue any of his Bookes THE OCCASION Of this worke VVHen nimble Time that all things ouer-runs Made me forsake my tops and elderne guns Reaching those yeares in which the schoole boyes bragge In leauing off the bottle and the bagg The very spring before I grew so old That I had amost thrice fiue winters told Noting my other fellow-pupils hast That to our English Athens flockt so fast Least others for a truant should suspect me That had the selfe-same Tutor to direct me And in a manner counting it a shame To vndergoe so long a Schoole-boyes name Thither went I for though I le not compare With any of them that my fellowes were Yet then I le speake it to my Teachers praise I was vnfurnisht of no needfull layes Nor any whit for Grammar rules to seeke In Lillies Latine nor in Camdens Greeke But so well grounded that another day I could not with our idle students say For an excuse I was ill enter'd no There are too-many know it was not so And therefore since I came no wiser thence I must confesse it was my negligence Yet daily longing to behold and see The places where the sacred Sisters be I was so happy to that Foard I came Of which an Oxe they say beares halfe the name It is the spring of knowledge that
ABVSES STRIPT AND WHIPT OR SATIRICAL ESSAYES By GEORGE WYTHER Diuided into two Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dispise not this what ere I seeme in showe A foole to purpose speaks sometime you know AT LONDON Printed by G. ELD for FRANCIS BVRTON and are to be solde at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Green-Dragon 1613. To him-selfe G. W. wisheth all hapinesse THou euen my selfe whome next God my Prince and Country I am most engaged vnto It is not vnlikelie but some will wonder why contrary to the worlds custome I haue made choyse of thy Patronage for this booke rather then the protection of such whose mightinesse might seeme better able to defend it especially considering such a Gigantick troupe of aduersaries haue banded themselues against the Truth that one of them Goliah-like dares raile vpon a whole hoast of Israel It may be I say some will wonder and some scoffe at mee for it for which cause though to answer them with sic volo had been sufficient yet to shew I will not like our Great ones stand so much vpon my authority as to make my VVill my Reason I heere let you know why and for what causes I haue done it the first is this I could not amongst all men finde any man in my opinion so fitting for this purpose but either my Worke was vnworthy or too worthie his Patronage Secondly it is said Obsequium amicos veritas odium parit and I doubting my free speech would hardly make a Diapason pleasing to the eare of a common Mecaenas thought it best to hold my tong or speake to my selfe whose disposition I am better acquainted with Thirdly seeing I know but what men appeare and not what they are I had rather indure the Kites tyranny then with Aesops Doues make the Sparrow-hauke my Champion Fourthly if I haue spoken Truth it is able to defend it selfe if not who-ere be my Patron it is I must answere for it Fiftly for asmuch as I know my owne minde best I purpose if need be to become my own Aduocate Sixtly for my owne sake I first made it and therefore certaine I am I my selfe haue most right vnto it But seauently and lastly which is indeed the principal Reason I haue made this Dedication to thee poore world-despised Selfe euen to put thee in minde seeing thou hast here boldly begun to bid defiance to the Flesh and vpon iust causes quarrelled with the World that thou take heed to thine owne words and not through basenes of minde or vntowardnes of Fortune to thy euerlasting disgrace faintly giue ouer so noble a Combate If euer aduersitie as t is like enough oppresse thee yet remember thy owne sayings and in despight of outward Destinies haue a care to keepe an vndeiected heart still free for Vertue Or on the contrary if euer as t is vnlikely vnexpected Prosperity bee cast vpon thee then look to thy selfe take to thee this poore booke of thine wherein thou shalt see the dangers of it and be perhaps thereby staid from many a perilous enterprise which that estate might else driue thee into Reade it weekely daily yea and howerly toe what though it bee thine owne thou knowest mans nature to bee so vncertaine and prone to forgetfulnesse euen in the best things that thou canst not haue too many Memorandums The wisest fall and therefore euery day was Philip desirous to bee remembred that hee was a Man thou thinkest I know still to remaine what thou art I desire in some things thou maist but vnlesse thou labour it with diligent watchfulnesse ouer affection it is at least much to be doubted if not altogether to bee despaired of thou hast seene many by an alteration in their estate beene so metamorphosed as if they were not the same men nor of that Nation Nay remember it thou thy selfe and that but vpon a bare hope or imagination of some preferment hast bin puffed vp and exalted aboue measure consider now then how much more thou hadst beene so and what had become of thee if God had not by dashing those hopes called thee to thy selfe againe Alas if hee had answered thy ambitious expectations to thy desire thou hadst bin by this time past recouerie and not thought of this but delighted in villany bin ouer-mastered by passion rusht into all vanity and presumption yet neuer felt any danger till it were too late to preuent it Thou hast oft wisht thou hadst bin borne to the like means that others are which might it haue beene so now thou seest thou shouldst hardly or neuer haue come to the knowledge of those things that are now showne thee T is true thou hast lamented to be crost in thy preferments but thou seest since that it might haue been thy vndoing if it had not beene so and maist perswade thy selfe whether it be now or neuer it will be to thy good For tell me hast thou not often felt euen when thou wert busiest to preuent them fond loue ambition reuenge couetousnesse and such like Passions then to inuade thee Hast thou perceiued it I say How much more then would they haue beene ready to assaile thee when quite forgetting them thou hadst wholly addicted thy self to the things of this world Let mee aduise my deare-selfe then to make vse of this thine owne worke it will be better to thee then all the world for this good it may do thee and to this end I made both â—t and the Dedication thereof to thee that if euer hereafter the temptations of the world the flesh the diuel or any occasion should make thee to forget this mind that thou art now in or so blind thy vnderstanding thou shouldst not perceiue thy owne and the Worlds follies as thou now dost That if thou shouldst be in that miserable state as many are to haue no feeling of thy danger that if thou shouldst bee wofully flattered and haue no friend that dares or loues thee so well to put thee in mind of thy transgressions Then I haue ordained this to shew thee what once thou wert to touch thee againe with the feeling of thy miseries and to bee vnto thee that true Friend which free from all faigned inuention shal plainely tell thee what perhaps should else haue neuer beene brought againe to thy remembrance Looke then that for thy owne sake thou respect this how euer to others it may seeme a trifle Bee carefull of thy actions for seeing thou knowest the dangerous Passions wherevnto Man is subiect hast showne his vanities layed open his Weakenesse and sharpely taxed his Presumptions If now thou shouldest wilfully runne thy selfe into the same euilles the vvorld would vpraidâ— thee this Booke yea thy Conscience accuse thee God and good-men hate thee thy fault be more odious and in-excusable thy iudgement more seuere and which is worst thy punishment most intollerable I say seeke therefore if for no other cause so to carry thy selfe that at least thou maist haue a
for euery sex for each degree And in all causes as if they had beene In euery thing or at least all things seene If need be they can like a Lawyer prate Or talke more grauely like a man of State They 'l haue a Tradesmans tongue to praise their ware And counterfet him right but they 'le not sweare The curioust Phisicians if they please Shall not quoine words to giue their patients ease So well as they And if occasion vrge They 'l Choller yea and Melancholly purge Onely with charmes and words and yet it shall Be honest meanes and meerely naturall Are they dispos'd to gossip't like a woman They 'l shew their tricks so right that almost noman But would so thinke them Virgins that are purest And Marrons that make shew to be demurest Speake not so like chast Cynthia as they can Nor Newbery so like a Curtezan They 'l giue words either fitting for a Clowne Or such as shall not vnbeseeme a Crowne In show they will be chollerick Ambitious Dâ—sperate Iealous Mad or Enuious In sorrow or in any Passion be But yet remaine still from all passions free For they onely to this end exprest them That men may see them plainer and detest them But some will say that these haue on the stage So painted out the vices of this age That it not onely tels that they haue bin Experienc't in euery kind of sinne But that it also doth corrupt and show How men should act those sins they did not know Oh hatefull saying not pronounc't by chance Bnt spew'd out of malicious Ignorance VVeigh it and you will either thinke these weak Or say that they doe out of enuy speake Can none declare th' effect of Drunkennes Vnlesse they vsed such-like bestlinesse Are all men ignorant what comes by lust Excepting those tht were themselues vniust Or thinke they no man can describe a sin But that which he himselfe hath wallawed in If they suppose so I no cause can tell But they may also boldly say as well They are apprentices to euery trade Of which they find they haue descriptions made Or for because they see them write those things That do belong to rule best say th' are Kings As though that sacred Poesie inspir'd No other knowledge then might be acquir'd By the dull outward sence yes this is Shee That showes vs noâ— alone all things that be But by her power laies before out view Such wondrous things as Nature neuer knewe And then whereas they say that men are worse By reading what these write 't is their owne curse For is the flower faulty cause we see The loathsome spider and the painefull Bee Make diuers vse on 't No it is the same Vnto the spider though she cannot frame Like sweetnes as the Bee thence But indeed I must confesse that this bad age doth breed Too many that without respect presume This worthy title on them to assume And vndeseru'd base fellowes whom meere time Hath made sufficient to bring forth a Rime A Curtaine ligge a libell or a ballet For Fidlers or some Roagues with staffe and wallet To sing at doores men only wise enough Out of some rotten old worme-eaten stuffe To patch vp a bald witlesse Comedy And trim it heere and there with Ribaldry Learn'd at a baudy house I say there 's such And they can neuer be disgrac't too much For though the name of Poet such abuses Yet they are enemies to all the Muses And dare not sort with them for feare they will Tumble them headlong downe Parnassus hill Why then should their vsurping of it wrong That Title which doth not to them belong And wherefore should the shame of this lewd crew Betide them vnto whom true honors due It shal not for how ere they vse the name Their works wil show how they do merit fame And though it be disgrac't through ignorance The generous will Poesie aduance As the most Antique Science that is found And that which hath been the first root ground Of euery Art yea that which only brings Content and hath beene the delight of kings Great IAMES our King both loues liues a Poet His bookes now extant do directly show it And That shall adde vnto his worthy name A better glory and a greater fame Then Britaines Monarchy for few but he I thinke will both a King and Poet be And for the last although some fooles debase it I 'me in the mind that Angels do imbrace it And though God giu 't heere but in part to some All shall hau 't perfect in the world to come This in defence of Poesie to say I am compel'd because that at this day Weaknesse and Ignorance hath wrong'd it sore But what need any man therein speake more Then Diuine Sidney hath already done For whom though he deceas'd ere I beguâ— I haue oft sighed and bewaild my Fate That brought me forth so many yeeres too late To view that worthy And now thinke not you Oh Daniell Draiton Iohnson Chapman how I long to see you with your fellow Peeres Matchlesse Siluester glory of these yeeres I hither to haue onely heard your fames And know you yet but by your workes and names The little time I on the earth haue spent Would not allow me any more content I long to know you better that is the truth I am in hope you 'l not disdaine my Youth For know you Muses Darlings I le note raue A fellowship amongst you for to haue Oh no for though my euer willing heart Haue vow'd to loue and praise You and your Art And though that I your stile doe now assume I doe not nor I will not so presume I claime not that too-worthy name of Poet It is not yet deseru'd by me I know it Grant me I may but on your Muses tend And be enrould their Seruant or their Friend And if desert hereafter worthy make me Then for a Pellow if it please you take me But yet I must not here giue off to speake To tell men wherein I haue found them weake And chiefely those that cannot brooke to heare Mention of Death but with much griefe and Fearâ— For many are not able for to take That thought into them but their soules will quake Poore feeble spirits would you nere away But dwell for euer in a peece of Clay What find you heere wherein you doe delight Or what 's to seeing that 's worth the sight What doth the heauens thy endeauors blesse And wouldst thou therefore liue for to possesse The Ioy thou hast seek't not perhaps to morroâ— Thou l't wish to haue di'd to day to scape the sorroâ— Thou then shall see for shame take stronger Hearts And adde moâ—e courage to your betteer Parts For Death 's not to be feard since t is a Friend That of your sorrowes makes a gentle end But here a qualitie I call to minde That I amongst the Common-people finde This 't is a weake one to when they perceiue A