University of Virginia Library

Liber Sextus.

Epigr. 1. Ad Lectorem.

Some mirth doth please, to some it is offence.
Some will haue vices toucht, some none of that,
Some will haue sleight cōceipt, some deeper sense,
Some wil haue this, and some they know not what,
And he which must please all and himselfe to,
Reader, I thinke something he hath to doe.

Epigr. 2. In Carum.

Carus abuseth me and saith I fill,
My papers with fond trifles and delightes.
Would I could make so well as he can spill.
Yet is there something more in my short writs.
For tell me Carus, if I be so vaine,
As of meere courtesy you say I am:
Where did I borrow of an idle brain?
What common iest lent me an Epigram?
And yet I can be plaine, do not mistake.
But if I be, it shall be for your sake.

Epigr. 3. Ad Do. Mountioy.

No Helicone Mountioy, no Castale well,
Shall wett my tongue to make thy praises last:
Thy praises they themselues so sweetly tell,
Welling forth from thy vertues fount so fast.
That euen the muses hence might fett supply.
To wett their tongues, if Helicone were dry.

Epigr. 4. Ad Rodulphum Horsee. equit.

Horsee , my slender muse not learn'd to flye,
But learn'd to speake, & country songs to sing:
Shall giue thy name winges of eternitie.
And liuing glory to thine ashes bring:
Thou which did'st feed the homebred poets pen,
And cheered'st vp his sad and heauy muse,
Take thy reward among no vulgar men,
And these fewe greeting lines doe not refuse,
Which haue no other duety to impart:
Then t'answere high desarts with humble art.

Epigr. 5. in Philonem.

Philo , you loue a while vnfainedly.
But when with wrath enraged is your vaine,
Then you reueale what euer secretly,
The bosome of our friendship did containe.
Loue Captaynes Philo and Italians:
Fencers, souldiers and the gallant crewe.
And hauing tam'de your friendship by their hande,
Bring it to me and I will honour you.
Or if ye dare not loue to suffer wrong,
Then loue me Philo, but without a tongue.

Epigr. 6. ad Thomam Egerton equitem, custodem magni sigilli.

Egerton , all the artes, whom thou dost cherish,
Sing to thy praises most melodiously.
And register thee to eternitie:
Forbidding thee as thou dost them to perish.
And artes praise the, and she which is aboue,
Whom thou aboue all artes dost so protect.
And for her sake all sciences respect.
Arts soueraigne mistresse, whom thy soule doth loue
Thus you as stars in earth and heauen shine.
Thou hers on earth, and she in heauen thine.

Epigr. 7. In prophanationem nominis Dei.

Gods name is bare of honour in our hearing,
And euen worne out with our blasphemous swearing.
Betweene the infant & the aged both
The first and last they vtter, is an oath.
O hellishe manners of our prophane age.
Iehouahs feare is scoft vpon the stage,
The Minicke iester, names it euery day.
Vnlesse God be blasphem'de, it is no play.

Epigr. 8.

VVhen the great forests dwelling was so wide,
And carelesse wood grew fast by the fires side:
Then dogs did want the sheepherds field to keepe.
Now we want Foxes to consume our sheepe.

Epigr. 9.

They say the vsurer Misus hath a mill,
Which men to powder grindeth cruelly.
But what is that to me? I feare no ill,
For smaller then I am I cannot be.

Epigr. 10. De Philippo Hispaniæ Rege.

If workes doe saue, happy king Philip is,
He may set heauen to so high a prise.
Since all the goold of Indie now is his,
That he alone may purchase Paradise,
But merits saue, so saith the Church of Rome.
And Philip doth beleeue it verily,
With hired armes which renteth Christendome.
And with huge summes doth purchase villany
Gainst princes heads, these are his pretious balmes,
Fy Rome; teach you your king to giue such almes?

Epigr. 11. In Thymum.

Among abuses which you speake vnto,
And iustly discommend (I know you doe.)
(For vice is stronge, and which I wonder more,
By multiplying stronger then before)
The paynting of the face which you detest,
Is one, and not the least among the rest.
But you paint sermons to Gods wordes disgrace,
Thymus I would you did but paint your face.

Epigr. 12.

The wicked wound vs, yet aske why we bleede,
The wicked smite vs, yet aske why we cry:
They clip our winges, and yet would haue vs flye.
They aske more bricke, yet take away our reede.
And these not Pharaohs out of Ægypt spronge,
But our owne Israelites which do this wrong.
And we from stranger countries hauing rest,
In our sweete Canaan are thus opprest.

Epigr. 13.

There is no fish in brookes little or great,
And why? for all is fish that comes to nett.
The small eate sweete, the great more daintely.
The great will seeth or bake, the small will frye.
For rich mens tables serue the greater fish.
The small are to the poore a daintie dish,
The great are at their best, and serue for store.
The small once tane, keepe or you catch no more.
We must thanke ponds, for riuers we haue none.
The fowle swim in the brook, the fish are flowne.

Epigr. 14. De Piscatione.

Fishing, if I a fisher may protest,
Of pleasures is the sweet'st, of sports the best,
Of exercises the most excellent.
Of recreations the most innocent.
But now the sport is marde, and wottye why?
Fishes decrease, and fishers multiply.

Epigr. 15.

Content feedes not, one glory, or one pelfe,
Content can be contented with her selfe.

Epigr. 16. Ad Samuelem Danielem.

Daniell , beside the subiect of thy verse,
With thy rich vaine and stile adorned so.
Besides that sweetnes with which I confesse,
Thou in thy proper kinde dost ouerflowe.
Me thinkes thou steal'st my Epigrams away,
And this small glory for which now I waite.
For reading thee me thinks thus would I say.
This hits my vaine, this had beene my conceipt.
But when I come my selfe to doe the like,
Then pardon me, for I am farre to seeke.

Epigr. 17. In Sextum.

Sextus vpon a spleen, did, rashly sweare,
That no newe fashion he would euer weare,
He was forsworne for see what did ensue.
He wore the olde, till the olde was the newe.

Epigr. 18. in Scillam.

Scilla were I in loue with brauerie,
With caualeers, and with the gallant crew.
With captaines, soldiers, and such men as you
I neuer would forsake the company.
But if a word passe vnaduisedly.
If eyther iest or earnest please you not.
Out flies the dagger, friendship is forgot.
Stabbing is but a common courtesye.
And though the stranger catch it now and than,
The newe acquaintance at his first repaire.
And he that meets you in the street or fayre.
Yet for the most your friend is your first man,
How should I dare loue him, which dares defend,
He is no man which dares not stab his friend?

Epigr. 19.

Lalus was noted for vaine talke and prating.
Carus for drinking and Tobaccho taking.
When they both dy'de and were ript vp apart,
One had no breath, the other had no heart.

Epigr. 20 In hospitem quendam.

Mine hoast Porsenna, when I am with you.
I must praise all, though all be out of fashion.
Or else mine hoast will fight and his friendes to.
And his friends friends, & all the generation,
I dranke bad beere, my throate can say no lesse.
I say so now, I durst not say so then,
I supt with clownes, rough, rude and mannerlesse.
But I must say, t'were courteous gentlemen,
I praisde your building (if I may so terme it.)
Your hilly prospect & your pasture thinne.
Your ayre, your language, though I could not learne
And all your pedegree, and all your kinn!
But iustly was I plaug'de for this I thinke.
For see, when I came home my breath did stinke.

Epigr. 21. in Cinnam.

Cinna tolde a long tale to no effect,
Ile say so much quoth Scilla in a worde.
That happy worde we longing did expect.
And forth it came as leasure could afford,
Which when we heard much like the cuckoes song
The tale was short, and Scillas worde was long.

Epigr. 22. Ad Robertum Wiliams.

Who is my friend Williams dost thou enquire?
He that will loue my want and pouertye.
He that will loue through water & through fire,
Through shame, through euery kinde of misery.
Which will not scorse me for a better friend,
Nor for sweet goold the father of all strife.
Which will not hate me though I doe offende,
Nor sell mee for a tale, nor for his wife.
He whom I smooth, and round, & perfect proue,
Tyring out all the euils which molest me,
Making me happy with his constant loue,
Which is the earthly heauen where I rest me:
He which doth loue, nor more nor lesse then this.
He is my friend VVilliams and I am his.

Epigr. 23.

First Clerus by fayre fla'trye Princes sought,
Then was cast of to the Nobilitie.
He flattred them till he was set at nought,
And was thrust downe to the gentilitie;
Now he speakes fayre to them and th' yeomanrye.

Epigr. 24.

Olde Abbeyes who that liues doth not despise,
Which knew their fall & knows they cānot rise?
And I despise the new, because I see.
They were, but are not; these will neuer be.
But wer't not sinne, and might I be so bold,
I would desire one newe for many olde.

Epigr. 25.

The Spaniardes are a warlike nation,
We are more warlike as they know and feare,
But they are strong to make inuasion.
But we more strong to chase them euery where,
But they haue multitudes to make supplye.
We are more peopled, fuller of fresh blood.
They loue their Prince and country zealously.
But we more zealous for our soueraignes good.
Yet we should feare them for our wickednesse.
They are more wicked, here we onely lesse.

Epigr. 26. in Papam.

The Pope; when tender health her infant sense,
Receiueth from the now approaching Sunne.
And new borne blood of heauens influence:
With prime of life to blossome hath begunne.
Forbids all flesh and sweeter nutriment,
Which sappy Nature to lifes roote would laye.
Yea he forbids meates most indifferent.
Egs, cheese, butter and milke, and all saue hey.

Heritiques.

He not content, false wolfe, (as others doe)
To kill the soule, would kill the body to.

Epigr. 27. Ad Reginam Elizabetham.

Loue, the sweete band of thy desired reigne,
From thine owne heart, is so shedd into many.
As owd'e of all, can not be payde of any.
Least all in one vnited should contayne.
Such loue in such an heart as nere was any.
Which would to loue thee, yet wish it selfe many.

Epigr. 28. Ad Lectorem.

Reader thou think'st that Epigrams be rife,
Because by hundred they are flocking here.
I reade an hundred pamphlets; for my life
Could I finde matter for two verses there?
Two hundred ballets yeelded me no more,
Besides barraine reading and conference.
Besides whole legends of the rustie store,
Of stories and whole volumes voyde of sense,
And yet the Printer thinkes that he shall leese,
Which buyes my Epigrams at pence a peece.

Epigr. 29. Epitap. Iacobi Iugler.

And was not death a sturdie strugler,
In ouerthrowing Iames the iugler?
Which when he liu'de small trueth did vse,
That here he lies may be no newes.

Epigr. 30.

Vpon the plaine as I rode all alone,
Assaulted by two sturdie lads I was.
I am a poore man Sires, let me be gone.
Nay, but ye shall be poore before ye passe.
And so I was: yet lost nothing thereby.
Would they had robde me of my pouerty.

Epigr. 31.

Dadus payde deare for learning, but the time
Did crosse him so, he could not haue his foorth.
For when he was by study a Diuine.
And at his best; learning was nothing worth.
Is learning nothing worth so deerly bought,
Which could buy all things when it was in prime?
Sett we the goolden sciences at nought.
And sell we heauen for earth, and goolde for slime?
Yet were I Dadus I would not repent.
A schollers want excels a clownes content.

Epigr. 32. Epitaphium Iohannis Coferer.

Here lyes Iohn Coferer and takes his rest.
Nowe he hath changde a cofer for a chest.

Epigr. 33.

A Pilgrim beggar on a day,
Did meete a Lorde vpon the way.
I trust your honour will be good,
As was my dreame last night by th' roode,
For why me thought a per'lous thing,
Vpon a soddaine ch'was a King.
Helpe him, which had his dreame beene trewe
Last night, mought donne so much for you.
The Lord replying answered than:
O happy dreame, O wretched man.
And happy man, although but poore.
If thou had'st neuer waked more.
And yet thy fancy was not meane
Beggar, I enuie at thy dreame.
This answere made the beggar prate,
Sir take my dreame for your estate.
This much your reason will afforde.
Sleepe you a King, Ile wake a Lorde.
Thus euery state receiues his punishment.
The poore of want, the rich of discontent.

Epigr. 34. In Titum.

Titus is fast and hath no starting waies,
As fast, as is the naile driuen to the head.
Or as pale goold kept vnder many keyes.
Or as a true loue knott well hampered.
Not for his vertue enuie did this deed.
Nor for his vice he suffereth of the lawes,
(For good and euill both hurt if they exceed.)
But for his word and for no other cause.
He plaints vnto his friends, and cries, O Lord.
I am kept, for not keeping of my word.

Epigr. 35.

Antiquitie, of learning holding deare
Made vawtes, and goodly shrines to close it in.
And raisde her stately pillars yeare by yeare.
To make her outsides answere that within.
Our age hath razd those goodly moniments.
And pearst the temples where the muses lay,
To all succeeding times astonishment.
Digging for ignorance out of their clay.
Yet spare that little which is not defast,
While her decayes doe suffer her to stand:
You which that ritch and pretious balme do wast,
Which did so sweetly smell in all our land:
And for your Prince, and countries sake relent.
Yours is the sinne, thers is the punishment.

Epigr. 36.

In quiet sleepe a iudgement seat I sawe,
Two brought as guilty to their triall, when
The quest was chargde according to the lawe
To giue their verditt on these silly men.
But by the iury he which had donne ill,
Acquited was, the innocent betrayde.
Then stoode I vp (although I had no skill,
To pleade before a iudge,) and this I said,
This is no iurie things of right to trye,
But to say trueth, this is an iniurie.

Epigr. 37.

If I dreame Epigrams, I doe as they.
Which vse to dreame of what they did the day,

Epigr. 38. Ad Georgium Morton, armig. de Truta a se capta.

Morton how foolish was this silly trowte,
Which quickly sawe, and pertly plaide about
The little flye, of bignesse of a pinn.
But ouersawe the fisher and his ginn.
So men doe oft which greedy are of gaine.
Eyde to their profit, but blinde to their paine.

Epigr. 39. De Richardo Tharliono.

Who taught me pleasant follies, can you tell?
I was not taught and yet I did excell.
T'is harde to learne with out a president.
T'is harder to make folly excellent.
I sawe, yet had no light to guide mine eyes.
I was extold for that which all despise.

Epigr. 40. De Barnei Poesi.

Barneus verse, (vnlesse I doe him wrong,)
Is like a cupp of sacke, heady and strong.

Epigr. 41.

Oeuus now olde and spent, and hard bestead.
Taking much trauaile for a little bread.
Wisheth for youth in which he could endure,
To toyle, and sweate, and labour euery hower.
As if Prometheus eaten vp with paine.
Should wish his heart fresh to be gnawne againe.

Epigr. 42. Ad Guilielmum Arnoldum.

Arnold , the fathers Oracles profound,
Sinke deep into mens hearing whē we cite them.
And sometimes Poets verse, beare such ground,
As great diuines diuinely do recite them.
And though the summ & substāce maine they beare
Whose setled studies yeeld that sweet encrease,
Yet sometimes with decorum we may heare.
A Poet speake, a father hold his peace.
As when a father like a Poet creakes.
And when a Poet like a father speakes.

Epigr. 43. in Seuerum.

Seuerus would not haue me slacke my veyne,
Nor vary sense to diuers kindes of writing,
Nor play with meanings which may ease my braine
And ease my reader if they doe not like him.
But I must racke my wits till all be spent,
That he may nothing but cry: excellent.