Times Cvrtaine Drawne or The Anatomie of Vanitie. With other choice poems, Entituled; Health from Helicon. By Richard Brathwayte |
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Free, yet Bound.
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 | Times Cvrtaine Drawne |  |
Free, yet Bound.
An Epigram Vpon Marriage, dilating vpon the seruile Freedome, or free Servitude of such as are Married.
Non sum qui fueram.
Married
; what meanes that title? Servitude;
Who would embrace it then? Hee that desires
To loose his freedome, which so soone expires
As hee ioynes hand in hand to her hee su'de:
Which firme affiance oft times most is ru'd,
Where wanton folly scorch'd with youthfull fires,
Plants all content on earth in th'Marriage-bed,
And what delight's to loose a Maiden-head.
Who would embrace it then? Hee that desires
To loose his freedome, which so soone expires
As hee ioynes hand in hand to her hee su'de:
Which firme affiance oft times most is ru'd,
Where wanton folly scorch'd with youthfull fires,
Plants all content on earth in th'Marriage-bed,
And what delight's to loose a Maiden-head.
Poore hair brain'd Louer, little doest thou thinke
How thou art fledg'd in Birdlime, and ensnar'd
With thousand mazes; little hast thou car'd
What should ensue hereafter, till the brinke
Of thy transform'd estate did make thee sinke
Into the Verge of care, where thou hast shar'd
For an vncaptiu'd minde, a minde in cage,
With griefes well suting such a Pilgrimage.
How thou art fledg'd in Birdlime, and ensnar'd
With thousand mazes; little hast thou car'd
What should ensue hereafter, till the brinke
Of thy transform'd estate did make thee sinke
Into the Verge of care, where thou hast shar'd
With griefes well suting such a Pilgrimage.
Once might thou sing, and though thou little had,
Knew well to tune thy Pipe vnto thy eare;
But now how strange those strains of mirth appeare,
It's featur'd in thy looke, for it is sad;
And yet we know thee for the selfe-same lad
That thou was once when as thou soiorn'd here:
And in a happier case then thou wast then,
“For lads are farre inferiour vnto men.
Knew well to tune thy Pipe vnto thy eare;
But now how strange those strains of mirth appeare,
It's featur'd in thy looke, for it is sad;
And yet we know thee for the selfe-same lad
That thou was once when as thou soiorn'd here:
And in a happier case then thou wast then,
“For lads are farre inferiour vnto men.
True, in conceit and growth of yeares they are,
If those alone conferr'd to happinesse,
But 'las conceite oft adds to wretchednesse
Where Men conceiue th'extremities of care,
Which change their minds as yeares doe change their haire,
And makes them know that Earth affords no Blesse
Like to a minde enfranchis'd, whose free life
Takes Contemplation for his wedded wife.
If those alone conferr'd to happinesse,
But 'las conceite oft adds to wretchednesse
Where Men conceiue th'extremities of care,
Which change their minds as yeares doe change their haire,
And makes them know that Earth affords no Blesse
Like to a minde enfranchis'd, whose free life
Takes Contemplation for his wedded wife.
A happie wife, whose portion is her-selfe,
Not garish in her habit, for her minde
Is to a purer subiect still inclin'd,
Then admiration of soule-clogging pelfe;
She steeres her well-rigg'd ship from euery shelfe,
And sailes with easie tide and happie winde:
Her ayme is heauenly, and hows'ere on earth,
Shee merry seeme, it's but a fained mirth.
Not garish in her habit, for her minde
Is to a purer subiect still inclin'd,
Then admiration of soule-clogging pelfe;
She steeres her well-rigg'd ship from euery shelfe,
And sailes with easie tide and happie winde:
Her ayme is heauenly, and hows'ere on earth,
Shee merry seeme, it's but a fained mirth.
But what a difference there is 'twixt these,
A wife Contemplatiue which we doe take,
When we for wife our Contemplation make,
And such a wife as we must seeke to please,
Studies her owne content, delight, and ease;
Whose vanities we must of force partake,
And slaue our selues, which is the worst of ill,
Vnto a boundlesse and a bendlesse will.
A wife Contemplatiue which we doe take,
And such a wife as we must seeke to please,
Studies her owne content, delight, and ease;
Whose vanities we must of force partake,
And slaue our selues, which is the worst of ill,
Vnto a boundlesse and a bendlesse will.
And hence the pregnantst witts are so deprest
As their aspiring greatnesse must decline,
And loose their worth by giuing way to time,
Which, if they were themselues, they would detest;
But as worse Fortune still pursues the best,
So sad events such witts are most divine:
Where Mind made weake by want or discontent
Is spent with woe which should in worth be spent.
As their aspiring greatnesse must decline,
And loose their worth by giuing way to time,
Which, if they were themselues, they would detest;
But as worse Fortune still pursues the best,
So sad events such witts are most divine:
Where Mind made weake by want or discontent
Is spent with woe which should in worth be spent.
And yet, me thinkes, I might obiect 'gainst this,
How loue combin'd in one should rather add,
And giue a grace vnto the worth we had,
Then any way obscure so choice a Blisse;
For one we know may sooner doe amisse,
Hauing no firme direction, but is glad
To follow his owne motion, then that man
“Who ha's one to aduise him all shee can.
How loue combin'd in one should rather add,
And giue a grace vnto the worth we had,
Then any way obscure so choice a Blisse;
For one we know may sooner doe amisse,
Hauing no firme direction, but is glad
To follow his owne motion, then that man
“Who ha's one to aduise him all shee can.
And thanks to heauen, I haue got such an one,
Who though shee be no profest Monitor,
Shall as shee merits, be my Counsellour;
For shee is firme aboue comparison,
And loues all Musique saue Division:
Nor yet assumes shee to her selfe that power
As her Instructions were so absolute,
That first with Reason shee should not dispute.
Who though shee be no profest Monitor,
Shall as shee merits, be my Counsellour;
For shee is firme aboue comparison,
And loues all Musique saue Division:
Nor yet assumes shee to her selfe that power
As her Instructions were so absolute,
That first with Reason shee should not dispute.
But 'las how many haue not cast their lot
In such a hopefull field, where euery houre
Their wiues shrude tongue like Satans Parretour
Summons their splene to vengeance, which made hot
With wrath and furie hath oft-times begot
Children vniustly fathered; for the power
Of women's such, and so it hath beene still,
“The husbands badge is in the Womans will.
In such a hopefull field, where euery houre
Their wiues shrude tongue like Satans Parretour
Summons their splene to vengeance, which made hot
With wrath and furie hath oft-times begot
Children vniustly fathered; for the power
Of women's such, and so it hath beene still,
“The husbands badge is in the Womans will.
And rather then they'l vnrevenged be,
They will incurre the shame of Prostitute,
Least that their husbands should be destitute
Of some fit crest for want of Heraldrie,
Where both partakers are of infamie,
For one with other equally doe sute;
Shee to bestow and hee for to receaue
That which may make men stumble on his graue.
They will incurre the shame of Prostitute,
Least that their husbands should be destitute
Of some fit crest for want of Heraldrie,
Where both partakers are of infamie,
For one with other equally doe sute;
Shee to bestow and hee for to receaue
That which may make men stumble on his graue.
On Graue; no, no, that cannot couer shame;
It's but the bodies cover, fraylties shrine,
Which may remaine as Monument of tyme,
But little adds to th'honour of our name,
For some thing els perpetuates our fame
Then stone or varnish, for they soone decline;
Where vertues, (Odor-like) perfume the Dead,
And make them liue when they are buried.
It's but the bodies cover, fraylties shrine,
Which may remaine as Monument of tyme,
But little adds to th'honour of our name,
For some thing els perpetuates our fame
Then stone or varnish, for they soone decline;
Where vertues, (Odor-like) perfume the Dead,
And make them liue when they are buried.
What freedome then to Marriage, if that rite
Haue right solemnization; which t'adorne
With seemely state consisteth not in forme
Onely, but in the Minds affected right,
Where eyther takes from other mutuall light,
Neither with spite nor spirit ouer-borne,
Pure from deprau'd affection, which is bred
Forth of a Lust vnto a Marriage-bed.
Haue right solemnization; which t'adorne
With seemely state consisteth not in forme
Onely, but in the Minds affected right,
Neither with spite nor spirit ouer-borne,
Pure from deprau'd affection, which is bred
Forth of a Lust vnto a Marriage-bed.
Where Prouidence makes her to studie wife
Ere shee attaine that Title, and doth sit
Considering what may that state befit
Ere shee betake her to a married life,
Resoluing nere to make domesticke strife,
Caring for them be got, more then to git;
Briefely, to solemnize this Nuptiall rite,
As being ever in her Makers sight.
Ere shee attaine that Title, and doth sit
Considering what may that state befit
Ere shee betake her to a married life,
Resoluing nere to make domesticke strife,
Caring for them be got, more then to git;
Briefely, to solemnize this Nuptiall rite,
As being ever in her Makers sight.
Yea, this were freedome, and so blest a state
As Single life were but a painted blisse
To such an Essence; but to instance this
Is rare on earth, so hard is humane Fate
Which by our wills is growne prevaricate,
Training vs sooner farre to doe amisse
Then to walke iustly in the way that's right,
“So weake's our will, so feeble is our might.
As Single life were but a painted blisse
To such an Essence; but to instance this
Is rare on earth, so hard is humane Fate
Which by our wills is growne prevaricate,
Training vs sooner farre to doe amisse
Then to walke iustly in the way that's right,
“So weake's our will, so feeble is our might.
Yet if in one this freedome may be found,
Each man's to hope the best, not to despaire,
Because they'r sowen in euery place so rare,
But rather thus his confidence to ground,
Though good decrease and ill-ones doe abound,
Yet there are ill and foule and good and faire;
Of which, thy fate is ill, if shee thou choose
Be so transform'd, as shee be none of those.
Each man's to hope the best, not to despaire,
Because they'r sowen in euery place so rare,
But rather thus his confidence to ground,
Though good decrease and ill-ones doe abound,
Yet there are ill and foule and good and faire;
Of which, thy fate is ill, if shee thou choose
Be so transform'd, as shee be none of those.
If worst of these, as foule and ill together,
Yet of that foule and ill thou may make vse
To better thy defects by her abuse;
And for her lothed foulnesse staying with her
May thus resolue, that vice nor blemish neither
Can force thee from her whom thou once didst chuse;
And this's the benefit thou shalt reape hence,
Thou shalt (tho dubb'd) be crown'd with patience.
“Wiues let such marrie then as seeme to need 'em,
“And in their bondage make a show of freedome.
Yet of that foule and ill thou may make vse
To better thy defects by her abuse;
And for her lothed foulnesse staying with her
May thus resolue, that vice nor blemish neither
Can force thee from her whom thou once didst chuse;
And this's the benefit thou shalt reape hence,
Thou shalt (tho dubb'd) be crown'd with patience.
“Wiues let such marrie then as seeme to need 'em,
“And in their bondage make a show of freedome.
Sic perit experiens, experiendo perit.
FINIS.
| Times Cvrtaine Drawne | |