 | 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
 | 4. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 5. |
 | Works of John Taylor the Water Poet not included in the folio volume of 1630 |  |
FAIRE AND fowle weather:
OR A SEA AND LAND Storme, betweene two Calmes, WITH An Apologie in defence of the painefull life,and needfull vse of Sailers.
3
To the Iudicious vnderstanding gentleman, and my much approued and esteemed good freind, Maister Robert Branthwaite, Gentleman Iaylor of the Kings Maiesties Tower of London. Iohn Taylor Dedicates this his Poeticall Weatherworke, with his best wishes, for your hearts contentment.
Kinde Sir, my loue to you's ingag'd so deepe,That were I Idle, I were much ingratefull:
Or should my thankes, forgetfull, euer sleepe
In me, 'twere base, vnmannerly and hatefull.
Then though I cannot pay you halfe my score,
Vouchsafe to take this trifle as a part,
As time enables me you shall haue more,
And therefore now accept my willing heart.
I know, you well doe vnderstand and know
The weake defects of my defectiue Muse,
Yet doe I hope you will this fauour showe
That loue may her vnwilling faults excuse.
And so to your protection I commend
This Pamphlet, as vnto my deerest freind.
Yours in my best imploiments to be commaunded.
Iohn Taylor.
4
Briefly to you that will Read.
Not vnto euery one can Reade, I write;But onely vnto those that can Reade right,
And therefore if thou canst not Read it well,
I pray thee lay it downe, and learne to spell.
But if thou wilt be hewing, (like a drudge)
Hewe on, and spare not, but forbeare to Iudge.
Thine if thou beest mine, Iohn Taylor.
5
To his friend and neighbour Maister John Taylor.
Fierce Neptunes wrath, and Eol's angry spleeneFull many a time I haue both felt and seene,
In leaking ship, and which hath grieu'd me more,
In a long night a darke Moone, and lee shore:
But such a storme as thou describest heere,
Amazeth mee with wonder and with feare,
And wert thou not both Water-man and Poet
Thou neuer couldest halfe so plainely show it,
I much reioyce thou safe on shore art come,
And bid thee very kindly welcome home.
Thomas Smith.
6
To his friend Iohn Tailor.
I cannot tell, how other men may praiseThe pleasing Method, thy Minerua layes
In whatsoe'r it workes on, but to me
It offers much desir'd varietie,
To passe dull howres withall: with that, affords
Much vsefull matter, which with Phrase, and Words,
And all the aptest ornament of writ
Thy pen doth furnish: This last birth of wit
Is witnesse, worth beleeuing. Like the Glasse
Great Arts-men vse, in shewing things that passe
In parts farre from vs. This presents a Flawe,
Or Storme at Sea: for what I red, I sawe.
I so may speake. Me thought I had in sight,
A Clowd, as blacke as the darke Robe of Night:
Saw that dissolue, and fall in such a showre,
As (mixt with lightning, and that voice of power,
Makes Towres and Castles totter) made an howre
Full of confounding horrour. Then againe,
Mine eyes sad obiect, was the troubled Maine:
Sweld vp, and curl'd, with that impetuous breath,
Makes Land-men quake, and Seamen oft see death.
On this, me thought, I sawe a vessell tost,
Higher then ken, and in a minute, lost
Betweene the Mountaine-billowes: At whose rise
I sawe pale lookes, and heard the heauie cryes,
Of those sad men that man'd her: After all,
I sawe this Storme into a Calmenesse fall,
As plaine, and smooth as Christall. In thy Booke
All this is seene, as on thy lynes we looke.
If where such life is, there can want delight,
Though oft I read, Ile neuer dare to write.
Tho: B.
7
FAIRE AND FOWLE WEATHER.
Yov triple-treble, thrice three Nimphes Diuine,
Inspire this weake capacitie of mine,
Oh let me quaffe of your Pegasian bowle,
That I may write of Weather Faire and Fowle.
That to the life, my lynes may heere informe,
Description of a Calme, and then a Storme:
Giue me that power that my vnlearned Verse,
The Readers apprehension so may peirce,
That though the Weather be exceeding faire,
They may suppose a fowle and troublous Ayre.
And when they come to reade tempestous lines,
Then though the winde sleepe, and Hiperion shines,
Yet let them thinke Heauens Axletree doth cracke,
And Atlas throwes his burden from his backe.
I wish my Verse should such Impression strike,
That what men Read off, they should thinke the like.
For apprehension must be quicke and yare,
Imagination must be heere, and there,
For if a Tempest be but smoothly read,
It shewes the Readers Iudgement dull and dead.
Or else to seeme to make the Welkin split,
In thundring out a Calme shewes want of wit.
Gainst Heau'n bread Poesie 'tis the worst offence,
To haue it hack'd, and read with sencelesse sence.
Inspire this weake capacitie of mine,
Oh let me quaffe of your Pegasian bowle,
That I may write of Weather Faire and Fowle.
That to the life, my lynes may heere informe,
Description of a Calme, and then a Storme:
Giue me that power that my vnlearned Verse,
The Readers apprehension so may peirce,
That though the Weather be exceeding faire,
They may suppose a fowle and troublous Ayre.
And when they come to reade tempestous lines,
Then though the winde sleepe, and Hiperion shines,
Yet let them thinke Heauens Axletree doth cracke,
And Atlas throwes his burden from his backe.
I wish my Verse should such Impression strike,
That what men Read off, they should thinke the like.
For apprehension must be quicke and yare,
Imagination must be heere, and there,
For if a Tempest be but smoothly read,
It shewes the Readers Iudgement dull and dead.
Or else to seeme to make the Welkin split,
In thundring out a Calme shewes want of wit.
Gainst Heau'n bread Poesie 'tis the worst offence,
To haue it hack'd, and read with sencelesse sence.
8
Then first I will describe Faire weather, chearefull,
To make Fowle weather after seeme more fearefull.
Vpon an Euening when Apolloes beames
Declinde vnto the occidentall streames,
As of the day he tooke his kinde adiew,
The Clowdes, vermillion, purple, red, and blewe,
Put on the radient liueries of the Sunne,
(As quickly lost, as they were lightly wonne.)
To th'under world in hast he tooke his flight,
And left th'Horizon all in darknesse dight:
Yet as he stoopt he glaunc'd his glorious eye,
And staind the Welkin with a Crimson dye,
Which did betoken, (as old sawes doe say)
An Euening red, foretels a chearefull day.
Sweete Philomella, gainst a thorne did sing,
Exclaiming gainst the lustfull Thracian King,
Whilst Progne in the Chimneys top doth keepe
And for her selfe-borne selfe-slaine sonne doth weepe,
Madge-howlet whooting cuts the empty skyes,
The light she flees, and in the night she flyes.
Bright Cinthia rises from her watry bed,
And shewes her pale fac'd siluer horned head:
Belighted and attended from her porch
With many an hundred thousand, thousand torch.
She light doth runne, and as she runnes doth light,
The vniuersall Arch of pitchie night.
Husht silence, (mortall foe to women kinde,
In snoring sleepe did liuing sences binde,
That (but for Rowting, and for drawing breath)
It seem'd that all-deuouring grisly death)
Without respect of person, Sex, or Lawes,
Had grasp'd the world in his insatiate pawes.
At last the Cocke proclaim'd the daies approach,
And Titan call'd for his Diurnall Coach.
He kist Aurora, and she blushing red,
Ashamed, hid her shame fac'd Maidenhead.
Pale Luna is obscur'd, her race is runne,
Her light's extinguisht by the flaming Sunne.
The bucksome day, roab'd in a silken Calme,
With Zephers downy breath, as sweete as balme
Perfum'd the vausty verge of the whole world,
When golden Sol his glistring beames had hurld,
And guilded tops of proud Clowd-kissing hils,
And all the world with radient brightnesse fils.
Faire Flora had embrodered ore the field,
Whose various colours, various sents did yeild.
The gentle winde amongst the leaues did whiske,
The Goats did skip, the pretty Lambes did friske.
The brookes did warble, birds did sweetly sing,
With ioy to entertaine the gladsome Spring.
Like heards of Kids the Porposes gan leape,
The Seales and Scollopendraes, on a heape
Doe vault and caper in such actiue sort,
That Neptune tooke delight to see the sport.
The Mountaine Whale, in his wide yawning chaps,
Made shoales of smaller fishes fragment scraps,
To fill his endles, bowndleffe, greedie gut,
(For multitudes of littles hardly glut
Th'unbottom'd gorge of gaping thirst for more,
That pines in plentie, starues in midst of store)
Sterne Nereus slept, rap'd in a pleasant dumpe,
Whilst Triton pip'd leuoltoes with his Trumpe.
Old Occeanus nimbly skipt and praunc'd,
And turne-coate Proteus with faire Thetis daunc'd.
The scaly Dolphins mounted on the waues,
And sportiue Sturgeons one another laues.
The Seahorse did curuet, and kicke, and fling,
And without rider, mounts and runnes the ring.
Yea all the watry squadrons tooke delight,
To see the Sea so still, the day so bright.
Was neuer gentler Calme on Neptunes face,
All Elements in friendly sort embrace,
As if in loue they were combin'd together,
To giue poore mortall creatures pleasant weather.
To make Fowle weather after seeme more fearefull.
Vpon an Euening when Apolloes beames
Declinde vnto the occidentall streames,
As of the day he tooke his kinde adiew,
The Clowdes, vermillion, purple, red, and blewe,
Put on the radient liueries of the Sunne,
(As quickly lost, as they were lightly wonne.)
To th'under world in hast he tooke his flight,
And left th'Horizon all in darknesse dight:
Yet as he stoopt he glaunc'd his glorious eye,
And staind the Welkin with a Crimson dye,
Which did betoken, (as old sawes doe say)
An Euening red, foretels a chearefull day.
Sweete Philomella, gainst a thorne did sing,
Exclaiming gainst the lustfull Thracian King,
Whilst Progne in the Chimneys top doth keepe
And for her selfe-borne selfe-slaine sonne doth weepe,
Madge-howlet whooting cuts the empty skyes,
The light she flees, and in the night she flyes.
Bright Cinthia rises from her watry bed,
And shewes her pale fac'd siluer horned head:
Belighted and attended from her porch
With many an hundred thousand, thousand torch.
She light doth runne, and as she runnes doth light,
The vniuersall Arch of pitchie night.
Husht silence, (mortall foe to women kinde,
In snoring sleepe did liuing sences binde,
That (but for Rowting, and for drawing breath)
It seem'd that all-deuouring grisly death)
Without respect of person, Sex, or Lawes,
Had grasp'd the world in his insatiate pawes.
At last the Cocke proclaim'd the daies approach,
And Titan call'd for his Diurnall Coach.
He kist Aurora, and she blushing red,
Ashamed, hid her shame fac'd Maidenhead.
9
Her light's extinguisht by the flaming Sunne.
The bucksome day, roab'd in a silken Calme,
With Zephers downy breath, as sweete as balme
Perfum'd the vausty verge of the whole world,
When golden Sol his glistring beames had hurld,
And guilded tops of proud Clowd-kissing hils,
And all the world with radient brightnesse fils.
Faire Flora had embrodered ore the field,
Whose various colours, various sents did yeild.
The gentle winde amongst the leaues did whiske,
The Goats did skip, the pretty Lambes did friske.
The brookes did warble, birds did sweetly sing,
With ioy to entertaine the gladsome Spring.
Like heards of Kids the Porposes gan leape,
The Seales and Scollopendraes, on a heape
Doe vault and caper in such actiue sort,
That Neptune tooke delight to see the sport.
The Mountaine Whale, in his wide yawning chaps,
Made shoales of smaller fishes fragment scraps,
To fill his endles, bowndleffe, greedie gut,
(For multitudes of littles hardly glut
Th'unbottom'd gorge of gaping thirst for more,
That pines in plentie, starues in midst of store)
Sterne Nereus slept, rap'd in a pleasant dumpe,
Whilst Triton pip'd leuoltoes with his Trumpe.
Old Occeanus nimbly skipt and praunc'd,
And turne-coate Proteus with faire Thetis daunc'd.
The scaly Dolphins mounted on the waues,
And sportiue Sturgeons one another laues.
The Seahorse did curuet, and kicke, and fling,
And without rider, mounts and runnes the ring.
Yea all the watry squadrons tooke delight,
To see the Sea so still, the day so bright.
Was neuer gentler Calme on Neptunes face,
All Elements in friendly sort embrace,
As if in loue they were combin'd together,
10
Bvt what is't that continues permament,
That bydes belowe the spacious firmament
Not any thing at all. Our sweet with sowre
Is mixt and paine our pleasures doo deuoure.
The pleasant fowntaines toads and aspacks breeds,
In fairest fields are most contagious weeds.
A minuts Ioy, foreruns a month of trobles,
And vnder calmest Sea a tempest bubles.
We (in a merry humor) Ankers wayd,
And in a trice our winged sails displaid,
And with a fresh and friendly welcome gale,
Into the Maine amaine we mainely saile.
Our stedfast course, right North North East we keepe,
We sound and sound the Sea ten fathome deepe.
We had not saild aboue a league or twaine,
But Eolus began to mount the Maine
Of Neptunes Monarchy, and with a troope
Of full mouth'd winds, that made great oakes to stoope.
With Ceders, Pines, and tall well-rooted Elmes,
And topsie turuie lofty towres ore'whelmes.
Resplendent Phœbus hid his glorious light,
And day inuellop'd in a Roabe of night
Attir'd the world in a blacke mourning gowne,
As all things had bin turned vpside downe.
Ioues lightning flames, and dire amazing flashing,
At whom the Sea-God hils of water dashing,
Against the Heau'ns did seeme in rage t'aspire,
T'extinguish Ioues Celestial dreadfull fire.
The spungy Clowds gainst one another crusht,
And bursting, violent floods of Raine out gusht.
Orion glar'd like a tempestuous Comet,
Whilst Skyes, and Seas, did fire and water vomet.
The ratling Thunder through the Ayre did rumble,
As if Heau'ns frame into the Sea would tumble:
Whole gusts of Sea ascends and fronts the Raine,
And stormes of rain in fury fals againe,
As if the Clowd contending water stroue,
Great Neptune from his Palace to remoue.
Big blustring Eoll blew confounding breath,
And thunders dreadfull larums, threatned death.
Downe powres whole floods of Raine and driu'ling sleete,
As if Heau'n, Eath, and Sea had ment to meete
In desperate opposition, to expire
The World, and vnto Chaos backe retire.
The rowling ruthlesse Billowes rage and rore,
And batter'd fiercely gainst the rocky shore:
Who by the rugged Crags repulsed back,
With repercussiue anger threats our wracke.
Thus whilst the Wind and Seas contending gods,
In rough robustious furie were at ods,
Our beaten Barke, tost like a forcelesse feather
Twixt windes and waues, now hither and now thither,
The top-mast sometimes tilting at the Moone,
And being vp so soone, doth fall as soone,
With such precipitating low descent,
As if to Hels blacke Kingdome downe she went.
The vncontroled Hipperborean blasts
Teares all to tatters, tacklings, sailes and masts.
And boystrus gusts of Eurus breath did hizze,
And mongst our shrowds and Cordage wildly whizze.
Our Ship no Rudder, or no steerage feeles,
But like a Drunkard to and fro she reeles,
Vnmanag'd, guidlesse, vp and downe she wallowed,
And of the foaming waues lookes to be swallowed.
Midst darknes, lightning, thunder, sleete, and raine,
Remorceles winds, and mercie-wanting Maine,
Amazement, horror, dread, from each mans face,
Had chac'd away lifes blood, and in the place
Was blacke dispaire, with haire heau'd vp vpright,
With Ashy visage, and with sad affright,
As if grim death with his all-murdring Dart,
Had ayming bin at each mans bloodles heart.
. . . . es the Bote-swaine, lower, the top-saile lower,
Then up aloft runnes scrambling three or fower,
But yet for all their hurly burly hast,
Ere they got vp, downe tumbles Saile and Mast.
Veare the maine sheate there, then the Maister cride,
Let rise the foretacke on the larboord side.
Take in the foresaile, yare good fellowes, yare,
Aluffe healme there, ware no more beware.
Sacere South-South-East there I say ware no more,
Wee are in danger of the Leeward shore.
Cleere your maine brace, let goe the hollin there,
Porte porte the healme hard, Romer, come no neere.
Then with a whiffe the winde amaine doth puffe,
And then our Maister cride aluffe, aluffe,
Clap hard the helme a Lee, yea, yea, done, done,
Downe, downe alowe into the hold quicke, runne.
The maine bend crackes, the plankes and timbers breake,
Pump bullies, Carpenters quicke, stop the leake.
Well pumpt my hearts of gold, who saies amends,
The carefull Maister thus his throat he rends,
Contending gainst the winde and weathers force,
Till he with gaping and with toyle growes hoarce.
But since the Thund'rers high imperious bride,
Against Æneas had her anger tride,
(Excepting this) a Storme so full of rage,
Was neuer seene or heard in any age.
That bydes belowe the spacious firmament
Not any thing at all. Our sweet with sowre
Is mixt and paine our pleasures doo deuoure.
The pleasant fowntaines toads and aspacks breeds,
In fairest fields are most contagious weeds.
A minuts Ioy, foreruns a month of trobles,
And vnder calmest Sea a tempest bubles.
We (in a merry humor) Ankers wayd,
And in a trice our winged sails displaid,
And with a fresh and friendly welcome gale,
Into the Maine amaine we mainely saile.
Our stedfast course, right North North East we keepe,
We sound and sound the Sea ten fathome deepe.
We had not saild aboue a league or twaine,
But Eolus began to mount the Maine
Of Neptunes Monarchy, and with a troope
Of full mouth'd winds, that made great oakes to stoope.
With Ceders, Pines, and tall well-rooted Elmes,
And topsie turuie lofty towres ore'whelmes.
Resplendent Phœbus hid his glorious light,
And day inuellop'd in a Roabe of night
Attir'd the world in a blacke mourning gowne,
As all things had bin turned vpside downe.
Ioues lightning flames, and dire amazing flashing,
At whom the Sea-God hils of water dashing,
Against the Heau'ns did seeme in rage t'aspire,
T'extinguish Ioues Celestial dreadfull fire.
The spungy Clowds gainst one another crusht,
And bursting, violent floods of Raine out gusht.
Orion glar'd like a tempestuous Comet,
Whilst Skyes, and Seas, did fire and water vomet.
The ratling Thunder through the Ayre did rumble,
As if Heau'ns frame into the Sea would tumble:
Whole gusts of Sea ascends and fronts the Raine,
And stormes of rain in fury fals againe,
11
Great Neptune from his Palace to remoue.
Big blustring Eoll blew confounding breath,
And thunders dreadfull larums, threatned death.
Downe powres whole floods of Raine and driu'ling sleete,
As if Heau'n, Eath, and Sea had ment to meete
In desperate opposition, to expire
The World, and vnto Chaos backe retire.
The rowling ruthlesse Billowes rage and rore,
And batter'd fiercely gainst the rocky shore:
Who by the rugged Crags repulsed back,
With repercussiue anger threats our wracke.
Thus whilst the Wind and Seas contending gods,
In rough robustious furie were at ods,
Our beaten Barke, tost like a forcelesse feather
Twixt windes and waues, now hither and now thither,
The top-mast sometimes tilting at the Moone,
And being vp so soone, doth fall as soone,
With such precipitating low descent,
As if to Hels blacke Kingdome downe she went.
The vncontroled Hipperborean blasts
Teares all to tatters, tacklings, sailes and masts.
And boystrus gusts of Eurus breath did hizze,
And mongst our shrowds and Cordage wildly whizze.
Our Ship no Rudder, or no steerage feeles,
But like a Drunkard to and fro she reeles,
Vnmanag'd, guidlesse, vp and downe she wallowed,
And of the foaming waues lookes to be swallowed.
Midst darknes, lightning, thunder, sleete, and raine,
Remorceles winds, and mercie-wanting Maine,
Amazement, horror, dread, from each mans face,
Had chac'd away lifes blood, and in the place
Was blacke dispaire, with haire heau'd vp vpright,
With Ashy visage, and with sad affright,
As if grim death with his all-murdring Dart,
Had ayming bin at each mans bloodles heart.
. . . . es the Bote-swaine, lower, the top-saile lower,
12
But yet for all their hurly burly hast,
Ere they got vp, downe tumbles Saile and Mast.
Veare the maine sheate there, then the Maister cride,
Let rise the foretacke on the larboord side.
Take in the foresaile, yare good fellowes, yare,
Aluffe healme there, ware no more beware.
Sacere South-South-East there I say ware no more,
Wee are in danger of the Leeward shore.
Cleere your maine brace, let goe the hollin there,
Porte porte the healme hard, Romer, come no neere.
Then with a whiffe the winde amaine doth puffe,
And then our Maister cride aluffe, aluffe,
Clap hard the helme a Lee, yea, yea, done, done,
Downe, downe alowe into the hold quicke, runne.
The maine bend crackes, the plankes and timbers breake,
Pump bullies, Carpenters quicke, stop the leake.
Well pumpt my hearts of gold, who saies amends,
The carefull Maister thus his throat he rends,
Contending gainst the winde and weathers force,
Till he with gaping and with toyle growes hoarce.
But since the Thund'rers high imperious bride,
Against Æneas had her anger tride,
(Excepting this) a Storme so full of rage,
Was neuer seene or heard in any age.
Bvt when our losse of liues we most expected,
Then pow'rfull pow'r of pow'rs vs all protected,
The windes grew gentle that had blowne so stiffe,
Sterne Eurus hyed him Eastward with a whiffe,
And rugged Boreas, Northward trudg'd a pace,
Hamidious Auster, to the South did trace.
Sweete breathing Zephirus cride Westward hoe,
Thus homeward all the furious windes did goe,
And as they scud they swept th'uneven Maine
From gusts, and flawes, and leaues it smooth and plaine.
Like as the grasse in field, some short, some long,
Some greene, some dead, with witherd flowers among,
Vnequally in height some high some lowe,
Vntil, the Mower equall all doth mowe,
Where long and short cut downe together lies,
And as it liues so it together dyes.
Wherewith the sithe (all sharpe and barbing keene)
The lab'rer shaues all euen, plaine and cleene.
So are the billowes, blew, and greene, and white,
By the winds home retreat all shauen quite.
That Neptunes angry browe, look'd milde and euen,
For Stormes and flawes before the windes were driuen.
Or as a measure fild with Oates or Rye
Vnstrooke and heap'd doth lye confusedly,
Till at one stroake the Meater strikes it plaine,
And makes the measure equall with the graine:
So at one blow, the blowing of each winde,
Stooke Stormes before them, and left Calmes behinde,
That as bright Tytan in his Course did passe,
He made the Sea his amomours looking glasse.
And as himselfe had of himselfe a sight,
His shadow seem'd t'eclips his substance quite,
That he amazed ran, and ran amaz'd.
And gaz'd and wink'd, and wink'd againe and gaz'd,
That as Narsissus dyed by his owne error
So Titan was intangled in this mirror.
Vntill at last a curled woolsacke clowd
His glorious substance from his shade did shrowde
Great Neptune to his Court descended deepe,
And layd his head in Thetis lap to sleepe.
We presently let no aduantage slip,
But nimbly we rerig'd our vnrig'd shippe,
Our Courses, Bonnets, Drablers, Masts, and all
With speede we merily to mending fall,
And by Heau'ns fauour, and our willing paine,
Into the wished hau'n we gaine a chaine.
Wheare at an Anker we in safetie ride,
Secur'd from stormes and tempests, winde, and tide.
Then pow'rfull pow'r of pow'rs vs all protected,
The windes grew gentle that had blowne so stiffe,
Sterne Eurus hyed him Eastward with a whiffe,
And rugged Boreas, Northward trudg'd a pace,
Hamidious Auster, to the South did trace.
Sweete breathing Zephirus cride Westward hoe,
Thus homeward all the furious windes did goe,
And as they scud they swept th'uneven Maine
From gusts, and flawes, and leaues it smooth and plaine.
Like as the grasse in field, some short, some long,
13
Vnequally in height some high some lowe,
Vntil, the Mower equall all doth mowe,
Where long and short cut downe together lies,
And as it liues so it together dyes.
Wherewith the sithe (all sharpe and barbing keene)
The lab'rer shaues all euen, plaine and cleene.
So are the billowes, blew, and greene, and white,
By the winds home retreat all shauen quite.
That Neptunes angry browe, look'd milde and euen,
For Stormes and flawes before the windes were driuen.
Or as a measure fild with Oates or Rye
Vnstrooke and heap'd doth lye confusedly,
Till at one stroake the Meater strikes it plaine,
And makes the measure equall with the graine:
So at one blow, the blowing of each winde,
Stooke Stormes before them, and left Calmes behinde,
That as bright Tytan in his Course did passe,
He made the Sea his amomours looking glasse.
And as himselfe had of himselfe a sight,
His shadow seem'd t'eclips his substance quite,
That he amazed ran, and ran amaz'd.
And gaz'd and wink'd, and wink'd againe and gaz'd,
That as Narsissus dyed by his owne error
So Titan was intangled in this mirror.
Vntill at last a curled woolsacke clowd
His glorious substance from his shade did shrowde
Great Neptune to his Court descended deepe,
And layd his head in Thetis lap to sleepe.
We presently let no aduantage slip,
But nimbly we rerig'd our vnrig'd shippe,
Our Courses, Bonnets, Drablers, Masts, and all
With speede we merily to mending fall,
And by Heau'ns fauour, and our willing paine,
Into the wished hau'n we gaine a chaine.
Wheare at an Anker we in safetie ride,
Secur'd from stormes and tempests, winde, and tide.
14
An Apologie for Sea-men, or the Description of a Marriners paines and aduentures.
Vp sluggard Muse from Leathe's lazy Lake,And in plaine tearmes, a true Description make,
Of toyles, of dangers, and excessiue paines,
That Sea-men suffer for the Land mens gaines.
The one doth hue a Shore, in wealth and ease,
The other furrowes through th'vncertaine Seas.
The one in pleasure liues, and lyes at home,
The other cuts the raging salt-Sea fome.
The one aduentures onely but his goods,
The other hazards all, both goods and bloods.
Mongst Pirates, tempests, rocks, fogs, gulfes and shelues,
The Sea-men ventures all, and thats themselues.
The Land-man (dangerlesse) doth eate and sleepe,
The Sea-man stems and plowes the Ocean deepe.
The one fares hard, and harder he doth lye,
The other lyes and faires, soft, sweet, and dry.
The one with dauntlesse vnrebated courage,
Through greatest perils valliently doth forrage,
And brings home Iewels, Siluer, Gold, and Pearles,
T adorne both Court and Citie Dames, and Girles.
They set whole Kingdomes both at wars or peace,
They make wealth flowe, and plenty to encrease.
The Countries farre remote, they doe vnite,
They make vs sharers in the worlds delight:
And what they get with paine, they spend in pleasure,
They are no Mizers, hoorders vp of treasure.
The oldest man aliue, did neuer see
A Sailer and a Niggards minde agree.
No, if their paines at Sea were ten times more,
Tis all forgotten when they come ashore.
And this much I dare publish with my pen,
They are the best of Seruiceable men,
The wals of Kingdomes, Castles of defence,
Against Inuasion of each forreigne Prince.
A torch lights not it selfe, yet wastes and burnes,
So they their liues spend, seruing others turnes.
The Marchant sits at home, and casts vp sums,
15
To what his whole aduentures may amount,
He Ciphers, numbers, and he casts Account.
And euery angy boystrous gust he heares
Disturbs his sleepe, and fils his heart with feares,
His goods at Sea awakes and startles him,
For with them, his estate doth sinke or swim.
But yet for all this heart tormenting strife,
He's in no daunger of the losse of life
By cut throate Sea-theeues, or a world of woes,
Which many a Sailers life and state or' throwes.
The Mariner abides the desperate shocks
Of winde and weather, Pirates, sands and rocks:
And what they get, they freely spend away,
A whole months wages, in a night, or day.
Their labours on the Sea they leaue a shore,
And when all's spent, then to't againe for more:
And pitty tis there should be such neglect
Of such, whose seruice merits such respect.
Whole spawnes of Land-sharks, and of guilded Guls,
Of painted Mammets, and ilfauoured truls,
Will hold their noses and cry fogh and fye,
When seruiceable Marriners passe by:
And then (their stomacks somewhat more to ease)
What stinking tarlubbers (quoth they) are these.
Then Mistris Fumpe troubled with the stitch,
She's poysned with the smell of tarre and pitch.
Some Frankinsence, or Iuniper, oh quick,
Make haste I say, the Gentlewoman's sicke.
And Mounsier Puffepast with the sattin slop,
That sits in a Tobacco-sellers shop,
And makes a stinke worse then a brace of Beares:
When with a whiffe his witlesse worship sweares,
How Sailers are Rude fellowes, and doe smell,
Of pitch and tarre worse then the smoke of hell.
But were the case now, as I erst haue knowne,
That vse of men should haue their seruice showne,
One Marriner would then doe much more good,
Then twentie of these Sattin Milksop brood.
16
For King and Countries cause, best play the man:
And howsoere they smell of tarre and pitch,
Their painefull toyles doe make great Kingdomes rich.
If we by foraine Warre should be annoyed,
Then chiefly Marriners must be imployed,
They on the Sea must bide the fiercest brunt,
Grim death and danger they must first affront.
One fight at Sea, with Ships couragious mand,
Is more then three great battels on the Land.
There men must stand to't, theres no way to fly,
There must they Conqu'rers liue or Conquerd die.
And if they dye not by some launching wound
They are in hazard to be sunke and drownd.
The murdring bullets, and the brinish waues,
Are many a valliant Sea-mans death and graues.
And tis a lamentable case to thinke,
How these mens seruiceable number shrinke,
Decreasing and consuming euery day,
Where one doth breede, at least fowre doe decay,
Some the Sea swallowes, but that which most grieues,
Some turne Sea-monsters, Pirates, roauing theeues:
Imploying their best skill in Nauigation,
Gainst their owne Prince, and kin, and natiue Nation,
By which meanes many a Marchant is vndone,
And Pirates nere the better for whats won.
For if (like Mosse his Mare) they be catcht napping,
They bid the world their last farewell at Wapping.
Which fatall Hauen, hath as many slaine,
As could disturbe and shake the power of Spaine:
And want of meanes, but (chiefly want of grace)
Hath made so many perish in that place.
But to conclude my Ryme, with heart and speach,
I doe my God (for Iesus sake) beseech,
That he for Sailors will vouchsafe to please,
To graunt them good imployment on the Seas.
So honest salt-Sea-watermen adiewe,
I haue bin, am, and will be still for you.
Whilst I liue, John Taylor.
FINIS.
| Works of John Taylor the Water Poet not included in the folio volume of 1630 | |