The Poetical Recreations of Mr Alexander Craig :: :: University of Virginia Library

To Thee, deare Lord, amidst these drierie Tymes,
My dying Muse vp-reares her drowsie Head.
To Thee shee runs, with rude vntutered Rymes,
And leaues the Bed where long shee lay as dead.
A Countrey Mayde shee is, and yet Thou knowes her:
And in Thine Armes to finde refuge shee throwes her.

Bee Thou the franke MECOENAS to maintaine her
Against the force and furie of her Foes.
If Thou defende, shee cares not who disdaine her:
For shee must sport in spyte of Fortunes Nose.
Democrits Childe shee is, and I dare sayd,
Smyle Thou on her, and shee shall make Thee glad.

THE MISERIE OF MAN.

The Lyfe of Man is full of Griefe and Sorrow:
First at our Birth we breathe, and next we mourne.
As Day to Night, and Night succeedes to Morrow,
Woe followes Woe, to Earth till wee returne.
Evripides did well and wyselie say,
Mans Lyfe and Care are Twins, and borne one day.

The Shortnes of Lyfe.

One some-tyme ask'd Diogenes, how long
The woefull lyfe of wretched Man might last?
Hee to an Hill ascendes, with vigour strong,
Lookes round about, and straight descendes als fast:
And so with silence gaue this Answere plaine,
The Lyfe of Man is short, and full of paine.

Contempt of Fortune.

Mans weaker partes are thrall to Fortunes wrong;
The princelie part and portion is our owne:
And doeth alone to Vertue faire belong,
And is (alace) with our consent over-throwne.
Let Fortune frowne, or fawne; for shee is blinde:
Her power is nought against a Vertuous mynde.

POLEMOES REFORMATION.

VVhen drunke Polemo came to heare the speaches
And Lessons wise of Anaxagoras,
Of Temperance, and dyet good hee teaches,
To polish Polem: And it came to pas,
The Lesson wyse made him all Wine disdaine,
As whilst hee liv'd, hee was not drunke againe.

POMPEYS MERCIE.

VVhen Tigranes, the great Armenian King,
With all his power by Pompey was defeate,
His Royall Crowne and Realmes hee did resigne,
And for his lyfe hee came in Pompeys debt:
But Pompey sayde, Keepe all, and still enjoy them;
I rather make great Monarciis, than destroy them.

NEROES CHANGE.

VVhen NERO first the ROMANES did command,
A Man more meeke nor myld might no where bee:
Hee wish'd hee could not write, nor put his hand
To signe their Bils, who were condem'd to die.
This lasted not: O Lesson bad and evill!
In Youth a Sainct, in Age to proue a Devill.

Difference betwixt a King, and a Tyrant.

Wyse ADRIAN was oft-tymes wont to say,
Mercie with Men is deem'd a thing divine:
But chiefelie Kings, who beare chiefe rule and sway,
To Clemencie and Mercie should incline.
A King will say, I may: and will not doe.
A Tyrant sayes, I dare: and then goes too.

The temperance of Epaminondas, King of Thebes.

Athebane kinde did some-time beg and pray,
EPAMINONDAS for his Royall Guest:
The King compear'd, and kept the Feasting day:
Yet liv'd on Bread, and fasted from the Feast:
Then sayde, (good Friend) I came to thee indeede,
As Man to eate, not as a Beast to feede.

LIBERALITIE OF PHOCION.

VVhen PHILIPS great vnconquered Sonne had sende
To PHOCION Gifts, and Iewels of great worth;
Hee saw them all, and sent them backe in ende:
No Favoures, but Refusals, they brought foorth.
Then said hee to the Legates, Doe not grieue:
I will not take, lest I forget to giue.

OF THEMISTOCLES.

Themistocles was wise, and made a Iest:
His Sonne did guide his wyfe: his Wyfe bore sway,
And power ov'r him: hee was in ATHENS best.
And then all GRIECE to ATHENS did obey.
Childe, Wyfe, Man, Citie, Countreyes great misguided,
By weake Degrees, vndone, destroy'd, divided.

Nocumenta, Documenta.

Sisamnes was a PERSIAN Iudge, wee finde,
Corrupt, and false, and did foule Brybes in-bring:
His punishment was of a cruell kinde;
Hee was excoriate, by CAMBISES King:
But OTHANES, his Sonne, eschew'd that sinne,
And learn'd a Lesson from his Fathers Skinne.

Man is in Honour, and from thence throwne downe:
Is hee not then excoriate, Skinlesse, bare?
The Peasant poore, the Base, and Countrey Clowne,
Liues more secure, no Downe-fall doeth hee feare.
Farre better not beene borne, than haue a Name
Rolde in the blushing Rubrickes of blacke Shame.

To the ignorant Iudge.

VVhilst IGNORAMVS on the Bench doth sit,
The N and L hee can command at will:
Which argues much, hee hath small store of wit;
Of C and A hee hath no kynde of skill:
Yet sits a Iudge, as blinde as Bat or Owle.
Greede PHALERATE, with Pride, must play the Foole.

N. L. Non Liquet: C. Condemnare:
A. Absolvere, vel Ampliare.

To a discredited Courteour.

The Snayle did once the Eagle faire intreate,
That hee would teach and learne her how to flie;
Her Creeping low, her base obscure estate,
Made her of Beasts the basest Beast to bee.
The Eagle said, To flie is not thy kinde;
Crawle on thy Wombe, and striue not with the Winde.

The Snayle at length prevailes with instant prayer,
(Wee conquer Heaven with lowde importune Cryes)
Betwixt his Clookes hee cleekes her through the Aire.
Shee on a Rocke, falles, dyes. The Eagle wyse
Bids Snayles, Fare-well; for hencefoorth hee'll forsweare them
They should not flie, that haue not wings to beare them.

ALIVD.

[The Forrest Asse vndaunted did beholde]

The Forrest Asse vndaunted did beholde
A tamed Colt, fat, faire, and brauelie drest,
Did eate at ease, secure, and vncontrolde;
Of Asses all hee helde him then the best:
But through the Fieldes as hee by chance did range,
Within short space hee spyes a sudden change.

A loathsome Loade was laide vpon his Backe;
A Cudgell stiffe his Master had in Hand:
And with each step hee strypes, and threates his wracke;
Till time the Beast could neyther stirre, nor stand:
So hee who seem'd the happiest as of late,
His Master beates, and beares him at debate.

By this example anie man may see,
As in a Mirrour, or a Looking-Glasse,
How braue so er'e those Beastes appeare to bee,
The greatest Courteour, is the greatest Asse:
Fooles sudden rise, and headlongs fall from Glorie,
Are Wyse-mens Lessons, and their laughing Storie.

HERODIAS AND SALOME.

Iohn Baptist tolde drunke HEROD, hee defilde
His Soule, who kept his Brother PHILIPS Wife;
HERODIAS taught SALOME, her Childe,
To daunce, and rob the Prophet of his lyfe:
Thus twixt the Daughter, and the divelish Dame,
GODS servant dies, to HERODS lasting shame.

But HERODS House was sack't, and swept away;
A sure Example to the comming Ages;
That such as hee, shall come to sad decay,
And reape of Lust, and Blood, the wofull Wages:
For crying sinnes, ere King and Countrey mourne,
Let HAMAN hang, let BAVDS and HARLOTS burne.

Tigellini Epitaphium, Qui sero & inhonesto exitu mortem sibi conscivit.

VVho seem'd so sure, as hee who late departed?
(Proude TIGELLIN) in his, and each mans eyes;
Yet vnawares decourted, and decarted,
To shift a Iurie his owne Burreau dies:
For all his pryde, loe how it comes to passe;
Hee liv'd a Tiger, and hee died an Asse.

TO PHILOCOSMVS.

The Grasse-hopper hath wings, but cannot flie:
The Wretch hath Wealth, no richer yet is hee.
MIDAS desir'd APOLLO, that hee would
Turne each thing (which his hand did touch) in Golde.
Hee had his Wish; the Misers mynde was served;
Meate touch'd by him, turn'd Golde: Thus MIDAS starved.

ALIVD.

[Hee's good enough, if hee haue Goods anew]

Hee's good enough, if hee haue Goods anew,
Thinks PHILOCOSMVS with himselfe in vaine,
By Violence or Fraude, and Trickes vntrue,
(As Perjuries or Pupils) hee makes gaine.
With Coyne, which hee (for selling CHRIST) did winne,
Hee'll buy a Fielde, to burie Strangers in.

PHILOCOSMVS EPITAPH.

Stay Pilgryme, stay, if thou so curious bee,
As Pilgrymes are, what's heere inclos'd to kno:
Draw nearer then, and I shall let thee see;
Heere lyes a Thiefe, to Trueth and Vertue Foe;
Belov'd of none, believ'd of none; who made
His Golde his God, a Prey for DIS, lyes dead.

TO CHREMES.

The God of Wealth, PLVTVS and PLVTO stroue,
Whose man should Godlesse guttish CHREMES bee.
A Reference was made to mightie IOVE;
Who pleasing both, gaue thus-wayes his Decree,
Whilst CHREMES liues, let him bee PLVTVS Man;
But when hee dies, let PLVTO take him than.

Ad eundem.

The Partridge stores her Nest with Eggs all stowne,
Which shee ne're layde: But when the Birds are hatched,
The Mother true doth call away her owne:
All from the Thievish Step-dame are dispatched.
So Goods ill got, and heapt by Stealth together,
And meanes vnjust, lyke IONAS Gowrd shall wither.

ALIVD.

[Raw Meates make Stomackes sicke, and still doe lye]

Raw Meates make Stomackes sicke, and still doe lye,
Bestinking Breath, till they bee cast againe:
So Goodes ill got, by Craft, or Blood, will crye;
The Conscience still vnquiet must remaine.
Vnrighteousnesse may builde the House; but long
It shall not stand, till't sinke for Sinne and Wrong.

PANVRGVS.

Panurgus pryes in high and low Effaires;
Hee talkes of Foraine, and our Civill State:
But for his owne hee neyther countes nor cares;
That hee refers to Fortune, and his Fate.
His Neighbours faultes, straight in his Face hee'll finde,
But in a Bag hee hangs his owne behinde.

MARGITES.

I reade of one Margites, yet I kno
The Knaue is long since dead: but such another,
As lewde a Lowne I seeme to see. And so
Margites liues, or then Margites Brother:
False, factious, fraudfull, neyther plowes, nor digs,
Robs Poore, treads Weake, from Rich hee begs, and thigs.

To a rude and barbarous Boore, vvho vvronged the Author.

Some rude, vnruelie, barbrous Boores there bee,
Chiefe Foes to Phœbus, and the Muses nine;
Will counterfeite Aurantius prowde: for hee
Wrong'd Sanazar, the Poët most divine:
Both Towne and Towre destroyde, in fearce despight,
Faire Mergellina, Sanazars Delight.

Th'ov'r-partied Poët winked at the VVrong,
And his Revenge remitted to the LORD,
The GOD of HOSTES. Then newes were spread ere long,
Aurantius prowde was vanquisht, kilde, and goard.
Heavens, grant all such a sudden shamefull ende,
That dare presume a Poët to offende.

And let their Bodies bee embrewed still,
Till Earth drinke vp their Blood, And loathe their stinke:
At Stix let Charon grant them no good-will,
Till hundreth yeares they byde about that Brinke.
And when their Friends their Epitaph shall reade,
Let it heape Shame vpon their Childrens head.

The Authors Consolation.

Take Courage, CRAIG, though Thou be wrong'd too farre,
With Criminations of a curious Crew;
Whose murthering Mouthes, doe what they dow or dare,
To compasse thee with Scandales most vntrue.
With much a-doe first Passions are with-stood;
But in this point, let Patience doe thee good.

For since their Mouth is but a Mint of Lyes,
To forge false Coyne, whose passage will bee stayde,
When it encounters with considering Eyes,
And in the Ballance of pure Trueth survayde.
Looke to thy Wayes, and let the Wicked lye:
Make Conscience good, continuall Feast to thee.

Apologie for Poets, against

Of all those Trees which Vestaes Wombe brings foorth,
How fertile, faire, and braue so-e're they bee;
The famous Fig is helde of greatest worth,
And beares the best, and sweetest Fruit, wee see:
And for this cause there is on Earth no Tree,
Except the Fig, that scapes from Thunder free.

A Thunder strange is threatned now of new,
Gainst such as stood in favour once a-day:
Of Poëts yet the number is but few,
Whose Songs are sweet, lyke Figs, and last for aye:
Whilst barren Birkes, Oakes, Firres, are throwne at vnder,
Let Poëts bee, lyke Fig-trees, free from Thunder.

Barbare Musarum Phœbique inimice, quid obstat,
Quin Musæ hostes sint, hostis Apollo tibi?
Insequitur vindicta nefas, mea penna merenti,
Sera licet dederit verbera, sæva dabit.

Amicus magis necessarius quam Aqua & Ignis.

VVell was it saide, A Friende that's kynde and true,
More needfull is, than eyther Fire or Water:
And there bee store of Stories olde, (of new
But few, or none, alace) to prove the Matter.
Damon turnes Demon, and Deceit hee loves;
And Pythias, Python, poysning Serpent proves.

TO MVSOPHILVS.

Beloved Friende, I kindlie doe commende
These lyfelesse Lieures to Thy louelie Lookes:
For if a Poët may be trowde, they're penn'd
By him who's Thine, but Shiftes, Deceites, or Crookes:
Who wisheth all thy Wishes, but respect
Of Friende or Foe, to take their full effect.

And when those Wishes full effects haue found,
And Thy faire Hopes, which fraught with Hazardes beene,
With Issues sweete, and true Contents are crown'd,
And Thou on top of Fortunes Wheele art seene,
Bee not lyke Her, vnconstant, wavering, blinde;
But to thy Friends (and honest Craig) bee kinde.

A Counsell to his married Friend.

If Thou with Fashiones of thy Wife offende,
Teach her with reason, or, (to ende the stryfe)
Learne to dissemble what thou canst not mende;
At small faults winke, if thou wouldst win thy Wyfe:
Else of thine House thou mak'st a Prison strong;
Thy rest vnrest, thy selfe a common Song.

To a libidinous Levi.

I see fonde Lust, with most vnlawfull Heate,
Doth melt thy Flesh, and burne thy Bones away:
'Tis shame to see a Sage, in such estate,
To preach the Trueth, and practise quite astray.
With Tyme and Hunger Lust may bee with-stood:
If not by those, an Halter would doe good.

To the Frontispice of Abakuk Bissets Booke, Of the Olde Monuments of Scotland.

Twixt Was, and Is, how various are the Ods!
What one Man doth, another doth vndoe:
One consecrates Religious Workes to Gods,
Another leaues sad Wrackes, and Ruines now.
Thy Booke doth show, that such, and such things were,
But would to GOD that it could say, They are.

When I pererre the South, North, East, and West,
And marke (alace) each Monument amis;
Then I conferre Tymes present with the past;
I reade what was, but cannot see what is:
I prayse thy Booke with wonder, but am sorie,
To reade olde Ruines in a recent Storie.

TO THE COVRT OF PARLIAMENT 1621, In Favours of the Subsidie desired by His Majestie.

Giue Cæsar what is Cæsars; CHRIST did so;
Yet had no Coyne, till from a Fish hee found it,
By Peters Angle: VVho dare then say No,
To render Tribute, if the Prince demand it?
Who disobeyes to pay a Tribute due,
Is neyther Christian, nor a Subject true.

To the Causidickes, who were made tributarie in the said Court.

Are wyse Causidickes brought to such a straite,
At this great Court, as they are forc'd to yeelde,
And lose the Freedome of their faire Estate,
And with their Tongues (chiefe Weapons) tyne the Fielde?
Hence-foorth fare-well the force of Actes and Lawes:
Who lose their owne, shall seldome pleade my Cause.

To His Majesties Questors, for his Pension.

Braue Brutus begg'd a Loafe, to saue his Lyfe;
And from the Foes, which hee besieg'd, receiv'd it.
Kynde Enemies forgetting former Stryfe,
Gaue Bread to hungrie Brutus, when hee crav'd it.
I feare no Foe, and so suspect no Wrong;
But seeke my Loafe, for which I served long.

ALIVD.

[I am no fayned IEBVSITE, for I]

I am no fayned IEBVSITE, for I
Haue travell'd farre, and haue true Cause to crye:
My Shooes are clowted, and my Cloathes are worne:
My Bread is mowl'd, my Bottell toome and torne.
If I goe Home worse than I came abroad,
Heere is no loue to Man, nor feare of GOD.

ALIVD.

[Ovr QVESTORS learn'd their Arithmeticke ill]

Ovr QVESTORS learn'd their Arithmeticke ill:
Three parts they know, the fourth they quite neglect:
They adde, substract, and multiplie at will:
In sub-division there is grosse defect.
Is Ignorance their fault? O no: What than?
The Chiragra: they will not, though they can.

ALIVD.

[Once more one poore Petition I present]

Once more one poore Petition I present;
Marre not the Muses, Mightie MARR, I pray:
Such as to Musicke haue a mynde full bent,
Will saue the sacred Muses from decay.
The Dittie giues the Diapason grace:
Bee Friende to both; for now fits Tyme and Place.

Reply to a Dilatorie Answere, sent by Sir Gedeon, &c. to the Author.

Your Sub-Receiver shew'd mee, you were sorie,
You could not so dispatch mee as you would;
And tolde mee on, with stambring Tongue, a Storie,
Scarse vnder-stood, when it was ten tymes tolde.
This difference I put betwixt you two,
Hee's short in Words, and you in Deedes are slow.

AD QVESTORES.

O what an Age is this, in which wee liue!
Our Annuals are annumbred to our Stocke:
Wee dare not touch them, should wee starue, and grieue:
The Debitor detaines both Stocke and Brocke;
And hath a Law to warrand his detaining,
Which breedes our Wants, and barres vs from Complaining.

And which is worse, beholde how Shepheards were
Abhominable t'Ægyptians in their Land:
Poore Pensioners must stand affrayde, afarre,
With heavie Heart, light Purse, and emptie Hand.
To want our Profites, and our Pensions too,
VVhat more, or worse, can Foes, or Tyrantes doe?

TO STATES-MEN.

There was a Tyme when Thieves had leaue to steale,
And wrest their Wits to anie Wrong they can:
And were they not attatch'd, then all went well;
A cunning Thiefe was helde a skilfull Man:
But were hee found to haue a Fang, by Voces
Of just Assyse, a Rope did ende the Proces.

I am no SINDICKE, worth a Pin, to fynde
With curious Eye th'Abuses of our State:
If anie bee, I am not of that mynde;
For I determe, no Dittaes to delate:
But I pray GOD, each States-man, Great and Small,
May take Example by his Fellowes Fall.

HYMERA olde, the SIRACVSAN Dame,
For DIONISE, the Tyrant proude, did pray:
Whom each man curst; (then Tyrants had no shame:
The last was worst) Thus farre with her I'll say,
Our Senate wyse, LORD blesse from each mishap;
Few sonnes haue Heads to fill their Fathers Cap.

ALIVD.

[The Royall Throne of SALOMON the Wyse]

The Royall Throne of SALOMON the Wyse,
Was carv'd and cut with Lyons everie-where:
No Raven of rapt, nor Birde with craftie Cryes,
No greedie Wolves, nor Beasts of Prey were there.
Let States-men thus in shew proue Lyons graue;
Not proue to prey, nor subtill to deceiue.

Mamertes Answere to a Parasite.

One tolde MAMERTES, hee was happie thryse,
Who had in CORINTH of true Friends such store.
MAMERTES to that Parasite replyes,
If FORTVNE frowne, Friends shall bee found no more:
Yea, to bee plaine, those seeming Friends you see,
Are Friends to my good Fortune, not to mee.

Of Timæa, Queene of Sparta.

Timæa faire, was LACEDEMONS Queene,
Yet shee defyl'd King AGIS Royall Bed;
Lay with a Stranger, erst vnknowne, vnseene;
Was ostracism'd, and had from ATHENS fled.
Shee bore a Sonne, the Seede of Sinne and Shame;
And LEOTICHID was the Bastards Name.

Yet LEOTICHID looked to bee crown'd,
When AGIS died. TIMÆA, foolish Hoore,
Tolde, ALCIBIAD got him. Thus renown'd
AGESILA did SPARTANS Crowne procure.
VVomen are weake, and Vessels fonde, and frayle;
But hang the Hoore keepes neyther Tongue nor Tayle.

To the Cowsner.

The Cowsner lookes with faire, but fraudfull, face,
And Locust-lyke a sting is in his Tayle:
(How Tragicall was fonde PERILLVS case,
In his Inventions who did fall and fayle?)
Let him alone lyke ABSOLON bee left,
Twixt Heaven and Earth, that vseth Fraude and Sheft.

To the Swearer.

The wyse ÆGYPTIANS punish'd him who sware,
With losse of lyfe; The GRECIANS braue nor they
More mercifull, did crop the Swearers Eare;
Till false LYSANDER scrap'd that Law away.
Oathes stryne with Wordes in number now, wee see.
The greatest Oathe preceeds the greatest Lie.

To the Envyous.

Envy doth creepe, where as it dare not goe,
And sees each thing, (lyke th'Eye) it selfe it sees not:
It feedes on Foode most delicate; for loe,
It catēs the owners Heart, from thence it flies not:
It brings the wretched Master to decay,
And ÆTNA-like consumes in Fire away.

To the most Noble, and Vertuous Lord, SIR GEORGE HAY OF KILFAWNES, Great Chancellar of Scotland.

The good successe of SYLLAES great Effaires,
Made him to brag, that hee was Fortunes Chylde.
When Cæsars Pilote in a Storme shed Teares,
And prayde for Windes more mercifull and mylde,
Feare not (said Cæsar) make no more a-doe,
Thou carriest Cæsar, and his Fortunes too.

AVGVSTVS wish'd, the Heavens to him should giue,
With SCIPIOES Valour, POMPEYS Loue, but still
His owne good Fortune, Long tyme mayst Thou liue,
With Valour, Loue, and Fortune at Thy will.
Lyke SYLLA, Cæsar, and AVGVSTVS graue,
Let Fortune blinde, to Thy braue Mynde bee Slaue.

Ad Eundem.

VVho thinks dame Fortune blinde, and spoylde of Eyes,
And spyes our Peace, our State, hath little Skill:
For loe, King IAMES, Good, Holie, Great and Wyse,
Doth guide and rule her rowling Wheele at will.
Now good Men finde Preferment, Vertue Price:
Rods are the Fooles Rewards, and Strypes for Vice.

SATYRA VOLANS.

Goe, Swift-wing'd Satyre, through all States, but feare,
Though thou a base and thanklesse Errand beare:
Goe thou Post-haste, & through all Hazards hye thee;
Trueth is thy Warrand; Nip them that come nye thee;
Passe King and Prince, with Praysing, and with Praying:
And if to Court thou goe, make little Staying:
Yet tell thus much, to all, though it should wrong them,
There's but small Trueth and Honestie among them:
And hee that's helde in most Respect, by all,
His Fellowes waite, and long to see him fall.

Tell Church, 'tis full of Shisme, vaine Pryde, and Greede;
They teach what's good, but doe no good in-deede.
Tell Noble-men, They are prowde Tyrants growne;
Ere they lacke Practise, they'll oppresse their owne.
Tell some Ignoble Nobles in their Faces,
They are not worthie of their Fathers Places.
Tell to the best, They act but others Actions,
And vexe their Neighbours to beare out their Factions.
Tell Rich men, Riches would bee well employed;
Those that haue Much, haue manie to destroy it.
Tell wretched Chremes, His example heere,
Makes manie fast, where they haue got good Cheare:
The Traine retrainsh'd, the Table curt and short,
Sad Solitude, where I haue seene resort.
The Wrath of GOD consume that worthlesse Worme,
Who first began this lewde and pinching Forme.
Hee lookes a Man so hungrie in the Face,
As hee would eate him raw, and nere say Grace.
Tell subtill Merchandes, They're perjur'd Exporters
Of needfull thinges; vnprofitable Importers
Of needlesse thinges, which men buy head-longes, rash,
As Scalerigs, Wyne, Tobacko, and such Trash.
Tell those who still attende Effaires of State,
They keepe no Place, nor Greatnesse, without Hate.
Tell, Knowledge wanting Zeale, is nothing worth;
And Zeale but Knowledge, many Shisme brings foorth.
Pray Iudges haue but two, not dowble, Eares;
Some say, Their Hand, chiefe Organe, sees, groapes, heares.
Tell, Lawyers are the Children of Horse-lieches,
Which crye, Giue, giue, and make great Gaine by Speaches:
Their chieffest Sporte, is but to sow Dissention,
And builde their States by Crooks, Delayes, Contention.
Tell Clerkes and Writers, They are farre from ill:
Yet Scrybes of olde expon'd the Lawes at will.
Tell Physicke-mongers, Drogs are growne vnsure,
And manie Doctors rather kill, than cure.

Tell th'Vsurer, His Gaine for Money lent,
Is but maintainde by Actes of Parliament,
And Parables. It cannot bee with-stood,
The Talent dowbled, was helde service good.
Tell, Zeale is blinde: Tell Loue is turn'd to Lust:
Tell fainting Age, it wastes: tell Flesh 'tis Dust.
Tell Youth, it takes in most excessiue measure,
In Borthels lewde, and Taverns too much pleasure
Tell Beautie braue, 'tis but admir'd a-while,
And fondlie prays'd in Poëts franticke Stile.
Tell great Men, that, One Parasite, One Knaue,
Will make them lose the truest Friende they haue.
Nip Fortune to the quicke; tell shee is blinde.
Tell Pithias too, To Damon hee's vnkinde.
Tell, Trueth hath left the Citie in a Grudge,
And in the Countrey finds but small Refuge.
Bid the Satyricke Find-fault Poët, Take him
To some more Lucrous Trade: his Vane will wracke him.
Hee hath good Wits, and yet a Foole doth spende them:
Fit to finde Faults, but most vnfit to mende them.
Thus having runne, and rayl'd, till all admire Thee,
Fall on thy Face, beg Pardon, and retire thee.

SATYRVLA IN PLEBEM.

Experience, long, and deare, hath made mee finde,
Nothing is more vnsure than Vulgare Minde.
All Commons are (Quicke-Silver-lyke) vnstable,
Fawning, and frowning, at each franticke Fable.
For Loue to day They'll crowne a Man a King,
Dethrone to morrow, for a naughtie thing.
Iust Aristides, who rul'd Athens long,
Was ostracism'd, for being good: strange wrong.
Themistocles from Grece made Xerxes flie,
Who in exyle, amongst his Foes, must die.
To crowne Seianvs Cæsar now they'r bent;
But in an houre hee is to Prison sent.
Antiochvs in one day was saluted
A gracious Prince: a Tyrant straight reputed.
As blinde as Homer was, in Iest and Scorne,
Hee could compare the Commons to the Corne:
Heere comes a puffe of Winde, on this side blowes it:
There comes another Blast, contrarelie throwes it.
To raging Billoes of the Waues vnruelie,
The Peoples nature is compared truelie.

Those Mouthes at first which did OSANNA crie,
Cryde, Crucifie, and let Barabbas free.
The Mariner may as well wrap the Winde,
And in his Sayles, till his next Voyage binde,
As can a King, in anie modest Measure,
The Multitude command, and rule at pleasure.
It is the LORD, who onlie May, Can, Will,
The Windes, the Waues, and Peoples madnesse still.

GOD SAVE THE KING.

The Authors Resolution.

The Nightingale, when shee hath stor'd her Nest,
With Feathers warmē, feedes, sleepes, & sings no more:
Our Poëts so (who sometyme sung) take rest,
Since they haue got their States instaur'd with Store.
But I will sing, even to the day I dye;
Birds to themselues make Mirth, and so shall I.

Finis, quod Mr Ar Craig.