Miscellaneous works of George Wither

Wither, George (1588-1667)

FIRST COLLECTION

SECOND COLLECTION

Vox Pacifica:

Carmen Eucharisticon:

A Suddain Flash

A Triple Paradox:

A Proclamation In the Name of the King of Kings, To all the Inhabitants of the Isles of Great Brittain:

I. To those Friends, unto whom this Author hath been scandalously mis-represented in private, by some false Brethren and others.

II.

II. A causual Meditation on Faith, Hope, Fear and Love.

III.

III. To those who enquire, why this Author is now imprisoned in Newgate?

IV.

IV. A Hymn of Thanksgiving, for deliverance from a dangerous and sharp Sickness, during his Imprisonment.

V. To them who say, or suppose, that a vain desire of Fame, was this Authors principal motive, to the Composure of what he hath written and published.

VI.

VI. A Meditation, occasioned by considering the manifold Temptations to distrust in GOD, whereby his best Servants are otherwhile proved and exercised.

VII.

VII. Another Scrap, to them, who carp at this Author's frequent writing.

VIII.

VIII. An Eccho from the Thunders, in the celestial Temple, reverberating, in part, the effect of what was uttered by their Voices.

IX.

IX. A brief Reproof of them, who take pleasure in Scandalous Invectives, whereby others are personally defamed.

X. A Disclaim, by way of Advertisement, of a Paper, falsly imputed to this Author.

XI.

XI. To them who object it as a fault, that this Author hath written several Poems, since he resolved to write no more.

XII.

XII. Of Governours and Governments; and how we ought to demean our selves toward them.

XIII.

XIII. A Scrap added to the former, since the sending of the Authors Remonstrance to the house of Commons.

Verses written by Mr. George Wither upon three Trenchers with Oker, during his close-Imprisonment, and carried to the Lieutenant of the Tower by the said Prisoners Keeper.

Hearing it reported, that the Diurnal women cryed the news of his Impeachment for Treason, he composed this Epigram.

Ingenii Largitor Venter.

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V. To them who say, or suppose, that a vain desire of Fame, was this Authors principal motive, to the Composure of what he hath written and published.

I hear, some think (and, for their sakes am sorry
They think so) that Ambition of vain glory
Is that, which principally moves my Pen
To dare more than the Quills of wiser men;
And, that an itch for popular Applause
Was of my bold Reproofs the chiefest cause.
If this be true, I am as mad as they
Who think so, and take the nearest way
To my destruction, for a windy puff,
Which in a moment will be quite blown off,
And leave me comfortless, in that condition
Which threatens inavoidable perdition.
But, these will find their error, when they know
By tryal, from what Root my Actings flow;
And that I had in what I have exprest,
A nobler Aim, than meer self-Interest,
Or any outward ends, although in them,
My own well-being I shall not contemn.

I am not ignorant that whatsoever
I actively or passively endeavour,
To honour GOD, or for my Countries good,
May, to my dammage, be misunderstood;
Nor that most men, mis-censure what I've writ
To be Composures without fear or wit;

And that, if I should be thereby undone,
(Which likely seems) I may be thought upon
With very small regard, alive or dead;
Or any way at all be mentioned,
Except by some few, who perhaps will say,
I fool'd my Liberty and Life away.

But should I minded be, when I shall have
My portion among other in the Grave,
What greater share shall I have in that Fame,
Which after Death might memorize my Name,
Than they, who in Oblivion lie forgot,
Where Pen nor Tongue their Actions mention not?
In my time, sixteen persons I have known
Who did my Christian and my Surname own,
And one

Captain George Wither, a man valiant and witty, and one of the sixteen here mentioned, was hewed to death at Kingston upon Hull by his own Soldiers in their fury, because he had killed one of their fellows in the like fury.

of them oft guilty prov'd to be
Of Crimes, imputed falsly unto me,
By those who knew us not; and he, whilst here
He lived, had in my repute a share:
But, after few years, none will know, among
All these, to which of us, those things belong
Which we have acted. Nay, though ten times more
I had deserv'd (than any heretofore,
Made memorable by a glorious Fame)
A feigned person, who no real Name
Or Being ever had, save what, perchance,
Was thereunto ascrib'd in some Romance,
May seem to be more honour'd by that fiction,
Than any who attain'd the high'st perfection

In Piety or Morals: For, I've seen
Some Readers, with such Legends to have been
So far transported, that it them could move
More sighs and tears, compassion, honour, love,
Esteem and admiration, to confer
On those Idea's, than bestowed are
On real Suff'rers, who, did undertake
To do and suffer freely for their sake.
And what a trivial prize or purchase then
Is an esteem, or vain applause of men?

My Actings have expos'd me, during life,
To hazards, losses, much reproach and Grief;
And, what shall I the better be, or worse,
When I am dead, whether men bless or curse,
Speak well or ill, that I should quite destroy,
For such toyes, what in life I might enjoy?
By being silent, I preserv'd from blame
Might be, and more esteem'd than now I am.
If I could for advantage swear and lie,
And flatter Fools and Knaves in Elegy:
Sure, he who shall observe, as I have done,
What scorns, and what despights I've undergone;
What I have felt, and what I do fore-see
Will probably on Earth my Wages be,
Yet thinks I run these hazards for vain Fame,
Must likewise, either think, that mad I am,
Or, that I've only learned in the School
Of long Experience, to be more than Fool.

But, though most are deceiv'd in their Design,
And in their thoughts, I am not so in mine.
I know my Work; I likewise know that End
Whereto it doth, or at least, ought to tend:
And, therefore hope, that till my lifes conclusion,
I shall be kept from such a gross delusion.

He, that for GOD's Cause, or for his Elects,
Pretends to do, or suffer; yet, expects
More honour, or ought else, than his just share
With them, who of the same Communion are;
Expects more than his due; Exceeds the bound
Of that self-love which in true Saints is found,
And, what he acts, or suffers, no Reward.
Can merit; for, he forfeits his Reward.
All, that he shall endeavour, on that score,
When Rich he thinks to be, will make him Poor;
And, by what he expected to be fam'd,
He shall become contemptible and sham'd.

GOD's Mind, I therefore study to fulfill,
Seeking no Pay, but what, and when he will:
And, knowing that's my Aim, much care I not
What, in this world, he gives to be my Lot.
I no more value Praises, than Reproach;
And, whether in a Carr, or in a Coach,
I ride to my last home, I little care,
So with a quiet Conscience I come there.
If well in life I use them, 'tis no matter,
How far asunder men my Limbs do scatter,
Or in what Publick place they set my Head,
To terrifie some fools, when I am dead:
For, ev'ry part of me will meet together,
When GOD shall pleased be to call me thither,
Where CHRIST now sits inthron'd; and whither he
Ascended to prepare a place for me.
I prize nor Life, nor Death, but, as thereby,
I, more or less, GOD's Name may glorifie.
And, whilst my own heart knows this to be so,
I care not, whether 'tis believ'd or no
By any man, unless, that, to infuse
The like mind into him, it may conduce.

If, I have acted for a worthless prize,
Learn by my foolishness to be more wise.
If I have aim'd to suffer, or to do
For such ends as I should, do ye so too.
Because then, what you heretofore of me
Misdeem'd, will thenceforth your advantage be;
And, no more harm to me, than that man found,
Who had an Ulcer cured by a Wound.

University of Virginia Library

V. To them who say, or suppose, that a vain desire of Fame, was this Authors principal motive, to the Composure of what he hath written and published.