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A Strappado for the Diuell

Epigrams and Satyres alluding to the time, with diuers measures of no lesse Delight. By MISOSUKOS[Greek], to his friend PHILOKRATES[Greek] [by Richard Brathwait]

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Vpon the commodious though compendious labor of Mr. Arthur Standish,
 
 
 
 
 
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168

Vpon the commodious though compendious labor of Mr. Arthur Standish,

In the inuention of planting of Wood. A wood-mans Emblealme.

Come Syluanes, come each in his fresh array,
And sing his name that makes you looke so gay,
Euery Braunch,
Euery spray,
Budds as in the
Month of Maye.
Heere the mirtle Venus tree,
There the Chessenut, wallnut be,
Heere the Medlar set aboue,
Intimates what woemen loue.
Lofy pine,
Fruitfull vine,
Make a spring
In winter time.

169

The naked field has put a garment on,
With leauy shades for birds to peck vpon.
Now Nemæa
doth appeare,
Flower embordered
euery where.
Here the popular, Alder there,
Witch-tree, holy-thorne and Brere
Here the shady Elme, and firre,
Dew it, texe-distilling mirrh.
Euery cliffe,
euerie clime,
Makes a spring
in Winter time.
Wood-haunting Satires now their minions seeke,
And hauing found them play at Barley-breke.
Where delight
makes the night,
Short (though long)
by louers sight.
Wher Marisco Fairies Queeene,
With her Ladies trace the greene;
Dauncing measures, singing layes,
In the worthy planters praise;
Standish fame
each voice implies,
Blisse to Standish
Ecco cries.

172

Here stands the Wilding on the steepie rocke,
The Quince, the Date, the dangling Apricock,
Rough skind'd Pech,
lip-died cherrie,
Melon citron,
Mulberie.
Sallow, Willow, Mellow Birt,
Sweete-breathd Sicamour and Mirt,
Heere the Plum, the Damsen there
The Pusill, and the Katherins peare
Flowers and flourish
blowne so greene,
As the spring
doth euer seeme.
The brittle Ashe and shade-obscuring Yewe,
The aged Oke claspt with the Missletoe,
Hawthornes grow,
one a row,
And their sweetest
smels bestow.
Royall Palme, Laurell wreath,
With young Osiers vnderneath,
Loue-resembling Box tree there,
Flowrishing through all the yeere.
Seyons young,
tender plants,
Where the quire
of woodbirds chants.

173

Flora now takes her throne and for she knowes,
Of Standish care, she decks his aged browes:
With crowne
of renowne,
Monument
in time to come.
That what he hath done of late,
After times may imitate,
So when al our Groues grow greene,
Albion may a Forrest seeme,
Where if she
the Forrest were,
Standish would
be Forrester.
Then should no gorse grounds furrie whin, or Brire,
Depriue the painefull plough man of his hire.
Euery field,
then should yield,
Great reliefe
to share & shield.
To the Plow share for his paine,
To the shield for discipline,
Sith the first he sows and reapes,
And the last defends and keepes.
Standish giues,
to both a part,
To the Gauntlet,
and the Cart.

172

Trees (Standish saies) in summer vpward growe,
In winter downe-ward to the roote belowe:
This I know not,
but I know
That with him
it is not so.
For in winter of his time,
Now when sap gins to decline,
Store of science blossome out
From the top vnto the root:
Root of age,
toppe of youth.
Winter bearing,
summers growth.