All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet Being Sixty and three in Number. Collected into one Volume by the Author [i.e. John Taylor]: With sundry new Additions, corrected, reuised, and newly Imprinted |
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[Apollo (Father of the Sisters nine] |
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 | All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet |  |
[Apollo (Father of the Sisters nine]
Apollo (Father of the Sisters nine,
I craue thy ayde t'inspire this Muse of mine,
Thou that thy golden Glory didst lay by
(As Ouid doth relate most wittily)
And in a Shepheards shape, didst deigne to keepe
Thy Loues beloued Sire, Admerus sheepe.
And rurall Pan, thy helpe I doe intreat,
That (to the life) the praise I may repeat
Of the contented life, and mightie stockes
Or happie Shepheards, and their harmlesse flockes,
But better thoughts my Errors doe controule
For an offence, most negligent and foule,
In thus inuoking, like a Heathen man,
Helpe, helplesse, from Apollo, or from Pan:
When as the subiect, which I haue in hand,
Is almost infinite, as Starres, or sand,
Grac'd with Antiquitie, vpon Record
In the Eternall, neuer-failing Word.
There 'tis ingrauen true and manifest,
That Sheep and Shepheards, were both best and blest.
I therefore inuocate the gracious aide
Of Thee, whose mightie Word hath all things made,
I Israels great Shepheard humbly craue
That his assur'd assistance I may haue:
That my vnlearned Muse no verse compile.
Which may bee impious, prophane or vile,
And though through Ignorance, or negligence,
My poore inuention fall into offence,
I doe implore that boundlesse Grace of his,
Not strictly to regard what is amisse:
But vnto me belongeth all the blame,
And all the Glory bee vnto his Name.
Yet as this Booke is verse, so men must know,
I must some fictions and Allusions show,
Some shreds, sow remnants, reliques, or some scraps.
The Muses may inspire me with perhaps.
Which taken literally, as lies may seeme,
And so mis-vnderstanding may misdeeme.
Of Sheepe therefore, before to worke I fall,
Ile shew the Shepheards first originall:
Those that the best Records will reade and marke,
Shall finde iust Abel was a Patriarke,
Our father Adams second sonne, a Prince,
(As great as any man, begotten since)
Yet in his function hee a Shepheard was:
And so his mortall Pilgrimage did passe.
And in the sacred Text it is compil'd,
That hee that's father of the Faithfull stil'd,
Did as a Shepheard, liue vpon th'increase
Of Sheepe, vntill his dayes on earth did cease:
And in those times it was apparent then
Abel and Abram both were Noble men:
The one obtain'd the tytle righteously
For his vnfeigned seruing the most High,
Hee first did offer Sheepe, which (on Record)
Was Sacrifice accepted of the Lord.
I craue thy ayde t'inspire this Muse of mine,
Thou that thy golden Glory didst lay by
(As Ouid doth relate most wittily)
And in a Shepheards shape, didst deigne to keepe
Thy Loues beloued Sire, Admerus sheepe.
And rurall Pan, thy helpe I doe intreat,
That (to the life) the praise I may repeat
Of the contented life, and mightie stockes
Or happie Shepheards, and their harmlesse flockes,
But better thoughts my Errors doe controule
For an offence, most negligent and foule,
In thus inuoking, like a Heathen man,
Helpe, helplesse, from Apollo, or from Pan:
When as the subiect, which I haue in hand,
Is almost infinite, as Starres, or sand,
Grac'd with Antiquitie, vpon Record
In the Eternall, neuer-failing Word.
There 'tis ingrauen true and manifest,
That Sheep and Shepheards, were both best and blest.
I therefore inuocate the gracious aide
Of Thee, whose mightie Word hath all things made,
I Israels great Shepheard humbly craue
That his assur'd assistance I may haue:
That my vnlearned Muse no verse compile.
Which may bee impious, prophane or vile,
And though through Ignorance, or negligence,
My poore inuention fall into offence,
I doe implore that boundlesse Grace of his,
Not strictly to regard what is amisse:
But vnto me belongeth all the blame,
And all the Glory bee vnto his Name.
Yet as this Booke is verse, so men must know,
I must some fictions and Allusions show,
Some shreds, sow remnants, reliques, or some scraps.
The Muses may inspire me with perhaps.
Which taken literally, as lies may seeme,
And so mis-vnderstanding may misdeeme.
Of Sheepe therefore, before to worke I fall,
Ile shew the Shepheards first originall:
Those that the best Records will reade and marke,
Shall finde iust Abel was a Patriarke,
Our father Adams second sonne, a Prince,
(As great as any man, begotten since)
Yet in his function hee a Shepheard was:
And so his mortall Pilgrimage did passe.
And in the sacred Text it is compil'd,
That hee that's father of the Faithfull stil'd,
Did as a Shepheard, liue vpon th'increase
Of Sheepe, vntill his dayes on earth did cease:
And in those times it was apparent then
Abel and Abram both were Noble men:
The one obtain'd the tytle righteously
For his vnfeigned seruing the most High,
Hee first did offer Sheepe, which (on Record)
Was Sacrifice accepted of the Lord.
Hee was (before the Infant world was ripe)
The Churches figure, and his Sauiours type.
A murdered Martyr, who for seruing God,
Did first of all feele persecutions rod.
And Abraham was in account so great,
Abimelech his friendship did intreat.
Faiths patterne, and Obedience sample, hee
Like Starres, or sand, was in posteritie:
In him the Nations of the Earth were blest,
And now his bosome figures heau'nly Rest.
His Sheepe almost past numbring multiply'd,
And when (as he thought) Isaac should haue dy'd,
Then by th' Almighties Mercies, Loue, and Grace
A Sheepe from out a Bush supply'd the place.
Lot was a Shepheard, (Abrams brothers sonne)
And such great fauour from his God he wonne,
That Sodom could not be consum'd with fire,
Till hee and his did out of it retire,
They felt no vengeance for their foule offence,
Till righteous Lot was quite departed thence.
And Iacob, as the holy Ghost doth tell,
Who afterwards was called Israel,
Who wrastled with his God, and (to his fame)
Obtain'd a Name, and Blessing for the same,
Hee (vnder Laban) was a Shepheard long,
And suffred from him much ingratefull wrong,
For Rachel and for Leah, hee did beare
The yoke of seruitude full twentie yeare,
Hee was a Patriarke, a Prince of might,
Whose wealth in Sheepe, was almost infinite,
His twice sixe sonnes (as holy writ describes,
Who were the famous Fathers, of twelue Tribes)
Were for the most part Shepheards, and such men
Whose like the world shall ne're containe agen.
Young Ioseph, 'mongst the rest, especially,
A constant mirrour of true Chastitie:
Who was in his affliction, of behauiour
A mortall Tipe of his immortall Sauiour:
And Truth his Mother Rachel doth expresse
To be her father Labans Shepheardesse.
Meeke Moses, whom the Lord of hosts did call
To leade his people out of Ægypts thrall,
Whose power was such, as no mans was before,
Nor since his time hath any mans beene more,
Yet in the Sacred text it plaine appeares,
That he was Iethroes Shepheard fortie yeares.
Heroycke David, Jshaies youngest sonne,
Whose acts immortall memorie hath wonne:
Whose valiant vigour did in pieces teare
A furious Lyon and a rauenous Beare:
Who (arm'd with Faith and fortitude alone)
Slew great Goliah, with a sling and stone,
Whose victories the people sung most plaine,
Saul hath a thousand, Hee ten thousand slaine.
Hee from the Sheepfold came to be a King,
Whose fame for euer through the world shall ring:
Hee was another Tipe of that blest Hee
That Was, and is, and euermore shall bee.
His vertuous Acts are writ for imitation,
His holy Hymnes and Psalmes for consolation,
For Reprehension and for Contemplation,
And finally to shew vs our saluation.
The Prophet Amos, vnto whom the Lord
Reueal'd the sacred secrets of his Word:
God rais'd him from the Sheepfold to foretell
What Plagues should fall on sinfull Israell.
True Patience patterne, Prince of his affections,
Most mightie tamer of his imperfections,
Whose guard was God, whose guide the holy Ghost,
Blest in his wealth, of which Sheepe was the most.
Iust Jobs lost riches doubled was agen,
Who liu'd belou'd of God, admir'd of men.
The Churches figure, and his Sauiours type.
A murdered Martyr, who for seruing God,
Did first of all feele persecutions rod.
And Abraham was in account so great,
Abimelech his friendship did intreat.
50
Like Starres, or sand, was in posteritie:
In him the Nations of the Earth were blest,
And now his bosome figures heau'nly Rest.
His Sheepe almost past numbring multiply'd,
And when (as he thought) Isaac should haue dy'd,
Then by th' Almighties Mercies, Loue, and Grace
A Sheepe from out a Bush supply'd the place.
Lot was a Shepheard, (Abrams brothers sonne)
And such great fauour from his God he wonne,
That Sodom could not be consum'd with fire,
Till hee and his did out of it retire,
They felt no vengeance for their foule offence,
Till righteous Lot was quite departed thence.
And Iacob, as the holy Ghost doth tell,
Who afterwards was called Israel,
Who wrastled with his God, and (to his fame)
Obtain'd a Name, and Blessing for the same,
Hee (vnder Laban) was a Shepheard long,
And suffred from him much ingratefull wrong,
For Rachel and for Leah, hee did beare
The yoke of seruitude full twentie yeare,
Hee was a Patriarke, a Prince of might,
Whose wealth in Sheepe, was almost infinite,
His twice sixe sonnes (as holy writ describes,
Who were the famous Fathers, of twelue Tribes)
Were for the most part Shepheards, and such men
Whose like the world shall ne're containe agen.
Young Ioseph, 'mongst the rest, especially,
A constant mirrour of true Chastitie:
Who was in his affliction, of behauiour
A mortall Tipe of his immortall Sauiour:
And Truth his Mother Rachel doth expresse
To be her father Labans Shepheardesse.
Meeke Moses, whom the Lord of hosts did call
To leade his people out of Ægypts thrall,
Whose power was such, as no mans was before,
Nor since his time hath any mans beene more,
Yet in the Sacred text it plaine appeares,
That he was Iethroes Shepheard fortie yeares.
Heroycke David, Jshaies youngest sonne,
Whose acts immortall memorie hath wonne:
Whose valiant vigour did in pieces teare
A furious Lyon and a rauenous Beare:
Who (arm'd with Faith and fortitude alone)
Slew great Goliah, with a sling and stone,
Whose victories the people sung most plaine,
Saul hath a thousand, Hee ten thousand slaine.
Hee from the Sheepfold came to be a King,
Whose fame for euer through the world shall ring:
Hee was another Tipe of that blest Hee
That Was, and is, and euermore shall bee.
His vertuous Acts are writ for imitation,
His holy Hymnes and Psalmes for consolation,
For Reprehension and for Contemplation,
And finally to shew vs our saluation.
The Prophet Amos, vnto whom the Lord
Reueal'd the sacred secrets of his Word:
God rais'd him from the Sheepfold to foretell
What Plagues should fall on sinfull Israell.
True Patience patterne, Prince of his affections,
Most mightie tamer of his imperfections,
Whose guard was God, whose guide the holy Ghost,
Blest in his wealth, of which Sheepe was the most.
Iust Jobs lost riches doubled was agen,
Who liu'd belou'd of God, admir'd of men.
The first of happie tydings on the earth,
Of our all onely Sauiours blessed birth,
The glorious Angels to the Shepheards told,
As Luke th'Euangelist doth well vnfold.
And should my verse a little but decline
To humane stories, and leaue diuine:
There are some mightie Princes I can name,
Whose breeding (at the first) from Shepheards came.
Romes founder (Romulus) was bred and fed,
Mongst Shepheards, where his youthfull dayes he led.
The Persian Monarch (Cyrus) hee did passe
His youth with Shepheards, and a Shepheard was,
The Terrour of the World, that famous man
Who conquer'd Kings, and kingdomes ouer ran
His stile was, (as some stories doe repeat)
The Scythian Shepheard, Tamberlaine the Great.
Of our all onely Sauiours blessed birth,
The glorious Angels to the Shepheards told,
As Luke th'Euangelist doth well vnfold.
And should my verse a little but decline
To humane stories, and leaue diuine:
There are some mightie Princes I can name,
Whose breeding (at the first) from Shepheards came.
Romes founder (Romulus) was bred and fed,
Mongst Shepheards, where his youthfull dayes he led.
The Persian Monarch (Cyrus) hee did passe
His youth with Shepheards, and a Shepheard was,
The Terrour of the World, that famous man
Who conquer'd Kings, and kingdomes ouer ran
His stile was, (as some stories doe repeat)
The Scythian Shepheard, Tamberlaine the Great.
Tis such a Tytle of preheminence,
Of reuerence, and such high magnificence,
That Dauid, (who so well his words did frame)
Did call our great Creator by that name.
Our blest Redeemer (Gods eternall Sonne)
Whose onely merits our Saluation wonne.
He did the harmlesse name of Shepheard take
For our protection, and his Merciss sake.
Those that will reade the sacred Text, and looke
With diligence, throughout that heauenly Booke,
Shall finde the Ministers haue Epithites,
And named Angels, Stewards, Watchmen, Lights,
Salt, Builders, Husbandmen, and Starres that shine,
(Inflamed with the Light which is Diuine)
And with these names, within that Booke compil'd,
They with the Stile of Shepheards are instil'd.
Thus God the Sire, and Sonne, the Scriptures call
Both Shepheards, mysticall and literall,
And by similitudes comparing to,
All Kings and Churchmen beare that tytle do.
Of reuerence, and such high magnificence,
That Dauid, (who so well his words did frame)
Did call our great Creator by that name.
Our blest Redeemer (Gods eternall Sonne)
Whose onely merits our Saluation wonne.
He did the harmlesse name of Shepheard take
For our protection, and his Merciss sake.
Those that will reade the sacred Text, and looke
With diligence, throughout that heauenly Booke,
Shall finde the Ministers haue Epithites,
And named Angels, Stewards, Watchmen, Lights,
Salt, Builders, Husbandmen, and Starres that shine,
(Inflamed with the Light which is Diuine)
And with these names, within that Booke compil'd,
They with the Stile of Shepheards are instil'd.
Thus God the Sire, and Sonne, the Scriptures call
Both Shepheards, mysticall and literall,
And by similitudes comparing to,
All Kings and Churchmen beare that tytle do.
| All the workes of Iohn Taylor the Water-Poet | |