University of Virginia Library

Letters & Epigramms

To my right & true freind Mr Ed: Lafeild. archd. of Essex.

Deare Sr, not for your name to tunes will sound
Of Rector—Arch—& prebendarie round;
Nor for some Mastership may chance to fall
Within the Close, close to your Cathedrall
(When êre it falls) Nor that you are in blood,
To that most exelent preist, lesse great then Good
Who in his highe & iust Meridian Light
Scatters the bold delusions of the night;
And strives t'vnblynd in all, as best he cann,
The Darkling papist: darling Puritann.
That Litle, but great Masterpeice of men
That achmè of our Ioyes. Ô Mactè then,
Crie Mactè to his Grace, & honour too
Which (though he thinks not so) I sweare, I doe.
For ciuile, (no Ecclesiastick end)
This Course lame ragge of fustian verse I send,
Wherein playne dounright honest hartspunn words.
The Inside of a Louing heart affords.
And for I mist in London where I drewe
And rung your bell an hop'd for enterveiwe,
This hasts to tell you; that I Loue you still,
And will; (for here I'aue absolute freewill.)
But more I cannot, for my Loue is such,
That putt the Word More to't, yt Word's too much.
Yet too much Loue can take vp no manns hart
To him that is of infinite desert.

On Corne

Corne swore his wife no felow had: yet spedd
At length, & found hir felowe, in his bedd.

On Madame Fine.

Fine Madams tongue 'gainst Plurall Liuings moves,
But Plurall Servants on hir Corps she Loues.
And yet but one the Right Incumbent proues.

Dialogue.

Shall Prigg your verses for his owne report?
Perchance he hath some order for't in Court.
No. you must take some order wth him for't.
Not I. Poore thing. He does it but in Sport.

Sensuall Loue: Will Senseles proue.

Thou thinkst thou Beautie see'st; But Cannst not knowe
Or butt beleiu'est Some foole that told thee so.
Suspend thy nose-witt, till flesh in hir Vrne,
Past nine muskcatts Lifes, to Sweet Powder turne.
Say thou mayst touch or tast: if that be all
Thy Loue is Brute, thou a meere animall.

Valedict: to Mr W: & Mr Thr. 1637.

To Duall freinds, both Singular.
Which neare, yet farr above me are,
Anone, Beyond me too, too farr.
Sr I this Angle's double theame,
For Rude, & Scornd; in darke to dreame,
(So cruell suddaine all bereft
Of two such gentle Lights) am left.
I can no more, no further veiwe
You, that is, him: him, yt is you.
Yet freindly Vantage hae's my Verse
To Looke, & good or badd reherse
Full in your face, vnblushing, &
To touch, to take, to kisse your hand.
Enioy your Sweetnesse all the way
And on you safe returnd to stay
Wayting, observing frowne, or smile,
Still hearkning how you like the stile.
And shou'd you turne it out of dore
It wou'd come backe againe for more.
(Which I shall never vnderstand
Vntill I see't vnder your hand.)
So passe it Sr So passing kinde
I might surpassing freindship find;
Freindship, alas! too rich a theame,
Forgiue me this; it is my dreame.
Which if you faire interprett, this
Poore dreamer, Sr Yr Servant is.

The Patchd Song. 1636.

The true Mercurialist.
That's th'Epigrammatist
Martiall, or Martialist.

Who at the Sharpe Penns Point, can Malice keepe
Splitt Envies gall; & strike Disgrace asleepe;
Whom Hermes armes wth Snakes & rodds; Derides
Him who long swords, him who short gunns prouides,
Charg'd with round Iron-bullet Ieasts, still goes
Cocksure; & clapps i'th bosome of his foes.

To his Detractour. for Versefying.

In Prose thy proud heart burst: & on ye Breach
May Surgeons hall, doctrine & Vses preach.
Or liue, from rotten lungs to Parbreake drosse
May bring thy neck at length t'endure a crosse.

On Ascension Day

Yee yt to starrs direct your curious Eyes
And send your mindes, to walke ye spatious skyes
See how ye maker, to your selues, you bring[es]
Who fixt his highest steps in humble thinges
And hauing man aboue ye Angells plact
The lowly earth more then the heauen hath gract
Poore clay, each creature thy degree admires
ffirst god in thee a liuinge soule inspires
Whose ghostly beames, haue made thee farr more bright
Then is ye sunn, ye spring of corp'rall light
Hee restes not here, but to himselfe thee takes
And thee deuine by wondrous vnyon makes
Where shall wee then finde out a worthy place
ffor his exalted flesh? heauen is too base:
Hee [scarce] would touch it in his swift ascent
The orbes flee backe (like jordan) as hee went
And yet hee daignd to spend some yeares on earth,
As payinge thankfull trybute for his birth
But now his body, all godes workes excells
And hath not place but god in whom it dwells]

To Mr Iohn Beamont

Desease & synne, wth wild vnmanly ryme
That vice (in one) and sicknes of ye tyme
Are catching all, & proofe, proclaimes ye last
A runninge plauge, it spreades soe farr, soe fast
But strong & healthfull verse, like vertue leaues
(Saue ye delight & wonder hee receaues)
No glad infection in ye learners brayne
To make him hitt vpon ye like againe;
How comes ye relish then, & charme of thine
To print such smoothnes in these lynes of myne?
My wordes so fyl'd, & beaten round & straight
fflow not alone in number, but in weight,
That weake discerning eyes at first may misse
And thinke thy webb, noe cleaner wrought then this
Noe cause of this saue strong desire in mee
But for ye Springs of art & nature bee
In thee soe mixt & swell soe cleare & high
All penns replennisht are yt can come nighe
I flatter not t'is but ye schollers parte
To celebrate ye master of his Arte
Our king, ye Poëtes king decrees thee soe
To whose just doome I strict alleagiance owe.

Divine Poems: Vpon the text of sacred scripture

When (Solomon) was vested in his throne
sole supreame souraigne; regent Lord alone
Hee craved wisdome did obtaine, the same
and their withall: an Indian stocke of gaine
Honour did hommage, did attend his throne
riches advancd him: more then anyone
Hee gaue his heart to gladnesse & to folly
madnesse did medicine, his melancholly
Let loose the reines vnto all sensuall lust
pampred his palate, to delight his gust
Dainties delicious vians fowles & fish.
alike all portiones in a Lordly dish.
Plays maskes & motions did bewitch his sight
with numerous concubines: hee spent the night
Such minstrallsy as the inchanter eare
of roaring revelists! did never heare
Hee and she singers with melodious notes
like phillomell turne warbling from his throate
Psallteries and timbales: stringed instrumentes
inchanting musicke for his solacementes
In stately structures: hee was much luxurious
in robes and rayment gallant extreame curious
Gardens like Edenfruits: and for pleasure
Vast miniralls of gold and silver treasure
When with theise delights: his heart had done
hee thus concludes: all vaine beneath the sun
Thus glutted with imaginary ioyes
his vexed spiritt disclaimed theise terrene toyes
Let thi[s suff]ice. by way of introduction
The sequell serues for solid sound instruction.
Remember (here) implies the morall law.
the decologue, to keepe mankind in awe.
The law (as in a glase,) doth cleare reflect.
What wee should: act & what wee should neglect.
Remember thy creator: in thy streng[th]
whiles thou art plumpe & young & life hath leng[th]
Not in decrepitt feeble doting daies
When faculties: shall faile. to sound his praise.
Things of concernment: our immortall state
must be remembred: early not to late
Tis dangerous to deferre: vntill tomorrow.
one day delay: may: cause: eternall sorrow
On paine of death: doe not procrastinate
Least barr'd of entrance, at the marriage gate
Remember now thy span: thy petite space
whiles thou hast sparing: in the day of grace
It were ingratitude of high degree
for to forgett the cause: created thee.
I meane the mighty god the grand creator
of the faire frame of all the world theator
Who in six daies did consomnate the same
That all his worke might magnifie his name
Man was the master peece of the creation:
made marvelously: surpasing admiration.
God ins good time in the creating season
endued man with vnderstanding reason.
Hee breathd in him: an everlasting spiritt
on tearmes of service. heaven for to in herritt
And man thus made; was last in mercy found
onely Christ blood can cure his mortall wound.