New Epigrams, and a Satyre Written by Ios: Martyn |
EPIGRAMS.
|
1. |
2. |
3. |
4. |
5. |
6. |
7. |
8. |
9. |
10. |
11. |
12. |
13. |
14. |
15. |
16. |
17. |
18. |
19. |
20. |
21. |
22. |
23. |
24. |
25. |
26. |
27. |
28. |
29. |
30. |
31. |
32. |
33. |
34. |
35. |
36. |
37. |
38. |
39. |
40. |
41. |
42. |
43. |
44. |
45. |
46. |
47. |
48. |
49. |
50. |
51. |
52. |
53. |
54. |
55. |
56. |
57. |
58. |
59. |
60. |
New Epigrams, and a Satyre | ||
EPIGRAMS.
1. To Time.
Graue Censurer of things long since ore past,Of present Actions, and what shall be last;
Thinke not amisse, that my vnlearned quill,
Hath spent some Minuts of thee, and so ill,
Ile thanke thy present patience, and in Time,
My Muse may giue thee thanks in better Rime.
2. To the Gentle Reader.
Most welcome Guest to these my homely Cates,If any thing my barren Muse relates
That may thy Palat or thy Stomacke please;
I wisht Ambrosia, (though a pulse or pease)
Here is no forc't, but voluntary dish,
And should be better, had I but my wish.
3. To the vnkind Reader.
Avthors that write, and Readers that suruey,Like Verbs do in their kinds themselues display:
Authors, we Actiue, Passiue, Common call,
Readers both wise, and weake of each degree,
In censure must like Verbs Deponent be.
But (fearing, least thy Censure should depraue me)
No Verbe (vnlesse a Neuter) I would haue thee.
4. To the indifferent Reader.
When as thy leisure (loathing idlenesse)From things more serious wils thee to digresse;
(Desiring change of fare) vouchsafe a looke
On these vnpolisht lines, which if thou brooke,
I ioy, yet feare thy expectation's crost,
Then is thy time, and all thy labour lost.
5. To Opinion.
I like each mans opinion, (those abated,Who wilfull are, and selfe-opinionated,)
Yet (Epigram) if such thou meet'st with any,
(I feare thou canst not scape them, th'are so many)
Tell them thine Author had a selfe Conceipt,
And in respect of that, their loues intreat;
Thus hauing sooth'd them vp, (and they apart)
Tell others that thou hate'st them with thy heart.
6. To Fame.
Swift winged Fame! the Spur of vertuous Acts,The Scourge of Vice, and mischieuous compacts,
The Messenger of Ioy, and good Intents;
The true discou'rer of sad Accidents.
Ile begge a Nothing of thee, (to reueale
Were labour to thee) doe my lines conceale:
Then if thou ere were't Author of a lye,
7. To Desteny.
You cursed Fates! that hinder good Intention̄s,And smother Goodnesse with decree'd preuentions;
Cease to seduce, set open Vertues Gate
To all that come; be not preiudicate:
And if you needs of things to come will speake,
Decree my Worke to perish, t'is so weake.
8. Mineruaes Ghost.
Contending once with Beauty and with Might,I was bereft of both, (though both my right:)
Vnhappy Censure! where the Iudge was blinde,
And could not see the beauty of the Minde:
Yet doe not quite neglect your worths (my Muses)
For he is blinde that should reforme abuses:
And wonder not though Schollers be so poore,
Rich Ignorance is keeper of their store.
9. To Venus Shrine.
Faire Goddesse Beauty, fairest of them all,To whom the Shepheard gaue the golden Ball,
We Virgins (loaden with that name) salute
Thy Shrine, our selues to Lust we prostitute;
Our Beauties are the fewell, our Desire
The Bellowes, that doe blow thine Incense fire.
O! knew they, Flowers once pluckt can grow no more,
They would not be so lauish of their store.
And yet (I guesse) tis done to this intent,
They may the longer time haue to repent.
10. A Drunkard. Ænigma.
The more I swallow, I the lighter am,the more a Beast, more neare a Deity:
When sober, poore; now wondrous rich I seeme;
er'st while I swam in drinke, yet now am dry:
Surely, thou art some Monster, or some Fiend,
Some monstrous Deuill, or some Deuils Friend.
11. To the poore Cobler.
Diuine Artificer! our Soles he mends,that walkt in euill wayes, and went amisse,
Confirmes their broken states with surer Ends,
sets them vpright againe: What pitty tis,
His peec't estate cannot keepe out the Wether?
Surely, he too much liquoreth his Lether.
12. A Roaring Boy.
Thou do'st coniure me, I confesse thou arta Sparke, or rather Flash of Chiualry;
If that thou hadst as good, as great a heart,
or were thy madnesse mixt with modesty:
Thy best discourses are but complements,
Thy mighty Oathes confirme small arguments;
Thou fearst' no mortall wight, and yet we see,
A silly Watchman often Counters thee.
13. A Player.
As King, and Subiect, now thou dost command,yet now (vnfortunate) dost Fortune serue;
Earst while, thou didst as great as Cæsar stand,
now art thou Irus (thus the Fates doe swerue)
Of others wits, thou onely art the Iay.
14. In Cornutum.
Thou dost complaine of ease, and dost neglectthy wife, because she's kind, yet didst thou know
A good thing common, is of more respect,
thou wouldst be kinder vnto her, (I trow.)
Then maruell not (thy wife be'ing free from scorn)
Though thou (her Head) be subiect to the horne.
15. A Carpet Knight.
Thou like the Fox, the Ape, the Lyon art,Thy words are wounds, thy tongue it selfe the dart,
Thou (like the Fox) dost tell the Crow he'es white,
To please his eare, and feed thine appetite:
Thou art the Ape of other mens affection,
And to their wils, thy words haue still reflexion.
Hauing beguil'd them thus (like Foxe and Ape)
Thou dost deuoure them, in a Lyons shape.
16. Mundus immundus.
Throughly fraught with wracke, and woe,Harboring each mortals foe,
Endlesse in vncertaine End,
Weaknesse and impatience friend:
Once vnspotted, pure within,
Rather now a Sincke of Sinne.
Let the mysery of this,
Draw our thoughts to seeke true Blisse.
17. An euill Age.
Virgill , of Mars, and ruthfull warres did treate,Ouid, of Venus loue, and peace did write,
Yet Virgill for his straine was compted great,
And Ouid for his Loue, was banisht quite,
No maruell then, if curtesie growe colde,
When Hate is prais'd, and Loue it selfe contrould.
18. Venus and Adonis.
What is the cause, that Venus (beauties Queen)Was alwaies with the boy Adonis seene?
I gesse the reasons, thus, because she knowes
That children cannot womens willes disclose.
She, that with Horns doth deck her husbands crest,
For her conuoy, A silly guide is best.
19. Mars and Neptune.
Mars , (God of battaile) Neptune (of the Seas)Falling at Ods, their wrath's nought could appease,
But sought reuenge on other each to take,
And by that meanes, their furies rage to slake,
Mars, (hauing led his troopes into the fields,
Which in the Winter, little comfort yeilds)
By Neptune was assaulted, who had made
The boistrous winds, and waters, to inuade
His Army, (weakely armed, to preuent
Those floods, that doe oreflowe the continent)
At which Mars rag'de, And causde that at a sup,
His Zerxean Army, drunke whole riuers vp.
20. A Gam'ster.
I much admir'de, that mong'st all other wightsCompos'de of earthly mould, and heauenly sprights,
Others (of all sorts) plentifully liue,
Yet (most vnhappie) Gamsters neuer thriue;
I guest the reason, Others: purchase land,
Their whole estate, on Moueables doth stand.
21. Epigram.
Egenus (when his owne estate was spent)To raise his Fortunes did a meanes inuent,
And finding, that by begging, many got
A faire estate, who scarse were worth a groat,
Beganne to begge, and got so true a vaine,
Nothing seem'd hard (by begging) to attaine.
And where his owne desert was wanting found,
Vrg'd others bounty (to bestow) a ground,
But he (that made of misery a sport,)
Was for his boldnes, whipt out of the Court.
22. Don Fashionista.
French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Indian Ape,A mighty linguist if his Clothes could speake,
A man, (yet of a most inhumane shape)
And wonder not if he his promise breake,
For he that hath engag'd vnto so many
His little Faith, hath left himselfe not any.
23. A contented mind.
I want and stand in need of Cræsus store,Yet I, then he that hath the most, haue more,
Yet neuer felt I scarcitie in Ioy:
He that is blest with true content of Minde,
No want of wealth, No misery can find.
24. A meere Richman.
Of what the earth, the Aier, the water can,(In their aboundant fulnes) yeild to man,
I haue the full fruition, And of pleasure,
I doe pertake in most superfluous measure,
Yet doe I seeme to pine for want of either,
The dropsie of my minde, content with neither.
25. A Citizen and a decaied Gentleman.
Seeing me walke forlorne about the Cittie,Thou seem'st to ease my heart with words of pitty,
And ask'st me what I lacke: yet, when I tell thee,
The very thought of curtesie do quell thee,
Alas, I want releife, and doth implore
Thy helpe, to lend a mite that ha'st such store,
Thou answer'st me, with Hence, you hinder those
Would buy, and for my wares their coine expose.
I am content with nought, yet say, twere faire,
Thou did'st not sell thy Conscience with thy ware.
26. A Womans Tailor.
Compos'de of many peeces, patch't together,Iay-like, from euery bird he snips a feather,
He doth not cut a shred thats out of fashion,
To keepe my Ladies woman free from passion,
Yet hath she reason for to runne ot'h score,
He neuer makes her loose enough before.
27. The Barbers Office.
A circumciser of those excrements,Which are enormous, or extrauagant
On Capitall or Barball lineaments,
Or wheresoere they are exorbitant.
And to be plaine; be pleas'd a while t'sit bare,
He will correct your worship to a Haire.
28. In Catum.
A little beast I am, And doe deuour,Contagious vermin to the Welchmens Cates,
A low and louing Creature to my power,
The first of each lines-letter more relates.
29. Painters and Poets.
Betwixt these two there lately grew dissention,Whether of twaine, excel'd in his Inuention.
The Painter, sets a good face on the matter,
Though not so true, but it might seeme to flatter,
And yet protests, against it, and disgrace,
Saying what he doth is before their face.
The Poet, (in a harsh Satyricke vaine)
Tels him he dawbes; his own the purest straine;
Yet yeelds to reason, and (by meerest fortune,
Meeting with me, my iudgement did importune,
My answer was; that Painters were confin'd
Onely to mortall shape, and there resign'd
But Poets were the Oracles of Fame,
Who long since dead, had liuing still a name,
To them I therefore did the conquest yeeld,
Who did remaine the longest in the Field:
Whether of twaine shall haue priority.
30. Loues Lunacy.
Before I knew what might belong to warre,I was content to suffer many a scarre;
Yet none could hurt me, till at length a Boy,
(Disgrace to manhood!) wrought my sad annoy.
This Lad (though blind) yet did he shoot a dart,
Which pierc't my brest, and lighted on my heart,
Yet did I feele no hurt; till from aboue,
I heard a voice say, Souldier, you must loue.
I like't it well, and in this pleasing veine,
I lost my wits, to get my heart againe.
31. A Puritan.
His name, doth shew his nature to be pure,And so it seemes indeed, precise, demure;
And yet, (in very deed) he's not the same,
Nor doth he brooke himselfe, but in his name.
He loues his neighbour and his neighbours wife,
And hates prophanenesse in anothers life.
He will not sweare an oath, yet to reproue
Those that doe sweare, the Spirit doth him moue;
I dare not say he will deceiue his Brother,
Nor were it fitting, when he may another.
32. To Mounsieur Melancholy.
What, not a word? what meanes this sad distraction?Thou look'st, as if thy brest were in confractiō,
what hast thou lost of late, som friend? som brother?
Or (one that is more deare then both) a Mother?
I like it well, and would it loth abstaine.
Fye purge it: Sir I thanke you, yet I feare,
I should be idle then, as oft you are.
33. To Romista a Traueller.
O sir, y'are welcome home; what sodaine changeAlter'd your minde, that so did loue to range?
Stood on your worth, as if you promis'd aide
Vnto those Gyants that did Ioue vpbraid:
What meanes this ragged outsid, inside passion,
Or (whence you came) is this the newest fashion?
If't be, tis old enough. Good sir forbeare,
Tis bad enough, you need it not to teare.
He that can liue at home, and thinkes it losse,
But must abroad, comes home by weeping Crosse.
34. Elementa non alimenta.
Cleere springing water, comfortable fire,All-clensing Ayre, and fruitfull mother Earth,
Against their Ruler (Man) they did conspire,
To punish his ingratitude with dearth.
The water (that did once refresh) doth chaok him,
The Fire (that v'sd to warm) doth scorch & smother
The Ayer (wherein he breathed life) infects him.
The Earth denies him food (tho once a Mother)
Then Man repents him of his foule abuses.
And heauen conuerts them to their former vses.
35. Gallen and Morbosus .
Morbosus doth complaine of strange effectsWithin him; fearing Gallen him neglects,
To morrow he'es as sicke as ere he was;
By chance he meets a friend, and him he prayes,
To tell him, what he thought of his disease;
Quoth he, thy purse is sicke o'th Plurisie,
Gallen must first cure that, and then cure thee;
Morbosus slights his friend, and waxeth poore,
And straight is cur'd of Sicknesse and of Store.
36. To Iulia.
Ivlia , with painting doth her selfe disguise,She faine would haue some colour for her vice,
And yet if any (spying it) should flout,
She bids him leaue, for feare she paint him out.
37. Iugatus and Liber,
Ivugatus by a chance with Liber met,And counsel'd him a second selfe to get;
(Quoth Liber) I am now my selfe and free,
Wouldst haue me seuer'd and in mysery?
No (quoth Iugatus) tis sweet harmony,
Where two affections ioine in vnity:
I, but (said Liber) is there any sence,
That he should suffer, that doth no offence?
At last they both agree'd, that Libers life,
Had greatest pleasures, and was free'st from strife,
Then he that's free, and liberty doth scorne,
Let him endure the Yoake, or (worse) the (------)
38. To Lucina.
Lvcina , when her lustfull daies were done,Desir'd to liue recluse, and like a Nunne,
But yet controlling this her rash intent,
She findes her liuing so, came by descent,
Her mother did to her this state Intaile
Nor dares she cut it off, for feare she faile.
39. To Flaua of her yellow Band.
Flaua , (once pure & white) is now grown yellow,To shew her fruitfull Vice is ripe and mellow,
Ready to fall at euery blast of winde,
Yet is her wit still greene, she nought but rind.
Yet Flaua this excuse hath still at hand;
Most brain-sicke men doe weare a yellow band.
40. To Verinus a Tobacco taker.
When first I saw the Chimney of thy noseVent smoke so fast, I then began t'suppose,
Thy Stomacke all on fire, which I to quench,
Made hast, and was halfe poysoned with the stench;
Then blame me not, if that I tak't in snuffe,
Thou should'st requite my loue with stinking stuff.
41. To Iocosa a Nightwalker.
I wonder much, why she in all things Light,Should loue to do her Busines in the night,
The reason; Foule within, without shews faire,
Though she be light her workes of darkenes are.
42. To the sharking Camelion.
Neuer the same, yet neuer out of fashion,A stranger still, though one of euery Nation,
Yet this one thing, I wish he would abhor it,
He alwaies owes his skin, or money for it.
43. Epigram.
As true as Turtle to her tender mate,Free in good-will, and furthest from debate,
Regardles of each wrong, or false surmise,
Easie to be intreated, sober, wise;
Impatient of delaies that hurt his friend,
Noe waies in fault, yet willing to amend,
Discreet, and Constant; Such a one as He,
Each man should wish his neerest Friend to be.
44. To Experience.
VVhen first I knew the easie difference,Betwixt my right hand, & my left, I thought
Me wise enough to taxe Experience,
And grauely to esteeme my little nought,
But when I could discerne twixt dark and light,
I saw my error, and was sorry too,
And setting weakenesse opposite to might:
The more I knew the lesse I seem'd to know.
At last, I was content to be a Page,
To graue Experience, perfited by Age.
45. To Silla a Trader.
If it be true, that Promise is a debt,Then Silla will her freedome hardly get,
She'l neither pay them all; nor part from any,
Yet she to satisfie her debts, desires
To yeeld her Body. (As the Law requires.)
46. In Vrbanum.
Vrbanus , long had liu'd a single life,And could not thriue. At last he gets a wife,
Yet had he still this care; of euill things
To chose the least, which least annoyance brings,
His little wife, (that had lesse modesty,)
Soone knew her husbands best Commodity,
And that she vented, at the best increase,
(She needs must thriue, whose trading neere did cease.)
Vrbanus glad, with such a wife he'd met,
That could by Night or Day their liuing get.
Neglects his trade, and doth himselfe maintaine,
By his wifes Commings in, (vnlawfull gaine)
At last her Trading failes, they both grew poore,
His litte Wife, was prou'd no little ( .)
47. To Auarus of his Argument.
When as I aske thee money, thou repliest,Beleeue thou hast, thou hast it, yet deniest,
What? is to thinke to be? thou saist, I hit,
Then I beleeue thou hast more wealth, then wit.
48. Of Arnaldo.
Arnaldo , free from fault, demands his wife,Why he is burthen'd with her wicked life,
Quoth she? Good husband do not now repent,
I far more Burthens beare, yet am content.
49. In Prodigum.
His father lately dead, hath left him all,(The tallest Cedar to the earth must fall)
This being knowne, he to the Mercer hies,
And with his Credit new apparrell buyes,
His Taylor fits him, and he doth bethinke,
How he may spend his Fathers masse of chinke,
Seekes out Companions, who not curious are,
With him in this his happy lot to share,
Those, of his Fathers Substance, are the Shadowes,
(As long as that will last) his neere Comradoes.
Fitted with those, his Worth desires a Page,
To light Tobacco for him on the Stage,
(For there he seldome misses,) next tis meete,
He haue a Mistres to salute i'th streete,
He gets a faire one, and I need not faine,
To say, the man the Mistris doth maintaine,
Yet is he proud o'th office, and doth get,
A Coach to keepe her Light-heeles from the wet.
This world must haue an end, the roring gallant
Hath spent a good part of his fathers Tallent,
And now he wants a Chapman for his land,
And that he sels, (though at the easiest hand)
To serue his present vse: He spends apace,
Till all is gone, (excepting his disgrace.)
Now doth he borrow, what before he gaue,
And when ther's nothing left would learne to saue,
His Mistrrs doth complaine, he's growne vnkinde,
And doth his wonted bounty, wanting finde;
His tyrant-Tailor, Mercer (merciles)
Doe haunt his Ghost, and threaten his distresse,
But he to pay his debts, pleads Pouerty.
He is arrested, and insteede of baile
Doth yeild himselfe, for suerty to the Iaile,
His Mates, and Mistres, all deny releife,
Onely his Page doth waite vpon his griefe.
50. To Nobodie.
Thou still art in the fault, though neuer knowne,Because thou art asham'd thy faults to owne,
Yet, if thou ere be taken in the fact,
(Till thou confesse them all) thou shall be rack't
And though Nobody did the fault commit,
Yet, Sombody shall surely pay for it.
51. Rusticus and Thraso.
A souldier, (for he seem'd to be no lesse,By wearing of a sword, and Idlenes.)
Meeting a Country fellow on the way,
Tould him he wanted meanes, (being out of paie)
And that it stood not with his worth to craue it,
But told him plainely, that of him hee'd haue it.
The Rusticke Swaine, (insteede of other Armes,)
Had but a Staffe, to sheild himselfe from harmes.
Nor would his rudenes suffer him to blush,
But swore he car'de not for his threats a rush,
And bid him doe his worst, He would not part
So easily from that which cost him smart.
The souldier (thinking much to be denide,)
Drawes out his sword, And wils him to prouide,
To yeild his purse, Or (if he thought it good
To saue his coine) to pay for't with his blood:
To vse a Staffe, as well as he a Sword)
Laid on apace, and sent his blowes so fast,
The Souldier had the worst, and at the last,
Was faine to flye. Then giue me leaue to aske,
Whether of these perform'd the Souldiers taske.
52. A broken Citizen.
A mercer first, And then (the trade him failingA Broker, first at whole sale, next retayling,
Yet still he Broke, nor need he on it stand,
For still he was a sauer by the hand:
At length he leaues his Wares, & goes to'th Wars,
His broken state, chang'd to skin breaking Scars.
But there he found, the difference to be great,
Betweene the City fare, and Souldiers meate,
Yet now, it was too late to flinch, or stray,
No man must thence, that once comes vnder pay:
Nor had he quite forgot his breaking veine,
But from the Campe, he once more broke againe,
Yet being taken (Martiall-law was such)
He straight was hang'd, for Breaking once too much.
53. Of Hircanus.
Hircanus (rather Hircius) is of late,Growne loose, lasciuious, and effeminate,
For leauing (what he once delighted) Armes,
He's drawne to loosenes by lewd womens charmes,
And in their Company, all day doth lurke,
Studying of nought but Tent, and Image worke.
54. Lifes Tragedie.
Fiue Acts, fiue Actors, (and the world the stage)Their persons for performance doe engage:
The King, whose watchfull care doth make a crown
Seeme heauy, and sleepes hard in beds of Downe.
Th' aspiring Statesman, whose ambitious Aime,
Doth to the highest place in Court lay claime.
The biting Vsurer, that grindes the poore,
And doth his Idoll-Deuill (Wealth) adore.
The needy Scholler, who himselfe t'aduance,
Doth flatter Greatnesse, and sooth Ignorance.
The poore neglected Begger, hauing got
His Almes, that rests contented with his lot.
But marke the Epilogue; Deaths fatall sting,
Doth make the Begger equall with the King.
55. To Logista.
Though guilty, yet in fault he will not be,And why? Lo: I'me not in fault, the fault's in me;
He's taken in the fact, and yet denies,
His Will did act (for who his heart espies)
And yet he is not freed against his will,
His heart and hand, doe therefore both act ill.
56. The louing Drunkard.
The Iay (wherein Bacchus most delights)Is consecrate to him, and to his Rights,
Because her louing nature doth embrace,
All other trees that grow but neare her place,
And so doe those whom Bacchus doth infect,
Professe them loue, whom (sober) they neglect.
57. Times abuse.
Each Creature, did complaine of some abuse,Offered by others, void of all excuse,
And vnto Man (as Iudge) they did complaine,
Of Time, who suffered such abuses raigne,
Man (an vnfitting Iudge in such an Act)
Iudgeth Time accessary to the Fact,
And wisht him to reforme what was amisse,
(Which Time effecting) made as now it is.
Then Time complaines of Mans abuses to him,
And for a reformation oft did moue him,
But Man that past (though past not for Times pleas)
Times Precious houres, doth add to wrong delaies;
And Time incen'st, sends forth his Sergeant, Death,
Man to arrest, and stop his vitall breath,
But Man, (growne old in sinne and age) did faile,
To make redresse; And Death would take no baile.
58. Of the merry Host.
Mine Host, to entertaine his weary Guest,Would now and then, put forth a merry Iest,
And did so please him, with his iesting veine,
His Guest resolu'd a while with him t'remaine.
But staid so long, vntill his merry Host
Had left no roome to score vpon the post,
And calling for a reckoning, Soone he found,
Hee'd much out stript his ordinary bound,
But ere he went, by Iesting this he got;
To leaue his horse (in earnest) for the Shot.
59. A Seruing man.
T'was said, he still was Idle, but we finde,He did of late his wits apprentice binde,
To study Complements, And can relate,
The newest fashion, which at Courts in date,
And for his graue discourse, the Coachman said,
He's growne infauour with my Ladies Maid.
He is an Imitator of the best,
But doth mistake a little in the rest,
Thinking his Maister loues him best of all,
When prou'd; his Mistris, when fantasticall;
Yet, this one Rule, seldome admits a Fallit,
He's Cast off (being old) to vse a Wallet.
60. To Superbus.
Thou think'st no man so good, or great as thee,Noe mortall, fit for thy society,
Vnles thou doe vouchsafe to take affection
To one, perchance will sooth thy imperfection:
Yet, but a little strike the swelling saile
Of weake Opinions selfe conceyling vaile,
And see wheron thou stand'st, (Propt vp by Clay.)
Thou soone wouldst steere thy Course another way
O; be not of thy shame, or weaknes proud,
Which at thy highest pitch, yeilds but a shroud.
And if thou needs wilt haue thy Birth proclaim'd,
Ile say, Thou art o'th finest Morter fram'd,
New Epigrams, and a Satyre | ||