Handkerchiefs from Paul being pious and consolatory verses of Puritan Massachusetts |
 |
 | OTHER POEMS BY SAMUEL DANFORTH |
 | Handkerchiefs from Paul |  |
99
OTHER POEMS BY SAMUEL DANFORTH
101
From “An Almanack for the Year of Our Lord 1647 ... By Samuel Danforth of Harvard Colledge Philomathemat. Cambridge ... 1647.”
[March]
A Coal-white Bird appeares this springThat neither cares to sigh or sing.
This when the merry Birds espy,
They take her for some enemy.
Why so, when as she humbly stands
Only to shake you by your hands?
[April]
That which hath neither tongue nor wingsThis month how merrily it sings:
To see such, out for dead who lay
To cast their winding sheets away?
Freinds! would you live? some pils then take
When head and stomack both doe ake.
[May]
White Coates! whom choose you! whom you list:Some Ana-tolleratorist:
Wolves, lambs, hens, foxes to agree
By setting all opinion-free:
If Blew-coates doe not this prevent,
Hobgoblins will be insolent.
102
[June]
Who dig'd this spring of Gardens here,Whose mudded streames at last run cleare?
But why should we such water drink?
Give loosers what they list to think,
Yet know, one God, one Faith profest
To be New-Englands interest.
[July]
The wooden Birds are now in sight,Whose voices roare, whose wings are white,
Whose mawes are fill'd with hose and shooes,
With wine, cloth, sugar, salt and newes,
When they have eas'd their stomacks here
They cry, farewell untill next yeare.
[August]
Many this month I doe fore-seeTogether by the eares will bee:
Indian and English in the field
To one another will not yeild.
Some weeks continue wil this fray,
Till they be carted all away.
[September]
Four heads should meet and counsell have,The chickens from the kite to save,
The idle drones away to drive,
The little Bees to keep i'th hive.
How hony may be brought to these
By making fish to dance on trees.
103
[October]
If discontented Bellyes shallWish that the highest now might fall:
Their wish fulfilled they shall see,
Whenas within the woods they bee.
Poor Tinker think'st our shrubs will sing:
The Bramble here shall be our King.
[November]
None of the wisest now will craveTo know what winter we shall have.
It shall be milde, let such be told.
If that it be not over cold.
Nor over cold shall they it see,
If very temperate it bee
[December]
It maybe now some enemy—Not seen, but felt, will make you fly.
Where is it best then to abide:
I think close by the fier side.
If you must fight it out i'th field,
Your hearts let woollen breast-plates shield.
[January]
Great bridges shall be made aloneWithout ax, timber, earth or stone,
Of chrystall metall, like to glasse;
Such wondrous works soon come to passe,
If you may then have such a way,
The Ferry-man you need not pay.
104
[February]
Our Lillyes which refus'd to spinAll winter past, shall now begin
To feel the lash of such a Dame,
Whom some call Idlenes by name.
Excepting such who all this time
Had reason good against my rime.
From “An Almanack for the Year of Our Lord 1648 ... By Samuel Danforth of Harvard Colledge Philomathemat. ... Cambridge, 1648.”
Awake yee westerne Nymphs, arise and sing:
And with fresh tunes salute your welcome spring,
Behold a choyce, a rare and pleasant plant,
Which nothing but it's parallell doth want.
T'was but a tender slip a while agoe,
About twice ten years or a little moe,
But now 'tis grown unto such comely state
That one would think't an Olive tree or Date.
And with fresh tunes salute your welcome spring,
Behold a choyce, a rare and pleasant plant,
Which nothing but it's parallell doth want.
T'was but a tender slip a while agoe,
About twice ten years or a little moe,
But now 'tis grown unto such comely state
That one would think't an Olive tree or Date.
A skilfull Husband-man he was, who brought
This matchles plant from far, & here hath sought
A place to set it in: & for it's sake,
The wildernes a pleasant land doth make,
And with a tender care it setts and dresses,
Digs round about it, waters, dungs & blesses,
And, that it may fruit forth in season bring,
Doth lop & cut & prune it every spring.
This matchles plant from far, & here hath sought
A place to set it in: & for it's sake,
The wildernes a pleasant land doth make,
And with a tender care it setts and dresses,
Digs round about it, waters, dungs & blesses,
And, that it may fruit forth in season bring,
Doth lop & cut & prune it every spring.
105
Bright Phoebus casts his silver sparkling ray,
Upon this thriving plant both night & day.
And with a pleasant aspect smiles upon
The tender buds & blooms that hang theron.
The lofty skyes their chrystall drops bestow;
Which cause the plant to flourish & to grow.
The radiant Star is in it's Horoscope:
And there't will raigne & rule for aye, we hope.
Upon this thriving plant both night & day.
And with a pleasant aspect smiles upon
The tender buds & blooms that hang theron.
The lofty skyes their chrystall drops bestow;
Which cause the plant to flourish & to grow.
The radiant Star is in it's Horoscope:
And there't will raigne & rule for aye, we hope.
At this tree's roots Astræa sits and sings
And waters it, whence upright JUSTICE springs,
Which yearly shoots forth Lawes & Libertyes,
That no mans Will or Wit may tyrannize.
Those Birds of prey, who somtime have opprest
And stain'd the Country with their filthy nest,
Justice abhors; & one day hopes to finde
A way to make all promise-breakers grinde.
And waters it, whence upright JUSTICE springs,
Which yearly shoots forth Lawes & Libertyes,
That no mans Will or Wit may tyrannize.
Those Birds of prey, who somtime have opprest
And stain'd the Country with their filthy nest,
Justice abhors; & one day hopes to finde
A way to make all promise-breakers grinde.
On this tree's top hangs pleasant LIBERTY,
Not seen in Austria, France, Spain, Italy.
Some fling their swords at it, their caps some cast
In Britain 't will not downe, it hangs so fast.
A loosnes (true) it breeds (Galen ne'er saw)
Alas! the reason is, men eat it raw.
True Liberty's there ripe, where all confess
They may do what they will, but wickednes.
Not seen in Austria, France, Spain, Italy.
Some fling their swords at it, their caps some cast
In Britain 't will not downe, it hangs so fast.
A loosnes (true) it breeds (Galen ne'er saw)
Alas! the reason is, men eat it raw.
True Liberty's there ripe, where all confess
They may do what they will, but wickednes.
PEACE is another fruit; which this tree bears,
The cheifest garland that this Country wears,
Which over all house-tops, townes, fields doth spread,
And stuffes the pillow for each weary head.
It bloom'd in Europe once, but now 't is gon:
And's glad to finde a desart-mansion.
Thousands to buye it with their blood have sought
But cannot finde it; we ha't here for nought.
The cheifest garland that this Country wears,
Which over all house-tops, townes, fields doth spread,
And stuffes the pillow for each weary head.
It bloom'd in Europe once, but now 't is gon:
And's glad to finde a desart-mansion.
106
But cannot finde it; we ha't here for nought.
In times of yore, (some say, it is no ly)
There was a tree that brought forth UNITY.
It grew a little while, a year or twain,
But since 'twas nipt, 't hath scarce been seen again,
Till some here sought it, & they finde it now
With trembling for to hang on every bough.
At this faire fruit, no wonder, if there shall
Be cudgells flung sometimes, but 't will not fall.
There was a tree that brought forth UNITY.
It grew a little while, a year or twain,
But since 'twas nipt, 't hath scarce been seen again,
Till some here sought it, & they finde it now
With trembling for to hang on every bough.
At this faire fruit, no wonder, if there shall
Be cudgells flung sometimes, but 't will not fall.
Forsaken TRUTH, Times daughter, groweth here.
(More pretious fruit, what tree did ever beare?)
Whose pleasant sight aloft hath many fed,
And what falls down knocks Error on the head.
Blinde Novio sayes, that nothing here is True,
Because (thinks he) no old thing can be new.
Alas poor smoaky Times, that can't yet see,
Where Truth doth grow, on this or on that Tree.
(More pretious fruit, what tree did ever beare?)
Whose pleasant sight aloft hath many fed,
And what falls down knocks Error on the head.
Blinde Novio sayes, that nothing here is True,
Because (thinks he) no old thing can be new.
Alas poor smoaky Times, that can't yet see,
Where Truth doth grow, on this or on that Tree.
Few think, who only hear, but doe not see,
That PLENTY groweth much upon this tree.
That since the mighty COW her crown hath lost,
In every place shee's made to rule the rost:
That heaps of Wheat, Pork, Bisket, Beef & Beer,
Masts, Pipe-staves, Fish should store both farre & neer:
Which fetch in Wines, Cloth, Sweets & good Tobacc-
O be contented then, you cannot lack.
That PLENTY groweth much upon this tree.
That since the mighty COW her crown hath lost,
In every place shee's made to rule the rost:
That heaps of Wheat, Pork, Bisket, Beef & Beer,
Masts, Pipe-staves, Fish should store both farre & neer:
Which fetch in Wines, Cloth, Sweets & good Tobacc-
O be contented then, you cannot lack.
Of late from this tree's root within the ground
Rich MINES branch out, Iron & Lead are found,
Better then Peru's gold or Mexico's
Which cannot weapon us against our foes,
Nor make us howes, nor siths, nor plough-shares mend:
Without which tools mens honest lives would end.
Some silver-mine, if any here doe wish,
They it may finde i' th' bellyes of our fish.
Rich MINES branch out, Iron & Lead are found,
Better then Peru's gold or Mexico's
Which cannot weapon us against our foes,
107
Without which tools mens honest lives would end.
Some silver-mine, if any here doe wish,
They it may finde i' th' bellyes of our fish.
But lest this Olive plant in time should wither,
And so it's fruit & glory end togither,
The prudent Husband-men are pleas'd to spare
No work or paines, no labour, cost or care,
A NURSERY to plant, with tender sprigs,
Young shoots & sprouts, small branches, slips & twigs;
Whence timely may arise a good supply
In room of sage & aged ones that dye.
And so it's fruit & glory end togither,
The prudent Husband-men are pleas'd to spare
No work or paines, no labour, cost or care,
A NURSERY to plant, with tender sprigs,
Young shoots & sprouts, small branches, slips & twigs;
Whence timely may arise a good supply
In room of sage & aged ones that dye.
The wildest SHRUBS, that forrest ever bare,
Of late into this Olive, grafted are.
Welcome poor Natives, from your salvage fold.
Your hopes we prize above all Western gold.
Your pray'rs, tears, knowledge, labours promise much,
Wo, if you be not, as you promise, such.
Sprout forth, poor sprigs, that all the world may sing
How Heathen shrubs kisse Jesus for their King.
Of late into this Olive, grafted are.
Welcome poor Natives, from your salvage fold.
Your hopes we prize above all Western gold.
Your pray'rs, tears, knowledge, labours promise much,
Wo, if you be not, as you promise, such.
Sprout forth, poor sprigs, that all the world may sing
How Heathen shrubs kisse Jesus for their King.
108
From “An Almanack for the Year of Our Lord 1649 ... By Samuel Danforth of Harvard Colledge Philomathemat: ... Cambridge. 1649.
In Englands armes, an Orphan once did sit:
The question was, what should be done with it?
Its Step-dame mercilesse would have it sent
To th' wildernes; the rest all said, content.
But when the Fathers Bowels did foresee,
What sorrows in the wildernes should bee,
He went with it: and when through scarcity
It cry'd, he heard, & streight-way sent supply.
The question was, what should be done with it?
Its Step-dame mercilesse would have it sent
To th' wildernes; the rest all said, content.
But when the Fathers Bowels did foresee,
What sorrows in the wildernes should bee,
He went with it: and when through scarcity
It cry'd, he heard, & streight-way sent supply.
A four-horn'd Beast this Orphan spying here,
Threatned forthwith in peices it to teare.
Whose hornes not able for to tosse & gore,
This Hand shall reach, said he, the Ocean o're.
A kennell of stout hounds awakened then,
And scar'd this little creature to his den.
But lest the Orphan should it alway dread,
The hunters hand cut off his horned head.
Threatned forthwith in peices it to teare.
Whose hornes not able for to tosse & gore,
This Hand shall reach, said he, the Ocean o're.
A kennell of stout hounds awakened then,
And scar'd this little creature to his den.
But lest the Orphan should it alway dread,
The hunters hand cut off his horned head.
No sooner was an house here built, to keep
This Out-cast dry, where it might rest & sleep,
But now an Airy thing above all men
Would have roofs, walls, foundations down agen,
(And shook them sore) that so by rents & strife
Without all house-room, it might end its life.
Which when the Builders saw, they drave it hence:
Wherein appear'd a special providence.
This Out-cast dry, where it might rest & sleep,
But now an Airy thing above all men
Would have roofs, walls, foundations down agen,
(And shook them sore) that so by rents & strife
Without all house-room, it might end its life.
Which when the Builders saw, they drave it hence:
Wherein appear'd a special providence.
109
But by & by, grave Monanattock rose,
Grim Sasacus with swarms of Pequottoes,
Who smote our hindermost, whose arrows stung,
Who vow'd with English blood their ground to dung.
But Mistick flames & th' English sword soon damps
This rampant crue; pursues them in their swamps,
And makes them fly their land with fear & shame:
That th' Indians dread is now the English name.
Grim Sasacus with swarms of Pequottoes,
Who smote our hindermost, whose arrows stung,
Who vow'd with English blood their ground to dung.
But Mistick flames & th' English sword soon damps
This rampant crue; pursues them in their swamps,
And makes them fly their land with fear & shame:
That th' Indians dread is now the English name.
Just when these hounds first bit, Truth suffers scorne,
Strange errours bark, the devil winds his horne
And blows men almost wilde; Opinion
Within the house would mistresse it alone.
The poyson kills, makes light, loose, high, divides,
And would have broke to factions, fractions, sides.
The Thrones were therefore set, and in that day
When Pequots fly, Opinion hasts away.
Strange errours bark, the devil winds his horne
And blows men almost wilde; Opinion
Within the house would mistresse it alone.
The poyson kills, makes light, loose, high, divides,
And would have broke to factions, fractions, sides.
The Thrones were therefore set, and in that day
When Pequots fly, Opinion hasts away.
Great Earth-quakes frequently (as one relates)
Forerun strange plagues, dearths, wars & change of states,
Earths shaking sits [fits?] by venemous vapours here,
How is it that they hurt not, as elsewhere!
Succeeding ages may interpret well,
What those mutations are, which these foretell.
Some think that now they hurt not any men:
But only those who were not shaken then.
Forerun strange plagues, dearths, wars & change of states,
Earths shaking sits [fits?] by venemous vapours here,
How is it that they hurt not, as elsewhere!
Succeeding ages may interpret well,
What those mutations are, which these foretell.
Some think that now they hurt not any men:
But only those who were not shaken then.
The birds consulted once, who should appear
Against their enemies in battel heer.
To strip us of our food was first the plot:
Upon the Pigeons therefore fell the lot.
Their troops were numberles, darkning the skies,
Spoyling the fields in dreadfull companies,
When to their losse they thus had took much prey,
One sounds retrait, apace they haste away.
Against their enemies in battel heer.
To strip us of our food was first the plot:
Upon the Pigeons therefore fell the lot.
110
Spoyling the fields in dreadfull companies,
When to their losse they thus had took much prey,
One sounds retrait, apace they haste away.
The high & mighty states conspired, how
To cut off all the English at a blow.
Be wise, look noble Uncas unto it:
Thou canst scarce save thyself by Foxens wit,
And by thy fall comes in the English wo,
If it may be by Miantonimo.
Brave Uncas thinks, he is too high, by th' head,
And cuts it off; so wee delivered.
To cut off all the English at a blow.
Be wise, look noble Uncas unto it:
Thou canst scarce save thyself by Foxens wit,
And by thy fall comes in the English wo,
If it may be by Miantonimo.
Brave Uncas thinks, he is too high, by th' head,
And cuts it off; so wee delivered.
Armies of earthly Angels then arose,
Who from her crown the Summer would depose.
They march in mighty troops, from place to place:
Pitcht fields fell down before their grizly face.
It past all humane skill, how to engage
The fowles against the caterpillers rage;
But suddenly to-flight, they all prepare;
No man knows how, unles it was by pray'r.
Who from her crown the Summer would depose.
They march in mighty troops, from place to place:
Pitcht fields fell down before their grizly face.
It past all humane skill, how to engage
The fowles against the caterpillers rage;
But suddenly to-flight, they all prepare;
No man knows how, unles it was by pray'r.
An Arrow at noon day here once did fly,
Which wounded every man & family.
This poyson soon the Body overspread,
And seiz'd upon the spirits, lungs & head.
'T is strange, such brittle vessels did not break,
When as the strongest scarce could help the weak.
How most were heal'd, some doe not understand,
'Twas by a touch of one Physicians hand.
Which wounded every man & family.
This poyson soon the Body overspread,
And seiz'd upon the spirits, lungs & head.
'T is strange, such brittle vessels did not break,
When as the strongest scarce could help the weak.
How most were heal'd, some doe not understand,
'Twas by a touch of one Physicians hand.
While Europe burnes & broiles & dyes in flames,
And Englands sobs are heard from Tweed to Thames;
While Irelands ashes up and down do fly,
And Scotlands tears run down aboundantly:
While poor Barbados cryes; the Pestilence!
And Virgins-land thrusts out her sons from thence;
The worthles Orphan may sit still and blesse,
That yet it sleeps in peace and quietnes.
And Englands sobs are heard from Tweed to Thames;
111
And Scotlands tears run down aboundantly:
While poor Barbados cryes; the Pestilence!
And Virgins-land thrusts out her sons from thence;
The worthles Orphan may sit still and blesse,
That yet it sleeps in peace and quietnes.
A Prognostication
The morning Kings may next ensuing year,With mighty Armies in the aire appear,
By one mans means there shall be hither sent
The Army, Citty, King and Parliament.
Two that have travel'd round about the earth,
Shall by their coming here prevent a dearth.
A Child but newly born, shall then foretell
Great changes in a Winding-sheet; Farewell.
| Handkerchiefs from Paul | |