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University of Virginia Library

The works of Anne Bradstreet in prose and verse

Bradstreet, Anne (1612?-1672)

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RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES AND OCCASIONAL PIECES.

To my Dear Children.

Here follow severall occasionall meditations.

For Deliverance from a feaver.

ffrom another sore ffitt.

Deliverance from a fitt of ffainting.

[What God is like to him I serve]

[My soul, rejoice thou in thy God]

[As spring the winter doth succeed]

Vpon my Son Samuel his goeing for England, Novem. 6, 1657.

[My thankfull heart with glorying Tongue]

For the restoration of my dear Husband from a burning Ague, June, 1661.

Vpon my Daughter Hannah Wiggin her recouery from a dangerous feaver.

On my Sons Return out of England, July 17, 1661.

Vpon my dear and loving husband his goeing into England, Jan. 16, 1661.

In my Solitary houres in my dear husband his Absence.

In thankfull acknowledgment for the letters I received from my husband ovt of England.

In thankfull Remembrance for my dear husbands safe Arrivall Sept. 3, 1662.

[In filent night when rest I took]

[As weary pilgrim, now at rest]

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[Mercury shew'd Apollo, Bartas Book]

To my dear Sister, the Author of these Poems.

Vpon the Author; by a known Friend.

[I cannot wonder at Apollo now]

In praise of the Author, Mistris Anne Bradstreet, Virtues true and lively Pattern, Wife of the Worshipfull Simon Bradstreet Esq;

Upon the Author.

Another to Mrs. Anne Bradstreet, Author of this Poem.

[So Bartas like thy fine spun Poems been]

VPON Mrs. Anne Bradstreet Her Poems, &c.

To her most Honoured Father Thomas Dudley Esq; these humbly presented.

The Four Elements.

Of the four Humours in Mans Constitution.

Of the four Ages of Man.

The four Seasons of the Year.

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[The four Monarchies]

The four Monarchyes, the Assyrian being the first, beginning under Nimrod, 131. Years after the Flood.

The Second Monarchy, being the Persian, began under Cyrus, Darius being his Uncle and Father-in-law reigned with him about two years.

The Third Monarchy, being the Grecian, beginning under Alexander the Great in the 112. Olympiad.

The Romane Monarchy, being the fourth and last, beginning Anno Mundi, 3213.

A Dialogue between Old England and New; concerning their present Troubles, Anno, 1642.

An Elegie upon that Honourable and renowned Knight Sir Philip Sidney, who was untimely slain at the Siege of Zutphen, Anno, 1586.

In honour of Du Bartas, 1641.

In Honour of that High and Mighty Princess Queen Elizabeth OF HAPPY MEMORY.

Davids Lamentation for Saul and Jonathan.

To the Memory of my dear and ever honoured Father Thomas Dudley Esq; Who deceased, July 31. 1653. and of his Age, 77.

An EPITAPH On my dear and ever honoured Mother Mrs. Dorothy Dudley, who deceased Decemb. 27. 1643. and of her age, 61: Here lyes

CONTEMPLATIONS.

The Flesh and the Spirit.

The Vanity of all worldly things.

The Author to her Book.

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Several other Poems made by the Author upon Diverse Occasions, were found among her Papers after her Death, which she never meant should come to publick view; amongst which, these following (at the desire of some friends that knew her well) are here inserted

Upon a Fit of Sickness, Anno. 1632. Ætatis suæ, 19.

Vpon some distemper of body.

Before the Birth of one of her Children.

To my Dear and loving Husband.

A Letter to her Husband, absent upon Publick employment.

To her Father with some verses.

In reference to her Children, 23. June, 1656.

In memory of my dear grand-child Elizabeth Bradstreet, who deceased August, 1665. being a year and half old.

In memory of my dear grand-child Anne Bradstreet.

On my dear Grand-child Simon Bradstreet, Who dyed on 16. Novemb. 1669. being but a moneth, and one day old.

To the memory of my dear Daughter in Law, Mrs. Mercy Bradstreet, who deceased Sept. 6. 1669. in the 28. year of her Age.

A Funeral Elogy, Upon that Pattern and Patron of Virtue, the truely pious, peerless & matchless Gentlewoman Mrs. Anne Bradstreet, right Panaretes, Mirror of Her Age, Glory of her Sex, whose Heaven-born-Soul leaving its earthly Shrine, chose its native home, and was taken to its Rest, upon 16th. Sept. 1672.

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236

The Author to her Book.

Thou ill-form'd offspring of my feeble brain,
Who after birth did'st by my side remain,
Till snatcht from thence by friends, less wise then true
Who thee abroad, expos'd to publick view,
Made thee in raggs, halting to th'press to trudg,
Where errors were not lessened (all may judg)
At thy return my blushing was not small,
My rambling brat (in print) should mother call,
I cast thee by as one unfit for light,
Thy Visage was so irksome in my sight;
Yet being mine own, at length affection would
Thy blemishes amend, if so I could:
I wash'd thy face, but more defects I saw,
And rubbing off a spot, still made a flaw.
I stretcht thy joynts to make thee even feet,
Yet still thou run'st more hobling then is meet;
In better dress to trim thee was my mind,
But nought save home-spun Cloth, i'th' house I find
In this array, 'mongst Vulgars mayst thou roam
In Criticks hands, beware thou dost not come;
And take thy way where yet thou art not known,
If for thy Father askt, say, thou hadst none:
And for thy Mother, she alas is poor,
Which caus'd her thus to send thee out of door.