University of Virginia Library

To The Reader.

By diuers importun'd to this,
I send it foorth, such as it is.
This idle Arte that lets it thriue
Was Midwife to the Abortiue:
Doe dandle, knock it on the head,
All one to me aliue or dead.
The Musists, though themselues they please,
Their Dotage els finds Meede nor Ease:
Vouch't Spencer in that Ranke preferd,
Per Accidens, only interr'd
Nigh Venerable Chaucer, lost,
Had not kinde Brigham reard him Cost,
Found next the doore Church-outed neere,
And yet a Knight, Arch-Lauriat Heere.
Adde Stows late antiquarious Pen,
That annald for vngratefull Men:
Next Chronicler omit it not,
His licenc't Basons little got:
Liu'd poorely where he Trophies gaue,
Lies poorely There in notelesse graue.
As These in Theirs, so we in Ours,
And who write best lose better houres,
And most-what but for Nods doe cense
Saints, senselesse of more Recompence.
No maruell, Poëtrie seemes gon
To Bedlam now from Helicon.
Yea most her Priests Intemperature
So diffreth from their Literature,
Their Literature obscenously
So suteth to Scurrilitie,
As if, Aonides, it hold,
You from your sacred Hill of old
Pierides will dare to skold.
Mnomosynes, retract I this,
Ambrosia sweete and Nectar is
Your food, and yee eterniz'd liue,
Not as yee take, but as yee giue.
Inuested with Imperiall Robe,
Or circumfer'd the varied Globe,
Arts, Armes, or what, for what, or who,
Out-liues one Age vnles by you?
For Homer, at Achillis Tombe,
This blist did Alexander doome.
In Mysteries oft as in those
Ilias, Trans-shapes, Æneidos,
In patent Letter also ye
Make longest dead aliue to be.
Thrice-noble Thrice Three Ioues high Breede,
How happie ye whom happiest neede?
Nor sleepeth your Anagraphie
The sensuall Follies of the Hie,
Nor crested Chorles that for Coynes skill,
More Standings heare than Bellies fill,
Nor those could wish ye them passe-by
As if a dungled Asse should die.
Yet he that fierd th' Ephesian Phane
Did it your Pens-Report to gaine:
As Faux, that him might scorne Compeere
For Proiect more prodigious heere.
Thus vertuous and prophane, in sew,
Haue Perpetuitie from you,
Praisd or dispraisd examplarlie,
So profiting Posteritie.
Sixe passed Presses past vs ill,
As, not vnlikely, this Presse will.
Muse, that twi-bucketted hast bin,
Emptedst poore wit poore winde to win,
Twice towredst to a seuerall Steeple,
Didst kenne no Patrons but the People,
Shunne Eares vnarted, rude, precise,
Seeke Loues that ours shall sympathize.