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Wittes Pilgrimage

(by Poeticall Essaies): Through a VVorld of amorous Sonnets, Soule-passions, and other Passages, Diuine, Philosophicall, Morall, Poeticall, and Politicall. By Iohn Davies
Davies, John (1565?-1618)
  
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To the Right noble, and Highly honored Lord Phillip Herbert, Earle of Mountgomery and Baron of Shurland. &c.
  
Againe, To the same truelie-noble Earle, and his most honorable other halfe Sir Iames Haies knight, &c.
  
The Booke to Grauitie.
  
The Author to his Muse.
  
Of my selfe.
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(102) Inuentions Life, Death, and Funerall.
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Other Sonnets vpon other Subiects.
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(I) The Trinity illustrated by a three-square perspectiue Glasse.
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In praise of Poesie.
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5. Sonnets in ppaise of Emincacy or a publike Life.
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An amorous Colloqui twixt Dorus, and Pamela.
  
The picture of Formosity.
  
In Loue is no Lothsomnes.
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Essaies vpon certaine Sentences.
  
Amans quid cupiat scit, quod sapiat non videt.
  
Be not ielous ouer the wife of thy bozome, neither teach hir by thy meanes an euill Lesson Ecclus. 9. 1.
  
Non est eiusdem & multa & opportuna dicere. Erasmus Chiliad:
  
Qualis vir talis oratio.
  
When the ritch man speakes, euery man holds his tongue and what he saith is praised vnto the Clouds, &c Ecclus. 13. 24.
  
Upon Apparitions in the Night.
  
Suum cuique pulchrum.
  
Stultus stulta loquitur.
  
Candidæ musarum ianuæ
  
Written to my deere Friend Maister Nicholas Deeble.
  
An Epitaph, or what you will, on the death of Maister Meece an harmelesse professed Foole who shall decease, when it shall please God, and him, made at his ernest request.
  
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Other Essayes vpon more serious and sacred Subiects.
  
Mortall Life compared to Post, and Pare.
  
My Corollarie.
  
Written to the Right Noble, and well-accomplished Ladie the Countesse Dowager of Pembroke.
  
Againe to Hir.
  
Written to the right Honorable, and most iuditious Lord William Earle of Pembrooke that now is.
  
Meete not an Harlot, least thou fall into hir Snares. Ecclus. 9. 3.
  
Gratious is the end that ends all our paines.
  
Quotidie est deterior posterior dies.
  
Enuy is blind and can do nothing but dispraise Vertue.
  
Vincit qui pætitur.
  
Againe.
  
In vindicando criminosa est celeritas.
  
Blessed is the Man that doth meditate honest things by Wisedome. Ecclus. 14. 21.
  
Sic transit gloria Mundi.
  
Respice finem.
  
A blind man cannot see the default of his Eyes.
  
There is no greater plague then Boldnesse and Powr, when they are accompanied with Ignorance.
  
In iudicando criminosa est celeritas.
  
Fortuna vitrea est, quæ cum splendet, frangitur. Publi.
  
A Dump vpon the death of the most noble Henrie late Earle of Pembrooke.
  
I said vnto Laughter, what art thou mad? And to Mirth what dost thou? Eccles. 2. 2.
  
Omnium rerum vicissitudo est. Terence.
  
Difficilia quæ pulchra.
  
I long for Life, vnlike to Death.
  
An Ode in commendation of Musick.
  
Nihil tam bene dictum, quod non fuit dictum prius.
  
Inough's as good as a feast.

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Be not ielous ouer the wife of thy bozome, neither teach hir by thy meanes an euill Lesson Ecclus. 9. 1.

You that do choose your Wiues as sometimes I
Haue chosen Kniues: That is, for Beauties sake,
And in your Choise mind but Carnalitie
You make a Match to marre, and marre, to make.
Yee marre your selues by making such a Match:
Yet marre your selues, to make your selues but Beasts:
Then, in your turning Beasts, oft Hornes yee catch,
Which the Head beares, how ere the Hart disgests,

For, if you needs will VViue for VVantonnesse
Then needs you must haue VVantons to your VViues:
And if your selues so well loue Lusts excesse
Its fitt They loue what you loue as their liues.
But were they good by Kinde, their Kinde you change,
And make them ouerkinde, so, ouernought.
You learne them strange Tricks, and they teach as strange
To others, that do learne but what you taught.
Therein (like good Wiues) they divulge your Skill
Because you should bee knowne to be good Dooers:
Then blame them not sith they, for meere good-will,
Do show their Husbands Conning to their Wooers.
Nor, will they take to teach, but giue, to learne
Some other Tricks of others, skild therein:
Wherewith to please their Husbands, and to earne
Their Liuing if neede bee, for Slouch is sinne.
These Good-ones are made so, by teachers ill
(Too good at all things that are good for nought)
If their meanes fail; yet can thee liue by Skill;
Which being Light shall lightly well be wrought.
But ô fraile Fleshlings, Husbands, Hard-heads, Bawdes,
Note but the end of your laciuious Match:
Your Wiues gett, Emralds, Rubies, and such Gawdes,
Which you, of them, and they, of others, catch.
Shame, and Confusion (with a Pox) Disioynes
Your dam'd Coniunction, which doth quite deuide
From Heau'n, your Soules, from Health, your lothsome Loynes,
To teach eache Groome to choose a better Bride:
For, whosoeuer drownes his Spirit in Fleshe
VVhen hee doth handle Flesh, to fitt his gripe;
Shall serued bee with Trickes still fresh, and freshe
Vntill he stinck, as stale, or rotten-ripe.
And in thy Choise, thy Choise to handle so
Thou maist so well be seru'd; and serued well
Thou art, by hir, which thou didst Loue, to kno,
Not know, to loue, or loue, as knowen well.
I speake not of the Bralls, and Discontents
(That Ielousie, which still doth Lust belott,
Doth breede, twixt them, through their misgouerments)
Though they Want not; That is, they want them not.
Then lett thy Mistris bee what likes hir best

[Though Lust loues not to serue best Mistrises]
But let thy Wife (in whome thou wouldst be blest)
Bee farre from Trickes, and Toyes, and Fantazies.
And looke not in hir Eyes for Lookes t'alure
(Except thine Eyes b'alurd with modest Lookes)
But looke to see, through them, hir Spirit pure;
So maist thou coniure Spirits vp by those Bookes,
That may thy Hart to pure affection moue,
And in Loues Compasse, Compasse endlesse Loue!
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