University of Virginia Library

The Second Book.

Epig. 2. Epitaph on I. P.

But are you sure he's dead, and did you heare
The Screitch-owls voyce? else tis not true I feare,
Was the skie blasted and with thunder torne,
The Devil's seldome layd without a storme;
Yet like a fatall Comet though he's gone,
Ha's left behind a sad contagion.

Epig. 3. Catalines conspiracy.

It was thy praise, thou like a Chymist chose,
To work thy poysons in the smallest Dose,
Extract of Treason, Schismes Compendium,
Short-hand Sedition, and Rebellions Summe.
To thee the great Sejanus large soule fell,
As did great Pompey at Ericthos spell.

Epig. 4. Confident Carrus.

Thou saist thy wife flies him as her last houre,
And he to winne him to her hath no power.
I like thou art so well conceited on her,
But know, her last houre still doth come upon her.

Epig. 5. Richard the Vsurper.

Thy active braines ow'd to Prometheus much,
Like Sulphur they caught flame at every touch.
Quick thy contrivance was, thy Lamprey eyes
Where there were none, could make discoueries,
Discord thy musick was, and in thy Bed
Thou onely slep'st, when Stormes did rock thy Head.

Epig. 6. To Mr. E. C. on his Spolario.

As unsound men, who do with Feavers burn,
Do the best meates to their diseases turn:
So of all subjects, what was worst you chose,
Like a course searser, still the finest lose.
So the best viper wines, if you stir their lee,
And hony badly still'd will poyson be.

Epig. 7. The Spanish Armado.

Neptunes back crack'd so great a weight to beare,
The Monsters of the Sea affrighted were,
Their overthrow doth cause proud Spaine to quake,
Crying Jove once a Swan, is now a Drake.

Epig. 8. Borgias.

Most excellent villaine, thou that did'st do all,
And wer't more sin then we can think or call,
We now begin to love thee for thine ill,
As Drugsters Serpents which most venome spill.
And as from blackest clouds comes thunders light,
And the worst leprosie is alwaies white:
So thy foule crimes are with this honour clad,
That t'was thy glory to have been so bad.

Epig. 10. These Times.

Learning doth live in penury, and bare,
While fooles grow rich, and feed on daintiest fare.

Epig. 11. To Claius.

Claius , thou saist, I write too misticall,
Had better write for to be read of all,
I know not, but if some not understand,
Tis sure cause Ignorance hath most command;
But yet this is Ænigma unto me,
How thou shouldst find out such a Mysterie.

Epig. 12. Ovid banished.

Love break thy Bow, ye Muses sing no more,
For Ovids banish'd to the Pontick shore.

Epig. 13. On the two admirable witts, Francis Beaumont, and John Fletcher .

Cease Greece to boast of Aristophanes,
Or of Menander, or Euripides,
The Comick Sock, and Tragick Buskin we
Weare neatest here, in forreigne Brittanie:
Or if you list to struggle for the Bayes,
Wee'l fight with Beaumont's, and with Fletchers Playes.

Epig. 14. Ovid, to Augustus Daughter in the Person of Corinna .

OVID.
Since thou did'st deigne (Soule of my life)
Within these Walk's to dally,
Me thought I saw the Nine at strife,
All taxing Nasos folly.

CORINNA.
Tell them Augusta claimes thy love,
Whose farr superior looks,
Commands thy measures not to move,
And bids thee burn thy books.

OVID.
Should any to Augustus shew
The triumph of my fate,
How should unhappy Ovid know
For to preuent his hate.

CORINNA.
Timorous foole dar'st thou adore
My shrine, yet feare to be
Marty'rd, as others heretofore
For Love, and Venerie.

Epig. 15. To our Brittish Bards.

Tell me Sons of Levi, who professe
More of the Gospell though you practise lesse;
How dare you Boanerges, Sonnes of Thunder,
Untwist Loves knot, and break that bond in sunder;
While in the Pulpit you revive old Jarrs,
And re-imbroyle the Kingdome in new warrs;
Whiles you preach controverting points, and next
In parts divide the people with the text.

Epig. 16. Palladium Homeri.

Vertue, was the Palladium Homer feign'd
Kept Troy so long from sacking, and when gain'd
By the curl'd pated Greeks, then Illium fell,
(Juno conspiring with the powers of Hell)
Religion onely bringeth peace and glory,
It is the surety of things transitory.

Epig. 18. To my Friend Mr. E. R.

Friend, thou art farr above me, and do'st slight
Poetick Lays, wherein fond I delight:
For thou, whil'st I do Poems scrible, tak'st
Thy seat in Bacchus Temple, where thou mak'st
Lyæus flow, and quaff'st a health to those,
Who love (like thee) to drink and pledge in prose:
Yet at thy call the Muses come, tis strange,
That when thou wilt, thou canst thy liquor chang,
Aand tipple Aganippe, I must learn
Thy Art, but first would thy great gaine discern.

Epig. 19. To Mr. Davenport on his Play called the Pirate.

Make all the cloth you can, haste, haste away,
The Pirate will o'retake you if you stay:
Nay, we will yeeld our selves, and this confesse,
Thou Rival'st Shakespeare, though thy glory's lesse.

Epig. 20. A Pacification.

By Moses Law, he that desir'd to take
His Captive to his bed, meaning to make
His slave his Wife, must cleane cut of her haire,
Give her new garments, and her nailes must pare:
So let the Church of Rome repudiate
Her Superfluities; find her pristine State,
We two will be one flesh, hate banisht quite,
She shall be unto us an Israelite.

Epig. 21. Francis Spira.

Divines, and dying men may talke of Hell,
But in my heart her severall torments dwell

Epig. 22. Of Fame.

Oft have I wonder'd at it, yet tis so,
Fame, when she list her Trumpet lowd will blow,
Renowning some with wealth and eminence,
Onely for folly, and for Impudence;
And those, whose merits ought on earth ner'e die
She buries with them in obscuritie.

Epig. 24. Of Honour.

A time there was (but ah) that time is gone,
When pretious Honour was bestow'd on none
But such as for their valiant Acts did merit,
Or for their Learning Honour to inherit:
But Dastards now the Badge of Knighthood beare,
And Fooles like to the wise respected are.

Epig. 25. On the wondrous accident happening in Delf, a Towne in Holland (much frequented by Storks) which Towne being accidentally set on fire, the old Storks perceiving the Flame to approach their Nests, attempted to carry their Young ones away, but could not, they were so weighty, which perceiving, they never ceased with their wings spread to cover them, till both the old ones and young ones perished together.

The white hu'd Stork, that never toucheth bough,
Whom once the foolish Frogs did King allow,
Seeing her young in flames, oh how it paines her,
Shall she for them adventure life to lose,
Pitty bids her try, but feare restraines her,
Yet pitty her feare soon overthrowes,
And so one tombe, with her poore young, containes her.
Give place Arabian Bird, thou seek'st new breath,
By being burnt, but she sought onely death:
Learn hence Medea, from an Augurs tong,
To cherrish, and not to destroy thy young.

Epig. 26. An old Woman Letcherous.

Give over Beldame now to sport,
The young men will not thank thee for't,
Pull'st thou thy garments ner'e so hie,
They will not stoope for to descrie;
Prepare for to encounter Death,
And try to blast him with thy breath.

Epig. 27. Ben. Johnsons Play, called the silent Woman.

The reason why this play's not counted common
Is, 'cause it doth present the silent woman.