Ex otio Negotium :: :: University of Virginia Library

Tis true; when Adam in that perfect state
Of life, first went on wooing for a Mate,
Twas pure affection that his soul did catch
And love conjoin'd with God made the best match.
Vertue, not portion was the aim he sought,
For Eve had scarce a smock t'her back tis thought.
But when once Love and Adam were exil'd
Eden, Love soard to heaven, and man grew wilde.
And as his knowledg and that nobler light
He first received, were mufled up in night,
Then Avarice and ambition seiz'd the heart
And faculties depraved in every part.
Hence 'twas he tugg'd and travell'd to restore
That bless'd eternity he lost before.
As though when he fell mortal, God had hid
The Tree of life in earth, which he forbid.
Hence, hence he grip'd at lands, and moths, & rust,
And a large name deep written in ye dust.

Thus the blinde sons of men, as real heirs
Of his corruptions, drew their father's cares
And guilt in with their first breath, which sublime
And are intens'd in the decayes of time.
Thus matches took the High Cross, and of old
That golden age became an age of gold.
Hagling relations did their issues joyn,
Not to make Good, but to exalt the Line;

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And horse-course of their children at a rate
Ordain'd by them, not by the hands of fate.
And therefore Phillip's Asse laden with Oar
Shall sooner take Olynthe, than of yore
Those royal Macedonians, whose high parts
Lost their esteem against such sordid hearts.

If the fine thing with fancies ribboned,
And the gay tuft of feathers on his head,
(That perfect emblem of its empty brain)
Come rumbling with a Coach & dagled train
Of snaphāce-vouchers; can just smack its hād,
And call to read the catalogue of his land;
Run, hold & keep: For this, this, this is hee,
That storms, & takes & routs where ere he be.
To this Diana streight the Ephesians bow:
Or; squeez the wax; no matter where, nor how,
So the revenue & the joynture's great;
Tis never queston'd whether by Escheat,
Theft, or Disseisin, or the Orphan's tears
It were extorted and grew basely theirs.
But like the Israelites in the Devil's behalf.
Forsake God to adore the goodly Calf.

Then for that pretty trifle, that sweet fool,
Just wean'd from's bread & butter & ye school;
Cracknuts & Hobbihorse, & ye quaint Jackdaw,
To wear a thing with a plush Scabberd—law;
Whose Father's low-roof'd late-hatch'd Scutcheon can
Scarce speak him Saped into a gentlemam.

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Though at his great expence his armes took date
Last circuit from ye Herauld's poor estate.
Like a feirce Countrey Ale-house that renues
His Licence every Sessions, and so brewes.

But this swayes not the ballance: He has it
That's Vertue, Gallantry, & Worth, and Wit,
All truss'd up in a bag, and more yet to't,
For he that buyes him has the Pigg to boot.

And though he cannot speak sense, let it goe,
He offers at it, or else means it so.
His worship's will was good. If he incline
To any vice, as Swearing, Whores, or Wine;
Tis Courage, Youth's fling, or a merry Cup,
Such imperfections soon are sodred up.
If otherwise a clown; tis modestie.
Or simply lavish, tis good nature. Wee
Have vizards of all sizes, small or large,
If's greatness please but to be at the charge.

Thus Riches which were made man's slave to bee,
Have robb'd him of his native soveraigntie.
And captive beauties, like fair Barks long lost,
Are put to sale by th'Candle, who gives most.
Whiles Love and Honour languish at the door,
Most glorious pittied fancies, prais'd and poor.

But here yee groveling Muck-worms, yee that build
Like Ants in Mole-hills; & tye field to field;

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Which varying God's decree, by joyning hands,
Instead of marrying Children, wed your lands.
Tis true, you may pretend a busied care
In the advance and Tilting of an Heir:
And plausibly too; were the structure layd
Upon a noble bottom; humble, stayd,
Religious grace and worth met & combin'd
With th'active vigour of a gallant minde;
This were a pure cōnexion, sweet with good,
A heightning and refining of the bloud.
But the hog-trough wordlings from these measures flirt,
They love a great name though it's made of dirt;
To which the children are th'forc'd Seals and Signes
Of ship-wrack'd free-will in their Fathers loins.
The liberty of choice is quite flung by
With a Proviso of new property.
That primitive capacity of love
Which the all-seeing diety from above
Had plac'd in the sweet cabinet of the brest
Is now expuls'd by man, and dispossest.
Upon which breach Lust made an enterance there
Wch spreads its wide infection every where.

Come Worlding let me undeceive thee now.
If man's grand welfare hangs upon ye plough;
Or if there be eternity in pelf
And earth, that is as mortal as thy self;

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Then thou hast grasp'd to purpose. But if not,
The end of wealth's mistaken in thy plot.
Where much is given, much required shal bee.
Not what was left to thy posterity;
Or the by-issues of thy younger years;
But how & when thou stop'dst the widdowes tears
With timely charity; and reliev'dst the poor
With ready morsels frost-bound at thy door.
These are ye works & friends shall follow thee,
The rest shall live thy shame or infamie.

Nor would I have thy off-spring cast away
Upon each roving wit, that shall essay
Thy hopeful lovely viands, with pretence
Of some blinde far-hence-travell'd eminence.
Nor that unrighteous Mammon swels thy chest
And thee, let looss on every stragling guest.
But there's a mean in judgment, a mid course,
A difference betwixt a Man and's Horse.
A fair distinction, were not we too nice,
To moderate disdain and Market price.
Forestal not then the world, but let all live;
Some come to sell by weight, & some to give,
Love never measur'd by the Acre stood,
If we toll fairly, then the bargain's good.