A fig for Momus Containing Pleasant varietie, included in Satyres, Eclogues, and Epistles, by T. L. [i.e. Thomas Lodge] |
 |
To Master Michael Drayton.
|
 | A fig for Momus |  |
To Master Michael Drayton.
Epistle, 5.
Michael , as much good hap vnto thy state,As Orators haue figures to dilate:
As many crownes, as Alchymists haue shifts,
Briefly, so many goods, as thou hast guifts:
I heare some vpstart Rymer set a gog
By writing poems on the Lician frog,
Or Tithons Grashopper growes enuious,
And will be famous with Archilochus:
Alas for them that by scurrilitie,
Would purchase fame and immortalitie:
But know this frend, true excellence depends,
On numbers aim'd to good, and happie ends:
What els hath wanton poetrie enioy'd
But this? Alas thy wit was ill imploy'd.
What reason mou'd the golden Augustine,
To name our poetrie, vaine errors wine?
Or Hierome, (deeply sighted in these euils)
To tearme it nothing, but the food of deuils?
Nought but the misimployment of our guifts,
Ordain'd for arts, but spent in shameles shifts.
Looke as the sunne-beame in a burning glasse
But freely spred vpon th' ingendring earth,
Egs on the spring, and kils the cause of dearth:
So poetrie restraind in errors bounds,
With poisoned words, & sinful sweetnes wounds,
But clothing vertue, and adorning it,
Wit shines in vertue, vertue shines in wit:
True science suted in well couched rimes,
Is nourished for fame in after times.
Thou then sweet friend, grieue not though folly thriue,
Fame got by it, dies ere it is aliue:
Be thou a prentize to a blessed Muse,
Which grace with thy good words will stil infuse:
Oh let that holy flame, that heauenly light,
That led old Abrahams race in darkesome night:
Oh let that star, which shining neuer ceast
To guide the Sages of balme-breathing East,
Conduct thy Muse vnto that loftie pitch,
Which may thy style with praises more enritch.
They wash a More, they striue to drie the seas,
And plaine proud Atlas that intend to please,
By filthie words, by rayling and detraction,
Proper to Momus, and his hatefull faction:
For when they thinke they haue deserued most,
Alas saith wisdome, all this toyle is lost:
I must remember now, what followes next:
I haue perus'd, thy learned nines and threes,
And scan'd them in their natures and degrees:
And to thy choice, Apologie applie,
This sodaine tribute of my memorie.
And first for three, which Bartas wisely names
The first of ods, which multiplied, frames
The sacred number nine: Three doth include
The name beloued by beatitude:
Three doth expresse the lincke and vnion
That knitteth one to two, and two in one:
Three doth include his infinite in three,
And is the step to immortalitie:
Three hath his center of the second one,
His true beginning, and his end alone:
The true Pythagorists, (as I haue red)
Doe tearme the triangle, Mineruas hed:
And in their purifying bathing vs'd,
By threes, to sprinckle water once infus'd:
These threes so famous, are the steps to nine
Sacred vnto the Muses most diuine,
This number in proportions musicall
Is dissonant: and Astrologians call
The same Sinister for some secret worke;
Hesiodus in his Theogonie,
Vnder Styx, nine fould streame doth signifie,
The discords, and complexions of mans bodie:
Pierius Michael, if thou list to see,
Will tell thee more, this shall suffice for me.
Here must I needes abruptlie make an end,
Call'd to discourse with old Amintas frend,
When he is gone, and I get time to wright:
Thou shalt haue more, til then sweet friend goodnight.
| A fig for Momus | |