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Ivvenilia

Wither, George (1588-1667)

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[section]
  
[Loe this is he whose infant Muse begann]
  
TO The Reader upon these POEMES.
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ABUSES STRIPT and VVHIPT:
  
[dedication]
 1. 
To Time.
 2. 
Epigram. 2.
 3. 
3. To the Stranger.
 4. 
4. To the Satyro-mastix.
  
To the gald Reader.
  
To the impartiall Author.
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THE FIRST BOOK
  
THE OCCASION of this WORKE.
  
An Jntroduction.
  
Of Man.
 1. 
Of the Passion of Love.
 2. 
Of Desire, or Lust.
 3. 
Of Hate.
 4. 
Of Envie.
 5. 
Of Revenge.
 6. 
Of Choler.
 VII. 
Of Iealousie.
 8. 
Of Covetousnes.
 9. 
Of Ambition.
 10. 
Of Feare.
 11. 
Of Despaire.
 12. 
Of Hope.
 13. 
Of Compassion.
 14. 
Of Crueltie.
 15. 
Of Ioy.
 16. 
Of Sorrow.
  
The Conclusion.
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THE SECOND BOOK Of the Vanity, Inconstancie, Weaknesse, and Presumption of Men.
  
PRECATIO.
 1. 
Of Vanity.
 2. 
Of Inconstancie.
 3. 
Of Weaknesse.
 4. 
Of Presumption.
  
EPILOGVS.
  
The Scourge.
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Certaine Epigrams to the Kings most excellent Maiestie, the Queen, the Prince, the Princesse, and other Noble and Honourable Personages, and Friends; to whom the Author gave many of his Books.
 1. 
To the Kings Maiestie.
 2. 
Another to his Maiestie.
 3. 
To the Queens Majestie.
 4. 
To Charles, Prince of Wales.
 5. 
To the Princesse.
 6. 
To the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privie-Councell.
 7. 
To Henry Earl of South-hampton.
 8. 
To William, Earl of Pembroke.
 9. 
To the Lord Lisle, Lord Chamberlain to the Queen.
 10. 
To the Lady Mary Wroth.
  
To the Lord Ridgevvay.
 12. 
To his Father.
 13. 
To his Mother.
 14. 
To his deare Friend, Mr. Thomas Cranly.
 15. 
To his loving Friend and Cousen-German, Mr. William Wither.
 16. 
To his School-Master, Mr. Iohn Greaves.
  
To the captious Reader.
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Prince HENRIES Obsequies;
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To the Right Honourable ROBERT Lord Sidney of Penshurst, Vicount Lisley, Lord Chamberlain to the Queens Majesty, and L. Governour of Vlushing, and the Castle of Ramekins.
  
Anagrams on the name of Sir William Sidney Knight, deceased.
  
[section]
  
Epitaph.
  
To the whole VVorld in generall, and more particularly to the Iles of Great-Britaine and Ireland, &c.
  
[Death that by stealth did wound P. Henries heart]
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Prince HENRIES Obsequies;
 1. 
[Eleg. 1.]
 2. 
Eleg. 2.
 3. 
Eleg. 3.
 4. 
Eleg. 4.
 5. 
Eleg. 5.
 6. 
Eleg. 6.
 7. 
Eleg. 7.
 8. 
Eleg. 8.
 9. 
Eleg. 9.
 10. 
Eleg. 10.
 11. 
Eleg. 11.
 12. 
Eleg. 12.
 13. 
Eleg. 13.
 14. 
Eleg. 14.
 15. 
Eleg. 15.
 16. 
Eleg. 16.
 17. 
Eleg. 17.
 18. 
Eleg. 18.
 19. 
Eleg. 19.
 20. 
Eleg. 20.
 21. 
Eleg. 21.
 22. 
Eleg. 22.
 23. 
Eleg. 23.
 24. 
Eleg. 24.
 25. 
Eleg. 25.
 26. 
Eleg. 26.
 27. 
Eleg. 27.
 28. 
Eleg. 28.
 29. 
Eleg. 29.
 30. 
Eleg. 30
 31. 
Eleg. 31.
 32. 
Eleg. 32.
 33. 
Eleg. 33.
 34. 
Eleg. 34.
 35. 
Eleg. 35.
 36. 
Eleg. 36.
 37. 
Eleg. 37.
 38. 
Eleg. 38.
 39. 
Eleg. 39.
 40. 
Eleg. 40.
 41. 
Eleg. 41.
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Eleg. 42.
 43. 
Eleg. 43.
 44. 
Eleg. 44.
 45. 
Eleg. 45.
  
An Epitaph, Vpon the most Hopefull and All-vertuous Henry Prince of Wales.
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A supposed Inter-locution between the Spirit of Prince Henry, and Great Britain.
  
[section]
  
The Spirit leaves his Eccho, and speaks on.
  
A Sonnet of Death,
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A SATYRE, Written To the Kings most Excellent Majestie, BY George Wither,
  
The Satyre to the meer Courtiers.
  
To the Honest Courtiers.
  
To the Kings most Excellent Majestie.
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[subsection]
  
A Metricall Paraphrase upon the CREEDE.
  
To whō that he so much vouchsafe we may, Thus as a member of his Church, I pray
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Wither's Motto
  
The Explanation of the Embleme.
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Wither's Motto.
  
[section]
  
Nec Habeo, nec Careo, nec Curo.
  
Nec Habeo.
  
Nec Careo.
  
Nec Curo.
  
To Envy.
  
A Postscript.
  
An Epigram, written by the Author on his owne Picture; where this Motto was inscribed.

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316

A Sonnet of Death,

Composed in Latine Rimes, and Paraphrastically translated into the same kinde of verse; both by the former Author.

[_]

Latin verse has been omitted from this poem.

Hark, hark, Death knocks us up with importunity,
There's none shall ever make boast of impunitie.
The Doctor toyles in vain, mans life's not durable,
No med'cine can prevail, this wound's incurable.
What will the countenance of Lords or Noblemen,
Or idle peoples love help or avail thee then?
Nor the worlds bravery, nor yet Court-vanity,
Can stay this Monsters hand, foe to humanity.
317

He knows no reverence, nor cares for any state,
Sweet beauties move him not, thogh ne'er so delicate,
Princes must stoop to him, he rides on martially,
And spares not any man, but strikes impartially.
The rich-mans money-bags are no perswasion,
The beggers wofull cry stirs up no passion,
Hee'l not beguiled be by any fallacy,
Nor yeeld to Rhetorick, wit, art, nor policy.
His look's both pale and wan, yet doth it terrifie,
He masters any man, (alas, what remedy!)
Hee's nothing curious which way the measures be,
But all dance after him that heare his melody.
318

But wo! of all the rest this seems most terrible,
He comes when we know least, and then invisible,
Then quite there endeth all worldly prosperity,
Such is this lives estate, such his severity.
Then oh you wretched men! sith this is evident,
See you more carefull be, oh be more provident!
And when he takes this life, full of incertainty;
You shall live evermore to all eternity.
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