Peace With Her Fovre Garders :: :: University of Virginia Library

Peace With Her Fovre Garders

Viz. Fiue Morall Meditations: Of Concord, Chastitie, Constancie. Courtesie. Grauitie [by Robert Aylett]

Aylett, Robert (1583-1655?)

[section]

[Some loathing Peace, wish Warre, because vnknowne]

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, Iohn, LORD BISHOP of Lincoln, Lord Keeper of the Great Seale, and one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuy Councell.

To the curious Reader.

Meditation I. Of Peace and Concord.

Meditation 2. Of Chastitie.

Meditation 3. Of Constancy.

Meditation 4. Of Courtesie, or Humanity.

Meditation 5. Of Grauitie.

To the Author.

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

Eschew euill, and doe good, seeke Peace and ensue it.

[Some loathing Peace, wish Warre, because vnknowne]

Some loathing Peace, wish Warre, because vnknowne,
To them Peace is like Manna, common growne:
I such doe wish to trauell out, and see
Their Countries Blisse, by others misery.
Peace types vs out the Blisse of our Creation,
Warres shew our fall from Glory to damnation:
All Warriours since, which seeke immortall fame,
Must fight for Peace, or merit Hell and shame.
Sweet Peace to Subiects doth all blessings bring,
Immortall honour to a mortall King;
The Uertues foure, which doe on Peace attend,
Her Body guard, as still doth them defend:
For nothing sets a Kingdomes Peace so fast,
As Courtiers constant, courteous, graue & chaste.

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, Iohn, LORD BISHOP of Lincoln, Lord Keeper of the Great Seale, and one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuy Councell.

Thou great Peace-Keeper, whom the greatest King,
That our great God of Peace did euer bring
To rule these Westerne Iles, in happy Peace,
For Honours, Arts, and Piety's increase,
Thou, whom this mighty Monarch doth intrust
With his Great Seale, as Prudent, Faithfull, Iust;
God to thy outward blisse, adde inward Peace,
That Goodnes with th' Greatnesse may increase.
May but thine actiue Spirit now descend
Frō high affaires, and high-straind thoughts vnbend,
To walke in Muses gardens delicate;
Wisest Apollo thou shalt imitate,
And Martiall Pallas, whom the Poets faine
To leaue Olympus Mount for Tempe-plaine:
Thus Dauid leaues his Throne, to sit with Graces,
The Preacher after Trauels, Hymen paces.

These Precedents imboldned haue my Muse,
For Patron of the Graces, thee to chuse,
Whom great Augustus with his Seale doth grace;
Oh be a true Mecenas in thy place:
Seale vp for euer Ianus Temple doore,
And let Bellona's voice be heard no more:
I of some Graces onely meditate,
But they are all in thee habituate;
Then my defects excuse; when we oppose
Darknesse to Light; the day more glorious showes.

Your Lordships humble seruant, Robert Aylet.

To the curious Reader.

Prophaner Michols will be censuring
Eu'n Dauid, if hee doe but dance and sing
Before the Arke: Then how should holy Rimes
Escape the Iawes of these Censorious times?

Meditation I. Of Peace and Concord.

When first Worlds great Creatour fashioned
This little Mansion for our Soules of Clay;
Man in his image he so ordered,
He had both Will and Power to obay:
Thus this sweet concord might haue lasted ay,
If to his Power, had been ioynd his Will,
Which failing in Obedience to stay,
He brake the Peace, whereby he all did fill
With Fury, Warres and Strifes, which doe continue still.

Thus, by mans wilfull fault, Hostility
Betweene him and his Maker first began,
Such breach hath Sinne made with the Deity,
As reconcile, not all the creatures can:
Besides, they all are Foes become to man,
For that he 'gainst their Maker did rebell:
Poore Adam, guilty, naked, wo and wan,
The Noise of God to couert doth compell:
A guilty Conscience is more terrible than hell.

Adam eu'n then did feele a double paine,
One paine of Losse, another paine of Sense,
And now against him Battailes all maintaine,
Heau'n, Hell, World, Creatures, Wife and Conscience,
Are out with him for Disobedience:
Till God, who first elected Man in Loue,
For mercies sake, now by Obedience,
From him doth paine of Losse, and Sense remoue,
And brings to endlesse Peace, and rest, in heau'n aboue.

Of wondrous value is this Pearle of Peace,
Which to redeeme, the Lord of Life was sold,
Most sweet peace-offring; when for our release
Christs precious bloud was as a ransome told.
Not that we heere should Peace and quarter hold
With Hell, World, Lust, true Peace's mortall foes:
Such Peace doth vs in dang'rous warres infold:
Except we these most valiantly oppose,
For seeming Peace on earth, we doe the heau'nly lose.

Therefore the great Peace-maker did not come
To send vs Peace on earth, but Swords and Strife;
Debate betwixt the Father and the Sonne,
Mother and Daughter, Husband and the Wife:
Perpetuall warfare is a Christians life,
With Armes and Weapons, he must fortifie
Against his foes, which will assaile him rife:
Right end of Warres and all hostility,
Is gaine of happy Peace, and sweet tranquillity.

Thou, that before, through warres and dread affray,
Hast for vs enter'd on true Peace and rest,
By thine owne bloudy wounds vs op'ning way,
And paines, wherewith thy foes did thee infest;
Inspire sweet heau'nly peace into my brest,
That thence, as from a Lymbick may distill
Sweet drops of peace, on hearts that are opprest,
And with true loue of heau'nly peace so fill,
As feeling her sweet Good, they neuer faint for ill.

Peace may be call'd the minds serenity,
The concord of th' affections and the will,
The Band of Loue, the hearts simplicity,
The Soules chiefe good, the conscience free from ill;
Thus is she simply: but if so you will
Discerne her nature plainer; we diuide
Her by the friends, to whom she beares good-will,
Thus we in Peace with God doe first abide,
Next, with our selues, and, last with all the world beside.

And yet this peace with God, our selues, and men,
Is but one, and the same true heau'nly peace:
That happy peace, we haue with God, is when
We freed by Faith, are iustifide of Grace:
True inward peace then in our hearts hath place,
When as our Consciences excuse within:
Then peace with men we rightly doe embrace,
When to haue peace with all men we begin:
Thus haue we peace with Iewes, and Turkes, but hate their sinne.

Eternall, inward, and externall peace,
Eternall Peace is that with God alone,
From which our inward Life hath and increase,
The third's the peace we haue with eu'ry one;
No farther yet than it concernes our owne:
For when we wrong'd or iniuride behold
Those, that with vs in godly League are growne.
We breake our League, if peace with them we hold,
For by such worldly peace our loue to God growes cold.

God is the Author, Christ the King of Peace,
The Seeds of peace, are by the Spirit sowne,
Which, water'd by his Seruants heere, increase
Till they into abundant fruits are growne.
How beautifull the feet of them doe showne,
That Peace's ioyfull tidings to vs bring!
This Pearle of Peace, where euer it is knowne,
Doth passe all vnderstanding; Christ our King
Did honour Peace on earth with his sweet publishing.

Health, Quiet, Happinesse, Prosperitie,
All Concord, Liberty and good successe,
Peace to vs brings with minds-tranquillity,
And frees our Soules from dismall heauinesse:
It is the doore to inward happinesse,
True inward Peace our hearts doth mollifie,
And make like Wax, that Ioy on them may presse
The priuy Seale; whereby, assuredly,
We sealed are to liue with God eternally.

The Gentiles that farre off, and strangers were,
Peace by Christs precious bloud now maketh nie:
For he's our peace whereby all one we are.
For so all fulnesse of Diuinity
Inhabited in's Body really;
That on the Crosse by his most precious blood,
He all in heau'n and earth did pacifie:
Abysse profound, not to be vnderstood,
But where sweet inward Peace of Conscience makes it good.

For in the heart and Conscience is the Seat
Of all the Peace, that mortals can befall:
Alas! what bootes it, though our peace seeme great
Abroad, if that within we nourish shall
Hate Diffidence, Contentions, Enuy, Gall,
Without this inward peace and holinesse?
We may not hope to see the Lord at all,
Peace-makers onely shall haue happinesse.
True peace on earth the earnest is of heau'nly Blesse.

Sweet voyce of peace! than which, we nothing heare
In heau'n or earth more glad and acceptable!
What more delightfull can to vs appeare?
What here than to possesse, more profitable?
As sprite of man to quicken is not able
The members, without peace and vnity;
So neuer stand the Churches members stable,
Vnlesse sweet inward peace them viuifie,
And cause them all to liue in peace and amitie.

Inseparable friends are Righteousnesse
And peace, they one another meet and kisse:
Except thou Iustice loue, thou do'st professe
In vaine thy loue to peace: Him that doth misse
True loue to Iustice, peace will neuer blisse:
What more than Peace do all mankind admire?
But Righteousnesse to them a stranger is:
Sweet Fruits of Peace all earnestly require,
But to the workes of Iustice no man hath desire.

With peace are alwayes Mercy, Grace, and Loue,
Faith, Meeknesse, Humblenesse, Ioy, Holinesse,
Except these Graces her companions proue,
She's but seeming-quiet Lazinesse,
Eu'n stupifide with worldly happinesse:
Like dreames and slumbers, in a morning faire,
Which feed our Fantasies with seeming blesse,
But when we wake, lo, nothing but the ayre,
Our golden hopes are flowne, we left in more Despaire.

This is a seeming peace: there is a feign'd,
Which wolues do in sheeps clothing oft propound:
Ah! many Soules by such false peace are train'd,
To build their peace vpon vncertaine ground.
Such semblance make, as if there did abound
With them, Ioy, Peace, Truth, and Sinceritie;
But seeke, and nothing lesse with them is found,
Vaine outward glory, wealth, prosperitie,
Is all their ayme and end, not minds Tranquillitie.

Curst be their Vnion, cursed is their peace:
For by their concord, plots, and vnity,
True Iustice hindred is, in her increase,
For thus they foster all iniquity.
These make a shew of peace, but come to try
Them by their actions, they are instruments
Of Warres, Rebellions, Treasons, Cruelties;
Like Simeon, Leui, cou'ring their intents,
With making Proselites, and sewing Churches rents.

Foure mortall enemies there are to peace,
Base auarice, pale enuie, wrath, and pride:
If from vs we for euer banish these,
We may in happy peace for ay abide:
These two words, Mine and Thine, do more diuide
The minds of brethren, neighbors, priests and flocke,
Than all that you can reckon me beside:
These two the bands of Amity vnlocke,
And all the world together in a fury shocke.

Eu'n as mans body, whose iust temp'rature
Consists of humid, frigid, hot and dry;
So long as they in Concord do indure,
Doth thriue and grow: but if ambitiously
They striue amongst themselues for soueraignty,
Their ciuill breach doth cause Deaths execution.
So is't in City, Church, or Family,
Sweet Peace and Concord breed sound constitution:
But Enuy, Discord, Pride, a fearefull dissolution.

And as in Musicke diuers diffring Sounds,
By Concord make one pleasant Harmonie,
But he that straines aboue the rest, confounds
His owne, and all the others melody:
So it befalleth each Society,
So long as they in Concord do remaine,
They liue in plenty, ease, prosperity:
But if they iarre for Enuy, Pride, or Gaine,
They from their quiet state do tumble downe amaine.

As many weake stickes, in one faggot bound,
No strength of man e're able is to breake,
Which if they be alone and single found,
Would seeme but easie to a man that's weake;
The same we may of Peace and Concord speake,
Whilst they true Subiects hearts in one do bind,
No forraine Powre on them their spite can wreak,
But if with iarres it them disioyn'd doth find,
It breakes their rankes, them chasing like a fearefull Hind.

Concord and Peace be like a brazen wall,
No Fort's so strong as vertuous minds combin'd:
But as a straight and crooked piece, by all
The workmans skill, cannot in one be ioyn'd:
So fores it with a good and wicked mind;
In wicked nature fraught with guile and spight,
True Peace and Concord thou shalt neuer find:
For as good minds great pleasure take in right,
So base malicious hearts, in doing wrong, delight.

The hungry Foxe, pursuing hard his prey,
By chance vpon a sleeping Snake doth tread;
For which, she wroth, deferres not long his pay,
But with sting taught him to take better heed:
Thus dang'rously both wounded are indeed,
And both to wounds do Phisicks helpe apply,
Which inwardly do ranckle more than bleed,
Yet both by Leeches skill and Surgery:
For bodies griefe, not minds, do find a remedy.

Many yeeres after, this malicious Snake,
Who still reuenge doth harbour in her brest,
Meeting the Foxe, him fairely thus bespake:
Ah! how great sorrow doth my heart molest,
That we should one another thus infest:
For since the time that first began our broyle,
No greater care within mine heart doth rest,
But how our loues againe to reconcile,
(Thus would malicious Snake the crafty Foxe beguile.)

Now if you please, let vs all iniuries
Forget, and as we ought true Peace embrace:
For Peace and Concord all good things supplies
To mortals, of what-euer ranke or place:
What thing more pleasing, sweet and good than Grace?
She all conserues, keepes all things safe and sound,
Makes great increase of Fruit in little space,
In pleasure, wealth and ease she doth abound,
Yea all the good, that one can wish, in her is found.

She is the cherisher and nurse of Life,
She breeds, feeds, nourisheth, giues education,
When all confounded are by warres and strife,
Which breeds Corruption: Peace brings Generation.
Nothing on earth is of like estimation.
Thus hauing said, she offers him to kisse,
And faire embrace, according to her fashion:
But Renold trusts her ne'r the more for this,
Who most malicious, cruell, implacable is:

But thus replies, All's true that thou hast said:
But as true peace of all things is the best,
So sure of nothing more am I afraid
Than feigned peace: a poyson neatly drest,
Which thou concealst now boyling in thy brest;
And, with a seeming Kindnesse, cruelly
Wouldst spill my Life, when as I fear'd it least:
No open force, spite, or bostilitie,
So dang'rous is, as feigned peace and amity.

This publique, priuate, health, wealth, dignity,
All ouerthrowes, when most we seeme secure:
No man will trust an open enemy,
And therefore 'gainst his malice stands more sure;
When he by fraud can him no harme procure:
But such faire painting words, and honest showes,
Insnare the simple inexpert and pure,
And into misery and errour throwes,
Then he too late plaine-dealing from dissembling knowes.

But now to thee, that peace dost so commend:
I answer, That for reconciliation,
And thee imbracing as a faithfull friend,
I neuer had so fond determination:
God shield me from thy sly malicious nation?
Thy guilefull heart's as hollow as the sand;
Thou doubt'st of Truth, I of Equiuocation:
Stand off: The Morall you may vnderstand,
You haue this Tale from me, but at the second hand.

Thus did the Snake our mother Eue beguile
By baits of honour, kindnesse, and ambition:
But from her stole this pearle of peace the while,
And plung'd her, and her Seed in all perdition:
E're since by feign'd shewes, & false apparition,
This subtill Serpents viprous progeny,
Imbrace vs, Ioab-like, with all submission,
But to the heart-blood stab vs priuily.
Ile neuer trust a base malicious enemy.

Of a fat Iouiall Oratour I read
A pleasant story; who when he ascends
Into a narrow Deske for Peace to plead,
The people all foorth shouts and laughters sends:
Though's corps were grosse, his wit soone apprehends
Th' occasion, and he thus them telleth plaine,
My wife at home in bignesse me transcends,
Yet vs at peace, one bed can well containe,
At oddes, we in this Citty wals cannot remaine.

But well my Muse of her Digression wites
From Peace to Concord; which the Schooles define,
An vnion of diuers appetites
Of diuers men, who in affection ioyne.
To Peace, this Definition they assigne,
To be a concord in the appetite,
Which doth th' affections but of one combine
In one: I Peace and Concord here vnite,
And of them, as but one true perfect peace do write.

All cruell warres and battels Dauid fought,
Was but to stablish peace to Solomon;
That type of happy peace, who now (no doubt)
Rests in that Peace, which he on Earth begun:
Oh blessed, ioyfull, happy Vnion,
The Song of peace thou singest of the Bride,
And that great King of peace, her louely One;
When sitting at the Banquet by his side,
Her with true peace as with a Banner he doth hide.

His sweetest gardens are our beds of rest,
The fruits there growing, sweetest fruits of peace,
The tunes which birds there warble in their brest,
Be songs of Peace: There Spring doth neuer cease,
But Zephyrus with Dewes blowes full increase.
Sweet Peace! which makes the Turtles voice resound
Such Musique, as the heauiest heart can ease,
For she her notes doth to the heart propound,
But none conceiue the sweetnesse, till they feele the sound.

If I through Scriptures gardens should you lead,
And shew you all that glorious Nurcerie
Of fruits and flowres there, of Peace that breed:
I should you tire with sweet Variety.
It was the last bequest and Legacie,
Our King of peace did his Apostles leaue:
Who made our peace when he on Crosse did die.
For Peace, he barres and gates of hell doth cleaue,
And his Will in due time to endlesse peace receiue.

See his Apostles, Martyrs, Fathers all,
How meeke and lowly they on peace attend,
Refusing neither Crosse, nor cup of Gall,
So as they might attaine vnto their end;
Sweet peace on earth they labour to defend,
When they haue made their peace in heau'n aboue:
Who feeles this inward Peace, feares not to spend
Wealth, Strength, and Life, for to maintaine the loue
Of those, which with them members of one Body proue.

But what need I thee furnish from without,
If in thine heart this inward peace thou find?
This peace of Conscience will giue (no doubt)
More Rest and Comfort to thy Soule and Mind,
Than all wealth, pleasure, glory here assign'd
Vnto the wicked, for their worldly rest.
Sweet peace of Conscience! who art not confin'd
To any pleasure here, on earth possest,
Eternall, heau'nly peace possesseth all thy brest.

Oh I had my Muse some lofty rapted straine,
The glory of this heau'nly peace to sing,
Which doth the heau'n, earth, sea, ayre, all maintaine.
By gentle gouernement and ordering:
Or were she able, on a high-strain'd string,
To sing the Honour of my Soueraigne,
That grand Peace-maker, Britaines peacefull King,
Who through the Christian world doth Peace maintaine:
God grant, for peace on earth, thou heau'nly peace mayst gaine.

But ah! how can my soule opprest with Care,
And worldly tumults, of such Glory sing,
Since quiet peace her selfe remoueth farre
From Discord, Strife, Contentions, Quarrelling?
Oh let me vnder shadow of thy wing,
In happy rest and Peace for ay abide!
So shall I neuer feare the malicing
Of Enuy, Satan, Couetize, or Pride:
True inward peace was neuer vanquished, though tride.

Ah thus I wish for Peace, but worldly Care
And troubles more and more my mind oppresse;
Afflictions heere and Crosses should prepare,
And fit a man for peace and happinesse,
But oft they fill vs more with worldlinesse;
Yet such the nature is of inward peace,
She fils the hearts of all, that her possesse,
And euer as her vigour doth increase,
Our worldly thoughts and cares do more and more decease.

O King of Peace! grant me this inward peace,
'Tis that for which the Spirit alwayes prays,
That peace which brings all Graces sweet increase,
And now thou art to heau'n gone, with vs stays.
This Peace, Hell, Death, nor Tyrants rage dismays,
'Tis not such peace as world to vs doth giue,
In Comforts she transcends Sunnes gentlest rays,
By her when we in Life of Grace haue thriue,
With her we euer shall in life of Glory liue.

This is the peace which sets our hearts as sure
As Sions Mount, which no force can remoue,
This peace it is which euer shall endure,
If rooted in our hearts by Faith and Loue:
This Peace which first descends from heau'n aboue,
And doth our troubled Consciences still,
Which makes the Members like the Head to proue,
This is the Peace of God, the which doth fill
Both heau'n and earth with Peace, and all men with good will.

Now neuer let my Soule enioy true Peace,
If now she doth not more my heart delight,
Than all the pleasures, glory, wealth and ease,
Which heere mens minds to vanity inuite:
God of all Peace, which hast me giu'n a sight
Of this most rich inualewable treasure,
Grant, I on peace may set my whole delight,
True peace like loue, which hath no bounds nor measure,
In this I ly downe safe, and take my rest and pleasure.

Meditation 2. Of Chastitie.

Tho heau'nly Steeres-man, which was erst my guide
Vnto the hau'n of peace and happy rest,
Where I could wish at anchor ay to ride,
Free from worlds stormes, which mortals heere molest;
Doth now vnto my whiter Muse suggest,
The praise of heau'nly Chastitie to sing,
Most needfull grace for those, in peace, that rest:
For when she most tranquillity doth bring,
Man most in danger is of Lusts enchanting sting.

For such is Hels malicious subtilty,
With all aduantages still to assaile
The part vnarm'd of mans mortalitie,
That he with greater danger may preuaile:
And when we all his instruments do quaile
Of Anger, Enuy, Couetize, and Pride:
In humble quiet peace, he will not faile,
By slight, within our wils with brands to slide,
Wherewith he fires the gates, and all the Towne beside.

Thus when as Ioab and the host were prest
To lye in Tents, and Fields a warfaring,
And Ishai's sonne in Peace at home doth rest,
Diuinest Hymnes and Layes on Harpe to sing;
Malicious Basiliske with lustfull sting
Enflames his eyes, which set his heart on fire,
And from his heau'nly peace to warre doth bring,
Such lustfull warres, such raging hot desire,
As breed him dismall broiles and Gods reuenging ire.

For mans whole life is a continuall warre
With Satan, World, his fleshes sinne and Lust:
Satan the Captaine, these his Souldiers are,
Against these alwayes stand in armes we must:
But most of all, when we in peace doe trust,
We want Dame Chastity's commanding Power,
Sweet holy Lady, faithfull, pure and iust,
In peace and rest our safe defence and tower,
Dames Laps enriching more than Danaës golden shower.

Thou; that from slime of earth man first did'st raise,
To beare thine owne expresse similitude,
That he in purity might spend his dayes,
And all corruption, sinne and lust exclude;
Who hast his heart with Grace diuine indude,
To be thy temple, and thy Spirits Cell,
From me all thoughts, words, acts vnchast seclude,
Whilst I the honour of this vertue tell,
For in a heart vnpure, chast Spirit will not dwell.

I take her for that vertue of the minde,
Which doth the Furiousnesse of Lust retaine
In reasons bounds; And our affections binde
In Royall Links of Vertues golden Chaine:
As Abstinence doth appetite restraine
From foode immoderate: So from desire
Vnlawfull, she doth mind and flesh containe,
And bounds in limits Generations fire,
As meekenesse bounds the rage of Zeales reuenging ire.

For eu'n as Appetite, without restraint
Of Abstinence, delights in Gluttony,
And valiant Zeale is, without Meekenesse, taint
With cruell rage, and spites malignity:
Eu'n so without this vertue Chastitie,
The noblest vigour of sweet generation,
Abounds in Lust, and foule Adultery,
And spends the vitals without moderation,
But Chastitie bounds all to lawfull propagation.

In twofold currents runnes her purer sourse,
Body's and minds; The minde remaineth chast,
Though one by violence the Body force,
Againe thy mind may be corrupt, vnchast,
Though thou no act in flesh committed hast:
Thine eyes, hands, eares, words, lookes, least lustfull thought
She will containe, if in thine heart once plas't:
Th' vnspotted Lambe, whose bloud thee dearely bought,
Vnchastly neuer spake, look'd, did, once heard or thought.

She hath her first diuine pure excellence
With her beginning, from our Soules creation:
That heau'nly, holy, purest influence
God breath'd into the Lump his hand did fashion.
And though at first by Natures deprauation,
She as all other vertues did vs leaue,
Yet we againe by true mortification
Of earthly Members, her againe receiue,
And seeke, as members chaste, to chastest head to cleaue.

For as nought better can the mind containe,
Than reading, heau'nly thoughts and meditation,
So nothing fleshly lusts doth more restraine,
Than Fasting, Prayer, and mortification:
Sweet chastity's of heau'nly propagation,
And as none gaine gift of Virginity,
But by the Spirits chaste sanctification,
So none conserue their Sacred Chastitie,
But by that Spirits working, Grace and Sanctitie.

Wherefore as wantonnesse, Adultery,
Amongst the wicked workes of flesh are nam'd,
So Meekenesse, Continence, and Chastity
Are call'd the Spirits Fruits by none defam'd:
Talke scurrilous to heare she is asham'd,
Her modest lookes are free from Wantonnesse,
Vncleannesse, Filthinesse may not be nam'd
Within their mouthes, that Chastitie professe,
Tongue, eye and eare, th' affections of the heart expresse.

The Heathen did this Chastitie of minde,
In all that came to worship God, require,
For they her seated in the Soule did find,
From whence comes eu'ry good or bad desire:
And as Soules substance pure immortall fire,
Doth Bodies made of Elements transcend,
So doth the Chastitie of minde aspire,
Our Soules to Angels purity doe tend,
When we in flesh with them in chastest thoughts contend.

The fleshes Chastitie is to be free
From sinfull touch, or act; that of the mind
Is Faith vnuiolate; not to agree
To any lustfull thought: we seldome find
The body chaste, where minde is ill inclin'd.
In this she doth Virginity transcend,
That she is the Preseruer of mankind,
And from chaste nuptiall bed doth children send,
Without which all the world would perish soone and end.

These therefore alwayes her Companions are,
Shamefastnesse, Continence, and Modesty,
The enemies that of her stand in feare,
Are Fornication, wanton Luxury;
For she ay chastens their iniquitie:
The Seminary's of Delight and Pleasure,
Carowsing, Chambering, and Gluttony,
Which Worldlings heere account their greatest treasure,
She hates, and liues in all by Natures little measure.

Fulnesse of meat, Sleepe, play, Garrulity,
With ease of body, costly vaine attire,
The fuell are of Lust and Luxury,
Which heere dry vp our humid and conspire
To burne our soules and bodies in hell fire:
Other sinnes are without, but generation,
To procreate by mutuall desire,
Except it be confin'd with moderation,
A sinne is 'gainst our body's health, and soules saluation.

Lust may be lik'ned to some Riuer maine,
Bounded by purest Channels of her owne,
Wherein so long as she her streames containe,
Her waters pleasant, pure and sweet are knowne,
But if her swelling waues so proud be growne,
They passe their Bounds, and ouerflow the Plaine,
Her flouds late pure, now foule & muddy showne,
And boundlesse ouerflow the grasse and graine;
So rageth lawlesse Lust, let loose from Vertues raine.

For we are like vnruly Horses all
Still neighing after neighbours wiues: But she
Vs, as with Bit and Bridle, doth recall,
And makes our Lusts to reasons rules agree:
Thus two as in one Body ioyned be,
And are for mutuall Bounds of sweet desier,
And bounded thus, the act is Chastitee,
Like to the vsefull Element of fier,
Which bounded all preserues; but loos'd is all's destroyer.

This boundlesse Lust some liken to the Fire,
And Brimstone God did downe on Sodome raine,
Virginity to mount, God doth require
Lot to escape vnto, who doth obtaine
Rather in little Zoar to remaine:
So they, that from Lusts Sodome-scorching flame,
Can not Virginiti's high Mount attaine,
May stay in Zoar, which they wedlock name
The Citti's safest, but the Mount of greater fame.

As glorious Sunne, when he doth first arise,
Is both of heau'n and earth the wonderment,
Eu'n so a woman, modest, chast and wise,
Of House and Husband is the ornament:
An honest Wife's a gift from heauen sent.
As light on golden Candlestick shines bright,
So Beauty in a woman continent,
A Lampe to House and Husband all the night,
All day like glorious Beames of Titans heau'nly Light.

And as that is the noblest victory,
Which Souldiers with most danger do obtaine,
So she, that keeps her honour'd Chastitie,
'Gainst most temptations, doth most glory gaine:
'Tis harder base affections to restraine
In ease and rest, than moderate aright
A Kingdome, which by open force we gaine,
So many are our Lusts that in vs fight,
So strong is Satans force, so subtill is his slight.

No beauty, forme, or golden Vestiment
Do so adorne the Body; as the Mind
Is graced by this Vertues Ornament:
Without sweet Light the Sun as soone we find,
As Shamefastnesse from Chastity disioyn'd:
Immodest lookes are Darts against her throwne,
When man and womans light aspects are ioyn'd,
The battel's fought, both sides are ouerthrowne.
Ah cruell fight! where neither side defends her owne.

As eyes from wanton lookes, eu'n so our eare
'Gainst all immodest Charmes, we must inclose;
For Shamefastnesses vaile these off doe teare,
And our affections prone to Lust vnlose:
The Flame and Fier do not sooner close,
Than Impudence and foule vnchastity,
Then Beauty, like Gold-ring in swinish Nose,
Doth roote in Durt of Jmpudicity,
No Body's chast where Mind's ioyne in Adultery.

Who is not cloth'd in robe pure snowy white
Of Chastitie, the Lambe will neuer know:
Then Dames, that in faire ornaments delight,
Desire to be, as you desire to show:
All richest Pearles, Gold, Iewels, heere below,
Are nothing to this Gem of Chastitie:
No fairer Flower, doth in Loues garden grow,
Than Blush of Shamefastnesse, and Modesty,
No Iewell like the Belt of Truth and Sanctitie.

Nor doe I onely heere of you require
A Continence, for feare of Law or Fame,
But such a Chastitie I doe desire,
That neither may your Mind nor Conscience blame
Oh let it be vnto your Soules a shame,
A Bird should you in Chastity transcend,
The Turtle neuer changeth mate or name,
For this the Story Iudith doth commend,
But this is no Command, but counsell for a friend.

Take heere for patterne Rachels chastest sonne,
Who eu'n a princesse lustfull soft embrace
For vertues Loue, not feare of shame, did shun:
I heere might grant Lucretia a place,
But that selfe-murther doth her foule disgrace:
Penelope's a Mappe of Chaste desire,
Who farre away all Jdlenesse doth chase,
Nor takes least heate from Suiters lustfull fire,
But twice ten yeeres expects her dearest Lords retire.

Susan's so chaste, her rumour dares not blame,
To this high pitch of honour they doe rise,
That shunne all idlenesse, and wanton game,
And more than gold their names & honour prize.
Sobriety them ay accompany's,
Both in their speaking, eating, and attire,
Their modest gate, sweet carriage, shamefast eyes,
Doe proue their Beds be nests of chaste desire,
To quench more than enflame the brands of lustfull fire.

Eu'n fruitfull Venus, true to husbands side,
May win from heau'ns high

Iuno

Queene the golden Ball:
And virgin-Pallas may be well denide
The honour, which chast Matrons doth befall.
Glory of either Sexe! Oh how then shall
This hand vnchast of that pure chastnesse write,
By which Christs-Bride surmounts the daughters all,
And doth the Queenes and Concubines delight,
Binding eu'n mighty Kings with her most glorious sight?

Her turtle-voyce, Doues eyes, as Lilly-white
Excels the thornes, so She all Womankind:
Yet loues but one, whom she in bed by night,
Doth seeke for long, at last alone doth find:
He her alone in armes embraceth kind,
And she alone delights in his imbrace:
Chast Bridegrome, chastest Bride together ioyn'd,
Of Saints beget a holy heau'nly race:
With this high Mystery, Christ doth chast Wedlocke grace:

And brandeth with spirituall Fornication,
Those, who on earth their chastest Head forsake,
And stoope to Jdols and abomination,
Here choyce of Louers to themselues to rake:
The Saints and Angels they for Bridegrome take,
When they before their Images do fall:
Thus she the Scarlet-whore herselfe doth make,
And they her bastards which she beareth all:
Such bastards, with true-heiers, ne'r inherit shall.

As chast, so we a ielous Bridegrome haue,
And as his Loue, like Death, is sure and strong,
So's Ielousie as cruell is as graue:
Who such a louing Husband dares to wrong,
His ielous Fury may expect ere long
But now I stray from sweetest Meditation,
I ought to end, as I began my song:
One word more of a Worthy of our nation,
A patterne worth thy learning, loue, and imitation.

Thomas Archbishop of Yorks famous See;
When Doctors counsell, and his friends him praid,
For Cure, to vse a female-remedy,
And for that turne, him brought a comely mayd;
Most piously to them replide, and said,
That to preserue his flesh, which was to die,
His Soules immortall Chastitie betraid
Should neuer be: Such heau'nly chastity
Shewes plaine, his Soule doth liue in heau'n eternally.

But as the Lute, which yeelds a pleasant sound,
Doth others, but it selfe, no whit delight;
So, if examples onely I propound
To others, and not practise what I write,
I neuer may approach the chastest Light,
To which our chastest Head before is gone:
For no vnchast one commeth in his sight,
Except with Magdalen they sigh and grone,
And cleanse with floods of teares their filthinesse each one.

Thus clensd our Soule is like Brides liuing-Well,
Whose waters are most pleasant, pure and sweet:
Our bodies eyes like fountaines two, which quell
And quench all Lusts-temptatiōs which they meet:
But now adayes we hold this Grace vnmeet,
In noble valiant brest to intertaine,
Men onely thinke her fit for Dames to greet,
And to their basest Lusts let loose the Raine:
But sure no Vertue dwels, where she doth not remaine.

The Flesh against the Spirit coueteth,
But if the Spirit manfully hold out,
It all Lusts base temptations vanquisheth;
Who haue a purpose resolute and stout,
To temper their affections, may (no doubt)
Defend their honour 'gainst Concupiscence;
And though they oft opposd are by a rout
Of their owne lusts, hels, and worlds violence,
Their chast resolued mind maintaines their innocence.

Then Fooles are they, that when they haue began
In spirit, in the flesh will make an end:
He that once tastes of Lust, more hardly can
Abstaine, than he that neuer did intend:
Me, from her first Beginnings, Lord defend!
She's like the Serpent that did Eue assaile;
She pleasant fruits and pleasures doth pretend,
Her mouth drops hony-sweet, but with her taile,
She stings eu'n all to hell, with whom she doth preuaile.

But though I make a cou'nant with mine eyes,
Like Iob, no lustfull obiect to behold,
Yet oft this Monster will mine heart surprize,
And vnawares in sinfull Thought infold:
This Serpents cunning sleights can not be told:
The best way to auoyd them can be found,
Is her aloofe to keepe: if thou be bold
To chat with her, she vnawares will wound.
I almost feare her filthinesse now to propound.

Vncircumcised, rayling Philistine!
Who all Gods hoste defies in single fight,
I dare not suffer thee to come within,
Such is thy force, such is thy cunning slight:
Thou art a Gyant of exceeding might.
If you will hearken vnto my perswasion,
Keepe him aloofe, and in the forehead smite.
Best way to shun Lusts furious inuasion,
Is warily here to auoid the least occasion.

Dauid escapes the Beares and Lyons pawes,
And ouerthrowes the Philistine in field,
And yet this subtill Serpent him so drawes,
His heart vnto her Syrens-songs doth yeeld:
Then she him conquers without sword or shield,
And leades him by the eye-lids to her snare.
Heau'ns from such subtill vile allurements shield
All those, that haue a Conscience and care,
Their hearts fit Temples for thy Spirit to prepare.

Purge vs with Hyssope, and we shall be pure:
Wash vs, we than the Snow shall be more white;
Our Soules and Bodies Temple shall be sure
A holy house, wherein thou mayst delight:
But I the vertue for the vice haue quight,
I purpos'd Chastity here to commend,
But Lust so fiercely with my Muse doth fight,
I scarce mine owne am able to defend:
Therefore with Prayer I my Meditation end.

Oh thou, that mad'st my Soule a little King,
And in this little-world, my-Body plac't;
It subiect making to the ordering
Of Reason, wherewith thou this King hast grac't;
Set first of all the Soueraignes Kingdome fast,
Whereby his Subiects he may rule aright,
That is, affections keepe most pure and chast,
But most in spirituall chastitie delight,
To which adde Constancie, of which I next do write.

Meditation 3. Of Constancy.

So oft as I the Splendour do behold
Of heau'nly Graces, linkt in golden chaine,
Which them so firmely doth together hold,
That all they but as one seeme to remaine;
My Soule is so delighted with their traine,
That she desires to dwell with them for ay;
But oft employment, pleasures, cares and gaine,
Mine eyes and heart so draw another way,
I fleshly motions more than spirituall obay.

And as these Graces ioyn'd, my soule delight,
So doth each singled out by Meditation,
Sing I of Loue, I loue with all my might:
If Humblenesse, she workes humiliation:
So Faith, Repentance, Hope, Justification,
By Righteousnesse imputed: Mercy kind,
Ioy, Patience, Fortitude, chast Conuersation,
Peace, Meeknesse, Prayer, Zeale, eu'n all I find
Do alwayes to my Song, both sute mine heart and mind.

But such are my Corruptions innate,
Hels malice, and the worlds enticements vaine,
I can no longer hold that happy state,
Than I in Contemplation remaine:
This is the cause my Muse is now so faine
To sing of Constancie, that heau'nly Grace,
Which all the rest doth ay with vs retaine
Most glorious Grace! the lustre of whose face,
Both heau'nly Loue, and all her Peeres for euer grace.

For, without Her, the rest are all but showes,
Like Corne by high-wayes side, flourish awhile,
And seemes more glorious, than that which grows
Vpon best bottom'd, dunged, tilled Soyle:
But as that onely doth our eyes beguile
With flourishes, in calme and gentle spring,
But Summers heate, and frosts, it's verdure spoile:
Eu'n so, these rootlesse Vertues flourishing,
Aduerse or prosp'rous Fortune to confusion bring.

Thou, that art from Eternity the same,
Without least shadow of Variety:
Like to the Sun, heau'ns pure world-lightning flame,
Constant in beate, course, and serenitie:
Three, yet subsisting in one Deitie,
Who, though thou seem'st to change with things below,
Art farre in truth from Mutability:
Oh make mine heart in vertue constant grow,
That thence, as from a Fountaine, this Discourse may flow.

We Constancie a Perseuerance call
In some good purpose: for in eu'ry thing
We vndertake, right must be first of all
Resolu'd of, next, our firme perseuering:
A vaine, vnsettled, idle wauering
Without iust ground, by Proteus, Poets faine,
Who on himselfe as many formes will bring,
As he hath idle notions in his braine,
Or base desires and Lusts which in his heart remaine.

But in good purpose to stand fast and sound,
Not onely man-like is, but most diuine,
Like God, in whom no change was euer found:
For as the Sunne, this worlds pure crystall eyne,
In heau'n doth alwaies with like glory shine,
Though, by the varying Medium's here below,
It seeme more glorious in the Summer time,
Than when Eolian blasts darke clouds do blow:
So Constance is the same, though alt'ring oft in show.

This Constance is with Patience a twin,
Begot by Iupiter of Fortitude;
Mother and Babes as like, as neere of kin;
Who hath one, with all three must be indude:
These lift vp to heroicall habitude,
And come from Iustice, and a prudent mind.
If Fury, Rage, Wrong, Rashnesse do intrude,
We them no vertues faire, but vices find,
With whom Minerua, nor the Graces euer ioyn'd.

Patience and Constancie in this agree,
Effeminate faint hearts ay to oppose,
And men relieue in all extremitie,
Vndanted, resolute, who will not loose
That liberty, they haue the Good to choose:
Thus seeme they one: now marke their difference,
Patience all wrongs with courage vndergoes:
For without Suffering's no Patience:
But Constance is in ioy and paine a firme defence.

Without Compulsion, free for Vertues sake,
Patience constrain'd, oft by necessity,
Most cheerefull valiantly doth vndertake
To beare, what cannot well auoyded be:
One good end Constancie propounds, which she
Onely regards: but noble patience,
Before her will all euils conquerd see,
Which her oppresse in flesh or conscience:
Both haue braue resolution, and sound confidence.

No fury of the headlesse Multitude,
No Tyrants rage a constant mind can shake;
Though all the world turne to a Chaos rude,
The ruines crush him may, but can not make
Him stagger, nor Ioues thunder make him quake.
The Sea may roare, the waues mount to the skies,
And threaten him to drowne in deepest Lake:
But Fury, Rage, Waues, all he doth despise,
And when hopes outward faile, his inward highest rise.

He constant perseueres vnto the end,
Like some good traueller, who giues not in,
Till he attaine the place he doth intend:
And as the Souldier, that the towne would winne,
Fights stoutly, till he conquers all within:
Eu'n so in Buildings, Arts, or Merchandize,
In any Worke or Science we beginne,
It is the end where all our glory lyes;
He runs in vaine, that faints before he wins the Prize.

Though all her meanes, & all her strength do saile,
Yet feares she not to hold out to the end,
She's still the same, and nothing can preuaile,
To alter any Good she doth intend.
To whom the heau'ns true Constancie do send
Within their hearts to dwell, on all occasions
Effects most admirable thence transcend,
She fils the heart with such secure perswasions;
They it defend from all faint-hearted base inuasions.

A constant man, the most disastrous fate,
With a most pleasing forehead entertaines:
Integrity so sweetens his estate,
As in a pleasant Calme he ay remaines:
With her he alwayes in his heart retaines,
Hope, Prudence, Fortitude, Right, Temperance:
And when him Troubles, Losses, Griefe or Paines
Assaile, so stoutly patience doth aduance,
He liueth most secure, not subiect vnto Chance.

Braue noble Constance! who art neuer sound,
Except dame Prudence thee accompany,
Thou on her counsels and aduice dost found
Thy setled resolutions all, whereby
Thou standst most firme for Truth and Honesty;
Nothing can thee, thus well resolu'd, withstand.
In vaine and euill things no constancie,
But base peruersnesse, we do vnderstand;
Iust, honest, profitable's all she takes in hand.

For perseuerance in a thing that's ill,
Is to this Vertue no lesse enemy,
Than they that by affections guide their will,
With vaine inconstancy and leuitie:
Who, of a wanton imbecillity,
Stagger and change at eu'ry idle motion;
Wind-shaken Reeds, whose instability,
Are like the brain-sicke, idle, vaine deuotion
Of Nouellists, drunke with hot humours giddy potion.

Prepost'rous fools! who when they should frequent
Assemblies, hide themselues at home alone;
From what they do approue, they soone dissent,
Hating what erst they lou'd, dispraise as soone,
What erst they liked well: Lo, such a one,
Appeares like Cato's Ape, wondrous seuere,
With rugged brow; but you may find him soone
Dissolu'd in Laughter, or eu'n dead with feare:
Such, any publike Office is vnfit to beare.

No truth of Iudgement or Sinceritie,
In such a vaine inconstant mind is found:
But Slouth, Fraud, Wantonnesse, Iniquity,
With all the basest Vices there abound:
This Leuity in youth doth age confound
With doting madnesse; and a man declares
Wise onely then in shew, not inward sound:
But then a braue and constant mind appeares,
When constant Resolution honours siluer haires.

Well said th' old Cynicke, when him friends aduise
To leaue his study, and to take his rest:
I am, saith he, now running for a prize,
And therefore in the end must run my best.
The shorter time of Life to vs doth rest,
More constantly we to our ayme must rend.
Who runs, saith Paul, the race, is neuer blest
With due reward, that holds not to the end:
For Constance is the Grace doth all the rest commend.

And as the man, that hard things vndertakes,
Must alwaies haue respect vnto the end,
Which all precedent bitternesse sweet makes,
Be it for pleasure, glory, gaine, or friend;
So he that for Gods glory doth contend,
And makes it ay his constant end and ayme,
As that's immortall, so it him doth send
True immortality in heau'n to gaine,
Which comforts him for all his Labour, losse, and paine.

As Mountains huge stand fast on their foundation,
So constant minds on resolutions sound,
As they vnmou'd, so without alteration
Are good Conclusions built on Vertues ground:
A constant man stands on a rocke profound,
Which neither stormes, wind, waues, nor force can moue:
Crosses, afflictions, can no more confound
Him, than wind, waues, and stormes, the rocke remoue,
Whose strong foundation stands on faith, hope, truth and loue.

Anselmus doth a constant man compare
Vnto a sixe-square dye, or hewed stone,
The sixe flat-sides, his sixe Conditions are,
Freedome, Prosperity, Subiection,
Aduersity, Life-publique, and alone:
On which soeuer side he chance to fall,
He stands vpright with resolution,
No changes can his constant mind appall,
But as he standeth firme on one side, so on all.

As bodily eyes all need Light of Sunne,
Whereby they may attaine vnto their end,
So on all good and vertuous workes begun,
This holy Vertue Constance must attend:
And as except the Sunne his Light doth lend,
We open in the darke our eyes in vaine,
So vainely we good holy workes intend,
Except we constant to the end remaine,
Like Pilot drown'd in hau'n, when he hath scapt the Maine.

Is't not absur'd, that we should early rise,
Lose sleepe, broile with Suns heat, and take great paine,
Onely to winne a fading worthlesse prize,
And giue in, when we sure be to obtaine
A Crowne, which shall for euer make vs raigne?
Except the Souldier Constant be and bold,
His Captaines fauour he shall neuer gaine,
Vnlesse our spirituall fight we constant hold,
Gods comfortable face we neuer shall behold.

She is the Nurse of Merit, friend of Peace,
Way to Reward, sister of Patience,
True friendships Band, pure Sanctities increase:
Take away Constance, Bounties excellence
Doth fade, and Duty wants her recompence;
High Fortitude doth want her commendation.
She is alone the noble Grace, from whence
All other Graces haue their Consummation:
To her is giu'n, or rather she giues man saluation.

What more like vnto God than Constancie?
Who ay like Sunne in heau'n remaines the same,
Though to descend to mans capacity,
He often seeme to change his mind and name.
The Scriptures then mans changing closely blame,
When they affirme, God grieues, or doth repent:
'Tis flesh that alters, God is still the same:
So clouds seeme oft to change the Firmament,
Which till the Day of Doome stands firme and permanent.

When as she hath a constat of the right,
She therein perseueres vnto the end:
Therefore of constat she is Constance hight;
And well this name her nature doth commend.
Her vnderstanding first doth apprehend
Things to be good, before she doth beginne:
Then she most constantly doth ay intend,
When she consid'rately hath entred in:
Thus all the Saints on earth, a roome in heau'n must win.

And though all flesh, by our first Parents fall,
Are so vnconstant, vaine, and wauering,
They haue in words, thoughts, actions, and all,
Of Eues fond ficklenesse a relishing:
Lo Enoch yet constant perseuering
To walke with God, till he him takes away:
And Noah, constant in the publishing
Of true Repentance, eu'n vntill the day,
Flouds come and drowne all Flesh without the Arke that stay.

Abram most constant in beleefe we find:
No feare nor terror Iacob could dismay:
Joseph had rather yron linkes should bind
His lims, than from chast Constancie to stray.
So long as hard'ned Memphians disobay,
Moses most constantly for plagues doth call:
Lo Iosuahs courage lengthens out the day,
Till he Gods enemies destroyeth all;
No force, nor fury can his constant mind appall.

I number may the Starres of heau'n as well,
As here the Mirrors all of Constance count,
Who champions braue against world, flesh, and hell,
In Fortitude and Patience surmount:
Many of them I formerly recount,
In Fortitudes and Patience Meditation,
They all arise from one faire heau'nly fount,
That clensing Lauer of Regeneration,
Though glittring shows we find oft with the heathen nation.

Ile name one

Regulus

Carthage prisoner for all,
Who, vpon promise to returne againe,
Was sent to Rome, the Senate there to call,
Them to perswade against their Cities gaine:
But he most nobly will not yeeld to staine
His Countries glory, for his priuate good,
But constantly perswades them to maintaine
Their honour, though he seal'd it with his blood,
And constant still the same against all tortures stood.

His noble mind their cruelties derides,
His Executioners are wearied,
Yet constant he and cheerefull all abides,
Griefe, gaine, for Countries good, he reckoned.
Yet hath this Constancie beene conquered
By thousand Martyrs, which most willingly
For Syons glory haue beene martyred;
Who when their flesh doth broile, and bowels frie,
Sing ioyfull Hallelujahs to God on hie.

Yet are these, but as Candles to the Sunne,
Compared with the constant Lord of all:
Beginne we with his apprehension,
When his Disciples all from him do fall,
Behold him in the high Priests Iudgment-hall.
See Herods men of warre him foule deride:
Condemn'd by Pilate, scorn'd, abus'd of all:
The theefe that raileth, hanging by his side,
Yet he most valiant, constant, patient, doth abide.

But now the Sunne ascended is aboue,
Th' Apostles will their Light no longer hide,
They constantly before the Rulers proue,
That they the Lord of Life had crucifide:
And when they are before those Rulers tride,
And charg'd to preach no more in Jesus name,
They most couragious, constantly replide,
Be iudges, whether it were greater blame,
You now to disobay or God who vs did frame.

Paul ready is not onely to be bound,
But at Hierusalem for Christ to die,
He patient is in all afflictions found,
Constant in losses, ioy, prosperity:
Read his imprisonments braue history,
You there shall more diuine Idea's find,
Than Homer, Virgil, Spencer, can supply,
Though they in loftiest straines the form haue lin'd
Of a most braue, heroicke, constant, noble mind.

These, as they saw their patterne set before,
Vnto the Races end most constant run,
But yet their Fortitude's increased more,
By Confidence, that he which hath begun
So good a worke, it will not leaue vndone:
Let Diuels try by crosses and tentation,
Hold constant to the end, the Crowne is won.
Though for a while we suffer tribulation,
A noble, constant mind stands without perturbation.

I do confesse 'tis difficult and rare,
To know ones-selfe; but to be still the same,
Is chiefest worke, of all the workes that are:
He that so constantly his mind can frame,
Deserues the honour of a constant name:
He's neere to glorious vertues consummation;
His soule minds only heau'n, from whence it came,
Secure and free from worlds vaine molestation,
And waites heau'ns leisure only for his glad translation.

Not that I constant Jdlenesse commend,
Or a retired Life monasticall;
No, Constance alwayes Labour doth intend,
And is the same approu'd and seene of all:
Her words, lookes, gesture, are heroicall;
She makes the Body strong, confirmes the mind.
Ah! wo to them, that from her fauour fall,
And leaue the right, the crooked way to find;
These grieue the Angels, which to guard them are assign'd.

Grant in Prosperity a prudent heart,
And in Aduersity a mind vpright;
So shall no pleasures vaine my Soule peruert,
Nor crosses or tentations me affright:
My selfe I with Gods blessings will delight,
So long as please his Bounty them to lend.
If I must suffer here for doing right,
I to the Iust one will my cause commend,
Where I am sure to haue a iust and equall end.

The end, whereon all that is past depends,
If then we haue a constant resolution,
A holy Life shall bring vs happy ends,
Then comes our Fate, to iustest reuolution:
We then of Adams losse haue restitution,
Ah! all our Labour hath but beene in vaine,
If Courage faint in point of Dissolution:
This is the howre we happinesse attaine,
Or else for euer in hels torments must remaine.

Lord make me euer mindfull of this Hower,
That constant alwayes I may stand prepar'd,
Grant me with boldnesse to declare thy power,
And in the right of none to be afeard:
True happinesse is Constancies reward,
A high reward, but he it sure shall gaine,
That to the end holds out with due regard.
Things hardest, Perseuerance will attaine,
And Constancy will make them ay with vs remaine.

Then stand we firme, in what we haue begun,
And labour constantly more to obtaine,
Lo, thus we heau'n vpon the earth haue won:
Thus we that true Security attaine,
Which eu'ry wise and good man seeks to gaine:
No Greatnesse, King, or Kesar is so high,
As those that ouer their affections raigne:
Here Peace of Conscience brings Security,
Saints wished true content, and Angels Dignity.

Most blessed Port, that Pilgrims can attaine!
Till they arriue at hau'n of Happinesse,
Pure Ioy of heart, which onely they do gaine,
Where heau'ns sweet Comforter doth dwel in peace:
God of all Comfort, in my heart increase
This Constancie, that she may me defend
In priuate, publicke, losse, gaine, paine, and ease,
And grant, as I the Graces do commend,
I may in all continue constant to the end.

Authoris Uotum.

Might I a Life enioy to my desire,
I would no wealth, or honor vaine require,
Nor troups of Horsemen after me to ride,
Nor clouds of Seruants trouping by my side:
In priuate fields, and gardens I would walke;
Now with my Muse, now with my Friends to talke:
(By Muse, I prayer meane; and Meditation,
By Friends, a holy louing Conuersation)
At Peace with all, but Ill: My Conscience
Both good and quiet, free from foule offence:
So when the hower of my change shall come,
I with a willing heart will leaue my roome,
To whom it is ordain'd by Destiny:
Thus I desire to liue, and thus to die.

Meditation 4. Of Courtesie, or Humanity.

Thus haue I brought the Muse from pleasing shade,
And gentle sweetest Heliconian Spring,
To Stoicks Schoole, to teach her in the trade
Of Constancie, and firme perseuering:
Some Criticke will me blame for marshalling
Cato seuere, with Virgins sweet delight,
But nothing more makes for their honouring,
Than with that noble Vertue to be dight,
Which makes them high accepted eu'n in Princes sight.

And sure, O Kings, your wisedomes cannot find
More prudent Senatours, your States to sway,
Than Muses friends, which haue a constant mind,
And know as well to gouerne as obay:
Who by their Courtesie and Constance may
Order your Hals, and wield your State-affaires:
For noble Courtesie and Constance ay
Adorne Kings Iudgements-Seats, and stately Chaires,
And strangers intertaine, that to your Court repaires.

For in each flourishing and goodly State,
Vpon the royall Person of the King,
The courteous Courtier hath a place to waite,
As well as Senate for wise-gouerning:
These both must ioyne in prudent managing
Of subiect Prouinces, and to entreate,
Of Leagues with Princes on them bordering;
But he for all employments is most meete,
Where Courtesie and Constance both together greet.

Wherefore in Court of Loues most royall Queene,
Where Graces all, in due administration,
Are in most comely order placed seene
For Kingdomes Peace, and Princes Delectation:
Behold this one thing worth thy Obseruation,
Braue Constance ay with Courtesie is ioyn'd,
For all men do obserue, with admiration,
A courteous carriage, with a constant mind,
Adoring eu'n as Gods the valiant gentle kind.

For sure except these both together meet,
Constance alone's so rigid and seuere,
She for a pedagogue is farre more meet,
Than Office in Loues gentle Court to beare:
And, if that single courtesie appeare,
Without this resolute most constant Grace,
She is but apish complement, to bleare
Beholders eyes with Conges and a face,
When nought that in her looks, within her heart hath place.

Dauid the heau'nly Muses darling deare,
An Embleme of Humanity I find,
In Camp he is vndanted, without feare,
In Court of constant, noble, courteous mind,
One Ionathans true loue to him inclin'd,
The other smites eu'n stout Goliah downe,
His Muse the euill spirit of Saul doth bind,
And rais'd him from the fould to high renowne,
And set vpon his royall head the golden Crowne.

True noble Courtesie, most heau'nly Grace,
Most high to be esteem'd and reckoned
Of all; but most of those whom God doth place,
Aboue their brethren to be honored:
For they that heere vs gouerne in his stead,
Ought, like their Lord, to gentlenesse incline,
Who, though his Throne shines round with lightning dread,
With courteous countenance on his doth shine,
Oh gentle King me grant this Grace aright to line.

Gentlenesse, Courtesie, Humanitie,
Diuers in name, in nature are the same,
Proceeding from the minds integrity,
And are as sparkes of Loues celestiall flame:
The outward shews which cōplements we name,
Are but as Symboles of her heart and mind,
If they be true, she is a noble Dame,
If feign'd, she is the shame of womankind,
And seekes to lye with all, where she may fauour find.

I know not whether I may better call
Her Sister, or the Child of Grauity,
But sure I find these Graces all in all,
Delighting in each others Company:
The glory of all faire Societie,
Most reuerend and amiable Peeres,
In whom all sweetnesse shines with Maiesty,
Where not least ostentation vaine appeares,
Chiefe ornaments of Youth, and grace of siluer haires.

Both doe proceed from one Dame, Sanctitie.
And both employed are in reformation
Of manners; but in briefe Humanity
A man, humane, like to his name doth fashion:
And this to Poets fables gaue occasion,
To tell how men were made of stocks and stones,
And Beasts turn'd men, by Orpheus his perswasion.
And for she thus brought men to liue as one,
Amphions Harp is said Thebes wals to build alone.

Yea those, that in Humanity transcended,
And others brought vnto ciuility,
Were deified when their liues were ended,
And euer honour'd of Posterity:
Ah! what more princely is than Courtesie?
Thus Kings to King of heau'n most neere do come,
When sauage men vnto Society
They bring, which else like furious Beasts would runne,
And eu'n more cruell to themselues than beasts become.

Thus Courtesie with adamantine band
Men tyes in Friendship, free from Enuies rents,
For no offence can part their ioyned hand,
Where gentlenesse interprets friends intents;
Where Kindnesse euer Courtesies preuents,
And gratefull, alwayes striues to ouercome,
As Foes by Armes, Friends by munificence
The barbarous and insolentest groome
Doth gentle, kinde, benigne, by Courtesie become,

Man is the weakest creature God hath made,
For where all else, by heau'nly Prouidence,
Haue bodyes arm'd 'gainst Foes that them inuade,
And rage of Times by Natures muniments,
Man onely Vertue hath for his defence,
This gentle vertue, sweet humanity,
With louing kind and tender heart, from whence
Flow Pitie, Mercy, Loue, Benignity,
Whereby we mutuall helpes to others heere supply.

For these Companions are to gentlenesse,
Which make her heere beloued vnto all;
Sweet gracious lookes, and speeches gracefulnesse,
Are to this courteous Lady naturall,
To which she adding Maiesty withall,
And comely Guize doth steale mens hearts away,
And free, from sterne morosity and gall,
In sweet Tranquillity and Peace doth stay,
Immutable, without base perturbation, ay.

Farre from the base morose and cynnicall,
That to all others manners are auerse,
Who are so crooked, crosse and criticall,
In their owne dispositions so peruerse,
No friend with them is able to conuerse,
Delighting to be conuersant with none;
But sullen, truculent, so sterne and fierce,
You easier may wring water from a stone.
Then mirth and gentle words; or lookes from such an one.

Neighbourhood, Countreys-Loue, Affinity,
Kindred and Friendship are cold barren names;
Such neither like nor loue the Company
Of honest equals, nor of gentle Dames:
This Vice in eu'ry man eu'n Nature blames,
But most in Officers of Court or State,
For Courteous grauity her Courtier frames;
Sweet, gentle, facile, pleasing, delicate,
Faire Almas bounteous Peares in all to imitate.

As he is worthy Death, who heere denyes
His brother Water from a liuing Spring,
Or him Sunnes comfortable Beames enuyes,
Or from his Candles-light, light-borrowing,
Or to direct aright the wandering;
So he is most discourteous, inhumane,
Who when he profit may to others bring,
Without least Damage to himselfe, or blame,
Yet to his brother churlishly denies the same.

Humanity's like fairest Iuly-flower
With silken leaues, which bud, doth yet inclose,
Which faire dispreading by sweet Natures power
As she doth waxe broader and sweeter blowes;
No flower in Loues fairest garden growes,
That more delights the smell, affects the eye,
But as from roote bright hue and sweetnesse flowes,
So from the heart springs fairest Courtesie,
Else as the Flower fades, so dyes Humanity.

For as a gentle heart it selfe bewrayes,
By doing courteous deeds, with free delight,
Eu'n so base dunghill minde it selfe displayes,
In malice, churlishnesse, reuenge and spight:
Humanity is Friendships chiefest night,
Foes reconciler, Bounty's greatest Fame,
Than to accept more ready to requite,
Gifts are to her like Oyle powr'd on the flame,
Which more and more her heart with friendly loue inflame.

As blowing on hot coales them more enflames,
But water on them powr'd extinguisheth;
So bitter words enrage, but soft reclaimes:
One ire appeaseth, th' other kindleth:
And as more safe on Sea he trauelleth,
That passeth on with soft and gentle blast,
Than whom full Sailes like arrow carryeth:
So stands the mild, sweet gentle man more fast,
Than he whose furious mood beares all before in hast.

As lukewarme water cooles an inflamation,
So courteous language, anger pacifies,
And as wild horse is tam'd by mild tractation,
So cruell foes are wonne by courtesies:
We easier our most sauage enemies
Subdue by Gentlenesse, than cruelty,
Wild Hawkes the Faulkner surer to him tyes,
By handling gently, and familiarly,
Than if he neuer suffer'd them from fist to fly.

The Bough by gentlenesse is easily bent,
Which handled boistrously would break in sunder.
Thus fiercest Bull is with the yoake content,
And gentlenesse brings cruell Tygres vnder:
Philosophers affirme that dint of Thunder,
Doth neuer hurt, where it doth yeelding find,
It melts the blade, and yet behold and wonder!
The scabberd's not consum'd, it bones doth grind,
And yet the yeelding flesh is neither scorch'd nor pin'd.

Wisely, said he, that thought wise men below
Should not be mou'd with those which do offend,
But where they vices find increase and grow,
Should striue and do their best them to amend;
Like good Physicians, who when they attend
Their Patients, are not angry with their fit,
But to the cure best skill and cunning bend:
As all are sonnes of Eue, we sinne commit,
But he is most like God, that heere amendeth it.

Humanitie may haue a threefold sense,
Mans Nature, Vertue, and his education,
Jn humane Arts, and pure Intelligence;
From whence she seemes to haue denomination:
And therefore Liberall Arts by eu'ry Nation,
Are call'd the studies of humanity,
And breed in man a courteous conuersation,
With gentle manners and ciuility,
Which onely heau'ns bestow on Muses Nursery.

And hence it is, that rustique Boores and Clownes,
Who want the good of ciuill education,
So rude and rustique are in Countrey townes,
When those, that haue with Muses conuersation,
Or neere to Princes Courts their habitation,
Become more ciuill, sociable, kinde;
Hence 'tis that eu'ry rude and sauage nation,
Where gentle Arts abide not, are inclin'd
To rustique force, and sauage cruelty of mind.

No greater Grace the heau'ns to man afford,
Than gentle breeding vp in heau'nly lore,
By thews and holy knowledge to accord
Their wrathfull furious Passions euermore:
Plato the Gods immortall doth adore,
That they him reasonable made, no Beast;
A Man, no Woman: But it glads him more,
That he knew humane Arts, and heau'nly best,
By which he thought himselfe in life and death most blest.

The Emperour Traiane; when his friends him blame
As carelesse of imperiall Maiesty,
Because so mild, sweet, gentle he became
And affable to all his company;
Said he would so be in high Sou'raignty
To others: as if else he priuate were,
He wish'd to find the royall Dignity,
With whom all good men ought be free from feare,
But cruell, vile, malicious, neuer should come there.

Philip, who had by Liberalitie
Obliged, as he thought, to him a Nation,
Receiued nought but Scorne for Courtesie,
Wherefore his Courtiers, mou'd with indignation,
Perswade their King vnto reuenge and passion:
Soft, said the Prince, if these men doe requite
Our benefits, in such a scornefull fashion,
They vs for iniuries will more despight:
True patterne of a prudent, patient, gentle Knight.

Is Iury barren then of gentle deed?
Because I onely of the Nations tell,
The liues of Abram, Isaac, Ioseph reade,
And see how they in Courtesie excell:
When as betwixt the Heardmen strife befell,
Abram leaues to his nephew Lot the Plaine,
His Courtesie the Angels greetes so well,
Their errand gently they to him explaine,
Yea gracious God to him familiar talke did daigne.

Most gentle Iacob, courteous like thy Sire,
Though Laban churlishly thee handeled;
Let all thy patient gentlenesse admire,
When thou didst see thy Dina rauished,
And for her Rape a Nation slaughtered:
Thy gentle Ioseph into Egypt sold,
Who when he sees his brethren humbeled,
Could not his heart and eyes from weeping hold,
The Dreames thus prouing true, which he before had told.

Though Shemei barke, Dauid forbids to smite,
Oh let him curse, my sonne me seekes to kill:
The Lord with Blessings may his Curse requite,
If in his fauour I continue still,
I shall returne, else be it as he will.
Mephibosheth must haue his fathers land,
And at his Table eate of Bread his fill,
Chimham in old Barzellais roome shall stand.
And nothing be denide him at King Dauids hand.

But Kings and People, all learne gentlenesse
Of our most courteous, gentle King of Kings,
Who, when he walk'd on earth in lowlinesse,
And was the Lord and Maker of all things,
Neuer vs'd bitter words nor threatenings,
But was to meanest, courteous, gentle, mild;
The Lord rebuke thee, Michael onely sings
When Satans malice would haue him beguil'd
Of Moses body; but he neuer him reuil'd.

As of the head, so of the members learne
Mildnesse, Humanity, and Gentlenesse,
Speeches morose, and countenances sterne
Neuer agree with worth and noblenesse:
Nor to the vessels of true holinesse:
And Dames that soft and tender are by kind,
Adorn'd with Natures goodliest gracefulnesse,
Be gentle, humble, soft and meeke in mind,
So you with God and Man, shall grace and fauour find.

No vertue so adornes a valiant man,
Nor vertuous Dame, whom valiant men doe loue,
As courtesie, which best direct them can
To beare themselues in all as doth behoue:
Whether them God hath plast to rule aboue,
Or wait below, it them befits to know
Their Duties, that none iustly may reproue
Their rudenesse, in not giuing what they ow:
Who giues each man his due, doth great discretion show.

Nothing more wins mens hearts than gentle words,
Nor their affections than sweet lookes delight,
If Men, like Beasts, should make the strongest Lords,
And be enrag'd one at anothers sight,
Societie of men would perish quight,
The rules of Policies and States would faile;
Mens liues should be in hazzard of each wight,
That them by force or cunning would assaile,
Yea sauage Beasts against their weakenesse would preuaile.

Rude manners those that haue them doe infest,
And grieuous are to all they deale withall,
But gentlenesse in Angels, Man, and Beast,
Is much commended and belou'd of all:
The Poets want the Gods in heau'n to call
Most gentle, bountifull, and amiable;
But Fiends and Furies, cruell, tetricall,
To first they Temples build, and prayers fable,
Counting th' other dreadfull and abominable.

If Socrates a froward wife would beare,
As men ride horses wild; that they may know
To rule them better that well tamed were,
Much more should Christians sweetly beare the blow
Of proud and cruell worldlings heere below:
And not to grieue at their prosperitie,
Though heere they seeme in wealth and blisse to flow,
Alas such stand in places slippery,
And in their haughty pride shall perish suddenly.

Who that most wicked Sect doe imitate,
That would all friendship and acquaintance shun,
That they might heere enioy more happy fate,
And partners of no others losse become:
One burthen is inough for any one,
Oh! why should others losses them molest:
By this is all Humanity vndone,
And man made more vngentle than a beast,
The Heathen therefore did such beastlinesse detest.

The first and speciall Duty, which we ow,
Is Loue to God, which we call Piety;
Next, is the Mercy we to men do show,
And this indeed is true Humanity:
This is the summe of all Diuinity;
And this to Piety doth Practice ioyne:
All loue the Lord in words, but doe deny
Their hearts and hands to Mercy to incline,
God grant they both in vs together may combine.

Chiefe Band amongst men is Humanity,
Which who would breake, deserues eternall paine,
From one man all deriue their pedigree,
And therefore Kinsmen all in him remaine:
From one God, we our soules doe all obtaine,
And so we brethren are, and neerer ioyn'd
In Soule than Body: And we hope in vaine,
If all into one head be not conioyn'd,
And feele not all one Spirit working in our minde.

Inhumane cruell Beasts! which take delight
Without iust cause Gods image to destroy,
Torment, kill, torture, cruelly despight,
When God would haue all liue in amity.
Oh measure others by thy misery!
No man without anothers ayd can liue,
He that denies helpe in aduersitie,
None at his need vnto him helpe shall giue,
As none shall be forgiu'n, that doth not heere forgiue.

No man, that doth obey Dame Natures hest,
Can hurt a man, much lesse him spoile or kill:
Learne of the gentle, meeke, and harmlesse beast,
How he Society doth couet still:
The Shepheards gentle Flocks the Plaines do fill,
Wolues, Beares and Tygres loue to Lord alone:
Where they their yong ones with the fat may fill,
And forrage all the Countrey for their owne,
Lo Mercy there is strange, where Misery's vnknowne.

Such in their Complement are onely kind;
And where they kindnesse may receiue againe,
Oh be mine heart to gentlenesse inclind!
Not for base recompence, reward, or gaine,
But for his sake, who for my sinne was slaine:
But ouer-courteously I doe abuse
My Readers patience, with vngentle straine,
Yet if he gentle be, he cannot chuse,
But my most willing mind, though not my Verse excuse.

Meditation 5. Of Grauitie.

My Muse now fares like some Geometrician,
That hauing view'd on Globe terrestriall
The Earth, and like a good Mathematician,
Cast vp the Measure of her craggy ball,
Now thinkes that all doth in his Compasse fall,
But sayling forth by Compasse, Card, and Sterne,
With his owne eyes it to discouer all,
He may Iles and Regions doth discerne,
Which neuer by the Map he able was to learne.

So when I first in Vertues Maps had read,
Of all the Graces link'd in golden Chaine,
I thought I had them all discouered,
And able was their Natures to explaine,
But more that I doe labour and take paine,
To tell their Numbers, Nature, Qualities,
More numberlesse I find their glorious traine,
And more admire their Grace and Dignities,
And more of them I write, the more my Muse descry's.

But none more faire I can amongst them find,
Than next I write of comely Grauity,
Which as I said, goes linked and combin'd
With gentle, noble, sweet Humanitie,
Whom follow Constancy and Chastity
Attending alwayes on this stately Peere,
Who for her venerable Maiesty,
Is to the Queene of Loue her selfe most deare,
And alwayes tires her face, which court'sie washeth cleare.

Now helpe, O heau'nly Queene! and Graces faire!
Her to adorne that beautify's you all
And lift my Muse to fly aboue the aire,
Oh neuer let my fit and fury fall,
Whil'st I describe this Grace Maiesticall;
Which with her comely presence doth adorne
The Temple, Iudgement Seat, and Princes Hall,
With Academies, where the Muse was borne,
And ay defends the ancient from the yongers scorne.

She is an inward splendour of the mind,
Which makes the whole man gracious, commendable,
The outward manners which in her we finde,
Her lookes and gestures, faire and delectable,
Are but as Beames of that bright admirable
Transcendent Grace, which in her heart doth shine,
To make words, lookes, and actions venerable,
And Dignity and Comelinesse to ioyne,
With manners Sanctitie, which make a man Diuine.

For sure all reuerend shewes of Grauity,
Are but externall good expos'd to sight,
Except they haue fast rooting inwardly,
And from the heart receiue their Splendour bright,
As Maiesty, is without Goodnesse light,
So's Grauity without true holinesse,
'Tis that which makes vs graue, and to delight
In sober honesty, and comelinesse,
And to be patternes of all Grace and godlinesse.

She is that holy Law and Rule of Life,
Of constancie and gracious manners borne,
Free from lasciuious Loue, or causelesse strife,
And euer doth most gloriously adorne
Him, before whom her glorious ensigne's borne,
She is not lowring hard, to equals proud,
To betters base, nor doth inferiours scorne,
Aspiring, wanton, loose, exulting, lowd,
Her habit, looke, attire, all modesty doth shroud.

Her Ornaments are not Wealth, Strength, or Power,
Sumptuous apparell, decking Limbs, or face,
Sweet Chastitie of Manners is her Dower,
Her outward parts, adorn'd with inward Grace:
These be the ornaments that most her grace,
Not made by any skilfull hand, or Art;
Vertue the Queene of all things did enchace
These workes of wondrous Glory in her heart,
Wherewith she now adornes and graceth euery part.

By these she casting out all perturbation,
Perpetuall tranquillity attaines,
And shines in Grace, which at her first Creation,
She from the Fountaine of all Grace obtaines,
And thus she true immortall honour gaines,
Not that which leanes on popular vaine blast;
But that whereby the Queene of Vertue raignes,
And stands vpon her vertuous thoughts so fast,
She from the pitch of honour can not be displas't.

Hence 'tis, that who can to this pitch attaine,
Admits of nought vnseemely to be done,
His mind no euill cogitations staine,
His actions chast as mind from whence they come,
Many indiff'rent things are fit for some,
Which some more graue and noble ill beseeme;
It doth no Judge or Magistrate become,
In seruants habit publique to be seene,
What Country Maid commends, may ill beseeme a Queene.

Iustly did Philip reprehend his Sonne,
When, to the Harpe, he heard him sweetly sing,
This well, saith he, soft Ladies doth become,
But Drums and Trumpets best beseeme a King;
It is for Clarkes no commendable thing,
To Hunt, Hawke, and great Horse for seruice traine,
Which highest Grace to Gentlemen doth bring,
Poets may witty pleasant fictions faine,
Which in a graue Diuine would be accounted vaine.

Man in Gods Image to be like a Beast,
Neigh like a Horse, grunt, swill, like to a Swine,
Such things doth Grauity as base detest,
Equality and Comelinesse doe shine,
In her voice, speeches, countenance diuine;
In going, sitting, gestures, and deuotions;
She words perplext, contentions, doth decline,
Plaine, constant, resolute, are all her motions,
Proceeding from her hearts, pure, wise, & heau'nly notions.

Her words fly not at randome, all do flow
From Fountaine of pure vnderstanding heart:
Her gestures are not quick, nor yet too slow,
Sweetly seuere, consid'rates in each part:
Her looke's not Cruell, nor compos'd by Art,
Graue and seuere, yet gentle, liberall,
Sweet Mistris of the Graces! where thou art
They are most gracious and comely all,
Wherefore I them thy Schollers all aright may call,

Nay rather thy companions: Poets feigne
Astréa call'd from heau'n, with thee to dwell,
And to put all her Nymphs to thee; to traine
Them vp in Vertue as beseemeth well:
To men all gracefull manners thou dost tell,
Thou teachest Kings to rule their Subiects right,
Fathers their Duties to their sonnes to spell,
Seruants to Masters, Lady to her Knight,
No Policy or force without thee rules aright.

Happy are they! thou teachest to eschew
All Leuity, vaine feare, and ostentation,
Morose, rough manners, taunts, reproach undue,
Which shewes a mind subiect to perturbation,
Delighting in anothers molestation:
These are like Scorpions, whose malignity,
To all, comes from their natures inclination,
And from their Malice comes Morositie,
Auerse to all, but most to Truth and honesty.

As Vrchin, which hath pricks vpon his skin,
'Mongst Thorns, and Bryers alwayes takes delight,
So in all businesse these enter in,
They vse morose, vnciuill, barb'rous might;
They bring within them Malice, Gall & Spight.
How-euer be the thing wherein they deale,
Oh God forbid! such base malicious Sprite
Be euer Iudge in Iudahs common weale:
Such take large Toule, but neuer care to grind the meale.

Some dayes Euripus seu'n times ebbs and flowes,
Some other dayes, nor flowes nor ebbs at all,
The mouing of this Riuer's like to those,
That haue not Grauity habituall:
Vnlike themselues, loose, sparing, prodigall,
Idle precipite, vaine, for either part
Most earnest, vehement, patheticall,
These their owne businesse and friends peruert,
For want of Grauity, and Constance in their heart.

But Grauitie is like the Ocean maine,
Into whose Treasure all the Flouds doe flow,
Which he as constantly sends out againe,
Yet hereby doth, nor lesse, nor greater grow,
He neither swels, nor banks doth ouerflow,
When greater summes his tributaries pay,
Nor is base sparing, when their pay is slow,
The windes may tosse his waues but not dismay,
He smiles so soone to see his troubles blowne away.

As Censor in the Senate-house of Rome,
So is this Grace amongst the Graces all;
And as none might into the Senate come,
But those whom he did in his Conscript call:
So none may come into the Graces Hall,
But they must be conscrib'd by Grauity,
And those she will not haue come there at all,
She passeth by them for their Leuity,
Such confidence haue all in her integritie.

But she most like is to the glorious Sunne,
Whose chearefull countenance is still the same;
And like him constantly one course doth runne,
Of which, she neuer weary is or lame:
From him's all elementall heate and flame,
With her all liuely spirituall doth dwell:
He lightens all with his enlightning beame,
Sinnes, Clouds, and Ignorance she doth expell:
Sol prince of Lights, she of all Graces beares the bell.

She's like that Breath, which God is said to breathe
Into mans face for immortality,
His owne sweet Image, which he did bequeath
To Adam, Righteousnesse, and Sanctitie:
For where is inward holy Grauity,
All Graces spirituall are likewise found,
Where graue and modest outward Courtesie,
There outward comely Graces all are found,
Without the one we neuer find the other sound.

No firmer, or more ready muniment,
'Gainst Enuie, Malice, and each enemy,
That here mankind assaile, and circumuent,
Than high, sublime, graue Manners maiestie;
Who outward hath and inward Grauitie,
Concords with all without, hath Peace within,
Of Vertues all consent, and Vnity,
Gods image thus renew'd, doth heere begin,
In humane flesh to vanquish Lust, and mortall Sinne.

Old Ages honour, garland of gray-haires,
Most ample orders Grace, and dignity,
The highest seates of Iustice, richest chaires
Of State, from her haue all their maiestie:
She swayes the Scepter of high Sou'raignty,
The fairest Cope which Arons sonnes do weare,
Sweet, reu'rend, amiable Grauitie!
To thee I nothing find fit to compare,
All Simile's but shadowes to thy substance are.

For in the graue and reu'rend do shine
All Goodnesse, Constancie, and Sapience,
The Manners which were in the golden time,
The Age when raigned Right and Innocence,
Before Debate, Strife, and Maleuolence
Were hatcht, since fledge, now taught aloft to sore;
Inueterate in reprobated Sense,
Habituated so in Vices lore,
They scoffe at graue examples, all that went before.

At first, I say, when in the golden Age,
Graue Saturne did Olympus Scepter sway,
Of high esteeme were then the ancient Sage,
And mortals all did their behests obay;
But since Ioue did by violence betray
His father, and aspired to his Crowne,
Seuerer Grauity is driu'n away:
The Iouiall men are onely of renowne,
Graue Saturne on their Lusts too rigidly doth frowne.

As long as Eue maintaines her Grauitie,
So long in her Integrity she stood:
But when neglecting Grace and Maiestie,
She of her vassall learnes the ill from good,
The Serpent, with his base malicious brood,
Soone brings her to an euerlasting blame;
She euill did, and euill vnderstood,
And seekes to hide her naked parts from shame,
Which perfect Natures Grauitie did neuer blame.

Oh wondrous Grace of heau'nly Grauitie,
If in her likenesse she should here appeare!
But Adam lost her with Integrity,
Since, she could neuer be discerned cleare:
But when our Head with vs conuersed here,
Onely some Beames he pleaseth to bestow
Vpon his members to himselfe most deare,
Whereby they shine like little lamps below,
And, as he lends them light, they great or lesser show.

If you examples of this Grace desire,
You must the Fathers liues, and Stories reade,
She a continued habit doth require,
Nor is expressed in a single deed,
I easier to you could their slips areed,
As Noah graue yet ouertane with wine,
And Lot thus punish't with incestuous deed.
I read, that once eu'n Abram did decline,
And fainting, fell from this high Grauitie diuine.

Could I now Iob here picture in a Verse,
I might her comeliest feature to you show,
Reade his whole life: I onely will rehearse
What he would haue his vniust friends to know:
Did he vnto the Seat of Iudgement goe;
The youngmen saw him, and themselues did hide,
The aged rise; the Princes tongues that flow
In Eloquence, their talking lay aside.
Speakes he? all mouths are shut, all eares are open wide.

I do not reade, that graue Iudge Samuel
Did euer from this heau'nly Grace decline,
For all the time he iudged Jsrael:
But sure his

Eli

Tutor did so much incline
To gentlenesse, he swerued from her line.
Oh Dauid! where was then thy Grauity,
When thou didst make Vriah drunke with wine,
That so he might go with thy Lemman lie,
To couer thy base Sinne of foule Adultery?

That innocent pure golden Grauitie,
With which thou in a linnen Ephod dight,
Laidst by thy sou'raigne kingly Maiestie,
To dance before the Lord with all thy might:
Oh thus to be vncouerd in the sight
Of maides, and seruants, well becomes a King,
Though prophane wicked Michols vs despight,
Yet when to God we our Deuotions bring,
To be most vile and meeke is no dishonouring.

Should I now passe by Iudges, Prophets, Kings,
And from th' Apostles times this Vertue trace,
To shew how silly fisher-men did things
More graue and venerable in their place,
Than all the Prelates that haue highest grace,
My selfe and Reader I too much should spend:
Let's labour in our hearts her to embrace,
For that indeed is Meditations end,
In vaine hee sees the right, that doth the wrong way wend.

By two or three examples, Ile commend
This Grace, as she did with the Heathen won:
Cato, one from the Senate did suspend,
Because he kist his wife before his sonne:
A Poet crauing of a Iudge alone,
To do him fauour against Law, replide,
As Poet is not good, whose Vertues run
Not by the rules of Art: so Iudge is wide,
That layes, for feare or fauour, Lawes and right aside.

A Spartane lewd, in serious consultation,
Giuing his good aduice, was followed
Of all the Senate in their Conuocation;
And the Decree in his name entered:
A graue old man them better counselled,
That they their honour would not so defame,
To haue Decrees in such names registred:
The Sentence might continue still the same,
Chang'd onely from a lewd, vnto a graue mans name.

Themistocles is said, once with his friend,
After the Persians fatall ouerthrow,
To see that mighty slaughter, to descend
Vnto the Sea, which wont to ebbe and flow;
Which many Chains and Bracelets vp did throw:
These when he saw thus lying on the shore,
He them, thus saying, to his friend doth show,
Thou art no Captaine, gather them therefore:
Shewing, he Grauity, than Gold esteemed more.

Oh! shall a Captaine of the heathen host,
For Grauity despise all gold and gaine?
And Christians, thou whose Soule alone hath cost
More than all wealth that doth on earth remaine,
Neglect this Grace a little pelfe to gaine?
Oh! what do such, but Esaus Birth-right sell,
Or like the Prodigall, eate swill and graine:
If they at home with Grauity would dwell,
Manna should be their food, their drinke sweet liuing-Well.

Alas! how many be that do professe
Themselues great friends to gracious Grauitie,
And do in outward shewes expresse no lesse?
But they at home are full of Luxurie,
Base Wantonnesse, and all Immodesty;
Especially obscene in filthy Lust:
Thus Cupid binds Ioues awfull Maiestie;
Uenus haue her petitions granted must,
When Iuno's and Minerua's throwne are in the dust.

Ah! I could wish, but neuer hope to see
The golden-Age, when eu'ry one was plaine,
And hearts and faces did in one agree;
Dissembling was not knowne all Saturnes raigne.
The Matrons modest Virgins sought to gaine
By patternes graue, in Vertue to begin
Their youth, the ancient vp in labour traine;
To moderate their Lust, and keepe from sinne:
That as they seem'd without, so they might be within.

Three things the Persians did teach their youth,
To ride a horse, the Bow aright to draw,
The last thing was, in all to tell the Truth;
This made them of ill doing stand in aw,
They being bound to Truth, as to a law.
This last, true inward Grauitie would frame,
Considering God secret sinnes will draw
To light on earth, to our disgrace and blame,
Or else hereafter to our greater paine and shame.

But I confesse, we are so farre from feare
Of wanton loosenesse in our priuacie,
That openly we without blushing beare
The ensignes of our Impudicitie.
So farre from antique grauer Modestie,
In gestures, goings, lookes, vailes, and attire:
They now are baits of Lust and Luxurie,
And fewell to increase our shamelesse fire,
Which should be limited in Wedlocks chast desire.

And not shewes onely, but our sweetest songs,
Are now the Baits of Lust and Wantonnesse;
In Ribaldry we exercise our toungs,
With vnchast tales we intertaine our guesse;
Without these now no mirth or cheerefulnesse.
Alas! poore Grauity is quite vndone,
Her honours blended by Lasciuiousnesse;
The Signes will tell you, where good-Ale doth won,
'Tis filthinesse to speake, what's filthy to be done.

Diuinest Spirits! Muses Darlings deare!
That in sublimest Numbers take delight,
Oh! let your Fountaines streame as pure and cleare,
As runs the Helicon whereof you write:
Dim not your pure, sublime, most glorious light,
With lustfull thought, or wanton cogitation,
But spend the honour of your Furies might,
In holy, sweete, transcendent Contemplation,
And as your matter's graue, so be your conuersation.

You by the Muses are inaugurate
Censors of Manners, inward Sanctitie,
As of the outward is the Magistrate;
Oh both be patternes of true Grauitie!
And you shall both shine like a Deitie,
Amongst the mortals which are here below:
Your priuate honour, publike maiestie,
By Grauitie more glorious shall show,
So as your outward truly doth from inward flow.

Wiues, Matrons, Widowes, Virgins faire be graue,
Dame Chastitie defend your Bodies may
From lawlesse Lust: This Vertue will you saue
From lustfull proffer without saying nay;
The boldest dares not Grauitie assay;
She better than a thousand Argo's eyes,
All lustfull lookes and glances keepes away,
And silenceth inchanting Mercuries:
That Matron's truly chast, whom no man euer tryes.

God of all Grace, I humbly beg this Grace
Of inward, and of outward Grauitie,
Graue in my Muses, graue in publique place,
Graue with my friends, graue in my Family,
Graue in Aduersitie, Prosperitie,
In all religious Duties truely graue:
Be I in Bondage, or at Libertie,
In health, or sicknesse, Grauitie I craue.
In all from crying Sinnes, this Grace my Soule shall saue.

And though to sing of Grauitie I cease,
Yet neuer will I cease her Contemplation.
As yeeres, so must my Grauity increase.
The Author of all heau'nly Cogitation,
Me teach her practice in my Conuersation.
This Booke began with Peace, I now will end
With Grauity both Booke and Meditation:
God grant it Readers hearts may all amend,
As it hath done the Authors, when the same he pen'd.

To the Author.

I read thy Poems, and I them admire;
The more I reade, the more I do desire:
They breathe such holy Passions in the mind;
Who reades them most, himselfe shall better find.

R. C.

FINIS.