University of Virginia Library

EPIGRAMS:

The second Booke,

1. No crosse adventure should hinder vs from being good; though we be frustrate of the reward thereof.

By any meanes, with all your might endeavour
For honesty, whats'ever be th'event:
Although sinister fortune should dissever
Vertue from honour, be not discontent;
For if you be deprived of your due,
The fault is in the time: and not in you.

2. Those that have greatest estates, are not alwayes the wealthiest men.

They're richer, who diminish their desires:
Though their possessions be not amplified,
Then Monarchs: who in owning large Empires,
Have minds, that never will be satisfied;
For he is poore, that wants what he would have:
And rich, who having nought, doth nothing crave.

3. The couragious resolution of a valiant man.

Seeing Nature entred me on this condition
Jnto the world, that J must leav't, I vow,
A noble death shall be my chiefe ambition;
To dye being th'end of all J ought to doe:
And rather gaine, by a prime vertue, death:
Then to protract with common ones my breath.

4. How abject a thing it is, for a man to have bin long in the world without giving any proofe either by vertue, or learning, that he hath lived at all.

That aged man, we should (without all doubt)
Of all men else the most disgracefull hold:
Who can produce no testimony, but
The number of his yeares, that he is old;
For of such men what can bee testifyed,
But that being borne, they lived long, then dyed.

5. That a vertuous mind in a deformed body maketh one more beautifull, then a handsome body can doe, endowed with a vicious mind.

External comelinesse few have obtain'd
Without their hurt; it never made one chast:
But many adulterers: and is sustain'd
By qualities, which age, and sicknesse waste:
But that, whose lustre doth the mind adorne,
Surpasseth farre the beauty of the bodie;
For that, we make our selves: to this, we're borne:
This, onely comes by chance: but that by study;
Jt is by vertue then, that wee enjoy
Deservedly the stile of beautifull,
Which neither time, nor Fortune can destroy;
And the deformed body, a faire soule
From dust to glory everlasting caries:
While vicious soules in handsome bodies perish.

6. To one, whom poverty was to be wished for, in so farre, as he could hardly otherwise be restrained from excessive ryot, and feasting.

You should not be a whit the more dejected,
That (as in former times) not being sustain'd,
Your fare, and dyet daily doe decrease;
For want doing what your modestie neglected:
It is a happy thing to be constrain'd
To that, which willingly you ought t'embrace.

7. That men are not destitute of remedies, within themselves against the shrewdest accidents, that can befall them.

If you expect to be of toyle, and care
Sometime exeem'd, hope may your griefe diminish:
And patience comfort you, ere you despaire,
Though both those faile, Death will your troubles finish;
Thus are you fitly served with reliefes,
'Gainst Fortunes most elaboured mischiefes.

8. What sort of benefits one ought to bestow.

VVould you oblige to you a friend, by giving,
Most cheerfully your favours to acquite:
Give that, which gives content in the receiving:
And when it is received yeelds delight;
For if it faile in either of those two,
It will impaire his thankfulnesse to you.

9. To one, who did glory too much in the faire, and durable fabrick of a gorgious Palace, which he had caused lately to be built.

Boast never of the permanence of that,
Which neither can prolong your dayes, nor houres;
For that your house is stately, strong, and great:
The praise is the artificers, not yours:
Death cares not for your Palace, who can climb,
Without a ladder to the tops of Towers:
And shortly with a visage pale, and grim
Will come, and turne you naked out of doores:
But make your body (like a Church of Marbre)
A Castle fit, a vertuous mind to harbour.

10. That a contented man is rich, how litle wealth soever he have.

He's rich who craving nothing else, doth find
Content in the possession of his owne;
For in so much as doth concerne the mind:
Not to desire, and have is all, but one;
For if the thoughts thereof be rich, we 're sure;
Fortune hath not the skill to make us poore.

6.

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The numbering of epigrams in the source document has been followed.

How dangerous it is, to write, or speake of moderne times.

Though all, some errors doe commit: yet few.
Having committed them, would have them told:
That talke then being displeasing which is true,
Who cannot flatter, he his peace must hold:
So hard a thing it is, to say or pen,
Without offence, the truth of living men.

12. That the most solid gaine of any, is in the action of vertue, all other emoluments, how lucrative they so ever appeare to the covetous mind, being the chiefest precipitating pushes of humane frailty to an inevitable losse.

Such is the thin, and ragged maske of vice,
That whosoe'r to peevish thoughts are pronest,
Will know some time b'experience, that there is
No profitable thing, which is not honest:
Nor can there be to God a man more odious,
Then he who leaves the good, for what's cōmodious.

13. What the subject of your conference ought to be with men of judgment, and account.

Let the discourse be serious, you impart,
To the grave audience of judicious eares:
Being either of the common-wealth, some art,
Or science, on your owne, or friendes affaires;
For if it can to none of those pertaine:
It must be idle, frivolous, and vaine.

14. That a truly generous mind, had rather give a curtesie, then be resting one, after the presented opportunity to repay it.

As stil a greater care doth men possesse,
To keepe things well, then freely to bestowe them:
So to a noble spirit it is lesse
Laborious to giue benefites, then owe them:
In whom brave actions are more naturall,
Then to the flame to mount, or earth to fall.

15 To a certain Lady of a most exquisit feature, and comely presentation: but who gloried too much in the deceitfull excellencie of these fading, and perishable qualities.

Though you be very handsome, doe but stay
A litle while, and you will see a change;
For beautie flieth with the tyme away,
Wherwith it comes: nor must you think it strange,
That hardly being skin deepe in the most faire,
And but a separable accident
Of bodys, which, but living shadowes are;
(And therfore frayle) it is not permanent;
Be then not proud of that, which at the best,
Decrepit age will spoyle: or sicknesse wast.

16 Who is truly rich, and who poore.

By the contempt, not value of the matter
Of worldly goods, true riches are possess'd;
For our desire by seeking groweth greater:
And by desiring, povertie's increass'd:
So that on earth there can be none so poore
As he, whose mind in plentie longs for more.

17 How generous a thing it is, not to succumbe to pleasure, and sensualitie.

No great exploit can be expected from
That man, who being profoundly plung'd in his
Owne sense, permits himselfe to be o'rcome
B'a foes 'effeminat, as pleasure is;
For mightie minds most pleasures doe conceive,
When pleasures over them no power have.

18 That we ought not to be sorie at the losse of worldly goods.

Those things, which are to us by fortune lent,
We Should sequestrat, and to such a place,
From whence she may, without our discontent,
Fetch them away againe before our face;
For if we grudge thereat by any meanes:
We doe but vexe our selves, and lose our paines.

19. What is not vertuously acquired, if acquired by us, is not properly ours.

Whos'ever by sinister meanes is come
To places of preferment, and to walke
Within the bounds of vertue takes no pleasure:
Provideth onely titles for his tombe,
And for the baser people pratling talke:
But nothing for himselfe in any measure;
For fortune doth with all things us befit,
Save the sole mind of ours: and Vice kils it.

20. Riches affoord to vertue more matter to worke upon, then povertie can doe.

For Temperance, and other qualities
Of greater moment, men have beene respected
Jn riches: but in poverty there is
This onely goodnesse, not to be dejected;
Whence shunning want, we means embrace, which yeeld,
To vertue a more large, and spacious field.

21. Death maketh us all alike in so farre, as her power can reach.

Mongst all the rites, that Nature can pretend
In Justice, this is chiefest, and a sequell,
Which doth on Mortall principles depend:
That drawing neare to death, we are all equall;
Therefore we otherwise, then by the sense
Should betwixt man, and man make difference.

22 A very ready way to goodnesse, and true VVisedome.

Who vertuously would settle his endeavours,
To mortifie his passions, and be wise:
Must still remember on received favours,
Forgetting alwaies by-past injuries;
For that a friend should prove ingrate, is strange:
And mercy is more Noble, then revenge.

23. We ought not to regard the contumelies, and calumnies of Lyars, and profane men.

Aspersions, which base people viciously
Inflict upon mens credits, I contemne;
That sentence having small authoritie,
Where he, that is condemned, doth condemne:
And to be hated by a wicked spirit,
Doth argue oftentimes the greater merit.

24. No man should glory too much in the flourishing verdure of his Youth.

Let none be proud of life: nor thinke, that longer
He then another will, because he's younger,
Enjoy his pleasures; for though old age stand
A great way off, death alwaies is at hand;
Who (without taking heed to time, or yeares)
No Living creature spares, when she appeares.

25. That vertue is of greater worth, then knowledge. to a speculative Philosopher.

Why doe you study Morals, if you take
No paines t'abate your avarice, and lust?
For how can vertues definition make
You valiant, prudent, temperate, or just:
Jf you industriously purge not your mind
Of any vice, to which you are inclin'd?

26 Consolation to a poore man.

That you are poore, it should not much disheart you;
For povertie securely keepes your house
From theeves, & Robbers: and makes roome to vertue,
By banishing of pride, and the abuse
Of riches: the losse thereof, and feare of losse,
Surfets, and vices, that prejudge the health:
Which being shut out of doores, strive to compose
Your mind to quietnesse, more worth, then wealth;
For without wealth you may have happinesse:
But not without tranquillitie, and ease.

27 The bad returnes of ingrate men should not deterre us from being liberall.

Though you ingrate receivers dayly find,
Let not their faults make you lesse Noble prove;
It not being, th'action of a gen'rous mind
To give and lose so, as to lose, and give;
For that, a churle may doe, in hope of gaine.
But this partakes of a heroick straine.

28 That riches is a sicknesse to those, that doe not possesse the good thereof, so much as they are possest thereby.

Some peoples senses wealth doth so bereave,
That they to nothingelse their minds can frame:
So have they wealth, as men are said to have
The Ague, when 'tis th'ague, that hath them;
For it afflicts them with the maladies
Of covetous desire, and avarice.

29. A truely liberall man never bestoweth his gifts, in hope of recompence.

A Hearty giver, will conceive such pleasure
In th'onely action of his good intent:
That though he be not met in the like measure,
It never breeds him any discontent;
For when he doth bestow a benefit,
He meerely lookes to the receivers profit:
And in the instant, that he giveth it,
Reapes all the vse, that he exspected of it:
Vertue no other recompence allowing;
The price of honest deeds being in the doing.

30 That the setled quiet of our mind ought not to be moved at sinister accidents.

Man should for no infortunate event
Deprive himselfe of that, which fortune is
Vnable to restore him: the content
Of mind, ease, and tranquillity of his
Reposed spirit; for who lacketh those,
Can nothing else possesse, that's worth to lose.

31. As it was a precept of antiquity, to leane more to vertue, then Parentage: so is it a tenet of Christianity, to repose more trust on the blood of Christ, then our owne merits.

Vertue, not blood was thought of anciently;
Yet blood, more then our vertue ought to please us:
For we on blood, not vertue should rely;
Not on our vertue: but the blood of Jesus;
His blood being able to make heavenly Kings
Of men, plagu'd here for lacke of Earthly things.

32 Our inclination is so depraved, that it is apt enough of it selfe to runne to sin, without any instigation, whereby to drive it forward.

Our mind's so prone to vice, it needs a bridle
To hold it rather, then a spurre, to prick it;
For left unto it selfe, it hardly stands:
But if perverse enticements find it idle,
And push it, then, it (runing on a wicked,
And headlong course) no reason understands,
While at the windows of the eares, and eyes
Temptations enter, which the soule surprise,

33 That there is no true riches, but of necessary things.

The use of mony, is to have the meanes,
Whereby all needfull things may be possess'd,
Which are, but few, and small, & got with ease:
What we have more then that, 'snot wealth, but chains,
Or Fetters of the mind: and at the best,
But heapes of labour, feare, and carefulnesse.

34. The misery of such, as are doubtfull, and suspicious of their VVives chastitie

Close Jealous men make not so evident
In any thing the madnesse of their braines:
As that, the more that they are diligent,
They have the greater hope to lose their paines;
For their whole care, to search that, is imployed,
Which not to find, they would be overjoyed.

35. How deplorable the condition of most men is, who, though they attaine to the fruition of their præterit projects, by covering neverthelesse the possession of future pleasures, honours, and commodities, never receive contentment (as they ought) in the present time.

In things, to fortune Subject, when we get
What we did long for, we anew desire
To have wherewith t'uphold the former state:
Which likewise, we obtaining, more require;
For businesse engendreth businesse:
And hope, being th'usher of another hope,
Our enjoyd' wishes serve but to make place
To after aimes, whose purchase to the top
Of our ambition never reacheth; thus
By still aspiring higher we can find
No end in miseries, that trouble us:
Turmoyle the body: and perplex our mind,
Although we change with great varietie
The matter, which procures our miserie.

36. The different fruits of idlenesse, and vertue in young men.

As singing Grashoppers, a fond Youth revels
In Summer blinks: & starves when tempests rage:
But wise men (Pismire like) enjoy the travels
Of their young yeares, in th'winter of their age:
These by their Providence have wealth in treasure:
While those are pained for their by-gone pleasure.

37. To a generously disposed Gentleman, who was maine sorrie, that he had not wherewith to remunerat the favours, by the which he was obliged to the curtesie of a friend.

You have restor'd his kindnesse, if you owe
It willingly, and doth not prove forgetfull;
For with all Mankind it would hardly goe:
Jf no man could with empty hands be gratefull:
And in what may concerne a benefit,
'Tis th'onely mind refounds, and maketh it.

38. The truest Wealth, man hath it from himselfe.

If you from discontents have a desire
To live exeem'd, the way is ne'r t'importune
Your friends with suits: but alwaies to require
Your riches from your selfe: and not from fortune;
For your dislike, affection, and opinion
Are things still subject to your owne dominion.

39. That the impudicity of a Lascivious Woman staines but her owne, and not her husbands honour.

Though of her sacred Matrimoniall Oath
Your wife make no account: if what be due
To a wise Husband you performe: she doth
Bring to her selfe discredit: not to you;
For others faults can no disgrace impart you:
(Though to your losse they tend, and make you sorrie)
No more then you can by anothers vertue,
(Though it breed joy, and gaine) reape any glorie:
'Tis our owne vertu', & vice must praise or blame us:
And either make us glorious, or infamous.

40. Who really are rich, and who poore.

He, that agreeth with his povertie,
Js truly rich: while (on the other part)
He's poore, who 'midst the superfluitie
Of wealth, in new desires consumes his heart;
For 'tis an empty mind inflicts the curse
Of poverty: and not an empty purse.

41. How to oppose sinister fate.

If of misfortune you suppose t'exoner
By any other meanes, then those of vertue,
Your troubled spirit: you bestow upon her
Both your owne skill, and weapons to subvert you;
For that, wherewith you 'magine to resist
Her furie, is already in her hand:
And which she holds extended to your breast,
To make you plyable to her command:
It is not then great friends, Nobilitie,
Health, beauty, strength, nor store of worldly treasure,
That can preserve you from her blowes; for she
Of all those things disposeth at her pleasure:
But you, your selfe must furnish with such armes,
As may defend you against vice, and sin:
And so you shall not need to feare her harmes;
For being so warded, you are happy in
The tumults of the world: and she unable
With all her might, to make you miserable.

42. The deserved mutability in the condition of too ambitious men.

As is the Tortoise used by the Eagle:
So fortune doth vaine-glorious men inveagle;
Who carries them upon the wings of honour
The higher up, that they may breake the sooner.

43. That inconveniences ought to be regarded to beforehand.

To wait for crosses, that may happen, is
The meane whereby to beare them easily;
They not being much unlike the Cockatrice,
Which, if fore-seene by us, dyes instantly:
While unexpected misadventures kill
Joy in the breed, and tyrannize the will.

44. Concerning those, who disdaine to walke on their owne feet, when, at any rate, they may have the convenience to be carried.

We will not see with others eyes: nor heare
With borrow'd eares: yet hath fond custome so
Prevailed, that we take especiall care,
Upon the feet of others still to goe:
Although our owne be nere so strong, to beare
The burthen of our bodies? I am sure,
That no man came into this world in chaire,
On horseback, or in Coach; our birth was poore,
And we must dye in no lesse poore estate:
But 'twixt those abject ends such pride there is,
And in so short a course of life, so great
Forgetfulnesse of both extremities,
As if enjoying an immortall breath,
We could not have beene borne: nor tast of death.