Petrarchs seven penitentiall psalms paraphrastically translated: With other Philosophicall Poems, and a Hymne to Christ vpon the Crosse. Written by George Chapman |
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VIRGILS EPIGRAM of a good man. |
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 | Petrarchs seven penitentiall psalms |  |
VIRGILS EPIGRAM of a good man.
Of millions, could be found out by the Sun)
Is Iudge himselfe, of what stufte he is wrought,
And doth explore his whole man to a thought.
What ere great men do; what their sawcie bawdes;
What vulgar censure barks at, or applauds:
His cariage still is chearfull and secure;
He, in himselfe, worldlike, full, round, and sure.
Of things without, in him should sit, and raigne;
To whatsoeuer length, the fierie Sunne,
Burning in Cancer, doth the day light runne;
How farre soeuer Night shall stretch her shades,
When Phœbus gloomie Capricorne inuades;
He studies still; and with the equall beame,
Through his strict forme: and that he may compell
His equall parts to meete in such a sphere,
That with a compasse tried, it shall not erre:
What euer subiect is, is solide still:
Wound him, and with your violent fingers feele
All parts within him, you shall neuer find
An emptie corner, or an abiect mind.
To those sweet sleepes that all iust men attend,
Till all the acts the long day doth beget,
With thought on thought laid, he doth oft repeate:
Examines what hath past him, as forgot:
Why this deed of Decorum felt defect?
Of reason, that? What left I by neglect?
Why set I this opinion downe for true,
That had bene better chang'd? Why did I rue
Need in one poore so, that I felt my mind
(To breach of her free powres) with griefe declin'd?
Why will'd I what was better not to will?
Why (wicked that I was) preferr'd I still
Profite to honestie? Why any one
Gaue I a foule word? or but lookt vpon,
With count'nance churlish? Why should nature draw
More my affects, then manly reasons law?
And all reuoluing, frō the Euen till Day:
Palme and reward he giues to what was right.
Externæ nequid labis per læuia sidat. This verse Ascensius ioynes with the next before; which is nothing so; the sence being vtterly repugnant, as any impartiall and iudiciall conferrer (I suppose) will confirme.
Cogitat, & iusto trutinæ se examine pensat. This verse is likewise misioyned in the order of Ascenscius, which makes the period to those before.
I here needlesly take a little licence: for the word is Amussis, the mind of the Author being as well exprest in A compasse.
Sit solidum quod cunque subest, nec inania subtus. Subest and subtus Ascens. confounds in his sence; which the presnesse and matter of this Poem allowes not: it being in a Translator sooner and better seen then a Commentor.
He would turne digitis pellentibus, to digitis palantibus. To which place, the true order is hard to hit. And that truth in my conuersion (how opposite soeuer any may stand) with any conference, I make no doubt I shall perswade.
Miseratus egentē, cur aliquē fracta persensi mente dolorem. Ascens very iudicially makes this good man in this dittie, opposite to a good Christian, since Christ (the president of all good men) enioynes vs, vt supra omnia misericordes simus. But his meaning here is, that a good and wise man should not so pitie the want of any, that he should want manly patience himselfe to sustaine it. And his reason Seruius alledgeth for him is this, saying, In quem cadit vna mentis perturbatio, posse in eum omnes cadere: sicut pot est omni virtute pollere cui virtus vna contigerit.
| Petrarchs seven penitentiall psalms | |