University of Virginia Library

Epigrams.

To the Prince.

I, not for Fashion, but for Fauours sake,
From Thee Prime Prince my Proeme here do take.

Out of the first Booke.

Epig. 1. Lib. 1. Sex Librorum.

Epig. 1. To the Lady Nevil .

That this my Book, where't comes, may Patrons find;
To th'Readers It, My-selfe to Thee's assign'd.

Epig. 2. To the Reader.

Reader , do'n't Prayse, nor disprayse All I write;
Lest so I blaze thy Want of Wit, or Spight.

Epig. 3. To Iohn Hoskins, I. C. of his Booke.

My Booke's the World, my Verses People bee;
There's few Good-men, Heere, few Good straines you'l see.

Epig. 4. To the Lady Mary Nevel .

If that opinion of Pythagoras
Be true, that Spirits one t'another passe;
Then, Venus, Iuno's, Pallas, Soules most rare,
By Beauty, State and Learning, in Thee are:
Such Three in One are seldome seene or found,
Many are rare for One; Three haue Thee crown'd.

Epig. 5. To the same Lady.

As Phœbus faire, shewes, shines ith' Ayre;
as Light ith' Sunne most bright:
So in thy face, with Princely Grace,
Dwels Vertue with Delight.
For, whosoere but comes Thee neere,
To Looke on Thee, Thee Loues;
Thy Beauty, Bounty, wond'ring at,
So precious hee approues.

Epig. 13. Loue.

Loues first approch, Delights sweet Sog doth sing;
But in departure Shee Woes sting doth bring:
So, the sweet streames of Springs to Sea which hie,
Mixt with Salt-waters, taste vnsauerily.

Epig. 6. To Master Thomas Nevel, Sonne to the foresaid Lady .

In thee, doe shine such Gifts worth admiration;
That, thogh All-True, they passe al true relatiō.
Who Childrē praise, their Hopes not Hap do praise,
Thy Hap, not Hopes, thy wit, thy worth doth blaze.

Epig. 9. To the Lawyer.

If He be Blest, that Knowes of things the Cause;
O! What is He that Pleades a Cause by Lawes.

Epig. 11. To Degenerous, Generous Avlvs .

Ignoble , Noble, Aulus, owes
All, to's Progenitours;
And his Successours, sure, I thinke,
Will neuer bee his Debtours.

Epig. 12. Against Hernick .

Hernick , thou Boughtst a Foole for 20, pound:
To Buy Thee at that rate, I'de not be bound.

Epig. 14. To D. Gilbert .

Dost say, the Earth stands Not? that's admirable;
Thou wast at Sea, sure, when thou writ'st this Fable.

Epig. 15. To Phisicians and Lawyers .

Ovr Sores and Sicknesse, Galen made thee wise,
And thee Iustinian, our great Fooleries.

Epig. 19. To Linvs .

Th'ast Bookes good store, but thee more Learn'd I'de-hold,
If th' adst such store of Bags full cram'd with Gold.

Epig. 20. To a Noble young Gent.

Friends wish their Friends long Liues to Liue,
But, None their Death desire;
As one should wish a sore Dis-ease,
But Ne're would Cure require.

Epig. 23. Against Marcvs .

What meant'st thou Marcus, stifly to maintain,
That Nought in Nature Empty doth remaine?
Since thou thy selfe hast such a huge great Head,
Of Wit most voyd and wholly Emptyed.

Epig. 26. To Phyllis .

If Loue be Firy (as Louers say and hold)
Thy fiery Loue is then (alas) most cold.

Epig. 31. Prophets, Poets.

Prophets , doe truly things to come fore-know;
Poets, things past in Fictions false doe show.

Epig. 32. Of Life and Death .

As Riuers pleasant Source to th' Salt-Sea hastes;
So, day by day Life vnto Death still wastes.
Tis sweet to Liue, but (oh) tis dire to dye,
Thus sweet with bitter ends Mortalitie.

Epig. 36. Of Life and Loue.

Though euery Action to an End doth bend;
Yet Life and Loue doe hate their proper End.

Epig. 38. The Housband, and the Cuck-old-Maker .

Housband.

Cuck old-Maker.

Epig. 39. New Rhetorike.

Whoso wants Gold, in vaine doth hold
An Argument with any;
He's best Linguist, that hath his fist
Well fill'd with Make-way Mony:
Not Sillab'lls, but Siluer-bells,
Now, make the rarest ring;
Homer, ar't poore? then stand at Doore,
Though thou canst sweetly Sing.

Epig. 42. Against Borbonivs the Poets Trifles .

What thou call'dst Trifles, but not thought'st so much,
I call not Trifles, but I thinke th'are such.

Epig. 48. To the True Statesman .

Though for thy Country it be prayse to dye;
Yet, for her Good to Liue, 's more dignitie.

Epig. 55. The Courtier .

If thou be Good, Better in time,
Not Greater, thou mayst bee:
If thou be Great, thee Greater then,
Not Better, Time may see.

Epig. 58. A Secret against Hoary-Haires to Bithynicus .

That, in Old-Age thy Haire may not waxe-Gray,
Baldnesse in Youth (ô rare!) is the right way.
Probatum est.

Epig. 63. Against Pontia .

All Cuck-olds, cast ith' Sea, Pontius would haue:
Learne first to swim (quoth's Wife) thy selfe to saue.

Epig. 68. Venus.

Loue comes and goes, retyres, returnes,
As Sea's doe ebbe and flow,
How comes it Loue's so like the Sea?
How? Venus thence did grow.
In Venus is Varietie,
Sometimes Shee Nill, Shee Will;
Therefore with Mouing-Planets plac'd,
Not with Starres standing still.

Epig. 70. Woman.

Woman as Weaker or more Soft is said,
Yet Eue o'th' Bone of Mā, not Flesh was made.

Epig. 71. Affinity twixt Lawyers and Phisicians .

The Lawyers and Phisicians case
haue neere Affinitie;
For, others Ruines make them Rich,
No doubt most Lawfully.
These Sucke the Sicke, for Potions, Pounds,
For Law Those Lands purloyne:
These promise Health, and so get Wealth,
Those Quietnesse for Coyne.

Epig. 82. Of the Day .

The Day, with one-eye farre moe things espies,
Than Night can see with more than Argos-eies.

Epig. 87. A Good-man .

Things that be Rare, are euer Deare,
And of great price esteemed:
Then sure (I thinke) an Honest-man,
Most precious may be deemed.

Epig. 89. Against Pavlinvs .

Paulinus , when thy Friend Askes ought of thee,
Thine answer is, Tomorrow come to me.
Wou'dst haue mee giue thee Thankes for what I borrow?
For thy Good-turne Ile giue thee Thankes to morrow.

Epig. 92. A Machiuilian .

Cogge, Counterfeit, as thou shalt see
Both Time and Place require,
That when occasion's offered,
Thou mayst haue thy desire:
Yea, now Hee's Wise can Temporize,
His hoped prey to catch;
For Gold and Gaine, who will refraine?
All seasons well to watch.

Epig. 101. Death.

What Death is, dost thou aske of me?
Till Dead I doe not know;
Come to me when thou hear'st I'm Dead,
Then what tis I' shall show.

Epig. 102. A Client .

The Client going-Home, may sing by th'way,
And needs not feare the theefe to bid him stay:
For Lawyers doe for Fees so filch their coyne,
That many times, they scarce know where to Dine.

Epig. 104. Children and Fooles tell True.

Children & Fooles (our Prouerbe saith) tell true,
As who shuold say, th'are Fooles the truth that shew.
If thus they'le haue it, yet th'are Knaues that lie;
I'le be Truths Foole, let them loue Knauerie.

Epig. 106. Against Ball'd-pates .

Ball'd-pate , my Haires I ne're could numerate,
Nor thou thine owne, ther's None left on thy pate.

Epig. 115. Backe-biters, Flatterers.

Anaxagoras was wont to say, that Snow
Was Blacke, more Blacke was Anaxag'ras Hart.
Many such Enuious Elfes this Age doth know:
The flatt'ring Foxe, with his dissembling Art,
Praysed the Whitenesse of the Cole-blacke Crow;
Such fawning Foxes are (alas) too many,
Who, for aduantage Prayse and Dis-prayse any.

Epig. 117. An Herculean Labour .

To Curbe the Courage, and Wiues Tongue keep-vnder,
May wel be call'd, Hercules thirteenth Wonder.

Epig. 123. Of Bardella a Theefe.

The Theife Bardella being Iudg'd to Dye,
A Fryer gaue him Ghostly Exhortation:
Good-Brother (saith he) Dye most ioyfully:
For thou shalt Sup in Heau'ns blest Habitation.
Sir (quoth Bardella) I must Fast this Day;
Take you that Supper in my sted I pray.

Epig. 128. Answere to Cynthiaes Epistle.

Thy Paper white, thy Letter blacke came to me,
This thy soule-Hart, That thy white skin doth shew me.

Epig. 129. To Sextillian Sp .

Sextillian , when thy Father thee begot,
To Get thee, then, his minde (I thinke) 'twas not;
Himselfe to recreate, not thee Create,
Was all (I iudge) he then did Cogitate:
If, more the Gift, than Giuers minde be praysed,
Then, sure, thy Life to him is not ingaged.

Epig. 131. Saturnes three Sonnes .

Diuines are doubtfull, Lawyers lew'd and ill,
Physicians foule; yet these the World rule still:
If such ill Gouernours, the People nurse,
No maruel, then, though all grow worse & worse.

Epig. 137. Against Pomponia .

Pomponia did a fickle feather weare
Vpon her head; feathers doe Souldiers fit.
True, and Shee this for Mars his Loue did beare.
This shewes, that Mars in Venus Lap may sit:
Thogh on their heads our Hellēs feathers haue,
Marueile not, for tis Paris fauour braue.

Epig. 146. Vertue in the Middle .

A gallant Dame, scarce of good Name,
Ith' midst twixt two Men went,
Vertue, as heere it may appeare,
Her place had lost or lent.

Epig. 150. To his absent Loue .

I burne poore wretch, and so much more
Am burnt with Loues desire;
By how much I am further off,
From my Loue-burning Fire.

Epig. 163. A Probleme of Hornes .

When Wiues defile their Husbands marriage Bed,
Why weares the harmeles Husband Hornes? Hee's Head.

Epig. 168. To the Reader, of himselfe.

My breuity, though some may Sloth esteeme,
Yet to be briefe, most Labour I doe deeme:
Much madly I speake not, with vulgar sort;
Though mine perhaps be foolish, yet tis short.

Epig. 170. Of Himselfe.

Aske and Receiue, so Iames th' Apostle sayes,
O that King Iames to me would vse that Phrase.

Out of the second Booke.

Epig. 4. To the Lady Mary Nevell .

In Tables faire, our fading formes are painted,
That what 'ith face would fade, in Them may dure;
To paint in Tables I am vnacquainted,
My Verse shall pourtray what power can procure,
That what Frames cannot, Verse may keepe vntainted,
Yet, none but rare Apelles that can do;
And, none but great Apollo this can show.

Epig. 10. A true Troian.

The Troians Troy being brought t'annoy, grew wise;
Himselfe, this Troian, who doth not agnize?

Epig. 16. To the Lord High Treasurer of England .

A faithfull Treasurer thou art
Vnto thy King and State;
Than all rich Treasures, I, thy Faith
More precious estimate.

Epig. 24. To Richard Vaughan, once Bishop of London .

Those Preachers are to be esteemed best,
Which Doe the things they Teach ought to bee Done;
Thou wast a Bishop learned best and blest,
Doing what thou hadst Taught men should not shun.

Epig. 29. To Sir Philip Sidney .

He which doth Deeds in Bookes to be exprest,
Or things worth reading rarely doth Indite,
Is blest; but thou who didst both these more blest,
Thou, Deedes worth writing, Workes to reade didst write:
Thy Writings doe thy Learning intimate,
Thy Uertuous Deeds thy Vertue demonstrate.

Epig. 32. To the Right Honourable Lucy, Countesse of Bedford .

The Light to thee (sweet Lucy) giues a Name,
Which through the world shines to thy datelesse fame.
The Lustre of Illustrious Parēts wrought-Thee
Thy Wit, thy Vertue, to this Light haue brought Thee.

Epig. 33. An Honourable Gold-Ring: To Henry Goodyeer, Knight.

Nobilitie's the Gold, Uertue the Stone;
For euer may'st thou by this Ring be knowne.

Epig. 35. To D. B .

If he Liue-well, that Liues a Quiet Life,
If Wisedome 't be, that Wisedome bee concealed,
Then thou Liu'dst-well, whose Wit and Wisdome rife
The more thou hidst, the more thy worth reuealed.

Epig. 40. The Strength of England to the Prince .

Englands safe Gates, are her Cinque-Ports;
Her stately Ships, her Walls;
Her Camps, the Sea; Bulwarkes, her Corps;
Her Heart, her Generalls.

Epig. 41. The Terrestriall Globe .

The Earth and Sea one Globe doe make,
And who would this suppose?
Earth firme Remaynes, the Sea Remooues,
Earth's fast, Sea ebbes and flowes.

Epig. 42. Vn-Healthy Healths.

By how much more thou Healths dost drinke,
So much lesse Health thou haste;
Thousand such Healths take thou, for mee,
That Health by Healths wilt waste:
To wisemen, that, is Healthiest,
To drinke no Healths at-all;
What Health can be in drinking Healths?
When Men like Beasts must crawle.

Epig. 43. The Diuine, the Politician

The Diuine.
What profits it that thou dost know,
Vnlesse another know it?

Politician.
What boots thy Knowledge vnto thee?
If thou to others show it.

Epig. 52. The Louer .

Vnconstant-Hope, most Constant-Feare:
Vaine-Pleasure vanishing;
Ioy and Annoy, Hony and Gall,
Loue bitter-relishing.

Epig. 55. The German-Death to Polynicus .

Death, 's Not to be ; so Seneca doth thinke,
But Dutch-men say tis Death to Cease to Drinke.

Epig. 61. The Niggard, the Prodigall .

Prodigalls , are free-hearted Rhetoricians,
Niggards are hold-fast-close and slye Logicians:
The Clutch-fist Churle by Logicke vnderstand,
By Rhetorike the Spend-Thrifts Open-hand.

Epig. 65. The Earle of Dorset his Adagie, Neyther furiously, nor fearefully .

Doubt all things wisely, wisely Hope for all;
Of all Take-heed, that thou mayst feare no fall.

Epig. 66. Sir Henry Neuill his Adagie. Wish no vaine thing .

No vaine, nor vile thing wish to haue,
This Counsell is both wise and graue:
For, base things are of base esteeme,
And wisemen, vaine things, nought worth deeme.

Epig. 69. To his Friend.

I will not be a Foe to any,
Nor be familiar with too many:
And twice I will not Loue my Friend,
But whom I Loue, I'le Loue to th' end.

Epig. 70. Money ouercomes all.

Serpents that crawle, Fish in the Sea,
Yea Beasts and Birds of th' Ayre;
From Males and Females and All things,
Loue, once, did Conquest b'are:
But Gold the King with's Siluer Queene,
And Wealth their Eldest-Sonne;
With power, Now rife, to winne the Prize,
And it from Loue haue wonne.

Epig. 73. Adulterie and Fornication .

Th' Adult'rer and the Cuckold, different bee,
As Comedy is from a Tragedy.

Epig. 74. Of Hercules to C. D.

Whom, neuer force nor fence of strongest arme,
Could fell or quel, is vāquisht by Loues charme;
Who? prou'd so strong to wrong Alcides great?
'Twas Loue, but not by force but foule deceit:
He slew Leæna, Lena could not tame,
Monsters could ne're; his Mistresse wrought his shame.

Epig. 85. Erasmus Fooleries.

That old Erasmus, Foolishnesse, did prayse;
That, Foolishnesse, his wits fame much did rayse.

Epig. 90. Against Vnfaithfulnesse .

Trusting false words, I learned to distrust:
False Hope hath forc't me feare, & that most iust.

Epig. 94. Wisedome.

Who's wealthy? Wisemen; who are Poore?
Rude Dolts, and Sots vnwise;
If I be wise then, quickly, I
To Riches may arise:
But tell me, Now, what Man is wise?
The Rich; who Fooles? the Poore;
Then, if not rich, though wise, I may
Goe begge from doore to doore.

Epig. 96. Against a certaine Drunkard .

If Gold could be as eas'ly Drunke,
As for it most men Thirst;
Sellers of Gold their Paunch would be
Stuft, till their Bellies burst.

Epig. 99. Anger or Wrath .

It seemes, that Aristotle vs'd
To call Wrath, Uertues Spurre;
Because it Spurres, Spurnes vertuous men,
As being Enuies Curre.

Epig. 106. To a certayne Dyer waxing-old.

Thy Beard, which once was Blacke, is now turn'd white:
But that's by Nature, not by Arts best slight.

Epig. 120. Against a great Clerke .

Sicke-stomakes, much doe swallow downe,
But Little doe Digest;
So, thou know'st much, but yet, in thee
Small Wisedome is exprest.

Epig. 124. Against an Harlot .

Oh, I could wish thou wert lesse faire,
Or else wert better giuen;
For, worser things than Harlots faire,
There are not vnder Heauen.

Epig. 127. To Claudius, and Linus .

Vngodly Claudius, to be Good,
Wants nothing but a Will:
Lewd Linus, also, wanteth nought
But Power to be Ill.

Epig. 131. Against Couetous and Lame Alanus.

If thou to Lame Alanus, Giue,
Than Thankes, expect no more;
In Thankes, then, like Centimanus
Hee'le be; though Lame before:
But if thou Giue, and some Reward
Expectest for the same;
Then, though in Power Centimanus,
Hee'le bee most Weake and Lame.

Epig. 142. Against Marcus a Lawyer .

The Lawyer Pleades his Owne not Clients Cause,
Yet Clients Money he to London drawes;
Not for Himselfe, but for his Lawyers Fees,
This Lawyers get how ere the Client Lees:
The Law is plaine, the poore mans Cause in doubt,
Thus Lawyers Gaine must hold the Client out.

Epig. 148. Sir Francis Drake his Epitaph .

Though Pop'ry should (which Heau'n forbid) re-raigne,
They could not (Noble Drake) dig vp thy Graue;
Thy Bones to burne, as once with fell disdaine,
They did against good Luther rage and raue:
Thou needst not feare (I say) Romes wrath, for why?
Thy Bones ith' Bottome of the Sea do lye.

Epig. 165. The King, the People .

As, when the Head with Wine's orecome,
The Feet trip to and fro;
So Princes that Illiterate be,
Their Subiects ouerthrow.

Epig. 166. The Senate .

The King doth Raigne himselfe alone,
Why then Rules he not All?
He which both Rules and Ruled is,
Rule others better shall.

Epig. 168. Of Dyet, to I. H. Knight.

If thou Old-age with healthfull-dayes,
Desirest to enioy;
Vse Food as Phisike, Phisike as Food,
Neither of both t' annoy:
For Phisike, taken as 'twere Food,
The Health doth strangely wrong;
But, Food, as Phisike wisely vs'd,
Doth Life in Health prolong.

Epig. 173. The fiue Senses .

The Senses fiue, as Seruants waite on Man,
To Please his Will, or winne his Will to Pleasure,
Who vse them With or Without Wisdomes Measure,
Their Profit or Dis-profit publish can.

Epig. 179. The Obiects of the Senses .

My Hearing, Sight, my Smell, my Taste, my Touch,
Doe me affect and me infect as much.

Epig. 185. The Phœnix, the Uiper.

The Phœnix, Dying doth her yong Regaine;
The Vipers brood doth breed her forced-bane.

Epig. 186. The Silke-Worme .

My Art drawes-out my Heart; my Toombe, my Toile;
My Worke workes-out my Life; I Spin my Spoile.

Epig. 194. Manuring of the Ground .

Though Vile thou he, yet Usefull th'art,
And for Manuring good;
For thou vnto our Aliment,
Art Nutriment, though Mud.

Epig. 196. The Parret .

If lawfull't be, of things t' inuert the name;
With prattling Parret, Prater is the same.

Epig. 206. The Souldier .

Warres wounding Weapons hurt nor so my Heart,
As vnarm'd Venus pierceth with her Dart.

Epig. 208. The Louers Teares .

As Wood sends forth much sappe, when burnt ith' fire:
So, Louers weepe, when Crost in Loues desire.

Epig. 213. Eccho.

No Art can Graue or Paint Mans Voice in Table,
Eccho reflected Sounds t' expresse, is able.

Epig. 214. The Looking-Glasse .

Not famous Phidius, nor Apelles rare,
Can Carue or Paint Motion, thou'lt it declare.

Epig. 215. Eccho and the Looking-Glasse .

Eccho hath nothing but a Voice to Liue,
The Mirrour nothing wants, if Voice you giue.

Out of the third Booke.

Epig. 2. To the Lady Mary Neuil .

Thou, who Vn-borne, the Burthen wast
Of thy then parient-Stemme;
Now, being borne, her Beauty art,
Euen Parents ioyfull Iemme.

Epig. 3. To the Reader of his Booke.

I feare (kind Reader) lest my Verse displease thee,
Carpe thou (fond Momus) it shall ne're disease mee.

Epig. 8. Basilicon Doron, to the King .

What need wee Pen this Pen-mans prayse,
Or write his Workes rare worth;
Whose Prayse the Worke, whose Worke th' Author
T' each other full set-forth?

Epig. 13. Of Vertue .

True Vertue, Prayse, doth nothing prize,
Though Honour her attend;
As Shaddowes on the Body waite,
When's rayes Sol forth doth send:
For, Vertue is Substantiall,
Glory, out glittering shew;
As Bodies are Essentiall,
Shaddowes no Substance true.

Epig. 20. Union.

Vnion's Diuine; Diuision's Diuellish found,
For, ther's one God, but Diuels doe abound.

Epig. 21. Three Tempters .

Ovr Life, three subtill Sophisters retaines,
The World, the Flesh, Satan, who ore thē raignes:
Satan's an old Logician; th' other two
Are Rhetoricians, and much skill can shew.

Epig. 23. Man to Man's a God, a Wolfe .

Man vnto Man a God, a Wolfe is knowne,
The one in Christ, in Adam tother's showne;
For, Christ both God and Man, to Man's a God,
Adam a Wolfe to Man, Gods plaguing Rod.

Epig. 28. The Misery of this Life.

Long-Life , though weake and wretched, Man desires;
That is, to be a Wretch he Long requires:
Weake, wretched Irus dyes against his will;
That is, he would haue Liu'd most wretched, still.

Epig. 29. Of Nature and Grace .

A Gloomy-Moone-Light, is our Natures Light:
But Grace doth Glister, like the Sun most bright.

Epig. 30. A Catechisme .

Twice Sixe beleeue, for Seuen things pray,
Ten things performe, and Liue for aye.
This Catechisme vse aright,
And thou shalt see Heau'ns glorious Light.

Epig. 31. The Rich-man .

What is the Cause, few Rich, to Heau'n doe goe?
'T's a Costly-Iourney, they'le not much bestow.

Epig. 34. The Holy-Ghost .

As, Pigeons Lite on Houses white,
And there-about abide:
So, God aboue, pure-Hearts doth loue,
And with them will reside.

Epig. 36. Of the King .

A Light-lesse Sunne, is Law, without a King;
A King without a Law, is nothing lesse:
Men marke the King, Kings Men by Lawes redresse:
Thus, Lawes and People, Kings in order bring.

Epig. 41. God-Man.

God could not feele, nor Man alone Death quell,
Christ, God and Man, did Both; as Scriptures tell.

Epig. 42. Death.

The Bad flye from, the Good doe Death attend;
Death's th' End of Woe, or Woe without an End.

Epig. 44. A Miracle .

Let others, Wonders wond'rously admire:
I, God their Author most t' extoll desire.

Epig. 45. Adams Fall, Mans Thrall.

By Adams Fall, Mans Soule did fall,
Ith' power of the Preacher;
His Flesh to Phisike, and his Goods
To th' Lawyer, that Gold-Reacher.

Epig. 46. To Adam .

The Diuell, Deaths-Dam, Eue and Adam
With Apple did deceiue;
With his All-Haile, their Ioyes did faile,
And Edens blisse them leaue.

Epig. 48. The Tempter .

As, Mice make Holes in Walls to get their prey:
So, Satan Findes or Makes ith' Heart a way.

Epig. 49. Mortification.

That thou mayst Liue when Dead thou art,
To Dye, yet Liue must be thy part;
Learne first to Dye, then, ere thou Dye;
This, Sinfull-flesh will Mortifie.

Epig. 51. Against thee-onely haue I sinned. Psalme 51.

Svbiects , 'gainst God, the King, the Lawes, offend;
Kings, onely God, because Kings All transcend.

Epig. 52. Prayer.

As, Christ did Heau'ns vn-op't Gates penetrate:
So, Prayer by Faith must pierce Heau'ns fast bard Gate.

Epig. 53. Mary Magdalens Teares.

Her wand'ring Eyes, which view'd each Vanity,
Shee bleares with teares, and weeps most bitterly;
The cause (I iudge) such brinish teares to bring,
Was, that the Eye was Sinnes first Fount and Spring.

Epig. 55. Methusalem is Dead .

To Liue-Long, is not Life, to Liue is Life:
What is't to Liue-Long, then? to Dye from strife.

Epig. 56. Of Law and Iustice .

The Iudge, not Iustice, hath the most resort:
'Tis strange; since Lawes-way's Long; Iustice path Short.

Epig. 57. Intemperance.

Since, most desire a Long Life to enioy;
By Luxury, why doe we Life destroy?
We faine would Liue, yet will the meanes refuse;
We wrong our Health, and then Phisicians vse.

Epig. 60. Liberty.

If He be well, which hath what he can wish,
Why then doe Men for stinging Serpents fish?
True Liberty, 'mongst Vertues beares the Bell;
He may Liue as he Will, which Will Liue Well.

Epig. 63. The Crosse of Christ .

The Crosse bore Christ, & Christ the Crosse did beare;
It Him, He, It bore, vs to rid from feare.

Epig. 64. Of Religion .

Religion , is a Tree, fruitfull and faire,
And must be planted in each Good Mans Heart;
The Root, is Labour, and the Fruit most rare,
Is Honour, euery Godly-Mans Desert.
And, well is't said, Men first were Gods by feare;
For, to feare God is Piety's first part:
Religions Root is bitter, better on high,
For, Feare's her Fount, her Riuer's Charity.

Epig. 66. Marryed-folke.

Man , Loue thy Wife, thy Housband, Wife, obay,
Wiues are our Heart, We should be Head alway.

Epig. 67. Study.

Some men grow-mad, by Studying much to know:
But, who growes-mad, by Studying Good to grow?

Epig. 69. The Blessed Virgine .

Her Makers Mother, Gods deare Spouse,
The Daughter of her Childe;
A Mayde, yet Wife; Mother, yet Mayde;
Was Blessed Mary milde.

Epig. 74. Liberty of Speech .

Some, hold it th' onely Liberty to Prate,
But that's true Freedome Speech to Moderate.

Epig. 75. A Probleme to Marcus .

What profits it, or Good or Bad to bee?
Since, little difference twixt them Both we see,
For, Bad are punisht iustly as by force;
The Good by Might, as if by Lawfull course.

Epig. 78. To Christ .

Ovr Hold-fast Anchor, and safe Ship
Of Faith, our Sea of Loue;
Earths sauory Salt, Cœlestiall Sun,
Our Soules-Health from aboue:
Thy Crosse hath Crossed Deaths great rage,
By thy Death, Death lyes Dead;
And is't not strange that Death should Dye,
Or ere be vanquished?

Epig. 79. Selfe-Loue.

They, which the faults of others quickly spye;
But at their owne wil winke with Selfe-Loues Eye:
How euer, Such, to Some may seeme full wise,
Yet, greatest folly this in them descryes.

Epig. 84. A Prayser .

By Praysing, Good-men Better bee,
Prayse, Bad-men worse doth make:
Wise-men doe grow more Cautulous,
Fooles greater Pride doe take.

Epig. 92. Al-wayes the same.

One-God , there euer was and ere shall bee,
Why then One-Faith amongst vs haue not wee?
One-Faith, as doth One Day, the world should light:
As One-God's in the world, and Sunne most bright.

Epig. 94. Christs Wounds.

Christs Wounds, to vs, were rather Salues than Sores,
For, our Lost-Health, by them, He t'vs restores.

Epig. 101. Christ the Way .

Would'st walke the Way which Leades to Life eternall?
'Twas Sent, 'tis Seene, in Christ thy King supernall.

Epig. 104. Patience or Content .

Thou'dst Dye, or not Dye; Death or Stayes,
Or Comes; yet take thy Lot:
Tis Ill to Nill, as Bad to Will,
When thou shouldst Dye, or Not.

Epig. 109. Man.

The Heart's a Hurt, procur'd by Care,
Our Corps, Corruption dry;
W'are borne, but how? Oft to be sicke,
We Liue, why? oft to Dye.

Epig. 112. Eloquence.

Not many Weedes, but wholesome Herbes,
The fertile Grounds declare:
They're Eloquent which Well can speake;
Not those which Babblers are.

Epig. 117. O Times and Manners!

Why thus doe Men, Manners and Times accuse?
When Men themselues, Manners and Times abuse;
W' are Bad in them, they worse by vs do grow,
Yet, wee complaine that helpe to make them so.

Epig. 120. Of Strife or Contention .

O, I could wish, I might so happy bee,
Men, Striue to Loue, not Loue to Striue, to see.

Epig. 124. Marryed-folke.

A House, vs both in Discord can't contayne,
In Bed, we both in Concord doe remayne.

Epig. 135. Christ.

As Morning is Nights End and Dayes beginning:
So Christ is Deaths End and Saluations Springing.

Epig. 140. Of Sleepe .

If Sleepe be Death, then Death than Sleepe
Can be esteem'd nought els;
The more thou Sleep'st then, lesse thou Liu'st,
This, playne Experience tels,
And is our Death but like a Sleepe?
When Men haue Slept, they Wake;
Then Courage Christian, Feare, ô Wretch;
Thee Heauen, thee Hell shall take.

Epig. 147. Against Epicures.

Oft haue I heard both Yong and Old complaine,
That Loue & Life do n't Long-enough remaine:
Lifes Pleasure, Pleasures Life is short soone spent;
He's wise therefore can leaue both, with content.

Epig. 148. Workes.

Good-men to Heau'n, their Good-Deedes follow well;
The Wicked's Ill-Deeds, follow them to Hell.

Epig. 161. Sence, Reason, Faith, Loue, God.

Sence , voyd of Reason, silly is,
Reason's bad, without Faith;
Faith's Nothing-worth, if Loue it lacke,
Loue's good, if God it hath.

Epig. 164. Wisedome, Fortitude.

Tis Wisedome, Euils to beware,
To beare them's Fortitude;
The Wise not beares, not Valiant feares,
Harmes borne and well eschew'd.

Epig. 165. Labour.

He which by Sweat, would haue Men Eate,
And by their Labour Liue;
If they take paine, with him to Raigne,
Heau'ns Dainties will them giue.

Epig. 168. Christian Aduerbes.

Not Adiectiues but Aduerbes best can doe:
Not, What-Good, How-Well God hath care vnto.

Epig. 171. Time.

Time All Consumes, both Us and euery Thing,
We Time Consume, thus, Both one Song doe Sing.

Epig. 172. Much Admonition to his Friend Michael Heydon .

Doe nothing Rashly, Faintly; All with Heed,
Too-Late, too-Soone doe nothing; All with Speed:
Nature, Thee faint, Wisedome Thee valiant makes,
Who? feares things fearefull, which, Heed of them takes.

Epig. 176. Honesty, Dishonesty.

Good-men hate Vice, because they Vertue loue,
That there's few-Good, this, then, doth plainely proue.
Dishonesty is now so high ascended,
And Honesty so Low, so vilipended;
That in these Sin-full, Sin-foule dayes well-nigh,
Tis counted Uicious, to Liue Vertuously.

Epig. 178. Of the Soule.

Mans Soule Cœlestiall is aboue the Skies:
For, with the Body if it Rise, it Dies.

Epig. 180. Hell.

As Blacke by no meanes can be Dyed-White,
From Hell to Heau'n, so, None can take their flight.

Epig. 192. Man.

Man cryes in's Birth, what Ioy's then to be Borne?
Why weep we at Mens Deaths as Men forlorne?

Epig. 196. Wise Simplicitie.

Like harmelesse Doue, to Liue in Loue,
To all Men doth belong:
Like Serpents wise, Liue, I aduise,
That none may doe thee wrong.

Epig. 206. Vpon the Death of Charles Blunt, Earle of Deuonshire .

Whether Sad-Passion, or sweet Prayse to vse,
An Elegie or Elogie to choose,
I doubt deuise, such is my Loue, thy Losse;
Oh, greedy Death to take Gold, leaue vs Drosse.
Now thou art Dead many trlke much of Thee,
Good, Best; Bad, Worst; this, is well prays'd to bee.