University of Virginia Library

Of Fate.

Fate, sayth the Ethnicke, is a firme decree,
Which, though foreseene, may not preuented be
Wherby (poore snakes) by pur-blind fate they'r set
Like Bedlam fooles, to dance in Errours net.
Others haue grounded this opinion too,
Which some approue, and others disallow,
That in this vale of anguish, euery Man
Hath some one Angell for his Guardian;
And that our Fortune good or bad shall be
As those same Angels keepe vs companie;
If Good-ones be our Guardians, O then
By their attendance we are happie men:
If Euill, ruine shall attend our State,
So by these two we may collect our Fate;
And from that God to whom all Angels sing,
These Angels haue their power, as from their king:
For th'good doe nought vnlesse he perfect it,
Nor ought the ill, vnlesse he them permit.
But late Diuines seeme to expound this place,
That this same Angell is the sauing Grace,
Which doth assist such as in Faith doe call,
And leaueth others to themselues to fall
By his iust Iudgement, who in's Palme containes
This globe of Earth, and tries the hearts and reines:
Which secret's so profound as humane wit,
Be't nere so sharpe, can nere attaine to it;
Let's then reserue this secrecie for him,
Who will disclose the mysterie of sinne.
Some others haue ascrib'd the sterne of State
In each degree, vnto the rule of Fate,
Whose painted forme least it inveigle vs,
I will display, and for example thus.
Suppose two men, for such a thing may be,
Should goe to th'Forrest to cut downe a tree;
Now as th'one hewes, the Hatchet chanc'd to flie
Out of the shaft, and kills him that stands by;
Yet this proceeded not, I'me sure you'l say,
From an intended purpose any way,
Either of him did kill, or him was slaine,
But from this Fate which Poets seeme to faine,
Ascribing her such power, as there's small odds,
Twixt her effects, and those celestiall godds,
Whose vnconfined will is sayd to be,
Sole regent, both in heauen, in earth, and Sea;
But what were all these Pagan powers but vaine,
Forged conceits hatcht from an humane braine:
Let's then, because this Simile doth borrow
Farre lesse of ioy, then it receiues from sorrow,
Confirme this Subiect which is drawne from Fate
By some Similitudes occasion'd late,
Which relish more of pastime then of weight,
“For light is Fate, and should be handled sleight:
Vpon a time it chanced that I came
To Gottam, a small Towne nere Nottingham,
About which time they kept a solemne wake,
Where euery liuely Lad tooke in his Make,
Each Lasse her Lad, so as you need not feare,
But ere they parted they made dancing deare;
Amongst the rest a frolicke youth there was,
Who tooke to him a lustie bouncing Lasse;
Vp went the Crowd, the Viole, and the Fiddle,
While he right smoothly takes her by the middle,
Beginning with a Kisse, for so they doe it,
Which done, right mannerly they went vnto it.
Lightly he caper'd, youth is free from care,
And shee as nimble, bates him not a haire;
But long they had not danc'd, till this yong Maid,
In a fresh Stammell Petticote aray'd,
With vellure sleues, and bodies tied with points,
Began to feele a loosenesse in her ioynts;
So as about the May pole while she tripps,
Downe fell her vnder-bodie from her hipps,
And show'd the Naked truth, for all espide it,
Till one lent her his Cloake that she might hide it.
Now pray you say whom ought we most to blame,
Fate, or the Taylor rather for the same,
Or neither both, but th'fashion sure I weene,
'But for her points she had not naked beene;
So as it may a Caueat be to such,
Who vse to stand vpon their points too much.
Another accident there chanc'd of late,
May seeme to haue some reference vnto Fate;
A case in Law was argued in our Court,
With much delight, proceeding in this sort:
Renowned Humber, for Records haue found,
That Humber with his vanquishd Hunns were drownd
In her imperious Surges, keepes a shore
A Boate to waft way-faring people ore;
'Mongst other Passengers were ferried ouer,
Chanc'd to resort a Pedler and a Drouer,
Both at one time; the Drouer he did bring
Sheepe to the Faire, which he was carrying,
Of Ewes good store (right Butcher-ware) there came
And 'mongst the rest a bonnie butting Ram,
Whose awfull front the rest securely kept,
And all this while the Cup-shot Pedler slept.
With many a nod drawne from his drowsie braine,
Which th'Ram obserues, and butts at him againe;
The Pedler now, feeling belike some smart,
With such like words as these began to thwart
The carelesse Ram, Sir I am at a word,
Butt you at mee, I'le butt you ouer-boord.
And not one word the Pedler could speake more,
Till he began to nod iust as before;
Wherewith th'incensed Ram thinking he ment
To push at him, so fierce a stroake him lent
As his distemper'd Noddle seem'd dismaid,
With violent assault his hornes had made:
Yet part through griefe and anguish which he felt,
He now resolu'd to wash the Rams white pelt,
Which he perform'd, his fury to discouer,
And roundly takes the Ram and throwes him ouer;
The louing Ewes seeing their Sweet-hart swim,
Resolu'd with one consent to follow him;
Which th'Lawyer in his pleadings noting than,
“Brother (quoth he) this was a lustie Ram,
For much I doubt whether our wiues or no,
If we should be thus vs'de would follow so.
But to be briefe, not any one was found,
Of all the Drouers flocke, which was not drown'd,
So as a Suite's commenc'd betwixt these twaine,
Wherein the Plaintiffe seemeth to complaine,
And by petition humblie doth craue
That for his losse he some reliefe may haue;
Which how it was determin'd by the Lawes,
Being (me thinkes) a Presidentall cause,
I will not now insist on, but discusse
What Fate decree'd herein, and briefly thus.
When th'Pedler met the Drouer, his intent
Concurr'd not, questionlesse, with this euent,
Nor meant he any harme vnto his sheepe,
When he exempt from care fell fast a sleepe;
Nor gaue he the occasion, but the Ram,
Who with his furious force awak'd the man,
Nor was he to be blam'd when he did ayme
To take Reuenge, The worme will turne againe.
Where was the fault then? you will say in Fate;
No, not in her but in the Pedlers pate:
Or to ascribe more properly the fault
Nor Fate nor Pate were cause of this but Malt.
One other instance I will here produce,
Which I by way of Supposition vse,
A forme which I approue so much the rather,
'Cause from Supposes none offence can gather.
A friend inuites another to his house.
Whose presence after growes iniurious
Vnto his Reputation, for he growes
More inward with his wife then each man knowes,
And this continues, yet who can descrie
The slie effects of Louers priuacie,
Obseruing such a watch, as neither wit,
Art, or Suspicion may discouer it.
Now vnto whom should we impute the blame,
To him that caus'd him come, or him that came,
{So} vnto Fate, since he by accident
Vnto the house as one invited went?
If we should skan whence th'first effect did spring,
We properly may lay the fault on him
Who through the too much confidence he had,
Gaue way vnto his wife, and made her bad,
So as my Iudgement is, the case so stands,
As he may take his hornes in his owne hands;
For nere had he run on Dishonors shelfe,
Or gain'd him infamie, but through himselfe.
Or else we may ascribe't to Womans will,
Which hath a Natiue pronenesse vnto ill;
So as what will be will be, and what man
May force a woman doe more than she can?
And my opinion's this, it is no boote
To curbe a Wench, that is inclind'd vnto't,
For be shee in restraint or libertie,
Her eye still waits for opportunitie;
Which got, she's so resolu'd as she will venter
To taste delight should thousand eyes preuent her.
Yea, on my conscience, though I nere haue tride it,
I durst protest the more they are denide it,
The liker are they when fit time they finde,
To serue their iealous husbands in their kinde:
For though we force them euer to obey,
And to make sure worke, vse both Locke and Key,
Italian-like, yet when the time shall come,
Be sure we may that they will hitt vs home;
For this my firme Position still shall be,
“Hornes can we not preuent, though we foresee.
But all too long our Pen seemes to dilate,
Vpon this pur-blind Goddesse, Pangan

Nisi cor tuum esset fatuum, non crederes Fatum. Aug.

Fate:
If we doe good, as few are our good deedes,
Let vs conclude that good from God proceedes:
If ill, as many ills doe we commit,
Vpon our selues let's lay the cause of it;
So like true Christians we will euer hate,
To take from God that we may adde to Fate.
“Thus Fate's a Panim Idoll; onely He
“Disposeth vs, by whom wee onely be.