University of Virginia Library

Epithalamions or Nuptiall Songs.

An Epithalamion or Nuptiall Song upon a young sweet vertuous Gentlewoman. F. L.

An Acrostick upon her name.

F lame Himens torch with luster cleere and bright,
R are starres breake from thee, such as still affright
A ll cloudy Omen hence: may you appeare
N ot aged to your selves; though time each yeare
C harge houres upon you, live together long,
E ver (though old) still to each other young.
S mile O thou marriage Queene on this sweet payre,
L ucina when her throwes of child-birth are,
O ffer thy best helpe; Issue procreate
N umerous, and happy, free from all sad fate,
G row great, and good, and both these still ascending,
E ver to last, and never to have ending.
I bring you Himens blessing, hearts intire,
First warm'd, then kindled at his holy fire.
The Grecian Ladies kept these nights to mirth
Sacred, and from their marriage, not their birth
Counted their age; This knot so doubly tyde
May no disaster, or sad fate divide.
May peace and love in all your lookes be read,
A plentious table, and a fruitfull bed
Be never wanting, jealousie and strife
Be farre exil'd, that a contented life
May sweeten all those houres that are t'ensue.
Andas your Parents now rejoyce in you,
May you in your blest Issue, and spread name,
That when to them I kindle a new flame,
As at this feast, where like occasions meet,
Both Sires and Grandsires may be proud to see't.
And this to many generations prove,
As the best fruits of true conjugall love.

To a vertuous Gentlewoman at the parting from her own Fathers house, to live with her husband at her Father-in-lawes.

May it please you thinke I am the place which now
You ready are to part from, which whilst you
Were present, seem'd a paradise, and full
Of all delights, but now growne sad, and dull.
Me thinkes it stands, as by an Earthquake shaken,
When it perceives it is by you forsaken,
And though it selfe all mute and silent be,
Thinke that it's Genius doth speake thus in me.
Farewell sweet Lady; all the choise delights,
The comforts of the day, the joy of nights,
The friendly houres (the handmaides unto time.)
The seasons: Winter, August, Summer, prime;
By day, the cheerefull Sun; by night, the Moone,
Sleepe or awake, at midnight, or at noone,
Protect you: All things happen to you well,
To please your eye, your eare, touch, taste, and smell.
Where e're you walke, the ayre fresh breath bequeath you,
The earth on which you tread, prove smooth beneath you.
If stand, time stand still with you, or seeme slow;
If move, may Angels wheresoe're you goe
Attend you; or if sit; the chaire to ease you
Prove soft, as Iunoes throne. If ride, to please you
May your Caroch wheeles run as swift and faire,
As Venus Chariot mounted in the ayre.
If lye to rest, then gently may yee sleepe;
Whom, He that made you sweet, as sweetly keepe.
Your dreames be such; that waking, you may say
Darknesse to me as pleasing was as day.
So sleepe, so wake, so walke, so ride, so rest,
With all contentments, treasur'd in your brest,
Till this sad house, which now you leave, to mourne,
May be made joyfull in your quick returne.

A nuptiall song, devoted to the Celebration of a Marriage betwixt Master Iames, and Mistresse An. W.

An Acrostick.

I llustrious Himen, let this bridall feast
A bound in plenty of all choice delights,
M ake it a lasting Iubilee, not least
E nnobled by thee; all their tedious nights
S horten in pleasure; To their future dayes
A dde length and light without eclipse or cloud,
N o unkind breath betwixt them tempest raise,
N o word be heard too silent, or too loud.
A nd when the full time of her Issue growes,
(W hich may they prove as numerous as blest)
A wake Lucina to her painfull throwes,
A nd summon Iuno to prepare her rest.
D ispose their boord, their bed; that they may find
E ach in their age, as in their youth like kind.

A Song at their uprising.

Pack clouds away, and welcome day,
With night we banish sorrow:
Sweet ayre blow soft, mount Larks aloft,
To give my love good morrow.
Wings from the wind to please her mind,
Notes from the Larke Ile borrow:
Bird prune thy wing, Nightingale sing,
To give my love good morrow,
To give my love good morrow,
Notes from them both Ile borrow.
Wake from thy nest Robin red brest,
Sing birds in ev'ry furrow;
And from each Bill let musick shrill
Give my faire love good morrow.
Blackbird and Thrush, in every bush,
Stare, Linet, and Cock-sparrow:
You pretty Elves, amongst your selves,
Sing my faire love good morrow.
To give my love good morrow,
Sing Birds in every furrow.

An Anagram upon the name of the right honourable Sir Thomas Coventry, Lord Keeper of the great Seale, &c.

Thomas Coventry.

To charme out sinne.

An Acrostick upon the Anagram.

T o charme out sinne, to you the power is given,
H aving your Caducæus lent from heaven;
O may your Mace, the Emblem of that power
M akes good, and great: even to your latest houre
A ble them both in you: May you appeare
S till Pilote to that Helme, which you now steare.
C onscience your Court; in constancy persever,
O pposing what you have affronted ever,
V yce, howsoe're disguis'd in vertues weeds.
E nd as you have begun: so shall your deeds
N ot unremembred in the grave forsake you,
T ime (here so spent) shall there immortall make you.
R ecorded it shall be what you have bin,
Y our justice being made To charme out sinne.

Another of the same.

Thomas Coventry.

O Hye constant Mure.

An Acrostick upon the Anagram.

T he Hye and constant Mure girt you about,
H edging your person in, from all detraction.
O pen you lye not to the vulgar rowt,
M aligning goodnesse, and inclin'd to faction.
A Fort you are, built on the Rock, not Sand,
S table, all stormes of envie to withstand.
C ontinue in your justice, mercy, piety,
O ppression and extortion still keepe under,
V ertue, in which man comes most neere a Diety,
(E xcellent Sir) shall your best merits wonder.
N ever shall your uprightnesse be forgot;
N ever; a conscience so unstain'd and pure
T ime shall to Lethe leave, or scandall spot.
R emaine it shall, whilst Moone or Starres indure,
Y ou guarded still, with an Hye constant Mure.

Of the right Honourable Sir Henry Carey, Lord Hunsden, Earle of Dover, &c.

Henry Carey: The Anagram. Rayne Rich.

An Acrostick upon the Anagram.

H onored Sir, If content a Kingdome be,
E ver raigne rich, grac't with that inward crowne,
N one is (then you) in true nobility
R icher; in vertue, issue, or renowne,
Y ou need not feare fortunes inconstant frowne.
C onscience unstain'd, justice, integrity
A bound in you, by all which you are knowne.
R emarkt you are for your sincerity,
E nnobled Sir, and in your blest posterity
Y ou shall raigne rich, still making these your owne.

Of Sir Ranoulphe Crewe, once Lord Chiefe Iustice of England.

The Anagram.

Now Helper, Crave.

An Acrostick upon the Anagram.

R are 'tis such as have helpt, now helpe to crave,
A president of this, in you we have,
N one ever in your place of Iustice sate,
O r graver, or more wise to arbitrate,
V owes you have kept made to the Iudge on hie,
L ystned, (as he doth) to the poore mans cry,
P rotecting Widowes, Orphans, and indeed,
H elping all such as did your justice need.
E minent Sir, your vertues are your shield,
C onquering base envie who hath lost the field,
R eproacht, for so maligning your renowne,
E ternity shall all your actions crowne,
W hilst those that sought your goodnes to deprave,
E ver shall need your helping hand to crave.

Of the most excellent Lady, the Lady Anna Carre, sole daughter to the right Honourable Robert Earle of Somerset, Knight of the Garter, &c,

Robert Anna Carre.

The Anagram,

Rarer cannot beare.

An Acrostick upon the Anagram.

R arer than you either for brest or braine,
O can the earth beare? or shall it againe
B ud a more hopefull bloome? with this new yeare
E ntring, by Ianus leave, may you appeare
R are Lady like bright Cinthia in her Carre,
T hat's alwayes seene with some conspicuous starre.
A mply, Heaven hath indow'd you for a Bride,
N one of your age more nobly qualifide.
N one (than your selfe) more vertuous, chaste and faire,
A nd therefore worthy to be counted rare.
C hallenge you may amongst the vertues place,
A nd to the former three, adde a fourth grace.
R aptur'd I am, and I presume, Iove would
R ayne in your lap, a liquid showre of Gold
E ven now: did he your sweet aspect behold.

Of that worthy and most religious Knight, Sir Paul Pindar.

His Anagram.

Prayer in

D. divus vel Sanctus.

D. Pauls.

An Acrostick upon the Anagram.

S ir Paul, of all that ever boare that name,
Y ou to Saint Paul most deare are, and may claime
R are priviledge; (I might say) above all
P riority, that beare the name of Paul.
A course like yours, how to continue prayers
V nto succession, who hath left his heyres?
L et this your piety proceed to'th full,
P ursue your good worke, and bring on the dull
I nsensible grosse Earth-wormes, such as prise
N o god but gold, nor will be heavenly wise.
D edicate on; make others like sincere,
A noble president you shall appeare,
R ead, whilst old Ianus ushers the new yeare.
Saint Paul, Sir Paul, both traveld: one with care
To build Christs Church: Pauls th' other to repaire.