THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD, TO HIS BRIDE, UPON her Creation. A SPIRITVAL LEGACY for the Right Honourable, the Lord STRANGE.  
WRITTEN, By Augustine Taylor, Preacher, and Minister, at Hawarden in Plint-shire.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JAMES, Lord Strange, etc. The most hopeful Heir, of the Spotless, Ancient, and Illustrious House of DERBY.  
My good Lord:  
THere is a Royal marriage to beheld,  
In the Mount Zion (that God love's so well,)  
It was determined in the days of eld,  
And now's at hand, and I am charged to tell,  
Some noble friends, to th'end they may provide,  
T'attend the nuptials of the Lamb and's Bride;  
To be made members of it: therefore I  
My office and my service, both t'approve  
Towards God, and you gives this to testify,  
In chains of duty, and unfeigned love,  
I'm bound so fast (It shall be understood;)  
I cannot, move (except to do you good,)  
I come t'invite your Honour to a feast,  
That's heavenly, holy, happy, and ne'er ends,  
You are elected as a proper guest:  
Nobility, virtue, honour, are those friends  
Must grace the nuptials, the bad must be gone,  
" Good will have good associates, or else none.  
My Lord I know you, and I know y'are stored,  
With wisdom, learning, bounty, beauty, love,  
Humility, piety, grace, a complete Lord,  
Your merits vow to build your seat above,  
Your foes on earth with grace; and (saith the story)  
Mercy will build your seat in Heaven with glory.  
I have a licence from the greatest power,  
To build a lantern for the Kingdom's sight,  
And upon stately latham's eagle Tower,  
I thus presume to place it, to give light  
Unto the present, and the future time,  
Of the true worth of Derby's Princelike line:  
Keep you it in repair, and you shall prove,  
I own you life, although I pay but love.  
A servant, at your Honourable disposition, Augustine Taylor.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sr. john Hanmer Knight, and Baronet, etc.  
Right Worshipful:  
EAch other blast brings misery or death,  
These netherlands nurse nought but discontent,  
No good that happens riseth from beneath,  
Pleasures indeed that are not permanent,  
Are borne, and buried hear, and perfects sight  
No more than lightning doth in darksome night.  
Now that your aim may be at better things,  
I only aim, and do beseech you seek,  
That Heavenly choir where David sits and sings.  
The Master as 'twere in God's second week,  
Which is an endless world to gain that glory,  
Observe these lines, theyare from the sacred story.  
Your Worships truly devoted, Augustine Taylor.   

Peter Moss his lenvoy to the Author. A.T.  
Kind friend, behold a hopeful mystery,  
In both thy names enwrapped, there seems to be,  
For as S. Augustine with pious love,  
In former time, (mens ignorance t'reproue)  
Did teach and preach the Gospel and did turn,  
The hearts of Kings, (fair Briton's Isles adorn)  
To become Christians: And behind his deeds  
In print are left, to help us in our needs.  
Now I thy friend the boldlier divine,  
Because thou art another Augustine,  
Or rather in the word that strengthened lies,  
Tailor which is, and which so much implies:  
For thy discerning judgement hath descried,  
Oracles of truth, not aught is left aside;  
But is produced; and for the nuptial feast  
Hath shaped this garment, worthiest for the best,  
And as it's framed all by thy curious hand,  
Everlastingly a monument shall stand,  
That neither time, nor envy, can deface,  
Out lasting life, and to thy life a grace.  
Your most assured, Peter Moss.   

TO THE RIGHT Worshipful, Sr. Roger Mostin, Knight, etc. * ⁎ *  
Right Worthy:  
AS it did please your most religious ears,  
To hear me lately, I do now entreat  
Your gracious eyes to view my labours fears  
And pious passions in me are grown great,  
Because I see times bark so fraught with woes,  
The world is not so full of men as foes.  
T'avoid the worst that woes and foes can do,  
Climb jacobs' ladder with Celestial thoughts  
Now only study to ascend unto  
The Lamb in Zion that so dear bought's  
My prayers shall be for your bliss above,  
" And for my service, I entreat your love.  
Your Worships to be commanded, Augustine Taylor.   

IN LAUDEM OPERIS ET AVthoris, Amici mei Augustini Taylor.  
SAint Augustine, thou here dost imitate,  
Moving our minds on God to meditate;  
(Tailor) a Tailor divine, for thoust wrought  
Thy work so faultless, that there is not aught  
Correction worthy: Not a critic tongue,  
Dares belch a word against thy Hymen song,  
Sung as by Christ, muiting to his feast  
And Nuptials him, who lists to be his guest.  
(Reader) our Tailor's full reward is this,  
That to thy soul, his labours add a bliss;  
And with a wedding garment fair to  thee,  
That th'bridegroom say nor, friend begun I loathe thee:  
He seemeth here as'twere to take a measure,  
Of Heaven's high incomprehended pleasure:  
The world's obstickles he, here presseth down,  
And cankered sin cuts off; wherefore let none  
That reads, but cloth his mind, that th'Author know,  
His works do make us more and more to know,  
Encouraging his free and painful quill,  
To pen our more and further profit still;  
And worthy Author, let this be a mean,  
That in another harvest we may glean,  
This being so liked, praised, allowed, graced, loved,  
Accepted, honoured, thanked, read, and approved.  
JOANNES RUSSELL.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
Isr'ells' forgetfulness is showed,  
Her first estate descried;  
The bounties of the Lord bestowed,  
The beauties of the Bride.  
ONce more, from Heaven to earth, from me to thee,  
From God to jacobs' great posterity.  
Oh that thy greatness were with goodness mixed?  
Thy sins are so continued, that betwixt  
I see no virtues placed, what if there were  
Of twenty days together, no day clear?  
But stuffed with stormy weather? Earth would be  
Bold to tax Heaven with mere Tyranny:  
Shall not I then complain 'gainst Israel,  
That spends so many days and not one well?  
It's grief to me, that I have understood,  
So many acts together, and none good:  
Open thy ears to hear, thy heart to heed,  
My eyes are full of dew, my locks doth bleed:  
Can drops that night's accustomed to distil,  
Upon despised lovers; yet my will,  
Wills thee no punishment for this neglect,  
I only wait to see thy more respect,  
Unto my patience, for my long attending;  
My eyes are filled with tears at thy offending:  
I would not see thy faults, I would not strike,  
Nor show my justice upon her, I like  
Vengeance I sent to Egypt, there to dwell,  
Peace I prepared to stay in Israel;  
judgement I doomed to dye with Cain, in Nod,  
Mercy I meant should live with Sem in God:  
I wish It so, regard, and thou shall prove,  
My actions all do manifest my love;  
Man's love's unstable, like to man's estate,  
But where I once affect I never hate.  
Think on thy past, thy present, thy future tense,  
And tell me who hath been thy best defence?  
Who is it? or who will be? Abram's dead,  
Isaac and jacob, left the field and fled,  
So did thy friends, so did thy father and mother;  
As death doth fetch one, nature brings another,  
To keep earth in repair, until there come,  
The members of my Bride all knit in one.  
thou'rt now ship-like, still flitting, restless, and  
Floating in miseries on this nether-land,  
And cannot anchor yet, but shall land at  
The Mount above th' Armenian ararat.  
I know thy poor Bark is in danger still,  
Betwixt the promised good, and present ill;  
My Bethels plenties, and thy Babel's wants,  
Draws thee as Iron, cast amongst Adamants.  
Yet know if thou like Lot's wife waver do,  
Thou'lt'll lose the City and the Mountain too.  
Fergetfull love, I must first send to thee,  
That thou shows these signs of disloyalty:  
I do not take it well, thou art so slow,  
That thankes for all the blessings I bestow,  
Is yet untruely paid. Now I could chide,  
But it becomes not me to use my bride  
Discurteously; I'd not be angry yet,  
My love to thee, commands me not forget  
My patience; therefore arm thyself with haste,  
The days of peace, will soon be overpassed.  
Harken my spouse, I have some things to tell,  
Concerns the health and wealth of Israel;  
I do remember thee even from that day,  
Thou lay unshapen in a lump of clay,  
Void of form, life, and beauty, I begun,  
Then to behold the works that I had done,  
In number many, and in fashion fair,  
T'adorn the earth, and beautify the Air:  
I blessed them all with order, than I meant  
To make some precious piece more excellent  
Than all the rest, and to place that above,  
And make that chief, and that should be my love;  
And that I would prefer, and raise to honour,  
And that should be my bride, and still upon her  
Angels should wait: And this is my decree,  
What wrongs are done to her, as done to me,  
Shall be revenged. Thou art this Bride I say,  
" And all I promise I have power to pay;  
Let all thy enemies think on't, my intent's  
" That all like faults shall feel like punishments.  
Thee (precious piece) when I did mean to make,  
With care, and love, I thus in hand did take:  
Let us make man, of other things I said,  
Let there be such, and they were formed and made;  
The Earth, the Seas, the Air, the Fire and all,  
That's made in or upon this neather-ball,  
The Stars, and Lights above, the Moon, and Sun:  
I did but speak the Word, and these were done,  
And they were well done; but when I applied,  
My power and skill to frame myself a Bride,  
I made thee matchless thus, pure, fair, and free,  
The blessed Heir of Immortality:  
I made thee wise, because true wisdom should,  
Show like a Ruby in refined gold,  
And lodge in Princes breasts: I made thee strong,  
To vanquish all thy foes, that thou a long,  
Through Iordans flood to Syloes' stream may pass,  
And that as fare as Diamond doth glass:  
Thou may exceed the rest, Truth did entreat,  
That in thy breast she might possess a seat,  
And she shall keep it, for to, keep thee free,  
From flattering, lying, and hypocrisy,  
From envy, error, and the worst, that so  
Thy substance may be better than thy show.  
The clod I made thee of, was clay, the time  
When th'earth was in her nonage, in her prime,  
When water, earth, and air, were stored with plenties,  
With several sorts of many several duties.  
The place where thou received thy first estate,  
Was near to Eden, yet without the gate:  
But I did bring thee Inn, and did decree,  
What I had done should be to honour thee,  
And thou shall rule as chief, thy rule shall stand,  
I have commanded all for thy command.  
Consider, thy state doth all else excel,  
To have a being and a being well,  
Both argues power and mercy in the hand,  
Of the great workman; thou mayst understand,  
In this last act apparently doth rest,  
The difference between the man and beast;  
Powerful, and pitiful, thou shalt me prove,  
Sure I think, thou thinks I deserve thy love,  
Do not mistake my love, 'tis pure and free,  
And thine's deffective both in quality,  
And in condition: If the price were laid,  
In balance 'gainst the purchase, 'twould be said,  
That I have made a loser's match, but still  
" Power may perform, and want may only will.  
What ever faults are thine, if thou repent,  
My pleasure is in mercy, my intent  
Intends thy joy, my love is settled so,  
" I had rather give ten blessings, than one blow.  
FINIS.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride, upon her Election. A Celestial legacy, for the use of the Honourable Sr. Thomas Savage, and his noble Lady.  
Written, By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE HONOURABLE, Sr. Thomas Savage Knight, and Baronet, one of the Prince his highness' Privy Council, etc. AND TO HIS MOST NOBLE Lady, the Lady Sau●ge, Daughter, and heir to the Right Honourable, the Lord DARCY, etc.  
Truly Honourable,  
AS two great rivers, when in one they meet  
Makes fair and fruitful, all the neighbouring lands,  
Even so our Country (when you too did great)  
Felt strength and comfort by your clasping hands,  
Your bounties, plenties, beauties, wit, and love.  
Makes both your Honours, to slain wondrous bright,  
In Court and Country; and me first did moon,  
At your fair lamps, to give my candle light.  
And since you love the pious life of grace,  
I'm bold to bring this sacrifice to you:  
It is divine and therefore claims a place,  
In your great bossomes. Truth saith 'tis her due,  
To lodge in the best rooms of every breast,  
Yea even in Princes, for because it brings,  
Th'externallioy, and the internal rest,  
Truth's life, and Honour, and rewards makes kings  
Of mean men; and this part which I present  
Unto your Honours, is jehovahs' voice,  
Descending to our terrence continent:  
Upon th'election of his Bride, (his choice;)  
Wonder not why I writ, you are the sun  
To Chester's neighbours, 'mongst whom I'm a star:  
(Though dim) and therefore I should have begun,  
To tender my affection sooner (fare)  
Since your fair Country is my friendly nurse,  
I own this love unto your Noble nest,  
What treasure I entoy, I will disburse,  
To make both love and service manifest:  
For you if I can write, or Preach, or pray:  
Command me freely, for indeed you may.  
At your Honour's Command in the service of GOD. Augustine Taylor.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
The soul's the Bride, and lest she swerve,  
Or err in any act:  
The Lord his Zion (to conserve)  
Doth to his son contract.  
MY dearest love, Oh that thou had the wings  
Of true affection! Love that's fit for Kings  
Ought to be pure and lasting; then be wise,  
Provide to offer, since the sacrifice,  
I manifest unto thee, man provide,  
Or lose, the honour to be called my Bride:  
I called thee Bride, stay! Did I not mistake?  
Did I not err, a man a Bride to make?  
No, no, I did not, I did fall in love,  
With my own Image, and I must approve  
My proper seat is in the soul confined,  
My Image in the beauty of the mind,  
And in the upright heart did first appear:  
Some seek me in the flesh, I am not there,  
But in some little measure, for to show,  
Man is the principal of things below:  
And whereas other Creatures view the earth,  
In mourning wise, yet man with joy and mirth,  
Beholds the Heavens, by which it doth appear,  
He's but a traveller, and hath no home here.  
My Image in the soul doth fairest shine,  
Thy better part is made a spouse of mine,  
Therefore my Prophets have baptised thee thus  
In Scripture, islia, not filius,  
For Israel's offspring must a daughter be,  
A marriage was foretell 'twixt thee and me;  
And thou and I must make the match, because  
No part must perish of my Father's laws,  
But with my will his will shall still be done,  
I will discharge the duties of a Son;  
It was his will I should wed in the line  
Of Abraham, and it is only mine;  
His gracious eyes delights in lowly objects,  
" A King may choose his Queen among his subjects.  
He hath done so, and anima credentis,  
Is now created, sponsa redimentis:  
Rejoice in thy estate, for thou art rich,  
Thou hath no equal, there's no other such,  
Although the Queens and Concubines be many,  
And daughters numberless; yet there's not any,  
Can boast to be jehovahs' only love,  
But only thou, his undefiled dove.  
David did think it was a matchless thing,  
To be a son in law t'an earthly King,  
Being by birth so mean, by office poor;  
Hast thou forgotten thy estate before,  
I made a room for thee in my affection,  
My pity mixed with love made an election,  
Of thee 'mongst many millions: I'll tell thee,  
Thou may not boast thee of thy pedigree,  
Thy birth was poor, and base, but I'll speak low,  
I would not have thy enemies to know:  
But thus I found thee truly to recite,  
The wretched child of a poor Amorite,  
An Hittite to thy mother, and in thy kin,  
No spark of innocence, but shame and sin;  
Thou lay contemned in the field unknown,  
Laughed at by strangers, left of by thy own:  
Distilling tears on desolations lap,  
No nurse but sorrow from whose cold dry pap,  
Nothing but misery issued, thou was found  
Leapt in the rags of woe, and wellnigh drowned,  
In thy polluted, finfull, filthy blood:  
Thy friends were fled, and all that stayed but stood,  
To witness thy disgrace, and view thy shame;  
When I saw this I meant to come, and came,  
And found thee striving in a fearful trance,  
Sick to the death of fin and ignorance,  
And when, I saw thee thou begun to tell,  
I change thy name from jacob t' Israel,  
And promised thee preferment, 'tis most true,  
And though thou ever left undone thy due,  
My promises shall stand, in my compassion,  
A pardon's out to free thee from transgression;  
I washed thee white, and with the oil of grace,  
I filled thy heart, and beautified thy face,  
Thy ears with jewels rich, I did adorn,  
A chain of gold about thy neck was worn:  
Thy breast with pearls was decked, thy back with silk,  
Thy soul with oil was cooled, thy mouth with milk,  
With finest flower, thou wast most princelike fed,  
With purest gold thy head was honoured:  
Thy fame (throughout the spacious world was blown,  
Who sought thy overthrow was overthrown.  
And so it shall be still, since I did choose thee,  
I will not suffer any to abuse thee;  
For thy advancement I have done great things,  
I Sceptered Shepherds and uncrowned Kings:  
My love have caused all lands t'ring thy renown,  
I set up Lazars, and thrown Caesar's down,  
To make the heathen know, I did elect,  
Her that from all their rage I could protect;  
And can, thou art my choice, and as 'tis mere,  
I'll force thy foes to worship at thy feet.  
The scarlet Ocean shall itself divide,  
And thou shalt go, where Pharaoh cannot ride,  
That king shall know he hath a King, that shall  
Command him, and his Egypt, and his all.  
I said thou should come home, I meant no less,  
In spite of waters, and of wilderness,  
Thou camest, and thereupon a public voice,  
Filled every ear, and said thou was my choice;  
Report said true, for by my free election,  
There's no room, but for thee in my affection.  
So graciously I'll use thee, thou shalt say,  
" Both Heaven and earth smiled on our wedding day,  
Angels shall joy to think on't, Saints shall sing,  
Such songs as best may please thee and thy King:  
Consider well how dear I thee won,  
Remember all my love and service done,  
That thou in holiness might kiss my lips,  
I served (like jacob) several prenticeships,  
I got my Rachel, Laban took his lee  
And tota pulchraes amica mea:  
To make thee such consider what it cost,  
My time and toil, I know shall not be lost,  
For thou art wise, the heathen and the rude,  
Shall bear the burden of ingratitude.  
I told thee what I done, not to upbraid thee  
With any benefits, but to persuade thee:  
I think all well bestowed that I have given,  
And in my store-house, (by my throne) in Heaven  
I have such store, I'll send thee to the earth,  
To serve thee to thy burial, from thy birth;  
And after both (believe my sacred story)  
I'll Queen thee with a Crown of life, and glory.  
FINIS.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride, upon her Vocation. A Holy legacy, bequeathed to the Right Honourable, the Countess of Mountgomery.  
Written, By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE MOST NOBLE LADY, A BRANCH OF the ancient and illustrious house of Oxford) the Right Honourable, SUSAN, Countess of Mountgomery, Grace, and Glory.  
Thrice Honourable Lady,  
VEre ever loved veritas so well,  
And to all virtues gave such countenance,  
That sacred truth for ever vows to dwell,  
In your Breast to be safe from ignorance,  
Envy, and error; and hath warned me,  
That where I find vere, challenge there to be  
A lodging due to her, (I'dmired) and then  
She said to me (as Christ did to the men  
He sent to fetch the ass) if they refuse,  
The favours I entreat, make thou but use,  
Of my name unto them with mild regard,  
And thou shalt find my lodging strait prepared.  
Great Lady with great reverence I present,  
To your Religious view, and gracious eyes  
A legacy, a Heavenly or nament,  
With the Messiah pleased to sacrifice,  
And send unto his spouse, to move her, come  
To warn her, call her, and command her home,  
Unto his Heaven; I wish you would accept  
My love and service, and this offering take,  
As Princes do ambassadors respect,  
Not for their own, but for their master's sake  
I am ordained God's messenger, t'entreat,  
His chosen number to his Heavenly feast.  
And you both being truly good and great,  
Hath a fair seat prepared among the blessed,  
Your pious bounties, princely beauties, and  
Religious wisdom, (which is honour's nurse.)  
Are guides to lead you unto God's right hand;  
And likewise motives caused me disburse,  
My love and service in this measure: take it,  
My work's Diume, and my free will doth make it  
A perfect offering, t'help gamst death and doom,  
Regard this frame, for't will outlast your tomb.  
Willing and ready to do your Honour the best service, that is in the power of Augustine Taylor.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
The Bride is called from all the Isles,  
To come and scape her woe;  
And hears the curses and the smiles,  
Belongs to come, and go.  
IF my affection would thereto consent,  
I would be silent, thou'rt so lewdly bend,  
And shows so little reverence to my word:  
That justice tells me silence will afford  
Me more content; and her it will appear,  
That I still speak to her, that scorns to hear.  
But yet be not too deaf, lest vengeance cloud  
Descend upon thee, and then speak so loud:  
It change thy deafness into death, then hear,  
And if thou canst not love it's good to fear.  
Now thy creation and election done,  
My only care is to procure thee come:  
Even as a wiseman doth, (that wants a wife)  
Seek up and down where beauties are most rife,  
And after seeking, finds, and finding loves,  
And loving, bids her home, and daily moves,  
Till she be moved to come, than suit doth cease,  
And they together live in love and peace:  
So I did seek thee first, and found thee then,  
And liked and loved thee wondrous well, and when  
All this was done I did entreat thee home,  
And used the meekest means to cause thee come;  
Solemnly I have bidden thee, do not stay,  
Arise, my love, my fair one, come thy way:  
Remember who invites thee, he that brings  
Honour to beggars, and contempt to Kings.  
Unto thine enemies, and the heathen foe,  
A woeful portion falls, a cursed go:  
In mercy and love I come and send to thee,  
With mildness, meekness, and much clemency;  
I call thee friendly in these days of peace,  
I prithee arm thyself, these calms will cease,  
And storms will follow: thou shouldst understand,  
Pleasure and sorrow still goes hand in hand.  
The Sun will leave thee, and run out of sight,  
War chaseth peace, as darkness chaseth light:  
The time shall come that man and beast shall mourn,  
Mountains shall tumble, and the seas shall burn,  
The morning shall look red, as if it wooed  
Tell us the evening should be died in blood:  
The moon shall view thee with a scarlet face,  
Dabbled in clouds, and stumbling in her pace;  
The glistering stars shall cease and perish all,  
For some shall be put out, and some shall fall:  
The Sun in sable shall come sadly forth,  
A greater plague them from the bitter north,  
God did  send, shall from each coast appear  
Fare worse than Egypt when the plagues were there.  
These lower-lands shall look, each blast shall bring,  
Shot or else powder, towards the ruining  
Of new built Babel's, for it must be known,  
" Bethel's her owners, Babel's but her own:  
She sits above now, (thou knows if thou know her)  
But all her pomp shall end, none shall sit lower.  
A time shall come, (come love before it come)  
Each harp shall silent be, each David dumb;  
Both Heaven and earth together shall conspire,  
To send out vengeance leapt in balls of fire,  
And they shall bust, and utter from within,  
Death and destruction, due rewards for sin.  
Millions of days thy God for mercy made,  
And in those days my care is to persuade,  
And work my love's return, before it be  
Too late to save thyself, and honour me.  
One day I have appointed for to bring,  
All kindreds of the earth t'a reckoning,  
The Monarch, and the King, the Prince, and Peer,  
The Statsman and the Tradesman shall be there:  
All sorts and sects I'll call, and bring as fare,  
As shines the arctic and th'antarctic star,  
Not one shall fail to come at my command,  
Whether they died upon the sea, or land:  
Yea every one shall that one day appear,  
And 'mongst those all not one shall want one hair;  
Then I myself will come, in th'eyes of man,  
As like a Lion, as I was a Lamb,  
With more attendants glorious and bright,  
Then Heaven shows stars in a clear freezing night,  
Then Michael's trumpet shall command the dead,  
To rise and come, and leave their drowsy bed,  
T'appear before a righteous judge, for then,  
Then he shall fit to judge, that can condemn,  
And justify, th'outward, and th'inward man,  
According to deserts, I will, and can:  
But these two parts in men do not agree,  
Therefore they wrong themselves, and injure me;  
But I will come, and I will have regard,  
To all that ever loved me, my reward  
I will bring with me, and it is most true,  
I will bestow on all estates their due.  
Unlike to earthly Princes; void of measure,  
They deal their bounties only for their pleasure,  
And turns deserts a begging: But look to't,  
Peasants now ride, and Princes go on foot,  
This order I will alter, and I'll give,  
All good things unto all that purely live.  
Consider thou must meet a judge, that brings  
Life to wise Beggars, death to foolish Kings:  
Come (and thy time to come to please me spend,)  
O come before the days of mercy end:  
For in the days of war, there's peace for them,  
That love's my Zion, my jerusalem;  
Provide thy lamp and oil, for it may be,  
I'll come at midnight for to call on thee,  
It may be at the first, or second cock,  
Or in the morning, or at noon, or not  
Until the evening, when I will not tell,  
It's not for want of love, I love thee well;  
And I conceal this from thee in regard,  
Thou may expect me still, and be prepared:  
For come I will, and when I will, and how,  
And suddenly, and gloriously, look thou  
T'attend my coming in thy beauty stand,  
And I will lead thee home with my right hand,  
And bring thee in, but shut without the gate,  
All those that lampless come, and come too late.  
I have collected thee from many parts,  
From Europe, Asia, and the wild Desarrs,  
Of Sunburnt Africa, from the plains and woods,  
From fields, and valleys, from the seas, as floods,  
From north, and eastern coasts, from east, and west,  
From th'haven of troubles, to the haven of rest:  
I have called long, for my love thou'rt in debt,  
Come for its late, O come! and welcome yet:  
For fear thou be benighted haste and run,  
I do beseech thee, I command thee come:  
Either for fear or love I hope to see,  
Thee seek in season for my company;  
Regard who calls, thy Lord, then do not stay,  
" A faithful lover doth dislike delay.  
FINIS.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride, upon her Preservation. A Divine legacy, belonging to the Honourable, Sr. Henry Salusbury, and his Noble Lady.  
Written, By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE HONOURABLE Sr. HENRY SALUSBURY, Knight, and Baronet, etc. And his Noble Lady ELIZABETH, Sister to the Right Honourable, the Lord Vaughan, etc.  
Truly Honourable,  
IF your great bounties toward 〈◊〉 may be quit,  
With love, and service, I have some such coin,  
Impress thus with you names; make use of it,  
It doth the souls of Saints together join;  
And Zion's preservation doth express,  
And treats of nought but bliss and happiness.  
Profane adulterous plots I do detest,  
I aim to please the soul and not the soil,  
To call and summon every Holy guest,  
To the Lamb's nuptials, is my pleasant toil.  
My Patron's glory my pen only seeks,  
And moves no blushes in most modest cheeks.  
Right noble Henry, I do know your breast  
Contains a spirit, that is not cantained  
In ordinary limits; Honour's best,  
Approved and honoured, and her worth explained,  
Being clothed with robes of purity most fit,  
Lined with mercy, valour, grace, and wit:  
Y'are Lord of these, I flatter not I know you,  
And your good parts, I honour and admire,  
For all your love and favours more I own you;  
And what I do not do, I do desire,  
I could do for your good: But I note still,  
Imperfect acts may rise, from perfect will.  
And (best deserving) Lady you have been,  
The Patroness of my (yet infant) pen,  
If these more mature works you do esteem,  
And countenance: I'll urge both times and men,  
To keep your name alive, free from the dead,  
So long as English shall be spoke or read:  
My pen, my sacred muse, and sweetest breath.  
Shall honour Henry, and Elizabeth.  
God guide, protect, direct, and love you still,  
And send you good, until I wish you ill.  
Your Honours, in all holy duty, and Human love, Augustine Taylor.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
Thelpe Israel's faults, some good men strives  
But cannot make amends:  
justice and truth her fall contrives,  
Then mercy makes them friends.  
Hear more my choice, and thou shall more conceive,  
Go not, for her I love I would not leave,  
Why should we part? no, no, it must not be,  
And if we ever do its long of thee,  
No fault of mine: thou ought'st to understand,  
I mildly do entreat that may command;  
But rigour fits not Princes, (hateful thing,)  
" Base cruelty did ne'er become a King,  
Mild patience, potency hath ever loved,  
The Monarch would not, Momus will be moved,  
Meek clemency with Princes ever rides,  
david's at Music, devilish Doeg chides:  
So some may do, and may undo and doth,  
" Some things at once are done and undone both:  
Compassion should in greatness bear great sway,  
" Mercy in Kings shines like the Sun in day,  
My mercy thou hast found, It hath found thee,  
And brought more blessings then dim eyes can see,  
Or hearts of men conceive, not thy creation,  
Choosing collection, troublesome vocation,  
Was all the charges I for thee disbursed;  
Thy limbs were soundest, but thou travelled worst;  
And left my ways to wander in thy own,  
Thy heathen neighbours that have scarcely known,  
Thy beauties by report, much wonder still,  
To see so fair a creature do so ill:  
When I saw thus thou had thyself forgot,  
And other nations that I loved not,  
Rejoice in th'disgrace, I knew some pain  
Must be performed, to wash thee white again,  
So foul was thy complexion, some did see,  
That the whole piece of black impurity,  
Was all Employed to make thy coast; sad job  
Desires to wash thy spotted sinful rob  
In his snow-water, and he brings it in,  
But it was not that could send away thy sin:  
So job mistaken his endeavours rest,  
He's worthy thankes (good man) he did his best,  
But could not make thee better, Aaron then,  
The first and chief of (earthly) holy men,  
Puts on his rich attire, and means to bring,  
A sacrifice unto his Lord and King:  
Provides his altar, and with reverend fear,  
Calves, goats, and pigeons, he doth offer there;  
And to make an atonement for thy good,  
My priest, and alter, were both died in blood,  
Actions that in some measure did persuade,  
But there was other offerings to be made,  
Of better value and of greater price:  
Good David friendly brought his sacrifice,  
And that was Isop water, and with that,  
His meaning was to wash away thy spot;  
He did his best, but's best did not remove  
Yuy sin, but only manifest his love,  
Aaron, and job, and David, loved thee well,  
Yet notwithstanding they did (partly) dwell  
At the vaine-labour, their works went to wrack,  
" They washed the Moor, and he was still more black.  
Angels descend and moves Bethesdas lake,  
And yet the longsicke man no shift could make,  
To make his sorrows cease: these are but toys,  
Or rather types of price, of better joys:  
A fair oblation must amend these foul,  
" A spotless blood, must make a spotless soul.  
No other offering can dissolve offence,  
But luke warme-blood of harmless Innocence;  
When man had sinned, and sin had wrought the fall  
Of Adam, Hevah, and their seed, and all  
Borne between the world's birth and funeral,  
God granted a Commission to these two,  
justice and Truth, and these should say and do:  
And in the high Court, on this high Commission,  
These two were set, and making inquisition,  
How man that was so good became so ill,  
And finding that he fell by his own will,  
Affirmed no punishment could be too much  
For's voluntary trespass, and gins,  
" To whip man willingly for willing sins;  
And by decree in that high Court consents,  
That wilful faults, with woeful punishments  
Shall be rewarded. Is the law so sore,  
For tasting but one apple 'mongst such store?  
" The smallest faults done willingly are great,  
" Sins done at unawares shall pardon get.  
Sin's worthy pardon mourns, and knows no mirth,  
And but gins conception after birth.  
Sin's worthy death are those that mourning scorn,  
Those that are first conceived, and after borne,  
When Truth and justice doomed thy death for sin,  
Mercy came sorrowful and sadly in;  
Her body trembled, and her head hung down,  
Upon her back she wore a long white gown,  
Her hands were lifted up, her eyes were weeping,  
Her woes were waking, and her joys were sleeping,  
Her knees were bended begging thy offence,  
They would judge hers and with such reverence,  
She spoke in thy behalf (with such respect)  
That (as I live) a Tyrant would have wept:  
She had a palm, but bore it very low,  
And carelessly, because she did not know  
How she should speed, and humbly thus prefers,  
Her plaint before the high Commissioners.  
The just Commissioners something moved to see,  
So fair a Princess beg so earnestly,  
Another pardon: sadly answered thus,  
That one must die, it is decreed by us:  
If thou canst make amends for Adam's fall,  
His faults we'll bury at thy funeral:  
And yet we cannot thus the man forgive,  
For if thou should die he cannot live;  
But this we'll tolerate if thou can get,  
A Prince to lose his life for subject's det.  
Our God is pleased to Eden he shall come,  
And thus the lost son may be welcome home.  
Think with thyself, speak with thy Prince and try,  
Thy Prince must fall, or man and men must dye.  
Mercy being answered, sat her down and wept,  
And being full of sorrow would have kept  
Herself unseen, I see her stepped in,  
And for her comfort I did thus begin:  
Sweet Lady be not sorrowful, I am he,  
Will pay the debt and end all misery,  
Be not amazed the great King's son am I,  
A Prince that will not let his mercy die:  
I'll dye to give thee life, and thou shall rest,  
Henceforth for ever, in a Prince's breast;  
And this I'll do to make an end of strife,  
With my own death I'll purchase thee a life.  
FINIS.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride, upon her Redemption. A Spiritual legacy, for the Benefit of the Honourable Lady, the Lady Gerreard.  
Written, By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

❧ TO THE NOBLE Lady Ellenor, Lady Gerrard, wife to the late Honourable, Gilbert, Lord Gerrard, etc.  
Honourable Lady,  
WHen sorrows nights are overpassed,  
There follows joyful day,  
Hapless extremes can never last,  
But sties and posts away,  
To bring glad tidings in sad times,  
I hold it wondrous fit;  
And so doth all our best divines,  
" And you may think of it.  
I do present you with a gift,  
Fit for a Prince's hand:  
Pray take it, 'tis the means to lift,  
Souls to the holy land;  
The full redemption of mankind,  
I offer to your view,  
A subject to translate the mind,  
From th'old man to the new.  
I know you seek Gods holy place,  
And clothes you for his feast,  
With pious love, pureness, and grace,  
True zeal, and all the rest,  
Of those rich garments fair and meet  
For such a Prince's Court;  
And doubtless you shall one day see't,  
Though now my by report,  
Imperfectly you are but told,  
Yet quickly you shall see,  
In Zion's City, (walled with gold,)  
The Lamb in's Majesty:  
Advance your thoughts to heavenly things,  
And you in the end shall soar  
Unto that Court, where's none but Kings,  
Rejoicing evermore.  
Your Honour's devoted, in any Christian office, Augustine Taylor.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
The promised Messiah birth,  
Conquers hell, death, and sin;  
And t' Eden back with much mirth,  
Brings Adam and his kin.  
Immortal soul, and my elected Queen,  
Though hitherto thou hast most careless been  
T'observe my will; yet now incline thy neart,  
Or thou and I for evermore shall part:  
See this epistle truly understood,  
Read it with tears for it is writ with blood:  
A precious price is found to pay thy det,  
A sacrifice not ordinary to get,  
For thou had but one God, God but one son,  
That son one life, that life to death was done,  
To bring old Adam back to Eden's bliss,  
And now learn what it cost to finish this.  
I (being promised) came, man did disdame me,  
The world was proud and loft to entertain me:  
My earthly mother had so poor a kin,  
She was denied a lodging in the Inn,  
When night, and pain, and tears, and travel tooke-her,  
poor Mary was alone, and all forsooke-her.  
Sighing and seeking, to find place for rest,  
And at the last a stable was the best,  
That could be spared, this I had power to mend,  
But I came rather like a lowly friend,  
Then like a master, and so caused it tried,  
" I came to show my love, and not my pride:  
My paths were plain, my cradle was a cratch,  
I had no friends, none showed such love to watch  
For my arrival, the world's love was small,  
Mary was mother, midwife, nurse, and all:  
No costly robes, nor silks, nor cloth of gold,  
Provided was to keep me from the cold,  
Nothing but poor attire, and homely things,  
Thus Princeps Regum terrae (King of Kings)  
Begun his Lamblike reign: yea my pretence,  
Was only peace, my armour innocence:  
I did not many nights in safety nap,  
Upon my loving mothers lowly lap,  
But warning came, I must to Egypt flee,  
Herod was moved, and making search for me,  
And I must run or die, for his intent's  
To wash his hands in blood of innocence,  
The time wherein he did the infants slay,  
Shall still be noted for a dismal day,  
He aimed at my fall, but he fell (we see)  
And murdered many to have metwith me,  
But he mistook himself, and missed his aim,  
And I to Bothlem safe returned again;  
In spite of Herod, prophecies did ring,  
That David's son was borne to be a King:  
I did sustain temptation for thy sake,  
Much toil and travail I did undertake,  
To make thy burden light, I dare presume  
To swear, between my cradle, and my tomb,  
I knew no perfect rest, I had no bed,  
Foxes had holes, and birds were furnished  
With nests and lodgings, but my head had none,  
Mine was like jacobs' state when he left home,  
And his old parents, to procure his rest,  
From angry Esau with his kin in th'east,  
He was benighted in a strange land, where  
He neither found friends nor companions, there  
His pillow was a stone, his bed was earth,  
A natural musician made him mirth,  
(Surmised the Nightingale) he could not get,  
Wherein to wrap himself from nights could sweat:  
His uncoth room was all with green be spread,  
And roving clouds were curtains to his bed;  
His canopy was heaven, where he might view,  
Millions of Stars fixed in the blackest blue.  
He went to bed as mildly as a lamb,  
And slept as moderately as a man,  
And rose as early as a Lark, and fed  
With more content than e'er he went to bed:  
Then towards his uncles, he doth post amain,  
To prove if Rachel's love he may obtain,  
And at the last his prenticeships and pain,  
Wins his fair bride, and he comes home again,  
With's Lady in his hand, his slockes before,  
His seed about him, and his Princely store,  
Comes after with his servants, and thus he  
With beauty, riches, health, and dignity,  
Comes home attended. I with jacob may  
Compare my travails, so that by the way,  
I make some difference, by the difference gather,  
I left a fairer home, a better father;  
To tread strange paths where I was never known,  
I sought for stranger's love, and left my own:  
jacob was never in such misery,  
I was both worse clothed, and lodged then he,  
I went to fetch my bride, from amongst those,  
That dwelled fare further off, and were my foes.  
He paid but love and service for his bride,  
I paid my service, love, and life beside,  
He brought his home with riches and renown,  
With joy and gladness unto Sichem town;  
And for her moving tents, he hath her given,  
Fair fixed temples, stately types of Heaven:  
His bed was on the earth, mine was within,  
He slept for sorrow, but I slept for sin,  
I rose more early to prepare thy way,  
For I saw sunrise, before he saw day:  
I'll bring thee home, adorned with better things,  
The power and honour of all earthly kings;  
(And let their powers together linked be,  
All cannot make one worthy t'waite on thee:  
I spent my days in sorrow for thy good,  
I sailed to th'Cradle in tears, to th'grave in blood;  
And more than this I was content to do,  
My middle time had much sorrows too.  
I lived relieving poor, healing, and feeding,  
I wiped those eyes that wept, wounds that were bleeding  
I cured, and cared for all that were in woe,  
None can complain that they away did go  
Without a pardon for the great'st transgression,  
All those that brought repentance found compassion.  
I have been thine, thine both in word and deed,  
My tongue did preach, and pray, my flesh did bleed,  
From my fresh wounds the smallest drop that fell,  
Is price sufficient to save Israel:  
I promise thee (believe my promise then)  
One drop may save more worlds than this hath men,  
It is sufficient: Know I did not come,  
To plead defficience, and pay half the sum;  
Let him that's poor, and needy, and that must  
Confess his poverty, and take on trust,  
I have no such occasion, let him score,  
That's grown disable, beggarly, and poor.  
Thy ransom all is paid, and thou art rich,  
And still within my store-house there's so much,  
It never can be emptied, do not want,  
My bounty cannot make my blessings scant:  
Desire and I will give thee more, (and more)  
" Thou canst not make the stock of mercy poor,  
Presume not neither, for I will express,  
My justice on presumptuous sauciness;  
The meek and lowly I delight to guide,  
" I own the greatest punishments to pride,  
My Israel, my death hath bought thy life,  
Forget not then the duties of a wife:  
The office of a husband I have shown,  
In greater measure, than the world hath known,  
The grave is conquered, death hath now no sting,  
All foes are vanquished by thy Lord and King;  
And now thy Christ as chief aloft doth reign,  
And Eden's gates are now unbarred again;  
The Lamb being slain, the fity sword, by him  
Is taken from the angry Cherubin,  
And my fair bride may come (and welcome) in.  
FINIS.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride, upon her Sanctification. A Heavenly legacy, properly for the use of the Honourable, Sr. Richard Mullineux, etc.  
Written, By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE HONOURABLE Sr. RICHARD MULLINEUX, Knight, and Baronet, etc.  
Worthily Honoured:  
THere is a sumptuous feast prepared,  
Upon God's holy hill:  
Of dainties, and of plenties, shared  
Amongst all those that will,  
With reverence, and loving fear,  
Attend to be the guests:  
At the Lamb's nuptials, to be there  
The Lord (by me) requests,  
Your worthy self, therefore provide,  
Your wedding garments fit;  
And you by Gods-sonnes-sacred side,  
In glory's seat shall fit:  
Peruse these lines, and though they be,  
No measures that excel,  
Yet theyare divine, and comes from me,  
That knows and love's you well:  
Yet for my knowledge and my love,  
Accept it not, but for  
His glorious name that fits above,  
And is th' all-governor.  
I know you'll give this meet respect,  
And for your Noble name,  
Time shall preserve, and still protect,  
With the sweet lips of fame:  
To all posterities to come,  
When this short life is past,  
These lines shall live, and when your tomb  
Shall perish, these shall last.  
Your Honours, in the sernice of the Lamb, Augustine Taylor.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
Lest nation (rude) should spy some spot.  
In the Messiah Bride,  
By's spirit and 〈◊〉 begot  
A new, and Justified.  
BEcause I'm earnest, and an urgent mover,  
Do not thou take me for a doting lover;  
Why I'm so loath to leave thee, thou mayst know,  
" From her I love, I do not love to go?  
Somethings are wanting yet, the prophet sings  
That holy men are served with holy things;  
And know I will be sanctified in all,  
That shall come near me every one that shall,  
Into my Temple come by my command,  
Shall put their shoes off, for 'tis holy land:  
I love this holiness, 'tis a kind of beauty,  
And to express thy love and show thy duty,  
Thou mayst do well to learn it, and thou so  
May be Queenlike in substance and in show,  
Beauty, or majesty looks well alone,  
But ten times better if these two be one:  
One beauty's honoured, served, and praised too,  
And then for many what would many do?  
They could not do so much, and so I thought,  
When with so great a ransom I thee bought,  
Thy spots and freckles all I washed away,  
And made thee such that there is not one may,  
Compare to be thy equal, thou'rt that one,  
Whom all doth like, but can be-alike none:  
Each tongue tells forth thy praise, each pen thy fame,  
A peerless Princess, and a matchless Dame,  
Chief of thy kind, and fairest of thy sex,  
A work that makes admired the Opifex:  
Conceive thy own estate, and thou will tell,  
God is a loving God to Israel.  
I made thee happy, yea and holy too,  
For all that earth and earthly kings could do,  
Thou hath been carried safe on eagle's wings,  
To th'praise of thine, to th'shame of other kings:  
With blood and water I have washen thee,  
Thy spots of sin, and thy infirmity,  
Are changed for honour, strength, and purity;  
And thou so fair in holiness art seen,  
Thy heathen neighbour's wonder, and do seem  
To envy thy estate, and marvel so,  
They make dispute, if thou be flesh or no:  
Thee of more precious mettle they define,  
Some small part mortal, but the most divine,  
Thy pleasant beauty countenance and grace,  
They think composed of no piece so base:  
They know thy beauties from the Heavens are,  
For th'earth cannot afford a frame so fair:  
Nature amazed doth herself submit,  
To her own work, and love's to worship it,  
And seeks to find the author of each object,  
And finds but one for all, and that one's subject  
She willingly becomes, and doth record  
Herself a servant, and thy love her Lord.  
And thus my grace to sanctify my creature,  
Path blest thee with all helps of art and nature:  
Hut of thy coat, it is the old man's wear,  
Filchy, polluted, noy some, graceless, gear,  
Made of a web, in disobedience frame,  
Stained with the spots of infamy, and shame,  
'Twas cut out by ambition shapen by pride,  
And stitched together by that Homicide,  
Impiety, and lined throughout with sin,  
Unclean without, but more unclean within,  
Buttened with fear, guarded about with woe,  
And spotted with a thousand plagues; and so  
By flattery sold, and bought by arrogance,  
And daily worn by doting ignorance.  
The old man wears it, (such a one I say)  
Whose sins are green, and yet his hairs are grey;  
I mean him old in vices, him eschew,  
Old things are worn away, all's become new,  
And so must thou, the coat that's made for thee,  
Is cut out of the web of purity,  
Made large and long, th'image of excellence,  
Of colour white betokening innocence,  
Inlayde with joy, the skirt with safety bound,  
And with true honour treble-garded, round:  
Clasped with comforts, furnished with content,  
Ornated with each seemly ornament,  
Framed by desire, perfected with good will,  
Seame-sowed with love and perled with holy skill:  
Set thick with stars, attended on with day,  
Composed with care, and shall look fresh, and gay  
For evermore; I have thee so attired,  
As thou cannot be equalled, but admired;  
And it must needs be so, since thou art wife,  
T'a Lord in comprehensible, thy life  
Must be incomparable, to express,  
Thy love is holy, and in holiness,  
The service he admits of, must be done,  
Now thou art perfect it were best to come,  
And seek a fairer habitation, for  
So fair a Princess me thinks should abhor,  
So foul a dwelling: David much laments,  
That 'twas his lot to dwell in Kedars tents,  
Those moving cabins only but remains,  
To Ismaels' issue on th'Arabian plains,  
Goodly great buildings I have made for thee,  
Where woods, and meads, and springs, and rivers be,  
Now seek thy Lord, thy lodge's furnished,  
" A holy Bride, should find a holy bed.  
FINIS.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride, upon her justification. A Holy legacy, for the use of the Right Honourable, William Earl of Northampton, etc.  
Written, By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM Earl of Northampton, Baron Compton, Lord Precedent of Wales, etc.  
Right Honourable,  
NVrst in the limits of your Lordly power,  
I line, and therefore boldened to present  
Unto your view, this holy news, this hour,  
By Heaven's King's gracious commandment,  
Amarriage feast is gloriously begun,  
'Twixt jacobs' Daughter, and Ichouah's Son,  
To call to't noble guests there's many scent,  
And I am one, and I am sent to you:  
Right worthy Earl put on your ornament,  
Such as may give the Nuptial day it due,  
Your seat's prepared, decked with victorious bays,  
And shall stand more years, than this world hath days,  
My Lord I'm placed upon the mount of peace,  
To profit Zion's friends and not to please  
The reeling multitude, such as would ken,  
The path to paesse to new jerusalem,  
I have Commission to direct thereto.  
With all the remnants, I have nought to do:  
Your honour of that body's a chief part,  
Of which Christ jesus is the supreme head;  
Unto your hand (therefore) withal my heart,  
I offer this, praying your Honour read,  
It is the word of truth, and doth afford,  
The fairest gilding for your Prineely sword.  
It is the latest Honour great men wish,  
To leave their memories in leaves of brass,  
Or let, or marble: this mere weakness is,  
Because it shall consume, perish, and pass,  
Away with ruining time; Therefore I give  
This frame to you, where in your fame shall live,  
Till men, and time, and English cease: give me  
Your gracious countenance, and I have my fee.  
At your Honour's service, submissively devoted, Augustine Taylor.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
Pollution, must be laid aside,  
For holy garments gay,  
The Lamb hath shapen for his Bride,  
T'adorn the marriage day.  
STay! yet more jewels must adorn my love,  
Before she can be fit to fit above,  
Upon a Princely throne, none shall deride  
At thine estate, thou shall be justified:  
The great King's daughter must be fair within,  
" She's blest to whom the Lord imputes no sin,  
Then blest shall thou be, mine shall be the blame,  
And I will bear the burden of thy shame;  
And I will answer those that rails on thee,  
They do mistake themselves, and injure me:  
If thou find enemies that do begin  
To blaze thy faults, and publish all thy sin,  
Bid them behold themselves, and learn to mend,  
Tell them thou hast a father sent a friend,  
To plead thy cause, and that Prince is content,  
To take thy sins, and bear thy punishment;  
Bid them remember in the days of old,  
My Prophets, and Apostles truly told,  
That sinners souls should die, and every one,  
Should bear the burden of's own sins alone:  
So they must do, be mindful of it will-them,  
Say thou that I said so, so thou may still them.  
They may object then, thou shall answer thine,  
For God love's right, and will to right incline:  
He will indeed, for the most precious sum,  
Did satisfy for sin,  pardon come;  
That sum I paid, and paid in thy name too,  
The debt was thine, but who hath aught to do,  
Against this satisfaction to exclaim,  
For thou art just, if I suppose the same,  
To whom the Lord imputes no sin, theyare just,  
And so art thou, and only by thy trust:  
There's other adherent helps, but faith extends,  
As the chief instruments that apprehend,  
My satisfaction to be others share,  
My merits by thy faith thy merits are,  
Even as a woman doth thats fare in debt,  
If she a wealthy husband chance to get  
And he discharge it, and then some demands,  
If the bond woman forfeited her bands,  
Or satisfied them? Creditors ensue,  
And iustiffies, she paid them all their due.  
The feast was hers, the charge her husband's lot,  
" And thus she paid it, though she paid it not,  
So thou art justified, justice of mine,  
That's uncreated hath created thine:  
Thou was the woman, husbandless and poor,  
Millions in debt, and at the prison door,  
To be delivered to the jailors hands,  
And with thy death thou should discharge thy bands●  
I was the man that spent none of the sum,  
Yet in my love thy husband I'd become,  
Examining my estate, I treasure found,  
To pay for every penny debt, a pound:  
Then I did undertake to set thee free,  
And what I did, I counted done by thee;  
Such was my love, thou dost thy all inherit  
From me, and by my mercy not thy merit.  
If any ask what moved me to fill  
Thy lap with blessings, say it was my will:  
I can do what I will, so can no other,  
jacocb I'll justify, but for his brother  
Esau, I cannot love, for it was he,  
That first used weapon to contend with thee,  
And fares the worse for that. Know I have given,  
All things a being, between earth and Heaven:  
And unto some a perfect being well,  
The bad I caused not to fall, they fell  
By their own will, I left them, being not tide,  
To take directions where to choose my bride,  
The understanding may the rest persuade  
The maker, is not subject to the made:  
Even as the Potter may dispose of's clay,  
So the chief Lord of all his Creatures may.  
Thou art my choice, thou art my (sole) elect,  
To honour thee I did all else reject;  
And in contempt of all thine enemy's pride,  
I'll plead thee just, thou shall be justified.  
And now if Satan (thy grand-enemy) come,  
And to affright thee gather all the sum  
Of thy black sins together, still affirming  
Thy sins are such he comes to give thee warning,  
Thy soul is sick, and thou art doomed to die,  
And that for mercy it is too late to cry,  
judgement hath past: Believe him not, say thus,  
Thy Lord's a live, and good, and gracious;  
And did not the Cross so freshly bleed,  
To leave thee drowned in misery and need:  
Tell him thou washed (when I was nailed on wood,)  
My feet in tears, and I thy soul in blood,  
And say I never will forgetful be,  
Of two such tokens between thee and me:  
Yet tell him more, that thou art bound to be  
At new jerusalem to sup with me,  
Upon a sudden warning, then away,  
And if he move, or would procure thy stay,  
Say thou'rt warned on my pleasure to attend,  
So lose thine enemy, and come love thy friend,  
Yet stay to tell him thou'rt betrothed to me,  
And being so debts that are due by thee  
To any whosoever, I must pay,  
For so I promised at thy wedding day:  
If he make any claim to thee or thine,  
Plead ignorance, and say the matter's mine;  
And he must take my answer, he'll deny,  
To deal with me because he seeks to try  
His strength with weakness, which shows cowardice still,  
" He makes no combat, but he means to kill;  
And if this serve not to send him away,  
Tell him thou sever all times hath heard me say,  
No suit in law is good against the wife,  
Whilst it is known the husband hath his life,  
And thine is living: testimonies store,  
Saith Zion's God, endures for evermore:  
Then part for ever, since thou'rt iustifi'de,  
Travail to mewards, and I'll be thy guide:  
Thy feet in order in my way I'll set,  
And I will lead thee safely step by step.  
From strength to strength forward, from grace to grace,  
To see thy God in glory face to face.  
FINIS.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride, upon her Glorification. A Spiritual legacy, for the benefits of the Honourable, Sr. james Whitlocke, Knight, Lord Chief justice of Chester, and of His Majesty's Council, established in the principality of Wales, etc. And Sr. Marmaduke Lloyd, Knight, His Associate, etc.  
Written, By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE HONOURABLE Sr. JAMES WHITLOCKE Knight, Lord Chief justice of the County Palatine of Chester, and of his Majesty's Council, established in the principality of Wales, etc. And to the Right Worshipful, Sr. Marmaduke Lloyd Knight, etc. His Associate. * ⁎ *  
Most Worthy:  

YOu that sometimes pleased graciously t'accept,  
Th'imperfect offers of my tongue, I pray  
This service of my pen you would protect,  
I wish no more than you with honour may  
Confirm and grant, therefore I hope to speed,  
My desire is divine, and so's my deed.  
The Law without the Gospell's too severe,  
Without the Law the Gospel is too mild:   

Therefore I'ntreate you with a reverend fear,  
To be the gossips to this divine child,  
And in the forehead of it men shall read,  
Your names and worth when you are leapt in lead.   

You that so well affect the life of grace,  
Are here invited to the life of glory,  
The Lamb and's Bride in holy love embrace,  
And of allioyes named in the sacred story,  
Possess the fullness, thither you are bidden,  
To share those beauties that from earth are hidden.  
I'm confident, these poems will come fit  
For your survey, at your most proper leisure,  
I know you dear love, both art and wit,  
And by a heavenly muse, receives both pleasure,  
And holy profit. Thus my love commands  
My book with reverence t'kisse, your noble hands.   
At your Honourable, and worthy dispose, in God service, Augustine Taylor.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
The world's proved worthless, and the Bride,  
The Prince entreats to come,  
Tells her she shall be glorifi'de  
And bids her haste her home.  
MY Royal love, since I have showed to thee,  
The paths of pleasure and of piety,  
Prepare to travail, and to walk in them,  
They lead to Zion, to jerusalem,  
My chosen dwelling, where in love and fear,  
Both Saints, and Angels sing, and worship, there  
A place to be thy rest, I have assigned,  
And if thou will come, thou shall welcome find:  
Remember life, or death, thou'rt free to choose,  
The good I wish thee take, the bad refuse?  
As David sung thou hast just cause to sing,  
thou'rt but a stranger under a strange king,  
Fare from thy father house, fare from thy friends,  
Fare from all true delights, with joys that ends,  
In t'houre they are begun, thou'rt poorly fed,  
Sorrows are boundless joys are limited,  
Comes but to go again, who ever could,  
Protest he knew one, pleasure, one day old,  
And did not disconitnue? none can say,  
Amongst his millions he'd one perfect day,  
Wherein he'll swear a minute was not spent,  
Either in cares, or griefs, or discontent.  
No joys and woes are mixed, and thou hast tried,  
Like to the swelling waves in a rough tide,  
They chase each other, to be plain and short,  
The worse things are still the greater sort,  
The earth's condition (by man's lewd dispose)  
" Produceth twenty hemlockes for on rose:  
View earth at fairest in her springing morns,  
" And for ten Lilies, there's ten thousand thorns;  
joys comes but seldom, and comes slowly too,  
And winter undoes all the spring can do.  
Contents depart from man and leaves him weeping,  
Then fearful death dissolves him, leaves him sleeping,  
And brings him thither whence there's no returnings,  
Yet joyful evenings follow careful mornings;  
I have decreed it so, because that I  
Will sister thee to faint but not to dye,  
Yet death hath made thy bed, and filled thy cup,  
And drink thou must, and down thou must, but up  
In tune, and time, I'll call thee, thou shall try,  
Thou shall but sleep, thy enemies shall die:  
Thou art on sorrow's seas where dangers frown.  
But fear not though thou swim, thou shall not drown,  
Thou shall sing in a happy heavenly strain,  
" Day went, night came, day comes, night goes again,  
Remove thy thoughts, place them on things above;  
Soare to my Zion with the wings of love,  
The gates are open, and the guests are coming.  
Fair trees are springing, and sweet rivers running,  
My fruits are gathered, and my wine's abroach,  
My table's covered, and I wait th'approach  
Of my beloved, for whom I paid so dear,  
All things are ready, and all Princely cheer  
Is there prepared, and on thee I'll bestow,  
A cup that evermore, shall overflow:  
The lamps do burn so bright, blackness is banished,  
The music sounds so loud, that mourning's vanish:  
Thy good old father's anger's past, and gone,  
And the lost child may come and welcome home,  
My father sent for's robe, and thou must wear it,  
He called for a crown, thy head must bear it,  
There is shoes for thy feet, rings for thy singers,  
To please thine ears, there is a choir of singers,  
And david's master of them; for thy food,  
Thy father's calf, that was both fat and good,  
Hath suffered slaughter: Come, the feast ne'er ends,  
The brother's pacified, and all are friends;  
Thy adversaries having plainly seen,  
In spite of Ishmael, Israel must be Queen:  
Cease contradiction, and to strive giueso're,  
Have sheathed their swords, and sworn to fight no more  
These nations that, but wished to see thy fall,  
I either turned, or overturned them all,  
I made thee Conqueror, and in good time,  
The combat's ended, and the day is thine;  
And 'tis a day that's not pursued with night,  
My rooms are furnished with a lasting light,  
That ne'er shall be extinguished, and for thee,  
There's seamelesse suits of endless purity:  
Thy heavenly state from earthly differs thus,  
thoust found my best, and lost thy pessimus,  
Thy seats ordained and fixed firm and sure,  
And shall in bliss, and endless time endure;  
And empty stays thy leisure, come in time,  
These lights below will quickly cease to shine,  
Seek those above and seeking thou shall find,  
The joys and glory that's for thee assigned:  
Until thou come (to show thou means to come)  
Apply thy hand and tongue and be not dumb,  
Send daily sacrifice, thou ought to learn,  
" Earth should send thankes to heaven for each good turn,  
It's all I look for, therefore let me see,  
Some signs of love, ascend from thee to me,  
And I'll expect thy coming, make it known,  
thou'rt wholly now thy owners, not thy own.  
Let thy succeeding carriage be so good,  
That by thy acts it may be understood,  
Who is thy Lord; and let there be expressed,  
In thee those things that fits a Princess best,  
From th'haven of sorrows, to the heaven of bliss,  
Unto my holy hill, from thine abyss,  
Mount with the wings of love, and thou shall be,  
Partaker of my throne, and royalue,  
Let all the gracelesle nations grudge and tell,  
To their great grief, the daughter of Israel  
Hath married a Prince, that evermore shall reign,  
Her health, and life, and honour to maintain:  
Be not in love with earth, nor earthly things,  
Though for a time thou'rt troubled with the stings  
Of death, and sin, and hell, for thy offences,  
Yet there's a camp wherein is none but Princes,  
And joy, and bliss, and peace, and to that place,  
I will translate thee from thy life of grace,  
Unto my life of glory: thy protecter,  
Will give thy head a crown, thy hand a sceptre,  
Thy mouth a song to sing, truth's excellence,  
Thy back a robe as white as innocence;  
Thy soul both life, and comfort, thou shall see,  
More perfect absolute felicity,  
In one days length, in heaven, than if thou were,  
To live on earth a king, ten thousand year,  
Thou couldst obtain, and therefore in a word,  
To manifest how Paradise is stored:  
As things beyond thy knowledge, I will leave,  
I must conceal, since thou cannot conceive,  
That thou mayst fully know them; haste and come,  
" Millions of blessings waits thy welcome home.  
FINIS.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE BRIDE TO her Lord, expressing her Gratitude. A Spiritual legacy, bequeathed to the protection of the Right Honourable, the Earl of Cumberland, etc.  
By, Augustine Taylor, Preacher, and Minister, in the Church of God.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes, 1623.   

❧ TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE FRANCIS CLIFFORD, Ealre of Cumberland, Lord CLIFFORD Westmoreland, and Vescy, etc.  
Most Noble:  
REligion joined with valour, looks as well,  
As a fair Diamond, set in purest gold,  
These manlike, Godlike parts in you excel,  
And shall to after ages be enrolled,  
In leaves more lasting than the sheets of brass,  
And in the forehead of my divine verse,  
Your name with fame and honour forth shall pass,  
Into all coasts of this fair universe:  
I do present to your inditious view,  
The pistles 'twixt the Lamb and's holy Bride,  
A very proper present 'tis for you,  
That wears a sword to cause, her decide,  
Strike still in truth's defence, and you shall see,  
Your evening crowned with glorious victory:  
Great Lord, my native place neighbours your north,  
Then since my soul inhubits in that soil,  
And since my muse bathe wing, and will fly forth,  
She'll tell you of more joys than life hath hours,  
And looks for welcome, in your fairest towers,  
Your floods and fords are fair, your swans but few,  
But if you please with gracious eyes to view,  
My divine verse; and therein take content,  
I'll build your trophies between tweed and trent.  
Your Honours truly observant, Augustine Taylor.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
Glad Israel's offspring tunes her voice,  
Of gratitude to sing;  
Accounts herself an unfit choice,  
To Queen so great a King.  
IF earthly kin may send t'a heavenly King,  
Or if thy greatness will hear meanness sing,  
Accept the sacrifice I now bestow,  
My heart is high, although my voice be low;  
And since thou understands my thoughts, before  
They be transformed to breath, and pass the door,  
Of my unready lips, my confidence  
Is that thou will maintain my innocence,  
And make my work according to my will:  
I know thy mercy and power continue still,  
And since I share of both, let it be seen,  
Such qualities as doth become a Queen  
I do not want, and then the world so wide,  
Shall bless thee for thy bounties to thy Bride  
My gracious Lord I have a great desire,  
To sing thy praises in the sacred choir,  
And will upon condition I may find,  
Thy heavenly graces unto me assigned,  
In so great measure, that I may approve,  
My bounty, and thy duty, and my love:  
Ten thousand thankes, that it hath pleased thee,  
With mercy's eyes to view my misery,  
My grief's forgotten, and my joy grows full,  
My crimson spots are changed to whitest wool,  
My soul's content my breast can scarce contain,  
My guilty garment, that was died in grain,  
Past alteration, is restored by thee,  
From sinful red to perfect purity:  
Thy day dissolved my night, thy cares, my fears,  
Thy drops of blood, hath staunched my drops of tears.  
When I remember my estate at first,  
Griefs bitterness threatens my heart shall burst;  
Fear keeps possession, and that fears leads pain,  
And pain brings death, and thus I'm partly slain,  
With thinking on my miseries. After these,  
Sad thoughts are passed (which I do pay as fees,  
For my offences) joy comes in again,  
When I consider my king doth remain,  
A glorious conqueror of all my foes,  
Now that I may my thankfulness disclose,  
Assist me Lord, and lend such grace to me,  
As may prefer a sacrifice to thee,  
Leapt in a sacred song, that I'm endued,  
With the poors payment, perfect gratitude,  
Take this succeeding witness: my good Lord,  
For all thy blessings all I can afford  
Out of my borrowed store is only praise,  
It doth become the just, (thy Prophet says?  
Daily to render thankes unto thy name,  
I being just through thee must do the same,  
Or show myself forgetful: I would be,  
As fare from that as I wish that from me.  
For my creation, that it was thy will,  
To show thy love, and grace, and power, and skill,  
In making nothing something, and in that  
Placing such beauty, as is wondered at,  
By heaven and earth, and that of all, this all  
Thou hast made me thy Princess principal,  
And to adorn my state made all thy store,  
I give thee thankes, and I can give no more.  
For my election I do much rejoice,  
Thou would vouchsafe to make so mean a choice,  
And was so mighty, but each David sings,  
" It fits th'Almighty to do mighty things:  
When out of Eden I forsaken fell,  
(Set in the open fields my shame to tell,)  
I grew in nature, and in number great,  
The earth was spacious, yet had ne'er a seat,  
Wherein the sons of Adam never sat,  
Then since it pleased thee t'illuminate  
All nations, and the best of all to choose,  
To make thy one, let that one never lose  
The beauty of thy son, let me boast ever,  
Where my Lord, Lord loveth once he looseth never;  
That I am thy elect and that I may,  
Unto my enemies, and the heathen say,  
(As day doth night) my state doth theirs excel,  
And that my Lord called my name Israel,  
Crowned me with isaack's blessings, did decree  
Profanest Edom servant unto me,  
That this is thus. I can but praise and pray,  
" My thankes my Punce is all I have to pay,  
I do remember when by thy command  
I multiplled, and into every land,  
My members were dispersed, yea it was I  
The Caldean Priest beheld so strangely lie  
Shapeless, and liveless in the valley, sown  
As thick as hail, which some great blast hath blown,  
Into the lower-lands, my bones once lay  
Dis-jointed, broke, and scattered, till the day  
It pleased thee (most graciously) to make  
A perfect union, for thy chosen sake:  
For my vocation, that I was by thee  
Reformed, and knit in happy unity;  
And called by David's Cymbals, Aaron's bells,  
esay's loud trump, th'evangelists, and cl  
What music men and Angels could deliver,  
Sounded so loud, my parts joined all together,  
Erst being dispersed in t'all parts as fare,  
As lights the arctic, or th'antarctic star,  
And now collected only for to be,  
A marriage for the Trine-une-maiestie:  
By these Celestial motions that I am  
Called out of Egypt into Canaan,  
I give thee thankes and it is all I can:  
My Lord I do remember my estate,  
When in the open field so desolate,  
I lay contemned of all, when passers by  
Scorned at my life, and laughed to see me die;  
And I do likewise carry in my mind,  
The great compassion that I then did find,  
Flow from thy breast, when I was fall'n so low,  
The seas of miseries did overflow,  
My airy substance and my earthly show;  
And when with these sad thoughts my heart is full,  
Passion comes in and makes each sense as dull  
As ignorance: then do I'gin t'admite,  
What was th'occasion such an ardent fire,  
Of holy love was kindled in thy breast,  
To mewards, knowing that in me did rest  
No good, I thus my Prince's thoughts did measure.  
My Lord chose not for merit, but for pleasure;  
I had no beauty, my poor soul within,  
Was like an Ethiop, wrapped in clouds of sin,  
My flesh impressed with ulcers, in worse state  
Than Lazarus, despised at Dives gate.  
My wisdom was but folly, and my health  
Was deadly sickness, all my store and wealth,  
Was store of woes and poverty, in me  
Was the true image of all misery;  
And what was I (most vile, and wretched thing)  
That I should be the daughter of a King?  
What's my descent, or what's my father's house,  
That I should we are a crown, and be the spouse  
Of God's eternal son? My Lord, my tongue  
Shall still confess thy mercies, even among  
The greatest congregations; I'll make known,  
thoust set a beggar, on a Prince's throne,  
And altered her condition; and I'll sing  
" Th'unworthi'st bride, hath Queened the worthiest King.  
FINIS.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE BRIDE TO her Lord, containing her Thankfulness. A Legacy, beneficial for the Right Honourable, HENRY Lord Clifford, etc.  
By, Augustine Taylor, Preacher, and Minister, in the Church of God.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY, LORD Clifford, Son and Heir to the Right Noble, Lord Francis Earl of Cumberland, etc.  
Worthy Lord:  
I Must entreat you to provide  
Yourself with proper speed,  
T'attend the Nuptials of the Bride,  
Our kin, it is a (greed,)  
'Twixt Israel's offspring and Gods soon  
A marriage must be made,  
And messengers abroad are run,  
All good men to persuade,  
To come, to see it solemmized,  
And I am one of those,  
That have some worthy friends advised,  
To free them from these woes:  
That times and men are subject too,  
And it's become my lot,  
By God's Commission t'invite you,  
And I know I shall not  
Want audience, nor place, nor time  
To tell my Embassy:  
Embrace it (Lord) for 'tis divine,  
And the best legacy  
I can bestow, I know you are  
Religious, learned, and wise,  
And noble therefore I shall share,  
Your favours, I surmise.  
Your Lordships in all humble love, Augustine Taylor.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
Israel's infirmittes confessed,  
Her gratitude's proclaimed,  
The bounties of her Lord's expressed,  
And her best love's explained.  
MY Lord I know thou knows before I speak,  
What I would utter: since I'm wondrous weak  
And of myself deficient teach thou me  
To publish pious pleasant harmony,  
Such as thou wilt vouchsafe to hear that, when  
My pensive soul with miseries of men  
Is guarded round, my voice to thee may come,  
And find some grace to help the graceless son,  
To help my sinful sorrowful soul, in time  
Let the bright sun, of mercy freely shine  
Upon my guiltiness, that thy bride may,  
Be white as innocence, and as bright as day:  
For all thy blessings, though I be but poor,  
Yet both of praise and thankes I have such store,  
As shall record me debtor unto thee,  
In songs and hymns to all posterity:  
I must confess, but cannot pay thee due,  
For my redemption, that thou pleased to view  
My state so poor with mercy's eyes so pure,  
My soul reioyceth, and I'm very sure,  
The price of my redemption's paid so well,  
Sin hath no strength, death hath no sting, and hell  
Hath now no victory: I am not so  
Blinded with ignorance, but that I know,  
Myself both as I am and as I was;  
As different as the Diamond from glass,  
So is my former, from my latter state,  
Thou didst repair what I did ruinated,  
From gyves and fetters thou hast loosed me,  
To tread the paths of life, and liberty;  
From hellish endless sorrows thou hast quit,  
My captived soul out of the lowest pit:  
Even as a Lily overgrown with thorns,  
That is not benificed by the springing morns,  
Until the careful husband do device,  
To rid the thorns, to help the Lily t'rise;  
So 'twas with me, my soul suppressed with sin,  
Knew nought but sorrow, till thou did begin,  
To undergo my burden, and since then,  
I have found grace with God, and peace with men:  
For this great freedom, and for all my bliss,  
In esse and in posse I but this  
Towards recompense, my gratitude's my store;  
Thanks, 'tis a proper payment for the poor.  
And yet I'm bound for greater favours such,  
For which I cannot manifest so much,  
Affection as they challenge, therefore still  
Lord when my action fails, regard my will.  
Since it did please thee to make me thy bride,  
It seems thou pleased I should be sanctified,  
For that I'm now reform like to thee,  
In holiness and perfect purity,  
And that so inwardly and outward fair,  
Thou hast made me that I'm without compare;  
And since my spots and wrinkles are dissolved,  
And that in holy white, I'm now involved,  
It resteth that I sacrifice my best,  
And what I offer's but the interest  
Of what I own: I'll thank thee whilst I live,  
And Lord thou knows I have no more to give;  
But I'm for more, fare more indebt, yet trust  
Since thou wilt justify me (so unjust)  
Thou wilt regard my nothing, nothing breeds,  
" He that possesseth all things nothing needs,  
That thou accepts my faith for righteousness  
I can no more do, and I will no less,  
In words and actions than show thankfulness:  
Since it hath pleased thy greatness to admit,  
My poor defective impotence, (unfit)  
To be a bride for thee, I'll hence forth strive,  
T'extinguish all my illness, and deprive  
Those vices of their lodgings that have been,  
My welcome guests before I was thy Queen;  
What I have been, I'll cease to be, and frame  
Myself to bear the beauty of thy name:  
True modesty, and loyalty shall rest,  
To wait upon thy spirit in my breast:  
Assist me with thy grace, and thou shall see,  
All th'ornaments proper for Majesty,  
Prepared for thy service, I confess  
Thou mightst have had thy spouse 'mongst princesses  
Of greater honour, and of nobler race  
I know poor Ruth (my grandam) had no place  
Whereinto rest, but by permission; yet  
Because she's fair, and lowly Boaz will let  
Her glean amongst his reapers, and withal  
Strictly commands his servants that they shall  
Not offer once to blame her, tells her rather  
It is his pleasure, that she stay and gather  
In his, then go t'an other field, and thus  
Changes small favours, into Maximus:  
And at the last, this fruit his love doth yield,  
Takes her and makes her mistress of the field:  
Sure she was fair, being honoured with such store,  
That looked so lovely, when she was so poor,  
Even such was I a Ruth, on whom no Ruth,  
The word bestowed, until the word of truth  
Came to survey his vineyard, and gave me,  
Commission to work there, and liberty,  
To claim a sacred penny? and in th'end  
Supposing that the office of a friend,  
Was not grace great enough, he chooseth rather,  
To manifest th'affection of a father,  
And builds again of a poor wretch (undone)  
A blessed bride, for his eternal son:  
My Lord I do not utter this to thee,  
For thou art sensible, of my misery,  
I tell the neighbouring nations; lest they guess,  
I'm prone to ill, but too proud to confess:  
I know my faults, and between griefs and fears,  
My body's like a bark, that sails in tears,  
Made to transport (thy choice) the soul from th'earth,  
Towards the fair land of everlasting mirth;  
And on these seas of sorrow's Lord vouchsafe,  
To be my Pilot, and conduct me safe,  
Unto the shores of peace, and thou shall see,  
My love so beautified with constancy,  
That thou will be pleased to say, I do approve,  
The price of life is paid, with coin of love.  
Great Prince I'm very poor, infirm and weak,  
Disable (without thee) to think or speak,  
The smallest good: therefore I'll still entreat,  
That as my dignity thou didst create,  
Thou wouldst maintain it, though the cause be mine,  
Thou knows it honours thee to honour thine,  
As the King's honour's made of subjects duties,  
So are thy glories made of thy Queen's beauties:  
I take it, such are thine, no I mistake,  
Thine are thy own, since thou didst please to make  
Me free t'enjoy them, when I thee adore,  
I but repay what I received before:  
Since by thy bounties I in plenties live,  
Give thou me more, and more, that I may give  
To others, that to all it may be seen,  
Of beauty, and bounty, thoust composed thy Queen,  
With hands that never erred, blest with the senses  
Of plenty, the meetest mettle to make Princes:  
Lord lend me all thy graces, till I rise  
From earth to glory in thy Paradise;  
In the mean time accept my sacrifice,  
Which Baptist-like, I send (before) above,  
" My soul flies after, with the wings of love.  
FINIS.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE BRIDE TO her Lord, declaring her Confidence. A Heavenly legacy, for the use of of the Right Honourable, JOHN Earl of Bridg-water, and his most Noble Countess, the Lady Francis.  
Written, By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JOHN, EARL OF Bridg-water, etc. And to his most noble Lady Francis, Countess of Bridgewater: The issue of the Ancient, and Illustrious House of Derby. * ⁎ *  
Right Honourable:  
IF you admire wherefore I bring,  
This offering to your hands,  
My reason's this, I saw day spring,  
The first upon those lands,  
That was your birth-plot, and for that  
My heart and hand this gives,  
And know your Honour die shall not,  
So long as English lives:  
Another reason's, I confess  
I live under the wing  
Of your good mother, Patroness  
Of Zion where I sing,  
And Preach, by God's commission, I  
Am sent to call, in guests  
To see the Lamb in's Majesty,  
Where peace, and plenty rests.  
And dear, humbly I entreat,  
Your Honours to that place,  
Where you shall sit in glories seat,  
And see God face to face.  
Your Noble dispositions be,  
So generally approved,  
That for your true Nobility,  
Y'are both, both praised and loved:  
And so God grant you may be still,  
'Tis that I wish to see,  
And if you please t'approve my will,  
Fear God, and favour me.  
Your Honours to be Commanded, Augustine Taylor.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
The faith of Isr'el's here expressed,  
Her disobedience done,  
Humility's by her professed,  
And all her good begun.  
GReat King of Israel may I be so bold,  
To speak a few words more? some part's untold,  
Of that I meant to utter, vouchsafe t'hear,  
My speech preferred, with a reverend fear,  
Thy ancient servants, prudently foreseeing  
Him, men deny, or doubt to have a being.  
They can do no true service, do express,  
The first good that man doth, is to confess  
The being of one God, and Scripture saith,  
The Honour thou admits, is built on faith:  
Lord I believe, and thou mayst show thy might,  
To help my unbelief, that in thy sight  
I may be perfect, and I will approve,  
My haruest's from the seeding of thy love:  
My Lord this is my faith, I steadfastly  
Believe all things delivered of thee,  
'Twixt th'Alpha, and th'Omega of thy book,  
And I'm persuaded all the pains thou took,  
Tends to my rest, thy promises of grace,  
Are th'evidence I keep for glory's place.  
The poorness of thy coming, birth, and kin,  
As I conceive was only for to win  
The love not praise of men, thou didst agree,  
T'ore come temptations, that we might be free:  
Thou washed their feet, that did attend on thee,  
(I take it) to teach me humility,  
And as a friend that is to take in hand,  
A long and dangerous voyage, doth command  
His kinted, and acquaintance to be fit,  
To share of's friendly farewell, and being met,  
They sole mnize it sadly, and then parts,  
With discontent and heaviness of hearts;  
And this last token ties their loves t'attend,  
Even so my Lord, my husband, and my friend  
Did institute a supper, that I might  
Keep him (though absent) evermore in sight,  
And then he took his journey with great pain,  
But with fare greater Honour came again.  
My Prince I know thy day dissolved my night,  
Thy heavy burden made my burden light,  
Thy purple robe died red with my offence,  
Bought me a coat as white as innocence,  
Thy thorne's my crown, thy reeds my sceptre, and  
Thy death's my life, (my faith doth understand)  
Thy blood's the fountain washed my soul from sin,  
Thy wounds the gates, to let me enter in,  
And that wound in thy side doth this impart,  
That thou intends to lodge me in thy heart,  
And made thy passage ready, the veils rend,  
Makes me despise th'earth for I'm confident,  
Thy cities gates wide open I behold,  
And who'ill be pleased with lead, that may have gold?  
My Lord I will not, heaven is my home,  
And I'll not let thee go, before I come,  
To share part of thy glory; I am thine,  
And my faith tells me that thy kingdom's mine,  
I know and do believe this, and I trust  
My seats made, in the mansion of the just,  
And for that place I'm bound, in the mean time,  
That I, in all my actions may show thine,  
I'm furnishing myself, and I will aim,  
To wear my robes for th'honour of thy name,  
I'll first put on obedience, and apply,  
Myself t'attend upon thy Majesty.  
With diligence and with religious fear,  
Thy law I'll study, and thy world I'll hear,  
Stife-necked rebellion I will never know,  
My power shall be bestowed for to bestow,  
Love's legacies on thee, at thy command,  
My inward heart and my external hand,  
Shall purpose and dispose, and to thy throne,  
I'll offer both my owners and my own:  
Thy messengers and ministers, I'll give  
Their honour and respect, and strive to live  
So carefully, and free from all offence,  
As one that ne'er knew disobedience,  
Although whilst my poor soul is leapt in flesh,  
It's clothed with sorrow, and with sinfulness:  
Yet with such holy fear, I'll spend my time,  
Thou will please to say, my sins are none of mine.  
They shall be done s'vnwillingly, my flesh  
I know well is betrothed to guiltiness,  
But not by my consent, I do much ill,  
And Lord thou knowest I do't against my will:  
Sin dwelleth in me, and muah'ill contrives,  
T'effect much mischief, and (unkindly) strives,  
To burden me Lord, how shall I it prevent?  
Since I am both guilty, and innocent.  
The flesh being mine, the sins say so are they,  
Yet since my will ne'er willed to disobey  
Thy ordinances, do thou plead my cause,  
And if I perish under, Moses laws,  
Let me appeal to my Messiah grace,  
And there find comfort. I will seek thy face,  
But not presumptuously, as Mary came  
(Poor woman) burdened both with sin, and shame,  
Into the house where once thou sat to eat,  
And well considering that her sins were great,  
Presumed not to behold thy face, but kept  
Behind thy back, and there kneeled down and wept,  
And for a sinner's sacrifice, most meet,  
Dropped pearl-like tears upon thy precious feet,  
And gladly washed them, and with her heads-haire,  
Carefully wipes them dry to leave them fair,  
And with th'embraces that best fits a friend,  
And many loving kisses makes, an end.  
Even so my gracious Lord, I come to thee,  
With many faults, and much humility,  
Knowing my blemish I'm afraid of blame,  
And being laden both with sin, and shame,  
Willing to bide my face, wash, wipe, and weep,  
Or any measures sinners ought to keep;  
Wishing (with Mary) my release to win,  
I crave my love might cover all my sin,  
My Christ, my love is true, and as it were,  
joined and mixed with a reverend fear,  
To make it perfect, lend thy gracious skill,  
To make my work as proper as my will;  
Vouchsafe to mend what is in me amiss,  
It is both for thy honour, and my bliss,  
The old man's crucified, and I'm new borne,  
I left my chaff, and I expect thy corn.  
FINIS.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE BRIDE TO her Lord, containing her Petitions. A Legacy, spiritually composed for the gracious survey of the Right Reverend Father in God, JOHN Lord Bishop of Chester, etc.  
By, Augustine Taylor, Preacher, and Minister, in the Church of God.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, JOHN, by Divine Providence, Lord Bishop, of Chester. etc.  
Most Worthy Lord:  
IF for your gracious favours unto me,  
My love and service can e'er make amends,  
Both are at your dispose, and you shall see,  
I'll rank your name, amongst my noble friends,  
And no dishonour to your Honour, for  
I bring not th'offering of a monitor,  
But of one that would be admonished,  
At your dispose (you are as'twere my head.  
Learned Prince of Preachers, whose celestial voice,  
Contracts a King to willing audience,  
Acceped these lines, and I'll maintain my choice,  
Is the true Image of true excellence:  
'Tis inward joy to me, to see men note,  
Me clothed in a sh●ed of Chester scoate,  
It is a robe of honour, and maintained,  
By Chester's Lord unwronged, and unstained,  
My gracious Lord mistake me not, I do  
Present with reverence, and humility,  
These to your Lordship, they belong unto  
Your Honour only: Not presumptuously,  
I eternize your name, but with regard,  
And your free Patronage, is my reward,  
Bestow it then, and for your share doth rest,  
Both all my all, and of my all the best.  
Contracted to your Lordship, with the bands of true affection, Augustine Taylor.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
As harrowing after sowing fits  
So the Bride wraps her will,  
In prayers, and her plants commits,  
There Lord, in Zion hill.  
LOrd, be not angry that I stay so long.  
I would (I will) not leave thee, if I wrong  
Thee, or myself, with troublesome attempts,  
Since mercy's laws poor weakness still exempts  
From punishment, for commonly we see,  
Weakness acts none, but her own injury;  
Then since she punisheth her own transgression,  
To chastise her again, were mere oppression:  
Pardon me Lord, for I am forced to speak,  
Channels o'er charged with water, needs must break,  
Into the neighbouring lands, and cools the plains,  
With the moist land-blood, of their too full veins:  
My heart's the fountain, and my tongue's the brook,  
Wherein flows all my passions: Overlook  
Her fruitless inundations I request,  
Conceive the base, but receive the best,  
They both proceed from love, and can love cire,  
I know she may, but what man will prefer  
Complaints against (unfeigned loves) offence,  
None, for 'twould argue hate to innocence?  
I know thy nature's gracious, and Entreat,  
Since thou art better pleased to bless then beat,  
Say not my sins are sins, make good of ill,  
Although they be my works, theyare not my will,  
My God thou knowest it well; and since I have  
Promised thee some good service, I must crave  
Thy favours to perform it, thou must breed,  
Th'original in me of will and deed,  
For any good, and first I humbly pray  
Increase my faith, that the foundation may  
Uphold and honour all the upper, parts  
Of all my buildings: thou dost know my hearts,  
Desire is only t'entertain those things,  
That my salvation, and thy honour brings,  
Furnish me so with faith, that my grand-foe,  
Attempting to effect my overthowe,  
May fail, and fall, and vanish, give me that  
Faith that set Noah upon mount Arrarat,  
That which removed Henoch from of the earth,  
And without death a gave celestial birth:  
I do but wish that sword to vanquish sin,  
Which David brought 'gainst th'ugly Philistime.  
When woes be set me round, and sin and death,  
Then let my faith, advance me from beneath,  
To thy abiding City'mongst the just,  
Lord of thy mercy change my faith to trust,  
Faith doth confess Christ but trust doth persuade,  
The spotless offerings that my jesus made,  
Were mine, and for my sin, and soul's relief,  
This I believe, Lord help my unbelief.  
Another thing I crave, is patience to,  
Accept contentedly, and undergo  
Afflictions that may happen, grant to me  
Such store of patience in all misery,  
That my deserts may cause report to spread,  
" jobs dearest daughter life's, though he be dead:  
Teach me to welcome sorrow 'mongst the rest,  
Of other passions that possess my breast,  
Make patience power the greatest, that I may  
Pass the world's nights, to heaven's glorious day:  
Next furnish me with strength make me of might,  
To maintain combat in thy Gospels' right,  
And to my strength, add valour, for these too,  
Being divided can no service do,  
To merit thankes or praise, the foes intent,  
Prevaileth when my valour's impotent,  
And when my strength wants valour, I am like  
To lose the field, because I dare not strike:  
Therefore I sue, for both theyare fit'st for me,  
Because I but desire them t'honor thee.  
Then make a sword of both to cut off strife,  
Venture thou it, and I will venture life;  
And yet I venture nothing, for I know  
I have nothing but what thou didst bestow,  
And as thy own command it, thine I rest,  
‛, The best of servants can but do her best.  
Yet gracious Lord, direct me how to make,  
(Even for thy passion, and compassion sake,)  
My prayers more complete, because I have,  
Great need of many things, and cannot crave,  
So as I may obtain, except the most  
Powerful assistance of the holy Ghost,  
Help to prefer my sacrifice: if thou  
Will some more patience unto me allow,  
To temper all my passions, in such measure  
That neither sorrows nor deluding pleasure,  
Possess me with excess: then I shall do,  
Thee (sovereign) honour, and me (subject) too:  
To make thy Bride victorious, I do pray,  
With reverence, love, and fear, that I still may,  
Enjoy that patience, which can bring me past  
The blew-red veil, with victory at last,  
Into thy holiest holy: here beneath,  
Afflictions, miseries, cares, fears, doom, and death,  
Fills all my days so full of discontent,  
That till I see that ladder thou once sent,  
Unto my Father jacob, set for me,  
T'ascend I look for no felicity,  
My Lord, by all the gracious promises,  
Of thine, between the first of Genesis,  
And the Omega, of thy sacred book,  
And by the pains that my Messiah took,  
By his unvalued merits, and by all  
He said or did from's birth t'his funeral,  
Free me from all my sins, and now remove,  
The clouds of sin, and vengeance from above,  
That my voice may come to thy sacred ears,  
And fetch my pardon, from these cares, and fears,  
Lord quit me out of hand, and let me see,  
The glorious state of immortality.  
I'm weary of these netherlands, and would  
Come see my dowry, that with purest gold,  
Thou hast so richly walled, and paved so fair  
With Berill, Topaz, and such stones as are,  
Most fit in form, and beauty; I entreat,  
That as thou hast provided me a seat  
In Zion thy most holy, heavenly hill,  
Thou'lt'll place me in't, O let it be thy will,  
To help me home in haste, that now I may  
Change my black night, for thy bright endless day.  
FINIS.   

AN EPISTLE OR A Legacy, for the use of the Right Reverend Father in God, JOHN, Lord Bishop, of the Isles of Man, etc.  
By Augustine Taylor, Preacher, and Minister of the Lord, our God, at Hawarden.  
LONDON, Printed, by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE RIGHT Reverend Father in God, john by the Divine Providence, Lord Bishop of the Isles of Man, Rector of Hawarden, etc.  
MY Lord you know a heavenly muse, should be  
Esteemed as men prise eternity,  
I know your breast contains a muse divine,  
And therefore will not undervalue mine,  
Of all that live I dare a favour claim,  
But those (whose all shall perish with their name.  
Right Reverend Phillips, Philip the great King  
Of Macedon did cause a child to bring,  
Quotidian warning thus, (for him to scan)  
" Philip remember thou art but a man:  
A fairer title, I deliver can,  
Phillis consider you are Lord of Man,  
Both men and man approves it in that I'll,  
You have sat graciously, a happy while,  
Unto man's makers glory and your praise,  
Amongst most reverend Bishops, all your days  
Shall be accounted happy: many aim  
At profitable Lordships, and for gain,  
Are Lords of more but base mettle fare,  
As fare as doth the Sun, exceed a Star:  
(Men should believe it, because God hath said)  
Man doth exceed all works that e'er God made,  
Stay, man the soil? no, man the soul is blest,  
I grant that truth, and then it needs must rest,  
Y'are Lord of both, others but of the soil,  
Their covetous carefulness, and temporal toil  
Affirm; no less, whereas your Lordship may,  
With much content, with Princely David say:  
" The place wherein my lot to me befell,  
" Is passing fair, and like me wondrous well.  
You might have bathed in a greater fountain,  
But a small Dyamond's worth, a mighty mountain,  
Some lesser things are prized, the great'st above,  
" The quality not quantity breeds love;  
Happy was man to have the man of God  
Find out her port, he hath removed the rod  
Of wrath and fury out of all her coasts,  
And how to call upon the Lord of Hosts,  
In her own language he hath taught her know,  
Such benefits good Bishops do bestow,  
Upon their flock: Now babes and sucklings can,  
And do extol the Lord of Heaven, and man:  
Pitied had been you should have left the I'll,  
For your preferment better many smile,  
Then one, and it is better that one lose,  
Then many, I have known your Lordship choose,  
To prefer general before special good,  
Your pious learned care 'tis understood:  
Hath truly (newly) settled all the land,  
And taught the ignorant to understand  
The holy word of God, and 'tis thought fit,  
You honour God, your King, and self by it,  
In seeing that established  begun  
joy in it Lord, you have more honour won,  
By making th'ignorant intelligent,  
" Of God and men, than ever shall be spent.  
My friends (the cause I praise) this Lord's to me,  
As near and dear as Paul to Tymothie.  
What erst was ruined by the great neglect  
Of's predecessors he doth re-erect,  
In sumptuous stately wise, and whereas they  
But only sought the land to fetch a pray,  
And having found it would be blown away,  
If but a side wind came: this doth not so,  
But with the hand of bounty doth bestow,  
Upon the land what it affords to him,  
He doth not teach her plenties how to swim,  
From her, and leave her poor: a true report  
Saith he hath made a cottage in a Court,  
That well may lodge a Prince, and seated so  
Sat on the Towers, and turn thee too and fro,  
And all the King's dominions thou mayst see,  
England, Cambria, Ireland, Albany,  
And in his Lordly house he daily spends,  
Great pious plenty amongst all his friends:  
Man was a woman (before he came there)  
And plucked the fruit forbidden, but now fear  
Of that sin's punishment, by him made known,  
Hath set the man up, and cast the woe down.  
Long may God's blessings, and my Lord together,  
Transport from h●nce to man, and from man hither;  
And Lord be pleased that I both long and well  
M'attend the steps of my gamalie.  
My Lord take this in token of my love,  
And when your better part is soared above,  
And left the rest for earth, these lines shall last,  
When earth, and men, and times and Toombs shall waste,  
Truly affected to see duly effected, my office (unto your Lordship) in God's service, AUGUSTINE TAYLOR.   

TO HIS WORSHIPFUL, AND WORTHY, Faithful Friends, and Lovers, in the (Episcopal jurisdiction) Parish of Hawarden, in Flint-shire. * ⁎ *  
Truly beloved:  
MY faithful service, and my purest love,  
Shall wait on you, till love and service fails,  
(I speak in earnest) next those joys above,  
I love your Zion, love (●od saith) prevails  
To cover many faults, I do desire,  
My love that's kindled (now) with holy fire,  
May purchase your affections, and my best,  
And all my all, at your dispose shall rest.  
Yet I beseech you, not mistake me much,  
If from the first to th'last any one doth  
Affect me truly my free nature's such,  
Those shall command my love, and service both:  
I'll do my best for all, yea even for those,  
(If there be such) that strive to be my foes,  
I love, but doth not fear these earthly powers,  
There is a will above this will of owers,  
That can do what he will. It is with him  
That you and I must reckon for our sin,  
And not amongst ourselves, true Christians must  
Endeavour still to make each other just,  
And seek the shame of none, which blessed act  
Will men together unto God contract,  
" Take this it comes from him that still will prove,  
Yours both in duty, and unfeigned love.  
Augustine Taylor   

A WATCH, COMPOSED FOR, AND DEDICATED to the service of the Right Honourable WILLIAM Earl of DERBY, Barron Stanley, Lord Strange of Knockin, and of Man: Knight of the most Noble order of the Garter, Leiutenant, and Chamberlain, of the Counties Palatines of Chester, and Lancaster, etc.  
By His Honour's most observant servant, Augustine Taylor, Preacher, and Minister, at Hawarden, in Flint-shire.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
The times are spid'e to go on crutches, and  
Goes very fast, and therefore very ill:  
Heaven is proved the best haven where to land,  
Respect of faithful friendship's wished still.  
honour's examined, and those parts made plain,  
Which best befits her breast to entertain,  
Black envy's challenged, and her force defied,  
Nobility rides by Derby's Loraly side.  
STay Derby's Earl and pause a little, for  
'Tis fit each Philip have his monitor,  
As duly as his day, only to know,  
Himself as well in substance as in show:  
The time means mischief, and her plots to smother,  
Promiseth one thing, and pretends another,  
Gain says the will of the great legislator,  
And gives to Esau wine, to lacob water,  
Contemns the best, and doth the base adore,  
Feeds the fool fat, and keeps the wiseman poor,  
Honours the bad, and doth the good disgrace,  
Looks upon merit, but with half a face,  
Keeps true worth fasting, yet deals out of measure,  
(But thus) pence for desets, and pounds for pleasure.  
T'avoid the worst, that time and men can do,  
Man's and time's God appoints us here unto,  
To alter our affections, and remove them  
From earth to dwell where's nought but God above them.  
Watch noble Lord, for I fear we shall see,  
The times so sick with mutability,  
They will entreat a purge, and you shall try,  
The good shall be restored, the wicked die:  
My Lord we have a warrant lets us know,  
There's many things are done in earth below,  
And all aut amissi, aut permissi from,  
A power that ruleth all but's ruled by none,  
We are at his dispose, when his decree,  
Will break the neck of Caesar's royalty,  
Rome cannot piece it, therefore him to fear,  
(That is impartial and that scorns to bear  
Corrupt affection) 'tis our best (to honour)  
Grace should have measure, still to wait upon her;  
And constancy, experience makes it known,  
Favours do never spring, that are not sown:  
Upon the soil of merit: I did dream,  
Minions too mighty makes monarchs too mean,  
As sparing graces never prause could win,  
So favours out of measure are mere sin,  
The great King gives his graces t'all so true,  
That none hath less, that none hath more than due,  
And his affection's lasting. Even so  
I know you learn at him, since you bestow  
Your graces upon goodness, do so still,  
And blest shall be your actions, and your will:  
Long may you live to fill your noble seat,  
" A few such great men, would make good men great.  
Therefore I wish your life, and that you may,  
With much content, tell many a happy day,  
Of grace, and one of glory t'euer last,  
That your true honour, ne'er be overcast;  
And that you ever may stand fast, and fair,  
A pillar upon earth, a star in th' air,  
Consider what these following lines afford,  
" The servant may (sometimes) direct his Lord.  
There's one thing necessary it is said,  
And ipse dixit who hath all things made,  
And that's a summum bonum, where at man  
Should only aim because he never can  
Be satissied, until have understood,  
The glorious fullness of this sovereign good,  
I know your ayme's at that so let it be,  
The first foundation of nobility,  
Was faith in God, the building fear and love;  
Kings wills are powerful but that will above,  
Proceeding from jehovah, all of them  
That would change vana spe for certam spem,  
Must reverently obey: those cutsed be,  
That only trust in earthly majesty,  
And you shall see them perish, he that would  
Reap hovor to fetch home pure Ophir gold,  
Scorns to return with base mettle: so  
He that, to Magnus Rex may freely go,  
And's promised entertainment, doth disdain  
To spend's best time and treasure in the train  
Of an Inferior Prince, man should delight,  
" In things that yields both God and Caefar right  
Therefore I say it's good, and I'll say still,  
" Its best serve him that can do what he will.  
This daily duly done, the next you do,  
Every attendant that belongs 〈◊〉  
Your Honour, either fastened by the links  
Of love or duty, wisdom 'twere me thinks,  
And policy, and honour to respect,  
All loves and duties with such meet respect,  
As prudence may proportion: some there are  
Knows you but by report, that would not spare,  
Their lives and treasures t'express Derby's worth,  
To keep the Eagle famous in the North:  
Pity it were that those that love's you best,  
Should lose their loves, and be regarded least;  
And pity 'twere that those that love's you not,  
Should be respected, and the rest forgot,  
That peace and love within your walls may stand,  
Resolve like David when he took in hand,  
The government of Israel, these things,  
He vowed t'observe unto the King of Kings,  
" Mercy and justice I will sing to thee,  
And in my house, with such integrity  
I do intent to live, that men shall tell,  
The Lord bestowed his crown and sceptre well.  
I will attempt no wicked thing at all,  
The faithless and the froward never shall,  
Possess my smallest favours: I do hate,  
The proud and haughty, and I'll ruinated,  
The slanderer, the flatterer, and the proud,  
Neither my court nor kingdom hath allowed  
A resting place; all those that maketh ties,  
And love's deceit I utterly despise:  
The charitable, faithful, meek, and free,  
Are only chosen servants unto me.  
Right Noble Earl, let David's Princely mind,  
Lodge in your Lordly breast, let all those find,  
Protection from your Honour, that maintain,  
Public and private Stanleys', Stainless name.  
Do not gild Parasites praise, it's but a blast,  
But gild that frame in which your name shall last,  
Defend those that defend your Honour, and  
Those that give you their hearts give them your hand,  
Your countenance shining as it ought and may,  
Comforts your followers as the Sun doth day.  
It is examined and 'tis understood  
The Isles are peopled with more bad than good,  
Since enemies do spring, as thick as weeds,  
The shrub's the safest, 'tis the Cedar needs,  
Supporting to withstand the furious winds,  
'Tis only my affection that me binds,  
T'advise my Lord, although Idare not bet,  
That super senes intellexi, yet,  
I know what's fit, to boast I'm not allowed,  
" I'm proud of nothing, but that I'm not proud,  
I'll tell some things I know, and some I doubt,  
There are some setches, their best treasures out,  
Of Derby's Earldom, thence they cloth, and feast,  
And gains most by you, and yet love's you least?  
Trust but a few let not those that delights,  
To steal your eagle's feather, t'imp their kits,  
Steal both your gain, and Honor. Moses sings,  
God carned Israel once on eagle's wings,  
From Pharaohs sury, and so did express,  
His power and love, in seas and wilderness;  
Those he loved he delivered all the rest,  
He restless left: to learn at him it's best,  
And charge your Eagle, as she doth respect,  
The favours of her Lord that she accept  
None, neither under, nor upon her wings  
But friendly ones, that's only those that brings,  
Pledges of love and duty: then shall those  
That (public dares nor) be but private foes,  
To Derby's Honour quickly proved be,  
And this a pious course, and policy:  
Scorn all base mettle, and as Solomon would,  
Have all his vessels made of purest gold,  
And counted silver base, do you like him,  
Shut up your Lordly breast, and let none in  
But choicest, chiefest men, and look they be  
All truly furnished with some quality,  
Worthy an Earl's respect, for saith the stery,  
The Moon among the clouds looseth her glory,  
But if sh'attended be with Stars of light,  
" Shows as she meant to make a day of night:  
He his own goodness seals, and's greatness saves,  
" That keeps himself unstained with fools and knaves,  
Maintain your state, and those that truly love it,  
" And all shall stumble, that would step above it.  
For too much lowliness and clemency,  
None should be blamed, yet there's some vice we see  
Proceedeth from these virtues, some repent  
Their humbleness, because it breeds contempt,  
Virtues may be mistaken, blessings used,  
" Are blessings still, but cursings being abused:  
Your gracious clemency hath been to all  
So largely showed, that my pen freely shall,  
Record it to the times to come. Who can  
Not tell and testify, a noble man  
Should be both Lamb and Lion-like the first  
To match the best, the last t'ore match the worst,  
So a Lamb's meekness, and a Lion's might,  
In great men claims a dwelling as their right,  
Both lodge in you, and I do smell a savour,  
Proceed from Derby, both of force and favour,  
Which your crest claimeth in your rights defence,  
Th'Eagle shows power, the child shows innocence:  
Your spirit's Princely like the Eagles, and  
'Tis as the infant's meek, (but understand)  
Lest childishly you construe, I'll tell thee  
That comprehends not his no billitie,  
And wonder not thou'rt not intelligent,  
The earth is thine, the air's his element,  
He's witty, wise, and valorous, knows his measure,  
He smites not Lazarus, and he soothes not Caesar;  
The good he nourisheth, and the bad he spares not,  
The lowly he love's well, for the proud he cares not,  
Mercy did never find a humane breast,  
Allowed her better lodging, 'mongst the rest  
Of's virtues, justice sits (true Princess like)  
She will lift up the sword, but's loath to strike:  
Because she knows God list not justice try,  
By's threatening Isacke, when the ram did dye.  
Bounty adorns his hand, and sacred love,  
Guides both his words and actions, the white dove  
Of innocence hath brought him Manna t'eate,  
And nursed him so well he's as good as great,  
If any ask in whom this wealth is stored,  
I say in Derby's Earl, my loving Lord:  
They say in Courts men longest keep their places,  
If they can patiently receive disgraces,  
And tender thanks: but it were better dwell,  
With Lot in Bela, where no dangers swell,  
Then in the fairer plains, that lies too low,  
" Which Iordans streams hath leave to overflow.  
The Eagles' wise, and between tweed and dye,  
Enjoys such store of happy liberty,  
As well might please a Prince, tweed speaks your fame,  
Ribl's your servant, mercy knows your name,  
Commands his fruitful shores, fair dee doth mean,  
The treasures, in or by his holy stream,  
To tender as your due, and as his duty,  
And in a word examine but what beauty,  
The North contains, and in love as 'tis fit,  
Both are at your dispose, the North and it.  
God that doth all things well, hath order given,  
To beautify the earth, (as well as Heaven)  
View the etherial region, and there see,  
The glorious frame of that great canopy,  
Seems to be nailed with stars, and in such wise  
They are asign'd their places in the skies,  
By admirable skill, the Heavens express  
About each greater light, millions of less,  
Do still attend, by love together knit,  
Both to add honour, to themselves and it:  
Men are so placed on earth, th'earth doth afford,  
Thousands of servants to attend one Lord;  
You are made strong by them, they strong by you,  
If there be any dim lights theyare untrue,  
And means to add no honour to your name,  
They live with envy, and shall end with shame.  
Now let pale envy, (whose ill tutored tongue,  
Is hourly uttering infamy, and wrong)  
Spit all her poison, upon Derby's name,  
She cannot add a spot: the lips of fame  
Have sworn, and kissed the book neither be  
Silent, nor subject unto flattery,  
My Lord my muse did vow your worth and name,  
To register, and chose this lasting frame,  
And hath made truth her witness, any come  
And catch me with a lie, and I'll be dumb  
For ever after, know I scorn to prove  
A parasite, either for for fear or love:  

Live to augment your Honours, still to be  
Beloved of God, King, state, land, men, and me.   
Your Honours already, and only ready, to be yours, Augustine Taylor.   

THE DEFENCE OF DIVINE POESY, Committed to the Protection of the Right Honourable; William Earl of Pembroke, etc.  
By, Augustine Taylor, Preacher, and Minister, in the Church of God.  
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623.   

TO THE RIGHT Honourable, William Lord Harbert, Earl of Pembroke, Barron Harbert of Cardiff, Lord Parr Roos of Reudall, Marmion, and St. Quintin, Chief Chamberlain of his Majesty's , Governor of Ports-mouth, and Warden of the Stauneries, Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter, and one of his Majesties, most Honourable Privy Council, etc.  
Most Honourable:  
KIng Solomon did choose to have his Throne,  
Borne up with Lions, and admitted none,  
Of base beasts that should employed be,  
In office near unto his dignity,  
Accounting wolves, and asses beasts too base,  
To be employed about a Throne of grace.  
Your greatness being goodness doth affect,  
The best supporters, because you protect,  
Both art, and wit, and grace, I wish to be  
Preserver of your pious dignity:  
Great Earl, a Divine muse unto you brings,  
A sacrifice worth the respect of Kings,  
Not for my merit, by whom now it comes,  
But for his merits that hath brought the sons  
Of Adam back to Eden, give to me,  
Such favours as befits the ministry;  
And for requital God give you, I'll pray,  
Many good years, and then one lasting day.  
Willing to do your Honour any Christian service, in the power of AUGUSTINE TAYLOR.   

THE ARGUMENT.  
The season's poisoned with abusive wits,  
Fair poesi's used to serve the basest use,  
Wit guilt with grace, the subject best befits:  
No music's equal to a Heavenly muse,  
Wit choosing the best subjects to work on,  
Shall find glory with God, and grace with man.  
Our Physicke-Doctors say, the times are sick,  
But I say no, the times are lunatic:  
Yet madness is a sickness, but I know  
It is not in their el'ment to bestow  
Remedy on't, God hath said wisdom's mine,  
They meddle with things carnal, not divine:  
If God do not in time some help apply,  
Unto these times, both times and men must dye,  
He that can well conceive may much admire,  
To see unto what height men's wits aspire,  
T'advance the Towers of Babel, and to see  
So few strive to maintain the dignity  
Of blessed bethel, base, vile godless, wits  
Counts it more grace to passionate the fits,  
Of damned adultery, murder, blasphemy,  
Deceit and lying, than it is to be,  
A careful student in Divinity,  
So many breasts sends forth unhallowed breath,  
The very air's infected, clouds of death,  
Are shapen in the sky for vengeance, and  
Shall be dispersed abroad, by the left hand  
Of God in's anger to kill and condemn  
Nations, and people, that do him contemn.  
I do wish those that so abuse their times,  
A dulterers-like conceiving graceless rhymes,  
To humour earth, those that delude the season,  
With pounds of wit, but not half dams of reason,  
T'reforme themselves, for better harmony,  
And seeming men, be as they seem to be.  
A creature reasonable, God did make man,  
And he ought daily to do all he can,  
To raise his glory, and his acts to tell,  
That gave him's being, and his being well:  
Reasonless I esteem, those that do spend,  
Their addle brains on idle things that end,  
In th'hour they are begun, and do not praise  
The acts of days of life, but acts of days,  
Of death, and desolation pray you scan,  
There is a man, and a thing like a man,  
'Tis plain, that every like, is not the same,  
So some have th'inward fruit, some th'outward frame,  
Some have the substance, some have but the show,  
Some bad are set above, some good below,  
Some divine wits still sings of things above,  
Some (foolishly) breathes nought, but earthly love,  
Some love's the temporal, some the spiritual food,  
For some are framed for ill, and some for good:  
Some poets sings of love, and some of hate,  
Some love's the common, some commends the state,  
Some flatters greatness, some contemns the poor,  
Some men have fewer faults, and some have more,  
But all have some, and some have all, for still,  
Some sparks of envy's mixed with goodwill:  
Some love's unfit speech, some words most meet,  
Some have a stinking breath, and some a sweet:  
Some lives in fear of men, some fears but God,  
Some seeks the staff, and some deserves the rod,  
Man is enriched both with art and nature,  
T'express the glory of the all Creator,  
Weapons of Honour God gives man to use,  
And with those weapons they do him abuse:  
God gives us art, and wit, and reason 〈◊〉,  
And grace to will, and likewise grace to do,  
If we entreat so much, you ne'er find shall,  
From the first day unto the funeral,  
Of this old world did  deny,  
His mercy unto men in misery,  
If begged with faith and meekness: whither hath  
His fond affection led him? T'a wrong path,  
That he forgets so good a Lord so long,  
And with's own weapons seeks to do him wrong,  
All man's good parts are sent him from above,  
And man to manifest his makers, love  
Should set them all to work, 'tis understood,  
God doth require but thankes for all the good  
That he bestows on all, regard therefore,  
His wage is potent, though your work be poor.  
Man's tongue should preach and pray, his heart believe.  
The care must hear, th'eyes see, the hands relieve;  
Each member must remember th'head of all,  
And all, and each must serve the principal.  
I'm t'old (and I believe it) from above,  
Gifts are descending from the God of love,  
Some with some gifts are blessed, some with other,  
But no man ought his gifts of grace to smother,  
Or wrong apply them for the Lord hath showed,  
Gifts be applied to th'end they are bestowed,  
Some sings with David, some with job laments,  
Some sins with both, and some with both reputes,  
Some fights like josuah, and like josuah wins,  
Some flies the field when th'honour but begins;  
Some shuns the danger, those lose the renown,  
Some bears the cross, and those shall wear the crown  
Some like the chaff, before the winds are gone,  
Some like Cedars on mount Lebanon  
Prosper and flourish, fair, and free, and fast.  
Comely, and seemly both to like and last:  
Some bidden come not, some unbidden come,  
Thus some prove wiser (fare) then other some.  
Some like the driven dust are parched and dried,  
Some like the branches by the river side,  
Are fair and fruitful, and do cause the stream,  
Draw beauty and plenty with her silver team,  
Unto the good all good shall happen still,  
And unto th'evil ill, because theyare ill;  
Such thing desires it like, and so it comes  
That Caines at odds with all his father's sons,  
For hating's brethren, and contemning's God,  
He ran a vagabond to the land of Nod;  
And lived unloved, unpitied, unlamented,  
And (some think) died untimely, unrepented,  
For so shall all that do the Lord despise,  
Or offers him a broken sacrifice.  
So our lewd poets do, God makes a poet,  
And the thing made forgets, or doth not know it:  
A special good God meant unto the earth,  
First when he did intent a Poet's birth,  
God's perfect image catch it those that can,  
Is heavenly measures in an earthly man.  
When Moses troop, had passed the scarlet flood,  
His inward joy we had not understood,  
But by his Hebrew song, and only that,  
Makes the man praised the master wondered at:  
Iordans obedience at brave josuahs' feet,  
When it showed him a passage fair and meet,  
When walls of water, stood like walls of glass,  
Upon both hands to suffer him to pass,  
And bring his army in at Cana'ns' door,  
The land jehovah promised long before.  
These things had been unknown, and been unsung,  
But for the music of a sacred tongue:  
With barak's victory, and Sis●raes fall,  
We had not been so well acquainted all,  
But for the heavenly muse of Deborah,  
That Barak won the honour of the day,  
That ancient Kishon washed mount Tabors feet,  
And all our enemies away did sweep,  
That Heaven sent aid to earth, and all the Stars,  
Behaved themselves like soldiers in those wars,  
That men intended mischief and God crossed it,  
That jael won the day, and jabin lost it,  
We had not known, these had been wronged with death  
But that theyare infants of a muse's breath.  
That God doth justice love, but mercy rather,  
And that although man's feeble earthly father  
Forget him and forsake him, God will not,  
This had been untold, or told and forgot,  
But that the sacred breath of holy man,  
Preserveth more than Brass or marble can:  
That jesses son was fetched from following sheep,  
An host of men to lead defend and keep,  
That he once wore a sheephook in his hand,  
And then a royal sceptre did command,  
That he sat in the field upon a stone,  
And after in the palace on the throne,  
That he was capt with wool against the cold,  
And after crowned with purest beaten gold;  
That of a Shepherd God thus made a King,  
And turned his fasting into banqueting,  
That he that (sometime) allowed ewes with young,  
Did leave that labour, and applied hi● tongue,  
To praise jehovah in an Hebrew song:  
God's greatness, goodness highneste, works, and wonders,  
We know, and had not known, but for his numbers,  
David I mean, he that in word and deed,  
Both did and said, for God and jacobs' seed:  
Thanks be to Solomon, we are not to search,  
A sacred muse betwixt Christ and his Church,  
To sing the nuptials, 'tis already done,  
By Israel's King, and David's sacred son:  
Asaph and Ethan well discerned thankes,  
For placing th'ark of God on Sylos banks,  
With triumph and rejoicing, Amos son,  
Seeing his Lord his Vineyard hath beguine  
Upon a fruitful hill, said I will sing,  
To my King; Vineyard, of my Vineyards King;  
And so proceed, and all the world yet hears,  
When great jehovah fell a dealing years,  
To Hezekiah judah's holy King,  
To gratulate his Lord, no better thing,  
Had of his own to give, then freely trips,  
A heavenly measure from his princely lips;  
Praising the God of life, death, night, and day,  
" The scripture warrants what you hear me say,  
That Mary's soul so greatly did rejoice,  
To hear the tidings by an angel's voice,  
That she should be a mother and bear a son,  
That should redeem a wretched world (undone)  
We had been ignorant of these good things,  
But that glad Mary had amuse, that sings  
Unto this day, and by her muse we know  
Th'humble are set above, the proud below.  
That Simeon in the Temple sung (to all)  
His Saviour's lullaby and's owne funeral,  
That his old arms so happy, were t'embrace,  
The Prince and heir of glory, and of grace,  
His own tongue testifies; and thus I choose,  
The sacred script of many heavenly muse,  
T'exhort wits that are bearing and do breed,  
Choicest inventions, henceforth to proceed,  
More regularly, religiously I mean,  
Leave Babel's parched commons, seek the stream,  
That keeps the skirts of Hermon ever green,  
The on's a strumpet, th'other is a Queen,  
And those that strive her beauties to express,  
Shall know her matchless, endless happiness;  
God said, all those that sought her honour, should  
Be fed with Manna, and be clothed with gold,  
And led with Angels, and have Saints society,  
jerusalem to dwell in, and variety  
Of those delights, and joys (both all and some)  
That God provided, for the world to come.  
But Esau's timeless, hapless, graceless, seed,  
Shall luckless live in misery and need,  
And be in bondage still, a voice divine  
Saith," Esau must not drink of jacobs' wine:  
Then since there's due rewards laid up for merits,  
And like deserts, like punishments inherits,  
We'll idolise no more, nor men, nor treasure,  
Let him that hath a muse can tune a measure,  
To the world's ear, bestow it in such wise,  
T'have life and honour by his sacrifice,  
Leave all ridiculous fictions, take advice,  
Learn either properly to similize  
The truth or tell it plainly, you should ken,  
" What's unlike truth, should ever dislike men,  
Make your proceed perfect, and then prove,  
By outward actions, your true inward love:  
Lascivious voices, but makes deaf the season,  
theyare stuffed with much rhyme but little reason,  
That poesy may be honoured l●●'d, and praised,  
And (like to him that 〈◊〉) with glory raised,  
Out of the dust of ignorance and death,  
Refuse your subjects, and refine your breath,  
By sucking sweeter air, study to bring,  
Such songs a, Saints may sing before their King:  
Like towers well built your works shall last, and then  
Both purchase grace with God, and love with men.  
FINIS.   

AN EPISTLE, Dedicated to the Right Worshipful, Sr. Thomas Smith Knight, Maior of Chester, and High Sheriff of that County Palatine, etc. To the Right Worshipful Sr. Randall Manwaring, Knight, &c: Edward Whitby Esquire, Recorder, William Gamwell, john Ratcliff, Robert Whitby, William Aldersey, Charles Fitton, Hugh Williamson, etc. Esquires, late Majors of that ancient and Honourable City; And to the Worshipful Mr. Nicholas Ince, Mr. Thomas Whitby, Mr. Brereton, Mr. Peter Drink-water, Mr. Andrew Gamwell, Mr. Robert Berry, Mr. Humphrey Lloyd etc. Alder●●n of the same, etc. All temporal, and eternal happiness  
Right Worshipful:  
THat I thus Register your worthy names,  
'Tis no dishonour, for my gift's Divine;  
You are fair Chester's pillars, and maintains,  
Her royalties, since you do all combine,  
In such a perfect union, that I find  
Though you seem many, yet  but one mind,  
You being at one I would your one prove  
Accept my service, and give me your love.  
Your Worships in God's service, AUGUSTINE TAYLOR.   

TAILOR'S EPISTLE to the Honourable, and Worshipful Society's of the well Governed City of West-Chester, etc.  
GOD that of nothing hath so great things made  
So many and so glorious may persuade,  
The created, the Creator intends,  
Some special good, whereto the final ends,  
Of every creature leads, which act discovers,  
Nothing was made to serve itself but others:  
As nothing made itself, it must needs be,  
Nothing was made to serve itself, we see  
A power that sends and suffers good, and ill,  
" The made is subject to the makers will,  
The Heavens (it seems were made) to serve the air,  
The air to serve the earth, the earth doth share,  
Her store to serve the beasts, and fowls, which feed  
(Although to them unknown) to serve man's need:  
The Sun doth serve with light, the clouds with rain,  
The fire with heat, the cooling springs remain,  
To serve the swelting soul, all things that move,  
Are tokens manifest the maker's love,  
Which both submit and serve at man's dispose,  
The question is man being Lord of those,  
By licence given him from the only king,  
(Let him bear rule) if he bond to bring  
His service as a subject or if he,  
Being served by others may claim sovereignty  
And only served himself. I answer thus,  
God did make all things good, man optimus,  
Iudued wrth reason, only to express,  
His maker's glory and's own holiness':  
But was not made to serve himself for God,  
Teacheth subjection both with staff and rod,  
The good the staff supports, to flourish still,  
The bad the rod corrects, to punish ill:  
Man is God's Image, and in that is shown,  
God did make man that man should make God known  
Gods power and praise, should every where be spread,  
For what's not known, cannot be worshipped.  
Then aim to do your office, that you may  
With much content tell many a happy day,  
On earth of grace, and one in Heaven of glory,  
Observe the stature's in the sacred story;  
Honour the Lord, fight in his truth's defence,  
Cloth you and your in coats of innocence,  
Ever support the good, suppress the ill,  
" This the means to keep your station still:  
Believe, relieve, and as you love the Lord,  
Maintain such ministers as give his word  
A perfect true construction, have a care,  
The self conceited schismatics, that are  
Not pure in life, but in opinion do,  
Not only wrong themselves, but others too.  
Since there is but one God, and that one hath,  
But one truth to direct us in one path,  
That leads to endless bliss, it fits your place,  
To give the Preachers of it so much grace,  
As bounty, and affection can afford,  
As you have grace by the incarnate word,  
And promises of glory, ever see  
Such honour given to the ministry,  
As God himself commanded and 'mongst all  
Th'ambassadors made evangelical,  
Cut out rewards according to their merits,  
And know thus much those that some gifts inherits,  
Above the rest, are worthy more respect,  
Because those gifts are signs they were elect,  
By God's divine decrees, for we should still  
Fare more by heavenly then by humane will,  
Enter the Temple, th'altar to embrace,  
Not with the arms of nature but of grace,  
Truth should have trumpets to divulge her will,  
Not such as sounds too often, but sounds shrill,  
The Church is injured by a number such,  
As keepeth silence, or else speaks too much,  
Truth's sick, and like to dye, unless she do,  
Find special friends both good and great ones too,  
As Naomi is alone, without a Ruth,  
A sad forsaken widow, such is truth,  
Without'n true supporters, be you then,  
(As you are principals 'mongst many men:)  
Of David's perfect mind, when he did sing  
Of mercy and justice, to his Lord and King;  
Oh imitate him with a free consent,  
You are the City's stars, whose government  
Commandeth millions, and your houses be,  
The City's schools where all the rest should see,  
Peace, piety, bounty, love, and decency,  
Cherish the virtuous, and all goodness grace,  
Look on th'offenders but with half a face,  
Banish the bad, and do the good adore,  
Favour not Parasites, rather feed the poor,  
Seek for the love of all, because 'tis proved,  
The strongest man is he, that's best beloved,  
What you may do to learn, do not request,  
But strive to know what will become you best:  
Your places are both great and worthy, and  
Unfit for those that do not understand,  
Your City's free and ancient, and may boast  
Of better Laws than those that glory most,  
Your orders and proceed, all are such,  
I know no City that may speak so much  
Of her own praise so justly; there's not any,  
Hath had so worthy governors, so many  
So generous, still may fair Chester be,  
Blest with such heads, that true prosperity,  
And peace, and plenty in your walls may dwell,  
And that your charge you may discharge as well,  
As David's worthies did in Israel,  
jacobs' good God protect and keep you still,  
And make you Citizens on fair Zion Hill.  
FINIS.