NATURES EMBASSY: OR, THE WILDE-MANS' MEASURES:  
Danced naked by twelve Satyrs, with sundry others continued in the next Section.  
Wild men 〈◊〉 dance wise measur●…; Come then 〈◊〉, Though I 〈◊〉 wild, my measures are not so.  
Printed for Richard Whitaker. 1611    

TO THE ACCOMPLISHED MIRROR OF TRUE worth, Sr. T. H. the elder, knight, professed favourer and furtherer of all freeborn studies: continuance of all happiness.  
WHen the natures of men are clear perverted, than it is high time for the Satirist to pen something which may divert them from their impiety, and direct them in the course and progress of Virtue; upon which consideration, I, (as the meanest Menalchas that is able to play upon an oaten pipe) began presently to describe the nature of Men, made so far good by observation, as my weak and immature judgement could attain unto; meaning to make the Poet's verse an Axiom: Scribimus indocti, doctique poemata passim. This thus discussed and weighed, I was long in doubt to whom I should dedicate this unfruitful vintage, rather glean, or whom I should fly unto for sanctuary, if the sinister Reade●… (as who ever wrote without his Detractor) should carp at my labours. Wherefore standing longer in suspense then the matter required, 〈◊〉 picked forth yourself, most able to weave an Apology for your friends defects. Let not therefore the malevolent censures of such men whose chiefest eyesores be other men's works, and whose choicest content is to blemish them with imperfections, receive the least countenance from you, whose judgement by giving these my labours approbation, shall be a greater argument of their merit, than their partial censures shall argue their want. Hiparchion was graced as well as Musaeus, though the best of his measures was but piping to the Muses. For the pains of well-affected Authors never fail of patrons (at least amongst ingenuous men) to protect them, of favourites to second them, or guardians during their minority to foster them. And such is your integrity and true love to learning, that the meanest shepherd if the fly for refuge under your shelter, shall be accepted above the measure of his deserts, or means of his hopes. For without question, if your acceptance did not far exceed the height and weight of my Discourse, Quid hic nisi vota supersunt? there would nothing remain for me, but to fall to my prayers, in beseeching the kind & unkind Reader (like our penurious pamphlet Orator) to commiserate my Treatise, and in stead of a narration, to make a public supplication: but being protected by the singular care and providing eye of your favours; — Maior sum quam cui potuit fortuna nocere.  
I have penned this short Discourse, interwoven with history as well as poesy, for two things summarily, and especially for the first thereof. The first is the iniquity of this present time wherein we live: so that Nature had either time now to send an Ambassage or never: since  Mulier formosa superne desinit in piscem— 
Such is the course of degenerate Nature, that in a conceit of herself she thinks she can mend herself by being adorned with unnaturalized ornaments, which Nature never apparelled her with. The second reason is the motion of a private friend of mine, whose pleasure may command my whole means, yea myself to the uttermost of my ability. These reasons have I alleged, lest my Preface should seem naked of Reason, which were ridiculous to the reasonable Reader, and to you especially, whose maturity in arguments of this Quality, hath gained you a deserved Opinion, enabled by judgement, of power to countervail the censures of others less judicious. Thus tendering you the fruits of m●… Reading compiled, and in manner digested, no●… out of self-conceit, but aim to public goo●… intended, Irest. From my study. May 24.  
Yours to dispose Richard Brathwayt.   

The distinct ●…ubihct of every Satire, contained in either Section: with an exact survey or display of all such Poems, as are couched or compiled within this Book.  

1. DEgeneration, personated in Nature.  
2. Pleasure, in Pandora.  
3. Ambition, in the Giants.  
4. Vainglory, in Croesus.  
5. Cruelty, in Astyages.  
6. Adultery, in Clytaemnestra.  
7. Incest, in Tereus.  
8. Blasphemy, in Caligula.  
9 Beggary, in Hippias.  
10. Misery, in Taurus.  
11. Hypocrisy, in Claudius.  
12. Excess, in Philoxenus; with three funeral Epicedes, or Elegiac Sestiads.   

The second Section.  
1. Sloth, in Elpenor.  
2. Corruption, in Cornelia.  
3. Atheism, in Lucian.  
4. Singularity, in Steichorus.  
5. Dotage, in Pygmalion.  
6. Partiality, in Pytheas.  
7. Ingratitude, in Periander.  
8. Flattery, in Terpnus.  
9 Epicurism, in Epicurus.  
10. Bribery, in Diagoras.  
11. Invention, in Triptolemus.  
12. Disdain, in Melonomus.  
13. Idolatry, in Protagoras.  
14. Tyranny, in Eurysteus.  
15. Security, in Alcibiades.  
16. Revenge, in Perillus.  
17. Mortality, in Agathocles.  
18. In Nasonem juridicum. Mythologia.  
Two short modern Satyrs.  
Pastoral tales, or Eglogues.  
Omphale, or the inconstant shepherdess.   

ODES.  
1. The Traveller.  
2. The Nightingale.  
3. The Lapwing.  
4. The Owl.  
5. The Merlin.  
6. The Swallow.  
7. The fall of the leaf.  
With two conclusive Poems, entitled Britain's Bliss.  
And an Encomion to the Common Law: or, Aretenomia.    

The first Argument.  
NAture the common mother (to use an Ethnic induction) breedeth diverse effects, according to the constitution of each particular body, being composed and compacted of that Matter whereto we shall return, being Earth. Now though Nature (as with the Moral Philosopher I may say) never is deceived, as she is considered in her own frame, bringing forth always men able to the performing of humane functions, fair in proportion and state of their bodies, apt for the atchiving of any matter either public or private: yet notwithstanding, many times by events and accidents, diverse deformities & blemishes appear, which by Nature were not decreed to be: and like are the malevolent affections arising from the distempered quality of the mind. And whereas many in the corruption of their erring opinions and reasonless arguments, have averred how Nature is the primary mover, conserver and preserver, yet Seneca will tell you, that it is God that worketh these things which we ascribe to a feigned Deity; and that Nature differeth no more from God or God from Nature, than Annaeus from 
* Vide Epist. ad Lucil.  Seneca: as he speaketh in his natural Questions, and in his books of Benefiting. But this was the opinion of such as had not the supreme light of divine knowledge to them revealed, but such as worshipped whatsoever they thought was a guider or director of them, or by custom (how ridiculous soever) was traduced to them. So we may 
Vide Episto. Alex and▪ de situ & statu Indiae.  read in the ancient historians, of the Egyptians who adored whatsoever they thought comely, as the Sun, the Moon, the stars and inferior lights. Others worshipped trees, stocks, stones, and venomous serpents. Thus did the brutish affections of unnatural men show their Gods by deciphering an heavenly power or influence, in Branches and such works of Nature. But these though in no wise excusable, may admit some reasonable defence, forasmuch as their conceit could reach no further. For as Zenophanes saith, If 
Zenophanes.  beasts could paint, they would portray God to their own shape and feature, because they could conceive no further. And this is the cause why the Heathen adored their plants, stars, and such creatures, inasmuch as they could not reach nor attain to the knowledge of an higher Deity. But to confer them, that is, the Heathen and profane people with the now-being Christians, it will seem wonderful, if I make manifest by relation had to their lives, how the depraved conditions of our Christians now adays (whose knowledge gives them assurance of Eternity) walk in as great blindness and palpable darkness as ever the Heathen 
The occasion of this Treatise.  did. And since the matter is most apparent, high time it is for Nature to send her Embassy to this Age for her Reformation.   

THE FIRST SATYR.  

THou wicked lump in a deformed guise,  
Tripping like Hymen on his wedding day,  
Nature thy former Insolence defies,  
Saying thou errest from her native way:  
For all thy foolish ways are baits to 
* Prima est qu●… si tittillato de●… lectationis in●… cord, secund●… confensio, te●… tium factum e●… consuetudo. Aug. Serm. 44.  sin,  
Where virtue droops, and vice comes dancing in.   

Doth not thy habit show thy wanton mind,  
Forward to all things but to virtuous life:  
Passing those bounds which Nature hath assigned,  
'twixt Art and Nature by commencing strife?  
I tell thee, Nature sends me to repress  
Thy foolish toys, thy inbred wantonness.   

But thou wilt say, Nature hath made me fair,  
Should I rob Beauty of her proper due?  
Should I not deck her with 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à natur●… corrumpitur a●… arte.  embroidered hair,  
And garnish her with Flora's vernant hue?  
I must, I will, or else should I disgrace  
With a rent mask the beauty of my face.   

But I will answer thee for all thy beauty:  
If thou wilt be an Ape in gay attire,  
Thou dost not execute that form of duty,  
Which Nature at thy hand seems to require:  
Which not redressed, for all thy goodly port,  
Thou must be stripped, and whipped, and chastisd for't.   

Nature hath sent me to forewar●…e thy we,  
Lest thou secure of thy distress, rejoice:  
If thou wax 
* Sequitur superbos ultor à ●…ergo Deus.  proud, then where so ere thou go  
Thou shalt decline: this resteth in thy choice,  
Whether to die branded by Infamy,  
Or to preserve thy life in memory.   

This thus observed, wilt thou yet be proud?  
And grow ambitious, bearing in thy brow  
The stamp of honour, as if thou hadst vowed  
No grace on thy inferiors to bestow?  
Proud minikin let fall thy plumes, and cry  
Nature, I honour will thy Embassy.   

It was a good time when Eve spun her thread,  
And Adam 
* Pastinatio devinum opus. Hesiod.  digged to earn his food thereby:  
But in this time Eues do their paunches feed,  
With dainty dishes moving luxury.  
That was the golden age, but this is lead,  
Where vice doth flourish, virtue lieth 
* Damnosa quid non imminuet dies? aetas parentis peior est ●…uis, etc.  dead.   

This therefore is my message penned by Truth,  
Erected in the honour of Dame Nature,  
Inueying 'gainst Pride, whose aspiring growth  
Disfigureth the beautis of the creature:  
Thus have I spoken that which Nature moved me,  
Directed to thee, for Dame Nature loved thee.    

The Argument.  
HEsiod reporteth how Pandora was sent from jupiter to deceive mankind, at least to make trial of his frailty, by the free proffers of her bounty, sending her full fraught with all Pleasures, to the end some thereof might ensnare and insensate the minds and affections of the then living and inhabiting Arcadians, to whom her message was principally addressed, as appeareth in the first book of his Opera & dies.  
This Pandora is voluptuous, (though her name signify munificence, or an universal exhibitresse of all gifts) sent to enthrall and captivate the appetites and affections of men, to the intent they might yield themselves vassals and bondslaves to all sensual desires, foments of impiety, or agents of immodesty. And Pandora seemeth to make this speech or oration unto them, as an introduction formally handled, for their pleasure & delectation. Loving Arcadians, if this spacious world now so specious (whilom an indigested chaos) were first ordained for a place of liberty, do not you make it a cage of restraint. It was the will of Nature, who not only founded but disposed of this universe as you see, that Men the hope of her loins and joy of her life, should live deliciously, and not be enfeebled by strict & rigorous abstinence the Mother of diseases, ●…ng and nourishing many gross, and malevolent humours, whereby the health useth to be impaired, and the whole state of your bodies dissolved. Wherefore jupiter as your common provider, foreseeing those miseries which were incident before my coming to all mankind, hath now appointed Me as Deputy to bring this message unto you, that from henceforth you should wallow in pleasures and delights according to your own desires and affections. Let not fruitless Abstinence be a means to restrain you, or Te●…perance a chain to withhold you, but like Talassioes' companions bid continency adieu, and make haste to lascivious meetings: for to make recourse to the principal delight of a knowing man, Contemplation, is it not tedious to spend a man's time in study or endless speculation? Yes certainly, nothing can be worse than to waste man's life like Epictetus' lamp; nothing better then to consume man's days in Polixenus cell. And though Epictetus may say,- Semper aliquid discens senesco, always learning I grow aged, yet Polixenus may aver a matter though of less consequence, yet a practice of more self-forgetting cheerfulness,— Semper aliquid bibens, nihil extimesco, always drinking I am cheered. So that nothing can abash Polixenus, nothing can dismay him: for his daily practice exempts him from meditation of grief, being as remote from danger as he stands secure for honour, making every day his own provider, and standing as respectless of posterity as he is careless in hoarding Treasure. He is happy, and free from dangers menacing abroad, or aspiring thoughts (Ambition's subtlest trains) undermining at home. But Epictetus' fear proceedeth from the height of his knowledge, fearing Death the abridgement of knowledge: yet fearless of Death itself, for it is nothing; but the issue of Death making his knowledge nothing. Polixenus none can disturb; for his mind is fixed on that object which is placed before him; since Nature hath allotted him meat, drink and apparel, he respects no more. Yet as rich as Bias, for he can sing,— Omnia mea mecum porto. But simple Epictetus, who reposeth so great trust in his Contemplative part, whereto avails his study? whereto tendeth this Speculation? since Art hath made him no wiser than to make no difference betwixt wine and water. Neither hath Art made him any thing the richer: for his Lantern is of more value than all the rest of his substance. Then as you will have regard to your estate or to the health of your delicate bodies, ponder the effect of my Oration, and reap those sensible delights made yours by fruition, in contempt of Stoic and strict contemplation.  
When Pandora had made this plausive Oration, man's mind (by an inbred appetite to what is pleasant) was soon addicted and inclined to the premises; exclaiming with Herodian, that it was a difficult thing to subdue a man's affections. Wherefore no sooner was Pandora gone, but presently they 
* Subsideba●… autem in imo vase, sp●…s.  began to cast off the reins of discipline, exposing themselves to folly and all recreancie.  
Now see into the Moral hereof, how Man is most addicted to that which in it own nature is most depraved, always saying with Medea in the Tragedy,— video melior a probóque  
Deteriora sequor.  
Such is the crookedness of man's nature, that he is prone to the worse part, and consequently like foolish Epimetheus ready to receive Argicida's rewards, subjects of impiety and lascivious desires, as 
* Ad Epymethea jupiter misit inclytum Argicidam, munera ferentem deorum celerem nuncium, etc.  Hesiod reporteth of him. jupiter sent cunning Argicidas to Epimetheus, with intent to ensnare his affections with the fair show of such pleasant 
* Floremiwentutis non deciduum.  rewards as he brought with him; namely tempting objects like Athalantaes apples, whereby she was deluded, her speed fore-slowed, becoming a prey to Pomoeis that subtle courser as he himself wished.  
Such are the gifts of Nature, which oft bewitch the mind of the receiver. So that Elpenor was never more deformed (whose feature became the prodigy of Nature) than He who suffereth his mind (the light of his body) to be by these gifts besotted. For first he takes a view of them; then he desires them, and after the desire he entertains them. Which receipt is no sooner made, than Circe's with her Cup, or the Sirens with their voice, inchant these poor eompanions of Ulysses: but he who Ulisses-like stands firm, and not to be removed by any fond allurement, carrying with him that 
* Homerus in Odiss.  Moli or herb of grace by which all charms are frustrated, shall be a spectator of his Companions misery, in himself secured while they are split, which I, in this second Satire briefly and compendiously collected (as well by reading as observation seconded) have by a moral inference in some sort declared.   

THE SECOND SATYR.  
Pandora the enchantress.  

PAndora, shall she so besot thy mind,  
That nothing may remain for good instruction?  
Shall she thy mind in chains and fetters bind,  
Drawing thee onward to thy own destruction?  
Be not so foolish, lest thou be o'ertaken,  
And in thy shipwreck live as one forsaken.   

For though that Nature which first framed thee,  
Seem to wink at thy crimes a day or two,  
Yea many years, yet she hath blamed thee  
For thy offences, therefore act no more.  
Though she delay assure thee she will call,  
And thou must pay both use and principal.   

She smileth at thy locks braided with gold,  
And in derision of thy selfe-made shape,  
Who would believe (saith 
* Bella es novimus & puella, verum est: & divos: Quis enim potest negare●… Sed dum te nimium fabulla laudas, nec diues, neque bella, nec puella es. Martial. in Epigram.  she) this is but mould,  
Who trips the streets like to a golden Ape?  
Nature concludes, that Art hath got the prize,  
And she must yield unto her trumperies.   

For I have seen (saith Nature) what a grace  
Art puts upon me, with her painted colour:  
How she 
* Nun vulgatuin est bonas formas corussa deuenustare●… Pic. Miran. in Epist.  Vermillions o'er my Maiden-face,  
Now naught so fair, though naught before was fouler;  
Indeed I am indebted to her love,  
That can give movelesse Nature e me●…nes to move.   

Thou black-faced Trull, how dar'st thou be so bold,  
As to create thyself another face?  
How dar'st thou Nature's feature to control,  
Seeking by Art thy former to disgrace?  
By heavens I loathe thee for thy Panther's skin,  
Since what is fair without is foul within.   

Indeed thou art ashamed of thy form:  
And why? because of beauty thou hast none;  
Nay rather grace, by which thou may'st adorn  
Thy inward part, which chiefly graceth one;  
" Complain of Nature (graceless) and despair,  
" Since she hath made thee foul, but others fair.   

But yet thou wilt be fair, if 
* Talis ornatus non est Dei.  painting may  
Afford thee grace and beauty in thy brow:  
Yet what avails this fondling? for one day  
Painting will cease: though painting flourish now;  
" Itch not then after fashions in request,  
" But those that comeliest are, esteem them best.   

Yet for all this, I pity thee poor soul,  
In that Dame Nature hath not given thee beauty:  
Hang down thy head like to a desert Owl,  
Perform in no case to her shrine thy duty:  
Unto her altar vow no sacrifice,  
Nor to her deity erect thine eyes.   

Thou hast good cause for to lament thy birth;  
For none will court thee smiling at thy feature,  
But prise thee as the refuse upon earth,  
Since on my faith thou art an ugly creature,  
Yet ill wine's good when it is in the cask,  
And thy face fair oreshadowed with a mask.   

O be contented, with thy form, thy feature,  
Since it is good enough for worm's repast,  
Yielding thy due unto the shrine of Nature,  
The fairest fair must yield to death at last!  
Think on thy mould, and thou wilt seriously  
Receive the charge of Nature's Embassy.    

The Argument.  
IF I should entreat of such affairs as rather confer unto a warlike discourse, then reforming of the multiplicity of errors raging & reigning in this Age, strangely depraved, and in the universal state of her body distempered, I might seem to make an unprofitable messenger in this weighty Embassy: but to that end have I chosen such matter as may be a motive for the furtherance of this mine assay. When this— indigesta moles, this unseasoned piece of matter had first received some form or fashion, then presently as it increased in years, so it began to adorn itself with a comely presence, attired modestly without affectation, seemly without curiosity, simply without the vanity of Art, knowing, what was shame without an artificial blush.  
So that those days well deserved the name of— golden Age: for— redeunt Saturniaregna. But afterward by a degenerate, rather unnatural course (as what is not corrupted in time, if we consider her original purity) A certain kind of people, 
The Giants. Caeus, japetus, Typhaeus.  as extraordinary in proportion for their greatness, so of unbounded mind for their ambition and boldness, began first to wage battle with the gods immortal: till the gods perceiving their stout and aspiring natures, overthrew them in their own practices: for they did— Imponere Pelion Ossae. Tumble mount Pelion upon Ossa, whereby they might reach even unto heaven: but the gods made those mountains the Giants sepulchres; where they lie (under those vast hills) and every seventh year, as the Poets fain— Sub tanti oneris immensa mole corpora sublevantes, & eorum opera perperam aggressa execrantes, they lie under the weight of so great a burden to give them a sensible touch of their former ambition. Not without an excellent moral inclusively shadowed, and fitly applied to such ambitious heads who are always aspiring high, till with the Giants they be cast down, leaving no other monument to posterity, save dishonour, the due guerdon of their impiety. And surely who shall but consider the divers singular ends and purposes whereto those pregnant fictions of the Poets were addressed, wittily and emphatically expressing their severe and impartial judgements, justly inflicted on offenders, shall see in them a wonderful invention, and a continual discourse, proceeding forward without any alteration, tedious digression, or material difference in the relation. Again, to observe the reverence which even the Pagan Authors used toward their gods, beginning no work of what consequence soever, without invocation of their feigned deities, would move in us a more serious admiration. So that as Valerius Maximus saith,— Ab loue optimo maximo orsi sunt prisci oratores: The ancient Orators used always to begin their works in their form of pleading, with an auspicious jupiter, whereby their works might have good success and proceeding. So may I say, by a present application had to these times, that as our best-promising labours become fruitless, unless the Almighty prospero and give them success: so by necessary consequence, whosoever falleth into contempt and despising of God immortal, shall have his purposes defeated, and utterly vanquished with the forenamed Giants. Wherefore my third Satire shall inveigh against such as in contempt of God (giantlike) practise not only to pull him from his throne by violence, but blaspheme him through a forlorn and godless insolence, and as though God had not the power to revenge, will extenuate his power and lessen his majesty.   

THE THIRD SATYR.  

THou wicked Caitiff proud of being naught,  
Wilt thou provoke thy God to strike thee down  
Since he with care and labour hath thee sought,  
And divers favours in his mercy shown?  
Do not draw down the viols of his ire,  
Lest he reward thy sin with quenchless fire.   

Thou silly worm compact of slimy mud,  
Which shalt return to earth from whence thou can  
Thou which conceived was of corrupt blood,  
Thou wormlin, how dar'st thou revile his name?  
Farewell thou graceless Imp, thou sapless branch,  
Borne to contemn thy God, to cram thy paunch.   

Thou Epicure, that livest in living ill,  
Living by loving to stretch forth thy gut,  
Taking more pleasure thy deep paunch to fill,  
Then in thy maker confidence to put:  
Thou f●… thy feeding shalt receive thy food,  
Amongst such vipers as shall suck thy blood.   

It is the nature of the viperous brood,  
To be the ●…athor of their parent's death;  
Like an 
* Horseleech.  Hyrudo they do sueke their blood,  
And take away that breath, which gave them brea●…  
Thou 
* Vipera viperae mortem adfert. Plin. in nature. Hist. dum pario, perio. ibidem. Praemorso Maris capite parit vipera.  viperlike d●…sel aun●…s thy parent's name,  
As though to utter him thou thought it shame.   

Shame on thy naming, if thou wilt deny  
Him, who first gave thee breath and vit all spirit,  
Him, who can give thee true tranquillity,  
Him, who will show thee means how to inherit;  
Leave off thy foolish fantasies, be wise,  
Lift up thy eyes to him who gave thee eyes.   

But if (ungrateful wretch) thou feel his grace,  
Yet wilt not yield him thanks for all his love,  
Be sure he will avert his divine face,  
And all his wont mercies clean remove;  
So thou the swine that breaks the acorne-shell,  
Regardest not the tree from whence they fell.   

Be warned by Gaeus, who with Giant's power,  
Thought with his fellows to 
* Saying with Tiridates in Tacitus: Sua retinere, privatae domus, de alienis certare regia laus est.  climb up to heaven,  
But vanquished by his power doth all devour,  
Under the ruggy mount aines are laid even,  
Therefore beware, aspire thou not so high,  
Lest thou lie low, where those same Giants lie.   

Thou art a shadow, God the substance is, 
Avicen. Tho●…. in quest. Aug. in Pelag.   
Yet insubstantiate, whose Deity  
Doth comprehend all things, for all are his,  
Yet he is not 
* Continet omnia tamen non continetur ab aliquo.  contained most certainly,  
For he is infinite in quality,  
Endless in love, boundless in quantity.   

As for his presence, it is every where,  
On 
* Terrae Marique Deus est, nec terrae Mariue homo est, qui novit ubi Deus non oft.  sea, on land, and in the depth of depths,  
His providence in each place doth appear,  
His meroie is for generations kept,  
Wilt thou (fond fool) contemn his heavenly power,  
Who governs thee, point, moment, minute, hour.   

What though so many will entice to evil,  
And in plain terms deny the Deity?  
Let them remain as fuel for the devil,  
Confess thou still his power effectually:  
Look in the Planets, and the stars, whose light,  
Gives record of his power, signs of his might.   

If thou look upward, bodies there be many,  
Yet trouble they not one another's motion,  
If thou look downward, there the 
* Threatening earth with inundations, yet bounded in with her banks as with a girdle.  Sea doth move thee  
Beating the shores, while shores beat back the Ocean  
Look to the earth, and thou wilt wonder there,  
To see a Ball so firmly hang in Air.   

But if these motives limit not thy will,  
Then I'll endorse this in thy forlorn brow,  
How with thine own hand, thou thy blood dost spill,  
The fruits whereof thy punishment shall show.  
Deny not him who never did deny,  
For thy default upon the Cross to die.    

The Argument.  
IT is reported of Croesus, that he sent for Solon, well perceiving that he was esteemed the wisest in Greece: to the intent he might see him placed in his majesty, pomp, and great solemnity. When Solon was come, he demanded of him, whom he thought to be the happiest man in the world; not doubting but he would conclude him to be the happiest, considering the magnificence of himself, the admiration of his attendants, & the security of his state, grounded on such powerful alliance. Solon (contrary to his expectance) replied, He could judge none truly happy before his death,— Neminem ante obitum faelicem esse arbitror. Yet Croesus would not let him go so, but demanded further: whom he thought then living to be the happiest; whereto answered Solon, Tellus; & who next saith Croesus? Next to Tellus do I esteem Cleobis & Biton (who died in the very performance of parental obedience:) & so forward without the least mention made of Croesus' felicity. Whereby it seemed that Croesus was much offended, though he concealed his anger for that present time, lest the foolish conceit of his selfe-esteemed happiness should become palpable. But within short time afterward He found Solon's saying most true: for being taken prisoner by Cyrus the Persian king, he was grievously punished, & restrained by straight severe imprisonment, till such time as a day was appointed for Croesus' death: & being to be set upon the faggot, & ready to suffer death, he cried forth: O Solon, Solon, vera sunt quae dixisti neminem ante obitum faelicem: Cyrus hearing these words, and enquiring the meaning of them, presently delivered him, answering: & ea quoque mihi evenire possunt. Considering the state of man's life to be uncertain, and that none ought to plant his hopes upon that stability of fortune in terrene affairs, as to promise himself security in his state, or continuance of success for one victory achieved: seeing her wings are not clipped, that her flight should be restrained, nor to any Prince so particularly engaged, that he only should be by her attended. In brief, as the only hope of the vanquished consists in the expectance of all extremity: so is it the principal glory of the Conqueror, to moderate his fortune by a mild and tempreate bearing of himself to the conquered. Hence also have we sufficient argument of reproof, towards such as take pleasure or delight in their abundance, as Croesus did, so as their minds become drowned, having no respect to the eternity promised. The reason is, they repose their beatitude and felicity in things transitory and uncertain, not looking up to the Author of all bliss and happiness, who is the director and protector of all men, disposing them to the line and level of his blessed will, by expecting them foreslowing, inviting them resisting, recalling them wandering, and embracing them returning: without whose aid our strength is weakness, without whose light our sight is blindness, and without whose grace our endeavours are fruitless. For alas, what is man's direction but distraction, what is his knowledge but imperfection, and what is the best of his resolution but confusion, wanting his gracious prevention that giveth to each work a happy period and conclusion? Especially in this curious and intricate Labyrinth of man's life, wherein many Cymmerian windings (to wit, private seducements) are framed and cunningly contrived by that subtil-winged Dedalus. So as miserably are we forced to err and stray, unless by Ariadne's thread, that is, the heavenly light of Gods illuminating Spirit, we be directed and conducted in this vast Theatre of intricacy, to the flowery Eden of endless felicity. For without that all working power, we are overwhelmed with darkness, not able to attain to the comfort of our souls, to enjoy the fruition of eternal consolation in the life to come.  
To show you the worthy intendments and resolutions of the Ancient, would but make a flourish without effect: as by way of illustration examplefide in mortification, to show you how Origen made himself an Eunuch, Democritus put out his own eyes, Crates cast his money into the sea, Thracius cut down all his vines. Seeing then that to examplifie a man's writings in these days, is but to beat the air, unless invection or a bitter Satire move it, I will make haste to run into my former reprehension, since with Iwenall I may well conclude,  

Spite of our teeth when vice appears in sight,  
We must the Satyr's play, and tartly write:   
Where a good Poets greatest difficulty, is to restrain himself from Satirical poesy; for impiety like a tetter universally spreading, is such, as no man but he will either be a gamester or a spectator in gaming: either wanton or a favourite of wantonness: therefore now or never:  — Rumpantur Ilia Codri, Inuidia. 
Now to our Satire.   

THE FOURTH SATYR.  

THou happy Croesus in thy heaps of gold,  
Erect thyself a God upon thy throne,  
Let it be framed of a purer mould,  
Then of the Pumice, or the marble stone:  
Let it be honoured even in Croesus' name,  
Since golden Croesus did erect the same.   

Wilt thou indeed, be honoured for a god,  
And with the stars array thy Princely head?  
Be sure ere long to feel an iron rod:  
To crush thee down, and thy accursed seed.  
For if thou do deny 
* Qui in Deum delinquit, eum relinquit.  thy God his right,  
He will deprive thy power, abridge thy might.   

Art thou a crawling worm, a feeble creature,  
And yet dost think thyself a god on earth?  
Canst thou so easily transform thy nature:  
Changed to immortal, from a mortal birth?  
Poor simple gull, a cockhorse for this god,  
No god but 
* Homines cum hominibus sanguinem & genus miscent.  man, whose sins deserve Gods rod.   

Star-staring earthling, puffed with insolence,  
Conceited of thyself without desert,  
Comparing with the Divine excellence,  
For which thy folly, thou shalt feel the smart;  
Do not 
* Quicquid à vobis minor extimescet, Maior hoc vobis dominus minatur.  think God will suffer thee to reign,  
That sleights his works, and takes his name in vain.   

And as for Croesus, if he live for ay,  
Then will I think he is a god indeed:  
But he ere long shall have a dying day,  
And be enclosed in an earthly weed.  
Therefore fond Croesus, think but of thy gold,  
As rustic people of the vilest mould.   

Yet thou mayst 
* The different betwixt the poor wanting, and rich not using, by these two expressed, the one carendo, the ther non fruendo.  use it Croesus, to thy good,  
So thou repose no confidence therein,  
So thou abuse it not, it is allowed,  
Abuse, not use, is Author of the sin.  
Be not deceived through any false pretence,  
To hoard up coin, and hurt thy conscience.   

This is a simple train, a net for fools,  
Not able to deceive the 
* Sapiens ipse fingit fortunat sibi.  wiser men.  
Fishes be sooner catcht, in glistering pools,  
Then in a troubled crevice, marsh or fen,  
But wisest fishes, never will appear, 
Lucan. in bell. Phar.   
Where they perceive the smallest cause of fear.   

Thus is the form of wisdom well explained,  
Even in a Crystal glass most eminent,  
Wherein our distinct natures are contained,  
As in a Table aptly pertinent,  
How that bewitched we are in seeming good,  
And that proves poison which we took for food.   

This is my Satire, Croesus which I send thee,  
To th'end thou mayst admonished be of this;  
I hope my Satire will in time amend thee,  
And draw thy mind from earth-opinioned bliss.  
Wherefore farewell, and if thou wilt be blessed,  
Fly from this rust, by it thy mind's oppressed.    

The Argument.  
TRogus Pompeius relateth in his general History, how Astyages dreamt that there sprung a vine forth of the womb of his daughter Mandanes, whose broad-spreading branches overshadowed all Asia, wherefore to take away the ground and foundation of his fear, having understood by the Magis, that by the vine was intimated Cyrus, who should overshadow all Asia with his victorious and conquering hand, he commanded Harpagus one of his privy Counsel to take the babe and slay it, that whatsoever his dream imported, might by this means be prevented: but Harpagus more compassionate than Astyages (though too remorseless) exposed it to the cruelty of savage beasts, where (so careful is nature of her own) it found more pity in the wild forest, then in his grandfathers Palace, being for some days nourished by a she-wolfe or bitch, (whence Nurses to this day reserve the name of Spacon,) and after found by one Faustulus a shepherd, was delivered to his wife to be brought up and nursed: which she, delighted with the cheerful countenance of the child, did accordingly, till in tract of time Cyrus came to the unexpected height of an Empire, and fulfiled those predictions and Prophecies which were formerly spoken of him. This Argument have I culled, to the end my Satire, using the liberty of so material an Argument, may inveigh against such as seek by all ways to dilate and propagate the borders and bounders of their kingdom, (not respecting the means, so they may attain the end) or strengthen the continuance of their unjust claim by sinister 
He siod. in operi: & die.  means: not unlike to Polynices and Eteocles in the Tragedy; who though they were brethren, even the hapless children of woeful Oedipus, yet could they not content themselves with their peculiar 
Polynices & Eteocles mono machia de regno decertantes mutuis vulneri bus conciderunt, ibid.  shares severally limited, and mutually allotted, but must cry:— Aut Caesar, aut nullus: wherefore they enjoyed the fruits of seldom prospering division, a short reign, attended on with perpetual infamy after death. Wherefore that is the best labour or travel, where they do 
* Vide Ethico rum axiomata & eorum prae cipua ratiocinandi argumen ta, quorum cer tissimis principijs fundamen ta virtutum innixa sunt. — Proponere laborem ut cum virtute & iustitia coniungant. This is the best strife, the best contention, which (in a glorious emulation) is conversant about virtue, not entertaining an unjust practice to gain a kingdom, but ever to conclude with Aurelius Sextus:— Ex pessimo generene catulum: Man that is wicked in his proceedings, getting an Empire by blood (without regard of election or descent) may live, and for a while flourish, but he shall die without an Heir: therefore this Satire is purposely directed to such, (with an equal reflex from superior to inferior) as respect not the means how to obtain a kingdom, so they may have a kingdom, agreeing with that in the Poet; Regam, modum regnandi non quaeram. I will govern, though I seek not the means how to govern well: or thus: I will govern, though I regard not the means whereby I come to govern. Thus much for a wicked Amulius, who will govern though it be by the death or deposing of his brother Numitor, or an impious Pygmalion, who will murder Sychaeus his brother to be enjoyer of his treasure, or a faith-infringing▪ Polymnestor, who betrays the trust of a Protector, in praying upon the Orphan 
* Polidorum obtruncat & auro vi potitur. 3. Ae●…ead.  Polydore. Of these my Satire shall entreat, and brand them with the mark of an injurious possession.   

THE fifth SATYR.  

THou hellish 
* Et satu terra ●…efando.  brood, borne to thine own offence,  
Thou that wilt run into a stream of blood,  
Yet cries again; It's in mine own defence,  
Having no care of vow-linckt brotherhood;  
Be thou thine own destroyer, thine own foe,  
And may thy conscience fret where ere thou go:   

What dost thou get, by getting of a crown,  
Deposing him, that is the lawful heir?  
But cares and fears, and sorrows of thine own,  
With 
* As it is written of August: that he had broken sleeps and vse●… to send for some to pass the night away in telling tales or holding him with talk. Tit. Liu. dec. 3.  ghastly visions, motives to despair?  
Lament thy reign, dominions got by wrong,  
May flower awhile, but last they cannot long.   

Though Numitor deposed be by his brother,  
Fate hath her stroke, some Romulus will spring,  
Or if not Romulus, there will some other  
Depose his greatness, make himself a king.  
Thus as he got his kingdom, shedding 
* As Mithridates was said to plant his kingdom on an indirect foundati on, Blood. Ap- pian. Alexan,  blood,  
He of his bloody purchase reaps small good.   

Where jurisdiction is obtained by might,  
Without apparent right unto the crown,  
Shall soon extinguish all her former light,  
And change her form like to the waning Moon.  
For such usurping kings as aim at all,  
Shall miss their aim, and with their Sceptre fall.   

And thou Pygmalion, who art never filled, 
De caede fraterna uberiori modo exarat●… vid. Virgil. 1. Lib. AEnead.   
But ever gapes for riches and for gold,  
Till thou with might thy Brother's blood hast spilled,  
Or till thy yawning mouth be stopped with mould,  
Either repent thy wrong, or thou shalt hear,  
A thousand 
* A Tergo Ne me●…is.  Furies buzzing in thine ear.   

Foolish Astyages that means to reign,  
And plant thy throne on earth eternally,  
I tell thee (doting King) though thou disdain,  
Cyrus should reign, he will part stakes with thee:  
No, he'll have all, thou art his subject made,  
And with his vine all Asia's shadowed.   

Though thou do marry, and assure to wife,  
Thy fair Mandanes, to a country 
* C●…byses.  squire,  
That her mean marriage might secure thy life,  
A king shall spring from such an homely sire.  
It is in vain to plot, when gods resist,  
Who can defeat our projects as they list.   

What Polynices, wilt thou fight, with whom?  
With thine own brother dear Eteocles;  
Will you contend, since you be both as one?  

* 2 Brothers.  Cleon will never fight with Pericles;  
Then why will you, the children of one sire,  
Against each other mutually conspire?   

Fie on you both, what savage cruelty,  
Hath thus possessed you in your tender age,  
Brother 'gainst brother most inhumanely,  
To show yourselves as Men in beastly rage?  
Farewell ungodly Twins, borne for debate,  
When Ruin knocks, Repentance comes too late.   

Farewell Astyages, that reigns for ay,  
And thou Pygmalion, who dost gape for wealth,  
Amulius too, who learning to obey,  
Perceives how Realms decline that's got by stealth.  
Farewell, and if my tart lines chance to spite ye,  
My Satire says, A dead dog cannot bite me.    

The Argument.  
CLytemnestra Agamemnon's wife, forsaking her own husband Agamemnon, ran to the unchaste bed of Aegistus, where she prostituted herself, regardless of her birth, and neglectful of her honour. This Agamemnon perceived, but through the exceeding love he bore her, seemingly covered this her apparent dishonour, labouring to reclaim her rather by clemency then rigour: but she persisting in her hateful lust and unlawful affection, persuaded Aegistus by urgent soliciting to continue in his former adultery, without regard to Agamemnon's love, or the infamy of her own life. And having not as yet spun the web of her mischief, she seconds her lascivious attempt with a secret practice, conspiring with her favourite Aegistus her husband's death, which was afterwards effected, but not unrevenged. This instance shall be the first subject unto my Satire; wherein I mean to display the impudency of such, as out of a godless security, usually avouch and justify their wicked and sensual pleasures with Phaedra in the Poet, writing to her son in law Hippolytus after this manner:  


* One house hath held, one house shall hold us twain, once did we kiss, and we will kiss again.  Vt tenuit domus una duos, domus una tenebit,  
Oscula apertadabas, oscula apertadabis.   
For such incestuous phaedra's, let them divert their eyes to the ensuing Satire, and then answer me▪ whether they do not blush at their deciphered folly, which more apparent than light will show itself to every eye: for the retiredst angle or corner cannot give vice a cover, whose memory may be darkened, but not extinguished: nor can the wide womb of the earth find her a grave wherein to inter her, being like pasypha's issue, 
* The Min●…taure.  ever a shame to the Parent. And as Hecuba's son, portending 
* Per somnum ardentem facem se peperisse sentiens.  destruction to the Trojan City, was thought fit to be casten forth, lest the event thereof should be answerable to the Prophecy: so shall this accursed issue, this execrable Progeny show itself, and be fitter for casting forth then preserving, since Clytaemnestra shall feel the edge of cruelty, and the scourge of divine fury.   

THE sixth SATYR.  

WHat Clytaemnestra, comed so soon abroad,  
Forth of Aegistus bed thy husband's foe!  
What is the cause thou makest so short abode,  
Is it because thy husband wills thee so?  
No it's because 
* Quaeritur AEgistus quare sit factus adulter in promptu causa est, desidiosus erat. Ouid.  he's weary of thy sin,  
Which he once sought, but now is cloyedin.   

What's that thou wears about thy downy neck?  
O it's a painted heart, a jewel fit,  
For wanton Minions who their beauties deck,  
With garish toys, new Suitors to begit:  
Thou hast a painted heart for chastity,  
But a true heart for thy adultery.   

Speak on Adultress, let me hear thy tongue,  
Canst varnish over thy sin with 
* Insipiens eloquentia, uti gladius in furentls manu, non obesse maxime non potest. Mirand. in laud. Herra.  eloquence?  
Silence; such sins should make the sinner dumb,  
And force his speech to tear-swollen penitence;  
Do not then shadow thy lascivious deeds,  
For which the heart of Agamemnon bleeds.   

Leave of (foul strumpet: keep thy husband●… bed,  
Thou hast no interest in Aegistus sheets:  
Infamous acts, though closely done are spread,  
And will be blazed and rumoured in the streets.  
Fly from this scandal, lest it soil thy name,  
Which blemished once, is ne'er made good again.   

Is not thy husband worthy of thy love?  
Too worthy husband of a worthless whore,  
Then rather choose to die then to remove:  
Thy chast-vowd steps from Agamemnon's boor?  
He's thine, thou his, O 
* Using the word●… of that chaste Roman Matron: where thou art Caius, I am Caia.  may it then appear,  
Where ere he is, that thou art only there.   

But for Hippolytus to be incited  
By his stepmother, O incestuous!  
And to his 
* Theseu●….  father's bed to be invited:  
What fact was ever heard more odious?  
But see (chaste youth) though she persuade him to it,  
Nature forbids, and he's ashamed to do it.   


* The Application of the Moral.  You 
* Quis fucum in proba virgine non damnet? Quis in vestal●… non detesteturi Picinino Mirand. 〈◊〉 Epist.  painted Monkeys that will ne'er restrain,  
Your hot desires from lusts-pursuing chase,  
Shall be consumed in a quenchless flame,  
Not reft of grief, though you were reft of grace,  
Bereft of grace, and buried in shame,  
Regardless of your honour, birth, or name.   

I can discern you by your wanton toys,  
Your strutting like Dame juno in her throne,  
Casting concealed favours unto boys:  
These common things are into habits grown,  
And when you have no favours to bestow,  
Looks are the lures which draw affections bow.   

Trust me I blush, to see your impudence,  
Sure you no women 
* Si puellam viderimus moribus lepidam atque dicaculam, laudabimus, exos●…ulabimus: haec in matrona damnabimus & persequemur. ibid.  are, whose brazen face,  
Shows modesty has there no residence,  
Incarnate devils that are past all grace;  
Yet sometimes wheat grows with the fruitless tares,  
You have fallen oft, now fall unto your prayers.    

The Argument.  
Whosoever will but consider the fortune, or rather misfortune of Tereus for his wickedness, shall behold as in a glass or transparent mirror, the fruit of adulterous beds. For his licentious and inordinate lust contained within no bounds, but continuing in all prohibited desires, and now pursuing with an incestuous heat Phylomele his wife's sister, hath transformed himself into a reasonless creature; for now Tereus in Vpubam changeth his former nature and condition, becoming in shape as odious, as his life was impious, as the Poet testifieth:  
Uertitur in volucrem, cuistant pro vertice cristae. Thus may adulterous want-graces look into Tereus' fall, and then apply his ruin to their present state. I gather these Arguments out of fictions and Poetical inventions, yet are not these fables without their divine Morals; for such men as are touched with this crime or the like, aught to be ashamed of their folly, since the very heathen Poets, whose best of sacred knowledge was the light of Nature, could exclaim against them, and portray the form of their lives in a feigned invention. For to exemplify special punishments inflicted on particular sins, 
* The H●…pyes.  Those birds which still frequented Phineus army, and annoyed him with such a filthy sent, that even upon shipboard they would come flocking to his Navy, and bring a loathsome stench, whereby they used to infect his meat, never departing from him either morn or night, but would— Escopulis exire, & universam ●…lassem teterrimo faetore inficere. Wherefore was this, but forasmuch as by the persuasion of his second wife Idaea, he put forth the eyes of his children had by his 
m Cleopatr●…▪  first wife? of which in the latter part of this Satire I mean especially to insist, declaring by way of aggravation the wickedness of such Iniustae Novercae, who will tyrannize over their stepchilds, respectless of Phineus punishment or Ideas vexation. And though some object, that these Arguments be but fruitless inventions hatched forth of Poet's braine●… yet must they of force confess ingenuously, that their Morals confer no less benefit, then if de●… rived from a truer subject: for whosoever will not beware of Id●…as fact, shall undergo Ideas 
* Quem fecere parem crimina, fa●…a parem. Ibid.  punishment; let them therefore avoid the fact precedent, or let them expect the punishment subsequent. 
* Par tibi culpa fuit, par tibi paena subit. alib. Nec culpa est levior, nec tibi paena minor.    

THE SEVENTH SATYR.  

HOw now fond Tereus, whither rid'st so fast,  
To Progne or to Itis? O, it's true,  
Thou goest unto thy sister, made unchaste,  
By thy enforced rape, for she ne'er knew  
What lusts-embraces meant, till thou hadst taught her,  
Which gave her cause of sorrowing ever after.   

Come back again, go to thy chaste wife's bed,  
Wrong not the honour of a spotless wife,  
What fruit yields lust when thou hast surfeited,  
But wretched death, drawn from a wicked life?  
Return fond lustful man, do not dishonour  
Poor Phylomele, for heaven's eyes look on her.   

It may be thou alledg'st, 
* Forfitan & narres quam sit tibi rustica coniux.  rusticity  
Appeareth in the fashions of thy Dear;  
Is this a cloak to live licentiously?  
No, if her breeding more uncivil were,  
These should not be occasions of thy shame,  
For in discretion thou shouldst cover them.   

Thou art that Rustic, she the modest flower,  
Not seeking for to grow with other plants  
Then with thyself, though thou for every boor,  
Suits thy affection, yet affection wants:  
She loves, thou lusts, thine is a borrowed name, 
* Amor perenni●… coniugis castae manet. Sen●…n Octau.   
For shame-fast love need●… never blush for shame.   

How now Prince Phineus, where's thy children's eyes,  
Are they put out, who moved thee to offend?  
Was it Idea, whom the gods defies?  
Whom neither heaven nor earth can well commend.  
It was Idea, she the Stepdame cries,  
Haste Phineus haste, pull out thy children's eyes.   

He'll do it for thee, there's no question why,  
To fair Idea, chaste Queen to his bed,  
He should the murdering of his soul deny,  
Much less to cause his children's blood be shed;  
See stepdames see, how hateful is your guilt▪  
When to raise yours, another's blood is spilt!   

Murder thy children, put out Orphans eyes,  
God cannot salve their extreme heaviness:  
He cannot hear them when they make their cries,  
Nor can he comfort them in their distress.  
Yes, he can hear and see, and though he come  
With a slow pace, he will at last strik●… home.   

Then grieve, but let not grief drive to despair;  
Trust, but let Trust breed no security,  
For crying sins when they presuming are,  
Oft wound so deep they find no remedy.  
Farewell Idaea, may my Satire hear,  
For each bloud-drop thoust shed, thou sheddest a tear.    

The Argument.  
THe Argument of this Satire shall be against all wicked julian's, all godless Apostates. And though in the third Satire I have touched this Argument briefly: yet now more amply mean I to deblazon the forlorn condition of these unnatural monsters. For to produce the Authorities & Opinions of the very heathen Philosophers, they have generally concluded, not only a God, but a Trinity, Three in-beings or persons coessential. As first the Platonists, who have concluded a Minder, Minding, and a Minded, but the chief hereof the Minder. From the Platonists let us descend to the Pythagorians, amongst whom Numenius most 
The Pythag. Numenius.  worthy for his learning (insomuch as Porphyry a man of ripe judgement and pregnant conceit, albeit a professed enemy of Christ, wrote many several Commentaries upon him) speaketh thus: Touching the Individuate essence of God, it is compact of itself in one, subsisting of none, in and of himself alone, not to be contained or circumscribed within any limits or bounds, being ever during in time, before time, and without time; incomprehensible in his works, indivisible, in his substance insubstantiate. The Academics 
The Academ.  in like sort conclude the same, yielding to an omnipotent power, working according to the divine will of the worker; wherein they give excellent instances and similitudes in the 
* The Sun, beams, and heat alluding to the blessed. Trinity. Stoics.  Sun, and the heat proceeding from the Sun, drawing from thence a singular argument to prove the divine Trinity. Zeno the father of the Stoics, acknowledged the Word to be God, and also the spirit of jupiter. Thus Academics of later times, Stoics, Pythagorians, and Platonists, confess this heavenly power▪ and shall we who are borne in 
Hermes his de●… of the divers workings.  the days of light and truth deny the same? Hermes can conclude, how— Radij devini sunt eius oporationes mirae, Radi●… mundani sunt natur●… & rerum similitudines variae, Radij humani s●…nt arts & scientiae. And shall we confess the later, but not the first, from whence the later be derived? Plato in his 13. Epistle to King Dennis writeth thus. When I 
13. Epist. to King Dennis. vid. Sene. in Epist. ad Lucil.  write in earnest, you shall know hereby, that I begin with one God; but when I write otherwise, than I begin with many gods. Aristotle like wise that serious inquisitor in the secrets of Nature, could say:— Ens entium miserer●…mei. Thus are out 
God was not made at any time, in a●… much as he is everlalastingly unbe. gotten. Galen.  Atheists convinced by Pagans'; for neither Orphuus whose invention gave that opinion of plu●… ralitie of gods first footing, nor D●…agoras the Athenian, who denied that there was any God, were exempted from severest censure, the one having his opinions publicly refelled, the other for his contempt of the gods, expulsed. For such novel opinions as Antiquity had not traduced ●…nto them, but seemed repugnant to what they believed touching their gods, were esteemed perilous, and the founders of them worthy due punishment. And how much more ought we reverently to observe and carefully retain what Sacred authority, grounded on better warrant then Pagan Antiquity, hath commended to us, where every clause, every syllable, sentence and title are full of sententious sweetness, and divine fullness? As for the palpable blindness of such as see not, or wilful ignorance of such as see but will not, the time will come when He, whom they deny shall reveal himself in fury, and those gross opinions which with such asseverance they maintained shall be testimonies against them to convince them. And though, as Suetonius witnesseth, there be some, who like Caligula will threaten the a●…re, that she shall not rain upon his public games or 〈◊〉 spectacles, showing himself so peremptory, as though he would cope with the i●…ortall Gods, yet would he— ad minima tonitrua, 
Vid. Sueton. Tranq. in vit. Calig.  & 〈◊〉 a connivere, caput obuoluere, ad ver●… maiora proripere se è strato, sub lectumque condere solebat: at the noise of thunder or lightning wink hard, cover his head, and 〈◊〉 his ears, to take away the 〈◊〉 of his fear: yea more than this, he would leap out of his bed and hide himself under it. Thus did he contemn him whose works made him tremble, derogating from his power, yet astonished 〈◊〉 the voice of his thunder: and though in 〈◊〉 ●…me and his predecessor Tiberius there flourished a 
* Phylo the ●…ew.  worthy Philosopher, who albeit a jew by nation, yet frequent amongst the Romans, had great judgement in matters divine, and spoke profoundly of the things which belonged unto the expectation of Nations: Notwithstanding all this, they continued without the lea●…t acknowledgement of a Deity, and in contempt of the divine power, threatening the heavens if they scouled or frowned upon the Roman gamesters, as I have before mentioned. Whereby it seems they reposed such confidence in the height of their present estate, as they imagined so firm a foundation could be shaken by no Superior power; for indeed worldly pomp makes men for the most part forgetful of their duty towards their Creator, thinking (as men in a fool's Paradise) that this present Sunshine of their seeming felicity shall never set. Yet no sooner shall hoary age draw near, then— friget aestus honoris, and their former cheerfulness enfeebled with all infirmities, shall with lame limbs and a queasy voice cry out,— Non eadem est aetas: then shall the cureless itch of honour by the brine of age be allayed, youthful sports abandoned, and a quiet life rather 
Petitur ha●… caelum via.  desired then magnificence of estate. Concluding with Seneca the Philosopher, inveighing against the tyranny of Nero to this effect:  

Well did I live, when I from envy rid,  
Was penned up amongst the Rocks of th'Corsian sea,  
Where if I still had lived as once I did, 
In the Tragedi●… of Agrip.   
Well had it gone both with my state and me.   
For whosoever shall but seriously consider the state and course of man's life, which is entangled with so sundry and manifold perils, shall call it with the Poet,— mundum vitro similantem, where life is an exile, the passage a peril, and the end doubtful. Thus far of those who either with success of fortune puffed, or height of honour transported, or through a carnal liberty benumbed, trust so much in the arm of flesh, as they wholly deny the power and majesty of the only God (or sovereign good) preferring a momentany delight before a celestial reward. Now to my Satire.   

THE EIGHT SATYR.  

NOw stout Caligula that dar'st the gods,  
Saying, they must not frown upon thy pleasure,  
Thou and immortal powers are still at odds,  
Whose 
* Modo avaritiae singulos increpa●…, & quod puderet eos locupletiores esse, quam se. in vit. Calig.  gold's thy god, whose deitie's thy treasure.  
Thou'lt feel the smart hereof, when thy estate,  
Founded on frail●…ie shall be ruinated.   

Thou wilt not fear him while thou lives on earth,  
Though life and power, and all be in his hand,  
Thou'lt fight with him (poor worm) that gives the●… breath,  
And with the breath of flesh check Ioues command.  
Unhappy Prince, though thou the happiest seem,  
This reign of thine is but a golden dream.   

And when this dream is past, and thou awake,  
From thy soule-charming slumber thou must on,  
Taking thy journey to the 
* Sperent te tartara regem.  Stygian lake,  
Or flame exhaling quenchless Phlegeton,  
Where poisoned Adders shall infect thy tongue,  
Which did so impiously her maker wrong.   

Fly from the horror of thy damned soul,  
For sure ere long thou shalt be punished.  
See how thy soul deformed is and foul,  
Soiled with sin, with errors blemished.  
O 
* Christus lavacrum est animae, canalis gratiae: Lavacrum, in quo anima immergitur & lavatur, Canalis, à qua omnis gratia animae derivatur.  wash them then, some hope doth yet remain,  
But now unwashed they'll ne'er be white again!   

Art not ashamed for to deny his power,  
Who giveth life unto each living thing?  
To heaven, to earth, to sea, and to each flower,  
He giveth means, for by him all things spring.  
Who will not then, and knowing this, accounted  
The earth's the Lords, and he's Lord Paramount?   

Dost thou not see the fabric of this earth,  
And all the plants which flourish in their kind,  
How by his power each creature bringeth forth,  
As if indeed they knew their maker's mind:  
Where th'very earthworm that's endued with sense,  
Is not excluded from his 
* The very hedgehog is not excluded from his preuid●…nce. Aug.  providence?   

Then leave this damned opinion, julian,  
Be not too confident of earthly rule:  
Remember still thou art a mortal man,  
And in his power who can the seas control.  
It's he can make this earth's foundation shudder,  
Whose Empires reach from one Sea to another.   

Yet thou Caligula canst threat the gods,  
If they descend but in a winter's shower,  
And sayest in scorn, Thou'lt beat them with thy rods,  
If they hold on, upon thy games to lower.  
Yet cowardice constrains thee for to fly,  
At every flash, and like a Babe to cry.   

Thou'lt menace death unto Eternity,  
If they obey not thy imperious pleasure:  
Thus gods themselves must feel thy tyranny,  
Enjoind to dance attendance at thy leisure:  
Yet for all this, if thou but Thunder hears,  
Thou pulls thy cap down o'er thy frighted ears.   

So every false Apostate will be stout,  
Before he feel the Uiols of God's wrath:  
But when he tastes thereof he 'gins to doubt,  
And calls to mind how he 
* But see, being in the way of doing well, shame holds him from the faith from which he fell.  forsook his faith.  
His fall from which, confessing with his tongue,  
His tongue is speaking, but his heart is dumb.   

Dumb shalt thou be, for heaven will have it so,  
Since thou appliest thy tongue to wickedness,  
Abusing that, 'gainst him who did bestow  
All that thou hast, this's thy unthankfulness.  
Yet but relent, and doubt not to obtain,  
That heavenly grace, which else thou canst not gain.   

Graceless beware, and fear the power of heaven,  
Who can destroy thee in a minute's space,  
He who can make, the 
* Excelsa humiliando & humilia exaltando.  steepest mountains even,  
Whose footstooles earth, & heaven his dwelling place.  
Fear, graceless fear, and thou shalt live for ever,  
For fear gives life to death, health to the liver.   

Live thou shalt never, if thou do not care  
To show respect to th'supreme Majesty,  
He whom we fear, who tenders our welfare,  
And guides us in this vale of misery.  
Pagan thou art, unless thou do amend,  
Whose endless sins expect a 
* julian and Foelix had both miserable ends: while julian that impious Apostate continued in his blasphemy: Ecce quam sumptuosis vasis filio Mariae ministratus! vid. Venerab. Bed. 3. lib.  woeful end.   

Therefore as thou regardst thy sweet soul's health,  
Or honour of thy Maker, now reclaim  
Thy breach of faith stained with the world's filth,  
If thou a son of Zion means to reign.  
Fare well or ill; if well thou means to far,  
Unto the Temple of thy God repair.    

The Argument.  
HYppeas that worthy Graecian, who strove for the games in the Olympiads, wore no other apparel save what with his own hands (being a general Artist) he had framed, having not so much as the ring of his finger, or bracelet about his arm, but were made by him, yea & the shoes of his feet, which with his own skill he made likewise. This Hyppeas having gained the chiefest prizes by means of his activity; and now returning in the triumph of a Conqueror with a Coronet of flowers empaled, to receive the proposed reward: the public Notary of these games came (according to the wont custom usually observed) to demand the best raiment or choicest particular ornament the Conqueror had about him. Now this fellow, whom continuance of time had made impudent, seeing the bounty of the conquering Hippeas, according to the manner, received the best raiment the Victor wore: and scarce contented therewith, (like an infatigable suitor) begged farther his stockings, and Hyppeas denied him nothing. So long he continued in begging, and he in giving, till Hyppeas' went naked forth of the Olympiads, having nothing wherewith he might show his friends any semblance of conquest or victory, save his naked body, which he presented unto them, using these words unto the Notary:— What I have given thee, I would have bestowed on my professedst enemy, for such motives of vainglory should rather move me to loathe them then love them, leave them, then live with them, remembering, how  

The sage Eutrapelus expressly bad,  
His foes should have the choicest robes he had,  
Wherein he found by proof this special good,  
To make himself more humble, them more proud.   
The name of this beggar was Mynthos, who having thus polled & spoiled this worthy Conqueror of all his apparel through his importunacy in demanding, presently thus answered one by whom he was sharply taxed: Nemo est quin aliqua in arte praeclarus est, ego autem in praemia & vestimenta comparando, palmam & gloriam adeptus sum, meque divitem ex aliorum paupertate feci. This shall be the Argument of this ninth Satire, touching impudent cravers: These— Iri egentes, of whom the Poet speaketh, who make themselves rich by their servile baseness, and as Vultures feed best upon the stinkingst carrion, so they upon others riot, prodigality, and dissolution, sucking like the Sangui-sugae, who feed themselves with blood till they burst. Reason have I to inveigh against them, since Israel the elect and select people of God were not to receive them— Let there be no beggar in Israel. Time was not then for Parasites to curry favour, when none was to have relief but by his labour; so expressly was every one enjoined to apply his vocation, that he who would not 
* Gen. 3. 19 2. Thes. 3. 10. Prou. 5. 15. 1. Thes. 4. 11.  labour should not eat. And may these insatiable Mynthes taste the like fare, being derived from as base beginnings as they are oftimes advanced without merit to great means and possessions, yea composed of as ignoble and degenerate minds, as they are sprung of ingenerous blood.   

THE NINTH SATYR.  

Hyppeas', your cloak I crave, that is my due,  
Your stockings too, and such like toys as these,  
Free to bestow a Bounty were in you,  
And yet a debt, for you do know my fees.  
But Debt to mention I do think't unfit,  
When Bounty is so near to answer it.   

And yet I want, and yet what can I want,  
When He of whom I craves so prone to give?  
When store by jove is sent, there is no scant,  
All famine leave, and all in plenty live.  
See what thou wants then Mi●…thos, and but crave it,  
Hyppeus is stored, and thou art sure to have it.   

Belt, Beaver, Buskin, view from top to toe,  
See what thou wants his Wardrobe will supply,  
And laugh at him when thou hast used him so,  
And bid him triumph in his victory.  
Let him go naked, and boast what he hath done,  
Whilst thou enjoys the Booties he hath won.   

Yet term him Prince of bounty, and requite 
The true description of a Parasite.   
In seeming Protestations, and in vows,  
Yet care not for him when he's out of sight;  
For those thrive best who can make fairest shows:  
In speaking much, but little as they mean,  
And being such, but not the same they seem.   

I would I could, thus mayst 
* Satis domi talium salutatorum habeo. Plut. in vit. Tiber.  thou bring him o●…,  
I could extend my wealth unto my will,  
I would erect to show what you have done,  
Some Time-out living Monument, to fill  
The world with amazement, when they hear  
What you have been, and what your actions were.   

And then impart thy want, how fortunes are  
Unequally divided, yet to such  
As He whose Bounty gives to each his share,  
Though much he hath, yet has he not too much:  
And then with cap in hand beseech his worth,  
Be good to thee, that's borne of obscure birth.   

Indeed thou seems to be an obscure Ass,  
Aspacious Beggar, begging every where, 
Vid. Persi. in satire.   
Who wilt not suffer a patched boot to pass,  
But thou wilt beg it for thy leg that's bare.  
Indeed too bore thou art, too impudent,  
That with thy own state canst not be content.   

Peasant like Bastard, hate thy Beggary,  
Live on thy own, not on another's state;  
Thou that descendest from base penury,  
Wilt by thy Begging live at higher rate? 
Vid. Iwenal. Saty.   
Numbered thou art amongst such men as begs,  
The smoke of Chimmes, snuffs, and Vintner's dregss.   

Thou art defamed, for all deride thy kneeling,  
Thy capping, cringing, and thy temporising,  
As if thou hadst of modesty no feeling,  
But from another's razing drew thy rising.  
Well, for thy begging we will beg for thee,  
The Patent of disgrace and infamy.   

So with thy wallet as a beggar should, 
Qualis es, talis appare.   
Be not ashamed to seem that which thou art,  
Sow patch on patch, to keep thee from the cold,  
And show thy want in each seame-rented part:  
But do not rear thy fortunes on men's fall,  
For such base Beggars are the worst of all.   

I write not to thee in a sublime style, 
Vul●…um verba decent. Horat.   
Such is unfit thy errors to convince;  
Satyrs though rough, are plain and must revile 
A Satyrs native Rhetoric.   
Vice with a Cynic bluntness, as long since  

* E●…olis, Aristobulus, Ariste●…, etc.  Those grave judicious Satirists did use,  
Who did not tax the time, but times abuse.   

And yet I wish my pen were made of steel,  
And every leaf, a leaf of lasting brass,  
Which might bear record to this Commonweal,  
When this Age's past, to Ages that shall pass.  
But these as others must, shall lose their name, 
* Debemur morti nos nostraque.   
And we their Authors too must die with them.   

Yet well I know, I shall Charactered be,  
In living letters, proving what I write,  
To be a●…thenticke to posterity,  
To whom this Ages vices I recite.  
Which, much I doubt, as they're successive still,  
By course of years, so they'll succeed in ill.   

For vice ne'er dies intestate, but doth leave,  
Something behind, to show what it hath been;  
Yea canting knaves that hang on others sleeve,  
Can charge their heirs still to pursue the stream,  
Where john a style bequeathes to john a noke,  
His Beggar's rags, his dish, his scrip, his poke.   

With which I'll beg; no, with my soul I scorn it,  
He rather carry tankaras on my back;  
Yet th'●…rade is thri●…ing, true, but I've forsworn it,  
Nor would I beg, though competent I lack.  
Before I should make congees to aswayne,  
I would for swear to take my legs again.   

I am but poor, and yet I scorn to beg▪  
To be a Bastard to my Progeny,  
Yea I will rather with 
* Poison. Sycites fig▪ a Proverb.  Sycites feg,  
Receive my death, then get me infamy.  
I'll be a galleyslave in Turkish ship,  
Rather than scrape my crumbs out of a scrip.   

Bias was poor, and yet his wealth increased,  
All that he had he carried still about him;  
Bias is dead, his goods by death are seized, 
Vid. dict. Cretensium.   
Midas is poor, his goods were all without him.  
Bias and Midas both agree in this,  
Earth's bliss when we're in earth quite vanished is.   


a Candaules in primo libro justini, Qui ostendens eam Gigi (depositaveste) tantae insaniae paenas luit, à Gige ●…im con●…ditur mira virtu●…●…nuli coopertoVnde Poeta; coniugis ut nudam speciem monstraffet amico: Dilectam speciem perdit, amicus habet. Quasi silentium damnum pulchritudinis esset. ibid. Uid. Ci●…. de off. 3. Lib. Plato. de leg. l. 1.  Candaules he was rich, yet he was poor,  
Rich in his coffers rammed down with gold,  
Yet poor in this, his wife did prove a whore,  
Shown naked unto Gyges to behold.  
Collatine poor, yet rich, his wife is chaste.  
Both these agree in this, by death embra'st.   


b Irus, qui in domo Vlissis post reditum suum, ab Vlisse, pugna nimirum eius, peremptus est; Irus qui Scrinio suo & Obba in plataeis Greciae mendicare solebat, superbia quadam (aut spe suavioris lucri) affectus, in Penelopem, inter Penelopis socios, (ut ●…uncius potius quam procus) accedere ●…usus est;— Dignum supplicium pertulit, quia tanta animi audacia (more procacis mendici) in lares consularis dig●…itatis viri procedere ausit. Vid. Hom. Ili. interp. Calab.  Irus was poor, but Croesus passing rich,  
Irus his scrip differs from Croesus' board,  
Yet now compare them and I know not which,  
Is better furnished or the worse stored:  
For see their fates, they both in one agree,  
Since by pale Death they both arrested be.   

Priscilla's purse, 
* Demosthenes' ●…n Orator of Athens.  Demosthenes his hand,  
Do differ much, the one is always shut,  
The other open, for rewards doth stand;  
Yet if we measure either by his foot,  
That close-shut purse, and that receiving hand,  
Have equal shares made by the 
* Virga sepulchralis. Varr.  Sexton's wand.   

Yet Beggar, thou that begs, and hopes to gain  
Store of rewards, for to relieve thy need.  
Or surfeit rather, tell me what's thy aim,  
When those 
* Pascentur à nobis quae pas●…untur in nobis. Vermes.  thou feeds, shall on thy car kasse feed?  
For then where's the Beggar now become,  
Whose shame's too great, to hide with shroud or tomb?   

Take these rude Satyrs as composed by him  
Who loves his state far better than thy trade,  
For 
* Exp●…'d to ●…ame, and in●…ie betrayed.  Beggars loose more than they seem to win,  
Since their esteem for ever's blemished:  
Live at a lower rate, and beg the less.  
I'll live to write, if thou thy fault redress.   
Amicus non Mendicus.   

The Argument.  
Taurus' 
* Raptus abit media quod ad aethera Taurus arena, non fuit hoc artis sed pietatis op●…s. Martial. in Epi. in Amphythe. Caesa.  a rich justice, seemed to carry great port and state in his country where he lived, though more feared then loved: for the proud miser seldom lives to be inheritor of a friend: but afterward his misery was most apparently known by his desolate house, as unacquainted with hospitality as an usurer's heir with frugality, having only a case for a man, a blew-coat●… I mean without a man, a shadow without a substance. In this Satire next ensuing is described the miserable nature of such, as notwithstanding their outward port, glorying of more than ever their unworthy minds could reach to, be the very pictures 
It is a great shame for a man to have a poor heart and a rich purse.  and Ideas of misery, as I may well call them: where desire of having so much overswayes them, as care of reputation lightly moves them. This Argument is short, for the Satire will show her own meaning without any further illustration.   

THE TENTH SATYR.  

Taurus' 
* Cornua Vibrando, nescit sua cornua Taurus; Whereto it was shrewdly answered: Cornua dum cernit, 〈◊〉 sua cornua Taurus.  a justice rich, but poor in mind,  
(Riches make rich-men poor through misery,)  
Had long time lived as one in hold confined,  
With gates close-shut from hospitality:  
Means without men he had him to attend,  
Lest what he spared his Retinue should spend.   

One time a Traveller chanced to repair  
To Taurus' house, to quench his vehement thirst,  
But he poor man could find no comfort there:  
Drink could he get none, if his heart should burst;  
Men he saw none, nor aught to cheer his want,  
Save a 
* Signa dat Hospitis, sed habentur in Hospitis 'em▪ bram.  Blew-coate without a cognisant.   

The Traveller conceited in distress,  
Strait thus discoursed, his 
* As quick conceits will passions best allay.  passion to allay:  
This justice is a Servingman I guess,  
Who leaves his coat at home when he's away:  
Therefore I was deceived and did amiss,  
To seek a justice where a blew-coate is.   

But as the Traveller went on his way,  
He met the justice in a ragged suit,  
Who in a Bench-like fashion bade him stay,  
Saying— He ought a justice to salute:  
The man at first perplexed, and now awake,  
took heart of grace, and did this answer make.   

Sir, if I have forgotten my regard  
Unto your place, forgive my ignorance,  
My eye could not discern you, till I heard  
Yourself report your own preeminence,  
Whose name is Terror, and whose awful breath,  
Is messenger of fury, and of death.   

And great I bear's endowments you possess,  
But worthy greater than you do enjoy,  
Witness your open house, which doth express  
The care you have your fortunes to employ  
In bounties 〈◊〉: your good beer doth show it,  
Being kept so well, as none can come unto it.   

Taurus he stamped, called his attendants knaves,  
And so he might, for none could be offended,  
Where art thou Tom (quoth he) jack, George, out slaves,  
Feigning their voices▪ All shall be amended.  
Then answers he himself, Let none depart,  
But entertain all with a cheerful heart.   

The Traveller though he conceived all,  
Seemed to admire the bounty of the place,  
Till th'badge-less coat that hung within the hall,  
Forced him to laugh the justice in the face.  
Why dost thou laugh (quoth he?) I laugh to note,  
For want of men, what seruic's in a coat.    

The Argument.  
Claudius' a Roman, for his approved honesty respected for the most part, gained no less good opinion with the Conscript fathers in the Senate-house, then popular love in the Citie●… for his gravity was such, as none could detect him of the least imputation, having always in the whole course of his pleading such pithy, sententious, and select discourse, that it yielded no less admiration to the hearers, than a general estimation to himself, at that time reputed one of the hopefullest young Orators: but most especially for his devotion and religion to the gods, then, amongst the Romans adored and worshipped. This Claudius after this general report and good liking which all had of him, upon a solemn night appointed for the sacrificing to 
* Et festa solennia Martis. vid. Varr. & Ouid. de fast.  Mars in behalf of a battle which was to be made against a Prince of Numidia, (in which holy rites there were appointed Augurs for the conjecturing of these things) seeing the opportunity of the Augurs absence, renewed the familiarity which he of long time had with one of the Augurs wives. Now the Augur having left behind him his Oscines or Prophesing birds (a neglect of such importance as it discovered his own shame,) came to his house where he detected Claudius, who had long 
* The fish Sepia is betrayed by a black colour which she casteth out to cover her, so these counterfeits by the cloud of a pretended holiness, which shall be as a cloud of witness against them.  time counterfeited purity.   

THE ELEVENTH SATYR.  

Claudius' is pure, abjuring profane things,  
Nor will he company with wickedness:  
He hates the source whence lewd affections springs,  
He'll not consent with deeds of naughtiness:  
Yet he will deal, so none do see his sin,  
Yea though heaven's eyes he cares not look on him.   

He will not speak unto a Maid in th'street,  
Left his repute should fall unto decay:  
Yet if they two in private chance to meet,  
He in a pure embrace will bid her stay.  
Saying: I will instruct thee pretty Nan,  
How thou shalt be a formal Puritan.   

Then draws he forth to move the Maid's affection,  
The forced description of their purity,  
How he and she be children of election,  
And must be saved what ere the wicked be.  
For vices are termed virtues, where we make  
Lust but an Act for Procreation sake.   

What then are Maids, thus he induceth her,  
But Virgins still that do impart their love,  
To such an 
* Vt prurit v●…it  One as is their furtherer  
In holy zeal, and can the spirit move?  
Naught less but more, for there's a heavy vae,  
Or curse denounced on them that barren be.   

Close then in silence, eyes of men are shut,  
None can detect us, but the eyes of heaven,  
And when we act, those lights are sealed up,  
For unto us more liberty is given  
Then unto others, since the very name,  
Of lust is changed when th' righteous use the same.   

Thou hypocrite, whose counterfeited zeal, 
* Hypocrisis dulex est malum, issimulatio & eccatum.   
Makes thee seem godly to the worelds eye,  
Yet dost the golden fruits of Vesta steal,  
When thou perceives no man thy sins doth spy.  
Leave this dissembled zeal, for thou art known  
The wickedest sinner, when thy inside's shown.    

The Argument.  
THe History of Phyloxenus is most amply related in the divers writings of sundry authentic Authors, being infamous for his greedy desire unto meat and drink, and therefore as is testified of him, 
* Aristotle mocking the Epicures, said, that upon a time they went all to a Temple together, beseeching the gods that they would give them necks as long as Cranes and Hernes, that the pleasure and taste of meat might be more longin relishing: complaining against Nature for making their necks too short.  Gruis collum sibi dari optabat, ut cibum potumque maiori cum delectatione caperet. This Phyloxenus and that ravenous Heliogabalus shall be the subjects of this ensuing Satire, touching or rather concluding the condition of all Epicures in these two. If thou that readèst me be touched, as tainted with this particular sin, blush, but do not show thy passion towards the poor Satire, for Belike she hath no sooner stung thee, than she loseth her power of being further revenged of thee. Wage not war against a dead Monument, since Pliny warns thee: Cum mortuis nil nisi laruas luctari. Take therefore this Satire in good part, and rather fret against thyself, in that thou hast matter in thee fit for a Satirists subject, then vent thy spleen towards him, who makes thy defects the effects of his subject.   

THE TWELFTH SATYR.  

PHyloxenus looks lank with abstinence:  
Poor man I pity him, I think he's sick;  
No, this his seeming is a false pretence,  
The greedy Cormorant will each thing lick:  
Whose drum-stretched case can scarce his guts contain  
Since he hath got the gullet of a Crane.   

Thou thinks there is no pleasure but in feeding,  
Making thyself, 
* Like those ●… satiable glutt●… Uitellius and Appius, to wh●… Cormorants 〈◊〉 their land, wat●… nor a●…re mig●… be sufficient. And Camblet●… the gluttonous king of Lydi●… devoured in 〈◊〉 dream his wi●… while she lay●… sleeping toget●… in the same b●… and finding h●… hand between●… his teeth when he awaked, 〈◊〉 slew himself, fearing disho●… nour.  slave to thy appetite;  
Yet whilst thou crams thyself, thy soul is bleeding,  
And Turtle-like mourns, that thou shouldst delight,  
In such excess as causeth infamy,  
Starves soul, spoils health, and ends with beggary.   

Remember (thou besott'd) for I must talk,  
And that with serious passion, thou that 
* Well descri●… by that Motto●… Non citius e●… quam excedi pascit & pos●… Elpenors' vi●… vid. Geor Vi Silenus in A●… trow.  tastes  
The choicest wines, and dost to Taverns walk,  
Where thou consumes the night in late repasts.  
Confusion now, draws near thee where thou kneels,  
Drinking deep healths, but no contrition feels.   

It may be, He that teacheth may be taught,  
And 
* Socraticum speculum no chalibaeum 〈◊〉 materiale. vid. Brasivo. 〈◊〉 praefatione.  Socrates of Sostenes may learn,  
Even He, that for thy good these precepts brought,  
To public light, may in himself discern  
Something blameworthy, true, and heaven he could,  
Reform his errors rightly as He would.   

But harder is't by much for to perform,  
Then to prescribe, where many seem to urge,  
The present times abuse, but ne'er reform  
Those, crimes in them which they in others scourge:  
But where the Author makes use of his pains,  
As well as Reader, there's a double gains.   

And these are th'gains which I do sue to have,  
Seeking no less thy benefit herein,  
Then my peculiar good: where all I crave,  
Is but thy prayer to purge me of my sin.  
I do not write, as I my pains would sell,  
To every Broker, use them and farewell.   Nam inepto risu res nulla ineptior est. 
Catull.  Finis Satyrarum. An end of the Satyrs composed by the foresaid Author in the discharge of Nature's Embassy: purposely penned to reclaim man, whose vicious life promising an unhappy end, must now be taxed more sharply, since vice comes to greatest growth through impunity.  

A CONCLUSIVE ADMONITION TO THE READER.  

IF any man shall read, and making use  
Of these my Satyrs, grow distemperate,  
By making of a good intent abuse,  
In that I seem his life to personate;  
Let him content himself, be it good or ill,  
Galled horses winch, and I must gall him still.   

A Satirist ought to be most secure,  
Who takes exception at his cankered style,  
And he that most repines, let him be sure,  
That he's the man whom Satyrs most revile.  
Therefore who would be free from Satyr's pen,  
Ought to be Mirrors in the sight of men.   

These two months' travel like the Almond rod,  
May bring forth more when opportunity  
giveth fit time, wherein vice loathed by God,  
May be displayed, and curbed more bitterly.  
Till which edition, take these in good part,  
Or take them ill, howe'er, they glad my heart.    

HERE FOLLOWETH SOME EPYCEDES or funeral Elegies, concerning sundry exquisite Mirrors of true love.  

The Argument.  

TWo lovely lovers so divided be,  
As one to other hardly can repair,  
In Sestos she, and in Abydos he,  
He swims, she waits & weeps, both drowned are  
Waves cut off Heroes words, the Sea-nymphs moan,  
One heart in two desires, no grave but one.    

I. ELEGY.  

HEro was willing to Leander's suit,  
But yet Leander's opportunity  
Could not be so, as answers his repute:  
Lust sometime wears the robe of modesty:  
Silent he woes, as bashful youths must do,  
By sighs, by tears, and kissing comfits too.   

But what are these wherè fancy seated is,  
But lures to loose desires, sin-sugred baits,  
That draw men onward to fool's paradise,  
Whose best of promises are but deceits?  
And such Leander's were, mere golden dreams,  
That leave the waking senses in extremes.   

But love flame-like, though it restrained be,  
Will still ascend, and so it fared with him:  
For now he cries, Hero I come to thee,  
And though I cannot run, yet I will swim,  
Where, while I swim, send thy sweet breath but hither,  
And Zephire-like it will soon waft me thither.   

Hero remaineth on the floating shore,  
Waiting the blessed arrival of her friend,  
But she (poor she) must never see him more,  
Seeing him end before his journey end:  
In whose hard fate a double death appears,  
Drowned in the sea, and in his Hero's tears.   

Still she laments, and tears her forlorn hair,  
Exclaming'gainst the fates, whose cruelty  
Had changed her hope-refi fortune to despair,  
Abridging love, true lover's liberty;  
But since it's so (quoth she) the waves shall have,  
More than by right or justice they can crave.   

With that she leapt into the curled flood,  
And as she leapt, she spoke unto the wave,  
Remorseless thou (quoth she) that stained his blood,  
Shall now receive two lovers in one grave.  
For fit it is, who living had one heart,  
Should have one grave, and not interred apart.   

Yet in my death I do invoke the Powers,  
Which do frequent this woeful River side,  
That they adore and deck our Tomb with flowers,  
Where ere our love-exposed corpse abide.  
And if they ask where they shall find our graves,  
Let them look down into these surging waves.   

And I entreat my friends they do not weep,  
In that we are departed to our rest,  
Sweet rest, may Hero say, when in her sleep  
She eclipse Leander whom she loved best:  
She loved him best indeed, for she did crave  
To be enhearsed with him in one wave.   

This was no sooner spoke, but raging streams,  
Cut off poor Heroes speech, and with their force,  
Closed her in silence, while each Nymph complains,  
And chides the River for his small remorse.  
Thus ended they, their ends were their content,  
Since for to die in Love, their minds were bend.   

Let not fond love so fond thee embrace,  
Lest like the ivy or the Misselto,  
It wind about thee to thy own disgrace,  
And make thee slave to brutish passions too.  
Be constant in thy love, as chaste not spotted,  
Love well and long, but not in love besotted.    

The Argument.  

Lover's consent finds fit place of recourse,  
For Love's content changed into discontent,  
King Ninus tomb their sconce or sorrows source,  
To which a dreadful Lioness is sent:  
Which Thisbe spies and flies: her bloody tire,  
Bereaves her Love of life, and both expire.    

II. ELEGY.  

WEll then we will repair unto that place,  
Where we shall have fruition of our joy,  
By Ninus tomb, far from our parent's face,  
Where mutual Love needs little to be coy:  
Where met, we may enjoy that long-sought pleasure,  
Which Love affords, when Love unlocks her treasure.   

Thisbe was mute, in being mute she yielded,  
Who knows not Maids, by silence give consent?  
So on her silence her assent was builded,  
Since in his love she placed her sole content;  
Onward he goes most forward to obtain,  
That which she wished, but Parents did restrain.   

And coming nigh unto king Ninus Tomb,  
Erected near a Christ all riveling,  
There as she mused a Lion fierce did come  
Forth of the grove, whence he his prey did bring.  
Who all embrued with slaughter and with blood,  
Came for to quench his thirst at that same flood.   

Thisbe perceiving this enraged beast,  
Fled for her refuge to a hollow tree,  
Yet she for haste, what she suspected least,  
Let fall her Tire, and to her shelf did flee;  
Where in the shade while she affrighted stood,  
The Lion tinct her virgine-tire with blood.   

And having now well drenched his bloody jaws,  
Making 〈◊〉 unto his shady den,  
Young Pyramus for to observe love's laws,  
(Love's laws must needs be kept) did thither tend,  
And coming near, her could he not espy,  
But her unhappy Tire died bloodily.   

Which he no sooner with his eyes beheld,  
Then he exclaimed against his destiny,  
Since Thisbe was by his request compelled,  
To be a pray to Lion's cruelty:  
And taking up the blood besmeared Tire,  
Amintas. like his end he doth conspire.   

Yet fore his end in dismal sort he cried,  
Fie on the fates, that did poor Thisbe kill,  
Fie on those ruthless gods that have decreed,  
Wild savage beasts her crimson blood to spill;  
But why do I stand arguing with fate,  
Lamenting o'er her breathless corpse too late?   

For if thou loved her, show thy love in this  
Lost, to regain her presence by thy death;  
Death, which hath left thee this poor Tire to kiss,  
On which I'll breathe and kiss, and kiss and brea●…  
Farewell my love, if Pyramus did love thee,  
He'll show his love, his love shall be above thee.   

Strike home (fond man) and do not fear grim death,  
But meet him in the midway to thy grave;  
For Thisbe's love I gladly loose my breath,  
And that is all that Thisbe now can have:  
And with this speech, deep grief cut off his word,  
He slew himself with his own dismal sword.   

Thisbe long trembling in her hollow Cave,  
Came forth at last to meet her dearest love.  
How apt is love the chastest to deprave,  
Making a ravenous Uultur of a Dove;  
Wherefore in haste she hies her to the spring,  
Where she might hear a doleful Sylvan sing.   

And to receive the sorrow more at large,  
Nigher she drew unto that mournful tune,  
Where like a merchant in a split barge,  
She stood amazed, and standing listened one.  
Sorting his grief unto her dear friends grief,  
Whom she sought out, to yield her some relief.   

Good Sylvan say (thus spoke she) having found him,  
Didst see a youth coast near this darksome way?  
For much I fear, some savage beast hath wound him,  
If thou canst guide me to him, pray thee say:  
Here is the Tomb where he appointed me,  
To stay for him, yet him I cannot see.   

Virgin (quoth he) that youth you seek is gone;  
Whither (kind Sylvan?) I will after him,  
He shall not leave me in this wood alone,  
For trust me Sylvan I have frighted been,  
And by a dreadful Lion so beset,  
As I am hardly my own woman yet.   

See Lady, see; with that he vanished,  
To wail the loss of Nais he had kept,  
Who by a Centaur lately ravished,  
Was quite conveyed away while th' Sylvan slept.  
She turns her eye, yet scarce will trust her eye,  
No, nor the place where she doth see him lie.   

Dead! why it cannot be, thus she began,  
Who could harm thee that ne'er did any harm,  
No not in thought to any living man?  
With that she felt his pulse if it were warm,  
But breathless he, key-cold as any stone,  
She looks and weeps, and baths him looking on.   

Yet long it was ere she could shed a tear,  
For greatest grieues are not by tears expressed,  
Deepe-rooted sorrows greatest burden bear,  
Kept most in heart, but shown in eye the least.  
For lesser grieues have eyes to bring them forth,  
But greatest still are strangled in their birth.   

Grief therefore doth rebound, and with rebound  
She shakes her Pyramus and strokes his cheek:  
Love was all ears, for he did hear her sound,  
And moved his head from ground, but could not speak;  
Yet did he hold her hand, as if her hand  
Stayed Death's arrest, and could him countermand.   

And as a man who shipwrecked on the Sea,  
Not able to endure unto the Port,  
Takes hold on wrack, which He as constantly  
Keeps in his hand, as he did labour for't:  
From which, no danger whatsoe'er beside him,  
Nor death itself can any way divide him.   

Even so did Pyramus keep in his arms,  
The choicest body of his chastest love,  
Whereby he thinks himself so free from harms,  
As die he cannot till he thence remove:  
Yet though its death to him, since Thisbe would,  
He is contented to let go his hold.   

This seen, (says Thisbe) since thy love is such,  
That to divide thyself from thine own love,  
To thee's a second death or harder much,  
And moved by me thy hold thou dost remove;  
E'er long will Thisbe show herself to thee,  
An equal Mirror of love's constancy.   

Yet do I pray those friends who are conjoined  
To us in Blood, to take of us compassion,  
That as our Loves, our corpses may be combined,  
With funeral rites after our country fashion:  
And when to ashes they our corpse shall burn,  
Let both our dreary ashes have one urn.   

Let both our graves (poor graves) be joined in one,  
As both our hearts were linked in one twist:  
And let our corpse be covered with one stone,  
So may our bones so nearly joined be blessed;  
For gods this privilege to lovers give,  
When others die by death, in death they live.   

By this young Thisbe's speech was finished,  
Who was as weary to enjoy her life,  
As a loose Matron of her husband's bed,  
Or a young spendthrift of his long-lived wife:  
Even so was Thisbe, whom death did afford,  
Though not same hand to kill, yet selfsame sword.   

But yet some Plant is still affectionate,  
Unto a Lover's death, whose constancy  
Never doth alter from her wont state,  
But perseveres in steadfast certainty:  
For th' Mulberry, seeing them Mourners lack,  
Milk-white before put on a sable black.   

Morus thus altered in her former hue,  
Changing her colour for the death of Love,  
Hath to this day her mourning-weed to show;  
Well might they move us then, when they did move  
The senseless trees, who did so truly grieve,  
As for their sake they would their colour leave.    

The Argument.  

THe loss of Dido's honour and her love,  
Are both bemoaned: Anna but all in vain,  
Seeks to recomfort her: she seems to prove  
No faith in strangers: she dissolves her train:  
Incense is burned; a fire she doth devose,  
Wherein she makes herself the sacrifice.    

III. ELEGY.  

DIdo lamenting, that Aeneas should  
So soon convert his love to bitter hate,  
The thought whereof surpassed a thousand fold,  
The loss of Sceptre, honour, or estate:  
Curseth the hap she had to entertain,  
Or give such harbour to a thankless Swain.   

Yet do not so (quoth she,) he's generous,  
Sprung from the Trojan stock and Progeny:  
Curse him not Dido, it were ominous  
To his proceedings and his dignity;  
He did requite thy love, thou know'st devoutly,  
And did perform his Tournaments as stoutly.   

Sweet was the Pleasure, though the fruit be sour,  
Dear his embraces, kind his favours too,  
Witness that Bower (ay me) that rosy Bower,  
In which heaven knows, and few but heaven do know,  
I gauged my heart to him, he his to me,  
Which makes me tied in faith how ere he be.   

And he protested, Simple woman, thou  
To credit what a stranger had protested▪  
For what is he that lives, and will not do  
As much or more, till he hath fully feasted  
His eager Appetite, which being allayed,  
He straight forgets the promise he hath made?   

And so did he, respectless of his vow,  
Or (breach of faith) which whatsoe'er he think,  
Will be revenged by Heaven▪ and sharply too,  
Gods do not ever sleep when they do wink.  
For though they spare, They will at last strike home,  
And send Revenge to th'infant in my womb.   

Poor Orphan Infant, whose injurious birth,  
As closely done, shall closely be suppressed,  
And have a double Mother, Me and Earth,  
And for thy Father's sake a double chest:  
Whose Tomb shall be my womb, whose dreary shroud,  
Shall be myself, that gave it life and food.   

This as she spoke her Sister she came in,  
Advising her unto a milder course,  
Then to afflict herself with thought of him  
Whose heart was 〈◊〉 of pity and remorse;  
Wherefore (said she) since sorrow is in vain,  
Forget his absence, that will salve your pain.   

Will salve my pain (quoth she!) and then she gro●…'d,  
Cures to apply is easier than to cure:  
No, no, my sorrows may be well bemoaned,  
But ne'er redressed: for th' eye of 〈◊〉 too pure,  
To view my sin, my soil▪ my guilt, my stain,  
Whose dies so deep 'twill ne'er be white again.   

Yet to prevent the scandal would ensue,  
If fame should know what hath in private been,  
I'll lordship this Branch, lest Time should say, it grew  
(Adulterate Issue) from the Carthage Queen:  
Which ere I do▪ lest I incur heaven's hate,  
With Incense burned, their wrath I'll expiate.   

Wherewith I'll purge (if such may purged be)  
The fact I did, which grieves me that I did,  
Staining my honour with his perjury,  
Which gods do see, though it from man be hid:  
For this (dear sister) build me here a fire,  
To sacrifice my shame, appease heaven's ire.   

Anna, for so her Sister hight, doth rear  
This fatal pile, preparing all things meet  
For such a sacrifice, as juniper,  
Spicknarde, and Myrrh, to make the Incense sweet,  
Unknown to what her Sister did intend,  
Whose fair pretence came to a timeless end.   

Sister (quoth Dido) now you may be gone,  
Sweet is Devotion that is most retired,  
Go you aside, and leave me here alone,  
Which Anna did as Dido had required:  
Who now alone with heaven-erected eyes,  
Her woeful self she makes the sacrifice.   

Anna retired, did hear her Sister shrike,  
With which at first affrighted, she made haste,  
To see th'event, the sight whereof did strike  
Such a distraction in her, as it past  
The bounds of Nature, where experience tries,  
More sorrow's in the heart then in the eyes.   

At last her eyes long shut unsealed were,  
To eye that mournful Object, now half turned  
To mouldered ashes, for it did appear,  
As half were scorched, the other half were burned:  
Which seen, she cries, and turns away her sight,  
Black woe betid them that such guests invite.   

Anna thus left alone, yet mindful too,  
Of Dido's honour, rears a Princely shrine,  
The like whereof that Age could never show,  
Nor any Age, till Artemisias time: 
* Wi●…e to Maulus king of Ca▪ a. vid. Plutar. ●… Apotheg.   
On which was this engraven: Love was my loss,  
Rich was my Crown, yet could not cure my cross.   

Thus Dido died, who was not much unlike  
Unto the Countryman who nourished  
The dead-starved viper, that ungrateful snake, 
* Latet Anguis ●… herba.   
Who reft him life, that it had cherished:  
So Dido she, whose fall my Muse recites, 
●…ec Hospes ab lospite tutus.   
Lies slain by him, whom she in love invites.    

AN ELEGY UPON THESE ELEGIES.  

LEt fond Leander warn thee, to remain  
Upon the River bank in safety:  
Let Pyramus rash fact thy hand restrain,  
Too dear costs Love, mixed with such cruelty:  
Lastly, let Dido warn thee by her end,  
To try that Guest thou makes thy bosom friend.   Venit amor gravius quo serius urimur intus, Vrimur, & caecum pectora vulnus habent.   

THE SECOND SECTION OF DIVINE AND MORAL SATYRS:  
With AN ADJUNCT UPON THE PRECEDENT; WHEREBY THE Argument with the first cause of publishing these Satyrs, be evidently related.  
Disce & doce.  
LONDON, Printed for RICHARD WHITAKER. 1621.   

TO THE WORTHY CHERISHER AND NOURISHER OF ALL GENErous studies, S. W. C. Knight, R. B. His affectionate Countryman wisheth the increase of all honour, health, and happiness.  
SIR,  

When I had composed these ragged lines,  
Much like the Bear who brings her young ones forth,  
In no one part well featured, she repines,  
That such a lump of flesh should have a birth:  
Which to reform, she's said to undertake  
A second task, and licks them into shape.   

So I producing these unriper seeds,  
Scarce grown to their perfection, knew not how,  
(Since different humour, different censure breeds)  
How they should come to ripeness, but by you:  
Whose fair acceptance may such countenance show,  
As you may others move to grace them too.   

Nor do I doubt but these shall purchase grace,  
Amongst such as honour virtue, for how low  
Soe'er the style be, Subject is not base,  
But full of Divine matter; and I know,  
The Sun gives life, as well to simple weeds,  
As unto flowers or other fruitful seeds.   
Yours in all faithful Observance, Richard Brathwayte, Musophylus.   

Upon the Dedicatory.  

THough he (and happy he) bereft by fate,  
To whom I meant this work to dedicate,  
This shall find shelter in his living name,  
He's changed indeed, but I am still the same.    

The Argument. of Elpenor an Epicure, living sensually in a Cave, respectless of the soul's eternity.  
ELpenor, who long time living (as the Dormouse) in the cave of sensuality and security, rested careless of a future blessing, as one ravished with the present delight of carnal liberty, became at last restrained by the virtuous edict of a gracious Emperor, by whom he was exiled and banished, not only from the Prince's Court, but from the utmost coasts of Arcadia wherein he lived. Now it chanced, that during such time as he remained in Cadmos a Satirist of no less respect than approved gravity, well observing the impiety of Elpenor, as also the deserved censure which his Epicureall life had incurred; endeavoured to describe his condign fall, with no less pregnancy of wit, and maturity of judgement, than a settled severity in reprehension of his godless opinions: which Description he fixed (as may be imagined) upon the Portall gate, where he might of necessity see his own impiety as in a glass transparent, perspicuously demonstrated. What discontent he conceived in the displaying of his own shame, may be conjectured by the subject of this Inuection, taxing him of his infamous life, the only occasion of his obscure end: whose fortunes were aforetime most eminent, now most dejected.  
Et quanta est infaelicitas, fuisse faelicem, & c? Boaethiu●…   

THE FIRST SATYR.  

ELpenor grovelling in his dusky cave,  
Secure of God or God's high providence,  
Naught but luxurious dishes seems to crave,  
To satisfy the appetite of sense.  
He spurns at heaven, contemns all supreme power,  
Priding in that will perish in an hour.   

God is of no respect with Epicures,  
Senseless of of heaven or minds tranquillity,  
Senseless of Hell, which evermore endures,  
Glad to receive earth's joys satiety:  
Where rapt with Objects of deceiving Pleasure,  
They live to sin, but to repent at leisure.   

Is not that Statue (say Elpenor) thine,  
With eyes-inflamed and palsie-shaking hand,  
Upon whose fore-head's writ, Abuse of time?  
I know it is, for I do see it stand  
Near Bacchus shrine, where either drinks to other,  
Healths to Eryca, their lascivious Mother.   

Where Siren voices so apply the ear,  
With an affected melody, that earth  
Might a fantastic Paradise appear,  
Through consort of an universal mirth,  
Which these enchanting harmonists did use,  
To th'woeful friends of wand'ring Ithacus.   

But who is He that seems to challenge thee,  
Yet staggers in his challenge? O I know him,  
It's Hans the Dutch man, new arrived from Sea,  
Stand fast Elpenor, if thou'lt overthrow him.  
But why enjoin I that thou canst not do,  
Half of a stand were well betwixt you two.   

And much I doubt, lest Cripple-like you grow,  
So long it is, as it is out of mind,  
Since you were seen by any man to go,  
Which makes me hear your legs are hard to find:  
For use brings on Perfection, and I fear  
Your dropfie-legs are out of use to bear.   

See thou unwieldy wretch, that fatal shelf,  
To which thou art declining, being grown  
A heavy useless burden to thyself,  
In whom no glimpse of virtue may be shown:  
A Barmy leaking vessel (which in troth)  
For want of reason is filled up with froth.   

Aged Turpilio groans at misspent time,  
Wishing he had his youth to pass again:  
For than He would not use't as thou dost thine,  
But moon the hours which He hath spent in vain.  
But Time runs on, and will not make return,  
When Death succeeds, whom no man can adjourn.   

And seest thou this, and wilt thou not provide  
For Death's arrest, whose sad approach will be  
So full of horror, as thou scarce shalt bide,  
So grim he is, that He should look on thee?  
And yet He will, for he no difference makes,  
'twixt rich and poor, but whom He likes he takes.   

Thy Prince thou seest, whose virtues are so pure  
He cannot breathe on vice, hath thee exiled,  
Forth of his royal confines, to secure  
His Realm the more, lest it should be defiled  
By thy depraved example, which once stained,  
(So rank is vice) would hardly be reclaimed.   

Trunk of Confusion, which derives thy being  
From no supernal essence for with it,  
Thy works, words, motions have but small agreeing,  
But from security, where thou dost sit;  
Feeding thy vast-insatiate appetite,  
With every day new dishes of delight.   

O rouse thyself from that obscurest vale,  
And sing a thankful Hymn unto thy Maker,  
Creep not upon thy belly like the Snail,  
But like the Lark mount up to thy Creator;  
Adorning thee with reason, sense and form,  
All lost in thee, through want of Grace forlorn.   

Honour doth ill become the slothful man,  
Who Zany- like becomes a slave to pleasure,  
For He, when urgent causes move Him, than  
Neglects Occasion, and reserves that leisure,  
Which might have been employed in cares of state,  
For his delights, bought at too high a rate.   

This thy experience tells thee, whose estate  
Once high, now low, made subject to disgrace,  
Shows thou art changed from what thou was of late,  
Yet to my judgement in a better case:  
So thou consider th'state from whence thou came,  
And leave that vice which did procure the same.   

But doubt I must, (o that my doubts were vain)  
Such great expense is made of precious time,  
As 'twill be much to do to wash the stain  
Of that enormous loathsome life of thine.  
Yet 
* Sicut nullus est locus in quo malum non perpetratur, ita nullus sit locus in quo de malo poenitentia non agatur.  Tears have power, and they are sovereign too,  
And may do more than any else can do.   

Then comfort take, yet comfort mix with tears,  
Thou 
* Cadmos a hi●… by Laodicea out of which issueth the River Lycus, it taketh this name from Cadmus' son to Agenor king of Phoenicia.  Cadmus leaves, and it's thy native soil;  
Suppose it be, each coast or clime appears  
The goodman's wished Country, which blessed style,  
Exceeds all worldly comfort, which thou had,  
For this is passing good, that passing bad.   

I do not speak, as those whose guilded breath,  
Trains on the vicious with deceitful hope;  
For I have set before thee life and death,  
And this I aimed to make my chiefest scope:  
That if reward of life could no way gain thee,  
The fear of death & vengeance might reclaim thee.   

Life as a Crown or Diadem is due,  
To such whose ways are not in Error led,  
Death as a guerdon doth to such accrue,  
Whose carnal hearts with pleasures captived,  
Think not on Death, till Death his flag display,  
And now secure shall take their life away.   

Turn then unto the coast of Arcady,  
From whence thou wast exiled, and there survey  
The virtues of that Prince did banish thee,  
And weigh the cause why there thou might not stay:  
Which done, seek to regain thy Prince's love,  
But chiefly His, that is thy Prince above.    

The Argument.  
COrnelia wife to Pompey, surnamed the Great, after her husband's overthrow in Pharsalia, slain within short time after by the procurement of Septimius in the kingdom of Egypt; became much distressed with the discomfort of her loss, and the sorrowful issue of his death. Which is as passionately expressed by Lucan in Pompey's expostulation with Cornelia his beloved Lady,— Quid perdis tempora luctu? Cornelia thus deprived of all assistants save Tears (sorrows hereditary treasures) for the better relief of her estate (the poor remainder of her fortunes) sued out a petition unto the Emperor Caesar, whose royal clemency (as she thought) could not choose but take pity on the wife, whose husband was become a booty to his Conquest. But how reasonable soever her demands were, it skilled not, for by the corrupt and indirect dealing of Caelius and Tuberculus she was resisted. The Satirist therefore in deploring of Cornelia's misery, and inveighing against the two Courtier's corruption, morally dilateth on the desolate estate of a forlorn widow, and the sinister practices of corrupt Advocates.   

THE SECOND SATYR.  

POmpey the Great no sooner was interred,  
But poor Cornelia his distressed wife,  
To her deceased Lords estate preferred,  
Was drawn by Consul Asper into strife:  
And so oppressed by hot pursuit of foes,  
That she devoid of friends was fraught with woes.   

She, woeful she, lest she should lose her state,  
Makes means to 
* A prodigal Courtier, but in great favour with Caesar.  Caelius to prefer her suit,  
Which he's content to do, but at such rate,  
As 'twill cost dear to bring the cause about:  
Yet she remediless, to work her peace,  
Stood not much on't, but did the Courtier please.   

Caelius possessed of his injurious fee,  
Which he consumed in riotous expense,  
Forgot the widow's cause dishonestly,  
Without remorse or touch of conscience:  
For under hand (as Courtiers use to do)  
He takes a private bribe of Asper too.   

Cornelia now in hope of good success,  
Comes unto Caelius as her purchased friend,  
And humbly craves to know what's her redress,  
Or in what sort her suit is like to end:  
Where He as strangely answers her demand,  
And says, her suit came never to his hand.   

No suit! (thus did this Matron straight reply)  
O Rome where is thy 
* justice's may be ●…ptly compared to the Celedonie stone, which retaineth her ver●…ue no longer than it is rubbed with gold.  justice now enthroned,  
Thou that didst use to hear a widow cry,  
And right her cause as thou her wrongs bemoaned!  
But spare Cornelia, what relief can come  
Fron corrupt Courts, where gold makes Consuls dumb?   

If my much-honored Lord, whose Country love  
Reft him of breath, should see this present time,  
How gif●…s can limit justice, will't not move  
His Royal spirit, seeing me and mine,  
Whose only comfort's this, we may repose,  
And joy in this, we have no more to lose?   

Whilst wronged Cornelia sat thus pensively,  

* One of especial esteem with Pompey before 〈◊〉 overthrow.  Tuberculus a Courtier past that way,  
Who in compassion of her misery,  
Known to herself not to her grieues, did stay;  
For generous minds are never more expressed,  
Then in applying comfort to th' distressed.   

Lady (quoth he) if I could ease your grief,  
The love I owe unto your family,  
Me thinks might promise to yourself relief,  
Impart them then, what ere your sorrows be:  
Cures have been wrought where little was expected,  
For where the mind is willing, oughtst effected.   

She hearing him so virtuously inclined,  
Prove unto pity, sighing did declare,  
How that her son young Pompey was confined, 
Sext. Pomp.   
Which was the greatest subject of her care:  
Whom if He would make means for to release,  
The current of her sorrows soon would cease.   

Another suit I have, which Asper moves,  
To force me from my right of widowhood,  
Wherein his worse cause the better proues,  
For 
* Inimieiti●… potentum violentae. Senec.  mighty men can hardly be withstood:  
In these I must entreat your Lordship's care,  
In lieu whereof I'll gratify with prayer.   

Tuberculus did answer her demands,  
But he expected 
* Like Verconiu●… in the time of Alexander Severus, who pretending familiarity with the Emperor, took●… men's money for preferring thei●… suits, abused them, & did them no good at all: a●… last convented before the Emperor, he wa●… judged to be hanged up in a chimney, and s●… perish with smoke, for that he sold smoke t●… the people. Lamp●…id. in Seu. Verco.  ointment, and delaying,  
To give her further comfort, there He stands,  
He for his fee, she for her cause stood praying.  
Cornelia well perceiving what He would,  
Good gods (quoth she) is justice wholly sold?   

How do you mean (quoth he) it is our means,  
Could we be thus enamelled every day,  
Or in such port maintain our fawning friends,  
If we received not profit by delay?  
No Lady, no, who in these days do live,  
And would have justice, must not stick to give.   

Thus was Cornelia crossed, her means prevented,  
No comfort now remaining save despair;  
Wherefore (perforce) she rests hope-reft, contented  
To lose the sight of her confined heir,  
Who lives restrained: Asper her state hath got,  
And poor Cornelia with her cause forgot.    

The Argument of Lucian.  
LVcian a professed enemy to Christ, detracting much from the divine & sole-healthfull Mysteries of our Redemption, whereby he became odious to the all-seeing verity; chanced to travel for delight, (as one of general observation) into foreign places: where (as heavens just doom would have it) he was worried by dogs, as a just reward for his impious and egregious contempt towards God; reviling that all-seeing Majesty of Christ with the sacred office of his Ministers, and like a snarling or biting Cur, barking at the admirable and ineffable works which were wrought by God's omnipotency: for which cause God accordingly punished him. A remarkable spectacle to all ensuing ages, conclúding emphatically with the Satirist.  

Ingeniosus erat, superum sed acerrimus hostis,  
At canis est superum tempore praeda canum.   

Witty, but foe to God, who long in vain,  
Barking at God, by barking curs was slain.   
The Satire followeth, Morally applied.   

THE THIRD SATYR.  

INgenious Lucian, ripe in poesy,  
Apt to compose, and pregnant to invent,  
Well read in secrets of Philosophy, 
In vit. Luci.   
And in all Moral knowledge excellent;  
For all these rarer parts unto him given,  
Ceased not to 
* Isti latrant non mordent, non noceut: August.  bark against the power of heaven.   

This snarling Cur, for he detracted God,  
As professed enemy to piety,  
Chanced to travel, where Gods ireful rod  
Made him a witness to posterity;  
For this same 
* Thus as he ba●… ked against the God of heaven, To barking cur he for a prey w●… given.  wretch who barked against heaven's power,  
Did barking curs (such was heaven's doom) de●…ure.   

Soil to his soul, and so to Christ's profession,  
For He no Christ professed, but thoughted a scorn  
That God made man, from God should have commission,  
Without man's help to be of Virgin borne:  
Yet see his fall, who did himself deceive,  
Unpitied dies, and dying has no grave.   

What's Zions' peace (says He) there's no such place; 
The Atheists ●…pinion.   
Earth hath her Zion, if we aim our care  
At any other Mansion, it's a chase  
So fruitless, as if we should beat the air,  
Or plant our hope in things which cannot be,  
And suches our trust in feigned Deity.   

Thou ugly vizard, that with fair pretence  
Of Moral discipline shadows thy sin,  
Reclaim thyself by timely penitence,  
And loathe that horrid Cave thou wallowest in:  
Thy sin's deepe-dide, yet not of that deep stain,  
But Tears & Prayers may make them white again. 
* Lach●…ymae erbis, suspiria o●…is immiscentur.    

Hast thou no Anchor to rely upon? 
* Anchora cui ●…pes est innixa, Angularis lapis ●… quem funda●….   
No Refuge nor no Recluse for thy hope?  
Behold thy jesus he's thy corner stone,  
Make him thy aim, thy succour, shelter, scope,  
And he'll receive thee in the Throne of bliss, 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
The boundless Ocean of all happiness.   

Return thou wicked Lucian, make thy verse  
Thy Retractation, be not overbold, 
* Vt medicus, ●…erite tractat ●…ulnera, Q●…i o●…era retractat 〈◊〉 edia.   
Lest when goodmen shall view thy forlorn hearse,  
In thy reproach they cause this to be told  
To after-ages: Here he lies interted,  
Who erring knew, and in his knowledge erred. 
* Errando dis●…o.    

Sweet and delightful Poems canst thou make, 
* Qualis ergo ●…st ista, quae am multa de ●…aeteris novit, ●… se qualiter acta sit prorus ignorat●… August.   
Of Hymen rites, or Venus' dalliance,  
And pleasant seems the labour thou dost take,  
While to thy Pipe deluded Lovers dance:  
But in such sacred measures thou art slow,  
As teach men how to live, and what to know.   

Myrrha the wanton mother of a wanton,  
Gamesome the Mother and the Daughter too,  
Gives a fit subject for thy Muse to chant on,  
Relating what a Lover ought to do;  
In which lascivious strain, fond Love is brought  
To hate what's good, but to affect what's naught.   

Thou canst report how Romans joined were, 
Vid. Tit. Liu. in Dec. 1. & 3. Ouid. in fast.   
First with the Sabines, and what strange delights  
took their invention from those feasts were there,  
Duly solemnised on their nuptial nights;  
Of Sphinx, Charybdis, Scylla, Ctesiphon,  
With Proetus letters against 
* Who slew the two monsters Chimaera and Solymos in Lycia.  Bellerophon.   

These thou canst feature as Apelles, He  
The Prince of painters could not better show  
Their forms, than thou their natures, which may be  
Portrayers of thy wit and learning too:  
But what are these but shadows, if thou move  
Thy eye to those blessed objects are above?   

Lend but thy ear to airy warbling Birds,  
Which day by day sing pleasant madrigals;  
And thou shalt hear what praise the Lark affords, 
Lark.   
Whilst with sweet Hymns she on her maker calls, 
* A laudes ●…icendo dicitur Alauda.   
Where each repays their due in their degree,  
And much abashd do rest ashamed of thee.   

The flower which hath no sense, nor hath no feeling,  
Nor apprehends the difference of things,  
Performs her office in delight of smelling,  
Likewise the tree most fruitful blossoms brings:  
The Serpent, Adder, and each crawling worm,  
Have mutual duties given them with their form.   

The Basilisk the 
* The Pismire and Locust (of all other creatures) have no king nor leader. vid. AElian, & Plin. in nature. Hist.  king of Serpents is,  
The Lion of all beasts, the Cedar tree  
Is chief of Trees, Leviathan of fish,  
And man o'er these hath sole supremacy:  
Thus every Creature in her several kind,  
Hath several Lords and limits her assigned.   

Thou Lucian art endued 〈◊〉 at these want,  
And canst distinguish betwixt good and ill,  
Yet thou denies what other Creatures grant,  
And which is worse, thou so continuest still:  
Thou laughs at Adam's fall, and thinkest ashame,  
Man should avouch an Apple caused the same.   

woe worth that fruit that had so bitter taste,  
Bringing Perdition to the soul of man,  
That freeborn Creature, which so far surpassed  
Man's frail condition when it first began;  
That was an Apple that too dear cost,  
Which made so many souls for ever lost.   

If I should Catechise thee Lucian,  
And tell the virtue of each several thing;  
How reason first was distribute to man,  
And how the earth globe-like in air doth hang,  
The secret growth of Plants which daily grow,  
Yet 
* Spicas erevisse cernimus, eas autem quando c●…euerunt non cernimus.  how or when no humane sense can know.   

The 
* That starry Gallery embos●… with gold, fretted with orbs of Crystal, silvered over, with pearl paved, roofed with an Agate cover.  Fabric of the heaven, whose eminence  
Shows admiration to us that behold  
Her glorious Bodies sacred influence,  
Whose distinct Motion, who is't can unfold?  
None but the Author and the founder can,  
For it exceeds the reach of any man.   

If I should question thee, whence these derive  
Their proper Motion, it would thee behoove  
To yield, that some to these do Motion give,  
Since whatsoever moves doth by another move:  
Which thou confirms and adds, naught under Sun  
Is done in these, but is by Nature done.   

So thou 
* Holding with Albumazar tha●… his leading the children of Israel over the Red sea, was n●… more but observing the influence of Stars, and waning season of the Moon that withdraweth the tides; and that miraculous issuing of water ou●… of the rock, by the stroke of a rod was no more, but noting those spring-heads, whereto the wild asses resorted to quench their thirst.  refers that wonderful Creation,  
After the Deluge to a mortal wight,  
Discoursing vainly how Deucalion,  
Refurnished earth which was unpeopled quite;  
But thou deceived art, it's nothing so,  
For it was God that gave increase to Noe.   

We are his clay, we must confess his power,  
He is our Potter, whose divine command  
Can dash us earthen vessels in one 
b Whom th' morning sees so proudly go, ere evening come may lie full low, Senec.  hour,  
Subject unto the judgement of his hand;  
For he no sooner shall withdraw his breath,  
Then Man leaves to be Man, and welcomes death.   

Heaven's power to which no Mortal can extend,  
(Not to be argued or disputed on,)  
Because it's not in Man to comprehend,  
The radiant Splendour of the glorious Sun:  
Much less profounder secrets, which were framed,  
For admiration, not to be profaned.   


* We have heard of divers, exemplarily punished even in that wherein they cō●…emptuously profaned; as julian, Herodias, Bal●…hasar, and Thymelicus the enterlude-plaier; who dancing upon the scaffold in a Cope (a 〈◊〉 of the Church) fell down dead. Thymelico s●…ltatori, etc. Vid. Val. Maxi. lib. 1. cap. 2.  Profaned, if named without due reverence,  
To that Supreme all-working Majesty,  
Whose Palm contains this Earth's circumference,  
Whose praise takes accent from heaven's Hierarchy.  
Let not, O let not him who gave man tongue,  
To yield him praise, for silence make it dumb.   

Thou canst compose a song of Shepherd's lives,  
Spent in a pleasant vein of Recreation,  
How they sit chatting with their wanton wives,  
Tricking and toying in a Shepherd's fashion:  
This thou canst do, and it's done prettily,  
For it shows wit, yet spent unfittingly.   

O if thou would confine thyself in reason,  
And leave fond Poems of a doting Lover,  
Observing Nature's tone, tune, time, and season,  
How well would these seem to that powerful mover;  
Whose eyes are pure, and of that piercing sight,  
As they love light, but hate such works are light.   

But O too vaines the current of thy vain,  
Soiled with the Motives of untamed lust,  
Which lays upon thy Name that endless shame,  
As shall survive, when thou returned to dust,  
Shalt much lament those Poems thou hast writ,  
Through th'light conceit of thy licentious wit.   

Nor is it gain mou's thee to prostitute,  
That precious talon which thou dost possess;  
No, it's delight thou hast to gain repute,  
Amongst men made 
* Sicut Bellu●… sunt humanae, ita homine●… sunt belluini.  beasts through their voluptuousness  
O hate that affectation, lest this shelf,  
Of vain applause do ruinate thyself!   

For such esteem, what honour wilt afford,  
What comfort in the grave, where thou lies dead;  
When thy lascivious 
* By those st●…dies, which I affected, am I condemned, by those I praised, am I disparraged. Aug.  works shall bear record,  
Of what was by thee writ or published?  
Nay 'twill prejudice thee, it cannot choose,  
Vaines that opinion ill-men have of us.   

Thus thou sustains the height of misery,  
To see a 
* Two brothers, sons to Argi●… a Prophe●…esse i●… the temple of juno.  Cleobes and Biton graced,  
With honour, fame, desertful dignity,  
Thy glory pruned, thy laurell-wreath defaced:  
The triumphs of thy wit so quite forgot,  
As if (so fickle's fame) thou flourished not.   

Nor can we say those flourish, whose renown  
Consists in praise of vice, for though they seem●…  
Unto the world's eye so fully known,  
Yet they shall be as if they had not been;  
When vice, which to advance was their desire,  
Shall melt away as wax before the fire.   

Rest not, but labour Lucian to prefer  
The sage contents of sacred Mysteries,  
Before such Rithms as teach men how to err,  
Whose best instructions are but vanities;  
Which if thou do, wits Treasure shall increase,  
And crown thee Laureate in the Land of peace.   

Yet read not so, as not to understand  
The grave remainders of Times ancient Book;  
For what a folly is't to have in hand  
Books ne'er read over! This, that 
* In Demosthene magna pars Demosthenis abest, ●…um legitur & non auditur.  Sage for sooke,  
When in his course of reading He did use,  
The choicest flowers in every work to choose.   

Thus Lucian have I warned thee to forbear,  
That snarling humour, of detracting such  
Whose virtues shine as Stars in highest Sphere,  
Whose worthy Lives can well abide the touch;  
Defame not 
* Ea sola neque datur dono neque accipitur. Salus●….  virtue, rather emulate,  
Goodmen's example, that's a virtuous hate.    

The Argument of Stesichorus.  
STesichorus is feigned to have lost his eyes for dispraising Helen of Greece, and afterwards to have recovered the same by praising her. The Moral alludeth to such, who overborne with the unbounded height of their own conceit, distaste the opinion of a multitude, to make their own irregular judgement pass for current. These (as we say) use ever to swim against the stream, affecting that least, which seems approved by the most: scorning to guide their ship by another's Card, measure their life by another's line, or walk in a common path. Some other application may this Moral make, as One upon this fable would have Stesi●…horus to shadow a Malcontent, by whom things generally esteemed use to be most disvalued, delighting in nothing more than opposition. Others by way of similitude compare him to One, who by much gazing on the Sun becomes di●…-sighted; so He, by too intentive fixing his eye upon beauty, became blinded: the divine application whereof I leave to every man's peculiar conceit, not loving to press these further, than their own native sense will bear. The subject, where of this Satire intreateth, more particularly applied, may chance to glance at some whose singularity gains them Opinion above reason; but silence is their best salve, labouring rather to redeem the time, then reveal their own shame. Let them be of more humble nature, and I will spare to prosecute any further. Nihil tam volucre est quam maledictum, the poison whereof is as strong as the passage swift; the unworthiness of which condition as I have ever loathed, so a mild and temperate reproof for virtue's sake have I ever loved: not ignorant, how some vices (as other sores) are better cured by lenitives then corrosives, lest the Patient cry out— Graviora sunt, haud feram. judge of the Satire.   

THE FOURTH SATYR.  

STesichorus 
* A lyric Poet, famous for his sweet and pleasing vein.  like Zeuxes cannot paint,  
Nor like Lysippus can delineate;  
For than He would give that accomplishment  
To Helen's beauty, as might propagate  
Her fame to following times, when Ages pass,  
Which by Record might show what Helen was.   

Blind Byard now, see how thy judgement erred,  
By gazing long ●…n beauty thou art blind,  
Recanting all too late what thou averred,  
So different is th'opinion of that mind,  
Where only self-conceit draws men to show  
Their private judgement, given they care not how.   

Was she not fair that made all Troy to burn,  
That made Prince Paris wander to and fro,  
That made Queen Hecuba so sore to mourn,  
Both for herself and for her Issue too?  
Yes she was fair, how ere thy eye esteem her,  
Nor can conceit of one make beauty meaner.   

What made stout Menelaus pass the Sea?  
What Telamonius to rig his well-manned ship,  
What Aiax, what Achilles? It was she,  
Whose sweet ambrosiac breath and cherri-lip,  
Relished of Nectar, and infused a spirit,  
In Coward's breasts, to gain true fame by merit.   

Old subtle Sinon can prepare assault,  
Against the strongest battlements of Troy,  
Whilst armed Grecians in that ribbed vault,  
Pressed for encounter, purposed to destroy,  
Issue from Pallas horse, so aptly 
* It was made by Phereclus, who was after slain by Merion in the siege of Troy.  madè,  
As Troy had cause to curse the cunning jade.   

Art thou persuaded yet to praise her beauty,  
Sith Nature hath surpassed Her self in skill,  
As one engaged in some respect of duty,  
Unto her sex, to make them honoured still?  
O be persuaded, to her shrine repair,  
For howe'er thou says, thou thinks Her fair!   

Fair in proportion, motive in her pace,  
An eye as cheerful as the morning-Sunne,  
Her hair, her smile, her well-beseeming grace,  
By which so many Troyans' were undone:  
In brief, examine Her from top to toe,  
And then admire each part accomplished so.   

Such admiration as like Lynceus eyes,  
Transparent Brightness seems to penetrate:  
For if Apollo seeing Daphne's thighs,  
Waved by the Eastern wind, forgot his state,  
Himself and all, Proportion well may move,  
Since gods themselves were tossed by gusts of love.   

Did not fair Phyllis dote upon a Swain,  
She passing fair, and he a withered lad,  
Whence we may reason, none can love restrain,  
Nor set it limits which it never had:  
For when we have done all that we can do,  
It will have th'course and ready passage too.   

Yet love's so pure it can endure no stain,  
Stained Love is lust, which is not in her breast:  
Spotless content she seeks, which if she gain,  
She freely lives, and fairly takes her rest:  
But barred of this, without repose she lies,  
And dying lives, and living loathed dies.   

It is not Venus' 
* Naews erat veneri species▪ Helenaeque cicatrix gloria, quae Paridem fecit amore parem.  mole nor Helen's scar,  
Adds fuel to affection, for though these  
Gave beauty summons to commence Love's war,  
Yet outward graces do but only please,  
As Objects do the eye; where loves best part  
Consists not in the eye, but in the Heart.   

But now to thee, who did dispraise that fair,  
Whose beauty ruin'd Cities, now disclaim  
Thy purblind judgement, and withal compare  
Helen with Hero, or some choicer Dame:  
And then it may be 
* Lumi●…e qui semper proditur ipse suo.  Cupid will restore  
Thine eyes to thee, which He put out before.    

The Argument of Pygmalion.  
PIgmalion, whom no surpassing beauty in all Cyprus could captivate, at last having made a curious Image or Picture of an amiable woman, was so ravished with the accomplished proportion of his own work, that enamoured therewith, He entreated Venus to put life in his Image, which with such Artful delineature he had composed. Venus' taking commiseration upon his prayers and tears, infused life in his Picture, whereof He begat a beautiful daughter called Papho, from whom (or from Mount Paphos) Venus is said to have taken her name, styled sometimes by the Poets Eryca, sometimes Paphia: whose feasts with all ceremonial rites usually performed in the honour of an immortal goddess, were originally solemnised and celebrated only by the Shepherds of those Mountains, but afterwards more generally observed. The Moral includeth 
Note this you painted faces, whose native Country (once white Albion) is become radish, with blushing at your vanities.  the vain and foolish Loves of such as are besotted on every idle picture or painted Image, whose self-conceited vanity makes beauty their Idol, becoming Creatures of their own making, as if they dis-esteemed the creation of their Maker. The Satire though compendious, compriseth much matter. Read it, and make use of the sequel.   

THE fifth SATYR.  

PIgmalion rare, in rare Proportions making,  
Yet not in quickening that which He had framed,  
So exquisite in artful curious shaping,  
In naught (if Zeuxes judged) could He be blamed:  
Yet skilful though He were in forms contriving,  
Yet not so skilful in those forms reviving.  
Revived! I wrote amiss, they never lived:  
Improper then to say, they were revived.   

He builds him 
* Like those Pul●…inaria erected by the heathen for their Pagan images.  Temples for his Image-gods,  
And much be●…otted with their fair aspect,  
In admiration of his work, He nods,  
And shakes his Head, and tenders them respect;  
I cannot tell (quoth He) what passion moves me,  
But sure I am (quoth He) fair Saint I love thee,  
Thou art my handiwork, I wish my wife,  
If to thy fair Proportion thou hadst life.   

Canst thou Pygmalion dote so on shrines,  
On liveless Pictures, that was never rapt  
With any beauty Cyprus Ile confines?  
These (foolish man) be for thy Love unapt;  
They cannot answer Love for Love again,  
Then fond Pygmalion do thy Love restrain;  
Such ●…enslesse creatures as have only being,  
Have with embraces but an harsh agreeing.   

They have no moisture in their key cold lips,  
No pleasure in their smile, their colour stands;  
Whilst y●…uthfull Ladies on the pavement trips,  
They stand as Pictures 
* Quid agunt in corpore casto cerussa & minium, centumque venena colorū●… Victor. ad Sal●…onem.  should, with sapless hands;  
And well thou knows, if Passive be not moving,  
The Active part can yield small fruits of loving:  
Why art thou so besotted ●…till with wooing,  
Since there's no comfort when it comes to doing?   

Can any idle Idol without breath,  
Give thee a graceful answer to thy suit?  
Nay rather like dead corpse surprised by death,  
It answers silence when thou speaks unto't.  
Desist then (fond Pygmalion) and restrain  
To love that Creature cannot love again;  
What will it pleasure thee a shrine to wed,  
That can afford no pleasure in thy bed?   

Thou art not so 
*— Si●…e coniuge Caelebs Vivebat, thala mique diu consort 〈◊〉. Metam. 10. lib.  bewitched with any beauty,  
How fair so●…re w●…thin thy Native Isle,  
No Nymph can move thy Love, or force thy duty,  
As doth this Picture, whose art-forcing smile  
Can give thee small content, and wherefore then  
Should painted Statues so entangle men?  
It's love thou sayest, Pygmalion, that doth move thee,  
But thou loves such as cannot say they love thee.   

Turn thee unto lewd pasypha's lust,  
Wife to a brave and valiant 
* Minos' king of Crete.  Champion,  
Who on a Bull (see how affection must  
Pass Reasons limit) fond dotes upon;  

* Non frustra dictus Bos ovis Imb●…r Olor, Whence our English Poet as properly annexed this Distich, imitating the former in matter and manner: In vain jove was not styled right sure I am, From th'shape 〈◊〉 took of Bull, sheep, shower, and swan. vid. Ouid. in Metamorph.  jove on a Heifer, Danae of a shower,  
Such is the virtue of loves-working power:  
No time, place, object, subject, circumstance,  
Can still loves pipe, when Cupid leads the dance.   

Then who will ask the reason of thy Love,  
Which shows most strength when she can show least reason,  
And cannot Proteus-like with each blast move,  
Nor free herself from soule-deluding treason!  
She like the Moon is not each month in wain,  
For th'object of her love is of that strain,  
Nor land, nor sea, nor tempests though they thwart her  
Can fro●… her Sphere by Opposition part her.   

Do but torment Her with the sight of woe,  
Uexe her with anguish and with discontent,  
She will not make her friend in heart, her foe;  
No, if she were with depth of sorrows spent;  
Yet like 
* Which is elegantly expressed by our modern Poet.  Anthaeus, when she's most cast down,  
She gathers strength, and is not overthrown:  
She cannot break her vow, her legal oath, 
Whose fall (Anthaeus-like) provoked him more, And made him stronger than he was before.   
But means (if life permit) to keep them both.   

Then (honoured Picture) let me thee embrace;  
With that He hugged it in his lustful arms,  
And now and then He smeered the Pictures face,  
Praying the gods to keep it from all harms:  
And prayed (a senseless prayer) jove to defend,  
His Picture from diseases to the end;  
So to enjoy her dalliance with more pleasure,  
Whose presence He esteemed the precioused Treasure.   

Each even he used to dress it for his bed,  
For in a gown of Tissue was it clothed,  
And put a night-tyre on its ivory head,  
And when night came He made it be unclothed;  
Where, lest He should his lustful favours hide,  
He used to lay the Picture by his side,  
Where He drew to it as He saw it lie,  
But when it would not be, He wished to die.   

Ungrateful Creature (would Pygmalion say)  
That never dost afford one smile on me,  
That dallies thus with thee, each night, each day;  
Fair Saint, what needs this curiosity?  
While with a 
* Oscula dat●… reddique putat●…●…oquiturque 〈◊〉 netque. Met●… 10. lib.  kiss He oft his speech would break,  
By threats or fair entreats to make it speak:  
And when He had his fruitl●…sse prattling done,  
He would in rage call it an Idol dumb.   

But angry with himself, He straight would blame  
His too rash fury, craving pardon too,  
That he should style it with so harsh a Name,  
And wished him power to die, or it to do,  
Swearing by heaven, if sheet did chance to m●…ue,  
It was the nimble action of his Love..  
Coy-toying Girl (quoth He) what meaneth this,  
Is it your modesty, you will not kiss?   

Naught though it answered, he would prosecute  
His wooing task, as if it stood denying,  
And thus would urge it; Dear accept my suit,  
Be not so fearful, fear thou not espying,  
I have excuses store, then listen me;  
For I will vow I was enam'ling thee:  
Then sport thee wench, securely frolic it,  
That I on thee a Niobe may get.   

Thus whilst He vainly prattled to his Shrine,  
Aurora with her radiant beams appeared,  
And blushing red, as if she taxed the time,  
For such licentious motions, slily peered  
In at a chink, whereby she did discover  
An idol courted by an idle Lover:  
And scarce Aurora now had time to show her,  
But fond Pygmalion made this speech unto her:   

What have I done (thou jealous light) said He,  
That I should thus deprived be of loving?  
What couldst thou do, to add more misery,  
Then in thy speedy rising, hasty moving?  
Thou might have spared one day, and hid thy light,  
Enjoining Earth to have a 
* Vt geminata duos nox inclyta iungat amo●…es.  double night,  
Where ghastly furies in oblivion sit,  
For dark misdeeds for darkness be most fit.   

But He cut off his speech with many groan,  
Hastening to rise, yet went to bed again,  
And as He goes, He sees the darkness gone,  
And Phoebus' coursers galloping amain:  
Which seen, at last He rose with much ado,  
And being up, began afresh to woe;  
Yet having so much sense as to perceive,  
How he had erred, He ceaseth now to crave.   

For He intends to work another way,  
By Invocation on some heavenly power,  
The only means his passion to allay;  
Which to perform, retiring to his bower,  
He made these Orisons: Venus fair Queen,  
Than whom in heaven or earth ne'er like was seen,  
Be thou propitious to my prayers, my tears,  
Which at thy Throne and Pedestal appears.   

I whom nor Swain nor Nymph could ere inchant,  
Am now besotted with a senseless creature,  
Whom though I do possess, yet do I want,  
Wanting life breathing in her comely feature,  
Which by infusing life if thou supply,  
I'll live to 
* By offering sacrifice to Venus in the I'll of Cyprus.  honour thee, if not, I die;  
For what is life where discontent doth reign,  
But such a farm as we would fain disclaim?   

Venus much moved with his obsequious prayers,  
And liquid tears, his suit did satisfy,  
Infusing breath into her senseless veins,  
Now full of juice, life, and agility;  
Which being done, the Picture moved, not missing  
To lure Pygmalion to her lips with kissing,  
Reaping great joy and comfort in their toying,  
Deprived before of bliss, blest now enjoying.   

Blessed in enjoying and possessing that,  
Which doth include true Love's felicity,  
Where two are made joint owners of one state,  
And though distinct, made one by unity;  
Happy than I, (Pygmalion did reply,)  
That have possession of this Deity,  
No humane creature but a Paragon,  
Whose liveless form once Nymphs admired on.   

This said, she straight retires unto the place,  
Where she her moulding had, by whom she now  
(I mean Pygmalion) obtained such grace,  
As He her maker and her husband too,  
took such content in his now-breathing wife,  
As they scarce differed once in all their life,  
But this was then: Let this suffice for praise,  
Few wives be of her temper now adays.   

The fair and fruitful daughter He begat, 
De sobole ●…igmalionis.   
Of this same lively Image had to name,  
Papho the fair, a wench of Princely state,  
From whence 
* Illa Paphum genuit, de quo tenet insula nomen. Ibidem.  I'll Paphos' appellation came,  
Consecrate unto Venus, beauty's Queen,  
By whose aspect that I'll is ever green;  
Wherein there is a pleasant Mirtle-grove,  
Where a shrine stands to show Pygmalion's love.    

The Argument of Pytheas.  
PYtheas an Athenian Orator much delighted with good clothes, and proud of his own tongue: when law began to grow out of request (for the Athenians endeavoured to bring in Pla●…oes commonweal) whereby the Court of the Areopagitas became much weakened, and the frequency of Clients discontinued; Acolytus a bitter Satirist, chancing to meet with Pytheas this spruce Lawyer in rend clothes, at a●…bare Ordinary, living upon Pythagoras' diet, viz. roots; observed this unexpected mutation, and with Democritus ready to laugh at others misery, compiled this short Satire, to add new fuel to Pytheas discontent.   

THE sixth SATYR.  

PYtheas a Lawyer of no small respect,  
Garded, regarded, dips his tongue in g●…ld,  
And culls his phrase, the better to effect  
What He and his penurious Client would;  
Upon his back for all his antic shows,  
More clothes He wears then how to pay He knows.   

And what's the reason; he hath Law at will,  
Making a good face of an evil matter,  
And every day his thirsty purse can fill;  
With gold thou liest; with naught but wind and water:  
I'll tell thee why, Plato's new Commonweal,  
Makes Pytheas leave off pleading, and go 
* Siste latrare foris, & promove coepta latronis.  steal.   

What Pytheas, steale? is't possible, that He  
That had a Pomander still at his nose,  
That was perfumed with balls so fragrantly,  
Should now another trade of living choose?  
He must and will, nor dare He show his face  
Half casement-wide, that opened many a case.   

The other day but walking on the street,  
I saw his velvet gerkin laid to pawn, 
Si●… toga, sic crines, pignor●… iuris ●…rant.   
His grave Gregorian, for his head more meet,  
Then Broker's shop, and his best pleading gown;  
Nay which was more, mark Pytheas conscience,  
There lay to pawn his Client's evidence.   

But it's no marvel, Pride must have a fall,  
Who was on Cockhorse borne through Fortune's stream,  
Is now cashiered from th' Areopagites Hall,  
And on each bulk becomes a common theme:  
O blessed vacation, may thou never cease,  
But still have power to silence such as these!   

Well, farewell Law▪ if Lawyers can be poor,  
For I esteemed them only blest in this,  
That Danae's lap with gold-distilling shower,  
Had made them line all heirs to earthly bliss:  
But since these conscript fathers we adore,  
Feel want of wealth, we'll worship them no more.    

The Argument of Periander.  
PEriander that wise Prince of Corinth, elected one of the Sages of Greece, fell in his old age to poverty; whereby, though his Axioms were no less esteemed, his divine Aphorisms no less regarded, (as held for the very 
* Vid. Laer. de vit. Phyloso.  Oracles of some superior power) yet the respect which former time had of him grew lessened, through the decrease of his friends and fortunes: which was no sooner perceived, than the distressed Sage lamenting the world's blindness, that useth to be taken sooner with a vain shadow then any solid substance, wrote this Satirical Elegy in a pensive mood, inveighing against the uncertain and inconstant affections of men, who measure happiness not by the inward but outward possessing. Whereby He inferreth, that howsoever the wiseman may seem miserable, He is not so, but is more rich in possessing nothing, than the covetous fool in enjoying all things: for his estimation is without him, whereas the other hath his within Him, which is to be more preferred, (I mean the minds treasure, before the rubbish of this world,) then light before darkness, the radiant beams of the Sun before thick and dusky clouds, or pure and temperate air before foggy and contagious vapours.   

THE SEVENTH SATYR.  

Ungrateful Greece, that scorns a man made poor  
Respecting not the treasure of his mind,  
Whose want of wealth must shut him out of door;  
The world's no friend to him that cannot find 
Virtus post nummos.   
A mass of gold within their mouldered cell,  
No matter how they get it, ill or well.   

This I experienced of, may well perceive,  
Even 
* Whose fathers was Cypselus, descending from the Heraclyd family.  Periander I, of late a Sage  
Of stately Greece, whom now she'll not receive,  
Because oppressed with want, surprised with age;  
Even I, that of the 
* Ephorus was among the Lacedæmonians as Tribunus among the Romans.  Ephori was one,  
One of the chiefest, but now retires alone.   

Yet not alone, though none resort to me,  
For wisdom will have sociats to frequent her:  
And though proud Greece from hence should banish thee,  
Friends thou hast store, will knock and knocking enter:  
And firm 
* Amicis & faelicibus & infaelicibus eundem te prebe. Laert. in senten. Periand.  friends too, whose virtues are so pure,  
Vice may assay, but cannot them allure.   

With what respect was I once graced by you,  
You gorgeous outsides, Fortune's painted wall,  
When rich; but poor, you bid my rags adieu,  
Which did at first my troubled mind appall;  
But noting well the 
* Be not afraid (saith Petrarch) though the house (the body be shaken) so the soul, (the guest of the body) fare well. Petrarch. de Remed. utriusque fortunae.  world's inconstant course,  
I thought her scorn could make me little worse.   

Remorseless Greece, wert thou of marble made,  
Thou might shed tears to see thy Sage dismayed,  
By whose direction thou hast oft been stayed,  
When both thy hope decreased, and fame decayed;  
Both which restored by Him, got that report,  
To Him and his, as thou admired him for't.   

Yet canst thou not discern, 'twixt wisdom's strain,  
And those discording tones of vanity,  
For all thy aim is benefit and gain,  
And these are they thou makes thy Deity;  
To second which, this caution thou dost give,  
Who know not to dissemble, cannot live.   

I know thy follies, and will brute them too,  
For thou hast moved my spleen, and I must speak,  
Since thou applies no salve to cure my woe, 
Demadis saying ●…as, that Dra●…oes laws were ●…ritten with ●…loud and not ●…ith ink.   
I must complain perforce, or heartstrings break;  
justice is turned to wormwood in your land,  
And corrupt dealing gets the upper hand.   

You itch (and out of measure) with desire  
Of hearing novelties, and strange devices,  
And scorched with heat of lusts-enraged fire,  
Set marks of Love, make sale of Venus' prizes:  
Broad-spreading vice, how dear soe'er it cost,  
To purchase it, you'll vie with who bids most.   

You Hydra-headed monsters full of poison,  
Infecting every place with stinking breath, 
Plin. in nat. hist. Alcyat. in Emblem.   
What ere proceeds from you is very noisome,  
And like the Basilisk procuring death:  
I care not for your hatred, if your love  
Like Triton's ball, with such inconstance move.   

These fleering flies which flicker to and fro,  
And beat the vain air with their rustling wings,  
Be their own foes, and they profess them so,  
When they their wings with flames of fury cinge;  
For they whose hate pursues a guiltless one,  
With 
* Ixion's wheel, Tantalus apples, and Sisyphus stone: peculiar punishments inflicted on these persons for their lust, avarice, & cruelty, as the Poets fain.  Sisyphus do role his restless stone.   

You cannot grieve me with your enmity,  
Nor much offend me with your hateful breath,  
For ill men's love and hate, are equally  
Prized by the good, whose chiefest aim is death,  
And how to die: for much it doth not skill,  
What ill-men speak of us, or good or ill.   

What golden promises did I receive,  
Yet see their issue; base contempt and scorn  
o'er my dejected state triumphed have:  
So as proud Greece unmindful to perform  
What merit craves, and what she's bound to do,  
Neglects my want, and glories in it too.   

Bias my Brother-sage I now remember,  
Shipwrecked in Priene I'll, whose woeful case  
Seems to resemble fate▪ crossed Periander,  
Like janus' statue, showing face to face;  
Let's then, since equal fortune frowns on either,  
(Kind Bias) sound our woeful plaints together.   

Let Priene I'll relate thy hard mischance,  
Let 
* Or Corinth in Greece.  Greece bewail my fall, my ruin'd state,  
Thou while on Sea thy exiled ship doth lance,  
Thou lightly weighs th'inconstancy of fate:  
Rouse Periander then, that't may be said,  
Thy 
* Infaelicem dicebat, qui ferre nequiret infaelicitatem. in vit. Bi.  patience hath thy fortune conquered.   

Get thee to Schools, where pure Philosophy  
In public places is sincerely taught,  
And thou shalt hear, there's no calamity,  
Can daunt a spirit resolved to droop with naught  
That want or woe can menace, for though woe,  
Make 
* Omnia adversa exercitationes accidentibus bonis esse puta●…. vid. Bo●…t. in lib de malis. Potest dici miser, non potest less. ibid.  goodmen wretched seem, they are not so.   

Well may misfortunes fall on our estate,  
Yet they're no blemish to our inward worth,  
For these are but the gifts of purblind fate,  
That domineers sole sovereigness on earth;  
But we are placed in an higher seat,  
Then to lie prostrate at Dame Fortune's feet.   

Her palsy hand wherewith she holds her ball,  
Moves with each blast of mutability,  
And in whose lap she lists, she lets it fall,  
Thus mocks she man with her inconstancy;  
Then who is he (if wise) esteems her treasure,  
No sooner given, then ta'en when we displease her.   

She fauns, she frowns, she lasts not out a Moon,  
But wanes each month, and waning doth decrease:  
Those whom she did advance, she now throws down,  
And those which liked Her once, do now displease:  
Thou reeling wheel, that moves so oft a day,  
That weaves thy 
* Sic licium texit, sic telae stamina soluit  waif, and takes thy web away.   

Titus that Prince so much admired by men,  
Styled Man's Darling for his courteous mind, 
Sueton. Tran●… in vit. Tit.   
Did think all powers by fate to have their reign,  
As if she had no limits Her assigned,  
But (though divinely-learn'd) did err in this,  
For fates be ruled by supreme 
* Quicquid bon egeris in Deos refer.  Deities.   

Then why should I (fond man) so much depend, 
Laert. in. vit. Phil.   
Upon a Creature, which hath her existing  
In a Superior power, and doth extend  
No further than heavens please? for her subsisting,  
Essence, power, Empire, sovereign command▪  
Hath her direction from jehovahs' hand.   

Rest thee then Periander, and despise  
Uulgar opinion swayed by multitude,  
Thou was esteemed once for to be wise,  
Show it in public; let lives enter lude  

* Vniversus mundus exercet Histrionem.  Acted by thee upon this world's stage,  
Contemn that Greece which scorns distressed age.    

The Historical Argument of Terpnus Musician unto Nero; with a Satire annexed to it as followeth.  
TErpnus a Roman Lyric, or as some will have him, a common Cytharede, with whom Nero, that precedent to Tyrants used to consort, and with whose admirable skill he was exceedingly delighted: in process of time fell into Nero's disgrace, for playing to him at Agrippina his mother's funerals: where he sung the dismal and incestuous bed of Orestes, the cruelty of Sphinx, reviling at their tyranny; which so greatly displeased Nero, that he banished him his Court and royal Palace, enjoining him withal never to frequent the Muse's Temple.  
The Moral importeth Such, as laying aside time-observing, do not sew pillows to their Prince's elbows, but with bold and resolved spirit, will with Calisthenes tell Alexander of his drunkenness, with Canius tell Tiberius of his cruelty, with Brutus tell Caesar of his usurping, with Cato Censorius will reprehend the Commonweal for her rioting. And true it is, that a Commonwealth is better governed (if of necessity it must be governed by either) by Cynics than Epicures, more offences for most part arising by alluring and inducing men to sensual pleasures, then by Spartas Damasymbrotos, his restraining of youth. The Laconians never lived so securely, as when they lived barely; nor ever did Rome's Commonwealth dilate her bounders more than by the practice of legal austerity, nor decrease more than by introduction of lawless liberty. And yet I find it more rare to hear any admonitions but Placentia in the Court's presence; then to see a grave and demure seeming, cover an hypocrites rank dissembling. We have more 
* Aiming no less at privy glo●…ers and deluders, than a●… aspiring plotters, and stateintruders.  Seiani (which I wish had Seians fall) then Vticani to provide for a Commonweals safety. There were many could greet Caesar with an Aue, but there were few would put him in mind of his Memento mori. Many could persuade Phaeton that he could guide the Sun's chariot in better order than his gray-haired father, but by assenting to their persuasions, he was like to make a flame of the world. Nothing more dangerous to the state of a well-governed Commonweal, than Parasites, the tame beasts of the City (as Diogenes calls them). If the persuading sycophancy of Times-obseruancie had not besotted Candaules with his wife's beauty, he had prevented that miserable event which by his own Gyges was practised and performed. Dicit Varius, negat Scanrus, v●…ri creditis? Varius affirms it, Scaurus denies it, whether believe you? The one sincerely void of dissembling flattery: the other glosingly void of truth and verity. By the one we are subject to the ruin of our state: by the other advanced to a firmer constancy than such as may be any way subject to mutability. Nero in the beginning of 
* Quin quennium ero.  his time banished all the Spintriae, Inuento●…s of beastly pleasures out of his kingdom; I would he had banished time-observing flatterers, and that he had retained such as Terpnus, that would reprehend him in his enormities. julius Caesar was too much addicted to his Parasites, but his successor Augustus was— ad accipiendas amicitias rarissimus, ad retinendas vero constantissimus. It was long ere he would entertain a friend, but being retained, he was most constant in his favour towards him. The old approbation of friendship comes into my mind, to eat a bushel of salt ere we be acquainted. We may try our friends as Pylades did his Orestes, Damon his Pythias, Aeneas his Achates, but it will be long I fear me, ere any of us possess such impregnable Assistants, such Precedents of true friendship. The skilful Painter when he depictures an unthankful man, because he cannot well delineate him in his colours, without some proper Motto better to explain him, representeth him in the Picture of a Viper, that killeth her feeder. There be many such Vipers, which appear in external show as true hearted as Turtles, I fear th●…m more than the open force of mine enemy: for these sugared kisses bring destruction to the receiver. Boaethius defining a good man, saith: He may be thus defined: he is a good man— cui nullum bonum malumue sit, nisi bonus malusue animus: to whom nothing is esteemed either good or evil, but a good or an evil mind; and what effectually maketh this evil mind, but either an inbred evil disposition, which ariseth from the crookedness of his nature, or from the evil persuasions of depraved time-obseruers: for the best natures be (for the most part) soon perverted & seduced. Then how necessary is it to ●…oote out so noisome and pestilent a weed as flattery, which corrupteth the affections of the worthiest and most pregnant wits, as daily example hath well instructed us? How hateful was it to that worthy Theban Prince, Agesilaus, that memorable mirror of justice (& no less hateful to our renowned Prince, whose exquisite endowments make him as eminent abroad, as us blessed at home) to see a flatterer in his Palace? nay so much contemning popular applause, that he would not suffer his Statue to be erected, lest thereby the vain and profane adorations of his subjects should grieve the gods, disdaining that veneration of any mundane power, should be confusedly mixed with adoration and worship of the gods immortal: well remembering Hesiods caveat— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we must not mix profane worships with divine. That Courtgate in Rome 
The Parasitegate.  called Quadrigemina, I would have it demolished in Troynovant, lest her estate second Roms' slavery. Cicero thinks that no vice can be more pernicious than assentation, the very helper and furtherer of all vices. She can give life and being to the aspiring thoughts of man, when He soars too ambitiously, to the perch of preferment, honour, or the like. That wicked Catiline who conspired against Rome, and aspired to the Diadem, seeking to reduce the Empire from a government Aristocraticke, to a Catilines Monarchy; was egged & instigated thereto by complices fit for that purpose, and well sorting with such an agent, such a cruel practitioner— Incredibilia, immoderata & nimis alta semper cupiendo, in desiring things incredible, immoderate, and too high above ordinary reach. The like befell upon Carba, and those who sought to dissolve the Roman Monarchy, & to make it an oligarchy or some other government, which was uncertain, because their intendments never came to their accomplished ends. These things thus considered in their natures, I have here described Terpnus▪ sincerity in reprehending Nero's cruelty, concluding with Flaccus Dysti●…h.  — Hic murus ahaeneus esto, Nil conscire sibi nulla, pallescere culpa. 
What hard mischance so ere to thee befall, Let thy pure conscience be the brazen wall.  
The Satire ensueth, which most especially aimeth at time-observers, some whereof in particular I have instanced, as Sejanus, Perennius, Sycites; the dismal events whereof with their Tragic ends, I have amply described.   

THE EIGHTH SATYR.  

TErpnus 
* Terpnum tha●…aedum gentem tur praeter alio accersijt. in Nero.  Musician to a tyrant Prince,  
Nero by name, did in the f●…neralls  
Which were solemnised on his mother's hearse,  
Sing on his Lute these woeful tragicalls:  
Where every strain he struck upon his string,  
Did vex the conscience of the tyrant king.   

Incestuous 
* Inter caet cantavit Ca●… cem parturi●… tem, Oreste●… matricidam●… Oedipodem●… excaecatum, Herculem in num, etc. S●… in vit. Ner.  Oedipus who slew his father,  
Married his mother, and did violate  
The law of nature, which advised him rather  
Single to live, then take to such a state,  
Becomes a subject fit, for this sad hearse,  
Where ink gives place to blood to write her verse.   

Cruel Orestes bathed his ruthless sword,  
Estranged from strangers, in his mother's blood,  
So little pity did the child afford  
To Her, that was the parent of the brood;  
Yet some excuse for this Orestes had,  
Mad men exemption have, and He was mad.   

Sphinx subtle Giant, who did riddles put  
Unto each passenger He met withal,  
Which, who could not resolve He piecemeal cut,  
Throwing them from steep rocks whence they should fall,  
Whereby their members broke and crushed in pieces,  
Remained as food in Sea to silly fishes.   

Yet this he did upon mature advice,  
For who soe'er He were assoiled this question,  
Was not oppressed by him in any wise,  
But might with safest conduct travel on;  
Where thou foul Matricide dost infants vex,  
Without respect of person, state, or sex.   

There is no sex which may exempted be,  
From thy insatiate hand imbrued in blood, 
●…iuis gaudet ●…ma cruore. 〈◊〉.   
But waxing proud in others misery,  
Dost tyrannize upon poor womanhood:  
Bloodthirsty Tyrant there's prepared a doom,  
To startle thee that ripped thy mother's womb.   

Raving Orestes heard a furious cry,  
Which did attend his frenzy to his grave,  
And did disturb his restless sleep thereby,  
So as save troubled dreams He naught could have:  
With many broken sleeps, to show his guilt,  
Of his dear mother's blood, which He had spilt.   

Which poor Orestes had no sooner heard, 
●…git ab agro 〈◊〉 civitatem, à ●…blico ad do●…m, à domo 〈◊〉 cubiculum. ●…ugust. in e●…ar. 〈◊〉. 45. Psal.   
Then to his pillow in a dismal sort,  
Straight He retired, and being much afeard,  
Lest hell and horror should convent him for't,  
With hands lift up to heaven and hideous cry,  
He oft would curse himself, and wish to die.   

Turn me (ye gods) quoth he, to some wild beast, 
●…estes 〈◊〉.   
Some savage Lion, or some Tiger fierce,  
Since I delight so much in blood to feast,  
For who can with remorse my deeds rehearses  
Which if time should with her oblivion smother,  
Blood cries revenge, revenge me cries my mother.   

Worse than the beasts thou art, they cherish them,  
And bring their parent's food when they grow old:  
Who then can deign to look on thee for shame,  
That hast defaced that form that gave thee mould?  
The tender Stork that sees her parents lack, 
* Basilius' 〈◊〉 8. 9   
Will bring them food, and bear them on her back.   

But thou a mirror of impiety,  
Deprives thy parent of her vital breath,  
And makes her subject to thy cruelty,  
Thus she that gave thee life, thou gives her death:  
A sweet reward; O then ashamed be,  
Thou stain of Greece, that Greece should harbour thee.   

Thus would Orestes frame his sad discourse,  
With words as vile as were his actions foul,  
To move his frantic passions to remorse,  
Which long (too long) had triumphed o'er his soul;  
Nor could he find unto his woes relief,  
Till 
* He was so vexed with furies (the revengers of his mother's blood) that he wandered mad up and down till he came to Taurica, where he foun●… an end of his troubles. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  death did end his life, and cure his grief.   

If all his tears and ruthful miseries,  
Could never expiate his mother's death,  
To what extent shall thy calamities  
Grow to in time, that stops thy mother's breath,  
Even A grippinaes breath, whose cursed birth,  
Makes her to curse the womb that brought thee forth?   

This Nero notes, and noting shows his ire,  
By outward passions, yet concealeth it,  
Resolved ere long to pay the minstrels hire,  
When time and opportunity should fit;  
For tyrants have this property 'boue other,  
They mean revenge, yet their revenge can smothe●…   

And so did Nero, whose perplexed mind,  
Guilty of what was ill, seemed to admire  
His Art in Music, rather than to find  
Any distaste, lest He should show the fire,  
Which lay raked up in ashes, and display  
What time might slight, but could not take away.   

Yet he began to scowl and shake the head,  
With eyes as fierie-red as Aetna's hill,  
Willing him straight to other acts proceed,  
And silence them that parent's blood did spill:  
Sing to thy Lute (quoth he) strains of delight,  
To cheer th'attendants of this woeful 
* Agrippina's funerals.  sight.   

Terpnus did pass unto another theme,  
Yet still relates He in the end of all,  
The facts of Oedipus, Orestes shame,  
How and by what effects succeed'd their fall;  
Whereby (as well it was by all perceived)  
Nero the tyrant inwardly was grieved.   

Terpnus continued in his Lyric ode,  
So long as Nero in his throne remained,  
But now impatient longer of abode,  
Wearied with audience (for so he feigned)  
Terpnus left off from prosecuting further,  
The sad relation of this cruel 
* For which no law amongst the Pagans' was enacted: imagining, none could be so brutish as commit such vn●…turall cruelty.  murder.   

But see the Tyrant, who before delighted  
More with the music of good Terpnus lyre,  
Then any thing which ere his soul affected,  
Never more strains of Terpnus did require;  
For being grieved, each day his grieues increased,  
Till Terpnus exile made his grieues appeased.   

Yet not 
* For having slain his mother, he saw in his sleep a ship, the rudder whereof was wrested from him guiding it, whence he was haled by Octau. to most hideous darkness. ibid.  appeased, for each day each night,  
He heard the hideous cries of Furies shrieking:  
Oft would He turn himself before daylight,  
But got no rest, his body out of liking,  
Yet tyrannised in spilling blood apace,  
Act upon act as one bereft of grace.   

Sometimes He saw his mother haling him,  
With womb new-riped; there 
* In vit. Ner.  Sporus whom He sought,  
To make of man a woman drag him in;  
Here sundry Matrons whom he forced to naught, 
Like the vision appeared to Tiberius crying 〈◊〉 — Red Germanicum.   
And slew defiled, which fixed on Him their eye,  
Which seen, He fled, but flying could not fly.   

O conscience, what a witnesses thou brings,  
Against Him that injures thee, where no content  
Can give hours respite to the state of kings,  
Thou of thyself art sole-sufficient,  
To hale or heal, to hale from life to death,  
Or heal the wound of which he languisheth?   

Behold here Terpnus courage, to correct  
The great abuses of his Prince's mind,  
Whose pomp, port, power, He lightly doth respect,  
To tax those crimes to which He is inclined:  
He's no Court-Adder that will wind him in,  
To Prince's grace by praising of his sin.   

O I could wish we had such Terpni many,  
Who would not soothe nor flatter, but auo●…ch,  
Black to be black: but there's I fear not any,  
Too few at least, I doubt me rightly such;  
And yet me thinks such Phoenix's might build here,  
Within this I'll, as well as other where. 
Vid. Cornel. Tacit. & Sueto. Tranq. in vit. Tib.    

Sejanus, let him bloom in other coasts,  
And purchase honour with his flattery,  
Let his aspiring thoughts make private boasts,  
To raise his Fortunes to a monar●…hie,  
He cannot prospero here▪ for w●…y, we kno●…,  
State-ruine from Court-parasites may grow.   

So Seian thought (what have not Traitors thought)  
To curry favour with the Senators,  
The better to achieve what He had wrought,  
By secret plots with his conspirators;  
Faire-tonged, false-heart, whose deepe-contriving brai●…  
Gave way to ruin, where He thought to reign.   

But He's well gone, Rome is dispatched of one  
That would have made combustion in the state,  
Whose death made Hers rejoice, but His to moan▪  
Who on his fall built their unhappy fate;  
For Treason like a linked chain doth show,  
Which broke in one, doth bre●…ke in others too.   

Next whom Perennius, whose affected grace,  
Italian-like, seemed as composed by art,  
May for his smoothing humour take the place,  
Who sole-possessor of a Prince's heart,  
The youthful Commodus, did so allure him,  
As his advice seems only to secure him.   

Fair Prince (quoth he) if any worldly wight, 
A 〈◊〉 dor.   
May solace those fair corpse framed curiously,  
Express Her only when she comes in sight,  
And I your pleasure soon will satisfy;  
Your Uncle he's too strict, he's too severe, 
— Exeat aul●… Qui vult esse pius. Lucan. ●…. 〈◊〉.   
To coop you up in ●…ilence always here.   

What privilege have Princes more than we,  
If they deprived be of open air?  
What comfort reap they in their Empirie,  
If Nestor-like, they still sit in their chair?  
No, no, dear Prince, you know a Prince is borne  
To be his subject's terror, not their scorn.   

No. Theatre reared in your royal Court,  
Turney, lust, Barrier, should solemnised be,  
To which a Roman Prince should not resort,  
Amazing Ladies with his majesty;  
O than it is a shame for your estate,  
To seem in aught for to degenerate!   

How gorgeously did Rome demean her then,  
When young Vitellius did 
* Banketti●…g ●…uer three times, and n●…w and then four tim●…s aday. in vit. Vit●…ll.  banquet it,  
Serving at table miriads of men,  
With lusty Ladies which did revel it?  
Yet you more high in state, more ripe in wit,  
Must Hermit-like in cell retired sit.   

Shake off these Sages which do now attend you,  
For they like fetters do restrain your pace;  
Give lustful youth in every part his due, 
Nec fuge me (f●…giebat enim) iam pascua Lernae, etc. Lib. 1. Meta.   
Let sprightly gallants take the Sages place,  
By which enthroned secure, you may command,  
As▪ jove erst did, with Io in his hand.   

This did Perennius move, and took effect,  
Green thoughts receive too aptly wanton seed,  
Remaining with the Prince in chief respect,  
As they are wont, who Princes humours feed;  
Till He conspiring to usurp the crown, 
Vid. Aur●…l. Sex. in epit. Herod. in vit. Commod.   
Amidst his honours was cast headlong down.   

Where he received a doom that served for all,  
(Like doom still breath on such infectious breath)  
For soaring thoughts must have as low a fall,  
Whose fawning lives play prologue to their d●…ath:  
For well I k●…ow no bane on earth can be  
Worse to the State then rust of 
* Vid. Ciceronem in Laelio prope finem, etc.  flattery.   

Then should these last-ensuing times beware,  
Lest they commit offences of like kind,  
Which in the common wealth procure that jar,  
As by their projects we subversion find:  
For they deprave the virtues of the best,  
And in the highest Cedars build their nest.   

Sycites, he whose sycophants pretence,  
Made woeful havoc of his Common weal,  
Abusing much his Prince's innocence,  
At last by time (as time will all reveal)  
Became displeased, who as He was afo  
Unto the state, the state adjudged him so.   

AN ADMONITION.  

BE thou a Terpnus to restrain abuse,  
Sin-training pleasures fraught with vanity;  
Be thou no Seian, no Perennius,  
To humour vice to gain a Monarchy;  
Be not Sycites, let examples move thee,  
And thou wil●… cause the Commonweal to love thee.     

The Argument of Epicurus, as in the first Satire familiarly expressed, so now in his miserable end with lively colours described.  
EPicurus, who first invented that sect of Epicurism, delighting in nothing save voluptuous pleasures and delights, in the end being grievously vexed with the stopping of his urine, and an intolerable pain and extremity of his belly exulcerated, became mightily tormented; yet besotted with the fruition of his former pleasure, (so violent are customary delights) thus concluded: O quam f●…lici exitu fi●…em expectatum vitae 〈◊〉 imposui? With how happy an end do I limit 〈◊〉 course and progress of my life? The moral 〈◊〉▪ cludes such, as have lived in security, and ca●…▪ lesnesse, respectless of God or his judgement; an●… even now ready to make an end of so haple●… & fruitless a race, close up the date of their life 〈◊〉 securely as they lived carnally. The second 〈◊〉 tire in the former Section comprehends the lik●… subject, though the one seem more general v●… der the name of Pandora, implying a gouerne●… and directress in all pleasures, or exhibitresse o●… all gifts: The other more particular, containing one private and peculiar Sect, even the Epicures, who thought that the chief good consi●…ted in a voluptuous and sensual life, expecting no future doom after the term and end of this life.  
Here consider the momentany and frail course of this short and unconstant life, tossed and turmoiled with many turbulent billows, exposed to sundry s●…lfs of perilous assaults, many homebred and foreign commotions; in which it behoveth us (like expert Pilots) to be circumspect i●… so dangerous a voyage, lest sailing betwixt Scyll●… and Charybdis, presumption and despair, by encountering either we rest shipwracked: where if any (which is rare to find) pass on untroubled, yet must He of necessity conclude with Senec●…▪ No●… tempestate vexor, sed nausea. So slow is every one to proceed graduate in virtues Academi●…▪— it a ut non facile est reputare, utrum inhonestioribus corporis partibus rem qaeusierit, an amiserit: 〈◊〉 Cicero well observeth in his Declamation against Sallust. For who is he of so pure and equal temper, whose manlike resolution holds him from being drawn and alured by the vain baits and deceits of worldly suggestions? where there be more of Penelope's companions in every stew, in every brothel of sin and wantonness, than ever in any age before. Every one ut Lutulentus sus— as a hog wallowing in the mire of their vain conceits, rove from the mark of piety and sobriety▪ into the broad sea of intemperance and sensuality: but none more of any Sect than Epicurism, which like a noisome and spreading Canker, eats into the body and soul of the professor, making them both prostitute to pleasure, and a very sink of sin. The Satire will explain their defects more exactly, which followeth.   

THE NINTH SATYR.  

THat Epicurus who of late remained  
Subject to every fowl impiety,  
Now with distempers and night-surfets pained,  
Bids mirth adieu, his sole felicity:  
His urine stopped wants passage from his veins,  
Which gives increase to hi●… incessant pains.   

Yet feels He not his soules-afflicted woe,  
Unmindful (wretched man) of her distress,  
But pampers that which is his greatest foe,  
And first procured his soul's unhappiness:  
He cannot weep, He cannot shed a tear,  
But dying laughs, as when He lived here.   

His Bon-companions drinking healths in wine,  
Carousing flagons to his health receiving,  
Whose sparkling noses taper-like do shine,  
Offer him drink whose 
* Resembling ●…ne Elderton, on whom this inscription was writ: here lieth ●…runken Elder●…on, in earth now ●…hrust: what said 〈◊〉 thrust? nay ●…ather here lies ●…hirst. ●…n Rem. of a greater work.  thirsty mind is craving:  
For though He cannot drink, yet his desire▪  
Is to see others wallow in the mire.   

Turn him to heaven He cannot, for He knows not  
Where heavens blessed mansion hath her situation:  
Tell him of heaven's fruition, and he shows not  
The least desire to such a contemplation:  
His sphere inferior i●…, whose vanity  
Will suit no court so well as 
* Orcus' vobis ducit pedes.  Tartary.   

He hath no comfort while He liveth here,  
For He's o'erwhelmed with a sea of grief,  
And in his death as little joy appears,  
For death will yield him small or no relief:  
He thought no pleasure after life was ended,  
Which passed, his fading comforts be extended.   

Horror appears even in his ghastly face,  
And summons (woeful summons) troops of devils,  
Whilst He benumned with sin rejecteth grace,  
The best receipt to cure soule-wounding evils:  
Forlorn He lives, and lives because He breathes,  
But in his death sustains a thousand deaths.   

Ungrateful viper, borne of viper's brood,  
That hates thy parent, braves over thy Protector,  
Whose servile life did never any good,  
But hugging vice, and spurn Him did correct her;  
See how each plant renews and gives increase,  
By him, whom stones would praise, if man should cease.   

Nor plant, nor worm, nor any senseless creature,  
Will derogate from God's high Majesty,  
Since they from him, as from the supreme Nature,  
Receive their vigour, growth, maturity,  
Substance, subsistence, essence, all in one,  
From Angel's form unto the senseless stone.   

But time hath hardened thy depraved thoughts,  
Custom of sin hath made thy sin, no sin;  
Thus hast thou reaped the fruit thy labours sought, 
Th●… Epic●… Cau●….   
And digged a cave in which thou wallowest in;  
The Porter of which cave, sreproch and shame,  
Which lays a lasting scandal on thy name.   

Aswine in mind, though Angel-like in form,  
Pr●…posterous end to such affair beginning,  
That Thou, whom such a feature doth adorn  
As Gods own Image, should be soiled with sinning;  
Who well may say of it thus drowned in pleasures▪  
This Superscription is not mine but Caesar's.   

T●… wantest grace, and wanting, never callest,  
Nessled in mischief and in discontent;  
Thou who from light to darkness headlong fallest▪  
Having the platform of thy life misspent,  
Rouse thee Thou canst not, for security  
Hath brought thy long sleep to a Lethargy.   

Dull Dormouse, s●…eeping all the winter time, 
●…ic faciu●…t hyenem decipiendo, glires.   
Cannot e●…dure the breath of air or wind,  
But ever loves to make the Sun to shine  
Upon her rural cabin; that same mind  
Art Thou endued withal, All winter keeping  
Thy drunken cell, spends half thy life in sleeping▪   

Thou when thou readest in stories of the Ant,  
The painful Be, the early-mounting Lark,  
Thou calls them fools, for Thou hadst rather want,  
Pine, droop, and die in poverty then cark:  
Thou thinks there is no 
* According to ●…hat of the Poet.— No pleasure but to swill, And full, to ●…mptie, and being▪ emp●…ie, ●…ill.  pleasure, but to dwell  
In that vast Tophet Epicurean cell.   

Art thou so sotted with earth's worldly we●…lth,  
That thou expects no life when this is ended?  
Dost thou conceive no happiness in health,  
If health in healths be not profanely spended?  
Well there's small hope of thee, and thou shalt fi●…d,  
Sin goes before, but vengeance dog's behi●…d.   

Thou ca●…st not tell by thy Philosophy,  
Where th' glorious Synod of the Angels sit,  
Nor canst thou think soul's immortality,  
Should any mortal creature well befit:  
Unfit thou art for such a prize as this,  
Which Saints have wished to gain, and gained t●… wish.   

Thou fing strange Hymns of love of shepeard-swains,  
How Amarillis and Pelargus wooed,  
Where in love measures thou employs some pains,  
To make thy works by wanton ears allowed;  
For love's encounter loose wits can express it,  
But for diui●…e power they will scarce confess it.   

Thus should each sin of thine unmasked be,  
Each crime deblazoned in her native colour:  
There would appear such a deformity,  
As th'greek Thersites shape was never fowler; 
Homer. in Iliad: & alib●….   
Which if compared to th'powerful works of grace,  
Would look aghast, ashamed to show their face.   

If I should move thee, rectify thy cares,  
I know 'twere fruitless, all thy care's to sin▪  
Whose barren harvest intersowne with tares,  
Endeth far worse than when it did begin;  
A rank indurate ulcerous hardened ill,  
Can ill be bett'red till it have her fill.   

And yet when as this frantic mood shall leave thee, 
Ad poenas tardus Deus est, ad praemia velox.   
There is some hope of gaine-recoverie,  
When thy offensive life misspent shall grieve thee;  
Thy wound's not mortal, look for remedy;  
But if like Epicure thou still dost lie,  
As thou lives ill, so doubt I thou must die.    

The Argument of Diagoras Orator of Athens.  
D●…agoras a corrupt Orator using to receive bribes, was exiled, and this Satire to gall him the more, engraven upon his shipboard: As followeth.   

THE TENTH SATYR.  

DIagoras was once to plead a cause,  
Which th'adverse party having well observed,  
Claps me a guilded goblet in his claws,  
Which He as privately (for sooth) reserved;  
Speak (quoth this client) either naught at all,  
Or else absent you from the session's hall.   

Absent He would not be, and yet as good,  
For his mute tongue was absent in the cause,  
Saying, the cause he had not understood,  
And therefore wished that he a while might pause;  
But having pau●…'d too long, through his delay  
The Court dismissed, the Senate went away.   

Seeing the Senate gone, good gods (quoth he)  
Can we not have our causes heard, whose truth  
Is manifest as light? o thus we see  
Our Clients wronged, whose wrongs afford much ●…uth:  
I would not answer this before Ioues throne,  
If I thereby might make the world mine own.   

Naught to a conscience pure and void of blame,  
Which (jove be praised) is i●… this spotless breast,  
For no foul act could blemish ere my name,  
No corrupt bribe did ere enrich my chest;  
Yes one (the Client answered) you know when:  
It's true indeed (my friend) and ne'er but then.   

Yes once you know (another answered) more,  
When you protested the Angina pained you,  
For which cor●…uption, you had gold in store,  
That silent speech of yours abundance gained you:  
It's true indeed, yet there's none can convict me,  
That ere my conscience for these did afflict me.   

Nay that He swear (quoth one) I never knew  
Remorse of conscience or rele●…ting tear:  
That heart of yours aid near repentance show,  
But could take more, if that you did not fear  
●…ou should detected be, and your offence,  
As 
* There were certain image of judges (by re port) set up at Athens, hauin●… neither hands nor eyes: implying that Ruler●… and Magistrate should neither be infected wit●… bribes, nor any oh therway drawn●… from that whic●… was lawful an●… right. But most happi●… were those daye●… wherein Basil the Emperor of Constantinople lived, tha●… whensoever h●… came to his judgment seat, he found neither party to accuse, nor defendan●… t●… answer.  justice craves, should give you recompense.   

Thus as they talked, thus as they did discourse,  
In came a Senator, which did reveal,  
His corrupt dealings, for He did enforce  
Himself to publish what He did conceal:  
Whose crimes divulged, He presently was led  
To Coos haven, whence He was banished.   

Thus was a corrupt Orator convicted,  
Pressing himself with his own obloquy,  
Whose selfe-detection made his state afflicted,  
His hands the weavers of his tragedy;  
Which I could wish to all of like desert,  
Whose good professio●…'s made a guileful art.    

The Argument.  
TRiptolemu●… is reported to have invented Tillage the first of any, and to have taught the art of sowing corn: whereupon the grateful husbandman, to repay the thankfulness of his well-willing mind, rendereth this Elegy, as in part of payment for so rare invention: Satirically withal inveighing against such, who eat the fruit of oth●…rs labours, live on the sweat of others brow●…, and muzling the mouth of the ox that treads▪ o●… the corn, reap what they never sowed, drink o●… the vine they never planted, and eat at the Alt●… of which they never partaked.   

THE ELEVENTH SATYR ELEGIAC.  

AGed Triptolemus father of our field,  
That teacheth us thy children rare effects;  
We do unto thy sacred Temple yield  
The fruits we reap, and tender all respects  
To thee, that hast this rare 
* Dona fero Cereris— M●…. lib. 5.  invention found,  
And gave first light of tillage to our ground.   

Describe we cannot in exact discourse,  
Those rarer secrets which proceed from thee,  
For polished words with us have little force,  
That are enured to Rusticity;  
But what we can we'll do, and to that end,  
To thee (as Patron) we our fields commend.   

By thee we till the wild vntempered soil,  
Make rising hillocks champion and plain;  
Where though with early labour we do toil,  
Yet labours light where there is 
* Spes alet agricolas.  hope of gain:  
We think no hurt, but travel all the day,  
And take our rest, our travels to allay.   

No project we intent against the State,  
But cuts the bosom of our Mother earth;  
We give no way to passion or debate;  
By labour we prevent our Country's dearth:  
Yet this ascribe we not to our own part,  
But unto thee, that did invent this art.   

Those glorious Trophies which Menander set,  
In honour of the sacred Deities,  
Would be too long a subject to repeat,  
Reared in such state with such solemnities;  
Yet these to ours, inferior be in worth,  
Those were of earth, these tell us use of earth.   

We open the closet of our mother's breast,  
And till the sedgy ground with crooked plough,  
And in the evening take our quiet rest,  
When we the heat of day have passed through:  
Thus do we sow, thus reap, and reaping we  
Do consecrate our first fruits unto thee.   

And with our fruits our wont Orisons,  
With solemn vows to thy obsequious shrine,  
Whose 
* Of the dedication of Pagan Temples, vid. Var. de Ant. & Macrob.  dedication merits heavenly songs,  
Will we protest what's ours is ever thine;  
For what we have came from thy divine wit,  
Or from His power that first infused it.   

By thee we plant the 
*— Ex nitido fit rusticus, atque Sulcos & vineta crepat mera, praeparatulmos. Hor.  vine and Olive tree,  
Contrive cool harbours to repose and lie:  
By thee our 
* Vina generofissima, Massica, Cecub●…, Falerna. Hipp. de coll.  vine sends grapes forth fruitfully,  
The Almond, Chestnut, and the Mulberry;  
Thus Satur's golden age approacheth near,  
And (Flora-like) makes spring-time all the year.   

The pleasant banks of fair Parnassus mount,  
With trees rank-set and branchy arms broad-spred,  
The Mirtle-trees hard by Castalias fount,  
With flowery wreaths thy shrine have honoured;  
Amongst which, no Ilands more obliged to thee,  
Then this same I'll of famous Britanny.   


* As in some parts of Egypt, which (though elsewhere exceeding fruitful) ●…hrough extremity of heat become to the people inhabitable.  Others intemperate through parching heat,  
Have their fruits blasted ere they come to light,  

b As in S●…ythia, which region in most places is so cold, as fruits can come so no ripeness. For as the Astrologers are of opi●…ion, there is a ●…ertaine breadth in the heaven, ●…n earth from North to South, bounded out by some of the principal Circles, of the which ar●… 5. in all: one fiery between the two Tropics which is called Zona Torrida: two extreme cold, between the Polare circles and the Poles of the would: and two temperate betwe●…ne either of ●…he Polare circles and his next Tropic.  Others are planted in a colder seat,  
Whereby the Sunbeams seldom show their might▪  
But we (and therein blest) inhabit one,  
Which as its fruitful, it's a temperate Zone.   

How can we then if we do aught, do less  
Than labour to requite as we receive?  
For such a wind's unt hankefulnesse,  
As by it we do lose that which we have:  
Let each then in his rank observe his measure,  
And give Him thanks that gave Him such a treasure.   

How many regions have their fruits devoured,  
By th'caterpillar, Canker, Palmerworm?  
Whilst by thy grace so richly on us poured,  
Our fields rejoice, and yield increase of corn;  
O then admire we this great work of thine,  
Whereby all 
* Barbarus i●… vidit— Met. l. ●…  regions at our state repine!   

Repined they may, for we surpass their state,  
In power, in ri●…hes, sinews of sharp war;  
They led in blindness attribute to fate,  
What ere befall, we to the morning star,  
By which we are directed every day,  
Or else like wand'ring sheep might lose our way.   

Hesiod relates seven fortunate reposes, 
Canariae— fortunatae insulae. vid▪ Hesiod. i●… li. de oper: & die. pag. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in be atorum insuli●….   
Lands, which Fortune favours for their seat,  
Adorned with fruitful plants sent-chafing roses;  
Where there breathes ever a soile-cherishiag heat,  
By which the plants receive their budding power,  
And needs no other dew, no other shower.   

These fruitful Lands which this Poet shows, 
●…les in the ocean four hundred mil●…s fro Spai●…e   
Were seated far within the Ocean,  
And never warred as other Lands use,  
Being in peaceful league with every man:  
Confer now these together, and then see  
If this blessed Island be not Brittannie.   

Blest were those Islanders that did possess  
The fertile borders of those healthful Isles,  
And we as blest have no less happiness,  
In this our Isle, not stretched to many miles;  
Though when those 
* The two vni●…ersities.  streams of Helicon appears,  
It doubles fruits in doubling of her years.   

Thames full as pleasant as Euphrates flood,  
Though she contain not in her precious navel,  
The 
* Tagus, Ganges, ●…nd Pacteolus ●…hree rivers famous for their golden oar or gravel.  golden oar of Ganges, yet as good  
As any gold or any golden gravel,  
Transporting hence, and bringing here again,  
Gain to the City by their fraught of grain.   

Thus water, air, and earth, and all unite  
Their powers in one, to benefit our state,  
So as conferring profit with delight,  
Well may we term this Island fortunate;  
For we more blest than other Isles have been,  
Enjoy both peace without and peace within.   

Unto his altar let us then repair,  
That hath conferred these blessings on our land,  
And sure we are to find him present there,  
Apt to accept this offering at our hand;  
Where, as He hath remembered us in peace,  
We'll yield him fruits of souls and soils increase.   

To thee then (blessed Deity) is meant, 
The true explanation of th●… Elegi●….   
This vot all sacrifice, how ere we speak,  
Of old Triptolemus thy instrument;  
For midst ●…nuentions we will ever seek  
To raise thy praise, who hast thy Throne above us,  
And daily shows that thou dost dear love us.    

The Argument.  
MElon●…mus a shepherd of Arcadia, who having frequented the plains there long time, with great husbandry used to exercise his pastures▪ receiving no small profit from his fruitful flock: in the end fell in love with Cynthia Queen of the forest adjoining: whom having wooed with many love-inducing tokens, and shepherd's madrigals, a●… spent the profit of his flock in gifts (with too lavish a bounty bestowed upon her) and yet could no way prevail, being posted off with many tri●…ling delays; in the end wrote this short Satire in a Cynic mood, reviling at the cou●…tousnesse and in●…atiable desire of women, who will prostitute their favour for lucre sake unto the meanest swain, till they have consumed the fruit of his stock, and then will turn him over shipboard.   

THE TWELFTH SATYR.  

MElonomus a worthy shepherd swain,  
Besotted with fair Cynthia's amorous face▪  
Beseeched Her to love for love again,  
And take compassion on his woeful case;  
Which she halfe-yeelding to, dissembling too,  
Did move the swain more eagerly to woe.   

And that with 
* Non sumus ingratae, poscunt pulche●…rima pulchrae; Mu●…era si refe●…as, oscula gra●…a feres.  g●…fts most powerful to ensnare  
The minds of maids, whose curious appetite,  
Desires as they be fair to have things fair,  
To add fresh fuel unto love's delight;  
Which to effect, each morn a flowery wreath,  
Composed th●… sw●…ne, to breath on Cynthia's breath.   

Fine comely bra●…lets of refined 
* Rupibus extractum Calibaeis mit●…it electrum, etc. Whence it is said cometh the ●…urest Amber.  Amber,  
Used this Shepherd swai●…e to tender her,  
And every morn resorting to he●… chamber,  
Would there appear ere Phoebus could appear,  
Where tell●…g tales as shepherds use to tell,  
She forced a smile, as tho●…gh ●…he●…k'd ●…k'd Him well.   

Thus poor Melonomus continued long,  

* Thus at Love's ●…arre this Client ●…oubtfull stands, And weeps, & wipes, & wring●… and wreathes his ●…ands.  Hoping for resolution a●… her 〈◊〉,  
Whilst with delays He mixed gifts among,  
Which (as He thought) were fancies strongest b●…ds;  
And still He craves dispatch of his request,  
And to perform what she in 〈◊〉 professed.   

B●…t she, from day to day puts off, replying,  
She scarce resolved was to marry yet:  
But when his 
* Instat aman●…, tamen odit amans, sic munera quaerit, Queis tamen acceptis, nescit amare magis.  gifts surceased, she flat denying,  
Answered, A swain was for a Queen unfit;  
He rural, homely, bred of mean descent,  
She royall-borne, of purer Element.   

Melonomus thus answered, wisely framed  
Th●…s grave reply: And is it so indeed?  
Be all those gifts I gave (all which He named) 
A sudden resolution requiting her sudden disdain.   
To no effect? why then return and feed  
Thy want on flock, surcease thy bootless suit,  
Since she consumed thy flock with all their fruit.   

Aged Alomaenon who my father was, 
I cannot trull is I, nor fancy all I see, if she be fair, wise and an heir, that girl liketh me.   
And as I guess knew well the shepherd's guise,  
Thought scorn to set his love on every lass,  
Ay me v●…appie, of a sire so wise;  
But this disdain that lours on beauty's brow,  
Shall teach me, swains with swains know best to do.   

The skipping Rams that butt with ragged horns,  
And brou●… upon each bank with sweet repast,  
Shall not my ●…lous head with wreathes adorn,  
(But heaven forgive my folly that is past;)  
I will not fancy Cynthia, since she  
In my distress scorns to converse with me.    

The Argument of Protagoras.  
PRotagoras adored the stones of the altar, conceiving them to be happy, as the Philosopher Aristotle witnesseth: Lapides, ex quibus ar●… struebantur, faelices esse putabat, quod honorentur. H●… thought the very stones themselves to be happy, of which the altars were builded, because (saith he) they might be honoured. In this Argument, be such men shadowed, as most impiously worship the creature for the Creator, the work for the worker. Therefore have I subins●…rted this Satire, to inveigh against the senseless Gentiles and Painims, who in the foolishness of their hearts, used to adore stocks, stones, plants, and senseless creatures, Nunc deorum causam agam; I will now 
Ci●…. de nat. dear.  plead the cause of God, so injuriously dealt withal by his own workmanship. Alexander himself being but a mortal man as we ourselves be, commanded Callistenes his Schoolmaster to be slain, because He would not worship H●… for a god: much more above comparison, may God who is immortal and only to be feared, punish 
Alan. de conquest. nat.  yea and destroy them that in contempt of his infinite power and all-working majesty, adore the Sun, Moon, and Stars, Isis and Osiris, with many other vain, idolatrous, and profane venerations, derogating from the power and incomprehensible essence of God. When a King beholds his subjects to reserve their allegiance to any Monarch save himself, He makes them to be proclaimed Traitors to his Crown and person: Even so the King of heaven, when He seeth any subject of his (as we be all and happy if so we be, and not slaves to the captivity and thraldom of sin,) presently proscribeth him, or will punish him with death, lest others by his impunity should attempt the like. Wherefore then should any profane man, so overshadowed with the dusky clouds of error and impiety, transgress the divine precepts, Laws, and Ordinances of the Almighty; those eternal decrees established and enacted in the glorious Synod of heaven, by relinquishing the sweet promises of God, and communicating the worship of the Creator with the creature, as if there were a distribution to be made unto either? But I will refer them to this following Satire.   

THE THIRTEENTH SATYR.  

PRotagoras both wicked and profane,  
Wicked in life, profane in worshipping,  
Adored stones: (see Paga●…s, see your shame)  
And thought them worthy too of reverencing;  
For if the gods be honoured, said He,  
Needs must the stones whereof their Temples be.   

The like conceit He had of altars too,  
And of the stones whereof they were erected,  
To which He oft would solemn worship do,  
And tax such men by whom they were neglected;  
Wishing sometime He were an altar stone,  
That to himself like honour might be done.   

Thou senseless man deprived of reason's lore, 
A just reproof to all Idolaters.   
What grace art thou (forlorn) endued withal,  
That thou shouldst shrines and se●…slesse stones adore,  
That have no ears to he●…re when thou dost call?  
Thou deems these relics happy, when god wot,  
If they were happy, yet they know it not.   

The Altar is the shrine thou offerest to,  
Thy incense, sacrifice, and fat of beasts,  
Which on the altar thou art wont to do,  
Not to the altar where thou makes request;  
For it's enjoind thee by express command,  
To k●…eele to nothing fashioned by man's hand.   

The Manual artist sets up 
* Ing●…tes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erigit, ●…c 〈◊〉 cutat quo erigi●…, quam curiose disponere quod arte con●…icit, etc.  heaps of stones,  
Erecting curious Statues to adore,  
But what are these, can they attend our moans?  
No, they have ears to hear, but hear no more  
Then ru●…bish, clay, or stone, whereof they're said,  
(And such were Pagan Idols) to be made.   

Turn thee unto the East, from whence the Sun  
Hath his arising, whence He doth proceed,  
As Bridegroom from his chamber, and doth run 
Stadium solis.   
His spacious course with such a passing speed,  
As twenty four hours He doth only borrow,  
To post the world from end to end quite thorough.   

Each plant on earth, each creature in the sea,  
From whence have they their growth, I pray thee say▪  
Do they deriueed from stones or imagery?  
Nay, I must tell thee, thou art by the way,  
It's no inferior power brings this to pass,  
But his, who is, shall be, and ever was.   

And he it is who notes thy errors past,  
And can revenge, though He the time adjourn,  
Whose love unto his sheep doth ever last, 
Deus 〈◊〉 maxim iratus, no●… iratus, cum iratus propitius, etc. Qui fecit te sine te, non saluabit te sine te. August.   
And still expects and waits for thy return;  
But how can He to thee in kindness show him,  
That gives thee hands, yet will not lift them to him?   

Ungrateful thou to have that ill conceit,  
Of his all-being and all-seeing power,  
Whose blessed tuition guards us and our state,  
Whose surest hold is like a fading flower,  
That springs and dies, such is the pomp of man,  
As there He ends in earth where He began.   

Horror of men, contempt to thy beginning,  
Shame to the world, wherein thou dost survive▪  
Whose best religion is an act of sinning, 
Exorto tremore, erubescet conscientia, obstupescet conscia mentis scientia, & dicendi facultates penitus amittent organa, etc.   
In which thou means to die, and loves to live;  
What shall these shrines afford thee after death,  
The breath of life? no, for they have no breath.   

Then here I'll leave thee, yet with sorrow too,  
Thy Image moves compassion, though't may be,  
Thou'lt ask the reason why I should do so,  
Since sorrow's source hath lost her course in thee;  
To which I may in reason thus reply,  
My eyes are wet, because thy eyes are dry.   

Yet will I to the altar, not t'adore it,  
But offer incense to assoil thy sin;  
Where full of tears I'll weep, and weeping o'er it,  
Wish thy return, that thou may honour him,  
Whose worship thou profaned (as was unfit)  
Entitling any creature unto it. 
* Numen si dividis, perdis.     

Three other Satyrs composed by the same Author, treating of these three distinct subjects.  

1. Tyranny, personated in Euristeus.  
2. Security, in Alcibiades.  
3. Revenge, in Perillus.   
With an Emblem of Mortality, in Agathocles.  

The Argument.  
Eurystheus a potent and puissant Prince of Greece, by the instigation of juno imposed Hercules most difficult labours, to the end to have him dispatched. But of such invincible patience was Hercules in suffering, and of such resolution i●… performing, as to his succeeding glory he purchased himself honour through their hate, gaining to himself renown, where his foe intended inevitable revenge. Whence we may collect two remarkable things, no less fruitful in observing, then delightful in perusing. The one is, to note how prompt and prepared men of depraved or vicious disposition are, to put in execution the pleasure of great ones, how indirect or unlawful soever their pleasures be: directing and addressing their employments to the bent of their command, be it wrong or right. And these are such who accounted it good saving policy, to keep ever correspondence with greatness, esteeming no supportance firmer, no protection safer, then to hold one course with those high-mounting Cedars, from whose growth the lower shrubs receive shadow and shelter. The second which I note, is to observe what glorious and prosperous success many have, who pursued and injuriously persecuted (like Zenocrate's Sparrow) either find some compassionate bosom to cheer & receive them, or by the assistance of an unconfined ●…ower, attain a noble issue in midst of all occurrences. To insist on instances, were to enlarge an Argument above his bounds: few or none there are who have not or may not, have instance in the one, as well as personal exp●…ience in the other. Especially when we recall to mind how many instant & imminent dang●…rs have been threatened us, & how many gracious and glorious deliuera●…ces tendered us. Some other excellent observations might be culled or selected from the flowery border of this subject, but my purpose is rather to shadow at some, then amply to dilate on all. For I have ever observed, how Arguments of this nature are to most profit composed, when they are not so amply as aptly compiled: Long and tedious discourses being like long services, tending more to surfeit then solace; whereas the pleasure of variety, draweth on a new appetite in midst of satiety. Now to our proposed task: where you shall s●… how harmless innocence shuffels out of the hands of boundless cruelty.   

THE SATYR.  

HOe Euristheus, I am hither sent,  
From juno's Princely palace to thy Court,  
To tell thee, thou must be her instrument,  
(And to that purpose she hath chus'd thee for't)  
To chastise Hercules, grown eminent  
By his renowned conque●…ts: do not show  
Thyself remiss, juno will have it so.   

And juno shall; I will such tasks impose,  
That earth shall wonder how they were invented,  
So as his life he shall be sure to lose,  
What do I care, so juno be contented,  
Darkness shall not my secrecies disclose?  
Her will is my command, n●… must I ask  
Whence's her distaste; come young man hear your task   

A fruitful 
* Hesperidum 〈◊〉 in custoles, pe●…uigiles ●…tinent soro●…s.  garden, full of choice delights,  
Enriched with sprays of gold and apples too,  
Which by three sisters watched both days and nights,  
Yield no access unto th'invading foe,  
Is thy first progress; where with doubtful fight,  
Thou must perform thy task: this is the first,  
Which if it prove too easy, next is worst.   

For in this first thou art to deal with women,  
And reap a glorious prize when thou hast done;  
And such an enterprise (I know) is common,  
Crowning us great by th'triumph we have won:  

* Aurifer●… n●…mora ●…eretem ferentia corticem, 〈◊〉 pomum.  Gold is so strange a bait, as there is no man,  
But he will hazard life to gain that prize,  
Which makes men fools that are supposed wise.   

But next task shall be of another kind,  
No golden apples pluck●… from Hesperie:  
For in this work thou naught but dung shalt find,  

* Augei stabul●… etc.  Augean stables must thy labour be,  
Which if thou clear not, as I have assigned,  
Death shall attend thee: 'tis in vain to come,  
By prayers or tears to change my fatal doom.   

The third, that hideous Hydra, which doth breed 
* Abscisso capi te, caput renas citur al●…erum.   
Increase of heads, for one being cut away,  
Another springs up straight way in her stead:  
Hence then away, and make me no delay,  
Delay breeds danger, do what I have said,  
Which done thou lives, ●…ich unperformed thou dies, 
He coucheth ●… his labours (infinite in number and nature) i●…●…hese thre●….   
This said; Alcides to his labour hies.   

Alas (poor man) how well it may be said,  
So many are the perils he must pass,  
That he with dangers is environed?  
So hopeless and so hapless is his case,  
As he by death is so encompassed,  
That howe'er his power he means to try,  
Poor is his power, he must be forced to die.   

Imper●…ous tyrant, couldst thou wreak●… thy rage  
On none but s●…ch whose valour hath been shown,  
As a victorious Mirror to this age,  
And hath been blazed where thou were't never known?  
Must thou his person to such tasks engage,  
As flesh and blood did never yet sustain?  
Well, he must try, although he try in vain.   

Yes, he will try, and act what he doth try,  
He'll tug and tew, and strive and stoop to aught,  
Yea 
* Non terret mors sapientem.  die, if so with honour he may d●…e,  
Yet know, that those who have his life thus sought,  
Are but insulting types of 
* Thales milesiu inte●…oganti quid difficile; senem (inquit) videre tyrannum.  tyranny,  
Whose boundless spleen, when He hath passed these shelves,  
Will be disgorged, and fall upon themselves.   

For see, thou cruel savage, whose d●…sire  
Extends to blood, how this aduentr'ous Knight,  
Gains him renown, and scorneth to retire,  
Till he hath got a conqu●…st by his fight:  
So high heroic thoughts use to asp●…re,  
As when extremest danger 〈◊〉 enclose them,  
They slight those foes that labour to oppose them.   

Here see those tasks which thy imperious power,  
Imposed this Noble champion, finished;  
The Serpent, 
* Pro telo gerit quae fudit, armatus venit Leone & Hydra. Se●…c.  Hydra, which of heads had store,  
Now headless lies by valour conquered,  
The stables purged from th'filth they had before,  
The golden Apples Trophies of his glory,  
Dilate their ends unto an endless story.   

Here see th'event where virtue is the aim,  
Here see the issue of a glorious mind,  
Here see how martial honour makes her claim,  
Here see the crown to diligence assigned,  
Here see what all may see, a soldier's fame,  
Not tipped with fruitless titles, but made great,  
More by true worth, then by a glorious seat.   

For such, whose native merit hath attained  
Renown amongst men, should 
* Si sola nob●… adsunt prospera, soluimur: a●… virtutem vero melius per adversa solidamu●… Greg.  adverse gusts assail them  
In such an Orb rest their resolves contained,  
As well they may invade but not appall them,  
For from esteem of earth they're wholly waned,  
Planting their mounting thoughts upon that sphere,  
Which frees such minds as are enfranchised there.   

Hence learn ye Great-ones, who esteem it good  
Sufficient to be great, and think't well done,  
Be't right or wrong, what's done in heat of blood,  
Hence learn your state, lest ye decline too soon,  
For few ere firmly stood, that proudly stood.  
But specially ye men that 〈◊〉 in 
* Locum virtu●… habet. Se●….  place,  
judge others as yourselves were in same case.   

Here have you had a mirror to direct  
Your ways, and form your acti●…ns all the better,  
Which precedent if careless, ye neglect,  
And walk not by this line, live by this letter,  
How's 'ere the world may tender you respect,  
Ye are but gorgeous paintings daubed over,  
Clothing your vice with s●…me more precious cover.   

Hence likewise learn ye whom the frown of fate,  
Hath so depressed, as not one beam doth shine  
Upon the forlorn mansion of your state,  
To bear with patience and give way to time,  
So shall vie with Fortune in her hate;  
And prise all earth's contents as bitter-sweet,  
Which arms you against all fortunes ye can meet.   

This great Alcides did, who did with ease  
(For what's uneasy to a mind prepared)  
Discomfit 
* Has Hydra ensit, his ia●…ent Stympha●…ides. Ibid.  th' Hydra and th' Stymphalideses,  
With whom he coped, encountered long and warred▪  
And gained him glory by such acts as these.  
Observe this Moral (for right sure I am)  
The imitation shows a perfect man.   

The last not least, which may observed be, 
*— Nessus' hos ●…truxit dolos. Ictus sagittis qui tuis vitam ●…xpulit. Cruore tincta ●…st Palla semi●…eri, pater. Nessusque nunc ●…as exigit pae●…as sibi. ●…n Herc. O●…t.   
Is to suppesse spleen or conceived hate,  
Which in perfidious Nessus you may see,  
Fully portrayed, who merely through deceit,  
Practised Alcides woeful Tragedy:  
For of all passions, there's 〈◊〉 that hath  
More souera●…gnty o'er man, then boundless wrath.   

Which to restrain, (for wherein may man show  
Himself more manly, then in this restraint)  
That there is naught more generou●…, you should kno●…,  
Then true compassion to the indigent,  
Which even humanity saith, that we owe 
* Flete Here●…leos numina casus. ibid.   
One to another, while we use to tender  
Love to our Maker, in him to each member.   

Thus if ye do, how low soe'er ye be,  
Your actions make you noble, and shall live  
After your summons of Mortality,  
And from your ashes such a perfume give,  
As shall eternize your blessed memory:  
If otherwise ye live, ye are at best  
But guilded gulls, and by opinion blest.    

The Argument.  
ALcibiades a noble Athenian, whose glorious & renowned actions gained him due esteem in 
Others are of opinion that he was drawn fr●… sensual affections to the practice of virtue, by the grave instruction of Socrates: but it appears otherwise by his much frequenting timandra's company. Vid. Plut. in vit. Alcib.  his Country: at last by retiring himself from arms, gave his mind to sensuality; which so effeminated his once imparalleled spirit, as he became no less remarkable for sensual liberty, than he was be fore memorable for ennobled exploits of martial chivalry. From hence the Satire derives his subject, inveighing against the remissness of such as wain their affections from employment, exposing their minds (those glorious or resplendent images of their Maker) to security, rightly termed the devil's opportunity. How perilous vacancy from affairs hath ever been, may appear by ancient and modern examples, whose Tragical catastroph●… would crave tears immixed with lines. Let this suffice, there is no one motive more effectually moving, no Rhetoric more movingly persuading, no Oratory more perswasively inducing, than what we daily feel or apprehend in ourselves. Where every 
* Quot horae (si male expensae) tot itae. Quot horae, tot ●…brae.  hour not well employed, begets some argument or other to move our corrupt natures to be depraved. Let us then admit of no vacation, save only vacation from vice. Our lives are too short to be fruitlessly employed, or remissly pa●…sed. O then how well spent is that oil which consumes itself in actions of virtue  Whose precious self's a glory to herself! 
May nothing so much be estranged from us as vice, which, of all others, most disfigures us; Though our feet be on earth, may our minds be in heaven: where we shall find more true glory than earth can afford us, or the light promises of fruitless vanity assure us. Expect then what may merit your attention; a rough-hewed Satire shall speak his mind boldly without partiality, taxing such who retire from action, wherein virtue consisteth, and lie sleeping in security, whereby the spirit, or inward motion of the soul woefully droupeth.   

THE SATYR.  

AWake, thou noble Greek! how should desire,  
Of sensual shame (souls stain) so dull thy wit,  
Or cloud those glorious thoughts which did aspire,  
Once to exploits which greatness might befit?  
Where now the beamlins of that sacred fire,  
Lie rak't in ashes, and of late do seem  
(So rank is vice) as if they had not been.   

Can a faith-breaking leering 
* Illa pictura 〈◊〉 est. Ambr●…●…exam. l. 6. ●…. 8.  Courtesan,  
Whose face is glazed with frontless impudence,  
Depress the spirit of a Noble man,  
And make him lose his reason for his sense?  
O span thy life (for life is but a span)  
And thou shalt find the scantling is so small,  
For vain delights there is no 
* Sicut capillu●… non peribit de capite, ita ne●… momentum d●… tempore. Ber●…  time at all!   

Shall azur'd breast, sleek skin, or painted cheek,  

* All 〈◊〉 attire is the attire of sin.  Gorgeous attire, locks braided, wand'ring eye,  
Gain thee delight, when thou delights should seek  
In a more glorious object? O rely  
On a more firm foundation, lest thou break,  
Credit with Him who long hath given thee trust,  
Which thou must pay be sure, for he is just.   

O do not then admire, what thy desire  
Should most contemn, if reason were thy guide;  
Let thy erected thoughts extend far higher,  
Then to these wormelins that like 
* Sunt i●…ta poae matis umbrae.  shadows glide,  
Whose borrowed be●…tutie melts with heat of fire.  
Their shape from 
* Quarum v●…icum est offici●…, ab officina elicere formam. Lecythum habet in malis. vid. vi●…t, ad Sa●…  shop is bought and brought; o art  
What canst thou promise to a knowing heart!   

A knowing heart, which plants her choicest bliss  
In what it sees not, but doth comprehend  
By eye of faith! not what terrestrial is,  
But what affordeth 
* Ea vita beata est, quando quod optimum est, amatur & habetur. Sola eius visio, vera mentis nostrae refectio est. Greg. in Mor. Expo. in job.  comfort without end,  
Where we enjoy what's ever we did wish;  
Who then, if he partake but common sense,  
Will ere rejoice, till he departed from hence?   

Yet see the blindness of distracted man,  
How he prefers one moment of delight,  
(Which cheers not much when it does all it can)  
Before delights in nature infinite,  
Whose juice (yields perfect fullness, sure I am:)  
O times! when men love that they should neglect,  
Disualuing that which they should most respect.   

For note how many have adventured  
Their lives (and happy they if that were all)  
And for a 
* Quanta amentia est effigiem mutare naturae, picturam quaerere▪ Cypri. de discip. & hab. ●…irg.  painted trunk have perished;  
O England, I thyself to witness call,  
For many hopeful plants have withered  
Within thy bosom, cause whereof did spring,  
Mearely from lust, and from no other thing!   

How many promising youths, whose precious blood  
Shed by too resolute hazard, might have done  
Their gracious Prince and native Country good,  
In heat of blood have to their ruin gone, 
* Inanis gloriae ●…uccum propriae ●…aluti praepo●…entes.   
While they on terms of reputation stood,  
Preferring titles (see the heat of strife)  
Before the love and safet●…e of their life?   

O Gentlemen, know that those eyes of yours,  
Which should be piercing like the 
* Cunctarum quippe a●…ium visum acies aquilae superat: ita ut solis radios fixos in se eius oculos nulla lu●…is suae coruscatione reverberans, claudat. Greg▪ in Mor. Expos. in job.  Eagles eyes,  
Are not to view these dalilah's of ours,  
But to eye heaven and sullen earth despise,  
And so increase in honours as in hours.  
O ye should find more happiness in this,  
Then spend the day in courting for a kiss!   

Were time as easy purchased as is land,  
Ye better might dispense with loss of time;  
Or 'twere in you to make the Sun to stand,  
So many points t'ascend or to decline,  
●… ' de say ye had the world at command:  
But as time 
* Quicquid de illo praeteritum est, iam non est●… quicquid de illo futurum est, nondum est. Aug.  past, is none of yours, once gone,  
So that time is not yours, which is to come.   

Address yours selves then to that glorious place,  
Where there's no time, no limit to confine,  
No alteration: but where such a grace,  
Or perfect lustre beautifies the clime,  
Where ye're to live, as th'choicest chearefullst face,  
Ye ere beheld on earth, were't ne'er 
* Vide●…do pulchra, cogita haec omnia, & pulchriora, esse in coelo: videndo horribilia, cogita haec omnia, & horribiliora, esse in inferno. Lansperg.  so fair,  
Shall seem deformity to beauty there.   

But this shall serve for you! now in a word,  
Hear me 
* In Timandrae gremio paululum recumbens, perimitur. Plut▪ i●… vit. Alcib.  Timandra (for I must be heard;)  
Thou whose light shop all vanities afford,  
Reclaim thy sensual life, which hath appeared  
As odious and offensive to thy Lord,  
As those lascivious robes (robes suiting night)  
Are in disgrace, when good men are in sight.   

More to enlarge myself were not so good,  
Perhaps this litles more than thou wilt read:  
But if thou read, I wished may stir thy blood,  
And move thee henceforth to take better heed,  
Then to transgress the bounds of womanhood:  
Whose chiefest essence in these four appear,  
In gate, look, speech, and in the robes you wear.    

The Argument.  
Perillus' an excellent Artificer (being then famous for excellent inventions) to satisfy the inhuman disposition of the tyrant Phalaris, as also in hope to be highly rewarded for his ingenious device: made a bull of brass for a new kind of torment, presenting it to Phalaris, who made, trial thereof by tormenting Perillus first therein. From this Argument or subject of revenge, we may observe two special motives of Moral instruction or humane Caution. The first is, to deter us from humouring or soothing such, on whom we have dependence, in irregular or sinister respects. For the virtuous, whose comfort is the testimony of a good conscience, scorn to hold correspondence with vicious men, whose commands ever tend to depraved and enormous ends. The second is, a notable example of revenge in Perillus' suffering, & in Phalaris inflicting. Much was it that this curious Artisan expected, but with equal & deserved censure was he rewarded: for inglorious seconded by like ends. Hence the Satire displayeth such in their native colours, who rather than they will lose the least esteem with men of high rank or quality, use to dispense with faith, friend, and all, to plant them firmer in the affection of their Patron. But observe the conclusion, as their means were indirect, so their ends sorted ever with the means. They seldom extend their temporising hours to an accomplished age, but have their hopes ever blasted, ere they be well bloomed: their injurious aims discovered, ere they be rightly leveled: and their wishes to a tragical period exposed, as their desires were to all goodness opposed. May all projectors or stateforragers sustain like censure, having their natures so reluctant or opposite to all correspondence with honour. Longer I will not dilate on this subject, but recollect my spirits, to add more spirit to my over-tyred Satire, who hath been so long employed in the Embassy of Nature, and wearied in dancing the Wild man's measure, that after Perillus' censure she must repose ere she proceed any further; and take some breath ere I dance any longer.   

THE SATYR.  

Brave Engineer, you whose more curious hand  
Hath framed a Bull of brass by choicest art,  
That as a Trophy it might ever stand,  
And be an Emblem of thy cruel heart:  
Hark what's thy tyrant Phalaris command,  
Whose will's a law; and having heard it well,  
Thy censure to succeeding ages tell.   

Thou must (as it is just) be first presented  
A sacrifice unto the brazen Bull,  
And feel that torture which thy art invented,  
That thou mayst be rewarded to the full;  
No remedy, it cannot be prevented.  
Thus, thus revenge appears which long did smother,  
He must be catcht, that aims to catch another.   

Just was thy judgement, Princely Phalaris,  
Thy censure most impartial; that he  
Whose artful hand that first contrived this,  
To torture others, and to humour thee,  
Should in himself feel what this torture is.  
Which great or small, he must be forced to go,  
May such 
* For so Diogenes the Cynic terms all hi●…mering Timists or temporising sycophants. Laert.  tame-beasts be ever used so.   

Like fate befell unhappy 
* Who built Pallas horse, and after perished in the siege of Troy. Homer. in ●…iad.  Phereclus,  
Who first contrived by cunning more than force,  
To make once glorious Troy as ruinous  
As spoil could make it: therefore reared a Horse,  
Framed by Pallas art, as curious,  
As art could form, or cunning could invent,  
To weave his end, which art could not prevent.   

See ye brave state-proiectors, what's the gain  
Ye reap by courses that are indirect:  
See these, who first contrived, and first were slain,  
May mirrors be of what ye most affect!  
These laboured much, yet laboured they in vain;  
For there's no wit how quick soe'er can do it,  
If powers divine shall make 
a Witness th●… matchless Po●… der plor, no les●… miraculously 〈◊〉 vealed, than mi●… chievously con●… trived, no les●… happily preue●…ted, then hatefully practised. Of which cruel●… Agents (being his own subjects) our grac●…ous Sovereign might justly tak●… up the complain of that Princely Prophet David My familiar friends, whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, have lifted up their heels against me. Psal. 51. and 55. Si non parcet, perdet.  resistance to it.   

And can ye think that heaven, whose glorious eye  
surveys this Universe, will deign to view  
Men that are given to all impiety?  
You say, he will; he will indeed, it's true;  
But this is to your further misery.  
For that same eye which views what you commit,  
Hath sight to see, and power to 
b Vbi non est per gratiam, adest per vindictam. Aug.  punish it.   

To punish it, if hoarding sin on sin,  
Ye loath Repentance, and bestow your labour,  
Only to gain esteem, or else to win  
By your pernicious plots some great man's favour;  
O I do see the state that you are in,  
Which cannot be redeemed, unless betime  
With 
c Qui non gemit peregrimus, non gaudebit civis. Aug.  sighs for sins, you wipe away your crime!   

For show me one, (if one to show you have)  
Who built his fortunes on this sandy ground,  
That ever went gray-headed to his grave,  
Or near his end was not distressed found,  
Or put not trust in that which did deceive!  
Sure few there be, if any such there be,  
But show me one, and it sufficeth me.   

I grant indeed, that for a time these may  
Flourish like to a Bay tree, and increase,  
Like Olive branches, but this lasts not ay,  
Their 
d Halcyonci dies ab Halcyoni●…s anibus dicti: neque boni maliue ominis aves hos esse arbitror; quantum tamen à Propheta dicitur, tantum à me afferendum asserendumque esse puto. Etiam Ciconia in coelo no●…it stata tempora sua, & Turtur, grusque, & Hirundo obseruant tempus adventus sui. jerem. 8. 7.  Halcyon days shall in a moment cease,  
When night (sad night) shall take their souls away.  
Then will they tune their strings to this sad song,  
Short was our sunshine, but our nightshade long   

Ye then, I say, whose youth-deceiving prime,  
Promise success, believe't from me, that this,  
When time shall come (as what more swift than time)  
Shall be converted to a painted bliss,  
Whose gilded outside beautified your crime;  
Which once displayed, clear shall it show as light,  
Your Sommer-day's become a winter night.   

Beware than ye, who practice and invent,  
To humour greatness; for there's one more great,  
Who hath pronounced, like sin, like punishment; 
* Pa●…iculpa, ari poena.   
Whom at that day ye hardly may entreat,  
When death and horror shall be eminent:  
Then will ye say unto the Mountains thus,  
And shady groves, Come down and cover us.   

But were ye great as earthly pomp could make ye,  
Weak is the arm of flesh, or 
* The privilege of greatness, must be no sub●…erfuge for guil●…inesse.  mightiness,  
For all these feeble hopes shall then forsake ye,  
With the false flourish of your happiness,  
When ye unto your field-bed must betake ye;  
Where ye for all your shapes and glozed forms,  
Might deceive men, but cannot deceive worms.     

The Statue of Agathocles.  

The Argument.  
AGathocles a tyrant of Syracuse, caused his Statue to be composed in this manner. The 
* Caput de a●… ro innuendo 〈◊〉 gis dignitatem brachia de eb●… re intimando eius venustatem, caetera linimenta de aer●… denotando st●…e nuitatem, pedes vero de terra, indicando eius fragilitatem. vid. Plut▪ Apotheg.  head of gold, arms of ivory, and other of the liniments of purest brass, but the feet of earth: intimating, of what weak and infirm subsistence this little-world, Man, was builded. Whence we may collect, what divine considerations the Pagan's themselves observed and usually applied to rectify their moral life: where instructions of nature directed them, not only in the course of humane society, but even in principles above the reach and pitch of Nature, as may appear in many Philosophical Axioms, and divinely inserted sentences in the Works of Plato, Plutarch, Socrates; and amongst the Latins in the inimitable labours of Seneca, Boaethius, Tacitus, and Plinius Secundus. Upon the Moral of this Statue of Agathocles insists the Author in this Poem, concluding with this undoubted position: That as foundations on sand are by every tempest shaken, so man standing on feet of earth, hath no firmer foundation than mutability to ground on.   

THE EMBLEM.  

A Gathocles, me thinks I might compare thee,  
(So rare thou art) to some choice statuary,  
Who doth portray with Pencile he doth take,  
Himself to th'image which he's wont to make;  
How artful thou, and graceful too by birth,  
A King, yet shows that thou art made of earth,  
Not glorying in thy greatness, but would seem,  
Made of the same mould other men have been!  
A head of gold, as thou art chief of men,  
So chief of metals makes thy Diadem;  
victorious arms of purest ivory,  
Which intimates the persons purity;  
The other liniments composed of brass,  
Imply th'undaunted strength of which thou was;  
But feet of earth, show th'ground whereon we stand,  
That we're cast down in turning of a hand.  
Of which, that we might make the better use,  
Me thinks I could dilate the Moral thus.  
Man made of earth, no surer footing can  
Presume upon, than earth from whence be came,  
Where firmness is infirmenesse, and the stay  
On which he builds his strongest hopes, is clay.  
And yet how strangely confident he grows,  
In heaven-confronting boldness and in shows,  
Bearing a Giant's spirit, when in length,  
Height, breadth, and pitch he is of Pygmies strength.  
Yea I have known a very Dwarf in sight,  
Conceit himself a Pyramid in height,  
jetting so stately, as't were in his power  
To mount alof●… unto the airy tower.  
But when Man's proud, I should esteemeed more meet  
Not to presume on's strength, but look on's feet:  
Which nature (we observe) hath taught the 
* In evius atrio●… res pedes lum●… non citius figitur, quam in se●… ipso statim dè ijcitur. Vid. Plin●… in nat. Hist. Aelian. ibid. Sambuc. in Emblem. Alciat. ibid.  Swan,  
And aught in reason to be done in Man.  
Weak are foundations that are rered on sand,  
And on as weak grounds may we seem to stand,  
Both subject to be ruin'd, split and razed,  
One billow shakes the first, one grief the last.  
Whence then or how subsists this earthly frame,  
That merits in itself no other name,  
Then 
* O quam contempta res est homo, nisi supra humana se 〈◊〉!  shell of base corruption! it's not brass,  
Marble, or ivory, which when times pass,  
And our expired fates surcease to be,  
Reserve in them our living memory.  
No, no, this mettle is not of that proof,  
We live as those under a shaking roof,  
Where every moment makes apparent show,  
For want of props of final overthrow.  
Thus then, me thinks you may (if so you please)  
Apply this Statue of Agathocles;  
As he composed his royal Head of gold,  
The purest of metals, you are thereby told,  
That th' Head whence reason and right judgement springs,  
Should not be pestered with inferior things;  
And as his active sinews, arms are said,  
To show their pureness, to be ivored,  
Like Pelops milk-white shoulders; we are given  
To understand, our arms should be to heaven,  
As to their proper orb enlarged, that we  
Might there be made the Saints of purity;  
By rest of th' parts which were composed of brass,  
(Being of bigger bone than others was)  
We may collect, men made of selfsame clay,  
May in their strength do more than others may.  
Lastly o●… earth, as men subsistence have,  
Their earthly 
* Pes in terris, nens sit in coeis.  feet do hasten to their grave.     

A short Satire of a corrupt Lawyer.  
THE XIIII. SATYR.  

NAso is sick of late, but how canst tell? 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
He hath a swelling in his throat I fear;  
●… judged as much, me thought He spoke not well,  
In his poor client's cause: nay more I hear,  
His tumour's grown so dangerous, as some say,  
He was absolved but the t'other day.   

And what confessed He? not a sin I trow,  
Those He reserved within a leathern bag,  
And that's his conscience; did He mercy show  
Unto the po●…re? not one old rotten rag  
Would he ●…ffoord them, or with tears bemoan them,  
Saying, that— forma pauperis had undone them.   

Did He not wish to be dissolved from hence?  
No, when you talked of final Dissolution,  
He with a sea of tears his face would drench,  
Wishing He might but make another motion,  
And He would be dissolved when He had done:  
But His forged motion each term day begun.   

Had He some matter laid upon his heart?  
Abundance of corruption, foul infection.  
Did He no secret treasure there impart? 
Oleum grati●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
Naught but a box containing his complexion.  
What was it Sir, some precious oil of grace?  
No, but an oil to smear his brazen face.   

I have heard much of his attractive nose,  
How He could draw white Riols with his breath; 
Aurun palpabil●… & aurum potabile; Aurum obrizum & aurum adulterinum.   
It's true indeed, and therefore did He choose  
To drink Aurum potabile at his death,  
Nor cared He greatly if He were to lose  
His soul, so that He might enjoy his nose.   

It was a wonder in his greatest p●…ine,  
How He should have remorse; for well I know,  
In his successive fortunes naught could strain  
His hardened conscience, which He would not do  
For hope of gain, so as in time no sin  
So great, but grew familiar with him.   

O Sir, the many fees He had received,  
And hoodwinked bribes which at his death oppressed him,  
The forged deeds his wicked brain contri●…'d,  
And that black buckram bag which did arrest him,  
Commencing suit in one, surcharged Him so,  
That He was plu●…g'd into a gulf ofwo.   

O what a smoke of powder there appeared  
At the dissolving of his ugly soul;  
All that were present there to see Him feared,  
His case uncased did show so grim, so foul:  
Yet there were some had hope He would do well,  
Make but one motion, and come out of hell.   

But others feared that motion would be long,  
If it should answer motions He made here:  
Besides, that place of motions is so throng,  
That one will scarce have end a thousand year.  
Then Naso fare thee well, for I do see,  
Earth sends to hell thy mittimus with thee.    

Two short modern Satyrs.  

Pseudophilia.  
In Ambulantem.  
Hypocritam.  

A Walking Hypocrite there was, whose pace,  
Trunkhose, small ruff, deminutive in form,  
Showed to each man He was the child of grace,  
Such were the virtues did his life adorn;  
Naught could He hear that did of lightness come,  
But He would stop his ears, or leave the room.   

Discourse (thus would He say) of things divine,  
Soil not your souls with such lasciviousness:  
Your vessels should with precious virtues shine,  
As lamps of grace and lights of godliness;  
But lass for woe, sin's such a fruitful weed,  
Still as one dies another doth succeed.   

Here one doth beat his brain ' bo●…t practices,  
There is another plotting wickedness;  
O how long Lord wilt thou blindfold their eyes,  
In suffering them to work unrighteousness?  
Well, I will pray for them, and Zion's peace,  
The prayers of Saints can no way choose but please   

Thus did this mirror of devotion walk,  
Inspired it seemed with some Angelic gift,  
So holy was his life, so pure his talk,  
As if the spirit of zeal had Ely left,  
And lodged within his breast, it could not be,  
Fuller of godly fervour than was He,   

But see what end these false pretences have,  
Where zeal is made a cloak to cover sin,  
This whited wall to th'eye so seeming grave,  
Like varnished tombs had ●…ought but filth within,  
For though of zeal He made a formal show,  
In Fortune Alley was his Rendevow.   

There He reposed there He his solace took,  
Shrined near his Saint, his female-puritan,  
In place so private as no eye could look,  
To what they did, to manifest their shame:  
But see heavens will, those eyes they least suspected,  
First eyed their shame, whereby they were detected.   

Thus did his speech and practice disagree  
In one exemplar, formal, regular,  
In th'other loose through carnal liberty,  
Which two when they do meet, so different are,  
As there's no discord worse in any song,  
Then 'twixt a hollow heart and holy tongue.   

For He that doth pretend, and think't enough,  
To make a show of what He le●…st intends,  
Shall ere the period of his days run through,  
Beshrew himself for his mischievous ends;  
For he that is not good but would be thought,  
Is worse by odds then this plain dealing nough●…    

Poligonia.  
In Drusum meretricium A●…iutorem.  

DRusus, what makes thee take no trade in hand,  
But like. Hermaphrodite, half man half woman  
Panders thyself, and stands at whores command,  
To play the bolt for every Haxter common?  
Spend not thy hours with whores, lest thou confess,  
There is no life to thy obdurateness.   

Obdurate villain hardened in ill,  
That takes delight in seeing Nature naked,  
Whose pleasure drawn from selfe-licentious will,  
Makes thee of God, of men, and all forsaked;  
Shame is thy chain, thy fetters links of sin,  
Whence to escape is hard, being once locked in.   

What news from Babel, where that p●…rple whore,  
With seared marrow charms deluded man,  
So lulled a sleep, as He forgets heaven's power,  
And serves that hireling-Neapolitan?  
I'll tell the●… Drusus, sad and heavy news,  
Death unto Drusus while he haunts the stews.     

An Admonition to the Reader upon the precedent Satyrs.  

WHo will not be reproved, it's to be feared,  
Scorns to amend, or to redeem the time;  
For spotless Virtue never there appeared,  
Where true Humility, that frui●…full vine  
Hath no plantation, for it cannot be,  
Grace should have growth but by Humility.   

Let each man then into his errors look,  
And with a free acknowledgement confess;  
That there are more Erratas in his book,  
Then th'crabbedst Satire can in lines express:  
For this will better Him, and make Him grow  
In grace with Virtue, whom He knows not now.   

These my unpolished Satire: I commend,  
To thy protection, not that I do fear  
Thy censure other wise then as a friend,  
For I am secure of cens●…re I may swear,  
But for form sake: if shoved accept them do,  
If not, I care not how the world go.   
Thine if thine own, Musophilus.  Silentio culpa crescit.  

THE SHEPHERD'S TALES.  

Too true poor shepherds do this Proverb find,  
No sooner out of sight then out of mind.   
LONDON, Printed for Richard Whitaker. 1621.   

HIS PASTORALS ARE HERE CONTINUED WITH THREE OTHER TALES; having relation to a former part, as yet obscured: and divided into certain Pastoral Eglogues, shadowing much delight under a rural subject.  

The Argument.  

HEre Corydon proves,  
That nothing can be sent,  
To cross love more,  
Then friends unkind restraint.    

The second Argument.  

COrydon coy Celia woes,  
And his love by tokens shows,  
Tokens are those lures, that find  
Best access to woman kind.  
Long he woes ere he can win;  
Yet at last she fancieth him:  
And so firm, as you shall hear,  
Each to other trothplight were;  
But alas, where love is most,  
There it ofttimes most is crossed.  
For these two are closely penned,  
Each from other by restraint;  
He, unto the plain must go,  
Lovesick, heartsick, full of woe,  
Where he sings such cheerful lays,  
In his chaste choice, Celia's praise,  
That steep mountains, rocks and plains,  
Seem entranced with his strains:  
But alas, while he does keep,  
Helpless shepherd, hapless sheep,  
Celia for to seek her make,  
From her keeper makes escape,  
And unto the mountain goes,  
Where herself, herself doth lose;  
While one of Lauerna'es' crew,  
Seizeth on her as his dew,  
Where by force, by awe, by fear,  
She was long detained there,  
And in the end affianced so,  
As she ends her life in wo.    

THE SHEPHERD'S TALES.  

The shepherds.  
Technis.  
Dymnus.  
Dorycles.  
Corydon.  
Sapphus.  
Linus.    

THE FIRST EGLOGVE.  Corydons tale. 

NAy shepherds stay, there is no haste but good,  
We three are shepherds, and have understood  
Both of your follies and your fancies too;   Dor. 
Why tell us Corydon, what thou wouldst do!  Cor. 
Show my misfortune Swains, as you have done,  ●…ech. 
Defer it till to morrow Corydon.  Cor. 

No, Technis no, I cannot if I would,  
You've told your griefs, and now mine must be told:  
What though the Sun be drawing to the West,  
Where he intends to take his wont rest,  
'tis Moonlight (lads) and if it were not light,  
Welcome you are to lodge with me all night.   Dor. 
Thanks Corydon.  Cor. 

Why thank you Corydon?  
Simple and meane's the cottage where I won,  
Yet well I wot, for chestnuts, cakes, and cream,  
If you'll accept my welcome as I mean,  
You shall not want, but have sufficient store,  
With hearty welcome swains, what would ye more?   Dim. 

More Corydon! 'tis all that we can wish,  
But to thy tale, let's hear now what it is.   Dor. 
Yes, do good Corydon; and we will stay;  Cor. 
Attend then shepherds, hear what I shall say.  Sap. 
And when you've done, I will begin with mine;  Lin. 
Which I'll continue in the evening time.  Cor. 

Well said, good shepherds, we are justly three,  
To answer their three tales, and here for me.  
There was a Maid, and well might she be said,  
So chaste, so choice she was, to be a Maid,  
Where lily white mixed with a cherry red,  
Such admiration in the shepherds bred,  
As well was he that might but have a sight  
Of her rare beauty mirror of delight.  
Oft would she come unto a silver spring,  
Which near her father's house was neighbouring,  
Where she would eye herself as she did pass,  
For shepherds use no other lookingglass.   Tech. 
Tru●… Corydon.  Cor. 

But which may seem more rare,  
This Maid she was as wise as she was fair;  
So as discretion did so moderate  
The safe condition of her low estate,  
As envy never wronged her spotless name,  
Or soiled her matchless honour with defame.   Dor. 
Under a happy Planet she was borne,  Cor. 

She was indeed; nor did she ever scorn,  
The company of any country maid,  
How mean soe'er or sluttishly arrayed:  
But she would be their play-fare, to make choose,  
Of such poor simple sports as wenches use.  
Yea in their wakes, shroves, wassel-cups, or tides,  
Or Whitsonales, or where the country brides  
Choose out their bridemaids, as the custom is,  
She seld or near was seen to do amiss:  
But so respective of her name and fame,  
That though she blushed, she never blushed for shame  
Of any act immodest, but retained  
That good opinion which her virtues gained.   Dim. 
Sure Corydon this was a Saintly woman;  Cor. 

Indeed such Saints amongst women are not common:  
But to my story; her did many swain,  
By fruitless suit endeavour to obtain,  
As young Spudippus, rich Archymorus,  
Active Aminta●…, youthful Hirtius.   Dor. 
It seems she'd choice.  Cor. 

Yes Dorycles, she had:  
And some of these were good, and some as bad,  
But neither good nor bad, nor rich nor poor,  
Could her content, though she had d●…ily store.  
Yet from Pandora's box did ne'er proceed,  
More hateful poison upon humane seed,  
Then from these for lost lovers, whose repor●…,  
(But just is heaven, for they were plagued for't,)  
Aspersed this scandal on fair Celia,  
That she had made her choice some other way.   Tech. 
Unworthy lovers.  Cor. 

True indeed, they be  
Unworthy th'love of such an one as she;  
For Linus you do know them;   Lin. 

Yes, I do,  
But specially Spudippus, whom I know,  
To be the notedst cotquean that's about him.   Tec. 
Sure Linus then she could not choose but flout him.  Cor. 

Perhaps she did, yet with that modesty,  
As she did shadow it so covertly,  
That he could scarce discover what she meant.   Lin. 
How ere Spudippus would be patient.  Dor. 
Then he's some gull.  Lin. 

No he's a wealth man,  
And such an one as rightly, sure I am,  
Knows how much milk crummock his cow wi●… gi●…e,  
And can discern a riddle from a siue.   Cor. 
Linus, it seems thou knows him passing well.  Lin. 

Las if I would, some stories I could tell,  
Would make you laugh: for as it ●…hanc'd one day,  
Some with myself did take his house by th'way,  
Where we an hour or two meant to remain,  
To try how he his friends would entertain.   Dor. 
And pray thee how?  Lin. 

I'll tell thee Dorycles:  
Having an hour or two taken our ease,  
And ready to depart (I pray thee hear)  
He sent one of his Sculletie for sc●…e bear,  
Which though long first, came in an earthen cup,  
Which being given to me, I drunk it up;  
Which drunk.   Cor. 
How then good Linus, pray thee say?  Lin. 
The rest were forced to go a thirst away.  Dor. 
Had he no more?  Cor. 
Thou used him in his kind.  Lin. 

May all be used so that have his mind.  
But much I fear me, ●… we disturbed thee,  
Now Corydon show what th'event may be!   Cor. 

Long did these woe, but Celia could approve  
Of nothing less than of these swainlings love,  
Yet would she feign to fancy one of these,  
Whereby she might her bedrid father please.   Tech. 
Had she a father?  Cor. 

Yes, as●…rly Lout,  
Who long had lain decrepit with the gout,  
And lived for all the world, and so did die  
Like to a hog, that's penned up in a sty.   Dor. 
Some cankered erwig.  Cor. 

True a very elf,  
Who cared not who starved; so he fed himself.  
He, as the want of one sense is expressed,  
By giving more perfection to the rest,  
For even his sense of feeling did decline,  
Though he had been a nigglar in his time,  
Y●… all those moving, active faculties,  
Which in the heat of youth are wont to rise,  
Gave way unto suspicion, lest his daughter  
Through those love-luring gifts which many brought her,  
Should set her Maiden honour at whole sale.   Tech. 
Age h'as an ear indeed for every tale.  Cor. 

True, Technis true, for no affection can  
Have more predominance o'er any man,  
Then jealousy a self-consuming rage,  
Is said to have over men of doting age.   Dor. 
Thy reason Corydon?  Cor. 

That disesteem  
Of being now more weak than they have been,  
Makes them repine at others now that may,  
And are as able to beget as they.   Tech. 
'tis rightly noted Corydon.  Lin. 

Yes, he  
Knows by observance whence these humours be.   Cor. 

Linus I do, and better had I been,  
If I had never known what these things mean;  
But shepherds you shall hear the reason, why  
I should this Dotards humour thus descry.   Sap. 
Yes, do good Swain.  Cor. 

It chanced upon a night,  
A Moonlight night, when Moon and stars shi●… bright,  
That I with other shepherds did repair  
To th' old-man's house, and found fair Celia there,  
Whom I in 〈◊〉 with a kind salute,  
Kissed, & with speaking heart though tongue was mut●…,  
Wished; o what wishes do possess a mind,  
That dare 〈◊〉 utter how his heart's inclined!  
She might be mine, thrice blest in being mine.   Dor. 
Why didst not woe her S●…aine, for to be thine?  Cor. 

Yes. Do●…ycles I wooed her, though not then,  
For Maidens they are bashful amongst men,  
And 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…odestie impart,  
What they could 〈◊〉 consent to with their heart;  
So as to tell 〈◊〉, truly Dorycles,  
We passed that night in making purposes,  
Singing of catches; with such known delights,  
As young folk use to pass o'er winter nights.  
And at that time, I may be bold to tell thee,  
For such conceits I thought none could excel me.  
For well you know, I was in Hyble bred,  
And by the 〈◊〉 sisters nourished,  
So as being st●…r'd by Nature, helped by art,  
There was ●…o strain ●… bore not in some part:  
Which gave fair Celia such entire content,  
As she discovered after, what she meant.  
Though I may ●…eare, for five months I came to her,  
And with some terms of art assayed to woe her:  
During which time, all th' answer I could get,  
Was this; she did not mean to marry yet.   Tech. 

Th●…t's all the a●…swer these young women have,  
While they reject what after they receive.   Cor. 

Technis, indeed I did perceive as much,  
Though all young wench's humours be not such:  
But th'greatest cause of Celia's distaste,  
Which made me many times the lesser graced,  
Proceeded from that chrone her dogged father,  
As after by conjectures I did gather:  
Persuading her, that she should plant her love  
On such whose hopeful means might best approve  
Her discreet choice: and that was not to be  
Affianced to such an one as me.   Dor. 

Alas poor Swain; 'tis true what th'proverb saith,  
We ask not what he is, but what he hath.   Cor. 

And yet persuasions which her father used,  
Could not prevail with her, for she had chus'd,  
In heart I mean.   Tech. 
Whom did she ●…ote upon?  Cor. 
Will ye believe me!  Tech. 
Yes.  Cor. 
'twas Corydon.  Lin. 
Thrice happy swain.  Cor. 

Thrice happy had I been,  
If I had slept still in this golden dream;  
But afterwards occurrences there were,  
Which thus abridged my hopes, as you shall hear.  
Such deep impression had affection made,  
As there remained nothing unassaid,  
To consummate our wishes, but the rite.   Tech. 
Yes something else.  Cor. 
What Technis!  Tech. 
Marriage night.  Sap. 
They had enjoyed that, you may suppose.  Cor. 

No, Sapphus no, she was not one of those:  
So modest, chaste, respective of her name,  
Pure and demure, as th'sweetness of her fame,  
Above the choicest odours that are sent  
From spicy Tmolus' flowery continent,  
Sent forth that fragrant and delightful savour,  
As none ere heard, and did not seek to have her.  
For sundry choice discourses have we had,  
And I ne'er knew that aught could make her glad,  
Which had least taste of lightness.   Tech. 

Sure thou art,  
So much thy praises relish true desert,  
Worthy such virtuous beauty.   Cor. 

Technis no,  
Albeit Celia●…steem'd ●…steem'd me so,  
As long and tedious seemed that day to be,  
Which did divide her from my company.  
So as in silent groves and shady lawns,  
Where Siluans, water-nimphs, fairies, and fauns,  
Use to frequent, there would we sit and sing,  
Eyeing our beauties in a neighbour spring,  
Whose silver streamlings with soft murmring noise,  
To make our consort perfect, gave their voice.  
And long did we observe this custom too,  
Though her consent did bid me cease to woe:  
For now I was no wooer, but her love,  
And that so firmly linked, as naught could move,  
Alter or sunder our united hearts,  
But meager death, which all true lover's parts.   Tech. 

Then Corydon, to me it doth appear,  
That you were troth-plight.   Cor. 

Technis so we were.  
But see (good shepherds) what succeeded hence:  
This love she bore me did her sire incense,  
So as discurteously he penned his daughter  
In such a vault, I could not see her after.  
Which when my friends perceived, they grieved were,  
That th'love which I his Celia did bear,  
Should be rewarded with contempt and scorn,  
Being for parentage equally borne,  
With best of his, as most of you can tell.   Lin. 
Proceed good Corydon, we know it well.  Cor. 

For was I not of Polyarchus line,  
A noble shepherd!   Sap. 

True, who in his time  
Solemnised many wakes on this our down,  
And ere he died was to that honour grown,  
As all our plains resounded with his lays,  
Sung by our Swains in Polyarchus praise.   Cor. 

It seems thou knew him Sapphus: but attend  
For now my story draweth near an end.  
My friends distasting this repulse of mine,  
Forced me from th'course whereto I did incline:  
So as my hopes confined, I'm driven to go  
From Adon's vale unto a mount of wo.   Lin. 
Unhappy shepherd.  Cor. 

And unhappy sheep,  
For ill could I my herds from worrying keep,  
Though to that charge my friends enjoined me,  
When I could scarcely keep my own hands free,  
From doing violence upon myself:  
So as one day upon a ragged shelf,  
Wreathed round with ivy, as I ●…ate alone,  
Descanting Odes of sorrow and of moan,  
I chanced on my mishap to meditate,  
Celia's restraint, and my forlorn estate;  
Which done, I vowed if speedy remedy  
Gave no relief unto my malady,  
That very cliff where I reposed that day,  
Should be the means to take my life away.   Tech. 
O Corydon this soundeth of despair.  Cor. 

It does indeed: but such a watchful care,  
Had gracious Pan of me, that in short time,  
These motives to despair began to decline,  
And lose their force: so as when griefs grew ripe,  
I used to take me to my oaten pipe.   Dor. 

But ere thou proceed further, tell us Swain,  
Where all this time thou used to remain.   Cor. 

A broad-spread oak with aged arms & old,  
Directs the passenger the way he would,  
Near Cadmus' rising hillocks, where the spring  
Of golden Tagus useth oft to bring  
Such precious traffic to the neighbour shore,  
As former times through blindness did adore  
Those ●…urled streams, wherein they did descry  
Their love to gold, by their Idolatry:  
That shady oak I say, and that blessed spring,  
In my distress, gave me such harboring;  
As night and day I did not thence remove,  
But waking mused, and sleeping dreamed of l●…ue.   Tech. 
Who ever heard the like!  Dor. 
How didst thou live?  Cor. 
On hope.  Tech. 
Weak food.  Cor. 

Yet did it comfort give,  
To my afflicted mind, which did desire,  
Ever to sing her wings in fancies fire.  
For many weeks in this distressed estate,  
Wretched, forlorn, helpless and desolate,  
Sat I dejected, musing on despair,  
And when those dreary clouds would once grow fair:  
But 'las the more I did expect relief,  
The less hope had I to allay my grief,  
So as in th'end, as you shall after hear,  
All means for my redress abridged were.  
But that you may perceive what love can do,  
And how effectually her passions show,  
I who before I lovely Celia kent,  
Knew not what th' Heliconian Muses meant,  
Addressed myself;   Lin. 
To what good Corydon?  Cor. 
To write of love, and thus my Muse begun.  Tech. 
Pray thee kind Swain let's hear what thou didst write.  Dor. 

Yes do: for well I know it will delight  
Sepheards to hear, of shepherd's amorous toys;   Sap. 
On then good Corydon.  Cor. 

Have at ye Boys.  
Celia speak, or I am dumb,  
Here I'll sojourn till thou come,  
Seek I will till I grow blind,  
Till I may my Celia find.  
For if tongue-tied, string would break,  
If I heard but Celia speak;  
And if blind, I soon should see,  
Had I but a sight of thee;  
Or if lame, love would find feet,  
Might I once with Celia meet;  
Or if deaf, should I but hear  
Loves sweet accents from thy ear:  
Thy choice notes would me restore,  
That I should be deaf no more.  
Thus though dumb, blind, deaf, and lame,  
Herd I but my Celia's name,  
I should speak, see, hear, and go,  
Vowing, Celia made me so.   Tech. 

Beshrew me Corydon, if I had thought,  
That love such strange effects could ere have wrought,   Cor. 

Yes Technis, yes, love's such a wondrous thing,  
That it will make one plunged in sorrow sing,  
And singing weep, for grief is wont to borrow  
Some strains of joy, that joy might end in sorrow.  
For what is woe (as we must needs confess it)  
Having both tongue and tears for to express it,  
But a beguiling grief, whose nature's such,  
It can forget, lest it should grieve too much.   Dor. 

Indeed such sorrow seldom lasteth long,  
But say good Swain, heard Celia of thy song?   Cor. 

I know not, Dorycles: but 'twas her lot,  
That from her keeper afterwards she got.   Tech. 
Happy escape.  Cor. 

Ah Technis, say not so,  
For this escape gave new increase to woe;   Lin. 
How could that be?  Cor. 

Hear but what did ensue,  
She was prevented by a ruffin-crue,  
As she upon the mountains rom'd about,  
Through desert caves to find her shepherd out.   Tech. 
Alas poor wench; what were they Corydon?  Cor. 

Such as did haunt there, and did live upon  
Rapine and violence, triumphing in  
Impunity, sole motive unto sin.  
In brief, they were, for so they did profess,  
Of brave Lauerna'es' crew, that patroness  
Of all disorder, and each evening time  
Offered stolen booties to her godless shrine.   Tech. 
Mishap above mishaps.  Cor. 

True, so it was;  
My lass she lost her lad, the lad his lass.  
And sundry days, this rout did her detain,  
While hapless, helpless she did sore complain  
Of their inhuman usage, but her grief,  
Sighs, sobs, tears, throbs, could yield her small relief:  
For in the end one of this forlorn crew,  
Seized on my long-loved Celia as his dew,  
To whom espoused whether she would or no,  
She ends her life, her tedious life, in wo.   Lin. 
A sad event: but can she not be freed?  Cor. 
To what end Linus, she's dishonoured!  Tech. 
Unhappy fate.  Cor. 

Besides, she now is tide,  
And by enforcement, made another's Bride.  
Come shepherds come, and say if ever time,  
Made heardmens' woes so ripe, as't hath done mine.   Sap. 

Yes Corydon, though thou thy griefs hast shown,  
Which makes thee think none equal to thine own,  
I have a Tale will move compassion too,  
If Swains have any pity.   Dim. 
Pray thee how?  Sap. 

Nay I will not be dainty; but attend,  
And then compare our stories to the end,  
And you'll conclude that never any Swain  
Did lone so well, and reap so small a gain.    

The Argument.  

Sapphus' woes Silvia,  
Yet he thinks it ill,  
To take to that,  
Which he did never till.    

The second Argument.  

SHe, whose sweet and graceful speech,  
Might all other shepherds teach:  
She, whom countries did admire,  
For her presence and attire:  
She, whose choice perfections moved,  
Those that knew her to be loved.  
She, even Silvia, for save she,  
None so fair, and firm could be;  
When she should be Sapphus' Bride,  
And their hands were to be tie  
With their hearts in marriage knot,  
Sapphus hears of Sylvia's blot.  
Whereby Sapphus doth collect,  
How hard it is for to affect,  
Such an one as will rejoice,  
And content her in her choice;  
He concludes, since all things be  
Certain in uncertainty,  
Who would trust what women say,  
Who can do but what they may.  
Forts are won by foes assault,  
If Maids yield, it is Man's fault.    

THE SECOND EGLOGVE.  Sapphus' tale. 

I Had a Love as well as any you,  
And such an one, as had she but her due,  
Deserved the service of the worthiest swain  
That ere fed sheep upon the Western plain.   Dim. 

Good Sapphus say, what was thy lass' name?  
Was it not Silvia?   Sap. 

The very same;  
It seems thou knew her.   Dim. 

Yes exceeding well,  
And might have known her, but I would not mell,  
In more familiar sort.   Sap. 

Unworthy Swain,  
Did her affection merit such astaine?  
Suppose she threw some loser looks upon thee,  
And thou collected thence she would have won thee,  
Is this th'requite all of the love she bore?   Dim. 
Nay on good Sapphus, I'll do so no more.  Sap. 

No more! why now I swear, and may be bold  
That Dymnus would have done it if he could.  
Why sir, what parts were ever in you yet,  
That she on you such fancy should have set?   Tech. 

Fie, shepherds fie, we come not here to scold:  
Come Sapphus, tell thy tale as we have told.   Sap. 
Dymnus doth interrupt me.  Lin. 
Dymnus cease.  Dim. 

Nay I have done, so he will hold his peace.  
But to upbraid me, that I had no part  
To gain her love, I scorn it with my heart:  
For I'll avouch.   Tech. 
Nay then the strife's begun.  Dor. 
Dymnus for shame.  Dim. 
Nay shepherds, I have done.  Dor. 
Pray then proceed good Sapphus.  Sap. 

Willingly:  
Though I can hardly brook this injury.   Dim. 

Why Sapphus, I am sure thou knowst all this,  
That she was light.   Sap. 

I know she did amiss,  
Yet I must tell you Dymnus, 't had been fit,  
That rather I than you had noted it:  
For it concerned me most.   Dim. 

Pray let it rest,  
I did not know so much, I may protest.   Sap. 

Dymnus, enough: and thus I do proceed;  
Upon a time when I my flocks did feed,  
Her father Thyrsis chanced to come that way,  
And to observe me more, a while made stay  
Upon the Down, where I did feed my sheep:  
Who eying●…me, how duly I did keep  
My woollse store (as I had care) from worrien,  
Scab, sought, the r●…t or any kind of murrain:  
took such a liking on me, as to say  
The very truth, upon next holy day,  
He did invite me to his house, where I  
Found what was love in lovely silvia's eye.  
In brief, I loved her, I may boldly tell,  
And this her father notes, and likes it well:  
For oft used he to say, right sure I am,  
A penny in a man then with a man,  
He did esteem more of, which he applied  
Unto that care which he in me descried.   Dim. 
A jolly Swain he was.  Sap 

He was indeed,  
And on these Downs more frolic rams did breed,  
Then any Swainling that did dwell about him,  
And truth to say, they would do naught without him.   Dor. 

'tis said that Thirsk from Thirsis took her name,  
Who thither with his herds a grazing came,  
And played upon his pipe such pleasant strains,  
As he yet lives upon the neighbour plains.   Sap. 

This know I Dorycles, that in my hearing,  
He piped so sweet, that many shepherds fearing  
Th'melodious strains which issued from his reed,  
Would so amaze their flocks they could not feed:  
jointly together in a secret cave,  
Where Palms and Myrtles their increasing have,  
They so contrived an harbour for the nonst,  
That he might from the scorching Sun be sconst,  
And sing at pleasure, while his accents raising,  
Herdsmen were hearing, and their herds were grazing.  
For curious seats hewed from the solid stone,  
Were aptly framed for Swains to sit upon,  
Who in his voice conceived such choice delight,  
As a whole Summer day from morn to night,  
Seemed but an hour, so sweetly did he sing,  
While every day he found out some new spring.  
But all too long digression have I made;  
Falling in love with Silvia as I said,  
I saw and perished, perished, for it cost  
My liberty, which I by seeing lost.   Dor. 
Dear was that sight.  Sap. 

Yet dearer may I swear,  
Was she to me, than any senses were:  
For other objects I did wholly shone,  
Choosing herself for me to look upon.  
Neither was I hope-reft, for she did seem  
To fancy me, hows'ever she did mean;  
And I deserved it, as I thought that day,  
For clothed in my suit of shepherd's grey,  
With buttoned cap and buskins all of one,  
I may assure you (herdsmen) I thought none  
On all our Down more neat or handsome was,  
Or did deserve more kindness from his lass.   Dim. 
A good conceit doth well.  Sap. 

And truth was this,  
She showed me all respect that I could wish,  
And undissembled too, I am persuaded,  
Though afterwards all that affection faded.  
For on a day, (this I thought good to tell,  
That you may thence perceive she loved me well)  
In a green shady harbour I reposed,  
With Sycamours and Iu●…ipers enclosed,  
She privately into the harbour crept,  
Which seen, I fattened a sleep, but never slept.   Tech. 
A fair occasion!  Lin 

How did she reveal  
Her love?   Sap. 

If you had felt, what I did feel,  
You never would awaked, but wished do die,  
In such a soule-beguiling fantasy.  
For first sh●… eyed me, nor contented so,  
With nimble pace she to my lips did go:  
And calls, and clings, and eclipse me round about,  
Using a soft-sweete dalliance with her foot,  
Not to awake me from my cheer full dream,  
But to impart what she in heart did mean;  
Wherewith I seemed to wake.   Tech. 
Why didst thou so?  Sap. 

Technis, I thought she trod upon my toe,  
But as I waked, she without further stay,  
Dying her cheeks with blushes, stole away.   Dim. 
This showed she loved thee.  Sap. 

So I know she did,  
But who can perfect what the fates forbid?  
For long we lived thus, and loved too,  
With vows as firm as faith and troth could do,  
That naught should ere infringe that nuptial band,  
Confirmed betwixt us two with heart and hand.  
So as with Thirsis knowledge and consent,  
After so many weeks in love-toys spent,  
It was agreed upon by either side,  
That I should be her Bridegroom, she my Bride.  
And th'day of Solemnization was set down,  
So as the choicest youths in all the town,  
Addressed themselves, for I was valued then  
Amongst the chiefest Swains, to be my men.   Lin. 

I know it Sapphus, both thy wealth and worth,  
Were both of power enough to set thee forth.   Sap. 

In brief, for I your patience might wrong,  
To stand upon these marriage rites too long;  
To th'Church we went, suspecting I may swear,  
No such events as after did appear.   Tech. 
What sad events, good Sapphus?  Sap. 

Being now  
Come to do that which we could ne'er unde,  
The Priest pronounced a charge, whereby was meant,  
If either of us knew impediment,  
Why we should not be joined, then to speak,  
That we in time might such a wedlock break;  
Or any one there present should show cause,  
Why we might not be married by the laws:  
There to declare, in public one of these,  
Or else for ever after hold their peace.  
God speed them well, said all, save only one,  
Who sto●…d from thence some distance all alone,  
Crying, aloud in open audience,  
Sapphus for bear, there is no conscience,  
That thou should join thy hand to one defiled;  
At least provide a father for her child,  
Which she kind pregnant wench is great withal.  
And, who ere got it, will thee father call.   Tech. 
This was a strange prevention.  Sap. 

I confess it,  
But ify'ad heard how Mews did express it,  
(For so his name was) you would have admired  
His frontless impudence.   Dim. 

Sure he was hired,  
To frustrate these solemnities.   Sap. 

A●… no,  
Believe me Dymnus it was nothing so:  
For she was fruitful long before her time,  
But th'fault was hers, it was no fact of mine:  
So as her neighbours judged and censured on her,  
That she begun by time to take upon her.  
But this shall be in silence passed for me,  
Only she's shadowed in my 
* A Poem ent●… tled Omphale.  Omphale,  
And so charactered, as the time may come,  
Silvia shall be as Flora was in Rome.   Dor. 
But what succeeded hence?  Sap. 

Upon this voice  
There straight arose a strange confused noise,  
Some Mews taxed, and said he was to blame,  
To blemish any modest Maiden's name;  
Others were doubtful, left it should be true,  
And thus they thought, and thus it did ensue.  
I now suspicious of this foul dishonour,  
Which Mews publicly had laid upon her:  
Resolved those solemn spousals to delay,  
And put them off until another day:  
Mean while, (attend me Swains) when th'day came on  
That I should marry, Silvia had a son.   Cor. 
God bless the boy.  Dim. 
Who might the child be git?  Sap. 
Nay Dymnus sure, who ever fathered it.  Dim. 
Who I!  Sap. 

Nay blush not man for you have told,  
You might ofttimes have done it if you would;  
But I do wish her all the good I can,  
And praise her choice, though I be not the man.   Tech. 
Unhappy choice!  Dor. 

Hard fate!  
'tis nothing so,  
You'll hear a choice more fatal ere you go.  
These were but toys to entertain the time,  
Prepare your handkerchiefs if you'll have mine.   All. 
What, must we weep?  Lin. 

Shepherds a while forbear,  
And if there be no cause, judge when you hear.    

The Argument.  

LInus doth Lesbian love,  
And woe, and win,  
And after by her  
Lightness wrongeth him.    

The second Argument.  

LOuely Lesbian, who might be,  
For birth, beauty, quality,  
Styled Natures Paragon,  
Framed for Swains to dote upon;  
In a word for to express,  
Feature of this Shepherdess,  
If you would her stature know,  
She was neither high nor low;  
But of such a middle size,  
As if Nature did devose,  
(For as't seemeth so she meant)  
To make her, her precedent;  
With a Sun-reflecting eye,  
Skin more smooth than ivory;  
Cherry lip, a dimple chin,  
Made for love to lodge him in;  
A sweet chearing-chafing sent,  
Which perfumed ground where she went;  
A persuasive speech, whose tongue  
Struck deep admiration dumb.  
She, even she, whom all approved,  
Is by lively Linus loved,  
And at last (what would ye more)  
Though she was betrothed before  
To Palemon, that brave Swain,  
Who quite droops through her disdain,  
Is with rites solemnised,  
Unto Linus married;  
Whom he finds (as heaven is just)  
After, stained with boundless lust,  
So as he laments his state,  
Of all most unfortunate,  
That he should in hope of pelf,  
Wrong both others and himself.    

THE THIRD EGLOGVE.  Linus tale. 

I Loved a lass, alas that ere I loved,  
Who as she seemed to be, if she had proved,  
A worthier Swain the country ne'er had bred,  
And her I wooing won, and winning wed.   Tech. 
I like thee Linus, thy preamble's short;  Lin. 

Technis, indeed I 〈◊〉 not of that sort,  
Who for a thing of naught will pule and cry,  
And childishly put finger in the eye;  
The burden of my grief is great to bear.   Dor. 
What is it Linus, pray thee let us hear?  Lin. 

The Maid I got, and Lesbian was her name,  
Was to another trothplight ere I came.   Cor. 
How should she Linus then be got by thee?  Lin. 

It was my fate, or her inconstancy.  
howsoever I have her, and possess her now,  
And would be glad to give her one of you.   Tech. 
Art weary of thy choice?  Lin. 

Technis, I am,  
For I'm persuaded fheed weary any man.  
So seeming smooth she is and ever was,  
As if she hardly could say Michaelmas:  
But privately so violently fierce,  
As I'm afraid her name will spoil my verse.   Cor. 
This is some hornet sure.  Lin. 

A very wasp,  
Whose forked tongue who ever should unelaspe,  
Would find't a task to charm it.   Dim. 
Is't so tart;  Lin. 

O Dymnus, that thou didst but feel a part  
Of my affliction, thou wouldst surely moon,  
And pity me, that's matched to such an one;  
For tell me shepherds was there ere so rare,  
A crime, wherein my Lesbian doth not share?  
Proud, (though before as humble to the eye  
As ere was Maid) so as one may descry,  
Even by her outward habit what she is,  
And by her wanton gesture gather this:  
If thou be chaste, thy body wrongs thee much,  
For thy light carriage saith, thou art none such.   Sap. 
Some fashion-monger I durst pawn my life.  Lin. 

Sapphus 'tis true, such is poor Linus wife,  
Though ill it seems a country Shepherdess,  
Such harsh fantastic fashions to profess:  
One day unto a Barber she'd repair,  
And for what end but this, to cut her hair,  
So as like to a Boy she did appear,  
Having her hair round cut unto her ear.   Cor. 
Good Linus say, how looked that Minx of thine?  Lin. 

Like to a fleecelesse Ewe at shearing time.  
So cold she was, as next day she did show her  
Upon the Downs, but not a Swain could know her;  
So strangely clipped she seemed, and in disguise,  
So monstrous ugly, as none could devose  
To see one clad in loathsomer attire:  
And this she knew was far from my desire,  
For I did ever hate it.   Tech. 

Pray thee Lad  
Tell us in earnest how she might be clad!   Lin. 

There is a fashion now brought up of late,  
Which here our country Blouzes imitate,  
The cause whereof I do not think it fit,  
If I did know't, for to discover it,  
But sure I judge, some rot's in woman's joints,  
Which makes them fain to tie them up with points.   Dim. 
With points!  Lin. 

Yes Dymnus, that's the fashion now,  
Whereof I have a tale, right well I know,  
Will make you laugh.   Dor. 
Let's hear that tale of thive.  Lin. 

Shepherds you shall; it chanced upon a time,  
That Lesbian, whose spirit ever would  
Observe the fashion, do I what I could,  
Bearing a port far higher in a word,  
Then my ability could well afford:  
That she I say into this fashion got,  
(As what was th'fashion she affected not)  
Of tying on with points her loser waste;  
Now I observing how her points were placed,  
The Even before she to a wake should go,  
I all her points did secretly undo,  
Yet therewith all such easy knots did make,  
That they might held till she got to the wake,  
Which she not minding.   Cor. 
On good Linus, on.  Lin. 

She hies her to the wake (my Corydon.)  
Where she no sooner came, then she's ta'en in,  
And nimbly, falls unto her revelling,  
But see the luck on't, while she scuds and skips,  
Her underbody falls from off her hips,  
Whereat some laughed, while others took some ruth,  
That she uncased, should show the naked truth.  
But hear what happened hence, ere th'setting Sun  
Lodged in the West, she heard what I had done;  
So as resolved to quite me in my kind,  
Next morn betime, she Hylus chanced to find.   Sap. 
Who, Clitus boy!  Lin. 

Yes Sapphus, selfsame Lad,  
Who was a good boy, ere she made him bad.   Tech. 
Pray Linus how?  Lin. 

Through her immodesty,  
She him allured for to dishonour me.   Tech. 

Disloyal Lesbian; but pray the show,  
Did Hylus (harmless youth) consent thereto?   Lin. 
Technis, he did;  Dor. 
How shouldst thou know as much?  Lin. 
She did displayed herself.  Dor. 
Is her shame such?  Lin. 

Yes, and withal defied me to my face,  
With such injurious speeches of disgrace,  
As patience could not bear.   Tech. 
And didst thou bear them?  Lin. 

Yes, Technis yes, & smiled when I did hear them  
For this is my conceit, it seemeth no man,  
To show his violence unto a woman.   Dim. 

Linus says well, but woman's nature's such,  
They will presume if men do bear too much.  
For if the tongue upon defiance stand,  
The tongue should be revenged by the hand.   Lin. 

Some would have done it Dymnus, but I thought  
If I revenge by such base means had sought,  
The woreld would condemn me; she could blind  
Most men with an opinion, she was kind,  
But in a modest sort: for on a time,  
Rich Amphybaeus offering to the shrine  
Of Panaretus (as there went report)  
Sought for her love in a dishonest sort,  
With price, with prayer, yet ne'er attained his aim,  
To soil her honour, or her virtue's stain;   Sap. 

Women are nice when simple herdsmen crave it,  
And will say nany, when they the fainst would have it.   Lin. 

'Tis right; and now good shapheards tell me true,  
Have I not cause, for I'll be judged by you,  
To moon my hard mishap?   Tech. 
Thou hast indeed.  Cor. 
Thy woes, friend Linus, make my heart strings bleed;  Lin. 

I thank you all; but will you hear a song,  
Penned in the meditation of my wrong!   Dor. 
For loves-sake do!  Lin. 

judge if the descant fit  
The burden of my grief, for this is it;  
As for the note before I further go,  
My tune is this, and who can blame my woe?   

If Marriage life yield such content,  
What heavy hap have I,  
Whose life with grief and sorrow spent,  
Wish death, yet cannot die:  
She's bend to smile when I do storm,  
When I am cheerful too,  
She seems to louvre, than who can cure,  
Or counterpoise my woe?   

My marriage day chased you away,  
For I have found it true,  
That bed which did all joys display,  
Became a bed of rue;  
Where asps do browse on fancy's flower,  
And beauties blossom too:  
Then where's that power on earth may cure,  
Or counterpoise my woe?   

I thought love was the lamp of life,  
No life without ' en love,  
No love like to a faithful wife:  
Which when I sought to prove,  
I found her birth was not on earth,  
For aught that I could know;  
Of good ones I perceived a dearth,  
Then who can cure my woe?   

Xanthippe was a jealous shrew,  
And Menalippe too,  
Faustina had a stormy brow,  
Corinna'es like did show;  
Yet these were Saints compared to mine,  
For mirth and mildlesse too:  
Who runs division all her time,  
Then who can cure my woe?   

My board no dishes can afford,  
But chafing dishes all,  
Where self-will domineers as Lord,  
To keep poor me in thrall;  
My discontent gives her content,  
My friend she vows her foe:  
How should I then my sorrows vent,  
Or cure my endless woe?   

No cure to care, farewell all joy,  
Retire poor soul and die,  
Yet ere thou die, thyself employ,  
That thou mayst 〈◊〉 the sky;  
Where thou may move commanding jove,  
That Pluto he might go  
To wed thy wife, who ended thy life,  
For this will cure thy woe!   Dim. 

I judge by this, that thou wouldst feign for sake her,  
And freely give her any that would take her.   Lin. 

Dymnus I would, but I my cross must bear,  
As I have done before this many year;  
But since our griefs are equally expressed,  
Let's now compare which is the heaviest!   Tech. 
I lost my Amarillid●…;  Dor. 

But she  
Was nothing to Bellina.   Dim. 

No, nor she  
Like to my fair Palmira.   Cor. 

Nor all three  
Equal to Celia;   Sap. 

Let Silvia be  
The only fair.   Lin. 

Admit, they all were fair,  
Your griefs with me, may have no equal share,  
For you are free, so as perhaps you may  
Make choice of some, may be as fair as they;  
But I am bound, and that in such a knot,  
As only death may it unloose, or not.   Tech. 
To Linus must we yield; but who are these?  Dor. 

Two jolly shepherds, that do hither press,  
With ribbon favours, and rosemary sprigs,  
Chanting along our Downs their rural ijg●…,  
As to some wedding boun;   Sap. 

You may presume,  
For john unto the Maypole is their tune,  
And that's their bridal note.   Lin. 

Let us draw near them,  
Close to this shady Beech, where we may hear them.    

The shepherd's holiday, reduced in apt measures to Hobbinalls' 
Forth of a curious Spinet graced with the best rarities of Art and Nature, Mopsus a shepherd, and Marina a shepherdess, singing a Nuptial hy●…ne in the way ●…o the Bridal.  Galliard, or john to the Maypole.  MOpso. 

Come Marina let's away,  
For both Bride and Bridegroom stay,  
Fie for shame are Swains so long,  
Pinning of their head-geare on?  
Pray thee see,  
None but we,  
Mongst the Swains are left unready,  
Fie, make haste,  
Bride is past,  
Follow me and I will lead thee.   Mar. 

On my lovely Mopsus, on,  
I am ready, all is done,  
From my head unto my foot,  
I am fitted each way to't;  
Buskins gay,  
Gown of grey,  
Best that all our flocks do render,  
Hat of strew,  
Plaited through,  
Cherry lip and middle slender.   Mop. 

And I think you will not find  
Mopsus any whit behind,  
For he loves as well to go,  
As most part of shepherds do.  
Cap of brown,  
Bottle-crowne,  
With the leg I won at dancing,  
And a pump  
Fit to jump,  
When we shepherds fall a prancing.   

And I know there is a sort,  
Will be well provided for't,  
For I hear, there will be there  
Liveliest Swains within the Shere:  
jetting Gill,  
jumping Will,  
o'er the floor will have their measure:  
Kit and Kate,  
There will wait,  
Tib and Tom will take their pleasure.   Mar. 
But I fear;  Mop. 
What dost thou fear?  Mar. 

Crowd the fiddler is not there:  
And my mind delighted is,  
With no stroke so much as his.   Mop. 

If not he,  
There will be  
Drone the piper that will trounce it.   Mar. 

But if Crowd,  
Struck aloud,  
Lord me thinks how I could bounce it!   Mop. 

Bounce it Mall, I hope thou will,  
For I know that thou hast skill,  
And I am sure thou there shalt find,  
Measures store to please thy mind;  
Roundelays,  
Irish-hayes,  
Clogs and rongs and Peggy Ramsey,  
Spanilet to,  
The Uenetto,  
john come kiss me, Wilsons fancy.   Mar. 

But of all there's none so sprightly  
To my ear, as touch me lightly:  
For it's this we shepherd's love,  
Being that which most doth mo●…;  
There, there, there,  
To a hair,  
O Tim Crowd, me ●…hinks I hear thee,  
Young nor old,  
Near could hold,  
But must leak if they come near thee.   Mop. 

Blush Marina, fie for shame,  
Blemish not a shepherd's name;   Mar. 

Mopsus why, is't such a matter,  
Maids to show their yielding nature?  
O what then,  
Be ye men,  
That will bear yourselves so froward,  
When you find  
Us inclined,  
To your bed and board so toward?   Mop. 

True indeed, the fault is ours,  
Though we term it ofttimes yours;   Mar. 

What would shepherds have us do,  
But to yield when they do woe?  
And we yield  
Them the field,  
And endow them with our riches.   Mop. 

Yet we know,  
Oft-times too,  
You'll not stick to wear the breeches.   Mar. 

Fools they'll deem them, that do hear them  
Say, their wives are wont to wear them:  
For I know there's none has wit,  
Can endure or suffer it;  
But if they  
Have no stay,  
Nor discretion (as 'tis common)  
Then they may  
Give the sway,  
As is fitting to the woman.   Mop. 

All too long (dear love) I ween,  
Have we stood upon this theme:  
Let each lass, as once it was,  
Love her Swain, and Swain his lass:  
So shall we  
Honoured be,  
In our mating, in our meeting,  
While we stand  
Hand in hand,  
Honest Swainling, with his Sweeting.   Dor. 

How say you shepherds, shall we all repair  
Unto this wedding, to allay our care?   Dim. 
Agreed for me.  Tech. 
And I am well content.  Cor. 
On then, let's make our life a merriment.  Sap. 

See where they come!  
May Hymen ay defend them.   Lin. 
And far more joy than I have had God send them.   
FINIS.   

OMPHALE, OR, THE INCONSTANT SHEPHERDESS.  
Perijssem, nisi perijssem.  
LONDON, Printed for RICHARD WHITAKER. 1621.   

To her in whose chaste breast choicest virtues, as in their Abstract, are seated:  
The accomplished Lady P. W. wife to the Nobly-descended S. T. W. Knight: and daughter to the much honoured, S. R. C.  
All correspondence to her worthiest wishes.   

OMPHALE, OR, THE INCONSANT SHEPHERDESS.  
IN bondage free, in freedom bound I am,  
A hopeless, hapless, lovesick, life-sicke man;  
When I write aught, straight love preventeth me,  

And bids me write of naught but Omphale:  
When I ride East, my heart is in the West,  
Lodged in the centre of her virgin-breast.  
The homeliest cell would cheerful seem to me,  
If I in it might live with Omphale.  
My youth grows aged, for though I'm in my prime,  
Love hath made furrows in this face of mine;  
So as last day (ay me unhappy elf)  
Looking in th'glass, I scarce could know myself.  
And I, from whom these sharp extremes did grow,  
Was not content, but I must tell her too,  
Which made her proud, for few or none there are,  
(If women) but they're proud if they be fair.  
All this last Summer hath it been my hap,  
To sport, toy, play, and want on in her lap,  
And ever th'more I played, if so I could,  
Or strength admitted means, the more I would:  
For truth confirms that Maxim, where we find  
A loving, loyal, well-disposed mind,  
Pressed for encounter, there we love to plant,  
Feeding on Love's delights in midst of want;  
For Love contemns all want, and countsed a gain,  
To purchase one hours' joy with two years' pain.  
Alas how oft (too oft thou well may say)  
Have I in private spent with her the day,  
Invoking th'sun, plants, heaven, and earth and all,  
If fall I should, she did procure my fall?  
And still she vowed, and bit her lip, and stepped  
Apart from me, and wiped her eyes and wept,  
And stood and chid, and called me most unjust,  
To harbour in my bosom such distrust.  
And I (too credulous I) as one dismayed,  
Was forced to recant what I had said,  
Swearing I was resolved that th'constancy,  
Of 
* Or Hypermnestra, one of the fisue daughters of D●…naus, who out of a tender ●…uptiall ●…ffection, saved her husband Lynceus from that great slaughter which was committed by her sisters, in ●…ying their husbands.  Hypemnestra matched not Omphale.  
Thus did I gull myself to soothe my love,  
Who proved a Serpent, though she seemed a Dove:  
For vows, protests, and all that she had spoken,  
Were by her light affection quickly broken.  
And whence came this? not from me, heaven thou knows,  
But from my love who triumphs in my woes;  
My love; raze out that name: she was indeed,  
When thou and she your lanbkins used to feed  
On Arnus flowery banks, being wont to make  
Posies and nosegays for her shepherd's sake,  
And bind them to his hook; but let that pass,  
She is not she, nor time the same it was.  
For then (o then) suspicious eyes were free,  
And none but heavenly bodies looked on thee;  
(Too fair spectators,) though we now and then  
Dispense with God's sight rather than with men.  
And can she think on this and not relent,  
Or thinking not of this, can she consent  
To leave Admetus? Yes, why can she not!  
Now loves she Cloris, and I fear his lot  
Will prove as fatal, for her very eye  
Tells me she means to tread her shoe awry.  
And this I saw before, and durst not see,  
For th'love I bore to her, persuaded me  
She could not be so thankless, as requite  
My faithful service with such strange despite:  
Yet I perceived, not by suspicious fear,  
But by the Organs both of eye and ear,  
That love was feigned which to me she bore,  
Reserving others to supply her store.  
And I confess in th'end I jealous grew,  
For some had many favours, I but few;  
Others had smiles, I frowns, so as I say,  
I found her former fancy fall away,  
Which gave increase to grief, cause to my eye  
To look into her steps more narrowly;  
So as poor fool (so vainly did I err)  
I thought each bush did play th'Adulterer,  
So violent was this passion; which to show,  
Though of Actaeon's there be store enough,  
I briefly mean, (and let all others pass)  
To tell you how my jealous humour was.  
Each thing I eyed, did represent to me,  
The lovely feature of my Omphale,  
Yet so, as still that precious form I saw,  
Did by attractive power another draw,  
To make her form more complete, for we know,  
Number can ne'er consist of less than two.  
Straight did I see, (suspicion made me see)  
Myself made cuckold in a fantasy,  
Which in my thoughts such deep impression took,  
As now and then I threw away my book,  
Calling myself an Ass, to poor on that  
Which gave my wench time to cornute my pate;  
And to confirm the height of my disgrace,  
Suffer the rifling of her common place.  
Sometimes in silent nights, when hoary care  
Is charmed asleep, and men exempted are  
From day-bred passions, would I start from bed,  
And swear, the night had me dishonoured;  
While she (sleepe-lulled soul) did think no harm,  
But lay entwining me with arm in arm:  
Yet hearing me she waked, and chid me too,  
For doing (humorous fool) what I did do,  
And as she chid I wept, yet inward fain,  
My dreams proved false, I went to bed again.  
If I but found her in discourse with any,  
I straight renounced her love, and swore too many  
Were factors in my Pinnace, yet one frown  
Sent from her brow, subdued me as her own.  
If she received a letter from a friend,  
I straight conjectured what it did intend;  
Supposing (vain suppose) where th'place should be,  
That witness might the shame of Omphale:  
To which I vowed revenge, though nothing were,  
But my own thoughts that ministered this fear.  
Oft would I fain (for what were all my thoughts,  
But fictions merely) that she played naught  
With her own shadow, and Narcissus-like,  
That in her form she took such acquaint delight,  
As forced now to surfeit on her store,  
She proved this true: Much plenty made her poor.  
Thus did her presence cause me to admire her,  
Her absence like occasion to desire her;  
Without whose presence, though the Sunneshone fair,  
All seemed dark, because she was not there.  
Last time we parted with teare-trickling eye,  
Hand joined in hand right ceremonially,  
I called the heavens and sacred powers above,  
To witness with me my unfeigned love,  
And vowed withal, if ere it should appear,  
I broke the faith which I had plight to her,  
Or entered any bed lasciviously,  
Intending to play false with Omphale,  
Or entertained least thought of disrespect  
To her or hers in nature of neglect,  
Or ever cancelled th' deed, which (heavens you know,  
Was sealed and was delivered 'twixt us two)  
Or ever changed my fancy, to divide  
My shared love unto another Bride,  
Or ere disclaimed what I in secret vowed,  
Or disallow what Hymen had allowed;  
If this or that, or any of these all,  
Should censure me of lightness, that my fall  
Might recompense my shame (which heavens forbid)  
And this I vowed to do, and this I did.  
Nor did she spare to second me in this,  
But wished if ere she chanced to do amiss,  
With an intent of ill, or violate  
Those solemn hests our loves had consummate,  
Or ftained that spousal rest, that blessed repose,  
Where two encountered, yet were neither foes;  
Or disesteemed my love, or prized it  
Less than a constant lover did befit,  
Or let one day or night pass carelessly,  
Without recalling me to memory,  
Or give occasion to the world to say,  
She loves another when her love's away,  
Or entertain a favour, or descry  
Lest of affection by alluring eye,  
Or riot in my absence, or consort  
With any that might blemish her report,  
Or frequent public presence, which might move  
A subject for variety of love:  
If this or that, or any should begin  
To tax her life, might vengeance plague her sin.  
Thus we both vowed, and thus we parted too,  
But hear how soon my love infringed her vow;  
No sooner had the region of the West,  
Removed me from my love, and reft me rest,  
Where steepy mountains ragged and uneven,  
Ossa and Pelion-like do menace heaven,  
Where scalpie hills and sandy vales imply,  
The ploughman's toiles requited slenderly;  
Where their course feeding and their homely fare,  
Makes their wits lumpish, and their bodies spare:  
Then she (inconstant she) forgot me clean,  
And all her vows, as if I had not been.  
Distance of place, made distance in our love,  
And as my body moved, her love did move  
From her first centre: thus even in my Prime,  
Did my love change, when I did change my clime.  
Thus like blind Cupid's ball (by fancy crossed)  
Was I to every hazard strangely tossed;  
Thus was my service guerdoned with disgrace,  
While Cloris crept into Admetus' place:  
And can her height of sin be thus forgot?  
No, wanton no, who is it knows it not?  
So as thy crime thy nature will display,  
And make thy story worse than Cressida,  
Who in contempt of faith, (as we do read)  
Rejected Troilus for Diomedes!  
Canst thou make show of love to me or any,  
That art exposed to loving of so many?  
Canst thou have heart to vow, when thou forsook,  
And didst infringe the oath which thou first took?  
Canst thou have face to come in open light,  
That hast incurred revenge in his pure sight,  
Whose vengeance thou invoked? canst thou repair  
Unto thy sex, or taste the common air,  
Having, (by making of thy faith so common)  
Infected th' air, impeached the Sex of women?  
Canst thou look on that faithless hand of thine,  
And give it to another being mine?  
Canst thou, and see that face, not blush to see  
Those tears thou shed, and vows thou made to me?  
Or canst embrace another in thy bed,  
Hearing thy first espoused friend not dead?  
Suppose I should surprise thee, could I long  
Restrain my hand, and not revenge my wrong?  
Could I allay my passion unexprest,  
Or see th' Adulterer sleep within thy breast?  
Could I endure my bed should be abused,  
Or see her strumpeted, whom I had chus'd?  
Could I content myself to see my shame,  
And cowardlike, not to redress the same?  
No, no insatiate thou, sooner could time  
Leave his gradation, or the Sun to shine,  
Light bodies to ascend and leave their centre,  
Rivers their downward course, than I should venture  
My patience on that odds: but foolish I,  
That gave no credit to mine ear or eye,  
But made my senses all Cassandra'es, where  
Mine ear presaged, yet I'd not trust mine ear:  
Such strange distempers doth this Circe breed,  
This phrensie-fancie in a lover's head,  
That though he hear, see, taste, and touch, & smell  
His love's unkindness, yet he dare not tell,  
But must renounce th'instruction of all these,  
Yea, (even himself) that he his wench may please.  
O why should man term woman th'weaker kind,  
Since they are stronger, as we daily find,  
In will, and head, although their husband's brows,  
Oft to a harder kind of temper grows?  
So as for all that we do style them weaker,  
They oft become to be their husband's maker!  
But now Admetus, wilt thou pine and die,  
And ●…aste thyself for her inconstancy?  
Wilt thou lament the loss of such an one,  
As hath resolved to keep her faith with none?  
Or canst thou dote on her, that longs to be  
Affected of each youth that she doth see?  
No, no Admetus, since she proves untrue,  
Shed not one tear nor sigh, for none is due,  
But offer Pan the chief of all thy flock,  
That thou art rid of such a weathercock.  
Now mayst thou pipe upon thy oaten reed,  
Whilst thy Mug-sheepe on Arnus pastures feed:  
Where bonny Clitus will attend on thee,  
And Mopsus too will keep thee company.  
There the late-freed Capnus will repair,  
And joy to taste the freedom of the air;  
Where he will descant on no rural theme,  
But on Ambition's curb, the golden means.  
And joy he may, for who did ever hear  
Such alterations as in him appear?  
Where long restraint hath laboured to restore  
That love to him, which he had lost before.  
With whom Admetus may in consort join,  
Comparing of your fortunes one by one;  
He to regain the love which he had lost,  
Thou to forget her love that wronged thee most.  
And well would this beseem Admetus' strain,  
▪ For shepherds should not laugh at others pain,  
But in compassion of their grieues and them,  
To imitate their passions in the same.  
And this's a better course, and safer too,  
Then to do that which thou so late didst do,  
Pining and puling, wishing death appear,  
Which for thy wishes was no whit the near.  
" For death (when we are happy) will come nigh us, 
Io●…e in Oet. Herald.   
" But if we wretched be, than death will fly us.  
How oft hath my experience made this good,  
When wishing death, I was by death withstood?  
For still I thought my woes would have an end  
If 
* Mors sola portus, dabitut aerumnis locus. ibid. Deian.  Death arrived, afflictions welcome friend.  
But th'more I sought, the more he fled from me,  
To make me riper in my misery:  
" For grief is of that nature, as it grows  
" In age, so new effects it daily shows.  
Yet now thou lives (and thanks to th'powers above)  
Hast near by this, suppressed the thoughts of love.  
Now canst thou feed, and sleep, and laugh, & talk,  
Sport, and tell tales, refresh thyself, and walk  
In flowery Medes, whilst thou seest Cloris hang  
His jealous head to hear the Cuckoo sing,  
Alas (poor man) what bondage is he in,  
To serve a Swain that's cauterised in sin,  
Exposed to shame, and prostitute to lust,  
In whom nor's grace, nor faith, nor love, nor trust?  
And heaven I wish, she may in time reclaim  
Her former course, and rectify the same:  
But th' Pumice stone will hardly water yield,  
Or grace appear in such a barren field:  
For such light mates encompass her about,  
As virtue's choked before it can take root.  
O Cloris, if thou knew Admetus' mind,  
And th'hard conceit he he's of womankind,  
Whose fairest looks, are lures, affections, baits,  
Words, wind, vows, vain, and their protests deceits,  
Songs, charms, tears, trains to trace us to our end,  
Smiles, snares, frowns, fears, which to our ruin tend:  
Then wouldst thou (Cloris) censure Omphale,  
The pregnant mirror of inconstancy,  
And curb thy fancy, ere it have least part  
In one can vow so often with one heart.  
For hear me (Cloris) she did never show  
More love to thee, than she to others too:  
Yet what art thou (if man) mayst build thee more  
Upon her faith than others did before?  
What art thou canst persuade thyself of this,  
She'll not tread right, h'as trod so long amiss,  
Or that she'll now prove constant, that h'as proved,  
So faithless to the most, that she has loved?  
No, Cloris no, the Proverb it is true,  
And is confirmed in her whom thou dost sue;  
" To wash the Moor, is labouring in vain,  
" For th'colour that he he's, is died in grain.  
So th'more thou strives to make her blackness white,  
Thou draws heaven's curtain to display her night.  
Her night indeed, save that no stars appear,  
(No lights of grace) within her hemisphere,  
But th'changing Moon, whose lightness doth express  
That light-inconstant mind of Omphale's:  
" Where Virtue seems at Nature to complain,  
" That vice should be at full, and she at wain.  
Yet Nature answers, she he's done her part,  
And that the fault is rather in her heart,  
That is so spacious, to entertain  
The wavering love of every wanton Swain.  
And I assent to Nature, for it's shown,  
By her rare workmanship, what she he's done,  
In giving beauty lustre, her content;  
In forming her, herself to represent.  
And reason good; for when I think upon,  
That Zeuxes, Phydias, and Pygmalion,  
(Those native artists) who indeed did strive  
To make their curious statues seem alive,  
Reducing art to Nature; then I find,  
Nature had cause to satisfy her mind  
In something above art, that aftertime  
Might move her to rejoice, art to repine.  
And what more moving pattern could there be,  
Then the admired form of Omphale,  
Whose feature equalled Nature, and did show  
The very Spring whence fancy's said to flow?  
For first her stature's seemly, which I call,  
Neither too dwarfish low, nor giant-tall;  
Her front a rising mount, her eyes two lamps,  
Which, wheresoever she looks impression stamps;  
Her cheek 'twixt rosy red and snowy white,  
Attracts an admiration with delight;  
Her nose nor long nor short, nor high nor low,  
Nor flat, nor sharp, the token of a shrew;  
Her mouth nor ferret-straite, nor callet-broade,  
But of an apt proportion, as it should;  
Her breath the fragrant odour, which love sips  
From these two cherry portels of her lips;  
Where those two ivory pales or rows of teeth,  
Accent her speech, perfumed by her breath;  
Her chin th'inclining vale, divided is,  
By th'dainty dimple of love's choicest bliss,  
Which, as main floods from smallest currents flow,  
Derives her sweets to th'rivels below;  
Her neck arocke enazured with pure veins  
Of orient pearl, which with amorous chains  
Of love's desired embraces, charms the eye,  
And ties it to her object, when she's by;  
Her breasts two Orbs or Mounts, or what you will  
That may include perfection, which to fill  
The world with admiration, are laydout,  
To work the feat her lightness goes about;  
Two pretty nipples, one opposed 'gainst t'other,  
Challenge the name of Nurse aswell as Mother:  
Though some (for state makes love to children worse)  
Scorn, being mothers to become their nurse.  
In brief her all, (because I'll not descend,  
In praise of that, where praises have no end)  
Is beauties fair Idea, which implies  
Height of content, to loves amazed eyes.  
And yet this she, the model of delight,  
Though outward fair, seems to my inward sight,  
As spotted as the Ermine, whose smooth skin,  
Though it be fair without, is foul within.  
For what more foul than vice? but chiefly that  
Which makes a woman to degenerate,  
From her more shamefast Sex, where modesty  
Should sit upon her cheek, to verify  
What th' Comic said: 
* Errand, nee sedem repetunt serenam Quae petulanti corde resurgunt, etc.  strayed thoughts find never rest,  
" But shamefast looks become a woman best.  
Indeed they do; for there is greater sense,  
That shame should move man more than impudence;  
For bashful looks add fuel to love's fire,  
While th' spirit of lust doth with her flame expire.  
Which makes me wonder, that th'interior light  
Whence man resembles God, should lose his sight,  
By doting on an Idol, that can take  
To charm loves dazzled eyes a Sirens shape,  
Making Art vie with Nature for the best,  
And soiling that which should surpass the rest.  
For what is fair, if that be all there is,  
But an eye-pleasing thing, that yields no bliss,  
Wanting that inward fair, which who enjoys,  
Esteems all outward ornaments as toys,  
Compared to that beauty, which no Art  
Could ever equal, or express in part?  
Indeed the grace of virtue is more rare,  
And exquisite, when she that's good is fair,  
For she becomes most complete well we know,  
That's graced with virtue and with beauty too.  
Whence that experienced Moral used to reach 
* Socrates.   
A looking glass to such as he did teach;  
Wherein, if such were fair themselves did eye,  
He would exhort them rather to apply  
Their minds to virtue, for great pity 'twere,  
Foule souls (quoth he) should have a face so fair:  
But if deformed, he straight would counsel them,  
With wholesome precepts to supply the same;  
For fit it were (quoth he) a face so foul,  
Should be provided of a beauteous soul.  
But rare's this composition, for we find,  
Seldom that double bliss in womankind,  
Where she that's fair can soon admire her own,  
And knows what Nature for herself hath done:  
Yeashe by this can learn another strain,  
Put on coy looks, and th'fashion of disdain,  
Mins-speech, huff-pace, sleeke-skin, and perfumed breath,  
Goats-haire, brests-bare, plume-fronted, fricaceteeths,  
All which infuse new motions into man,  
Late borrowed of th'Italian Courtesan.  
But now to thee thou wanton, will I come,  
To tax, not visit that polluted tomb,  
Of all infection, which to give it due,  
Is now become no Temple but a stew;  
Tell me, disdainful fair, if I ere wronged,  
Or thee, or any that to thee belonged!  
Have I incurred dishonour, or devoted  
My love to many, whereby I am noted?  
Have I been too profuse in my respect,  
To othersome, and blanched thee with neglect?  
Have I incurred a merited disgrace,  
In begging love when thou was out of place?  
Have I by courting any, ere expressed,  
Myself ought less than what I still professed?  
Didst ever see a favour worn by me,  
But that poor bracelet I received of thee,  
Twisted with gold, and with thy faithless hair,  
Which now I've thrown away with all my care?  
Did I ere vow and break, as thou hast done,  
Or plight my faith (save thee) to any one?  
Why then shouldst thou infringe that sacred oath,  
Which with a kiss was sealed to us both,  
When scarce one hour did us occasion give,  
(So short was time) to take our lasting leave?  
But I can guess where thou wilt lay the blame;  
Not on thyself, but on them whence thou came,  
That lustful stock I mean, which gave beginning  
To thee of being first, and then of sinning.  
It's true indeed, we know a poisoned spring,  
Can seld or never wholesome water bring,  
Nor can we look that any barren field,  
Should aught save tares or fruitless Darnell yield:  
For this from Scripture may collected be,  
" Such as the fruit is, such is still the tree.  
Too late I find this true, and heavens I wish,  
My former harms may caution me of this;  
For what is ill descendeth in a blood,  
Sooner and surer too, than what is good.  
" For th'father's virtues still attend his bear,  
" And being dead, with him lie buried there;  
" But th'vices which he had are not content  
" To die with him, but live in his descent.  
So native is thy ill, having her birth  
From that corrupted stock which brought thee forth,  
As sooner may the Aethiope become white,  
Th' Cymmerian pitchy shade transparent light,  
The Tiger leave his nature, th' Wolf his prey,  
The Sun to guide the chariot of the day,  
The 
* Queis pario perio; quod acerbae prolis imago Exticit, & tenerae nota parentis erit. vid. Alcyat.  Pelican her desert, or the 
* Quae parenti confecto aetate consulit, eique prestando na tale officium, proprijs alis gerit. vid. Basil. in Homil.  Craine,  
That natural love which in her doth remain  
Unto her parents; then thy parent's shame,  
Got by their sin, be wiped from thy name.  
No wanton, no, thy darkness is displayed,  
Which can by no means re-disperse her shade,  
But shall survive all time; for it's the will  
Of Powers above, there should be life in ill,  
As well as good: that th' memory of the first  
Might make succeeding ages count her cursed.  
For I have rod (and thou was cause I red)  
Some fickle Dames in stories mentioned,  
Whose small respect to th'honour of their name,  
Hath made them since the lasting heirs of shame:  
And such were Messalina, Martia,  
Faustina, Lay, Claudia, 
* Portia the famous Courtesan; and that noble Lady, an eminent pattern of modesty, wife to Port. Cato the Senator.  Portia,  
Two of which name there were of different kind,  
In th'various disproportion of their mind;  
" One good, one ill, one light, one constant proving,  
" One spousall-lothing, one her honour loving.  
But which of these can equal Omphale?  
Or which of these live more licentiously?  
All patterns in their time (as well they might)  
And cautions too, to move us tread aright  
That do succeed them: yet observe this stain,  
This wedlocks-blemish, and you will complain,  
Of th'present times, that they're more ripe in sin,  
And breach of faith, then former times have been.  
More ripe indeed, for where's that age become,  
" Folke died for love, as we have red of some,  
Who their affections so implanted have,  
As naught could bury fancy but their grave?  
But these were childish times; indeed they were,  
For rather then for her I'd shed one tear,  
That disesteemes my love, or send one groan,  
Or sigh, or sob, or pule, or make a moan,  
Or fold my arms, as forlorn lovers use,  
Or grieve to lose, when she doth others choose,  
Or break my sleep, or take a solemn fast,  
I wish that task might be Admetus last.  
No Omphale, though time was when I mourned,  
That time is changed, and now my humour's turned;  
So as I scarce remember what thou art,  
That once lay near and dear unto my heart.  
Now is my Pasture green and flourishing,  
And poor Melampus which was wont to hang  
His heavy head (kind cur) for's master's sake,  
Begins his sullen humour to forsake.  
Now is my bottle mended, and my hook,  
My bag, my pipe, so as if thou should look,  
And see Admetus with his woolly store,  
Thou'de say, he were not th'man he was before;  
And judge him too, (to see him now revive,  
And change his note) the happiest man alive.  
And so I am, to live and leave to love,  
(Though faithful mates would flinty natures move)  
Whose rare effects the Poet seems to show,  
When wives express th'affections which they owe.  
" 
* Turture sic turtur iungit ananda suo.  Turtle with Turtle, husband with his mate,  
" In distinct kinds one love participate.  
But since affection is so rare to find,  
Where th'face wears not the livery of the mind,  
And woman's vows (as 
* Sic iurare soent, sed non ●…eruare puellae. Lucian.  th' Satire rightly saith)  
Be rather made for compliment then faith;  
Be free from love Admetus: if not free,  
At least from love of such as Omphale.   
FINIS.   

A Poem describing the levity of a woman: reserving all generous respect to the virtuously affected of that Sex.  

FIrst I fear not to offend,  
A very thing of nothing,  
Yet whom thus far I commend,  
She's lighter than her clothing:  
Nay from the foot unto the crown,  
Her very Fan will weigh her down:  
And mark how all things with her Sex agree,  
For all her virtues are as light as she.   

1.  
She chats and chants but air,  
A windy virtue for the ear,  
'tis lighter far than care,  
And yet her songs do burdens bear.   

2.  
She dances, that's but moving,  
No heavy virtue here she changes,  
And as her heart in loving,  
So her feet in constant ranges.   

She softly leans on strings,  
She strikes the trembling lute and quavers:  
These are non weigntie things,  
Her strokes are light, so are her favours.  
Those are her virtues fitting to her kind,  
No sooner shown, but they turned all to wind.   

Then to you, O Sex of feathers,  
On whose brows sit all the wethers,  
I send my Passion weaved in rhymes,  
To weigh down these light empty times.   

Descript.  

WHat are you, O heirs of scorning,  
But like Dew that melts each morning;  
Evening vapours, and night's prize,  
To answer our voluptuous eyes:  
And but to screen that sin's delight,  
I think there never had been night.   

Nor had we been from virtue so exempt,  
But that the tempter did leave you to tempt.  
You bit the Apple first that makes us die,  
wheresoever we look the apple's in our eye,  
And death must gather it; for your turned breath,  
And mortal teeth even to the core struck death.    
FINIS.   

HIS ODES: OR, PHILOMEL'S TEARS.  

Odes in strains of sorrow tell  
Fate and fall of every fowl,  
Mounting Merlin, Philomela,  
Lagging Lapwing, Swallow, Owl;  
Whence you may observe how state  
Raised by pride, is razed by hate.   
LONDON. Printed for Richard Whitaker. 1621.   

TO THE GENEROUS, INGENIOUS, AND JUDICIOUS PHILALETHIST, Thomas Ogle Esquire: the succeeding issue of his divinest wishes.  

Unknown to you I am, yet known I am  
To th' better part of you, your virtuous name;  
Which like a precious odour hath infused  
Your love so much in me, as I have chus'd  
Yourself, to patronise what I have writ,  
Whose name I thought had power to shelter it.  
I grant indeed, Smooth 
* Sic tereti cursu repetit spiracula montis Aquila, quae valles spernit, ut alta petat. Sol radios mittit, radiosque reflectit ocellis; Aquila this vis●… semper (Amice) tuo. Alcyat. in Emblem. Sa●…. ibid. Plin. in Nat. Hist. Aelian. ibid. Greg. in Mor. expo. in job.  Eagle for your name,  
Includes that Sun-reflecting (Anagram)  
These birds which in my Odes their fates display,  
Are some night-birds, as others of the day;  
Which in my judgement, tenders more delight,  
To see how sin's orecurtained by night,  
Whereas the day sends forth his golden rays,  
And shows such birds as chant their maker's praise.  
Which Moral, as it suits these times of ours,  
I do disclaim my right in't, it is yours,  
If you esteem it worthy to obtain  
Your approbation: This is all our aim.   
R. B.   

THE TRAVELLER, DILATING UPON THE sundry changes of humane affairs, most fluctuant when appearing most constant.  
AN ODE.  

TEll me man, what creature may  
Promise him such safe repose,  
As secure from hate offoes,  
He may thus much truly say,  
Naught I have I fear to lose,  
No mischance can me dismay;  
Tell me, pray thee (if thou can)  
If the woreld have such a man!   

Tell me, if thou canst discern  
By thy reason's excellence,  
What man for his providence,  
Of the Pismire may not learn:  
Yet that creature hath but sense,  
Though she do her living earn,  
Spare, not costly, is her fare,  
Yet her granar shows her care!   

Tell me, canst thou show me him,  
That exact in each device,  
Is at all times truly wise,  
And is never seen to swim  
(For in this his judgement lies)  
'Gainst the current of the stream,  
But seems to have full command,  
Of each thing he takes in hand!   

Tell me, was there ever known  
Such a man that had a wit,  
And in some part knew not it,  
Till at last conceited grown,  
He grew prouder than was fit,  
Ever boasting of his own;  
For that Maxim true we know,  
" He that's witty, knows him so!   

Tell me, is that man on earth,  
Whose affairs so stable are,  
As they may for all his care,  
Fall not cross and crabdly forth,  
And of sorrows have no share,  
Which descend to man by birth;  
What is he can promise rest,  
When his mind's with grief oppressed▪   

Tell me, is there ought so strong,  
Firmely-constant, permanent,  
Or on earth such true content,  
As it fadeth not ere long:  
Is there ought so excellent,  
As it changeth not her song,  
And in time that all devours,  
Mixeth sweets with sharpest sours!   

Tell me, who is he that shines  
In the height of Prince's love,  
Sitting minion-like with love,  
Glorying in those golden times,  
But he fears something may move  
His distaste by whom He climbs:  
Wherefore he that fears to fall,  
Should forbear to climb at all!   

Tell me, where is Fortune placed,  
That she may not men beguile,  
Shrouding frowns with feigned smile;  
Where is He so highly graced,  
Showing greatness in his style,  
Hath not been in time outfaced,  
By some rival, where still one  
Strives to put another down!   

Tell me, than what life can be  
Moresecure, then where report  
Makes us only known to th' Court,  
Where we lead our lives so free,  
As we're strangers to resort,  
Save our private family;  
For I think that dwelling best,  
Where least cares disturb our rest!    

THE NIGHTINGALE.  
2. ODE.  

IVg, IVg; fair fall the Nightingale,  
Whose tender breast  
Chants out her merry Madrigal●…,  
With hawthorn pressed:  
Te'u, Te'u, thus sings she even by even,  
And represents the melody in heaven;  
'tis, 'tis,  
I am not as I wish.   

Rape-defiled Phylomel  
In her sad mischance,  
Tells what she is forced to tell,  
While the Satyr's dance:  
Unhappy I, quoth she, unhappy I,  
That am betrayed by Tereus' treachery;  
'tis, 'tis,  
I am not as I wish:   

Chast-unchast, deflowered, yet  
Spotless in heart,  
Lust was all that He could get,  
For all his art:  
For I ne'er attention l●…t  
To his suit, nor gave consent▪  
'tis, 'tis,  
I am not as I wish.   

Thus hath faithless Tereus made  
Heartless Phylomele  
Moon her in her forlorn shade,  
Where grief I feel:  
Grief that wounds me to the heart,  
Which though gone, hath left her smart;  
'tis, 'tis,  
I am not as I wish.    

THE LAPWING.  
3. ODE.  

Unhappy I to change my airy nest,  
For this same marish dwelling where I rest,  
Wherefore my song while I repeat,  
I'll close it up;  
Rue yet, rue yet.   

Every Cowherd driving his beasts to graze,  
Disturbs my rest, me from my nest doth raise,  
Which makes my young take up this song,  
To wreak my wrong;  
Rue yet, rue yet.   

Thou subtle Stockdove that hast cheated me,  
By taking up thy nest where I should be,  
Hast me and mine in peril set,  
Whose song is fit;  
Rue yet, rue yet.   

Solely-retired, see I live alone,  
far from recourse or sight of any one,  
And well that life would suit with me,  
Were I but free;  
Rue yet, rue yet.   

Young-ones I have, that thinking I am fled,  
Do leave their nest, and run with shell on head,  
And having found me out we cry,  
Both they and I;  
Rue yet, rue yet.   

Crest-curled mates why do you bear so long  
The Stockdoves pride, that triumphs in your wrong  
Let us our signals once display,  
And make him say;  
Rue yet, rue yet.   

Too tedious hath our bondage been I wis,  
And only patience was the cause of this,  
Where if we would contract our power,  
We'd'de sing no more;  
Rue yet, rue yet.   

March on then bravely, as if Mars were here,  
And hate no guest so much as slavish fear,  
Let the proud Stockdove feel your wing,  
That he may sing;  
Rue yet, rue yet.   

Let none escape, though they submissive seem,  
Till you have spoiled and quite unfeather them,  
So you shall make them veil the wing,  
And hence forth sing;  
Rue yet, rue yet.    

THE OWL.  
4. ODE.  

JA Kings daughter, see what pride may do,  
In fatal yew takes up my forlorn seat,  
The cause whereof was this, if you would know,  
I would have better bread than grew on wheat,  
Though now a Mouse be all the food I eat,  
And glad I am when I can feed of it.   

Ruff-curled neck, see I reserve some show  
Of what I was, though far from her I was,  
Wherein my boundless pride so far did grow,  
That as in place I did the rest surpass,  
So in the purest beauty of my face,  
Courting myself in fancies looking glass.   

Milke-bathed skin, see wantoness what I used,  
To make my skin more suppling, smooth, & sleek,  
Wherein my native hue by Art abused,  
I lay a new complexion on my cheek,  
Sending my eyes abroad suitors to seek,  
And vying fashions with each day i'th' week.   

Naught I affected more than what was rare,  
" Best things (if common) I did disesteem,  
Seld was I breathed on by the public air,  
" For those are most admired are seldom seen,  
Which is, and hath a custom ever been,  
" Such as come oft abroad, we vulgar deem.   

Thus selfe-admired I lived, till thus transformed,  
I got a feature fitting with my pride:  
For I that scorned others now am scorned,  
Had in disgrace; and in pursuit beside;  
May the like fate like spirits ay betid,  
So worthless honour shall be soon descried.   

For ruff thick-set, a curle-wreathed plume,  
Round 'bout my neck I wear, for tires of gold  
A downy tuft of feathers is my crown,  
For fan in hand my claws a perch do hold,  
And for those cates and dainties manifold,  
" A mouse I wish, but wants her when I would.   

Be well advised then Minions, what you do,  
" Portray my feature, and make use of it,  
What fell to me may like wise fall to you,  
And then how daring-high so ere you sit,  
Naught but dishonour shall your pride begit,  
" Dead to report of Virtue as is fit.    

THE MERLIN.  
5. ODE.  

WHence Nisus, whence,  
Is this the fate of kings,  
For arm on Sceptre,  
To be armed with wings?  
Poor speckled bird, see how aspiring may  
Degrade the high, and their estate betray.   

Once Fortune made  
Nisus her favourite,  
And rered his throne  
To such unbounded height,  
That foreign states admired what he possessed,  
Till sly ambition nestled in his breast▪   

Till then how blest,  
And after see how base  
His greatness fell,  
When reft of Princely grace;  
Those many fleering Parasites he gained,  
In his success, not one in want remained   

Chesses he wears  
Now on his downy feet,  
Where once gilded spurs,  
With store of pearl set  
Adorned his nimble heels, and hooded now,  
His beaver wants: this can ambition do.   

Up still he mounts,  
And must a pleasure bring,  
That once was king,  
To meaner than a king;  
Where he, who once had Falkuers at command,  
Is fain to pick his meat from Falconers hand.   

Imperious fate,  
What canst not thou effect,  
When thou perceives  
In man a disrespect  
Unto thy honour, which we instanced see,  
In no one Nisus better then in thee!   

But stow bird stow,  
See now the game's a foot,  
And white-maild Nisus,  
He is flying to't;  
Sceptre, Crown, Throne & all that Princely were  
Be now reduced to feathers in the air,    

THE SWALLOW.  
6. ODE.  

YOu chattering Fleer, you Faun, you sommer-friend,  
Not following us, but our success,  
Will this your flattering humour ne'er have end,  
Of all other meritlesse?  
Fly I say, fly, be gone,  
Haunt not here to Albion:  
She should be spotless, as imports her name,  
But such as you are borne to do her shame.   

How many fair protests and solemn vows,  
Can your hateful consorts make,  
Whereas (heaven knows) these are but only shows  
Which you do for profit-sake?  
O then leave our coast and us,  
Blemished by your foul abuse,  
Virtue can have no being, nor could ever,  
Where th' Parasite is deemed a happy liner.   

Tale-tattling gossip, prone to carry news,  
And such news are ever worst,  
Where false report finds matter, and renews  
Her itching humour till it burst,  
Where each even finds 〈◊〉 enough,  
All the gloomy winter through,  
To pass 〈◊〉 night away▪ and 〈◊〉 tries,  
That truth gets friendship seldomer than lies.   

Springtime when flowers adorn the cheerful meed,  
And each bird sings on her spray,  
When flowery groves with blossom●… chequered,  
And each day seems a marriage day,  
Chattering Swallow thou canst choose  
Then a time to visit us;  
Such are these feigned friends make much upon us,  
When we are rich, but being poor they shun us.   

The stormy winter with his hoary locks,  
When each branch hangs down his head,  
And icy flaws candies the ragged rocks,  
Making fields discoloured,  
Drives thee from us and our coast,  
Where in spring-time thou repo'st;  
Thus thou remains with us in our delight,  
But in our discontent th●… art out of sight.   

time-serving humorist that fauns on Time,  
And no merit dost respect,  
Who will not loath that sees that vain of thine,  
Where deserts are in neglect,  
And the good is prized no more  
Than the ill, if he be poor?  
Thou art the rich man's claw-back, and depends  
No more on men, then as their trencher-friends.   

Go turne-taile go, we have not here a Spring  
For such tempo●…izing mates,  
Pan's in our Isle, and he scorns flattering;  
So those Guardians of our States,  
Who are early up and late,  
And of all, this vice doth hate:  
Fly tell-tale, fly, and if thou wilt, complain thee,  
That Albyon's harsh, and will not entertain thee.    

THE FALL OF THE LEAF.  
7. ODE.  

FLora where's thy beauty now,  
Thou was while'om wont to show?  
Not a branch is to be seen,  
Clad in Adon's colour green;  
Lambkins now have left their skipping,  
Lawn-frequenting Fauns their tripping;  
Earth's bare breast feels winter's whipping,  
And her brood the North-winds nipping.   

Though the Box and Cypress tree,  
Wear their wont livery,  
And the little Robin scorn  
To be daunted with a storm,  
Yet the Shepherd is not so,  
When He cannot see for snow,  
Nor the flocks which he doth own,  
And in drifts are buried low.   

Nor the Grazer, discontent  
That his fodder should be spent,  
And when winter's scarce halfe-done,  
All his stacks of hay are gone;  
Nor the Lawyer, that is glad  
When a motion's to be had,  
Nor poor Tom, though he be mad;  
" Cold makes Tom a Bedlam s●…d.   

Nor the Webster, though his foot  
By much motion get them heat,  
Nor the knave that curries leather,  
Nor the cross-ledgged Tailor neither,  
Nor at glass-worke, where they doubt  
Lest their costly fire go out,  
Nor the careful carking Lout,  
That doth toil and trudge about.   

No, north ' Lady in her coach,  
But is muff▪ d when frosts approach,  
Nor the crazy Citizen,  
But is furrd up to the chin,  
Oister-callet, sly Upholster,  
Hooking Huxster, merry Malster,  
Cutting Haxter, courting ●…oister,  
Cunning Shark, nor sharking foister.   

Thus we see how Fall of th'leaf,  
Adds to each condition grief,  
Only two there be, whose wit  
Make hereof a benefit;  
These, conclusions try on man,  
" Surgeon and Physician,  
While it happens now and than,  
Kill then cure they sooner can!   

Now's their time when trees are bare,  
Naked scalps have lost their hair,  
Teeth drop out and leave their gums,  
Head and eyes are full of rheums,  
Where if Traders strength do lack,  
Or feel aches in their back,  
Worse by odds then is the rack,  
They have drugs within their pack.   

Thus the harshest seasons come  
In good season unto some,  
Who have known (as it is meet)  
Smell of gain makes labour sweet:  
But where labour reapeth loss,  
There accrues a double cross;  
First, fond cares his brain doth toss,  
Next, his gold resolves to dross.   
FINIS.   

To my knowing and worthy esteemed friend AUGUSTINE VINCENT, all meriting content.  

MAy you be in  
Your actions prosperous, 
Augustine's 〈◊〉. Tute vineas 〈◊〉.   
And as ingenious,  
So victorious;  
So may your fate,  
Smile on your happy name,  
And crown you with,  
A glorious Anagram:  
While Virtue,  
(Man's best lustre) seems to be,  
That style, which stamps  
You deep in Heraldry.    

BRITAIN'S BLISS.  
A Pean of thanksgiving for our long enjoyed peace under a gracious Sovereign.  

PEace, Plenty, Pleasure,  
Honour, Harbour, Health,  
Peace, to increase  
In substance and in wealth;  
Plenty, to praise,  
Heaven's Sovereign the more,  
Pleasure, to solace us  
Amidst our store,  
Honour, to guerdon  
Merit in our time,  
Harbour, to fit  
Each under his own vine,  
Health, to enjoy  
A blessing so divine,  
Derived from Jesse's root  
And David's line.  
Health, Harbour, Honour,  
Pleasure, Plenty, Peace,  
Which from our Sovereign  
Have their prime increase;  
Health, to perform  
Our distinct offices,  
Harbour, to shrowded us  
From extremities,  
Honour, to crown  
The temples of desert,  
Pleasure, to cheer  
The intellectual part,  
Plenty, to store  
Our hopes with all success,  
Peace, to accomplish  
Our full happiness.   

All which, by heaven's hand poured on albion,  
Make up a Catalogue to look upon;  
That for so many quiet Halcyon days,  
Her precioust prize, might be her Maker's praise.   Pacis, honoris, amoris, Edena Britannica nostri, Regeregente bono, leta trophaea gerit.  

Upon the worthy and sincere Proficients and Professants of the common Law; an Encomiastic Poem.  

La is the line,  
Whose level is dispatch,  
A lamp, whose light shows  
justice what is right,  
A lark, whose unsealed eyes  
Keeps early watch,  
A loom, whose frame  
Cannot be swayed by might,  
A list, where truth  
Puts injury to flight;  
Straight line, bright lamp,  
Sweet lark, strong loom, choice ●…ist,  
Guide, shine, shield, guard,  
And live truths Martialist.   

Law is the stern,  
Which steers the ship of state,  
The glorious stem  
Whence justice sciens spring,  
The cheerful star,  
Which early shines and late,  
The staff, whose stay  
Supports the languishing,  
The stream, whose spring  
Is ever cherishing;  
Rare stern, rich stem, clear star,  
Firm staff, pure stream,  
Steere, cheer, direct, support,  
Refresh the mean.   

Blessed then are you,  
Who labour to redress  
The poor man's case,  
And measure your contents  
By shielding th'weake  
From awful mightiness,  
Like grave Professants,  
Good Proficients,  
Clozing with equity  
Your joint consents;  
'Tis you, 'tis you,  
Who in this blemished time,  
Send out your lights  
While other stars decline.   

When Greece in glory flourished,  
She did rear  
Some Images near  
justice sacred throne,  
Which to be lame and blind  
Portrayed were,  
As proper objects  
To be looked upon,  
Implying what  
In justice should be done;  
Blind to distinguish  
Friend or foe, and lame,  
From taking bribes,  
To stain astraea's name.   

Clear lights, pure lamps,  
Rare stems, rich streams of life,  
Who shine, beam, spring,  
And drain your crystal course  
From justice throne,  
To cool the heat of strife,  
By curbing awe with law,  
With censure, force,  
To chastise with restraint,  
Cheer with remorse;  
Long may you live,  
Since by your life you give  
justice new breath,  
And make her ever live.   
Salus civitatis sita est in legibus.   

IN MOMUM.  

QVid carpendo premis tua viscera ferrea Mome?  
Momus, Mimus eris dum mea scripta premis.  
Haud curo invidiam, mea spes tenuissima tuta est,  
Nam tuta est tenuis vena, sed alta minus.  
Anguis es, & viridi latitans sub fronde, venenum  
Eijcis, exiguo tempore inermis eris.  
Non sum cui fortuna nocet, vel fata iwabunt, 
Me paucis mal le à sapientibus esse probatum.   
Fata canunt magnis, non cecinere meis.  
Non cecinere meis, licet ista poemata magnis  
(Si mihi vota favent) sint relegenda locis.    

IN ZOILUM.  

TExit ut exiguam subtilis Aranea telam,  

* Mercurium in lingus, non in pectore geris.  Zoile sic scriptis tela retorque meis.  
Torque, retorque, manet mea laus, mea gloria maior,  
Quo magis exhausta est gloria maior erit.  
Ulciscar scriptis: tua mens tuus ultor adibit,  
Inuidiae stimulis mens tua puncta tuis.  
Pone miser miserae monumenta miserrima vitae,  
Uixisti misero more, miserque mori.    

IN PARONEM.  

PAro parem, nec habet nec habere optat,  
Impar est praemijs, impar & laboribus; 
Inuisurum faci ●…ius quam imi●…tutum. Zenxes.   
Opera carpit mea studijs assiduis,  
Tacet, attamen aliena carpit;  
O quantae tenebrae tenuere locum,  
Tuum, Cymmerijs involutum umbris? 
Vid. Martial. Lib. 3. Epig●…. in Zoilum. Conuiva qui●… quis Zoili potest esse, etc.— rumpant●… ilia C●…dri 〈◊〉 dia.   
Vt minus afflares aliorum operibus,  
Opera carrigis, emendare nequis;  
Oleum & operam perdidit Paro  
Per aurea secula transeat Maro.  
Non plura referam, reticere iwat,  
Si tu malevolam reprimes linguam,  
Sin maledicendo pergas dispergere  
Hisce teterrima crimina scriptis, 
Crescant &c crepant. Vi●…. Apo●…eg.   
Scribam, livorem irritare magis  
Torquendo rigidi viscera Paronis.    

AD INVIDUM.  
Exeat Menippus.  

INuidus ulciscens ultor sibi maximus esset,  
Nam stupet ille malis sic periendo suis.    

AD SEIPSUM.  
Intret Aristippus.  

TV tibi res solitus non te subiungere rebus,  
Me peritura doces spernere, spreta pati.    
FINIS.  

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Measures, now I must rep●…se, (Retire 〈◊〉) and laugh at virtue's foes, Who let them fr●…ne, 〈◊〉, fret, this is my Mot, My spirit●… about their spite; I fear them not.  
Faults are as obvious to books in Press, as misconstruction after. Do me the favour to coriect such escapes with thy pen as are passed in the Pri●…t: for such as are more consequent they are here noted, for the impertinent they are to thy discreeter judgement referred.   

Errata.  
Pag. Ta●… for 〈◊〉, rea●…e in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subject. pag. 48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 line 〈◊〉. leave pag. 〈◊〉 5. for that, 〈◊〉. that p. 68 l. 16. for suppressed, 〈◊〉. ●…upprest. p. 79. l. 14. for 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉. fear p. 110. l. ult. for marks, marts. p. 160. l 8. for excellent, 〈◊〉. exquis●…e. p. 161. l. 1. ●…dde are ever ●…0 be. p. 164 for eminent, 〈◊〉. imininent. ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 209. in m●…rg, add, 〈◊〉.   

 

 
Atque homines prodigia reru●… maxima.