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-The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Complete Poems of Sir John Davies.
-Volume 2 of 2., by John Davies
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
-almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
-re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
-with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license
-
-
-Title: The Complete Poems of Sir John Davies. Volume 2 of 2.
-
-Author: John Davies
-
-Editor: Alexander B. Grosart
-
-Release Date: February 22, 2014 [EBook #44978]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
-
-*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POEMS OF SIR JOHN DAVIES (2/2) ***
-
-
-
-
-Produced by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier and the Online
-Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Early English Poets.
-
- SIR JOHN DAVIES.
-
-
- PRINTED BY ROBERT ROBERTS,
- BOSTON.
-
-
- Early English Poets
-
- THE
- COMPLETE POEMS
- OF
- SIR JOHN DAVIES.
-
- EDITED,
- WITH
- Memorial-Introduction and Notes,
-
- BY THE
- REV. ALEXANDER B. GROSART.
-
- [Illustration]
-
- _IN TWO VOLUMES.--VOL. II._
-
- London:
- CHATTO AND WINDUS, PICCADILLY.
- 1876.
-
-
-
-
-_Contents._
-
-Those marked with [*] are either printed for the first time, or for the
-first time published among Davies' Poems.
-
-
- EPIGRAMMES:
-
- NOTE 3
-
- Ad Musam 7
- Of a Gull 8
- In Ruffum 10
- In Quintum 10
- In Plurimos 11
- In Titam 12
- In Faustum 12
- In Katum 13
- In Librum 14
- In Medontem 14
- In Gellam 15
- In Quintum 15
- In Severum 15
- In Leucam 16
- In Macrum 17
- In Fastum 17
- In Cosmum 18
- In Flaccum 18
- In Cineam 19
- In Gerontem 20
- In Marcum 21
- In Ciprum 21
- In Cineam 22
- In Gallum 23
- In Decium 24
- In Gellam 26
- In Syllam 27
- In Sillam 27
- In Haywodum 29
- In Dacum 30
- In Priscum 31
- In Brunum 31
- In Francum 31
- In Castorem 32
- In Septimium 32
- Of Tobacco 32
- In Crassum 35
- In Philonem 36
- In Fuscum 37
- In Afram 38
- In Paulum 39
- In Licum 40
- In Publium 40
- In Sillam 41
- In Dacum 42
- In Marcum 43
- Meditations of a Gull 43
- Ad Musam 44
-
- *APPENDIX TO EPIGRAMS 47
-
- *In Superbiam 47
- *Epi. 5 48
- *Epi. 6 48
- *In Amorosum 48
- *Epi. 9 49
- *Epi. 10 49
-
- *EPITAPH AND EPIGRAM 50
-
- *GULLINGE SONNETS
-
- NOTE 53
-
- *DEDICATORY SONNET--TO HIS GOOD FREINDE SR ANTH. COOKE 55
-
- *GULLINGE SONNETS 57
-
- MINOR POEMS:
-
- *I. YET OTHER TWELVE WONDERS OF THE WORLD--
-
- *The Courtier 65
- *The Divine 66
- *The Souldier 67
- *The Lawyer 67
- *The Physitian 68
- *The Merchant 68
- *The Country Gentleman 69
- *The Bacheler 69
- *The Married Man 69
- *The Wife 70
- *The Widdow 70
- *The Maid 71
-
- *II. A CONTENTION BETWIXT A WIFE, A WIDDOW, AND A MAIDE 72
-
- *III. A LOTTERY. PRESENTED BEFORE THE LATE QUEENES MAIESTY
- AT THE LORD CHANCELORS HOUSE, 1601 87
-
- *THE LOTS 89
-
- *IV. CANZONET. A HYMNE IN PRAISE OF MUSICKE 96
-
- *V. TEN SONETS TO PHILOMEL:
-
- *Vpon Loues entring by the Ears 99
- *Of his owne, and his Mistresse sicknesse at one time 100
- *Another of her sicknesse and recovery 101
- *Allusion to Theseus voyage to Crete, against the Minotaure 102
- *Vpon her looking secretly out at a window as he passed by 102
- *To the Sunne of his Mistresse beauty eclipsed with frownes 104
- *Vpon sending her a gold ring with this Posie 104
- *The hearts captivitie 105
-
- *VI. TO GEORGE CHAPMAN ON HIS OVID 107
-
- *VII. REASON'S MOANE 108
-
- *VIII. ON THE DEATH OF LORD CHANCELLOR ELLESMERE'S
- SECOND WIFE IN 1599 112
-
- *IX. TITYRUS TO HIS FAIRE PHILLIS 114
-
- *UPON A COFFIN BY S. J. D. 115
-
- *X. EPITAPH AND EPIGRAM 116
-
- *HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED POEMS:
-
- NOTE 119
-
- *METAPHRASE OF SOME OF THE PSALMS 127
-
- MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED.
-
- *Of Faith the first Theologicall Vertue 211
-
- *A Songe of Contention betweene Fowre Maids
- concerninge that which addeth most perfection
- to that sexe 212
-
- *A Maid's Hymne in Praise of Virginity 213
-
- *Part of an Elegie in Praise of Marriage 215
-
- *A Fragment of a Love Elegie 217
-
- *To the Q:[Queene] 222
-
- *To Faire Ladyes 223
-
- *Upon a Paire of Garters 224
-
- *To his Lady-love 225
-
- *Tobacco 226
-
- *Elegies of Loue 227
-
- *The Kinges Welcome 229
-
- *To the Kinge upon his Ma'ties first comming into England 233
-
- *To the Queene at the same time 236
-
- *Mira loquor sol occubuit nox nulla secuta est 237
-
- *Charles his Waine 237
-
- *Of the name of Charolus, being the diminutive of Charus 238
-
- *Verses sent to the Kinge with Figges: by Sr John Davis 234
-
- *Love Lines 239
-
- *Love Flight 240
-
- *An Elegiecall Epistle on Sir John Davis death 241
-
- *ENTERTAINMENT OF QUEEN ELIZABETH AT HAREFIELD BY THE COUNTESSE
- OF DERBY 243
-
- NOTE 244
-
- *THE COMPLAINT OF THE V SATYRES AGAINST THE NYMPHS 256
-
- ERRATA 259
-
-
-
-
-ERRATA.
-
-
-A very few 'slips' have met my eyes on a final reading. They are--as
-says an ancient Divine--"as easily corrected as espied." Nevertheless
-they are here recorded that the Reader of his charity may put them
-right, and any others that may have escaped Editor and Printer. In
-_Nosce Teipsum_, the heading and head-line (Vol. I., pp. 25, 26 onward)
-has 'Immortalitie' misprinted 'Immortalite'--a common contemporary
-spelling--but it is 'tie' in the title-page (p. 5): _ib._ p. 80, l.
-15, read 'be best.' In _Hymnes to Astræa_, _ib._ p. 147, l. 3, remove
-period (.) after 'rayes.' In _Orchestra_, _ib._ p. 181, st. 53, l. 7,
-read 'perfect-cunning': p. 185, foot-note 7, put G. at end: p. 192, st.
-81, l. 7, 'Ply' = entwine (omitted): p. 194, foot-note 7, is 'coach,'
-not 'couch': p. 202, l. 10, 'shoe' was the contemporary spelling: p.
-204, st. 113, l. 6, insert 'it' before 'shine.'--G.
-
-
-
-
-IV. EPIGRAMS, WITH ADDITIONS.
-
-
-
-
-NOTE.
-
-
-I am indebted to the Bodleian copy--among Malone's books--for my text
-of these 'Epigrams.' I have preferred this edition to the two others
-that preceded, inasmuch as, while it, like them, bears the imprint of
-'Middlebourgh,' there seems no reason to doubt that it was printed in
-London: therefore most probably under the author's eye. The volume is a
-small 12mo. and the following is the title-page:--
-
- All
- OVIDS ELEGIES
- 3 Bookes
- By C. M.
- EPIGRAMS BY J. D.
- At Middlebourgh.
-
-Malone has filled in in MS. 'Christopher Marlowe and John Davis.' Cf.
-Collier's Bibliographical Account of Early English Literature: Vol I.
-_s.n._
-
-The Rev. Alexander Dyce in his collective edition of the Works of
-Marlowe, has given Davies' "Epigrams" _in extenso_, with a painstaking
-collation of the various readings from the other two editions (both
-undated) together with similar various readings from a Manuscript
-discovered by him in the Harleian Collection (1836.) Mr. Dyce with
-reference to his reprint of the 'Epigrams,' and the foregoing MS. says,
-"I have given them with the text considerably improved by means of one
-of the Harleian MSS." ('Some Account of Marlowe and his Writings: p.
-xl: edition 1862.) I must demur to this alleged 'improvement.' The MS.
-has no authority whatever, the Scribe being an extremely ignorant and
-blundering one. These nine examples out of many, taken at random, will
-suffice to prove this:
-
- [1] Epigram 1, line first.
-
- 'Fly, merry Muse unto that merry towne &c.
-
- he actually reads, spite of its heading 'Ad Musam'
-
- 'Fly, merry Newes....
-
- [2] Epigram 2, line 14
-
- 'And stands, in Presence, stroaking up his haire'
-
- he gives, to neglect of the rhyme with 'yeare'
-
- '...... stroaking up his heade'
-
- [3] Epigram 3, line 5, for 'fry' he stupidly reads 'cry.'
-
- [4] Epigram 13, line 9, for 'sectaries' he gives nonsensically
- 'scituaries.'
-
- [5] Epigram 15, line 3.
-
- 'Thou with harsh noise the ayre doth rudely breake,'
-
- he transmogrifies into
-
- '...... horse nor sea the ayre doth.'
-
- [6] Epigram 26, line 11, he substitutes 'sweete' for 'hot' oblivious
- of the rhyme with 'petticoat.'
-
- [7] Epigram 36, line 19, for 'rarifie' he reads 'ratiffie'[!]
-
- [8] Epigram 41, line 2,
-
- 'Paulus, in spite of enuy, fortunate'
-
- he gives thus
-
- Paulus, in fight of envy'......
-
- [9] Epigram 43, line 3, for 'Paris-garden' he has 'Parish-garden;' and
- so on ludicrously, with numerous proper names.
-
-Any one capable of perpetrating such stupidities as these, ought not in
-my opinion, to be allowed to displace a text printed for the Author,
-more especially his cannot for a moment be allowed to over-bear the
-third edition, our text.
-
-From a confused inscription on the first page of the MS. its probable
-writer is ascertained. It is as follows "Ex spoliis Richardi Wharfe,
-ex...... It is much trouble and much.... Ex spoliis R. W." Underneath
-is the book-plate of John, Duke of Newcastle. The general title
-runs "Epigramma in Musam, like Buckminster's Allmanacks servinge
-generallie for all England: but especiallie for the meridian of this
-famous Cittie of London." I regret that besides these (mis-called)
-'improvements,' so admirable an Editor should have _modernized_
-throughout, the ORTHOGRAPHY equally of MARLOWE and
-of DAVIES: and all the more, that in his 'Notes' he adheres
-to the original orthography whenever he quotes from his wealth of
-illustrative extracts. The annotation condemns the text. Without
-any hesitation therefore, I have set aside Mr. Dyce's reprints, and
-returned (as _supra_) to Davies' own text and orthography, saving a
-slight reduction of capitals and italics. None the less do I owe thanks
-to Mr. Dyce for his kind permission kindly given, to use any 'Notes'
-that might be deemed interesting. Those that I have taken are marked
-with his initial, D. I have to add another important correction of Mr.
-Dyce. After describing the HARLEIAN MS. he observes "Though it
-is of a date considerably posterior to the first appearance in print
-of _Epigrams by I. D._, perhaps ALL THE PIECES WHICH IT EXHIBITS
-ARE FROM THE PEN OF DAVIES. (page 353.) HOMER nods here:
-for on reading these additional 'Epigrams' thus assigned to Davies,
-I at once discovered that they consisted merely of a like blundering
-transcript of the "Satyricall Epigrams" of HENRY HUTTON,
-Dunelmensis, that were appended to his "Follie's Anatomie or Satyres"
-(1619.) The oversight is the more noticeable in that all these were
-reprinted in 1842, (edited by Rimbault), for the Percy Society, whereof
-Mr. Dyce was one of the most effective members of Council.
-
-I confess that it was far from a disappointment to find that the
-'Epigrams' of Davies were not to be increased to the extent they would
-have been had I accepted Mr. Dyce's opinion, and failed to discover the
-Hutton-authorship of nearly all those in the Manuscript, additional to
-his acknowledged ones. Nevertheless in the Appendix to our reprint of
-the 'Epigrams' I give certain additions from this Manuscript, that are
-found neither in Davies's nor Hutton's publications, but which seem to
-me to have the _ring_ of Davies in them. The remainder--prefixed and
-affixed--may well be left in Manuscript. See the Memorial-Introduction
-for more on these Epigrams. G.
-
-
-
-
-_Epigrammes._
-
-
-AD MUSAM. 1.
-
- Fly, merry Muse unto that merry towne,
- Where thou maist playes, revels, and triumphs see;
- The house of Fame, and theater of renowne,
- Where all good wits and spirits loue to be.
- Fall in betweene their hands that loue and praise thee,[1]
- And be to them a laughter and a jest:
- But as for them which scorning shall reproue thee,
- Disdaine their wits, and thinke thine one[2] the best:
- But if thou finde any so grose[3] and dull,
- That thinke I do to priuate taxing[4] leane,
- Bid him go hang, for he is but a gull,
- And knows not what an Epigramme does meane;
- Which taxeth,[5] under a peculiar name,[6]
- A generall vice, which merits publick blame.
-
-[Footnote 1: MS. "seeme to loue thee." D.]
-
-[Footnote 2: Own. G.]
-
-[Footnote 3: Gross. G.]
-
-[Footnote 4: Blaming, censure. G. [i.e. censuring of individuals. MS.
-"priuate talkinge." Compare the Induction to The Knight of the Burning
-Pestle:
-
- "Fly from hence
- All private taxes!" &c.
-
-Beaumont and Fletcher's WORKS, ii., 136, ed. Dyce. D.]]
-
-[Footnote 5: MS. "carrieth." G.]
-
-[Footnote 6: Other editions "particular": and so MS. G.]
-
-
-OF A GULL. 2.
-
- Oft in my laughing rimes, I name a Gull:
- But this new terme will many questions breed;
- Therefore at first I will expresse[7] at full,
- Who is a true and perfect Gull indeed:
- A Gull is he who feares a veluet gowne,
- And, when a wench is braue,[8] dares not speak to her;
- A Gull is he which trauerseth the towne,
- And is for marriage known a common woer;
- A Gull is he which while he proudly weares,
- A siluer-hilted rapier by his side;
- Indures the lyes and knocks about the eares,
- Whilst in his sheath his sleeping sword doth bide:
- A Gull is he which weares good handsome cloaths,
- And stands, in Presence, stroaking up his haire,
- And fills up his unperfect speech with oaths,
- But speaks not one wise word throughout the yeare:
- But to define a Gull in termes precise,--
- Gull is he which seemes, and is not wise.[9]
-
-[Footnote 7: MS. "Wherefore ... disclose." D.]
-
-[Footnote 8: 'Fine, richly dressed.' D.]
-
-[Footnote 9: In our Introductory-Note it is stated that the original
-edition of the 'Epigrams' is undated. From contemporary allusions the
-date is determined to have been prior to 1598. Among these allusions
-is an 'Epigram' by E. Guilpin in his 'Skialetheia' [1598] on the same
-subject with this by Davies. It follows here:
-
-
- TO CANDIDUS [EPIGRAM.] 20.
-
- "Friend Candidus, thou often doost demaund
- What humours men by gulling understand:
- Our English Martiall hath full pleasantly,
- In his close nips describde a gull to thee:
- I'le follow him, and set downe my conceit
- What a gull is: oh word of much receit!
- He is a gull, whose indiscretion
- Cracks his purse strings to be in fashion;
- He is a gull, who is long in taking roote
- In baraine soyle, where can be but small fruite:
- He is a gull, who runnes himselfe in debt,
- For twelue dayes wonder, hoping so to get;
- He is a gull, whose conscience is a block,
- Not to take interest, but wastes his stock:
- He is a gull, who cannot haue a whore,
- But brags how much he spends upon her score:
- He is a gull, that for commoditie
- Payes tenne times ten, and sells the same for three:
- He is a gull, who passing finicall,
- Peiseth each word to be rhetoricall:
- And to conclude, who selfe conceitedly,
- Thinkes al men guls: ther's none more gull then he." G.]
-
-
-IN RUFFUM. 3.
-
- Rufus the Courtier at the theater,
- Leaving the best and most conspicuous place,
- Doth either to the stage[10] himselfe transferre,
- Or through a grate[11] doth shew his double[12] face:
- For that the clamorous fry of Innes of Court,
- Fills up the priuate roomes of greater price:
- And such a place where all may haue resort,
- He in his singularity doth dispise.
- Yet doth not his particular humour shun
- The common stews and brothells of the towne,
- Though all the world in troops doe hither[13] run,
- Cleane and uncleane, the gentle and the clowne:
- Then why should Rufus in his pride abhorre,
- A common seate, that loues a common whore.
-
-[Footnote 10: See Note on Epigram 28. G.]
-
-[Footnote 11: Malone has cited this passage (Shakespeare by Boswell
-iii. 81) and, if he explains it rightly, the allusion is to one of the
-two boxes (sometimes called _private boxes_) which were situated on
-each side of the balcony or upper stage. D.]
-
-[Footnote 12: Other editions (as the Isham) 'doubtfull.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 13: Other editions (as the Isham) 'thither.' G.]
-
-
-IN QUINTUM. 4.
-
- Quintus the dancer useth euermore,
- His feet in measure and in rule to moue:
- Yet on a time he call'd his Mistresse, 'whore'
- And thought[14] with that sweet word to win her loue:
- Oh had his tongue like to his feet beene taught
- It neuer would haue uttered such a thought.
-
-
-IN PLURIMOS.[15] 5.
-
- Faustinus, Sextus, Cinnæ, Ponticus,
- With Gella, Lesbia, Thais, Rhodope,
- Rode all to Stanes[16] for no cause serious,
- But for their mirth, and for their leachery:
- Scarce were they setled in their lodging, when
- Wenches with wenches, men with men fell out:
- Men with their wenches, wenches with their men;
- Which straight dissolues[17] their ill-assembled rout.[18]
- But since the Deuill brought them thus together,
- To my discovrsing[19] thoughts it is a wonder,
- Why presently as soone as they came thither,
- The selfe same deuill did them part asunder.
- Doubtlesse it seemes it was a foolish deuill,
- That thus did[20] part them e're they did some euill.
-
-[Footnote 14: MS. "Thinkinge." D.]
-
-[Footnote 15: MS. "In meritriculas [_sic_] Londinensis." D.]
-
-[Footnote 16: MS. "Ware." D.]
-
-[Footnote 17: MS. "dissolv'd." D.]
-
-[Footnote 18: "Rabble, set." D.]
-
-[Footnote 19: MS. "discerninge." D.]
-
-[Footnote 20: MS. "straight would." D. Isham 'thus would.' G.]
-
-
-IN TITAM.[21] 6.
-
- Titas, the braue and valorous[22] young gallant,
- Three yeares together in this towne hath beene;
- Yet my Lord Chancellor's tombe[23] he hath not seene
- Nor the new water-worke,[24] nor the Elephant.[25]
- I cannot tell the cause without a smile,--
- He hath beene in the Counter[26] all this while.
-
-[Footnote 21: Mr. Dyce corrects (as Isham) to 'Titum' and line 1st
-'Titus.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 22: MS. "Valient." G.]
-
-[Footnote 23: Viz., of Sir Christopher Hatton, whose huge and splendid
-monumental-tomb was long one of the London sights for country cousins.
-Col. Cunningham (_in loco_) adds "It was erected in St. Paul's
-Cathedral, and Bishop Corbet says was "higher than the host and altar."
-G.]
-
-[Footnote 24: Recently described by SMILES in his Lives of the
-Engineers. _s. v._ G.]
-
-[Footnote 25: It is curious to find the article '_the_' Elephant.
-Coriat later gave his own portrait showing himself on the back of an
-elephant, as a great wonder, in one of his travel title-pages. But
-query--Is it the famous inn named by Shakespeare: "I could not find
-him at the Elephant" (Twelfth Night, iv. 3)? Col. Cunningham (as
-before) assuming it is the animal that is meant, annotates thus: "The
-Elephant was an object of great wonder and long remembered. A curious
-illustration of this is found in _The Metamorphosis of the Walnut
-Tree_, written about 1645, where the poet [William Basse] brings trees
-of all descriptions to the funeral, particularly a gigantic oak--
-
- The youth of these our tymes that did behold
- This motion strange of this unwieldy plant,
- Now boldly brag with us that are more old,
- That of our age they no advantage want,
- Though _in our youth we saw an elephant_. G.]
-
-[Footnote 26: Debtors' prison. G.]
-
-
-IN FAUSTUM. 7.
-
- Faustus, nor lord, nor knight, nor wise, nor old,
- To euery place about the towne doth ride;
- He rides into the fields, Playes to behold,
- He rides to take boat at the water side:
- He rides to Pauls',[27] he rides to th' Ordinary
- He rides unto the house of bawdery too,--
- Thither his horse doth him so often carry,
- That shortly he will quite forget to goe.
-
-[Footnote 27: Other editions "Powles," and Isham 'Poules.' G. MS.
-"Powels." D.]
-
-
-IN KATUM.[28] 8.
-
- Kate being pleas'd wisht that her pleasure could
- Indure as long as a buffe-jerkin would:
- Content thee, Kate; although thy pleasure wasteth,
- Thy pleasure's place like a buffe-jerkin lasteth,
- For no buffe-jerkin hath beene oftner worne,
- Nor hath more scrapings or more dressings borne.
-
-[Footnote 28: Mr. Dyce reads 'Katam': being feminine the poet is here
-put right. G.]
-
-
-IN LIBRUM. 9.
-
- Liber doth vaunt how chastly he hath liu'd,
- Since he hath bin seuen yeares in towne, and more,[29]
- For that he sweares he hath four onely swiude;[30]
- A maid, a wife, a widdow, and a whore:
- Then, Liber, thou hast swiude all women-kinde,
- For a fifth sort, I know thou canst not finde.
-
-[Footnote 29: MS. "Knowne this towne 7 years." Isham "he hath beene in
-towne 7 yeeres." G.]
-
-[Footnote 30: 'Swiude' from Isham: other editions ----. G.]
-
-
-IN MEDONTEM. 10.
-
- Great captaine Mædon weares a chaine of gold,
- Which at fiue hundred crownes is valuèd;
- For that it was his grand sire's chaine of old,
- When great King Henry, Bulloigne conquerèd.
- And weare it Mædon, for it may ensue,
- That thou, by vertue of this[31] massie chaine,
- A stronger towne than Bulloigne maist subdue,
- If wise men's sawes be not reputed vaine;
- For what said Philip king of Macedon?
- There is no castle so well fortified,
- But if an asse laden with gold comes on,
- The guard will stoope, and gates flye open wide.
-
-[Footnote 31: MS. "wearing of that." D.]
-
-
-IN GELLAM. 11.
-
- Gella, if thou dost loue thy selfe, take heed,
- Lest thou my rimes[32] unto thy louer read;
- For straight thou grin'st, and then thy louer seeth
- Thy canker-eaten gums and rotten teeth.
-
-
-IN QUINTUM. 12.
-
- Quintus his wit[33] infused into his braine,
- Mislikes[34] the place, and fled into his feet;
- And there it wandered[35] up and downe the street,
- Dabled in the dirt, and soakèd in the raine:
- Doubtlesse his wit intends not to aspire,
- Which leaues his head, to travell in the mire.
-
-[Footnote 32: MS. "lynes." D.]
-
-[Footnote 33: = Quintus's wit. G.]
-
-[Footnote 34: Mislikt? G.]
-
-[Footnote 35: Isham 'wanders.' G.]
-
-
-IN SEVERUM. 13.
-
- The Puritan Severus oft doth read
- This text, that doth pronounce vain speech a sin,--
- "That thing defiles a man, that doth proceed,
- From out the mouth, not that which enters in."
- Hence it is,[36] that we seldome heare him sweare:
- And thereof as a Pharisie he vaunts;
- But he devours more capons in one[37] yeare,
- Then would suffice an hundred[38] Protestants.
- And sooth, those sectaries are gluttons all,
- As well the thred-bare cobler, as the knight;
- For those poore slaues which haue not wherewithall,
- Feed on the rich, till they devour them quite;
- And so, as[39] Pharoe's kine, they eate up clean,
- Those that be fat, yet still themselues be lean.
-
-[Footnote 36: Isham 'Hence is it.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 37: Isham 'a.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 38: Isham 'a hundreth.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 39: Isham 'like.' G.]
-
-
-IN LEUCAM. 14.
-
- Leuca, in Presence once, a fart did let;
- Some laught a little; she refus'd[40] the place;
- And mad with shame, did then[41] her gloue forget,
- Which she return'd to fetch with bashfull grace;
- And when she would haue said, "I've lost my gloue,"[42]
- My fart (qd. she:) which did more laughter moue.
-
-[Footnote 40: Isham 'forsook.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 41: Isham 'eke.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 42: Mr. Dyce says here "something has dropt out," the line
-being a foot short, I have supplied 'I've lost.' G.]
-
-
-IN MACRUM. 15.
-
- Thou canst not speake yet, Macer, for to speake,
- Is to distinguish sounds significant:
- Thou with harsh noise the ayre dost rudely breake;
- But what thou utterest common sence doth want,--
- Halfe English words, with fustian termes among
- Much like the burthen of a Northerne song.
-
-
-IN FASTUM.[43] 16.
-
- "That youth," saith Faustus, "hath a lyon seene,
- Who from a dicing-house comes money-lesse":
- But when he lost his haire, where had he beene?
- I doubt me he had seene a Lyonesse?
-
-[Footnote 43: _Sic_, but should be Faustum (1st line) and is so given
-by Mr. Dyce and Isham. G.]
-
-
-IN COSMUM. 17.
-
- Cosmus hath more discoursing in his head
- Then Ioue, when Pallas issued from his braine;
- And still he strives to be deliveréd
- Of all his thoughts at once, but all in vaine;
- For, as we see at all the play-house doores,
- When ended is the play, the dance, and song,
- A thousand townesmen, gentlemen, and whores,
- Porters and serving-men, together throng,--
- So thoughts of drinking, thriuing, wenching, warre,
- And borrowing money, raging,[44] in his mind;
- To issue all at once so forward are,
- As none at all can perfect passage find.
-
-[Footnote 44: MS. "ranging." G.]
-
-
-IN FLACCUM. 18.
-
- The false knave Flaccus once a bribe I gaue:
- The more foole I to bribe so false a knaue:
- But he gaue back my bribe; the more foole he,
- That for my folly did not cousen me.
-
-
-IN CINEAM. 19.
-
- Thou doggèd Cineas, hated like a dogge,
- For still thou grumblest like a masty[45] dogge,
- Compar'st thyself to nothing but a dogge;
- Thou saith[46] thou art as weary as a dogge,
- As angry, sicke, and hungry as a dogge,
- As dull and melancholly as a dogge,
- As lazy, sleepy,[47] idle as a dogge:
- But why dost thou compare thee to a dogge
- In that, for which all men despise a dogge?
- I will compare thee better to a dogge:
- Thou art as faire and comely as a dogge,
- Thou art as true and honest as a dogge,
- Thou art as kind and liberall as a dogge,
- Thou art as wise and valiant as a dogge.
- But Cineas, I have [often][48] heard thee tell,
- Thou art as like thy father as may be;
- 'Tis like enough; and faith I like it well;
- But I am glad thou art not like to me.
-
-[Footnote 45: Mastiff. D. [This is an error. A 'mastiff' is not a
-grumbling dog, and 'masty' is = fatted, and here answers apparently to
-the over-fed vicious pet. See _Maste_, Prompt. Parv. & p. 151 (Way's
-ed.)] G.]
-
-[Footnote 46: Isham 'saist.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 47: 'And as' not in Isham, and being superfluous left out. G.]
-
-[Footnote 48: Supplied from MS. by Mr. Dyce. Isham 'oft.' G.]
-
-
-IN GERONTEM. 20.
-
- Geron's[49] mouldy memory corrects
- Old Holinshed, our famous Chronicler,
- With morall rules; and policy collects
- Out of all actions done these fourscore yeare;[50]
- Accounts the times of euery old[51] event,
- Not from Christ's birth, nor from the Prince's raigne,
- But from some other famous accident,
- Which in mens generall notice doth remaine,--
- The siege of Bulloigne and the Plaguy Sweat,
- The going to St. Quintin's and New-haven,
- The rising in the North, the Frost so great
- That cart-wheeles' prints on Thamis face were graven,[52]
- The fall of money, and burning of Paul's steeple;
- The blazing starre, and Spaniard's ouerthrow:
- By these events, notorious to the people,
- He measures times, and things forepast doth show:
- But most of all, he chiefly reckons by
- A priuate chance,--the death of his curst[53] wife;
- This is to him the dearest memory,
- And the happiest accident of all his life.
-
-[Footnote 49: MS. 'Geron, his.' D. Isham 'Geron whose.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 50: Isham corrects the misprint 'yeares,' and of 'time' in
-next line. G.]
-
-[Footnote 51: Isham 'odde.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 52: The reading in our text, and in all the editions,
-including Isham, is 'seene': but above from MS, as rhyming with
-Newhaven seems preferable. Newhaven was formerly called Havre de Grace.
-All the date-events are commonplaces of History. G.]
-
-[Footnote 53: Ill-natured. D. [This is a good-natured explanation. I
-fear that in this place it means more and worse, though in the Taming
-of the Shrew we have Kate the curst, without the slightest imputation
-on her moral character, or any allusion to anything but her vixen
-temper. G.]]
-
-
-IN MARCUM. 21.
-
- When Marcus comes from Minnes,[54] hee still doth sweare,
- By "come on[55] seauen," that all is lost and gone;
- But that's not true; for he hath lost his haire,--
- Onely for that he came too much at one.
-
-[Footnote 54: MS. "for newes."--The first edition [and Isham] reads
-'from Mins': the other two as _above_. Mins' (which perhaps should
-be written Min's) is, I presume, the name of some person who kept an
-Ordinary where gaming was practised. D.]
-
-[Footnote 55: Isham 'a.' G.]
-
-
-IN CIPRUM.[56] 22.
-
- The fine youth Ciprius is more tierse and neate,
- Then the new garden of the Old Temple is;
- And still the newest fashion he doth get,
- And with the time doth change from that to this;
- He weares a hat of the flat-crowne block,
- The treble ruffes, long cloake, and doublet French;
- He takes tobacco, and doth weare a lock,
- And wastes more time in dressing then a wench:
- Yet this new fangled youth, made for these times,
- Doth aboue all praise old George Gascoine's[57] rimes?
-
-[Footnote 56: _Sic_: but should be, as Isham, Ciprium: Mr. Dyce reads
-Cyprium. G.]
-
-[Footnote 57: Died October 7th, 1577. His Works have been worthily
-collected by Mr. W. C. Hazlitt in his Roxburghe Library. G.]
-
-
-IN CINEAM. 23.
-
- When Cineas comes amongst his friends in morning,
- He slyly spies[58] who first his cap doth moue;
- Him he salutes, the rest so grimly scorning,
- As if for euer they had lost his loue.
- I seeing[59] how it doth the humour fit
- Of this fond[60] gull to be saluted first,
- Catch at my cap, but moue it not a whit:
- Which to[61] perceiuing, he seemes for spite to burst:
- But Cineas, why expect you more of me,
- Then I of you? I am as good a man,
- And better too by many a quality,
- For vault, and dance, and fence and rime I can:
- You keep a whore at your own charge, men tell me,
- Indeed friend (Cineas) therein you excell me.
-
-[Footnote 58: MS. "notes." D. [first edition and Isham "lookes": others
-as _above_. G.]]
-
-[Footnote 59: In first edition and Isham "Knowing" and MS. G.]
-
-[Footnote 60: Foolish. G.]
-
-[Footnote 61: Dyce's text is 'he': but 'to' is often in Davies' time
-printed for 'too.' Isham 'Which perceiuing.' G.]
-
-
-IN GALLUM. 24.
-
- Gallas hath beene this Summer-time in Friesland,
- And now return'd, he speaks such warlike words,
- As, if I could their English understand,
- I feare me they would cut my throat like swords:
- He talkes of counter-scarfes[62] and casomates,
- Of parapets, of curteneys, and palizadoes;
- Of flankers, ravelings, gabions he prates,
- And of false-brayes,[63] and sallies[64] and scaladoes.
- But, to requite such gulling tearmes as these,
- With words of my profession I reply;
- I tell of fourching,[65] vouchers, and counterpleas,
- Of withermans,[66] essoynes, and Champarty.
- So, neither of us understanding[67] one another,
- We part as wise as when we came together.
-
-[Footnote 62: Isham 'scarphes.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 63: Isham 'false brayes.' In this place I have restored the
-reading 'false-brayes' of the 1st edition and of the MS, rejecting
-'false-baits' of 2nd and 3rd editions. There is no such word in
-military engineering or fortification; but there is 'fausse-braye ' or
-'false-braye.' There is a not very intelligible description in Bailey's
-Dictionary. G.]
-
-[Footnote 64: With this passage compare the following lines:
-
- "See Captaine Martio he i' th' 'Renounce me' band,
- That in the middle region doth stand
- Wo' th' reputation steele! Faith, lets remoue
- Into his ranke (of such discourse you loue):
- Hee'l tell of basilisks, trenches, retires,
- Of pallizadoes, parapets, frontires,
- Of caluerins, and baricadoes too.
- What to bee harquebazerd, to lie in perdue," &c.
-
-Fitzgeoffrey's _Notes from Black-Friars'_ Sig. E 7, a portion
-of the volume entitled _Certain Elegies_, &c., ed. 1620. See our
-Memorial-Introduction for an impudent appropriation of this epigram. G.]
-
-[Footnote 65: MS. "forginge." D. Isham 'foorching.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 66: Other editions and MS. "Withernams": Isham 'whither
-names.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 67: Isham 'vnderstanding either.' G.]
-
-
-IN DECIUM. 25.
-
- Audacious painters have Nine Worthies made;
- But poet Decius,[68] more audacious farre,
- Making his mistris march with men of warre,
- With title of "Tenth Worthy"[69] doth her lade.[70]
- Me thinks that gull did use his tearmes as fit,
- Which tearm'd his loue "a gyant for her wit."
-
-[Footnote 68: Drayton is here meant. [Malone's Manuscript-note in
-Bodleian copy. G.]]
-
-[Footnote 69: [Ben] Jonson told Drummond "That S[ir] J[ohn] Davies
-played in ane Epigrame on Drayton's, who in a sonnet, concluded his
-Mistress might [have] been the Ninth [Tenth] Worthy; and said, he
-used a phrase like Dametas in [Sir Philip Sidney's] Arcadia, who
-said For wit his Mistresse might be a gyant." 'Notes of Ben Jonson's
-conversations with William Drummond, of Hawthornden,' p. 15 (Shakespere
-Society). The sonnet by Drayton, which our author here ridicules, is as
-follows:
-
-
-"TO THE CELESTIALL NUMBERS.
-
- "Vnto the World, to Learning, and to Heauen,
- Three Nines there are, to euery one a Nine,
- One Number of the Earth, the other both Diuine;
- One Woman now makes three odde numbers euen:
- Nine Orders first of Angels be in Heauen,
- Nine Muses doe with Learning still frequent,
- These with the Gods are euer Resident;
- Nine Worthy Ones vnto the World were giuen:
- My Worthy One to these Nine Worthies addeth,
- And my faire Muse one Muse vnto the Nine,
- And my good Angell (in my soule Diuine)
- With one more Order these Nine Orders gladdeth:
- My Muse, my Worthy, and my Angell, then,
- Makes euery one of these three Nines a Ten."]
-
-[Footnote 70: Isham reads badly 'woorthly.' 'Laide.' G. _Idea_: Sonnet
-18 ed. 8vo. n. d. D.]
-
-
-IN GELLAM. 26.
-
- If Gella's beauty be examinèd,
- She hath a dull, dead eye, a saddle nose,
- And[71] ill-shap't face, with morphew ouer-spread,
- And rotten teeth, which she in laughing shows;
- Briefly, she is the filthiest wench in towne,
- Of all that doe the art of whoring use:
- But when she hath put on her sattin gowne,
- Her cut[72] lawne apron, and her velvet shooes,
- Her greene silke stockins and her petticoat
- Of taffaty, with golden fringe a-round,
- And is withall perfumed with civet hot,[73]
- Which doth her valiant stinking breath confound,--
- Yet she with these additions is no more
- Than a sweet, filthy, fine, ill-favoured[74] whore.
-
-[Footnote 71: The other editions, as Isham and MS., 'an.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 72: MS. 'cut.' D. [This is unquestionably the right word,
-not 'out.' Whether 'cut-lawne apron' meant curiously shaped like
-"the sleeves curiously cut" of Katharine's dress: or whether it was
-cut-wove lawn, lawn embroidered by cutting out holes and sewing them
-round, seems uncertain,--probably the latter. G.]]
-
-[Footnote 73: MS. 'sweete.' D.]
-
-[Footnote 74: Isham again badly 'ilfauoted.' G.]
-
-
-IN SYLLAM. 27.
-
- Sylla is often challenged to the field,
- To answer as a gentleman, his foes:
- But then he doth this[75] answer onely yeeld,--
- That he hath livings and faire lands to lose.
- Silla, if none but beggars valiant were,
- The King of Spaine would put us all in feare.
-
-[Footnote 75: In first edition and Isham, "then doth he this." G. [MS.
-"he doth all this." D.]]
-
-
-IN SILLAM. 28.
-
- Who dares affirme that Silla dares not fight?
- When I dare sweare he dares adventure more
- Than the most braue and all-daring[76] wight,[77]
- That euer armes with resolution bore;
- He that dares[78] touch the most unwholsome whore
- That euer was retir'd into the Spittle[79]
- And dares court wenches standing at a doore,
- (The portion his wit being passing little);
- He that dares give his dearest friends offences,
- Which other valiant fooles doe feare to doe:
- And when a feaver doth confound his sences,
- Dare eate raw beefe, and drink strong wine thereto:
- He that dares take tobacco on the stage,[80]
- Dares man a whore at noone-day through the street:
- Dares dance in Paul's and in this formall age,
- Dares say and doe whateuer is unmeet;
- Whom feare of shame could neuer yet affright,--
- Who dares affirme that Sylla dares not fight?
-
-[Footnote 76: MS. "valiant and all-daring." D. [First edition, "braue,
-most all daring." G.]]
-
-[Footnote 77: MS. "Knight." D.]
-
-[Footnote 78: Isham, 'dare.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 79: Hospital: or query prison? So late as Thomson's "Castle
-of Indolence" (c I. 77) we have the word: "all the diseases which the
-_spittles_ know." G.]
-
-[Footnote 80: Probably most readers are aware that it was formerly
-the custom of gallants to smoke tobacco on the stage, during the
-performance, either lying on the rushes or sitting upon hired stools.
-D. [In Hutton's 'Satyres' and 'Epigrams' (1619) well edited by
-RIMBAULT for the Percy Society, there are various passages
-illustrative of above, _e.g._
-
- "Dine with Duke Humfrey in decayed Paules"
- Confound the streetes with chaos of old braules,
- Dancing attendance on the Black-friers stage
- Call for a stoole with a commanding rage, &c. [pp. 68, 69.] Cf.
-
-Also Ben Jonson's _Devil is an Ass_ (1616) who censures the conduct of
-the gallants allowed seats on the stage. G.]]
-
-
-IN HAYWODUM.[81] 29.
-
- Haywood, that did[82] in Epigrams excell,
- Is now put downe since my light Muse arose;
- As buckets are put downe into a well,
- Or as a schoole-boy putteth downe his hose.[83]
-
-[Footnote 81: Mr. Dyce spells Heywodum. John Heywood's Epigrammes
-accompany his Proverbs: 1562. G.]
-
-[Footnote 82: 1st edition, 'which in epigrams did;' Isham 'which did.'
-[The Epigrams of John Heywood are well known. An allusion to this
-epigram of Davies occurs in Sir John Harington's _Metamorphosis of
-Ajax_, 1596: "This Heywood for his proverbs and epigrams is not yet
-put down by any of our country, though one [_Marginal Note_, M[aster]
-Davies] doth indeed come near him, that graces him the more in saying
-he puts him down," p. 41, edition 1814. (In the same work we find,
-"But, as my good M. Davies said of his epigrams, that they were made,
-like doublets in Birchin-lane, for every one whom they will serve, &c.
-p. 133. D.] [I add from T. BASTARD'S 'Chrestoleros' [Lib. II:
-Epigram 15] an answer to this:
-
- Heywood goes downe saith Dauis, sikerly,
- And downe he goes, I can it not deny:
- But were I happy did not fortune frowne
- Were I in heart I would sing Dauy downe.
-
-Cf. also lib. iii. Ep. 3. Mr. DYCE also quotes from Freeman's
-_Rubbe and a great Cast_, 1614. G.]]
-
-[Footnote 83: Breeches. D.]
-
-
-IN DACUM.[84] 30.
-
- Amongst the poets Dacus numbred is,
- Yet could he neuer make an English rime;
- But some prose speeches I haue heard of his,
- Which haue been spoken many an hundreth time:
- The man that keeps the Elephant hath one,
- Wherein he tells the wonders of the beast:
- Another Bankes pronouncèd long agon,[85]
- When he his curtailes[86] qualities exprest:
- He first taught him that that keeps the monuments
- At Westminster, his formall tale to say;
- And also him which Puppets represents,
- And also him which with the Ape doth play:
- Though all his Poetry be like to this,
- Amongst the poets Dacus numbred is.
-
-[Footnote 84: This is not Decius of Epig. 25, who was Drayton, but
-(eheu!) Samuel Daniel. Cf. Epig. 45, and relative note. On the elephant
-(l. 5) see note on Epig. 6. G.]
-
-[Footnote 85: Isham badly 'a goe.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 86: Id est, horse's [the word means properly--a docked
-horse.] So much may be found in various books concerning Banks and his
-wonderful horse, that any account of them is unnecessary here. D. [The
-'wonderful horse' is referred to by Shakespeare. G.]]
-
-
-IN PRISCUM. 31.
-
- When Priscus, rais'd from low to high estate,
- Rode through the street in pompous jollity;
- Caius, his poore familiar friend of late,
- Bespake him thus: "Sir, now you know not me.'
- "'Tis likely friend," (quoth Priscus) "to be so,
- For at this time myselfe I do not know."
-
-
-IN BRUNUM. 32.
-
- Brunus, which deems himselfe a faire sweet youth
- Is thirty nine yeares of age at least;
- Yet was he neuer, to confesse the truth,
- But a dry starveling when he was at best:
- This gull was sicke to shew his night-cap fine,
- And his wrought pillow over-spread with lawne;
- But hath been well since his griefe's cause hath line[87]
- At Trollup's by Saint Clement's Church, in pawne.
-
-[Footnote 87: Lien, lain. D.]
-
-
-IN FRANCUM. 33.
-
- When Francus comes to sollace with his whore,
- He sends for rods, and strips himselfe stark naked;
- For his lust sleeps and will not rise before,
- By whipping of the wench it be awakèd.
- I enuie him not, but wish I had the powre
- To make myselfe[88] his wench but one halfe houre.
-
-[Footnote 88: Col. Cunningham emends 'himself' for 'myself'; but the
-'whipping of' (l. 4) is = by: and Davies' wish is that he wielded the
-rods on Francus. G.]
-
-
-IN CASTOREM. 34.
-
- Of speaking well why doe we learne the skill,
- Hoping thereby honour and wealth to gaine;
- Sith rayling Castor doth, by speaking ill,
- Opinion of much wit and gold obtaine?
-
-
-IN SEPTIMIUM. 35.
-
- Septimus liues, and is like garlick seene,
- For though his head be white, his blade is greene:
- This old mad coult deserves a Martyr's praise,
- For he was burnèd in Queene Marie's daies.
-
-
-OF TOBACCO. 36.
-
- Homer, of Moly and Nepenthe sings:
- Moly, the gods' most soueraigne hearb diuine,
- Nepenthe, Heauen's[89] drinke, most[90] gladnesse brings,
- Heart's griefe expells, and doth the wits refine.
- But this our age another world hath found,
- From whence an hearb of heauenly power is brought;
- Moly is not so soueraigne for a wound,
- Nor hath Nepenthe so great wonders wrought:[91]
- It is Tobacco, whose sweet substantiall[92] fume
- The hellish torment of the teeth doth ease,
- By drawing downe, and drying up the rheume,
- The mother and the nurse of each disease:
- It is Tobacco, which doth cold expell,
- And cleares the obstructions of the arteries,
- And surfeits, threatning death, dijesteth well,
- Decocting all the stomack's crudities:
- It is Tobacco, which hath power to clarifie
- The cloudy mists before dimme eyes appearing:
- It is Tobacco, which hath power to rarifie
- The thick grosse humour which doth stop the hearing;
- The wasting hectick, and the quartaine feuer,
- Which doth of Physick make a mockery;
- The gout it cures, and helps ill breaths for euer,
- Whether the cause in teeth or stomack be;
- And though ill breaths were by it but confounded,
- Yet that vile medicine it doth farre excell,
- Which by Sir Thomas Moore[93] hath beene propounded:
- For this is thought a gentleman-like smell.
- O, that I were one of those Mountebankes,
- Which praise their oyles and powders which they sell!
- My customers would giue me coyne with thanks;
- I for this ware, for sooth[94] a tale would tell:
- Yet would I use none of these tearmes before;
- I would but say, that it the Pox will cure:
- This were enough, without discoursing more,
- All our braue gallants in the towne t'allure,
-
-[Footnote 89: Mr. Dyce reads 'Helen's' and confirms from Milton's Comus
-(1675)--
-
- Not that Nepenthes, which the wife of Thone
- In Egypt gave to Jove-born Helena, &c.
-
-In first edition there is a misprint "Hekens": in the other editions,
-as _above_ "Heauens": in MS. "helvs": Isham 'Heuens.' Helen is
-admissible, but 'Heavens' what Davies himself printed. See the poem
-on Tobacco among the hitherto unpublished poems, of which the Epigram
-seems only a first rough draft--and relative note.]
-
-[Footnote 90: Isham 'which.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 91: Isham badly 'brought.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 92: MS. 'subtle.' D. [Substantial is here = partaking of the
-substance or essence, or, as we say, properties peculiar to tobacco--a
-fume holding in it the virtues or substance of the tobacco. The MS.
-'subtle' may be regarded as an Author's variant, especially as it is
-also found in 'Tobacco' among the hitherto unpublished poems, onward.
-G.]]
-
-[Footnote 93: Mr. Dyce quotes an 'Epigramma' of Sir Thomas More, which,
-is headed
-
- "_Medicinæ ad tollendos f[oe]tores, anhelitus, provenientes a cibis
- quibusdam._"
-
- "Sectile ne tetros porrum tibi spiret odores,
- Protenus a porro fac mihi cepe vores.
- Denuo f[oe]torem si vis depellere cepæ,
- Hoc facile efficient allia mansa tibi.
- Spiritus at si post etiam gravis allia restat,
- Aut nihil, aut tantum tollere _merda_ potest."
-
- _T. Mori Lucubrationes._ &c., p. 261, edition 1563. G.
-
-]
-
-[Footnote 94: Isham 'so smooth.' G.]
-
-
-IN CRASSUM. 37.
-
- Crassus his lyes,[95] are not pernicious lyes,
- But pleasant fictions, hurtfull unto none
- But to himselfe; for no man counts him wise
- To tell for truth that which for false is knowne.
- He sweares that Gaunt is three score miles about,
- And that the bridge at Paris on the Seyn
- Is of such thicknesse, length and breadth throughout,
- That sixe score Arches can it scarce sustaine;
- He sweares he saw so great a dead man's scull
- At Canterbury, dig'd out of the ground,
- That would containe of wheat three bushels full;
- And that in Kent are twenty yeomen found,
- Of which the poorest euery yeare dispends,
- Fiue thousand pounds: these and fiue thousand mo,
- So oft he hath recited to his friends,
- That now himselfe perswades himselfe 'tis so.
- But why doth Crassus tell his lyes so rife,
- Of Bridges, Townes, and things that haue no life?
- He is a Lawyer, and doth well espie,
- That for such lyes an Action will not lye.
-
-[Footnote 95: That is, Crassus's lies. G.]
-
-
-IN PHILONEM. 38.
-
- Philo the Lawyer[96] and the Fortune-teller;
- The Schoole-master, the Midwife, and the Bawd,
- The conjurer, the buyer, and the seller
- Of painting, which with breathing will be thaw'd,
- Doth practise Physicke; and his credit growes,
- As doth the Ballad-singer's auditory,[97]
- Which hath at Temple-barre his standing chose,
- And to the vulgar sings an Ale-house story:
- First stands a Porter; then an Oyster-wife
- Doth stint her cry, and stay her steps to heare him;
- Then comes a Cut-purse ready with a[98] knife,
- And then a Countrey clyent passeth neare him;
- There stands the Constable, there stands the whore,
- And, listening[99] to the song, heed[100] not each other;
- There by the Serjeant stands the debitor,[101]
- And doth no more mistrust him then his brother:
- Thus Orpheus to such hearers giueth musick,
- And Philo to such patients giueth physick.
-
-[Footnote 96: Isham 'Gentleman.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 97: See our Memorial-Introduction with reference to
-Wordsworth's splendid filling up of this earlier sketch. G.]
-
-[Footnote 98: Isham 'his.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 99: Isham 'hearkening.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 100: 1st edition and Isham, 'marke.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 101: Isham 'debter poore.' G.]
-
-
-IN FUSCUM. 39.
-
- Fuscus is free, and hath the world at will;
- Yet in the course of life that he doth lead,
- He's like a horse which, turning round a mill,
- Doth always in the self-same circle tread:
- First, he doth rise at ten; and at eleuen
- He goes to Gyls,[102] where he doth eate till one;
- Then sees a Play till sixe, and sups at seven;
- And after supper, straight to bed is gone;
- And there till ten next day he doth remaine,
- And then he dines, and[103] sees a Comedy;
- And then he suppes, and goes to bed againe:
- Thus round he runs without variety,
- Saue that sometimes he comes not to the Play,
- But falls into a whore-house by the way.
-
-[Footnote 102: No doubt some Ordinary near St. Giles, Cripplegate.
-Isham 'Gilles.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 103: Isham 'then.' G.]
-
-
-IN AFRAM. 40.
-
- The smell-feast Afer, trauailes to the Burse[104]
- Twice euery day, the newest[105] newes to heare;
- Which, when he hath no money in his purse,
- To rich mens tables he doth often beare:
- He tells how Gronigen[106] is taken in,[107]
- By the braue conduct of illustrious Vere,[108]
- And how the Spanish forces Brest would win,
- But that they doe victorious Norris feare.
- No sooner is a ship at sea surpris'd,
- But straight he learnes the news, and doth disclose it:
- No sooner hath the Turk a plot deuis'd
- To conquer[109] Christendom, but straight he knows it:[110]
- Faire written in a scrowle he hath the names
- Of all the widdows which the Plague hath made;
- And persons, times, and places still he frames,
- To euery tale, the better to perswade:
- We call him Fame, for that the wide-mouth slaue
- Will eate as fast as he will utter lies;
- For Fame is said an hundred mouths to haue,
- And he eates more than would fiue score suffice.
-
-[Footnote 104: Bourse, = Exchange. G.]
-
-[Footnote 105: 1st edition and Isham and MS. 'flying.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 106: Groningen. G.]
-
-[Footnote 107: Conquered and added to or 'taken in' with other
-conquests. G.]
-
-[Footnote 108: To the truly 'illustrious' VERE--one of the
-noblest of England's earlier generals--DR. RICHARD SIBBES
-dedicated his 'Soul's Conflict' in very loving words to him and his
-Lady. See my edition of SIBBES _in loco_. G.]
-
-[Footnote 109: Isham once more badly 'conquerie.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 110: This couplet is given by Mr. Dyce from the MS.: the
-Isham has it. G.]
-
-
-IN PAULUM. 41.
-
- By lawfull mart, and by unlawfull stealth,
- Paulus in spite of enuy, fortunate,
- Deriues out of the Ocean so much wealth,
- As he may well maintaine a lord's estate;
- But on the land a little gulfe there is,
- Wherein he drowneth all the wealth of his.
-
-
-IN LICUM. 42.
-
- Lycus, which lately[111] is to Venice gone,
- Shall if he doe returne, gaine three for one:[112]
- But ten to one, his knowledge and his wit
- Will not be bettered or increas'd a whit.
-
-[Footnote 111: Recently: the MS. reads 'that is of late.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 112: In our author's days, it was a common practice for
-persons, before setting out on their travels, to deposit a sum of
-money, on condition of receiving large interest for it on their
-return: if they never returned, the deposit was forfeited. Innumerable
-allusions to 'putters out' occur in the works published during the
-reigns of Elizabeth and James. D.]
-
-
-IN PUBLIUM. 43.
-
- Publius [a] student at the Common-law,
- Oft leaves his Bookes, and for his recreation,
- To Paris-garden[113] doth himselfe withdrawe;
- Where he is rauisht with such delectation,
- As downe among[114] the beares and dogges he goes;
- Where, whilst he skipping cries "to head to head,"
- His satten doublet and his veluet hose[115]
- Are all with spittle from aboue be-spread:
- When he is like his father's countrey Hall,[116]
- Stinking with dogges, and muted[117] all with haukes;
- And rightly too on him this filth doth fall,
- Which for such filthy sports his bookes forsakes;[118]
- Leaving old Ployden,[119] Dyer, Brooke alone,
- To see old Harry Hunkes, and Sacarson.[120]
-
-[Footnote 113: That is, to the Bear-Garden on the Bank-side, Southwark.
-D. Near the Globe Theatre: referred to as Palace garden by Hutton, as
-before. Isham reads badly 'parish.' The Theatre at Paris Garden stood
-almost exactly at what is now the Surrey starting place of Blackfriars
-Bridge. In 1632 Donald Lupton in his _London and the Country
-Carbonadoed_ says of it, "Here come few that either regard their credit
-or loss of time; the swaggering Roarer; the amusing Cheater; the
-swearing Drunkard; and the bloody Butcher have their rendezvous here,
-and are of the chiefe place and respect." (Col. Cunningham's Marlowe,
-p. 365). G.]
-
-[Footnote 114: Isham 'amongst the dogges and beares.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 115: Breeches. G.]
-
-[Footnote 116: Misprinted 'countrey shall': Qu--country-Hall, as above?
-Isham 'country Hall.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 117: Dunged. D.]
-
-[Footnote 118: Isham badly 'forsake.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 119: Plowden. D.]
-
-[Footnote 120: Harry Hunkes and Sacarson were two bears at
-Paris-garden: the latter was the more famous, and is mentioned by
-Shakespeare in _The Merry Wives of Windsor_, Act I., sc. 1. D. Isham
-'Sakersone.' G.]
-
-
-IN SILLAM. 44.
-
- When I this proposition had defended,
- "A coward cannot be an honest man,"
- Thou Silla, seem'st forthwith to be offended,
- And holds the contrary, and sweares he can;
- But when I tell thee that he will forsake
- His dearest friend, in perill of his life;
- Thou then art chang'd, and sayst thou didst mistake,
- And so we end our argument and strife:
- Yet I think oft, and thinke I thinke aright,
- Thy argument argues thou wilt not fight.
-
-
-IN DACUM.[121] 45.
-
-[Footnote 121: Daniel, I believe: [Malone's Manuscript note in Bodlean
-copy. See Epigram 30. G.] Mr. Dyce adds here, "I am sorry to believe
-that by Dacus (who is spoken of with great contempt in Epigram xxx.)
-our author means Samuel Daniel: but the following lines in that very
-pleasing writer's _Complaint of Rosamond_ (which was first printed in
-1592) certainly would seem to be alluded to here,
-
- "Ah beauty syren, faire enchanting good,
- Sweet, silent rhetorique of perswading eyes,
- _Dumb eloquence_, whose power doth moue the blood
- More then the words or wisdom of the wise, &c.
-
-1611, p. 39,--Daniel's _Certaine Small Works_, &c. 1611.") G.]
-
- Dacus with some good colour and pretence,
- Tearmes his love's beauty "silent eloquence:"
- For she doth lay more colour on her face
- Than ever Tully us'd his speech to grace.
-
-
-IN MARCUM. 46.
-
- Why dost thou, Marcus, in thy misery,
- Raile and blaspheame, and call the heauens unkind?
- The heauens doe owe no kindnesse unto thee,
- Thou hast the heauens so little in thy minde;
- For in thy life thou neuer usest prayer
- But at primero, to encounter faire.
-
-
-MEDITATIONS OF A GULL. 47.
-
- See, yonder melancholy gentleman,
- Which, hood-wink'd with his hat, alone doth sit!
- Thinke what he thinks, and tell me if you can,
- What great affaires troubles his little wit.
- He thinks not of the warre 'twixt France and Spaine,
- Whether it be for Europe's good or ill,
- Nor whether the Empire can itselfe maintaine
- Against the Turkish power encroaching still;
- Nor what great towne in all the Netherlands,
- The States determine to beseige this Spring;
- Nor how the Scottish policy now stands,
- Nor what becomes of the Irish mutining.
- But he doth seriously bethinke him whether
- Of the gull'd people he be more esteem'd
- For his long cloake or for his great black feather,
- By which each gull is now a gallant deem'd;
- Or of a journey he deliberates,
- To Paris-garden,[122] Cock-pit or the Play;
- Or how to steale a dog he meditates,
- Or what he shall unto his mistriss say:
- Yet with these thoughts he thinks himself most fit
- To be of counsell with a king for wit.
-
-[Footnote 122: See note on this under Epigram 43. G.]
-
-
-AD MUSAM. 48.
-
- Peace,[123] idle Muse, haue done! for it is time,
- Since lousie Ponticus enuies my fame,
- And sweares the better sort are much to blame
- To make me so well knowne for my[124] ill rime:
- Yet Bankes his horse,[125] is better knowne then he.
- So are the Cammels and the westerne hogge,[126]
- And so is Lepidus his printed Dog:[127]
- Why doth not Ponticus their fames enuie?
- Besides, this Muse of mine, and the blacke feather
- Grew both together fresh[128] in estimation:
- And both growne stale, were cast away together:
- What fame is this that scarce lasts[129] out a fashion?
- Onely this last in credit doth remaine,
- That from henceforth, each bastard cast-forth rime,
- Which doth but savour of a libell vaine,
- Shall call me father, and be thought my crime;
- So dull, and with so little sence endu'd,
- Is my grose-headed Judge, the multitude.
-
-[Footnote 123: Isham 'Pease.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 124: Isham 'so.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 125: See note on this under Epigram 30. G.]
-
-[Footnote 126: Isham corrects 'Hay' here with 'hogge.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 127: That is 'Lepidus's printed dog.' The following epigram
-by Sir John Harington determines that he is the Lepidus of this
-passage, and that his favourite dog Bungey is the "printed dog." In
-a compartment of the engraved title-page to Harington's _Orlando
-Furioso_, 1591, is a representation of Bungey (see too the Annotations
-on Book xli. of that poem); and hence he is termed by Davies the
-"printed dog."
-
-
-"AGAINST MOMUS, IN PRAISE OF HIS DOG BUNGEY."
-
- Because a witty writer of this time
- Doth make some mention in a pleasant rime
- Of Lepidus and of his famous dog,
- Thou, Momus, that dost loue to scoffe and cog,
- Prat'st amongst base companions, and giv'st out
- That unto me herein is meant a flout.
- Hate makes thee blind, Momus: I dare be sworn,
- He meant to me his loue, to thee his scorn.
- Put on thy envious spectacles, and see
- Whom doth he scorn therein, the dog or me?
- The dog is grac'd, comparèd with great Banks,
- Both beasts right famous for their pretty pranks;
- Although in this I grant the dog was worse,
- He only fed my pleasure, not my purse:
- Yet that same dog, I may say this and boast it,
- He found my purse with gold when I haue [had] lost it.
- Now for myself: some fooles (like thee) may judge
- That at the name of Lepidus I grudge:
- No sure; so far I think it from disgrace,
- I wisht it cleare to me and to my race.
- Lepus, or Lepos, I in both haue part;
- That in my name I beare, this in mine heart.
- But Momus, I perswade myself that no man
- Will deigne thee such a name, English or Roman.
- Ile wage a but of Sack, the best in Bristo,
- Who cals me Lepid, I will call him Tristo."
-
-Epigrams, Book iii. Ep. 21. edition folio. D.]
-
-[Footnote 128: In other editions as Isham, but dropped out
-inadvertently from our text. G.]
-
-[Footnote 129: Isham badly 'last.' G.]
-
-
-Finis. I. D.
-
-
-
-
-_Appendix to Epigrams_:
-
-(FROM THE HARLEIAN MSS. 1836.)
-
-
-As explained in the Note, page 6 _ante_, I have gleaned a few additions
-to these Epigrams. At close of those of HUTTON,--in the MS.
-marked 60 and in Hutton's own volume 56,--on folio 15_d_, is the word
-'finis.' Immediately under this, the MS. is continued in the same
-handwriting on to folio 19, whereon 'finis' is again placed: and on
-folios 19 and 20 Lines 'of Tobacco' with 'finis' once more. These Lines
-on 'Tobacco' are curious: and somewhat resemble those on 'Moly' given
-in the Hitherto Unpublished Poems of Davies, onward. G.
-
-
-1. IN SUPERBIAM. Epi. 4.
-
- I tooke the wall, one thrust me rudely by,
- And tould me the King's way did open lye.
- I thankt him y^{t} he did me so much grace,
- to take the worse, leave me the better place;
- For if by th' owners wee esteeme of things,
- the wall's the subjects, but the way's the King's.
-
-
-2. Epi. 5.
-
- NIX { SNOW
- IX { 9
-CORNIX { A CROW.
-
-NIX:. I that the Winter's daughter am whilst thus my letters stand,
- Am whiter then the plumbe[130] of swan or any ladye's hand;
-
-IX:. Take but away my letter first, and then I doe encline
- That stood before for milke white snowe to be the figure nine.
- And if that further you desire by change to doe som trickes,
- As blacke as any bird I am.
-
-CORNIX:. by adding COR to NIX.
-
-[Footnote 130: = plumage. G.]
-
-
-3. Epi. 6.
-
- Health is a jewell true, which when we buy
- Physitians value it accordingly.
-
-
-4. IN AMOROSUM. Epi. 7.
-
- A wife you wisht me (sir) rich, faire and young
- with French, Italian, and the Spanish tongue:
- I must confesse yo^{r} kindnesse verie much
- but yet in truth, Sir, I deserve none such,
- for when I wed--as yet I meane to tarry--
- A woman of one language i'le but marry,
- and with that little portion of her store,
- expect such plenty, I would wish no more.
-
-
-5. Epi. 9.
-
- Westminster is a mill that grinds all causes,
- but grinde his cause for mee there, he y^{t} list:
- For by demures and errours, stayes and clauses,
- the tole is oft made greater then the grist.
-
-
-6. Epi. 10.
-
- He that doth aske St. James they [?] say, shall speed:
- O y^{t} Kinge James would answere to my need.
-
-
-
-
-V. GULLINGE SONNETS.
-
-
-
-
-NOTE.
-
-
-These 'Gullinge Sonnets' were first printed in my reproduction of
-the Dr. Farmer MS. for the Chetham Society (2 vols. 4to., 1873) in
-Part I. pp. 76-81. There seems no question that these Sonnets belong
-to Sir John Davies. Besides the "J. D." and "Mr. Dauyes" of the MS.,
-his most marked turns of thought and epithet are readily discernible
-in them. See critical remarks on them and their probable _motif_ in
-Memorial-Introduction.
-
-The Sir Anthony Cooke to whom these Sonnets are dedicated descended
-from the Sir Anthony who was Preceptor to King Edward VI., and
-for Letters from whom whoso cares may consult the "Reformation"
-correspondence of the Parker Society. His daughter Mildred was second
-wife of Lord Burleigh, and his daughter Anne was mother of _the_ Bacon.
-His son and heir, Richard Cooke, died in 1579, and was succeeded by his
-son Anthony (this Sir Anthony), who was knighted in 1596 by the Earl of
-Essex at the sacking of Cadiz. He was buried at Romford, Essex, on the
-28th December, 1604. G.
-
-
-
-
-[Dedicatory Sonnet.]
-
-TO HIS GOOD FREINDE S^{R} ANTH. COOKE.
-
-
- Here my Camelion Muse her selfe doth chaunge
- to diuers shapes of gross absurdities,
- and like an Antick[131] mocks w^{th} fashion straunge
- the fond[132] admirers of lewde gulleries.
- Your iudgement sees w^{th} pitty, and w^{th} scorne
- The bastard Sonnetts of these Rymers bace,
- W^{ch} in this whiskinge age are daily borne
- To their own shames, and Poetrie's disgrace.
- Yet some praise those and some perhappes will praise
- euen these of myne: and therefore thes I send
- to you that pass in Courte yo^{r} glorious dayes;
- Y^{t} if some rich rash gull these Rimes commend
- Thus you may sett this formall witt to schoole,
- Vse yo^{r} owne grace, and begg him for a foole.
-
- J. D.
-
-[Footnote 131: = motley-dressed jester or fool. G.]
-
-[Footnote 132: = foolish. G.]
-
-
-_Gullinge Sonnets._
-
- 1* The Louer Vnder burthen of his M^{ris} love
- W^{ch} lyke to Ætna did his harte oppre[s][s]e:
- did giue [s]uch piteous grones y^{t} he did moue
- the heau'nes at length to pitty his di[s]tre[s][s]e
- but for the fates in theire highe Courte aboue
- forbad to make the greuous burthen le[s][s]e.
- the gracous powers did all con[s]pire to proue
- Yt miracle this mi[s]cheife mighte redre[s][s]e;
- therefore regardinge y^{t} y^{e} loade was [s]uch
- as noe man mighte w^{th} one man's mighte [s]u[s]tayne
- and y^{t} mylde patience[133] imported much
- to him that [s]hold indure an endles payne:
- By there decree he [s]oone transformèd was
- into a patiente burden-bearinge A[s][s]e.
- 2* As when y^{e} brighte Cerulian firmament
- hathe not his glory w^{th} black cloudes defas'te,
- Soe were my thoughts voyde of all di[s]content;
- and w^{th} noe my[s]te of pa[s][s]ions ouerca[s]t
- they all were pure and cleare, till at the la[s]t
- an ydle careles thoughte forthe wandringe wente
- and of y^{t} poy[s]onous beauty tooke a ta[s]te
- W^{ch} doe the harts of louers [s]o torment:
- then as it chauncethe in a flock of [s]heepe
- when [s]ome contagious yll breedes fir[s]t in one
- daylie it [s]preedes & [s]ecretly doth creepe
- till all the [s]illy troupe be ouergone.
- So by clo[s]e neighbourhood w^{th} in my bre[s]t
- one [s]curuy thoughte infecteth all the re[s]t.
-
-[Footnote 133: A trisyllable. G.]
-
- 3* What Eagle can behould her [s]unbrighte eye,
- her [s]unbrighte eye y^{t} lights the world w^{th} loue,
- the world of Loue wherein I liue and dye,
- I liue and dye and diuers chaunges proue,
- I chaunges proue, yet [s]till the [s]ame am I,
- the [s]ame am I and neuer will remoue,
- neuer remoue vntill my [s]oule dothe flye,
- my [s]oule dothe fly, and I [s]urcea[s]e to moue,
- I cea[s]e to moue w^{ch} now am mou'd by you,
- am mou'd by you y^{t} moue all mortall hartes,
- all mortall hartes who[s]e eyes yo^{r} eyes doth veiwe,
- Yo^{r} eyes doth veiwe whence Cupid [s]hoots his darts,
- whence Cupid [s]hootes his dartes and woundeth tho[s]e
- that honor you and neuer weare[134] his foes.
-
-[Footnote 134: = were. G.]
-
- 4* The hardnes of her harte and truth of myne
- when the all [s]eeinge eyes of heauen did [s]ee
- they [s]treight concluded y^{t} by powre devine
- to other formes our hartes should turnèd be.
- then hers as hard as flynte, a Flynte became
- and myne as true as [s]teele, to [s]teele was turned,
- and then betwene o^{r} hartes [s]prange forthe the flame
- of kinde[s]t loue, w^{ch} vnextingui[s]h'd burned;
- And longe the [s]acred lampe of mutuall loue
- ince[s][s]antlie did burne in glory brighte;
- Vntill my folly did her fury moue
- to recompence my [s]eruice w^{th} de[s]pighte,
- and to put out w^{th} [s]nuffers of her pride
- the lampe of loue w^{ch} els had neuer dyed.
-
- 5* Myne Eye, mine eare, my will, my witt, my harte
- did [s]ee, did heare, did like, di[s]cerne, did loue:
- her face, her [s]peche, her fa[s]hion, iudgem^{t}, arte,
- w^{ch} did charme, plea[s]e, delighte, confounde and moue.
- Then fancie, humo^{r}, loue, conceipte, and thoughte
- did [s]oe drawe, force, inty[s]e, per[s]wade, deui[s]e,
- that [s]he was wonne, mou'd, caryed, compa[s]t, wrought
- to thinck me kinde, true, comelie, valyant, wi[s]e;
- that heauen, earth, hell, my folly and her pride
- did worke, contriue, labor, con[s]pire and [s]weare
- to make me [s]corn'd, vile, ca[s]t of, bace, defyed
- W^{th} her my loue, my lighte, my life, my deare:
- So that my harte, my witt, will, eare, and eye
- doth greiue, lament, sorrowe, di[s]paire and dye.
-
- 6* The [s]acred Mu[s]e that fir[s]te made loue deuine
- hath made him naked and w^{th}out attyre,
- but I will cloth him w^{th} this penn of myne
- that all the world his fa[s]hion [s]hall admyre,
- his hatt of hope, his bande of beautye fine,
- his cloake of crafte, his doblett of de[s]yre,
- greife for a girdell, [s]hall aboute him twyne,
- his pointes of pride, his Ilet holes of yre,
- his ho[s]e of hate, his Cod peece of conceite,
- his [s]tockings of [s]terne [s]trife, his [s]hirte of [s]hame,
- his garters of vaine glorie gaye and [s]lyte;
- his pantofels of pa[s][s]ions I will frame,
- pumpes[135] of pre[s]umption [s]hall adorne his feete
- and Socks of fullennes excedinge [s]weete.
-
-[Footnote 135: = slipper-shoes. G.]
-
- 7* Into the midle Temple of my harte
- the wanton Cupid did him[s]elfe admitt
- and gaue for pledge yo^{r} Eagle-[s]ighted witt
- Y^{t} he wold play noe rude vncivill parte:
- Longe tyme he cloak'te his nature w^{th} his arte
- and [s]add and graue and [s]ober he did [s]itt,
- but at the la[s]t he gan to reuell it,
- to breake good rules, and orders to peruerte:
- Then loue and his younge pledge were both conuented
- before [s]add[136] Rea[s]on, that old Bencher graue,
- who this [s]add [s]entence vnto him pre[s]ented
- by dilligence, y^{t} [s]lye and [s]ecreate knaue
- That loue and witt, for euer [s]hold departe
- out of the midle Temple of my harte.
-
-[Footnote 136: = serious; and so 'sadly' = seriously, e. g. Skelton:
-
- "I have not offended, I trust,
- If it be _sadly_ discust." G.
-
-]
-
- 8* My ca[s]e is this, I loue Zepheria brighte,
- Of her I hold my harte by fealtye:
- W^{ch} I di[s]charge to her perpetuallye,
- Yet [s]he thereof will neuer me accquite.
- for now [s]uppo[s]inge I w^{th} hold her righte
- [s]he hathe di[s]treinde my harte to [s]atisfie
- the duty w^{ch} I neuer did denye,
- and far away impounds it w^{th} de[s]pite;
- I labor therefore iu[s]tlie to repleaue[137]
- my harte w^{ch} she vniu[s]tly doth impounde
- but quick conceite w^{ch} nowe is loue's highe Sheife
- retornes it as e[s]loynde, not to be founde:
- Then w^{ch} the lawe affords I onely craue
- her harte for myne in wit her name to haue.
-
-[Footnote 137: = recover (a legal term) G.]
-
- 9* To Loue my lord I doe knightes [s]eruice owe
- and therefore nowe he hath my witt in warde,
- but while it is in his tuition [s]oe
- me thincks he doth intreate it pa[s][s]inge hard;
- for thoughe he hathe it marryed longe agoe
- to Vanytie, a wench of noe regarde,
- and nowe to full, and perfect age doth growe,
- Yet nowe of freedome it is mo[s]t debarde.
- But why [s]hould loue after minoritye
- when I am pa[s]t the one and twentith yeare
- perclude my witt of his [s]weete libertye,
- and make it [s]till y^{e} yoake of ward[s]hippe beare.
- I feare he hath an other Title gott
- and holds my witte now for an Ideott.
-
- M^{r} Dauyes.
-
-
-
-
-VI. MINOR POEMS.
-
-
-
-
-Minor Poems.
-
-
-
-
-I. _Yet other Twelve Wonders of the World._[138]
-
-[Footnote 138: This and the three following, are from the celebrated
-collection of early English poetry called the 'Poetical Rhapsody' by
-Davison. Our text is from the third edition (1621) which in our case is
-preferable, as having presumably been revised (in his contributions) by
-Sir John: It is to be noted that in this edition the original simple I.
-D. is in the second poem changed to Sir I. D., and that to the third
-his name is given in full. I have included the Hymn on Music, though
-the initials I. D. have been assigned to Dr. John Donne by Sir Egerton
-Brydges and others. It seems to me that as (1) I. D. is our Poet's
-designation in the 'Rhapsody' throughout, and as (2) the Lines were
-not claimed for Donne by himself, or by his son when he collected his
-father's Poems--we are warranted in assigning them to Sir John Davies.
-Sir Egerton favours their Donne authorship simply because "they seem
-rather to partake of the conceits of Donne than of the simple vigour
-of Davies" but he forgot the 'Hymnes to Astræa' and 'Orchestra'; which
-are in the same vein. It is to be regretted that Sir Nicholas Harris
-Nicolas _modernized_ the text in his reprint of the 'Rhapsody': (2
-vols. crown 8vo. 1826, Pickering): and perhaps equally so, that Mr.
-Collier in his careful and beautiful private one, has selected the
-first incomplete edition. The following is the title-page of the
-edition of the 'Rhapsody' used by us:
-
-DAVISONS
-
-POEMS,
-
-OR
-
-_A POETICALL RAPSODIE_.
-
-Deuided into sixe Bookes.
-
- The first, _contayning Poems and Deuises_.
- The second, _Sonets and Canzonets_.
- The third, _Pastoralls and Elegies_.
- The fourth, _Madrigalls and Odes_.
- The fift, _Epigrams and Epitaphs_.
- The sixt, _Epistles and Epithalamions_.
-
- * * * * *
-
- For variety and pleasure, the like neuer
- published.
-_The Bee and Spider by a diuers power,
-Sucke hony and poyson from the selfe same flower._
- The fourth Impression,
-Newly corrected and augmented, and put into
- a forme more pleasing to the Reader.
- London.
-
-Printed by B. A. for _Roger Iackson_, 1621 (small 12^{o}.) See our
-Preface for account of an autograph MS. of "Yet other Twelve Wonders of
-the World." G.]
-
-
-I. _The Courtier._
-
- Long haue I liu'd in Court, yet learn'd not all this while,
- To sel poore sutors, smoke: nor where I hate, to smile:
- Superiors to adore, Inferiors to despise,
- To flye from such as fall, to follow such as rise;
- To cloake a poore desire vnder a rich array,
- Not to aspire by vice, though twere the quicker way.
-
-
-II. _The Divine._
-
- My calling is Diuine, and I from God am sent,
- I will no chop-Church be, nor pay my patron rent,
- Nor yeeld to sacriledge; but like the kind true mother,
- Rather will loose all the child, then part it with another;
- Much wealth, I will not seeke, nor worldly masters serue,
- So to grow rich and fat, while my poore flock doth sterue.
-
-III. _The Souldier._
-
- My occupation is, the noble trade of Kings,
- The tryall that decides the highest right of things:
- Though _Mars_ my master be, I doe not _Venus_ loue,
- Nor honour _Bacchus_ oft, nor often sweare by _Ioue_;
- Of speaking of my selfe, I all occasion shunne,
- And rather loue to doe, then boast what I haue done.
-
-
-IV. _The Lawyer._
-
- The Law my calling is, my robe, my tongue, my pen,
- Wealth and opinion gaine, and make me Iudge of men.
- The knowne dishonest cause, I neuer did defend,
- Nor spun out sutes in length, but wisht and sought an end:
- Nor counsell did bewray, nor of both parties take,
- Nor euer tooke I fee for which I neuer spake.
-
-
-V. _The Physition._
-
- I study to vphold the slippery state of man,
- Who dies, when we haue done the best and all we can.
- From practise and from bookes, I draw my learnèd skill,
- Not from the knowne receipt of 'Pothecaries bill.
- The earth my faults doth hide,[139] the world my cures doth see,
- What youth, and time effects, is oft ascribde to me.
-
-[Footnote 139: 'The earth my faults doth hide.' This recalls the
-somewhat irate remonstrance of a bibulous Sexton under the reproaches
-of a medical church-warden at a parish-meeting: "O Sir, _you_ are the
-last that ever I expected to expose me, seeing I have covered up many
-of your faults" (i.e. in the graves of his patients.) G.]
-
-
-VI. _The Merchant._
-
- My trade doth euery thing to euery land supply,
- Discouer unknowne coasts, strange Countries to ally;
- I neuer did forestall, I neuer did ingrosse,
- No custome did withdraw, though I return'd with losse.
- I thriue by faire exchange, by selling and by buying,
- And not by Jewish vse,[140] reprisall, fraud, or lying.
-
-[Footnote 140: = usury. G.]
-
-
-VII. _The Country Gentleman._
-
- Though strange outl[=a]dish spirits praise towns, and country scorn,
- The country is my home, I dwel where I was born:
- There profit and command with pleasure I pertake,
- Yet do not Haukes and dogs, my sole companions make.
- I rule, but not oppresse, end quarrels, not maintaine;
- See towns, but dwel not there, t'abridge my charg or train.
-
-
-VIII. _The Bacheler._
-
- How many things as yet are deere alike to me,
- The field, the horse, the dog, loue, armes or liberty.
- I haue no wife as yet, whom I may call mine owne,
- I haue no children yet, that by my name are knowne.
- Yet if I married were, I would not wish to thriue,
- If that I could not tame the veriest shrew aliue.
-
-
-IX. _The Married Man._
-
- I only am the man, among all married men,
- That do not wish the Priest, to be unlinckt agen.
- And thogh my shoo did wring,[141] I wold not make my mone,
- Nor think my neighbors chance, more happy then mine own,
- Yet court I not my wife, but yeeld obseruance due,
- Being neither fond[142] nor crosse, nor iealous, nor vntrue.
-
-[Footnote 141: = pinch. G.]
-
-[Footnote 142: = foolish. G.]
-
-
-X. _The Wife._
-
- The first of all our Sex came from the side of man,
- I thither am return'd, from whence our Sex began;
- I doe not visite oft, nor many, when I doe,
- I tell my mind to few, and that in counsell too:
- I seeme not sick in health, nor sullen but in sorrow,
- I care for somewhat else of, then what to weare to morrow.
-
-
-XI. _The Widdow._
-
- My dying[143] husband knew, how much his death would grieue me,
- And therefore left me wealth, to comfort and relieue me.
- Though I no more will haue, I must not loue disdaine,
- _Penelope_ her selfe did sutors entertaine;
- And yet to draw on such, as are of best esteeme,
- Nor yonger then I am, nor richer will I seeme.
-
-
-[Footnote 143: In Sir Egerton Brydges edition of the Rhapsody this line
-stands
-
- "My _dying_ husband knew," &c.
-
-an interpolation which, though perhaps called for by the metre, does
-not appear to be justified by either of the four editions supposed to
-have been printed during the life-time of the original editor. Nicolas.
-[True, but as it _is_ found in an autograph MS. of the poem, it is
-inserted. See our Preface. G.]]
-
-
-XII. _The Maid._
-
- I marriage would forsweare, but that I heare men tell,
- That she that dies a maid, must leade an Ape in Hell;
- Therefore if fortune come, I will not mock and play,
- Nor driue the bargaine on, till it be driuen away.
- Tithes and lands I like, yet rather fancy can,
- A man that wanteth gold, then gold that wants a man. (pp. 1-4.)
-
-
-
-
-II. A CONTENTION
-
-_Betwixt a Wife, a Widdow, and a Maide._[144]
-
-[Footnote 144: See Introductory Note to the first of these Minor Poems,
-_ante_. In Mr. Collier's History of English Dramatic Poetry, Vol.
-I. p. 323 _seqq._ interesting details are given of an Entertainment
-to the Queen at Sir Robert Cecil's "newe house in the Strand," at
-which she was "royally entertained." From Extracts from a Barrister's
-Diary among the Harleian MSS. adduced herein, we glean a notice of
-the present Poem, _e. g._ "Sundry devises at hir entrance: three
-women, a maid, a widow and a wife, eache contending [for] their own
-states, but the virgin preferred." In Nichols' Progs. of Elizabeth
-(iii. 601) the poem is also ascribed on authority of John Chamberlain
-to Davies (6th December, 1602). See Letters of Chamberlain published
-by CAMDEN Society, p. 169: December 23rd, 1602. Miss Sarah
-Williams, in her careful edition of CHAMBERLAIN'S Letters
-for the Camden Society, by an oversight, has annotated this reference
-_in loco_ as to Davies of Hereford. Chamberlain calls it a "pretty
-dialogue." The Barrister's Diary _supra_ [Manningham] has been edited
-for the Camden Society by the late lamented Mr. John Bruce of London.
-G.]
-
-
- _Wife._ Widdow, well met, whether goe you to day?
- Will you not to this solemne offering go?
- You know it is _Astreas_ holy day:
- The Saint to whom all hearts deuotion owe.
-
- _Widow._ Marry, what else? I purpos'd so to doe:
- Doe you not marke how all the wiues are fine?
- And how they haue sent presents ready too,
- To make their offering at _Astreas_ shrine?
-
- See then, the shrine and tapers burning bright,
- Come, friend, and let vs first ourselues advance,
- We know our place, and if we haue our right,
- To all the parish we must leade the dance.
-
- But soft, what means this bold presumptuous maid,
- To goe before, without respect of vs?
- Your forwardnesse (proude maide) must now be staide:
- Where learnd you to neglect your betters thus?
-
- _Maid._ Elder you are, but not my betters here,
- This place to maids a priuiledge must giue:
- The Goddesse, being a maid, holds maidens deare,
- And grants to them her own prerogatiue.
-
- Besides, on all true virgins, at their birth.
- Nature hath set[145] a crowne of excellence,
- That all the wiues and widdowes of the earth,
- Should giue them place, and doe them reuerence?
-
- _Wife._ If to be borne a maid be such a grace,
- So was I borne and grac't by nature to,
- But seeking more perfection to embrace
- I did become a wife as others doe.
-
- _Widow._ And if the maid and wife such honour have,
- I haue beene both, and hold a third degree.
- Most maides are Wardes, and euery wife a slaue,
- I haue my livery sued,[146] and I am free.
-
- _Maid._ That is the fault, that you haue maidens beene,
- And were not constant to continue so:
- The fals of Angels did increase their sinne,
- In that they did so pure a state forgoe:
-
- But Wife and Widdow, if your wits can make,
- Your state and persons of more worth then mine,
- Aduantage to this place I will not take;
- I will both place and priuilege resigne.
-
- _Wife._ Why marriage is an honourable state.
- _Widow._ And widdow-hood is a reuerend degree:
- _Maid._ But maidenhead, that will admit no mate,
- Like maiestie itselfe must sacred be.
-
- _Wife._ The wife is mistresse of her family.
- _Widow._ Much more the widdow, for she rules alone:
- _Maid._ But mistresse of mine owne desires am I,
- When you rule others wils and not your owne.
-
- _Wife._ Onely the wife enjoys the vertuous pleasure.
- _Widow._ The widow can abstaine from pleasures known:
- _Maid._ But th' vncorrupted maid preserues[147] such measure,
- As being by pleasures wooed she cares for none.
-
- _Wife._ The wife is like a faire supported vine.
- _Widow._ So was the widdow, but now stands alone:
- For being growne strong, she needs not to incline.
- _Maid._ Maids, like the earth, supported are of none.
-
- _Wife._ The wife is as a Diamond richly set;
- _Maid._ The maide vnset doth yet more rich appeare.
- _Widow._ The widdow a Iewel in the Cabinet,
- Which though not worn is stil esteem'd as deare.
-
- _Wife._ The wife doth loue, and is belou'd againe.
- _Widow._ The widdow is awakt out of that dreame.
- _Maid._ The maids white minde had neuer such a staine,
- No passion troubles her cleare vertues streame.
-
- Yet if I would be lou'd, lou'd would I be,
- Like her whose vertue in the bay is seene:
- Loue to wife fades with satietie,
- Where loue neuer enioyed is euer greene.
-
- _Widow._ Then whats a virgin but a fruitlesse bay?
- _Maid._ And whats a widdow but a rose-lesse bryer?
- And what are wiues, but woodbinds which decay
- The stately Oakes by which themselues aspire?
-
- And what is marriage but a tedious yoke?
- _Widow._ And whats virginitie but sweete selfe-loue?
- _Wife._ And whats a widdow but an axell broke,
- Whose one part failing, neither part can mooue?
- _Widow._ Wiues are as birds in golden cages kept.
- _Wife._ Yet in those cages chearefully they sing:
- _Widow._ Widdowes are birds out of these cages lept,
- Whose ioyfull notes makes all the forrest ring.
-
- _Maid._ But maides are birds amidst the woods secure,
- Which neuer h[=a]d could touch, nor yet[148] could take;
- Nor whistle could deceiue, nor baite allure,
- But free vnto themselues doe musicke make.
-
- _Wife._ The wife is as the turtle with her mate.
- _Widow._ The widdow, as the widdow doue alone;
- Whose truth shines most in her forsaken state.
- _Maid._ The maid a Ph[oe]nix, and is still but one.
-
- _Wife._ The wifes a soule vnto her body tyed.
- _Widow._ The widdow a soule departed into blisse.
- _Maid._ The maid, an Angell, which was stellified,
- And now t' as faire a house descended is.
-
- _Wife._ Wiues are faire houses kept and furnisht well.
- _Widow._ Widdowes old castles voide, but full of state:
- _Maid._ But maids are temples where the Gods do dwell,
- To whom alone themselues they dedicate.
- But marriage is a prison during life,
- Where one way out, but many entries be:
- _Wife._ The Nun is kept in cloyster, not the wife,
- Wedlocke alone doth make the virgin free.
-
- _Maid._ The maid is ever fresh, like morne in May:
- _Wife._ The wife with all her beames is beautified,
- Like to high noone, the glory of the day:
- _Widow._ The widow, like a milde, sweet, euen-tide.
-
- _Wife._ An office well supplide is like the wife.
- _Widow._ The widow, like a gainfull office voide:
- _Maid._ But maids are like contentment in this life,
- Which al the world haue sought, but none enioid:
-
- Go wife to Dunmow, and demaund your flitch.
- _Widow._ Goe gentle maide, goe leade the Apes in hell.
- _Wife._ Goe widow make some younger brother rich,
- And then take thought and die, and all is well.
-
- Alas poore maid, that hast no help nor stay.
- _Widow._ Alas poore wife, that nothing dost possesse;
- _Maid._ Alas poore widdow, charitie doth say,
- Pittie the widow and the fatherlesse.
-
- _Widow._ But happy widdowes haue the world at will.
- _Wife._ But happier wiues, whose ioys are euer double.
- _Maid._ But happiest maids whose hearts are calme and still,
- Whom feare, nor hope, nor loue, nor hate doth trouble.
-
- _Wife._ Euery true wife hath an indented[149] heart,
- Wherein the covenants of loue are writ,
- Whereof her husband keepes the counterpart,
- And reads his comforts and his ioyes in it.
-
- _Widow._ But euery widdowes heart is like a booke,
- Where her ioyes past, imprinted doe remaine,
- But when her iudgements eye therein doth looke;
- She doth not wish they were to come againe.
-
- _Maid._ But the maids heart a faire white table is,
- Spotlesse and pure, where no impressions be
- But the immortal Caracters of blisse,
- Which onely God doth write, and Angels see.
-
- _Wife._ But wiues haue children, what a ioy is this?
- _Widow._ Widows haue children too, but maids haue none.
- _Maid._ No more haue Angels, yet they haue more blisse
- Then euer yet to mortall man was knowne.
-
- _Wife._ The wife is like a faire manurèd[150] field;
- _Widow._ The widow once was such, but now doth rest.
- _Maid._ The maide, like Paradice, vndrest, vntil'd,
- Beares crops of natiue vertue in her breast.
-
- _Wife._ Who would not dye as wife, as Lucrece died?
- _Widow._ Or liue a widdow, as Penelope?
- _Maid._ Or be a maide, and so be stellified,[151]
- As all the vertues and the graces be.
-
- _Wife._ Wiues are warme Climates well inhabited;
- But maids are frozen zones where none may dwel.
- _Maid._ But fairest people in the North are bred,
- Where Africa breeds Monsters blacke as hell.
-
- _Wife._ I haue my husbands honour and his place.
- _Widow._ My husbands fortunes all suruiue to me.
- _Maid._ The moone doth borrow light, you borrow grace,
- When maids by their owne vertues gracèd be.
-
- White is my colour; and no hew but this
- It will receiue, no tincture can it staine.
- _Wife._ My white hath tooke one colour, but it is
- My honourable purple dyed in graine.[152]
-
- _Widow._ But it hath beene my fortune to renue
- My colour twice from that it was before.
- But now my blacke will take no other hue,
- And therefore now I meane to change no more.
-
- _Wife._ Wiues are faire Apples seru'd in golden dishes.
- _Widow._ Widows good wine, which time makes better much.
- _Maid._ But Maids are grapes desired by many wishes,
- But that they grow so high as none can touch.
-
- _Wife._ I haue a daughter equals you, my girle.
- _Maid._ The daughter doth excell the mother then:
- As pearles are better then the mother of pearle
- Maids loose their value wh[=e] they match with men.
- _Widow._ The man with wh[=o] I matcht, his worth was such
- As now I scorne a maide should be my peare:[153]
- _Maid._ But I will scorne the man you praise so much,
- For maids are matchlesse, and no mate can beare.
-
- Hence is it that the virgine neuer loues,
- Because her like she finds not anywhere;
- For likenesse euermore affection moues,
- Therefore the maide hath neither loue nor peere.
-
- _Wife._ Yet many virgins married wiues would be.
- _Widow._ And many a wife would be a widdow faine.
- _Maid._ There is no widdow but desires to see,
- If so she might, her maiden daies againe.
-
- _Widow._[154] There neuer was a wife that liked her lot:
- _Wife._ Nor widdow but was clad in mourning weeds.
- _Maid._ Doe what you will, marry, or marry not,
- Both this estate and that, repentance breedes.
-
- _Wife._ But she that this estate and that hath seene,
- Doth find great ods betweene the wife and girle.
- _Maid._ Indeed she doth, as much as is betweene
- The melting haylestone and the solid pearle.
-
- _Wife._ If I were Widdow, my merry dayes were past.
- _Widow._ Nay, then you first become sweete pleasures guest,
- _Wife._[155] For mayden-head is a continuall fast,
- And marriage is a continual feast.
-
- _Maid._ Wedlock indeed hath oft comparèd bin
- To publike Feasts where meete a publike rout;
- Where they that are without would faine go in,
- And they that are within would faine go out.
-
- Or to the Iewell which this vertue had,
- That men were mad till they might it obtaine,
- But when they had it, they were twise as mad,
- Till they were dipossest of it againe.
-
- _Wife._ Maids cannot iudge, because they cannot tell,
- What comforts and what ioyes in marriage be:
-
- _Maid._ Yes, yes, though blessed Saints in heauen do dwell,
- They doe the soules in Purgatory see.
-
- _Widow._ If euery wife do liue in Purgatory.
- Then sure it is, that Widdowes liue in blisse:
- And are translated to a state of glory,
- But Maids as yet haue not attain'd to this.
-
- _Maid._ Not Maids? To spotlesse maids this gift is giuen,
- To liue in incorruption from their birth;
- And what is that but to inherit heauen
- Euen while they dwell vpon the spotted earth?
-
- The perfectest of all created things,
- The purest gold, that suffers no allay;[156]
- The sweetest flower that on th' earths bosome springs,
- The pearle vnbord, whose price no price can pay:
-
- The Christall Glasse that will no venome hold,[157]
- The mirror wherein Angels loue to looke,
- _Dianaes_ bathing Fountaine cleere and cold,
- Beauties fresh Rose, and vertues liuing booke.
-
- Of loue and fortune both, the Mistresse borne,
- The soueraigne spirit that will be thrall to none;
- The spotlesse garment that was neuer worne,
- The Princely Eagle that still flyes alone.
-
- She sees the world, yet her cleere thought doth take
- No such deepe print as to be chang'd thereby;
- As when we see the burning fire doth make,
- No such impression as doth burne the eye.
-
- _Wife._ No more (sweete maid) our strife is at an end,
- Cease now: I fear we shall transformèd be
- To chattering Pies, as they that did contend
- To match the Muses in their harmony.
-
- _Widow._ Then let us yeeld the honour and the place,
- And let vs both be sutors to the maid;
- That since the Goddesse giues her speciall grace,
- By her cleere hands the offring be conuaide.
-
- _Maid._ Your speech I doubt hath some displeasure mou'd,
- Yet let me haue the offring, I will see;
- I know she hath both wiues and widdowes lou'd,
- Though she would neither wife nor widdow be. (pp 5-15.)
-
-[Footnote 145: Misprinted 'sent.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 146: A legal phrase = freedom or liberty. G.]
-
-[Footnote 147: Nicolas, as before, has 'observes.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 148: Nicolas, as before, reads 'net.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 149: The reference is to the wavy or vandyked cutting of the
-vellum MS. whereby the one copy fits into the other. Recently two very
-ancient MSS. were thus unexpectedly brought together in H. M. Public
-Record Office. G.]
-
-[Footnote 150: = cultivated. G.]
-
-[Footnote 151: Cf. 'Orchestra,' Vol. I., page 192, with relative note.
-G.]
-
-[Footnote 152: = in the fabric. G.]
-
-[Footnote 153: = peer. G.]
-
-[Footnote 154: In the previous editions of the Rhapsody, this line has
-always been imputed to the Wife, and the following one to the Widow;
-but as throughout the Contention each party praises her own state,
-whilst she ridicules that of the other, the transposition in the text
-appeared to be imperiously called for. Nicolas.]
-
-[Footnote 155: By the rule of note 8, Wife seems necessary to be here
-prefixed; but see our Memorial-Introduction for a critical notice of
-this and other portions. G.]
-
-[Footnote 156: = alloy. G.]
-
-[Footnote 157: It was long a "Vulgar Error" that certain 'christall
-glasses' flew into bits on poison being put into them. G.]
-
-
-
-III. A LOTTERY.[158]
-
-[Footnote 158: See Introductory-note to the preceding poem. G.]
-
- _Presented before the late Queenes Maiesty at the Lord Chancelors
- House, 1602._[159]
-
-[Footnote 159: This Lottery was presented to the Queen in the year
-1602, at York House, the residence of Thomas Egerton, Lord Keeper, not
-in 1601, as stated in Nichols' _Progresses_, vol iii. p. 570. See our
-Memorial-Introduction for authority for this correction, and for the
-names of the ladies who drew the successive 'lots,' and also other
-points. COLLIER, as before, in a strangely curious remark,
-supposes these lottery verses may be Samuel Rowland's "When gossips
-meet," and as strangely does not connect them with Davies' name at all.
-He, however, supplies interesting _memorabilia_, relating to these
-Elizabethan Entertainments. He mis-names the poet-compiler of the
-'Rhapsody' throughout, Davidson.]
-
-
-_A Marriner with a Boxe vnder his arme, contayning all the seuerall
-things following, supposed to come from the Carrick,[160] came into the
-Presence, singing this Song_:
-
-[Footnote 160: Or _Caract_, a large ship. Chaucer speaks of Satan
-having "a tayle, broder than of a Carrike is the sayl." Sir Walter
-Raleigh,--a contributor to the _Rhapsody_,--observes "in which river
-the largest _Carack_ may, &c." Nicolas.]
-
- _Cynthia_ Queene of Seas and Lands,
- That fortune euery where commands,
- Sent forth fortune to the Sea,
- To try her fortune euery way.
- There did I fortune meet, which makes me now to sing,
- There is no fishing to the Sea, nor seruice to the King.
-
- All the Nymphs of _Thetis_ traine
- Did _Cinthias_ fortunes entertaine:
- Many a Iewell, many a Iem,
- Was to her fortune brought by them.
- Her fortune sped so well, as makes me now to sing,
- There is no fishing to the Sea, nor seruice to the King.
-
- Fortune that it might be seene,
- That she did serue a royall Queene,
- A franke and royall hand did beare,
- And cast her fauors euery where.
- Some toyes fell to my share, which makes me now to sing,
- There is no fishing to the Sea, nor seruice to the King.[161]
-
-
-[Footnote 161: Mr. Nichols, in his _Progresses of Queen Elizabeth_, cites the
-following passage from a speech made at her entertainment at Cowdray,
-to prove that the line in the text was an "olde saying."
-"Madame it is an olde saying '_There is no fishing to the sea, nor
-service to the King_;' but it holds when the sea is calm, and the King
-virtuous."... Vol. iii., pp. 95-571. Nicolas. The sense is
-that there is no fishing to be compared (in result) to sea-fishing, nor
-any service to be compared with the king's. G.]
-
- And the Song ended, he vttred this short Speech:
-
- _God saue you faire Ladies all: and for my part, if euer I be brought
- to answere for my sinnes, God forgiue my sharking, and lay vsury to
- my charge. I am a Marriner, and am now come from the sea, where I had
- the fortune to light upon these few trifles. I must confesse I came
- but lightly by them, but I no sooner had them, but I made a vow, that
- as they came to my hands by Fortune, so I would not part with them but
- by Fortune. To that end I haue euer since carried these Lots about me,
- that if I met with fit company I might deuide my booty among them. And
- now, (I thanke my good Fortune,)! I am lighted into the best company
- of the world, a company of the fairest Ladyes that euer I saw. Come
- Ladies try your fortunes, and if any light upon an unfortunate Blanke,
- let her thinke that Fortune doth but mock her in these trifles, and
- meanes to pleasure her in greater matters._
-
-
- _The Lots._
-
- 1. _Fortunes Wheele._
-
- Fortune must now no more in triumph ride,
- The wheeles are yours that did her Chariot guide.
-
- 2. _A Purse._
-
- You thriue, or would, or may, your Lots a Purse
- Fill it with gold, and you are nere the worse.
-
- 3. _A Maske._
-
- Want you a Maske? heere Fortune gives you one,
- Yet nature giues the Rose and Lilly none.
-
- 4. _A Looking-Glasse._
-
- Blinde Fortune doth not see how faire you be,
- But giues a glasse that you your selfe may see.
-
- 5. _A Hankerchiefe._
-
- Whether you seeme to weepe, or weepe indeed,
- This Hand-kerchiefe will stand you well in steed.
-
- 6. _A Plaine Ring._
-
- Fortune doth send[162] you, hap it well or ill,
- This plaine gold Ring, to wed you to your will.
-
-
-[Footnote 162: Manningham, in the original MS., has these variants: l.
-1, 'hath sent'; l. 2, 'A plaine.' G.]
-
-
- 7. _A Ring, with this Poesie:
-
- As faithfull as I find._
- Your hand by Fortune on this Ring doth light,
- And yet the words[163] do hit your humour right.
-
-[Footnote 163: Manningham, as before, has 'word doth'--a reading which
-brings it more into accord with the language of the times, 'word' being
-then used for a sentence of import, impressa, or posy. He has also
-'fit' for 'hit.' G.]
-
- 8. _A Pair of Gloues._
-
- Fortune these Gloues to you in challenge sends,
- For that you loue not fooles that are her friends.[164]
-
-[Footnote 164: Manningham again reads here:--
-
- ... "to you in double challenge sends
- For you hath fools and flatterers hir best friends." G.]
-
-
- 9. _A Dozen of Points._[165]
-
- You are in euery point a louer true,
- And therefore Fortune giues the points to you.
-
-[Footnote 165: A tagged lace used for attaching and keeping up or
-together various parts of the dress. G.]
-
-
- 10. _A Lace._
-
- Giue her the Lace that loues to be straight lac'd,
- So Fortunes little gift is aptly plac'd.
-
-
- 11. _A Paire of Kniues._
-
- Fortune doth giue this paire of Kniues to you,
- To cut the thred of loue, if 't be not true.
-
-
- 12. _A Girdle._
-
- By Fortunes Girdle you may happy be,[166]
- But they that are lesse happy are more free.
-
-[Footnote 166: Manningham reads, "With Fortune's ... happy may you be."
-G.]
-
-
- 13. _A Payre of Writing-Tables._
-
- These Tables may containe your thoughts[167] in part,
- But write not all, that's written in your heart.
-
-[Footnote 167: _Ibid_, 'thought.' G.]
-
-
- 14. _A Payre of Garters._
-
- Though you haue Fortunes Garters, you must be
- More staid and constant in your steps then she.
-
-
- 15. _A Coife and Crosse-Cloth._
-
- Frowne in good earnest, or be sick in iest,
- This Coife and Cross-Cloth will become you best.
-
-
- 16. _A Scarfe._
-
- Take you this Scarfe, bind _Cupid_ hand and foote,
- So loue must aske you leaue before hee shoote.
-
-
- 17. _A Falling Band._
-
- Fortune would have you rise, yet guides your hand,
- From other Lots to take the falling band.
-
-
- 18. _A Stomacher._
-
- This Stomacher is full of windowes[168] wrought,
- Yet none through them can see into your thought.
-
-[Footnote 168: = worked openings in the dress. G.]
-
-
- 19. _A Pair of Sizzers._[169]
-
- These sizzers do your huswifery bewray,
- You loue to work though you are borne to play.
-
-[Footnote 169: Manningham has 'scisser case,' which shows the scissors
-were in a case. He also reads 'you be borne.' G.]
-
-
- 20. _A Chaine._
-
- Because you scorne loue's Captiue to remaine,
- Fortune hath sworne to leade you in a Chaine.
-
-
- 21. _A Prayer-Booke._
-
- Your Fortune may prooue[170] good another day,
- Till Fortune come, take you a booke to pray.
-
-[Footnote 170: _Ibid_, 'may be.' Then l. 2 was first as in text, but
-over 'Till that day' is inserted above 'Till Fortune come,' though the
-latter is not erased. G.]
-
-
- 22. _A Snuftkin._[171]
-
- 'Tis Summer yet, a Snuftkin is your Lot,
- But 'twill be winter one day, doubt you not.
-
-[Footnote 171: A small muff for Winter-wear. _Ibid_ in heading and l.
-1, 'Mufkin': in l. 2 'It will be.' G.]
-
-
- 23. _A Fanne._
-
- You loue to see, and yet to be vnseen,
- Take you this Fanne to be your beauties skreene.
-
-
- 24. _A Pair of Bracelets._
-
- Lady, your hands are fallen into a snare,
- For _Cupids_ manicles these Bracelets are.
-
-
- 25. _A Bodkin._
-
- Euen with this Bodkin you may lie unharmed,
- Your beauty is with vertue so well armed.
-
-
- 26. _A Necklace._
-
- Fortune giues your faire neck this lace to weare,
- God grant a heauier yoke it neuer beare.
-
-
- 27. _A Cushinet._
-
- To her that little cares what Lot she wins,
- Chance gives a little Cushinet to stick pinnes.
-
-
- 28. _A Dyall._
-
- The Dyal's your's, watch time least it be lost,
- Yet they most lose it that do watch it most.[172]
-
-[Footnote 172: _Ibid_, this variant:--
-
- "And yet they spend it worst that watch it most." G.]
-
-
- 29. _A Nutmeg with a Blanke Parchment in it._
-
- This Nutmeg holds a Blanke, but chance doth hide it:
- Write your owne wish, and Fortune will prouide it.
-
-
- 30. _Blanke._
-
- Wot you not why Fortune giues you no prize,
- Good faith she saw you not, she wants her eyes.
-
-
- 31. _Blanke._
-
- You are so dainty to be pleaz'd, God wot,
- Chance knowes not what to giue you for a Lot.
-
-
- 32. _Blanke._
-
- Tis pitty such a hand should draw in vaine,
- Though it gaine nought, yet shall it pitty gaine.
-
-
- 33. _Blanke._
-
- Nothing's your Lot, that's more then can be told,
- For nothing is more precious then gold.
-
-
- 34. _Blanke._
-
- You faine would haue, but what, you cannot tell.
- In giuing nothing, Fortune serues you well.
-
- SIR I. D. (pp. 42-46.)
-
-
-IV. CANZONET.
-
-_A Hymne in Praise of Musicke._[173]
-
-[Footnote 173: See Introductory-Note to the first of these Minor Poems.
-I include this 'Canzonet' because originally it bore the initials of
-Davies' other pieces in the 'Rhapsody,' viz., I. D.--G.]
-
- Praise, pleasure, profite, is that threefold band,
- Which ties mens minds more fast then Gordions knots:
- Each one some drawes, all three none can withstand,
- Of force conioynd, Conquest is hardly got.
- Then Musicke may of hearts a Monarch be,
- Wherein prayse, pleasure, profite so agree.
-
- Praise-worthy Musicke is, for God it praiseth,
- And pleasant, for brute beasts therein delight,
- Great profit from it flowes, for why it raiseth
- The mind ouerwhelmed with rude passions might:
- When against reason passions fond rebell,
- Musicke doth that confirme, and those expell.
-
- If Musicke did not merit endlesse praise,
- Would heauenly Spheares delight in siluer round?[174]
- If ioyous pleasure were not in sweet layes
- Would they in Court and Country so abound?
- And profitable needes we must that call,
- Which pleasure linkt with praise, doth bring to all.
-
-[Footnote 174: Qu: sound? or it may be = their circular movement
-(supposed). G.]
-
- Heroicke minds with praises most incited,
- Seeke praise in Musicke and therein excell:
- God, man, beasts, birds, with Musicke are delighted,
- And pleasant t'is which pleaseth all so well:
- No greater profit is then self-content,
- And this will Musicke bring, and care preuent.
-
- When antique Poets Musick's praises tell,
- They say it beasts did please, and stones did moue:
- To proue more dull then stones, then beasts more fell,
- Those men which pleasing Musicke did not loue;
- They fain'd, it Cities built, and States defended
- To shew the profite great on it depended.
-
- Sweet birds (poor men's Musitians) neuer slake
- To sing sweet Musickes praises day and night:
- The dying Swans in Musicke pleasure take,
- To shew that it the dying can delight:
- In sicknesse, health, peace, warre, we do it need,
- Which proues sweet Musicks profit doth exceed.
-
- But I by niggard praising, do dispraise
- Praise-worthy Musicke in my worthlesse Rime:
- Ne can the pleasing profit of sweet laies,
- Any saue learnèd Muses well define:
- Yet all by these rude lines may clearely see,
- Praise, pleasure, profite in sweet musicke be. [pp. 138-9.]
-
- (No sig. but in 1602. I. D.)
-
-
-V. TEN SONETS TO PHILOMEL.[175]
-
-[Footnote 175: In my edition of Donne I have assigned these Ten Sonnets
-to him, but for reasons given in Memorial-Introduction now reclaim
-them for Davies. Our text is as with the others from the 'Rhapsody' of
-1621, where they are numbered in the class of sonnets xxxiv. to xlii.
-They were originally signed Melophilus. The various readings are merely
-orthographical. G.]
-
-
-SONNET I.
-
-_Vpon Loues entring by the eares._
-
- Oft did I heare our eyes the passage weare,
- By which Loue entred to assaile our hearts:
- Therefore I garded them, and void of feare,
- Neglected the defence of other parts.
- Loue knowing this, the vsuall way forsooke:
- And seeking found a by-way by mine eare.
- At which he entring, my heart prisoner tooke,
- And vnto thee sweete Phylomel did beare.
- Yet let my heart thy heart to pitty moue,
- Whose paine is great, although small fault appeare.
- First it lies bound in fettring chaines of loue,
- Then each day it is rackt with hope and feare.
- And with loues flames tis euermore consumed,
- Only because to loue thee it presumed.
-
- O why did Fame my heart to loue betray,
- By telling my Deares vertue and perfection?
- Why did my Traytor eares to it conuey
- That Syren-song, cause of my hearts infection?
- Had I been deafe, or Fame her gifts concealed,
- Then had my heart beene free from hopelesse Loue:
- Or were my state likewise by it reuealed,
- Well might it Philomel to pitty moue.
- Than should she know how loue doth make me languish,
- Distracting me twixt hope and dreadfull feare:
- Then should she know my care, my plaints and anguish,
- All which for her deare selfe I meekely beare.
- Yea I could quietly deaths paines abide,
- So that she knew that for her sake I dide.
-
-
-_Of his owne, and his Mistresse sicknesse at one time._
-
- Sicknesse entending my loue to betray,
- Before I should sight of my deere obtaine:
- Did his pale colours in my face display,
- Lest that my fauour might her fauours gaine.
- Yet not content herewith, like meanes it wrought,
- My Philomels bright beauty to deface:
- And natures glory to disgrace it sought,
- That my conceiuèd loue it might displace.
- But my firme loue could this assault well beare,
- Which vertue had, not beauty for his ground.
- And yet bright beames of beauty did appeare,
- Through sicknesse vaile, which made my loue abound;
- If sicke (thought I) her beauty so excell,
- How matchlesse would it be if she were well.
-
-
-_Another of her sicknesse and recovery._
-
- Pale Death himselfe did loue my Philomell,
- When he her vertues and rare beauty saw,
- Therefore he sicknesse sent: which should expell
- His riuals life, and my deare to him draw.
- But her bright beauty dazled so his eyes,
- That his dart life did misse, though her it hit:
- Yet not therewith content, new meanes he tries,
- To bring her vnto Death, and make life flit.
- But Nature soone perceiuing, that he meant
- To spoyle her onely Ph[oe]nix, her chiefe pride,
- Assembled all her force, and did preuent
- The greatest mischiefe that could her betide.
- So both our liues and loues, Nature defended:
- For had she di'de, my loue and life had ended.
-
-
-_Allusion to Theseus voyage to Crete, against the Minotaure._
-
- My loue is sail'd against dislike to fight,
- Which like vile monster, threatens his decay:
- The ship is hope, which by desires great might,
- Is swiftly borne towards the wishèd bay:
- The company which with my loue doth fare,
- (Though met in one) is a dissenting crew:
- They are ioy, griefe, and neuer-sleeping care,
- And doubt, which neere beleeues good newes for true:
- Blacke feare the flag is, which my ship doth beare,
- Which (Deere) take downe, if my loue victor be:
- And let white comfort in his place appeare.
- When loue victoriously returnes to me:
- Least I from rock despaire come tumbling downe,
- And in a sea of teares be for'st to drowne.
-
-
-_Vpon her looking secretly out at a window as he passed by._
-
- Once did my Philomel reflect on me,
- Her Cristall pointed eyes as I past by;
- Thinking not to be seene, yet would me see:
- But soone my hungry eies their food did spy.
- Alas, my deere, couldst them suppose, that face
- Which needs not enuy Ph[oe]bus chiefest pride,
- Could secret be, although in secret place,
- And that transparent glasse such beames could hide?
- But if I had been blinde, yet Loues hot flame,
- Kindled in my poore heart by thy bright eye,
- Did plainly shew when it so neere thee came,
- By more the vsuall heate then cause was nie,
- So though thou hidden wert, my heart and eye
- Did turne to thee by mutuall Sympathy.
-
- When time nor place would let me often view
- Natures chiefe Mirror, and my sole delight;
- Her liuely picture in my heart I drew,
- That I might it behold both day and night;
- But she, like Philips Sonne, scorning that I
- Should portraiture, which wanted Apelles Art,
- Commanded Loue (who nought dare her deny)
- To burne the picture which was in my heart.
- The more loue burn'd, the more her Picture shin'd:
- The more it shin'd, the more my heart did burne:
- So what to hurt her Picture was assign'd,
- To my hearts ruine and decay did turne.
- Loue could not burne the Spirit, it was divine,
- And therefore fir'd my heart, the Saints poor shrine.
-
-
-_To the Sunne of his Mistresse beauty eclipsed with frownes._
-
- When as the Sunne eclipsèd is, some say
- It thunder, lightning, raine, and wind portendeth;
- And not vnlike but such things happen may,
- Sith like effects my Sunne eclipsèd sendeth!
- Witnesse my throat made hoarse with thundring cries,
- And heart with loues hot flashing lightnings fired:
- Witnesse the showers which still fall from mine eies,
- And breast with sighes like stormy winds neare riued.
- O shine then once againe sweet Sunne on me,
- And with thy beames dissolue clouds of despaire,
- Whereof these raging Meteors framèd be,
- In my poore heart by absence of my faire.
- So shalt thou prooue thy beames, thy heate, thy light,
- To match the Sunne in glory, grace, and might.
-
-
-_Vpon sending her a gold ring with this Posie._
-
- Pure and Endlesse.
- If you would know the love which I you beare,
- Compare it to the Ring which your faire hand
- Shall make more precious, when you shall it weare:
- So my loues nature you shall vnderstand.
- Is it of mettall pure? so you shall proue
- My loue, which ne're disloyall thought did staine.
- Hath it no end? so endlesse is my loue,
- Vnlesse you it destroy with your disdaine.
- Doth it the purer waxe the more tis tride?
- So doth my loue: yet herein they dissent,
- That whereas gold the more t'is purifide
- By waxing lesse, doth shew some part is spent:
- My loue doth waxe more pure by your more trying,
- And yet encreaseth in the purifying.
-
-
-_The hearts captivitie._
-
- My cruell deere hauing captiu'de my heart,
- And bound it fast in chaines of restlesse loue:
- Requires it out of bondage to depart,
- Yet is she sure from her it cannot moue.
- Draw backe (said she) your helpeless loue from me,
- Your worth requires a farre more worthy place:
- Vnto your suite though I cannot agree,
- Full many will it louingly embrace.
- It may be so (my deere) but as the Sunne,
- When it appeares doth make the starres to vanish!
- So when your selfe into my thoughts do runne,
- All others quite out of my heart you banish.
- The beames of your perfections shine so bright,
- That straight-way they dispell all other light.
-
- I. D.
-
-
-VI. TO GEORGE CHAPMAN ON HIS OVID.[176]
-
-[Footnote 176: From "Ovid's Banquet of | SENCE. | A Coronet
-for his Mistresse Philosophie, and his amorous | _Zodiacke_. | With a
-translation of a Latine coppie, | written by a Fryer, Anno Dom. 1400.
-| _Quis leget hæc? Nemo Hercule Nemo, | vel duo vel nemo._ Persius. |
-AT LONDON, | Printed by J. R. for Richard Smith. _Anno Dom._
-1595. | " See our Memorial-Introduction. G.]
-
-
-_I. D. of the Middle Temple._
-
- Onely that eye which for true loue doth weepe,
- Onely that hart which tender loue doth pierse,
- May read and vnderstand this sacred vierse--
- For other wits too misticall and deepe:
- Betweene these hallowed leaues _Cupid_ dooth keepe
- The golden lesson of his second Artist;
- For loue, till now, hath still a Maister mist,
- Since _Ouids_ eyes were closed with iron sleepe;
- But now his waking soule in _Chapman_ liues,
- Which showes so well the passions of his soule;
- And yet this Muse more cause of wonder giues,
- And doth more Prophet-like loues art enroule:
- For Ouids soule, now growne more old and wise,
- Poures foorth it selfe in deeper misteries.
-
-
-VII. REASON'S MOANE.[177]
-
-[Footnote 177: From close of 'A New Post' consisting of 'Essayes' by
-Sir John Davies. See Prose Works in Fuller Worthies' Library. G.]
-
-
- When I peruse heauen's auncient written storie,
- part left in bookes, and part in contemplation:
- I finde Creation tended to God's glory:
- but when I looke upon the foule euasion,
- Loe then I cry, I howle, I weepe, I moane,
- and seeke for truth, but truth alas! is gone.
-
- Whilom of old before the earth was founded,
- or hearbs or trees or plants or beasts, had being,
- Or that the mightie Canopie of heauen surrounded
- these lower creatures; ere that the eye had seeing:
- Then Reason was within the mind of Ioue,
- embracing only amitie and loue.
-
- The blessed angels' formes and admirable natures,
- their happie states, their liues and high perfections,
- Immortall essence and vnmeasured statures,
- the more made known their falls and low directions.
- These things when Reason doth peruse
- she finds her errors, which she would excuse.
-
- But out alas! she sees strife is all in vaine;
- it bootes not to contend, or stand in this defence.
- Death, sorow, grief, hell and torments are her gaine,
- and endlesse burning fire, becomes our recompence.
- Oh heauie moane! oh endlesse sorrowes anguish,
- neuer to cease but euer still to languish.
-
- When I peruse the state of prime created man,
- his wealth, his dignitie and reason:
- His power, his pleasure, his greatnesse when I scan,
- I doe admire and wonder, that in so short a season,
- These noble parts, should haue so short conclusion:
- and man himselfe, be brought to such confusion.
-
- In seeking countries far beyond the seas, I finde,
- euen where faire Eden's pleasant garden stood:
- And all the coasts vnto the same confinde,
- gall to cruell wars; men's hands embru'd in blood,
- In cutting throats, and murders, men delight:
- so from these places Reason's banisht quite.
-
- O Ierusalem! that thou shouldst now turn Turke,
- and Sions hil, where holy rites of yore were vs'd:
- Oh! that within that holy place should lurke
- such sacrilege: whereby Ioue's name's abusde.
- What famous Greece, farewel: thou canst not bost
- thy great renowne: thy wit, thy learning's lost.
-
- The further search I make, the worse effect I finde:
- All Asia swarmes with huge impietie:
- All Affrick's bent vnto a bloody minde:
- all treachers[178] gainst Ioue and his great deitie.
- Let vs returne to famous Britton's king,
- whose worthy praise let all the world goe sing,
-
-[Footnote 178: = traitors [treacherous]. G.]
-
- Great Tetragramaton, out of thy bounteous loue
- let all the world and nations truely know,
- That he plants peace, and quarrell doth remoue:
- let him be great'st on all the earth belowe.
- Long may he liue, and all the world admire,
- that peace is wrought as they themselues desire.
-
- What Vnion he hath brought to late perfection,
- twixt Nations that hath so long contended:
- Their warres and enuies by him receiue correction,
- And in his royal person all their iars are ended.
- And so in briefe conclude, ought all that liue
- giue thanks to him for ioy that peace doth giue.
-
- By power and will of this our mightie king
- reason doth shew that God hath wroght a wonder:
- Countries distract he doth to Vnion bring
- and ioynes together States which others sunder:
- God grant him life till Shiloe's comming be
- in heauen's high seate he may enthronized be.
-
-
-VIII. ON THE DEATH OF LORD CHANCELLOR ELLESMERE'S SECOND WIFE IN
-1599.[179]
-
- You, that in Judgement passion never show,
- (As still a Judge should without passion bee),
- So judge your selfe; and make not in your woe
- Against your self a passionate decree.
- Griefe may become so weake a spirit as mine:
- My prop is fallne, and quenchèd is my light:
- But th' Elme may stand, when with'red is the vine,
- And, though the Moone eclipse, the Sunne is bright.
-
- Yet were I senselesse if I wisht your mind,
- Insensible, that nothing might it move;
- As if a man might not bee wise and kind.
- Doubtlesse the God of Wisdome and of Loue,
- As Solomon's braine he doth to you impart,
- So hath he given you David's tender hart.
-
- Yr. Lps in all humble Duties
- and condoling with yr. Lp. most affectionately
- Jo. Davys.
-
-[Footnote 179: I take this Sonnet from Collier's 'Bibliographical
-Catalogue' _sub nomine_ (Vol. I. p. 192). It is thus introduced by
-him: "It is stated correctly by the biographers of [Sir] John Davys
-that he was patronized by Lord Ellesmere, and among the papers of his
-lordship is preserved the following autograph Sonnet, which appears to
-have been addressed to the Lord Chancellor, on the death of his second
-wife in 1599." Further: The following note is appended, also in the
-hand-writing of Sir John Davys:--"A French writer (whom I love well)
-speakes of 3 kindes of Companions, Men, Women, and Bookes: the losse
-of this second makes you retire from the first: I have, therefore,
-presumed to send y^{r}. L^{p} one of the third kind, w^{ch} (it may
-bee), is a straunger to your L^{p}. yet I persuade me his conversation
-will not be disagreeable to y^{r} L^{p}." See Memorial-Introduction for
-notices of Ellesmere and his wives. G.]
-
-
-IX. TITYRUS _TO HIS FAIRE_ PHILLIS.[180]
-
- The silly Swaine whose loue breedes discontent,
- Thinkes death a trifle, life a loathsome thing,
- Sad he lookes, sad he lyes.
-
- But when his Fortunes mallice doth relent,
- Then of Loues sweetnes he will sweetly sing,
- Thus he liues, thus he dyes.
-
- Then _Tityrus_ whom Loue hath happy made,
- Will rest thrice happy in this Mirtle shade.
- For though Loue at first did greeue him:
- yet did Loue at last releeue him.
-
- I. D.
-
-[Footnote 180: From "Englands Helicon":
-
- Casta placent superis
- pura cum Veste venite,
- Et manibus puris
- sumite fontis aquam.
-
- At London
-
- Printed by I. R. for _Iohn Flasket_, and are
- to be sold in St. Paules Church-yard, at the
- signe | of the Beare. 1600. | [40.]
- E 3 (verso)
-
-The Davies authorship of this little lilt, is confirmed by a
-contemporary (Harleian) MS. list of contributors to England's Helicon
-(280), wherein his name is placed against it. G.]
-
-
-UPON A COFFIN BY S. J. D.
-
- There was a man bespake a thing
- Which when the owner home did bring,
- He that made it did refuse it;
- And he that brought it would not use it,
- And he that hath it doth not know
- Whether he hath it, ay or no.
-
- From "The Curtaine-Drawer of the Worlde ...
- by W. Parkes, Gentleman ... 1621.[181]
-
-[Footnote 181: In my Fuller Worthies' Library edition of Davies, I
-inserted above Riddle as kindly sent me by Mr. W. C. Hazlitt, from the
-"Philosopher's Banquet": 2d edition, 1614, p. 261. In its text l. 6
-'he' is spelled 'hee,' and 'ay' is 'yea.' G.]
-
-
-X. EPITAPH AND EPIGRAM.
-
-Sir John Davies had a son who became, if he were not born, an idiot.
-Anthony-a-Wood states "The son dying, Sir John made an epitaph of four
-verses on him, beginning
-
- Hic in visceribus terræ &c."
-
-It is much to be wished that these 'four verses' were recovered.
-Further, he had a daughter named 'Lucy'; and of her the same authority
-writes: "So that the said Lucy being sole heiress to her father,
-Ferdinando, Lord Hastings, (afterwards Earl of Huntingdon) became a
-suitor to her for marriage; whereupon the father made this Epigram:
-
- LUCIDA VIS oculos teneri perstrinxit amantis
- Nec tamen erravit nam VIA DULCIS erat."
-
-On this WATTS remarks: "This is a remarkable anagram of Lucy
-Davies. See as remarkable ones on the mother Eleanor Davies, _Reveal O
-Daniel_, by herself, the other made on her by DR. LAMB,--Dame
-Eleanor Davies, _Never so mad a Lady_. Heylin's Life of Laud p. 266."
-Wood's Athenæ, (edn. by Bliss) Vol. II. p. 404. G.
-
-
-
-
-VII. HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED POEMS.
-
-
-
-
-METAPHRASE OF SOME OF THE PSALMS, &c.
-
-NOTE.
-
-
-The MANUSCRIPT VOLUME from which the following hitherto
-unpublished POEMS are taken, is the property of DAVID
-LAING, Esq., LL.D., EDINBURGH, who purchased it, or
-perhaps obtained it in exchange many years ago from the Rev. John
-Jamieson, D.D., author of the "Scottish Dictionary" and other learned
-works--a scholar of full learning and to be held in honour in many
-respects. It was parted with to his like-minded friend as containing
-the hitherto unprinted 'Psalms,' &c., by SIR JOHN DAVIES; but
-no memorial remains to ascertain the quarter from whence Dr. Jamieson
-obtained the Volume. Mr. Laing states that, if anything was said at the
-time on the subject, it has escaped his recollection; and this cannot
-be wondered at, as it must have been from thirty to forty years ago.
-
-Along with eminent Experts I have carefully compared this Manuscript
-with undoubted holographs of SIR JOHN DAVIES, preserved in Her
-Majesty's State Paper Office (State Papers: Domestic. James I. Vol.
-173. No. 54: Oct. 18, 1624, etc., etc.) and among the Harleian MSS. in
-the British Museum--the former being preferable as being of the same
-year-date with ours: and I feel constrained to pronounce it throughout
-non-autograph. There are at least FIVE handwritings in the
-volume--as more particularly described _in locis_: but none bears a
-resemblance to SIR JOHN DAVIES'. The Manuscript, therefore,
-belongs to a class that abounds at the Period, viz, a Scribe's
-transcript and which closely resembles that of MS. Speeches and other
-writings of DAVIES preserved among the HARLEIAN MSS.
-This is further, in accord with SIR JOHN DAVIES' practice,
-as appears by 'The Egerton Papers' of Mr. Collier, (Camden Society,
-1840, I Vol. 40.) where in a letter to ELLESMERE (pp. 410-16)
-he apologizes for his own 'ill hand' and substitutes his 'man's.' The
-evidence for DAVIES' authorship of these POEMS is
-EXTERNAL and INTERNAL.
-
- (_a_) The existence of the 'Metaphrase of the Psalms'--which composes
- the greater portion of the Manuscript--has long been on record. Thus
- ANTHONY-A-WOOD in his ATHENÆ states "Besides the
- before-mentioned things (as also Epigrams, as 'tis said) which were
- published by, and under the name of Sir John Davies, are several MSS.
- of his writing and composing, which go from hand to hand, as (I)
- Metaphrase of several of K. David's Psalms...." (edn. BLISS
- ii., 403.) The original of the Psalms' MS. was in possession of Sir
- John's own daughter, the Countess of Huntingdon, as I found in the
- Carte MSS. Bodleian, Oxford.
-
-The others are MSS.--some in part since published--which WOOD
-describes as formerly in the Library of Sir James Ware, and then in
-that of the Earl of Clarendon.
-
- (_b_) The handwriting of the Manuscript is exactly correspondent with
- that of its date '1624.' It is uniform from Psalm I. to L.
-
- (_c_) Throughout the 'Psalms' and other Poems, favourite words of
- SIR JOHN DAVIES' occur: in part peculiar to him or used in
- a peculiar way. I must refer the Student to the Poems themselves for
- the great majority of examples: but note here half-a-dozen--all the
- references being to our own edition of the previous Poems.
-
- 1. '_Withall_': "... that sinne that we are borne _withall_." ('Nosce
- Teipsum' page 57, stanza 5th, line 4th.) So in the 'Psalms':
-
- "Be merciful and hear my prayer _withall_."
-
- (Ps. 4th, line 4th.)
-
- 2. '_Wight_': "... this World below did need one _wight_." (page 60:
- stanza 4th, line 1st.) So in the 'Psalms': "... measures Iustice vnto
- euery _wight_." (Ps. 9th, line 16th.)
-
- 3. '_gray Winter_': "Here flow'ry Spring-tide and there _Winter
- gray_." (page 63, stanza 1st, line 4th.) So in 'A Maid's Hymne in
- praise of Virginity': "To whome _graye Winter_ neuer doth apeare."
- (line 7th.)
-
- 4. '_On_' meaning '_o'er_': "Will holds the royall scepter _on_ the
- soul" ('Nosce Teipsum,' page 79, stanza 2nd, line 3rd.) "And _on_ the
- passions of the heart doth raigne." (page 79, stanza 2d, line 4th.)
- So in the 'Psalms': "Let not my foes trihumph _on_ mee againe." (Ps.
- 35th, line 37th). "In that my foe doth not trihumph _on_ me." (Ps.
- 41st, line 22d.)
-
- 5. '_Detruded_': "... such as me _detruded_ downe to Hell." (page 110,
- stanza 1st, line 1st.) So in the 'Psalms': Therefore although my soule
- _detruded_ were euen to Hell's gates.... (Ps. 23rd, line 7th.)
-
- 6. '_Center_' meaning '_Earth_': "Suruey all things that on this
- _center_ here." (page 25th, stanza 1st, line 4th.) So in the 'Psalms':
- "And all that dwell on his round _Center_ here." (Ps. 23rd, line 16th.)
-
-It were easy to multiply these instances from the 'Psalms' and the
-other Poems.
-
-(_d_) The secular Poems contain personal allusions that authenticate
-their authorship. In the 'Elegie of Loue' and in the lines "To the
-Kinge vpon his Ma^{ties} first comming into England" these are of
-singular interest and value. The latter harmonizes with the fact that
-SIR JOHN DAVIES proceeded North to meet the King: and it has
-a direct reference to his 'Nosce Teipsum.' Speaking of his Muse he
-exclaims,
-
- "Thy sight had once an influence divine
- Which gave it power the Soul of man to vew."
-
-Another personal allusion is found in his address to the "Ladyes of
-Founthill" in his native Wilts.
-
-(_e_) The "Verses sent to the Kinge with ffiges" is inscribed "by Sir
-John Davis" and the "Elegiacal Epistle" which immediately follows these
-'Verses' naturally closes a Volume containing the compositions of our
-Worthy. 'Davis' is his own spelling in the 1608 edition of 'Nosce
-Teipsum,' and in Davison's 'Rhapsody.'
-
-(_f_) Exclusive of the 'Psalms'--the Davies' authorship of which admits
-of no doubt--the other Poems have Sir John Davies' characteristics in
-choice of subjects and style, and specific wording, as above. 'Elegie'
-is herein used as in the title-page of 'Nosce Teipsum.'
-
-The Manuscript is a thin folio of forty-one leaves and one page: but
-_verso_ of 35th leaf consists of Memoranda headed "The State of England
-before the Conquest, briefely. By Henry, Lord Hastings, amongst his
-Notes found": and leaves 36 and 37 and page 38 (_verso_ blank) contain
-'Notes' on "William Bastarde, the Norman Conquerour of England." The
-former is in a handwriting different from all the rest: the latter
-the same as the Poems that follow "Part of an Elegie in prayse of
-Marriage." There are a number of contemporary and of more recent blank
-leaves. It is bound in dark calf, with tooled ornament in the centre.
-
-In preparing this Manuscript for the Press, my anxious endeavour
-has been faithfully to reproduce the original: only I have extended
-the contractions 'w^{h} and w^{ch}' for 'with' and 'which' and
-'o^{r}. y^{r}' for 'our' and 'your' and the like. I have
-somewhat modified the capitals: but in the Divine names (nouns and
-pronouns) and impersonations, have employed capitals. The punctuation
-of the Manuscript is almost _nil_: I have adopted present usage on a
-uniform principle; and also the apostrophe of the possessive case, &c.
-Only one point perplexed me a little, viz. the sign of the plural. At
-the period a peculiar form represented 'es' as denoting plural, but
-examination showed our Manuscript as using it with 'e' immediately
-before. Hence it is apparent the Scribe used it arbitrarily. My rule
-has been to represent it simply by 's' for our plural, except in the
-cases--pointed out where they occur--in which 'es' as an additional
-syllable is required for the rhythm. Throughout, the orthography is
-literally preserved: and besides six collations of my transcript
-with the Original, by myself, I have had the advantage of a minute
-comparison by my experienced and erudite friend, the late John Bruce,
-Esq., of London, and in part by W. Aldis Wright, Esq., M.A., Trinity
-College, Cambridge. So that our first publication of the Manuscript
-may be relied on as absolutely true to the Original. It may be added
-that I have adhered to the order in which the several Poems are given,
-with the single exception of placing the anonymous very noticeable
-'Elegiacal Epistle' on the death of Davies last. The two short pieces
-that precede it in our Volume, occupy in the MS. the closing page,
-which is a kind of fly-leaf.
-
-I feel assured that every admirer of Sir John Davies will agree with
-me that a deep debt of gratitude is due to Mr. Laing for his generous
-consent to have the Manuscript included in our editions of the 'Poems.'
-Independent of the interest attaching to their illustrious authorship
-the 'Psalms' seem to me to possess rare merits, being as a whole
-strikingly faithfull to the Original, and not para-phrastic--hence
-Anthony-a-Wood's 'Metaphrase'--simple yet picturesque, 'smooth' but
-melodious, and in every quality infinitely superior to the attempts
-of BACON, JEREMY TAYLOR, ROUS, and others.
-Some of the Versions must find a place in the Church's Psalmody and
-Hymnology.
-
-I must not omit to acknowledge the courteous attention of Mr. W.
-Carew Hazlitt in informing me of the existence and ownership of the
-Manuscript. Anything further requiring to be said, will be found in the
-footnotes. G.
-
-
-
-
-_Hitherto Unpublished Poems._
-
-
-
-
-METAPHRASE OF SOME PSALMS.
-
-
-PSALM I.[182]
-
- That man is blest which hath not walkt aside,
- Takeinge ungodly counsell for his guide;
- Nor in the way of synners stood and staied,
- Nor in the couch of Scorners downe him layed,
- But in God's Lawe hath plac't his whole delight,
- And studieth to performe it, day and night:
- Hee, like a plant which by a streame doth growe,
- His timely fruite shall in due season showe;
- Whose leafe shall not decay but flourish euer,
- And all thinges prosper which hee doth endeauour
- But with th' vngodly it shall not bee soe,
- But as the dust, which as the whirlewindes to and fro
- Uppon the surface of the earth doth driue,
- They shall a restless life and fruitles liue;
- Nor shall they stand vpright when they are tride,
- Nor in the assembly of the just abide:
- But in his way God doth the good man cherish,
- When wicked men in their bad way shall perish.
-
-[Footnote 182: There is a title here, "The Psalmes translated into
-verse, Anno Domini 1624." G.]
-
-
-PSALM II.
-
- Why doe the nations thus in furie rise?
- Why doe the people such vaine plotts deuise?
- MONARCHES stand vp and PRINCES doe conspire
- Against the Lord, and His Annoynted Heire:
- 'Let vs in sunder breake their bandes,' say they,
- 'And let vs lightly cast their yokes away.'
- But Hee that sitts in Heauen shall them deride,
- And laugh to scorne their follie and their pride;
- And in His wrath He shall reproue them sore,
- And vex them in His anger, more and more:
- Sayinge, 'I sett on SION hill My KINGE,
- To preache my LAWE, and shew this heauenly thinge;
- Thou art My SONNE, this day I Thee begott,
- Aske, and I will assigne thee for Thy Lott
- Of heritage the Landes and Nations all,
- Betweene the Sunne's vprisinge & his fall.'
- Thou with an iron rodd shall keepe them vnder,
- And breake them like an earthen pott in sunder,
- Bee wise, yee MONARCHES, and yee PRINCES then;
- Be learnèd, yee that judge the sonnes of men;
- Serue yee the Lord, with humble feare Him serue;
- Rejoyce in Him, yet tremblinge Him obserue;
- Kisse yee the SONNE, lest yee Him angrie make,
- And perish, while His just wayes yee forsake,
- If His just wrath but once enkinled bee:
- Who trust in Him, a blessed man is hee.
-
-
-PSALM III.
-
- Lord! how my foes in number doe encrease,
- That rise against mee, to disturbe my peace!
- MANY there are which to my soule haue said,
- His God to him not safety yeilds nor aid;
- But God is my defence, my SUCCOUR nigh,
- My glory, and my head Hee lifteth High:
- To Him with earnest praier appealèd I,
- And from His Holy Hill Hee heard my crie:
- I layed mee downe and slept, and rose againe,
- For mee the Lord doth euermore sustaine:
- Though Thousand of my foes besett mee round,
- Noe feare of them my courage shall confound:
- Rise Lord! and saue mee; Thou hast giuen a stroke
- On my foes cheeke, that all his teeth are broke:
- SALUATION cometh from this Lord of ours,
- Who blessings on His people daily powers.
-
-
-PSALM IV.
-
- O GOD! whose righteousnes by grace is mine,
- A gracious eare vnto my voyce encline:
- Thou that hast set mee free when I was thrall,
- Bee mercifull, and heare my prayer withall.
- Vaine, worldly men, how long will yee dispise
- God's honnour, and His truth, and trust in lies?
- God for Himselfe, the good man doth select,
- And when I crie Hee doth not mee reject.
- Bee angrie, but be angrie without synne;
- Try your owne hearts in silence, close within.
- To God, of godly workes, an offeringe make,
- Then trust in Him that will not His forsake.
- For that which good is, many seeke and pray,
- 'And who shall shew the same to vs'? say they,
- Lord! shew to vs thy countenance diuine,
- And cause the BEAMES thereof on vs to shyne:
- Soe shall my heart more joyfull bee and glad,
- Then if encrease of corne and wine I had.
- To peace therefore lye downe will I and sleepe[183]
- For God alone doth mee in safetie keepe.
-
-[Footnote 183: 'rest' is written and erased here. G.]
-
-
-PSALM V.
-
- LORD weigh my words, and take consideration
- Of my sad thoughts and silent meditation:
- My God, my KINGE, bowe downe Thine eare to mee,
- While I send vp mine humble prayer to Thee.
- Early, before the morne doth bringe the day,
- I will O Lord, look vp to Thee and pray:
- For Thou with synne art neuer pleasèd well,
- Nor any[184] ill may with Thy goodnes dwell:
- The foole may not before Thy wisdome stand,
- Nor shall the impious scape Thy wrathfull hand:
- Thou wilt destroy all such as vtter lies;
- Blood and deceit are odious in Thine eyes;
- But, trustinge in Thy manie mercies deare,
- I will approch Thy house with holy feare.
- Teach me Thy plaine and righteous way to goe,
- That I may neuer fall before my foe,
- Whose flatteringe tongue is false and heart jmpure,
- And throat, an open place of SEPULTURE.
- Destroy them, Lord, and frustrate their devices,
- Cast out those REBELLS for their manie vices;
- But all that trust in Thee and loue Thy name,
- Make them rejoyce and rescue them from shame.
- Thou wilt thy blessinge to the righteous yeild
- And guard them with Thy grace as with a SHEILD.
-
-[Footnote 184: An illegible word erased here. G.]
-
-
-PSALM VI.
-
- To iudge me, Lord, in Thy just wrath forbeare,
- To punish mee in thy displeasure spare;
- O! I am weake: haue mercie, Lord, therefore,
- And heale my bruisèd bones which payne mee sore.
- My SOULE is alsoe trubled and dismayed;
- But, Lord, how long shall I expect Thine aid!
- Turne Thee, O Lord, my SOULE from death deliuer,
- Euen for Thy mercie's sake which lasteth euer:
- They which are dead remember not Thy name,
- Nor doth the silent GRAUE thy praise proclaime;
- I faint and melt away with greifes and feares,
- And euery night my bed doth swymme with teares.
- Myne eyes are suncke and weaknèd is my sight;
- My foes haue vexèd mee with such dispight.
- Away from mee, yee sinfull men, away!
- The LORD of HEAUEN doth heare mee when I pray.
- The Lord hath my petition heard indeed:
- Receaue my prayer and I shall surely speed;
- But shame and sorrow on my foes shall light,
- They shall be turn'd and put to suddaine flight.
-
-
-PSALM VII.
-
- O Lord, my God! I put my trust in Thee,
- From all my PERSECUTORS rescue mee:
- Lest my proud foe doth like a lyon rend mee,
- While there is non to succour and defend mee:
- Lord God! if I bee guilty found in this,
- Wherewith my foes haue chargèd mee amisse,
- If I did vse my freind vnfreindly soe,
- Nay, if I did not helpe my causlesse foe,
- Let him preuaile, although my cause bee just,
- And lay my life and honnour in the dust.
- Vp, Lord! and stand against my furious foes,
- Thy JUDGEMENT against them for mee disclose;
- Soe shall Thy PEOPLE flocke about Thee nigh,
- For their sakes therefore lift Thy selfe on high.
- Judge of the world, giue sentence on my parte,
- Accordinge to the cleannes of my heart:
- Let wickednes be brought vnto an end,
- And guide the just, that they may not offend.
- Thou God art just, and Thou Searcher art
- Of hart and raynes, and euery inward part:
- My helpe proceedeth from the Lord of Might,
- Who saueth those which are of hart vpright;
- A powerfull and a patient JUDGE is Hee,
- Though euery day His wrath prouokèd bee:
- But, if men will not turne, His sword Hee whets,
- And bends His bowe, and to the stringe Hee setts
- The INSTRUMENTS of death, His arrowes keene,
- GAINST such as rebells to His will haue beene.
- The jmpious man conceaues jniquity,
- Trauailes with mischief, and brings forth a ly:
- The RIGHTEOUS to entrapp hee digs a pitt,
- But hee himselfe first falls and sinks in it.
- The wicked plotts his workinge braine doth cast,
- Light with a mischeife on himselfe at last.
- MY THANKES WITH GOD'S GREAT JUSTICE SHALL ACCORD,
- AND I WILL HIGHLY PRAISE THE HIGHEST LORD.
-
-
-PSALM VIII.
-
- O GOD, OUR LORD! HOW LARGE IS THE EXTENT
- Of Thy great name and glorie excellent!
- It fills this world, but it doth shyne most bright
- Aboue the heauens, in th' vnapproachèd light.
- BY SUCKINGE BABES THOU DOST THY STRENGTH DISCLOSE,
- And by their mouth to silence put Thy foes.
- When I see HEAUEN wrought by Thy mighty hand,
- And all those glorious lights in order stand,
- Lord! what is man that Thou on him dost looke!
- Or of the SONNE OF MAN such care hast tooke!
- Next ANGELLS in degree Thou hast him plac't,
- And with a crowne of honour hast him grac't:
- Thou hast him made lord of Thy CREATURES all,
- Subjectinge them to his commaund and call;
- All birds and aiery fowles are vnder him,
- And fishes all which in the Sea doe swymme.
- O Lord, our God! how large is the extent
- Of Thy great name and glorie excellent!
-
-
-PSALM IX.
-
- Thee will I thanke euer with my hart entire,
- And make the world Thy wondrous workes admire;
- In Thee rejoyce, in Thee trihumph will I,
- My songs shall praise Thy name, O God, most High!
- While my proud foes are put to shamefull flight,
- And fall and perish at Thy dreadfull sight.
- Thou, righteous JUDGE, dost sitt vpon Thy THRONE
- And dost maintaine my rightfull cause alone;
- Thou checkst the HEATHEN; and the wicked race
- Thou dost destroy, and all their names deface.
- O ENEMY! behould thy finall fall,
- Thy CITTIES perish and their names withall;
- But God, our Lord, for euer shall endure,
- His judgement SEATE, Hee hath establisht sure,
- Where Hee judges the World with equall right,
- And measures JUSTICE vnto euery weight:[185]
- He likewise will become a BULWARKE strong
- And tymely aide to them that suffer wrong.
- Who knowes Thy name in Thee His trust will place,
- Who neuer failest them that seeke Thy face.
- O, praise the Lord! you that in SION dwell,
- His noble Acts among the NATIONS tell;
- When of oppression Hee enquiry makes,
- Of euery poore man's plaint Hee notice takes.
- Haue mercy, Lord! and take into Thy thought
- My trubles, which my hatefull foes haue wrought.
- Thou from the gates of death my SOULE dost raise,
- That I in SION'S GATES may sing Thy praise;
- The sweet saluation which Thou dost jmpart
- Shall bee the joy and comfort of my heart.
- The INFIDELLS make pitts, and sinke therein,
- Their feet are caught in their owne proper synne;
- Thy judgement Lord, Thou hast thereby declar'd
- When wicked men in their owne workes are snar'd:
- Hell is a place for impious men assign'd
- And such as doe cast GOD out of their minde;
- But poore men shall not bee forgotten euer
- Nor meeke mens' patience, if they doe perseuer.
- Rise Lord! and let [not][186] man aboue Thee rise
- And judge the Infidel with angrie eyes:
- Strike them with feare, that, though they know not Thee,
- Yet they may know that mortall men they bee.
-
-[Footnote 185: = wight. G.]
-
-[Footnote 186: This 'not' is self-evidently required. G.]
-
-
-PSALM X.
-
- Why standest Thou O Lord! so farr away
- And hids't Thy face when trubles mee dismay?
- The wicked for his lust the poore man spoyles;
- Lord! take him in the trap of his owne wiles.
- Hee makes his boaste of his profane desires
- Contemninge God, while hee himselfe admires:
- Hee is soe proud, that God hee setts at naught,
- Nay rather, God comes neuer in his thought.
- Thy judgements Lord, are farr aboue his sight
- This makes him to esteeme his foes soe light,
- And in his hart to say, I cannot fall,
- Nor can misfortune light on mee at all:
- His mouth is full of execrat[i]ons vile;
- Under his tongue doth sit ungodly guile;
- Close in the corners of the waies he lies,
- And lurkes, and waits, the simple to surprize:
- Euen as a lyon lurkinge in his den,
- To assault and murther innocent poore men;
- Gainst whom his eyes maliciously are sett,
- To catch them when they fall into his nett.
- Himselfe hee humbles, bowes, and crouchinge stands
- Till poore men fall into his powerfull hands;
- Then, in his heart hee sayth 'God hath forgott:
- Hee turnes away his face and sees it not.'
- Arise O Lord! and lift Thy hand on high,
- The poore forgett not which oppressèd ly:
- For why should wicked men blaspheme Thee thus
- 'Tush! God is carelesse and regards not us'?
- Surely Thou seest the wronge which they haue done,
- And all oppressions underneath the sunne;
- To Thee alone the poore his cause commends
- As th' only freind of him that wanteth freinds.
- Lord! breake the power of the malicious minde
- Take ill away, and Thou not ill shalt finde.
- The Lord is kinge, and doth for euer raigne,
- Nor miscreants shall within His Land remaine;
- Hee hearkeneth to the poore, but first prepareth
- Their hearts to pray; then their petition heareth:
- That Hee poore orphans, may both help and saue,
- That worldly men on them no power may haue.
-
-
-PSALM XI.
-
- I trust in God: to mee why should you say,
- 'Fly like a bird to mountaines farr away'?
- Their bowes and arrowes wicked men prepare,
- To peirce the hearts of them that faithfull are:
- Euen him whome God hath made a corner-stone
- They haue cast downe; but what hath Hee misdone?
- God in His holy temple doth remaine,
- The heauen of HEAUENS: where Hee doth sitt and raigne.
- Upon the poore He casteth downe His eye,
- The sonnes of MEN He doth discerne and trie;
- The just and righteous men Hee doth approue,
- But hateth synners which their sinnes doe loue;
- On them He rayneth snares, brimstone and fire,
- This is their cup, their wages, and their hire;
- The righteous GOD loues him whose way is right,
- And on the just His gracious eye doth light.
-
-
-PSALM XII.
-
- Helpe Lord! for all the godly men are gon,
- And of the faithfull, fewe there are, or non;
- Each man to other doth vaine things jmpart,
- With lipps deceiptfull, and with double hart;
- The Lord will soone cutt of the lipps that lie,
- And root out tongues that speake proud words and high.
- 'With mighty words wee will preuale' say they:
- What Lord is Hee that dareth us gainesay?
- 'Now for the trubles and oppressions sore
- The gronings and the sighings of the poore,
- I will arise' sayth God, 'and quell their foes
- That swell with pride; and them in rest repose.'
- God's words are pure, and chaste, like siluer tride
- Which hath with seauen fires bene purified.
- Thou wilt preserue them Lord! and guard them still,
- From this vile race of men which wish them ill.
- The ungodly walke in circles, yet goe free
- When such as feare not God, exalted bee.
-
-
-PSALM XIII.
-
- How long O Lord! shall I forgotten bee?
- How long wilt Thou Thy bright Face hide from mee?
- How long shall I my thoughts tosse to and fro
- And bee thus vext by my insultinge foe?
- Giue ease, O Lord; giue light unto mine eyes,
- Lest death in endlesse sleepe doth mee surprise;
- Lest my proud foe vaunt that hee doth preuaile,
- And laugh at mee when I shall faint or faile;
- But in Thy mercie all my trust is pight[187]
- And thy saluation is my hearte's delight;
- Of Thy sweet kindnes therefore sing will I,
- And highly praise the name of God, Most High.
-
-[Footnote 187: = pitched. Henry More in one of his Hymns uses the word:
-
- "Lord stretch Thy tent in my straight breast,
- Enlarge it downward, that sure rest
- May there be _pight_."
-
-G.]
-
-
-PSALM XIV.
-
- 'THERE IS NOE GOD,' THE FOOLE SAYTH IN HIS HEART,
- Yet dares not with his tongue his thought impart;
- All are corrupt and odious in God's sight,
- Not one doth good, not one doth well, vpright.
- God cast His eyes from Heauen on all mankinde,
- And lookt if Hee one righteous man could finde;
- But all were wicked, all from God were gone,
- Not one did good, in all the world, not one;
- Their throat an open graue, their flattering tongue
- And lyinge lips, like stinge of wasps haue stung.
- With bitter cursing, they their mouthes doe fill;
- Their feet are swift the guiltles blood to spill;
- Sad, wretched mischeife, in their wayes doth lye
- But for the wayes of peace they passe them by;
- Noe feare of God haue they before their eyes,
- Nor knowledge, while these mischeifes they devise;
- While they God's people doe with might oppresse
- And eat them up like bread with greedines;
- And since on God they neuer vse to call,
- They fear'd when cause of feare was non at all.
- But to the righteous man and to his race,
- God present is with His protectinge grace;
- Though fooles doe mocke the counsell of the poore,
- Because in God hee trusted euermore.
- Who shall saluation out of SION giue
- To ISRAELL but God? Who shall releiue
- His people and of CAPTIUES make them free:
- Thou JACOB joyfull, Israell glad shall bee.
-
-
-PSALM XV.
-
- LORD! WHO SHALL DWELL IN THY BRIGHT TENT WITH THEE
- And of Thy rest in heauen pertaker bee?
- Euen hee that is vpright in all his wayes[188]
- And from his hart speakes[189] truth in all hee sayes;
- Who hath forborne to doe his neighbour wrong
- Nor him deceau'd or slaunderèd with his tong;
- Who of himselfe an humble thought doth beare
- But highly valewes them which GOD doe feare;
- Who of his promis doth himselfe acquitt,
- Though losse hee suffer by performinge it;
- Nor hath for bitinge vse his monie lent,
- Nor tooke reward against the innocent;
- Who shall obserue these poynts, and doe them all,
- Assuredly that man can neuer fall.
-
-[Footnote 188: Written here, as elsewhere, not by the contraction-sign
-of the plural 'es' but in full. G.]
-
-[Footnote 189: Another example in the MS., of the plural 'es' in
-contraction-sign, preceded by 'e.' G.]
-
-
-PSALM XVI.
-
- Mee thy poore seruant Lord! preserue and saue,
- For all my trust in Thee repos'd I haue:
- Lord! said my soule, Thou art my GOD, to Thee
- My goods are nothinge when they offered bee;
- But my delight[s] are in those saints of Thine,
- Which liue on Earth, and doe in vertue shine;
- But they which runn to worshipp idolls vaine,
- Shall multiply their sorrow and their paine.
- Of their blood offerings will I not pertake,
- Nor of their names shall my lipps mention make.
- The portion of mine heritage and cupp
- Is God Himselfe who houlds and keepes[190] mee upp;
- In a faire ground to mee my lott did chance,
- Soe I possesse a rich Inheritance:
- Thankes[191] bee to God His warninge giues mee light,
- My raynes with paine doe chasten me by night;
- I looke to God in my endeauors all,
- Hee stands soe neare mee that I cannot fall;
- This hath my heart and tongue with joyes possest,
- And now my flesh in hope to rise, shall rest;
- My soule shall not be buryed in the graue,
- Nor shall Thy Holy One corruption haue;
- Shew mee the path of life; for in Thy sight
- Doth endles pleasure rest and full delight.
-
-[Footnote 190: Another example of 'e' before the contraction-sign of
-'es.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 191: In full 'es' here, as before. Having now given several
-examples of the arbitrary use of the 's,' and 'es' in full and by
-contraction-sign, it will not be needful to note more in the sequel. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XVII.
-
- Heare my just cause Lord! heare my prayer and crie,
- Which come from lipps not vs'd to faine or lie:
- Lord, let my sentence from Thy mouth be giuen,
- For Thou regards't things only just and euen;[192]
- In the darke night of my aduersitie,
- Thou did'st my heart examine, proue and trie;
- And yet vpon this triall did'st not finde
- My heart or tongue to any ill enclinde:
- For that their workes against Thy Word are done
- I doe their wayes which tende to ruine, shunn.
- Lord! in Thy pathes doe Thou my goings guide,
- Lest in this slippery life my footstepps slide:
- Thy name haue I invok't, Thou shalt mee heare
- And to my humble words incline Thy eare;
- O Sauiour! of all those that trust in Thee
- Thy mercies full of wonder shew to mee;
- Preserue mee as the apple of Thine eye,
- Under Thy winges in safetie let me lie;
- Saue mee from them which Thy right hand oppose,
- And from my ungodly circumuenting foes;
- Their fatt estates doe them soe fortifie
- As they presume to speake proud words and high;
- In all my wayes in wait for mee hee lies,
- To cast mee downe hee downewards casts his eyes
- Euen like a lyon, watching for his prey,
- Or lyon's whelpes which lurke beside the way.
- Vp Lord! defeat, defeat this foe of mine,
- That wicked man who is a sword of Thyne;
- From wordly men vouchsafe my soule to saue,
- Who in their mortall life their portion haue;
- Whose bellies with Thy treasure Thou dost fill,
- Who children haue, and leaue them wealth at will;
- But I Thy face in righteousnes shall see
- And with Thy presence shall contented bee.
-
-[Footnote 192: A later handwriting substitutes for the respective
-rhymes of this couplet 'proceed' and 'right indeed.' G.]
-
-
-PSALM XVIII.
-
- Thou art my strength, O Lord! Thee will I loue,
- Thou art my Rocke, which nothing can remoue:
- My God, in Whome my trust I will repose,
- My Sauiour, sheild and horne, against my foes;
- Lord, most praise worthy, pray will I to Thee
- Soe shall I from my foes protected bee;
- When deadly sorrowes did besett mee round,
- And floods of wickednes did mee surhound[193]
- When paines of hell I felt in my desease,
- And pangs of death upon my soule did sease;
- On GOD I callèd in that instant truble,
- And my complaints unto the Lord did dubble:
- But when His wrath and vengeance kindled were,
- The Earth did quake, and mountaines shooke for feare,
- And coles grew redd with His inflaminge jre;
- Hee bowed the heauens, and did descend withall,
- And shadowes darke beneath His feet did fall:
- Hee ridinge on the CHERUBINS did fly,
- And with the wingèd windes was borne on high;
- Darkness His clossett, His pauilion wide
- Made of blacke clouds, His face a while did hide;
- But at His presence right away they flew
- When haile and coles of fire abroad Hee threw;
- The Lord from heauen did send His thunder lowd
- With fire and haile from out the broken cloud;
- A shower of arrowes on His foes did fall,
- His thunderboults and lightenings slewe them all;
- Fountaines were dride and the earthe's foundation mou'd
- When synners, in His wrath, the Lord reprou'd;
- But Hee from heauen shall send His angell's downe
- And take mee vp when waters would mee drowne;
- Hee from my foe, too mightie and too strong,
- Shall saue mee when Hee doth mee mightie wrong,
- Preuentinge mee [in] my disastrous day:
- But then the Lord was my support and stay;
- When I was captiue, Hee did sett mee free,
- And brought mee forth because Hee fauoured mee.
- He shall reward mee as my dayes bee right,
- And hands be cleane[194]: soe shall Hee mee requite;
- For I still kept his pathes, and did not shunn
- To walke therein, as other men haue done:
- But euer sett[195] His lawes before mine eyes,
- And neuer did His holy words dispise.
- My heart was vncorrupt before Him still,
- Pursuinge goodnes and eschewinge ill;
- Hee shall reward mee as my deeds bee right,
- And hands bee cleane: soe shall He mee requite.
- Unto the good Thou wilt Thy goodnes show,
- And righteous men Thy righteousnes shall know;
- The pure of heart shall Thee behold most pure
- But froward men Thy curses shall endure;
- Them will God raise, which under pressures ly,
- And proud men humble which doe looke soe high;
- Hee shall sett up for mee a candle bright,
- My God shall turne my darkness vnto light.
- Through Thee, an host of men, I conquere shall,
- And with Thy helpe transcend the highest wal;[196]
- GOD'S way is pure, His word is tride with fire;[197]
- Hee heals all them which unto Him retire;
- For who is God? or who hath strength and power
- Except our Lord, our God and only our?
- Hee girdeth mee with furniture to fight,
- And guideth mee, and houldeth mee upright;
- My feet as swift as HART'S feet Hee doth make,
- And vp to honnor's tower Hee doth mee take;
- Hee giues such strength unto my fingers weake,
- As that my arme a bowe of steele shall breake.
- Thy hands shall bee my safety and protection,
- Thou shalt aduance mee with Thy sweet correction;
- Thou for my feet shalt make a passage wide,
- Soe as my steps shall neuer goe aside;
- I shall pursue, and in pursuite outgoe,
- And neuer turne till I haue quelld my foe;
- When I him smite[198] he shall not rise at all,
- If once at my victorious feet hee fall.
- Thou hast girded mee with a sword of strength,
- Wherewith I shall subdue my foes at length;
- For thou shalt turne the stubburne necke about
- Of them that hate mee till, I root them out;
- Then shall they crie (but helpe there shall be non)
- Euen to the Lord, Who shall not heare their mone.
- My foes to powder I shall breake and bray
- And tread them down like mire amid the way.
- Thou my rebellious subjects shalt accord,
- And ouer Heathen Nations make mee Lord;
- A people whome I knowe not shall mee serue,
- And with base adulation mee obserue;
- These Aliens all, shall faint and bee dismaied
- And in their strongest Castles bee afraid.
- Liue Lord! my strength: and blessed bee therefore
- And praisèd bee my Sauiour euermore,
- Who doth repay my foes with vengeance due,
- And unto mee my vassals doth subdue;
- Who doth not only saue but sett mee high
- Aboue my foes, and there[199] feirce crueltie.
- For this, both of my thanks and praise to Thee,
- The Heathen Nations witneses shall bee;
- For wealth and power and blessings manie moe,
- On Dauid and his race Thou shalt bestowe.
-
-[Footnote 193: = surround: as 'trihumph' for triumph. Cf. Psalm xxxv.
-line 37. G.]
-
-[Footnote 194: Inadvertently written 'cleare.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 195: 'My' written and erased here. G.]
-
-[Footnote 196: 'Wal' is supplied in a more recent hand. G.]
-
-[Footnote 197: In the MS. following on the line "God's way ......
-fire," is this:
-
- "All those that trust in Him will He vphold."
-
-The Original enables us to see that this was a variation not settled
-on. The first form was evidently as in the text, but the second line,
-"Hee heals," &c., not being quite the thought of the Original, Davies
-went nearer it in the new line, "All those," &c., thinking perhaps of
-varying the first line to "tride as gold;" but on reflection, seeing
-that was bad, left it as at first, albeit he must have neglected to
-cancel "All those," &c. I have not hesitated to withdraw a line the
-retention of which would leave it without its fellow. G.]
-
-[Footnote 198: The MS. reads 'sute' but as above, Query--contracted for
-'smite'? G.]
-
-[Footnote 199: = their. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XIX.
-
- The workmanship of heauen soe bright and faire,
- Thy power O Lord, and glorie doth declare;
- One day Thy praise doth to another preach,
- One night another doth in order teach;
- Where euer any tongue or voyce doth sound,
- In all the world their speech is heard around.
- In middest of heauen, the hands of God hath pight[200]
- For the sunne's lodgeinge, a pauilion bright;
- Who as a bridegroome from his chamber goes;
- Or GIANT, marchinge forth against his foes,
- Hee issues; and from EAST TO WEST doth runne:
- His peircinge heat noe liueinge weight[201] can shun.
- God's lawe is perfect and man's soule renues,
- And simple mindes with knowledge it endues;
- Right are His statutes and rejoyce the heart,
- Light to the eyes His precepts pure impart;
- His feare is cleane and soe endures for aye;
- His judgements true and righteous euery way;
- More sweet then honie, to bee valewed more
- Then many heapes of finest goulden oare.
- They rectifie withall Thy seruants minde,
- And who soe keeps them, great reward shall finde;
- But Lord who knowes how oft hee doth transgresse?
- O clense mee from my secret wickednes!
- Nor let presumptuous sinns beare rule in mee,
- Soe shall I from the great offence bee free;
- And Lord! my strength and Sauiour! soe direct
- My words and thoughts as Thou maiest them accept.
-
-[Footnote 200: = pitched, as _ante_. G.]
-
-[Footnote 201: A later hand has placed above this, 'wight': which is
-only a different spelling. Mr. Bruce, (as before) adds Qu: It seeme
-to have stood originally 'weigh.' The Corrector added a 't' and then
-perhaps thinking it not quite clear, or not liking the incorrect
-spelling, wrote 'wight' above it. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XX.
-
- The Lord giue eare to thee in thy distresse!
- And bee thy Sheilde, when trubles thee oppresse!
- And let His help come downe from heauen for thee!
- And strength from Syon Hill imparted bee!
- Let Him remember, and accept withall,
- Thine offerings and thy sacrifices all;
- And of His bountie euermore fulfill
- Thy hearts desire; and satisfie thy will.
- But wee will glory in our great God's name
- And joy in our saluation through the same;
- And pray unto the Lord our God, that Hee
- The effect of all thy prayers will graunt to thee.
- Hee now I know will heare, and helpe will bringe,
- With His strong hand to His annoynted KINGE;
- On chariots some, on horses some, rely,
- But wee inuoke the name of God Most High.
- Those others are bowed downe and fall full lowe,
- When wee are risen and vpright doe goe.
- Saue us O Lord of Heauen! and heare us thence,
- When wee inuoke Thy name for our defence.
-
-
-PSALM XXI.
-
- Glad is the kinge, and joyfull is his hart,
- That Thou O Lord, his strength and safety art;
- That Thou hast giuen him what his heart desired,
- And not denied him what his lipps required;
- Preuentinge him with blessings manifould,
- And crowninge him with pure refinèd gould.
- Hee askt Thee life, Thou gauest him length of daies,
- Euen endlesse life, to giue Thee endlesse praise;
- His safety, through Thy prouidence deuine
- With honour great and glorie makes him shine;
- Blisse without end Thou wilt to him jmpart,
- The sunn-beames of Thy face will cheare his hart:
- For in Thy mercy hee doth trust withall,
- Which stayes his stepps that hee shall neuer fall;
- But Thy long hand shall reach Thy flyinge foe
- And finde him when he most secure doth goe;
- Thine enimies shall (when kindled is Thine ire)
- As in a furnace be consumed with fire;
- Their ofspringe from the Earth shall rotted bee,
- Their second generation non shall see:
- For against Thee and Thine their councell was,
- Yet could not bringe their wicked plott to passe,
- But turn'd their backes and put themselues to chase,
- When Thou hadst bent Thy bowe against their face;
- Bee pleased in Thine owne strength Thyselfe to raise,
- Soe shall wee Lord, Thy power and mercie praise.
-
-
-PSALM XXII.
-
- My God! my God! why leauest Thou mee? and why
- Dost Thou soe farr withdraw Thee from my crie?
- I cry all day, but Thou dost not giue eare;
- At night I cease not, yet Thou wilt not heare;
- Yet Thou art holy still, Thou God of might,
- Thy people's great renowne and glory bright;
- When our forefathers plac't their hope in Thee
- From cruell bondage Thou didst sett them free;
- In Thee they trusted, and to Thee they prayed,
- And neuer faild of Thy celestiall aid;
- But as for mee, a worme not man, am I;
- A scorne to euery man that passeth by;
- They laugh and mocke, my poore estate to see;
- They draw their mouth and shake their heads at mee;
- And say, 'hee hop't in God, that Hee should saue him,
- Now let God rescue him if Hee will haue him.'
- But Thou Lord from my mother's wombe didst take mee,
- And when I suck't her brest, didst not forsake mee;
- Euen from my birth I was to Thee bequeathèd,
- And Thou hast bene my God since first I breathèd.
- O leaue mee not when trubles doe mee presse,
- And there is non to helpe mee in distresse;
- Many strong beasts haue mee invironèd
- As fatt and feirce as bulls IN BASHAN fedd;
- They runne on mee with open mouthes and wide;
- Like hungry lyons rampinge in their pride.
- My soule, like water on the earth is spilt,
- My joynts are loosed, my heart like wax doth melt,
- My synewes shrunke are, like a potsheard drie,
- My tongue cleaues to my jawes, dead dust am I.
- For many doggs haue compast me about,
- I am besett with a malitious rout;
- They peirce My hands and feet, and stare on Mee,
- And euery ribb of My leane bodie see;
- They spoyle Mee of My GARMENTS, and beside,
- The parts thereof by lotts they doe deuide.
- Lord! bee not farr, when I Thy help shall need,
- Thou art My strength, O succour Mee with speed!
- And sheild Mee from the sword, and from the power
- Of doggs, which would My dearest SOULE deuoure!
- And from the lyon's mouth, and from the hornes
- Of many, fearce, insultinge unicornes!
- Among My kinn will I declare Thy name,
- And in the great Assembly spread the same.
- Yee that feare Him His praise and glory tell,
- And honnour Him yee seed of ISRAELL;
- Hee scorneth not the poore, nor hides His face,
- But heares his suit when hee laments his case.
- When all Thy faithfull folke assembled bee,
- I sound Thy praise and pay my vowes to Thee.
- The Lord shall fully satisfie the meeke,
- Their soule shall liue which His light face doe seeke;
- The EAST AND WEST shall turne to their right minde,
- And to the true God's worshipp be inclinde;
- Who doth, of all the world the SCEPTER beare,
- Rules and commaunds the nations euery where;
- The fatt shall eate and worshipp Him therefore,
- And they that lye in dust shall Him adore.
- Euen hee which cannot his own life preserue,
- Nor quicken his owne soule, the Lord shall serue.
- Their seed, O Lord! shall serue to worshipp Thee,
- And with Thy chosen people numbred bee;
- And to their children's children, shall expresse
- Thine euerlasting truth and righteousnes.
-
-
-PSALM XXIII.
-
- The Lord my SHEAPERD is, Hee doth mee feed,
- His bounty euermore supplies my need;
- When I in pastures greene my fill haue tooke,
- He leads mee forth into the siluer brooke;
- Hee turnes my soule, when it is gon astray,
- For His name's glory, to His right[eous][202] way;
- Therefore although my soule detruded were,
- Euen to Hell's gates, yet I not ill should feare;
- When Thou art with mee, what should mee dismay?
- Thy crooke, my comfort is; Thy staffe, my stay;
- My table Thou hast spread and furnisht soe,
- As glads my heart, and greiues my enuious foe;
- Thy balme powr'd on my head, doth sweetly smell;
- Thou makst my cup aboue the brimme to swell.
- Thy mercy, while I breathe, shall follow mee,
- And in Thy house my dwellinge-place shall bee.
-
-[Footnote 202: I add 'eous' to 'right' of the MS. agreeably to
-the Prayer Book version--"and bring me forth in the paths of
-righteousness." G.]
-
-
-PSALM XXIV.
-
- The Earth, and all things which on the Earth remaine,
- Euen all the world, doth to the Lord pertaine;
- Amid the Sea, Hee founded hath the Land
- And made this GLOBE aboue the floods to stand.
- Who shall unto JEHOUAH'S MOUNT ascend?
- Or who shall in His holy place attend?
- Euen hee whose hands are cleane, whose heart is pure,
- Whose tongue is true, whose oath is just and sure.
- He shall receaue both righteousnes and blisse
- From God, Whose mercy his saluation is.
- Such are the seed of JACOB'S faithfull race,
- Which seeke the Lord, and loue to see His face;
- Ye euerlasting GATES, your heads upreare,
- And let the King of Glory enter there.
- That glorious name, to Whome doth it belong?
- To God Most Mightie and in warr most stronge.
- Eternall dores, lift [up] your heads, I say
- That there, the King of Glorie enter may.
- The King of Glory enters, what is Hee?
- The Lord of Hosts is knowne that Kinge to bee.
-
-
-PSALM XXV.
-
- Mine humble soule O Lord! I lift to Thee,
- On Whome my trust shall euer fixèd bee;
- O suffer not my cheekes with shame to glowe,
- Nor make me slaue to my insultinge foe;
- For they which hope in Thee incurr noe blame,
- But wilfull synners shall bee clothed with shame.
- To mee, O Lord! vouchsafe Thy wayes to show,
- And Thy right pathes, that I therein may goe;
- Teach mee the way of truth, direct my will;
- Thou art my SAUIOR, I attend Thee still;
- Receaue mee Lord, and to remembrance call
- Thy ould compassions, and Thy mercies all;
- But of Thy wonted grace to mee, O Lord
- Of the errours of my youth keep noe record;
- The Lord is good, and for His goodnes' sake
- Hee teaches sinners, godly wayes to take;
- Yet Hee His learninge doth to non impart
- But to the meeke and to the humble hart;
- His pathes are grace and truth; that only way
- Hee leads all those which doe His will obey.
- For Thy name's glorie, I doe Thee intreat
- To my great sinns, extend Thy mercie great
- To him which feares the Lord, the Lord doth showe
- How in his callinge hee may safely goe;
- His soule shall bee at ease and all his race,
- Shall in the Land possesse a blessed place;
- His couenant and His counselles neare,[203]
- God shewes to them in whome Hee plants His feare;
- My looke to Him shall euer raisèd bee,
- Who from the nett my captiue feet doth free.
- Haue mercy Lord on mee! and turne Thy face
- To see my desolate and wither'd case;
- Enlargèd is my greife and heauines,
- But Lord, enlarge Thou mee from my distresse!
- Looke on the wofull STATE that I am in;
- REMITT the cause thereof, which is my synne;
- My foes consider, and their multitude
- Which mee with deadly hatred hath pursude;
- And keepe my soule[204] from sinne,[205] my face from shame,
- Who trust in Thee and call upon Thy name.
- Let truth and righteousnes without deceipt
- Still wait on mee, because on Thee I wait;
- And sett Thy faithfull ISRAELL at rest
- From all the trubles which doe him molest.
-
-[Footnote 203: Though not written with the contraction-sign of 'es'
-it is spelled therewith. The measure requires 'neare' to be read as a
-bi-syllable. G.]
-
-[Footnote 204: 'face' previously written and erased. G.]
-
-[Footnote 205: 'Shame' for 'sinne:' but also erased. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XXVI.
-
- Bee thou my IUDGE, O LORD! my cause is just;
- I shall not stagger while in Thee I trust.
- Weigh and examine mee, search all my vaines,
- The bottom of my heart and inward raines;
- I sett Thy goodnes euer in my sight,
- Which in Thy truth doth guide my stepps aright;
- I use not to conuerse with persons vaine,
- Nor with dissemblers fellowship retaine;
- My soule the assembly of the wicked hates.
- Nor will I sitt among ungodly MATES;
- REPENTENCE haueing made my conscience cleare,
- Then will I Lord, approach Thine ALTER neare;
- That I may thanke [Thee] both with harte and voyce,
- And tellinge of Thy wondrous workes rejoyce
- Thy temple Lord, I loue exceeding well,
- Wherein Thy MAJESTIE AND GLORIE dwell.
- O let not sinfull men my soule enclose,
- Nor of my life let sinfull men dispose;
- Whose hands are foule, their sinnes them foule doe make,
- And full of guifts which they coruptly take;
- But I to leaue a blamelesse life entend:
- O Lord therein with mercie mee defend.
- My foot stands right and therefore all my dayes
- In all assemblies I the Lord will praise.
-
-
-PSALM XXVII.
-
- GOD IS MY LIGHT, SALUATION, strength and aid,
- Of whome and what shall I then bee afraid?
- The wicked came to haue devour'd mee quite,
- But stumbled in their way, and fell downe-right.
- Though mighty armies in my wayes were laid,
- I stand secure, I cannot bee dismaid.
- One thinge I wish, euen while I liue to dwell,
- In God's faire House, where beauty doth excell;
- His tent, in time of truble, shall mee hide,
- And I shall on His rocke of safety bide;
- Now shall Hee lift my head aboue my foes,
- Which mee with armèd multitudes, enclose;
- And now will I His praise in trihumph singe,
- And joyfull offerings to His temple bringe;
- And let my cries approach Thy gracious eare,
- Vouchsafe in mercie my complaints to heare;
- My heart doth tell that Thou bidst mee still
- Thy face to seeke: Lord! seek Thy face I will.
- Then doe not hide from mee Thy face soe bright,
- Nor in Thy wrath exclude mee from Thy sight;
- Thou euer wast mine aid, since I was borne:
- God of my safety leaue me not forlorne.
- My father and my mother both forsooke mee,
- But then the Lord to his tuition tooke mee;
- Teach mee the way that I therein may goe,
- Soe shall I neuer fall before my foe;
- Nor fall into their power which doe me hate,
- And brought false oathes against mee in the gate.
- My heart had fail'd but that my hope to see
- GOD'S endlesse blisse in heauen, did comfort mee.
- Then stay God's time, Hee shall thee stay at length,
- And Hee till then shall arme thy heart with strength.
-
-
-PSALM XXVIII.
-
- Heare (Lord my strength!) the crie I make to Thee!
- I am but dead, if Thou seeme deafe to mee:
- Heare, when with humble prayer, I Thee entreat,
- With lifted hands before Thy mercy seate.
- But rancke me not with those which wicked are,
- Whose lipps speake peace, whose hearts are full of warr;
- Accordinge to their actions let them speed,
- And as their merrit is, soe make their need;
- For that they see Thy workes, and yet neglect them,
- Thou shall destroy and neuer more erect them:
- The Lord bee praisd Who hath vouchsaft to heare,
- And lend unto my prayer a gracious eare;
- HIS SHEILD protects, His strength doth mee aduance;
- My tongue shall sing His praise, my heart shall dance;
- Hee to His seruants, force, and vertue, giues;
- Through Him in safetie His annoynted liues.
- Saue Thy peculier people, Lord! and blesse them,
- And lift their heads aboue them that oppresse them.
-
-
-PSALM XXIX.
-
- Yee kings, since by GOD'S power and grace, yee raigne,
- Glory and power ascribe to Him againe;
- Yeild Him the honnour due to His great name,
- And in His glorious COURTS, His praise proclaime;
- His voyce doth cause the Seas, to swell and shake,
- And in the heauens the dreadfull thunder make;
- JEHOUAH'S voice, effects of power doth breed,
- It is a stronge and glorious voyce indeed;
- His voyce the cedar doth in sunder teare,
- The Cedars which MOUNT LEBANUS doth beare;
- Makes LEBANUS, and HERMON hill, to tremble
- And skippinge CALUES and UNICORNES, resemble;
- Doth breake the clouds, and flames of fire deuide,
- The deserts shake, euen CADES[206] desert wide;
- Makes hindes to calue, for feare makes forrests bare,
- While in His temple wee His praise declare;
- The Lord vpon the water-floods doth raigne,
- The Lord a KINGE for euer doth remaine;
- The Lord shall still His people's strength encrease,
- And giue to them the blessinge of His peace.
-
-[Footnote 206: The Kadesh of our Authorised Version is spelled Cades in
-the Prayer Book. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XXX.
-
- Highly the Lord I praise Who setts mee high
- Aboue my proud insultinge enimie;
- Sicke to the death, I cried to GOD for ease,
- And Hee hath cur'd my dangerous disease;
- Hee from the graue hath lifted up my head
- And hath reduc't[207] mee from among the dead.
- Yee SAINTS of His in songs His praise expresse,
- With thankes[208] make mention of His holines;
- For momentarie His displeasure is,
- When in His fauour there is life and blisse;
- Sad sorrow may continue for a night,
- But joy returneth with the morninge light.
- When my estate did prosper, then said I
- I shall not fall, my seat is fixt on high.
- But when Thou Lord, didst turne Thy face aside,
- Then was I trubled, and to Thee I cride;
- To Thee began I then againe to pray,
- And in my humble prayer thus did say:
- What profit can there by my death arise,
- When buried in the graue my body lies?
- Shall dust and ashes celebrate Thy name?
- Or shall the silent TOOMBE Thy truth proclaime?
- Lord, heare my prayer, and then Thy mercie show
- In aidinge mee against my cruell foe!
- Loe now to dancinge,[209] Thou hast turn'd my sadnes,
- Out[210] of my sackloth girded mee with gladnes.
- For this shall euerie good man singe Thy praise,
- And I shall thanke and blesse Thee all my dayes.
-
-[Footnote 207: = re-led. G.]
-
-[Footnote 208: With reference to the 'es' here and elsewhere, it is
-given only when written in full and not by contraction-sign: the
-latter, except where the rhythm demands it, is represented by the
-simple 's' of our modern plural. Cf. prefatory Note to these 'Psalms,'
-_ante_. G.]
-
-[Footnote 209: 'sadnes' written and erased here. G.]
-
-[Footnote 210: I am uncertain whether this is 'But' or 'Out.' G.]
-
-
-PSALM XXXI.
-
- In Thee, O Lord! haue I put all my trust,
- Then rescue mee from shame, as Thou art just;
- Giue eare, and soone from perill sett mee free;
- Bee Thou a Rocke and stronge defence to mee;
- Thou art my Rocke and Castle when I stray;
- Bee Thou my Guide, and leade mee in the way.
- Thou art my strength; O cleare mee from that net
- Which priuily my foes for mee haue sett!
- Into Thy hands[211] my soule I doe committ:
- LORD GOD of truth Thou hast redeemèd it.
- I hate all those which in vain lies delight,
- For all my trust is in the Lord of might.
- Thy mercies glad my heart: for in my woe
- Thou hast vouchsaft my [weary] soule to knowe.
- Thou hast not left mee prisoner with my foe,
- But sett me free that I at large may goe.
- Yeild to my trubles mercifull releife,
- My eares waxe deafe, my heart doth melt with greife.
- Few are my yeares, in number to be tould,
- Yet sorrow, care, and greife, hath made mee ould;
- My strength with prayer and anguish doth decay,
- My joynts growe weake, my bones consume away;
- I am a scorne to all my enimies,
- But specially my NEIGHBOURS mee dispise;
- My very presence did my friends affright,
- And all my ould acquaintance shun my sight.
- I am forgott as if I buried lay,
- And viler then a broken pott of clay.
- I heard the waylings of the multitude
- And trembled while they did my death conclude;
- But all my hope hath beene O Lord in Thee,
- Whome I professe my only Lord to bee;
- My tyme is in Thy hand, O doe not leaue
- Mee in their hands which would my life bereue.
- O turne to mee the brightnes of Thy face,
- And saue mee through Thy mercy and Thy grace;
- Make not mee blush which did invoke Thy name,
- But put my foes to silence and to shame;
- And let the lipps bee dumbe which vtter lyes
- Against the righteous in spightfull-wise.
- O what blessings, dost Thou keepe in store
- For them that feare and loue Thee euermore;
- Thou shalt protect them from the great men's pride,
- And in Thy Tent from stormes of tongues them hide.
- Blest bee the Lord Whose mercies manifold
- Doe keepe mee safer then the strongest hold;
- When I with passion was transported quite,
- I said I was sequester'd from His sight;
- And yet for all my weaknes, heard was I,
- When to my MAKER I did make my crie.
- Loue Him yee SAINTS of His who guardeth those
- Who trust in Him: and pay'st[212] their proudest foes.
- Yee that rely on Him be strong of hart
- And Hee to you shall heauenly strength jmpart.
-
-[Footnote 211: In MS. another example of the contraction-sign of 'es'
-with 'e' preceding. Cf. prefatory Note, as _supra_. G.]
-
-[Footnote 212: This word has been altered in the MS. by the (original)
-writer, and the reading cannot be very certainly made out; but I read
-pay'st = plenteously rewarded. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XXXII.
-
- Happie indeed and truly blest is hee
- Whose sinnes remitted and faults couerèd bee;
- To whome the Lord doth not jmpute his sinne,
- Whose single heart hath not deceipt therein.
- When I was silent I consum'd away,
- And pyninge greife did waste mee day by day;
- Thy hand on mee was heauy still, whereby
- My moisture grewe like draught in Summer drie.
- My sinne I will acknowledge Lord to Thee,
- My secret faults shall not concealèd bee;
- I said, I will my synnes to God confesse,
- And God forthwith forgaue my wickednesse.
- If good men seeke Him when Hee may be found,
- The world's high waues shall neuer them surround;
- Thou hid'st mee close and sauest mee from annoy,
- And dost enuirone mee with songs of joy;
- When Thou hast sett mee in Thyne owne right way,
- Thine eye doth guide mee that I doe not stray.
- Then must I not be brute, as horse and mule,
- Which men with bitt and bridle only rule.
- With many whipps, God doth the wicked chase
- But doth with mercies faithfull men embrace;
- Bee glad, rejoyce, and glory in the Lord
- All yee whose hearts doth with His will accord.
-
-
-PSALM XXXIII.
-
- Rejoyce yee righteous in the Lord, and singe;
- To giue God thankes, it is a comely thinge:
- Singe prayses unto Him and sett your songs
- To harpe and lute, that speaketh with ten tongues;
- Singe to the Lord a new composèd songe,
- With chearefull heart and with affection stronge;
- For His most holy Word is euer true,
- And all His workes His constancie doe shew.
- Hee loueth right and justice euermore,
- And with His blessinge Hee the earth doth store;
- For by His word the heauens created were;
- His breath made euery STARR and euery sp'ere;[213]
- The Seas, as in a STOREHOUSE Hee doth keepe,
- And heapes them up as treasures in the deepe;
- The earth before the LORD shall quake for feare,
- And all that dwell on His round CENTER here:
- Hee spake, and they were made; at His commaund
- The heauens began to moue, the earth to stand.
- COUNSELLS of princes and of NATIONS great,
- And peoples' plotts, His wisdome doth defeat;
- But GOD'S owne counsell, purpose and decree,
- Eternall stand, and cannot frustrate bee.
- That NATION hath true happines and blisse,
- Whose GOD and LORD, the LORD JEHOUAH is;
- Downe from the highest heauen the Lord did looke,
- And of all men a full suruey Hee tooke;
- From Heauen aboue the Lord did cast His eye,
- And all mens wayes and wanderings did espie.
- Hee formèd all their hearts, and understands
- Their thoughts, their words, and workes of all their hands.
- The greatest armies cannot saue a KINGE,
- Nor strength unto a stronge man safety bringe;
- His trust is vaine who trusteth in his horse,
- And seekes deliuerance by soe small a force;
- With gracious eye the Lord behoulds the just,
- Which Him doe feare and in His mercie trust:
- In tyme of dearth their hungrie soules to feed
- And from deathe's jawes to rescue them with speed.
- Our soules with patience for the Lord haue staid,
- Who is our only sheild, support and aid;
- Our hearts shall Him as our true joy embrace,
- For wee our only trust in Him doe place.
- Thy mercie Lord to us exceeded bee,
- According to the hope wee haue in Thee.
-
-[Footnote 213: Qu: = sphere? G.]
-
-
-PSALM XXXIV.
-
- Lord euermore will I giue thankes to Thee,
- And in my mouth Thy praise shall euer bee;
- My soule shall boast that shee Thy seruant is,
- The humble shall be glad to heare of this;
- Come then, O come, and let vs praise the Lord,
- And magnifie His name with sweet accord.
- I sought the Lord by prayer which He did heare,
- And saued mee from that ill my soule did feare.
- Looke towards God, thou shalt enlightenèd bee,
- And no foule shame shall euer light on thee.
- The poor man's crie, the Lord doth quickly heare,
- And doth for all his trubles quitt him cleare;
- Such as feare God His Angell guards them all,
- From euery mischeife that may them befall.
- O taste the Lord, and see how sweet Hee is,
- The man that trusts in Him liues still in bliss.
- O feare the Lord, yee that are SAINTS of His,
- Who feare the Lord noe needfull thinge shall misse.
- Rich become poore, and lyons hungrie bee,
- But such as feare the Lord noe want shall see.
- Come then yee children, listen and giue eare,
- And I will teach you this religious feare:
- What man art thou that longest long to liue,
- And wouldst that GOD to thee good dayes should giue;
- Refraine thy tongue from speaking ill the while,
- And from thy lipps let there proceed noe guile;
- Doe that is good, decline from that is ill,
- Seeke peace with God and men, and hould it still.
- Upon good men God casts a gentle eye,
- And bends a gentle eare unto their crye.
- But to the wicked shewes an angrie browe,
- Till they bee quite exterpèd, root and bow;[214]
- But when the righteous cry, the Lord doth heare them
- And from all trubles absolutely cleare them;
- God's present helpe the Lord['s own folk] doth finde,
- And such Hee saues as are of humble minde.
- The righteous into many trubles fall,
- But God's sweet mercy brings them out of all;
- Their very bones so keepe and count doth Hee,
- As not one broken nor one lost, shall bee.
- But some foule death shall on the wicked light,
- And they which hate the just, shall perish quite;
- But of his seruants, GOD the SAUIOUR is;
- They trust in Him, their hope they cannot misse.
-
-[Footnote 214: = 'bough.' G.]
-
-
-PSALM XXXV.
-
- Plead Thou my cause, O Lord my Advocate!
- Against all those with whome I haue debate;
- Fight against them that doe against mee fight,
- Take up Thy shield, and helpe mee with Thy might;
- Lift up Thy launce, stopp them which mee pursue,
- Say to my soule, I am Thy SAUIOUR true;
- Let shame on them which seeke my ruin light,
- And with confusion turne them all to flight.
- Let them bee like the dust before the winde,
- With God's feirce angell followinge them behinde;
- Set them in slipperie wayes, and darke withall,
- And let God's Angell smite them as they fall;
- For they have spred a nett and dig'd a pitt,
- Euen without cause to catch my soule in it:
- But in that pitt let them fall vnawares,
- And bee entangled in their proper snares;
- But thou my soule, whom God[215] thus guides from ill,
- Rejoyce in Him, and His saluation still;
- My bones shall say, Lord who is like to Thee?
- Who poore weake men from their strong foe dost free:
- False witnesses arose with oathes untrue,
- And chargèd mee with things I neuer knew;
- They to my greife did ill for good requite,
- And recompenc't my kindnes with dispight;
- Yet in their sicknes I did sackcloth weare,[216]
- And fast and pray with many a secret teare;
- I could not more for friend or brother mourne,
- Or if my mother to her graue were borne:
- But in my woe they made great mirth and glee,
- The very abjects mockt and mowde[217] at mee;
- Base flatterers and jesters came withall,
- [And] gnasht their teeth to show their bitter gall.
- How long shall this bee Lord? my soule withdraw
- From these men's wrongs, and from the lyon's jaw:
- Soe in Thy CHURCH shall I my thankes proclaime,
- And in our Great Assembly praise Thy name;
- Let not my foes trihumph[218] on mee againe,
- Nor with their mockinge eyes shew their disdaine;
- They meet and parte, but peace they doe not seeke
- But to supplant the peaceable and meeke;
- They gape and drawe their mouthes in scornefull wise,
- And cry, fie, fie, wee sawe it with our eyes.
- But Thou their deed (O Lord!) dost alsoe see;
- Then bee not silent soe, nor farr from mee.
- Awake, stand up O GOD and LORD OF MIGHT,
- Auenge my quarrell, judge my cause aright;
- To Thy DOOME rather lett mee fall or stand
- Then subject bee to their insultinge hand;
- Then they should say, soe, soe, these things goe right,
- We haue our will, and haue deuour'd him quite.
- Shame bee to them that joy in my mischance,
- And which to cast mee downe themselues aduance;
- Let them bee glad that my wellwishers bee,
- And blesse the Lord that hath soe blessèd mee.
- As for my tongue it shall sett forth Thy praise,
- And celebrate Thy justice all my dayes.
-
-[Footnote 215: Written with a small 'g': the Scribe varies much in
-this. We have given the capital uniformly in Divine names, nouns and
-pronouns. G.]
-
-[Footnote 216: 'Ware' written and erased. G.]
-
-[Footnote 217: = to wry the mouth. G.]
-
-[Footnote 218: Cf. Psalm xviii, l. 8. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XXXVI.
-
- The wicked man's bould sinnes my heart doe tell,
- Noe feare of God before his eyes doth dwell;
- Yet flattereth hee himselfe in his owne sight,
- Untill his hatefull deeds bee brought to light;
- His words are lies, and most deceiptfull too,
- He leaues of[f] quite all honest deeds to doe;
- Hee on his bed doth nought but mischeife muse,
- Hee shunns noe ill and noe good way doth choose;
- Thy mercie Lord doth to the heauens extend,
- Thy faithfullnes doth to the CLOUDES assend;
- Thy justice stedfast as a MOUNTAINE is,
- Thy JUDGEMENTS deepe as is the great Abisse;
- Thy noble mercirs saue all liueinge thinges,
- The sonnes of men creepe underneath _Thy_ winges:
- With Thy great plenty they are fedd at will,
- And of Thy pleasure's streame they drinke their fill;
- For euen the well of life remaines with Thee,
- And in Thy glorious light wee light shall see;
- To them that know Thee, Lord, bee loveinge still,
- And just to them whose heart intends noe ill;
- Let not the foot of pride tread on my Crowne
- Nor the hand of the vngodly cast mee downe:
- False are the wicked in their slippery wayes,
- And haue no power againe themselues to raise.
-
-
-PSALM XXXVII.
-
- If ill men prosper doe not Thou repine,
- Nor enuy them though they[219] in glory shyne;
- For as the grasse they shall be mowen away,
- And as greene hearbes shall turne to withered hay:
- Trust thou in God and still bee doinge good,
- And thou shalt neuer want noe house nor food;
- Delight in Him, Hee shall to thee jmparte,
- The full desires and wishes of Thy heart;
- On Him rely, to Him thy way commend,
- And Hee shall bringe it to a blessed end;
- Thine vpright light shall shine like the morninge light;
- And Thy just dealinge like the NOONE-day bright;
- Bee still and frett not, but God's leasure stay
- Though wicked men doe prosper in their way;
- Suppresse Thine anger, let offences die,
- Lest thou be mouèd to offend thereby;
- Expect a while, obserue what will befall;
- Th' ungodly shall bee gon, their place and all.
- The Lord shall root out sinners out of hand,
- When good men and their heires shall hould their Land.
- Meeke persons shall enjoy the earthe's encrease,
- And shall abound in plentie and in peace;
- Against the just the wicked haue combin'd,
- And in dispight their teeth at them they grinde;
- But God with scorne behoulds them from the skie,
- For that Hee sees their day of ruin nigh;
- The vngodly drawes his sword and bends his bowe
- To slay the just, the weake to ouerthrowe:
- But his bent bowe shall breake and make him start,
- And his owne sword shall peirce his wicked heart;
- That little which the just enioyes with peace,
- 'Tis better then th' ungodlie's great encrease;
- For th' armes of jmpious men the LORD will breake,
- And giue the righteous strength when they are weake;
- The just man's dayes the LORD doth know and see,
- That his inheritance shall endlessse bee;
- The tymes of danger shall not him confound,
- And in the dayes of dearth, hee shall abound;
- Thy foes O Lord, shall perish and consume
- Like fatt of lambes, and vanish into fume;
- Th' ungodly want and borrow, but repay not
- The good men frankly giue, [and] yet decay not;
- Their seat is firme whom God hath best belou'd
- But such as Hee doth[220] curse shall bee remou'd.
- The good man's goings soe directeth Hee
- As it most pleasinge to Himselfe may bee;
- Oft falls the just, yet is not cast away,
- For God's owne hand is his support and stay;
- Though I am ould, the just man or his seed
- I neuer sawe forsaken or in need;
- Hee doth giue daily almes, and frankly lend,
- Which makes his offspringe blessèd in the end;
- Shun to doe ill, bee euer doinge well,
- And euermore thou shalt in safety dwell;
- The LORD who loueth right, forsaketh neuer,
- Those that are His, but keepeth them for euer;
- His children Hee correcteth now and then,
- But roots out quite the race of wicked men.
- As long as HEAUEN shall moue and Earth shall stand,
- The righteous men inherit shall the Land;
- The just man's mouth is wisedome's flowinge well,
- His tongue, of truth and judgement loues to tell;
- And in his heart the lawe of God doth bide,
- Which makes him walke vpright and neuer slide;
- The wicked sees the just with enuious eye,
- And lies in waite to wound him mortally;
- But God will neuer leaue him to his hands,
- Nor him condemne when hee in judgement stands:
- Then wait thou on the Lord, and keepe His way,
- Hee shall thy patience with promotion pay;
- Thy dwellinge in the Land shall stablisht bee,
- When thou the fall shalt of the wicked see.
- The vngodly in great power myselfe haue seene,
- Soe that he flourisht like a bay-tree greene;
- But soone's[221] I passèd by, and gon was hee,
- His place I sought, but noe where could it see;
- Keepe a cleare conscience, right and truth intend,
- For that brings peace and comfort in the end;
- When sinners shall at once together fall,
- And in the end shall be extèrpèd all;
- But good mens' safety doth from God proceed,
- Who is their strength in truble, helpe at need;
- Against the wicked Hee assists the just,
- And recues them, because in Him they trust.
-
-[Footnote 219: Miswritten 'thou' in the MS. G.]
-
-[Footnote 220: 'Shall' written and erased. G.]
-
-[Footnote 221: Another example of 'e' before 'es' as _ante_. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XXXVIII.
-
- If for my sinnes Thine anger kindled bee,
- Lord! let not then Thy justice chastise mee;
- Thine arrowes fixèd in my fleshe doe stand,
- I feele the pressure of Thy heauie hand;
- I haue noe health Thine anger is soe much,
- My bones noe rest; my greiuous synne is such,
- My wickednes doth mount aboue my head
- And fallinge presse mee like a load of lead;
- My ulcers are corrupted and doe smell,
- Caus'd by my folly, which I blush to tell.
- I am with greife soe broken and soe torne,
- As I all day in heart and habit mourne.
- My loynes are fillèd with a sore desease,
- Noe parte of all my bodie feeleth ease;
- I am soe faint, soe feeble, and soe sore,
- As paine and anguish make mee crie and roare;
- Thou Lord! the longings of my heart dost see,
- My sighes and groanings are not hidd from Thee.
- My heart doth pant, my sinewes faile mee quite,
- My weepinge eyes haue lost their power of sight;
- Meane while, my freinds and neighbours they looke on,
- My nearest kinsmen farthest of[f] are gon:
- And they which seeke my life haue layed their snares
- And sett their trapps, to catch mee vnawares.
- They that to doe mee mischeife lye in wait,
- Doe plott and practise nothinge but deceit;
- But as for mee in silent patience
- I seemèd deafe and dumbe and voyde of sence;
- As one whose eare admitts not any sound,
- And in whose mouth there[222] is noe answeare found.
- For on the Lord I euermore rely,
- Though I stand mute, Thou shalt for mee replie:
- My suite is that my foes may not preuaile
- Who greatly joy to see my footinge faile;
- For in a place of stumblinge sett am I,
- My sad estate is still before mine eye;
- But I with sorrow will confesse my synne,
- And grieue that I offend my God therein;
- And yet my foes do liue and grow in might,
- They grow in numbers which do beare me spight.
- They which doe ill for good, doe hate mee too,
- Because I loue good turnes for ill to doe:
- Lord leaue mee not nor from mee farr depart,
- Saue mee with speede: for Thou my safety art.
-
-[Footnote 222: Miswritten 'their.' G.]
-
-
-PSALM XXXIX.
-
- I said I will bee wary in my way;
- Lest I offend in that my tongue should say,
- I will my mouth as with a bridle hould,
- While wicked men with enuy mee behould:
- I dumb did stand and from all speech refraine,
- Euen from good words, which was to mee a paine:
- My heart was hott: while I such doubts did cast,
- The fire brake out, and thus I spake at last:
- 'Lord of my life reueale to mee the end,
- The period showe, to which my dayes doe tend'!
- My life is but the measure of a spann,
- Nought as to Thee, so vaine a thinge is man:
- Who dreaminge walks, and toyles for wealth in vaine,
- And doth not know to whome it shall remaine.
- But what doe I expect? what is my hope!
- Of my desires Thou art the only scope.
- Lord! from my synnes Thine indignation turne
- And make mee not to wicked fooles a scorne,
- When Thou didst strike I silent was and dum[b]
- Because I knewe the blowe from Thee did come.
- Remoue Thy hand, withdrawe Thy plague from me
- Wherewith my vitall spirrits consumèd bee:
- Thy plagues for sinne doth like a moth consume
- Man's beauty vaine, which is nought else but fume.
- Lord! heare my prayer, and listen to my cries,
- Let not Thy gracious eye my teares dispise:
- For I am but Thy guest, and sojourne heare,
- On earth a pilgrim as my fathers were;
- O spare a little, and my strength restore
- Before I goe from hence to come noe more.
-
-
-PSALM XL.
-
- Long on the Lord, I waited patiently,
- Till He enclin'd His eare, and heard my cry:
- Drew mee from out the pitt of mire and clay
- Did sett mee on firme ground and guide my way:
- Put in my mouth a new and joyfull song
- Of thankes[223] and praise, that to Himselfe belong.
- Of His great mercie, many shall haue sense,
- And of the Lord haue feare and confidence.
- Blest is the man who hath on God relide,
- Not turninge vnto lies or worldly pride;
- O Lord! Thy works of wonder, they are such
- Thy care and loue to vsward is soe much,
- They are soe great, they are soe numberlesse,
- As if I would, I could not them expresse.
- My sacrifice of meates Thou would'st not take,
- But Thou mine eare didst peirce and open make.
- Thou didst not aske burnt-offerings at my hand
- Then LORD said I 'I come at Thy commaund;
- Thy Booke eternall, doth of mee record,
- That I should come to doe Thy will O Lord!
- To doe Thy will, my heart is pleasèd well,
- For in my heart Thy lawe doth euer dwell;
- Thy truth I haue to all Thy people tould,
- Therein Thou knowest my tongue I cannot hould:
- Thy justice in my heart is not conceal'd,
- Thy mercy to the world I haue reueal'd;
- I haue not spar'd to make Thy bounty knowne,
- But in the Great Assembly haue it showne.
- Take not Thy wonted mercy Lord, from mee,
- But let Thy goodnes still my safety bee.
- My trubles numberlesse such hould haue tooke
- On my weake soule, as vp I cannot looke:
- My sinnes beinge more then[224] haires upon my head,
- Make my heart faint and vitall spirrits dead:
- But bee it Lord, Thy pleasure and Thy will,
- With speed to saue and rescue mee from ill:
- Bringe them to shame that would my life destroy,
- Reproue them Lord, that wish my soule's annoy:
- Let them bee left to scorne and pride, which blame
- Which scorninge say to me, fie, fie, for shame.
- But let all those that seeke their blisse, in Thee
- Rejoyce and say, the Lord's name praisèd bee'.
- For mee who am contemtible and poore,
- The Lord takes care, and feeds mee euermore:
- Thou Lord art my protection, and my aid,
- Let not Thy gracious helpe bee long delay'd.
-
-[Footnote 223: Another example of 'e' preceding the contraction 'es,'
-as also on line 5th below this, in 'workes,' and in Psalm xli, line
-19th, 'evenings.' See prefatory Note to these Psalms. G.]
-
-[Footnote 224: 'On my' written here and erased. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XLI.
-
- That man is blest who doth the poore regard;
- In tymes of truble God shall him reward,
- Prolong his life, and blesse him in the Land,
- And free him from his foes' oppressing hand:
- Shall comfort him, when sicke and weake hee lies,
- And make his bedd till hee in health doe rise:
- My synne hath giuen my soule a greiuous wound,
- Apply Thy mercy Lord, and make it sound;
- Thus speakes my foe of mee to show his spight,
- 'When shall his life and honnour perish quite'?
- Hee vissitts mee, but with false heart and tongue
- And thereof vaunts, his complices amonge:
- Euen all my foes against mee doe conspire,
- And with one minde my ruin doe desire;
- 'Let him,' say they of mee, 'in judgement fall
- And when hee once is downe not rise at all.'
- The freind I trusted, which did eat my bread,
- Hath lifted vp his heele against my head.
- Thy mercie's winges on mee O Lord display;
- Raise mee againe, and I shall them repay.
- By this I doe Thy gracious fauour see,
- In that my foe doth not trihumph on mee.
- Thou in my health uphouldst mee with Thy hand,
- And in Thy presence I shall euer stand.
- The name of JACOB'S GOD bee blessèd then,
- From age to age for euermore: Amen.
-
-
-PSALM XLII.
-
- As for the streames the hunted hart doth bray,
- Soe for God's grace my heart doth pant and pray.
- My soule doth thirst (O God of life!) for Thee,
- When shall I come Thy blessed[225] face to see?
- My teares are all my food both night and day,
- While 'where is now thy God?' the wicked say.
- I powrèd out my hart, while thus I thought
- And to God's House the multitude I brought:
- With songs of praise and thankfullnes withall,
- To celebrate the Lord's great festiuall:
- Then why art thou my soule soe full of woe,
- Vnquiet in thyselfe and vexèd soe?
- O put thy trust in God and thankfull bee,
- For his sweet helpe His presence yields to Thee.
- My soule is greiu'd remembringe all the ill
- I felt in JORDAN'S vale and HERMON hill.
- One depth of sorrow doth to another call,
- Thy waves O God haue ouergon mee all:
- I prais'd at night God's bounty of the day,
- And vnto Him that giues mee life did pray.
- God of my strength, why hast Thou left mee soe,
- With heauy hart oppressèd by my foe?
- My foe doth cut my bones as with a sword,
- While hee in scorne repeats this bitter word,
- 'Where is thy God?' his speech to mee is such:
- 'Where is thy God, of which thou talk'st soe much?'
- But why art thou my soule dejected soe?
- Why art thou trubled and soe full of woe?
- Trust thou in God, and giue Him thankfull praise[226]
- Who is Thy present helpe in all thy wayes.
-
-[Footnote 225: 'Life from thee' written and erased. G.]
-
-[Footnote 226: 'O put thy trust in God and thankfull bee' written and
-erased. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XLIII.
-
- Judge thou my[227] cause, [O God!] and right mee then,
- Against vngodly and deceiptfull men.
- O God, my strength, why sett'st Thou mee aside
- And leau'st mee to my foes' oppressinge pride?
- Send forth Thy light and truth and guide mee still,
- In the right way to Thy most holy hill.
- God of my[228] joy, before Thine Alter high,
- My thankfull harte, my harpe shall justifie.
- Then why art thou my soule dejected soe?
- Why art thou trubled and soe full of woe?
- O put thy trust in God and thankfull bee,
- For that sweete aide His presence giues to thee.
-
-[Footnote 227: 'Mee' miswritten. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XLIV.
-
- Lord! of Thy workes, our fathers haue vs tould,
- Some in their dayes, and former times of ould;
- How Thou hast rooted out the PAGAN race,
- And Thy choice people planted in their place:
- Who did not with their owne sword winne the Land,
- Nor make the conquest with their proper hand;
- But by Thine Arme, Thy fauour and Thy grace,
- Thy countenance and brightnesse of Thy face;
- Thou art my KINGE, O God, and royal Guide,
- And Thou for JACOB'S safety dost prouide.
- Wee through Thine aid our foes doe bouldly meet,
- And by Thy vertue[229] cast them at our feet;
- Therefore my trust I place not in my bowe,
- Nor in my sword, to saue mee from my foe.
- Thou only sau'st vs from our enimies,
- Confoundinge them that doe against vs rise.
- Wee boast and glory in our strength therefore,
- And to Thy name singe praises euermore;
- But now Thou standest of[f] and leau'st vs quite,
- And dost not lead our armies out to fight;
- Thou mak'st vs fly before our foes with feare,
- While they from vs rich spoyles away doe beare;
- Like sheepe, to feed them Thy poore flock is giuen,
- Or scatterèd into seuerall NATIONS driuen.
- Thyne owne deare people Thou dost sell for naught,
- And setts on them noe price when they are bought;
- Thou hast vs made vnto our NEIGHBOURS all,
- An object of reproch and scorne withall:
- To NATIONS which doe worship Idolls dumbe,
- Wee are[230] a byword of contempt become;
- All the day long my shame is in my sight,
- Which makes me hide my face and shun the light,
- Not able to endure the blasphemies
- And scornes of my reuengefull enimies.
- For all these ills wee doe not Thee forgett,
- Thy blessed COUENANT wee renounce not yet.
- Our hearts recede not from the LAWE deuine,
- Nor doe our footsteps from Thy pathes declyne;
- Though wee in dennes of dragons haue bene plac't,
- And with death's fearefull shadowes[231] ouercast.
- If wee the name of our true GOD forgett,
- And Idolls false wee in His place doe sett,
- Shall not Hee search [it] out, Whose eye doth see
- The heart of man whose thoughts most trubled bee?
- But for Thy cause LORD wee are martir'd still,
- Like sheep which SLAUGHTER-MEN cull out to kill.
- Up Lord! why dost Thou seeme to slumber thus?
- Awake and bee not alwayes farr from vs:
- Why hidest Thou from vs Thy blessed face,
- Forgettinge our distresse and wretched case?
- Our soules euen to the dust are humbled lowe,
- Our prostrate bodies to the ground doe growe.
- Arise and helpe vs Lord! defend vs still,
- And saue vs for Thy mercie's sake from ill.
-
-[Footnote 228: 'Thy' miswritten and corrected in a later hand. G.]
-
-[Footnote 229: = Through the 'vertue' of Thy name, _i.e._, through
-Thee. The original is 'And in Thy name.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 230: 'Become' written and erased. G.]
-
-[Footnote 231: Spelled 'Shawdowes' and corrected. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XLV.
-
- My heart is mou'd to vtter some good thinge,
- Which I entend to offer to the kinge.
- My tougue shall bee the pen, and swiftly write
- What in my heart deuotion doth endite.
- Fairest of men, whose lipps with grace abound,
- Whom with eternall blessings God hath crown'd;
- Gird Thy sharp sword vpon Thine armèd thigh,
- And shew Thyselfe in power and MAJESTIE.
- Ride on with Thy great honnour prosperously,
- Raigne and trihumph, and bee Thou mounted high,
- Borne vp with justice, truth and meeknes' wings:
- And Thy right hand shall teach Thee dreadfull things;
- Thine arrowes sharpe, shall make Thy foes to fall,
- Which Thou shalt shoote and peirce their hearts withall.
- Eternall is Thy judgement-seat O God!
- Thy scepter is a true directinge rod;
- Right hast Thou lou'd and loth'st vnrighteousnes,
- And therefore GOD Thy GOD Who doth Thee blesse,
- Hath powr'd on Thee O PRINCE OF PRINCES best,
- More oyle of gladnes then on all the rest:
- Thy garments, which Thy person shall aray,
- Brought out of Iuory wardrobes where they lay,
- Of MYRRH, of ALLOES, and of CASHA smell;
- Which odours doe refresh and please Thee well.
- The queene, all cladd in gould at Thy right hand,
- Daughters of Kings attendinge her, shall stand.
- Attend faire daughter, listen and giue eare,
- Forgett thy father's house and Cuntry deare.
- Soe shall the Kinge take pleasure in thy beautie;
- Hee is thy Lord, yield Him both loue and duty.
- The TYRIAN virgins shall bringe guifts to thee,
- And MERCHANTS rich, thy suppliants shall bee.
- The daughter of the Kinge is rich without,
- Her gownes embroidered all with gould about;
- And yet within, shee is more glorious farr,
- The jewells of her minde more precious are.
- In finest dressinge, with the needle wrought,
- Shee with her fellow virgins shall bee brought.
- They shall with joy, O Kinge bee brought to Thee,
- And in Thy princely COURTE receauvèd bee.
- Thou in thy father's stead, O Bride shall gaine
- Sonnes, which in sundry PROUINCES shall raigne.
- Thee Lord, will I remember, all my dayes,
- And all the world shall giue Thee endlesse praise.
-
-
-PSALM XLVI.
-
- GOD is our hope and strength, which neuer failes;
- Our present helpe, when mischeife vs assailes.
- Though the earth remouèd, and the mountaines were
- Amid the Ocean cast, wee would not feare.
- Though raginge seas a dreadfull noise doe make,
- Thou[gh] floodes and tempestes [roaring,] hills doe shake,
- There is a streame, which though it bee not great,
- Makes glad God's CITTIE, and His holy seate.
- God in her CENTER dwells, and makes His place
- Unmoueable, by His preuentinge grace.
- They were[232] enrag'd which heathen kingdomes sway,
- But when God spake, the Earth did melt away.
- The Lord of Hosts assists vs with His power,
- And JACOB'S GOD to vs becomes a Tower.
- Come, and behould what workes the Lord hath wrought,
- And Hee, His foes hath to destruction brought.
- In all the world Hee warr to peace doth turne,
- The bowe and speare doe breake and chariotts burne;
- Bee quiet then and still, and know that I
- Am Lord of the world and God Most High:
- The Lord of Hosts assists vs with His power,
- And JACOB'S GOD to vs becomes a Tower.
-
-[Footnote 232: Miswritten 'warr.' G.]
-
-
-PSALM XLVII.
-
- Clap hands yee people, with applause rejoyce,
- Singe to the Lord with loud and chearfull voyce;
- His throne is high, His judgement breedeth feare,
- On all the earth Hee doth the SCEPTER beare.
- Hee makes much people our commaund obey,
- And many NATIONS at our feet doth lay;
- And hath for vs an heritage in store,
- Euen JACOB'S portion whom Hee lou'd before.
- In glorious trihumph GOD is mounted high,
- The Lord with trumpet's sound ascends the SKIE.
- Singe, singe, vnto our God, vnto our Kinge,
- All praises due, euen all due praises singe.
- All KINGDOMES of the earth to Him belonge,
- Singe wisely then, and vnderstand your song.
- In all the heathen Hee doth raigne alone,
- And sitts in judgment in His holy throne.
- And heathen princes which were seuerd farr,
- To Abraham's faithfull seed now joinèd are.
- And God, Whose highnes doth the heauens transcend,
- As with a buckler doth the earth defend.
-
-
-PSALM XLVIII.
-
- Great is the Lord and highly to bee praised,
- In God's owne CITTIE, SYON hill is rays'd;
- The beautie and the joy of all the Land,
- The great king's CITTIE on the NORTH doth stand;
- In his faire PALLACES God's name is knowne,
- Where Hee doth cherish and protect His owne.
- Though manie kings against her gathred bee,
- They stand astonisht her great strength to see.
- As when a woman doth in trauell fall,
- A suddaine feare and tremblinge takes them all;
- And God shall breake them though they bee combin'd,
- As shipps are broken with an EASTERNE winde.
- What wee haue heard, wee see Thou dost fullfill,
- Thou GOD OF HOSTS vphoulds't Thy CITTIE still:
- Amidst Thy Temple Lord, wee doe attend
- Till Thou to vs Thy grace and fauour send.
- Great is Thy name, O God, Thy praise noe lesse,
- And Thy right hand is full of righteousnes.
- Rejoyce O Sion, and your joyes renew,
- Daughters of JUDAH,[233] for His judgements true.
- About the walls of Sion walke yee round,
- And tell the towers wherewith that forte is crownd;
- Obserue her bulwarks and her turrets high,
- And tell the same to your posterity.
- This euer liuinge God our God is Hee,
- And shall our Guide while we haue liuinge, bee.[234]
-
-[Footnote 233: 'Judgement' written here and erased. G.]
-
-[Footnote 234: A later hand substitutes another line, 'And while we
-live, our only guide shall be.' G.]
-
-
-PSALM XLIX.
-
- Heare this yee people, all yee people heare;
- Listen to[235] mee and giue attentiue eare,
- All yee that in the world residinge bee,
- Both rich and poore, of high and low degree:
- My mouth shall vtter, and my heart deuise,
- Matters of greatest skill, profound and wise.
- Mine eares to parables will I encline,
- And singe vnto my harpe, of things deuine.
- Then why should I in ill times fearfull bee,
- When mischeife at my heeles doth follow mee.
- Howbeit, some doe in their riches trust,
- And glory in their wealth, which is but dust;
- Yet non from death his brother's life can stay,
- Nor vnto GOD for Him a ransome pay.
- For it cost more the soule of man to saue,
- Then all the wealth is worth, which worldlyngs haue.
- Nor may men hope to liue on earth for euer,
- Though long they last, ere soule and body seuer.
- That fooles and wise men die alike they finde,
- And vnto strangers leaue their wealth behinde.
- Their houses yet they thinke shall euer stand,
- They giue their proper names vnto their land;
- Yet noe man can in honnour euer bee,
- But as the brute beast dies, euen so does hee.
- This is their follie, this their stumblinge wayes;
- And yet the children doe their fathers praise.
- [236]They are shut vp in graues as sheepe in folde,
- And hungry Death feeds on their bodies cold,
- The just shall rule them when the sunne doth rise,
- With them their pride and beauty buried lies;
- But God shall from Deathe's power my soule deliuer,
- When Hee shall take it to Himselfe for euer.
- Then let not feare and enuy thee surprize,
- When thou seest men in wealth and honnour rise,
- For to their graues they naught away shall beare,
- Nor shall their glory waite vpon them there;
- Yet they themselues thought happie all their dayes,
- For him who helps himselfe others will praise:
- As his forefathers all are gon before,
- Soe shall hee die and see the light noe more.
- Soe man on honnour little doth foresee,
- But as brute beasts doe perish, soe dies hee.
-
-[Footnote 235: 'Unto' written and the 'un' erased. G.]
-
-
-PSALM L.
-
- The Lord, the God of Gods, the world doth call,
- Euen from the sunn's vprisinge to his fall;
- From out of SION doth the Lord appeare,
- And shewes the brightnes of His beauty cleare.
- In trihumph, not in silence come shall Hee,
- His vsher fire, His guard a storme shall bee.
- Hee by His summons heauen and earth will call,
- That Hee [may][237] judge at once his creatures all.
- To Mee, saith Hee, let all My saints repaire,
- Which worshipp Mee with sacrifice and prayer;
- God's justice shall from heauen declarèd bee,
- For Who is judge of all the world but Hee?
- Harke ISRAELL! I am Thy God, giue eare;
- I will against thee speake and witnes beare.
- Not for the dailie taske of sacrifice,
- Or that burnt-offerings shine not in Mine eyes:
- I want them not, nor will I take at all,
- Goat from thy fould or bullocke from thy stall;
- All beasts are Mine within the forrest wide,
- And cattle on a thousand hills beside;
- I knowe all fowles which in the aire doe fly,
- And see all beasts which in the feild doe lye.
- If I were hungrie would I begg of thee,
- When all things in the world belong to Mee?
- Art thou O man, soe simple as to thinke
- That bulls' flesh is My meat, goats' blood My drinke?[238]
-
-[Footnote 236: The MS. begins here with 'and': but is struck out. G.]
-
-[Footnote 237: I have filled in 'may' as evidently overlooked, and as
-it is the word of the prose version: a later hand has written 'will'
-and another 'for' in the place of 'That.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 238: The Manuscript thus far is in one handwriting: and since
-the prefatory Note to these Psalms was written, I have discovered
-among the Harleian MSS. a very remarkable document by Sir John Davies,
-viz. his "Plea spoken at the Bar of the House of Lords" on "the King's
-power to impose Ship-money," (126. B 10-4266) and it is _identically
-the same holograph with that of these Fifty Psalms_, presenting
-precisely the same forms and contractions throughout. So that the
-Scribe of the one must have been the Scribe of the other: no doubt
-one of Sir John's Secretaries or 'men,' as he himself calls them. I
-shall give above important historical Paper--which never has been
-published, or even referred to, so far as I am aware--in my edition
-of DAVIES' Prose Works. Meanwhile I need not point out how
-valuable is this additional verification of the Davies authorship of
-our Manuscript--that is in so far as the Psalms up to L. are concerned.
-I stand in doubt of his authorship of the remainder; but see our
-Memorial-Introduction on this.
-
-The Psalms that follow have interposed a half-page and one leaf, blank,
-and another leaf, filled with the secular Poems that succeed them: but
-it was deemed better to place all the Psalms together. These other
-Psalms have the same orthography: but the hand-writing is different
-and plainer. It will be noticed that Psalm L. _supra_, is
-imperfect, extending only to v. 13. G.]
-
-
-PSALM LXVII.
-
- Shew us Thy mercy, Lord, and grace diuine:
- Turne Thy bright face that it on vs may shine,
- That all the men on Earth enlight'ned so
- Theire owne saluation and Thy wayes may know.
- O let Thy people praise Thy blessed name,
- And let all tongues and nations doe the same;
- And let all mortall men rejoyce in this,
- That God['s] their judge, and iust His iudgment, is.
- O let Thy people praise Thy blessed name,
- And let all tongues and nations doe the same:
- Then shall the Earth[239] bringe forth a rich encrease,
- And God shall blesse vs with a fruitfull peace.
- Euen God shall bless vs and[240] His holy feare,
- Possesse the harts of all men euery where.
-
-[Footnote 239: 'Nations' written and erased. G.]
-
-[Footnote 240: 'W^{th}' written and erased. G.]
-
-
-PSALM XCI.
-
-
- 1 Who vnder the Most High Himselfe doth hide,
- In most assurèd safety shall abide.
- 2 Thou art, O Lord, my hope and my defence,
- My God, in Thee is all my confidence.
- 3 Hee shall preserue thee from the hunter's snare,
- And from the pestilent contagious aier.
- 4 His winges shall both protect and cherish thee,
- His faithfull promise shall thy buckler bee.
- 5 Noe terror of the night shall thee dismay,
- Nor Satan's arrow flyinge in the day,
- 6 Nor mortall plague, which in the darke annoyes,
- Nor that ill angell which at none[241] destroyes.[242]
- 7 Thousands, ten thousands shall about thee fall,
- Yet noe such ill shall thee approach at all;
- 8 Yea with thine eyes thou shalt behould and see,
- The iust reward of such as impious bee;
- 9 Thou art my hope, I will on Thee rely,
- Thy tower of safety, Lord, is sett soe high.
- 10 Noe mischeefe, noe mischance shall thee betide
- No plague come near the place where Thou shalt bide.
- 11 The Lord His angells will Thy keepers make,
- In all Thy righteous wayes which thou shalte take;
- 12 They in their hands shall thee sustaine and stay
- That Thou shalt neuer stumble in thy way.
- 13 Uppon the basilisk and adder's head,
- Dragon and lyon thou shalt safely tread.
- 14 Thy loue to Mee shall saue thee from mischance,
- Thy knowledge of My name shall thee aduance.
- 15 I will him hear, and help him in His trouble;
- I will protect him and his honour duble.
- With length of dayes, hee satisfied shall bee,
- And hee at last shall My saluation see.
-
-[Footnote 241: Noon? G.]
-
-[Footnote 242: _Sic._ Qu: = departs? G.]
-
-
-PSALM XCV.[243]
-
- Come let vs hartily reioyce and singe
- To God our mightie Sauiour, and our Kinge;
- Present the prayse which doth to Him belonge,
- And show our gladnes in a cheerfull songe;
- For God our Lord, the greatest God is Hee,
- And Monarch of all gods that worshipt bee.
- The Earth's round globe, Hee holdeth in His hand:
- And th' highest mountaynes are at His command.
- The sea is His, Hee hath it made of old,
- And the dry land His blessed hands did mould:
- Come let vs worship then, and humble fall
- Before our mightie God which made vs all.
- Hee is our Lord, and wee His people bee;
- Our shepheard, and His proper sheep are wee.
- This day yf you His holy voice will heare,
- Let not your hearts bee hardned as they were,
- When in the desert you His wrath did moue,
- And temptinge Him His mightie power did proue.
- Full forty yeeres this nation greeud mee so,
- Their erringe harts My wayes would neuer know;
- Therefore displeas'd by oath I did protest
- They neuer should possesse my Land of rest.
-
-[Footnote 243: Written in the centre of the page XCV. G.]
-
-
-PSALM C.
-
- Bee ioyfull in the Lord, yee nations all,
- Cheer vp your harts in mirth, and songs withall;
- The Lord is God, not wee but Hee alone
- Hath made vs all, and feeds vs euery one.
- Then enter yee His gates and courts with prayse,
- And striue with hart and voice His name to raise.
- For why? the Lord is sweet, His mercy rare,
- His truth for euer constant shall endure.
-
-
-PSALM CIII.
-
- My soule with all thy powers thy Maker praise;
- Forget not all His benefits to thee,
- Who pardons all thy sinnes, and doth thee rayse
- When thou art fal'n through any infirmitie:
- Who doth thee saue from mischeifs that would kill thee,
- And crowneth thee with mercies euer more.
- And with the best of thinges doth feed and fill thee,
- And egle-like thy youth and strength restore.
- When men oppressèd doe to Him appeale,
- Hee righteth euery one against his foe;
- Hee vnto Moses did His lawes reueale,
- And vnto Jacob's eare His workes did show.
- Hee is more full of grace then wee of sinne;
- To anger slowe, compassionate and kind;
- Hee doth not euer chide, and never linne,[244]
- Nor keepes displeasure alwayes in His minde,
- Nor after our misdeedes doth Hee vs charge;
- Nor takes Hee of our faults a strict account,
- But as the space from earth to heauen is large,
- So farr His mercy doth our sinnes surmount.
- As east from west is distant farr away,
- Soe farr doth Hee from us our sinnes remoue:
- As fathers, kindnes to their sonnes bewray,
- Soe God to them that feare Him, showes His loue.
- For Hee that made vs and knowes all, doth know
- The matter whereof man was made of old;
- That wee were formèd heer on earth below
- Of dust and clay, and of noe better mold.
- Man's age doth wither as the fadinge grasse;
- He flourisheth, but as y^{e} flower in May,
- Which when the South-wind ouer it doth passe
- Is gone; and where it grew no man can say.
- But God's sweet kindnes[245] euer doth consist;
- His truth, from age to age, continew shall,
- To them that in His righteous lawes persist,
- And thinke vppon them to performe them all.
- Heauen is God's seat; there doth His glorie dwell,
- But ouer all, His empire doth extend;
- Praise Him yee angells which in strength excell,
- And His command doe euermore attend.
- Praise Him yee hosts of heauen which serue Him there,
- Whose seruice with His pleasure doth accord;
- And praise Him all His creatures euery where;
- And thou my soule for thy part, praise the Lord.
-
-[Footnote 244: = cease. G.]
-
-[Footnote 245: 'to mankind for' written here and erased: 'doth consist'
-and its corresponding rhyme two lines below, 'persist,' written in a
-later hand. Originally the former line read 'But God's sweet kindness
-to mankind for euer,' and to rhyme with this, the corresponding line
-ended with 'perseuer.' G.]
-
-
-PSALM CL.
-
- To Him with trumpets and with flutes,
- With cornets, clarions and with lutes;
- With harpes, with organs and with shawmes,
- With holy anthems and with psalmes;
- With voice of angells and of men
- Sing! Aleluyia! Amen, Amen.
-
-
-
-
-VIII. MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.
-
-HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED.
-
-
-
-
-_Miscellaneous Poems._
-
-
-OF FAITH THE FIRST THEOLOGICALL VERTUE.
-
- Faith is a sunbeame of th' Æternall light,
- That in man's soule infusd by grace doth shine:
- Which giues her dazled eye soe cleare a sight
- As evidently sees the truith divine;
- This beame that cleares our eyes, inflames our hearts,
- And Charitie's kind fire doth there begett:
- For sunlike, it both light and heate imparts:
- Faith is the light, and Charitie the heate:
- This light of faith the noblest wisdome is,
- For it the onley truith allowes and a'plyes:
- The virgin's lamp, that lights the soule to blisse;
- The Jacob's scales,[246] whereby shee clymes the skyes;
- The eye that sees, the hand that apprehends;
- The cause of causes, and the end of ends.
-
-[Footnote 246: Scala = ladder. G.]
-
-
-A SONGE OF CONTENTION
-
-BETWEENE FOWRE MAIDS CONCERNINGE THAT WHICH ADDETH MOST PERFECTION
-TO THAT SEXE.
-
-THE FIRST FOR BEAUTY.
-
- Our fairest Garland, made of Beautye's flowers,
- Doth of it selfe supplyall other dowers:
- Women excell the perfects' men in this,
- And therefore herein theire perfection is:
- For beautye wee the glorious heauens admire;
- Faire feilds, faire howses, gold and pearle, desire.
- Beautye doth alwayes health and youth imploy
- and doth delight the noblest sense, the eye.
-
-
-THE SECOND FOR WITTE.
-
- Beautye delights the soule, but witte the Reason:
- Witte lasts an age, and beautye but a season:
- The sense is quickly cloyd with beautye's tast;
- When witt's delight still quicke and fresh doth last:
- Beautye, weake eyes with her illusion blindes,
- Witte conquers spirits and triumphs ouer minds:
- Deade things haue beautye, onely man hath witte,
- and man's perfection doth consist in it.
-
-
-THE THIRD FOR WEALTH.
-
- Wealth is a power that passeth nature farre:
- Makes euery goose a swanne, and sparke a starre:
- Queene money, bringes and giues with royall hands
- Freinds, kindred, honour, husband, house and lands;
- Not a faire face, but fortune faire, I craue,
- Lett mee want witte soe I fooles' fortune haue.
-
-
-THE FOURTH FOR VERTUE.
-
- Yet those perfections most imperfect bee,
- If there bee wantinge vertuous modestye;
- Vertue's aspect would haue the sweetest grace
- If wee could see as wee conceaue her face:
- Vertue guids witte, with well-affected will,
- Which if witte want, it proues a dangerous ill:
- Vertue gaines wealth with her good gouerment,
- If not, sh'is rich, because shee is content.[247]
-
-[Footnote 247: The preceding are in a third handwriting. G.]
-
-
-A MAID'S HYMNE IN PRAISE OF VIRGINITY.
-
- Sacred virginity, vnconquered Queene!
- Whose kingdome never hath invaded beene;
- Of whose sweete rosy crowne noe hand hath power
- Once but to touch, much lesse to plucke a flower:
-
- Gainst whome proud Love--which on the world doth raigne,--
- With armies of his passions fights in vaine;
- In whome gray Winter neuer doth appeare,
- To whome greene Springtide lasteth all the yeare.
-
- O fresh immortall baye, vntroubled well,
- Or violett, which vntoucht doest sweetest smell;
- Faire vine, which without prop[248] doest safely stand,
- Pure gold, new coynd, which neuer past a hand.
-
- O temperance, in the supreame degree
- And hiyest pitch that vertue's winges can flee:
- O more then humane spirit, of Angells' kind:
- O white, unspotted garment of the mind,
-
- Which first cloathed man, before hee was forlorne;
- And wherein God Himselfe chose to bee borne.
- Within my soule, O heavenly vertue rest,
- Untill my soule with heaven it selfe bee blest.[249]
-
-[Footnote 248: Miswritten 'drop' in MS. G.]
-
-[Footnote 249: At bottom of this page in the MS. 'Thomas Bakewell' is
-scribbled twice. G.]
-
-
-PART OF AN ELEGIE IN PRAISE OF MARRIAGE.
-
- When the first man from Paradise was driven,
- Hee did from thence his onely comfort beare:
- Hee still enioyes his wife, which God had giuen,
- Though hee from other joyes deuorcèd were.
-
- This cordiall comfort of societye,
- This trueloue knott, that tyes the heart and will,
- When man was in th' extremest miserye
- To keepe his heart from breaking, existed still.[250]
-
- There is a tale then[251] [when] the world beganne,
- Both sexes in one body did remaine:
- Till Joue, offended with that double man,
- Caused Vulcan to diuide him into twayne.
-
- In this diuision, hee the hart did seuer,
- But cunningly hee did indent the heart,
- That if they should be reunited euer,
- Each part might know which was the counterpart:
-
- Since when, all men and women thinke it longe,
- Each of them their other part haue mett:
- Sometimes the[y] meete y^{e} right, sometimes y^{e} wrong,
- This discontent, and that doth ioy begett.
-
- It ioye begetts in there indented harts,
- When like indentures they[252] are matcht aright:
- Each part to other mutuall joy imparts,
- And thus the man which Vulcan did deuide,
-
- Is nowe againe by Hymen made entire,
- And all the ruine is ræedified;
- Two beeinge made one by their diuine desire.
- Sweete marriage is the honny neuer cloyinge;
-
- The tune, which being still plaid, doth euer please,
- The pleasure which is vertue's in inioyinge.
- It is the band of peace and yoake of ease,
- It is a yoake, but sweete [and] light it is;
-
- The fellowship doth take away the trouble,
- For euery griefe is made halfe lesse by this,
- And euery ioy is by reflection double.
- It is a band, but one of Love's sweete bands,
-
- Such as hee binds the world's great parts withall:
- Whose wonderous frame by there convention stands,
- But beinge disbanded would to ruine fall.[253]
-
-[Footnote 250: Written 'x'ested.]
-
-[Footnote 251: Miswritten 'There is a tale then.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 252: Miswritten 'ye.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 253: Two preceding are apparently in the same handwriting
-with those before them. G.]
-
-
-[A FRAGMENT OF A LOVE ELEGIE.]
-
- But those impressions by this forme are staynde,
- and blotted out as if they had not beene:
- And yet if nothing else in mynde I beare,
- makes me not lesse learn[è]d then before:
- For that in her as in a merrour cleare,
- I see and learne far better things and more.
- The students of the world and Natur's booke,
- Beauty and order in the world doe noate;
- She is my little world; on her I looke,
- and doe in her the same p'fections quoate:
- For in her eyes the beames of beauty shine,
- and in her sweete behaviour and her grace,
- Order apears, and comlines divine,
- Befitting every tyme and every place.
-
-3.
-
- Vnto that sparkling wit, that spirit of fire,
- That pointed diomond looke, that ægle's eye
- Whose lyghtning makes audacity retire
- and yet drawes on respectiue modesty,
- With wings of feare and loue, my spirit doth fly
- and doth therein a flame of fire resemble;
- Which, when it burnes most bright and mounts most high,
- then doth it waver most and most doth tremble.
- O that my thoughts were words, or could I speake
- The tongue of Angells, to expresse my mynde:
- For mortall speach is far too faint and weeke
- to utter passion of so high a kynde.
- You have a beauty of such life and light
- As it hath power all wandring eyes to stay:
- To move dombe tongues to speake, lame hands to write,
- Stayde thoughts to run, hard harts to melt a way:
- Yet painters' can of this draw every line
- And every wittles person that hath eyes,
- Can se[e] and judg and sweare it is divine:
- For in these outwarde formes all fooles are wise.
- But that which my admireing spirit doth veiw,
- I[n] thought whereof it would for ever dwell,
- Eie never saw, the pensill never drew,
- Pen neuer coulde describe, tongue never tell:
- It is the invisible beauty of your mynde,
- Your cleare immagination, lively witt,
- So tund, so temp'rd, of such heavenly kind,
- As all mens spirits ar charmd and rapt with it.
- This life within begetts your lively looke,
- As fier doth make all metalls looke like fier;
- Or your quicke soule by choise this body tooke,
- As angells w^{th} bright formes themselves attire.
- O that my brest might ope, and hart might cleave
- That so you might my silent wondring veiw:
- O that you might my soreing spirit p'ceive,
- How still with trembling wings it waites on you.
- Then should you se[e] of thoughts an endles chaine,
- Whose links are[254] vertues, and yor vertues bee;
- Then should you see how your faire forme doth raigne
- Through all the regions of my fantesie.
- Then should you fynde that I was yours as much
- As ar your sharpe conceits borowd of none;
- Or as your native beautyes, that are such
- As all the world will sweare it is your owne.
-
-[Footnote 254: Miswritten 'y^{r}.' G.]
-
-
-4.
-
- As they that worke in mines, rich vaines beray,
- By some few garaines[255] of ore whereon the[y] hit:
- And as one letter found is oft a kay
- To many lines that ar in cipher writt;
- So I by your few loveing lines descry
- Of your long hiden love the golden mine;
- And reade therein with a true lover's eye
- Of the hart's volume, every secrett line.
- But what availes it now, alas to know
- That once a blessed man I might haue beene?
- Since I haue lett, by lookeing downe too low
- My highest fortunes sore away vnseene:
- And yett if I had raisd my humble eyes
- As high as heauen I could not haue discer[n]d
- Of invisible thoughts which in your hart did rise,
- Unles of you I had my lesson learnd.
- But all was darke and folden vp to me;
- As soon might I my selfe, my selfe haue taught
- To read y^{e} blacke records of destiny,
- As read the ridles of the silent thought:
- But whereto may I best resemble this?
- Your loue was like the springing of a tree:
- We cannot see the growing when it is,
- But that it hath sprunge up and growne, we see.
- Or it is like to wealth by fairyes brought,
- Which they bring still while they invisible goe;
- But all doth vanish and doth turne to nought,
- If once a man enricht, those fairyes know:
- But now your loue (say you) is dead and gone:
- But my strong faith shall giue it life againe.
- By strength of fancy miricles are done,
- And true beleefe doth seldom hope in vaine.
- Your Ph[oe]nix loue is vnto ashes turnd,
- But now the fier of my affection true,
- Which long within my hart hath kyndly burnd,
- Shall spreade such heate as it shall liue anew.
- Or if the fyer of your celestiall loue,
- Be mounted vp to heauen and cannot dye:
- Another slye Prometheus will I prove,
- and play the theife to steale it from the skye.
- When you vouchsaft to love vnworthy me,
- Your loue discended like a shower of raine;
- Which on the earth, euen senceles though she bee,
- when once it falls, returneth not againe.
- Then why should you withdraw the heauenly dew
- Which fell sometymes on your despairing lover?
- Though then his earthly spirit full little knew
- How good an Angel did about him houer.
- O you the glory of your sex and race!
- You that all tymes and places hapie make!
- You that in beeing vertuous vertue grace,
- and make men love it better for your sake:
- One sunbeame yet of favour cast on mee,
- Let one kinde thought in your cleare fancy rise:
- Loue but a thought, or if that may not be
- Be pleasd that I may love, it shall suffise.
-
-[Footnote 255: Qu: Grains? G.]
-
-
-TO THE Q:[UEENE.]
-
- What Musicke shall we make to you?
- To whome the strings of all men's harts
- Make musicke of ten thousand parts:
- In tune and measure true,
- With straines[256] and changes new.
-
- How shall wee fraime a harmony
- Worthie your eares, whose princely[257] hands
- Keepe harmony in sundry lands:
- Whose people divers be,
- In station and degree?
- Heauen's tunes may onely please,
- and not such aires as theise.
-
- For you which downe from heauen are sent
- Such peace vpon the earth to bring,
- Haue h[e]ard y^{e} quire of Angells sing:
- and all the sphæres consent,
- like a sweete instrument.
-
- How then should theise harsh tunes you[258] heare
- Created of y^{e} trubled ayer,
- breed but distast--when you repaire--
- to your celestiall eare?
- So that this center here
- for you no musicke fynds,
- but harmony of mynds.
-
-[Footnote 256: Miswritten 'strainest' in MS. G.]
-
-[Footnote 257: 'heavenly' written and erased. G.]
-
-[Footnote 258: Spelled here and elsewhere 'y^{u}.' It may be noted
-here, that throughout these Poems, as with the Psalms, my rule has
-been to extend mere contraction-forms. The few left have a place for
-philological ends. A kind of flourish at the end of a number of words,
-I was disposed to regard as intended to represent 's,' but instances
-occur in the MS. to show that it is a mere ornamental addition: and so
-I leave it unrepresented. G.]
-
-
-[TO FAIRE LADYES.]
-
- Ladyes of Founthill,[259] I am come to seeke
- My hart amongst you, which I late did leese;
- but many harts may be perhaps alike:
- Therefore of mine, the proper markes, are theise.
- It is not hard, though true as steele it be,
- And like y^{e} diomond, cleare from any spot;
- Transmixt with many darts you shall it se[e],
- but all by vertue, not by Cupid, shot;
- It hath no wings, because it needeth none,
- Being now arived and settled where it would;
- Wingèd desires and hopes from it gon are,
- but it is full of joyes as it can hold.
- Faine would I find it where it doth remaine,
- but would not haue it though I might againe.
-
-[Footnote 259: Founthill or Fonthill in Wilts. See Prefatory Note to
-these hitherto unpublished MSS. G.]
-
-
-UPON A PAIRE OF GARTERS.
-
- Go loveinge woode-bynde, clip with louely grace,
- those two sweet plants which beare y^{e} flowers of loue
- Go silken vines, those tender elmes embrace,
- Which flourish still, although their roots doe moue.
- As soone as you possess your blessed places,
- You are advancèd and ennobled more
- Then dyodemes, which were white silken laces
- That ancient kings about there forehead wore:
- Sweete bands, take heed lest you vnge[n]tly bynd,
- Or with your stricktnes make too deepe a print:
- Was neuer tree had such a tinder rynd,
- Although her inward hart be hard as flynt;
- And let your knots be fast, and loose at will,
- she must be free, though I stand bounden still.
-
-
-[TO HIS LADY-LOVE.]
-
- In this sweete booke, y^{e} treasury of witt,
- All virtues, beautyes, passions, written be:
- And with such life they are sett forth in it
- as still methinkes y^{t} which I read I see.
- But this booke's Mrs. is a liveing booke,
- Which hath indeed those vertues in her mynde,
- And in whose face though envey's selfe do looke,
- Even envye's eye shall all those beautyes fynd.
- Onely y^{e} passions y are printed here,
- In her calme thoughts can no impression make:
- She will not love, nor hate, nor hope, nor feare,
- Though others seeke theise passions for her sake.
- So in y^{e} sonne, some say there is no heate
- though his reflecting beames doe fire begett.
-
-
-[TOBACCO.][260]
-
-[Footnote 260: Cf. Harleian MS. lines 'Of Tobacco' in Epigrams pp.
-32-35, _ante_. G.]
-
- Homer[261] of Moly and Nepenthe singes:
- Moly, the gods most soveraigne hearbe divine.
- Nepenth Hellen's[262] drink, which gladnes brings,--
- Hart's greife repells, and doth y^{e} witts refine.
- But this our age another world hath found,
- From whence an hearbe of heavenly power is brought:
- Moly is not soe soveraigne for a wound
- Nor hath Nepenth[e] so great wonders wrought.
- It is tobacco: whose sweete subtile fume
- The hellish torment of y^{e} teeth doth ease,
- By drawing downe and drieing up y^{e} rume[263]
- The mother and the nurse of each disease.[264]
-
-[Footnote 261: Miswritten 'Honnour.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 262: Cf. an Epigram 'Of Tobacco,' 36. The first edition
-thereof in its reading 'Hekens' is an obvious misprint, probably
-through Davies' ill writing. The reading here 'Nepen y^{e} Hellens' in
-the MS. is a scribe's misreading of 'Nepen_the_ Hellen's'--he having
-taken the ending 'the' for the article. Both point to the true reading,
-'Nepenthe Helen's drink.' It is impossible that a scholar like Davies
-could have supposed 'Nepenthe' to be the drink of the gods, and equally
-impossible that he could have thought it drink of the Hellenes. G.]
-
-[Footnote 263: Rheum. G.]
-
-[Footnote 264: The handwriting of the six preceding pieces seems to be
-the same. G.]
-
-
-ELEGIES OF LOUE.
-
- Like as the diuers-fretchled[265] Butter-flye,
- When Winter's frost is fallne upon his winge,
- Hath onely left life's possibility,
- and lies halfe dead untill the cherefull Spring:
-
- But then the Sunne from his all-quickning eye,
- Darts forth a sparkle of the liuinge fire:
- Which[266] with kinde heate, doth warme the frozen flye
- and with newe spirit his little breast inspire:
-
- Then doth hee lightly rise and spread his winges,
- And with the[267] beames that gaue him life doth playe:
- Tasts euery flower that on th' earthe's bosoome springs,
- and is in busye motion all the day:
-
- Soe my gaye Muse, which did my heart possesse,
- And in my youthful fantasie doth raigne:
- Which cleard my forehead with her cheerefullnes
- and gaue a liuely warmth unto my brayne:
- With sadder[268] studye, and with graue conceite
- Which late my Immagination entertaynd:
- Beganne to shrinke, and loose her actiue heate,
- and dead as in a læthargy remaynd.
-
- Long in that senseles sleepe congeald shee laye,
- Untill euen now another heauenly eye,
- And cleare as that which doth begett the daye,
- and of a like reviuinge simpathy:
-
- Did cast into my eyes a subtile beame,
- Which peirieinge[269] deepe, into my fancy went,
- And did awake my muse out of her dreame,
- and unto her new life and vertue lent:
-
- Soe that shee now begins to raise her eyes
- Which yett are dazled with her beautye's raye;
- And to record her wonted melodyes,
- Although at first shee bee not full so gaye.
-
-[Footnote 265: = freckled? G.]
-
-[Footnote 266: Miswritten 'with which.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 267: Miswritten 'they.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 268: = more serious. See Vol. I., p. 160, and related Note in
-Postscript. G.]
-
-[Footnote 269: _Sic_: _not_ peircinge. G.]
-
-
-THE KINGES WELCOME.[270]
-
-[Footnote 270: From the autograph MS. in All Souls' College, Oxford,
-MS. 155. W. W. 11, 26, fol. 72, _a_ and _b_. The contractions of the
-MS. have been expanded, but _u_ and _v_ are reproduced. This full
-holograph of 'The Kinge's Welcome,' while it supersedes the short and
-imperfect copy from Dr. Laing's MS.--as first printed in our F. W. L.
-edition--confirms the authorship thereof. The abbreviated copy is also
-given after this one, as it is expedient to reproduce the MS. in its
-integrity. G.]
-
- O nowe or never gentle muse be gaye,
- And mount vp higher on thy paper winges,
- Then doth the larke when he salutes the daye,
- And to the morne a merrie welcome singes.
-
- Fly swifter then the egle sent by art
- From Noremberg, to the Almaine emperour:
- A hand lesse cuning, but as true a hart
- Sends thee to a prince of greater worth and power.
-
- Rencounter him thowe shalt vpon the waye,
- like Phebus midst of all his golden trayne;
- And knowe him too thou shalt at first suruaye
- By proper notes and by distinctions plaine.
-
- By his faire outward formes and princely port,
- by honours done to him with capp and knee;
- He is decyphred by the vulgar sorte,
- but truer caracters will rise to the[e].
-
- Thy sight had once an influence devine.
- which gave it power the soule of man to viewe;
- wipe and make cleane that dazeled eye of thine,
- and thowe shall see his reall markes and true.
-
- Looke ouer all that divers troope, and finde
- whoe hath his spirites most Jouiall and free,
- whose bodie is best tempred, and whose minde
- Is ever best in tune, and that is hee.
-
- See who it is whose actions doe bewraye
- that threefold power, which rarely mixt we see;
- A iudgment graue, and yet a fancie gaye,
- Joynd with a ritch remembrance, that is hee.
-
- Marke who it is, that hath all noble skill,
- which maye to publique good referrèd bee;
- the quickest witt, and best affected will,
- whence flowes a streame of vertues, that is hee
-
- If any more then other clearely wise
- or wisely iust or iustly valiant be;
- If any doe fainte pleasures more despise,
- or be more maister of himselfe, 'tis hee
-
- But soft, thie Egletes eye will soone be dym
- If thou this rising sunne directly viewe;
- looke syde waies on the beames that spread from him;
- faire peace, rich plentie, and religion true
-
- Besides a guard of blessed angells houer
- about his sacred person, day and night;
- and with invisible winges his head doe cover,
- that dangers dartes thereon may never light
-
- When by these proper notes thowe shalt him ken,
- fly towardes him with winges of love and feare;
- like fire which most doth wane and tremble then
- when it doth mount most high and burne most cleare.
-
- Yet on; for wingèd time with the[e] goes on,
- which like old Æ'son hath his youth renewd;
- his hower glase turnèd and his sickle gone,
- and all his graye and broken fethers mewd.
-
- On, for the braue yong sonn aboue his head
- Comes Northward, that he may his glorie meete;
- whilest the fresh earth in all her pride doth spread
- greene veluit carpettes vnderneath his feete.
-
- On, for thee birds will help to fill thie songe,
- whereto all english harte stringes doe agree;
- And the Irish harpe stringes, that did iarre soe long
- to make the musicke full, nowe tunèd be.
-
- There is noe eye cast downe, there is noe voice
- that to pronounce the harte assent, is dombe;
- the world of thinges doth everie where reioyce,
- in certaine hope of blessed times to come
-
- Thousandes while they possesse and fill the waies
- doth both desire, and hinder his repaire;
- they fill the emptie heaven with praier and praise,
- which he requites with demonstrations faire.
-
- Then what hast thowe to doe, and what remaines?
- praie as the people doth, and add but this
- This little wish; that whiles he lives and raignes,
- he maye be still the same, that nowe he is.
-
- John Dauis.
-
-
-TO THE KINGE
-
-UPON HIS MA'TIES FIRST COMMING INTO ENGLAND.
-
- O now or neuer, gentle Muse, be gaye:
- And mount up higher with thy paper winges,
- Than doth the larke when hee sallutes the daye,
- And to the morne a merry wellcome singes.
-
- Thou must goe meete King James, upon the way
- Advanceing Southward, with his golden trayne;
- And know him too thou maist at first survaye,
- by proper noates and by distinctions plaine.
-
- By his faire outward formes, and princely port,
- By honour done to him with cap and knee,
- Hee is distinguist to the vulgar sort:
- but truer characters will rise to thee.
-
- Thy sight had once an influence divine,
- Which gaue it power the Soule of man to vew:
- Wipe and make cleare that dazled eye of thine,
- and thou shall see his reall markes and true.
-
- Looke over all that divers troope, and finde
- Who hath his spirits most joviall and free;
- Whose body is best tempred, and whose mind
- is ever best in tune; and that is he.
-
- See who it is, whose actions doe bewraye
- That threefold power, which rarely mixt wee see;
- A judgment grave, and yett a fancy gaye
- joynd with a rich remembrance, That is hee.
-
- Marke who it is, that hath all noble skill,
- Which may to publicke good referrèd bee:
- The sharpest witte and best affected will,
- whence floes a streame of vertues, That is hee.
-
- If any more than other clearely wise,
- Or wisely just, or justly valiant bee;
- If any doe faint pleasure more dispise
- or bee more maister of himselfe, its hee.
-
- But soft, thine eagle's eye will soone bee dim,
- If thou this risinge sonne directly vewe:
- Looke sidewayes on the beames that spread from him,[271]
- Faire peace, with Plenty, and Religion true.
-
- With that strong g'ard of Angells which doe houer
- About his sacred person, daye and night:
- And with invissible winges his head doe cover,
- that danger's darts thereon may neuer light.
-
- Now on, for wingèd Time with thee goes on,
- Which like old Æson hath his youth renewed,
- His hower glasse turnd, and his sickle gon,
- and all his graye and broken feathers mewd.
-
- On, for the brave young sonne above his head
- Comes North ward, that hee may his glory meete;
- While the fresh Earth in all her pride doth spread,
- greene velvett carpetts underneath his feete.
-
- On, for the birdes will helpe to fill the songe,
- Whereto all English hartstringes will agree:
- An' th' Irish harpstringes that have jarrd soe longe,
- to make the Musicke full, now tunèd bee.
-
- There is noe eye cast downe, there is no voyce
- Which to expresse the harts assent, is dumbe:
- The world of thinges doth every where rejoyce
- In certaine hope of blessed times to come.
-
- While thousands doe posses and fill the wayes,
- The[y] both desire and hinder his repaire;
- They fill the emptie aire with prayer and praise,
- which hee requitts with demonstrations faire.
-
-[Footnote 271: Miswritten 'them.' G.]
-
-
-TO THE QUEENE AT THE SAME TIME.
-
- If wee in peace had not received the kinge
- Wee see wee had beene conquered, since wee see
- The Queene such armyes doth of beauties bringe
- As all our eyes and hearts her vassals bee.
-
- The Danish armyes once great honnour wonne
- Upon this Land; yett conquered but a part.
- But you greate Lady more, alone, haue done;
- For at first sight you conquer'd every heart.
-
- Starre of the North! upon these Northerne Realmes
- Long may your vertues and your beauties raigne:
- Beyond our Cinthiae's yeares, whose golden Beames
- Ar[e] sett with vs, and cannot shine againe:
- Well may it bee; though sunne and moone goe downe
- Seas haue noe power the North pole starre to drowne.[272]
-
-[Footnote 272: The allusion is to the storm on her voyage to Scotland
-in 1590. Cf. Constable's Sonnet to the King of Scots. See our
-Memorial-Introduction on these Lines. G.]
-
-
-MIRA LOQUOR SOL OCCUBUIT NOX NULLA SECUTA EST.
-
- By that Eclipse which darkned our Appollo,
- Our sunne did sett, and yett noe night did follow;
- For his successor's vertues shone soe bright,
- As they continued still, there former light; [_their_]
- And gaue the world a farther expectation
- To adde a greater splendor to our Nation.
-
-
-CHARLES HIS WAINE.
-
- Brittaine doth vnder those bright starres remaine,
- Which English Shepheards, Charles his waine, doe name;
- But more this Ile is Charles, his waine,
- Since Charles her royall wagoner became.
- For Charles, which now in Arthure's seate doth raigne,
- Is our Arcturus, and doth guide the waine.
-
-
-OF THE NAME OF CHAROLUS, BEING THE DIMINATIVE OF CHARUS.
-
- The name of Charles, darlinge signifies:
- A name most fitte, for hee was ever such.
- Neuer was Prince soe deare in all mens eyes.
- Soe highly valued or esteemed soe much:
- Edgar was England's darlinge, once wee find,
- But Charles the Darlinge is of all mankind.
-
-
-VERSES SENT TO THE KINGE WITH FIGGES: BY S^{r}. JOHN DAVIS.
-
- To add unto the first man's happiness,
- His maker did for him a garden make;
- And placd him there, that hee the same might dresse,
- And pleasure great with little labour take.
- And this with nature stands, and reason right,
- That man who first was formèd of the earth
- In trimminge of the earth should take delight,
- And her adorne from whom hee tooke his birth.
- Nor her for this doth hee ungratefull finde;
- For shee in gardens her best fruites doth yealde.
- The Earth in gardens is a mother kinde,
- When shee is but a steepdame in the feild.
- Sir, in your service God hath mee soe blest
- As I haue beene enabled to acquire
- A garden, ready planted, trimd and drest,
- Whereto in vacant times I doe retire.
- This garden, and the fruite thereof, indeede
- Are fruites of your great favour unto mee;
- And therefore all the fruites which thence proceed
- A proper offeringe to your Highnes bee:
- But if this verse or boldness, meritt blame,
- Those figge leaues, S^{r}. I hope shall hide the same.[273]
-
-[Footnote 273: The six preceding pieces and the 'Elegiecall Epistle'
-are in the same handwriting with the 'Maid's hymne in praise of
-Virginity.' G.]
-
-
-[LOVE-LINES.]
-
- Stay lovely boy! why flyest thou mee
- that languish in theis flames for thee?
- I'me black 'tis true--why so is night,
- yet louers in darke shades delight:
- the whole World, doe but close thyne eye
- will appeare as black as I;
- or open'd, view but what a shade
- is by thyne owne fayre body made,
- that follows thee where ere thou goe:
- Ah, who allow'd would not doe so?
- lett mee for euer dwell so nigh,
- and thou shalt need no shade but I.
-
-
-[LOVE-FLIGHT.]
-
- Black Mayel, complayne not y^{t} I flye,
- since fate commaunds antipathy:
- prodigious must y^{t} vnion proue,
- where day and night togeather moue:
- and the commotion of our lipps
- not kisses make but an eclipps;
- where the commixèd blacke and white
- portend more terrour then delight:
- yet if thou wilt my shaddow bee,
- enioy thy deerest wish, but see
- that like my shaddow's property
- thou hast away as I come nye:
- els[e] stay till death hath blinded mee
- then I'le bequeath my selfe to thee.[274]
-
-[Footnote 274: These two are in a new and apparently less-trained
-handwriting. G.]
-
-
-AN ELEGIECALL EPISTLE ON SIR JOHN DAVIS DEATH.
-
- Morgan! to call thee sadd and discontente
- Were to proclaime thee weake; twere an evente
- Of more then folly, since the obscurest eye
- Is witness of thy magnanimity:
- And yett to tell thee that thou hast noe cause
- To greife, were to belye thy worth, because
- The gapinge wound speakes out the sovldiers fame,
- And deepe despites giue fortitude a name.
- Tis true hee's dead, and the sterne fates (accurst)
- There browes haue wrinkled, and haue done their worst
- To spite this State and thee, in tearinge hence
- That Nature's Accademy, that Starre, from whence
- Streamd such full influence, of what the mind
- Accounteth quintisentiall; and the vnkinde
- And cruell Death, hath blasted such a flower,
- Stolne such a gemme, as makes the sad Earth poore.
- And yett alasse[275] hee is not fledd for want
- Of what could make the ambitious, proud soule vaunt:
- For whilst hee liv'd hee brocke up Honour's gates,
- And pluck't bright fame from snarling Envie's grates
- Doomd to obliuion; and his unmatchèd penne
- (Drop'd from the winge of some bright Seraphin)
- Inculpates him thus to all eternitye
- The eldest of the Muses proginie.
- Said I hee's dead? not soe; he could not die,
- But findinge that curst lucre, bribery
- And puft[276] ambition were the scarlett crimes
- Of the Tribunall's tenants, and the times
- Not suitinge with his vertues, cause his manner
- Was to deserue and not desire, an honour;
- Hee's sor'd aloft, where nought but virtue's pris'd,
- And where base Mammon is not idoliz'd:
- To that Kinge's Bench where Iustice is not gould,
- Nor honours with old Ladies bought and sould;
- To heauen's Exchequer, with intent to paye,
- And render thence the Royall subsidaye
- Of his rich spirit, which his soueraigne tooke
- Without subscription, and crost Nature's booke.
-
-[Footnote 275: This use of 'alas' was common contemporaneously, and
-especially by the Puritan divines. G.]
-
-[Footnote 276: I am not quite certain as to this word. It may be
-'pust': query from pus = poisonous matter? and so intended to
-characterize ambition? G.]
-
-
-
-
-IX. ENTERTAINMENT OF QUEEN ELIZABETH AT HAREFIELD BY COUNTESSE OF
-DERBY.
-
-
-
-
-NOTE.
-
-
-This 'Entertainment' has the additional interest of having been that
-wherein "The Lottery" (pp. 87-95), was introduced. The reasons for our
-giving the whole to Davies, we have stated in the Memorial-Introduction
-(II. Critical: Minor Poems). Our text is from Nichols' Progresses of Q.
-Elizabeth, Vol. III., pp. 586-94. G.
-
-
-
-
-_Entertainment of Q. Elizabeth at Harefield by Countesse of Derby._
-
-
-After the Queene entered (out of the high way) into the Deamesne
-grounde of Harefielde, near the Dayrie howse, she was mett with
-2 persons, the one representing a BAYLIFFE, the other
-a DAYRIE-MAIDE, with the Speech. Her Majesty, being on
-horsebacke, stayed under a tree (because it rayned) to heare it.
-
-_B._ Why, how now, Joane! are you heere? Gods my life, what make
-you heere, gaddinge and gazinge after this manner? You come to buy
-gape-seede,[277] doe you? Wherefore come you abroade now I' faith can
-you tell?
-
-[Footnote 277: A pun on the open mouth of wonder and curiosity. G.]
-
-_Joa._ I come abroade to welcome these Strangers.
-
-_B._ Strangers? how knew you there would come Strangers?
-
-_Jo._ All this night I could not sleepe, dreaming of greene rushes; and
-yesternight the chatting of the pyes, and the chirkinge[278] of the
-frisketts[279] did foretell as much; and, besides that, all this day my
-lefte eare glowed,[280] and that is to me (let them all say what they
-wil) allwaies a signe of Strangers, if it be in the Summer; marye, if
-it be in the Winter, tis a signe of anger. But what make you in this
-company, I pray you?
-
-[Footnote 278: Imitative word, as the 'chirr' of the grasshopper. G.]
-
-_B._ I make the way for these Strangers, which the Way-maker himself
-could not doe; for it is a way was never passed before. Besides, the
-Mrs. of this faire company, though she know the way to all men's
-harts, yet she knowes the way but to few men's howses, except she love
-them very well, I can tell you; and therefore I myselfe, without any
-comission, have taken upon me to conduct them to the house.
-
-_Jo._ The house? which house? doe you remember yourselfe? which way goe
-you?
-
-_B._ I goe this way, on the right hand. Which way should I goe?
-
-_Jo._ You say true, and you're a trim man; but I' faith I'll talke noe
-more to you, except you ware wyser. I pray you hartely, 'forsooth,
-come neare the house, and take a simple lodginge with vs to-night;
-for I can assuere you that yonder house that he talks of is but a
-Pigeon-house, which is very little if it were finisht, and yet very
-little of it is finisht. And you will believe me, vpon my life, Lady, I
-saw Carpenters and Bricklayers and other Workmen about it within less
-than these two howers. Besides, I doubt my Mr. and Mrs. are not at
-home; or, if they be, you must make your owne provision; for they have
-noe provision for such Strangers. You should seeme to be Ladies; and we
-in the country have an old saying, that "halfe a pease a day will serve
-a Lady." I know not what you are, nether am I acquainted with your
-dyet; but, if you will goe with me, you shall haue cheare for a Lady:
-for first you shall have a dayntie sillibub; next a messe of clowted
-creame; stroakings,[281] in good faith, redd cowes milk, and they say
-in London that's restorative: you shall have greene cheeses and creame.
-(I'll speake a bould word) if the Queene herself (God save her Grace)
-[were here] she might be seene to eat of it. Wee will not greatly
-bragge of our possets, but we would be loath to learne to praise: and
-if you loue frute, forsooth, wee haue jenitings,[282] paremayns,[283]
-russet coates,[284] pippines, able-johns,[285] and perhaps a
-pareplum,[286] a damsone, I or an apricocke[287] too, but that they are
-noe dainties this yeare; and therefore, I pray, come neare the house,
-and wellcome heartily, doe soe.
-
-[Footnote 279: An unrecorded word. G.]
-
-[Footnote 280: Folk-lore, as in Herrick, &c. G.]
-
-[Footnote 281: = the last milk drawn from a cow in milking: same as
-strippings. G.]
-
-[Footnote 282: = rennets--a kind of apple? G.]
-
-[Footnote 283: = another kind of apple: see Gerard's Herbal, p. 1459
-(1636 edn.) G.]
-
-[Footnote 284: A species of apple like 'rennets.' G.]
-
-[Footnote 285: = apple-johns, as in 1, Henry IV., iii. 3: 2, Henry IV.,
-ii. 4 (_bis_). G.]
-
-[Footnote 286: Query, a peach? See Gerard, as before, (p. 1447).
-Perse-boom is given as the Low-Dutch name of the peach. G.]
-
-[Footnote 287: = Apricot. G.]
-
-_B._ Goe to, gossip; your tongue must be running. If my Mrs. should
-heare of this, I' faith shee would give you little thankes I can tell
-you, for offeringe to draw so faire a flight from her Pigeon-house (as
-you call it) to your Dayrie-house.
-
-_Jo._ Wisely, wisely, brother Richard; I' faith as I would vse the
-matter, I dare say shee would giue me great thankes: for you know my
-Mrs. charged me earnestly to retaine all idele hearvest-folkes that
-past this way; and my meaning was, that, if I could hold them all this
-night and to-morrow, on Monday morning to carry them into the fields;
-and to make them earne their entertaynment well and thriftily; and to
-that end I have heere a _Rake_ and _Forke_, to deliver to the best
-Huswife in all this company.
-
-_B._ Doe soe then: deliver them to the best Huswife in all this
-company: for wee shall haue as much vse of her paines and patience
-there as here. As for the dainties that you talke of, if you have any
-such, you shall doe well to send them; and as for these strangers, sett
-thy hart at rest, Joane; they will not rest with [thee] this night, but
-will passe on to my Mr[s.] house.
-
-_Joa._ Then, I pray, take this _Rake_ and _Forke_ with you; but I am
-ashamed, and woe at my hart, you should goe away soe late. And I pray
-God you repent you not, and wish yourselves here againe, when you finde
-you haue gone further and fared worsse.
-
-When her Maiestie was alighted from her horse, and ascended 3 steeps
-neare to the entering into the house, a carpet and chaire there sett
-for her; PLACE and TIME present themselves, and vsed
-this Dialogue:
-
-PLACE _in a partie-colored roabe, like the brick house_.
-
-TIME _with yeollow haire, and in a green roabe, with a hower
-glasse, stopped, not runninge_.
-
-_P._ Wellcome, good _Time_.
-
-_T._ Godden, my little pretie priuat _Place_.
-
-_P._ Farewell, godbwy _Time_; are you not gone? doe you stay heere? I
-wonder that _Time_ should stay any where; what's the cause?
-
-_T._ If thou knewest the cause, thou wouldst not wonder; for I stay
-to entertaine the Wonder of this time; wherein I would pray thee to
-ioyne mee, if thou wert not too little for her greatnes; for it weare
-as great a meracle for thee to receive her, as to see the Ocean shut up
-in a little creeke, or the circumference shrinke vnto the pointe of the
-center.
-
-_P._ Too little! by that reason shee should rest in noe _place_, for
-no _place_ is great ynough to receive her. Too little! I have all this
-day entertayned the Sunn, which, you knowe, is a great and glorious
-Guest; hee's but euen now gone downe yonder hill; and now he is gone,
-methinks, if Cinthia her selfe would come in his place, the place that
-contaynde him should not be to little to receave her.
-
-_T._ You say true, and I like your comparison; for the Guest that wee
-are to entertaine doth fill all places with her divine vertues, as
-the Sunn fills the World with the light of his beames. But say, poore
-_Place_, in what manner didst thou entertaine the Sunn?
-
-_P._ I received his glory, and was fill'd with it: but I must confesse,
-not according to the proportion of his greatnes, but according to the
-measure of my capacitie; his bright face (methought) was all day turned
-vpon mee; nevertheless his beames in infinite abundance weere disperst
-and spread vpon other places.
-
-_T._ Well, well; this is noe time for vs to entertaine one another,
-when wee should ioine to entertaine her. Our entertaynment of this
-Goddesse will be much alike; for though her selfe shall eclipse her
-soe much, as to suffer her brightnes to bee shadowed in this obscuere
-and narrow _Place_, yet the sunne beames that follow her, the traine I
-meane that attends vpon her, must, by the necessitie of this _Place_,
-be deuided from her. Are you ready, _Place_? _Time_ is ready.
-
-_P._ Soe it should seeme, indeed, you are so gaye, fresh, and
-cheerfull. You are the present _Time_, are you not? then what neede you
-make such haste? Let me see, your wings are clipt, and, for ought I
-see, your hower-glasse runnes not.
-
-_T._ My wings are clipt indeed, and it is her hands hath clipt them:
-and, tis true, my glasse runnes not: indeed it hath bine stopt a longe
-time, it can never rune as long as I waite upon this Mris. I [am] her
-_Time_; and _Time_ weare very vngratefull, if it should not euer stand
-still, to serue and preserue, cherish and delight her, that is the
-glory of her time, and makes the _Time_ happy wherein she liueth.
-
-_P._ And doth not she make _Place_ happy as well as _Time_? What if she
-make thee a contynewall holy-day, she makes me a perpetuall sanctuary.
-Doth not the presence of a Prince make a Cottage a Court, and the
-presence of the Gods make euery place Heauen? But, alas, my littlenes
-is not capable of that happines that her great grace would impart vnto
-me: but, weare I as large as there harts that are mine Owners, I should
-be the fairest _Pallace_ in the world; and weere I agreeable to the
-wishes of there hartes, I should in some measure resemble her sacred
-selfe, and be in the outward frount exceeding faire, and in the inward
-furniture exceeding rich.
-
-_T._ In good time do you remember the hearts of your Owners; for, as
-I was passing to this place, I found this _Hart_,[288] which, as my
-daughter _Truth_ tould mee, was stolne by owne[289] of the Nymphes
-from one of the seruants of this Goddesse; but her guiltie conscience
-enforming her that it did belong only of right vnto her that is Mrs.
-of all harts in the world, she cast [it] from her for this time; and
-_Oportunity_, finding it delivered it vnto me. Heere, _Place_, take it
-thou, and present it vnto her as a pledge and mirror of their harts
-that owe thee.
-
-[Footnote 288: A Diamond.]
-
-[Footnote 289: = one. G.]
-
-_P._ It is a mirror indeed, for so it is transparent. It is a cleare
-hart, you may see through it. It hath noe close corners, noe darkenes,
-noe unbutifull spott in it. I will therefore presume the more boldly
-to deliver it; with this assurance, that _Time_, _Place_, _Persons_,
-and all other circumstances, doe concurre alltogether in biddinge her
-wellcome.
-
- _The humble Petition of a guiltlesse Lady, delivered in writing vpon
- Munday Morninge, when the [robe] of rainbowes was presented to the Q.
- by the La._ WALSINGHAM.
-
- Beauties rose, and vertues booke,
- Angells minde, and Angells looke,
- To all Saints and Angells deare,
- Clearest Maiestie on earth,
- Heauen did smile at your faire birth,
- And since, your daies have been most cleare.
-
- Only poore St. _Swythen_ now
- Doth heare you blame his cloudy brow:
- But that poore St. deuoutly sweares,
- It is but a tradition vaine
- That his much weeping causeth raine,
- For S^{ts} in heauen shedd no teares:
-
- But this he saith, that to his feast
- Commeth Iris, an vnbidden guest,
- In her moist roabe of collers gay;
- And she cometh, she ever staies,
- For the space of fortie daies,
- And more or lesse raines euery day.
-
- But the good St., when once he knew,
- This raine was like to fall on you,
- If S^{ts} could weepe, he had wept as much
- As when he did the Lady leade
- That did on burning iron tread:
- To Ladies his respect is such.
-
- He gently first bids Iris goe
- Unto the Antipodes below,
- But shee for that more sullen grew.
- When he saw that, with angry looke,
- From her her rayneie roabes he tooke,
- Which heere he doth present to you.
-
- It is fitt it should with you remaine,
- For you know better how to raine.
- Yet if it raine still as before,
- St Swythen praies that you would guesse,
- That Iris doth more robes possesse,
- And that you should blame him no more.
-
-At her Maiesties departure from Harefield, PLACE, attyred in
-black mouringe aparell, vsed this farewell followinge:
-
-_P._ Sweet Maiestie, be pleased to looke vpon a poore Wydow, mourning
-before your Grace. I am this _Place_, which at your comming was full
-of ioy; but now at your departure am as full of sorrow. I was then,
-for my comfort, accompanied with the present cheerful _Time_; but now
-he is to depart with you; and, blessed as he is, must euer fly before
-you: But, alas! I haue no wings, as _Time_ hath. My heauiness is such,
-that I must stand still, amazed to see so greate happines so sone
-bereft mee. Oh, that I could remoue with you, as other circumstances
-can! _Time_ can goe with you, _Persons_ can goe with you; they can
-moue like Heaven; but I, like dull Earth (as I am indeed) must stand
-vnmouable. I could wish my selfe like the inchanted Castle of Loue,
-to hould you heere for euer, but that your vertues would dissolue all
-my inchauntments. Then what remedy? As it is against the nature of an
-Angell to be circumscribed in _Place_, so it is against the nature
-of _Place_ to haue the motion of an Angell. I must stay forsaken and
-desolate. You may goe with maiestie, joy, and glory. My only suyte,
-before you goe, is that you will pardon the close imprisonment which
-you haue suffred euer since your comminge, imputinge it not to mee,
-but St. Swythen, who of late hath raysed soe many stormes, as I was
-faine to prouide this _Anchor_,[290] for you, when I did vnderstand
-you would put into this creeke. But now, since I perceaue this harbour
-is too little for you, and you will hoyse sayle and be gone, I beseech
-you take this Anchor with you. And I pray to Him that made both _Time_
-and _Place_, that, in all places where euer you shall arriue, you may
-anchor as safly, as you doe and euer shall doe in the harts of my
-Owners.
-
-[Footnote 290: A Jewell.]
-
-
-THE COMPLAINT OF THE V SATYRES AGAINST THE NYMPHS.
-
- Tell me, O Nymphes, why do you
- Shune vs that your loues pursue?
- What doe the Satyres notes retaine
- That should merite your disdaine?
-
- On our browes if hornes doe growe,
- Was not Bacchus armèd soe?
- Yet of him the Candian maid
- Held no scorne, nor was affraid.
-
- Say our colours tawny bee,
- Ph[oe]bus was not faire to see;
- Yet faire Clymen[291] did not shunn
- To bee Mother of his Sonne.
-
- If our beards be rough and long,
- Soe had Hercules the strong:
- Yet Deianier,[292] with many a kisse,
- Joyn'd her tender lipps to his.
-
- If our bodies hayry bee,
- Mars as rugged was as wee:
- Yet did Ilia[293] think her grac'd,
- For to be by Mars imbrac'd.
-
- Say our feet ill-fauored are,
- Cripples leggs are worse by farre:
- Yet faire Venus, during life,
- Was the lymping Vulcan's wife.
-
- Breefly, if by nature we
- But imperfect creatures be;
- Thinke not our defects so much,
- Since Celestial Powers be such.
-
- But you Nymphes, whose veniall loue
- Loue of gold alone doth moue,
- Though you scorne vs, yet for gold
- Your base loue is bought and sold.
-
-[Footnote 291: Clymene. G.]
-
-[Footnote 292: Deianeira, daughter of Oeneus. G.]
-
-[Footnote 293: Mother of Romulus. G.]
-
-
-finis.
-
- * * * * *
-
-Transcriber's note:
-
-In this etext a superscript is indicated by ^{e}
-
-The oe ligature is represented by [oe]
-
-
-
-
-
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