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Epigrams

John Owen (1616-1683) · 12,281 words · 55 min

The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A08687.0001.001

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The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.

This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.

Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.

However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.

This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.

Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org

EPIGRAMS OF That most witty and worthy Epigrammatist M r . JOHN OWEN, Gentleman. Translated by JOHN VICARS.


Epig. 233. Lib. Singu.

Authors have Auctours of Good-Name or Shame, As Readers Lookes to Writers Books do frame.

LONDON, Printed by W. S. for John Smethwicke, and are to be sold at his Shop in S. Dunstanes Church-yard under the Dial▪ 1619.

TO THE MOST HIGH, HOPEFVLL and Happy CHARLES, Prince of Wales.

Epig. 7. Lib. Ter. Priorum Sex.

GReat Britain's great Hope, Parents sprouting Vin
Fathers and Mothers Halfe, by Princely Line,
Well-nigh vn-pattern'd Pattern of rare Parts,
Whō, though Few equal, All Love in their harts:
These Princely Parts, whence had they this great growth
From Fathers Loines or Mothers Paps? From Both.
Be still, (as th' art) Parents Idea right;
Let none thee equal in such Princely Light :
That being Virtues Prince and Principal,
Heaven may Thee Bless with Bliss Angelical,

Most heartily desireth your Graces most humbly Deuoted, JOHN VICARS.

THE TRANSLATOR to the most Worthy and weldeseruing Author.

TRue Imitation of men's worthy Deedes
From Love of them (as I suppose) proceeds:
Yet many-times Ambitious Emulation
May in such Actions stain True Imitation.
But unto me, Love was the Golden-Spurre,
If otherwise, I might just shame incur:
For what I should I could not; what I could
I here have done, though far from what I would.
Thy wit therefore brave Epigramatist,
To praise condignly, in me cannot consist.
Yet that I may not Envious be deemed,
Not caring though I be a Fool esteemed.
Some thus I Praise, and thus their praise do write,
I will none Disprayse, most undone pass my might.
Excuse herein (kind Sir) what's Mis-committed,
And pardon me, if ought be Ill-omitted.

Thine in the unlimited limits of Love, IO. VICARS.

To the Courteous Readers.

ANteus-like I long have fought a fight:
But, find in conflict a Superior might.
Oft have I wrestled, but still foild and fell'd
By▪ my Competitor am far excel'd.
Witness my weakness in this last assault,
Forced here and there to tire, retire and halt.
And marvel not, (kind Readers ) though I sweat,
Having to do with this Alcides great.
Whose Policy and Power I have found such,
As ere to equalize is too-too-much:
But here's my comfort, though those Champions fought
With Ire most dire to th'Death to fight it out,
Yet our Contention is with sweet desire,
My Authors Love and Thine how to acquire:
Which if I gain, as tis my Hope I shall,
I will not thus fly, but try another fall.

Thine I. V.

EPIGRAMS. To the Prince.

I, Not for Fashion, but for Fauours sake,
From Thee Prime Prince my Proem here do take.

Out of the first Book. Epig. 1. Lib. 1. Sex Librorum.

EPIG. 1. To the Lady NEVIL.

THat this my Book, whereit comes, may Patrons find ;
To th' Readers It, My-self to Thee's assigned.

EPIG. 2. To the Reader.

REader, do • nit Praise, nor disprayse All I write;
Lest so I blaze thy Want of Wit, or Spight.

EPIG. 3. To JOHN HOSKINS, I. C. of his Book.

MY Book's the World, my Verses People be;
There's few Good-men, Here, few Good strains you will see.

EPIG. 4▪ To the Lady MARY NEVEL.

IF that opinion of Pythago • as
Be true, that Spirits one t' another pass;
Then, Venus, Juno's, Pallas, Souls most rare,
By Beauty, State and Learning, in Thee are:
Such Three in One are seldom seen or found,
Many are rare for One; Three have Thee crowned.

EPIG. 5. To the same Lady.

AS Phoebus fair, shows, shines ith' Air ;
as Light ith' Sun most bright:
So in thy face, with Princely Grace,
Dwels Virtue with Delight.
For, whosoere but comes Thee near,
To Look on Thee, Thee Loves ;
Thy Beauty, Bounty, wond'ring at,
So precious he approves.

EPIG. 13. Love.

LOues first approach, Delights sweet Sōg doth sing;
But in departure She Woes sting doth bring:
So, the sweet streams of Springs to Sea which hie,
Mixt with Salt-waters, taste vnsauerily.

EPIG. 6 To Master THOMAS NEVEL, Son to the foresaid Lady.

IN thee, do shine such Gifts worth admiration;
That, though All-T • ue, they pas • e all true relatiō.
Who Childrē praise, their Hopes not Hap do praise,
Thy Hap, not Hopes, thy wit, thy worth doth blaze.

EPIG. 9. To the Lawyer.

IF He be Blest, that Knowes of things the Cause;
O▪ What is He that Pleades a Cause by Laws.

EPIG. 11. To Degenerous, Generous AVLVS.

I Gnoble, Noble, Aulus, owes
All, to's Progenitours ;
And his Successors, sure, I think,
Will never be his Debtours.

EPIG. 12. Against Hernick.

HErnick, thou Boughtst a Fool for 20▪ pound:
To Buy Thee at that rate, I'd not be bound.

EPIG. 14. To D. GILBERT.

DOst say, the Earth stands Not? that's admirable;
Thou wast at Sea, sure, when thou writ'st this Fable.

EPIG. 15. To Physicians and Lawyers.

Our Sores and Sickness, Galen made thee wise,
And thee Justinian, our great Fooleries.

EPIG. 19. To LINVS.

TH' ast Books good store, but thee more Learn'd I'd-hold,
If th' adst such store of Bags full crammed with Gold.

EPIG. 20. To a Noble young Gent.

FRiends wish their Friends long Liues to Live,
But, None their Death desire;
As one should wish a sore Dis-ease,
But Ne're would Cure requi • e.

EPIG. 23. Against MARCVS.

WH • t meant'st thou Marcus, stiffly to maintain,
That Nought in Nature Empty do • h remain?
Since thou thyself hast such a huge great Head,
Of Wit most void and wholly Emptyed.

EPIG. 26. To PHYLLIS.

IF Love be Firy (as Lovers say and hold)
Thy fiery Love is then (alas) most cold.

EPIG. 31. Prophets, Poets.

PRophets, do truly things to come fore-know ;
Poets, things past in Fictions false do show.

EPIG. 32. Of Life and Death.

AS Rivers pleasant So • rce to th' Salt-Sea hastes;
So, day by day Life unto Death still wastes.
It is sweet to Live, but (oh) tis dire to die,
Thus sweet with bitter ends Mortality.

EPIG. 36. Of Life and Love.

THough every Action to an End doth bend;
Yet Life and Love do hate their proper End.

EPIG. 38. The Housband, and the Cuck-old-Maker.

Housband.
FYe on this Life, I took a Wife,
Her Love Another got;
So, you poor Bees with Honey-knees,
Your pains are oth • rs Lot.
Cuck old-Maker.
O, This is brave, I Sons should have,
Yet Others take my Due ;
So, you poor Birds do hatch young Broods,
For others, not for you.

EPIG. 39. New Rhetoric.

WHo so wants Gold, in vain doth hold
An Argument with any;
He's best Linguist, that hath his fifth
Well filled with Make-way Money:
Not Sillab'lls, but Silver-bells,
Now, make the rarest ring;
Homer, arit poor? then stand at Door,
Though thou canst sweetly Sing.

EPIG. 42. Against BORBONIVS the Poets Trifles.

WHat thou call'dst Trifles, but not thought'st so much,
I call not Trifles, but I think th' are such.

EPIG. 48. To the True Statesman.

THough for thy Country it be praise to die;
Yet, for her Good to Live, 's more dignity.

EPIG. 55. The Courtier.

IF thou be Good, Better in time,
Not Greater, thou mayst be:
If thou be Great, thee Greater then,
Not Better, Time may see.

EPIG. 58. A Secret against Hoary-Haires to Bithynicus.

THat, in Old-Age thy Haire may not wax- Gray,
Baldness in Youth (ô rare!) is the right way.
Probatum est.

EPIG. 63. Against Pontia.

ALL Cuck-olds, cast ith' Sea, Pontius would have:
Learn first to swim (quoth's Wife ) thyself to save.

EPIG. 68. Venus.

Love comes and goes, retyres, returns,
As Sea's do ebb and flow,
How comes it Love 's so like the Sea?
How? Venus thence did g • ow.
In Venus is Varietie,
Sometimes She Nill, She Will ;
Therefore with Mouing-Planets placed,
Not with Stars standing still.

EPIG. 70. Woman.

WOman as Weaker or more Soft is said,
Yet Eve o' th' Bone of Mā, not Flesh was made.

EPIG. 71. Affinity twixt Lawyers and Physicians.

THe Lawyers and Physicians case
have near Affinitie ;
For, others Ruines make them Rich,
No doubt most Lawfully.
These Sucke the Sick, for Potions, Pounds,
For Law Those Lands purloyne:
These promise Health, and so get Wealth,
Those Quietnesse for Coyne.

EPIG. 82. Of the Day.

THe Day, with one-eye far moe things espies,
Than Night can see with more than Argos-eyes.

EPIG. 87. A Good-man.

THings that be Rare, are ever Deare,
And of great price esteemed:
Then sure (I think) an Honest-man,
Most precious may be deemed.

EPIG. 89. Against PAVLINVS.

PAulinus, when thy Friend Askes ought of thee,
Thine answer is, Tomorrow come to me.
Wou'dst have me give thee Thanks for what I borrow?
For thy Good-turn I will give thee Thanks tomorrow.

EPIG. 92. A Machiuilian.

COgge, Counterfeit, as thou shalt see
Both Time and Place require,
That when occasion's offered,
Thou mayst have thy desire:
Yea, now He's Wise can Temporize,
His hoped prey to catch;
For Gold and Gaine, who will refrain?
All seasons well to watch.

EPIG. 101. Death.

WHat Death is, dost thou ask of me?
Till Dead I do not know;
Come to me when thou hear'st I am Dead,
Then what tis I' shall show.

EPIG. 102. A Client.

THe Client going-Home, may sing by th' way,
And needs not fear the thief to bid him stay:
For Lawyers do for Fees so filch their coin,
That many times, they scarce know where to Dine.

EPIG. 104. Children and Fools tell True.

CHildren & Fools (our Proverb saith) tell true,
As who shuold say, th' are Fools the truth that show.
If thus they will have it, yet th' are Knaues that lie;
I will be Truths Fool, let them love Knauerie.

EPIG. 106. Against Ball'd-pates.

BAll'd-pate, my Haires I never could numerate,
Nor thou thine own, there's None left on thy pate.

EPIG. 115. Back-biters, Flatterers.

A Naxagoras was wont to say, that Snow
Was Black, more Black was Anaxag'ras Hart.
Many such Envious Elfes this Age doth know:
The flatt'ring Fox, with his dissembling Art,
Praised the Whitenesse of the Cole-black Crow ;
Such fawning Foxes are (alas) too many,
Who, for advantage Praise and Dis-praise any.

EPIG. 117. An Herculean Labor.

TO Curbe the Courage, and Wives Tongue keep-under,
May well be called, Hercules thirteenth Wonder.

EPIG. 123. Of Bardella a Thief.

THe Thief Bardella being Judge'd to Dye,
A Friar gave him Ghostly Exhortation:
Good-Brother (saith he) Dye most joyfully:
For thou shalt Sup in Heavens blest Habitation.
Sir (quoth Bardella) I must Fast this Day;
Take you that Supper in my stead I pray

EPIG. 1 • 8. Answer to Cynthiaes Epistle.

THy Paper white, thy Letter black came to me,
This thy foul-Hart, That thy white skin doth show me.

EPIG. 129. To Sextillian Sp.

SExtillian, when thy Father thee begot,
To Get thee, then, his mind (I think) 'twas not;
Himself to recreate, not thee Create,
Was all (I judge) he then did Cogitate:
If, more the Gift, than Giuers mind be praised,
Then, sure, thy Life to him is not engaged.

EPIG. 131. Saturnes three Sons.

DIuines are doubtful, Lawyers lew'd and ill,
Physicians foul ; yet these the World rule still:
If such ill Governors the People nurse,
No marvel, then, though all grow worse & worse.

EPIG. 137. Against Pomponia.

POmponia did a fickle feather wear
Upon her head; feathers do Soldiers fit.
True, and She this for Mars his Love did bear.
This shows, that Mars in Venus Lap may sit:
Thogh on their heads our Hellēs feathers have,
Marueile not, for, tis Paris favor brave.

EPIG. 146. Virtue in the Middle.

A Gallant Dame, scarce of good Name,
Ith' midst twixt two Men went,
Virtue, as here it may appear,
Her place had lost or lent.

EPIG. 150. To his absent Love.

I Burn poor wretch, and so much more
Am burnt with Loves desire;
By how much I am further off,
From my Love-burning Fire.

EPIG. 16 • . A Problem of Horns.

WHen Wives defile their Husbands marriage Bed,
Why wears the harmless Husband Horns? He's Head.

EPIG. 168. To the Reader, of himself.

MY brevity, though some may Sloth esteem▪
Yet to be brief, most Labor I do deem:
Much madly I speak not, with vulgar sort;
Though mine perhaps be foolish, yet tis short.

EPIG. 170. Of Himself.

ASke and Receive, so James th' Apostle says,
O that King James to me would use that Phrase ▪
FINIS.

EPIGRAMS.

Out of the second Book.

EPIG. 4. To the Lady MARY NEVELL.

IN Tables fair, our fading forms are painted,
That what 'ith face would fade, in Them may dure;
To paint in Tables I am unacquainted,
My Verse shall pourtray what power can procure,
That what Frames cannot, Verse may keep untainted,
Yet, none but rare Apelles that can do;
And, none but great Apollo this can show.

EPIG. 10. A true Troian.

THe Troians Troy being brought toannoy, grew wise;
Himself, this Troian, who doth not agnize?

EPIG. 16. To the Lord High Treasurer of England.

A Faithful Treasurer thou art
Unto thy King and State ;
Than all rich Treasures, I, thy Faith
More precious estimate.

EPIG. 24. To Richard Vaughan, once Bishop of London.

THose Preachers are to be esteemed best,
Which Do the things they Teach ought to be Done ;
Thou wast a Bishop learned best and blest,
Doing what thou hadst Taught men should not shun.

EPIG. 29. To Sir Philip Sidney.

HE which doth Deeds in Books to be expressed,
Or things worth reading rarely doth Indite,
Is blest; but thou who didst both these more blest,
Thou, Deedes worth writing, Works to read didst write :
Thy Writings do thy Learning intimate,
Thy Virtuous Deeds thy Virtue demonstrate.

EPIG. 32. To the Right Honorable Lucy, Countess of Bedford.

THe Light to thee (sweet Lu • y ) gives a Name,
Which through the woe • ld shines to thy datelesse fame.
The Luster of Illustrious Parēts wrought-Thee
Thy Wit, thy Virtue, to this Light have brought Thee▪

EPIG. 33. An Honorable Gold-Ring : To Henry Goodyeer, Knight.

NObilitie's the Gold, Virtue the Stone ;
For ever mayest thou by this Ring be known.

EPIG. 35. To D. B.

IF he Live-well, that Liues a Quiet Life,
If Wisdom 't be, that Wisdom be concealed,
Then thou Liu'dst-well, whose Wit and Wisdom rife
The more thou hidst, the more thy worth revealed.

EPIG. 40. The Strength of England to the Prince.

ENglands safe Gates, are her Cinque-Ports ;
Her stately Ships, her Walls ;
Her Camps, the Sea; Bulwarks, her Corps ;
Her Heart, her Generalls.

EPIG. 41. The Terrestriall Globe.

THe Earth and Sea one Globe do make,
And who would this suppose?
Earth firm Remaynes, the Sea Remooues,
Earth 's fast, Sea ebbs and slowes.

EPIG. 42. Vn-Healthy Healths.

BY how much more thou Healths dost drink,
So much less Health thou haste;
Thousand such Healths take thou, for me,
That Health by Healths wilt waste:
To wisemen, that, is Healthiest,
To drink no Healths at-all;
What Health can be in drinking Healths?
W • en Men like Beasts must crawl.

EPIG. 43. The Divine, the Politician,

The Divine.
WHat profits it that thou dost know,
Unless another know it?
Politician.
What boots thy Knowledge unto thee?
If thou to others show it.

EPIG. 52. The Lover.

VNconstant- Hope, most Constant- Fear:
Vain- Pleasure vanishing;
Joy and Annoy, Honey and Gall,
Love bitter-relishing.

EPIG. 55. The German-Death to Polynicus.

DEath, 's Not to be ; so Seneca doth think,
But Dutch-men say tis Death to Cease to Drink.

EPIG. 61. The Niggard, the Prodigal.

PRodigalls, are free • -hearted Rhetoricians,
Niggards are hold-fast-close and sly Logicians :
The Clutch-fist Churl by Logic understand,
By Rhetoric the Spend-Thrifts Open-hand.

EPIG. 65. The Earl of Dorset his Adagie, Neither furiously, nor fearfully.

DOubt all things wisely, wisely Hope for all;
Of all Take-heed, that thou mayst fear no fall.

EPIG. 66. Sir Henry Neuill his Adagie. Wish no vain thing.

NO vain, nor vile thing wish to have,
This Counsel is both wise and grave:
For, base things are of base esteem,
And wisemen, vain things, naught worth deem.

EPIG. 69. To his Friend.

I Will not be a Foe to any,
Nor be familiar with too many:
A • d twice I will not Love my Friend,
But whom I Love, I will Love to th' end.

EPIG. 70. Money overcomes all.

SErpents that crawl, Fish in the Sea,
Yea Beasts and Birds of th' Air ;
From Males and Females and All things,
Love, once, did Conquest b'are:
But Gold the King with's Silver Queen,
And Wealth their Eldest-Son ;
With power, Now rife, to win the Prize,
And it from Love have won.

EPIG. 73. Adultery and Fornication.

TH' Adult'rer and the Cucko • l, diff • rent be,
As Comedy is from a Tragedy.

EPIG. 74. Of Hercules to C. D.

WHom, never force nor fence of strongest arm▪
Could fell or quel, is vāquisht by Loves charm;
Who? prou'd so strong to wrong Al •• des great?
'Twas Love, but not by force but foul deceit:
He flew Leaena, Lena could not tame,
Monsters could never; his Mistress wrought his shame.

EPIG. 85. Erasmus Fooleries.

THat old Erasmus, Foolishness, did praise;
That, Foolishness, his wits fame much did raise.

EPIG. 90. Against Vnfaithfulnesse.

TRusting false words, I learned to distrust :
False Hope hath forced me fear, & that most just.

EPIG. 94. Wisdom.

WHo's wealthy? Wisemen ; who are Poor?
Rude Dolts, and Sots unwise;
If I be wise then, qui • kly, I
To Riches may arise:
But tell me, Now, what Man is wise?
The Rich ; who Fools? the Poor ;
Then, if not rich, though wise, I may
Go beg from door to door.

EPIG. 96. Against a certain Drunkard.

IF Gold could be as ease'lie Drunke,
As for it most men Thirst ;
Sellers of Gold their Paunch would be
Stuft, till their Bellies burst.

EPIG. 99. Anger or Wrath.

IT seems, that Aristotle us'd
To • all Wrath, Virtues Spurre ;
Because it Spurres, Spurnes virtuous men,
As being Enuies Curr.

EPIG. 106. To a certain Dyer waxing-old.

THy Beard, which once was Black, is now turned white:
But that's by Nature, not by Arts be • t slight.

EPIG. 120. Against a great Clerke.

SIcke- stomachs, much do swallow down,
But Little do Dig • st ;
So, thou knowest much, but yet, in thee
Small Wisdom is expressed.

EPIG. 124. Against an Harlot.

OH, I could wish thou wert less fair,
Or else wert better given;
For, worser things than Harlots fair,
There are not under Heaven.

EPIG. 127. To Claudius, and Linus.

VNgodly Claudius, to be Good,
Wants nothing but a Will:
Lewd Linus, also, wanteth naught
But Power to be Ill.

EPIG. 131. Against Covetous and Lame Alanus.

IF thou to Lame Al • nus, Gi • e,
Than Thanks, • xpect no mor • ;
In Thanks, th • n▪ like Centimanus
He'le be; though Lame before:
But if thou Give, and some Reward
Expectest for the same;
Then, though in Power Centimanus,
He'le be most Weak and Lame ▪

EPIG. 142. Against Marcus a Lawyer.

THe Lawyer Pleades his Owne not Clients Cause,
Yet Clients Mon • y he to London draws;
Not for Himself, but for his Lawy • rs Fees,
This Lawyers get how ere the Client Lees:
The Law is plain, the po • re man's Cause in doubt,
Thus Lawyers Gaine must hold the Client out.

EPIG. 148. Sir Francis Drake his Epitaph.

THough Pop'ry should (which Heaven forbid) re-reign,
They could not (Noble Drake) dig up thy Grave ;
Thy Bones to burn, as once with fell disdain,
They did against good Luther rage and rave:
Thou need •• not fear (I say) Rome's wrath, for why?
Thy Bones ith' Bottom of the Sea do lie.

EPIG. 165. The King, the People.

AS, when the Head with Wine's orecome,
The F • et trip to and fro▪
So Princes that Illiterate be,
Their Subjects overthrow.

EPIG. 166. The Senate.

THe King doth Rain himself alone,
Why then Rules he not All?
He which both Rules and Ruled is,
Rule others better shall.

EPIG. 168. Of Dyet, to I. H. Knight.

IF thou Old-age with healthful-days,
Desirest to enjoy;
Use Food as Phisike, Phisike a • Food,
Neither of both t' annoy:
For Phisike, taken as 'twere Food,
The Health doth strangely wrong;
But, Food, as Phisike wisely us'd,
Doth Life in Health prolong.

EPIG. 173. The five Senses.

THe Senses five, as Servants wait on Man,
To Please his Will, or win his Will to Pleasure,
Who use them With or Without Wisdomes Measure,
Their Profit or Dis-profit publish can.

EPIG. 179. The Obiects of the Senses.

MY Hearing, Sight, my Smell, my Taste, my Touch,
Do me affect and me infect as much.

EPIG. 185. The Phoenix, the Viper.

THe Phoenix, Dying doth her young Regaine ;
The Vipers brood doth breed her forced-bane.

EPIG. 186. The Silke-Worm.

MY Art draws-out my Heart ; my Toombe, my Toile ;
My Work works-out my Life ; I Spin my Spoile.

EPIG. 194. Manuring of the Ground.

THough Vile thou be, yet Vsefull th'art,
And for Manuring good;
For thou unto our Aliment,
Art Nutriment, though Mud.

EPIG. 196. The Parret.

IF lawfullit be, of things t' invert the name;
With prattling Parret, Prater is the same.

EPIG. 206. The Soldier.

WArres wounding Weapons hurt not so my He •• t,
As vnarm'd Venus pierceth with her Dart.

EPIG. 208 The Lovers Tears.

AS Wood sends forth much sap, when burnt ith' fire:
So, Lovers weep, when Crost in Loves desire.

EPIG. 213. Echo.

NO Art can Grave or Paint Mans Voice in Table,
Echo reflected Sounds t' express, is able.

EPIG. 214. The Looking-Glass.

NOt famous Phidias, nor Apelles rare,
Can Carue or Paint Motion, thou wilt it declare.

EPIG. 215. Echo and the Looking-Glass.

ECcho hath nothing but a Voice to Live,
The Mirreur nothing wants, if Voice you give.
FINIS.

EPIGRAMS.

Out of the third Book.

EPIG. 2. To the Lady Mary Neuil.

THou, who Vn-borne, the Burthen wast
Of thy then parient-Stem ;
Now, being borne, her Beauty art,
Even Parents joyful Iemme.

EPIG. 3. To the Reader of his Book.

I Fear (kind Reader) lest my Verse displease thee,
Carpe thou (fond Momus) it shall never disease me.

EPIG. 8. Basilicon Doron, to the King.

WHat need we Pen this Penman's praise,
Or write his Works rare worth ;
Whose Praise the Work, whose Work th' Author
T' each other full set-forth?

EPIG. 13. Of Virtue.

TRue Virtue, Praise, doth nothing prize ▪
Though Honor her attend;
As Shaddowes on the Body wait,
When's ra • es Sol forth doth send▪
• or, • ertue is Substantial,
Glory, but glittering show ;
As Bodies are Essentiall,
Shaddowes no Substance true.

EPIG. 20. Union.

VNion 's Divine; Division 's Devilish found,
For, there's one God, but Devils do abound.

EPIG. 21. Three Tempters.

Our Life, three subtle Sophisters retains,
The World, the Flesh, Satan, who ore thē reigns:
Satan 's an old Logician ; th' other two
Are Rhetoricians, and much skill can show.

EPIG. 23. Man to Man 's a God, a Wolf.

MAn unto Man a God, a Wolf is known,
The one in Chris • , in Adam tother's shown▪
For, Christ both God and Man, to Man 's a God,
Adam a Wolf to Man, God's plaguing Rod.

EPIG. 28. The Misery of this Life.

LOng-Life, though weak and wretched, Man desires;
That is, to be a Wretch he Long requires:
Weak, wretched Irus dies against his will;
That is, he would have Liu'd most wretched, still.

EPIG. 29. Of Nature and Grace.

A Gloomy-Moon-Light, is our Natures Light:
But Grace doth Glister, like the S • n most bright.

EPIG. 30. A Catechism.

TWice Six believe, for Se • en things pray,
Ten things perform, and Li • e for aye.
This Catechism use aright,
And thou shalt see Heavens glorious Light.

EPIG. 31. The Rich-man.

WHat is the Cause, few Rich, to H • au'n do go?
'T's a Costly-Journey, they will not much bestow.

EPIG. 34. The Holy-Ghost.

AS, Pigeons Li • e on Houses white,
And there-about abide:
So, God above, pure- Hearts doth love,
And with them will reside.

EPIG. 36. Of the King.

A Light-less Sun, is Law, without a King ;
A King without a Law, is nothing less:
Men mark the King, Kings Men by Laws redress:
Thus, Laws and People, Kings in order bring.

EPIG. 41. God-Man.

GOd could not feel, nor Man alone Death quell,
Christ, God and Man, did Both ; as Scriptures tell.

EPIG. 4 • . Death.

THe Bad fly from, the Good do Death attend;
Death 's th' End of Woe, or Woe without an End.

EPIG. 44. A Miracle.

LEt others, Wonders wond'rously admire:
I, God their Author most t' extol desire.

EPIG. 45. Adams Fall, Mans Thrall.

BY Adams Fall, Mans Soul did fall,
Ith' power of the Preacher ;
His Flesh to Phisike, and his Goods
To th' Lawyer, that Gold-Reacher.

EPIG. 46. To Adam.

THe Devil, Deaths-Dam, Eve and Adam
With Apple did deceive;
With his All-Hail, their Ioyes did fail,
And Edens bliss them leave.

EPIG. 48. The Tempter.

AS, Mice make Holes in Walls to get their prey:
So, Satan Find • or Makes ith' Heart a way.

EPIG. 49. Mortification.

THat thou mayst Live when Dead thou art,
To Dye, yet Live must be thy part;
Learn first to Dye, then, ere thou Dye ;
This, Sinful-flesh will Mortify.

EPIG. 51. Against thee-only have I sinned Psalm 51.

SVbiects, 'gainst God, the King, the Laws, offend;
Kings, only God, because Kings All transcend.

EPIG. 52. Prayer.

AS, Christ did Heavens vn-opit Gates penetrate:
So, Prayer by Faith must pierce Heavens fast bard Gate.

EPIG. 53. Mary Magdalens Tears.

HEr wand'ring Eyes, which viewed each Vanity,
She bleares with tears, and weeps most bitterly;
The cause (I judge) such brinish tears to bring,
Was, that the Eye was Sins first Fount and Spring.

EPIG. 55. Methuselah is Dead.

TO Live-Long, is not Life, to Live is Life:
What is 't to Live-Long, then? to Dye from strife.

EPIG. 56. Of Law and Justice.

THe Judge, not Justice, hath the most resort:
'It is strange; since Laws-way 's Long; Justice path Short.

EPIG▪ 57. Intemperance.

SInce, most desire a Long Life to enjoy;
By Luxury, why do we Life destroy?
We fain would Live, yet will the means refuse;
We wrong our Health, and then Physicians use.

EPIG. 60. Liberty.

IF He be well, which hath what he can wish,
Why then do Men for stinging Serpents fish?
True Liberty, 'mongst Virtues bears the Bell ;
He may Live as he Will, which Will Live Well.

EPIG. 63. The Cross of Christ.

THe Cross bore Christ, & Christ the Cross did bear ;
It Him, He, It bore, us to rid from fear.

EPIG. 64. Of Religion.

REligion, is a Tree, fruitful and fair,
And must be planted in each Good Mans Heart ;
The Root, is Labor, and the Fruit most rare,
Is Honor, every Godly-Mans Desert.
And, well isit said, Men first were God's by fear ;
For, to fear God is Piety 's first part:
Religions Root is b •• ter, bet • er on high,
For, Fear 's her Fount, her River 's Charity.

EPIG. 66. Marryed-folk.

MAn, Love thy Wife, thy Housband, Wife, obey,
Wines are our Heart, We should be Head always.

EPIG. 67. Study.

SOme men grow-mad, by Studying much to know:
But, who grows-mad, by Studying Good to grow?

EPIG. 69. The Blessed Virgin.

HEr Makers Mother, God's dear Spouse,
The Daughter of her Child ;
A Mayde, yet Wise; Mother, yet Mayde ;
Was Blessed Mary mild.

EPIG. 74. Liberty of Speech.

SOme, hold it th' only Liberty to Prate,
But that's true Freedom Speech to Moderate.

EPIG. 75. A Problem to Marcus.

WHat profits it, or Good or Bad to be?
Since, little difference twixt them Both we see,
For, Bad are punished justly as by force;
The Good by Might, as if by Lawfull course.

EPIG. 78. To Christ.

Our Hold-fast Anchor, and safe Ship
Of Faith, our Sea of Love ;
Earths sauory Salt, Coelestiall Sun,
Our Souls-Health from above:
Thy Cross hath Crossed Deaths great rage,
By thy Death, Death lies Dead ;
And isit not strange that Death should Dye,
Or ere be vanquished?

EPIG. 79. Self-Love.

THey, which the faults of others quickly spy;
But at their own will wink with Self-Loves Eye :
How ever, Such, to Some may seem full wise,
Yet, greatest folly this in them descryes.

EPIG. 84. A Prayser.

BY Praising, Good-men Better be,
Praise, Bad-men worse doth make:
Wise-men do grow mor • Cautulous,
Fool • s greater Pride do take.

EPIG. 92. Al-ways the same.

ONe-God, there ever was and ere shall be,
Why then One-Faith amongst us have not we?
One-Faith, as doth One Day, the world should light:
As One-God 's in the world, and Sun most bright.

EPIG. 94. Christ's Wounds.

CHrists Wounds, to us, were rather Salues than Sores,
For, our Lost-Healt • , by them, He tovs restores.

EPIG. 101. Christ the Way.

WOuld'st walk the Way which Leades to Life eternal?
'Twas Sent, 'tis Seene, in Christ thy King supernal.

EPIG. 104. Patience or Content.

THou'dst Dye, or not Dye; Death or Stayes,
Or Comes ; yet take thy Lot:
It is Ill to Nill, as Bad to Will,
When thou shouldst Dye, or Not.

EPIG. 109. Man.

THe Heart 's a Hurt, procured by Care,
Our Corps, Corruption dry;
W'are borne, but how? Oft to be sick,
We Live, why? oft to Dye.

EPIG. 112. Eloquence.

NOt many Weedes, but whole • some Herbs,
The fertile Grounds declare:
They're Eloquent which Well can speak ;
Not those which Babblers are.

EPIG. 117. O Times and Manners!

WHy thus do Men, M • nners and Times accuse?
When M • n themselves, Manners and Times abuse;
W' are Bad in the • , they worse • by us do grow,
Yet, we complain that help to make them so.

EPIG. 120. Of Strife or Contention.

O, I could wish, I might so happy be,
Men, Strive to Love, not Love to Strive, to see.

EPIG. 124. Marryed-folk.

A House, us both in Discord cannot contain,
In Bed, we both in Concord do remain.

EPIG. 135. Christ.

AS Morning is Nights End and Days beginning:
So Christ is Deaths End and Saluations Spri • ging.

EPIG. 140. Of Sleep.

IF Sleep be Death, then Death than Sleep
Can be estee • 'd noug • t else;
The more thou Slee • 'st then, less thou Liu'st,
This, plain • xperience tells,
A • d is our Death but like a Sleep?
When Men have Slept, they Wake ;
Then Courage Christian, Fear ô Wretch ;
Thee Heaven, thee Hell shall take.

EPIG. 147. Against Epicures.

OFt have I heard both Yong and Old complain,
That Love & Life donit Long-enough remain:
Lifes Pleasure, Pleasures Life is short soon spent;
He's wise therefore can leave both, with content.

EPIG. 148. Works.

GOod-men to Heaven, their Good-Deedes follow well;
The Wicked's Ill-Deeds, follow them to H • ll.

EPIG. 161. Sence, Reason, Faith, Love, God.

SEnce, void of Reason, silly is,
Reason's bad, without Faith;
Faith's Nothing-worth, if Love it lack,
Love 's good, if God it hath.

EPIG. 164. Wisdom, Fortitud • .

TIs Wisdom, Evils to beware,
To bear them's Fortitude ;
The Wise not bears, nor Valiant fears,
Harmes borne and well eschew'd.

EPIG. 165. Labor.

HE which by Sweat, would have Men Eate,
And by their Labor Live ;
If they take pain, with him to Rain,
Heavens Dainties will them give.

Epig. 168. Christian Aduerbes.

Not Adiectiues but Aduerbes best can do:
Not, What-Good, Ho • -Well God hath care unto.

EPIG. 171. Time.

TIme All Consumes, both Vs and every Thing,
We Time Consume, thus, Both one Song do Sing ▪

EPIG. 172. Much Admonition to his Friend Michael Heydon.

DOe nothing Rashly, Faintly; All with Heed,
Too-Late, too-Soone do nothing; All with Speed:
Nature, Thee faint, Wisdom Thee valiant makes,
Who? fears things fearful, which , Heed of them takes.

EPIG. 176. Honesty, Dishonesty.

GOod-men hate Vice, because they Virtue love,
That there's few-Good, this, then, doth plainly prove.
Dishonesty is now so high ascended,
And Honesty so Low, so vilipended;
That in these Sin-full, Sin-foul days well-nigh,
It is counted Vicious, to Live Vertuously.

EPIG. 178. Of the Soul.

MAns Soul Coelestiall is above the Skies:
For, with the Body if it Rise, it Dies.

EPIG. 180. Hell.

AS, Black by no means can be Dyed White,
From Hell to Heaven, so, None can take their flight.

EPIG. 192. Man.

MAn cries in's Birth, what Joy's then to be Borne?
Why weep we at Men's Deaths as Men forlorn?

EPIG. 196. Wise Simplicitie.

LIke harmless Dove, to Live in Love,
To all Men doth belong:
Like Serpents wise, Live, I advise,
That none may do thee wrong.

EPI • . 206. Upon the Death of Charles Blunt, Earl of Devonshire.

WHether Sad-Passion, or sweet Praise to use,
An Elegy or Elogie to choose,
I doubt devise, such is my Love, thy Loss ;
Oh, greedy Death to take Gold, leave us Drosse.
Now thou art Dead many tr • ke much of Thee,
Good, Best; Bad, Worst; this, is well prays'd to be.
FINIS.

EPIGRAMS.

Out of one sole Book.

EPIG. 23. Against Marcus.

NAture hath given two-Hands, one Tongue to Men,
They should perform more than they promi • e then
Thou'lt promise much, naught give, but All delay,
As though thou hadst two Tongues, no Hands to pay.

EPIG. 24. The Romish Mass-Priest, and Geneuian Minister.

Mass • -Priest.
FOr Adultery no man should Dye,
Thus Baals Priest still cries;
His Neighbors Wife, he Loves a Life,
Himself hath None ; He's Wise.
Geneuian Minister.
For Adultery 'tos fit Men should Dye,
Thus the Geneuian cries:
But what's the Cause he'd have such Laws?
His Wife is fair ; He's Wise.

EPIG. 27. Against a Covetous Client.

WHat? doft thou grudge, because the Judge
Is Deafe and will not hear?
Thy- Self 's to blame, who to him came,
And Feeling didst forbear.

EPIG. 34. Against Linus.

THou wast my Debtor when I Lent thee Coine,
Pay me mine own, and then I will be thine.

EPIG. 39. Man is a Stage-Player.

MAns Life 's a Tragike Comedy,
Hope is his Argument ;
The Prologue Faith ; the Acts are Love,
The Stage Earths Continent.
And in this Manner, when, to Day,
Kings and Mean-Men do end their Play ;
To Morrow, others take their Roomes,
Whiles they do fill up Graues and Tombes.

EPIG. 44. Neither in this World, nor in the World to come. Against Damiane.

WHether things Present or to Come, I mind,
Than thou, more Wretch, ith' World I cannot find,
The World to Come avails thee naught, Th' art Bad,
And being a Fool, no Good can here be had.

EPIG. 52. Against biting Momus or Carping Zoilus.

BAck-byter, why doest thou thy Brother Bite?
In Enuying what he hath well effected,
In Carping-at what he hath Ill -neglected,
Brothers, each Others Slips let-slip, not smite.

EPIG. 54. Against a Self-Lover.

VNto thy Neighbor, be as kind
As to thy- Self thou art;
Thou'lt say I am, how's that? my Self
Am nearest mine own Heart ▪

EPIG. 63. Learning most neglected.

LEarned Apollo, once, vnshaued went,
But now, He's Cut, sho • ne, torn and all-berent; space:
His Louely face is, now, in such a Case,
As scarce it Smiles, once, in a twelve-months
Alas, he Dreams that Deemes Parnassus pleasant,
Honor (Arts Hope) is given to every Pesant,
To play on Phoebus Lute,'s to play the Lout,
Learning goes Lame (now) and is Sick o'th' Gout:
When D • l • s have Lucke on Honors step to stay,
Let Scholars burn their Books and go to play!

EPIG. 67. 'It is Better to Give, than to Receive.

MAns property's to Take, and God's to Give,
Too few such Giving-God's in these days Live.

EPIG. 68. Against Ponticus the Client.

CLyent, art Sick of the C • thâgran-Gout,
And nothing on thy Lawyer wilt bestow?
O'th' Podagra He's ill then, cannot stir out,
A Lazie Lamenes then doth on him grow;
For if he be not both oft Pray'd and Pay'd,
Thy Caus • for this cause shall be long delayd.

EPIG. 71. Philautus and Philaristo.

Philautus.
THou doest expect (my Philarist)
That I, a Gift should send;
Except my Self, Gift have I none,
This, I to Thee commend.

EPIG. 72.

Philaristo.
YOu sent a Gift, and Nothing 'twas,
I, Nothing send to you:
You Gaue your Self, your Self to you
I send-back; so Adieu.

EPIG. 73. To Sir Henry Fanshaw, Knight.

IF Fortune had Alotted thee by Lot,
Augustus Empire or Mecoenas Store;
This Age had seen Poetic-Maro's more,
But, No Mecoenas, Maro is forgot.

EPIG. 78. A Heavenly Archer.

FAith, is our Shaft ; our Bow-string, Hope ;
Our Bow, is well-bent Love ;
Our Length and Height is Heaven on high,
Our Mark, is God above.

EPIG. 81. To a Litigious Debtor.

TH'art much perplexed and troubled day by day,
Not How thou Mayst, but How thou Mayst Not Pay.

EPIG. 91. Covetous Liberality, Against Acerra.

ACerra Giues to Take ; to Give Takes not:
To Take 's his Mark ; to Give 's his Shaft and Shot.

EPIG. 92. Against the Romish Catholic.

IF any one would thy Religion know,
'T's Catholic, Apostolic, thou wilt say;
Catholic Love, (I think) to All thou wilt show,
But why doest not for Catholic Faith pray?

EPIG. 101. The Souls Eclipse.

AS, Earth is Interpos'd, between
The Sun and Moons thick shade ;
So Sin betwixt Me and my God,
Hath Sep • ratio • made.

EPIG. 112. From the Wombe to the Tomb.

AS, Beasts ith' Fields to be our Food do Fate ;
So Worm • ling-Man is Borne to be Wormes-Meat.

EPIG. 119. Womens Tyre.

YOur high-horn'd Laces, are more like
A House-Top than a Tyre ;
To Build, not Beautifie their Heads,
Is Womens fond desire.

EPIG. 120. All-things are Nothing.

HE which made All of Nought, Himself is All :
And what God made of Nought, we Nought may call.

EPIG. 135. Funeral Sermons.

WE wrong Men Living, Praise them being Dead:
O Pleasant Death, ô gloomy-Life so Led!

EPIG. 121. Anger and Patience.

AS Water cools the Fires hot flame,
And Fire, Cold-water warms :
So Patience Peaseth Angry minds,
Wrath moves the Dull to Arms.

EPIG. 143. The Body bids the Soul fare-well.

FOr thee (ô Soul) my Mother Earth I left,
And now, I must of thee be thus bereft.

The Soul bids the Body fare-well.

And I, fond Fool, did God my Father Leave
For thee ; who Now to Heaven will Me receive,
I must to Him, Thou must to Her depart,
From Heaven am I, from Earth deriu'd, Thou art:
There, till we meet, we must Disioyn'd remain,
Till Earth Mee thee; God Thee Mee give again.

EPIG. 145. Hot-Waters.

Our trickling Tears express our private Love ;
Love causeth Tears ; strange, Fire should Water prove.

EPIG. 147. Poor Comfort to his Rich Friend.

VNconstant Fortune Changeth in short space,
Hence grows my Hope, thy Fear, • uch is thy case.

EPIG. 153. To his Friend waxing-old.

THou lately wast a Yong-man, I a Child,
My Self a Yong-man now, Thee, Old I see:
Death, shortly, Lookes for Thee, Old-Age for Mee,
Thy Lot 's most Sure, but I may be beguilde.

EPIG. 157. To Pontilian.

POntilian, art thou jealous over thy Wife?
Th' art wise ; but, art Not? then I say th' art wise ;
Watch Her, or Not, in vain is all thy strife,
For, if She list, She'le Fool thee 'fore thine eyes:
But, She 's a • ife most Louing, wise and just,
Who, though She could, never wrongs her Housbands trust.

EPIG. 160. London to I. W▪ Citizen and Gold-Smith.

EVen as, the Thames, small Spring • and Streames Drinks in,
So, London, Wealth, from poorer Towns doth win ;
But, though the Thames to Sea Runnes every Tide,
Silver and Gold at London still abide.

EPIG. 161. To William Cawley, a London Merchant. Debtor and Creditor.

THough in my Book, thy Name here be,
Yet, Mine in Thine, thou canst not show ;
For, more than Love, Thee Nought I owe,
This, I will expect, and Pay to thee.

EPIG. 166. A Marriage-Song.

ITh' Day, thou art the Object of mine Eyes ;
Ith' Night, Loves Subject thou shalt be likewise.

EPIG. 168. To his Beloved.

I Love thee well, Now-Knowne, I loved th' vn-kowne,
Thy fame did first, thy form now hath me taken;
Love, now I know; I Love, not Lou'd, forsaken,
I know what's, I Love, not I am Lou'd ; ô Moane.

EPIG. 169. A Younger Brother.

I am Poor, tis true; my Parents, Me blame not,
Who 'fore my Brother have not Me begot.

EPIG. 180. To Old Ponticus.

THou, which didst never Do good- Deed,
But still add Sin to Sin ;
When wilt thou these Bad Courses leave,
And to be Good begin?
O when I Dye, I will Leave (sayst Thou)
To th' Poor my Whole-Estate ;
He that's not Wise, until he Dyes,
I think is Wise too Late.

EPIG. 181. A Black-Moore in White Clothes.

O Rare seen Bird ! much like a Swan most white,
Thy Clothes as Snow, thy Skin like Pitch in sight.

Epig. 199. Gold out of Doung.

VIrgil, from • innius Doung, did Gold extract,
And our Physicians do the self-same Act.

EPIG. 205. To his Covetous Friend.

WHat Ric • -m • n have, tis All, their-own,
From Friends, Themselves, they will Spare:
But yet they Have- • ot, what they Have,
This is the Misers share.

EPIG. 208. Christ-Mass and Mid-summer.

John the Baptist, came ith' Sommers prime,
And Christ ith' Winter season;
They, Fire and Water, both, fore-show,
And both, for holy Reason :
How well these Contrarie • concur,
John's Fire, Christ's Water pure;
God's Fire our Sins to purify,
Christ's Water, Sin to Cure.

EPIG. 214. Aesop's Tongue.

OF all Mans Members, than the Tongue, there's none,
More Noble-Good, more Nimble Bad be known.

EPIG. 220. Hard'ned Wickedness Against Linus.

GOod-Wine (they say) makes Vinegar most Tart:
Thou, the more Witty, the more Wicked art.

EPIG. 240. Against Ponticus a Self-Lover.

NEyther the Mind nor Eye themselves do see,
That thou thy- self shuldst Love then, how mayit be?

EPIG. 241. A Querê.

O Would to God, that, that which Christ inquired
Of his Disci • les; what men of him spake :
The same of Prince, Priest, People were desired,
Of their Good-name and fame survey to take:
If everyone would this desire to know,
He'd Know he's Bad and Better, strive to grow,

EPIG. 242. Report, Error.

ERrours by Error, Tales by Tales great grow,
As Small Snow-balls by rolling too and fro.

EPIG. 249. Of Himself.

SOme men there be, which say of me,
That I am not a Poet ;
They say well, why? I do not Lye,
I write the Truth, I know it.

EPIG. 253. The Worlds Dungeon.

THis World's a Prison, Heaven as Walls doth stand,
The • aylour's Sin, Women our Iron-band.

EPIG. 259. The Bagge.

AS, Birds with Bird-Lime commonly are caught▪
So, wide-Bags are with Wealth well filed & fraught.
A Bagge and Bird Li • e are m ••• h like in using,
This Hangs, that Holds, Birds, Gold, both safe from losing.

EPIG. 276. To the Lady Arbella Stuart.

IF Fame or Virtue did consist in Words,
In thy Praise I might Thousand-Verses write:
My Muse cannot Promote thy Glory bright,
Thy Virtue rather Grace to It affords.

EPIG. 138. Everyone thinks his own fairest. Cic. Tuscul. Quaest. Lib. 5.

THy Neighbors Wife to The • , to Him thine 's fairest:
Then, that's not true, that All think their own rarest.

EPIG. 255. Mans Condition.

TIll one Foot falls, the tother doth not Rise ;
So one Mans wrack, Another magnifies.

EPIG. 262. Two Contrary Courtiers.

AT Court these Copesmates dwell, though not the same,
Momus who All, Gnatho who Nought will blame▪
FINIS.

EPIGRAMS.

Out of the six last Books.

The first Book. To the Reader.

DO'st marvel, why (since nowadays Men use
Verses in praise of th' Author) Iit refuse;
My Verses need no Patron to protect them,
If Good th'are Good ; if Bad th'are Bad, neglect them.

EPIG. 4. To the Prince.

THy Heart (in Brest, Hea • ts Chest) Sense, Reason, Will,
Thy Head, thy Wit, in Thee their Parts fulfill,
For, Reason, Sense; thy Wit, thy Will doth guide;
Thy Head is by thy Heart well rectifide.
Wales had three Princes styled-Great; thy Brother
Made-up the fourth; ith' fifth place Thou art th' other.

EPIG. 6. Orpheus.

ORpheus, his Wife Redeem'd from Hels hot flame,
Who e're knew Wife, for Husband do the same?

EPIG. 8. Whether Saint Peter were at Rome.

WHether or no, Saint Peter were
At Rome, is Disputable ;
• ut yet that Simon hath been there,
Is most Vn-refutable.

EPIG. 16.

  • Honors Etymo logic.
  • Honors Genea logic.
EBricians, Hon; French, Or' ; do Riches call,
Hence then we see Hon-ors original.
And since that Wealth is Honors Pedegree,
No marvel, though Rich-Asses Honor'd be.

EPIG. 19. A Regular Woman.

A Woman, to a Gen'rall-Rule,
We fitly may compare;
Why so? Those Rules do oft deceive,
And so do Women fair.

EPIG. 20. Solomon's Wish.

WHy did the Wisest King for Wisdom crave?
He had been Wise t' have wished Wealth to have.
He wisht not Wealth, Wisdom was his best Prize,
Wisdom he wisht, why? 'Cause he was not Wise.

EPIG. 24.

  • Blessed are the Power makers.
  • Blessed are the Peace makers.
GReat Britain's tott'ring State, affairs,
Munite' Vnited be;
King JAMES our Gracious Peace-maker,
Power-maker blest is He.

EPIG. 34. Irregularitie.

WHat I Require, I cannot Acquire,
And what I Can, I Nill ;
Thus all Mans Life, is naught but Strife,
Now Nill, anon he Will.

EPIG. 63. To a Bachelor.

A Wife is Good, Better's a Good ;
But Best is none at-all:
I wish the Best may be my Lot,
And none to thee may fall.

EPIG. 66. Three Delta's.

THat, ith' Worlds-Sea thou mayst not Ship-wrack make,
These Delta's three, as Rocks, see, thou forsake:
Dis (worldly Riches) Devils and Delight,
These Three to th' Spirit bear a mortal spite.

EPIG. 67. A Payre of Gallows to P. L.

A Thiefes Hope is a Rope, Death is his Due,
The Gallows all such Fellowes doth pursue,
But many scape? true, yet their Fates attend them;
And at the last, the horrid Hempe will end them.

EPIG. 72. Whether Bacchus be a God. To a Drunkard.

SEest thou not when th'art Drunke with dulcid Wine?
How Bacchus makes thy Head to th' Foot decline:
Since, He low feet exalts, high Heads brings down,
This shows that He's thy God of high Renowne.

EPIG. 76. The Priest, the People.

THe Priests do Pray both Night and Day,
The Lay-men they take pains;
These Plough the Soyle, those Plough the Soul,
These Teach, those Tithe their Gaines.

EPIG. 58. To the most Learned King James.

TO be a Poet-Good, (me thinks) is much,
To be a Good-Man, is (me thinks) as fair:
To be a Good-King, (I suppose) few such;
Thou art Good Poet, Man and King, most rare.

EPIG. 44. Against Quintus a Dreamer.

I Oft have seen thee, Quintus, in sad plight,
And mourn ith' morne, when thou from sleep didst rise;
Because thy dreams did never fall out, right,
And marvel not, for, daily thou tell'st Lyes :
How then can Dreams the Truth to thee declare,
When all the Day to forge-Lyes is thy care?

EPIG. 8 • . Deaths Indifferency.

FLouds fight with Flouds : so Man with Mā 's at strife:
The Ocean strives in's Motion, Man in's Life :
Rivers once Run to Sea, have the same savor,
Death equals All (as Waves Waves ) without favor.

EPIG. 86. Against Cinna a Physician.

CInna cures sickness, how? he kills the sickly,
And what he doth, he ( Judas-like ) doth quickly:
Happy, thrice happy are his Patients, sure;
A tedious sickness they shall never endure.

EPIG. 92. To the Prince.

ALL Night I Dream of naught but Gold and Gaine,
Thus am I Rich all Nigh • , a Wre • ch all Day:
With Gold make-good my Dreams sweet Prince I pray.
So, Real-Royal-Rich I shall remain.

EPIG. 94. A Court Louse.

THe Smoo • h-boot Flatt'rer Runs about the Court,
And vn • o Prince and Peers doth most resort:
So La • ines name the Louse for's many-feet,
Lice, much to th' Body, most to th' Head do fleet.

EPIG. 96. Against Galatea.

HArts, yearly, change their snaggie Horns they say:
Thy Husbands Horns are changed every-day.

EPIG. 102. Against Gellia.

WIth Papists, Gellia, thou didst e're take part:
Worse art thou now, how? Catholic thou art.

EPIG. 103. Against Aulus.

WHen Aulus is a little Sick in bed,
Or hath the Tooth-ach, or distemp'red Head,
O would to God I were in Heaven, he'le say;
So, th' Heyre for's Father, Would to God, doth pray.

EPIG. 108. Against Festus.

FEstus, th'art old, and yet wouldst married be :
Ere thou do so, this Counsel take of me ;
Look into Lilies Grammar, there thou wilt find
Cornu a Horne, a word still vndeclin'd:
This Counsel's good; take it not as a mock,
For sure, I think, few old-men scape this Rock.

EPIG. 110. Against Cornelius.

ALthough Corn-elius know himself Cornute,
Yet he with patience, holds his peace, is mute ;
Therefore, I think, he's not Cornelius,
But fitlier may be termed Tacitus.
FINIS.

EPIGRAMS.

Out of second Book.

EPIG. 5. What Love is.

A Iocund-Jail, a wanton-war,
A most unpleasant Pleasure;
A tottering Trust, a Bitter-sweet
Is Love; Mirth without Measure.

EPIG. 14. A Mathematical Instrument, called a Jacob's-Staff, to Mathematics.

THy Jacob's-Staff take unto thee,
I will Jacob's-Ladder choose;
These Steps, more than thy Staff can show,
If I them well will use.

EPIG. 17. Death's Epitaph, to the Death of Death.

DEaths Los • e, was in Christ's Cross,
Thence never more rising:
Christ's Death, Deaths Death,
Christ's Cross, Deaths Tomb comprizing.

EPIG. 19. Of God and Man.

God is the Word, and by his Word,
God, All ith' World hath wrought:
Man utters Words, Words Mans chief Mark,
than words, Man else is naught.

EPIG. 21. Of Fasts.

POpes in the Yeere, as may appear,
Do many Fasts ordain;
For to declare, that Peters Chair
They rightly do retain.

EPIG. 39. Socrates Wisdom.

WHen I was Yong, I thought I All-things knew:
The more I now-know, more my wants I rue.

EPIG. 44. Earths Body.

EArths Sinewes, are her Mettels rich;
Her Bones, are Stones most strong;
Water's her Blood ; her Superfice,
Her Skin; Grass, her Haire long.

EPIG. 54.

The Religious Man.
WHat's Well-done, 's Ill-done, if too- Publikely.
Politician.
What's Ill-done, 's Well-done, if none do it Spie.

EPIG. 56. An English Proteus.

IN Clothes, we Thrift and Honesty refuse▪
For Pride and Pleasure 's All, Nought, Long, we use.

EPIG. 66. A Shrow Tamed.

WOuld'st Tame thy Wife? first, Tame her Tongue, as Dumbe:
Who thus his Wife Comes-over, shall Ouer-come.

EPIG. 74. Pride of Life.

MAn swe • s, although his Gran-Dame is the Earth ;
Ear • h swells, although from Nothing it had Birth:
So, Man, as Mou • d; Him, past Himself doth raise,
Mould sw • ls with Mounts; Mans Mind his P • ide d • splayes.

EPIG. 81. Eve’s and the Serpents meeting.

EVes and the Serpents Prattling, wrought our Sin:
Oh would to God; He Dumbe, She Deafe had been.

EPIG. 85.

  • Neither too great a Good one,
  • Neither too little a Bad one.
A Giant -like, tall, stammell-Wife,
Though Ex • 'lle • t, I'd not choose;
A Bad-condition'd, though a Dwarfe,
I will as soon refuse.

EPIG. 88. Love is Blind.

LIke one another, Drunkenness,
And Love, are, in eff • ct;
Drunkenness Blindes the Bodies Eyes,
Love Blinds the Minds aspect.

EPIG. 87. An Amorous Epistle.

NO Love is Hopelesse, this makes Lovers free:
The Thing, not Hope, I Love; No-Thing but Thee.

EPIG. 91. A Christian Zodiac.

TH' Apostles goodly Fellowship,
Are my twelve heavenly Signs ;
My Zodiac, is perf • ct Faith ;
My Sun, in Jesus shines.

EPIG. 100. To the Reader.

I Leave Narcissus when I Verses write;
When thou doest Read them, banish Him thy sight▪
FINIS.

EPIGRAMS.

Out of the third Book.

EPIG. 1. GOD the Beginning of All Things.

GOd was the first, ith' first God did reside,
Before the first, after the first shall bide;
First without firsts, and from this first, each thing,
That first was made, did first-beginning bring.

EPIG. 4. The Art of Memory.

SImonides, found th' Art of Memory,
But none the Art of Wit could ere descry.

EPIG. 6.

SAtan o' th' Woman Bought-us; Christ re-Bought -us;
Adam Impure, but Christ Most-Pure hath wrought -us.

EPIG. 7. The Praise of Liberalitie.

WHat e're we Give, doth ever live,
Gifts follow Him that Giues ;
The Giver and the Taker both,
By Gifts the better Live.

EPIG. 10. To Queen Anne.

Wife, Daughter, Sister, Mother to a King,
What rarer Titles may we to Thee bring?
With these four Titles, thou four Virtues hast,
With what more Glory may a Queen be gracit?

EPIG. 13. A New-Man.

DRiue what thou didst Deriue from th' Old-Man-Sin,
Soone, to Refresh thy Flesh, from Sin, Begin.

EPIG. 14. Health.

EVen from my Heart, much Health I Wish,
No Health I will Wash with Drink :
Health Wishit, not washed, in Words, not Wine,
To be the best I think.

EPIG. 15. Forbidden-Fruit.

WHen Adam Ate Forbidden-Meat,
Deluded by the Devil ;
He was not Evils Primitive,
But, worse than th' Apple of Evil.

EPIG. 16. Troians and Greeks.

THe Troian says, I much do fear
The Greeks, when they bring Gifts.
Who is the Greek? The Poor-Man. Who
Are Troians? Rich-Make-Shifts.

EPIG. 21. N. A.

N's first; A, follows; Nought than All 's more old:
That God of Nought made All, all Truth doth hold.

EPIG. 23. Holiness is Healthfulnesse.

NO man can Long; Well, all Men may;
Yet no Man Will, Live, Well:
If thou wilt Live Long, endeavor then
In Virtue to excel.

A Bride is a Ship. EPIG. 25.

THe Taile 's the Sterne; Fore-Deck • the Beake ;
The Keele, the Belly is;
Her Wings, the Sayles ; a Bird, a Bark
Is then, not much amiss.

EPIG. 30. Against Pannicus a Rich -Ass.

THat Fortune favors Fools canst thou not see?
Bele • ue thy Self, if thou wilt not Credit Mee.

EPIG. 33. Homer.

MAruell not much though Homer blind tell Lyes,
Since He by Hear-say went, not Sight of's Eyes.

EPIG. 35. Little, Nothing, Too-much, Enough.

THe Poor have Little, Beggers None,
The Rich Too-much, Enough not One.

EPIG. 37. To the Right Honorable, William Earl of Pembroke, &c.

NOt Old in years, nor Young in each rare Part,
One of the Kings and Kingdoms Props thou art,
That on thee this great Grace thy King doth Lay:
Or should I joy thy Merit? Beth I may.

EPIG. 48. Humility.

AS, Low-Dales bear more fertile Grass,
More Sterill Mountains-high ;
In Wisdom, so, Meeke Minds do pass
Self-flated Subtilty;
The Mind 's a Mount, our Will 's a Hill ;
The Mounts Top is Wills Wit:
Each highest Hill is Sterill still,
And Nimblest Wit vn-fit.

EPIG. 54. The Client.

IF to thy Cause the Judge shall Help apply,
Thy Knees to Him, Client, in-Cline wisely.

EPIG. 57. The Serpent, Eve, Adam.

THe subtle Serpent, heed-less Eve
Deceiu'd, was not deceived;
Not Adam Her, She Him made fall,
Both thus of Joy bereaved:
Both Actively and Passively,
She therefore thus did Sin ;
Deceiu'd Her-Self, deceiveth Him,
Snar'd, Snares Him in Deaths Grin.

EPIG. 59. To Polydore.

O Polydore, to Men most Poor,
The Datiue-Case is best;
Your Ablatiue doth them depri • e
Of Comfort, Ease and rest:
Giuers than Takers better are.
True, but these Ablatiues,
This Age doth see too frequent be,
Seld' seen are Rich-Datiues.

EPIG. 60. To —.

ALas, poor Creature-Seruing two,
Thou art in woeful state:
One-Master, nothing hath to Give,
Thy tother is Ingrate.

EPIG. 61. Three-fold Continency.

WHen thou dost any Ill-thing Hear or See,
Thy Windowes, Ears and Eyes fast shut let be;
And that thou Speak-not unadvisedly,
Locke-fast thy Doors, thy Lips ; thy Tongue fast tie.

EPIG. 62. Saturnes three Sons.

THree Sons had Saturn, Poets fain,
And of especial fame;
Hell was ones place, Riches his Grace,
Nummi-potent by Name:
The Second had ith' Sea abode,
His Name Amni-potent ;
To th' Third was given his seat in Heaven,
Call'd Jove Omni-potent.

EPIG. 63. The Old-man speaks to the Yong-man.

MY Life is short, and Live I cannot Long ;
Thine shortly will be short, though now th'art strong.

EPIG. 67. To an Angry-Man.

LEt Wrath and Anger with the Day decay,
Yet let them not with Phoebus next Day rise;
But as from thy Horizon Titan flies,
Unto th' Antipodes ; there let them stay.

EPIG. 73. The Lord loveth Liberality.

THy Benefits, it not-be-fits,
When Giuen to count and tell:
God will them both Remunerate,
And Ruminate full well.

EPIG. 77. Heaven.

HEauen is God's Spacious, Sp • cious Throne of Grace,
The Lord's All-potent and All-patent Place ▪

EPIG. 80. Against Pontilianus.

DOgges on th • ir Masters fawn and leap,
And wag their Tailes apace;
So, though the Flatt'rer want a Taile,
His Tongue supplies the place.

EPIG. 81. To Distrust.

LEt none distrust (though Dust) Heavens light to see,
Nor none despair, though's Soul a shadow be▪
Our Flesh is Dust, true, but o'th very same,
The glorious Body of Christ Jesus came.
And though our Soul in us a shadow be,
Yet 'tis th' Idea of the Deity.

EPIG. 83. The Rich-Man.

THat Man's most' Retch which is most Rich,
Th' are oft defiled that play with Pitch ;
Men to be Great, not Good ; desire
Greatness, not Goodness most acquire.

EPIG. 87. To the Jews.

The Law, is your Religion,
And ours is Faith most pure ;
You, to believe, will not be-led,
Nor we Good-works inure.

EPIG. 97. Riches.

GOld 's th' only-God, Rich-Men bear Rule ▪
Money makes Majesty ;
Rich-Pluto, not Plain-Plato, now,
Speakes with applause most high.

EPIG. 98. Three Genders.

A Wife, although most Wise and Chaste,
Is of the Doubtfull Gender ;
A Queane, oth' Common; Foeminines,
Are Women small and tender.

EPIG. 99. ST. ST. a Sign of Silence.

ST, ST, Men say, Silence to signify:
S, Silence no • es: T, Taciturnity.

EPIG. 100. Where I Do-Well, There I Dwell.

THat, is my Country, where I am Fed, not Bred,
Not where I am Borne, but where I am best-bested.
Where I may have sufficient Sustenance,
And Live in Love, there's my Inheritance.

EPIG. 103. Actaeon.

ACtaeons Dogs, his flesh, bones, skin, ate clean:
His Horns remain in London to be seen.

EPIG. 112. A Paradox of Dreams.

DReames which be Bad, are very Good,
Dreams that be Good, are Bad:
For, if my Dreams be Good, I grieve,
But, being Bad, I am glad.

EPIG. 119. Scoffing, Prudence.

WIt without Wisdom, is Salt without Meat ▪
Rude-Literature, Meat without Salt, to Eate.

EPIG. 123. Against a tedious Orator.

WHen thou hast Said all thou wilt Say,
'T remains to Say, I'ue Said ;
This only-word would please me more,
Than all the Speech th' 'ast made.
FINIS.

EPIGRAMS.

Out of the three last Books. The First Book.

EPIG. 3. Lawyers and Physicians.

VNlesse the One Deale- • raftily,
The Other Desperate be;
They Both may Eate on Beggers Meat,
And Li • e in Penury.

EPIG. 9. Against Tomasinus.

THe Praise, of praise-less-Asses, some
Have writ, in these our days:
Amongst the rest, have been expressed,
O Tom-Asine, thy Praise.

EPIG. 10. Against Fabianus.

SOme-Men are Bald without, thou Inwardly ;
Those want their Haires, thy Brain-pan 's almost Dry ▪

EPIG. 12. Delilah.

SAmsons deceitful Delilah,
His Strength in's Haire destroyed▪
In these days, by such Delilah's
Are many-men annoyed.

EPIG. 14. Birth.

TO Present things w' are Borne, Re-borne
To things to-come, we are;
Though that Be P • ime, yet Principal
Is this, and Better far.

EPIG. 18. Against Paetus, a Problem.

FAther, nor Fath'r-in-law, thou art, t' all Those,
Which thy Wife bare thee; then, What th' art who knows▪

EPIG. 19. Against Pontiliana.

WHy wedded • t thou th' ele • 'nth day of Decemb • r:
Because, than this no day 's more short, night longer.

EPIG. 22. Against Festus, an vn-Just Judge.

WHat Judas or what Pilate did
Do thou, thou Judge vn-Just▪
With Judas if thou wilt not Hang.
With Pilate Wash thou must.

EPIG. 26. Against Colinus, Dying Intestate.

WHiles thou didst Live, thou naught wouldst give,
Thou Leau'st All, now thou canst not Live ;
Like Greedy Hog thy Life was Led,
Like Greazie Porke, thou now lie'st Dead.

EPIG. 36. From Bad to Worse.

HE's Dasht 'gainst Scylla, from Charibdis flying,
Which hopes to Salue hi • Sore, by Phisike Dying ▪
Fools voiding Vice, the Contrary commit,
Are those to shun Strife, which on Lawyers hit.

EPIG. 47. Against a Foolish-Writer.

O, I could wish thy Paper were All-black ;
Or that it did Least Spot of blackness lack

EPIG. 51. Females.

YOng-Wenches Coy, and Wanton are ▪
Faire-Maides, are Infamous:
Witty are Wily, full of Craft ▪
Lustful, Lasci • ious▪

EPIG. 52. Four Law-Termes.

THe Lawyers have four Termes, to which they frame
A most significant and proper name:
First▪ Michelmasse, from th' Angel Michael,
For Lawyers Purses then with Angels swell.
The next is Hill • ry a name most fit:
For this Terme make • the Lawyer m • rry, sit.
And Easter-Terme, like Churc • -men's • aster -Book▪
Much Gold and Gaine then to themselves they hook.
Trinity-Terme, so called, because the Law
Three Persons always doth together draw;
To wit, • he Judge, Lawyer, and Client poor,
Who travails up to pay the Lawyers-Score.

EPIG. 57. To Faustine.

THat my Book 's Good (thou Faustine) saidst to me,
If it be Good, would I my Book might be.

EPIG. 65. A Widow.

HE which for's Wife a Widow doth obtain,
Doth like to those which Buy-Clothes in Long-Lane ;
One Cote 's not fit, Another 's too-too-old,
Their faults I know not, but th'are manifold.

Epig. 78. Doctor Ios. Hals Vowes and Meditations.

THou Vowed'st Vowes, fit to be Vow'd,
Worth Reading Works dost write:
He's blest that Reades thy Vowes, if he
To do them take delight.

EPIG. 95. The forsaken Lover.

EVen as Hell-fire doth Burn, but doth not Shine:
So thine not Shines, but sorely burns my Heart :
But towards Thee, like Heau'nly fire is wine,
It Shines on Thee, not burns thee, that's my smart :
Oh if thy Love still burn and give no Light,
My shining flame, it self will waste out quite.

EPIG. 98. The Epitaph of C • oesus and Irus.

VNder this Stone, lies Croesus buried ;
Wher's Irus then? Here, All are Poor when Dead.

EPIGRAMS.

Out of the second Book.

EPIG. 9. Wheel-Greace.

MEn, th' Axeltree do Greaze, that they may nit screake;
But, Lawyers must be Greaz'd to make them speak.

EPIG. 17. Against a certain Drunkard.

MVch Prattling causeth greatest Thirstinesse,
Thy Wife Talkes more then Thou, why Drinks She Less?

EPIG. 49. Veni, Vidi, Vici. Christ.

INto this World, Coelestiall Caesar came ▪
Mans Mis • ry with Mercies-Eye He Saw ;
He, Death O're-came to his immortal fame,
Then, Him, to's Throne of Mercy did with-draw ;
He came, O're-Came, He Saw, fore-saw all things,
All this He did, that we might Rain as Kings.

EPIG. 58. A Pure Sacrifice.

THis World was on • e the Temple of the Lord ;
The C • osse, the • l • tar; Christ the Sacrifice ;
Chri • t, God and M • n, our High Priest paid the Price,
To th' Altar like a Lamb fast bound with Cord.

EPIG. 71. Of the King, Law and People.

THe King 's the She • heard; Men, are Sheep ;
Laws, are their Pasture fair;
The Flock being Ill, the King • great Skill,
By's Laws their Hurts repair.

EPIG. 78. The Devils Force and Fraud.

THe Devil, like a Lion fierce,
Runnes all the World about;
Each wand'ri • g Soul that he may Slay,
Like Wind his Rage flies-out:
Yea, like a Fox most f • audulent,
Satan spreads private Nets ;
Thus whom by Force he cannot force,
By subtle Snares he gets.

EPIG. 79. Precept, Practice.

THe learned Preachers Words, though plain,
To Plain-men Truth may Preach ;
But Pastors pious Practice, doth
A Holy-Life them Teach:
Th • t Doctor is Diu • ne, indeed,
Whi • h by Good-Works, proves Words ;
More Harme do Ill-Examples breed,
Than Good-Words, Good affords.

EPIG. 84. Against Covetous-Men. Sell all that thou hast, and give it to the Poor.

AH, Killing-Letter, Out-Alas,
What's this? thus Dives cries;
What means the Holy-Ghost? says he,
Sell All? can such be wise?
What means the Holy Ghost? Thou Wretch,
He means, what Thou never thought;
He will Give All unto the Poor,
And thou wilt Give them Nought.

EPIG. 87. Man, a Hunter, a Fisher, a Fowler.

MAn, Hunts for Wealth and Riches store,
Spreads Nets for Dignities ;
And like a Fisher, sounds the Dep • h
Of Deepest Mysteries ;
But whiles, fond Man doth fish to know,
With Pride, Preferments watcheth ;
And Auaricious, Riches seeks,
He shame and blame oft catcheth.

EPIG. 26. Christ a Divine, a Physician, a Lawyer.

CHrist, a Divine, Physician, was whiles here;
In Heaven He shall a Judge most Just appear.

EPIG. 43. Baptism, to a Jew.

BAptisme doth Wash, but Circumcision Wound :
The Laws dire Launch, Christ's Washing makes most sound.
FINIS.

EPIGRAMS.

Out of the third-Book.

EPIG. 9. Matrimoniall Rule.

THe Nightly Government, is due
Unto the Female kind;
And unto Masculines, to Rule
Ith' Day, it is assigned:
And this we see Experience proves,
For Cynthia Rules the Night :
And Phoebus rays his Rule displays,
Who in the Day shines bright.

EPIG. 10. Against a certain Proud -Woman.

A Feather over thy Head thou ha • t,
And Corke under thy feet ;
Both these declare, though thou be fair,
Thee to be fond and fleet.

EPIG. 11. Faith.

MY Eyes ith' Skies the twinkling Stars,
The Pole, Opinion spies:
So with mine Eye I view Heaven high ;
My Faith, my God descryes.

EPIG. 13. Contempt of the World.

WOuldst Live a Good-Life? then, this Life despise;
'T's a wretched Life this Life highly to Prize.

EPIG. 19. Knowledge, Love.

TWo things there be, which I must Know ▪
And two things I must Love ;
God and My-self, God and my Friend,
These, Knowledge, Love, approve.

EPIG. 21. Of God and the World.

GOd is not in this World, the World 's in God :
We are ith' World, O, would we were in God

EPIG. 22. The right of First-fruits and Tithes.

GOd 's Al • ha and Omega, therefore He
Must of thy Goods the Tithes and First-fruits, see.

EPIG. 50. Grauity, Leuity.

THough, Grossenes, Lightnes, clean contrary be,
A Light-Head, Grosse-Head, I'd not wish to Mee;
Both which are • ad▪ and such a Wife I hate,
A Light or Lewd, a Grosse or Grieuous Mate.

EPIG. 52. School-Divines.

WHat profits all thy Learned-Skill?
If Virtue thou neglect ;
Leave off to Search the Truth of Things,
And Good Things more affect.

EPIG. 58. Democritus, Heraclitus.

DEmocritus, Men's falls and faults,
In his Times, did Lament ;
Hera • litus, Men's Foolishn • sse,
Did Laugh-at with Contempt:
And ever more such Wretches vile,
And Fools will still remain:
That, if they Liu'd, from Laughes and Tears,
They never could refrain.

EPIG. 60. Against Arrogant, Ignorant Linus.

A Two-fold Ignorance hath thee
O Linus, captivated,
Thou Knowest Nought, yet Nought to Know,
Thou wilt not be Conceited.

EPIG. 65. Against a Covetous Niggard.

TO Count thy Coyne is nothing worth,
T' Encrease the Heape 's as small;
As much to Multiply; Deuide ;
Then I will thee wealthy call.

EPIG. 67. Against the Writers of this Age.

WE Crop the To • s of others Crop,
Old-Writers Works most rare:
The most of us which now do write,
Old-Writers Echo's are.

The Authors Desire. A Good-man's Desire. EPIG. 69.

WIth Wealth I wish-not Bags and Chests to stuff
To • -much, Too-little 's Ill; Enough 's Enough.

EPIG. 78. Christ's Life and Death.

MVch hath Christ Done and Much Endur'd,
All, for vn-worthy M • e,
His Passions showed Him to be Man,
His Actions, God to be.

EPIG. 79. The Wise-Men's Star.

A Star to Math'mat • cks unknown,
At Christ's Birth shining bright,
The Gent • le-Typing Wise-Men led
To Christ the Lord of Light :
This Heau'nly Guide di • w • th them • ide,
Till they found Christ their Ki •• ,
Heaven grant I pray, Faith, my Star, may,
Me also to Him bring.

EPIG. 83. Of the Deluge and Worlds-End.

THe crying Crimes of Noah • Times
For foul-Lust-burni • g Love,
Were Drown'd & Drenchit, that Heat wa • Quenchit,
With Water from above:
This Freezing Age of Frosty Love,
And Key-cold Charity,
Will in due Time, for this Cold Crime,
Make All with Fire to fry
By Compositions, thus Physicians
Make Contraries to Cure,
And Heavens Physician, Frost with Flames,
Water with Fire can Pure.

EPIG. 86. Of the Just and unjust.

PLeasure, the Good ; but Paine attends the Bad:
This frights th' Vniust ; tother the Just makes glad.

EPIG. 88. Our Redeemer.

WOrth Sight, but Thee, ith' World I nothing See,
And I am wise in nothing but in Thee ;
My Sun thou art, by Grace Shine in my Heart,
Thou, Thou, alone my Sole, Sweet Savior, art.

EPIG. 91. A Paradox.

TO Hell, though every wretched Atheist goes,
In Hell 's no Atheist; there, He, Hell well knows.

EPIG. 94. Difference betwixt a Good King and a Tyrant.

A Good- King marks what's godly, just and right,
A Tyrant minds his strict Command & Might;
I, Good- Kings Power prefer 'fore Tyrants Pray,
Th' Ones threats are treats, the Others Pay's, Decay.

EPIG. 95. Against a certain —.

FOr Mad-men Bedlem; Bride well's for a Knaue,
Choose, wheth'r of these two, thou hadst rather have.

EPIG. 98: Life-Blood.

MOses the Life of All, ith' Blood did place:
My Life, in Christ's Blood hath his only Grace.

EPIG. 100. Against a Foolish Writer.

THy Book 's eternal (if such Books may be)
Beginning none, nor End of it I see.

EPIG. 102. Upon the Death of Prince Henry. 1612.

DEad is that Prince, whom Dead we may lament,
With Flouds of Tears, till Tears last Drops be spent,
Our Albions Hope, Glory of Britain's King,
Arts Prop, Wars Pillar, Virtues hopeful Spring.
To whom none e're came near, but his dear Brother,
Save his sweet Sister, never such Another.
A Prince much Honor'd Living; Lou'd when Dead,
Hi • Nations Light, Delight, whiles Li • e He led.
Whiles I these things wich Teare-swollen eyes sigh-out,
From both my Springs Tears gush- • orth all about.
Believe me (Read • ) if what's Griefe thou know,
Sighes stop my Speech ; I weep, Tears over-flow.

His Epitaph.

Herr • lies (dry Eyes, read not this Epitaph)
Kings, Queens, Prince, Princesse, Peoples hopeful Staff.
Omnis Gloria Deo debita.
FINIS.

To the Excellent Translatour of the EPIGRAMS of Master JOHN OWEN, Master JOHN VICARS.

OWen doth owe thee much, that thou hast so
Transplanted these his Plants, & made th • m grow
Within our Soyle: and we owe much to either,
T' Him that them set, to Thee that broughtest them hither.

Idem ad Lectorem.

Wouldst thou know where Wits Quintessence doth lie?
Read these few Leaues thou wilt see it by-and-by.

Nathaniel Hall, Gent.