Sign'd kings' blank-charters to kill whom they (The thing hath travail'd, and, faith, speaks all hate,
Now are they vicars, but hangmen, to Fate. Fool and wretch! wilt thou let thy foul be ty'd To man's laws, by which fhe fhall not be try'd At the last day? or will it then boot thee To fay a Philip or a Gregory,
A Harry or a Martin, taught me this? Is not this excufe for mere contraries Equally strong? cannot both fides fay fo:
That thou may'ft rightly obey power, her bounds know;
Those past her nature and name's chang'd; to be Then humble to her is idolatry.
As ftreams are, power is: thofe bleft flowers that dwell [well; At the rough ftream's calm head thrive and do But having left their roots, and themselves given To the ftream's tyrannous rage, alas! are driven Through mills, rocks,and woods, and at last, almoft Confum'd in going, in the fea are loft:
So perish fouls which more choose men's unjust Power, from God claim'd, than God himself to truft.
WELL; I may now receive and die. My fin Indeed is great, but yet I have been in A purgatory, fuch as fear'd hell is A recreation, and feant map of this.
My mind neither with pride's itch, nor yet hath
Poifon'd with love to fee or to be seen. I had no fuit there, nor new fuit to fhew, Yet went to court: but as Glare, which did go To mass in jeft, catch'd, was fain to disburse The hundred marks, which is the ftatute's curse, Before he 'fcap'd; fo 't pleas'd my Destiny (Guilty of my fin of going) to think me As prone to all ill, and of good as forget- Ful, as proud, luftful, and as much in debt, As vain, as witlefs, and as falfe as they Which dwell in court, for once going that way, Therefore I fuffer'd this: Towards me did run A thing more strange than on Nile's flime the fun E'er bred, or all which into Noah's ark came; A thing which would have pos'd Adam to name : Stranger than seven antiquaries' studies, Than Afric's monfters, Guiana's rarities; Stranger than ftrangers; one who for a Dane In the Danes' maffacre had fure been flain, If he had liv'd then, and without help dies When next the 'prentices 'gainst ftrangers rife; One whom the watch at noon lets fcarce go by; One t' whom th' examining juflice fure would cry, Sir, by your priesthood, tell me what you are. His clothes were strange, though coarfe, and black, though bare;
Slevelefs his jerkin was, and it had been Velvet, but 't was now (fo much ground was feen) Become tufftaffaty; and our children shall See it plain rafh a while, then nought at all.
And only knoweth what t' all states belongs. Made of th' accents and best phrafe of all these, He speaks one language. If ftrange meats displease, Art can deceive, or hunger force my tafte; But pedant's motley tongue, foldier's bombaft, Mountebank's drug-tongue, nor the terms of law, Are strong enough preparatives to draw Me to hear this, yet I must be content With his tongue, in his tongue call'd Compliment; In which he can win widows, and pay scores, Make men fpeak treason, cozen subtlest whores, Outflatter favourites, or outlie either Jovius or Surius, or both together. He names me, and comes to me; I whisper, God! How have I finn'd, that thy wrath's furious rod, This fellow, chooseth me? He faith, Sir, I love your judgment; whom do you prefer For the beft linguift? and I fillily Said, that I thought Calepine's Dictionary. Nay, but of men? Most sweet Sir! Beza, then Some Jesuits, and two reverend men Of our two academies, I nam'd. Here He ftopt me, and faid; Nay, your apostles were Good pretty linguifts; fo Panurgus was, Yet a poor gentleman; all these may pafs By travel. Then, as if he would have fold His tongue, he prais'd it, and fuch wonders told, That I was fain to fay, If you had liv'd, Sir, Time enough to have been interpreter To Babel's bricklayers, fure the tower had ftood. He adds, If of court-life you knew the good, You would leave lonencfs. I faid, Not alone My loneness is, but Spartan's fashion, To teach by painting drunkards, doth not la Now; Aretine's pictures have made few chaste; No more can princes' courts, though there be few Better pictures of vice, teach me virtue. He, like to a high-stretch'd lute-string, squeakt, O, Sir!
'Tis fweet to talk of kings! At Westminster, Said I, the man that keeps the Abbey-tombs, And for his price doth, with who ever comes, Of all our Harrys and our Edwards talk, From king to king, and all their kin can walk : Your ears fhall hear nought but kings; your eyes
Kings only; the way to it is King's-street. He fmack'd, and cry'd, He's base, mechanic coarse; So're all your Englishmen in their discourse. Are not your Frenchmen neat? Mine, eyes you fee, I have but one, Sir; look, he follows me. Certes, they're neatly cloth'd. I of this mind am, Your only wearing is your grogaram. Not fo, Sir; I have more. Under this pitch He would not fly. I chaf'd him; but as itch Scratch'd into fmart, and as blunt iron ground Into an edge, hurts worse; fo I (fool!) found Croffing hurt me. To fit my fullennefs, He to another key his ftyle doth dress, And afks, What news? I tell him of new plays: He takes my hand, and, as a still which stays A femibrief 'twixt each drop, he niggardly As loth to enrich me, fo tells many a lie,
More than ten Hollenheads, or Halls, or Stows, Of trivial household trash he knows. He knows When the queen frown'd or fmil'd; and he knows what
A fubtile statesman may gather of that:
He knows who loves whom, and who by poison Haftes to an office's reverfion;
He knows who 'hath fold his land, and now doth beg
A licenfe old iron, boots, shoes, and egg- Shells to transport. Shortly boys fhall not play At fpan-counter, or blow-point, but shall pay Toll to fome courtier; and, wifer than all us, He knows what lady is not painted. Thus
He with home-meats cloys me. I belch, spue, fpit, Look pale and fickly, like a patient, yet He thrufts on more; and as he 'had undertook To fay Gallo-Belgicus without book, Speaks of all states and deeds that have been fince The Spaniards came to th' lofs of Amyens. Like a big wife, at fight of lothed meat, Ready to travel, fo I figh and fweat To hear this makaron talk in vain; for yet, Either my humour or his own to fit, He, like a privileg'd fpy, whom nothing can Difcredit, libels now 'gainst each great man: He names a price for every office paid: He faith, Our wars thrive ill, because delay'd; That offices are entail'd, and that there are Perpetuities of them lafting as far At the last day; and that great officers Do with the pirates fhare and Dunkirkers. Who waftes in meat, in clothes, in horse, he notes; Who loves whores, who boys, and who goats. I, more amaz'd than Circe's prisoners, when They felt themfelves turn beafts, felt myself then Becoming traitor, and methought I faw One of our giant ftatues ope his jaw To fuck me in for hearing him: I found That as burnt venomous leachers do grow found By giving others their fores, I might grow Guilty, and be free: therefore I did fhow All figns of loathing; but fince I am in, I must pay mine and my forefathers' fin To the last farthing: therefore to my power Toughly and ftubbornly I bear this crofs; but th'
Of mercy now was come: he tries to bring Me to pay a fine to 'fcape his torturing, And fays, Sir, can you spare me? I faid, Willingly. Nay, Sir, can you fpare me a crown? Thankfully I Gave it as raufom. But as fiddlers ftill, Though they be paid to be gone, yet needs will Thrust one more jigg upon you; so did he With his long complimented thanks vex me. But he is gone, thanks to his needy want, And the prerogative of my crown. Scant His thanks were ended when I (which did fee All the court fill'd with such strange things as he) Ran from thence with fuch or more hafte than one Who fears more actions doth hafte from prison. At home in wholefome folitarinefs My piteous foul began the wretchedness Of fuiters at court to mourn, and a trance Like his who dreamt he saw hell did advance
Itfelf o'er me: fuch men as he faw there
I saw at court, and worse, and more. Low fear Becomes the guilty, not th' accufer; then Shall I, none's flave, of high born or rais'd men Fear frowns, and my miftrefs, Truth! betray the To th' huffing, braggart, puft nobility?
No, no; thou which fince yesterday hast been Almost about the whole world, haft thou feen, O Sun! in all thy journey vanity
Such as fwells the bladder of our court? I Think he which made your waxen garden, and Transported it from Italy, to stand
With us at London, flouts our courtiers; for Juft fuch gay painted things, which no fap nor Tafte have in them, our's are; and natural Some of the stocks are, their fruits bastard all. 'I'is ten o'clock, and past; all whom the Meufe, Baloun, tennis, diet, or the ftews
Had all the morning held, now the fecond Time made ready, that day in flocks are found In the prefence, and I, (God pardon me!) As fresh and sweet their apparels be, as be The fields they fold to buy them. For a king Thofe hofe are, cries the flatterer; and bring Them next week to the theatre to fell.
Wants reach all states. Me feems they do as well At ftage as court. All are prayers; whoe'er look (For themfelves dare not go) o'er Cheapfide book: Shall find their wardrobe's inventory. Now
The lady's come. As pirates, which do know That there came weak fhips fraught with CO
The men board them, and praife (as they think) wel Their beauties; they the men's wits: both ar
Why good wits ne'er wear fcarlet gowns I though This caufe: thefe men men's wits for fpeeches buy And women buy all reds which fearlets dye. He call'd her beauty lime-twigs, her hair net = She fears her drugs ill laid, her hair loose fet. Would n't Heraclitus laugh to fee Macrine From hat to fhoe himfelf at door refine, As if the prefence were a Mofchite; and lift His fkirts and hofe, and call his clothes to fhrift, Making them confefs not only mortal Great flains and holes in them, but venial Feathers and duft, wherewith they fornicate? And then by Durer's rules furvey the state Of his each limb, and with ftrings the odds tries Of his neck to his leg, and waste to thighs. So in immaculate clothes and fymmetry Perfect as circles, with fuch nicety As a young preacher at his first time goes To preach, he enters, and a lady, which owes Him not fo much as good-will, he arrels, And unto her protefts, protefts, protests;
So much as at Rome would ferve to 'have thrown Ten cardinals into the Inquifition, And whispers by Jesu so oft', that a Purfuivant would have ravifh'd him away
For faying of our Lady's pfalter. But 'tis fit That they each other plague; they merit it.
But here comes Glorius, that will plague them both,
Who in the other extreme only doth
Call a rough carelessness good fashion; Whole cloak his fpurs tear, or whom he fpits on, He cares not, he. His ill words do no harm To him; he rushes in, as if Arm, Arm, He meant to cry; and though his face be as ill As theirs which in old hangings whip Chrift, ftill He drives to look worfe; he keeps all in awe, Jefs like a licens'd fool, commands like law. Tir'd, now; I leave this place, and but pleas'd fo As men from gaols to execution go;
Go through the Great Chamber (why is it hung With the feven deadly fins?) being among Thole Afkaparts, men big enough to throw Charing-crols, for a bar, men that do know No token of worth but queen's man and fine Living, barrels of beef and flagons of wine, 1 fhook like a spy'd fpy. Preachers! which are Seas of wit and arts, you can, then dare Drown the fins of this place; for, for me, Which am but a scant brook, it enough fhall be To wash the stains away; although I yet (With Maccabee' modefty) the known merit Of my work leffen, yet fome wife men fhall, 1 hope, efteem my writs canonical.
Teos halt not laugh, in this leaf, Mufe! nor they Whom any pity warnis. He which did lay Buks to make courtiers, he being understood May make good courtiers, but who courtiers good? Frees from the fting of jefts all who in extreme Are wretched or wicked; of these two a theme Charity and Liberty give me. What is he Who officers' rage and fuiters' mifery Can write in jeft? If all things be in all, As I think, fince all which were, are, and shall Be, be made of the fame elements, Lach thing, each thing implies or represents; Then man is a world, in which officers Are the vast ravishing feas, and fuiters Springs, now full, now shallow, now dry, which to That which drowns them run : thefe felf reafons do Prove the world a man, in which officers Are the devouring ftomach, and fuitors
Th' excrements which they void. All men are duft; How much worse are fuitors, who no men's luft Are made preys? O worse than duft or worms' meat!
For they eat you now whofe felves worms fhall eat. They are the mills which grind you; yet you are The wind which drives them; and a waftful war Is fought against you, and you fight it: they Adulterate law, and you prepare the way, Like wittals; th' iffue your own rain is. Greatest and faireft Emprefs? know you this? Alas! no more than Thames' calm head doth know Whofe meads her arms drown, or whofe can o'er- flow.
You, Sir, whofe righteoufnefs fhe loves, whom I, By having leave to ferve, am most richly For fervice paid authoriz'd, now begin To know and weed out this enormous fin.
Into' other hands. So controverted lands 'Scape, like Angelica, the firiver's hands. If law in the judge's heart, and he Have no heart to refift letter or fee,
Where wilt thou appeal? power of the courts below
Flows from the first main head; and these can throw
Thee, if they fuck thee in, to mifery,
To fetters, halters. But if th' injury
Steel thee to dare complain, alas! thou go'ft Against the stream, upwards, when thou art moft Heavy and most faint; and in these labours they, 'Gainst whom thou shouldst complain, will in thy
Become great feas, o'er which, when thou fhalt be Forc'd to make golden bridges, thou shalt fee That all thy gold was drown'd in them before. All things follow their like, only who have may 'have more.
Judges are gods; and he who made them fo Meant not men should be forc'd to them to go By means of angels. When fupplications We send to God, to dominations, Powers, cherubims, and all heaven's courts, if we Should pay fees, as here, daily bread would be Scarce to kings; fo't is. Would it not anger A ftoic, a coward, yea, a martyr,
To fee a purfuivant come in, and call
All his clothes Copes, books Primers, and all His plate Chalices; and mis-take them away, And afk a fee for coming? Oh! ne'er may Fair law's white rev'rend name be ftrumpeted, To warrant thefts: fhe is established Recorder to Destiny on earth, and the Speaks Fate's words, and tells who must be Rich, who poor, who in chairs, and who in gaols: She is all fair, but yet hath foul long nails, With which the fcratcheth fuitors. In bodies Of men, fo in law, nails are extremities; So officers fretch to more than law can do, As our nails reach what no else part comes to. Why bar'st thou to yon' officer? Fool, hath he Got thofe goods for which erft men bar'd to thee? Fool twice, thrice, thou haft bought wrong and
MEN write that love and reafon disagree, But I ne'er faw't expreft as 't is in thee. Well, I may lead thee, God must make thee fee; But thine eyes blind too, there's no hope for thee. Thou fay'st she's wife and witty, fair and free; All these are reasons why the fhould fcorn thee. Thou doft proteft thy love, and wouldst it shew By matching her, as the would match her foe;" And wouldft perfwade her to a worse offence Than that whereof thou didst accuse her wench. Reason there's none for thee, but thou may'st vex Her with example. Say, for fear her sex Shun her, the needs muft change: I do not fee How reafon e'er can bring that must to thee. Thou art a match a juftice to rejoice, Fit to be his, and not his daughter's choice, Dry'd with his threats the'd scarcely stay with thee,
And wouldft th' have this to choose thee, being free?
Go, then, and punish fome foon gotten stuff; For her dead husband this bath mourn'd enough
In hating thee. Thou may'ft one like this meet; For fpite take her, prove kind, make thy breath fweet :
Let her fee the 'hath cause, and to bring to thee Honeft children, let her dishoncft be.
If the be a widow, I'll warrant her She'll thee before her first husband prefer; And will with thou hadst had her maidenhead, (She'll love thee fo) for then thou hadst been dead. But thou fuch ftrong love and weak reasons haft, Thou must thrive there, or ever live disgrac'd. Yet paufe a while, and thou may'st live to fee A time to come wherein the may beg thee. If thou'lt not pause nor change, she'll beg thee now, Do what she can, love for nothing allow. Besides, here were too much gain and merchandise, And when thou art rewarded defert dies. Now thou haft odds of him she loves; he may doubt Her conftancy, but none can put thee out. Again, be thy love true, fhe'll prove divine, And in the end the good on't will be thine; For though thou must ne'er think of other love, And fo wilt advance her as high above Virtue as cause above effect can be, 'Tis virtue to be chaßte, she'll make thee.
O FREDERICK COUNT PALATINE of the Rhine, and LADY ELIZABETH, being married on St. Valentine's Day.
Till now thou warm'dft with multiplying loves Two larks, two fparrows, or two doyes;
All that is nothing unto this,
Fer thon this day coupleft two phoenixes. Thou mak'ta taper fee
What the fun never faw, and what the ark (Which was of fowl and beafts the cage and park) Did not contain; one bed contains through thee Two phanixes, whofe joined breasts
Are unto one another mutual nefts;
Where motion kindles fuch fires as fhall give Young phanizes, and yet the old fhall live; We love and courage never shall decline, But make the whole year through thy day,
Tak'ft warmth enough, and from thine eye All leffer birds will take their jollity.
Up, up, fair Bride! and call
Thy ftars from out their several boxes; take
Thy rubies, pearls, and diamonds, rth, and make Thyfelf a conftellation of them all;
And by their blazing fignify
That a great princefs falls, but doth not die: Be thou a new ftar, that to us portends
Ends of much wonder, and be thou those ends. Since thou doft this day in new glory fhine, May all men date records from this day, Va- lentine!
Meeting another grows the same, So meet thy Frederick, and fo To an unfeparable union go; Since feparation
Falls not on fuch things as are infinite,
Nor things which are but once an difunite; You're twice infeparable, great, and one. Go then to where the Bishop ftays
To make you one; his way, which divers ways Must be effected; and when all is past,
And that y' are one, by hearts and hands made fast,
You two have one way left yourselves t' entwine, Befides this Bishop's knot of Bishop Valentine.
But, oh! what ails the fun, that hence he stays Longer to-day than other days?
Stays he now light from th f to get?
And finding here fuch stars is loth to fet
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