1. To the Reader of my reprehending generall Epigrams.
I Doe not, nor I dare not squib the State:
Such oultrequidant sawcines I hate:
Nor doe I meane any one Man herein;
In priuate tearmes, I lash a publique sin;
If any guilty thinke I him doe meane,
He iudgeth right: for I at him doe ayme.
2. Of the like Epigrams. To the right worshipfull and learned, Simon Baskeruile, Doctor of Physicke.
Epigrams are much like to Oxymell,
Hony and Vineger compounded well:
Hony, and sweet in their inuention,
Vineger in their reprehension.
As sowre, sweet Oxymell, doth purge though fleagme:
These are to purge Vice, take them as they meane.
3. A probleme of Children.
Since God complaines of too few Children,
And Satan hath for Gods One, more then ten,
Yet still would haue more. Why should Man alone
Repine at some, nay? wish that they had none?
4. To a close Sinner, more fearefull of shame, then Sinne.
Dauid saith, Stand in awe, and doe not sinne
Thou standst in awe, but tis, lest thou be seene.
5. To Curious Criticke Wit, Head-Constable.
Search close, thou maist some Felony find here:
From all Foole-hardy Treason these are cleare.
6. On Erra Pater and his Almanacke.
The often Printed Gull-foole Erra Pater,
Is in conclusion but an erring prater.
7. To Baldpate.
Surely, Paldpate, thou some times hadst a brow
Before thou lost thy haire; No man knowes how.
Thy brow doth now reach home vnto thy crowne,
/21/ But vncrown'd thou art, he comes further downe;
How farre he comes, now cannot be descride:
For he comes downe, downe, downe to thy backeside.
8. To a Paultry Acquaintance.
Thou dost accuse me, and condemne my Rymes,
Because to thee I dedicate no lines.
Thou dost as well deserue an Epigram,
As Baldpate, who is trim'd with many a one.
9. To a certaine Periwiggian.
Thy smooth, sleeke head-haire, daily settled on,
Though some say not, I saw it is thine owne,
Thou paid'st for't: yet the haire thou hast lost,
When thou did'st lose it, did thee much more cost.
10. Of the Antiquity of the true Church, to a Iesuite.
Thou doost demand, and acclamations raise,
Where our beliefe was, before Luthers dayes?
As Christ did answer to a question,
By such a like expostulation:
So doe I aske, answer me when thou please,
Where was your Faith, long since the Apostles dayes?
11. To the same Iesuite.
Art thou a Iesuite, yet dost vs reproach
With want of Faith, ere Luther his did broach?
Your race was raiz'd, since he preach'd: your new errors
Are odious to your owne, to others terrors.
A hated race, spew'd in these latter dayes,
Though Fathers cal'd, y'are the Popes Roring boyes.
12. To a sober, sly, Penurious, Vsurious Companion.
Godlines is great gaine, God sayes no lesse,
But thou saist, thou canst make gaine godlines:
What thou hast got by craft, and Vsury,
Thou wilt bequeath in deeds of Charity.
Such distribution I doe emulate;
The way vnto it, I abominate.
13. The Indefatigability of a Shrews Tongue.
What long wants naturall rest, cannot indure:
In all things, but a Shrewes Tongue, this is sure.
/22/ 14. The goe-out and the Goute.
Thou grieu'd art with the goe-out, and the Goute;
For if thy wife doth chide thee out of doore:
Which of these ills is worst, some make a doubt:
I thinke the goe-out, is the greater sore.
The Goute doth oftnest but the great Toe paine:
The goe-out doth afflict both heart, and braine.
15. To Father Taylor Iesuite, sometimes my familiar friend in Oxford.
You say that Images are Lay-mens Bookes.
He learnes most error, that most on them lookes.
And to say truth, what-euer you doe say,
They're fit Bookes for the Learned, not the Lay. (9)
16. To an Idoll worshipper, or an obstinate Recusant.
Idols are sencelesse, speake them foule or faire;
And those that trust in them, as sencelesse are.
Trusting in them, thou art obdurate made,
That Law not Gospell can thee not perswade. (10)
17. A Meditation for such simple innocent people as I am.
Since thou All-wise hast made me not so wise,
With subtile Serpents for to subtilize;
Accept my plainenesse, and my good intent,
That with thy Doue I may be innocent;
From subtle trickes guard my simplicitie.
And make me simple in subtility.
18. The force of Repentance.
Our sinne enforceth God to raise his hand:
But our Repentance doth the stroke withstand.
19. Most men want somewhat.
Some honest well-bent mindes their strength is slacke;
Strong men haue strength, some of them wisdome lacke;
Wise men haue wit; But some want honestie;
Some men are neither honest, strong, nor wittie.
20. Too much, too little, hurts.
Light Corne beares ground thats not with dressing dight;
Without some learning, wit growes vaine and light;
As too much dressing cause weeds, ranck, and bad:
So too much Learning makes a quicke wit mad.
/23/ 21. Greatnes and Loue moue not in one Sphere.
Greatnes soares vpward; Loue is downeward mou'd;
Hence 'tis that Greatnes Loues not, nor is Lou'd.
22. To an enuied Fauorite, right worthy of his preferment.
Enuious, and bad, 'gainst uertue, goodnesse fight;
Would Good, and wise, did vnderstand you right.
23. To a casheard Fauorite; who hath deserued his disgrace.
I grieue at thy disgrace, blush at thy shame,
But this drawes teares; Thou hast deseru'd the same.
24. How Little, how Great.
The least of all the fixed Stars, they say,
Is sometimes bigger then the earth and Sea.
Poore little I that from earth haue my birth,
Am but a clod, compared to the Earth.
How little now, how great shall I be then,
When I in Heauen, like to a Starre shall shine?
25. On Young weekely Newes-writers & old Chroniclers.
Currantiers lye by Vbiquity;
But Chroniclers lye by Authority.
Newes-writers, Trauellers are, Historians old:
Trauellers and old men to lye may be bold.
Not then, Not there, cannot their lyes vnfold.
26. Conscience.
Whilst concious men of smallest sinnes haue ruth,
Bold sinners count great Sinnes, but tricks of youth.
27. To a weake braind Good-fellow.
Thy braine is weake, strong drinke thou canst not beare:
Follow my Rule, Strong drinke doe thou forbeare.
28. The only Foundation Rocke of Christs Church, To the Diuines of Rome.
Out of the Creed, wherein we both consent,
Peter, I proue is not the Rocke Christ ment.
Doe we belieue in God of all the maker?
In that, the Iew with vs is a partaker.
Doe we belieue, that Christ was borne and dy'd,
And that he was vnjustly Crucifi'd?
The Turke beleues so, and sayes he did stand,
Till theirs came mediating at Gods right hand.
/24/ That he shall Iudge all that beleeue in him,
Both Iew and Turke, Forgiuenes of all sinne
Belieue; the fleshes Resurrection,
The blessed Saints holy Communion,
And life eternall almost as we doe,
And that their Church is Catholicke, and true.
They doe beleeue the Spirits influence,
Though not like vs, but in a larger sense.
But all within our Creed, which doth conduce,
To proue Christ Iesus is the only sluce
Of our Saluation, and Gods only Sonne;
In that, we Christians doe beleeue alone.
This is the Rocke whereon Christs Church is built.
Take away this, all our Faiths frame will tylt.
And this was Peters wise confession:
Whence I deduce this firme conclusion;
Not Peter his confession the Rock is,
And Christ said not, On Thee, but, Vpon This.
29. An honest wrong'd Mans Meditations.
Since for my Loue, Friends me vnkindly serue,
God will not vse me, as I doe deserue.
30. The good effects of Corrections.
Sea-water, though't be salt, salt meates makes fresh;
So doth correction our ill liues redresse.
31. Preachers Fame, and Ayme.
Young Preachers, to doe well, doe take much paine,
That all may doe well, is old Preachers ayme.
32. To the Reader.
This one fault (Reader) pardon, and endure,
If striuing to be briefe, I grow obscure.
33. A Christian Meditation.
I hope, and I doe faithfully beleeue,
That God in loue will me Saluation giue:
I hope, and my assured firme faith is,
God will accept my Loue to him and his.
I hope, by faith his Loue will me afford
All this only, through Iesus Christ our Lord.
/25/ 34. A Messe of Mistakers.
Lewd, loose, large lust, is loue with Familists.
Papists chiefe Hope in their owne workes consists.
Some Protestants on barren Faith relye.
Atheists haue no Faith, Hope, nor Charity.
35. An Appendix to this Epigram.
Loue is the fruite; Hope the leaues; Faith the tree.
Who hath a perfect Faith, hath all these three.
Only by such a Faith men saued be.
36. A Guilty Conscience.
When God did call to Adam, Where art thou?
He meant not thereby, where, or in what place?
God knew in which bush he was well enough:
But, Where art, Adam? that is, in what case?
37. To gie the Church of Rome her due. To a Separatist.
Though thou art loth to put it in thy Creed,
The Church of Rome is a true Church indeed:
So is a Thiefe a true, truely a man,
Although he be not truely a true one.
How is it that Children there baptizde,
By other Christians Christians are agnizde?
38. To Quick siluer headded Innouators.
Because of the vncertainty of Wits,
Our Law commands a certainty in Writs:
For as good cause is our Church Lythurgie
Wisly reduced to a certainty.
If that were yeelded to that some men seeke,
We should haue new Church-Seruice euery weeke.
39. Faire Good Wiues.
Cleare-skind, true colour'd Wiues, with exact features,
With wife, mild, chaste Soules, are the best of Creatures.
40. Faire Shrewes.
Cleare-skind, faire colour'd Wiues, with exact features,
With shrewd, lew'd wild minds, are the worst of creatures.
41. A Probleme hereupon.
If sine flesh be so ill with an ill mind,
What is a foule outside thus inward lin'd?
/26/ A Trestick to these three,
Disticks by way of Answer.
42. To all constant Batchelers, especially to my Good Friend Mr. Roger Michell.
Caribdis one, the other Sylla is,
And though the first an harbour be of blisse,
You steare the safest course, these Rockes to misse.
43. To an honest old doting Man, such as I may be, if I liue a little longer.
A Lyer should haue a good memory;
For want of it thou vtterest many a Lye,
Thou dost remember many things in great:
But the particulars thou dost forget.
Thou tell'st thy Lyes without ill-thought or paine;
Th'are no malicious Lyes, nor Lyes for gaine.
44. A Crue of Cursing Companions. To the Bishop of Rome.
With Bell, Booke, Candle, each Ascension day,
Thou cursest vs (11) who for thee yeerely pray.
But on good Fryday the Greeke (12) Patriark,
Doth banne thee, branding thee, with this lewd marke,
He stiles thee, Father of Corruption,
Of Ancient Fathers the corrupting One:
They saw long since thy knauish forgery,
As we now see thy Purging Knauery.
45. To the same man.
He that doth dead Saints Reliques Idolize,
Their liuing writings lewdly falsifies.
46. Enuies Dyet.
Old wits haue seuerall wayes drest Enuies food;
Each hath his sawce (if rightly vnderstood)
Her owne heart, her owne flesh, A Toade, A Bone,
Which she deuoureth sitting all alone:
Though these are faire, This dish doth me best please,
When I find her gnawing a wreathe of Bayes:
For her chiefe food, Is well deserued praise.
47. To a hansome Whore.
One told me, what a pretty face thou hast;
And it's great pitty that thou art not chaste.
/27/ But I did tell him, that did tell it me,
That if thou wert not Faire, thou chaste wouldst be.
48. The mad life of a mad Sea-man of Warre.
He liues, and thriues by death, and by decay,
He drinkes, sweares, curseth, sometimes he doth pray,
That he may meet somewhat to be his prey,
And spends the rest in sleepe, at meat, at play.
49. Of the Gunpowder Holly-day, the 5. of Nouember.
The Powder-Traytors, Guy Vaux, and his mates,
Who by a Hellish plot sought Saints estates,
Haue in our Kalender vnto their shame,
A ioyfull Holy-day cald by their Name.
50. On these blacke Saints.
The first day of Nouember is alway,
All-Saints feast, and the fift, all-Deuils day.
51. To a great Gamester.
Saint Paul doth bid vs Pray continually,
But thou would'st rather Play continually.
52. Most men are mistaken. To Mr. Robert Grimes.
Good, bad, rich, poore, the foolish, and the sage,
Doe all cry out against the present age,
Ignorance made vs thinke our young Times good;
Our elder dayes are better vnderstood;
Besides, griefes past we easily forget;
Present displeasures make vs sad, or fret.
53. The Tree of Sanctification.
First growes the Tree, and then the Leaues doe grow;
These two must spring before the fruite can shew:
Faith is a firme Tree, Hope, like shaking Leaues,
From these two, Charity her Fruits receiues.
Faith without Hope, and Loue, is a dead Tree,
Hope without Loue, and Faith, greene cannot be.
Loue without Hope and firme Faith is no more
Then hansome Fruit without, rotten at core.
54. Real presence }{ Each contradict Praying to Saints }{ the other.
If Christ be reall, corporall in the bread,
After the Consecrating words are said:
/28/ What need you goe to Saints, since you may take him
And vse him as you please like them that bake him?
55. An Antidote for Drunkards.
If that your heads would ake before you drinke
As afterwards, you'd ne'r be drunke, I thinke.
56. Womens Tyers.
Womens head-laces and high towring wyres,
Significantly, rightly are cald tyres;
They tyre them and their Maides in putting on,
Tyre Tyremakers, with variation.
I thinke to pay for them, doth tyre some men;
I hope they'll tyre the Deuill that inuents them.
57. The Gyant.
I'm but a man, though I in lenght exceed.
The Dwarfe.
Though I want length, a Man I am indeed.
The Gyant to the Dwarfe.
My Syre out-shot the marke, begetting me. Thy Father shot too short, when he made thee.
The Dwarfe to the Gyant.
Although short shooting often lose the game, To ouer-shoot the marke, is as much shame.
58. To a namelesse Friend, whose head is said to be full of Proclamations.
To fill the head with Proclamations,
Is no disgrace, so they be well penn'd ones.
59. The good of punishment.
Plagues make proud, big, swolne hearts,fall low againe:
As Causticks bate proud flesh, though with much paine.
60. A Chyrurgions good qualities. To my good friend Mr. P.S. Chyrurgion.
A Surgion should haue, well to vse his art,
Ladyes hands, Eagles eyes, a Lyons heart.
Not one of these good properties you lacke,
But when you hide them in the white strong Sacke.
61. A Pill to purge Bribery.
Those that doe liue heere by Corruption,
Shall dye in the next generation.
/29/ 62. Papisticall faith.
What a strange doubtfull blind no-Faith you hold,
Which cannot be imagined, held, or told?
What Lay-men know not, Clarks doe thinke they know,
Sayes the Pope otherwise, It is not so.
The Weather-Cocke of your Religion
Is in the Popes shifting Opinion.
63. Some poore comfort for these Multifidians.
If this Pope, Millions drawes with him to Hell,
The next wise Pope may reset all things well. (13)
64. Spirituall weapons to encounter with Satan. To my louing and good Aunt, Mistris Elizabeth Spicer of Exeter, mother to Doctor Richard Spicer Physition.
These are strong Armes to buckle with the Deuill,
Fasting, Faith, Prayer, bearing, forbearing euill:
If with these weapons God doe vs assist,
Satan will ne'r stand to it, nor resist.
65. Confidence ill vsed, and Confidence abused.
Cursed is he that puts his confidence
In Man: Onely in man is the right sense.
And that Man shall like punishment receiue,
Who doth an honest Confidence deceiue.
66. A Caueat for buyers and sellers.
In this world silly buyers must beware:
In the next world, deare sellers of bad ware.
67. To Politike Bankerupt.
Thou hast broke fiue times; thou wilt breake once more:
What a braue Tilter thou wouldst make therefore!
68. A mad answer of a Mad man.
One askt a Mad-man, if a wife he had?
A wife (quoth he) I neuer was so mad.
69. A lusty Widdow, to one of her Sutors.
To haue me, thou tel'st me, on me thou'lt dote.
I tell thee, Who hath me, on me must doo't,
I may be coozen'd; but sure if I can,
Ile haue no doting, but a dooing man.
/30/ 70. To Mammonnists, who put their trust in vncertaine Riches.
Some haue too many goods: some would haue none:
You haue too many, though you haue but one;
For yellow Mammon is your God alone.
71. God and Mammon.
Seruice to God, and Mammon none can doe:
Yet we may serue God, and haue Mammon too.
72. There is no fooling with Edge-tooles. To a Friend.
Thou hast sped well in many a former plot,
Thou vndertook'st a great one, fail'st in that,
Men must haue Mittons on, to shoo a Cat.
73. My Iudgement on Men of Iudgement. To a kind Friend.
Thou talk'st of men of Iudgement. Who are they?
Those, whose conceits successe doth still obey.
Wise mens, wise counsell, is but their conceits;
If they speed ill, they are sad wise deceits.
74. To all the shrewd Wiues that are, or shall be planted in New-found-land.
If mad-men, Drunkards, Children, or a Foole,
Wrong sober, discreet men with tongue or toole,
We say, Such things are to be borne withall.
We say so too, if Women fight, or brawle.
75. Some preuention for some of these misdooers.
Mad men are bound; Drunkards are laid to sleepe:
Fooles beaten are; Toyes Children quiet keepe:
I wish vnruly Shrewes were turnd to Sheepe.
76. Masters Behauiour. To my good Friend Master Thomas Mil-ware, of Harbor-Grace in Newfound- land.
Sterne, cruell vsage may bad seruants fetter:
Wise gentle vsage, keepes good seruants better.
77. Too much Familiarity breeds contempt.
Though some wise men this Prouerbe doe apply,
For a defence of their austerity;
I thinke this way this Prouerbe might be meant,
/31/ Chiding too oft, brings Chiding in contempt.
79. The foure Elements in Newfound-land. To the Worshipfull Captaine Iohn Mason, who did wisely and worthily gouerne there diuers yeeres.
The Aire, in Newfound-Land is wholesome, good;
The Fire, as sweet as any made of wood;
The Waters, very rich, both salt and fresh;
The Earth more rich, you know it is no lesse.
Where all are good, Fire, Water, Earth, and Aire,
What man made of these foure would not liue there?
80. To all those worthy Women, who haue any desire to liue in Newfound-Land, specially to the modest & discreet Gentle- woman Mistris Mason, wife to Captaine Mason, who liued there diuers yeeres.
Sweet Creatures, did you truly vnderstand
The pleasant life you'd liue in Newfound-land;
You would with teares desire to be brought thither:
I wish you, when you goe, faire wind, faire weather:
For if you with the passage can dispence,
When you are there, I know you'll ne'r come thence.
81. To a worthy Friend, who often objects the coldnesse of the Winter in Newfound-Land, and may serue for all those that haue the like conceit.
You say that you would liue in Newfound-land,
Did not this one thing your conceit withstand;
You feare the Winters cold, sharp, piercing ayre.
The loue it best, that haue once winterd there.
Winter is there, short, wholesome, constant, cleare,
Not thicke, vnwholesome, shuffling, as 'tis here.
82. To the right worshipfull Iohn Slany, Treasurer to the Newfound-land Company, and to all the rest of that Honorable Corporation.
I know, that wise you are, and wise you were:
So was hee who this Action did preferre:
Yet some wise men doe argue otherwise,
And say you were not, or you are not wise:
They say, you were not wise to vndertake it:
Or that you are not wise thus to forsake it.
/32/ 83. Of the same Honorable Company.
Diuers well-minded men, wise, rich, and able,
Did vndertake a plot inestimable,
The hopefull'st, easiest, healthi'st, iust plantation,
That ere was vndertaken by our Nation.
When they had wisely, worthily begunne,
For a few errors that athwart did runne,
(As euery action first is full of errors)
They fell off flat, retir'd at the first terrors.
As it is lamentably strange to me:
In the next age incredible 'twill be.
84. To the right Honourable Sir George Calvert, Knight, late Principall Secretary to King IAMES, Baron of Baltomore, and Lord of Aualon in Newfound-land.
Your worth hath got you Honour in your dayes.
It is my honour, you my verses praise.
O let your Honour cheerefully goe on;
End well your well begunne Plantation.
This holy hopefull worke you haue halfe done,
For best of any, you haue well begunne.
If you giue ouer what hath so well sped,
Your sollid wisedome will be questioned.
86. To the same Nobleman.
Yours is a holy just Plantation,
And not a iustling supplantation.
86. To the right worthy, learned and wise, Master William Vaughan, chiefe Vndertaker for the Plantation in Cambrioll, the Southermost part of Newfound-Land, who with penne, purse, and Person hath, and will proue the worthines of that enterprise.
It ioy'd my heart, when I did vnderstand
That your selfe would your Colonie command;
It greeu'd me much, when as I heard it told,
Sicknes had layd on you an vnkind hold.
Beleeue me, Sir, your Colchos Cambrioll
Is a sweet, pleasant, wholesome, gainefull soyle.
/33/ You shall find there what you doe want; Sweet health:
And what you doe not want, as sweet; Sweet wealth.
87. To the same industrious Gentleman, who in his golden golden-fleece stiles himselfe Orpheus Iunior.
Your noble humor indefatigable,
More vertuous, constant yet, then profitable,
Striuing to doe good, you haue lost your part,
Whil'st lesser losse hath broke some Tradesmens heart:
Yet you proceed with person, purse and penne,
Fitly attended with laborious men.
Goe on, wise Sir, with your old, bold, braue Nation
To your new Cambriolls rich Plantation,
Let Dolphins dance before you in the floods,
And play you, Orpheus Iunior, in her woods.
88. Some Diseases were neuer in Newfound-land. To the right worthy Mistres, Anne Vaughan, wife to Doctor Vaughan, who hath an honourable desire to liue in that Land.
Those that liue here, how young, or old soeuer,
Were neuer vext with Cough, nor Aguish Feauer,
Nor euer was the Plague, nor small Pox heere;
The Aire is so salubrious, constant, cleere:
Yet scuruy Death stalke heere with theeuish pace,
Knocks one downe here, two in another place.
89. To Sir Richard Whitborne, Knight, my deare friend, Sometime Lieutenant to Doctor Vaughan for his Plantation in Newfound-Land, who hath since published a worthy booke of that most hopefull Country.
Who preaching well, doth doe, and liue as well,
His doing makes his preaching to excell:
For your wise, well-pend Booke this Land's your debter;
Doe as you write, you'le be beleeu'd the better.
90. To my good Friend Mr. Thomas Rowley, who from the first Plantation hath liu'd in Newfound-Land little to his profit.
When some demaund, Why rich you doe not grow?
I tell them, Your kind nature makes it so.
/34/ They say, that heere you might haue gotten wealth.
Adam in Paradise vndid himselfe.
91. There is more gaine in an honest Enemy, than in a flattering Friend.
A flattering Friend in's Commendations halts:
An honest Foe will tell me all my faults.
92. To the right Honourable, Sir Henry Cary, Knight, Viscount Faukeland, Lord Deputy of Ireland.
I ioy'd when you tooke part of Newfound-Land;
I grieu'd, to see it lye dead in your hand:
I ioy'd when you sent people to that Coast;
I grieu'd, when I sawe all that great charge lost.
Yet let your Honor try it once againe,
With wise, stayd, carefull honest-harted men,
I am to blame, you boldly to aduise:
For all that know you, know you wondrous wise:
Yet neere-hand, Dull bleare-ey'd may better see,
Then quicker cleare-ey'd, that a farre off bee.
93. To the Honourable Knight, Sir Perciuall Willoughbie, who, to his great cost, and losse, aduentur'd in this action of Newfound-Land.
Wise men, wise Sir, doe not the fire abhorre,
For once being sindg'd, more wary grow therefore.
Shall one disaster breed in you a terror?
With honest, meet, wise men mend your first error.
If with such men you would begin againe,
Honor and profit you would quickly gaine.
Beleeue him, who with griefe hath seene your share,
'Twould doe you good, were such men planted there.
94. To my very good Friend, Mr. Iohn Poyntz, Esquire, one of the Planters of Newfound-Land in Doctor Vaughans Plantation.
'Tis said, wise Socrates look't like an Asse;
Yet he with wondrous sapience filled was;
So though our Newfound-Land look wild, saluage,
She hath much wealth penn'd in her rustie Cage.
So haue I seense a leane-cheekes, bare, and ragged,
Who of his priuate thousands could haue bragged.
/35/ Indeed she now lookes rude, vntowardly;
She must be decked with neat husbandry.
So haue I seene a plaine swarth, sluttish Ione,
Looke pretty pert, and neat with good cloathes on.
95. To the right Honorable Knight, Sir William Alexander, Principall, and prime Planter in New-Scotland: To whom the King hath giuen a Royall gift to defray his great charges in that worthy busines.
Great Alexander wept, and made sad mone,
Because there was but one World to be wonne.
It ioyes my heart, when such wise men as you,
Conquer new Worlds which that Youth neuer knew.
The King of Kings assist, blesse you from Heauen;
For our King hath you wise assistance giuen.
Wisely our King did aide on you bestow:
Wise are all Kings who all their gifts giue so.
'Tis well giuen, that is giuen to such a One,
For seruice done, or seruice to be done.
By all that know you, 'tis well vnderstood,
You will dispend it for your Countries good.
Old Scotland you made happy by your birth,
New-Scotland you will make a happy earth.
96. To the same Wise, Learned, Religious Patriot, most Excellent Poet.
You are a Poet, better ther's not any,
You haue one super-vertue 'mongst your many;
I wish I were your equall in the one,
And in the other your Companion.
With one I'd giue you your deserued due,
And with the other, serue and follow you.
97. To the right Honourable, Sir George Caluert, Knight, Baron of Baltamore, and Lord of Aualon in Britaniola, who came ouer to see his Land there, 1627.
Great Shebae's wise Queene traueld farre to see,
Whether the truth did with report agree.
You by report perswaded, laid out much,
Then wisely came to see, if it were such:
You came, and saw, admir'd what you had seene,
/36/ With like successe as the wise Sheba Queene.
If euery Sharer heere would take like paine,
This Land would soone be peopled to their gaine.
98. To the same right wise, and right worthy Noble- man.
This shall be said whil'st that the world doth stand,
Your Honor 'twas first honoured this Land.
99. To the right worshipfull Planters of Bristoll-Hope in the new Kingdome of Britaniola.
When I to you your Bristoll-Hope commend,
Reck'ning your gaine, if you would thither send,
What you can spare: You little credit me:
The mischiefe is, you'le not come here and see.
Here you would quickly see more then my selfe:
Then would you style it, Bristols-Hope of wealth.
100. To the right worshipfull William Robinson of Tinwell, in Rutland shire Esquire, come ouer to see Newfound-Land with my Lord of Baltamore. 1627.
Strange, not to see stones here aboue the ground,
Large vntrencht bottomes vnder water drown'd.
Hills, and Plaines full of trees, both small, and great,
And dryer bottomes deepe of Turfe, and Peate.
When England was vs'd for a Fishing place,
By Coasters only, 'twas in the same case,
And so vnlouely't had continued still:
Had not our Ancestors vs'd paines, and skill:
How much bad ground with mattock and with spade,
Since we were borne, hath there beene good ground made?
You, and I rooted have Trees, Brakes, and stone:
Both for succeeding good, and for our owne.
101. To the first Planters of Newfound-land.
What ayme you at in your Plantation?
Sought you the Honour of our Nation?
Or did you hope to raise your owne renowne?
Or else to adde a Kingdome to a Crowne?
Or Christs true Doctrine for to propagate?
Or drawe Saluages to a blessed state?
Or our o're peopled Kingdome to relieue?
Or shew poore men where they may richly liue?
/37/ Or poore mens children godly to maintaine?
Or amy'd you at your owne sweete priuate gaine?
All these you had atchiu'd before this day,
And all these you haue balk't by your delay.
102. To my Reuerend kind friend, Master Erasmus Sturton, Preacher of the Word of God, and Parson of Ferry Land in the Prouince of Aualon in Newfound-Land.
No man should be more welcome to this place,
Then such as you, Angels of Peace, and Grace;
As you were sent here by the Lords command,
Be you the blest Apostle of this Land;
To Infidels doe you Euangelize,
Making those that are rude, sober and wise.
I pray that Lord that did you hither send,
You may our cursings, swearing, (14) iouring mend.
103. To my very louing and discreet Friend, Master Peter Miller of Bristoll.
You askt me once, What here was our chiefe dish?
In Winter, Fowle, in Summer choyce of Fish.
But wee should need good Stomackes, you may thinke,
To eate such kind of things which with you stinke,
As Rauens, Crowes, Kytes, Otters, Foxes, Beares,
Dogs, Cats, and Soyles, Eaglets, Hawks, Hounds, & Hares:
(15) Yet we haue Partriges, and store of Deare,
And that (I thinke) with you is pretty cheere.
Yet let me tell you, Sir, what I loue best,
It's a Poore-Iohn (16) thats cleane, and neatly drest:
There's not a meat found in the Land, or Seas,
Can Stomacks better please, or lesse displease,
It is a fish of profit, and of pleasure,
Ile write more of it, when I haue more leisure:
There and much more are here the ancient store:
Since we came hither, we haue added more.
104. To some discreet people, who thinke any body good enough for a Plantation.
When you doe see an idle, lewd, young man,
You say hee's fit for our Plantation.
Knowing your selfe to be rich, sober, wise,
/38/ You set your owne worth at an higher price.
I say, such men as you are, were more fit,
And most conuenient for first peopling it:
Such men as you would quickly profit here:
Lewd, lazy Lubbers, want wit, grace, and care.
105. To the famous, wise and learned Sisters, the two Vniuersities of England, Oxford and Cambridge.
The ancient Iewes did take a world of paine,
And traueld farre some Proselites to gaine:
The busie pated Iesuites in our dayes,
To make some theirs, doe compasse Land and Seas:
The Mahumetan, Heathen, moderne Iew,
Doe daily striue to make some of their crue:
Yet to our shame we idly doe stand still,
And suffer God, his number vp to fill.
Ye worthy Sisters, raze this imputation,
Send forth your Sonnes vnto our New Plantation;
Yet send such as are Holy, wise, and able,
That may build Christs Church, as these doe build Babel.
If you exceed not these in (17) Righteousnes,
I need not tell your Wisedomes the successe.
106. To answer a Friend, who asked me, Why I did not compose some Encomiasticks, in praise of Noble men and Great Courtiers, As my friend Iohn Owen hath done.
I knew the Court well in the old Queenes dayes;
I then knew Worthies worthy of great praise:
But now I am there such a stranger growne,
That none doe know me there, there I know none.
Those few I here obserue with commendation,
Are Famous Starres in our New Constellation.
