Paradoxes Problems Essays Characters, Part 6 – Title page 2
A sheaf of Miscellany EPIGRAMS.
Written in Latin by I. D. Translated by J. Main D. D.
1. Upon one who for his wives fault took it ill to be called Cuckold.
RUde scoffer! why dost cal me Cuckold? No
Loose fires of Love did in my bosome grow.
No wedlock knot by me unti'd hath bin;
Nor am I guilty of anothers sin.
Thy wife being not her own with thy limbs she,
Fool'd Cuckold, doth commit Adulterie.
Being, then, one flesh, and thou her Head, tis fit
The Horus, in Justice, on thy Brow should fit.
2. Upon One Roger a Rich Niggard, familiarly unacquainted with the Author.
BOttomless pit of gold! slave to thy Chest!
Poor in the midst of Riches not possest!
Self Tantalus! To thine own wealth a Thief!
Affording scarce thy half-starv…d Womb relief.
Cheating thy limbs with cloths transparent worn;
Plague to thy self! To all men else a scorn!
Who madly dost mens silver shapes adore;
And thence getst Cheeks pale as the silver Ore.
Feare not I'le beg; my mind's above thy pelf;
Good Thrifty Hodge, give something to thy self.
3. Upon a Whore barren and not barren.
THy oft repeated is no Childless sin;
When thou art lain with stil thy purs lies in.
4. On the same.
Thy dowbak'd Lusts, and Tail which vainly wags,
Are recompenc'd by thy still teeming bags.
5. On an old Bawd.
Loe, I an old Whore have to young resign'd;
Yet in my old flesh dwels a young whores mind.
6. On the same.
Though ramage grown, Th'art still for carting fit;
Thy will with others bodies doth commit.
7. On the same.
She, whose scarce yet quencht lust to freeze begins,
Liv'd by her own once, now by others sins.
8. On a Bawdy-house.
Here Mal, providing for Threescore,
Sets up the Trade she learn'd before,
VVith watchings many, sweatings more.
9. Upon an old rich scolding Woman who being married to a poor young man upbraided him daily with the smallness of his Fortune. The Husbands complaint.
VVhat wife like mine hath any Husband known?
By day she is all Noyse, by night all stone.
10. Another.
Shut thy purse-mouth, Old Trot, And let's appeal;
VVho'd without sauce taste so deform'd a Meal?
11. On her unpleasing Kisses.
They can't be Kisses call'd but toothless Nips,
VVhichWhich, Beldam, come from thy faint trembling lips.
12. Another.
When thy dry grissels with my soft lips close,
I give thee kisses, thou return'st me blows.
13. Another.
Thy senses faile thee, And pray God they may,
To me thy Cofers will their loss defray.
14. On the same old Wife.
Thou art no Woman, nor no womans part,
Infant, or Girl; say, who the Devil art.
15. To the same.
Be not seen, Thou, whom I distracted love,
Least my prodigious dotage scandal prove.
For being a meer Image, 'twil be spread,
That I no wife did, but an Idol wed.
16. Upon one who saw the Picture of his scolding wife in a Painters shop. Dialog.
Painter, whose face is that I see?
Thy wives. Alas! I fear tis she.
Just so her scolding eyes do burn;
And Brow doth into wrincles turn.
I tremble at her sharp nose; so
Her frighting chin doth pointed grow.
All parts are so drawn to the life,
Methinks the picture, like my wise,
Begins to brawl, and kindle strife.
17. Another.
Say Painter, who's this whom thy hand hath made,
Thy wife who dost enquire, at least her shade.
'Tis so; yet Painter, I had cause to doubt,
Seeing her Tongue, her most known part left out.
18. Another.
Who's this, Painter? Thy wife, O
That she were in earnest so.
19. Another.
Venus, when Pygmalion praid,
Chang'd a Statue to a Maid;
Whose cold Marble drunk warm bloud.
If at my request she would
My wife into Marble turn,
I would white Doves to her burn.
20. Upon a Pipe of Tobacco mis-taken by the Author for the Tooth-ach.
Outlandish Weed! whilst I thy vertues tell,
Assist me Bedlam, Muses come from Hell.
21. Another.
An Hearb thou art, but useless; for made fire,
From hot mouths puft, thou dost in fumes expire.
22. Another.
A cloud Ixion for a Goddess kist;
So thou thy Lovers cosen'st with a mist.
23. To the Tobacco-seller.
Merchant of Smoke, when next thou mak'st a feast
Invite some starv'd Chamelion to be guest.
24. Another.
Lothings, stincks, thirst, rhumes, aches, and catarrh,
Base weed, thy vertues, that's, thy poysons are.
25. Another.
I love thee not, nor thou me having tri'd
How thy scorcht Takers are but Takers fry'd.
26. Another.
Niggards till dead are Niggards; so vile weed,
Thy bounty from thy ashes doth proceed.
27. Upon a Town built in the place where a wood grew; From whence 'tis called Dukes-Wood, or the Burse
A Wood into fair buildings chang'd we see;
And th' Oke stands City where 'twas fel'd a tree.
28. Another.
Falne Okes the Axe doth into Timber hew;
And a Town stands where Trees demolisht grew.
29. Another.
From a Woods ruines did these Buildings rise,
And it stood Grove where now it Rafters lies.
30. Another.
This naked Beam which beares up Roofes from ground,
Was once with branches & fair green top, crown'd.
31. Another.
Wood yeelds to stone, boughs are made joyces here,
And where a Cops stood now fair streets appeare.
32. Upon a navigable River cut through a Town built out of a Wood.
Horsmen turn sailers, waves roll where grew woods
And against Nature Art make ways through floods.
33. Another.
The drownd land here a Crystall garment wears,
And her own trees, made Barges, once more bears.
34. Another.
The tree her womb-bred on the back now floats
Of this o're-flown field, now in wandring Boats.
35. Another.
The ground whose head was once enricht with Okes,
Her Temples now steept in sea-water sokes.
36. Another.
The place where once grew Ash for warlike spears
The Maze makes drunk now with his brinish tears
37. Upon the Medows over-flown there.
The Medows which their perfum'd locks did boast
Ore-flown with waters have their perfumes lost.
38. Another.
The hungry Cow here lately did mistake;
And seeking grasse was cosen'd with a lake.
39. Another.
Here Fishes dwell, till now not us'd to fields;
And pasture ground here sportful Gudgeons yeelds.
40. Another.
Mere pleasant fields drownd by the wandring Maze,
See scaly flocks swim where once sheep did graze.
41. Another.
Dukes-wood where once thick bushes did appear,
Like a new Iland now stands in a meer.
42. Upon a piece of ground ore-flown, where once a Leaguer quartered.
Here where Tents stood, Mars now to Neptune yeelds,
And Sea-nymphs tread moist dances ore the fields.
43. Another.
Fishes now quarter where pavilions stood;
And the smooth Tench dies the sharp hook with blood.
44. Another.
Finn'd Soldiers here in Belgick Quarters jar;
And the fierce Pike in troubled streams makes war.
45. Another.
Dutchman! This Grove once hatcht the Warlick Speer,
Which angry Perches on their backs now wear.
46. Another.
Gudgeons, where soldiers lay, ly trencht in Sand,
Fearing the bloudie Colours of the Land.
47. A Dutch Captain of Foot, having with his Soldiers entred a Breach, and there a while fought valiantly with a Two-handed Sword; In the very point of Victory, being mortally wounded, spake thus:
I fighting die; How much more blest then they,
Whom a blind shot doth, standing idle, slay.
48. Another.
We've conquer'd Boys; My wounds I highly rate,
When with such Honor they requite my fate.
49. Another.
Thus conquering kild, my ashes triumphs gain,
And make me wish thus to be often slain.
50. Another.
I die well paid, whilst my expiring breath,
Smiles ore the Tombs of foes made kin by death.
51. Another.
Me the queld Spaniard to the next world sent
Not unreveng'd; his Troops before me went.
52. His Will.
Let Heaven my soul, the foe my life, the grave
My corps, my fame let my sav'd Countrey have.
53. To the Prince of Aurange, on his famous Victory over the Spaniards in Dukes-Wood.
Now Golden Fruit, Prince, hang on Dukes-wood Boughes;
Since it with Lawrell crown'd thy conquering Browes.
54. Another.
Holland and Aurange may their Conquest boast
Of the quell'd Spaniard, but brave Aurange most.
55. Another.
Spaniard, no more call Golden Fleeces thine,
Since the bright name of Aurange doth more shine.
56. A Panegyrick on the Hollanders being Lords of the Sea. Occasioned by the Authors being in their Army at Dukes-wood.
Heathen! No more thy Neptune boast; Here see
A Neptune more Lord of the sea then Hee;
Whom fruitfull Holland feeds, Holland Sea-bred;
And neighbouring Zealand folds in watry bed.
Neptune's a Dutch God; Here his wandrings stay;
And his calm'd ragings con…ring chains obey.
His standing Flood here to the Bridle yeilds,
And his fierce Torrent plaies through unknown fields.
Here the swoln sea views the inferiour ground,
And yet no green bush, even to wonder, drownd;
Whilst Billows, like huge mountains, do hang o're
The pleasing Vales which creep along the shore.
Banks hold waves captive, and through sluces free,
And Glebes from watry prisons snatcht we see.
Glebes, which were long of sun, and skie bereav'd,
Now the Dutch Plowman sees wel cornd & sheav'd.
Curbing the Ocean with stout Mounds and Bars,
And with the salt Gods of it waging VVars.
Making Art fetch from the deep's rav'nous womb
Pastures, lost towns, and houses; In which swomm
Shell'd Citizens,' mongst pillars drencht in brine.
Should Achelous here joyn strengths with thine,
And wrestle for the conquest, Holland, here
Each Drayner would a Hercules appear;
And cosening Art with Art, in these dry'd Plains,
Would bind the oft shape-changing God in chains.
The oft tam'd Maze here the Dutch yoke endures,
And his fear'd Master to the VValls secures
Of the sam'd Burse now, Dutchman, fear no harms,
VVhen against neighbouring Cities seas take arms.
The Oceans thine, with thee his waves have sworn
The league which Philip broke. By him th'art born
To the parcht Indians, and those lands of gold
Which the proud Tyrant doth in bondage hold:
Whose wealth transported from the plunder'd Mine
His Plate-Fleet calls his, But the Sea makes thine.
Each Duch-man is Columbus; Worlds unknown
To the discovering Spaniard, are his grown:
Nor can I here conceal, nor yet say well,
Where Heynskirch's praise, or Oliver's excell,
Or Heyn's more bold adventure; whose bright Ore
Prest the Sea's back with wealth snatch from the shore
For whilst I do Dutch voyages rehearse,
And sail with thy victorious Ships in verse,
I, Holland in thy swimming Camp am roll'd
Into all Seas, and there both Poles behold.
The Africk sands to thee large tribute send,
And Asia glories to be stil'd thy friend;
America's rich Mines grow in thy lands,
And at thy conquests Europe wondring stands.
57. To Sleep, stealling upon him as he stood upon the Guard in the corner of a running Trench, at the siege of Duke's-Wood.
WHy dost besiege mine eyes, untimely Sleep?
And o'er my limbs with thy dull setters creep?
Hence, hence, depart; To roofs well tyll'd repaire;
To beds of down, and mindes unvext with care.
Shut Virgins eyes, whilst Love tir'd with delay,
Unstrings his Bow, and lets his Arrows play.
Rock weary Ploughmen, and new strength beget
In those whose spirits were breath'd forth in sweat;
To men opprest with grief, who court thy charms.
And men unbusied lend thy Opium arms.
Be kinde to Men in bedlam, close the eyes
Of him who in a raging feaver lyes.
But let me watch; not as a spy, to mark,
With whom my wench steals meetings in the dark.
Here guards are kept, & from yond watchful towres,
The crasty Foe vyes broken: sleeps with ours;
Seeking by slye plots, what pitcht-fields deny;
Hence, hence, then Morpheus, from our quarters fly.
Our very standing still here business finde;
Duty imploys our bodies, cares our minde.
Duty which may the next hour double strike;
Whilst each man here stands grasping of a pike;
Waitings stoln onsets with our weary spears,
Examining even whispers with our ears.
Doubts of the coming Foe, with hopes are mixt,
And all eyes are one his approaches fi…t.
All passengers we summon with our eyes,
Ask who they are, and question them or spies.
If well-known friends, they pass; if not, they stay
Till we their doubtful answers strictly weigh.
Wil not this serve, Sleep? wil not al this fright thee?
See, then, a night turn'd into day to light thee.
See a bright shine from coal black powder spring,
And light from darkness once more issuing.
See flames like those belcht forth from Aetna's Maw,
Such flames as no Fleece-stealing Iason saw.
Hecuba's child of fire in dreams begot,
Was not like that from murdring Canons shot.
If yet thou'lt stay, hear thunders mixt with flame,
Such as neer yet from Cyclops Anvil came.
Hark how the loud gun shakes the trembling sky,
whilst threatning Bals in showres of murther fly.
Sicilian Bull did not so loudly roar;
Nor was the sword more dreadful which hung o're
Damocles neck from guilt roof. Then, away,
And to such dangers, Sleep, don't me betray.
58. To his Fellow Sentinels.
ANd you, Comrades, with me this night endure;
Let our cause make us bold, Courage secure.
Lets with stout mindes our present dangers meet;
And let our stations from their toyls grow sweet.
Stations where souldiers are made brothers. Night…
In wine, and Revels spent make winged flights;
A coy whore is with patience watcht for, yet
No honor's gain'd; glory with dangers met
Here doth attend us; toyls are paid with praise.
Let's weave us Crowns, then, of immortal Bayes.
To Heaven our souls, to Earth let's flesh assign,
But in our mindes let loyal honor shine.
59. In Comaedam celeberrimam Cinthiam dictam ad in stantiam alterius f…cit.
SIc vaga formosas superabat Cinthia Nymphas
Ut tu nunc socias Cinthia dicta tuas.
Quae tibi Majestas vultus, que gratia frontis!
Spiritus ut major quam muliebris inest?
Tam bene compositum suavis decet actio corpus
Ut posset credi singula membra loqui.
Cùm velis esse Venus, vel cùm velis esse Diana
Tam sunilis non est ipsa vel ipsa sibi,
Si velis esse Diana hos ô non desere saltus,
Haec nemus haec fontem florida scena dabit.
O si te nudam semel hoc in fonte viderem
Cornua tunc essent paena que grata canes.
Si Luna esse velis fiat tibi sphaera theatrum,
Pascantur radiis Lumina nostra tuis.
Sed raro hinc abeas, & cùm discedere velles
O si te possent Lumina nostra sequi;
Aut tua cum desit foelix praesentia nobis
Impressis liceat viribus us que srui.
Idem Anglicè versum.
AS wandring Cinthia all her Nymphs excells,
So dost thou all thy fellows; In thee dwells
Majesty mixt with loveliness, a spirit
That's more then womanish; thy graces merit,
And force a liking, as the lights above;
The Earths light vapours upwards force and move:
Thy action doth each passion so well fit,
As if each limb did help to utter it:
If thou wilt Venus or Diana be,
Neither will be so like her self as thee.
… thou be Diana, haunt these fields,
… both woods and fountains yeelds.
That I could see thee here but wash thy snow,
Acteon's fate Ide joy to undergo.
Wilt thou be th' Moon, then make thy sphere this stage;
But it were pitty thou shouldst change thy age;
And if from our Horizon thou shouldst go,
Still to view thee wee'd change Horizon too;
But that we may when thou art gone from hence,
Still be made happy by thy influence.
On one particular passage of her action, when she was to be stript of her cloaths by Fulvio, but not without much resistance. Videns excogitavit.
AS Fulvio Cinthia's glory would eclips,
And graced by her limbs, her robe off strips;
To see her how she strove, and pray'd, and cry'd,
But for the plays sake none could have deny'd.
And as she strove with him, so modesty
Did strive with anger for the mastery.
How was she pale with anger, red with shame!
Her colour chang'd, with choller went and came,
As when the winking moon strives with a cloude,
Whose glory darkness doth by fits enshroude:
was it nor envy, that we might not see
That which from th' smock could scarce discerned be;
Or wast for shamefastness: yes, yes, 'twas so,
That too much hiding of her face did show.
So look'd the Nymph which Iupiter beguil'd
I'th water with Diana got with child;
So Salmacis half ravish'd in the brook,
As she almost stript to her smock did look.
The Poet was too sparing, had she been
Like intrapt Venus nak'd to have been seen;
And with a net unhid been covered;
How on her limbs our hungry eyes had fed,
And dwelt on her seen members, whilst the rest
Had by proportion easily been guest:
But pitty 'twere that she enjoyn'd had been
So hard a penance, guilty of no sin.
Finis.
IGNATIUS HIS CONCLAVE: OR, His Inthronisation in a late Election in HELL.
Wherein many Things are mingled by way of SATYR.
Concerning
The disposition of Jesuites.
The Creation of a new Hell.
The establishing of a Church in the Moon.
There is also added an Apologie for IESUITES.
All dedicated to the Two adversary Angels, which are Protectors of the Papall Consistory, and of the Colledge of SORBON.
By JOHN DONNE, Doctor of Divinity, and late Dean of Saint Pauls.
Printed at London, 1653.