Echos from the Sixth Trumpet, Part 6
The AUTHOR's EMBLEMS, Imprinted 1634.
THis Book, written by the ſaid Author in his younger years, is a Poem in Folio, containing two hundred Figures engraven in Copper, and illuſtrated with Morals, and a Lottery annexed, the better to inſinuate into young Readers, thoſe Divine Morals, and Civil Documents, which are thereby tendred to conſideration. Out of thoſe, a few onelyonly are collected, the reſt may be peruſed in the Original.
In the Firſt Book of Emblems, pag. 2, is a Laureat head fixed upon a Baſis of Stone.
Still fixt, and with triumphant Lawrel crown'd,
Is trueſt Wiſdom, which expreſſed thus
Among ſome old Impreſſa's we have found,
And much this Emblem hath inſtructed us.
From hence we learn, that Prudence doth not flow
From thoſe unconſtant men, whom ev'ry blaſt,
Or ſlight occaſion turneth to and fro,
But from a ſetled head that ſtandeth faſt.
Who ever ſhoulders him, he gives not place;
What ſtorm ſoe're his Times or Fortunes breath,
He neither hides his brow, nor turns his face,
But keeps a look undaunted ev'n in death.
The Laureat Head upon a Pillar ſet,
This intimates, and his Bay-wreath doth ſhew
That Conſtant Wiſdom ſhall a Conqueſt get,
When Giddy Policy prevails not ſo.
If therefore, thou art willing to be taught,
Propoſe good Ends, with honeſt means thereto;
And therein conſtant be, till thou haſt brought
That to perfection, which thou haſt to do.
Let neither flat'ring Pleaſures, Fear, Diſgrace,
Nor Scoffing Cenſures, Threatnings, or the Slights
Of fawning Sycophants, obſtruct that Race
To which a blameleſs Prudence thee invites.
Though others plot, conſpire and undermine,
Keep then a plain right path; let not their Courſe
Make thee without juſt cauſe to alter thine,
Though for the preſent it may ſeem the worſe.
He that thus acts, puts Policy to Shool,
And makes the Machavilian prove a fool.
In the ſame Book, pag. 5. A Spade, a Serpent, and a Wreath of Lawrel.
Suppoſe you, Sirs, thoſe mimick Apes you meet
In ſtrange fantaſtick habits, or the Rabble
That with gay Clothes embroyder out the ſtreet,
Are truly Worſhipful or Honourable?
Or can you think, that to be born the Son
Of ſome rich Alderman, or ancient Peer,
Or, that the Fame your Predeceſſors won,
May claim ſuch Wreaths as due deſervings wear?
Is honour due to them who …end their dayes
In courting one another or consuming
Their Fortunes and themſelves …n Drabs and Plays,
In ſleeping, drinking, and Tobacco fuming?
Not ſo; for (though ſuch Fools, like children, place
Gay Titles on each other) Wiſe men know
What ſlaves they be how deſpicably baſe,
And where ſuch Attributes would better ſhow:
An idle body clothes a vicious, mind,
And what at beſt is purchaſt by the ſame,
Is nothing elſe but ſtinking ſmoak and wind,
Or frothy bubbles of an empty fame.
True Glory none did ever purchaſe yet,
Until he to be Virtuous did attain;
And all their Virtues are but counterfeit,
Who labour not for what they would obtain.
And this Impreſſa doth infer no leſs;
For, by the Spade is Labour here impli'de;
The Snake a virtuous Prudence doth expreſs,
And Glory by the Wreath is typifi'de:
For where a virtuous Induſtry is found,
It with a Wreath of Glory ſhall be crown'd.
In the ſame Book, pag. 8. The Emblem is a Skeleton, with this following deſcant
Why, ſilly man, ſo much admireſt thou
Thy preſent Fortune; over-valuing ſo
Thy perſon, or the beauty of thy brow,
And in fantaſtick habits clothed go?
Why doſt thou live in riotous exceſs,
And boaſt as if the fleſh immortal were?
Why doſt thou covet ſo, why ſo oppreſs,
And o're thy fellow-Creatures dominere?
Behold this Emblem, ſuch a one was he
Whom this doth repreſent, as now thou art;
And ſuch a fleſhleſs Rawbone thou ſhalt be,
Though yet thou ſeem'ſt to act a comelier part.
Obſerve it well, and mark what uglineſs
Stares through the ſightleſs eye-holes from within;
Note thoſe lean Crags, and with what gaſtlineſs
That horrid countenance doth ſeem to grin.
Well heed it; and when thou haſt ſeen the ſame,
Pluck down that Pride which puffs thee now ſo high.
Boaſt not of ſhape or features, but (for ſhame)
Repent of all thy former Vanity;
And, having learn'd that all men muſt become
Such bare Anatomies (that ſuch a Fate
No mortal Pow'r or Wit can guard thee from)
Live ſo, that Death may better thy Eſtate.
Conſider who created thee, and why;
Rowſe up thy Spirit, ere thy fleſh decayes,
Purſue things honeſt, with true Piety,
And ſeek thy welfare in thy Makers praiſe:
So when of life and form death ſhall deprive thee,
Life with Eternal Glory GOD will give thee.
In the ſame Book, pag. 11. The Figure of one rowling a Stone up a ſteep Hill.
A Maſſie Milſtone, up a tedious Hill,
With endleſs labour Siſiphus doth rowle,
And down (when rais'd aloft) it tumbleth ſtill,
To keep employed his afflicted ſoul.
On him this toyle is feign'd to be impos'd,
To be (though vain) perpetually aſſay'd;
But, ſome there be, by no ſuch ſtreight enclos'd,
Who on themſelves as endleſs tasks have laid:
Yea, knowing not (or without care to know)
How they are worn and wearied out in vain.
They plunge themſelves into a world of Wo,
To ſeek uncertain eaſe, in certain pain.
Such fools are they, who dream they ſhall acquire
A mind content, by ſcrabling ſtill for more;
For wealth encreaſing, doth encreaſe deſire,
And makes leſs contentation then before.
Such alſo they, who their endeavour ſtretch
To climb by Titles to true Honours height;
For having gotten one Ambitions reach
Another, comes perpetually in ſight.
And their ſtupidity is nothing leſs,
Who fancy, fleſh and blood may raiſed be
Unto the top of perfect Holineſs:
For at the beſt, corrupt and vile are we.
Yet, we are bound in Faith, with love and hope,
To rowle the ſtone of good endeavour ſtill,
As near as may be, to perfections top,
Though back again, it tumbles down the hill.
For then, what workes had never power to do,
GOD by his Grace will freely bring us to.
In the ſame Book, p. 13. A man in a Boat with Sails and Oars.
No wonder he a proſperous Voyage finds,
Who hath both Sails and Oars to ſerve his turn,
And ſtill aſſiſted with propitious Winds,
Is to his wiſhed Harbour timely born.
Nor is it very ſtrange, if they who lack
Thoſe helps on which the Common Faith depends,
And from their hop'd for Aims repelled back,
And miſs of that to which their labour tends.
Not in the Ships, the Winds, the Oars or Sails,
(Nor in the want of outward means) alone,
Conſiſts it, that our hope ſucceeds or fails,
But moſt in that which men leaſt think upon.
Some well endeavour, and their pains are bleſt
With Gales that are ſo proſperous, that they
Flye ſafe and ſwiftly on among the beſt,
Whilſt others toyle hard, and are caſt away.
Some long time on this Worlds wide Ocean float,
And, ſeldom Winds or Tides aſſiſtance have;
Nor Sail, nor Oar, nor Anchor, nor ſound Boat
Enjoying, neither skill themſelves to ſave;
And yet eſcape. Some other too there are,
Who neither want fit means, nor do neglect
Good Induſtry, nor are without due care,
Or active skill, yet find ſmall good effect.
However, let ſtill thy Intent be juſt,
Then add what means thou canſt to compaſs it;
…nd, though means fails, admit of no diſtruſt,
But fearleſly to GOD thy wayes commit.
For he, where Faith and Honeſty he finds,
Turns loſs to gain, and ſtorms to proſperous winds.
In the Fourth Book, p. 257. The Figure is an Hour-Glaſs, and the Sand almoſt run out.
This Glaſs declares how Time doth paſs away,
And if th' annexed Motto truth doth ſay,
The Time that's gone, is loſt. This to be true,
Experience too doth manifeſtly ſhew.
How faſt their time departs, they leaſt perceive,
From whom it ſteals before they take their leave
Of what they love; and their laſt hour is run
Before they do ſuppoſe it is begun.
Therefore, how faſt it ſlide, let them be taught
Hereby, who fooliſhly put out of thought
Their latter end; or alwayes do preſume,
Or overlargely hope on time to come:
The preſent hours nor thankfully enjoying,
Nor prudently or honeſtly employing.
Elſe theſe will peradventure too late find,
When better underſtanding brings to mind
How fooliſhly they hitherto have ſpent
Time paſt, that 'tis not to their detriment
Loſt onelyonly, but which is much worſe then ſo,
Loſt with a thouſand other loſſes too:
Which to redeem, nor Wit, nor Wealth, nor Pow'r
Can purchaſe them one minute of an hour.
Conſider this, all ye that ſpend the prime,
The Moon-tides, and the Twilights of your Time,
In Play-games, or inqueſt of needleſs things,
As if ye could at pleaſure nip Times wings,
Or turn his Glaſs, or had a Life or twain
To live, when you had fool'd this out in vain.
Short is the preſent, loſt times paſſed be,
And Time to come you are not ſure to ſee.
It would make this Review too long to be called a Breviate, if it ſhould be enlarged with any more of theſe Emblems; and it may be hoped theſe few gleaned out of them, will ſuffice to make that heeded which is precautioned and predicted in thoſe Four Books; and that ſome alſo who did read them heretofore either negligently, or in ſport onelyonly, will peruſe them to better purpoſe.