Brugel and Coxu, and the works outdo

Of Holbein and that mighty Rubens too.
So draw and paint as none may do the like,
No, not the glory of the world, Vandyke.

386. A VOW TO MARS.

STORE of courage to me grant,
Now I'm turn'd a combatant;
Help me, so that I my shield,
Fighting, lose not in the field.
That's the greatest shame of all
That in warfare can befall.
Do but this, and there shall be
Offer'd up a wolf to thee.

387. TO HIS MAID, PREW.

THESE Summer-birds did with thy master stay
The times of warmth, but then they flew away,
Leaving their poet, being now grown old,
Expos'd to all the coming winter's cold.
But thou, kind Prew, did'st with my fates abide
As well the winter's as the summer's tide;
For which thy love, live with thy master here,
Not one, but all the seasons of the year.

Brugel, Jan Breughel, Dutch landscape painter (15691625), or his father or brother.

Coxu, Michael van Coxcie, Flemish painter (14971592).

388. A CANTICLE TO APOLLO.

PLAY, Phœbus, on thy lute;

And we will sit all mute,

By listening to thy lyre,

That sets all ears on fire.

Hark, hark, the god does play!

And as he leads the way

Through heaven the very spheres,

As men, turn all to ears.

389. A JUST MAN.

A JUST man's like a rock that turns the wrath Of all the raging waves into a froth.

390. UPON A HOARSE SINGER.

SING me to death; for till thy voice be clear, "Twill never please the palate of mine ear.

391. HOW PANSIES OR HEART'S-EASE CAME FIRST. FROLIC virgins once these were, Over-loving, living here;

Being here their ends denied,

Ran for sweethearts mad, and died.

Love, in pity of their tears,

And their loss in blooming years,

For their restless here-spent hours,

Gave them heart's-ease turn'd to flowers.

392. TO HIS PECULIAR FRIEND, SIR EDWARD FISH, KNIGHT BARONET.

SINCE, for thy full deserts, with all the rest
Of these chaste spirits that are here possest
Of life eternal, time has made thee one
For growth in this my rich plantation,

Live here; but know 'twas virtue, and not chance,
That gave thee this so high inheritance.
Keep it for ever, grounded with the good,
Who hold fast here an endless livelihood.

393. LAR'S PORTION AND THE POET'S PART.

AT my homely country-seat

I have there a little wheat,

Which I work to meal, and make

Therewithal a holy cake:

Part of which I give to Lar,

Part is my peculiar.

394. UPON MAN.

MAN is compos'd here of a twofold part:
The first of nature, and the next of art:
Art presupposes nature; nature she
Prepares the way for man's docility.

Peculiar, his own property.

395. LIBERTY.

THOSE ills that mortal men endure
So long, are capable of cure,

As they of freedom may be sure;
But, that denied, a grief, though small,
Shakes the whole roof, or ruins all.

396. LOTS TO be liked.

LEARN this of me, where'er thy lot doth fall, Short lot or not, to be content with all.

397. GRIEFS.

JOVE may afford us thousands of reliefs, Since man expos'd is to a world of griefs.

399. THE DREAM.

By dream I saw one of the three
Sisters of fate appear to me;

Close to my bedside she did stand,
Showing me there a firebrand;
She told me too, as that did spend,
So drew my life unto an end.
Three quarters were consum'd of it;
Only remained a little bit,

Which will be burnt up by-and-by ;

Then, Julia, weep, for I must die.

403. CLOTHES DO BUT CHEAT AND COZEN US.

AWAY with silks, away with lawn,

I'll have no scenes or curtains drawn ;
Give me my mistress as she is,
Dress'd in her nak'd simplicities;
For as my heart e'en so mine eye
Is won with flesh, not drapery.

404. TO DIANEME.

SHOW me thy feet; show me thy legs, thy thighs; Show me those fleshy principalities;

Show me that hill where smiling love doth sit,

Having a living fountain under it ;

Show me thy waist, then let me therewithal,

By the assention of thy lawn, see all.

405. UPON ELECTRA.

WHEN out of bed my love doth spring,
'Tis but as day a-kindling;

But when she's up and fully dress'd,
'Tis then broad day throughout the east.

406. TO HIS BOOK.

HAVE I not blest thee? Then go forth, nor fear
Or spice, or fish, or fire, or close-stools here.
But with thy fair fates leading thee, go on
With thy most white predestination.