Wittes pilgrimage, (by poeticall essaies) through a vvorld of amorous sonnets, soule-passions, and other passages, diuine, philosophicall, morall, poeticall, and politicall. By Iohn Dauies

I (aid vnto Laughter, what art thou mad? And to Mixth what dost thou▪ Eccles. 2. 2.

AMong the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sinne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for heedles Flesh (Though Lust be more attractiue in her powr] None takes so soon [sith 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doth it refresh] As Myrth; For, Myrth doth ioy, and health procure. The Graue, and Light wil, lightly, mirry bee Mirth so doth tickle Spl••ene•• of either kinde For recreation, o••e; the other, glees And bo••h, because therein they pleasure finde. It is Earths Heauen, yet It doth hale to Hell: But so doth hale, as, with bewitching 〈◊〉〈◊〉. It makes them willing whome it doth compel To ioy in Pleasure: which procureth Smart. When Fortune smiles who then laughs not outright? And oft (mad mirry] plaies not with each straw? Makes Pleasure, all their paine; their care, Delight? These, Mirth, with Ropes of Vanity, doth draw. These, in the Night, think how to spend the Day [If thinking-sad Ambition let them not] In pas-time, so, Time passeth with ill play Til they lose All, and He the same hath got. In Weale, we flote on Pleasures Streams, with ease, In sugred satisfaction of our Sense: And often seeke to sound those sensual Seas With the decep'st reach of our Intelligence. Then wee embozom all that Myrth can yeeld: Musutions, Plaiers: Buffons, Birds-and Beasts Do▪ at their pleasure, vs (most wanton) weeld: And, decrer then our Wisedomes deeme their lests. A Zane (farther off from Wit, then Grace (And yet as farre from Grace, as Grace, from Synne) That can at Feasts, prate with a brazen face)

(When sober Witt's kept out) must needs come in. Our Dainties will not downe with out some such, A Shamelesse-gracelesse, wittlesse Thing wee gett To make vs Fatt, as fooles, with Laughing much And on his follie feede, to make vs eate. My Lady shee will laugh as madd shee were (Lord! why should Mirth make sober Ladies madd?) If shee but see Him, like an Asse, to fleere; So shee (kind Mule) to see an Asse is gladd. And when such Buffons ball, and Cornetts sound (The Ghests loud-Laughing) Who can then bee heard That speakes like Phi••••pps Page, as shrill, as sound, That Voice hath then no grace and les••e regard? And, if one sober Soule, amonge the rest, Do mind the rest of thei•• Excesse, in This Some seeming wise-man makes him straight a lest, While all, as at a Goose, like Geese do 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Then one Goose (that seemes reason most t'affect) Yeelds him a reason for their hissing so: And saith that Wisedome doth hir selfe reiect, When shee comes out of season ought to do. This Diu'l with reason, dammnes Diuinity; And, with his Wisedome, stopps selfe Wisedomes Mouth: Which saith, all Seasons wee should mortifie Our Eares, to heare the liuely Word of TRVTH! Paule, hold thy peace; thou blessed Saint be still: (Though if thou preach not, thou saist, wo to Thee) Lest they do hisse thee too, for thy good will; Who hold all Geese that not madd-mirry bee. Tell them they ought in season, and without To heare the Word of Life; they, dead in sinne, Will, for thy zeale, requite thee with a floute; For so to quite such zeale they vs'd haue bin•• The most voluptuous ouer-wanton Rigge Proud Plentie, scornes meeke Pieties VVoman-hood: And, swelling Supra-aboundance lookes so bigg That nought it sees so Low as Sober••moode. Variety of Crownes, Robes, Mirth, and Meate And all that rauish, Sense, with sweet'st delight These are the Heau'ns•• desired of the GREATE VVho weene no Heau'n nor Hell is out of sight.

Frolicke great••great Ones, while these Heauns you hold Sith you will not attend true VVisedoms VVords, Laugh and bee fatt, sith al you touch is Gold, Though that foode your Soules famishment affordes. Soule? tush, what Soule? how idly dost thou chatt, Madd Muse, that now [they thinke] dost Poetize. There is no Soule, nor no such Thing as that; These are but Fictions, Law-confirming Lies. VVhat resurrection? Pish, who euer came From Death, to Life? VVho can Cadaueres raise? Some say a Nazarite once did the same, But Tacitus nor Machiauel to saies. These were wise Men, in deede, and known for such, If such had said it, we might trust their VVorde: But, fow'r poore Fellowes poorely it doth touch, That often with themselues do scarse accord. VVho had no action in the Common weale No Office, no Command, nor no great Braine, Yet wee [for sooth] for vaine Soules only Heale Must credit them in all their prattle vaine. These are the damnd discourses of these Diuells; Thus, their blasphemous Tongues ••erlde the Truth; Whose greatest gooddesse is in greatest Euills: And growing Greate, through Mischiefe, haue their growth▪ Great Witt should haue great Grace the same to guide; Or Witts owne greatnesse will it selfe oppresse▪ Or make it runne to rage, it selfe beside▪ And sinck the Owner in the deep'st distresse. If Witt, and Wealth concurre, to Hell they runne, If Grace, in mightie measure, stay them not: Who are vndone, if they be not vndone Before they do receiue their later Lott: For, Frolick Fate is most vnfortunate If sanctified Discretion hold not in Vnruly Nature, then, in sober gate: For, from Aboundance, springs aboundant Sinne. In Wealthes excesse to be most continent Is most miraculous, and seldome seene: For, Appetite is then most violent, And Passion, with high-hand, growes Reasons Queene. Then Pleasur's Actiue, and most Passiue, Sense:

Madd-Mirhes rude-hand the Soule a sunder teares: Which is distracted by Ioyes violence, Aswell as by Griefes Gripes, or sodaine Feares. If hee that doth the happiest State possesse Looke well within him, and without him too Hee lightly shall see cause of heauynesse, Seeing All to threaten him quite to vndoo. But hardly shall hee sinde a cause of myrth (Though hee sought all the World the same to finde) Sith Sorrow only is our ••ight of Birth, With Laboure of our Body, Soule, and Mind. O Myrth (strong Strumpett!) Whore to Worldly-Weale, O Laughter (Light Thing!) Baude to both those Beasts, Why do you not your Luxury conceale But that bewray which Modestie detests? It is because yee are madd; as are those That willinglie still rest at your dispose.