Emblemes by Francis Quarles.

VIII.

[illustration]

ROMANES 7. 24.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

BEhold thy darling, which thy lustfull care Pampers; for which thy restlesse thoughts prepare Such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cates: for whom thy bubbling brow So often sweats, and bankrupt eyes do ow Such midnight scores to nature, for whose sake Base earth is sainted, the infernall lake Unfeard, the Crown of glory poorely rated, Thy God neglected, and thy brother hated: Behold thy darling, whom thy soul affects So dearly; whom thy fond indulgence decks And puppets up in soft, in silken weeds: Behold thy darling, whom thy fondnesse feeds With farre-fetcht delicates, the dear-bought gains Of ill-spent time, the price of half thy pains: Behold thy darling, who, when clad by thee, Derides thy nakednesse; and when most free, Proclaims her lover slave; and being fed Most full, then strikes th' indulgent feeder dead. What meanst thou thus, my poore deluded soul, To love so fondly? Can the burning cole Of thy affection last without the fuel Of counter-love? Is thy compeer so cruel, And thou so kind, to love unlov'd again? Canst thou sow favours, and thus reap disdain?

Remember, O remember, thou art born Of royall bloud; remember thou art sworn A Maid of Honour in the Court of Heaven; Remember what a costly price was given To ransome thee from slav'ry thou wert in; And wilt thou now, my soul, turn slave again? The Son and Heir to Heav'ns Triune JEHOVE Would fain become a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for thy love, And offers for thy dow'r his Fathers Throne, To sit for Seraphims to gaze upon; He'll give thee Honour, Pleasure, Wealth, and Things Transcending farre the Majesty of Kings: And wilt thou prostrate to the odious charms Of this base scullion? shall his hollow arms Hugg thy soft sides? shall these course hands untie The sacred Zone of thy virginitie? For shame, degen'rous soul, let thy desire Be quickned up with more heroick fire; Be wisely proud, let thy ambitious eye Reade nobler objects; let thy thoughts desie Such am'rous basenesse; let thy soul disdain Th'ignoble profers of so base a swain; Or if thy vowes be past, and Hymens bands Have ceremonied your unequall hands, Annull, at least avoid, thy lawlesse act With insufficiencie, or a precontract; Or if the act be good, yet maist thou plead A second freedome; for the flesh is dead.

NAZIANZ. Orat. 16.

How I am joyned to this body, I know not; which when it is healthfull, provoketh me to warre, and being dammaged by warre, affecteth me with grief; which I both love as a fellow∣servant, and bate as an utter enemy: It is a pleasant foe, and a perfidious friend. O strange conjunction and alienation: what I fear I embrace, and what I love I am affraid of; before I make warre, I am reconciled, before I enjoy peace I am at variance.

EPIG. 8.

What need that house be dawb'd with slesh and bloud? Hang'd round with silks and gold? repair'd with food? Cost idly spent! That cost doth but prolong Thy thraldome. Fool, thou mak'st thy jail too strong.