Nympha libethris, or, The Cotswold muse presenting some extempore verses to the imitation of yong [sic] scholars : in four parts.

THIRD PART.

I. Lupus ad Canem.

"QƲàm dulcis sit libertas breviter proloquar. Cani perpasto, macie confectus Lupus Forte occurrit: salutantes dein invicem Vt restiterunt; Ʋnde sic quaeso nites, Aut quo cibo fecisti tantum corporis? Ego qui sum longe fortior, pereo fame. Canis simpliciter: Eadem conditio est tibi, Praestare domino si par officium potes. Quod? inquit ille. Custos ut sis liminis, A furibus tuearis & noctu domum. Ego verò sum paratus: nunc patior nives, Imbresque, in sylvis asperam vitam trabens: Quanto est facilius mihi sub tecto vivere, Et otiosum largo satiari cibo? Veni ergo mecum. Dum procedunt, aspicit Lupus à catena collum detritum Canis. Ʋnde hoc, amice? Nihil est. Dic quaeso tamen. Quia videor acer, alligant me interdiu, Luce ut quiescam, & vigilem nox quum venerit: Crepusculo solutus, qua visiem est vagor. Adfertur ultro panis, de mensa sua Dat ossa dominus, frusta jact••t familia, Et quod fastidit quisque pulmentarium: Sic sine labore venter impletur meus. Age, si quo est abire animus, est licentia? Non plane est, inquit. Fruere, quae laudas Canis. Regnare nolo, liber ut non sim mihi.

The Wolf to the Mastif. Phaedro. 3.

"HEre you shall briefly see, "How sweet is Liberty.

THe starved Wolf a full fed-Mastif met. A••ter salute, the Wolf sa••d, Where dost get Such flesh about thee? I that have more might, And b••te more sharply, am thus hunger bit. Thou shalt be welcome Wolf (he doth reply) And fare, if thou canst serve, as well as I. What service? Keep the dore safe: and by night With thy loud barking put the Thieve•• to flight. Content: now in the snow, rain, woods I live; 'Tis far more easy sure with thee to thrive, Lye idle, and i'th' dry. Then come away. He sp••es his neck worn with the Coller: Pray How came this? It is no••hing. Pr thee tell. Cause I am fierce, by day they chain me well: And in my kennel let me take mine ease: In the evening loose I wander where I please: I wait at Table, and have many a bone And meat too from my Master. Every one Casteth to me, what's on his Trencher left: So I grow fat, without or pain•• or theft. Thats good. But cann't you go when, where you will? No, by no means. Then Mastif take thy fill. I for my part would not a Kingdome have (I'm sorry for thee) to be such a slave.

II. To. Mr. Ro. Scudamoore.

THink not, I only prattle with my Muse: Sometime I draw Pitiscus Hypo••enuse: Sometime I fathom the deep Stagyri••e: Sometime I read Historians that write Of States and Princes, and their bloody Wars, And am, methinks, embroyled in their jars. But, where the Golden letter is, that day, Scripture I read alone, and preach and pray.

III. To L. Hedworth.

WOuld I had broke my shins, 'fore I had gone Thither (men use to say) or That had done! When you came with your s••uldiers to possesse The Castle Sir, In courtesy, I conf••sse, To lodge by Potmans tow••, I brought you at night, (Beshrew the wench that brought me not more light) I say not whether I well or ill did doe, But sure I broke my shins, and did it too.

IIII. Upon Mr. William Lawes. To Mr. Will. Brode.

HE that made Music for a Prince's eare, Compos'd by nature for the pen, not spear; Whose band nor voice had never made a ••ar, Breath'd out his last note in this fatali War. Farewell sweet Will: since thou our Chief didst dye, We have no Music now, but Elegy.

V. Vpon Mr. Henry Lawes. To Mr. Jo. Philips.

HArry, if ever Brothers did agree, Thou and thine did most harmoniously. You have so excellently done your parts, Y' have won all that delight in the sweet Arts. And, we o'th' Quire praise you the more for this, Because your well set Music sacred is. Wee'l make much of your Works; for who shall see, In after-times, two such as Will and Thee?

The Ghost of Sandys in Elizium longs To have his joy encreas'd by His-Your Songs.

VI. Vpon Beggers lodg'd in the Col. Heref. 1645. To Col. B.

SIr, we are not so bold to fight with God, But meekly do submit unto his Rod. Yet we may aske, why thus you doe give le••ve, The nasty Begge••s should our Chambers have. Doe strangers spoil's for Incivility? All strangers drunk of our Humanity. Doe th' poor possesse All, cause we did not give Due Alms? poor people we did still ••elieve. D' ye mean, because you think that we want grace, To turn us out into the Beggers place, As they'r in Ours? What ere 'tis, We goe Hence: ••••ligion hath taught us patience.

VII. Vpon the taking of Hereford, Decem. 1645. To Col. James Wroughton.

WHy don't they break the Ice? I heard you say, The night that did precede that fatall day: (The day when the stout Judge was Prisoner, and So many Knights and Gallants, at command Of star••'d Souldiers, their Gold delivered) when The faithfull Town was sold to Morgan's Men. And plunder'd Norm••n cryd out, It had not Been worse, if we had yielded to the Scot. 'Twas well, they did not break the Ice. For why? Sir, you remember, who scap't ore the Wy.

VIII. To bald Men. Phaedri. 5.

JN veni•• Calvus fortè in trivio pectinem: Accessit aliter aeque defectus pilis: Heja, inquit, Est commune quodcunque est lucri. Ostendit ille praedam & adjecit simul: Superum voluntas favit, sed fato invido; Carbonem, ut aiunt, pro thesauro invenimus. "Quem spes delusit, huic querella convenit.

By th' way, a certain Man, who had no haire, A Comb took up. Another full as bare Seeing H••ad sound something, cryes out Half is mine. I'm willing, said the first, Half should be thine: But neither of us can make use of this; (A coal for treasure) bad our good luck is. "So may every one complain, "That's disappointed of his gain.

IX. To his Friends omitted.

YOu aske me, why I doe your Names forbeare? Others doe qua••••ell 'cause their Names are here. These only on my too much l••v•• complain: You I'l remember, when I w••ite again.

To the Printer.

I Pray, take care; Th' Erratas are enow I'th' Book it self, although you Print it true.

XI. Ad Guil. Turrium T. B.

TE dono doct•• Versibus Turri meis: Non ut premantu•• tristi censurâ tuâ; Sed ut legantur Dominae Heydonae liberis, Quos Tu gubernas ••ite••, & mi••i manu. Tu maximo (ni grave) me commendatum habe, Meo Roberto pridem Auditori, precor. Sic Tu tuorum compos votorum sies, Ut nunc ••ibenter huic voto faves meo. Audis? Amicum quando vacabit visere? Nam nemo erit Ba••ks dallo gratior Tuo. Uxorculae▪ si place••t, nunti••s tuae, Quam pl••rimam salutem à me, ac etiam mea.

XII. Mr. Freeman, Theologo Seni.

QVantum dolebam nescis, quando aures mea▪ Pulsavit ille rumor, Hominem perditum, Quem uescio, calcasse pedibus suis ••enem verendum, faedasse & canos tuos.

Flammis piandum scelus ultricibus! Vides, Quae Tempora (heu!) Clerum nunc vexant impote••••. Qui Te modis indignis tractavit Senem, Credo, tremuisset ad tua verba Juvenis. Quid debeas, novimus, ingenio libero: Vicunque ••i••er, posthabitis illis, mane. Nec anxius mentis, quaeso, nimium sies, Quod rustici Te Decimis defraudant Tuis. Qui pascit omnia, & Ʋiduae auxit Oleum, Qui nec volucres unquam destituit cibo; Noli timere; Familiam pascet Tuam: Nolo timere; Fami••iam pascet Meam.

XIII. In Phaedri Rigaltiani editionem Novam.

Quis Aulicus hic veste recenti ambulans? Quos ore melleo pul••ros fundit ••ocos? Quae miscet ultilissima, & peridonea Praecepta vitae? Agnosco nunc Phaedrum Meum. I Phoedre, & osculetur omnis Te Puer: Omnisque Libros facundos terat Schola; Omnisque grates Slatero reddat Schola.

XIIII. Oleum non deficiet 1 Reg. 4.

THou hast Gods bl••ssing. Powr out still. The Oyle, Till thou shalt cease to powr, will never faile. So doth the Poet and the Preacher spend A little stock: and it grows without end.

XV. Ad Mr. Collierum.

MI Colliere, si facundiâ tuâ Sim praeditus, Candorem nunc laudem tuum, Nec non Amorem in hunc hominem, quem Tu libens Amplexus es, latasque aperuisti fores Optatae Amicitiae: quam perpetuò colam, Et propagabo ad na••os, si potero, meos. Tu vive l••••••ùm, pelle nec Musam foràs; Namque illa non molesta, si vacas, erit.

XVI. Ad Mr. Palmerum.

PAlmere, nomen si excidat Musae tuum, Si saepe non ego Te recolam animo meo; Tunc excidat mihi penitus nomen meum: Musam benigna Hallinga nec recolat suam. Si fortè sacris non studes concionibus, Tibi ho•• Amoris Versus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 habe.

XVII. To Mris. Eliz. Williams, for Dr. Taylors Rule.

YOur Book imprinted and bound by Franc Ash So finely well, hath giv'n me, not a flash But fire from th' Altar. It will spoil the Sale Of Handmaid, Pra••lice, Crums, and Posies all. Taylor, by's Samplar, and this Rule to live, Is Master of Devotion Ʋnitive. Adde to this Doctor Him that of Conscience wrat, Th' are fit all Christendome to regulate. Thus I my Debt to you doe raise, While your fine gift I daly praise.

XVIII. Vpon Dr. Hammonds works. To Mr. John Beale.

THe first came to our hands was Conscience, And of Resistence: whose great excellence So took, that you perswaded us in Wales, No man could write such things but only Hales: And you remember Stedman, on his name, Wrote the word Sclah, for an Anagram. The genuine Author's not long hid: Out comes At last his learned Works in two fair Tomes. And (which is much) they truly printed were, By th' care and cost of a Roy—Stationer. How shall I honour with deserved praise, The Defence of noble Falkland, or the Keys? His Tracts of Wil-worship and Supe••stition, Scandall, Idolatry, and Admonition? I know you prize his Catechisme alone, Above great Calvins Institution. And for his Sermons, I cann't tell you whether I would read Chrysostom's or Hammonds rather. Take this from me, read it with favour, then Finish th' Elogium with your stronger Pen.

XIX. Jo. Warreno suo LL. Doctori.

VErsus agrestes nunc Tibi mitto meos, Absentiae ut veniam mihi libenter dares. Videbis ipsum me, cum longior dies; Atque interim non immemor vivam Tui. Ridere paulum, Uarrene, si vis, Te volo: N••••que esse ego non optimum Civem puto, Ridere multum tempore qui tali potest.

XX. V. Cl. Herberto Crofto. D. H.

TU qui peritissimus es doctarum Artium, Et Fautor, & (meministi?) Patronus meus, Dignare Carmina haec, quae sc••ibuntur Tibi Rudi Minerva, noscere ac ignosce••e. O quando verba audire ex ore melleo, Tuoque Crofte licebit aff••ta f••ui!

Ne sperne, quaeso Amiculi munusculum: Is plura debet, paucula haec qui nunc dedit. Quod deesse novit, voto supplebit pio; Tuque & sorores suaves vivatis diu!

XXI. To D. Rogers C. R.

YOu doe remember Sir, after that l••st And fatall Na••by Fie••d, you kept a Fast. And in your eloquent Sermon, you were wroth, The Souldier stole Lester- Communion-Cloth. Ther••fore He fled. But pr••y, Sir, doe not some Despoile whole Churches and yet overco••e? Scots, I con••esse, that once did Hereford guard, Stole my Church-cup, were buried i'th' Church-yard.

XXII. To Dr. Higs D. L. upon L. Verulams Motto.

YOu told me Sir, you did a long time look To please your Curi••sity, out of what Book, The Ph••losophic Lord, that so fam'd was, Had tane his Viderit Vtilitas,

You turned many Volumes in each part; At length you found it. Where? In Ovids Art. Let P••ofit see to it self, the Poet ••ryes; What e'r come, I'l pursue my ente••prize. G••eat Ʋerulam also car'd not what he lost, That in's Exper ment he might not be crost. At last grown poor He said; My Soveraign, give: I've liv'd to study; no•• studied how to live.

XXIII. To D. Critton, C. R.

YOu quarter'd with me, but did seldome eate, U••lesse from Court they brought you your own meat. 'Twas rosted well and cleanly at my hirth, The sawce your self made with your learned mirth. To quarter you, what Scholar would not seek, Who so abound in Latine and in Greek? Think on your Landlord, pray Sir, by this hint, When you your M S. long much-expected Print.

XXIIII. Vpon the Death of B. Prideaux.

NO time else, to vote Bishops down, but when We had i'th' Throne such eminent and good Me••; Laud (give leave to name him first for St. John:) Great Treasurer, the Great King's Confessor Juxon, How'l, Tours, Frew'n, Dupp', Hall, Prid'aux. 'Twas no doubt, Decreed, Episcopacy should goe out Like the Holy Lamp. When it had burnt enough, It was extinct, but dy'd not in a snuffe. P••ideaux his Mem'ry lives in the Oxford chair, More than at Woster. Where he begat so fair

A Progeny of Divines, that (as they say) A hundred of his sons did meet that day, To th' Fathers he was gather'd, There was One Preacht a sad Sermon in harmonious tone, Another made the Oration, and all gave Him Reverence, as he passed to his Grave. Hospitall Bredon doth his Corps confine: His Learning over all the Land will shine. Exeter and all Oxford, when for Fame They will dispute, shall revive Prideaux Name. And though the B••shop's dead, The Doctor will Survive in his laborious Lectures still.

XXV. Cancer occultus.

THere is amongst humane Diseases one, Cancer occultus, the Physicians call it, Whose safest Cure is to be let alone, Lest a more grievous malady befall it. If we may judge by the actions of late, The same is sometime verified in the State.

XXVI. Vpon Dr. Kery and his wife.

ONe love conjoind them in the nuptiall Bed: One charity with alms poor people fed: One day (both very aged) cut their thred: One grave keeps them together buried.

XXVII. Priscininus Vapulans Frisclim. Upon Vossius de Arte Gram.

WHen Priscians Head was broke by Quiddities, And by Scotisticall Haecceites, And the poor Pedant's spirits were almost spent, Erasmus Books reliev'd him with their sent. If he be hurt again in any pars, Now let him only smell to Vossy's Ars.

XXVIII. Upon Mr. Shirly's Gram. Anglo. Lat.

THe Child that would learn Latine very early, Let him, at first, acquaintance get with Shirley. He will allay the tediousnesse of School, In sweetest Ʋerse composing every Rule. Thanks learned Shirley for th' ingenious pains. Thou shalt have place 'fore Farnaby and Danes. This is so good, I prithee lets have all, And hasten t'other part Poeticall. We are in hope, that we shall quickly see't. Because it runs upon such nimble Feet.

XX••X. An English Library. To Ri. Sackvill.

SIr, you'r my Scholar, and desire that I Should choose you out an English Library: Not that you doe despise Latine or Greek, But Knowledge also in your own Tongue seek.

Too many Books distract the mind: a dozen Are worth a Hundred, if they be well chosen. I commend These to you, not that I wo'd Disparage others: They may be as good. First Hammonds Catechism, if to guide your life, You'l read Divinity, and not for strife. With whom (sending disputes to the Schoole) Joyn Taylors Samplar Jesus, and His Rule. That Ancient Worthies footsteps you may tread, The Generall History of R••leigh read: In speciall, your own Countrys actions make Your study, where Camden and Baker take. That you may raise such Observation, Peruse the Aphorisms of Dabington. Church-story, when she was pure, when vitious, You'l shortly see in my severe Sulpiti••s. The Mathematics a noble study be, Read Euchid Englished by Doctor Dee. Adde, if you please to be led further on, Maest••in and my Pitiscu••, when th'are done. The Globes admired use, I'd have you know; And that the learned Gregory will show. For Morall precepts to your Senault soon The Author adde, Of Wisdome writes, Charon. When weary you throw the Graver P••ose away Refresh your spirits with witty Fletcher. play. Sometimes run ore the books of modern news, And doe not scorne the Ʋerse of my plain Musc. But now, because among all cares, but One Is needfull, I'l end with Religion. The Bible is God's book. Like Borromee, Read every day the Gospel on your knee. To give you light in places dubious, I doe prepare some Notes of Grotius. That you may not be abus'd by Schismetics, Read Hookers 'Clesiastic Poetics.

You'l know the Rights both of the Church and state, By studying Grotius, whom I tranflate. 'Tother rare piece, De veritate, can 'Gainst Jew, Turk, Pagan prove Truth Christian And, though 'tis hard to allow it in his sense, Read Doctor Hackwill of Gods providence. When you have read these Authors, for the ••est, I leave you to your self, to choose what's best. This precept, pray take from me for a Close, Confer, and what you read you will ne'r lose.

XXX. Cuidam.

YOur Man ask't, whether I did Preach next day, At Sudley Chamber. It was answer'd Ay. I came in time and Pr••acht: You absent were: Did you aske, When? That you might not be there?

XXXI. Upon a Brother of his.

I Doe confesse my Fortune is but low, Yet I was willing freely to bestow A Gift upon a Brother. 'Twas a Boy; That wants no form, nor wit, a his friends say. I wrote so twice: but He no answer gave, Thinking perhaps I doe not give, but crave.

XXXII. To old Mr. Tho. Hacket.

YOu did not only doe well for your Son, But when the Glasse of's too short life was run, You took his Orhhan-Children to your care; And thus you truly the GRAND-Father are

Now since your loved Sons my pupils be, Sure you have some Relation unto Me. Among your Relatives, if in your Will I should be one, who'l say you did doe ill? You'l doe what ne'r was done before; for I In all my life ne'r yet had Legacy.

XXXIII. Chr. Merretto suo, Doct. Med

INgratus essem, si non bene merito darem, Quod otium peperit nostrum; cùm Tu mihi Industrii ingenii soleas partus tui Donare promptus. Quaeso non aegre fer as, Tot nomina inter, & Tuum Nomen legi. Sic tua perita semper sit felix manus; Et Phaebus herbas porrigat laetus suas: Vt tu favere nunc voles Musis meis.

XXXIIII. Vpon Lividus and Candidus. To the Stationers.

MY verses Livid in the worst sense takes: Candid of all a fair Construction makes. This is the cause, my verse to th' One is good, To th' other bad: just as I'm understood. Thus doe all Books higher or lower stand, Plac'd by the Reader's, not the Writer's hand. And mine, as it finds favour in his eys, You'l sell, my friends, at more or at lesse prize.

THE END.