[Page] Superbiae Flagellum, OR, THE WHIP OF PRIDE.

By IOHN TAYLOR.

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LONDON, Printed by G. ELD: 1621.

To the Right Worshipfull, Worthy, and Learned Gentleman, Sr. THOMAS RICHARDSON Knight, Serjcant at Law, and Speaker in the High Court of Parliament, &c.

A double Ana­gramme.

THOMAS RICHARDESONN. AS MAN HONORDE CHRIST, SO CHRIST HONERD A MAN.

YOur name includes, that As man honorde Christ, So God againe through Christ honord a man: For if man truly honor the most High'st Then Christ to honor man both will and can. Right worthy Sir, this in your name is true, You honor Christ, and Christ hath honord you.

RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL,

BVt that I am assured that your Noble disposition, in all parts is sutable to the inside of this Booke, I should neuer haue dared to Dedicate it to your Patronage: for as it is a Diuine Poem, so hath your Worship a religious heart, as it hath an honest intention, so haue you a brest euer full of such thoughts, which bring forth worthy actions: as it a Whip or Scourge against all sorts of Pride, so haue you euer beene an unfaigned louer of Courteous humanity and humility, I humbly beseech your Worship, (although the methode and stile be plaine,) to be pleased to giue it fauourable entertainment, for the honesty that is in it, and the duti­full affection of the Author,

Who is most obsequiously obliged to your Worship,

IOHN TAYLOR.
[...]
[...]

To no matter who, no great matter where, yet to be read there is matter why, although not much matter when.

IT is no matter into whose hands or censure this my Su­perbiae Flagellum, or Whip­ping, or Stripping of Pride fall into, if it come into the view of true Nobility or Gentry, I know it will be charitably accepted. If into the hands of degenerate yongsters, that esteeme Pride more then all the Liberall Sciences, who account the foure Cardinall vertues, inferiour to their owne Carnall vices, such a one will put me off with a scornefull tush, a pish, or a mew, and commit my Booke to the protection of Aiax. If a wiseman reade it, I know it will be discreetly censur'd; if a Foole, his Bolt is soone shot, and I am arm'd against it; if a Learned man peruse it, [Page] hee will beare with my bad Schollership; if an vnlearned, I care not for his opinion; if a man of knowledge view it, he will par­don my ignorance; if an ignorant Asse see it, hee will bray out his owne; if an honest Richman spy it, hee will be the poorer in spirit though not in purse; but if a proud Diues handle it, hee will esteeme it worse then his dogges; if a proud Courtier reade it, he will teare it to tatters; whilst a Gene­rous Affable Gentleman, will louingly en­tertaine it. If beauty chance to behold it, it will bid it welcome, if Pride stand not in the way; if a strong man that is not proud of it, grow aquainted with the contents of my meaning, I thinke it will content him; if Parents, or children, or all, or any body, that are not poysoned with pride, doe but see or heare it distinctly read, and vnder­stand it with iudgement, I am perswaded it will passe and repasse, with friendly vsage, [Page] but if any of the contrary faction come within the Aire of it, they wil vse it in some sort, as bad as the hangman may vse them. And so much for, To no matter who.

It is no great matter where this be read, for as a good man (being banished) is ne­uer out of his countrey, because all coun­tryes are his, so my Booke in Church, Court, City, Countrey, Castle or Cottage, is one and the same; it may perhaps alter the place where it comes from worse to better, but the place can neuer alter the ho­nest entents of it from better to worse. Therefore no great matter where.

To be read there is matter, why, be­cause it strikes at the roote of a most deadly sinne, which almost as bad as an vniuersall deluge, hath ouerflowed the most part of the world; and though the Preachers on Earth, (Gods Trumpets, and ambassadors from Heauen) doe diligently and dayly [Page] strike at this abhominatiō, with the eternal sword of the euerlasting Word, yet what they cut downe in the day, like Mushromes, it growes vp againe thicke and threesold in the night, for whilst the husband-man sleepes, the enuious man sowes tares.

Wherefore, I hauing a talent of know­ledge lent me, by which I know that I must render an account one day, how I haue im­ployed it, and hauing Written neere forty seuerall pamphlets in former times, I pur­pose henceforward (God willing) to re­deeme the time I haue so mispent, imploy­ing my Pen in such exercises (which though they be no free from a rellish of mirth, yet they shall be cleare from profanation, scurrility, or obsceannesse I do know Pride is at such a height, that my Mole-hill Muse can neuer by mineing at her foote, shake her head, for where Diuinity preuailes not, Poetry in medling doth but shew the Suns [Page] brightnesse with a Candle. Yet forasmuch as I know that Pride cast Angels out of Heauen, made diuels in hell, threw man out of Paradise, was a maine causer of the drowning of the first World, is a deuow­rer of this world, and shall euer be accursed in the world to come, by this knowledge, I haue with a mix'd inuectiue mildnesse, shewed in this Booke the vanities of all sorts of Pride, not that I hope for amend­ment, but to shew my honest intendment.

I haue seene sixe or seuen fashion hun­ting Gallants together sit scorning, and de­riding a better man then any of themselues, onely because either his Hat was of the old Block, or that his Ruffe was not so richly lac'd, his Cloake hath beene too plaine, his Beard of the old translation, his Bootes and Spurres of the precedent second edition, and for such slight occasions a man hath beene slighted, ieerd and wonderd at, as if [Page] he had beene but a Zany to the fashion, or a man made for the purpose for them to whet their scorne vpon, and therefore to read this, there is a matter why.

It is not much matter when, for be it read on Fryday the Turks Holyday, on Saturday the Iewes Sabbath, on Sunday the Lords day, or on any day or all dayes, nights or howers, there is Diuinity with Alacrity, Poetry with honest mirth, and euery thing so interwouen, one with ano­ther, that if it please not the generality, yet I hope in particularity it will be tolerably censurd by all that hate Pride, and loue hu­mility. And therefore, not much matter when.

IOHN TAYLOR.

A FEW LINES, TO SMALL PVRPOSE, against the Scandalous Aspersions, that are either maliciously, or ignorantly cast vpon the Poets and Poems of these Times.

THere doth a strange, and true opinion runne,
That Poots write much worse then they haue don:
And how so poore their daily writings are,
As though their best inuentions were threed bare.
And how no new things from them now doth spring,
But all hath refrence from some other thing.
And that their daily doings doe reueale,
How they from one another silch and steale,
As if amongst them't were a statute made,
That they may freely use the theeuing trade.
And some there are that will not sticke to say,
That many Poets liuing at this day,
Who haue the Hebrew, Latine, Greeke, at will,
And in th' Italian and thè French haue skill,
These are the greatest theeues they say, of all
That vse the Trade (or Art) Poeticall.
For ancient Bards, and Poets in strange toungs,
Compiled haue their verses and their songs:
[Page] And those to whom those tongues are rightly knowne,
Translating them, make others verse their owne,
As one that steales a Cloake, and presently
Makes it his owne, by alt'ring of the dye.
So whole boookes, and whole sentences haue bin
Stolne, and the stealers, great applause did win,
And by their filching thought great men of fame,
By those that knew not the right Authors name.
For mine owne part, my Conscience witnesse is,
I ne're was guilty of such theft as this,
Unto such robbery I could neuer reach,
Because I vnderstand no forreigne speach.
To prooue that I am from such filching free,
Latin and French are heathen-Greeke to me,
The Grecian, and the Hebrew Charactars,
I know as well, as I can reach the Starres.
The sweete Italian, and the Chip Chop Dutch,
I know the man i'th Moone can speake as much.
Should I from English Authors, but purloyne,
It would be soone found counterfeited coyne.
Then since I cannot steale, but some will spy,
Ile truely use mine owne, let others lye.
Yet to excuse the writers, that now write,
Because they bring no better things to light:
[Page] Tis because bounty from the world is fled,
True liberality is almost dead.
Reward is lodg'd in darke obliuion deepe,
Bewitch't (I thinke) into an endlesse sleepe,
That though a man in study take great paines,
And empt his veines, and puluerize his braines,
To write a Poem well, which being writ
Wthall his Iudgement, Reason, Art, and Wit,
And at his owne charge, print and pay for all,
And giue away most free, and liberall
Two, three, or foure, or fiue hundred bookes.
For his reward he shall haue nods and lookes;
That all the profit a mans paines hath gat,
Will not suffice one meale to feed a Cat.
Yet Noble Wcstminster, thou still art free,
And for thy bounty I am bound to thee:
For hadst not thou, and thy Inhabitants,
From Time to Time relieu'd and helpd my wants,
I had long since bid Poetry adieu
And therefore still my thankes shall be to you.
Next to the Court, in generall I am bound
To you, for many friendships I haue found.
There (when my purse hath often wanted baite)
To fill or feed it, I baue had receite.
[Page] So much for that, I'le now no more rehearse,
They shew their loues in prose, my thankes in verse,
When death, Mecaenas did of life depriue,
Few of his Noble Tribe were left aliue,
This makes Inuention to be meane and hard,
When Pride and Auarice doth killreward.
And yet me thinkes, it plainely doth appeare,
Mens writings are as good as e're they were.
Good lines are like a Banquet ill imployd,
Where too much feeding hath the stomack cloyde.
Good verses fall sometimes (by course of fate)
Into their hands that are preiudicate.
And though, the Writer ne're so well hath pend,
Yet they'le find fault with what they cannot mend.
Thus many a learned well composed line,
Hath bin as Pearle that's cast before a swine.
Or more familiarly to make compare,
Like Aquauitae giuen vnto a Mare.
These fellowes, (glutted with variety)
Hold Good lines in a loath'd saciety,
Whiest paltry Riming, Libells, Iigges, and Iests,
Are to their appetites continuall feafts.
With which their fancies they doe feed and fill,
And take the Ill for good, the Good for ill.
[Page] Whilst like to Monkeyes, (scorning wholesome meate)
They grredily doe poysnous spiders eate.
So let them feed vntill their humours burst,
And thus much bold to tell them heere I durst.
That Poetry is now as good as euer,
If bounty, to relieue her would endeuer.
Mens mindes are worse then they haue bin of yore,
Inuention's good now, as it was before.
Let liberality awake, and then
Each Poet in his hand will take a pen,
And with rare lines inrich a world of paper,
Shall make Apollo, and the Muses caper.
FINIS.

Superbiae Flagellum, or the Whip of Pride.

WHen all things were as wrap'd in sable night,
And Ebon darknes muffled vp the light:
If any man fetch his slory high­er, let him take my booke for nought.
When neither Sun, or Moone, nor Starres had shinde,
And when no fire, no Wa­ter, Earth or Winde,
No haruest, Autumne, Winter, when no Spring,
No Bird, Beast, Fish, nor any creeping thing,
When there was neither Time nor place, nor space,
And silence did the Chaos round embrace:
Then did the Archworkmaster of this All,
Create this Massy Vniuersall Ball.
And with his mighty word brought all to passe,
Saying but Let there Be, and done it was.
Let there be Day, Night, Water, Earth, Hearbs, Trees
Let there be Sun, Moone, Stars, fish, fowle that flees,
[Page] Beasts of the Field, he said but, Let there be,
And all things were created as we see.
Thus euery sensible and senselesse thing,
The High-Creators Word to passe did bring:
And as in viewing all his workes he stood,
He saw that all things were exceeding good.
Thus hauing furnisht Seas, and Earth, and Skies;
Abundantly with all varieties,
Like a Magnificent and sumptuous Fcast,
For th' entertainment of some welcome Guest,
When Beasts and Birds, and euery liuing Creature,
And the Earths fruits did multiply by Nature;
Then did th'Eternall Trinity betake
It selfe to Councell, and said, Let vs make,
Not Let there be, as vnto all things else,
But LET VS MAKE MAN, that the rest excels;
According TO OVER IMAGE LET VS MAKE
In perfect Holinesse and Righ­ [...]eousnesse.
MAN, and then did th'Almighty Red Earth take,
With which he formed Adam, euery limine,
And (hauing made him) breathed life in him.
Loe, thus the first Man neuer was a Child,
No way with sinne originall defil'd:
But with high Supernat'rall Vnderstanding,
He ouer all the World had sole commanding.
[Page] Yet though to him the Regency was giuen,
As Earths Lieutenant to the God of Heauen,
Though he commanded all Created things,
As Deputy vnder the King of Kings;
Though he so highly heere was dignifide,
To humble him, not to be puff'd with Pride,
He could not brag or boast of high borne birth,
For he was formed out of slime and earth:
No Beast, fish, worme, fowle, herbe, weed, stone, or tree,
But are of a more ancient house then he;
For they were made before him, which proues this
That their Antiquity is more then his.
Thus both himselfe, and his beloued Spouse,
Are by Creation of the younger house,
And whilst they liu'd in perfect Holinesse,
Their richest Garments were bare Nakednesse,
True Innocency were their chiefest weeds,
(For Righteousnesse no Masque or Visor needs.)
The royal'st robes that our first Parents had,
Was a free Conscience with Vprightnesse clad;
They needed ne're to shift; the cloathes they wore
Was Nakednesse, and they desir'd no more;
Vntill at last, that Hell-polluting sin,
With Disobedience soil'd their Soules within,
[Page] And hauing lost their holines Perfection,
They held their Nakednes an Imperfection.
Then (being both asham'd) they both did frame
Garments, as weedes of their deserued shame.
Thus, when as sinne had brought Gods curse on man
Then shame to make Apparell first began,
E're man had sin'd, most plaine it doth appeare,
He neither did, or needed Garments weare,
For his Apparell did at first beginne,
To be the Robes of pennance for his sinne.
Thus all the brood of Adam, and of Eue,
The true vse of Apparell may perceiue,
That they are Liueries, Badges, vnto all
Of our sinnes, and our Parents wofull fall.
Then morethen mad, these mad-brain'd people be
(Or else they see, and will not seeme to see)
That these same Robes (with Pride) that makes them swell
Are tokens that our best desert is hell.
Much like vnto a Traytor to his King
[...]
That would his Countrey to destruction bring,
Whose Treasons being prou'd apparantly,
He by the Law is iustly iudg'd to dye,
And when he lookes for his deserued death,
A Pardon comes and giues him longer breath,
[Page] I thinke this man most madly would appeare
That would a halter in a glory weare,
Because he with a halter merited
Of life, to be quite disinherited
But if he should vaingloriously persist
To make a Rope of silke or golden twise,
And weare't as a more honourable showe
Of his Rebellion, then course hempe or towe,
Might not men justly say he were an Asse,
Triumphing that he once a Villaine was,
And that he wore a Halter for the nonce,
In pride that he deserued hanging once?
Such with our Heau'nly father is the Case,
Of our first Parents and their sinfull Race,
Apparell is the miserable signe,
That we are Traytors to our Lord diuine,
And we (like Rebels) still most pride doe take
In that which still most humble should vs make,
Apparell is the prison for our sinne
Which most should shame, yet most we Glory in;
Apparell is the sheete of shame as't were
Which (for our pennance) on our backs we beare,
For man Apparell neuer did receaue,
Till he eternall Death deferu'd to haue.
[Page] And thus Apparell to our sense doth tell
Our sinnes'gainst Heau'n, and our desert of Hell.
How vaine is it for man, a clod of Earth,
To boast of his high progeny, or Birth,
Because (perhaps) his Ancestors were good,
And sprung from Royall, or from Noble blood,
Where Vertuous worth did in their minds inherit,
Who gain'd their Honours by Desert and Merit;
Whose seruice for their Country neuer fai'ld,
Who (Iustly) liu'd belou'd, and dyde bewaild;
Whose Affability, and Charity,
Guided with pious true sincerity,
Who to their states lou'd all their liues to ioyne
Loue before Lands, Compassion before Coyne?
Yet when they dyde, left wealth, place, state, and name
To Heires, who bury all in Pride & shame,
But as the Sacred Truth most truely faith,
No man is saued by anothers Faith;
So though some honorable Rascals haue
Turn'd their good Fathers to their timelesse graue,
And like Ignoble noble Reprobates,
Possesse their names, possessions and estates,
Yet (for they want their Vertues and Deserts)
They are but Bastards to their better parts.
[Page] Manasse; was good Hezechiahs sonne,
And with his Crowne into all Vice did runne;
The Sire the title of good King did gaine,
The Sonne's Abominations all did staine;
Honour is better well deseru'd then had,
To haue it vndeseru'd, that Honour's bad.
In Rome an ancient Law there sometimes was,
Men should through Vertue vnto Honor passe:
And t'is a Rule that euermore hath bin,
That Honor's best which a mans selfe doth win.
T'is no Inheritance, nor can it runne
Successiuely from Father to the Sonne;
But if the Father nobly were inclin'd,
And that the Sonne retaine his worthy mind,
If with his Fathers goods he doth possesse
His Goodnesse, all the world must then confesse,
That that Sonnes Honor doth it selfe display
To be the Fathers equall euery way.
Thus good mens Honors can no Honor be
To their degenerate posteritie,
But t'is a mans owne Vertue, or his Vice,
That makes his Honor high or low in price.
Of Birth, or Parents, no man can be proud,
Pride of Apparell here is disallow'd,
[Page] Pride of our Riches is most Transitory,
Pride of our Beauty is a fading Glory:
Pride of our wisedome is most foolish folly;
Pride of our holines is most vnholy,
Pride of our strength is weaknes in our thought,
And Pride in any thing will come to nought.
Pride hath bin Author of the worst of Euils,
Transforming glorious Angels, into Deuils,
[...]say 14. 4.
When Babels Tow'r gan proudly to aspire,
With toungs confusion, they were payd their hire.
Through Pride the King of Babels glory ceast,
And for seau'n yeares it turn'd him to a beast:
And Baltazar that next him did succeede,
Lost life, and left his Empire to the
Daniel 4. Daniel 5. The Medes and Persians.
Mede,
For Pride, to Tyre and Zidons wicked Kings
The Prophet a most iust destruction brings.
Acts 12. [...]osephus [...]b. 19. [...]p. 7. Acts 8.
Herod mid'st his vngodly glory vaine,
Through Pride was eaten vp with wormes, and slaine.
Great Alexander, King of Macedon
Disdaind to be his father Phillips son,
But he from Iupiter would be descended,
Plutarch [...]n the life [...]f Alexan­der.
And as a god be honour'd and attended,
Yet Bain'de at Babilon he prou'd but man,
His godhead ended foolish as't began.
[...]e was [...]pysned at Babylon.
[Page] There was in Sicilie a proud Phisitian,
Menecrates, and he through high ambition,
To be a god himselfe would needs preferre,
And would (forsooth) be named Iupiter,
King Dionysius making a great feast,
This foole-god daigned there to be a guest,
Who by himselfe was at a table plac'd,
(Because his godhead should the more be grac'd)
The other Guests themselues did feed and fill,
He at an empty table still, sate still.
At last with humble lowe Sir Reuerence,
A fellow came with fire and frankinscence,
And offer'd to his godship, (saying then)
Perfumes were fit for gods, and meate for men:
The god in anger rose incontinent
Well laugh'd at, and an hunger'd, home he went.
The Romane Emperour Domitian
Would be a god, was murder'd by a man.
Caligula would be a god of wonder,
And counterfeite the lightning, and the thunder;
Yet euery Reall heau'nly Thundercracke,
This caitife in such feare and terror strake,
That he would quake, and shake, & hide his head
In any hole, or vnderneath his bed.
[Page] And when this godlesse god had many slaine,
A Tribune dasht out his vngodly braine.
And thus th' Almighty still' gainst Pride doth frown
And casts Ambition headlong tumbling down
Great Pompey would be all the worlds superior,
And Caesar vnto none would be inferior;
But as they both did liue ambitiously,
So both of them vntimely deaths did dye.
The one in AEgypt had his finall fall,
The other murthered in the Capitall.
A number more Examples are beside,
Which shewes the miserable fall of Pride:
And doe men thinke to goe to Heauen from henc [...]
By Pride, which cast the Angels headlong thrnce
Or doe they through their Pride suppose to dwel [...]
With God, when Pride did make the Deuils in he [...]
It is a Vice which God abhors and hates,
And' gainst it doth denounce most fearfull threats
Oh, what a hellish vanity is't then,
That doth bewitch vaine women, and vile men,
That rather then their Pride and they will seuer,
They will be seuer'd from their God for euer?
I will not say but Wisedome, Beauty, Health,
Strength, Courage, Magnanimity, and Wealth,
[Page] [...]mpires and Kingdomes, rule of Sea, and Land,
Are Blessings giuen by Gods all-giuing hand;
But not because on whom they are bestow'd,
Should in the stead of Humblenesse waxe proud,
Or with vaine glory haue their hearts vpheau'd,
[...]or why? what ere they haue they haue receiu'd:
1. Cor. 4.
And therefore Christian Kings their stiles do grace
King By the Grace of God, of such a place;
Because by his especiall prouidence
They hold Maiesticall Preheminence.
And as there is distinction of Estates,
Some Emp'rours, Kings, and mighty potentates,
Superiors and Inferiors, each degree,
As Gods foreknowing Knowledge did foresee:
Yet he did not bestow his bounteous Grace,
To make the great men proud, or mean men base;
Abundant wealth he to the Rich doth lend,
That they the poore should succour and defend.
He hath giu'n strength and vigour to the strong,
That they shold guard the weak frō taking wrōg:
To some he knowledge doth and wisdome grant
Because they should instruct the Ignorant,
But vnto no man God his gifts doth giue,
To make him proud, or proudly here to liue.
[Page] For Pride of state, birth, wisdome, beauty, streng [...]
And Pride in any thing, will fall at length,
But to be proud of Garments that we weare,
Is the most foolish pride a heart can beare.
For as they are the Robes of sinne and shame,
Yet more may be consider'd in the same:
Be they compact of silke, or cloath of Gold,
Or cloath, or stuffes (of which ther's manifold
Let them be lac'd and fac'd, or cut, or plame,
Or any way to please the wearers braine,
And then let him or her that is so clad,
Consider but from whence these stuffes were h [...]
How Mercers, Drapers, silkmen were the Iayle [...]
And how the Executioners were Taylers,
That did both draw and quarter, slash and cut,
And into shape, mishapen Remnants put.
Consider this, and you will graunt me than
That Garments are the workmanship of man.
Which being graunted no man can deny,
But that it is most base Idolatry,
T'adore or worship a proud paltry knaue,
Because the Mercers shop hath made him braue
Or is it not a foolish vile mistaking,
To Honour things that are a
A Tay­ler is but a man; therefore it is Idola­try to wor­ship his workman­ship
Taylers making
[Page] [...]ake a vowe, that neuer whilst I liue
Reuerence to Apparell will I giue;
Some goodnes in the wearer I'le expect,
Or else from me he shall haue small Respect;
[...]in him vertue, and true worth I see
He shall haue heart and hand, and cap and knee.
Tis laudable there should be diffrence made
Betwixt a Courtier, and a man of Trade:
For sense or Reason neuer would allowe,
A Prince to weare a habit for the Plow.
Nor that a Carter vainely should aspire,
To thrust himselfe into the Court attire.
Distinctions of Office, and Estates
Should habite men according to their rates,
Thus I rich Garments no way doe condemne,
But I say no man should be proud of them.
In Rome, a worthy Law there once was made
That euery man, of each degree and Trade,
Some marke or Badge, about him still should beare
Whereby men knew what all mens callings were.
The Consuls bearing the Imperiall sway,
(To whose command the rest did all obey)
In token they had power to saue or spill,
Had Rods and Axes borne before them still.
[Page] The Censors, Tribunes, AEdiles, and the Praeto [...]
The Prouosts, Questors, and the Conseruators
And as their offices were sundry varied,
So were they known by things before thē carri [...]
The Mercer in his hat did weare some tuffe,
Or shred of Silke, or Gold, his trading stuffe;
Drapers a piece of List, Weauers a quill,
Or Shuttle, and the Millers wore a Mill.
And as men sundry callings did apply,
So they wore Emblemes to be knowne thereby
But if that Law were but enacted have,
How like a pluckt crow, would Pride sppn appe [...]
Some Taylors would be very mad no that,
To weare each one a Bodkin in his hat;
Theres many a wealthy Whoremaster would sk [...]
And stamp, and start, if he should weare a whip
But yet if euery thiefe of each degree,
Were bound to weare a halter, God blesse me:
A Butcher still should weare a Calfe or Bull,
My selfe (a Waterman) an Oare or Skull.
And so of euery trade both high and low,
Men (by their badgs) would their functions kno [...]
And if this Law the State would but allow,
Some would weare calues skins, that weare velu [...] no [...]
[Page] Then Iacke and Iill, and Iohn a Drones his issue,
Would not be trapped thus in Gold and Tissue.
Tis strange a coxcomb should be cram'd with pride
Because he hath got on a Sattin hide:
A Grogreine outside, or a siluer Case,
Some fourercene groce of buttons, and Gold lace;
When as perhaps the corps that carries all,
Hath more diseases then an Hospitall,
And (which is worst of all) his Soule within,
Stinks before God, polluted with all sinne.
Romes great Arch-tyrant Nero, amongst all
The matchlesse vices he was tax'd withall,
(The which in Histories are truely told,)
Was said t'haue shoe ties all wroght o'r with gold,
If in an Emperour (that did command
Almost the whole world, both by Sea and Land,
Who countermaunded Indian Mines and Iems,
Iewels, and almost all earths Diadems,)
To weare gold shoe-strings were a noted crime,
What may it then be called at this time,
When many, below Hostlers in degree,
Shall (in that point) be deck'r as braue as lie?
Thus Pride's an ouer weening selfe opinion,
A soule destroyer, come from Hels dominion;
[Page] Wch makes vainglorious fools, & new foūd mad [...]
Forget they are of Eues good brood and Adams.
But yet though Pride be a most deadly sinne,
What numbers by it doe their liuings winne?
A world of people daily liue thereby;
Who (were it not for it) would starue and die,
Thus (by corruption of the time) this Deuill
Is growne a good, bad, necessary euill.
She is the Mercers onely fruitfull crop,
She is the Silkman, and th'Embroderers prop;
She is the Haberdashers chiefest Stocke,
She feeds the Hat-sellers with blocke on blocke;
She makes the Dyers daily liue to dye,
And dye to liue, and get great wealth thereby;
She (euery Winter) doth the Draper feed,
With food and fucll She supplies his need.
She is the Taylors goddesse; and vpon her
He dayly doth attend to doe her honour;
All the inuentions of his studious pate,
He at her shrine doth euer consecrate,
He takes the world for fashions that excell,
From Germany, from France, from Spain, from hel
And would himselfe be out of fashion quite,
But that Pride in new fashions doth delight,
[Page] Silkweauers (of the which abundance are)
Wer't not for Pride would liue, & dye most bare:
Sempsters with ruffs & cuffs, & quoifes, & caules,
And falles, (wer't not for pride) would soone haue falles.
The Shooemakers neat, spanish, or polony,
Would haue but single-soal'd receit of money.
The sweet Perfumers, would be out of fauour,
And hardly could be sauers by their sauour.
The glittring Ieweller, and lapidary,
(But for Prides helpe) were in a poore quandary,
The goldsmiths plate would stand vpō his shelfe,
And's Rings & Chaines he might weare out him­selfe.
Thus Pride is growne to such a height, I say,
That were she banish'd, many would decay:
For many hundred thousands are you see,
Which from Pride only, haue meat, cloaths, & fee:
No maruell then she hath so many friends,
When as such numbers on her still depends,
Pride is their Mistris, she maintaines them still,
And they must serue her, or their case is ill.
But as so many numbers numberles,
Doe liue and florish hcere by Prides excesse:
So are there more vpon the other side,
Toild and tormented still to maintaine Pride.
[Page] The painfull Plowmans paines doe neuer cease,
For he must pay his Rent, or lose his lease,
And though his Father and himselfe before,
Haue oft releiu'd poore beggers at their doore;
Yet now his Fine and Rent so high is rear'd,
That his own meat and clothes are scarcely clear'd
Let him toyle Night and Day, in light and darke,
Lye with the Lambe downe, rise vp with the Lark
Dig, delue, plow, sow, rake, harrow, mow, lop, fel
Plant, graft, hedg, ditch, thresh, winnow, buy & sel
Yet all the money that his paines can win,
His Landlord hath a purse to put it in.
What though his Cattell with the Murraine dye,
Or that the Earth her fruitfulnesse deny?
Let him beg, steale, grieue, labour and lament,
The Quarter comes, and he must pay his Rent;
And though his Fine and Rent be high, yet higher
It shall be rais'd if once it doth expire:
Let him and his be hunger-staru'd and pin'de,
His Landlord hath decreed his bones to grinde:
And all this carke and care, and toile of his,
Most chiefly for this onely purpose is,
That his gay Landlord may weare silke & feather
whilst he poore drudg can scare get frize or lether
[Page] Because his Landlady may dog the fashion,
Hce's rack'd and tortur'd without all compassion;
Because his Landlords Heyre may haue renowne
Of Gentle, though the Father be a Clowne:
Because his landlords daughters (deckt with pride)
With ill got portions may be Ladyfide.
In briefe, poore tenants pinch for clothes and food
To dawb with pride their landlords & their brood.
The time hath bin (and some aliue knowes when)
A Gentleman would keepe some twenty men,
Some thirty, and some forty, lesse or more,
(As their Reuenews did supply their store.)
And with their Charities did freely feed
The Widow, Fatherlesse, and poore mans need,
But then did Pride keepe residence in Hell,
And was not come vpon the earth to dwell:
Then Loue and Charity were at the best,
Exprest in Action, not in words profest.
Then conscience did keep men in much more aw,
Than the seuerest rigour of the Law,
And then did men feare God (with true intent,)
For's Goodnesse, not for feare of punishment.
But since the Leprosie of Pride hath spread
The world all ouer, from the foot to head:
[Page] Good bounteous house keeping is quite destroyd,
And large reuenewes other waies imployd.
Meanes that would foure men meate and meanes allow,
Are turnd to garters, and to roses now,
That which kept twenty, in the dayes of old,
By Sathan is turn'd sattin, silke, and gold,
And one man now in garments he doth weare,
A thousand akers, on his backe doth beare,
Whose auncestours in former times did giue,
Meanes for a hundred people well to liue.
Now all is shrunke, (in this vainglorious age)
T'atire a coach, a fooreman, and a page,
To dice, drinke, drabs, tobaco, haukes & hounds,
These are th'expence of many thousand pounds,
Whilst many thousands starue, and dayly perish,
For want of that which these things vs'd to cher­rish.
There is another Pride, which some professe,
Who pinch their bellies, for their backs excesse:
For thogh their guts throgh wāt of fodder clings,
That they will make sweet filthy fidle strings;
Yet they will suffer their mawes pine and lacke,
To trap with rich caparisons the backe.
These people, (for their Pride) doe Iustice still,
Vpon themselues, although against their will.
[Page] They doe in their owne stomacks, try, examine,
And punish outward Pride, with inward famine.
But sure the people can be good for nothing.
Whose reputation onely lyes in cloathing:
Because the hangman oft may execute,
A theife or traytor in a Sattin sute,
And that sute which did from the gallowes drop,
May be againe hang'd in a Broakers shop,
And then againe hang'd, and bought, and worne,
And secondly (perhaps) to Tiburne borne:
And so at sundry times, for sundry crimes,
The Hangman may sell one sute sixteene times,
And euery Rascall, that the same did fit,
To be exceeding pockie proud of it.
And all this while, (if I be not mistooke)
It rests vnpaid for, in the Mercers booke.
Thus many simple honest people haue,
Giun worship to a Broakers wardrobe slaue,
Thus Tiburne ornaments may be the cheife,
To grace a graceles arrant whoore, or theife.
A Seruing-man, I incast cloathes haue seene,
That did himselfe so strangely ouerween,
That with himselfe he out of knowledge grewe,
And therefore all his old friends he misknewe,
[Page] Vntill at last his Glory did decease,
His outside fac'd with tatters, rags and greace,
Then did the changing time, the youth transform
From Pride to be as lowly as a worme.
A many of these fellowes may be had,
That's meeke or proud, as clothes are good or bad.
I leaue true Noble Gentry all this while,
Out of the reach of my inuectiue stile,
Tis fit that those of worthy race and place,
Should be distinguisht from the Vulgar base.
Perticulars Ile not to question call,
My Satyre is gainst Pride in generall.
Soft Rayment is in Princes Courts allow'd,
Not that the wearers should thereof be proud;
For worth and wisdome knowes most certainely,
That Hell giues Pride, and Heauen Humility,
And be their garments ne're so rare or rich,
They neuer can make Pride their hearts bewitch.
Then if all sorts of men considred this,
Most vaine the pride of any rayment is,
For neither sea, land, fish, fowle, worme, or beast,
But man's beholding to the most and least.
The silly Sheepe puts off his coate each yeare,
And giues it to forgetfull man to weare:
[Page] The Oxe, Calfe, Goate, and Deere do not refuse
To yeeld their skins, to make him boots & shooes,
And the poore Silkworme labours night and day
T'adorne and garnish man with rich array:
Therefore if men of this did rightly thinke,
Humility would grow, and Pride would shrinke.
Fowles of the Ayre doe yeild both fans & plumes
And a poore Ciuet Cat allowes perfumes.
The Earth is rip'd and bowel'd rent and torne,
For Gold and siluer which by man is worne:
And sea and land are rak'd, and search'd & sought,
For Iewels too farre fetcht, and too deare bought.
Thus man's beholding still (to make him trim)
Vnto all creatures, and not they to him.
Nature (without mans helpe) doth them supply,
And man without their help would straue and dic.
If men (I say) these things considered well,
Pride then would soone be tumbled downe to hell.
Their golden suits that make thē much renown'd,
Is but the guts and garbage of the Ground:
Their Ciuet (that affords such dainty sents)
Is but a poore Cats sweating Excrements;
Their rarest Iewels (which most glister forth)
Are more for outward shew then inward worth,
[Page] They are high valu'd at all times, and season,
But for what reason, none can giue a reason,
The best of them, like whoores, haue euer bin,
Most faire without, and full of bane within.
And let a great man weare a peice of glasse,
It (for his sake) will for a Diamond passe;
But let a man that's of but meane degree,
Weare a faire Diamond, yet it glasse must be.
This valuing of a Iewell is most fit,
It should not grace a man, man should grace it.
A good man to his suit is a repute,
A knaues repute lyes onely in his sute.
And for a stone, that but 3. drams hath weigh'd,
Of precious poyson, hundreds haue bin payd.
And who can tell how many liues were lost,
In fetching home the Bables of such cost?
(For many of them are as deerely bought.
As if they from
The [...]old of [...]lood that [...]he Iewes [...]ought with the [...]hirty pei­ [...]es of sil­ [...]er, which [...]udas [...]rought [...]acke a­ [...]aine after [...]e betray­ [...]d Christ, Mat. 27. 7. Acts 1. 19.
Acheldama were brought.)
Yet some rush through (fantasique pates to please)
Rocks, sands, & change of aire, rough winds & seas
Storms, tēpests, gusts, flawes, pirates, sword, & fire,
Death, or else slauery, (neuer to retire.)
And thus Prides various humours to suffice,
A number hazard these calamities.
[Page] When our owne Country doth afford vs heere,
Iewells more precious, nothing nigh so deere.
A whetstone is more necessary sure,
A grindstone much more profit doth procure:
But for a
A mil­stone is a poereles lewell.
milstone, that's a Iewell rare,
With which no other stone can make compare.
The loadstone is the meanes to find the rest,
But of all stones the milstone is the best.
Free stones and artificiall bricks I graunt,
Are stones, which men in building cannot want:
And the flintstone can yeild vs fire and heate,
But yet the milstone yeilds vs bread to eate.
The tilestone keepes vs dry, the roadstone bydes,
And holds fast Boates, in tempests, winds, & tides,
The chalkstone serues for lyme, or for account
To score, how reck'nings doe abate or mount.
Pebles, and grauell, mend high wayes I knowe,
And ballast shippes, which else would ouerthrow.
And this much I'le maintaine heere with my pen,
These are the stones that most doe profit men:
These, these are they, if we consider well,
That Saphirs, and the Diamonds doe excell,
The Pearl, the Em'rauld, and the Turkesse blew,
The sanguine Corrall, Ambers golden hew,
[Page] The Christall, Iacinth, Achate, Ruby red,
The Carbuncle, Squar'd, Cut, and Pollished,
The Onix, Topaz, Iaspar, Hematite,
The Sable Iet, the Tutch, and Chrysolite;
All these considred as they are indeed,
Are but vaine toyes that doth mans fancy feed;
The stones I nam'd before, doe much more good
For building, sayling, lodging, firing, food.
Yet Iewels for their lawfull vse are sent,
To be a luster, and an ornament
For State, magnificence, and Princely port,
To shew a Kingdomes glory, at the Court;
And God (I know) ordain'd them to be worne,
Superiour States to honour and adorne,
And for the vses they were made are good,
If (as they should be) they are vnderstood:
T'adorne our persons they are still allow'd,
But not to buy too deare, or make vs proud.
The Holy Ghost in Exodus recites,
How Aaron (High Priest of the Israelites)
Twelue seuerall stones did on his Brest-plate bear,
Which of the twelue Tribes a remembrance were;
But they were mysticall, prophetique tropes,
And figures of Saluations future hopes.
[Page] But God did neuer giue or Gold or Iemme,
Or Iewell, that we should take pride in them.
The Deu'll laugh'd lately at the stinking stir,
We had about
Two in­uectiue pamphlets against the monstrous and shape­lesse dis­guises of men and women.
Hic Mulier, and Haec [...]ir
The Masculine apparel'd Feminine,
And Feminine attired Masculine,
The Woman-man, Man-woman, chuse you whe­ther,
The Female-male, Male-female both, yet neither;
Hels Pantomimicks that themselues bedights,
L [...]ke shamelesse double sex'd Hermophradites,
Virago Roaring Girles, that to their middle,
To know what sexe they were, was halfe a Riddle,
Braue trim'd & truss'd, with daggers & with dags,
Stout Captaine Maudlins feather brauely wags,
Lieutenant
Female Souldiors.
Dol, and valiant Ensigne Besse,
All arm'd with impudence and shamelesnesse;
Whose Calues eg starch may in some sort be taken
As if they had beene hang'd to smoke like Bacon,
Whose borrowed hayre (perhaps) not long before
Drop'd from the head of some diseased Whore,
Or one that at the Gallowes made her Will,
Late choaked with the Hangmans Pickadill.
In which respect, a Sow, a Cat, a Mare,
More modest then these foolish Females are.
[Page] For the bruit beasts (continuall night and day)
Doe weare their owne still (and so doe not they.)
But these things haue so well bin bang'd & firk'd
And Epigram'd and Satyrd, whip'd and Ierk'd,
Cudgeld and bastinadoed at the Court,
And Comically stag'de to make men sport,
lyg'd, and (with all reason) mock'd in Rime,
And made the onely scornefull theame of Time,
And Balladmongers had so great a taske,
(As if their muses all had got the laske.)
That no more time therein my paines I'le spend,
But freely leaue them to amend, or end.
I saw a fellow take a white loaues pith,
And rub his masters white shooes cleane therwith
And I did know that fellow, (for his pride)
To want both bread and meate before he dy'de.
Some I haue heard of, that haue bin so fine,
To wash and bathe themselues in milke or wine,
Or else with whites of egges, their faces garnish,
Which makes thē look like visors, or new varnish
Good bread, and oatmeale hath bin spilt like trash
My Lady polecats dainty hands to wash:
Such there hath bin, but now if such there are,
I wish that want of food may be their share.
[Page] Some practise euery day the Painters trade,
And striue to mend the worke that God hath made.
But these deceiuers are deceiued farre,
With falsly striuing to amend, they marre:
With deu'lish dawbing, plast'ring they do spread,
Deforming so themselues with white and red,
The end of all their cunning that is showne,
[...]s God will scarcely know them for his owne.
[...]n a great frost, bare breasted, and vnlac't,
I haue seene some as low as to their wast:
One halfe attyr'd, the other halfe starke bare,
Shewes that they halfe asham'd, halfe shameles are,
Halfe, (or else all) from what they should be erring,
And neither fish or flesh, nor good red herring.
I blow'd my nailes when I did them behold,
And yet that naked Pride would feele no cold.
Some euery day doe powder so their haire,
That they like Ghosts, or Millers doc appeare:
But let them powder all that er'e they can,
Their Pride will stinke before both God & man.
Ther was a trades mans wife, which I could name
(But that I'le not divulge abroad her shame)
Which a strong legion of good garments wore,
As gownes and petticoates, and kirtles store.
[Page] Smocks, headtires, aprones, shadowes, shaparoons
(Whimwhams, & whirligiggs to please Baboones
Iewels, rings, ooches, brooches, bracelets, chaines
(More then too much to fit her idle braines)
(Besides, she payd (not counting muffes & ruffs)
Foure pounds sixe shillings for two paire of cuffs
Twill make a man half mad, such worms as those
The generall gifts of God should thus ingrosse.
And that such numbers want their needfull vse,
Whilst hellish Pride peruerts them to abuse.
Now a few lines to paper I will put,
Of mens Beards strange and variable cut:
In which ther's some doe take as vaine a Pride,
As almost in all other things beside.
Some are reap'd most substantiall, like a brush,
Which makes a Nat'rall wit knowne by the bush
(And in my time of some men I haue heard,
Whose wisedome haue bin onely wealth & beard
Many of these the prouerbe well doth fit,
Which saies Bush naturall, more haire then wit.
Some seeme as they were starched stiffe and fine
Like to the bristles of some angry swine:
And some (to set their loues desire on edge)
Are cut and prun'de like to a quickset hedge.
[Page] Some like a spade, some like a forke, some square,
Some round, some mow'd like stuble, some starke bare,
Some sharpe Steletto fashion, dagger like,
That may with whispering a mans eyes out pike;
Some with the hammer cut, or Romane T,
Their beards extrauagant reform'd must be,
Some with the quadrate, some triangle fashion,
Some circular, some ouall in translation,
Some perpendicular in longitude,
Some like a thicket for their crassitude,
That heights, depths, bredths, triform, square, oual, round,
And rules Geo'metricall in beards are found,
Besides the vpper lip's strange variation,
Corrected from mutation to mutation;
As't were from tithing vnto tithing sent,
Pride giues to pride continuall punishment.
Sōe ( spite their teeth) like thatch'd eues downward grows
And some growes vpwards in despite their nose.
Some their mustatioes of such length do keepe,
That very well they may a maunger sweepe:
Which in beere, ale or wine they drinking plunge,
And sucke the liquor vp, as't twere a Spunge;
But tis a Slouens beastly Pride, I thinke,
To wash his beard where other men must drinke.
[Page] And some (because they will not rob the cup,
Their vpper chaps like pot hookes are turn'd vp,
The Barbers thus (like Taylers) still must be,
Acquainted with each cuts variety:
Yet though with beards thus merrily I play,
Tis onely against Pride which I inueigh:
For let men weare their hayre or their attire
According as their states or minds desire,
So as no puff'd vp Pride their hearts possesse,
And they vse Gods good gifts with thankfulnesse.
There's many an idle shallow pated Gull,
Thinks his owne wisedome to be wonderfull:
Against Pride of worldly wisdome.
And that the State themselues doe much forget,
Because he in authoritie's not set:
And hauing scarely wit to rule a Cottage,
Thinks he could guid a kingdom with his dotage.
True wisdome is mans onely guide and guard,
To liue here, to liue better afterward.
It is a rich mans chiefe preheminence,
And tis a poore mans stay, and best defence.
But worldly wisdome is the ground of all
The mischiefes that to man did euer fall.
Gods wisedome is within the Gospel hid,
Which we to* search, are by our Sauiour bid.
1. Cor. 2. 7.
[Page] Thus Pride of humane wisedome is all vaine,
And foolish fancies of mans idle braine.
Pride of our knowledge, we away must throwe
Against Pride of humane knowledge
For he knowes most, which least doth seeme to knowe
One Apple from the tree of life is more,
Then from the tree of knowledge halfe a score;
Tis good for vs to know our Maisters will,
But the not doing it, makes knowledge ill.
Ther's many know, the Iust in heau'n shall dwell,
Yet they vniustly runne the way to hell.
The life Eternall no way can be wonne,
But to know God, and
Ioh. 17. 3:
Iesus Christ his Sonne.
Christ, (to his people) by his word and passion,
Taught men the ioyfull
Luke 1. 73
knowledge of saluation.
I rather had by knowledge, raise my chance,
Then to be poore with barb rous ignorance;
Yet better t'were I nothing vnderstood,
Then to know goodnes, and to doe no good.
Thus knowledge, worthy is of dignity,
But not to make the knowers proud thereby.
For if men would, to know themselues endeuer,
Pride of their knowledge would infect thē neuer.
Pride of our riches is a painefull pleasure,
Like sumpter horses laden with rich treasure,
Against Pride of riches.
[Page] So Misers beare their wealth as they are able,
Till Death the hostler makes the graue their stable.
There's some take pride in treasure basely got,
Haue it, yet want it, as they had it not;
And though to get it, no vile meanes they spare,
To spend it on themselues they seldome dare;
How can a base extortionizing Bore,
Get riches ill, and giue God thanks therefore?
Tis all one, if a theife, a baude, a witch,
Or a Bribe taker should grow damned rich,
And for their trash, got with their hellish pranks,
The hypocriticke slaues will giue God thanks.
No let the litter of such whelpes,
Giue thanks to th'Deuill (author of their helpes)
To giue God thanks, it is almost all one,
To make him partner in extortion.
Thus if men get their wealth by meanes that's euil,
Let them not giue God thanks, but thank the deuil.
Yet wealth the gift of God hath euer bin,
But not such wealth that's onely got by sinne;
Nor any wealth if men take pride therein.
And those who put their foolish confidence
In Riches, trusting to their false defence;
Those that with Mammon are bewitched so,
[Page] Our Sauiour'gainst them threats a fearefull
Luk. 2
Woe.
Humility with Riches may be blest,
But Pride's a poyson God doth still detest.
Pride of our Learning's vaine, it doth appeare,
Against Pride of Learnin
For though men study many a weary yeare,
And learn'd as much, as possibly the braine,
Or scope of mans Inuentions may attaine,
Yet after all their studies, truth doth show,
Much more is what they know not, then they know,
To learne by bad mens vices, vice to shunne,
By good mens good, what should by vs be done,
This is the learning we should practise most,
Not to be proud thereof, or vainely boast.
A Princes fauour is a precious thing,
Against b­ing proud of Princ fauours.
Yet it doth many vnto ruine bring;
Because the hauers of it proudly vse it,
And (to their owne ambitious ends) abuse it.
If men that are so stately and so strange,
Would but remember how time oft doth change,
And note how some in former times did spread,
By their examples they would take some heed,
Compari­son.
For as a cart wheele in the way goes round,
The Spoak that's high'st is quickly at the ground,
So Enuy, or iust cause, or misconceit,
[Page] In Princes Courts, continually doe waite,
That he that is this day Magnifico
To morrow may goe by [...]eronimo
The spoakes that now are highest in the wheeles,
Are in a moment lowest by the heeles.
Haman was proud, past reasons bounds or scope,
And his vainglory ended in a rope,
And his ten sounes, in duty to obay
Their father, followed him the selfe same way.
Those men that harbour Pride within their brest,
Doe seldome end their daies in peace and rest.
But if they doe, disgrace and shame withall,
Are the chiefe waiters on their funerall.
Where honor is with noble vertue mix'd,
It like a Rocke stands permanent and fix'd,
The snares of enuy, or the traps of hate
Could neuer, nor shall euer hurt that state:
Like Adamant it doth beat backe the battry,
Of spitefull malice, and deceiuing flattry,
For it with Pride can neuer be infected,
But humbly is supernally protected,
Such with their Kings shall euer be belou'd,
And like to fixed starres, stand fast, vnmou'd.
[...] [...] of [...]
Those that are proud of beauty, let them know,
[Page] Their Pride is but a fickle, fading showe.
A smoake, a bubble, a time-tosted toy,
A Luna like, sraile, euer changing ioy.
For as a tide of flood, slow'd to the height,
Do [...]h (in a moment) fall to ebbing straight:
So beauty, when it is most faire and fine,
(Like new pluck'd flowers) doth presently decline.
That man or womans vertue doth excell,
If with their beauty chastity doth dwell:
But Pride of beauty is a marke most sure,
That th'owners of it, vse it to procure
The Paphian pastime, and the Cyprian game,
The sports of Venus, and the acts of shame,
To breede the heat of Cupids lustfull flame.
Oft beauty hath faire chastity displac'd,
But chastity, hath beauty euer grac'd.
For 'tis a Maxime, those haue euer bin,
That are most faire without, most fowle within.
Too oft hath beauty, by disloyalty,
Branded it selfe with lasting infamy,
That one fraile creature, (nobly will descended)
(Proud of her fairenes) fowly hath offended,
And on her honse and kindred, laid a blot,
That the dishonor ne're will be forgot.
[Page] But a faire feature vertuously: nclin'd,
A beauteous outside, and a pious mind,
Such are Gods Images Epitomies,
And Cabinets of heanens blest treasuries:
And therefore be thy feature, faire or foule,
Let inward vertues beautifie the soule.
Pride of our strength, shewes weaknesse in our wit,
[...] [...] of [...]
Because the Chollicke, or an Ague fit,
The tooth-ach, or the pricking of a pin,
Oft lets the strength out, and the weaknesse in.
The Tribe of Dans great glory,* Sampsons strength
[...]udges [...]19.
By a weake woman was orethrowne at length.
And sure there's many do themselues much wrong
In being proud because they are made strong,
For a great number liuing now there are,
Can wrastle, throw the sledge, or pitch the barre,
That on their backs foure hūdred waight can bear
And horse shooes (with their fifts) in sunder teare,
Yet neuer vse their strength in any thing,
To serue their God, their country, or their King.
But with outragious acts their liues pursue,
As if God gaue them strength but as their due,
As though they like the Gyants could remoue,
And hurle great mountaines at the head of Ioue,
[Page] Or like Gargantua, or Polipheme,
Or Gogmagog, their boystrous fancies dreame,
That they more wonders by thier strength can do,
Then Hercules could e're attaine vnto.
Let those Goliahs, that in strength take pride,
Know that the Lord of Hostes doth them deride,
And what they are (that proudly brag and swell
Of strength) let any man but note them well,
If hurt or sicknesse make their strength decay,
A man shall neuer see such Cowes as they.
Be'ng strong, their minds on God they neuer set;
In weaknesse, instly he doth them forget:
Strength, thus like headstrong lades they do abuse it,
For want of Reasons bridle how to vse it.
Pride of our children's vaine; our proper stem
Against Pride of our hauir children.
Must either dye from vs, or we from them.
If our examples of the life we liue
Inrich them not more then the gifts we giue,
If (disobedient) they despise mstruction,
And will peruersly runne into destruction;
Much better had it bin, we had not bin
Begetters of such Imps of shame and sinne.
Children no duty to such Parents owe,
Who suffer vice their youth to ouergrow,
[Page] Neglect to teach thy sonne in younger yeeres,
He shall reiect thee in thy hoary haires,
The way to make our children vs obay,
Is that our selues from God runne not astray,
Such measure to our maker as we mete,
Tis just, that such, we from our children get.
Th' Apostle Paul exhorteth more and lesse,
To be all children in̄ maliciousnes:
That is to say, as children harmeles be,
So we should from maliciousnes be free.
Thus Pride of birth, apparell, wealth, strength, state,
And Pride of humane wisedome God doth hate:
Of knowledge, learning, beauty, children and
The Pride of Princes fauour cannot stand.
And Pride in any thing shall euermore,
Be bar'd and shut from heau'ns Eternall doore,
For whosoeuer will beleeve and looke,
Shall find examples in the sacred booke:
That God hath euer'gainst the proud withstood,
And that a proud heart neuer came to good.
He saith Pride is* destruction, and agen
Toby 4.
That Pride is* hatefull before God and men:
How Prides beginning is from God to fall,
Eccle. 10.
And of all sinne is the* originall.
[Page] Who taketh hold on Pride, in great affliction
Shall be o'rethrowne, fild with Gods malediction.
Pride was not made for man, man hath no part
In Pride, for God
Prouerbs 16. Pro. 29. Eccle. 29. Matt. 23. Luke 14. 18 Luke 1. lu­deth 9.
abhorreth a proud heart,
And' tis decreed by the Almighties doome,
That Pride vnto a fearefull fall shall come.
A person that is proud, ne're pleas'd God yet:
For how can they please him whom they forget?
Yet as before I said, againe Ile say,
That Pride to such a height is growne this day:
That many a thousand thousand familie,
Wer't not for Pride would begge, or starue and dy.
And the most part of them are men of might,
Who in Prides quarrel will both speake and fight:
I therefore haue no hope to put her downe,
But Satyre-like, to tell her of her owne.
There is another Pride which I must touch,
It is so bad, so base, so too too much:
Against libellers. Most of these libel­lers haue an Itching veine of Riming, which with much scrat­ching maks scuruy lines & so from itch to seratch, srō scratch to scuruy, & from scuruy to seabbed they proceed in time, with their botching, to be termed (by knaues and fooles) scald Poets.
Which is, if any mans good fortune be,
To rise to Honorable dignitie,
Or through infirmity, or wilfulnes,
Men fall vnhappily into distresse.
That Libellers doe spirt their wits like froth,
To raile at Honor, and dishonor both.
[Page] These Mungrell whelpes are euer snarling still,
Hating mens goodnesse, glorying in their ill,
Like bloud-hound Curs they daily hunt and sent,
And rime and Iigge on others detriment:
Supposing it a very vertuous thing,
To be an arrant Knaue in libelling.
Forsooth these Screech-owles would be cal'd the wits,
Whose flashes flye abroad by girds and fits:
Who doe their mangy Muses magnifie:
Making their sport of mens calamity,
But yet for all their hatefull hellish mirth,
They are the vilest cowards on the earth:
For there's not one that doth a libell frame,
Dares for his eares subscribe to it his name.
Tis a base bruitish pride to take a pen,
And libell on the miseries of men;
For why all men are mortall, weake and fraile,
And all, from what they should be fall and faile.
And therefore men should in these slip'ry times
Bewaile mens miseries, and hate their crimes:
Let him that stands take heed he doth not fall,
And not reioyce in mens mishaps at all.
It is too much for Libellers to meddle,
To make their Muse a Hangman or a Beadle:
[Page] At mens misfortunes to deride and iest,
To adde distresse to those that are distrest.
As I doe hold mens vices to be vile,
So at their miseries Ile neuer smile,
And in a word (lest tediousnesse offend)
Alibeller's a Knaue, and there's an end.
Thus hauing of Prides various formes related
And how of God, and good men it is hated:
I thinke it fit some Lines in praise to write,
Of Vertues which to Pride are opposite.
For vice with shew of Vertue blindes the eye,
And Vertue makes vice knowne apparantly.
When falsehood is examin'd and compar'd
With Truth, it makes truth haue the more regard.
The Crow seemes blackest when the Swan stands near
And goodnes makes the ill most bad appear:
So vertues that are contrary to vices,
Make them contemptible, and base in prices:
Humility, if it be well embrac'd,
The praise of Humility
It makes disdainfull Pride, disdain'd, disgrac'd:
Humility is a most heauenly gift,
The Stayre that doth (to Glory) men vp lift.
None but the meeke and lowly humbled spirit
Shall true eternall happinesse inherit:
[Page] Those that are humble honour
Eccle. 19.
God alwaies,
And onely those will he to honor raise.
If thou bee'st great in state, giue thankes therefore
And humble still thy selfe, so much the more.
He that is humble, loues his Christian brother,
And thinkes himselfe
Phil. 2. 3.
inferiour to all other;
Those that are meeke the Lord shall euer guide,
And
Psal; 25. 9
teach them in his wayes still to abide.
For though the Lord be high, he hath respect
Vnto the
Ps. 138. 6.
lowly, whom he will protect.
Humility, and lowlinesse goes on,
Still before honour, (as saith Solomon)
He that is humble heere and free from strife,
Shall for
Prou. 22. 4.
reward haue glory, wealth, and life.
He that himselfe doth humble, certainly,
Our Sauiour saith shall be
Mat. 23. 12.
exalted high.
He that with Christ wil weare a glorious Crown
Must cast himselfe, (as Christ did) humbly down
And like to the rebounding of a ball,
The way to rise, must first be, low to fall.
For God the Father will accept of none,
That put not on the meeknes of his Sonne:
If Proudly thou doe lift thy selfe on high,
God and his blessings, from thee, still will fly:
[Page] But if thou humble, meeke, and lowly be,
God and his blessings will come downe to thee.
[...]f thou wouldst trauell vnto heau'n, then know,
[...]umility's the way that thou must goe.
[...]f in presumptuous pathes of Pride, thou tread,
Tis the right wrong way that to hell doth lead.
[...]now that thy birth, attire, strength, beauty, place,
[...]re giu'n vnto thee by Gods speciall grace:
[...]now that thy wisdome, learning, and thy wealth,
Thy life, thy Princes fauour, beauty, health,
[...]nd whatsoeuer thou canst goodnes call,
[...]as by Gods bounty giu'n vnto thee all.
[...]nd know that of thine owne thou dost possesse,
[...]othing but sinne, and wofull wretchednes,
Christians Pride should onely be in this,
A Pride which is fit for all estates.
When he can say that God his Father is.
When grace and mercy, (well applide) affoord,
[...]o make him brother vnto Christ his Lord.
When he vnto the holy Ghost can say,
[...]hou art my Schoolemaster, whom I'le obay;
When he can call the Saints his fellowes, and
[...]y to the Angells, for my guard you stand,
This is a lawdable, and Christian Pride,
[...] know Christ, and to know him crucifi'd.
This is that meeke ambition, low aspiring,
[Page] Which all men should be earnest in desiring:
Thus to be proudly humble, is the thing,
Which will vs to the state of glory bring.
But yet beware; Pride hypocriticall,
Puts not humilities cloake on at all:
A lofty minde, with lowly cap and knee,
Is humble Pride, and meeke hypocrisie.
Ambitious mindes, with adulating lookes,
Like courteous Crowne-aspiring* Bullinbrookes;
King Henry the 4.
As a great ship ill suited with small saile,
As Iudas meant all mischeife, cride All haibe,
Like the humility of Absolon:
This shadowed Pride, much danger waites vpon
These are the counterfeite (God faue yee Sirs)
That haue their flattries in particulars,
That courteously can hide their proud intents,
Vnder varieties of complements.
These vipers bend the knee, and kisse the hand,
And sweare, (sweet Sir) I am at your command.
And proudly make humility a screw,
To wring themselues into opinions view.
This Pride is hatefull, dangerous, and vile,
And shall it selfe (at last) it selfe beguile.
Thus Pride is deadly sinne, & sinne brings shame,
Which heere I leaue to hell, from whence it came
FINIS.

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