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Sol trovorete in tal parte men duro Ove Amor mise l'insanabil ago.

VII. On his being arriv'd to the age of twenty-three.

How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,
Stoln on his wing my three and twentieth year!
My hasting days fly on with full career,
But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th.
Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth,
That I to manhood am arriv'd so near,

And inward ripeness doth much less appear,
That some more timely-happy spirits indu'th.

Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow,

It shall be still in strictest measure even
To that same lot, however mean or high,
Toward which Time leads me, and the will of
All is, if I have grace to use it so, Heav'n;
As ever in my great Task-master's eye.

VIII. When the Assault was intended for the City.

CAPTAIN or Colonel, or Knight in arms,

[seise,

Whose chance on these defenceless doors may If deed of honor did thee ever please, Guard them, and him within protect from harms. He can requite thee, for he knows the charms

That call fame on such gentle acts as these, And he can spread thy name o'er lands and seas, Whatever clime the sun's bright circle warms.

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Lift not thy spear against the Muses' bower: The great Emathion conqueror bid spare

The house of Pindarus, when temple' and tow'r Went to the ground: and the repeated air Of sad Electra's poet had the power To save th' Athenian walls from ruin bare.

IX. To a virtuous young Lady.

LADY that in the prime of earliest youth
Wisely hath shunn'd the broad way and the green,
And with those few art eminently seen,
That labor up the hill of heav'nly Truth,
The better part with Mary and with Ruth
Chosen thou hast; and they that overween,
And at thy growing virtues fret their spleen,
No anger find in thee, but pity' and ruth.
Thy care is fix'd, and zealously attends

To fill thy odorous lamp with deeds of light, And hope that reaps not shame. Therefore be sure Thou, when the bridegroom with his feastful Passes to bliss at the mid hour of night, [friends Hast gain'd thy entrance, virgin wise and pure.

X. To the Lady Margaret Ley.

DAUGHTER
AUGHTER to that good Earl, once president
Of England's council, and her treasury,
Who liv'd in both, unstain'd with gold or fee,

And left them both, more in himself content,

Till sad the breaking of that Parlament
Broke him, as that dishonest victory
At Chæronea, fatal to liberty,
Kill'd with report that old man eloquent.
Though later born than to have known the days
Wherein your father florish'd, yet by you,
Madam, methinks I see him living yet;

So well your words his noble virtues praise, That all both judge you to relate them true, And to possess them, hoñor'd Margaret.

XI. On the detraction which followed upon my writing certain treatises.

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BOOK was writ of late call'd Tetrachordon, And woven close, both matter, form and stile; The subject new; it walk'd the Town a while. Numb'ring good intellects; now seldom por❜d on. Cries the stall-reader, Bless us! what a word on A title page is this! and some in file

Stand spelling false, while one might walk to MileEnd Green. Why is it harder Sirs than Gordon, Colkitto, or Macdonnel, or Galasp?

Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek, That would have made Quintilian stare and gasp. Thy age, like ours, O Soul of Sir John Cheek, Hated not learning worse than toad or asp, When thou taught'st Cambridge, and King Edward (Greek.

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XII. On the same.

DID but prompt the age to quit their clogs
By the known rules of ancient liberty,

When strait a barbarous noise environs me
Of owls and cuccoos, asses, apes and dogs:
As when those hinds that were transform'd to frogs
Rail'd at Latona's twin-born progeny,

Which after held the sun and moon in fee. But this is got by casting pearl to hogs; That bawl for freedom in their senseless mood, And still revolt when Truth would set them free. Licence they mean when they cry Liberty;

For who loves that, must first be wise and good; But from that mark how far they rove we see For all this waste of wealth, and loss of blood.

XIII. To Mr. H. Lawes on his Airs.

HARRY, whose tuneful and well-measur'd song
First taught our English music how to span
Words with just note and accenf, not to scan
With Midas' ears, committing short and long;
Thy worth and skill exempts thee from the throng,
With praise enough for Envy to look wan;
To after age thou shalt be writ the man
That with smooth air could'st humour best our
[wing
Thou honor'st verse, and verse must lend her
To honor thee, the priest of Phoebus' quire,

tongue.

That tun'st their happiest lines in hymn or story. Dante shall give Fame leave to set thee higher Than his Casella, whom he woo'd to sing Met in the milder shades of Purgatory.

XIV. On the religious memory of Mrs. Catharine
Thomson, myChristian friend, deceas'd 16 Dec. 1646.
WHEN faith and love, which parted from thee never
Had ripen'd thy just soul to dwell with God,
Meekly thou didst resign this earthly load
Of death, call'd life; which us from life doth sever.
Thy worksand alms and all thy good endevor
Stay'd not behind, nor in the grave were trod,
But as Faith pointed with her golden rod,
Follow'd thee up to joy and bliss for ever,

Love led them on, and Faith who knew them best Thy hand-maids, clad them o'er with purple beams and azure wings, that up they flew so drest And spake the truth of thee on glorious themes Before the Judge, who thenceforth bid thee rest And drink thy fill of pure immortal streams.

XV. To the Lord General Fairfax

FAIRFAX, whose name in arms through Europe rings,

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Filling each mouth with envy or with praise,

And all her jealous monarchs with amaze

And rumors loud, that daunt remotest kings,

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