As is the undergroom of the ostlery, Lo, the long date of those expired days 75 Then farewell fairest age, the world's best days, 80 1597. JOHN MARSTON THE SCOURGE OF VILLAINY FROM SATIRE VII “A man, a man, a kingdom for a man!" Thou Cynic dog, see'st not the streets do swarm And muddy dirt of sensuality. These are no men, but apparitions, 5 ΙΟ Ignes fatui, glow-worms, fictions, Meteors, rats of Nilus, fantasies, 15 Colosses, pictures, shades, resemblances." "A man, a man!” "Peace, Cynic, yon's a man! Behold yon sprightly dread Mavortian; With him I stop thy currish barking chops." "What, mean'st thou him that in his swaggering slops Wallows unbraced all along the street? 20 He that salutes each gallant he doth meet With 'Farewell, sweet captain; kind heart, adieu'; 25 30 35 Which made him man." "Peace, Cynic; see, what yonder doth approach: 40 A cart? a tumbrel? No, a badged coach. What's in't? Some man. No, nor yet womankind, But a celestial angel, fair, refined." "The devil as soon! Her mask so hinders me I cannot see her beauty's deity. 45 Now that is off, she is so vizarded, So steeped in lemon's juice, so surphulèd, I cannot see her face: under one hood Two faces, but I never understood Or saw one face under two hoods till now; 50 'Tis the right resemblance of old Janus' brow. Her mask, her vizard, her loose-hanging gown (For her loose-lying body), her bright-spangled crown, Her long slit sleeve, stiff busk, puff verdingal, Is all that makes her thus angelical. 55 Alas! her soul struts round about her neck; Her seat of sense is her rebato set; Her intellectual is a feignèd niceness, Nothing but clothes and simpering preciseness." THOMAS DEKKER O SWEET CONTENT Art thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers? Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplexed? O punishment! Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vexèd Canst drink the waters of the crispèd spring? O sweet content! Swim'st thou in wealth, yet sink'st in thine own tears? O punishment! Then he that patiently want's burden bears No burden bears, but is a king, a king! O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content! Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny! 1599. 1599. LULLABY Golden slumbers kiss your eyes; Care is heavy, therefore sleep you; And I will sing a lullaby: Rock them, rock them, lullaby. 5 ΙΟ 15 20 ΙΟ 1603. O SORROW, SORROW O Sorrow, Sorrow, say, where dost thou dwell? No, no, I have a furier face. O, why into the world is Sorrow sent? What dost thou feed on? What takest thou pleasure in? To sigh, to sob, to pine, to groan, To wring my hands, to sit alone. O when, O when shall Sorrow quiet have? 1602? 1634. 5 10 15 BEN JONSON QUEEN AND HUNTRESS, CHASTE AND FAIR Queen and huntress, chaste and fair, Hesperus entreats thy light, Earth, let not thy envious shade Cynthia's shining orb was made Heav'n to clear when day did close: Lay thy bow of pearl apart, And thy crystal shining quiver; 5 00 1600. Give unto the flying hart Space to breathe, how short soever; 1600. EPODE Not to know Vice at all, and keep true state, Is virtue and not fate. Next to that virtue, is to know Vice well And her black spite expel; Which to effect (since no breast is so sure Or safe but she'll procure Some way of entrance) we must plant a guard At the eye and ear, the ports unto the mind, Object arrive there, but the heart, our spy, To wakeful Reason, our affections' king, Who in th' examining Will quickly taste the treason and commit Close the close cause of it. 'Tis the securest policy we have, To make our sense our slave. But this true course is not embraced by many By many! scarce by any: For either our affections do rebel; Or else the sentinel, That should ring 'larum to the heart, doth sleep; Or some great thought doth keep Back the intelligence, and falsely swears They are base and idle fears Whereof the loyal conscience so complains. Do several passions invade the mind, 15 5 ΙΟ 15 20 25 And strike our Reason blind; 30 Of which usurping rank, some have thought Love The first, as prone to move |