Short Poems

vnder a Gentlewoman's Picture.

Euen as Apelles could not paint Campaspes face aright:
Because Campaspes Sun-bright eyes did dimme Apelles sight:
Euen so, amazed at her sight, her sight, all sights excelling,
Like Nyobe the Painter stoode, her sight his sight expelling,
Thus Art and Nature did contend, who should the Victor bee,
Till Art by Nature was supprest, as all the worlde may see.

Maister Iohn Steuenton , of Dothill , in the County of Salop , Esquire.

Sith Conscience (long since) is exilde the Citty,
O let her in the Countrey, finde some Pitty;
But if she be exilde, the Countrey too,
O let her finde, some fauour yet of you.

Edward Leigh , of Grayes Inne.

IMage of that, whose losse is here lamented;
(In whom, so many vertues are containd)
Daine to accept, what I haue novv presented.
Though Bounties death, herein be not fained,
In your mind, she not reuiue (with speed)
Then will I sweare, that shee is dead indeed.

Great Lady, sith I haue complyde thy Prayse,
(According to my skill and not thy merit:)
And sought thy Fame aboue the starrs to rayse;
(Had I sweete Ovids vaine, or Virgils spirit)
I craue no more but this, for my good will,
That in my Want, thou wilt supplye me still.

In Prose thy proud heart burst: & on the Breach
May Surgeons hall, doctrine & Vses preach.
Or liue, from rotten lungs to Parbreake drosse
May bring thy neck at length t'endure a crosse.

Man worse then worme, in bloud first sprawling lies
Naked, & wanting all, for w ch it cries
It sucks, thriues, & becomes a comelye beast
But thinks itself an angell at the least.
Takes it a storme; it shrinks, laments, & wrings,
In sunnshine frisks, & feasts, & flatters kings.
Getts wealth, builds, threatens, fullfills all its lust
And last is rotten & forgotten Dust.

Thy Lines are sharpe & flatt & grosse & fine
And carelesse curiously they doe intwine
Things holy and prophane, which comes (I thinke)
of Ashbies godlie, & vngodlie drinke
While like the moone thy planetarie witt
Does from the Bull, into the Lion flitt
And so from signe to signe, vntill thou meet
With Aquarie & Pisces at thy feet:

We never speed, where ere we goe;
There's something in't; nay nothing so.

Here two rich rauisht spirrits kisse & twyne;
Advanc'd, & weddLockt in each others Lyne.
Gooderes rare match with only him was blest,
Who haes out donne, & quite vndonne the rest.

WHO DIED DECEMBER THE 26TH, AGED 42 .

What ! though such various worth is seldom known,
No adulation rears this sacred stone,
No partial love this genuine picture draws,
No venal pencil prostitutes applause:
Justice and truth in artless colours paint
The Man, the Friend, the Preacher, and the Saint.