The first Anniversary.
To the praise of the dead,
and the Anatomie.
WELL dy'd the World, that we might live to see
This world of wit, in his Anatomie:
No evill wants his good; so wilder heires
Bedew their Fathers Tombes, with forced teares,
5Whose state requites their losse: whiles thus we gain,
Well may wee walke in blacks, but not complaine.
Yet how can I consent the world is dead
While this Muse lives? which in his spirits stead
Seemes to informe a World; and bids it bee,
10In spight of losse or fraile mortalitie?
And thou the subject of this welborne thought,
Thrice noble maid, couldst not have found nor sought
A fitter time to yeeld to thy sad Fate,
Then whiles this spirit lives, that can relate
15Thy worth so well to our last Nephews eyne,
That they shall wonder both at his and thine:
Admired match! where strives in mutuall grace
The cunning pencill, and the comely face:
A taske which thy faire goodnesse made too much
20For the bold pride of vulgar pens to touch;
Enough is us to praise them that praise thee,
And say, that but enough those prayses bee,
Which hadst thou liv'd, had hid their fearfull head
From th'angry checkings of thy modest red:
25Death barres reward and shame: when envy's gone,
And gaine, 'tis safe to give the dead their owne.
As then the wise Egyptians wont to lay
More on their Tombes, then houses: these of clay,
But those of brasse, or marble were: so wee
30Give more unto thy Ghost, then unto thee.
Yet what wee give to thee, thou gav'st to us,
And may'st but thanke thy selfe, for being thus:
Yet what thou gav'st, and wert, O happy maid,
Thy grace profest all due, where 'tis repayd.
35So these high songs that to thee suited bin
Serve but to sound thy Makers praise, in thine,
Which thy deare soule as sweetly sings to him
Amid the Quire of Saints, and Seraphim,
As any Angels tongue can sing of thee;
40The subjects differ, though the skill agree:
For as by infant-yeares men judge of age,
Thy early love, thy vertues, did presage
What an high part thou bear'st in those best songs,
Whereto no burden, nor no end belongs.
45Sing on thou virgin Soule, whose lossfull gaine
Thy lovesick parents have bewail'd in vaine;
Never may thy Name be in our songs forgot,
Till wee shall sing thy ditty and thy note.
An Anatomie &c. 1611-33: Anatomie &c. 1635-69
The first Anniversary. 1612-69: om. 1611. See note
To the praise of the dead &c. 1611-69 (Dead 1611)
8 While] Whiles 1639-69
21 is] it is 1699
25 shame: 1611, 1612-25: shame, 1633-69
26 gaine, 1633-69: gaine; 1612-25
34 where] were 1621-25
35 bin 1633-39: bine 1611: bine, 1612-21: bine. 1625: bin, 1650-69
36 praise, in thine, 1611, 1612-25: praise and thine, 1633-69
38 Quire 1611, 1612-25: quire 1633-69
39 tongue 1611, 1612-39: tongues 1650-69
41 infant-yeares 1611, 1621-25: infant yeares 1633-69
42 vertues, 1611, 1612-25: vertues 1633-69
presage 1612-25: presage, 1633-69
43 What an hie ... best songs, 1611-12: What hie ... best songs 1621-25: What high ... best of songs, 1633-69
47 our 1611, 1612-54: om. 1669
forgot,] forgot. 1621-25
An Anatomy of the World.
The first Anniversary.
The entrie into the worke.
WHEN that rich Soule which to her heaven is gone,
Whom all do celebrate, who know they have one,
(For who is sure he hath a Soule, unlesse
It see, and judge, and follow worthinesse,
5And by Deedes praise it? hee who doth not this,
May lodge an In-mate soule, but 'tis not his.)
When that Queene ended here her progresse time,
And, as t'her standing house to heaven did climbe,
Where loath to make the Saints attend her long,
10She's now a part both of the Quire, and Song,
This World, in that great earthquake languished;
For in a common bath of teares it bled,
Which drew the strongest vitall spirits out:
But succour'd then with a perplexed doubt,
15Whether the world did lose, or gaine in this,
(Because since now no other way there is,
But goodnesse, to see her, whom all would see,
All must endeavour to be good as shee,)
This great consumption to a fever turn'd,
20And so the world had fits; it joy'd, it mourn'd;
And, as men thinke, that Agues physick are,
And th'Ague being spent, give over care,
So thou sicke World, mistak'st thy selfe to bee
Well, when alas, thou'rt in a Lethargie.
25Her death did wound and tame thee than, and than
Thou might'st have better spar'd the Sunne, or Man.
That wound was deep, but 'tis more misery,
That thou hast lost thy sense and memory.
'Twas heavy then to heare thy voyce of mone,
30But this is worse, that thou art speechlesse growne.
Thou hast forgot thy name, thou hadst; thou wast
Nothing but shee, and her thou hast o'rpast.
For as a child kept from the Font, untill
A prince, expected long, come to fulfill
35The ceremonies, thou unnam'd had'st laid,
Had not her comming, thee her Palace made:
Her name defin'd thee, gave thee forme, and frame,
And thou forgett'st to celebrate thy name.
Some moneths she hath beene dead (but being dead,
40Measures of times are all determined)
But long she'ath beene away, long, long, yet none
Offers to tell us who it is that's gone.
But as in states doubtfull of future heires,
When sicknesse without remedie empaires
45The present Prince, they're loth it should be said,
The Prince doth languish, or the Prince is dead:
So mankinde feeling now a generall thaw,
A strong example gone, equall to law,
The Cyment which did faithfully compact,
50And glue all vertues, now resolv'd, and slack'd,
Thought it some blasphemy to say sh'was dead,
Or that our weaknesse was discovered
In that confession; therefore spoke no more
Then tongues, the Soule being gone, the losse deplore.
55But though it be too late to succour thee,
Sicke World, yea, dead, yea putrified, since shee
Thy'intrinsique balme, and thy preservative,
Can never be renew'd, thou never live,
I (since no man can make thee live) will try,
60What wee may gaine by thy Anatomy.
Her death hath taught us dearely, that thou art
Corrupt and mortall in thy purest part.
Let no man say, the world it selfe being dead,
'Tis labour lost to have discovered
65The worlds infirmities, since there is none
Alive to study this dissection;
What life the world hath stil.
For there's a kinde of World remaining still,
Though shee which did inanimate and fill
The world, be gone, yet in this last long night,
70Her Ghost doth walke; that is, a glimmering light,
A faint weake love of vertue, and of good,
Reflects from her, on them which understood
Her worth; and though she have shut in all day,
The twilight of her memory doth stay;
75Which, from the carcasse of the old world, free,
Creates a new world, and new creatures bee
Produc'd: the matter and the stuffe of this,
Her vertue, and the forme our practice is:
And though to be thus elemented, arme
80These creatures, from home-borne intrinsique harme,
(For all assum'd unto this dignitie,
So many weedlesse Paradises bee,
Which of themselves produce no venemous sinne,
Except some forraine Serpent bring it in)
85Yet, because outward stormes the strongest breake,
And strength it selfe by confidence growes weake,
This new world may be safer, being told
The sicknesses of the World.
The dangers and diseases of the old:
For with due temper men doe then forgoe,
90Or covet things, when they their true worth know.
Impossibility of health.
There is no health; Physitians say that wee,
At best, enjoy but a neutralitie.
And can there bee worse sicknesse, then to know
That we are never well, nor can be so?
95Wee are borne ruinous: poore mothers cry,
That children come not right, nor orderly;
Except they headlong come and fall upon
An ominous precipitation.
How witty's ruine! how importunate
100Upon mankinde! it labour'd to frustrate
Even Gods purpose; and made woman, sent
For mans reliefe, cause of his languishment.
They were to good ends, and they are so still,
But accessory, and principall in ill;
105For that first marriage was our funerall:
One woman at one blow, then kill'd us all,
And singly, one by one, they kill us now.
We doe delightfully our selves allow
To that consumption; and profusely blinde,
110Wee kill our selves to propagate our kinde.
And yet we do not that; we are not men:
There is not now that mankinde, which was then,
When as, the Sunne and man did seeme to strive,
Shortnesse of life.
(Joynt tenants of the world) who should survive;
115When, Stagge, and Raven, and the long-liv'd tree,
Compar'd with man, dy'd in minoritie;
When, if a slow pac'd starre had stolne away
From the observers marking, he might stay
Two or three hundred yeares to see't againe,
120And then make up his observation plaine;
When, as the age was long, the sise was great;
Mans growth confess'd, and recompenc'd the meat;
So spacious and large, that every Soule
Did a faire Kingdome, and large Realme controule:
125And when the very stature, thus erect,
Did that soule a good way towards heaven direct.
Where is this mankinde now? who lives to age,
Fit to be made Methusalem his page?
Alas, we scarce live long enough to try
130Whether a true made clocke run right, or lie.
Old Grandsires talke of yesterday with sorrow,
And for our children wee reserve to morrow.
So short is life, that every peasant strives,
In a torne house, or field, to have three lives.
135And as in lasting, so in length is man
Smalnesse of stature.
Contracted to an inch, who was a spanne;
For had a man at first in forrests stray'd,
Or shipwrack'd in the Sea, one would have laid
A wager, that an Elephant, or Whale,
140That met him, would not hastily assaile
A thing so equall to him: now alas,
The Fairies, and the Pigmies well may passe
As credible; mankinde decayes so soone,
We'are scarce our Fathers shadowes cast at noone:
145Onely death addes t'our length: nor are wee growne
In stature to be men, till we are none.
But this were light, did our lesse volume hold
All the old Text; or had wee chang'd to gold
Their silver; or dispos'd into lesse glasse
150Spirits of vertue, which then scatter'd was.
But 'tis not so: w'are not retir'd, but dampt;
And as our bodies, so our mindes are crampt:
'Tis shrinking, not close weaving that hath thus,
In minde, and body both bedwarfed us.
155Wee seeme ambitious, Gods whole worke t'undoe;
Of nothing hee made us, and we strive too,
To bring our selves to nothing backe; and wee
Doe what wee can, to do't so soone as hee.
With new diseases on our selves we warre,
160And with new Physicke, a worse Engin farre.
Thus man, this worlds Vice-Emperour, in whom
All faculties, all graces are at home;
And if in other creatures they appeare,
They're but mans Ministers, and Legats there,
165To worke on their rebellions, and reduce
Them to Civility, and to mans use:
This man, whom God did wooe, and loth t'attend
Till man came up, did downe to man descend,
This man, so great, that all that is, is his,
170Oh what a trifle, and poore thing he is!
If man were any thing, he's nothing now:
Helpe, or at least some time to wast, allow
T'his other wants, yet when he did depart
With her whom we lament, hee lost his heart.
175She, of whom th'Ancients seem'd to prophesie,
When they call'd vertues by the name of shee;
Shee in whom vertue was so much refin'd,
That for Allay unto so pure a minde
Shee tooke the weaker Sex; shee that could drive
180The poysonous tincture, and the staine of Eve,
Out of her thoughts, and deeds; and purifie
All, by a true religious Alchymie;
Shee, shee is dead; shee's dead: when thou knowest this,
Thou knowest how poore a trifling thing man is.
185And learn'st thus much by our Anatomie,
The heart being perish'd, no part can be free.
And that except thou feed (not banquet) on
The supernaturall food, Religion,
Thy better Growth growes withered, and scant;
190Be more then man, or thou'rt lesse then an Ant.
Then, as mankinde, so is the worlds whole frame
Quite out of joynt, almost created lame:
For, before God had made up all the rest,
Corruption entred, and deprav'd the best:
195It seis'd the Angels, and then first of all
The world did in her cradle take a fall,
And turn'd her braines, and tooke a generall maime,
Wronging each joynt of th'universall frame.
The noblest part, man, felt it first; and than
200Both beasts and plants, curst in the curse of man.
Decay of nature in other parts.
So did the world from the first houre decay,
That evening was beginning of the day,
And now the Springs and Sommers which we see,
Like sonnes of women after fiftie bee.
205And new Philosophy calls all in doubt,
The Element of fire is quite put out;
The Sun is lost, and th'earth, and no mans wit
Can well direct him where to looke for it.
And freely men confesse that this world's spent,
210When in the Planets, and the Firmament
They seeke so many new; they see that this
Is crumbled out againe to his Atomies.
'Tis all in peeces, all cohaerence gone;
All just supply, and all Relation:
215Prince, Subject, Father, Sonne, are things forgot,
For every man alone thinkes he hath got
To be a Phœnix, and that then can bee
None of that kinde, of which he is, but hee.
This is the worlds condition now, and now
220She that should all parts to reunion bow,
She that had all Magnetique force alone,
To draw, and fasten sundred parts in one;
She whom wise nature had invented then
When she observ'd that every sort of men
225Did in their voyage in this worlds Sea stray,
And needed a new compasse for their way;
She that was best, and first originall
Of all faire copies, and the generall
Steward to Fate; she whose rich eyes, and brest
230Guilt the West Indies, and perfum'd the East;
Whose having breath'd in this world, did bestow
Spice on those Iles, and bad them still smell so,
And that rich Indie which doth gold interre,
Is but as single money, coyn'd from her:
235She to whom this world must it selfe refer,
As Suburbs, or the Microcosme of her,
Shee, shee is dead; shee's dead: when thou knowst this,
Thou knowst how lame a cripple this world is.
And learn'st thus much by our Anatomy,
240That this worlds generall sickenesse doth not lie
In any humour, or one certaine part;
But as thou sawest it rotten at the heart,
Thou seest a Hectique feaver hath got hold
Of the whole substance, not to be contrould,
245And that thou hast but one way, not t'admit
The worlds infection, to be none of it.
For the worlds subtilst immateriall parts
Feele this consuming wound, and ages darts.
For the worlds beauty is decai'd, or gone,
Disformity of parts.
250Beauty, that's colour, and proportion.
We thinke the heavens enjoy their Sphericall,
Their round proportion embracing all.
But yet their various and perplexed course,
Observ'd in divers ages, doth enforce
255Men to finde out so many Eccentrique parts,
Such divers downe-right lines, such overthwarts,
As disproportion that pure forme: It teares
The Firmament in eight and forty sheires,
And in these Constellations then arise
260New starres, and old doe vanish from our eyes:
As though heav'n suffered earthquakes, peace or war,
When new Towers rise, and old demolish't are.
They have impal'd within a Zodiake
The free-borne Sun, and keepe twelve Signes awake
265To watch his steps; the Goat and Crab controule,
And fright him backe, who else to either Pole
(Did not these Tropiques fetter him) might runne:
For his course is not round; nor can the Sunne
Perfit a Circle, or maintaine his way
270One inch direct; but where he rose to-day
He comes no more, but with a couzening line,
Steales by that point, and so is Serpentine:
And seeming weary with his reeling thus,
He meanes to sleepe, being now falne nearer us.
275So, of the Starres which boast that they doe runne
In Circle still, none ends where he begun.
All their proportion's lame, it sinkes, it swels.
For of Meridians, and Parallels,
Man hath weav'd out a net, and this net throwne
280Upon the Heavens, and now they are his owne.
Loth to goe up the hill, or labour thus
To goe to heaven, we make heaven come to us.
We spur, we reine the starres, and in their race
They're diversly content t'obey our pace.
285But keepes the earth her round proportion still?
Doth not a Tenarif, or higher Hill
Rise so high like a Rocke, that one might thinke
The floating Moone would shipwracke there, and sinke?
Seas are so deepe, that Whales being strooke to day,
290Perchance to morrow, scarse at middle way
Of their wish'd journies end, the bottome, die.
And men, to sound depths, so much line untie,
As one might justly thinke, that there would rise
At end thereof, one of th'Antipodies:
295If under all, a Vault infernall bee,
(Which sure is spacious, except that we
Invent another torment, that there must
Millions into a straight hot roome be thrust)
Then solidnesse, and roundnesse have no place.
300Are these but warts, and pock-holes in the face
Of th'earth? Thinke so: but yet confesse, in this
The worlds proportion disfigured is;
Disorder in the world.
That those two legges whereon it doth rely,
Reward and punishment are bent awry.
305And, Oh, it can no more be questioned,
That beauties best, proportion, is dead,
Since even griefe it selfe, which now alone
Is left us, is without proportion.
Shee by whose lines proportion should bee
310Examin'd, measure of all Symmetree,
Whom had that Ancient seen, who thought soules made
Of Harmony, he would at next have said
That Harmony was shee, and thence infer,
That soules were but Resultances from her,
315And did from her into our bodies goe,
As to our eyes, the formes from objects flow:
Shee, who if those great Doctors truly said
That the Arke to mans proportions was made,
Had been a type for that, as that might be
320A type of her in this, that contrary
Both Elements, and Passions liv'd at peace
In her, who caus'd all Civill war to cease.
Shee, after whom, what forme so'er we see,
Is discord, and rude incongruitie;
325Shee, shee is dead, shee's dead; when thou knowst this
Thou knowst how ugly a monster this world is:
And learn'st thus much by our Anatomie,
That here is nothing to enamour thee:
And that, not only faults in inward parts,
330Corruptions in our braines, or in our hearts,
Poysoning the fountaines, whence our actions spring,
Endanger us: but that if every thing
Be not done fitly'and in proportion,
To satisfie wise, and good lookers on,
335(Since most men be such as most thinke they bee)
They're lothsome too, by this Deformitee.
For good, and well, must in our actions meete;
Wicked is not much worse than indiscreet.
But beauties other second Element,
340Colour, and lustre now, is as neere spent.
And had the world his just proportion,
Were it a ring still, yet the stone is gone.
As a compassionate Turcoyse which doth tell
By looking pale, the wearer is not well,
345As gold falls sicke being stung with Mercury,
All the worlds parts of such complexion bee.
When nature was most busie, the first weeke,
Swadling the new borne earth, God seem'd to like
That she should sport her selfe sometimes, and play,
350To mingle, and vary colours every day:
And then, as though shee could not make inow,
Himselfe his various Rainbow did allow.
Sight is the noblest sense of any one,
Yet sight hath only colour to feed on,
355And colour is decai'd: summers robe growes
Duskie, and like an oft dyed garment showes.
Our blushing red, which us'd in cheekes to spred,
Is inward sunke, and only our soules are red.
Perchance the world might have recovered,
360If she whom we lament had not beene dead:
But shee, in whom all white, and red, and blew
(Beauties ingredients) voluntary grew,
As in an unvext Paradise; from whom
Did all things verdure, and their lustre come,
365Whose composition was miraculous,
Being all colour, all Diaphanous,
(For Ayre, and Fire but thick grosse bodies were,
And liveliest stones but drowsie, and pale to her,)
Shee, shee, is dead; shee's dead: when thou know'st this,
370Thou knowst how wan a Ghost this our world is:
And learn'st thus much by our Anatomie,
That it should more affright, then pleasure thee.
And that, since all faire colour then did sinke,
'Tis now but wicked vanitie, to thinke
Weaknesse in the want of correspondence of heaven and earth.
375To colour vicious deeds with good pretence,
Or with bought colors to illude mens sense.
Nor in ought more this worlds decay appeares,
Then that her influence the heav'n forbeares,
Or that the Elements doe not feele this,
380The father, or the mother barren is.
The cloudes conceive not raine, or doe not powre,
In the due birth time, downe the balmy showre;
Th'Ayre doth not motherly sit on the earth,
To hatch her seasons, and give all things birth;
385Spring-times were common cradles, but are tombes;
And false-conceptions fill the generall wombes;
Th'Ayre showes such Meteors, as none can see,
Not only what they meane, but what they bee;
Earth such new wormes, as would have troubled much
390Th'Ægyptian Mages to have made more such.
What Artist now dares boast that he can bring
Heaven hither, or constellate any thing,
So as the influence of those starres may bee
Imprison'd in an Hearbe, or Charme, or Tree,
395And doe by touch, all which those stars could doe?
The art is lost, and correspondence too.
For heaven gives little, and the earth takes lesse,
And man least knowes their trade and purposes.
If this commerce twixt heaven and earth were not
400Embarr'd, and all this traffique quite forgot,
She, for whose losse we have lamented thus,
Would worke more fully, and pow'rfully on us:
Since herbes, and roots, by dying lose not all,
But they, yea Ashes too, are medicinall,
405Death could not quench her vertue so, but that
It would be (if not follow'd) wondred at:
And all the world would be one dying Swan,
To sing her funerall praise, and vanish than.
But as some Serpents poyson hurteth not,
410Except it be from the live Serpent shot,
So doth her vertue need her here, to fit
That unto us; shee working more then it.
But shee, in whom to such maturity
Vertue was growne, past growth, that it must die;
415She, from whose influence all Impressions came,
But, by Receivers impotencies, lame,
Who, though she could not transubstantiate
All states to gold, yet guilded every state,
So that some Princes have some temperance;
420Some Counsellers some purpose to advance
The common profit; and some people have
Some stay, no more then Kings should give, to crave;
Some women have some taciturnity,
Some nunneries some graines of chastitie.
425She that did thus much, and much more could doe,
But that our age was Iron, and rustie too,
Shee, shee is dead; shee's dead; when thou knowst this,
Thou knowst how drie a Cinder this world is.
And learn'st thus much by our Anatomy,
430That 'tis in vaine to dew, or mollifie
It with thy teares, or sweat, or blood: nothing
Is worth our travaile, griefe, or perishing,
But those rich joyes, which did possesse her heart,
Of which she's now partaker, and a part.
Conclusion.
435But as in cutting up a man that's dead,
The body will not last out, to have read
On every part, and therefore men direct
Their speech to parts, that are of most effect;
So the worlds carcasse would not last, if I
440Were punctuall in this Anatomy;
Nor smels it well to hearers, if one tell
Them their disease, who faine would think they're well.
Here therefore be the end: And, blessed maid,
Of whom is meant what ever hath been said,
445Or shall be spoken well by any tongue,
Whose name refines course lines, and makes prose song,
Accept this tribute, and his first yeares rent,
Who till his darke short tapers end be spent,
As oft as thy feast sees this widowed earth,
450Will yearely celebrate thy second birth,
That is, thy death; for though the soule of man
Be got when man is made, 'tis borne but than
When man doth die; our body's as the wombe,
And, as a Mid-wife, death directs it home.
455And you her creatures, whom she workes upon,
And have your last, and best concoction
From her example, and her vertue, if you
In reverence to her, do thinke it due,
That no one should her praises thus rehearse,
460As matter fit for Chronicle, not verse;
Vouchsafe to call to minde that God did make
A last, and lasting'st peece, a song. He spake
To Moses to deliver unto all,
That song, because hee knew they would let fall
465The Law, the Prophets, and the History,
But keepe the song still in their memory:
Such an opinion (in due measure) made
Me this great Office boldly to invade:
Nor could incomprehensiblenesse deterre
470Mee, from thus trying to emprison her,
Which when I saw that a strict grave could doe,
I saw not why verse might not do so too.
Verse hath a middle nature: heaven keepes Soules,
The Grave keepes bodies, Verse the Fame enroules.
An Anatomy &c. 1611-69 The first Anniversary. 1612-69 (First 1612-25): om. 1611
The entrie &c. 1612-21: om. 1625-33: 1611 and 1635-69 have no notes
2 Whom 1611, 1612-25, 1669: Who 1633: whõ 1635-54
5 Deedes 1611, 1612-25: deeds, 1633-69
6 In-mate 1611-12: Inmate 1621-25: immate 1633: inmate 1635-69
10 Song, 1611: Song. 1612-33: Song: 1635-69
14 then 1611, 1612-39: them 1650-69
18 shee, 1611: shee 1612, 1669: shee. 1621-54
22 care, 1611-21: care. 1625-33
24 Lethargie.] Letargee. 1611, 1612-25
26 Man. 1611, 1621-25: man. 1633-69
31 name, 1611, 1612-25: name 1633-69
33 Font, 1611: Fount, 1612-69
36 Palace 1611-12, 1621-25: palace 1633-69
40 times 1611, 1612-33: time 1635-69
48 law, 1612, 1669: law. 1611, 1621-25: law; 1633-54
50 glue] give 1650-69
What life &c. 1612-21: om. 1625-33
70 walke; 1611, 1612-25: walke, 1633-69
71 good, 1633: good 1612-25, 1635-69
75 old world, free, 1611-12, 1633-69: old world, free 1621-25
79 though] thought 1621-33
80 home-borne] homborne 1611, 1621-25: homeborne 1633-69
85 Yet, 1612-25: Yet 1633-69
The sicknesses &c. 1612: The sicknesse &c. 1621: The sicknes &c. 1625-33
89 then] them 1650-69
99 ruine! Ed: ruine? 1611, 1612-25: ruine, 1633-69
100 mankinde! Ed: mankinde? 1611, 1612-69
113 When as, the Sunne and man 1633-39: no commas 1650-69: When as the Sunne and man, 1611, 1612-25
114 survive; 1650-69: survive. 1611, 1612-39
116 minoritie; 1650-69: minoritee. 1611, 1621-25: minoritie, 1633-39
131 Grandsires 1611, 1612-21: Gransires 1625-69
sorrow, 1611-21: sorrow. 1625: sorrow: 1633-69
133 peasant 1611, 1612-25: pesant 1633-69
134 lives. 1611, 1633: lives 1612: lives, 1621-25
135 man 1611: man. 1612-25: man, 1633-69
145 addes 1611-21: adds 1635-69: ads 1625, 1633
149 silver; 1611-12: silver 1621-25: silver, 1633-69
150 scatter'd] scattred 1612-25
152 bodies, 1611-25: bodies 1633-39
153 close weaving 1633-69: close-weaning 1611-12: close weaning 1621-25
161 Thus man, 1611, 1612-33: This man, 1635-69, Chambers
166 use:] use. 1611, 1621-33
167 t'attend] t'atend 1633
169 man, 1611: man 1612-69
171 any thing, 1611-12: any thing; 1621-33
172 wast, 1633: wast, 1611: waste, 1635-69
178 Allay 1611, 1612-25: allay 1633-69
179 Sex; 1611: Sex, 1621-25: Sex: 1633-69
181 thoughts, 1611-12, 1635-69: thought, 1621-33
183 Shee, shee 1611, 1612-25: She, she 1633-69
186 no] no no 1621
188 Religion, 1611, 1650-69: Religion. 1612-25: Religion: 1633-39
189 Growth 1611: grouth 1612-25: growth 1633-69
withered] whithered 1621-25
191 Then, 1611, 1621-25: Then 1633-69
195 Angels, 1612-69: Angells: 1611
200 man. 1611, 1612-25: man, 1633-39: man: 1650-69
210 Firmament 1611-12: firmament 1621-69
212 Atomies.] Atomis. 1611, 1612-25
213 cohaerence 1611, 1612-25: coherence 1633-69
217 then 1611, 1612-69: there Grosart, who with Chambers attributes to 1669
223 invented] innented 1621
228 copies, 1633-69: copies; 1611-12: copies 1621-25
229 Fate; 1612-69: Fate: 1611
brest 1611: brest: 1612-25: breast, 1633
230 West Indies, 1611: West-Indies, 1621-69
East; 1611: East, 1621-69
234 money, 1611-21: money 1625-69
237 knowst 1611: knowest 1612-69: and so in 238
237 this,] this 1633-35
238 is. 1611, 1612-33: is, 1635-69
244 contrould,] contrould. 1611, 1612-25
251 Sphericall, 1650-69: Sphericall 1611, 1612-39
252 all. 1611, 1612-25: all, 1633-69
257 forme: 1633-69: forme. 1611, 1612-25
258 sheires, 1633-35: sheeres, 1611, 1612-25: shieres, 1639-69
267 Tropiques 1611, 1612-25: tropiques 1633-69
273 with] of 1635-69
284 pace.] peace. 1612-33
286 Tenarif, 1611, 1612-25: Tenarus 1633-69
Hill 1611, 1612-25: hill 1633-69
288 there, 1611, 1612-21: there 1625-69
289 strooke 1611, 1612-25: strucke 1633-69
290 to morrow, 1611, 1612-25: to morrow 1633-69
295 Vault 1611, 1612-25: vault 1633-69
298 straight] strait 1611-25
300 pock-holes] pockholes 1633-69
301 th'earth?] th'earth; 1633
306 beauties best, proportion, 1611, 1612-39: beauty's best proportion Chambers: 1650-69 drop the second comma
313 infer, 1611-12: infer. 1621-25: infer 1633-69
318 proportions 1611-12: proportion 1621-69
321 Elements, 1611-12: Elements 1621-69
325 Shee, shee 1611, 1612-25: She, she 1633-69
shee's] she's 1633-69
knowst 1611: knowest 1612-25: know'st 1633-69
326 knowst 1611, 1612-25: knowest 1633-69
336 Deformitee. 1611, 1612-25: deformitie. 1633-69
351 inow, 1611, 1612-25: enough, 1633: enow, 1635-69
352 allow.] allow, 1621-33
366 Diaphanous, 1611, 1612-25: diaphanous, 1633-69
369 Shee, shee, 1611, 1612-25 (shee 1625): She, she 1633-69 (but Shee, 1633, in pass-over word)
370 knowst 1611: knowest 1621-69
374 vanitie, to thinke 1633-69: vanity to think, 1611, 1612-25
379-80 feele this, ... barren is. 1611, 1612-69: feele this. ... barren is; Chambers. See note
383 Th'Ayre 1611, 1612-21: Th'ayre 1625-69
387 Th'Ayre 1611: Th'ayre 1612-69
390 Mages] No change of type, 1611-12
394 Charme, 1611-21: Charme 1625-54
404 Ashes 1611, 1612-25: ashes 1633-69
407 Swan, 1611, 1612-25: swan, 1633-69
415 Impressions 1611: Impression 1612-25: impression 1633-69
416 But, 1611: But 1621-69
Receivers 1611-12: rest no capital
421 have] have, 1633
427 is dead;] is dead, 1633-69
shee's dead; 1611-25: she's dead; 1633-69
431 nothing] no thing 1611-21
442 they're] thy're 1633
443 And, 1611, 1612-25: and, 1633-69
467 (in due measure) 1611, 1612-25 (but 1625 drops second bracket): commas 1633-69
468 Office 1611, 1612-25: office 1633-69
473 nature: 1611-25: nature, 1633-69
A Funerall Elegie.
'TIS lost, to trust a Tombe with such a guest,
Or to confine her in a marble chest.
Alas, what's Marble, Jeat, or Porphyrie,
Priz'd with the Chrysolite of either eye,
5Or with those Pearles, and Rubies, which she was?
Joyne the two Indies in one Tombe, 'tis glasse;
And so is all to her materials,
Though every inch were ten Escurials,
Yet she's demolish'd: can wee keepe her then
10In works of hands, or of the wits of men?
Can these memorials, ragges of paper, give
Life to that name, by which name they must live?
Sickly, alas, short-liv'd, aborted bee
Those carcasse verses, whose soule is not shee.
15And can shee, who no longer would be shee,
Being such a Tabernacle, stoop to be
In paper wrapt; or, when shee would not lie
In such a house, dwell in an Elegie?
But 'tis no matter; wee may well allow
20Verse to live so long as the world will now,
For her death wounded it. The world containes
Princes for armes, and Counsellors for braines,
Lawyers for tongues, Divines for hearts, and more,
The Rich for stomackes, and for backes, the Poore;
25The Officers for hands, Merchants for feet,
By which, remote and distant Countries meet.
But those fine spirits which do tune, and set
This Organ, are those peeces which beget
Wonder and love; and these were shee; and shee
30Being spent, the world must needs decrepit bee;
For since death will proceed to triumph still,
He can finde nothing, after her, to kill,
Except the world it selfe, so great as shee.
Thus brave and confident may Nature bee,
35Death cannot give her such another blow,
Because shee cannot such another show.
But must wee say she's dead? may't not be said
That as a sundred clocke is peecemeale laid,
Not to be lost, but by the makers hand
40Repollish'd, without errour then to stand,
Or as the Affrique Niger streame enwombs
It selfe into the earth, and after comes
(Having first made a naturall bridge, to passe
For many leagues) farre greater then it was,
45May't not be said, that her grave shall restore
Her, greater, purer, firmer, then before?
Heaven may say this, and joy in't, but can wee
Who live, and lacke her, here this vantage see?
What is't to us, alas, if there have beene
50An Angell made a Throne, or Cherubin?
Wee lose by't: and as aged men are glad
Being tastlesse growne, to joy in joyes they had,
So now the sick starv'd world must feed upon
This joy, that we had her, who now is gone.
55Rejoyce then Nature, and this World, that you,
Fearing the last fires hastning to subdue
Your force and vigour, ere it were neere gone,
Wisely bestow'd and laid it all on one.
One, whose cleare body was so pure and thinne,
60Because it need disguise no thought within.
'Twas but a through-light scarfe, her minde t'inroule;
Or exhalation breath'd out from her Soule.
One, whom all men who durst no more, admir'd:
And whom, who ere had worth enough, desir'd;
65As when a Temple's built, Saints emulate
To which of them, it shall be consecrate.
But, as when heaven lookes on us with new eyes,
Those new starres every Artist exercise,
What place they should assigne to them they doubt,
70Argue,'and agree not, till those starres goe out:
So the world studied whose this peece should be,
Till shee can be no bodies else, nor shee:
But like a Lampe of Balsamum, desir'd
Rather t'adorne, then last, she soone expir'd,
75Cloath'd in her virgin white integritie,
For marriage, though it doe not staine, doth dye.
To scape th'infirmities which wait upon
Woman, she went away, before sh'was one;
And the worlds busie noyse to overcome,
80Tooke so much death, as serv'd for opium;
For though she could not, nor could chuse to dye,
She'ath yeelded to too long an extasie:
Hee which not knowing her said History,
Should come to reade the booke of destiny,
85How faire, and chast, humble, and high she'ad been,
Much promis'd, much perform'd, at not fifteene,
And measuring future things, by things before,
Should turne the leafe to reade, and reade no more,
Would thinke that either destiny mistooke,
90Or that some leaves were torne out of the booke.
But 'tis not so; Fate did but usher her
To yeares of reasons use, and then inferre
Her destiny to her selfe, which liberty
She tooke but for thus much, thus much to die.
95Her modestie not suffering her to bee
Fellow-Commissioner with Destinie,
She did no more but die; if after her
Any shall live, which dare true good prefer,
Every such person is her deligate,
100T'accomplish that which should have beene her Fate.
They shall make up that Booke and shall have thanks
Of Fate, and her, for filling up their blankes.
For future vertuous deeds are Legacies,
Which from the gift of her example rise;
105And 'tis in heav'n part of spirituall mirth,
To see how well the good play her, on earth.
Funerall Elegie. 1611, 1612-69: whole poem printed in italics 1612-25: in roman 1611
1 lost, 1611, 1612-25: lost 1633: losse 1635-69
2 chest. 1611-21: chest, 1625-69
8 Escurials,] escurials. 1611-25
13 aborted 1611, 1612-33: abortive 1635-69
17 or, 1612-25: or 1633-69
18 a] an 1635-69
22-5 Princes, Counsellors &c. all in capitals except Officers 1611, 1612-25: later editions erratic
24: backes, 1611: backes 1612-25: backs 1633-69
Poore] spelt Pore 1611-12
28 peeces] peeces, 1633-69
30 1625 inserts marginal note, Smalnesse of stature. See p. 235
33 as 1611-21: om. 1625: was 1633-69
47 in't,] in't; 1612-21: in'ts, 1625
48 her, here 1611, 1612-25: her, here, 1633: her here, 1635-69
58 one. 1612-25: one; 1633-69
64 worth] worke 1633
74 expir'd, 1633-69: expir'd; 1611, 1612-25
75 integritie, 1633-69: integritie; 1611-25
76 it doe 1611, 1612-25: it doth 1633-69
dye. 1611, 1612-69 (spelt die 1633-69): Chambers closes the sentence at 74 expir'd and prints 75-7 thus—
Clothed in her virgin white integrity
—For marriage, though it doth not stain, doth dye—
To 'scape &c.
83 said 1611, 1612-33: sad 1635-69
94 tooke 1611, 1612-25: tooke, 1633-69
98 prefer, 1611, 1612-25: prefer; 1633-69
OF THE
PROGRESSE
OF THE SOULE.
Wherein,
By occasion of the Religious death of
Mistris Elizabeth Drvry,
the incommodities of the Soule in
this life, and her exaltation in
the next, are contemplated.