Poetical miscellany circa 1640 V.a.245

Below are semi-diplomatic transcriptions from various leaves in Folger manuscript V.a.245, a collection of poetical miscellany circa 1640. These were originally completed as a part of the Practical Paleography Series and through a week-long intensive seminar, both sponsored by EMMO.

Transcription 22v

In obitum pii & doctissimi viri
D.L. Howlett pastoris fidelissimi./
Were't not for faith and that I firmely trust,
Heavens wayes (how ere obscure) are allwayes iust,
And that all lynes of great'st circumference
Meete in the center of Godes providence;
I should (as others) cladd in sable weed,
Warble sadd ditties on my vntun'd reed,
And curse the fates for cutting of the thredd
Of howlettes life. howlett they say is dead,
Dead! tis an error. See how sorrow blindes
Our blubbering eyes, and so distractes our myndes,
As passion leades vs headlong, and wee deeme
Of thinges not as they are, but as they seeme:
ffor lett but settled reason deeper dive,
The tale proves false and howlett is alive.
'Tis true, hee is remov'd: for here being pent
In a close dwelling, giving small content
To such a tenant, hee dislik'd his Cell,
Which soone, for want of due repayring, fell
Into the Lordes handes. Finding him thus fledd
(Though to a better house) men thought him dead:
Nor was this th'onely reason which remov'd him,
A patron, which had ever dearly lov'd him,
To a farr better living call'd him hence:
This but depended on benevolence,
A meere impropriated Donative,
Where men thinck nothing due, but what they give,
Is of meere curtesie, so his strongest tye
ffor endles paynes, was meere vncertayntie.
Where

Transcription 23

23
Where now hee is, his labor's nothing such,
Yet his reward most ample: in so much
As nothing can be added: and so sure
As (spight of chances) ever shall endure.
Now to bewayle him seemes no lesse,
Then envye him this height of happines./
observantiae ergo maerens
posuit I. Cruszo.
In praematuram mortem reverendi
viri D:L: Howlett. Epicedium./
This vrne contaynes so much as mortall was
Of reverent Howlett: Man thus fades like grasse:
Or like a flower, which while wee gaze vpon
With admiration, in a trice 'tis gon.
Abstract of learning! height of eloquence!
Whose documentes, by powerfull influence,
Ravish'd the hearers: who by steppes most even
In thyne example shewe'st the way to heaven:
How soone thou leav'st vs? nature since is wroth
At out impenitencie, our shamefull sloath,
Our foule ingratitude: who so misdeem'd
Her richest master peece, and disesteem'd
So rich a Jewell; hence in high disdayne,
Shee shew'd it vs, and putt it vpp againe./
Deflevit J Cruzo./
A pastorall

A pastorall Elogie on the vntymely
death of that watchfull and paynefull
Pastor Mr L: Howlett./
Shepheards, leave your frollick layes,
Gleefull hyms, and roundelayes:
Sorrow now requires, there bee
No song heard but her lacrimae:
Since our cause of ioy is fledd;
Coridon our ioy is dead.
His faire Cloris sobbes and cries,
like to weepe out both her eyes:
And lamenting calles vpon
Her deare love, her Coridon:
All his sheepe are quite amaz'd
Since his losse they hardly graz'd,
And begin to run a stray,
Stragling each a sundry way.
Skilfull shepheard, hee could tell,
how to helpe, what ere befell,
where to choose out pastors meet,
Which were wholsome, which were sweete.
Carefull shepheard, hee'd be sure,
That his flock should rest secure,
While himselfe whole mightes did watch,
Least the wolfe some lambe should catch.
Tell you-. neighbour shedpheardes round,
What hee was, and all resound
his due

Transcription 24r

His due praises, and so showe it,
That posteritie may know it:
And relating of his story,
Stile him still the Shepheardes glory,
Envies selfe must needes confesse,
Nothing can be given him lesse
Come yee now, come Nymphes, come all,
Celebrate his funerall.
Bring greene bayes, and fragrant posies,
And bedeck his corpes with roses,
So interring him: on's grave
Lett him this inscription have.
Softly tread this earth vpon:
ffor here restes one Coredon,
Who through care to save his sheepe
Watch't too much. Oh, lett him sleepe./
J Cruzo./
To his freind, that was enamored
on an ugy deformed woman./
I have oft wondred, why thou did'st elect
Thy mistres of a stuffe, none could affect,
That wore his eyes in the right place; a thing
Maide vpp, when Natures powers lay slumbering,
One, where all pregnant imperfections mett,
To make her sexes scandall: teeth of iett,
Haires di'de in orpment, from whose fretfull hew
Canidia her highest witchcraftes drewe:
A lipp

Transcription 50v-51r

On a good legg and a foote./
If hercules tall stature might be guest
But by his thumbe, whereby to make the rest
In due proportion, the best rule, that I
Would choose to measure Venus beauty by
Should be her legg, and foote yf husbandmen
Measure their tymber by the foote, why then
Not wee our wives, whether wee goe or stride,
Those native compasses are sildome wide
Of telling true: the round and slender foote
Is a sure Index and a secrett note
Of hidden partes and well this way may lead
Vnto the closett of a Mayden head:
here Emblemes of our youth wee roses tye,
And here the garter loves deare mistery:
ffor wante of beauty here the Peacockes pride
Lettes fall her trayne, and fearing to be spide
Shuttes vpp her paynted whitnes witnesses, to lett
Those eyes from view, which are but counterfett:
Who lookes not if this part be good or evill,
May meet with cloven feete and match the devill.
ffor this doeth make the difference betweene
The more vnhollowed creatures and the cleane:
Well may you iudge her other steppes are lighte,
her thoughtes awry that doeth not tread aright:
But then there's true perfection, when wee see
Those partes more absolute, that hidden bee:
Nature ne'r layd a faire foundation
ffor an vnworthy frame to rest thereon;
Lett others viewe the topp, and limbes throughout
The deeper knowledge is to knowe the roote:
And reading
51
And reading of the face the weakest knowe,
What beauty is, the learned looke belowe;
Who looking there doe all the rest descrie
As in a poole the Moone wee vse to spie,
Pardon (sweetehart) the pride of my desire,
If but to kisse your toe it should a spire./
William S.

To a freind./
Like to the hand, which hath byn vs'd to play
One lesson long, still runnes the vsuall way;
And waites not what the hearers bid it strike
But doeth presume by custome this will like:
So runne my thoughtes which are so perfect growne,
So well acquainted with my passion:
That now they dare prevent mee with their hast,
And ere I thinck to sigh, my sigh is past:
'Tis past and flowne to you, for you alone
Are all the obiect, that I thinck vpon,
And did not you supplie my soule with thought,
ffor want of accion it to none were brought:
What though our absent armes may not enfold
Reall embraces, yet wee firmely hold
Each other in possession: thus wee see
The Lord enioy his landes, where ere hee bee:
If Kinges possest no more, then where they satt,
What were they greater then a meane estate?
This makes me firmely yours, you firmely myne
That something more then bodies vs combyne./
William Stroud
On the death