How I found there-if that my trifling pen

Durst take so hard a task-kings were but men,
And by their place more noted, if they err;

How they and their lords unworthy men prefer; 110 And, as unthrifts, had rather give away

Great sums to flatterers, than small debts pay.

So they their greatness hide, and greatness show,
By giving them that which to worth they owe.
What treason is, and what did Essex kill,
Not true treason, but treason handled ill;
And which of them stood for their country's good,
Or what might be the cause of so much blood;
He said she stunk; and men might not have said
That she was old before that she was dead.
His case was hard to do or suffer; loth
To do, he made it harder, and did both.

Too much preparing lost them all their lives;
Like some in plagues kill with preservatives.
Friends, like land soldiers in a storm at sea,
Not knowing what to do, for him did pray.
They told it all the world, where was their wit?
Cuffe's putting on a sword might have told it.
And princes must fear favourites more than foes,
For still beyond revenge ambition goes.
How since her death with sumpter-horse that Scot
Hath rid, who, at his coming up, had not

A sumpter-dog. But till that I can write

120

130

Things worth thy tenth reading (dear Nick), good. night.

EPIGRAMS.

HERO AND LEANDER.

BOTH robb'd of air, we both lie in one ground; Both whom one fire had burnt, one water drown'd

PYRAMUS AND THISBE.

Two, by themselves, each other, love and fear,
Slain, cruel friends, by parting have join'd here.

NIOBE.

By children's births, and death, I am become
So dry, that I am now mine own sad tomb.

A BURNT SHIP.

Out of a fired ship, which by no way
But drowning could be rescued from the flame,
Some men leap'd forth, and ever as they came
Near the foes' ships, did by their shot decay;
So all were lost, which in the ship were found,
They in the sea being burnt, they in the burnt ship
drowned.

FALL OF A WALL.

Under an undermined and shot-bruised wall
A too-bold captain perish'd by the fall,
Whose brave misfortune happiest men envied,
That had a town for tomb, his bones to hide.

1. 4. 1635, towre for tomb

A LAME BEGGAR.

I am unable, yonder beggar cries,

To stand, or move; if he say true, he lies.

A SELF-ACCUSER.

Your mistress, that you follow whores, still taxeth

you;

'Tis strange that she should thus confess it, though 't be true.

A LICENTIOUS PERSON.

Thy sins and hairs may no man equal call;
For, as thy sins increase, thy hairs do fall.

ANTIQUARY.

If in his study he hath so much care

To hang all old strange things, let his wife beware.

DISINHERITED.

Thy father all from thee, by his last will,
Gave to the poor; thou hast good title still.

PHRYNE.

Thy flattering picture, Phryne, is like thee,
Only in this, that you both painted be.
1. 1. 1650, like to thee

AN OBSCURE WRITER.

Philo with twelve years' study hath been grieved
To be understood; when will he be believed?

[KLOCKIUS.]

Klockius so deeply hath sworn ne'er more to come In bawdy house, that he dares not go home.

RADERUS.

Why this man gelded Martial I muse,

Except himself alone his tricks would use,

As Katherine, for the court's sake, put down stews. L. 1. 1669, I amuse

MERCURIUS GALLO-BELGICUS.

Like Esop's fellow-slaves, O Mercury,
Which could do all things, thy faith is; and I
Like Esop's self, which nothing. I confess
I should have had more faith, if thou hadst less.
Thy credit lost thy credit. "Tis sin to do,
In this case, as thou wouldst be done unto,
To believe all. Change thy name; thou art like
Mercury in stealing, but liest like a Greek.

[RALPHIUS.]*

Compassion in the world again is bred;
Ralphius is sick, the broker keeps his bed.

NOTES.

VERSE LETTERS.

ALL these letters are from the edition of 1633, with the exception of those to Sir Thomas Rowe (p. 65), Lady Huntingdon (p. 48), Dr. Andrews (p. 66), and Ben Jonson (p. 64), which were added in 1635. As to the date of them, the Storm and Calm were written as early as 1597; most of the rest seem to belong to the period of Donne's absence from town at Pyrford, Peckham and Mitcham, and then in France and Belgium, during 1601-1612. Many of them are to London friends or to members of Lady Bedford's Twickenham circle. More exact dates can be given to a few; viz. those to Sir T. Rowe (p. 65) and to Ben Jonson (p. 64) in 1603, that to Sir Henry Wotton (p. 41) in 1604, that to Sir Henry Goodyere (p. 10) in 1606-10, that to Lady Bedford (p. 60) in 1609-10, that to Sir Edward Herbert (p. 20) in 1610-12, those to Lady Bedford (p. 53) and to Lady Carey and Mistress Essex Rich (p. 54) in 1611-12, and that to Lady Salisbury (p. 57) in 1614.

p. I. THE STORM.

The full dedication is given in 1635. In 1633 it is simply To Mr Christopher Brooke.

Mr. Christopher Brooke. In the Stephens MS. the heading is To Sir Basil Brooke. See page 37, note.

Christopher Brooke was a son of Robert Brooke, of