CERTAIN E

PIGRAMS CON

CERNING MAR

RIAGE.

EPIGRAM 1.

'TIS said, in Marriage, above all the rest
The children of a King find comforts least ;
Because, without respect of love or hate,
They must, and oft be, ruled by the State :
But if contented love, religious care,

Equality in state and years declare

A happy match, as I suppose no less,

Then rare and great's Eliza's happiness.

EPIGRAM 2.

GOD was the first that marriage did ordain,
By making one, two; and two, one again.

EPIGRAM 3.

SOLDIER! of thee I ask, for thou canst best,
Having known sorrow, judge of joy and rest,
What greater bliss, than after all thy harms
To have a wife that's fair and lawful thine;
And lying prison'd 'twixt her ivory arms,
There tell what thou hast 'scap'd by Powers Divine ;
How many round thee thou hast murther'd seen;
How oft thy soul hath been near-hand expiring;
How many times thy flesh hath wounded been;
Whilst she thy fortune and thy worth admiring,
With joy of health, and pity of thy pain,

Doth weep and kiss, and kiss and weep again?*

*This Epigram will strongly remind the reader of the sort of witchcraft which Shakspeare describes the Moor of Venice to have used, to gain the love of Desdemona.

"That I have past

I ran it through, even from my boyish days.

These things to hear

Would Desdemona seriously incline.

I did consent,

And often did beguile her of her tears.

My story being done,
She gave me for my pains a world of kisses.
She lov'd me for the dangers I have past,
And I lov'd her, that she did pity them."

EPIGRAM 4.

FAIR Helen having stain'd her husband's bed,
And mortal hatred 'twixt two kingdoms bred,
Had still remaining in her so much good,
That heroes for her lost their dearest blood;
Then if with all that ill such worth may last,
Oh! what is she worth, that's as fair and chaste?

EPIGRAM 5.

OLD Orpheus knew a good wife's worth so well,

That when his died, he followed her to hell;
And for her loss, at the Elysian grove,

He did not only ghosts to pity move,

But the sad poet breath'd his sighs so deep,
'Tis said, the devils could not chuse but weep.

EPIGRAM 6.

LONG did I wonder, and I wonder much

Rome's church should from her clergy take that due : Thought I, why should she that contentment grudge? What, doth she all with continence indue ?

No. But why, then, are they debarr'd that state?
Is she become a foe unto her own?

Doth she the members of her body hate?

Or is it for some other cause unshewn ?.

Oh yes! they find a woman's lips so dainty,

་

They tie themselves from one, 'cause they'll have

twenty.

EPIGRAM 7.

WOMEN, as some men say, unconstant be.
'Tis like enough, and so no doubt are men;
Nay, if their 'scapes we could so plainly see,
I fear that scarce there will be one for ten.
Men have but their own lusts that tempt to ill;
Women have lusts, and men's allurements too.
Alas! if their strengths cannot curb their will,
What should poor women, that are weaker, do?

Oh! they had need be chaste and look about them, That strive 'gainst lust within, and knaves without them.

FINIS.

SHEPHERD'S

HUNTING:

Being certain Eclogues written during the time of the Author's Imprisonment in the

Marshalsea.

By George Wither, Gentleman.

LONDON, Printed by T. S. for John Budge, dwelling in Paul's Church-yard, at the sign of the Green Dragon. 162 2.