No More Learning

_ _1633-69_]




_H: W: in Hiber: belligeranti. _


Went you to conquer? and have so much lost
Yourself, that what in you was best and most,
Respective friendship, should so quickly dye?
In publique gaine my share'is not such that I
Would lose your love for Ireland: better cheap 5
I pardon death (who though he do not reap
Yet gleanes hee many of our frends away)
Then that your waking mind should bee a prey
To lethargies. Lett shott, and boggs, and skeines
With bodies deale, as fate bids and restreynes; 10
Ere sicknesses attack, yong death is best,
Who payes before his death doth scape arrest.
Lett not your soule (at first with graces fill'd,
And since, and thorough crooked lymbecks, still'd
In many schools and courts, which quicken it,) 15
It self unto the Irish negligence submit.
I aske not labored letters which should weare
Long papers out: nor letters which should feare
Dishonest carriage: or a seers art:
Nor such as from the brayne come, but the hart. 20


[H: W: _&c. _ _Burley MS. _ (JD _in margin_) _i. e. _ Henrico
Wottoni in Hibernia belligeranti]

[2 that] y^t _Bur, and similarly_ y^e (the), y^r (your),
w^{ch} (which), w^{th} (with) _throughout_]

[2-3 most, Respective friendship,] _no commas_, _Bur_]

[4 share'is] share is _Bur_]

[9 lethargies. ] letargies. _Bur_]

[10 restreynes;] restreynes _Bur_]

[11 attack,] attack _Bur_

best,] best _Bur_]

[13 (at first] _Bur closes bracket after_ first _and again
after_ 15 quicken it,]

[14 since,] since _Bur_]

[19 art:] art _Bur_]




_To the Countesse of Bedford. _


MADAME,

Reason is our Soules left hand, Faith her right,
By these wee reach divinity, that's you;
Their loves, who have the blessings of your light,
Grew from their reason, mine from faire faith grew.
But as, although a squint lefthandednesse 5
Be'ungracious, yet we cannot want that hand,
So would I, not to encrease, but to expresse
My faith, as I beleeve, so understand.

Therefore I study you first in your Saints,
Those friends, whom your election glorifies, 10
Then in your deeds, accesses, and restraints,
And what you reade, and what your selfe devize.

But soone, the reasons why you'are lov'd by all,
Grow infinite, and so passe reasons reach,
Then backe againe to'implicite faith I fall, 15
And rest on what the Catholique voice doth teach;

That you are good: and not one Heretique
Denies it: if he did, yet you are so.
For, rockes, which high top'd and deep rooted sticke,
Waves wash, not undermine, nor overthrow. 20

In every thing there naturally growes
A _Balsamum_ to keepe it fresh, and new,
If'twere not injur'd by extrinsique blowes;
Your birth and beauty are this Balme in you.

But you of learning and religion, 25
And vertue,'and such ingredients, have made
A methridate, whose operation
Keepes off, or cures what can be done or said.

Yet, this is not your physicke, but your food,
A dyet fit for you; for you are here 30
The first good Angell, since the worlds frame stood,
That ever did in womans shape appeare.

Since you are then Gods masterpeece, and so
His Factor for our loves; do as you doe,
Make your returne home gracious; and bestow 35
This life on that; so make one life of two.
For so God helpe mee,'I would not misse you there
For all the good which you can do me here.


[To the Countesse of Bedford. _1633-69:_ _do. or_ To the
Countesse of B. _B_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_, _M_, _N_,
_O'F_, _RP31_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_]

[3 blessings _1633_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_ blessing _1635-69_,
_B_, _Cy_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_

light, _1633-69:_ sight, _B_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_,
_N_, _O'F_, _RP31_, _S_, _TCD_]

[4 faire _1633-69_, _L74_, _N_, _TCD:_ farr _B_, _Cy_, _D_,
_H49_, _Lec_, _M_, _O'F_, _RP31_, _S_, _S96_]

[16 what] that _Chambers_

voice _1635-69_, _B_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_, _M_,
_N_, _O'F_, _S96_, _TCD:_ faith _1633_, _RP31_, _S_]

[19 high top'd and deep rooted _1633_, _N_, _TCD:_ high to
sense deepe-rooted _1635-54_, _O'F_, _Chambers_ (_who has
overlooked 1633 reading:_) high to sense and deepe-rooted
_S96:_ high to sun and deepe-rooted _L74_, _RP31_, _S:_ high
do seem, deep-rooted _1669_, _Cy_ (_but MS. with_ and): high
to some, and deepe-rooted _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_ high to seeme,
and deepe-rooted _B_. _See note_]

[25 But _Ed:_ But, _1633-69_]

[36 This, _1635-69_, _B_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_,
_O'F_, _RP31_, _S_, _TCD_, _Grosart and Chambers:_ Thy _1633_,
_Grolier_. _See note_]




_To the Countesse of Bedford.