No More Learning

A Palace, when'tis that, which it should be, 5
Leaves growing, and stands such, or else decayes:
But hee which dwels there, is not so; for hee
Strives to urge upward, and his fortune raise;

So had your body'her morning, hath her noone,
And shall not better; her next change is night: 10
But her faire larger guest, to'whom Sun and Moone
Are sparkes, and short liv'd, claimes another right.

The noble Soule by age growes lustier,
Her appetite, and her digestion mend,
Wee must not sterve, nor hope to pamper her 15
With womens milke, and pappe unto the end.

Provide you manlyer dyet; you have seene
All libraries, which are Schools, Camps, and Courts;
But aske your Garners if you have not beene
In harvests, too indulgent to your sports. 20

Would you redeeme it? then your selfe transplant
A while from hence. Perchance outlandish ground
Beares no more wit, then ours, but yet more scant
Are those diversions there, which here abound.

To be a stranger hath that benefit, 25
Wee can beginnings, but not habits choke.
Goe; whither? Hence; you get, if you forget;
New faults, till they prescribe in us, are smoake.

Our soule, whose country'is heaven, and God her father,
Into this world, corruptions sinke, is sent, 30
Yet, so much in her travaile she doth gather,
That she returnes home, wiser then she went;

It payes you well, if it teach you to spare,
And make you,'ashm'd, to make your hawks praise, yours,
Which when herselfe she lessens in the aire, 35
You then first say, that high enough she toures.

However, keepe the lively tast you hold
Of God, love him as now, but feare him more,
And in your afternoones thinke what you told
And promis'd him, at morning prayer before. 40

Let falshood like a discord anger you,
Else be not froward. But why doe I touch
Things, of which none is in your practise new,
And Tables, or fruit-trenchers teach as much;

But thus I make you keepe your promise Sir, 45
Riding I had you, though you still staid there,
And in these thoughts, although you never stirre,
You came with mee to Micham, and are here.


[To Sir Henry Goodyere. _1633-69:_ _so with_ Goodyere
_variously spelt_ _A25_, _B_, _C_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_
To S^r Henry Goodyere (H: G: _A18_, _N_, _TC_) moveing him to
travell.
_A18_, _N_, _O'F_, _TC_]

[1 Past, _1633-54_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_,
_Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _TC:_ Last _1669_, _Chambers_]

[2 reads,] read, _1650-54_]

[6 decayes:] decayes, _1633_]

[16 womens] womans _1669_]

[17 dyet; _Ed:_ dyet, _1633_ (_with a larger interval than is
usually given to a comma_), _1669:_ dyet. _1635-54_]

[20 harvests, _1633-54_, _A18_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _TC:_
harvest, _1669_, _A25_, _C_, _Cy_, _N_, _O'F_, _Chambers_]

[27 Goe; _A18_, _B_, _TC:_ Goe, _1633-69_

Hence; _A18_, _TC:_ hence; _1633:_ hence _1635-54:_ Hence.
_1669_]

[28 in us, _1633_, _A18_, _A25_, _C_, _Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_,
_N_, _TC:_ to us, _1635-69_, _B_, _O'F_]

[34 you,'asham'd, _Ed:_ you'asham'd, _1633-69:_ you asham'd
_Chambers and Grolier_. _See note_]

[37 However, _1633-39:_ However _1650-69:_ Howsoever _A18_,
_B_, _D_, _N_, _O'F_, _TC_]

[38 as] _om. 1639-69_]

[42 froward. ] froward; _1633_]

[44 Tables _1633-54_, _Lec:_ Fables _1669_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_,
_Cy_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _O'F_, _TC_]

[45 make] made _A18_, _N_, _TC_]

[48 with mee to] to mee at _A18_, _N_, _TC_]




To M^r _Rowland Woodward_.


Like one who'in her third widdowhood doth professe
Her selfe a Nunne, tyed to retirednesse,
So'affects my muse now, a chast fallownesse;

Since shee to few, yet to too many'hath showne
How love-song weeds, and Satyrique thornes are growne 5
Where seeds of better Arts, were early sown.

Though to use, and love Poetrie, to mee,
Betroth'd to no'one Art, be no'adulterie;
Omissions of good, ill, as ill deeds bee.

For though to us it seeme,'and be light and thinne, 10
Yet in those faithfull scales, where God throwes in
Mens workes, vanity weighs as much as sinne.

If our Soules have stain'd their first white, yet wee
May cloth them with faith, and deare honestie,
Which God imputes, as native puritie. 15

There is no Vertue, but Religion:
Wise, valiant, sober, just, are names, which none
Want, which want not Vice-covering discretion.

Seeke wee then our selves in our selves; for as
Men force the Sunne with much more force to passe, 20
By gathering his beames with a christall glasse;

So wee, If wee into our selves will turne,
Blowing our sparkes of vertue, may outburne
The straw, which doth about our hearts sojourne.

You know, Physitians, when they would infuse 25
Into any'oyle, the Soules of Simples, use
Places, where they may lie still warme, to chuse.

So workes retirednesse in us; To rome
Giddily, and be every where, but at home,
Such freedome doth a banishment become. 30

Wee are but farmers of our selves, yet may,
If we can stocke our selves, and thrive, uplay
Much, much deare treasure for the great rent day.

Manure thy selfe then, to thy selfe be'approv'd,
And with vaine outward things be no more mov'd, 35
But to know, that I love thee'and would be lov'd.