And here I make a solemn vow,
Before you all my Lords now,

Who ere he be hath done the deed,
He shall be hang'd without remeed:
Or else so soon as I him see,

My own two hands his bane shall be.
It was reported through the Town,
That the young Prince the deed had done,
The word throughout the Pallace ran,
Which made the King a grieued man,
When he the vow considered,

And that his son had done the deed.
The Queen then far more grieued was:
She mourn'd and weeped with her face.
And quickly to the King went she,
Who kneeling down upon her knee,
Thus said, for him that sits on hie,
Let your son's fault forgiven be:
That may not be, Madam, he said,
For I a faithfull vow haue made,
That as soon as I may him see,
My own two hands his bane shall be;
Therefore I pray you, day and night,
To keep him well out of my sight,
Till I send him to some countrie,
Where he may safely keeped be.
And then in haste sate down the King,
Wrote letters without tarrying,

To send his son to the King of Bealm,

For to remain in that Realm.

Still to continue with the King,
The sent for his home-coming,

in haste then soon wrote he,

the King especiallie,

London, printed by T. James for Thomas Helder, at the Angel in Little Britain, 1681."

12mo.

"Had this little piece been written at Athens or Rome, its author would have been classed with the wise men of his country." Such was the declaration of that elegant and critical scholar, the late Henry Headly of Trinity College, Oxford; a declaration that will sufficiently authorise very copious extracts, had he not further recommended the work as deserving of entire republication.

- This Enchiridion of didactic morality made its first appearance in 1641; and was more than once reprinted. As the book is now of unfrequent occurrence, it may

perhaps surprise some readers that it should not again have been conducted to the press by our modern revivers of early English literature. It ought however to be recollected, that the very name of its author was adverse to such re-appearance, after having been branded with popular derision, by being 'hitched into satiric rhyme.' Subsequent vindications of his poetic merit, especially of that displayed in his Religious Emblems, have been successfully offered by Mr. Headley, Mr. Jackson of Exeter, Mr. Gilchrist of Stamford, &c. and the credit of Quarles, as a poet, has been honourably rescued by those ingenious critics, from the wanton sarcasms of Butler, Pope, and others. The present publication, it is presumed, will not only redeem his name from contumely as an ethical writer, but will be allowed to possess sufficient excellence to establish a wellearned reputation; since it cannot but insure the good opinion of all, who read for the purposes of moral advancement or intellectual gain.

This volume is preceded by an epistle dedicatory to Charles, Prince of Wales, afterwards Charles the second; and a brief epistle to the reader. Its contents are divided into four centuries, arranged in a table under different heads; before the second century, a short dedication is addressed to the daughter of Archbishop Usher, which, for its benignity and heavenlyheartedness, invites transcription.

To the fair Branch of growing Honour and true Vertue, Mrs. Elizabeth Usher, only daughter and heir apparent to the most reverend Father in God, James, Archbishop of Armagh, lord primate of all Ireland, his Grace.*

To this distinguished prelate Quarles had the honour of being Secre tary, till the Irish rebellion broke out in 1641.

SWEET LADY,

I present your fair hands with this my Enchiridion, to begin a new decade of a blest accompt. If it add nothing to your well-instructed knowledge, it may bring somewhat to your well-disposed remembrance: if either, I have my end and you my endeavour. The service which I owe, and the affections which I bear, your most incomparable parents, challenges the utmost of my ability: wherein, if I could light you but the least step towards the happiness you aim at, how happy should I be! Go forward in the way which you have chosen; wherein if my hand cannot lead you, my heart shall follow you; and where the weakness of my power shews defect, there the vigour of my will shall make supply,

Who am covetous of your happiness,

in both kingdoms and worlds,

FRA. QUARLES."

The heads of the several chapters, which only occur in the table of contents,' are here, for the sake of perspicuity and elucidation, placed before the chapters themselves. The first century will be found to relate chiefly to states and kingdoms, princes, governors, and commanders.

CENTURY I.

Chap. 1. Piety and Policy.

Piety and Policy are, like Martha and Mary, sisters. Martha fails, if Mary help not; and Mary suffers, if Martha be idle. Happy is that kingdom where Martha complains of Mary; but most, happy, where Mary complies with Martha. Where Piety and Policy go hand in hand, there war shall be just, and peace honourable.

Ch. 2. Invasion.

Let not civil discords in a foreign kingdom encourage thee to make invasion. They that are factious among themselves are jealous of one another, and more strongly prepar'd to encounter with a common enemy. Those whom civil commotions set at variance, foreign hostility reconciles.* Men rather affect the possession of an inconvenient good, than the possibility of an uncertain better.

Ch. 4. Rebel.

Let no price nor promise of honour bribe thee to take part with the enemy of thy natural Prince. Assure thyselfe whoever wins, thou art lost. If thy Prince prevail, thou art proclaimed a rebel, and branded for death; if the enemy prosper, thou shalt be reckoned but as a meritorious traytor, and not secure of thyself. He that loves the treason, hates the traitor.

:

Ch. 7. Mixt Government.

There be three sorts of government; monarchical, aristocratical, democratical; and they are apt to fall three several ways into ruin the first, by tyranny; the second, by ambition; the last, by tumult. A common-wealth, grounded upon any one of these, is not of long continuance; but wisely mingled, each guards the other, and makes that government exact.

Ch. 11. Climatical Advantage.

If the territories of thy equal enemy are situated far south from thee, the advantage is thine, whether he make offensive or defensive war; if north, the advantage is his.* Cold is less

How much have the events consequent on the French revolution verified the force of this observation.

The ci-devant Emperor of France might have confuted Quarles with advantage, before that Moscovian expedition was undertaken, which proved a snare to his inordinate ambition.