TO THOMAS LORD CHANCELLOR EGERTON.

WHILST thy weighed judgments, EGERTON, I hear,
And know thee then a judge, not of one year;
Whilst I behold thee live with purest hands;
That no affection in thy voice commands;
That still thou 'rt present to the better cause;
And no less wise than skilful in the laws;
Whilst thou art certain to thy words, once gone,
As is thy conscience, which is always one:
The Virgin, long since fled from earth, I see,
To our times returned, hath made her heaven in thee.

OF LIFE AND DEATH.

THE ports of death are sins; of life, good deeds;
Through which our merit leads us to our meeds.
How wilful blind is he, then, that would stray,
And hath it in his powers to make his way!
This world death's region is, the other life's;
And here, it should be one of our first strifes,
So to front death, as men might judge us past it:
For good men but see death, the wicked taste it.

INVITING A FRIEND TO SUPPER.

TO-NIGHT, grave sir, both my poor house and I
Do equally desire your company :

Not that we think us worthy such a guest,

But that your worth will dignify our feast,

With those that come; whose grace may make that seem

Something, which else would hope for no esteem.

It is the fair acceptance, sir, creates

The entertainment perfect, not the cates.
Yet shall you have, to rectify your palate,
An olive, capers, or some better sallet

Ushering the mutton: with a short-legged hen,
If we can get her full of eggs, and then

Lemons and wine for sauce: to these, a coney

Is not to be despaired of for our money;

And though fowl now be scarce, yet there are clerks, The sky not falling, think we may have larks.

I'll tell you of more, and lie, so you will come :
Of partridge, pheasant, woodcock, of which some
May yet be there; and god-wit if we can ;
Knat, rail, and ruff too. Howsoe'er, my man
Shall read a piece of Virgil, Tacitus,

Livy, or of some better book to us,

Of which we 'll speak our minds, amidst our meat; And I'll profess no verses to repeat:

To this if aught appear, which I not know of,
That will the pastry, not my paper, show of.
Digestive cheese, and fruit there sure will be ;
But that which most doth take my muse and me
Is a pure cup of rich Canary wine,

Which is the Mermaid's now, but shall be mine :
Of which had Horace or Anacreon tasted,
Their lives, as do their lines, till now had lasted.
Tobacco, nectar, or the Thespian spring,
Are all but Luther's beer, to this I sing.
Of this we will sup free, but moderately,
And we will have no Pooly, or Parrot by;
Nor shall our cups make any guilty men :
But at our parting, we will be, as when
We innocently met. No simple word,
That shall be uttered at our mirthful board,
Shall make us sad next morning; or affright
The liberty, that we 'll enjoy to-night.

A HYMN TO GOD THE FATHER.

HEAR me, O Gol!
A broken heart
Is my best part:
Use still thy rod,
That I may prove
Therein, thy love.

If thou hadst not

Been stern to me,
But left me free,

I had forgot
Myself and thee.

For, sin's so sweet,

As minds ill bent

Rarely repent,
Until they meet

Their punishment.

Who more can crave
Than thou hast done?
That gav'st a Son
To free a slave:

First made of nought;
With all since bought.

Sin, death, and hell
His glorious name
Quite overcame;
Yet I rebel,

And slight the same.

But, I'll come in,
Before my loss,

Me farther toss,

As sure to win

Under His cross.

LEGES CONVIVIALES.

QUOD FŒLIX FAUSTUMQUE CONVIVIS IN APOLLINE SIT.

1 NEMO ASYMBOLUS, NISI UMBRA, HUC VENITO.

2 IDIOTA, INSULSUS, TRISTIS, TURPIS, ABesto.

3 ERUDITI, URBANI, HILARES, HONESTI, ADSCISCUNTOR.

4 NEC LECTEÆ FŒMINÆ REPUDIANTOR.

5 IN APPARATU QUOD CONVIVIS CORRUGET NARES NIL ESTO.

6 EPULÆ DELECTU POTIUS QUAM SUMPTU PARANTOR.

7 OBSONATOR ET COQUUS CONVIVARUM GULÆ PERITI SUNTO.

8 DE DISCUBITU NON CONTENDITOR.

9 MINISTRI A DAPIBUS, OCULATI ET MUTI.

A POCULIS, AURITI ET CELERES SUNTO.

IO VINA PURIS FONTIBUS MINISTRENTOR AUT VAPULET

HOSPES.

II MODERATIS POCULIS PROVOCARE SODALES FAS ESTO

12 AT FABULIS MAGIS QUAM VINO VELITATIO FIAT.

13 CONVIVE NEC MUTI NEC LOQUACES SUNTO.

14 DE SERIIS AC SACRIS POTI ET SATURI NË DISSERUNTO.

15 FIDICEN, NISI ACCERSITUS, NON VENITO.

16 ADMISSO RISU, TRIPUDIIS, CHOREIS, CANTU, SALIBUS, OMNI GRATIARUM FESTIVITATE SACRA CELEBRANTOR.

17 JOCI SINE FELLE SUNTO.

18 INSIPIDA POEMATA NULLA RECITANTOR.

19 VERSUS SCRIBERE NULLUS COGITOR.

20 ARGUMENTATIONIS TOTIUS STREPITUS ABESTO.

21 AMATORIIS QUERELIS, AC SUSPIRIIS LIBER ANGULUS ESTO. 22 LAPITHARUM MORE SCYPHIS PUGNARE, VITREA COL

LIDERE,

FENESTRAS EXCUTERE, SUPELLECTILEM DILACERARE

NEFAS ESTO.

23 QUI FORAS VEL DICTA, VEL FACTA ELIMINET, ELIMINATOR. 24 NEMINEM REUM POCULA FACIUNTO.

FOCUS PERENNIS ESTO.

RULES FOR THE TAVERN ACADEMY;

From the Latin of Ben Jonson, engraven in Marble over the Chimney, in the Apollo of the

Old Devil Tavern, at Temple Bar; that being his Club-Room.

NON VERBUM REDDERE VERBO.

I.

I As the fund of our pleasure, let each pay his shot,
Except some chance friend, whom a member brings in.
2 Far hence be the sad, the lewd fop, and the sot :
For such have the plagues of good company been.

II.

Let the learned and witty, the jovial and gay,
The generous and honest, compose our free state;
4 And the more to exalt our delight whilst we stay,
Let none be debarred from his choice female mate.

III.

5 Let no scent offensive the chamber infest.

6 Let fancy, not cost, prepare all our dishes.

7 Let the caterer mind the taste of each guest;

And the cook, in his dressing, comply with their wishes.

IV.

8 Let's have no disturbance about taking places,

To shew your nice breeding, or out of vain pride.

9 Let the drawers be ready with wine and fresh glasses,

Let the waiters have eyes, though their tongues must be ty'd.

10 Let our wines without mixture or stum, be all fine, Or call up the master, and break his dull noddle.

11 Let no sober bigot here think it a sin,

To push on the chirping and moderate bottle.

VI.

12 Let the contests be rather of books than of wine.
13 Let the company be neither noisy nor mute.
14 Let none of things serious, much less of divine,
When belly and head's full, profanely dispute.

VII.

15 Let no saucy fiddler presume to intrude, Unless he is sent for to vary our bliss.

16 With mirth, wit, and dancing, and singing conclude. To regale every sense, with delight in excess.

VIII.

17 Let raillery be without malice or heat.

18 Dull poems to read let none privilege take. 19 Let no poetaster command or intreat Another extempore verses to make.

IX.

20 Let argument bear no unmusical sound,

Nor jars interpose, sacred friendship to grieve.

21 For generous lovers let a corner be found,

Where they in soft sighs may their passions relieve.

X.

22 Like the old Lapithites, with the goblets to fight,
Our own 'mongst offences unpardoned will rank,
Or breaking of windows, or glasses, for spight,
And spoiling the goods for a rakehelly prank.

XI.

23 Whoever shall publish what's said, or what's done, Be he banished for ever our assembly divine.

24 Let the freedom we take be perverted by none, To make any guilty by drinking good wine,