Nor lett the Gentry grudge to goe Into the places where they grew, Butt thinke them blest they may doe so: Who would pursue The smoaky gloryes of the Towne, That might goe till his Native Earth And by the shineing fyre sitt downe Of his own hearth; Free from the gripeing Scriv'ners bands And the more biteing Mercers bookes, Free from the bayte of oyled hands And painted lookes? The Country, too, eene chops for rayne: You that exhale it by your pow'r, Let the fatt drops fall downe again In a full show'r. And you, bright beautyes of the time, That spend your selves here in a blaze, Fixe to your Orbe and proper Clime Your wandring Rayes. Lett no dark corner of the Land Bee unimbellisht with one Gemme, And those which here too thick doe stand Sprinkle on them. And, trust mee, Ladyes, you will find In that sweet life more sollid joyes, More true contentment to the minde, Then all Towne-Toyes. Nor Cupid there less blood doth spill, Butt heads his shafts with chaster love, Not feath'red with a Sparrow's quill Butt of a Dove. There may you heare the Nightingale, The harmeless Syren of the wood, How prettily shee tells a tale Of rape and blood. Plant trees you may and see them shoot Up with your Children, to bee serv'd To your cleane Board, and the fayr'st fruite To bee preserved; And learne to use their sev'rall gumms. Tis innocente in the sweet blood Of Cherrys, Apricocks and Plumms To bee imbru'd. [235] The Galliard, a lively French dance described in Sir John Davies' _Orchestra_ (st. 67). [236] Sc. good-bye. Cf. Shirley's _Constant Maid_, i. 1, "Buoy, _Close_, buoy, honest _Close_: we are blanks, blanks." [237] Can the reference be to _Troilus and Cressida_? [238] Ben Jonson's _Alchemist_. [239] Puisne (i.e. puny) was the term applied to students at the Inns of Court; also to Freshmen at Oxford. [240] Cf. Shirley's _Honoria and Mammon_, i. 2: "Go to your Lindabrides I'the new brothel; she's a handsome _leveret_." [241] The first edition of this well-known book was published in 1628. _Parsons Resolutions_ is a fictitious book. [242] The "lamentable ballad of the Lady's Fall" has been reprinted by Ritson and Percy. [243] In the MS. follows a line, scored through:-- "And while my footman plaies sigh out my part." [244] Shirley delights in ridiculing the affectation in which the gallants of his time indulged. Cf. a very similar passage in _The Lady of Pleasure_, v. 1. [245] The cant language of thieves. In Harman's _Caveat for Cursitors_, or some of Dekker's tracts, "Pedlars' French" may be found in abundance. [246] I print this passage exactly as I find it in the MS. With a little trouble it might be turned into good law.