A hum’rous fellow in a tavern late, Being drunk and valiant, gets a broken pate; The surgeon with his instruments and skill, Searches his skull, deeper and deeper still, To feel his brains, and try if they were sound; And, as he keeps ado about the wound, The fellow cries--Good surgeon, spare your pains, When I began this brawl I had no brains. EURICIUS CORDUS _TO PHILOMUSUS_ If only when they’re dead, you poets praise, I own I’d rather have your blame always. _THE DOCTOR’S APPEARANCE_ Three faces wears the doctor; when first sought An angel’s--and a god’s the cure half wrought: But when, that cure complete, he seeks his fee, The devil looks then less terrible than he. GEORGIUS BUCHANANUS _TO ZOILUS_ With industry I spread your praise, With equal, you my censure blaze; But, Zoilus, all in vain we do-- The world nor credits me nor you. _ON LEONORA_ There’s a lie on thy cheek in its roses, A lie echoed back by thy glass. Thy necklace on greenhorns imposes, And the ring on thy finger is brass. Yet thy tongue, I affirm, without giving an inch back, Outdoes the sham jewels, rouge, mirror, and pinchbeck. JOHANNES SECUNDUS _ON CHARINUS, THE HUSBAND OF AN UGLY WIFE_ Your wife’s possest of such a face and mind, So charming that, and this so soft and kind, So smooth her forehead, and her voice so sweet, Her words so tender and her dress so neat; That would kind Jove, whence man all good derives, In wondrous bounty send me three such wives, Dear happy husband, take it on my word, To Pluto I’d give two, to take the third. THEODORUS BEZA In age, youth, and manhood, three wives have I tried, Whose qualities rare all my wants have supplied. The first, goaded on by the ardour of youth, I woo’d for the sake of her person, forsooth: The second I took for the sake of her purse; And the third--for what reason? I wanted a nurse. PAULUS THOMAS _ON CELSUS_ With self love Celsus burns: is he not blest? For thus without a rival he may rest. STEPHANUS PASCHASIUS _MARRIED LIFE_