[28 (One corne ... and lesse,) _1635-69_] [29 name, know,] _no commas 1633-69_] [30 And not an inch, _1633:_ And (not an inch) _1635-69_ infinity.] infinite. _1669_] [35 praiser prayes. _1635-69_, _O'F:_ prayer prayes. _1633:_ prayer praise. _N_, _TCD_] [37 _blood_;] _blood_, _1633_] [39 doubts;] doubts, _1633_] [42 Court; _Ed:_ Court, _1633-69_] [43 got; _Ed:_ got, _1633-69_] [44 pitty' _1633-69:_ piety _James Russell Lowell, in Grolier note_. _See note_] [45 On this side sinne, _Ed_ (_from Chambers_): On this side, sinne; _1633:_ On this side, sin, _1635-69_. _See note_] [46 he, _Ed:_ he _1633-69_] [47 Which] With _1633_] [55 may] will _1669_] [58-9 (though to scape ... Be better,) _1635-69_] [65 New Yeare.] new yeare, _1633_] _To the Countesse of Huntingdon._ MADAME, Man to Gods image; _Eve_, to mans was made, Nor finde wee that God breath'd a soule in her, Canons will not Church functions you invade, Nor lawes to civill office you preferre. Who vagrant transitory Comets sees, 5 Wonders, because they'are rare; But a new starre Whose motion with the firmament agrees, Is miracle; for, there no new things are; In woman so perchance milde innocence A seldome comet is, but active good 10 A miracle, which reason scapes, and sense; For, Art and Nature this in them withstood. As such a starre, the _Magi_ led to view The manger-cradled infant, God below: By vertues beames by fame deriv'd from you, 15 May apt soules, and the worst may, vertue know. If the worlds age, and death be argued well By the Sunnes fall, which now towards earth doth bend, Then we might feare that vertue, since she fell So low as woman, should be neare her end. 20 But she's not stoop'd, but rais'd; exil'd by men She fled to heaven, that's heavenly things, that's you; She was in all men, thinly scatter'd then, But now amass'd, contracted in a few. She guilded us: But you are gold, and Shee; 25 Us she inform'd, but transubstantiates you; Soft dispositions which ductile bee, Elixarlike, she makes not cleane, but new. Though you a wifes and mothers name retaine, 'Tis not as woman, for all are not soe, 30 But vertue having made you vertue,'is faine T'adhere in these names, her and you to show, Else, being alike pure, wee should neither see; As, water being into ayre rarify'd, Neither appeare, till in one cloud they bee, 35 So, for our sakes you do low names abide; Taught by great constellations, which being fram'd, Of the most starres, take low names, _Crab_ and _Bull_, When single planets by the _Gods_ are nam'd, You covet not great names, of great things full. 40