_Tell the sad World that now the lab'ring Presse Has brought forth safe a Child of happinesse, The Frontis-piece will satisfie the wise And good so well, they will not grudge the price. 'Tis not all Kingdomes joyn'd in one could buy (If priz'd aright) so true a Library Of man: where we the characters may finde Of ev'ry Nobler and each baser minde. Desert has here reward in one good line For all it lost, for all it might repine: Vile and ignobler things are open laid, The truth of their false colours are displayed: You'l say the Poet's both best Judge and Priest, No guilty soule abides so sharp a test As their smooth Pen; for what these rare men writ Commands the World, both Honesty and Wit_. GRANDISON. IN MEMORY OF Mr. JOHN FLETCHER. _Me thought our_ Fletcher _weary of this croud, Wherein so few have witt, yet all are loud, Unto Elyzium fled, where he alone Might his own witt admire and ours bemoane; But soone upon those Flowry Bankes, a throng Worthy of those even numbers which he sung, Appeared, and though those Ancient Laureates strive When dead themselves, whose raptures should survive, For his Temples all their owne bayes allowes, Not sham'd to see him crown'd with naked browes_; Homer _his beautifull_ Achilles _nam'd, Urging his braine with_ Joves _might well be fam'd, Since it brought forth one full of beauties charmes, As was his Pallas, and as bold in Armes; [-King and no King.-] But when he the brave_ Arbases _saw, one That saved his peoples dangers by his own, And saw_ Tigranes _by his hand undon Without the helpe of any_ Mirmydon, _He then confess'd when next hee'd Hector slay, That he must borrow him from Fletchers Play; This might have beene the shame, for which he bid His_ Iliades _in a Nut-shell should be hid_: Virgill _of his_ Æneas _next begun, Whose God-like forme and tongue so soone had wonne; That Queene of_ Carthage _and of beauty too, Two powers the whole world else were slaves unto, Urging that Prince for to repaire his faulte On earth, boldly in hell his Mistresse sought; [-The Maides Tragedy.-] But when he_ Amintor _saw revenge that wrong, For which the sad_ Aspasia _sigh'd so long, Upon himselfe, to shades hasting away, Not for to make a visit but to stay; He then did modestly confesse how farr_ Fletcher _out-did him in a Charactar. Now lastly for a refuge_, Virgill _shewes The lines where_ Corydon Alexis _woes; But those in opposition quickly met [-The faithfull Shepherdesse.-] The smooth tongu'd_ Perigot _and_ Amoret: _A paire whom doubtlesse had the others seene, They from their owne loves had_ Apostates _beene; Thus_ Fletcher _did the fam'd laureat exceed, Both when his Trumpet sounded and his reed; Now if the Ancients yeeld that heretofore, None worthyer then those ere Laurell wore;