IDENTILIN$$  F137HH4|BedfRef|MS HM 198, pt 1\p. 70\JPK\mf\8-14-92\P:T-LP\o\6-11-93\C:JGW\9-30-99;JSC\7-16-01
137.HH4.0HE  To the Countes of Bedford
137.HH4.001  Madame:/ yow haue refin'd me & to worthyest things
137.HH4.002  uertue, Art, beauty, fortune, now I see
137.HH4.003  rarenes, or use, not nature uallour brings
137.HH4.004  & such as they are; circumstanc>e%>'<d bee%>>they<[LM:>they<][see_notes] bee
137.HH4.005  tow ils can neer perplex us, since t'excuse
137.HH4.006  but of tow good things wee may leave & chuse
137.HH4.007  Therfore att Court w:%5ch%6 is not uertues Climite
137.HH4.008  wheer A transcendent bright (as lownes me)
137.HH4.009  makes her not to bee, or not shew all her rine
137.HH4.010  your uertues challeng w:%5ch%6 there rarest bee
137.HH4.011  for as darke texts needs[sic] notes, ther some must bee
137.HH4.012  to usher uertue, and say this is she|
137.HH4.013  Soe in y%5e%6 Countrye is beauty to this place
137.HH4.014  you are y%5e%6 season (Maddam) you are y%5e%6 day
137.HH4.015  tis but A graue of spices tell your face
137.HH4.016  exhale them, & A thick close bud display
137.HH4.017  widdow'd & reclus'd, els her sweet she enshrines
137.HH4.018  att China when the sunn att Brasile dines
137.HH4.019  Out from y%5r%6 Charriott morning breaks att m%>>n<ight
137.HH4.020  and falsefyes both Computation soe
137.HH4.021  since A new world doth rise her from y%5r%6 sight
137.HH4.022  wee your new Creatures by new recknings soe
137.HH4.023  this shewes y%5t%6 yow from Nature lothly stray
137.HH4.024  that suffer not an Artificiall day
137.HH4.025  In this you haue made y%5e%6 Court y%5e%6 Antipodes
137.HH4.026  and wild your delligate the uulgar sunn
137.HH4.027  to doe profane Autumnall offices
137.HH4.028  whilst heer to yow we sacraficers runn
137.HH4.029  and whether preist or organs you[sp:sic] we obey
137.HH4.030  we sound your Influence, & your dictates say
137.HH4.031  yett to the Diety which dwels in yow
137.HH4.032  your uerteous soule I now not sacrafice
137.HH4.033  they are petitions & not himnes, they sue
137.HH4.034  but that I may survey your Edefice
137.HH4.035  in all Religions as much care hath been
137.HH4.036  of Templles frames & beauty, as rites within
137.HH4.037  As all w:%5ch%6 goe to Rome doe not therby
137.HH4.038  esteeme religons & hould fast the best
137.HH4.039  but serue descource and Curiosety
137.HH4.040  with that w:5ch%6 doth religion but inuest
137.HH4.041  & shunn y%5e%6 Intangling Laborinthes of scholes
137.HH4.042  and make it witt to thinke itt fooles
137.HH4.043  Soe in this Pilgrimage I would behould
137.HH4.044  you as y'are uertues Temple, and not she
137.HH4.045  what wals of tender Christall heer enfould
137.HH4.046  what eyes, hands, bosome, her pure alter>r%>s< bee
137.HH4.047  and after this suruey oppose to all
137.HH4.048  bablers of Chappels, you the Escuriall
137.HH4.049  yet not as consecrate, but merly as faire
137.HH4.050  on this I cast A lay and Countrye Eye
137.HH4.051  of past and future storyes which are rare
137.HH4.052  I find yow all record and prophesye
137.HH4.053  purge but the booke of fate that it admitt
137.HH4.054  no sad nor guilty legends yow are itt
137.HH4.055  If good and louly weer not one of both
137.HH4.056  you are the transcript and Originall
137.HH4.057  the Elements the parent and the growth
137.HH4.058  and euery pece of yow is both theer all
137.HH4.059  soe intire are all your deds'and yow, that yow
137.HH4.060  must be the same thing still yow cannot too[sic]
137.HH4.061  Butt theis (as nice) thine schoole Deuinety
137.HH4.062  seemes Heresy to founder or repress
137.HH4.063  tast of Poeti>c%>q%Q< rage or flattery
137.HH4.064  and need not wher all harts one truth profess
137.HH4.065  oft from new profes, & new phrase, new doubts growe
137.HH4.066  as strang attire alians the man wee know
137.HH4.067  Leauing then buissy praise and all appeale
137.HH4.068  to higher Courts sences decree tis true
137.HH4.069  the Mine, the Magazinn, y%5e%6 Comonweal'e[sic]
137.HH4.070  the story of beauty in Twicknam is and you
137.HH4.071  who hath seen one would both, as who had beene
137.HH4.072  in Paradice would seeke the Cherubine
137.HH4.0SSom  
137.HH4.0$$  Div into 12 6-line sts, no'd in arabic in margins; no ind; "prin/ted" in 2nd hand in 
LM at l.1; l.4: both appearances of "they" are marked by scribal lines above them