IDENTILIN$$ F14500G|1669|pp. 191-93\JH copied A(?)\5-30-91\P:EWS\o(CSmH)\6-14-01\C:JMK\7-20-01;JSC\8-10-01\P:DAS\cd(L)\8-20-02\C:JSC\4-29-03\\P:MEL\(CtY)\1-31-07\p:mvf\fs(TxAM)\11-15-07\c:mvf\librarian(CSmH)\10-7-08
145.00G.0HE %X%1To the Countess of Salisbury%2. %1August%2. 1614.
145.00G.001 F%+Air, great, and good, since seeing you we see
145.00G.002 What heaven can doe, and what any Earth can be:
145.00G.003 Since now your beauty shines, now when the Sun
145.00G.004 Grown stale, is to so low a value run,
145.00G.005 That his disshevel'd beams, and scattered fires
145.00G.006 Serve but for Ladies Periwigs and Tyres
145.00G.007 In Lovers Sonnets: you come to repair
145.00G.008 Gods book of creatures, teaching what is fair.
145.00G.009 Since now, when all is withered, shrunk and dry'd,
145.00G.010 All vertues eb'd out to a dead low tyde,
145.00G.011 All the worlds frame being crumbled into sand,
145.00G.012 Where every man thinks by himself to stand,
145.00G.013 Integrity, friendship and confidence,
145.00G.014 (Ciments of greatness) being vapour'd hence,
145.00G.015 And narrow man being fill'd with little shares,
145.00G.016 Courts, City, Church, are all shops of small-wares,
145.00G.017 All having blown to sparkes their noble fire,
145.00G.018 And drawn their sound gold ingot, into wyre;
145.00G.019 All trying by a love of littleness
145.00G.020 To make abridgments and to draw to less,
145.00G.021 Even that nothing, which at first we were,
145.00G.022 Since in these times your greatness doth appear, [CW: And]
145.00G.023 And that we learn by it, that man to get [p.192]
145.00G.024 Towards him that's infinite, must first be great.
145.00G.025 Since in an age so ill, as none is fit
145.00G.026 So much as to accuse, much less mend it,
145.00G.027 (For who can judge, or witness of those times,
145.00G.028 Where all alike are guilty of the crimes?)
145.00G.029 Where he that would be good, is thought by all
145.00G.030 A monster, or at best phantastical:
145.00G.031 Since now you durst be good, and that I do
145.00G.032 Discern by daring to contemplate you,
145.00G.033 That there may be degrees of fair, great, good,
145.00G.034 Through your lights largeness, vertue understood:
145.00G.035 If in this sacrifice of mine, be shown
145.00G.036 Any small spark of these, call it your own:
145.00G.037 And if things like these have been said by me
145.00G.038 Of others; call not that Idolatrie.
145.00G.039 For had God made man first and man had seen
145.00G.040 The third daies fruits and flowers, and various green,
145.00G.041 He might have said the best that he could say
145.00G.042 Of those fair creatures which were made that day:
145.00G.043 And when next day he had admir'd the birth
145.00G.044 Of Sun, Moon, Stars, fairer than late-prais'd earth,
145.00G.045 He might have said the best that he could say,
145.00G.046 And not be chid for praising yesterday:
145.00G.047 So though some things are not together true,
145.00G.048 As, that another is worthiest, and, that you:
145.00G.049 Yet, to say so, doth not condemn a man,
145.00G.050 If when he spoke them, they were both true than.
145.00G.051 How fair a proof of this in our soul grows,
145.00G.052 We first have souls of growth, and sense; and those
145.00G.053 When our last soul, our soul immortal came,
145.00G.054 Were swallow'd into it, and have no name
145.00G.055 Nor doth he injure those souls, which doth cast
145.00G.056 The power and praise of both them on the last; [CW: No]
145.00G.057 No more do I wrong any, if I adore [p.193]
145.00G.058 The same things now which I ador'd before,
145.00G.059 The subject chang'd, and measure; the same thing
145.00G.060 In a low constable, and in the King
145.00G.061 I reverence; His power to work on me;
145.00G.062 So did I humbly reverence each degree
145.00G.063 Of fair, great, good, but more, now I am come
145.00G.064 From having found their %1walks%2, to finde their %1home%2.
145.00G.065 And as I owe my first souls thanks, that they
145.00G.066 For my last soul did fit and mould my clay,
145.00G.067 So am I debtor unto them, whose worth
145.00G.068 Enabled me to profit, and take forth
145.00G.069 This new great lesson, thus to study you;
145.00G.070 Which none, not reading others, first, could do.
145.00G.071 Nor lack I light to read this book, though I
145.00G.072 In a dark Cave, yea in a Grave doe lie;
145.00G.073 For as your fellow Angels, so you doe
145.00G.074 Illustrate them who come to study you.
145.00G.075 The first whom we in Histories do find
145.00G.076 To have profest all Arts, was one born blind:
145.00G.077 He lackt those eyes beasts have as well as we,
145.00G.078 Not those, by which Angels are seen and see;
145.00G.079 So, though I'am born without those eyes to live,
145.00G.080 Which Fortune, who hath none her self, doth give,
145.00G.081 Which are fit means to see bright courts and you,
145.00G.082 Yet may I see you thus, as now I doe; 
145.00G.083 I shall by that all goodness have discern'd,
145.00G.084 And though I burn my Library, be learn'd.
145.00G.0SSom
145.00G.0$$ No sts; no ind; l.8 end-punct. looks like period in L/cd, but 
could easily be partially printed comma (bottom left side not round)