John Ashmore

1580-1635 / England

Marcus Antonius Flaminius, Ad Steph. Sauium: Sic Incipiens

Netubeatum dixeris &c.
Think not (good Saul) that hee is blest
Through Cities stately Gates that goes,
With swarms of crouching Suters prest,
And noble Peers that him inclose.
No, nor if in high-rooft Barnes he
Fair Affricks fertile Harvests hold,
And Gems, and polisht Ivory
Possess, and ruddy heaps of Gold.
Nor he the secret Seales that opes
Of Causes; or by skill profound
Mounts to the Stars, or by Wit gropes
To finde the Treasures hid ith' Ground:
But him thou Blessed well mayst call,
That rightly doth his God adore,
And from his Precepts doth not fall,
But them than Gold esteemeth more.
He's not puft-up with peoples Praise;
But, still God's Praise to him is dear:
Which to maintaine and more to raise,
Reproches he doth willing beare.
And often, from Earth's Cares set free,
His happy Soule to Heaven ascends;
Where it enioyes the Deïtie,
And parlies with celestiall Friends.
And so, full fraught with heavenly Ioy,
Vnto an higher pitch he riseth
Than worldly Dangers can annoy,
And Mens mad purposes despiseth.
The Shepheard so, from petill farre,
As he secure lies in his Cave,
Beholds the sturdy Windes at warre
With Seas, that proudly swell and rave.
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