Thomas Morton – The Poem

Rise Oedipeus, and, if thou canst, unfould

What meanes Caribdis underneath the mould,

When Scilla sollitary on the ground

(Sitting in forme of Niobe) was found,

Till Amphitrites Darling did acquaint

Grim Neptune with the Tenor of her plaint,

And causd him send forth Triton with the sound

Of Trumpet lowd, at which the Seas were found

So full of Protean formes that the bold shore

Presented Scilla a new parramore

So stronge as Sampson and so patient

As Job himselfe, directed thus, by fate,

To comfort Scilla so unfortunate.

I doe professe, by Cupids beautious mother,

Heres Scogans choise for Scilla, and none other;

Though Scilla’s sick with greife, because no signe

Can there be found of vertue masculine.

Esculapius come; I know right well

His laboure’s lost when you may ring her Knell.

The fatall sisters doome none can withstand,

nor Cithareas powre, who poynts to land

With proclamation that the first of May

At Ma-re Mount shall be kept hollyday.

Thomas Morton – The Songe

Drink and be merry, merry, merry boyes;

Let all your delight be in the Hymens ioyes;

Iô to Hymen, now the day is come,

About the merry Maypole take Roome.

    Make greene garlons, bring bottles out

    And fill sweet Nectar freely about.

    Uncover thy head and feare no harme

    For hers good liquor to keepe it warme.

Then drinke and be merry, &c.

Iô to Hymen, &c.

    Nectar is a thing assign’d

    By the Deities owne minde

    To cure the hart opprest with greife,

    And of good liquors is the cheife.

Then drinke, &c.

Iô to Hymen, &c.

    Give to the Mellancolly man

    A cup or two of ’t now and than;

    This physick’ will soone revive his bloud,

    And make him be of a merrier moode.

Then drinke, &c.

Iô to Hymen, &c.

    Give to the Nymphe thats free from scorne

    No Irish stuff nor Scotch over worne.

    Lasses in beaver coast come away,

    Yee shall be welcome to us night and day.

To drinke and be merry &c.

Jô to Hymen, &c

Thomas Morton – From New English Canaan

(The Authors Prologue)

If art and industry should doe as much

As Nature hath for Canaan, not such

Another place, for benefit and rest,

In all the universe can be possest.

The more we proove it by discovery,

The more delight each object to the eye

Procures; as if the elements had here

Bin reconcil’d, and pleas’d it should appeare

Like a faire virgin, longing to be sped

And meete her lover in a Nuptiall bed,

Deck’d in rich ornaments t’ advaunce her state

And excellence, being most fortunate

When most enjoy’d: so would our Canaan be

If well imploy’d by art and industry;

Whose offspring now, shewes that her fruitfull wombe,

Not being enjoy’d, is like a glorious tombe,

Admired things producing which there dye,

And ly fast bound in darck obscurity:

The worth of which, in each particuler,

Who list to know, this abstract will declare.