George Withers' Emblemes

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To
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When Hopes ^quitefruftrate "Were become
The Wither'd-branch didfrejhly bloome.
['is true, a wither dbramh I am, and fcemc
fome, as voyd of Hopes, as of efteeme
For, in their judgements, I appeare to be
A faplefle Bough, quite broken from the Tree,
( Ev'n fuch as that , in this our Emblem, here)
And, yet, I neither fccle Deftaire, nor Feare i
For, I have feene(e're now) a little Spray,
(Rent from her Stemme) lye trodden by the way,
Three moneths together ;
which,when Spring drew on,
To take an unexpe&ed Root begunj
(Yea, grew to bee a Tree) and, growing, flood,
When thofe great Groves, were fcll'd for firing- wood,
Which once had high efteeme-, and fprung unhurt,
While that poore Branch, lay fleighted in the durt.
Nay, I have feene (uch twiggs, afford them fhade,
By whom they were the meaneft fhrippings made.
Of all the Wood . And, you may live to fee,
(For ought yet knowne) fomfi fuch event in mee.
And, what if all who know mec, fee me dead,
Before thofc hopes begin to fpring and fpread i
Have therefore they that hate me, caufc to boaft,
As if mine expectations I had loft f
No fure : For, I, who by Faith's eyes have feene,
Old Aarons wither'd Rodgcow frefh and gi cenej
And alfo viewed (by the fclfe-famc Ejes)
Him,whom that Rod, moft rightly typifies,
Fall by a fhamefull Death, and rife, in I pight
Of Death,and Shame, unto thegloriouft height,
Ev'n I, beleevc my Hope fhall bee p ifleft,
And, therefore, (ev'n in Death) in Hope l'lc reft.
Gj
True