Poetry Codex

Metaphysical & Cavalier

Alexander Brome

1620–1666

Alexander Brome (1620 – 30 June 1666) was an English poet and attorney, a staunch Royalist who made his name with satirical ballads, drinking songs and love lyrics written during the Civil War and the Interregnum, many of which circulated in manuscript and print against the Parliamentary cause.

Songs and Other Poems appeared in 1661 and in an enlarged second edition in 1664, the text used here. It gathers his songs, ballads, verse epistles to friends, and a section of epigrams translated from the classical tradition, together with pieces on the Restoration of Charles II in 1660.

Poems (221)

  1. Song I. Plain Dealing
  2. Song II. The Indifferent
  3. Song III. The Resolve
  4. Song IV. The Wary Woer
  5. Song V. The Counsel
  6. Song VI. To his Mistress
  7. Song VII. To his Mistress
  8. Song VIII. The hard Heart
  9. Song IX. Loves Anarchy
  10. Song X. The Libertine
  11. Song XI. The Contrary
  12. Song XII. The Young Lover
  13. Song XIII. To his Mistress
  14. Song XIV. To a Widow
  15. Song XV. To his Friend that had vow'd Small-Beer
  16. Song XVI. On Claret
  17. Song XVII. A Mock-Song
  18. Song XVIII. Reasons of Love
  19. Song XIX. Epithalamy
  20. Song XX. An Ode of Anacreon paraphrased
  21. Song XXI. Love's without Reason
  22. Song XXII. The Damosel
  23. Song XXIII. A Dialogue
  24. Song XXIV. To his Mistress affrighted in the wars
  25. Song XXV. Upon the Cavaliers departing out of London
  26. Song XXVI. On the fall of the Prices of Wine
  27. Song XXVII. The Old Mans Delight
  28. Song XXVIII. A Dialogue translated
  29. Song XXIX. Out of Catallus
  30. Song XXX. The Attempt
  31. Song XXXI. To a Lady that turned her Cheek
  32. Song XXXII. Practick Love
  33. Song XXXIII. Translated out of French
  34. Song XXXIV. Translated out of French
  35. Song XXXV. To a Painted Lady
  36. Song XXXVI. To a coy Lady
  37. Song XXXVII. The Recovery
  38. Song XXXVIII. Advice to Caelia
  39. Song XXXIX. The Mad Lover
  40. Song XL. The Murmurer
  41. Song XLI. A Round
  42. Song XLII. The Cavalier
  43. Song XLIII. A Wife
  44. Song XLIV. On the Queens Arrival
  45. Song XLV. A Friend
  46. Song I. The Royalist
  47. Song II. The Commoners
  48. Song III. The Pastoral
  49. Song IV. A Mock-Song
  50. Song V. The Troper
  51. Song VI. The Good-fellow
  52. Song VII. The Mock-Song by T. J.
  53. Song VIII. The Answer
  54. Song IX. The Levellers Rant
  55. Song X. The New Courtier
  56. Song XI. The Safety
  57. Song XII. The Companion
  58. Song XIII. Copernicus
  59. Song XIV. The Painters Entertainment
  60. Song XV. The Cnre of Care
  61. Song XVI. Content
  62. Song XVII. Mirth
  63. Song XVIII. The Independants Resolve
  64. Song XIX. On Canary
  65. Song XX. The Leveller
  66. Song XXI. The Royallists Answer
  67. Song XXII. The safe Estate
  68. Song XXIII (Th' Astrologers)
  69. Song XXIV. The Polititian
  70. Song XXV. The Prisoners
  71. Song XXVI. Satisfaction
  72. Song XXVII. The Club
  73. Song XXVIII. The Prodigal
  74. Song XXIX. The Antipolititian
  75. Song XXX. The New Gentry
  76. Song XXXI. The Cheerful Heart
  77. Song XXXII. Made and Set Extempore
  78. Song XXXIII. The Answer to the Curse against Ale
  79. Song XXXIV. The Reformation
  80. Song XXXV. For the General's Entertainment
  81. Song XXXVI. On Sir G. B. his Defeat
  82. Song XXXVII. Against Corrupted Sack
  83. Song XXXVIII. The Lamentation
  84. Song XXXIX. The Riddle
  85. Song XL. On the Kings Return
  86. Song XLI. A Catch
  87. Song XLII. For General Monk his entertainment at Cloath-workers-Hall
  88. Song XLIII. The Advice
  89. Ballad I. The Satyr of Money
  90. Ballad II. Upon a Sign-post, set up at Skoale in Norfolk
  91. Ballad III (A new Diurnal of passages, more exactly drawn up then heretofore)
  92. Ballad IV. On the demolishing the Forts
  93. Ballad V. The Clown
  94. Ballad VI. On a Butchers Dog that bit a Commanders Mare, that stood to be Knight of a Shire
  95. Ballad VII. The new Knight Errant
  96. Ballad VIII. The New Mountebank
  97. Ballad IX. The Saints Encouragement
  98. Ballad X (Come let us be merry)
  99. Ballad XI. The Scots Curanto
  100. Ballad XII (Though Oxford be yielded, & Reading be taken)
  101. Ballad XIII. A New Ballad
  102. Ballad XIV. The Holy Pedler
  103. Ballad XV. A Serious Ballade
  104. Ballad XVI. An Ode
  105. Ballad XVII. Palinode
  106. Ballad XVIII. A Ballad
  107. Epistle I. To C. C. Esquire
  108. Epistle II. The Answer
  109. Epistle III. To his University Friend
  110. Epistle IV. The Answer
  111. Epistle V. To T. S.
  112. Epistle VI. The Answer
  113. Epistle VII. An Epistle from a Friend to the Author upbraiding him with his writing Songs
  114. Epistle VIII. The Answer
  115. Epistle IX. To a Lady destring the Copy of a Song
  116. Epistle X. To his Friend C. S. Esquire
  117. Epistle XI. To C. S. Esquire
  118. Epistle XII. To C. S. Esquire
  119. Epistle XIII. To C. S. Esquire
  120. Epistle XIV. To his Friend W. C.
  121. Epistle XV. To his Friend I. B. Upon his Tragedy
  122. Epistle XVI. To a Potting Priest upon a Quarrel
  123. Epistle XVII. To his Friend Mr. W. H. upon the death of his Hawk
  124. Epistle XVIII. To his School-Master Mr. W. H. upon his Poem call'd Conscientiae accusatricis Hypotyposis
  125. Epistle XIX. To his Friend T. S.
  126. Epistle XX. To the Meritoriously Honourable Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench
  127. Epistle XXI. A New-years-gift presented to the same
  128. Epistle XXII. To his Honoured Friend R. Henley Esquire
  129. Epistle XXIII. To his Friend J. H. Esquire
  130. Epistle XXIV. To a Gentleman that fell sick of the small Pox, when he should be married
  131. Epistle XXV. To his Friend Mr. I. B. being at London in the Authors retirement
  132. Epistle XXVI. An Elogy on a Lady that dyed before her intended Nuptials
  133. Epistle XXVII. On the great cryer at Westminster-Hall
  134. Epistle XXVIII. To the memory of that loyal Patriot Sir I. Cordel Kt.
  135. Epistle XXX. To his Mistress lodging in a room where the Skie was painted
  136. Epistle XXXI. A New-years-gift
  137. Epistle XXXII. On the Queens going beyond Se
  138. Epistle XXXIII. Upon his Mare stoln by a Trooper
  139. Epistle XXXIV. Upon riding on a tyred Horse
  140. Epistle XXXV. To his Friend I. B.
  141. Epistle XXXVI. Translated out of Perseus
  142. Epistle XXXVII. Upon the miscarrier of Letters betwixt his Friend and Him; An Execration
  143. Epistle XXXVIII. To his Mistress
  144. Epistle XXXIX. To his Mistress married to another
  145. Epistle XL. On the turn-coat Clergy
  146. Epistle XLI. To his Friend Mr. I. W. on his Translation of a Romance
  147. Epistle XLII. A Satyre on the Rebellion
  148. Epistle XLIII. On a pair of Virginals
  149. Epistle XLIV. On a Comedy called The Passionate Lovers
  150. Epistle XLV. To the High: Sheriff of S.
  151. Epistle XLVI. To G. B. Esquire
  152. Epistle XLVII. To his reverend Friend Dr. S. on his pious and learned Book
  153. Epistle XLVIII. To Colonel Lovelace on his Poems
  154. Epistle XLIX. To his Friend Thomas Stanley, Esq on his Odes Set and Published by Mr. John Gamble
  155. Epistle L. On the famous Romance, called The innocent Impostor
  156. Epistle LI. On Dr. J. his divine Romant
  157. Epistle LII. On the loss of a Garrison
  158. Epistle LIII. Upon the Kings imprisonment
  159. Epistle LIV. On the Death of King CHARLES
  160. Epistle LV. On the Kings Death
  161. Epistle LVI. A Funeral Elegy
  162. Epistle LVII. Upon the Death of that Reverend and learned Divine, Mr. Josias Shute
  163. Epistle LVIII. To the memory of Doctor Hearn, who dyed September, 15. 1644
  164. Epistle LIX. An Elegy on the death of his School-master, Mr. W. H.
  165. Epistle LX. An Epitaph
  166. Epistle LXI. An Epitaph upon Mrs. G.
  167. Epigram I. On Rome
  168. Epigram II. On a Quarreller
  169. Epigram III. On a Lover
  170. Epigram IV. On Gold
  171. Epigram V. To a Friend
  172. Epigram VI. On Alexander
  173. Epigram VII. On a Bankrupt
  174. Epigram VIII. On a Priest and a Thief
  175. Epigram IX. On Love and Death
  176. Epigram X. On Women
  177. Epigram XI. On the Wolf Sentenc'd
  178. Epigram XII. On one more learned then others
  179. Epigram XIII. On Galla
  180. Epigram XIV. On one Lowsie and Poor
  181. Epigram XV. A happy Death
  182. Epigram XVI. On Nero
  183. Epigram XVII. On Love
  184. Epigram XVIII. Rules of Drinking
  185. Epigram XIX. A vain Beastor
  186. Epigram XX. To Momus
  187. Epigram XXI. On Phillis Tears
  188. Epigram XXII. On a proud Fool
  189. Epigram XXIII. On Time
  190. Epigram XXIV. On a blind, and lame Beggar
  191. Epigram XXV. On a Spartan Lady
  192. Epigram XXVI. On Philip of Macedon
  193. Epigram XXVII. The Answer
  194. Epigram XXVIII. Frugality
  195. Epigram XXIX. On two Wives
  196. Epigram XXX. On a Murtherer
  197. Epigram XXXI. On a Fisherman
  198. Epigram XXXII. On a burnt Ship
  199. Epigram XXXIII. Aliter
  200. Epigram XXXIV. On a Covetous Man
  201. Epigram XXXV. On Hermocrates
  202. Epigram XXXVI. On a poor and sick Man
  203. Epigram XXXVII. On a Hare
  204. Epigram XXXVIII. On Balaams Asse
  205. Epigram XXXIX. Upon Democritus and Heraclitus
  206. Epigram XL. Out of Catullus
  207. Epigram XLI. On an Astronomer that tryed by rules of Art to find whether he were a Cuckold
  208. Epigram XLII. On Geneva's Arms
  209. Epigram XLIII. To a sad Widow
  210. Epigram XLIV. On a bribed Judge
  211. Epigram XLV. To a jealous Husband
  212. Epigram XLVI. On proud Rome
  213. Epigram XLVII. Against Mourning
  214. Epigram XLIX. Translated
  215. Epigram L. An Essay of the Contempt of Greatness: being a Dialogue of Lucian made English
  216. Epigram LI. A Paraphrase upon the first Chapter of Ecclesiastes
  217. Epigram LII. A Speech made to the Lord General Monck, at Clothworkers-Hall in London the 13. of March, 1659. at which time he was there entertained by that worthy Company
  218. Epigram LIII. Ben. Johnsons sociable rules for the Apollo
  219. Epigram LIV. Cromwell's Panegyrick, upon his riding in triumph over the baffled City of L.
  220. Epigram LV. A Record in Rhythme, Being an Essay towards the Reformation of the Law, offer'd to the Consideration of the Committee appointed for that purpose. Written by some men of Law, at a time when they had little else to do
  221. Epigram LVI. To the Kings most Sacred Majesty, on his miraculous and glorious return 29. May, 1660

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