Complete Poems

Ben Jonson was born in 1572, the posthumous son of a minister and was educated at Westminster School thanks to an unknown patron. In 1597, after brief careers as a bricklayer and soldier, he began to work for Henslowe's company as a player and playwright. In addition to the comedies Jonson also produced two tragedies. In 1616 he was granted a royal pension and was made, in effect, Poet Laureate. He died on 6 August 1637.

• The Complete PoemsPrefaceTable of DatesFurther ReadingEpigramsDedicationI. To the ReaderII. To My BookIII. To My BooksellerIV. To King JamesV. On the UnionVI. To AlchemistsVII. On the New Hot-HouseVIII. On a RobberyIX. To All, to Whom I WriteX. To My Lord IgnorantXI. On Something, that Walks SomewhereXII. On Lieutenant ShiftXIII. To Doctor EmpiricXIV. To William CamdenXV. On Court-WormXVI. To Brain-HardyXVII. To the Learned CriticXVIII. To My Mere English CensurerXIX. On Sir Cod the PerfumedXX. To the Same Sir CodXXI. On Reformed GamesterXXII. On My First DaughterXXIII. To John DonneXXIV. To the ParliamentXXV. On Sir Voluptuous BeastXXVI. On the Same BeastXXVII. On Sir John RoeXXVIII. On Don SurlyXXIX. To Sir Annual TilterXXX. To Person GuiltyXXXI. On Bank the UsurerXXXII. On Sir John RoeXXXIII. To the SameXXXIV. Of DeathXXXV. To King JamesXXXVI. To the Ghost of MartialXXXVII. On Cheveril the LawyerXXXVIII. To Person GuiltyXXXIX. On Old ColtXL. On Margaret RatcliffeXLI. On GypsyXLII. On Giles and JoanXLIII. To Robert, Earl of SalisburyXLIV. On Chuff, Banks the Usurer's KinsmanXLV. On My First SonXLVI. To Sir Luckless Woo-AllXLVII. To the SameXLVIII. On Mongrel EsquireXLVIX. To PlaywrightL. To Sir CodLI. To King JamesLII. To Censorious CourtlingLIII. To Old-End GathererLIV. On CheverilLV. To Francis BeaumontLVI. On Poet-Ape LVII. On Bawds and UsurersLVIII. To Groom IdiotLIX. On SpiesLX. To William, Lord MounteagleLXI. To Fool, or KnaveLXII. To Fine Lady Would-BeLXIII. To Robert, Earl of SalisburyLXIV. To the SameLXV. To My MuseLXVI. To Sir Henry CaryLXVII. To Thomas, Earl of SuffolkLXVIII. On PlaywrightLXIX. To Pertinax CobLXX. To William RoeLXXI. On Court-ParrotLXXII. To CourtlingLXXIII. To Fine GrandLXXIV. To Thomas, Lord ChancellorLXXV. On Lip the TeacherLXXVI. On Lucy, Countess of BedfordLXXVII. To One that Desired Me Not to Name HimLXXVIII. To HornetLXXIX. To Elizabeth, Countess of RutlandLXXX. Of Life and DeathLXXXI. To Prowl the PlagiaryLXXXII. On Cashiered Capt[ain] SurlyLXXXIII. To a FriendLXXXIV. To Lucy, Countess of BedfordLXXXV. To Sir Henry GoodyereLXXXVI. To the SameLXXXVII. On Captain Hazard the CheaterLXXXVIII. On English MonsieurLXXXIX. To Edward AlleynXC. On Mill, My Lady's WomanXCI. To Sir Horace VereXCII. The New CryXCIII. To Sir John RadcliffeXCIV. To Lucy, Countess of Bedford, with Mr. Donne's SatiresXCV. To Sir Henry SavileXCVI. To John DonneXCVII. On the New MotionXCVIII. To Sir Thomas RoeXCIX. To the SameC. On PlaywrightCI. Inviting a Friend to SupperCII. To William, Earl of PembrokeCIII. To Mary, Lady WrothCIV. To Susan, Countess of MontgomeryCV. To Mary, Lady WrothCVI. To Sir Edward HerbertCVII. To Captain HungryCVIII. To True SoldiersCIX. To Sir Henry NevilCX. To Clement EdmondsCXI. To the SameCXII. To a Weak Gamester in PoetryCXIII. To Sir Thomas OverburyCXIV. To Mrs. Philip SidneyCXV. On the Town's Honest ManCXVI. To Sir William JephsonCXVII. On GroinCXVIII. On GutCXIX. To Sir Ra[l]ph SheltonCXX. Epitaph on S. P., a Child of Q[ueen] E[lizabeth's] ChapelCXXI. To Benjamin RudyerdCXXII. To the SameCXXIII. To the SameCXXIV. Epitaph on Elizabeth, L. H.CXXV. To Sir William UvedaleCXXVI. To His Lady, then Mrs. CaryCXXVII. To Esme, Lord AubignyCXXVIII. To William RoeCXXIX. To MimeCXXX. To Alphonso Ferrabosco, on His BookCXXXI. To the SameCXXXII. To Mr. Joshua SylvesterCXXXIII. On the Famous VoyageThe ForestI. Why I Write not of LoveII. To PenshurstIII. To Sir Robert WrothIV. To the WorldV. Song. To CeliaVI. To the SameVII. Song. That Women are but Men's ShadowsVIII. To SicknessIX. Song. To CeliaX. "And must I sing? What subject shall I choose?"XI. EpodeXII. Epistle to Elizabeth, Countess of RutlandXIII. Epistle. To Katherine, Lady AubignyXIV. Ode. To Sir William Sidney, on His BirthdayXV. To HeavenUnderwoodsTo the ReaderI. Poems of Devotion1. The Sinner's Sacrifice2. A Hymn to God the Father3. A Hymn on the Nativity of My SaviourII. A Celebration of Charis in Ten Lyric Pieces1. His Excuse for Loving2. How He Saw Her3. What He Suffered4. Her Triumph5. Her Discourse with Cupid6. Claiming a Second Kiss by Desert7. Begging Another, on Colour of Mending the Former8. Urging Her of a Promise9. Her Man Described by Her Own Dictamen10. Another Lady's Exception Present at the HearingIII. The Musical Strife; in a Pastoral DialogueIV. "Oh do not wanton with those eyes"V. In the Person of WomankindVI. Another. In Defence of Their Inconstancy. A SongVII. A Nymph's PassionVIII. The Hour-GlassIX. My Picture Left in ScotlandX. Against JealousyXI. The DreamXII. An Epitaph on Master Vincent CorbetXIII. An Epistle to Sir Edward Sackville, now Earl of DorsetXIV. An Epistle to Master John SeldenXV. An Epistle to a Friend, to Persuade Him to the WarsXVI. An Epitaph on Master Philip GrayXVII. Epistle to a FriendXVIII. An Elegy ("Can beauty that did prompt me first to write")XIX. An Elegy ("By those bright eyes, at whose immortal fires")XX. A Satirical ShrubXXI. A Little Shrub Growing ByXXII. An Elegy ("Though beauty be the mark of praise")XXIII. An Ode. To HimselfXXIV. The Mind of the Frontispiece to a BookXXV. An Ode to James, Earl of DesmondXXVI. An Ode ("High-spirited friend")XXVII. An Ode ("Helen, did Homer never see")XXVIII. A Sonnet, to the Noble Lady, the Lady Mary WrothXXIX. A Fit of Rhyme against RhymeXXX. An Epigram on William, Lord Burl[eigh]XXXI. An Epigram. To Thomas Lo[rd] EllesmereXXXII. Another to HiimXXXIII. An Epigram to the Councillor that Pleaded and Carried the CauseXXXIV. An Epigram. To the Small-PoxXXXV. An EpitaphXXXVI. A Song ("Come, let us here enjoy the shade")XXXVII. An Epistle to a FriendXXXVIII. An Elegy ("'Tis true, I'm broke! Vows, oaths, and all I had")(XXXIX. An Elegy)XL. An Elegy ("That love's a bitter sweet, I ne'er conceive")XLI. An Elegy ("Since you must go, and I must bid farewell")XLII. An Elegy ("Let me be what I am, as Virgil cold")XLIII. An Execration upon VulcanXLIV. A Speech according to HoraceXLV. An Epistle to Master Arth[ur] SquibXLVI. An Epigram on Sir Edward CokeXLVII. An Epistle Answering to One that Asked to be Sealed of the Tribe of BenXLVIII. The Dedication of the King's New Cellar. To BacchusXLIX. An Epigram on the Court PucellL. An Epigram. To the Honoured -, Countess of -LI. Lord Bacon's BirthdayLII. (A Poem Sent Me by Sir William Burlase)LIII. An Epigram. To William, Earl of NewcastleLIV. Epistle to Mr. Arthur SquibLV. To Mr. John BurgesLVI. Epistle. To My Lady CovellLVII. To Master John BurgesLVIII. Epigram to My BooksellerLIX. An Epigram. To William, Earl of NewcastleLX. An Epitaph, on Henry L[ord] La-ware. To the Passer-ByLXI. An Epigram ("That you have seen the pride, beheld the sport")LXII. An Epigram. To K[ing] CharlesLXIII. To K[ing] Charles and Q[ueen] MaryLXIV. An Epigram. To our Great and Good K[ing] CharlesLXV. An Epigram on the Prince's BirthLXVI. An Epigram to the Queen, then Lying in.LXVII. An Ode, or Song, by All the MusesLXVIII. An Epigram. To the Household. 1630LXIX. An Epigram. To a Friend and SonLXX. To the Immortal Memory and Friendship of that Noble Pair, Sir Lucius Cary and Sir H. MorisonLXXI. To the Right Honourable, the Lord High Treasurer of EnglandLXXII. To the King. On His BirthdayLXXIII. On the Right Honourable and Virtuous Lord WestonLXXIV. To the Right Hon[oura]ble Hierome, L[ord] WestonLXXV. Epithalamion: or, a SongLXXVI. The Humble Petition of Poor Ben to the Best of Monarchs, Masters, Men, King CharlesLXXVII. To the Right Honourable, the Lord Treasurer of England. An EpigramLXXVIII. An Epigram to My Muse, the Lady Digby, on Her Husband, Sir Kenelm DigbyLXXIX. A New Year's Gift Sung to King Charles. 1635LXXX. "Fair friend, 'tis true, your beauties move"LXXXI. On the King's BirthdayLXXXII. To My L[ord] the King, on the Christening His Second Son JamesLXXXIII. An Elegy on the Lady Jane Pawlet, Marchion[ess] of WintonLXXXIV. EuphemeThe dedication of her cradleThe song of her descentThe picture of the bodyHer mindHer being chosen a museHer fair officesHer happy matchHer hopeful issueHer apotheosis, or relation to the saintsHer inscription, or crownLXXXV. The Praises of a Country Life (Horace, Second Epode)LXXXVI. (Horace). Ode the First. The Fourth Book. To VenusLXXXVII. Ode IX, 3 Book, to Lydia. Dialogue of Horace and LydiaLXXXVIII. Fragmentum Petron. Arbitr. The Same TranslatedLXXXIX. Epigramma Martialis. Lib. VIII. lxxviii. The Same TranslatedMiscellaneous PoemsI. To Thomas PalmerII. In AuthoremIII. Author ad LibrumIV. To the AuthorV. To the Worthy Author M[r] John FletcherVI. To the Right Noble TomVII. To the London ReaderVIII. To His Much and Worthily Esteemed Friend the AuthorIX. To the Worth Author on The HusbandX. To His Friend the Author upon His RichardXI. To My Truly-Beloved Friend, Mr. BrowneXII. To My Worthy and Honoured Friend, Mr. George ChapmanXIII. On the Author, Work, and TranslatorXIV. To the ReaderXV. To the Memory of My Beloved, the Author Mr. William ShakespeareXVI. From The Touchstone of TruthXVII. To My Chosen FriendXVIII. The Vision of Ben JonsonXIX. On the Honoured Poems of His Honoured Friend, Sir John Beaumont, BaronetXX. To My Worthy Friend, Master Edward FilmerXXI. To My Old Faithful ServantXXII. To Mrs. Alice SutcliffeXXIII. To My Dear Son, and Right-Learned Friend, Master Joseph RutterXXIV. "Stay, view this stone: and, if thou beest not such"XXV. A Speech Presented unto King JamesXXVI. To the Most Noble, and above His Titles, Robert, Earl of SomersetXXVII. Charles Cavendish to His PosterityXXVIII. To the Memory of that Most Honoured Lady JaneXXIX. Epitaph on Katherine, Lady OgleXXX. An Epigram to My Jovial Good Friend Mr. Robert DoverXXXI. Ode EnthusiasticXXXII. Ode AllegoricXXXIII. Ode to HimselfXXXIV. Ode ("If men, and times were now")XXXV. "Slow, slow, fresh fount, keep time with my salt tears")XXXVI. "O, that joy so soon should waste!"XXXVII. "Thou more than most sweet glove"XXXVIII. "Queen and huntress, chaste, and fair"XXXIX. "If I freely may discover"XL. "Swell me a bowl with lusty wine"XLI. "Love is blind, and a wanton"XLII. "Blush, folly, blush: here's none that fears"XLIII. "Wake! Our mirth begins to die"XLIV. "Fools, they are the only nation"XLV. "Had old Hippocrates, or Galen"XLVI. "You that would last long, list to my song"XLVII. "Still to be neat, still to be dressed"XLVIII. "Modest, and fair, for fair and good are near"XLIX. "My masters and friends, and good people draw near"L. "It was a beauty that I saw"LI. "Though I am young, and cannot tell"LII. "Sound, sound aloud"LIII. "Daughters of the subtle flood"LIV. "Now Dian, with her burning face"LV. "When Love at first did move"LVI. "So beauty on the waters stood"LVII. "If all these Cupids now were blind"LVIII. "Had those that dwell in error foul"LIX. "Still turn, and imitate the heaven"LX. "Bid all profane away"LXI. "These, these are they"LXII. "Now, now begin to set"LXIII. "Think yet how night doth waste"LXIV. "O know to end, as to begin"LXV. Epithalamion ("Glad time is at his point arrived")LXVI. Epithalamion ("Up, youths and virgins, up, and praise")LXVII. CharmLXVIII. "Help, help, all tongues to celebrate this wonder"LXIX. "Who, Virtue, can thy power forget"LXX. "Buzz, quoth the blue-fly"LXXI. "Now, my cunning lady moon"LXXII. "Melt earth to sea, sea flow to air"LXXIII. "The solemn rites are well begun"LXXIV. "Nay, nay,/You must not stay"LXXV. "Nor yet, nor yet, O you in this night blessed"LXXVI. "Gentle knights"LXXVII. "O yet how early, and before her time"LXXVIII. "Gentle Love, be not dismayed"LXXIX. "A crown, a crown for Love's bright head"LXXX. "What just excuse had aged Time"LXXXI. "O how came Love, that is himself a fire"LXXXII. "This motion ws of love begot"LXXXIII. "Have men beheld the graces dance"LXXXIV. "Give end unto thy pastimes, Love"LXXXV. "Bow both your heads at once, and hearts"LXXXVI. "So breaks the sun earth's rugged chains"LXXXVII. "Soft, subtle fire, thou soul of art"LXXXVIII. "How young and fresh I am tonight"LXXXIX. "Hum drum, sauce for a cony"XC. "Nor do you think that their legs is all"XCI. "Break, Fant'sy, from thy cave of cloud"XCII. HymnXCIII. "Come on, come on!"XCIV. "It follows now you are to prove"XCV. "An eye of looking back were well"XCVI. "Howe'er the brightness may amaze"XCVII. "Now look and see in yonder throne"XCVIII. "From the famous Peak of Derby"XCIX. "The fairy beam upon you"C. "To the old, long life and treasure"CI. "Cocklorrel woulds needs have the devil his guest"CII. BalladCIII. "Which way and whence the lightning flew"CIV. "Come, noble nymphs, and do not hide"CV. Euclia's HymnCVI. "Come forth, come forth, the gentle Spring"CVII. A Song of Welcome to King CharlesCVIII. A Song of the MoonCIX. ProludiumCX. A Panegyre, on the Happy Entrance of JamesCXI. (a) Murder; (b) Peace; (c) The Power of GoldCXII. The Phoenix AnalysedCXIII. Over the Door at the Entrance into the ApolloCXIV. An Epistle to a FriendCXV. Here Follow Certain Other VersesCXVI. Ben Jonson's Grace before King JamesCXVII. (To Mr. Ben Jonson in His Journey, by Mr. Craven); This was Ben Jonson's Answer of the SuddenCXVIII. An Expostulation with Inigo JonesCXIX. To Inigo, Marquess Would Be, a CorollaryCXX. To a Friend, an Epigram of HimCXXI. (To Mr. Jonson upon these Verses); To My DetractorCXXII. (On The Magnetic Lady); Ben Jonson's AnswerCXXIII. The Garland of the Blessed Virgin MaryCXXIV. The Reverse on the Back SideCXXV. Martial. Epigram XLVII, Book XCXXVI. A Speech Out of LucanHorace, of the Art of PoetryAppendix 1: Timber: or DiscoveriesAppendix 2: Conversations with William DrummondNotesIndex of First LinesIndex of Titles