Throne Nor like the Firmament with Stars thick strowne Makes Hell appeare with a Majestick Face Because there are so many in that Place Fame never could so great a Queen have bin If Wits Invention had not brought Arts in Your Court by Poets fire is made light Quencht out you dwell as in perpetuall Night It heats the Spirits of Men inflames their blood And makes them seek for Actions great and good Then be you just since you the ballance hold Let not the Leaden weights weigh downe the Gold It were Injustice Fame for you to make A Servant low his Masters place to take Or 〈◊〉 that pick the Purse you should preferre Before the Owner since condemn'd they were His are not Servants Lines but what He leaves Theeves steale and with the same the World deceives If so great Fame the World will never care To worship you unlesse you right preferre Then let the best of Poets find such grace In your faire Eyes to choose him first in place Let all the rest come offer at thy Shrine And shew thy selfe a Goddesse that 's divine I at your word will Homer take said Fame And if he proves not good be you to blame Vlisses bowed and Homer kis'd her hands Then were they joyn'd in Matrimoniall Bands And Mercury from all the Gods was sent To give her joy and wish her much content And all the Poets were invited round All that were knowne or in the World were found Then did they dance with measure and in time Each in their turne took out the Muses nine In Numbers smooth their Feet did run Whilst Musick plaid and Songs were sung The Bride and Bridegroome went to bed There Homer got Fames Maiden-head A Dialogue betwixt Man and Nature Man T Is strang How we do change First to live and then to dye Is a great misery To give us sense great paines to feele To make our lives to be Deaths wheele To give us Sense and Reason too Yet know not what we 're made to do Whether to Atomes turne or Heaven up flye Or into new Formes change and never dye Or else to Matter Prime to fall againe From thence to take new Formes and so remaine Nature gives no such Knowledge to Man-kind But strong Desires to torment the Mind And Senses which like Hounds do run about Yet never can the perfect Truth find out O Nature Nature cruell to Man-kind Gives Knowledge none but Misery to find Nature Why doth Man-kind complaine and make such Moane May not I work my will with what 's my owne But Men among themselves contract and make A Bargaine for my Tree that Tree will take Most cruelly do chop in peeces small And formes it as he please then builds withall Although that Tree by me was made to stand Just as it growes not to be cut by Man Man O Nature Trees are dull and have no Sense And therefore feel not paine nor take offence But Beasts have life and Sense and Passion strong Yet cruell man doth kill and doth them wrong To take that life I gave before the time I did ordaine the injury is mine What Ill man doth Nature did make him do For he by Nature is prompt thereunto For it was in great Natures power and Will To make him as she pleas'd either good or ill Though Beast hath Sense feels paine yet whilst they live They Reason want for to dispute or grieve Beast hath no paine but what in Sense doth lye Nor troubled Thoughts to think how they shall dye Reason doth stretch Mans mind upon the Rack With Hopes with Joyes pull'd up with Feare pull'd back Desire whips him forward makes him run Despaire dothwound and pulls him back agen For Nature thou mad'st Man betwixt Extreames Wants perfect Knowledge yet thereof he dreames For had he bin like to a Stock or Stone Or like a Beast to live with Sense alone Then might he eate or drink or lye stone-still Nere troubled be either for Heaven or Hell Man knowledge hath enough for to inquire Ambition great enough for to aspire And Knowledge hath that yet he knowes not all And that himselfe he knoweth least of all Which makes him wonder and thinks there is mixt Two severall Qualities in Nature fixt The one like Love the other like to Hate By striving both hinders Predestinate And then sometimes Man thinks as one they be Which makes Contrariety so well agree That though the World were made by Love and hate Yet all is rul'd and governed by Fate These are Mans feares mans hopes run smooth and high Which thinks his Mind is some great Deity For though the body is of low degree In Sense like Beasts their Soules like Gods shall be Saies Nature why doth Man complaine and crye If he beleives his Soule shall never dye A Dialogue betwixt the Body and the Mind Body WHat Bodies else but Mans did Nature make To joyne with such a Mind no rest can take That Ebbs and slowes with full and falling Tide As Minds dejected fall or swell with Pride In Waves of Passion roule to Billowes high Alwaies in Motion never quiet lye Where Thoughts like Fishes swim the Mind about Where the great Thoughts the smaller Thoughts cate out My Body the Barque rowes in Minds Occan wide Whose Waves of Passions beat on every side When that dark Cloud of Ignorance hangs low And Winds of vaine Opinions strong do blow Then Showers of doubts into the Mind raine downe In deepe vast Studies my Barque of flesh is drown'd Mind Why doth the Body thus complaine when I Do helpe it forth of every Misery For in the World your Barque is bound to swim Nature hath rigg'd it out to trafficke in Against hard Rocks you breake in 〈◊〉 small If my Invention helpe you not in all The Load-stone of Attraction I find out The Card of Observation guides about The Needle of Discretion points the way Which makes your Barque get safe into each Bay Body If I ' seape drowning in the Watry Maine Yet in great mighty Battels I am slaine By your Ambition I am forc'd to fight When many 〈◊〉 upon my Body light For you care not so you a Fame may have To live if I be buried in a Grave Mind If Bodies fight and Kingdomes win then you Take all the pleasure that belongs thereto You have a Crowne your Head for to adorne Upon your Body Jewels are hung on All things are sought to please your Senses Five No Drugge unpractis'd to keepe you alive And I to set you up in high Degree Invent all Engines us'd in Warre to be T is I that make you in great triumph sit Above all other Creatures high to get By the Industrious Arts which I do find You other Creatures in Subjection bind You cate their Flesh and after with their Skinne When Winter comes you lap your Bodies in And so of every thing that Nature makes By my direction you great pleasure takes Body What though my
boileth fast Then stirs it with a Ladle of Distast The Fat of Gluttons in the Pot did flow And Roots of severall Vices in did throw And severall Hearbs as aged Time that 's dry Heart-burning Parsley Buriall Rosemary Then powers it out into Repentant Dishes And sends it up by Shadowes of vaine Wishes A Heart drest LIfe takes a Heart and Passions puts therein And covers it with a dissembling Skin Then take some Anger that like Pepper bite And Vinegar that 's sharp and made of Spight Hot Ginger of Revenge grated in Flunge To which she addes a lying cloven Tongue A lazy flake of Mace that lies downe flat Some Salt of Slander put also to that Then serves it up with Sauce of Jealousie In Dishes of Carefull Industry Head and Braines ABraine that 's wash'd with Reasons cleare From Grosse Opinions Dulnesse lying there And Judgment hard and sound is grated in Whereto is squeesed Wit and Fancies thin A Bunch of Sent Sounds Colours tied up fast With Threads of Motion and strong Nerves to last In Memory then stew them with long Time So take them up and put in Spirits of Wine Then poure it forth into a Dish of Touch The Meat is good although it is not much A Tart. LIfe took some Floure made of Complexions white Churnd Butter by Nourishment as cleane as might And kneads it well then on a Board it laies And roules it oft and so a Pye did raise Then did she take some Cherry Lips that 's red And Sloe-black Eyes from a Faire Virgins Head And Strawbery Teats from high Banks of white Breast And Juice from Raspes Fingers ends did presse These put into a Pye which soone did bake Within a Heart which she strait hot did make Then drew it out with Reasons Peele and sends It up to Nature she it much commends A Dissert SWeet Marmalade of Kisses new gathered Preserv'd Children that are not Fathered Sugar of Beauty which melts away soon Marchpane of Youth and Childish Macaroon Sugar Plum-words most sweet on the Lips And wafer Promises which wast into Chips Bisket of Love which crumbles all away Gelly of Feare that quaking quivering lay Then came in a fresh Green-sicknesse Cheese And tempting Apples like those eat by Eve With Creame of Honour thick and good Firm Nuts of Friend-ship by it stood Grapes of delight dull Spirits to revive Whose Juice t is said doth Nature keep alive Then Nature rose when eat and drank her fill To rest her selfe in Ease she 's pleas'd with still Natures Officers ETernity as Vsher goeth before Destiny as Porter keepes the Doore Of the great World who lets Life out and in The Fates her Maides this Thread of Life do spin Mutability orders with great Care Motion her Foot-boy runneth every where Time as her Page doth carry up her Traine But in his Service little doth he gaine The daies are the Surveyors for to view All Natures workes which are both old and new The Seasons foure their Circuites by turnes take Judges to order and distribute make The Months their Pen-clerks write downe every thing Make Deeds of Gifts and Bonds of all that spring Lifes Office is to pay and give out all To Death which is Receiver when he call Natures House THE Ground whereon this House was built upon Was Honesty that hates to do a Wrong Foundations deep were laid and very sure By Love which to all times will firm indure The Walls strong Friend-ship Hearts for Brick lay thick And Conflancy as Morter made them stick Free-stone of Obligations Pillars raise To beare high Roofed thanks seil'd with praise Windowes of Knowledge let in Light of Truth Curtaines of Joy wh'are drawne by pleasant Youth Chimnies with Touch-stone of Affection made Where Beauty the Fuell of Love is laid The Harth is innocent Marble white Whereon the Fire of Love burnes cleare and bright The Doores are Cares Misfortunes out to shut That cold Poverty might not through them get Besides these Roomes of severall Passions built Some on the right hand others on the left This House the out-side 's tyl'd with Noble Deeds And high Ambition covers it with Leades Turrets of Fame are built on every side And in this Palace Nature takes great pride This House is furnished best of Natures Courts For hung it is with Virtues of all sorts As Morall Virtues and with those of Art The last from Acts the first is from the Heart Comparing the head to a Barrell of VVine THE Head is like a Barrell which will break If Liquors be too strong but if they 're weake They will the riper grow by lying long Close kept from Vent the Spirits grow more strong So Wit which Nature in a Braine tuns up Never leaves Working if it close be shut Will through Discretions burst and run about Unlesse a Pen and Inke do tap it out But if the Wit be small then let it lye If Broacht to soon the Spirits quickly dye Comparing of VVits to VVines MAlaga Wits when broach'd which Pens do peirce If strong run strait into Heroick Verse Sharp Claret Satyrs searching run about The Veines of Vice before it passes out And makes the Blood of Virtue fresh to spring In Noble Minds Faire Truth 's Complexions bring But all high Fancy is in Brandy Wits A Fiery heat in Vnderstanding sits Natures VVardrope IN Natures Wardrope there hangs up great store Of severall Garments some are rich some poore Some made on Beauties Stuff with Smiles are lac'd With lovely Favour is the out-side fac'd Some fresh and new by Sicknesses are rent Not having care the same for to prevent Physick and good Diet sowes close againe That none could see where those slits did remaine Some worne so bare with Age that none could see What Stuff it had been or what it might bee Others were so ill-shap'd and Stuff so course That none would weare least Nature did inforce And severall Mantles Nature made were there To keep her Creatures warm from the Cold Aire As Sables Martin and the Fox that 's black The powder'd Ermines and the feirce wild Cat. Most of her Creatures She hath clad in Furre Which needs no Fire if they do but stir And some in 〈◊〉 She clads as well as Haire And some in Scales others do Feathers weare But Man She made his Skin so smooth and faire It needs no Feathers Scales Wool nor Haire The out-side of all things Nature keeps here Severall Creatures that She makes to weare Death pulls them off and Life doth put them on Nature takes care that none puts on the wrong Nature hath but two sorts of Stuffs whereon All Garments which are made that Life puts on But yet such severall Sorts there is to weare That seldome any two alike appeare Bnt Nature severall Trimmings for those Garments makes And severall Colours for each Trimming takes Soule and Body GReat Nature She doth cloath the Soule within A Fleshly Garment which the Fates do spin And
please so well the Sense That Reasons old are though to be Non-sense But all Opinions are by Fancy fed And Truth under Opinions lieth dead The Objects of every Sense are according to their Motions in the Braine WEE mad should thinke those Men if they should tell That they did see a Sound or tast a Smell Yet Reason proves a Man doth not erre much When that we say his senses all are Touch. If Actions in a Table be lively told The Braine strait thinks the Eye the same behold The Stomacke Hungry the Nose good Meat doth smell The Braine doth thinke that Smell the Tongue tasts well If we a Theese do see and him do feare We strait do thinke that breaking Doors we heare Imaginations just like Motions make That every Sense doth strike with the mistake According as the Notes in Musicke agree with the Motions of the Heart or Braine Such Passions are produced thereby IN Musicke if the Eighths tun'd Equall are If one be strucke the other seemes to jarre So the Heart-strings if equally be stretch'd To those of Musick Love from thence is fetch'd For when one 's strucke the other moves just so And with Delight as evenly doth go The Motion of Thoughts Musing alone mine Eyes being fixt Upon the Cround my Sight with Gravell mixt My Feet did walke without Directions Guide My Thoughts did travell farre and wander wide At last they chanc'd up to a Hill to climbe And being there saw things that were Divine First what they saw a glorious Light to blaze Whose Splendor made it painfull for the Gaze No Separations nor Shadowes by stops made No Darknesse to obstruct this Light with Shade This Light had no Dimension nor Extent But fil'd all places full without Circumvent Alwaies in Motion yet fixt did prove Like to the Twinkling Stars which never move This Motion working running severall waies Did seeme a Contradiction for to raise As to it selfe with it selfe disagree Is like a Skeine of Thread if 't knotted bee For some did go strait in an even Line But some againe did crosse and some did twine Yet at the last all severall Motions run Into the first Prime Motion which begun In various Formes and Shapes did Life run through Life from Eternity but Shapes still new No sooner made but quickly pass'd away Yet while they were desirous were to stay But Motion to one 〈◊〉 can nere constant be For Life which Motion is joyes in varietie For the first Motion every thing can make But cannot add unto it selfe nor take Indeed no other Matter could it frame It selfe was all and in it selfe the same Perceiving now this fixed point of Light To be a Vnion Knowledge Power and Might Wisdome Justice Truth Providence all one No Attribute is with it selfe alone Not like to severall Lines drawne to one Point For what doth meet may separate 〈◊〉 But this a Point from whence all Lines do flow Nought can diminish it or make it grow T is its owne Center and Circumference ro und Yet neither has a Limit or a Bound A fixt Eternity and so will last All present is nothing to come or past A fixt Persection nothing can add more All things is It and It selfe doth adore My Thoughts then wondring at what they did see Found at the last themselves the same to bee Yet was so small a Branch perceive could not From whence they Sprung or which waies were begot Some say all that we know of Heaven above Is that we joye and that we love Who can tell that for all we know Those Passions we call Joy and Love below May by Excesse such other Passions grow None in the World is capable to know Just like our Bodies though that they shall rise And as S t. Paul faies see God with our Eyes Yet may we in the Change such difference find Both in our Bodies and also in our Mind As if that we were never of Mankind And that these Eyes we see with now were blind Say we can measure all the Planets high And number all the Stars be in the Skie And Circle could we all the World about And all th' Effects of Nature could finde out Yet cannot all tho Wise and Learned tell What 's done in Heaven or how we there shall dwell The Reason why the Thoughts are onely in the Head THE Sinewes are small slender Strings Which to the Body Senses brings Yet like to Pipes or Gutters hollow be Where Animall Spirits run continually Though they are small such Matter do containe As in the Skull doth lye which we call Braine That makes if any one doth strike the Heele The Thought of that Sense in the Braine doth feele Yet t is not Sympathy but t is the same Which makes us thinke and feele the paine For had the Heele such quantity of Braine Which doth the Head and Skull therein containe Then would such Thoughts wich in the Braine dwell high Descend downe low and in the Heele would lye In Sinewes small Braine scatter'dlyes about It wants both roome and quantity no doubt For if a Sinew could so much Eraine hold Or had a Skin so large for to infold As in the Skull then might the Toe or Knee Had they an Opticke Nerve both heare and see Had Sinewes roome Fancy therein to breed Copies of Verses might from the Hee le proceed The Motion of the Blood Some by Industry of Learning found That all the Blood like to the Sea runs round From two great Arteries the Blood it runs Through all the Veines to the same backe comes The Muscles like the Tides do ebb and flow According as the severall Spirits go The Sinewes as finall Pipes come from the Head And all about the Body they are spread Through which the Animall Spirits are conveyed To every Member as the Pipes are laid And from those Sinewes Pipes each Sense doth take Of those Pure Spirits as they us do make T Is thought an 〈◊〉 Matter comes from the Sun In streaming Beames which Earth doth feed upon And that the Earth by those Beames backe doth send A Nourishment to the Sun her good Friend So every Beame the Sun doth make a Chaine To send to Earth and to draw backe againe But every Beame is like a blazing Ship The Sun doth trafficke to the Earth in it Each Ship is fraught with heat through Aire it swims As to the Earth warme Nourishment it brings And Vapour moist Earth for that warmth returnes And sends it in those Ships backe to the Sun Great danger is if Ships be over-fraught For many times they sincke with their owne weight And those gilt Ships such Fate they often find They sincke with too much weight or split with Wind. It is hard to beleive that there are other VVorlds in this VVorld NOthing so hard in Nature as Faith is For to beleive Impossibilities As doth impossible to us appeare Not 'cause 't is not but to our Sense
Poetry unlesse it were in their Dressings which can be no longer read then Beauty lasts Wherefore it hath seemed hitherto as if Nature had compounded Mens Braines with more of the Sharp Atomes which make the hot and dry Element and Womens with more of the round Atomes which Figure makes the cold and most Element And though Water is a usesull Element yet Fire is the Nobler being of an Aspiring quality But it is rather a Dishonour not a Fault in Nature for her Inferiour Workes to move towards Perfection though the best of her Workes can never be so Perfect as her selfe yet she is pleased when they imitate her and to imitate her I hope you will be pleased I Imitate you T is true my Verses came not out of Jupiters Head therefore they cannot prove a Pallas yet they are like Chast Penelope's Work for I wrote them in my Husbands absence to delude Melancholy Thoughts and avoid Idle Time The last thing Truth tells you is my Verses were gathered too soon wherefore they cannot be of a Mature growth for the Sun of time was onely at that height as to draw them forth but not heat enough to ripen them which makes me feare they will tast harsh and unpleasant but if they were strew'd with some Sugar of Praises and Bake'd in the Oven of Applause they may passe at a generall Feast though they do not relish with nice and delicate Palates yet the Vulgar may digest them sor they care not what the Meat is if the Crust bee good or indeed thick for they judge according to the quantity not the quality or rarity but they are oft perswaded by the senses of others 〈◊〉 then their owne Wherefore if it be not worthy of Commendations pray be silent and cast not out severe Censures And I shall give Thankes for what is Eaten I desire all those which read this part of my Book to consider that it is thick of Fancies and therefore requires the more Study But if they understand not I desire they would do as those which have a troubled Conscience and cannot resolve themselves of some Doubts wherefore they are required by the Church to go to a Minister thereof to have them explain'd and not to Interpret according to their owne Imaginations So I intreat those that cannot find out the Conceit of my Fancies to ask a Poet where the Conciet lies before they Censure and not to accuse my Book for Non-sense condemning it with a false Construction through an Ignorant zeale of Malice nor do not mistake nor ask a Rhimer instead of a Poet least I be condemned as a Traytor to Sense through the blindnesse of the Judges Understanding But if the Judge be learned in the Lawes of Poetry and honesty from Bribes of Envie I shall not need to feare but that the Truth will be found out and its Innocence will be free'd at the Bar of Censure and be sent home with the Acquittance of Applause Yet pray do not think I am so Presumptuous to compare my selfe in this Comparison to the Church but I onely here compare Truth to the Church and Truth may be compared from the lowest Subject or Object to the Highest I must intreat my Noble Reader to read this part of my Book very slow and to observe very strictly every word they read because in most of these Poems every word is a Fancy Wheresore if they loose by not marking or ship by too hasty reading they will intangle the Sense of the whole Copy Of Poets and their Theft AS Birds to hatch their Young do sit in Spring Some Ages severall Broods of Poets bring Which to the World in Verse do sweetly sing Their Notes great Nature set not Art so taught So Fancies in the Braine that Nature wrought Are best what lmitation makes are naught For though they sing as well as well may bee And make their Notes of what they learne agree Yet he that teaches still hath Mastery And ought to have the Crowne of Praise and Fame In the long Role of Time to write his Name And those that steale it out to blame There 's None should Places have in Fames high Court But those that first do win Inventions Fort Not Messeugers that onely make Report To Messengers Rewards of Thanks are due For their great Paines telling their Message true But not the Honour to Invention new Many there are that Sutes will make to weare Of severall Patches stole both here and there That to the World they Gallants may appeare And the Poore Vulgar which but little know Do Reverence all that makes a Glistring Shew Examines not the same how they came to Then do they call their Friends and all their Kin They Factions make the Ignorant to bring And with their help into Fames Court get in Some take a Line or two of Horace Wit And here and there they will a Fancy pick. And so of Homer Virgill Ovid sweet Makes all those Poets in their Book to meet Yet makes them not appeare in their right shapes But like to Ghosts do wander in 〈◊〉 Shades But those that do so are but Poet-Juglers And like to Conjurers are Spirit-troublers By Sorcery the Ignorant delude Shewing false Glasses to the Multitude And with a small and undiscerning Haire They pull Truth out the place wherein she were But by the Poets Lawes they should be hang'd And in the Hell of Condemnation damn'd MOst of our Moderne Writers now a daies Consider not the Fancy but the Phrase As if sine words were Wit or One should say A Woman 's handsome if her Cloaths be gay Regarding not what Beauty 's in the Face Nor what Proportion doth the Body grace As when her shooes be high to say shee 's tall And when Shee is strait-lac'd to say shee 's small When Painted or her Haire is curl'd with Art Though of it selfe t is Plaine and Skin is swart We cannot say from her a Thanks is due To Nature nor those Arts in her we view Unlesse shee them invented and so taught The World to set forth that which is stark naught But Fancy is the Eye gives Life to all Words the Complexion as a whited Wall Fancy is the Form Flesh Blood Bone Skin Words are but Shadowes have no Substance in But Number is the Motion gives the Grace And is the Countenance to a well form'd Face FANCIES The severall Keyes of Nature which unlock her severall Cabinets ABunch of Keyes which hung by Natures Side Nature to unlock these her Boxes try'd The sirst was Wit that Key unlockt the Ear Opened the Brain to see what things were there The next was Beauties Key unlockt the Eyes Opened the Heart to see what therein lyes The third was Appetite that Key was quick Opens the Stomack meat to put in it The Key of 〈◊〉 opens the Braine though hard For of a Stink the Nose is much afeard The Key of Paine unlocked Touch but slow Nature is loath Diseases for to
The Market-place the Mouth when full begun Is Market day when empty Markets done The City Conduit where the water flowes Is through two spouts the nostrils of the Nose But when those watry spouls close stopt are not Then we say strait a Cold or Pose have got The Gates are the two Eares when deaf they are It is when they those City Gates doe bar This City 's govern'd as most Cities be By Aldermen and so by Mayoralty And Oberon King dwels never any where But in a Royall Head whose Court is there Which is the kernell of the Braine if seen We there might view him and his beauteous Queen Sure that's their Court and there they sit in state And Noble Lords and Ladies on them wait The Fairies in the Braine may be the causes of many thoughts VVHen we have pious thoughts and thinke of heaven Yet goe about not ask to be forgiven Perchance their preaching or a Chapter saying Or on their knees devoutly they are praying When we are sad and know no reason why Perchance it is because some there doe dye And some place in the Head is hung with blacke Which makes us dull yet know not what we lack Our fancies which in verse or prose we put Are Pictures which they draw or 〈◊〉 cut And when those fancies are both fine and thin Then they ingraven are in seale or ring When we have crosse opinions in the minde They in the Schooles disputing we shall finde When we of childish toyes doe thinke upon A Fayre may be whereto those people throng And in those stalles may all such knacks be sold As Bels and Rattles or bracelets of Gold Or Pins Pipes Whistles are to be bought there And thus within the Head may be a Fayre When that our braine with amorous thoughts doth run Are marrying there a Bride with her Bride-groom And when our thoughts are merry humours gay Then they are dancing on their Wedding day Of the Animal Spirits THose Spirits which we Animal doe call May Men and Women be and Creatures small And in the body Kingdoms may divide As Nerves Muscles Veines and Arteries wide The head and heart East and West Indies be Which through the veines may traffick as the sea In feavers great by shipwrack many dyes For when the bloud is hot and vapours rise On boyling pulse as waves they tosse if hit Against hard rock of great obstructions split Head the East Indies where spicy Fancie growes From Oranges and Lemons sharp Satyr flowes The Heart the West where heat the bloud refines Which bloud is gold and silver heart the mines Those from the head in ships their Spice they fetch And from the heart the gold and silver rich The War of those Spirits SOmetimes these Animal Creatures they doe jarre And then those Kingdomes all are up in war And when they fight we Cramps Convulsions feele 〈◊〉 in our 〈◊〉 and Chilblaines in our heele Peace WHen there is peace and all do well agree Then is Commerce in every Kingdome free And through the Nerves they travell without feare There are no Theeves to rob them of their ware Their wares are severall touches which they bring Unto the Senses they buy every thing But to the Muscles they doe much recourse For in those Kingdomes trading hath great force Those Kingdomes joyne by two and two So they with 〈◊〉 doe passe and re-passe through The description of their world which is the Body THe Arteries are the Ocean deep and wide The Bloud the Sea which ebbs and flows in Tide The Nerves great continent they travell through Muscles are Cities which they traffick to Similizing the Body to many Countries THe Nerves are France and Italy and Spaine The Liver Britanny the Narrow Seas the veines The Spleen is Aethiopia which breeds in A People that are black and tawny skin The Stomach Aegypt the Chylus Nyle that flowes Quite through the Body by which it fruitfull growes The Heart and Head East and VVest Indies are The South and Northern Pole is either Eare. The Lungs are Rocks and Cavernes whence rise winds And Life which passes through great danger findes FINIS An Epistle to Souldiers GReat Heroicks you may justly laugh at me if I went about to censure instruct or advise in the valiant Art and Discipline of Warre But I doe but only take the name having no knowledge in the Art nor practise in the use for I never saw an Army together nor any Incounters in my life I have seen a Troop or a Regiment march on the High way by chance or so neither have I the courage to looke on the cruell assaults that Mankind as I have heard will make at each other but according to the constitution of my Sex I am as fearefull as a Hare for I shall start at the noyse of a Potgun and shut my eyes at the sight of a bloudy Sword and run away at the least Alarum Only My courage is I can heare asad relation but not without griefe and chilnesse of spirits but these Armies I mention were rais'd in my braine fought in my fancy and registred in my closet POEMS The Fort or Castle of Hope HOpe hearing Doubt an Army great did bring For to assault the Castle she was in For her defence her Castle she made strong Placing great Ordnance on the wall along Bulwarks she built at every corners end A Curtaine of twelve score was drawn between Two faces make a point from whence the Cannons play Two points do make a third to stop the enemi's way The wings were not too short nor curtains were too long The points were not too sharp but blunt to make them strong Round the Castle enemy 's out to keep A ditch was digg'd which was both wide and deep And bridges made to draw or let at length The gates had iron bars of wondrous strength Souldiers upon the Curtains-line did stand And every one a Musket in his hand When Hope had ordered all about her Fort Then she did call a councel to her Court I hear sayes Hope that Doubt a war will make And bring great force this Castle for to take Wherefore my friends provisions must be 〈◊〉 And first of all good store of victuals bought Hunger doth lose more Forts then force doth win Then must we with the stomach first begin The next is arms the body for to guard Those that unarm'd are are soon'st afear'd But to small use we make a ditch or wall If not men arm'd to keep this wall withall Shall we neglect the lives and strength of men More then a wall that may be broken in For Ammunitions that mighty power Engines of death which Armies Towns devoure Yet are they of no use unlesse mankind Hath strength skill will to use them as design'd The last for to advise what wayes are best For to defend our selves from being opprest Then Expectation being gray with age Advises Hope by no means to engage Too 〈◊〉 her Castle but let
Then here 's a faud which needs not be manur'd And we a people not to work inur'd For we by Nature can no great paines take Nor by our sweat a live-lihood out make For who would live in paine or griefe or care And alwayes of their goods to stand in feare Who lives in trouble are not very wise Since in the Grave no troubles there doe 〈◊〉 Then let us fight even for sweet pleasures sake Or let us dye that we no care may take Thus did the Kings their Souldiers courage raise And in Orations did their Valour praise Then did they both in order rank and file Prepare themselves each other for to spoyle Their Horses stout whereon they ride in field Will dye under their burthen but not yeeld In Caprioles those Grashoppers do move By which his Riders skill he soone will prove Some think for War it is an Aire unfit With whose swift motion his Rider cannot fight 〈◊〉 take his turnes and vantages to have Unlesse by leaping high themselves can save Erroneous this in some case it is good Though not in all if truly understood What 's in the world that 's to all use imployed But at some times and seasons is denied Fire and Water the life of all which are Can only serve in their due time and call Some may say in this Aire of Horsemanship 'T is good hils of dead men to over-leap For if that they goe low upon the ground Where dead men horse and armes are strewed round Or else in heaps they lye like to a wall Whereat the Horse will 〈◊〉 Man downe fall Thus Horses of manage taught in measure Many doe think are only fit for pleasure And not for war but no use of them is As though their Rules did make them goe amisse They are mistaken for like men they 're taught For to obey their Guider as they ought To stop to goe to leap to run and yet Obey the heele the hand the wand the bit Beside they 're taught their passion to abate Not resty be with feare anger or hate And by applause great courage they have got That they dare goe upon a Canon shot Not that they senslesse be or dangers on run For Horses cowardly danger doe shun And are so full of feares as they will shake And will not goe which proves their hearts do quake Besides all Aires in Warre are very fit As Curvets Dimivoltoes and Perwieet In going back and forward turning round Side-wayes both high and low upon the ground Sometimes in a large circle compasse take And then with Art a lesser circle make But Horses that 〈◊〉 are in this way May march strait forth or in one place may stay So men when they doe fight having no skill May venture life but few that they shall kill For'tis not blowes and thrusts shall doe the feat Or going forward or by a retreat He must the center be his sword the line His feet his compasse with his strength to joyne These are the Arts for Horse and Men of War Unlesse with stratagems they think to scar VVhich shewes more wit then courage in the field So 't is to run away or else to yeeld But here the Bodies of each Army 's knit So close as skin unto the flesh doe fit No stratagems us'd to have men slaine But they did fight upon an open Plaine For those that use slight stratagems in warres No sighters are but cruell Murtherers Nor is it bravely done as some think 't is For every petty Thiefe has skill in this Poore Theeves more courage in their acts doe show For if their plots doe faile must dye they know Warriors designes found out they doe not care Because no hanging for that act they feare They 'l say 't is different thus enemies to use For Theeves by their deceit their friends abuse But 't is not so for cous̄enage is the theìf And of that Order Generals are the chief Fighting's the Souldiers trade not to intrap N̄or foxing with craft a prey for to inwrap But kill or pursue with Swords in 〈◊〉 hands Without any sraud or treacherous bands Just so fought these brave valiant Cavaliers By the unhappy end as it appears For they did joyne and fierce together fight Which was to all a lamentable sight Some lay upon the ground without a Head Others that gasping lay but not quite dead Their groans were heard and cryes of severall Notes Some rutling lay with thick bloud in their throates Here a Head-peice lay there a Corslet throwne Bodies so mangled that none could be known Rivers of bloud like to a full high tide Or like a Sea where shipwrack'd bodies dy'd And their laborious breath such mists did raise Which made a cloud as darkned the Sunsraies With severall noyses that rebounded sar Armies of Ecchoes in the aire were Here bodies hid with smoake smother'd lay dead While formlesse sounds were in the aire spread Thus were they active and earnest in their fight As if to kill or dye were a delight Here beasts and men both in their bloud lay masht As if that a French Cook had them 〈◊〉 so hasht Or with their bloud a Gelly boyle To make a Boullion of the spoyle For Natures table several disbes ' brings By her directions in transforming things At last the Pigmees found themselves quite spent And of their war begun now to repent Which made their King though little yet at length Did call to Oberon King to try his strength Let 's here said he our skill and fortunes try In conquering one or both in graves to lye Content said Oberon King though most unjust You have your selfe into my Kingdome thrust Yet will I not refuse this offer bold And if I live this day will sacred hold Then like two Lions fallen out for prey Encounter did not yeelding any way Their bright sharp swords so quick with motion fiyes Like suhtle lightning in each others eyes Pigmee King was strong be two handfuls tall But Oberon King was low and very small Yet was he dextrous in his skilful Art And by that means struck Pigmee neer the heart Whose blood run warm and trickling down his side That where he stood the grasse was purple dy'd Then leaning on his sword as out of breath Said he to Oberon I have got my death Grew faint then sinking on the ground did lye Finding his soul from 's body soon would flye Saying to Oberon do you mercy shew And let my Army freely from you go And those that here lye slain O let them have Just rights in burial and their bones in grave That their free souls in quiet peace may sleep And for this Act the gods your Fame will 〈◊〉 I care nor grieve not for my own sad 〈◊〉 But for my subjects that are ruin'd all And in a deep-fetcht sigh and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Soul went forth unto a 〈◊〉 unknown When that his souldiers heard their King 〈◊〉 dead Their hearts did fail yet none of them there
strong enough to keep her state If Death befriended had not been by Fate She against Death could make her party good Had not the Fates her happinesse withstood Who spins the thread of life so small and weak That of necessity it needs must break If not they cut it into peeces small And give it Death to make him nets withall To catch in Life when closely she would hide Her selfe from Death but in this net is ty'd Or in the Chains of Destiny is hung The world from side to side about is flung Having no rest nor settlement but flyes About from Death and yet it never dyes Runs into severall forms Death for to shun But he destroyes these Forms that Life in comes Death like a Snake in Natures bosome lyes Like slattering friends but yet in heart envies And Nature seems to Life an enemie Because she still lets Death a Conqueror be Of a Travelling Thought AThought for breeding would a Travellour be The severall Countries in the brain to see Spurr'd with Desires and booted with Hope Cap't with curiosity a patient cloake Thus suited then a horse he did provide Strong imagination he got to ride Sadl'd with Ambition and girted with pride Bridled with doubt resolving stirrups on each side When he was mounted fast away they went In a full gallop of a good intent Some wayes in the brain very ill there were Into deep errours often tumbled th' are High mountains of great fear was forc'd to hide Steep Precipices of Despair down slide Woods of forgetfulnesse they oft past through To find the right way out had much ado In troubles he had travell'd a long way At last he came where Theeves of spight close lay Who coming forth drew out reproachfull words Which wounded Reputation as sharp swords When he did feel the wound to imart drew out From Time's Scabbard Truth which fought full stout With an innocent thrust he left spight dead Wip'd off the bloud of slander purple red Coming to a river of Temptation Deep and dangerow of Tribulation With Temperance he swum got out at last And with security all dangers past At last got to the City of power Whereon stood Tyranny a great Tower With discords populous there 〈◊〉 rules Great Colledges there was to breed up fools Large houses of 〈◊〉 high were built And all with prodigality were gilt Their streets were pitcht with dull and lazy stone Which never hurts the feet when trodden on Markets of plentiful circuits were there VVhere all sorts did come and buy without care Herbs of repentance there were in great 〈◊〉 But roots of ignorance were many more Carts of knowledge brought much provisions in Some understanding bought which truth did bring Yet what is bought proves good or bad by chance For some were couzen'd by false ignorance Then forthwith into shamble row he went Where store of meat hung up for 't was not Lent There lay head with wit and Fancies fil'd And hearts were there which griefe and sorrow kill'd Tongues of Eloquence hung upon an Ear Bladders blown with windy opinions there Weak Livers of great fear lay there to sell And malice spleens which very big did swell Tough lungs of wilsulnesse hard and dry Whole guts of self-conceit did hang thereby Into a Poulterers shop he 〈◊〉 to see What fowl there were if any good there be There lay wild Geese though black and heavy meat Yet some grosse appetite lik'd them to eat The cholerick Turkey and the Peacocks pride The foolish dotterels lay there close beside Capons of Expectation cram'd with hope Swans of large desires lay in the shop Reproachfull words were sold by dozens there And ignorant Guls lay every where Poêtical Birds were many to sell More Fowl which he remembred not to tell But being a Travellour would see all there So straight he went to Churches of great fear Where every one kneel'd upon the knee of pain And prayers said with tongues that were propbane Petitioning tears drop'd from coveting eyes Deceitfull hearts on Altars of disguise Earnest they were to gods that they would give Worldly request not grace for souls to live But travailes of Experience he would see VVhich made him go to the Court of Vanity The Porter Flattery sate at the Gate VVho civill was and carried him in strait First to the Presence-chamber of Beauty went There staid some time with great and sweet content Next to the Privy-chamber of Discourse VVhere Ignorance and Non-sense had great force Then to the Bed-chamber 〈◊〉 Loves delights The Grooms which served there were Carpet Knights From thence to Counsel of Direction went VVhere great Disorder sate as President No sooner that poor stranger he did view Reproachful words out of his mouth he threw Commanding Poverty a Serjeant poor To take that stranger cast him out of door Strait Flattery for him intreated much But he Disorders ear doth seldome touch For cast he was into necessity VVhich is a prison of great misery But Patience got him an expedient Passe So home he went but 〈◊〉 upon an Asse A REGISTER OF MOVRNFVLL VERSES On a Melting Beauty GOing into a Church my prayers to say Close by a Tombe a mourning Beauty lay Her knees on Marble cold were bow'd down low So firme were fix'd as if she there did grow Her Elbow on the Tombe did steady stand Her Head hung back the hind-part in her hand Turning her Eyes up to the Heavens high Left nothing but the white of either eye Upon the lower shut did hang a teare Like to a Diamond pendent in an eare Her Breast did pant as if Life meant To seek her Heart which way it went I standing there observing what she did At last she from her hand did raise her head And casting down her eyes ne're look'd about Teares pull her eye-lids down as they gush'd out And with a gentle Groane at last did speake Her words were soft her voyce sound low and weak O Heavens said she what doe you meane I dare not think you Gods can have a spleen And yet I finde great torments you doe give Creatures to make in misery to live You shew us Joyes but we possesse not one You give us Life for Death to feed upon O cruell Death thy Dart hath made me poore You struck that Heart my Life did most adore You Gods delight not thus me to torment But strike me dead by this deare Monument And let our Ashes mixe both in this urne So as one Phoenix shall we both become Hearing her mourne I went to give reliefe But Oh alas her eares were stopt with griefe When I came neere her bloud congeal'd to Ice And all her Body changed in a trice That Ice strait melted into tears down run Through porous earth so got into that urne On a Furious Sorrow VPon a Grave out-ragious Sorrow set Digging the Earth as if she through would get Her hair unty'd loose on her shoulders hung And every haire with teares like Beads was strung