soile Yee steeled Tooles of slaughter wounds and warres Be you condemn'd to hang and rust a while Or not to languish in so fruit-lesrest Be you transform'd to husband-furniture To plow those fields you haue so oft deprest Of if you cannot leaue your wonted vre Leaue at the least all mutinous alarmes And befrom hence-forth Iustice lawfull Armes SONNET 26. O Paris know thy selfe and know thy Master As well thy heav'nly as thine earthly guider And be not like a Horse who proud of pasture Breakes Bit and Reanes and casts his cunning Rider Who nill be Subiects shall be slaues in â—ine Who Kings refuse shall haue a Tyrant Lord Who are not moou'd with the milde rods diuine Shall feele the furie of Heav'ns venging Sword Thy greatnes stands on theirs that weare the Crowne Whereof th' hast had now seuentie sauing seuen Thinke one sufficient soone to pull thee downe Kings greatnes stands on the great King of Heav'n Knowing these two then Paris know thy selfe By Warres afflictions and by PEACES wealth SONNET 27. Swell not in pride O Paris Princely Dame To be chiefe Citie and thy Soueraignes Throne Citie nay modell of this totall Frame A mighty Kingdome of thy selfe alone The scourge that lately with paternall hand For thine amendment did so mildely beat-thee If any more against thy Kings thou stand Shall proue that then God did but only threat-thee Wert thou a hundred-thousand-fold more mighty Who in th' Olympike Court commands the thunders In his least wrath can wrack thee most Almighty Thebes Babel Rome those proud heav'n-daring wonders Lowe vnder ground in dust and ashes lie For earthly Kingdomes euen as men doe die SONNET 28. But O my sorrowes â— whither am I tosâ— What shall I bloodie sweet ASTREAS Songs Re-open wounds that are now heal'd almost And new-remember nigh-forgotten wrongs Sith stormes are calmed by a gentle Starre Forget we Muse all former furie-moods And all the tempests of our viper-Warre Drown we those thoughts in deep-deep Lethe floods O but alas I cannot not-retaine So great notorious common miseries Nor hide my plaint nor hold my weeping raine But ' mid these hidious hellish out-rages I 'le showe and prooue by this strange spectacle Our ciuill PEACE asacred Miracle SONNET 29. As he that scap't from Ship-wrack on a planke Doubts of his health and hardly yet beleeues Still faintly shiuering on the feare-les banke That through that fraile helpe certainly he liues As he that new freed from strange seruitude Returnes againe to tread his natiue allies Seemes still to feare his Patrons rigour rude And seemes still tugging chayned in the Gallies So alwaies ruth ruine and rage and horror Of troubles past doo haunt me euery-where And still I meete Furies and gastly Terror Then to my selfe thus raue I rapt with feare From pleasures past if present sorrow spring Why should not past cares present comfort bring SONNET 30. We must not now vp braid each others crimes Committed wrongly in the time of Warre For we haue all alas too often-times Prouok't the vengeance of the Lord too farre Some robbing Iustice vnder maske of Reason Some blowing coles to kindle-vp Sedition Some 'gainst their King attempting open Treason Some Godding Fortune Idol of Ambition Alas we know our cause of maladie All apt t' accuse but none to cleanse th' impure Each doth rebuke but none doth remedie To know a griefe it is but halfe a cure Is it our sinnes let 's purge away that bane For what helps Physicke if it be not tane SONNET 31. Who cloake their crimes in hoods of holines Are double villaines and the Hypocrite Is most-most odious in Gods glorious sight That takes his Name to couer wickednes Prophane Ambition blinde and irreligious In quest of Kingdomes holding nothing holy Think'st thou th' Eternall blinde as thou in folly Or weake to punish Monsters so prodigious O execrablevizard canst thou hide thee From th' All-pierce Eye are treason rape and murder Effects of Faith or of the Furies-order Thy vaile is rent the rudest haue descride thee 'T is now apparant to each plaine Opinion Thy hot Deuotion hunted but Dominion SONNET 32. 'T is strange to see the heat of Ciuill brands For when we arme vs brother against brother O then how ready are our hearts and hands And Wits awake to ruine one another But come to counter-mine 'gainst secret treason Or force the forces of a stranger foe Alas how shallow are we then in reason How cold in courage and in camping slowe Fraunce onely striues to triumph ouer Fraunce With selfe-kill Swords to cut each others throat What swarmes of Souldiers euery where doo float To spend and spoile a Kingdomes maintenance But said I Souldiers ah I blush for shame To giue base Theeues the noble Souldiers name SONNET 33. Is' t not an endles scandall to our daies If possible our heires can credit it That th' holy name of PEACE so worthy praise Hath been our Watch-word for a fault vnfit That the pure Lilly our owne natiue flower Hath been an odious obiect in our eyes That kingly Name and Kings heav'n-stablisht power Hath been with vs a marke of trecheries T' haue banisht hence the godly and the wise Whose sound direction kept the State from danger Yea made their bodies bloody Sacrifice And to conclude seeking to serue a Stranger T' haue stab'd our owne but O Muse keepe that in The fault 's so foul to speake it were a sinne SONNET 34. I waile not I so much warres wastefull rigours Nor all thy ruines make me halfe so sorie As thy lost honour Fraunce which most disfigures Losing thy loyaltie thy Natiue glory From Moores to Moscouites O cursed change The French are called Faith-les Parricides Th' yerst-most-prince-â—oyall people O most strange Are now Prince-treachers more than all besides With vs Massacres passe for Pietie Theft rape and wrong for iust-attaind possessions Reuolt for Merit Rage for Equitie Alas must we needs borrow the transgressions And imperfections of all other Nations Yerst onely blamed for inconstant fashions SONNET 35. Not without reason hath it oft been spoken That through faire Concord little things augment And opposite that mightiest things are broken Through th' vgly Discord of the discontent When many tunes doe gently symphonize It conquers hearts and kindly them compounds When many hearts doe gentle sympathize In sacred frendship there all blisse abounds Alas if longer we diuide this Real me Loosing to euerie Partizan apart Farewell our Lillies and our Diadem For though it seeme to breath now somewhat peart Our sinnes I feare will worke worse after-claps And ther 's most danger in a re-relaps SONNET 36. O how I hate these partializing words Which showe how we are in the Faith deuised Is' t possible to whet so many Swords And light such flames 'mong th' In-one-Christ-baptized Christians to Christians to be brute and bloody Altars to Altars to be opposite Parting the limmes of such a perfect Body While Turkes with Turkes doo better faâ—revnite We
my self may learn And also graunt great Architect of Wonders The TraÌ„slator knowing and acknowledging his owne insufficieÌ„cy for so excellent a labor craueth also the ayde of the All sufficient God Whose mighty Voice speaks in the midst of Thunders Causing the Rocks to rock and Hills to tear Calling the things that Are not as they were Confounding Mighty things by means of Weak Teaching dumb Infants thy dread Praise to speak Inspiring Wisedom into those that want And giuing Knowledge to the Ignorant Graunt mee good Lord as thou hast giv'n me hart To vndertake so excellent a Part Graunt me such Iudgement Grace and Eloquence So correspondent to that Excellence That in some measure I may seem t' inherit Elisha-like my dear Elias Spirit CLEAR FIRE for euer hath not Ayre imbraç't The World was not from euerlasting Nor Ayre for-ay inuiron'd Waters vast Nor Waters always wrapt the Earth therein But all this All did once of nought begin Once All was made not by the hand of Fortune As fond Democritus did yerst importune With iarring Concords making Motes to meet Inuisible immortall infinite Th' immutable diuine Decree which shall Neither made by Chance But created together with Time by the almighty wisedome of God Cause the Worlds End caus'd his Originall Neither in Time nor yet before the same But in the instant when Time first became I mean a Time confused for the course Of years of months of weeks of daies of howrs Of Ages Times and Seasons is confin'd By th' ordred Daunce vnto the Stars assign'd Before all Time all Matter Form and Place God all in all and all in God it was God was before the World was Immutable immortall infinite Incomprehensible all spirit all light All Maiesty all-self Omnipotent Inuisible impassiue excellent Pure wise iust good God raign'd alone at rest Himself alone selfs Palace host and guest Thou scoffing Atheist that enquirest what He consuteth the Atheists questioning what God did before he created the World Th' Almighty did before he framed that What waighty Work his minde was busied on Eternally before this World begun Sith so deep Wisedom and Omnipotence Nought worse beseems then sloath and negligence Knowe bold blasphemer that before he built A Hell to punish the presumptuous Guilt Of those vngodly whose proud sense dares cite And censure too his Wisedom infinite Can Carpenters Weauers and Potters passe And liue without their seuerall works a space And could not then th' Almighty All-Creator Th' all-prudent BEE without this frail Theater Shall valiant Scipio Thus himself esteem Neuer lesse sole then when he sole doth seem And could not God O Heav'ns what frantike folly Subsist alone but sink in melancholy Shall the Pryénian Princely Sage auerr That all his goods he doth about him bear And should the Lord whose Wealth exceeds all measure Should he be poor without this Worldly treasure God neuer seeks out of himself for ought He begs of none he buies or borrows nought But aye from th' Ocean of his liberall Bounty Hee poureth out a thousand Seas of Plenty What God did before he created the World Yer Eurus blew yer Moon did Wax or Wain Yer Sea had Fish yer Earth had grass or grain God was not void of sacred exercise He did admire his Glorie's Mysteries His Power his Iustice and his Prouidence His bountious Grace and great Beneficence Were th' holy obiect of his heav'nly thought Vpon the which eternally it wrought It may be also that he meditated The Worlds Idëa yer it was Created Alone he liv'd not for his Son and Spirit Of 3. Persons in one only Essence of God of the eternall generation of the Son Were with him ay Equall in might and merit For sans beginning seed and Mother tender This great Worlds Father he did first ingender To wit His Son Wisedom and Word eternal Equall in Essence to th' All-One Paternal Of the Holy-Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne The which three Persons are one onely and the same God Out of these Two their common Power proceeded Their Spirit their Loue in Essence vndiuided Onely distinct in Persons whose Diuinity All Three in One makes One eternall Trinitie Soft soft my Muse launch not into the Deep Sound not this Sea see that aloof thou keep From this Charybdis and Capharean Rock Where many a ship hath suffered wofull wrack While they haue fondly vent red forth too-far Following frail Reason for their only Star Who on this Gulf would safely venture fain How to think speak of God Must not too-boldly hale into the Main But longst the shoar with sails of Faith must coast Their Star the Bible Steers-man th' Holy-Ghost How many fine wits haue the World abus'd Because this Ghost they for their Guide refus'd The Heathen Philosophers lost themselues and others in their curâ—osities weening to be wise became fooles And scorning of the loyall Virgins Thred Haue them and others in this Maze mis-led In sacred sheetes of either Testament 'T is hard to finde a higher Argument More deep to sound more busie to discuss More vse-full knowne vnknowne more dangerous So bright a Sun dazles my tender sight So deep discourse my sense confoundeth quite My Reason's edge is dull'd in this Dispute And in my mouth my fainting words be mute This TRINITY which rather I adore God the Father Sonne Holy-Ghost created of Nothing the Worlds goodly frame In humblenes then busily explore In th' infinit of Nothing builded all This artificiall great rich glorious Ball Wherein appears in grav'n on euery part The Builders beauty greatnes wealth and Art Art beauty wealth and greatnes that confounds The hellish barking of blaspheming Hounds Climb they that list the battlements of Heav'n Leaâ—ing curious speculations the Poet teacheth how to contemplate God in his Workes And with the Whirl-wind of Ambition driv'n Beyond the World's wals let those Eagles flie And gaze vpon the Sun of Maiestie Let other-some whose fainted spirits do droop Down to the ground their meditations stoop And so contemplate on these Workmanships That th' Authors praise they in Themselues eclipse My heedfull Muse trained in true Religion Diuinely-humane keeps the middle Region Least if she should too-high a pitch presume Heav'ns glowing flame should melt her waxen plume Or if too-lowe neer Earth or Sea she flag Laden with Mists her moisted wings should lag It glads me much to view this Frame wherein As in a Glasse God's glorious face is seen I loue to look on God but in this Robe Of his great Works this vniuersall Globe For if the Suns bright beams doo blear the sight Of such as fixtly gaze against his light Who can behold aboue th' Empyriall Skies The lightning splendor of God's gloriouseies O who alas can finde the Lord without His Works which bear his Image round about God of himself incapable to sense God makes himselfe as it were visible in his Workes In 's
quick conceipts And bodies victuallers to prouide it meats Will you the Knees and Elbow's springs omit Which serue th' whole Body by their motions fit Ioynts The Knees and Armes For as a Bowe according as the string Is stiff or slack the shafts doth farther fling Our Nerues and Gristles diuersly dispense To th' human Frame meet Motion Might and Sense Knitting the Bones which be the Pillars strong The Sinews Gristles and Bones The beams and Rafters whose firm Ioynts may long Maugre Deaths malice till our Maker calls Support the Fabrik of these Fleshly Walls The Feet Can you conceal the Feets rare-skilfull feature The goodly Bases of this glorious Creature But is' t not time now in his Inner Parts To seeth ' Almightie's admirable Arts First with my Launcet shall I make incision To see the Cells of the twin Brains diuision The Treasurer of Arts the Source of Sense The Seat of Reason and the Fountain whence Our sinews flowe whom Natures prouidence Arm'd with a helm whose double lynings fence The brains cold moisture from its boany Armor Whose hardnes else might hap to bruise or harm-her A Registre where with a secret touch The studious dayly som rare Knowledge couch O how shall I on learned Leaf forth-set That curious Maze that admirable Net Through whose fine folds the spirit doth rise and fall Making its powrs of Vital Animal Euen as the Blood and Spirits wandering Through the preparing vessels crooked Ring Are in their winding course concoct and wrought And by degrees to fruitfull Seed are brought Shall I the Hearts vn-equall sides explain Of the Heart Which equall poiz doth equally sustain Wherof th' one 's fill'd with bloud in th' other bides The vitall Spirit which through the body slides Whose rest-les panting by the constant Pulse Doth witness health or if that take repulse And shift the dance and wonted pase it went It shews that Nature 's wrongd by Accident Or shall I cleaue the Lungs whose motions light Of the Lungues Our inward heat doo temper day and night Like summer gales wauing with gentle puffs The smiling Medows green and gaudy tuffs Light spungy Fans that euer take and giue Th' aetheriall Air whereby we breathe and liue Bellows whose blast breathing by certain pawses A pleasant sound through our speech-Organs causes Or shall I rip the Stomachs hollowness Of the Stomach That ready Cook concocting euery Mess Which in short time it cunningly conuerts Into pure Liquor fit to feed the parts And then the same doth faithfully deliuer Of the Liuer Into the Port-vain passing to the Liuer Who turns it soone to Blood and thence again Through branching pipes of the great Hollow vain Through all the members doth it duly scatter Much like a fountain whose diuided Water It self dispersing into hundred Brooks An apt Similitude Bathes som fair Garden with her winding Crooks For as these Brooks thus branching round about Make heer the Pink there th' Aconite to sprout Heer the sweet Plum-tree the sharp Mulberie there Heer the lowe Vine and there the lofty Pear Heer the hard Almond there the tender Fig Heer bitter Worm-wood there sweet-smelling Spike Euen so the Blood bred of good nourishment Of the Bloud Nourishment By diuers Pipes to all the body sent Turns heer to Bones there changes into Nerues Heer is made Marow there for Muscles serues Heer Skin becoms there crooking Veins there Flesh To make our Limbs more forcefull and more fresh But now me list no neerer view to take Of th' Inward Parts which God did secret make Nor pull in peeces all the Human Frame That work were fitter for those men of Fame Those skilfull sons of Aesculapius Hippocrates or deep Herophilus Or th' eloquent and artificiall Writ Of Galen that renowned Pergamite 'T sufficeth me in som sort to express By this Essay the sacred mightiness Not of Iapetus wittie-fained Son But of the true Prometheus that begun Of the Creation of the Soule And finisht with inimitable Art The famous Image I haue sung in part Now this most peer-les learned Imager Life to his louely Picture to conferr Did not extact out of the Elements A certain secret Chymik Quint-essence But breathing sent as from the liuely Spring Of his Diuinenss som small Riuerling Itself dispersing into euery pipe Of the frail Engin of this earthen Type Not that his own Selfs-Essence blest he brake Of her Essence and substance Or did his Triple-Unitie partake Vnto his Work but without Selfs-expence Inspir'd it richly with rare excellence And by his power so spread his Rays thereon That euen as yet appers a portion Of that pure lustre of Coelestiall Light Whearwith at first it was adorn'd and dight This Adam's spirit did from that spirit deriue Which made the World yet did not thence depriue Whence it is proceeded Of Gods self-substance any part at all As in the Course of Nature doth befall That from the Essence of an Earthly Father Diuers Similes An Earthly Son essentiall parts doth gather Or as in Spring-time from one sappy twig There sprouts another consubstantiall sprig In brief it 's but a breath now though the breath Out of our Stomacks concaue issueth Yet of our substance it transporteth nought Onely it seemeth to be simply fraught And to retain the purer qualities Of th' inward place whence it deriued is Inspired by that Breath this Breath desire I to describe Whoso doth not admire His spirit is sprightless and his sense is past Of the excellēce of Mans soule Who hath no sense of that admired Blast Yet wot I well that as the Ey perceiues All but it self euen so our Soule conceiues All saue her owne selfs Essence but the end Of her own greatnes cannot comprehend Yet as a sound Ey void of vicious matter How she may know her selfe Sees in a sort it self in Glass or Water So in her sacred Works as in a Glass Our Soule almost may see her glorious face The boistrous Winde that rents with roaring blasts Three fit comparisons to that purpose The lofty Pines and to the Welkin casts Millions of Mountains from the watery World And proudest Turrets to the ground hath whurld The pleasing fume that fragrant Roses yeeld When wanton Zephyr sighing on the field Enammels all and to delight the Sky The Earth puts-on her richest Lyuory Th' accorded Discords that are sweetly sent From th' Iuorie ribs of some rare Instrument Cannot be seen but he may well be said Of Flesh and Ears and Nose intirely void Who doth not feel nor hear nor smel the powrs The shock sound sent of storms of strings of flowrs The Soule not only vitall but also diuine and immortall Although our Soule 's pure substance to our sight Be not subiected yet her motion light And rich discourse sufficient proofs doo giue We haue more soule than to suffice to liue A Soule diuine pure sacred admirable Immortall
Kings-euils Dropsie Gout and Stone Blood-boyling Leprie and Consumption The swelling Throat-ache th' Epilepsie sad And cruell Rupture payning too-too bad For their hid poysons after-comming harm Is fast combin'd vnto the Parents sperm But O! what arms what shield shall wee oppose Some not known by their Cause but by their Effects onely What stratagems against those trecherous foes Those teacherous griefs that our frail Art detects Not by their cause but by their sole effects Such are the fruitfull Matrix-suffocation The Falling-sicknes and pale Swouning-passion The which I wote not what strange windes long pause I wot not where I wote not how doth cause Or who alas can scape the cruell wile Some by sundry Causes encreasing and waxing worse Of those fell Pangs that Physicks pains beguile Which being banisht from a body yet Vnder new names return again to it Or rather taught the strange Metempsychosis Of the wise Samian one it self transposes Into som worse Grief either through the kindred Of th' humour vicious or the member hindred Or through their ignorance or auarice That doe profess Apollos exercise So Melancholy turned into Madnes Into the Palsie deep-affrighted Sadnes Th' Il-habitude into the Dropsie chill And Megrim growes to the Comitial-Ill In brief poor Adam in this pitious case Comparison Is like a Stag that long pursu'd in chase Flying for succour to som neighbour wood Sinks on the suddain in the yeelding mud And sticking fast amid the rotten grounds Is over-taken by the eger Hounds One bites his back his neck another nips One puls his brest at 's throat another skips One tugs his flank his haunch another tears Another lugs him by the bleeding ears And last of all the Wood-man with his knife Cuts off his head and so concludes his life Or like a lusty Bull whose horned Crest Another comparison Awakes fell Hornets from their drowsie nest Who buzzing forth assail him on each side And pitch their valiant bands about his hide With fisking train with forked head and foot Himself th' ayr th' earth he beateth to no boot Flying through woods hills dales and roaring rivers His place of grief but not his painfull grievers And in the end stitcht full of stings he dies Or on the ground as dead at least he lies For man is loaden with ten thousand languors An amplification of Mans miseries compared with other Cretures seldomer sick and sooner healed and that by naturall Remedies of their owne hauing also taught Men many practices of Physike All other Creatures onely feel the angors Of few Diseases as the gleaning Quail Onely the Falling-sicknes doth assail The Turn-about and Murram trouble Cattel Madnes and Quincie bid the Masty battel Yet each of them can naturally finde What Simples cure the sickness of their kinde Feeling no sooner their disease begin But they as soon haue ready medicine The Ram for Physik takes strong-senting Rue The Tortois slowe cold Hemlok doth renue The Partridge Black-bird and rich painted Iay Haue th' oyly liquor of the sacred Bay The sickly Bear the Mandrak cures again And Mountain-Siler helpeth Goats to yean But we knowe nothing till by poaring still On Books we get vs a Sophistik skil A doubtfull Art a Knowledge still vnknowen Which enters but the hoary heads alone Of those that broken with vnthankfull toyl Seeks others Health and lose their own the-while Or rather those such are the greatest part That waxing rich at others cost and smart Growe famous Doctors purchasing promotions While the Church-yards swel with their hurtfull potions Who hang-man like fear-less and shame-less too Are prayd and payd for murders that they doo I speak not of the good the wise and learned Within whose hearts Gods fear is wel discerned Who to our bodies can again vnite Our parting soules ready to take their flight For these I honour as Heav'ns gifts excelling Pillars of Health Death and Disease repelling Th' Almighties Agents Natures Counsellers And flowring Youths wise faithfull Governours Yet if their Art can ease som kinde of dolors They learn'd it first of Natures silent Schollers For from the Sea-Horse came Phlehotomies From the wilde Goat the healing of the eys From Stork and Hearn our Glysters laxatiue From Bears and Lions Diets we deriue 'Gainst th' onely Body all these Champions stout Striuesom within and other som without Or if that any th' all-fair Soule haue striken 'T is not directly but in that they weaken Her Officers and spoyl the Instruments Wherwith she works such wonderous presidents But lo foure Captains far more fierce and eger Of foure Diseases of the Soule vnder them cōprehending all the rest That on all sides the Spirit it self beleaguer Whose Constancy they shake and soon by treason Draw the blind Iudgement from the rule of Reason Opinions issue which though self vnseen Make through the Body their fell motions seen Sorrow's first Leader of this furious Crowd Muffled all-over in a sable clowd 1. Sorrow described with her company Old before Age afflicted night and day Her face with wrinkles warped every-way Creeping in corners where she sits and vies Sighes from her hart tears from her blubbered eys Accompani'd with self-consuming Care With weeping Pitty Thought and mad Despair That bears about her burning Coles and Cords Asps Poysons Pistols Halters Kniues and Swords Fouls quinting Enuy that self-eating Elf Through others leanness fatting vp herself Ioying in mischief feeding but with languor And bitter tears her Toad-like-swelling anger And Ielousie that never sleeps for fear Suspitions Flea still nibbling in her ear That leaues repast and rest neer pin'd and blinde With seeking what she would be loath to finde The second Captain is excessiue Ioy 2. Ioy with her Traine VVho leaps and tickles finding th' Apian-way Too-streight for her whose senses all possess All wished pleasures in all plentiousnes She hath in conduct false vain-glorious Vaunting Bold soothing shame-less lowd iniurious taunting The winged Giant lofty-staring Pride That in the clouds her braving Crest doth hide And many other like the empty bubbles That rise when rain the liquid Crystall troubles The Third is blood-less hart-less wit-less Fear 3. Feare her Followers That like an Asp-tree trembles every where She leads bleak Terror and base clownish Shame And drowsie Sloath that counter faiteth lame With Snail-like motion measuring the ground Having her arms in willing fetters bound Foul sluggish Drone barren but sin to breed Diseased begger starv'd with wilfull need And thou Desire whom nor the firmament 4. Desire a most violent Passion accōpanied with others like as Ambition Auarice Anger and Foolish Loue. Nor ayr nor earth nor Ocean can content Whose-looks are hooks whose belly 's bottom-less Whose hands are Gripes to scrape with greediness Thou art the Fourth and vnder thy Command Thou bringst to field a rough vnruly Band First secret-burning mighty-swoln Ambition Pent in no limits pleas'd with no Condition Whom Epicurus many Worlds suffice not Whose
Than Pies to Syrens Geese to Nightingalls 17 Then take Me BARTAS to conduct thy â—eâ— Soar-vp to Heav'n Sing-me th' Almightie's prayse And tuning now the Iessean Harp again Gayn thee the Garland of eternall Bayes 18 I cannot grief-less see my Sisters wrongs Made Bawds to Louers in deceitfull faynings In forged sighes false tears and filthy Songs Lascivious shewes and counterfait complaynings 19 Alas I cannot with dry eyes behold Our holy Songs solde and profaned thus To grace the grace-less praising too-too bold Caligula Nero and Commodus 20 But most I mourn to see râ—â—e Verse apply'd Against the Author of sweet Composition I cannot brook to see Heav'ns King defy'd By his own Souldiers with his own Munition 21 Man's eyes are â—ield-vp with Cimmerian mist And if ought pretious in his Life he reach Through sundry hands by the Heav'ns bounty is' t But God himself the Delphian Songs doth teach 22 Each Art is learn'd by Art but POâ—SIâ— Is a meer Heavenly gift and none can taste The Deaws we drop from Pindus plentiously If sacred Fire have not his brest imbraç't 23 Thence is' t that many great Philosophers Deep-learned Clarks in Prose most eloquent Labour in vain to make a grace-full Verse Which many a Novice frames most excellent 24 Thence is' t that yerst the poor Meonian Bard Though Master means and his owne eyes he misses Of Olde and New is for his Verse preferd In 's stout Achilles and his wise Vlysses 25 Thence is' t that Ovid cannot speak in Prose Thence is' t that Dauid Sheapheard turned Poet So soon doth learn my Songs and Youths compose After our Art before indeed they knowe-it 26 Dive day and night in the Castalian Fount Dwell vpon Homer and the Mantuan Muse Climb night and day the double-topped Mount Where the Pierian learned Maydens vse 27 Read while thou wilt read ouer every Book In Pergamus and in the famous Citie That her great name of Alexander took Still ply thy Pen practise thy language wittie 28 Take time inough choose seat and season fit To make good Verse at best aduantage place thee Yet worthy fruit thou shalt not reap of it For all thy toil vnless Minerua grace thee 29 For out of Man Man must him all advance That time-proof Poëms ever hopes to vtter And extased as in a holy Trance Into our hands his Sensiue part must put-her 30 For as a humane Fury makes a man Less than a man so Diuine-Fury makes-him More than himself and sacred Phrenzie than Above the Heav'ns bright-flaming Arches takes-him 31 Thence thence it is that Divine Poets bring So sweet so learned and so lasting Numbers Where Heav'ns and Nature's secret works they sing Free from the powr of Fates eternall slumbers 32 True Poets right are like winde-Instruments Which full do sound emptie their noise surceases For with their Fury lasts their Excellence Their Muse is silent when their Fury ceases 33 Sith therfore Verses have from Heav'n their spring O rarest spirits how dare you damned scorners Profanely wrest against Heaven's glorious King These sacred gifts given for your lives adorners 34 Shall your ingratefull Penns be alwayes waiting As Seruants to the Flesh and slaues to Sin Wil you your Volumes evermore be fraighting With Dreams and Fables idle Fame to win 35 Still will you fill the World with Loue-sick groans Still will you fawn on Fools and flatter Euill Still will you parbreak loathsom passions Still will you make an Angell of a Diuell 36 Still will you comment on this common Storie And Spider-like weaue idle Webs of folly O! shall we neuer hear you sing the glory Of God the great the good the iust the holy 37 Is' t not enough that in Your soules yee feel Your Paphian Fire but every Brothel-Lover T' inchaunt the wanton with his wanton stile Must Strumpet-like his lust full flame discover 38 Is' t not enough that you your selues do wallow In foul delights but that you must intice Your heed-less Readers your loose Race to follow And so for Vertue make them fall to Uice 39 Tunes Notes and Numbers whence we do transfer Th' harmonious powr that makes our Verse so pleasing The sternest Catoes are of force to stir Mans noblest spirits with gentle Fury seazing 40 And as a Seal printeth in wax almost Another Seal A learned Poet graveth So deep his passions in his Readers ghost That oft the Reader th' Authors form receiveth 41 For Verse's vertue slyding secretly By secret pipes through th' intellectuall Notions Of all that 's pourtraid artificially Imprinteth there both good and evill motions 42 Therfore did Plato from his None-Such banish Base Poëtasters that with vicious verse Corrupted manners making vertue vanish The wicked worse and even the good perverse 43 Not those that car'd to match their gracefull Phrazes To grave-sweet matters singing now the praise Of iustest Ioue anon from errors mazes Keeping th' vn-steady calling-back the strayes 44 O prophane Wrighters your lascivious Rime Makes our best Poëts to be basely deemed As Iugglers Iesters and the scum of Time Yea with the Vulgar less than these esteemed 45 You make chaste Clio a light wanton Minion Mount Helicon a Stews your ribaldrie Makes prudent Parents strict in their opinion To bar their Children reading Poëtry 46 But if you would yet'at the last inure-yee Your Gnidian Idols in the dust to trample And rouze the Genius of your sacred-Furie To shewe the World som holy Works example 47 All would admire your Rimes and doo you honour As Secretaries of the Heav'nly Court And Maiesty would make you waite vpon-her To manage Causes of the most import 48 The chain of Verse was at the first inuented To handle onely sacred mysteries With more respect and nothing else was chanted For long time after in such Poësies 46 So did my Dauid on the trembling strings Of his divine Harp onely sound his God So milde-soul'd Moses to lehouah sings Iacobs deliverance from th' Egyptian's Rod. 50 So Debora and Iudith in the Camp So Iob and Ieremy in cares oppressed In tune-ful Verses of a various stamp Their ioys and sighs divinely-sweet expressed 51 And therfore Satan who transforms him slily T' an Angel of the Light the more t' abuse In 's Oracles and Idols speaking wily Not common Prose but curious Verse did vse 52 So the fond Maid-Priests of Apollo sung His Oracles in sweet Hexameters With doubtfull Riddles from a double tongue To hap-less-hopefull conquered-Conquerers 53 So th' ancient voice in Dodon worshipped So Aesculapius Hamon and the fair And famous Sibyls spake and prophecied In Verse in Verse the Priest did make his prayer 54 So Orpheus Linus and Hesiodus Wher of the first charm'd stocks and stones they say In sacred Numbers dar'd to profit vs Their divine secrets of deep skill conuaigh 55 O! you that long so for the Laurel Crown Where 's possible a richer Theam to take Than his high praise who makes the Heav'ns go round The Mountains tremble and
tools To help our knowledge with as in all other Shools God euer cares for those that fear his name for loue And if that any such such inconvenience proue If any money need or els through ample distance Be destitute of friends he gets them for assistance The fauour of their foes whose harts he handles so How euer they intend his childrens ouerthrowe That his of what they need haue euermore inough According as he knowes to be to their behoof Now say that we consent say som that this is true But what if somwhat worse then all this worst ensue What if he be enforc't his Countrey to forsake What if continuall fits his sickly body shake What if he lose at once his wealth and reputation Repleat on euery side with euery sharp vexation Can he still keep his ioy and can he still retain Such means to profit still for all his grief and pain Concerning his content it 's alwayes all a-like Whether that euery grief particularly strike Or whether all at once he feel their vt most anger And if he be surpris'd with so extream a languor That as I sayd before the spirit it in force Through suffering of the smart that doth afflict the corps To leaue his Offices so that he cannot write Nor read nor meditate nor study nor indight It is so quickly past that in comparison Regarding so great good 't is not to think vpon For by a mighty grief our life is quickly ended Or els by remedy itself is soon amended And if it be but mean then is it born the better And so vnto the soule it is not any letter Besides we must conceiue our spirit as opprest With fainting wearines somtimes desireth rest To gather strength again during which needfull pawse We are not to be blam'd sith need the same doth cause So that the time that 's lost while such sharp pangs do pain May be suppos'd a time of taking breath again In prison to conclude a man at once may tâ—â—e All manner of extreams of earthly misery In which respect perhaps the worsesom deem of it Being as 't were the Butt that all men striue to hit But I esteem the same the perfecter for that For if one crosse alone can make vs eleuate Our groueling earth-desires from cogitations base To haue recourse to God and to implore his grace Seeking in him alone our perfect ioy and blisse Much more shall many griefs at once accomplish this For many can doo more then one without respect And still the greater cause the greater the effect Indeed say other-som these reasons haue som reason But then whence comes it that so many men in Prison With hundred thousand pains pincht and oppressed sore In steed of bettering there wax worser then before In steed of sweet content doo still complain and crie In steed of learning more lose former industry Though in apparance great your sayings seem but iust Yet plain experience sure we think is best to trust That hidden vertue â—are that so great good atchiues Lies in the Prisoners hart not in his heauy Gyues The good growe better there the bad become the wurse For by their sinne they turn Gods blessing into curse And that 's the cause the most are mal-content and sad Sith euer more the good are fewer then the bad But wherefore doth not God to all vouchsafe this grace Proud earth-worms pawse we there let 's fear before his face Admiring humbly all his holy Iudgements high Exceeding all too far our weak capacitie The Potters vessell vile doth vs our lesson showe Which argues not with him why he hath made it so Much less may we contend but rather rest content With that which God hath giuen He is omnipotent All gracious and all good most iust and perfit wise On som he poures a Sea of his benignities On som a shallow Brook on other som a Flood Giuing to som a small to som a greater Good As from eternity hath pleas'd th' eternall Spirit To loue men more or lesse without respect of merit For my part should I liue ten Nestoâ—s yeers to passe Had I a hundred tongues more smooth then Tully's was Had I a voice of steel and had I brazen sides And learning morâ— then all the Helyconian guides Yet were I all too-weak to tell the many graces That in ten thousand sorts and in ten thousand places Ten hundred thousand times he hath vouchsafed me Not for my merits sake but for his mercy free But yet 'mong all the goods that of his liberall bounty I haue receiv'd so oft none to compare accoumpt-I With this close prisonment wherein he doth with-drawe-me Far from the wanton world and to himself doth draw-me I posted on apace to ruin and perdition When by this sharp-sweet Pil my cunning kinde Physition Did purge maugre my will the poysony humor fell Where with my sin-sick hartalâ—oady gan to sivell I lookâ— for nothing lesse then foâ— these miseries And pains that I haue provid the worlds vain vanities Had so seduç'tany soule with baits of sugred bane That it was death to me from pleasure to be tane But crossing my request God for my profit gaue Me quite the contrary to that which I did craue So that my body barring from a freedom small He set my soule at large which vnto sinne was thrall Wounding with musket-shot my feeble arme he cur'd The festring sores of sinne the which my soule endur'd Tripping me from the top of som mean dignity Which drew me vpto climbe the Mount of vanity He rais'd me from the depth of vices darksom Cell The which incessantly did ding me down to Hell Easing me to conclude of all the grief and care Wherewith these false delights forever sauced are He made me finde and feel amid my most annoyes A thousand true contents and thousand perfect ioyes But som perhaps amaz'd wil muse what kinde of pleasure Here I can take and how I passe my time and leasure For in foule idlenes to spend so large a time It cannot be denied to be a grieuous crime First in the morning when the spirit is fresh and fit I suck the honey sweet from foorth the sacred VVrit Wherein by faith we taste that true celestiall bread Whence our immortall soules are euer onely â—ed Then search I out the sawes of other sage Diuines The best here to be had among whose humainlines Supported by the grace of Gods especiall power I leaue the thorn behinde and pluck the healthsom flower Somtimes I doo admire in books of Heathen men Graue-sayings sauoring more a sacred Christian pen Than many of our age whose bold vnlearned pride Thinking to honour God hath err'd on euery side Sometimes when I obserue in euery ancient storie Such vertues presidents trim patterns of true glory I wofully bewaile our wretched wicked dayes Where vertue is despis'd and vice hath all the praise Oft I lament to see so many noble Wits Neglecting Gods high praise that best
their learning fits To sing of nought but lyes and loues and wanton Theames False sooth-sin flatteries and idle Fairie dreames Then turning towards those that fill'd with holier flame For onely obiect choose th' Eternalls sacred name These chiefly I admire whose honourable browes Disdain the fained crowne of fading Laurel boughes Then full-gorg'd with the sweets of such a dainty feast Prickt forward with desire to imitate the best Oft-times I exercise this Art-les Muse of mine To sing in holy Verse some argument diuine One while to praise my God for all receiued good Another while to beg that in his deere Sons blood My black sinnes he will wash and that he will not waigh At his high Iustice beame how I haue gone a-stray Sometimes these wretched times to pittie and deplore Wherein the wicked ones do flourish more and more Sometime to waile the State of sad distressed Sion Imploring to her aide the Tribe of Iudah's Lion If any other Theame at any time I take Yet neuer doth my Verse the setled bounds forsake That Veritie prescribes nor now no more disguise The vgly face of sinne with maske of painted lies And though that heeretofore I also in my time Haue writ Loues vanities in loose and wanton râ—me 'T was as a whet-stone that whereon I whet my stile Yer it were ably-apt ought grauer to compile Yet I repent thereof for we must neuer tend To bring by euill meanes a good intent to end When as my wearie spirits some relaxation aske To recreate the same I take some other taske One while vpon the Lute my nimbleioints I plie Then on the Virginalls to whose sweet harmonie Marrying my simple voice in solemne Tunes I sing Some Psalme or holy Song vnto the heauenly King So that the idlest houre of all the time that flies So fast is neuer free from some good exercise Where in I ioy as much as euer I haue done In the most choise delights found vnderneath the Sun But you can neuer walke nor goe to take the aire Nor once looke out of doore be weather ne're so faire But there in solitude you lead your life alone Bard from the fellowship of almost euery one Which doubtles at the last must grieue you needs I thinke A man that neuer thirsts hath neuer need of drinke So though I be bereft these other things you speake of I misse nor minde them not as things I neuer reake of For I haue school'd my heart since my captiuitie To wish for nothing els but what is graunted me And what is graunted me contents me passing well In each condition doth some contentment dwell But men of differing states haue difference in delights What pleaseth common eyes that irketh Princes sights What rashlings do delight that sober men despise What fooles take pleasure in doth but offend the wise What prosperous people loath afflicted folke will loue And what the free abhorr that prisoners will approue But all haue equally indifferent power to make Them equally content that can them rightly take For whoso presently himselfe can rightly beare Hath neither passed ill nor future ill to feare Th' one which is now no more ought now no more affray-vs Th' other which is not yet as little can dismay-vs For what no essence hath that also hath no might And that which hath no power can do a man no spight Besides sith that our life is but a pilgrimage Through which we dayly passe to th' heauenly heritage Although it seeme to thee that these my bands do let me Yet haste I to the goale the which my God hath set me As fast as thou that runst thy selfe so out of breath In poasting night and day by dales and hills and heath If thou haue open fields and I be prisoner T'mporteth me no more then to the mariner Whether he go to sea shipt in some spacious arke Or els at lesser scope aboord some lesser barke Nay heer the least is best sith this vast Ocean wide Whereon we daily saile a thousand rocks doth hide Gainst which the greater ships are cast-away full oft While small boats for the most float ouer safe aloft Then may I well conclude with reason and assurance That there 's no better state then to be kept in durance A sweeter kind of life I neuer prou'd then there Nor was I euer toucht with lesser griefe and câ—re If that I care at all it is for others cause And for the miseries this times corruption drawes But being well aâ—â—ur'd that nothing heere â—â—â—â—deth Against Gods ordinance and will that all things guideth And knowing him to be good iust and most of might I gladly yeeld myselfe to th' order he hath â—ight For he it is that now makes me accept soâ—â—ll And like of this estate which others hate as hell He'tis that heeretofore vouchsaf't me like reliefe When as I was opprest with a more grieuous griefe He'tis from whom I hope in time to-come no lesse Although a hundred fold were doubled my distresse Yea he it is that makes me profit euery day And also so content in this estate to stay That of my liberty I am not now so faine To think by liberty a happier life to gaine For I were well content no more from hence to go If I might profit most my friends and countrie so Now here I humbly pray expecting such an end The Lord still towards me his fauour to extend And that he will vouchsâ—â—e still to allot like grace To all that for like cause are handled in like case FINIS OF THE WORKE AVTHOR AND TRANSLATOR LOheer a MONVMENT admir'd of all That weigh the compass weight and height of It O'retopping Eâ—uie's clowds and ever shall Sith built by deepest Art and highest Wit The BASâ— that bears it is the WORD that stands True GROVND of highest glory truth and grace The BVILDING rear'd by two rare Heads and Hands Diuinely holp to glorifie that BASE Heer French and English ioyn in friendly fight On even Ground to proue their vtmost pow'r Who shew such equall Skill and equall Might That hard it is to say who 's Conquerour But English bound to foot it like the French And offer nought but what shall like her foe It is as glorious seld to take a Wrench As being free to giue an Overthrowe If French to English were so strictly bound It would but passing lamely striue with it And soon be forc'â— to lose both grace and ground Although they straue with equall Skill and Wit Besides all Prose is easier to translate Than Uerse and easier lowe than lofty Lines Then these LINES reaching to the top of STATE Are hard'st of all yet none of all declines O fair Translation then with smoothed face Go forth t' allure TIMES Turns to turn Thee o're So shall they in thy folds vnfold thy grace And grace thee with Fames glorie more and more If * Oâ—id Metamor HE that churn'd the cream of Poetry To honied Butter that the Muses
small in sinners sight But in the end the weight doth so encrease That Iustice leaues the sinner no release Like th' Vsurer who lends vpon the skore And makes the reckles debters debt the more What if the thundring Lord his iustice stay And for such sinne do not this tyrant slay The waters of the ground and in the aere Are in the hand of God then who is there That dare sediciously his yoke refuse Although he haue not water now to vse No no though heaven do seem serene and clear On euery part and wete doth not appear He may with moisture mildly wete the land As fell when Saul the Scepter had in hand Sam. 1. 12. For all the starres that do the heaven fulfill Are all but executors of his will All this could not the peoples thirst asswage But thus with murmurs they their Lords out-rage What shall we dye O sacred soldiers bolde For pleasure of our Lords these traytours olde What shall we dye on credit for to please These wyzard fooles who winks at our vnease Who with our blood would win them selfs renown So louable as neuer shal go down Nay nay let vs cut off this seruile chain To free our selfs let vs in hands retain The ruling of this towne the forte and all Least we into these deadly dangers fall Then like a wise Physician who persaue His patient that in feruent feuer raues Yet hights him more then Art can well performe So Prince Osias in this rurall storme He promist to the people their intent If God within fiue dayes no succonr sent Then Izak left their sorrowes all and some And present wo and fear of chance to com For that if they through this gat not their will At least they would auoyd the greatest ill But Iudith then whose eyes like fountains two Were neuer dry which witnest well her wo Right sad in sound th' Almighty she besought And on the sacred scriptures fed her thought Her prayers much auaylde to raise her spreet Aboue the skye and so the scriptures sweet A holy garden was where she might finde The medcyne meet for her molested minde Then Iudith reading there as was her grace She not by hazard hapned on that place Iudicum Where the lame handed Ahud for disdain To see the Iewes the Heathen yock sustain Sm ote Eglon with a dagger to the heft And from his flank the blood and life bereft The more she read the more she wonder had Of Ahuds act and hote desire her lad T' ensue his vertue yet her feeble kinde Empeached oft the purpose of her minde Proposing oft the horrour of the deed The fear of death the danger to succeed With haszard of her name and more then that Though she like wise the peoples freedom gat Yet for a man this act more seemly wear Than for a wife to handle sword or spear While Iudith thus with Iudith did debate A puffe of wind blew down that leaf by fate Discov'ring vp the story of Iaell how She droue a naile into Sisaras brow And â—lew that Pagan sleeping on her bed Who from the Hebrews furious hoast was fled In teaching vs albeit a tyrant flee Yet can he not auoy de the Lords decree This last example now such courage lent To feeble Iudith that she now was bent With wreakfull blade to slea and to diuorce The Heathen soule from such a sinfull corse But while she did her carefull minde imploy To finde som means to murder this Vizroy She heard report that made her hart to swoune Of the determination of the toune Then all the present perils to preuent Vnto the Rulers of the towne she went Reprouing them with words of bitter sweet What do ye mean O princes indiscreet Will ye the helping hand of God restrain And captiue it within your counsels vain Will ye include him vnder course of times Who made dayes years all seasons and their primes Do not abuse your selfs his power profound Is not to mens Imaginations bound God may all that he wills his will is iust God wils all good to them that in him trust Now fathers that which doth my hopereuiue Is onely this Ther is no wight on liue Within this towne that hath contracted hands To serue dumme Gods like folk of forrain Lands All sinnes are sinne but sure this sinne exceeds Our former faults by which our blinde misdeeds Offends the heaven by which the Lord of might Is frauded of his honours due and right In wresting of the title of his name To stocks and stones and metalls men do frame Since Izak then from such a fault is free Let vs to Gods protection cast our ee Consider that all Iuda rests in fear Aspecting onely our proceedings hear Consider that all Iacob in this tresse Will follow either our force or feeblenesse Consider that this house and altar stands Next vnder God vpholden with your hands Thinke that of Izrell whole ye keep the kaye Which if ye quite and giue this tyrant way Who more then death hates all of Izaks kinne Yee shall the name of kin-betrayers winne Then sayd the Captain I cannot deny That we offended haue the Lord most hye Vnwise are we our promises are vain But what we may not call our word again But if thou feele thy hart so sore opprest That moueth thee to tears for our vnrest Alas weep night and day and neuer tyre So that thy weepings may appease the yre Of that hie Iudge who hears in euery part The perfit prayer of the humble hart I will quoth she and if God giue me grace Repell the siege of this afflicted place By famous stroke But stay me in no wise But byde the ende of my bold enterprise And let me goe when night his mantle spreeds To th' enmies Camp Quoth he if thou wilt needs The great repressour of oppressors pride Preserue thy hart and hand and be thy guide FINIS THE SVMMARIE OF The IIII. BOOKE ACcording to the promis that Iudith made to the besieged Captaines in Bethulia she prepareth herselfe with armour meet for the execution of her enterprise to wit The inuocation of the name of God with a holy determination to deliuer her countrey from the hand of the Tyrant whom she deliberates to ouercome with the sweet and faire apparence of her amiable beutie and behauiour At her departing to the enemies camp our Poet introduceth one of the chief Captains of the town discriuing to another her stock and vp bringing with the progresse of her three estates Virginitie Mariage and Widowhood Thereby setting forth a singular example of all womanly behauiour vertue After her entrance to the Camp she is brought to Holophernes who was curious to knowe the cause of her comming there And after audience giuen he is so surprised with her beutie and eloquent language that she obtaineth licence to withdrawe herself by night to the next valley there to pray to God And continuing this exercise she requireth strength of the