Chance She answered That doubtless there were fixt Decrees as Light Darkness Growth Decay as Youth Age Pain Pleasure Life Death and so in every thing else for ought my Reason can perceive For said she as Nature creates by Dissolution and dissolves by Creation so the Diattical Life says she decrees Rules and ruleth by Decrees Then they asked her What was Chance and Fortune Chances said she are visible Effects from hidden Causes and Fortune a conjunction of many sufficient Causes to produce such an Effect since that Effect could not be produced did there want any one of those Causes by reason all of them together were but sufficient to produce but that one Effect many times produces many Effects upon several Subjects and that one Effect like the Sun streams out into several rays darting upon several Subjects and again as the Sun scorches and burns some things and warms and comforts others so this Effect advances some and casts down others cures some and kills others and when the Causes vary and the Effects alter it is called Change of Fortune Then they asked her Whether she thought Faith could naturally produce any Effect She answered That in her opinion it might for said she why may not Faith which is an undoubted Belief joined to such a subject produce or beget an Effect as well as a Seed sown or set in the Earth produceth a Flower a Tree or the like or as one Creature begets another especially if the Faith and Subject whereon it is placed have a sympathy but by reason said she Faith is not so customary a way of producing as other ways are it causeth many Doubts which Doubts are like cold Northern Winds or sharp biting Frosts which nip and kill the Buds of Faith which seldom or never lets the Effects come to perfection Then they asked VVhat the Sun was She answered A Body of Fire Then they askedher VVhat Light was She answered Light was enflamed Air. They said That if Light was enflamed Air it would burn all things and so consume the World She answered That in thin Bodies Fire had but little power to burn for the thinness of the Matter weakens the power of the Strength which causeth Flame said she to be of no great Heat for the hot Flames do rather sindg than burn and the thinner the substance is that is set on fire the purer the Flame is and the purer the Flame is the less Heat it gives as the Flame of Aqua-vitae that may be eaten with Sops Then they asked her What Air was She answered That Air was the Smoak produced from Heat and Moisture For Air said she is a thin Oyl which is set on fire by the fiery Sun or is like a fiery Substance and fiery Motions whose Flame is light Then they asked her what Darkness was She answered Darkness was the absence of Light And then they asked why it was dark immediately when the passage of Light was stopped and that if it were inflamed Air it would burn and give Light as long as that inflamed Air lasted She answered that when the fiery Rays that issued from the Sun were cut off the flame went out for said she it is not the Air that feeds the Flame but the fire that is in the Flame and when that Fire is spent or taken away the Flame dyes this is the reason said she that as soon as the Rays of the Fire is cut off or shut out or taken away it is dark and when they are eclipsed the Light is dull and dim but as I said before Light is only Air set on flame by the fiery Sun and the Blewest Sky is the thinnest Flame being the purest Air and just as if we should carry a Candle away we carry the light also which is the Flame so doth the Sun and as we bring a Candle or the like into a Room we bring in the light so doth the Sun Where the Fire is there is the greatest light and when a Screen is set before it the light is eclipsed and when kindled Fire as a Candle or the like is carried quite from the place it leaves as great a darkness as if it were put out just so doth the Sun which is the World's Candle when it goeth down draweth away the light which is the Flame and as it riseth it bringeth in the Fire which causeth the Flame and when it is high-Noon then is the brightest light as casting no shadows if nought Eclipses it and when Clouds get before it it is Eclipsed as with a Screen and when it is quite removed to another part of the World it doth as if it went into another Room or Chamber leaving no light behind it for twi-light is caused from the Rays of the Sun for though the Body of the Sun is gone from off such a part of the Earth yet the Rays which are the spreading-part of Fire are not quite drawn away as soon as the Sun for as those Rays usher the Sun-rising so they follow the Sun-setting and though these Rays of Fire which are the Beams of the Sun enflame the Air yet not so bright as the Body of the Sun doth and where the Sun is gone so far as the Beams cannot reach that part of it becomes dark It is not the gross Clouds as some think make twi-light for we see a cloudy day makes the twi-light seem shorter though it be not and it is by reason they eclipse the enflamed Air for Clouds are rather Vapour than Air and though Vapour and Air have some relation the like hath Vapour and Water and Vapour when it is gathered into the Clouds doth rather eclipse than prolong light They said That if the Light was Flame the Vapoury Clouds might quench it out She answered That although Vapour could eclipse the Light it could not put out the light of the Sun 't is true said she it may and doth often allay the fiery heat in the Rays for some days will be cooler than other days although the Sun be higher and some will be cooler than others although in the same degree of the Sun by reason of low Marish Grounds or near great Rivers from whence Vapours arise But though the Vapour may abate the heat in the Rays as the enflamed Air and eclipse the light either of Mists or Fogs or when they are gathered into Clouds yet they can neither put out the light nor quench out the heat of the Sun which is the Fountain of both no more than a drop of Water can quench a House on fire The Sun is a World of bright shining Fire from which other Worlds receive both light and heat 'T is true if there could be such a quantity of Water as could equal the Sun's power it might quench the Sun unless the Sun be an eternal Fire But as for Vapour were there a greater quantity than what arises from the Earth it could not change the natural property of the Sun besides Vapour is of a
the Earth The Man answered They made much noise in talk and took great pains and bestowed great costs to find the Philosophers Stone which is to make the Elixir but could never come to any perfection Alas said the old Man they are too unconstant to bring any thing to perfection for they never keep to one certain ground or track but are always trying of new Experiments so that they are always beginning but never go on towards an end Besides said he they live not long enough to find the Philosophers Stone for said he 't is not one nor two Ages will do it but there must be many Ages to bring it to perfection But I said he living long and observing the course of Nature strictly am arrived to the height of that Art and all the Gold that is digged out of the Mines was converted by me for in the beginning of the World there was very little Gold to be found and neither my Brother Adam nor his Posterity after him for many Ages knew any such thing but since I have attained to the perfection of that Art I have made so many Mines that it hath caused all the outward parts of the World to go together by the ears for it but I will not hereafter make so much as to have it despised As for my Stills said he they are the Pores of the Earth and the Waters I distill are the sweet Dews the Oily part is the Ambergreece and the Chymists know not how or from whence or from what it comes for some say from Trees others that it is the Spawn of some kind of Fish so some think it one thing some another The saltness of the Sea comes also from Chymistry and the Vapour that arises from the Earth is the Smoak that steems from my Stills But said he the World is not to continue long as it is for I will by my Art turn it all into Glass that as my Brother Adam transplanted Men from Earth by his sin some to Heaven some to Hell so I will transplant the World from Earth to Glass which is the last act of Chymistry Then the Man observing a great concourse of Waters that went with a violent force close by the Center he asked the old Man How came that Water there He answered It was the Gutter and Sink of the Earth for whatsoever Water the Sun drank from the Sea and spued upon the Earth run through the Veins into the Sea again by the Center all little Pipe-Veins meeting there or else said he the World would be drowned again for at Noah's Flood those Pipe-Veins were commanded by Jove to be stopt and after such a time to be opened again I wonder said the Man that all the weighty Materials in the World do not fall upon your Head and so kill you Why so they would said he if they lay all together on a heap but as every thing hath a several motion so every thing hath a proper place for Gold and Iron never dwell together in the Earth neither are all kinds of Stones found in one Quarry nor do all the Mines or Quarries join together but some are in one place and some in another which poises the weight of the Earth equally and keeps it from falling The Man said You have but a melancholy life being none here but your self O said the old Man the Riches of the Earth and all the Varieties thereof come into my Compass This place is the Heart or Soul of Plenty Here have I sweet Dormice fat Moles nourishing Worms industrious Ants and many other things for Food Here are no Storms to trouble me nor Tempests to disorder me but Warmth to cherish me and Peace and Quiet to comfort and joy me the drilling-Waters are my Musick the Glow-worms my Lights and my Art of Chymistry my Pass-time When he had done speaking they took their leaves craving pardon for their abrupt Visit and giving him thanks for his gentle entertainment But the old Man very kindly prayed them to have a care of themselves as they returned for said he you must go through Cold Crude Aguish and Hot Burning Pestilent places for there are great Damps in the Earth as also a great Heat and Fire in the Earth although it gives not Light like the Sun for the Heat of the Earth said he is like the Fire in a Coal and that of the Sun like that of a Flame which is a thinner part of Substance set on fire and is a weaker or fainter Heat but the Sun said he gives more Heat by his quick Motion than the Heat gives Motion And though said he the Fire be the subtillest of all Elements yet it is made slower or more active by the substance it works upon for Fire is not so active upon solid Bodies as it is upon leighter and thinner Bodies So the Witch and the young Man's Spirit gave him thanks and departed But going back they found not the ways so pleasant as when they went for some ways were deep and dirty others heavy and clayie some boggy and sandy some dry and dusty and great Waters high Mountains Stony and Craggy Hills some of them very Chalky and Limy But at last arriving where they set out he found his Body there and putting it on as a Garment gave thanks to the Witch and then went home to rest his weary Spirits The Tale of the Lady in the Elyzium THERE was a Lord that made love to a Lady upon very honourable terms for the End was Marriage This Lady received his Love with great Affection and it chanced that upon the hearing of a report That he was married to another she fell into a swound for above an hour insomuch that they all thought her to be dead but at last returning to her self again one told her That he thought her Soul had utterly forsaken her Mansion the Body No said she 't was only the sudden and violent Passion which had hurried my Soul to Charon's Boat in a distracted Whirlwind of Sighs where in the Croud I was Ferried over to the Elyzium-Fields They ask'd her What manner of place it was She answered Just such a place as the Poets have described Pleasant green Fields but as dark as a shady Grove or the dawning of the Day or like a sweet Summer's Evening when the Nightingal begins to sing which is at the shutting up of the day But when I was there said she I met with such Company as I expected not Who were those said they Julius Caesar and the Vestal Nunn Nero and his Mother Agrippa and Catiline and his Daughter Cornelia and such as Anthony and Cleopatra Dido and AEneas sans nomber But finding not my chast Lover there said she I went to Charon and told him The Fates had neither spun out my Thread nor cut it in sunder but they being careless in the spinning it was not so hard twisted as it should have been insomuch that the report of my Lover's Marriage
House and Goods on fire Where her rich Furniture did soon expire Then Envy sought all ways to pull her down And tax'd her Land as due unto the Crown And in that Suit great Sums of Money vast Lawyers ingross'd which made those Sums to wast And when those Lawyers got all that she had They cast her Suit as if her Cause was bad By which her Lands she lost then only left Her rich with Beauty but of Lands bereft In which she pleasure took although but poor Of Fortune's Goods of Nature's Giftssh ' had store But when the Gods did see her still content At last they to her Body Sickness sent She patient was her Beauty still did last But when that they their Judgment on that cast Making a Grave to bury Beauty in Which Beauty once did tempt the Saints to sin Because her Face so full of Pock-holes were That none could judg that Beauty once dwelt there Then did she sit and weep turn'd day to Night Asham'd she was to shew her Face the light Time an Ingraver cuts the Seal of Truth And as a Painter draws both age and youth His Colours mix'd with Oyl of Health lays on The plump smooth Youth he pencils thereupon Shadows of Age he placeth with much skill Making the hollow places darkest still But Time is slow and leisure he doth take No price will hasten him his Works to make But accidental Chance who oft doth jarr With aged Time and then some Works doth marr But when her wealth was gon and state was down Then did her Friends and Servants on her frown So far now from professing Slavery As they did use her most uncivilly Would rail against her spightful words throw out Or had she been but guilty would no doubt Betray her life such natures have Mankind That those in Misery no Friends can find For Fortune's Favours only Friendships make But few are Friends only for Virtue 's sake In Fortune's Frowns Man will not only be A Neuter but a deadly Enemy Nay ev'n a Devil to torment the Mind If he no mischief ' gainst the body find But after she had mourn'd Three hundred days Consid'ring Nature's Fortune's various ways She did repent weeping for what was past Imploring Gods to pity her at last Good Gods forgive my Vanity and Pride Let not my Soul with sinful spots be dy'd Let your great Mercies scour those spots off clean That by your Justice no spots may be seen Consider Lord the Works that Nature makes The Matter Motion and the Form she takes The Grounds and Principles on which she builds The Life and Death in all things she distills Is various still in what she doth compose Nothing but wild Inconstancy she shows Nor is it only the substantial part That is compos'd thus by her Curious Art But what we call Immortal as the Soul Doth various passions appetites controul And as all bodies that are young want strength And wait for Time to give them breadth and length So doth the Soul want Understanding too And knows not what is best to think or do Wherefore great Jove I never shall despair Of thy sweet Mercy nor yet Devils fear To punish Ignorance Youth rash ways runs Which Age by long-experienc'd knowledg shuns But Age oft time 's as faulty as Youths be Corrupted with bad Principles we see That length of Time and Custom makes them shew As if in Man they naturally grew But to conclude the time she had to live She heartily unto the Gods did give Though young into a Nunnery she went Her Vows unto the Gods she did present Her Days not being long she soon there dy'd And now her Soul with Angels doth reside For with her Penance Tears and Contrite Spirit She wash'd away her sins and Heav'n did merit The next Tale when you read it will discover The fortunate or the unfortunate Lover A Mock-Tale of the Lord Duke of Newcastle which his Grace was pleased to say out of his great Civility That it would serve for Shadows to set off the rest He loving Truth so well that he was never good at telling Tales A Young and Lusty Cheshire-Lad did move In Venus Sphere and was so fill'd with Love When first he saw a lovely Lass at Chester Whose badg of Christianity was Hester So beautiful and fair she did appear Fresh as the welcome Spring to the New Year And Odoriferous as Flower 's birth As fair as new-born Lillies from the Earth This set the young Man's heart in Love's Flame Fire Struck dumb in Love turn'd all now to admire At last Love found a Tongue which did not fail To burst out violently and thus to rail Cursing now partial Nature that did give More beauty to her than elsewhere doth live Bankrupt in Beauty since her store is gone Mankind condemn'd to foul ones now or none Was Nature lavish or else made the Thest Upon her self since she hath nothing left Of what is handsom so I now do find He enjoys thee enjoys all Womankind For Beauty Favour and what 's height of Pleasure Since thou art Nature's Store-house her Treasure O love me then since all my hopes are crost If I enjoy you not I 'm wholly lost For what I can call Happiness nay worse My Life then to me 's but a fatal Curse But if you yeeld I 'le bless Dame Nature's Gift And Bounty to you since 't was all her drist To make her Master-piece in you and vex The envious Females angring all your Sex And if her bounty to you you give me I shall be Deifi'd in love by thee Here on my knees I beg thy Love thus low Until I have it my Knees here shall grow Therefore be kind She answer'd with sweet Eyes Which spoke not speaking for to bid him rise And then discours'd with modest blushes so As that did tell him all her heart did know Trembling and shaking with Love's Palsi'd Tung With broken Sighs and half Words it was strung Love's Comma's Full-Points and Parenthesis And this Love's Rhetorick Oratory is With Love's pale-difficulty then afraid She softly said O I 'm a tender Maid And never heard such language you 'l deceive me And now I wish I could wish you would leave me Why d' ye inchant a silly Maid alas I never saw such beauty in my Glass And yet I 've heard of flatt'ring Glasses too But nothing flatters like you Men that woo Your Tongue 's Love's Conjuration without doubt Circles me here in Love cannot get out By your Love 's Magick whispering Then did yield And said You 've conquer'd and have won the field Such Joy between them such new Passions rais'd Which made the God of Love himself amaz'd Since by no Tongue or Pen can be exprest Cupid and Hymen ne're hop'd such a Feast But see the Fate of business which doth move So cross For Business hath no sense of Love O thou dull Bus'ness Yet some States-men pry Into Love's Secrets with a glancing Eye But here
Sword did rule and keep them all in aw No Prayers offer'd to the Gods on high All Ceremony in the Dust did lye Nothing was done in Order Truth and Right Nought govern'd then but Malice Spleen Spight But mark how justly Gods do punish Men To make them humble and to bow to them Though they had Plenty and thereof did eat They relish'd not that good and savoury Meat Because their Conscience did them so torment For all their Plenty they were discontent They took no rest Cares so oppress'd their Mind No Joy nor Comfort in the World could find When drowsie sleep upon their Eyes did set Then fearful Visions in their Dreams they met In Life no pleasure take yet fear to dye No Mercy can they hope from Gods on high O serve the Gods and then the Mind will be Always in peace and sweet tranquillity A Woman said A Tale I mean to tell That in those Warrs unto a Cross befell AN ancient Cross liv'd in our Father's time With as much Fame as did the Worthies nine No harm it did or injury to none But dwelt in peace and quietly alone On Times or Government did not complain But stood Stone-still not stirr'd in no King's Reign Both Winter's Snow and Summer's scorching Sun It did endure and Urin'd was upon Yet peaceful Nature nor yet humble Mind Shall not avoid rude Ignorance that 's blind That superstitiously beats down all things Which smell but of Antiquity or springs From Noble Deeds nor love nor take delight In Laws or Justice hating Truth and Right But Innovations love for that seems fine And what is new adore they as Divine That makes them so neglect the Gods above For Time doth waste both their respect and love And so this Cross poor Cross all in a rage They pull'd down quite the fault was only Age. Had it been gilded gloriously and brave They Vanity for an excuse might have But it was poor its Mortar all off worn Which Time had eaten as when Dogs have torn The Flesh from Bones of Hares or harmless Sheep Or like to Skeletons that Scholars keep If they had pious been it might have stood To mollifie the Minds of Men to good But they were wicked hating every thing That by example might to goodness bring Then down they pull'd it leaving not one stone Upon another for it to be known To after-ages for the Ground lies bare And none can know that once the Cross stood there Then said a Man I can this Tale well fit For I a Tale can tell that 's like to it IN old times when Devotion false did reign A Church was built although to use prophane Was Consecrated as Diana's right Who was their Goddess of the Moon-shine bright But afterwards when Truth with Zeal did flame It Christned was and bore Jove's mighty Name And dedicated to the Sun above Then married was became his Spouse and Love Long did she live in Duty Peace and Zeal Became an Honour to the Commonweal Was curiously adorn'd within without The Quoire all hung with Hangings rich about With Marble Tombs and Statues carv'd and cut Wherein the Bodies of good Saints were put There polish'd Pillars long the Iles did stand And Arched Roofs built by a skilful hand With Painted Windows plac'd on either side At every end were Gates large open wide And all the inside was most bravely gilt As all the outside with Free-stone were built There Choristers did sing each several Note And Organs loud did answer ev'ry throat And Priests there taught Men how to pray and live Rewards and Punishments which Jove did give But mark this Temple was destroy'd by sin Since they did leave to worship Jove therein Because this Church profan'd by sinful Men Was made a Stable and for Thieves a Den. No surer mark of Wrath when Gods do frown Then to give leave to pull their Temples down A Lady said these VVarrs her Soul did shake And the remembrance made her heart to ake My Brother then was murther'd in cold-blood Incircled round with Enemies he stood Where he like to a fixed Starr shin'd bright They like to black and pitchy Clouds of Night He like the Sun his Courage like that Heat Their Envy like bad Vapours strove to beat His Light of Honour out but pow'rful Fame Did throw their spight back on their heads with shame And though they struck his Body not his Mind For that in Death through all their Malice shin'd He valiant was his Spirits knew no fear They never chill'd when they in Battel were And strove to give more blows than safety sought His Limbs most vigour had when most he fought He spoke not loud nor sung his fear to hide With silence march'd and quietly did ride Viewing the Armies with a watchful Eye And careful was advantages to spye If that his Soldiers chanc'd to run away He ran not after them to make them stay As some Commanders which will call and run After the Soldiers when the Flight's begun But when once gone seldom return again But with their Soldiers they will safe remain But he amongst his Foes like Earth was fix'd Or like to Fire himself was intermix'd And their great solid Bodies did divide Pulling their Fabrick down on either side Until his Mercy did for Favour pray Unto his Courage so to run away He made them know he was a Soldier good Train'd up in Warrs which Art he understood Besides his Genius was prompt thereunto Wit Skill Invention knew what best to do Which made the Foe more fierce his Life to take For fear that he their ruin soon would make For they so soon as he was in their pow'r Like greedy Vulturs did his Life devour He stood their Rage his Courage knew no fear Nor on grim Death with terror did he stare But did embrace her with a Generous Mind VVith Noble Thoughts and Kisses that were kind Vollies of Shot did all his Body tear VVhere his blood 's spilt the Earth no Grass will abear As if for to revenge his Death the Earth VVas curs'd with barrenness ev'n from her birth And though his Body in the Grave doth lye His Fame doth live and will eternally His Soul 's Immortal and so is his Fame His Soul in Heav'n doth live and here his Name The next time had a Man his turn to speak Who said That Civil-Warrs made Rich men break Populous Kingdoms that do flourish well In Peace and Plenty then to ruin fell WHen I with grief unto remembrance bring The blessed time men liv'd with a goodKing To think at first how happy such do raign And in what Peace such Kingdoms do remain VVhere Magistrates do sit in Justice Throne Few Crimes committed Punishments scarce known The Nobles liv'd in state and high degree All happy even to the Peasantry Where easie Laws no Tax to make them poor All live Plenty full is every Store They Customs have to recreate the Mind Not barbarous but civil gentle kind
from Violence and Scandal in a Wandring-life or a Travelling-condition IN the Kingdom of Riches after a long and sleepy Peace over-grown with Plenty and Ease Luxury broke out into Factious Sores and Feverish Ambition into a Plaguy Rebellion killing numbers with the Sword of Unjust Warr which made many flye from that Pestilent Destruction into other Countreys and those that stayed sent their Daughters and Wives from the Fury of the Inhuman Multitude chusing to venture their Lives with the hazzards of Travels rather than their Honours and Chastities by staying at home amongst rough and rude Soldiers But in ten years Warrs the Ignorant-Vulgar being often in the Schools of Experience whipt with Misery had learnt the Lesson of Obedience and Peace that laid all that time in a Swound was revived to life and Love the Vital Spirits thereof being restored to their orderly Motions and Zeal the Fire of the Publick Heart flaming a-new did concoct the undigested Multitudes to a pure good Government and all those that Fear or Care had banished were invited and called home by their natural Affections to their Countrey A Lady amongst the rest enricht by Nature with Virtue Wit and Beauty in her returning-voyage felt the spight of Fortune being cast by a storm from the place she steered to upon the Kingdom of Sensuality a Place and People strange unto her No sooner was she landed but Treachery beset her and those she entrusted left her Her years being but few had not gathered Experience enough to give her the best direction Thus knowing not how to dispose of her self wanting means for support and calling her young and tender Thoughts to counsel at last they did agree She should seek a service And going to the chief City which was not far from the Haven-Town with a Skipper whom she had entreated to go along with her he left her in a poor and mean house to Chance Time and Fortune where her Hostess seeing her handsome was tempted by her Poverty and Covetousness to consider her own Profit more than her Guest's Safety selling her to a Bawd which used to traffick to the Land of Youth for the Riches of Beauty This old Bawd having commerce with most Nations could speak many Languages and this Lady 's amongst the rest and what with her Languages and her flattering Words she inticed this young Lady to live with her and this old Bawd her supposed vertuous Mistress used her kindly fed her daintily clothed her finely insomuch as she began to think she was become the Darling of Fortune but yet she keeps her closely from the view of any until her best Customers came to the Town who were at that time in the Countrey In the mean time her Mistress began to read her Lectures of Nature telling her She should use her Beauty while she had it and not to waste her Youth idly but to make the best profit of both to purchase Pleasure and Delight besides said she Nature hath made nothing in vain but to some useful End and nothing meerly for its self but for a common Benefit and general Good as you see by the Earth Water Air and Fire Sun Moon Starrs Light Heat Cold and the like So is Beauty with Strength and Appetites either to delight her Creatures that are in being or to procure more by Procreation for Nature only lives by Survivers and that cannot be without Communication and Society Wherefore it is a sin against Nature to be reserved and coy and take heed said she of offending Nature for she is a great and powerful Goddess transforming all things out of one shape into another and those that serve her faithfully and according as she commands she puts them in an easie and delightful Form but those that displease her she makes them to be a trouble and torment to themselves wherefore serve Nature for she is the only and true Goddess and not those that men call upon as Jupiter Juno and a hundred more that living-men vainly offer unto being only Men and Women which were Deified for Invention and Heroick Actions for unto these dead though not forgotten Gods and Goddesses as they are called through a Superstitious Fear and an Idolatrous Love to Ceremony and an Ignorant Zeal to Antiquity Men fruitlesly pray But Nature is the only true Goddess and no other wherefore follow her Directions and you shall never do amiss for we that are old said she are Nature's Priests and being long acquainted with her Laws and Customs do teach Youth the best ways to serve her in The young Lady being of a quick apprehension began to suspect some Design and Treachery against her and though her Doubts begot great Fears yet her confidence of the Gods protection of Virtue gave her Courage and dissembling her discovery as well as she could for the present gave her thanks for her Counsel But when she was gone considering in what a dangerous condition she stood and that the Gods would not hear her if she lazily called for help and watch'd for Miracles neglecting Natural Means whereupon she thought the best way was secretly to convey her self out of that place and trust her self again to Chance by reason there could not be more danger than where she was But those thoughts being quickly cut off because she could find no possibility of an escape being strictly kept by the care of the old Bawd for fear she should give away that by enticement which she meant to sell at a high rate Wherefore she was forced to content her self and to satisfie her Fears with hopes of finding some means to be delivered from those dangers praying to the Gods for their assistance to guard her from cruel Invaders of Chastity But after two or three days a Subject Prince of that Countrey which was a grand Monopolizer of young Virgins came to the Town which was the Metropolitan City of that Countrey where as soon as he came he sent for his chief Officer the old Bawd to know of her how his Customers encreased who told him she had a rich Prize which she had seized on and kept only for his use telling him She was the rarest Piece of Nature's Works only faith she she wants mature confidence but Time and heat of Affection would ripen her to the height of Boldness So home she went to prepare for his coming adorning her House with costly Furniture setting up a rich Bed as an Altar to Venus burning pleasant and sweet Perfumes as Incense to her Deity before the Sacrifice of Chastity Youth and Beauty and instead of Garlands dress'd her with costly and rich Jewels But the fair Aspect of her Beauty her lovely Features exact Proportion graceful Behaviour with a sweet and modest Countenance was more adorned thus by Nature's dress than those of Art But these Preparations turned Miseriae for so she was called from Doubts to a perfect belief of what she feared before and not knowing how to avoid the Shipwrack she grew
water as sower Vinegar doth Milk and as curded parts will lye in clods so VVater in flakes of Snow Hail said she is broken water or rather crumbbled water for as a hand which nips a piece of Bread crumbles it by rubbing it between their fingers so doth some sort of cold Motions break and crumble water into a number of small parts and as many crumbs ' of Bread will stick together through the moist clamminess lying in little lumps so doth the broken parts of water which is Hail-stones and though the Body is divided into abundance of little parts yet every part is more compact as being closer contracted with being crusht and nipt together As for Frost said she that is candyed or crusted Vapour which is rarified water for as some sorts of hot Motions candy Sugar so some sorts of cold Motions candy's Vapour Likewise said she as Milk changes not the nature from being Milk with curding nor Bread with crumbling nor Sugar with candying so Water changes not the nature with contractions or dividings into Snow Hail Ice and Frost As for Ice it is made by such a kind of cold Motion as hot Motions make Glass for as fire in a hot Furnace calcines some sorts of Earth and the purest to Glass so doth the strongest of such sorts of cold Motions congeal Water into Ice And as some hot Motions strive to convert Earth into Water as we may see by making Earth into Glass so some sorts of cold Motions do turn Water into Earth as by condensing into Ice Hail Snow and Frost and as Snow and Ice is nothing but condensed Water so Glass is nothing but calcined or rarified Earth for that fine Earth which makes Glass is so rarified by the hot fire in a Furnace which blows and spreads it as thin and clarified it as clear as Water only it makes it not liquid and fluid yet whilst it is in the fire it is in a degree of being fluid for it is soft and clammy Thus Fire makes Earth so near like Water as it is transparent shining and smooth and brings it into the mid-way but it wants the liquid wet and fluid Motions which some will call Parts to make it perfect Water And I suppose that Crystals Diamonds and the like are only the purest part of Earth turn'd by the heat in the Earth or in the Sun to a Glassy substance but stronger as being wrought by a natural Heat and not by an artificial Heat or Fire but as Glass is a rarified Earth so Air is a rarified Water and Smoak a rarified Oyl and Oyl is a fluid Sulphur and Flame is a fluid Fire and Quick-silver is a fluid Metal Then they asked her Whether there were Natural Elements not subject to be Metamorphosed She answered Yes They asked How she would prove it She said She would prove there was a natural Fire by the Sun which never changes his heat or â—â—ffens his light nor alters his natural Properties of attracting contracting and the like and to prove a metamorphosed Fire is Lightning Meteors Fevours and the like and to prove a natural Water is the Sea and to prove a metamorphosed Water is Vapour and to prove a natural Air is the Serene and to prove a metamorphosed Air is Wind and said she the difference of natural Elements and those that are called metamorphosed is that the natural Elements cannot lose their properties as those that are metamorphosed do by changing from one thing to another For say the natural Elements be mixed yet they quit not their natural properties as for example mix Wine or Aqua-vitae or the like and VVater and though they are mixt yet they lose not their natural properties as the VVater to cool and VVine to heat for put a drop of wine to a pint of water or to an ocean and it will be so much more hotter as the quantity of a drop can heat and so for a drop of water to so much wine and it is so much colder as the quantity of a drop can cool for though they mix yet they lose not their properties neither doth their mixture take from their pure nature Then they asked her If a natural or metamorphosed Element might not corrupt a pure Element She said No being not subject to change more than a gross and malignant Vapour can corrupt the Sun but said she natural Elements can and do often-times purifie corruption if they be not obstructed for though they cannot be changed they may be obstructed as we see dark Clouds will obstruct the natural light of the Sun and many times the natural heat yet they can neither quench out the one nor put out the other the like is the continuance of the natural Elements But perchance you will say that you talk of an Element and I speak of a Planet I say that for example But though the Sun is a Planet yet it is an Elementary Fire and though Earth may be called a Planet yet it is an Elementary Earth and for all we can know the Moon may be an Elementary VVater but howsoever there may be a natural Fire which is an unalterable Fire which you may call the Elementary Fire as the Sun and so the rest of the Elements for any thing that Reason can prove against it Then they asked her If Nature did work always exactly She answered No for Nature doth seldom work so exactly as to bring often to perfection not the Bodies of all Animals especially Mankind either in the Body or Mind much less to make them both exactly answerable or answerably exact As for their Bodies for the most part they are neither in proportion nor lineaments answerable to each other for some have well-shap'd Hands Legs and Feet and ill-shap'd Bodies others well-shap'd Bodies and ill-featured Faces and ill-shap'd Legs and Feet also some have one Feature in the Face excellent and all the rest ill-favour'd The like is the Mind for some have good Capacities and Understandings to some things and to others are as dull as sensless Blocks some are witty upon some Subjects and are meer fools to others so some will be good-natured to some things and bad or cruel to others without cause Likewise Nature seldom makes a Body and Mind answerable for some have an ill-favoured Body but a noble Soul and rational Understanding others most beautiful Bodies but base Souls and depraved Understandings which shews as if Nature took so much pains and care in making the one as she became weary before she began the other and sometimes she seems lazy in the beginning of her Work and sometimes as if she were idle in the midst of her Work and sometimes as if she were quite tired at the finishing of her Work as when she makes ill-favoured and weak Bodies imperfect Senses and ill or foolish Minds then she is lazy at the beginning and when she makes some parts exact and some defective then she is idle working by halfs and when she
her But the Spider perceiving his intention thus spake Sir You that pretend to Justice be just to me and hear me first speak for What is more unjust than to censure strike or kill before you know whether your Doom be deservedly given and you must be clear from the same Faults before you can justly punish another for the like Crimes as also be free from Partiality lest you become cruel to one through your tender pity to the other But to answer for my self I do not only spin thus to catch the Flyes but it is my House in which I dwell which no sooner have I built it up but the Flyes strive to break it down for if you would but observe that when I have spun my Web they straight flye into it which I no sooner see but I run upon my Threads to assault them and so catch them if I can for since I cannot keep my House from being assaulted I strive to make it a Snare to intangle my Foes therein and by that means I make it a Mischief to fall on their own Heads and What Creature hath Nature made but if they had power would defend themselves But say I spun this Web only to catch Flyes to feed upon it were no Crime in Nature for What Creature is there that will spare the Life of another if it be to maintain his own since Self-preservation is the chief of Nature's Works and of all her Works Man seeks it most and not only so but he delights in Spoil which is against Nature for Doth not Man take delight and account it as one of his Recreations to kill those Creatures that he refuses to eat Nay Man will destroy his own Kind for What Warrs and Slaughter do they make out of a covetous Ambition for Power and Authority But if you be so just as you pretend then first cast out all Intemperate Desires Make Peace among your selves then may you be fit Judges to decide the Quarrels of other Creatures and to punish Offendors when you are innocent otherwise you will but shew your self an Usurper wresting that Power that belongs not to you and a Tyrant to execute with the Sword of Cruelty destroying Truth and Right The Man when he had heard the Spider's Discourse turned his Back and went his ways A Dialogue betwixt a great Lady and her Maid of Honour THERE was a great rich Lady talking to one of her Maids of Honour of several things at last she began to speak of the false Reports Envy and Malice had raised in the World Her Maid told her If she would not be angry she would tell her what they said of her Do so said she for I do not censure my self according as the World's reports which most commonly are false but I judg my self according to my Life which is my Thoughts and Actions Wherefore they cannot move my Anger at any thing they say and so you may relate without offence Maid They say You are Proud Lady I am so in scorning what is base Maid They say You prize your Title of Honour at too high a rate Lady That 's false said she I only prize such Titles as being the Mark of Merit for only Merit dignifies a Man and not those Titles of Honour which gain a Luster from the Worth of those they are placed upon Maid They say You are vain in making Shews of State and Stately Shews Lady Why answered she the Gods delight in Ceremonies which are devout Shows and this World which they have made is like a Pageant or Masquing-Scenes and when Great Kings neglect their Ceremonies their State goes down And with their State they lose their Kingly Crown Maid They say You are so Proud that you will not sit because all others by you should stand Lady They are deceived said she for I would rather stand whilst others sit for as they sit they bow lower towards the Earth By which my Slaves and Vassals they do shew Maid They say You will not eat your Meat but by your self alone which proves you Proud or Covetous Lady It proves me neither for Why should I disgust my Palat in hearing a confused Noise For when good Meat and Wine fumes to their Brains their Tongues become unruly Neither is it out of Covetousness for I do not only keep one well-furnished Table but many and do allow Entertainment to all Civil Guests Maid They say You are Proud because you will receive no Visits but at set and certain times Lady Why should I spend my time in idle talk since Life is short or to disturb my solitary hours which is the best and happiest time of Life wherein Man only doth enjoy himself Maid They say You are not Sociable in not carrying abroad your Neighbours or your Friends as other Ladies of great Titles do which send about to other Ladies to accompany them abroad to fill their Train and make a Shew Lady I hate to be attended upon Courtesie or make a Shew of Borrowed-Favours or fill my Train with bare Acquaintance or humble Companions to have my Estate none of my own only to make a seeming-Shew and when they are gone my Estate is gone and I left alone naked and bare having none that I can command about me No when I appear abroad I will only be attended and waited upon by such as live upon my Bounty or are raised by my Favours I will have no patch'd Train made up of Strangers it shall be all my own although it be the shorter otherwise what Shews soever it makes it is but mean and poor expressing more Vain-glory than it doth State Besides it cheats and cozens Noble Honour for should a King be attended and served in State with other Subjects than his own upon another King's Charge or Courtesie he would not seem to those that are wise to have great Power But he is Great whose Kingdom is fully populated and all do bow with an obedient Knee and are ready to serve his Will So like Potent Kings in my Degree will I be served and waited on by my own Family with Duty and Obedience and not by Strangers who are like Forreigners and are apt to mutiny and make a Warr or think they do me Honour No I will have none but such as think I honour them and if I have Merit I do so although they be of equal rank if by my Worth or Fortune I do grace or assist them any way for it is an Honour to receive a Bounty or a Favour from Persons of Merit Maid They say You do dislike when any Man falutes you although of Quality Lady How salutes me Maid Why to kiss you Lady Why ought not every honest Woman so to do For Kisses are Cupid's Gentlemen-Ushers and Venus Waiting-Maids which oft betray the Men to wild Desires and kindles in their Hearts unlawful Fire Wherefore I would have that Custom banished quite especially by Husbands that do prize their Honour But Envy doth misemploy
the Tongue and leads Mankind to base Actions making their Life like leaking-Vessels where precious Time doth idly drop away Maid I have heard That all the VVorld was pictured in Fool 's Cap. Lady 'T is strange it should be so for Nature that did make it and Gods that rule it are wise but Men are bad which makes me not care what they say for I divide Mankind into Four parts whereof three are naught One part I hate as being Wicked The second I scorn as being Base And the third I pity as being Ignorantly foolish Maid VVhat is the fourth part Madam Lady The fourth part I may divide into four parts more One part I admire as being VVise. The second part I honour as being Noble The third part I love as being Good The fourth part I rely on as being Valiant Maid There would be little Security if only the fourth part of the fourth part were Valiant for the other parts might overpower them Lady O no Cowards know not their own strength because they dare not try it and one Valiant Man if Fortune sits but idle will beat at least twenty Cowards But Fortune for the most part is a Friend to Cowards and to Fools more than to the Valiant and the VVise yet oft-times the Valiant and the VVise do make a passage through though Fortune do obstruct Maid But Madam if there were so few Valiant there would not be so much VVarr amongst Mankind as is Lady O yes for Cowards fight for fear and Valiant Men do set them on and were it not for those that are Valiant and VVise there would neither be Justice nor Propriety Maid Indeed Justice is pictured with a Sword in one hand and a pair of Balances in the other Lady That shews that VVisdom doth justly weigh Truth and Valour doth maintain the Right Maid I have heard a Proverb Madam That be that is wise is honest Lady And those that are not Valiant can never be constantly Honest for said the Fear would put them out of Honest ways And so she left off discoursing A Dialogue betwixt a Contemplating Lady and a Poet. POET. PRAY Madam think me not rude to intrude upon your Contemplation Lady A Poet's Wit is a Companion Fit for a vain Imagination Poet. That is not vainly done which gives a Delight to the Mind without endangering the Soul or distempering the Body for Vanity lives only in that which is useless or unprofitable Lady Indeed to delight the Mind is more necessary than to feed the Body for a discontented Mind is worse than Death but the most part of the World think nothing useful to the Life but what is Substantial Poet. If they do so they must account Thoughts vain for Thoughts are only an Incorporeal Motion or at least believed to be so Lady But without the Incorporeal Motion the World would be a dead Carkass only for were it not for Contemplation there would be no Invention if no Invention no Conveniency if no Conveniency no Ease if no Ease no Pleasure if no Pleasure no Happiness and to be unhappy is worse than Death but Contemplation is the Mother of Invention Poet. But Language is the Midwife and Practise the Nurse Besides if there were no Practise or Conversation all Invention and Industry would be Abortive And Language utterly unknown The Trumpet loud of Fame unblown No Ladder set unto ber Throne The Hill untrod she sits upon Wherefore we ought not to bury our selves in Contemplation nor to banish our selves from Conversation for Conversation gives the Mind breath and makes the Imagination the stronger the Conception larger the Invention apter and Fancy livelier otherwise we shall smuther the Thoughts for want of vent and put out their Light for want of Oil and then the Life would sit in Darkness Lady Certainly the greatest Delight that Life gives is Contemplation and the Life of Contemplation is silent Solitariness Poet. 'T is true but the Mind as the Body may feed so long of Pleasures that they may prove tormenting-Pain so that the Mind must be exercised with Discourse cleansed with Writing otherwise the Streams of Fancy which arise in several Springs from the Imaginations may overflow the Mind causing it to be flatuous and hydropcal or the several and singular Opinions which are most commonly tough and hard may obstruct the Mind causing it to be pursie and short-breath'd and the cold and hot Passions for want of Purgingwords may either stupifie or inflame the Mind and too much Solitariness will bed-rid the Mind making it faint and weak Besides if the Mind do not travel to several Objects and traffick with the Senses and Discourse it would have no acquaintance with the World no knowledg of Men nor Famous Monuments And give me leave Lady to tell you Extreams in Nature are an Enemy to Life and to Life's delight Wherefore let me advise you to intermingle with your harmless Contemplations rational Discourses knowing Societies and worthy Actions and employ your Senses on profitable Labours and not suffer them to live idly and useless to the Mind Lady Let me tell you Sir the Mind needs them not for the Mind is so well attended so richly furnished has such witty Companions such wise Acquaintance such numbers of Strangers such faithful Friends such industrious Servants such various Pleasures such sweet Delights such spacious Walks such safe Habitations and such a peaceable Life that it neither needs to converse or have commerce either with the Senses Mankind or the World for it is a World within it self The Mind a vaster World it self doth prove Where several Passions like the Planets move Poetick Fancies like fix'd Starrs shine bright Upon the Brain mhich makes a Day of Night The flux of things produceth from the Earth As some decays to others gives new birth Nature and Time are equal in their ends As some decay to others new Life sends The Circulation of Time's World we see May prove Eternal the Mind Immortal be All the Material World hath Compass round But in the Mind no Compass can be found T is infinite like Nature can create Thoughts several Creatures Destiny and Fate And Life and Death do in the Mind still lye Death to forget and Life is Memory Poet. But Lady in Justice the Body as well as the Mind must share in the Pleasures of Life for it were unjust that only the Body should endure Restraint and Pain and take no Delight wherefore you ought not to imprison it to dark and solitary places to chain it up with Contemplation and to starve it with Abstinency but let it take a moderate pleasure Lady Well I will try to be more sociable and not starve the Life of my Body with over-feeding my Mind But hard 't will be to me for to abstain And leave the Banquet of a thinking-Brain Where all delicious Pleasures and Delight Are there set forth to feed each Appetite The Dialogue of the Wise Lady the Learned Lady and the Witty