of his power and wisdome manifested O how great how rich and glorious must the fountain be where these fair streams their flow and being have How great that wisedom that so orderly in the conjuncture of this goodly frame of nature hath dispos'd its several parts How great that power whose only fiat could speak them all out of nothing into these their several beings and then gives them Lawes for conservation by a constant chime of never ceasing generation by which I see the Plants that lately were intomb'd within the Bowels of the Earth now to regain a Resurrection and lifting up their heads again to heav'n as 't were in thankfulness unto that power that so redeem'd them from their Winter sleep How beautiful and lovely nature seems like to a Bride upon her nuptial day How gay the flow'rs with what variety of colours tinctur'd by the artful hand of their Creator while their sweetness strives in emulation for preheminence How rich a Sallad does the fields aford as food for them that then are food for us How wonderfully hath his providence inrich't the paths on which we heedless walk with these innumerable plants indued each with ' its several property and use whose various knowledge he has granted to the mind of man to suit them to his ends of Health or Pleasure ' mongst the branches see how chearfully the birds express their joyes for this sweet season by their merry notes sporting themselves in the light Region and then descending to the Earth for food or to the purling streams to wet their throats when dry with chirping and then lift their heads unto the skies in thankfulness as 't were for their Creators bounty Pretty things how brisk they are that lately hung the head opprest with hardship of the Winter past yet then our heav'nly father's providence provided for them not a Sparrow but was the peculiar object of his care And how much more shall we pertake thereof that have so great interest in his love we are more dear than sparrowes so sayes he that bought us we were deer to him indeed then let distrust or fretfull care no more oppress our spirits while we have a God that careth for us we will rest on him And now my eyes that have the priviledge of other things by a restringent nerve to have your sight inabled to ascend into superiour objects that we might so comprehend the whole Creation and therein contemplate your Makers Glory look to that glorious place that 's pav'd with Stars where those great Worlds of light the Sun and Moon perform their courses and give lawes thereby unto our times and seasons while the rest within their several Orbs do variously point out such knowledge to the mind of Man whereby he see 's how lower bodies are govern'd by their higher influence And yet this goodly spangled covering and Roof of this inferiour Ball whereon we sojourn but the outside is of those same glorious dwellings of the Soveraign of all where he compast with numerous hosts of Angels raigns in everlasting bliss There there 's our center thither we aspire and long to leave this our imprisoning Earth that thither we might mount unto those joyes that there attend our coming purchased and then prepared by our gracious Lord Who keeping there possession for us we ev'n long to meet with he alone it is that is our Hope our Life our Crown our bliss Visus What goodly creature 's that in yonder walk Some Angel sure in mortal habit that comes to invade us with astonishment How well those brave attires become her â—eat proportion'd limbs But what a Syren face Crowns all their lustre tempting smooth and fresh enough to make the bloud dance in the veins of the most frozen-hearted Anchorite Empir Whence this surprise How came that amorous gâ—… stoln from the serious contemplation of Natures far more innocent delights Thus treach'rous still forbear too well we know the danger in those secret glances ly we have an Enemy within our breast to whom these objects first transmitted by your treacherous conveyance will imbrace them with the heats of base and lustfull fires so you betray that holy purity of our intentions to a brutish Fiend Thus holy David by a wanton glance was foil'd and cast into the snares of Lust which made him when recovered to pray to have his eyes with-held from Vanity Thus patient Job that knew the danger too of these same spies bound them by Covenant never to look or gaze upon a Maid O strange deceits of these our sences how alas how oft have we betrayed bin by these adul'trous glances When our eyes have set our heart on fire with flames of Lust lew'd books and images that have conveyed wanton imaginations into us And stain'd the purity of our best thoughts O never may we see those dayes again What are these creatures we so dote upon fine polish't dust that soon will cheat the hopes of those that most desire them with a quick return to wrincles and deformity Beautie 's a fading flow'r that soon decayes and ends at last in rottenness and stench And so my senses all you dote upon Will take their farewell in Corruption Faith But I discerne incorruptible joyes suitable objects for a deathless Soul that when these temporary pleasures shall languish into their Sepulchres of dust shall bless them with an endless Vision of the Creators Glory whom thou then shal't see no more by the reflection of these same outward things but face to face there shall we see with ravishment of Joy Our Saviour cloth'd with that precious flesh in which he suffered glorifyed with all the Royalties of his great Deity there shall we see in a full Vision all the great Counsels of our God reveal'd in Order unto our Redemption And all the secret causes of these things that here our understandings blunted by our fall are impotent in peircing through Whereby the Soul in Extasies of wonder rapt shall behold her great Creators Glory and Joy therein for ever these are sights blessing the mind with pure and true delights Audit But what a voice was there when now she sung the Spheres did nere afford such harmony so ravishing as were those melting airs that in delicious quavers flowed from the pretty lips of that same lovely Dame Faith Is there such Musick then in mortal breath that 's scattered with the wind decayes and dyes what ravishment and raptures must there then need 's ' tend the Ecch's of heav'ns londer Joyes when in triumphant songs those glorious hosts of Saints and Angels Halelu-jah's chant to their Creators Glory Tactus O how soft and delicate are those plump lips of her's how would they melt in lushious Vapours to the close impression of an amorous kiss Faith O folly of a Youthfull fancy thus to tempt a Soul unto such sensual thoughts those amorous touches and imbraces may please you a while but when your Idle Clay shall moulder into rottenness and
THE Divine Comedian OR THE RIGHT USE OF PLAYS IMPROVED in a sacred TRAGY-COMAEDY By Rich. Tuke For we wrestle not against flesh and Blood but against principalities against powers c. Ephes 6. 12. Quomodo fabula sic Vita non quam diu sed quam bene acta sit refert tantum bonum Clausulam impone Seneca Epist 78. London Printed by S. G. for Allen Bancks at the Signe of St. Peter at the west end of St. Pauls 1672. TO The Right Honourable and no less vertuous MARY Countess of WARWICK Madam I Am sensible that it is a great presumption in me being an Obscure Person and altogether unknown to your Honour to prefix that illustrious Name of yours to this mean undertaking which has been already celebrated to the World in the workes of your Honourable Brother whose learned Pen can give an immortality to any thing it mentions But to render my attempt herein if not warrantable yet the more excusable I must say that my chief designe herein was an Essay of gratitude towards your Honour as a poor acknowledgment of your favours towards some the nearness of whose relation to me hath reflected a great part of the Obligation upon my self and rendred me your Debtor And under this Character I am bold to offer these fancies to your Honours Patronage as a Testimony to the World of that real esteem and reverence the Author of them bears to your admired vertues The following lines were the unripe fruits of a youthfull fancy and the divertisements of idle houres They are innocent and harmless And that 's the best I will say of them Recommending them to your Honours gracious acceptance from Madam Your Obliged Servant and Honourer R. T. DRAMATIS PERSONAE Enpirea the Soul Cosmus the World Profit her two Minions Pleasure Satan Lust Caro the Flesh Reason Privy Cousellor to Empirea but disloyal Scandal Castigators Poverty Sickness Faith the three Theological graces and Attendants to the Queen Empirea Hope Charity Visus the five Senses Auditus Olfactus Tactus Gustus PROLOGUE THe Life of Mans a Tragi-Comedie Varied with Scenes of sorrow and delight The World 's the Scene and we the Actors be Angels spectators that behold the sight 2. The prologue to it is an Infants Cry So our first Scene beginneth Tragieal The Epilogue unto this Tragedie A dying grone Tears and a passing Bell. 3. The Comick part thereof a Scene or two Of Mirth and Laughter in our frolick Youth Attend â—…ill with far more Scenes of Woe And sadncss those are fictions these are truth 4. Heav'n gives the Plandit when the Act is done Or else explodes it if 't is done amiss Or Life or Death Damnation or a Crown Of Glory the reward of acting is He acts his part unto the Life indeed To whom Heav'ns Plaudit shall his Act succeed THE Souls VVarfare Actus primus Scena prima Empirea Cosmus Prosit Pleasure drest like Pages Cosm HAil fairest Queene Empir who 's there the World Cosm T is I Madam your humblest servant that am come out of that Love and Duty that I beare unto your Sacred Person to present Two of my faithfull Servants to attend and wait upon your Highness Empir Pretty Lads What call you them Cosm This in the Sarcenet suite of divers Colours and a swelling Plume of Ectritch-Feathers dancing on his Beaver is called Pleasure that same other in a Robe thick laid with Gold Whose shining lustre outvies the Prince of Day in all his glory is Profit t 'one a merry wag and will defend you from the mind-afflicting Charmes of Melaucholy that same Peevish Fiend Hee 'l strew your ways with Roses you shall ly on beds of Violets and shall surfet too on Aromatick sweets both Heaven and Earth shall yeild their daynties up the Stars shall serve to make you Jelly and the Pearly dew perfumed with the choice attracting spirits of Flora's Officine shall every Morn be for your morning drink then shall he run into the Indies and thence load himself With richest spices to perfume the Air When you shall walk abroad Each morning he shall wait upon you with a Heav'nly Noise of rarest Musique whose sweet harmony shall pass that of the Spheres and fill you full of joyfull extacies Green shades bestrew'd with Natures verdant Plush and thickly lac'd with various colour'd flowers shall please your eyes and bless your smelling too then will he lead you on your gentle Palfrey to the Park Where you shall follow brave Acteons mates over the flowery Lawnes and Christal springs after the light-foot Deer till they shall fall down Captive at your feet then against your returnrn shall he new dress him in a Banquet or when you would be private he shall read sweet Amorous Sonnets to you such as are Great Ovids bucksome Elegies and then when as the Sun has in his Western Bed shrouded himself and left his guard of Stars to watch the slumbers of the universe he 'l lead your sences into Pleasant Dreams With the sweet lullaby of pleasant songs from fairest Virgins such as Hellen was or rather such as that same Quintessence Apelles drew and who shall likewise mix their amorous songs With honyed balm of Kisses press on the Cherrys of their yeilding lips So shall he entertain you all the night Feasting your Grace with pastime and delight This other Youth whose Visage altogether is not so pleasing but does seem to look with a severer with a graver aspect with eyes cast down upon his Mother Earth Born in America where in the Mines he sometimes dwelt but since the western World has fetc'd him thence and now he flourishes in the most splendent Courts and Pallaces of Asian and Europian Monarchies he now with his pleasing Arms intwining round Great Caesars Browes and makes his Majestie look with a greater Grace than they of old did with their Lawrel Boughs He is a Counsellor to Kings who will not dare to enter upon any thing till they have first consulted him T is he must raise their legions for them and the mettal is that makes their Souldiers fight and does inflame their courages more than Drum or Trumpet can He makes their Navies like as Silva would conquer the Ocean cloud the unruly Main and spread themselves into these forreign Soiles that Fame her selfe nere knew subduing all the way they go till all the World should stand amaz'd at them He alone it is that is the strength and sinews of the Land and does extend his divine influence into the darkest Corners of the Weal He t is that makes the great ones like to Suns each in his place admired and adored That blazens forth their honourable Crests and decks their Names with reverence and esteem He is a comfort to afflicted ones and those afflicted persons that have left no Freinds nor comforts he can in a trice create them both when they are deeply plung'd in want or misery he helps them out When sad he chears them when imprison'd
heavenly notions darkned its lustre and instead therof planted dim notions and deceitfull lights that spread their rayes on nothing but what is Earthly and filthy the affections seem to stand neuter yet so does the Will t 'one we have bribed with some gaudy trifles as honours pleasures riches and the like the Will seems to be governed by them but now and then drawes back as though it smelt some treachery but that which most availes is we have gotten Reason in to be a privy-Councellour who will no doubt carry our work on well the Passions have mixt themselves with the affections disordering and making them unruly ayming at nothing but a Tirany which all the other powers must obey And sith we know and pollicy informs us how the way to conquer first must be by strengthning our selves by potent allyes We have got the World to be on our side too who yesterday attended with a pair of wily Lads that can insinuate into your bosome and then cut your throats offered them to be pages to the Queen Empirea But she in a sullen fit I wish It be not policy refus'd them both but stay here Cosmus comes himself Enter Cosmus with a dejected look and muttering somewhat to himself Let him relate his embassy at large now Mischief what a Vengeance ailes thy looks to be so crabbed don 't thy Pitfalls take Do men grow wise and ' scape them or return thy favours as they would commodities where they suspect a Cheat has some sick Nun whose Queazy stomack could not well digest thy fooleries having but lately took thereby a surfeit shut thee out of doores and in some Abby anchorized her self and vow'd defiance against thee this would make Cosmus to frown indeed but waving this prithee how cam'st thou off the other day with thy two Bastards did the Queen except thy courtesie Cosmus No Sir nor hardly would indure their sight though I us'd all the Rettorick I could to set them off and yet me thought at first somewhat she did incline but now and then She 'd turn her head aside and look as though some one were whispering somewhat in her ear and then She 'd sigh and by and by would blush But yet no Creature all this while I see till having finished my Oration which shee exploded as a little smoke She with a stiff denial turn'd about and left me Lust Bafled Sure this Soul is monstruous wise thus to outwit thee World what had'st thou ne're a Rattle in thy hand which honour some will call to gingle in her Ears nor yet some curious painted bubbles such as boyes raise out of Nutshels to allure her with These will do feats with others that declare by such fond choices what their Judgments are But wisemen with an unconcerned look can see thy Apes scrambling for Nuts and toyes that thou in sport do'st cast among them and laugh at both them and thee Satan What says Caro Pleads she not ought in their behalf Cosmus Poor Wretch Shee seems to long more than a Bridegroom doth for the approaching nuptial night t' enjoy their company She sayes her Lady has made her keep Lent this twelvemonth and hath pined her with base cankring abstinence so long that She is almost ready to forsake her service and return to Earth her Mother Lust Intollerable wrongs as long as flesh is thus kept under by her Tiraunie We fight against the wind but can there be no way invented for to set her free Cannot we get her to rebel and turn to us such treason cannot but delight and pleasing seem to mortifyed flesh cannot we promise her for hardned floors to sink in softer down for darkned rooms and solitary haunts the pleasant walkes of Tempe and Ide promise Elizium and all the Joyes o' th' Alcoran but tush Shee knowes thee well enough no need of Bush But Cosmus what do'st think on t prethee speak Cosmus The Italian in his hottest Jealousie pries not more narrowly into the ways and actions of his new espoused wife though a Venetian and not past eighteen then doth Empirea watch th'inslaved flesh forbiding her whatever liberty Reason might seem t' allow who dares not stir once out of doores but like a Recluse hid â—o all the world dark Lanthorn'd as it were Nor dare once cast a glance aside but streight ' us check'd lust charged with deceit and flesh be surely penanc't for 't Satan O Cruel Cruel as our self what hope have we as long as our friend Flesh is kept thus in subjection to that stubborn dame yet we must help her Reason is you say our friend Lust He is Satan May not we try If with his Oyly language he perhaps may with Empirea prevall to let her have more liberty Lust We may and 't is good policy Flesh shall begin to rail and clamour so wee 'l have the Plot and then Reason shall come and help her Satan Very good And if that need require our self will there be present and with Reason will aloud rail in Empirea's Ears till we shall fright her into better thoughts Lust 't is done and we will go about it Satan Fate auspicious be Exeunt Chorus of Angels Angel 1. Thus is our Heav'n born sister fain To croud her way through grief and pain Ere she can come with us to raign Angel 2. Thus do her cursed foes that were Once our collegues seek to insnare her Heav'n-bound feet and keep her there Chorus But she shall overtop them all And come to us when Heav'n shall call Angel 1. Mean while while she thus struggles out Her passage thorough fear and doubt Let 's go and camp our selves about Angel 2. her sacred shrine and keep her from Whatever ill may chance to come Unto her until she come home Chorus When she shall overtop them all And live with us when heav'n shall call Angel 1. And let our gratious Soveraign grant Whatever succours she may want Or comforts when her Joyes are Scant Angel 2. That she may never seem to be A prey left to the Enemy But still be Crown'd with victory Chorus Till she shall overtop them all And come to us when Heav'n shall call Actus Secundus Scena prima Empirea Caro Reason Empirea Flesh pray keep in to day we must to Court and you must not be gadding as you use When we should thither take the milky way Pray stay at home and dress us we must fast to day nay whine not Flesh it must be so I 'le tame your stubbornness and bring you low What 's that you say Caro. I cannot fast Empirea How 's that you cannot Caro. No Most cruel Mistress do but see how I am skelton'd and marcerated by your fastings almost quintessenc'd to skin and bones see but my Braw-fal'n-limbs how lank their skin hangs like to leather baggs shall I be martyr'd that from day to day I will not nay I cannot it is not the way to have a servant of me long to use me thus and