And Lees of All doth hold the lowest place Whom prudent Nature girdeth ouer-thwart With azure Zone or rather euery part Couers with Water winding round about Saue heer and there som Angles peeping out For th' Oceans liquid and sad slyding Waues Sinking in deepest of Earths hollow Caues Seek not within her vast vnequall height The Centre of the wideness but the weight Ther should be th' Ayr the Fire and wandring Seauen The Firmament and the first-mouing Heav'n Besides th' Empyreall Palace of the Saincted Each ouer other if they could be painted But th' Artist faining in the steed of these His 10. Circles Ten Circles like Heav'ns Superficies To guide vs to them by more easie Path In hollow Globe the same described hath ' Mid th' amplest Six whose crossing difference 1 The Equi-noctiall Diuides in two the Sphears Circumference Stands th' Equinoctial equi-distant all From those two Poles which do support this Ball. Therefore each Star that vnderneath it slides A rest-les long and weary Iourney rides Goes larger Circuit and more speedy far Then any other steady fixed Star Which wexeth slowe the more it doth aduaunce Neer either Pole his God-directed Daunce And while Apollo driues his Load of Light Vnder this Line the Day and dusky Night Tread equall steps for learned Natures hand Then measures them a-like in euery Land The next which there beneath it sloaply slides And his fair Hindges from the World's diuides Twice twelue Degrees is call'd the Zodiack 2 The Zodiak The Planets path where Phoebus plies to make Th' Yeers Reuolution through new Houses ranging To cause the Seasons yeerly foure-fold changing Th' other which crossing th' Vniuersall Props 3 The 1. Colure And those where Titans whirling Chariot sloaps Rect-angles forms and crooking cuts in two Heer Capricorn there burning Cancer too Of the Sun's stops it Colure hath to name Because his Teem doth seem to trot more tame On these cut points for heer he doth not ride Flatling a-long but vp the Sphears steep side Th' other which cuts this equi-distantly 4 The 2. Colure With Aries Poles and Scale is like-wisely The Second Colure The Meridian This 5 The Meridian Which neuer in one Point of Heav'n persists But still pursues our Zenith as the light 6 The Horizon Inconstant Horizon our shifting sight For the foure small ones heer the Tropiks turn 7 and 8 The Tropiks Both that of Cancer and of Capricorn And neerer th' Hindges of the golden Sphear Heer 's the South-Circle the North-Circle there 9 and 10 The South and North Circles Which Circles cross not as you see at all The Center-point of th' Vniuersall Ball But parting th' Orb into vn-equall ells ' Twixtth ' Equi-nox and them rest Parallels The Celestiall Globes The other Ball her left hand doth support Is Heav'ns bright Globe for though that Art com short Of Nature far heer may ingenious soules Admire the stages of Star-seeled Poles O what delight it is in turning soft The diuers aspects of the celestiall Bodies The bright Abbridgement of that Vpper Loft To seem to see Heav'ns glorious Host to march In glistring Troops about th' Aethereal Arch Where one for Arms bears Bowe and Shafts a Sword A second hath a trembling Launce a third One fals another in his Chariot rowles On th' azure Brass of th' euer-radiant Bowles This serues a-foot that as a Horseman rides This vp that down this back that forward slides Their Order order-less and Peace-full Braul With-child's the World fils Sea and Earth and All. I neuer see their glaunces inter-iect Simile In Triangle Sextile or Square aspect Now milde now moody but me thinks I see Som frollik Swains amid their dauncing glee Where Men and Maids together make them merry With Iigs and Rounds till Pipe and all be weary Where on his Loue one smiles with wanton eye Wher-at his Riuall frowns for Iealousie But why quoth Phalec hath th' All-Fair who frames Question Nought heer below but 's full of Beauties flames Ingrav'n on th' Orbs of th' azure ' Crystalline Where Beauties self and Loue should euer shine So many hideous Beasts and Monsters fell Fellows more fit for th' vgly Fiends in Hell Surely saith Heber God's all-prudent pleasure Answere Makes nothing Art-less nor without iust measure And this the Worlds chief praise of Beauty carries That in each part it infinitly varies Our learned Elders then who on this Sphear The reason of the names giuen to the 12. Signes of the Zodiak Heav'ns shining Signes imagin'd fitly-fair Did vnto each such Shape and Name deuise As with their Natures neerly symbolize In form of Ram with golden Fleece they put 1. Aries The bi-corn'd Signe which the Yeers bounds doth ' butt Because the World vnder his temp'rate heat In fleece of flowrs is pranked richly neat Of Bull the next because the husband-men 2. Taurus With yoaks of slowe-paç't smoking Bullocks then Tear-vp their Fallows and with hope-full toyl Furbush their Coultars in the Corn-fit soyl Of Twins the third because then of two Sexes 3. Gemini Kinde-cruell Cupid one whole body mixes Then all things couple then Fruits double growe Then Flowrs do flourish and corn Fields do showe The fourth a Lobstars name and frame they made 4. Cancer Because then South-ward Sol doth retrograde Goes Crab-like backward and so neuer stinteth But still his wheels in the same track reprinteth The fift a Lion for as Lions breath 5. Leo. Is burning hot so likewise vnderneath This fiery Signe th' Earth sparkles and the streams Seem sod-away with the Suns glowing beams 6. Virgo The sixt a Maid because with Maid-like honour Th' Earth loatheth then the Suns Loue-glances on her T' inflame her loue and reclus'd as it were This Virgin Season nought at all doth bear Ballance the seuenth because it equall weighs 7. Libra Nights louing-silence and grief-guiding Daies And Heat and Cold and in Must-Month the Beam Stands equi-poiz'd in equipeizing them Scorpion the next because his percing sting 8 Scorpio Doth the first tydings of cold Winter bring The ninth an Archer both in shape and Name 9 Sagittarius Who day and night follows his fairest game And his keen Arrows every-where bestowes Headed with Yce featherd with Sleet and Snowes The next a Kid because as Kids do clime And frisk from Rock to Rock about this Time 10 Capricornus The Prince of Planets with the locks of Amber Begins again vp towards vs to clamber And then because Heav'n alwayes seems to weep Vnder th' ensuing Signes on th' Azure steep 11 Aquarius 12 Pisces A deeper and more curious reason of the same Our Parents plaç't a Skinker and by him Two silver Fishes in his floods to swim But if my Son this superficiall gloze Suffice thee not then may we thus suppose That as before th' All-working Word alone Made Nothing be All 's womb and
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
Works reueales him t' our intelligence There-in our fingers feel our nostrils smel Our palats taste his vertues that excel He shewes him to our eyes talks to our ears In th' ord'red motions of the spangled Sphears The World 's a School where in a generall Story Sundrie comparisons shewing what vse Christians should make in considering the workes of God in this mighty World God alwayes reads dumb Lectures of his Glory A pair of Stairs whereby our mounting Soule Ascends by steps aboue the Arched Pole A sumptuous Hall where God on euery side His wealthy Shop of wonders opens wide A Bridge whereby we may pass-o're at ease Of sacred Secrets the broad boundless Seas The World 's a Cloud through which there shineth cleer Not faire Latona's quiv'red Darling deer But the true Phoebus whose bright countenance Through thickest vail of darkest night doth glance The World 's a Stage where Gods Omnipotence His Iustice Knowledge Loue and Prouidence Do act their Parts contending in their kindes Aboue the Heav'ns to rauish dullest mindes The World 's a Book in Folio printed all With God's great Works in letters Capitall Each Creature is a Page and each Effect Afaire Character void of all defect But as young Trewants toying in the Schools In steed of learning learn to play the fools We gaze but on the Babies and the Couer The gawdy Flowrs and Edges gilded-ouer And neuer farther for our Lesson look Within the Volume of this various Book Where learned Nature rudestones instructs That by His wisedome God the World conducts To read This Book we need notvnderstand Although the world discouer sufficiently euen to the most rude the Eternity and Power of God Yet only the true Christians do rightly conceiue it Each strangers gibbrish neither take in hand Turks Characters nor Hebrue Points to seek Nyle's Hieroglyphikes nor the Notes of Greek The wandring Tartars the Antartiks wilde Th' Alarâ—ies fierce the Scythians fel the Childâ— Scarce seav'n year old the bleâ—red aged eye Though void of Art read heer indifferently But he that wears the spectacles of Faith Sees through the Sphears aboue their highest heighth He comprehends th' Arch-moouer of all Motions And reads though running all these needfull Notions Therefore by Faith's pure rayes illumined These sacred Pandects I desire to read And God the better to beholde beholde Th' Orb from his Birth in 's Ages manifolde Th' admired Author's Fancy fixed not On some fantastik fore-conceited Plot Much less did he an elder World elect God needing no Idea nor premeditatioÌ„ nor Pattern of his work of nothing made all the World By form whereof he might this Frame erect As th' Architect that buildeth for a Prince Some stately Palace yer he do commence His Royall Work makes choise of such a Court Where cost and cunning equally consort And if he finde not in one Edifice All answerable to his queint deuice From this fair Palace then he takes his Front From that his Finials here he learns to mount His curious Stairs there findes he Frise and Cornish And other Places other Peeces furnish And so selecting euery where the best Doth thirty Models in one House digest Nothing but Nothing had the Lord Almighty Whereof wherewith whereby to build this Citie Yet when he Heav'ns Aire Earth and Sea did frame He sought not far he swet not for the same A fit Simile to that purpose As Sol without descending from the sky Crowns the fair Spring in painted brauery Withouten trauaile causeth th' Earth to bear And far off makes the World young euery year The Power and Will th' affection and effect The Work and Proiect of this Architect March all at once all to his pleasure ranges Who Alwaies-One his purpose neuer changes Yet did this Nothing not at once receiue Of Nothing God created the matter whereunto afterward he gaue the form and figure which now we behold in the creatures Matter and Forme For as we may perceiue That Hee who means to build a warlike Fleet Makes first prouision of all matter meet As Timber Iron Canuase Cord and Pitch And when all 's ready then appointeth which Which peece for Planks which plank shall line the waste The Poup and Prow which Fir shall make a Mast As Art and Vse directeth heedfully His hand his tool his iudgement and his eye So God before This Frame he fashioned I wote not what great Word he vttered From 's sacred mouth which summon'd in a Masse Whatsoeuer now the Heav'ns wide arms embrace But where the Shipwright for his gainful trade Findes all his stuffe to 's hand already made Th' Almightie makes his all and euery part Without the help of others Wit or Art That first World yet was a most formless Form A confus'd Heap a Chaos most deform What that new created Chaos was before God gaue it forme figure place and situation A Gulf of Gulfs a Body ill compact An vgly medly where all difference lackt Where th' Elements lay iumbled all together Where hot and colde were iarring each with either The blunt with sharp the dank against the drie The hard with soft the base against the high Bitter with sweet and while this brawl did last The Earth in Heav'n the Heav'n in Earth was plac't Earth Aire and Fire were with the Water mixt Water Earth Aire within the Fire were fixt Fire Water Earth did in the Aire abide Aire Fire and Water in the Earth did hide For yet th' immortall mightie Thunder-darter The Lord high-Marshall vnto each his quarter Had not assigned the Celestiall Arks Were not yet spangled with their fiery sparks As yet no flowrs with odours Earth reuiued No scaly shoals yet in the waters diued Nor any Birds with warbling harmony Were born as yet through the transparent Sky All All was void of beauty rule and light Genes 1. 2. All without fashion soule and motion quite Fire was no fire the Water was no water Aire was no aire the Earth no earthly matter Or if one could in such a World spy forth The Fire the Ayre the Water and the Earth Th' Earth was not firm the Fier was not hot Th' Aire was not light the Water cooled not Briefly suppose an Earth poore naked vain All void of verdure without Hill or Plain A Heav'n vn-hangd vn-turning vn-transparant Vn-garnished vn-gilt with Stars apparant So maist thou ghesse what Heav'n and Earth was that Where in confusion raigned such debate A Heav'n and Earth for my base stile most fit Not as they were but as they were not yet This was not then the World 't was but the Matter The Nurcery whence it should issue after Or rather th' Embryon that within a Weeke The Chaos how to be considered Was to be born for that huge lump was like The shape-less burthen in the Mothers womb A simile Which yet in Time doth into fashion com Eyes eares and nose mouth fingers hands and feet And euery member in proportion
And in this Store-house of his Wonders treasure Observ'd in all things number waight and measure For had the Water next the Fire been plaç't Fire seeming then moro wrongd and more disgraç't Would sodainly have left his Aduersary And set vpon the Vmpire more contrary But all the Links of th' holy Chain which tethers The many Members of the World togethers Are such as none but only he can breake them Who at the first did of meere nothing make them Water as arm'd with moisture and with cold The cold-dry Earth with her one hand doth hold With th' other th' Aire The Aire as moist and warm The disposing combining of the Elements Holds Fire with one Water with th' other arm As Country Maidens in the Month of May Merrily sporting on a Holy-day And lusty dancing of a lively Round A Similitude About the May-pole by the Bag-pipes sound Hold hand in hand so that the first is fast By means of those between vnto the last For sith 't is so that the dry Element Not onely yeelds her owne Babes nourishment But with the milke of her aboundant brests Doth also feede th' Aires nimble winged guests And also all th' innumerable Legions Of greedy mouths that haunt the Bryny Regions So that th' Earth's Mother or else Nurse of all That run or fly or swim or slide or crawl 'T was meet it should be it self's Counterpoize To stand still firm against the roaring noise Of wrack full Neptune and the wrathfull blasts Of parching South and pinching Boreas 'T was meet her sad-slowe body to digest Why the Earth is the lowest and enuironed with the other three Elements wherof it is the center Farther from Heav'n than any of the rest Least of Heav'ns Courseth ' Eternall swift Careers Rushing against her with their whirling Sphears Should her transport as swift and violent As ay they do their neighbour Element And sith on th' otherside th' harmonious Course Of Heav'ns bright Torches is th' immortall source Of earthly life and sith all alterations Almost are caus'd by their quick agitations In all the World God could not place so fit Our Mother Earth as in the midst of it For all the Stars reflect their lively rayes On Fire and Aire and Water diuers wayes Dispersing so their powerfull influence On in and through these various Elements But on the Earth they all in one concurr And all vnite their seuered force in her As in a Wheel which with a long deep rut Simile His turning passage in the durt doth cut The distant spoaks neerer and nearer gather And in the Navevnite their points together As the bright Sun shines thorough smoothest Glass Simile The turning Planets influence doth pass Without impeachment through the glist ' ring Tent Of the tralucing Fierie Element Th' Aires triple Regions the transparent Water But not the firm Base of this fair Theater And therefore rightly may we call those Trines Fire Aire and Water but Heav'ns Concubines For neuer Sun nor Moon nor Stars inioy The love of these but only by the way As passing by whereas incessantly The lusty Heav'n with Earth doth company And with a fruitfull seed which lends All life With-childs each-moment his owne lawfull wife And with her louely Babes in form and nature The Water between the Earth and Aire So diuers decks this beautifull Theater The Water lighter then the Earthy Masse Heauier then Aire betwixt them both hath place The better so with a moist-cold to temper Th' ones over-driness th' others hot distemper But my sweet Muse whither so fast away Leauing the Earth and Sea till the next Booke hee comes to treate of the Aire Soft soft my Darling draw not dry To-Day Castalian Springs defer the Cirque and Seat The power and praise of Sea and Earth as yet Do not anticipate the Worlds Beginning But till To-Morrow leaue the enter-blinning Of Rocky Mounts and rouling Waues so wide For euen To-Morrow will the Lord diuide With the right hand of his Omnipotence These yet confus'd and mingled Elements And liberally the shaggy Earth adorn With Woods and Buds of fruits of flowers and corn 'T is time my Loue 't is time mine onely Care To hie vs hence and Mount vs in the Aire 'T is time or neuer now my dearest Minion To imp strong farcels in thy sacred pinion That lightly born vpon thy Virgin back Safe through the Welkin I my course may take Com com my Ioy lend me thy lillie shoulder That thereon raised I may reach the bolder Before the rest of my deer Country-men Of better wit but worse-applied pen At that green Laurel which the niggard Skies So long haue hidden from my longingeies Th' Aire hoste of Mists the bounding Tennis-ball That stormy Tempests toss and play with all The Aire distinguished into 3 Regions Of winged Clouds the wide inconstant House Th' vnsetled kingdom of swift Aeolus Great Ware-house of the Windes whose traffik giues Motion of life to euery thing that liues Is not throughout all one our Elder Sages Have fitly parted it into Three Stages Wherof because the Highest still is driv'n With violence of the First-mouing Heav'n The High From East to West and from West returning To th' honored Cradle of therosiall Morning And also seated next the Fiery vault It by the learned very hot is thought That which we touch with times doth variate Now hot now cold and sometimes temperate The Lowe Warm-temp'red showers it sendeth in the Spring In Autumn likewise but more varying In Winter time continuall cold and chill In Sommer season hot and soultry still For then the Fields scorched with flames reflect The sparkling rayes of thousand Stars aspect And chiefly Phoebus to whose arrows bright Our Globy Grandame serues for But and White The Middle Region of the Aire But now because the Middle Region's set Far from the Fiery seelings flagrant heat And also from the warm reuerberation Which aye the Earth reflects in diuers fashion That Circle shiuers with eternall colde For into Hail how should the Water molde Of the causes of Haile Euen when the Sommer hath gilt Ceres Gowne Except those Climes with Ycicles were sowen So soon as Sol leaving the gentle Twins With Cancer or thirst-panting Leo Inns The mid-most Aire redoubleth all his Frosts Being besieged by two mighty Hoasts Of Heat more fierce ' gainst his Cold force then ever Calls from all quarters his chil troups together T' incounter them with his vnited Powr Which then dispersed hath far greater powr As Christian Armies from the Frontiers far And out of fear of Turks outrageous War March in disorder and become disperst As many Squadrons as were Souldiers yerst So that somtimes th' vntrained Multitude With bats and boawes hath beat them and subdu'd But if they once perceive or vnderstand The Moony Standards of proud Ottoman To be approaching and the Sulph'ry thunder Wherewith he brought both Rhodes and Belgrade vnder They
Then sodainly turnd studious Platonist I hold the Heav'ns of Elements consist What vse of Elements in the Heauens 'T is Earth whose firm parts make their Lamps apparant Their bodies fast Aire makes them all transparant Fire makes their rest-les circles pure and cleer Hot lighsom light and quick in their career And Water ' nointing with cold-moist the brims Of th' enter-kissing turning Globes extreams Tempers the heat caus'd by their rapid turning Which els would set all th' elements a-burning Not that I doo compare or match the Matter Difference between the Elements whereof the Heauens are composed and these inferiour Elements Whence I compose th' All-compassing Theater To those gross Elements which heer belowe Our hand and ey doth touch and see and knowe 'T's all fair all pure a sacred harmony Those bodies bindes in end-less Vnity That Aier's not flitting nor that Water floating Nor Fire inflaming nor Earth dully doating Nor one to other aught offensiue neither But to conclude Celestiall altogether See see the rage of humane Arrogance Detesting the presumption of those curious wits searching these secrets He limits himselfe within the bounds of Christian Sobriety See how far dares man's erring ignorance That with vnbridled tongue as if it oft Had try'd the mettle of that vpper Loft Dares without proof or without reason yeelded Tell of what timber God his Palace builded But in these doubts much rather rest had I Then with mine errour draw my Readerwry Till a Saint Paule doore-descend from Heav'n Or till my self this sinfull roab be reav'n This rebell Flesh whose counterpoize oppresses My pilgrim Soule and euer it depresses Shall see the beauties of that Blessed Place If then I ought shall see saue Gods bright Face But ev'n as many or more quarrels cumber Diuers opinions of the number of the Heauens Th' old Heathen Schools about the Heav'ns number One holds but one making the Worlds Eys shine Through the thin-thicknes of that Crystal line As through the Oceans cleer and liquid Flood The slippery Fishes vp and down doosâ—ud Another iudging certain by his ey And seeing Seav'n bright Lamps moov'd diversly ' Turn this and that way and on th' other side That all the rest of the Heav'ns twinkling pride Keep all one course ingeniously he varies The Heav'ns rich building into eight round Stories Others amid the Starriest Orb perceiuing A triple cadence and withall conceiuing That but one naturall course one body goes Count nine som ten not numbring yet with those Th' empyreall Palace where th' eternall Treasures Of Nectar flowe where ever-lasting Pleasures Are heaped-vp where an immortall May In bliss-full beauties flourisheth for ay Where Life still liues where God his * Assises Sises holds Environ'd round with Seraphins and Soules Bought with his precious blood whose glorious Flight Yerst mounted Earth above the Heav'ns bright Nor shall my faint and humble Muse presume So high a Song and Subiect to assume O fair fiue-double Round sloath's Foe apparant He stoppeth at the contemplation and praise of the Heauens Which he considereth as distinguished into ten stages or Heauens Life of the World Dayes Months and yeers own Parent Thine own selfs model never shifting place And yet thy pure wings with so swift a pase Fly over vs that but our Thought alone Can as thy babe pursue thy motion Infinite finite free from growth and grief Discord and death dance-louer to be brief Still like thy self all thine own in thee all Transparent cleer light law of this lowe Ball Which in thy wide bout bound-les all doost bound And claspâ—st all vnder or in thy Round Throne of th' Almighty I would fain rehearse Thy various Dauies in this very Verse If it were time and but my bounded Song Doubteth to make this Second Day too-long For notwithstanding yet another day I fear som Critick will not stick to say My babbling Muse did sail with every gale And mingled yarn to length her web withall But knowe what e'r thou be that heer I gather The summe of what hath been handled in this booke what is to be vnderstood by the firmament which Moyses describeth in the first of Gen. â— 6 Iustly so many of Gods works together Because by th' Orbe of th' ample Firmament Which round This-Day th' Eternall Fingers pent Between the lower Waters and the higher I mean the Heav'ns the Aire and th' vpper Fire Which separate the Oceans waters salt From those which God pour'd o'r th' Ethereal Vault Yet haue I not so little seen and sought Against those that think there are no waters aboue the firmament Whom he confuteth by diuers Reasons Simile The Volums which our Age hath chiefest thought But that I knowe how suttly greatest Clarks Presume to argue in their learned Works T'o ' r-whelm these Floods this Crystal to deface And dry this Ocean which doth all imbrace But as the beauty of a modest Dame Who well-content with Natures comly Frame And native Fair as it is freely giv'n In fit proportion by the hand of Heav'n Doth not with painting prank nor set-it-out With helps of Art sufficient Fair without Is more prayse-worthy then the wanton glance Th' affected gait th' alluring countenance The Mart of Pride the Periwigs and painting Whence Courtisans refresh their beauties fainting 1. The word of God to be preser red before the voice of man So doe I more the sacred Tongue esteem Though plain and rurall it doe rather seem Then school'd Athenian and Diuinity For onely varnish have but Verity Then all the golden Wit-pride of Humanity Wherewith men burnish their erroneous vanity I 'l rather give a thousand times the ly 2. Gods word meÌ„tioneth waters aboue the firmament To mine own Reason then but once defy The sacred voice of th' ever-lasting Spirit Which doth so often and so loud averr-it That God above the shining Firmament Gen. 1 7 Psal. 104 3 Psal. 148 4 I wot not I what kinde of Waters pent Whether that pure super-celestiall Water With our inferiour haue no likely nature Whether turnd Vapour it haue round embow'd Heav'ns highest stage in a transparent Cloud Or whether as they say a Crystall case Do round about the Heav'nly Orb embrace But with coniectures wherefore strive I thus Can doubtfull proofs the certainty discuss I see not why Mans reason should withstand 3. The power of God ought to be of greater authority then Mans Reason Or not beleeve that Hee whose powrfull hand Bay'd-vp the Red-Sea with a double Wall That Israels Hoast might scape Egyptian thrall Could prop as sure so many waves on high Above the Heav'n Star-spangled Canapy See we not hanging in the Clouds each howr So many Seas still threatning down to pour 4. The consideration of the waters which hang in the Aire and of the Sea which compasseth the Earth Supported only by th' Aier's agitation Selfly too weak for the least waight's foundation See wee not also that
this Sea belowe Which round about our Earthly Globe doth flowe Remains still round and maugre all the surly Aeolian Slaves and Water's hurly burly Dares not to levell her proud liquid Heap Neuer so little past her limits leap Why then beleeue we not that vpper Sphear May without falling such an Ocean bear Vncircumcised O hard hearts at least Lett 's think that God those Waters doth digest In that steep place for if that Nature heer 5. Diuers effects continual admirable in Nature Can form firm Pearl and Crystall shining cleer Of liquid substance let 's beleeue it rather Much more in God the Heav'ns and Natur 's Father Let vs much more much more lett 's peiz and ponder Th' Almighties Works and at his Wisedom wonder Let vs obserue and double-waigh it well That this proud Palace whear we rule and dwell Though built with match-less Art had fall'n long since Had 't not ben seel'd-round with moist Elements For like as in Man's Little-World the Brain Doth highest place of all our Frame retain And tempers with it's moistfull coldnes so Th' excessive heat of th' other parts belowe Th' eternall Builder of this beautious Frame To enter-mingle meetly Frost with Flame And cool the great heat of the Great-Worlds Torches This-Day spred Water over Heav'ns bright Arches These Seas they say leagu'd with the Seas belowe Hiding the highest of the Mountains tho Had drown'd the whole World had not Noah builded A holy Vessell where his house was shielded Taking occasioÌ„ by his former discourse he treateth of the incouÌ„ ter of the vpper waters with the lower whence followed the general stood in the daies of Noah Which hâ—re he liuely representeth Where by direction of the King of Kings He sav'd a seed-payr of all liuing things No sooner shipâ— but instantly the Lord Down to th' Aeolian dungeon him bestirr'd There muzled close Cloud-chasing Boreas And let loose Auster and his lowring race Who soon set forward with a dropping wing Vpon their beard for every hair a spring A night of Clouds muffled their brows about Their wattled locks gusht all in Rivers out And both their hands wringing thick Clouds asunder Send forth fierce lightning tempest rain and thunder Brooks Lakes and Floods Rivers and foaming Torrents Sodainly swell and their confused Currents Losing their old bounds break a neerer way To run at randon with their spoyls to Sea Th' Earth shakes for fear and sweating doth consume her And in her veins leaues not a drop of humour And thou thy self O Heav'n didst set wideope Through all the Marshes in thy spacious cope All thy large sluces thy vast Seas to shed In sodain spouts on thy proud sisters head Whose aw-less law-less shame-les life abhord Onely delighted to despight the Lord. Th' Earth shrinks sinks now th' Ocean hath no shore Now Rivers run to serue the Sea no more Themselues are Sea the many sundry Streams Of sundry names deriv'd from sundry Realms Make now but one great Sea the World it self Is nothing now but a great standing Gulf Whose swelling surges strive to mix their Water With th' other Waves above this round Theater The Sturgeon coasting over Castles muses Vnder the Sea to see so many houses The Indian Manat and the Mullet float O'r Mountain tops where yerst the bearded Goat Did bound and brouz the crooked Dolphin seuds O'r th' highest branches of the hugest Woods Nought boots the Tigre or the Hart or Hors Or Hare or Grey-hound their swift speedy cours For seeking Land the more they strain breath them The more alas it shrinks and sinks beneath them The Otter Tortois and fell Crocodile Which did enioy a double house yer-while Must be content with only water now The Wolf and Lamb Lions and Buçks do rowe Vpon the Waters side by side suspect-less The Glead and Swallow laboring long effect-less 'Gainst certain death with wearied wings fall down For want of Perch and with the rest do drown And for mankinde imagine som get vp To som high Mountains over-hanging top Som to a Towr som to a Cedar tree Whence round about a World of deaths they see But wheresoeuer their pale fears aspire For hope of safety th' Ocean surgeth higher And still-still mounting as they still do mount When they cease mounting doth them soon surmount One therefore ventures on a Plank to rowe One in a Chest another in a Trough Another yet half-sleeping scarce perceives How 's bed and breath the Flood at once bereaves Another labouring with his feet and hands A while the fury of the Flood withstands Which by his side hath newly droun'd his Mother His Wife his Son his Sister Sire and Brother But tyr'd and spent weary and wanting strength He needs must yeeld too to the Seas at length All all must die then but * Parcae à non parcendo Thenone-sparing Fates that is to say Death th' impartiall Maids Who wont to vse so sundry tools for ayds In execution of their fatall slaughters Had only now the furious foaming Waters Safely the while the sacred Ship did float On the proud shoulders of that boundless-Moat Though mast-les oar-les and from Harbour far For God was both her Steers-man and her Star Thrice fifty dayes that Vniuersall Flood Wasted the World which then the Lord thought good To re-erect in his Compassion great No sooner sounds he to the Seas retreat But instantly wave into wave did sink With sodain speed all Rivers gan to shrink Th' Ocean retires him to his wonted prison The Woods are seen the Mountain tops are risen Out of their slimy Bed the Fields increase And spread apace so fast the waters cease And briefly th' onely thundring hand of God Now Earth to Heav'n Heav'n vnto Earth re-show'd That he again Panchaian Fumes might see Sacred on Altars to his Maiesty He concludeth with a most godly prayer accommodated to the state of the Church in our time Lord sith't hath pleas'd thee likewise in our Age To saue thy Ship from Tyrants stormy rage Increase in Number Lord thy little Flock But more in Faith to build on thee the Rock So Morn and Euen the second Day conclude And God perceiu'd that All his Works were good THE THIRD DAIE OF THE FIRST WEEK THE ARGVMENT The Sea and Earth their various Equipage Seuer'd a-part Bounds of the Oceansrage ' Timbraceth Earth it doth all Watersowe Why it is salt How it doth Ebb and Flowe Rare streams and Fountains of strange operation Earth's firmnes greatnes goodnes sharp taxation Of Bribes Ambition Treason Auarice Trees Shrubs Plants Mines Metals Gemms of price Right vse of Gold the Load-stones rare effects The Countrey-life preferr'd in all respects MY sacred Muse that lately soared high Among the glist'ring Circles of the Sky FroÌ„ the Heauen Regions of the Aire the Poet descendeth to the Earth and Sea Whose various dance which the first Moover driues Harmoniously this Vniverse revives Commanding all the Windes and sulphry
Preacher not the Parasite So Morn and Euening the Third Day conclude And God perceiv'd that All his Works were good THE FOVRTH DAIE OF THE FIRST WEEK THE ARGVMENT The twinkling Spangles of the Firmament The wandring Seav'n Each in a seuerall Tent Their Course their Force their Essence is disputed That they as Beasts doe eat and drink refuted Heav'ns not the Earth with rapid motion roule The famous Stars observ'd in either Pole Heav'ns sloaping Belt the Twelue celestiall Signes Whear Sol the Seasons of the Year confines Dayes glorious Prince Nights gloomy Patroness His Light and Might Her constant Change-fulnes PVre Spirit that rapt'st aboue the Firmest Sphear In the beginning of the fourth booke calling vpon the God of Heauen our Poet prayeth to be lift vp in the Heauens that he may discoursâ— as he ought of the starrs fixed and wandring In fiery Coach thy faithfull Messenger Who smiting Iordan with his pleighted Cloak Did yerst diuide the Waters with the stroak O take me vp that far from Earth I may From Sphear to Sphear see th' azure Heav'ns To-Day Be thou my Coach-man and now Check by Ioule With Phoebus Chariot let my Chariotroule Driue on my Coach by Mars his flaming Coach Saturn and Luna let my wheels approach That having learn'd of their Fire-breathing Horses Their course their light their labour and their forces My Muse may sing in sacred Eloquence To Vertues Friends their vertuous Excellence And with the Load-stone of my conquering Verse Aboue the Poles attract the most perverse And you fair learned soules you spirits diuine To whom the Heav'ns so nimble quils assigne As well to mount as skilfully to limn The various motion of their Taperstrim Lend me your hand lift mee aboue Parnassus With your loud Trebbles help my lowly Bassus For sure besides that your wit-gracing Skill Bears in itself itself's rich guerdon still Our Nephews free from sacrilegious brauls Where Horror swims in bloud about our wals Shall one day sing that your deer Song did merit Better Heav'n better hap and better time to hear-it And though alas my now new-rising Name Can hope heer-after none or little Fame The time that most part of our betterwits Mis-spend in Flattery or in Fancy-Fits In courting Ladies or in clawing Lords Without affection in affected words I mean to spend in publishing the Story Of Gods great works to his immortall glory My rymes begot in pain and born in pleasure Thirst not for Fame the Heathen hope 's chief treasure 'T shall me suffice that our deer France doo breed In happy season som more learned sced That may record with more diuine dexterity Then I haue don these wonders to Posterity Much less may these abortiue Brats of Mine Expect Respect but in respect of Thine Yet sith the Heav'ns haue thus entaskt my layes As darkly Cynthia darts her borrow'd rayes To shadow Thine and to my Countrey render Som small reflection of thy radiant splendor It is inough if heer-by I incite Som happier spirit to do thy Muse more right And with more life giue thee thy proper grace And better follow great du BARTAS trace GOD'S NONE of these faint idle Artizens Heere resuming his course he presecutes the worke of the Creation Who at the best abandon their designes Working by halfs as rather a great deal To do much quickly then to do it well But rather as a workman neuer weary And all-sufficient he his works doth carry To happy end and to perfection With sober speed brings what he hath begun Hauing therfore the Worlds wide Curten spread About the circuit of the fruitfull Bed In the fourth day God created the fixed Stars the two great Lights vid. the Sunne and the Moone together with the other fiue Planets Where to fill all with her vnnumbred Kin Kinde Natures self each moment lyeth in To make the same for euer admirable More stately-pleasant and more profitable He th' Azure Tester trimm'd with golden marks And richly spangled with bright glistring sparks I knowe those Tapers twinkling in the sky Doo turn so swiftly from our hand and eye That man can neuer rightly reach to seeing Their Course and Force and much-much less their Being Of their Course Force Essence and Substance But if coniecture may extend aboue To that great Orb whose mouing All doth moue Th' imperfect Light of the first Day was it Which for Heavn's Eyes did shining matter fit For God selecting lightest of that Light Garnisht Heav'ns seeling with those Torches bright Or else diuided it and pressing close The parts did make the Sun and Stars of those But if thy wits thirst rather seek these things Opinion of the Greek touching the matter of the Stars In Greekish Cisterns then in Hebrew Springs Then I conclude that as of moistfull matter God made the people that frequent the Water And of an Earthy stuff the stubborn droues That haunt the Hills and Dales and Downs and Groues So did he make by his Almighty might The Heav'ns and Stars of one same substance bright To th' end these Lamps dispersed in the Skies Might with their Orb it with them sympathize And as with vs vnder the Oaken bark The knurry knot with branching vains we mark Simile To bee of substance all one with the Tree Although far thicker and more rough it bee So those gilt studs in th' vpper story driven Are nothing but the thickest part of Heav'n When I obserue their Light and Heat yblent Their substance is of Fire Meer accidents of th' vpper Element I thinke them Fire but not such Fire as lasts No longer then the fuel that it wastes For then I think all th' Elements too-little To furnish them only with one days victual And therefore smile I at those Fable-Forges Resutation of such as haue thought that the Stars were liuing creatures that did eat and drinke Whose busy-idle stile so stifly vrges The Heavn's bright Cressets to be living creatures Ranging for food and hungry fodder-eaters Still sucking-vp in their eternall motion The Earth for meat and for their drink the Ocean Sure I perceive no motion in a Star But natural certain and regular Wher-as Beasts motions infinitely vary Confus'd vncertain diuers voluntary I see not how so many golden Postes Should scud so swift about Heav'ns azure coasts But that the Heav'ns must ope and shut som-times Subiect to passions which our earthly climes Alter and toss the Sea and th' Aire estrange From it selfs temper with exceeding change I see not how in those round blazing beams One should imagine any food-fit limbs Nor can I see how th' Earth and Sea should feed So many Stars whose greatnes doth exceed So many times if Star-Diuines say troth The greatnes of the Earth and Ocean both Sith heer our Cattle in a month will eat Seav'n-times the bulk of their owne bulk in meat These Torches then range not at random o're The lightsom thicknes of an vn-firm Floor As heer
below diuersly mooving them The painted Birds between two aires do swim But rather fixed vnto turning Spheares Ay will-they nill-they follow their careeres Simile As Cart-nails fastned in a wheel without Selfs-motion turn with others turns about As th' Ague-sicke vpon his shivering pallet A comparison Delaies his health oft to delight his palat When wilfully his taste-les Taste delights In things vnsauory to sound Appetites Even so som brain-sicks liue ther now-adaies That lose themselves still in contrary waies Preposterous Wits that cannot rowe at ease On the smooth Chanell of our common Seas And such are those in my conceit at least Those Clarks that think think how absurd a iest That neither Heav'ns nor Stars do turn at all Nor dance about this great round Earthly Ball But th' Earth it self this Massie Globe of ours Turns round-about once euery twice-twelue houres And wee resemble Land-bred nouices New brought aboord to venture on the Seas Who at first launching from the shoar suppose The ship stands still and that the ground it goes So twinkling Tapers that Heav'ns Arches fill Opinion of Copernicus coÌ„futed Equally distant should continue still So neuer should an Arrow shot vpright In the same place vpon the shooter light But would doo rather as at Sea a stone Aboord a Ship vpward vprightly throw'n Which not within-boord fall's but in the Flood A-stern the Ship if so the winde be good So should the Fouls that take their nimble flight From Western Marshes toward Mornings Light And Zephyrus that in the Summer time Delights to visit Eurus in his clime And Bullets thundred from the Canons throat Whose roaring drowns the Heavn'ly thunders note Should seem recoyl sithens the quick career That our round Earth should daily gallop heer Must needs exceed a hundred-fold for swift Birds Bullets Windes their wings their force their drift Arm'd with these reasons 't were superfluous T' assail the reasons of Copernicus Who to salve better of the Stars th' appearance Vnto the Earth a three-fold motion warrants Making the Sun the Center of this All Leauing to dispute farther vppon the former Paradox he pro ccedeth in his discourse and by a liuely comparison representeth the beautifull ornament of the Heavens about the Earth Moon Earth and Water in one only Ball. But sithens heer nor time nor place doth sute His Paradox at length to prosâ—cute I will proceed grounding my next discourse On the Heav'ns motions and their constant course I oft admire Greatnes of mighty Hills And pleasant beauty of the flowry Fields And count-les number of the Oceans sand And secret force of sacred Adamant But much-much more the more I mark their course Stars glistering greatnes beauty number force Euen as a Peacock prickt with loues desire Simile To woo his Mistress strowting stately by her Spreads round the rich pride of his pompous vail His azure wings and starry-golden tail With rattling pinions wheeling still about The more to set his beautious beautie out The Firmament as feeling like aboue Displays his pomp pranceth about his Loue Spreads his blew curtain mixt with golden marks Set with gilt spangles sow'n with glistring sparks Sprinkled with eyes specked with Tapers bright Poudred with Starrs streaming with glorious light T' inflame the Earth the more with Louers grace To take the sweet fruit of his kinde imbrace Hee that to number all the Stars would seek The number of Stars vnder both the Poles innumerable Had need inuent som new Arithmetick And who to cast that Reck'ning takes in hand Had need for Counters take the Ocean's sand Yet haue our wise and learned Elders found And why the ancient Astronomers obserued 48. Foure-dozen Figures in the Heav'nly Round For aid of memory and to our eyes In certain Howses to diuide the Skyes Of those are Twelue in that rich Girdle greft Of the fignes in the Zodiacke Which God gaue Nature for her New-yeres-gift When making All his voice Almighty most Gaue so fair Laws vnto Heav'ns shining Hoast To wear it biaz buckled ouer-thwart-her Not round about her swelling waste to girt-her This glorious Baldrick of a Golden tindge Imbost with Rubies edg'd with Siluer Frindge Buckled with Gold with a Bend glistring bright Heav'ns biaz-wise enuirons day and night For from the period whear the Ram doth bring The Zodiacke The day and night to equall ballancing Ninetie degrees towards the North it wends Thence iust as much toward Mid-Heav'n it bends As many thence toward the South and thence Towards th' Years Portall the like difference Nephelian Crook-horn with brass Cornets crown'd Aries in Mid-March begins the Spring Thou buttest brauely 'gainst the New-yeres bound And richly clad in thy fair Golden Fleece Doo'st hold the First House of Heav'ns spacious Meese Taurus in mid-Aprill Thou spy'st anon the Bull behinde thy back Who least that fodder by the way he lack Seeing the World so naked to renewg't Coats th' infant Earth in a green gallant sute And without Plough or Yoak doth freely fling Through fragrant Pastures of the flowry Spring Gemini in mid-May The Twins whose heads arms shoulders knees and feet God fill'd with Starrs to shine in season sweet Contendin Course who first the Bull shall catch That neither will nor may attend their match Then Summers-guide the Crab coms rowing soft Cancer in mid-Iune begins the sommer With his eight owres through the Heavn's azure loâ—t To bring vs yeerely in his starry shell Many long daies the shaggy Earth to swele Almost with like pase leaps the Lion out Leo in mid-Iuly All clad with flames bristled with beams about Who with contagion of his burning breath Both grass and grain to cinders withereth The Virgin next sweeping Heav'ns azure Globe Virgo in mid-August With stately train of her bright Golden robe Milde-proudly marching in her left hand brings A sheaf of Corn and in her right hand wings Libra in mid-September begin neth Autumn After the Maiden shines the Balance bright Equall druider of the Day and Night In whose gold Beam with three gold rings there fastens With six gold strings a payr of golden Basens The spitefull Scorpion next the Skale addrest With two bright Lamps couers his loathsom brest Scorpio in mid-October And fain from both ends with his double sting Would spet his venom ouer euery thing Sagittarius in mid-Nouember But that the braue Half-horse Phylirean Scout Galloping swift the heav'nly Belt about Ay fiercely threats with his flame-feathered arrow To shoot the sparkling starry Viper thorough And th' hoary Centaure during all his Race Capricornus in mid-December beginneth Winter Is so attentiue to this onely chase That dread-less of his dart Heav'ns shining Kid Coms iumping light iust at his heels vnspid Aquarius in mid-Ianuary Mean-whilethe Skinker from his starry spout After the Goat a siluer stream pours-out Distilling still out of his radiant Fire Riuers of Water who but
Mercury For ship for shop book bar or Court or Citie Smooth Orator swift Pen-man sweet Musician Rare Artizan deep-reaching Politician Fortunat Marchant fine Prince-humour-pleaser To end his course takes neer a twelue-months leasure For all the while his nimble winged heels Dare little bouge from Phoebus golden wheels And lastly Luna thou cold Queen of night Regent of humours parting Months aright Of the 1. which is the Sphear of Lunâ— The lowest Planet nearest the Earth Chaste Emperess to one Endymion constant Constant in Love though in thy looks in constant Vnlike our Loues whose hearts dâ—ssemble soonest Twelue times a year through all the Zodiak runnest Now if these Lamps so infinite in number Should stil stand-stil as in a sloathfull slumber Then should som Places alwaies in one plight Have alwaies Day and â—om haue alwaies Night Of the necessitie of diuers motions of the Heauens Then should the Sommers Fire and Winters Frost Rest opposite still on the self same Coast Then nought could spring and nothing prosper would In all the World for Want of Heat or Cold. Or without change of distance or of dance If all these Lights still in one path should prance Th' inconstant parts of this lowe Worlds contents Should neuer feel so sundry accidents As the Conâ—unction of celestiall Features Incessantly pours vpon mortall Creatures I 'll n'er beleeve that the Arch-Architect Of the force and influence of the Câ—lestiall body vpon the terrestriall With all these Fires the Heav'nly Arches deckt Onely for Shewe and with these glistering shields T' amaze poor Shepheards watching in the fields I 'll n'er beleeve that the least Flowr that pranks Our Garden borders or the Common banks And the least stone that in her warming Lap Our kind Nurse Earth doth covetously wrap Hath som peculiar vertue of it owne And that the glorious Stars of Heav'n have none But shine in vain and haue no charge precise But to be walking in heav'ns Galleries And through that Palace vp and down to clamber As Golden Gulls about a PRINCES CHAMBER Sens-less is he who without blush denies What to sound senses most apparant lies And 'gainst Experience he that spets Fallacians Is to be hisst from learned Disputations And such is he that doth affirm the Stars To have no force on these inferiours Though heav'ns effects we most apparant see In number more then heav'nly Torches be I nill alleadge the Seasons alteration Sundry proofes of the same 1 The diuers seasons 2 The fearefull accideÌ„ts that coÌ„monly succeede Eclipses Caus'd by the Sun in shifting Habitation I will not vrge that neuer at noon daies His enuious Sister intercepts his Raies But som great State eclipseth and from Hell Alecto looses all these Furies Fell Grim lean-fac't Famine foul infectious Plague Blood-thirsty VVar and Treason hatefull Hag Heere pouring down Woes vniuersall Flood To drown the World in Seas of Tears and Blood I 'l overpass how Sea doth Eb and Flowe 3 The ebbing flowing of the sea As th' Horned Queen doth eyther shrink or growe And that the more she Fills her forked Round The more the Marrow doth in bones abound The Bloud in Veins the sap in Plants the Moisture 4 The increase and decrease of marrow bloud and humours in diuers creatures And lushious meat in Creuish Crab and Oyster That Oak and Elm and Firr and Alder cut Before the Crescent have her Cornets shut Are neuer lasting for the builders turn In Ship or House but rather fit to burn 5. The apparant alterations in the bodies of sick persons And also that the Sick while shee is filling Feele sharper Fits through all their members thrilling So that this Lamp alone approoves what powrs Heav'ns Tapers have even on these soules of ours Temp'ring or troubling as they be inclin'd Our mind and humours humours and our minde Through Sympathy which while this Flesh we carie Our Soules and Bodies doth together marry I 'l only say that sith the hot aspect Of th' Heav'nly Dog-Star kindles with effect A particular proose by the effects of certaine notable stars ordinarily noted in some Moneth of â—he yeare A thousand vnseen Fires and dries the Fields Scorches the Vallies parches-vp the Hills And often times into our panting hearts The bitter Fits of burning Fevers darts And opposit the Cup the dropping Pleiades Bright-glistering Orion and the weeping Hyades Neuer almost look down on our aboad But that they stretch the Waters bounds abroad With Clowdy horror of their wrathfull frown Threatning again the guilty World to drown And to be brief sith the gilt azure Front Of Firmest Sphear hath scarce a spark vpon 't But poureth down-ward som apparant change Toward the Storing of the Worlds great Grange We may coniecture what hid powr is given T' infuse among vs from the other Seaven From each of those which for their vertuerare Th' Almighty placed in a proper Sphear Reiecting the Stoiks he sheweth that God as the first Cause doth order all things and what vse we should make of the force Course Light of the coelesti all bodies Not that as Stoiks I intend to tye With Iron Chains of strong Necessitie Th' Eternal's hands and his free feet enstock In Destinies hard Diamantin Rock I hold that God as The first Cause hath giv'n Light Course and Force to all the Lamps of Heav'n That still he guides them and his Providence Disposeth free their Fatall influence And that therefore the rather we belowe Should study all their Course and Force to knowe To th' end that seeing through our Parents Fall T' how many Tyrants we are waxen thrall Euer since first fond Womans blind Ambition Breaking made Adam break Heav'ns High-Commission We might vnpuff our Heart and bend our Knee T' appease with sighs Gods wrathfull Maiestie Beseeching him to turn away the storms Of Hail and Heat Plague Dearth and dreadfull Arms Which oft the angry Starrs with bad Aspects Threat to be falling on our stubborn necks To give vs Curbs to bridle th' ill proclivitie We are inclin'd-to by a hard Nativitie To pour som Water of his Grace to quench Our boyling Fleshes fell Concupiscence To calm our many passions spirituall tumours Sprung from corruption of our vicious humours Latonian Twinns Parents of Years and Months Heer proceeding to the second part of this book he treateth at large of the Sun and Moon Alas why hide you so your shining Fronts What nill you shew the splendor of your ray But through a Vail of mourning Clouds I pray I pray pul-off your mufflers and your moorning And let me see you in your native burning And my deer Muse by her eternall flight Shal spread as far the glory of your Light As you your selues run in alternat Ring Day after Night Night after Day to bring Thou radiant Coach-man running end-les course Of the Sun entring into the descriptioÌ„ wherof he confesseth that he knowes not well where to begin Fountain
ears to hear his wondrous Art The Dolphin then discrying Land at last Storms with himself for hauing made such haste And wisht Laconia thousand Leagues from thence T' haue ioy'd the while his Musiks excellence But 'fore his own delight preferring far Th' vnhoped safety of the Minstrell rare Sets him a shoar and which most strange may seem Where life he took there life restoreth him But now deer Muse with Ionas lets vs hie From the Whales belly and from ieopardy Of stormfull Seas of wreakfull Rocks and Sand Com com my Darling let vs haste to Land While busie poaring downward in the Deep The second part of this book treating of Fowles I sing of Fishes that there Quarter keep See how the Fowls are from my fancy fled And their high prayses quight out of my head Their flight out-flies me and my Muse almost The better half of this bright Day hath lost But cheer ye Birds your shadows as ye pass Seeming to flutter on the Waters face Make me remember by their nimble turns Both what my duty and your due concerns But first I pray for meed of all my toyl In bringing you into this HAPPIE I LE Vouch safe to waken with your various Notes The sense-less senses of those drowsie Sots Whose eye-lids laden with a waight of Lead Shall fall a-sleep the while these Rymes are read But if they could not close their wakefull eyes Among the Water's silent Colonies How can they sleep among the Birds whose sound Through Heav'n and Earth and Ocean doth redound The Heav'nly Phoenix first began to frame Of the admirable and Onely Phoenix The Earthly Phoenix and adorn'd the same With such a plume that Pboebus circuiting Prom Fez to Cairo sees no fairer thing Such form such fethers and such Fate he gaue-her That fruitfull Nature breedeth nothing braver Two sparkling eyes vpon her crown a crest Of starry Sprigs more splendent then the rest A golden doun about her dainty neck Her brest deep purple and a scarlet back Her description Her wings and train of fethers mixed fine Of orient azure and incarnadine He did appoint her Fate to be her Pheer And Deaths cold kisses to restore her heer Her life again which neuer shall expire Her life Vntill as shee the World consume in fire For hauing passed vnder diuers Climes A thousand Winters and a thousand Primes Worn-out with yeers wishing her end-less end To shining flames she doth her life commend Dies to reviue and goes into her Graue To rise again more beautifull and braue Perched therfore vpon a branch of Palm With Incense Cassia Spiknard Myrrh and Balm By break of Day shee builds in narrow room Her Vrn her nest her Cradle and her Toomb Where while she sits all gladly-sad expecting Som flame against her fragrant heap reflecting To burn her sacred bones to seed-full cinders Wherein her age but not her life she renders Her death The Phrygian Skinker with his lauish Ewer Drowns not the Fields with shower after showr The shivering Coach-man with his Icy Snowe Dares not the Forrests of Phoenicia strowe Auster presumes not Libyan shoars to pass With his moist wings and gray-beard Boreas As the most boistrous and rebellious slaue Is prisoned close in th' Hyper-Borean Caue For Nature now propitious to her End To her living Death a helping hand doth lend And stopping all those Mouths doth mildely sted Her funeralls her fruitfull birth and bed And Sol himself glauncing his golden eyes On th' odoriferous Couch wherein she lies Kindles the spice and by degrees consumes Th' immortall Phoenix both her flesh and plumes But instantly out of her ashes springs A Worm an Egg then then a bird with wings Her re-generation Iust like the first rather the same indeed Which re-ingendred of it'sselfly seed By noblely dying a new Date begins And where she loseth there her life she wins End-less by'r End eternall by her Toomb While by a prosperous Death she doth becom Among the cinders of her sacred Fire Her own selfs Heir Nurse Nurseling Dam and Sire Teaching vs all in Adam heer to dy The best application That we in Christ may liue eternally The Phoenix cutting th' vnfrequented Air Birds that follow the Phoenix and their natures Forth-with is followed by a thousand pair Of wings in th' instant by th' Almighty wrought With divers Size Colour and Motion fraught The sent-strong Swallow sweepeth to and fro The Swallow As swift as shafts fly from a Turkish Bowe When vse and Art and strength confedered The skilfull Archer draws them to the head Flying she sings and singing seeketh where She more with cunning then with cost may rear Her round-front Palace in a place secure Whose Plot may serue in rarest Arch'tecture Her little beak she loads with brittle straws Her wings with Water and with Earth her claws Whereof she Morter makes and there-with-all Aptly she builds her semi-circle Wall The pretty Lark climbing the Welkin cleer The Lark Chaunts with a cheer Heer peer-I neer my Deer Then stooping thence seeming her fall to rew Adieu she sayth adieu deer Deer adieu The Spink the Linot and the Gold-Finch fill The Linot The Finch All the fresh Aire with their sweet warbles shrill But all This 's nothing to the Nightingale The Nightingale Breathing so sweetly from a brest so small So many Tunes whose Harmony excells Our Voice our Violls and all Musick els Good Lord how oft in a green Oken Grove In the cool shadow haue I stood and strove To marry mine immortall Layes to theirs Rapt with delight of their delicious Aâ—ers And yet methinks in a thick thorn I hear A Nightingale to warble sweetly-cleer One while she bears the Base anon the Tenor Anon the Trebble then the Counter-Tenor Then all at once as it were chalenging The rarest voyces with her self to sing Thence thirty steps amid the leafie Sprayes Another Nightingale repeats her Layes Iust Note for Note and adds som Strain atlast That she had conned all the Winter past The first replyes and descants there-vpon With divine warbles of Division Redoubling Quavers And so turn by turn Alternatly they sing away the Morn So that the Conquest in this curious strife â—oth often cost the one her voice and life Then the glad Victor all the rest admire And after count her Mistress of the Quire At break of Day in a Delicious song She sets the Gam-vt to a hundred young And when as fit for higher Tunes she sees-them Then learnedly she harder Lessons gives-them Which strain by strain they studiously recite And follow all their Mistress Rules aright The Colchian Pheasant and the Partridge rare Diuers other delicate and gentle Birds The lustfull Sparrow and the fruitfull Stare The chattering Pye the chastest Turtle-Doue The grizel Quoist the Thrush that Grapes doth love The little Gnat-snap worthy Princes Boords And the green Parrat fainer of our words Wait on the Phoenix and
end-less simple vnpalpable For whether that the Soule the Mint of Art The Seat of the Soule Be all in all or all in euery part Whether the Brain or Heart doo lodge the Soule O Seneca where where could'st thou enroule Those many hundred words in Prose or Verse Which at first hearing thou could'st back rehearse Notable examples of excellent Memories Where could great Cyrus that great Table shut Wherein the Pictures and the names he put Of all the Souldiers that by thousands wander'd After the fortunes of his famous Standard In what deep vessell did th' Embassader Of Pyrrhus whom the Delphian Oracler Deluded by his double-meaning Measures Into what Cesterns did he pour those Treasures Of learned store which after for his vse In time and place he could so fit produce The Memorie is th' Eyes true Register The Peasants Book Times wealthy Treasorer Keeping Records of Acts and accidents What s' ever subiect vnto humane sense Since first the Lord the Worlds foundations laid Or Phoebus first his golden locks displaid And his pale Sister from his beaming light Borrow'd her splendor to adorn the Night So that our Reason searching curiously Through all the Roules of a good Memory And fast'ning closely with a Gordian knot To past euents what Present Times allot Fore-sees the Future and becomes more sage More happily to lead our later age And though our Soule liue as imprison'd here In our frail flesh or buried as it were Of the quicke swiftnes and sodain motion of the Soule comprehending all things in HeaueÌ„ and Earth In a dark Toomb Yet at one flight she flies From Caipè t' Imaus from the Earth to Skies Much swifter then the Chariot of the Sun Which in a Day about the World doth run For somtimes leauing these base slymy heaps With cheereful spring aboue the Clouds she leaps Glides through the Aire and there she learns to knowe Th' Originalls of Winde and Hail and Snowe Of Lightning Thunder Blazing-Starrs and storms Of Rain and Ice and strange Exhaled Forms By th' Aires steep-stairs she boldly climbs aloft To the Worlds Chambers Heav'n she visits oft Stage after Stage she marketh all the Sphears And all th' harmonious various course of theirs With sure account and certain Compasses She counts their Starrs she metes their distances And differing pases and as if she found No Subiect fair enough in all this Round She Mounts aboue the Worlds extreamest Wall Far far beyond all things corpóreall Where she beholdes her Maker face to face His frowns of Iustice and his smiles of Grace The faithfull zeal the chaste and sober Port And sacred Pomp of the Celestiall Court What can be hard to a sloath-shunning Spirit Spurr'd with desire of Fames eternall merit Of learned curious pleasant marueilous and more then humane inuention of mans wit Look if thou canst from East to Occident From Island to the Moors hot Continent And thou shalt nought perfectly fair behould But Pen or Pencill Grauing-tool or Mould Hath so resembled that scarce can our ey The Counterfait from the true thing descry The brazen Mare that famous Myron cast Which Stallions leapt and for a Mare imbraç't The liuely picture of that ramping Vine Which whilom Zeuxis limn'd so rarely fine That shoals of Birds beguiled by the shapes Of Caruing and Painting Peckt at the Table as at very Grapes The Marble Statue that with strangest fire Fondly inflam'd th' Athenian Youths desire Apelles Uenus which allur'd well-neer As many Loues as Venus self had heer Are proofs enough that learned Painting can Can Goddess-like another Nature frame But th' Art of Man not only can compack Features and forms that life and Motion lack The subtle conclusions of the Mathematikes witnes Archytas Doue But also fill the Aire with painted shoals Of flying Creatures Artificiall Fowls The Tarentines valiant and learned Lord Archytas made a wooden Doue that soar'd About the Welkin by th' accorded sleights The Eagle and the Flie of Iohn de Monte-Regio or Regi-Montanus And counterpoiz of sundrie little weights Why should I not that wooden Eagle mention A learned Germanes late-admir'd inuention Which mounting from his fist that framed her Flew far to meet an Almain Emperour And hauing met him with her nimble train And weary wings turning about again Follow'd him close vnto the Castle Gate Of Noremberg whom all the Showes of State Streets hangd with Arras Arches curious built Loud-thundring Canons Columns richly gilt Gray-headed Senate and Youth's gallantise Graç't not so much as onely This Deuise Once as this Artist more with mirth then meat Feasted some friends that he esteemed great From vnder 's hand an iron Flie flew out Which hauing flowen a perfect Round-about With weary wings return'd vnto her Master And as iudicious on his arm she plaç't-her O diuine wit that in the narrow womb Of a small Flie could finde sufficient room For all those Springs wheels counterpoiz and chains Which stood in stead of life and spur and rains Yea you your selues ye bright Celestiall Orbs Astronomy Although no stop your rest-less Daunce disturbs Nor stays your Course yet can ye not escape The hands of men that are but men in shape A Persian Monarch not content well-nigh The king of Per sia his Heauen of Glass With the Earths bounds to bound his Empery To raign in Heav'n rais'd not with bold defiance Like brauing Nimrod or those boistrous Giants Another Babel or a heap of Hills But without mouing from the Earth he builds A Heav'n of Glass so huge that there-upon Somtimes erecting his ambitious Throne Beneath his proud feet like a God he saw The shyning Lamps of th' other Heav'n to draw Down to the Deep and thence again aduance Like glorious Brides their golden Radiance Yet had the Heav'n no wondrous excellence Saue Greatnes worthy of so great a Prince But who would think that mortall hands could mould Admirable Dialls Clocks namely at this Day that of Straesbourg New Heavn's new Stars whose whirling courses should With constant windings though contrary waies Mark the true mounds of Years and Months and Daies Yet 't is a story that hath oft been heard And by graue Witnes hundred times auerr'd That that profound Briareus who of yore As selfly arm'd with thousands hands and more Maintain'd so long the Syracusian Towrs 'Gainst great Marcellus and his Roman Powrs The Engines of Archimedes and his Spheare Who fier'd his foes Fleet with a wondrous Glass Who hugest Vessels that did euer pass The Tiâ—rhen Seas turn'd with his onely hand From Shoar to Sea and from the Sea to Land Framed a Sphear where euery Wandring Light Of lower Heav'ns and th' vpper Tapers bright Whose glistering flames the Firmament adorn Did of themselues with ruled motion turn Nor may we smother or forget ingrately The Heauen of Siluer sent by the Emperour Ferdinand to Solyman the great Turk The Heav'n of Siluer that was sent but
fury and the Prelats gall Serv'd all as organs to repair the Fall Of Edens old Prince whose luxurious pride Made on his seed his sin for euer slide 4 He turneth the malice of Sathan and his instruments to his own glory and the good of his of whom he hath alwaies speciall care Th' Almighties Care doth diuersly disperse Ore all the parts of all this Vniuerse But more precisely his wide wings protect The race of Adam chiefly his Elect. For ay he watcheth for his Children choice That lift to him their hearts their hands and voice For them he built th' ay-turning Heav'ns Theater For them he made the Fire Aire Earth and Water He counts their hairs their steps he measureth Handles their hands and speaketh with their breath Dwels in their hearts and plants his Regiments Of watchfull Angels round about their Tents A remedy for temptation of the godly seeing the prosperity of the wicked and the afflictions of Gods children But heer what hear I Faith-less God-less men I meruail not that you impugn my pen But O! it grieues me and I am amaz'd That those whose faith like glistering Stars hath blaz'd Even in our darkest nights should so obiect Against a doctrin of so sweet effect Because alas with weeping eyes they see Th' vngodly-most in most Prosperity Clothed in Purple crown'd with Diadems Handling bright Scepters hoording Gold and Gems Croucht-to and courted with all kinde affection As priuiledged by the Heav'ns protection So that their goods their honours their delights Excell their hopes exceed their appetites And opposite the godly in the storms Of this Worlds Sea tost in continuall harms In Earth less rest then Euripus they finde Gods heauy Rods still hanging them behinde Them shame and blame trouble and loss pursues As shadows bodies and as night the deawes Peace peace deer friends I hope to cancel quite The same cōforted in diuers sorts with apt Similitudes cōfirming the reason declaring the right end of God diuers dea ling with men This profane thought from your vnsettled Sp'rit Know then that God to th' end he be not thought A powr-less Iudge heer plagueth many a fault And many a fault leaues heer vnpunished That men may also his last iudgement dread On th' other side note that the Crosse becoms A Ladder leading to Heav'ns glorious rooms A Royall Path the Heav'nly Milken way Which doth the Saints to Ioues high Court convay O! see you not how that a Father graue Curbing his Son much shorter then his Slaue Doth th' one but rare the other rife reproue Th' one but for lucre th' other all for loue As skilfull Quirry that commands the Stable Of som great Prince or Person honourable Giues oftest to that Horse the teaching spur Which he findes fittest for the vse of War A painfull School-master that hath in hand To institute the flowr of all a Land Giues longest Lessons vnto those where Heav'n The ablest wits and aptest wills hath giv'n And a wise Chieftain neuer trusts the waight Of th' execution of a braue Exploit But vnto those whom most he honoureth For often proof of their firm force and faith Such sends he first t' assault his eager foes Such 'gainst the Canon on a Breach bestowes Such he commands naked to scale a Fort And with small number to re-gain a Port. God beats his Deer from birth to buriall To make them know him and their pride appall Affliction profitable to the Faithfull To draw deuout sighes from calamitie And by the touch to try their Constancy T' awake their sloath their minds to exercise To trauail cheer'ly for th' immortall Prize A good Physician that Arts excellence Can help with practice and experience They are necessary to cure the diseases of the soule Applies discreetly all his Recipés Vnto the nature of each fell-disease Curing this Patient with a bitter Potion That with strict Diet th' other with a Lotion And sometime cutteth off a leg or arm So sharply sweet to saue the whole from harm Euen so the Lord according to th' ill humours That vex his most-Saints with soule-tainting tumours Sends somtimes Exile somtimes lingring Languor Somtimes Dishonour somtimes pining Hunger Somtime long Law-suits somtime Loss of good Somtimes a Childes death or a Widdow-hood But ay he holdeth for the good of His In one hand Rods in th' other Remedies The Souldier slugging long at home in Peace Without them Gods children decline His wonted courage quickly doth decrease The rust doth fret the blade hangd vp at rest The Moath doth eate the garment in the Chest The standing Water stinks with putrefaction And Vertue hath no Vertue but in action All that is fairest in the World we finde Subiect to trauail So with storms and winde Th' Air still is tost the Fire and Water tend This still to mount that euer to descend The spirit is spright-less if it want discourse Heavn's no more Heav'n if it once cease his Course The valiant Knight is known by many scars The Crosse an honorable mark But he that steals-home wound-less from the Wars Is held a Coward void of Valours proof That for Deaths fear hath fled or fought a-loof The Lord therfore to giue Humanitie Rare presidents of daunt-less Constancy God will be glorified in the constant sufferings of his Seruants And crown his deer Sons with victorious Laurels Won from a thousand foes in glorious quarrels Pours downe more euils on their hap-less head Then yerst Pandora's odious Box did shead Yet strengthning still their hearts with such a Plaister That though the Flesh stoop still the Spirit is Maister But wrongly I these euils Euill call There is nothing euill in Mans life but sinne vertue is best perceiued in the proofe Sole Vice is ill sole Vertue good and all Besides the same is selfly simply had And held indifferent neither good nor bad Let enuious Fortune all her forces wage Against a constant Man her fellest rage Can never change his godly resolution Though Heav'n it self should threaten his confusion A constant man is like the Sea whose brest True constantie liuely represented by two comparisons Lyes ever open vnto every guest Yet all the Waters that she drinks can not Make her to change her qualities a iot Or like a good sound stomack not soon casting For a light surfet or a small dis-tasting But that vntroubled can incontinent Convert all meats to perfect nourishment Though then the Lords deep Wisedom to this day God Resting on the seuenth Day and blessing it teacheth vs that in resting one day of the Week we should principally imploy it in his seruice That we should cease from our worldly and wicked workes to giue place to his grace and to suffer his Spirit to worke in vs by the Instrument of his holy word Work in the Worlds vncertain-certain Sway Yet must we credit that his hand compos'd All in six Dayes and that He then Repos'd
Not for th' effect it had but should haue kept If Man from duty never had mis-stept For as the ayr of those fresh dales and hills Preserved him from Epidemik ills This fruit had ever-calm'd all insurrections All civill quarrels of the cross complexions Had barr'd the passage of twice childish age And ever-more excluded all the rage Of painfull griefs whose swift-slowe posting-pase At first or last our dying life doth chase Strong counter-bane O sacred Plant divine The excellencie of that Tree What metall stone stalk fruit flowr root or ryne Shall I presume in these rude rymes to sute I Vnto thy wondrous World-adorning Fruit The rarest Simples that our fields present-vs Heal but one hurt and healing too torments vs And with the torment lingring our relief Our bags of gold void yer our bulks of grief But thy rare fruits hid powr admired most Salveth all sores sans pain delay or cost Or rather man from yawning Death to stay Thou didst not cure but keep all ills away O holy peer-less rich preseruatiue We cannot say what Tree it was Whether wert thou the strange restoratiue That suddainly did age with youth repair And made old Aeson yonger then his heir Or holy Nectar that in heav'nly bowrs Eternally self-pouring Hebé pours Or blest Ambrosia Gods immortall fare Or els the rich fruit of the Garden rare Where for three Ladies as assured guard A fire-arm'd Dragon day and night did ward Or pretious Moly which Ioues Pursuiuan Wing-footed Hermes brought to th' Ithacan Or else Nepenthé enemy to sadnes Repelling sorrows and repealing gladnes Or Mummie or Elixir that excels Save men and Angels every creature els No none of these these are but forgeries But toyes but tales but dreams deceipts and lies But thou art true although our shallow sense May honour more then sound thine Excellence The Tree of Knowledge th' other Tree behight Of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Euill Not that itselfly had such speciall might As mens dull wits could whet and sharpen so That in a moment they might all things knowe 'T was a sure pledge a sacred sâ—gne and seal Which being ta'n should to light man reveal What ods there is between still peace and strife Gods wrath and loue drad death and deerest life Solace and sorrow guile and innocence Rebellious pride and humble obedience For God had not depriv'd that primer season Of the excellence of mans knowledge before Sin The sacred lamp and light of learned Reason Mankinde was then a thousand fold more wise Then now blinde Error â—ad not bleard his eys With mists which make th' Athenian Sage suppose That nought hee knowes saue this that nought hee knowes That euen light Pirâ—â—oâ—s wavering fantasies Reave him the skill his vn skill to agnize And th' Abderite within a Well obscure As deep as dark the Truth of things immure Hee happy knew the Good by th' vse of it How he knew good and euill before Sinne. He knew the Bad but not by proof as yet But as they say of great Hyppocrates Who though his limbs were numm'd with no excess Nor stop this throat nor vext his fantasie Knew the cold Cramp th' Angine and Lunacy And hundred els-pains whence in lusty flowr He liv'd exempt a hundred yeers and foure Or like the pure Heav'n-prompted Prophets rather Whose sight so cleerly future things did gather Because the World's Soule in their soule enseal'd The holy stamp of secrets most conceal'd But our now knowledge hath for tedious train Oâ— mans knowledge sincâ— his Fall A drooping life and over-racked brain A face forlorn a sad and sullen fashion A rest-less toyl and Cares self-pining passion Knowledge was then even the soules soule for light The spirits calme Port and Lanthorn shining bright To straight steptfeet cleer knowledge not confus'd Not sowr but sweet not gotten but infus'd Now Heav'ns eternall all-fore-seeing King Why the Lord put man in the Garden of Eden Who never rashly ordereth anything Thought good that man having yet spirits sound-stated Should dwell els-where then where he was created That he might knowe he did not hold this place By Natures right but by meer gift and Grace That he should never taste fruits vn-permitted But keep the sacred Pledge to him committed And dress that Park which God without all tearm On these conditions gaue him as in farm God would that void of painfull labour he Of his exercise there Should liue in Eden but not idlely For Idlenes pure Innocence subuerts Defiles our body and our soule peruerts Yea soberest men it makes delicious To vertue dull to vice in genious But that first travell had no sympathy With our since-travails wretched cruelty Distilling sweat and panting wanting winde Which was a scourge for Adams sin assign'd For Edens earth was then so fertile fat 4. Comparisons That he made onely sweet Essayes in that Of skilfull industry and naked wrought More for delight then for the gain he sought In brief it was a pleasant exercise A labour lik't a pain much like the guise Of cunning dauncers who although they skip â— Run caper vault traverse and turn and trip From Morn till Even at night again full merry Renue their daunce of dauncing never weary Or else of Hunters that with happy luck 2. Rousing betimes som often breathed Buck Or goodly Stagge their yelping Hounds vncouple Winde lowd their horns their whoops hallows double Spur-on and spare not following their desire Themselues vn-weary though their Hackneis tyre But for in th' end of all their iolity Ther 's found much stifness sweat and vanity I rather match it to the pleasing pain Of Angels pure who ever sloath disdain 3. Or to the Suns calm course who pain-less ay 4. About the welkin posteth night and day Doubtless when Adam saw our common ayr Adam admireth the beauties of the World in generall He did admire the mansion rich and fair Of his Successors For frosts keenly cold The shady locks of Forrests had not powl'd Heav'n had not thundred on our heads as yet Nor given the earth her sad Diuorces Writ But when he once had entred Paradise But most especially of the Garden of Eden The remnant world he iustly did despise Much like a Boor far in the Country born Who never having seen but Kine and Corn Oxen and Sheep and homely Hamlets thatcht Which fond he counts as Kingdoms hardly matcht When afterward he happens to behold Our welthy London's wonders manifold In this comparison my Author setteth down the famous City of Paris but I haue presumed to apply it to our own City of London that it might be more familiar to my meere English and vn-trauaild Readers The silly peasant thinks himself to bâ— In a new World and gazing greedily One while he Art-less all the Arts admires Then the faire Temples and their top-less spires Their firm foundations and the massie pride Of all
their sacred ornaments beside Anon he wonders at the differing graces Tongues gests attires the fashions and the faces Of busie-buzzing swarms which still hee meets Ebbing and flowing ouer all the streets Then at the signes the shops the waights the measures The handy-crafts the rumors trades and treasures But of all sights none seems him yet more strange Then the rare beautious stately rich Exchange Another while he maruails at the Thames Which seems to bear huge mountains on her streams Then at the faâ—-built Bridge which he doth iudge More like a tradefull City then a Bridge And glancing thence a-long the Northren shoar That princely prospect doth amaze him more For in that Garden man delighted so That rapt he wist not if hee wak't or no If he beheld a true thing or a fable Or Earth or Heav'n all more then admirable For such excess his extasie was small Not hauing spirit enough to muse withall He wisht him bundred-fold redoubled senses The more to taste so rare sweet excellences Not knowing whether nose or ears or eyes Smelt heard or saw more sauors sounds or Dies But Adams best and supreame delectation Happines of the first Man before his fall Was th' often haunt and holy conuersation His soule and body had so many waies With God who lightned Eden with his Rays For spirits by faith religiously refin'd 'Twixt God and man retain a middle kinde And Vmpires mortall to th' immortall ioyn And th' infinit in narrow clay confine Som-times by you O you all-faining Dreams We gain this good but not when Bacchus steams Of the visions of the spirit And glutton vapours ouer-flowe the Brain And drown our spirits presenting fancies vain Nor when pale Phlegm or Saffron-coloured Choler In feeble stomacks belch with diuers dolor And print vpon our Vnderstandings Tables That Water-wracks this other flamefull fables Nor when the Spirit of lies our spirits deceiues And guile-full visions in our fancy leaues Nor when the pencil of Cares ouer-deep Our day-bred thoughts depainteth in our sleep But when no more the soules chief faculties Are sperst to sereue the body many waies When all self-vned free from dayes disturber Through such sweet Trance she findes a quiet harbour Where som in riddles som more plain exprest Shee sees things future in th' Almighties brest And yet far higher is this holy Fit Of the certainty of the visions of the spirit the body being at rest When not from flesh but from flesh-cares acquit The wakefull soule it self assembling so All selfly dies while that the body though Liues motion-les for sanctified wholly It takes th' impression of Gods Signet Soly And in his sacred Crystall Map doth see Heav'ns Oracles and Angels glorious glee Made more then spirit Now Morrow Yesterday To it all one are all as present aye And though it seem not when the dream 's expir'd Like that it was yet is it much admir'd Of rarest men and shines among them bright Like glistring Starrs through gloomy shades of night But aboue all that 's the divinest Trance Of diuine extraordinary visions and Reuelations When the soules eye beholds Gods countenance When mouth to mouth familiarly he deales And in our face his drad-sweet face hee seales As when S. Paul on his deer Masters wings Was rapt aliue vp to th' eternall things And he that whilom for the chosen flock Made walls of waters waters of a rock O sacred flight sweet rape loues soueraign bliss Of the excellency of such visions and Reuelations Which very loves deer lips dost make vs kiss Hymen of Manna and of Mel compact Which for a time dost Heav'n with earth contract Fire that in Limbeck of pure thoughts divine Doost purge our thoughts and our dull earth refine And mounting vs to Heav'n vn-mouing hence Man in a trice in God doost quintessence O! mad'st thou man divine in habitude As for a space O sweetest solitude Thy bliss were equall with that happie Rest Which after death shall make vs ever-blest Now I beleeve that in this later guise What manner of visions the first Man had in Eden Man did conuerse in Pleasant Paradise With Heav'ns great Architect and happy there His body saw or body as it were Gloriously compast with the blessed Legions That raign above the azure-spangled Regions ADAM quoth He the beauties manyfold Man is put in possession of EdeÌ„ vnder a conditioÌ„ That in this Eden thou doest heer behold Are all thine onely enter sacred race Come take possession of this wealthy place The Earth's sole glory take deer Sonn to thee This farm's demains leave the Chief right to me And th' only Rent that of it I reserue is One Trees fair fruit to shew thy sute and seruice Be thou the Liege and I Lord Paramount I 'le not exact hard fines as men shall woont For signe of Homage and for seal of Faith Of all the profits this Possession hath I only ask one Tree whose fruit I will For Sacrament shall stand of Good and Ill. Take all the rest I bid thee but I vow By th' vn-nam'd name where-to all knees doo bow And by the keen Darts of my kindled Ire More fiercely burning then consuming fire That of the Fruit of Knowledge if thou feed Death dreadfull Death shall plague Thee and thy Seed If then the happie state thou hold'st of me My holy mildnes nor high Maiesty If faith nor Honour curb thy bold ambition Yet weigh thy self and thy owne Seeds condition Most mighty Lord quoth Adam heer I tender Before Sinne Man was an huÌ„ble and zealous seruant of God All thanks I can not all I should thee render For all thy liberall fauours far surmounting My hearts conceit much more my tongues recounting At thy command I would with boyst'rous shock Goe run my self against the hardest rock Or cast me head long from som Mountain steep Down to the whirling bottom of the Deep Yea at thy beck I would not spare the life Of my deer Phoenix sister-daughter-wife Obaying thee I finde the things impossible Cruell and painfull pleasant kinde and possible But since thy first Law doth more grace afford Vnto the Subiect than the souerain Lord Since bountious Prince on me and my Descent Thou doost impose no other tax nor Rent But one sole Precept of most iust condition No Precept neither but a Prohibition And since good God of all the Fruits in EDEN There 's but one Apple that I am forbidden Euen only that which bitter Death doth threat Better perhaps to look on then to eate I honour in my soule and humbly kiss Thy iust Edict as Author of my bliss Which once transgrest deserues the rigor rather Of sharpest Iudge then mildnes of a Father The Firmament shall retrograde his course Swift Euphrates goe hide him in his source Firm Mountains skip like Lambs beneath the Deep Eagles shall diue Whales in the air shall keep Yer I presume with fingers ends to touch Much less
swouns and many others Eternall fellows of all future mothers Vnder his yoak thy husband thee shall haue Tyrant by thee made the Arch-tyrants slaue Against Man And thou disloyall which hast harkned more To a wanton fondling then my sacred lore Hence forth the sweat shall bubble on thy brow Thy hands shall blister and thy back shall bow Ne'r shalt thousend into thy branchievains A bit but bought with price of thousand pains For the earth feeling euen in her th' effect Of the doom thundred 'gainst thy foul defect In stead of sweet fruits which she selfly yeelds Seed-less and Art-less ouer all thy fields With thorns and burrs shall bristle vp her brest In short thou shalt not taste the sweets of rest Till ruth-less Death by his extreamest pain Thy dust-born body turn to dust again Heer I conceiue that flesh and bloud will brangle Obiection to excuse the Sinne of Man And murmuring Reason with th' almighty wrangle Who did our parents with Free-will indue 1. Though he fore-saw that that would be the clew Should lead their steps into the wofull way Where life is death ten thousand times a day Now all that he fore-sees befalls and further Hee all euents by his free powr doth order Man taxeth God of too-vniust severity For plaguing Adams sin in his posterity So that th' old yeers renewed generations Cannot asswage his venging indignations Which haue no other ground to prosecute But the mis eating of a certain fruit O dusty wormling dar'st thou striue and stand Answeres to the first obiection With Heav'ns high Monarch wilt thou wretch demand Count of his deeds Ah! shall the Potter make 1. His clay such fashion as him list to take And shal not God Worlds Founder Natures Father Dispose of man his own meer creature rather The supream King who Iudge of greatest Kings By number weight and measure acts all things Vice-loathing Lord pure Iustice patron strong Law 's life Right 's rule will he doo any wrong Man holdest thou of God thy frank Free-will 2. But free t' obay his sacred goodnes still Freely to follow him and doe his hest Net Philtre-charm'd nor by Busiris prest God arms thee with discourse but thou O wretch By the keen edge the wound-soule sword doost catch Killing thy self and in thy loyns thy line O banefull Spider weaving wofull twine All Heav'ns pure flowrs thou turnest into poyson Thy sense reaues sense thy reason robs thy reason For thou complainest of Gods grace whose Still Extracts from dross of thine audacious ill 3. Three vnexpected goods prayse for his Name Bliss for thy self for Satan endless-shame Sith but for sin Iustice and Mercy were But idle names and but that thou didst erre CHRIST had not com to conquer and to quell Vpon the Cross Sin Satan Death and Hell Making thee blessed more since thine offence Then in thy primer happy innocence Thē might'st thou dy now death thou doost not doubt Now in the Heav'n then didst thou ride without In earth thou liv'dst then now in Heav'n thou beest Then thou didst hear Gods word it now thou seest Then pleasant fruits now Christ is thy repast Then might'st thou fall but now thou standest fast Now Adams fault was not in deed so light As seems to Reason's sin-bleard Owlie sight But 't was a chain where all the greatest sinns Were one in other linked fast as Twinns Ingratitude pride treason gluttony Too-curious skill-thrist enuy felony Too-light too-late beleef were the sweet baits That made him wander from Heav'ns holy straights What wouldst thou Father say vnto a Son Of perfect age to whom for portion Witting and willing while thy self yet livest All thy possessions in the earth thou givest And yet th' vngratefull grace-lesse insolent In thine own Land rebellion doth invent Map now an Adam in thy memory By Gods own hand made with great maiesty Not poor nor pined but at whose command The rich aboundance of the world doth stand Not slaue to sense but having freely might To bridle it and range it still aright No idiot fool nor drunk with vain opinion But Gods Disciple and his deerest Minion Who rashly growes for little nay for nought His deadly foe that all his good had wrought So mayst thou ghess what whip what rope what rack What fire were fit to punish Adams lack Answeres to the second obiection Then sith Mans sin by little and little runs End-less through every Age from Sires to Sons 1. And still the farther this foul sin-spring flowes It still more muddy and more filthy growes Thou ought'st not marvail if even yet his seed Feel the iust wages of this wicked deed For though the keen sting of concupiscence Cannot yer birth his fell effect commence The vnborn Babe hid in the Mothers womb Is Sorrow's seruant and Sin 's servile groom As a frail Mote from the first Mass extract Which Adam baen'd by his rebellious fact Sound off-spring coms not of a Kinde infected Parts are not fair if to tall be defected And a defiled stinking sink doth yeeld More durt then water to the neighbour field While nights black muffler hoodeth vp the skies 2. The silly blind-man misseth not his eys Simile But when the day summons to work again His night eternall then he doth complain That hee goes groping and his hand alas Is fain to guide his foot and guard his face So man that liveth in the wombs obscurity Knowes not nor maketh knowen his lusts impurity Which for't is sown in a too-plentious ground Takes root already in the Caues profound Of his infected Hart with 's birth it peers And growes in strength as he doth growe in years And waxt a Tree though proyn'd with thousand cares An execrable deadly fruit it bears Thou seest no wheat Helleborus can bring 3. Nor barly from the madding Morrell spring Simile Nor bleating Lambs braue Lyons doe not breed The leprous Parents raise a leprous seed Even so our Grand-sire living Innocent Had stockt the whole World with a Saint-descent But suffering sin in EDEN him inuade His sons the sons of Sin and Wrath he made For God did seem t'indow with glory and grace 4. Not the first Man so much as all mans race And after reaue again those gifts diuine Not him so much as in him all his line For if an odious Traytour that conspires Simile Against a Prince or to his state aspires Feel not alone the laws extremity But his sons sons although somtimes they be Honest and vertuous for their Fathers blame Are hap-less scarr'd with an eternall shame May not th' Eternall with a righteous terror In Adams issue punish Adams error May he not thrall them vnder Deaths command And sear their brows with everlasting brand Of infamy who in his stock accurst Haue graft worse slips then Adam set at first Mans seed then iustly by succession Conclusion of the former Disputations and execution of Gods Decree
their auncient hate Which suffers not O date-less discord th' one Live in that ground where th' other first hath growen O strange instinct O deep immortall rage Whose fiery fewd no Laethé floud can swage So at the sound of Wolf-Drums rattling thunder Th' affrighted Sheep-skin-Drum doth rent in sunder So that fell Monsters twisted entrails cuts By secret powr the poor Lambs twined guts Which after death in steed of bleating mute Are taught to speak vpon an Yvory Lute And so the Princely Eagles ravening plumes The feathers of all other Fowls consumes The First-mov'd Heav'n in ' tself it self still stirring The estate of Man before Sin Rapts with his course quicker then windes swift whirring All th' other Sphears and to Alcides Spyres From Alexanders Altars driues their Fires But mortall Adam Monarch heer beneath Erring draws all into the paths of death And on rough Seas as a blinde Pylot rash Against the rock of Heav'ns iust wrath doth dash The Worlds great Vessell sayling yerst at ease With gentle gales good guide on quiet Seas For yer his fall which way so e'r he rowl'd His estate after Sinne. His wondering eys God every-where behold In Heav'n in Earth in Ocean and in Ayr He sees and feels and findes him every-where The World was like a large and sumptuous Shop Where God his goodly treasures did vnwrap Or Crystall glass most liuely representing His sacred Goodnes every-where frequenting But since his sin the wofull wretch findes none Herb garden groue field fountain stream or stone Beast mountain valley sea-gate shoar or haven But bears his Deaths doom openly ingraven In brief the whole scope this round Centre hath Is a true store-house of Heav'ns righteous wrath Al creatures froÌ„ the highest to the lowest enemies to Man Rebellious Adam from his God revolting Findes his yerst-subiects 'gainst himself insulting The tumbling Sea the Ayr with tempests driven Thorn-bristled Earth the sad and lowring Heav'n As from the oath of their allegeance free Revenge on him th' Almighties iniury The Starrs coniur'd through enuious Influence The Heauens with all ther in By secret Hang-men punish his offence The Sun with heat the Moon with cold doth vex-him Th' Air with vnlookt-for suddain changes checks-him With fogs and frosts hails snowes and sulph'ry thunders Blasting and storms and more prodigious wonders Fire fall'n from Heav'n or else by Art incited Al the ElemeÌ„ts Fire Aire Or by mischance in som rich building lighted Or from som Mountains burning bowels throw'n Repleat with Sulphur Pitch and Pumie stone With sparkling fury spreads and in fewe hours The labour of a thousand years devours The greedy Ocean breaking wonted bounds Sea Vsurps his heards his wealthy Iles and Towns The grieved Earth to ease her as it seems Earth Of such profane accursed weight somtimes Swallows whole Countries and the airie tops Of Prince-proud towrs in her black womb she wraps And in despight of him abhord and hatefull Earth brings forth weeds She many wayes proues barren and ingratefull Mocking our hopes turning our seed-Wheat-kernel To burn-grain Thistle and to vapourie Darnel Cockle wilde Oats rough Burs Corn-cumbring Tares Short recompence for all our costly cares Yet this were little if she more malicious Venemous plants Fell stepdame brought vs not Plants more pernicious As sable Henbane Morell making mad Cold poysoning Poppy itching drowsie sad The stifning Carpesâ— th' eyes-foe Hemlock stinking Limb-numming belching and the sinew-shrinking Dead-laughing Apâ—um weeping Aconite Which in our vulgar deadly Wolfs-bane hight The dropsie breeding sorrow-bringing Psylly Heer called Flea-Wurt Colchis banefull Lilly With vs Wild-Saffron blistring byting fell Not Napell making lips and tongue to swell Blood-boyling Yew and costiue Mâ—sseltoe With yce-cold Mandrake and a many mo Such fatall plants whose fruit seed sap or root T'vntimely Graue doe bring our heed-less foot Besides she knowes we brutish value more Poyson hidden among the Metals Then Liues or Honours her rich glittering Ore That Auarice our bound-less thought still vexes Therfore among her wreakfull baits she mixes Quick-siluer Lithargie and Orpiment Wherwith our entrails are oft gâ—awn and rent So that somtimes for Body and for Minde Torture and torment in one Mine we finde What resteth more the Masters skilfull most The excellency of Mans Dominion ouer the Creatures before his Fall With gentle gales driv'n to their wished Coast Not with less labour guide their winged waynâ— On th' azure fore-head of the liquid plains Nor crafty Iugglers can more easily make Their self-liv'd Puppets for their lucres sake To skip and scud and play and prate and praunce And fight and fall and trip and turn and daunce Then happy we did rule the sealy Legions That dumbly dwell in stormy water-Regions Then fethered singers and the stubborn droues That haunt the Desarts and the shady Groues At every word they trembled then for aw And every wink then serv'd them as a law And always bent all duty to obserue-vs Without command stood ready still to serue-vs But now alas through our fond Parents fall The Creatures now becomn Tyrants and â—raytors to Him whose slaues and seruants they were before Sin They of our slaues are growen our tyrants all Wend we by Sea the dread Leuiathan Turns vpside-down the boyling Ocean And on the suddain sadly doth in toomb Our floting Castle in deep Thetis womb Yerst in the wel kin like an Eagle towring And on the water like a Dolphin scowring Walk we by Land how many loathsom swarms Of speckled poysons with pestiferous arms In every corner in close Ambush lurk With secret bands our sodain banes to work Besides the Lion and the Leopard Boar Bear and Wolf to death pursue vs hard And ielous vengers of the wrongs divine In peeces pull their Soverains sinfull line The huge thick Forrests haue nor bush nor brake But hides som Hang-man our loath'd life to take In every hedge and ditch both day and night We fear our death of every leaf affright Rest we at home the Masty fierce in force Th' vntamed Bull the hot courageous Horse With teeth with horns and hooues besiege vs round As griev'd to see such tyrants tread the ground And ther 's no Fly so small but now dares bring Her little wrath against her quondam King What hideous sights what horror-boading showes An admirable description of Mans miserable Punishments tortured by himselfe Alas what yels what howls what thund'ring throws O! am I not neer roaring Phlegoton Alecto sad Moger ' and Thesiphon What spels haue charm'd ye from your dreadfull den Of darkest Hell Monsters abhord of men O Nights black daughters grim-faç't Furies sad Stern Plutos Posts what make ye heer so mad O! feels not man a world of wofull terrors Besides your goaring wounds and ghastly horrors So soon as God from Eden Adam draue To liue in this Earth rather in this Graue Where raign a thousand deaths he summon'd-vp With thundering call the damned Crew
himselfe did throwe And in plain course to catch the Hinde or Roe But when fiue lustres of his age expir'd Feeling his stomach and his strength aspir'd To worthier wars perceiv'd he any-where Boar Libbard Lyon Tiger Ounse or Bear Him dread-less combats and in combat foyls And reares high Tropheis of his bloody spoyls The people seeing by his warlike deed From theeues and robbers euery passage freed From hideous yells the Desarts round about From fear their flocks this monster-master stout This Hercules this hammer-ill they tender And call him all their Father and Defender Then Nimrod snatching Fortune by the tresses Hee abandous his first petty Chase and hunteth wylier for a more pretious Prey Strikes the hot steele sues sooths importunes presses Now these then those and hastning his good Hap Leaues hunting Beasts and hunteth Men to trap For like as He in former quests did vse Cals pit-falls toyls sprenges and baits and glews And in the end against the wilder game Clubs darts and shafts and swords their rage to tame So som he wins with promise-full intreats With presents som and som with rougher threats And boldly breaking bounds of equitie Vsurps the Child-World's maiden Monarchy Whereas before each kindred had for guide Their proper Chief yer that the youthfull pride Of vpstart State ambitious boyling fickle Did thrust as now in others corn his sickle In-throniz'd thus this Tyrant'gan deuise Tyrannicall rule of Nimrod and his proud enterprize To perpetrate a thousand cruelties Pel-mel subuerting for his appetite God's Man's and Nature's triple sacred Right He braues th' Almightie lifting to his nose His flowring Scepter and for fear he lose The peoples aw who idle in the end Might slip their yoak he subtle makes them spend Draws dry their wealth and busies them to build A lofty Towr or rather Atlas wilde W'have liv'd quoth he too-long like pilgrim Grooms Leaue we these rowling tents and wandring rooms Let 's raise a Palace whose proud front and feet With Heav'n and Hell may in an instant meet A sure Asylum and a safe retreat If th' irefull storm of yet-more Floods should threat Le ts found a Citie and vnited there Vnder a King let 's lead our liues for fear Least seuer'd thus in Princes and in Tents We be disperst o're all the Regiments That in his course the Days bright Champion eys Might-less our selues to succour or aduise But if the fire of som intestine war Or other mischief should diuide vs far Brethren at least let 's leaue memorials Of our great names on these cloud-neighbouring wals Now as a spark that Shepheards vnespied Haue faln by chance vpon a Forrest side A comparison showing liuely the efficacie of the attempts of Tyrants the Rods of Gods righteous vengeance vpon vngodly people Among dry leaues a-while in secret shrouds Lifting a-loft small smoaky-wauing clouds Till fanned by the fawning windes it blushes With angry rage and rising through the bushes Climbs fragrant Hauthorns thence the Oak and than The Pine and Firre that bridge the Ocean It still gets ground and running doth augment And neuer leaues till all neer Woods be brent So this sweet speech first broacht by certain Minions Is soon applauded 'mong the light opinions And by degrees from hand to hand renu'd To all the base confused multitude Who longing now to see this Castle rear'd Them night and day in differing crafts bestirr'd Som fall to felling with a thousand stroaks Aduenturous Alders Ashes long-liv'd Oaks Degrading Forrests that the Sun might view Fields that before his bright rayes neuer knew Ha ' ye seen a Town expos'd to spoyl and slaughter Liuely Description of the people occupied in som great busines At victors pleasure where laments and laughter Mixtly resound som carry som conuay Som lug som load 'gainst Souldiers seeking Prey No place is sure and yer a day be done Out at her gate the ransack't Town doth run So in a trice these Carpenters disrobe Th' Assyrian hills of all their leafie robe Strip the steep Mountains of their gastly shades And powle the broad Plains of their branchy glades Carts Sleds and Mules thick-iustling meet abroad And bending axels groan beneath their load Heer for hard Cement heap they night and day The gum my slime of chalky waters gray There busie Kil-men ply their occupations For brick and tyle there for their firm foundations They dig to hell and damned Ghosts again Past hope behold the Suns bright glorious wain Their hammers noyse through Heav'ns rebounding brim Affrights the fish that in fair Tygris swim These ruddy wals in height and compass growe They cast long shadow and far-off do showe All swarms with work-men that poor sots surmise Euen the first day to touch the very skies Which God perceiuing bending wrathfull frowns God displensed with the audacious enterprise of Nimrod and his resolueth so â—â— break their Designes by consoun ding their Language And with a noyse that roaring thunder drowns ' Mid cloudy fields hills by the roots he rakes And th' vnmov'd hindges of the Heav'ns he shakes See see quoth he these dust-spawn feeble Dwarfs See their huge Castles Walls and Counter-scarfs O strength-full Peece impregnable and sure All my iust anger's batteries to endure I swore to them the fruitfull earth no more Hence-forth should fear the raging Oceans roar Yet build they Towrs I will'd that scattered wide They should go man the World and lo they bide Self-prisoned heer I meant to be their Master My self alone their Law their Prince and Pastor And they for Lord a Tyrant fell haueta'en-them Who to their cost will roughly curb and rean them Who scorns mine arm and with these brauing Towrs Attempts to sealâ— this Crystall Throne of ours Com com leâ—s dash their drift and sith combin'd As well in voice as blood and law and minde In ill they harden and with language bold Incourage-on themselues their work to hold Let 's cast a let 'gainst their quick diligence Let 's strike them straight with spirit of difference Let 's all confound their speech let 's make the brother The Sire and Son not vnderstand each other This said as soon confusedly did bound Through all the work I wot not what strange sound Execution of Gods Decree Aiangling noyse not much vnlike the rumors Of Bacchus Swains amid their drunken humors Som speak between the teeth som in the nose Som in the throat their words do ill dispose Som howl som hallow som doe stut and strain Each hath his gibberish and all strive in vain To finde again their know'n beloued tongue That with their milk they suckt in cradle young Arise betimes while th' Opal-coloured Morn A fit comparison In golden pomp doth May-days door adorn And patient hear th' all-differing voices sweet Of painted Singers that in Groues doe greet Their Loue Bon-iours each in his phraze and fashion From trembling Pearch vttering his earnest passion And so thou mayst conceipt what mingle-mangle
defence 'Gainst the tri-pointed wrathfull violence Of the drad dart that flaming in his hand Shall pash to powder all that him withstand And 'gainst the rage of flames eternal-frying Where damned soules ly ever-never-dying Sith the least Flies and Lice and Vermin too Out-braue your braves and Triumph over you Gallop to Anian sail to Iucatan Man caÌ„not hide him froÌ„ the hand of God nor auoid his vengeance Visit Botongas dive beyond the Dane Well may you fly but not escape him there Wretches your haltars still about you bear Th' Almighties hand is long and busie still Having escap't his Rod his Sword you feel He seems somtimes to sleep and suffer all But calls at last for Vse and Principall With hundred sorts of Shafts his Quiver's full Som passing keen som som-what sharp som dull Som killing dead som wounding deep som light But all of them do alwayes hit the White Each after other Now th' Omnipotence At Egypt shoots his Shafts of Pestilence Th' Ox falls-down in his yoak Lambs bleating dy 5. With the Plague of Pestilence The Bullocks as they feed Birds as they fly Anon he covers Man and Beast with cores Of angry Biles Botches and Scabs and Sores 6. With Vlcers grieuous Scabs or Murrain Whose vlcerous venoms all inflaming spread O're all the body from the foot to head Then Rain and Hail and flaming Fire among Spoyl all their fields their Cattel great with young 7. With hail Fire froÌ„ Heauen All brain'd with hail-stones Trees with tempest cleft Robd of their boughs their boughs of leaues bereft And from Heav'ns rage all to seek shelter glad The Face of Egypt is now dradly-sad The SoÌ„ in Virgins tear-their Beauties honour Egyptians amazed at this extraordinary scourge Not for the waste so much as for the manner For in that Country never see they Clowd With waight of Snowes their trees are never bow'd They knowe no Ice and though they haue as we The Year intire their Seasons are but three They neither Rain-bowe nor fat Deaws expect Which from else-where Sol's thirsty raies erect The naturall fruitfulnesse and prosperity of Egypt in it selfe maruailous Rain-les their soyl is wet and Clowd-les fat Itself 's moist bosom brings it this and that For while else-where the River's roaring pride Is dryed-vp and while that far and wide The Palaestine seeks for his thirsty Flock Iordan in Iordan Iaboc in Iaboc Their floud o'reflowes and parched Mâ—sraim A season seems in a rich Sea to swim Niles billows beat on the high-dangling Date And Boats do slice where Ploughs did slide of late Steep snowy Mounts bright Stars Etesian gales You cause it not no those are Dreams and Tales Th' Eternall-Trine who made all compassly Makes th' vnder waues the vpper's want supply And Egypts Womb to fill with fruits and Flowrs Gives swelling Nile th' office of heavenly Showrs Then the Thrice-Sacred with a sable Clowd Of horned Locusts doth the Sun be-clowd And swarmeth down on the rebellious Coast 8. They are vexed with Grashoppers The Grass-hoppers lean dam-devouring Hoast Which gleans what Hail had left and greedy crops Both Night and Day the Husband's whole-year's hopes Then gross thick Darkness over all he dight And three fair Dayes turns to one fearfull Night 9. With palpable darknesse With Ink-like Rheum the dull Mist's drouzy vapours Quench their home-Fires and Temple-sacred Tapers If hunger drive the Pagan from their dens One 'gainst a settle breaketh both his shins Another groping vp and down for bread Falls down the stayrs and there he lies for dead But though these works surmount all Natures might Though his owne Sages them of guile acquight Though th' are not casuall sith the holy-man The Israelites in all these plagues vntoucht yet Pharao still hardned Fore-tels prefixtly What and Where and Whan And though that living in the midst of His The Israelites be free from all of This Th' incensed Tyrant strangely-obstinate Retracts the Leave he granted them of late For th' Ever-One who with a mighty hand Would bring his People to the plentious Land Of Palestine Who providently-great Before the eyes of all the World would set A Tragedy where wicked Potentates Might see a Mirror of their owne estates And who most-iust must haue meet Arguments To showe the height of his Omnipotence Hardens the King and blinding him self-blinde Leaues him to Lusts of his owne vicious minde For God doth never ever purely bent Cause sin as sin but as Sin 's Punishment For the last Charge an Angell in one night 10. Therefore al the first borne of Egypt are slain in one night by the Angel All the first born through all the Land doth smite So that from Suës Port to Birdene Plain Ther 's not a House but hath som body slain Saue th' Israelites whose doors were markt before With sacred Pass-Lamb's sacramentall gore And therfore ever-since on that same day Yeerly the Iewes a Yearling Lamb must slay A token of that Passage and a Type Of th' Holy-Lamb which should in season ripe By powring-forth the pure and plentious Flood Of his most precious Water-mixed Blood Preserue his People from the drad Destroyer That fries the wicked in eternall fier Through all the Land all in one instant cry All for one cause though yet all knowe not why Night heaps their horrors and the Morning showes Their privat griefs and makes them publike woes Scarce did the glorious Governour of Day After so many grieuous plagues the Egyptianâ—ery out vpon their King to let the Israelites goe O're Memphis yet his golden tress display When from all parts the Maydens and the Mothers Wiues Husbands Sons and Siers Sisters and Brothers Flock to the Court where with one common voice They all cry-out and make this mournfull noyse O stubborn stomach cause of all our sadnes Dull Constancy or rather desperat Madnes A Flood of Mischiefs all the Land doth fill The Heav'ns still Thunder th' Ayr doth threaten stil Death ghastly death triumpheth every-where In every house and yet without all fear Without all feeling we despise the Rod And scorn the Iudgements of the mighty God Great King no more bay with thy wilfullings His Wrath 's dread Torrent He is King of Kings And in his sight the Greatest of you all Are but as Moats that in the Sun do fall Yield yield alas stoop to his powrfull threat He 's warn'd enough that hath been ten times beat Go get you gon hence hence vn-lucky race They hasten and importune them to be gone Your eyes bewitch our eyes your feet this Place Your breath this ayr Why haste you not away Hebrews what lets you wherfore do you stay Step to our houses if that ought you lack Choose what you like and what you like go take Gold Plate or Iewels Ear-rings Chains or Ouches Our Girdles Bracelets Carkanets or Brouches Bear them vnto your gods not in the sands Where the
arm shaking his Fawchin keen Wher-with he seems inspight of Heav'n and Hell To fight with Death and menace Israel At last he sinks all vnder water quite Spurning the sand again he springs vpright But from so deep a bottom to the top So clogg'd with arms can cleaue no passage vp As the poor Partridge cover'd with the net Simile In vain doth striue struggle and bate and beat For the close meshes and the Fowler 's craft Suffer the same no more to whuâ—e aloft I to your selues leaue to conceiue the ioy Of IACOB'S heirs thus rescu'd from annoy Seeing the Sea to take their cause in hand And their dead Foes shuffled vpon the sand Their shields and staues and Chariots all-to-tore Floating about and flung vpon the shoar When thus th' Almighty glorious God most High For them without them got the Victory They skip and dauâ—ce and marying all their voices To Timbrels Hawbois and lowd Cornets noyses Make all the shoars resound and all the Coasts With the shril Praises of the Lord of Hoasts 2. Part of this Tract where is discoursed of the estate of the People of Israell in the Wildernesse vntill the death of Moses Eternall issue of eternall Sire Deep Wisedom of the Father now inspire And shewe the sequell that from hence befell And how He dealt with his deer Israell Amid the Desart in their Pilgrimage Towards the Promis'd plentious Heritage Tell for I knowe thou know'st for compast ay With Fire by Night and with a Clowd by Day Thou my soul's hope wert their sole guide and guard Their Meat and Drink in all their Iourney hard Marching amid the Desart nought they lack Heaven still distils an Ocean for their sake Of end-les-good and every Morn doth send Sufficient Food for all the day to spend When the Sun riseth and doth haste his Race Half ours half theirs that vnderneath vs pase To re-beholde the bewty number order And prudent Rule preventing all mis-order Of th' awefull Hoast lodg'd in the Wilderness So favour'd of the Sun of Righteousness Each coms but forth his Tent and at his dore Findes his bread ready without seeking more A pleasant bread which from his plentious clowd Like little Haile Heav'ns wakefull Steward strow'd The yellow sands of Elim's ample Plain Were heaped all with a white sugred grain Sweet Corianders Iunkets not to feed God giueth them Manna This Hoast alone but even a World for need Each hath his part and euery one is fed With the sweet morsels of an vn-bought bread It is giuen from day to day It never rains for a whole year at-once But daily for a day's prouisions To th' end so great an Hoast so curbed straight Still on the Lord 's wide open hand should wayt And every Dawning haue due cause to call On him their Founder and the Fount of all Each for his portion hath an Omer-full The sur-plus rots mould knead it how they will The Holy-one iust Arbitrer of wrong Allows no less vnto the weak than strong On Sabbaoth's Eve he lets sufficient fall To serue for that day and the next with-all That on his Rest the sacred Folk may gather Not Bodie 's meat but spirituall Manna rather Thou that from Heav'n thy daily White-bread hast Thou for whom Haruest all the Year doth last That in poor Desarts rich aboundance heap'st That sweat-les eat'st and without sowing reap'st That hast the Ayr for farm and Heav'n for field Which sugred Mel or melled sugar yield That for taste-changing do'st not change thy cheer God's Pensioner and Angel's Table-peer It is a liuely figure of Christ the true bread of life O Israell see in this Table pure In this fair glass thy Saviour's pourtraiture The Son of God MESSIAS promised The sacred seed to bruize the Serpents head The glorious Prince whose Scepter ever shines Whose Kingdom 's scope the Heav'n of Heavens confines And when He shall to light thy Sin-full load Put Manhood on dis-knowe him not for God This Grain is small but full of substance though The same demoÌ„strated by particular conference CHRIST strong in working though but weak in showe Manna is sweet Christ as the Hony-Comb Manna from high and CHRIST from Heaven doth com With that there falls a pleasant pearly deaw CHRIST comming-down doth all the Earth be-streaw With spirituall gifts That vnto great and small Tastes to their tastes and CHRIST is all to all Food to the hungry to the needy wealth Ioy to th' afflicted to the sickly health Pardon to those Repent Prop to the bow'd Life's savour to the Meek Death 's to the Prowd That 's common good and Christ communicate That 's purely-white and Christ immaculate That gluts the wanton Hebrews at the last Christ and his Word the World doth soon dis-taste Of that they eat no less that haue one measure Than who haue hundred and in Christ his Treasure Of Divine Grace the faith-full Proselite Hath no less part than Doctors deep of sight That 's round Christ simple and sincerely-round That in the Ark Christ in his Church is found That doth with certain stinking worms becom Christ th' Ever-Word is scandall vnto som. That raineth not but on the sacred Race Christ to his Chosen doth confine his Grace That 's broken every grain Christ Lamb of God Vpon his Cross-press is so torn and trod That of his Blood the pretious Flood hath purl'd Down from Mount Sion over all the World The people lust for flesh Yet glutted now with this ambrosiall Food This Heav'nly bread so holy and so good Th' Hebrews do lust for flesh a fresh South-winde Brings shoals of Fowls to satisfie their minde God sends them Quailes A clowd of Quails on all the Camp is sent And every one may take to his content For in the Hoast and all the Country by For a days-iourney Cubit thick they lie But though their Commons be thus delicate Although their eyes can scarce look out for fat Although their Bellies strout with too much meat Though Epicures they vomit as they eat Yet still they howl for hunger and they long For Memphian hotch-potch Leeks and Garlick strong They long for the Garlike Onions of Egypt As Childe-great Women or green Maids that miss Their Terms appointed for their flourishes Pine at a Princely feast preferring far Red Herrings Rashers and som sops in Tâ—r Simile Yea coals and clowts sticks stalks and durt before Quail Pheasant Partridge and a hundred more So their fantastick wearisom disease Distastes their tastes and makes them strange to please But when the Bull that lately tost his horn In wanton Pride hangs down his head for lorn For lack of Water and the Souldier bleak Growes without Arms for his owne waight too-weak When fiery Thirst through all their veins so fierce Consumes their blood into their bones doth pearce Sups-vp their vitall humour and doth dry Their whilom-beauties to Anatomy They weep and wail and but their voyce
he the Wine shall sup You shall sowe Fields and he shall reap the Crop You shall keep Flocks and he shall take the Fleece And PHARAO'S Yoak shall seem but light to his But IZARAEL doth wilfull still perseuer And SAMVEL prest and importun'd ever Saul anointed King of Israell Anointeth SAVL the son of CIS a Man Whose cursed end marr'd what he well began You too-too-light busie ambitious wits That Heav'n and Earth confound with furious fits Fantastik Frantiks that would innovate A check to busie seditious and ambitious Malcontents in any State And every moment change your form of STATE That weening high to fly fall lower still That though you change your bed change not your Ill See See how much th' Almighty the most High Heer-in abhors your fond inconstancy The PEOPLE-STATE the ARISTOCRACY The authority of every kinde of Government is from God And sacred KINGDOM took authority A-like from Heav'n and these three Scepter-forms Flourish a-vie as well in Arts and Arms As prudent Laws Therefore you stout Helvetians Grisons Genevians Ragusins Uenetians Maintain your Liberties and change not now Therefore every People to persist in the State established Your sacred Laws rooted so deep with you On th' other side we that are born and bred Vnder KINGS Aw vnder one Supreme Head Let vs still honor their drad Maiesties Obey their Laws and pay them Subsidies Let 's read let 's hear no more these factious Teachers These shame-les Tribunes these seditious Preachers That in all places alwayes belch and bark Aloud a-broad or whisper in the dark Railing at Princes whether good or bad The true Lieutenants of Almighty God And let not vs before a KING prefer A Senate-sway nor Scepter Popular 'T is better bear the Youth-slips of a KING I' th' Law som fault I' th' State som blemishing Than to fill all with Blood-flouds of Debate While to Reform you would Deform a STATE One cannot with-out danger stir a stone In a great Building 's olde foundation And a good Leach seeks rather to support With ordered dyet in a gentle sort A feeble Body though in sickly plight Than with strong Med'cines to destroy it quight And therefore Cursed ever Cursed be Our * A iust Execration of the Popish Powder-Plot on the fift of November 1605. Hell spurr'd PERCIE' 's fel Conspiracy And every head and every hand and heart That did Conceiue or but Consent his part POPE prompted Atheists faining Superstition To cover Cruelty and cloak Ambition Incarnat Divels Enemies of Man Dam-Murdering Vipers Monsters in-humane Dis-natur'd NERO'S impious EROSTRATES That with one Puff would blowe-vp all Estates Prince's and Peer's and Peoples Government For of all Three consists our PARLIAMENT Religion Order Honesty and all And more then all that Fear can fear to fall And therfore Blessed ever Blessed be Our glorious GOD's immortall Maiesty ENGLANDS Great Watch-Man he that Israel keeps Who neuer slumbers and who neuer sleeps Our gratious Father whose still-firm affection Defends vs still with wings of his Protection Our louing Saviour that thus Saues vs still Vs so vnworthy vs so prone to ill Our sacred Comforter the Spirit of Light Who steers vs still in the True FAITH aright The TRINITIE th' Eternall THREE in ONE Who by his Powr and Prouidence alone Hath from the Furnace of their Fiery Zeal Preserv'd our PRINCE our PEERS our PVBLIK-WEAL Therefore O PRINCE our nostrils deerest breath Thou true Defender of true Christian FAITH O! let the Zeal of GOD'S House eat thee vp Fill BABYLON her measure in her Cup Maim the King-maiming Kinglings of Bezec Pittie not Agag spare not Amalech Hunt hunt those Foxes that would vnder-mine Root Body Branches of the Sacred Vine O! spare them not To spare Them is to spoil Thy Self thy Seed thy Subiects and thy Soil Therfore O PEERS Prince-loyall Paladines True-noble Nobles lay-by by-Designes And in God's quarrel and your Countries bring Counsail and Courage to assist your KING To counter-mine against the Mines of ROME To conquer Hydra and to ouer-com And clean cut-off his Horns and Heads and all Whose hearts do Vow or knees do Bow to Baal Be Zealous for the LORD and Faith-full now And honor Him and He will honour you FATHERS and Brethren Ministers of CHRIST Cease civill Warrs war all on Anti-Christ Whose subtle Agents while you strive for shels Poyson the kernel with Erronious Spels Whose Envious Seed-men while you Silent Sleep Sowe Tares of Treason which take root too-deep Watch watch your Fold Feed feed your Lambs at-home Muzzle these Sheep-clad bloudy Wolves of ROME Therfore O PEOPLE let vs Praise and Pray Th' Almighty-most whose Mercy lasts for ay To giue vs grace to euer-keep in minde This MIRACLE of his Protection kinde To true Repent vs of our hainous Sin Pride Lust and Loosness we haue wallowed in To stand still constant in the pure Profession Of true RELIGION with a due discretion To try the Spirits and by peculiar choice To knowe our Shepheards from th' Hyana's voice And ever loyall to our PRINCE t' expose Goods Lands and Liues against his hate-full Foes Among whom Lord â—f yet of Thine be found Conuert them quickly and the rest Confound And to Conclude PRINCE PEERS PEOPLE too Praise all at once and selfly each of you His Holy Hand that like as long-agoe His Sidrach Misach and Abednego From the hot Furnace of POPE-Powder'd Zeal Hath Sav'd our PRINCE our PEERS our PVELIK-weal The End of the THIRD DAIâ— of the SECOND WEEK DAVID The FOVRTH DAY Of The SECOND WEEK Containing 1. THE TROPHEIS 2. THE MAGNIFICENCE 3. THE SCHISM 4. THE DECAY Translated Dedicated To Prince HENRY his Highness Acceptam refere To Prince HENRY his Highness A SONNET HAuing new mustred th' HOAST of all this ALL Your Royall Father In our Fore ward stands Where Adam-like Himself alone Commands A WORLD of Creatures ready at his Call Our Middle-ward doth not vnfitly fall To famous Chiefs whose graue-braue heads hands In Counsail'd Courage so Conduct our Bands As at a brunt affront the force of Baal Our Rere-Ward Sir shal be your Princely Charge Though last not least sith it most Honour brings Where Honour 's Field before you lies more large For Your Command is of a Camp of KINGS Some good some bad Your Glory shall be heer To Chuse and Vse the good the bad Cassier A STANZA IEwel of NATVRE Ioy of ALBION To whose perfection Heav'n and Earth conspire That in Timeâ— fulnes Thou mayst bless this Throne Succeeding in the Vertues of thy Sire As happily thou hast begun goe-on That as thy Youth we may thine Age admire Acting our Hopes which shall revive our hearts Pattern Patron both of Arms Arts. Iosuah Syluester THE TROPHEIS THE FIRST BOOKE OF the fourth Day of the second Week of BARTAS THE ARGVMENT Saul's fall from Fauour into Gods Disgrace Dauid design'd Successor in his Place Brauing Goliah and the Philistins He brauely foyles He flyes
not oft nor doo I often praise Yet must I needs praise the praise-worthie still I cannot hold my free and forward quill From those whom Heauen adorns with speciall rayes Now all that God doth by retail bestowe On perfect'st men to thee in grosse he giues Therefore my Muse thy praise so often driues For duties sake but not to flatter so Our Age's wonder when thy tongue refin'd By vse and Art in our King's name dilates With Counsails Germain or furr'd Polish States The sweet-tongu'd Cyneas thou doost make vs minde In Priuy counsell when our miseries Thou doost be-moan most Nestor-like thou art And when in Paris Parlament thy part Of Lawes thou plead'st thou seem'st to Scaeuolize Thy Latine Prose dooth match smooth Salusts stile And when thy Pen distils the Nectar sweet Of Helicon where all the Muses meet Me thinks I read sweet Virgill all the while In honour of these gifts this gift I bring Small for my pains great for the Argument But if the Heav'ns had richer treasure lent Thy New-yeeres-gift should be som better thing THE TRIVMPH OF FAITH THE TRIVMPH OF FAITH Canto I. 1 NEer th' hour that Erycin ' Aurora calls And she the Sun sad Morpheus entring in Through 's hornie gate to shew me did begin A sacred Virgin 's stately TRIVMPHALS 2 Then Faith for so she hight bids with celeritie Of Pen and Paper that I make provision To wright the summ of this celestiall Vision To be recorded vnto all Posterity 3 I knowe my taske to be impossible I knowe in this mans eyes are beetle-blinde His eares quite deaf clean voide of sense his minde But hardest things Faith makes most possible 4 Eternall Sun O scatter with thy Light All mistie clouds that make me not to see Thy health-full face and giue true Faith to mee Since Faith sans Faith cannot be knowen aright 5 FAITH sits triumphant on a Carr of gold Of Tubals making where blew Saphires shine Rich Diamonds and many Rubies fine And if ought els the world more costly hold 6 Her glorious Charret's rowling wheels are like The holy wheels the great Ezekiel saw For one self spirit self winde and will doth draw Their restless courses equall both a-like 7 The Bird that led the Roman Standards out The Bird that fixtly can oppose his eyes Against the greatest light in all the skies High through the ayr drawes this rich Coach about 8 Faith flaunts it not in silver silk nor gold Nor pretious scarlet of the Tyrian Die Nor paints her face to hide deformity But as she is she doth her self vnfold 9 Her body that all bodies doth disgrace Like Iuno's Bird is full of watchfull eyes Whose holy glaunces pearce the lofty skies Pearce Air and Heav'n and see God face to face 10 Sh' hath many sweet and flowing tongues to prayse The Lord of Hoasts sh' hath strong and mighty wings Passing the swiftnes of all earthly things That in a moment vp to Heav'n her rayse 11 Her glorious head is compast with a Crown Not made of Olive Pine or Lawrell bough Nor Parsly Wreath which Grecians did allow Th' Olympian games for signals of renown 12 But of fresh Roses pluckt from Honours Tree That never shrink for Winters chilling frost Nor wither not when Titan patcheth most For by the Lord they ever watred be 13 Now stain-les Truth for Standards doth display Two Testaments next Courage marshals right Th' vndaunted Troops that are prepar'd to fight Vnder her Colours into baâ—â—ail-ray 14 Then Constancy bears a two-edged Blade And Patience an impenetrable Shield Whose brightnes hath inforç't more Monsters yield Then that which of grim Gorgon's head was made 15 Next Charity that kindely doth prefer Her neighbours good before her owne vtility Repentance Hope and hearty-milde Humility Doo flank the wings of Faith's triumphant Carr. 16 For Faith indeed without her Maids were vain But as the Sun can never lack his light Nor fire want heat so if we mark-aright Faith cannot want these Hand-mayds in her train 17 Before this Coach there is a Beldam gon That seems at first fairer then Hellen was But neerer view'd she is more foul alas Then fell Megera Alecto ' r Tesiphon 18 She never goes like Faith with open face But seeks for masks vizards and garments gay For cloke on cloke to keep the light away Of her loath'd limbs to hide the foul disgrace 19 Sh' hath tongues like Faith with which she boldly chats Blaspheming Heav'n with filthy vanities Sh' hath eyes like Faith but yet alas those eyes See clear by night by day are blinde as Bats 20 Sh' hath wings like Faith with which she soars on hie Like Icarus she proudly mounts aloft Forgetting that her feathers are so soft Till Phoebus force her waxen wings dofriâ— 21 She whom sans reason men haue Reason hight Since first in Fire the Lord the Air inclos'd In Air the Sea in Sea the Earth dispos'd Hath with milde Faith maintain'd continuall fight 22 Now arming Kings and putting in their brains That nothing less beseems their Royall State Than vnder Faith their Scepters to abate Then to indure her gentle-ruling reans 23 Another-while she puffs with poysony pride Whom their Disciples onely Doctors deem Such as I grant have spent much oyl and time To draw mens soules from the true way too-wide 24 Yet still the Lord who still vpholds the iust Hath still the cause of holy Faith maintain'd Hath still so well her holy side sustayn'd That still her Foes lie groveling in the dust 25 A thousand Princes bound in fetters fast Before her march that her milde Yoak disdeign'd That all the Earth with blood of Saints disteyn'd And Christ his Church with Fire and Sword did waste 26 He that the first in this worlds Pupillage Brain'd his owne brother leads this bloudy crew Cain Then th' hardned Tyrant that did dare pursue Through the Red-Sea Gods chosen Heritage Pharaoh 27 Then saw I him that Zachary did stone Ioash Athalia Ahab wicked Abian Occozias Amon Ahaz and Ioram Then all that sate on the Samarian Throne 28 I saw Senacherib and Him whose Grace Nebuchadnezar Was turn'd to grass proud Hammon and with-all Braue Holophernes and who on the Wall Read how his Kingdom to the Medes should passe Baltsazar 29 Annas and Caiaphas and he that set His hatefull Idoll in the holy Place Which five Iew-brethren bravely did deface Antiochus illustris These all too-late in sad repentance fret 30 The Tyrant too that at our Saviours birth Herod In Cradles kill'd so many Innocents And that vile Iudge whose seared conscience Pilat Condemn'd the guilt-les Iudge of all the earth 31 That viperous Monster of Man-kinde the shame Nero. Who Mother Wives Brethren and Sisters slue Then from a lofty Towr did laugh to view Rome's glittering Spires all on a burning flame 32 With Seuenth Seuerus came accompanied Iule Maximin with fell Maximian Cruell Gallerian fond Domitian That God-less would
prisoners trouble Much worse me thought the time his martyrdome did double So that to scape that scourge so irk some to my hart I could haue beene content to suffer any smart Lo by blind ignorance how iudgements are mis-led Now that full thirtie monthes I haue experienced That so-much-feared ill 't is now so vs'd to me That I a prisoner liue much more content and free Then when as vnder cloake of a false freedome vaine I was base slaue indeede to many a bitter paine But now I see my selfe mockt euery-where almost And feeble me alone met by a mightie hoast Of such as in this case doo not conceiue as I But doo esteeme themselues offended much thereby And therefore Father deere this weake abortiue Child For refuge runnes betweeneth ' armes of his Grand-sire mild If you accept of it my labour hath his hire For careles of the rest all that I heere desire Is onely that yourselfe as in a Glasse may see The Image of th' estate of my Captiuitie Where though I nothing can auaile the Common-weale Yet I auaile my selfe atleast some little deale Praising th' all-powerfull Lord that thus vouch safes to poure Such fauours manifold vpon meeuery houre Wherof your self yer while so sweet sure proof haue tasted In cruell bitternes of bands that longer lasted Now I beseech his Grace to blesse mine enterprise My heart and hand at once to gouerne in such wise That what I write may nought displeasing him containe For voide of his sweet aide who works he works in vaine Within the wide-spred space of these round Elements Whatsoeuer is indewd with liuing soule and sense Seekes of it selfe selfe-good this instinct naturall Nature her selfe hath grauen in harts of Creatures all And of all liuing things from largest to the least Each one to flie his ill doth euermore his best Thereof it comes we see the wilde Horse full of strength Tamely to take the bit into his mouth at length And so by force we tame each most vntamed beast Which of it selfe discreet of euils takes the least And though that that which seemes to be his chiefe restraint He often-times despise that 's by a worse constraint As when the Lyon fierce feare-lesse pursues the shining Of bright keen-piercing blades and 's royal crest declining Full of the valiant Fire that courage woonts to lend Runnes midst a million swords his whelplings to defend More fearing farre that they their libertie should lose Than on himselfe the smart of thousand wounding blowes But all things haue not now the selfe same goods and ils What helpeth one the same another hurts and kils There 's ods between the good that sauage Beasts do like And that good good indeed which soul-wiseman must seek When Beasts haue store of food and free from foe's annoy Smart-lesse and sound and safe may as they list enioy Their fill of those delights that most delight the sense That that 's the happines that fully them contents But reasonable soules as God hath made mankind Can with so wretched Good not satisfie their mind But by how much the more their inly sight excels The brutish appetite of euery creature els So much more excellent the good for which they thirst Man of two parts is made the body is the worst The Heav'n-born soule the best wherein mans blisse abides In body that of beasts nought hauing els besides This body stands in need of manie an accessorie To make it somewhat seeme the soule receiues this glory That selfly she subsists and her aboundant wealth Vnlike the bodies store is euer safe from stealth Our body took his birth of this terrestriall clod Our spirit it was inspir'd of th' inly breath of God And either of them still striues to his proper place This earth-born stoopes to earth that stics to heauen apace But as the silly bird whose wings are wrapt in lime Faine but in vaine attempts to flie full many a time So our faire soule surcharg'd with this foule robe of mud Is too-too often held from mounting to her GOOD She striues she strikes sometimes she lifts her vp aloft But as the worser part we see preuaileth oft This false fraile flesh of ours with pleasure's painted lure Straight makes her stoop againe downe to the dust impure Happy who th' honour hath of such a victory He crowns his conquering head with more true maiesty Then if he had subdued those Nations by his might Which doo discouer first Aurora's early light And those whom Phoebus sees from his Meridian Mount Th' Anti-podes and all more then the sand to count For small the honour is to be acknowledg'd King And Monarke of the world ones selfe vn-maistering But each man on his head this Garland cannot set Nor is it giuen to all this victorie to get Onely a very few Gods deere-belov'd Elect This happy Goale haue got by Vertues lyue effect Therest soon weary of this fame so painfull War Like well of Heauen but loue the earth aboue it far Some drunk with poysony dregs of worldly pleasures brute Know where true good consists but neuer doo ensue't Some doo ensue the same but with so faint a heart That at the first assault they doo retire and start Some more courageous vow more then they bring to passe So much more easie 't is to say then doo alas And all through too-much loue of this vaine worlds alâ—urements Or too-much idle feare of sufferings and endurements Meerevanities whereto the more men doo incline The farther-off they are from their chiefe Good diuine Therefore so many think themselues so miserables Therefore the aire is fill'd with out-cries lamentable Of such as doâ— disdaine the thing that better is To entertaine the worse with forfeit of their blisse Therefore we see those men that riches doo possesse Afflicted still with care and therefore heauinesse Abandons neuer those that fed with honours fill Fawne vpon Potentates for â—litting fauours still And cause God wot they haue to be at quiet neuer Sith their felicitie is so vncertaine euer Neither are Kings themselues exempted from vexation How-euer Soueraignesway they beare in any Nation For now they wish to win anon feare losse no lesse Yea though for Empire they did this wide world possesse Not one of them withall could full contented be For how man more attaines the more attempteth he Who therfore couets most such soon-past goods vncertain Shall ne'r enioy the ioy of goods abiding certain But who so seeks to build a true content to last On else-what must else-where his first foundation cast For all things here below are apt to alter euer Heere 's nothing permanent and therefore whosoeuer Trusts thereto trusteth to a broken staffe for stay For no earth's vanity can blesse a man for aye We must to make vs blest our firme assurance found Els-where then in this world this change-inthralled ground We must propose our selues that perfect perish-les That true vnfained good that good all danger-les From th' vniust
doth so assaile-them And if their feare fall true that their Good-fortune faile-them Then swell their sullen hearts with sorrow till they burst And then poor desperate soules they deem theÌ„selues accurst And so indeed they are but yet they erre in this In blaming other things for their owne selfe-amisse Other indifferent things that neither make nor marre But to the good be good to th' euill euill are Is' t not great foolishnes for any to complaine That somthing is not don which doth him nought coÌ„strain Sith if he vse the same soule-health it hurteth not Or if he doo not vse t it helpeth not a iot But needs must we complain say some for we haue cause Then at your perill be 't for that which chiefly drawes You thereto 't is in truth your brutenesse in mis-deeming Things euill that are good for sense-contrary seeming And while that in the darke of this foule errors mist Your drowsie spirits doo droope alas what maruell is' t If euill follow you and if iniurious still To others you impute your selfe-ingendred ill Happy are they to whom the Lord vouch safeth sight To see the louely beames and life-infusing Light Of his sweet sacred Truth whereby we may perceiue And iudge a-rightly what to loue and what to leaue Such men within their soules their goods haue wholly plac't Such goods as neuer fire can either burne or waste Nor any Theefe can steale nor Pyrate make his praie Nor vsurie consume nor Tyrant take away Nor times all-gnawing tooth can fret away nor finish Nor any accident of sad mischance diminish For it is built on God a Rock that euer stands Not on the vanities of these inconstant sands Which are more mutable then wind and more vnstable And day by day doo make so many miserable O to what sweet content to what high ioyes aspires He that in God alone can limit his desires He that in him alone his hopes can wholly rest He that for onely end waites for the wages blest Wherewith he promiseth for euer sans respect Of their selfe-meriting to guerdon his Elect What is it can bereaue the wealth of such a man What is it that disturbe his perfect pleasures can What is it can supplant his honours and degrees Sith all his treasures his delights his dignities Are all laid vp in Heauen where it were all in vaine For all the sonnes of earth to warre with might and maine No doubt will some man say each Christian doth aspire After their bodies death to those deere treasures higher That are reserv'd in Heauen whereof the sweet possession Feares not the violence of all the worlds oppression But while that heere below this fraile flesh-burthen ties-him But the bare hope he hath which how can it suffice-him Against the sharpe assaults of passions infinite Whose glad-sad crosse conflicts afflict him day and night Needs must I graunt indeed that that same perfit ioy We cannot perfitly vpon this earth enioy But that that Hope alone doth not sufficiently Blesse his life where it liues for my part I denie Some doo not feare we see to spend their stock and store To vnder-take the taske of many trauailes sore To hazard limmes and liues in seruice of some Lord Depending oft vpon his foole-fat-feeding word Or waiting els perhaps without all other hold Vntill it please himselfe his franknes to vnfold Not reaking all their paine they are so inly pleas'd With hoped benefit whereof they are not seaz'd And shall th' assured hope of euer-blisses then For which we haue the word not of vaine mortall men That teach their tongues to lie but of the highest God The God of truth truth's selfe where truth hath still abode Shall that I say not serue to settle our faint hearts Against I will not say like dangers and like smarts But 'gainst these petty griefes that now and then do pain-vs No more like those then heauen neer earth that doth sustain-vs Ah shall we then despise all trouble and vexation Supported by a prop of doubtfull expectation And while for earthly things we can indure all this Shall we not do asmuch for an immortall blisse Indeed not of our selues for selfly nought we can But God when pleaseth him doth giue this strength to man Whereby he standeth stout euen like a mightie rocke Amid the mounting waues when Eole doth vnlocke Sterne Austers stormie gate making the waters wrastle And rush with wrathfull rage against the sturdie castle While it for all the force of their fell furie showne Is not so much as moou'd and much lesse ouerthrowne So fareth such a man for if from high degree He sodainly do slide to liue contemnedly With the vile vulgar sort that cannot make him wauer For well he is assur'd that Gods high holy fauour Depends not on the pomp nor vaine-proud state and port That for the grace of Kâ—ngs adornes the courtly sort If he be kept in bands thrâ—l to the tyrannies And extreame-cruell lawes of ruthless enimies Both voide of helpe and hope and of all likelihood Of being euer freed from their hands thirsting-blood Inspight of them he knowes that one day he shall die And then he shall inioy an endles Libertie If he be forc't to flie from his deere country-clime In exile to expire the remnant of his time He doth suppose the World to be a Country common From whence no tyranny till death can banish no-man If that he must forsake his Parents and his Kin And those whose amitie he most delighteth in He knowes that where he finds a man he findes a Kins-man For all mankind is come from oneselfe Father sinnes-man If being spoil'd of wealth wanton-pampering plentie He find vpon his boord two dishes scant of twenty And to his back one coate to keepe the cold away Whereas he had before a new for euery day He learneth of Saint Paul who bids vs be content With food and furniture to this life competent Sith nothing as saith Iob into this world we brought Nor with vs when we die can we hence carrie ought If he be passing poore and in exceeding glack Of euery needfull thing for belly and for back He learneth of the Sonne that God the Father heedeth To giue to euery one in time the thing he needeth And that the Fowles of Heauen and Cattel small and great Doo neither sowe nor reape yet find they what to eate Yea that the Lillies faire which growe among the grasse Doo neither spin nor worke and yet their garments passe For colour and for cost for Art and ornament The glorious Salmon's rich robes of Parlament If so that he be sicke or wounded in the arme In body back or brest or such like kind of harme If in extremitie of angry paine and anguish Enfeebled still by fits he bed-rid lye and languish If all the miseries that euer martyr'd man At once on euery side afflict him all they can The more that he endures the more his comforts growe Sith so
Siluester Anagr Uerè Os Salustij OStu SYLVESTER nostro cur Ore vocaris An quòd in ORE fer as Mel quòd in Aure Mel-os An quòd BARTASSI faciem dum pingis et ORA ORA tui pariter quaelibet ora colit Nempe licèt duram praete fers nomine SILVAM Silvas et salebr as carmina nulla tenent Sed quod Athenarum COR dux Salaminius olim Dixit Inest libris Osque vigorque tuis Ergo OS esto alijs mihi Suadae LINGVA videris Musis et Phoebo charus OCELLVS eris Ad Gallum de Bartassio iam toto Anglicè donato Quòd Gallus factus modò sit mirare Britannus Galle novum vide as nec tamen invide as Silvester vester noster Bartassius ambo Laude quidem gemina digni vt et ambo pari In Detractores ad Authorem Tace at malevolum OS malè strepent is Zoïli Monstrum bilingue septuplex Hydrae caput Dum Septimanam septies faustam canis Te Septimana septies faustum facit Quaevis nec vlla deleat Iosuam Dies Nempe ORE fari Vera si licet meo OS ipse VERE diceris SALVSTII Qui si impetar is dentibus mordentibus Impurioris ORIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theon OS non carere dentibus sciat tuum E. L. Oxon. In duo Poetarum lumina Bartam Sylvesterum carmen Asclepiadeum Gliconicum dicol Distroph TE Barta caneret Melpomenes melos Vel Germana soror nympha Polymnia Musarúmuâ— potens pater Pulsans plectra sonantia Syluestere meam tusuperas lyram Et linguam modulum dum rudis obstrepit Vatem commeruit decus Illustrem ingenij tui Nemo fronte gerâ—ns Daphnidis arborem Vel Martem valuit scribere bellicum Digne vel Veneris rosae Vultum purpureae parem Nec vestram valeo tollere versibus Laudem ter geminam Sicaelidum meis Sacra progenies satis Non vos aequiparem modis Gallorum Dâ—uidas hospites arborum Bartas grandiloqui carminis alite Praestat noster amat sui Ponti vincere Naiadas Ambo sic proprias viribus ingenî Divas ruricolas ponticolas simul Vicistis trivij meum Vicistis miserum melos Coelum percutiat Gallia vertice Ipsos coelicolas terra Britannica Quae vates tulerint duos Claros prae reliquis novos G. B. Cantabrig EPIGRAM To M. Iosuah Syluester IF to admire were to commend my Praise Might then both thee thy work and merit raise But as it is the Child of Ignorance And vtter stranger to all ayre of France How can I speak of thy great paines but erre Since they can onlie iudge that can confer Behold The reuer end Shade of BARTAS stands Before my thought ana in thy right commaunds That to the world I publish for him This BARTAS doth wish thy English now were His. Son ell in that are his inuentions wrought As His will now be the Translation thought Thine the Originall and France shall boast No more those mayden glories she hath lost B. Iohnson In prayse of the Translator IF diuine BARTAS from whose blessed Braines Such Works of grace or gracefull works did stream Were so admir'd for Wit 's celestiall Strain 's As made their Uertues Seate the high'st Extream Then IOSVAH the Sun of thy bright praise Shall fixed stand in Arts fair Firmament Till Dissolution date Times Nights and Daies Sith right thy Lines are made to BARTAS Bent Whose Compass circumscribes in spacious Words The Vniuersall in particulars And thine the same in other Tearms affords So both your Tearms agree in friendly Wars If Thine be onely His and His be Thine They are like God eternall sith Diuine Iohn Dauies of Hereford To M. Iosuah Syluester of his Bartas Metaphrased I Dare confesse of Muses more than nine Nor list nor can I enuy none but thine Shee drencht alone in Sion's sacred Spring Her Makers praise hath sweetly chose to sing And reacheth neerest th' Angels notes aboue Nor lists to sing or Tales or Warrs or Loue. One while I finde hir in hir nimble flight Cutting the brazen spheares of heav'n bright Thence straight she glides before I be aware Through the three regions of the liquid ayre Thence rushing down through Nature's Closet-dore She ransacks all her Grandame's secret store And diuing to the darknes of the Deep Sees there what wealth the waues in prison keep And what shee sees aboue belowe betweene She showes and sings to others eares and eyne T is true thy Muse another's steps doth presse The more 's her paine nor is her praise the less Freedom giues scope vnto the rouing thought Which by restraint is curb'd Who wonders ought That feet vnfettred walken farre or fast Which pent with chains mote want their wonted haste Thou follow'st Bartasses diuiner streine And singst his numbers in his natiue veine BARTAS was some French Angell girt with Bayes And thou a BARTAS art in English Layes Whether is more Me seems the sooth to say'n One BARTAS speaks in Tongues in Nations twayn Ios. Hall To my good friend M. Sylvester in honour of this sacred Work THus to aduenture forth and re-conuay The best of treasures from a forraine Coast And take that wealth wherein they gloried most And make it ours by such a gallant pray And that without iniustice doth bewray The glory of the Work that we may boast Much to haue wonn and others nothing lost By taking such a famous prize away As thou industrious SYLVESTER hast wrought And heer enricht vs with th' immortall store Of other's sacred lines which from them brought Coms by thy taking greater than before So hast thou lighted from a flame deuout As great a flame that neuer shall goe out Samuel Daniel To M. Iosuah Syluester A SONNET THe glorious Salust morall true diuine Who all inspired with a Holy rage Makes Heav'n his subiect and the Earth his stage The Arts his Actors and the Triple-Trine Who his rich language gildes and graceth fine His Countries honour wonder of our age Whose World 's blest Birth and blessed Pupillage Gain him a world of fame for euerie line Hath heer obtain'd a true Interpreter Whom fame nor gaine but loue to Heav'n and vs Mov'd to vn-French his learned labours thus Thus loues thus liues all-loued SYLVESTER Forward sweet friend Heav'n Nature Arts and Men All to this task prefer thine only Pen. G. Gay-Wood Dilectissimo Io Syluestri GAllica visa fuit Princeps modo lingua necvlla Illi vel similis vel mihi maior erat Credideram magni nullo sermone referri BARTASI ingenium posse vel eloquium Cum subito clarum dedit alma Britannia solem Ingenij tenebras abstulit ille mei Carmina BARTASI SYLVESTER carmine vertit Et sisuccessu non mellore pari O ter felicem venam Dulceisque Camoenas Queis tanto Vati contigit esse pares Incepto felix SYLVESTER tramite perge Tam bene ne coeptum destituatur opus Sic pia Sicaelides aspirent Numina Musae Sic faueat coeptis doctus Apollo
meet Round large and long there of itselfe it thriues And Little-World into the World arriues But that becomes by Natures set direction From foul and dead to beauty life perfection But this dull Heap of vndigested stuf Had doubtlesse neuer come to shape or proof Had not th' Almighty with his quick'ning breath Of the secret power of God in quickning the matter whereof the World was made Blow'n life and spirit into this Lump of death The dreadfull Darknes of the Memphytists The sad black horror of Cimmerian Mists The sable fumes of Hell's infernall vault Or if ought darker in the World be thought Muffled the face of that profound Abyss Full of Disorder and fell Mutinies So that in fine this furious debate Euen in the birth this Ball had ruinate Saue that the Lord into the Pile did pour Some secret Mastik of his sacred Power To glew together and to gouern fair The Heav'n and Earth the Ocean and the Aire Who ioyntly iustling in their rude Disorder The new-born Nature went about to murder As a good Wit that on th' immortall Shrine The Spirit of God by an inconceiueable meane maintained and as it were brooding warmed the shape-lesse Masse Genes 1. Of Memory ingraues a Work Diuine Abroad a-bed at boord for euer vses To minde his Theam and on his Book still muses So did Gods Spirit delight itself a space To moue itself vpon the floating Masse No other care th' Almightie's minde possest If care can enter in his sacred brest Or as a Hen that fain would hatch a Brood Som of her own som of adoptiue blood Sits close thereon and with her liuely heat Of yellow-white balls doth lyue birds beget Euen in such sort seemed the Spirit Eternall To brood vpon this Gulf with care paternall Quickning the Parts inspiring power in each From so foul Lees so fair a World to fetch For 't's nought but All in 't self including All An vn-beginning midless endles Ball 'T is nothing but a World whose superfice Leaues nothing out but what meer nothingis Now though the great Duke that in dreadfullaw Vpon Mount Horeb learn'd th' eternall Law That there is but one World confuting the Error of Leucyppus his Disciples by two reasons Had not assur'd vs that Gods sacred Power In six Dayes built this Vniuersall Bower Reason itself doth ouer-throw the grounds Of those new Worlds that fond Leucyppus founds Sith if kind Nature many Worlds could * embrace clip Still th' vpper Worlds water and earth would slip Into the lower and so in conclusion All would return into the Old Confusion Besides we must imagin empty distance Between these Worlds wherein without resistance Their wheels may whirl not hindred in their courses By th' inter-iustling of each others forces But all things are so fast together fixt With so firm bonds that there 's no void betwixt Thence coms it that a Cask pearç't to be spent Though full yet runs not till we giue it vent Thence is' t that Bellowes while the sâ—out is stopt So hardly heaue and hardly can be op't Thence is' t that water doth not freez in Winter Stopt close in vessels where no ayre may enter Thence is' t that Garden-pots the mouth kept close Let fall no liquor at their siue-like nose And thence it is that the pure siluer source In leaden pipes running a captiue course Contrary to it's Nature spouteth high To all so odious is Vacuity God then not onely framed Nature one But also set it limitation Of Form and Time exempting euer solely From quantity his own self's Essence holy Confutation of another Error of such as make Nature and the Heauens infinita How can we call the Heav'ns vnmeasured Sith measur'd Time their Course hath measured How can we count this Vniuerse immortall Sith many-wayes the parts proue howerly mortall Sith his Commencement proues his Consummation And all things ay decline to Alteration Let bold Greek Sages fain the Firmament To be compos'd of a fift Element Let them deny in their profane profoundnes End and beginning to th' Heav'ns rowling roundnes And let them argue that Deaths lawes alone Reach but the Bodies vnder Cynthias Throne The sandy grounds of their Sophistick brawling Are all too-weak to keep the World from falling One Day the Rocks from top to toe shall quiuer A liuely description of the ende of the World The Mountains melt and all in sunder shiuer The Heav'ns shall rent for fear the lowely Fields Puft vp shall swell to huge and mighty Hills Riuers shall dry or if in any Flood Rest any liquor it shall all be blood The Sea shall all be fire and on the shoar The thirsty Whales with horrid noyse shall roar The Sun shall seize the black Coach of the Moon And make it midnight when it should be noon With rusty Mask the Heav'ns shall hide their face The Stars shall fall and All away shall pass Disorder Dread Horror and Death shall com Noise storms and darknes shall vsurp the room And then the Chief-Chief-Iustice venging Wrath Which heer already often threatned hath Shall make a Bon-fire of this mighty Ball As once he made it a vast Ocean all Alas how faith-les and how modest-les Against iudicial Astrologers that presume to point the verie time thereof Are you that in your Ephomerides Mark th' yeer the month and day which euermore Gainst yeers months daies shal dam-vp Saturnes dore At thought whereof euen now my heart doth ake My flesh doth faint my very soule doth shake You haue mis-cast in your Arithmetike Mis-laid your Counters groapingly yee seek In nights blacke darknes for the secret things Seal'd in the Casket of the King of Kings 'T is hee that keeps th' eternall Clock of Time And holds the waights of that appointed Chime Hee in his hand the sacred book doth bear Of that close-clasped finall Calender Where in Red letters not with vs frequented The certaine Date of that Great Day is printed That dreadfull Day which doth so swiftly post That 't wil be seen before fore-seen of most Then then good Lord shall thy dear Son descend Though yet he seem in feeble flesh ypend In complete Glory from the glistering Sky Millions of Angels shall about him fly Mercy and Iustice marching cheek by ioule Shall his Diuine Triumphant Chariot roule Whose wheeles shall shine with Lightning round about And beames of Glory each-where blazing out Those that were laden with proud marble Toombs Those that were swallow'd in wilde Monsters woombs Those that the Sea hath swill'd those that the flashes Of ruddy Flames haue burned all to ashes Awaked all shall rise and all reuest The flesh and bones that they at first possest All shall appear and hear before the Throne Of God the Iudge without exception The finall Sentence sounding ioy and terror Of euer-lasting Happiness or Horror Som shall his Iustice som his Mercy taste Som call'd to ioy som into torment cast When from
seed should wheat and barly bring Pure Mayden-wombs desired Babes should bear All things at all times should grow euery where The Hart in Water should it self in gender The Whale on Land in Aire the Lambling tender Th' Ocean should yeeld the Pine and Cornell Tree On Hazels Acorns Nuts on Oaks should bee And breaking Natures set and sacred vse The Doues would Eagles Eagels Doues produce If of themselues things took their thriuing then Slowe-growing Babes should instantly be men Then in the Forests should huge boughs be seen Born with the bodies of vnplanted Treen Then should the sucking Elephant support Vpon his shoulders a well-manned Fort And the new-foaled Colt couragious Should neigh for Battail like Bucephalus Contrariwise if ought to nought did fall All that is felt or seen within this All Still loosing somwhat of it self at length Would com to Nothing If Death's fatall strength Could altogether Substances destroy Things then should vanish even as soon as dy In time the mighty Mountains tops be bated But with their fall the neighbour Vales are fatted And what when Trent or Auon ouer-flowe They reaue one field they on the next bestowe Loue-burning Heav'n many sweet Deaws doth drop In his deer Spouses fair and fruitfull lap Which after she restores straining those showrs Through th' hidden pores of pleasant plants and flowrs Whoso hath seen how one warm lump of wax Without increasing or decreasing takes By an apt similitude he sheweth the continuall Change of the World in the matter and form therof according to Gods pleasure in such sort yet that the matter remaines though it receiue infinite Formes A hundred figures well may iudge of all Th' incessant Changes of this nether Ball. The World 's own Matter is the waxen Lump Which vn-self-changing takes all kinde of stamp The Form's the Seal Heav'ns gratious Emperour The Liuing God 's the great Lord Chancellour Who at his pleasure setting day and night His great Broad Seales and Priuy Signets right Vpon the Mass so vast and variable Makes the same Lump now base now honourable Heer 's nothing constant nothing still doth stay For Birth and Death haue still successiues way Heer one thing springs not till another dy Onely the Matter liues immortally Th' Almighties Table body of this All Of change-full Chances common Arçenall All like itself all in itself contained Which by Times Flight hath neither lost nor gayned Change-less in Essence changeable in face Much more then Proteus or the subtile race Of rouing Polypes who to rob the more Transform them howrly on the wauing shore Sundry Similes to that purpose Much like the French or like our selues their Apes Who with strange habit do disguise their shapes Who louing nouels full of affectation Receiue the Manners of each other Nation And scarcely shift they shirts so oft as change Fantastik Fashions of their garments strange Or like a Laïs whose inconstant Loue Doth euery day a thousand times remooue Who 's scarce vnfolded from one Youths embraces Yer in her thought another she embraces And the new pleasure of her wanton Fire Stirs in her still another new desire Because the Matter wounded deep in heart With various Loue yet on the self same part Incapable in the same time at once To take all figures by successions Form after Form receiues so that one face Another faces features doth deface The chief motiue of this change of Formet in the matter Now the chief Motiue of these Accidents Is the dire discord of our Elements Truce-hating Twins where Brother eateth Brother By turns and turn them one into another Like Ice and Water that beget each other Enigma And still the Daughter bringeth-forth the Mother But each of these hauing two qualities One bearing Rule another that obayes Those whose effects do wholly contradict Longer and stronger striue in their Conflict The hot-dry Fire to cold-moist Water turns not The cold-dry Earth to hot-moist Aire returns not Returns not eas'ly for still opposite With tooth and nail as deadly foes they fight But Aire turn Water Earth may Fierize Because in one part they do symbolize And so in combate they haue less to doo For 't's easier far to conquer one then two Sith then the knot of sacred Mariage Of the Situation of the Elements of the effects therof compared to the Notes of Musick to the letters of the Alphabet Which ioynes the Elements from age to age Brings forth the Worlds Babes sith their Enmities With fell diuorce kill whatsoeuer dyes And sith but changing their degree and place They frame the various Forms wherewith the face Of this fair World is so imbellished As six sweet Notes curiously varied In skilfull Musike make a hundred kindes Of Heauenly sounds that rauish hardest mindes And with Division of a choise deuise The Hearers soules out at their ears intice Or as of twice-twelue Letters thus transpos'd This World of Words is variously compos'd And of these Words in divers order sowen This sacred Uolume that you read is growen Through gracious succour of th' Eternall Deïtie Rich in discourse with infinite Variety It was not cause-less that so carefully God did diuide their common Signory Assigning each a fit-confined Sitting Their quantity and quality befitting Whoso somtime hath seen rich Ingotstri'd A simile liuely representing the separation of the Elements When forç't by Fier their treasures they diuide How fair and softly Gold to Gold doth pass Siluer seeks Siluer Brass consorts with Brass And the whole Lump of parts vnequall seuers It self apart in white red yellow Rivers May vnderstand how when the Mouth Diuine Op'ned to each his proper Place t'assigne Fire flew to Fire Water to Water slid Aire clung to Aire and Earth with Earth abid Earth as the Lees and heauy dross of All After his kinde did to the bottom fall Situation of the earth and fire Contrariwise the light and nimble Fire Did through the crannies of th' old Heap aspire Vnto the top and by his nature light No less then hot mounted in sparks vpright As when we see Aurora passing gay With Opals paint the Seeling of Cathay Sad Floods doefume and the celestiall Tapers Through Earths thin pores in th' Aire exhale the vapours But least the Fire which all the rest embraces Being too neer should burn the Earth to ashes As chosen Vmpires the great All-Creator Of aire water plac't between the earth fire Between these Foes placed the Aire and Water For one suffiz'd not their stern strife to end Water as Cozen did the Earth befriend Aire for his Kinsman Fire as firmly deals But both vniting their divided zeals Took vp the matter and appeas'd the brall Which doubt-less else had discreated All. Th' Aire lodg'd aloft the Water vnder it Not casually but so disposed fit By him who Nature in her kind to keep Kept due proportion in his Workmanship Why the aire was lodged next the Element of Fire
grow'n Yet from their birth-place take they diuersly A diuers name and diuers quality Feeling the fower Windes that with diuers blast Of the Windes whereof there are foure principall compared to the foure Seasons the foure Complexions the foure Elements and the foure Ages of man assigned to the foure Corners of the World And called East West North South From the fower corners of the World doo haste In their effects I finde fower Temp'raments Foure Times foure Ages and foure Elements Th' East-winde in working follows properly Fire Choler Summer and soft Infancy That which dries-vp wild Affrick with his wing Resembles Aire Bloud Youth and liuely Spring That which blowes moistly from the Western stage Like Water Phlegme Winter and heauy Age That which comes shiv'ring from cold Climates solely Earth withered Eld Autumn and Melancholy Not but that Men haue long yeâ— this found-out More then these foure Windes East West North and South Those that at Sea to see both Poles are wont Vpon their Compass two and thirty count Though they be infinite as are the places Whence the Heav'n-fanning Exhalation passes But wheresoeuer their quick course they bend As on their Chiefs all on these Foure depend One while with whisking broom they brush and sweep Diuers effects of the Windes The cloudy Courtains of Heav'ns stages steep Anon with hotter sighes they dry the Ground Late by Electra and her sisters drownd Anon refresh they with a temperate blowing The soultry Aier vnder the Dog-star glowing On Trees anon they ripe the Plum and Pear In cods the Poulse the Corn within the ear Anon from North to South from East to West With ceas-less wings they driue a Ship addrest And somtimes whirling on an open Hill The round-flat Runner in a roaring Mill In flowry motes they grinde the purest grain Which late they ripened on the fruitfull Plain Diuers effect of hot exhalations If th' Exhalation hot and oily proue And yet as feeble giueth place aboue To th' Airy Regions euer-lasting Frost Incessantly th' apt-tinding fume is tost Till it inflame then like a Squib it falls Or fire-wingd shaft or sulp'hry Powder-Balls Of Comeâ—s But if This kinde of Exhalation tour Aboue the walls of Winters icy bowr ' T-inflameth also and anon becoms A new strange Star presaging wofull dooms And for this Fier hath more fewell in 't Then had the first 't is not so quickly spent Whether the Heav'ns incessant agitation Into a Star transforming th' Exhalation Kindle the same like as a coal that winkt On a sticks end and seemed quite extinct Tost in the dark with an industrious hand To light the night becoms a fier-brand Or whether th' vpper Fire doo fire the same As lighted Candles doo th' vnlight inflame According as the vapour 's thick or rare Of other fiery impressions in the regions of the Aire Euen or vn-even long or large round or square Such are the Forms it in the Aire resembles At sight whereof th' amazed Vulgar trembles Heer in the night appears a flaming Spire There a fierce Dragon folded all in fire Heer a bright Comet there a burning Beam Heer flying Launces there a Fiery Stream Heer seems a horned Goat environ'd round With fiery flakes about the Aire to bound There with long bloody hair a Blazing Star Threatens the World with Famin Plague and War To Princes death to Kingdoms many crosses To all Estates ineuitable Losses To Heard-men Rot to Plough-men hap-less Seasons To Saylers Storms to Cities ciuill Treasons But hark what hear I in the Heav'ns me thinks A liuely description of thunder and lightning The Worlds wall shakes and his Foundation shrinks It seems euen now that horrible Pâ—rsiphoné Loosing Meger Alecto and Tysiphoné Weary of raigning in black Erebus Transports her Hell between the Heav'n and vs. 'T is held I knowe that when a Vapour moist How they are ingendred As well from Fresh as from Salt water 's hoist In the same instant with hot-Exhalations In th' Aiery Regions secondary stations The Fiery Fume besieged with the Croud And keen-cold thicknes of that dampish Cloud Strengthens his strength and with redoubled Volleys Of ioyned Heat on the the Cold Leagher sallies Like as a Lion very late exil'd A simile From 's natiue Forests spit-at and reuil'd Mock't moov'd and troubled with a thousand toyes By wanton children idle girls and boyes With hideous roaring doth his Prison fill In 's narrow Cloistre ramping wildely still Runns to and fro and furious less doth long For liberty than to reuenge his wrong This Fire desirous to break forth again From 's cloudy Ward cannot itself refrain But without resting loud it grones and grumbles It roules and roars and round-round-round it rumbles Till hauing rent the lower side in sunder With Sulph'ry flash it haue shot-down his thunder Though willing to vnite in these alarms To 's Brothers Forces his own fainting arms And th' hottest Circle of the World to gain To issue vp-ward oft it striues in vain But 't is there fronted with a Trench so large And such an Hoast that though it often charge On this and that side the Cold Camp about With his Hot Skirmish yet still still the stout Victorious Foe repelleth ev'ry push So that despairing with a furious rush Forgetting honour it is fain to fly By the back-door with blushing Infamy Then th' Ocean boyls for fear the Fish doo deem Their effects The Sea too shallow to safe-shelter them The Earth doth shake the Shepheard in the field In hollow Rocks himself can hardly shield Th' affrighted Heav'ns open and in the Vale Of Acheron grim Plutoes self looks pale Th' Aire flames with Fire for the loud-roaring Thunder Renting the Cloud that it includes asunder Sends forth those Flashes which so blear our sight As wakefull Students in the Winters night Against the steel glauncing with stony knocks Simile Strike sodain sparks into their Tinder-box Moreouer Lightning of a fume is fram'd Admirable effects of lightning Through ' tselfs hot-dryness euermore inflam'd Whose powr past-credit without razing skin Can bruiz to powder all our bones within Can melt the Gold that greedy Mizers hoord In barred Cofers and not burn the boord Can break the blade and neuer sindge the sheath Can scorch an infant in the Womb to death And neuer blemish in one sort or other Flesh bone or sinew of th' amazed Mother Consume the shooes and neuer hurt the feet Empty a Cask and yer not perish it My yonger eyes haue often seen a Dame To whom the flash of Heav'ns fantastike flame Did els no harm saue in a moment's space With windy Rasor shaue a secretplace Shall I omit a hundred Prodigies Of Crownes and circles about the Sunne Moone and other Planets Oft seen in forehead of the frowning Skies Somtimes a Fiery Circle doth appear Proceeding from the beautious beams and clear Of Sun and Moon and other Stars aspect Down-looking on a
thick-round Cloud ditect When not of force to thrust their rayes through-out-it In a round Crown they cast them round about-it Like as almost a burning candle put Simile Into a Closet with the door close shut Not able through the boords to send his light Out at the edges round about shines bright But in 's declining when Sols countenance Direct vpon a wat'rish Cloud doth glance A wat'rish Cloud which cannot easily Hold any longer her moist Tympany On the moist Cloud he limns his lightsom front Of the Rainbow and how it is made And with a gawdy Pencill paints vpon 't A blew-green-gilt Bowe bended ouer vs For th' aduerse Cloud which first receiueth thus Apollos rayes the same direct repells On the next Cloud and with his gold it mells Her various coulours like as when the Sun Simile At a bay-window peepeth in vpon A boule of water his bright beams aspect With trembling lustre it doth far reflect Against th' high seeling of the lightsom Hall With stately Fret-work ouer-crustod all On th' other side if the Cloud side-long sit And not beneath or iustly opposite How it comes to passe that sometimes appear diuers Suns and Moones at once To Sun or Moon then either of them Forms With strong aspect double or trebble Forms Vpon the same The Vulgar's then affright To see at once three Chariots of the Light And in the Welkin on Nights gloomy Throne To see at once more shining Moons then one But O fond Mortals Wherefore doo yee striue A check to mans Pride in striuing to yeeld reason in Nature of all these accidents With reach of Sense Gods wonders to retriue What proud desire rather what Furie's drift Boldens you God-less all Gods works to sift I lle not deny but that a learned man May yeeld some Reason if he list to scan Of all that moues vnder Heav'ns hollow Cope But not so sound as can all scruple stop And though he could yet should we euermore Praysing these tools extoll His fingers more Who works withall and many-waies doth giue To deadest things instantly soules to liue True Philosophy for Christians to apply all to their conscience for amendment of life Me thinks I hear when I doo hear it Thunder The voice that brings Swayns vp and Caesars vnder By that Towr-tearing stroak I vnderstand Th' vndaunted strength of the Diuine right hand When I behold the Lightning in the Skies Me thinks I seeth ' Almighties glorious eyes When I perceiue it Rain-down timely showrs Me thinks the Lord his horn of Plenty pours When from the Clouds excessiue Water spins Me thinks God weepes for our vnwept-for sins And when in Heav'n I see the Rain-bow bent I hold it for a Pledge and Argument That neuer more shall Vniuersall Floods Presume to mount ouer the tops of Woods Which hoary Atlas in the Clouds doth hide Or on the Crowns of Caucasus doo ride But aboue all my perced soule inclines When th' angry Heav'ns threat with Prodigious Signes When Natures order doth reuerse and change Preposterously into disorder strange Let all the Wits that euer suckt the brest All the learned in the World cannot out of the school of Nature giue reason for many things that are created in the High and Middle Regiōs of the Aire Of sacred Pallas in one Wit be prest And let him tell me if at least he can By rule of Nature or meer reach of man A sound and certain reason of the Cream The Wooll and Flesh that from the Clouds did stream Let him declare what cause could yerst beget Amid the Aire those drizzling showers of Wheate Which in Carinthia twice were seene to shed Wherof that people made them store of Bread God the great God of Heav'n sometimes delights The true cause of these Prodigies From top to toe to alter Natures Rites That his strange Works to Nature contrary May be fore-runners of some misery The drops of Fire which weeping Heav'n did showr Vpon Lucania when Rome sent the Flowr Exāples drawne out of the Historie of the Romās Iews Turks French both Ecclesiasticall and profane Of Italy into the wealthy Clime Which Euphrates fatts with his fruitfull slime Persag'd that Parthians should the next yeer tame The proud Lucanians and nigh quench their Name The clash of Arms and clang of Trumpets heard High in the Aire when valiant Romans warr'd Victoriously on the now-Canton'd Suisses Cymbrians and Almans hewing all in peeces Gainst Epicures profane assertions showe That 't is not Fortune guides this World belowe Thou that beheld'st from Heav'n with triple Flashes Cursed Olympius smitten all to ashes For Blasphemies 'gainst Th' ONE Eternall-THREE Dar'st thou yet belch against the TRINITIE Dar'st thou profane spit in the face of God Who for blasphemers hath so sharpe a rod Iews no more Iews no more of Abr'ham Sons But Turks Tartarians Scythians Lestrigons Say what you thought what thought you when so long A flaming Sword ouer your Temple hung But that the Lord would with a mighty arm The righteous vengeance of his wrath perform On you and yours that what the Plague did leaue Th' insatiate gorge of Famine should bereaue And what the Plague and Famine both did spare Should be clean gleaned by the hand of War That sucking Infants crying for the teat Self-cruell Mothers should vnkindely eat And that yer long the share and coultar should Rub off their rust vpon your Roofs of gold And all because you cursed crucifi'd The Lord of life who for our ransom dy'd The ruddy Fountain that with bloud did flowe Th' huge Fiery Rock the thundring Heav'ns did throwe Into Liguria and the Bloudy Crosses Seen on mens garments seem'd with open voices To cry aloud that the Turks swarming hoast Should pitch his proud Moons on the Genoan coast The Poet seuere ly taxeth his Countrymen for not marking or not making vse of strange exextrarordinary tokens of Gods imminent displeasure O Frantick France why dost not Thou make vse Of strangefull Signes whereby the Heav'ns induce Thee to repentance Canst thou tear-lesse gaze Euen night by night on that prodigious Blaze That hairy Comet that long streaming Star Which threatens Earth with Famine Plague and War Th' Almighty's Trident and three-forked fire Wherwith he strikes vs in his greatest Ire But what alas can Heauens bear threatnings vrge Sith all the sharpe Rods which so hourely scourge Thy sens-lesse back cannot so much as wrest One single sigh from thy obdurate brest Thou drink'st thine own bloud thine owne flesh thou eatest In what most harms theethy delight is greatest O sens-less Folk sick of a Lethargy Who to the death despise your Remedy Like froward Iades that for no striking stur But wax more restif still the more we spur The more your wounds more your securenes growes Fat with afflictions as an Asse with blowes And as the sledge hardens with strokes the steel So the more beaten still the less ye feel
And want on ENGLAND why hast thou forgot Vpon like consideration the Trāslator sharp ly citeth Eng. to rouze her frō her present securitie proposeth fearfull exāples of her own troublous changes others terrible Chastisements Thy visitation as thou hadst it not Thou hast seen signes and thou hast felt the rod Of the revenging wrathfull hand of God The frowning Heav'ns in fearefull Sightes fore-spoke Thy Roman Saxon Dane and Norman Yoak And since alas vnkinder wounds then those The Ciuillrents of thy diuided ROSE And last of all the raging Wolues of Rome Tearing thy limbs Christs Lambs in Martyrdom Besides Great Plagues and grieuous Dearths which yerst Haue oft the Sinnews of thy strength reuerst But thou more faulty more forgetfull art Then Boyes that fear but while they feel the smart All this is past and thou past fear of it In Peace and Plenty as a Queen doost sit Of Rods forgetfull and for Rest ingratefull That sottish dulnes this a sinne most hatefull Ingratefull to thy God who all hath sent And thy late Queen his sacred Instrument By whose pure hand he hath more blessed Thine Esay Chap. 5. ◠2. 3. c. Then yerst his owne Choice-planted Hebrew Vine From whence hee look't for Grapes as nov from thee That bore him Crabs Thouworse if worse may be That was destroy'd the wilde Boar entred in ENGLAND beware Like punishment like sinne But O! what boots or what auailes my song To this deaf Adder that hath slept so long Snorting so loud on pillows of Securitie Dread-less of danger drowned in Impurity Whose Senses all all ouer-grow'n with Fat Haue left no door for Fear to enter at Yet once again deer Country must I call ENGLAND repent Fall to preuent thy Fall Though Thou be blinde thy wakefull watchmen see Heav'ns Irefull vengeance hanging ouer thee In fearfull Signes threatning a thousand Woes To thy Sinn 's Deluge which allouer-flowes Thine vncontrold bold open Athëism Close Idol-seruice Cloaked Hypocrism Common Blaspheming of Gods Name in Oaths Vsuall Profaning of his Sabbaoths Thy blinde dumb Idol-shepheards choakt with steeples That fleece thy Flocks and do not feed thy Peoples Strife-full Ambition Florentizing States Bribes and Affection swaying Magistrates Wealth 's mercie-less Wrong Vsury Extortion Poore's Idleness Repining at their Portion Thy drunken Surfets and Excess in Diet Thy Sensuall wallowing in Lascivious Riot Thy huft puft painted curld purld Wanton Pride The Baud to Lust and to all Sinns beside These are thy Sinns These are the Signes of Ruin To euery State that doth the same pursue-in Such cost the Iews and Asians Desolation Now turned Turks that were the Holy Nation Happy who take by others dangers warning All that is writ is written for our learning So preach thy Prophets But who heeds their cry Or who beleeues Then much less hope haue I. Wherefore Deer Bartas hauing warned them From this Digression turn we to our Theam As our All-welcom SOVERAIN Englands solace Simile Heav'ns care Earths comfort in his stately Palace Hath next His Person Princes of His Realms Next him in bloud extract from Royall Stems Next those the Nobles next the Magistrates That serue him truly in their seuerall States As more or less their diuers Dignity Coms neer the Greatnes of his Maiesty So next the Heav'ns God marshall'd th' Element Hauing sufficiently discoursed of the Aire he begins to handle the Element of Fire Which seconds them in swift bright Ornament And then the rest according as of kin To th' Azure Sphears or th' Erring Fiers they bin Yet som more crediting their eyes then Reason From 's proper place this Essence doo disseisin Against such as deny the Fire to be an Element And vainly strive after their Fanciessway To cut the World's best Element away The nimble light bright-flaming heat-full Fire Fountain of life Smith Founder Purifier Cook Surgeon Soldier Gunner Alchymist The source of Motion briefly what not is' t Apt for all acting all whose arms embrace Vnder Heav'ns arms this Vniuersall Mass. For if say they the Fire were lodg'd between Their Reasons The Heav'ns and vs it would by night be seen Sith then so far-off as in Meads we pass 1 We see least Glow-wormsglister in the grass Besides how should we through the Fiery Tent Perceiue the bright eys of the Firmament Sith heer the soundest and the sharpest ey 2 Can nothing through our Candle-flames descry O! hard-beleeuing Wits if Zephyrus Aunsweres And Austers sighes were neuer felt of vs You would suppose the space between Earth's Ball And Heav'ns bright Arches void and empty all And then no more you would the Aire allow For Element then th' hot-bright Flamer now Now ev'n as far as Phoebus light excels Difference between th' Elementary fire and ours The light of Lamps and every Taper els Wherewith wevse to lengthen th' After-noon Which Capricorn ducks in the Sea too soon So far in pureness th' Elementall Flame Excels the Fire that for our vse we frame For ours is nothing but a dusky light Gross thick and smoaky enemy to sight But that aboue for being neither blent With fumy mixture of gross nourishment Nor tost with Windes but far from vs coms neer It 's neighbour Heav'n in nature pure and cleer But of what substance shall I after-thee Heere for conclusion of this second booke hee commeth to discourse of the Heauens first intreateth of their matter and Essence According to the opinions of the Philosophers O match-less Master make Heav'ns Canapey Vncertain heer my resolutions rock And waver like th' inconstant Weather-Cock Which on a Towr turning with every blast Changeth his Master and his place as fast Learned Lycaeum now awhile I walk-in Then th' Academian sacred Shades I stalk-in Treading the way that Aristotle went I doo depriue the Heav'ns of Element And mixture too and think th' omnipotence Of God did make them of a Quint-Essence Sith of the Elements two still erect Their course Their motion vp two euer down direct But the Heav'ns course not wandring vp nor down Continually turns onely roundly round The Elements haue no eternal race But settle ay in their assigned place But th' azure Circle without taking breath His certain course for euer gallopeth It keeps one pase and mov'd with waight-les waights It neuer takes fresh horse nor neuer baits Things that consist of th' Elements vniting Are euer tost with an intestin fighting Whence springs in time their life and their deceasing Heauen not subiect to alteration as are the Elements Their diuers change their waxing and decreasing So that of all that is or may be seen With mortall eyes vnder Nights horned Queen Nothing retaineth the same form and face Hardly the half of half an howrs space But the Heav'ns feel not Fates impartiall rigour Years add not to their stature nor their vigour Vse wears them not but their green-euer Age Is all in all still like their Pupillage
the vast deep dreadfull Seas The increasing of Brooks and Riuers and of their falling into the sea And all the highest Heav'n-approaching Rocks Contribute hither with their snowie locks For soon as Titan having run his Ring To th' ycie climates bringeth back the Spring On their rough backs he melts the hoary heaps Their tops grow green and down the water leaps On every side it foames it roares it rushes And through the steep and stony hilles it gushes Making a thousand Brooks wherof when one Perceives his fellow striving to be gone Hasting his course he him accompanies After another and another hies All in one race ioynt-losing all of them Their Names and Waters in a greater stream And He that robs them shortly doth deliver Himself and his into a larger River And That at length how euer great and large Lord of the Plain doth in som Gulf discharge His parent-Tribute to Oceanus According to th' Eternall Rendez-vous Yet notwithstanding all these Streams that enter Why the sea receiueth no increase of all the Waters that fall therein In the Main Sea do nought at all augment her For that besides that all these Floods in one Matcht with great Neptune seem as much as none The Sun as yerst I said and Windes withall Sweeping the sur-face of the Brinie-Ball Extract as much still of her humours thin As weeping Aire and welling Earth pours in But as the swelting heat and shivering cold Gnashing and sweat that th' Ague-sick do hold Come not at hazzard but in time and order Afflict the body with their fell disorder Of the Ebbing Flowing of the sea sundry causes therof The Sea hath fits alternate course she keepes From Deep to Shoar and from the Shoar to Deeps Whether it were that at the first the Ocean From Gods owne hand receiv'd this double Motion By means whereof it never resteth stound Simile But as a turning Whirli-gig goes round Whirls of it self and good-while after takes Strength of the strength which the first motion makes Whether the Sea which we Atlantick call Be but a peece of the Grand Sea of all And that his Floods entring the ample Bed Of the deep Main with fury hurried Against the Rocks repulsed with disdain Be thence compelled to turn back again Or whether Cynthia that with Change-full laws Commands moist bodies doth this motion cause As on our Shoar we see the Sea to rise Soon as the Moon begins to mount our skies And when through Heav'ns Vaultvailing toward Spayn Proofe of the third cause viz. that the waxing and wauing of the Moon causeth the flowing and ebbing of the Sea The Moon descendeth then it Ebbs again Again so soon as her inconstant Crown Begins to shine on th' other Horizon It Flowes again and then again it falls When she doth light th' other Meridionalls We see more-over that th' Atlantik Seas Doo Flowe far farther then the Genöese Or both the Bosphores and that Lakes which growe Out of the Sea do neither Ebb nor Flowe Because they say the siluer fronted Star That swells and shrinks the Seas as pleaseth her Pours with less powr her plentious influence Vpon these straight and narrow streamed Fennes And In-land Seas which many a Mount immounds Then on an Ocean vast and void of bounds Euen as in Sommer her great Brothers Ey When windes be silent doth more easily dry Simile Wide spreading Plains open and spacious Fields Then narrow Vales vaulted about with Hills If we perceive not in the Deep so well Why the tide is not so well perceiued at sea as by the shoare As by the shoar when it doth shrink and swell Our sprightfull Pulse the tide doth well resemble Whose out-side seems more then the midst to tremble Nor is the glorious Prince of Stars less mighty Then his pale Sister on vast Amphitrité For Phoebus boyling with his lightsom Heat The Fish-full Waves of Neptunes Royall Seat And supping vp still with his thirsty Rayes The cause of the faltnes of the sea All the fresh humour in the floting Seas In Thetis large Cells leaveth nought behind Save liqvid Salt and a thick bitter Brine But see the while see how the Sea I pray Through thousand Seas hath caried me away In fear t' have drown'd my self and Readers so The Floods so made my words to over-flowe Therfore a-shoar and on the tender Lee Of waters separated from the Sea Of Lakes and Pools Rivers and Springs let 's see The soverain vertues of their severall Waters Their strange effects and admirable natures That with incredible rare force of theirs Confound our wits ravish our eyes and ears Th' Hammonâ—an Fount while Phoebus Torch is light Wonderfull effects of diuers Fountaines Is cold as Ice and opposite all night Though the cold Crescent shine thereon is hot And boiles and bubbles like a seething Pot. They say forsooth the Riuer Silarus And such another call'd Eurimenus Conuert the boughs the barke the leaves and all To very stone that in their Waters fall O! should I blaunch the Iewes religious River Which every Saboth dries his Chanell over Keeping his Waues from working on that Day Which God ordain'd a sacred Rest for ay If neer vnto the Eleusinian Spring Som sport-full Iig som wanton Shepheard sing The Ravisht Fountain falls to daunce and bound Keeping true Cadence to his rustick sound Cerona Xanth and Cephâ—sus do make The thirsty-Flocks that of their Waters take Blacke red and white And neer the crimsin Deepe Th' Arabian Fountain maketh crimsin Sheep Solonian Fountain and thou Andrian Spring Out of what Cellars do you daily bring The Oyl and Wine that you abound-with so O Earth do these within thine entrails grow What be there Vines and Orchards vnder ground Is Bacchus Trade and Pallas Art there found What should I of th' Illyrian Fountain tell What shall I say of the Dodónean Well Whereof the first sets any cloathes on-fire Th' other doth quench who but will this admire A burning Torch and when the same is quenched Lights it again if it again be drenched Sure in the Legend of absurdest Fables I should enroule most of these admirables Save for the reverence of th' vnstayned credit Of many a witnes where I yerst have read it And sauing that our gain-spurr'd Pilots finde In our dayes Waters of more wondrous kinde Of all the Sources infinite to count Which to an ample Volume would amount A continuation of the admirable effects of certain Waters Far hence on Forrain vnfrequented Coast I 'le onely chuse som five or sixe at most Strange to report perhaps beleev'd of few And yet no more incredible then true In th' I le of Iron one of those same seav'n Whereto our Elders * Insulae fortunatae Happy name had giv'n The Savage people neuer drink the streams Of Wells and Riuers as in other Realms Their drink is in the Aire their gushing spring A weeping Tree out of it self
will admire In whose cleer channel mought at pleasure swim Those two bright Fishes that doo follow him Pisces in mid-February But that the Torrent slides so swift away That it out-runs them euer euen as they Out-run the Ram who euer them pursues And by renewing Yearely all renues The names of the Principall stars of the North-Pole Besides these Twelue toward the Artik side A flaming Dragon doth Two-Bears diuide After the Wainman coms the Crown the Spear The Kneeling Youth the Harp the Hamperer Of th' hatefull Snake whether we call the same By Aesculapius or Alcides name Swift Pegasus the Dolphin louing man Ioues stately Aegle and the siluer Swan Andromeda with Cassiopeia neer-her Her father Cepheus and her Perseus deerer The shining Triangle Medusa's Tress And the bright Coach-man of Tindarides Toward th' other Pole Orion Eridanus The names of the Stars of the South-Pole The Whale the Whelp and hot-breath't Sirius The Hare the Hulk the Hydra and the Boule The Centaure VVolf the Censer and the Foul The twice-foul Rauen the Southern Fish and Crown Through Heav'ns bright Arches brandish vp and down Thus on This-Day working th' eightth azure Tent The fixed stars are in the eight Heauen With Art-les Art diuinely excellent Th' Almighties fingers fixed many a million Of golden Scutchions in that rich Pauilion But in the rest vnder that glorious Heav'n But one a-peece vnto the seuerall Seav'n And the seauen Planets vnder them each in his proper Spheare Least of those Lamps the number-passing number Should mortall eyes with such confusion cumber That we should neuer in the cleerest night Starrs diuers Course see or discern aright And therfore also all the fixed Tapers He made to twinkle with such trembling capers Why the Planets twinkle not and the fixed stars do twinkle But the Scaven Lights that wander vnder them Through various passage neuer shake a beam Or he perhaps made them not different But th' hoast of Sparks spred in the Firmament Far from our sense through distance infinite Seems but to twinkle to our twinkling sight The firmament much farther from the Earth then the sphears of the Planets Wheras the rest neerer a thousand fold To th' Earth and Sea we doo more brim behold For the Heav'ns are not mixtly enterlaced But th' vndermost by th' vpper be imbraced And more or less their roundels wider are As from the Center they be neer or far As in an Egg the shell includes the skin Simile The skin the white the white the yolk with-in Two similes representing the motion of the eight inferiour Heav'ns throgh the swift turning of the ninth which is the Primum Mobile Now as the Winde buffing vpon a Hill With roaring breath against a ready Mill Whirls with a whiff the sails of swelling clout The sails doo swing the winged shaft about The shaft the wheel the wheel the trendle turns And that the stone which grindes the flowry corns Or like as also in a Clock well tended Iust counter-poize iustly thereon suspended Makes the great Wheel goe round and that anon Turns with his turning many a meaner one The trembling watch and th' iron Maule that chimes The intire Day in twice twelue equall times So the grand Heav'n in foure and twenty houres Surueying all this various house of ours With his quick motion all the Sphears doth moue Whose radiant glances gild the World aboue And driues them euery day which swiftnes strange-is From Gange to Tagus and from Tay to Ganges But th' vnder-Orbs as grudging to be still Each of the 8. Heauens so traÌ„sported by the Primum Mobilâ— hath also his proper oblique and distinct course each from other So straightly subiect to anothers will Still without change still at anothers pleasure After one pipe to dance one onely measure They from-ward turn and traversing aside Each by himself an oblique course doth slide So that they all although it seem not so Forward and backward in one instant goe Both vp and down and with contrary pases At once they poste to two contrary places Like as my self in my lost Marchant-years A loss alas that in these liues appears Waâ—ting to Brabant Englands golden Fleece The same explaned by a proper Simile A ritcher pryze then Iason brought to Greece While toward the Sea our then Swan-poorer Thames Bare down my Bark vppon her ebbing streams Vpon the hatches from the Prow to Poup Walking in compass of that narrow Coop Maugre the most that Winde and Tide could doo Haue gone at once towards LEE and LONDON too Why som of these Heauens haue a slower course shorter compasse then other some But now the neerer any of these Eight Approach th' Empyreall Palace walls in height The more their circuit and more daies they spend Yeâ— they return vnto their Iourneys end It 's therefore thought That sumptuous Canapy The terme of the reuolution of the Firmament The which th' vn-niggard hand of Maiesty Poudred so thick with Shields so shining cleer Spends in his voyage nigh seaven thousand year Ingenious Saturn spouse of Memory Of the seuenth which is the Spheare of Saturn Father of th' Age of Gold though coldly dry Silent and sad bald hoary wrinkle-faced Yet art thou first among the Planets placed And thirty years thy Leaden Coach doth run Yeâ— it arrive where thy Career begun Thou rich benign Ill-chasing Iupiter Of the 6 which is the Sphear of Iupiter Art worthy next thy Father sickle-bear And while thou doost with thy more milde aspect His froward beams disast'rous frouns correct Thy Tinnen Chariot shod with burning bosses Through twice-six Signes in twice six twelue months crosses Braue-minded Mars yet Master of mis-order Of the 5. which is the spheare of Mars Delighting nought but Battails blood and murder His surious Coursers lasheth night and day That he may swiftly passe his course away But in the road of his eternall Race So many rubs hinder his hasty pase That thrice the while the lively Liquor-God With dabbled heels hath swelling clusters trod And thrice hath Ceres shav'n her amber tress Yeâ— his steel whels haue done their business Pure goldie-locks Sol States-friend Honour-giuer Of the 4. which is the Sphear of Sol. Light-bringer Laureat Leach-man all Reviver Thou in three hundred threescore daies and five Doost to the period of thy Race arrive For with thy proper course thou measur'st th' Year And measur'st Daies with thy constrain'd career Fair dainty Venus whose free vertues milde Of the 3. which is the spheare of Venus With happy fruit get all the world with-childe Whom wanton dalliance dancing and delight Smiles wittâ—e wiles youth loue and beauty bright With soft blind Cupids evermore consort Of light som Day opens and shuts the port For hardly darâ— her siluer Doves go far From bright Apollos glory-beaming Car. Not much vnlike so Mercury the wittie Of the 2. which is the sphear of
of Heat of Light the lively sourse Life of the World Lamp of this Vniverse Heav'ns richest Gemm O teach me wher my Verse May but begin thy praise Alas I fare Much like to one that in the Clouds doth stare To count the Quails that with their shadow cover Th' Italian Sea when soaring hither over Fain of a milder and more fruitfull Clime They com with vs to pass the Summer time No sooner he begins one shoal to summ But more and more still greater shoals do com Swarm vpon Swarm that with their count-les number Break off his purpose and his sense incumber Daies glorious Eye even as a mighty King The Sun at Prince of the Ce lestiall lights marcheth in the midst of the other sixe Planets which enuiron About his Countrie stately Progressing Is compast round with Dukes Earls Lords and Knights Orderly marshall'd in their noble Rites Esquires and Gentlemen in courtly kinde And then his Guard before him and behinde And there is nought in all his Royal Muster But to his Greatness addeth grace and lustre So while about the World thou ridest ay Which only lives by vertue of thy Ray Six Heav'nly Princes mounted evermore Wayt on thy Coach three behinde three before Besides the Hoast of th' vpper Twinklers bright To whom for pay thou giuest onely Light And ev'n as Man the little-World of Cares The Sun is in Heauen as the heart in mans body Within the middle of the body bears His heart the Spring of life which with proportion Supplieth spirits to all and euery portion Even so O Sun thy Golden Chariot marches Amid the six Lamps of the six lowe Arches Which seel the World that equally it might Richly impart them Beauty Force and Light Praysing thy Heat which subtilly doth pearce His notable offects vpon the Earth The solid thickness of our Vniuerse Which in th' Earths kidneys Mercury doth burn And pallid Sulphur to bright Metal turn I do digress to praise that Light of thine Which if it should but one Day cease to shine Th' vnpurged Aire to Water would resolve And Water would the mountain tops inuolve Scarce I begin to measure thy bright Face Whose greatness doth so oft Earths greatness pass And with still running the Coelestiall Ring Is seen and felt of every liuing thing But that fantastikly I change my Theam To sing the swiftness of thy tyer-les Teem To sing how Rising from the Indian Waue Thou seem'st O Titan like a Bride-groom brave Excellent comparisons borrow ed out of the 19 Psalme Who from his Chamber early issuing out In rich array with rarest Gems about With pleasant Countenance and lovely Face With golden tresses and attractive grace Cheers at his comming all the youthfull throng That for his presence earnestly did long Blessing the day and with delightfull glee Singing aloud his Epithalamie Then as a Prince that feeles his Noble heart Wounded with Loues pure Honor-winged dart As HARDY LAELIVS that Great GARTER-KNIGHT The same exemplified in an honorable personage of our time now very aged but in his yong years the glory of Armes and Chiualrie Tilting in Triumph of ELIZA'S Right Yeerely that Day that her deerraign began Most brauely mounted on proud RABICAN All in gilt armour on his glistering Mazor A stately Plume of Orange mixt with Azur In gallant Course before ten thousand eyes From all Defendants bore the Princely Prize Thou glorious Champion in thy Heav'nly Race Runnest so swift we scarse conceivethy pase When I record how fitly thou dost guide Through the fourth heav'n thy flaming Coursers pride Of Gods wonder full prouidēce in placing the Sun in the midst of the other Planets of the commodities that come therof That as they pass their fiery breaths may temper Saturn's and Cynthya's cold and moist distemper For if thou gallop'st in the neather Room Like Phaëton thou would'st the World consume Or if thy Throne were set in Saturn's Sky For want of heat then euery thing would dy In the same instant I am prest to sing How thy return reviveth every thing How in thy Presence Fear Sloath Sleep and Night Snowes Fogs and Fancies take their sodain Flight Th' art to be brief an Ocean wanting bound Whear as full vessels haue the lesser sound Plenty of Matter makes the speaker mute As wanting words thy worth to prosecute Yet glorious Monarch 'mong so many rare Of the Sunnes continuall and daily course And match-less Flowrs as in thy Garland are Som one or two shall my chaste sober Muse For thine Immortall sacred Sisters chuse I 'll boldly sing bright Soverain thou art none Of those weak Princes Flattery works vpon No second EDWARD nor no RICHVRD Second Vn-kinged both as Rule-vnworthy recon'd Who to inrich their Minions past proportion Pill all their Subiects with extream extortion And charm'd with Pleasures O exceeding Pity Ly alwaies wallowing in one wanton City And loving only that to mean Lieutenants Farm out their Kingdoms care as vnto Tenants For once a day each Country vnder Heav'n Thou bidst Good-Morrow and thou bidst Good-Ev'n And thy far-seeing Ey as Censor views The rites and fashions Fish and Foule do vse And our behaviours worthy every one Th' Abderian Laughter and Ephesian Moan But true it is to th' end a fruitfull lew May every Climat in his time renew Of his oblique or By-course cause of the foure seasons and of the commodities of all Climates in the world And that all men may neerer in all Realms Feel the alternat vertue of thy beames Thy sumptuous Chariot with the Light returning From the same Portall mounts not every Morning But to make know'n each-where thy daily drift Doo'st every day thy Coursers Stable shift That while the Spring prankt in her greenest pride Raigns heer els-wher Autumne as long may bide And while fair Summers heat our fruits doth ripe Cold Wintets Ice may other Countries gripe No sooner doth thy shining Chariot Roule A pleasant and liuely descriptiō of the foure seasons of the yeare From highest Zenith toward Northern Pole To sport thee for three Months in pleasant Inns Of Aries Taurus and the gentle Twinns But that the mealie Mountains late vnseen Change their white garments into lusty green The Gardens prank them with their Flowry buds The Meads with grass with leaves the naked Woods Sweet Zephyrus begins to buss his Flora The Spring Swift-winged Singers to salute Aurora And wanton Cupid through this Vniverse With pleasing wounds all Creatures hearts to perce When backward bent Phlegon thy fiery Steed With Cancer Leo and the Maid doth feed Th' Earth cracks with heat and Summer crowns his Ceres With gilded Ears as yellow as her hair-is The Reaper panting both for heat and pain With crooked Rasor shaves the tufted Plain The Summer And the good Husband that due season takes Within a Month his year's Provision makes When from the mid-Heav'n thy bright flame doth fly Toward the Cross-Stars in
th' Antartik Sky Harâ—â—st To be three months vp-rising and down-lying With Scorpio Libra and the Archer flying Th' Earth by degrees her louely beauty bates Pomona loads her lap with delicates Her Apron and her Osiar basket both With dainty fruits for her deer Autumns tooth Her health-less spouse who bare-foot hops about To tread the iuice of Bacchus clusters out And last of all when thy proud-trampling Teem For three Months more to soiourne stil doth seem With Capricorn Aquarius and the Fishes While we in vain revoke thee with our wishes Winter In stead of Flowrs chill shivering Winter dresses With Isicles her self-bald borrow'd tresses About her brows a Periwig of Snowe Her white Freez mantle freng'd with Ice belowe A payr of Lamb-lyn'd buskins on her feet So doth she march Orythias love to meet Who with his bristled hoarie bugle-beard Comming to kiss her makes her lips afeard Whear-at he sighs a breath so cold and keen That all the Waters Crystallized been While in a fury with his boystrous wings Against the Scythian snowie Rocks he flings All lusks in sloath and till these Months do end Bacchus and Vulcan must vs both befrend O second honour of the Lamps supernal Of the Moon her alterations Sure Kalender of Festiuals eternal Seas Soueraintess Sleep-bringer Pilgrims guide Peace-loving Queen what shall I say beside What shall I say of thine inconstant brow Which makes my brain wauer I woat not how But if by th' Ey a mans intelligence May ghess of things distance so far from hence I think thy body round as any Ball Of her roundnes and brightnesse borrowed of the Sunne Whose superfice nigh equall ouer all As a pure Glass now vp and down anon Reflects the bright beams of thy spouse the Sun For as a Husbands Nobless doth illustre Simile A mean-born wife so doth the glorious lustre Of radiant Titan with his beams embright Thy gloomy Front that selfly hath no light Yet 't is not alwaies after one self sort Of her waxing waning when she is in her last quarter wheÌ„ she renues and commeth to her full For for thy Car doth swifter thee transport Then doth thy Brothers diversly thou shin'st As more or less thou from his sight declin'st Therfore each month when Hymen blest above In both your bodies kindles ardent love And that the Starrs-king all inamoured on thee Full of desire shines down direct vpon thee Thy neather half-Globe toward th' Earthy Ball After it's Nature is obserued all But him aside thou hast no sooner got But on thy side a siluer file we noat A half-bent Bowe which swels the less thy Coach Doth the bright Chariot of thy spouse approach And fils his Circle When the Imperiall Star Beholds thee iust in one Diameter Then by degrees thy Full face falls away And by degrees Westward thy Horns display Till fal'n again betwixt thy Louers arms Thou wink'st again vanquisht with pleasures charms Thus dost thou Wax and VVane thee oft renuing Delighting change and mortall things ensuing As subiect to thee thy selfs transmutation Feel th' vnfelt force of secret alteration Not but that Phoebus alwaies with his shine Cleers half at least of thine aspect divine Of the cause of the diuers aspect of the Moone But 't sems not so because we see but heer Of thy round Globe the lower Hemisphear Though waxing vs-ward Heav'n-ward thou dost wane And waning vs-ward Heav'n-ward grow'st again Yet it befalls even when thy face is Full When at the highest thy pale Coursers pull When no thick mask of Clouds can hide away From liuing eys thy broad round glistering Ray Thy light is darkned and thine eys are seel'd Couered with shadow of a rusty shield For thy Full face in his oblique designe Confronting Phoebus in th' Ecliptick ligne And th' Earth between thou losest for a space Thy splendor borrowd of thy Brothers grace But to revenge thee on the Earth for this Of the cause of the Eclips of the Sunne Fore-stalling thee of thy kind Lovers kiss Somtimes thy thick Orb thou doo'st inter-blend Twixt Sol and vs toward the later end And then because his splendor cannot pass Or pearce the thicknes of thy gloomy Mass The Sun as subiect to Deaths pangs vs sees-not But seems all Light-less though indeed he is not Therfore far differing your Eclipses are For thine is often and thy Brothers rare Thine doth indeed deface thy beauty bright Difference between the Eclipses of the Sun of the Moone His doth not him but vs bereave of Light It is the Earth that thy defect procures It is thy shadow that the Sunne obscures East-ward thy front beginneth first to lack West-ward his brows begin their frowning black Thine at thy Full when thy most glory shines His in thy Wane when beautie most declines Thine's generall toward Heav'n and Earth together His but to Earth nor to all places neither For th' hideous Cloud that cov'red so long since Of the admirable extraordinary Eclipse of the Sun on the Day that our Sauiour suffered on the Crosse for our Redemption Mat. 27 ver 45 Mar. 15 ver 33 Luk 23. ver 44 With nights black vail th' eys of the Starry-Prince When as he saw for our foul Sinfull slips The Match-less Maker of the Light eclipse Was far far other For the swarty Moors That sweating toyl on Guinnés wealthy shoars Those whom the Niles continuall Cataract With roaring noise for euer deaf doth make Those that suruaying mighty * Quinzay Cassagale Within the Circuit of her spacious Wall Do dry-foot dance on th' Orientall Seas And pass in all her goodly crossing ways And stately streets fronted with sumptuous Bowrs Twelue thousand Bridges and twelue thousand Towers Those that in Norway and in Finland chase The soft-skind Martens for their pretious Cace Those that in Ivory Sleads on Ireland Seas Congeal'd to Crystall slide about at ease Were witness all of his strange grief and ghest That God or Nature was then deep distrest Moreover Cynthia in that fearfull stound Full-fild the compass of her Circle round And being so far off she could not make By Natures course the Sun to be so black Nor issuing from the Eastern part of Heav'n Darken that beauty which her own had given In brief mine ey confounded with such Spectacles In that one wonder sees a Sea of Miracles What could'st thou doo less then thy Self dishonour O chief of Planets thy great Lord to honor Then for thy Fathers death a-while to wear A moorning Roab on th' hatefull Hemi-spheare Then at high-noon shut thy fair eye to shun A Sight whose sight did Hell with horror stun And pearç't with sorrow for such iniuries To please thy Maker Nature to displease So from the South to North to make apparant Of the going back of the Sun in the time of Ezechias 1. King 26. Ver. 11. Esâ—y 38. Ver. 8 That God reuoak't his Seriâ—ant Death's sad Warrant
'Gainst Ezechias and that he would give The godly King fifteen years more to live Transgressing Heav'ns eternall Ordinance Thrice in one Day thou through one path didst prance And as desirous of another nap In thy ver million sweet Aurora's Lap Thy Coach turn'd back and thy swift sweating Horse Full ten degrees lengthned their wonted Course Dials went false and Forrests gloomy black Wondred to see their mighty shades go back So when th' incensed Heav'ns did fight so fell Of the Sunnes standing still in the time of Iosuah Ios. 12. 13 Vnder the Standard of deer Israel Against the Hoast of odious Ammorites Among a million of swift-Flashing Lights Rayning down Bullets from a stormy Cloud As thick as Hail vpon their Armies proud That such as scaped from Heav'ns wrathfull thunder Victorious swords might after heaw in-sunder Coâ—â—ur'd by Iosuah thy brave steeds stood still â—â—â—ull Career stopping thy whirling wheel And one whole Day in one degree they stayd In midst of Heav'n for sacred Armies ayd Least th' Infidels in their disordred Flight Should save themselues vnder the wings of Night Those that then liv'd vnder the other Pole Seeing the Lamp which doth enlight the Whole To hide so long his lovely face away Thought never more to haue re-seen the Day The wealthy Indians and the men of Spain Never to see Sun Rise or Set again In the same place Shadows stood still as stone And in twelue Houres the Dials shew'd but one THE FIFT DAIE OF THE FIRST WEEK THE ARGVMENT Fish in the Sea Fowls in the Aire abound The Forms of all things in the Waters found The various Manners of Sea-Citizens Whose constant Friendship far exceedeth Mens Arions strange escape The Fowls attend On th' only Phoenix to her end-less end Their kindes their customs and their plumes variety Som presidents of Prudence som of Piety The gratefull Aegle burning in the Fláme With her dead Mistress the fair Sestian Dáme LAtónian Lamps conducting divers ways After a Poeticall maner he craueth time opportunity to discourse in this Day of the creation of Fishes of Fowles About the World successiue Nights and Days Parents of winged Time haste haste your Carrs And passing swiftly both th' opposed Barrs Of East and West by your returning Ray Th' imperfect World make elder by a Day Yee Fish that brightly in Heav'ns Baldrik shine If you would see the Waters waving brine Abound with Fishes pray Hyperion T' abandon soon his liquid Mansion If he expect in his prefixt Career To hoast with you a Month in every Yeer And thou eternall Father at whose wink To which purpose â—specially he calleth on the true God The wrathfull Ocean's swelling pride doth sink And stubborn storms of bellowing Windes be dumb Their wide mouthes stopt and their wilde pinions num Great Soverain of the Seas whose books can draw A man aliue from the Whales monstrous maw Provide me Lord of Steers-man Star and Boat That through the vast Seas I may safely float Or rather teach me dyue that I may view Deep vnder water all the Scaly crew And dropping wet when I return to land Laden with spoils extoll thy mighty hand IN VAIN had God stor'd Heav'n with glistring studs The first part of this Book wherin he handleth how by the Commandement of the Lord thâ— Fishes began to moue in the Waters The Plain with grain the Mountain tops with woods Sever'd the Aire from Fire the Earth from Water Had he not soon peopled this large Theatre With living Creatures Therefore he began This-Day to quicken in the Ocean In standing Pools and in the straggling Riuers Whose folding Channell fertill Champain severs So many Fishes of so many features That in the Waters one may see all Creatures And all that in this All is to be found As if the World within the Deeps were drown'd Seas haue as wel as Skies Sun Moon and Stars The Seas no lesse stored with priui ledges and presidents of Gods glorious power then Heauen Earth and of the strange Fishes that liue therin As well as Aire Swallows and Rooks and Stares As well as Earth Vines Roses Nettles Millions Pinks Gilliflowrs Mushroms and many millions Of other Plants more rare and strange then these As very Fishes living in the Seas And also Rams Calfs Horses Hares and Hogs Wolves Lions Vrchins Elephants and Dogs Yea Men and Mayds and which I more admire The Mytred Bishop and the Cowled Fryer Wherof examples but a few yeers since Were showen the Norways and Polonian Prince You divine wits of elder Dayes from whom The deep Inuention of rare Works hath com Took you not pattern of your chiefest Tools Out of the Lap of Thetis Lakes and Pools Which partly in the Waues part on the edges Of craggy Rocks among the ragged sedges Bring-forth abundance of Pins Pincers Spoaks Pikes Percers Needles Mallets Pipes and Yoaks Owers sayls and swords saws wedges Razors Rammers Plumes Cornets Kniues Wheels Vices Horns Hammers And as if Neptune and fair Panâ—pé Palaeâ—on Triton and Leucothoé Kept publik Roules there is the Calamary Who ready Pen-knife Pen and Ink doth cary As a rare Painter draws for pleasure heer Why God created so many sorts of strange Fishes A sweet Adonis a foul Satyre there Heer a huge Cyclop there a Pigmè Elf Somtimes no less busying his skilfull self Vpon som vgly Monster seldom seen Then on the Picture of fair Beauties Queen Even so the Lord that in his Work 's variety We might the more admire his powerfull Dëity And that we might discern by differing features The various kindes of the vast Oceans creatures Forming this mighty Frame he every Kinde With diuers and peculiar Signet sign'd Som haue their heads groveling betwixt their feet Examples The Pour-Cuttle Cuttle Crab. Sea Harâ— Oyster As th' inky Cuttles and the Many-feet Som in their breast as Crabs som head-less are Foot-less and finn-les as the bane-full Hare And heat-full Oyster in a heap confus'd Their parts vnparted in themselues diffus'd The Tyrian Marchant or the Portuguez Can hardly build one Ship of many Trees The Tortoise But of one Tortoise when he list to float Th' Arabian Fisher-man can make a Boat And one such Shell him in the stead doth stand Of Hulk at Sea and of a House on land Shall I omit the monstrous Whirl-about Which in the Sea another Sea doth spout Where-with huge Vessels if they happen nigh Are over-whelm'd and funken sodainly Shall I omit the Tunnies that durst meet The Tunnyâ— Th' Eöan Monarchs neuer daunted Fleet And beard more brauely his victorious powrs Then the Defendants of the Tyrian Towrs Or Porus conquered on the Indian Coast Or great Darius that three Battails lost When on the Surges I perceiue from far Th' Ork Whirl-pool Whale or huffing Physeter Diuers kindes of Whales Me thinks I see the wandring Ile again Ortygian Delos floating on the Main And when in Combat these fell Monsters
his courage ' gan to gather When he perceiv'd no rage but pitty rather In his new Hoast who with milde looks and meek Seem'd as it were succour of him to seek Showing him oft one of his paws wherein A festering thorn for a long time had been Then though still fearfull did the Slaue draw nigher And from his foot he lightly snatcht the Bryer And wringing gently with his hand the wound Made th' hot impostume run vpon the ground Thenceforth the Lion seeks for Booties best Through Hill and Dale to cheer his new-com Guest His new Physician who for all his cost Soon leaues his Lodging and his dreadfull Hoast And once more wanders through the wildernes Whether his froward Fortune would address Vntill re-taen his fell Lord brought him home For Spectacle vnto Imperiall Rome To be according to their barbarous Laws Bloudily torn with greedy Lions paws Fell Canniball Flint-harted Polyphem If thou would'st needs exactly torture him Inhumane Monster hatefull Lestrigon Why from thine owne hand hast thou let him gon To Bears and Lions to be giuen for prey Thy self more fell a thousand-fold then they African Panthers Hyrcan Tigres fierce Cleonian Lions and Panonian Bears Be not so cruell as who violates Sacred Humanity and cruciates His loy all subiects making his recreations Of Massacres Combats and sharp Taxations ' Boue all the Beasts that fill'd the Martian Field With bloud and slaughter one was most beheld One valiant Lion whose victorious fights Had conquered hundreds of those guilty wights Whose feeble skirmish had but striv'n in vain To scape by combat their deserued pain That very Beast with faint and fearfull feet This Runnagate at last is forç't to meet And being entred in the bloody List The Lion rowz'd and ruffles-vp his Crest Shortens his body sharpens his grim ey And staring wide he roareth hideously Then often swindging with his sinnewy train Somtimes his sides somtimes the dusty Plain Hewhets his rage and strongly rampeth on Against his foe who nigh already gon To drink of Lethè lifteth to the Pole Religious vows not for his life but soule After the Beast had marcht som twenty pase He sodain stops and viewing well the face Of his pale foe remembred rapt with ioy That this was he that eased his annoy Wherefore conuerting from his hatefull wildenes From pride to pitty and from rage to mildenes On his bleak face he both his eyes doth fix Fawning for homage his lean hands he licks The Slaue thus knowing and thus being knowen Lifts to the Heav'ns his front now hoary growen And now no more fearing his tearing paws He stroaks the Lion and his poule he claws And learns by proof that a good turn at need At first or last shall be assur'd of meed THER 's vnder Sun as Delphos God did showe No better Knowledge then Our self to Knowe Noscete ipsuÌ„ Ther is no Theam more plentifull to sean Then is the glorious goodly Frame of MAN The second part of this sixt book Wherein is discoursed at large of the creatioÌ„ of Man For in Man's self is Fire Aire Earth and Sea Man 's in a word the World's Epitomé Or little Map which heer my Muse doth try By the grand Pattern to exemplifie A witâ—y Mason doth not with rare Art And of the wonders of Gods wisedom appearing both in his body and Soule Into a Palace Paros Rocks conuert Seel it with gold and to the Firmament Rayse the proud Turrets of his Battlement And to be brief in every part of it Beauty to vse vse vnto beauty fit To th' end the Skrich-Owl and the Night-Rav'n should In those fair walls their habitations hold But rather for som wise and wealthy Prince Able to iudge of his arts excellence Even so the Lord built not this All-Theater For the rude guests of Air and Woods and Water The world made for Man But all for Him who whether he survey The vast salt kingdoms or th' Earth's fruitfull clay Or cast his eys vp to those twinkling Eys That with disordered order gild the Skyes Can every-where admire with due respect Th' admired Art of such an Architect Now of all Creatures which his Word did make Man was created last why MAN was the last that living breath did take Not that he was the least or that God durst Not vndertake so noble a Work at first Rather because he should haue made in vain So great a Prince without on whom to Raign A wise man never brings his bidden guest Fit comparison Into his Parlour till his Room be drest Garnisht with Lights and Tables neatly spred Be with full dishes well-nigh furnished So our great God who bountious euer keeps Heer open Court and th' ever-bound-les Deeps Of sweetest Nectar on vs still distills By twenty-times ten thousand sundry quills Would not our Grandsier to his Boord inuite Yer he with Arras his fair house had dight And vnder starry State-Cloaths plaç't his plates Fill'd with a thousand sugred delicates All th' admirable Creatures made beforn Which Heav'n and Earth and Ocean doo adorn All other creatures nothing in respect of Man made to the Image of God with as it were great preparation not all at once but by interims first his Body and then his reasonable Soule Are but Essays compar'd in every part To this divinest Master-Piece of Art Therefore the supream peer-les Architect When of meer nothing he did first erect Heav'n Earth and Aire and Seas at once his thought His word and deed all in an instant wrought But when he would his own selfs Type create Th' honour of Nature th' Earths sole Potentate As if he would a Councell hold he cyteth His sacred Power his Prudence he inuiteth Summons his Loue his Iustice he adiourns Calleth his Goodnes and his Grace returns To as it were consult about the birth And building of a second God of Earth And each a-part with liberal hand to bring Some excellence vnto so rare a thing Or rather he consults with 's onely Son His own true Pourtrait what proportion Gen. 1 16 What gifts what grace what soule he should bestowe Vpon his Vice-Roy of this Realm belowe When th' other things God fashion'd in their kinde The Sea t' abound in Fishes he assign'd The Earth in Flocks but having Man in hand His very self he seemed to commaund He both at-once both life and body lent To other things but when in Man he meant In mortall limbs immortall life to place Hee seem'd to pawse as in a waighty case And so at sundry moments finished The Soule and Body of Earth's glorious Head Admired Artist Architect divine Innocation Perfect and peer-les in all Works of thine So my rude hand on this rough Table guide To paint the Prince of all thy Works beside That graue Spectators in his face may spy Apparant marks of thy Divinity Almighty Father as of watery matter It pleas'd thee make the people of the Water
Mans body crea ted of the dust of the Earth So of an earthly substance mad'st thou all The slimy Burgers of this Earthly Ball To th' end each Creaturemight by consequent Part-sympathize with his own Element Therfore to form thine Earthly Emperour Thou tookest Earth and by thy sacred power So tempered'st it that of the very same Dead shape-les lump didst Adams body frame Yet not his face down to the Earth-ward bending Like Beasts that but regard their belly ending For ever all but toward th' azure Skyes Bright golden Lamps lifting his louely Eyes That through their nerues his better part might look Still to that Place from whence her birth she took Also thou plantedst th' Intellectuall Powr In th' highest stage of all this stately Bowr His head the seat of vnderstāding That thence it might as from a Cittadell Command the members that too-oft rebell Against his Rule and that our Reason there Keeping continuall Garrison as 't were Might Auarice Enuy and Pride subdue Lust Gluttony Wrath Sloath and all their Crew Of factious Commons that still striue to gain The golden Sceptre from their Soverain Th' Eys Bodie 's guides are set for Sentinel The Eyes full of infinite admiration In noblest place of all this Cittadel To spy far-off that no miss-hap befall At vnawares the sacred Animal In forming these thy hand so famous held Seemed almost to haue itself excell'd Them not transpearcing least our eyes should be As theirs that Heav'n through hollow Canes do see Yet see small circuit of the welkin bright The Canes strict compass doth so clasp their Sight And least so many open holes disgrace The goodly form of th' Earthly Monarch's face These louely Lamps whose sweet sparks liuely turning With sodain glaunce set coldest hearts a-burning These windows of the Soule these starry Twinns These Cupids quivers haue so tender skinns Through which as through a pair of shining glasses Their radiant point of pearcing splendor passes That they would soon be quenched and put-out But that the Lord hath Bulwarkt them about By seating so their wondrous Orb betwix The front the Nose and the vermillion Cheeks As in two Vallies pleasantly inclosed With pretty Mountains orderly disposed The Browes and Eye lids And as a Pent-house doth preserue a Wall From Rain and Hail and other Storms that fall The twinkling Lids with their quick-trembling hairs Defend the Eyes from thousand dang'rous fears Who fain would see how much a human face A comly Nose doth beautifie and grace Behold Zopyrus who cut-off his Nose For 's Princes sake to circumvent his foes The Nose The Nose no less for vse then beauty makes For as a Conduit it both giues and takes Our living breath it 's as a Pipe put-vp Wherby the moyst Brain 's spongy boan doth sup Sweetsmelling fumes it serueth as a gutter To void the Excrements of grossest matter As by the Scull-seams and the Pory Skin Euaporate those that are light and thin As through black Chimneys flyes the bitter smoak Which but so vented would the Houshold choak And sith that Time doth with his secret file The Mouth Fret and diminish each thing every-while And whatsoever heer begins and ends Wears every howr and its self-substance spends Th' Almighty made the Mouth to recompence The Stomaks pension and the Times expence Even as the green Trees by their roots resume Sap for the sap that howrly they consume And plaç't it so that alwayes by the way By sent of meats the Nose might take Essay The watchfull Ey might true distinction make 'Twixt Herbs and Weeds betwixt an Eel and Snake And then th' impartiall Tongue might at the last The Tongue Censure their goodnes by their savory taste Two equall ranks of Orient Pearls impale The Teeth The open Throat which Queen-like grinding small Th' imperfect food soon to the Stomack send-it Our Maister-Cook whose due concoctions mend-it But least the Teeth naked and bare to Light Should in the Face present a ghastly sight With wondrous Art over that Mill doo meet Two moouing Leaues of Corall soft and sweet The Lippes O mouth by thee our savage Elders yerst Through way-les Woods and hollow Rocks disperst With Acorns fed with Fells of Fethers clad When neither Traffik Love nor Law they had Of the excellent vse and end of speach Themselues vniting built them Townes and bent Their willing necks to civill Government O mouth by thee the rudest wits haue learn'd The Noble Arts which but the wise discern'd By thee we kindle in the coldest spirits Heroïk flames affecting glorious merits By thee we wipe the tears of wofull Eyes By thee we stop the stubborn mutinies Of our rebellious Flesh whose rest-less Treason Striues to dis-throne and to dis-sceptre Reason By thee our Soules with Heav'n haue conuersation By thee we calm th' Almighties indignation When faithfull signs from oursoules centre fly About the bright Throne of his Maiesty By thee we warble to the King of Kings Our Tongu's the Bowe our Teeth the trembling strings Our hollow Nostrils with their double vent The hollow belly of the Instrument Our Soule 's the sweet Musician that plaies So divine lessons and so Heav'nly layes As in deep passion of pure burning zeal Ioues forked Lightnings from his fingers steal But O! what member hath more marvails in 't The Eares Then th' Ears round-winding double labyrinth The Bodie 's scouts of sounds the Censurers Doors of the Soule and faithfull Messengers Of diuine treasures when our gracious Lord Sends vs th' Embassage of his sacred Word And sith al Sound seems alwaies to aseend God plac't the Ears where they might best attend As in two Turrets on the buildings top Snailing their hollow entries so a-sloap That while the voice about those windings wanders The sound might lengthen in those bow'd Meanders As from a Trumpet Winde hath longer life Or from a Sagbut then from Flute or Fife Sundry Similies expressing the reason of the round winding Mazes of the Ear◠Or as a noise extendeth far and wide In winding Vales or by the crooked side Of crawling Riuers or with broken trouble Between the teeth of hollow Rocks doth double And that no sodain sound with violence Pearcing direct the Organs of this Sense Should stun the Brain but through these Mazie holes Conueigh the voice more softly to our Soules Another comparison to that pur pose As th'Ouse that crooking in and out doth run From Stony-Stratford towards Huntington By Royall Amptill rusheth not so swift As our neer Kennet whose Trowt-famous Drift From Marleborow by Hungerford doth hasten Through Newbery and Prince-graç't Aldermarston Her Siluer Nymphs almost directly leading To meet her Mistress the great Thames at Reading But will my hands in handling th' human Stature The hands Forget the Hands the handmaids vnto Nature Th' Almighty's Apes the Instruments of Arts The voluntary Champions of our hearts Mindes Ministers the Clarks of
like to neither make Which yet of eithers ritches doth partake So oft two Creatures of a diuers kinde Against the common course through All Assign'd Confounding their lust-burning seeds together Beget an Elf not like in all to either But bastard Mongrel bearing marks apparant Of mingled members ta'en from either Parent God not contented to each Kinde to giue Of things ingendered without seed or commixtion of sexes And to infuse the Vertue Generatiue Made by his Wisdom many Creatures breed Of liue-less bodies without Venus deed So the cold humour breeds the Salamander Who in effect like to her births Commander With-childe with hundred Winters with her touch Quencheth the Fire though glowing ne'r so much So of the Fire in burning furnace springs The Fly Pyrausta with the flaming Wings Without the Fire it dies within it ioyes Liuing in that which each thing else destroyes So slowe Boötes vnderneath him sees In th' ycy Iles those Goslings hatcht of Trees Whose fruitfull leaues falling into the Water Are turn'd they say to liuing Fowls soon after So rotten sides of broken Ships doo change To Barnacles O Transformation strange 'T was first a green Tree then a gallant Hull Lately a Mushrum now a flying Gull So Morn and Euening the Sixt Day conclude And God perceiv'd that All his Works were good THE SEAVENTH DAIE OF THE FIRST WEEK THE ARGVMENT In sacred Rest vpon This sacred Day Th' Eternall doth his glorious Works suruay His only Powr and Prouidence perseuer T' vphold maintain and rule the World for euer Maugre Mens malice and Hells raging mood God turneth all things to his Childrens good Sabbaoths right vse From all Worlds-Works to cease To pray not play and hear the Word of Peace Instructions drawn from dead and liuing things And from our selues for all Estates for Kings THe cunning Painter that with curious care By an excellent Similitude of a Painter delighted with the sight of a curious table which he hath lately finished our Poet sheweth how God rested the seauenth Day and saw as saith the Scripture that all that he had made was Good Limning a Land-scape various rich and rare Hath set a-work in all and euery part Inuention Iudgement Nature Vse and Art And hath at length t'immortalize his name With weary Pencill perfected the same Forgets his pains and inly fill'd with glee Still on his Picture gazeth greedily First in a Mead he marks a frisking Lamb Which seems though dumb to bleat vnto the Dam Then hee obserues a Wood seeming to waue Then th' hollow bosom of som hideous Caue Heere a High-way and there a narrow Path Heer Pines there Oaks torn by tempestuous wrath Heer from a craggy Rocks steep-hanging boss Thrumm'd half with Iuy half with crisped Moss A siluer Brook in broken streams doth gush And head-long down the horned Cliff doth rush Then winding thence aboue and vnder ground A goodly Garden it be-moateth round There on his knee behinde a Box-Tree shrinking A skilfull Gunner with his left ey winking Leuels directly at an Oak hard by Whereon a hundred groaning Culuers cry Down falls the Cock vp from the Touch-pan flies A ruddy flash that in a moment dies Off goes the Gun and through the Forrest rings The thundering bullet born on fiery wings Heer on a Green two Striplings stripped light Run for a prize with labour som delight A dusty Cloud about their feet doth flowe Their feet and head and hands and all doo goe They swelt in sweat and yet the following Rout Hastens their haste with many a cheerfull shout Heer six pyed Oxen vnder painfull yoak Rip vp the folds of Ceres Winter Cloak Heer in the shade a pretty Shepheardess Driues softly home her bleating happiness Still as she goes she spins and as she spins A man would think som Sonnet she begins Heer runs a Riuer there springs forth a Fountain Heer vails a Valley there ascends a Mountain Heere smoks a Castle there a City fumes And heer a Ship vpon th' Ocean looms In brief so liuely Art hath Nature shap't That in his Work the Work-mans self is rapt Vnable to look off for looking still The more he looks the more he findes his skill So th' Architect whose glorious Workmanships God rested the seauēth Day contemplates on his Works My cloudy Muse doth but too-much eclipse Hauing with pain-less pain and care-less care In These Six Days finisht the Table fair And infinite of th' Vniuersall Ball Resteth This Day t' admire himself in All And for a season eying nothing els Ioyes in his Work sith all his Work excels If my dull stutting frozen eloquence May dare coniecture of his high Intents One while hee sees how th' ample Sea doth take A briefe recapitulation and cōsideration of the Works of God in the whole World and a learned Exposition of the words of Moses Gen. 1. 31 God saw that al that he had made was perfectly good The Liquid homage of each other Lake And how again the Heav'n sexhale from it Aboundant vapours for our benefit And yet it swels not for those tribute streams Nor yet it shrinks not for those boyling beams There see 's he th' Ocean-peoples plentious broods And shifting Courses of the Ebbs and Floods Which with inconstant glaunces night and day The lower Planets forked front doth sway Anon vpon the flowry Plains he looks Laced about with snaking siluer brooks Now he delights to see foure Brethrens strife Cause the Worlds peace and keep the World in life Anon to see the whirling Sphears to roule In rest-less Danses about either Pole Whereby their Cressets caried diuers waies Now visit vs anon th' Antipodés It glads him now to note how th' Orb of Flame Which girts this Globe doth not enfire the Frame How th' Airs glib-gliding firmless body bears Such store of Fowls Hail-storms and Floods of tears How th' heauy Water pronest to descond 'Twixt Air and Earth is able to depend And how the dull Earth's prop-less massie Ball Stands steddy still iust in the midst of All. Anon his nose is pleas'd with fragrant sents Of Balm and Basill Myrrh and Frankincense Thyme Spiknard Hysop Sauory Cinamon Pink Violet Rose and Cloue-Carnation Anon his ear 's charm'd with the melody Of winged Consorts curious Harmony For though each bird guided with Art-less Art After his kinde obserue a song a-part Yet the sole burden of their seuerall Layes Is nothing but the Heav'n-Kings glorious praise In brief th' Almightie's ey and nose and ear In all his works doth nought see sent or hear But showes his greatnes sauours of his grace And sounds his glory ouer euery place But aboue all Man 's many beautious features Detain the Lord more then all other Creatures Man 's his owne Minion Man 's his sacred Type And for Man's sake he loues his Workmanship Not that I mean to fain an idle God That lusks in Heav'n and neuer looks abroad That Crowns not Vertue and corrects not Vice Blinde to
How long they had that Garden in possession Before their proud and insolent Transgression What Children there they earned and how many Of whether sex or whether none or any Or how at least they should haue propagated If the sly malice of the serpent hated Causing their fall had not defil'd their kin And vnborn seed with leprosie of Sin If void of Venus sith vnlike it is Such blessed state the noble flowr should miss Of Virgin-head or folk so perfect chaste Should furious feel when they their loues imbraç't Such tickling flames as our fond soule surprise That dead a-while in Epilepsâ—e lies And slack our sinews all by little and little Drowning our reason in foule pleasure brittle Or whether else as men in gender now Sith spouse-bedspot-less laws of God allow If no excess command sith else again The Lord had made the double sex in vain Whether their Infants should haue had the Powr We now perceiue in fresh youths Iusty flowr As nimble feet lims strong and vigorous Industrious hands and hearts couragious Sith before sin Man ought not less appear In Natures gifts then his then-seruants were And loe the Partridge which new-hatched bears On her weak back her parent-house and wears In stead of wings a bever-supple down Follows her dam through furrows vp and down Or else as now sith in the womb of Eue A man of thirtie yeares could neuer liue Nor may we iudge ' gainst Natures course apparant Without the sacred Scriptures speciall warrant Which for our good as Heav'ns deer babe hath right To countermaund our reason and our sight Whether their seed should with their birth haue brought Deep Knowledge Reason Vnderstanding-thought Sith now wee see the new-fall'n feeble Lamb Yet stayn'd with bloud of his distressed Dam Knowes wel the Wolf at whose fell sight he shakes And right the tear of th' vnknow'n Eaw he takes And sith a dull Dunce which no knowledge can Is a dead image and no liuing man Or the thick vail of Ignorance's night Had hooded-vp their issues inward sight Sith the much moisture of an Infant brain Receiues so many shapes that ouer-lam New dash the old and the trim commixation Of confus'd fancies full of alteration Makes th' Vnderstanding hull which settle would But findes no firm ground for his Anchors hold Whether old ADAM should haue left the place Vnto his Sonnes they to their after-race Or whether all together at the last Should gloriously from thence to Heav'n haue past Search whoso list who list let vaâ—â—t in pride The decision of such Questions is a busie idlenes T' haue hit the white and let him sage decide The many other doubts that vainly rise For mine owne part I will not seem so wise I will not waste my trauail and my seed To reap an empty straw or fruitless reed Alas we know what Orion of grief Rain'd on the curst head of the creatures Chief Sin makes vs perceiue more then sufficiently what happines our Grand-sire lost and what misery he got by his shamefull Fall After that God against him war proclaim'd And Satan princedom of the earth had claim'd But none can know precisely how at all Our Elders liv'd before their odious fall An vnknow'n Cifer and deep Pit it is Where Dircean Oedipus his marks would miss Sith Adam's self if now he liv'd anew Could scant vnwinde the knotty snarled clew Of double doubts and questions intricate That Schools dispute about this pristin state But this sole point I rest resolved in But for sinne man had not been subiect vnto Death That seeing Death 's the meer effect of sin Man had not dreaded Death's all-slaying might Had hee still stood in Innocence vpright For as two Bellows blowing turn by turn Simile By little and little make cold coals to burn And then their fire inflames with glowing heat An yron bar which on the Anuil beat Seems no more yron but flyes almost all In hissing sparks and quick bright cinders small So the Worlds Soule should in our soule inspire Th' eternall force of an eternall fire And then our soule as form breathe in our corse Her count-less numbers and Heav'n-tuned force Wherewith our bodies beauty beautified Should like our death-less soule haue neuer died Heer wot I well som wranglers will presume Obiections against the estate of man who had not beene subiect vnto death but for Sinne. To say Small fire will by degrees consume Our humor radicall and how-be-it The differing vertues of those fruits as yet Had no agreement with the harmfull spight Of the fell Persian dangerous Acomte And notwithstanding that then ADAMS taste Could well haue vsed all without all waste Yet could they not restore him euery day Vnto his body that which did decay Because the food cannot as being strange So perfectly in humane substance change For it resembleth wine wherein too rife Simile Water is brewd whereby the pleasant life Is ouer-cool'd and so there rests in fine Nought of the strength sauour or taste of wine Besides in time the naturall faculties Are tyr'd with toyl and th' Humour-enemies Our death conspiring vndermine at last Of our Soules prisons the foundations fast I but the Tree of life the strife did stay Answer to those obiections Which th' Humours caused in this house of clay And stopping th' euill changed perfect good In body fed the body of the food Only the soules contagious malady Had force to frustrate this high remedy Immortall then and mortall man was made Conclusion Mortall he liv'd and did immortall vade For 'fore th' effects of his rebellious ill To die or liue was in his power and will But since his Sin and proud Apostasie Ah! die he may but not alas not-dy As after his new-birth he shall attain Onely a powr to neuer-dy again FINIS THE IMPOSTVRE THE II. PART OF THE I. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT Iustice and Mercy modul'd in their kinde Satans proud Hate and Enuie to Mankinde His many Engins and malitious Wiles Whereby the best he many-times beguiles Why he assum'd a Body and began With Eue by Her to vndermine her Man Their dreadfull Fall Their drousie Conscience Gods righteous Sentence for their foul Offence On them and Theirs Their Exile Eden barr'd With flaming Sword and Scraphin for guard O Who shall lend me light and nimble wings That passing Swallows and the swiftest things Euen in a moment boldly-daring I From Heav'n to Hell from Hell to Heav'n may fly O! who shall showe the countenance and gestures Of Mercy and Iustice which fair sacred sisters With equall poiz doe euer ballance ev'n Th' vnchanging Proiects of the King of Heav'n Th' one stern of look the other milde-aspecting Th' one pleas'd with tears the other bloud affecting Th' one bears the Sword of vengeance vnrelenting Th' other brings Pardon for the true-repenting Th' one from Earths Eden Adam did dismiss Th' other hath rais'd him to a higher Bliss Who
shall direct my pen to paint the Story Of wretched mans forbidden-Bit-lost glory What Spell shall charm th' attentiue Readers sense What Fount shall fill my voice with eloquence So that I rapt may rauâ—sh all this I LE With graue-sweet warbles of my sacred stile Though Adams Doom in euery Sermon common And founded on the error of a woman Weary the vulgar and be iudg'd a iest Of the profane zeal-scoffing Atheïst Ah! Thou my God euen Thou my soule refining He hath recourse to God the onely giuer of all sufficiency and dex teritie in good and holy things In holy Faith's pure furnace cleerely shining Shalt make my hap farr to surmount my hope Instruct my spirit and giue my tongue smooth scope Thou bountious in my bold attempts shalt grace-me And in the rank of holiest Poets place-me And frankly grant that soaring neer the sky Among our Authors Eagle-like I fly Or at the least if Heav'n such hap denay I may point others Honors beautious Way WHILE Adam bathes in these felicities The enemy of God enuieth Man and plotteth his destruction Hell's Prince sly parent of revolt and lies Feels a pestiferous busie-swarming nest Of neuer-dying Dragons in his brest Sucking his bloud tyring vpon his lungs Pinching his entrails with ten thousand tongues His cursed soule still most extreamly racking Too frank in giuing torments and in taking But aboue all Hate Pride and Enuious spight His hellish life doo torture day and night For th' Hate he bears to God who hath him driv'n Iustly for euer from the glittering Heav'n To dwell in darknes of a sulph'ry clow'd Though still his brethrens seruice be allow'd The Proud desire to haue in his subiection Mankinde in chain'd in gyues of Sins infection And th' Enuious heart-break to see yet to shine In Adams face Gods Image all diuine Which he had lost and that Man might atchieue The glorious bliss his Pride he did depriue Growen barbarous Tyrants of his treacherous wil Spur-on his course his rage redoubling stil. Or rather as the prudent Hebrue notes 'T is that old Python which through hundred-throats Doth proudly hiss and past his wont doth fire A hell of Furies in his fell desire His enuious hart self-swoln with sullen spight Brooks neither greater like nor lesser wight Dreads th' one as Lord as equall hates another And iealous doubts the rising of the other To vent his poyson this notorious Tempter His subtiltie in executing his Designes Meer spirit assails not Eue but doth attempt her In fained form for else the soule diuine Which rul'd as Queen the Littlâ—-worlds designe So purely kept her Vow of Chastitie That he in vain should tempt her Constancy Therefore he fleshly doth the Flesh assay Suborning that her Mistress to betray A subtle Pandar with more tycing sleights Then Sea hath Fish or Heav'n hath twinkling lights For had he beene of an ethereall matter Why he hid him in a Body Of fiery substance or aiereall nature The needfull help of language had he wanted Whereby Faiths ground-work was to be supplanted Sith such pure bodies haue nor teeth nor tongues Lips artires nose Palate nor panting lungs Which rightly plaç't are properly created True instruments of sounds articulated And further-more though from his birth h 'had had Why he appeared not in his owne likenes nor transformed him into an Angel of light Hart-charming cunning smoothly to perswade He fear'd malitious if he care-less came Vn-masked like himself in his own name In deep distrust man entring suddainly Would stop his ears and his foul presence fly As opposite taking the shining face Of sacred Angels full of glorious grace He then suspected least the Omnipotent Should think man's Fall scarce worthy punishment Much like therefore som theef that doth conceiue Similâ— From trauailers both life and goods to reaue And in the twi-light while the Moon doth play In Thetis Palace neer the Kings high-way Himself doth ambush in a bushy Thorn Then in a Caue then in a field of Corn Creeps to and fro and fisk eth in and out And yet the safety of each place doth doubt Till resolute at last vpon his knee Taking his leuell from a hollow Tree He swiftly sends his fire-wingd messenger At his false sute t' arrest the passenger Our freedoms felon fountain of our sorrow Thinks now the beautie of a Horse to borrow Anon to creep into a Haifers side He hides him vnder diuers figures Then in a Cock or in a Dog to hide Then in a nimble Hart himself to shroud Then in the starr'd plumes of a Peacock proud And least he miss a mischief to effect Oft changeth minde and varies oft aspect At last remembring that of all the broods Why he chose the Serpent In Mountains Plains Airs Waters Wildes and Woods The knotty Serpent's spotty generation Are filled with infectious inflammation And though they want Dogs teeth Bores tusks Bears paws The Vultures bill Buls horns and Griphins claws Yea seem so weak as if they had not might To hurt vs once much less to kill vs quite Yet many times they treacherously betray vs And with their breath look tongue or train they slay vs He crafty cloaks him in a Dragons skin All bright-bespect that speaking so within That hollow Sagbuts supple-wreathing plies The mouer might with th' Organ sympathize For yet the faith-less Serpent as they say With horror crawl'd not groueling on the clay Nor to Mankinde as yet was held for hatefull Sith that 's the hire of his offence ingratefull But now to censure how this change befell Sundry opinions hereupon Our wits com short our words suffice not well To vtter it much less our feeble Art Can imitate this sly malitious part Somtimes me seems troubling Eues spirit the Fiend 1 Made her this speaking fancy apprehend For as in liquid clouds exhaled thickly Water and Ayr as moist doe mingle quickly The euill Angels slide too easily As subtile Spirits into our fantasie Somtimes me seems She saw wo-worth the hap 2 No very Serpent but a Sepents shape Whether that Satan plaid the Iuggler there Who tender eys with charmed Tapers blear Trans-forming so by subtile vapoury gleams Mens heads to Monsters into Eels the beams Or whether Diuels hauing bodies light Quick nimble actiue apt to change with sleight In shapes or shewes they guilefull haue propos'd In brief like th' Air whereof they are compos'd For as the ayr with scattered clouds be-spred Is heer and there black yellow white and red Resembling Armies Monsters Mountains Dragons Rocks fiery Castles Forrests Ships and Wagons And such to vs through glass transparent cleer From form to form varying it doth appear So these seducers can growe great or small Or round or square or streight or short or tall As fits the passions they are moued by And such our soule receiues them from our ey Somtimes that Satan only for this work 3 Fain'd him a Serpents shape wherein
rare gloryl reach thy happy hand Reach reach I say why doost thou stop or stand Begin thy Bliss and doo not fear the threat His audacioâ—s impudence Of an vncertain God-head onely great Through self-aw'd zeal put on the glistring Pall Of immortality doe not fore-stall As enuious stepdame thy posteritie The souerain honour of Diuinitie This parley ended our ambitious Grandam The Apostasâ—e of Eue. Who only yet did heart and ey abandon Against the Lord now farther doth proceed And hand and mouth makes guilty of the deed A nouice Theef that in a Closet spies A Comparison A heap of Gold that on the Table lies Pale fearfull shiuering twice or thrice extends And twice or thrice retires his fingers ends And yet again returns the booty takes And faintly-bold vp in his cloak it makes Scarce findes the doore with faultring foot hee flies And still looks back for fear of Hu-on cries Euen so doth Eue shew by like fear-full fashions The doubtfull combat of contending Passions She would she would not glad sad coms and goes And long she marts about a Match of Woes But out alasâ— at last she toucheth it And hauing toucht tastes the forbidden bit Another comparison liuely expressing the Fall of Man by the prouocation of his wife Then as a man that from a lofty Clift Or steepy Mountain doth descend too swift Stumbling at somwhat quickly clips som lim Of som deer kinsman walking next to him And by his headlong fall so brings his friend To an vntimely sad and suddain end Our Mother falling hales her Spouse anon Down to the gulf of pitchie Acheron For to the wisht Fruits beautifull aspect Sweet Nectar-taste and wonderfull effect Cunningly adding her quaint smiling glances Her witty speech and pretty countenances She so preuails that her blind Lord at last A morsell of the sharp-sweet fruit doth taste Now suddainly wide-open feel they might Siel'd for their good both soules and bodies sight But the sad Soule hath lost the Character The effects of their disobedience And sacred Image that did honour Her The wretched Body full of shame and sorrow To see it naked is inforçt to borrow The Trees broad leaues wher of they aprons frame From Heav'ns faire ey to hide their filthy shame Alas fond death-lings O! behold how cleer The knowledge is that you haue bought so deer In heav'nly things yee are more blinde then Moals In earthly Owls O! think ye silly soules The sight that swiftly through the earth 's solid centres As globes of pure transparent crystall enters Cannot transpearce your leaves or do ye ween Couering your shame so to conceal your sin Or that a part thus clouded all doth lie Safe from the search of Heav'ns all-seeing ey Thus yet mans troubled dull Intelligence Had of his fault but a confused sense As in a dream after much drink it chances Disturbed spirits are vext with rauing fancies Therefore the Lord within the Garden fair The extraordinary presence of God awakes their drousie soules swallowed vp of Sinne and begins to arraign them Mouing bâ—times I wot not I what ayr But super naturall whose breath diuine Brings of his presence a most certain signe Awakes their Lethargie and to the quick Their self-doom'd soules doth sharply press and prick Now more and more making their pride to fear The frowning visage of their Iudge seuere To seck new-refuge in more secret harbors Among the dark shade of those tusting arbors Adam quoth God with thundring maiesty Where art thou wretch what doost thou answer me Thy God and Father from whose hand thy health Thou hold'st thine honour and all sorts of wealth At this sad summon's wofull man resembles Description of the horrible effects of a guilty Conscience summoned to the presence of God A bearded rush that in a riuer trembles His rosie checks are chang'd to earthen hew His dying body drops an yeie deaw His tear-drown'd eys a night of clouds bedims About his eares a buzzing horror swims His fainted knees with feeblenes are humble His faultring feet doe slide away and stumble He hath not now his free bold stately port But down-cast looks in fearfull slauish sort Now nought of Adam doth in Adam rest He feel's his senses pain'd his soule opprest A confus'd hoast of violent passions iarr His flesh and spirit are in continuall warre And now no more through conscience of his error He hears or feesth ' Almighty but with terror And loth he answers as with tongue distraught Confessing thus his fear but not his fault O Lord thy voice thy dreadfull voice hath made Adams answerâ— Me fearfull hide me in this couert shade For naked as I am O most of might I dare not come before thine awfull sight Naked quoth God why faith-less renegate God vrgeth the cause of his deiection and feare Apostate Pagan who hath told thee that Whence springs thy shame what makes thee thus to run From shade to shade my presence still to shun Hast thou not tasted of the learned Tree Whereof on pain of death I warned thee O righteous God quoth Adam I am free Adams reply excusing himself and couertly imputing his Guilt to God Examination of Eue who excuseth her self likewise on another From this offence the wife thou gauest me For my companion and my comforter She made me eat that deadly meat with her And thou quoth God O! thou frail treacherous Bride Why with thy self hast thouseduâ—'t thy Guide Lord answers Eue the Serpent did intice My simple frailty to this sinfull vice Mark heer how He who fears not who reform An example for Indges Magistrates His high Decrees not subiect vnto form Or stile of Court who all-wise hath no need T' examine proof or witnes of the deed Who for sustaining of vnequall Scale Dreads not the Doom of a Mercuriall Yer Sentence pass doth publikely conuent Confront and hear with ear indifferent Th' Offenders sad then with iust indignation Pronounceth thus their dreadfull Condemnation The Sentence of the supreame Iudge against the guilty Prisoners and first of all against the Serpent Ah cursed Serpent which my fingers made To serue mankinde th' hast made thy self a blade Wherewith vain Man and his inueigled wife Self-parricids haue reft their proper life For this thy fault true Fountain of all ill Thou shalt be hatefull'mong all creatures still Groueling in dust of dust thou ay shalt feed I 'le kindle war between the Womans seed And thy fell race hers on the head shall ding Thine thine again hers in the heel shall sting Rebel to me vnto thy kindred curst Against the Woman False to thy husband to thy self the worst Hope not thy fruit so easly to bring-forth As now thou slay'st it hence forth euery Birth Shall torture thee with thousand sorts of pain Each artire sinew muscle ioynt and vain Shall feel his part besides foul vomitings Prodigious longings thought-full languishings With change of colour
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
according to our merit Nor strictly weigh at his High Iustice Beam Our bold Rebellions and our Pride extream But for his Son our deer Redeemer's sake His Sacrifice for our Sins Ransom take And looking on vs with milde Mercies Ey Forgiue our Past our Future Sanctifie That neuer more his Furie we incense To strike as Now with raging Pestilence Much less prouoke him by our guilt so far To wound vs more with Famine and with War Lord cease thy wrath Put vp into thy Quiuer This dreadfull shaft Deer Father vs deliuer And vnder wings of thy protection keep Thy seruant IAMES both waking and a-sleep And furthermore we with the Psalmist sing Lord giue thy iudgements to our Lord the King Psalm 72. And to his Son and let there aye be one Of his Male Seed to sit vpon his Throne To feed thy Folk in Iacob and aduance In Israel thy deer Inheritance And long-long-liued full of Faith and Zeal Reform like Asa Church and Common-weal Raysing poor Vertue razing proudest Vice Without respect of Person or of Price That all bold Atheists all Blasphemers then All Popish Traytors may be weeded clean And Curst be All that say not heer Amen FINIS THE COLVMNES THE IIII. PART OF THE II. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT Seth's Pillars found Heber instructs his Son In th' vse therof and who them first begun Opens the One and findes on seuerall Frames Foure liuely Statues of foure louely Dames The Mathematiks furnisht each apart With Equipages of their seuerall Art Wonders of Numbers and Geómetrie New Obseruations in Astronomy Musiks rare force Canaan the Cursed cause Of Hebers stop and BARTA swittie pause IF euer Lord the purest of my Soule Being about to treat of the Mâ—thematicks our Poet heâ—r imploreth especiall assistance in handling so high and difficult a Subiâ—ct In sacred Rage were rapt aboue the Pole If euer by thy Spirit my spirit inspir'd Offred thee Layes that learned France admir'd Father of Light Fountain of learned Art Now now or neuer purge my purest part Now quintessence my Soule and now aduance My care-free Powrs in som celestiall Trance That purg'd from Passion thy Diuine address May guide me through Heav'ns glistring Palaces Where happily my deer VRANIA'S grace And her fair Sisters I may all imbrace And the melodious Syrens of the Sphears Charming my senses in those sweets of theirs So rauished I may at rest contemple The Starrie Arches of thy stately Temple Vnto this end that as at first from thee Our Grand-sires learn'd Heav'ns Course and Qualitie Thou now mai'st prompt me som more lofty Song As to this lofty Subiect doth belong AFTER THAT Mens strife-hatching haut Ambition The occasion and ground of this Discourse Had as by lot made this lowe Worlds partition Phalec and Heber as they wandred sand A huge high Pillar which vpright did stand Much like a Rock amid the Ocean set Seeming great Neptunes surly pride to threat Whereon a Pharos bears a Lanthorn bright To saue from Shipwrack those that sayl by night And afterward another nigh as great But not so strong so stately nor so neat For on the flowrie field it lay all flat Built but of Brick of rusty Tyles and Slat Whereas the First was builded fair and strong Of Iasper smooth and Marble lasting long What Miracles what monstrous heaps what Hills Phalecs Question Heav'd-vp by hand what Types of antike Skills In form-les Forms quoth Phalec Father showe For th' Ages past I knowe full well you knowe Pray teach me who did both these Works erect About what time and then to what effect Old Seth saith Heber Adams Scholler yerst Hebers answer Who was the Scholler of his maker first Hauing attain'd to knowe the course and sites Th' aspect and greatnes of Heav'ns glistring Lights He taught his Children whose industrious wit Through diligence grew excellent in it For while their flocks on flowrie shoars they kept Of th' Eastern Floods while others soundly slept Hushing their cares in a Night-shortning nap Vpon Obliuions dull and sense-les Lap They liuing lusty thrice the age of Ravens Observ'd the Twinkling Wonders of the Heav'ns And on their Grand-sires firm and goodly ground Asumptuous building they in time doo found But by Tradition Cabalistâ—k taught That God would twice reduce this world to nought By Flood and Flame they reared cunninglie This stately payr of Pillars which you see Long-time safe-keeping for their after-Kin A hundred learned Mysteries therein This hauing sayd old Heber drawing nigher The openìng of the Pillars Opens a Wicket in the Marble Spire Where Phalec following soon perceive they might A pure Lamp burning with immortal light As a mean person who though oft-disgraç't By churlish Porters is conuaigh'd at last Simile To the Kings Closet rapt in deep amaze At th' end-les Riches vp and down doth gaze So Phalec fares O father cries he out What shapes are these heere placed round about So like each other wrought with equall skill That foure rain-drops cannot more like distill What Tools are these what diuine secrets lie Hidden within this learned Mysterie These foure quoth Heber Foure bright Virgins are The liberall Sciences Heav'ns Babes and Sisters the most fair and rare That e're begot th' eternall Spirit ex-pir'd From double Spirit or humane soule admir'd This first that still her lips and fingers moues Arithmetike And vp and down so sundry-wayes remoues Her nimble Crowns th' industrious Art it is Which knowes to cast all Heav'ns bright Images All Winters hail and all the gawdy flowrs Wherewith gay Flora pranks this Globe of ours Shee 's stately deckt in a most rich Attire All kinde of Coyns in glistering heaps ly by-her Vpon her sacred head Heav'n seems to drop A richer showr then fell in Danâ—es Lap A gold-ground Robe and for a Glass to look Down by her girdle hangs a Table-book Wherein the chief of her rare Rules are writ To be safe-guarded from times greedy bit Mark heer what Figure stands for One the right Her Numbers Root of all Number and of Infinite 1 Loues happiness the praise of Harmonie Nurcerie of All and end of Polymnie No Number but more then a Number yet Potentially in all and all in it 2 Now note Two's Character One's heir apparant As his first-born first Number and the Parent 3 Of Female Payrs Heer now obserue the Three Th' eldest of Odds Gods number properly Wherein both Number and no-number enter Heav'ns deerest Number whose inclosed Center Doth equally from both extreams extend The first that hath beginning midst and end The Cubes-Base Foure a ful and perfect summ 4 Whose added parts iust vnto Ten doo com Number of Gods great Name Seasons Complexions Windes Elements and Cardinall Perfections Th' Hermaphrodite Fiue neuer multipli'd 5 By'tself or Odd but there is still descri'd His proper face for three times Fiue arriue Vnto Fifteen Fiue Fiues to Twenty fiue The
Embryon Th' eternall Plot th' Idea fore-conceiv'd The wondrous Form of all that Form receiv'd Did in the Work-mans spirit divinelyly And yer it was the World was wondrously Th' Eternall Trine-One spreading even the Tent Of th' All-enlightning glorious Firmament Fill'd it with Figures and in various Marks The repourtray'd Tables of his future Works See heer the pattern of a silver Brook In heauen are patterns of all things that are in earth Which in and out on th' azure stage doth crook Heer th' Eagle plays there flyes the rav'ning Crowe Heer swims the Dolphin there the Whale doth rowe Heer bounds the Courser there the Kid doth skip Heer smoaks the Steer the Dragon there doth creep There 's nothing precious in Sea Earth or Ayr But hath in Heav'n som like resemblance fair Yea even our Crowns Darts Launces Skeyns and Scales Are all but Copies of Heav'ns Principals And sacred patterns which to serue all Ages Th' Almighty printed on Heav'ns ample stages Yea surely durst I but why should I doubt A third witty pleasant and elegant reaso of the names aforesayd To wipe from Heav'n so many slanders out Of profane Rapin and detested Rapes Of Murder Incest and all monstrous Scapes Wher-with heerafter som bold-fabling Greeks Shall foully stain Heav'ns Rosy-blushing cheeks Heer could I showe that vnder euery Signe Th' Eternall grav'd som Mystery divine Of 's holy City where as in a glass To see what shall heer-after com-to-pass As publik and autentik Rowles fore-quoting Confusedly th' Euents most worthy noting In his deer Church his Darling and Delight O! thou fair Chariot flaming braue-ly bright Plaustrum Which like a Whirl-winde in thy swift Career Rapt'st vp the Thesbit thou do'st alwayes veer About the North-pole now no more be-dabbling Thy nimble spoaks in th' Ocean neither stabling Thy smoking Coursers vnder th' Earth to bayt Boâ—tes The while Elisha earnestly doth wayt Burning in zeal ambitious to inherit His Masters Office and his mighty Spirit That on the starry Mountain after him He well may manage his celestiall Teem Close by him Dauid in his valiant Fist Hercules Holds a fierce Lions fiery flaming Crest Heer shines his golden Harp and there his Crown Lyra. Corona Borealis Vrsa minor Pleiades Cuspis There th' vgly Bear bears to his high renown Seav'n shining Stars Lo heer the whistling Launce Which frantick Saul at him doth fiercely glaunce Pure Honours Honour Prayse of Chastity O fair Susanna I should mourn for thee And moan thy tears and with thy friends lament Andromeda Cassiopeia Cepheus With Heav'n-lift-eyes thy wofull punishment Saue that so timely through Heav'ns prouidence Yong Daniel saues thy wronged Innocence Perseus And by a dreadfull radiant splendor spread From Times-Child Truth not from Medusa's head Caput Medusa Condemns th' old Leachers and eft-soons vpon Their cursed heads there hayls a storm of stone Also as long as Heav'ns swift Orb shall veer A sacred Trophee shall be shining heer In the bright Dragon of that Idoll fell Draco Which the same Prophet shall in Babel quel Wher-to more fit may Pegasus compair Pegasus Than to those Coursers flaming in the ayr Before the Tyrant of less-Asia's fury Vsurps the fair Metropolis of Iury Wher-to the Coach-man but Ezechiel That so well driues the Coach of Israel Wher-to the Swan but to that Proto-Martyr Cygnus The faithfull Deacon which endureth torture Yea death for his dead Lord whom sure to meet So neer his end sings so exceeding sweet Wher-to the Fish which shineth heerso bright Piscis Borealis But to that Fish that cureth Tobies sight Wher-to the Dolphin but to that meek Man Delphinus Who dry-shod guides through Seas Erythean Old Iacobs Fry And Iordans liquid glass Makes all his Host dry without boat to pass And furthermore God hath not onely graven On the brass Tables of swift-turning Heav'n His sacred Mot and in Triangle frame Trigonos His Thrice-One Nature stamped on the same Ophiucus But also vnder that stout Serpent-Slayer His Satan-taming Son Heav'ns glorious heir Who with the Engin of his Cross abates Th' eternall Hindges of th' infernall Gates And vnder that fair Sun-fixt-gazing Foul Aquila The God of Gods deer Minion of his Soule Which from his hand reaves Thunder often-times His Spirit his Loue which visits earthly Climes In plumy shape for this bright winged Signe In head and neck and starry back in fine No less resembles the milde simple Doue Than crook-bild Eagle that commands aboue What shall I say of that bright Bandeleev Which twice-six Signs so richly garnish heer Th' Years Vsher doth the Paschal Lamb fore-tell Aties The Bull the Calf which erring Israell Taurus Sets vp in Horeb. These fair shining Twins Gemini Those striving Brethren Isaacs tender Sons The fourth is Salomon who Crab-like crawls Cancer Backward from Vertue and fowl Swine-like fals In Vices mire profanest old at last In soule and body growen a-like vn-chaste Leo. The fift that Lion which the Hair-strong Prince Tears as a Kid without Wars instruments Virgo The sixt that Uirgin euer-maiden Mother Bearing for vs her Father Spouse and Brother The next that Beam which in King Lemuels hand Libra So iustly weighs the Iustice of his Land The next that Creature which in Malta stings Scorpio Th' Apostles hand and yet no blemish brings For 't is indifferent whether we the same A spotted Scorpion or a Viper name Th' Archer is Hagars Son The Goat I ghess Sagittarius Capricornus Aquarius Is Arons Scape-Goat in the Wildernes The next the deer Son of dumb Zacharias Gods Harbinger fore-runner of Messias Who in clear Iordan washeth clean the sin Of all that rightly do repent with-in These Two bright Fishes those wher-with the Lord Pisces Through wondrous blessing of his powtfull Word Feeds with fiue Loaues vpon Asphaltis shoar Abundantly fiue thousand Folk and more But turn we now the twinkling Globe and there Let 's mark as much the Southern Hemi-sphear Ah! know'st thou not this glorious Champion heer Orion Which shines so brightly by the burning Steer Eridanus 'T is Nun's great Son who through deep Iordan leads His Army dry-shod and triumphant treads Canis Canicula â—epus On Canaan Currs and on th' Ammorrean Hare Eoyl'd with the fear of his victorious war See th' ancient Ship which over windes and waues Triumphing safe the Worlds seed-remnant saues Lo heer the Brasen Serpent shines whose sight Hydra Cures in the Desart those whom Serpents bite Heer th' happy Rau'n that brings Elias cates Corvus Heer the rich Cup where Ioseph meditates Cratera Centaurus His graue Predictions Heer that Heav'nly Knight Who prest appearing armed all in white To Maccabeus with his flaming spear So deep at last the Pagan Wolf doth tear Lupus Ara. That on Gods Altar yerst profan'd so long Sweet Incense
before Simile With lingring hope brings-forth with painfull groans But once in twelve yeers but one Calf at once All 's white with their wool all their Cattle proves Stil stil increasing like to Stares and Doves Their Wealth so growes that wantoniz'd withall â—arre begun betweene his Seruants and the seruants of Lot Their envious Shepheards broach a civill Brawl But least this Mischief by the Grooms begun Between their Masters might vnkindely run The grave-milde Grand-sire of the Faithfull there And Ammon's Father to cut-off the fear Of farther strife and to establish rather Their Mindes then Bodies in a league together Divided duly with a deep fore-sight Their Flocks and Heards in number infinite Then pleas'd and parted both go liue a-part Abram Lot to shun contention part company The Vnkle kept the Mountain for his part For 's Nephew chose the fat and flowery Plain And euen to Sodom stretcht his Tent and Train And dwelling there becam a Citizen Among those monstrous Nature-forcing Men. O Lot alas what lot hast thou elect Lot dwels at Sodome Th' eternal verdure and the trim prospect The plentious Pastures and the purling Springs Whose fibrous silver thousand Tributes brings To wealthy Iordan watering so the soil Like Gods owne Garden doth thy sense beguile Blindeth thy iudgemet makes thee miserable To seat thee with a People execrable Whose War-thrall'd woes and odious villanies To springs of tears shall turn thy tender eyes Elam's proud King great Chedor-laomer The battaile of Siddim fought by the king of Elam with his coÌ„federates against the Kings oâ— Sodome and Gomorrha with theirs Leagued with Arioch King of Ellazar The Soveraign of the Nations Thadael And with the King of Shynaar Amraphel Made war against the Kings of Sodoma Gomorrha Zeböim Zoar Adamah Who subiect to him for twelue years before Rebelled now and cast the yoak they bore Both Camps appoach their bloudy rage doth rise And even the face of Cowards terriblize New Martial heat inflames their mindes with ire Their bloud is moov'd their heart is all on fire Their cheerfull limbs seeming to march too slowe Longing to meet the fatall drums out-goe And even already in their gesture fight Th' iron-footed coursers lusty fresh and light Marying their Masters cause and courage both Snowe all the field with a white foming froth And prancing with their load as proud withall With loud-proud neighings for the Combat call Now both the Hoasts march forward furiously The Plain between soon shrinketh equally First in the aire begins a fight of dust Then on the Earth both Armies bravely ioust Braue yet it was for yet one might behold Bright swords and shields and plumed helms of gold Vn-goard with bloud no Cask had lost his head No Horse his load no scattered Corps lay dead But on our Corn-fields towards harvest-time Comparison For punishment of som in gratefull crime Th' incensed hand of Heav'ns Almighty King Never more thick doth slippery Ice-pearls fling Than heer the arrows showr on every side An iroâ— Cloud Heav'ns angry face doth hide From Souldiers sight and flying weapons then For lack of ground fall vpon horse or men Ther 's not a shaft but hath a man for White Nor stone but lightly in warm bloud doth light Or if that any fail their foes to hit In fall in flight themselues they enter-split The wounds com all from Heav'n the bravest hee Kils and is kild of him he doth not see Without an aim the Dart-man darts his spear And Chaunce performs th' effect of Valour there As two stout Rams both Ieloux-phrensie-sick Simile A front two flocks spurr'd on with anger's prick Rush-on each other with tempestuous shock And butting boisterous horns and heads do knock So these two Armies enterchanged blowes And doubling steps and strokes vpon their Foes First flesh their Launces and their Pikes imbrew Then with their swords about them keenly heaw Then stab with daggers standing brauely too-'t Till Foe to Foe they charge them foot to foot So neer that oft ones Targets pike doth pearce Anothers Shield and sends him to his Herse And gawdy plumes of Foes be-Cedered braue Oft on their Foes vn-plumed crests do waue Of all their stroaks scarce any stroak is vain Yet stand they firm and still the fight maintain Still fronting Death they face to face abide None turn their backs no neither shrink a-side Of their owne blood as of their Foe 's as frank But too-too-tyred som at last dis-rank Then Threats and Cries and Plaints redoubled ay And so pel-mel rage-blinded Mars doth play That now no more their Colours they discern But knowing none to all are strangely stern The Palestine fights vnder Elams Standard The Shinarite with Sodoms Ensignos wander'd Euen as two swarms of busie Buzzers mounting Simile Amid the ayr and mutually affronting Mingle their Troups one goes another coms Another turns a clowd of Moatlings hums Aboue our heads who with their cipres wings Decide the Quarrell of their little Kings Either of which a hundred times a minute Doth lose a Souldier and as oft re-win-it But may one hope in Champions of the Chamber A martial braue of an olde Captain against the eâ—feminate softnes and delicacie of Carpet Knights Soft Carpet-Knights all senting Musk and Amber Whose chief delight is to be ouer-com Vn-daunted hearts that dare to Over-com In Woman-Men a manly Constancy In wanton Arms vn-wearied Valiancy No no Gomorrha this is not the place For quav'ring Lutes a warbling Voice to grace No filthy Sâ—dom 't is not heer the game To play with Males inspight of Natures name No Zeböim heer are no Looking-Glasses For Para-Nymphs to gaze their painted faces To starch Mustachoes and to prank in print And curl the Lock with fauours brayded in 't No Adamah we spend not heer the day In Dancing Courting Banquetting and Play Nor lastly Zoar is it heer the guise Of silken Mock Mars for a Mistress-Prize With Reed-like Launce and with a blunted Blade To Championize vnder a Tented shade As at your Tourneys Therfore to your Mew Lay-down your weapons heer 's no Work for you 'T is heer the Fashion and the pride of Wars To paint the face with sweat dust blood and scars Our Glass is heer a bright and glistring shield Our Satten steel the Musick of the Field Doth rattle like the Thunders dreadfull roar Death tilteth heer The Mistress we adore Is Victory true Soveraign of our hearts Who without danger graceth no Deserts Dead carcasses perfume our dainty Nose Our Banquets heer be Banquets for the Crowes Fly therefore Cowards fly and turn your backs As you were wont in your thought-shaming acts But with our Swords and Launces in your haste Through-thrilled Villains this shall be your last Said Amraphel and charg'd them in such sort That 't seems a suddain Whirl-winde doth transport Their fainting Troups Som best-aduised fly Defeature of the Sodomitâ—s To tops of Mountains that do neighbour by
can the Steer The whistling Goad-man's guiding language hear It rain'd indeed but not such fertil rain The manner of their punishment by fire and brimstone from Heaven and the reason thereof As makes the Corn in Sommer sprout amain And all things freshed with a pleasant air To thrive and prove more lively strong and fair But in this sink of Sin this stinking Hel A rain of Salt of Fire and Brimston fel. Salt did consume the pleasant fruitfulness Which serv'd for fewel to their Wantonness Fire punished their beastly Fire within And Brimstone's stink the stench of their foul Sin So as their Sin was singular of right Their Punishment was also exquisite Heer open Flames and there yet hidden Fires Burn all to ashes sparing neither Spires Of Brick nor Stone nor Columns Gates nor Arches Nor Bowrs nor Towrs nor even their neighbour-Marches In vain the-while the People weep and cry The same most liuely represented To see their wrack and knowe no remedy For now the Flame in richest Roofs begun From molten gutters scalding Lead doth run The Slats and Tyles about their ears do split The burning Rafters Pitch and Rosin spit The whirling Fire re-mounteth to the Skie About the fields ten thousand sparks do flie Half-burned Houses fal with hideous fray And VVLCAN makes Mid-night as bright as Day Heaven flings-down nought but flashing Thunder-shot Th' Air 's all a-fire Earth's exhalations hot Are spewing AETNA'S that to Heaven aspire All th' Elements in brief are turn'd to fire Heer one perceiving the next Chamber burning With suddain leap towards the window turning Thinks to cry Fire but instantly the smoke And Flame with-out his with-in Voice do choke Another sooner feels then sees the Fire For while O horror in the stinking mire Of his foul Lust he lies a Lightning flash Him and his Love at-once to dust doth dash Th' abhorred Bed is burnt and they aswell Coupled in Plague as Sin are sent to Hell Another yet on tops of Houses crawls But his foot slips and down at last he falls Another feeling all his cloathes a-fire Thinking to quench them yer it should come nigher Leaps in a Lake but all the Lake began To boyl and bubble like a seething Pan Simile Or like a Chaldron that top-full of Oyl Environ'd round with fume and flame doth boyl To boyl to death som cunning counterfait That with false stamp som Princes Coyn hath beat Another seeing the City all in Cinders Himself for safety to the fields he renders But flakes of Fire from Heav'n distilling thick There th' horror of a thousand Deaths do strike Through Adamah's and Gomor's goodly Plains Sodom and Seboim not a soule remains Horse Sheep and Oxen Cows and Kids partake In this revenge for their vile Masters sake Thus hath the hand of the Omnipotent Inroll'd the Deed of their drad Punishment With Diamantin Pen on Plates of Brass With such an Ink as nothing can deface The molten Marble of these cindred Hills Asphaltis Lake and these poor mock-fruit Fields Keep the Record and cry through every Age How God detesteth such detested rage O chastisement most dradly-wonderfull Th' Heav'n-cindred Cities a broad standing Pool O're-flowes yet flowes not whose infectious breath Corrupts the Ayr and Earth dis-fertileth A Lake whose back whose belly and whose shoar Nor Bark nor Fish nor Fowl hath ever bore The pleasant Soyl that did even shame yer-while The plentious beauties of the banks of Nile Now scarr'd and collowed with his face and head Cover'd with ashes is all dri'd and dead Voyd of all force vitall or vegetive Vpon whose brest nothing can live or thrive For nought it bears save an abortiue suit Of seeming-fair false vain and fained fruit A fruit that feeds theey and fills the hand But to the stomach in no steed doth stand For even before it touch the tender lips Or Ivory teeth in empty smoak it slips So vanishing only the nose receiues A noysom savour that behinde it leaues Heer I adiure you vent'rous Trauailours Exhortation to Trauailers that haue seene to others that shall reade or heare these fearefull monuments of Gods seuere Iustice to make right vse of this fearefull Example That visit th' horror of these cursed shoars And taste the venom of these stinking streams And touch the vain fruit of these wythered stems And also you that do beholde them thus In these sad Verses pourtray'd heer by vs To tremble all and with your pearly tears To showr another Sea and that your hairs Staring vpright on your affrighted head Heave-vp your Hats and in your dismall dread To think you hear like Sulph'ry Storms to strike On our nâ—w Monsters for Offences like For the Almightie's drad all-daunting arm Not only strikes such as with Sodom swarm In these foul Sins but such as sigh or pity Sodoms destruction or so damn'd a City And cannot constant with dry eyes observe God's iudgements iust on such as such deserve LOT hies to SEGOR but his wife behinde Lots wise metamorphozed Lagged in body but much more in minde She weeps and wails O lamentable terror O impicus Pity O kind-cruell error The dire destruction of the smoking Cities Her Sons-in-Law which should haue been she pities Grieves so to leave her goods and she laments To lose her Iewels and habiliments And contrary to th' Angels Words precise Towards the Town she turns her wofull eyes But instantly turn'd to a whitely stone Her feet alas fast to the ground be growen The more she stirs she sticks the faster in As silly Bird caught in a subtil gin Simile Set by som Shepheard neer the Copses side The more it struggles is the faster ty'd And as the venom of an eating Canker Simile From flesh to flesh runs every day the ranker And never rests vntill from foot to head O're all the Body his fell poyson spread This Ice creeps-vp and ceaseth not to num Till even the marrow hard as bones becom The brain be like the seul and bloud convert To Alablaster over every part Her Pulse doth cease to beat and in the air The Windes no more can wave her scattered hair Her belly is no belly but a Quar Of Cardon Rocks and all her bowels are A pretious Salt-Mine supernaturall Such as but Salt I wot not what to call A Salt which seeming to be fall'n from Heav'n To curious Spirits hath long this Lesson given Not to presume in Divine things to pry Which seav'n-times seal'd vnder nine Locks do lie She weeps alas and as she weeps her tears Turn into Pearls fro'rn on her twinkling hairs Fain would she speak but forced to conceal In her cold throat her guilty words congeal Her mouth yet open and her arms a-cross Though dumb declare both why and how she was Thus Metamorphos'd for Heav'n did not change Her last sad gestures in her suddain Change No gorgeous Maâ—sole grac't with flattering verse Eternizeth her Trunk her House and Herse But to
such is the peoples prayer Thus while o're-whelmed with the rapid course Gods prouidence in his preseruation Of Mischief's Torrent and still fearing worse ISRAEL seems help-les and even hope-les too Of any help that Mortall hand can doo And while the then-Time's hideous face and form Boads them alas nothing but wrack and storm Their Castor shines their Saviour's sav'd and Hee That with high hand shall them from bondage free Scourging with Plagues scarring with end-les shame Th' Egyptian Court is raised by the same For though him there they as a God adore Moses affection and duty toward his Parents and care of his Brethren He scorns not yet his friends and kindred poor He feels their Yoak their mournings he laments His word and sword are prest in their defence And as ordain'd for their Deliverance And sent express by Heav'ns pre-ordinance Seeing a Pagan a proud Infidell A Patagon that tasted nought so well As ISRAEL's blood to ill-intreat a Iew Him bold incounters and him brauely slew But fearing then least his inhumane Prince He flies out of Egypt Should hear of it young MOSES flyes from thence And hard by Horeb keeping IETHRO'S sheep He Fasts and Prayes with Meditations deep His vertuous zeal he kindles more and more And prudently he lays-vp long-before Within his Soule his spirituall Armory All sacred Weapons of Sobriety Where-with t' incounter conquer and suppress All Insurrections of Voluptuousness Also not seldom som deep Dream or Trance God talketh to him in the Wildernes Him suddainly doth even to Heav'n advance And He that whilom could not finde the Lord On plentious shoars of the Pelusian Foord In walled Cities with their Towred Ports In learned Colledges nor sumptuous Courts In Desart meets him greets him face to face And on his brows bears tokens of his Grace For while he past his sacred Pentiship In Wildernes of th' Hebrews Shepheardship Moses vision of the flaming Bush In driving forth to kiss-cloud SINA'S foot His fleecy Flock and there attending too 't' He suddain sees a Bush to flame and fume And all a-fire yet not at all consume It flames and burns not cracks and breaks not in Kisses but bites not no not even the skin True figure of the Church and speaking Signe Which seemeth thus to of it self define What AMRAM'S son Doth IACOB'S bitter Teen Dismay thee so Behold this Haw-thorn green Is even an Image of thine ISRAEL Who in the Fire of his Afflictions fell Still flourishes on each side hedged round With prickly Thorns his hatefull Foes to wound This Fire doth seem the Spirit Omnipotent Which burns the Wicked tries the Innocent Who also addeth to the sacred Signe The more to move him his owne Word Divine The voyce of the Lord speaking out of the Bush. I AM I that I am in me for me by me All Beings els Be not or else vn-selfly be But from my Beeing all their Beeing gather Prince of the World and of my Church the Father Onely Beginning Midst and End of all Yet sans Beginning Midst and End at all All in my self compris'd and all comprising That in the World was is or shall be rising Base of this Vniverse th' vniting Chain Of th' Elements the Wisedom Soveraign Each-where in Essence Powr and Providence But in the Heav'ns in my Magnificence Fountain of Goodness ever-shining Light Perfectly Blest the One the Good the Bright Self-simple Act working in frailest matter Framer of Forms of Substances Creator And to speak plainer even that GOD I AM Whom so long since religious ABRAHAM ISAAC and IACOB and their Progenies Haue worshipped and prays'd in humble wise My sacred ears are tyred with the noyse God hath pity on his people afflicted in Egypt Of thy poor Brethren's iust-complayning voyce I haue beheld my Peoples burdens there MOSES no more I will nor can forbear Th' haue groan'd alas and panted all too-long Vnder that Tyrants vn-relenting wrong Now their Deliuerer I authorize thee He ordaineth Moses for their Deliverer giues him commission to goe to Pharao And make thee Captain of their Colony A sacred Colony to whom as mine I haue so oft bequeath'd rich Palestine Therfore from me command thou PHARAO That presently he let my People go Into the Dry-Arabian Wilderness Where far from sight of all profane excess On a new Altar they may sacrifice To ME the LORD in whom their succourlies Haste haste I say and make me no excuse On thy Tongue 's rudenes for the want of vse Nor on thy weaknes nor vnworthyness To vnder-go so great a Business What cannot He that made the lips and tongue Prompt Eloquence and Art as doth belong Vnto his Legat And who every thing Of Nothing made and All to nought shall bring Th' Omnipotent who doth confound for His By weak the strong by what is not what is That in his wondrous Iudgements men may more The Work-man then the Instruments adore Will he forsake or leaue him vn-assisted That in his service duly hath insisted Sith faithfull Servant to do-well affected Can by his Master never be reiected Moses accompanied with his brother Aaron sets forward in his high Embassage No sooner this the Divine Uoice had ended And vp to Heav'n the Bushy Flame ascended But MOSES with his fellow in Commission His Brother AARON wends with expedition First to his People and to PHARAO then The King of Egypt cruellest of Men And inly filled with a zealous flame Thus thus he greets him in th' Almighties name Great NILVS Lord thus sayth the Lord of Hoasts Let go my People out of all thy Coasts Mine ISRAEL PHARAO forth-with release Let them depart to HOREB'S Wildernes That vnto me without offence or fear Their Hearts and Heifers they may offer there Base Fugitiue proud slaue that art return'd Pharaos proud answere Not to be whipt but rather hangd or burn'd What Lord sayd PHARAO ha what Soveraign O seaven-horn'd Nile O hundred-pointed Plain O City of the Sun O Thebes and Thou Renowned Pharos do yee all not bow To vs alone Are yee not onely Ours Ours at a beck Then to what other Powrs Owes your great PHARAO homage or respect Or by what Lord to be controul'd and checkt I see the Drift These off-scums all at once Too idlely pampred plot Rebellions Sloth marrs the slave◠and vnder fair pretence Of new Religion Trayrours to their Prince They would Revolt O Kings how fond are we To think by Favours and by Clemency To keep men in their duty To be milde Makes them be mad proud insolent and wilde Too-much of Grace our Scepters doth dis-grace And smooths the path to Treason's plots a pace The dull Ass numbers with his stripes his steps Th' Ox over-fat too-strong and resty leaps About the Lands casteth his yoak and strikes And waxen wilde even at his Keeper kicks The true Anatomie of a tyrant Well to enioy a People through their skin With scourges slyç't must
Adorn'd self-gazing with a lofty ey His faction present AARON also by Lord shield thy Cause approve thee veritable Let not thy Name be to the Lewd a Fable Oint thine Anointed publikely by Miracle Showe whom thou hast selected for thine Oracle Said MOSES then and even as yet he spake The groaning Earth began to reel and shake A horrid Thunder in her bowels rumbles Their dreadfull punishment And in her bosom vp and down it tumbles Tearing her Rocks Vntil she Yawn a way To let it out and to let in the Day Heav'n sees to Hell and Hell beholdeth Heav'n And Divels dazled with the glistring leav'n Of th' ancient Sun yet lower fain would dive But chain'd to th' Centre all in vain they strive CORE round compast with his Rebel friends Offers to BELZEBVE and to the Fiends His bodie 's batter'd with Rocks falling down And arms of Trees there planted vp-side-down He goes with Noise down to the Silent Coast Intoombd alive without all Art or cost And all the rest that his proud side assum'd Scaping the Gulf with Lightning are consum'd And AARON'S Office is confirm'd by God Aarons charge is confirmed by miracle With wondrous Signes of his oft-quickned Rod Which dead re-buda re-blooms and Almonds bears When all his Fellows haue no life in theirs Now shall I sing through MOSES prudent Sway Sundry victories of the Israelites vnder the coÌ„duct and direction of Moses How ISRAEL doth AMALEC dismay ARAD and OG that of huge Giants springs Proud HESEBON and the five Madian Kings With the false Prelat who profanely made Of Prophets-gifts a sacrilegious trade Who false sayes true who striving past all shame To force the Spirit is forced by the same Who snaring th' Hebrews with frail Beauties graces Defiles their bodies more their soules defaces Doubt-les his Deeds are such as would I sing But half of them I vnder-take a thing As hard almost as in the Gangik Seas To count the Waves or Sands in Euphrates And of so much should I a little say It were to wrong him and his Praise betray His Noble Acts we therefore heer suspend Reseruing the Warres for another Discourse our Poet hasteth to the death of Moses And skip vnto his sweet and happy End Sith th' End is it whereby we iudge the best For either Life how Man is Curst or Blest Feeling his vigour by degrees to waste And one Fire quencht another kindling fast Which doth his Spirit re-found his soule refine And raise to Heaven whence it was sent divine He doth not Now study to make his Will By his example Men are warned not to deferre to make their Will till it be too late to bee troubled with the busines of this world T' Entail his Land to his Male-Issue still Wisely and iustly to divide his Good To Sons and Daughters and his neerest Blood T' assigne his Wife a Dowry fair and fit A hundred times to add and alter it To quittance Friendships with frank Legacies To guerdon Service with Annuities To make Executors to Cancel som T' appoint himself a Palace for a Tomb. I praise a Care to settle our Estate But when Death threats vs then it is too-late A seemly Buriall is a sacree Rite But let the living take that charge of right He lifting higher his last thoughts besides The Common-Weale's care for the Church prouides And graving his discourse with voice devout Bids thus far-well to all that stand about O IACOB's seed I might say my deer sons He pronounceth the blessings and the curses writteÌ„ in Leviticus 26 Deutro 28. where vnto the people say Amen Y' are sense-les more then metalls stocks or stones If y' have forgot the many-many Miracles Wher-with the Lord hath seal'd my sacred Oracles And all the Favours in this savage Place In forty yeers received of his grace Therefore O ISRAEL walk thou in his fear And in thy hearts-heart not in Marble bear His ever-lasting LAVV before him stand And to his Service consecrate thy hand If this thou do thy Heav'n-blesâ— fleecy Flocks Blessings on those that obey Shall bound about thy Pastures Downs and Rocks As thick as skip in Sommer in a Mead The Grass-hoppers that all with Deaw are fed Thy fruitfull Eaws fat Twins shall bring thee ever And of their Milk shall make a plentious River Th' olde Tyrant loads not with so-many loans Toules Taxes Succours Impositions The panting Vassalls to him Tributary As thy rich Fields shall pay thee voluntary Thy children and thy children's children set About thy Table side by side at meat Shall flourish like a long and goodly rowe Of pale-green Olives that vprightly growe About a ground and full of Fruit presage Plenty of Oyl vnto their Master sage Sons of thy sons shall serue thy reverend Eld Thou shalt die quiet thou shalt live vnqueld Blessed at home and blessed in the Plain The blessed God shall send thee timely Rain And holsom windes and with his keyes of grace Open Heav'ns store-house to thy happy Race Thy proud fell Foes with Troops of armed men Shall charge thee one way but shall flie thee ten The Peace-Plant Olive or Triumphant Bay Shall shade thy gates Thy valour shall dismay And daunt the Earth and with his sacred aw Thy Saviour-King shall giue the World the law If other-wise the Megrim Gowt and Stone Curses on the Disobedient Shall plague thee fel with thousand pangs in one Thy numbry Flocks in part shall barren â—e In part shall bring abortives vnto thee Accurst at home accursed in the Plain Thy labour boot-les and thy care in vain Thy Field shall be of steel thy Heav'n of brass Thy Fountains dry and God displeas'd alas In steed of holsom showrs shall send down flashes Of Lightning Fire Hail Sulphur Salt and Ashes Thou shalt reap little where thou much hast shed And with that little shall thy Foe be fed He shall the fattest of thy Heard devour Before thy face and yet thou must not lowr Thou shalt build fair another haue thy Place Thou wed a wife another 'fore thy face Shal loose her Bride-belt God with rage shall smight Thy stubborn heart with blindnesse and affright So that a wagging leaf a puff a crack Yea the least creak shall make thee turn thy back Thou never shalt thine adverse Hoast survay But to be beaten or to run away A People stout for strength and number ample Which th' Aegle hath for Ensigne and Example With a new Wall thine ancient Wall shall dam And make thee Famisht thy void bowels cram With thine owne bowels and for want of meat Thine owne deer Children's trembling flesh to eat And then thy Remnant far disperst from home O're all the Corners of the earth shall roam To shew their Curse they shall no Country ow'ne And which is worse they shall not be their Owne AMEN said all the Hoast Then like the Swan This dying Song the Man of GOD began SIth ISRAEL O
Conquest Iordan self-divides Re Circumcision what and where and why Sackâ— Iericho Hai won so Achan die Gabaonites guile strange Hail the Sun stands still Nature repines Iews Guide-les prone to ill Adoni-Bezec Sangar DEBORA Barac and Iahel conquer SISARA Samuel succeeds Iews craue a KING a vie Of People-Sway States-Rule and MONARCHIE HAil holy IORDAN and you blessed Torrents Canaan â—alâ—ted Of the pure Waters of whose crystal Currents So many Saints have sipt O Walls that rest Fair Monuments of many a famous Guest O Hills O Dales O Fields so flowry sweet Where Angels oft have set their sacred feet And thou O sacred Place which wert the Cradle Of th' onely MAN-GOD and his happy Swadle And thou O Soil which drank'st the crimsin Showâ— That for our health out of his veins did pour And you fat Hillocks which I take as given For a firm pledge of the full ioyes of Heav'n Where Milk and Hony flowe I see you all Vnder the conduct of my Generall NVN's valiant Son and vnder Gâ—DEO's Sway SANGAR and SAMSON BARAC DEBORA For heer braue Heroes your high Feats I sing Argument of this Tract Thrice sacred Spirit thy speedie succour bring O Spirit which wert their Guide Guard strength stay Let not my Verse their Vertue 's praise betray IOSVAH by Favour nor by Bribes obtains A higher Rank then Royall Soveraigns Iosuah his iust authority over the People of Israell Who buies in gross he by retail must sell And who gives Favour Favour asks as well He gets it not by Fortune she is sight-les Neither by Force for who so enters Right-les By Force is forced to go out with shame Norsodain climbs he raw vnto the same For to high Place who mounts not step by step He coms not down but head-long down doth leap But even as that grave-gracefull Magistrate Simile Which now with Conscience Law doth Moderate Was first a Student vnder others aw Then Barister then Counseller at-Law Then Queens-Solicitor then Roules Arbitrer And then Lord-Keeper now LORD CHANCELER He coms to 't by degrees and having first Show'n himself wise inspying Canaan yerst Faith-full to MOSES in his Ministrings And Stout in Fight against the Heathen Kings God makes him CAPTAIN and the sacred Priests Pronounce him so the People pleased is But in his State yer he be stall'd almost His first Oration to the People Set in the midst of God's beloved Hoast He thus dilates O happy Legions deer Which sacred Arms vnder Heav'ns Ensignes bear Fear not that I yet forty years again Your wandring Troops in these vast sands should train 'Twixt Hope and Fear th' vn-hallowed Offerings The proud revolts blasphemous Murmurings Of your stiff Fathers have with-holden rather Then whole with-draw'n th' aid of your heav'nly Father God tenders it in time and pacifi'd Nills the set Term without effect should slide Serve him therfore now take him at his word And now to Canaan march with one accord And bravely showe that th' Hoast of ISRAEL In Valour far doth his drad Fame excell Courageous IACOB ARAD's stoutest hearts And strongest Holdes have prov'd thy Pikes and Darts The Madianits have thine Arms thunder knowen Th' hast razed Bazan ransackt Hezebon Scap't scaly Serpents in these Desarts vast Crost the Red-Sea and Heav'n-prop SINA past And sent to Hell thy draddest Foes Lo now God offers thee the Crown accept it thou He vrgeth particularly Ruben Gad and Manasses to take part with their Brethren in prosecuting the Conquest of Canaan Then turning him to RVBEN and to GAD And to MANASSES who their Portion had By MOSES grant on Iordan's Eastern verge War-eloquent he thus proceeds to vrge Can you my Harts finde in your hearts to leave Your Ranks and vs thus of your aids bereave Will you ly wrapped in soft beds a-sleep While in colde Trenches your poor Brethren keep Will you sit washing when your Feasts be don In sweet Rose-water while that Orion His cloudy store in storm-full fury pours And drowns your Brethren with continuall showrs Will you go Dance and dally to and fro While in the Field they march to charge the Foe Will you expect a part with them in gain While they the blowes and all the brunt sustain God shield you should dishonour so your Blood Nay rather leaving on this side the Flood Your Wives and Children and vnfit for Battell Your aged Parents and your Heards of Cattell Com arm your selves t' advance our Victories The general and â—oifull answer of the people And share with vs in Perill as in Prize O noble Prince then all the Hoast repli'd March-on a Gods name and good Hap betide Were Canaan turn'd another Wildernes Were there before vs yet more crimsin Seas Were Horeb Carmel and Mount Seâ—r set Each vpon other vpto Heav'n to get We 'll follow thee through all and onely th' end Of our owne lyves shall our brave Iourney end After the Ark then march they in aray Direct to Iordan praising all the way That living God whose match-les mighty hand Parted the Sea that they might pass by land Hoar-headed Iordan neatly lodged was A Poeticall and pleasant description of the River Iordan In a large Cave built all of beaten Glass Whose waved Seeling with exceeding cost The Nymphs his Daughters rarely had imbossâ— With Pearls and Rubies and in-lay'd the rest With Nacre checks and Corall of the best A thousand Streamlings that n'er saw the Sun With tribute silver to his seruice run There IRIS AVSTER and Clowds blewly black Continually their licour leave and take There th' aged Flood lay'd on his mossie bed And pensive leaning his flag-shaggie head Vpon a Tuft where th' eating waves incroach Did gladly wait for ISRAELS approach Each hair he hath is a quick-flowing stream His sweat the gushing of a storm extream Each sigh a Billow and each sob he sounds A swelling Sea that over-flowes his bounds His weak gray eyes are alwaies seen to weep About his loins a rush-Belt wears he deep A Willow Wreathe about his wrinkled brows His Father NEREVS his complexion showes So soon as He their welcom rumour heard His frosty head aboue the Waues he rear'd With both his hands strook back behinde his ears The waving Tresses of his weeping hairs And then perceiuing IACOB's Army stay'd By his prowd streams he chid them thus and said Presumptuous Brook dar'st thou ingratefull Torrent Prosopopoeia Lift-vp thy horn lash-out thy swelling Current Against the Lord and over-flowe thy bound To stop his passage Shall the Floods profound Of the proud Ocean to his Hoast giue-way Shall Egypt's honour shall that Gulf I say That long large Sea which with his plentious waues A third or fourth part of the World be-laues Shall That yield humbly at his Servant's beck And thou poor Rill or gutter in respect Resist himself his glorious self that Inns Heer in his Ark between the Cherubins And saying so he on his shoulder flung His deep
am dead Be gratious to my Blood and raze not fell My Name and Issue out of Israel Thus sayd the King and tears out-went his words A pale despair his heavy hart still-girds His feeble spirit praesaging his Miss-fortune Doth every-kinde of Oracles importune Suspicious seeks how Clotho's Clew doth swell And cast of Heav'n wil needs consult with Hell In Endor dwelt a Beldam in those dayes The Woman Witch of Endor Deep-skild in Charms for this weak sex always Hath in all Times ben taxt for Magik Tricks As pronest Agents for the Prince of Styx Whether because their soft moist supple brain Doth easie print of every seal retain Or whether wanting Force and Fames desert Those Wyzards ween to winn it by Black-Art This Stygian scum the Furies fury fell This Shop of Poysons hideous Type of Hell This sad Erinnys Milcom's Fauourite Chamosh his Ioye and Belzebubs delight Delights alonely for her exercise In secret Murders soudain Tragoedies Her drink the blood of Babes her dainty Feast Mens Marrow Brains Guts Livers late deceast At Weddings aye for Lamps she lights debates And quiet Loue much more then Death she hates Or if she reak of Love 't is but to trap Som severe Cato in incestuous Lap Somtimes they say she dims the Heav'nly Lamps She haunts the Graues she talks with Ghosts she stamps And Cals-vp Spirits and with a wink controules Th' infernal Tyrant and the tortur'd Soules Arts admiration Izraels Ornament That as a Queen Command'st each Element And from the Toomb deceased Trunks canst raise Th' vnfaithfull King thus flatters her with prayse On steepest Mountains stop the swiftest Currents From driest Rocks draw rapid-rowling Torrents And fitly hasten Amphitrites Flood Or stay her Eb as to thy self seems good Turn day to night hold Windes within thy hand Make the Sphears moue and the Sun still to stand Enforce the Moon so with thy Charms som-times That for a stound in a deep Swoun she seems O thou al-knowing Spirit daign with thy spell To raise-vp heer renowned Samuel To satisfie my doubtfull soule in sum The issue of my Fortunes yet to com Importun'd twice or thrice she that before Resembled one of those grim Ghosts of yore Which she was was wont with her vn-holsom breath To re-bring-back from the black gates of death Growes now more gastly and more Ghost-like grim Right like to Satan in his Rage-full Trim. The place about darker then Night she darkes Shee yelles she roars she houles she brayes she barkes And in vn-heard horrid Barbarian tearms She mutters strange and execrable Charmes Of whose Hell-raking Nature-shaking Spell These odious words could scarce be hearkned well Eternall Shades infernall Dëities Death Horrors Terrors Silence Obsequies Demons dispatch If this dim stinking Taper Be of mine owne Sons fat if heer for paper I write detested on the tender skins Of time-les Infants and abortiue Twins Torn from the wombe these Figures figure-les If this black Sprinkle tuft with Virgins tress Dipt at your Altar in my kinsmans blood If well I smell of humane flesh my food Haste haste you Fiends you subterranean Pow'rs If impiously as fits these Rites of yours I haue invok't your grizly Maiesties Harken O Furies to my Blasphemies Regard my Charms and mine inchanting Spell Reward my Sins and send vp Samuel From dismall darknes of your deep Abysse To answer me in what my pleasure is Dispatch I say black Princes quick why when Haue I not Art for one to send you ten When stubborn Ghost The Palfraies of the Sun Doo fear my Spells and when I spur they run The Planets bow the Plants giue ear to me The Forrests stoop and even the strongest Tree At driery sound of my sad whisperings Doth Prophecie fore telling future things Yea maugre Ioue by mine almighty Charms Through Heav'n I thunder with imperious Arms And comst not thou O so I see the Sage I see th' ascent of som great man his age His sacred habite and sweet-graue aspect Som God-like raies about him round reflect Hee 's ready now to speak and plyant too To cleer thy doubtings without more a doo Saul flat adores and wickedly-devout The fained Prophets least word leaues not out What dost thou Saul ô Izraels Soveraign Against those that resort to Witches Witches of late feard only thy disdain Now th' are thy stay O wretch doost thou not knowe One cannot vse th' ayde of the Powers belowe Without som Pact of Counter-Seruices By Prayers Perfumes Homage and Sacrifice And that this Art meer Diabolicall It hurteth all but th' Author most of all And also that the impious Atheïst The Infidel and damned Exorcist Differ not much Th' one Godhead quight denies Th' other for God foul Satan magnifies Th' other Satan by Inchantment strange Into an Angell of the Light doth change When as God would his voyce thou wouldst not hear Now he forbids thee thou consult'st els-where Whom living Prophet thou neglect'st abhorr'st Him dead thou seek'st and his dead Trunk ador'st And yet not him nor his forth ' ougly Fiend Hath no such power vpon a Saint t' extend Against th' illusion of Sathan false Apparitiōs and Walking Spirit◠Who fears no force of the blasphemous Charms Of mumbling Beldams or Hels damned Arms From all the Poysons that those powers contriue Charm-charming Faith 's a full Preservatiue In Soule and Body both He cannot come For they re-ioyne not till the day of doom His Soule alone cannot appeer for why Soules are invisible to mortall eye His Body only neither can it be For dust to dust that soon corrupts we see Besides all this if 't were true Samuel Should not alas thine eye-sight serue as well To see and knowe him as this Sorceresse This hatefull Hag this old Enchanteresse This Divell incarnate whose drad Spell commands The rebell-Fury of th' Infernall Bands Hath Lucifer not Art enough to fain A Body fitting for his turn and train And as the rigor of long Cold congeals Simile To harsh hard Wooll the running Water-Rils Cannot he thicken thinnest parts of Air Commixing Vapours glew-them hue them fair Simile Even as the Rain-Bowe by the Suns reflection Is painted fair in manifold complection A Body which we see all-ready formd But yet perceiue not how it is performd A Body perfect in apparant showe But in effect and substance nothing so A Body hart-les lung-les tongue-les too Where Satan lurks not to giue life ther-to But to the end that from this Counter-mure More covertly he may discharge more sure A hundred dangerous Engins which he darts Against the Bulwarks of the bravest harts That in the Sugar even of sacred Writ He may em-pill vs with som Banefull bit And that his counterfait and fained lips Laying before vs all our hainous slips And Gods drad Iudgements and iust Indignation May vnder-mine our surest Faiths Foundation But let vs hear now what he saith O Saul What frantick fury art thou moov'd with-all To now re-knit my broken
abundant in his Lap And He good Subiect with his Kingdom ever T' increase th' Immortall Kingdom doth indevour His swelling Standards never stir abroad Till he haue Cald vpon th' Almighty God He never Conquers but in heav'nly Songs He yeelds the Honor where it right belongs And evermore th' Eternals sacred Prayse With Harp and Voice to the bright Stars doth raise Scarce was he born when in his Cradle prest His Pöesi◠The Nightingale to build her tender nest The Bee within his sacred mouth seeks room To arch the Chambers of her Hony-comb And th' Heav'nly Muse vnder his roof descending As in the Summer with a train down-bending We see som Meteor winged brightly-fair With twinkling rayes glide through the crystal Aier And soudainly after long-feeming Flight To seem amid the new-shav'n Fields to light Him softly in her Iuory arms she folds His smiling Face she smylingly beholds She kisses him and with her Nectar kisses Into his Soule she breathes a Heav'n of Blisses Then layes him in her lap and while she brings Her Babe a-sleep this Lullabie she sings Liue liue sweet Babe the Miracle of Mine VRANIA's Lullaby Liue euer Saint and growe thou all Divine With this Celestiall Winde where-with I fill Thy blessed Boosom all the World ful-fill May thy sweet Voice in Peace resound as far And speed as fair as thy drad Arm in War Bottom nor bank thy Fames-Sea never bound With double Laurels be thy Temples Crownd See Heav'n-sprung Spirit see how th' allured North Of thy Childs-Cry shril-sweetly warbling forth Al-ready tastes the learned dainty pleasures See see yong Father of all sacred Measures See how to hear thy sweet harmonious sound About thy Cradle here are thronging round Woods but with ears floods but their fury stopping Tigres but tame Mountains but alwayes hopping See how the Heav'ns rapt with so sweet a tongue To list to thine leaue their owne Dance and Song O Idiot's shame and Envy of the Learned O Verse right-worthy to be ay eterned O richest Arras artificial wrought With liueliest Colours of Conceipt-full Thought O royal Garden of the rarest Flowers Sprung from an Aprill of spiritual Showers O Miracle whose star-bright beaming Head When I behold even mine owne Crown I dread Never els-where did plentious Eloquence Excellencie of the Psalmes of Dauid In every part with such magnificence Set-forth her Beauties in so sundry Fashions Of Robes and Iewels suting sundry Passions As in thy Songs Now like a Queen for Cost In swelling Tissues rarely-rich imbost With Pretious Stones neat Citty-like anon Fine Cloth or Silke or Chamlet puts she on Anon more like som handsom Shepheardesse In courser Cloaths she doth her cleanly dresse What e're she wear Wooll Silk or Gold or Gems Or Course or Fine still like her Self she seems Fair Modest Cheerfull fitting time and place Illustring all even with a Heav'n-like grace Like prowd lowd Tigris ever swiftly roul'd Now through the Plains thou powr'st a Flood of gold Now like thy Iordan or Meander-like Round-wyndingnimbly with a many-Creek Thou runn'st to meet thy Self's pure streams behind thee Mazing the Meads where thou dost turn and winde-thee Anon like Cedron through a straighter Quill Thou strainest out a little Brook or Rill But yet so sweet that it shall ever be Th' immortall Nectar to Posterity So cleer that Poésie whose pleasure is To bathe in Seas of Heav'nly Mysteries Her chastest feathers in the same shal dip And deaw with-all her choicest wormanship And so deuout that with no other Water Deuoutest Soules shal quench their Thirst heer-after Of sacred Bards Thou art the double Mount Of faith-full Spirits th' Interpreter profound Of contrite Harts the cleer Anatomy Of euery Sore the Shop for Remedy Zeal's Tinder-box a Learned Table giving To spirituall eyes not painted Christ but living O divine Volume Sion's cleer deer Voice Saints rich Exchecker full of comforts choice O sooner shal sad Boreas take his e wing At Nilus head and boist'rous Aust r spring From th' icie floods of Izeland than thy Fame Shall be forgot or Honour fail thy Name Thou shalt surviue through-out all Generations And plyant learn the Language of all Nations Nought but Thine Aiers through Air Seas shall sound In high-built Temples shall thy Songs resound Thy sacred Verse shall cleer Gods clowdy face And in thy steps the noblest Wits shall trace Grose Vulgar hence with hands profanely-vile So holy things presume not to defile Touch not these sacred stops these silver strings This Kingly Harp is only meet for Kings And so behold towards the farthest North Ah see I see vpon the banks of FORTH Whose force-full stream runs smoothly serpenting A valiant learned and religious King Whose sacred Art retuneth excellent This rarely-sweet celestiall Instrument And Dauid's Truchman rightly doth refound At the Worlds end his eloquence renown'd Dombertans Clyde stands still to hear his voyce Stone-rowling Tay seems the rat to reioyce The trembling Cyclads in great Loumond-Lake After his sound their lusty gambols shake The Trees-brood Bar-geese mid th' Hebridian wave Vnto his Tune their far-flow'n wings doo wave And I my Self in my pyde * A kinde of light mantle made of a thin checkerd Cloth worne by the Hilmen in Scotland and now much vsed with vs for Saddle-clothes Pleid a-slope With Tune-skild foot after his Harp doo hop Thus full of God th' Heav'n Sirene Prophet-wise Powres-forth a Torrent of mel-Melodies In DAVIDS praise But DAVIDS foule defect Was yet vn-seen vncensur'd vn-suspect Oft in fair Flowers the bane-full Serpent sleeps Somtimes we see the bravest Courser trips And som-times Dauid's Deaf vnto the Word Of the Worlds Ruler th' everlasting Lord His Songs sweet fervor slakes his Soules pure Fire Is dampt and dimm'd with smoak of foul desire His Harp is layd a-side he leaves his Layes And after his fair Neighbors Wife he neighs Bersabé hathing Fair Bersabé's his Flame even Bersabé In whose Chaste bosom to that very day Honor and Loue had happy dwelt together In quiet life without offence of either But her proud Bewty now and her Eyes force Began to draw the Bill of their Diuorce Honor giues place to Loue and by degrees Fear from her hart Shame from her forehead flies The Presence-Chamber the High street the Temple These Theaters are not sufficient ample To shew her Bewties if but Silke them hide Shee must haue windowes each-where open wide About her Garden-Baths the while therin She basks and bathes her smooth Snow-whiter skin And one-while set in a black Iet-like Chair Perfumes and combes and curls her golden hair Another-while vnder the Crystall brinks Her Alabastrine well-shap't Limbs she shrinks Like to a Lilly sunk into a glasse Like soft loose Venus as they paint the Lasse Born in the Seas when with her eyes sweet-flames Tonnies and Tritons she at-once inflames Or like an Iuory Image of a Grace Neatly inclos'd in a thin Crystall Case Another-while vnto the bottom diues And
long Pike a space Perfume thy head with dust and sweat appeer Captain and Soldier Soldiers are on fire Hauing their King before them Marching forth Fellow in Fortune witnes of their Worth I should inflame thy hart with Learnings loue In Peace not to be over-studious yet to vnderstand the Principals of all Prince-fit Sciences Saue that I know what diuine habits moue Thy profound Spirit only let th' ornament Of Letters wayt on th' Art of Regiment And take good heed least as excesse of humor In Plants becomes their Flowring Lifes consumer So too-much Study and delight in Arts Quench the quick vigour of thy Spiritual parts Make thee too-pensiue ouer-dull thy Senses And draw thy Minde from Publike cares of Princes With a swift-winged soule the Course suruay Of Nights dim Taper and the Torch of Day Sound round the Cels of th' Ocean dreadly-deep Measure the Mountains snowie tops and steep Ferret all Corners of this nether Ball But to admire the Makers Art in all His Power and Prudence and resemble not Simile Some simple Courtier or the silly Sot That in the base-Court all his time hath spent In gazing on the goodly Battlement The chamfred Pillers Plinths and antique Bosses Medals Ascents Statues and strange Colosses Amaz'd and musing vpon euery piece Of th' vniforme fair stately Frontispice Too-too-self-rapt through too-self-humoring Losing him-self while others finde the King Hold euen the Balance with clean hands clos'd eyes The principal peculiar office of a King Reuenge seuerely Publike Iniuries Remit thine Owne Heare the Cries see the Tears Of all distressed poor Petitioners Sit oft thy Self in Open Audience Who would not be a Iudge should be no Prince For Iustice Scepter and the Martiall Sword Ought neuer seuer by the Sacred Word Spare not the Great neither despise the Small Let not thy Lawes be like the Spiders Caul Simile Where little Flyes are caught and kild but great Passe at their pleasure and pull-down the Net Away with Shepheards that their Flocks deface Chuse Magistrates that may adorn their Place Such as fear God such as will iudge vprightly Men by the seruants iudge the Master lightly Giue to the Vertuous but thy Crown-Demain Diminish not giue still to giue again For there too-deep to dip is Prodigality And to dry-vp the Springs of Liberality But aboue all for Gods sake Son beware Hic labor hoc Opus Be not intrapt in Womens wylie snare I fear alas good Lord supreamly sage Auert from Mine th' effect of this Praesage Alas I fear that this sweet Poyson wil My House here-after with all Idols fil But if that neither Vertu 's sacred loue Nor Feare of Shame thy wanton Minde can moue To watch in Arms against the Charms of Those At least be warned by thy Fathers Woes Fare-wel my Son th' Almightie cals me hence I passe by Death to Lifes most excellence And to go Raign in Heav'n from World-cares free The Crown of Izrael I resigne to thee O thou that often for a Princes Sin Transport'st the Scepter euen from Kin to Kin From Land to Land Let it remaine with Mine And of my Sons Sons in successiue Ligne Let that Al-Power full deer-drad Prince descend Whose glorious Kingdom neuer shal haue end Whose iron Rod shall Satans Rule vn-doo Whom Iacob trusts in Whom I thirst for too ' DAVID deceast His Son him tracking right Initium Regni SALOMON With heart and voice worships the God of Might Enters his Kingdom by the Gate of Pietie Makes Hymâ—s and Psalms in Laud of the true Deïtie Offers in Gabeon where in Spirit he sees While his Sense sleepes the God of Maiesties His Vision The Lord of Hoasts who Crownd with radiant flames Offers him choise of these foure louely Dames First Glory shaking in her hand a Pike Not Maid-like Marching but braue Souldier-like Description of Glory Among the Stars her stately head she beares A siluer Trumpet shril a slope she wears Whose Winde is Praise and whose Stentorian sound Doth far and wide o'r all the world redound Her wide-side Robes of Tissue passing price All Story-wrought with bloody Victories Tryumphs and Tropheis Arches Crowns and Rings And at her feet there sigh a thousand Kings Not far from her coms Wealth all rich-bedight Of Riches In Rhéa's Thetis Pluto's Treasures bright The glittering stuff which doth about her fold Is rough with Rubies stiff with beaten Gold With either hand from hollow steans she powrs Pactolian surges and Argolian showrs Fortune and Thrift and Wakefulnes and Care And Diligence her dayly Seruants are Then cheerfull Health whose brow no wrinkle bears Of Health Whose cheek no palenesse in whose eye no tears But like a Childe shee 's pleasant quick and plump Shee seems to fly to skip to daunce and iump And Life 's bright Brand in her white hand doth shine Th' Arabian Birds â—are plumage platted â—ine Serues her for Suâ—-coat and her seemly â—â—ain Mirth Exercise and Temperance sustain Last Wisedom comes with sober countenance Of Wisedom To th' euer-Bowrs her oft a-loft t' aduance The light Mamuques wing-les wings she has Her gesture cool as comly-graue her pase Where e'r she go she neuer goes with-out Compasse and Rule Measure and Waights about And by her side at a rich Belt of hers The Glasse of Nature and her-Self she wears Hauing beheld their Bewties bright the Prince Seems rapt all-ready euen to Heauen from hence Sees a whole Eden round about him shine And ' mid so many Benefits Diuine Doubts which to chuse At length he thus begun O Lord sayth he what hath thy Seruant don That so great Blessings I should take or touch Or thou shouldst daign to honour me so much Thou doost preuent my Merit or deer Father Delight'st to Conquer euen my Malice rather Fair Victorie's a noble Gift and nought Is more desired or is sweeter thought Than euen to quench our Furie's thirst with blood In iust Reuenge on those that wrong our Good But oft alas foul Insolence comes after And the long Custome of in humane Slaughter Transforms in time the myldest Conquerors To Tigers Panthers Lions Bears and Boars Happy seems He whose count-les Herds for Pasture Dis-robe alone Mount Carmels moatly Vesture For whom alone a whole rich Countrey torn With timely Tools brings forth both Wine and Corn That hath soft Sereans yellow Spoils the Gems And precious stones of the Arabian streams The Mines of Ophir th' Entidorian Fruits The Saban Odours and the Tyrian Sutes But yet we see where Plenty chiefly sways There Pride increases Industry decays Rich-men adore their Gold whoso aspires To lift to Heav'n his sight and Soules Desires He must be Poor at least-wise like the Poor Riches and Fear are fellows euer-more I would liue long and I would gladly see My Nephews Nephews and their Progeny But the long Cares I fear and Cumbers rife Which commonly accompany Long-Life Who well liues long liues for this age of
ours Should not be numbred by yeers dayes and howrs But by our braue Exploits and this Mortality Is not a moment to that Immortality But in respect of Lady Wisedomes grace Euen at their best the rest are all but base Honour is but a puffe Life but a vapour Salomons choise Wealth but a wish Health but a sconce of paper A glistering Scepter but a Maple twig Gold Drosse Pearls Dust how-euer bright and big Shee 's Gods owne Mirror shee 's a Light whose glance Springs from the Lightning of his Countenance Shee 's mildest Heav'ns most sacred influence Neuer decays her Bewties excellence Aye like her-Self and shee doth alwayes trace Not only the same path but the same pase Without her Honour Health and Wealth would proue Three Poisons to me Wisedom from aboue Is th' only Moderatrix spring and guide Organ and honour of all Gifts beside Her her I like her only Lord I craue Her Company for-euer let me haue Let me for-euer from her sacred lip Th' Ambrosial Nard and rosial Nectar sip In euery Cause let me consult with her And when I Iudge be Shee my Counsailer Let with her Staffe my yet-Youth gouern wel In Pastures fair the Flock of Izrael A compt-les Flock a Flock so great indeed As of a Shepherd sent from Heav'n had need Lord giue her me alas I pine I die Or if I liue I liue her * Pyrausta Flame-bred-Flie And new Farfalla in her radiant shine Too-bold I burne these tender wings of mine Hold take her to thee said the Lord and sith No Bewty else thy soule enamoreth For ready hand-maids to attend vpon her I 'll giue thee also Health and Wealth and Honor For'tis not meet so High-descended Queen So great a Lady should alone be seen The rather that my Bounty may inuite Thee seruing Her to serue Me day and night King SALOMON awaked plainly knew That this Diuine strange Uision neuer grew From the sweet Temper of his sound Complexion But that it was some Peece of more Perfection Some sacred Picture admirably draw'n With Heav'nly pencil by an Angels hand For happy He had without Art the Arts And learning without learning in all parts A more then humane Knowledge bewtifies His princely actions vp to Heav'n he flies He dyues to Hell he sounds the Deeps he enters To th' in most Cels of the Worlds lowest Centers The secret Riddles of the sacred Writ His excellent Uisedome and vnderstanding in all things Are plain to him and his deep-pearcing Wit Vpon few Words of the Heav'n-prompted stile In a few Dayes large Volumes can compile He learned sees the Sun's Eclipse sans terror He knowes the Planets neuer erring Error And whether Nature or some Angel moue Their Sphears at once with triple Dance aboue Whether the Sun self-shine his Sister not Whether Spring Winter Autumn Summer hot Be the Suns Sons what kinde of mounting Vapor Kindles the Comet and the long-taild Taper What boy strous Lungs the roaring Whirlers blow'n What burning Wings the Lightning rides vpon What Curb the Ocean in his bounds doth keep What power Night's-Princesse powrs vpon the Deep Whether the Heav'ns sweet-sweating Kisse appear To be Pearls parent and the Oyster's pheer And whether dusk it makes them dim withall Cleer breeds the cleer and stormy brings the pale Whether from Sea the Amber-greece be sent Or be some Fishes pleasant excrement He knowes why th' Earth's immoueable and round The lees of Nature Center of the Mound He knowes her measure And he knowes beside How Coloquintida duely apply'd With-in the darknes of the Conduit-Pipes Amid the windings of our in-ward Tripes Can so discreetly the White humor take Rheubarb the Yellow Hellebore the Black And whether That in our weak Bulks be wrought By drawing 't to them or by driuing't out In brief from th' Hysop to the Cedar-Tree He knowes the Vertues of all Plants that be He knowes the Reason why the Woolfs fell tooth Giues a Horse swiftnes and his footing sloath Why thy Sex-changing fierce Hyena's eye Puts curstest Curres to silence suddenly Why th' irefull Elephant becommeth tame At the approaching of the fleecie Lamb Why th' eye-bold Eagle neuer fears the flash Or force of Lightning nor the Thunder-clash Why the wilde Fen-Goose which keeps warm her egs With her broad feet vnder her heatfull legs And tongue-les cries as wing-lym'd cannot flie Except she glad Seas brynie glasse descrie He knoweth also whether that our Stone Be baked Earth or Exhalation Whether the Metals that we dayly see Be made of Sulphur and of Mercurie Or of some Liquor by long Cold condens't And by the Heat well purified and cleans'd Or of a certain sharp and cindrous humor Or whether He that made the Wauing Tumor The motly Earth and th' Heav'nly Sphears refin'd All-mighty made them such as now we finde He comprehends from whence it is proceeding That spotted Iasper-stones can staunch our bleeding Saphires cure eyes the Topaz to resist The rage of Lust of drink the Amethist And also why the clearest Diamant Ielous impugns the thefts of th' Adamant Tunes Measures Numbers and Proportions Of Bodies with their Shadowes al 's ' he kons And fild with Nectar-Deaws which Heav'n drips The Bees haue made Honie within his lips But he imbraceth much more earnestly The gain-full Practice than cold Theorie Nor reaks he so of a Sophistick pride Of prattling Knowledge too-self-magnifi'd As of that goodly Art to gouern well The sacred Helms of Church and Common-weal And happily to entertain in either A harmony of Great and Small together Especially Hee 's a good Iusticer And to the Lawes dooth Life and strength confer Simile And as the highest of Bigaurian Hils Ay bears his head vp-right and neuer yeelds To either side scorns Winde and Rain and Snowe Abides all weathers with a cheerfull brow Laughs at a Storme and brauely tramples vnder His steddy Knees the prowd lowd rowling Thunder So Hee 's a Iudge inflexibly-vpright No Loue nor Hatred of the Guilty wight What e'r he wear for Calling small or great His Venging blade can either blunt or whet He spurneth Fauors and he scorneth Fears And vnder foot he treadeth priuate Tears Gold 's radiant Lustre neuer blears his Eye Nor is he led through Ignorance a-wry His Voice is held an Oracle of all The soule of Lawes he wisely can exhale In doubtfull Cases he can subtilize And wyliest pleaders harts anatomize Scarce fifteen times had Ceres since his Birth With her gilt Tresses glorifi'd the Earth When he decides by happy Wisedoms means The famous Quarrel of Two crafty Queans Is' t possible O Earth thus cries the first But that alas thou should'st for anger burst The Controuersie between the 2. Harlots for the liue Child And swallow quick this execreable Quean Is' t possible O gracious Soueraign That comming new from dooing such a deed So horrible she shame-les dares proceed T' approach thy sight thy sacred Throne t' abuse Not begging Pardon
withall For he fore-sees that if th' Isacians still As Law inioyn'd should mount on Sion Hill To sacrifice with beauty of that Temple Their Princes sight the Doctrine and Example Of sacred Leuites they would soon be taken And drawn aboord the Bark they had forsaken To rent the Church therfore he doth deuise And God's true Spouse doth Harlot like disguise Will haue them hence-forth Worship God the Lord Vnder the Form of Hay-fed Calues abhorr'd In Dan and Bethel brings-vp Service new Profane vsurping sacred Aron's Dew But how ingrate requit'st thou God in this He of a Servant made thee King of His Thou of a God mak'st him a horned Steer Sett'st Altar against Altar and the deer Cleer Star of Truth beclouding with the vail Of thine Ambition mak'st all Israel fail And fall with-all into the Gulf of Death So deep alas that from thence-forth vn-eath Could th' operation of so many Miracles In their hard hearts re-print the Sacred Oracles One-day the while this Priest-King sacrifiz'd To 's clov'n-foot God in Bethel self-deviz'd A zealous Prophet from the Lord there came Who boldly thus his brutish rage doth blame O odious House O execrable Cell O Satans Forge O impious Shop of Hell Accursed Altar that so braves and hoasts Against the Altar of the Lord of Hoasts Behold from Dauid shall a King return That on thy stones thine owne Priests bones shall burn Thus sayth the Lord and this shall be the Sign Prodigiously to seal his Word in mine Thou now in th' instant shalt in sunder shatter And in the Air shall thy vile cinders scatter Take take the Sot sayd then th' vngodly Prince And as he spake in rage-full vehemence Reacht-out his arm but instantly the same So strangely withered and so num became And God so rustied euery ioynt that there But as the Body stird it could not stir Th' vnsacred Altarsodain slent in twain And th' ashes flying through th' vn hallowed Fane Blinde the blinde Priests as in the Sommer oft Simile The light white Dust driv'n by the Winde aloft Whirling about offends the tendrest eye And makes the Shepheards with-out cause to cry O holy Prophet prayes the Tyrant then Deer man of God restore my hand again His hand is heal'd But obstinate in ill In His Calf-service He persevers still Still runs his Race still every day impairs And of his Sins makes all his Sons his heirs The King of Iuda little better proves His Fathers by-paths so Abijam loves The People pliant to their Princes guise Forget their God and his drad Law despise God notwithstanding of his speciall grace Entails the Scepter to the sacred race Of his deer Dauid and he bindes with boughs Of glorious Laurels their victorious brows And evermore how-ever Tyrants rave Som form of Church in Sion will he haue Aza Abijam's Son Iehosaphat The son of Aza rightly zealous hate All Idol-gods and warring with success Dung Isaak's Fields with forrain carcases In Aza's ayd fights th' arm armi-potent Aza Which shakes the Heav'ns rakes Hils Rocks doth rent Against black Zerah's ouer-daring boast That with drad deluge of a Million Hoast O'r-flow'd all Iâ—dâ— and all sacking fell Transported Afrik into Israel He fights for His who seeing th' Ammonite The Idumaean and proud Moabite In Battail ray caus'd all his Hoast to sing This Song aloud them thus encouraging Sa sa my hearts let 's cheerly to the charge Having for Captain for Defence and Targe That glorious Prince to whom the raging Sea Hath heertofore in foming pride giv'n way Who with a sigh or with a whistle rather Can call the North South East and West together Who at a beck or with a wink commands Millions of millions of bright-winged Bands Who with a breath brings in an instant vnder The proudest Powrs whose arrows are the Thunder While yet they sang fell Discord reaching-far Description of Discord Hies to the Heathen that encamped are Clean through her mantle tatterd all in flakes Appears her brest all-over gnaw'n with Snakes Her skin is scarr'd her teeth for rage do gnash The Basilisk with-in her eyes doth flash And one by one she plucks-off in despight Her hairs no hairs but hissing Serpents right And one by one she severally bestowes-'em Through all the Camp in every Captains bosom Blowes every vein full of her furious mood Burns every Souldier with the thirst of bloud And with the same blade that she died once In valiant Gedeon's Brother-slaughtered Sons She sets the Brother to assail the Brother The Son the Sier and deerest Friends each-other The swords new draw'n against their Enemies Miraculous slaughter of the Heathen by their mutual swords diuided among themselues Now new revolted hack their owne Allies And Mars so mads them in their mutuall Iar That strange turns civill civill houshold War Proud Edom heaws Moab and th' Ammonite Amon hunts Edom and the Moabite Moab assaults Amon and Edom too And each of them wars first with th' other two Then with themselues then Amon Amon thrills Moab wounds Moab Edom Edom kills From Hoast to Hoast blinde-fold Despair in each Disports her self those that are one in speach Vnder one colours of one very coat Combat each other cut each others throat Rage-full confusion every-where commands The Confusion of such a Camp so together by the cares Against his Captain the Lieutenant stands The Corporal vpon his Seriant flies And basest Boyes against their Masters rise Nay drad Bellona passeth fiercely further Th' owne Vnkle doth his owne deer Nephew murther The Nephew th' Vnkle with the like repayes Cosen thrils Cosen Kins-man Kins-man slayes Yea even the Father kills his Son most cruell And from one Belly springs a bloudy Duell Twins fiercely fight and while each woundeth other And drawes the life-blood of his half-self Brother Feels not his owne to fail till in the place Both fall as like in fury as in face But strength at length not stomach fails in either And as together born they die together The faithfull Hoast drawes neer and gladly goes Viewing the bodies of their breath-les Foes Men Camels Horse som saddled som with-out Pikes Quivers Darts lie mingled all about The bloudy Field and from the Mountains nigh The Rav'ns begin with their pork-porking cry Heer seems an Arm a Giant late did owe As if it would to a Dwarf 's shoulder growe A Princes hand there knowen by pretious signes Vnto the arm of a base Porter ioyns An olde-Man's head heer to a Stripling 's neck And there lean buttocks to a brawny back Heer of a Body iustly cloven in two The bloudy tripes are trailing to and fro There fiue red fingers of a Hand cut-off Gripe still the truncheon of a steeled staff And there at-once all broached on one Lance Lie three braue Horse-men in a deadly Trance Chariots vnfurnisht and vnharnest stood Over the spoaks vp to the naves in blood Th' Engaddian Snowes melt in vermilion streams And now no marvell Iaruel warmly
banks he gate Where for his Cooks Caters and Wayters tho From the foure windes the winged people go Thence to Sareptha where he craves the aid The Widow of Sarepta Of a poor Widow who thus mildely said Alas fain would I but God wot my store Is but of bread for one meal and no more Yet give me saith he giue me som I pray Who soweth sparing sparing reapeth ay Sure a good turn shall never guerdon want A Gift to Needlings is not given but lent T 's a Well of Wealth which doth perpetuall run A fruitfull Field which thousand yeelds for one While thus he said and staid the Widow glad The fruits of Charity Gives to him frankly all the bread she had She lost not by 't for all the Famin-while That rag'd in Tyre her little Flowr and Oyl Decreased not yet had she plenty still For her and hers to feed in time their fill At length befell fel Death to take-away Her onely Son and with her Son her Ioy She prayes her Guest and he implores his God And stretching him vpon the breath-les Lad Thus cries aloud Vouch safe me Lord this boon Restore this child's soule which it seems to-soon Thou hast bereft O! let it not be said That heer for nought I haue so ought been fed Let not my presence be each-where abhorr'd Nor Charity with thee to want Reward As a small seedling of that fruitfull Worm Simile Which of it self fine shining Sleaves doth form By the warm comfort of a Virgin brest Begins to quicken creepeth as the rest Re-spins a-fresh and in her witty loom Makes of her corps her corps a pretious Toomb This Childe no Man but Man's pale Module now With death i th bosom horror on the brow The bait of Worms the Booty of the Beer At sacred words begins his ey to rear Swimming in Death his powrs do re-assemble His spirits rewarm'd with-in his artirs tremble He fetcht a sigh then lively rysing too Talks walks and eats as he was woont to doo Fain would the Mother haue besought the Seer T' have past the rest of his colde Olde-age heer But th' holy spirit him sodain hence doth bring Vnto Samaria to th' incensed King Who rates him thus O Basilisk O Bane Art not thou He that sow'st th' Isaacian Plain With Trouble-Tares Seditious hast not thou The like Imputations in our dayes the blind Popelings and profane â—â— orldlings haue layd vpon the Gospell and the Preachers thereof Profan'd the Laws of our Fore-fathers now Broken all Orders and the Altars bann'd Of th' holy Gods Protectors of our Land Since thy fond Preaching did heer first begin More and more heavie hath Heav'ns anger bin Vpon vs all and Baal blasphem'd by thee Hath since that season never left vs free From grievous Plagues it is a Hellwe feel Our Heav'n is Brass our Earth is all of Steel No no O King if I the Truth shall tell Thou thou art he that troublest Israell Thou give me leave thou and thy Grand-sires mad After strange Gods in every Grove to gad Have left the true wise wondrous all-abroad Omnipotent victorious glorious God Such shall you proue him if you dare oppone All your Baal-Prophets against me but one Content quoth Achab then to Carmel's top The Schismik Priests were quickly called vp Vnto their Baal an Altar build they there To God the Prophet doth another rear Both have their Beasts and by their prayer must prove Whose God is GOD by Fier from Heav'n above The People's eyes and eares and mindes are bent Vpon these Maruails to observe th' euent Maruails which might well cleer the difference That had so long depended in suspence 'Twixt Israel and Iuda and direct Th' Earth how to serue Heav'ns sacred Architect As when two Buls inflamed fiercely-fell Simile Met front to front their forked arms do mell The feeble Heards of Heifers in a maze Twixt hope and fear vnfeeding stand at gaze To see the Fight and censure which do prove The valiantest that he may be their Loue. Baal's baalling Priests call and cry out for life They gash their flesh with Launcet and with knife Baals Priests They cruell make their blood to spin about As Claret wine from a pearç't Peece doth spout And madly shaking heads leggs sides and arms They howling chant these Dithyrambik charms Help help O Baal O Baal attend our cryes Baal hear vs Baal O Baal bow down thine eyes O Stratian Clarian Eleutherian Powrs Panomphaean God approve vs thine thee ours O Epicarpian O Epistatirian Phyxian Feretrian O Exacestirian Xenian Messapian O Lebradean BAAL O Assabine BAAL-SAMEN hear our Call Elijah that their bloody Rites abhord And knowes aright the seruice of the Lord T' appease his wrath he doth not scarre his skin Nor with self-wounds presume his grace to win Nor makes himself vnfitting for his function By selfly stripes as causing more compunction Nor thrild with bodkins raves in frantik-wise And in a furie seems to prophetize But offers God his heart in steed of blood His speech is sober and as milde his mood Cry loud quoth he your God is yet perchance Irâ—nia In a deep sleep or doth in Arms advance Against his Foes th' Egyptian Deïties Or is consulting how to keep the Flies From off his Altar But O Izrael Alas why yoakst thou God with Baal or Bel Alas how long thus wilt thou halt twixt either And fondly mix Darnel and Wheat together In thy Faith's Field If Baal be God indeed Then boldly serue him seek him sole at need But if blew Sea and winged Firmament Th' all-bearing Earth and Storm-breed Element Be but the least Works of th' Almighty hand Of Iacob's God If Heav'n Aire Sea and Land And all in all and all in euery one By his owne finger be sustain'd alone If he have cast those cursed Nations out Which yerst defil'd this fair fat Land about To give it thee to plant thee in their place Why him alone doost thou not ay imbrace And serue him onely in thy Soule and Heart Who in his Love brooks none to share a part The cord vn-twisted weakens and who serves Two Lords at-once to lose them both deserves Baal dead thouseest hears not his Servants call Much less can grant them their Desires at all But Iaacob's God IEHOVA ELOHIM Never deceives their hope that trust in him Hear me therefore O Lord and from above With Sacred Fire thy Soverain powr to prove Consume this Bullock and shewe by the same That thou art GOD and I thy Servant am And to thy Fold thy Churches Lap repeal Thy wandring Flock thy chosen Izrael As falls a Meteor in a Sommer Even Simile A sodain Flash coms flaming down from Heav'n Licks dry the Dikes and instantly at-once Burns all to Ashes both the Altar-stones And th' Offered Bullock and the People fall In zealous fury on the Priests of Baal And by Elijah's prayer soon obtain Rain which so often they had
askt in vain For what is it Elijah cannot do If he be hungry Fouls and Angels too Becom his Stewards Fears he th' armed Bands Of a fel Tyrant from their bloody hands To rescue him Heav'n his confederate Consumes with Fire them and their fierie hate Or would he pass a Brook that brooks no bay Nor Bridge nor Bank The Water giues him way Or irks him Earth To Heav'n alive he hies And sauing Henoch onely He not-dies This Man of God discoursing with his heir Elijah taken vp aliue into Heaven Of th' vpper Kingdom and of Gods Affair A sodain whirl-winde with a whiffing Fire And flaming Chariot rapts him vp intire Burns not but fines and doth in fashion strange By death-les Death mortall immortall change A long-tail'd squib a flaming ridge for rut Seems seen a while where the bright Coach hath cut This sacred Rape nigh rapt Elisha too Who taking vp his Tutors Mantle tho Follows as far as well he could with ey The fire-snort Palfreys through the sparkling Sky Crying My father father mine fare-well The Chariots and the Horse of Izrael The Thisbian Prophet hangs not in the Air Amid the Meteors to be tossed there As Mists and Rains and Hail and hoarie Plumes And other Fierie many-formed Fumes Amid the Air tumultuous Satan roules And not the Saints the happy heav'nly Soules Nor is he nailed to some shining Wheel Ixion-like continually to reel For CHRIST his flesh transfigur'd and divine Mounted aboue the Arches Crystalline And where CHRIST is from pain and passion free There after death shall all his Chosen bee Elijah therfore climbs th' Empyreal Pole Where ever-blest in body and in soule Contemns this World becoms an Angel bright And doth him firm to the TRINE-ONE vnite But how or why should He this vantage haue Yer CHRIST right call'd the first-fruits of the Grave O happy passage O sweet sacred Flight O blessed Rape thou raptest so my spright In this Dispute and mak'st my weaker wit So many wayes to cast-about for it That I confess the more I do contend I more admire and less I comprehend For lack of wings then biding heer belowe With his Successor I proceed to showe How soon as he took-vp his Cloak to bear-it Elizeus or Elisha Within Elisha shin'd Elijah's Spirit By powr whereof immediatly he cleaves An vn-couth way through Iordan's rapid waves Past hope he gives to the Sunamian Wife A Son and soon restores him dead to life With sodain blindness smightes the Syrian Troup The which in Dothan did him round in coup Increaseth bread and of a pound of Oyl Fills all the Vessels in a Town that while His hoary head in Bethel laught to scorn Is veng'd by Bears on forty children torn Naaman's cleans'd and for foul Simonie Gehazi's punisht with his Leprosie Mends bitter Broath he maketh Iron swim As porie Cork vpon the Water's brim Rich Iericho's sometimes sal-peetry soil Through brinie springs that did about it boil Brought forth no fruit and her vn-holsom Brooks Voyded the Town of Folk the Fields of Flocks The Towns-men therefore thus besought the Seer Thou seest our Citie 's situation heer Is passing pleasant but the ground is naught The Water worse we pray thee mend the fault Sweeten our Rivers make them pleasanter Our Hills more green our Plains more fertiler The Prophet calls but for a Cruse of Salt O strangest cure to cure the brynie fault Of all their Floods and casting that in one Foul stinking Spring heals all their streams anon Not for an houre or for a day or twain But to this Day they sweet and sound remain Their Valley walled with bald Hills before But even a horror to behold of-yore Is now an Eden and th' All-circling Sun For fruitfull beauty sees no Paragon There labour-les mounts the victorious Palm There and but there growes the all-healing Balm There ripes the rare cheer-cheek Myrobalan Minde-gladding Fruit that can vn-olde a Man O skilfull Husbands giue your fattest Plains Five or six earths spare neither cost nor pains To water them rid them of weeds and stones With Muck and Marle batten and baste their bones Vnles God bless your Labour and your Land You plough the Sea and sowe vpon the sand This Iurie knowes a Soil somtimes at least Sole Paradise of all the proudest East But now the brutest and most barren place The curse of God and all the Worlds disgrace And also Greece on whom Heav'ns yerst so good Rain nothing now but their drad Furie's Flood The grace of God is a most sure Revenue A Sea of Wealth that ever shall continew A never-failing Field which needs not ay The cool of Night nor comfort of the Day What shall I say This sacred Personage Not only profits to his proper Age But after life life in his bones hee leaves And dead the dead he raiseth from their graves Nor is Elisha famous more for Miracles Than for the Truth of his so often Oracles He showes the Palms and Foils of Israell Benhadad's death the Raign of Hazael Beyond all hope and passing all appearance Deiected Ioram's neer relief he warrants For now the Syrian with insulting Powrs The fiege and Famine of Samaria So streict besiegeth the Samarian Towrs That even al-ready in each nook agrising Fell wall-break all-break Famin ill-advising Howls hideously even the bare bones are seen As sharp as kniues thorough the emptie skin Of the best bred and each-man seems almost No Man indeed but a pale ghastly Ghost Som snatch the bread from their owne Babes that pine Som eat the Draff that was ordain'd for Swine Som doo defile them with forbidden flesh Som bite the grass their hunger to refresh Som gold for Birds-dung waight for waight exchange Som of their Boots make them a Banquet strange Som fry the Hay-dust and it savorie finde Som Almond-shels and Nut-shels gladly grinde Som mince their Fathers Wills in parchment writ And so devoure their Birth-right at a bit The King when wearie he would rest awhile Dreams of the Dainties he hath had yer-while Smacks swallows grindes both with his teeth and iaws But only winde his beguil'd bellie draws And then awaking of his owne spare Diet Robbs his owne brest to keep his Captains quiet He is importun'd heer and there about Aboue the rest a Woman skrieketh out In moornfull manner with disheueled haire Her face despight her fashion showes despaire O! stay my Liege heat hear a grieuous thing Mothers eat their owne Children Iustice great Ioram Iustice gentle King O no not Iustice did I Iustice craue Fondling in Iustice thou canst nothing haue But a iust death nay but a Torture fell Nay but a Torment like the pains of Hell Yet even this Plea is worse then death to me Then grant me Iustice Iustice let it be For O! what horror can restrain desire Of iust Revenge when it is once afire My Lord I bargain'd and to bind the Pact By solemn Oath I sealed the Contract
Contract indeed cruell yet could not be Infring'd or broken without Crueltie Tell it O Tongue why stay'st thou so vpon-it Dar'st thou not say-it hauing dar'd and don-it Not having fear'd Heav'ns King how canst thou fear An earthly King Then thus my Liege while-yer I and my Neighbour desperately agreed Iointly to eate successiuely our seed Our owne deer Children and O luck-les Lot Mine first of all is destin'd to the Pot Forth-with I catch-him and I snatch him to-me Vp in mine armes he straight begins to woo-me Stroaks colls and huggs me with his arms and thighes And smiling sweet Mam-mam mam-mam he cryes Then kisses me and with a thousand toyes Thinks to delight me with his wonted ioyes I looke away and with my hand addrest Bury my knife within his tender brest And as a Tigresse or the Dam of Bears A Fawn or Kid in hundred gobbets tears I tear him quick dress him and on our Table I set him oh 't is now no time to fable I taste him first I first the feast begin His blood my blood runs round about my Chin My Childe returns re-breeding in my Womb And of my Flesh my Flesh is shamefull Tomb Soon cloyd alas but little could I eat And vp again that little striues to get But she she layes it in she greedy plyes-it And all night long she sits to gourmandize-it Not for her fill so much of such think I As to prolong the more my misery O God sayd she and smiles in eating it What a sweet morsell what a dainty bit Blest be the brest that nuâ—c't such meat for me But more the Womb that bare it so to be So to be brief my Son is eat But hers Alive and lustie in her arms she bears Why should her Pittie rather her despight Doo both her Faith Me and my Son vn-right Ah! for her belly rather then her Boy She playd this prank and robd me of my Ioy She did it not of tender hart to save him But greedy-gut that she alone might haue him Therfore O King doo Iustice in this case Nor craue I pardon of thy princely grace For mine Offence such an Offence I knowe As yet grim Minos never iudg'd belowe For if I should how should I doo for meat Not having now another Childe to eat No this is all I crave before I die That I may taste but of Her sonns sweet thigh Or that at least mine eye more iust then cruell May see him slain by her my Horrors Fuell But if you waigh not mine vnfained â—ears Indeed vn-worthy yet vouchsafe your ears To the loud Plaints of my lamenting Son Who with strange murmurs rumbling vp and down Seems in my bowels as reviv'd to groan And to your Highnes thus to make his moan Sir will you suffer without all revenge Mens cursed malice boldly to infringe Law Faith and Iustice Vows and Oaths and all As buzzing Flies tear Cob-webs on a wall Ah! shall I then descend alone belowe Dy vn-reveng'd foster my cruel Foe And then-cast-forth in foulest Excrement Infect the Aier offend the Element The while her Darling on his Hobby-horse About the Hall shall ride and prance and course And imitate Mens actions as an Ape Build paper-Towrs make Puppets sit in Lap No let him die let him as I be cut Let him as I be in two Bellies put Full-fill the Pact that so our wretched Mothers Their Guilt and Grief may either's match with others The King less mov'd with pitty than with horror Thunders these words raging in threat-full terror Vengeance and mischief on mine owne head light If curst Elisha keep his head this night And as he spake forth in a rage he flings To execute his bloody Threatenings Sir said the Prophet you have seen the skathe Deuouring Famin heer performed hath But by to-morrow this time God hath said Samaria's Gates shall even abound with Bread Tush sayd a Minion of the Court hard by Of surly speech proud gait and lofty ey Though God should open all Heav'ns windows wide It cannot be Yes Infidell reply'd The zealous Prophet Thouthy Self in sum Shalt see it then but slialt not taste a Crum Thus said Elisha and th' Almightie Powr Perform'd his Sayings in the very howr Her scarlet Robe Aurora had not donn'd Nor had she yet limn'd the Euphratean strond With trembling shine neither was Phoebus yet Willing to wake out of a drouzie Fit When pallid FEAR flyes to the Pagan Hoast Description and effects of Fear Wilde-staring Hag shiv'ring and wavering most She that her voice and visage shifts so oft She that in Counsails strives to lift aloft Irresolution to be President Canker of Honor curse of Government She that even trembles in her surest Arms Starts at a leaf swouns at report of harms Beleeves all sees all and so swayeth all That if she say the Firmament doth fall There be three Suns This or that Mountain sinks Paul's Church doth reel or the foundation shrinks It is beleev'd 't is seen and seis'd by Her The other Senses are as apt to err Clashing of Arms Rattling of iron Cars Murmur of Men a World of Soldiars Neighing of Horse noise of a thousand Drums With dreadfull sound from the next Vale ther coms The Syrian Camp conceiuing that the Troups Of Nabathits Hethits and Ethyops Hyr'd by th' Isaacians came from every side To raise their Siege and to repell their pride Fly for their lives disordered and disperst Amid the Mountains so well-ordered yerst One in his Cap-case leaves-behinde his Treasure To bridle 's horse another hath not leasure Another hungry on the grass hath set His Break-fast out but dares not stay to eat One thinks him far that yet hath little gon Another weens him in plain ground anon He breaks his neck into a Pit another Hearing the Boughs that brush against each other And doubting it to be the Conquerer He wretched dies of th' only wound of FEAR As after tedious and continuall rain Simile The honey-Flies haste from their Hiues again Suck heer and there and bear into their bowr The sweetest sap of euery fragrant flowr So from besieg'd Samaria each man hies Vnto the Tents of fear-fled Enemies Wherein such store of corn and wine they pill That in one day their hungry Town they fill And in the Gate the Croud that issueth Treads th' vnbeleeuing Courtier down to death So that at once even both effects agree Iust with Elisha's holy prophecie From this School comes the Prophet Amethite The twice-born Preacher to the Niniuite Ionas be gon hie hie thee said th' Almightie The ship-Wrack of IONAS To Niniuè that great and wanton Citie Cry day and night cry out vnto them all Yet forty daies and Niniue shall fall But 'gainst th' Eternall Ionas shuts his eare And ships himself to sail another-where Wherfore the Lord incensed stretcht his arm To wrack the wretch in suddain fearfull Storm Now Nereus foams and now the furious waues A liuely Description of
a storm at Sea All topsie-turned by th' Aeolian slaues Do mount and roule Heav'ns war against the Waters And angrie Thetis Earth's green bulwarks batters A sable ayrso muffles-vp the Sky That the sad Saylers can no light descry Or if som beam break through their pitchy night 'T is but drad flashing of the Lightning's light Strike strike our saile the Master cries amain Vail misne and sprit-sail but he cries in vain For in his face the blasts so bluster ay That his Sea-gibberish is straight born away Confused Cries of men dismay'd in minde Seas angry noise lowd bellowing of the winde Heav'ns Thunder-claps the tackles whisteling As strange Musicians dreadfull descant sing The Eastern winde driues on the roaring train Of white-blew billows and the clouds again With fresh Seas crosse the Sea and she doth send In counter-change a rain with salt y-blend Heav'ns headlong seem in Thetis lap to fall Seas scale the skies and God to arm this All Against one ship that skips from stars to ground From waue to waue like Balloons windie bound While the sad Pilot on a foamy Mount Thinks from the Pole to see Hells pit profound And then cast down vnto the sandie shole Seems from lowe Hell to see the lofty Pole And feeling foes within and eek without As many waues so many deaths doth doubt The Billows beating round about the ship Vncauk her keel and all her seams vnrip Whereby the waters entring vncontroul'd Ebbing abroad yet flowe apace in hold For euery Tun the plied Pump doth rid A floud breaks in the Master mastered With dread and danger threatning euery-way Doubts where to turn him what to doo or say Which waue to meet or which salt surge to flie So yeelds his charge in Sea to liue or die As many Cannons 'gainst a Castle bent Simile Make many holes and much the rampire rent And shake the wall but yet the latest shock Of fire-wingd bullets batters down the Rock So many mounts that muster 'gainst this Sail With roaring rage doo this poor ship assail But yet the last with foaming fury swoln With boistrous blasts of angry tempests boln Springs the main-mast the mast with boystrous fall Breaks down the deck and sore affrights them all Pale Idol-like one stands with arms a-cross One moans himself one mourns his childrens loss One more than Death this form of Death affrights Another calls on Heav'ns vn-viewed Lights One 'fore his eys his Ladies looks beholds Another thus his deadly fear vnfolds Curst thirst of gold O how thou causest care My bed of Doun I change for hatches bare Rather than rest this stormie war I chose T' enlarge my fields both land and life I lose Like piezless plume born-vp by Boreas breath With all these wings I soar to seek my death To Heav'n and Hell by angry Neptune led Where least I scape it all these sails I spread Then thus another Sure no winde quoth he Could raise this Storm som rarer Prodigy Hath caus'd this Chaos cause of all our grief Some Atheist dog som Altar-spoyling theef Lurks in this ship com Mates by lot let 's trie To saue the rest the man that ought to die 'T is I quoth Ionas I indeed am cause Of this black night and all the fearfull flaws Of this rough Winter I must sole appease By my iust death these wrath-full wrackfull Seas Then vp they heave him straight and from the waste Him suddainly into the Sea they cast The King of Windes calls home his churlish train And Amphitritè smooths her front again Th' Air 's cloudy Robe returns to crystal cleer And smiling Heav'ns bright Torches re-appeer So soon as Ionas to them all appease O're head and eares was soused in the Seas Thrice coms he vp and thrice again goes down Vnder the waves yer he do wholly drown But then he sinks and wretched roul'd along The sands and Oase and rocks and mud among Thus thus he cries with lips of zealous faith Mercy my God shew mercy Lord he saith Then God who ever heares his childrens wish Provided straight a great and mighty Fish That swilling swallow'd Ionas in her womb A living Corps laid in a living Toomb Like as a Roach or Ruff or Gudgeon born Simile By som swift stream into a weer forlorn â—risks to and fro aloft and vnder dyves Fed with false hope to free their captive lyves The Prophet so amazed walks about This wondrous Fish to finde an issue out This mighty Fish oâ— Whale-like huginess Or bigger-bellied though in body less Where am I Lord alas within what vaults In what new Hell doost thou correct my faults Strange punishment my body thou bereav'st Of mother earth which to the dead thou leav'st Whither thy wrath drives me I do not knowe I am depriv'd of air yet breathe and blowe My sight is good yet can I see no skie Wretch nor in Sea nor yet a-shore am I Resting I run for moving is my Cave And quick I couch within a living Grave While thus he plain'd the third day on the sand The friendly Fish did cast him safe a-land And then as if his weary limbs had been So long refresht and rested at an Inn He seems to flie and com'n to Niniue Your sins have reached vp to Heav'n quoth he Wo and alas wo wo vnto you all Yet forty dayes and Ninive shall fall Thus Ionas preacht But soon the Citizens Sincerely toucht with sense of their foul sins Dispatch in haste to Heaven Repentance sad Sweet-charming Prayer Fasting hairy-clad Repentance makes two Torrents of her eyes Her humble brow dares scant behold the skies Her sobbing brest is beaten blew and black Her tender flesh is rent with rugged sack Her head all hoar'd with harty sorrows past With dust and ashes is all over-cast Prayer's head and sides and feet are set about With gawdy wings like Ioves Arcadian Scout Her body flaming from her lips there fumes Nard Incense Mummy and all rich Perfumes Fasting though faint her face with ioie she cheers Strong in her weakness young in aged yeers Quick health's preserver curbing Cupid's fits Watchfull purge-humors and refining-wits Then Faith Grand Vsher of th' Empyreal Court Vshers these Legats by a golden Port Into the Presence and them face to face Before th' All-Monarch's glorious Throne doth place Where zealous prostrate on her humble knee Thus Prayer speaks in name of all the Three God slowe to wrath O Father prone to grace Lord sheath again thy vengeance sword a space If at thy beam of Iustice thou wilt waigh The works of men that wander every day If thou their metall by that touch-stone try Which fearfull-sounding from thy mouth doth flie If thou shalt summ their Sins which pass the sand Before thee Lord who shall indure to stand Not Ninive alone shall perish then But all this All be burnt to ashes clean And even this day shall thy iust wrath prevent The dreadfull Day of thy last Dooms event This world to
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
Mardochey and the five Maccabees All the right heirs of heart and zeal paternall Receiue their guerdon from the great Eternall And vp again their stooping standards raise 13 Before these Warriours and the Royall band March holy Fathers that with vertue rare And holy Doctrine did the Diuell dare Foyling the force of his infernall hand 14 Enos by whom this World 's great Archi-tect Was call'd vpon leadeth religious That holy Father God took vp from vs Henoch Noah And him whose ship did saue the world Elect. 15 Then Sem and Iapheth and great Abraham Isaak The Faithfull's Father and his faithfull Son And then his Nephew that saw Angels run Iacob Both vp down froÌ„ Heav'n to th' earthly frame 16 Aron Eleazar Phinees full of zeal Good Ioyada and hundred Priests select That were by Heav'n by zeal and Church elect To keep the law the Lord did once reveal 17 His Father who was sent to sweep the way Zacharias Ioseph Of sweet Messias then the man suppos'd To be His Sire then He that Him inclos'd In 's ioyfull arms and sung a Swan-like Lay. Simeon 18 Then Barnabas Titus and Timothy Paul's famous Friends Sins fierce and deadly Foes And he that did by Sol's Eclipse suppose Som greater Sun to be Eclips't than he 19 Then this brave Triumph to adorn the more All on a rowe a hundred Prophets com Which haue so sure fore-told the things to-com As if indeed they had been don before 20 There first coms he that in the Coach of fire Elias By Gods strong Spirit was rapt above the Air Elizeus And then his Seruant that was made his heir Of cloak and knowledge as he did desire 21 He that reproov'd old Ishay's Sceptred Son Nathan For double fault Amos Ezechiel Ioel Semyah Abdiah Daniel And he that three dayes in the Sea did won Ionas 22 With these I see the Sonn of Barachie Zachariah Both Michais Baruc Iehu Ieremias Agg ' Abacuc Nahum and Sophonias Ahias Hosè Esdras Malachie 23 The glorious troop that march before this troop Are Martyrs all who full of constant zeal Their faith infract with their owne blouds did seal And never did to any Tyrant stoop 24 Their blessed bloud is like the morning dewe To make more fertil all the Churches field These are the weapons that inforce to yield The furious foe examples not a fewe 25 For as a fruit-Treelopped in December For one old Trunk many new twigs returns Which Nature kindely with sweet fruit adorns So one sole Martyr many doth ingender 26 First Abel goes then Ioyad's zealous Son That neer the Altar constant yielded breath Esay Iohn Baptist. The next goes he Manasses put to death Then he whose head th' incestuous Dancer won 27 Next Salone and her Sons who rather chose To cross the King than God strengthning each other Even in their death Sons worthy such a Mother And Mother worthy of such Sons as those 28 That Proto-Martyr the yong faithfull Steven Whom th' hatefull Iews with hellish rage did stone Who dying saw Christ Iesus on his Throne Leads those that for like cause their lives have given 29 Som smear'd with honey for the Flies were feasts Som men did eat som were on Gridirons broyl'd Som nayl'd on Crosses som in Caldrons boyl'd And som were throwen to most devouring beasts 30 After the Champions of this humble Troop I see fair Sara Rebecca Rachel Then Debora stout Iudeth and Iahel Who Faiths Viragoes their proud Foes did stoop 31 Then she that rais'd to Royall state and stile â—ester Preserv'd her people in a rank she goes With Naomi Ruth and the Dame that chose Rather to die than Nuptiall bed defile Susanna 32 From these mineeie no sooner trauerseth But I discern three Ladies zealous-led That sought their living Lord among the dead Then Anna Martha and Elizabeth 33 But my weak eyes cannot indure to gaze The Virgin Mary On beaming beauties of that Mother-Maid Who Sier-less bore her Sire yet ever-maid Of Faith and Loue th' inimitable maze 34 This this my Muse this is th' Aurora cleer Which brought the Sun to light the world vnkinde A Virgin pure in body and in minde Christ's Mother Sister Spouse and Daughter deer 35 God's holy Temple and the happy stair Wher-by the Heav'ns came down to dwell with Earth Rich-fraighted Ship Vessell of rarest worth Where Phoebus hid his beams most bright and fair Canto IIII. 1 I Thought to haue been now at my Races end T' haue though vnworthy born away the prise But I fall short my task doth longer rise For half the Trophè is yet hardly penn'd 2 Before Faith's Coach born in convenient height Are curious Tables draw'n by cunning hand Where after guise of warlik Romans stand The Victories of never-conquer'd Faith 3 Heer Iericho's cloud-kissing Towrs doo fall Iosua 6. 20. Batter'd alone by Faith's great Ordinance A coumpt-less hoast of craking Idolants 2. King 18 13 2. Chron. 32 20 Esa. 37 21 By Esaâ—e's Faith is heer confounded all 4 By Faith meek Moses with a zeal-full ire Arms smallest Worms th' Egyptian King to vex Exod. 7 8 9 Daniel by Faith fierce Lyons fury checks Dan. 6. 12 And quenches Dragons hot impoysoning fire 5 Heer Paul by Faith fears not in Mitylene Act. 28 5 The deadly sting of th' vgly Viper-worm Heer myching Ionas sunk in suddain Storm Ionas 22 Of his Deliverance finds a fish the mean 6 Then in another Table that was fram'd By Art exceeding Art I did espie Pale Death blithe Health and frail Infirmity That had by Faith a thousand times been tam'd 7 Moses by Faith doth Myriam leperize Num. 12 10 By Faith Elisha curing Naaman 2. King 6 14 17 The Syrian Prince strikes instantly his man With his Disease for Bribing Covetize 8 A man of God by Faith first strangely dri'd 1. King 13 4 6 Then heal'd again that King 's vnholy hand Who made ten Tribes of God's then chosen Land From God and from their lawfull Prince to slide 9 By Faith Saint Paul stark-blinded Elymas Act. 13 11 By Faith Saint Peter full of iust disdaign With suddain death did smite those periur'd twain That durst dissemble with the Spirit of Grace Act. 5 5 16 10 By Faith young Toby kindely doth restore Tob. 11 11 Act. â— 6 14 10. His Father's sight by sacred Faith likewise Two crooked Cripples are made straight to rise In Listra th' one th' other at Templedore 11 By Faith Saint Paul did a rich Maltois cure Of grievous Flix that him afflicted sore Act. 21 8 By Faith Saint Peter likewise did restore A Palsie-sick that eight yeers did indure Act. 9. 34 12 By Faith Saint Paul did Eutichus re-lyue Act. 20 10 1. King 17 21 2. King 4 33 By Faith Elias rais'd the Sareptite Elisha raysed the young Sunamite At Ioppa Peter Dorcas did
in our Truth finde doubts whence follow Schismes They whose fond Law doth all of Lies consist Abide confirm'd in their vaine Paganismes One nought beleeues another what him list One ouer-Creeds another Creeds too-short Each makes his Church rather his Sect a-part SONNET 37. Put-off deere French all secret grudge and gall And all keen stings of vengeance on all parts For if you would haue PEACE proclaim'd to all It must be first faire printed in your hearts Henry the mildest of all Conquerers Your perfect glasse for Princely clemencie He to appease and calme the State from â—arres For his friends sake hath sav'd his enemie Let 's all be French all subiects to one Lord Let Fraunce from hence-forth be one onely State Let 's all for Gods sake be of one accord So through true zeale Christs praise to propagate May the most Christian King with prosperous power On Sion walls re-plant our Lilly-flower SONNET 38. O Christian cor'siue that the Mahomite With hundred thousands in Vienna Plaine His Mooned Standards hath already pight Prest to ioyne Austrich to his Thracian Raigne Malth Corfu Candie his proud Threats disdaine And all our Europe trembles in dismay While striuing Christians by each other slaine Each other weak'ning make him easieway Rhodes Belgrade Cyprus and the Realmes of Greece Thrall'd to his barbarous yoke yet fresh-declare That while two striue a third obtaines the fleece Though name of Christian be a title faire If but for Earth they all this while haue striu'n They may haue Earth but others shall haue Heau'n SONNET 39. May I not one day see in Fraunce againe Some new Martellus full of stout actiuitie To snatch the Scepter from the Saracen That holds the Holy Land in strait captiuitie May I not see the selfe-weale-wounding Laâ—nce Of our braue Bloods yerst one another goring Turn'd with moâ—e valour on the Musulmans A higher pitch of happy prowesse soaring But who deare Fraunce of all thy men-at-armes Shall so farre â—eâ—ce renue thine ancient Laurels Sith here they plot thine and their proper harmes I rather feare that through these fatall quarrels That hate-Christ Tyrant will in time become The Lord and Soueraigne of all Christendome SONNET 40. Mid all these mischiefes while the friend foe Strangers With vs. against vs had intelligence Henry our King our Father voides our dangers And O Heav'ns wonder planteth PEACE in Fraunce Thou Iudge that sitt'st on thâ— supernall Throne O quench thy furie keepe vs from hostilitie With eyes of mercy looke thou still vpon Our PEACE and found it on a firme stabilitie Sith in despight of discord thou alone Inward and outward hast thus salv'd vs Lord Keepe still our Fraunce or rather Lord thine owne Let Princes loue and liue in iust accord Dis-arme them Lord or iâ— Armes busie them Be it alone for thy Ierusalem FINIS A Dialogue vpon the Troubles past BETWEENE HERAclitus and Democritus the weeping and the laughing Philosophers Acceptam refero A DIALOGVE Heraclitus ALas thou laugh'st perhaps not feeling well The painfull torments of this mortall Hell Ah! canst thou teare-les in this iron Age See men massacred Monsters borne to rage Democritus Ha but why weep'st thou wherefore in this sort Doost thou lament amid this merry sport Ha canst thou chuse but laugh to see the State Of mens now-follies and the freaks of Fate Heraclitus He hath no heart that melts not all in teares To see the treasons murders massacres Sacks sacrileges losses and alarmes Of those that perish by their proper armes Democritus Who all dismayed swouneth sodainly To heare or see some fained Tragedie Held in these dayes on euery Stage as common Is but a heart-les man or but a woman Heraclitus O! would to God our Countries tragick ruth Were but a fable no effected truth My soule then should not sigh to angry Heav'n Nor for her plagues my tender heart be riv'n Democritus I take the world to be but as a Stage Where net-maskt men doo play their personage 'T is but a mummerie and a pleasant showe Sith ouer all strange vanities doo flowe Heraclitus Those vanities I haue in detestation As cursed causes of Gods indignation Which makes me alwayes weepe sith on the earth I see no obiect for the meanest mirth Democritus Thus from one Subiect sundry sequels spring As diuersly our wits conceiue a thing I laugh to see thee weepe thou weep'st to see Me laugh so much which more afflicteth thee Heraclitus Laugh while thou list at mortall miseries I cannot chuse but euen weepe out mine eyes Finding more cause for teares in bloody slaughter Then for thy sense-les ill-beseeming laughter Democritus Melt thee distill thee turne to waxe or snowe Make sad thy gesture tune thy voice to woe I cannot weepe except sometimes it hap Through laughing much mine eyes let fall a drop Heraclitus I weepe to see thus euery thing confused Order disordred and the Lawes abused Iustice reuerst and Policie peruerted And this sicke State neere vtterly subuerted Democritus I laugh to see how Fortune like a ball Playes with the Globe of this inconstant All How she degradeth these and graceth those How whom she lifts-vp downe againe she throwes Heraclitus I raine downe Riuers when against their King Cities rebell through subiects bandying When Colledges through Armes are rest of Art When euery Countie Kingdomes-it a-part Democritus I burst with laughter when confounding State I see those Rebels hunt their Magistrate When I heare Porters prate of State-designes And make all common as in new-found Indes Heraclitus I weepe to see Gods glory made a vaile To couer who his glory most assaile That sacred Faith is made a maske for sinne And men runne headlong to destructions ginne Democritus I laugh with all my heart at the transforming Of Iugling Proteis to all times Conforming But most I laugh t' haue seene the world so mad To starue and die when those damn'd Atheists bad Heraclitus I weepe alas to see the People weepe Opprest with rest-les waight in danger deepe Crying for PEACE but yet not like to get-her Yet her condition is not greatly better Democritus I laugh to see all cause of laughter gone Through those which yerst thou said'st haue caus'd thy mone Noting th' old guise I laugh at all their new I laugh at more but dare not tell it you Heraclitus Som sorrowes also I in silence keepe But in the Desart all my woes shall weepe And there perhaps the Rocks will helpe me then For in these dayes they are more milde then men Democritus I 'le dwell in Cities as my Genius guides To laugh my fill for smiling PEACE prouides Such plentious store of laughing-stuffe to fill me That still I 'le laugh vn-les that laughing kill me FINIS AN ODE OF THE LOVE AND beauties of Astraea To the most matchles-faire and vertuous M. M. H. TETRASTICON THou for whose sake my freedome I forsake Who murdring me doost yet maintain my life Heere vnder PEACE thy beauties Type I make Faire war-like
hand he lets We are halfe putrified through sinnes contagious spot And without speedy helpe the rest must wholly rot Cut-off th' infected part then are we sound and free Els all must perish needs there is no remedie Most happy they from whom in this fraile life the Lord With smart of many paines cuts-off the paines abhord Of th' euer-neuer death wherein they lye and languish That heere haue had their ease and neuer tasted anguish But many which as yet the aduerse part approoue Conceiue â—â—not confesse that it doth more behooue By faintless exercise faire Vertue to maintaine Then ouer-whelm'd with Vice at rest to rust in vaine But yâ—â— th extremitie of sufferings doth dismay-them The force where-of they feare would easily ouer-lay them They loue the exercise the chastenings likewise like them But yet they would haue God but seld softly strike-them Els are they prest to runne to ruine with the Diuels They are so sore afeard of false-supposed euils Most wretched is the man that for the feare of nisâ—â—â— All liuely-breathing hopes of happy goodnes stifles Of nifles sir say they seeme all their bitter crosses As nothing nor their paines nor lamentable losseâ— That daily they indure were not the wretches blest If from their heaule load their shoulders were releast Who is not happy sure in misery and woe No doubt prosperity can neuer make him so No moâ—e then he that 's sick should find more ease vpon A glorious golden bed then on a wooden one Man harbours in himselfe the euill that afflicts him And his owne fault it is if discontentment pricks-him And all these outward ills are wrongfully accused Which flesh and blood doth blame for being rightly â—sed They all turne to our good but whoso takes offence Thereby hath by and by his iust rough recompence For neither in their power nor in their proof the same Are euil lauâ— effect but in conceipt and name Which wheÌ„ we lightly waigh the least of vs surmounts them Nor hurt they any one but him that ouer-counts them Neither ought that indeed for euill to be rated Which may by accident be vnto good translated Foâ—â—ll is euer ill and is contrarie euer Directly vnto good so that their natures neuer Can be constrain'd to brooke each other neither yet Can th' â—â—e â—â— euer turn'd to th' other opposite But plainly we perceiue that there 's no languor such But long continuance and custome lighten much Familiarizing so the Fit that how so fret it Euen in th' extremitie one may almost forget it What better proofe of this then those poore Gally-slaues Which hauing been before such Rogues and idle Knaues As shunning seruices to labour were so loth That they would starue die rather then leaue their sloth But being vs'd a while to tug the painfull Oare Labour that yerst they loath'd they now desire the more Or those that are assail'd with burning Feuer-fit Euen then when least of all they dread or doubt of it Who carefully complaine and crie and raue and rage Frying in inward flames the which they cannot swage Yet if it wax not worse the daintiest body makes it In eight daies as a vse and as a trifle takes it Or those that haue sometimes the painfull rack indured Who without change of paine being a while inured The paine that did constraine them to bewaile and weepe Seems them so easie then they almost fall a-sleepe All are noâ— euills then that are surnamed so Sith euill neuer can his nature mingle no Nor turne it into good whereas we plainly see On th' other side that these are changed sodainly And were they ills indeed sith they so little last Were 't noâ—â—â—eriâ— shaâ—e to be so much agastâ— But here againe say they th' ones nature neuer taketh The others nature on but still the stronger maketh His fellow giue him place and onely beareth sway Till that return'd againe driue it againe away Nay that can neuer be for neuer perfect good Can by his contrarie be banisht though withstood For good is euer good and where so e're it goe Euill doth euer striue but with too strong a foe There is no reason then these good or ill to call That alter in this sort and neuer rest at all Neither to blesse or blame them for the good or ill That euer in her selfe our soule concealeth still For if that from without our bale or else our blisse Arriued euermore withall must follow this That alwaies vnto all selfe ill selfe paine would bring Selfe good one selfe content but t is a certaine thing They are not taken for their qualitie and kind But rather as th' affects of men are most inclin'd One loosing but a crowne hath lost his patience quight Another hauing lost fiue hundred in a night Is neuer moâ—'d aiote though hauing lesse in store Then th' other hath by ods his losse might grieue him more One being banished doth nothing but lament Another as at home is there as well content And one in prison pent is vtterly dismaide Another as at home liues there as well appaid Needs must we then confesse that in our selues doth rest That which vphappieth vs and that which makes vs blest In vs indeed the ill which of our selues doth grow And in vs too the good which from God's grace doth flow To whom it pleaseth him true good that none can owe-yet Saue those on whom the Lord vouch safeth to bestow-it And that the bitter smart of all the paines that wring-vs From nothing but our sinne receiueth strength to sting-vs Yea surely in our selues abides our miserie Our Grand-sire Adam left vs that for Legacie When he enthrall'd himselfe vnto the Law of sin Wherein his guilty heires their griefe-full birth begin The Lord had giuen to him a Nature and a feature Perfect indeed and blest aboue all other creature And of this Earthly world had stablisht him as King Subiecting to his rule the reanes of euery thing His spirit within it selfe noselfe-debates did nurse Hauing no knowledge yet of better nor of worse His body euer blithe and healthfull felt no war Of those foure qualities that now doo euer iarre Nor any poysony plant nor any Serpent fell Nor any noysome beast could hurt in any deale He might without the taste of bitter death attaine Vnto the Hauen of Heauen where all true Ioyss doo raigne And had he not misdone he might haue well bequeath'd The same inheritance to all that euer breath'd How happy had he been if he had neuer eaten Th' vnlawfull fatall fruit that double Death did threaten O that he neuer had preferd the Serpents flatter Before th' eternall Law of all the worlds Creator You shall be said the Fiend like supreame Deities This sweet fruites sugred iuice shall open both your eyes Which now your tyrant God enuying all your blisse Blindes with a filmy vaile of black Obscurities Least that you should become his equals in degree Knowing both good and ill as well as euer he
did that sprite that made the Prophet blesse Num. 23. The Israelites whom Balec did addresse To curse them all and wage his couetous toung Which spake contrarie that he would haue soung So please it you my Lord I shall descrie The storie of Izrell yet so doing I Am like the modest Bee that takes but small Of every flowr though she haue choise of all For where she list the sweetest off she crops These people that ye see on mountain tops A briefe discourse of the estate of the Iewes Encamped in these craggs are of the line Of Abraham who seruing God diuine That mighty God of Gods who creat all And firmely knit and built this mighty ball Came to this Land that then was tild and sowen Gen. 12. And by the name of wealthy Canaan knowen Where onely God his wealth did multiplie In goods and siluer gold and familie And when of age he was an hundred year His wife eake barren neuer child did â—ear God gaue them Isaac swearing that his seed Should many Scepters rule and Land bespreed But when that holy Abraham was old And hoped well the promise made should hold O pitious case Th' immortall voice him spake And bad him sacrifice his sonne Isaac Then like a ship between two windes beset Gen. 22. Vpon the raging sea on both sides bet In doubtsom fear â—e wots what way to keep Least one of them confound her in the deep Makes close her ports and slides on Neptunes back At pleasure of the hoisteous windes to wrack So felt this Hebrew in his heart to fight Both loue and duety reason faith and right Nor wist he way to take his troubled soule From this to that continually did roule Vntill the time his heav'nly fear and loue His naturall earthly pitie did remoue Then hauing built the fire and all anone His sonne he layd vpon the sacred stone And with a trembling hand the curtlasse drewe With heavied arme the stroke for to ensewe When lo th' Eternall staid the balefull knife And down it fell and spaird the guiltless life Then God content to haue so great assaye Of Abrams faith defended him alway Of Isaac Iacob came and Iacob than Of valiant sonnes had twelue in Canaan Who forç't by famine fled to Aegypt Land Where for a while their dwelling good they fand Exod. 1 And grew so great in number that they were A fear to those that had them harbourd there And though th' Egyptians dayly them opprest And burthens on their sweating backs were drest Yet like the valiant Palme they did sustaine Their peisant weight redressing vp againe This mov'd King Pharo to command through all Great Nilus Land where raine doth neuer fall He bad his folke should slay whereso they came All children males the seede of Abraham Assoone as they from mothers wombs were free Their day of birth should be their day to d ee O cruell Tiger thinks thou that this deede Of Izak may cut-off th' immortal seede ExclamatioÌ„ Well may it stay the sucklings for to liue And kill th' accustomde frute that heaven doth giue But spite of this men Iacobs seede shall see In flouring state to rule all Cananee The first of every house shall feele the hand And wrath of God against this law to stand It fortun'd Pharo's daughter with her traine Of Ladies faire to play them on the Plaine Vpon the shoare where Gossan floode doth slide Where after many pastimes they had tride She hears an enfant weepe amongst the reedes Then iudging it for one of Izaks seeds As so it was yet with Paternall feare Against his pitious plaint she clos'd her eare But after vewing in that infants face I know not what of fauour and of grace Which did presage his greatnes to ensew Loue vanquisht lawe and pittie dread withdrew So from the floode not onely she him caught But curiously she causde him to be taught As her owne sonne O sonne elect of God Admiration That once shall rule the people with thy rod Thou haste not found a seruant for thy mother But euen a Queene to nurse thee and none other Now see how God alwaies for his elect Note Of wicked things can draw a good effect His prouidence hath made a wicked thing Vnto his owne great profit for to bring When Iosephs brether sold him like a slaue Gen. 41 He after came a kingly place to haue Of Haman proude the darke enuious hate Brought Mardoche the iust to great estate For where his enemie sought his shamefull end Est. The same vnto the worker he did send This Hebrew Moses once as he did keepe On Horeb mount his father Iethro his sheepe Father in Law He saw a fearefull sight a flaming fire Enclose a thorny bush whole and entire From whence a mighty voice vnto him spake Which made the ground betweene the Poles to shake I am that One is was and ay shall bee Exod. 3. Who create all of nought as pleaseth mee I can destroie I am the great and iust The faire the good the Holy one to trust Whose strong right hand this world hath set in frame I am th' Almighty God of Abraham I plague my foes and grant my seruants grace All those that knowledge me and all their race Then follow thou my will and quickly go From me to that prophane King Pharao Who holds the towrs of Memphis and the field Of Nilus shore that rich encrease doth yeeld And bid him let my people freely goe But if with hardned hart he will not so Stretch out thy staffe for to confirme thy charge And it shall turne into a Serpent large And this he shortly did the thing to proue It quickned lo and on the ground gan moue O Miracle he saw without all â—aile It grew a Serpent fell with head and taile Which crangling crept and ranne from trod to trod In many a knot till time th' Almighty God Commanded him the same for to retaine Which to the former shape returnd againe Thus siling humain sight it changed form One while a Rod one while a creeping worm Then armed with this staffe the Lord him sent The proud idolatrous princes to torment He in the name of God full oft did pray The King to let the Hebrews go their way Vnto the desert where he did deuise To offer God a pleasant sacrifise But Pharo clos'd his eare against the Lord And to his holy word would not accord Then God th' Eternall wrought by Moses hand Exod. 4 To approue his word great wonders in that Land For he not only Riuers turnd to blood Exod. 7 But also all the heads of Nilus flood Which watreth wealthy Egypt with his sources Was turnd to blood amid their siluer courses So that the king himselfe his life to feede Was faine to vse such water for his neede This Moses made the froggs in millions creep Exod. 8 From floods and ponds and scrall from ditches deep Who cled all Misraim with their filthy frie Euen on the king
withstand The Heathen host with ech of them in hand An yron mace in stead of launces long And brazen bucklers beating back the throng Their habergions like stiddies stithe they baire With helmets high and pennons pight in aire Of equall age they were and equall length Of equall courage and of equall strength Like Poplers twain that recheth vp their tops And holds their heads so high that none them crops But on the Riuers side do sweetly sway Like germain brether hailsing oft a day The Heathen seeing thus the Iews descend With edge of sword their Citie to defend They left th' assault and thence retyring went As they commanded were vnto their tent But when I think how xxx dayes that towne Tormented was with mischief vp and down Too sad a song I cannot hear inuent So great a sadnesse right to represent My hand for horrour shakes and now no more Can lead my sacred pen as erst before For now mine eyes that watred are with tears Declares my matter all of mischief bears Oh Sprite from whence all sprit and life doth come Thou loosde the tongue of Zacharie that was dōme And sent thy Heralds through the world to preach Thy name and in a hundreth tongues to teach Guide thou my pen and courage to me lend That to thy honour I this worke may end Although that Izak sawe on euery hand A world of folke against his towne to stand Yet tracting time he thought he would prouide No lesse to keep then coole th' Assiegers pride But when they fand the conduits cut and rent By which their water to their towne was sent Their courage bolde and all their craks alas As licour faild so did their stoutnesse pas Their Lords preferring death to bondage vile Made them beleeue the thing did them beguile To wit they gaue men hope that they might keep Sufficient wat'r in wels and cesterns deep Through all the towne the people to relieue That thirst should not the souldiers greatly grieue The magistrates in deed had great regard To see this water wisely spent and spar'd That Bottell sweet which serued at the first To keep the life but not to slocken thirst A viue description of Thirst. When wels grew dry the Commons ran in rage And sought out euery sink their thirst t' asswage And drank with long som draught the pools in haste To quench their thirst with ill contented taste Which poysoned ayre enfect their purest breath Whereby the drinker drank his present death O wretched folke who felt so hard a strife Drink or not drink both wayes must lose their life For he that drank and he that did refrain Had of their enmies both an equall pain For why the water vile slew them throughout No lesse then did their enmies them about That wretched towne had neuer a street nor rewe But Parcas there had found som facion newe To murder men or martyr them with fears As mov'd the most indurate hart to tears If so much water in their brains had been As might forbear a drop to wete their een There plaind the old man that the souldier strong Had reft his Bottell from his head with wrong But while he spake his hart for thirst did faint And life him left which frustrate his complaint The souldier braue Oh hart brek for to tell His proper vryne drank thirst to expell The wofull mother with her spettle fed Her little childe half dead in cradle bed The Lady with her Lord at point of death Embracing fals and yeelds their latest breath For cruell thirst came out of Cyren Land Where she was fostred on that burning sand With hote intracted tongue and sonken een With stomack worn and wrinkled visage keen With light and meigre corse and pailed vains In stead of blood that brimstone hote retains Her poysond mouth blew throw that holy town Such hellish ayr that stifled vp and down The Arters of the Iewes in such a way That nought was seen but burials night and day So that the heauen to see their dolours deep Could scarsly keep his course but preasd to weep And would haue ioind his tears to their complaint If God of hosts had made them no restraint Yea I my self must weep who cannot speak The woes that makes my heavy hart to break And so will silent rest and not rehearse But counterfait the painter in my verse Who thought his colours paile could not declare The speciall woe king Looke the Table Agamemnon bare When sacrificed was his onely race With bend of black he bound the fathers face Now while the people were in this estate And with their princes wrangling in debate They thus besought the Lord for to decide Between their simplesse and their princes pride The Lord be iudge of that which ye haue wrought And what your wicked counsells hath vs brought If you had offred peace to this great Lord At first we might haue wonne him to accord Then happy happy dayes we might haue seen And not so many souldiers murdred been Alas what hope haue we within this holde Our enmies are more meek a thousand folde Then are our owne They haps would vs preserue Our wilfull owne pretends to see vs sterue Our children do our childrens weal denay And headlong hastes vnto their owne decay We knowe O Lord the breaking of thy law Hath caused thee this sword on vs to draw And iustly thou thine yrefull bowe doest bend On our vnloyall heads the shot to send But thou who doth not long retain thine yre Against thine owne thy mercy we require Change thou the purpose of our foolish guides And of these Heathen armed at our sides Or els let vs vpon their weapons fall And of their hands to be destroyed all Er we this drougth and deadly venim haue With languishing to send vs to the graue My brethren dear the Ruler then gan say Our whole desire hath been both night and day Not for to see the seed of Abrahm lost For which we striue against this furious hoste What haue ye pain so likewise pain haue we For in one boat we both imbarked be Vpon one tide one tempest doth vs tosse Your common ill it is our common losse Th' Assyrian plague shall not vs Hebrews grieue When pleaseth God our mischief to relieue Which he will doe if ye can be content And not with grudge his clemency prevent Then striue not you against that puissant king Who create all and gouerns euery thing For comfort of his Church and children dear And succours them though time do long appear Somtime an Archer leaues his bowe vnbent And hong vpon a naile to that intent It may the stronger be to bend again And shoot the shot with greater might and main Right so th' eternall doth withholde his ill A longer time perchance for that he will More egerly reuenge him of their crime Who do abuse his long for bearing time When men applauds to sinne they count it light And but a matter
Incessantly beset with battell great One while her feare refeld her first entent One while her action iust her courage lent Then sayd she Iudith now is time go to it And saue thy people Nay I will not do it I will I will not Go fear not again Wilt thou the sacred gestning then prophane Not it prophane but holier it shall stand When holy folke are helped by my hand But shamefull liues the tray tour euermore No trayt or she who doth her towne restore But murdrers all are of the heav'n forsaken All murder-is not for murder alwayes taken Alas are they not murdrers sleyes their Prince This tyrant is no prince of my prouince But what if God will haue vs vnder his-awe Hee 's not of God that fights against his lawe For then should Ahud Iahell and Iehew Be homiâ—ids because they tyrants slew But what they were commanded of the Lord To such an act my hart should soone accord Alas my hart is weak for such a deed Th' are strong ynough whom God doth strength at need But when 't is done who shall my warrant be God brought me here God will deliuer me What if the Lord leaue thee in Heathen hands Were this Duke dead I fear no death nor bands But what if they pollute thee like a slaue My body with my hart they shall not haue Thus she resolued in her minde at last Her hands and eyes vnto the heauen she cast And with an humble voyce to God she prayd O gratious God that alwayes art the ayd To thy beloued Izak I thee pray To strength my hand euen my right hand this day That I may make this bloody tyrant dye That to discepter thee would skale the skye But since thy goodnesse hath preserued me And brought my bote so near the shoare to be Grant that some sleepy drinke I may prouide To dull this tyrants hart and daunt his pride To th' end that I may free thy congregation Vnto thy honour and our consolation This prayer done she looked round about And heard this dronken prince in sleeping rout Then stept she to his sword that by him stood Which oft had bath'd the world with humain blood But as she preast this tyrant for to quell Fear reft the sword from her and downe she fell And lost at once the strength of hart and corse O God quoth she now by thy mighty force Restore my strength This said with pale annoy She rudly rose and stroke this sleeping Roy So fell that from his shoulders flew his powle And from his body fled his Ethnique â—owle Hie way to hell His bulk all blood bestaind Lay still his head in Iudiths hand remaind The which her maid put vp into a sack Thus throw the camp they close away do pack Empeacht of none For those that had her seen Supposde she went as she had wonted been The nights before vnto the valley whear They thought she went to serue Diana clear When Iudith chaste came near the Hebrew wall Let in quoth she for our great God of all Hath broke this night the whole Assyrian power And raysd the horne of Izak at this hower Then men amazde of her vnhoped state About her ran assembling at the gate Where holy Iudith on a hill was mounted And all her chaunce from point to point recounted And there discov'ring drew out of the sack The bloody head of th' enmy of Izak The Citizens that saw how she did stand With th' end of Assurs head in her right hand They praysed God who by her hand had slain And punished that traytour in humain ' But most of all Duke Ammon did admire ' The worke of God Then he t' escape they re ' Of Iacobs God who aydes the weakest part ' He shortly circumcis'd his flesh and hart ' O God that rightly by foresight diuine ' Repels the purpose of all mens engine ' Who for to lead th' elect to destnyed health ' Even when it seemes them fardest from their wealth ' Of ill thou drawes the good and som in ill ' Thou lets them runne thy Iustice to fulfill ' O Lord the vile desire of blood and sak ' Made Holopherne to warre vpon Izak ' But where that he would Izaks blood haue shed ' He lost his owne for Izak on his bed ' Thus thy good grace hath made his vain inuention 'To take effect contrary his intention ' So Paul became a Saint who was a Pharisee ' And of a tyrant teacher of thy veritee ' So was the theefe that hong with our Messias ' For all his sinne preserued with Elias ' His vitious corps could haue no life here downe ' His soule by grace yet got a heav'nly crowne ' Change then O God the harts of christian princes ' Who sheds the faithfuls blood in their prouinces ' Let thou that sword that thou giues them to guide ' Vpon thy enmies onely be applyde ' Vpon those tyrants whose vnrighteous horne ' Deteins the Land where thy dear sonne was borne ' Not on the backs of those who with humilitie ' Adores the Triple one great God invnitie Then at commandement of this widow chaste A soldier tooke the tyrants head in haste And for to giue the Hebrews hart withall He fixed it vpon the foremost wall Their fathers came and sonnes and wiues and mayds Who erst had lost amongst the Heathen blayds Their sonnes their parents maks and louers dear With heauie harts and furious raging chear They pild and paird his beard of paled hew Spet in his face and out his tongue they drew Which vsde to speak of God great blasphemies And with their fingers poched out his eyes The rife remembrance of so late an ill Made vulgar folke such vengeance to fulfill This while Aurora ceased to embrace Her ancient loue and rose with ruddy face Vpon the Indian heaven the warriours strong That kept the towne now sorted forth in throng Enarmed all with such a hydeous sound As seemde the elements foure for to confound And break the bands that keeps them in their border Retyring them vnto their olde disorder The Pagan watches next the Cities side Awaked with this din start vp and cryde Alarme Alarme like fearfull men agast Then through the Camp the hote Alarum past Som takes his neighbours armour first he findes Confusion And wrong on armes the braceâ—â— both he bindes Som takes a staf for hast and leaues his launce Som madling runnes som trembles in a traunce Som on his horse ill sadled ginnes to ride And wants his spurres som boldly do abide Som neither wakes nor sleeps but mazing stands Som braue in words are beastly of their hands This brute from hand to hand from man to man Vnto the Pagans Court at last it ran Then Bagos Eunuch sadly forth he went T' awake the sleeping Ethnique in his tent And knockt once twise or thrise with trembling hand But such eternall sleep his temples band That he had past already miserable Of Styx so black the
the Goats he shall his Sheep disseuer These Blest in Heav'n those Curst in Hell for euer O thou that once scornd as the vilest drudge Didst fear the doom of an Italian Iudge Daign deerest Lord when the last Trump shall summon To this Grand Sessions all the World in common Daign in That Day to vndertake my matter And as my Iudge so be my Mediator Th' eternall Spring of Power and Prouidence Hauing spoken of the creation of the Matter he sheweth how what Forme God gaue vnto it creating in six Dayes his admirable workes In Forming of this All-circumference Did not vnlike the Bear which bringeth forth In th' end of thirty dayes a shapeless birth But after licking it in shape she drawes And by degrees she fashions out the pawes The head and neck and finally doth bring To a perfect beast that first deformed thing For when his Word in the vast Voyd had brought A confus'd heap of Wet-dry-cold-and-hot In time the high World from the lowe he parted And by itself hot vnto hot he sorted Hard vnto hard cold vnto cold he sent Moist vnto moist as was expedient And so in Six Dayes form'd ingeniously All things contain'd in th' VNIVERSITIE Not but he could haue in a moment made Wherefore God imployed six Dayes in creating the World This flowry Mansion where mankind doth trade Spred Heav'ns blew Curtains those Lamps haue burnisht Earth aire sea with beasts birds fish haue furnisht But working with such Art so many dayes A sumptuous Palace for Mankinde to raise Yer Man was made yet he declares to vs How kinde how carefull and how gracious He would be to vs being made to whom By thousand promises of things to-come Vnder the Broad-Seal of his deer Sons blood He hath assur'd all Riches Grace and Good By his Example he doth also shewe-vs How men should imitate God in his workes We should not heedles-hastily bestowe-vs In any Work but patiently proceed With oft re-vises Making sober speed In dearest business and obserue by proof That What is well don is don soon enough O Father of the Light of Wisedom Fountain The 1. â—reature extracted from the Chaos was Light Out of the Bulk of that confused Mountain What should what could issue before the Light Without which Beauty were no beauty hight In vain Timanthes had his Cyclope drawn In vain Parrhasius counterfeited Lawn In vain Apelles Uenus had begun Zeuxis Penelope if that the Sun To make them seen had neuer showen his splendor In vain in vain had been those Works of Wonder Th' Ephesian Temple the high Pharian-Tower And Carian Toomb Tropheis of Wealth and Power In vain they had been builded euery one By Scopas Sostrates and Câ—esiphon Had All been wrapt-vp from all humane sight In th' obscure Mantle of eternall Night What one thing more doth the good Architect In Princely Works more specially respect Then lightsomness to th' end the Worlds bright Eye Careeâ—ing dayly once about the Sky May shine therein and that in euery part It may seem pompous both for Cost and Art Whether Gods Spirit mouing vpon the Ball Of bubbling Waters which yet couered All Sundry opinions concerning the matter and creation of Light Thence forç't the Fire as when amid the Sky Auster and Boreas iusting furiously Vnder hot Cancer make two Clouds to clash Whence th' aire at mid-night flames with lightning flash Whether when God the mingled Lump dispackt From Fiery Element did Light extract Whether about the vast confused Crowd For twice-six howrs he spread a shining Cloud Which after he re-darkned that in time The Night as long might wrap-vp either Clime Whether that God made then those goodly beams Which gild the World but not as now it seems Or whether else som other Lamp he kindled Vpon the Heap yet all with Waters blindled Which flying round about gaue light in order To th' vn-plaç't Climates of that deep disorder As now the Sun circling about the Ball As Light 's bright Chariot doth enlighten All. No sooner said he Be there Light but lo Gen. 1. 3. The form-less Lump to perfect Form gan growe And all illustred with Lights radiant shine Of the excellent vse and commoditie of Light Doft mourning weeds and deckt it passing fine All-hail pure Lamp bright sacred and excelling Sorrow and Care Darknes and Dread repelling Thou World's great Taper Wicked mens iust Terror Mother of Truth true Beauties onely Mirror God's eldest Daughter O! how thou art full Of grace and goodnes O! how beautifull Sith thy great Parent 's all-discerning Eye Doth iudge thee so and sith his Maiesty Thy glorious Maker in his sacred layes Can doo no less then sing thy modest prayse But yet because all Pleasures wax vnpleasant Why God ordained the Night and Day alternately to succeed each other If without pawse we still possesse them present And none can right discern the sweets of Peace That haue not felt Warrs irkesom bitterness And Swans seem whiter if swart Crowes be by For contraries each other best descry Th' All 's Architect alternately decreed That Night the Day the Day should Night succeed The Night to temper Dayes exceeding drought The commodities that the Night bringeth vs. Moistens our Aire and makes our Earth to sprout The Night is she that all our trauails eases Buries our cares and all our griefs appeases The Night is she that with her sable wing In gloomy Darknes hushing euery thing Through all the World dumb silence doth distill And wearied bones with quiet sleep doth fill Sweet Night without Thee without Thee alas Our life were loathsom euen a Hell to pass For outward pains and inward passions still With thousand Deaths would soule and body thrill O Night thou pullest the proud Mask away Where-with vain Actors in this Worlds great Play By day disguise-them For no difference Night makes between the Peasant and the Prince The poor and rich the Prisoner and the Iudge The foul and fair the Maister and the Drudge The fool and wise Barbarian and the Greek For Night's black Mantle couers all alike He that condemn'd for som notorious vice Seeks in the Mines the baits of Auarice Or swelting at the Furnace fineth bright Our soules diresulphur resteth yet at Night He that still stooping toghes against the tide His laden Barge alongst a Riuers side And filling shoars with shouts doth melt him quite Vpon his pallet resteth yet at Night He that in Sommer in extreamest heat Scorched all day in his own scalding sweat Shaues with keen Sythe the glory and delight Of motly Medowes resteth yet at Night And in the arms of his deer Pheer for goes All former troubles and all former woes Onely the learned Sisters sacred Minions While silent Night vnder her sable pinions Foldes all the World with pain-less pain they tread A sacred path that to the Heav'ns doth lead And higher then the Heav'ns their Readers raise Vpon the wings of their
immortall Layes EVEN NOVV I listned for the Clock to chime Before he conclude the first Day he treateth of Angels Dayes latest hower that for a little time The Night might ease My Labours but I see As yet Aurora hath scarce smil'd on me My Work still growes for now before mine eyes Heav'ns glorious Hoast in nimble squadrons flyes Whether This-Day God made you Angels bright The time of their Creation not certainly resolued Vnder the name of Heav'n or of the Light Whether you were after in th' instant born With those bright Spangles that the Heav'ns adorn Or whether you deriue your high Descent Long time before the World and Firmament For I nill stiâ—ly argue to and fro In nice Opinions whetherso orso Especially where curious search perchance Is not so safe as humble Ignorance I am resolv'd that onceth ' Omnipotent Created you immortall innocent Good fair and free in brief of Essence such As from his Own differd not very much But euen as those whom Princes fauours oft Some of theÌ„ are â—allen reuolting from God and are cast into Hell therefore called Euill Angels Wicked Spirits and Diuels Aboue therest haue rais'd and set-aloft Are oft the first that without right or reason Attempt Rebellion and doo practice Treason And so at length are iustly tumbled down Beneath the foot that raught aboue the Crown Euen so som Legions of thoselofty Spirits Envy'ng the glory of their Makers merits Conspir'd together stroue against the stream T' vsurp his Sâ—epter and his Diademe But He whose hands doo neuer Lightnings lack Proud sacrilegious Mutiners to wrack Hurld them in th' Aire or in som lower Cell For where God is not euery where is Hell This cursed Crew with Pride and Fury fraught Of vs at least haue this aduantage got That by experience they can truly tell How far it is from highest Heav'n to Hell For by a proud leap they haue tane the measure When head long thence they tumbled in displeasure These Fiends aâ—e so far-off from bett'ring them The insolent and audacious attempts of Satan and his Fellowes against God and his Church By this hard Iudgement that still more extream The more their plague the more their pride increases The more their rage as Lizards cut in peeces Threat with more malice though with lesser might And euen in dying shewe their liuing spight For euer since against the King of Heav'n Th' Apostate Prince of Darknes still hath striv'n Striv'n to depraue his Deeds t'interr their Story T' vndoo his Church to vnder-mine his Glory To reaue this World's great Body Ship and State Of Head of Maister and of Magistrate But finding still the Maiesty diuine Too strongly â—â—nâ— t for him to vnder-mine His Ladders Canons and his Engines all Force-less to batter the celestiall Wall Too weak to hurt the Head he hacks the Members The Tree too hard the Branches he dismembers The Fowlers Fishers and the Foresters Set not so many toyls and baits and snares To take the Foul the Fish the sauage Beasts In Woods and Floods and fear-full Wildernes As this false Spiritsets Engines to beguile The cunningest that practice nought but wile With want on glaunce of Beauties burning eye The diuers baits of the Diuell to entrap mankind He snares hot Youth in sensuality With Golds bright lustre doth he Age intice To Idolize detested Auarice With grace of Princes with their pomp and State Ambitious Spirits he doth intoxicate With curious Skill-pride and vain dreams he witches Those that contemn Pleasure and State and Riches Yea Faith it selfe and Zeal be somtimes Angles Wherewith this-Iuggler Heav'n-bent Soules intangles Much like the green Worm that in Spring deuours The buds and leaues of choisest Fruits and Flowrs Turning their sweetest sap and fragrant verdure To deadly poyson and detested ordure Who but alas would haue been gull'd yer-whiles Their Oracles With Night's black Monark's most malitious wiles To hear Stones speak to see strange wooden Miracles And golden Gods to vtter wondrous Oracles To see Him play the Prophet and inspire So many Sibyls with a sacred fire To raise dead Samuel from his silent Toomb 1. Samuel 28. 14 17. To tell his King Calamities to-com T inflame the Flamine of Ioue Ammon so With Heathen-holy fury-fits to knowe Future euents and somtimes truly tell The blinded World what afterwards befel To counter fait the wondrous Works of God Their false Miracles Exod. 7 11 22. 8 7. His Rod turn Serpent and his Serpent Rod To change the pure streams of th' Egyptian Flood From clearest water into crimsin blood To rain-down Frogs and Grass-hoppers to bring In the bed-chambers of the stubborn King For as he is a Spirit vnseen he sees The plots of Princes and their Policies Vnfelt he feels the depth of their desires Who harbours vengeance and whose heart aspires And as vs'd dayly vnto such affects Such feats and fashions iudges of th' effects Their Wiles Besides to circumvent the quickest sprighted To blind the eyes euen of the clearest sighted And to enwrap the wisest in his snares He oft fore-tels what he himself prepares For if a Wise-man though Mans dayes be don As soon almost as they be heer begun Wherefore their effects are so strange wonderfull And his dull Flesh be of too slowe a kinde T' ensue the nimble Motions of his minde By th' onely power of Plants and Minerals Can work a thousand super-naturals Who but will think much more these Spirits can Work strange effects exceeding sense of Man Sith being immortall long experience brings Them certain knowledge of th' effects of things And free from bodie 's clog with less impeach And lighter speed their bold Designes they reach Not that they haue the bridle on their neck God restraines them at his pleasure To run at random without curb or check T' abuse the Earth and all the World to blinde And tyrannize our body and our minde God holds them chain'd in Fetters of his Power That without leaue one minute of an hower They cannot range It was by his permission The Lying Spirit train'd Achab to perdition 1. Kings â—2 35 Making him marchagainst that Foe with force Which should his body from his soule diuorce Arm'd with Gods sacred Pass-port he did try Iust humble Iob's renowned Constancy Iob. 1 15 c. He reaues him all his Cattel many wayes By Fire and Foes his faithfull Seruants slayes To losse of Goods he adds his Childrens loss And heaps vpon him bitter cross on cross For th' Onely Lord somtimes to make a tryall Why the Lord sometimes le ts loose those wicked Spirits Of firmest Faith somtimes with Errors violl To drench the Soules that Errors sole delight Le ts loose these Furies who with fell despight Driue still the same Nail and pursue incensed Their damned drifts in Adam first commenced But as these Rebels maugré all their will T' assist the Good befoâ—ç't
Storms The lightning Flashes and the hideous Forms Seen in the Aire with language meetly brave Whilom discourst vpon a Theam so grave But This-Day flagging lowely by the Ground She seems constrain'd to keep a lowely â—ound Or if somtimes she somwhat raise her voice The sound is drown'd with the rough Oceans noise O King of grassie and of glassie Plains He calleth vpon the true God be assisted in the description of thâ—se two Elements and the things therein Whose powrfull breath at thy drad will constrains The deep Foundations of the Hills to shake And Seas salt billows 'gainst Heav'ns vaults to rake Grant me To-Day with skilfull Instruments To bound a right these two rich Elements In learned numbers teach me sing the natures Of the firm-Earth and of the floating Waters And with a flowring stile the Flowrs to limn Whose Colours now shall paint the Fields so trim All those steep Mountains whose high horned tops God in this third Day gathers together the Waters separates them from the Earth The misty cloak of wandring Clouds enwraps Vnder First Waters their crump shoulders hid And all the Earth as a dull Pond abid Vntill th' All-Monarch's bountious Maiesty Willing t'enfeof man this worlds Empery Commaunded Neptune straight to Marshall forth His Floods a-part and to vnfold the Earth And in his Waters now contented rest Thaue all the World for one whole day possest As when the muffled Heav'ns have wept a main By an apt coÌ„parison he sheweth how the Water withdrewe from off the Earth And foaming streams assembling on the Plain Turn'd Fields to Floods soon as the showrs do cease With vnseen speed the Deluge doth decrease Sups vp it self in hollow sponges sinks And 's ample arms in straighter Chanell shrinks Even so the Sea to ' tself it self he took Mount after Mount Field after Field forsook And sodainly in smaller cask did tun Her Waters that from every side did run Whether th' imperfect Light did first exhale Much of that primer Humour where withall God on the Second-Day might frame and found The Crystall Sphears that he hath spred so round Whether th' Almighty did new place provide To lodge the Waters whether op'ning wide Th' Earth's Hollow Pores it pleas'd him to conueigh Of the lodging and bed of the sea Deep vnder ground som Arms of such a Sea Or whether pressing waters gloomy Globe That cov'red all as with a cloudy Robe He them impris'ned in those bounds of brass Which to this day the Ocean dares not pass Without his licence For th' Eternall knowing The Seas commotive and inconstant flowing The Sea kept within her bouÌ„ds by the Almighty power of God Thus curbed her and 'gainst her enuious rage For-ever fenç't ouâ— Flowry-mantled Stage So that we often see those rowling Hils With roaring noise threatning the neighbour Fields Through their owne spite to split vpon the shore Foaming for fury that they dare no more For what could not that great high Admirall Work in the Waues sith at his Seruants call His dreadfull voice to save his ancient Sheep Did cleave the bottom of th' Erythrean Deepe Exod. 14 11 Iosuah 3 16 Gen. 7 21 Exod. 17. 6 And toward the Crystall of his double source Compelled Iordan to retreat his course Drown'd with a Deluge the rebellious World And from dry Rocks abundant Rivers purl'd Lo thus the waighty Water did yer-while With winding turns make all this world an I le For like as molten Lead being poured forth A fit Simile shewing the winding turns of the Sea abouâ— the Earth Vpon a leuell plot of sand or earth In many fashions mazeth to and fro Runs heer direct thear crookedly doth go Heer doth diuide it self there meets again And the hot Riv'let of the liquid vain On the smooth table crawling like a worm Almost in th' instant euery form doth form God pour'd the Waters on the fruitfull Ground In sundry figures somin fashion round Some square som crosse som long som lozenge-wise Som triangles som large som lesser size Amid the Floods by this fair difference To giue the world more wealth and excellence Such is the German Sea such Persian Sine Such th' Indian Gulf and such th' Arabian Brine And such Our Sea whose divers-brancht * Windings retortions Divide the World in three vnequall Portions And though each of these Arms how large soever The arms of the Sea distinguished into smaller members with coÌ„modities and vse thereof To the great Ocean seems a little Riuer Each makes a hundred sundry Seas besides Not sundry in waters but in Names and Tides To moisten kindely by their secret Vains The thirsty thickness of the neighbour Plains To bulwark Nations and to serue for fences Against the inuasion of Ambitious Princes To bound large Kingdomes with eternall limits To further Traffick through all Earthly Climates T' abbridge long Iourneys and with ayd of Winde Within a month to visit eyther Inde But th' Earth not only th' Oceans debter is A Catalogue of most of the most famous Riuers in the World For these large Seas But sh' owes him TanaÌ„is Nile Aegypts treasure and his neighbour stream That in the Desart through his haste extream Loseth himself so oft swift Euphrates And th' other proud Son of cold Niphates Fair spacious Ganges and his famous brother That lends his name vnto their noble Mother Gold-sanded Tagus Rhyne Rhóne Volga Tiber Danubius Albis Pô Sein Arne and Iber The Darian Plate and Amazónian River Where SPAIN'S Gold-thirsty Locusts cool their liver Our siluer Medway which doth deep indent The Flowrie Medowes of My natiue KENT Still sadly weeping vnder Pensherst walls Th' Arcadian Cygnet's bleeding Funerals Our Thames and Tweed our Severn Trent and Humber And many moe too infinite to number Of him she also holds her Silver Springs And all her hidden Crystall Riverlings And after greatly in two sorts repaies Th' Humour she borrows by two sundry waies Fountains Springs and Riuers welling out of the Earth For like as in a Limbeck th' heat of Fire Raiseth a Vapour which still mounting higher To the Still's top when th' odoriferous sweat Above that Miter can no further get It softly thickning falleth drop by drop A Similie shewing how the waters of the Earth are exhaled by the Sun then powred into the Sea And Cleer as Chrystall in the glass doth drop The purest humour in the Sea the Sun Exhales in th' Aire which thear resolv'd anon Returns to water and descends again By sundry waies vnto his Mother Main For the dry Earth having these waters first Through the wide sive of her void entrails searst Giving more room at length from Rockie Mountains How the Fountains come to breake forth of the Earth She night and day pours forth a thousand Fountains These Fountains make fresh Brooks with murmuring currents These murmuring Brooks the swift violeÌ„t Torrents These violent Torrents mighty Rivers These These Riuers make