sinnelesse yet for sinne of man is mockt beat The sixt vnder Iesus Christ hong And laid in graue The last is th'euerlasting rest Then shall th'embillowed Sea be downe a leuell prest The Sunne shall lose his light The last shal be the worlds rest Heau'n stay his whirling round All fruit shall cease to grow vpon th'all-bearing ground And we that haue on earth beiecued Heauenly troaths Shall keepe in Heau'nly ioy the Saboth of Sabothes What shall I hope alas of all the latter age Adam considers what shall betide his posteritie till the first world is ended by the Flood Or fierie vengeance sent to burne this worldly stage Or men who law'd by lust nere heard of God nor me What shall I hope of them when these whose pedegree So late from Eden draw'n continues liuely sense Of Heau'nly doome on me when these with mad offence Gods anger still prouoke Ha traitor and rebell soule Ha Lamech was 't a fault so light thy bed to soule To third the paire-of-man that yet more hellish wood Needs must thou dip thy blade in double-gransiers blood Nor could the Rogues pasport embrant betwixt his browes Nor his charge stay thine hand who power infernall bowes But Enos O thou Saint be bold Enos restablisheth Gods seruice and plant againe The standard of beleefe which mans vnsteddie braine Hath laied along the ground Call-on the Sou'raine Good Besprinkle his altars hornes with sacrificed blood Send vnto his sacred smell the sweet perfumie clouds And Truths bright lampe retinde in Errors ashie shroudes See Enoch thy disciple he with a godly strife Still dying to himselfe liues in the Lord of life Grace of the world Faithfull Enoch taken away to the Lord for pleasing him Heb. 11.5 Gen. 5.24 and sets t' abide th'ey daunting shine That blazeth lightning-like i'th'essence first diuine Lo how deliuered from yoake of bodies weight And sequestred from sense he meats the toplesse height Of Heau'n and borne on wing of Fasting Faith and Prayer Styes vp the tent of Saints embroyd'red all so faire He though a guest on earth in heau'nly trance doth fall Know'th all seeth all hath all in God that 's all in all He passing each degree from forme to forme ascends And O most happie man in Gods owne likenesse ends For lo th' All-goodly-faire him for his vertue loues And not in part but all from earth to heau'n remoues Gone art thou art thou gone vnto the starrie blew Adieu my sonne Enoch adieu my sonne adieu Liue happie there on high thy body now a sprite Or changed wondrously to shape of Angell bright Puts-on eternitie thine eyes now no more eyes But newly-flaming starres do beautifie the skies Thou drinkest now thy fill of Nectar wine thy day Of Saboth neuer ends the vaile now draw'n away Thou seest God face to face and holily vnite Vnto the Good Three-one thou liu'st i' th infinite An Angell new but lo thou leauest here behind The Patriarchs children corrupt themselues by marrying with the prosanerace of Cain Men of vnbounded lust their hands-rake all they find Their bellie like a gulfe is euer gluttonous Yea would a man beleeu 't the very chosen race And holy peopl ' of God th' adopted sonnes of grace They are alas the men most impudent of all They gallop after sinne with bit in teeth and fall T' embrace in lustfull heat mans daughters lewd and vaine Profanely tempering the blood of Seth and Cain So with a shamelesse eye they choose the gawdy face Before the godly mind From these foule beds a race Of Gyants God knowes what spring vp with bloodie minde Strong fierce plagues of the world and whips of humane kind Then God who sees that sinne more by the long delay Of his reuenging hand encreaseth day by day Is angrie and now no more will plead the reason why But man an all for man will sodainly destroy At least what ere with wing doth clip the yeelding aire Or haunt in mortall state the land so richly-faire With one hand sets he ope the windowes of the skie Whence on mens rebell heads there falleth from on hie A thousand showrie seas he gripes i'th'other hand The soaken spongie globe of th'all defiled land And sets it hard in presse and makes it cast anon What flouds it euer dronke sen first the world began From euery vaulted rocke great riuers gin to flow And downe-hill so encrease with flouds of moulten snow That Firre and Cedar trees scarce any bow do show The wat'r swol'n so hie and bankes are sunke so low O what posteritie for want of skill to swimme Loose I within these gulfes yet some full brauely climme The craggie peakes of hills t' escape the raging deepes And grapple about the rockes but ah the wat'r vp creeps And lesning all these hills makes all the world a meere My children whither now O whither can you steere From God but vnto God whose anger hath shooke the world Quite cut-off all your legs in flood your bodies horld Now grows the flood so high that th'erth is more then drownd The riuers and the sea haue all one onely bound To wit a clowdy skie a heau'n still full of raine As trauelling with child of many another maine To make me childerlesse O father miserable O too-to fruitfull reines O children dammageable O gulphes reuealed for me that were before vnknown O end of all O world en wrackt and ouerflow'n O Heau'n O mightie sea O land now no more land O flesh and blood but here his voice began to stand For sorrow stopt the pipe and ny of life berest him So fall'n a swoond with griefe the Prophet Spirit left him Annotations vpon the end of Adam and beginning of Noe. 1 THe wining Territorie The verses are graue and full of maiestie and agreeable to the person that speakes Adam sheweth vnto his sonne in how many daies the world was created and how many ages it shall endure To giue more weight to this declaration he brings in the first of Mankind to speake thereof as it were by the rauishing power of the holy Ghost for that his purpose was to ioine to the former discourse of Creation the sequele of diuers ages of the world which Adam could not speake of but by Spirit of prophecie 2 That first As God created Heauen and Earth in sixe daies and rested the seuenth so Adam shewes that the world shall continue sixe ages and in the seuenth shall be the eternall rest of the Church triumphant in Heauen Some there are both old and new writers who discoursing on this number of six and constring to their purpose the saying That a thousand yeares are as one day before the Lord haue imagined that the world from beginning to the end shall fulfill the number of six thousand yeares to wit two thousand before the law two thousand vnder the law and two thousand vnder Grace But this opinion hath so little foundation in holy Scripture that contrariwise
euen the descendents of Seth also with whom the truth of God remained began to be debauched in following the course of Cainites Howsoeuer most likely it is that Enos and other good seruants of God by all meanes endeauoured to maintaine true righteousnesse and holinesse and so much the rather because they saw that issue of Cain giuen ouer wholly to the world And hence it is that we reade in the sixt Chapter of Genesis that the posteritie of Seth were called the Children of God and there also by the Daughters of Men are meant women descended of Cain 6 See Euoch Moses is briefe but as graue and pithie as may be speaking of the holy Patriarke Enoch Gen. 5.22 Enoch after he begat Methusala walked with God three hundred yeares and begat sonnes and daughters So Enoch walked with God and appeared no more for God tooke him To walke with God is to please God as the Apostle expounds it Hebr. 11. Hereto the Poet affords his learned Paraphrase As that Enoch dying to himselfe and liuing vnto the Lord was exercised daily in meditation of the ioyes of heauen and raised himself as it were aboue the world with the wings of faith fasting prayer As also the Apostle saith By saith Enoch was taken away that he might not see death neither was he found for God had taken him away Saint Iuâ—e in his generall Epistle saith that Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophecied against the wicked saying Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to giue Iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly among them of all the wicked deeds which they haue vngodly committed and of all their cruell speeches which wicked sinners haue spoken against him The Poet holds according to the opinion of many Diuines both old and new that Enoch was taken both soule and body vp into heauen for a manifest witnesse to the former world of euerlasting life For this was no such inuisible departure or disappearance as is of the soule from the body And whereas the Apostle saith hee was not found it shewes that such as then liued in the world laid to heart this miracle and after diligent search made the godly were much comforted thereby as the wicked could not but be much dismayed Moreouer the Chronicles doe reckon but fiftie six yeares betwixt the death of Adam and the taking vp of Enoch and as the death of the one taught all After-commers to thinke on their weaknesse so the life of the other made the godly more assured of life euerlasting and glory of body and soule for euer I desire each Christian Reader to consider well the fift Chapter of Genesis that he may well compare the times of these Patriarkes and marke how long some of them liued with their fore and after-beers whereby they might the better learne of the one and teach the other what was the true seruice of God 7 Men of vnbounded lust Although the first world endured 669. yeares after the Assumption of Enoch yet true is the Poets saying that after this Patriarke was gone all godlinesse holinesse and righteousnesse began to decay howsoeuer Noe and his Father Lamech and his Grand-father Methusala who deceased not many moneths before the Floud but in the same yeare did set themselues mainly against those disorders and shewed themselues euen by way of preaching to be as it were the Heraulds of Iustice Moses shewes plainly the particulars throughout the whole fift Chapter and in the beginning of the sixt what horrible sinnes the descendants of Seth committed by ioyning themselues to those of Cain as first the neglect of Gods word then Tyranny violence oppression iniustice wantonnesse polygamie or hauing more wiues at once than one and all wickednesse growne to a height altogether vncorrigible so as the estate both of Church Kingdome and Family were all turned vpside downe and to be short a deluge of impiety and filth had couered the face of the whole earth 8 Of Gyants God knowes what Moses saith Gen. 6.4 that in those daies were Giants vpon the earth and chiefly after that the sons of God which were the posterity of Seth grew familiar with the young women descended of the line of Cain and had issue by them He saith also that these Giants were mightie men which in old time were of great renowne Some apply the word Giant to the exceeding stature of those men whereby they made all afraid that beheld them Others whom the Poet followes to the Tyranny and violence of such as Irued immediatly before the Deluge among whom some there were who bore all afore them and became a terrour to all others Goropius in his Antiquities handleth at large this point concerning Gyants especially in his second booke entituled Gygantomachia 1. Chassagnon hath answered him in a Latine Treatise where he disputeth of the exceeding height these Gyants c. 9 Then God who saw The causes of the Deluge the fore-tellinâ— and execution thereof are set downe by Moses briefly but sufficiently and hereto may be applied that which our Lord and Saâ—iour saith as touching these latter times which he compareth to the time of Noe Matth. 24. As also that of St. Peter in his first generall Epistle 3.20 and in his second 2.5 Lay also to this prediction of Adam the description of the generall Floud set downe by the Poet at the end of the second Day of his first Weeke All this requires a full Commentary but this may suffice in briefe The end of the second Weekâ—s first Day called Adam The second day is called Noe because the most remarkeable things in all the time of that holy Father and his successors vntill Abraham is there represented in foure Bookes following and thus entitled Th' Arche Babylon Colonies and Columnes or Pillars whereof the first is as it were a briefe Commentary vpon diuers passages of the six seuen eight and ninth Chapters of Genesis But heare the Poet. L'ARCHE The first Booke of Noe called the Arke Auant propos auquel par vne modeste plainte le poëte rend les lecteurs attentifs se fait voye à linuocacion du nom de Dieu SI vous ne coulez plus ainsi que de coustume Et sans peine sans art ô saincts vers de maplume Si le Laurier sacré qui m'ombrageoit le front Esueillé se sletrit si du double Mont Où loin de cest Enfer vostre Vranie habite Ma muse à corps perdu si bas se prceipite Accusez de ce temps l'ingrate cruautè Le soin de mes enfans masoible santè Accusez la douleur de mes pertes nouuelles Accusez mes preces accusez mes tuteles Voila le contrepois qui tire violant En bas les plus beaux soins de mon esprit volant La gresle de mon champ les poignantes espines Qui estoufent en sleur les semences diuines Qui germoient en mon ame O
raigne without some habitations for himselfe and his subiects and considering that Moses in the selfe-same place affirmâ—th that the Cities founded by Nimrod were in the countrey of Sennaar and that in the 12. verse of the 11. Chapter he saith that these builders of Babel dwelt on a plaine in the countrey of Sennaar by good reason the inuention and beginning thereof is here ascribed to Nimrod who by this meanes sought to set his state on foot Also this Monarchie of Babylon was one of the first and with it that of Niniuie as may be gathered out of the words of Moses But the more particular discourse of these matters and diuers other questions concerning Nimrod and his outrages require a larger commentatie 5. Like as the Vulcan weake The Poet saith that as a small deale of fire let fall by some Shepherds among the drie leaues of a great Forrest setting it selfe and hatching as it were the heat a while at length with helpe of the wind groweth to so great a flame that it taketh the whole Forrest and leaueth not a Driad that is not a tree in his proper or naturall barke So the words first vttered by Nimrod then blowne with the bellowes of his Minions and fauourites set the hearts of the people on fire that he soone obtained his purpose This is it that Moses noteth in the eleuenth Chapter of Genesis the third and fourth verses They said one to another the chiefe men hauing put it in their heads Come let vs make bricke and burne in well in the fire so had they bricke in stead of stone and sâ—â—me had they in stead of morter Then said they Goe let vs build vs a Citie and a Tower whose top may reach vnto the heauens that we may get vs a name lest we be scattered vpon the whole earth The Poet in his verse discourseth vpon this deuise It is thought that this proud building was begun about an hundred and fiftie yeares after the Floud The good Patriarch Noe that liued yet long time after saw his posteritie confounded and scattered for so it was the Lords will to exercise the patient faith of his seruant to whom in recompence he shewed the effect of his blessings in the family of Sem where still remained the Hebrew tongue together with the doctrine and discipline of the true Church Now out of this history of Moses touching the building of the Towne and the confusion of the builders is sprong as it seemeth the fabulous discourse of the Poets set downe by Ouid in his first booke of Metamorphosis touching the Giants that heaped hilles one vpon another to scale heauen and dispossesse Iupiter of his throne Thus hath Satan endeuoured to falsifie the truth of sacred historie Well this arrogant building sheweth vs how vaine are the imaginations of worldly men namely to set at naught the true renowne of heauenly life and seeke after the false of earth Carnall men haue no care at all to worship and reuerence the name of the true God they regard only to be accounted-of themselues and so to write their names in the dust Against the attempts of the men of Babel and all their successours let vs oppose these sentences the 18. and 21. of Prouerbs The name of the Lord is a strong tower thither shall the iust repaire and be exalted There is no wisdome nor vnderstanding nor force can preuaile against the Lord and that which is written Psal the 127. Except the Lord doe build the house the builders labour but in vaine 6. God seeing this Moses in the 5. and 6. verses of the 11. chapter saith Then the Lord came downe to see the Citie and Towre which the sonnes of men had built And the Lord said Behold the people is one and they all haue one language and this they begin to doe neither can they now bee stopped from whatsoeuer they haue imagined to doe come on let vs goe downe and there confound their language that they vnderstand not one another Then he addeth the execution of the sentence saying So the Lord scattered them from thence vpon all the earth and they left off to build the Citie Therefore the name of it was called Babel because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth and scattered them from thence ouer all the world God that is all in all neuer changeth his place he goeth neither vpward nor downward but the Scripture saith hee goeth downe then when he worketh any thing on earth which falling out beyond and against the ordinary course of nature witnesseth his particular presence Vnder these few words of Moses a many things are to be considered chiefly he noteth the great sinnes of the builders in that he bringeth in the Lord iudge of the whole world vouchsafing to bow downe his eyes particularly vpon that foolish people For it is not without cause that the great God of heauen and earth should arise from his throne and if I durst so say leaue the palace of his glory to come and view these durt-dawbers or morter-makers By this manner of speech Moses sheweth and giueth vs to vnderstand that long time before these Babylonians had built in their hearts most wonderfull high and stately towers and that long agoe they had bak'd in the sire of their concupiscence some maruellous brickes to wit they had much counsailed one with another and discoursed of meanes to get renowme and found no better way to attaine their purpose then to raise a tower vp to the heauens to rauish with astonishment all those that should behold it So Moses saith that this pride and froward selfe trust deserued a grieuous punishment but as God is perfectly iust so layeth he vpon the builders a chastisement proportionable vnto their offence 7. Thus had he said and straight In God it is all one to will and to doe And further he sendeth not lightning winde nor tempest against the tower but contenteth himselfe to strike the proud and puffed-vp braines of the builders and so the building founded vpon their folly was ouerthrowne by their foolish iangling that God mingled with their language and the vainglorious masons insteed of their imagined renowne haue gotten themselues euerlasting shame Who would haue thought that God had had so ready such kinde of rods to punish mankinde withall But let the Reader consider whether the world at this day be not full of Babel-towers Marke what a number of men doe in euery kinde of vocation Sith I doe not take vpon mee but to write bare Annotations I leaue it to the Readers consideration who may see now more then euer that the world continueth the building of Babel that is men madly gainset their owne wisedome and power against the wisedome and power of God who treading as it were with woollen feet and stealing on softly is able with an arme of Iron to surprise and seize vpon these builders and turne by diuers meanes their vaine purposes and weake endeuours to
the bitter and saltnesse of the Sea-water Plutarch hath spoke thereof in his booke of the Philosophers Opinions 3.16 see what he saith there and in the ninth question of his first booke of Table-talke and in the first question of his Naturall causes Aristotle in the 23. Section of his Problemos Pliny in his second booke from the 97. chap. to the 101. where he assoiles the most obiections that are made concerning this point of the Sea but especially in the 110. he ascribes there to the Sunne the Saltnesse of Sea-water at the top not at the bottome With him agrees Mellichius vpon the same Chapter of Plinie Garcaeus in the 36. Chapter of his Meteorologie Danaeus in his Christian Physickes 2.11 And Velcurio in his Comment vpon Aristolles Naturall Philosophie 3.7 7 Of the seuenth Article enough hath beene said in the third and the Terrestriall Globe and Mappes doe make all very plaine 8 There rests for the eight Article a word to be said concerning the forme or shape of the Sea whether it be round or flat That which hath beene afore-said shewes plainly it is round but neither in it whole selfe nor parts how then Only as it is enterlaced with the whole body of the Earth and hath for bed the great deepe If any be so curious as to seeke herein further satisfaction let him reade Scaliger against Card. Exercit. 37. c. So much for these eight Articles touching the Sea 30 Here should th' Aire The Poet goes about here to range in proper place both the Elements and Heauens to wit The Earth lowest the Water next thereupon then the Aire then the Fire next ouer these the seuen Planets and aboue them the Fix-star-heauen embrased with the primouable and ouer that the glorious habitation of Saints This is the common opinion of Christian Astronomie agreed-on by most Winters both of late and former times Some few as Copernicus and his followers gainsay it but the Poet takes after that opinion which is most likely and most receiued 31 Among the greater Six The Terestriall Globe hath Ten Rings or Circles six great ones so called because they diuide the Sphere after the full compasse thereof into equall parts and foure called leste because they diuide it into parts vnequall The first of the great here mined by the Poet is the Equator or Equinoctiall which I tearme The Circl ' of Match-day night This Circle in euery part therof is like distant from the Poles of the world diuideth the Globe into two equall parts and is the greatest of all the Circles by reason whereof it comes to passe that the Sunne and other Planets haue vnder this a swifter course than other of those heauenly bodies as contrariwise they runne slower when they come nearer the Poles And when the Sunne is vnder this Line day and night is equall throughout the world and that caused the name There are two such times in the yeare the one called of the Spring the Vernall Equinox about the eleuenth of March the other the Autumnall of that Season and falleth commonly neare the thirteenth of September For when the Sunne first entreth Aries or Libra then is he vnder the Equinoctiall and stayeth as long aboue as vnder euery Horison that is twelue houres a peece halfe the naturall day This and the rest would better be vnderstood with an Armillary Sphere in hand 32 This other The second great Circle is called the Zodiake which diuides the Equator into two equall parts at the beginning of Aries and Libra and the one toward the North is called the Articke halfe and the other toward the South the Antarticke halfe of the Equator The Zodiake hath other Poles or Axelpoints than those of the world and from them also distant 24. degrees which also in the Globes turning draw-out the Tropicke Circles of Cancer and Capricorne whereof hereafter 33 This other passing-through The Astronomers imagine also two other great Circles called the Colures which a man may thinke doe stead the Globe no more than to hold the parts thereof together For the office that some giue them to distinguish the Night-qualles and Sunstaies belongeth more properly to the Equator and Tropickes The Poet here exactly describes the first Colure and saith it is drawne from one of the Tropickes to the other to note the staies of the Sunne who comming thereto neere goes not so fast as afore 34 And this here crossing This is the description of the second Colure that shewes the equall space betwixt the two Equinoxes or Eauen-nights of Spring and Autumne and the two Solstices or Sun-stayes of Summer and Winter The word Colure comes of the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies curtolled or cut off by the taile because onely one part appeares vnto vs and the other is hid and so saith Proclus 35 And this the circl ' of Noon That is the Meridian which passing through the Poles and our Zenith or Crowne-point diuides the Globe into halues the one East the other West It is called the Noon-line or Meridian because alwaies when the Sunne by sway of the Primovable comes thereto at what time or place soeuer then there it is Noone and Noone is nothing else but the midday Naturall or Artificiall Whereupon it followes that all Cities vnder the same Meridian stand alike distant from East and West and contrary-wise if one be neerer East or West then another they haue not the same Meridian but diuers Th'arke then or round parcell of th'Equator reckoning from West to East which is betweene the Meridian of the Fortunate Isles and the noon-point of any place or Citie is colled the longitude or length of that Citie or place and their Latitude or bredth is the Arke of their Noon-circle from th'Equator to the Crowne-point Hence also arises the distinction of Climats implied here in the word Horison which moueth as farre as you will to North or South The Ancient Astionomers saith Appian in the 6. Chapter of his Cosmography diuided the whole Earth into seuen Climats or degrees of heat and cold but we now obserue nine by reason of our late more exact discoueries A Climate is a space of the Earth betweene two paralels or lines of Latitude differing halfe an houre in Sunne-dyall one from other for the Sunne drawing from the Equator toward the Poles must needs make the daies vnequall And so much is one Climat remoued from the Equato as makes the daies there differ halfe an houre from the Equinox from Day-and night-cauen Heere further is to be noted that euery Climate takes 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 enâ—â—keble Citie Riuer Country Isle or Mountaine c. From the â—â—quâ—â—â— then to reckon Northward the first Climate is câ—lled of Mâ—â—â— because it runnes thorow the midst of that Citie in dâ—â—â—ke 〈◊〉 second of Sieâ—â— a Citie in Egypt vnder the Tropick of Caâ—â—â— the third of Alexandria the fourth of Rhodes the fift of Rome the sixt of Pontus the seuenth of Boristhenes
PART OF DV BARTAS ENGLISH AND FRENCH AND IN HIS OWNE KINDE OF Verse so neare the French Englished as may teach an English-man French or a French-man English Sequitur Victoria junctos With the Commentary of S. G. S. By WILLIAM L'ISLE of Wilburgham Esquier for the Kings Body Sufficit exiguâ fecisse in parte periclum Haec Regi placeant sic quoque caetera vertam LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND M.DC.XXV A Pastorall Dedication to the King I Soong of late as time then gaue me scope Howbee't for other times a way left ope But now as now to th' end my Lord may heare My voice then hoars to day is waxen cleere My former Shepheards song deuised was To please great Scotus and his Lycidas But this for Galla whom th'All-mightie power Hath made a Lilly-Rose and double flower O Vally Lilly and Sharon-Rose her blesse Though this good speed preuēted hath my presse Else had I not this peece of booke alone But whole Du Bartas offred at your throne For either nation counterpaged thus T' acquaint more vs with them and them with vs. Yet o vouchsafe it thus and grant an eare To these two Swains whom I ore-heard whilcare As Shepheard Musidor sate on a balke Philemon commeth to him and they talke Least on quoth he my tongue ore-often run Thus each with oth'r I stay till they haue done Phi. Good day what not a word how dost thou fare Or art thou sicke or takest thou some care Mu. Care Shepheard yea to shew what ioy I can Ph. How that 's a riddle what 's thy meaning man Mu. For sith a Nymph a daught'r of Shepheards God Who rules a world of sheepe with golden rod From loftie shrine descending yet will daigne To stoope at this my cottage homely-plaine And of her fauour make herselfe the guage To me that ought her seeke on Pilgrimage Phi. Oh now I see whereon thy mind is bent How to prepare fit entertainement Mu. What shall behooue me do or how to looke For though I pawne my fairest pype and hooke That one which Damon gaue me by his will That other woon in game on Magog hill I le entertaine her She I pawne my life Will proue the greatest Kings child sister wife I le entertaine her If I not mistake Some Wheat-floure haue I for a bridall-cake And Abricots and Plums blacke red and white Preseru'd with hony cleere as chrysolite And nuts and peares and apples prety store My poultrie will affoord me somewhat more Except the Fox deceiue me Phi. Shame him take Oft hath he made our Chaunticleer to quake But Creame and Butt'r is skarce yet out of horn And all Achats this yeare apprize to corn Mu. I nothing buy nor haue I much to sell Store is no sore my house it finds full well For there is corne and milke and butt'r and cheese Thankes vnto Pales then if please my bees That waxen wasps when any shrews do fret them But if I may by gentlenesse entreat them To lend m' a combe as sweet as is my guest Enough it will be for a Sheepheards feast Phi. Thou mak'st me think of my great gransirs cheere That would but did not Ouid. 8. Mei de Philemone Baucide Vnius anser eral minuna cuslodi◠villae kill for Iupitere And that he would was but a single goose The Sentinell of that skant furnisht house Mu. I know the Gods do hart and welcome prize Aboue great store of cheere and sacrifize Phi. True and their cheere some more some lesse by rate Not of their owne but of their hosts estate Mu. I haue a flocke too Pan I praise therefore Though not so fat as hath beene heretofore But I le receiue this guest with such deuice As Shephard best becomes no Muse is nice They quickly yeeld to grace a Pastorall Vranie Thalie Calliop and all Such I prepare and they will all be here With all the musicke of their heauenly queere Phi. But how I pray thee as thou lou'st the kirke Wilt thou deuise to set them all awerke Mu. I haue a pricke-song for Calliope To trie her voice in euery moode and key And she shall sing the battell of those Rammes Who to th' affrighting of our tender lambes In riualling for Helens of the flocke Affront each other with a cannon knocke Some faire Ewes wool-lock wearing each in horn Or other fauour as they wont toforn At feast of Gor good Shepheard that of yore Embrew'd the Crosier-staffe with Dragons gore This order shall she sing of all most liefe Because my faire guest weds thereof the chiefe Ph. So for Calliope What for the rest Mu. In Orchard that my selfe with care haue drest My rarest tree it beares but only seau'n Hath apples streaked like the Globe of Heauen On one of them Vranie shall discourse Of euery starre the setting and the sourse And shew the Bride and Bridegroome all confines Of his and her land by the mid-day lines Ph. Were lines of length and breadth like-easly seen It were not heard Mu Then on the flowrie green Or in my garden shall Thalia sing How diuers waies dame Flora decks the Spring And how she smiles to see May after May Draw'n-out for her to tricke this Ladies way With diuers kinds of diuers-colour'd flow'rs Some strew'd aground soe hanging on the bow'rs As curious writers wont embraue their Text With new and gueason words Phi. On on to th' next Mu. Well-pleasing Euterp shall the next in order With gentle breath enwhisper my Recorder And after playing sing and after song Trull-on her fingers all the cane along High low amids now vp now downe the key With Re-Mi-Fa-Sol and Sol-Fa-Mi-Re Declaring how by foure the selfe-same notes Are set all tunes of Instruments and Throates Which are to sound the Queenes sweet harmonie Both of her minde and bodies Symetrie Ph. As I haue heard report such if it be Mu. Fy-on that If Ph. Deserues it only she Mu. But I proceed On harpe shall Polymnie Renew great Orpheus sacred memorie For louing only one and her so well That he assayd to fetch her out of Hell Phi. So Poets say but such come neuer there From death perhaps Mu. So would I do I sweare For such a wife Phi. So would not I for mine But now the rest for here 's but fiue of nine Mu. Sweet Erato that sets my guest a fire Shall play the romant of her hearts desire So bee 't her Grace it hold no disrepute To heare it charmy-quauerd on her lute Then shal the Bride-maids the Bride-men dance The Men of England with the Maids of France And sing with Venus Cupid Himene This Madrigall set by Terpsichore Spring-Quyristers record this merry lay For Galla faire to day Goes forth to gather May. Grow all the Ground but chiefely where she goes With White and Crimsin Rose Her Loue is both of those She shall him choose and take before the rest To decke her lockes and brest And both shall be
will sooner mount and light aire downward presse Then how thou'lt aske me come these huge and raging floods That spoile on Riphean hils the Boree-shakeÌ„ woods Drowne Libanus and shew their enuious desires To quench with tost-vp waue the highest heau'nly fires He aske thee Cham how Wolues Panthers from the Wild This refutes all the obiections of Atheists At time by Heau'n design'd before me came so mild How I keepe vnder yoke so many a fierce captiue Restored as I were to th' high prerogatiue From whence fath'r Adam fell how wild foule neuer mand From euery coast of Heau'n came flying to my hand How in these cabins darke so many a gluttonous head Is with so little meat or drinke or stouer fed Nor feares the Partridge here the Falcons beake pounces Nor shuns the light-foot Hare a Tygers looke or Ounces How th' Arch holds-out so long against the wauy shot How th' aire so close the breath and dong it choaks vs not Confused as it is and that we find no roome For life in all the world but as it were in toombe Ther 's not so many planks or boords or nailes i'th'arch As holy myracles and wonders which to marke Astonnes the wit of man God shew'th as well his might By thus preseruing all as bringing all to light O holy Syre appease appease thy wroth and land In hau'n our Sea-beat ship ô knit the waters band That we may sing-of now and ours in after age Thy mercie shew'd on vs as on the rest thy rage Annotations vpon the first Booke of Noe called the Arke 1 DIvine verse He complaines of the miseries of our time of his bodies crasinesse and care of houshold affaires which hinder his bold designes and make his Muse fall as it were from heauen to earth He calls the verse diuine because of the subiect matter which he handleth acknowledging withall that as Ouid saith Carmina proueniunt anime deducta sereno and this serenitie or quietnesse of spirit which is all in all for a Christian Poem is a gift from Heauen And therefore this our Poet In stead of calling vpon his Muse which is but himselfe or helpe of profane inuentions looketh vp rather vnto that power from whence commeth euery good and perfect gift that is the father of light 2 Oh rid me This is a zealous inuocation and well beseeming the Authors intent which also is enriched with a daintie comparison For verily the chiefe grace of a Poem is that the Poet begin not in a straine ouer high to continue and so grow worse and worse to the end but rather that he increase and aduance himselfe by little and little as Virgil among the Latin Poets most happily hath done Horace also willeth a good writer in a long-winded worke ex sumo dare lucem that is to goe-on and finish more happily then he began Who so doth otherwise like is to the blustring wind which the longer it continues growes lesse and lesse by degrees but the wise Poet will follow rather the example of Riuers which from a small spring the farther they run grow on still to more and more streame and greatnesse 3 As our foresire foretold Saint Peter in his 2. chapt of his 2. Ep. calls Noe the Herault or Preacher of righteousnesse and in the eleauenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes it is said that Noe being aduertised from God of things not yet seene conceined a reuerent seare and built the Arch for safegard of his familie through the which Arch he condemned the world and was made heire of the righteousnesse which is by saâ—th By these places may be gathered that Noe laying hold on the truth of Gods threats and promises as Moses also sheweth in the sixt of Gen. prepared materials for the Arch and in building the same did as well by worke as word of a Preacher condemne the impiety and wickednesse of men warning them of the iudgement which hung ouer their heads which also was put in execution at the very time appointed by the Almighty 4 When all were once i' th' Arke This historie of the Deluge our Poet had before touched in the end of the second day of his first weeke which passage I the Translator thought good here to insert that the description might be the fuller These verses and the rest to the end of this booke shew vs the fearefull iudgement of God vpon the sinnes of that former world set downe first by Moses in the 6.7 and 8. chapters of Genesis Were I to write a full commentary thereof I should discourse of Noes Arke and diuers questions which present themselues concerning that rare subiect with the precedents consequents and coincidents but I touch lightly these things to draw the Readers care and make still more and more knowne vnto him the great learning and Art shewed in this diuine Poem To see how our Author is his crafts-master let a man conferre this decription with that of Ouid in the first booke of his Metam concerning the Deluge of Deucalion Some of his verses I thought good here to set downe for encouragement of such as haue leysure more neerely to consider and compare the French with the Latine Protinus Aeolijs Aquilonem claudit in antris Et quaecunque fugant inductas flamina nubes Ennttitque Notum madidis Notus euolat alis Terribilem piceá tectus caligine vultum Barba grauts nimbis canis fluit vnda capillis Fronte sedent nobulae rorant pennaeque sinusque Vtqué manu latè pendentia nubila pressit Fit fragor densi sunduntur ab aethere nimbi Then speaking of the land and out-let of Riuers thus Intremuit motuque vias patesecit aquarum Eupatiata ruunt per apertos slumina campos Cwnque satis arbusla trabunt pecudesque virosque Tectaque cumque sais rapiunt penetralia sacris See the rest of Ouid who hath not so exactly described these things as our Poet. 5 Nereus By this word he means the Sea which at the Deluge ouerflowed the whole Earth because it was not then held within the proper bounds thereof by the powerfull goodnesse and prouidence of the Creator Ouid expresseth it thus Omnia pontus erant deerant quoquelittora ponto Virgil thus Spumeus atque imo Nereus ciet aequora sundo Natalis Comes in his Mythologie lib. 8. cap. 6. hath much of Nereus and the Nereides where also he giues a reason why the Poets so call the Sea 6 The Sea-Calues So I translate le Manat for the Veal-like flesh thereof though this be indeed a great Sea-fish described by Rondeletius in the 18. chapter of his sixt booke He is also like a young Bull with a broad backe and a very thicke skin they say he weigheth more then two oxen are well able to draw His flesh as I said before commeth neere the taste of Yeale but it is fatter and not so well relished he will be made as tame as a dog but hath a shrewd remembrance of
hand the murdrer soone or late Moreouer God promiseth there shall bee nâ— more generall stoods of a flood stand you no more in feare The world shall ne'r againe be ouerflow'n I sweare I sweare eu'n by my selfe and when broake I myne oath Yet for a seale and more assurance of the troath Behold I set my bow vpon the cloud of raine That The Rainbow a signe thereof when long season wet the world shall threat'n againe When th' aire all cloudie-thick at noone shal bring you night And heau'n orelaid with raine shall on your hills alight Ye may reioice to see my seale so eue'nly bow'd For though 't imprinted be vpon a misly clowd Though albeset with raine and though it seeme to call The waues of all the sea to drowne the world withall Yet at the sight thereof in all your sore distresse Ye shall remember me and I my promises Then Noe cast-vp eye A description of the Rainebow and wondred to behold A demy-circl ' i th' aire of colours manifold That brightly shining-out and heauing-vp to heau'n Hath for Dyameter a line estrained eau'n Betwixt both Horizons a goodly bow to see And comming all alike nay one bow made of three A yellow a greene a blew and yet blew yellow greene But dapled each with oth'r in neith'r is to be seene A bow that shines aloft in Thunder-shooters hand That halfe-diuides the heau'n and laies on face of land As t were her fine spunne string and bending ore the rocks Against a misly Sun i'th'Ocean dips her nockes The short enduring grace of Heau'ns enflamed blewes Whereon dame Nature layes her most-quicke-lustred hewes What things are signified by this Bow But if thou doe perceiue no more then blew and red Take them for Sacraments as if they figured The Water and the Fire whereof th' one hath of yore And th' other at latter day shall all the world deuore 17. Goe breed The rest of this booke containes a short exposition of the chiefe points handled in the ninth chap. of Gen. Whereof the first shewes the blessing of God that would haue Noe and his children with the rest increase and multiply and replenish the earth For the world now as it were created anew had need be sanctified and quickned from God with a new blessing The second point is that all creatures should be subiect vnto man which we finde true at this day as well by the inuentions we haue to master them all and skill to draw food seruice profit and pleasure many wayes from them as also by this that the fiercest of them doe vs but seldome hurt though easily they might destroy vs if that word of God The feare of you be vpon all the beasts of the earth were not verified and cast as it were a bridle into the iawes and shackle to the pawes of enemies armed with so much aduantage against our kinde The third that Noe and his haue leaue giuen them as freely to make vse of the beasts as of any fruit growing vpon the Earth so that they eat not the flesh with the blood for God would by this restraint shew how abominable murder is in his sight whereof as the fourth point there is mention made expresly in the text And lastly to comfort Noe and his the Lord tells them and sweares thereto that the world should neuer more be destroyed by a generall Flood and further to assure them hereof saith This is the token of the couenant which I make betweene me and you and betweene euery liuing thing that is with you for euer I will set my Bow in the cloud c. Gen 9.12 c. 18. Then Noe cast-vp eye To this elegant description of the Rainebow nothing can be added It appeared certainly before the Flood but then was it not a token of Gods couenant with mankind as now it began to be that the world should be no more destroyed by waters That our Poet so playes the Philosopher vpon the colours of blew and red hee takes it of some ancient Fathers of the Church and it is no wayes impertinent or absurd But the Reader is at liberty to settle his iudgument on that hee shall thinke more conuenient Such Allegories and Poeticall licence haue their grace and good vse when a man propounds them with modestie as doth our Poet not importuning any to receiue them but leauing all men their iudgement free Ayant inuoqué Dieu Noé cultiue la terre comme il faisoit auant le deluge Les enfans de Cain s'estomt adonnez aux arts hauts estats tandis que ceux de Seth s'occupeÌ„t à l'agriculture nostre Ayeul ne veut pas Qu'vn paresseux repos engourdisse ses bras Ilse met en besongae sage recommence Exercer le mestier appris dés son enfance Car les fils du Tyran qui dans le sang germain Premiere of a tremper sa detestable main Ayant comme en horreur l'innocent Labourage Et preferant mignards le delicat ombrage Les oisiues citez aux champs rocher bois Embrasserent les arts les sceptres les loix Mais les enfans de Seth scachant que la Nature Se contente de peu prindrent l'Agriculture Pour leur sainct exercice où guiderent soigneux Et les velus troupeaux les troupeaux laineux Comme vsure louable prosit sans enuie Art nourrice des arts vie de la vie Noé est labouteur plante la vigne Aussi le cher honneur des celestes flambeaux Nâ—a si tost ventousé la terre si gros d'eaux Que celuy qui sauua dans vne Nef le Monde Suant raye le dos de sa mere feconde Et quelque temps apres plante soigneusement Du sep porte-Nectar le fragile sarment Lieu commode pour la vigne les façons d'icelle Car parmi les caillous d'vne coline aisée Aux yeux du clair Soleil tiedement exposée La crossette il â—â—â—â—erre ou le tendrescion Maintenant en godean tantost en rayon Houë la vigne en Mars la bisne tierce émonde Taille amende eschalasse la rende si feconde Que dans le tiers Septembre il treuue en cent façons Son riche espoir vaicu de vineuses moissons Noé est surprins de vin Or Noé desireux de tromper la tristesse Qui cruelle assligeoit sa tremblante vieillesse Pour voir tant de Palais de mol limon couuerts Et rester presque seul bourgeois de l'Vniuers Vniour relache vn peu de sa façon de viure La seuere roideur s'esgaye boit s'enyure Et forcené pensant dans si douce poison Noyer son vifennuy il noye sa raison Ia la teste luy pese Description de l'homme yure le pied luy chancelle Vne forte vapeur luy blesse la ceruelle Ses propos hors propos de sa bouche eschapez Sont consus sont mal-sains
goes from hand to hand Vnto the baser sort of people through the land Who greatly bent to see the famous tower made Doe labour day and night in all and euery trade Some trip the speare-wood Ash with sharp-edg'd axes stroke And some the sailing Elme and some th'enduring Oke So they degrade the woods and shew vnto the Sunne The ground where his bright eye before had neuer shone Who euer did behold some forraine armie sacke A citie vanquished ther 's griefe and ioy no lacke Together hurly-burld he carts and he lays-hold He drags by force he leads and there the souldier bold Can finde no place too sure nor yet no locke too strong The whole towne in a day forth at the gates doth throng So quickly do these men pull-off with one assent From those Assyrian hills the shaking ornament The wildernesse of shade they take from off the rocks And sheare off albeswat the leuell countries locks The waynes and yoked Mules scarse one by the other wend A liuely description of a people busied about a great worke The groaning axeltrees with load surcharged bend Behold here one for mort'r is day and night abruing Of some thicke-slimic poole the water fatly gluing And here the Tyler bakes within his smoakie kell His clay to stone and here one hollows downe to hell So deep foundations that many a damned Spright Aggazeth once againe the Sunnes vnhoped light Heaâ—'n ecchoes out the sound of their mauls clitter-clatters And Tigris feeles his fish all trembling vnd'r his waters The ruddy-colourd walls in height and compasse grow They far-off cast a shade they far-off make a show The world 's all on toile and men borne all to die God being angry with the bold enterprise of Nimrod and his folowers determineth to breake of their enterprise by confounding their language Thinke at the first daies worke their hand shall reach the skie 6. Hereat began th'Lord to sowre his countenance And with dread thuÌ„ders sound that storm-wise wont to glance Athwart the clowdie racks that hills wont ouerthrow And make heau'ns steddy gates flash often too and fro See see quoth he these dwarfes see this same rascall people These children of the dust O what a goodly steeple What mighty walls they build Is this the Cittadell So recklesse of my shot that shakes the gates of Hell I sware an oath to them henceforth the fruitfull ground Should neuer stand in feare of waters breaking bound They doubting fence themselues I would by their extent Haue peopled all the world they by themselues are pent In prison-walls of brick I would haue beene for euer Their master their defence their shepherd their law-giuer And they haue chose for King a sauage Liue-by-spoile A Tyrant seeking gaine by their great losse and toile Who doth my force despise and with vaine-glory swone Attempts to scale the walls of my most holy throne Come let 's defeat their drift and sith the bond of tong Of blood of will of law doth egge on all day long And hearten them in sin to stop their hastie intent Among them let vs send the Spirit of dissent Their language to confound to make both one and other The father strange to sonne the brother deafe to brother 7. The execution of Gods sentence Thus had he said and straight confusedly there went I know not what a brute throughout the buyldiment None other like I guesse then drunken peasants make Where Bacchus doth his launce with Ivy garland shake One doth his language too the another nose his note Another frames his words vnseemly through the throte One howleth one doth hisse another stuttereth Each hath his babbl ' and each in vaine endeuoureth To finde those loued termes and tunes before exprest That in their cradle-bands they drew from mothers brest Goe get thee vp betimes and while the morning gay A sit comparison With rainbow-glosse bedecks the portaile of the day Giue eare a while and marke the disagreeing moods Of winged quiristers that sing amid the woods Good-morrow to their loues where each one in his fashion Is pearched on a bough and chaunteth his Oration Then shalt thou vnderstand what mingle-mangle of sounds Confusedly was heard among the Mason-lounds A Trowell ho saith one his mate a beetl'him heaues Cut me saith he this stone and he some timber cleaues Come ho corne ho saith one and winde me vp this rope Then one vnwinding striues to giue it all the scope This scaffold bourd saith one one makes it downe to fare Giue me the line saith one and one giues him the square He shouts he signes in vaine and he with anger boyles And looke what one hath made forth with another spoiles VVith such confused cries in vaine they spend their winde And all the more they chafe the lesse is knowne their minde At length as men that stand an arched bridge to build In riuers channell deepe that wont surround the field Another excellent comparison declaring how neither counsell art force diligence nor multitude is able to resist God And sodainly behold how vnexpected raine Hath sent a hundred floods that downhill stretch amaine Their yoake-refusing waues they leaue with one aduise Some hasting here some there their carnest enterprise So when these Architects perceiu'd the stormy smart Of Gods displeasure come they straight were out of heart And there they ceas'd their work with hands malecontent Rules mallets plomets lines all downe the towre they sent 4. Now he enthroned is This is the exposition of the words mightie hunter before the Lord to wit that Nimred Chams nephew did proudly lift himselfe vp against God and man His buildings and the beginning of his raigne could not haue beene such without offering violence to the peace and libertie of diuers families ouer whom hee bare rule and there is no shew to the contrary but that by diuers practises from time to time he got the Soueraigntie The holy Scripture oftentimes by the names of hunters and chasers meaneth God enemies and the persecutours of his Church Psa ' 91. 124. Ezech. 32. Lament 3. The seuentie Interpreters translate the Hebrue text after this manner This Nimrod began to be a Giant on the earth and a huntesman or leader of hounds before the Lord God By the hounds of Nimrod may be vnderstood his guards and the fauourers of his tyrannie Moses called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Giâ—or isaid that is Iustie strong or great and mightie chaser Which noteth not only the stature and height of bodie but also might and authoritie ioyned with violence in all those that want the feare of God Now although Moses in the cleuenth Chapter of Genesis where he speaketh of the Citie and Tower of Babel make no mention of Nimrod yet hath the Poet aptly gathered out of the Chapter aforegoing that Nimrod was the author and promoter of those buildings in as much as Babel is called the beginning of his raigne who could not any waies
shall shew you in our tongue The first letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aleph signifieth doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth a house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ghimel Fulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daleth Tables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vau and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zain That or she there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheth Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teth Good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iod Beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaph a Hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lamed Discipline or the Heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mem Theirs or of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nun Continuall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samech Aide or succour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ain a Spring or an Eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phe a Mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sade Iustice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coph Calling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resch a Head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schin Teeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tau Signes All which may be thus put together and expounded The Doctrine of the Church which is the house of God is found in the fulnesse of the Tables that is the holy Scriptures This doctrine and that fulnesse of the tables is the life for what life can we haue without the knowledge of holy Scripture Out of these we learne Iesus Christ who is the life of them that beleeue And although this knowledge be excellent and perfect in God yet as for vs we know not but in part we see as it were by a glasse in darknesse But when we shall ascend vp into heauen and become like vnto the Angels then the doctrine of the house and the fulnesse of the tables of Gods truth shall be accomplished then shall we see face to face the Good prince to wit God himselfe the Soueraigne Good who is the Beginning of all things euen as he is in his owne nature In the mean-time we must lay Hand to the worke of our Calling by the meanes of a right Discipline or a true Hart assuring our selues that we shall finde Continuall Succour in this heauenly truth which is the Spring or Eye of the Mouth of Iustice namely Christ our Head whose Calling is in Signes or markes of Teeth or framed voyce of the Scripture I desire the Reader to take in good part this short Allegorie that I am bold to make vpon the Hebrew Letters and if he desire more in this kinde let him repaire to the Roots of the essentiall words of these letters there may he view the matter more at large For this time it shall suffice to haue shot this arrow toward the marke our Poet aymed at Now for the second point touching the names of seuerall men of Nations and Cities I will note you a couple of examples of each 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham signifieth a Father of many so was his houshold much increased temporally and spiritually hee is the Father of all the Beleeuers whose number is vncountable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses signifieth taken out of the waters so was he by Pharaos daughter when his mother loth to haue him slaine according to the Kings cruell commandement had laid him forth in a pitched flasket by the Riuers brinke Exod. 2. By him also God guided his people through the waters of the red sea and wrought many miracles The Arabians are a people who euen at this day haue no certain place of abode they wander still vp and downe the champion countries and wildernesse they are famous theeues and lurking in secret places make often sallies out vpon their neighbours and set vpon all passengers vnawares Their name commeth of the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arab by Ain in the first Coniugation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hearib which signifieth to mingle day and night together and because that in a desert and waste place all things are confused as if day and night were mingled together therefore the countrie for the situation is called Arabia This agreeth right with another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arab written by Aleph which signifieth to he in ambush or to lurke in dennes as theeues and rauening beasts doe The Aegyptians in the Scripture are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mitsraim because of their strong holds and places of defence that haue beene long amonst them the primitiue word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsor that signifieth to trusse close together In some places of Scripture Aegypt is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rahab that signifieth Proud so indeed they haue alwaies beene high-minded and greater braggers than any other people Now for Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ierusalem signifieth The vision of peace and iust according to the truth for the peace and grace of God hath beene seene and continued vpon that place many hundred yeares and chiefly because it hath beene a sigure of the Church militant and triumphant as often mention is made of the new and heauenly Ierusalem Babylon commeth of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Babel which is deriued of the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Balal to confound mingle or trouble as water when it is mudded For so indeed the earthy Babel that was in Chadaea hath made a hotchpotch of the world and that Babel the spirituall that is spoken of in the Reuelation hath made so many confusions that it is vnpossible to name them all There remaineth the third point touching Birds foure-footed Beasts and Fishes whereof and euery of them I will name two onely for a patterne lest I seeme too long in the Annotations The Storke so commended for her loue toward those by whom she receiued life is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chasida that is to say dutifull louing and religious The Eagle is called Nescher that commeth neare to Shor and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iashar the one signifieth to looke the other to be rightfull and this bird of all other hath the sharpest sight and looketh against the Sunne There is further a liuely description of this bird in the 39. Chapter of Iob as also of the Ostrich and many other in diuers places of Scripture The horse called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sus is thought to come of the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nasas if rather this verbe be not thence deriued which signifieth to aduance himselfe for it is the brauest and siercest of all other foure-footed beasts as Iob finely describeth him in his 39. Chapter The Hebrues haue three names for a Lion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arieh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labi and Laâ—jsch the first commeth of a Verbe that signifieth to snatch and teare in sunder the second of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leb that signifieth the Hart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laab to be in solitary and desert places the third is commonly interpreted a great and roaring Lion not vnlike the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Losh that signifieth to surprise or deuoure for that this beast rampeth vpon and swalloweth
vp his pray The Whales and great fishes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thannim Snakes Serpents or Dragons because they are of a great length and turne and fold themselues euery way and are no lesse dangerous in the Sea than Serpents and Dragons on the land In the 40. Chapter of Iob that great Fish is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leuiathan which some deriue of the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lauah which signifieth to borrow or take a thing for his recreation because the Whole seemeth to play vp and downe the sea as in a place borrowed for recreation The Crocodile that liueth both on land and water is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hatsab and seemeth to come of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsab which signifieth the couering of a Chariot because this mightie creature hath so long and so thicke a skinne More ouer the Hebrues of the whole kinde of fishes speake commonly as if they were of another world because they are so farre parted and seuered from the sight and conuersation of men they make three sorts of them which they expresse by the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dagh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thannim and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leuiathan This haue I added the more to shew the liuelihood and naturall importance of this tongue and herewith I will content my selfe at this time desiring that some other stirred vp by my example would take this matter in hand and discourse of it better and more at large 15. For when Adam Moses saith plainly in the 19. and 20. verses of the second Chapter of Genesis That God made all the beasts of the field and fowles of the heauen come before Adam to see how he would name them and that howsouer he named euery thing liuing so was the name thereof The Man therefore gaue names vnto all Cattell and to the Fowles of heauen and to euery beast of the field The wisdome wherewith our first Father was endued before his fall importeth thus much that he should giue meet and couenable names vnto all creatures vnder his dominion and although the knowledge and search of birds and beasts names be hard because of the weaknesse of mans iudgement now since his fall yet is it not vnpossible as men well seene in the Hebrue tongue haue alreadie shewed 16. And for each Bodie Adam a man perfectly wise before he sinned gaue not only meet names to all creatures that were in a manner the moueables and instruments of his house and of this great shop of the world whereof the Lord had made him master but further enriched his language with all manner of ornaments that might be required to make it perfect So that before his fall he spake more eloquently than any mortall man since After he had sinned entred ignorance into his vnderstanding and frowardnesse into his affections which haue made the speech of him and his posteritie vnfitting vnparfit deceiuable and often false euen in humane and indifferent things yea such sometime as we most curiously study vpon But the grace of God the long life of this Patriarch and his fresh remembrance of the wondrous things that he had seene in the Garden of Eden haue brought to passe doubtlesse that the conuersation instruction reports and authority of so great a personage had a maruellous force to perswade and teach all those that were in his schoole For from him had we â—irst our Arts and Sciences deriued and especially the knowledge of the true God And although since his time things haue beene more and more illightened and pâ—rfited yet must we needes confesse that Adam was the first teacher of them Who so desireth to know the depth of his wisedome let him at his leisure meditate vpon the foure first Chapters of Genesis and he will confesse there is contained the summe of all that all men haue knowne or shall vnto the worlds end Now out of all doubt it is that Adam taught his children and their posterity all these things exactly But Moses by the direction of the spirit of God thought it sufficient to tepresent onely the ground of things otherwise the world neither had not would euer be able to containe the bookus that might be made vpon these foure first Chapters 17. This tongue that Adam spoke The first world continued 1656 yeeres Adam liued 930. yeeres his posterity kept his language and although they possessed with their tents and dwellings a large peece of ground yet is there no place of Scripture to be found whereout may be gathered any proofe of the diuersity of tongues before the flood There being then but one it must needes be the same that Adam taught his children as may also appeare by this that all proper names vntill the flood are Hebrew Noe the true sonne of Adam retained and spoke this tongue and taught it his children And although three or foure score yeeres before the Floud they began to spread abroad themselues and corruption grew more and more among them as by that may be gathered that is written of Nimrod and Asshur and the children of Cham Genesis the 10. yet in the beginning of the eleuenth Chapter Moses witnesseth that at what time they that came to dwell in the plaine of Sennaar spake of building the Citie and Tower afterward called Babel all the earth was one language and one speech which I vnderstand not only of those that dwell in the plaine of Sennaar but of all people then liuing in the world It is likely that they that came out of the East Countries and setled themselues in Sennaar were a great number They spake Hebrue but when consusion befell their tongue some drew one way others another way and in continuance of time their Hebrue varying by meanes of their separation was embased and euery seuerall people had their language apart As for such as were not mingled in this disorder namely the families of Sem or the most part of them they kept the originall and primitiue tongue whereof Heber was the chiefe professour at the confusion of Babel and thence it commeth as it is thought that the tongue was called Hebrue and the people Hebrues as Abraham in whose family that speech remained is surnamed an Hebrue The Poet with some interpretors leaues it in doubt whether Heber was among the builders of Babel or dwelt apart I thinke with some others that he was not of the number but hearing how the Tower-builders were scattered hee gaue the name of Peleg that is Diuision to his sonne that then was borne because saith Mases Genes 10.25 that in his time the earth was diuided Thus much of the Hebrue tongue which was after preserued by Moses and the high Priests the Iudges Kings and Prophets Now let vs consider what the Poet saith further as touching those other tongues that first arising of the Hebrue were after the confusion a hundred thousand waies altered and disguised by the nations liuing asunder who themselues
in dreames They fed their bleating flockes and liuing many Ages Might well the wonders marke of all the shining stages And building on the plot of their fore-fathers ground-work They raised-vp in time a rich a faire a sound worke But vnderstanding well that Gods reuenging Ire Should once the world destroy by wat'r and then by fire As th' old Tradition was thus high aboue the land They rais'd a paire of Pyles with cunning Masons hand That there from throat of Time for their posterities They might the treasures hoard of Algrim Mysteries 4. Thus hauing said he went vnto the standing Rocke And did I know not how a secret doore vnlocke So went with Phaleg in and to a candle came Which with eternall thirst maintain'd immortall flame 5. As when a priuate man is through a hundred wayes Brought by some husher sterne vnto the shining rayes At length of royall seat he wonders at the sight And glaunces vp and downe his eyes vnstayed light So Phaleg was amaz'd and said ô father deere What cunning worke is this whose are these statues heere I thinke foure water-drops may scarse be more then they Th'each vnto th' other like How strange is their aray What secret mystery of heau'nly-learned skilles Is hidden vnder vaile of these faire vtensilles 6. My sonne quoth Heber see foure daughter-twins of heau'n Foure sister-ladies braue the fairest doubled eau'n That ere th' Eternall Spirit proceeding one of twaine Begotten hath or e're conceiued manly braine 7. She there which euer shifts or euer seemes to shift Her fingers and her tongue to gather lay and lift Her counters many-wise is th' Art of Odde and eau'n Whose industrie can search and count all th'oast of heau'n The winter I sickles and flowers diapreade Wherewith sweet sauoury Prime enguyrlands eu'ry meade She sets her bewtie forth with rich acoutrements And round about her lye great heapes of siluer pence Heau'n o're her sacred head a shining treasure powers Like Ioue in Danaes lap of many golden showers Her gowne trailes on the ground instead of glassie plate To view her bewties in hangs at her girdl ' a slate Which maugr ' all force of time for vs here keepeth still The more part of the rules of her most certaine skill See with what manner marke is painted 8. Vnitie The root of eu'ry numb'r and of Infinitie True Friendships deare delight renowne of Harmony Seed-plot of all that is and ayme of Polymnie No numb'r and more then numb'r on all-sides so exact It hath in 't all by powre and is in all by act See here the Caracter that signifieth 9. Twaine The first-borne sonne of One first numb'r and fath'r againe Of heau'ns effeminate See here of numbers Odde That eldest brother 10. Three which proper is vnto God Wherein no-numb'r and numb'r is sweetly-kissing met Whose two extremities and cent'r are eau'nstly set Asunder each from oth'r a numb'r heau'ns fauour winning And first of all that hath both end middle and beginning Heer 's 11 Foure base of the Cube and that with one two three His own contents amountsiust to the tenth degree The numb'r of th' Elements and of the name of feare Of Vertues Honours Winds and seasons in the yeare Heer 's 12. Fiue th'Ermaphrodite which ne're is multiplide With any numb'r vneu'n but shewes it selfe in pride Iust at the first Encount'r as fiue times fiue we see Full Fiue and twenty makes and Fifteene fiue times three 13 Lo th'Analogicke Six which with his owne content Nor mounts aboue it selfe nor needeth complement For three is halfe thereof a third two one a sixt And all the six is made of one two three commixt Behold 14 The criticke seu'n male female eu'n odde Containing three and foure and call'd the Rest of God The numb'r of clearest brands that fixt are neare the Pole And those that guyrding heau'n with course vncertaine roule Heer 's 15 Eight the double square 16 And sacred nine lo heere The sister-Muses holds in triple-triple queere 17 See Ten that doth the force of numbers all combine As one sets downe pricke ten drawes in length the line An hundred broads the plaine a thousand thickes the bulke So by redoubling ten the ballast of an hulke Or all the sand is summ'd vpon th'Atlantike coast Or all the swelling waues that angry winds haue tost 18 See here how diuers summes each right o're other set Are altogeth'r in one by rules of Adding met How by abating here the lesser numb'r is tride From out the more and here how small ones multiplide Waxe almost infinite and then how counter-guided Into as many small the greater summ's diuided This Nymph that sadly frownes with back shoulders bent And holds her stedfast eye still on the ground intent And drawes or seemes to draw with point of skilfull wand So many portratures vpon the mouing sand In mantle of golden ground with riuers chamleted With many embroydred flow'rs all-ouer diuersed Embost with little trees and greeny-leaued slips And edg'd with azur-frenge of some sea bearing-ships It is Geometrie her buskins dusty and rent Shew well she trauell'd farre and o're the Climats went 1. Thine heau'nly furie That is Inspiration a word well taken among the Poets who say Est deus in nobis agitante calescimus illo The Prophets also swayed by the Spirit of God had their extraordinarie motions extasies and rauishments which were holy possessions and inspirations yet such suffred not the inspired seruants to wander from the way of truth howsoeuer they had their spirits then raised farre aboue condition of all worldly things The Poet then craues that the holy Spirit might be present with him after a speciall manner to raise him vnto the heauens where he may learne to sing worthy so great a subiect as he now takes in hand The Muses are all sisters of Vrania whose proper office is to treat of heauen and heauenly things By heauenly Syrens charmes he meanes the Harmonie of the Spheres whereof hereafter He saith also that our Elders that is Adam and his sonnes were taught by the hand of God himselfe rules of the course of Heauen that is the knowledge of Astronomie which is very likely because the wit of man was not able to atraine to things of so high a nature without some extraordinarie helpe and fauour 2. Old Heber Iosephus in his first booke of Antiquities toward the end of the second chapter speaking of the children of Seth is of opinion that they first inuented Astrologie and applied their mindes to know the course and motion of those heauenly bodies And to the end their inuention should not be forgotten or perish before it was knowne Adam hauing foretold that all things should be destroyed once by water and againe by fire they erected two pillars one bricke another stone the better to withstand the waters and graued and set therein the records and rules of their inventions for posteritie to learne The pillar of stone some say is yet to
whereof Euclide and his Expositors haue spoken at large in their sixt booke as they haue also many propositions touching the same before 22. The Globe This is a kind of Geometricall Solide most excellent and perfect aboue all others as all men that haue written thereof doe plainly declare whom the Poet here also followeth Their chiefe reasons are 1. That it hath the same fashion and shape that the world hath 2. That it hath neither beginning mids nor end 3. That it is moueable in place and immoueable out of place That it is concaue and conuex which is as much to say as Inbent and Out-bent or crusye and bulked that it is made of straight lines meaning the diameters and yet crooked round about as is the surface thereof that it mooueth euery way at once vpward downward backward forward rightway leftway that it swayes and mooues with it according to proportion all round bodies next it This we may well perceiue by that heauen called Primum mobile which drawes with it the firmament of fixed starres together with the seauen spheres of Planets That although it stand still as when the sphere is laid on a plaine yet seemes it to be in continuall motion and euery way nods and threatens to fall because the base or foot it stands-on is but a point from whence on euery-side halfe hangs-ouer This may seeme strange then euen where there is a foundation to rest-on Much more in the Earth that hath no foundation to sense but hangs in the Ayre whereof the Poet giues a good reason because it selfe is the resting-place or middle point of all the bodies concentrike and round of it selfe is not by any promontorie or corner forced from abroad More ample reasons hereof shall yee finde in the Commentaries of Clauius Junctinus Schreckensuschius and others vpon the Spheare of Iohn of Hallifax commonly called Iohannes de sacro Bosco and in the Commentarie of Millichius vpon the second booke of Plinie 4. The Sphere is alwaies and euery where throughout like it selfe so are not other bodies Geometricall 5 As houses that are blunt-cornerd receiue more into them then do the straight or sharp-cornerd because these stride not so wide as the other so the Sphere being as it were euery way blunt containes more then any Geometricall bodie of other shape 6. Other Solides are broken oft-times by reason of their beginnings ends plights knobs and ioynts whereas the Sphere is voide of all those and therefore must needs be more perfect and sound as all Astronomers and Geometricians doe proue both by their owne experience and to the view of others 23. The doubling of a Cube and squaring of a Round About these two secrets of Geometrie diuers learned men of our Age haue taken great pains as well in their Commentaries vpon Euclide as in Bookes and Treatises printed apart But because these matters doe require demonstrations with distinct number and figure it was impossible for me to set them downe here and my ayme is at things of more vse and profit He that would be further satisfied herein let him repaire to the learned Mathematicians or to their Bookes set forth in Print Nicolas de Cusa Orontius Cardan in his worke de proportionibus Pelletier Clauius Candales in diuers demonstrations vpon Euclide haue largely discoursed vpon these Secrets and others drawing neere vnto them 24. Keepe faster The Theoremes Problemes and Propositions of Geometrie contained in the books of Euclide are most certaine and out of all controuersie among people endued with reason as the Expositors of this Author doe plainly shew Howbeit the Sceptikes and Pyrrhonians both old and new do oppose them But the Poet simply considers the truth of things reiecting all Sophistrie which deserues not to be disputed withall especially when it denies principles and such as these whereby Geometrie hath filled the whole world and that but a hundred yeares since with an infinite sort of rare and admirable inuentions 25. By her the gentle streame For proofe of that last point he brings in 1. The vse of Wind-mills and Water-mills 2. Artillerie 3. The Saile mast sterne and other furniture of a ship 4. Printing 5. The Crane or wheele deuised to draw or lift-vp great stones to a high building and other Engines to command and beat downe pyles planks and whole trees if need be into the earth vnder water 6. The Crosse-staffe or Iacobs-staffe as we call it to measure the Earth Ayre Heauen and Sea and vnder this may be comprised all other instruments which the Surveyours of Land Camp-masters Geometors Astronomers and other men vse to that purpose or the like 7. All kinde of howre-glasses of sand or water Dyals of all sorts and sounding clocks to marke how the time passes both by day and night 8. Certaine statues and deuises of wood which by meanes of sundry gynnes of motion within them haue beene made to pronounce some words of mans voice whereto may be added the woodden Pigeon of Archytas the Eagle and Flie of Iohn de Montroyall the brasen head of Albertus Magnus the clock-cock of Strausburg 9. The deuise of Daedalus to flie in the ayre which hath beene imitated since by others In the tenth and last place he glaunceth at the vaunt which Archimedes made that he would mooue the Earth out of place if he had but elsewhere to stand These all deserue throughly to be considered but for the present I will content my selfe thus only to haue pointed at them And so come to the third Image which is Astronomie 3. L'Astronomie ne peut estre bien veue que de ceux qui conoissent l'Arithmetique la Germetrie Or d'autant que ces deux nous donnent seure entree Dans le sainct Cabinet où l'Vranie astree Tient sa ceinture d'or ses lumineux pendans Ses Perles ses rubis ses saphirs ardans Qu'homme ne peut monter sur les croupes iumelles Du Parnasse estoillé que guindé sur leurs ailes Que quiconque est priué de l'vn de ces deux yeux Contemple vainement l'artifice des cieux Le sculpteur a dressé pres de l'Arithmetique Et l'Art mesure-champ l'image Astronomique Ornemens de l'Astronomie Elle a pour Diademe vn argentè Croissant Sous qui iusqa'aux talons à iaunes flots descend Vn Comet allumé pour yeux deux Escarboucles Pour robe vn bleu Rideau que deux luisantes boucles Attachent sur l'espaule vn damas azurè D'estoilles d'animaux richement figuré Et pour plumes encor elle porte les ailes De l'oiseau moucheté de brillantes rouëles Now these two Arts because they lead vs onward right Into that sacred tent where Vranie the bright Sits guirt in golden belt with spangles albedight Of carbuncl ' and of pearle of rubye and chrysolite And that a man withou the help of eithers quill May neuer mount the twyns of starrie Pernas hill But whosoeuer wants one of these Eagles eies In vaine
en sextile regard Or'doux ore malins qu'en vn pré ie ne pense Comparaison Voir des paisans galliards vne lasciue danse Où l'vn l'antre sexe alegre s'esiouit Où l'vn file apres l'autre où l'vn pied l'autre suit Où l'vn d'vn oeil ami guigne sur son espouse L'autre va descohant vne fleche ialouse Mais pourquoy Obiection de Phalec pensant que Dieu ait imprime au ciel ces diuerses figures selon qu'elles ont esté imagintes par les dit Phalec le Tout-beau quine fait Cà bas rien qui ne soit en beauté tout-parfait Imprima dans les pers de la voute supreme Où doit auec l'Amour viure la Beauté mesme Tant de Monstres hideux tant de fiers animaux Dignes concitoyens des esprits inferuaux Certes replique Heber la Diuine industrie Astronomes a quoy Heber respond proprement Ne fait rien qu'auec art iuste symetrie Et ce qui mesme rend plus beau cest Vniuers C'est qu'il est haut bas infiniment diuers Puis nos doctes parens qui sur ce rond ouurage Des clairs Signes du ciel firent le beau partage Donnerent à chacun les noms les traits Qui vont symbolisant à leurs quissans effaits Raison des noms donnez aux douze signes du Zodiaque Il ont fait vn Mouton de l'Astre à double corne Qui vestu a'Or frizé des ans choque la borne D'autant que l'Vniuers sous ses tiedes chaleurs Se pare richement d'vne toison de fleurs 1. Au Monton Du secōd vn Taureau d'autant qu'on couple à l'heure Les Taureaux 2. Au Taureau qui fumāts vont d'vne morne alleure Seillonner la nouale renuersant les champs Refourbissent l'acier de leurs coutres tranchans Et du tiers 3. Aux Iumeaux des Iume aux d'autant que la quadrelle Du doux fier Cupidon fait du masle femelle Vn corps vraiment parfait les fruits croissent bessons Et qu'on void tout d'vn coup fleur grain moissons 4. Al'Escreuisse Au quart ils ont baillé le non d'vne escreuisse D'autant qu'alors Phebus deuers l'Autan reglisse Va comme elle en arriere n'estant iamais las Sur vne mesme orniere il r'imprime ses pas A l'autre 5. Au Lyon d'vn Lyon Car comme son haleine Brule pesteusement la moissonneuse plaine Bluette sous cest astre tousiours sur les eaux Le perruqué Soleil sagette ses flambeaux Celui qui vient apres 6. A La Vierge est nommé la Pucelle A cause que la terre abomine sous elle Le regard amoureux du Soleil qui la cuit Et que ceste saison vierge rien ne produit L'autre 7. A la Balance le Trebuchet pour raison qu'il balance La clarté guide-peine l'ombre aime-silence Le froid la chaleur qu'au mois donne-vin Le iour nuict pesez demeurent sur le sin L'autre 8. Au Scorpion le Scorpion Car sous lui lon endure Les premiers aiguillons d'vne triste froidure 9. A l'Archer L'autre retient la forme le nom del ' Archer Qui cruel nuict iour ne fait que descocher Sur les bois sur les tours sur les herbes fenees Ses sléches de glaçons de neige empennees De l'autre on fait vn Bouc 10. Au Boucou Cheurueil car tout ainsi que pront De rocher en rocher le Bouc sautelle à mont L'estoille au crin doré l'ornement des Panetes Commence en remontant r'approcher de nos testes Et pour ce que le ciel sous les signes suyuans Semble tousiours pleurer nos bisay eux sçauans 11. Au Verscau Out peint vn Verseur d'cau dans le lambris du Monde 12. Aux Poissons Et puis deux clairs Poissons qui slottent dans son onde Autre raison plus subtile Que si tu ne te peux contenter de ceci On peut mon cher Phalec dire que tout ainsi Que plustost que le Rien par vne voix feconde Fust fait la matrice l'embryon du Monde L'exemplaire eternel l'auant-coucen portrait Et l'admirable seau de tout ce qui s'est fait Logeoit Diuinement dans l'esprit du grand Maistre Et l'Vniuers auoit essence anant son estre Ainsi le Trois fois grand tendant ingenieux Du ciel esclaire-tout le rideau precieux Le chargea de façon des futurs ouurages Ainsi qu'en vn tableau y peignit les images Au ciel sont les modelles de ce qui est co terre Voici pas le crayon d'vn fleuue iaunissant Qui par le bleu plancher tortueux va glissant Ici le Corbeau vole ici l'Aigle se iouê Le Daufin nage ici la Baleine ici nouê Le Cheualy bondit l'ailéureuly fuit L'ardent T'aureauy fume le Dragony luit Et l'air la terre l'eau n'ont en eux chose belle Qu'on en treuue là haut quelque insigne modelle Mesme nos coutelas nos couronnes nos traits Nos balances nos dards ne sont que le extraits Des saincts originaux que Dieu par sa porole Escriuit pour iamais dans les liures du Pole 28 But what quoth Phaleg mean these globes of diuers hew Shee holds in hand and seems to reach vnto our view My sonne quoth Heber then this round shape set-out here With circles ouerthwart is of the world the Spheare Where th'element of Earth made like a greenie ball The setled residence and cent'r of all this All Retaines the lowest place this the wise Naturante With azure-wauie skarfe hath guirt-about aslante Or plaine to say 29 The Sea doth cou'r all eu'ry where But only certaine parts disparpled here and there For th' Ocean Tide he flowes and leaking finds a vent Into the deepest holes of all th'erth-element And where her ouer-face hath any vnequall traite Seeks-out the midder point not of his masse but waite 30 Here should th' Aire the Fire all the wandring seau'n The starre-empowdred vault the highest-whirling heau'n And th'empyrean-selfe be one ore other set But that each vpper seene would sight of th'vnder let Therefore in place of them the workman of this Round Ten circles here hath made one ouer others bound And Armyllary-wise hath set-out their aray To lead vs vp on-high an easie and gainer way Six great Circles 31 Among the greater Six that with a counterplight Doe halfe-diuide the globe the circl ' of match-day-night The Aequater Is iustly set betwixt the North and Southern pole Which beare-vp and whereon is turnd-about the Whole Now eu'ry lamp of heau'n that vnderglideth it A longer
iourney takes and doth more wightly flit Then any of all the rest who narre the Poles haue leasure Vnto the Lute of God to dance a slower measure And alway when the Sunne his giue day charrot guides Right vnder line thereof and rometh not besides The day and night goe euen and cunning Nature than In eu'ry country metes them out with equall span The Zodiacke 32 This other couched here next vnd'r it ouerth warr Whose poles doe from the poles of th'All warp-out apart Some twenty foure degrees is call'd the Zodiack The race of wandring flames here Phoebus keeps his track To bring-about the yeares and monthly changing Innes Procures the quarter-change of Seasons double twinnes The first Colure 33 This other passing-through the poles both of the world And of the foresaid wheele where Phoebus round is horld And framing angles euen on th'Equinoctiall rote A th'onside thwarts the Crab ath'otherside the Goat The Solsticial Colure is call'd for Phoebus there Runs slow as not along but ath'onside the Sphere The second Colure 34 And this here crossing that in spheryck angles eu'n And running by the Ram the Skoles and Axe of heau'n The second is and call'd the nigh-equall Colure The Meridian 35 And this the circle of Noone that neuer standeth sure But with our Zenith flits as also with our sight The Horizon Th'vnstedfast Horizon takes euery way his flight Now for the lesser foure aside th'Equator lie Foure lesse Circles 36 The winter Tropick low and summer Tropick high The Tropicks And higher then the high is 37 th'Artick circle pight And lower then the low th'Antartick out of sight The North Circle and the South These foure misse common Centr ' and wry-part heau'ns-high wheele Each to th'Equat'r and each vnt ' each is paralleel The Globe of heauen 38 The Ball shee beares in left the portrait is of heau'n For howbeit Arte we finde to Nature match vneuen Good wits yet ner'thelesse thus also take delight To view and maruaile-at the Vault so flamie-bright O what a pleasure 't is that turning softly about This starrie briefe of heau'n we see as 't were come out And with a stately traine before our eyes to coast The bands and banners bright of that all-conquering hoast One hath a quiu'r and bow Shapes giuen by diuers aspects with arrowes quick-to-strike Another swayes a Mace another shakes a pike One lies along anoth'r enthrond in stately chaire Rowles-ore the brasen blew of th'euer-shining Sphaire Behold some march afoot and some on horseback ride Some vp some downe and some before behind beside Her 's ord'r eu'n in disord'r and of this iarre doth come Both vnto Sea and Land a plenty-swelling wombe 39 I neuer see them looke one aft'r anoth'r askance In tryangl in quadrangle or in sextile agglance Sometime with gentle smile and sometime with a frowne But that me thinks I see the braue youth of a towne All dancing on a greene where each sex freely playes And one another leads to foot the country layes Where one darts as he go'th a looke of I elousie Another throwes his Lasse a louely glauncing eye 40 Then Phaleg said Phalegs obiection concerning the strange shapet giuen by the how is' t Sir that the Souerain-faire Who naught vnseemly makes in Sea in earth in ayre Yet on this heau'nly vault which doth all else containe Where ought delight her selfe and grace and beauty raigne Sets many a cruell beast and many a monster fell That meeter were t' abide among the fiends in hell Sonne answers Heb'r indeed the curious hand of God Makes all by rules of Art Astronomers and nothing gracelesse-odde And this especially the world doth beautifie Hebers answer That both aloft and here is such varietie Yet more our ancestors that wisely drew the lines And skoared first the Globe according to the Signes Gaue each a name and shape implying such effects Reason of the names giuen to the Signes As on all vnder-things they worke by their aspects For thy a Ram they made the Sunnes twyhorned Inne His curly-golden signe whereat the yeares begin 1. The Ramme Wherevnd'r is all the land lukewarmed peece by peece And puts on rich attire a flowrie-golden fleece The next they made a Bull 2. The Bull. for there they wont to yoke The softly-drawing steers that in a sweaty smoke Plow-vp the fallow grounds and turning-ore the mould Doe skowre the coult'r againe that rust before had fould Twinnes of the third they made 3. The Twinnes where Loue that angry-sweet The male and female makes in one together meet For eithers perfiture when fruit in cluster growes And all at once are seene both flowr ' and graynie rowes The fourth a Crab 4. The Crab. whereat this prince of wandring fires A coast the South againe vntireably retires And backward like a Crab the way before he trode Reprints with equall steps and keeps his beaten rode The fift a Lyon fierce 5. The Lion for as the Lyons are Of hot-infecting breath so vnder this same starre Our haruest glowes with heat yea on the Sea and streames The Lyon-maned Sun shoots-out his burning beames The sixt by their deuise the title hath of a maid 6. The Virgin Because th' Earth like a Girle therevnd'r is ill apaid To beare the loue-hot looks that Phoebus on her flings And then chast as a maid no fruit at all she brings The next hath of the Scoales 7. The Ballance because it seems to way The silence-louing night and labour-guiding day The Summer and the Wint'r and in the month of Wines Makes either side so eu'n as neither more declines The next because we feele then first the Summer gon And sting of Winter come 8. The Scorpion they call'd a Scorpion The next in name and shape an Archer bow in hand 9. The Archer He shooteth day and night vpon the witherd land Vpon th'embattled towrs vpon the tufted woods His arrowes fethered with Ise and snowie soods The next they made a Goat where as in shaggie locks 10. The Goat The Goat is wont to clime and countermount the rocks Our goldy-locked Sun the fairest wandring starre Remounting vp the Globe begins to come vs narre And in the latter signes because they saw a wet And euer-weeping heau'n our fathers wisely set 11. The Water-bearer One with a water-spout still running o're the brim 12 The Fishes And fishes there apaire which in the water swim But if-so this my sonne not satisfie thy minde Another more subtile reason A man may well thereof some other reason finde As that before the word of God made all of naught Before that breeding voice not only th'Infant wrought But euen the wombe of All th'eterne exampl ' and plot The wondrous print of things now being and then not On heau'nly manner lodg'd in th'Architects foreseeing And thus before it was the world
open and sparkling as the Sunne with an open and vnweariable eye lookes on the round world continually Thus of that Signe though all the rest also are held by good reason agreeable to the nature of the Sunne To begin with the Ram See the great agreement For he during the six moneths of Winter vseth to lye on his left side and all the rest from the Spring to Winter againe on his right as the Sunne also from the Equinox or Euen-night of Spring runs the right side Hemisphere and at the other Euen-night changes to the left and for that cause Iupiter Ammon the supposed Sunne-setting god of Libya is fained to haue the hornes of a Ram wherein lies the force of that beast as the force of the Sunne is in his beames The Greekes also call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ram of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a horn Now that the Bull hath some correspondence with the Sunne the Egyptian Idolatry shewes it by diuers instances one that in Heliopolis i. the Citie of the Sunne they chiefely worship a Bull called Netiros consecrate to the Sunne Another because the Citie of Memphis honours the Bullocke Apis for the Sunne a third is that in a stately Temple of Apollo at Herminthi they consecrate to the Sunne and worship a Bull which they call Bacchis there famous for diuers miracles agreeable to the nature of the Sunne for his haire growes backward contrary to the nature of other beasts and therein they hold him like the Sunne striuing against the course of Heauen they say also that he changes his colour euery houre in the day What to make of this I the Translator know not except it imply the same that Hermes Trismegistus noted when he saw in Egypt a beast dedicated to Serapis make-water twelue times of equall distance in a day and thereby gathered that the day should be diuided into twelue houres P. Virg. de Inuent 2.5 and this may haue relation to the Sunne but I come againe to Macrebius The Signe of Twinnes which are taken for Castor and Pollux that were thought to liue and dye by turnes what may it better signifie then one and the same Sunne sometime rising vpon our Hemisphere sometime going downe to the other The side-way crawling of the Crab what better can it meane then the Sunnes neuer straight but side-way passing thorow the Signes and here especially where he begins to turne from aloft downeward Of the Lyon we haue said already The Signe of the Virgin with an care of corne in her hand what meanes it else but the power and vertue of the Sunne whereby that eare and all others are loden with Come therefore also is this Maiden taken for Justice which onely causeth all fruits growing to serue mans vse The Scorpion and the Ballance likewise doth wholly represent the Sunnes Nature which is but cold and starke in Winter and sunke downe as the lower Scoale but afterward stirs-vp againe the sting of his inward force nothing diminished by the late could Th' Archer which is lowest of al the Signes in the Zodiak hath the fore-part of a man and hinder-part of a horse to shew that the Sunne is fallen from his highest place to his lowest as it is a strange abasing of a man to become a beast yet shootes he an arrow to signifie that all creatures on earth be cheered and quickned by the Sunne howeuer farre from them Vnder the Goat the Sunne begins to aduance himselfe againe from below and this is the right manner of that beast who commonly stands on his hinder legges to feed vpon the Rocks aboue him And doth not the Water bearer shew also the right nature of the Sunne For how should we haue raine vpon the earth if the Sunnes hear drew not first the vapours vpward which being turned into water by the cold mid-region of the Aire falls downe againe in plentifull shewers In the last place of the Zodiack are the Fishes These also haue beene consecrated vnto the Sunne not so much for likelihood of nature as to shew the force and vertue of that Planet which maintaines life not onely in the Birds of the Aire and Beasts of the field but euen among those Creatures also which liuing in the water seeme to be vnseene of him So mighty is the Suns operation that with his piercing beames he quickneth such things as man would thinke farre out of his reach So ends the Chapter Now concerning such Countries as are subiect to the sundry Signes looke what Ptolomey saith and what the Poet Manilius in the fouth booke of his Astronomicall Poeme though many toyes he hath not agreeing with Ptolomey Reade also Lucas Gauricus who in his Geometry hath set downe euery particular I tell them not here lest I be too long 41. But if-so this Of the aforesaid shapes in heauen this is the third reason somewhat more curious then the two former to wit that God from all Eternity conceiuing in himselfe the Idea and paterne of the World which he meant to create would haue the models of all earthly things be recorded in the heauens I call this a curious reason because if it bee narrowly examined it will be found but a pretie inuention to embellish a Poeme wherein a man hath leaue to take any matter sauouring of trueth or likelihood to refresh and please the most courteous Readers withall Passant outre pour aneantir les fables des Grees Heber dit que les noms donnez aux estoil les des deux poles contienent les mysteres de l'eglise ce qu'il tasche de prouuer par vne brefue consideration de chascune d'icelles premierement du pole arctique Et vrayement si i'osoy que n'oseray-ie pas Pour arracher du ciel les forcenez combats Les prophanes larcins les nopces detestables Et bref tout l'attirail de ces monstreuses fables Dont ie ne sçay quels Grees à l'auenir voudront Du Ciel glisse-tousiours deshonorer le front Ie te pourroy monstrer que sous ces characteres La Tout-puissante main a descrit les mysteres De sa saincte Cité que ce n'est qu'vn crystal Où du sicele auenir se lit l'ordre fatal Vn publique instrument vne carte authentique Qui sans ordre contient le recit Prephetique Des gestes de l'Eglise O bean Char flamboyant Qui comme vn tourbillon enleues le Voyant Tu roues à l'entour d'vn des Poles du monde Sans mouiller plus les bords de tes iantes dans l'onde Le Chariot Et sans plus establer tes courserots sumans Sous la ronde espesseur des plus bas Elemens Cependant Elisec Bootes attentif te regarde Brule a'vn feu de zele conuoiteux lui tarde Qu'il pique tes cheuaux que sur l'astré mont Il les face tourner dedans vn petit rond A son flanc est Dauid Hercule qui dans sa main guerriere Por