Fair By Pleasures to the world invited are Bury not all your Youth and Beauty here Which like the Sun may to all Eyes appear O Sir said she the Sun that gave me light Death hath eclips'd and taken from my sight In Melancholy Shades my Soul doth lie And grieves my Body which will not yet die My Spirits long to wander in the air Hoping to find its loving Partner there Though Fates my Life have power to prolong Yet they have none my constant Mind to wrong But when I did perceive no Rhetorick could Perswade her to take comfort grieve she would Then taking my leave for to go away With adoration thus to her did say Farewell thou Angel of a Heavenly Breed For sure thou com'st not from a Mortal Seed Thou art so constant unto Virtue fair Which very few of either Sexes are And after a short time I heard she dy'd Her Tomb was built close by her Husband's side After the Man a Woman did begin To tell her Tale and thus she entred in A Description of Diverted Grief A Man had once a Young and Handsom Wife Whose Virtue was unspotted all her life Her words were smooth which from her Tongue did slide All her Discourse was wittily appli'd Her Actions modest her Behaviour so As when she mov'd the Graces seem'd to go Whatever Ill she chanc'd to see or hear Yet still her Thoughts as pure as Angels were Her Husband 's Love seem'd such as no Delight Nor Joy could take him out of his Wife's sight It chanc'd this virtuous Wife fell sick to death And to her Husband spake with dying-breath Farewell my dearest Husband dye I must Yet do not you forget me in the Dust Because my Soul would grieve if it should see Another in my room your LOVE to be My Ghost would mourn lament that never dyes Though Bodies do pure Loves eternalize You Gods said he that order Death and Life O strike me dead unless you spare my Wife If your Decree be fix'd nor alter can But she must dye O miserable Man Here do I vow Great Gods all witness be That I will have no other Wife but thee No Friendship will I make converse with none But live an Anchoret my self alone Thy Spirits sweet my Thoughts shall entertain And in my Mind thy Memory remain Farewell said she for now my Soul 's at peace And all the Blessings of the Gods encrease Upon thy Soul but I pray do not give Away that Love I had whilst I did live Turning her Head as if to sleep she lay In a soft Sigh her Spirits flew away VVhen she was dead great Mourning he did make VVould neither eat nor drink nor rest could take Kissing her cold pale Lips her Cheeks each Eye Cursing his Fate he lives and cannot dye Tears fell so fast as if his Sorrows meant To lay her in a watry Monument But when her Corps upon the Hearse was laid No Tongue can tell what mournful Cries he made Thus did he pass his time a week or two In sad commplaints and melancholy wo At last he was perswaded for to take Some air abroad ev'n for his own healths sake But first unto the Grave he went to pray Kissing that Earth wherein her Body lay After a Month or two his Grief to ease Some Recreations sought himself to please And calling for his Horses and his Hounds He went to hunt upon the Champian grounds His Thoughts by these Pastimes diverted are Pass'd by the Grave and never dropt a Tear At last he chanc'd a Company to meet Of Virgins young and fresh as Flowers sweet Their Cloathing fine their Humours pleasant gay And with each other they did sport and play Giving his Eyes a liberty to view VVith interchanging Looks in Love he grew One Maid amongst the rest most fair and young VVho had a ready wit and pleasant tongue He Courtship made to her he did address Cast off his Mourning Love for to express Rich Clothes he made and wondrous fine they were He barb'd and curl'd and powder'd sweet his Hair Rich Gifts unto his Mistress did present And every day to visit her he went They like each other well they both agree That in all haste they straight must married be To Church they went for joy the Bells did ring When married were he home the Bride did bring But when he married was some half a year He Curtain-Lectures from his VVife did hear For whatsoe're he did she did with spight And scorn dislike and all his kindness slight Cross every word she would that he did say Seem'd very sick complaining every day Unless she went abroad then she would be In humour good in other Company Then he would sigh and call into his Mind His dear dead Wife that was so wondrous kind He jealous grew and was so discontent And of his later Marriage did repent With Melancholy Thoughts fell sick and dy'd His VVife soon after was another's Bride VVhen she had done the Men aloud did cry Said she had quit her Tale most spitefully Another Man to answer what she told Began to tell and did his Tale unfold The Feminine Description A Man a walking did a Lady spy To her he went and when he came hard by Fair Lady said he why walk you alone Because said she my Thoughts are then my own For in a Company my Thoughts do throng And follow every foolish babling Tongue Your Thoughts said he 't were boldnessfor to ask To tell said she it were too great a task But yet to satisfie your Mind said she I 'le tell you how our Thoughts run commonly Sometimes they mount up to the Heavens high Then straight fall down and on the Earth will lye Then circling run to compass all they may And then sometimes they all in heaps do stay At other times they run from place to place As if they had each other in a Chace Sometimes they run as Phansie doth them guide And then they swim as in a flowing-Tide But if the Mind be discontent they flow Against the Tide their Motion 's dull and slow Said he I travel now to satisfie my Mind Whether I can a Constant VVoman find O Sir said she it 's Labour without end VVe cannot Constant be to any Friend VVe seem to love to death but 't is not so Because our Passions still move to and fro They are not fix'd but do run all about Every new Object thrusts the former out Yet we are fond and for a time so kind As nothing in the world should change our Mind But if Misfortune come we weary grow Then former Fondness we away straight throw Although the Object alter not yet may Time alter our fond Minds another way We love and like and hate and cry VVithout a Cause or Reason why Wherefore go back for you shall never find Any VVoman to have a Constant Mind The best that is shall hold but for a time Wav'ring like wind which Women hold no Crime A Woman
love her so As love her best or at least he might know How well she lov'd him for she wish'd no more Than love for love as Saints which do adore The Gods in Heaven whose love is wholly pure And nothing can of drossy flesh endure At last she and her Thoughts in Councel sate What was best to be done or this or that They all agree that she her Love should own Since innocent and pure and make it known By her Epistles and her Pen to write What her pure Heart did dictate and indite No forfeit of her Modesty because She had no Ends but only Virtuous Laws Then took she Pen and Paper and her Wit Did tell her Love the truth and thus she writ Sir You may wonder much that I do send This Letter which by Love doth recommend It self and suit unto your judging-ear And that it was not stopt by bashful fear But let me tell you This pure Love of mine Is built on Virtue not on base Design It hath no dross nor proudly doth aspire A Flame inkindled by immac'late Fire Which I to th' Altar of your Merits bring From whence the Flame to Heaven high may spring Your glorious Fame within my Heart though young Did plant a Slip of Honour from whence sprung Pure Love and Chast Desires for I do crave Only within your Heart a place to have I do not plead hoping to be your Wife Nor 'twixt you and your Mistress to breed strife Or wish I that her Love you should forsake Or unto me a Courtly Friendship make But only when I 'm dead you would inshrine Within your Memory this Love of mine Which Love to all the World I may proclame Without a blush or check or spotted-fame 'T is not your Person I do so admire Nor yet your Wealth or Titles I desire But your Heroick Soul and Generous Mind Your Affability and Nature kind Your honest Heart where Justice still doth raign Your prudent Thoughts and a well-temper'd Brain Your helping Hand and your industrious Life Not to make broils but to decide all strife And to advance all those are in distress To help the weak and those are powerless For which my Heart and Life to Love is bound And every thought of you with Honour crown'd These are not feigning Lines that here I write But Truths as clear and pure as Heaven's Light Nor is it Impudence to let you know Love of your Virtues in my Soul doth grow Her Love thus innocent she did enroll Which was the pure Platonick of her Soul Though in black Characters the Envious may Call the sense clear as is the Morning's day And every word appear unto the sight To make her smoother Paper yet more white Thus she infolded Honour and more Truth Than ever yet was known in Female-youth Blush-colour'd Silk her Letter then did bind For to express how modest was her Mind And Virgins Wax did close it with her Seal Yet did that Letter all her Love reveal Then to her Nurse's Husband she did trust These loving Lines knowing him faithful just To all her Family he obey'd her will And would have done no doubt though 't had been ill For his Obedience never ask'd the cause Nor was he Casuist in Divine Laws But faithful and most trusty so was sent With this most Sacred Letter then he went In the mean time that she her Letter sent The Prince to her a Letter did present By a Servant in whom he put much trust As finding him both dextrous prudent just In all Employments he this Letter brought Which'mongst this Lady's Thoughts much wonder wrought Even so much as she could not believe But thought he did mistake and did conceive She was the Princess Whereupon said she I doubt this Letter was not writ to me But he confirm'd to her that it was writ She to her Closet went and open'd it With trembling hands the VVaxen Seal she broke And what he writ with a faint Voice thus spoke Fairest of all your Sex for so you are Unto all others as a Blazing-Starr VVhich shews it self and to the VVorld appears As a great VVonder once in many years And never comes but doth portend on Earth Either the fall of Princes or their Birth O let your influence only at me aim Not for to work my Overthrow or Fame But Love to make me happy all my life Then yeeld your self to be my Virtuous VVife But if you this Request to me deny The Gods I hope will grant me soon to dye She when she this had read was in a maze And senslesly did on the Letter gaze By which her Spirits discomposed were In quarrelling-disputes 'twixt Hope and Fear At last Hope got the better then did they Triumph with joy and in her Heart did play For when the Spirits mutually agree Both in the Eyes and Heart they dancing be Then to the Gentleman that came she went And told him civilly that she had sent Unto the Prince and that she could not fit So well an Answer to return as yet The Prince as Melancholy sate alone But all the while his Mistress thought upon Staid for the Messenger's return for he Till answer came refus'd all Company At last one of his Pages to him ran To tell him Without was an ancient Man That would not be deny'd for speak he must Unto the Prince or else must break his trust He was in charge with and rather than so Would venture life before he back would go And not his Message to the Prince to tell Whereat the Prince liking his Courage well Sent for him who came with Humility The Letter gave upon his bended knee The Prince the Letter read and pleased so As by his smiling-countenance did show Which made all Cloudy Thoughts disperse clears His Mind as in dark days when Sun appears Sure said the Prince the Gods our Loves decree And in our Unions they do all agree They joyn our Hearts in one our Souls so mix As if eternally in Heaven would fix Then soon he all delays for to prevent Another Letter writ which to her sent In answer of her own this Letter gave Unto her Foster-Nurse who was as grave As old bald Father Time of Courage stout A Rustick plainness and not eas'ly out Of countenance trusty to be employ'd And in her Lady's service would have dy'd The Prince commended her Fidelity And pleas'd he was at her blunt Quality But with the Letter quickly did return For she though old yet every step did run And then the Letter which the Prince had sent She to her Lady did in mirth present Who then the Letter broke with joyful speed And to her Foster-Nurse she did it read Sweetest You have exprest your Love to me With so much plainness and sincerity And yet your stile severely have you writ And rul'd your Lines with a Commanding-wit Heroick Flourishes your Pen doth draw Or executes as in a Martial-Law Then solemnly doth march in Mourning-trail And
issues out a Flame which ascends unto Fame's Mansion This Text dearly Beloved I will divide into seven parts First In the Land of Poetry Secondly There stands a Mount Thirdly A steep Mount Fourthly A high Mount Fifthly The Name is Parnassus Sixthly There issues from the top a Flame Seventhly and lastly The Flame ascends to Fame's Mansion First In the Land of Poetry Which Land dearly Beloved is both large sweet pleasant and fertile and hath been possessed by our Fore-fathers ever since the time of our Father Adam in Poetry which was Homer from whom all Poets are descended as the Ancients say This our very great Grandfather named Homer did excel all other Men for he did not only give some Names to Creatures on Earth but he gave Names to all the Gods in Jove's Mansion and to all the Devils in the Infernal Parts Nay he did more for he made Heavens and Hells Gods and Devils and described them that his Posterity might know them in after-Ages In this Land of Poetry he lived which Land flowed with Wit and Fancy and is so large that it doth not only reach to all parts and places of or in the World spreading it self like Air about and into every nook and corner in this World but beyond it as into many other Worlds In this most spacious Land runs a clear Stream called Helicon it is a most pleasant Spring and refreshes not only the Life of the Senses but the Sense of Life In this Spring did our very Great-Grandfather bathe himself in also with this Spring he watered numbers of several Roots growing in this Land that the sweet Flowers of Rhetorick might sprout forth in due season and that the Trees of Invention might bear their fruitful Arts for the nourishment of Common-weals Secondly In the midst of this Land there is a Mount A Mount dearly Beloved is a swell'd contracted and elevated Matter or Form but you must not conceive this Mount to be of Earth but of Thoughts it is a swell'd contracted and elevated Form in the Mind Thirdly It is a steep Mount That is dearly Beloved it is not slope or shelving but so straight as to be perpendicular insomuch that those that have not sure and sinewy Feet can never wald up this Mount indeed it requires Mercury's Feet which have Wings that when they are in danger to slip their Wings might bear them up Fourthly It is a high Mount That is dearly Beloved there is a great space or long line from the Bottom to the Top unto which top all that have light and empty Heads can never attain for the height will soon make them dizzy and cause them to fall into the Gulph of Oblivion Fifthly The Name of this Mount is Parnassus A Name dearly Beloved is a Word not a Thing but the Mark of Things to distinguish several Things or conceptions of Things to know and understand them Sixthly From the top of this Mount Parnassus issues out a Flame A Flame dearly Beloved is the fluid part of Fire But Beloved you must know there are two sorts of Fire the one a bright shining Fire which is visible to the vulgar sense the other is so pure and subtil a Fire that it is not subject to the outward Sense but is only perceived by the Understanding indeed it is a Spiritual Fire which causes a spritely and pure Flame The other a Corporeal Fire which causeth a gross and smoaking Flame Seventhly and lastly This insensible Flame ascends to Fame's Mansion And though dearly Beloved Fame's Mansion is but an old Library wherein lies ancient Records of Actions Accidents Chronologies Moulds Medals Coins and the like yet Fame her self is a Goddess and the Sister to Fortune and she is not only a Goddess but a powerful Goddess and not only a powerful Goddess but a terrible Goddess for she can both damn and glorifie and her Sentence of Damnation is most commonly of more force than her Sentence of Glorification for those that she damns she damns without Redemption but she sets many times a period to those she Glorifies Thus beloved Brethren I have interpreted to you the Text. Now I am to exhort you That none should venture up this Mount but those that can flye with Fancy's Wings or walk with a measured pace on Velvet Feet or Comick Socks or Tragick Buskins not to venture if you find any infirmity or weakness in the Head or Brain or other parts for the Flame which issues out of the Mount called Parnassus is not only a Flame but a wondrous hot sindging scorching burning Flame insomuch that many times it is insufferable and oft-times burns the Brains into Cinders and consumes the Rational Understanding at least it sindges the Health and endangers the Life of the Body But to conclude beloved Brethren in Poetry Let me admonish you to be devout to the Name of great Fame who is able to save or damn you Wherefore be industrious in your Actions let no opportunity slip you neither in Schools Courts Cities Camps or several Climates to gain the Favour of great Fame offer up your several Conceptions upon her white Altars I mean white Paper sprinkling Golden Letters thereon and let the Sense be as sweet Incense to her Deity that the Perfumes of your Renown may be smelt in after-Ages and your Noble Actions recorded in her ancient Mansion And so the Love of Fame be with you And the Blessing of Fortune light upon you A Moral Tale of the Ant and the Bee IN the midst of a pleasant Wood stood a large Oak in its prime and strength of years which by long time was brought to a huge bigness A Company of Ants meeting together chose the Root or bottom thereof to build a City but wheresoever any of them build they build after one fashion which is like a Hill or half-Globe the outside being Convex the inside Concave a Figure it seems they think most lasting and least subject to ruin having no Corners Points or Joints to break off and every one of the little Creatures industrious for the Common-good in which they never loyter but labour and take pains and not only laboriously but prudently for those that bring the Materials to build lay those Materials in such a manner that they do not hinder one another by any retardments Among Men one brings the Brick another the Mortar and a third builds with them and if any come to a mischance the Work is not only hindred and time lost but the Builder is forced to be idle for want of Materials and if the Builder comes to any mischance the Materials are useless for want of a Worker But they being wiser than Man know Time is precious and therefore judiciously order it forecasting while they work and taking up the whole time with Contrivance leaving none for Practice neither do they prefer Curiosity before Convenience Likewise they are careful of Repairs lest Ruin should grow upon them insomuch that if the least Grain of
Sword did rule and keep them all in aw No Prayers offer'd to the Gods on high All Ceremony in the Dust did lye Nothing was done in Order Truth and Right Nought govern'd then but Malice Spleen Spight But mark how justly Gods do punish Men To make them humble and to bow to them Though they had Plenty and thereof did eat They relish'd not that good and savoury Meat Because their Conscience did them so torment For all their Plenty they were discontent They took no rest Cares so oppress'd their Mind No Joy nor Comfort in the World could find When drowsie sleep upon their Eyes did set Then fearful Visions in their Dreams they met In Life no pleasure take yet fear to dye No Mercy can they hope from Gods on high O serve the Gods and then the Mind will be Always in peace and sweet tranquillity A Woman said A Tale I mean to tell That in those Warrs unto a Cross befell AN ancient Cross liv'd in our Father's time With as much Fame as did the Worthies nine No harm it did or injury to none But dwelt in peace and quietly alone On Times or Government did not complain But stood Stone-still not stirr'd in no King's Reign Both Winter's Snow and Summer's scorching Sun It did endure and Urin'd was upon Yet peaceful Nature nor yet humble Mind Shall not avoid rude Ignorance that 's blind That superstitiously beats down all things Which smell but of Antiquity or springs From Noble Deeds nor love nor take delight In Laws or Justice hating Truth and Right But Innovations love for that seems fine And what is new adore they as Divine That makes them so neglect the Gods above For Time doth waste both their respect and love And so this Cross poor Cross all in a rage They pull'd down quite the fault was only Age. Had it been gilded gloriously and brave They Vanity for an excuse might have But it was poor its Mortar all off worn Which Time had eaten as when Dogs have torn The Flesh from Bones of Hares or harmless Sheep Or like to Skeletons that Scholars keep If they had pious been it might have stood To mollifie the Minds of Men to good But they were wicked hating every thing That by example might to goodness bring Then down they pull'd it leaving not one stone Upon another for it to be known To after-ages for the Ground lies bare And none can know that once the Cross stood there Then said a Man I can this Tale well fit For I a Tale can tell that 's like to it IN old times when Devotion false did reign A Church was built although to use prophane Was Consecrated as Diana's right Who was their Goddess of the Moon-shine bright But afterwards when Truth with Zeal did flame It Christned was and bore Jove's mighty Name And dedicated to the Sun above Then married was became his Spouse and Love Long did she live in Duty Peace and Zeal Became an Honour to the Commonweal Was curiously adorn'd within without The Quoire all hung with Hangings rich about With Marble Tombs and Statues carv'd and cut Wherein the Bodies of good Saints were put There polish'd Pillars long the Iles did stand And Arched Roofs built by a skilful hand With Painted Windows plac'd on either side At every end were Gates large open wide And all the inside was most bravely gilt As all the outside with Free-stone were built There Choristers did sing each several Note And Organs loud did answer ev'ry throat And Priests there taught Men how to pray and live Rewards and Punishments which Jove did give But mark this Temple was destroy'd by sin Since they did leave to worship Jove therein Because this Church profan'd by sinful Men Was made a Stable and for Thieves a Den. No surer mark of Wrath when Gods do frown Then to give leave to pull their Temples down A Lady said these VVarrs her Soul did shake And the remembrance made her heart to ake My Brother then was murther'd in cold-blood Incircled round with Enemies he stood Where he like to a fixed Starr shin'd bright They like to black and pitchy Clouds of Night He like the Sun his Courage like that Heat Their Envy like bad Vapours strove to beat His Light of Honour out but pow'rful Fame Did throw their spight back on their heads with shame And though they struck his Body not his Mind For that in Death through all their Malice shin'd He valiant was his Spirits knew no fear They never chill'd when they in Battel were And strove to give more blows than safety sought His Limbs most vigour had when most he fought He spoke not loud nor sung his fear to hide With silence march'd and quietly did ride Viewing the Armies with a watchful Eye And careful was advantages to spye If that his Soldiers chanc'd to run away He ran not after them to make them stay As some Commanders which will call and run After the Soldiers when the Flight's begun But when once gone seldom return again But with their Soldiers they will safe remain But he amongst his Foes like Earth was fix'd Or like to Fire himself was intermix'd And their great solid Bodies did divide Pulling their Fabrick down on either side Until his Mercy did for Favour pray Unto his Courage so to run away He made them know he was a Soldier good Train'd up in Warrs which Art he understood Besides his Genius was prompt thereunto Wit Skill Invention knew what best to do Which made the Foe more fierce his Life to take For fear that he their ruin soon would make For they so soon as he was in their pow'r Like greedy Vulturs did his Life devour He stood their Rage his Courage knew no fear Nor on grim Death with terror did he stare But did embrace her with a Generous Mind VVith Noble Thoughts and Kisses that were kind Vollies of Shot did all his Body tear VVhere his blood 's spilt the Earth no Grass will abear As if for to revenge his Death the Earth VVas curs'd with barrenness ev'n from her birth And though his Body in the Grave doth lye His Fame doth live and will eternally His Soul 's Immortal and so is his Fame His Soul in Heav'n doth live and here his Name The next time had a Man his turn to speak Who said That Civil-Warrs made Rich men break Populous Kingdoms that do flourish well In Peace and Plenty then to ruin fell WHen I with grief unto remembrance bring The blessed time men liv'd with a goodKing To think at first how happy such do raign And in what Peace such Kingdoms do remain VVhere Magistrates do sit in Justice Throne Few Crimes committed Punishments scarce known The Nobles liv'd in state and high degree All happy even to the Peasantry Where easie Laws no Tax to make them poor All live Plenty full is every Store They Customs have to recreate the Mind Not barbarous but civil gentle kind
are not Men more Perfumed Curled and Powdred than VVomen And have they not greater Quantities of Ribbons of several Colours ti'd and set upon their Hats Clothes Gloves Boots Shooes and Belts than VVomen on their Heads and Gowns Have not Men richer and more gaye Clothes than Women have And where Women make Clothes once Men make Clothes three times yet Men exclaim against the Vanities of Women when they are a hundred times vainer and are more unnecessarily expensive than Women are Women may be allowed by the severest Judgments to be a little vain as being Women when it ought to be condemned in Men as an Effeminacy which is a great Vice The last is their Idleness for Do not Men spend their time far more idly not to say wickedly than Women Do not Men run visiting from House to House for no other purpose but to twattle spending their time in idle and fruitless discourse Do not Men meet every day in Taverns and Ordinaries to sit and gossip over a Cup of Wine When Women are condemned for gossiping once in a quarter of a year at a Labour or a Christning or at the Up-sitting of a Child-bed Woman And do not Men run and hunt about for News and then meet to gossip on it with their Censuring-Verdicts Besides they are so greedy of twattle that rather than want idle matter to prate of they will invent News and then falsly report it and such are accounted Wits that can make the most probable Lyes which they call Gulling Have not Men also more foolish Quarrels than VVomen have Are not Men more apt to take exceptions at each other than Women are Will not Men dissemble lye and flatter with each other more than Women do Will not Men rail and back-bite each other more than VVomen will Are not Men more spightful envious and malicious at each other than VVomen VVill not Men imitate each other 's fantastical Garb Dress and the like more than VVomen VVill not Men ride from place to place to no purpose more than Women And do not Men take more delight in idle pastimes and foolish sports than VVomen And in all this time of their Visiting Club Gossipping News-travelling News-venting News-making Vain-spending Mode-fashioning Foolish-quarrelling and Unprofitable-journeying what advantage do they bring to the Commonwealth or honour to their Posterity or profit to themselves None at all but they are like Flyes bred out of a Dunghill buzzing idly about and then dye when VVomen are like industrious Ants and prudent Bees always employed to the benefit of their Families Therefore unless I can have a Husband that is so wise that he can entertain himself with his own thoughts to dwell quietly in his own House governing prudently his own Family also to behave himself civilly to speak rationally to accoutre himself manfully to defend himself and maintain his Honour valiantly to do nobly to judg charitably to live honestly to temper his Appetites rule his Passions and be very industrious I will never marry for it is not only a Good Husband but a VVise Man that makes a VVoman happy in Marriage Of Three TRAVELLERS THERE were three Travellers that enquired of each other about their Travels and after they had recounted their tedious Journeys dangerous Passages and their many Inconveniences they discoursed of the Climates of each Countrey they had been in their Scituations Commodities Trade and Traffick the Customs Fashions and Humours of the People the Laws and Government of their Princes the Peace and VVarrs of Neighbour-Nations at last they became to question one another VVho had seen the greatest VVonders in their Travels Said one I have seen the greatest VVonder for I have seen a Mean Man become an Emperor Pish said the Second that is nothing for I have seen a Mean Fellow without Merit a Powerful Emperor's Bosome-Friend and Chief Ruler for though the Power of Fortune can enthrone Slaves and unthrone Kings yet Fortune hath no Power over the Souls of Kings for although Fortune hath Power over the Body she hath none over the Mind VVhy said the third that is no more VVonder for Nature to put a Subject's Soul fill'd with mean Thoughts into an Emperor's Body than for Fortune to set an Emperor's Crown on a Slave's Head But I can tell you said he a VVonder indeed which is That where I travelled there was an Emperor the wisest Man in the world That is no wonder answered the other for all great Monarchs and Emperors ought to be the wisest because they rule all others But though they ought to be so said the other yet they are not always so for were not many of the Roman Emperors called The Foolish Emperors And when there are so few wise Men in the world that there is scarce a wise Man to be found in an Age it is a VVonder when VVisdom lights in the right Line I mean in a Royal Line No answered the Third it is no Wonder for the Gods take a particular care to endue a Royal Head with Understanding and a Royal Heart with Justice for Hereditary Royalty is Sacred since the Gods annoint those Lines to that Dignity But those that have not a Right by Inheritance the Gods take no care of nay many times the Gods punish with Plagues and other Miseries those People that make a King of their own chusing and justly since Kings are God's Vicegerents or Deputies on Earth for as the Gods are chief in Heaven and rule the Works of Nature as they will so Kings are chief on Earth and rule the rest of Mankind as they please But said the other If they rule not well they are to give an account Yes answered the other but not unto those Men they rule but to the Gods that placed them in their Thrones The Loving-Cuckold THERE was a Gentleman that had married a Wife Beautiful Modest Chast and of a mild and sweet Disposition and after he had been married some time he began to neglect her and make Courtship to other Women which she perceiving grew very melancholy and sitting one day very pensive alone in comes one of her Husband's Acquaintance to see him whom this Lady told Her Husband was abroad He said I have been to visit him many times and still he is gone abroad She said My Husband finds better Company abroad than he hath at home or at least thinks so which makes him go so often forth So he discoursing with the Lady told her He thought she was of a very melancholy Disposition She said She was not naturally so but what her Misfortunes caused He said Can Fortune be cruel to a Beautiful Lady 'T is a sign said she I am not Beautiful that she would match me to an unkind Husband He said To my thinking it is as impossible for your Husband to be unkind as for Fortune to be cruel She said You shall be Judg whether he be not so for first said she I have been an Obedient Wife observed his
the Earth The Man answered They made much noise in talk and took great pains and bestowed great costs to find the Philosophers Stone which is to make the Elixir but could never come to any perfection Alas said the old Man they are too unconstant to bring any thing to perfection for they never keep to one certain ground or track but are always trying of new Experiments so that they are always beginning but never go on towards an end Besides said he they live not long enough to find the Philosophers Stone for said he 't is not one nor two Ages will do it but there must be many Ages to bring it to perfection But I said he living long and observing the course of Nature strictly am arrived to the height of that Art and all the Gold that is digged out of the Mines was converted by me for in the beginning of the World there was very little Gold to be found and neither my Brother Adam nor his Posterity after him for many Ages knew any such thing but since I have attained to the perfection of that Art I have made so many Mines that it hath caused all the outward parts of the World to go together by the ears for it but I will not hereafter make so much as to have it despised As for my Stills said he they are the Pores of the Earth and the Waters I distill are the sweet Dews the Oily part is the Ambergreece and the Chymists know not how or from whence or from what it comes for some say from Trees others that it is the Spawn of some kind of Fish so some think it one thing some another The saltness of the Sea comes also from Chymistry and the Vapour that arises from the Earth is the Smoak that steems from my Stills But said he the World is not to continue long as it is for I will by my Art turn it all into Glass that as my Brother Adam transplanted Men from Earth by his sin some to Heaven some to Hell so I will transplant the World from Earth to Glass which is the last act of Chymistry Then the Man observing a great concourse of Waters that went with a violent force close by the Center he asked the old Man How came that Water there He answered It was the Gutter and Sink of the Earth for whatsoever Water the Sun drank from the Sea and spued upon the Earth run through the Veins into the Sea again by the Center all little Pipe-Veins meeting there or else said he the World would be drowned again for at Noah's Flood those Pipe-Veins were commanded by Jove to be stopt and after such a time to be opened again I wonder said the Man that all the weighty Materials in the World do not fall upon your Head and so kill you Why so they would said he if they lay all together on a heap but as every thing hath a several motion so every thing hath a proper place for Gold and Iron never dwell together in the Earth neither are all kinds of Stones found in one Quarry nor do all the Mines or Quarries join together but some are in one place and some in another which poises the weight of the Earth equally and keeps it from falling The Man said You have but a melancholy life being none here but your self O said the old Man the Riches of the Earth and all the Varieties thereof come into my Compass This place is the Heart or Soul of Plenty Here have I sweet Dormice fat Moles nourishing Worms industrious Ants and many other things for Food Here are no Storms to trouble me nor Tempests to disorder me but Warmth to cherish me and Peace and Quiet to comfort and joy me the drilling-Waters are my Musick the Glow-worms my Lights and my Art of Chymistry my Pass-time When he had done speaking they took their leaves craving pardon for their abrupt Visit and giving him thanks for his gentle entertainment But the old Man very kindly prayed them to have a care of themselves as they returned for said he you must go through Cold Crude Aguish and Hot Burning Pestilent places for there are great Damps in the Earth as also a great Heat and Fire in the Earth although it gives not Light like the Sun for the Heat of the Earth said he is like the Fire in a Coal and that of the Sun like that of a Flame which is a thinner part of Substance set on fire and is a weaker or fainter Heat but the Sun said he gives more Heat by his quick Motion than the Heat gives Motion And though said he the Fire be the subtillest of all Elements yet it is made slower or more active by the substance it works upon for Fire is not so active upon solid Bodies as it is upon leighter and thinner Bodies So the Witch and the young Man's Spirit gave him thanks and departed But going back they found not the ways so pleasant as when they went for some ways were deep and dirty others heavy and clayie some boggy and sandy some dry and dusty and great Waters high Mountains Stony and Craggy Hills some of them very Chalky and Limy But at last arriving where they set out he found his Body there and putting it on as a Garment gave thanks to the Witch and then went home to rest his weary Spirits The Tale of the Lady in the Elyzium THERE was a Lord that made love to a Lady upon very honourable terms for the End was Marriage This Lady received his Love with great Affection and it chanced that upon the hearing of a report That he was married to another she fell into a swound for above an hour insomuch that they all thought her to be dead but at last returning to her self again one told her That he thought her Soul had utterly forsaken her Mansion the Body No said she 't was only the sudden and violent Passion which had hurried my Soul to Charon's Boat in a distracted Whirlwind of Sighs where in the Croud I was Ferried over to the Elyzium-Fields They ask'd her What manner of place it was She answered Just such a place as the Poets have described Pleasant green Fields but as dark as a shady Grove or the dawning of the Day or like a sweet Summer's Evening when the Nightingal begins to sing which is at the shutting up of the day But when I was there said she I met with such Company as I expected not Who were those said they Julius Caesar and the Vestal Nunn Nero and his Mother Agrippa and Catiline and his Daughter Cornelia and such as Anthony and Cleopatra Dido and AEneas sans nomber But finding not my chast Lover there said she I went to Charon and told him The Fates had neither spun out my Thread nor cut it in sunder but they being careless in the spinning it was not so hard twisted as it should have been insomuch that the report of my Lover's Marriage
five years for as the years of Twenty by his Parents Perswasion being a younger Brother at that time although afterwards he was lest the first of his Family by the death of his Eldest Brother he married a Widow being Noble and Rich but well stricken in years never bearing Child And thus being wedded more to Interest than Love was the cause of his seeking those Societies which best pleased him But after long Conflicts and Doubts Fears Hopes and Jealousies he resolved to remove her from that House and to try to win her by Gifts and Perswasions And sending for a reverent Lady his Aunt whom he knew loved him he told her the passage of all that had hapned and also his affection praying her to take her privately from that place and to conceal her secretly until he was well recovered entreating her also to use her with all the Civility and Respect that could be Going from him she did all that he had desired her removing her to a House of hers a Mile from the City and there kept her The young Lady in the mean time expecting nothing less than Death was resolved to suffer as valiantly as she had acted So casting off all care she was only troubled she lived so idly But the old Lady coming to see her she prayed her to give her something to employ her time on for said she my Brain hath not a sufficient stock to work upon it self Whereupon the old Lady asked her If she would have some Books to read in She answered Yes if they were good ones or else said she they are like impertinent persons that displease more by their vain talk than they delight with their Company Will you have Romances said the old Lady She answered No for they extol Virtue so much as begets an Envy in those that have it not and know they cannot attain unto that perfection and they beat Infirmities so cruelly as it begets pity and by that a kind of love Besides their Impossibilities makes them ridiculous to Reason and in Youth they beget Wanton Desires and Amorous Affections What say you to Natural Philosophy said she She answered They were meer Opinions and if there be any Truths said she they are so buried under Falshood as they cannot be found out Will you have Moral Philosophy No said she for they divide the Passions so nicely and command with such severity as it is against Nature to follow them and impossible to perform them What think you of Logick She answered It is nothing but Sophistry making Factious Disputes but concludes nothing Will you have History No said she for they are seldom writ in the time of Action but a long time after when Truth is forgotten but if they be writ at present Partiality Ambition or Fear bears too much sway Will you have Divine Books No said she they raise up such Controversies that cannot be allayed again tormenting the Mind about that they cannot know whilst they live and frights their Consciences so that it makes men afraid to dye But said the young Lady Pray give me Play-Books or Mathematical ones the first said she discovers and expresses the Humours and Manners of Men by which I shall know my self and others the better and in shorter time than Experience can teach me And in the latter said she I shall learn to demonstrate Truth by Reason and to measure out my Life by the Rule of good Actions to set Marks and Figures on those Persons to whom I ought to be grateful to number my days by Pious Devotions that I may be found weighty when I am put in the Scales of God's Justice Besides said she I may learn all Arts useful and pleasant for the Life of Man as Musick Architecture Navigation Fortification Water-works Fire-works all Engines Instruments Wheels and many such like which are useful besides I shall learn to measure the Earth to reach the Heavens to number the Starrs to know the Motions of the Planets to divide Time and to compass the whole World The Mathematicks is a Candle of Truth whereby I may peep into the Works of Nature to imitate her in little It comprises all that Truth can challenge All other Books disturb the Life of Man this only settles it and composes it in sweet Delight The old Lady said By your Beauty and Discourse you seem to be of greater Birth and better Breeding than usually ordinary young Maids have and if it may not be offensive to you pray give me leave to ask you From whence you came and What you are and How you came here She sighing said I was by an unfortunate Warr sent out of my Countrey with my Mother for safety being very young and the only Child my Parents had My Father who was one of the Greatest and Noblest Subjects in the Kingdom and being employed in the Chief Command in that Warr sent my Mother not knowing what the Issue would be to the Kingdom of Security where he had been formerly sent Embassador So my Mother and I went to remain there until the troubles were over But my Father being killed in the Warrs my Mother dyed for grief and left me destitute of Friends in a strange Countrey only with some few Servants I hearing a Peace was concluded in the Kingdom was resolved to return to my own Native Soil to seek after the Estate which my Father left me as his only Heir When I embarked I only took two Servants a Maid and a Man but by an unfortunate Storm I was cast upon a Shore belonging to this Kingdom where after I was landed my two Servants most treacherously robb'd me of all my Jewels and those Moneys I had and then most barbarously left me alone where afterwards my Host sold me to an old Bawd and she to one of her Customers who sought to force me whereas I to defend my self shot him but whether he be dead or alive I know not afterwards I was brought hither but by whose directions you I suppose can give a better account to your self than I yet I cannot say but that since I came hither I have been civilly used and courteously entertained by your self who seem to be a Person of Worth which makes my fears less for I hope you will secure me from Injuries though not from Death And since you are pleased to enquire what I am and from whence I came I shall entreat the same return to instruct me in the knowledg of your self and why I was brought hither and by whose Order The old Lady said She was Sister to the Prince's Mother and a tender lover of her Nephew and to comply with his desires she was brought there to be kept until he should dispose of her Then she told her what he was but never mentioned the affection he had for her but rather spoke as if her Life were in danger So taking her leave she left her telling her She would send her such Books as she desired Thus passing
or rather resolution for Love is obstinate and if it finds not a like return but a neglect grows spightful rather wishing evil to what they love than another should enjoy what they would have and hate themselves out of a displeasure in not having what they desire So did he and was impatient until he was shipt and gone who steered his course towards the Kingdom of Riches as believing she was sailed towards her own Countrey and resolved he was to find her out or to end his days in the search his Life being a burthen to him without her company Thus Love sailing in the Ship of Imagination on the Ocean of the Mind toss'd on the troubled Waves of discontented Thoughts whilst his Body sailed in the Ship on the Sea cutting the salt Waves they were set on by Pyrates and taken Prisoners so that he was doubly captivated his Soul before now his Body At first they used him but roughly according to their barbarous natures but by degrees his noble Disposition and affable Behaviour got indifferent entertainment It chanced some time after in the sharing of those Prizes they got with him and some others they had got before they fell out and from rude words they fell to ruder blows The Prince apprehending the danger that might befall to himself strove to pacifie them giving them such Reasons in elegant words that it charmed their Ears and softned their Hearts and ended the strife amongst them and begot from them such love and respect that they made him their Albitrator and Divider of the Spoils which he performed with that Justice and Discretion to each one that they made him their Governour and chief Ruler over them which Power he used with that Clemency and Wisdom that he was 〈◊〉 father as their God than their Captain giving him all Ceremonious Obedience And thus reigning in his Watry Kingdom with his three-forked Trident we leave him for a time and visit the old Man and adopted Son who now began to grow weary of their Divine Honours and like wise Men that seek a retired and secured life from the Pomp of dangerous Glories bethought themselves how they might get away and to return into their own Countreys again for an humble and mean Cottage is better beloved by the Owner than the bravest and stateliest Palace if it be another's Thus putting their Designs in execution they invited the King and People to a solemn Meeting in the Temple where Travelia standing in his usual place thus spake THE Gods said he will have us to return from whence we came and to you Great King their Command is To love your People and to distribute Justice amongst them guarding the Innocent punishing the Offendor and not to use any cruel Ceremony to destroy your own Kind but to instruct them in the Right and to lead them into the ways of Truth as being their High-Priest amongst them Also To make as Warrs against your Neighbouring Kingdoms but as a defence and guard to your own for in Peace lives Happiness when Warrs bring Ruin and Destruction and in doing this Tranquillity shall be as a Bed of Ease for Life to sleep on and Length of Days as a Chariot for Life to ride in to Heaven where your Souls shall dwell in the height of Bliss And in this World Fame shall Crown your Deeds and your Posterity shall glory in your Name And to you beloved People the Gods command Piety in your Devotion Obedience to your King Love to your Neighbour Mercy to your Enemies Constancy to your Friends Liberty to your Slaves Care and Industry for your Children Duty to your Parents and in doing this Plenty shall flow in amongst you Mirth shall dance about you Pleasures shall invite you Delight shall entertain you Peace shall keep you safe till the Gods call you to partake of the Glories of Heaven and my Prayers shall always be That Jove may preserve you all Then going off from the place where he stood they went to the King to take their leaves whereat the King and People wept and wish'd the Gods had given them leave to dwell amongst them But since they could not have their desire therein they travelled to the River-side in attendance on them offering them great Riches to carry with them But they desired nor took they any more with them than they thought would defray their charges in a time of necessity Neither did they build a new Ship to sail in but went in the same Boat they came which had been kept as a Relick safe for the old Man considered with himself that a bigger Vessel would be more dangerous without Sea-men than the small Boat which they could manage themselves And so with great sorrow of either side the one to lose their Angels as they thought them to be the others for the dangers they were to run through And thus they parted from the Kingdom of Fancy putting forth their Boat from the shore the old Man who was very skilful at Sea observing what Angle they came in returned the same way where after six days they were upon the Main Sea the Winds being fair and the Waters smooth the Boat went as swift as an Arrow out of a Parthian's Bow and as even as if it meant to hit a Mark but if by a fresh Gale the Waves did chance to rise the Boat would as nimbly skip each ridg as a young Kid over a green Hillock being as leight as Mercury's winged Heels So Joy filled their Hearts with Hopes as Winds filled their Sails But various Fortune causing several changes in the World did raise such Storms of Fears as drowned all their Joys for a Ship fraughted with Pyrates like a great Whale seized on them Pyrates let nothing escape which they can get to make advantage of so ravenous is their covetous Appetite But finding not such a Prize as they did expect but such as might rather prove a burthen consulted to put the old Man into the Boat again and to keep only the young Youth whom being very handsom they might sell for a Slave and get a Sum of Money But when the old Man was to depart Travelia clasped about him so close that his Tears and the Tears of the old Man mix'd and joined and flowed as Waters through a Channel swell'd with several Brooks But when he was forced to leave his hold down on his kness he fell begging he might go or keep his Father there Pity said he my Father's Age Cast him not out alone to sail on the wide and dangerous Sea for though my Help is weak yet I am a Stay and Staff for his decayed Life to lean upon and I hope the Gods have destin'd me to that end but if no pity can move your Hearts for Him O let it do it for Me Cut me not from the Root though old and dry For then poor Branch I wither shall and dye Nay said he I will dye when I can no longer help him
had thus spoke to them they began the Onset Long was the Dispute but at last by the Prince's Courage which animated the rest by his Example and by his wise Conduct and diligent Care in rectifying the disordered Ranks and supplying their broken Files by fresh Men he got the day and put the Enemy to a rout killing many and taking store of Prisoners The Prince when he saw that Fortune was his Friend at that time though at other times she had frown'd yet now he thought to make his advantage whilst she was in a good Humour wherefore he called to the Soldiers to follow their pursuit but they were so busie in the dividing of the Spoils as they were deaf to all Commands or Entreaties giving their Enemies leave to rally their scattered Forces and so to march away and by that means they got so far before them as they had time to get up their Spirits and strengthen their Towns by Fortification to Man their Forts and to entrench themselves whereas if they had followed their Victory they might have taken a great part of the Countrey for all Towns Forts and the like seldom stand out but yeeld to a Victorious Army yet it must be whilst the terror and fright of their Losses hath wholly possest their Minds leaving no place for Hope But when the Prince thought they had lost their opportunity through the Covetousness of the Soldiers he sent a Messenger to the King of the Victory and with the Reasons why he could not follow the same but if his Majesty would give permission he would march on and try out his Fortune In the mean time the Queen hearing of the loss of her Army was much perplexed Then musing with her self what way she were best to take she straight went to Travelia who was indifferently well recovered to him she related the sad News then asked his Counsel what she were best to do He told her His Opinion was for her to call a Council of the Gravest and Noblest of her Subjects and those whose Age had brought Experience for if Worldly Wisdom dwells any where it is in Aged Brains which have been ploughed by various Accidents and sowed with the Seed of Observation which Time hath ripened to a perfection these are most likely said he to produce a plentiful and good Crop of Advice but young Brains said he want both Manuring and Maturity which makes their Counsels green and unwholsome Whereupon they called a Council where after they had disputed long at last they all agree in one consent That the best was For her to go her self in Person to animate her Soldiers and to give a new Life to their dejected Spirits Whereat she was much troubled by reason Travelia was not so well as to travel with her and to leave him seemed worse to her than Death But after her Council was broken up she returned to him and told him what her Council had decreed And this said she angerly to him was by your Advice For had I not called a Council but had sent a General of my own choice it would not have been put to a Vote for me to have gone in Person But had you had that love for me as I have for you I should have had better Advice and with that wept Heaven knows said she the greatest Blow Fortune can give me is to go and leave you behind me He seeing her weep thus spake BEAUTY of your Sex and Nature's rarest Piece Why should you cast your Love so low upon a Slave so poor as I when Kings hazzard their Kingdoms for your sake And if your People knew or did suspect your Love to me they would rebel and turn unto your Enemy and besides Conquerors are feared and followed whereas Losing is a way to be despised and trod into the Earth with scorn Alas I am a Creature mean and poor not worthy such a Queen as you and 't were not wise to hazzard all for me Wherefore go on great Queen and may you shine as glorious in your Victories as the brightest Starrs in Heaven May Pallas be your Guide and Mars the God of Warr fight your Battels out May Cupid give you ease and Venus give delight May Hymen give such Nuptials as best befits your Dignity May Fortune always smile and Peace dwell in your Kingdom And in each Heart such Loyal Love may grow No Disobedience may this Kingdom know Age Crown your Life and Honour close your Days Fame's Trumpet loud may blow about your Praise She weeping said No Sound will pierce my Ear or please my Mind Like to those Words you utter when they 're kind But at last by his Perswasions more than by her Councellor's Advice she consented to go upon that condion he would take upon him the Government of her Kingdom until such time as she returned again and said she if I dye be you Heir to my Crown and Ruler of my People And may the Gods keep you from all Opposers The People knowing her Commands and Pleasure by her Proclamation fell a murmuring not only in that she left a Stranger but a poor Slave who was taken Prisoner and sold and a Person who was of no higher Birth than a Ship-Master's Son to govern the Kingdom and rule the People Whereupon they began to design his death which was thought best to be put in execution when she was gone But he behaved himself with such an affable demeanour accompanied with such smooth civil and pleasing words expressing also the sweetness of his Nature by his Actions of Clemency distributing Justice with such even Weights ordering every thing with that Prudence governing with that Wisdom that it begot such Love in every Heart that their Mouths ran over with Praises ringing out the Sound with the Clappers of their Tongues into every Ear and by their Obedience shewed their Duty and Zeal to all his Commands or rather to his Perswasions so gently did he govern Thus whilst he ruled in Peace at home the Armies met abroad and being set ready to fight the Trumpets sounded to Charge and every one prepared to encounter his Enemy striving for the honour of Reputation which is got by the ruin of one Side So equally hath Nature distributed her Gifts that every one would have a just Proportion did not Fortune disorder and misplace her Works by its several Accidents But the terror of the former Blow was not quite extinguished in the Queen's Army nor the insulting Spirits of the other Army laid but rather a new Courage added to their old Victory which did help them now to win that day and with such victorious Fortune that they took the Queen a Prisoner and did destroy the whole Army The Prince thinking the Kingdom won in having the Queen's Person made him divide his Army into two parts the one half he sent to take possession of the Towns Castles and Forts the other part he led himself to conduct the Queen being much pleased that
Then chiding her gently for not making her self known unto her said that she had caused her many unquiet rests But Travelia begged her pardon telling her it was the cause of her misfortunes that concealed her and not out of any evil design she had to deceive her Then desired her assistance and help to secure her Whilst they were thus talking the King and the Prince came to see the sick Person to whom the Queen with a smiling-countenance said She was courting her hard-hearted Lover The King answered That he hoped she would take pity on him by what she had felt her self The Queen told him She was likelier to love him now than if she had never been a Lover before for said she there is something pleasing in Lovers Thoughts be their Fortunes never so adverse and I believe said she the Prince will say as much Madam said he It is a pleasing-pain as being mix'd with Hopes and Fears but if our Hopes do cease all Pleasure is gone and nothing doth remain but Pains of Hell Then said the Queen your Mistress should be in a sad condition if she loved you as you seem to love her you being a Married-Man No said the Prince I am now a Widower but I doubt said he that doth not advantage me in my Mistress's affection But when Travelia heard he was a Widower her Heart did beat like a Feverish Pulse being moved with several Passions fearing it was not so hoping it was so joying if it were so grieving that she ought not to wish it so But the Queen asked the Prince How that he came to know of it Whereupon he told her She said I have promised your Mistress to protect her against your outragious Assaults but since your Suit is just and your Treaty civil I will yeeld her to you upon that condition you carry her not out of my Kingdom for since I cannot marry her and so make her my Husband I will keep her if I can and so make her my Friend With that Travelia rises up in her Bed and bowed her self with a pleased countenance giving the Queen thanks The Prince said You have given me as much as the Gods could give which is Felicity Madam said the King You have given me nothing The Queen with Blushes answered That if her Council would agree she would give him her self The King for joy kneeled down and kiss'd her Hand Now said he I am like to the Gods they can but have their wish Thus passing that day in pleasing-discourses the next day they caused their Councils to meet where they concluded the Marriage of the King and Queen and that the Queen should live with their King in the Kingdom of Amours and that her first Son should be Heir to the Crown and her second should be Heir to the Kingdom of Amity but in case there were no Sons or but one then Daughters should inherit In the mean time the Prince and his Princess that was to be should be Vice-Roy or rather that she should rule who was so beloved of the People as if she had not only been a Native born but as if she had been born from the Royal Stock But they thought it fit she should make her self known unto the Army by word of mouth that she was a Woman otherwise they might think she was made away by a violent Death and that the report of being a Woman was only a trick to deceive them and from thence arise such a Mutiny as might bring a ruin to both Kingdoms When all was agreed they prepared for the Marriages In the mean time Travelia goeth to the Army attended by the Prince where the King and Queen came soon after that the Soldiers might see they were there as Witnesses of what she told them And being all in a Circle round about her she being upon a place raised for that purpose thus spake Noble Friends and Valiant Soldiers I Am come here at this present to declare I am a Woman although I am habited like a Man and perchance you may think it immodesty but they that will judg charitably will enquire the Reason before they give their Censure for Upright Judges never give Sentence before they examine Wherefore I believe you will not condemn me because Necessity did enforce me to conceal my Sex to protect my Honour for as the love of Soul and Body is inseparable so should the love of Chastity and the Feminine Sex and who can love and not share in danger And since no danger ought to be avoided nor Life considered in respect of their Honours and to guard that safe from Enemies no Habit is to be denied for it is not the outward Garment that can corrupt the honest Mind for Modesty may clothe the Soul of a naked Body and a Sword becomes a Woman when it is used against the Enemies of her Honour for though her strength be weak yet she ought to shew her good will and to dye in the defence of Honour is to live with Noble Fame and therefore neither Camp nor Court nor City nor Countrey nor Danger nor Habit nor any worldly Felicity must separate the love of Chastity and our Sex for as Love is the sweetest so it is the strongest of all Passions and true Love proceeds from Virtue not from Vice wherefore it is to be followed by Life and to be maintained till Death And if I have served my Queen honestly condemn not my Modesty Then she bowed her Head down low first to the King and Queen then to the Army Whereupon the Army gave a shout and cryed out Heaven bless you of what Sex soever you be After she had spoke this Speech she went into her Tent and drest her self in her Woman's Robes and came out again and standing in the same place thus spake Noble Friends THUS with my Masculine Clothes I have laid by my Masculine Spirit yet not so but I shall take it up again if it be to serve the Queen and Kingdom to whom I owe my Life for many Obligations First To my Queen who bought me as a Slave yet used me as a Friend and loved me with that Affection as if Nature had linked us in one Line for which Heaven reward her with Glory and Renown Besides her Love did bestow upon me great Honour made me Protector of her Kingdom in her absence and you her Subjects out of Loyalty obeyed all my Commands although I am young and unexperienced And 't is not only what your Loyalty enforces but I have found your Affections of Love to be such as it shewed they came freely from your Souts expressing it self in grieving for my Sickness taking care for my Health joying in my Company mourning for my Absence glorying in my Fame in so much as you would lessen your own to give it me What shall I do to shew my Gratitude Alas my Life is too poor a Sacrifice Had I the Mansion of the Gods I would resign it for your
together and then they would decree how to dispose of them After that they did decree That all those Records that were of Usurpers and Invaders should be cast forth Next All Fabulous and Profitless Records Thirdly All Wanton and Amorous Records Fourthly All Records of Useless Laws and Inhuman Sacrifices Fifthly All Records of tedious Speeches or vain or factious Oratory Sixthly All obstructive Controversie as being destructive to Truth should be cast out Also tedious Disputes and Sophistry But Mars Cupid and Mercury opposed it as much as they could saying That if all these Records should be cast forth the famous Library would be very empty Jove said It was an Infamous Library 〈◊〉 they were kept therein and that no Records ought to be in Fame's Library but of such Acts as suppress'd Vice and advanc'd Virtue and were prositable for the Life of Man and those of necessary Inventions but chiefly those that glorified the Gods and sung their Praises declaring their Power Wisdom Justice and Love whose Authors ought to have their memory recorded to everlasting time As for the Works of the Poets by Nature said Jove the Fates have decreed them several places in the Library wherefore it is not in our power to remove them but those that are like false Coyn that have only got by unjust means the stamp of the true Figure and not the worth of the Metal such as are dross or basely mixt not pure and perfect pieces we shall find out by their trial After they had decreed the Generalities they fate in Council on the Particularities as which were unworthy to be kept or worthy to be cast out First they began with Moral and Natural Philsophers Physicians and Chymists where Jove said All but some few ought to be cast forth for to what purpose should we stuff the Library with the Repetitions and false Commentaries of which all Modern Records are for the most part full being only alter'd in language As for the Philosophers the first shall be Plato and his Works shall be all kept but his Commonwealth and that shall be put out by reason it was so strict it could never be put in use nor come into practise The rest that were nam'd were Pythagoras Epicurus Socrates and Aristotle As for Physicians only Hippocrates and Galen and Paracelsus for his Medicines and Reymund Lully for the Philosoper's-stone for although their Records be lost in the Rubbish of the Library yet old Father Time shall be employed to find them out and other Records that are buried in the dust which are worthy of perspicuous places Also Aristotle's Logick and Rhetorick was kept and for Gramar Lilly The next they came to consider were Mathematical Records whereof none was to be kept but Archimedes and Euclid As for the Records of Invention all that are either necessary profitable or pleasant shall be inrolled but all such Invention as is hurtful distrustful obstructful vain and useless shall be cast forth Then said one of the Gods Archimedes must be cast out for he invented many Engines of Warr. 'T is true said Jove but by reason it was in the defence of the City he lived in and was a Native thereof he shall be spared The next were Astronomers whereof four were kept Copernicus Tichobrache Ptolomy and Gallileo The next sort were Orators and Law-makers As for Law-makers there were Moses Licurgus and Solon kept for Orators only Thucydides and Demosthenes as for Tully he was a vain Boasting Fellow and Seneca a meer Pedant and a dissembling pretending Philosopher and therefore they shall out For Politicks only Achitophel and Machiavel Then they came to Heroick Records Jove said That all the Records that were of the Actions of those they call the Heroes ought most of them to be cast out being violaters of Peace and destroyers of Righteous Laws and Divine Ceremony Prophaners of our Temples breaking down our Altars and Images robbing us of our Treasures to maintain their ill-gotten Power therein or to get that Power they have no right to having no Justice but Strength to make their Titles good Besides they are the greatest Troublers of Mankind Robbers and Thieves disposing the Right of Ancient Possessions and defacing the Truth of ancient times With that Mars rose up and bowing to Jove said May it please your great God-head There are Priests of yours that have made it good by Divine Laws and many Lawyers that justifie it by the Laws of every Kingdom and by the Laws of Nations and will you cast down that which your Priests and Lawyers preach and plead up With that Pallas rose up and spoke Great Jove said she Wisdom knows that Force makes the Gown stoop and Mercury knows that Orators Tongues are as often brib'd for Fear as Reward and those two Professions plead always for the stronger side and falsifies your Text for Interest and turns Right to Wrong and makes the Text and Laws a Nose of Wax which will take any Print or else How should various disputes arise in that we hold Sacred as divinity and every Cause disputed pro and con in all Courts by opposite Counsels Wherefore All-seeing Jove your Power will rectifie it and it will be Justice to throw them out Wherefore let all the Records of all those of the Heroick Acts and Heroes both of Greeks and Romans that were Invaders or Usurpers with their Heroes as Alexander Hannibal Scipio Caesar and all the rest and all other Records and Heroes of what Nation soever which is of that in jurious turbulent ambitious and vain-glorious Nature whereof there be Thousands which ought to be cast into Hell's Dungeon the place of Infamy there let their Actions be recorded and not usurp Heaven's great and glorious Library as they did Earth's Then said Mars you must cast all the Heroick Actions and Worthies in Homer's Works into that Dungeon That must not be said Jove for Homer was Heaven's Chronologer and the Records of the Gods of Heaven must not be cast into Hell Besides there was a just pretence for that Warr for the Grecians had received a palpable Injury and the Trojans did but defend themselves and though the Injury done and the Wrong received were but by Two single Men and the Quarrel but for a leight inconstant Woman yet it was a Riot and the more faulty and less pardonable because it was a Riot of our Deputies on Earth for Kings are the Gods Deputies and Vicegerents and therefore Sacred and ought not to be injured but when they are their Injuries are to be severely punished and Heaven forbid we should be so unjust as to cast out all Heroick Actions and Warring Heroes no we cast out only those that make warr unjustly vain-gloriously or covetously Then Mars ask'd If Tamberlain should be cast out Jove said Yes for he had no right to the Turks Empire Then he ask'd If Scanderbeg should be thrown out Jove said No for it is lawful for any to get their own and to maintain their
Right by what force soever and that Scanderbeg had reason to fight for and to maintain by force his own Inheritance Then he asked If the Records of the Jews Heroes and their Heroick Actions in the Land of Canaan should be cast out Jove said No for that Land was given them by the Gods Then they came to Romances where Jove said All Romances should be cast out but Don Quixot by reason he hath wittily abused all other Romances wherefore he shall be kept and also have his Books writ in Golden Letters Then Cupid spoke in their behalf and entreated Jove that they might not be cast out for said Cupid Romances work as great effects upon the hearts of Mortals as my Arrows tipt with Gold do besides they are my Mother Venus Looking-glasses Jove said They did corrupt Mortals thoughts and made them neglect their Divine Worship causing them to spend their time vainly idly and sinfully Then Cupid desired Jove to spare Amadis de Gaul But Jove said That should be the first that should be cast out by reason it was the original of all the rest Likewise said Jove all Fables shall be cast out but Esop's Fables which profit Mankind by his Morals Also Lucian and Rabelais shall be kept both for their huge Wit and Judgment rectifying Scholars Understandings and though some that are spiteful at their Wit call them Scoffers yet they are not so but Teachers of Truth in a pleasant stile and those that say they are Prophane judg presumptuously and maliciously of them At this Sentence Mercury joyed At last they came to judg of Poets where Homer Pindar and Anacreus were preferr'd as the three first Then one of the Gods named Virgil as the fourth Jove said It was a question whether Virgil was a true Poet by Nature or no by reason he was rather an Imitator of Homer than of Nature and his praise was more for his Language than either for Fancy or Natural Description Wherefore said Jove he might be questioned for a true-born Poet and since it may be doubted he is of a Bastard-kind I will prefer Horace before him who certainly is a true-begotten Poetical Son of Nature Another of the Gods said I should judg Ovid to be plac'd before either of them both for the sweetness of his Verse and fineness of his Fancy the curious intermixing and the subtil interweaving of his several Discourses Theams Arguments or his Transitions Jove said For his part he was no Friend to Ovid for divulging his several Amours and if it were in my power said Jove to alter the Decrees of Fate I would cast him forth but by reason he is a right Poet by Nature I cannot but yet I can place him in Heaven's Library as I will and therefore he shall not be before either Horace or Virgil but he shall stand in the sixth place and in the seventh place shall stand Martial Cupid said Your God-head hath forgot Tibullus and his Son No said Jove they ought to be put out because their Verses were wanton Cupid said Your God-head cannot put them out because they are Poets by Nature Then let them said Jove be placed in some out-corner of the Library At which Sentence Cupid srown'd knowing his Mother Venus would grieve to have them dis-respected After them were placed the Comedians Terence and Plautus and the Tragedian Seneca And having given their Judgments of all the Ancient Poets which were more than could be numbred in this place they tried the Moderns whereof they could not find one true Poet by Nature amongst Five hundred for though there is an infinite company of them yet hardly one true one amongst them all for most of the Moderns have been like a company of Ravens that live upon dead Carkasses so they upon old Authors and some have been like Maggots that have been bred in their dead Flesh which is the living Works of dead Authors and some like Hornets and some like Bees but very few rightly begotten from Nature indeed so few as I am loath to set them down so most of the Moderns were cast out Then after they had divided the Records what to be put out and what to be kept in there rose a great dispute amongst the Gods How those that were cast out should be disposed of At last Jove decided the case Those that were wicked mischievous and base should be put into Hell and those that were idle vain useless and foolish should be drown'd in the River of Styx but they were forc'd to make new Boats to waft some to Hell and to drown others in the River for there was such an infinite company that Charon had not leisure neither could one Boat serve their turn But then there rose another dispute about those that go to Hell for said some of the Gods the Records must not be in Paper nor Parchment nor in Metal nor Stone by reason there is a continual and eternal Fire in Hell which will burn the one and melt and moulder away the other Whereupon Jove ordered That those that were to go into Hell should be recorded in Salamander-stone on which the Fire hath no force for the more it is burnt the more it is purified After they had decreed this all the Records of Tyrants Usurpers Invaders Murderers Thieves Ravishers Extortioners Detractors Licentious Mutiniers Factious Prophane and Rebellious Records with Evil Inventions were cast into Hell a Room being provided as a Library and one of the Furies with a fiery Trumpet to sound out their reproach And all those Records that were Vain Useless Idle Amorous and Wanton with all those that were full of Sophistry Tedious Obscure Pedantical and those that were only Repetitions and false Commentaries also those of useless Inventions and that were meer Rhymers were cast into the River of Styx and so drown'd in Oblivion FINIS * Phaeton