seene Or like Adonis fitted to the chase Whom Venus met and sweetly did embrace Had she had wings as she had Shafts and Bow Saue in her stature you could hardly know Her from the Loue-god Cupid Now her minde She fresh and suting with her shape doth finde Ceasing her former losses to bewaile Thus with a sprightly courage she fets saile At ev'ry Coast she landeth she enquires But findes no answer fram'd to her desires Twelue times the Moone had wain'd and fill'd her round And yet her sister no where to be found At length vpon the fortunat Isle she lands Where then her wretched father was in bands And the bright Damsell new instated Queene Not many dayes before the King had beene Inuited two great Princes to attone In whose forc'd absence she now reignes alone In which short int'rim newes is brought to Court Of a strange ship new landed in the Port But chiefely That one passenger therein Is of a choice aspect whose beardlesse chin No manhood shewes they tooke him at first sight To be no other than Ioves Catamite For such was Ganimed by all account What time he snatcht the Boy from Ida Mount. The Queene all spirit before is now growne fiery To know him better by more strict enquiry Answer 's retun'd his person is Diuine As one made sacred at Apollo's Shrine And there 's no greater sacriledge than wrong And that to Apollo shall belong A Lord is sent the yong Priest to inuite He comes and she affects him at first sight For Nature hath a secret working still And to her owne ends swayes the captiv'd will Nor is it wonder she so soone is woon Since such neere bloud in both their veines doth run The Delphian Idoll when he saw the state The Lady bore was much amas'd thereat Her princely habit and her numerous Traine The distance that she kept thereby to gaine The more obseruance seated in a Throne And marking with what gems her garments shone The Diamonds that were wouen in her haire And ev'ry thing about her then so rare For she in all respects so far surpast His fathers Daughter when he saw her last It neuer once could sinke into his minde Seeking a Captiue he a Queene should finde Besides her port her gesture garments strange Suting that Countrey bred in her such change The disguis'd Priest hath quite forgot her face And apprehends some goddesse is in place Againe The Delphians habit did so blinde The Princesse eyes she little dream'd to finde Though else he hardly could her knowledge scape A woman or a Sister in that shape And though they make a serious inter-view Looking both oft and long yet neither knew Though an alternate sympathie appear'd That one vnto the other was indear'd She feasts the Priest and with such sumptuous cheare As if Apollo's selfe had then been there Some short discourse they had the banquet ended But nothing to their owne affaires that tended All the choice fauors she can well affoord She freely giues night growes he hasts aboord But shee 'l not suffer him to lye so hard For in the Court his lodging is prepar'd And in that Island whilst he makes aboad He is to her as welcome as his god Now curteously compel'd Time calls to bed And they are both to sundry lodgings led His chamber rich and his Attendants great She now retyr'd begets a stronge conceit Which may in her the better be allow'd Since there 's no Faire-one but is somewhat proud Thinks she My beauty is of such rare note That all who looke on me from liking dote My royall husband Soueraigne of the land Swayes all his Subiects and I him command If any of my feature make relation His praise he soone turnes into admiration I am not seene in publique but they cry She is descended from some Deitie But what 's all this if onely these allow My Beauty such as neuer tooke strict Vow Here 's one that 's to the Votaries ally'd By a religious Oath from Venus ty'd Now were there in my face such vertue found To pierce his chaste brest with an vnseene wound Should it tempt him whom all lust doth abjure To gaine the Palme by merit I am sure But till of such a tryall I haue made To be still equal'd I am much afraid Shee 's now resolv'd to put her to the test And the next morning sends to see her guest Hee 's brought into her presence whom she spies No sooner but she courts him with her eyes Next change of blushes in her lookes appeare As if she would say something but did feare She then began to wooe him with her hand But that he would not seeme to vnderstand Then with her sighes but all the while was mute And she no whit the neerer in her suit But to breake silence she is now decreed Knowing Who spares to speake oft failes to speed To proue how far bright beauty can preuaile She to this purpose frames a passionate Tale. No Sex saith she no Age Degree or State But all are subiect to the will of Fate Their pow'r so strong I cannot say so just As what they bid we shall do that we must Our Wills are not our owne nor can we do But meerely that which they enforce vs to That their strict Lawes no Mortals can evade Ev'n I this day am an example made Who apprehend the best and would pursue it But 'gainst mine owne best nature must eschew it With that she blusht and turn'd her cheeke aside As if the loue she shew'd she faine would hide Proceeding thus I that am now a wife Did once resolue to leade a Vestall life And gladly would haue kept it to this hower But my chast Will they alter'd by their power After my Virgin girdle was vnty'de And that I was made both a Queene and Bride My best endeauors I did then imply To keepe vnbroken our conjugall Ty. But they haue brought thee from I know not whence To make me with my nuptiall Oath dispenceâ— They haue enforc'd my Lord to a faâ— Clime To sort to vs conuenient place and time If to do what Thou dost desire to heare Looke in my face and thou mayst reade it there And if I to my Lord proue thus ingrate What is it but our fortunes and his fate My loue-sicke thoughts are thus before thee layd And know she sues that must not be gain-sayd For vnresistable is my desire Pause but returne short answer I 'le retyre This spoke as much asham'd away she flings Now the yong Priest conceiues a thousand things What say or do he doth both feare or doubt Insnar'd he is and no way can get out Such a Dadalian Mase should Theseus try He ne're could finde the dore he entred by He apprehends what strange malicious spleenes Meane women loue-crost haue then what 's in queens By them he may coniecture as to swell More by how much in greatnesse they excell
their houses and carried a great distance off And in the fields of Bonaventum and Narbon as Procopius writes men armed wagons laden or whatsoeuer comes in the way are snatched vp into the aire and whirled about like a feather and after let fal vpon the earth not onely bruised but broken to pieces So that they doe not onely vncouer houses demolish buildings ruin turrets and towers blow vp trees by the roots snatch vp men in whirl-winds and prostrat whatsoeuer standeth before them but as Vincentius witnesseth they teare vp cities from their foundations somtimes and strew the fields adjacent with their ruins In the Councell of Basill certaine learned men taking their journey through a forrest one of these Spirits in the shape of a Nightingall vttered such melodious tones and accents that they were all amased and stayed their steps to sit downe and heare it At length one of them apprehending that it was not possible that such rarietie of musicke could be in a bird the like of which hee had neuer heard demanded of it in the name of God what or who it was The Bird presently answered I am the Soule of one that is damned and am enioyned to sing thus till the last day of the great Iudgement Which said with a terrible shrieke which amased them all she flew away and soone vanished The euent was That all that heard those Syrenicall notes presently fel into grieuous sicknesses and soone after died Of this sort of Spirits was that no doubt of which Aventinus witnesseth Bruno the Bishop of Herbipolitanum sailing in the riuer of Danubius with Henry the third then Emperour being not far from a place which the Germanes call â—en Strudel or the deuouring Gulfe which is neere vnto Grinon a castle in Austria a Spirit was heard clamouring aloud Ho ho Bishop Bruno whether art thou trauelling but dispose of thy selfe how thou pleasest thou shalt be my prey and spoile At the hearing of these words they were all stupified and the Bishop with the rest crost and blest themselues The issue was That within a short time after the Bishop feasting with the Emperor in a Castle belonging to the Countesse of Esburch a rafreâ— fell from the roofe of the chamber wherein they sate and strooke him dead at the table Of the Watry Spirits next and of them some briefe stories The manner how the Duke of Venice yearely marrieth the Ocean with a Ring and the originall thereof though it haue nothing in it belonging vnto magicke yet will it not much mis-become this place therefore I begin first with that The Duke in the Feast of Christs Ascention commeth to a place named Bucentaur without the two Apostle gates â—eituate at the entrance of the Gulfe and casteth a rich Ring into the sea which is no argument of superstition or inchantment but onely a symbole or emblem of Domination and Rule which by this earnest the Senat of Venice makes a contract with the Ocean The ground and first beginning of this ceremonie came from Pope Alex. the third whom Otho the soone of Fredericke AEnâ—barbus so persecuted that he was forced to fly and to shelter himselfe in Venice in the Monasterie of Saint Charitie where he liued for a time secretly and vnknowne But after notice being giuen to the Venetians what and who he was they brâ—ught him thence with great honour and obseruance He also found both their land and sea Forces ready for the seruice of him and the Churchâ— insomuch that in a great Naâ—all conâ—â—ict Otho was by the Venetians taken prisoner and presented as a Vassall to the Pope For which the Pope tooke a Ring from his finger and gaue it to Sâ—hastianus Zianus General for the Fleet speaking thus By vertue of my authority whilst thou keepest this Ring thou shalt be Lord and Husband of the Ocean and annually thou and thy posterity on this day in which thou hast obtained so glorious a victorie for the Church shalt espouse the Sea that all men may know that the dominion of the Sea is granted vnto thee because thou hast so prosperously vndertooke the study care and defence of the Sea Apostolique And be this a presage of thy benediction and thy happy successe in the future for euer Thus Villamontinus sets it downe Lib. 1. Peregrinat cap. 34. And Sabel Dec. 1. lib. 7. out of whom the former Author extracted it This following Historie you may reede in Olaus Magnus Hotherus King of Suetia and Dacia being hunting and by reason of a thicke dampish fog wandred or strayed from his company hee hapned vpon a Syluan den or caue which entring he espied three faire and beautifull Virgins who wiâ—hout blaming his intrusion called him by his name and â—ad him welcome doing him that obeysance and obseruance which his state required At which he wondring courteously demanded of them what they were To whom one replied That they were Virgins into whose power all the Auspices and euents of war were giuen and they had abilitie to dispose of them at their pleasure and that they were present in all conflicts and battels though vnseene to conferre vpon their friends honour and victorie and to punish their enemies with disgrace and ouerthrow Exhorting him withall that as he tendered their fauours hee should by no meanes trouble Balderus with war who by his genealogie might claim allyance with the gods Which words were no sooner deliuered but the den and they disappeared together and he was left aloâ—â— in the open aire without any couering Blame him not to be much amased at this so vnexpected and sudden a prodigie notwithstanding after some recollection he winding his â—orne his seruants came about him by whom he was conducted to the Court not reuealing this Vision to any Some few yeares after being vexed and prosecuted with sharpe and vnsuccessefull war he was forced to wander thorow forrests groues and thickets and seeke out by wayes and make vntrodden paths the better to secure himselfe At length he light vpon another remote and desolaâ— Vault where sate three Virgins who notwithstanding vpon better aduisement he presumed to be the same who at their last departure scattered a garment which he tooke vp and found by experience that all the time he wore it his body was invulnerable They demand of him the cause of his comming thither He presently complains vnto them of his infortunat euents in warre adding withall That all things had hapned vnto him aduerse to their promise To whom they answered That he accused them vniustly for though hee seldome returned an absolute Victor yet in all his enterprises he did as much dammage and made as great slaughter on his Enemies as he had receiued strage or execution from them and bad him not to dispaire for if hee could by any exploit or stratagem preuent the Enemie of any one dish of meat which was prouided for his dyet and table hee should without question in
these that Truth transcendeth all The King 's inthron'd his Peeres about him stated To heare this strife betwixt them three debated The first begins O men who can define Vnto the full the pow'r and strength of Wine For needs must that be said to tyrannise Which tames the Strong and doth deceiue the Wise. The minde it alters and 't is that alone That makes the Scepter and the Sheep-hooke one For you in Wine no difference can see Betwixt the Poore and Rich the Bond and Free It glads the heart and makes the thoughts forget Trouble and sorrow seruitude and debt It doth inrich the minde in ev'ry thing That it remembers Gouernor nor King And causeth those who are in state most weake Not thinking of their wants of Talents speake It puts a daring in the cowards brest To loue those Armes he did before detest To draw his sword in fury and to strike Opposing his best friends and foes alike But from the Wine and when the tempest 's o're He soone forgets all that had past before Then ô you men for I 'le not hold you long Thinke Wine that can do these things is most strong He ceast the next began and thus O men Are not you strongest first by land and then By sea Are not all things in them contain'd Yours as at first vnto your vse ordain'd But yet the King is greater he rules all And is the Lord of these in generall Such as negotiate by sea or land Are but meere Vassals and at his command If he shall bid them war with least facilitie They take vp armes and run into hostilitie And if he send them against forrein Powers They breake downe Citadels demolish Towers Mountaines they with the vallies shall make ev'n Or in the dales raise structures to braue heav'n They kill or they are slaine in ev'ry thing They do not passe the precept of the King And if they ouercome by right or wtong The spoile and honour doth to him belong Nay those which do not to the battell go But stay at home to plow to till to sow The fruits of all their labours and increase They bring vnto the King to keepe their peace Yet he is but one man If he bid kill There is no sauing then much bloud they spill But if the word passe from him they shall spare To shed least bloud who 's he so bold that dare If he bid smite the smite or if he frowne And bid demolish all things are torne downe If he say Build they build or if destroy All goes to hauocke and yet he in ioy Meane time sits downe doth eat doth drinke doth sleep And all the rest a watch about him keepe Neither can any tend his owne affaires But the Kings only ev'ry man prepares To do him seruice reason too for they Dare not but his great potencie obey Then aboue others is not he most strong This hauing said the second held his tongue The third reply'd O men neither confine Strength to the potent Monarch nor to Wine Nor to the Multitude 'gainst their opinion Hath not the Woman ouer these dominion Woman into the World the King hath brought And all such people as haue Empire sought By land or sea from them had Being first Bred from their wombes and on their soft knees nurst Those that did plant the Vine and presse the juice Before that they could taste it to their vse Had from them their conception they spin they weaue Garments for men and they from them receiue Worship and honour needfull th' are no doubt As being such men cannot liue without If he hath gath'red siluer or got gold Or found out ought that 's pretious to behold Doth he not bring it to his choice Delight Her that is faire and pretious in his sight Leaues he not all his bus'nesse and affaire To gaze vpon her eyes play with her haire Is he not wholly hers doth he not bring Gold to her siluer and each pretious thing Man leaues his Father Mother Countrey all What he esteemes most deare to become thrall In voluntary bondage with his Wife To leade a priuat and contented life Which life for her he hasardeth and her 'Fore Father Mother Countrey doth prefer Therefore by these you may perceiue and know Woman to whom Man doth such seruice owe Beares rule o're you Do you not trauell sweat And toile that of your labors they may eat Man takes his sword regardlesse of his weale And Madman-like goes forth to rob and steale He sailes the seas sounds Riuers nothing feares He meets a Lion and his way he steares Through darknesse and what purchase spoile or boot Is got he prostrats at his mistresse foot This shewes his Woman is to him more deare Than he that got or she that did him beare Some haue run mad some Slaues to them haue bin Others haue err'd and perisht in their sin Do I not grant the King in pow'r is great And that all Nations homage to his seat Yet I haue seene Apame her armes twine About his necke the Kings lov'd Concubine And daughter to the famous Bartacus I haue beheld her oft times vse him thus From the Kings head to snatch the Royall Crowne And smiling on him place it on her owne Then with her left hand on the cheeke him smite Yet he hath gap'd and laught and tooke delight To see himselfe so vs'd If she but smil'd As if all pow'r from him were quite exil'd He laught on her If angry he was faine To flatter her till she was pleas'd againe 'T is you ô men whom I appeale vnto Are they not strongest then who this can do At this the King and Princes in amase Began each one on others face to gase When he proceeded thus Say ô you men Resolue me Are not Women strongest then The Earth is spatious and the Heav'n is hye And the Sun swiftly in his course doth flye For in one day the Globe he wheeleth round And the next morning in his place is found Him that made these things must we not then call Great and Truth therefore great'st and strong'st of all All the Earth calls for Truth Heav'n doth proclaime Her blessed all things tremble at her name For Truth no vniust thing at all can doo The Wine is wicked so the King is too Women are wicked all the sonnes of men Most wicked are and such must needs be then Their wicked works there is no Truth therein And wanting Truth they perish in their sin But Truth shall abide strong and still perseuer For it shall liue and reigne euer and euer With her of persons there is no respect She doth to this way nor to that reflect She knowes no diffrence what is just she loues But what 's impure and sinfull she reproues And all men fauor her good works because Her judgements are vpright and iust her lawes Shee 's the Strength Kingdome Power Dignitie And of all Ages Sov'raigne Majestie Blest be the
Commissions sign'd from God alone And as the middle Heav'ns are without doubt By the same agitation wheel'd about With that which Primum Mobile we call So by their owne Intelligences all Are by particular motion hurried round A way contrarie as by proofe is found Likewise the intermediate Ternion tho They be by God illumin'd and much know Yet in the executing of their places And do'ing His Will there are such diffrent spaces They from the Highest Chorus take their charge So 'twixt the last Diuision to enlarge This point more fully what is most Diuine And in it's Greatnesse neerest to the Trine In Number is much lesse as Doctors write But greater far in Potencie and Might Againe What farthest we from God diuide Of That the Number is most multiply'de But is of much lesse Vertue Thus saith one Alwayes the Best thing from it Selfe alone Hath his Perfection That which in degree Is next to It guided and sway'd must be By one sole Motiue What is far remov'd Is subiect vnto Many we finde prov'd To giue more lustre to this Argument The like 's in euery Kingdomes mannagement We see a King in power most absolute With whose prerogatiue none dare dispute Who with a Breath can mighty Armies raise Hath a huge Nauy prest at all essayes By Land to forrage and by Sea to'inuade And these too without forreine Princes aid Who can giue life and take it when he please In his owne Person doth not do all these But by his Ministers his Lords and Peers And they by their inferior Officers His awfull word as by transmission still Passing degrees ev'n from the first vntill It ceaseth in the last So 't may be guest 'T is in the Ternions of the Angels blest God is an absolute Monarch and next Him Daniel doth place the holy Cherubim As knowing best His Counsels and Intent And such are seldome on his message sent Th' inferior Angels with their Charge or'e-joy'd 'Twixt God and Man haue often been employ'd And as the intermediate Spirits be More oft commanded than the first Degree Yet not so frequently as those below This therefore I would haue you learne to know The Primum Mobile doth first begin To chime vnto the holy Seraphim The Cherubim doth make concordance euen With the eighth Sphere namely The Starry Heauen The Thrones with Saturne The like modulations Hath Iupiter with the high Dominations The Vertues haue with Mars a consonance sweet The Potestates with Sol in symptores meet The Principates with Venus best agree Th' Arch-Angels with the Planet Mercurie The Angels with the Moone which melody Hosanna sings to Him that sits on high Besides the Sects the Schismes and Heresies Vaine Adorations and Idolatries There haue been three Religions ' boue the rest More frequent in the World and most profest And those ev'n to these later Times exist The Iew the Christian and Mahumetist Now which of all these three should be inuested In highest honour hath been long contested As well by Armes as Arguments To assure Our selues of these which is the onely pure And without error 't will not be in vaine To separate the Cockle from the Graine Comparing them it may be easi'ly guest Whether Iew Turke or Christian beleeues best The Iewes thus quarrell with our Faith We draw Say they what we professe from Moses Law And ev'n the Christians our chiefe Tenents hold We likewise in this one thing may be bold Aboue all other Nations That by none God's truly worship'd but by Vs alone Let all th' authentique Chronicles be sought Neuer haue such great Miracles been wrought As amongst vs. What people can there be That dares in Noblesse or Antiquitie With our blest Hebrew Nation to contend For who 's so dull that knowes not we descend From Prophets Kings and Patriarchs who pretend That this our Off-spring lineally came From our great Predecessor Abraham And though our Monarchy be quite transverst And we as slaues through the wide world disperst 'T is not because we put to heauy doome The great Messias who is yet to come But that so many Prophets of our Nation Who preach'd to them Repentance and Saluation Were by them slaine and butcher'd Thus they can Plead for themselues Now the Mahumetan He cavills with the Christian and thus sayes None like to vs the great Creator praise We onely vnto One make adoration When as the Christian Sect build their saluation Vpon a Sonne this God should haue and He Equall to Him from all eternitie Proceeding further Should there be two gods They of necessitie should fall at odds Since supreme Pow'rs Equalitie abhor And are impatient of Competitor Nor can that Kingdome without discord be Where Two or more haue joint supremacie Besides God bee'ng omnipotent and thrice-great For vs to'aduance a Riuall to his Seat Were sacriledge one like Him to adjoine Were but his Diuine Honors to purloine They say We Christians more on Him conferre Than He would willing haue and therefore erre Inforcing too The Roman Church doth ill When they adore within their Churches still Saints Images and Pictures much vnfitting As thereby great idolatry committing They likewise boast of great atchieuements done And mighty conquests from vs Christians won In sundry conflicts Whereupon they'infer Because they are in Zeale so singular That for their just obedience and true Faith Their enterprising such successes hath Fast Prayers and Purenesse of Diuine ado'ration They wondrously extoll through all their Nation Their zeale vnto their Prophet and his Shrine Their Temperance and Abstinence from Wine And as for Miracles they further say That such are wrought amongst them euery day For some they haue that many weekes abstaine From meat some wound their flesh sencelesse of paine Handle hot coles some without scorching can And Maids beare Children without helpe of Man They haue their Saints too Sedichasis hee Is call'd vpon in War for Victorie Ascicus hath of Wedlocke free dispose Mirtscinus hath of Cattell charge And those That trauell vnto Mecha by the way To a new Saint call'd Chiderille pray They haue a Relique held amongst them deare Which in his life one of their Saints did weare Who as they feigne so cleare was without spot That throwne into a Furnace seuen times hot He walk'd vnscorch'd amidst the flames ev'n so As Sedrach Misack and Abednego But vnto all these brain-sicke superstitions As likewise to the Hebrewes vaine Traditions Th'infallid testimonie we oppose Of the most sacred Scriptures and ev'n those Howeuer craft'ly he his engines frame Afford not Mahomet so much as name Or giue him a knowne Character Againe It might be held most impiously prophane Christs Miracles should we compare i' th least With the most damn'd impostures of that Beast Of whose delirements further I proceed Not doubting but the Graue and Wise may reade And search through all Religions of what kind And nature how soe're thereby to finde Their
to the farthest part of Greece So far remote from her owne habitation That almost it appear'd another nation We leaue her there The father hauing mist His Darling in whom chiefly did consist The solace of his age hauing most care Of her because she was so matchlesse faire At first some strange disaster gan to doubt And sent to seeke her all the Isle about At once hee 's troubled with a thousand feares As sometimes dreading that her vnripe yeares Might be seduc'd and that some sprightly Youth Had train'd her thence but far alas from truth Againe he doth imagin a wilde beast Might seise on her which more his griefe encreast But of such feare there was no certaine ground Because no part of her torne limbes was found If drencht by falling from a Riuers brim Her gall bee'ng burst she would be seene to swim But when no Hill no Valley Rocke nor Caue Least signe of her or of her garments gaue A strong suspition in his thoughts did breed Pyrats had stolne her thence as 't was indeed Thus confident he homeward backe returnes His breast with ardent inflammation burnes To trauell in her search none can dissuade him Nor in his quest may sonne or daughter aid him Himselfe he will commit to his owne fate So parts and leaues to them his whole estate With a strict vow he neuer more will tread Vpon that ground till finde her liue or dead Suppose him in his voyage and decreed That in his purpose he might better speed To saile to Delphos and that he may take Instruction thence in haste doth thither make His Offring past and all things done with grace Best suting with the custome of the place This answer from the Delphian Priest he had Thou carefull Father be no longer sad But from henceforth exhilerate thy minde One Daughter thou hast lost but two shalt finde This saying much perplext him he withdrew Long pondring with himselfe because he knew He lost but one he held that answer vaine And in that thought return'd to sea againe The elder sister seeing both so gone The house left desolate she now alone Saue with her Brother whom nought could persuade From sighes and sorrow by their absence made The place grew tedious to her since no cheare Did in him or the family appeare She therefore after some deliberation Purpos'd and did prouide for Nauigation A Barke she hyr'd disguis'd to sea she makes And vndergoes a strict vow for their sakes From which she neuer will her selfe vnbinde Till she her father or her sister finde By chance she lands at Delphos and bee'ng there Desires to know what she might hope or feare When all the ceremonious Rites bee'ng done The Oracle thus spake Thou that dost runne This desp'rat course if thou expect'st successe In this thy journey then thy selfe professe One of my Priests in comely greene attyre thee Get Bow and Shafts and note how I 'le inspire thee And those loose lockes that 'bout thy shoulders flow Winde vp in curles like yong Apollo go No more he spake she held his words for true Encourag'd her aduenture to pursue And search so shap'd all forrein seas and lands We left the yonger in the Pyrats hands Who after many a dangerous billow past By crossing sundry channels came at last To a safe Harbor with intent to stay Till they had made sale of so choice a Pray And for no other cause kept her from staine But that thereby to raise the greater gaine They brought her to the open market there Merchants from sev'rall coasts assembled were And in those dayes than Beauty much commended Nothing more soone bought or more dearely vended They set her in an eminent place for view When soone a great concourse about her grew Thronging to gaze The first thing they then did They tooke the vaile off which her face had hid At which the very aire seem'd to grow proud As when the Sunne new breakes out of a Cloud To shine with greater fulgence doth appeare Than had the Sky in ev'ry part been cleare No sooner was the vaile drawne from her face But her bright eyes illumin'd all the place At once they with such admiration gaze As what they onely thought to merit praise Doth now beget a wonder Some suppose That a new Goddesse is amongst them rose To be ador'd for most of them agree That of a mortall straine she cannot bee But they of better iudgement and more stayd Finding what change of face her feare had made Because the Rose and Lilly in her cheeke For mastry stroue they need no further seeke Since they perceiue sad griefe her minde perplex But that she is the wonder of her Sex Meerely humane as knowing To Diuinitie Passions and troubled lookes haue no affinitie And that she is no other they may ghesse Because a Pyrat after an O-Yes With a loud clam'rous voice and count'nance bold Proclaimes her for a Captiue to be sold. By which resolv'd the Merchants neerer grow And some demand of them her price to know Of whom the couetous Slaues set such a rate As would haue shooke a common mans estate Yet some there were most willing to haue payd The entyre summe to haue enjoy'd the Maid So it might with securitie be done But now a whisper is amongst them runne Which with it some suspitious feare did bring That she was onely â—itting for some King And being of so choice a jemme possest If such should heare her fame it might be ghest She might be forc'd from him For Tyrants make Their Will their Law And what for Beauties sake Will those leaue vnattempted that sit hye This was the cause few cheapned none did buy The Market ends and now begins her fame The brute of which vnto the Kings eare came Whose rarenesse had such generall confirmation With such additions too in the relation That he begins to loue before he see her And hath a purpose from the Slaues to free her He sends they come the Prince lookes and admires Within his amorous brest he feeles new fires His loue turnes almost into adoration And all the Beauties now of his owne nation He vilifies finding in her no want Of any grace to make her parauant Ten thousand Drachma's are her price 't is payd The Rouers thinke they good exchange haue made O but the King 's so with his bargaine pleas'd As if he had a second Empire seis'd No price could part him since he hop'd to finde The more she cost the more she would proue kinde She first was to a Princely chamber brought Hung with Attalicke Arâ—â—s richly wrought There she was seated in a chaire of state And Ladies readie at her call to wait A Queen-like robe was sent her from the King His chiefest Eunuch brought it with a ring Of exc'lent life and quicknesse both she tooke With such a modest and a gracefull looke As did amase the bringer These put
tibi quid vitiorum Inseverit olim Natura aut etiam consuetudo mala c. Sift thy selfe throughly whether there be nurst Those wicked seeds of Vice which Nature first Did plant in thee Examining to know What other ills might from bad Custome grow Fearne in neglected fields we see aspire Though it be good for nothing but the fire Perseus in his first Satyr saith Nete quaesiveris extra And Iuv. Sat. 11. Illum ego iure Despicians qui scit quanto sublimior Atlas Omnibus in Libiae sit montibus Hic tamen idem Ignoret quantum ferrata distat ab Arca Sacculus è Coelo discendit Gnothi Seauton c. His iudgement I by good right may despise Who for no other cause thinks himselfe wise Than know the mountaine Atlas lifts his head Aboue all other hills in Lybia bred Yet I from him the difference cannot wrest Betwixt a small Bag and an iron-barr'd Chest. To Know thy Selfe did first from Heav'n descend Of all thine actions then make that the end Whether thou purpose Marriage to embrace Or in the sacred Senat seek'st a place Thersites aim'd not at Achilles Shield Which merit did to wise Vlysses yeeld If being Consull doubtfull causes come To be debated e're thou giue thy doome Or without good aduisement silence breake Examine first what 's in thee e're thou speake And what thou art Whether a Curtius or A Matho or some vehement Orator Nay thou must be so carefull as to know The measure of thy cheekes lest ought might grow Vnwares from thence and with like care entreat As well in euery small cause as the great Thomas Aquin. in his Epistle of the meanes to acquire Knowledge Let this saith he be my admonition and thy instruction Shun verbositie speake seldome and then to the purpose haue a pure conscience and pray often study much and be familiar with few shun superfluous discourse follow the steps of godly and deuout men Regard not from whom thou hearest what is good and hauing heard it forget it not What thou readest or hearest cease not till thou dost vnderstand Be resolued of doubts and search not too far into things which are not lawfull for thee to know Knowledge is one thing but Wisedome is a degree far aboue it for a man may know the World something vnderstand himselfe a little but be altogether forgetfull of God For Salomon saith Prov. 11. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of Wisedome Therefore it shall not be amisse to enquire What Wisedome is One calls it the knowledge of many and miraculous things Arist. lib. Rhetor. And in another place The knowledge of the first and most high causes Aristot. lib. 1. Metaph. Apharab lib. de Divis. Philosoph saith it is the knowledge of things euerlasting Wisedome differeth from Science in this respect because Wisdome is the knowledge of things Diuine and Science of things Human. Therefore we thus reade Saint Augustine Corinth 1. Cap. 11. Wisdome is the contemplation of things eternall Science is the occupation of things temporall And in his booke De Trinit wee reade him thus This is the true distinction betwixt Wisedome and Knowledge That the intellectuall knowledge of things eternall belongs to Wisedome the rationall knowledge of things temporall belongeth to Science The word Sapientia commeth of Sapio which is Truly to know and those which in antient times professed it were called Sophoi i. Wise men For so were those famous men of Greece called namely Thales Milesius Solon Salaminius Chilon Lacedaemonius Pittachus Mytilinaeus Bias Primaeas Cleobulus Lyndius Periander Corinthius After whom succeeded Pythagoras who in his modesty would not cal himselfe Sophus but Philosophus that is not a Wise man but a louer of Wisedome His reason was That no man can truly call himselfe wise because Wisedome solely appertaineth vnto the Creator of all things All true Wisedome is to be asked of God as we may reade Reg. 2. Cap. 3. And God said vnto Salomon Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy selfe long life neither asked Riches for thy selfe nor hast asked the life of thine Enemies but hast asked for thy selfe Vnderstanding to heare iudgement Behold I haue done according to thy words Lo I haue giuen thee a wise and an vnderstanding heart so that there hath beene none like thee before thee neither after thee shall the like arise vnto thee c. Wisedom saith Salomon in his Booke of Wisedome cannot enter into a wicked heart nor dwell in the body that is subiect vnto sinne Bar. 3. vers 10. What is the cause ô Israel that thou art in thine Enemies land and art waxen old in a strange Countrey and art defiled with the Dead and counted with them that go downe to the Graues Thou hast forsaken the Fountaine of Wisdome for if thou hadst walked in the way of God thou hadst remained for euer And againe Vers. 26. There were the Gyants famous from the beginning that were of great stature and so expert in war these did not the Lord chuse neither gaue he the way of Knowledge vnto them but they were destroyed because they had no Wisedome and perished through their owne foolishnesse Who hath gone vp to Heaven to take her and brought her downe from the Clouds Who hath gone ouer the sea to finde her and hath brought her rather than fine Gold No man knoweth her wayes neither considereth her paths c. We reade also Iob 38.36 Who hath put Wisedome into the Reines and Who hath giuen the Heart Vnderstanding c. And Cap. 28. vers 12. But where is Wisedome found and Where is the place of Vnderstanding Man knoweth not the price thereof for it is not found in the land of the Liuing The Depth saith It is not in me The Sea also saith It is not in me Gold shall not be giuen for it neither shall Siluer be weighed for the price thereof It shall not be valued with the wedge of the Gold of Ophyr nor with the pretious Onyx nor the Saphyr the Gold nor the Chrystall shall be equall vnto it nor the exchange shall be for plate of fine Gold no mention shall be made of Corall or of the Gabish For Wisedome is more pretious than Pearles the Topaz of AEthiopia shall not be equall vnto it neither shall it be valued with the wedge of pure Gold c. The wisedome of the Iust saith one of the Fathers is to colour nothing by ostentation to hide no sence by equivocation to loue Truth because it is true to hate Falshood because it is false to distribute good things willingly to suffer bad things patiently to reuenge no injurie But this simplicitie of the Iust will be derided because that of the wise men of the world the puritie of Vertue is held to be foolishnes For what to the worlds eye can sauour of greater folly than to speake simply and truely
worse than Hell That in these conflicts he had fought so well Who gladly had exulted in the aire If they could once haue brought him to despaire Some Sophists held Daemon the part to be Of the Soules intellectuall Facultie We reade th' Apostle thus The Wisedome wee Of God speake to you in a Mysterie Ev'n the hid Wisedome which to our saluation He did ordaine before the Worlds creation But to the Princes of this world not showne As left to them meere doubtfull and vnknowne Which had it been reueal'd to them they than Would not haue crucify'd that God and Man The Lord of Glory Some this Text expound Building it seemes on no vncertaine ground That by the Princes of this World he meant The Daemons who of th' Aire haue gouernment Call'd Pow'rs and Potestats It cannot stand With reason That the Iewes without command Or pow'r within themselues so styl'd should be Bee'ng subiects to the Roman Monarchie Neither can properly we make restriction To Pilat who had then the jurisdiction Of Rome in his owne hand because that hee Labor'd in all he could to set him free Said he could finde no fault with him And when At th' instance of those bloudy minded men He spake that Sentence which he would haue stayd He call'd for water and in washing said Vnto all those that then about him stood Lo I am guiltlesse of this iust Mans blood These were the Princes by whose ignorant pride The Lord of Glory was condemn'd and dy'de They knew him to be Man cleane without spot But for the Sonne of God they knew him not Had they but knowne his innocent Bloud was shed To revive those who in their Sinnes lay deadâ— And ransome them from their insidiation As being the sole meanes of our Saluation Sathan then durst not boldly to haue venter'd And into Iudas call'd Iscariot enter'd For he by finding that might eas'ly know 'T would be of his owne Kingdometh ' ouerthrow Let 's heare Prudentius Of the sincere way We may presume God is the Guide and Stay There 's but one path through which whom hee electeth Lest they should wander he himselfe directeth It lies vp a steepe hill that 's hard to clime And the more difficult the more sublime At the first entrance nothing doth appeare But what is intricate horrid austere Sad and still threatning danger when thy feet Hath measur'd it to the end thou then shalt meet With all things sweet and pleasant sights excelling And pretious Riches with aboundance swelling All objects then shall shew both cleare and bright As being luster'd by eternall Light Then nothing shall seeme difficult or hard But of thy labor thou shalt reape reward Yet in thy trauell vp this craggy Hill Thou shalt finde Sathan at thine elbow still Persuading thee a smoother Road to tread To which a thousand paths and by-wayes lead Through which the bearded Sophist he mis-guides The Vsurer there with vnsuspected strides Walks merrily and he whom Honor blindes A pleasant journey to destruction findes Some by the tongues of Birds he doth allure And others by vaine Auguries assure By trusting too much to vaine Prophesies And the mad Sibils trifling Ambages Some he by Magicke spels doth headlong driue Others by Knowledge though demonstratiue But take thou heed of this sweet erring way In which by thousand turnings thou mayst stray Hauing a Guide that teacheth Diuiation And turnes thee from the path of thy saluation Incredible it seemes beleev'd by few And yet by autient Writers held for true That the bad Spirits at their pleasure can Assume the shape of Woman or of Man And with each Sex carnall commixtion vse Fraile Mankinde to dishonor and abuse Those that in masculine shape with women trade Call'd Incubi the other that are said To put on foeminine feature and so lye Prostrat to manâ— are called Succubae Nor do they vse such damned copulation Because in it they take least delectation But rather by such diuellish commission To draw men headlong with them to perdition The substance by the which they generat and How't is transfus'd whoso would vnderstand Let them the bookes of Scotus well peruse It is no subiect for my modest Muse. Yet that such are though I should silent be Heare what Saint Austin saith 'T is told to me By men of worth whose faith I cannot blame And such as were eye-witnesse of the same The Faunes and other Sylvan beasts most rude Gotish in act and by the multitude Call'd Incubi insidiat by the way Women to make of them their lustfull prey All Germany with Witches much annoyd Two graue and learned men before employd In many Causes both of depth and weight Were chosen by Pope Innocent the eight And a large Patent granted therewithall T' extirp the Witches thence in generall These two affirme They oftentimes haue been Where such old Crones and Beldams they haue seen Flat on their backes vsing th' immodest fashion As in the very act of generation Mouing their bodies yet to th' outward eye No Sp'rit perceiv'd of any stander by But the foule act imagin'd to be past A filthy noysome Vapor rose at last In bignesse of a man from her embrace And at the instant vanisht from the place In their large stories it is likewise read Husbands haue tooke these Incubi in bed With their faire wiues their figures by them stretcht Which seeing they haue run and weapons fetcht But th' one soone vanisht from their soft embraces Th' other call'd jealous fooles vnto their faces Not far from Rotemburch this chance befell One of these Sp'rits it seemes new rais'd from Hell Makes himselfe suitor to a Maid yong faire Louely wel featur'd and a Great mans heire He haunts the house makes shew of mighty treasure But more than all to loue her aboue measure Yet that his Liuing lies far off pretends His noble Host inuites him with his friends To diuers feasts and banquets My braue Wooer Before he comes rich Presents sends vnto her To make his way the Seruants he bribes round Bespeakes the rarest musicke can be found The night he reuels and he sports the day And all in hope to beare the Wench away His prodigall expences grow so hye His Host suspects whence he should haue supply Especially his land lying so remote Meane time the Maid from liking growes to doat Thinking to haue her fortunes much encreast And she be made a Princesse at the least But e're the Contract the good man in feare He might be other than he did appeare Inuites one day together with his Ghest A retyr'd man that deuout life profest And was of most religious conuersation He at the table frames a disputation Concerning Sanctity and holy things And still for euery proofe he Scripture brings At which my lusty Louer alters face And saith That a full table is no place For such discourse but sportiue jests are best And pleasant talke to