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
melancholy words all hopes do vail As Golden dust on written lines strewn were Your written lines seem sprinkled with a Tear As by the Heat of Passion spread about For fear that Cruelty should blot it out But let me tell you That my love is such As never Lover loved half so much And with so fervent Zeal and purest Flame Nay something above Love that wants a Name For to express it like to Gods on high For who can comprehend a Deity And though I honour all your Sex yet my Having another Mistress I deny Besides your self and though I do obey To visit the fair Princess nothing say Concerning Love nor yet Professions make As common Lovers promise for her sake Wonders and yet my Life to her will give To do her service but whilst I do live My Heart and Soul is yours and when I dye Still will my Soul keep yours in company Though by Honour my active life is bound Unto your Sex you only will be found Within my Heart and only Love to be From whence my Brain doth Copies take of thee On which my Soul doth view with much delight Because the Soul sees not with vulgar sight For Souls do see not as the Senses do But as transparent Glass the Minds quite through Or rather as the Gods see all that 's past Present or what 's to come or the World vast Or what can be all unto them is known And so are Souls to one another shown And if our Souls do equally agree Our Thoughts and Passions to each known will be But after this Letter they both did get An opportunity by which they met No Complemental-wooing they did use True Love all flattering words it doth refuse But they agreed and both did think it fit Their love to hide not to discover it At last the Queen and Father did agree The Prince and Princess straight should married be Ne're made a question for they doubted not But Youth and Beauty had each other shot With Amorous Loves But when the Prince made known How that his heart was now none of his own His Father seem'd with trouble discontent But the enraged Queen with malice bent Did strive all ways she could for to disgrace The sweet young Lady oft disprais'd her Face Her Person Dress Behaviour and her Wit And for to match with such a Prince not fit The Prince's love so firm no words could break Impatiently did hear but little speak But the Princess heard the Prince to be A Lover to another then did she Tear rail and rave as if she frantick were And of her Rival words she would not spare One day a Company of Nobles met And in a Room they were together set The Prince and his Fair Mistress she did spy And often at them cast a spightful Eye At last her Malice set a-work her Tongue And at the Prince she evil words out flung Which he receiv'd with a submissive face Turning those scorns as favours of her grace But when she had with Scorns his Patience try'd She for to vent her Spleen in Passion cry'd Some of the Company there jesting by The other Lady ask'd if she would cry She answer made she had not the like cause Nor had she broke the Modest Civil Laws But if her Passion had misled her Tongue She would have wept to water or else flung Her self to dust for want of moisture dye Unless her life could issue through her eye But when the Prince perceiv'd such storms to rise And showring tears to fall from beauteous eyes He did absent himself and shun'd to be A trouble to the Princess Company But when the Queen had try'd all means she could To alter his affections nothing would She then their Marriage strove for to prevent And to the Army she the Prince soon sent Then order gave Not to return again But with the Army there for to remain He to his Mistress went his leave to take Perswading her a Journey she would make Unto the Army and there to agree When they should meet straight-way married be At last she did resolve to leave the Court And privately with great speed to transport Her Person to the Prince where he was gone For ne're till then she found her self alone When the Army began for to retire To Winter-Quarters he did there desire His Mistress Company and then did write To those he had entrusted how they might Convey her safely but by some mistake The Queen had means this his Letter to take Which when she read all in a rage she grew And then his Letter into the fire she threw Which when sh' had told her Neece they both did strive And both in Council sate for to contrive To hinder her wish'd-meeting wherefore they Did think it best the Lady to convey Unto some private place and then give out That she was dead which soon was spread about And every one in censuring spent some breath And most did judg she dy'd a violent death But the Queen's anger only would destroy Their Loves because her Neece then should enjoy The Prince on whom her heart in love was set And us'd all means she could his love to get But though at first they thought the Prince might mourn Yet when his grief had been by time out-worn He then might take the Princess for his Wife Concealing the young Lady all her life And though they did not murther her yet they Did strive to grieve and cross her every way Wherefore they did agree that some should tell Her that the Prince in Battel fell The report of her death spread far and near And at last came unto the Prince his ear The news struck him so hard as it did make His strength grow weak and all his limbs to shake But when his strength return'd his mind sad grew And from all company himself withdrew No Orders he would give but left the care Of all the Army to an Officer And from th' Army without the Queen's consent He did return and to his Father went And told him he all worldly things did wave Had buri'd them all in his Mistress Grave And the remainder of his days would spend In holy Devotion his Prayers would send Unto the Gods and my dear Saint said he Will be a Mediator there for me His Father did disswade him all he could But all in vain a Hermit be he would Instead of Palaces he chose a Cell Left Courts and Camps did solitary dwell Instead of Clothes that rich and costly were He wore a Garment made of Camel's hair Instead of Arms a Hermit's Habit took And for a Sword he us'd a Prayer-book Instead of treading Measures in a dance And wanton Eyes that oft would side-ways glance His knees upon hard stone did bowing bend And his sad Eyes unto the Earth descend Instead of flattering words to tempt Maids fair No words did speak but what were us'd in Prayer All wild wandring thoughts were now compos'd And the dead
object of his Mistress clos'd Like Multitudes that gather in a Ring To view some curious or some wondrous thing Or like a devout Congregation met Will strive about the Altar near to set So did his Thoughts near her Idea get Which as a Goddess in his Soul did set Then he an Altar built of Marble white And Waxen Tapers round about did light Her Picture on this Altar plac'd was high There to be seen with an up-lifted Eye She was his Saint and he there every day Did offer Tears and Sighs to her did pray And her implore she would the Gods request To take his Soul his Body lay to rest In th' mean time his Mistress's made believe That he was kill'd for which she much did grieve For when she at the first the news did hear Her Face turn'd pale like Death it did appear Then gently sinking she fell to the ground Grief seiz'd her heart and put her in a swound At last life got the better and then wept And wisht to Heaven that she in death had slept But Melancholy her whole Soul possest And of all pleasing Thoughts it self divest All objects shuns that pleasing were and fair And all such sounds as were of a leight air The splendrous Light and glorious Sun shut out And all her Chamber hung with black about No other light but blinking Lamps would have Some Earth and Turf therein like to a Grave The which she often view'd or sate close by Imagining the Prince therein did lye And on that Grave her Tears like show'rs of rain Keep fresh the Turf on the green Grass remain As pearled dew before the Sun doth rise Or as refreshing show'rs from Cloudy Skies And often this supposed Grave doth dress With such significant Flow'rs as did express His Virtues and his Dispositions sweet More than those Flowers when in Posies meet His various Virtues known to all so well More fragrant than those Flowers were for smell But first she set a Lawrel-Garland green To shew that he a Victor once had been And in the midst a copious Branch did place For to express he dyed in the chace Of his fierce Enemies his Courage was so true That after a long fight away they flew Thus Melancholy past her time away Besides sad solemn Musick ' twice a day For ev'ry Sense with Melancholy fill'd And always dropping-tears from thence distill'd With which her Melancholy Soul did feed And Melancholy Thoughts her Mind did breed Then on the ground her Head aside-ways hung Would lye along whilst these sad Songs were sung A SONG TITAN I banish all thy joys of Light Turning thy glorious Rays to darker Night Clothing my Chamber with sad Black each part Thus suitable unto my mournful heart Only a dimn Wax Taper there shall wait On me to shew my sad unhappy Fate With mournful Thoughts my Head shall furnisht be And all my Breath sad Sighs for love of thee My Groans to sadder Notes be set with skill And sung in Tears and Melancholy still Languishing-Musick to fill up each Voice With Palsied trembling Strings is all my choice A SONG SInce he is gone Oh then Salt Tears Drown both mine Eyes and stop mine Ears With Grief my Grief it is so much It locks my Smell up Taste and Touch. In me remains but little breath Which quickly take away Oh Death A SONG WHY should I live But who doth know The way to him or where to go Death's ignorant the Dead they have No sense of Grief when in the Grave Forgetful and Unthankful Death Hast thou no love when gone's our Breath No Gratitude but there dost lye In dark Oblivion for to dye No sense of Love or Honour there Then Death I prethee me forbear Thousands of years in sorrow I Would live in Grief and never dye A SONG MY Bed of Sorrow 's made since no relief And all my Pillows shall be stuff'd with Grief My Winding-sheets are those whereon I lye My Curtains drawn with sad Melancholy Watching shall be my Food Weeping my Drink Sighing my Breath and Groaning what I think Trembling and shaking all my Exercise Disquiet and disorder'd Thoughts now rise Wringing of hands with folded arms lamenting Is all the joy is left me of contenting For he is gone that was my joy my life I 'm left his Widow who ne'er was his Wife But all the while the Queen was angry bent Against the Prince because away he went And left the Army without a General For which she Rebel Traytor him did call But she another General did make Which of the Army all the Charge did take Yet his Success in Warrs proved but bad For afterward the Queen great Losses had And all the Soldiers they were discontent Whereat the Queen another General sent But he no better Fortune there could meet The Enemy did force him to retreat Then did the Enemy so pow'rful grow The Forces of the Queen they overthrow In every Fight and Skirmish which they had For which the Queen and Kingdom did grow sad At last the Queen the Prince did flatter and Entreated him again for to Command But he deny'd the Queen would not obey Said Earthly Power to Gods they must give way At last she sent him word she would not spare His life and therefore bid him to prepare Himself for death for dye he should For Disobedience and Revenge she would Have on him Then his Father to him went For to perswade him and there did present Show'rs of Tears which sadly pouring fell Upon his only Son his grief to tell He round about his Neck one arm did wind The other arm embrac'd his Body kind His Cheeks his Son did joyn to his And often he his Lips did kiss O pity me my Son and thy Life spare Thou art my only Child and only Heir Th' art my sole Joy in thee I pleasure take And wish to live but only for thy sake The Prince his Father answer'd and said he I am not worth those Tears you shed for me But why do you thus weep and thus lament For my death now When to the Warrs I went You did encourage me to fight in field For Victory or else my Life to yeeld I willingly obey'd and joy'd to find My Father's Sympathy unto my Mind Besides it shew'd a greater love to me Than Parents self-lov'd fondness us'd to be For to prefer my Honour and my Fame Before the perpetu'ty of your Name And as you priz'd my Honour and Renown So I a Heavenly not an Earthly Crown And give me leave the better choice to make To quit all troubles and sweet Peace to take I ne'er more willing nor more fit can dye For Heaven and the Gods pure company For had I dy'd in Warrs my Soul had been Stained with Blood and spotted o're with Sin But now my Mistress is a Saint in Heaven Hath intercession made my sins forgiven And since she 's gone all Joys with her are fled And I shall never happy be till
in secret guise Courting her privately for fear of Spies He strove to win her unto his embraces Muffle the Faults he would and the Disgraces Said he Why may not we our Senses all delight Our Senses and our Souls Heaven unite That we call Honour only Man creates For it was never destin'd by the Fates It is a word Nature ne're taught us nay It is a Precept she forbids t' obey Then follow Nature for that follows God And not the Arts of Men they 're vain and odd Let every Sense lye steep not drown'd in pleasure Let us keep up their height in balanc'd measure First let our Eyes all Beauteous Objects view Our Ears all Sounds which Notes and Times keep true Then Scent all Odours to refresh the Brain With Tastes delicious Palates entertain Touch things most pleasing that all Parts may feel Expansion of the Soul from Head to Heel Thus we shall use what Nature to us gave For by restraint in Life we dig our Grave And in the Grave our Senses useless lye Just so is Life if Pleasures we deny Thus Heav'n that gave us Sense may take it ill If we refuse what 's offered to us still Then let our Sense and Souls take all delight Not to surfeit but feed each Appetite Come Pleasure Circle me within thy Arms Inchant my Soul with thy delightful Charms Said she It is not always in our Power To feed Delight nor Pleasure to devour Man no free Power hath of any thing Only himself can to destruction bring Can kill his Body and his Soul can damn Although he cannot alienate the same Nor can he make them always to remain Nor turn them to what they were first again Thus can we cross and vex our selves with pain But being sick cannot be well again We can Disturb great Nature's work at will But to Restore and Make is past our skill But he did plead so hard such Vows did make Such large Professions and such Oaths did take That he would constant be and that his Bride He would her make when that his Father dy'd She young and innocent knew no deceits Nor thought that Words and Vows were us'd as baits So yeelded she to all he did desire Thinking his Vows as much as Laws require But they so oft did meet till it befell She sick did grow her Body big did swell Which she took care to hide and would not be As she was wont in other Company But to her Parents she would often cry And said she swell'd so with a Tympany They did believe her and did make great moan Their only Child was now so sickly grown His Father old the Marriage to prevent Now in all haste his Son to travel sent Gave him no time nor warning to be gone Nor till he saw him ship'd left him alone But he to ease his Mistress of her fear For to return he only now took care But she no sooner heard that he was gone But in her Chamber lock'd her self alone Complain'd against her Destiny and Fate And all her Love to him was turn'd to Hate You Gods said she my Fault 's no wilful sin For I did think his Vows had Marriage been But by his stealth so privately to leave me I find my Crime and that he did deceive me For which said she you Gods torment him more Than ever any Man on Earth before With that she rose about her Neck she flung A Silken String and in that String she hung Her Parents to her Chamber did repair Calling her forth to take the fresh sweet air Supposing it might do her Health some good And at her Chamber door long time they stood But when they call'd and knock'd no answer made She being sick they ' gan to be afraid Their Limbs did shake with age Nerves being slack't Those Nervous Strings with fear were now contract At last though much a-do they had to speak They Servants call'd to open or to break The Lock No sooner done but with great fear They entred in and after they were there The horrid sight no sooner struck their Eyes But it congeal'd their Hearts and straight both dyes The Fame of their sad Fates all round was spread The Lover heard his Mistress then was dead His Clothes his Hair he tore his Breast did beat His Spirits issu'd out in a cold Sweat Said he O cursed Death come kill me quick And in my Heart thy Spear or Arrow stick Because my Love in thy cold Arms doth lye I now desire nay am resolv'd to dye But O! Love is a powerless God in vain He strives with 's Flame to melt Death's Icy Chain For though with Love my Heart so hot doth burn Yet cannot melt I fear Death's Icy Urn. Then he all in a rage to the Earth fell And there invoking up the Devils of Hell Saith he Ye Powerful Terrors me assist For to command or force Death when I list That by your help and pow'r my Love may rise From the dark Vault or Grave wherein she lies Or else by Death's cold hand alone Convert me into Marble-stone Then running as distracted in and out By Fancies Visions strange saw all about And crying loud My Mistress she is there He seem'd to catch but grasp'd nought else but air See see her Ghost how it doth slide away Her Soul is pure and shines as glorious Day But my foul Soul which is as black as Night Doth shadows cast upon the Soul that 's bright Which makes her walk as in a gloomy shade Like Shadows which the Silver Moon hath made Hark how my Love sings sweetly in the Skye Her Soul is mounted up to Heavens high And there it shall be made a Deity And I a Devil in Hell tormented lye His spirit being spent fell to the ground And lying there a while as in a swound At last he rose and with a sober pace He bent his steps as to her burying-place And with his Cloak he muffled him about His Hatpull'd o're his Brows his Eyes look't out To guide his way but far he had not gone That straight he saw the Funerals coming on Three Hearses all were born as on a breast Black cover'd two with white the third was drest A Silver Crown upon that Hearse did stand And Myrtle-boughs young Virgins bore in hand The graver sort did Cypress-branches bear The mournful Parents death for to declare With solemn Musick to the Grave them brought With Tears in-urn'd their Ashes in a Vault But he before the People did return Did make great haste to get close to the Urn His Hat pulls off then bows le ts loose his Cloak With dropping Eyes countenance sad thus spoke You charitable Friends whoe're you be To see the Dead thus buri'd solemnly The like to me your Favour I do crave Stay all and see me buri'd in this Grave Giving himself a private wound there fell Into the Grave and dying there did tell Of his sad Love but now said he Our Souls nor
tell you said the Mind Nature builds some Minds like a curious and stately Palace and furnishes them so richly that it needs neither Time nor the Senses laying Reason as the Foundation and Judgment for the Building wherein are firm and straight Pillars of Fortitude Justice Prudence and Temperance is paved with Understanding which is solid and hard walled with Faith which is roofed with Love and bows like an Arch to embrace all towards a round Compass is Leaded with Discretion which sticks close keeping out watry Errors and windy Vanities it hath passages of Memory and Remembrance to let Objects in and Doors of Forgetfulness to shut them out likewise it hath Windows of Hopes that let in the Light of Joy and Shutts of Doubts to keep it out also it hath large Stairs of Desire which arise by steps or windings up by degrees to the Towers of Ambition Besides in Architecture of the Mind there are wide Rooms of Conception furnish'd richly with Invention and long Galleries of Contemplation which are carved and wrought with Imaginations and hung with the Pictures of Fancy Likewise there are large Gardens of Varieties wherein flow Rivers of Poetry with full Streams of Numbers making a purling Noise with Rhymes on each side are Banks of Oratory whereon grow Flowers of Rhetorick and high Trees of Perswasion upon which a Credulous Fool helped by the Senses will climb and from the top falls on the Ground of Repentance from whence old Father Time takes him up and puts him into the Arms of Expence who carries him in to the Chyrurgeon of Expence and is healed with the Plaster of Warning or else dyes of the Apoplexical Disease called Stupidity But Wisdom will only look up to the top viewing the growth and observing what kind they are of but never adventures to climb she will sit sometimes under the Branches for Pleasure but never hang on the Boughs of Insinuation While they were disputing in comes grim Death whose terrible Aspect did so affright the Mind that the very fear put out its Light and quenched out its Flame and the Body being struck by Death became sensless and dissolved into Dust. But old Father Time run away from Death as nimbly as a light-heel'd Boy or like those that slide upon the Ice but never turned to see whether Death followed or no Death called him but he made himself as it were deaf with Age and would not hear A Tripartite Government of Nature Education and Experience NATURE Education and Experience did agree to make a Juncto to govern the Monarchy of Man's Life every one ruling by turns or rather in parts being a Tripartite Government The Soul the Senses and the Brain where Nature creates Reason as the chief Magistrate to govern the Soul Education creates Virtue to govern the Appetites for Virtue is bred not born in Man And Experience creates Wit to govern the Brain for Wit though native without Experience is defective As for the Soul which Natural Reason governs it hath large Territories of Capacity and Understanding and many Nobles living therein as Heroick Passions and Generous Affections Subtil Enquiries Strong Arguments and Plain Proofs The Senses which Virtuous Education governs are five great Cities and the various Appetites are the several Citizens dwelling therein which Citizens are apt to rebel and turn Traitors if Virtue the Governess be not severe and strict in executing Justice with Courage cutting off the Heads of Curiosity Nicety Variety Luxury and Excess and though Temperance must weigh measure and set Limits yet Prudence must distribute to Necessity and Conveniency the several Gifts of Nature Fortune and Art The third is the Brain wherein Experienc'd Wit governs which is the pleasantest part and hath the larrgest Compass wherein are built many Towers of Conceptions and Castles of Imaginations Grounds ploughed with Numbers and sowed with Fancies Gardens planted with Study set with Practice from whence Flowers of Rhetorick grow and Rivers of Elegancy flow through it This part of the Kingdom hath the greatest Traffick and Commerce of any of the three parts and flourishes most being populated with the Graces and Muses Wit being popular hath great power on the Passions and Affections and in the Senses makes Civil Entertainments of Pleasure and Delight feeding the Appetites with delicious Banquets NATURE's HOUSE THE whole Globe is Nature's House and the several Planets are Nature's several Rooms the Earth is her Bed Chamber the Floor is Gold and Silver and the Walls Marble and Porphyrie the Portals and Doors are Lapis-Lazarus instead of Tapistry Hangings it is hung with all sorts of Plants her Bed is of several precious Stone the Bed-posts are of Rocks of Diamonds the Bed's-head of Rubies Saphires Topasses and Emeralds Instead of a Feather-bed there is a Bed of sweet Flowers and the Sheets are fresh Air her Table is of Agats and the like yet the Roof of the Chamber is Earth but so curiously Vaulted and so finely wrought that no Dust falls down it is built much like unto a Martin's Nest the Windows are the Pores of the Earth Saturn is her Gallery a long but a dark Room and stands at the highest Story of her House Sol is her Dining-Room which is a round Room built with Heat and lined with Light Venus is her Dressing-Room Cynthia is her Supping-Room which is divided into four Quarters wherein stand four Tables one being round at which she sits being furnished with all Plenty the other are Side-board Tables Mercury is her Room of Entertainment The Rational Creatures are her Nobles The Sensitive Creatures are her Gentry The Insensible Creatures are her Commons Life is her Gentleman-Usher Time is her Steward And Death is her Treasurer A DISPUTE THE Soul caused Reason and Love to dispute with the Senses and Appetites Reason brought Religion for whatsoever Reason could not make good Faith did Love brought Will for whatsoever Love said Will confirmed The Senses brought Pleasure and Pain which were as two Witnesses Pleasure was false Witness but Pain would not nor could not be bribed Appetite brought Opinion which in somethings would be obstinate in others very facil But they had not disputed long but they were so entangled in their Arguments and so invective in their Words as most Disputers are that they began to quarrel as most Disputers do Whereupon the Soul dismist them although with much difficulty for Disputers are Captains or Colonels of ragged Regiments of Arguments and when a Multitude are gathered together in a Rout they seldom disperse until some Mischief is done and then they are well pleased and fully satisfied The Preaching-Lady Dearly Beloved Brethren IHAVE called you together to Instruct Exhort and Admonish you My Text I take out of Nature the third Chapter in Nature at the beginning of the fourth Verse mark it dearly Beloved the third Chapter beginning at the fourth Verse The Text In the Land of Poetry there stands a steep high Mount named Parnassus at the top
Histories I did desire To see my Native Countrey Native Friends That lov'd me well and had no other ends Than harmless mirth to pass away dull time With telling Tales either in Prose or Rime But though Desire did then like a Wind blow The Sails of Wishes on Love's Ship to go Yet Banishment to my dear Lord was then A dangerous Rock made of hard-hearted men And hearing of such dangers in my way I was content in Antwerp for to stay And in the Circle of my Brain to raise The Figures of my Friends crowned with Praise These Figures plac'd in company together All setting by a Fire in cold weather The Fire was of Fancy which I made Within the Glandule of a Chimney laid My Lord and I amongst our Friedns was set In the midst of them that were thither met But afterwards perceiving I could make As many Figures as my Thoughts could take Then I invited all the Learned men And best of Poets that the Age had then The poorest Guess though they no birth inherit To entertain according to their merit Thus was my Mind as busie as a Bee To entertain this Noble Company Then my Imaginations a large Room built Furnish'd most curiously and richly gilt I hired all the Arts for to provide Choice of Provisions and Pastime beside The Wit I had unto the Muses sent With Love's Request which humbly did present My Mind's Desire which was without delay To come and help to pass the time away Wit travell'd far and search'd them all about At last in Nature's Court Wit found them out Then first to Nature Wit did bow down low To Wit Dame Nature did her Favours show And with a pleasing-smile she bid him say Whether be came to fetch her Maids away Wit answered Yes Then Nature bid them take The Helicon Water and with it make The Company all Poets Which they did Although they were but Pictures in my Head Their real persons at great distance were But on my Thoughts that did their Figures bear The marvellous Waters could not work well Which is the cause no better Tales I tell But hope those Friends my Fancy do present VVill take it well and for a good intent For I did trouble much my poor weak Brain This worthy Company to entertain MARGARET NEWCASTLE SEVERAL Feigned Stories IN VERSE The First BOOK READERS my Works do not seem in my Mind So bad as you make them if Faults you find For if you find much Fault you would not spare Your ridgid Censures but their Faults declare For I perceive the World is evil bent Judging the worst of that which was well meant When they a word to Wantonness can wrest They 'l be well-pleas'd and often at it jest When every foolish Tongue with words can play And turn good sense with words an evil way But at my Writings let them do their worst And for their pains with Ignorance be curst IN VVinter cold a Company was met Both Men and VVomen by the Fire were set At last they did agree to pass the time That every one should tell a Tale in Ryme The VVomen said VVe no true Measures know Nor do our Rhymes in even Numbers go Why said the Men All Women's Tongues are free To speak both out of time and follishly And drawing Lots the Chance fell on a Man Who having spit and blown his Nose began Of the Mournful Widow I Travelling it was my chance to spy A little House which to a Tomb stood nigh My Curiosity made me inquire VVho dwelt therein to further my desire I knocked at the door at last came one Which told me 'T was a Lady liv'd alone I pray'd that I the Lady might but see She told me she did shun all Company By her discourse the Lady had been Wife But being a Widow liv'd a lonesome life I told her I did travel all about Only to find a Constant Woman out She answer'd If the world had any where A Constant Woman surely she dwelt there I waited there in hope my Fortune might At length direct me to this Lady's sight And lying underneath a Tomb at night At Curfue-time this Lady with a Light Came forth out of the House all cloth'd in white And to the Tomb her walk she bended right With a Majestick-grace she walk'd along She seem'd to be both beautiful and young And when she came she kneeled down to pray And thus unto her self did softly say Give leave you Gods this Loss for to lament Give my Soul leave to seek which way his went O let my Spirits with his run a Race Not to out-go but to get next in place Amongst the Sons of Men raise up his Fame Let not foul Envy Canker-fret the same And whilst Great Gods I in the world do live Grant I may Honour to my Husband give O grant that all fond Love away may flye But let my Heart amongst his Ashes lye Here do I sacrifice each vainer dress And idle words which my Youth did express Here Dear I cancel all Self-love and make A Bond thy loving Memory to take And in my Soul always adore the same My Thoughts shall build up Altars to thy Name Thy Image in my heart shall fixed be My Tears from thence shall Copies take of thee And on my Cheeks those Tears as Pictures plac't Or like thy Carved Statue ne're shall waste Thy Praise my words though air shall print so deep By Repetition shall for ever keep With that Tears from her Eyes in show'rs did flow Then I rose up to her my self did show She seemed not to be mov'd at my sight Because her Grief was far above her Fright Said I Weep weep no more thou Beauteous Saint Nor over these dull ashes make complaint They feel not thy warm Tears which liquid flow Nor thy deep Sighs which from thy Heart do go They hear thee not nor thank thee for thy love Nor yet his Soul that 's with the God's above Take comfort Saint since Life will not return And bury not thy Joys within this Urn. She Answered I have no Joys in him they did reside They fled away when as his Body dy'd Not that my Love unto his Shape was ty'd But to his Virtues which did in him ' bide He had a Generosity beyond all Merit A Noble Fortitude possest his Spirit Foreseeing-Prudence which his Life did guide And Temperate Thoughts did in his Soul abide His Speech was sweet and gentle to the Eat Delight sate close as listning for to hear His Counsel wise and all his Actions good His Truth and Honesty as Judges stood For to direct and give his Actions Law His Piety to Gods was full of awe Wherefore return your Counsels are in vain For I must grieve whilst I'n the world remain For I have sacrific'd all my Delight Upon my Noble Husband 's Grave and slight All Vanities which Women young do prize Though they entangle them as Webs do Flies Lady said I you being Young and
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
his Service did address His Love by Words and Letters did express Though she seem'd Coy his Love she did not slight But Civil Answers did in Letters write At last so well acquainted they did grow That but one Heart each other's Thoughts did know Mean time their Parents did their Love's descry And sought all ways to break that Unity Forbad each other's company frequent Did all they could Love's Meetings to prevent But Love regards not Parents nor their Threats For Love the more 't is barr'd more Strength begets Thus being cross'd by stealth they both did meet And Privacy did make their Love more sweet Although their Fears did oft affright their Mind Lest that their Parents should their Walks out-find Then in the Kingdom did Rebellion spring Most of the Commons fought against their King And all the Gentry that then Loyal were Did to the Standard of the King repair Amongst the rest this Noble Youth was one Love bade him stay but Honour spurr'd him on When he declar'd his Mind her Heart it rent Rivers of Tears out of her Eyes grief sent And every Tear like Bullets pierc'd his Breast Scatter'd his Thoughts and did his Mind molest Silent long time they stood at last spake he Why doth my Love with Tears so torture me Why do you blame my Eyes said she to weep Since they perceive you Faith nor Promise keep For did you love but half so true as I Rather than part you 'ld chuse to stay and dye But you Excuses make and take delight Like cruel Thieves to rob and spoil by Night Now you have stole my Heart away you run And leave a silly Virgin quite undone If I stay from the Warrs what will Men say They 'l say I make excuse to be away By this Reproach a Coward I am thought And my Disgrace will make you seem in fault To set your Love upon a Man so base Bring Infamy to us and to our Race To sacrifice my Life for your content I would not spare but Dear in this consent 'T is for your sake Honour I strive to win That I some Merit to your Worth may bring She. If you will go let me not stay behind But take such Fortune with you as I find I 'le be your Page attend you in the Field When you are weary I will hold your Shield He. Dear Love that must not be for Women are Of tender Bodies and Minds full of Fear Besides my Mind so full of Care will be For fear a Bullet should once light on thee That I shall never fight but strengthless grow Through feeble Limbs be subject to my Foe When thou art safe my Spirits high shall raise Striving to get a Victory of Praise With sad Laments these Lovers did depart Absence as Arrows sharp doth wound each Heart She spends her time to Heaven-high doth pray That Gods would bless and safe conduct his way The whilst he fights and Fortune's Favour had Fame brings this Honour to his Mistress sad All Cavaliers that in the Army were There was not one could with this Youth compare By Love his Spirits all were set on fire Love gave him Courage made his Foes retire But O ambitious Lovers how they run Without all guidance like Apollo's Son Run out of Moderation's Line so he Did through the thickest of the Army flee Singly alone amongst the Squadrons deep Fighting sent many one with Death to sleep But Numbers with united strength at last This Noble Gallant Man from Horse did cast His Body all so thick of wounds was set Safety it seems in fight he did forget But not his Love who in his Mind still lyes He wish'd her there to close his dying-Eyes Soul said he if thou wandrest in the Air Thy Service to my Mistress by thy care Attend her close with her Soul Friendship make Then she perchance no other Love may take But if thou sink down to the Shades below And being a Lover to Elyzium go Perchance my Mistress Soul you there may meet So walk and talk in Love's Discourses sweet But if thou art like to a Light put out Thy Motion 's ceas'd then all 's forgot no doubt With that a sigh which from his Heart did rise Did mount his Soul up to the Airy Skies The whilst his Mistress being sad with care Her Knees were worn imploring Gods with Prayer A Drowsie Sleep did all her Senses close But in her Dreams Fancy her Lover shows With all his Wounds which made her loud to cry Help help you Gods said she that dwell on high These fearful Dreams her Senses all did wake In a cold sweat with fear each Limb did shake Then came a Messenger as pale as Death With panting sides swoln eyes and shortned breath And by his looks his sadder Tale did tell Which when she saw straight in a swoun she fell At last her stifled Spirits had recourse Unto their usual place but of less force Then lifting up her Eyes her Tongue gave way And thus unto the Gods did mourning say Why do we pray and offer to high Heaven Since what we ask is seldom to us given If their Decrees are fix'd what need we pray Nothing can alter Fates nor cross their way If they leave all to Chance who can apply For every Chance is then a Deity But if a Power they keep to work at will It shews them cruel to torment us still When we are made in Pain we always live Sick Bodies Grieved Minds to us they give With Motions which run cross compos'd we are Which makes our Reason and our Sense to jar When they are weary to torment us must We then return and so dissolve to Dust But if I have my Fate in my own Power I will not breathe nor live another hour Then with the Gods I shall not be at strife If my Decree can take away my Life Then on her feeble Legs she straight did stand And took a Pistol charg'd in either hand Here Dear said she I give my heart to thee And by my Death divulg'd our Loves shall be Then Constant Lovers Mourners be when dead They 'l strew our Graves which is our Marriage-Bed Upon our Hearse a weeping-Poplar set Whose moistning-drops our Death's-dri'd Cheeks may wet Two Cypress Garlands at our Head shall stand That were made up by some fair Virgin 's hand And on our cold pale Corps such Flowers strow As hang their Heads for grief and downward grow Then shall they lay us deep in quiet Grave Wherein our Bones long Rest and Peace may have Let no Friends Marble-Tombs erect upon Our Graves but set young Mirtle-trees thereon Those may in time a shady Grove become Fit for sad Lovers Walks whose Thoughts are dumb For Melancholy Love seeks place obscure No Noise nor Company it can endure And when to ground they cast a dull sad Eye Perhaps they 'l think on us who therein lye Thus though w' are dead our Memory remains And like a Ghost may
sung her last sad Funeral-Song of Love The Earth grew proud now having so much honour That Odoriferous Corpse lying upon her When that pure Virgin 's Stuff dissolv'd in Dew Was the first cause new Births of Flowers grew And added Sweets to those it did renew The Grosser Parts the Curious soon did take Of it transparent Purslain they did make Her Purer Dust they keep for to refine Best Poets Verse and gild every Line And all Poetick Flames she did inspire So her Name lives in that Eternal Fire A Mock-Tale of his Grace the Duke of Newcastle CUPID Love-birding went his Arrow laid Aiming to hit a young fresh Countrey-Maid Being pur-blind his Arrow it did glance And hit an Old-old Woman there by chance She presently with Love sighs shorter breath Groan'd so as all the Neighbours thought her Death Little she had of feeling nor no ground To guess where Cupid us'd to make the wound A long forgetfulness there was no doubt Of what was Love and all those thoughts worn out At last Love rub'd her Mem'ry up and then She thought some Threescore years ago and ten Was wounded so but then was in her Prime The Surgeon cured her was Father Time But he 's not skilful for Love's wounds all those Though they seem cured yet they 'l never close But break out still again not Winter's cold Will freeze them up nor Age though ne're so old She with Laborious Hands and Idle Breech Us'd to weed Gardens and for her grown rich Some Twenty Pounds she 'd got which she did hide For her great great great Grandchild when a Bride O powerful Love to see thy fatal Curse Now to forget her Noble Race and Purse Enquires out the best Taylors in the Town To make her Wastcoats Petticoats and Gown New Shooes of Shoo-maker she did bespeak And bids him put three-penny-worth of Creak Into the Soles that Dew when them it fills Like Hero's Buskins chirrup through the Bills Hunts Pedlars out and buys fresh Ribbans blew To shew that she is turn'd a Lover true And now those Hands not white as Venus Doves Not to preserve but hide with Dog-skin Gloves Takes keener Nettles up that by her stood To rub her Skin and Cheeks but found no Blood No dangling Tresses there could any find Sister to Time no Locks before behind Yet smooth she was not as the Billiard-ball But bald as it all over you might call When met her Love he thought she smil'd to grace Her self when 't was but wrinkles in her Face And all Love's arts she try'd and oft she met him This lusty young and labouring-man to get him His Poverty with her Purse join'd their hands And so did enter in the Marriage-bands But to describe their sumptuous Marriage Feast Their richer Clothes and every honour'd Guest Their melting Love-Songs softer Musick 's t'uch Are not to be express'd not half so much As you may now imagine all my Skill And fainter Muse too weak nay Virgil's Quill With that description it would blunter grow And Homer's too with all his Furies so They blush'd for shame when saw this lovely Bride Put them all down thus triumphs she in Pride Now after Supper when they were both fed Your Thoughts must go along with them to bed There being laid he mounted now Love's Throne She sigh'd with Love then fetch'd a deeper groan And so expir'd there in height of Pleasure And left him to enjoy her long-got Treasure Nay so belov'd she was that now lies low That all the Women wish'd for to dye so Then came a Lady young that had not been In that Society and coming in They told her she a Tale must pay Or as a Bankrupt she must go away Truly said she I am not rich in Wit Nor do I know what Tales your Humours fit Yet in my young and budding Muse Will draw the Seasons of the Year Like ' Prentice-Painters which do use The same to make their skill appear But Nature is the Hand to guide The Pencil of the Brain and place The Shadows so that they may hide All the Defects or giv 't a grace Phansie Draws Pictures in the Brain Not subject to the outward Sense They are Imaginations vain Yet are they the Life's Quintessence For when Life 's gone yet they will live And to the Life a Fame will give The Tale of the Four Seasons of the Year THE Spring is dress'd in buds blossoms sweet And Grass-green Socks she draws upon her feet Of freshest air a Garment she cuts out With painted Tulips fringed round about And lines it all within with Violets blew And yellow Primrose of the palest hew Then wears an Apron made of Lillies white And lac'd about it is with Rays of Light Cuffs of Narcissus her fair hands do tye Pinn'd close with Stings of Bees which buzzing flye To gather Honey-dew which thereto cleaves And leave their Stings when they do prick the leaves Ribbons of Pinks and Gilliflowers makes Roses both white and red for Knots she takes When she 's thus dress'd the Birds in Love do fall And chirping then do to each other call To sing and hop and merry make And joy'd they are all for the Spring 's sake But of all Birds the Nightingal delights To sing the Spring to bed in warmer Nights Because the Spring at Night draws in her Head Into the Earth for that she makes her bed And in the Morning when asleep she lies The Nightingal doth sing to make her rise And calls the Sun to open her fair Eyes Who gallops fast that he might her surprise But when the Spring is past her Virgin 's prime And married is to old bald-Father Time The Nightingal for grief doth cease to sing And silent is till comes another Spring The Summer 's cloth'd in glorious Sun-shine bright And with a trailing-Veil of long-day-light Some Dust as Powder on her Hair doth place And with the Morning's Dew doth wash her Face A Zephyrus-Wind she for a Fan doth spread To cool her Cheeks which are hot-burning-red And with that Heat so thirsty she doth grow As she drinks all the fresh sweet Springs that flow Then in a Thundring-Chariot she doth ride For to astonish Mortals with her Pride Before her Chariot flashing-Lightning flyes A fluid Fire that spreads about the Skyes As Princes great that in dry ways do travel Have Water thrown t' allay the Dust and Gravel This Fire allays cleanses all Vapours gross Lest rising they should stop the Thunder's force And when she from her Chariot doth alight Then is she waited on by Sun-beams bright Or else the Rays that from the Moon do spread As Waxen Tapers light her to her bed And with refreshing-sleeps a while doth rest There sweet air breathing from her panting breast Yet Summer's proud ambitious high and hot And full of action idle she is not Chol'rick she is and oft doth Quarrels make But yet sometimes she doth her Pleasure take At high-noon with the Butter-flyes doth
on Yet they are Curious built with Art and Care Like Lovers who build Castles in the Air Which ev'ry puff of Wind is apt to break As Imaginations when Reason's weak They said His Tale was short He Answer made I 'le piece it out And thus he said THE Silk-worm digs her Grave as she doth spin And makes her Winding-sheet to lap her in And from her Bowels takes a heap of Silk Which on her Body as a Tomb is built Out of her ashes do her young ones rise Having bequeath'd her Life to them she dyes They only take that Life to spin a Death For as they wind up Silk they wind out Breath Thus rather than do nought or idle be They 'l work and spin out Life's small Thread we see When all their work is done ready to dye Their Wings are grown for Life away to flye The Silk-worm is first a small Seed then turneth into a Worm at last grows to have Wings like a Flye but lives not to make use of them As soon as she is big enough she spins a Ball of Silk all about her self wherein being grown to be a Fly she makes a hole to come out to leave Seed for the generation of her young ones After which she immediately dyes The Women said the Men made quick dispatch In telling Tales like Dogs that Bones do snatch But howsoe're a Woman did begin To tell a Tale and thus she entred in A Description of the Passion of Love misplaced A Lady on the Ground a mourning lay Complaining to the Gods and thus did say You Gods said she why do you me torment Why give you Life without the Mind's content Why do you Passions in a Mind create Then leave it all to Destiny and Fate With knot and snarls they spin the Thread of Life Then weave it cross and make a Web of strife Come Death though Fates are cross yet thou' rt a Friend And in the Grave dost peace quiet send It chanc'd a Gentleman that way came by And seeing there a weeping Beauty lye Alas dear Lady why do you so weep Unless your Tears you mean the Gods shall keep Jove will present those Tears to Juno fair For Pendants and for Neck-laces to wear And so present that Breath to Juno fair That she may always move in perfum'd air Forbear forbear make not the World so poor Send not such Riches for the Gods have store I 'm one said she to whom Fortune's a Foe Crossing my Love working my overthrow A Man which to Narcissus might compare For Youth and Beauty and the Graces fair Do him adorn on him my love is plac'd But his neglect doth make my life to wast My Soul doth mourn my Thoughts no rest can take He by his scorn doth me unhappy make With that she cry'd O Death said she come quick And in my heart thy Leaden Arrow stick Take comfort Lady grieve and weep no more For Nature handsome Men hath more in store Besides dear Lady Beauty will decay And with that Beauty love will flee away If you take time this heat of Love will wast Because 't is only on a Beauty plac'd But if your Love did from his Virtue spring You might have lov'd though not so fond have been The love of Virtue is for to admire The Soul and not the Body to desire That 's a gross Love which only dull Beasts use But Noble Man to love the Soul will chuse Because the Soul is like a Deity Therein pure Love will live eternally O Sir but Nature hath the Soul so fix'd Unto the Body and such Passions mix'd That nothing can divide or dis-unite Unless that Death will separate them quite For when the Senses in Delights agree They bind the Soul make it a Slave to be He Answered If that the Soul in Man should give consent In every thing the Senses to content No Peace but War amongst Mankind would be And Desolation would have Victory No Man could tell or challenge what 's his own He would be Master that is strongest grown Lady love Virtue and let Beauty dye And in the Grave of Ruins let it lye With that she rose and with great joy said she Farewell fond Love and foolish Vanity The Men condemn'd the Tale because said they None but a Fool would preach so Wise men pray But Ladies hear me did another say TO love but one is a great fault For Nature otherwise is taught She caus'd Varieties for us to taste And other Appetites in us she plac'd And caus'd dislike in us to rise To surfeit when we gormandise For of one Dish we glut our Palat Although it be but of a Salat When Solomon the Wise did try Of all things underneath the Sky Although he found it Vanitie Yet by it Nature made us free For by the change her Works do live By several Forms that she doth give So that Inconstancy is Nature's play And we her various Works must her obey A Woman said that Men were foolish Lovers And whining Passions Love oft discovers They 're full of Thoughts said she yet never pleas'd Always complaining and yet never eas'd They 'l sigh they mourn they groan they make great moan They 'l sit cross-legg'd with folded arms alone Sometimes their Dress is careless with despair With hopes rais'd up 't is costly rich and rare Setting their Looks and Faces in a frame Their Garb's affected by their Mistress Name Flattering their Loves forswearing then each boasts What Valiant Deedsh ' has done in Forreign Coasts Through what great dangers his adventures run Such acts as Hercules had never done That every one that hears doth fear his Name And every Tongue that speaks sounds forth his fame And thus their Tongues extravagantly move Caus'd by vain-glorious foolish amorous Love Which only those of his own Sex approve But when their Rallery was past The Tale upon a Man was cast Then crying peace to all that talking were They were bid hold their Tongues and lend an Ear. The Man more than the rest was somewhat old They said to him Your Tale you have not told Alas said he my Memory is bad And I have none so good as you have had He musing a short time thus did begin I hope said he my Tale may credit win A Description of Civil-Warrs A Kingdom which long time had liv'd in Peace Her People rich with Plenty fat with Ease With Pride were haughty grown Pride Envy bred From Envy Factions grew then Mischief spread And Libels every where were strew'd about Which after into Civil-Warr broke out Some for the Commons fought some for the King And great Disorder was in ev'ry thing Battels were won and lost on either side Where Fortune ebb'd and flow'd like to a Tide At last the Commons won and then astride Fierce Tyranny on Noble Necks did ride All Monuments pull'd down that stood long time And Ornaments were then thought a great Crime No Law was pleaded but the Martial Law The
so high lived in the Lower Region and by intermixing together as their Parents did produced more of their Kind But after those productions of these Souls they went to the Planets where they found some of their Climates too cold others too moist others too cold and moist others hot and others hot and moist others hot and dry others cold and dry with which they did not agree being not equally temper'd But yet in every Planet these Souls being fruitful they left many of their Issues called Meteors which are shining-lights like Starrs but being produced from the Mortal temper of the Souls are subject to Mortality for Amorous Thoughts are the Bodily-dregs of Mortality which made these Meteors subject to dye as other Generations being the Mortal Effects of their Immortality otherwise they would be Starrs for whatsoever is Mortal may beget their Like or Kind which other things that are Immortal never do But when these two Souls had travelled above the Planets they became one fix'd Starr as being Eternal and not subject to dye And when they were thus they did produce no more Issues for what Mortality the Body left Those Souls to Earth and Planets did resign Which in a Generation of Meteors shine Fancy's Monarchy in the Land of Poetry IN the Land of Poetry Reason was King a Gallant Prince he was and of a Heroick Spirit a Majestical Presence and of a Sober and Grave Countenance He was tall of Stature and strong of Limbs His Queen was the Lady Wit a Lady of a quick Spirit of a pleasant Conversation amiable Countenance free Behaviour and of a sweet Disposition she was neatly shap'd fair Complexion'd and finely but variously attired This King and Queen loved one another with an extraordinary Affection and lived very happily and peaceably for he governed wisely His Kingdom was large and fully populated well manured and of great Traffick He made profitable Laws set strict Rules and kept good Orders both in the Church and State As for the Church Faith and Zeal were the two Arch-bishops who were sworn to consecrate none but Moral Virtues to preach Good Life and leave all Sects Opinions Superstitions Idolatry and the like Neither were they suffered to make Lectures of Learning because it is always about Controversies puzling Belief with nice Distinctions vain Fantasms and empty Words without Sense The Cathedral Church was the Conscience The two Universities were Study and Practice wherein all the Masculine Youth of the Kingdom were bred As for the State there were Superintendent Officers and Magistrates made of all degrees The Sen ces were the five Ports to this Kingdom the Head and the Heart were the two Magazines There were two Governours made to every Port to Command and Rule Judgment and Understanding always sit at the Ports called the Ears to examine all that enter there having a strict Command from the King to let in no Sound but Harmony no Reports but Truth no Discourses but Rational or Witty and that they should shut the Gates against Flattery Falshood Discord harsh loud Strains Scraping Creaking Squealing Noises Love and Skill were the two Commanders to the Port Eyes who were commanded to let none in but Uniformity Cimmetry Beauty Graceful Motions pleasing Aspects light and well-mixt Colours and to shut the Gates against Deformity or Monstrosity rude or cruel Actions glaring Lights illmix'd Colours false Shadows and Darkness and to set up the light of Dreams when they are shut Also to let no Tears pass through the Eyes but those that have a Pass-port from the Governour of the Heart At the Port of the Nostrils sate Like and Dislike who were commanded to let in none but sweet Smells such as refresh the Brain as the scent of sweet Flowers savoury Herbs Earth new-plough'd new-bak'd Bread also sweet Gums sweet Essences and the like but to shut the Gates of the Nostrils against snuffs of Candles stinking Breaths corrupted Flesh stale Fish old Apples strong Cheese spilt Drink foul Gutters especially the Pump or Sink in a Ship also no Smells of Suet or Grease and from many more stinking Scents which would be too tedious to mention But in case of necessity they were to be allowed or at least commanded to let in some sorts of Stinks as Assafoetida and burnt Feathers to cure the Fits of the Mother Then the two Commanders of the Mouth were Truth and Pleasure one was to govern the Words the other the Taste Pleasure was commanded to let nothing into the Mouth that was either too sharp too bitter too salt or too deliciously sweet Truth was commanded to suffer no Lyes Cursing Slandering Railings Flattering nor Amorous Lascivious Factious Discourses Likewise never to let pass an Oath but to confirm a Truth no Threatning but to terrifie or reclaim the Wicked or Cross-natur'd no Pleading but for Right no Commands but for Good no Praises but for Worth Also to let no Sighs nor Groans pass nor no Professions except they have a Pass-port from the Heart Nor no Promises but when they have a Pass-port from the King which is Reason The two Commanders of Touch were Pain and Pleasure who were commanded to keep out all sharp Colds burning Heats Bruises Pinches Smartings Cuttings Prickings Nippings Pressing Razing and to let in none but nourishing Warmth soft Rubbing gentle Scratching refreshing Colds and the like And upon pain of Death or at least high Displeasure these Rules were to be kept Yet sometimes Bribery corrupted the Commanders The Privy-Council-Chamber was the Breast the Privy-Councellors were Secrecy Constancy Fidelity Unity Truth Justice Fortitude Prudence and Temperance These Privy-Councellors helped the King to manage the Affairs of the Kingdom The Secretaries of State were Intelligence and Dispatch The Treasurer was Memory The Lord Keeper was Remembrance The Mayors of every City were Authority The Constables were Care The Judges were Commutative and Distributive Justice Honesty was the Commander of all the Forces of the Actions and Thoughts The Heroick Actions are the chief Commanders as Captains and Colonels and the like The Common-Soldiers are the ordinary and necessary Actions which are employed in Offensive and Defensive Warrs The Merchants are the Imaginations which traffick and trade all over the World The Inventions are the Handicrafts-men and Labourers The Appetites are the Citizens that are so covetous as to engross all Commodities and the Wealth of the Kingdom and are the most Luxurious People in the Land But as I said the King was a Wise Prince and to divert his Subjects from too serious Studies dull Contemplations and laborious Dictatings he had Masques Plays Pastorals and the like being attended by his Nobles the Sciences and the Gentry of the Kingdom which were the several Languages The Queen by the Muses and Graces The Marriage of Life and Death DEATH went a wooing to Life but her grim and terrible Aspect did so affright Life that she ran away and would by no means hearken unto her Suit Then Death sent Age and
Weakness as two Ambassadors to present her Affection but Life would not give them audience Whereupon Death sent Pain who had such a perswasive power that made Life yeeld to Death's embracements And after they were agreed the Wedding-day was set and Guests invited Life invited the Five Senses and all the Passions and Affections with Beauty Pleasure Youth Wit Prosperity and also Virtue and the Graces But Health Strength Cordials and Charms refused to come which troubled Life much None that Death invited refused to come they were Old Father Time Weakness Sickness all sorts of Pains and all sorts of Diseases and killing-Instruments as also Sighs Tears and Groans Numbness and Paleness But when Life and Death met Death took Life by the Hand then Peace married them and Rest made their Bed of Oblivion wherein Life lay in the cold Arms of Death Yet Death got numerous Issues and ever since whatsoever is produced from Life dyes Whereas before this Marriage there was no such thing as dying for Death and Life were single like Batchelors and Maids But Life proved not so good a Wife as Death a Husband for Death is sober staid grave discreet patient dwelling silently and solitary whereas Life is wild various unconstant and runs about shunning her Husband Death's company But he as a loving and fond Husband follows her and when he embraces her she grows big and soon produces young Lives But all the Off-spring of Death and Life are divided half dwelling with Life and half with Death At this Wedding old Father Time which looked the youngest although he was the oldest in the Company and danced the nimblest and best making several changes in his Dances he trod so gently and moved so smoothly that none could perceive how he did turn and wind and lead about And being wiser than all the rest with long Experience he behaved himself so handsomely insinuated so subtilly courted so civilly that he got all the Ladies Affections and being dextrous got Favours from every one of them and some extraordinary ones for he devirginated Youth Beauty Pleasure Prosperity and all the Five Sences but could not corrupt Wit Virtue nor the Graces But Nature hearing of the abuse of her Maids was very angry and forced him to marry them all But they although they were inamoured of him before they were married yet now they do as most other Wives not care for him nay they hate him rail and exclaim against him that what with his peevish froward and cross Wives and with the jealousie he hath of Sickness Pains and Mischances that ofen ravish them he is become full of wrinkles and his Hair is turned all gray But Virtue and Wit which are his sworn Friends and sweet Companions recreate him with their pleasant free honest and honourable Societies Of the Indispositions of the Mind THE Mind was very sick and sent for Physicians and the first that came were Divines who disputed so long and contradicted one another so much that they could conclude of nothing One advising the Mind to take a Scruple of Calvin's Institutions others a Dram of Luther's Doctrine some two Drams of the Romish Treacle or Opinions some of the Anabaptists Water others to take some of the Brownists Spirits But there were some quite from these Opinions and would advise the Mind to lay some of Mahomet's Pigeons at the feet cutting them with the Turkish Scimitar then bind it up with his Alcaron others would have the Mind bind the Head with the Talmud of the Jews But the Mind grew sicker and sicker insomuch that it was almost at the last gasp whereupon the Mind desired them to depart for said he your Controversies will kill me sooner than your Doctrine will cure me The Mind being very sick sent for other Sects of Physicians who were Moral Philosophers who being come set round a Table and there began to discourse and dispute of the Diseases of the Mind One said Grief is a Lethargie No said another Stupidity is a Lethargie for Grief rather weeps than sleeps O but said another there are dry Griefs that sweat no Tears Pray Gentlemen dispatch said the Mind for I am in great pain One says Hate is an Apoplexy for it is dead to it self though it lives to the Beloved No said he but Hate is a Dead-Palsie No said the other Ignorance is a Dead-Palsie but Hate is an Apoplexie caused by the stopping of the Spirits either Animal or Vital the Vital Spirits being Compassion the Animal Spirits Generosity You are most strangely mistaken said another for all the Spirits are composed of Fortitude the Vital Spirits are active the Animal are passive But they disputed so long upon this point that they had almost fallen out and the Mind prayed them not to quarrel for wrangling noise did disturb him much Then one said That Spight and Envy were Cancers the one caused by sharp Humours the other by salt Another said That Spight was not a Cancer but a Fistula that broke out in many several places and that Envy was the Scurvy that speckled the whole Body of the Mind like Flea-bites The Mind prayed them to go no further in that dispute Then one of them said That Anger was a Hot Burning Fever Nay by your favour said another Anger is an Epilepsie that soams at the Mouth and beats its Breast strugling and striving and will be often in Cold-Sweats and as pale as Death Then another said That an Ague in the Mind was Doubt and Hope the Cold Fit being Doubt and the Hot Fit Hope A second answered That Agues were Fear which caused Shaking-Fits A third said That Jealousie was an Ague that had Cold and Hot Fits Nay said a fourth Jealousie is an Hectick Fever that is an extraordinary Heat got into the Arteries which inflames the Spirit of Action drinks up the Blood of Tranquillity and at last wasts and consumes the Body of Love A fifth said Jealousie is the Gout which is a burning beating pain never letting the Mind be at rest Said a sixth Jealousie is a Head-ake caused from an ill affected Friend But there grew such a Dispute upon this as whether it was the Head Heart or Arteries that the Mind was forced to threaten them they should have no Fees if they did dispute so much As for the Wind-cholick in the Mind some said It was an overflow of Imaginations and Conceptions others That it was strange Opinions others said It was wild Fancies others That it was the over-dilating of the Thoughts and many more several Judgments were given whereupon they were ready to fight To which the Mind replied That it is impossible you should prescribe effectual Medicines if you cannot agree about the Disease Then another said Slander was the Spotted-Fever Another said A Spotted-Fever was Malice Says another A Spotted-Fever and the Plague have near relation but the Plague said he is Discontent that is caused by Envy Slander Malice and the like This Plague of Discontent breaks out
will be commanded too but in the mean time I hope you will be ruled by me and here is a great Match propounded to me for you the like I could not have hoped for which is the Vice-Roy he is rich Yet said she he may be a Fool. O he is Wise and Discreet said he I have heard said she he is ill-natured and froward Her Unkle answered He is in great Power and Authority He may be said she never the Honester for that He is said he in great Favour with the King Sir said she Princes and Monarchs do not always favour the most deserving nor do they always advance Men for Merit but most commonly otherwise the unworthiest are advanced highest besides Bribery Partiality and Flattery rule Princes and States Her Unkle said Let me advise you not to use Rhetorick against your self and overthrow a good Fortune in refusing such a Husband as shall advance your place above that false Duke's Duchess and his Estate with yours joined to it will be greater than his with which you shall be served nobly attended with numbers of Servants live plentifully adorned richly have all the Delights and Pleasures your Soul can desire and he being in years will dote on you besides he having had experience of vain Debaucheries is become staid and sage Sir said she His Age will be the means to barr me of all these Braveries Pleasures and Delights you propound for he being old and I young will become so jealous that I shall be in restraint like a Prisoner nay he will be jealous of the Light and of my own Thoughts and will enclose me in Darkness and disturb the Peace of my Mind with his Discontents for Jealousie I have heard is never at quiet with it self nor to those that live near it Come come said he you talk you know not what I perceive you would marry some young fan'tastical prodigal Fellow who will give you only Diseases and spend your Estate and his own too amongst his Whores Bawds and Sycophants whilst you sit mourning at home he will be revelling abroad and then disturb your rest coming home at unseasonable times and if you must suffer you had better suffer by those that love than those that care not for you for Jealousie is only an overflow of Love Wherefore be ruled and let not all my Pains Care and Cost and the Comfort of my Labour be lost through your disobedience Sir said she I am bound in Gratitude and Duty to obey your Will were it to sacrifice my Life or the Tranquillity of my Mind on the Altar of your Commands In the mean time the Duke was so discontented and melancholy that he excluded himself from all Company suffering neither his Duchess nor any Friend to visit him nor come near him only one old Servant to wait upon him all former Delights Pleasures and Recreations were hateful to him even in the remembrance as if his Soul and Body had taken a Surfeit thereof At last he resolved she should know what Torment he suffered for her sake and since he could not see nor speak to her he would send her a Letter He called for Pen Ink and Paper and wrote after this manner Madam THE Wrath of the Gods is not only pacified and they do not only pardon the greatest sins that can be committed against them taking to mercy the Contrite Heart but give Blessings for Repentant tears and I hope you will not be more severe than they Let not your Justice be too rigid lest you become cruel I confess the sins committed against you were great and deserve great punishment but if all your Mercies did flye from me yet if you did but know the Torments I suffer you could not chuse but pity me and my Sorrows are of that weight that they will press away my Life unless your Favours take off the heavy Burthen But bomsoever pray let your Charity give me a Line or two of your own writing though they strangle me with Death then will my Soul lye quiet in the Grave because I dyed by your hand and when I am dead let not the worst of my Actions live in your Memory but cast them into Oblivion where I wish they may for ever remain The Gods protect you Sealing this Letter he gave it to his Man to carry with all the secrefie he could bidding him to enquire which of her Women was most in her favour and to pray her to deliver it to her Mistress when she was all alone and to tell the Maid He would be in the Street to wait her Command The Man found such access as he could wish and the Letter was delivered to the Lady which when she had read and found from whom it came her Passions were so mix'd that she knew not whether to joy or grieve she joy'd to live in his Thoughts yet griev'd to live without him having no hopes to make him lawfully hers nor so much as to see or speak to him her Unkle was so averse against him and the greatest grief was to think she must be forced to become anothers when she had rather be his though once forsaken by him than to be beloved by another with Constancy Then musing with her self for some time considering whether it was fit to answer his Letter or no If my Unkle should come to know said she I write to him without his leave which leave I am sure he will never give I shall utterly lose his Affection and I had rather lose my Life than lose his Love but if I do not write I shall seem as if I were of a malicious nature which will beget an evil construction of my Disposition in that Mind in whose good Opinion I desire to live If I believe as Charity and Love perswades me that he speaks truth I shall endanger his Life and I would be loth to murther him with nice scruples when I am neither forbid by Honour nor Modesty Religion nor Laws to save him Well I will adventure and ask my Unkle pardon when I have done My Unkle is not of a Tyger's nature he is gentle and a Pardon may be gotten but Life when once it is gone will return no more Then taking Pen Ink and Paper writ to him after this manner SIR I Am obedient as being once tied to you until you did cut me off and throw me away as a worthless piece only fit to be trodden under the feet of Disgrace and certainly had perished with shame and been left destitute had not my Unkle own'd me And though you are pleased to cast some thoughts back upon me yet it is difficult for me to believe that you that did once scorn me should humbly come to sue to me and I fear you do this for sport angling with the Bait of Deceit to catch my innocent youth But I am not the first of my Sex nor I fear shall not be the last that has been and will be deceived by Men who glory
in their treacherous Victories and if you beset me with Stratagems kill me outright and lead me not a Prisoner to set out your Triumph If you have Warrs with your Conscience or Fancy or both interrupting the peace of your Mind as your Letter expresses I should willingly return to your side and be your Advocate but the Fates have destin'd it otherwise And yet what unhappy Fortune soever befalls me I wish yours may be good Heavens keep you Here said she give the Man that brought me the Letter this The Man returning to his Lord so soon made him believe he had not delivered her his Letter Well said the Duke you have not delivered my Letter Yes but I have said he and brought you an Answer Why said the Duke it is impossible you staid so short a time Then said he I have wrought a Miracle or you did lengthen my Journey in your Conceits with the foul ways of Dissiculties I hope said the Duke thou art so blessed as to make as prosperous a Journey as a quick Dispatch Leave me a while said he till I call you But when he went to open the Letter Time brings not more weakness said he than Fear doth to me for my Hands shake as if I had the Palsie and my Eyes are so dim that Spectacles will hardly enlarge my sight But when he had read the Letter Joy gave him a new Life Here said he she plainly tells me She would be mine She saith She would return to my side if the Fates had not destin'd against it by which she means her Unkle is against me Well if I can but once get access I shall be happy for ever So after he had blessed himself in reading the Letter many times over I will said he strengthen my self to be able to go abroad for as yet I am but weak and calling to hisMan he bid him get him something to eat Did your Grace said the Man talk of Eating Yes answered the Duke for I am hungry By my troth said the Man I had thought your Hands Mouth Appetite and Stomack had made a Bargain the one That it never would desire Meat nor Drink The other That it would digest none The third That it would receive none and the fourth That it would offer none for on my Conscience you have not eat the quantity of the Pestle of a Lark this week and you are become so weak that if a Boy should wrestle with you he would have the better You are deceived said the Duke I am so strong and my Spirits so active that I would beat two or three such old Fellows as thou art and to prove it I will beat thee with one hand No pray said he I will believe your Grace and leave your active Grace for a time to fetch you some Food When his Man came in with the Meat he found the Duke a dancing I helieve said he you carry your Body very leight having no heavy Burthens of Meat in your Stomack I am so Airy said the Duke as I will caper over thy Head By my troth said he then I shall let fall your Meat out of my hands for fear of your heels Whist the Duke was at his Meat he talkt to his Man Why hast thou lived an old Batchelor and never married O Sir said he Wives are too chargeable Why said the Duke are you so poor No Sir answered he Women are so vain and do not only spend their Husbands Estates but make his Estate a Bawd to procure Love servants so as his Wealth serves only to buy him a pair of Horns Prithee let me perswade thee to marry and I will direct thee to whom thou shalt go a wooing Troth Sir I would venture if there had been any Example to encourage me Why what do you think of my Marriage Do not I live happily Yes said he when your Duchess and you are asunder but when you meet it is like Jupiter and Juno you make such a thundring noise as it frights your Mortal Servants thinking you will dissolve our World your Family consuming your Hospitality by the Fire of your Wrath rouling up the Clouds of smoaky Vapour from Boil'd-Beef as a Sheet of Parchment When you were a Batchelor we lived in the Golden Age but now it is the Iron Age and Doomsday draws near I hope saith the Duke thou art a Prophet but when Doomsday is past you shall live in Paradice In my Conscience Sir said he Fortune hath mis-match'd you for surely Nature did never intend to join you as Man and Wife you are of such different humours Well said the Duke for all your railing against Women you shall go a wooing if not for your self yet for me Sir said he I shall refuse no Office that your Grace shall employ me in Go your ways said the Duke to that Lady's Maid you gave the Letter to and present her with a Hundred pounds and tell her If she can help me to the speech of her Lady you will bring her a Hundred pounds more and if you find her nice and that she says She dares not offer her Five hundred pounds or more and so much until you have out-bribed her cautious Fears Sir said the Man If you send her many of these presents I will woo for my self as well as for your Grace Wherefore by your Grace's leave I will spruce up my self before I go and trim my Beard and wash my Face and who knows but I may speed For I perceive it is a fortunate year for old Men to win young Maids Affections for they say The Vice-Roy is to be married to the sweetest young beautifullest Lady in the World and he is very old and in my Opinion not so handsome as I am With that the Duke turned pale Nay said the Man Your Grace hath no cause to be troubled for 't is a Lady you have refused wherefore he hath but your leavings With that the Duke up with his hand and gave him a box on the Ear Thou lyest said he he must not marry her Nay said the Man that is as your Grace can order the business But your Grace is a just performer of your Word for you have tried your strength and have beaten me with one hand The Duke walked about the Room and after he had pacified himself at last spoke to his Man Well said he if you be prosperous and can win the Maid to direct me the way to speak to her Lady I will cure the Blow with Crowns Sir said he I will turn you my other Cheek to box that if you please Go away said the Duke and return as soon as you can Sir said he I will return as soon as my business is done or else I shall lose both Pains and Gains Good Fortune be my Guide said he and then I am sure of the World's Favour for they that are prosperous shall never want Friends Although he were a Coward a Knave or a Fool the World shall
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
some Weeks in the mean time the Prince recovered resolving to visit this young Lady having heard by his Aunt the relation of what she was whose Birth made him doubt she would not be so easily corrupted as he hoped before and she knowing his Birth had more hopes of honourable usage Yet sitting in a studious posture with a sad Countenance and heavy fixt Eyes accompanied with melancholy Thoughts contemplating of her Misfortunes past with a serious consideration of the condition she stood in advising with her Judgment for the future in comes the Prince whom she no sooner saw but she trembled for fear remembring her past danger and fore-seeing the trouble she was like to run through But he with an humble Behaviour and civil Respect craved pardon for his former Faults promising her That if she would be pleased to allow him her Conversation he would never force that from her which she was not willing to grant for there was nothing in this World he held dearer than her Company and sitting down by her began to question her of Love as Whether she had engaged her Affection to any person of her own Countrey or any where else She told him No. By which Answer he being jealous before imagining she might be so valiant as to wound him more for the sake of her Lover than out of a love to Honour or Reputation received great content and joy esteeming it the next happiness that since she loved not him she loved no other I wonder at your Courage said he for usually your Sex are so tender and fearful and so far from using Instruments of Death as Swords Guns or the like that they dare not look at them but turn their Head aside She answered That Necessity was a great Commandress And thus discoursing some time at last he took his leave until the next day But when he was gone how glad she was O what a torment will this be said she to be affrighted every day with this ravenous Lyon But said she I must get a spell against his Fury and not only against him but against all such like and by her industry she got a subtil Poyson which being put in a very small Bladder she fastned to her Arm that when any occasion served she might have it ready to put in her mouth which in great extremity she might use and crushing it but betwixt her teeth she was sure it would expel Life suddenly The next Morning the Prince sent her a Present of all kinds of rich Persian Silks and Tissues fine Linnen and Laces and all manner of Toys wherewith young Ladies use to make themselves fine and gay But she returned them with great thanks bidding the Bringer tell the Prince That she did never receive a Present but what she was able to return with advantage unless it were from those to whom she had a near relation as Parents and Kindred or the like But he when he saw them returned thought it was because they were not rich enough and sent her another Present of Jewels of great value which when she had viewed she said They were very rich and costly but returning them back she said I dare not trust my Youth with the Riches and Vanities of the World lest they may prove Bribes to corrupt my free and honest Mind wherefore tell the Prince I am not to be catch'd with glorious Baits and so returned them back The Prince when he saw he could fasten no Gifts on her was much troubled yet hoped that Time might work her to his desires so went to visit her and when he saw her he told her He was very unfortunate that not only Himself but even his Presents were hateful for he could guess at no other reason why she should refuse them since they were neither unlawful nor dishonourable to receive She answered That the Principles that she was taught were That Gifts were both dangerous to give and to take from Designing or Covetous Persons He said He was unhappy for by that he saw she would neither receive Love nor give Love Thus he daily visited her and hourly courted her striving to insinuate himself into her favour by his Person and Services used Powdering Perfuming and rich Clothing though he was so personable and well-favoured and had such store of Eloquence as might have perswaded both Ears and Eyes to have been Advocates to a young Heart and an unexperienced Brain His Service was in observing her Humour his Courtship in praising her Disposition admiring her Beauty applauding her Wit and approving her Judgment insomuch that at the last she did not dislike his Company and grew to that pass as to be melancholy when he was gone blush when he was named start at his approaching sigh weep and grow pale and distempered yet perceived not nor knew her Disease Besides she would look often in the Glass curl heir Hair finely wash her Face cleanly set her Clothes handsomely mask her self from the Sun not confidering why she did so But he as all Lovers have watchful Eyes observed she regarded her self more than she used to do which made him more earnest for fear her Passion should cool protesting his Love vowing his Fidelity and Secresie and swearing his Constancy to death She said That he might make all that good but not the Lawfulness Can you said she make it no sin to God no dishonour to my Family no infamy to my Sex no breach to Virtue no wrong to Honesty no Immodesty to my self He answered It was lawful by Nature Sir said she It is as impossible to corrupt me as to corrupt Heaven But were you free I should willingly embrace your Love in lawful Marriage He told her They were both young and his Wife old almost ripe enough for Death and a little time more would cut her down Wherefore said he let us enjoy our selves in the mean time and when she is dead we will marry No said she I will not buy a Husband at that deer rate nor am I so evil as to wish the death of the living for any advantage unless they were Enemies to Virtue Innocency or Religion But he was so importunate as she seemed displeased which he perceiving left off persisting lest he might nip off the young and tender Buds of her Affection But it chanced not long after there was a Meeting of many Nobles at a Feast where Healths to their Mistresses were drank round and the Prince who thought it a sin to Love to neglect that Institution offered with great Ceremony and Devotion for his Mistress's Health sprinkling the Altar of the Brain with Fume and burning the Incense of Reason therein After the Feast was ended he went to see his Mistress whose Beauty like Oyl set his Spirits in a flame which made his Affection grow to an intemperate Heat Whereat she became so afraid as she puts the Poyson into her Mouth the Antidote of all Evil as she thought and then told him her intention But
Travelia was with her he grew so jealous that had not Honour forbid him having past his word unto her they should all there be safe he should not have let him live to have been his Rival In the mean time the Messenger had caused the Prince to repair to the Court who was much troubled how to behave himself for said he in his thoughts if I should make my self known unto my Mistress she will straight convey away her self either by death or stealth and if I go disguised although I may make the reason known unto the King yet the Court will talk and think it is for some ill design against the State so bring an aspersion upon my Loyalty Thus musing a long time with himself at last he thought it best for to take counsel of the King and being come to him the King with great joy embraced him saying O my Friend thy Company is a Kingdom to me He humbly kissing his hand said He thought Fortune was so much his Enemy as that she had shut him out of his Royal Favour But Sir said he it was none of my fault I did not win for the Gods Jupiter Mars and the rest are such Lovers of the fair Mortal-Females that they will never be against them for wheresoever they are Victory is there also The King thinking he meant it of the Queen told him how unkindly she used him and how he perceived she loved the young General even to a dotage and withall asking his counsels what he should do he smiling yet sighing said O Sir said he there is no cause to fear for that Person you do suspect is a Woman which I believe the Queen knows not Then he told him all the story of his Love and all the several accidents thereupon and ask'd his advice what he should do The King was overjoyed at his relations discovering she was a Woman and his joy gave so many several Advices that the number confused the Counsel and confounded the Choice But while they were thus talking a Messenger came to the Prince which brought him Letters from his own Countrey by Merchants that were lately come in that his Wife was dead for although they knew not where he was yet they sent Letters into several Countreys in hope some might light into his hands which when he heard his Doubts were turned into Hopes With that the King and he embraced with joy making no question now but Cupid was turned their Friend and that he would shoot two Golden Arrows into their Mistresses Hearts from the Forts of their Affections The time being come when the King and Queen and the Councellors of both should meet about the Peace they being all set ready to treat the King entreated the Queen she would give him leave that the Prince might be one of his Council which said he without your own consent he shall not be since he hath been your Prisoner She told the King He was not bound to her since she had given him a Release and your Councellors are to be chosen by your self and not by me After her answer he sent for him who came being not disguised but as he was himself and Travelia looking upon his face as he was coming in and seeing the Man she most did fear she fell into a swound at which accident the Queen being extreamly afflicted thinking it was done by some design wrought from the jealousie of the King broke up the Juncto for that time taking all the care she could for his recovery But Travelia being recovered out of her swound was still sick in Mind though not in Body and kept her Bed as if she had been very ill Whereupon the Queen's suspition was more encreased and fear'd some Poyson had been given him and with that conceit could not endure to see the King The King being much troubled that the Queen was more severe to him than she was used to be and perceiving that it was Travelia that was the cause complained unto the Prince and with seeminganger said merrily Dispose of your Mistress some way for I am jealous said he although she be a Woman Sir said the Prince I have as much reason to be jealous of the Queen as you have of my Mistress setting her Masculine Habit aside At last they did agree to discover her to the Queen Whereupon the Prince went to the Queen and desired her by a Messenger to grant him half an hours Conference She desired to be excused He sent her word It was something concerning his own Affairs Whereupon she gave him admittance When the Prince came to her he said Madam I should not press thus rudely on your thoughts but that I think I am part of the cause that makes them melancholy Sir said she You take upon you to know much for it is hard to know the Mind or Thoughts of our selves much less of others Madam said he I will be so presumptuous to guess at them if you will give me leave Take it said she Then Madam said he I must tell you You are in love and the Person you love although most excellent yet cannot return such love as you desire for you have placed your Affection upon a Woman who hath concealed her Sex in taking the Habit of a Man and hath more confirm'd your mistake by the actions of a Soldier I know not said the Prince how kind you have found her but I have found her cruel Then told her the story from the first time he saw her until that present When the Queen had heard his relation her Colour came and went moved by her mix'd Passions Anger and Love angry that she was deceived yet still did love and wish'd she had been a Man Then the Prince began to move unto her the Suit of the King But she was so impatient and troubled in her Mind being crost in her Love that she would hear nothing concerning Love more at that time Which he perceiving took his leave for the present But as soon as he was gone Tears from her Eyes flow'd out as if they meant To make her there a Watry Monument And her oppressed Heart such sighs sent forth Like Gusts of Wind that blow from South or North. After this furious Storm a Calm did rise Her Spirits like a still smooth Water lyes Then laying down her gentle Head to rest Thus to the God of Love her Prayers addrest Thou powerful God of Love that shoots from high One Leadden Arrow in my Breast let flye To quench that scorching Heat thou mad'st to burn Unless a Woman to a Man can turn With that the God of Love did pity take Quench'd out the first and did a new Fire make Yet was it weak as being made but new But being kindled it much hotter grew At last the Flame got hold upon the King Which did much Joy unto each Kingdom bring After a sweet and refreshing sleep she rose and went to Travelia's Chamber and told her how she was discovered
be dead So in two or three days all Contracts were confirmed and the Match was concluded with the approbation of all Friends of either side married they were and in a short time after he carried her to his House there made her Mistress of his Estate and whilst he governed his outward Affairs she governed the Family at home where they lived plentifully pleasantly and peaceably not extravagantly vain-gloriously and luxuriously they lived neat and cleanly they loved passionately thrived moderately and happily they lived and piously dyed The She-Anchoret THERE was a Widower who had but one Child and she a Daughter which Daughter he bred with Pious Devotions Moral Instructions and Wise Advertisements but he falling sick to death called his Daugher unto him and thus spake to her Farewell my dearest Child for dye I must My Soul must flye my Body turn to dust My only care is that I leave thee young To wander in the World Mankind among Few of them charitable are or kind Nor bear they in their Breast a Noble Mind To help the Fatherless or pity Youth Protect the Innocent maintain the Truth But all their time 's spent with laborious toil For to pervert to ruin and to spoil Flatter thy Beauty and thy Youth betray To give thy Heart and Virgin-flower away They will profess love vow to be thy Friend Marriage will promise yet they will pretend Their Friends will angry be or else they 'l say Their Land 's engag'd they first their Debts must pay Or else that they during some time of life Have made a Vow Not yet to take a Wife And twenty such Excuses they will find For to deceive the simple Female-Kind And if you marry Troubles you will find Pains Griefs and Cares to vex a quiet Mind But here I charge you lying in Death's Arms That you do stop your Ears against their Charms Live chast and holy serve the Gods above They will protect thee for thy zealous Love Daughter I will obey whatever you command Although you dye your will shall fixed stand Father Next I do charge thee Not to grieve nor mourn Since no redress will from the Grave return Daughter O do not so said she But give Grief leave to flow out of my Eyes For if it be supprest the Body dyes Whilst now you live great wrong y'uld think you have If I should sit and laugh upon your Grave Or with neglect should I your Grave pass by And ne're take notice where your Ashes lye Father You cannot hinder Destiny's Decree Daughter O no! but Nature Nature still will be Nature created Love within the Mind The Object dead the Passion still is kind Had I as many Lives as Nature make I 'de lay them on Death's Altar for your sake That single one I have O Heavens me hear Exchange it for my Father's Life so dear But when her Father found that Death drew on He bid her lay her Hand his Eyes upon Father Close up my Eyes said he and then receive Upon thy Lips my last Breath let me breathe When he was dead sh' amaz'd long time sate still At last bethought her of her Father's Will Then up she rose his Body did entomb And how she spent her Life rehearse I 'le soon The Description of her Life in Prose AFTER she had interred her Father's Corps although she had rich honourable and importunate Suiters yet she resolved to live like a kind of an Anchoret's Life living encloistered by her self alone vowing Chastity and a Single-life but gave leave for any to speak to her through a Grate When she went first into her solitary Habitation she thus spake Virtues are several Pathes which lead to Heaven And they which tread these Pathes have Graces given Repentant tears allay the Dust of Pride And pious Sighs doth blow vain Thoughts aside Sorrow and Grief which in the Heart doth lye Doth cloud the Mind as Thunder doth the Skie But when in Thundring-groans it breaketh out The Mind grows clear the Sun of Joy peeps out This pious Life I now resolve to lead Will in my Soul both Joy and Comfort breed She had not been long enclosed but she grew as famous as Diogenes in his Tub all sorts of people resorted to her to hear her speak and not only to hear her speak but to get knowledg and to learn wisdom for she argued rationally instructed judiciously admonished prudently and perswaded piously applying and directing her Discourse according to the several Studies Professions Grandeurs Ages and Humours of her Auditory The first that came to her were Natural Philosophers who asked her Opinion of Man's Soul of which she discoursed in this manner She said Man hath three different Natures or Faculties A Sensitive Body Animal Spirits and a Soul This Soul is a kind of Deity in it self to direct and guide those things that are far above it and to create by Invention and though it hath not an absolute Power over it self yet it is an harmonious and absolute thing in it self and though the Sensitive Body hath a relation to it yet no other ways than Jove's Mansion hath unto Jove for the Body is only the residing-place and the Animal Spirits are as the Angels of the Soul which are Messengers and Intelligencers All Animal Creatures have not this Soul but only Man for Beasts have none nor every Man for most Men are Beasts and have only a Sensitive Body and Animal Spirits as Beasts have but none know when this Soul is out or in the Body but the Gods and not only other Bodies and Spirits cannot know but the Body where it resides and the attending-spirits are ignorant thereof for this Soul is as invisible to the Body and the Animal Spirits as the Gods to Men for though this kind of Soul knows and hath intelligence by the Senses and by the Animal Spirits yet the Senses nor Animal Spirits have none from the Soul for as Gods know Men but Men know not Gods so this Soul knows the Senses and Animal Spirits but the Senses nor Animal Spirits know not this Soul Then they asked her Whether Souls were Immortal She answered That only the Life was Immortal from whence all Souls are derived Then they asked her What Deities she thought there were She answered She thought but one which was the Father of all Creatures and Nature the Mother he being the Life and Nature the only Matter which Life and Matter produceth Motion and Figure various Successions Creations and Dissolutions Then they asked her What she thought Time was She said Time was only the Variation and Alteration of Nature for Time is only in respect to Creations Alterations and Dissolutions Then they asked her What Eternal was She answered An endless Succession Then they asked her What Infinite was She said A Numberless Succession but said she Eternal is in respect to Infinite as Infinite to Eternal Then they asked her Whether she thought there were fixt Decrees or all were governed by
illustrate with false lights their dim Virtues or give them such Praises they never deserved Wherefore no History should be esteemed but what was written by the Authors themselves as such as write the History of their own Lives Actions and Fortunes and the several Accidents that befell in their time and to their knowledg yet said she I wish I might out-live the Historians of these times that I might write a History of the Historians there to describe their Birth and Breeding their Life their Actions their Fortunes their Interest and let the World judg whether they writ Truth and without Partiality But to draw towards an end of my Tale All sorts of People resorting to hear her speak she became so famous as that a great Monarch whose Kingdom was neighbouring to the Countrey she was born bred and lived in had a great curiosity to see and hear her for the fame of her Beauty was equal to the fame of her Wit and putting himself into a disguise left his Kingdom and Wife to visit this Lady whom when he saw and had heard speak her Wit Beauty and graceful Behaviour did so ravish him that he became a deseperate Lover Whereupon he secretly revealed himself unto her perswading all he could to leave that inclosed life proffering her to be divorced from his Wife and to marry her But she refused his Offers despised his Love forbid his Suit and absented her Person which caused him to return in a rage and fury sending Ambassadors to proclaim Warrs unless the State would deliver the Lady into his Power But they absolutely denied to deliver her thinking it both a wicked and dishonourable disgrace to their Countrey although they perceived an utter ruin was like to fall upon them by reason the Kingdom was in a weak condition caused by former Warrs But it came no sooner to her hearing but she desired to meet the Ambassadors in a publike audience which they granted where multitudes of People came thronging to see her and when they were met she thus spake I come not here to make Eloquent Orations to divulge my Wit or to present my Beauty to the view of many Eyes for though I may thank Nature for her bounteous Gifts Yet I have not that Vanity or Pride For to allure or draw from Virtue 's side But I come to answer these Threatning-Ambassadors for I cannot call them Noble or Honourable since they come upon a base Design and to an unjust End But let me tell them That the Gods would hate me should I break my holy Vow Next I should grieve my Father's sleeping-Ashes should I disobey his dyingcommand Thirdly I should be a dishonour to my Birth and Sex should I live incontinently Lastly I should curse my Birth hate my Life blast my Fame should I be the cause of my Countrey 's Ruin and my Countrey had cause to do the same should it beruined for me But since it will prove a Mischief Sin and Shame to live Honour Prudence Love and Justice bids me dye Wherefore I have sacrificed my Life for my Countrey 's Peace and Safety my unspotted Chastity holy Vows and dutiful Obedience and to quench the raging Lust of a wicked Tyrant And growing very sick she became so weak that she could stand no longer but gently sinking to the ground she fell whereupon all that could get near run unto her to help her but she told them it was in vain for Poyson saith she hath been the Engine that hath broken open the Gate of Life to let Death in and so immediately dyed Which the People no sooner understood but made such outcries lamentations and mournings as if there had been an utter desolation of the whole World Then after some time of Preparations they buried her with great solemnity and intombed her costly the State setting up her Statue of Brass for her Courage and Love to her Countrey the Church Deified her a Saint for her Virtue and Piety and the Clergy raised Altars where all the Kingdom twice a year did offer unto her solemn Sacrifices and the Poets built several Pyramides of Praise of her Beauty Wit Virtue and sweet Graces which Pyramides reach'd to Fame's highest Tower and the Historians writ her Life and Death in Golden Letters and recorded them in Fame's Brazen Tower that all the World might know and follow the Example of her Heroick Spirit Generous Soul Chast Body Pious Life and Voluntary Death HEAVEN's Library which is FAME's Palace purged from Errors and Vices JOVE and some of the other Gods being set in Council Pallas being one rose up and bowing to Jove thus spake Great Jove said she I ought in duty and love to inform you not only of the Vices and Errors which are numerous in the World and in time may bring it to confusion but of those Errors and Vices which are crept into your great Library Fame's Palace and if order be not taken to destroy them they will devour all your best and noblest Records Jove answers That Vices were as Serpents and Errors as Worms bred in the Bowels of Nature of which she could never be cured for the Gods had no Medicine strong enough to purge them out and by reason they were from all Eternity they could not be destroyed for if any thing could be destroyed that is from all Eternity then we our selves might be destroy'd but said Jove we can cast them out of our own Mansions though we cannot cast them out of Nature's Bowels also we can hinder them from coming in wherefore Fame is to be reproved for suffering the Library to be so foul and full of filthy Vermin Whereupon Mercury was sent to call Fame to appear before Jove and his Council so when Fame came Jove told her That Gods and Goddesses ought to be just and upright and to have their Palaces pure and full of Truth which said he you nor your Palace hath not been for you are Partial and your Court full of Faction and my Library your Palace foul and full of Wormy Errors which if it had been kept pure and clean they would never have entred or if they had entred you might have caused them to have been swept out by Old Father TIME Fame answered That it was not her fault for Mars Venus and Fortune had sent them in and it is not for me to oppose so great a God as Mars or so great a Goddess as Venus or to sit as Judg to determine what was best to be flung out or what to be placed therein for none is fit to judg those Causes but you great Jove and your Council Jove approving what Fame said told his Council That after they had taken some repast they would sit in Council again and their only Business should be to purge and cleanse their Library So after they had feasted with Ambrosia and Nectar they returned to Council where they did first decree That all those Records that were to be cast forth should be heapt up