Lark they eate all at one bite But every part is good of Quaile and Suite The Murtherous Hawk they keep us for to catch And learn their Dogs to crouch and creep and watch Untill they have sprung us to Nets and Toiles And thus poore Creatures we are made Mans spoiles Cruell Nature to make us Gentle Mild They happy are which are more feirce and wild O would our flesh had been like Carrion course To eate us onely Famine might inforce But when they eate us may they surfets take May they be poore when they a 〈◊〉 us make The more they eate the leaner may they grow Or else so fat they cannot stir nor go O said the 〈◊〉 let me mourne in black For of Mans cruelty I do not lack I am the 〈◊〉 of Summer warme Do neither pick their Fruit nor eate their Corne Yet they will take us when alive we be I shake to tell O horrid Cruelty Beate us alive till we an Oile become Can there to Birdes be a worse Mortyrdome 〈◊〉 O Man if we should serve you so You would 〈◊〉 us your great Curses throw But Nature shee is good do not her blame We ought to give her thankes and not exclaime For Love is Natures chiefest Law in Mind Hate but an Accident from Love we find T is true Selfe-Preservation is the chiefe But Luxury to Nature is a 〈◊〉 Corrupted manners alwaies do breede Vioe Which by 〈◊〉 doth the Mind intice No Creature doth usurp so much as Man Who thinkes himselfe like God because he can Rule other Creatures makes them to obey We Soules have Nature never made say they What ever comes from Natures Stock and Treasure Created is onely to serve their pleasure Although the Life of Bodies comes from Nature Yet still the Soules come from the great Creator And they shall live though wee to 〈◊〉 do turne Either in Blisse or in hot flames to burne Then came the Parrot with her painted wing 〈◊〉 Spake like an Orator in every thing Sister Jay Neighbour 〈◊〉 Gossip Pie We taken are not like the rest to dye Onely to talk and prate the best we can To Imitate to 〈◊〉 Life the Speech of Man And just like men we 〈◊〉 our time away With many words not one wise Speech can say And speak as gravely Non-sense as the best As full of empty words as 〈◊〉 the rest Then Nature we will praise because she have Given us such Tongues as Men our Lives to save Mourne not my Friends but sing in Sun-shine gay And while you 'ave time joy in your selves you may What though your lives be short yet merry be And not complaine but in delights agree Strait came the 〈◊〉 with a frowning face And hopt about as in an angry pace My Masters all what are you mad Is no regard unto the publick had Are private Home-Affaires cast all aside Your young Ones cry for meat t is time to chide For shame disperse your selves and some paines take Both for the Common good and young Chickes sake And not sit murmuring here against great Man Unlesse for to revenge our selves we can Alas alas we want their Shape which they By it have power to make all obey For they can Lift 〈◊〉 strike turne and wind What waies they will which makes them new Arts find T is not their Wit which new Inventions make But t is their Shapes which heighth breadth depth can take Thus they can measure the great worldly Ball And Numbers set to prove the Truth of all What Creature else hath Armes or goeth upright Or have all sorts of Motions so unite Man by his Shape can Nature imitate Can governe rule and new Arts can create Then come away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no good can do And what we cannot help submit unto Then some their 〈◊〉 others their Husbands call To gather Sticks to build their Nests withall Some that were Shrewes did chide and scold and fret The Wind blew downe their Nest where they should sit For all they gathered with 〈◊〉 and care Those Sticks and Strawes were blowne they knew not where But none did labour like the little Wren To build her Nest to hatch her young Ones in Shee laies more Eggs then all the rest And with much Art doth build her Nest. The younger sort made love and kis'd each others Bill The Cock would catch some Flies to give his Mistresse still The Yellow hammer cried t is wet t is wet For it will raine before the Sun doth set Taking their Flight as each Mind thought it best Some flew abroad and some home to their Nest. Some went to gather Corne from Sheaves out strew'd And some to pick up Seed that 's newly sowed Some had Courage a Cherry ripe to take Others catch t Flies when they a Feast did make And some did pick up Ants and Eggs though small To carry home to feed their young withall When every Crap was fil'd and Night came on Then did they stretch their Wings to flye fast home And as like Men from Market home they come Set out alone but every Mile addes some Untill a Troop of Neighbours get together So do a flight of Birds in Sun-shine weather When to their Nests they get Lord how they baule And every one doth to his Neighbour call Asking each other if they weary were Rejoycing at past dangers and great feare When they their wings had prun'd and young ones fed Sate gossipping before they went to Bed Let us a Carroll said the Black-bird sing Before we go to Bed this fine Evening The Thrushes Linnets Finches all took parts A Harmony by Nature not by Arts. But all their Songs were Hymnes to God on high Praising his Name blessing his Majesty And when they askt for Gifts to God did pray He would be pleas'd to give them a faire day At last they drousie grew and heavie were to sleep And then instead of singing cried Peep Peep Just as the Eye when Sense is locking up Is neither open wide nor yet quite shut So doth a Voice still by degrees fall downe And as a Shadow wast so doth a Sound Thus went to rest each Head under each wing For Sleep brings Peace to every living thing A Dialogue between Melancholy and Mirth AS I fate Musing by my selfe alone My Thoughts on severall things did work upon Some did large Houses build and Stately Towers Making Orchards Gardens and fine Bowers And some in Arts and Sciences delight Some wars in Contradiction Reasons fight And some as Kings do governe rule a State Some as Republickes which all Monarches hate Others as Lawyers plending at the Bar Some privie Counsellors and Judges are Some Priests which do preach Peace and Godly life Others Tumultuous are and full of 〈◊〉 Some are debauch'd do wench swagger and sweare And some poore Thoughts do tremble out of feare Some jealous are and all things do suspect Others so Carelesse every thing neglect Some Nymphes Shepheards and Shepheardesses Some so kind as one
Joy and Discretion Joy GIve me some Musick that my Spirits may Dance a free Galliard whilst Delight doth play Let every Voice sing out both loud and shrill And every Tongue too run what way it will For Feare is gone away with her Pale Face And Paine is banisht out from every place Discretion O Joy take Moderation by the hand Or 〈◊〉 you 'l fall so drunk you cannot stand Your Tongue doth run so fast no time can keep High as a Mountaine many words you heap Your Thoughts in multitudes the Braine do throng That Reason is cast downe and trod upon Joy O wise Discretion do not angry grow Great dangers feares 〈◊〉 you do not know But Feare being past they suddenly are slackt Feare being a string bindes hard when once t is crackt Spirits find Liberty 〈◊〉 run about Hard being 〈◊〉 they suddenly burst out And to recover what they had before When once 〈◊〉 their liberty is more Like Water which was pen't then passage findes Goeth in a Fury like the Northerne windes What gathers on a heap so strong doth grow That when they 're loose far swifter do they go But deare Discretion with me do not scold Whilst you do feele great Feares your Tongue pray hold For Joy cannot containe it selfe in rest It never leaves till some way is exprest A Dialogue betwixt VVit and Beauty Wit MIxt Rose and Lilly why are you so proud Since Faire is not in all Minds best allow'd Some like the Black the Browne as well as White In all Complexions some Eyes take delight Nor doth one Beauty in the World still reigne For Beauty is created in the Braine But say there were a Body perfect made Complexion pure by Natures pensill laid A Countenance where all sweet Spirits meet A Haire that 's thick or long curl'd to the Feet Yet were it like a Statue made of stone The Eye would weary grow to look thereon Had it not Wit the Mind still to delight It soon wonld weary be as well as Sight For Wit is fresh and new doth sport and play And runs about the Humour every way Withall the Passions Wit can well agree Wit tempers them and makes them pleas'd to bee Wit 's ingenious doth new Inventions find To ease the Body recreate the Mind Beauty When I appeare I strike the Optick Nerve I wound the Heart I make the Passions serve Soules are my Prisoners yet love me so well My Company is Heaven my absence Hell Each Knee doth bow to me as to a Shrine And all the World accounts me as Divine Wit Beauty you cannot long Devotion keep The Mind growes weary Senses fall a sleep As those which in the House of God do go Are very zealous in a Prayer or two But if they kneele an houre-long to pray Their Zeale growes cold nor know they what they say So Admirations last not very long After nine daies the greatest wonder 's gone The Mind as Senses all delights in Change They nothing love but what is new and strange But subtle Wit can both please long and well For to the Eare a new Tale Wit can tell And for the Tast meat dresses severall waies To please the Eye new Formes and Fashions raise And for the Touch Wit spins both Silk and Wooll Invents new waies to keep Touch warm and coole For Sent Wit mixtures and Compounds doth make That still the Nose a fresh new smell may take I by discourse can represent the Mind With severall Objects though the Eyes be blind I can create Ideas in the Braine Which to the Mind seem reall though but fain'd The Mind like to a Shop of Toies I fill With fine Concerts all sorts of Humours sell. I can the work of Nature imitate And change my selfe into each severall Shape I conquer all am Master of the Feild I make faire Beauty in Loves Wars to yeild A Dialogue between Love and Hate BOth Love and Hate fell in a great dispute And hard it was each other to confute Which did most Good or Evill most did shun Then Hate with frowning Browes this Speech begun Hate I flye said shee from wicked and base Acts And teare the Bonds unjust or ill Contracts I do abhor all Murther VVar and strife Inhumane Actions and disorder'd life Ungratefull and unthankfull Mindes that shun All those from whom they have receiv'd a Boon From Discords harsh and rude my Eares I stop And what is Bad I from the Good do lop I Perjur'd Lovers brand with foule disgrace And from ill Objects do I hide my Face Things that are Bad I hate or what seemes so But Love is contrary to this I know Love loves Ambition the Mind 's hot Fire And Worlds would ruine for to rise up higher You love to please your Appetite and your Will To glut your Gusto you delight in still You love to Flatter and be flattered too And for your Lust poore Virgins would undo You love the ruine of your Foes to see And of your Friends if they but Prosperous bee You nothing love besides your selfe though ill And with vaine-glorious wind your Braine do fill You love no waies but where your Bias tends And love the Gods onely for your owne Ends. Love But Love in words as sweet as Nature is Said Hate was false and alwaies did amisse For she did Canker-fret the Soule destroy Disturbe the pleasure wherein Life takes joy The VVorld disorder which in Peace would keep Torment the Head the Heart revenge to seek And never rests till she descends to Hell And therefore ever amongst Devils dwell For I said Love unite aud Concords make All Musick was invented for my sake I Men by Lawes in Common-wealthes do joyne Against a common Foe as one combine I am a Guard to watch defend and keep The Sick the Lame the Helplesse Aged weak I for Honours sake high Courage raise And bring to Beautie Shrine Offerings of praise I Pity and Compassion the VVorld throughout Do carry and distribute all about I to the Gods do reverence bow and pray And in their Heavenly Mansions beare great sway Thus Love and Hate in somethings equall bee Yet in Disputes will alwaies disagree A Dialogue betwixt Learning and Ignorance Learning THou Busie Forrester that searchest bout The VVor'd to find the Heart of Learning out Or Perseus like foule Monsters thou dost kill Rude Ignorance which alwaies doeth ill Ignorance O thou Proud Learning that standst on Tip-toes high Can never reach to know the Deity Nor where the Cause of any one thing lies But fill man full of Care and Miseries Learning inflames the Thoughts to take great paines Doth nought but make an Almes-tub of the Braines Learning Learning doth seek about new things to find In that Pursuit doth recreate the Mind It is a Perspective Nature to espie Can all her Curiosity descry Ignorance Learning 's an uselesse paine unlesse it have Some waies or meanes to keep us from the Grave For what is all the World if understood
dwell VVisedome knowes you talk more then fight right well Besides great Courage takes me by the hand That whilst he fights I close by him may stand I Patience want not Sense Misfortunes t'espie Although I silent am and do not cry Ill Accidents and Griefe I strive to cure What cannot help with Courage I indure Whilst you do vex your selfe with grievous Paines And nothing but Disturbance is your Gaines Let me give counsell Anger take 't not ill That I do offer you my Patience still For you in danger live still all your life And 〈◊〉 do when you are hot in Strife A Dialogue between a Bountifull Knight and a Castle ruin'd in VVar. Knight ALas poore Castle how thou now art chang'd From thy first Form to me thou dost seem strange I left thee Comely and in perfect health Now thou art wither'd and decayed in VVealth Castle O Noble Sir I from your Stock was rais'd Flourished in plenty and by all Men prais'd For your Most Valiant Father did me build Your Brother furnish'd me my Neck did gild And Towers on my Head like Crownes were plac'd Like to a Girdle Walls went round my Waste And on this pleasant Hill he set me high Viewing the Vales below as they did lye Where every Feild like Gardens is inclos'd Where fresh green Grasse and yellow Cowslips grow'd There did I see fat Sheep in Pastures go Hearing the Cowes whose bags were full to low By Wars am now destroy'd all Right 's o'repowr'd Beauty and Innocency are devoured Before these Wars I was in my full Prime And thought the greatest Beauty in my time But Noble Sir since I did see you last Within me hath a Garrison been plac'd Their Gunnes and Pistols all about me hung And in despight their Bullets at me flung Which through my Sides they passages made out Flung downe my Walls that circl'd me about And let my Rubbish on huge heapes to lye With Dust am choackt for want of VVater dry For those small Leaden Pipes which winding lay Under the ground the water to convey Were all cut off the water murmuring Run back with Griefe to tell it to the Spring My Windowes all are broke the wind blowes in With Cold I shake with Agues shivering O pity me deare Sir release my Band Or let me dye by your most Noble hand Knight Alas poore Castle I small help can bring Yet shall my Heart supply the former Spring From whence the water of fresh teares shall rise To quench thy Drought will spout them from mine Eyes That Wealth I have for to release thy woe Will offer for a Rausome to thy Foe Thy Health recover and to build thy Wall I have not Meanes enough to do 't withall Had I the Art no paines that I would spare For what is broken downe I would repaire Castle Most Noble Sir you that me Freedome give May your great Name in after Ages live For this your Bounty may the Gods requite And keep you from such Enemies of Spight And may great Fame your Praises sound aloud Gods give me life to shew my Gratitude A Dialogue betwixt Peace and VVar. Peace WAR makes the Vulgar Multitude to drink In at the Eare the foule and muddy Sinck Of Factious Tales by which they dizzy grow That the cleare sight of Truth they do not know And reeling stand know not what way to take But when they chuse 't is wrong so a War make War Thou Flattering Peace and most unjust which drawes The Vulgar by thy Rhet'rick to hard Lawes Which makes them silly Ones content to be To take up Voluntary Slavery And mak'st great Inequalities beside Some like to Asses beare others on Horsback ride Peace O VVar thou cruell Enemy to Life Vnquieted Neighbour breeding alwaies Strife Tyrant thou art to Rest will give no time And Blessed Peace thou punishest as a Crime Factions thou mak'st in every Publick-weale From Bonds of Friendship tak'st off Wax and Seale On Naturall Affections thou dost make A Massacre that hardly one can ' scape The Root of all Religion thou pull'st up And every Branch of Ceremony cut Civill Society is turn'd to Manners base No Lawes or Customes can by thee get place Each Mind within it selfe cannot agree But all do strive for Superiority In the whole World dost such disturbance make To save themselves none knowes what waies to take War O Peace thou idle Drone which lov'st to dwell If it but keep the safe in a poore Cell Thy Life thou sleep'st away Thoughts lazy lye Sloath buries Fame makes all great Actions dye Peace J am the Bed of Rest and Couch of Ease My Conversation doth all Creatures please I the Parent of Learning am and Arts Nurse to Religion and Comfort to all Hearts I am the Guardian which keepes Vertue safe Under my Roose security shee hath I am adorn'd with Pastimes and with Sports Each severall Creature still to me resorts War I a great Schoole am where all may grow wise For Prudent Wisdome in Experience lyes And am a Theater to all Noble Minds A Mint of true Honour that Valour still co ines I am a high Throne for Valour to sit And a great Court where all Fame may get I am a large Feild where doth Ambition run Courage still seekes me though Cowards me shun MORAL DISCOURSES A Discourse of Love the Parent of Passions NO Mind can think or Vnderstanding know To what a Height and Vastnesse Love can grow Love as a God all Passions doth create Besides it selfe and those determinate Bowing downe low devoutly prayeth Feare Sadnesse and Griefe Loves heavie burthens beare Anger Rage makes Envie Spleene and Spight Like Thunder roares and in Loves quarrels fight Jealousie Loves 〈◊〉 is t'espie And Doubt its Guide to search where'ts Foe doth lye Pity Loves Child whose Eyes Teares overflow On every Object Misery can shew Hate is Loves Champion which opposeth all Loves Enemies their Ruine and their Fall A Discourse of Love neglected burnt up with Griefe LOve is the Cause and Hate is the Effect Which is produc'd when Love doth find Neglect For Love as Fire doth on Fuell burne And Griefe as Coles when quench'd to Blacknesse turne Thence pale and Melancholy Ashes grow Which every Wind though weak dispersing blow For Life and Strength from it is gone and past With th' Species which caus'd the Forme to last Which nere regaine the Form it had at first So Love is lost in Melancholy dust A Discourse of Pride WHat Creature in the VVorld besides Man-kind That can such Arts and new Inventions find Or hath such Fancy as to Similize Or that can rule or governe as the VVise And by his VVit he can his Mind indite As Numbers set and subtle Letters write What Creature else but 〈◊〉 can speak true sense At distance give and take Intelligence What Creature else by Reason can abate All Passions raise Doubts Hopes Love and Hate And can so many Countenances shew They are the ground by
turne Pale when I were published But I hope I shall neither greive nor shame them or give them cause to wish I were not a Branch thereof For though my Ambition's great my designes are harmelesse and my wayes are plaine Honesty and if I stumble at Folly yet will I never fall on Vice T is true the World may wonder at my Confidence how I dare put out a Book especially in these censorious times but why should I be ashamed or affraid where no 〈◊〉 is and not please my selfe in the satisfaction of innocent desires For a smile of neglect cannot dishearten me no more can a Frowne of dislike affright me not but I should be well pleased and delight to have my Booke commended But the Worlds dispraises cannot make me a mourning garment my mind 's too big and I had rather venture an indiscretion then loose the hopes of a Fame Neither am I ashamed of my 〈◊〉 for Nature tempers not every Braine alike but t is a shame to deny the Principles of their Religion to break the 〈◊〉 of a well-governed Kingdome to disturbe Peace to be unnaturall to break the Vnion and Amity of honest Freinds for a Man to be a Coward for a Woman to be a Whore and by these Actions they are not onely to be cast out of all Civill society but to be blotted out of the Roll of Mankinde And the reason why I summon up these Vices is to let my Friends know or rather to remember them that my Book is none of them yet in this Action of setting out of a Booke I am not clear without 〈◊〉 because I have not asked leave of any Freind thereto for the feare of being denied made me silent and there is an Old saying That it is casier to aske Pardon then Leave for a fault will sooner be forgiven then a suite granted and as I have taken the One so I am very confident they will give me the Other For their Affection is such as it doth as easily obscure all infirmity and blemishes as it is fearfull and quick-sighted in spying the Vices of those they love and they doe with as much kindnesse pardon the One as with griefe reprove the Other But I thought it an Honour to aime at Excellencies and though I cannot attaine thereto yet an Endeavour shews a good will and a good will ought not to be turned out of Noble mindes nor be whipt with dispraises but to be cherished with Commendations Besides I Print this Book to give an Account to my Freinds how I spend the idle Time of my life and how I busie my Thoughts when I thinke upon the Obiects of the World For the truth is our Sex hath so much waste Time having but little imployments which makes our Thoughts run wildly about having nothing to fix them upon which wilde thoughts do not onely produce unprofitable but indiscreet Actions winding up the Thread of our lives in snarles on unsound bottoms And since all times must be spent either ill or well or indifferent I thought this was the harmelessest Pastime for lure this Worke is better then to sit still and censure my Neighbours actions which nothing concernes 〈◊〉 or to condemne their Humours because they do 〈◊〉 sympathize with mine or their lawfull Recreations because they are not agreeable to my delight or ridiculously to laugh at my Neighbours Cloaths if they are not of the Mode Colour or Cut or the Ribbon tyed with a Mode Knot or to busie my selfe out 〈◊〉 the Sphear of our Sex as in Politicks of State or to Preach false Doctrine in a Tub or to entertaine my selfe in 〈◊〉 to vaine Flatteries or to the incitements of evill perswasions where all these Follies and many more may be cut off by such innocent worke as this I write not this onely to satisfie you which my Love makes me desire so to doe but to defend my Book from spightfull Invaders knowing Truth and Innocence are two good Champions against Malice and 〈◊〉 and which is my defence I am very confident is a great satisfaction to you For being bred with me your Love is twisted to my Good which shall never be undone by any unkinde Action of Mine but will alwayes remaine Your loving Freind M. N. Madam YOu are not onely the first English 〈◊〉 of your Sex but the first that ever wrote this way therefore whosoever that writes afterwards must own you for their Pattern from whence they take their Sample and a Line by which they measure their Conceits and Fancies For whatsoever is written asterwards it will be bur a Copy of your Originall which can be no more Honour to them then to Labouring Men that draw Water from another mans Spring for their owne use neither can there be anything writ that your Honour have not imployed your Pen in As there is Poeticall Fictions Morall instructions Philosophicall Opinions Dialogues Discourses Poeticall Romances But truely Madam this Book is not the onely occasion to Admire you for having been brought up from my Childhood in your Honourable Family and alwayes in your Ladyships company seeing the course of your life and honouring your Ladyships disposition I have admired Nature more in your Ladiship then in any other Works besides First in the course of your Life you were alwayes Circumspect by Nature not by Art for naturally your Honour did hate to do any thing that was mean and unworthy or anything that your Honour might not owne to all the World with confidence yet your Ladiship is naturally bashful apt to be out of Countenance that your Ladiship could not oblige all the World But truly Madam Fortune 〈◊〉 not so much in her power to give as your Honour 〈◊〉 to bestow which apparently shineth in all Places especially where your Ladyship 〈◊〉 been as France Flanders Holland c. to your everlasting Honour and Fame which will manifest this Relation to be the Truth as well as I who am Madam Your Honours most humble and obedient Servant E. Toppe To Naturall Philosophers IF any Philosophers have written of these Subjects ' as I make no question or doubt but they have of all that Nature hath discover'd either in meere Thought and Speculation or other waies in Observation yet it is more then I know of for I never read nor heard of any English Booke to Instruct me and truly I understand no other Language not French although I was in France five yeares Neither do I understand my owne Native Language very well for there are many words I know not what they signifie so as I have onely the Vulgar part I meane that which is most usually spoke I do not meane that which is us'd to be spoke by Clownes in every Shire where in some Parts their Language is knowne to none but those that are bred there And not onely every Shire hath a severall Language but every Family giving Marks for things according to their Fancy But my Ignorance of the Mother
Beast and be forgotten but that his Works may beget another Soule though of shorter life which is Fame and Fame is like a Soule an Incorporeall Thing DIALOGUES Of Fame A Dialogue between two Supernaturall Opinions 1. Op. WHO knows but that Mans Soule in Fame delights After the Body and It disunites If we allow the Soule shall live not dye Although the Body in the Grave doth lie And that some knowledge still It doth retaine Why may not then some love of Fame remaine 2. Op. There doth no Vanity in Soules then dwell When separate they goe to Heaven or Hell 1. Op. Fame's Vertues Child or ought to be What comes not from her is an Insamy 2. Op. Soules of the World remember nought at all All that is past into Oblivion fall 1. Op. Why may not Soules as well as Angels know And heare and see what 's done i' th' World below 2. Op. Soules neither have Ambition nor desire When once in Heaven nor after Fame inquire 1. Op. Who can tell that since Heaven loves good Deeds And Fame of Piety from Grace proceeds Of Fame A Dialogue between two Naturall Opinions 1. Op. TO desire Fame it is a Noble thought Which Nature in the best of Minds hath wrought 2. Op. Alas when Men do dye all Motion 's gone If no Motion no thought of Fame hath one 1. Op. What if the Motion of the Body dye The Motion of the Mind may live on high And in the Aiery Elements may lye Although we know it not about may flye And thus by Nature may the Mind delight To heare its Fame and see its Pyramid Or grieve and mourne when it doth see and know Her Acts and Fame do to Oblivion go A simple naturall Opinion of the Mind NAture a Talent gives to every one As Heaven gives grace to work Salvation from The Talent Nature gives a Noble Mind Where Actions good are minted currant Coyne Where every Virtue stamps their Image so That all the World each severall Peice may know If Men be lazy let this Talent lye Seek no occasion to improve it by Who knowes but Natures punishment may be To make the Mind to grieve eternally That when his Spirit 's fled and Body rot To know himselfe of Friend's and World 's forgot If men have used their best Industry Yet cannot get a Fame to live thereby Then may the Minds of Men rest satisfied That they had left no Meanes or waies untri'd The Purchase of Poets or a Dialogue betwixt the Poets and Fame and Homers Marriage A Company of Poets strove to buy Parnassus Hill where Fame thereon doth lye And Helicon a Well that runs below Which those that drink thereof strait Poets grow But Money they had none for Poets all are poore And Fancy which is Wit is all their store Thinking which way this Purchase they should get They did agree in Councell all to sit Knowing that Fame was Honour to the Well And that She alwaies on the Hill did dwell They did conclude to tell her their desire And for to know what price she did require Then up the Hill they got the Journey long Some nimbler feet had and their breath more strong Which made them get before by going fast But all did meet upon the Hill at last And when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them all what they could say She askt them where their Money was to pay They told her Money they had none to give But they had Wit by which they All did live And though they knew sometimes She Bribes would take Yet Wit in Honours Court doth greatnesse make Said shee this Hill I 'le neither sell nor give But they that have 〈◊〉 Wit shall with Mee live Then go you downe and get what Friends you can That will be bound or plead for every man 〈◊〉 every Poet was twixt hope and Doubt And Envy strong to put each other out Homer the first of Poets did begin Brought Greece and Troy for to be bound for him Virgill brought Aeneas hee all Rome For Horace all the Country-men came soon Juvenall Catullus all Satyrs joyn'd And in sirme Bonds they all themselves did bind And for Tibullus Venus and her Sonne Would needs be bound cause wanton verse he sung Pythagoras his Transmigration brings Ovid who seales the Bond with severall things Lucan brought Pompey Senate all in armes And Casars Army with their hot Alarmes Mustring them all in the Emathian Feilds To Fames Bond to set their bands and Seales Poets which Epitaphei on the Dead had made Their Ghosts did rise faire Fame for to perswade To take their Bonds that they might live though dead To after Ages when their Names were read The Muses nine came all at Barre to plead Which partiall were according as th' were fee'd At last all Poets were cast out but three Where Fame disputed long which should her Husband bee Pythagoras for Ovid first did speake And said his numbers smooth and words were sweet Variety said he doth Ladies please They change as oft as he makes Beasts Birds Trees As many severall Shapes and Formes they take Some Goddesses and some do Devils make Then let faire Fame sweet Ovids Lady be Since Change doth please that Sex none 's fit but he Then spoke Aeneas on brave Virgils side Declar'd he was the glory and the pride Of all the Romanes who from him did spring And in his Verse his praises high did sing Then let him speed even for faire Venus sake And for your Husband no other may you take Wise Ulisses in an Orators Stile Began his Speech whose Tongue was smooth as Oyle Bowing his head downe low to Fame did speake I come to plead although my Wit is weake But since my Cause is just and Truth my Guide The way is plaine I shall not 〈◊〉 aside Homers losty Verse doth reach the Heavens high And brings the Gods downe from the Aiery Skie And makes them side in Factions for Man-kind As now for Troy then Greece as pleas'd his mind So walkes he downe into 〈◊〉 deep And wakes the Furies out of their dead sleep With Fancy's Candles seeks above all Hell Where every Place and Corner he knowes well Opening the Gates where sleepy Dreames do lye Walking into the Elysium fields hard by There tells you how Lovers their time imploy And that pure Soules in one another joy As Painters shadowes make mixing Colours So Soules do mixe of Platonick Lovers Shewes how Heroick Spirits there do play At the Olympick Games to passe the time away As Wrestling Running Leaping Swimming Ride And many other Exercises beside What Poet before him did ever tell The Names of all the Gods and Devils in Hell Their Mansions and their Pleasures He describes Their Powers and Authorities divides Their Chronologies which were before all time And their Adulteries he puts in Rhime Besides great Fame thy Court he hath fill'd full Of Brave Reports 〈◊〉 which else an Empty Skull It would appeare and not like Heavens
Throne Nor like the Firmament with Stars thick strowne Makes Hell appeare with a Majestick Face Because there are so many in that Place Fame never could so great a Queen have bin If Wits Invention had not brought Arts in Your Court by Poets fire is made light Quencht out you dwell as in perpetuall Night It heats the Spirits of Men inflames their blood And makes them seek for Actions great and good Then be you just since you the ballance hold Let not the Leaden weights weigh downe the Gold It were Injustice Fame for you to make A Servant low his Masters place to take Or 〈◊〉 that pick the Purse you should preferre Before the Owner since condemn'd they were His are not Servants Lines but what He leaves Theeves steale and with the same the World deceives If so great Fame the World will never care To worship you unlesse you right preferre Then let the best of Poets find such grace In your faire Eyes to choose him first in place Let all the rest come offer at thy Shrine And shew thy selfe a Goddesse that 's divine I at your word will Homer take said Fame And if he proves not good be you to blame Vlisses bowed and Homer kis'd her hands Then were they joyn'd in Matrimoniall Bands And Mercury from all the Gods was sent To give her joy and wish her much content And all the Poets were invited round All that were knowne or in the World were found Then did they dance with measure and in time Each in their turne took out the Muses nine In Numbers smooth their Feet did run Whilst Musick plaid and Songs were sung The Bride and Bridegroome went to bed There Homer got Fames Maiden-head A Dialogue betwixt Man and Nature Man T Is strang How we do change First to live and then to dye Is a great misery To give us sense great paines to feele To make our lives to be Deaths wheele To give us Sense and Reason too Yet know not what we 're made to do Whether to Atomes turne or Heaven up flye Or into new Formes change and never dye Or else to Matter Prime to fall againe From thence to take new Formes and so remaine Nature gives no such Knowledge to Man-kind But strong Desires to torment the Mind And Senses which like Hounds do run about Yet never can the perfect Truth find out O Nature Nature cruell to Man-kind Gives Knowledge none but Misery to find Nature Why doth Man-kind complaine and make such Moane May not I work my will with what 's my owne But Men among themselves contract and make A Bargaine for my Tree that Tree will take Most cruelly do chop in peeces small And formes it as he please then builds withall Although that Tree by me was made to stand Just as it growes not to be cut by Man Man O Nature Trees are dull and have no Sense And therefore feel not paine nor take offence But Beasts have life and Sense and Passion strong Yet cruell man doth kill and doth them wrong To take that life I gave before the time I did ordaine the injury is mine What Ill man doth Nature did make him do For he by Nature is prompt thereunto For it was in great Natures power and Will To make him as she pleas'd either good or ill Though Beast hath Sense feels paine yet whilst they live They Reason want for to dispute or grieve Beast hath no paine but what in Sense doth lye Nor troubled Thoughts to think how they shall dye Reason doth stretch Mans mind upon the Rack With Hopes with Joyes pull'd up with Feare pull'd back Desire whips him forward makes him run Despaire dothwound and pulls him back agen For Nature thou mad'st Man betwixt Extreames Wants perfect Knowledge yet thereof he dreames For had he bin like to a Stock or Stone Or like a Beast to live with Sense alone Then might he eate or drink or lye stone-still Nere troubled be either for Heaven or Hell Man knowledge hath enough for to inquire Ambition great enough for to aspire And Knowledge hath that yet he knowes not all And that himselfe he knoweth least of all Which makes him wonder and thinks there is mixt Two severall Qualities in Nature fixt The one like Love the other like to Hate By striving both hinders Predestinate And then sometimes Man thinks as one they be Which makes Contrariety so well agree That though the World were made by Love and hate Yet all is rul'd and governed by Fate These are Mans feares mans hopes run smooth and high Which thinks his Mind is some great Deity For though the body is of low degree In Sense like Beasts their Soules like Gods shall be Saies Nature why doth Man complaine and crye If he beleives his Soule shall never dye A Dialogue betwixt the Body and the Mind Body WHat Bodies else but Mans did Nature make To joyne with such a Mind no rest can take That Ebbs and slowes with full and falling Tide As Minds dejected fall or swell with Pride In Waves of Passion roule to Billowes high Alwaies in Motion never quiet lye Where Thoughts like Fishes swim the Mind about Where the great Thoughts the smaller Thoughts cate out My Body the Barque rowes in Minds Occan wide Whose Waves of Passions beat on every side When that dark Cloud of Ignorance hangs low And Winds of vaine Opinions strong do blow Then Showers of doubts into the Mind raine downe In deepe vast Studies my Barque of flesh is drown'd Mind Why doth the Body thus complaine when I Do helpe it forth of every Misery For in the World your Barque is bound to swim Nature hath rigg'd it out to trafficke in Against hard Rocks you breake in 〈◊〉 small If my Invention helpe you not in all The Load-stone of Attraction I find out The Card of Observation guides about The Needle of Discretion points the way Which makes your Barque get safe into each Bay Body If I ' seape drowning in the Watry Maine Yet in great mighty Battels I am slaine By your Ambition I am forc'd to fight When many 〈◊〉 upon my Body light For you care not so you a Fame may have To live if I be buried in a Grave Mind If Bodies fight and Kingdomes win then you Take all the pleasure that belongs thereto You have a Crowne your Head for to adorne Upon your Body Jewels are hung on All things are sought to please your Senses Five No Drugge unpractis'd to keepe you alive And I to set you up in high Degree Invent all Engines us'd in Warre to be T is I that make you in great triumph sit Above all other Creatures high to get By the Industrious Arts which I do find You other Creatures in Subjection bind You cate their Flesh and after with their Skinne When Winter comes you lap your Bodies in And so of every thing that Nature makes By my direction you great pleasure takes Body What though my
Senses all do take delight Yet you upon my Entrals alwaies bite My flesh cate up that all my bones are bare With the sharpe Teeth of Sorrow Griefe and Care Drawes out my Blood from Veines with envious spight Decaies my Strength with shame or extreame fright With Love extreamly sicke I lye With cruell hate you make me dye Mind Care keeps you from all hurt or falling low Sorrow and Griefe are Debts to Friends we owe. Feare makes man just to give each one his owne Shame makes Civility without there 's none Hate makes good Lawes that all may live in Peace Love brings Society and gets Increase Besides with Joy I make the Eyes looke gay With pleasing Smiles they dart forth every way With Mirth the Cheeks are fat smooth Rosie-red Your Speech flowes Wit when Fancies fill the Head If I were gone you 'ld misse my Company Wish we were joyn'd againe or you might dye A Complaint of VVater Earth and Aire against the Sun by way of Dialogue Moisture to Earth THere 's none hath such an Enemy as I The Sun doth drinke me up when he 's a dry He sucks me out of every hole I lye Drawes me up high from whence I downe do fall In Showers of Raine am broke in peeces small Where I am forc'd to Earth for helpe to call Strait Earth her Porous doors sets open wide And takes me in with hast on every side Then joynes my Limbs fast in a slowing Tide Earth to Moisture Alas Deare Friend the Sun my greatest Fee My tender Buds he blast as they do grow He burnes my Face and makes it 〈◊〉 and dry He sucks my Breast which starves my Young thereby Thus I and all my Young for thirst were slaine But that with Wet you fill my 〈◊〉 againe Aire to Earth and Moisture The Sun doth use me ill as all the rest For his hot Soultry heats do me molest Melts me into a thin and slowing Flame To make him light when men it Day do name Corrupts me makes me full of 〈◊〉 soares Which Putresaction on mens Bodies poures Or else the subtle Flame into mens Spirits run Which makes them raging or starke mad become Drawes me into a length and breadth till I Become so thin with windy wings do flye Never can leave till all my Spirits spent And then I dye and leave no Monument The Sun to 〈◊〉 O most unkind and most ungratefull Earth I am thy Mid-wife brings your Young to Birth I with my heat do cause your Young to grow And with my light I teach them how to go My Sun-Bcames are Strings whereon to hold For feare they fall and breake their Limbs on Cold. All to Maturity I do bring and give Youth Beauty Strength and make Old Age to live The Sun to 〈◊〉 ' ater Sluggish Moisture I active and light make All grosse and corrupt I Humours away take All Superfluity I dry up cleane That nothing but pure Christall water 's seen The hard-bound Cold I loosen and unty When you in Icy Chaines a Prisoner lye With 〈◊〉 your Limbs are nipt and bit with Cold Your smooth and glassie Face makes wrinkled Old I make you nimble soft and faire And Liquid Nourishing and Debonaire The Sun to Aire Aire I purge and make it cleere and bright Black Clouds dissolve which make the Day seem Night The crude raw Vapours I digest and straine The thicker part all into Showers of Raine The thinnest part I turne all into Winds Which like a Broome sweeps out all Dirt it findes The cleerest part turne into Azure Skie Hang'd all with Stars and next the Gods you lye A Dialogue between Earth and Cold. Earth O Cruell Cold to life an Enemy A Misery to Man and Posterity Most envious Cold to Stupifie Mens Braine Destroies that Monarchy where Wit should reigne Tyrant thou art to bind the Waters clear In Chaines of Ice lye fetter'd halfe the yeare Imprisons every thing that dwels in me Shutting my Porous doors no Light can see And smothered am almost up to death Each hole is stopt so close can take no breath Congeales the Aire to massie Clouds of Snow Like Mountaines great they on my Body throw And all my Plants and strong great fruit 〈◊〉 Trees You nip to death or cloath them in course Freeze My fresh green Robes which 〈◊〉 me fine and gay You strip me of or change to black or gray For feare of Cold my Moisture shrinks so low My Head weares bald no 〈◊〉 thereon will grow And breakes the Suns bright 〈◊〉 their heat destroy Which takes away my comfort and my joy And makes my Body stiff so deadly numb'd That in my Veines nothing will fluent run Cold. Why do you thus complaine poore Earth and grieve I give you strength and make you long to live I do refresh you from the Scorching Sun I give you breath which makes you strong become I cloath you from the Cold with Milke-white Snow Send downe your Sap to nourish you below For if that heat should dwell and long time stay His Thirst would drinke your Moisture all away I take nought from you nor do make you poore But like a Husband good do keepe your Store My Ice are Locks and Barrs all safe to keepe From Busie Motion gives you quiet sleepe For heat is active and doth you molest Doth make you worke and never let you rest Heat spends your Spirits makes you crackt and dry Drinkes all him selfe with Thirst you almost dye With Sweating Labour you grow weake and faint I wonder why you make such great complaint Earth Both Heat and Cold in each extreame Degree Two Hells they are though contrary they be Two Devils are torment me with great paines One shoots hot Arrowes th' other ties in Chaines A Dialogue betwixt Earth and Darknesse Earth OHorrid Darknesse and you powers of Night Melancholy Shades made by obstructed Lights Why so Cruell what Evil have I done To part me from my Husband the bright Sun Darknesse I do not part you he me hither sends Whilst Hee rides about to visit all his Friends Besides 〈◊〉 hath more Wives to love then you He never constant is to one nor true Earth You do him wrong for though he Journies make For Exercise he care for me doth take He leaves his Stars and 's Sister in his place To comfort me whilst 〈◊〉 doth run his Race But you do come most wicked 〈◊〉 Night And rob me of that faire and Silver Light Darknesse The Moon and Stars they are but shadowes thin Small Cob-web Lawne they from his Light do spin Which they in scorned do make you to disgrace As a thin Vaile to cover your Ill Face For Moon or Stars have no strong Lights to shew A Colour true nor how you bud or grow Onely some Ghosts do rise and take delight To walke about when that the Moon shines bright Earth Your are deceiv'd they cast no such Disguise Strive me to please by twinkling in the Skies And
for the Ghosts my Children are being weake And tender Ey'd helpe of the Moon they seeke For why her Light is gentle moist and Cold Doth ease their Eyes when they do it behold But you with Shadowes fright delude the Sight Like Ghost appeare with gloomy shades of Night And you with Clouds do cast upon my Back A Mourning Mantle of the deepest black That covers me with darke Obscuritie That none of my deare Children I can see Their Lovely Faces mask'st thou from my Sight Which shew most beautifull in the day Light They take delight to View and to adorne And fall in love with one anothers Forme By which kind Sympathy they bring me store Of Children young those when growne up brings more But you are spightfull to those Lovers kind 〈◊〉 their Faces makes their Eyes quite blind Darknesse Is this my thanks for all my Love and Care And for the great respect to you I beare I am thy kind true and constant Lover I all your Faults and Imperfections cov I take you in my gentle Armes of rest With coole fresh Dewes I bath your dry hot Breast The Children which you by the Sun did beare I lay to sleepe and rest them from their Care In Beds of silence soft I lay them in And cover them though black with Blankets cleane Then shut them close from the Disturbing Light And yet you raile against your Lover Night Besides if you had Light through all the yeare Though Beauty great ' twouldnot so well appeare For what is Common hath not such respect Nor such regard for 〈◊〉 doth bring neglect Nought is admired but what is seldome 〈◊〉 And black for change delights as well as green Yet I should constant bee if I might stay But the bright Sun doth beat me quite away For he is active and runs all about Nere dwels with one but seeks new Lovers out He spightfull is to other Lovers 〈◊〉 He by his Light doth give intelligence But I Loves confident am made I bring Them in my Shade to meet and whisper in Thus am I faithfull kind to Lovers true And all is for the 〈◊〉 and Love to you What though I am Melancholy my Love 's as strong As the great Light which you so dote upon Then slight me not nor do 〈◊〉 Suit disdaine But when the Sun is gone me entertaine Take me sweet Love with 〈◊〉 into your Bed And on your fresh green Breast lay my black Head A Dialogue between an Oake and a Man cutting him downe Oake WHY cut you off my Bowes both large and long That keepe you from the heat and scortching Sun 〈◊〉 And did refresh your 〈◊〉 Limbs from sweat From thundring Raines I keepe you free from Wet When on my Barke your weary head would lay Where quiet sleepe did take all Cares away The whilst my Leaves a gentle noise did make And blew coole Winds that you 〈◊〉 Aire night take Besides I did invite the Birds to sing That their sweet voice might you some pleasure bring Where every one did strive to do their best Oft chang'd their Notes and strain'd their tender Breast In Winter time my Shoulders broad did hold Off blustring Stormes that wounded with sharpe Cold. And on my Head the 〈◊〉 of snow did fall Whilst you under my Bowes 〈◊〉 free from all And will you thus requite my Love Good Will To take away my Life and 〈◊〉 kill For all my Care and Service I have past Must I be cut and laid on Fire at last And thus true Love you cruelly have slaine Invent alwaies to torture me with paine First you do peele my Barke and flay my Skinne Hew downe my Boughes so chops off every Limb. With Wedges you do peirce my Sides to wound And with your Hatchet knock me to the ground I mine'd shall be in Chips and peeces small And thus doth Man reward good Deeds withall Man Why grumblest thou old Oake when thou hast stood This hundred yeares as King of all the Wood. Would you for ever live and not resigne Your Place to one that is of your owne Line Your Acornes young when they grow big and tall Long for your Crowne and wish to see your fall Thinke every minute lost whilst you do live And grumble at each Office you do give Ambitien flieth high and is above All sorts of Friend-ship strong or Natur all Love Besides all Subjects they in Change delight When Kings grow Old their Government they slight Although in ease and peace and wealth do live Yet all those happy times for Change will give Growes discontent and Factions still do make What Good so ere he doth as Evill take Were he as wise as ever Nature made As pious good as ever Heaven 〈◊〉 Yet when they dye such Joy is in their Face As if the Devill had gone from that place With Shouts of Joy they run a new to Crowne Although next day they strive to pull him downe 〈◊〉 Why said the Oake because that they are mad Shall I rejoyce for my owne Death be glad Because my Subjects all ingratefull are Shall I therefore my health and life impaire Good Kings governe justly as they ought Examines not their Humours but their Fault For when their Crimes appeare t' is time to strike Not to examine Thoughts how they do like If Kings are never lov'd till they do dye Nor 〈◊〉 to live till in the Grave they lye Yet he that loves himselfe the lesse because He cannot get every mans high applause Shall by my Judgment be condemn'd to weare The Asses Eares and burdens for to beare But let me live the Life that Nature gave And not to please my Subjects dig my Grave Man But here Poore Oake thou liv'st in Ignorance And never seek'st thy Knowledge to advance I 'le cut the downe 'cause Knowledge thou maist gaine Shalt be a Ship to traffick on the Maine There shalt thou swim and cut the Seas in two And trample downe each Wave as thou dost go Though they rise high and big are sweld with pride Thou on their Shoulders broad and Back shalt ride Their lofty Heads shalt bowe and make them stoop And on their Necks shalt set thy steddy Foot And on their Breast thy Stately Ship shalt beare Till thy Sharpe Keele the watry Wombe doth teare Thus shalt thou round the World new Land to find That from the rest is of another kind Oake O said the Oake I am contented well Without that Knowledge in my Wood to dwell For I had rather live and simple be Then dangers run some new strange Sight to see Perchance my Ship against a Rack may hit Then were I strait in sundry peeces split Besides no rest nor quiet I should have The Winds would tosse me on each troubled Wave The Billowes rough will beat on every side My Breast will ake to swim against the Tide And greedy Merchants may me over-fraight So should I drowned be with my owne weight Besides with Sailes and Rapes my
If we do use it not nor tast the Good Learning may come to know the use of things Yet not receive the Good which from them springs For Life is short and Learning tedions long Before we come to use what 's Learned Life 's gone Learning O Ignorance thou Beast which 〈◊〉 and lazy liest And onely cat'st and sleepest till thou diest Ignorance The Lesson Nature taught is most delight To please the Sense and eke the Appetite I Ignorance am still the Heaven of Blisse For in me lies the truest happinesse Give me still Ignorance that Innocent Estate That Paradise that 's free from Envious Hate Learning a Tree was whereon Knowledge grew Tasting that Fruit Man onely Misery knew Had Man but Knowledge Ignorance to love Hee happy would have been as Gods above Learning O Ignorance how foolish thou dost talk I' st happinesse in Ignorance to walk Can there be Joy in Darknesse more then Light Or Pleasure more in Blindnesse then in Sight A Dialogue betwixt Riches and Poverty Riches I Wealth can make all Men of each degree To crouch and flatter and to follow me I many Cities build high thick and large And Armies raise against each other charge I make them loose their Lives for my deare sake Though when they 're dead they no Rewards can take I trample Truth under my Golden Feet And tread downe Innocence that Flower sweet I gather Beauty when t is newly blowne Reape Chastity before t is over-growne I root out Vertue with a Golden Spade I cut of Justice with a Golden Blade Pride and Ambition are my Vassals low And on their Heads I tread as I do go And by Man-kind 〈◊〉 more adorn'd am I Although but Earth then the Bright Sun so high Poverty Riches thou art a Slave and runn'st about On every Errant thou com'st in go'st out And Men of Honour set on thee no price Nor Honesty nor Vertue can intice Some foolish Gamesters which do love to play At Cardes and Dice corrupt perchance you may A Silly 〈◊〉 gather here and there That doth gay Cloathes and Jewels love to weare Some Poore which hate their Neighbour Brave to see Perchance may seek and love your Company And those that strive to please their Senses all If they want Health if you passe by will call On Age t is true you have a great strong power For they imbrace you though they dye next Houre Riches You speake poore Poverty meere out of spight Because there 's none with you doth take delight If you into Mans Company will thrust They call that Fortune ill and most accurst Men are asham'd with them you should be seen You are so ragged torne and so uncleane When I come in much Welcome do I find Great Joy there is and Mirth in every Mind And every doore is open set and wide And all within is busily imploy'd There Neighbours all invited are to see And proud they are in my deare Company Poverty T is Prodigality you brag so on Which never lets you rest till you are gone Calls in for help to beat you out of doores His deare Companions Drunkards Gamesters Whores What though you 're Brave and Gay in outward Shew Within you are foule and beastly as you know Besides Debauchery is like a Sink And you are Father to that filthy stink True I am thread-bare and am very leane Yet I am Decent sweet and very cleane I healthfull am my Diet being spare You 're full of Gouts and Paines and Surfets feare I am Industrious new Arts to find To ease the Body and to please the Mind The World like to a VVildernesse would be If it were not for the Poores Industry For Poverty doth set awork the Braines And all the Thoughts to labour and take paines The Mind nere idle sits but is imploy'd Riches breed Sloth and fill it full of Pride Riches like a Sow in its owne Mire lies But Poverty 's light and like a Bird still flyes A Dialogue betwixt Anger and Patience Patience ANger why are you so hot and siery red Or else so 〈◊〉 as if you were quite dead Joynts seem unset Flesh shakes the Nerves grow Slack Your Spirits all disturb'd your Senses lack Your Tongue doth move but not a plaine word speak Or else words flow so thick like Torrents great Anger Lord what a 〈◊〉 of dislike you tell If you were stung with wrong your Mind would swell Your Spirits would be set on flame with Fire Or else grow chill with Cold and back retire Patience Alas it is for some supposed wrong Sometimes you have no ground to build upon Suspition is deceitfull runs about And for a Truth it oft takes wrong no doubt If you take False-hood up nere search them through You do a wrong to Truth and your selfe too Besides you 're blind and undiscerning flye On every Object though Innocence is by Anger O Patience you are strict and seem precise And Counsels give as if you were so wise But you are cruell and fit times will take For your Revenge and yet no show do make Your Browes 〈◊〉 your Heart seemes not to burne Yet on Suspition will do a 〈◊〉 turne But I am sudden and do all in 〈◊〉 Yet in short time my 〈◊〉 all is 〈◊〉 Though Anger be not right but sometimes wrong The greatest Mischiese lies but in the Tongue But you do mischiese and your time you 'l find To work Revenge though quiet in your Mind 〈◊〉 If I take time I clearly then can see To view the Cause and seek for 〈◊〉 If I have wrong my selfe I well may 〈◊〉 But I do wrong if Innocence I strike The Knot of Anger by degrees unties Take of that Muffler from Discretions Eyes My Thoughts run cleare and smooth as Christall Brookes That every Face may see that therein lookes Though I run low yet wisely do I wind And many times through Mountaines passage find When you swell high like to a flowing Sea For windy Passions cannot in rest be Where you are rould in VVaves and tost about Tormented is no passage can find out Angry Patience your mouth with good words you do fill And preach Morality but you act ill Besides you seem a Coward full of feare Or like an Asse which doth great Burthens beare Le ts every Poultron at his will give blowes And every foole in scorne to wring your Nose Most of the VVorld do think you have no Sense Because not angry nor take no Offence When I am thought right wise and of great Merit Heroick Valorous and of great Spirit And every one doth feare me to offend And for to please me all their Forces bend I flatter'd am make Feare away to run Thus I am Master wheresoere I come A way you foolish Patience give me rage That I in Wars may this great World ingage Patience O Anger thou art mad there 's none will care For your great brags but Fooles and cowardly Feare Which in weak Women and small Children
Gift Twelve Ells of Light to make her Smocks * for shift Which every time he comes he puts on cleane And changes oft that shee may lovely seem And when he goeth from her the World to see He leaves his Sister for her company Cynthia she is though pale yet 〈◊〉 Which makes her alwaies in Dark Cloudes appeare Besides he leaves his Stars to wait for feare His Isle too sad should be when hee 's not there And from his bounty cloaths them all with Light Which makes them twinckle in a Frosty Night He never brings hot Reantes to do her harm Nor lets her take a Cold but laps her warm With Mantles rich of equall 〈◊〉 doth spread And covers her with Colour Crimson red He gives another o're her head to lye The Colour is a pure bright 〈◊〉 Skie And with soft Aire doth line them all within As Furrs in Winter in Summer Satten thin With silver Clouds he fringes them about Where spangled Meteors glistring hang without Thus gives her Change least she should weary grow Or think them Old and so away them throw Nature adornes this Island all throughout With Land-skips Prospects and Rills that run about There Hills o're top the Dales which levell be Covered with Cattell feeding Eagerly Where Grasse growes up even to the Belly high Where Beasts that chew their Cud in Pleasure lye Whisking their Tailes about the Flies to beat Orelse to coole them from the Soultry heat Nature willing to th' Gods her Love to shew Sent plenty in like Niles great overflow Gave temperate Seasons and equall Lights The Sun-shine daies and Dewy Moon-shine Nights And in this pleasant Island Peace did dwell No noise of War or sad Tale could it tell The Ruine of the Island THis Island liv'd in Peace full many a day So long as She unto the Gods did pray But She grew proud with Plenty and with Ease Ador'd her selfe so did the Gods displease She flung their Altars downe her owne set up And She alone would have divine Worship The Gods grew angry and commanded Fate To alter and to ruine quite the State For they had chang'd their Mind of late they said And did repent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made Fates wondred much to heare what said the Gods That Mortall Men and 〈◊〉 were at great odds And found them apt to Change they thought it shew'd As if poore Man the Gods had not foreknow'd For why said they if Men do evill grow The Gods foreseeing all Men's Hearts do know Long long before they made or were create If so what need they Change or alter Fate T was in their power to make them good or ill If so Men cannot do just what they will Then why do Gods complaine against them so Since Men are made by them such waies to go If Evil power hath Gods to oppose To equall Deities it plainly shewes Having no Power to keep Obedience long If Disobedient Power be as strong As being ignorant how Men will prove Nor know how strong or long will last their Love But may not Gods decree on this Line run To love Obedience whensoe're it come So from the first Variation creates And for that work made Destiny and Fates Then t is the Mind of Men that 's apt to range And not the Mindes of Gods subject to Change Then did the Fates unto the Planets go And told them they Malignity must throw Into this Island for the Gods will take Even high Revenge since she their Lawes forsake With that the Planets drew up with a Scrue The Vapour bad from all the Earth then view What Place to squeese that Poyson in which all The Venome was that 's got from the Worlds Ball. Which through Mens Veines like molten Lead it came And like to Oile did all their Spirits flame Where Malice boyl'd with rancor Spleen and Spight In War and Fraud Injustice took delight Studying which way might one another rob In open sight do Ravish boldly Stab To Parents Children unnat'rally grow And former Friend-ship now 's turn'd cruell Foe For Innocency no Protection had Religious Men were thought to be stark mad In Witches Wizzards did they put their Trust Extortions Bribes were thought to be most just Like Titans Race all in a Tunsult rose Blasphemous words against high Heaven throwes Gods in a Rage unbind the Windes and blow In forraine Nations formerly their Foe Where they did plant themselves no Brittons live For why the Gods their Lives and Land them give Compassion wept and Virtue wrung her hands To see that Right was banish'd from their Lands Thus Windes and Seas the Planets Fates and all Conspired to work her Ruine and her fall But those that keep the Lawes of God on high Shall live in Peace in Craves shall quiet lye And ever after like the Gods shall be Injoy all Pleasure know no Misery TO POETS THERE is no Spirit firghts me so much as Poets Satyrs and their Faiery Wits which are so subtle aiery and nimble as they passe through every small Crevise and Cranie of Errours and Mistakes and dance upon every Line and round every Fancy which when they find to be dull and sleepy they pinch them black and blew with Robbin-hoods Jests But I hope you will 〈◊〉 me for the Harth is swept cleane and a Bason of water with a cleane Towell set by and the Ashes rake'd up wherefore let my Book sleep quietly and the Watch-light burning clearly and not blew and Blinkingly nor the Pots and Pans be disturbed but let it be still from your noise that the Effemenate Cat may not Mew nor the Masculine Curs bark nor houle forth Railings to disturbe my harmlesse Bookes rest But if you will judge my Book severely I doubt I shall be cast to the Bar of Folly there forc'd to hold up my Hand of Indiscretion and confesse Ignorance to my Enemies dislike For I have no Eloquent Orator to plead for me as to perswade a Severe Judge nor Flattery to bribe a Corrupt One which makes me afraid I shall loose my Suit of Praise Yet I have Truth to speak in my behalse for some favour which saith sirst that Women writing seldome makes it seem strange and what is unusuall seemes Fantasticall and what is Fantasticall seemes odd and what seemes odd Ridiculous But as Truth tells you all is not Gold that glisters so she tells you all is not Poore that hath not Golden Cloaths on nor mad which is out of Fashion and if I be out of the Fashion because Women do not generally write yet before you laugh at me let your Reason view strictly whether the Fashion be not usefull gracefull easie comely and modest And if it be any of these spare your Smiles of Scorne for those that are wanton carelesse rude or unbecoming For though her Garments are plaine and unusuall yet they are cleane and decent Next Truth tells you that Women have seldome or never or at least in these latter Ages written a Book of
do flow out And faiths which never knew to make a doubt Thus offer'd all with gratefull Hearts in rankes Whereon was sprinckled the essence of thankes Brought was the fire of Love which burnt all 〈◊〉 Holy-water the penitentiall Tear The Priests which were the Cardinall Vertues foure Those Ceremonies executed o're In grave procession honour high 〈◊〉 raise And with their Anthems sweet did sing her praise Fame THen on her wings doth Fame those Actions bear Which flye about and carry'hem every where Sometime she overloaded is with all And then some downe into Oblivion fall But those that would to Fames high Temple go Must first great Honours Temple quite passe through The Temple of Fame THis Temple is divided in two parts Some open lye others obscure as hearts Some light as day others as darke as night By times obscurity worn out of sight The outward rooms all glorious to the eye In which Fames image placed is on high Where all the windows are Triangulars cut VVhere from one face a million of faces put And builded is in squares just like a Cube VVhich way to double hard is in dispute VVherein the Ecchoes do like balls rebound From every corner making a great sound The walls are hung with chapiters all of gold In Letters great all actions there are told The Temple doore is of prospective Glasse Through which a small beame of our eye can passe That makes truth there so difficult to know As for the bright Moone a new world to show The Steeple or Pillars of Goose-quils built And plastered over with white paper guilt The painting thereof with Inke black as jet In severall workes and figures like a Net This Steeple high is and not very light As a faire Evening is 'twixt day and night Five Tongues the five Bells through the world do ring And to each severall eare much newes doe bring The Philosophers Tongue doth give a deep sound But the Historians is no better found The Oratours Tongue doth make a great noyse Grammarians sound harsh as if it had flawes The small Bell a Poets tongue changes oft Whose motion is quick smooth even and soft The ropes they hung by we could not well see For they were long small threads of Vain-glory. But yet when they did ring made a sweet chime Especially when the Poet he did rhime The Belfrey man a Printer by his skill That if he pleases may ring when he will When Priest to Mattens or to Vespers goe To the High Altar they bow downe low This Altar whereon they offer unto Fame Is made of braines armes and hearts without blame On which lyes Wisdome Wit Strength Courage Love Offer'd as sacrifices to Fame above Vertues Arts Sciences as Priest here stands But Fortune Prioresse all these commands Incense of noble deeds to Fame she sends Nothing is offer'd but what she recommends For Fortune brings more into Fames high Court Then all their vertues with their great 〈◊〉 Fames Library within the Temples FAmes Library where old Records are plac'd What acts not here unto oblivion cast There stands the skelves of Time where books do lye Which books are tyed by chaines Of destiny The Master of this place they Favour call Where Care the door-keeper doth lock up all Yet not so fast but Bribery in steals Partialities cousenage truths not reveals But Bribery through all the world takes place And offerings as a bribe in heaven findes grace Then let not men disdaine a bribe to take Since gods doe blessing give for a bribes sake The Fairy Queen THe Fairy Queens large Kingdome got by birth Is in the circled center of the Earth Where there are many springs and running streams Whose waves do glister by the Queens bright beams Which makes them murmure as they passe away Because by running round they cannot stay For they do evermore just like the Sun As constantly in their long race they run And as the Sun gives heat to make things spring So water moyslure gives to every thing Thus these two Elements give life to all Creating every thing on Earths round ball And all along this liquid source that flows Stand Mirtle trees and banks where flowers grows 'T is true there are no Birds to sing sweet notes But there are winds that whistle like birds throats Whose sounds and notes by variation oft Make better Musicke then the Spheares aloft Nor any beasts are there of cruell nature But a slow sost worm a gentle creature Who fears no hungry birds to pick them out Safely they graspe the tender twigs about There Mountains are of pure resined gold And Rocks of Diamonds perfect to behold Whose brightnesse is a Sun to all about Which glory makes Apollo's beams keep out Quarries of Rubles Saphirs there are store Christals and 〈◊〉 many more There polisht pillars naturally appeare VVhere twining vines are clustred all the yeare The Axle-tree whereon the Earth turnes round Is one great 〈◊〉 by opinion found And the two ends which called are the Poles Are pointed Diamonds the Antartick holds And Artick which about the world is rowl'd Are rings of pure refined perfect gold Which makes the Sun so seldome there appear For fear those rings should melt if he came near And as a wheele the Elements are found In even Layes and often turnings round For first the sire in circle as the spoake And then the water for aire is the smoak Begot of both for fire doth water boyle That causes clouds or smoak which is the oyle This smoaky childe sometimes is good then bad According to the nourishment it had The outward 〈◊〉 as the Earth suppose Which is the surface where all plenty flows Yet the Earth is not the cause of turning But the siery spoak not fear of burning The Axle-tree for that grows hard with heat And by its quicknesse turns the wheel though great Unlesse by outward weight it selfe presse down Raising the bottome bowing down the Crown Yet why this while am I so long of proving But to shew how this Earth still is moving And the heavens as wheels do turn likewise As we do daily see before our eyes To make the Proverb good in its due turn That all the world on wheels doth yeerly run And by the turn such blasts of wind doe blow As we may think like Windmils they do go But winds are made by Vulcans bellows sure Which makes the Earth such Collicks to endure For he a Smith set at the sorge below Ordained is the Center-fire to blow But Venus laughs to thinke what horns he wears Though on his shoulders halfe the Earth he bears Nature her mettal makes him hammer out All that she sends through Mines the world about For he 's th' old-man that doth i' th Center dwell She Proserpine that 's thought the Queen of hell Yet Venus is a Tinkers wife we see Not a goddesse as she was thought to be When all the world to her did offerings bring And her high praise
take or leave which way to goe Experiments to shun or to apply Either for health or peace or what to fly And Sympathies which keep the world unite Aversions otherwise would ruine quite This Will and Testament she left behind And as her Deed of Gift left to Mankinde Mourning she gave to all her friends to weare And did appoint that foure her Hearse should beare Love at the head did hold the Winding-sheet On each side Care and Feare Sorrow the feet This sheet at every corner fast was ty'd Made of Oblivion strong and very wide Naturall affections in mourning clad Went next the Hearse with griefe distracted mad Did tear their hair scracht face and hands did wring And from their eyes fountaines of tears did spring For Truth said they did alwayes with us live But now she 's dead no Truth that we can give After came Kings which all good Lawes did make And power us'd for Truth and Vertues sake Next them came Honour in Garments black and long With blubber'd face and her head down hung Who wisht to dye for life was now a paine Since Truth was dead honour no more could gaine Next these Lovers with faces pale as Death With shame-fast eyes quick Pulse and shortned breath And in each hand a bleeding heart did bring Which hearts within the grave of truth did fling And ever since Lovers inconstant prove They more profession give then reall love Next them came Counsellours of all degrees From Courts and Countries and chiefe Cities Their wise heads were a guard and a strong wall So long as Truth did live amongst them all All sorts of Trades-men using not to swear So long as Truth not Oaths sold 〈◊〉 their ware Physitians came who try new wayes for skil And for Experience sake doe many kil But doe use Simples good which Nature sent To strengthen man and sicknesse to prevent Some Judges were no wrangling Lawyers base For Truth alive did plead decide each case Widowes that to their Husbands kind had swore That when they dyed would never marry more At last the Clergy came who taught Truths way And how men in devotion ought to pray By Morall Lawes the lives of men direct Perswade to peace and Governours respect They wept for grief as Prophets did fore-tell That all the world with fals-hood would rebell Faction will come say they and beare great sway And bribes the Innocent shall all betray Controversies within the Church shall rise And Heresies shall beare away the prize Instead of Peace the Priests shall discords preach And high Rebellion in their doctrines teach Then shall men learn the Laws for to explain Which learning only serves for Lawyers gain For they doe make and spread them in a Net To catch in Clients and their money get The Laws which Wise-men made to keep the peace Serve only now for quarrels to increase All those that sit in Honours stately throne Are counterfeits not any perfect known They put on vizards of an honest face But all their Acts unworthy are and base Friendship in words and complements will live Not one nights lodging in the heart shall give Lovers shall dye for Lust yet love not one And Vertue unregarded sit alone Now Truth is dead no goodnesse here shal dwell But with disorder make each place a Hell With that they all shriekt out lament and cry To Nature for to end their misery And now this Iron Age's so rusty grown That all the Hearts are turn'd to hard flint-stone FINIS THE ANIMALL PARLIAMENT THe Soul called a Parliament in his Animal Kingdom which Parliament consisteth of three parts the Soul the Body and the Thoughts which are Will Imaginations and Passions The Soul is the King the Nobility are the Spirits the Commonalty are the Humours and Appetites The Head is the upper House of Parliament where at the upper end of the said House sits the Soul King in a Kernel of the Braine like to a Chaire of State by himselfe alone and his Nobility round about him The two Arch-Bishops Admiration and Adoration the rest are Apprehension Resentment and Astonishment The Judges are the Five Senses and the Wooll-sacks they sit on are Sight Sound Sent Tast Touch. The Master of the Black Rod is Ignorance understanding the Lord Keeper is alwayes Speaker The Clerke that writes downe all is Memory The lower House of Parliament is the Heart the Knights and Burgesses are Passions and Affections The Speaker is Love The Clerke that writes downe all is Fear The Serjeant is Dislike The severall Writs that are sent out by this Parliament are sent out by the Nerves into every part of this Animall Kingdom and the Muscles execute the power and Authority of those Writs upon the Members of the Common-wealth The lower House presents their Grievances or their desires to the upper House the Braine by the Arteries When they were all set in order and a dead silence through all the House the King made a Speech to the Assembly after this manner following The Kings Speech THe reason why I called this Parliament is not only to rectifie the riotous disorders made by Vanity and to repeale the Lawes of erroneous opinions made in the minde and to cut off the entayles of evil Consciences but to raise Foure Subsidies of Justice Prudence Fortitude and Temperance whereby I may be able to defend you from the allurements of the World as Riehes Honour and Beauty and to beat out incroaching falshoods which make inrodes and doe carry away the innocency of Truth and to quench the rebellion of superfluous words but also to make and enact strict Lawes to a good Life in which I make no question but every one which are in my Parliament will be willing to consent and be industrious thereunto the rest I leave to my Keeper understanding to informe you further of After the King had thus spoken the Keeper made another Speech as followeth The Lord Keepers Speech who is Speaker My Noble Lords YOu may know by the calling of this Parliament not only the wisdome of our gracious King in desiring your aide and assistance in the beginning of danger before the fire growes too violent for your help to quench out but his love and tender regard of your safety Besides he hath shewed the unwillingnesse he hath to oppresse and burthen his good Subjects with heavie Taxes before palpable necessity requires them for he hath not called you upon suppositions and feares but upon visible truths neither was it Imprudence in staying so long for it is as imprudent to disturbe a peaceable Common-wealth with doubts of what may come as to be so negligent to let a threatning ruine run without opposition Thus is our gracious Soveraigne wise in chusing his time valiant in not fearing his enemies carefull in calling the help and advice of his Parliament and most bountifull in that he requires not these Subsidies to spend in his particular delights but for the good and benefit of the