which Affections grow The 're severall Dresses which the Mind puts on Some serve as Veiles which over it is throwne What Creature is there hath such peircing Eyes That mingles Soules and a fast Friend-ship tyes What Creature else but Man hath such Delights So various and such strong odd Appetites Man can distill and is a Chymist rare Divides and separates VVater Fire and Aire Thus can 〈◊〉 divide and separate All Natures work what ere she made Can take the Breadth and Heighth of things Or know the Vertue of all Plants that springs Makes Creatures all submit unto his will Makes Fame to live though Death his Body kill What else but Man can Nature imitate With Pen and Pencill can new Worlds create There 's none like Man for like to Gods is he Then let the World his Slave and Vassall be Of Ambition TEN Thousand Pounds a yeare will make me live A Kingdome Fortune then to me must give I 'le conquer all like Alexander Great And like to Caesar my Opposers beat Give me a Fame that with the World may last Let all Tongues tell of my great Actions past Let every Child when first t is taught to speak Repeat my Name my Memory for to keep And then great Fortune give to me thy power To ruine Man and raise him in an Houre Let me command the Fates and spin their thread And Death to stay his Sithe when I forbid And Destiny give me your Chaines to tye Effects from Causes to produce thereby And let me like the Gods on high become That nothing can but by my will be done Of Humility WHen with returning Thoughts my selfe behold I find all Creatures else made of that Mould And for the Mind which some say is like Gods I do not find 'twixt Man and Beast such oddes Onely the Shape of Men is fit for use Which makes him seem much wiser then a Goose. For had a Goose which seemes of simple Kind A Shape to form and fit things to his Mind To make such Creatures as himselfe obey Could hunt and shoot those that would 'scape away As wise would seem as Man be as much fear'd As when the Coose comes neere the Man be fear'd Who knowes but Beasts may wiser then Men bee We no such Errours or Mistakes can see Like quiet Men besides they joy in rest To eat and drink in Peace they think it best Their Food is all they seek the rest think vaine 〈◊〉 not unto Eternity remaine Despise not Beast nor yet be proud of Art But Nature thank for forming so each Part. And since your Knowledge is begot by form Let not your Pride that Reason overcome For if that Motion in your Braine workes best Despise not Beast cause Motion is deprest Nor proud of Speech 'cause Reason you can shew For Beast hath Reason too for all we know But Shape the Mind informes with what doth find Which being taught is wiser then Beast-kind Of Riches or Covetousnesse WHat will not 〈◊〉 in abundance do Or make the Mind of Man submit unto It bribes out Vertue from her strongest hold It makes the Coward valorous and bold It corrupts Chastity meltes Thoughts of Ice And bashfull Modesty it doth intice It makes the humble proud and Meek to swell Destroies all Loyalty makes Hearts rebell It doth unty the Knots of Friend-ship fast Naturall Affections away to cast It cuts th' Innocents Throat and Hearts divide It buyes out Conscience doth each Cause decide It makes Man venture Life and Limb So much is Wealth desir'd by him It buies out Heaven and casts Soules to Hell For Man to get this Muck his God will sell. Of Poverty I live in low Thatcht House Roomes small my Cell Not big enough for Prides great Heart to dwell My Roomes are not with Stately Cedars built No Marble Chimney-peece nor Wainscot gilt No Statues cut or carv'd nor cast in Brasse Which had they Life would Natures Art surpasse Nor painted Pictures which Appelles drew There 's nought but Lime and Haire homely to view No Agget Table with a Tortoise Frame Nor Stooles stuft with Birds feathers wild or tame But a Stump of an old decayed Tree And Stooles with three legs which halfe lame they bee Cut with a Hatchet from some broken Boughes And this is all which Poverty allowes Yet it is free from Cares no Theeves do feare The Doore stands open all is welcome there Not like the Rich who Guests doth entertaine With cruelty to Birds Beasts that are slaine Who 〈◊〉 their Bodies with their melted Grease And by their Flesh their Bodies fat increase We need no Cook nor Skill to dresse our Meat For Nature dresses most of what we cate As Roots and Herbes not such as Art doth sow But such in Feilds which naturally grow Our wooden Cups we from the Spring do fill Which is the Wine-presse of great Nature still When rich Men they for to delight their tast 〈◊〉 out the Juice from Earth her strength do wast For Bearing often shee will grow so leane A 〈◊〉 for Bones bare Earth is seen And for their Drink the subtle Spirits take Both from the Barley and the sull-ripe Grape Thus by their Luxury their life they wast All the ir delight is still to please their tast This heates the Mind with an ambitious fire None happy is but in a low desire Their desires run they six themselves no where What they have or can have they do not care What they injoy not long for and admire Sick for that want so restlesse is desire When we from Labours come blest with a quiet sleep No 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Sense awake doth keep All 's still and silent in our House and Mind Our Thoughts are chearfull and our Hearts are kind And though that life in Motion still doth dwell Yet rest in life a poore Man loveth well Of Tranquillity THat Mind which would in Peace and quiet be Must cast off Cares and foolish Vanity With honest desires a house must build Upon the ground of Honour and be seild With constant Resolutions to last long Rais'd on the Pillars of Justice strong Let nothing dwell there but Thoughts right holy Turne out Ignorance and rude rash folly There will the Mind injoy it selfe in Pleasure For to it 〈◊〉 it is the greatest Treasure For they are poore whose Mind is discontent What Joy they have it is but to them lent The World is like unto a troubled Sea Life as a Barque made of a rotten Tree Where every 〈◊〉 ave indangers it to split And drown'd it is if 'gainst a Rock it hit But if this Barque be made with Temperance strong It mounts the Waves and Voyages takes long If Discretion doth as the Pilot guide It scapes all Rocks still goes with Wind and Tide Where Love as Merchant trafficks up to Heaven And for his Prayers he hath Mercies given 〈◊〉 as Factor sets the price of things Tranquillity as Buyers in the Money brings Of the Shortnesse of Mans
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
Life and his foolish Ambition IN Gardens sweet each Flower mark did J How they did spring bud blow wither and dye With that contemplating of Mans short stay Saw Man like to those Flowers passe away Yet build they Houses thick and strong and high As if they should live to Eternity Hoard up a Masse of Wealth yet cannot fill His Empty Mind but covet he will still To gaine or keep such Falshhood Men do use Wrong Right and Truth no base waies will refuse I would not blame them could they Death out keep Or ease their Paines or cause a quiet Sleep Or buy Heavens Mansions so like Gods become And by it rule the Stars the Moon and Sun Command the Windes to blow Seas to obey To levell all their Waves to cause the Windes to stay Bnt they no power have unlesse to dye And Care in Life is a great Misery This Care is for a word an empty sound Which neither Soule nor Substance in is found Yet as their Heire they make it to inherit And all they have they leave unto this Spirit To get this Child of Fame and this Bareword They feare no Dangers neither Fire nor Sword All horrid Paines and Death they will indure Or any thing that can but Fame procure O Man O Man what high Ambition growes Within your Braine and yet how low he goes To be contented onely in a Sound Where neither Life nor Body can be found A Morall Discourse betwixt Man and Beast MAN is a Creature like himselfe alone In him all qualities do joyne as one When Man is injurd and his Honour stung He seemes a Lion furious feirce and strong With greedy Covetousnesse like to Wolves and Beares Devoures Right and Truth in peeces teares Or like as crafty Foxes lye in wait To catch young Novice-Kids by their deceit So subtill Knaves do watch who Errours make That they thereby Advantages might take Not for Examples them to rectisie But that much Mischiefe they can make thereby Others like Crouching Spaniels close will set Creeping about the Partridge too in Net Some humble seem aud lowly bend the Knee To those which have Power and Authority Not out of Love to Honour or Renoune But to insnare and so to pull them downe Or as a Mastiff flyes at every 〈◊〉 So Spight will flye at all that is of note With Slanderous words as Teeth good Deeds out teare Which neither Power nor Strength nor Greatnesse spare And are so mischievous love not to see Any to live without an Infamy Most like to ravenous Beasts in blood delight And onely to do mischiefe love to fight But some are like to Horses strong and free Will gallop over Wrong and Injury Who feare no Foe nor Enemies do dread Will fight in Battells till they fall downe dead Their Heart with noble rage so hot will grow As from their 〈◊〉 Cloudes of Smoake do blow And with their Hoofes the firm hard ground will strike In anger that they cannot go to fight Their Eyes like Flints will beat out Sparkes of Fire Will neigh out loud when Combates they desire So valiant Men their Foe aloud will call To try their Strength and grapple Armes withall And in their Eyes such Courage doth appeare As if that Mars did rule that 〈◊〉 Some like to slow dull Asses full of Feare Contented are great Burthens for to beare And every Clowne doth beat his Back and Side Because hee 's slow when fast that he would ride Then will he bray out loud but dare not bite For why he hath not Courage for'to fight Base Mindes will yeild their Heads under the Toake Offer their Backs to every Tyrants stroke Like Fooles will grumble but they dare not speak Nor strive for Liberty their Bonds to break Those that in Slavery live so dull will grow Dejected Spirits make the Body slow Others as Swine lye groveling in the Mire Have no Heroick Thoughts to rise up higher They from their Birth do never sport nor play But eat and drink and grunting run away Of grumbling Natures never doing good And cruell are as of a Boorish Brood So Gluttons Sluggards care for nought but ease In Conversations will not any please Ambition none to make their Name to live Nor have they Generosity to give And are so Churlish that if any pray To help their Wants will cursing go away So cruell are so far fom death to save That they will take away the Life they have Some like to fearefull Hart or frighted Hare Shun every noise and their owne Shadowes feare So Cowards that are sent in Wars to fight Think not to beat but how to make their flight When Trumpet sounds to charge the Foe it 〈◊〉 And with that noise the Heart 〈◊〉 Coward falls Others as harmlesse Sheep in peace do live Contented are no Injury will give But on the tender Grasse they gently feed Which do no Spight nor ranckled Malice breed They never in the waies of mischiefe stood To set their Teeth in flesh or drink up blood They grieve to walk alone will pine away Grow fat in Flockes will with each other play The naked they do cloath with their soft Wool The 〈◊〉 do feed the hungry Stomack full So gentle Nature's Disposition sweet Shuns foolish Quarrels loves the Peace to keep Full of Compassion pitying the distrest And with their Bounty help they the opprest They swell not with the Pride of self-conceit Nor for their Neighbours life do lye in wait Nor Innocence by their Extortions teare Nor fill the 〈◊〉 Heart with Griefe or Care Nor Bribes will take with covetous hands Nor set they back the Mark of th' Owners Lands But with a gratefull Heart do still returne The Curtesies that have for them been done And in their Conversation meek and mild Without Lascivious words or Actions wild Those Men are Fathers to a Common-wealth Where Justice lives and Truth may shew her selfe Others as Apes do imitate the rest And when they mischiefe do seem but to jest So are 〈◊〉 that seem for Mirth to sport Whose liberty fills Factions in a Court Those that delight in Fooles must in good part Take what they say although the words are smart But many times such ranckled Thoughts beget In Hearts of Princes and much Envie set By praising Rivalls or else do reveale Those Faults most fit for privacy to conceale For though a Foole if he an ill truth tells Or be it false if like a Truth it smels It gets such hold though in a wise mans Braine That hardly it will ever out againe And so like Wormes some will be troad to Earth Others as venemous Vipers stung to death Some like to subtle Serpents wind about To compasse their designes craulein and out And never leave untill some Nest they find Sucke out the Eggs and leave the Shels behind So Flatterers with Praises wind about A Noble Mind to get a Secret out For Flattery through every Eare will glide Downe to the Heart and there
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
their Medicines being most commonly bitter gives a dislike to the Tast and being not taken in fit time bring the disease of 〈◊〉 and being wrong applyed cause death to a good fame The next are Gypfies which 〈◊〉 many as Sympathy Powder Viper Wines Love Powder Cramp Rings crosse Knots raking up the 〈◊〉 on St. Agnes Eve laying Bride-cake under their heads and many the like Another Member said Mr. Speaker There are light Wenches of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Bawds ought to be whipt Black patches Sweet Powders 〈◊〉 Bracelets made of their Lovers Haire fancy-colour'd Ribbons to resemble the several Passions Looking-glasses to hang by their sides Love-Posies in Rings Love-Letters wrought in Handkerchiefs Valentines worne on sleeves and to 〈◊〉 by signes Another Member said next is Bawds as Romancies Bals Collations Questions and Commands Riddles Purposes c. There was another Member rose up and said thus Mr. Speaker there are worse Creatures in the Kingdom and more dangerous which ought to be burnt as Lovely 〈◊〉 exact Proportion clear Complexion when these spirits are raised in the circle of the face who so comes 〈◊〉 that Face although it be the Soul it selfe is bewitched with a looke and such power is in that Magick that nothing can undoe it but Sicknesse and old Age. The other Witch is elegant Eloquence this Witch hath much power raising up Sense Funcy Phrase Number in the circle of the Eare and whosoever comes neer them although the Soul it selfe that spirit the Tongue bewitches them and this is so strong a Magick as nothing can undoe but forgetfulnesse 'T is true there is a Law against them which belongs to the Judges care as Hearing and Sight but when they come before them to be examin'd and to be condemn'd if they be found guilty they are so 〈◊〉 from punishing them as they set them at liberty and those bonds that should bind them they bind themselves with and so become voluntary slaves to those Witches Then did the King call both Houses together into a great Hall and thus spake MY good and loving Subjects I give you thankes for your care and industry in rectifying the Errours of this Kingdome and for your love to me in giving me those Subsidies I 〈◊〉 although I call'd for them as well for your safety as my owne such is my tender regard to my people as their safety is my care and their prosperity my happinesse For I desire to be King of Affection ruling them with Clemency rather then to be only King of Power ruling them with Tyranny binding my Subjects to slavery The power I desire is to beat my enemies abroad not to fright my Subjects at home to defend them not to ruine them I covet not the riches of my Subjects I hold not the Sword to cut their Purse-strings but to decide truth from falshood to give Equity and to doe Justice Yet let me 〈◊〉 them my Sword is as ready to punish Offenders as my Clemency is to reward the vertuous But I have found and I make no question I shall finde them alwayes as ready to obey as I to command and because every one may returne to his owne private affaires since in publique bufinesse there is little lest now to doe but what I can order my selfe I dissolve my Parliament for this time untill there be an occasion to call them together againe Whereupon the Parliament all cryed God save the King God save the King I Know those that are strict and nice about Phrase and the placing of words will carp at my Booke for I have not set my words in such order as those which write elegant Prose But I must confesse ingenuously my shallow wit could not tell how to order it to the best advantage besides I found it difficult to get so many Rhythmes as to joyn the sense of the Subject and by reason I could not attaine to both I rather chose to leave the Elegance of words then to obstruct the sense of the matter For my desire was to make my conceit easie to the understanding though my 〈◊〉 were not so fluent to the eare Againe they will finde fault with the Numbers for I was forc'd to fewer or more to bring in the sense of my Fancies All I can say for my selfe is that Poetry consists not so much in Number Words and Phrase as in Fancy Thirdly they will finde fault at the Subject saying it is neither materiall nor usefull for the Soule or Body To this I answer My intention was not to teach Arts nor Sciences nor to instruct in Divinity but to passe away idle Time and thought Time might be better 〈◊〉 yet 't is oft spent worse amongst many in the world I Language want to dresse my Fancies in The Haire 's uncurl'd the Garments loose and thin Had they but Silver Lace to make them gay Would be more courted then in poore array Or had they Art might make a better show But they are plaine yet cleanly doe they goe The world in Bravery doth take delight And glistering Shews doe more attract the sight And every one doth honour a rich Hood As if the outside made the inside good And every one doth how and give the place Not for the Mans sake but the Silver Lace Let me intreat in my poore Bookes behalfe That all may not adore the Golden Calf Consider pray Gold hath no life therein And Life in Nature is the richest thing So Fancy is the Soul in Poetrie And if not good a Poem ill must be Be just let Fancy have the upper place And then my Verses may perchance finde grace If flattering Language all the Passions rule Then Sense I feare will be a meere dull Foole. THe worst Fate Bookes have when they are once read They 're laid aside forgotten like the Dead Under a heap of dust they buried lye Within a vault of some small Library But Spiders they for honour of that Art Of Spinning which by Nature they were taught Since Men doe spin their Writings from the Braine Striving to make a lasting Web of Fame Of 〈◊〉 thin high Altars doe they raise There offer Flyes as sacrifice of praise WHen that a Book doth from the Presse come new All buyes or borrows it this Book to view Not out of love of Learning or of wit But to finde Faults that they may censure it Were there no Faults for to be found therein As few there are but doe erre in some thing Yet Malice with her ranckled Spleen and spight Will at the Time or Print or Binding bite Like Devils when they cannot good soules get Then on their Bodies they their 〈◊〉 set SIr Charles into my chamber coming in When I was writing of my Fairy Queen I pray said he when Queen Mab you doe see Present my service to her Majesty And tell her I have heard Fames loud report Both of her Beauty and her stately Court. When I Queen Mab within my Fancy view'd My Thoughts bow'd low fearing