The Midian Dames at mention of thy Name shall fly And with it still their Children when they cry Oh blessed be that Hand that made the Whole Oh blessed be the Heart that did the Hand controul XXIII Gloriously smear'd with sordid Dust and Sweat As to a kind Retreat Into her Tent the wretched Sisera prest The new-drawn Blood lay reeking on his Helmets Crest Her Board with choicest Country-Viands spread With pleasant Looks her Face she beg'd him feed And all to cloak the Pious Cheat And from suspicion skreen his black impending Fate But now to Rest inclin'd Sleep to its Temples did its Leaden Plummets bind Through his distracted Brain strange Images did rove A thousand gliding Phantoms move He saw the Field with Armed Troops o'erspred His Men like Leaves in Autumn faln and scattered The Battle was again fought over in his Head Thus whirl'd in Fancy's Airy Coach He pass'd by various Things and various Fates Downfal of Men and States Something at last there did approach In an imperfect Vision 's gloomy Scene It look'd as if his own ill Fate 't had been With this ill-boding Sight unruly grown Away his drowzy Chain he wou'd have thrown But Sleep lay heavy on him as afore For Fate had said Sisera shall wake no more XXIV Into her willing Hands Strait she commands The little Instrument of Fate But Fear our Sexes Curse her Courage did rebate How shall I such a bold Act essay Against the World's great Captain Sisera What if my trembling Hand shou'd miss the Stroke And his unruly Soul the Fetters loose In which dull Sleep the Hero does enclose What Plagues and Furies must I needs provoke His Troops perhaps do this way fly May reach my Tent before the Tragedy Then tho' the wild Attempt be solely mine Revenge will light on every Branch of Heber's Line By this one Stroke All Hospitable Laws are broke Came he not hither as a Friend Cannot that Thought some Pity lend Begone Relentings which as Mists arise And fain wou'd cloud this Glorious Enterprize Shall I a League with that curs'd Man commence Who to Heaven's King owes no Allegiance Jael be great in Act as thou hast been in Thought That Heart will aid which first the Motion brought Our Sex to Pity is inclin'd 'T was Heaven the Project first design'd From thence from thence it came Such a bold Thought wou'd shake and stagger Woman's Fame The groaning Widows Cries methinks I hear The Shrieks of ravish'd Virgins strike my Ear Our Sex the Tyrant ne're wou'd spare T 's but one Man a mighty Man that 's lost What 's that to all our Blood and Cost To all the Lives this Monster 's Sword can boast XXV Bare and expos'd he lay a tempting Sight That a less daring Hand might e'ne invite She look'd around her lest some straggling Page shou'd come And change the Fatal Doom Forbear said she hard-hearted Jael do These bloody Acts befit not you With that the Instrument of Death away she threw But noble manly Anger soon Bid her pursue what she had once begun The Blood by Midian spilt her staggering Courage fir'd And the Black Scene of all her Country's Woes appear'd Shamgar and Ehud to her Thoughts repair The Instance pleas'd with that she smooth'd aside his Hair Thus having quell'd the doubtful Strife The fatal Hammer hovering o're his Head The Imperial Seat of Life Great God of Israel guide my Hand she said Betwixt his Temples pierc'd the willing Tool And at the little Vent came out his mighty Soul XXVI There lie thou bloodless Remnant of great Sisera To ravenous Beasts and Fowls a Prey As greedy once of Blood as they Cheated by Fate trepann'd deceiv'd Of Life's last Stake by a Woman's Hand bereav'd Unhappy too in this Thou ne're must know The feeble Hand that gave the Blow How small a thing well manag'd by our Fate Can open thro' Life's Golden Gate And all our vast Designs defeat Where be the fawning Peers that cring'd and bow'd Where be the thronging Troops that hemm'd thee round Where be the Chariots which so many Death once bore That a destroying Angel scarce has more Ill-natur'd Fate that can't afford So much as one poor Page t' attend his dying Lord To the cold Ground he lean'd his bending Head As if his list'ning Body wou'd Full fain have understood Which way the Soul his dearest Mate was fled XXVII Surrounded with her beauteous Maiden Train Which thither did resort To see and make the Glories of the Midian Court Sate his proud Mother rack't with pressing Pain A Civil War her labouring Breast maintain'd And Joy and Fear by turns the Empire gain'd As when two adverse Winds upon the Sea Dispute for Victory The Wat'ry Plains are harass'd with their Shocks All curse these Stormy Foes Ships Seas and Rocks Oft from her Palace Top she cast an eager Look Over the Plains till the arched Heaven took Her bounded Sight but yet her Fancy stray'd Her anxious Thoughts a farther Journey made Why stays my Son where is his loytering Host This Victory perhaps much Blood and Sweat has cost Despair has arm'd these rebel Hebrews sure That they durst more than just his Army's sight endure No His clogg'd Chariots the vast Prey does load 'T is that retards him on the Road. They slowly move with a Triumphant Grace And come but just a Conqueror's pace Hazor throw ope thy enlarged Gates prepare To meet the God of War Hung round with Spoils hither his Troops does bend Those old Aegyptian Tenants to vile Slavery born In Crowds the Solemn Pomp adorn Hazor prepare to share the mighty Dividend Now Jewish Virgins sentenc'd are To sigh whole Years away in Foreign Air. And the rich Births of all their Hebrew Looms To Us unbought unpurchas'd come For Us like painful Bees they work and toil We have the Crop whoe're manur'd the stubborn Soil XXVIII Thus thus let all Unpitied fall And such be still the Doom and worse Of those whose impious Threats are driven Against the invulnerable Clouds of Heaven Who dare pull down the Eternal Vengeance of its Curse Who fights with Heaven and wou'd Associate His Fellow-Creatures ' gainst the Eternal Mind of Fate Shoots up an Arrow in the Air and strives Upon their Fountains Streams to drive The Dart descends the Stream slows back again And mocks the vain Projector 's fruitless Toil and â—ain And thus it needs must be When weak Mortality When wretched Dust and Ashes poor contending Man Wou'd the great Mover's Counsels contradict and scan The lowest Class of Insects in some Sense may vie With the Coelestial Hierarchy The vilest Worm may call the Angel Brother Their Pedigree deriv'd does stand From the same great Artist's Hand He that made One of Earth with Light dress'd up the Other Thus these Extreams of the Creation Meet in a single Point and join And thus admit of some Comparison Thus thus let all Unpitied fall And such be still the Doom and
and great Shamgar's Arm Defended Israel's Flock from Harm The bordering Tyrant's Force they did rebate And for a while kept off the Bolts of angry Fate For ever live for ever let recorded stand The Illustrious Acts of Shamgar's Hand Quitting his Plow unarm'd he took his Course Where lay Encamp't all the Philistian Force His Hand a peaceful Goad did bear A Tool unpractic'd in the Art of War With this he rul'd his Beasts with the same Goad he scar'd And drove before him the whole Pagan Herd And when he had the Heavenly Call obey'd He hasten'd to his plain unfinish'd Trade But still our fetter'd Land her Griefs bemoan'd And still beneath inglorious Bondage groan'd This struggling shew'd she had some Courage left Of Life and Spirits not yet quite bereft And that Alas was all That we these few and vain Attempts could call As when Diseases do our Body take Nature some Help wou'd fain afford Some weak Essays she 's wont to make To throw her Rider off and cast the painful Load Such was the Temper of our baffled Power It serv'd to shew our Weakness more And this was all we gain'd hereby To change our Masters not our Misery Like some poor Bark which just has scap't a Wreck And after finds a Pirate seizing on her Deck V. Oh can we can we without Blushes name Our memorable Shame When Palestine the wretched Palestine was grown Like one besieged Town Tho' business call'd we ne're durst look abroad The straggling Canaanite beset the common Road. The Merchant's Camel and the Peasant's Team Thro' unknown Paths and Hills were wont to climb Thro' Woods by Wild Beast's Dens they took their painful way To escape Men less Merciful than they The Villager his Herds to lonesome Caves did drive And there on equal Terms was forc'd to live Every thing wore the face of War And we at Home close Prisoners were Like a young Infant of his Friends bereft And to accursed Guardians left It s poor defenceless Innocence is torn To every one a Prey to every one a Scorn Thus Israel mourn'd her Fate 'till I arose Whom All-wise Heaven for this high Task did choose Leaving my Palm-tree Shade an humble Seat From Misery and Noise a blest Retreat I fixt her giddy State so long abus'd And by proud Jabin's Iron Scepter bruis'd I thro' her dying Parts new Life and Soul infus'd VI. But yet 't was strange Religion stood And ' scap't the Universal Flood 'T was passing strange maugre this noisy Rout War shou'd make Men more Devout They who alone did worship but one God before Now only they all Gods adore Before their Conquerors they fall And next upon their Conqueror's Gods they call Curs'd Fate That made 'em at one Stroke forego Their Soul and Body too To the grim Baal and horned Ashtaroth And all the foppish Pageantry Of black Idolatry They pour their faithless Souls and Prayers forth Plain must the Object of their Worship be They scorn to kneel to any Deity But what they may both feel and see No more to that Vnutterable Name they pray That led 'em with a Mighty Hand Thro' the wild Desarts parched Sands And scatter'd slaughter'd Nations in their way Their Father's Courage and their Father's God Joshua's fell Sword and Moses's sacred Rod Are now forgot can now no more Impression make They want new Miracles to buoy their sinking Faith To Hazor the proud Jabin's Seat they bend As to the Mother-Church and there their Offerings send They fetch'd the old cast Gods of all the Country round They worshipp'd all that cou'd be made or found And Deities were bought and sold Like other Ware like Spices Balm and Gold VII Thus the offended Monarch of the Skies From Pagan Altars saw their Incense rise Their Worship tender'd at a Foreign Shrine In cursed Moloch's Fane their Offerings shine And cou'd no longer hold but with a Parent 's Care Took up the Rod and did for War prepare To bring the Truant Israel to an humble Sence Of Duty and Allegiance Commissions strait were issued out To all the willing Nations round about We in our Walls by leaguering Troops were barr'd They at our very Gates kept Guard We treated were just like a common Foe For he that fights ' gainst Heaven must be so Mark't out by Heaven for Ruin thus we lay And learnt too late Alas the right Way how to Pray The frighted Pleader left the Bar At the grim Approach of War The awful Judge who Justice doth dispence Within our Gates was often forced thence He often stop't a Cause To hear the Trumpet 's threatning Noise In our saint Breasts a chilling Fear there reign'd Of Blood our Veins of Arms our Magazines were drain'd We cou'd not boast a Sword or serviceable Pike Bondage had canker'd o'er our Souls and Arms alike Accouter'd so our Troops for Fight prepare As when a ravenous Wolf is near And with his well-known Sound alarms The Villagers and calls to Arms. The affrighted Swains came out and on the Hills appear Some Goads some Flails and Plow-shares bear Some Axes knotted Clubs and Darts With all those rude and innocent Arts With which our plain Fore-Fathers armed went 'Fore Death ingenious grown worse Engines did invent VIII For ever bless'd and sure they blessed are For Heaven will ratifie my prayer Those glorious Chiefs who bore the heat Of this days toil and sweat When God and injur'd Israels wrongs obterg'd In Honors Bed they rather chose to lye Than tamely and ingloriously dye Than wait the Stone the Gout or Fevers lingring siege In that great Roll of Warriors which is hurl'd By babling Fame around the World What place so e're Of Moses shall or Joshua hear In the same rank these Worthies shall appear In each black wound their glutted swords did give As in well written Lines their Deathless Names shall live Fame will to after times show 'em without a blot Nor shall unworthy Deborah and Baruc be forgot Now we from Blood and War have got a full Release Say who reaps not the fruits of Peace The universal good By all is own'd is understood Speak you who Head our Tribes and bear a Princes Train Your Scarlet Honors cannot now complain Of a double dye and stain No more your Sons as Guards are forc'd to wait Upon the Tyrants State Your beauteous Daughters now no more are fain to be Slaves to his Pride and Luxurie What ever Earth or Air or Seas afford Now your well spread Tables load Before your very Water in great charges stood We once were forc'd to buy it with our Blood In vain through secret Sands the Chymist Nature strain'd And for our use the Ocean drain'd Our Wells and Springs were at the Conquerors will And at a distance thus they strove to kill IX All things are chang'd and wear a different face The frighted Judge resumes his wonted place And War no more does Property deface The labouring Peasant on his Team does wait Nor
worse Of those whose impious Threats are driven Against the Invulnerable Clouds of Heaven Who dare pull down the Eternal Vengeance of its Curse But the Great God has Blessings scarce enough in store For those who with an humble Sense With a well-temper'd Confidence Fear where they love and love where they adore May such an equal Race of Glory run With yon Meridian Sun Who never leaves aspiring till he has reach't his Noon And Oh! Ye pious Souls a farther Journey go And like him ne're Declension know MIRACLES Works Above and Contrary to NATURE Occasion'd by the Publishing of a Book Entituled Miracles no Violation of the Laws of Nature 1682. Fiunt non haec sine numine Divum Virg. I. WHen that bold Hand of old did Fire convey From out Jove's Arsenal where still does lie All his Materials for Mortality Daring Attempt to animate his well-wrought Man of Clay This Vital Fire which After-times call'd Soul Within its Earthly Dungeon pent Grew quickly weary of Imprisonment The Body scarce cou'd its new Guests controul Tho' this Corporeal Seat was beautified With all things both for Use and Pride Several fair Rooms the gentle Artist made In which he wondrous Skill display'd The Heart the Liver and the Brain Which might the Heaven-born Soul contain Which with their Beauty might her wand'ring Thoughts restrain Five Port-hole Senses too he made By which all Objects were convey'd So that what still abroad was done Was within as quickly known What-e're was tasted smelt seen felt or heard As swift as Thought it runs Thro' winding Paths and secret Turns And to the Soul 's remote Apartment straight repair'd But yet for all this seeming Pomp and State Which on the fair Inhabitant did wait In scanty Bounds her Empire was restrain'd Measure the Man Six Foot of Body and a Span Her vast Dominions did contain II. No She wou'd often break her solitary Cage And in a curious search engage Thro' all the Regions of endless Day She took her painful way Thro' the wide Courts of all the Starry Sky Thro' Nature's darkest Cells she 'd fly Where Causes and Effects do brooding ly Still homewards wou'd her piercing Fancy rove And commune with her kindred Souls above Thro' all the World 's Mysterious Maze she 'd strole But still was out a Prisoner on Parole Hence 't is we find in Man such Thirst and strong Desire Into the hidden Depths of Nature to enquire What Rarities soe're the Ocean breeds Whatever Earth within its Womb contains On these with careful and unwearied Pains His vast unbounded Appetite he feeds Whether the World were made by Fate or Chance What makes the Sphaeres keep their well-measur'd Dance What makes the fixt Stars look so bright Whence 't is they borrow their large Draughts of Light Which with a bounteous Hand they throw On all benighted Beings here below What Torments 't is the Clouds do undergo When with their Cracks they scare us Mortals so What makes 'em bellow out and roar These and a thousand more All the choice Work of checquer'd Nature's Art The Soul pursues through every Nook and secret Part. III. But when through all the windings turns and folds Through Plants Beasts Stars and all her strongest Holds Nature is trac'd and now run down Her doubling Arts and Tricks must quite disown Here 't is the scanty Soul of Man is at a fault Various things arise Of which the reason she can ne'r devise So must the rest by Nature's God be taught For the Eternal Mover has thought fit Nature his Viceroy bounds to set Which she can ne'r transgress of skip Her Tedder she can never slip And as he said once to the raging Sea This be thy Goal let this thy utmost journey be These various Arts play o're these shapes put on Be it thy Task alone Thunder to form and Winter's howling Storm Which all the nether world alarms With Subterranean Fires the Sea distil Then into Fountains let it trill Pick though the fleecy Snow and scatter Rain And 'twixt all ranks of things the well-knit League maintain Of thy great sway this is utmost Verge Further thy Limits see thou ne're enlarge For God has thrown a duskey Vail o're all The things we Miracles call That Ark of Mysteries he cover'd keeps The saucy Mortal dyes who into 't peeps IV. For tell me Nature's Sage who looks so wondrous Wise Whence sprung that glorious Star Which did our SAVIOVR's way prepare That with such streaming Rays was lighted in the Skies This serv'd to fill with Learned cares The Eastern Sages and Astronomers They were confounded at the new born Light The Stars themselves came wondring to the sight Now in the Sea they saw a Star unknown so bright Say What was that that fetter'd up the Flood When the great Hebrew Guide those secret journeys trod What was the cause I fain would know You that to Nature's Idol so do bow What made the Shade run back Upon the Dial's Plate and its old rode forsake Time to all other Men is Bald behind That Pious Soul alone sure hold cou'd find The glorious Charioteer of Day At the bold Chief's Command On Gibea's Mount once made a stand Here he quite turn'd his Coach and drove another way Pale Nature startled at the bold design And her approaching Fate cou'd easily divine The Western Sea wrap'd in confusion stood No more cou'd hope to see him plunge into its flood The frighted Persian trembled for his non-plust God The second causes of things here below And Hand-maid Nature's Arts is all that Man can know But he that further strives to penetrate Into the winding Chambers of Eternal Fate And wou'd peruse that Brazen Book In which dark Register no Mortal e're shall look Th' Almighty pitying this his search so vain Or angry at the pride of frail short-sighted Man With various wiles his prying thoughts does fool And through a maze of terrors leads his wandring Soul A DIALOGUE Between the Two RIVERS CHAM and ISIS ON THE KING's Dissolving the Oxford PARLIAMENT Written May 1681. CHAM HAIL Sacred Nymph the best beloved of all The Goddesses that croud great Neptune's Hall Why gentle Isis tell me does thy Flood Impetuous grown begin to rage so loud I see its frowns in surly Billows rise And grumbling Waves complain in doleful wise No Verdant Green thy Temples now can boast Thy Rushes all are scatter'd torn and lost With grief and rage thy glowing Eyes do burn And on the Bank lies thy negelcted Vrn Say what 's the cause quickly declare thy harms Does some proud River-God resist thy Charms Or did some Sylvan naked thee espie Whilst in a flaggy covert thou didst lie ISIS 〈◊〉 the Sun leaves our Clime and hastens down To 〈◊〉 the Indian World and there to crown His â—â—â—â—ct Adorers hopes we see him reel Into the other Earth and soon we feel Through want the Blessings which he once did bring The Tenants of the Air refuse to sing And after him
Patron call And what before was Legend Fable Lye Shall pass for Current and Authentick History To the Memory of the Learned Dr. J. N. who died of a Consumption 1683. I. PITY it is all our Poetick rage Must waste in Libel against Death each blubber'd Page Must weep in Verse each faint and piteous strain Of Saints departed must complain Death has of late with utmost rage and cruelty Harass'd the Muse's Family And made her free-born Subjects wear the Chain With which Plebeian Souls he aws I wonder'd at the spiteful Cause And thus 'twixt grief and rage did strait complain II. Sure the pale Monarch of Eternal Night Mistakes his Creet whilst here with Tyrant's spight He sports and laughs to see so many Victims fall Creet where stood his hallowed Stall Creet where the Caitiff still had store Glutting himself with humane Gore When yearly with the reeking bloud Of seven young Boys He gorg'd his Jaws Till high-born Theseus stopt the sacred Floud III. I know the secret cause it must be it Why Death does wage immortal War with Wit Learning and Wit a Lease of Life can give And make our Names in after-ages bud and thrive These to the Tyrant are no Friends But baulk his curst ignoble Ends So these Lights must go out that he again In Night and darkness uncontroul'd may reign Like some bold Villain who the Archives burns And all the blest Remains to Ashes turns That there no Proof in future times may be Of his low Birth and Dunghil Pedigree IV. Death's cold embrace what Mortal e'er can fly Since Phoebus's dearest Son does breathless lye Lov'd by the God upon a double score He Physick added to Arts general store If a Disease had stroke a wounded Soul He wou'd the sawcy Malady controul With choicest Simples and Herbs Sovereign Juice Which seldom did his just Commands refuse But if weak Nature in her part did fail And the Destroyer o'er his Druggs prevail He straight cou'd with his Pen Fetch him to life again Embalm the Memory of the Just And make it flourish in the Dust Death here with witty malice doth repay All favours and civilities past And let those Devils he once cast Out of our Bodies on himself now prey That Death which for a punishment was meant Shou'd fly on those that are most innocent V. Nature had cast him in her largest Mould This well-built Frame a Mind as large controul'd I saw it happy Saint and said go on Thou surely wilt compleat the wretched Span. Life's longest Stage thy threescore years and ten Fond man deceiv'd and gull'd by outward shew What cou'd his Soul with such a Partner do His Mind and Body were ill-pair'd by Fate To act things vastly good Divinely great His eager Soul with Learning's thirst was fir'd His Body lagg'd and in the Journey tir'd Like generous Wine his Soul for ease complain'd Broke the frail Cask that its vast Spirits contain'd Whatever Vertue Druggs and Herbs can boast Unhappy Friend were on thee lost So that the Artist's skill we must adore And rather say the Art it self was poor But one faint Spark of Life was left I doubt With pious care he blew and chanc'd to put it out VI. To our Forefather's Death and kinder Fate Gave longer Truce in Life's sweet Bower they sate Five times as long when to the hundredth Year They'd climb'd the pleasing Task did still appear Renew'd and still with haste the rowling Year Came back again Their hopes did with their lengthen'd Ages thrive And now by Custom they might plead to live Death in his winged Chariot might have flown To the wide Ocean or the swarthy Zone And there have trifled many a Year and fed His pamper'd Steeds with steam of Indian bloud Then have return'd While we alas who ' have more to do than they A World of Art as well as Nature to survey Just know what 't is to live then straight are snatcht away VII His winged Shaft with wondrous Art A thousand ways the Tyrant does impart Burns in a Feaver in a Dropsie drowns And Man the lesser World with slimy Rheume confounds Plucking up all the Sluces in its Rounds With more than Syren's Art he flatters still In a Consumption when he means to kill Here like the sleep of Infants Death Lays by his Leaden hand and gently takes our breath With all the Graces the stern Monarch wears Allays our fears and sweetly stills our cares Thus He to thee appear'd dear Saint the kindest Dart In all Death's Quiver struck thee to the heart So the fam'd Seneca expir'd Feeling his trickling Blood retir'd His heart unman'd defenceless quite In a soft Dream his Soul took flight And hasted to the Shades of Night Death long had laid her Siege to thee That like Ostend thou needs must be Nothing but Ruines at Delivery On the Famous PAINTER Mr. J. E. Pindarick Odes I. THE blustring Hero struts in slow-pac'd lines In humble Elegy the Lover whines In keen Iambicks others scold and rail The Lyrick Verse has many a pretty Tale These old starch'd ways and I can ne'er agree For Poets well as Painters too If the observing World says true Are still for bold Pindarick Liberty Dull measure will my fancy sink not raise When I design intemperately to praise I sing a wondrous man and wondrous things What need of gouty Feet my Muse has got her wings II. But stay my Muse wilt thou no God invoke Is no kind Deity bespoke To guide thee through the vast mysterious maze Of his unbounded praise Great Phoebus daign for once to lend an ear To an humble Poet's Prayer With open Arms so may thy Thetis run To meet thy Teem and setting Sun So may thy glorious Head for ever be From sooty Earthly Vapours free With undisturbed Rays may shine Till the last Flames shall the whole World refine When thou must too expire As in thy Beams now Culinary Fire III. But why shou'd I with so much passion ask That which thou count'st thy daily Task Poets and Painters too To thee their fair designments owe In vain the feeble Poets write Unless the God of Wit indite In vain they paint and show their Art Unless thou play thy Part Shoud'st thou but once deny their Pieces light Their best-wrought Draughts must lye in endless Night For at the Call of thy approaching Sun The hidden Colours all do run The green the blue the yellow and the red And all the Regiment make Head When in a Morn thou risest first from sleep Each colour to its well-known feature creepe What is that thing I fain wou'd know With which thou' rt wont to gild the watry Bow What are those all-enlivening Beams With which thou paint'st the murmuring Streams With which thou trickest up the Air and Skies Which on the Plants in gaudy colours lies With that same Pencil let me stand And all the Lines and Strokes command With measure and due Art to march along Into my well-proportion'd Song That
THE SONGS OF MOSeS and DEBORAH Paraphras'd WITH POEMS ON Several Occasions Never before Publish'd To which is added A PINDARICK ON Mr. L'ESTRANGE Veniam dabimus petimusque vicissim LONDON Printed for Luke Meredith at the King's Head at the West-End of St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXV TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JOHN LORD CHVRCHILL MY LORD THere are several things in the World that carry along with them no real use or profit but serve only to fill up the vacuities of the Creation and please purely upon the account of Variety Among this class of Beings some Men have graciously vouchsafed to rank all Essayers in this kind and our Authors further add That if Nature ever made any thing in Vain 't was a Poet. Well for once let Poets have the worshipful Name of Jesters to Mankind let us grant for once That they are but Risus plorantis Mundi as was said of the Rainbow the Sport and Caprice of Nature Men work'd off when she was in an excellent merry vein Yet hard Fate it is That while like Silk-Worms they unravel their very Bowels for the Pleasure and Luxury of Mankind they must lye Entomb'd in their own bottoms We read I confess of few of the Tribe that have been Lord Mayors or Secretaries of State Men of vast Business or Politicks Yet let me oppose to this bold Slander by way of Apology for the usefulness of Poetry what stands Recorded of the Famous Alcaeus that great Poet and Souldier who used to make his Speeches in Verse at the head of his Army and thought there was as much Martial Musick in the Harmonious Cadence of Numbers as in the louder noise of Drums and Hautboys Nay we further read Poets were the Civility Masters to Mankind and the only Divines of the old World and even the greatest Preachers of our days are not ashamed to make use of their Sermon-Notes and bespangle their Discourse with the Golden Remains of their Compositions I question not but Your Lordship does presently fore-see what Advantage I intend to make of this Preamble For where now shou'd persecuted Poetry fly but to the Patronage of the Great Whose very Title at the Front of its Productions is Charm enough against all the peevish Bolts of an ill-judging Age. And I hope Your Lordship will the more easily pardon the Presumption in prefixing Your awful Name to these Trifles when You shall consider That the Greatest Men the World yet produc'd have been Your Fellow-sufferers have been pester'd with Addresses of this kind The great Scipio had Ennius always in his Camp And a greater than he the Macedonian Youth carried a whole Knot of the Brothers of the Quill into Asia with him And Your Lordship may with Modesty enough put in for a Share in this Privilege of having Poeta a latere whose Sword has already acted Wonders and will in time no question cut out more Work for Heroick Poetry than the ablest Pen can engrave But still My Lord these Motives had been too weak had not Your Natural Candor and Ingenuity open'd a way for this bold Attempt And here I have but too large a Field to expatiate in I may safely say You possess all the Virtues separate from the Vices of a Courtier All that have the Honour of Your Lordship's Acquaintance proclaim You Master of a Soul that is unruffled with Passion undisturbed with the Freakishness of Humour where Affability with State Humility with Greatness meet and center This is Great and Illustrious But Your Lordship 's steady and unbyass'd Loyalty is the Brightest Star in this Constellation of Virtues Far from the Humor of some Male-Contents of our Age who upon the least Pique and Court-Disgust fly off to the Faction not unlike the Fellow who had God on one side of his Shield and the Devil on the other with this Motto If You won't have me here 's One will Thus when Nature had fitly fram'd Your Mind she left not off here but took order the fair Inhabitant shou'd be lodg'd in as delicate a Body a Structure of such admirable Contrivance and Regularity that I must here apply what Plato has said of Philosophers That the Souls of Vulgar Persons are lodg'd in their Bodies but the Bodies of Philosophers in their Souls their very Bodies being so pure defecate and refin'd Never was a happier Match made by Fate except in that bless'd Conjunction of Your other Half Your Honour'd Lady and Your Self a Couple so well pair'd by Heaven that if all the Beauty and Proportion of both Sexes shou'd be lost here it might be retriev'd And such is the Harmony of Your Souls so strong the Tie of Conjugal Affection as it cou'd scarce be greater when the whole World had but Two in Family An Example of such admirable Influence that it were able throughly to Convert any Age less lewd than That we live in But in vain My Lord I seek to play the Panegyrist when Heaven it self has long since design'd You for a lasting Ornament to this Nation by chusing Your Lordship to be a Part of those precious Remains of the Scoth Wreck and his Royal Highness has taught the World how to value so much Worth and Excellency when Your Lordship had the Honour to be the Second Man call'd into the Long-Boat As for these ensuing Trifles Your Lordship may easily perceive by the Weakness of the Child that the Parent is of no strong Masculine Constitution in Poetry But if the World will be pleas'd to take 'em as they are I promise for their Comfort never to trouble 'em more But why do I appeal to the Many No With the Wise Heathen Contemno minutos istos Deos modo Jovem propitium habeo Let the World freely damn 'em for their Money so they live but in the favourable Opinion of Your Lordship which is the utmost Ambition of My Lord Your Lordship 's Most Devoted Servant C. Cleeve To my Friend the AUTHOR AS you and I have walk'd along by Pauls And happen'd there to see the numerous shoals Of Authors scatter'd upon every Stall Which hourly wait for an effectual call How often have I cry'd Look here my Friend Of writing Verse you find there is no end For see where Denham Dryden Oldham lye Few read the Title Page and fewer buy When to the Book-Retailing Coxcomb's price Perhaps the cautious Buyer will not rise Come Sir says he to fetch him to his Gin See I 'll be kind here take the Medal in Audacious Sot to use a Poet so Thus Chandlers with their Penny Chapmen do Into the Bargain Thread and Paper throw To see 'em ty'd and strung on ev'ery Board It does at once Pity and Mirth afford For then methinks all the Harmonious Band Just like so many Country Fidlers stand Please you a Lesson Masters here is good Store of Pindarick Pastoral and Ode Oh cursed killing shame and yet in spite Of this ill Fate spite of your Stars you 'd write If you had been so
th' Air and did retire Leaving behind 'em a long path of glowing Fire The gazing crowd pleas'd at these harmless Wars Lodg'd with their louder cryes the falling Stars So to th' Hesperian Shore each Night the Natives crowd To hear Sol's hissing Wheels plunge in the Western Flood So sets the Sun and so fell they IV. Our flaming Isle does Scaldis Banks amuse Who asks from every mingling Wave what news Some say a burning Mount they fear And others straight set down the Year The trembling Dutchman never wonder'd more Since Drake his Fire-ship through the Channel bore The scattering light gilds all the watry way The Fishes think they in the Sun-shine play Yet unconcern'd like Snow on Aetna's top Amidst these flames can'st thou so thoughtless sleep Assume thy Lyre to Albion's fires this day A blameless pious Nero thou mayst play With that she took her Wand that all commanding thing And gently touch'd my Lips and thus she bid me sing V. It was that Halcyon Age When Loyalty and Fortune did engage In a blest Conspiracy To make our Land forget her former misery The Martyr'd Sire was dead And Charles the Second Reigned in his stead Great Charles whose Noble Veins As Princely Blood contains In whom as many Royal Houses met As in the Heavens e're Astronomers cou'd fancy yet A Prince whose Youth in Courts abroad was bred And there with Arts and Manners fashioned Like his Incarnate Lord His own dear Land did not afford A place to lay his Exil'd weary Head And there he this Oraculous Truth was taught Friends best when try'd Experience best when bought VI. At his Illustrious Return Our Widow'd Land left off to mourn And as the cheerful Morning's Light After a tedious stormy Night Looks brisk and gay and with fresh Joy does ruâ— To meet and welcome back the Rising Sun Peace Plenty and the Arts with all their Beauteous Train Did peep abroad and everywhere abound Which now entomb'd had lain A tedious Night of twenty Winters under ground Fortune to Pity now enclin'd Forgot to be unkind Left off to vex our Earth With civil Discord's monstrous Births Mars did no longer stain fair Albion's Face But fled to his Beloved Thrace No noise was heard of broken Leagues or Wars And Love usurp't upon our Home-bred Jarrs Neptune's self was now content Since Charles left thund'ring in his Element Since he enjoy'd the Sovereignty Of the Asserted Sea The British Oak rid Admiral Among the floating Forest every Sail Paid Homage to this God o' th' Watry Main And Foreign Fleets like Pleasure-Boats made up his Train VII Our Mother-Isle blest with her Young Ones lay And seem'd to put the other Earth away So lay Peru with all the Western World Before the greedy Spaniard dream't of Gold In rich Potozi's Mines Rome and Geneva off we flung And all that Romish was except the Tongue When all the World beside blind Monkish Error led And Pure Religion frighted from it fled Our Land leap't up and like another Dele The wand'ring Goddess took and us'd her well Their subtle Pedlars of Divinity Had all pack't up their Wares no Bigot Knee Bow'd yearly at St. Peter's sacred Gate Nor at Loretta's thronged Shrine did wait Their Dei's no rich Fleeces gave They ne're of late cou'd in our English Pastures thrive VIII Thus against all the open fore-seen Bolts of Fate Firmly we had secur'd our State ' Gainst France and Holland's Pride and restless Tiber's Hate But as the Fruit which long has stood Maugre the nipping Frosts and Winter Blasts By some home-bred Worm at last Is canker'd and is withered Pale Faction saw and curs'd our blest Estate They saw themselves dethron'd their Power abate Thus from Ambition's Root sprung all their Discontent They now repent Of that Blest Prince whom Heaven and their own Choice had sent Discarded Lords Priests Atheists all were met And in private Juncto sate The dexterous Achitophel That word alone contains an Hell Among the Boldest did appear And briskly took the Chair The bloody Senate sate the Crippled Thing Rais'd himself and thus began IX Contemn'd scorn'd trampled on and nothing made Thus by a weak and Puny King out-brav'd From Honor's Pitch to vilest Drudgery thrown By a poor Thing a Creature of our Own Too far oblig'd our Worth he can't repay And so like dangerous Tools we 're thrown away Fore long perhaps must share a Turkish Fate And Life and Honours lose By Axe or Hempen Noose Lest we reveal the Secrets of the State What Mortal Men that Souls like ours do own Cou'd see the Care of Government and Laws The Honours both of Sword and Gown On those vile Wretches heap't and thrown Who are Deserters of our Holy Cause Yet so it is Upon his Bed and Throne These Villains wait and hang these damn'd State-Burrs And entertain the Monarch's leisure Hours To such an height the Turn-coat Slaves are grown Unlike to me I thank my Stars who ne're Wou'd court that Childish Toy a Monarch's Ear Unlike to me who this great Tenent boast I always hated what was uppermost X. Can we so tamely all our Right forgo Or is the Lechery of Ambition And all the luscious Sweets of Power to us unknown With full Command we reign'd here once wâ— know Can we so soon forget our Prosperous Fate When we with Pious Cheats Vnking'd the State Cullied the Monarch of his Sting and Pow'r And sent the uselss Drone to beg from Door tâ— Door But now we 're come to murmuring Israel's Pitch Because our Hands once got Rebellion's Itch Like out-law'd Felons we must stand And ne're enjoy Preferment 's Promis'd Land No no 'T is but another Charles that 's lost And if He live our brave Designs are crost By the old tedious Road of Justice we Scorn to procure his Destiny The Second Charles must fall a bolder way A Gun shall do the Work nor give him time to Pray He spoke and threw his baleful Eyes around Bravely Resolv'd thro' all the willing Court resounds The Hellish Voice down to the Center strook Infernal Jove's black Palace shook The Furies for this joyful Hour prepare And straight threw Hisses round the Air They lean'd their hungry Jaws and stood Longing to gorge and wanton once again in British Blood XI But their blind Rage begot so vast a Birth At last they wanted Strength to bring it forth Like the fam'd Man who did of old to Heaven aspire In flaming Coach and ' scap't Mortality That Ditch which in the middle way did lie Our God-like Monarch was preserv'd by Fire And Heaven rever'd his Doom the Gun recoil'd And its proud Planter with loud Ruine foil'd Thus when Earth's cursed Race with Heaven made War And strove to fool the Thunderer Daring Typhoeus clasp't the Mountain's Waste And furiously he tore it from its Base The bleating Sheep upon the Top did feed The harmless Cattle low'd in ev'ry Mead. At first he stagger'd with the Mountain's Load To see Hills upward
if you but once will break From Bed the rev'ling Winds no more shall speak But to their broken Prisons sneak Terrour and Night shall march away Like Spirits at the approach of Day Through th' Casement of my Breast your Eye Beams hurl'd Shall make it Day too in my lesser World The Fifth Ode of the Second Book of Horace imitated PRethee for shame thy passion hide The thing 's too young to make a Bride I can't devise what this wild fancy means The Girl 's but just now got into her Teens Dost think you tender untry'd Neck can e'r Endure Love's pond'rous Yoke to wear Not ripe for sport nor yet for action fit How shou'd her humour with a Husband hit Shou'd you your eager Flames but try And all Love 's mighty Dose apply The o'rcharg'd Girl wou'd in the Combat dy With it the puling Maid cou'd ne'r dispence The luscious Sweets wou'd overcome her Infant sence Keep her at Hackney or at Islington A Year or two before she comes to Town There by the Mother of the Maids she 'll be Soon tutour'd in the hidden Mystery There she 'll be taught new studied Arts and Charms And come a full-blown Bride into your Arms. Take her abroad and walk her in the Fields And let her see what teeming Nature yields Show her the lovely Cow how 't's milk'd that can Perhaps her fancy raise and make her think on Man For every thing it's time and tide does know When did you see ripe Grapes at Easter trow It is a sight with us exceeding rare But they are plenty at the Fair Stay till the Vine has had the Summer-Sun And Autumn's brought it to perfection The bladder'd Grapes shall then in Clusters bend And to your taste its racy Liquor send She 'll soon write Woman for Time's partial hand Takes from your Glass and adds unto her Sand. Now make your court my life for yours She 'll briskly answer your amours Now draw down all Love 's grand Artillery And Night and Day your Leaguer ply Now Sigh for Sigh she 'll give and Vow for Vow And learn to toy and wanton well as you On two Lads unfortunately expell'd the University for a Riot I. COme dearest Timon prethee let 's be gone And quit this lov'd ungrateful Town If the mad Tempest will not cease Till we th' angry Gods appease 'T is better thou and I shou'd dye Than the whole Ship 's Company If nought but humane Sacrifice Will satisfie these hungry Deities With the fam'd Curtius boldly plunge into the Cave And Death and all our peevish Fates out-brave 'T was He the mighty He alone Who did the sins of a whole Host atone Death unmask'd to him did come He living rode into his Tomb The mighty Debt alone He paid It took him in its hungry Jaws and so the Plague was staid II. Over the Universal Ball Undauntedly we 'll move Where'r the fleeting Goddess Fortune calls Until at last she constant prove Like Birds of Paradise we 'll daily live For sure none like these happy Creatures thrive With mutual enjoyments blest Ever loving Ever moving Till we find a place of rest III. See where our better Genius goes A happy Guide and Partner in our woes See how the loving Phantom glides along Leaving behind a gloeing track of light To be our Convoy through this gloomy Night Through want disgrace and all th' ignoble throng But lo the dismal Scene appears What 's this that strikes my eyes alarms my ears I see drawn Swords and Drums a Camp no doubt Away I hate this cursed bloudy Rout As Pallas over Arts presideth there So here the Goddess wields a Spear That even in a Camp I 'm sure The Muses Sons might be secure But nothing here appears but bloud and wounds And I abhor what looks like Scarlet Gowns IV. See where the cheating Citts and supple Courtiers stand Those Locusts of our pleasant Land Go forward pass 'em all and never stop Until you reach Parnassus flourishing top Cambridge one side o' th' forked Hill commands Upon the Other Oxford stands Here here we 'll lay our wearied heads By gentle Isis Banks and verdant Meads We 'll sit and tune our tender Reeds What surly Cam wou'd ne'r allow We to this beauteous Nymph must owe Our longing Souls we 'll in her Waters drench And at her Floud our thirst of Learning quench On three Ladies who going abroad in Masquerade met with some Bullies drew and fought 'em in the Fray one of the Ladies was desperately wounded 1683. I. ROmantick Dames who dare disown For Sword and Perruque Petticoat and Gown In ancient times thus a bold Son of Fame Wou'd imitate Jove's Thunder and his forked Flame The God with scornful smile the Wretch surveys And posts a Counter-bolt to end his days Patroclus thus Achilles's Arms wou'd wear Tickled and proud the ponderous Shield to bear The Trojan Captains soon espi'ed the Cheat So the Fool dy'd only for seeming great II. 'T is much Old Boy to thy brave hand we owe A Secret rare and choice it did on us bestow A Woman 's flinty Breast with Streams of Bloud does flow Before we thought 'em all Divinities And as we do to other Deities Besotted Fools were Altans wont to raise But now the thing is better understood We find they 're nothing else but Flesh and Bloud III. Wounded nay then I'saith I find We 're all deceiv'd in Womankind The Poets in their usual Tone Cry Womens hearts are made of Stone But we need never now despair Though whole Quarries should be there To pass these Alps a way is show'd us here Without the help of Fire and Vinegar IV. Thou hadst Old Soul a lucky hand For now we plainly see the New-found-Land Of Womans heart which in past Ages lay Like O Brazile or Terra incognita A Womans heart is Love's Acropolis Where like some Mountain-King he lies Secur'd by Frost and Snow from Enemies Pride scorn and cold disdain 〈◊〉 Menial Servants waits And foolish bug-bear Honour keeps the Gates Thy piercing Sword without delay To Love's proud Bulwark forc'd its way And though thou hast not ta'n the Town Yet all the Out-works are thine own So very near the Walls you came That the unguarded places you can name That you cou'd now securely see Where she might best assaulted be A blest Discovery no doubt For Women after this can never long hold out V. Unhappy Lady to expose A Life which rather than you e'r shou'd lose I my self to dye wou'd chuse But why shou'd foolish I such pity show To that curst Sex who none for man does know Man daily falls a Sacrifice And wounded by their Witchcraft lies Yet not one sigh or falling tear Not one kind Beam does e'r appear Their dying Worshipper to cheer But still with scorn and taunts they do abound And so throw Salt into the rankling Wound VI. In Women still this fighting freak does reign From Troy's fam'd Wars down to the French Campagn
while I sing this matchless Morn Who through various Climes has run And with the greatest skill has gather'd thence Paintings Elixir and true Quintessence Here a soft gentle Stroke may rise And there a bolder may surprize Thus Dearest Friend you see How we are outdone by thee In our own Calling Poetry Even Words and Metaphors you must impart They all are borrow'd from the Storehouse of thy Art IV. Zeuxes Apelles and those mighty Names That swell so big the mouth of Fame For many Ages did retain The Universal Painting Reign Courted and lov'd by all with wonder view'd By dull Antiquities admiring Crowd But their poor Images were wont to wear Their Pointers this a Dog and that Bear They ne'er cou'd higher than a Landskip rise Which at first sight might pleasingly surprize The foolish Birds I think we read were caught And to their painted Berries brought Alas my Friend hadst thou but liv'd The Painters Mighty Self had been deceiv'd But these to Titian and Angelo Their Sovereign Empire did forego And Painting still was in its stripling Age Till Lely and Vandike did mount the Stage And when these Prophets went at Death's great Call They let their Mantle on thee fall And with the same they did impart A double Portion of their Spirit and Art V. But stay here Friendship 's Sacred Name In my bold Song an equal share does claim What! Can my overweaning Muse The Mighty Ryley's Praise refuse Ryley the second Glory of our Age The Darling of the Court the Town and Stage Ryley by Heaven sent By way of an experiment To show the World how feeble Natures part May be outdone by her great Scholar Art Upon the weight of these two Columns lye Paintings Universal Monarchy The Gyants War describ'd upon a Shield Was all Antiquity cou'd yield Or Gods that on their painted Poops did pass Viewing themselves within the liquid Glass A timorous Age that crept along the Sand But never durst lose sight of Land But thou my Friend didst boldly out to Sea And thy own Pilot too wilt be And scorn'st to sneak to servile Arts and Rules Made to fetter Dastard Souls VI. With such a glowing Warmth as I pass by Thy Pictures strike my cheated Eye They seem to move and nod and speak And into violent passions break That for the time to come Painting no more shall be an Art that 's dumb Whatever skill or cost The famous Raphael's Pieces boast Now to oblivion and contempt they 're damn'd And into Corners and dark Entries cram'd But thy Great Fame as some good Pictures do Which best appear when far remov'd from view With After-times shall still maintain its light And at an Ages distance shine more bright VII Methinks I in thy wondrous Art adore Something that looks like a Creating Pow'r For when this World 's great Draught and well wrought Piece Of Air and Earth and Seas Was fashion'd by the Thunderer's hand All things at first did mixt and huddled stand All things together lay in Nature's tiring Room The Water and the Fire both struggled in onâ— Womb Gold things with hot and moist with dry Did undistinguish'd ly When by a touch of their Great Makers Art The jarring Seeds of things did freely part They humbly did retire without complaint And out there leapt this World's most beauteoâ— Piece of Paint So o'er the Chaos of a gloomy Ground Oft have I seen thy nimble Pencil move And here a Hill the sight wou'd bound And here wou'd peep a Floud and there a Grove And straight a glorious Heaven wou'd arise Spangled and stuck with starry Eyes And here a beauteous Nymph her head wou'd reer With Eyes so killing Mien so wondrous rare That though some foolish Men may call This lovely Creature Shadow all Yet here I vow with fam'd Pygmalion If I must go a wooing For Shadows of thy doing I 'd some of Nature's Substances disown VIII Philosophy this Notion clears That the pale Moon two Faces wears With one she looks at us they say Which radiant is and bright The other's always turn'd away And hid in thickest Night But if the Picture of thy well-fraught Mind I regularly draw my Friend There must no Shade be there at all Nothing that we may darkness call Thou like the Sun art a full Globe of Light Shining in every part throughout the whole most bright Adorn'd with every Artful Grace that can Make up an Illustrious Man Painting the Jewel is I own Which in thy Ring of Arts is set and shown But though in this thou dost excel Yet other things beside thy Praises tell A Sword as well as Pencil thou canst wield And dare to tread as well as paint a Field His Hand which with such gentle Strokes you saw But now that beauteous Woman shape and draw Can rougher grown with as unerring Art Its Passage force to a bold Rival's heart His Courage equal to his Fancy's shown Both with as vigorous heat do burn If once provoke't his Pencils Rod thrown down Into a Serpent he can turn IX And since all Strokes and Lines we find Humbly to wait at thy Command As readily obey thy hand As that the motions of thy Mind Prethee go on My best beloved Song And tell thy humble Masters just desire The God of Wit will still thy Strains inspire Ah gentle Artist when thou tak'st in hand The cruel Mistress of my heart Which like my Soul within me stands Is all in all and all in every Part Dress her in charms of choicest white and red And show the World what ne'er has been In all past Ages heard or seen That thou canst draw a perfect Maidenhead The Face with interfering Circles fill'd Like Nature's Alphabet does stand In every Letter thou art skill'd Though darkly writ by Nature's hand By each small Track and winding Line The temper of the Soul thou canst Divine As if Dame Nature thou hadst stood and view'd Whilst She complexions did divide and brew So by my Sylvia's features thou canst guess My eternal wo or bliss By these perhaps thou'lt find Whether she ever will prove kind As your rich Mines have oft been found By the bare surface of the Ground But gentle Artist in her eyes Let none of that fierce Lightning rise All sweet and charming let her be That without fear I her lov'd face may see Let no frowns on the Copy fall Whatever may be seen in the Original And then to thy great Name and greater Art I 'll bow And She shall by thy hand immortal grow Her Image Time nor Fate shall e'er devour So small is Death's so great the Painter's power A POEM ON Mr L'Estrange In magnis voluisse sat est I. A Task too vast for any living Mortal Wight Oh cou'd we call back from the shades again Great Oldham Cowley or Immortal Ben Those happy Bards might something worthy thee indite And though these three to our assistance came With all their rich and shining Eloquence With all the