University of Virginia Library

Conclusio.

Thus, by the way, to humane Loues interring,
These marginall, and secret teares referring
To my disposure (hauing all this howre
Of our vnwordly conference, giuen powre
To her late-fainting issue, to arise)
She raisde her selfe, and them; The Progenies
Of that so ciuile Desert, rising all;
Who fell with her; and to the Funerall
(She bearing still the Coffine) all went on.
And, now giues Time, her states description.
Before her flew Affliction, girt in storms,
Gasht all with gushing wounds; and all the formes
Of bane, and miserie, frowning in her face;
Whom Tyrannie, and Iniustice, had in Chace;
Grimme Persecution, Pouertie, and Shame;
Detraction, Enuie, foule Mishap and lame;
Scruple of Conscience; Feare, Deceipt, Despaire;
Slaunder, and Clamor, that rent all the Ayre;
Hate, Warre, and Massacre; vncrowned Toyle;
And Sickenes (t'all the rest, the Base, and Foile)
Crept after; and his deadly weight, trode downe
Wealth, Beautie, and the glorie of a Crowne.
These vsherd her farre of; as figures giuen,
To showe, these Crosses borne, make peace with heauen,
But now (made free from them) next her, before;
Peacefull, and young, Herculean silence bore
His craggie Club; which vp, aloft, hee hild;
With which, and his forefingers charme hee stild
All sounds in ayre; and left so free, mine eares,
That I might heare, the musique of the Spheres,
And all the Angels, singing, out of heauen;
Whose tunes were solemne (as to Passion giuen)
For now, that Iustice was the Happinesse there
For all the wrongs to Right, inflicted here.
Such was the Passion that Peace now put on;
And on, all went; when soudainely was gone
All light of heauen before vs; from a wood
Whose sight, fore-seene (now lost) amaz'd wee stood,
The Sunne still gracing vs; when now (the Ayre
Inflam'd with Meteors) we discouerd, fayre,
The skipping Gote; the Horses flaming Mane;
Bearded, and trained Comets; Starres in wane;
The burning sword; the Firebrand, flying Snake;
The Lance; the Torch; the Licking fire; the Drake:
And all else Metors, that did ill abode;
The thunder chid; the lightning leapt abrode;
And yet, when Peace came in, all heauen was cleare;
And then, did all the horrid wood appeare;
Where mortall dangers, more then leaues did growe;
In which wee could not, one free steppe bestowe;
For treading on some murtherd Passenger,
Who thither, was by witchcraft, forc't to erre.
Whose face, the bird hid, that loues Humans best;
That hath the bugle eyes, and Rosie Breast;
And is the yellow Autumns Nightingall;
Peace made vs enter here secure of all;
Where, in a Caue, that through a Rocke did eate
The monster, Murther, held his impious Seat:
A heape of panting Harts, supported him;
On which, he sate, gnawing a reeking lymme,
Of some man newly murtherd. As he eate
His graue-digg'd Browes, like stormy Eaues did sweat;
Which, like incensed Fennes, with mists did smoke;
His hyde was rugged, as an aged Oke
With heathie Leprosies; that still hee fed
With hote raw lyms, of men late murthered.
His Face was like a Meteor, flashing blood;
His head all bristl'd, like a thornie wood;
His necke cast wrinkles, like a Sea enrag'd;
And, in his vast Armes, was the world engag'd,
Bathing his hands in euerie cruell deed;
Whose Palmes were hell-deepe lakes of boyling lead;
His thighes were mines of poyson, torment, griefe;
In which digg'd Fraude, and Trecherie, for reliefe;
Religions Botcher, Policie; and Pride;
Oppression, Slauerie, Flatterie glorified;
Atheisme, and Tyranny, and gaine vniust;
Franticke Ambition, Enuie, shagge-heard Lust;
Both sorts of Ignorance; and Knowledge swell'd;
And ouer these, the ould wolfe Auarice held
A goulden Scourge, that dropt, with blood and vapor;
With which, he whipt them to their endlesse labor.
From vnder heapes, cast from his fruitfull thyes,
(As ground, to all their damn'd Impieties)
The mourneful Goddesse, drew dead Humane Loue;
Nor could they let her entrie, though they stroue;
And furnac't on her, all their venemous breath;
(For; though all outrage breakes the Peace of death)
She Coffind him; and forth to Funerall
All helpt to beare him: But to sound it all,
My Trumpet fayles; and all my forces shrinke.
Who can enact to life, what kils to thinke?
Nor can the Soules beames beat, through blood & flesh,
Formes of such woe, and height, as now, afresh,
Flow'd from these Obiects: to see Poesie
Prepar'd to doe the speciall obsequie,
And sing the Funerall Oration;
How it did showe, to see her tread vpon
The breast of Death; and on a Furie leane;
How, to her Fist, (as rites of seruice then)
A Cast of Rauens flew; On her shoulders, how
The Foules, that to the Muses Queene we vow,
(The Owle, and Heronshawe) sate, how, for her hayre,
A haplesse Comet, hurld about the Ayre
Her curled Beames: whence sparkes, like falling starres,
Vanisht about her; and with windes aduerse,
Were still blowne back; To which the Phœnix flew;
And (burning on her head) would not renew:
How her diuine Oration did moue,
For th' vnredeemed losse of humane Loue;
Obiect mans future state to reasons eye;
The soules infusion; Immortalitie;
And proue her formes firme, that are here imprest;
How her admirde straines, wrought on euery Beast;
And made the woods cast their Immanitie,
Vp to the Ayre; that did to Citties flye
In Fewell for them: and, in Clowds of smoke,
Euer hang ouer them; cannot be spoke;
Nor how to Humane loue (to Earth now giuen)
A lightening stoop't, and rauisht him to heauen,
And with him Peace, with all her heauenly seede:
Whose outward Rapture, made me inward bleed;
Nor can I therefore, my Intention keepe;
Since Teares want words, & words want teares to weepe.