Mundorum Explicatio or, The Explanation of an Hieroglyphical Figure: Wherein are couched the Mysteries of the External, Internal, and Eternal Worlds, shewing the true progress of a Soul from the Court of Jerusalem; from the Adamical fallen state to the Regenerate and Angelical. Being A Sacred Poem, written by S. P. [i.e. Samuel Pordage] |
 |
 | Mundorum Explicatio |  |
Sad and deplorable's the state of man,
Whose day's a vapour, and whose life's a span;
Whose years a bubble, and whose bliss is pain,
Whose joyes are trouble, and whose hopes are vain,
Should there indeed no other Worlds but this
Terrestrial be, in which he dwelling is.
Vain were the hopes of just and righteous men,
Than they none were more miserable then;
For who indeed more miserable seem,
More wretched and despis'd, forlorn then them:
Earth's fat, and bounty often is with-held,
Oft they're deny'd the riches of the feild:
A life here poor, and needy oft they have,
And oft return afflicted to the grave:
Whilst the unjust, and wicked man the while
Flows with his Hony, Butter, Milk and Oyl,
Whilst that his Wine press gusheth forth a stream
Of purple juyce to feed, and fatten him:
Whilst bounteous earth doth plenty him afford;
Whilst fill'd with pleasures, both of bed and bord,
Unpunisht, he afflicts the just, and poor,
And empty turns the begger from his door,
Grindeth the face of needy men: Commits
Murthers and Whoredomes, yet triumphing sits
Till he returneth to the greedy grave,
And yet is seen no punishment to have.
Sure this most plainly other Worlds doth shew
To be, where each of these shall have his due,
God's alwayes equal, ever just we see
His acts in number, weight and measure be.
Dives in plenty, Lazarus in pain,
(Yet God is just) shall in this world remain:
A world of pain there for the rich man is,
For Lazarus another full of bliss.
Whose day's a vapour, and whose life's a span;
Whose years a bubble, and whose bliss is pain,
Whose joyes are trouble, and whose hopes are vain,
Should there indeed no other Worlds but this
Terrestrial be, in which he dwelling is.
2
Than they none were more miserable then;
For who indeed more miserable seem,
More wretched and despis'd, forlorn then them:
Earth's fat, and bounty often is with-held,
Oft they're deny'd the riches of the feild:
A life here poor, and needy oft they have,
And oft return afflicted to the grave:
Whilst the unjust, and wicked man the while
Flows with his Hony, Butter, Milk and Oyl,
Whilst that his Wine press gusheth forth a stream
Of purple juyce to feed, and fatten him:
Whilst bounteous earth doth plenty him afford;
Whilst fill'd with pleasures, both of bed and bord,
Unpunisht, he afflicts the just, and poor,
And empty turns the begger from his door,
Grindeth the face of needy men: Commits
Murthers and Whoredomes, yet triumphing sits
Till he returneth to the greedy grave,
And yet is seen no punishment to have.
Sure this most plainly other Worlds doth shew
To be, where each of these shall have his due,
God's alwayes equal, ever just we see
His acts in number, weight and measure be.
Dives in plenty, Lazarus in pain,
(Yet God is just) shall in this world remain:
A world of pain there for the rich man is,
For Lazarus another full of bliss.
Let Atheists scoff, and seeing these things, declare
Profanely that no other worlds there are:
Let them cry pish, and mock them to their face,
Who threat them judgement in another place:
Let them accurst cry; May we live but here
In pleasures; God nor your vain Hell we fear:
See we not all men to the grave return,
Their dusty ashes gather'd in their urn,
Their flesh consume, their harder bones to rot,
Their fames and names both perish'd and forgot,
Who like the beasts unto the earth do go,
Their souls int' air dissolv'd, are seen no moe:
Deceit the mother of this folly is,
To think there's any other world but this,
For Sophisters to tye men to their Law,
Them with Religion, and a God did aw,
And with invented worlds hereafter; where
They answer should for what they had done here:
Where good and just men should in pleasures dwell,
The wicked be perplex'd with torments fell.
Let Atheists argue thus; Let them alone,
For at the last the worst will be their own,
When to their sorrow, and eternal pain
They find the notion of a God's not vain,
When they shall find, when they this world forego,
Another world of torment, pain and woe:
I mean not therefore with them to dispute,
Nor strive with arguments for to confute
Their cursed Tenents; for the stoutest doth
Oft' times when scar'd; in's heart misdoubt the truth
Of what he holds; who by his conscience aw'd,
Is forced to confess there is a God.
Who boldly dares deny the same in light,
The same again doth doubt, the same at night,
When fearfull darkness reigneth o're the world,
And fear and horror in each corner's hurld.
When dreadfull lightnings through the world do fly
When roaring thunders rattle in the skie,
When blustring storms do rend the stoutest oakes,
When mighty mountains rend with thunder strokes,
When the great Moles of the earth doth quake,
When roaring seas with dreadfull murmurs speak
Th' Almighty's power; the Atheist struck with fear,
Crying aloud for help, runs here and there,
And will he, nill he, then his thoughts do flie
For hepl to, and think there's a Deity;
Like that poor Godling who ran under bord,
And cry'd, I am no God, when thunders roar'd.
If then these wretches doubtfull are sometimes,
So obstinate me thinks they in their crimes
Should not be: for it that it doubtfull were,
This way more safe, than that it is to err;
For to believe there is a God, and him
To fear, no damagement can bring to them,
No hurt at all; when on the other side
They'n dangerous seas of Death eternal ride;
For if a God there be (as we well know
There is) into damnation's pit they throw
Themselves: so whilst their wisdom they'd expresse;
They damn themselves by their own foolishnesse.
Profanely that no other worlds there are:
Let them cry pish, and mock them to their face,
Who threat them judgement in another place:
Let them accurst cry; May we live but here
In pleasures; God nor your vain Hell we fear:
See we not all men to the grave return,
Their dusty ashes gather'd in their urn,
Their flesh consume, their harder bones to rot,
Their fames and names both perish'd and forgot,
Who like the beasts unto the earth do go,
Their souls int' air dissolv'd, are seen no moe:
3
To think there's any other world but this,
For Sophisters to tye men to their Law,
Them with Religion, and a God did aw,
And with invented worlds hereafter; where
They answer should for what they had done here:
Where good and just men should in pleasures dwell,
The wicked be perplex'd with torments fell.
Let Atheists argue thus; Let them alone,
For at the last the worst will be their own,
When to their sorrow, and eternal pain
They find the notion of a God's not vain,
When they shall find, when they this world forego,
Another world of torment, pain and woe:
I mean not therefore with them to dispute,
Nor strive with arguments for to confute
Their cursed Tenents; for the stoutest doth
Oft' times when scar'd; in's heart misdoubt the truth
Of what he holds; who by his conscience aw'd,
Is forced to confess there is a God.
Who boldly dares deny the same in light,
The same again doth doubt, the same at night,
When fearfull darkness reigneth o're the world,
And fear and horror in each corner's hurld.
When dreadfull lightnings through the world do fly
When roaring thunders rattle in the skie,
When blustring storms do rend the stoutest oakes,
When mighty mountains rend with thunder strokes,
When the great Moles of the earth doth quake,
When roaring seas with dreadfull murmurs speak
Th' Almighty's power; the Atheist struck with fear,
Crying aloud for help, runs here and there,
And will he, nill he, then his thoughts do flie
For hepl to, and think there's a Deity;
Like that poor Godling who ran under bord,
And cry'd, I am no God, when thunders roar'd.
If then these wretches doubtfull are sometimes,
So obstinate me thinks they in their crimes
Should not be: for it that it doubtfull were,
This way more safe, than that it is to err;
4
To fear, no damagement can bring to them,
No hurt at all; when on the other side
They'n dangerous seas of Death eternal ride;
For if a God there be (as we well know
There is) into damnation's pit they throw
Themselves: so whilst their wisdom they'd expresse;
They damn themselves by their own foolishnesse.
But, that there is a God we need not prove,
When all things shew his matchlesse Pow'r, and Love;
For wheresoever we shall cast our eye,
Sure tokens of a mighty God we spy:
The glorious Splendor of the Lamp of Day,
The Mistresse of the Night's resplendant Ray.
The silver Spangles of the azure Skie,
The winged folk which in the ayr do flie,
The spangle-coated fishes of the Sea,
The Brutes, the herbs, the flowr'rs, and every tree,
Do daily tell us, that they being had,
And life, and growth, from an immortal God:
For who but diligently noteth them,
Must needs (as GALEN did) confesse the same.
The form, and being of this world doth prove,
The mighty power of the great JEHOVE,
And that a Deity there is: For why
'Tis plain it was not from Æternity,
The constant changes of all things below,
The same to wise men do most clearly show;
Its alteration, its Catastrophe
Declares; but what is from Æternity
No end can have. The world beginning had,
Which was from Chance, from Nature, or from God:
From CHANCE it was not; what a jumbled thing,
And foul mishapen Monster Chance would bring
Forth, could but she a world produce? but this
Of harmony and true agreement is
So full that Atheists convinc'd proclam'd
Have, that not chance but God the world hath fram'd.
For who considers but the Harmony
Of those bright fires shining in the skie,
The order, marriage, and the sweet consent
With one another of each Element:
The secret virtues of all things that grow,
The hidden Sympathy of things below,
And Earth's most admirable form; will not
Himself exhibit to be such a sot,
Nor will be fill'd with so much ignorance,
As to averr the world was made by CHANCE.
Nor yet by NATURE was the world created,
For if that she had thus the world instated,
All things obedient would have been to her,
And past her bounds, and rules not dar'd to stir,
But all do know how that sometimes the Creature,
Passeth the limits, and the bounds of Nature
Miraculously, as when the golden Sun
Ecclipsed is, in the full of the Moon:
As when the Sun; when Christ our Saviour dy'd;
His face did in a Mask of darknesse hide,
As all the world well knew; for then between
The Moon and him full half the Heav'n was seen:
So that it was impossible the cause
Of this Ecclipse should come from Nature's Laws,
Nor yet can those who Nature God will make
For every thing a Natural reason speak:
NATURE nor CHANCE therefore this world could frame,
A God therefore it follows made the same:
A GOD therefore there is: The Devil too,
And acts of evil spirits plainly shew
The same; the world can testifie to this
That Sp'rits apparitions no fable is.
But chiefly men (although they God deny)
Themselves are forc'd a God to justifie:
How else can they such an Idea frame
Of the great God, as to deny the same?
For who can an Idea frame of what
No being has? whose species is not?
We an Idëa frame may of a face
Of man, or beast, which living never was;
But men, and beasts there are, or else we frame
Could not any Idëa's of the same:
So man may false Ideas frame of God,
But were there none, he no Ideas shou'd;
So man of God doth an Idea frame,
Whilst he about goes to deny the same,
And so is forc'd indeed for to confess
What's mouth denyes with so much wickedness.
Nature hath with an Adamantine pen
Insculped deeply into the hearts of men,
That there's a God: although she could not show,
Nor dictate to them the true God to know:
And on their consciences she by her Law
Has of a Deity impos'd an aw:
For there's no Nation, though they brutish be,
But have a Notion of a Deitie;
Some thing or other for a God adore
They do; which certainly was past the power
Of humane policy for to imprint,
And o're the whole world, through all ages hint.
Conscience doth prove a Deity likewise,
Which in the face still of the wicked flies,
And though his actions ne'r so secret be,
Yet he's afraid there is an eye doth see;
An eye which points, and doth distinguish still,
Betwixt, (the several acts of) good and ill.
Lastly the soul of man, which shall for aye
In night Eternal, or eternal day
Dwell; which immortal is, (for were't not so,
Corruption would take hold upon it too
As well as on its case: but all know this,
Th' immortal soul in age the stronger is;
The nearer that the body's to the grave,
The more advantages the soul will have:
And so diseases which the case controule,
Cannot corrupt, nor yet infect the soul.
So alwayes mark whilst from the Body we
By contemplation deep abstracted be,
The soul doth better shew her complement;
But much more when she's from the body rent:
As also by her large capacity,
And by her utter independency
On th' outer case: for leaving that sometimes,
Without that she transcurs the earthly climes,
And visits places; and them far more clear
Beholds than if she in the body were:
This history will justifie, but we
Will strive for to avoid prolixity.
If the soul's mortal, what doth make her love
despising mortal things to sore above,
And never tire? like unto like doth goe:
Which makes her thus despise all things below:
And to the Centre, out of which she came,
Sill upwards tend with an immortal flame.)
I say the soul doth prove a God to be
The cause of her: or else it follows she
I, of her self the cause; then should we know
All things that are more clearly than we do;
Knowledge nor understanding should we want,
Nor of ourselves, nor parts be ignorant,
Of which we are; our parent then should not
Be ignorant of what they have begot:
But how the cause and the effect can be
All one, as yet I have not eyes to see.
But to conclude what further proof indeed
Of God, than his great Providence doth need?
His providence in every thing? but yet
In plaguing those who him deny'd, and it
Especially? for such struck with his rod,
Have by their deaths made known there is a God.
PHERECIDES was eaten up with lice;
LUCIAN by's dogs devoured in a trice:
DIAGORUS from ATHENS banished,
A talent promis'd them who brought his head:
An arrow split the heart of JULIAN:
An ulcer killed scoffing APPION:
MACHIAVEL in prison rotted: and
HERMANUS felt the fire, and God's just hand:
It would be endless to recount them all:
But as they did may every ATHEIST fall!
When all things shew his matchlesse Pow'r, and Love;
For wheresoever we shall cast our eye,
Sure tokens of a mighty God we spy:
The glorious Splendor of the Lamp of Day,
The Mistresse of the Night's resplendant Ray.
The silver Spangles of the azure Skie,
The winged folk which in the ayr do flie,
The spangle-coated fishes of the Sea,
The Brutes, the herbs, the flowr'rs, and every tree,
Do daily tell us, that they being had,
And life, and growth, from an immortal God:
For who but diligently noteth them,
Must needs (as GALEN did) confesse the same.
The form, and being of this world doth prove,
The mighty power of the great JEHOVE,
And that a Deity there is: For why
'Tis plain it was not from Æternity,
The constant changes of all things below,
The same to wise men do most clearly show;
Its alteration, its Catastrophe
Declares; but what is from Æternity
No end can have. The world beginning had,
Which was from Chance, from Nature, or from God:
From CHANCE it was not; what a jumbled thing,
And foul mishapen Monster Chance would bring
Forth, could but she a world produce? but this
Of harmony and true agreement is
So full that Atheists convinc'd proclam'd
Have, that not chance but God the world hath fram'd.
For who considers but the Harmony
Of those bright fires shining in the skie,
5
With one another of each Element:
The secret virtues of all things that grow,
The hidden Sympathy of things below,
And Earth's most admirable form; will not
Himself exhibit to be such a sot,
Nor will be fill'd with so much ignorance,
As to averr the world was made by CHANCE.
Nor yet by NATURE was the world created,
For if that she had thus the world instated,
All things obedient would have been to her,
And past her bounds, and rules not dar'd to stir,
But all do know how that sometimes the Creature,
Passeth the limits, and the bounds of Nature
Miraculously, as when the golden Sun
Ecclipsed is, in the full of the Moon:
As when the Sun; when Christ our Saviour dy'd;
His face did in a Mask of darknesse hide,
As all the world well knew; for then between
The Moon and him full half the Heav'n was seen:
So that it was impossible the cause
Of this Ecclipse should come from Nature's Laws,
Nor yet can those who Nature God will make
For every thing a Natural reason speak:
NATURE nor CHANCE therefore this world could frame,
A God therefore it follows made the same:
A GOD therefore there is: The Devil too,
And acts of evil spirits plainly shew
The same; the world can testifie to this
That Sp'rits apparitions no fable is.
But chiefly men (although they God deny)
Themselves are forc'd a God to justifie:
How else can they such an Idea frame
Of the great God, as to deny the same?
For who can an Idea frame of what
No being has? whose species is not?
We an Idëa frame may of a face
Of man, or beast, which living never was;
But men, and beasts there are, or else we frame
Could not any Idëa's of the same:
6
But were there none, he no Ideas shou'd;
So man of God doth an Idea frame,
Whilst he about goes to deny the same,
And so is forc'd indeed for to confess
What's mouth denyes with so much wickedness.
Nature hath with an Adamantine pen
Insculped deeply into the hearts of men,
That there's a God: although she could not show,
Nor dictate to them the true God to know:
And on their consciences she by her Law
Has of a Deity impos'd an aw:
For there's no Nation, though they brutish be,
But have a Notion of a Deitie;
Some thing or other for a God adore
They do; which certainly was past the power
Of humane policy for to imprint,
And o're the whole world, through all ages hint.
Conscience doth prove a Deity likewise,
Which in the face still of the wicked flies,
And though his actions ne'r so secret be,
Yet he's afraid there is an eye doth see;
An eye which points, and doth distinguish still,
Betwixt, (the several acts of) good and ill.
Lastly the soul of man, which shall for aye
In night Eternal, or eternal day
Dwell; which immortal is, (for were't not so,
Corruption would take hold upon it too
As well as on its case: but all know this,
Th' immortal soul in age the stronger is;
The nearer that the body's to the grave,
The more advantages the soul will have:
And so diseases which the case controule,
Cannot corrupt, nor yet infect the soul.
So alwayes mark whilst from the Body we
By contemplation deep abstracted be,
The soul doth better shew her complement;
But much more when she's from the body rent:
As also by her large capacity,
And by her utter independency
7
Without that she transcurs the earthly climes,
And visits places; and them far more clear
Beholds than if she in the body were:
This history will justifie, but we
Will strive for to avoid prolixity.
If the soul's mortal, what doth make her love
despising mortal things to sore above,
And never tire? like unto like doth goe:
Which makes her thus despise all things below:
And to the Centre, out of which she came,
Sill upwards tend with an immortal flame.)
I say the soul doth prove a God to be
The cause of her: or else it follows she
I, of her self the cause; then should we know
All things that are more clearly than we do;
Knowledge nor understanding should we want,
Nor of ourselves, nor parts be ignorant,
Of which we are; our parent then should not
Be ignorant of what they have begot:
But how the cause and the effect can be
All one, as yet I have not eyes to see.
But to conclude what further proof indeed
Of God, than his great Providence doth need?
His providence in every thing? but yet
In plaguing those who him deny'd, and it
Especially? for such struck with his rod,
Have by their deaths made known there is a God.
PHERECIDES was eaten up with lice;
LUCIAN by's dogs devoured in a trice:
DIAGORUS from ATHENS banished,
A talent promis'd them who brought his head:
An arrow split the heart of JULIAN:
An ulcer killed scoffing APPION:
MACHIAVEL in prison rotted: and
HERMANUS felt the fire, and God's just hand:
It would be endless to recount them all:
But as they did may every ATHEIST fall!
Seeing that there a God immortal is,
It fellows then there are more Worlds than this;
For God's not seen here in this Orb below,
But as he doth himself in's Creatures show:
Indeed he dwelleth here, and every where,
Nor can he be confined to a Sphere,
But yet there is a world, a glorious place,
Where brightned souls behold him face to face,
Where he is seen cloath'd with Eternal Day,
Where vails and shadows all are ta'ne away:
Where Saints behold him in great glory stand,
Not vail'd as here, nor at the second hand.
Who so believes the sacred Scripture, must
Acknowledge needs that our assertion's just,
For that to take all scruples from us says,
God not one World, but Worlds created has.
I'le here not usher in with museful straines,
Th' exuberant fancies of some witty braines,
Who make the Moon a World to be, and who
Make Worlds of all the starres of Heav'n too:
Let such themselves and others to delude
With brain-built worlds, and worlds infinitude,
I'le not contest; GOD may do what he please;
But here I treat not of such worlds as these,
For I confesse I do believe there's four,
And never was, and never shall be more:
Three of these Worlds are infinite, but this
Grosse World both visible, and finite is.
It matters not unto Salvation,
Whether there be a thousand Worlds, or one,
Such Worlds as this I mean: but it is meet
That we should know those Worlds of which I treat,
For to be ignorant of these, is to
Ignore the blisses that we ought to know:
How vain is Man for fancy'd worlds to hunt,
And of himself be wholly ignorant!
These Worlds of which we treat no fancies be,
For to deny them is plain Blasphemy,
And of them to be ignorant, no lesse
Then to be ignorant of Happinesse:
These Worlds not disputable are, for we
Do by experience know such Worlds there be:
Therefore no longer will I prologize,
But clearly set them forth before your eyes.
It fellows then there are more Worlds than this;
8
But as he doth himself in's Creatures show:
Indeed he dwelleth here, and every where,
Nor can he be confined to a Sphere,
But yet there is a world, a glorious place,
Where brightned souls behold him face to face,
Where he is seen cloath'd with Eternal Day,
Where vails and shadows all are ta'ne away:
Where Saints behold him in great glory stand,
Not vail'd as here, nor at the second hand.
Who so believes the sacred Scripture, must
Acknowledge needs that our assertion's just,
For that to take all scruples from us says,
God not one World, but Worlds created has.
I'le here not usher in with museful straines,
Th' exuberant fancies of some witty braines,
Who make the Moon a World to be, and who
Make Worlds of all the starres of Heav'n too:
Let such themselves and others to delude
With brain-built worlds, and worlds infinitude,
I'le not contest; GOD may do what he please;
But here I treat not of such worlds as these,
For I confesse I do believe there's four,
And never was, and never shall be more:
Three of these Worlds are infinite, but this
Grosse World both visible, and finite is.
It matters not unto Salvation,
Whether there be a thousand Worlds, or one,
Such Worlds as this I mean: but it is meet
That we should know those Worlds of which I treat,
For to be ignorant of these, is to
Ignore the blisses that we ought to know:
How vain is Man for fancy'd worlds to hunt,
And of himself be wholly ignorant!
These Worlds of which we treat no fancies be,
For to deny them is plain Blasphemy,
And of them to be ignorant, no lesse
Then to be ignorant of Happinesse:
These Worlds not disputable are, for we
Do by experience know such Worlds there be:
9
But clearly set them forth before your eyes.
Pray cast your eye upon the Figure, and
The order see in which the Worlds do stand:
See here four Globes, So stand the Worlds, but yet
Not in this order, as you see these set:
But to man's sense these figures do I guesse,
Their place and order best of all expresse.
Though once be higher than another plac't,
We call that highest, which is inner most:
Who can at one expose to perfect view
Whole and compleat, Shell, Skin, and Kernel too?
As in an Egg you see the outer shell,
In that the white, i'th white the yolk doth dwell:
As in an Onion first the outer skin,
Then several others folded are within
Its strict enfolding, which do presse upon
The heart, or centre of the Onion,
As several Circles one within another
Drawn, some are farther, some more near than th' other
Unto the Centre: So these Worlds display
Unto your understandings best you may.
So are they plac'd: The Centre of them all
We highest; the Circumference lowest call:
So see in Man his outward case doth hide
A noble Soul; Which doth more inward bide.
This outward World is as the crust, or shell,
In which the other Light, and Dark Worlds dwell.
This outward World, is the Circumference,
And farthest from the Centre; Life from whence
It doth receive: for from the inward this
Produced was Most plain, the punction is
Before the circle; and the Yolke before
The white or shell. But then you'l say this more
Containeth than those Worlds that brought it forth;
So this is greater than what gave it birth:
Those suffer no dimention can, nor lye
So comprehended: As the Sun the Skie
Contains you see; his rays and influence
Howbe't no bounds can close, they'r so immense.
As God's in heaven we say; yet every where;
So th' inward worlds in this world closed are:
Life floweth to the finger from the heart:
Man's soul's in man, and yet in ev'ry part.
The order see in which the Worlds do stand:
See here four Globes, So stand the Worlds, but yet
Not in this order, as you see these set:
But to man's sense these figures do I guesse,
Their place and order best of all expresse.
Though once be higher than another plac't,
We call that highest, which is inner most:
Who can at one expose to perfect view
Whole and compleat, Shell, Skin, and Kernel too?
As in an Egg you see the outer shell,
In that the white, i'th white the yolk doth dwell:
As in an Onion first the outer skin,
Then several others folded are within
Its strict enfolding, which do presse upon
The heart, or centre of the Onion,
As several Circles one within another
Drawn, some are farther, some more near than th' other
Unto the Centre: So these Worlds display
Unto your understandings best you may.
So are they plac'd: The Centre of them all
We highest; the Circumference lowest call:
So see in Man his outward case doth hide
A noble Soul; Which doth more inward bide.
This outward World is as the crust, or shell,
In which the other Light, and Dark Worlds dwell.
This outward World, is the Circumference,
And farthest from the Centre; Life from whence
It doth receive: for from the inward this
Produced was Most plain, the punction is
Before the circle; and the Yolke before
The white or shell. But then you'l say this more
Containeth than those Worlds that brought it forth;
So this is greater than what gave it birth:
Those suffer no dimention can, nor lye
So comprehended: As the Sun the Skie
Contains you see; his rays and influence
Howbe't no bounds can close, they'r so immense.
10
So th' inward worlds in this world closed are:
Life floweth to the finger from the heart:
Man's soul's in man, and yet in ev'ry part.
Alas! How blinded are the souls of men,
Whilst here inclosed in their fleshly pen,
Whilst here in prison fetter'd fast they lye,
Whilst they all things judge by their outward eye,
They see this earth wherein they live, and so
That there's an earthly world they surely know:
Now other worlds some do believe there are,
The natures of these worlds; or how, or where
They be, most men ignore: for of the same,
They several fancies in their heads do frame.
For speak of heav'n, strait way they cast their eyes
Towards the blew seas of the Chrystal skies,
Beyond the same a most Majestick Court,
Whose bliss doth pass the bounds of all report,
Where all the Saints in brightnesse like the Sun,
Seated on Thrones; where every one a Crown
Possessing, praise, and Hallelujahs sing,
To God who there sits on the Throne as King,
They think there is; and that their souls must fly
Thorow the Welkin to it when they dye.
But speak of Hell, strait way their thoughts do go
Unto the Centre of the earth below,
Where they in their imaginations frame,
A Realm of Sulphur, Darknesse, Fume and Flame,
Where great BEELZEBUB as a King commands
The smooky Devils, and sulphurian bands.
Mistake me not, I do not here deny,
Nor Hell's, nor Heav'ns true locality;
But here in reference to those I speak,
Who carnally both hell and heav'n do seek,
And who know nothing, nor of Heav'n nor Hell,
But by report, as they hear others tell;
Accounting it impossible to know,
Or Hell, or Heaven, while they dwell below.
Such of themselves be wholly ignorant,
And the true sight of Hell or Heav'n they want;
How they two several Principles be, and
How different, they do not understand:
How they in one another dwell, and yet
A gulf eternal how betwixt them set.
The Summit of their knowledge is to know
The nature of terrestrial things below,
They are content, the other worlds should rest
Till they of this by death are dispossest;
But all such may miss of the blessed sphere,
Who know it not, nor be assur'd of't here.
Whilst here inclosed in their fleshly pen,
Whilst here in prison fetter'd fast they lye,
Whilst they all things judge by their outward eye,
They see this earth wherein they live, and so
That there's an earthly world they surely know:
Now other worlds some do believe there are,
The natures of these worlds; or how, or where
They be, most men ignore: for of the same,
They several fancies in their heads do frame.
For speak of heav'n, strait way they cast their eyes
Towards the blew seas of the Chrystal skies,
Beyond the same a most Majestick Court,
Whose bliss doth pass the bounds of all report,
Where all the Saints in brightnesse like the Sun,
Seated on Thrones; where every one a Crown
Possessing, praise, and Hallelujahs sing,
To God who there sits on the Throne as King,
They think there is; and that their souls must fly
Thorow the Welkin to it when they dye.
But speak of Hell, strait way their thoughts do go
Unto the Centre of the earth below,
Where they in their imaginations frame,
A Realm of Sulphur, Darknesse, Fume and Flame,
Where great BEELZEBUB as a King commands
The smooky Devils, and sulphurian bands.
Mistake me not, I do not here deny,
Nor Hell's, nor Heav'ns true locality;
But here in reference to those I speak,
Who carnally both hell and heav'n do seek,
And who know nothing, nor of Heav'n nor Hell,
But by report, as they hear others tell;
Accounting it impossible to know,
Or Hell, or Heaven, while they dwell below.
Such of themselves be wholly ignorant,
And the true sight of Hell or Heav'n they want;
11
How different, they do not understand:
How they in one another dwell, and yet
A gulf eternal how betwixt them set.
The Summit of their knowledge is to know
The nature of terrestrial things below,
They are content, the other worlds should rest
Till they of this by death are dispossest;
But all such may miss of the blessed sphere,
Who know it not, nor be assur'd of't here.
Therefore we first will with this world begin,
Best known to man, this which he dwelleth in:
From whence we step by step, at last ascend,
Shall, to th' Eternal world, the farthest end;
Man must from this the lowest world get up
By the Internal worlds, unto the top
And summit of his joyes: the way shall be
Shewn in this book with perspicuity.
But man a while my purpose here supplants,
The chiefest of the earths inhabitants;
Of whom a word, for he's the principal,
And should be Prince, and King, and Lord of all.
Best known to man, this which he dwelleth in:
From whence we step by step, at last ascend,
Shall, to th' Eternal world, the farthest end;
Man must from this the lowest world get up
By the Internal worlds, unto the top
And summit of his joyes: the way shall be
Shewn in this book with perspicuity.
But man a while my purpose here supplants,
The chiefest of the earths inhabitants;
Of whom a word, for he's the principal,
And should be Prince, and King, and Lord of all.
The Microcosm, little world, or Man,
Containeth all the outward great world can;
Is it not strange, and wonderfull that such
A little thing as Man, should hold so much?
Man is a wonder, and Gods image divine,
(If truly Man) within his breast doth shine.
It is not head, arms, body, members fair,
That maketh Man; he rather may compare
Himself unto some beast in painted dress,
Except the inward do him Man express.
What difference is there 'twixt a man and beast,
(None sure at all, or little to be guest)
If't wan't for Reason, and an immortal spark,
Which hides it self within his hollow Ark?
This makes him Man, and like a man to act,
Which gon, he's like a beast in shew and fact.
A man hath sense, he eats, he drinks, he sleeps,
Wallows in pleasure, seldome measure keeps,
Subject to hunger, thirst, to heat, and cold,
Sicknesse, Diseases, and converts to th' Mould
Of which he's fram'd; and like to other creatures,
There perisheth his beauteous forms, and features:
All this the Beast doth; then we thus may say
The fairest Beast is made upright of clay.
Men that we see within the great Creation,
Lie wallowing in all abomination,
In filthy Lusts, contagious pleasures foul,
As if they never, never had a soul,
Are not such Beasts? yea perfect Beasts, or worse,
For Beasts (most commonly) follow natures course,
Their beastial actions, acting in sobriety,
When men fulfil their Lusts in all Impiety,
Acting most beastly in all foul inormity,
And worser then the brutes, in their deformity:
That were it not for this their outward case
In PLUTO'S Court they would usurp a place;
For when the outward body doth consume,
In Hell such take their Hell-prepared room,
Their souls there having some such shape, or hue
Of beasts, whose actions they inclined to,
Assuming there some hideous form, or feature,
Rarely resembling their deformed Nature.
Thus may you see within this outward place,
We're either Men, or Beasts: when here our race
Is run, we shall to the Tartarean den
Go if we beasts are, but to Heav'n if Men.
Man was a Man created, and a King,
And Lord, and Ruler over every thing,
But now that state h'as lost, for which he groans,
Having gain'd dunghils,, for his Crowns, and Thrones.
Now of a King he is a servant made,
Who once immortal, now to Death betray'd:
Therefore behold him pourtrai'd to thine eye,
See where himself, his Crown and Scepter lye,
The Lamb the Type of Innocency too,
(Which LUCIFER with ADAM overthrew)
Under the great and massy Globe of Earth,
As if deprived both of Life, and breath.
This is the fallen state of Man, who must
His Crown not unregarded in the Dust
Permit to lye, but, what some e'r it cost,
Strive for to gain the Scepter that he lost;
And tho he now lyes slain depriv'd of all,
Crush'd with the weight of this terrestrial ball;
Yet shall this fallen Man at last arise,
And o're his now lost Kingdoms Regalize.
O man with joy expect this blisseful day,
Rouze up thy self, enquicken'd with the ray
Of life divine: Shake off this clogging Earth,
And strongly presse after another birth:
For that attained once, thou shalt be then,
As once thou wast, a Lord, and King agen.
Containeth all the outward great world can;
Is it not strange, and wonderfull that such
A little thing as Man, should hold so much?
Man is a wonder, and Gods image divine,
(If truly Man) within his breast doth shine.
It is not head, arms, body, members fair,
That maketh Man; he rather may compare
Himself unto some beast in painted dress,
Except the inward do him Man express.
What difference is there 'twixt a man and beast,
(None sure at all, or little to be guest)
If't wan't for Reason, and an immortal spark,
Which hides it self within his hollow Ark?
This makes him Man, and like a man to act,
Which gon, he's like a beast in shew and fact.
A man hath sense, he eats, he drinks, he sleeps,
Wallows in pleasure, seldome measure keeps,
12
Sicknesse, Diseases, and converts to th' Mould
Of which he's fram'd; and like to other creatures,
There perisheth his beauteous forms, and features:
All this the Beast doth; then we thus may say
The fairest Beast is made upright of clay.
Men that we see within the great Creation,
Lie wallowing in all abomination,
In filthy Lusts, contagious pleasures foul,
As if they never, never had a soul,
Are not such Beasts? yea perfect Beasts, or worse,
For Beasts (most commonly) follow natures course,
Their beastial actions, acting in sobriety,
When men fulfil their Lusts in all Impiety,
Acting most beastly in all foul inormity,
And worser then the brutes, in their deformity:
That were it not for this their outward case
In PLUTO'S Court they would usurp a place;
For when the outward body doth consume,
In Hell such take their Hell-prepared room,
Their souls there having some such shape, or hue
Of beasts, whose actions they inclined to,
Assuming there some hideous form, or feature,
Rarely resembling their deformed Nature.
Thus may you see within this outward place,
We're either Men, or Beasts: when here our race
Is run, we shall to the Tartarean den
Go if we beasts are, but to Heav'n if Men.
Man was a Man created, and a King,
And Lord, and Ruler over every thing,
But now that state h'as lost, for which he groans,
Having gain'd dunghils,, for his Crowns, and Thrones.
Now of a King he is a servant made,
Who once immortal, now to Death betray'd:
Therefore behold him pourtrai'd to thine eye,
See where himself, his Crown and Scepter lye,
The Lamb the Type of Innocency too,
(Which LUCIFER with ADAM overthrew)
Under the great and massy Globe of Earth,
As if deprived both of Life, and breath.
13
His Crown not unregarded in the Dust
Permit to lye, but, what some e'r it cost,
Strive for to gain the Scepter that he lost;
And tho he now lyes slain depriv'd of all,
Crush'd with the weight of this terrestrial ball;
Yet shall this fallen Man at last arise,
And o're his now lost Kingdoms Regalize.
O man with joy expect this blisseful day,
Rouze up thy self, enquicken'd with the ray
Of life divine: Shake off this clogging Earth,
And strongly presse after another birth:
For that attained once, thou shalt be then,
As once thou wast, a Lord, and King agen.
In the Hieroglyphic see the lowest Globe,
Which represents this vast terrestrial Orb,
This World wherein we Live, this outward Earth,
Where we poor mortals draw a fading breath,
Where Souls immortal in a mortal case,
As in an Ergastule remain a space:
Which World's a mighty Prodigie; and those
Who it consider, in its Mazes lose
Themselves; for every thing perspicuously
The power shews of Heav'ns High Majesty.
How admirable is her Form, and Nature!
How beautiful, and well compos'd each Creature!
How full of beauty, and of Lovelinesse!
How sweetly, brave is she in Nature's dresse!
So that the eyes of man do dote upon her,
And Highest Trophies raise unto her honour.
How various and delightful are her climes!
Some smiling later, some bedress'd betimes;
Some wearing all the year a liv'ry green,
Some diversly with painted mantles seen,
While others dress'd in mantles made of snows,
Themselves (as 'twere) in silver garbs expose.
How variously delightful dressed is
Each clime, and Countrey with a native blisse!
How variously through ev'ry Region are
Her happy riches, and her costly ware,
Her helps and her commodities for Man,
Her treasures, and her pleasures too, which can
Delight her heart; spread by his bountious hand,
And all exposed unto his command.
Aspiring mountains here their heads do show,
Their pleasant dales, empal'd with woods below:
Here th'row the midst of them, the silver streams
Run trickling o're the stony pearly gems:
Here pleasant Hills adorn'd with lofty pines,
With Okes and Cedars; there the Elms and Vines
Sweetly embracing all the Hillocks side
Towards the East, fill with their branches wide.
Here stand the Laurels, with a verdant hue,
Here spreading Beaches, lofty Ashes too;
There by the Brooks grow brittle alder stems,
Willows and Sallows love the silver streams.
A thousand other trees here make a Grove,
Where the sad Turtle murm'ring wooes his love,
Where the sweet Nightingalls compose their layes,
Where other Songsters sing on several sptayes.
Praising their great Creator with their Notes.
Proceeding from their pretty warbling throtes.
Hard by are Meads in ammelled with flowers,
Cover'd with grass sprung from Zephyrian showers,
Where seems to be an everlasting spring,
Where Grashoppers in their shrill notes do sing;
Where feed the branched stag, the fair horn'd Ox,
The clambring Goats, the silver fleeced flocks,
The fair spread Mare, and the couragious horse,
Who kicks the rocks down with his heel's strong force.
Among the woods the several beasts of prey,
The roaring hests of their strong Prince obey:
The fowl Joves mighty Bird doth rule: Within
The Chrystal river several fishes swim,
And all these for the use of man were made
Good; who oft times converts them into bad.
About the Earth the liquid Ocean beats,
Scareing his sister with his boistrous Threats,
Athough she knows JEHOVAHS word is gone,
That she shall never drowned be ag'en,
Within whose liquid depths such wonders are,
As with the Earths or heavens may compare.
But round this Globe, with a vast azure bent,
Is bended round the starry Firmament,
Wherein the twinkling Lamps beday the nights,
Where are fixt, wandring, less and bigger lights:
There Cynthia ruleth Mistriss of the night,
With the clear splendor of her borrowed light;
The Sun day's King, and Lord of all the rest,
The clearest, hottest, brightest, and the best,
Begilds the day, and with a glorious splendor
His dayly service doth to mortals tender.
Thus hath the great Creator full of Love,
His wondrous blessings poured from above
Upon this world; that on this earthly stage,
Man comfort take might in this pilgrimage,
And not abuse them as most men have done,
And souls and bodies by them overthrown.
But if that now such outward bliss remains
After the change of Adams faulty stains,
What was the beauty and the comliness,
The splendor and incomparable dress
The Earth had when she from her Maker first
Came? e're that she was by his mouth accurst?
E're that she had put on inglorious weeds?
And cherished accurs'd and banefull seeds?
Which represents this vast terrestrial Orb,
This World wherein we Live, this outward Earth,
Where we poor mortals draw a fading breath,
Where Souls immortal in a mortal case,
As in an Ergastule remain a space:
Which World's a mighty Prodigie; and those
Who it consider, in its Mazes lose
Themselves; for every thing perspicuously
The power shews of Heav'ns High Majesty.
How admirable is her Form, and Nature!
How beautiful, and well compos'd each Creature!
How full of beauty, and of Lovelinesse!
How sweetly, brave is she in Nature's dresse!
So that the eyes of man do dote upon her,
And Highest Trophies raise unto her honour.
How various and delightful are her climes!
Some smiling later, some bedress'd betimes;
Some wearing all the year a liv'ry green,
Some diversly with painted mantles seen,
While others dress'd in mantles made of snows,
Themselves (as 'twere) in silver garbs expose.
How variously delightful dressed is
Each clime, and Countrey with a native blisse!
How variously through ev'ry Region are
Her happy riches, and her costly ware,
14
Her treasures, and her pleasures too, which can
Delight her heart; spread by his bountious hand,
And all exposed unto his command.
Aspiring mountains here their heads do show,
Their pleasant dales, empal'd with woods below:
Here th'row the midst of them, the silver streams
Run trickling o're the stony pearly gems:
Here pleasant Hills adorn'd with lofty pines,
With Okes and Cedars; there the Elms and Vines
Sweetly embracing all the Hillocks side
Towards the East, fill with their branches wide.
Here stand the Laurels, with a verdant hue,
Here spreading Beaches, lofty Ashes too;
There by the Brooks grow brittle alder stems,
Willows and Sallows love the silver streams.
A thousand other trees here make a Grove,
Where the sad Turtle murm'ring wooes his love,
Where the sweet Nightingalls compose their layes,
Where other Songsters sing on several sptayes.
Praising their great Creator with their Notes.
Proceeding from their pretty warbling throtes.
Hard by are Meads in ammelled with flowers,
Cover'd with grass sprung from Zephyrian showers,
Where seems to be an everlasting spring,
Where Grashoppers in their shrill notes do sing;
Where feed the branched stag, the fair horn'd Ox,
The clambring Goats, the silver fleeced flocks,
The fair spread Mare, and the couragious horse,
Who kicks the rocks down with his heel's strong force.
Among the woods the several beasts of prey,
The roaring hests of their strong Prince obey:
The fowl Joves mighty Bird doth rule: Within
The Chrystal river several fishes swim,
And all these for the use of man were made
Good; who oft times converts them into bad.
About the Earth the liquid Ocean beats,
Scareing his sister with his boistrous Threats,
Athough she knows JEHOVAHS word is gone,
That she shall never drowned be ag'en,
15
As with the Earths or heavens may compare.
But round this Globe, with a vast azure bent,
Is bended round the starry Firmament,
Wherein the twinkling Lamps beday the nights,
Where are fixt, wandring, less and bigger lights:
There Cynthia ruleth Mistriss of the night,
With the clear splendor of her borrowed light;
The Sun day's King, and Lord of all the rest,
The clearest, hottest, brightest, and the best,
Begilds the day, and with a glorious splendor
His dayly service doth to mortals tender.
Thus hath the great Creator full of Love,
His wondrous blessings poured from above
Upon this world; that on this earthly stage,
Man comfort take might in this pilgrimage,
And not abuse them as most men have done,
And souls and bodies by them overthrown.
But if that now such outward bliss remains
After the change of Adams faulty stains,
What was the beauty and the comliness,
The splendor and incomparable dress
The Earth had when she from her Maker first
Came? e're that she was by his mouth accurst?
E're that she had put on inglorious weeds?
And cherished accurs'd and banefull seeds?
Should I lanch out into this endless main,
My shallow Barque could n're return again;
Such seas of water, and of wonder too
Appear, and shew themselves unto my view:
My eyes no objects on this earth do meet,
But they my globes do with their wonders greet,
For not the smallest fly, nor creeping Ant,
Do wonders, and what's admirable want:
So that I am amazed, and must cry,
Great is the power of his Majesty!
Great are the wonders that this Globe doth hold,
So great that they're not able to be told,
Therefore expect not at my hands, that I
Should open here Dame natures Mystery;
Or that the nature of all things below
I here should in this Epique Poem shew;
Or that I here the mighty wonders tell,
That in this Orb terrestrial do dwell:
This were an endlesse task; would Ages tyre,
Not Books of Worlds, but Worlds of Books require.
This would: for not the heat-born gnat, (in truth)
Or worm, but of 't deserve a Poem doth.
My shallow Barque could n're return again;
Such seas of water, and of wonder too
Appear, and shew themselves unto my view:
My eyes no objects on this earth do meet,
But they my globes do with their wonders greet,
For not the smallest fly, nor creeping Ant,
Do wonders, and what's admirable want:
So that I am amazed, and must cry,
Great is the power of his Majesty!
Great are the wonders that this Globe doth hold,
So great that they're not able to be told,
Therefore expect not at my hands, that I
Should open here Dame natures Mystery;
16
I here should in this Epique Poem shew;
Or that I here the mighty wonders tell,
That in this Orb terrestrial do dwell:
This were an endlesse task; would Ages tyre,
Not Books of Worlds, but Worlds of Books require.
This would: for not the heat-born gnat, (in truth)
Or worm, but of 't deserve a Poem doth.
A glorious study 'tis to study Nature,
To read the great JEHOVAH in the Creature,
To meditate his mighty wonders here;
And Trophies to his Name thereby to rear:
The great Creator made all things that be,
For profit, pleasure, and commodity
Of man alone, therefore His holy Name
He ought to praise, and thank him for the same.
Let some therefore dive to Earth's Centre, and
The secrets of her bowels understand,
Let them her seal'd-up dores unbarr, and there
Her rusty Treasures brighten, and reclear:
Let such dive down into her depths below,
And the Arcana's of her Min'rals know;
Let them th'row ev'ry Room, and Chamber run,
And know the virtues of her central Sun,
Which with its Heat, pierceing th'row ev'ry room,
Gives life to seeds, sown in her vaster womb.
Let such behold her hidden Palaces,
Where sealed up lye hid her Mysteries,
There let them Tin, Ir'n, or pine, Stibium, Brasse,
Virmilion, Merc'ry, Lead, and Coperasse,
Copper, Letrargyre, Marble, Salt, and Jet,
View; and let them break up her Cabinet,
Where they with curious prying eyes, behold
May all her Mines of Silver, Steel, and Gold,
Her choyce of Rubies, Saphires, Calcedones,
Her Topaz, Opals, Emeraulds, Diamond's,
Her Carbuncles, her Amythists, her store
Of Turques, Crystals, and a thousand more:
Let them the virtues of the Load-stone see,
And all the Earths that Medcinable be:
Let them their secrets dayly meditate,
Through them God's name, and wonders predicate.
To read the great JEHOVAH in the Creature,
To meditate his mighty wonders here;
And Trophies to his Name thereby to rear:
The great Creator made all things that be,
For profit, pleasure, and commodity
Of man alone, therefore His holy Name
He ought to praise, and thank him for the same.
Let some therefore dive to Earth's Centre, and
The secrets of her bowels understand,
Let them her seal'd-up dores unbarr, and there
Her rusty Treasures brighten, and reclear:
Let such dive down into her depths below,
And the Arcana's of her Min'rals know;
Let them th'row ev'ry Room, and Chamber run,
And know the virtues of her central Sun,
Which with its Heat, pierceing th'row ev'ry room,
Gives life to seeds, sown in her vaster womb.
Let such behold her hidden Palaces,
Where sealed up lye hid her Mysteries,
There let them Tin, Ir'n, or pine, Stibium, Brasse,
Virmilion, Merc'ry, Lead, and Coperasse,
Copper, Letrargyre, Marble, Salt, and Jet,
View; and let them break up her Cabinet,
Where they with curious prying eyes, behold
May all her Mines of Silver, Steel, and Gold,
Her choyce of Rubies, Saphires, Calcedones,
Her Topaz, Opals, Emeraulds, Diamond's,
Her Carbuncles, her Amythists, her store
Of Turques, Crystals, and a thousand more:
Let them the virtues of the Load-stone see,
And all the Earths that Medcinable be:
17
Through them God's name, and wonders predicate.
Let others on her superficies walk,
And thorow all her vegitables stalk:
Into Earths dainty garden-plats let them
Come and search out the vertues of each stem;
Let them the secrets of all simples know,
The vertues of all herbs, and flowers that grow:
Let them consider flowers fragrancies,
Their checquer works, and dainty diapres,
The Violets, the Roses and the Lilies;
The Pansies, Marigolds, and Daffodillies;
Th' admired Lotos: secret vertues given
To herbs and shrubs by the free hand of heaven.
Let Mugwort, Saffron, Burnet, Piony;
Swines-bread, St. Johns-wort, and Succory,
Madder, Angelica, and Bittany,
Lunaria, Hellebore, and Dittany,
With thousands more, whose vertues wonderful
Men into admiration justly pul,
Consider'd be: Then that which makes us bread,
And grain of all sorts be considered.
Then let them walk unto the spacious groves,
And see the Male-Palms, woo their female Loves,
View there the Peruanan Brasil, how
It peopled doth like to a Village show:
See there the Oak, the Maple, Ash and Vine,
The Elm, the Larch, the Cedar and the Pine,
The Indian Cocos, which supplies the lack
Alone both of the belly and the back,
The Corck, the Osier, Alder, Willow, Holm,
The Poplars, Beaches, Yews against a storm
Good for a shelter; and consider these,
The Natures and the Uses of the trees.
Then to the fragrant Orchards go, and there,
The Apple, Plum, the Cherry and the Pear,
The Apricock, the Oring, Quince and Beach,
The Limon, Feald-beard, Walnut that doth reach
It's head to Heav'n almost, the Olive, Date,
The Baulm, and Spice-trees, which are good to eat,
See (and admire the Hand of Providence)
Their Wonders, virtues, and their excellence.
And thorow all her vegitables stalk:
Into Earths dainty garden-plats let them
Come and search out the vertues of each stem;
Let them the secrets of all simples know,
The vertues of all herbs, and flowers that grow:
Let them consider flowers fragrancies,
Their checquer works, and dainty diapres,
The Violets, the Roses and the Lilies;
The Pansies, Marigolds, and Daffodillies;
Th' admired Lotos: secret vertues given
To herbs and shrubs by the free hand of heaven.
Let Mugwort, Saffron, Burnet, Piony;
Swines-bread, St. Johns-wort, and Succory,
Madder, Angelica, and Bittany,
Lunaria, Hellebore, and Dittany,
With thousands more, whose vertues wonderful
Men into admiration justly pul,
Consider'd be: Then that which makes us bread,
And grain of all sorts be considered.
Then let them walk unto the spacious groves,
And see the Male-Palms, woo their female Loves,
View there the Peruanan Brasil, how
It peopled doth like to a Village show:
See there the Oak, the Maple, Ash and Vine,
The Elm, the Larch, the Cedar and the Pine,
The Indian Cocos, which supplies the lack
Alone both of the belly and the back,
The Corck, the Osier, Alder, Willow, Holm,
The Poplars, Beaches, Yews against a storm
Good for a shelter; and consider these,
The Natures and the Uses of the trees.
Then to the fragrant Orchards go, and there,
The Apple, Plum, the Cherry and the Pear,
The Apricock, the Oring, Quince and Beach,
The Limon, Feald-beard, Walnut that doth reach
It's head to Heav'n almost, the Olive, Date,
The Baulm, and Spice-trees, which are good to eat,
18
Their Wonders, virtues, and their excellence.
Let others also view Earth's numerous guests,
And daily weigh the natures of the Beasts,
The Mysteries of Animals they may
And their hid virtues to the World display.
Let them traverse th' Hercanian Woods, and there
The shaggy Lion, and the cruel Bear,
The Elephant, Rinocerot, the Bore,
The Camel, Bull, Horse, Asse, a thousand more
Behold: and in black Chus his scorched plaines
Draw out the Serpents from the sandy draines:
Consider there the Basilisk they may,
Who through his eyes his poyson doth conveigh,
The scaly Dragon, spiteful Viper, the
Aspick, and Adder, and Tarantule,
Which puts the stung into a Capering fit;
Then call for Musick that's the cure of it:
Drynas, and Dispas, Scorpion, and Eft
Who tho but small, to kill can make a shift:
The Horn'd Cerastes, and the Crocadile
Who daily stuffs his mighty paunch in Nile.
And let them the Camelions various hue,
With worms, and flies, Bees, other insects too
Consider well, and let them then proclame
The virtues, and the Wonders of the same.
And daily weigh the natures of the Beasts,
The Mysteries of Animals they may
And their hid virtues to the World display.
Let them traverse th' Hercanian Woods, and there
The shaggy Lion, and the cruel Bear,
The Elephant, Rinocerot, the Bore,
The Camel, Bull, Horse, Asse, a thousand more
Behold: and in black Chus his scorched plaines
Draw out the Serpents from the sandy draines:
Consider there the Basilisk they may,
Who through his eyes his poyson doth conveigh,
The scaly Dragon, spiteful Viper, the
Aspick, and Adder, and Tarantule,
Which puts the stung into a Capering fit;
Then call for Musick that's the cure of it:
Drynas, and Dispas, Scorpion, and Eft
Who tho but small, to kill can make a shift:
The Horn'd Cerastes, and the Crocadile
Who daily stuffs his mighty paunch in Nile.
And let them the Camelions various hue,
With worms, and flies, Bees, other insects too
Consider well, and let them then proclame
The virtues, and the Wonders of the same.
Again let others with industr'ous bent,
View, and review the other Element:
Peer into Rocks, and on the Mountains Top,
See mighty Rivers infant springs burst up:
And let them weigh (while others range the Woods)
The several virtues of the Crystal floods.
Let some behold the Cateracts of Nile,
Others the source of Tanais the while,
Some rapid Tigris, others Euphrates,
Ganges, and Plate, great Rivers rather Seas.
Tagus, and Rhyne, and Rhone, and Tiber too,
Arn, Sein, and Po, Ister, and Iber view,
Our silver Isis, which upon the main
Be'ing born, smels, purges, and grows sweet again.
Th' Effects and Operations then Recount
Of the day cold, and the Night-scalding fount:
Of Athamas whose cold, and Crystal Flood,
Gives living flames unto the drenched Wood.
Or Silarus, or the Ciconian streames
That wood convert to solid stone it seems.
Or the Arcadian Well, of which who drinks,
All other waters, yea wine loathsome thinks,
Also Lincestus who drink much of it,
Do reel like Drunkards in a drunken fit.
A thousand more scarce credible: and then
The medicinable waters good for men:
The Bathes of Bathe; Bangers in Gascony,
And Bajæ famous once in Italy.
Then to their Fish-boat, with their tackle try
To draw from Brooks the Silver-coated fry,
The speckled Trour, the Barbel, Tench, and Ele,
The dainty Salmon, Cherin, Lampry, Seile,
And many more: Then hoist into the Seas,
Where great variety their minds may please;
Where they as many several wonders view
May, as in th' Earth, and airy Regions too.
Th'row NEPTUNE'S wat'ry Regions let them go,
To THETIS Coral-garnish'd Court below.
There let them view the shrubs, the Trees, the Pearls,
The Syrens, Mearmaids, Tritons with their shels,
And all the Fishes that do daily sport
Themselves within great NEPTUNE'S liquid Court.
There they may Philanthropic Dolphins see,
The Whirle-Pool Whales, the terrour of the Sea
Leviathans; the Sturgions, Amia's,
The Cuttles, Tunnys, Prawnes, and Remora's,
The Pearl-Fish, Oysters, Sargus, Cantharus,
The Mullet, Herring, Uranoscopus:
With many more, which in that Region swarm,
Of sund'ry sizes, qualities, and Form.
There they the qualities of the Sea to know
May strive; how it doth daily ebb, and flow,
Its virtues, properties, how like a Lover
The Earth embraces, and yet flows not over:
And seeing these Arcana's of the flood;
May preach the wonders, praise the Name of God.
View, and review the other Element:
Peer into Rocks, and on the Mountains Top,
See mighty Rivers infant springs burst up:
And let them weigh (while others range the Woods)
The several virtues of the Crystal floods.
Let some behold the Cateracts of Nile,
Others the source of Tanais the while,
Some rapid Tigris, others Euphrates,
Ganges, and Plate, great Rivers rather Seas.
Tagus, and Rhyne, and Rhone, and Tiber too,
Arn, Sein, and Po, Ister, and Iber view,
Our silver Isis, which upon the main
Be'ing born, smels, purges, and grows sweet again.
19
Of the day cold, and the Night-scalding fount:
Of Athamas whose cold, and Crystal Flood,
Gives living flames unto the drenched Wood.
Or Silarus, or the Ciconian streames
That wood convert to solid stone it seems.
Or the Arcadian Well, of which who drinks,
All other waters, yea wine loathsome thinks,
Also Lincestus who drink much of it,
Do reel like Drunkards in a drunken fit.
A thousand more scarce credible: and then
The medicinable waters good for men:
The Bathes of Bathe; Bangers in Gascony,
And Bajæ famous once in Italy.
Then to their Fish-boat, with their tackle try
To draw from Brooks the Silver-coated fry,
The speckled Trour, the Barbel, Tench, and Ele,
The dainty Salmon, Cherin, Lampry, Seile,
And many more: Then hoist into the Seas,
Where great variety their minds may please;
Where they as many several wonders view
May, as in th' Earth, and airy Regions too.
Th'row NEPTUNE'S wat'ry Regions let them go,
To THETIS Coral-garnish'd Court below.
There let them view the shrubs, the Trees, the Pearls,
The Syrens, Mearmaids, Tritons with their shels,
And all the Fishes that do daily sport
Themselves within great NEPTUNE'S liquid Court.
There they may Philanthropic Dolphins see,
The Whirle-Pool Whales, the terrour of the Sea
Leviathans; the Sturgions, Amia's,
The Cuttles, Tunnys, Prawnes, and Remora's,
The Pearl-Fish, Oysters, Sargus, Cantharus,
The Mullet, Herring, Uranoscopus:
With many more, which in that Region swarm,
Of sund'ry sizes, qualities, and Form.
There they the qualities of the Sea to know
May strive; how it doth daily ebb, and flow,
Its virtues, properties, how like a Lover
The Earth embraces, and yet flows not over:
20
May preach the wonders, praise the Name of God.
Also let others winged th'row the air,
Propitiously their noble courses steer,
And let their constant minds be dayly bent,
Upon the wonders of that Element:
There they may ransack every cave and house,
That doth belong to boistrous Æolus.
The several Regions of the air they may,
With Hails, and Snows, and Rains, and Frosts display,
With Dews and Comets, Exhalations, Thunder,
Mists, Blasts and Fumes, and Lightnings full of wonder.
They too consider may when they are there
The winged people of the moving air:
Up to the Eagles Eyrie may they run,
And see the Eaglets face, the dazling Sun,
Scorning to wink, for by this certain sign,
Fowles Prince knows that her brood is genuine.
Thence to the Arabian spicy woods they hast
May, and behold the Phænix in her nest,
The Whilst her spicy bed begins to burn,
And her consumeth in her fragrant urn;
Straight way the ashes in her dainty Tomb
Take life, and so the grave becomes the womb
Of a new Phænix, from whose ashes rise
Another Phænix shall when e're she dyes.
The unkind Estridge on th' Arabian plain,
Beating her plumes against the wind in vain,
Who cannot mount as other fowl, that fly
Within the liquid bosom of the skie;
Behold; and see Queen Juno's stately Bird,
Her train extending high at every gird:
The brustling Turky, and the crested Cock,
The Huswife's watch, the sturdy Plow-mans clock.
Then see the Crane, the Stork, the Pellican,
The Cormorant, the Hern, and silver Swan,
The Halcyon, the bird of Paradise,
That never touches ground untill she dies,
The Griffin, Faulcon, Laner, Marlin, Kite,
The Swift, and Swallow that renews the sight
Of her blind young with Selandine: the Pie,
The Lark and Finch, and many more that fly
Within the Air's fair region: Here they may
The secret vertues of them all display.
And seeing here the wonders of the Lord,
His Name and Praises trumpet may abroad.
Propitiously their noble courses steer,
And let their constant minds be dayly bent,
Upon the wonders of that Element:
There they may ransack every cave and house,
That doth belong to boistrous Æolus.
The several Regions of the air they may,
With Hails, and Snows, and Rains, and Frosts display,
With Dews and Comets, Exhalations, Thunder,
Mists, Blasts and Fumes, and Lightnings full of wonder.
They too consider may when they are there
The winged people of the moving air:
Up to the Eagles Eyrie may they run,
And see the Eaglets face, the dazling Sun,
Scorning to wink, for by this certain sign,
Fowles Prince knows that her brood is genuine.
Thence to the Arabian spicy woods they hast
May, and behold the Phænix in her nest,
The Whilst her spicy bed begins to burn,
And her consumeth in her fragrant urn;
Straight way the ashes in her dainty Tomb
Take life, and so the grave becomes the womb
Of a new Phænix, from whose ashes rise
Another Phænix shall when e're she dyes.
The unkind Estridge on th' Arabian plain,
Beating her plumes against the wind in vain,
Who cannot mount as other fowl, that fly
Within the liquid bosom of the skie;
Behold; and see Queen Juno's stately Bird,
Her train extending high at every gird:
The brustling Turky, and the crested Cock,
The Huswife's watch, the sturdy Plow-mans clock.
Then see the Crane, the Stork, the Pellican,
The Cormorant, the Hern, and silver Swan,
The Halcyon, the bird of Paradise,
That never touches ground untill she dies,
The Griffin, Faulcon, Laner, Marlin, Kite,
The Swift, and Swallow that renews the sight
21
The Lark and Finch, and many more that fly
Within the Air's fair region: Here they may
The secret vertues of them all display.
And seeing here the wonders of the Lord,
His Name and Praises trumpet may abroad.
Lastly, let others free from earthly cares,
God b'ye bid to the earth, and view the stars.
Where with fair pinions fluttering along,
The Azure dwelling of that numerous throng,
They may behold the Roods, and several Inns,
Of the sev'n Planets, and the twice six signs.
There they the Coach may of the day's bright Prince
Follow, and view's course, and circumference;
His flaming and swift steeds quotidian race,
His twelve fair lodgings in his annual space:
How he the seasons of the year createth,
How now the dayes length, now the nights length bateth.
There they fair PHEBE, horned now, e'r long
Filling her Orb with light grow fair, and young
Again, may see; her divers aspects, and
How when at full eclipsed understand:
How nimbly tripping in a swift carere,
The heav'nly Zodiack twelve times in a year
She passes. Thence to Mercuries sphere they go
May, and behold his annual motion too,
Who waiting on the Chariot of the Sun,
Spends almost twelve-moneths e'r his race is run.
Thence mounting higher they behold the fair,
And splendid Venus, now the evening star,
Sometimes again, with most resplendant rayes,
And matchless beauty sh' ushers in the days.
Thence still ascending viewing Phæbus sphere,
They may behold him measure out the year;
And how he doth years several seasons cause,
Spring at's approach, Winter when back he draws;
Summer and Autumn, when his jorneys made
Th'row Cancer, and when with the Virgin laid.
Thence to the angry God of War they go
May, and behold his sphere, and journey too,
Which e'r he't finish'd th'row the Houses has,
Three Sommers, and as many Winters passe.
Then to the Sphere of Jupiter they wenn
May, and behold his Chariot of Tinn,
Which twerling th'row the Zodiack, doth runne
Four trines of yeares e'r't doth to Pisces come.
Thence they to leaden Saturn may advance
Whose coursers slowly thirty yeares do prance,
E'r they can draw their heavy Car about,
And see the place from whence they first set out.
And thence to the eight Sphear; whose mighty bent
Contains the Host of the blew Firmament,
Whose vaster circuit, e'r it turns about
(Tho' swift) almost sev'n thousand years wears out.
Heav'n's glittering Zone next then they may behold,
Fringed with Silver, and embos'd with Gold,
Wherein twice six most glorious Figures stand,
Exactly wrought by an Almighty Hand:
March his brave Ram, and April's Bull that brings
Upon his horns the garland of the springs:
Th' embracing Twins; The Crab that first doth show
Fair Sommer's presence with a swetty brow:
Then rampant Leo, who with burning breath
Scorcheth the Planes, and green Woods withereth.
The Virgin next who smiling doth appear
To crown the Plow-man's Hopes for all the year.
The Ballance then beaming with splendour bright
The æquidistance weighs of Day, and Night.
The Scorpion, Centaure, Kid, and Skinker shine,
The Fishes too, a wet and Winter sign.
Turning their heads then to the Artic pole,
They may behold the monstrous Dragon roule,
And with his starry tail, the Wain-man; there
The Crown, the Harp, the Eagle, and the Spear
The Snake, the Swan, and flying Pegasus;
Andromeda, and her dear Perseus,
Casiopeia, and the Dolphin, and
Medusa's Head, and Cepheus do stand.
Then to th' Antartic turn they may, and view
Where the hot dog-star, and Orion too,
The Whale, the Whelpe, the Hare, the Hulke, and the
Raven, Wolfe, Fowl, the Boule and Hydra be:
The Crown, the Fish, and other starres beside,
Most plainly by Astronomers descri'd.
There also may they with a mind intense
Consider all the Twincklers influence
On th' Orb below, and how they often change
Mens minds, and manners, in a manner strange.
How pleasant meeting in conjunction smile;
How frowning opposite another while:
Heav'n is God's Book, the Starres are letters that
Himself so fair with his own finger wrot;
Wise Men can read them; ignorants indeed
Do 'count them Ciphers, 'cause they cannot read:
Wise Men alone do rule the starres, but they
Else cause both Man, and Beast their Laws obey:
Who vieweth thus th' Arcana's of the Sky,
Glory may give to Heav'n's High Majesty,
But let us not unmindful be of Man,
Who harbours Wonders in his outer frame;
Tho Worlds he hold, That to the outer Sphear
Doth answer, therefore to be mention'd here.
Let therefore some anatomize him, and
His Bodys inner parts well understand.
There in them see the purple springlets draine
From Life's true Centre thorow every vein:
The spungy Lungs, the bellows of the Breast,
The stomach Cook by whom the food is dres't;
The which prepar'd, by the Misentric's sent
Unto the Liver for its nourishment,
Where, in a short space all the juicy flood
Dy'd, is converted into Crimson blood,
From whence, as Rivers from the Fountains Head's,
It by the veins th'row all the Body spreads.
Descending lower let them view at leasure,
The Guts fine labyrinth the Bellie's Treasure.
But e'r they thus dissect him, let them see
His comely features, and Limbs symmetry,
See the fair capital of this structure, stand
On a Cylindric pillar to command
The rest: His spacious Front the Throne of Aw,
And Majesty: His eyes that homage draw
From other creatures, like two Twinklers bright
Sparkling, and streaming with clear Rayes of Light,
Stand placed under two fair arc's of Hair;
These with two lidds from harm defended are,
That with a double guard of slender pikes,
Keeps off th' offensives that the Eye dislikes.
See then the Conduits of the Head: likewise
Two blushing Mounts that in his Face arise;
The Ruby portals of a pearly gate,
The Mill and grinder of the body's meat.
The Tongue words former, and the mazey Ear
Through which he doth the formed voyces hear.
His Hands the body's Purveyors, his Knees,
His Legs, and Feet the Basis unto these;
For tyes the sinue, ligaments the Nerve,
And bones for Beams, do in this building serve.
But most of all, who'l not admire at
His speech, the nimble Tongue's uncessant chat?
Words they are wonders, in the Head created,
Then by the tell-tale Tongue aloud related.
His Wit, and Memory are admirable,
For to recount whose Wonders none are able.
Mechanics, and the Mathamatics too,
And almost all things in the World, do shew
The mighty wonders of Man's pregnant Brain:
The Muses, and Apollo's wits it drain
Would, should they go about but to recount
The same: indeed they Number do surmount.
But whosoe'r Contemplates Man, may see
The matchlesse Wisdom of Heav'n's Majesty.
God b'ye bid to the earth, and view the stars.
Where with fair pinions fluttering along,
The Azure dwelling of that numerous throng,
They may behold the Roods, and several Inns,
Of the sev'n Planets, and the twice six signs.
There they the Coach may of the day's bright Prince
Follow, and view's course, and circumference;
His flaming and swift steeds quotidian race,
His twelve fair lodgings in his annual space:
How he the seasons of the year createth,
How now the dayes length, now the nights length bateth.
There they fair PHEBE, horned now, e'r long
Filling her Orb with light grow fair, and young
Again, may see; her divers aspects, and
How when at full eclipsed understand:
How nimbly tripping in a swift carere,
The heav'nly Zodiack twelve times in a year
She passes. Thence to Mercuries sphere they go
May, and behold his annual motion too,
Who waiting on the Chariot of the Sun,
Spends almost twelve-moneths e'r his race is run.
Thence mounting higher they behold the fair,
And splendid Venus, now the evening star,
Sometimes again, with most resplendant rayes,
And matchless beauty sh' ushers in the days.
Thence still ascending viewing Phæbus sphere,
They may behold him measure out the year;
And how he doth years several seasons cause,
Spring at's approach, Winter when back he draws;
Summer and Autumn, when his jorneys made
Th'row Cancer, and when with the Virgin laid.
Thence to the angry God of War they go
May, and behold his sphere, and journey too,
22
Three Sommers, and as many Winters passe.
Then to the Sphere of Jupiter they wenn
May, and behold his Chariot of Tinn,
Which twerling th'row the Zodiack, doth runne
Four trines of yeares e'r't doth to Pisces come.
Thence they to leaden Saturn may advance
Whose coursers slowly thirty yeares do prance,
E'r they can draw their heavy Car about,
And see the place from whence they first set out.
And thence to the eight Sphear; whose mighty bent
Contains the Host of the blew Firmament,
Whose vaster circuit, e'r it turns about
(Tho' swift) almost sev'n thousand years wears out.
Heav'n's glittering Zone next then they may behold,
Fringed with Silver, and embos'd with Gold,
Wherein twice six most glorious Figures stand,
Exactly wrought by an Almighty Hand:
March his brave Ram, and April's Bull that brings
Upon his horns the garland of the springs:
Th' embracing Twins; The Crab that first doth show
Fair Sommer's presence with a swetty brow:
Then rampant Leo, who with burning breath
Scorcheth the Planes, and green Woods withereth.
The Virgin next who smiling doth appear
To crown the Plow-man's Hopes for all the year.
The Ballance then beaming with splendour bright
The æquidistance weighs of Day, and Night.
The Scorpion, Centaure, Kid, and Skinker shine,
The Fishes too, a wet and Winter sign.
Turning their heads then to the Artic pole,
They may behold the monstrous Dragon roule,
And with his starry tail, the Wain-man; there
The Crown, the Harp, the Eagle, and the Spear
The Snake, the Swan, and flying Pegasus;
Andromeda, and her dear Perseus,
Casiopeia, and the Dolphin, and
Medusa's Head, and Cepheus do stand.
Then to th' Antartic turn they may, and view
Where the hot dog-star, and Orion too,
23
Raven, Wolfe, Fowl, the Boule and Hydra be:
The Crown, the Fish, and other starres beside,
Most plainly by Astronomers descri'd.
There also may they with a mind intense
Consider all the Twincklers influence
On th' Orb below, and how they often change
Mens minds, and manners, in a manner strange.
How pleasant meeting in conjunction smile;
How frowning opposite another while:
Heav'n is God's Book, the Starres are letters that
Himself so fair with his own finger wrot;
Wise Men can read them; ignorants indeed
Do 'count them Ciphers, 'cause they cannot read:
Wise Men alone do rule the starres, but they
Else cause both Man, and Beast their Laws obey:
Who vieweth thus th' Arcana's of the Sky,
Glory may give to Heav'n's High Majesty,
But let us not unmindful be of Man,
Who harbours Wonders in his outer frame;
Tho Worlds he hold, That to the outer Sphear
Doth answer, therefore to be mention'd here.
Let therefore some anatomize him, and
His Bodys inner parts well understand.
There in them see the purple springlets draine
From Life's true Centre thorow every vein:
The spungy Lungs, the bellows of the Breast,
The stomach Cook by whom the food is dres't;
The which prepar'd, by the Misentric's sent
Unto the Liver for its nourishment,
Where, in a short space all the juicy flood
Dy'd, is converted into Crimson blood,
From whence, as Rivers from the Fountains Head's,
It by the veins th'row all the Body spreads.
Descending lower let them view at leasure,
The Guts fine labyrinth the Bellie's Treasure.
But e'r they thus dissect him, let them see
His comely features, and Limbs symmetry,
See the fair capital of this structure, stand
On a Cylindric pillar to command
24
And Majesty: His eyes that homage draw
From other creatures, like two Twinklers bright
Sparkling, and streaming with clear Rayes of Light,
Stand placed under two fair arc's of Hair;
These with two lidds from harm defended are,
That with a double guard of slender pikes,
Keeps off th' offensives that the Eye dislikes.
See then the Conduits of the Head: likewise
Two blushing Mounts that in his Face arise;
The Ruby portals of a pearly gate,
The Mill and grinder of the body's meat.
The Tongue words former, and the mazey Ear
Through which he doth the formed voyces hear.
His Hands the body's Purveyors, his Knees,
His Legs, and Feet the Basis unto these;
For tyes the sinue, ligaments the Nerve,
And bones for Beams, do in this building serve.
But most of all, who'l not admire at
His speech, the nimble Tongue's uncessant chat?
Words they are wonders, in the Head created,
Then by the tell-tale Tongue aloud related.
His Wit, and Memory are admirable,
For to recount whose Wonders none are able.
Mechanics, and the Mathamatics too,
And almost all things in the World, do shew
The mighty wonders of Man's pregnant Brain:
The Muses, and Apollo's wits it drain
Would, should they go about but to recount
The same: indeed they Number do surmount.
But whosoe'r Contemplates Man, may see
The matchlesse Wisdom of Heav'n's Majesty.
These are the Seas of endlesse Wonders, where
God's admirable power doth appear,
For who-soe'r into these depths doth go,
Shall the Creator's Wonders see, and know,
Into which Seas infinitude I fear
So slender' vessel as mine own to steer:
Nor am I suffer'd now (to swell my verse)
These things (although Arcana's) to reherse:
Nor yet Geography's fair Lists to enter,
Fair EUROP'S limits, or great ASIA'S Centre,
To speak of, or to tell what bounds do close
Scorch'd AFRICK, AMERICA, what Seas.
To say what River, Mountain, Lake, or Ground,
O Seas, do such, and such a Countrey bound.
To tell each soil's abundant fruitfulnesse,
Its divers properties, and various dresse:
To say where grows the sweetest Grain, and where
Best wine; what Lands best Hemp, and cordage bear:
What Countrey Timber, Cattel, Silk, and Lead
Yeelds; Where most Mines are, where best Horses bred:
The Countreys temp'raments; the peoples manners,
Religion, Laws, Rites, Customs, Habits, Honors.
These things I leave to others to reherse,
They come not here in compasse of my Verse,
For should I lanch into so vast a Main,
My slender Barque could ne're return again;
Although indeed all these be Wonders great,
They are not those of which I mean to treat.
God's admirable power doth appear,
For who-soe'r into these depths doth go,
Shall the Creator's Wonders see, and know,
Into which Seas infinitude I fear
So slender' vessel as mine own to steer:
Nor am I suffer'd now (to swell my verse)
These things (although Arcana's) to reherse:
25
Fair EUROP'S limits, or great ASIA'S Centre,
To speak of, or to tell what bounds do close
Scorch'd AFRICK, AMERICA, what Seas.
To say what River, Mountain, Lake, or Ground,
O Seas, do such, and such a Countrey bound.
To tell each soil's abundant fruitfulnesse,
Its divers properties, and various dresse:
To say where grows the sweetest Grain, and where
Best wine; what Lands best Hemp, and cordage bear:
What Countrey Timber, Cattel, Silk, and Lead
Yeelds; Where most Mines are, where best Horses bred:
The Countreys temp'raments; the peoples manners,
Religion, Laws, Rites, Customs, Habits, Honors.
These things I leave to others to reherse,
They come not here in compasse of my Verse,
For should I lanch into so vast a Main,
My slender Barque could ne're return again;
Although indeed all these be Wonders great,
They are not those of which I mean to treat.
Fill'd with a fire that now inflames my Soul,
That with strong ardors, in my Breast doth roul,
That fill's me with a sacred rage, and beares
Me from the Earthly into mystic Sphears,
I write; Know therefore this World two-fold is,
Fill'd with a curse, and yet retains a blisse;
Full of deformity, and uglinesse.
Though washed over with an outward dresse;
And yet there is a part that doth indue,
The Robe of happinesse, and beauty too.
In one part stand great BABEL'S lofty Towers,
SODOM'S profane, and ÆGYPT'S wicked Bowers,
Where LUCIFER triumphs, and raignes as King,
In's Throne of Evil, and his Court of Sin;
Sorrow, and Care, Labour, and Toyl, and Swet,
Trouble, vexation, round about him set.
Here SATURN'S Lord, (though 'tis by usurpation)
Here he committeth spoil, and devastation;
Here his great Princes, with their Hellish art,
His Stygian Vice-Royes, govern each a part,
Who here maligning mortals happinesse,
Do cause them one another to distresse.
Here bloody wars, the stained Campaine spread
With mangled Limbs, and Bodies butchered:
Here is the Chrystal, turn'd to Crimson flood,
Distained with the gore of humane blood:
Here thousand Orphans, thousand Widows stray,
Here thousand Captives chain'd are led away.
Here Famine rageth, here contagions spread,
That scarce the Living can interr the Dead:
Here sicknesses, and all diseases are,
Here miseries, unhappinesse, and care.
Here also all the sinnes in order range,
Provoking all Men for to take their swinge:
Here avarice, here cruelty, and here
Lusts, murthers, rapines, drunkennesse appear,
Here Ryot, Luxuries, and wantonnesse,
Here also pinching, scraping, and excesse,
Deceit and cheating have their Residence
Within the vast Realms of this mighty Prince;
Within the circuit of great BABYLON,
Where mighty LUCIFER has pitch'd his throne:
Where like a Prince (and like a Lion stout
For's prey) he walks his Countrey round about.
That with strong ardors, in my Breast doth roul,
That fill's me with a sacred rage, and beares
Me from the Earthly into mystic Sphears,
I write; Know therefore this World two-fold is,
Fill'd with a curse, and yet retains a blisse;
Full of deformity, and uglinesse.
Though washed over with an outward dresse;
And yet there is a part that doth indue,
The Robe of happinesse, and beauty too.
In one part stand great BABEL'S lofty Towers,
SODOM'S profane, and ÆGYPT'S wicked Bowers,
Where LUCIFER triumphs, and raignes as King,
In's Throne of Evil, and his Court of Sin;
Sorrow, and Care, Labour, and Toyl, and Swet,
Trouble, vexation, round about him set.
Here SATURN'S Lord, (though 'tis by usurpation)
Here he committeth spoil, and devastation;
Here his great Princes, with their Hellish art,
His Stygian Vice-Royes, govern each a part,
26
Do cause them one another to distresse.
Here bloody wars, the stained Campaine spread
With mangled Limbs, and Bodies butchered:
Here is the Chrystal, turn'd to Crimson flood,
Distained with the gore of humane blood:
Here thousand Orphans, thousand Widows stray,
Here thousand Captives chain'd are led away.
Here Famine rageth, here contagions spread,
That scarce the Living can interr the Dead:
Here sicknesses, and all diseases are,
Here miseries, unhappinesse, and care.
Here also all the sinnes in order range,
Provoking all Men for to take their swinge:
Here avarice, here cruelty, and here
Lusts, murthers, rapines, drunkennesse appear,
Here Ryot, Luxuries, and wantonnesse,
Here also pinching, scraping, and excesse,
Deceit and cheating have their Residence
Within the vast Realms of this mighty Prince;
Within the circuit of great BABYLON,
Where mighty LUCIFER has pitch'd his throne:
Where like a Prince (and like a Lion stout
For's prey) he walks his Countrey round about.
In th' other part of this great Universe
(Which mask'd to mortals yet true beauty wears)
JERUSALEM, and blessed SION stand,
With famous Eden, and the Holy-Land,
Fair Paradise; felicites bless'd site,
Where pleasure, and unwearied delight
Where Plenty, Peace, where Justice, Righteousnesse,
Where Truth, Love, Piety, and Happinesse
Dwell sweetly link'd, There still a springing green,
And constant verdure, sans decay is seen.
No Winters blasts, no stormy Rages there,
No wars, nor cruel Discords once appear:
No vices Vipers brood, no blood, nor murther,
No cheats, deceits, no Rapines, nor disorder,
No Lusts, nor avarice, nor base impiety,
No cursing Men, blaspheming of the Deity,
No Oaths, nor Rancor, no injustice, nor
Ambition, Envy; Stimula's to war,
Can there approach: here only dwels community,
Peace, Meeknesse, Love, Truth, Wisdom, Joy, and Unity.
Here King of this part sacred Jesus sits,
Who to his Vice-Roys also parts commits,
The holy Angels; under whose command
They with impartial Justice rule the Land,
And for the good of mortals still expose,
Their vigor to the Rigour of our Foes,
Our Stygian foes, who, were it not for them,
From th' Earth would quickly root the mortal stemm.
All that both good, and blessed doth appear,
All that's delightful, or contentful here,
All that is beautiful, or doth delight
With hurtlesse pleasures, both our heart, and sight,
Proceedeth from the Happy Influence
Of this part of the world: Likewise from thence
Proceeds our health (mortals chief wealth) content,
Blisse, Joy, peace, concord, and true Blandishment.
All that both Evil, and accursed is,
All that is ugly, and all bane to Blisse,
All that is hurtful, poyson, sicknesse, death,
All discords, wars, infections, jarrs beneath,
On th' other side comes from the Influence
Of that part, where inthron'd sits Hel's black Prince.
Now were That gone, this Earth an Hell would be,
And were not This here we 't an Heav'n should see:
So that this Eart'hs a medly, checquer'd still
With black, and white, compos'd of Good, and Ill.
(Which mask'd to mortals yet true beauty wears)
JERUSALEM, and blessed SION stand,
With famous Eden, and the Holy-Land,
Fair Paradise; felicites bless'd site,
Where pleasure, and unwearied delight
Where Plenty, Peace, where Justice, Righteousnesse,
Where Truth, Love, Piety, and Happinesse
Dwell sweetly link'd, There still a springing green,
And constant verdure, sans decay is seen.
No Winters blasts, no stormy Rages there,
No wars, nor cruel Discords once appear:
No vices Vipers brood, no blood, nor murther,
No cheats, deceits, no Rapines, nor disorder,
No Lusts, nor avarice, nor base impiety,
No cursing Men, blaspheming of the Deity,
27
Ambition, Envy; Stimula's to war,
Can there approach: here only dwels community,
Peace, Meeknesse, Love, Truth, Wisdom, Joy, and Unity.
Here King of this part sacred Jesus sits,
Who to his Vice-Roys also parts commits,
The holy Angels; under whose command
They with impartial Justice rule the Land,
And for the good of mortals still expose,
Their vigor to the Rigour of our Foes,
Our Stygian foes, who, were it not for them,
From th' Earth would quickly root the mortal stemm.
All that both good, and blessed doth appear,
All that's delightful, or contentful here,
All that is beautiful, or doth delight
With hurtlesse pleasures, both our heart, and sight,
Proceedeth from the Happy Influence
Of this part of the world: Likewise from thence
Proceeds our health (mortals chief wealth) content,
Blisse, Joy, peace, concord, and true Blandishment.
All that both Evil, and accursed is,
All that is ugly, and all bane to Blisse,
All that is hurtful, poyson, sicknesse, death,
All discords, wars, infections, jarrs beneath,
On th' other side comes from the Influence
Of that part, where inthron'd sits Hel's black Prince.
Now were That gone, this Earth an Hell would be,
And were not This here we 't an Heav'n should see:
So that this Eart'hs a medly, checquer'd still
With black, and white, compos'd of Good, and Ill.
The darker part, where Sathan rules, doth here
Perspicuously to mortal eyes appear
Th'rowout the world; and blessed Paradise
Obscur'd by clouds, is hid from mortal eyes,
And as it were triumph'd upon, and fled
From th' Earth, and thence for ever banished.
What said I, hence for ever banish'd? No,
I must recant, and if I did say so,
For filled now with a prophetic Rage,
My Life, and all that's dear to me engage
I dare, I will; that Sathan's tumbling down,
And shall bereft be both of Rule, and Crown.
E'r long; this Earth so long the Stage of Hell,
Love's blessed influence e'r long shall feel:
Chere Saints, and tremble all you wicked crue,
A Day of blisse, of sorrow, be to you
It shall. Chere Hearts Night's sable blacks are gon,
And fait Aurora now begins to dawn:
Turn to the East your long-expecting eyes,
And see this Sun in his bright lustre rise;
His Kingdom then no longer shall be hid,
Nor under clouds of darknesses abide,
None then shall say, where is this Kingdom, where
This Paradise? for then it shall appear
In all its lustre th'row the Earth, and then
Jesus alone shall raign the King of Men.
Nothing but Peace, and Righteousnesse shall flow,
With Joy, and Blisse, and all content below:
Then shall JEHOVAH'S gracious will be done
On Earth, as now in Heav'n by every one.
For this end was the Earth created: shall
The end not be (for which God made this ball)
Effected then? for hitherto we see,
The Devil King was of this Globe, not he:
But now he shall be King alone, with shame
Hell banish'd Earth: I A TRUE PROPHET AM.
Perspicuously to mortal eyes appear
Th'rowout the world; and blessed Paradise
Obscur'd by clouds, is hid from mortal eyes,
And as it were triumph'd upon, and fled
From th' Earth, and thence for ever banished.
What said I, hence for ever banish'd? No,
I must recant, and if I did say so,
For filled now with a prophetic Rage,
My Life, and all that's dear to me engage
28
And shall bereft be both of Rule, and Crown.
E'r long; this Earth so long the Stage of Hell,
Love's blessed influence e'r long shall feel:
Chere Saints, and tremble all you wicked crue,
A Day of blisse, of sorrow, be to you
It shall. Chere Hearts Night's sable blacks are gon,
And fait Aurora now begins to dawn:
Turn to the East your long-expecting eyes,
And see this Sun in his bright lustre rise;
His Kingdom then no longer shall be hid,
Nor under clouds of darknesses abide,
None then shall say, where is this Kingdom, where
This Paradise? for then it shall appear
In all its lustre th'row the Earth, and then
Jesus alone shall raign the King of Men.
Nothing but Peace, and Righteousnesse shall flow,
With Joy, and Blisse, and all content below:
Then shall JEHOVAH'S gracious will be done
On Earth, as now in Heav'n by every one.
For this end was the Earth created: shall
The end not be (for which God made this ball)
Effected then? for hitherto we see,
The Devil King was of this Globe, not he:
But now he shall be King alone, with shame
Hell banish'd Earth: I A TRUE PROPHET AM.
But now my thinks your words assault mine ear,
Where's Paradise? desirously you quære.
In what by-corner of the Earth it stands?
Whether in Peru? or by Ganges sands?
Whether it under the Antartic lyes?
Or where the Riphean snowy Mountains rise?
In what place lyes this blessed part, which is
The Realm of Joyes, and the state of Blisse?
We know that once (five thousand years ago)
It was where rapid Euphrates doth flow:
But where it ever since has hid its head,
Into what Kingdom, or what Countrey fled
We do not know. I'le tell you then where lyes
The happy Regions of bless'd Paradise.
To find this place, you need not cut the seas,
You need not travel to clear Euphrates;
You need not passe th' Arabian sands; nor go
Over the craggy Alpes uneven brow:
Nor visit TEMPES fragrant bosom, nor
Th' Atlantides, nor other Regions; for
Tho' round the world you go; search every Creek,
And ev'ry Land, and every corner seek
Of this great Universe, your labour lost
May be, and you reap pains for all your cost.
Know then that it in every Land doth lye,
But yet the place none but the Wise can 'spy:
Vails double dy'd in pitch are thrown thereon,
And yet it is as naked as the Sun.
Th'row out the world it is, and seems to be
Fast link'd unto the other part of the
Great World; but yet an endlesse Gulf remains,
Between this Land of Blisse, and that of stains.
Rivers they are not, that do bound this Land,
Nor massive Mountains, that do justing stand:
Nor Woods, nor Heaths, nor Planes, nor Hils, nor Seas,
Nor Groves, nor Vales, nor Piles, nor Pales, nor Trees
This place from th' other part of Earth divide:
Nor yet doth it in Caves, or Vallies hide
It self; nor doth between the Mountains lye,
Whose craggy tops aspiring touch the sky:
It's wall is fire, which bounds it round about,
Which keeps the wicked, and unrighteous out:
It's Janitor, or Centinal doth stand,
Arm'd with a flaming weapon in his hand;
But (without clouding it) it in a word;
A mighty Cherub only has for guard.
As Day dwels in the shadows of the Night,
As darknesse doth involve the splendid Light,
As the bright flame lyes hidden in the coal,
So lurking lyes this holy place in all
The Universe: So lies Jerusalem
And SION clouded are with Babylon,
But yet the Gulf 'twixt them's as great, I say;
As betwixt Light, and Darknesse, Night, and Day:
For tho, in one another hid they be,
They yet together cannot stand you see;
For when the Darknesse spreads its wings, the Light
Flyes: So bright Day doth chase away the Night.
When Night comes she involves the shining Day;
When Day comes it hides Night within it's Ray.
Thus dwell the Principles in one another,
Thus Hell, and Heaven blended are together,
Thus is the Good part of the Earth hid in
The Evil part, the spacious Realm of sin.
Where's Paradise? desirously you quære.
In what by-corner of the Earth it stands?
Whether in Peru? or by Ganges sands?
Whether it under the Antartic lyes?
Or where the Riphean snowy Mountains rise?
In what place lyes this blessed part, which is
The Realm of Joyes, and the state of Blisse?
We know that once (five thousand years ago)
It was where rapid Euphrates doth flow:
But where it ever since has hid its head,
Into what Kingdom, or what Countrey fled
We do not know. I'le tell you then where lyes
The happy Regions of bless'd Paradise.
29
You need not travel to clear Euphrates;
You need not passe th' Arabian sands; nor go
Over the craggy Alpes uneven brow:
Nor visit TEMPES fragrant bosom, nor
Th' Atlantides, nor other Regions; for
Tho' round the world you go; search every Creek,
And ev'ry Land, and every corner seek
Of this great Universe, your labour lost
May be, and you reap pains for all your cost.
Know then that it in every Land doth lye,
But yet the place none but the Wise can 'spy:
Vails double dy'd in pitch are thrown thereon,
And yet it is as naked as the Sun.
Th'row out the world it is, and seems to be
Fast link'd unto the other part of the
Great World; but yet an endlesse Gulf remains,
Between this Land of Blisse, and that of stains.
Rivers they are not, that do bound this Land,
Nor massive Mountains, that do justing stand:
Nor Woods, nor Heaths, nor Planes, nor Hils, nor Seas,
Nor Groves, nor Vales, nor Piles, nor Pales, nor Trees
This place from th' other part of Earth divide:
Nor yet doth it in Caves, or Vallies hide
It self; nor doth between the Mountains lye,
Whose craggy tops aspiring touch the sky:
It's wall is fire, which bounds it round about,
Which keeps the wicked, and unrighteous out:
It's Janitor, or Centinal doth stand,
Arm'd with a flaming weapon in his hand;
But (without clouding it) it in a word;
A mighty Cherub only has for guard.
As Day dwels in the shadows of the Night,
As darknesse doth involve the splendid Light,
As the bright flame lyes hidden in the coal,
So lurking lyes this holy place in all
The Universe: So lies Jerusalem
And SION clouded are with Babylon,
But yet the Gulf 'twixt them's as great, I say;
As betwixt Light, and Darknesse, Night, and Day:
30
They yet together cannot stand you see;
For when the Darknesse spreads its wings, the Light
Flyes: So bright Day doth chase away the Night.
When Night comes she involves the shining Day;
When Day comes it hides Night within it's Ray.
Thus dwell the Principles in one another,
Thus Hell, and Heaven blended are together,
Thus is the Good part of the Earth hid in
The Evil part, the spacious Realm of sin.
Then wonder not if I to you relate
That while you dwell in Babylonish state,
In midst of Babel, and her wickednesse,
Priding your self in all her whorish dresse,
Your next near neighbour (in the world's account)
May dwel upon thrice sacred SION'S Mount,
And in bless'd Paradise: for tho he may
In Night seem, He in Night has found the Day.
He plows, he sows, he reaps the Earth; so you
The Gleab do plow, sow, reap, and husband too,
But yet your aym, and end, and his infers
He is God's Stuart, you are Lucifers:
From several principles you act, and he
Is in the second, in the first you be;
He dwells in EDEN, and JERUSALEM,
But you in Ægypt, and in Babylon.
Thrice happy is the Man, that thus hath found
In midst of Babel this thrice hallowed ground.
That while you dwell in Babylonish state,
In midst of Babel, and her wickednesse,
Priding your self in all her whorish dresse,
Your next near neighbour (in the world's account)
May dwel upon thrice sacred SION'S Mount,
And in bless'd Paradise: for tho he may
In Night seem, He in Night has found the Day.
He plows, he sows, he reaps the Earth; so you
The Gleab do plow, sow, reap, and husband too,
But yet your aym, and end, and his infers
He is God's Stuart, you are Lucifers:
From several principles you act, and he
Is in the second, in the first you be;
He dwells in EDEN, and JERUSALEM,
But you in Ægypt, and in Babylon.
Thrice happy is the Man, that thus hath found
In midst of Babel this thrice hallowed ground.
The purest Chrystal, nor the whitest snow,
Nor candid'st Lilies, fairest flowers that grow,
Nor splendid Phœbus, nor the nitid ayr,
Nor shining Phœbe half so bright, nor fair,
Nor half so pure, nor immaculate
Are as the Soul of this great World: yet that
Before Man fell, lesse pure, and divine
Than Man was, and under his feet did shine.
But since he joyn'd with it, and by it fell,
He gave admittance also unto Hell,
And its Magia to infect it, so
That man by it is oft made subject to
Hel's Prince, and Law: for whilst he in this Room
Of flesh remains, he's easily o'recome
By the World's spirit: Sathan wholly bent
To mischief Man, makes it his instrument,
So that, what's pure of it self he still
Distaines, and so converteth Good to Ill.
Heav'n also for the good of man doth use
The same; for by the same he doth diffuse
External blessings, Wisdom, Wit, and Wealth,
Riches, and Honors, Plenty, Pleasures, Health;
But this more plainly shall explained be
VVhere we speak of the Good, and Evil Tree.
Nor candid'st Lilies, fairest flowers that grow,
Nor splendid Phœbus, nor the nitid ayr,
Nor shining Phœbe half so bright, nor fair,
Nor half so pure, nor immaculate
Are as the Soul of this great World: yet that
Before Man fell, lesse pure, and divine
Than Man was, and under his feet did shine.
But since he joyn'd with it, and by it fell,
He gave admittance also unto Hell,
And its Magia to infect it, so
That man by it is oft made subject to
31
Of flesh remains, he's easily o'recome
By the World's spirit: Sathan wholly bent
To mischief Man, makes it his instrument,
So that, what's pure of it self he still
Distaines, and so converteth Good to Ill.
Heav'n also for the good of man doth use
The same; for by the same he doth diffuse
External blessings, Wisdom, Wit, and Wealth,
Riches, and Honors, Plenty, Pleasures, Health;
But this more plainly shall explained be
VVhere we speak of the Good, and Evil Tree.
I do admire that man should ignorant
Be of this great World's Soul; so greatly want
The true sight of't, being so nearly he
To it is fastned by a Sympathie:
For's outward body cometh from that womb,
That very LIMYS, whence this Earth did come:
Being that by the same such strange things brought
May be to passe, such mighty wonders wrought;
Such miracles of Nature shewn: For by
The same he may do wonders, Prophesie,
Be by infusion Learn'd in Tongues, and Arts,
And thousand others which this Sp'rit imparts,
In so much that amazed Man has thought,
The Devil only such great things had wrought.
For not the Devil as most men suppose,
But this world's Seal those Oracles inclose
Did of the Heathen; So the Sybills, So
The Druids did what came to passe foreknow:
And to those Priests fill'd with Prophetic rage,
By the same Sp'rit did future things presage.
So famous actions, done by Ganges strand,
The same day known in the Ausonian Land
Were, and might well be, by this Sp'rit made known,
As what on all parts of our body's done
We at the instant know; this world's Soul so
What's done in any part of th' Earth doth know,
And so impart the same to Mortals may;
And Wonders, which I mention not, display:
And all this by Man's close conjunction
With this great Spirit (not the Devils) 's done.
Yet I confesse that oftentimes the Devil,
That great Imposter, Father of all evil,
Hath had his Oracles, and Prophets too,
That he thereby might his dark Magic shew,
From whence much ill produc'd was: So that all
Count him the Father of what's Magical.
Be of this great World's Soul; so greatly want
The true sight of't, being so nearly he
To it is fastned by a Sympathie:
For's outward body cometh from that womb,
That very LIMYS, whence this Earth did come:
Being that by the same such strange things brought
May be to passe, such mighty wonders wrought;
Such miracles of Nature shewn: For by
The same he may do wonders, Prophesie,
Be by infusion Learn'd in Tongues, and Arts,
And thousand others which this Sp'rit imparts,
In so much that amazed Man has thought,
The Devil only such great things had wrought.
For not the Devil as most men suppose,
But this world's Seal those Oracles inclose
Did of the Heathen; So the Sybills, So
The Druids did what came to passe foreknow:
And to those Priests fill'd with Prophetic rage,
By the same Sp'rit did future things presage.
So famous actions, done by Ganges strand,
The same day known in the Ausonian Land
Were, and might well be, by this Sp'rit made known,
As what on all parts of our body's done
We at the instant know; this world's Soul so
What's done in any part of th' Earth doth know,
And so impart the same to Mortals may;
And Wonders, which I mention not, display:
32
With this great Spirit (not the Devils) 's done.
Yet I confesse that oftentimes the Devil,
That great Imposter, Father of all evil,
Hath had his Oracles, and Prophets too,
That he thereby might his dark Magic shew,
From whence much ill produc'd was: So that all
Count him the Father of what's Magical.
Now to this World's great Spirit there belong
Of Spirits an innumerable throng,
Which only to this outer world pertain,
With it created, and shall dye again
When it's dissolv'd: These nothing have to do
With those black Spirits that are subject to
Hell's horrid Prince; and different from those
Whom the Prince of the lighter Orb hath chose
To be's peculiar servants. These controul
Doth (being its Instruments) the great World's Soul.
Of these, some in the fiery Element
Inhabit; some within the azure bent
Among the starres: And others daily sport
Within the flameing Rooms of Vulcan's Court:
Such are within Vesuvius's sulp'ry womb,
And great Enseladus's fiery 'tomb:
Such in flame-belching Propochampech sport;
Such cause the noyses in Mount Heclesort;
Where flakes of fire, and black stinking smoke,
The Countrey round for many Leagues do choke;
Where hammers noyse, and Cyclop's strokes like thunder,
Till all that dare, go hear the same with wonder.
Others there be, which do their nests prepare,
Within the tepid bosom of the Ayr:
These are swift Curriers who with news can go,
And things transport from Ganges, unto PO:
These are those airy birds that soon can bear,
Your whisper'd Treason unto Cesar's ear,
These, these are those muster'd by higher hands,
That in the aire's clear Region shew their bands.
Where skirmishing in battel's order, shew
Warrs future evils, and events to you:
Such Germany, and our dear Albion has
Seen just before dire warrs have come to passe.
Some dwell within the caves of Æolus:
Some likewise dwell in dropping Auster's house:
Some ride upon the back of Taurus; some
From Western Seas with sweet Favonius come:
Some on the wings of blustring Boreas ride;
And some sweet Zephe's fragrant blasts bestride.
Others love Neptune's Courts, and Theti's Lap:
Others themselves in Chrystal Rivers wrap,
Such was that Triton, who met Cæsar on
The sedge-fring'd Bank of rapid Rubicon:
And bravely sounding his recurved shell
Presag'd good Fortune: which to Cæsar fell.
Others in Fountains have their habitations;
Others in Lakes, sporting in inundations:
Some love the River, some a stinking Pool.
Some clear-spring'd Jordan; some Asphales foul;
Some stinking Lakes, which as Mæotis love;
Some likewise never from Avernus move.
So some the lesser Rivers, some the Great
Do chuse (some wander) for a constant seat.
Some to the Earth belong, and these abound
In numbers great, or on, or under ground.
The subterran, within their hidden den,
Hide treasures from, sometimes disclose, to Men:
Sometimes such move the Treasures that they hide,
Sometimes by these are Mines, to Men deny'd.
Sometimes great treasures they disclose; anon
To durt convert them, or thence steal ag'en.
Others: which on the Earth do dwell, some Love
The Rocks, and Caves, and some the shady Grove;
Some Woods, & Trees: some stones, some fields, some Planes,
Some Vales, some Hills, some Marshes, Meadows, Draines.
Some in Islandian Hecla love to lye,
Others in Hechelberg to roare, and cry.
Some one place, some another Love, but all
Are frequent almost throughout all the Ball.
Some love for to converse with men, but some
More solitary rather'd have their Room.
Some also love among the dead to be,
Church-yards and Tombs do best with such agree:
I do not mean those shapes of Men that walk
About Church-yards, or bloody feilds do stalk,
For these are th' astral bodyes of dead men,
Which to the earthy fain would joyn agen,
But these dissolving, those are forc'd to die,
And to the chaos whence they came to fly.
Now some of these have bodies, others none,
Some borrow shapes, some shapes have of their own,
Some are great Lords, and Princes, others are
Servants to them: some peace, and others war
Do cause: some govern Cities, Countries large,
Some have a greater, some a lesser charge.
Some they are oft, some they are seldome seen:
Some meerly mortal, at a certain time
Die as the Beasts, and to their Æther go;
Some 'bide so long shall as the world shall do;
Who then shall, with the soul of this great world,
Into the womb from whence they came de hurl'd.
Of Spirits an innumerable throng,
Which only to this outer world pertain,
With it created, and shall dye again
When it's dissolv'd: These nothing have to do
With those black Spirits that are subject to
Hell's horrid Prince; and different from those
Whom the Prince of the lighter Orb hath chose
To be's peculiar servants. These controul
Doth (being its Instruments) the great World's Soul.
Of these, some in the fiery Element
Inhabit; some within the azure bent
Among the starres: And others daily sport
Within the flameing Rooms of Vulcan's Court:
Such are within Vesuvius's sulp'ry womb,
And great Enseladus's fiery 'tomb:
Such in flame-belching Propochampech sport;
Such cause the noyses in Mount Heclesort;
Where flakes of fire, and black stinking smoke,
The Countrey round for many Leagues do choke;
Where hammers noyse, and Cyclop's strokes like thunder,
Till all that dare, go hear the same with wonder.
Others there be, which do their nests prepare,
Within the tepid bosom of the Ayr:
These are swift Curriers who with news can go,
And things transport from Ganges, unto PO:
These are those airy birds that soon can bear,
Your whisper'd Treason unto Cesar's ear,
These, these are those muster'd by higher hands,
That in the aire's clear Region shew their bands.
Where skirmishing in battel's order, shew
Warrs future evils, and events to you:
33
Seen just before dire warrs have come to passe.
Some dwell within the caves of Æolus:
Some likewise dwell in dropping Auster's house:
Some ride upon the back of Taurus; some
From Western Seas with sweet Favonius come:
Some on the wings of blustring Boreas ride;
And some sweet Zephe's fragrant blasts bestride.
Others love Neptune's Courts, and Theti's Lap:
Others themselves in Chrystal Rivers wrap,
Such was that Triton, who met Cæsar on
The sedge-fring'd Bank of rapid Rubicon:
And bravely sounding his recurved shell
Presag'd good Fortune: which to Cæsar fell.
Others in Fountains have their habitations;
Others in Lakes, sporting in inundations:
Some love the River, some a stinking Pool.
Some clear-spring'd Jordan; some Asphales foul;
Some stinking Lakes, which as Mæotis love;
Some likewise never from Avernus move.
So some the lesser Rivers, some the Great
Do chuse (some wander) for a constant seat.
Some to the Earth belong, and these abound
In numbers great, or on, or under ground.
The subterran, within their hidden den,
Hide treasures from, sometimes disclose, to Men:
Sometimes such move the Treasures that they hide,
Sometimes by these are Mines, to Men deny'd.
Sometimes great treasures they disclose; anon
To durt convert them, or thence steal ag'en.
Others: which on the Earth do dwell, some Love
The Rocks, and Caves, and some the shady Grove;
Some Woods, & Trees: some stones, some fields, some Planes,
Some Vales, some Hills, some Marshes, Meadows, Draines.
Some in Islandian Hecla love to lye,
Others in Hechelberg to roare, and cry.
Some one place, some another Love, but all
Are frequent almost throughout all the Ball.
Some love for to converse with men, but some
More solitary rather'd have their Room.
34
Church-yards and Tombs do best with such agree:
I do not mean those shapes of Men that walk
About Church-yards, or bloody feilds do stalk,
For these are th' astral bodyes of dead men,
Which to the earthy fain would joyn agen,
But these dissolving, those are forc'd to die,
And to the chaos whence they came to fly.
Now some of these have bodies, others none,
Some borrow shapes, some shapes have of their own,
Some are great Lords, and Princes, others are
Servants to them: some peace, and others war
Do cause: some govern Cities, Countries large,
Some have a greater, some a lesser charge.
Some they are oft, some they are seldome seen:
Some meerly mortal, at a certain time
Die as the Beasts, and to their Æther go;
Some 'bide so long shall as the world shall do;
Who then shall, with the soul of this great world,
Into the womb from whence they came de hurl'd.
By these Arcanas deep are oft made known
To men, and secrets of this world are shown:
Farther they search not, for their skill doth lie
In knowing solely this worlds Mystery.
There lyes their Essence. But the Devils can
The dark world's secrets and the Outer's scan:
And so the Angels know their own, and this
World; 'cause their Essence in them hidden is.
But man compos'd of all the worlds may know
The things of this, the light, and dark world too.
A thousand Myst'rys here disclos'd might be
Fetch'd from these knowing spirits treasury;
And would man dive into their depths, he there
Sould find great secrets, and Arcana's rare
Concerning (only) this great world: But I
Do man advise a lof'tier flight to fly,
And not into this out-world's Magick quære;
For noble Man's not born a subject here,
But this world's spirit to command, and so
Should from a higher Magick all things know.
To men, and secrets of this world are shown:
Farther they search not, for their skill doth lie
In knowing solely this worlds Mystery.
There lyes their Essence. But the Devils can
The dark world's secrets and the Outer's scan:
And so the Angels know their own, and this
World; 'cause their Essence in them hidden is.
But man compos'd of all the worlds may know
The things of this, the light, and dark world too.
A thousand Myst'rys here disclos'd might be
Fetch'd from these knowing spirits treasury;
And would man dive into their depths, he there
Sould find great secrets, and Arcana's rare
Concerning (only) this great world: But I
Do man advise a lof'tier flight to fly,
And not into this out-world's Magick quære;
For noble Man's not born a subject here,
But this world's spirit to command, and so
Should from a higher Magick all things know.
35
Magick is threefold: this world's natural,
Sacred the light, dark, diabolical:
Great is the Magic of this world, but yet
Greater the dark, the light more great than it.
When this worlds secrets, Man knows from the light,
He knows the Magic of this world aright,
But otherwise he deals preposterous,
Lets go a Jewel; doth a bauble choose.
As it unlawfull is for man, for to
Investigate the dark world's Magic; so
He leave this lower Magic should, and strive
To gain what it through Adam did deprive
Him of; for 'twas the Magic of this orb
Which clothed Adam in his fleshly garb.
Let man therefore wisely investigate
The ancient Glory of his pristine state,
And through the Magic of the light worlds see
This world's Arcana's, and grand Mystery.
The Heathen that advantage had not, as
Through mercy now the holy Christian has,
For Christ our Saviour hath thrown down the Wall
Which wrath erected had through Adams fall,
Which bard us from the secrets of that place,
Illuminated by our Saviours face,
And gives free leave unto the Holy-wise,
Adams lost Magic now to reagnize:
Through which, true-man may able be to know
Th' internal Worlds, and this worlds secrets too.
Sacred the light, dark, diabolical:
Great is the Magic of this world, but yet
Greater the dark, the light more great than it.
When this worlds secrets, Man knows from the light,
He knows the Magic of this world aright,
But otherwise he deals preposterous,
Lets go a Jewel; doth a bauble choose.
As it unlawfull is for man, for to
Investigate the dark world's Magic; so
He leave this lower Magic should, and strive
To gain what it through Adam did deprive
Him of; for 'twas the Magic of this orb
Which clothed Adam in his fleshly garb.
Let man therefore wisely investigate
The ancient Glory of his pristine state,
And through the Magic of the light worlds see
This world's Arcana's, and grand Mystery.
The Heathen that advantage had not, as
Through mercy now the holy Christian has,
For Christ our Saviour hath thrown down the Wall
Which wrath erected had through Adams fall,
Which bard us from the secrets of that place,
Illuminated by our Saviours face,
And gives free leave unto the Holy-wise,
Adams lost Magic now to reagnize:
Through which, true-man may able be to know
Th' internal Worlds, and this worlds secrets too.
This is the true and safest way to see
Into the Magick of this world, and be
Acquainted with all its Arcana's, for
Through ignorance great danger else incur
You may. Satan that great Impostor, that
Doth for to mischief Man all times await,
With higher Magic can deceive you soon,
And by the world's sp'rit can procure your ruin.
Since he (through Adams fall) within this Sphere
Has got a place, he doth so dominere,
That to his will he bowes this Magic, and
Makes this worlds spirits follow his command;
So that all mischief that these Spirits do
The Man, the Devil doth enforce them to.
One skil'd in the dark-Magic can do more
Then he who's skil'd in this World's, but before
Them both is he who in the Light-World's skil'd:
By him the plottings of the Devil's spil'd,
He cann't deceived be, to his doth bow
This World's deep Magic, and the Devil's too.
He then this World's whole Host of Spirits, and
The dark World's too, shall have at his command,
Inferiors bow unto Superiors shall:
This out World's Spirits passive lye to all
Both Dark and Light Magicians, so that they
Sometime the dark, sometime the Light obey.
Let Christians therefore the true Magic gain,
And nothing hidden from them shall remain:
Then without danger to deceived be
By Hell the myst'ries of this World they'le see.
For this end Jesus (at whose mighty Name
All evil spirits bow their Heads for shame,
And fear) beholding Sathan's Subtleties,
How he by this World's Spirits, injuries
To Man did do; has them restrained, so
That they appear not as they're wont to do.
To him they bow'd, where e're he came their heads,
And ever since where his bright Gospel spreads
They're not so frequent; for the glorious Rayes
Of it, with splendor doth them much amaze.
In former time the Heathen swallow'd were
More into th' Spirit of this outer Sphear,
Then men are now (and yet more wickednesse
Abounds now in the World, I do confesse,
Because Hell's Centre now is open'd more
Within this World, than e'r it was before,
Because the wrath of God's more irritated,
Because through Light our sinnes are aggravated)
Therefore these Spirits were more frequent then:
Appear'd to, and conversed more with Men.
Men now more near conjoyn to Hell; therefore
They Men frequent not as they did before:
Not now by Vice-Roy's, but now Hell commands
In person, and in their Hearts Centre stands.
Into the Magick of this world, and be
Acquainted with all its Arcana's, for
Through ignorance great danger else incur
You may. Satan that great Impostor, that
Doth for to mischief Man all times await,
With higher Magic can deceive you soon,
And by the world's sp'rit can procure your ruin.
Since he (through Adams fall) within this Sphere
Has got a place, he doth so dominere,
That to his will he bowes this Magic, and
Makes this worlds spirits follow his command;
36
The Man, the Devil doth enforce them to.
One skil'd in the dark-Magic can do more
Then he who's skil'd in this World's, but before
Them both is he who in the Light-World's skil'd:
By him the plottings of the Devil's spil'd,
He cann't deceived be, to his doth bow
This World's deep Magic, and the Devil's too.
He then this World's whole Host of Spirits, and
The dark World's too, shall have at his command,
Inferiors bow unto Superiors shall:
This out World's Spirits passive lye to all
Both Dark and Light Magicians, so that they
Sometime the dark, sometime the Light obey.
Let Christians therefore the true Magic gain,
And nothing hidden from them shall remain:
Then without danger to deceived be
By Hell the myst'ries of this World they'le see.
For this end Jesus (at whose mighty Name
All evil spirits bow their Heads for shame,
And fear) beholding Sathan's Subtleties,
How he by this World's Spirits, injuries
To Man did do; has them restrained, so
That they appear not as they're wont to do.
To him they bow'd, where e're he came their heads,
And ever since where his bright Gospel spreads
They're not so frequent; for the glorious Rayes
Of it, with splendor doth them much amaze.
In former time the Heathen swallow'd were
More into th' Spirit of this outer Sphear,
Then men are now (and yet more wickednesse
Abounds now in the World, I do confesse,
Because Hell's Centre now is open'd more
Within this World, than e'r it was before,
Because the wrath of God's more irritated,
Because through Light our sinnes are aggravated)
Therefore these Spirits were more frequent then:
Appear'd to, and conversed more with Men.
Men now more near conjoyn to Hell; therefore
They Men frequent not as they did before:
37
In person, and in their Hearts Centre stands.
The Devil like a subtle Captain deals,
Who from 's Foe's actions still advantage steals,
And strives to make his Foe's brave Policies,
Prove helps to him, to himself injuries:
Sathan perceiving the high hand of Heaven,
For to restrain the power it had given
To Spirits, and that now they in this Sphear
Did not, as they did formerly appear,
He strait suggests to Man that there are none,
And so to think a vain opinion
Makes him believe it is: Through which sad Evil
He might induc'd be to believe no Devil,
And so no Hell, nor Heav'n; for by this mean
He hopes Atheism to bring in again,
That he Mens souls might get: But who believe
This great Impostor, do themselves deceive.
Laugh not at Fairies, Pigmies, Gnomies, Sylfes,
Melosinæ, Sylvestres, Syrens, Elfes,
At Lemures, Neuferan, Diamæ,
At Nymphs, Penates, Durdales, Undenæ,
For name them what you will, or as you please
Baptize them, there such Spirits are as these.
As likewise Planetary Spirits, and
Such as do Places, and the Winds command:
With thousand other mundane Spirits, that
God did, when he did this great World create,
But, who their Power, and Mysteries would know,
May to Agrippa, and Trithemius go.
But ah, how many scoff at Spirits, and
Deride the things they do not understand!
For more then ever Hell in this Prevailes,
That Truth's are 'counted old-Wives idle Tales.
Who from 's Foe's actions still advantage steals,
And strives to make his Foe's brave Policies,
Prove helps to him, to himself injuries:
Sathan perceiving the high hand of Heaven,
For to restrain the power it had given
To Spirits, and that now they in this Sphear
Did not, as they did formerly appear,
He strait suggests to Man that there are none,
And so to think a vain opinion
Makes him believe it is: Through which sad Evil
He might induc'd be to believe no Devil,
And so no Hell, nor Heav'n; for by this mean
He hopes Atheism to bring in again,
That he Mens souls might get: But who believe
This great Impostor, do themselves deceive.
Laugh not at Fairies, Pigmies, Gnomies, Sylfes,
Melosinæ, Sylvestres, Syrens, Elfes,
At Lemures, Neuferan, Diamæ,
At Nymphs, Penates, Durdales, Undenæ,
For name them what you will, or as you please
Baptize them, there such Spirits are as these.
As likewise Planetary Spirits, and
Such as do Places, and the Winds command:
With thousand other mundane Spirits, that
God did, when he did this great World create,
But, who their Power, and Mysteries would know,
May to Agrippa, and Trithemius go.
But ah, how many scoff at Spirits, and
Deride the things they do not understand!
For more then ever Hell in this Prevailes,
That Truth's are 'counted old-Wives idle Tales.
You self-conceited, who so slyly jere,
'Tis happy for you Spirits disappear:
That God (for to convince you) don't affright
You, with the horrors of Æternal Night,
With those black shades sprung from the Stygian Sphear,
Which are (tho' unseen by you) conversant here.
You ignorants it is a sign you know
Scarce what belongs unto this world below,
Much less to those which from your blinder eye,
In vails of Pitch, and night enfolded lye.
Had I the Key that could your eyes unloc,
Had I the art to pull those Curtains back,
Or rub those scales off, which before them be,
You Truth, and Hell's black swarms at once should see:
You'd startle then into belief, and cry
We'l never more that Spirits are deny.
'Tis happy for you Spirits disappear:
That God (for to convince you) don't affright
You, with the horrors of Æternal Night,
With those black shades sprung from the Stygian Sphear,
Which are (tho' unseen by you) conversant here.
38
Scarce what belongs unto this world below,
Much less to those which from your blinder eye,
In vails of Pitch, and night enfolded lye.
Had I the Key that could your eyes unloc,
Had I the art to pull those Curtains back,
Or rub those scales off, which before them be,
You Truth, and Hell's black swarms at once should see:
You'd startle then into belief, and cry
We'l never more that Spirits are deny.
Beside the numberless spiritual throng
Which do unto this outer world belong,
Within the Region of this world there are
Vast troops which come from the internal sphere,
Both from the dark Tartarean Centre, and
From that Orb where doth Loves great Prince command.
Being this world of good and bad's compos'd,
Spirits both good and bad are here disclos'd,
For as these seek the hurt of man, so those
Their vertue to their venom do oppose.
Innumerable are the Sulphry swarms
Hell belches forth to cause poor mortal harms,
Vast teter Troops continually from thence
Are sent to fight the battles of their Prince,
Who ranging thorow out the world contrive,
How they may man of bliss and rest deprive.
Go count the motes that in the Sun-shine fly,
Go count the sands that on the shore do lye,
Go count the roleing billows of the sea,
Go count the stars that in the heavens be,
Number me these, and thou perhaps mayst tell
The Legions which do hither come from Hell:
Scarce is a place throughout this world so wide,
But where ten Millions of these spirits 'bide.
But now to match these evil spirits, come
There do as many, from the sacred womb
Of the Light-world; which sacred spirits do
Equal their numbers, and their powers too:
So that the world divided is betwixt
Them both, and of them good, and bad is mixt:
These seek to spill, kill, hart and destroy man;
Those comfort, please, ease, help him all they can.
Which do unto this outer world belong,
Within the Region of this world there are
Vast troops which come from the internal sphere,
Both from the dark Tartarean Centre, and
From that Orb where doth Loves great Prince command.
Being this world of good and bad's compos'd,
Spirits both good and bad are here disclos'd,
For as these seek the hurt of man, so those
Their vertue to their venom do oppose.
Innumerable are the Sulphry swarms
Hell belches forth to cause poor mortal harms,
Vast teter Troops continually from thence
Are sent to fight the battles of their Prince,
Who ranging thorow out the world contrive,
How they may man of bliss and rest deprive.
Go count the motes that in the Sun-shine fly,
Go count the sands that on the shore do lye,
Go count the roleing billows of the sea,
Go count the stars that in the heavens be,
Number me these, and thou perhaps mayst tell
The Legions which do hither come from Hell:
Scarce is a place throughout this world so wide,
But where ten Millions of these spirits 'bide.
But now to match these evil spirits, come
There do as many, from the sacred womb
Of the Light-world; which sacred spirits do
Equal their numbers, and their powers too:
So that the world divided is betwixt
Them both, and of them good, and bad is mixt:
39
Those comfort, please, ease, help him all they can.
Nay gaze not round so with thine outer eye,
As if thou mean'st to give this truth the lie,
And 'cause thou blinded can'st not spirits see,
T'affirm, and boldly swear that none there be:
You Linceus tell me canst thou see the wind?
If not, a spirit how that's more refin'd?
Winds blasts thou feelest, if not made of steel,
So spirits dire effects I'm sure most feel,
Although they ignorant may be from whence
Proceeds their felt (tho unseen) influence.
Nay spread not so thine hands, and arms abroad
Thinking to feel, and catch them, 'cause I said
They every where did stand; forbear, forbear,
Open thine hand, and see how much of air
Thou holdst; spirits can pass thy body thorow,
Lye in thy bosome, yet not felt by you.
Nay gape not so, nor snap at every blast,
As if thou spirits hadst a mind to taste,
For they into thy mouth themselves can put,
Its ruby gates, and strong porcullis shut.
Nor snuff the wind, as if thou meanest to smell
Them out, if near thee by the stink of hell,
To find them out thou surely now dost think,
By their sulphurious smell, and Stygian stink.
They can deceive thee with the sweeter air,
Or fume themselves in thy perfumed hair:
But hell, and all its stinks lye round about
Thee, yet thou sensless canst not smeel them out,
Nay prick not up thy ears to hear the noises
They make in going, nor to hear the voices
Of those that talk: they softly whisper, so
That thou not hear them canst; on wool they go;
They talk can by thee, (yet thou ne'er the near)
And never move the air unto thine ear.
As if thou mean'st to give this truth the lie,
And 'cause thou blinded can'st not spirits see,
T'affirm, and boldly swear that none there be:
You Linceus tell me canst thou see the wind?
If not, a spirit how that's more refin'd?
Winds blasts thou feelest, if not made of steel,
So spirits dire effects I'm sure most feel,
Although they ignorant may be from whence
Proceeds their felt (tho unseen) influence.
Nay spread not so thine hands, and arms abroad
Thinking to feel, and catch them, 'cause I said
They every where did stand; forbear, forbear,
Open thine hand, and see how much of air
Thou holdst; spirits can pass thy body thorow,
Lye in thy bosome, yet not felt by you.
Nay gape not so, nor snap at every blast,
As if thou spirits hadst a mind to taste,
For they into thy mouth themselves can put,
Its ruby gates, and strong porcullis shut.
Nor snuff the wind, as if thou meanest to smell
Them out, if near thee by the stink of hell,
To find them out thou surely now dost think,
By their sulphurious smell, and Stygian stink.
They can deceive thee with the sweeter air,
Or fume themselves in thy perfumed hair:
But hell, and all its stinks lye round about
Thee, yet thou sensless canst not smeel them out,
Nay prick not up thy ears to hear the noises
They make in going, nor to hear the voices
Of those that talk: they softly whisper, so
That thou not hear them canst; on wool they go;
They talk can by thee, (yet thou ne'er the near)
And never move the air unto thine ear.
We by our outer senses understand
Nothing, but what's compos'd of matter, and
Form, and what is corporal, and what
Not of a simple essence is, but that
Which of a mixture doth partake I wis:
Each Spirit of a simple nature is;
And therefore not t'our outer sences subject,
Except connexed to some outer object,
Where there is Matter, Form, or corporeity:
(Which not in Spirits, nor the sacred Deity
Are simply) Spirits to our outer eye
And th' other sences then do subject lye.
Mistake me not, that Spirits bodies have
I'le not deny: but these I do believe
Spiritual, and incorporeal are,
And of their Nature very much do share:
These also to our outward sences be
Not Subject. As I said the Deity
No form nor matter has: a body tho
It has, for Christ God's Body is we know.
Spirits not made of matter simply too,
Do bodies tho spiritual indue
Unto our inner sences they thereby,
Tho not t'our outer sences subject ly.
Nothing, but what's compos'd of matter, and
Form, and what is corporal, and what
Not of a simple essence is, but that
40
Each Spirit of a simple nature is;
And therefore not t'our outer sences subject,
Except connexed to some outer object,
Where there is Matter, Form, or corporeity:
(Which not in Spirits, nor the sacred Deity
Are simply) Spirits to our outer eye
And th' other sences then do subject lye.
Mistake me not, that Spirits bodies have
I'le not deny: but these I do believe
Spiritual, and incorporeal are,
And of their Nature very much do share:
These also to our outward sences be
Not Subject. As I said the Deity
No form nor matter has: a body tho
It has, for Christ God's Body is we know.
Spirits not made of matter simply too,
Do bodies tho spiritual indue
Unto our inner sences they thereby,
Tho not t'our outer sences subject ly.
They therefore who acquainted are, with the
Internal Worlds, and their grand mysterie,
Whose sences are unlocked by that hand,
Which doth all sences, and all World's command,
Can Spirits see, and with Lincean eyes
Behold their Bodies, features, shapes, and guise:
Can also touch them, and their Bodies feel:
Can also tast them: and their scents can smell,
The Sulph'ry stinks, which from dark Spirits rise,
The sweet perfumes from those of Paradise:
Can, also hear the Angels sacred Songs,
The dark Worlds Cursings belch'd from fiery Tongues.
These are Arcana's, which I'l not rehearse,
Cause scoffers breathes shall not betaint my Verse:
Who these things see, see with enlightned eyes:
A word's enough unto the truly-Wise.
But go, unbelieving Thomas's, who sware
You will believe not that there Spirits are,
Except them with your outer eye you see,
Except they subject to your sences be;
Who scoff at the internal sences, and
Deride as whimsies what you understand
Not: Spirits can (such Sadduces to fear)
In outer Bodies and grosse shapes appear:
So that your Ear, your Nose, your Hand, your Eye,
May them both (plainly) hear, smell, feel, and spy.
No formes there be within great Tellus womb,
But Spirits (freely may and) can assume:
And Spirits never come in shapes that fright:
The Evil cann't assume the shapes of Light.
Some starry Halos still attends the Good;
Some dark unbrattic shade the Stygian brood:
Good Sp'rits still in humane shapes appear,
In star-like Lights, or brightnesses more clear
Than the third Orb's fair, and resplendant Queen;
Seldom in any other bodies seen:
The dark Orb's Spirits take an Humane garb,
Or any other shape within this Orb;
There is no creature 'mong the numerous swarm,
But they into its likenesse can transform
Themselves, and all such shapes assume, and use,
The which the Earth doth any way produce;
However most times they assume the feature
Or of some rav'nous, or some ugly creature.
But let good Spirits how they please appear,
Or in what'ever form, or figure here
Be manifest, a magic still attends
That doth distinguish them from Hellish Fiends,
They bring good news, are messengers of joy,
They clear from fear, from sadnesse, and annoy
The Seers hearts by their sweet presence, and
Do make them what they are soon understand.
But those dark Fiends of the Tartarean Den,
How e'r disguis'd strike horror into Men
By some hid Magic's secret influence
At the first sight: 'tis easie then from whence
They come to know; for tho, a sudden fear
The good may cause when they to men appear
Who'r unacquainted with them; recompence
That fear they do with a sweet influence
Which from their presence flows immediatly,
Which them doth ravish with its suavity.
Internal Worlds, and their grand mysterie,
Whose sences are unlocked by that hand,
Which doth all sences, and all World's command,
41
Behold their Bodies, features, shapes, and guise:
Can also touch them, and their Bodies feel:
Can also tast them: and their scents can smell,
The Sulph'ry stinks, which from dark Spirits rise,
The sweet perfumes from those of Paradise:
Can, also hear the Angels sacred Songs,
The dark Worlds Cursings belch'd from fiery Tongues.
These are Arcana's, which I'l not rehearse,
Cause scoffers breathes shall not betaint my Verse:
Who these things see, see with enlightned eyes:
A word's enough unto the truly-Wise.
But go, unbelieving Thomas's, who sware
You will believe not that there Spirits are,
Except them with your outer eye you see,
Except they subject to your sences be;
Who scoff at the internal sences, and
Deride as whimsies what you understand
Not: Spirits can (such Sadduces to fear)
In outer Bodies and grosse shapes appear:
So that your Ear, your Nose, your Hand, your Eye,
May them both (plainly) hear, smell, feel, and spy.
No formes there be within great Tellus womb,
But Spirits (freely may and) can assume:
And Spirits never come in shapes that fright:
The Evil cann't assume the shapes of Light.
Some starry Halos still attends the Good;
Some dark unbrattic shade the Stygian brood:
Good Sp'rits still in humane shapes appear,
In star-like Lights, or brightnesses more clear
Than the third Orb's fair, and resplendant Queen;
Seldom in any other bodies seen:
The dark Orb's Spirits take an Humane garb,
Or any other shape within this Orb;
There is no creature 'mong the numerous swarm,
But they into its likenesse can transform
Themselves, and all such shapes assume, and use,
The which the Earth doth any way produce;
However most times they assume the feature
Or of some rav'nous, or some ugly creature.
42
Or in what'ever form, or figure here
Be manifest, a magic still attends
That doth distinguish them from Hellish Fiends,
They bring good news, are messengers of joy,
They clear from fear, from sadnesse, and annoy
The Seers hearts by their sweet presence, and
Do make them what they are soon understand.
But those dark Fiends of the Tartarean Den,
How e'r disguis'd strike horror into Men
By some hid Magic's secret influence
At the first sight: 'tis easie then from whence
They come to know; for tho, a sudden fear
The good may cause when they to men appear
Who'r unacquainted with them; recompence
That fear they do with a sweet influence
Which from their presence flows immediatly,
Which them doth ravish with its suavity.
Ask not what Taylor fits their fine array?
Or makes those cloathes, or gowns so fit which they
Appear in oft? or of what stuff they'r made?
Who dons their garments? How they are array'd?
They are self-Taylors, and self-helpers too,
And in a moment can all shapes indue.
Have they a mind for to be seen, they call
The Elements (who subject to their thrall
Do lye) unto their help: and then, of these
They form what Bodys (for themselves) they please,
But so compos'd that in a moment they
Can them dissolve, and soon disperse away.
Th' apt-to be-formed aire, doth matter yield
Fit for all shapes: for oft I have beheld
The hanging clouds sometimes a Horse to frame,
Then to a Lion, or a Dog the same
Convert, and so vicessively, to make
A thousand Forms, a thousand shapes to take.
So most times Spirits (when here seen) do shroud
Themselves within some grosse, and airy cloud,
Which they transform can to what shapes they please,
And then disperse them into ayr with ease:
For aire condensed will admit we know,
Colour, and Form, witnesse the clouds, and Bow.
Both Good, and Bad, the Elements can take
And of them for themselves fit bodies make,
The nimble Fire, the moistful Water, and
The Earth do subject lye to their command.
Dead bodies they can doubtlesse enter (that
Can them possesse when in a living state)
And e'r they'r rotten agitate them so
That they about (as if alive) may go.
Mouth, Arms, Legs, Tallons, and such members they
(Their force, and powers better to display)
Assume of a grosse substance: with their Hands
At once they fell a thousand armed Bands,
With their sharp tallons pierce the flesh, and beat
To dust the top of Taurus with their Feet.
With Swords, and such like instruments they slay,
Beat, strike, and wound, and fiercely chase away
Mortals sometimes: But doubtlesse they may these
Things do w'thout Armes, or members if they please.
But whensoever Spirits Bodies here
Assume, and to our outer Eye appear,
They put on such as may convenient be,
And with their inner Bodies best agree,
For look what shapes their inner Bodies have,
Such shapes, (if visibly appear) they crave:
I cannot better represent it than
Thus: Let a waxen Picture of a Man
Be made compleat, exactly like, and fit
And Hollow, let the Man then into it
Be put, the Picture's like the Man, but he
In it inclosed close you cannot see:
So Spirits when they 'ppear unto our eye
Their bodies cloath with visibility;
So that the outer forms the' assimulate
In all things answer their internal state,
But that those shapes our outer eyes may see,
These seen may only by our inner be.
Or makes those cloathes, or gowns so fit which they
Appear in oft? or of what stuff they'r made?
Who dons their garments? How they are array'd?
They are self-Taylors, and self-helpers too,
And in a moment can all shapes indue.
Have they a mind for to be seen, they call
The Elements (who subject to their thrall
Do lye) unto their help: and then, of these
They form what Bodys (for themselves) they please,
But so compos'd that in a moment they
Can them dissolve, and soon disperse away.
Th' apt-to be-formed aire, doth matter yield
Fit for all shapes: for oft I have beheld
The hanging clouds sometimes a Horse to frame,
Then to a Lion, or a Dog the same
Convert, and so vicessively, to make
A thousand Forms, a thousand shapes to take.
So most times Spirits (when here seen) do shroud
Themselves within some grosse, and airy cloud,
Which they transform can to what shapes they please,
And then disperse them into ayr with ease:
43
Colour, and Form, witnesse the clouds, and Bow.
Both Good, and Bad, the Elements can take
And of them for themselves fit bodies make,
The nimble Fire, the moistful Water, and
The Earth do subject lye to their command.
Dead bodies they can doubtlesse enter (that
Can them possesse when in a living state)
And e'r they'r rotten agitate them so
That they about (as if alive) may go.
Mouth, Arms, Legs, Tallons, and such members they
(Their force, and powers better to display)
Assume of a grosse substance: with their Hands
At once they fell a thousand armed Bands,
With their sharp tallons pierce the flesh, and beat
To dust the top of Taurus with their Feet.
With Swords, and such like instruments they slay,
Beat, strike, and wound, and fiercely chase away
Mortals sometimes: But doubtlesse they may these
Things do w'thout Armes, or members if they please.
But whensoever Spirits Bodies here
Assume, and to our outer Eye appear,
They put on such as may convenient be,
And with their inner Bodies best agree,
For look what shapes their inner Bodies have,
Such shapes, (if visibly appear) they crave:
I cannot better represent it than
Thus: Let a waxen Picture of a Man
Be made compleat, exactly like, and fit
And Hollow, let the Man then into it
Be put, the Picture's like the Man, but he
In it inclosed close you cannot see:
So Spirits when they 'ppear unto our eye
Their bodies cloath with visibility;
So that the outer forms the' assimulate
In all things answer their internal state,
But that those shapes our outer eyes may see,
These seen may only by our inner be.
But how should I this Volumn swell if that
I mention should what Histories relate!
Concerning those stupendious acts (which made
Men wonder much) of spirits good, and bad,
The title of which would swell too high for me,
And ask more sheets than in this book shall be.
So that I wonder much that men should grow
S'incredulous; think there's no Spirit, though,
Plenty of actions their beliefs might gain,
As not to judge the Melancholick brain,
Or phantasie to be the Father that
Did Acts of Spirits Good, and bad create.
So palpable they are that who denies
Them, may as well Histories Verities
Question in all things else. Perversity
Sticks not to give the Sun it self the Lye.
I mention should what Histories relate!
44
Men wonder much) of spirits good, and bad,
The title of which would swell too high for me,
And ask more sheets than in this book shall be.
So that I wonder much that men should grow
S'incredulous; think there's no Spirit, though,
Plenty of actions their beliefs might gain,
As not to judge the Melancholick brain,
Or phantasie to be the Father that
Did Acts of Spirits Good, and bad create.
So palpable they are that who denies
Them, may as well Histories Verities
Question in all things else. Perversity
Sticks not to give the Sun it self the Lye.
What were those spirits that Eubatis house
In Corinth haunted? What was that did use
For to disturb Pausanias his rest?
Or that who Nero did so much molest?
Or that which Otto terrifi'd? Or those
That us'd to sport about the shady brows
Of the sad grave of curs'd Caligula?
What was that ayr and pestilential Ray,
Which from Apollo's Fane at Babylon
Flew th'row the Earth, which was no sooner gon
From whence (it seems) it had been locked up,
But all the World drank Plague's infernal Cup?
And what were those so oft appear'd unto
Lancastrian, and Warbosian witches too?
What spirit Job tormented! What was he
Caus'd Sarah Raguel's Daughters misery,
Forcing her Grooms by Hymen crown'd at noon,
To passe the Ferry-boat of Charon soon?
I should want time to write, and you to read
Should I but mention every horrid deed
Of evil Spirits, which in History
Is noted: who shall doubt this verity?
But one I'le here recite, Niderius
His Pen the same made known hath unto us.
In Corinth haunted? What was that did use
For to disturb Pausanias his rest?
Or that who Nero did so much molest?
Or that which Otto terrifi'd? Or those
That us'd to sport about the shady brows
Of the sad grave of curs'd Caligula?
What was that ayr and pestilential Ray,
Which from Apollo's Fane at Babylon
Flew th'row the Earth, which was no sooner gon
From whence (it seems) it had been locked up,
But all the World drank Plague's infernal Cup?
And what were those so oft appear'd unto
Lancastrian, and Warbosian witches too?
What spirit Job tormented! What was he
Caus'd Sarah Raguel's Daughters misery,
Forcing her Grooms by Hymen crown'd at noon,
To passe the Ferry-boat of Charon soon?
I should want time to write, and you to read
Should I but mention every horrid deed
Of evil Spirits, which in History
Is noted: who shall doubt this verity?
But one I'le here recite, Niderius
His Pen the same made known hath unto us.
Upon the Confines of Bohemia lies
A Stygian Vale, where shady Mountains rise
Burden'd with aged trees, whose bushy heads
Fill th' under-lying Vale with horrid shades,
Denying Phæbus in the brightest Day
Leave amply there for to project his Ray.
Here every Night after that Sol was gon
To court Queen Thetis in the Ocean,
And that the horrid shaddows of the Night
With pitchy Vailes had muffled up the Light;
Hell and its Princes mustered their Forces,
Their bands of Foot-men, and their Troops of Horses,
And in disport to Exercise, and play,
Their Stygian Troops, imbattel'd in array,
They did divide, meeting with strange effort
Pel-mell they joyn'd, and skirmish'd thus in sport.
The Mountains eccho'd, and the Vallies rung
With the strange noises of this Stygian throng,
The ayr re-ratled with their Canons noyse,
Their armours clashing, and the horrid voyce
Of fighting, roaring, howling, hissing Fiends,
Like to the loud-mouth Thunder, when it rends
The tallest Cedars, and the strongest Rocks
With unresistible, and deadly knocks.
Here flakes of fire, here curled Clouds of Fume,
With Sulphur mix'd, and other stinks did come
From out the Vale, as if that Ætna there
Had spet his fiery entrals in the ayr,
And by and by they such a yell would send
As if at once they Heav'n, and Earth would rend:
Pompey and Cæsar on the fatal Plaine
Of Pharsalia, or great Tamerlaine,
And Bajazet, great Alexander, and
Darius who all Asia did command
Met with lesse clamor, and lesse noyse of armes
Then made these Devils with infernal Charmes:
Thorow the gentle air these clamours flye
Which gave Alarums to the dwellers by,
The fearfull ran away, the stoutest dare
Not go to see what fighting Foes these were:
Untill at last two stout, and hardy Knights
Alarum'd with these noyses several Nights,
Accounting it disgrace for them who were
The Sons of Mars for to admit of Fear,
Resolv'd to go into the Vale, and see
Who those nocturnal Combatants might be.
The night appointed arm'd, and mounted they
Dauntlesse, and stout, together take their way,
Fair Phæbe tripping th'row the azure skies,
Favour'd with smiles of light their enterprize,
And on the Rode her silver beams doth shed,
Which to this Close, and haunted Valley led:
By whose fair beams of Light disery they might
Two Armies battail'd, and prepar'd to fight
Their Troops well marshal'd, prest, and ready bent,
And Colours streaming in each Regiment,
The Foot prepar'd, the Horsemen mounted, and
Th' Artillery fitted, and in order stand:
Here Drumms were beat, here Fifes were play'd upon,
Here the shril-sounding Trumpets strongly blown
Tantara go, and other musick, that
Men prest to blood, and rage doth animate.
This seen, the heart of one strong fear subdues,
And farther on to go he doth refuse,
I'ave seen enough (said he) nor is it good
To match with Friends for feeble Flesh, and Blood,
Let's now retire, while that we may, from these
Fiends, and not dally with such Prodigies.
Coward stay thou (the other strait replies)
I'le try their mettal e'r I go: Then hies
Upon the gallop to these Armies, but
He in the midst is by a Champion met;
They draw their Weapons, stoutly fight, but he
Strait loses both his head, and Victory.
The other lesse Fool-hardy flies; relate
He doth next day, this Champions desperate Fate,
The People thither go by heaps: The dead
Body they find, some furlongs from his Head,
But neither print of mens feet, nor of Horses
Nor any sign of all these warlike Forces
Were to be seen: Such stories Histories
Afford in plenty. And let this suffice.
A Stygian Vale, where shady Mountains rise
45
Fill th' under-lying Vale with horrid shades,
Denying Phæbus in the brightest Day
Leave amply there for to project his Ray.
Here every Night after that Sol was gon
To court Queen Thetis in the Ocean,
And that the horrid shaddows of the Night
With pitchy Vailes had muffled up the Light;
Hell and its Princes mustered their Forces,
Their bands of Foot-men, and their Troops of Horses,
And in disport to Exercise, and play,
Their Stygian Troops, imbattel'd in array,
They did divide, meeting with strange effort
Pel-mell they joyn'd, and skirmish'd thus in sport.
The Mountains eccho'd, and the Vallies rung
With the strange noises of this Stygian throng,
The ayr re-ratled with their Canons noyse,
Their armours clashing, and the horrid voyce
Of fighting, roaring, howling, hissing Fiends,
Like to the loud-mouth Thunder, when it rends
The tallest Cedars, and the strongest Rocks
With unresistible, and deadly knocks.
Here flakes of fire, here curled Clouds of Fume,
With Sulphur mix'd, and other stinks did come
From out the Vale, as if that Ætna there
Had spet his fiery entrals in the ayr,
And by and by they such a yell would send
As if at once they Heav'n, and Earth would rend:
Pompey and Cæsar on the fatal Plaine
Of Pharsalia, or great Tamerlaine,
And Bajazet, great Alexander, and
Darius who all Asia did command
Met with lesse clamor, and lesse noyse of armes
Then made these Devils with infernal Charmes:
Thorow the gentle air these clamours flye
Which gave Alarums to the dwellers by,
The fearfull ran away, the stoutest dare
Not go to see what fighting Foes these were:
Untill at last two stout, and hardy Knights
Alarum'd with these noyses several Nights,
46
The Sons of Mars for to admit of Fear,
Resolv'd to go into the Vale, and see
Who those nocturnal Combatants might be.
The night appointed arm'd, and mounted they
Dauntlesse, and stout, together take their way,
Fair Phæbe tripping th'row the azure skies,
Favour'd with smiles of light their enterprize,
And on the Rode her silver beams doth shed,
Which to this Close, and haunted Valley led:
By whose fair beams of Light disery they might
Two Armies battail'd, and prepar'd to fight
Their Troops well marshal'd, prest, and ready bent,
And Colours streaming in each Regiment,
The Foot prepar'd, the Horsemen mounted, and
Th' Artillery fitted, and in order stand:
Here Drumms were beat, here Fifes were play'd upon,
Here the shril-sounding Trumpets strongly blown
Tantara go, and other musick, that
Men prest to blood, and rage doth animate.
This seen, the heart of one strong fear subdues,
And farther on to go he doth refuse,
I'ave seen enough (said he) nor is it good
To match with Friends for feeble Flesh, and Blood,
Let's now retire, while that we may, from these
Fiends, and not dally with such Prodigies.
Coward stay thou (the other strait replies)
I'le try their mettal e'r I go: Then hies
Upon the gallop to these Armies, but
He in the midst is by a Champion met;
They draw their Weapons, stoutly fight, but he
Strait loses both his head, and Victory.
The other lesse Fool-hardy flies; relate
He doth next day, this Champions desperate Fate,
The People thither go by heaps: The dead
Body they find, some furlongs from his Head,
But neither print of mens feet, nor of Horses
Nor any sign of all these warlike Forces
Were to be seen: Such stories Histories
Afford in plenty. And let this suffice.
47
Nor are the sacred Acts of Spirits good,
Inferior or lesse frequent than the Bad,
For they do mortals help as often still,
As those black Fiends appear to do them ill.
Doth not the sacred Writ most clearly shine
In every place with Angels Acts divine?
What were those Sacred Nuncio's that came,
And eat, and drank, and Talk'd with Abraham?
They eat, and drank, not that they needed it,
For unto nothing soon resolv'd their meat.
And who were those who Lot protected, from
The Sulph'ry flames which did on Sodom come?
That the Ægyptians first-born slew? and that
Which did Senac'hrib's Host exterminate?
That which with Manoa commun'd, and he
Which Daniel help'd in his extremity?
Which talk'd with Esaras? and those five that fought
In golden armes for Machabeus stout?
And what was he who Mary visited?
And he who Peter from his prison led?
Full every where are holy Histories,
Of holy Acts of Angels like to these,
Who by the Mandate of their masters Will
Attend the good of Fragil mortal still:
This one I'le cite, to them who more would know
The Ecclesiastic Histories will show.
Inferior or lesse frequent than the Bad,
For they do mortals help as often still,
As those black Fiends appear to do them ill.
Doth not the sacred Writ most clearly shine
In every place with Angels Acts divine?
What were those Sacred Nuncio's that came,
And eat, and drank, and Talk'd with Abraham?
They eat, and drank, not that they needed it,
For unto nothing soon resolv'd their meat.
And who were those who Lot protected, from
The Sulph'ry flames which did on Sodom come?
That the Ægyptians first-born slew? and that
Which did Senac'hrib's Host exterminate?
That which with Manoa commun'd, and he
Which Daniel help'd in his extremity?
Which talk'd with Esaras? and those five that fought
In golden armes for Machabeus stout?
And what was he who Mary visited?
And he who Peter from his prison led?
Full every where are holy Histories,
Of holy Acts of Angels like to these,
Who by the Mandate of their masters Will
Attend the good of Fragil mortal still:
This one I'le cite, to them who more would know
The Ecclesiastic Histories will show.
When Christianism's fair, and sacred Light
Contested with the foul, and cursed Night
Of Paganism; Then the raging Fiends,
Brought many Saints unto most cruel ends,
And then the holy Angels of the Lord,
Bestirr'd themselves to propagate his Word,
And in the Christians great extremities,
Apply'd choyce comforts to their Miseries:
So that with hearts undaunted evermore,
The Rage, and fury of Hel's Prince they bore.
Among the rest stout LAURENTINUS, and
His valiant brother PERGENTINUS stand
As Champions stout, and bid defiance to
Hell: their pernicious and immortal Foe.
Their holy Tongues fiered with Zeal decry
The Heathens Idol, and Idolatry:
Their holy charmes enchain the Peoples hearts,
And Sathan's wounded by the sacred darts
Shot from their pious mouthes; and fearing now
To be o're-come voweth their overthrow.
TIBURTIUS then Areciam's Lord is bent
To be (the Prince of STYX) his Instrument:
He these seeks to disswade, but all in vain;
They scorn his hony'd words, and sugar'd traine,
The more TIBURTIUS lauds his Jupiter,
The more he up their holy zeal doth stirr.
Enraged he as Sathan did command
Caus'd them with cruel cords for to be bound,
And then with batts for to be beaten sore,
Till their white backs were covered with gore.
But mark an Angel with a steely wand
And frowning brows doth by these Martyrs stand
Unseen, he strikes their Executioners,
Which blow its dyre effects full soon infers;
For strait their armes, who beat these Martyrs so,
Are now not able for to strike a blow,
Dry'd up they are like sticks; their sinnews shrunk
And dryth hath up their strength, and vigor drunk:
Cruel Tiberius then to prison hales
These Brothers: (Hell now claps on all his Sailes;
Blown with the blasts of Rage, fell mischiefs barque
Seeks to o'rewhelm the Christian's new-built Ark)
There as it were within the jawes of Hell,
Where horrid Night, and Stygian stinks did dwell,
Where mire, and filthy durt, and stinking dung
Bespread the floor, and the black wall's behung:
There are the Brothers, noble Brothers put,
And there from food, as well as Light are shut.
But stay Tiburtius, 'tis not thou canst keep
Food from these Martyrs: Christ will feed his sheep:
And tho ten thousand Iron barrs behem,
He in the foulest hole will feast with them.
A sacred Angel now Hel's Rage withstands,
And notwithstanding his severe Commands,
Brings ev'ry day food to these close shut up:
With which they bountifully dine, and sup.
In vain Tiburtius every day enquires
Which of the constant brothers first expires,
In vain he waits (and still in vain he may)
To hear the cruel cut-throat keepers say
That they were starv'd to death: He waites in vain,
Raging therefore he now will have them slain.
This cruel Monster, and right Stygian Heir
Doth now a walk of burning Coales prepare;
And (cruel) forces these two Saints to stalk
With naked feet upon this fiery walk:
The glowing Coales (charg'd by the Angel so)
Kisse their sweet feet unhurt as they do go,
Fast locking up their burning quality
As splendant Gemms under their feet do lye.
But all this will not serve their turns; for now
Unto JOVE'S Image they are bid to bow,
Instead of Jove to Jesus strait they cry,
When one of his blest Chore doth thither flye,
Touching the Idol with his sacred hand,
Prodigiously converts the same to sand,
The brasse resolv'd to dust falls on the ground,
Whilst Heathen Jesu's blessed Name resound.
Such were the acts of holy Angels, then
Frequent, tho now so seldom seen by men.
Contested with the foul, and cursed Night
Of Paganism; Then the raging Fiends,
Brought many Saints unto most cruel ends,
And then the holy Angels of the Lord,
Bestirr'd themselves to propagate his Word,
And in the Christians great extremities,
Apply'd choyce comforts to their Miseries:
So that with hearts undaunted evermore,
The Rage, and fury of Hel's Prince they bore.
Among the rest stout LAURENTINUS, and
His valiant brother PERGENTINUS stand
As Champions stout, and bid defiance to
Hell: their pernicious and immortal Foe.
48
The Heathens Idol, and Idolatry:
Their holy charmes enchain the Peoples hearts,
And Sathan's wounded by the sacred darts
Shot from their pious mouthes; and fearing now
To be o're-come voweth their overthrow.
TIBURTIUS then Areciam's Lord is bent
To be (the Prince of STYX) his Instrument:
He these seeks to disswade, but all in vain;
They scorn his hony'd words, and sugar'd traine,
The more TIBURTIUS lauds his Jupiter,
The more he up their holy zeal doth stirr.
Enraged he as Sathan did command
Caus'd them with cruel cords for to be bound,
And then with batts for to be beaten sore,
Till their white backs were covered with gore.
But mark an Angel with a steely wand
And frowning brows doth by these Martyrs stand
Unseen, he strikes their Executioners,
Which blow its dyre effects full soon infers;
For strait their armes, who beat these Martyrs so,
Are now not able for to strike a blow,
Dry'd up they are like sticks; their sinnews shrunk
And dryth hath up their strength, and vigor drunk:
Cruel Tiberius then to prison hales
These Brothers: (Hell now claps on all his Sailes;
Blown with the blasts of Rage, fell mischiefs barque
Seeks to o'rewhelm the Christian's new-built Ark)
There as it were within the jawes of Hell,
Where horrid Night, and Stygian stinks did dwell,
Where mire, and filthy durt, and stinking dung
Bespread the floor, and the black wall's behung:
There are the Brothers, noble Brothers put,
And there from food, as well as Light are shut.
But stay Tiburtius, 'tis not thou canst keep
Food from these Martyrs: Christ will feed his sheep:
And tho ten thousand Iron barrs behem,
He in the foulest hole will feast with them.
A sacred Angel now Hel's Rage withstands,
And notwithstanding his severe Commands,
49
With which they bountifully dine, and sup.
In vain Tiburtius every day enquires
Which of the constant brothers first expires,
In vain he waits (and still in vain he may)
To hear the cruel cut-throat keepers say
That they were starv'd to death: He waites in vain,
Raging therefore he now will have them slain.
This cruel Monster, and right Stygian Heir
Doth now a walk of burning Coales prepare;
And (cruel) forces these two Saints to stalk
With naked feet upon this fiery walk:
The glowing Coales (charg'd by the Angel so)
Kisse their sweet feet unhurt as they do go,
Fast locking up their burning quality
As splendant Gemms under their feet do lye.
But all this will not serve their turns; for now
Unto JOVE'S Image they are bid to bow,
Instead of Jove to Jesus strait they cry,
When one of his blest Chore doth thither flye,
Touching the Idol with his sacred hand,
Prodigiously converts the same to sand,
The brasse resolv'd to dust falls on the ground,
Whilst Heathen Jesu's blessed Name resound.
Such were the acts of holy Angels, then
Frequent, tho now so seldom seen by men.
And what's the reason that these Sons of Light
Seem as it were now to eschew our sight?
Why don't they now appear as they were wont
To do, in former ages? and why don't
They shew their kind familiarity
But hide themselves in vail'd obscurity?
Some think the sins of Men the cause; and sure
Angels love to converse with none but pure
Men like themselves: and though this may not be
The only Cause of their obscurity
Unto our outer eye, yet sure I am,
Man's inner converse hinder'd by the same
Is, for while Men lye plunged in the mire
Of sinn, they cann't behold these sparks of fire.
Others suppose the Church confirmed now,
Has no such need as heretofore for to
Be strengthened, therefore Angles don't appear,
And therefore miracles now ceased are.
Others do think (and sure their reason's good)
Since God himself put on our flesh and Blood,
And since that Jesu's blest Humanity
For ay inthroned is in Heav'n on high,
That Mortals should Spiritualized be,
And him by Faith, in Truth, and Spirit see.
For the Internal World's now open'd are,
And Spiritual Treasures more then e'r they were,
So that Man now converse with Angels may
In a more Spiritual, and nearer way,
For Angels tho they don't appear, do Love
Men as they did, and round him daily move,
For to defend him from all hurt, and Harm,
With Magic vigour of their powerful arm.
They willing are still to converse with Men
Who lay aside the letting Vailes of Sin.
But what's the reason seeing Spirits have
Such power here, that th' Ill do not bereave
Man of his Life? and with their shapes affright
Him from his Reason, Wits, and Sences quite?
Why don't they haunt Man with continual terror?
And shew themselves in their dread shapes of horror?
Why don't they muster all the Winds? and tear
The Rocks assunder? and the Mountains bear
Unto some City pashing with the stones
Both Towers, and Walls, Houses, and Men at once?
Why don't they move the Raging Seas, and make
At once a Kingdom, or a Land, a Lake?
And sith a power to slaughter men they have
Why don't they sweep whole Townes into the grave?
Beeing they are to mischief alwayes bent,
Why make they Man to be their Instrument?
The Devil Mans subtle and crafty foe
Charges his slaves, that they themselves do show
To none, but such whom he's assured are
Better'd, and bound fast in his Iron snare:
For he's affraid if he should men affright
With the black shadows of the dismal Night,
And should in's horrid shapes be seen, that they
(Sith Men in fear, are then most apt to pray
For help to God) should through a sence of fear
On goodnesse think, and from their sins forbear:
And lest that many, who no Hell believe
Now; he by this meanes should re-undeceive
Beside the shame, of their foul blot, and stain
From oft appearing doth them much restrain,
For they do know Man knows their fall, and strait
They hang their heads if he the same relate.
Therefore they'r much enrag'd if any spy
Them will they, nil they, with an inner eye.
But chiefly this restrains them: Well they know
Their ministry, and what they are to do
Spiritual is, and that they need not come
In shapes, nor Corporeity assume.
They are to tempt Man unto Sinn, and they
That very well can do a better way
Than to be seen, into the fancy presse
They do and there suggest all wickednesse.
Sleeping, and waking, Night, and Day, they do
Disturb the fancy, and the sences too.
So that they'l not appear unto the eye
Except they think they an advantage spy.
Seem as it were now to eschew our sight?
Why don't they now appear as they were wont
To do, in former ages? and why don't
They shew their kind familiarity
But hide themselves in vail'd obscurity?
Some think the sins of Men the cause; and sure
Angels love to converse with none but pure
Men like themselves: and though this may not be
The only Cause of their obscurity
Unto our outer eye, yet sure I am,
Man's inner converse hinder'd by the same
Is, for while Men lye plunged in the mire
Of sinn, they cann't behold these sparks of fire.
50
Has no such need as heretofore for to
Be strengthened, therefore Angles don't appear,
And therefore miracles now ceased are.
Others do think (and sure their reason's good)
Since God himself put on our flesh and Blood,
And since that Jesu's blest Humanity
For ay inthroned is in Heav'n on high,
That Mortals should Spiritualized be,
And him by Faith, in Truth, and Spirit see.
For the Internal World's now open'd are,
And Spiritual Treasures more then e'r they were,
So that Man now converse with Angels may
In a more Spiritual, and nearer way,
For Angels tho they don't appear, do Love
Men as they did, and round him daily move,
For to defend him from all hurt, and Harm,
With Magic vigour of their powerful arm.
They willing are still to converse with Men
Who lay aside the letting Vailes of Sin.
But what's the reason seeing Spirits have
Such power here, that th' Ill do not bereave
Man of his Life? and with their shapes affright
Him from his Reason, Wits, and Sences quite?
Why don't they haunt Man with continual terror?
And shew themselves in their dread shapes of horror?
Why don't they muster all the Winds? and tear
The Rocks assunder? and the Mountains bear
Unto some City pashing with the stones
Both Towers, and Walls, Houses, and Men at once?
Why don't they move the Raging Seas, and make
At once a Kingdom, or a Land, a Lake?
And sith a power to slaughter men they have
Why don't they sweep whole Townes into the grave?
Beeing they are to mischief alwayes bent,
Why make they Man to be their Instrument?
The Devil Mans subtle and crafty foe
Charges his slaves, that they themselves do show
To none, but such whom he's assured are
Better'd, and bound fast in his Iron snare:
51
With the black shadows of the dismal Night,
And should in's horrid shapes be seen, that they
(Sith Men in fear, are then most apt to pray
For help to God) should through a sence of fear
On goodnesse think, and from their sins forbear:
And lest that many, who no Hell believe
Now; he by this meanes should re-undeceive
Beside the shame, of their foul blot, and stain
From oft appearing doth them much restrain,
For they do know Man knows their fall, and strait
They hang their heads if he the same relate.
Therefore they'r much enrag'd if any spy
Them will they, nil they, with an inner eye.
But chiefly this restrains them: Well they know
Their ministry, and what they are to do
Spiritual is, and that they need not come
In shapes, nor Corporeity assume.
They are to tempt Man unto Sinn, and they
That very well can do a better way
Than to be seen, into the fancy presse
They do and there suggest all wickednesse.
Sleeping, and waking, Night, and Day, they do
Disturb the fancy, and the sences too.
So that they'l not appear unto the eye
Except they think they an advantage spy.
But why Man's Life they do not take away
Nor all the order of the World destroy
Is this: JEHOVA whose black slaves they be
Holds in his Hand their chaines extremity,
So that like Bandoggs they may bark, and grin,
But cannot hurt unlesse he lose the chain:
Which loos'd (for sinnes correction) strait they rome
And upon man with rage, and fury come.
Likewise we must not think the Angels idle,
But that they still their rage, and fury bridle,
Opposing still the rigor of their armes,
Against the venom of their spells, and charmes:
So that with wisdom, and with might they can
Avert their plots, and stratagems from Man.
But I suppose, did God give Sathan leave,
He would not Men, as most suppose, deprive
Of Life (tho I confesse his furious spight
Effect much harm, and desolation might)
For what good would it do for him to Crown
At once the whole World with a Martyrdom?
For what good would it do him to destroy
Man? for himself by it he'd more annoy:
'Tis not this Life of Man he seeks, but the
Soul's company with him Æternally:
Therefore he'd have Men in prosperity,
And's loth to see them in Adversity.
In ease, and pleasure Men to sin are subject,
Disease stirs up to a Cœlestial object.
If Sathan should Man's hand so agitate
That he should burst in twain the thread of Fate
Of any one: answer shall he the fact
If that his will concurr'd not with the act?
Then Dæmonaicks must be guilty too
Of whatsoe'r they in their fits do do.
Sathan knows well enough what e'r ill in
Their minds he puts, imputed sha'n't for sin
Be unto them, unlesse their will they shall
Conjoyn thereto. This sin we rightly call.
Therefore he tempts, well knowing that he can
Not hurt: for Man himself must murther Man.
Hurt from himself doth flow; but cunning he
Makes Man betray himself to misery.
But if that any persecute he wou'd
His Rage, and spight would be against the Good,
Whom he should think were past his reach, or those
Who naked should themselves to him expose,
Hoping thereby to make them sin, or that
They should grow through oppression desperate.
But God who bounds the Seas, doth Hell command,
And binds the Devils with the self-same Hand.
Nor all the order of the World destroy
Is this: JEHOVA whose black slaves they be
Holds in his Hand their chaines extremity,
So that like Bandoggs they may bark, and grin,
But cannot hurt unlesse he lose the chain:
Which loos'd (for sinnes correction) strait they rome
And upon man with rage, and fury come.
Likewise we must not think the Angels idle,
But that they still their rage, and fury bridle,
Opposing still the rigor of their armes,
Against the venom of their spells, and charmes:
So that with wisdom, and with might they can
Avert their plots, and stratagems from Man.
52
He would not Men, as most suppose, deprive
Of Life (tho I confesse his furious spight
Effect much harm, and desolation might)
For what good would it do for him to Crown
At once the whole World with a Martyrdom?
For what good would it do him to destroy
Man? for himself by it he'd more annoy:
'Tis not this Life of Man he seeks, but the
Soul's company with him Æternally:
Therefore he'd have Men in prosperity,
And's loth to see them in Adversity.
In ease, and pleasure Men to sin are subject,
Disease stirs up to a Cœlestial object.
If Sathan should Man's hand so agitate
That he should burst in twain the thread of Fate
Of any one: answer shall he the fact
If that his will concurr'd not with the act?
Then Dæmonaicks must be guilty too
Of whatsoe'r they in their fits do do.
Sathan knows well enough what e'r ill in
Their minds he puts, imputed sha'n't for sin
Be unto them, unlesse their will they shall
Conjoyn thereto. This sin we rightly call.
Therefore he tempts, well knowing that he can
Not hurt: for Man himself must murther Man.
Hurt from himself doth flow; but cunning he
Makes Man betray himself to misery.
But if that any persecute he wou'd
His Rage, and spight would be against the Good,
Whom he should think were past his reach, or those
Who naked should themselves to him expose,
Hoping thereby to make them sin, or that
They should grow through oppression desperate.
But God who bounds the Seas, doth Hell command,
And binds the Devils with the self-same Hand.
Man as the Sages not untruly say'd
Peculiar Genii has both good and bad:
Each good Man has an Angel guardian,
And evil Dæmon has each evil Man
For to attend upon him; one doth still
Egg Man to Good, the other unto ill.
As doth a careful Nurse attend the child
She suckles, lest by harm it be beguil'd,
Or hurt, and as she joys to see it grow
In strength, and all perfections; even so
The Angel tutular attends his Ward,
And daily it doth from all evil guard:
He joys to see his charge to grow apace
In Heav'n's perfections, and the strength of Grace:
He guards his charge from ills, and doth undo
Hel's plots, and snares, and stops his fury too.
And were it not for such an Angel's guard,
To shun Hel's snares, a Saint would find it hard.
What owe we then unto Heav'n's Love, that sends
So good a Nurse that Man so frankly tends?
So evil Men, ill Dæmons wait upon,
Who joy to see them in Hel's Races run,
They have their several charges too, and they
Also upon their charge attend alway:
Each seeks his charge to hale to TOPHET, even
As the good Angel to bring his to Heaven.
Peculiar Genii has both good and bad:
Each good Man has an Angel guardian,
And evil Dæmon has each evil Man
53
Egg Man to Good, the other unto ill.
As doth a careful Nurse attend the child
She suckles, lest by harm it be beguil'd,
Or hurt, and as she joys to see it grow
In strength, and all perfections; even so
The Angel tutular attends his Ward,
And daily it doth from all evil guard:
He joys to see his charge to grow apace
In Heav'n's perfections, and the strength of Grace:
He guards his charge from ills, and doth undo
Hel's plots, and snares, and stops his fury too.
And were it not for such an Angel's guard,
To shun Hel's snares, a Saint would find it hard.
What owe we then unto Heav'n's Love, that sends
So good a Nurse that Man so frankly tends?
So evil Men, ill Dæmons wait upon,
Who joy to see them in Hel's Races run,
They have their several charges too, and they
Also upon their charge attend alway:
Each seeks his charge to hale to TOPHET, even
As the good Angel to bring his to Heaven.
Sometimes these Genii bodies take, and then
Themselves they do exhibit unto men:
For Bishop Bruno heard a voyce cry thus;
No Bishop! I am thy ev'l Genius,
E're long I'le fetch thee: and e're long indeed
A Roof fell down upon his cursed head.
So Marcus Brutus his ev'l Genius spy'd
(Whose Fate presag'd) the night before he dy'd.
Cassius Parmensis saw a Dæmon that
With horrid looks presag'd his evil Fate,
Who being asked what he was? he thus
Reply'd; I am thy evil Genius.
Good Men likewise have their own Genii seen
And with them also conversant have been.
Bodin relates a story of a Man
Who was directed by his Guardian
Angel, at all times, who forewarn'd him still
(That he prevent it might) of any ill
That threat'ned him: or if he did not well
He by some sign him of it still would tell:
And ev'ry morning (such his holy care
Was) him awak'd, and stir'd him up to prayer;
And every night he in a dream did shew
Those accidents that should next day ensue:
So that he was fore-armed still, and thus
Preserv'd till Death by his good Genius.
One Jacob Behre, a very pious Man
By prayer obtain'd an Angel Guardian.
Which both himself, and's Wife saw every Night
About their Bed, like to a shining Light.
Such is God's Love, and such the Angels care,
That we as children, they as Nurses are.
Themselves they do exhibit unto men:
For Bishop Bruno heard a voyce cry thus;
No Bishop! I am thy ev'l Genius,
E're long I'le fetch thee: and e're long indeed
A Roof fell down upon his cursed head.
So Marcus Brutus his ev'l Genius spy'd
(Whose Fate presag'd) the night before he dy'd.
Cassius Parmensis saw a Dæmon that
With horrid looks presag'd his evil Fate,
Who being asked what he was? he thus
Reply'd; I am thy evil Genius.
Good Men likewise have their own Genii seen
And with them also conversant have been.
Bodin relates a story of a Man
Who was directed by his Guardian
Angel, at all times, who forewarn'd him still
(That he prevent it might) of any ill
54
He by some sign him of it still would tell:
And ev'ry morning (such his holy care
Was) him awak'd, and stir'd him up to prayer;
And every night he in a dream did shew
Those accidents that should next day ensue:
So that he was fore-armed still, and thus
Preserv'd till Death by his good Genius.
One Jacob Behre, a very pious Man
By prayer obtain'd an Angel Guardian.
Which both himself, and's Wife saw every Night
About their Bed, like to a shining Light.
Such is God's Love, and such the Angels care,
That we as children, they as Nurses are.
I do believe that there are many now
That by the guidance of their Angels go,
Steer as they do direct; are guided by
And have converse with their own Genii.
And tho, men may not often see their own
Genii; and though themselves they have not shown
Often; unseen they act and do direct
Our actions, and us from Hel's harms protect.
They do inspire us, and as God commands,
Sometimes they help, sometimes with-hold their Hands.
Good Angels help good men, the evil still
Entice, and draw them to the pits of ill.
Most men are by Good, or 'ill Genii led,
In all their actions, tho they'r undescry'd:
Therefore behold within the Globe I paint
An Angel Guardian waiting on a Saint:
An evil Dæmon, which another leads,
Who in the pathes of sinn, and Tart'rus treads.
But the deep Magic of each mystic Sphear
We shall (below at full) describe, not here.
We here proceed shall (tho in homely garb)
To shew the Myst'ries of this outer Orb.
That by the guidance of their Angels go,
Steer as they do direct; are guided by
And have converse with their own Genii.
And tho, men may not often see their own
Genii; and though themselves they have not shown
Often; unseen they act and do direct
Our actions, and us from Hel's harms protect.
They do inspire us, and as God commands,
Sometimes they help, sometimes with-hold their Hands.
Good Angels help good men, the evil still
Entice, and draw them to the pits of ill.
Most men are by Good, or 'ill Genii led,
In all their actions, tho they'r undescry'd:
Therefore behold within the Globe I paint
An Angel Guardian waiting on a Saint:
An evil Dæmon, which another leads,
Who in the pathes of sinn, and Tart'rus treads.
But the deep Magic of each mystic Sphear
We shall (below at full) describe, not here.
We here proceed shall (tho in homely garb)
To shew the Myst'ries of this outer Orb.
This World from th' inward Worlds its being gat,
And of their natures doth participate.
The curse with blessings, good with bad doth blend.
Both Centres hither do their forces send:
This is the stage on which both act, 'tis here
Their influence, and power doth appear:
This is the field, in which these powers do band,
And strive which of them may Man's heart command.
This is the receptacle, here below
For Heav'n and Hell their Wonders both to shew:
So that here is as 'twere conjoyn'd in one
Both Sodom, Ægypt, and Jerusalem.
And of their natures doth participate.
The curse with blessings, good with bad doth blend.
Both Centres hither do their forces send:
55
Their influence, and power doth appear:
This is the field, in which these powers do band,
And strive which of them may Man's heart command.
This is the receptacle, here below
For Heav'n and Hell their Wonders both to shew:
So that here is as 'twere conjoyn'd in one
Both Sodom, Ægypt, and Jerusalem.
| Mundorum Explicatio | |