Philomythie or Philomythologie wherein Outlandish Birds, Beasts, and Fishes, are taught to speake true English plainely. By Tho: Scot ... The second edition much inlarged |
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PHÆNIX.
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 | Philomythie or Philomythologie |  |
PHÆNIX.
Dedicated To the honorable Knight Sr. Robert Riche, and his noble Lady.
There 's but one Phænix, is there had been more,Your names had stood within, but now before.
Th' Arabian
Phænix, being noble, young,
And newly from his fathers ashes sprung,
Seeing how other birds did louers take
Of their owne kind, would needs like tri[illeg.]
And thought by what good course he might preuent
His doubted ruine, and seeme prouident,
Where nature (as he iudg'd) defectiue stood,
In leauing single, such an absolute good.
His meanes was marriage, married he would be,
But where to choose a Mate he could not see:
For choose hee might and please his curious eyne,
Each bird made suite to be his Valantine.
And newly from his fathers ashes sprung,
Seeing how other birds did louers take
Of their owne kind, would needs like tri[illeg.]
And thought by what good course he might preuent
His doubted ruine, and seeme prouident,
Where nature (as he iudg'd) defectiue stood,
In leauing single, such an absolute good.
His meanes was marriage, married he would be,
But where to choose a Mate he could not see:
Each bird made suite to be his Valantine.
The Pehen drest her selfe and spred her taile,
The Turkey-hen aduanc'd her spotted saile.
The Turtle left her mate to ioyne with him,
The Siluer-Swan, in ruffled pride did Swim,
The Parakite, and Goldfinch,, Citie heires,
Offer'd him loue, and what besides was theirs:
The courtly Pheasant gaudy Popiniay,
In varied coloures drest themselues that day:
The sweet Canary singer stroue t'excell
The merry-making mournefull Philomel;
Who left deploring, and did mirth preferre:
Wishing the Phænix would haue rauish't her.
All these, with all besides the rest excelling,
Did woo him, proffer loue, their passions telling.
But all in vaine; the bird of Paradise,
Had with her pleasing forme bewitcht his eyes.
He wooes, and winnes her too, with small adoe,
“Where both desire, both parties seeme to wooe:
And who would not desire so rare a one,
Whom all desire, him to enioy alone?
The Turkey-hen aduanc'd her spotted saile.
The Turtle left her mate to ioyne with him,
The Siluer-Swan, in ruffled pride did Swim,
The Parakite, and Goldfinch,, Citie heires,
Offer'd him loue, and what besides was theirs:
The courtly Pheasant gaudy Popiniay,
In varied coloures drest themselues that day:
The sweet Canary singer stroue t'excell
The merry-making mournefull Philomel;
Who left deploring, and did mirth preferre:
Wishing the Phænix would haue rauish't her.
All these, with all besides the rest excelling,
Did woo him, proffer loue, their passions telling.
But all in vaine; the bird of Paradise,
Had with her pleasing forme bewitcht his eyes.
He wooes, and winnes her too, with small adoe,
“Where both desire, both parties seeme to wooe:
And who would not desire so rare a one,
Whom all desire, him to enioy alone?
They married are. Opinions equall voice,
Say both are happy in each others choice.
For she was faire, and rare, and rich, and young,
And wise, and noble, and full sweetly sung;
In all complete she was, only did faile,
Hauing too small a body for her taile.
This fault she tooke by kinde, it cost her nought,
From her birth place the frailtie first she brought.
And though by all good meanes she stroue to hide
This naturall blemish, still it was espide.
And spied the more, because this corporall ill,
Being single here, did each mans fancy fill.
“That disproportion doubles in the minde,
“Where we it single in the body finde.
And so it fell out here; not long they dwelt
In peace, but loues fire alteration felt,
And gan to slake and coole, where it should not,
And where it should be coole, it waxed hot.
Shee now did hate and loath, the sweet she had,
And linger after something that was bad.
Her taile was too too large for him to tread,
He too too little her to ouer-spread.
To ouerspread her body was not much,
But her insatiate taile, and minde was such.
So weakest stomacks strongest meates desire.
So greatest smoke riseth from smallest fire.
So slender wits great matters vndertake.
So swift pursuite, doth slow performance make.
So th'appetite, by impotence is mou'd.
So shee (though little) eu'ry great thing lou'd.
She lou'd all great things, and all rare things sought,
But what she had that she esteemed nought.
She had what others long'd for, and enioyde
What all desir'd: and that enioying cloyde.
And now she ginnes to hate, and wish in heart,
A fit occasion offer'd were to part.
But wanting such, shee frames one: doth traduce,
And wound his honour for her owne excuse.
And still pretending modesty a cause,
Immodestly, she triall claimes by lawes.
Although the Phænix her with teares did woo,
She separation sought, and gets it too.
The sentence past, she Cynosure doth wed,
And vnknowne fowle, by th'ayre begot and bred.
He (following kind) trod oft, and quencht her heate,
And she laid oft, fild many a neast and seate
With addle egges; but neuer bird did spring,
Out of those shells, nor other liuing thing.
Yet some in their opinions counted wise,
Say that such egges do hatch the Cockatrice.
Yet nothing from these spurious Embrions came
But naked promises, and openshame.
Say both are happy in each others choice.
For she was faire, and rare, and rich, and young,
And wise, and noble, and full sweetly sung;
In all complete she was, only did faile,
Hauing too small a body for her taile.
This fault she tooke by kinde, it cost her nought,
From her birth place the frailtie first she brought.
And though by all good meanes she stroue to hide
This naturall blemish, still it was espide.
Being single here, did each mans fancy fill.
“That disproportion doubles in the minde,
“Where we it single in the body finde.
And so it fell out here; not long they dwelt
In peace, but loues fire alteration felt,
And gan to slake and coole, where it should not,
And where it should be coole, it waxed hot.
Shee now did hate and loath, the sweet she had,
And linger after something that was bad.
Her taile was too too large for him to tread,
He too too little her to ouer-spread.
To ouerspread her body was not much,
But her insatiate taile, and minde was such.
So weakest stomacks strongest meates desire.
So greatest smoke riseth from smallest fire.
So slender wits great matters vndertake.
So swift pursuite, doth slow performance make.
So th'appetite, by impotence is mou'd.
So shee (though little) eu'ry great thing lou'd.
She lou'd all great things, and all rare things sought,
But what she had that she esteemed nought.
She had what others long'd for, and enioyde
What all desir'd: and that enioying cloyde.
And now she ginnes to hate, and wish in heart,
A fit occasion offer'd were to part.
But wanting such, shee frames one: doth traduce,
And wound his honour for her owne excuse.
And still pretending modesty a cause,
Immodestly, she triall claimes by lawes.
Although the Phænix her with teares did woo,
She separation sought, and gets it too.
And vnknowne fowle, by th'ayre begot and bred.
He (following kind) trod oft, and quencht her heate,
And she laid oft, fild many a neast and seate
With addle egges; but neuer bird did spring,
Out of those shells, nor other liuing thing.
Yet some in their opinions counted wise,
Say that such egges do hatch the Cockatrice.
Yet nothing from these spurious Embrions came
But naked promises, and openshame.
In memory of whose vnhappy wombe,
That brought dead fruit forth, like a liuing tombe,
(Dead fruit, much like faire apples all of smoake,
Which grow in Sodome, and the eaters choake,)
Each courtly lady now vpon their head,
Do weare a bird of Paradise, instead
Of a light feather; which doth warning giue,
How free from lightnesse, Ladies ought to liue:
How constant they should be, how firme in loue:
Not feather-like, apt with each breath to moue.
How well proportion'd, not so great below,
But lesse in shew, and more in truth to know.
To fit the bottome with an equall saile,
And not to ouer-top the head with taile.
All this it tells them, and doth shew beside,
“How addle egges spring out of lust, and pride.
“How noble houses by ignoble deeds,
“Bury themselues and their owne ruine breeds.
“How beautie and all vertues of the minde,
“Conioynde with wealth, adorne not woman kinde:
“Except with these, true chastitie be plac'd,
“And that againe, by modesty be grac'd.
And now I will proceede to tell my story,
How sad the Phænix was in minde, how sory
To be so sleighted and so ill respected,
By her for whose sake, he had all neglected.
This wounds his heart, and he resolues too late,
All second matches for the first to hate;
To liue alone, and neuer more to minde
Fond alteration, in the course of kinde.
But griefe perplex't him so, he fear'd to die,
Ere he were fitted for posteritie.
And so his neast vnmade, he quickly might,
Both life, and name, and memory loose out-right
This to preuent, his flight he nimbly takes
O're hilles and dales, o're desarts, riuers, lakes,
O're kingdomes, countries, bounding East and West,
And spices gathers vp to build his neast.
Which made, and finding still his former griefe,
Not cur'd but growing desperate of reliefe,
Him better seem'd by priuiledge of kinde,
To kill his body, and renue his minde:
To leaue griefe where it breeds with earth on earth,
And recreate his spirit with spritly birth,
(Like fire, which touching powder straight resolues
The grosser parts; and each it selfe inuolues
In its owne element) then so t'outweare
And tyre away with griefe sixe hundred yeare,
(For so long liues the Phænix) but thought he,
“So long he dies that liues in miserie.
And therefore soone betakes him to his neast,
Wherefore-prepar'd he finds his funerall drest.
The Sun shines bright and hot, he with his wings
Makes more the heate: & sparkling diamond brings,
Whose strong reflection, or retention rather
Either beates backe the heate, or heate doth gather.
Which kindled (like dri'd leaues with burning glasses)
Consumes the neast, and bird, and all to ashes.
Vpon these ashes fruitfull dewes descend,
And the hot Sun his actiue beames do bend.
So heate and moisture twixt them procreate,
A silly worme vnlike the bird in state.
But time doth giue it growth, and shape, and feathers,
And still perfection from each houre it gathers.
Till to the former equall it appeares,
Or rather all one bird, except in yeares.
That brought dead fruit forth, like a liuing tombe,
(Dead fruit, much like faire apples all of smoake,
Which grow in Sodome, and the eaters choake,)
Each courtly lady now vpon their head,
Do weare a bird of Paradise, instead
Of a light feather; which doth warning giue,
How free from lightnesse, Ladies ought to liue:
How constant they should be, how firme in loue:
Not feather-like, apt with each breath to moue.
How well proportion'd, not so great below,
But lesse in shew, and more in truth to know.
To fit the bottome with an equall saile,
And not to ouer-top the head with taile.
All this it tells them, and doth shew beside,
“How addle egges spring out of lust, and pride.
“How noble houses by ignoble deeds,
“Bury themselues and their owne ruine breeds.
“How beautie and all vertues of the minde,
“Conioynde with wealth, adorne not woman kinde:
“Except with these, true chastitie be plac'd,
“And that againe, by modesty be grac'd.
How sad the Phænix was in minde, how sory
To be so sleighted and so ill respected,
By her for whose sake, he had all neglected.
This wounds his heart, and he resolues too late,
All second matches for the first to hate;
To liue alone, and neuer more to minde
Fond alteration, in the course of kinde.
But griefe perplex't him so, he fear'd to die,
Ere he were fitted for posteritie.
And so his neast vnmade, he quickly might,
Both life, and name, and memory loose out-right
This to preuent, his flight he nimbly takes
O're hilles and dales, o're desarts, riuers, lakes,
O're kingdomes, countries, bounding East and West,
And spices gathers vp to build his neast.
Which made, and finding still his former griefe,
Not cur'd but growing desperate of reliefe,
Him better seem'd by priuiledge of kinde,
To kill his body, and renue his minde:
To leaue griefe where it breeds with earth on earth,
And recreate his spirit with spritly birth,
(Like fire, which touching powder straight resolues
The grosser parts; and each it selfe inuolues
In its owne element) then so t'outweare
And tyre away with griefe sixe hundred yeare,
(For so long liues the Phænix) but thought he,
“So long he dies that liues in miserie.
And therefore soone betakes him to his neast,
Wherefore-prepar'd he finds his funerall drest.
The Sun shines bright and hot, he with his wings
Makes more the heate: & sparkling diamond brings,
Either beates backe the heate, or heate doth gather.
Which kindled (like dri'd leaues with burning glasses)
Consumes the neast, and bird, and all to ashes.
Vpon these ashes fruitfull dewes descend,
And the hot Sun his actiue beames do bend.
So heate and moisture twixt them procreate,
A silly worme vnlike the bird in state.
But time doth giue it growth, and shape, and feathers,
And still perfection from each houre it gathers.
Till to the former equall it appeares,
Or rather all one bird, except in yeares.
The rauenous Vulture wondring long had stood
To marke all this, within a neighbour wood.
Which hauing seene, ambition pricks her so,
That she resolues what'euer power saith no,
Example and direction hence to take,
Her selfe and hers all Phænixes to make.
So calls she first the Hee, and then the young:
And thus gan speake to them with rauisht tounge.
How much my power hath done, how much my wit,
You know, yet know some repetition fit.
I do the Eagle rule, (the birds braue King)
And worke him to my minde in euery thing.
He preyes on whom I list; still on the best;
Eates what I stint him, and leaues you the rest.
I gouerne euery Hawke, or bird of prey;
Such as confront the Eagle, me obay;
And make me sharer in their richest prize,
And how to please me best, best meanes deuise.
I that despise Religion, scorne all law,
Do binde all other birds to both by awe:
To both for my aduantage, else you know
I can prophane the Temple well enough;
Pollute the Altar; search the graue, each tombe,
And dig out of the priuiledged wombe
Of hallow'd earth, dainties for you to lurch,
Mans flesh, enshrined in the sacred Church.
You know I foster Souldiers not for loue,
But to breed warres; the slaine my prey still proue.
All sorts, professions, kinds, I prey vpon,
When their sweete flesh in turn'd to carrion.
For carrion is my food, let others kill
And hazzard life for life, we safely will
Eate the vnfortunate, the weake, distressed,
Whom want enfeebled, mightie power oppressed.
This is our practise. But I cald ye now
For higher aimes: to giue you notice how
We may aspire in royaltie and pride
Aboue the Eagle, and all birds beside.
Much time, much study, with full large expence,
Haue I bestowed, to gaine intelligence
Of a rare secret, which exceedeth farre
Th' Alchimisters Idol, call'd th'Elixar.
This is, to vnderstand and know aright,
What course to take, and how we compasse might
The glorious eminence, the singular grace,
The famous Phænix hath in euery place:
How to attaine her nature, beauty, state;
And without copulation procreate.
At length my wit, my industry, and chance
Concurring, did this happinesse aduance:
For watching lately, as I often did,
In desart vast, among thicke bushes hid,
I saw (vnseene) the mysterie throughout,
And can resolue each rite, each scrupulous doubt.
The circumstance were needlesse, whil'st the fact
Shall manifest each seuerall Scene, and act,
With happy issue; and accomplish so
Our wishes, that we shall amazed goe;
Amazed goe, to see our selues so low,
So soone to such a pitch of glory grow:
So soone translated, metamorphosed,
And new created from the foot to head:
Beyond our hopes, report, the present station
Of other birds, almost to adoration.
Enquire not how, but each prepare t'obay,
What I command; performance leads the way.
Hie on, hie all, to seuerall quarters flie,
And through the whole world make a scrutinie
For aromatick drugges, perfuming spices,
Rare pretious stones, rich iewels, strange deuices.
Bring them together, lay them on this hill,
And the successe refer to my deep skill.
To marke all this, within a neighbour wood.
Which hauing seene, ambition pricks her so,
That she resolues what'euer power saith no,
Example and direction hence to take,
Her selfe and hers all Phænixes to make.
So calls she first the Hee, and then the young:
And thus gan speake to them with rauisht tounge.
How much my power hath done, how much my wit,
You know, yet know some repetition fit.
I do the Eagle rule, (the birds braue King)
And worke him to my minde in euery thing.
He preyes on whom I list; still on the best;
Eates what I stint him, and leaues you the rest.
I gouerne euery Hawke, or bird of prey;
Such as confront the Eagle, me obay;
And make me sharer in their richest prize,
And how to please me best, best meanes deuise.
I that despise Religion, scorne all law,
Do binde all other birds to both by awe:
I can prophane the Temple well enough;
Pollute the Altar; search the graue, each tombe,
And dig out of the priuiledged wombe
Of hallow'd earth, dainties for you to lurch,
Mans flesh, enshrined in the sacred Church.
You know I foster Souldiers not for loue,
But to breed warres; the slaine my prey still proue.
All sorts, professions, kinds, I prey vpon,
When their sweete flesh in turn'd to carrion.
For carrion is my food, let others kill
And hazzard life for life, we safely will
Eate the vnfortunate, the weake, distressed,
Whom want enfeebled, mightie power oppressed.
This is our practise. But I cald ye now
For higher aimes: to giue you notice how
We may aspire in royaltie and pride
Aboue the Eagle, and all birds beside.
Much time, much study, with full large expence,
Haue I bestowed, to gaine intelligence
Of a rare secret, which exceedeth farre
Th' Alchimisters Idol, call'd th'Elixar.
This is, to vnderstand and know aright,
What course to take, and how we compasse might
The glorious eminence, the singular grace,
The famous Phænix hath in euery place:
How to attaine her nature, beauty, state;
And without copulation procreate.
At length my wit, my industry, and chance
Concurring, did this happinesse aduance:
For watching lately, as I often did,
In desart vast, among thicke bushes hid,
And can resolue each rite, each scrupulous doubt.
The circumstance were needlesse, whil'st the fact
Shall manifest each seuerall Scene, and act,
With happy issue; and accomplish so
Our wishes, that we shall amazed goe;
Amazed goe, to see our selues so low,
So soone to such a pitch of glory grow:
So soone translated, metamorphosed,
And new created from the foot to head:
Beyond our hopes, report, the present station
Of other birds, almost to adoration.
Enquire not how, but each prepare t'obay,
What I command; performance leads the way.
Hie on, hie all, to seuerall quarters flie,
And through the whole world make a scrutinie
For aromatick drugges, perfuming spices,
Rare pretious stones, rich iewels, strange deuices.
Bring them together, lay them on this hill,
And the successe refer to my deep skill.
The young ones all obayde, but then the Male
Staid long t'enquire the reason of this tale.
Yet long he durst not stay, lest shee from thence
Should beate him for his arrogant offence:
For females of all rauening fowles beare sway,
And the blacke Vulture is a bird of prey.
The male ne're meddles with young, meat, or nest:
But shee commands, and he sits like a guest.
He seeing her incenst, away doth post
Ore many Seas, and many an vnknowne Coast,
And all the world surueyes from East to West,
From North to South, and gathers what is best;
Sweet odoriferous spices, amber-greece,
The Castors stones, the Ermins spotted fleene,
Rich Luzerns, Sables, Martins, and the horee
Of the most precious-seld-seen Vnicorne.
The Musk-cats cod, with Rubies blushing red,
Quick-sparkling Diamonds cutting glasse like lead;
Bright shining Carbuncles, and Saphires blew,
With Iasper, Iacynth; Emerals greene in view;
Perspicuous Christall, orient Pearles large, round,
And Gold, for which man doth the Center sound;
Blacke, white, greene, marble; in-laid Porphyrie,
With Alablasters for Imagerie:
Truth-trying Touch-stones, making things distinct,
And what rariety else within precinct
Of ample Nature dwels, they hither brought;
With which a curious neast shee neatly wrought,
To match whose wealth remaining earth was base.
Her selfe, Mate, yong, each by themselues had place
In this most royall building. Then in state
Her selfe sate downe, and next her musing Mate.
Her young ones, then in order, One by One,
And now the Sunne shin'd hot on euery stone
The spice gan kindle. Now quoth shee I finde
My selfe halfe made immortall changing kinde.
The fire flam'd fiercer then, and sing'd their wings:
Be constant Sirs quoth shee, you shall be Kings.
“Gold crownes are heauy, toyle is hard but gainfull;
“There is no excellent sweet but first is painfull.
They would haue flowne away, but 'twas too late.
Quoth shee the Phænix dies to liue in state.
Staid long t'enquire the reason of this tale.
Yet long he durst not stay, lest shee from thence
Should beate him for his arrogant offence:
For females of all rauening fowles beare sway,
And the blacke Vulture is a bird of prey.
The male ne're meddles with young, meat, or nest:
But shee commands, and he sits like a guest.
He seeing her incenst, away doth post
Ore many Seas, and many an vnknowne Coast,
And all the world surueyes from East to West,
From North to South, and gathers what is best;
The Castors stones, the Ermins spotted fleene,
Rich Luzerns, Sables, Martins, and the horee
Of the most precious-seld-seen Vnicorne.
The Musk-cats cod, with Rubies blushing red,
Quick-sparkling Diamonds cutting glasse like lead;
Bright shining Carbuncles, and Saphires blew,
With Iasper, Iacynth; Emerals greene in view;
Perspicuous Christall, orient Pearles large, round,
And Gold, for which man doth the Center sound;
Blacke, white, greene, marble; in-laid Porphyrie,
With Alablasters for Imagerie:
Truth-trying Touch-stones, making things distinct,
And what rariety else within precinct
Of ample Nature dwels, they hither brought;
With which a curious neast shee neatly wrought,
To match whose wealth remaining earth was base.
Her selfe, Mate, yong, each by themselues had place
In this most royall building. Then in state
Her selfe sate downe, and next her musing Mate.
Her young ones, then in order, One by One,
And now the Sunne shin'd hot on euery stone
The spice gan kindle. Now quoth shee I finde
My selfe halfe made immortall changing kinde.
The fire flam'd fiercer then, and sing'd their wings:
Be constant Sirs quoth shee, you shall be Kings.
“Gold crownes are heauy, toyle is hard but gainfull;
“There is no excellent sweet but first is painfull.
They would haue flowne away, but 'twas too late.
Quoth shee the Phænix dies to liue in state.
With that she sinkes, her neast and all combust
Her glorious hopes, and proiects turn'd to dust.
Which tells vs this: Pride still doth ouer-build.
“Folly is not in architecture skill'd.
“Wit frames his Plot according to his state,
“And to a small house makes no lofty gate.
“But ouer-bold Ambition fires her neast,
“And proues her houses shame, her house a ieast.
Her glorious hopes, and proiects turn'd to dust.
“Folly is not in architecture skill'd.
“Wit frames his Plot according to his state,
“And to a small house makes no lofty gate.
“But ouer-bold Ambition fires her neast,
“And proues her houses shame, her house a ieast.
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