KOSMOBREVIA[Greek], or the infancy of the world With an Appendix of Gods resting day, Edon Garden; Mans Happiness before, Misery after, his Fall. Whereunto is added, The Praise of Nothing; Divine Ejaculations; The four Ages of the world; The Birth of Christ; Also a Century of Historical Applications; With a Taste of Poetical fictions. Written some years since by N. B.[i.e. Nicholas Billingsley] ... And now published at the request of his Friends |
 |
| The Worlds Infancy. |
 |
|
| 9. |
| 10. |
|
 | KOSMOBREVIA[Greek], or the infancy of the world |  |
1
The Worlds Infancy.
Sect. 1.
The Argument.
God begins the Worlds Creation,Light from out of darkness brings.
Giving wondrous Operation,
To Wells, Rivers, Fountains, Springs.
God, when besides himself there nothing was,
But a rude Chaos, a confused Mass,
Of things disordered; all together hurl'd,
Did by his providence ordaine the world.
And first his, power, and cœlestial might,
Cleare light extracted, from the shades of night.
Then did he spread a glorious Curtain out,
Spangled with Starrs, and glory round about,
Embost with pearl, embroydered with gold,
With Chrysolits, and Carbuncles enrould.
O work to be admir'd; what pen? what story!
Can point can blazon the Almighties glory.
I wanting Eagles eyes, am over-daz'd,
With too great light and winking stand amaz'd,
Thus, thus, heav'ns Architect by's word of power,
Edificated the ætherial Tower,
The Mass he dissipating, drew from thence,
The Center of the vast Circumference,
The solid substance altogether clung,
And by g'ometrical proportion hung,
In figure of a Sphær; this naked globe
He circumvested in a sea greene robe,
The Elements, Earth, Water, Ayer, and Fire,
Took each their station, Vulcan did aspire
To the sublimest Orb, Jove next in power
Predominates: next him, the watry Bower,
Of curl'd hair Neptune stands and last of all
Doth drossie Vesta to the bottome fall:
Vesta's inthron'd, Vesta that doth adorne,
Her breasts with flowers, and her lap with corne,
Vesta sinks down beneath her brothers sway
Being of more solidity then they.
The dry, and humid, heavy, and the light,
Soft, hard, b'ing opposites doe disunite.
Wet things with wet, cold things cōmix with cold,
Hot things with hot, do correspondence hold.
From the Seas raging Tyranny, the Land
Is kept (Oh pow'r) with slipp'ry walls of sand.
Had the Sea leave to rage beyond its bound
Earth's Fabrick would (undoubtedly) be drown'd;
But the Almighties force of arms asswage
Th'impetuous threats of her imperious rage:
The Sea (now mild) engirds the earth about,
And like a Snake goes wriggling in and out:
The Marine Empress lib'rally bestows
Her store, and into divers Channels flows.
A River in the late world brought to light
Runs all the day, and resteth all the night.
Conspicuous silver-waved Euphrates,
Payes tribute to the domineering seas,
The streams of Tanais, transparent Po
And clear Erid'nus, from the Ocean go.
The river Erax, and the swift Meander,
Whose winding Mazes in and out doe wander,
(Much like the Lab'rinth of faire Rosamond
Or that Dædalian frame which did abscond
The monstrous Minotaur, in former dayes
So intricate for their retorted wayes)
Niphates bringing Tigers up and Phæsis
Fall on and Court with amorous embraces
The fair Queen Glauce; nimble-footed Rhene
Whose earth-dividing course both run between
The Belgians, and the Germans, hath its motion
From Phorbas, Phorbas Kingling of the Ocean.
The Amazonian Thermodontin brooks,
And Oax also to the Ocean looks.
The river Jordan is a stream compounded
Of Jor and Dan, by curs'd Asphaltis bounded.
Gold-sanded Tagus, and the bow-string Tybur,
Yellow Pactolus, and Cantabrian Iber,
Take from the Seas their rise, the flowing Ganges,
With wandring current through the orient ranges
Septemfluous Nilus, and Armenian Tigris,
Libanian Jordan, Aquitanian Ligris,
Arcadian Ladon, and the Thuscian Arne,
The Thracian Stroymon, the Campanian Sarne,
Rhone, Incest, Lifter, and the Marsyan tydes,
Flow from, and to, the swelling Oceans sides:
Caucasian Indus, which receiveth plenty
Of pleasant rivers wanting one of twenty.
And what doth Simois? and what Matrona,
But waite and tend upon the Queen Diona?
All rivers in the world, or smal or mighty
Derive their lineage, from great Amphitrite,
Hence comes our British Severn, Wye, Lugg, Umber
And thousands too innumerous for number.
But a rude Chaos, a confused Mass,
Of things disordered; all together hurl'd,
Did by his providence ordaine the world.
And first his, power, and cœlestial might,
Cleare light extracted, from the shades of night.
Then did he spread a glorious Curtain out,
Spangled with Starrs, and glory round about,
Embost with pearl, embroydered with gold,
With Chrysolits, and Carbuncles enrould.
2
Can point can blazon the Almighties glory.
I wanting Eagles eyes, am over-daz'd,
With too great light and winking stand amaz'd,
Thus, thus, heav'ns Architect by's word of power,
Edificated the ætherial Tower,
The Mass he dissipating, drew from thence,
The Center of the vast Circumference,
The solid substance altogether clung,
And by g'ometrical proportion hung,
In figure of a Sphær; this naked globe
He circumvested in a sea greene robe,
The Elements, Earth, Water, Ayer, and Fire,
Took each their station, Vulcan did aspire
To the sublimest Orb, Jove next in power
Predominates: next him, the watry Bower,
Of curl'd hair Neptune stands and last of all
Doth drossie Vesta to the bottome fall:
Vesta's inthron'd, Vesta that doth adorne,
Her breasts with flowers, and her lap with corne,
Vesta sinks down beneath her brothers sway
Being of more solidity then they.
The dry, and humid, heavy, and the light,
Soft, hard, b'ing opposites doe disunite.
Wet things with wet, cold things cōmix with cold,
Hot things with hot, do correspondence hold.
3
Is kept (Oh pow'r) with slipp'ry walls of sand.
Had the Sea leave to rage beyond its bound
Earth's Fabrick would (undoubtedly) be drown'd;
But the Almighties force of arms asswage
Th'impetuous threats of her imperious rage:
The Sea (now mild) engirds the earth about,
And like a Snake goes wriggling in and out:
The Marine Empress lib'rally bestows
Her store, and into divers Channels flows.
A River in the late world brought to light
Runs all the day, and resteth all the night.
Conspicuous silver-waved Euphrates,
Payes tribute to the domineering seas,
The streams of Tanais, transparent Po
And clear Erid'nus, from the Ocean go.
The river Erax, and the swift Meander,
Whose winding Mazes in and out doe wander,
(Much like the Lab'rinth of faire Rosamond
Or that Dædalian frame which did abscond
The monstrous Minotaur, in former dayes
So intricate for their retorted wayes)
Niphates bringing Tigers up and Phæsis
Fall on and Court with amorous embraces
The fair Queen Glauce; nimble-footed Rhene
Whose earth-dividing course both run between
4
From Phorbas, Phorbas Kingling of the Ocean.
The Amazonian Thermodontin brooks,
And Oax also to the Ocean looks.
The river Jordan is a stream compounded
Of Jor and Dan, by curs'd Asphaltis bounded.
Gold-sanded Tagus, and the bow-string Tybur,
Yellow Pactolus, and Cantabrian Iber,
Take from the Seas their rise, the flowing Ganges,
With wandring current through the orient ranges
Septemfluous Nilus, and Armenian Tigris,
Libanian Jordan, Aquitanian Ligris,
Arcadian Ladon, and the Thuscian Arne,
The Thracian Stroymon, the Campanian Sarne,
Rhone, Incest, Lifter, and the Marsyan tydes,
Flow from, and to, the swelling Oceans sides:
Caucasian Indus, which receiveth plenty
Of pleasant rivers wanting one of twenty.
And what doth Simois? and what Matrona,
But waite and tend upon the Queen Diona?
All rivers in the world, or smal or mighty
Derive their lineage, from great Amphitrite,
Hence comes our British Severn, Wye, Lugg, Umber
And thousands too innumerous for number.
But stay my Muse thou hadst almost forgot
The Kentish Medway one of greatest note
Next to that famous navigable Thames
Whose breasts are silv'red with compounded streams
Which bear up floating houses, what a train
Of lusty watermen doth Thames maintaine?
Who though with rapid force they'r backwards hurl'd
Yet are they often forwards in the world.
Great London is the Bow, the Thames the string
The Boats are arrows which about do spring
The Streams Sabbatical do rest and stay.
In observation of the Sabbath day.
The Kentish Medway one of greatest note
5
Whose breasts are silv'red with compounded streams
Which bear up floating houses, what a train
Of lusty watermen doth Thames maintaine?
Who though with rapid force they'r backwards hurl'd
Yet are they often forwards in the world.
Great London is the Bow, the Thames the string
The Boats are arrows which about do spring
The Streams Sabbatical do rest and stay.
In observation of the Sabbath day.
Add here the German Savenire Pouhont,
And med'cinable Spa in great account
For its effecting strange unheard of things,
Unparalel'd by none unless the springs
Of Tunbridg famous in our Kentish county,
For casting up their subterraneous bounty,
Which relishing of Iron, and sulph'ry veines
Cures well nigh all infirmities and paines,
Nay lengthens life causing the fates t'unspin
Lifes drawn out thred, hath any got the spleen?
The dropsie? the vertigo? or the stone?
These waters will yield remedy alone.
Suppose th'art Lunatick, or Planet struck,
Hear's that will help thee, if thou hast the luck
To come and take it, is it thine endeavour
To be rid of the Collick or the feavour,
Or the Obstructions of the Mesentery,
Reines, Melt, and liver? wouldest thou fain be merry
And freed from Melancholy? if you please
To use these waters, doubtless, you'l have ease;
Gouts Ischyatica's, the French-mans pox,
And what flows from Pandora's opened box
These Springs resist, and for your comfort here
Green sickness, Maids, a remedy is neere.
And you, disheartned Sarahs, do but come
And drink, and you'l have an enlarged wombe.
In brief, to cure all maladies, there dwells
A Soveraign vertue in these Tunbridge Wells.
And med'cinable Spa in great account
For its effecting strange unheard of things,
Unparalel'd by none unless the springs
Of Tunbridg famous in our Kentish county,
For casting up their subterraneous bounty,
Which relishing of Iron, and sulph'ry veines
Cures well nigh all infirmities and paines,
Nay lengthens life causing the fates t'unspin
Lifes drawn out thred, hath any got the spleen?
The dropsie? the vertigo? or the stone?
These waters will yield remedy alone.
Suppose th'art Lunatick, or Planet struck,
Hear's that will help thee, if thou hast the luck
To come and take it, is it thine endeavour
To be rid of the Collick or the feavour,
6
Reines, Melt, and liver? wouldest thou fain be merry
And freed from Melancholy? if you please
To use these waters, doubtless, you'l have ease;
Gouts Ischyatica's, the French-mans pox,
And what flows from Pandora's opened box
These Springs resist, and for your comfort here
Green sickness, Maids, a remedy is neere.
And you, disheartned Sarahs, do but come
And drink, and you'l have an enlarged wombe.
In brief, to cure all maladies, there dwells
A Soveraign vertue in these Tunbridge Wells.
Nor must I leave those Bristoll Baths which are
For their effects so wonderful, so rare.
All Aches Cramps, Convulsions (and what not?)
Dy in those waters naturaly hot.
Well, I cou'd wish those Authors of disorders
Too much encreased in those B istoll borders
I mean that frantick self-afflicting crew
Of trembling Quakers, with their Captain too
Tongue-bored Nailor, branded in the forehead
With B for blasphemy, were in those torrid
And scalding Currents forc'd to stand awhile
My Genius tells me they'd at last recoyle
Their fond conceits, and soon be a forsaking
Their censuring others; and give over Quaking.
For their effects so wonderful, so rare.
All Aches Cramps, Convulsions (and what not?)
Dy in those waters naturaly hot.
Well, I cou'd wish those Authors of disorders
Too much encreased in those B istoll borders
I mean that frantick self-afflicting crew
Of trembling Quakers, with their Captain too
Tongue-bored Nailor, branded in the forehead
With B for blasphemy, were in those torrid
And scalding Currents forc'd to stand awhile
My Genius tells me they'd at last recoyle
Their fond conceits, and soon be a forsaking
Their censuring others; and give over Quaking.
7
The ub'rous fountains and each conduit brings
Its store of water from their bubbling springs,
Of Neptune's stock Acidalus came down,
Yielding her store, to the Bæotian Town.
So Aganippe is a sacred fountaine,
Us'd by the Ladies of the by-fork'd mountaine,
And Arethusa, whose mellifluous wombe
Is sweet, nay sweeter then the hony-combe.
What should I speak of th'Hippocrenian Well?
And what shall I of the Clitorian tell?
The first wherof the Muses haunt a brook
The hoofe of winged Pegasus hath strook
The other Fount, (it seems to me divine,)
Can make men sober when ore took with wine,
The Well Telpissa, is so cold so chill
That it Tyresia, (as they say) did kill,
Th'Ammonian Fount, is cold and hot by turns
Cold in the day, and in the night it burns.
'Tis said the sportfull Eleusinian spring,
Will dance when shepherds are disposed to sing,
Clarean a Well (for it there needs no strife,)
Doth lengthen eloquence, but shortens life,
Sweet Helicon's a consecrated Well,
To th'Muses, in it do the Muses dwell.
Phineus, a Well, is wholsome in the day
To drink, but hurtful in the night (men say)
The fount Cabura yields a fragrant smell,
The well Halcyon, danceth very well,
Cilician Cydnus, cures the gout the spring
Leucoges eye sight to the blinde doth bring,
Cyzices quencheth hot Idalian fire,
A draught of Lycus causeth life t'expire.
All things doe in the gulf of Sylla sink.
The Stream Anyger, casts a loathsom stink:
Azanium is a Well which doth incline,
Bacchus his Genial Friends to loath all wine.
Athamas water setteth wood on fire
Making the kindled flames for to aspire.
There are a number more which he that looks
Shall find set down in Learned Authors Books,
My Muse hath touch'd the chiefest she hath read,
And tir'd with search, discretion calls to bed.
Its store of water from their bubbling springs,
Of Neptune's stock Acidalus came down,
Yielding her store, to the Bæotian Town.
So Aganippe is a sacred fountaine,
Us'd by the Ladies of the by-fork'd mountaine,
And Arethusa, whose mellifluous wombe
Is sweet, nay sweeter then the hony-combe.
What should I speak of th'Hippocrenian Well?
And what shall I of the Clitorian tell?
The first wherof the Muses haunt a brook
The hoofe of winged Pegasus hath strook
The other Fount, (it seems to me divine,)
Can make men sober when ore took with wine,
The Well Telpissa, is so cold so chill
That it Tyresia, (as they say) did kill,
Th'Ammonian Fount, is cold and hot by turns
Cold in the day, and in the night it burns.
'Tis said the sportfull Eleusinian spring,
Will dance when shepherds are disposed to sing,
Clarean a Well (for it there needs no strife,)
Doth lengthen eloquence, but shortens life,
Sweet Helicon's a consecrated Well,
To th'Muses, in it do the Muses dwell.
Phineus, a Well, is wholsome in the day
To drink, but hurtful in the night (men say)
10
The well Halcyon, danceth very well,
Cilician Cydnus, cures the gout the spring
Leucoges eye sight to the blinde doth bring,
Cyzices quencheth hot Idalian fire,
A draught of Lycus causeth life t'expire.
All things doe in the gulf of Sylla sink.
The Stream Anyger, casts a loathsom stink:
Azanium is a Well which doth incline,
Bacchus his Genial Friends to loath all wine.
Athamas water setteth wood on fire
Making the kindled flames for to aspire.
There are a number more which he that looks
Shall find set down in Learned Authors Books,
My Muse hath touch'd the chiefest she hath read,
And tir'd with search, discretion calls to bed.
11
Sect. 2.
The Argument.
God doth in a lib'ral measure,Furnish these inferiour Bowers
With a large unsumm'd up treasure,
Of Trees, and Fruits, Plants and Flowers.
As soon as Gods all pow'rful hand had laid
The worlds foundation, to the earth he said,
Lay by thy mournful weeds, unite thy powers,
And make a garland of the choysest flowers,
Embost with Gems, and Diamonds; then crowne
Thy front, and put on an Embroider'd gown,
Nay and the more thy glory for to grace,
With liveliest colours beautifie thy face.
Put one thy Periwig, all fruits, plums, pears,
Shall hang like Iewels, dangling in thine ears.
With that arose this new proclaimed Queen,
Her Ebon mantle turn'd a galant green,
Befring'd with flowers; the Gorget that she wore
Was lac'd with Flora's pride, bestarched ore
With Deaws, and rory mists, her hand did hold
A royal Scepter made of burnish'd gold.
Rich Gems, rare Iewels, pretious stones are set
Up charily in her wombs Cabinet.
This stately Empress don's her dangling Tresses,
And makes no more ado but tricks and dresses
Her wanton bosome with delightful flowers,
'Gainst Ioves descending in his silver showers.
The heav'ns as braclets, her pure hands bedeck
The stars are Beads which goe about her neck,
Her lilly neck so that fair Uenus seeks
Her heav'n-stol'n beauty in her earthly cheeks,
The worlds foundation, to the earth he said,
Lay by thy mournful weeds, unite thy powers,
And make a garland of the choysest flowers,
Embost with Gems, and Diamonds; then crowne
Thy front, and put on an Embroider'd gown,
Nay and the more thy glory for to grace,
With liveliest colours beautifie thy face.
Put one thy Periwig, all fruits, plums, pears,
Shall hang like Iewels, dangling in thine ears.
With that arose this new proclaimed Queen,
Her Ebon mantle turn'd a galant green,
Befring'd with flowers; the Gorget that she wore
Was lac'd with Flora's pride, bestarched ore
With Deaws, and rory mists, her hand did hold
A royal Scepter made of burnish'd gold.
12
Up charily in her wombs Cabinet.
This stately Empress don's her dangling Tresses,
And makes no more ado but tricks and dresses
Her wanton bosome with delightful flowers,
'Gainst Ioves descending in his silver showers.
The heav'ns as braclets, her pure hands bedeck
The stars are Beads which goe about her neck,
Her lilly neck so that fair Uenus seeks
Her heav'n-stol'n beauty in her earthly cheeks,
Wild Ash trees from earths swelling matrice spring
The river Sallowes fens forth Alders bring
The Mirtle loves the shore, Vines doe enfold
Their arms on hils, the Yew tree haunts the cold,
The fruitfull Almond from earths wombe doth come
The sweet-scent Aromatick Balsamum;
The box-tree ever green, the tow'ring Cedar,
The stately Pine, which doth in height succeed her
The lovely Chery-trees sanguineous sap,
Is nourished in Demegorgon's lap,
The warr us'd Cornell, and the Mast-ful Beach,
The fun'ral Cypress, and the velvet Peach,
The Ambrosiack Cinamon, the Figg,
The Pompkin and the aged Oke (so big)
The Iuniper which yields a fragrant smell,
And Sea green Willows on the earth do dwell.
The Daphnean Lawrel tree, which doth not dread
The thund'rets voyce, whose hair-abounding head
Is never bald; but doth for ever flourish,
Springs from the earth, it is the earth doth norish
The never fading Palms; the beautious Firre
Streight as an arrow; and the red'lent Myrrhe,
The broad branch'd Plane-tree, with his spacious leaves
The wanton Jvy which adhers and cleavs
To other Arbors, groweth ev'ry where,
The downy Poplar, The Piram'dal Peare,
The Melt-tree, Weapons Needles Thred, affords
Clothes Honey, Sugar, Balm, Wine, Parchment, Cords
The Vine suporting Elm, the pearly Plum,
The balefull Pitch-tree, sweating forth its gum.
The fulsome Bullace, and the prickly Holly,
The furr'd coat Chestnut, and the shrub Trifolly,
The golden Orange, and the plush-coate Quince,
Which ord'red well yields Marm'let for a Prince,
The shadie Linden, Goosberries and Wardens,
The Mulb'ry, Raspb'ry, Strawb'ry, grow in gardens
The river Sallowes fens forth Alders bring
The Mirtle loves the shore, Vines doe enfold
Their arms on hils, the Yew tree haunts the cold,
The fruitfull Almond from earths wombe doth come
The sweet-scent Aromatick Balsamum;
The box-tree ever green, the tow'ring Cedar,
The stately Pine, which doth in height succeed her
The lovely Chery-trees sanguineous sap,
Is nourished in Demegorgon's lap,
The warr us'd Cornell, and the Mast-ful Beach,
The fun'ral Cypress, and the velvet Peach,
The Ambrosiack Cinamon, the Figg,
The Pompkin and the aged Oke (so big)
The Iuniper which yields a fragrant smell,
And Sea green Willows on the earth do dwell.
13
The thund'rets voyce, whose hair-abounding head
Is never bald; but doth for ever flourish,
Springs from the earth, it is the earth doth norish
The never fading Palms; the beautious Firre
Streight as an arrow; and the red'lent Myrrhe,
The broad branch'd Plane-tree, with his spacious leaves
The wanton Jvy which adhers and cleavs
To other Arbors, groweth ev'ry where,
The downy Poplar, The Piram'dal Peare,
The Melt-tree, Weapons Needles Thred, affords
Clothes Honey, Sugar, Balm, Wine, Parchment, Cords
The Vine suporting Elm, the pearly Plum,
The balefull Pitch-tree, sweating forth its gum.
The fulsome Bullace, and the prickly Holly,
The furr'd coat Chestnut, and the shrub Trifolly,
The golden Orange, and the plush-coate Quince,
Which ord'red well yields Marm'let for a Prince,
The shadie Linden, Goosberries and Wardens,
The Mulb'ry, Raspb'ry, Strawb'ry, grow in gardens
All these and many more come from the earth
Earth gives them nutriment as well as birth,
The earth, mother of all things; suckles all
Her vegetative ofsprings, great and small.
Earth gives them nutriment as well as birth,
The earth, mother of all things; suckles all
Her vegetative ofsprings, great and small.
At Gods command Dame Tellus deck'd her bowers
With verdent hearbs, and Odorif'rous Flowers,
Of sundry vertues, and of sundry hew,
Some green, some red, some yellow, white, some blew.
Here doth the Cardu's-Benedictus grow,
Both to the plague and stone a deadly foe:
Here jaundis-cureing, Horehound, which is good
Against the Asthma; heer is Southern-wood
Good against Feavours; here the Worm-wood eases
All Surfeits, drunk'ness, Cholerick Diseases.
Cough-chasing, Rocket, Rue-expelling vapors,
Which dim the sight; the pallat-pleasing Capers
Helping the Spleen; sweet-scenting Marjoram
Is here; and there the Bawm of Abraham;
Here grows the Beet; yonder the Daffadill;
And there the fragrant spreading Cammomill;
Here is Mint, Centory, and Columbine,
And there the Cowslip and the Eglantine;
See here is Ey-bright, Annis, Cummin, Carry,
Dittander there, behold the hearb Cost-mary,
Here is Germander, Melilot also,
And Harts-tongue, Harts-horn, Harts-ease, there do grow
Roots white and red, and chockly, Artycocks,
Here maidens hair is, alias, Venus locks,
Here thriveth Hyssop, Lavender, and Sorrel,
Yonder the Night-shade, called Pety-morel,
Here Palma-Christi doth it self expand,
There Peneroyal, royaly doth stand.
Here groweth Parsly, yonder sprouteth Tansy;
And here the Lovage, yon' the Lovers Pansy.
Her's drowsie Popy, there are Dasies blowing,
And sweet Angelica is yonder growing:
Here Cic'ry springs, there Fumitory thrives,
Staves-aker lives here, that the Lowse unlives.
Here's sovr'aine Rhubarb, yonder is sweet Basil,
There Fullers hearb, known by the name of Thasil,
Yonder spread Mandrakes, the neglected Nettle,
There doth its foot in Tellus bosom settle.
Here's Sav'ry, Savery, and Helebore,
(Of which they say Anticyras hath store)
Parsnips, and Turneps, and Potatoes too,
Coleworts, and Cabbage, and the Radish doe
Rise from the ground; Elicampane, the Rape,
And all plants els have from the earth their shape
All sorts of grain Wheat, Barley, Oates, and Poder
Whose sap-less stalks the stall-fed Ox do fodder.
Burrage, and Bugloss, Fennel, Water-cresses,
Dame Tellus with all these her bosom dresses,
Now walk we (Reader) into Flora's Bowers,
For recreation; here are curious flowers,
To make fine Posies with; here here behold
The purple Violet, and Marigold.
Seest how these variegated beds do show
As many coulors as the Rainy Bow?
Here's choyce of Pinks, & banks of Damask Roses
Their sight doth pleas our eys, their smel, our noses
The cleer fac'd Lilly smiles, so here great store
Of Gil'flowers, Tulips, and—but what need more
In vaine alas! in vaine I goe about
To reckon all the branches which doe sprout
From out Methymna; the Hyblean Bees,
And yellow sands, neere the Pactolian Seas,
Are not so numerous, the starrs give place
(If numbred) to the Demegorgon's race,
'Tis night, and Titan his refulgent beams
Doth hide their glory in the Western streams
The third day left a universal shade,
And heaven was pleased with the works he made.
With verdent hearbs, and Odorif'rous Flowers,
14
Some green, some red, some yellow, white, some blew.
Here doth the Cardu's-Benedictus grow,
Both to the plague and stone a deadly foe:
Here jaundis-cureing, Horehound, which is good
Against the Asthma; heer is Southern-wood
Good against Feavours; here the Worm-wood eases
All Surfeits, drunk'ness, Cholerick Diseases.
Cough-chasing, Rocket, Rue-expelling vapors,
Which dim the sight; the pallat-pleasing Capers
Helping the Spleen; sweet-scenting Marjoram
Is here; and there the Bawm of Abraham;
Here grows the Beet; yonder the Daffadill;
And there the fragrant spreading Cammomill;
Here is Mint, Centory, and Columbine,
And there the Cowslip and the Eglantine;
See here is Ey-bright, Annis, Cummin, Carry,
Dittander there, behold the hearb Cost-mary,
Here is Germander, Melilot also,
And Harts-tongue, Harts-horn, Harts-ease, there do grow
Roots white and red, and chockly, Artycocks,
Here maidens hair is, alias, Venus locks,
Here thriveth Hyssop, Lavender, and Sorrel,
Yonder the Night-shade, called Pety-morel,
Here Palma-Christi doth it self expand,
There Peneroyal, royaly doth stand.
15
And here the Lovage, yon' the Lovers Pansy.
Her's drowsie Popy, there are Dasies blowing,
And sweet Angelica is yonder growing:
Here Cic'ry springs, there Fumitory thrives,
Staves-aker lives here, that the Lowse unlives.
Here's sovr'aine Rhubarb, yonder is sweet Basil,
There Fullers hearb, known by the name of Thasil,
Yonder spread Mandrakes, the neglected Nettle,
There doth its foot in Tellus bosom settle.
Here's Sav'ry, Savery, and Helebore,
(Of which they say Anticyras hath store)
Parsnips, and Turneps, and Potatoes too,
Coleworts, and Cabbage, and the Radish doe
Rise from the ground; Elicampane, the Rape,
And all plants els have from the earth their shape
All sorts of grain Wheat, Barley, Oates, and Poder
Whose sap-less stalks the stall-fed Ox do fodder.
Burrage, and Bugloss, Fennel, Water-cresses,
Dame Tellus with all these her bosom dresses,
Now walk we (Reader) into Flora's Bowers,
For recreation; here are curious flowers,
To make fine Posies with; here here behold
The purple Violet, and Marigold.
Seest how these variegated beds do show
As many coulors as the Rainy Bow?
16
Their sight doth pleas our eys, their smel, our noses
The cleer fac'd Lilly smiles, so here great store
Of Gil'flowers, Tulips, and—but what need more
In vaine alas! in vaine I goe about
To reckon all the branches which doe sprout
From out Methymna; the Hyblean Bees,
And yellow sands, neere the Pactolian Seas,
Are not so numerous, the starrs give place
(If numbred) to the Demegorgon's race,
'Tis night, and Titan his refulgent beams
Doth hide their glory in the Western streams
The third day left a universal shade,
And heaven was pleased with the works he made.
17
Sect. 3.
The Argument.
God doth the Canopy of heaven,With sparkling glittering Gems inlay.
The twelve signes, and planets seaven.
Strange effects, the Milky way.
The morrow after, when the light be purl'd
The yearly mantle of the new-made world;
Heav'ns hand, still nilling to be idle, gilded
The earths fair seeling, he before had builded.
Starrs are heav'ns Scutchions, thick as Argus eyes
They hang, and twinckle in the marble skies
Of great or lesser magnitudes, each one
Shine like the Iacynth and the Iasper stone.
But farr more glorious, yea they go beyond
The fy'ry Carbuncle, the Diamond,
And golden Crisolit, their beauty shines
So bright, nay brighter, then the wealthy Mines
Of hot Arabia, or Pactolean Seas,
The tailes of Peacocks, are but toys to these,
The purple Amethist, the Hesphesite,
And costly Opall's nothing neere so bright;
Earths rarest Iewells, mayn't with them compare,
The costliest Gems are not so rich as they're:
These pearls which garnish the ætherial story,
Are lively emblems of their makers glory.
The yearly mantle of the new-made world;
Heav'ns hand, still nilling to be idle, gilded
The earths fair seeling, he before had builded.
Starrs are heav'ns Scutchions, thick as Argus eyes
They hang, and twinckle in the marble skies
Of great or lesser magnitudes, each one
Shine like the Iacynth and the Iasper stone.
But farr more glorious, yea they go beyond
The fy'ry Carbuncle, the Diamond,
And golden Crisolit, their beauty shines
So bright, nay brighter, then the wealthy Mines
Of hot Arabia, or Pactolean Seas,
The tailes of Peacocks, are but toys to these,
18
And costly Opall's nothing neere so bright;
Earths rarest Iewells, mayn't with them compare,
The costliest Gems are not so rich as they're:
These pearls which garnish the ætherial story,
Are lively emblems of their makers glory.
These glittring Sphæres, about the axle roul
Which joyns to th'Arctick and Antarctick Pole:
This part cold Boreas, and the North starr sees:
Hot Auster, vieweth the Antipodes.
The Ursa Major, and the Minor too,
Their backs turn'd to it, round the North Pole go:
The Dragon, which did keepe through watchfulness
The golden Apples of th'Hesperides
Much like the windings of a river flowes,
His widened mouth like a Charybdis showes.
Herc'les beneath him kneels, next whom the Crown
Of Ariadne, on the earth shines down.
Here Snake-engirted Serpentarius stands,
Squeezing the bending Snake in's griping hands,
Under him Scorpio exporrected lies:
There Libra's beame, turnes in the Azure skies.
Arctophylax here drives his waine; in's groyne
The radiant lustre of a lamp doth shine;
He treads on Virgo who a sheafe doth beare,
Next whom appeareth Berenices haire,
The great Bears hind feet, on the Lion tread,
Cancer and Gemini with his double head
Are next, and neere to Leda's egg hatch'd twins
Auriga holds strong wine; close by him shines
The rainy starr of the Olenian Goate;
Iove's nurses next Aïx and Ælice note.
Here prostrate on the floor, behold a Bull,
Whose sublime horns with Starrs are beautifull:
The brood-hen or the rainy Hyades
See there, (some call them the Atlantides)
The taile of Cynosure the little Beare
Points at the widened Arms of Cepheus there,
Whose sad wife Cassiopea next complains
For her Andromeda, bound fast in chaines.
Next winged Pegasus on high doth mount
Whose hoof struck whilom th'Heliconian Fount;
Which joyns to th'Arctick and Antarctick Pole:
This part cold Boreas, and the North starr sees:
Hot Auster, vieweth the Antipodes.
The Ursa Major, and the Minor too,
Their backs turn'd to it, round the North Pole go:
The Dragon, which did keepe through watchfulness
The golden Apples of th'Hesperides
Much like the windings of a river flowes,
His widened mouth like a Charybdis showes.
Herc'les beneath him kneels, next whom the Crown
Of Ariadne, on the earth shines down.
Here Snake-engirted Serpentarius stands,
Squeezing the bending Snake in's griping hands,
Under him Scorpio exporrected lies:
There Libra's beame, turnes in the Azure skies.
Arctophylax here drives his waine; in's groyne
The radiant lustre of a lamp doth shine;
He treads on Virgo who a sheafe doth beare,
Next whom appeareth Berenices haire,
19
Cancer and Gemini with his double head
Are next, and neere to Leda's egg hatch'd twins
Auriga holds strong wine; close by him shines
The rainy starr of the Olenian Goate;
Iove's nurses next Aïx and Ælice note.
Here prostrate on the floor, behold a Bull,
Whose sublime horns with Starrs are beautifull:
The brood-hen or the rainy Hyades
See there, (some call them the Atlantides)
The taile of Cynosure the little Beare
Points at the widened Arms of Cepheus there,
Whose sad wife Cassiopea next complains
For her Andromeda, bound fast in chaines.
Next winged Pegasus on high doth mount
Whose hoof struck whilom th'Heliconian Fount;
And just before the Dwarf in fetters bound
[OMITTED] or Triangulus is found.
Two fishes, linked by their tailes ly forth,
One Southward, and the other tow'rds the North,
A sword in Perseus right hand out is spread,
In's left the snaky haird Medusa'es head.
He sits among the Pleiad's, his wing'd shoes.
Most sweetly there the Lyre of Merc'ry goes.
The Armiger of Iove, spreads here her wings,
And there the Swan that her owne El'gy sings.
See where swift Pegasus his mouth is plac'd,
There Joves Cup-bearer Ganimede is grac'd;
Beneath whom doth arise the Capricorn,
There Sagitarius doth the Heav'ns adorn,
His winged dart flies from his boysterous string
Betwixt the Eagles. and the Vulters wing.
The Dolphin last of all swims in the North,
Which sav'd Arion, in the Sea cast forth.
(Sweet Jesu! beare me to the Port of Sion,
Be thou my Dolphin I'le be thy Arion.
Orion mounteth nigh the Southerne Pole,
With golden belt begyrt; his left-foot sole:
He gently dippeth in the silver streams
Of swift Erid'nus; next the Dog-starr gleams,
Whose yelping frights the Hare; there swims the Whale.
Pegasian Argo next is under saile,
Which bore the Argonauts, and Peers of Greece,
Together with the Colchian golden fleece.
The Southern Garland, called Ixion's wheele,
Lies under horned Sagittarius heele.
Yonder is the Thuribulum divine;
There doth the Kid; and here the Centaur shine.
In folds, the truc'lent Hydra lies, enrould,
On whome stands Corvus, and a cup of gold
The Crater of the Powers: in the skies
By th'egg hatch'd breth'ren, litle Procyon lies.
See there the embroyred Bauldrick, and the starrs
Thereon engrav'd, Supine Astronomers.
The Ram, Bull, Twins, Crab, Lion, Virgo, Scale,
Scorp. Archer, Capri. Aquar. Pisces, call:
The Ram, the Bull, the Twins, shew in the Spring
Crab, Leo, Virgo, doe the Sumer bring.
Scale, Scorpion, Archer, gather corne together,
Goate Gan'med, Pisces, rise in winters weather.
Six Springs, and Harvests Æquinoctials share,
Summer and winter's Solstice six declare.
Seav'n wandring Planets, you may here see soon,
Saturne, Iove, Mars, Sol, Uenus, Merc'ry, Moon.
From these alone, from these ætherial flames
The Seav'n days of the weeke derive their nam's,
God placed in the Firmament of heaven
These pilgrim-planets, all in number Seaven
They and the golden Bauldricks thrice four powers,
Have influence in these bodies of ours:
They rule the Head, Neck, Arms, & Brest compleat,
Back, Bely, Reins, Secrets, Thighs, Knees, Legs, Feet,
Ther's many thousand nameless glittring globe,
Here inter-woven in this spangled Robe.
And in Earth's Tester, all with starrs set round
The Lactea via of Jehova's found:
This way doth lead to the Tribunal Throne
Of thund'ring Iove, this is the way alone
Conducts to bliss, if thou wilt enter in
Thy milk-white conscience must be free from sin:
The way doth ly direct, thou canst not miss:
A pure white conscience is the way to bliss,
[OMITTED] or Triangulus is found.
Two fishes, linked by their tailes ly forth,
One Southward, and the other tow'rds the North,
A sword in Perseus right hand out is spread,
In's left the snaky haird Medusa'es head.
He sits among the Pleiad's, his wing'd shoes.
Most sweetly there the Lyre of Merc'ry goes.
The Armiger of Iove, spreads here her wings,
And there the Swan that her owne El'gy sings.
20
There Joves Cup-bearer Ganimede is grac'd;
Beneath whom doth arise the Capricorn,
There Sagitarius doth the Heav'ns adorn,
His winged dart flies from his boysterous string
Betwixt the Eagles. and the Vulters wing.
The Dolphin last of all swims in the North,
Which sav'd Arion, in the Sea cast forth.
(Sweet Jesu! beare me to the Port of Sion,
Be thou my Dolphin I'le be thy Arion.
Orion mounteth nigh the Southerne Pole,
With golden belt begyrt; his left-foot sole:
He gently dippeth in the silver streams
Of swift Erid'nus; next the Dog-starr gleams,
Whose yelping frights the Hare; there swims the Whale.
Pegasian Argo next is under saile,
Which bore the Argonauts, and Peers of Greece,
Together with the Colchian golden fleece.
The Southern Garland, called Ixion's wheele,
Lies under horned Sagittarius heele.
Yonder is the Thuribulum divine;
There doth the Kid; and here the Centaur shine.
In folds, the truc'lent Hydra lies, enrould,
On whome stands Corvus, and a cup of gold
The Crater of the Powers: in the skies
By th'egg hatch'd breth'ren, litle Procyon lies.
21
Thereon engrav'd, Supine Astronomers.
The Ram, Bull, Twins, Crab, Lion, Virgo, Scale,
Scorp. Archer, Capri. Aquar. Pisces, call:
The Ram, the Bull, the Twins, shew in the Spring
Crab, Leo, Virgo, doe the Sumer bring.
Scale, Scorpion, Archer, gather corne together,
Goate Gan'med, Pisces, rise in winters weather.
Six Springs, and Harvests Æquinoctials share,
Summer and winter's Solstice six declare.
Seav'n wandring Planets, you may here see soon,
Saturne, Iove, Mars, Sol, Uenus, Merc'ry, Moon.
From these alone, from these ætherial flames
The Seav'n days of the weeke derive their nam's,
God placed in the Firmament of heaven
These pilgrim-planets, all in number Seaven
They and the golden Bauldricks thrice four powers,
Have influence in these bodies of ours:
They rule the Head, Neck, Arms, & Brest compleat,
Back, Bely, Reins, Secrets, Thighs, Knees, Legs, Feet,
Ther's many thousand nameless glittring globe,
Here inter-woven in this spangled Robe.
And in Earth's Tester, all with starrs set round
The Lactea via of Jehova's found:
This way doth lead to the Tribunal Throne
Of thund'ring Iove, this is the way alone
22
Thy milk-white conscience must be free from sin:
The way doth ly direct, thou canst not miss:
A pure white conscience is the way to bliss,
23
Sect. 4.
The Argument.
The Creation of the SunAnd the Moon in full Carier,
They alternately doe run
Unto either Hemisphere.
When heavens great builder had about enrould
This Marble Gallery, with studs of gold;
He made the greater, and the lesser light
Alternately to rule the Day and Night;
Illustrious Phæbus his refulgent face,
The upper and the lower world doth grace,
With equal splendor; his irradient beams
Refresheth all things; his ignivomous teams
Run restless races; his all-quickning power
Gives life and breath to every plant and flower;
Unto our sight it ev'dently appears,
His revolution makes up days and years:
He circulates in twice twelve howers time
The Universe, spends half in this our clime,
And when his Chariots rapid wheels are whirl'd
Into the Climates of th'inferiour world;
He on the lower Hemisphere displayes
His Rosy light and bright refulgent rayes,
Then pale-fac'd Phæbe riseth to fulfill
Her nightly course, ascending up the hill
Of the renoun'd Olympus, joys to spred
The glittring glory of her new-made head,
Silv'ring the world in her nocturnal race,
She reigns as Empress in her brothers place
And emulates his rayes, (although more dim)
What light she hath is all deriv'd from him;
She ev'ry month doth wax and wane and shew
Now Semicircled like a half bent bow:
But when Sol doth against her full face shine,
Earth interpoz'd in the Eccliptick line;
Her round cheeks are Ecclips'd, her masked face
Admits the glory of its borrowed grace,
She wears a Cypress hood and overshrouds
Her shamfac'd count'nance, in the gloomy clouds.
This Nights fair Lady, by her influence brings
Admir'd effects to sublunary things.
O sacred purdence, ev'ry day nay houer
Sets forth the greatness of th'Almighties power,
His pow'r fils all things, if I tow'r the skies
I do behold it in those twinkling eyes.
Doe not I see it in the burnish'd Sun,
And Moon, which round about their Circle run?
And if from heav'n I to the earth descend,
Are not his wonders there without an end
Nay saile I out into the boundless Seas
Gods goodness meets me; goe I where I please
His mercies find me; if I take the wings
Of fair Aurora, if I search the springs
Of his abundant grace; and if I roul
Even from the Arctick to th'Antarctick Pole.
His favours doe prevent me; Sea and Land
Enrich'd are by the All creators hand.
Dive I to the sulphureous pitt of hell,
There, there th'eternall doth in Iustice dwell
Look here, look there, nay turne I where I will
I see Gods greatness and his goodness still.
No Gods with him may equalized be;
Where is there such another God as he?
I stand amaz'd, on his stupendious name,
O with what words may I express the same!
And now the Major-General of day,
(Whose eye doth all things in the world survay)
Hastens his Chariot to th'Hesperian streams,
Un-yokes his horses hides his blewing beams
In Thetis bosom; by the western Seas
He setting, riseth to th'Antipodes.
The sable Curtains of thick darkness spread
To give us notice Sol is gone to bed:
This Marble Gallery, with studs of gold;
He made the greater, and the lesser light
Alternately to rule the Day and Night;
Illustrious Phæbus his refulgent face,
The upper and the lower world doth grace,
With equal splendor; his irradient beams
Refresheth all things; his ignivomous teams
Run restless races; his all-quickning power
Gives life and breath to every plant and flower;
Unto our sight it ev'dently appears,
His revolution makes up days and years:
He circulates in twice twelve howers time
The Universe, spends half in this our clime,
24
Into the Climates of th'inferiour world;
He on the lower Hemisphere displayes
His Rosy light and bright refulgent rayes,
Then pale-fac'd Phæbe riseth to fulfill
Her nightly course, ascending up the hill
Of the renoun'd Olympus, joys to spred
The glittring glory of her new-made head,
Silv'ring the world in her nocturnal race,
She reigns as Empress in her brothers place
And emulates his rayes, (although more dim)
What light she hath is all deriv'd from him;
She ev'ry month doth wax and wane and shew
Now Semicircled like a half bent bow:
But when Sol doth against her full face shine,
Earth interpoz'd in the Eccliptick line;
Her round cheeks are Ecclips'd, her masked face
Admits the glory of its borrowed grace,
She wears a Cypress hood and overshrouds
Her shamfac'd count'nance, in the gloomy clouds.
This Nights fair Lady, by her influence brings
Admir'd effects to sublunary things.
O sacred purdence, ev'ry day nay houer
Sets forth the greatness of th'Almighties power,
His pow'r fils all things, if I tow'r the skies
I do behold it in those twinkling eyes.
25
And Moon, which round about their Circle run?
And if from heav'n I to the earth descend,
Are not his wonders there without an end
Nay saile I out into the boundless Seas
Gods goodness meets me; goe I where I please
His mercies find me; if I take the wings
Of fair Aurora, if I search the springs
Of his abundant grace; and if I roul
Even from the Arctick to th'Antarctick Pole.
His favours doe prevent me; Sea and Land
Enrich'd are by the All creators hand.
Dive I to the sulphureous pitt of hell,
There, there th'eternall doth in Iustice dwell
Look here, look there, nay turne I where I will
I see Gods greatness and his goodness still.
No Gods with him may equalized be;
Where is there such another God as he?
I stand amaz'd, on his stupendious name,
O with what words may I express the same!
And now the Major-General of day,
(Whose eye doth all things in the world survay)
Hastens his Chariot to th'Hesperian streams,
Un-yokes his horses hides his blewing beams
In Thetis bosom; by the western Seas
He setting, riseth to th'Antipodes.
26
To give us notice Sol is gone to bed:
Night harnisseth her Stallions, and doth crown
Her head with popy; in a mourning gown
She widdow-like appears; a leaden mace
Her sleepy hand engrasps, her steps deface
The Chrystal-brow of day, and out she spreads
The spangled Orb of heaven, about the beds
Of ev'ry thing that draweth breath she closes
All eyes and leavs them to their sweet reposes:
All things doe sleep, the Lady of the night
Entring her brothers place, borrows his light;
Pale Luna rising from the Orient streams
Of Thetis brandisheth her trembling beams:
Th'Olimphick Tow'r sh' ambitiously aspires
Concomitated with her sister fires.
The perfect colours of all earthly things
Are hid with dim-ey'd darkness sable wings:
The fourth day left a universal shade,
And heaven was pleased with the works he made.
Her head with popy; in a mourning gown
She widdow-like appears; a leaden mace
Her sleepy hand engrasps, her steps deface
The Chrystal-brow of day, and out she spreads
The spangled Orb of heaven, about the beds
Of ev'ry thing that draweth breath she closes
All eyes and leavs them to their sweet reposes:
All things doe sleep, the Lady of the night
Entring her brothers place, borrows his light;
Pale Luna rising from the Orient streams
Of Thetis brandisheth her trembling beams:
Th'Olimphick Tow'r sh' ambitiously aspires
Concomitated with her sister fires.
The perfect colours of all earthly things
Are hid with dim-ey'd darkness sable wings:
The fourth day left a universal shade,
And heaven was pleased with the works he made.
27
Sect. 5.
The Argument.
God replenisheth the watersWith innumberd living creatures,
Giving to them divers natures,
Properties, and several features.
When rosy-fac'd Aurora did unfold
Her dappled Curtains, fring'd with burnish'd gold,
And rudie Titan from his saffron bed
Rowzed the glory of his early head:
God spake the word, and fishes small and mighty
Furnish'd the Courts of Sea-green Amphitrite;
The family of Neptune soon amounted
To a great number more then can be counted.
Some of these wat'ry Citizens doe love,
Salt habitations; others fresh approve.
Nature hath given to these new formed creatures,
Diversities of natures, names, and features.
The Sturgeon loves to swim against the stream;
These live in ponds, the Perch, the Roch, & Bream,
The retrograding, Crab the Canther chast,
The Cephalus find in the Sea repast,
He hides his head then thinks himself secure,
The crafty Barble first unhooks the Lure.
“Great Neptune's Sea Clark cal'd the Calamary,
“About him doth his Pen and Penknife carry.
The lowzy Arica feeds upon flesh,
The Lamp'ry, Salmon live in waters fresh.
The tongueless Carp, doth in the fish pond dwell
The eyeless Cockle walketh from his shel.
The Musick charmed Dolphin, feried ore
Sea coast Arion to the wish'd for shore.
The fish Plagusia swimeth one her sides,
The Remora resisteth winds and tides.
Large Oars stul'd sails, and cleaving to a ship
Strongly and straingly stops it, if you rip
Thorn'd-foot Echinus, and him water give,
He'l reunite his parts dis-joyn'd and live.
The wide-mouth'd Labrax ever loves to yawn:
She Pearl-fish, alwayes leagueth with the Prawne.
Are you a hungry go and catch a Conger
What fish is larger then the Whale or longer?
His monstrous bulk doth like an Island seem,
Around enclosed in a watery stream.
The gilden Spirlings in cold winters weather,
Ly round (to keep them warm) in bals together.
The wing'd Voligo 'bove the water flies;
His head between his feet and belly lyes,
The Wolf-fishc aught, ploughs with his taile the sand,
And hiding there, escapes the fishers hand.
From Margarus our Margerites doe come:
The Meryx [Cow like] chews the cud say some.
When the Milvago 'bove the waves doth fly,
Tempests and stormes give o're immediatly.
The Musculus (making his fins his Oars)
Ushers the Whale from rockie shelves & shores.
Ears to the belly of the Oysters joyne;
The Oxyringus eyes most brightly shine.
The Muscle and the speckled Leopard:
The Peacock swimmeth like the heaven bestarr'd
Pediculus the Dolphins parasite,
Doth in the food, the Dolphin gets, delight.
The bleating Sea calfe, hath an hairy hide.
The fraud'lent Manifeet loves paciride.
Th'adultrous Sargus, the Sea grunting-hog,
The Turbet the Cærulian speckled frog.
The Scarus much delights to ruminate
The Scolopender swal'wing hook and baite
Vomits his bowels? having los'd the hook
It slips them in againe and is not took.
The Stockfish is a fish that wil not boyl
Unless you beat it with a stick a while
The bane-tooth'd Cuttle nigh destructions brink
Absconds her body with effused ink,
Which while it dazleth the poore fishers eyes
From the surprizer then escapes the prize.
The water's scale-backt golden-coated Ape,
Is like the earths in colour and in shape.
The Star-fish, by a natural instinct
Burneth what e're it toucheth; would you think't?
Tis said the Cramp fish will benum the hands
Of him that fisheth, and a distance stands.
The Lampreys life within her taile doth ly:
From Purple-fishes comes our purple dy.
Nature doth the Amphibious Sea-calfe give,
By water and by land full leave to live,
She breeds upon the land and by degrees
Her young sh' accustoms to the briny Seas.
A thousand colours (if't be true) 'tis strange
(As in Hyena's) in her eyes doe range.
The Sea grape squezed in the Vintage press,
Of Wine will take away the irksomeness.
The skin of Pompilous makes many a thong
Of a great value ever-during strong.
Th'Adult'rous Sargus changing mates behorns
The pates of Hee-Goats which before had horns.
Th'Vranoscop, alwayes his eyes round balls
Bands (as it were) against th'ætherial walls.
Lexus a fish is enemy to man,
And man to him, both are each others bane.
And thou Thymalus, left almost behind,
What fish more precious then thy noble kind?
Can any thing in sweetness thee excell?
Yields any odour a more fragrant smell?
Above all fishes thou deserv'st the Palme,
In that thou breathest like Arabian balme.
The wry-mouth'd Plais, the Whiting, & the Mackrel:
The slippry Eel, the Lobster, and the Cackrel
Making the eater laxative; the Trout,
The Herring King of fish, the Flownder, Pout,
The Wraith, the Gudgeon, and the boneless Seal,
And more there are, whose names I must conceal;
A world of Paper, and a Sea of Ink,
Would scarce suffice to hold them all I think.
But ah! what do we? we must hast to th'shore
The winds do rise, the waves begin to roar:
Let's tack about, and strive the land to gain,
Enough of roaming on the foaming main.
Hark! Cliô hark! behold the warbling Quire,
Call thee to play upon thine Iv'ry Lyre.
Her dappled Curtains, fring'd with burnish'd gold,
And rudie Titan from his saffron bed
Rowzed the glory of his early head:
God spake the word, and fishes small and mighty
Furnish'd the Courts of Sea-green Amphitrite;
The family of Neptune soon amounted
To a great number more then can be counted.
Some of these wat'ry Citizens doe love,
Salt habitations; others fresh approve.
Nature hath given to these new formed creatures,
Diversities of natures, names, and features.
The Sturgeon loves to swim against the stream;
These live in ponds, the Perch, the Roch, & Bream,
28
The Cephalus find in the Sea repast,
He hides his head then thinks himself secure,
The crafty Barble first unhooks the Lure.
“Great Neptune's Sea Clark cal'd the Calamary,
“About him doth his Pen and Penknife carry.
The lowzy Arica feeds upon flesh,
The Lamp'ry, Salmon live in waters fresh.
The tongueless Carp, doth in the fish pond dwell
The eyeless Cockle walketh from his shel.
The Musick charmed Dolphin, feried ore
Sea coast Arion to the wish'd for shore.
The fish Plagusia swimeth one her sides,
The Remora resisteth winds and tides.
Large Oars stul'd sails, and cleaving to a ship
Strongly and straingly stops it, if you rip
Thorn'd-foot Echinus, and him water give,
He'l reunite his parts dis-joyn'd and live.
The wide-mouth'd Labrax ever loves to yawn:
She Pearl-fish, alwayes leagueth with the Prawne.
Are you a hungry go and catch a Conger
What fish is larger then the Whale or longer?
His monstrous bulk doth like an Island seem,
Around enclosed in a watery stream.
The gilden Spirlings in cold winters weather,
Ly round (to keep them warm) in bals together.
29
His head between his feet and belly lyes,
The Wolf-fishc aught, ploughs with his taile the sand,
And hiding there, escapes the fishers hand.
From Margarus our Margerites doe come:
The Meryx [Cow like] chews the cud say some.
When the Milvago 'bove the waves doth fly,
Tempests and stormes give o're immediatly.
The Musculus (making his fins his Oars)
Ushers the Whale from rockie shelves & shores.
Ears to the belly of the Oysters joyne;
The Oxyringus eyes most brightly shine.
The Muscle and the speckled Leopard:
The Peacock swimmeth like the heaven bestarr'd
Pediculus the Dolphins parasite,
Doth in the food, the Dolphin gets, delight.
The bleating Sea calfe, hath an hairy hide.
The fraud'lent Manifeet loves paciride.
Th'adultrous Sargus, the Sea grunting-hog,
The Turbet the Cærulian speckled frog.
The Scarus much delights to ruminate
The Scolopender swal'wing hook and baite
Vomits his bowels? having los'd the hook
It slips them in againe and is not took.
The Stockfish is a fish that wil not boyl
Unless you beat it with a stick a while
30
Absconds her body with effused ink,
Which while it dazleth the poore fishers eyes
From the surprizer then escapes the prize.
The water's scale-backt golden-coated Ape,
Is like the earths in colour and in shape.
The Star-fish, by a natural instinct
Burneth what e're it toucheth; would you think't?
Tis said the Cramp fish will benum the hands
Of him that fisheth, and a distance stands.
The Lampreys life within her taile doth ly:
From Purple-fishes comes our purple dy.
Nature doth the Amphibious Sea-calfe give,
By water and by land full leave to live,
She breeds upon the land and by degrees
Her young sh' accustoms to the briny Seas.
A thousand colours (if't be true) 'tis strange
(As in Hyena's) in her eyes doe range.
The Sea grape squezed in the Vintage press,
Of Wine will take away the irksomeness.
The skin of Pompilous makes many a thong
Of a great value ever-during strong.
Th'Adult'rous Sargus changing mates behorns
The pates of Hee-Goats which before had horns.
Th'Vranoscop, alwayes his eyes round balls
Bands (as it were) against th'ætherial walls.
31
And man to him, both are each others bane.
And thou Thymalus, left almost behind,
What fish more precious then thy noble kind?
Can any thing in sweetness thee excell?
Yields any odour a more fragrant smell?
Above all fishes thou deserv'st the Palme,
In that thou breathest like Arabian balme.
The wry-mouth'd Plais, the Whiting, & the Mackrel:
The slippry Eel, the Lobster, and the Cackrel
Making the eater laxative; the Trout,
The Herring King of fish, the Flownder, Pout,
The Wraith, the Gudgeon, and the boneless Seal,
And more there are, whose names I must conceal;
A world of Paper, and a Sea of Ink,
Would scarce suffice to hold them all I think.
But ah! what do we? we must hast to th'shore
The winds do rise, the waves begin to roar:
Let's tack about, and strive the land to gain,
Enough of roaming on the foaming main.
Hark! Cliô hark! behold the warbling Quire,
Call thee to play upon thine Iv'ry Lyre.
32
Sect. 5.
The Argument.
Heer there is a winged nationWandring in the feilds and groves,
All of one kind keep, their fashion,
God his fifth days work approves.
Now on the feather'd fowls bestow thine eyes,
(Kind reader) and observe their properties.
Mark how they fly and cut the flitting ayer,
These clap their wings, and those do quite contrair
Some run upon the ground, and some alway
Do leap from bough to bough from spray to spray,
These are delighted in the shadie grove;
Whilst others in the open champion rove.
Some chuse to fly on high, and some as low,
And some do fly as swift as others go.
These hop about, while others love to sing
The praises of their everlasting King:
Some desarts haunt, some take a pride to shew
Their 'pinions colour'd like the rainy bow.
The silvan Choristers in various notes.
Send out sweet Carrols from their mus'call throats
The warbling Philomel her Sonnets sings,
So shril that at the sound each forrest rings.
The milk-white Swan the river swims along,
Dying, sings sweetest, her Elegious song,
The pretty Linnet, and the whistling Thrush,
And Mavis chaunt in ev'ry thorny bush
Eare charming Ditties, and in ample story
Devulge the greatness of their makers glory.
Nature to speak the Cisla doth inveigle
'Tis strange to think how the Majestick Eagle
The Armiger of Iove, with percing eye
Dares to confront the Sun's coruscancy.
Amongst these aiery Cittizens we find
The Cipphos tost with ev'ry gust of wind
The gaggling-Goose, the Gosling, & the Gander;
The brood-hen clucking, to and fro do wander:
Th'indulgent Stork most gratefuly doth feed
His aged parents, in their time of need:
He broods and carries them; the kissing Dove
Always lives single, having lost her love:
Th'Hedg Sparrow norisheth the Cucko's eggs.
The bird Apodes useth not his leggs.
Hast thou the Iaundice? Icterus but eye
And thou'lt recover but the bird will dy.
The stately Cock, with his elated Crest
Comes stalking on, new rowzed from his rest,
His taile advanc'd, with a clear voyce he crows,
He daunts the Lion and the light foreshowes,
Fair weather followes when the Cranes soar high
Fowl weather followes when apace they fly.
The greedy Corm'rant seeing storms before,
With clam'rous noise doth hasten to the shore.
The Cat fac'd melancholy Owl doth hollow
The swift wing'd lofty winding garr'lous swallow
Sings as she flyes; this Herauld of the spring,
From frozen winter flyes with speedy wing.
The great Bee backward flyes, the Black-Bird loves
To lead a solitary life in groves.
The Chough's fair body is about enroul'd
With plumes of silver, mixt with plums of gold.
The gnat-devouriug Bat suckles her brood,
And shreds (for she hath teeth) her gotten food.
The prattling Parrot with his opned beak
In human language takes a pride to speak.
The Pel'can tares her breast her young ones slayn;
And with her blood reviveth them againe.
The chat'ring Py foretelling guests are neere.
The chirping Sparrowes under house eves are.
The scent-strong Vulter in his flight most slow,
Loves Carrion touching not what mortals sow;
Five hundred miles doth putred Carrion smell
(If all be true Historians do tell)
The inauspicious Crow, th'unluckie Kite.
The witless Woodcock, and the simple Snite:
The long-neck'd hern, the wadling duck, & widgeon
The gold-finch, bull-finch, chaffinch & the pidgeon
The Lapwing, Wagtail, Feildfare, and the Stare.
The pleasant Phesant and the Partridg rare.
The Kestrel, Martin, Puet and the Plover,
The Rook, the Titmouse, up and down do hover.
The Robin-red-breast flyeth too and fro,
The Red-shank, Red-start and the Red-tail too.
The rav'nous Raven and the pratling Iay,
Proud of his borrowed plums, his plums so gay.
The Iron eating Corp'lent Estrich runs
As swift as doth a horse, Spinturus shuns
No sacred place, for she a burning cole
Hath from the Alters very often stole.
The envious Peacock hideth out of spight
His med'cinable dung from humane sight:
Treads softly like a theif, but from his throat
Yels out a horible Tartarian note;
A pride he takes in flinging up his head,
And doth abroad his starie spangles spread.
The Bee with laden thighs doth whom return
With prudent art doth tare the hony-comb
With flowry Tyhme (oh admirable thing!)
So loud a humming voyce, so stiff a sting.
Plant-wasting Locusts which without wings fly,
The Moth, the Horner, Butterfly, and Fly?
The golden coloured Cantharides
Are stiled insects; I may add to these
Th'industrious Silk-worme which of Thisbian rine
And leaves; for nobles silken-sleeves doth twine.
Next in my way the Indian Griffin flyes,
With's snow-white wings; his fierce and fiery eyes
Ev'n dazle mine; four feet he doth not lack
A purple belly and a cole black back;
His hindmost part is fashion'd like a Lion,
His unked talents tare what he doth fly on.
And lastly, although last of all, not least
Th'Arabian Phenix passeth all the rest:
The rarest bird that under heaven flyes,
Glory's enthroned in her sparkling eyes.
A golden collar goeth round her neck:
A Purple colour doth her body deck;
A goodly taile she bears: a plumy crown
Upon her head appears; a scarlet down
Adornes her back: search throughout ev'ry clime
You'l find one only living at one time.
Six hundred years she lives then being old
Builds her a nest, a nest she doth infold
With fragrant Cassia, Cinamon, and Myrrh,
And such like Aromatick sprigs, t'interr
Her self therin; she makes hir selfe an Urn
And fi'ry Titan with his rayes doth burne
(His rags reflecting on her lab'ring wings)
The crazy Phenix; from whose ashes springs
A little worme crawling in fun'ral spices,
And from that worme another Phenix rises.
When God created had all winged creatures
Divers for natures, discrepant in features,
And gave them power with their nimble wings
To soar alof, above terestrial things:
(Kind reader) and observe their properties.
Mark how they fly and cut the flitting ayer,
These clap their wings, and those do quite contrair
Some run upon the ground, and some alway
Do leap from bough to bough from spray to spray,
These are delighted in the shadie grove;
Whilst others in the open champion rove.
Some chuse to fly on high, and some as low,
And some do fly as swift as others go.
These hop about, while others love to sing
The praises of their everlasting King:
Some desarts haunt, some take a pride to shew
Their 'pinions colour'd like the rainy bow.
33
Send out sweet Carrols from their mus'call throats
The warbling Philomel her Sonnets sings,
So shril that at the sound each forrest rings.
The milk-white Swan the river swims along,
Dying, sings sweetest, her Elegious song,
The pretty Linnet, and the whistling Thrush,
And Mavis chaunt in ev'ry thorny bush
Eare charming Ditties, and in ample story
Devulge the greatness of their makers glory.
Nature to speak the Cisla doth inveigle
'Tis strange to think how the Majestick Eagle
The Armiger of Iove, with percing eye
Dares to confront the Sun's coruscancy.
Amongst these aiery Cittizens we find
The Cipphos tost with ev'ry gust of wind
The gaggling-Goose, the Gosling, & the Gander;
The brood-hen clucking, to and fro do wander:
Th'indulgent Stork most gratefuly doth feed
His aged parents, in their time of need:
He broods and carries them; the kissing Dove
Always lives single, having lost her love:
Th'Hedg Sparrow norisheth the Cucko's eggs.
The bird Apodes useth not his leggs.
Hast thou the Iaundice? Icterus but eye
And thou'lt recover but the bird will dy.
34
Comes stalking on, new rowzed from his rest,
His taile advanc'd, with a clear voyce he crows,
He daunts the Lion and the light foreshowes,
Fair weather followes when the Cranes soar high
Fowl weather followes when apace they fly.
The greedy Corm'rant seeing storms before,
With clam'rous noise doth hasten to the shore.
The Cat fac'd melancholy Owl doth hollow
The swift wing'd lofty winding garr'lous swallow
Sings as she flyes; this Herauld of the spring,
From frozen winter flyes with speedy wing.
The great Bee backward flyes, the Black-Bird loves
To lead a solitary life in groves.
The Chough's fair body is about enroul'd
With plumes of silver, mixt with plums of gold.
The gnat-devouriug Bat suckles her brood,
And shreds (for she hath teeth) her gotten food.
The prattling Parrot with his opned beak
In human language takes a pride to speak.
The Pel'can tares her breast her young ones slayn;
And with her blood reviveth them againe.
The chat'ring Py foretelling guests are neere.
The chirping Sparrowes under house eves are.
The scent-strong Vulter in his flight most slow,
Loves Carrion touching not what mortals sow;
35
(If all be true Historians do tell)
The inauspicious Crow, th'unluckie Kite.
The witless Woodcock, and the simple Snite:
The long-neck'd hern, the wadling duck, & widgeon
The gold-finch, bull-finch, chaffinch & the pidgeon
The Lapwing, Wagtail, Feildfare, and the Stare.
The pleasant Phesant and the Partridg rare.
The Kestrel, Martin, Puet and the Plover,
The Rook, the Titmouse, up and down do hover.
The Robin-red-breast flyeth too and fro,
The Red-shank, Red-start and the Red-tail too.
The rav'nous Raven and the pratling Iay,
Proud of his borrowed plums, his plums so gay.
The Iron eating Corp'lent Estrich runs
As swift as doth a horse, Spinturus shuns
No sacred place, for she a burning cole
Hath from the Alters very often stole.
The envious Peacock hideth out of spight
His med'cinable dung from humane sight:
Treads softly like a theif, but from his throat
Yels out a horible Tartarian note;
A pride he takes in flinging up his head,
And doth abroad his starie spangles spread.
The Bee with laden thighs doth whom return
With prudent art doth tare the hony-comb
36
So loud a humming voyce, so stiff a sting.
Plant-wasting Locusts which without wings fly,
The Moth, the Horner, Butterfly, and Fly?
The golden coloured Cantharides
Are stiled insects; I may add to these
Th'industrious Silk-worme which of Thisbian rine
And leaves; for nobles silken-sleeves doth twine.
Next in my way the Indian Griffin flyes,
With's snow-white wings; his fierce and fiery eyes
Ev'n dazle mine; four feet he doth not lack
A purple belly and a cole black back;
His hindmost part is fashion'd like a Lion,
His unked talents tare what he doth fly on.
And lastly, although last of all, not least
Th'Arabian Phenix passeth all the rest:
The rarest bird that under heaven flyes,
Glory's enthroned in her sparkling eyes.
A golden collar goeth round her neck:
A Purple colour doth her body deck;
A goodly taile she bears: a plumy crown
Upon her head appears; a scarlet down
Adornes her back: search throughout ev'ry clime
You'l find one only living at one time.
Six hundred years she lives then being old
Builds her a nest, a nest she doth infold
37
And such like Aromatick sprigs, t'interr
Her self therin; she makes hir selfe an Urn
And fi'ry Titan with his rayes doth burne
(His rags reflecting on her lab'ring wings)
The crazy Phenix; from whose ashes springs
A little worme crawling in fun'ral spices,
And from that worme another Phenix rises.
When God created had all winged creatures
Divers for natures, discrepant in features,
And gave them power with their nimble wings
To soar alof, above terestrial things:
The fifth day left a universal shade,
And heav'n was pleased with the works he made.
And heav'n was pleased with the works he made.
38
Sect. 7.
The Argument.
God creats beasts great and small,And appoints their habitation,
On the earth, earth feeds them all
All affords us admiration.
Now radient Sol his morning beams displaies
Gilding the mountaines with his pregnant raies.
Th'Almighty God, he, who alone is able
T'accomplish all things; furnisheth the Table
Of earths fair parlour, with a sumptuous feast,
Against the coming of some Lordly guest.
The earth, the dam-of all things, forth doth bring
Millions of creatures, ev'ry creeping thing
The earth doth suckle, 'tis the earth doth breed
A world of hungry animals to feed
On her provisions, ev'ry kind of beast
Draws life (as well the greatest as the least)
From her exub'rant breast; seest how the Fawns
Do skip and frisk about the lovely Lawns.
The keen-tusk'd salvage Macedonian Bore:
The greedy Wolf (t'whom Lambs are an ey-sore)
The yoke-fit heifer, and the ubr'ous Cow,
The horse, true drudg, to the laborious plough
The slow pac'd burden-bearing long-ear'd Ass
And bastard Mules do crop the tender grass.
The gen'rous Spaniel, and the faithfull Dog,
The belly-grunting mire-delighting hog.
The Leopard famous for his speckled coat,
The tim'rous Coney and the browsing Goat.
The stinking Pole-Cat, and the mouzing Cat,
Which sees as well by night as day the Rat
That corn-devouring creature, and the Mouse.
That haunts the corners of the statliest house,
The Beaver much esteemed for his skin
Must needs among the traine be railed in.
The Armadilio besieged round
With shells like armour, undermines the ground.
Alternately his sex Hyæna changes,
His eyes assume all colours which as strange is;
Such Dogs as on his shadow light grow dumb:
His feet stick fast whoever sees him come;
Calling the shepherds from their thatched bowers,
He slayes them, and their slautered Corps devours.
The shagie Bear doth fashion out her yong,
By licking them all over with her tongue.
The quick-eyed Linx, his back bespeckled all
Can with his sight impeiree the thickest wall.
The suck-egg Weasil, and the harkning Hare,
(Which litters ev'ry month through out the yeare,)
The hounds deceiveth by her winding flight,
Rests all day (if not rais'd) and tun's all night,
In peacefull warrens, here are fleecy flocks
Of bleating sheep, there lurks the subtil Fox
Loathsome for smell. the little eyeless Moles,
And theevish Pict's lie hid in secret holes.
The bob-taild Squirrel doth a storme foresee,
Seeming to be as weather-wise as we;
The buff whose firm impenetrable skin
Made into sheilds no shafts can enter in.
The truc'lent Panther, and the direfull Tiger,
Devour their captives with undaunted vigor,
The by-corn'd Girass doth the desarts like,
His neck's as long as is a martial Pike.
The Salamander liveth in the flame,
It's extream coldness putteth out the same,
Th'egg-hatcht Chamelion by the ayer is fed
And turne t'all colours except white and red.
The rough Baboone, and Etheopian Ape,
Imitate man are most like men in shape.
'Tis fabled that the Naiades do make
With their loud roarings ev'n th'earth to qkuae.
The thorn-arm'd hedg-hog; for his various amell,
The Ortus famous; and the bunch-backt Camel.
Slow pac'd Ignatus unto these I'le put
It sings six notes fa, sol, la, mi, re, ut.
The scaly Dragon, and the furr'd-coat Ermin,
Locusts, and Catterpilers, such like vermin.
The double-headed Amphisbena, and
Innum'rous insects creep upon the land,
The ven'mous Viper doth her brood devour,
Again the brood, inclosed in the bower
Of their dams wombe; impatient of delay
Break through their sides and so their dams do slay.
The hoarse-resounding Grashoppers in thickets
Do sing abroad; as doth at home the Crickets
Earth breeds all reptils ev'ry kinde of forme
The Glow, the Palmer, and the Canker-worme,
The Toad, (the earths unprofitable clog.)
The hissing Serpent and the croaking Frog.
The saffron-hating Crocodile will run
On those that fly. but the pursuers shun.
The dreadful Basilisk baneful eye doth slay
Whom e're it looks upon, his breath (they say)
His poysnous breath, will taint, nay more, unlock
The firmest Marble, and obdurest rock.
The horny-nos'd Rhinoceros will whet
His horne e're on the Elephant he set.
The Lion next upon the stage I'le bring,
Of men the terror, of all beasts the king.
He cometh ramping, with his eyes bright shining,
Most bravely minded, yet to preys inclining:
The Crowing Cock, the rattling Carr, and fire,
Do terrifie this beast, this beast so dire,
This formidable beast is mild to those
Who doe submit, but cruel to his foes:
Gratefull to those his benefactors are;
Humble to those that humbleness declare.
Gilding the mountaines with his pregnant raies.
Th'Almighty God, he, who alone is able
T'accomplish all things; furnisheth the Table
Of earths fair parlour, with a sumptuous feast,
Against the coming of some Lordly guest.
The earth, the dam-of all things, forth doth bring
Millions of creatures, ev'ry creeping thing
The earth doth suckle, 'tis the earth doth breed
A world of hungry animals to feed
On her provisions, ev'ry kind of beast
Draws life (as well the greatest as the least)
From her exub'rant breast; seest how the Fawns
Do skip and frisk about the lovely Lawns.
39
The greedy Wolf (t'whom Lambs are an ey-sore)
The yoke-fit heifer, and the ubr'ous Cow,
The horse, true drudg, to the laborious plough
The slow pac'd burden-bearing long-ear'd Ass
And bastard Mules do crop the tender grass.
The gen'rous Spaniel, and the faithfull Dog,
The belly-grunting mire-delighting hog.
The Leopard famous for his speckled coat,
The tim'rous Coney and the browsing Goat.
The stinking Pole-Cat, and the mouzing Cat,
Which sees as well by night as day the Rat
That corn-devouring creature, and the Mouse.
That haunts the corners of the statliest house,
The Beaver much esteemed for his skin
Must needs among the traine be railed in.
The Armadilio besieged round
With shells like armour, undermines the ground.
Alternately his sex Hyæna changes,
His eyes assume all colours which as strange is;
Such Dogs as on his shadow light grow dumb:
His feet stick fast whoever sees him come;
Calling the shepherds from their thatched bowers,
He slayes them, and their slautered Corps devours.
The shagie Bear doth fashion out her yong,
By licking them all over with her tongue.
40
Can with his sight impeiree the thickest wall.
The suck-egg Weasil, and the harkning Hare,
(Which litters ev'ry month through out the yeare,)
The hounds deceiveth by her winding flight,
Rests all day (if not rais'd) and tun's all night,
In peacefull warrens, here are fleecy flocks
Of bleating sheep, there lurks the subtil Fox
Loathsome for smell. the little eyeless Moles,
And theevish Pict's lie hid in secret holes.
The bob-taild Squirrel doth a storme foresee,
Seeming to be as weather-wise as we;
The buff whose firm impenetrable skin
Made into sheilds no shafts can enter in.
The truc'lent Panther, and the direfull Tiger,
Devour their captives with undaunted vigor,
The by-corn'd Girass doth the desarts like,
His neck's as long as is a martial Pike.
The Salamander liveth in the flame,
It's extream coldness putteth out the same,
Th'egg-hatcht Chamelion by the ayer is fed
And turne t'all colours except white and red.
The rough Baboone, and Etheopian Ape,
Imitate man are most like men in shape.
'Tis fabled that the Naiades do make
With their loud roarings ev'n th'earth to qkuae.
41
The Ortus famous; and the bunch-backt Camel.
Slow pac'd Ignatus unto these I'le put
It sings six notes fa, sol, la, mi, re, ut.
The scaly Dragon, and the furr'd-coat Ermin,
Locusts, and Catterpilers, such like vermin.
The double-headed Amphisbena, and
Innum'rous insects creep upon the land,
The ven'mous Viper doth her brood devour,
Again the brood, inclosed in the bower
Of their dams wombe; impatient of delay
Break through their sides and so their dams do slay.
The hoarse-resounding Grashoppers in thickets
Do sing abroad; as doth at home the Crickets
Earth breeds all reptils ev'ry kinde of forme
The Glow, the Palmer, and the Canker-worme,
The Toad, (the earths unprofitable clog.)
The hissing Serpent and the croaking Frog.
The saffron-hating Crocodile will run
On those that fly. but the pursuers shun.
The dreadful Basilisk baneful eye doth slay
Whom e're it looks upon, his breath (they say)
His poysnous breath, will taint, nay more, unlock
The firmest Marble, and obdurest rock.
The horny-nos'd Rhinoceros will whet
His horne e're on the Elephant he set.
42
Of men the terror, of all beasts the king.
He cometh ramping, with his eyes bright shining,
Most bravely minded, yet to preys inclining:
The Crowing Cock, the rattling Carr, and fire,
Do terrifie this beast, this beast so dire,
This formidable beast is mild to those
Who doe submit, but cruel to his foes:
Gratefull to those his benefactors are;
Humble to those that humbleness declare.
The Elephant next claimeth excellence,
This beast comes nearest unto humane sense;
He knows his country speech, he's us'd in warrs,
He worshipeth the Sun, the Moon, the Starrs.
The greatest of all beasts the earth doth hold,
He's proud of trappings wrought with burnish'd gold
Adores the King, his most ambitious spirit
Aspires to glory, glory to inherit.
This beast comes nearest unto humane sense;
He knows his country speech, he's us'd in warrs,
He worshipeth the Sun, the Moon, the Starrs.
The greatest of all beasts the earth doth hold,
He's proud of trappings wrought with burnish'd gold
Adores the King, his most ambitious spirit
Aspires to glory, glory to inherit.
But oh! who can sufficiently declare
Gods works, the which so full of wonder are!
And now for to conclude earth doth produce
All beasts, and ev'ry creeping thing for use;
After their sev'rall kinds on earth they trade
And God was pleased with the works he made.
Gods works, the which so full of wonder are!
And now for to conclude earth doth produce
All beasts, and ev'ry creeping thing for use;
After their sev'rall kinds on earth they trade
And God was pleased with the works he made.
43
Sect. 8.
The Argument.
God a living soul sublimeBreath's in man compos'd of slime,
Of a rib he framing woman,
Gives her for a help unto man.
God having made the world, and all therin,
To frame a little world did now begin;
This little world is man, he formed last,
Of the four elements the Proto-plast.
The great, almighty, everlasting God
Created Adam of a ruddy clod.
God, was the true Prometheus, did inspire
His earthly-nostrils with cœlestial fire.
Man like himself he made in sacred feature,
And under his command brought ev'ry creature.
This little world is in the great world plac'd,
And with the title of a King is grac'd.
This Micro-cosm instal'd by God alone
Of the great world obtaines the royal throne,
The King of Kings gave to his regal hand
The jurisdiction both of Sea and Land.
What things soever any eye can see
Within the furnish'd world his subjects be:
What birds soever in the ayer have motion,
What fish soever glidea along the Ocean,
What beasts soever on the hills do feed,
What e're the melancholy desarts breed,
What fruits soever on the eorth remaine,
Are tributary to mans Lordly reigne.
Man is the emblem of a divine nature,
And lively picture of his live creator.
All creatures pore on earth mans sublime face
Behold's his maker, he is fil'd with grace
And divine beauty, their terrestrial mind
Mind earthly things man, only man's, enclin'd
To heav'nly wisdome, his infused spirit
Is most ambitious glory to inherit.
Mans understanding and heroick sense
Above all other hath preheminence.
A nat'ral sense, beasts have as well as we,
They touch, they tast, they feele, they heare, they see,
To frame a little world did now begin;
This little world is man, he formed last,
Of the four elements the Proto-plast.
The great, almighty, everlasting God
Created Adam of a ruddy clod.
God, was the true Prometheus, did inspire
His earthly-nostrils with cœlestial fire.
Man like himself he made in sacred feature,
And under his command brought ev'ry creature.
This little world is in the great world plac'd,
And with the title of a King is grac'd.
This Micro-cosm instal'd by God alone
Of the great world obtaines the royal throne,
44
The jurisdiction both of Sea and Land.
What things soever any eye can see
Within the furnish'd world his subjects be:
What birds soever in the ayer have motion,
What fish soever glidea along the Ocean,
What beasts soever on the hills do feed,
What e're the melancholy desarts breed,
What fruits soever on the eorth remaine,
Are tributary to mans Lordly reigne.
Man is the emblem of a divine nature,
And lively picture of his live creator.
All creatures pore on earth mans sublime face
Behold's his maker, he is fil'd with grace
And divine beauty, their terrestrial mind
Mind earthly things man, only man's, enclin'd
To heav'nly wisdome, his infused spirit
Is most ambitious glory to inherit.
Mans understanding and heroick sense
Above all other hath preheminence.
A nat'ral sense, beasts have as well as we,
They touch, they tast, they feele, they heare, they see,
Man's head is term'd the understanding's thrown,
The intelectual pow'rs meet there in one.
There madam Reason is enthron'd, her grace
Reignes like an Empress in the highest place.
My lady Will, resideth in the brain;
The Judgment there, there doth Minerva raigne,
Light of the Micro-cosm our eyes are, wee
The glory of the Lord by them doe see.
Three humours do belong unto our eyn,
The White, the Viteral, and the Christaline,
Six Coates, as many Musckles arteries,
Tendons, and Nerves attend upon our eyes,
May not our eyes bee very well defin'd
The Looking-glass of Nature, and the minde.
Our eyes are twinckling Lamps, what is our sight?
But Cristall-Casements for to let in light,
The Optick sinews, or the Optick strings,
Draw in the sight of sublunary things.
The eyes, our anger, and our love, do shew,
Strike fire in hatred, and in love they glow,
One while they sparkle with Idalian fire,
One while they glance; another while admire!
They bolt in boldness, and in reverence sinke,
They smile in laughter, and in greise they winke:
In love they flatter, and in wrath seeme froward,
They shew the glad, the sad, the bold, the coward,
They well can put a difference betweene
Such objects as are either foule or clean.
Our cy-lids like Appentices prevent
A world of dangers, which are incident
Unto our eyes, our eyes bright shining balls
Are Bull-wark'd round about with fleshly walls.
The intelectual pow'rs meet there in one.
There madam Reason is enthron'd, her grace
Reignes like an Empress in the highest place.
45
The Judgment there, there doth Minerva raigne,
Light of the Micro-cosm our eyes are, wee
The glory of the Lord by them doe see.
Three humours do belong unto our eyn,
The White, the Viteral, and the Christaline,
Six Coates, as many Musckles arteries,
Tendons, and Nerves attend upon our eyes,
May not our eyes bee very well defin'd
The Looking-glass of Nature, and the minde.
Our eyes are twinckling Lamps, what is our sight?
But Cristall-Casements for to let in light,
The Optick sinews, or the Optick strings,
Draw in the sight of sublunary things.
The eyes, our anger, and our love, do shew,
Strike fire in hatred, and in love they glow,
One while they sparkle with Idalian fire,
One while they glance; another while admire!
They bolt in boldness, and in reverence sinke,
They smile in laughter, and in greise they winke:
In love they flatter, and in wrath seeme froward,
They shew the glad, the sad, the bold, the coward,
They well can put a difference betweene
Such objects as are either foule or clean.
Our cy-lids like Appentices prevent
A world of dangers, which are incident
46
Are Bull-wark'd round about with fleshly walls.
Man's nose is like a sink by which the braine
Doth purge it self of phlegm, the nose doth drain
All slimy Excrements, and doth convay
Them (never to returne again) away.
By it we breath and smel; 'tis that doth grace
The man, and wonderously become the face.
The ay'r doth in the nose the smelling stop
Which else from out the nose would forthwith drop
Our ears the minds informers do go round
With winding mazes, evr'y kind of sound
They can distinguish, at the shril, the flat,
The acute, the gentle, and the aspirate.
The ear's the dainty'st sence, it doth descry
Base jarring Musick, from pure harmony:
By these we move the brain, the brain by these
Is rid of chol'rick superfluities.
It is by these we (as it were) discern
And let in knowledg, 'tis by these we learn
All kinds of noise we'r taught to know th'rough these
Mechanick Arts, and learned Siences.
God gave one mouth, two ears, two eyes, that we
Might little speak, though much we hear, and see,
The mouth, the stomack's portal is, and by it
We unto nature let in nat'ral diet.
Two folding doores of corral do convene
Lest in the teeth deform'ty should be seen
Our Iv'ry Teeth the feeling sence have got,
Can tell you what is cold, and what is hot,
They are the bull-warks of the tongue (to tame
Th'unruly member), tis by them we frame
And fashion out our words; foreteeth, and hind
We use; they shred our food, and these do grind:
Our teeth are busie Cooks (which without question)
Makes our food ready for the first digestion.
Our tongue and pallat by their tasting power
Distinguish ev'ry relish sweet from soure.
It is our tongue that's vocal, on our tongue
The Lutes and Vials of our speech are hung:
What thing soe graceful to a man as hair?
How sliek! how comly does it show! how faire!
The pillar of our head's, the neck; neere kin
Unto the nether lip's, the dimpling chin.
The greatest strength that man enjoys, consists
Most in his shoulders, in his arms, and fists;
How necessary are our hands, our hands
Are handmaids to the body; man commands
All kind of things by them, nature imparts
Unto our hands, the Mastership of arts.
With pliant joynts our fingers are upheav'd
Apt to receive and keep the things receiv'd.
The servants of the mind they are, and do
What is her pleasure to command them to:
The left hand (unexperienc'd) stands and serves
The right hand b'ing a skilfull artist carves:
Nerves joine our bones, our bones do represent
The timber of our fleshly Tennement.
The main-spporting pillar of the frame
Is cal'd the chine, the chine doth prop the same
Our thighs are plac'd beneath our hips and flank
Next Hams, the Calfs, below the knees the, shank,
And in the Lesk, but just below the groine,
(O shame to name!) our privities do joyne.
Our feet are useful dangers for to baulk,
One while to stand another while to walk.
They are the bodies moving ground-work, all
The fabrick (were it not for them) would fall.
Mans outward parts are shown, I'le now begin
To rip him up, and see what is within.
His lungs, like bellows, are they which receive
Contracted ayer, and the same regives;
They puff up, at their taking air in,
And shrink when they do let it out again,
The pory lungs doth with it's spungie fan
Refrigerate the heart: The heart of man
Is made Triangular, the heart doth give
Life to each part, without it none can live.
Th'hearts motion doth our bodies motion breed,
The vital spirits from the heart proceed;
She, she the conduit of our blood convays
Her Crimson bounty thorough cleare blew-wayes.
She mitigates the coldness of the spleen,
And in the bodie regulates as Queen;
If not by her, whence do our pulses beat,
From her we do derive our nat'ral heat.
She is the center of the bodie, whence
All creatures draw their lives circumference.
This pearle absconded in a Casket lies,
Is the first living, and the last that dies.
Man's stomack is a pot, wherein the meat
Is reconcocted, he before did eat.
The Mesaraick veins suck and deliver
The Chile of what we eat through pipes, to th'liver.
The belly is a buttery, wherein
(Within the cupbord of the bowels skin)
The grosser offals, that the stomack leaues
Of its digestion adhers and cleaves.
Where they remaine, until dame-nature please
For to exonerate such filthy lees.
Doth purge it self of phlegm, the nose doth drain
All slimy Excrements, and doth convay
Them (never to returne again) away.
By it we breath and smel; 'tis that doth grace
The man, and wonderously become the face.
The ay'r doth in the nose the smelling stop
Which else from out the nose would forthwith drop
Our ears the minds informers do go round
With winding mazes, evr'y kind of sound
They can distinguish, at the shril, the flat,
The acute, the gentle, and the aspirate.
The ear's the dainty'st sence, it doth descry
Base jarring Musick, from pure harmony:
By these we move the brain, the brain by these
Is rid of chol'rick superfluities.
It is by these we (as it were) discern
And let in knowledg, 'tis by these we learn
All kinds of noise we'r taught to know th'rough these
Mechanick Arts, and learned Siences.
God gave one mouth, two ears, two eyes, that we
Might little speak, though much we hear, and see,
The mouth, the stomack's portal is, and by it
We unto nature let in nat'ral diet.
47
Lest in the teeth deform'ty should be seen
Our Iv'ry Teeth the feeling sence have got,
Can tell you what is cold, and what is hot,
They are the bull-warks of the tongue (to tame
Th'unruly member), tis by them we frame
And fashion out our words; foreteeth, and hind
We use; they shred our food, and these do grind:
Our teeth are busie Cooks (which without question)
Makes our food ready for the first digestion.
Our tongue and pallat by their tasting power
Distinguish ev'ry relish sweet from soure.
It is our tongue that's vocal, on our tongue
The Lutes and Vials of our speech are hung:
What thing soe graceful to a man as hair?
How sliek! how comly does it show! how faire!
The pillar of our head's, the neck; neere kin
Unto the nether lip's, the dimpling chin.
The greatest strength that man enjoys, consists
Most in his shoulders, in his arms, and fists;
How necessary are our hands, our hands
Are handmaids to the body; man commands
All kind of things by them, nature imparts
Unto our hands, the Mastership of arts.
With pliant joynts our fingers are upheav'd
Apt to receive and keep the things receiv'd.
84
What is her pleasure to command them to:
The left hand (unexperienc'd) stands and serves
The right hand b'ing a skilfull artist carves:
Nerves joine our bones, our bones do represent
The timber of our fleshly Tennement.
The main-spporting pillar of the frame
Is cal'd the chine, the chine doth prop the same
Our thighs are plac'd beneath our hips and flank
Next Hams, the Calfs, below the knees the, shank,
And in the Lesk, but just below the groine,
(O shame to name!) our privities do joyne.
Our feet are useful dangers for to baulk,
One while to stand another while to walk.
They are the bodies moving ground-work, all
The fabrick (were it not for them) would fall.
Mans outward parts are shown, I'le now begin
To rip him up, and see what is within.
His lungs, like bellows, are they which receive
Contracted ayer, and the same regives;
They puff up, at their taking air in,
And shrink when they do let it out again,
The pory lungs doth with it's spungie fan
Refrigerate the heart: The heart of man
Is made Triangular, the heart doth give
Life to each part, without it none can live.
49
The vital spirits from the heart proceed;
She, she the conduit of our blood convays
Her Crimson bounty thorough cleare blew-wayes.
She mitigates the coldness of the spleen,
And in the bodie regulates as Queen;
If not by her, whence do our pulses beat,
From her we do derive our nat'ral heat.
She is the center of the bodie, whence
All creatures draw their lives circumference.
This pearle absconded in a Casket lies,
Is the first living, and the last that dies.
Man's stomack is a pot, wherein the meat
Is reconcocted, he before did eat.
The Mesaraick veins suck and deliver
The Chile of what we eat through pipes, to th'liver.
The belly is a buttery, wherein
(Within the cupbord of the bowels skin)
The grosser offals, that the stomack leaues
Of its digestion adhers and cleaves.
Where they remaine, until dame-nature please
For to exonerate such filthy lees.
When God had framed man with wondrous art,
He after made his soul the nobler part;
He did his dross with sacred fire refine
And breath'd in him a soul, a soul divine.
A soul immortal; death with all its power,
Nor Satans fiery darts can't it devour.
God to the soul eternal essence gave,
It had beginning, but no end shall have.
Wit, Understanding, Memory, and Will,
The pallace of the soul inhabit still:
How circular, how speedy is hir motion?
She roundeth in a trice the Heav'n, Earth, Ocean:
She scales heav'ns tower with her Eagles wings;
Finds out th'obstruce Originals of things;
As raine, hail, snow, ice, winds, nor doth she wonder
At flash of lightning, nor at claps of thunder.
He after made his soul the nobler part;
He did his dross with sacred fire refine
And breath'd in him a soul, a soul divine.
50
Nor Satans fiery darts can't it devour.
God to the soul eternal essence gave,
It had beginning, but no end shall have.
Wit, Understanding, Memory, and Will,
The pallace of the soul inhabit still:
How circular, how speedy is hir motion?
She roundeth in a trice the Heav'n, Earth, Ocean:
She scales heav'ns tower with her Eagles wings;
Finds out th'obstruce Originals of things;
As raine, hail, snow, ice, winds, nor doth she wonder
At flash of lightning, nor at claps of thunder.
When thus his Image, man, the Lord had made
Each way compleat, within himself he said
It is not good, nor doth it please me well
That man alone without an ayd doth dwell:
I'le therefore make him one, his joy, his chear,
His Dove, his solace, his beloved dear.
Each way compleat, within himself he said
It is not good, nor doth it please me well
That man alone without an ayd doth dwell:
I'le therefore make him one, his joy, his chear,
His Dove, his solace, his beloved dear.
With that the Lord, whose actions are so deep
Past finding out, cast Adam fast a sleep;
Seal'd up his eyes, and from his fruitless side
Took out a rib, and of that rib a Bride
He fashion'd out; and did so neatly dearn
The clift, that none the opening might discerne.
The woman made, God gave her unto man,
And he (awoke out of his sleep) began
T'express his joy unparalelled favour;
I have an helper, the Almighty gave her
To be my wife; Lo two, are made of one,
Flesh of my flesh, and of my bone the bone.
And since the Lord from out my sides did frame her
She shall be woman, woman will I name her.
(Nor is't a wonder why he call'd her so;
For unto Man at last, she prov'd a Wor.)
For this cause shall a man his parents leave,
And to his wife, his deare, adhere, and cleave.
Past finding out, cast Adam fast a sleep;
Seal'd up his eyes, and from his fruitless side
Took out a rib, and of that rib a Bride
He fashion'd out; and did so neatly dearn
The clift, that none the opening might discerne.
The woman made, God gave her unto man,
And he (awoke out of his sleep) began
51
I have an helper, the Almighty gave her
To be my wife; Lo two, are made of one,
Flesh of my flesh, and of my bone the bone.
And since the Lord from out my sides did frame her
She shall be woman, woman will I name her.
(Nor is't a wonder why he call'd her so;
For unto Man at last, she prov'd a Wor.)
For this cause shall a man his parents leave,
And to his wife, his deare, adhere, and cleave.
So they were naked seeking no redress,
Nor did they blush, at this their nakedness.
Nor did they blush, at this their nakedness.
The sixth day left a universal shade,
And heav'n was pleased with the works he made.
And heav'n was pleased with the works he made.
52
An Appendix
Of God's resting day.
Of Eden garden.
Of Man's happiness before his fall.
Of Man's misery after his fall.
Sect. 9.
The Argument
Six dayes expir'd, the seaventh dayGod rests, and doth his works survay.
Eden is planted, man in Eden
May tast all fruits, but one forbiden,
When the great Architect had furnish'd all
The upper Regions; and the lower Ball,
He ceased from his works, and sanctifi'd
Unto himself, for ever to abide.
The seaventh day his glory it invested,
And from his workes, his workes so great, he rested.
The Lord of sabboths, hath this sabboth blest,
As a true Type of that eternal rest.
Kept in hav'ns blisfull Kingdome, to the praise
Of him that is the ancientest of dayes.
By his examples, he would have us doe
The like, and rest from wordly l'bour too.
This day of rest, our Saviour will come in
Unto our souls, if we let out our sin.
He sets wide ope, the portals, of his ears;
To entertaine, (a guests,) our praise, our prayers.
This day is Gods, oh let us then adore him,
And in his reverence, fall downe before him;
That so we may here after be posses'd
Of that true Sabboth, that eternal rest,
Prepar'd for saints, and joyfull Requiems sing,
Before our great, and everlasting King.
Six dayes are freely ours, but one, in seaven,
Is chaleng'd as a holy-day, by heaven;
And yet how little of that day we spend
Upon the service of so great a freind!
Alas! alas! how apt are we to think
That God beholds not, and his eyes do wink
At our neglects; but patience abus'd
Turnes fury: ah! can, can we be excus'd,
That thus transgress? no we have cause to feare,
This leeden sect, Gods iron hands are neare.
Within the radient borders of the East,
Where early Titan as a welcome guest
Findes entertainment, God a garden planted
For Man's sole use, wherin there nothing wanted
To make it truly glorious, in it, he
The worlds abrig'd Epitomie might see;
Unfathom'd love spontaneously bestowing
A paradise with milk and honey flowing:
Upon a man, an animated Clod
Must needs advance the goodness of our God.
Here is the true Elizium indeed,
Whose choyce variety of objects seed
The greedy eye; seest here a divers hieu,
Crimson, Carnation, Green, and joyfull blew.
This soyle bears fruit, all seasons in the yeare,
You cannot name the thing, but what is there.
See here coole Arbors, mark how bubbling Brooks
Do gently glide along in winding nooks:
Here's speckled ammel beautifies the ground:
And heav'n sent Manna, ev'ry morn is found.
The pretty birds (by nature taught) doe sing
Melodious notes, to their mellifluous King.
How fragrantly life-breathing Ziphyr blowes
His sweet-heart Flora, gen'rously bestrowes
The smiling Earth, with oderiferous flowers,
'Gainst Adam's wedding; pearly-dropping showers
Enrich the grass; without the help of ploughs
Tellus partutiates; on the laden boughs
The mellow fruits do dangle, and do stand
Ambitious (as it were) to kiss the hand.
O what a lovely lustre doth adorn
The balmy air! the Amalthean horn
Is giv'n to Adam (not to Hercules)
Gemifluous Phiton, golden Euphrates
Silver-wav'd Hiddekel, Christal-ey'd Gibon,
Water this heav'nly earth, this earthly Sion.
Cloath'd are the Trees in green; the stately Pine,
And tow'ring Cedar, lovingly combine,
A Bow'r with bending arches to compose:
The shame fac'd Lilly, and the red-cheek'd Rose,
Strive for priority: how all things smile
And e'ne luxuriate! Oh delightful soile!
The upper Regions; and the lower Ball,
He ceased from his works, and sanctifi'd
Unto himself, for ever to abide.
The seaventh day his glory it invested,
And from his workes, his workes so great, he rested.
53
As a true Type of that eternal rest.
Kept in hav'ns blisfull Kingdome, to the praise
Of him that is the ancientest of dayes.
By his examples, he would have us doe
The like, and rest from wordly l'bour too.
This day of rest, our Saviour will come in
Unto our souls, if we let out our sin.
He sets wide ope, the portals, of his ears;
To entertaine, (a guests,) our praise, our prayers.
This day is Gods, oh let us then adore him,
And in his reverence, fall downe before him;
That so we may here after be posses'd
Of that true Sabboth, that eternal rest,
Prepar'd for saints, and joyfull Requiems sing,
Before our great, and everlasting King.
Six dayes are freely ours, but one, in seaven,
Is chaleng'd as a holy-day, by heaven;
And yet how little of that day we spend
Upon the service of so great a freind!
Alas! alas! how apt are we to think
That God beholds not, and his eyes do wink
At our neglects; but patience abus'd
Turnes fury: ah! can, can we be excus'd,
That thus transgress? no we have cause to feare,
This leeden sect, Gods iron hands are neare.
54
Where early Titan as a welcome guest
Findes entertainment, God a garden planted
For Man's sole use, wherin there nothing wanted
To make it truly glorious, in it, he
The worlds abrig'd Epitomie might see;
Unfathom'd love spontaneously bestowing
A paradise with milk and honey flowing:
Upon a man, an animated Clod
Must needs advance the goodness of our God.
Here is the true Elizium indeed,
Whose choyce variety of objects seed
The greedy eye; seest here a divers hieu,
Crimson, Carnation, Green, and joyfull blew.
This soyle bears fruit, all seasons in the yeare,
You cannot name the thing, but what is there.
See here coole Arbors, mark how bubbling Brooks
Do gently glide along in winding nooks:
Here's speckled ammel beautifies the ground:
And heav'n sent Manna, ev'ry morn is found.
The pretty birds (by nature taught) doe sing
Melodious notes, to their mellifluous King.
How fragrantly life-breathing Ziphyr blowes
His sweet-heart Flora, gen'rously bestrowes
The smiling Earth, with oderiferous flowers,
'Gainst Adam's wedding; pearly-dropping showers
55
Tellus partutiates; on the laden boughs
The mellow fruits do dangle, and do stand
Ambitious (as it were) to kiss the hand.
O what a lovely lustre doth adorn
The balmy air! the Amalthean horn
Is giv'n to Adam (not to Hercules)
Gemifluous Phiton, golden Euphrates
Silver-wav'd Hiddekel, Christal-ey'd Gibon,
Water this heav'nly earth, this earthly Sion.
Cloath'd are the Trees in green; the stately Pine,
And tow'ring Cedar, lovingly combine,
A Bow'r with bending arches to compose:
The shame fac'd Lilly, and the red-cheek'd Rose,
Strive for priority: how all things smile
And e'ne luxuriate! Oh delightful soile!
Amongst the trees wherewith th'Eternal grac'd
This prime plantation, in the midst he plac'd
Two speciall trees (both inordain'd for food,
But seals the one of life, of knowledg good
And evil was the second; to th'intent
That Adam's life should not be idly spent
Trine-une Jehovah did his steps direct
To this blest Bow'r, and spake to this effect.
This prime plantation, in the midst he plac'd
Two speciall trees (both inordain'd for food,
But seals the one of life, of knowledg good
And evil was the second; to th'intent
That Adam's life should not be idly spent
Trine-une Jehovah did his steps direct
To this blest Bow'r, and spake to this effect.
Of all the trees that in the Orchard be
I set them for thy use, one only tree
Shall be my rent; that tree thou shalt not tast,
Which in the center of the garden's plac'd
The rest are freely thine, by my permission,
Rent-free: but yet on an imply'd condition:
What I injoyne be studious to fulfill,
Touch not the tree of knowledg, good, and ill;
For by my sacred majesty, I vow,
And by my venerable name, if thou
Break but thy Lease, “thy very lips that shall
“Let in this fruit, shall let in death withal.
But if thou please me well, this tree shal be
A sacred pledg between thy God, and thee.
My Vice-Roy shalt thou be, thy seed I'le bless,
Thy seed for ever shal the land possess.
Be thou obsequious thou shalt finde me mild,
I'le be thy father, thou shalt be my child.
He said no more: Adam did then express
His loyal duty, and his thankfulness.
Glorious, and great, who hast instal'd me King
Of this vast Orb, and Lord of ev'ry thing
Within its larg dementions: Gratious Lord
Thou gav'st me all, nay of thine owne accord.
Ah Lord! what merrit? what desarts in me
(To claime such high-bred favours couldst thou see)
O bounteous love! oh love that is extended
Beyond al bounds! O love uncomprehanded!
Ah! shall thy mercyes overflow my banks?
And shall I ebb, in the returnes of thanks?
Thou giv'st me life, and rare enjoyments too,
To tell them out is more then I can do.
And shall I not acknowledg thee? ah! sure
No senseless stone can e're be so obdure.
Take partial thanks, for as for to express
Love to the life I cannot, I confess:
Accept my mite, to praise I will persever
Thine holy name, for ever, and for ever
Ah! far be it from me to countermind
What thou prohibit'st: shall thy lib'ral hand
Heap blessings on me? thou afford'st me all,
Thy selfe reserv'st but one, and shall I fail
To keep from thee thy right? shall my transgression
Displease the Land-lord of my free possession.
O no, I will obey, one onley Tree
Shall put no varience 'twixt my God and me.
Should I attempt so foul a fact, I were not
Worthy to live; might then Gods justice spare not
To vulnerate my soul, Oh might I feele
Th'imprinted strakes of his revengeful steele.
Great God! Oh may I rather cease to be,
Then live t'offend, so good a God as thee?
The Sun shall sooner cease, for to display
On tender plants, his bright enlivning Ray:
Sooner shall sun-burnt India grow cold,
And Icy Zealand hot, and heav'ns grow old.
E're I from my first principles retreat,
And disobey my God, so good, so great.
I set them for thy use, one only tree
56
Which in the center of the garden's plac'd
The rest are freely thine, by my permission,
Rent-free: but yet on an imply'd condition:
What I injoyne be studious to fulfill,
Touch not the tree of knowledg, good, and ill;
For by my sacred majesty, I vow,
And by my venerable name, if thou
Break but thy Lease, “thy very lips that shall
“Let in this fruit, shall let in death withal.
But if thou please me well, this tree shal be
A sacred pledg between thy God, and thee.
My Vice-Roy shalt thou be, thy seed I'le bless,
Thy seed for ever shal the land possess.
Be thou obsequious thou shalt finde me mild,
I'le be thy father, thou shalt be my child.
He said no more: Adam did then express
His loyal duty, and his thankfulness.
Glorious, and great, who hast instal'd me King
Of this vast Orb, and Lord of ev'ry thing
Within its larg dementions: Gratious Lord
Thou gav'st me all, nay of thine owne accord.
Ah Lord! what merrit? what desarts in me
(To claime such high-bred favours couldst thou see)
O bounteous love! oh love that is extended
Beyond al bounds! O love uncomprehanded!
57
And shall I ebb, in the returnes of thanks?
Thou giv'st me life, and rare enjoyments too,
To tell them out is more then I can do.
And shall I not acknowledg thee? ah! sure
No senseless stone can e're be so obdure.
Take partial thanks, for as for to express
Love to the life I cannot, I confess:
Accept my mite, to praise I will persever
Thine holy name, for ever, and for ever
Ah! far be it from me to countermind
What thou prohibit'st: shall thy lib'ral hand
Heap blessings on me? thou afford'st me all,
Thy selfe reserv'st but one, and shall I fail
To keep from thee thy right? shall my transgression
Displease the Land-lord of my free possession.
O no, I will obey, one onley Tree
Shall put no varience 'twixt my God and me.
Should I attempt so foul a fact, I were not
Worthy to live; might then Gods justice spare not
To vulnerate my soul, Oh might I feele
Th'imprinted strakes of his revengeful steele.
Great God! Oh may I rather cease to be,
Then live t'offend, so good a God as thee?
The Sun shall sooner cease, for to display
On tender plants, his bright enlivning Ray:
58
And Icy Zealand hot, and heav'ns grow old.
E're I from my first principles retreat,
And disobey my God, so good, so great.
Thus Adam liv'd in favour with the Lord,
Enjoying all the joyes earth could afford.
On while he walks along the bordred Alleys,
Now up the hillocks, down anon, the valleys,
And now by whisp'ring Brooks, takes sweet reposes
On beds of Lillies, and anon on Roses.
Enjoying all the joyes earth could afford.
On while he walks along the bordred Alleys,
Now up the hillocks, down anon, the valleys,
And now by whisp'ring Brooks, takes sweet reposes
On beds of Lillies, and anon on Roses.
59
Sect. ult.
The Argument.
The Devill in the Serpent's formeTempteth to sin the woman first:
She man; so done, the Lord doth storme,
The Serpent, Eve, and Adam's cur'st.
Proud Lucifer, through vain ambition strove
To equalize himselfe with God above:
But of his pow'r Angelical bereaven,
He tumbled head-long down the courts of heaven:
From a bright Pallace to a sulph'ry Cell,
Made Monarch of (the land of darkness) Hell.
Thus strip'd of all his quondam pleasures, he
Greatly envieth man's felicity:
Man is his eye-sore, man's supernal state
The Object is of his infernal hate:
He finding opertunity, began
Slily to worke, the overthrow of man:
His guiles and wiles he palliates, and is
Turn'd int' a snake, strange Metamorphosis!
His toyles he spreads, and covertly he waits
To catch poore Adam, by his golden baits:
And's plot the better to acomplish, he
Goes wriggling up on the forbiden tree:
Assaults the woman, with his baited gin,
And thus he drawes the sily woman in.
Serpent.
To equalize himselfe with God above:
But of his pow'r Angelical bereaven,
He tumbled head-long down the courts of heaven:
From a bright Pallace to a sulph'ry Cell,
Made Monarch of (the land of darkness) Hell.
Thus strip'd of all his quondam pleasures, he
Greatly envieth man's felicity:
Man is his eye-sore, man's supernal state
The Object is of his infernal hate:
He finding opertunity, began
Slily to worke, the overthrow of man:
His guiles and wiles he palliates, and is
Turn'd int' a snake, strange Metamorphosis!
60
To catch poore Adam, by his golden baits:
And's plot the better to acomplish, he
Goes wriggling up on the forbiden tree:
Assaults the woman, with his baited gin,
And thus he drawes the sily woman in.
Great Empress of the world: I humbly sue
To be resolved of a doubt, which you
Can satisfie me in: have you indeede
Your apetite restrain'd? what many't you feed
One evr'y pleasant fruit? why so? doth God
Limit your pow'r? if so, 'tis very odd.
Eve.
Of all the trees that scited are in Eden,
There is but one, no more than one forbiden.
The tree thou seest, there in the middle plac'd,
We must on paine of death, not touch, nor tast.
That God reserv's unto himselfe, for what
I know not, but 'tis death to tast of that.
Serpent.
Pish, Pish you shall not dye, deaths bended Bow
Shall never harme you; you shal never know
61
You are immortal; feare not death I pray you;
Touch, take, and tast, (beleive me) and your eyes
Shall straight be op'ned; you will be as wise
As he that made you; be but rul'd, and ye
As Gods, both knowing good and ill shall be.
Feare not, (faire Lady) eat, I as a freind
Advise you not for any Private end,
Or self-respect; you shall be deifi'd:
Ambitious Jove, no equals can abide.
Coy woman tast, behold their beautiful,
And cherry cheeks, coy woman doe but pull.
Cannot those mellow-delicates, invite
Your wat'ring palate, to an appetite?
Methinkes they should, taste, and you shall have skil,
To know the diference 'twixt good, and ill.
Why draw'st thou back? To the possessed Snake,
The cred'lous woman this reply did make.
Eve.
Wisest of beasts, all that you speak is true,
You counsel for the best, all thanks be due,
For your great love your love which doth transcend
All merrit of mine, thanks to my loyal freind:
My life's to small to hazard for your ease,
Freind I could give't, your speeches doe so please.
62
And questionless, 'tis to the tast: I'le try.
And eat thereof and give my husband Adam.
Serpent.
They bow to serve you, at your pleasure, Madam.
Eve.
Ah! how delitious is this fruit, how sweet!
A finer Apple I did never eat.
Husband, my love, come sit thee down by me,
And taste the vertue of this sov'raigne Tree.
Say, say my love, did e're thine eye behold
A Tree so fair, so rare as this; be bold,
As was thy Eve; and venter on't; for why?
Come what come will, thou'lt fare no worse then I.
Ah! hadst thou knowne my dearest what a bliss
Attends the eating, thou hadst eat e're this.
What? frownes my Adam? wilt thou not draw nearer,
And taste my love, then whom my life's not dearer
For Eves sake eat, and know both good and ill.
Adam:
Seeing thou invit'st me eat, my joy, I will.
Ah! wee have sin'd in medling with this Tree,
This cursed Tree; Oh whither shall we flee?
63
What course to take, Oh whither shall we goe?
Lo we are naked, and we must confess
Asham'd we are, of this our nakedness,
And blush to think on't, were not we of late
All cloth'd in glory? but where's now our state?
What have we got by our presumptious pride?
But shame, which if we could, faine would we hide.
Strange change! we have exchang'd, sad thing to tel,
God for an apple, and a heav'n for hell.
My conscience tells me what a gracious God
We have offended; now methinks his rod
He shakes in fury, now methinks his ire
Threatens to burn us, with consuming fire:
What thinkest thou, may not these leaves hard by
Make aprons wife, for naked thee, and I:
Quick, let's these broad Fig-leaves together sew,
And hide the shame, we are asham'd to shew.
Experience tels us that the things which tend
To greater bliss, prove dang'rous in the end.
The fruit that's pleasing, is not alwayes sound;
Untoothsome Clerus is in hony found.
That man-betraying Scorpion, did bring
Hony in's mouth, but in his tail a sting.
The fruit that seemed best, prov'd worst of all:
Sweet in the mouth, but in digestion gall.
49
Hark! hark! methinks I hear (too true I feare)
A thundring voyce come rounding in mine eare.
I' me sure I hear't. I prithee Adam cease
Thy querulous complaints, peace, husband peace.
Ah me! vile wretch, 'tis God, undon! undon!
We have transgress'd, 'tis therfore time to run;
Let's hide us in the Woods I feare, I feare,
That he will catch us, naked, as wee are.
A poor defence God-wot, what brazen Tower
Can keep us safe from his all-bat'ring power.
Such as doe strive, by hiding of their sin,
To shut God out, do let the Devil in.
The case is ours: the more we would conceale
Our sins, alas! the more we them reveal.
What place can us secure? where can we lie
Absconded from his all-beholding eye?
Dye, dye wee must, no wayes of our contriving
Can save us harmeless? can wee gaine by striving?
Are our bones Brazil, orour flesh of Steel?
Can wee imagine that we shal not feele,
The worst of his displeasure? dare we stand
In opposition to th'Almighties hand?
Or rather shal we with submissive tears
Beg hard for pardon, w'have a Wolfe by th'ears.
65
Of flaming vengeance to devour our souls.
Adam.
Peace, peace, I heare him too; he thunders now,
Where art thou Adam, tell me, where art thou.
Adam.
Great God! thy voyce, thy dreadful voyce, I heard
Rush in the garden, and I was affray'd:
It was my shameful nakedness, did move
Me to seek shelter in this shadie grove.
God.
Naked? who told thee thou wer't naked? hast
Thou eat the fruit, forbidden thee to taste.
Gods mercyes Adam having thus abus'd,
Accus'd the woman, but himself excus'd.
Adam.
All-glorious Lord, shee whom thou gav'st me, gave
The fruit unto me, and I eaten have.
God.
Nefandious woman, ah! what hast thou done,
That thus my awful presence thou dost shun?
66
Lord, I confess that my offence is great;
The Serpent tempted me, and I did eat;
The Rhet'rick of his tongue did so delight
Mine eares, that I obey'd mine appetite.
Thus did his Oratorious delusion
Lead me along, unto my sad confusion.
The Serpent's curse.
Because thou hast fallitiously deceiv'd
The silly woman; thou shalt be bereav'd
Of future happiness; thou, thou, the worst
Of all the beasts: shalt not be least acurs'd,
Dust shalt thou eat, and since thou hast done so,
For ever shalt thou on thy belly go,
Abhor'd of all; moreover I'le disperse
Debate, and variance 'twixt thy seed, and hers.
Her seed shall bruise thy head: And poysnous thine
Shall bruise her heele, and round her heele entwine.
Eves curse.
And thou, nefarious bride, who hast betray'd
Thy husbands trust, and wickedly obey'd
The Serpents words; I will inflict on thee
As bad a curse, as any curse can be.
67
Thy tortur'd soul; thy torments shal out number
The minutes of thy life; ten thousand woes
Shall plague thy spirit; and thrice as many throes
Shall rack thy body, this disast'rous chance
Shall cling to thee till thy deliverance.
With all submission: thou, vile creature, thou,
Thy servile neck, shalt to thine husband bow:
He, shall rule over thee, and thou shalt stand
As loyable, to his severer hand.
Adam's Curse.
Apostatized wretch, because thou hast
Giv'n audience to thy wife, to boldly taste
The bitter sweets of this reserved Tree,
From which (on paine of death,) I warned thee.
Curs'd be the earth, and all her smiling pleasures,
Her gratefull plenty and exub'rant Treasures:
Curs'd for thy sake, b' earth's amiable face,
Let thorns, and thistles, grow in ev'ry place.
And thou, for this abominable deed,
Shalt feed on hearbs; I'le make thee get thy bread,
With a laborious hand: thy sweetned meat
Must now have sower sauce: thy toylsome sweat
Shall stand in surrowes, on thy bubling brow,
Earning thy living at the painefull plough.
68
Of thy fraile life, thy sorrowes shall abide.
A number of diseases shall attend
Thy loathed life; sins off-spring, death, shall send
His Harbingers abroad, which shall anoy thee,
And never leave thee, till they quite destroy thee.
The never missing dart of death shall slay
The brittle Casket of thy soul, and lay
Thy earth-ta'ne body in an earthly urne;
For dust thou art and shalt to dust returne.
Be gone; base Caitiffe, from this garden, flee,
Such rare enjoyments sha'nt belong to thee.
Be gone: be gone: no longer shalt thou please
Thy del'cate palate with such cares as these:
Worse fare shall serve thy turne: with ploughs goe wound
Thy native soile goe dig, and delve the ground.
| KOSMOBREVIA[Greek], or the infancy of the world | |