A paraphrase upon the canticles and some select hymns of the New and Old Testament, with other occasional compositions in English verse. By Samuel Woodford |
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 | A paraphrase upon the canticles |  |
I.
As one, that's from a tedious Voyage come,And safe, through thousand Storms arriv'd at Home,
Resolves to put to Sea no more,
Or boldly tempt the flattering Main,
How smooth so e're it lie, or plain,
But having drawn his broken Hull ashore,
To some kind Saint hangs up his Consecrated Oar:
I, who as foul a Sea had past,
167
Where there so many Shipwrackt be,
Or on the Rocks, or on the Quick-sand cast;
Recounting what my self had seen,
And in how many Deaths I 'had been,
Where scarce an empty wish or hope could come between;
With almost as confirm'd a Vow,
Resolv'd no less to Consecrate
Some votive Table, which might show
The Labours I did undergo;
And at a far more easie rate,
Than I them bore a'-late,
Give others the delight to view on Land my dangerous Fate.
II.
Already was the Sacred Plank design'd,And in it how I first assay'd the Deep;
When thinking only near the Shores to keep,
There rose a sudden, and tempestuous Wind,
Which made me leave the unsaluted Land behind.
The Sea before was calm, and still,
And gentle Airs did with my Streamers play;
Scarce strong enough my half struck Sail to fill,
And through the yielding Chrystal force my way.
Close by did many a Vessel Ride,
Whose Pilots all, with Bays were Crown'd,
And to the murmurs of the Tide,
Voices and Mirth were heard around;
My self made there Anacreon's Harp resound,
Which, sprightly seem'd, and wondrous brave,
And its old killing Notes to have, (which I gave.
But from the Waters more, than those rough touches,
'Twould still of nothing sound but Love,
Tho I the various stops did often prove;
Wherefore new Loves I did begin,
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Which took fresh vigour from the String,
And o're the Dancing Floods were quickly blown.
The Carthaginian Queen, I sang, and stolen Joys,
And of his Flames, who 'scapt at Troys:
And as the Thracian Orpheus by his Skill,
To Ransom his Euridice is sed,
And from the Shades bring back the Dead;
My Song as great a Miracle did tell,
And thither chain'd in Verse, alive Proserpina did lead.
III.
Such was my Song, but when the Storm arose,Voices, and Mirth were heard no more;
But every Man fell stoutly to his Oar,
And to the Floods all did their Strength oppose,
Hoping to reach some Harbour, but in vain,
They were with greater fury hurri'd back into the Main.
No lays resounded, which might please,
But dying Shrieks of such as Shipwrackt were;
And those proud Galleys, which before, at ease,
Plough'd up the Deep, no longer did appear;
But to the Waves become a Prey,
Some downright sank, some broken lay,
And by the Billows were in Triumph born away.
My Keell so many Leaks did spring,
That all the Hold, with Water was flow'd o're;
And a Sea no less dangerous rag'd within,
Than that which strove abroad the Tempest to outroar.
So Over-board my Lading straight I cast,
With some faint hopes my Barque to save;
But on the Wind away they quickly past,
And my best Safety was no hopes to have.
Yet by me still the great Jessean Lyre I kept,
Which down I from my Bed did take,
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And all its numerous Chords I did awake;
Thinking, since I the Waves must try,
Them and the Sea-gods with a Song to pacifie.
IV.
I plaid, and boldly then plung'd down,Holding my Harp still in my Hand,
My dear Companion in those Paths unknown,
But hopeless with it e're to reach the Land;
When lo! the Sage Eüarna (in my Song
Iärma rightli'er stiled) with Nymphs and Tritons waited on,
As she by chance there past along,
Drove up her Chariot to my side;
And in requital for my humble Song,
Invited me with her to Ride,
And fearless of the Way, with them my Course to guide.
So down she reacht her Pearly Hand,
And from the Floods me gently rais'd;
Whilst all the Crowd upon me gaz'd,
And waited, e're they further went, some new Command,
Which straight She gave, and at Her Word the Wind,
Backward did scour, before us smooth and plain
The Ocean lay, Storms only rag'd behind;
And to my Harp I turn'd again,
No longer was I of the Deep afraid,
But bolder grown, some Anthems plaid,
And on them put my Chains, who theirs upon the Waves had laid.
Till having many a Country past,
And Coasting the whole Earth around,
(The North-west passage Navigable found)
I on my Native Shore was cast,
And safely toucht the British Isle at last.
170
V.
This Table as in Colours 'twas exprest,And with Belisas curious Pencil wrought,
With Ivy Garlands and Sea-holm I drest,
And to my Muses sacred Temple brought,
Hoping it would accepted be,
And surely gain my Liberty,
From future Service, and declare me free.
But as I waiting in the Court did stand,
Into a sudden Extasie I fell;
And led by an Immortal Hand,
Which entrance for me did Command,
Approacht the Fanes most private Cell,
By none e're seen before, where awful Dread, and Reverence dwell.
'Twas not like those strait Oratories here,
Which we by that Name call,
But a Magnifi'cent, and Stupendous Hall,
The Roof with Paintings garnisht all,
And where in Niches, on the Wall,
There did the lively Forms appear,
Of such who for their Verse the Laurel Sert did wear.
Greece and old Rome possest the chiefest place,
And all the upper Square on th' East their Quarter was.
The sides were into several Coasts design'd,
And by their Country you each Name might find.
The Thuscan, French, and Spanish Band,
And others more, as they did with their Titles stand.
Britain as fair a space as any had,
(The' whole Western Square) and tho the lowest laid,
Had no less Honours to her, than to Rome and Athens paid.
171
VI.
Thither I turn'd mine Eye, and in the ThrongOf Crowned Heads, translated there,
Whose very Names to count would be too long,
From Chaucer downwards, (tho some Ancienter there were)
The fair Orinda did appear,
And tho come thither last of all,
Made the most Beauteous Figure on the sacred Wall.
Aside her several Niches were prepar'd
For those, who after her should come;
(The mighty Cowley since has there obtain'd a Room,
And Davenant as with her they in the Muses service shar'd)
With other Names, which there I saw Enroll'd,
And in bright Characters enchast;
But who they were must not be told,
Till they the fatal Stream have past,
And after Death have here their Breathing Statues plac'd.
My Muse alone those Worthys did out-shine,
As she approacht me there in shape Divine,
Her Golden Hair was all unbound
With careless Art, and wantonly did play,
Mov'd by her Strings harmonious sound,
As on her Shoulders the loose Tresses lay.
A wondrous Mantle on her Back was thrown,
And her gay Mystic Vest below,
In Royal State traild all adown;
An Harp was in her Hand, and on her Head a Crown.
VII.
Amaz'd I at her Feet did fall,And Prostrate lay, till up she bid me stand,
Saying, “For this I Thee did never call,
“But boldly to receive my great Command.
“Arise, for (Lo!) a better Fate
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“Than what Thou in the Deep hast tri'd of late;
“Not but that all thy Labours there,
“To Thine own Wish shall amply be repaid,
(“How ever for a while delay'd)
“For I, by whom enroll'd they are,
“Second to none but Heav'n in that great care,
“Which of Thy Verse and Thee I ever had,
“Will look so large allowance for them shall be made,
“And all the time Thou hast, or shalt have staid,
“That the whole Damage, which Thou didst sustain,
“Shall not compare with Thy Immortal Gain.
VIII.
“Witness Thy Table which I here accept,“Worthy for the' Hand design'd it to be kept,
“Within my Archives a fair Room to have,
“And Thy mean Name from dark Oblivion save;
“Till to another Temple, that's above,
“Thy Souls true Image I hereafter shall remove.
“Where several, whom Thou here dost know,
“Ambitious at their very Names to bow,
“Leaving their wanton Strains behind,
“And from all base alloy refin'd,
“More to resemble the Eternal Mind,
“With several, who were never here,
(“So Godlike all their Numbers were)
“As Heman, Ethan, Moises, and the Quire,
“Of Jewish Psalmists, whom Heaven did inspire,
“And Jesses Son, whose Harp thou late didst bear,
“In Glory with the first Great Maker live,
“And for your Mortal Bays, a Starry Diadem receive.
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IX.
“But first, my Son, Thou 'again to Sea must go,“And many Towns, and Men, and Countries know,
“In the new World of Heav'nly Poesy,
“Part of which long since was design'd to be
“The happy Fruits of thy Discovery;
“Where none of all Thy Nation has been yet,
“The Way so dangerous, and the Task so great;
“Nor doubt, but it shall recompense thy cost,
“And, were it more, that Age they cry thou hast lost,
“When Thou didst Tibers City fly,
“The dusty ruines of Antiquity,
“And for my Service thy old Love to 'her Stones deny:
“And later, since didst Laws, and the' Bar forsake,
“And for the long Robe th' Ivy Garland take,
“As that which would Thy Name Immortal make.
“Much, I confess, much that alone can do,
“Very much I,
“But more my Elder Sister, Sage Theology,
“Whom thou e're long shalt know,
“And from my Service to attend her go:
“Her to attend, but not renounce me utterly.
“For I have Honours to bestow,
“And endless Treasures, tho I rarely show
“The happy Country where they grow.
“And tho some Wretch the Plague endure,
“Of Ridiculous Poverty,
“The fault's his own, and not in me:
“Not that he is my Votary,
“But under that disguse to her an Enemy.
“Not I, but they who count and make me so, are poor.
174
X.
“Try me this once, and once more tempt the Main!“Thou shalt not unattended go,
“For when thou next putst forth to Sea again,
“I'll be Thy Pilot, and the Passage show.
“Nay, wonder not, for 'tis no more
“Than what I several times have done before,
“When Tasso I through unknown Straits did guide,
“And made my Bartas o're the Surges ride,
“And Collins sacred Mulla deifi'd.
“Those Admi'rals of my Seas, which did extend
“Their Countrys Bounds, and Savage Nations made attend
“'Twas I Conducted them those Lands to find,
“Where each did plant his Nations Colonies;
“All spreading less their Sails than Victories,
“And there are yet more Lands for thee behind,
“Or to Discover, or Improve by a nobler kind.
“Let's go, my Son, and all the way rehearse
“The Birth of things, as they from Nothing rose,
“By that Almighty Word, which shall inspire thy Verse,
“And help Thee all its Wonders to disclose.
“No Storm upon Thy Mast shall rest,
“Nor any Blasts, but Vernal, blow;
“The Sea it self to my great Service prest,
“In plains of Liquid Diamond shall lie below,
“And its obedience to my Rule in dancing Billows show.
“And when thou Home return'd shalt be
“And of thy Native Earth once more take hold,
“My self thy Barque will Consecrated see,
“And for this New World thus found out by Thee,
“Make it an Heav'nly Sign, next that which sav'd the Old.
“Or if this pleases not
“Too long laid by, too long forgot,
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“Thy own be the free choice, the Conduct shall be mine.
Made first 1666, and some time after review'd.
| A paraphrase upon the canticles | |