Mundorum Explicatio or, The Explanation of an Hieroglyphical Figure: Wherein are couched the Mysteries of the External, Internal, and Eternal Worlds, shewing the true progress of a Soul from the Court of Jerusalem; from the Adamical fallen state to the Regenerate and Angelical. Being A Sacred Poem, written by S. P. [i.e. Samuel Pordage] |
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 | Mundorum Explicatio |  |
Mundus tenebrosus vel tartareus.
Suppose the mighty Prince of darknesse wou'd
Himself incarnate, vail with with fleshly Hood
His Stygian Face; to shew the power, and might
Of the vast Kingdom of Æternal Night,
Upon this Earth: He finds a man propense
From genial starres to ill; a mind immense
After abstruser prying; piercing Wit
Grave look and studious; such a Man is fit
For this his high design. First then he strait
Causes his Princes on his elbow wait,
With all Hel's agents, who in clusters presse
T'imbue his Soul with deep dy'd wickednesse,
By their infernal Magic; they convert
The mortal Tree's fruit to the Evil part.
He feeds on ill, the which his Soul doth stain;
His freer will unto themselves they gain:
And by degrees, his sences please, that he
Desireth they should his Companions be.
They promise then if he'l obedient
Be; with what power, and Regiment
They will indue him, His high mind doth come,
And Hel's disciple doth at last become.
Some Angel then Hel's mighty Prince assignes
To wait on him; he good converse declines:
The Dæmons laugh to see him captivate,
And scoff the Angels of the other state.
Seeing that he obedient is, they now
Cause him unto Hel's Image for to bow:
And as the Prince of Heav'n commandeth his
A way to gain, the same, to shun Heav'ns blisse
Hel's Prince commands. He from the World abstract
Must be, lest that his deeper thoughts detract
From that high work he doth intend him for:
He fastings, vigils, doth command him; nor
Lesse prayers than the other World requires,
Washings, and Ceremoies he desires:
And also that he should be Celebate,
Thus like an Ape he God doth imitate
In all his biddings, th' better to beguile
Man, with his high deceits, and cunning vile.
He spares him in grosse sins, it may be too,
Lest they with pinguitude his Soul imbue,
And make's lesse apt to search those hidden arts,
Which Hell to his obedient ones imparts.
But if he in them Master will Commence,
He must attain it by obedience
To whatsoever Hell commands; for he
Must gain the Will, then act by sympathy.
Himself incarnate, vail with with fleshly Hood
His Stygian Face; to shew the power, and might
Of the vast Kingdom of Æternal Night,
Upon this Earth: He finds a man propense
From genial starres to ill; a mind immense
After abstruser prying; piercing Wit
Grave look and studious; such a Man is fit
For this his high design. First then he strait
Causes his Princes on his elbow wait,
With all Hel's agents, who in clusters presse
T'imbue his Soul with deep dy'd wickednesse,
By their infernal Magic; they convert
The mortal Tree's fruit to the Evil part.
He feeds on ill, the which his Soul doth stain;
His freer will unto themselves they gain:
And by degrees, his sences please, that he
Desireth they should his Companions be.
They promise then if he'l obedient
Be; with what power, and Regiment
98
And Hel's disciple doth at last become.
Some Angel then Hel's mighty Prince assignes
To wait on him; he good converse declines:
The Dæmons laugh to see him captivate,
And scoff the Angels of the other state.
Seeing that he obedient is, they now
Cause him unto Hel's Image for to bow:
And as the Prince of Heav'n commandeth his
A way to gain, the same, to shun Heav'ns blisse
Hel's Prince commands. He from the World abstract
Must be, lest that his deeper thoughts detract
From that high work he doth intend him for:
He fastings, vigils, doth command him; nor
Lesse prayers than the other World requires,
Washings, and Ceremoies he desires:
And also that he should be Celebate,
Thus like an Ape he God doth imitate
In all his biddings, th' better to beguile
Man, with his high deceits, and cunning vile.
He spares him in grosse sins, it may be too,
Lest they with pinguitude his Soul imbue,
And make's lesse apt to search those hidden arts,
Which Hell to his obedient ones imparts.
But if he in them Master will Commence,
He must attain it by obedience
To whatsoever Hell commands; for he
Must gain the Will, then act by sympathy.
He now it may be for some yeares hath serv'd
This Principle, nor from his Laws hath swerv'd,
But still obedient been: nor his desire
Thereto doth slack, implete with hellish fire.
His serving Dæmon still attending too,
With Stygian vigor doth his heart imbue:
Pleases his fancy with some stranger art,
Hels sacramental Mysteries impart
He doth; till at the last he doth bequeath
To him the fruits of the black Tree of Death.
Rough hairy Satyrs with their cloven feet
And staring eyes if that a stranger meet
Should, all alone in some dark Wood and night,
How pitifully would they him affright.
Or any other ill-shap'd monster, yet
A frequent sight no wonder would beget:
And should such Satyrs often be with him,
No whit at all affrightful would they seem.
So those dark Spirits apparitions might,
Man's weaker sences at the first affright.
But after some familiarity
No fear at all would be; especially
To those whose natures, as their natures be,
In a strict league with Hell; and would be such
Did not their Souls in a flesh'd body couch.
Toads are not venomous to Toads; nor is
The Lion truculent to those of his
Kind; nor are Monsters frightful unto theirs:
Satyrs to Satyrs, nor are Bears to Bears:
So Man whose Soul's drench'd in the Stygian pool;
Thinks not Hel's worst deformed spirits soul.
And this they know, or else I do suppose
They'd not so boldly their strange shapes disclose.
Hel's mighty Prince sees now his servant fit
To see his Kingdoms pomp: he doth commit
The charge thereof to some great Prince, who goes
To him, and thus his message doth disclose.
This Principle, nor from his Laws hath swerv'd,
But still obedient been: nor his desire
Thereto doth slack, implete with hellish fire.
His serving Dæmon still attending too,
With Stygian vigor doth his heart imbue:
Pleases his fancy with some stranger art,
Hels sacramental Mysteries impart
He doth; till at the last he doth bequeath
To him the fruits of the black Tree of Death.
Rough hairy Satyrs with their cloven feet
And staring eyes if that a stranger meet
99
How pitifully would they him affright.
Or any other ill-shap'd monster, yet
A frequent sight no wonder would beget:
And should such Satyrs often be with him,
No whit at all affrightful would they seem.
So those dark Spirits apparitions might,
Man's weaker sences at the first affright.
But after some familiarity
No fear at all would be; especially
To those whose natures, as their natures be,
In a strict league with Hell; and would be such
Did not their Souls in a flesh'd body couch.
Toads are not venomous to Toads; nor is
The Lion truculent to those of his
Kind; nor are Monsters frightful unto theirs:
Satyrs to Satyrs, nor are Bears to Bears:
So Man whose Soul's drench'd in the Stygian pool;
Thinks not Hel's worst deformed spirits soul.
And this they know, or else I do suppose
They'd not so boldly their strange shapes disclose.
Hel's mighty Prince sees now his servant fit
To see his Kingdoms pomp: he doth commit
The charge thereof to some great Prince, who goes
To him, and thus his message doth disclose.
Hel's mighty Monarch, Prince of Acheron;
Great Duke of Styx, Primate of Phlegiton,
Of Lethe Earl, great Lord of Cocytus,
Of deep Avernus, Orcus, Erebus,
And of the whole dark World; best part of this
Gain'd by his forces, and now joyn'd to his;
My soveraign Leige, hath sent me unto you
His faithful servant, with his leave to shew
Our Kingdom's glory, whereby you may see
That you do serve no petty Majesty.
Our high and mighty Prince, hath had regard
To all your services, he now reward
Will your fidelity: he Crowns, and thrones
As well as LOVE hath for his faithful ones.
A Throne, and Crown he hath prepar'd for thee,
And of our Kingdom thou a Peer shalt be,
When thou this Body shalt put off, and set
Thy Soul at liberty, which now doth let
Perfect enjoyment: In the mean time tho,
This favour's granted, that I thee may show
Our pomp, and Glory: art thou willing? say!
To whom Hel's servant thus without delay.
Great Prince and servant to our soveraign King,
What joyful news is this that you do bring!
I scarce contain my Soul. What? shall I see
The glory of his Stygian Majesty
E'r I depart this VVorld? this favour would
More strictly bind me his, and if I could
Be more his than I am: what in this Ball
I have, I willing am to part withall
To purchase this: Love's great inticements, I
Abhor, and do spontaneously deny.
Come let us go, I burn with strong desire,
For to be in, and see this Orb of Fire.
Hel's Nuncio thus speaks. Valiant heart, delay
I will not: thou thy hearts desire enjoy
Shalt; and when thou hither returnest, then
Thou shalt be Hel's highest Magitian;
Such gifts we will bestow: and thou shalt see
Before thou back returnst, what Gifts they be.
Your staffe is needlesse; nor your Horse you need,
For I am able to make greater speed,
For whilst that you can ride a League, assoon
I can be mounted higher than the Moon:
I can transport your Corpse, no need of that
There is, at this time; for our Journey's not
So great; only make fast your Closet door
That none may enter to disturb you: for
Your Body here shall lye: Then shall you see,
How nimble Spirits without Bodies be.
You misse it shall not for you'l think you bear
It still, but feel it lighter than the Ayr.
Alasse! that is a prison to the Soul,
She free from that, is then without controul;
Nor could that bear indeed, what you will feel
Be'ing made of flesh, nay were it made of steel
It could not, 'twould consumed be: your sp'rit
Can bear the punctions of eternal Night,
Being in union with us, and may passe
Into our Kingdom; for your Nature as
Ours is, your sences will be open too,
You'l think you see, feel, hear, as now you do.
But why do I forestal you thus? Delay
I will no longer: Come I'le lead the way.
Great Duke of Styx, Primate of Phlegiton,
Of Lethe Earl, great Lord of Cocytus,
Of deep Avernus, Orcus, Erebus,
And of the whole dark World; best part of this
Gain'd by his forces, and now joyn'd to his;
My soveraign Leige, hath sent me unto you
His faithful servant, with his leave to shew
Our Kingdom's glory, whereby you may see
That you do serve no petty Majesty.
Our high and mighty Prince, hath had regard
To all your services, he now reward
Will your fidelity: he Crowns, and thrones
As well as LOVE hath for his faithful ones.
100
And of our Kingdom thou a Peer shalt be,
When thou this Body shalt put off, and set
Thy Soul at liberty, which now doth let
Perfect enjoyment: In the mean time tho,
This favour's granted, that I thee may show
Our pomp, and Glory: art thou willing? say!
To whom Hel's servant thus without delay.
Great Prince and servant to our soveraign King,
What joyful news is this that you do bring!
I scarce contain my Soul. What? shall I see
The glory of his Stygian Majesty
E'r I depart this VVorld? this favour would
More strictly bind me his, and if I could
Be more his than I am: what in this Ball
I have, I willing am to part withall
To purchase this: Love's great inticements, I
Abhor, and do spontaneously deny.
Come let us go, I burn with strong desire,
For to be in, and see this Orb of Fire.
Hel's Nuncio thus speaks. Valiant heart, delay
I will not: thou thy hearts desire enjoy
Shalt; and when thou hither returnest, then
Thou shalt be Hel's highest Magitian;
Such gifts we will bestow: and thou shalt see
Before thou back returnst, what Gifts they be.
Your staffe is needlesse; nor your Horse you need,
For I am able to make greater speed,
For whilst that you can ride a League, assoon
I can be mounted higher than the Moon:
I can transport your Corpse, no need of that
There is, at this time; for our Journey's not
So great; only make fast your Closet door
That none may enter to disturb you: for
Your Body here shall lye: Then shall you see,
How nimble Spirits without Bodies be.
You misse it shall not for you'l think you bear
It still, but feel it lighter than the Ayr.
Alasse! that is a prison to the Soul,
She free from that, is then without controul;
101
Be'ing made of flesh, nay were it made of steel
It could not, 'twould consumed be: your sp'rit
Can bear the punctions of eternal Night,
Being in union with us, and may passe
Into our Kingdom; for your Nature as
Ours is, your sences will be open too,
You'l think you see, feel, hear, as now you do.
But why do I forestal you thus? Delay
I will no longer: Come I'le lead the way.
This spy'd: his hand upon his eyes he lay's,
To which Ethæan stupor he conveighs;
Down falls his Carcasse like a Trunck bereft
Of Life; no sence is in his Body left:
His Spirit's fled, and by Hel's Fiend is brought
Into that Kingdom, switter than a Thought.
Thus then he felt himself. He was like one
Who in his sleep sees some strange Vision.
And dreams himself awake; but yet doth find
Some kind of misty Atoms, which do blind
His sight from a clear view. He thus at first
Did find himself, untill he farther thrust
Was from's attractive Corpse: He nimbly than
And with a clearer sight to mount began.
Thus then his Jornal was. Nor Moon, nor Sun,
Nor any other Star upon him shon;
But yet not quite of Light devoy'd, he had
Such as wherewith a misty ev'ning's clad,
A kind of twylight: Earth, nor raging Seas,
Nor any thing but misty ayr he sees.
A circling Cloud darker then pitch appears,
Vast, and of huge extent; aloft it rears
In forms of Cliffs, and pointed Rocks. The Sp'rite
Thus speaks: these pitchy, cloudy mounts in sight,
Impale our Kingdom? 'Tis Avernus call'd
With such continued Rocks our Kingdom's wall'd.
This is the Entry. Here involved lies
Continual Light, none there a Ray espies
Of any Light: part of this Rock God threw
In 't Ægypt, when that thicker darknesse flew
Th'row out the Land; our dearest servants he
With our own weapons plagues continually.
'Tis not so dark within the pale: now this
Is caused by Antiperistasis:
And that cold Region which ingendreth hail,
And thunder (which when Icy clouds assail
Each other's made) becomes so violent
From two contraries, which from both sides sent,
Causes its forces shrink together; so
More violent, pent in lesse room they grow.
This darknesse then flies from that Light within,
And from the Light World's shine; so lies between,
Shrouding together, pressing close, and thick,
Fast cleaving, closely doth together stick.
To which Ethæan stupor he conveighs;
Down falls his Carcasse like a Trunck bereft
Of Life; no sence is in his Body left:
His Spirit's fled, and by Hel's Fiend is brought
Into that Kingdom, switter than a Thought.
Thus then he felt himself. He was like one
Who in his sleep sees some strange Vision.
And dreams himself awake; but yet doth find
Some kind of misty Atoms, which do blind
His sight from a clear view. He thus at first
Did find himself, untill he farther thrust
Was from's attractive Corpse: He nimbly than
And with a clearer sight to mount began.
Thus then his Jornal was. Nor Moon, nor Sun,
Nor any other Star upon him shon;
But yet not quite of Light devoy'd, he had
Such as wherewith a misty ev'ning's clad,
A kind of twylight: Earth, nor raging Seas,
Nor any thing but misty ayr he sees.
A circling Cloud darker then pitch appears,
Vast, and of huge extent; aloft it rears
In forms of Cliffs, and pointed Rocks. The Sp'rite
Thus speaks: these pitchy, cloudy mounts in sight,
Impale our Kingdom? 'Tis Avernus call'd
With such continued Rocks our Kingdom's wall'd.
102
Continual Light, none there a Ray espies
Of any Light: part of this Rock God threw
In 't Ægypt, when that thicker darknesse flew
Th'row out the Land; our dearest servants he
With our own weapons plagues continually.
'Tis not so dark within the pale: now this
Is caused by Antiperistasis:
And that cold Region which ingendreth hail,
And thunder (which when Icy clouds assail
Each other's made) becomes so violent
From two contraries, which from both sides sent,
Causes its forces shrink together; so
More violent, pent in lesse room they grow.
This darknesse then flies from that Light within,
And from the Light World's shine; so lies between,
Shrouding together, pressing close, and thick,
Fast cleaving, closely doth together stick.
These palpable dark clouds they enter; where
He doth a thousand shreeks, and howlings hear,
Cursings, Blasphemings, swearing, murmuring voyces,
Bellowing, with a thousand ugly noyses;
But horrid darknesse so encompas'd him
That who these noyses made could not be seen;
Besides an ugly filthy stink he smelt,
An horrid tast clove to his tongue; he felt
The dark clouds presse upon him. Th'row they passe
And with swift steps leave this abhorred place.
B'ing past his truchman thus. What you did hear
Caus'd was by Spirits that inhabit there,
Who sporting were together: Teter haggs
In th' outward World feed these with shriv'led baggs,
The which they suck, There dwell the Incubi,
And Succubi; deformed Spirits lye
By millions there; those who desire to feed
On humane morsels; such who shed their seed
Into old Haggs: and these are those which they
Call down to their assistance: these obey
To teter charmes, oyntments, perfumes, and these
Appear to them in various shapes; and please
Them with their antic Tricks: make hoggs to dance
On hinder feet, platters to skip, and prance,
With such like sports; make Cows, and Cattel languish,
And mortal men strike too with pain, and anguish:
And these old haggs command, unlesse they are
By the other World resisted, then they dare
Not do't. These are our slaves, we them command,
And when we need them on our errands send.
In these th' old Haggs delight, for often they
(Such power they have) their Bodies do conveigh
From place, to place; and often meet their sp'rights,
Their Bodies left: where fed with grosse delights,
They back return: These are our Prince's slaves
Who bring him many Souls, when that the graves
Their Bodies take: But oft times these do flye,
And tear in pieces as in sportful play
Those whom they serv'd, when that their date is out:
Now we are Princes, and alasse but flout
Those powting, Witches, when with charmes they think
To call us down t'obey their dreiry wink.
No, we stir not, but when our mighty Prince
Imposes his Commands; then wend we hence
Into the World. When that you do return
These Sp'rites you heard shall all obey your charm;
Nay we; and if our Prince that power gives,
But yet that power has no man that lives:
For to call down, an Angel of his Throne,
He first with him must have high union.
He doth a thousand shreeks, and howlings hear,
Cursings, Blasphemings, swearing, murmuring voyces,
Bellowing, with a thousand ugly noyses;
But horrid darknesse so encompas'd him
That who these noyses made could not be seen;
Besides an ugly filthy stink he smelt,
An horrid tast clove to his tongue; he felt
The dark clouds presse upon him. Th'row they passe
And with swift steps leave this abhorred place.
B'ing past his truchman thus. What you did hear
Caus'd was by Spirits that inhabit there,
Who sporting were together: Teter haggs
In th' outward World feed these with shriv'led baggs,
The which they suck, There dwell the Incubi,
And Succubi; deformed Spirits lye
By millions there; those who desire to feed
On humane morsels; such who shed their seed
Into old Haggs: and these are those which they
Call down to their assistance: these obey
103
Appear to them in various shapes; and please
Them with their antic Tricks: make hoggs to dance
On hinder feet, platters to skip, and prance,
With such like sports; make Cows, and Cattel languish,
And mortal men strike too with pain, and anguish:
And these old haggs command, unlesse they are
By the other World resisted, then they dare
Not do't. These are our slaves, we them command,
And when we need them on our errands send.
In these th' old Haggs delight, for often they
(Such power they have) their Bodies do conveigh
From place, to place; and often meet their sp'rights,
Their Bodies left: where fed with grosse delights,
They back return: These are our Prince's slaves
Who bring him many Souls, when that the graves
Their Bodies take: But oft times these do flye,
And tear in pieces as in sportful play
Those whom they serv'd, when that their date is out:
Now we are Princes, and alasse but flout
Those powting, Witches, when with charmes they think
To call us down t'obey their dreiry wink.
No, we stir not, but when our mighty Prince
Imposes his Commands; then wend we hence
Into the World. When that you do return
These Sp'rites you heard shall all obey your charm;
Nay we; and if our Prince that power gives,
But yet that power has no man that lives:
For to call down, an Angel of his Throne,
He first with him must have high union.
Still on they passe? upon the right hand stood
Oblivious Lethe, 'bout whose slow-pac'd flood
Lay many sleepy Sp'rites, whose office was,
From that place to the outer World to passe,
With Pitchers full of that same Water; by
Which, they brought Souls into a Lethargy;
And kind of stupor, lest the spark of Love,
Whose nature's agil' should with Life remove
Their Syncopy to goodnesse. On th' other side
About dark Erebus, as many 'bide.
There did, who those Erebean waves did bear
Into the Earth; which they to Souls did share
With liberal dole: the which no sooner ta'ne,
But darknesse, and obscurity remain
There dos upon their souls, which doth remove
The glowing spark of the bright Light of Love.
Further they passe, untill or last they come
Unto th' joylesse extreams of Acheron:
Here he beheld many a naked soul
Drench'd in those waves by Spirits black, and foul,
Their Faces sad, and heavy, melancholick;
(Nor were those Spirits there so brisk, and frollick
As those in other places, which it seems
Caus'd by the operation of these streams
Was) form'd like Death; Despair sat in their eyes,
And every moment caus'd new miseries.
Others apace did thence that water bear
Into the Earth, which caused sad despair,
To souls that tast thereof. Who passe this stream
Their Bodies dead, none may their souls redeem.
Over that stream they passe; when that he hears
Sad Lamentations, for the Vale of Teares
They enter'd had: sliding along the Vale
Cocytus ran; upon whose banks did wail
With lamentations sad, whole troopes of Souls,
A stream of Teares into the River rouls
From their sad eyes: Before their faces hung
Tablets of brasse, where all that they had done
In their life-time was wrot, which now renew'd
Their sorrow. This Spectacle being view'd
They further passe, where scummy Orcus ran
With fœtid waves from the cold Stygian
Lake: about whose most horrid banks he spy'd
All sorts of evil Beasts: The Stygian guide
Thus spake:
Oblivious Lethe, 'bout whose slow-pac'd flood
Lay many sleepy Sp'rites, whose office was,
From that place to the outer World to passe,
With Pitchers full of that same Water; by
Which, they brought Souls into a Lethargy;
And kind of stupor, lest the spark of Love,
Whose nature's agil' should with Life remove
Their Syncopy to goodnesse. On th' other side
About dark Erebus, as many 'bide.
104
Into the Earth; which they to Souls did share
With liberal dole: the which no sooner ta'ne,
But darknesse, and obscurity remain
There dos upon their souls, which doth remove
The glowing spark of the bright Light of Love.
Further they passe, untill or last they come
Unto th' joylesse extreams of Acheron:
Here he beheld many a naked soul
Drench'd in those waves by Spirits black, and foul,
Their Faces sad, and heavy, melancholick;
(Nor were those Spirits there so brisk, and frollick
As those in other places, which it seems
Caus'd by the operation of these streams
Was) form'd like Death; Despair sat in their eyes,
And every moment caus'd new miseries.
Others apace did thence that water bear
Into the Earth, which caused sad despair,
To souls that tast thereof. Who passe this stream
Their Bodies dead, none may their souls redeem.
Over that stream they passe; when that he hears
Sad Lamentations, for the Vale of Teares
They enter'd had: sliding along the Vale
Cocytus ran; upon whose banks did wail
With lamentations sad, whole troopes of Souls,
A stream of Teares into the River rouls
From their sad eyes: Before their faces hung
Tablets of brasse, where all that they had done
In their life-time was wrot, which now renew'd
Their sorrow. This Spectacle being view'd
They further passe, where scummy Orcus ran
With fœtid waves from the cold Stygian
Lake: about whose most horrid banks he spy'd
All sorts of evil Beasts: The Stygian guide
Thus spake:
Seest thou those mighty Herds, these are
The Souls of Men, who did these natures bear
When they were on the Earth. Yond' herd of Swine
Were greedy Gluttons, who with Beer, and Wine
And all the dainties that the Earth did yield
Four times a day their greedy paunches fill'd:
Their belly was their God, such natures then
They had, which here they have and shall retain.
Yond' herd of Goats were lustful persons: those
Grim Currs were such who ever would oppose
Love's Reign, and Kingdom, snappish, greedy: and
Such as were lawless Lords: that grim-look'd band
Of Lions: Those rough Beares were such, who still
Dispoyl'd their Neighbours: such who rob, and pill
With subtilty, those wilely Foxes were:
Such as were envious speckled Toads now are:
Th' Avaritious Tigers, Monsters, Doggs; too long
'Twill be for to rehearse that numerous throng,
But crawling wormes, Vipers, all ugly Creatures
Are such who once exactly bore their natures
In humane shapes, which now these forms retain
And in this guise for ever shall remain.
The Souls of Men, who did these natures bear
When they were on the Earth. Yond' herd of Swine
Were greedy Gluttons, who with Beer, and Wine
105
Four times a day their greedy paunches fill'd:
Their belly was their God, such natures then
They had, which here they have and shall retain.
Yond' herd of Goats were lustful persons: those
Grim Currs were such who ever would oppose
Love's Reign, and Kingdom, snappish, greedy: and
Such as were lawless Lords: that grim-look'd band
Of Lions: Those rough Beares were such, who still
Dispoyl'd their Neighbours: such who rob, and pill
With subtilty, those wilely Foxes were:
Such as were envious speckled Toads now are:
Th' Avaritious Tigers, Monsters, Doggs; too long
'Twill be for to rehearse that numerous throng,
But crawling wormes, Vipers, all ugly Creatures
Are such who once exactly bore their natures
In humane shapes, which now these forms retain
And in this guise for ever shall remain.
This said they passe along: Their way they take
Directly now unto the Stygian Lake.
The Pool appears in sight, an horrid stink
Invades his nostrils, e'r he gains the brink,
Like fætid sut mixt with sulphurian fumes:
The slow-pac't Water moves with Icy scumms,
Upon its surface; than the brumal snow
Far colder 'tis: upon its banks did grow
Taxi with sable leaves: darker than ink
Or blackest pitch the water was, the brink
Dy'd was with sable hew: the froery scum
Left black impressions on the bank: a fume
More dark than Night in curling clouds arose:
The strongest poyson that on Earth's Orbs grows
Is not by the tenth part so strong as that
Cold-icy stream: thousand of Souls there sat
Shivering for cold, when strait a Troop appears
Of horrid Devils, with long flagging Eares
Down to their shoulders, saucer eyes, and lips
Of mighty magnitude, like souced tripes
Hung lower than their chins: their snaky haires
Hung over their comuted fronts: like Beares
Their feet, and armes were; their cruented pawes
Were arm'd with bristles, and advanced clawes:
With these they gripe those naked Souls, then on
Their shoulders hoyst them, and away they run.
Come let us follow: these the torments are
The damn'd for ever, and for ever bear,
In this same place, thus said the guiding Fiend:
With hasty steps, as fast as they, they wend,
When presently they are arriv'd upon
The burning Banks of fiery Plegeton.
In here they souse them: Crys, and shrecks they make,
But hard-heart Devils can no pity take:
Over, and over here they plunge them, then
To cold-stream'd Styx they bear them back agen,
And thus by turns these torments, with delight
They give, without a moment of respite.
Swifter than Tygris, or Danubus, this
Tartarean River runs, far hotter is
Than boyling Liquor; here it bubbles, Fumes
Which turn to Flame, flow from its Sulph'ry wombs:
The banks are lick'd by Living flames, from out.
Of gapeing chincks both fire, and brimstone spout.
Directly now unto the Stygian Lake.
The Pool appears in sight, an horrid stink
Invades his nostrils, e'r he gains the brink,
Like fætid sut mixt with sulphurian fumes:
The slow-pac't Water moves with Icy scumms,
Upon its surface; than the brumal snow
Far colder 'tis: upon its banks did grow
Taxi with sable leaves: darker than ink
Or blackest pitch the water was, the brink
Dy'd was with sable hew: the froery scum
Left black impressions on the bank: a fume
More dark than Night in curling clouds arose:
The strongest poyson that on Earth's Orbs grows
Is not by the tenth part so strong as that
Cold-icy stream: thousand of Souls there sat
Shivering for cold, when strait a Troop appears
Of horrid Devils, with long flagging Eares
Down to their shoulders, saucer eyes, and lips
Of mighty magnitude, like souced tripes
Hung lower than their chins: their snaky haires
Hung over their comuted fronts: like Beares
106
Were arm'd with bristles, and advanced clawes:
With these they gripe those naked Souls, then on
Their shoulders hoyst them, and away they run.
Come let us follow: these the torments are
The damn'd for ever, and for ever bear,
In this same place, thus said the guiding Fiend:
With hasty steps, as fast as they, they wend,
When presently they are arriv'd upon
The burning Banks of fiery Plegeton.
In here they souse them: Crys, and shrecks they make,
But hard-heart Devils can no pity take:
Over, and over here they plunge them, then
To cold-stream'd Styx they bear them back agen,
And thus by turns these torments, with delight
They give, without a moment of respite.
Swifter than Tygris, or Danubus, this
Tartarean River runs, far hotter is
Than boyling Liquor; here it bubbles, Fumes
Which turn to Flame, flow from its Sulph'ry wombs:
The banks are lick'd by Living flames, from out.
Of gapeing chincks both fire, and brimstone spout.
This seen they further passe; not far from this
Was Tartarus, within his huge Abysse,
He look'd, and saw nothing but horrid, dark,
Obnigrous clouds: heard Wolves, and Dogges to bark,
Lions, and Tygers roar; men shreech, and wail,
Others Blaspheme, and others Curse, and rail
'Gainst Heav'n, a strange confused noyse: He smelt
Most horrid stinks: and cold damp vapours felt.
Srait wayes huge fires appear'd below, whereby
He might the Souls tormented there descry:
All sorts of torments that you can devise
With all the plagues, and all the Miseries
You can imagin he inflicted saw,
Upon those miserable Souls below.
Some torn with wheels, some with hot Tongs, their tongues
Pul'd out; and some with scalding flames their Lungs
Wash'd were, and others in the fire hung
From whence they into frozen Rivers flung
Were by and by: and others whip't with steel:
Others on Gridirons brent, whilst others feel
The smart of Salt, and Vineger, which laid
Is on their tender flesh, be'ing newly flead:
With divers other sorts of torments: then
From this deep pit of Hell they farther wen.
Was Tartarus, within his huge Abysse,
He look'd, and saw nothing but horrid, dark,
Obnigrous clouds: heard Wolves, and Dogges to bark,
Lions, and Tygers roar; men shreech, and wail,
Others Blaspheme, and others Curse, and rail
'Gainst Heav'n, a strange confused noyse: He smelt
Most horrid stinks: and cold damp vapours felt.
Srait wayes huge fires appear'd below, whereby
He might the Souls tormented there descry:
All sorts of torments that you can devise
With all the plagues, and all the Miseries
You can imagin he inflicted saw,
Upon those miserable Souls below.
Some torn with wheels, some with hot Tongs, their tongues
Pul'd out; and some with scalding flames their Lungs
Wash'd were, and others in the fire hung
From whence they into frozen Rivers flung
107
Others on Gridirons brent, whilst others feel
The smart of Salt, and Vineger, which laid
Is on their tender flesh, be'ing newly flead:
With divers other sorts of torments: then
From this deep pit of Hell they farther wen.
Now far they were not gon from Tartarus
When in this sort spake Hel's mystagagus.
Whilest we proceed t'our Kingdoms Centre, where
Our mighty King his Court doth keep, declare
I will, our Kingdom's first original,
When we came first into this fiery Ball;
For do not think that ignorant we be
Of our beginning, and high pedegree,
Or that we have no memory of what
We once enjoy'd: no more then Souls forget
What they in Earth have done, when they come here,
For all their deeds Eternal forms do bear
Which here remain; and which torments them more
Than in cold Styx for to be plunged o're:
Ah! Could but Souls in Lethe drenched be,
How little would they feel of misery!
But this a favour is which now I shew,
And should be granted unto none but you.
When in this sort spake Hel's mystagagus.
Whilest we proceed t'our Kingdoms Centre, where
Our mighty King his Court doth keep, declare
I will, our Kingdom's first original,
When we came first into this fiery Ball;
For do not think that ignorant we be
Of our beginning, and high pedegree,
Or that we have no memory of what
We once enjoy'd: no more then Souls forget
What they in Earth have done, when they come here,
For all their deeds Eternal forms do bear
Which here remain; and which torments them more
Than in cold Styx for to be plunged o're:
Ah! Could but Souls in Lethe drenched be,
How little would they feel of misery!
But this a favour is which now I shew,
And should be granted unto none but you.
Know then there is a God, and this although
We tremble at it, we assur'dly know;
Yet that there's none we oftentimes suggest
Unto the misbelieving Atheist.
This God, or mighty Power which all Worlds fill,
Unsearchable he is, we to his Will
Obedient are, he fills our World, his Might
And Power 's as great here as in th' Orb of Light:
By it this World consists, and it shall be
Thou't had beginning, to Æternity.
'Tis not against this Power that we tear,
And rend, and fight, and so opposing are,
Ne'r to be reconcil'd: Our foe is Love,
The second Principle 'gainst that we move
In Wrath, and bitternesse, and natural
It is for us to fight against that Ball.
As fire cann't but tend upwards, so cann't we
But to that Orb perpetual Enmity
Bear: That to us has an Antipathy.
Think not that God in Wrath did us create,
Or that for damned Souls he made this state,
For to torment them in: He did not Will
That there a Hell should be: or any ill.
Thus then it came. God from Æternity
Did generate two Principles, which be
Contrary to each other. God alone
Cannot (but by these Principles) be known.
These generate he did Æternally,
Both in, and by himself, a mysterie
Not to be comprehended. Neither tho
Is God; yet he's the Root from whence they flow:
This Principle in which we make abode
Is call'd the first: An ang'ry, zealous God
And full of Wrath, Vengeance, and Ire, here
To mortal Men, and us he doth appear.
In th' other Principle of Love, and Light,
To men he doth appear quite opposite:
The nature of our Principle is this,
It full of raging, anxious prickling is,
An harsh, sowr, tart, fell, eager essence, and
Of bitternesse, and stinging full; we stand
In this. The other Principle is quite
An other nature, to this opposite,
We know no more of that: this I can tell
That accidentally is the cause of Hell.
We tremble at it, we assur'dly know;
Yet that there's none we oftentimes suggest
Unto the misbelieving Atheist.
This God, or mighty Power which all Worlds fill,
Unsearchable he is, we to his Will
Obedient are, he fills our World, his Might
And Power 's as great here as in th' Orb of Light:
By it this World consists, and it shall be
Thou't had beginning, to Æternity.
'Tis not against this Power that we tear,
And rend, and fight, and so opposing are,
Ne'r to be reconcil'd: Our foe is Love,
The second Principle 'gainst that we move
In Wrath, and bitternesse, and natural
It is for us to fight against that Ball.
108
But to that Orb perpetual Enmity
Bear: That to us has an Antipathy.
Think not that God in Wrath did us create,
Or that for damned Souls he made this state,
For to torment them in: He did not Will
That there a Hell should be: or any ill.
Thus then it came. God from Æternity
Did generate two Principles, which be
Contrary to each other. God alone
Cannot (but by these Principles) be known.
These generate he did Æternally,
Both in, and by himself, a mysterie
Not to be comprehended. Neither tho
Is God; yet he's the Root from whence they flow:
This Principle in which we make abode
Is call'd the first: An ang'ry, zealous God
And full of Wrath, Vengeance, and Ire, here
To mortal Men, and us he doth appear.
In th' other Principle of Love, and Light,
To men he doth appear quite opposite:
The nature of our Principle is this,
It full of raging, anxious prickling is,
An harsh, sowr, tart, fell, eager essence, and
Of bitternesse, and stinging full; we stand
In this. The other Principle is quite
An other nature, to this opposite,
We know no more of that: this I can tell
That accidentally is the cause of Hell.
109
Proceeding still they now were come upon
The entrance to Hel's inmost Region;
A vast huge Globe of sad dark glowing Fire
He saw, and in it thousand Devils, nigher
He fears to go: which seen thus said the Fiend,
What now? affraid? what is the matter Friend;
You do forget you have no body on
Your Spirit's here, and Spirits cannot burn.
With this you must be cloath'd; in this we dwell,
And so must you: This is the fire of Hell.
Which never can go out: don't you admire
What fuel 'tis maintains so great a fire?
Come, e'r we farther go I will explain
Its cause, and nature in a word, or twain.
The entrance to Hel's inmost Region;
A vast huge Globe of sad dark glowing Fire
He saw, and in it thousand Devils, nigher
He fears to go: which seen thus said the Fiend,
What now? affraid? what is the matter Friend;
You do forget you have no body on
Your Spirit's here, and Spirits cannot burn.
With this you must be cloath'd; in this we dwell,
And so must you: This is the fire of Hell.
Which never can go out: don't you admire
What fuel 'tis maintains so great a fire?
Come, e'r we farther go I will explain
Its cause, and nature in a word, or twain.
This Principle of Wrath, of which I spake
Ev'n now, God ne'r intended to awake,
For it recluded was; he did not will
It should be open, nor that so much ill
Should happen. Now before your lower Sphear
Had birth, or being, we created were:
Our mighty Prince, King Lucifer was then
Created of such stuff, as Souls of Men
Created are, and we his servants true,
Cœlestial Forms, at that time did indue.
Our Prince more bright, than your light-giving Sun
In glorious Rayes of Heavn'ly Light out-shon
All other Angels, sat upon the Throne
Of God, and like a God himself did reign.
Out of both Principles compos'd we were,
As Man's Soul is; and other Angels are:
The first recluded was, and we were made
I'th second, there we should for aye have stay'd:
But our brave Prince (I must commend him for't)
Did bravely Lord it in a Kingly sort
Over the heart of God; that meeknesse scorn'd,
Did higher flye, and his high Spirit turn'd
Into the fiery property; that Rage
And fiery flash which Love could not asswage
He there begat. We as our Master did,
Raged as he; and so defiance bid
To Love, and Meeknesse, and those Angels that
With no aspiring Spirits kept their state.
Thus we deserted with our Prince that Throne
Of Light, and Love, and gain'd this fiery one,
Where we are potent, and with that strong might
'Gainst Michael our adversary fight.
Now those bright Rayes which our brave Prince had on
Before with courage high he left that Throne,
As scorning to adorn his Princely grace
With ought that did belong unto that place,
He left behind; with that fine form which he
There had: now in the fiery property
We other forms have got, which we can change
Into all sorts of shapes, and Figures strange.
In that great rage, and burning of the Wrath,
This Fire you see we live in then hurst forth,
Which from our selves proceeds, and which is made
By that strong enmity which doth invade
Us, 'gainst the adverse Orb of Light: and know
This Fire doth from bitter harshnesse grow;
As when you rub your flint upon a wheel
Which turneth round, and is compos'd of Steel,
You see from bitter grating Fires proceed,
So our harsh grating Spirits Fire breed,
Which is the same you see; This is the pain
That we, and all the damned in remain,
For all those torments that I shew'd you were
But Images, the better to declare
The nature of this one, and yet alass
This doth all them a thousand times surpasse.
Spirits alasse! though sensible, cann't feel
Material Fire, or jerkes from whips of Steel;
Nor water-torments; 'tis an aking smart,
Most cruel, sowr, eager, fierce, and tart,
Astringent, cold, attracting, harsh desire
Which breeds a piercing, prickling, stinging fire;
Which turns to rage, and enmity, and that
Stirs up the prickling, if it groweth flat,
So feeds with fuel: like a turning wheel
It still runs round: These are the pains we feel.
Suppose that one who has a strong desire,
Which burneth in him, and he's all on fire
For to ascend a Mountain made of Glasse,
The which he knows impossible: alasse!
He yet to do it strives; and yet despairs,
He has no hope, and yet desires, nor dares
To think he can; yet trys, he sees 'tis vain
Yet he desires, and yet he cann't refrain:
Again he tries, he cannot set his feet
But down he slides; this anguish doth beget,
That rage, and fury; then desire again
Renews the anguish, Anguish rage, that pain
Begets, and thus himself his torment breeds:
So here our torment from our selves proceeds,
The which Eternal is. The damned Crue
And we our torments daily thus renew,
A strong desire we do here retain
(The which is mix'd with Anguish, Grief, and pain)
After the Heart of God, not that we would
Possesse it, or dwell in it if we could,
We cann't have such a thought; for we no lesse
Than enmity eternally possesse
Against what we desire: we still despair,
We cannot hope, yet still desiring are,
And what doth breed in us the greater wo,
Is 'cause that to Æternity we know.
It so continue must: anguish, and smart,
A stinging, prickling, akeing, sowr, tart,
And horrid Grief torments us, then again
Desire breeds Anguish, Anguish breeds our pain;
And thus (though't cannot be exprest) we feel
Æternal Wrath, like to a turning Wheel
Which ever moves: And this to you I tell
The damned feel: These are the pains of Hell.
Ev'n now, God ne'r intended to awake,
For it recluded was; he did not will
It should be open, nor that so much ill
Should happen. Now before your lower Sphear
Had birth, or being, we created were:
Our mighty Prince, King Lucifer was then
Created of such stuff, as Souls of Men
Created are, and we his servants true,
Cœlestial Forms, at that time did indue.
Our Prince more bright, than your light-giving Sun
In glorious Rayes of Heavn'ly Light out-shon
All other Angels, sat upon the Throne
Of God, and like a God himself did reign.
Out of both Principles compos'd we were,
As Man's Soul is; and other Angels are:
The first recluded was, and we were made
I'th second, there we should for aye have stay'd:
But our brave Prince (I must commend him for't)
Did bravely Lord it in a Kingly sort
Over the heart of God; that meeknesse scorn'd,
Did higher flye, and his high Spirit turn'd
Into the fiery property; that Rage
And fiery flash which Love could not asswage
He there begat. We as our Master did,
Raged as he; and so defiance bid
110
With no aspiring Spirits kept their state.
Thus we deserted with our Prince that Throne
Of Light, and Love, and gain'd this fiery one,
Where we are potent, and with that strong might
'Gainst Michael our adversary fight.
Now those bright Rayes which our brave Prince had on
Before with courage high he left that Throne,
As scorning to adorn his Princely grace
With ought that did belong unto that place,
He left behind; with that fine form which he
There had: now in the fiery property
We other forms have got, which we can change
Into all sorts of shapes, and Figures strange.
In that great rage, and burning of the Wrath,
This Fire you see we live in then hurst forth,
Which from our selves proceeds, and which is made
By that strong enmity which doth invade
Us, 'gainst the adverse Orb of Light: and know
This Fire doth from bitter harshnesse grow;
As when you rub your flint upon a wheel
Which turneth round, and is compos'd of Steel,
You see from bitter grating Fires proceed,
So our harsh grating Spirits Fire breed,
Which is the same you see; This is the pain
That we, and all the damned in remain,
For all those torments that I shew'd you were
But Images, the better to declare
The nature of this one, and yet alass
This doth all them a thousand times surpasse.
Spirits alasse! though sensible, cann't feel
Material Fire, or jerkes from whips of Steel;
Nor water-torments; 'tis an aking smart,
Most cruel, sowr, eager, fierce, and tart,
Astringent, cold, attracting, harsh desire
Which breeds a piercing, prickling, stinging fire;
Which turns to rage, and enmity, and that
Stirs up the prickling, if it groweth flat,
So feeds with fuel: like a turning wheel
It still runs round: These are the pains we feel.
111
Which burneth in him, and he's all on fire
For to ascend a Mountain made of Glasse,
The which he knows impossible: alasse!
He yet to do it strives; and yet despairs,
He has no hope, and yet desires, nor dares
To think he can; yet trys, he sees 'tis vain
Yet he desires, and yet he cann't refrain:
Again he tries, he cannot set his feet
But down he slides; this anguish doth beget,
That rage, and fury; then desire again
Renews the anguish, Anguish rage, that pain
Begets, and thus himself his torment breeds:
So here our torment from our selves proceeds,
The which Eternal is. The damned Crue
And we our torments daily thus renew,
A strong desire we do here retain
(The which is mix'd with Anguish, Grief, and pain)
After the Heart of God, not that we would
Possesse it, or dwell in it if we could,
We cann't have such a thought; for we no lesse
Than enmity eternally possesse
Against what we desire: we still despair,
We cannot hope, yet still desiring are,
And what doth breed in us the greater wo,
Is 'cause that to Æternity we know.
It so continue must: anguish, and smart,
A stinging, prickling, akeing, sowr, tart,
And horrid Grief torments us, then again
Desire breeds Anguish, Anguish breeds our pain;
And thus (though't cannot be exprest) we feel
Æternal Wrath, like to a turning Wheel
Which ever moves: And this to you I tell
The damned feel: These are the pains of Hell.
Our Prince, and we after the World was made,
Burn'd with a strong desire to invade
That new-made Orb; the which we could not do
Untill our Cunning Adam overthrew:
Then we our Forces sent. What myriads we
Have gain'd to us your eyes shall witnesse be,
For 'tis our nature to gain what we can,
We love the noble Company of Man,
If not, why should we labour so? we were
Created of the substance your souls are,
And you like us may if you will become,
Here's entertainment, and enough of room.
You see how well I love you, that I dare
Hel's pains and secrets, freely thus declare,
You may be sure that I would ne'r do thus,
Did I not you esteem as one of us.
And you'd confirmed be e'r you return;
When that yo'ar enter'd where that fire doth burne,
You'l understand what 'tis: you then in part
As we do, Wrath and enmity exert
Will 'gainst the Orb of Love. Nor what I tell
Think strange; would you of our own Principle
Have us be ignorant? or not to know
From whence we came? how enmity did grow
Betwix'd the second Principle, and us?
Forget our former seats? you'd make us thus
Like to you Mortals; who by sicknesse what
Before, or Age in Youth, they 'ave don forget.
We know more then you think we do, alltho
We it to Mortals very seldom show;
Come let us stay no longer, you shall see
Hel's pomp, and 's mighty Stygian Majesty.
Burn'd with a strong desire to invade
That new-made Orb; the which we could not do
Untill our Cunning Adam overthrew:
Then we our Forces sent. What myriads we
Have gain'd to us your eyes shall witnesse be,
112
We love the noble Company of Man,
If not, why should we labour so? we were
Created of the substance your souls are,
And you like us may if you will become,
Here's entertainment, and enough of room.
You see how well I love you, that I dare
Hel's pains and secrets, freely thus declare,
You may be sure that I would ne'r do thus,
Did I not you esteem as one of us.
And you'd confirmed be e'r you return;
When that yo'ar enter'd where that fire doth burne,
You'l understand what 'tis: you then in part
As we do, Wrath and enmity exert
Will 'gainst the Orb of Love. Nor what I tell
Think strange; would you of our own Principle
Have us be ignorant? or not to know
From whence we came? how enmity did grow
Betwix'd the second Principle, and us?
Forget our former seats? you'd make us thus
Like to you Mortals; who by sicknesse what
Before, or Age in Youth, they 'ave don forget.
We know more then you think we do, alltho
We it to Mortals very seldom show;
Come let us stay no longer, you shall see
Hel's pomp, and 's mighty Stygian Majesty.
This said, they both together go: No flame
Or lighter blaze, from that dark fire came,
But 'twas like a dark-glowing Coal, or like
A d'outed Candle, with a glowing week.
Here enter'd, now he feels an enmity
Against Love's Kingdom, and the Deity:
He sees the Devils, smells Sulphurian stinks,
Hears them blaspheme; himself a Devil thinks;
Does as they do. Thousands at first do meet
Him in most horrid shapes, with cloven feet,
With Dragons tailes, and looks: hard scaly hides
Long-tusked teeth, jawes gaping far, and wide,
These usher them along: He also saw
Millions of Souls, who in such shapes did draw
Hel's fœtid ayr (a blast whereof would choke
The earthly Globe) their mouths spat fire, and smoak,
Their faces black as ink, comuted some,
And very few retain'd an humane form;
And those that did were bunch-back'd, crooked, lam'd,
One ey'd, deformed, and more ugly seem'd
Than those with other shapes; but now he met
The greater Princes in their order set.
Or lighter blaze, from that dark fire came,
But 'twas like a dark-glowing Coal, or like
A d'outed Candle, with a glowing week.
Here enter'd, now he feels an enmity
Against Love's Kingdom, and the Deity:
He sees the Devils, smells Sulphurian stinks,
Hears them blaspheme; himself a Devil thinks;
Does as they do. Thousands at first do meet
Him in most horrid shapes, with cloven feet,
With Dragons tailes, and looks: hard scaly hides
Long-tusked teeth, jawes gaping far, and wide,
These usher them along: He also saw
Millions of Souls, who in such shapes did draw
113
The earthly Globe) their mouths spat fire, and smoak,
Their faces black as ink, comuted some,
And very few retain'd an humane form;
And those that did were bunch-back'd, crooked, lam'd,
One ey'd, deformed, and more ugly seem'd
Than those with other shapes; but now he met
The greater Princes in their order set.
Who'd think that Hell should there retain the Form
Of every thing that doth this World adorn?
Why not? if Heav'n the purer forms of these
Things uncorrupted bear; the Species
Impure, and corrupted, may not Hell
With as much reason think you hold aswell?
Yea sure the Devils cloath themselves in all
Shapes may: excepting the Angelical;
As Angels cannot take a Devils hew,
So cannot Devils Angels shapes indue;
Both may an humane form; for sure he that
A soul can, may a body agitate.
Of every thing that doth this World adorn?
Why not? if Heav'n the purer forms of these
Things uncorrupted bear; the Species
Impure, and corrupted, may not Hell
With as much reason think you hold aswell?
Yea sure the Devils cloath themselves in all
Shapes may: excepting the Angelical;
As Angels cannot take a Devils hew,
So cannot Devils Angels shapes indue;
Both may an humane form; for sure he that
A soul can, may a body agitate.
Thus then in brief the shew of Hell was: when
With this fell rabble in that fiery den,
A while he marched had; A troop he met
Of many millions in their order set
Under their several Princes: on each side
Making a lane, they do themselves divide.
Some they were mounted upon Elephants,
Some upon Camels; and some vast Gyants
Stood on their feet, whose heads like waving Trees
To shrubs: did shadow those that to their Knees
Scarce reach'd. Some others in their Chariots were;
And prauncing steeds do other Captains bear.
Some upon Wolves, some upon Asses ride,
Some Lions, Tygers, Whales, and Bears bestride:
All sorts of Instruments, they bear. Some horn
Their shining fronts, like yellow brasse adorn,
Some heads like Dragons, some like Mastives bear:
With hispid mantles of dark pitchy hair.
Some hide their sooty hides; others are in
A Dragons scaly Coat: a Lions skin,
Others indue: some from their mouthes a stink
Of smoak, and brimstone send: some soot, and ink
Spew: some spit Toads, and Spiders, others flakes
Of fire; and some instead of Hair have Snakes
Dangling about their eares, and twisting round
Their necks, depend their tailes unto the ground.
Such kind of forms all bear. He still doth passe
Thorow this mighty Troop: conducted was
By all the chief, untill at last he came
Where seates a kind of Theatre did frame.
With this fell rabble in that fiery den,
A while he marched had; A troop he met
Of many millions in their order set
Under their several Princes: on each side
Making a lane, they do themselves divide.
Some they were mounted upon Elephants,
Some upon Camels; and some vast Gyants
Stood on their feet, whose heads like waving Trees
To shrubs: did shadow those that to their Knees
Scarce reach'd. Some others in their Chariots were;
And prauncing steeds do other Captains bear.
Some upon Wolves, some upon Asses ride,
Some Lions, Tygers, Whales, and Bears bestride:
All sorts of Instruments, they bear. Some horn
Their shining fronts, like yellow brasse adorn,
Some heads like Dragons, some like Mastives bear:
With hispid mantles of dark pitchy hair.
Some hide their sooty hides; others are in
A Dragons scaly Coat: a Lions skin,
114
Of smoak, and brimstone send: some soot, and ink
Spew: some spit Toads, and Spiders, others flakes
Of fire; and some instead of Hair have Snakes
Dangling about their eares, and twisting round
Their necks, depend their tailes unto the ground.
Such kind of forms all bear. He still doth passe
Thorow this mighty Troop: conducted was
By all the chief, untill at last he came
Where seates a kind of Theatre did frame.
At th' upper end great Lucifer he saw,
(Whose frown keeps the Tartarean troops in awe)
Ston an Ebon Throne, more black than Jet,
And round about him Hel's great Princes set,
According to their ranks. Great Lucifer
A sable Crown upon his head did bear,
One hand a Scepter held, the other bore
A hissing Snake, upon his back he wore
Nothing but griesly hair, more black than Night,
Under his supercilious brow a Light
Like burning coals came from his saucer eyes:
His rugged cheeks like Rephean Rocks did rise,
With dented Vallies: every time he spoke
From's hellish mouth came clouds of pitchy smoak,
Which intermixed were with flakes of fire.
His breast beset with hair as stiffe as wire,
Bore two great duggs, from whence like spring-lets fell
Ereban Nectar, or the milk of Hell,
More black than pitch, and bitterer then soot
It was, from whence unto h's cloven foot
He was beset with hair, a shaggy Beast
Thus sat in state to entertain his guest.
Behind his Throne Hel's Armes were plac'd which were
A Dragon guils, with wings erect i'th' ayr,
A wreathed tail, his mouth flames proper yield,
Holding a Banner, in a sable Field.
Earth's solid Globe was on the other part
Pourtrai'd; where stood grim Griesly Death, his Dart
Piercing a tender Lamb, who yields his breath
And Life, unto the cruel stroke of Death,
His Banner broke in twain: hard by was seen
An humane Form: triumphing over him
With a great Mace, an horned Devil stood:
Upon the Earth a mighty Dragon trod,
Bearing a sable Flag, display'd on high,
In which was fairly written VICTORY
This was to shew his triumph over Man,
And Love's fair Orb, in this fame Stygian
Realm, and to shew them that here he reigns alone,
None but himself there sits upon the Throne.
(Whose frown keeps the Tartarean troops in awe)
Ston an Ebon Throne, more black than Jet,
And round about him Hel's great Princes set,
According to their ranks. Great Lucifer
A sable Crown upon his head did bear,
One hand a Scepter held, the other bore
A hissing Snake, upon his back he wore
Nothing but griesly hair, more black than Night,
Under his supercilious brow a Light
Like burning coals came from his saucer eyes:
His rugged cheeks like Rephean Rocks did rise,
With dented Vallies: every time he spoke
From's hellish mouth came clouds of pitchy smoak,
Which intermixed were with flakes of fire.
His breast beset with hair as stiffe as wire,
Bore two great duggs, from whence like spring-lets fell
Ereban Nectar, or the milk of Hell,
More black than pitch, and bitterer then soot
It was, from whence unto h's cloven foot
He was beset with hair, a shaggy Beast
Thus sat in state to entertain his guest.
Behind his Throne Hel's Armes were plac'd which were
A Dragon guils, with wings erect i'th' ayr,
A wreathed tail, his mouth flames proper yield,
Holding a Banner, in a sable Field.
Earth's solid Globe was on the other part
Pourtrai'd; where stood grim Griesly Death, his Dart
Piercing a tender Lamb, who yields his breath
And Life, unto the cruel stroke of Death,
115
An humane Form: triumphing over him
With a great Mace, an horned Devil stood:
Upon the Earth a mighty Dragon trod,
Bearing a sable Flag, display'd on high,
In which was fairly written VICTORY
This was to shew his triumph over Man,
And Love's fair Orb, in this fame Stygian
Realm, and to shew them that here he reigns alone,
None but himself there sits upon the Throne.
On's right hand set, of that dark Region
The potent Princes, every one a Throne
Possess'd: Balzebub, Sathan, Asmodel,
Miriri, Mammon, Ast'roth, Belial,
With thousands more Commanding Dæmons, who
In strange, and various shapes appear'd in view.
On's left hand sat Prince Pride, in's face Disdain
Pourtrayed was; big were his looks, his Train
Hung lower than his Feet; a Peacocks plume
Shaded his hory Crest; with strong perfume
His 'brodered Gown did smell; pendants did deck
His flagging Eares, black Chaines præcing'd his neck:
Finer than all the rest he was, one hand
On's side was plac'd, a flaming hellish brand
The other held. Next him sat Envy, who
Did garments speck'd with swelling Toads indue:
A meagre Face he had, and hollow Eyes,
Lean jawes, thin neck, and spiney armes, and thighs:
His Head anguiferous, a poyson strong
Continually drop'd from his spungy Tongue,
At's feet Detraction sat his servitour,
With Enmity, who for his service bore
Two mighty Scorpions. Avarice was next
Who held his pawes continually convext,
With Clawes like iron teeth; a swinish Face
He had; no Ornaments but hair did grace
His hellish Corpse. Next furious fiery Wrath
Quick flames, and fiery darts sat belching forth,
His hands were arm'd with steel; a Dragon's hide
A crosse his shoulders with live Snakes was ty'd:
A Lions foce he had. Next goatish Lust
Sat in a Throne all over-spread with dust,
A stinking smell he had, the skins of Goats
Were ty'd about him in the stead of Coats:
The down of Sparrows want of hair supply'd
Upon his scalp; his eyes on every side
Still rowl'd about. Tun-belly'd Drunkennesse
Sat next; his ugly shape a Tongue expresse
Cannot: not's horrid brother Gluttony,
With thousands more, whom the man's Sp'rit descry
Did in their Pomp: Amaz'd almost to see
So many Princes, 'bout Hel's Majesty
He nearer drew; when the great Prince of Hell
Shaking his driety locks these words did yell
Forth from his pitchy mouth; black smoak, and flame
From's cursed throat with's words together came.
The potent Princes, every one a Throne
Possess'd: Balzebub, Sathan, Asmodel,
Miriri, Mammon, Ast'roth, Belial,
With thousands more Commanding Dæmons, who
In strange, and various shapes appear'd in view.
On's left hand sat Prince Pride, in's face Disdain
Pourtrayed was; big were his looks, his Train
Hung lower than his Feet; a Peacocks plume
Shaded his hory Crest; with strong perfume
His 'brodered Gown did smell; pendants did deck
His flagging Eares, black Chaines præcing'd his neck:
Finer than all the rest he was, one hand
On's side was plac'd, a flaming hellish brand
The other held. Next him sat Envy, who
Did garments speck'd with swelling Toads indue:
A meagre Face he had, and hollow Eyes,
Lean jawes, thin neck, and spiney armes, and thighs:
His Head anguiferous, a poyson strong
Continually drop'd from his spungy Tongue,
At's feet Detraction sat his servitour,
With Enmity, who for his service bore
Two mighty Scorpions. Avarice was next
Who held his pawes continually convext,
With Clawes like iron teeth; a swinish Face
He had; no Ornaments but hair did grace
His hellish Corpse. Next furious fiery Wrath
Quick flames, and fiery darts sat belching forth,
His hands were arm'd with steel; a Dragon's hide
A crosse his shoulders with live Snakes was ty'd:
116
Sat in a Throne all over-spread with dust,
A stinking smell he had, the skins of Goats
Were ty'd about him in the stead of Coats:
The down of Sparrows want of hair supply'd
Upon his scalp; his eyes on every side
Still rowl'd about. Tun-belly'd Drunkennesse
Sat next; his ugly shape a Tongue expresse
Cannot: not's horrid brother Gluttony,
With thousands more, whom the man's Sp'rit descry
Did in their Pomp: Amaz'd almost to see
So many Princes, 'bout Hel's Majesty
He nearer drew; when the great Prince of Hell
Shaking his driety locks these words did yell
Forth from his pitchy mouth; black smoak, and flame
From's cursed throat with's words together came.
Welcom my Son unto these glowing parts,
I have considered thy great deserts,
For which I did permit that thou might'st see,
My Kingdom's Glory, and my Majesty.
Here is a Throne, and here a Crown lies by
For thee, when it shall be thy destiny
To leave the prison of thy Soul: I do
In the mean time my power confirm on you;
Thou shalt my great Magitian be, and show
Strange uncoth Wonders in the Orb below.
Hau—Let this blast imbue thy fetid Soul,
Accept my power, and let none controul
Thy might, and force. Go to the Tree of Death,
Eat of the fruit, and so confirm my Breath:
Chuse what thou pleasest, there is choice, nay all
If thou canst use them in the earthly Ball,
For our great Glory. Our great Mysteries
When thou hast eaten, thou wilt better prize:
VVhen thou shalt be confirm'd: Love then shall flye,
None in thy Heart shall ever reign but I.
This said, he nodded to the Prince that brought
Him thither, who conceiv'd his Princes thought:
Doing obeysance both withdrew: and strait
Towards the Tree of Death they ambulate.
I have considered thy great deserts,
For which I did permit that thou might'st see,
My Kingdom's Glory, and my Majesty.
Here is a Throne, and here a Crown lies by
For thee, when it shall be thy destiny
To leave the prison of thy Soul: I do
In the mean time my power confirm on you;
Thou shalt my great Magitian be, and show
Strange uncoth Wonders in the Orb below.
Hau—Let this blast imbue thy fetid Soul,
Accept my power, and let none controul
Thy might, and force. Go to the Tree of Death,
Eat of the fruit, and so confirm my Breath:
Chuse what thou pleasest, there is choice, nay all
If thou canst use them in the earthly Ball,
For our great Glory. Our great Mysteries
When thou hast eaten, thou wilt better prize:
VVhen thou shalt be confirm'd: Love then shall flye,
None in thy Heart shall ever reign but I.
This said, he nodded to the Prince that brought
Him thither, who conceiv'd his Princes thought:
Doing obeysance both withdrew: and strait
Towards the Tree of Death they ambulate.
117
A narrow Vale they enter, where, nor Tree
Nor spire of grasse, or any herb he see
Could: on each side huge cloudy Rocks mount up,
Which hanging over almost kisse a top.
A thick, dark shadow, on the ground they cast;
From hollow crannies comes a fœtid blast,
Which 'mongst the windings frames a murmuring voice,
And getting out an horrid hissing noyse
Doth make: Thorow the midst a pitchy stream
(The which from Styx and other Rivers came)
Runs; this they follow till they saw it shoot
Its sooty waters, at the very Root
Of the mortiferous Tree; in there it fell
Conveighing thither all the dregs of Hell.
By which that Tree is nourished: He now
Lifts up his eyes, and that strange Tree doth view.
The trunck more hard than solid steel, for mosse,
With filthy spawn of Toads inclosed was,
Poyson of Asps instead of shining gum,
Thorow the bark from every limb did come.
Thrice fifty Cubits scarce could close about
Its mighty bole: on every limb stretch'd out
Hung crawling Vipers, sucking with delight
The juyce of Henbanc, and of Aconite
From off the leaves, which gave a filthy stink,
And were more black than Pitch, or blackest ink.
An horrid blast arising from the ground
Concusse the leaves, which make a dryery sound
In their forc't Kissing: Bitterer then soot
Mixed with Gall, and Wormwood's juyce, the fruit
Was, which thick sparsed here, and there did grow,
In sundry colours on each sable bow.
A while he views this Tree: Hel's horrid Fiend
From's smoaky throat at last these words doth send.
Seest thou this stately Tree, those Fruits I wis
Nor spire of grasse, or any herb he see
Could: on each side huge cloudy Rocks mount up,
Which hanging over almost kisse a top.
A thick, dark shadow, on the ground they cast;
From hollow crannies comes a fœtid blast,
Which 'mongst the windings frames a murmuring voice,
And getting out an horrid hissing noyse
Doth make: Thorow the midst a pitchy stream
(The which from Styx and other Rivers came)
Runs; this they follow till they saw it shoot
Its sooty waters, at the very Root
Of the mortiferous Tree; in there it fell
Conveighing thither all the dregs of Hell.
By which that Tree is nourished: He now
Lifts up his eyes, and that strange Tree doth view.
The trunck more hard than solid steel, for mosse,
With filthy spawn of Toads inclosed was,
Poyson of Asps instead of shining gum,
Thorow the bark from every limb did come.
Thrice fifty Cubits scarce could close about
Its mighty bole: on every limb stretch'd out
Hung crawling Vipers, sucking with delight
The juyce of Henbanc, and of Aconite
From off the leaves, which gave a filthy stink,
And were more black than Pitch, or blackest ink.
An horrid blast arising from the ground
Concusse the leaves, which make a dryery sound
In their forc't Kissing: Bitterer then soot
Mixed with Gall, and Wormwood's juyce, the fruit
Was, which thick sparsed here, and there did grow,
In sundry colours on each sable bow.
A while he views this Tree: Hel's horrid Fiend
From's smoaky throat at last these words doth send.
Are our Ambrosia; and our Nectar is
That humid juyce you see; no other food
But what grows here our Prince esteemeth good.
118
This lurid Tree of there his sable leaves:
Nor leaves, nor blossoms adds the spring unto't:
Nor yellow Autumn robs it of its Fruit,
It thus continues as it is, and tho
We daily feed thereon it doth not grow
Barren of Fruit, for tho we cul apace
Others supply straitway their vacant place,
And should we off the Fruit we see now pull,
Next moment renders it again as full.
We need not fear but here is choyce enough,
For every Prince hath here his several bough.
Yon' fair-spread arm whose fruit so rarely dy'd,
Spec't like the Peacock's tail, yields food for Pride.
Yon Snake-betwisted bow, Toad-specled fruit
Doth best the slavering Chaps of Envy sute.
Yon' sire-coloured Pome loves mighty wrath:
Lust thinks that jetty Apple better worth.
Yon' mighty Limb which beareth Apples thrice
As big as all the rest, Loves Avarice;
Yon' juicy Fruit which liquor doth express
Thorow the skin loves beastly Drunkennesse.
And those two thick fruit-pressed limbs close by,
Belongs to wantonnesse, and gluttony.
On that feeds sloth, and that arm which you there
Behold doth serve the Table of despair.
Yon' strange-shap'd Fruit, which on that bow you see,
Is suck'd upon by foul-mouth'd Perjury:
It's endlesse to name all: Rare Fruit beside
All these, we have upon the other side.
Step hither, look! here's gallant Fruit indeed;
Here 'tis, and if you please, that you shall feed;
These are the Fruits will ope your dimmer eyes,
Will make you subtle, and exceeding wise.
These, these will shew the vertue of this Tree;
And I will tell you what those Apples be.
Seest that fair one with Crimson-circles deckt,
And here and therewith Characters bespec't?
Should'st thou eat that as good a linguist strait
Should be, as he that seven years had sat
Poring on books, enduring cold, and pain
A Language, or some Rhetorick to gain:
The juice of this fine fruit did Herod lick,
When he a God was styl'd for's Rhetorick.
And that round apple, which hangs dangling there,
Will make you be a cunning Sophister.
Yon apple which is so variegate,
Will make you cunning in mechanicks strait.
This Apple here which hangs so fair to view;
With Mathematick cunning will imbue;
See what Cylindres, and Rhomboides
What Quadrats, Diagramms, Isoce'les
With other lines, and figures printed in
Black, red, and yellow streakes upon the skin;
These shew its Nature. But yon with a Star
So fairly mark'd, makes an Astrologer:
Should'st thou eat this which hangeth over us
More cunning then was Æsculapius
Thou'ldst be; and skilfull too in Chiron's art
If that, which hangeth on that bow a th' wart.
But yon fair fruit which takes up so much room,
Will make you know before what is to come:
Of this did Baalam often feed, when he
Did by our divination Prophesie?
In former time this Apple was in use
Much, when Delphean Priests did suck the juice:
And on the next they fed, when they in verse
Their Oracles did usually reherse.
Here 'tis, and if you please, that you shall feed;
These are the Fruits will ope your dimmer eyes,
Will make you subtle, and exceeding wise.
These, these will shew the vertue of this Tree;
And I will tell you what those Apples be.
Seest that fair one with Crimson-circles deckt,
And here and therewith Characters bespec't?
119
Should be, as he that seven years had sat
Poring on books, enduring cold, and pain
A Language, or some Rhetorick to gain:
The juice of this fine fruit did Herod lick,
When he a God was styl'd for's Rhetorick.
And that round apple, which hangs dangling there,
Will make you be a cunning Sophister.
Yon apple which is so variegate,
Will make you cunning in mechanicks strait.
This Apple here which hangs so fair to view;
With Mathematick cunning will imbue;
See what Cylindres, and Rhomboides
What Quadrats, Diagramms, Isoce'les
With other lines, and figures printed in
Black, red, and yellow streakes upon the skin;
These shew its Nature. But yon with a Star
So fairly mark'd, makes an Astrologer:
Should'st thou eat this which hangeth over us
More cunning then was Æsculapius
Thou'ldst be; and skilfull too in Chiron's art
If that, which hangeth on that bow a th' wart.
But yon fair fruit which takes up so much room,
Will make you know before what is to come:
Of this did Baalam often feed, when he
Did by our divination Prophesie?
In former time this Apple was in use
Much, when Delphean Priests did suck the juice:
And on the next they fed, when they in verse
Their Oracles did usually reherse.
120
But yon five Apples which I shew you now,
And which do triumph on the upper bough,
Shall be thy food: See here I'le reach them down,
Make much of them, for now they are thine own,
Well may'st thou prize them, Heav'n nor Earth such fruit
Can give, which may so well thy nature suit.
These with thee take, and feed upon below:
But first to thee I will their vertues show.
And which do triumph on the upper bough,
Shall be thy food: See here I'le reach them down,
Make much of them, for now they are thine own,
Well may'st thou prize them, Heav'n nor Earth such fruit
Can give, which may so well thy nature suit.
These with thee take, and feed upon below:
But first to thee I will their vertues show.
This purple colour'd one more cold than Ice,
Or Riphæan snow, extinguish in a trice
Will that Scintilla Love hath plac'd in thee:
Then shalt thou wholly from his chaines be free.
Flouds of temptations, nor whole streams of sin,
Nor pleasures, which the World may draw you in,
Are strong enough to dout that little spark,
Which closely gloweth in thy hollow ark.
Well may they cloak it that it may not flame,
But 'tis this fruit that must put out the same.
This next although more black than pitch it be,
Will firmly glew together Hell, and thee:
A thousand chaines shall sooner break, than this
Resolve thee, of so strong a nature 'tis.
With all Hel's Peers, and our great Prince you wil
By it hold highest Correspondence still.
By this third, snaky-colour'd one, below
Thou shalt most strange-amazing Wonders do.
Th' Eternal flames which wend above the sky,
Unto the Earth thou may'st call by and by:
The Hyperborean sconce thou mayst command,
To œstuate the Sea to Mountains; and
Mayst at thy bidding Taurus rend in twain:
Or Atlas fling into the Western main.
This reddish one bespotted thus with jet,
The lock'd gates of thy sences ope will set;
Your quicker eyes although on Earth you stand
Shall pierce the Centre of our darker Land:
Then shall you see us when you please, and know
How that your Prince, and we your Brothers do:
Our shriller voyces shall assault your ear:
Your nose shall smell the sulphur of our Sphear:
And our hot breaths, feel blowing in your face;
Our Kingdom's dainties tast in every place,
Banquet and deeply drink with us: so you
May be on Earth, and in our Kingdom too.
By this last teter one, all evil Sprites
That b'longs to Hell, to please you with delights
You when you please may call, nay if you will
Ten thousand Legions shall attend you still.
All that belongs toth' Necromancy Art,
And Conjuration 'twill to you impart;
That at your beck from hence you may adjure,
The blackest Fiend to be your servitour.
Jannes and Jambres, Simon and Faustus eat
(Tho not to fill them) of this pretious meat.
See now what power thou'rt indued with,
By these rare fruits pluck'd from the Tree of Death:
The gold of In'd, nor Peru, not the Seas
Rich Treasure purchase may such Fruits as these,
The fabuliz'd Hesperian fruit of old,
Were durt to these, although they were of Gold.
Come now thou great Magitian thou shalt go
Unto the Body, which remains below;
Our Pomp, and Power, thou hast seen, and I
To you our Kingdom's nature did descry:
You need no conduct hither now, for when
You please, you my come visit us agen.
This said: he strait his body reassumes,
And thus Hel's great Magitian becomes.
My Muse returned from the darker Sphear,
Or Riphæan snow, extinguish in a trice
Will that Scintilla Love hath plac'd in thee:
Then shalt thou wholly from his chaines be free.
Flouds of temptations, nor whole streams of sin,
Nor pleasures, which the World may draw you in,
Are strong enough to dout that little spark,
Which closely gloweth in thy hollow ark.
Well may they cloak it that it may not flame,
But 'tis this fruit that must put out the same.
This next although more black than pitch it be,
Will firmly glew together Hell, and thee:
A thousand chaines shall sooner break, than this
Resolve thee, of so strong a nature 'tis.
With all Hel's Peers, and our great Prince you wil
By it hold highest Correspondence still.
By this third, snaky-colour'd one, below
Thou shalt most strange-amazing Wonders do.
Th' Eternal flames which wend above the sky,
Unto the Earth thou may'st call by and by:
The Hyperborean sconce thou mayst command,
To œstuate the Sea to Mountains; and
Mayst at thy bidding Taurus rend in twain:
Or Atlas fling into the Western main.
This reddish one bespotted thus with jet,
The lock'd gates of thy sences ope will set;
Your quicker eyes although on Earth you stand
Shall pierce the Centre of our darker Land:
Then shall you see us when you please, and know
How that your Prince, and we your Brothers do:
Our shriller voyces shall assault your ear:
Your nose shall smell the sulphur of our Sphear:
121
Our Kingdom's dainties tast in every place,
Banquet and deeply drink with us: so you
May be on Earth, and in our Kingdom too.
By this last teter one, all evil Sprites
That b'longs to Hell, to please you with delights
You when you please may call, nay if you will
Ten thousand Legions shall attend you still.
All that belongs toth' Necromancy Art,
And Conjuration 'twill to you impart;
That at your beck from hence you may adjure,
The blackest Fiend to be your servitour.
Jannes and Jambres, Simon and Faustus eat
(Tho not to fill them) of this pretious meat.
See now what power thou'rt indued with,
By these rare fruits pluck'd from the Tree of Death:
The gold of In'd, nor Peru, not the Seas
Rich Treasure purchase may such Fruits as these,
The fabuliz'd Hesperian fruit of old,
Were durt to these, although they were of Gold.
Come now thou great Magitian thou shalt go
Unto the Body, which remains below;
Our Pomp, and Power, thou hast seen, and I
To you our Kingdom's nature did descry:
You need no conduct hither now, for when
You please, you my come visit us agen.
This said: he strait his body reassumes,
And thus Hel's great Magitian becomes.
Her garments rank of Sulphur smell I fear,
Which may offend: with those strange sights, which late
She saw affrighted, now shel'd titubate
Should she proceed: Like one which newly come
From long restraint in some dark Dungion
Cannot indure the splendid Light, nor dares
Sol's beams behold, so with my Muse it fares,
Who newly flown out of the house of Night
Dares not as yet describe the Orb of Light,
122
And Virgin Limbs, that she may brighter rise,
New modulizing of his Harp again,
To sing Heaven's Blisses in a higher strain.
| Mundorum Explicatio | |