A poesie in forme of a Vision briefly inueying against the moste hatefull, and prodigious Artes of Necromancie, Witchcraft, Sorcerie, Incantations, and diuers other detestable and deuilishe practises, dayly used under colour of Judiciall Astrologie. Compiled in Metre by I. H. |
A poesie in forme of a Vision | ||
A POESIE IN FORME of a Vision,
briefly inueying against the moste hatefull, and prodigious Artes of Necromancie, Witchcraft, Sorcerie, Incantations, and diuers other detestable and deuilishe practises, dayly vsed vnder colour of Iudiciall Astrologie. Compiled in Metre by I. H.
VVhen they aske counsell at their Gods, at their Prophets, at their Southsayers and VVitches, then vvill I bring their counselles to nought.
ESAY. 19.as Titan last gan craule:
By order in his endles path,
ecliptike that men caule.
iust in the mydest deuide:
That syxe degrees therof are found,
from it on euery syde.
as was natures request:
I went to bed full hoping there,
to take some quiet rest.
through trouble of mine hart:
That thus I made my plaint to god,
who only knewe my smart.
with sleape this nyght begyle:
As did Vlysses, when from care,
he eased was a while.
good kyng of Phæacea
Hym sent in ship tyll he sayld home
to hys own Ithaca.
layd forth vpon the land:
Which whē he woke, what place it was
did nothing vnderstond.
and gaue hym perfect vewe:
How sone he might in precense be,
of Penelope true
to hys great greife of mynde:
By dyuers lucke, long tyme with held,
in Homer as we fynde.
recorded so hyr song:
That al my shiftes could win no sleape,
that would continue long,
dyd seme to touch hyr breast,
For her shrill notes so perst mine eares,
that long I could not rest.
I gan to thynke and met:
That when I wakt besyde my wytte
it had me almost set.
For my sport and solase:
Where siluer drops, of dewe most swete
dyd cleaue to euery grasse.
with streames so Cristall clere:
That at the bothom might be sene
The peeble stones appere.
and on that rocke a woode:
From which ran many pleasant springs
into that ryuer good.
as lyfe bloode in the vaines
Doth from the hart, till ech member,
comfort therby attaynes.
a felde most pleasant grene:
Where the beautye of natures workes
right aptly might be sene.
in such a felde to knowe:
But might be sene most fruitfully
within this feilde to grow.
or soote Uerbasculy:
The clouer swete of diuers kindes,
that caulde are trifoly.
with fayre Hieracium:
The Synkefelde, and the Betony,
and swete Origanum.
Asciron, and Paunsye:
The Uyolet, and Simphiton,
and the doble Dayesye.
and crimsen Pimpernell:
The Cammock, and the Cammomille,
and caunterbury bell.
and London touft so red:
Agrimony, and Lians toth,
that children caule pisbed.
and ladye Trases fyne:
With yarow, torn twise, Strawberies.
and Burnet good with wine.
and Procerpinaca:
The Adder gras, the Saxifrage,
and eke Veronica.
or Periclimenum:
Well myxed with smale Cornus trease,
swete bryer, and Ligustrum.
with boxe, and maple fyne:
In which braunched the briony,
the Iuye, and wylde vyne.
and from my purpose straie:
If I should recken all the things
within the felde so gaye.
that know astronomy:
I thinke no platform in the world,
where one might more aptly
that Cosmike haue to name:
Cronike to, and Helyak,
of starres of noble fame.
the lytle beare fyrst see:
That cauled are, the quardes, of those,
that conning saylers be.
charles wayne apereth stoute:
Which with the small beare euer more,
doth walk the pole about.
then Bootes, and the north crowne:
And after kneelyng Hercules,
is sene with great renowne.
that vse to dryue the cart:
The man that doth the serpent beare,
the eagle, and the dart.
that flyes cauld Pegasus:
The triangle, and Andromede
as some men do discusse.
where planets haue their way:
With all aspects that may bechance
to any night or daye.
that caulde are Hyades
May there be sene, with ye brood Hēne,
that some name Plœiades.
the Lions hart, and tayle:
The virgins spike, the scorpions hart,
and water potte all hayle.
that ladyes Elle some calle:
The riuer, hare, and both the dogges,
as well the great as small.
the Rauen, and Centawre:
The Centawrs speare: & then the wolfe,
and also the altare.
with many other there:
As tricars constellacion,
or Berenices heare,
there might a man beholde:
And many mo then I can name,
an hundred thousand folde.
both oblique and ryght:
No secretes of astronomye,
that were not there in syght.
of Ladye Vranie:
Wherin to walke she did frequent,
with all hyr familye.
as I had oft before:
Of that swete felde to take the ayre,
Which doth mans spirits restore,
most decent to behold:
His long beard gray, so was his hedde,
which did declare hym old.
all others dyd excell:
His gate and gesture semd enough
all vices to expell.
in hym was nothing sene:
His outward workes did explicate
an inward conscience cleane.
dere frend how far away?
To yender feld father (I sayd)
a whyle meself to play.
how ye hence forth come there:
It wyll you ells in hell confound,
therfore I say forbeare.
(sayd I) do it disclose:
Theologus, I am (quod he)
with the I wyll not glose.
from yender pleasant place?
Because (quod he) it late receaud
a chaunce of great disgrace.
I do not vse to lye:
I wyll the shew how it befell,
and that ryght orderly.
of all foules at hys foode:
Most rauonous, insaciate,
and of most gready moode
that foule infernall flood
To fyll hys gutte, or take his pray
styll watching late he stode.
of Plutos hatfull kynd
Came crauling out, whych gredy gutt,
coulde very quickly fynde.
he cobde him vp at onse:
And with that pray away he flewe,
and made thereof no Bones.
to him such extreme payne:
Till in this field at last he light,
thinking there to remaine:
put forth his forsaid meate:
Thinking as he was wont with Eles,
the same againe to eate.
did crepe among the grasse:
Which long necke could no more espye,
ne yet fynde where she was.
and like wyse swalowed moe:
And to this fielde still toke his flight,
and there did let them go.
through this his frequent vse:
That now this fyeld is marred quyte,
through most hatfull abuse.
in it do dayly breed:
Which on these herbes & pleasant gras,
continually do fede,
of euery pleasant flower,
But hatefull stinche may there be felt
at euery time and hower.
with holsome plaesant showers:
And naturall Astronomye,
with al her fauourers.
for why, cloudes infernall
Are dayly blowen from Lethes floud
to water it withall.
but superstition,
Of learnyng pure, and science good
the vyle obliuion.
therfore doth it possesse:
Which is a strompet counterfyte,
and yet neuertheles
do cast their myndes and loue:
That she is true astronomy
ryght many she doth moue.
they vse Necromancye:
With hatfull incantacions,
and vyle Geomancye.
and Augurs arte perdye:
Foredeming as Aruspices,
and some as Pyrethi.
of false Phytonicus,
Although they giue thēselues the name
of graue Philonicus.
or Satanes wicked broode,
That in this fielde the Heron shitte,
to ease him when he stode.
and hatefull byrde done so:
And natures derling thus defast?
to hym ve ve, wo wo.
and my pleasant delight:
And holsome recreation
robde, and depryued quight.
I turned backe againe.
For grayberds counsell durst I not
refuse, or once disdayne
with thanke and condyng praise
I serued him, when as we went
ech one hys sondry wayes.
went with my sory newes,
Enforming my familyar frendes
with whom I dyd peruse
my wytte still occupy:
And do with them communicate
my mynde continually.
with me thys chaunce lament.
And other some would not beleue,
but to the place they went.
that frendly dyd them warne:
But nedes would go presumpteusly,
the matter to deserne.
and that most dyuelishely:
They are content to graunt it still
to be Astronomye.
though by the diules worke
Under cloke of Astronomye
these foule false faytors loorke,
or fynd that which I loste:
Or know my desteny to come,
why should I count it coste?
such thynges for to be wrought:
If he dyd not alowe the same,
or know it to be nought.
men to health to restore:
Although it be by deuills worke,
what nede I pas therefore.
whereof he was depriued
By false theues and vile barators,
that wrongly it atchiued.
thus beastly men and fond
Do answere them, that wold enstruct,
or make them vnderstand.
nor hys commaundement:
That no yll thing ought to be done,
vpon a good intent.
were a lawfull defence,
So were it for all kinde of synne,
and most wicked offence.
with vyle idolatrye:
For treason, couetyse, and pryde,
and most vyle simonye.
syth god doth them permitte:
As well as those whom ye defend,
Oh men of beastly witte?
in to full rypenes growe:
That in the lake of sulphure he
most iustly may you throwe.
vnto his flocke electe:
That do by grace these wicked arts,
cleane from their hartes reiect.
and do at him requyre
Their sauyng helth, and he doth gyue
to them their whole desire.
from of their heads no tyme
Without his wyll, which doth impute
to them no synne nor cryme.
all whereof they haue nede:
Which causeth them assuredly
of their purpose to spede.
of infydelitye:
That ye at deuils seke such help
through most vyle sorcery.
when gods spirit him forsoke,
When god would hym no answere make
for wytchcraft gan he loke,
hym in hys nede auayle
Dyd well appere, he slewe himself,
when foose did him assayle.
of that same very sect:
While ye at Satan seke your helpe,
and do gods power suspect.
as reprobates forelorne:
So shall ye be hys porcion,
syth god ye haue forsworne.
which if it be gods will:
He graunt ye all that ye may hate,
and shornish this great yll.
they father this there art:
They are the workes of wickednes,
and of eternall smart.
as god did him reueale:
Hath found their place to be in hell,
where torments are eche deale.
with conscience vncleane:
And all that vnto sorcery,
or wicked wichcrafte leane.
the lyuing god forsake:
Cleauing to condemnation,
and therof hold do take.
syth all men well do knowe:
That god so deadly doth it hate,
that neyther hygh nor lowe
to Satan hys soule gyue:
Or if gods law obserued were,
not one of them should lyue
wyth wyches sorcerye:
Or such as chosers are of dayes,
marking the byrdes that flye.
god ryghtly and beleue
Assuredly, do know that no
such thing can once them greue.
Iudiciall that ye name:
Let learned Caluyne satisfye,
all wise men of the same.
alas is now the cloke
For euery kynd of trechery,
that goodnes doth reuoke.
or vacaboundes most leaud:
Do now a daies from shere, to shere,
with shyftes both false and shrewed
and noble surgery
Delude the common multitude,
wyth shamefull sorcery.
and thinges long done and paste:
Which doth with admiration
the people make agaste
that nothing vnder sonne
Doth stand to hard or difficult
of such men to be donne.
or Chiromancies gawde:
And folishe Phisiognomy,
and wichery that fraud
the people they allure:
More then can any godly art,
that perfect is and pure.
this is a common shyft:
Of roffins theues and murderers
it also is the drift.
togither oft they draw:
Free from daunger of officers,
and punishment of lawe.
with iustice, power, and might.
That Vranie, and Medicine
againe might haue their right.
so frawdulently kept:
That for most true possessioners
the most part them accept.
before I haue you sayd:
Desyring now all learned men
in this to adde their ayde.
It may once be purged:
That there the right inheritours,
Againe might be lodged.
some holsome place to dwell:
Where of the wyse they are accept,
and entertayned well.
at last I dyd awake:
Findyng my body sweating sore,
and all my synewes shake.
thinking of thys straunge dreame:
Wyshyng for som interpretour,
yf any in thys realme
Ferdinand Ponzetus:
Or Artemidor, whose syr name,
is sayd Daldianus.
so other thoughts at last
Abated thys perplexity,
and it began to wast.
that I dyd shortly here:
The warbling notes & songe so swete,
of Philomela cleare.
I should from me expell:
Wherfore I rose, and with all spede
I lyghted a candell.
whych stood in my chamber:
Then toke I forth my standish to,
with pen, ynke, and paper
this rough and ragged verse:
Wherin theffect of thys my dreame,
I rudely do rehears.
to beare it paciently:
Syth it is but the budding flower,
of my poore infancy.
I shall be glad tamend:
If any man, shall me informe,
and thus I make an end,
Ye shall not learne after the maner of the heathen, and ye shall not feare the tokens of heauen, for the heathen are afrayed of suche, yea all the customes and lavves of the Gentiles are nothing but vanitye.
Go novv to thy coniurers, and to the multitude
of thy vvyches, vvhom thou hast bene aquaynted
vvith all from thy youthe, yf they maye here the
or strengthen the. Thou hast hetherto had many
counsels of them. So let the heauen gasers and beholders
of Starres , come on novve and delyuer
the: yea and let them shevve, vvhen these nevv
A poesie in forme of a Vision | ||