Fovre bookes of Du Bartas I. The Arke, II. Babylon, III. The Colonnyes, IIII. The Columues or Pyllars: In French and English, for the Instrvction and Pleasvre of Svch as Delight in Both Langvages. By William Lisle ... Together with a large Commentary by S. G. S |
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VVhile ore th'vnpeopled world, I lead the fruitfull stocke
Of him that first assaid the waters wrackfull shocke;
While I by sea and land all in their places range
Discou'ries fortunate of many a kingdome strange;
And while of mightie Noe I toile to spread and twine
Fro th'one to th'other Sea the many-branched Vine;
O what twilight ycloud by day shall guide my sight,
What fiery pillar shall my course direct by night
To seats each peopl' ordaind before the Pair-of-Man
Their twy-fold-one estate in Paradise began!
Of him that first assaid the waters wrackfull shocke;
While I by sea and land all in their places range
Discou'ries fortunate of many a kingdome strange;
And while of mightie Noe I toile to spread and twine
Fro th'one to th'other Sea the many-branched Vine;
O what twilight ycloud by day shall guide my sight,
What fiery pillar shall my course direct by night
To seats each peopl' ordaind before the Pair-of-Man
Their twy-fold-one estate in Paradise began!
Thou Holy-holy Flame, that led'st the Persian Wyses,
From th'all-perfumy coast where-out faire Titan rises,
To shew the cradle of Christ, whose youth in liuing light
For euer flourisheth; driue hence the gloomie night
That seeleth-vp mine eyes: and so my Muse it shall
Search all the darker nookes of this great earthy Ball.
For though my wandring thought al-throw this iorney long
Turne here and there, yet I no way more bend my song,
Nor ought doe more desire, than to direct and waine
My Readers to the Childe that was Diuine-humaine.
From th'all-perfumy coast where-out faire Titan rises,
To shew the cradle of Christ, whose youth in liuing light
For euer flourisheth; driue hence the gloomie night
That seeleth-vp mine eyes: and so my Muse it shall
Search all the darker nookes of this great earthy Ball.
For though my wandring thought al-throw this iorney long
Turne here and there, yet I no way more bend my song,
Nor ought doe more desire, than to direct and waine
My Readers to the Childe that was Diuine-humaine.
87
As, when the skie o're-cast with darksome cloudy rack
A woods hart thorow-strikes with some great thunder-crack,
The Birds eu'n all at once their nest and pearch forsake,
And throw the troubled aire they flit for feare and quake,
One heare, another there; their pinions whizzing sound
Is nois'd all round-about; no greisell Turtle is found
Together with her mate; with downy-callow feather
Some young ones dare assay to wrastl' against the weather:
Right so the men who built the great Assyrian Tower,
Perceiuing Gods great voice in thunder-clashing stower
Of their confounded speech, each barbarous vnt'ether
Betake them to their heeles all fearefull altogether.
Some runne the left-hand way, and some acoste the right;
All tread th'vnhaunted earth as God ordain'd their flight.
For that great King of heau'n, who long ere creature breath'd
In priuie counsaile had this vnder-world bequeth'd
Vnto the race of Man, ne would at all abide it
To be a den of theeues, as if men should diuide it
By dreadfull dint of sword, and eu'ry people border
This thickned Element beast-like and out of order:
But, fire of warre to quench, he did all try-diuide,
Among the sonnes of Noe allotting each his side.
So Sem enhabited the day-beginning East,
To Cham befell the South, and Iaphet gain'd the West.
A woods hart thorow-strikes with some great thunder-crack,
The Birds eu'n all at once their nest and pearch forsake,
And throw the troubled aire they flit for feare and quake,
One heare, another there; their pinions whizzing sound
Is nois'd all round-about; no greisell Turtle is found
Together with her mate; with downy-callow feather
Some young ones dare assay to wrastl' against the weather:
Right so the men who built the great Assyrian Tower,
Perceiuing Gods great voice in thunder-clashing stower
Of their confounded speech, each barbarous vnt'ether
Betake them to their heeles all fearefull altogether.
Some runne the left-hand way, and some acoste the right;
All tread th'vnhaunted earth as God ordain'd their flight.
For that great King of heau'n, who long ere creature breath'd
In priuie counsaile had this vnder-world bequeth'd
Vnto the race of Man, ne would at all abide it
To be a den of theeues, as if men should diuide it
By dreadfull dint of sword, and eu'ry people border
This thickned Element beast-like and out of order:
But, fire of warre to quench, he did all try-diuide,
Among the sonnes of Noe allotting each his side.
So Sem enhabited the day-beginning East,
To Cham befell the South, and Iaphet gain'd the West.
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