The Hierarchie of the blessed Angells :: :: University of Virginia Library

Gods wondrous Works that haue before me beene,
I will record, and speake what I haue seene;
(Saith Wisedome) No Worke present, or decay'd,
But by his pow'rfull Word at first was made:

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The Sun that shines, and doth on all things looke,
What is it else but an illustrious booke,
In which th' Almighties Glory may be read?
Hath not the Lord, who hath accomplished
All things in season, made each thing so rare,
That all his Saints his Glory shall declare?
These wondrous Workes, surpassing humane sence,
T'expresse his Majestie and Excellence?
The Heart he searcheth, and the depth of man,
In his pre-Science, knowing all he can
Or thinke or act; the wonders of the Skies,
And each obscure thing's plaine before his eies:
Things past nor future can escape his brest,
All secret paths to Him are manifest.
No thought can Him escape, (of that be'assur'd)
Nor can the least word be from him obscur'd.
His Wisedomes exc'lent, Works He doth extend
From Euerlasting, Neuer to haue end.
He needs no Counsellor, his Will to act;
To Him can none adde, no man can detract.
O how delectable (Thou Lord of All)
Are thy stupendious Workes in generall!
By vs to be consider'd, from things higher,
Ev'n to the very common sparks of Fire.
They liue, by Thee created firme and sure,
And they to euerlasting shall endure:
And when he calls them to a reck'ning, still
(As His) they are obseruant to his Will.
Doubled they are, one set against another,
And there is nothing his rare Works can smother;
The one, the others workmanship commends.
How far then, ô thou Mighty God, extends
Thy wondrous Pow'r? or Who (to Earth ally'd)
With thy great Glory can be satisfy'd?
Behold this high and sublime Ornament,
The beauty of the Heav'ns, the Firmament,
So glorious to the eye; in it, the Sunne,
A maruellous Worke, by the Creator done,
Which in it's dayly progresse through the Skie
Points vnto vs the hand of the Most-Hye.
He burnes the Soile from his meridian seat,
And who is he that can abide his heat?
Three times more hot the mountaine tops he makes,
Than he that with his great care vndertakes

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To keepe a furnace in continuall flame.
His fiery vapors He casts out, the same
In their owne kinde so luminous and bright,
As that they dazle the beholders sight.
Great is the Lord that made the Sunne indeed,
And by his Word commands it run with speed.
The Moone He likewise made, in substance cleare,
According to the Season to appeare;
That it should be a future declaration
Of Time, and the Worlds Signe to ev'ry Nation:
Feasts are by it appointed, the Moneths claime
Proper denomination from her Name;
Waining or growing, be she bright or dull,
In her continual Change shee's wonderfull.
Shee's a lampe plac'd aboue our heads, and thence
Sends downe her shining beames in excellence.
The beauty of the Heav'ns, perceiv'd from far,
Is ev'ry great or lesse refulgent Star:
These, lustre to the Firmament afford,
And shine in the high places of the Lord.
From whose command they no way dare rebell,
But all night long keepe watch and sentinell.
Looke on the Rain-bow in it's mixed hew,
Obserue how beautifull it is in view,
What sev'rall colours, with what cunning layd,
And praise Him who so great a Worke hath made:
He into such a spacious arch extends it,
It is the hand of the Most-High that bends it.
At his command the Snow makes haste from hye:
The Lightnings of his judgements swiftly flye.
When He vnlocks his Treasure, Clouds repaire,
And like so many Fowles soare in the aire;
His Pow'r doth giue them strength. When he but speaks,
The mighty Hail-stones into small he breaks.
At his dread sight the mountaines skip like Roes.
'Tis at his pleasure that the South winde blowes.
His Thunders sound the trembling Earth doth beat,
As doth the stormy North the fields entreat.
The Whirle-windes, like so many feather'd Fowle,
Scatter the Snow, the white flakes downeward rowle;
As if so many Grashoppers together
Should light on th' earth, brought in by stormy weather.
The Eye admires the whitenesse: and the Braine
Cannot conceiue the beauty of the Raine.

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The Frost like Salt vpon the ground he powres,
Which hardned, stickes vpon the Herbs and Floures:
When the bleake North winde from his Quarter blowes,
A congeal'd Ice vpon the Water growes;
Vpon the gath'ring of the waues it rests,
And with a chrystall couering armes their brests.
The Mountaines it deuours, the Desarts burnes,
And (like the Fire) what's greene, to nothing turnes.
Yet by a melting Cloud, and timely Raine,
These, seeming dead, are soone refresht againe.
He by his Word the blustring Windes doth still,
The Seas rough Surges, All obey his Will.
He in the vnknowne Deepes foundations layes,
And in the midst thereof doth Islands raise.
They that the Ocean saile, (which hath no bound)
Tell of the wonders that are therein found:
Which so miraculous to vs appeare
When they are told, we stand amas'd to heare.
For there be his rare Works of Beasts and Whales,
Begetting terror from their finnes and scales.
Through Him all things are aim'd at blessed ends,
And his establisht Word his Worke commends.
When we haue spoken most, yet all 's but vaine;
We neuer to their knowledge shall attaine.
This is the sum of all, That He alone
Must be the sole All, and besides Him none.
Of his true Praise how can we giue account,
Since He (we know) doth all his Works surmount.
The Lord our God is terrible and great;
Who shall his Pow'r and marv'lous Acts repeat?
Praise, laud, and magnifie him all we can,
Yet doth He far exceed the thoughts of Man.
Exalt Him in our strength, and be not tyr'd,
Yet shall not his Least, fully be admir'd.
Who is't hath seene Him, that his shape can tell?
Or who can praise him as He doth excell?
For greater things haue yet escapt our view,
And of his rare Works we haue seene but few.
The Lord hath made all things in Earth and Heav'n,
And vnto such as feare Him Wisdome's giv'n.
The Orders, Names, the Qualities, and Charge
Of the blest Angels, we haue spoke at large.
It followes next, to touch the true condition
Of those malignant Sp'rits, whose proud Ambition

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Cast themselues head-long both from the blest Place
First made for them; and from th' Almighties Grace.
Nor is it to be doubted, but that those
Who in their peruerse malice durst oppose
Their glorious Maker, and against Him war;
But that they likewise still intentiue ar',
And their peruersenesse totally enclin'd
To Gods contempt, and ruine of Mankind.
Now since those disobedient Sp'rites that fell
(With their grand Captaine) downe from heav'n to hell,
Were out of all the Hierarchies extruded;
It therefore as a Maxime is concluded,
(Not to be question'd) That as th' Angels blest,
Who still inhabit their faire place of rest:
So likewise those by Lucifer mis-guided,
Are into sev'rall Ternions diuided,
And haue amongst them Orders and Degrees.
And though the benefit of Grace they leese,
Yet still that naturall pow'r and force retaine,
At first bequeath'd them: bee'ng reduc'd againe
To Order, and their Offices still keepe,
As once in Heav'n, so in th' infernall Deepe.
To this, the Fathers with one voice agree.
For one writes thus; In the great Hierarchie
Of the blest Sp'rits, some are employ'd to tell
Things futurely to come: others excell
In working Miracles; (for no portent
Is done on earth, but by some Angell sent.)
Some ouer others haue predominance,
Employing them Gods honor to aduance.
By executing Mysteries Diuine,
Others in greater pow'r and eminence shine;
Hauing vnnumber'd Armies in their sway,
Vnto whose Hests the lesse degreed obay.
Some are so plenteously endu'd with grace,
That God himselfe in them hath chus'd a place
In which t'enhabit: and these haue profest
His secret judgements to make manifest.
Others are with so sacred links entir'd
Vnto their Maker, and withall inspir'd
With such re-pur'd zeale, there appeares not much
Place intermediat betwixt Him and Such:
By what degrees they do precell the rest
In ardent loue, so much more interest

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They challenge with acutenesse to behold
His Wisedome, Iustice, and Grace manifold.
Now as these sev'rall Functions are aboue
With Those that still persever in their Loue:
So 'mongst the Disobedient is remaining
Like order still, their naturall pow'rs retaining.
For till the World be quite consum'd and gon,
It is a Maxim to be built vpon,
Angell o're Angell, (which none alter can)
Diuell o're Diuell, Man shall rule o're Man.
Of the Rebellious, Lucifer is prime
Captaine and King; who in the first of Time,
From out the seuerall Classes had selected
Legions of Angels, with like pride infected,
Against Iehovah; and with expedition
Hurld them with himselfe headlong to perdition.
And as in his Creation he was fram'd
More glorious far than others before-nam'd;
More goodly featur'd, beautifull, and bright,
And therefore had his name deriv'd from Light:
So since his Fall, there's nothing we can stile
So ougly foule, abominably vile;
The putred Fountaine, and bitumenous Well,
From whence all Vice and malefactures swell.
Whose horrid shape, and qualities insest,
Are by the Poet Dantes thus exprest:
L'Imperador del Doloroso Regno,
Da mezo l petto vsciva Della Gliaccia.
Et piu ch'un Gigante, is ti conuegno
Che Giganti, nouo fan conte sue Braccia
Vedi Hoggimai quant' effer Dee queltutto
Ch' a Cosi fatta parte si consaccia
Se fu si bello come e Hora brutto
E contra al suo fattore alzo le Ciglia
Ben de da lui procedor ogni lutto,
G quanto parve a me gran meraviglia
Quando vide tre faccie a la suatesta
L' una dananZia, & quella era vermiglia
De l' altre due che s' aggivuge ano a questa,
Sour esso almeZa Di Ciascuna spalla,
Es' agginuge ano al somno de la Cresta
La destra mi parea trabianca & gialla.
La sinistra al vedere, era tal quali

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Vengon di la onde'l nilo s' aunalla
Sotto Ciascuna vsciuan Due grand Ali
Quanto si Convenina a tanto ocello
Vele di Mar, non vidi Mai Cotuli
Non Havean penna Ma di vespertello,
Era lor modo & quelle ni su Alzana.
Si che tre venti si movean de ello
Quindi Cocito tutto s' Aggellava
Con sei occhi piangena, & con tre menti
Gocciava il pianto & sanguinosa Baua.

In which Description he first notes the place
Where this great Prince of Darkenesse, shut from Grace,
Is now tormented, namely, 'a congeal'd Lake.
His mighty stature next, which he doth make
Two thousand cubits. By his Crest is meant
His Enuy, Arrogance, and proud ostent.
Three Faces with three sev'rall colours stain'd,
Import in him three Vices still maintain'd:
One, fiery red, Wrath and Exorbitation
Denotes to vs, with the Spleenes inflammation.
The pale and meagre, Auarice implies.
From the third, blacke and swarthy, doth arise
Vnprofitable Sloath. From the two eyes
Which to each face belongs, we may deuise
All Appetites immod'rat. In the growth
Of these three Ills, Ire, Avarice, and Sloath,
Two Wings, two great accitements to those Sinnes
Propose to vs: The first of them beginnes
In Turbulence and Fury; from hence grow
The windes of Crueltie that hourely blow.

Rapacitie and Gripplenesse are they
That to the Misers Avarice obey.
The horrid blasts that hence proceed, include
The most vnnat'urall sin, Ingratitude.
Sorrow with Negligence on Sloath attend:
Th' immoderat gusts of Hatred hence ascend.

Those windes of Wrath, Ingratitude, and Hate,
With fearefull stormes trouble and agitate
Cocitus streames, withall suppressing quite
Those good and godly motions which accite
Either to Faith, or vnto Hope and Charity,
Lest any should in them claime singularity.

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The greatnesse of his Wings improue th' elation
Of his swel'd heart and proud imagination.
That ev'ry face hath a wide mouth and throat,
So much the Morall doth to vs denote,
That all whom such blacke sinnes contaminate,
His jawes and rav'nous throat ingurgitate.

His Teares, which he did neuer yet imploy,
But (as the Crocodile vseth) to destroy,
Imports to vs, that wretched Sinners state,
Whose slacke Repentance euer comes too late.

And so far Dantes. I must now enquire,
To what sphere these Refractories retyre:
Or in what place more seruile they remaine,
Who, as they Knowledge more or lesse retaine,
Accordingly their faculties are squar'd.
One euill Angell takes into his gard
A Kingdome; he, a Prouince, and no more.
One lesser gifted, hath predom'nance o're
A City; and some other but a Tower:
Some ouer one particular man hath power:
Some of one only Vice, and limited there.
Nor striue they in lesse eminence to'appeare,
Either subuerting Man, Forts to demolish,
Cities subuert, good Statutes to abolish,
T'encourage forreine or domesticke strife;
Than are the Angels, the blest Sonnes of Life,
Each of them in their seuerall Place and Calling,
Either industrious to keepe men from Falling,
Preseruing Cit'adels, instituting Lawes
Wholsome and good; or bee'ng th' immediat cause
To secure Cities, Countries, and encrease
(Home and abroad) happy and prosp'rous Peace.

Nor do the lower of bad Spirits obey
Those of superior office, because they
Or loue them, or esteeme them. The cause why
They yeeld themselues to such priority,
Is, for that th' other haue more pow'r, and can
With greater subtiltie insidiate Man:
For in their Fall th' are stain'd with all impuritie,
From whose temptations there is no securitie:
Crafty they are, and prone to all iniquity,
No place debar'd, bee'ng pow'rfull in vbiquity.
With man they are at deadly opposition,
And into all his wayes make inquisition;

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First, tempt, and then accuse hourely prepare,
By day them to intrap, by night ensnare:
His sences they peruert, his thoughts estrange
From better vnto worse, (a fearefull change.)

They bring Diseases, Tempests, Troubles, Feares,
Not one of them but at his will appeares.

By transformation, a blest Spirit of Light
They challenge also as their proper right,
A Diuine pow'r. And though these Dæmons bee
Amongst themselues at hostile enmitee;
Yet by conspiracie striue all they can,
How with vnanimous force to destroy Man.

Yet this (worth obseruation) we may reade
In holy Scripture, That such as mis-leade
Our humane frailty, haue not might alike
With the good Spirits, nor such force to strike,
As the blest Angels, who the pow'r retaines
To take and binde old Sathan fast in chaines.

One story I haue chosen, out of many,
To shew, the Diuell doth th' Almighty zany
For in those great works which all wonder aske,
He is still present with his Anti-maske.

A man of Greece was with three children blest,
To him so deare all, it could scarce be ghest,
Which he was most indulgent o're. The first
A sweet and hopefull Boy, and therefore nurst
Not with a common care; for his estate
Was great, his birth did him nobilitate.
Two Daughters he had more: the elder faire
And well accomplisht; but the yongest rare,
Not to be paralel'd: for she was one
Whom none was euer knowne to looke vpon,
But with such admiration, that he said,
Nature surpast her selfe, when she was made.
For all ingredients of her choice perfection
Appear'd both in her feature and complexion,
(So faire she was.) Three Lustres being spent,
And not a day but adding ornament
Both to her growth and beauty; now fifteene,
(An age we cannot properly call greene,
Nor fully ripe, not mellow, scarce mature)
Not yet resolv'd, a Virgin to endure,
Nor fancy Man, but staggering betwixt
Both agitations, and her minde not fixt:

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But sensible (as being much commended)
How far she others of her Sex transcended,
Though quite sequestred from the common road,
Yet much delighted to be seene abroad.
And 'cause emergent Venus from the Seas
Was said to rise; her humor best to please,
It was her dayly custome to rise early,
To greet the goddesse whom she lov'd so dearly:
And hearing what of her the Poets sung,
To view the some from which 'tis said she sprung.

Stirring betimes one morning with the Cocke,
Pyrats had hid their ship behinde a rocke,
And as she tooke her pleasure on the shore,
Snacht her away: and then with saile and oare
Made speed from thence, and proud of such a Peece,
Hurry'd her to the farthest part of Greece,
So far remote from her owne habitation,
That almost it appear'd another nation.

We leaue her there. The father hauing mist
His Darling, in whom chiefly did consist
The solace of his age; hauing most care
Of her, because she was so matchlesse faire:
At first some strange disaster gan to doubt,
And sent to seeke her all the Isle about.
At once hee's troubled with a thousand feares;
As sometimes dreading, that her vnripe yeares
Might be seduc'd, and that some sprightly Youth
Had train'd her thence: (but far alas from truth.)
Againe, he doth imagin a wilde beast
Might seise on her; which more his griefe encreast.

But of such feare there was no certaine ground,
Because no part of her torne limbes was found.
If drencht by falling from a Riuers brim,
Her gall bee'ng burst, she would be seene to swim.
But when no Hill, no Valley, Rocke, nor Caue,
Least signe of her, or of her garments gaue;
A strong suspition in his thoughts did breed,
Pyrats had stolne her thence: (as 'twas indeed.)

Thus confident, he homeward backe returnes;
His breast with ardent inflammation burnes:
To trauell in her search none can dissuade him,
Nor in his quest may sonne or daughter aid him.
Himselfe he will commit to his owne fate,
So parts, and leaues to them his whole estate;

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With a strict vow, he neuer more will tread
Vpon that ground, till finde her liue or dead.

Suppose him in his voyage, and decreed
(That in his purpose he might better speed)
To saile to Delphos, and that he may take
Instruction thence, in haste doth thither make.
His Offring past, and all things done with grace,
(Best suting with the custome of the place)
This answer from the Delphian Priest he had:
“Thou carefull Father be no longer sad,
“But from henceforth exhilerate thy minde;
“One Daughter thou hast lost, but two shalt finde.
This saying much perplext him; he withdrew,
Long pondring with himselfe, because he knew
He lost but one, he held that answer vaine,
And in that thought return'd to sea againe.

The elder sister seeing both so gone,
The house left desolate, she now alone,
Saue with her Brother, whom nought could persuade
From sighes and sorrow, by their absence made;
The place grew tedious to her, since no cheare
Did in him or the family appeare.
She therefore after some deliberation,
Purpos'd and did prouide for Nauigation.
A Barke she hyr'd, (disguis'd) to sea she makes,
And vndergoes a strict vow for their sakes;
From which she neuer will her selfe vnbinde,
Till she her father or her sister finde.
By chance she lands at Delphos, and bee'ng there,
Desires to know what she might hope or feare.
When (all the ceremonious Rites bee'ng done)
The Oracle thus spake: “Thou that dost runne
“This desp'rat course, if thou expect'st successe
“In this thy journey, then thy selfe professe
“One of my Priests; in comely greene attyre thee,
“Get Bow and Shafts, and note how I'le inspire thee:
“And those loose lockes that 'bout thy shoulders flow,
“Winde vp in curles, like yong Apollo go.
No more he spake: she held his words for true;
Encourag'd, her aduenture to pursue,
And search (so shap'd) all forrein seas and lands.

We left the yonger in the Pyrats hands:
Who after many a dangerous billow past,
By crossing sundry channels, came at last

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To a safe Harbor, with intent to stay
Till they had made sale of so choice a Pray:
And for no other cause kept her from staine,
But that thereby to raise the greater gaine.
They brought her to the open market, there
Merchants from sev'rall coasts assembled were:
And in those dayes, than Beauty (much commended)
Nothing more soone bought, or more dearely vended.
They set her in an eminent place for view,
When soone a great concourse about her grew,
Thronging to gaze: The first thing they then did,
They tooke the vaile off, which her face had hid;
At which the very aire seem'd to grow proud;
As when the Sunne new breakes out of a Cloud,
To shine with greater fulgence doth appeare,
Than had the Sky in ev'ry part been cleare.
No sooner was the vaile drawne from her face,
But her bright eyes illumin'd all the place:
At once they with such admiration gaze,
As what they onely thought to merit praise,
Doth now beget a wonder. Some suppose,
That a new Goddesse is amongst them rose,
To be ador'd: for most of them agree,
That of a mortall straine she cannot bee.
But they of better iudgement, and more stayd,
Finding what change of face her feare had made,
Because the Rose and Lilly in her cheeke
For mastry stroue; they need no further seeke,
Since they perceiue sad griefe her minde perplex,
But that she is the wonder of her Sex,
Meerely humane: as knowing, To Diuinitie,
Passions and troubled lookes haue no affinitie.
And that she is no other, they may ghesse,
Because a Pyrat, after an O-Yes,
With a loud clam'rous voice, and count'nance bold,
Proclaimes her for a Captiue to be sold.

By which resolv'd, the Merchants neerer grow,
And some demand of them her price to know?
Of whom the couetous Slaues set such a rate,
As would haue shooke a common mans estate.
Yet some there were most willing to haue payd
The entyre summe, to haue enjoy'd the Maid;
So it might with securitie be done.
But now a whisper is amongst them runne,

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(Which with it some suspitious feare did bring)
That she was onely fitting for some King.
And being of so choice a jemme possest,
If such should heare her fame, (it might be ghest)
She might be forc'd from him. For Tyrants make
Their Will their Law: And what, for Beauties sake,
Will those leaue vnattempted, that sit hye?
This was the cause few cheapned, none did buy.

The Market ends; and now begins her fame,
The brute of which vnto the Kings eare came:
Whose rarenesse had such generall confirmation,
(With such additions too in the relation)
That he begins to loue, before he see her,
And hath a purpose, from the Slaues to free her.

He sends, they come; the Prince lookes, and admires,
Within his amorous brest he feeles new fires:
His loue turnes almost into adoration,
And all the Beauties now of his owne nation
He vilifies, finding in her no want
Of any grace, to make her parauant.
Ten thousand Drachma's are her price; 'tis payd,
The Rouers thinke they good exchange haue made.
O, but the King's so with his bargaine pleas'd,
As if he had a second Empire seis'd;
No price could part him, since he hop'd to finde,
The more she cost, the more she would proue kinde.

She first was to a Princely chamber brought;
Hung with Attalicke Arras richly wrought:
There she was seated in a chaire of state,
And Ladies readie at her call to wait.
A Queen-like robe was sent her from the King,
His chiefest Eunuch brought it, with a ring
Of exc'lent life and quicknesse: both she tooke,
With such a modest and a gracefull looke,
As did amase the bringer. These put on,
And with her answer he no sooner gon,
But straight in comes another, and presents
A Casket full of rich habiliments;
As Carquenets stucke full of shining gems,
Fit to haue grac'd most glorious Diadems;
A jewell for her fore-head, bright and faire,
With other stones t'entangle in her haire:
A pendant Vnion to adorne her eare,
Rarer no Queene was euer seene to weare:

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Some for her necke, and others for her brest.
And being in all these compleatly drest,
Wonder in them, no change in her doth breed,
But mildely she attends what would succeed.

When through a priuat doore in comes the King,
A youthfull Prince, apparel'd like the Spring,
When he would court bright May: his yeares twice ten,
And somewhat more; you shall not see 'mongst men
A goodlier presence. And when to her view
He giues himselfe, th' Attendants straight withdrew.
She riseth from her chaire, and with so low
Obeisance made, as if she meant to throw
Her selfe beneath his feet; spreading the place;
By which he knew her breeding was not base.

He takes her by the hand, and bids her rise,
Which (by his helpe) she did, whilst from her eyes
Some few pearles drop, which pitty seem'd to craue,
Or else no change at all her visage gaue,
The Prince is pleas'd, those jewels he had sent
Should to her beauty adde such ornament:
If but praise-worthy it appear'd before,
These adjuncts had encreast it ten times more;
Appearing to him of such speciall note,
If then he lov'd, he now of force must doat.
He studieth next, some grace from her to haue;
For he hath quite forgot she is his Slaue,
Rather a goddesse dropt downe from some Sphere,
To depose him, and she to gouerne there.
He grasps her fingers, soft, and white as Bisse,
And then presents her with a modest kisse:
One he bestowes, a second then doth seeke;
Both she receiues, and neuer turnes her cheeke,
But with such modesty she gaue them still,
As if part with, and part against her will.

The Prince hath now to her a further sute,
But still as he would moue it, he growes mute:
Yet in his face such Rhet'oricke she doth spye,
As if his tongue were speaking in his eye.
At length he 'gan entreat her to accept
A Traitor, to betray the Fort she kept,
That maiden Tow'r, which though some had assail'd,
Yet neuer any in th' attempt preuail'd.

Which was a motion she so ill could brooke,
That such a blush into her face it strooke,

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As none could truly iudge from whence it came,
Whether from sudden Anger, or from Shame.
But when he saw her, with dejected eye
Fixt on the ground, to yeeld him no reply;
Yet he so far pursu'd it, to persuade
An answer to the motion he had made.
Shee's so far distant from all putrid sin,
That though she knew the bondage she was in,
Hereditarie Vertue (in her bred)
Courage infus'd, and thus to him she sed:

From that sad Fate (Great Sit) which hath made mee
Thus wretched, the great'st Princes are not free.
Ev'n I not many months since did deride
That Fortune which so far doth now diuide
Me from my Countrey. Yet (in some part) since
She makes amends, t'expose me to a Prince
So royall, to whose vnexampled feature
If his minde sute, the earth affords no creature
That can out-do his goodnesse. But if 'a case
Of such a golden out-side, enclose base
And sordid mettall, I must tell you then,
These Presents I thus throw you backe agen:
They are not myne, receiue them all in grosse,
And adde not these vnto your former losse.
Which said, like one now almost in despaire,
She tore those gems from necke, brest, brow, and haire,
(But with a modest anger, as 't was meet)
And humbly layd them at his Highnesse feet.
Then spake, I haue one jewell I more prise
Than all the wealth that in your Treas'ry lies:
Which (spight of all disaster) I will keepe
Vnblemisht; (and with that began to weepe.)
Put me to any rest, and you shall finde,
My body you may kill, e're slaue my minde.
But why should I in such vaine doubts proceed,
When of the least suspition there's no need?
Since from your sweet aspect there growes such cheare,
Chastitie need not start, nor Innocence feare.

And this reply she vtter'd with such grace,
(His constant eye bee'ng fixt still in her face,
And listning to her soft and musicall tongue,
Which nothing else saue Truth and Goodnesse sung)
He grasp'd her tender waste his armes betweene,
And vow'd thenceforth t'acknowledge her his Queene.

422

Where we instated leaue her, and the rather,
Because we now must haste to seeke her Father.

Whom no surge frights, how rough soeuer curl'd,
His purpose is to wander 'bout the world,
To crosse all seas, throug ev'ry land to stray,
For if not home, he cannot misse his way.
Who now after a long peregrination,
As hauing sought in many'a forrein nation,
(Some so remoat, scarce heard of him before)
At length he came within the sight of shore
Where his faire Daughter, but a Captiue late,
Was now aduanc'd vnto a Regall state.
(Indulgent Father) this had he but knowne,
Into the Sea himselfe he would haue throwne
With desp'rat haste, his choice Delight to finde;
Thinking the Tyde too slow, too slacke the Winde.

O but obserue I Where Fate intends to crosse,
Our joy to sorrow turnes, our gaine to losse;
And when we to our wishes come most neere,
It often falls we haue most cause to feare.
For suddenly a mighty tempest rose,
With many'a stubborn gust the North winde blowes;
His Barke the billowes heat vpon the shelues,
The poore men forc'd to swim and saue themselues
On planks and rasters; to the shore they make,
And them the Islanders for Pyrats take.
(Haplesse Misprision!) For they, troubled long
With such sea-Rouers, who oft landing strong,
Had many outrages committed late:
And these they thought to suffer such hard fate
By Diuine Iustice, for such rape and spoile
As had been late committed on their soile.

In this suspition, as they swim to shore
Weary'd and faint, and now scarce able more
To helpe themselues; th' Inhabitants surprise
Them one by one, as on the Beach he lies.
But Him, because both by his graue aspect
And habit, he the rest seem'd to direct,
They held for Captaine, bearing him most hard;
For ouer him they set the strongest gard
Hail'd him to th' Dungeon, and so hatefull made him,
That they with heauy gyues and fetters lade him:
His hands they manacle, and harshly speake,
As fearing he the prison walls would breake.

423

Which, had it but arriv'd his Daughters eare,
She soone had rid him both from paine and feare.
Here we haue lost him, wretched and vnknowne,
Till robes proue rags, his head and beard o're-growne.

Where haue we left the elder all this while?
(I now remember me,) In Delphos Isle;
Clad like Endymion vpon Latmos hill,
On whom the Moone could neuer gaze her fill.
Or like Amintas in Arcadian greene,
The very next day he had Phillis seene.
Or like Adonis, fitted to the chase,
Whom Venus met, and sweetly did embrace.
Had she had wings, as she had Shafts and Bow,
Saue in her stature, you could hardly know
Her from the Loue-god Cupid. Now her minde
She fresh and suting with her shape doth finde,
Ceasing her former losses to bewaile.
Thus with a sprightly courage she sets saile:
At ev'ry Coast she landeth she enquires,
But findes no answer fram'd to her desires.
Twelue times the Moone had wain'd, and fill'd her round,
And yet her sister no where to be found.
At length vpon the fortunat Isle she lands,
Where then her wretched father was in bands;
And the bright Damsell new instated Queene.
Not many dayes before, the King had beene
Inuited, two great Princes to attone;
In whose forc'd absence she now reignes alone.
In which short int'rim, newes is brought to Court,
Of a strange ship new landed in the Port:
But chiefely, That one passenger therein
Is of a choice aspect, whose beardlesse chin
No manhood shewes; they tooke him at first sight
To be no other than Ioves Catamite:
(For such was Ganimed, by all account,
What time he snatcht the Boy from Ida Mount.)
The Queene (all spirit before) is now growne fiery
To know him better by more strict enquiry,
Answer's return'd, his person is Diuine,
As one made sacred at Apollo's Shrine;
And there's no greater sacriledge, than wrong
Any that to Apollo shall belong.

A Lord is sent the yong Priest to inuite:
He comes, and she affects him at first sight.

424

For Nature hath a secret working still,
And to her owne ends swayes the captiv'd will.
Nor is it wonder she so soone is woon,
Since such neere bloud in both their veines doth run.

The Delphian Idoll, when he saw the state
The Lady bore, was much amas'd thereat;
Her princely habit, and her numerous Traine,
The distance that she kept, thereby to gaine
The more obseruance, seated in a Throne,
And marking with what gems her garments shone;
The Diamonds that were wouen in her haire,
And ev'ry thing about her then so rare:
For she in all respects so far surpast
His fathers Daughter, when he saw her last,
It neuer once could sinke into his minde,
Seeking a Captiue, he a Queene should finde.
Besides, her port, her gesture, garments strange,
Suting that Countrey, bred in her such change:
The disguis'd Priest hath quite forgot her face,
And apprehends some goddesse is in place.
Againe, The Delphians habit did so blinde
The Princesse eyes, she little dream'd to finde
(Though else he hardly could her knowledge scape)
A woman or a Sister in that shape.
And though they make a serious inter-view,
Looking both oft and long, yet neither knew:
Though an alternate sympathie appear'd,
That one vnto the other was indear'd.

She feasts the Priest, and with such sumptuous cheare,
As if Apollo's selfe had then been there.
Some short discourse they had, the banquet ended,
But nothing to their owne affaires that tended.
All the choice fauors she can well affoord
She freely giues: night growes, he hasts aboord;
But shee'l not suffer him to lye so hard,
For in the Court his lodging is prepar'd;
And in that Island whilst he makes aboad,
He is to her as welcome as his god.
Now (curteously compel'd) Time calls to bed,
And they are both to sundry lodgings led:
His chamber rich, and his Attendants great.

She now retyr'd, begets a stronge conceit;
Which may in her the better be allow'd,
Since there's no Faire-one but is somewhat proud.

425

Thinks she, My beauty is of such rare note,
That all who looke on me, from liking, dote.
My royall husband, Soueraigne of the land,
Swayes all his Subiects; and I him command.
If any of my feature make relation,
His praise he soone turnes into admiration.
I am not seene in publique, but they cry,
She is descended from some Deitie.
But what's all this, if onely these allow
My Beauty, such as neuer tooke strict Vow?
Here's one that's to the Votaries ally'd,
By a religious Oath from Venus ty'd:
Now were there in my face such vertue found,
To pierce his chaste brest with an vnseene wound,
Should it tempt him, whom all lust doth abjure,
To gaine the Palme by merit, I am sure.
But till of such, a tryall I haue made,
To be still equal'd I am much afraid.

Shee's now resolv'd to put her to the test,
And the next morning sends to see her guest.
Hee's brought into her presence; whom she spies
No sooner, but she courts him with her eyes:
Next, change of blushes in her lookes appeare,
As if she would say something, but did feare.
She then began to wooe him with her hand;
But that he would not seeme to vnderstand:
Then with her sighes, but all the while was mute,
And she no whit the neerer in her suit.
But to breake silence she is now decreed;
Knowing, Who spares to speake, oft failes to speed.
To proue how far bright beauty can preuaile,
She to this purpose frames a passionate Tale.

No Sex, (saith she) no Age, Degree, or State,
But all are subiect to the will of Fate:
Their pow'r so strong (I cannot say so just)
As what they bid we shall do, that we must:
Our Wills are not our owne, nor can we do
But meerely that which they enforce vs to.
That their strict Lawes no Mortals can evade,
Ev'n I this day am an example made;
Who apprehend the best, and would pursue it,
But 'gainst mine owne best nature must eschew it.
With that she blusht, and turn'd her cheeke aside,
As if the loue she shew'd, she faine would hide.

426

Proceeding thus; I that am now a wife,
Did once resolue to leade a Vestall life;
And gladly would haue kept it to this hower,
But my chast Will they alter'd by their power.
After my Virgin girdle was vnty'de,
And that I was made both a Queene and Bride;
My best endeauors I did then imply
To keepe vnbroken our conjugall Ty.
But they haue brought thee from I know not whence,
To make me with my nuptiall Oath dispence.
They haue enforc'd my Lord to a far Clime,
To sort to vs conuenient place and time:
If to do what? Thou dost desire to heare,
Looke in my face, and thou mayst reade it there.
And if I to my Lord proue thus ingrate,
What is it but our fortunes, and his fate?
My loue-sicke thoughts are thus before thee layd;
And know, she sues that must not be gain-sayd;
For vnresistable is my desire:
Pause, but returne short answer. I'le retyre.

This spoke, (as much asham'd) away she flings.
Now the yong Priest conceiues a thousand things:
What say or do, he doth both feare or doubt;
Insnar'd he is, and no way can get out.

Such a Dædalian Mase should Theseus try,
He ne're could finde the dore he entred by.
He apprehends, what strange malicious spleenes
Meane women (loue-crost) haue; then, what's in queens:
By them he may coniecture, as to swell
More, by how much in greatnesse they excell.
And than a woman, who hath greater art
To search and diue into a womans heart?
As better finding how the cards were dealt,
By the like passions she her selfe had felt.
But for a while I must her Sex forget,
For by no means I must disclose her yet.

He knowes he is a stranger, and alone,
That to support him 'gainst the Queene there's none:
How doubly now his life is layd to gage.
For if oppose her suit? her insenc't rage
May proue implacable. And then againe,
To yeeld to her late motion were but vaine;
Since Nature (in the moulding) did deny
To lend her that which should the Queene supply.

427

If say he was a Woman, and disclose
His Sex to her? The Princesse might suppose
He was some strange Impostor, to abuse
Apollo's name, which nothing could excuse.
But that which mov'd him most, It might preuent
The aime at which his trauell first was bent.
And in that shape, some hope he still doth gather,
In time to finde a Sister or a Father:
To compasse which he will make future triall,
And giue the lustfull Queene a flat deniall.

In which resolue he waits what shall succeed;
When in the Queene comes, hauing chang'd her Weed,
Which now flies loose about her, her bright haire
More wantonly display'd, her breasts quite bare,
Saue with a slender thin transparent Lawne
(Scarse visible it selfe) before them drawne.
Indeed I cannot to the life expresse
The art she vsed in her carelesse Dresse:
An Habit more for dalliance than for state,
And yet as rich as that she put off late.
In which, great care was mingled, with neglect,
And each thing added to her sweet aspect.

By this, let no man rashly apprehend,
That Lust and hatefull Spouse-breach was her end;
Asperse her spotlesse vertues let none dare,
Since she was ev'ry way as chaste as faire.
It onely was an innate fœminine pride
Which euermore to beauty is ally'de:
For where is a supposed Singularitie,
There (for the most part) can be brookt no paritie.
And in the least kinde should the Youth but bow
To her feign'd motion, and so breake his Vow;
She would haue held him impiously base,
And so dismist him branded with disgrace.
Yet further she is constantly inclin'd,
Like Gold to try him, that's by fire refin'd.

And therefore she appear'd in that loose vesture,
With passionate looks, and an effœminate gesture;
All things so sutable, as if she came
An Icy-vein'd Hippolitus to inflame.
He on his elbow sadly leans the while;
But shee affronts him with an amorous smile,
And plucks him by the sleeue, bids him be'of cheare,
Tells him the way to pleasure is made cleare:

428

Intreats (withall) an answer, since she knowes
There's nothing can their purpose interpose.
He then, as one awakened from a transe,
Rowseth himselfe, and casts a scornefull glanse
Vpon the Queene, striuing to make appeare
Wrinkles in that smooth brow which none could beare.
Then said, Is 't possible that one so yong
Should be so wicked? That so sweet a tongue
Can vtter such harsh discords? Or to finde
In a rare Feature so deform'd a Minde?
Or may it be, that such as to their Will
Haue Pow'r annext, should stretch both to do ill?
Great Ones on earth we to the gods compare,
And whilst they keepe their Goodnesse such they are:
But they, if once they swerue from Vertue, then
In the gods sight are worse than common men.
For my part, proue you ill as can be ghest,
Or worse than yet you haue your selfe exprest,
(Which scarse can be) I'am stedfast in my will,
Constant vnto my Vow, and shall be still.

So turnes aside. At which she seemes inrag'd,
And calls to such as were to her ingag'd
In the Kings absence, with a brow austere
Said, Am I not your Queene, and now most neere
To extreme danger? You who haue dependance
And meanes from vs; I through your weake attendance
Might miserably haue suffer'd. See! this Guest,
Whom almost I had tooke into my brest,
Because of his strict order; gaue him all
Respect and reuerence canonicall:
Nay had his god been present, (as 'tis said
He once came downe, either to court some Maid
On whom he doated; else, when th' Earths proud Race
In mighty battell had the gods in chase,
Apollo 'mongst the rest, not least affeard,
Fled to the earth, and kept Admetus Herd
Till that great Broile was ouer:) had he than
Been cast vpon this shore, as this yong man;
Nay, had I lookt in his best fulgence on him,
No greater fauors could I cast vpon him,
Than on his Priest I'haue done, (let me proclaime
Him to the world vnworthy such a name)
For he, who but adult'rates such a stile,
(I know not whether I should frowne or smile)

429

To vtter it) would such a deed haue done,
As had at that time his owne god the Sunne
By accident beheld his Priest so base,
Behinde a Cloud he would haue shrunke his face.
My meaning you may ghesse: it was a deed
So heinous and so horrid, that it need
No further tongue; my modestie (alas)
Cannot endure to tell you what it was:
Onely imagin it of such distaste,
I had dishonor'd been, the King disgrac't.

This said, her selfe into a chaire she threw,
In such an angry posture, that none knew
But all was serious, and about her came,
Asking what seruice she from them would claime,
T'auenge her in the absence of the King?
When suddenly she from her seat doth spring,
Like an insens't Virago, and then bad,
A sharpe two-edg'd sword quickely might be had.
Scarse had the Princesse spoke, but it was brought:
“Engins for ill are found as soone as sought.
Which peising in her hand, Take this (saith she)
Who of you all loues best the King or me,
And sheath it in the breast of that Imposter,
Whose simple lookes doth many mischiefs foster:
Hasty and bold was his attempt on me;
So, sharpe and sudden my reuenge shall be.

At this they started and drew backe: for tho
They held the Queene chast, and did likewise know
Her strict impose (although seuere) was iust,
As due infliction for such capitall lust;
And that a speedy vengeance was most fit:
Yet none was pleas'd to haue a hand in it,
Because they held it impiously prophane,
To wrong such as had holy Orders ta'ne.

She seeming more insenc't now than before,
Said, Must I then my subiects aid implore,
In absence of a Soueraigne? and their pride
Or neglect such, a Queene must be den'yd?
Hath he all his true-breasted tooke along,
And left no one to right our mutuall wrong?
I now remember me, some nine months past,
How desp'rat Rouers on this shore were cast,
Villeins debosht and bloudy, sterne and bold;
And what is it for freedome or for gold

430

These will not act? or both these ioyn'd together?
Goe fetch the Captaine thence, and bring him hither;
Knocke off his gyues, say I propose his peace,
With large reward added to his release.
A Messenger is sent, who makes what speed
He can t'excuse the rest from that blacke deed:
For ev'ry one in deepe amasement stood,
As loth to dip their hands in sacred blood.

Pray giue me leaue to make a short digression,
Of a most needfull note to make expression;
Fitly'inserted here, t'auoid confusion,
Which else might be some maime to the conclusion.

She was no sooner Partner in the Throne,
But fearing how her father would bemone
Her desp'rat losse; shee's willing that her state
He and her friends should all participate.
And therefore Letters were dispatch'd with speed,
To signifie how all things did succeed:
The journall of her trauels she recites,
With ev'ry circumstance, and then inuites
Her Father, Brother, Sister, (hauing past
So many dangers, and now come at last
To such an eminent fortune) they would please
To leaue their natiue Soile, crossing the seas,
To giue her a wisht visit, since all joyes,
Pleasures, delights, and honors, seem'd but toyes
And idle dreames; nay ev'n the Diadem
It selfe, if not worne in the sight of them.

Too late this newes was, for vpon her losse
Immediatly the good man needs would crosse
To Delphos: then the Sister him pursues,
Of him or her t'enquire some certaine newes;
Resolv'd, abroad their trauels how to frame.
So both were absent when these letters came.
But the glad tydings when the Brother h'ard,
He for a voyage instantly prepar'd:
For till he saw her in her state appeare,
Each day an Age seemes, ev'ry houre a yeare.
Imagin him arriv'd vpon the Coast
Where she whose presence he desired most,
Waits till the Captaine of the Pyrats can
Be thither brought; who meagre, pale, and wan,
Enters, but like the picture of Despaire,
His head, browes, cheekes, and chin o'regrowne with haire;

431

His Cloathes so ragg'd and tatter'd, that alas
No one could ghesle him for the man he was.
Besides, consider but their severall change,
No wonder each to other seem'd so strange:
For none of them could haue least expectation
To meet there, after such long separation.

Therefore the Queene conceiues not the least doubt,
But that he was the same he was giv'n out:
For a meere desp'rat Ruffian she doth take him,
And in the open confluence thus bespake him:

Thou of the Seas, a Rouer and a Theefe,
And of these late wrackt Pyrats, head and chiefe;
By the Heav'ns iust doome throwne vpon our borders,
And for your outrages and base disorders
Doom'd vnto lasting durance; if this day
I shall propose to thee a certaine way
By which thou mayst thine owne inlargement gaine,
With all the rest of thine imprisoned traine,
Wilt thou accept it? He who had not seene
The Sun of long, till then, casts on the Queene
A stedfast, looke, and with some admiration
Of her rare beauty, makes this protestation:
Angell, or goddesse whether? 'Tis my feare
To question which you are? for you appeare
To be the one or other; since that face
Had neuer breeding from a mortall Race:
O, but your language, tun'd to such a motion,
Makes me beleeue you'are she who from the Ocean
Was thought to be emergent. Elce that Maid
Who of the braine of Iupiter was said
To be conceiv'd; not borne (although there bred)
Till Vulcan with an hatchet cleft his head.
Elce Iuno, she that kindles Hymens fires,
The Queene of Marriage and of Chast defires.
One of these three vnto your lot must fall,
Who stroue on Ida for the golden Ball.
You speake of my inlargement: Set me cleare,
And were 't to coape a Tygre or a Beare,
With Theseus Minotaure, or Perseus Whale,
That huge sea-Monster, who had ev'ry scale
Lesse penetra'ble than brasse; set me vpon
A fierce Chimæra, as Bellerephon
Was once implov'd, (three horrid shapes commixt)
An Hiena and a Crocodile betwixt,

432

Place me, and mighty Queene I'le be content
Ev'n thence to purchase my infranchisement.
For neuer can my troubled thoughts haue rest,
Whilst bondage hinders me from my faire quest.

This said, he paus'd. To whom the Queene replies.
I will propose thee no such enemies:
The taske I'enioyne thee shall be free from danger;
Onely receiue this sword, and kill that stranger,
Yong and vnarm'd: see, this is all thy charge;
Which done, thee and thy fellowes I inlarge.
He takes the sword, and with his hand makes show
To proue if point and edge were sharpe or no.
Then first vpon the Queene he casts an eye:
Next, on Apollo's Priest, then standing by,
Awaiting death; which as he did out-braue,
His sweet and chast lookes pitty seem'd to craue.

Doubly distracted is th' old man, to see
In two bright Beauties such antipathie:
That one should be so cruell and so faire,
Th' other so yong and valiant, it seem'd rare:
Which in his breast did greater wonder strike,
Since they in their aspects were both so like.
But these conceptions soone were ouerpast,
And he retires into himselfe at last:
Thinks now how basely he is dis-esteem'd,
And of his Losse (hopelesse to be redeem'd)
Knowes there's no possibilitie to win
His freedome, but to act that bloudy sin.
How can he frame his innocent hands to kill,
Who all his life nought fear'd saue to do ill?
All his disasters stand at once before him,
And to his pristine joyes how to restore him
He sees no means. He next doth apprehend,
Of all his sorrowes Death to be the end;
Which he would search out through all forrein stronds,
Rather than to re-enter gyues and bonds.
He findes his hand is of a sword possest,
A way to bring him to perpetuall rest:
But that he should dye branded in that kinde,
Is no way suting with his noble minde.
Therefore thus frames his speech vnto the Queene:

Madam, I know not whence you ground your spleene
'Gainst this yong man, whose looks beare such a charme,
Him (for a World) I haue no pow'r to harme.

433

But since I needs must into mischiefe runne,
Your Will is Law, and something must be done.
Yet first beare record, you and all your Traine,
I am no such base Ruffian, as to staine
My hands in innocent bloud: I haue nor skill
Nor practise, how to rauish, rob, or kill.
No Pyrat, but a Father much distrest,
By Neptune's fury shipwrackt in the quest
Of a lost Childe, whom might I liue to see,
Death (now a losse) would be new life to mee:
But that's past hope. In search of her I came,
Epyre my Countrey, Thestor is my name:
And be you Testates all of you, how I
A wretched Father, Fortunes Martyr dy.

No sooner had he vttred that last word,
And ready now to fall vpon the sword;
But out the Priest steps from amongst the rest,
And snatcht the weapon from her fathers brest.
Which forc'd out of his hand, she said, No, father,
There is no cause why you should die, but rather
This lustfull Queene; Then aim'd to strike her dead:
Who stands amas'd at what her father sed.
A Courtier next her the keene point put by;
When suddenly the Queene was heard to cry,
O Father, I am she you long haue sought:
And with that word, about his necke him caught.
This when the elder Sister (wondring) sees,
Her haire with strugling fell below her knees;
Seeming to those which did this change behold,
As were she mantled in a shroud of gold:
Which made her Sex apparant to their view;
So by degrees each one the other knew.

How should my barren Braine or Pen be able
T'expresse their joyes, which are not explicable?
For extasies arising from the heart
By sudden chance, surcharging ev'ry part
Of the Soules faculties, in most strange fashion
Make rapture to proceed from admiration:
In such a pleasing diffidence they grow,
They scarce beleeue what they both see and know;
Of what all are assur'd, no one but feares,
Till joyes affects breed the effect of teares.
Much would be said, but none can silence breake;
All full of matter, but none pow'r to speake.

434

In this distraction there's a rumor growne
Of a yong man a stranger, and vnknowne,
Arriv'd at Court; who hearing the great fame
Of that braue Queene, as far as Epire came
To visit her. At the word Epire they
Are startled all: the Princesse bids make way
To giue him entrance. O what expectation
Had they then to behold one of their Nation!
By reason of her Letters, the Queene she
Might happily conjecture who 't might be.
But the two other could not apprehend
What man should be employ'd, or who should send.
Therefore new scruples in their thoughts begin,
When by a Lord-like Eunuch vsher'd in,
Hee's brought into the Presence, and soone knowne,
Because assuming no shape but his owne.
Then suddenly they all vpon him runne;
The Sisters cry out, Brother; Thestor, Sonne:
And all at once their armes about him cast;
But were so chang'd from that he saw them last,
To haue retyr'd himselfe was his intent,
Not vnderstanding what such greeting meant:
Because the elder Sister at first sight
Appear'd to him a strange Hermophrodite:
Nor of the other could he knowledge haue,
The Sire so ragged, and the Queene so braue.
But finding them persist in their embraces,
And seriously then looking in their faces;
Partly by that, part by their tongues, at length
His timerous doubts begin to gather strength.
Assur'd at last, e'r either Sister greet,
He casts himselfe low at his fathers feet:
A Blessing is no sooner crav'd but had.
The Queene commands her Father to be clad
In a rich habit suting his estate.
Which whilst her seruants haste t'accommodate,
The Brother now hath leisure to impart
Cordiall salutes from an vnfeigned heart,
(With his faire Sisters now no longer strange)
Which they with him as freely interchange.
By this, the Queene is giv'n to vnderstand,
The King her Lord and Husband is at hand,
With those two Princes, 'twixt whom he had made
Such peace, not one the other should inuade.

435

Whom by his wisdome, after long hostilitie,
He had reduc'd vnto a faire ciuilitie,
Contracting league betwixt them; and as Guests
To Triumphs, to Ovations, and high feasts
Inuited them: his sole and maine intent,
To make that league more firme and permanent.
The King, before he can approch the Court,
Of all the former newes hath full report,
Of Father, Brother, Sister; and so met,
As that the Island shall remaine in debt
To all posteritie, where hee's instated,
To haue the bruit from Age to Age related.
For where the place he liv'd in was obscure,
The memory of this shall make 't endure,
Whilst there's a Summer to succeed the Spring,
Or Winter, Autumne; whilst vpon his wing
Time hath a feather: and shall credit win,
Till Lachesis haue no more thred to spin.
The patient Reader I am loth to cloy,
T'expresse their meeting, jubilee, and joy;
Who doubtlesse will conceiue it to be such,
Though more than need, yet was not thought too much.
Besides, in Feasts and Banquets (knew I when)
I'de rather blunt my knife, than tyre my Pen.

These and the like occasions were the cause,
Men to their good successe gaue such applause,
That one, vnto the Oracle indeer'd,
A stately Temple to Apollo rear'd.
And Thestor, who through Neptune had the fate
To finde his best lov'd childe, did consecrate
To him an Altar, thinking so to please
The Pow'r that wrackt, then sav'd him from the Seas.
And so the Queene, since Fortune was so kinde
To haue her in all troubles still in minde,
She in a new-built Temple yearely prais'd her,
Who to that height from her dejection rais'd her.

Such as in woods and forrests haue by chance
Escap'd wilde beasts, through their blinde ignorance,
Haue had a strong conception there might bee
A Genius or some Sp'rit in ev'ry Tree,
To whom their safety they ascrib'd. If passe
A brooke or riuer where least danger was;
This or that water-Nymph, they durst protest,
Had leant them aid when they were most distrest.

436

And thus the Diuell did the Ethnycks foole,
That would o're ev'ry Groue, Lawne, Streame, or Poole,
Instate goddesse or god, on whom to call;
That Pow'r neglecting, who created All.
At Diuine worship hath been still his aime,
For all Idolatry from him first came.

Of the Rebellious there be Orders nine,
As corresponding with the Spirits Diuine.
In the first eminent place are those install'd
As would on earth be worshipt, and gods call'd.
As he that did his Oracles proclaime
In Delphos, Shadow'd by Apollo's name:
He that the Pythian Prophetesse inspir'd,
As likewise those th' Ægyptians so admir'd,
Ascribing to themselues Honour and Feare;
And those in sundry Idols worshipt were:
And of these Belzebub is Lord and Master.

Prince of the second is that great Distaster
Of Sanctitie and Truth, Author of Lies,
Who alwayes speakes in doubts and fallacies;
Hee's Python styl'd. The third Classe comprehends
Vessels of Wrath, who haue no other ends
Than to to deuise all Mischiefes; Belial hee
Is call'd, for his approv'd Iniquitie.
I'th fourth Forme are such Spirits as conuince
Man in his sinne, then punish him; their Prince
Is Asmodeus. The fift Scale comprises
Deceiuers full of fraudulent disguises;
And 'tis their function, office, and condition,
T'attend the deform'd Witch, and damn'd Magition:
And of these Sathan's chiefe. The sixt containes
The airy Potestates, who Hailes and Raines,
Thunders and Lightnings haue great dom'nance in:
And of these the prime Lord is Merasin.
In the sev'nth are the Furies; they giue life
To Discord, War, Strage, and contentious Strife,
Then cast them vpon Man in their fierce wrath:
Abaddon ouer these dominion hath.
The eighth includes Explorers that accuse:
Those Astaroth doth as his Vassals vse.
The ninth and last, Tempters who ambush Soules,
Those Maimon in his Principat controules.
Now of these Cacadæmons we haue ground
For many names, in sacred Scripture found.

437

The word Diabolus doth signifie
A false Accuser full of calumnie.
Belial is likewise read there, and the word
Imports an Out-Law without Yoke or Lord.
Knowledge acute, Dæmonium implies:
And Beelzebub is the King of Flies.
Sathan, an Aduersarie; Bohemoth, a Beast:
Leviathan, where grosse sinnes are increast,
And builded vp. Such from Abaddons race
Be styl'd, as are extermined from grace.

We finde in Dantes these by obseruation,
Alchino, i. Vnto Vice an inclination.
Then Calchabrina, i. One who doth despise
All Diuine Grace. Neither did he deuise
Vainly these names. An euill-biting Dog
Cagnazzum; Coriato, a fat Hog;
Barbariccia, i. Fraudu'lent and Vniust:
And Libicocco, One inflam'd with Lust.
Faraffel doth a Trifler intimate;
And Rubicante, Fir'd with Spleene and Hate.

Briefely to passe their names o're, it would well
Become this place, to speake how many fell
In that great Conflict; and 'tis my desire,
As far as leaue permits me, to enquire.

Most probable it is, and best agreeing
With common Sence, since all things that haue Beeing,
By naturall instinct their Pow'rs extend,
And faculties, all aiming at the end
For which they first were made; and Nature still
Her ordinarie course striues to fulfill:
So that all Births which out of order come
Are monstrous and prodigious, of which, some
(Although not many) in each Age we see:
As likewise that Sinne still doth disagree
With Diuine nature, and therefore their Fall
And proud Rebellion most vnnaturall,
As meere Extrauagants, these reasons may
Induce vs to beleeue, and thinke that they
Are more in number that remaine in Blisse,
Than those cast headlong to the deepe Abisse.

Some learned Rabbins haue opinion held,
The number of the Angels that rebell'd,
And in one Conjuration then compacted,
Out of each sev'rall Ternion extracted,

438

Equall one Chorus. Saint Iohn doth auer,
That he beheld the Dragon Lucifer,
The third part of the Stars with his Taile draw
From the high Heav'ns, (which he in Vision saw.)
But of the Angels, th' exact number who
Shall vndertake to tell, he shall but grow
From Ignorance to Error; yet we may
Coniecture, That as in perfection they
Excell all other Creatures; so conclude,
That likewise they exceed in multitude
Those that haue had, still haue, or shall haue Beeing.
For diuers Authors are in this agreeing,
Mans generation hath been multiplyde
Aboue all other Animals beside.

Saith Daniel, Thousand thousands Him before
Stand, and 'bout him ten thousand thousands more.
Which Thousand he thus duplicates, to show
Their countlesse number, which our dull and slow
Nature wants facultie to aphrehend.
As likewise when he further would extend
Their Legions, Miriads he to Miriads layes:
Noting to vs, of those that sound his praise
The infinite Armies, like a Circle round,
The number ending where it first was found.

In Iohn 'tis read, A mighty voice I heard
Of many Angels, and their Troupes appear'd
To be of thousand thousands. Iob said well,
The number of his Souldiers who can tell?

'Mongst others, one much daring, his bold Pen
Seem'd to out-strip his Vnderstanding, when
He would confine each Chorus to containe,
(The meere Chimæra of an idle braine)
Saying, To each belongs (in these blest Regions)
Six thousand six hundred sixty and six Legions:
Each Legion too doth (bee'ng exactly told)
Six thousand six hundred sixty six Angels hold.
But of their number let no man discusse
Further than sacred Scripture warrants vs.

It followes that I next make inquisition
Into the Angels motion, a Position
Needfull to be examin'd. Know then, He
Is not contain'd in place, as Brutes and we;
But Place it selfe he in Himselfe containes,
Bee'ng said to be still where his Pow'r remaines.

439

And though it passe our weake ingeniositie,
Yet He is knowne to be of strange velocitie;
And without passing places, can with ease
Or go or come at all times when he please:
From heav'n to earth He can descend, and bee
Aboue and here in space vnmomentarie:
Hence, thence, He (vndisturb'd) hath passage faire
Through both the elements of Fire and Aire,
Without incumbrance or the least molest.
And though it sinke not into th' Ethnycks brest,
Hee's without circumscription, vnconfin'd.
For if these Spirits, Places had assign'd,
And so from one into another shifted,
How could they then so suddenly be lifted
Into the vpper Heav'ns? or thence apply
Themselues to th' earth in twinkling of an eye?
It is agreed vpon, the Good and Euill,
The blessed Angell, as the cursed Diuell,
Haue all those faculties, and without paine
Or passing intermediat things, can gaine
To what they purpose, in one instant round
The spatious world, and where they please be found.

Those that the Mathematicke Art professe
Tell vs, That 'twixt th' eight Heav'n and earth's no lesse
Than one hundred and sev'nty millions 100 and three
Of spacious miles mete by Geometrie.
By which account, the mighty space extending
Is, from the watry and tenth Heav'n descending,
Ten times so much at least: for if a stone
Should from the starry and eight Heav'n be throwne,
And ev'ry houre passe without intermission
One thousand miles in it's swift expedition,
In motion still, without stay or re-calling,
It must be sixty fiue yeares in it's falling.
To amplifie what hath before been said,
Some Sectists haue their ignorance betray'd;
Affirming Angels are not: If they were,
They, with the Soule, of force must likewise beare
Bodies about them too, and so to bee
Subiect vnto our visibilitie.

How vaine this is it may be eas'ly ghest,
When none that hath Philosophy profest,
But hold, That there are Substances Diuine,
Intelligent call'd, which neuer did incline

440

Into commixtion, or knowne to require
Substance from th' Earth, the Water, Aire, or Fire.

A second thing th' object, That if so great
Their number be, as that the Aire's repleat
With infinit Armies? 't must be needs confest,
That they should hourely whole Mankinde molest.
But these consider not, He that created
All things out of meere Nothing, hath instated
Them in such order, distance, and consent,
One to another's no impediment.
Neither is any of his great Works found
That hath the pow'r to passe beyond his Bound:
As in the Waters element, though far
It exceeds the Earth, yet keepes within it's bar;
And though the proud waues with curl'd billowes rore,
Threatning as if to swallow vp the shore;
Yet by th' Almighties hand their pow'r is stay'd,
No Inundation or great Deluge made:
Vnlesse his Wrath some sudden vengeance brings,
Opening Heav'ns spouts, and letting loose the Springs.

No maruell then, that Spirits be in number
So many, that the very Aire they comber;
And they to vs, and we to them so odious,
They neither hurtfull are nor discommodious:
Their Malice not bee'ng able to withstand
Those bounds prefixt by the Almighties hand.

For so much in Iobs Historie is found;
When Sathan saith, he hath compast the earth round,
He doth not say, In his large progresse hee
Hath done to Man least discommoditie
Or harme at all: not that he wanted Will,
But (in himselfe) the Pow'r to hurt or kill.
Nor durst he touching Iob make inquisition,
Till he from God himselfe had free permission;
Who gaue him limit, and his fury staid
Vpon his outward Fortunes, when he said,
Lo, all he hath now at thy mercy stand;
Onely against his person lift no hand.

Againe, when He his Body to him gaue
Captiue, his Life he did command him saue,
Whence we may ground, Though this rebellious Prince
Great Lucifer, with his Adherents, since
Their Fall retaine th' abilitie and pow'r
To measure th' Earth in least part of an houre;

441

Yet without leaue they neither dare nor can
Vse the least violence on Gods creature Man.

Next, touching the rare knowledge which insists
In them by nature; Some Theologists
Affirme them pregnant in Theologie,
Philosophie, Mathematicks, Astrologie,
In Musicke they are skill'd, expert in Physicke,
In Grammer, Logicke, and Arithmeticke.
Nay, he that is among them the most low,
Contemn'd and vile, more than weake Man doth know.

Nor are their reasons vaine; for in respect
A Spirit is but a meere Intellect,
Not burden'd with a body, of agilitie
Nimble and quicke; therefore with much facilitie
In all materials he acquainted is,
From the Earths superficies, to th' Abisse.
He knowes such vertues as in Stones abide,
Gems, Minerals, creeping Wormes, and Beasts (for hide
From him you nothing can) for he doth vant
Still in the Marble, Porphyre, Adamant,
The Corall, Pumice, and the Chrysolit,
The Smarage, Topaz, and the Margarit,
The Onyx, Carbuncle, Gold, Siluer, Lead,
Brasse, Iron, and Sulphur. He is likewise read
In the proprieties of Creeping things,
Ants, Toads, Snakes, Serpents, (all that the earth brings.)

Of all the sev'rall Fishes he hath notion,
Bred in fresh waters or the briny Ocean.
Of Beasts the sundry qualities he findes,
Lions, Beares, Tygres, Camels, Horses, Hindes,
The Elephant, the Fox, Ape, Asse, Mule, Cat,
Sheepe, Wolfe, Hare, Hedge-hog, with each other, that
The Earth produceth. So in Herbs and Trees,
Plants, Leaues, Fruits, Roots, Seeds, juices, Liquors, these
No Artist hath like skill in. He can tell
The sev'rall qualities of Fowles, and well
Distinguish them; as, such and such belong
To the Earth, Aire, or Water. He is strong
In further knowledge of the Elements,
As in their pow'r, their natures, and extents,
Of Thunder, Tempest, Meteors, Lightning, Snow,
Chasemates, Trajections, of Haile, Raine. And so
With piercing eyes he hath a deepe inspection
Into the Sunne, Moone, Stars, the true direction

442

Of all Stars fixt or wandring; Zodiacke Lines,
Articke and the Antarticke Poles, and Signes,
The courses of the Heav'ns, the qualities,
Their influence, their effects, and properties.
And as they haue a vertuall pow'r to know
All our inferior bodies here below;
So of the Sp'rits of Glory or Perdition,
The Orders, Offices, and the Condition.
Briefely, There is no Creature God hath made,
From the first Chaos, but it may be said,
Whether it be abortiue or full growne,
That to the Angels nature it is knowne.

Since then so great and so profound's their skill,
Infus'd into them by the Makers Will;
No wonder 'tis, that they such strange things can,
Beyond the weake capacitie of Man.
We onely by things sensible attaine
To a small knowledge, and with mighty paine;
And into error we may quickly fall:
For in it is no certaintie at all.
Sp'rits cannot erre and be deceiv'd, as we,
Seeing and knowing all things perfectly,
In their true reall Essence: which is meant
Onely of Naturall things, and hath extent
No further. For, as Angels Creatures bee,
Th' are limited in their capacitie;
In all such things as on Gods Pow'r depend,
Or Mans Free-will, their skill is at an end,
And vnderstand no further than reueal'd
By the Creator: else 'tis shut and seal'd.

Hence comes it that the euill Angels are
So oft deceiv'd, when as they proudly dare
To pry into Gods Counsels, and make show
By strange predictions future things to know.
This makes their words so full of craft and guile,
Either in doubts they cannot reconcile,
Or else for certainties, false things obtruding,
So in their Oracles the World deluding.
Whose answers either were so doubtfull, and
So intricate that none could vnderstand,
Or meerely toyes and lies for their words were,
By interpointing, so dispos'd, to beare
A double sence, and seeming truth to tell,
Whether or this or that way the chance fell.

443

But the good Angels they can no way erre:
The reason is, That they themselues referre
Wholly to Gods good pleasure, from which Square
And perfect Rule they neuer wandring are.
They iudge not rashly, hid things they desire not,
And after future chances they enquire not;
Nor further of ought else to vnderstand,
Than they are limited by his command.

How many thousand traines hath Sathan layd,
By which he dayly doth fraile man inuade;
By entring Contract as a seeming friend,
Thereby to draw him to more fearefull end?
Of which the Fathers witnesse; for one saith,
The Diuell with Magitions compact hath.
Another, That all Magicke cov'nants bee
Meere superstition and Idolatrie;
Which growes from a societie combin'd
Betwixt the euill Dæmons and Mankind.

If these were not, Why should the Ciuill Law,
Firm'd by th' Imperiall sanction, keepe in awe
Such damn'd Impostors? For the words thus run;
Many (we know) abstruse Arts haue begun
To put in practise, to disturbe the Aire:
Vpon the innocent Soules these likewise dare
Vomit their malice, and from the graues call
Spirits from rest, by Diabolicall
And cursed Spells. All such as shall rely
On things preposterous and contrary
To Natures course, Gods people to annoy,
The Churches Curse, them and their Arts destroy.
The like against these selfe-opinion'd fooles
Is Articled in the Parisian Schooles.

Of such like Miscreants 'tis in Esay said,
We haue strooke hands to league with Death, and made
Cov'nant with Hell. How can Man be exempt
From this Seducer, he that dar'd to tempt
The Sonne of God? All these will I giue thee,
If thou wilt prostrat fall and worship mee.

Of these Compacts and Couenants we finde
Two sorts, and both blasphemous in their kinde.
The first, When willingly we seeke inspection
Into that Art, and labour our direction
From Magicke bookes, or vse their Circles, Lines,
Their superstitious Characters and Signes.

444

The second, when without maleuolence
We search into that art, with no pretence
Of Curiositie; onely we vse it
Knowledge to gaine, and got, not to abuse it.
And that is dangerous too; all Such compact
League with the Diuell, as in word or act,
Breathe words vnknowne, obscure, inserted vainly,
Or such things as are holy, vse prophanely;
As by obseruing certaine Characters,
Signes, Figures, Angles, Squares, Diameters, &c.
Certaine Dayes, Houres, Stars, Planets, Constellations,
Graines, Numbers, Instruments, of antique fashions,
And these beyond their naturall operations.
When Sacraments, or any thing that's holy
Shall be abus'd by their ridiculous folly:
When Images of Wax or such like matter
Are cast into a pot and boyl'd in water:
When certaine Numbers, vnknowne Markes or Notes
Writ in strange coloured paper, he deuotes
To superstitious vse. When as to Coine
Of gold or siluer, or of brasse, they ioyne
Stamps of new Characters; and this to bee
When such a Planet is in such degree.
Such Pieces did Pasetis vse to weare:
What e're he bought, he neuer payd too deare;
Who parting from the Merchant, did but name
The sum he payd, and backe to him it came.

When holy Ceremonies (through the Malicious)
Are made idolatrous and superstitious.
When Linnen neuer washt is vs'd; and hee
Must hold a Wand that's cut from such a Tree:
With which he strikes the East, and then the West,
The North or South, (as to his purpose best.)
That all his Haire shaues off by night or day,
Thinking thereby to driue the Div'll away.
That takes dust from a Sepulchre, to vse;
Or from the Graue the Deads bones, to abuse.
Or ought besides that shall seeme retrograde
To Reasons course, or what's by Nature made.

Further, Vnto this Cov'nant doth belong
All such as stand in their opinions strong,
To meditate those fond Bookes bearing name
From Ada, Abelus, Enoch, Abraham,

445

Cyprian, Albertus Magnus, or Honorius
Paulus, with those in Magicke still held glorious;
Who boast ambitiously with great ostent,
This Art had both it's birth and ornament
Either from Adams Custos, Razael;
Or else from Tobits Keeper, Raphael.

Another strange Booke they produce, and say
'Twas Salomons, call'd his Clavicula.
These Magi, by old Sathan thus misguided,
Another Volume in sev'n parts diuided,
Stuft with Spels, Charmes, Oblations, (all Confusions
Of Non-sence, and the Diuels meere obtrusions)
As a Worke learn'd and sacred, still prefer,
To ev'ry curious yong Practitioner.
All these are but his subtill traines, to draw
Men from Gods Feare, and honour of his Law.
For in this Art whoeuer striues t'excell,
He strikes a lasting Couenant with Hell.

And as in these, so likewise in past Ages,
He wanted not his Astrologomages:
For most of this prognosticating Tribe,
Mettals vnto each Planet can ascribe;
Siluer vnto the Moone, to the Sunne was
Gold sacred, vnto Iove Copper and Brasse;
To Venus, white Lead; vnto Saturne, Blacke;
Iron and Steele to Mars; nor doth there lacke
Amber to Mercury. To each of them
They likewise consecrate some seuerall Gem:

Vnto the Sun the Carbuncle is due,
And Hyacinth, of colour greene and blew.
Th' Adamant and Chrystall to the Queene of Night;
To Saturne, th' Onyx and the Chrysolite;
The Saphyr with the Diamond, to Iove;
The Iasper and the Magnet Mars doth loue;
Smaraged and Sardix Venus doth not hate;
Nor Mercury the Topaz and Achate.

Now in these stones at set houres they would cut
Faces, in which the Heav'nly Signes should put
Strange vertue; so that each impressiue fashion
Should haue in it a sev'rall operation:
(The manner would seeme tedious) These imprest,
They held to be much nobler than the rest.

As first, the signet of the Sun to haue
Pow'r to make men wise, valiant, potent, graue,

446

Happy, but full of Thoughts. The Moone's to make
Prosp'rous in Voyages they vndertake,
And gratious amongst women. Ioves Seale-Ring
Doth Friendship, Dignities, and Honours bring,
To Riches, Office, into Princes grace,
To peace of thoughts, Priesthood, and eminent place;
All these, if Saturne nothing shall oppose.

The Seale of Mars makes pow'rfull ouer Foes,
Victorious, full of Fortitude, audacious,
If Mercury shall at that time be gracious.
Th' impression that from Venus they deriue,
Doth make men louely, gratious, to suruiue
In Princes fauors, but in Womens best;
It helps in fortunat Mariage, doth inuest
In gracefull Clergy, banisheth all care,
And makes Man affable and debonaire.

Mercury's, works to be solicitous,
Quicke, nimble witted, and facetious,
Cunning in Trading, crafty, worldly wise,
And apt for all Commerce and Merchandise,
Ingenious in each Mechanicke trade,
And fortunat in ev'ry bargain's made.

Saturne's makes Man of a relenting straine,
A thousand wayes insidiating gaine;
To Rich men deare, to hate Women aboue measure,
And fortunat in finding hidden treasure.
And these are the delirements practis'd still
By those professing naturall Magicks skill.
In th' Heav'ns motion who so dull can bee,
But knowes them of such quicke velocitie,
That before they such pourtraitures can fashion,
The Stars, that are still mouing, change their station.
Nor can a Figure cut in Lead or Gold,
Siluer, or other mettall, that doth hold
No correspondence with the Stars, then take
A second nature, and the first forsake:
Adding to the Materiall a new Power,
Which neuer it assum'd vntill that hower.
But our Theologists and Doctors all
(Without exception) this, plaine Magicke call.

Saith one; These Obseruations, from the first,
Idolotrous are, by God himselfe accurst,
And interdicted by the Church: for sure
We are, That what they by the Stars procure.

447

Is meere deception and illusion vaine,
By Sathans cunning crept into Mans braine.

The Schoole of Paris doth that Art thus tax;
Those Images of Mettall or of Wax,
Or other Matter wheresoeuer sought,
Whether by certaine Constellations wrought;
Or whether they are figures that infer
Sculpture or forme of certaine Character;
Or whether that Effigies be baptis'd,
Or else by Incantation exorcis'd,
Or consecrate, (or rather execrate)
Obseruing punctu'ally to imitate
Bookes of that nature; all we hold to bee
Errors in Faith and true Astrologie.

My Verse no longer shall your patience tyre;
The Prose may yeeld what further you desire.

Amor Dei est in Donatione, Missione.
Amor Dei est in Condonatione, Remissione.

Explicit Metrum Tract. septimi.