Canidia, or the Witches :: :: University of Virginia Library

Agrippa, Merlin, Faustus, Asses
And Dunces to us Stygian Lasses.
The Oracle was but a Fool,
That breath'd from Delphos Threefoot-Stool,
Apollo, one of his high Rank,
A Fidler, Quack, a Mountebank.
'Tis we can Conjuring-circles make,
Such as shall cause the World to quake.

We creep into the Center-Hole,
Thence to the North and Southern-Pole;
We clamber Pyramids, and stride
Colossusses, and Atlas ride:
Strombalo and Mongibel,
The Representatives of Hell;
They vomit Brimstone, Flames and Smoak,
Which never us as yet could choak.

Lords, Princes, Emperours and Kings,
Poor inconsiderable Things;
For Wealth, and Mirth, and Pow'r, none dare
With our Society compare:
The Indies both with all their gain,
Make but one pitiful Beggar Spain,
Poor Egypt, Chalde, Rome and Greece,
'Tis we that have the Golden-Fleece.

The Philosophic-Stone we claim,
'Tis Ours to all the Chymists shame;
We taught Copernicus, who found
The Sun stands still the Earth turns round:
Archytas Dove by Us was sped,
And Friar Bacons Brazen-Head;
Old Mother Shipton was our Dam,
With all the Spawn of Amsterdam.

The Raving Priest, the Vestal Nun,
Augurs, Magi, are all outdone;
Sybils and Medea's Whores,
Not worthy to keep our Doors:
Each Colchos or Thessalian Fuss,
Pedlars that truckle under us;
You may hear them make their Brags,
But w' are the Virtuoso Hags.

Gibbets, Gallowses and Wheels,
Halters, Fetters, Whips and Steels;
Axes, Bolts, Saws and poys'ned Darts,
Racks, Hooks and Pincers are our Arts:
We cram a Brood of Vulturs, Cravens,
Owls, Bats, Scrietch-Owls and Night-Ravens;
Cerberus, that ugly Dog,
Shall watch all these with Chain and Clog.

Satyrs and Mermaids are our Broods,
Hobgoblins, Fairies, Robinhoods:
All these do make a Jolly Crew,
And so we give the Devil his due;
Because he helps us at this rate,
To be reveng'd on all we hate;
And if Revenge will ever please,
Mortals shall never take their ease:

Incubus and Succubus
Are Secrets only known to us;
Changlings, Idiots and Fools,
Are bred and practic'd in our Schools:
Th' Entoxicating Cup of Love,
And the Abortive Drink, we prove;
The Night-Mares and the Foolish-Fire,
Which silly Mortals so admire.

We treat Mad-Bedlams, Toms and Besses,
With Ceremonies and Caresses;
The roaring Crew of Ranting Ghosts
Flock in vast Troops unto our Coasts:
We entertain them as our Friends,
Nor shall they want their hopeful ends;
For upon Pluto's stately Bench
Are Lords for every dainty Wench.

Medusa's, Gorgon's Snaky Tresses,
Use to be our finer Dresses;
We look like Owls, and Bears, and Cats,
We creep about like Mice and Rats:
Jackanapes and Monky-Faces
Become us, as our chiefest Graces;
And in our Antick Dances spring
In Masques, fit Pastime for a King.

Pegasus is our Hackny-Jade,
Centaurs are Hobbies for our Trade,
As far as Cham or Great Mogul,
Ridden by every Petty Trull.
In Gypsies Companies we go,
Tell Fortunes, and steal Children too;
For every Fiend or Empuse sake,
What is't we dare not undertake?

Pedlars Sluts and Tinkers Trulls,
Hectors, Bully-rocks and Gulls;
Whores, Bawds and Pimps, and all the Tribe
Of Cheats and Cutpurses, we bribe;
We trade with Usurers and Misers,
Sophisters and poor Sub-Sizers;
Brokers, Bankrupts for a Shift;
We help them still at a Dead-lift:
And was there e're so brave a Gang,
In all this World, more fit to hang?