Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life Being several Feigned Stories, Comical, Tragical, Tragi-comical, Poetical, Romancical, Philosophical, Historical, and Moral: Some in Verse, some in Prose; some Mixt, and some by Dialogues. Written by the Thrice Noble, Illustrious, and most Excellent Princess, The Duchess of Newcastle [i.e. Margaret Cavendish]. The Second Edition |
 |
|
 |
|
A Description of Natural Affection.
|
 | Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life |  |
A Description of Natural Affection.
There were two Potent Princes, whose great Fames
For Actions in the Warrs got mighty Names.
It chanc'd these Potent Princes both did greet,
And were resolv'd in open Warrs to meet,
Their Courages to try, their Strengths and Pow'r,
Their prudent Conducts, or their fatal Hour.
In short, these Armies meet, a Battel fight,
VVhere one Side beaten was by Fortune's spight.
The Battel won, that Army routed, ran,
And for to save his Life, strove every Man,
And their Artillery they left behind,
Each for himself a shelter hop'd to find.
VVhen from pursuit the Victors did come back,
The Soldiers for to plunder were not slack:
And every Tent they search'd, and sought about
To see if they some Treasure could find out.
To th' Prince's Tent did some Commanders go,
VVhere they did find an Object of much wo.
That Prince being dead, upon the ground was laid,
And by him sate a fair and sweet young Maid:
Her Beauty was so splendrous, and so bright,
Through Clouds of Grief, it shone like Heavens light.
VVhich the Commanders saw, then straight did go
To let their General of this Beauty know.
VVho when he came, amazed was in mind,
Such Beauty for to see, and Grief to find.
For this fair Princess by her Father set,
Her Eyes being fixt, her Tears his Cheeks did wet;
She leaning o're his Head, her Eyes down bend,
From whence her Tears upon his Face descend.
Upon his Mouth such deep-fetch'd sighs did breathe,
As if therein her Soul she would bequeathe;
For which this General did her admire,
Her Tears quench'd not, but kindle did Love's Fire.
With that he did command the Soldiers there,
The Dead to take, the Body up to bear.
For Actions in the Warrs got mighty Names.
It chanc'd these Potent Princes both did greet,
And were resolv'd in open Warrs to meet,
Their Courages to try, their Strengths and Pow'r,
Their prudent Conducts, or their fatal Hour.
In short, these Armies meet, a Battel fight,
VVhere one Side beaten was by Fortune's spight.
The Battel won, that Army routed, ran,
And for to save his Life, strove every Man,
And their Artillery they left behind,
Each for himself a shelter hop'd to find.
VVhen from pursuit the Victors did come back,
The Soldiers for to plunder were not slack:
And every Tent they search'd, and sought about
To see if they some Treasure could find out.
To th' Prince's Tent did some Commanders go,
VVhere they did find an Object of much wo.
That Prince being dead, upon the ground was laid,
And by him sate a fair and sweet young Maid:
Her Beauty was so splendrous, and so bright,
Through Clouds of Grief, it shone like Heavens light.
91
To let their General of this Beauty know.
VVho when he came, amazed was in mind,
Such Beauty for to see, and Grief to find.
For this fair Princess by her Father set,
Her Eyes being fixt, her Tears his Cheeks did wet;
She leaning o're his Head, her Eyes down bend,
From whence her Tears upon his Face descend.
Upon his Mouth such deep-fetch'd sighs did breathe,
As if therein her Soul she would bequeathe;
For which this General did her admire,
Her Tears quench'd not, but kindle did Love's Fire.
With that he did command the Soldiers there,
The Dead to take, the Body up to bear.
But then she spake: For pity have remorse,
Remove not from me my dead Father's Corpse:
For had not Fortune (which he never trust
With any business, but what needs he must)
Conspir'd with Death to work his overthrow,
His wisdom crossing her, she grew his Foe.
But all her Spight could never do him harm,
For he with Prudence still himself did arm:
But when that Death assisted her Design,
She struck him dead when Battels were to join;
His Soldiers forc'd to fight, when that their Mind
Was press'd with grief, which fast th' Spirits did bind;
It was his Death that made him lose the Day,
And made you Victors that now wear the Bay.
But look, said she, his Hands now strengthless lye,
In fight which made his Enemies to flye:
His Eyes, now shut by Death, in Life gave light
Unto his Soldiers, in the Warrs to fight.
His Tongue, that silenc'd is by Death's cold Hand,
In Life mov'd wisely, and could well command:
It Knowledg gave to those that little knew,
And did instruct what was the best to do.
His Heart lyes still, no Motion doth remain:
Ceas'd are the Thoughts in his well-temper'd Brain;
Where in his Heart all Virtues did abide,
And in his Brain strong Reason did reside:
But all is vanquish'd now, and Life doth seem
No better than a Shadow, or a Dream.
Remove not from me my dead Father's Corpse:
For had not Fortune (which he never trust
With any business, but what needs he must)
Conspir'd with Death to work his overthrow,
His wisdom crossing her, she grew his Foe.
But all her Spight could never do him harm,
For he with Prudence still himself did arm:
But when that Death assisted her Design,
She struck him dead when Battels were to join;
His Soldiers forc'd to fight, when that their Mind
Was press'd with grief, which fast th' Spirits did bind;
It was his Death that made him lose the Day,
And made you Victors that now wear the Bay.
92
In fight which made his Enemies to flye:
His Eyes, now shut by Death, in Life gave light
Unto his Soldiers, in the Warrs to fight.
His Tongue, that silenc'd is by Death's cold Hand,
In Life mov'd wisely, and could well command:
It Knowledg gave to those that little knew,
And did instruct what was the best to do.
His Heart lyes still, no Motion doth remain:
Ceas'd are the Thoughts in his well-temper'd Brain;
Where in his Heart all Virtues did abide,
And in his Brain strong Reason did reside:
But all is vanquish'd now, and Life doth seem
No better than a Shadow, or a Dream.
'Tis strange in Nature to observe and see
The unproportion'd Links in Destinie.
For Man's the wisest Creature Nature makes,
And best Extracts to form his Figure takes;
And yet so short a Life to him she gives,
He's almost dead before he knows he lives:
Yet she from Man receives the greatest praise,
He doth admire all her curious ways:
With wonder he her sev'ral VVorks doth see,
And studies all her Laws, and each Decree;
Doth travel sev'ral ways within his Mind,
His Thoughts are restless, her Effects to find.
But in his Travels Death cuts him off short,
And leads him into dark Oblivion's Court.
Thus Nature is unjust, Heaven unkind,
Which strikes the Best, the Worst do favour find.
My Father's Merits might have challeng'd still
A longer Life, had it been Heavens will.
But he is dead, and I am left behind,
Which is a torture to my troubled Mind.
If Soldiers pity have, grant my desire,
Here strike me dead, and let my Breath expire.
The unproportion'd Links in Destinie.
For Man's the wisest Creature Nature makes,
And best Extracts to form his Figure takes;
And yet so short a Life to him she gives,
He's almost dead before he knows he lives:
Yet she from Man receives the greatest praise,
He doth admire all her curious ways:
With wonder he her sev'ral VVorks doth see,
And studies all her Laws, and each Decree;
Doth travel sev'ral ways within his Mind,
His Thoughts are restless, her Effects to find.
But in his Travels Death cuts him off short,
And leads him into dark Oblivion's Court.
93
Which strikes the Best, the Worst do favour find.
My Father's Merits might have challeng'd still
A longer Life, had it been Heavens will.
But he is dead, and I am left behind,
Which is a torture to my troubled Mind.
If Soldiers pity have, grant my desire,
Here strike me dead, and let my Breath expire.
Said the Victorious Prince:
Heaven forbid! all horrid Acts we shun;For in the Field the purest Honour's won:
We stake our Lives for Lives, and justly play
A Game of Honour on a Fighting-Day.
Perchance some Cheats may be among the Rout,
But if they're found, the Noblest throw them out.
But since you cannot alter Destiny,
Nor none that live, but have some Misery;
Raise up your Spirits, unto Heaven submit,
And do not here in Grief and Sorrow sit.
Your Father was a Soldier of great Fame,
His Valiant Deeds did get an Honoured Name:
And for his sake judg us, which Soldiers be,
To have Human'ty, and Civility.
Your Father he shall safely be convey'd,
That he may be by his Ancestors laid.
But you must stay, yet not as Prisoner;
You shall Command and Rule our Peace and War.
94
She answered not in words, her Tears did plead,
That she with her dead Father might be freed:
But her clear Advocates could not obtain
Their humble Suit, but there she must remain
With the Victorious Prince; but he deny'd,
As Victor, in a Triumph for to ride:
For though the Battel I have won, he said,
Yet I am Prisoner to this Beauteous Maid.
She is the Conqueress, therefore 'tis fit
I walk as Prisoner, she Triumphant sit.
That she with her dead Father might be freed:
But her clear Advocates could not obtain
Their humble Suit, but there she must remain
With the Victorious Prince; but he deny'd,
As Victor, in a Triumph for to ride:
For though the Battel I have won, he said,
Yet I am Prisoner to this Beauteous Maid.
She is the Conqueress, therefore 'tis fit
I walk as Prisoner, she Triumphant sit.
Then all with great Respects to her did bow;
So doth the Prince, and plead, protest, and vow,
To be her Servant, and to yeeld his Life
To Death's sad strokes, unless she'ld be his Wife.
But she still weeps, his Suit no favour gains;
Of Fates and Destiny she still complains.
So doth the Prince, and plead, protest, and vow,
To be her Servant, and to yeeld his Life
To Death's sad strokes, unless she'ld be his Wife.
But she still weeps, his Suit no favour gains;
Of Fates and Destiny she still complains.
Why, said the Prince, should you my Suit deny,
Since I was not your Father's Enemy?
Soldiers are Friends, though they each blood do spill,
'Tis not for Spight, nor any Malice ill;
But Honour to maintain, and Power to get,
And that they may in Fame's House higher set:
For those of greatest Pow'r, to Gods draw near;
For nought but Pow'r makes Men like Gods appear.
But had I kill'd your Father in the Field,
Unto my Suit in Justice you might yeeld.
But I was not the Cause your Father dy'd,
For Victory doth still with him abide:
And though that Death stid strike him to the heart,
Yet his great Name and Fame will never part.
Men will suppose the Loss is loss of Life,
And had he liv'd, there would be greater strife
Between our Armies; but if you'l be mine,
Our Kingdoms in a Friendly Peace shall join.
Since I was not your Father's Enemy?
Soldiers are Friends, though they each blood do spill,
'Tis not for Spight, nor any Malice ill;
But Honour to maintain, and Power to get,
And that they may in Fame's House higher set:
For those of greatest Pow'r, to Gods draw near;
For nought but Pow'r makes Men like Gods appear.
But had I kill'd your Father in the Field,
Unto my Suit in Justice you might yeeld.
But I was not the Cause your Father dy'd,
For Victory doth still with him abide:
95
Yet his great Name and Fame will never part.
Men will suppose the Loss is loss of Life,
And had he liv'd, there would be greater strife
Between our Armies; but if you'l be mine,
Our Kingdoms in a Friendly Peace shall join.
Then she began to listen, and give ear;
She of her Countrey in distress took care:
And in short time they were both Man and Wife;
Long did they live, and had a happy Life.
She of her Countrey in distress took care:
And in short time they were both Man and Wife;
Long did they live, and had a happy Life.
| Natures Picture Drawn by Fancies Pencil To the Life | |