 | Evthymiae Raptvs |  |
The Teares of Peace.
Peace.Thou wretched man, whome I discouer, borne
To want, and sorrowe, and the Vulgars scorne:
Emptie of pleasures? empty of all Graces,
Fashions, and Riches; by the best pursude
With broken Sleepe, Toyle, Loue, Zeale, Seruitude;
With feare and trembling, with whole liues, and Soules?
While thou break'st sleepes, digst vnder Earth, like moules,
To liue, to seeke me out, whome all men fly:
And think'st to finde, light in obscuritie,
Eternitie, in this deepe vale of death:
Look'st euer vpwards, and liu'st still beneath;
Fill'st all thy actions, with strife, what to thinke,
Thy Braine with Ayre, and skatterstit in inke:
Of which thou mak'st weeds for thy soule to weare,
As out of fashion, as the bodies are.
Interlo.
I grant their strangenesse, and their too ill grace,
And too much wretchednesse, to beare the face
Or any likenesse of my soule in them:
Whose Instruments, I rue with many a Streame
Of secret Teares for their extream defects,
In vttering her true forms: but their respects
Need not be less'ned, for their being strange,
Or not so vulgar, as the rest that range
With headlong Raptures, through the multitude:
Of whom they get grace, for their being rude.
Nought is so shund by Virtue, throwne from Truth,
As that which drawes the vulgar Dames, and Youth.
Pea.
Truth must confesse it: for where liues there one,
That Truth or Vertue, for themselues alone,
Or seekes, or not contemns? All, all pursue
Wealth, Glory, Greatnesse, Pleasure, Fashions new.
Who studies, studies these: who studies not
And sees that studie, layes the vulgar Plot;
That all the Learning he gets liuing by,
Men but for forme, or humour dignifie
(As himselfe studies, but for forme, and showe,
And neuer makes his speciall end, to knowe)
And that an idle, ayrie man of Newes,
In all things vile, makes Booke-wormes, creepe to him:
How scorns he bookes, and booke-worms! O how dim
Burnes a true Soules light, in his Bastard eyes!
And, as a Forrest ouer-grow'n breedes Flyes,
Todes, Adders, Sauadges, that all men shunne;
When, on the South-side, in a fresh May Sunne,
In varied Heards, the Beasts lie out, and sleepe,
The busie Gnatts, in swarms a buzzing keepe,
And guild their empty bodies (lift aloft)
In beames, that though they see all, difference nought:
So, in mens meerly outward, and false Peace,
Insteade of polisht men, and true encrease,
She brings forth men, with vices ouer-growne:
Women, so light, and like, fewe knowe their owne:
For milde and humane tongues, tongues forkt that sting:
And all these (while they may) take Sunne, and spring,
To help them sleep, and florish: on whose beames,
And branches, vp they clime, in such extreams
Of proude confusion, from iust Lawes so farre,
That in their Peace, the long Robe sweeps like warre;
Int.
That Robe serues great men: why are great so rude,
Since great, and meane, are all but multitude?
Pea.
For regular Learning, that should difference set
Twixt all mens worths, and make the meane, or great,
As that is meane or great (or chiefe stroke strike)
Serues the Plebeian and the Lord alike.
Their obiects, showe their learnings are all one;
Their liues, their obiects; Learning lov'd by none.
Int.
You meane, for most part: nor would it displease
That most part, if they heard; since they professe,
Contempt of learning: Nor esteeme it fit,
Noblesse should study, see, or count'nance it.
Pea.
Can men in blood be Noble, not in soule?
Reason abhorres it; since what doth controule
The rudenesse of the blood, and makes it Noble
(Or hath chiefe meanes, high birth-right to redouble,
Not suffering humanes to runne proude, or wilde)
Is Soule, and learning; (or in loue, or act)
In blood where both faile then, lyes Nobless wrackt,
Interlo.
It cannot be denyde: but could you proue,
As well, that th' act of learning, or the loue,
(Loue being the act in will) should difference set,
Twixt all mens worths, and make the meane or great,
As learning is, or great, or meane in them;
Then cleare, her Right, stood to mans Diadem,
Pea.
To proue that Learning (the soules actuall frame;
Without which, tis a blanke; a smoke-hid flame)
Should sit great Arbitresse, of all things donne,
And in your soules, (like Gnomons in the Sunne)
Giue Rules to all the circles of your liues.
I proue it, by the Regiment God giues
To man, of all things; to the soule, of man;
To Learning, of the Soule. If then it can
Rule, liue; of all things best, is it not best?
O who, what god makes greatest, dares make least?
But, to vse their tearms; Life is Roote and Crest
To all mans Cote of Nobless; his soule is,
Field to that Cote; and learning differences
All his degrees in honour, being the Cote.
Simi.
And as a Statuarie, hauing got
An Alablaster, bigge enough to cut
A humane image in: till he hath put
His tooles, and art to it; hew'n, formd, left none
Of the redundant matter in the Stone;
It beares the image of man, no more,
Then of a Woolf, a Cammell, or a Boare:
So when the Soule is to the body giuen;
It is not his true Image, till it take
Into the Substance, those fit forms that make
His perfect Image; which are then imprest
By Learning and impulsion; that inuest
Man with Gods forme in liuing Holinesse,
By cutting from his Body the excesse
Of Humors, perturbations and Affects;
Which Nature (without Art) no more eiects,
Then without tooles, a naked Artizan
Can, in rude stone, cut th' Image of a man.
Int.
How then do Ignorants? who, oft, we trie,
Rule perturbations, liue more humanely
Then men held learnd?
Pea.
Who are not learn'd indeed;
More then a house fram'd loose, (that still doth neede
The haling vp, and ioyning) is a house:
Nor can you call, men meere Religious,
(That haue good-wills, to knowledge) Ignorant;
For, virtuous knowledge hath two waies to plant;
By Powre infus'd, and Acquisition;
The first of which, those good men, graft vpon;
For good life is th' effect, of learnings Act;
Which th' action of the minde, did first compact
By infusde loue to Learning gainst all ill,
Conquests first step, is to all good, the will.
Int.
If Learning then, in loue or act must be,
Meane to good life, and true humanitie;
Where are our Scarre-crowes now, or men of ragges,
Of Titles meerely, Places, Fortunes, Bragges,
That want and scorne both? Those inuerted men?
Those dungeons; whose soules no more containe
Those Cloudes, driuen still, twixt Gods beame and their brests?
Those Giants, throwing gouldē hils gainst heauē?
To no one spice of true humanitie given?
Peace.
Of men, there are three sorts, that most foes be
To Learning and her loue; themselues and me:
Actiue, Passiue, and Intellectiue men:
Whose selfe-loues; Learning, and her loue disdaine.
Your Actiue men, consume their whole lifes fire,
In thirst of State-height, higher still and higher,
(Like seeled Pigeons) mounting, to make sport,
To lower lookers on; in seeing how short
They come of that they seeke, and with what trouble;
Lamely, and farre from Nature, they redouble
Their paines in flying, more then humbler witts,
To reach death, more direct. For Death that sits,
Vpon the fist of Fate, past highest Ayre,
(Since she commands all liues, within that Sphere)
The higher men aduance; the neerer findes
Her seeled Quarries; when, in bitterest windes,
Lightnings, and thunders, and in sharpest hayles
Fate casts her off at States; when lower Sayles
Slide calmely to their ends. Your Passiue men
(So call'd of onely passing time in vaine)
Passe it, in no good exercise; but are
In meates, and cuppes laborious; and take care
To lose without all care their Soule-spent Time;
And since they haue no meanes, nor Spirits to clime,
Like Fowles of Prey, in any high affaire;
See how like Kites they bangle in the Ayre,
To stoope at scraps, and garbidge; in respect,
Of that which men of true peace should select;
With idlely iterating oft one thing,
A new-fought Combat, an affaire at Sea;
A Marriage, or a Progresse, or a Plea.
No Newes, but fits them, as if made for them,
Though it be forg'd, but of a womans dreame;
And stuffe with, such stolne ends, their manlesse breasts,
(Sticks, rags, and mud) they seem meer Puttocks nests:
Curious in all mens actions, but their owne;
All men, and all things censure, though know none.
Your Intellectiue men, they study hard
Not to get knowledge, but for meere rewarde.
And therefore that true knowledge that should be
Their studies end, and is in Nature free,
Will not be made their Broker; hauing powre
(With her sole selfe) to bring both Bride, and dowre.
They haue some shadowes of her (as of me,
Adulterate outward Peace) but neuer see
Her true, and heauenly face. Yet those shades serue
(Like errant Knights, that by enchantments swerue,
From their true Ladyes being; and embrace
An ougly Witch, with her phantastique face)
To make them thinke, Truths substance in their arms:
Which that they haue not, but her shadowes charmes,
See if my proofes, be like their Arguments
That leaue Opinion still, her free dissents.
They haue not me with them; that all men knowe
The highest fruite that doth of knowledge grow;
The Bound of all true formes, and onely Act;
If they be true, they rest; nor can be rackt
Out of their posture, by Times vtmost strength;
But last the more of force, the more of length;
Which Time with all his adiuncts shall controule.
But since, men wilfull may beleeue perchance
(In part of Errors two-folde Ignorance,
Ill disposition) their skills looke as hie
And rest in that diuine Securitie;
See if their liues make proofe of such a Peace,
For Learnings Truth makes all lifes vain war cease;
It making peace with God, and ioines to God;
Whose information driues her Period
Through all the Bodies passiue Instruments;
And by reflection giues them Soule-contents,
Besides, from perfect Learning you can neuer
Wisedome (with her faire Reigne of Passions) seuer;
For Wisdome is nought else, then Learning fin'd,
And with the vnderstanding Powre combin'd;
That is, a habite of both habits standing;
The Bloods vaine humours, euer countermaunding.
But, if these showe, more humour then th' vnlearn'd;
If in them more vaine passion be discern'd;
More mad Ambition; more lust; more deceipt;
More showe of golde, then gold; then drosse, less weight;
If Flattery, Auarice haue their soules so giuen,
Headlong, and with such diuelish furies driuen;
That fooles may laugh at their imprudencie,
And Villanes blush at their dishonestie;
Where is true Learning, proov'd to separate these
And seate all forms in her Soules height, in peace?
Raging Euripus, that (in all their Pride)
Driues Shippes gainst roughest windes, with his fierce Tide,
And ebbes and flowes, seuen times in euerie daie;
Toyles not on Earth with more irregulare swaye,
And shine; like gould-worms, whom you hardly finde,
By their owne, light; not seene; but heard like winde.
But this is Learning; To haue skill to throwe
Reignes on your bodies powres, that nothing knowe;
And fill the soules powers, so with act, and art,
That she can curbe the bodies angrie part;
All preturbations; all affects that stray
From their one obiect; which is to obay
Her Soueraigne Empire; as her selfe should force
Their functions onely, to serue her discourse;
And, that; to beat the streight path of one ende
Which is, to make her substance still contend,
To be Gods Image; in informing it,
With knowledge; holy thoughts, and all formes fit
For that eternitie, ye seeke in way
Of his sole imitation; and to sway,
Your lifes loue so, that hee may still be Center
To all your pleasures; and you, (here) may enter
The next lifes peace; in gouerning so well
Your sensuall parts, that you, as free may dwell
Of vulgare Raptures, here; as when calme death
Dissolues that learned Empire, with your Breath.
To teach, and liue thus, is the onely vse,
And end of Learning. Skill that doth produce
But tearmes, and tongues, and Parrating of Arte,
Without that powre to rule the errant part;
Is that which some call, learned ignorance;
A serious trifle; error in a trance.
And let a Scholler, all earths volumes carrie,
He will be but a walking dictionarie:
A meere articulate Clocke, that doth but speake
Or any fault is in him; hee can mend
No more then clockes; but at set howres must spend
His mouth, as clocks do; If too fast, speech goe
Hee cannot stay it; nor haste if too slowe.
So that, as Trauaylers, seeke their peace through storms,
In passing many Seas, for many forms,
Of forreigne gouernment; indure the paine
Of many faces seeing; and the gaine
That Strangers make, of their strange-louing humors;
Learn tongues; keep note books; all to feed the tumors
Of vaine discourse at home; or serue the course
Of State employment, neuer hauing force
T'employ themselues; but idle complements
Must pay their paines, costs, slaueries, all their Rents;
And, though they many men knowe, get few friends:
So couetous Readers; setting many endes
To their much skill to talke; studiers of Phrase;
Shifters in Art; to flutter in the Blaze
Of ignorant count'nance; to obtaine degrees
And lye in Learnings bottome, like the Lees,
To be accounted deepe, by shallow men;
And carue all Language, in one glorious Pen;
May haue much fame for learning: but th' effect
Proper to perfect Learning; to direct
Reason in such an Art, as that it can
Turne blood to soule, and make both, one calme man;
So making peace with God; doth differ farre
From Clearkes that goe with God & man to warre.
Int.
But may this Peace, and mans true Empire then,
By learning be obtainde? and taught to men?
Pea.
Let all men iudge; who is it can denie,
Is still your birth-right? and was ne're let downe
From heauen, for rule of Beasts liues, but your owne?
You learne the depth of Arts; and (curious) dare
By them (in Natures counterfaits) compare
Almost with God; to make perpetually
Motion like heauens; to hang sad Riuers by
The ayre, in ayre; and earth, twixt earth and heauen
By his owne paise. And are these vertues giuen
To powrefull Art, and Vertue's selfe denied?
This proues the other, vaine, and falsified.
Wealth, Honour, and the Rule of Realmes doth fall
In lesse then Reasons compasse; yet, what all
Those things are giuen for (which is liuing well)
Wants discipline, and reason to compell.
O foolish men! how many waies ye vex
Your liues with pleasing them? and still perplex
Your liberties, with licence? euery way
Casting your eyes, and faculties astray
From their sole obiect? If some few bring forth
(In Nature, freely) something of some worth;
Much rude and worthlesse humour runs betwixt;
(Like fruit in deserts) with vile matter mixt.
Nor (since they flatter flesh so) they are bould
(As a most noble spectacle) to behould
Their owne liues; and (like sacred light) to beare
There Reason inward: for the Soule (in feare
Of euerie sort of vice, shee there containes)
Flies out; and wanders about other mens;
Feeding, and fatting, her infirmities.
And as in auntient Citties, t'was the guise
To haue some Ports of sad, and haplesse vent,
All filth; all off all, cast from what purg'd sinne;
Nought, chaste, or sacred, there going out, or in:
So, through mens refuse eares, will nothing pearse
Thats good, or elegant; but the sword; the herse;
And all that doth abhorre, from mans pure vse,
Is each mans onely Siren; only Muse.
And thus, for one God; one fit good; they prise
These idle, foolish, vile varieties.
Int.
Wretched estate of men, by fortune blest;
That being euer idle, neuer rest;
That haue goods, ere they earne them; and for that,
Want art to vse them. To bee wonderd at
Is Iustice; for Proportion, Ornament;
None of the Graces, is so excellent.
Vile things, adorne her: me thought, once I sawe
How, by the Seas shore, she sat giuing lawe
Euen to the streames, and fish (most loose, and wilde)
And was (to my thoughts) wondrous sweet and milde;
Yet fire flew from her that dissolued Rocks;
Her lookes, to Pearle turnd pebble; and her locks,
The rough, and sandy bankes, to burnisht gould;
Her white left hand, did goulden bridles holde;
And, with her right, she wealthy gifts did giue;
Which with their left hands, men did still receiue;
Vpon a world in her chaste lappe, did lye,
A little Iuory Book, that show'd mine eye,
But one Page onely; that one verse containde,
Where all Arts, were contracted, and explainde;
All policies of Princes, all their forces;
Rules for their feares, cares, dangers, pleasures, purses,
All the fayre progresse of their happinesse here,
All which I thought on, when I had exprest
Why great men, of the great states they possest,
Enioyd so little; and I now must note
The large straine of a verse, I long since wrote.
Which (me thought) much ioy, to men poore presented;
God hath made none (that all might be) contented.
Peace.
It might (for the capacitie it beares)
Be that concealed and expressiue verse,
That Iustice, in her Iuorie Manuell writ;
Since all Lines to mans Peace, are drawne in it.
For great men; though such ample stuffe they haue
To shape contentment; yet, since (like a waue)
It flittes, and takes all formes, retayning none;
(Not fitted to their patterne, which is one)
They may content themselues; God hath not giuen,
To men meere earthly, the true Ioyes of heauen;
And so their wilde ambitions either stay;
Or turne their headstrong course, the better way.
For poore men; their cares may be richly easde;
Since rich (with all they haue) liue as displeasde.
Int.
You teach me to be plaine. But whats the cause,
That great, and rich, whose stares winne such applause;
With such enforc't, and vile varieties,
Spend time; nor giue their liues glad sacrifice;
But when they eate, and drinke, with tales, iests, sounds;
As if (like frantique men, that feele no wounds)
They would expire in laughters? and so erre
From their right way; that like a Trauayler,
(Weariest when neerest to his iourneys ende)
Time best spent euer, with most paine they spend?
Pea.
The cause, is want of Learning; which (being right)
It makes men knowe, that they (of all things borne
Beneath the siluer Moone, and goulden Morne)
Being onely formes of God; should onely fix
One forme of life to those formes; and not mix
With Beasts in formes of their liues. It doth teach,
To giue the soule her Empire; and so reach
To rule of all the bodies mutinous Realme;
In which (once seated, She then takes the Helme,
And gouernes freely; stering to one Port.
Then, (like a man in health) the whole consort
Of his tun'd body, sings; which otherwise,
Is like one full of weiward maladies,
Still out of tune; and (like to Spirits raisde
Without a Circle) neuer is appaisde.
And then, they haue no strength, but weakens them;
No greatnes, but doth crush them into streame;
No libertie, but turnes into their snare;
Their learnings then, do light them but to erre;
Their ornaments, are burthens; their delights,
Are mercinarie, seruile Parasites,
Betraying, laughing; Feends, that raisde in feares,
At parting, shake their Roofes about their eares;
Th' imprison'd thirst, the fortunes of the Free;
The Free, of Rich; Rich, of Nobilitie;
Nobilitie, of Kings; and Kings, Gods thrones;
Euen to their lightning flames; and thunder-stones.
O liberall Learning, that well vsde, giues vse
To all things good; how bad is thy abuse!
When, onely thy diuine reflection can
(That lights but to thy loue) make good a man;
How can the regular Body of thy light,
That (like beheaded Hydra's in that Fen
Of bloud, and flesh, in lewd illiterate men)
Aunswere their amputations, with supplyes
That twist their heads, and euer double rise;
Herculean Learning conquers; And O see
How many, and of what fowle formes they be?
Vnquiet, wicked thoughts; vnnumbred passions;
Poorenesse of Counsailes; howrely fluctuations;
(In entercourse) of woes, and false delights;
Impotent wils to goodnesse; Appetites
That neuer will bee bridl'd; satisfied;
Nor knowe how, or with what to be supplyed;
Feares, and distractions, mixt with greedinesse;
Stupidities of those things ye possesse;
Furies for what ye lose; wrongs done for nonce;
For present, past, and future things, at once
Cares vast, and endlesse; miseries, swolne with pride;
Vertues despisde, and vices glorified.
All these, true Learning calmes, and can subdue:
But who turnes learning this way? All pursue
Warre with each other, that exasperates these;
For things without; whose ends are inward peace;
And yet those inward Rebels they maintaine.
And as your curious sort of Passiue men,
Thrust their heads through the Roofs of Rich & Poore;
Through all their liues, and fortunes, and explore
Forraigne, and home-affayres; their Princes Courts,
Their Counsaile, and Bedchambers for reports;
And (like free-booters) wander out, to win
Matter to feede their mutinous Route within;
(Which are the greedier still) and ouershoote
So Learned men, in controuersies spend
(Of tongues, and tearmes, readings, and labours pend)
Their whole liues studies; Glorie, Riches, Place,
In full crie, with the vulgare giuing Chace;
And neuer, with their learnings true vse striue
To bridle strifes within them; and to liue
Like men of Peace, whome Art of Peace begat:
But, as their deedes, are most adulterate,
And showe them false Sons, to their Peacefull Mother,
In those warres; so their Arts, are prov'd no other.
And let the best of them, a search impose
Vpon his Art: for all the things shee knowes
(All being referd, to all, to her vnknowne)
They will obtaine the same proportion
That doth a little brooke that neuer ran
Through Summers Sunne; compar'd with th' Ocean.
But, could he Oracles speake; and wright to charme
A wilde of Sauadges; take Natures Arme,
And plucke into his search, the Circuit
Of Earth, and Heauen; the Seas space, and the spirit
Of euerie Starre: the Powers of Herbs, and Stones;
Yet touch not, at his perturbations;
Nor giue them Rule, and temper, to obay
Imperiall Reason; in whose Soueraigne sway,
Learning is wholly vs'd, and dignified;
To what end serues he? is his learning tryed
That comforting, and that creating Fire
That fashions men? or that which doth inspire
Citties with ciuile conflagrations,
Countries, and kingdomes? That Art that attones
All opposition to good life, is all;
Interlo.
Alas they are discourag'd in their courses,
And (like surpris'd Forts) beaten from their forces.
Bodies, on Rights of Soules did neuer growe
With ruder Rage, then barbarous Torrents flowe
Ouer their sacred Pastures; bringing in
Weedes, and all rapine; Temples now begin
To suffer second deluge; Sinne-drownde Beasts,
Making their Altars crack; and the filde Nests
Of vulturous Fowles, filling their holy places;
For wonted Ornaments, and Religious graces.
Pea.
The chiefe cause is, since they themselues betraie;
Take their Foes baites, for some particular swaie
T'inuert their vniuersall; and this still,
Is cause of all ills else; their liuing ill.
Int.
Alas! that men should striue for others swaie;
But first to rule themselues: And that being waie
To all mens Bliss; why is it trod by none?
And why are rules so dully lookt vpon
That teach that liuely Rule?
Pea.
O horrid thing!
Tis Custome powres into your common spring
Such poyson of Example, in things vaine;
That Reason nor Religion can constraine
Mens sights of serious things; and th' onely cause
That neither humane nor celestiall lawes
Drawe man more compasse; is his owne slacke bent
T'intend no more his proper Regiment.
Where; if your Actiue men (or men of action)
Their Policie, Auarice, Ambition, Faction,
Would turne to making strong, their rule of Passion,
To search, and settle them, in Approbation
By Reason, in despight of Policie)
And in one true course, couch their whole Affaires
To one true blisse, worth all the spawne of theirs;
If halfe the idle speech, men Passiue spend,
At sensuall meetings, when they recommend
Their sanguine Soules, in laughters, to their Peace,
Were spent in Counsailes how they might decrease
That frantique humour of ridiculous blood
(Which addes, they vainely thinke, to their liues flood)
And so conuerted, in true humane mirth,
To speech, what they shall be (dissolv'd from Earth)
In bridling it in flesh; with all the scope
Of their owne knowledge here; and future hope:
If (last of all) your Intellectiue men
Would mixe the streames of euery iarring Penne.
In one calme Current; that like land flouds, now
Make all Zeales bounded Riuers ouer-flowe;
Firme Truth, with question, euery howre pursue;
And yet will have no question, all is true:
Search in that troubled Ocean, for a Ford
That by it selfe runnes; and must beare accord
In each mans self; by banishing falshood there,
Wrath, lust, pride, earthy thoughts; before elsewhere.
(For, as in one man, is the world inclosde,
So to forme one, it should be all disposde:)
If all these would concurre to this one end,
It would aske all their powres; and all would spend
Life with that reall sweetnesse, which they dreame
Comes in with obiects that are meere extreame:
And make them outward pleasures still apply
Which neuer can come in, but by that key;
Thirsting, exploring, praysing, and admiring;
Like lewd adultererers, that their owne wiues scorne,
And other mens, with all their wealth, adorne.
Why, in all outraying, varyed ioyes, and courses,
That in these errant times, tire all mens forces,
Is this so common wonder of our dayes?
That in poore foretimes, such a fewe could raise
So many wealthy Temples, and these none?
All were deuout then; all deuotions one;
And to one end conuerted; and when men
Giue vp themselues to God; all theirs goes then:
A few well-giuen, are worth a world of ill;
And worlds of Powre, not worth one poore good-will.
And what's the cause, that (being but one Truth) spreds
About the world so manie thousand heads,
Of false Opinions, all self-lov'd as true?
Onely affection, to things more then due:
One Error kist, begetteth infinite.
How can men finde truth, in waies opposite?
And with what force, they must take opposite wayes
When all haue opposite obiects? Truth displaies
One colourd ensigne; and the world pursues
Ten thousand colours: see (to iudge, who vse
Truth in their Arts;) what light their liues doe giue:
For wherefore doe they study, but to liue?
See I Eternities streight milke-white waie,
And One, in this lifes crooked vanities straie;
And, shall I thinke he knowes Truth, following Error?
This; onely this; is the infallible myrror,
To showe, why Ignorants, with learn'd men vaunt,
And why your learn'd men, are so ignorant.
In euery knowledge; and why Age doth mould.
Then; As in Rules of true Philosophie
There must be euer due Analogie
Betwixt the Powre that knowes, and that is knowne,
So surely ioynde that they are euer one;
The vnderstanding part transcending still
To that it vnderstands, that, to his skill;
All, offering to the Soule, the Soule to God;
(By which do all things make their Period
In his high Powre; and make him, All in All;
So, to ascend, the high-heauen-reaching Skale
Of mans true Peace; and make his Art entire,
By calming all his Errors in desire;
(Which must preceede, that higher happinesse)
Proportion still, must trauerse her accesse
Betwixt his powre, and will; his Sense and Soule;
And euermore th' exorbitance controule
Of all forms, passing through the bodies Powre,
Till in the soule they rest, as in their Towre.
Int.
But; as Earths grosse and elementall fire,
Cannot maintaine it selfe; but doth require
Fresh matter still, to giue it heate, and light;
And, when it is enflam'd; mounts not vpright;
But struggles in his lame impure ascent;
Now this waie works, and then is that waie bent,
Not able, straight, t'aspire to his true Sphere
Where burns the fire, eternall, and sincere;
So, best soules here; with heartiest zeales enflam'd
In their high flight for heauen; earth-broos'd and lam'd)
Make many faint approches; and are faine,
VVith much vnworthy matter, to sustaine
And broken Pinions, flutter towards heauen.
Peace
The cause is, that you neuer will bestowe
Your best, t'enclose your liues, twixt God, and you;
To count the worlds Loue, Fame, Ioy, Honour, nothing;
But life, (with all your loue to it) betrothing
To his loue; his recomfort; his rewarde;
Since no good thought calls to him, but is heard.
Nor neede you, thinke this strange; since he is there,
Present: within you; euer, euery where
Where good thoughts are; for Good hath no estate
Without him; nor himself is, without That:
If then, this Commerce stand twixt you entire;
Trie, if he either, grant not each desire;
Or so conforme it, to his will, in staie;
That you shall finde him, there, in the delaie,
As well as th' instant grant; And so prooue, right
How easie, his deare yoke is; and how light
His equall burthen: whether this Commerce
Twixt God and man, be so hard, or peruerse
(In composition); as, the Raritie,
Or no-where-patterne of it, doth implie?
Or if, in worthy contemplation
It do not tempt, beyond comparison
Of all things worldly? Sensualitie,
Nothing so easie; all Earths Companie,
(Like Rubarb, or the drugges of Thessalie)
Compar'd, in taste with that sweet? O trie then
If, that contraction (by the God of men)
Of all the lawe, and Prophets, layd vpon
The tempting Lawyer; were a lode, that None
Had powre to stand beneath? If Gods deare loue,
Deare, aboue all things? And, so passe this shelfe;
To loue (withall) thy Neighbour as thy selfe?
Not, loue as much; but as thy selfe; in this,
To let it be as free, as thine owne is;
Without respect of profit, or reward,
Deceipt, or flatterie; politique regard,
Or anie thing, but naked Charitie.
Interlo.
I call, euen God, himselfe; to testifie
(For men, I know but fewe) that farre aboue
All to be here desir'd; I rate his loue.
Thanks to his still-kist-hand, that so hath fram'd
My poore, and abiect life; and so, inflam'd
My soule with his sweete, all-want-seasoning loue;
In studying to supply, though not remoue,
My desert fortunes, and vnworthinesse,
With some wisht grace from him; that might expresse
His presence with me; and so dignifie,
My life, to creepe on earth; behold the skie,
And giue it meanes enough, for this lowe plight;
Though, hitherto, with no one houres delight,
Heartie or worthie; but in him alone;
Who, like a carefull guide, hath hal'd me on;
And (euery minute, sinking) made we swimme,
To this calme Shore; hid, with his Sonne, in him:
And here, ay me! (as trembling, I looke back)
I fall againe, and, in my hauen, wracke;
Still being perswaded (by the shamelesse light)
That these are dreames, of my retired Night;
That, all my Reading; Writing; all my paines
Are serious trifles; and the idle vaines
Of an vnthriftie Angell, that deludes
My Birth-accurst life, from the blisse of men:
And then; my hands I wring; my bosome, then
Beate, and could breake ope; fill th' inraged Ayre;
And knock at heauen, with sighs; inuoke Despaire,
At once, to free the tyr'd Earth of my lode;
That these recoiles, (that, Reason doth explode;
Religion damns; and my arm'd Soule defies;
Wrastles with Angels; telling Heauen it lies,
If it denie the truth, his Spirit hath writ,
Grauen, in my soule, and there eternisde it)
Should beat me from that rest; and that is this;
That these prodigious Securities
That all men snore-in (drowning in vile liues
The Soules of men, because the bodie thriues)
Are Witch-crafts damnable; That all learnings are
Foolish, and false, that with those vile liues square;
That these sowre wizzards, that so grauely scorne
Learning with good life; kinde gainst kinde suborne;
And are no more wise, then their shades, are men;
Which (as my finger, can goe to my Penne)
I can demonstrate; that our knowledges,
(Which we must learne, if euer we professe
Knowledge of God; or haue one Notion true)
Are those, which first, and most we should pursue;
That, in their searches, all mens actiue liues,
Are so farre short of their contemplatiues;
As Bodies are of Soules; This life, of Next:
And, so much doth the Forme, and whole Context
Of matter, seruing one; exceede the other;
That Heauen, our Father is; as Earth our Mother.
And therefore; in resemblance to approue,
(As Heauen it selfe, doth only, virtually
Mix with the Earth; his Course still keeping hie,
And Substance, vndisparag'd; (though his Beames
Are dround in many dung-hils; and their Steames,
(To vs) obscure him; yet he euer shines:)
So though our soules beames, digge in bodies Mines,
To finde them rich discourses, through their Senses;
And meet with many myddins of offences,
Whose Vapours choke their Organes; yet should they
Disperse them by degrees; because their swaie
(In Powre) is absolute; And (in that Powre) shine
As firme as heauen; heauen, nothing so diuine.
All this, I holde; and since, that all truth else,
That all else knowe, or can holde; staies and dwelles
On these grounds vses; and should all contend
(Knowing our birth here, serues but for this end
To make true meanes, and waies, t'our second life)
To plie those studies; and holde euery strife
To other ends (more then to amplifie,
Adorne, and sweeten these) deseruedly)
As balls cast in our Race; and but grasse knitt
From both sides of our Path; t'ensnare our wit:
And thus, because, the gaudie vulgar light
Burns vp my good thoughts, form'd in temperate Night,
Rising to see, the good Moone oftentimes
(Like the poore virtues of these vicious times)
Labour as much to lose her light; as when
She fills her waning horns; And how (like men
Raisd to high Places) Exhalations fall
That would be thought Starres; Ile retire from all
The hot glades of Ambition; Companie,
And coole to death, in shaddowes of this vale:
To which end, I will cast this Serpents skale;
This loade of life, in life; this fleshie stone;
This bond, and bundle of corruption;
This breathing Sepulcher; this spundge of griefe;
This smiling Enemie; this household-thiefe;
This glasse of ayre; broken with lesse then breath;
This Slaue, bound face to face, to death, till death;
And consecrate my life, to you, and yours:
In which obiection; if that Powre of Powers
That hath reliev'd me thus farre; with a hand
Direct, and most immediate; still will stand
Betwixt me, and the Rapines of the Earth;
And giue my poore paines, but such gratious birth,
As may sustaine me, in my desert Age,
With some powre, to my will; I still will wage
Warre with that false Peace, that exileth you;
And (in my prayd for freedome) euer vow,
Teares in these shades, for your teares; till mine eyes
Poure out my soule in better sacrifise.
Peace.
Nor doubt (good friend) but God, to whom I see
Your friendlesse life conuerted; still will be
A rich supply for friends; And still be you
Sure Conuertite to him. This, this way rowe
All to their Countrie. Thinke how hee hath shew'd
You wayes, and by wayes; what to bee pursew'd,
And what auoyded. Still, in his hands be,
If you desire to liue, or safe, or free.
No longer dayes take; Nature doth exact
This resolution of thee, and this fact:
The Foe hayles on thy head; and in thy Face
The walles, in which thou art besieged, shake.
Haue done; Resist no more: but if you take
Firme notice of our speech, and, what you see;
And will adde paines to write all; let it be
Divulged too. Perhappes, of all, some one
May finde some good: But might it touch vpon
Your gratious Princes liking; hee might doe
Good to himselfe, and all his kingdomes too:
So virtuous, a great Example is;
And that, hath thankt, as small a thing as this;
Here being stuffe, and forme, for all true Peace;
And so, of all mens perfect Happinesse.
To which, if hee shall lend his Princely eare,
And giue commandement (from your selfe) to heare
My state; tell him you know me; and that I,
That am the Crowne of Principalitie,
(Though thus cast off by Princes) euer vow
Attendance at his foote; till I may growe
Vp to his bosome; which (being deaw'd in time
With these my Teares) may to my comforts clyme:
Which (when all Pleasures, into Palseys turne,
And Sunne-like Pomp; in his own clowds shal mourne)
Will be acceptiue. Meane space I will pray,
That hee may turne, some toward thought this way;
While the round whirlewindes, of the earths delights
Dust betwixt him and me; and blinde the sights
Of all men rauisht with them; whose encrease
(You well may tell him) fashions not true Peace.
The Peace that they informe; learns but to squat,
While the slye legall foe (that leuels at
Warre, through those false lights) soudainly runs by
Couching your eares; and flatting euerie lymme
So close to earth, that you would seeme to him
The Earth it selfe: yet hee knowes who you are;
And, in that vantage, poures on, ready warre.
| Evthymiae Raptvs | |