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

Three Yong-men of Darius Court contend
What thing should strongest be? One doth commend
Wine to haue chiefe dominion. The other sayes
The King hath prime place. And the third doth praise

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The pow'r of Women to make others thrall;
But (aboue these) that Truth transcendeth all.
The King's inthron'd, his Peeres about him stated,
To heare this strife betwixt them three debated.

The first begins; O men who can define
Vnto the full, the pow'r and strength of Wine?
For needs must that be said to tyrannise,
Which tames the Strong, and doth deceiue the Wise.
The minde it alters, and 'tis that alone
That makes the Scepter and the Sheep-hooke one:
For you in Wine no difference can see
Betwixt the Poore and Rich, the Bond and Free.
It glads the heart, and makes the thoughts forget
Trouble and sorrow, seruitude and debt.
It doth inrich the minde in ev'ry thing,
That it remembers Gouernor nor King;
And causeth those who are in state most weake,
(Not thinking of their wants) of Talents speake.
It puts a daring in the cowards brest,
To loue those Armes he did before detest;
To draw his sword in fury, and to strike,
Opposing his best friends and foes alike:
But from the Wine, and when the tempest's o're,
He soone forgets all that had past before.
Then ô you men (for I'le not hold you long)
Thinke Wine, that can do these things, is most strong.

He ceast; the next began, (and thus) O men,
Are not you strongest, first by land, and then
By sea? Are not all things in them contain'd,
Yours, as at first vnto your vse ordain'd?
But yet the King is greater, he rules all,
And is the Lord of these in generall:
Such as negotiate by sea or land,
Are but meere Vassals, and at his command.
If he shall bid them war, with least facilitie
They take vp armes, and run into hostilitie.
And if he send them against forrein Powers,
They breake downe Citadels, demolish Towers:
Mountaines they with the vallies shall make ev'n,
Or in the dales raise structures to braue heav'n;
They kill, or they are slaine, in ev'ry thing
They do not passe the precept of the King:
And if they ouercome, by right or wrong,
The spoile and honour doth to him belong.

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Nay, those which do not to the battell go,
But stay at home to plow, to till, to sow,
The fruits of all their labours and increase
They bring vnto the King, to keepe their peace;
Yet he is but one man. If he bid kill,
There is no sauing, (then much bloud they spill:)
But if the word passe from him, they shall spare;
To shed least bloud who's he so bold that dare?
If he bid smite, they smite: or if he frowne,
And bid demolish, all things are torne downe.
If he say Build, they build; or if destroy,
All goes to hauocke: and yet he in ioy
Meane time sits downe, doth eat, doth drinke, doth sleep,
And all the rest a watch about him keepe;
Neither can any tend his owne affaires,
But the Kings only, ev'ry man prepares
To do him seruice, (reason too) for they
Dare not but his great potencie obey.
Then aboue others is not he most strong?
This hauing said, the second held his tongue.

The third reply'd, O men, neither confine
Strength to the potent Monarch, nor to Wine,
Nor to the Multitude: 'gainst their opinion,
Hath not the Woman ouer these dominion?
Woman into the World the King hath brought,
And all such people as haue Empire sought
By land or sea, from them had Being first,
Bred from their wombes, and on their soft knees nurst.
Those that did plant the Vine, and presse the juice,
Before that they could taste it to their vse,
Had from them their conception; they spin, they weaue
Garments for men, and they from them receiue
Worship and honour: needfull th' are, no doubt,
As being such men cannot liue without.
If he hath gath'red siluer, or got gold,
Or found out ought that's pretious to behold;
Doth he not bring it to his choice Delight,
Her that is faire and pretious in his sight?
Leaues he not all his bus'nesse and affaire,
To gaze vpon her eyes, play with her haire?
Is he not wholly hers? doth he not bring
Gold to her, siluer, and each pretious thing?
Man leaues his Father, Mother, Countrey, all,
(What he esteemes most deare) to become thrall,

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In voluntary bondage with his Wife,
To leade a priuat and contented life:
Which life for her he hasardeth, and her
'Fore Father, Mother, Countrey, doth prefer.
Therefore by these you may perceiue and know,
Woman, to whom Man doth such seruice owe,
Beares rule o're you: Do you not trauell, sweat,
And toile, that of your labors they may eat?

Man takes his sword, (regardlesse of his weale)
And (Madman-like) goes forth to rob and steale;
He sailes the seas, sounds Riuers, (nothing feares)
He meets a Lion, and his way he steares
Through darknesse, and what purchase, spoile, or boot
Is got, he prostrats at his mistresse foot.
This shewes, his Woman is to him more deare
Than he that got, or she that did him beare.
Some haue run mad; some, Slaues to them haue bin;
Others haue err'd, and perisht in their sin.

Do I not grant, the King in pow'r is great,
And that all Nations homage to his seat?
Yet I haue seene Apame her armes twine
About his necke, the Kings lov'd Concubine,
And daughter to the famous Bartacus;
I haue beheld her oft times vse him thus,
From the Kings head to snatch the Royall Crowne,
And smiling on him, place it on her owne;
Then with her left hand on the cheeke him smite:
Yet he hath gap'd and laught, and tooke delight
To see himselfe so vs'd. If she but smil'd,
(As if all pow'r from him were quite exil'd)
He laught on her. If angry, he was faine
To flatter her, till she was pleas'd againe.
'Tis you, ô men, whom I appeale vnto;
Are they not strongest then, who this can do?

At this the King and Princes in amase,
Began each one on others face to gase.
When he proceeded thus; Say, ô you men,
Resolue me, Are not Women strongest then?

The Earth is spatious, and the Heav'n is hye,
And the Sun swiftly in his course doth flye;
For in one day the Globe he wheeleth round,
And the next morning in his place is found.
Him that made these things must we not then call
Great? and Truth therefore great'st and strong'st of all?

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All the Earth calls for Truth; Heav'n doth proclaime
Her blessed; all things tremble at her name.
For Truth no vniust thing at all can doo:
The Wine is wicked, so the King is too,
Women are wicked, all the sonnes of men
Most wicked are, and such must needs be then
Their wicked works, there is no Truth therein,
And wanting Truth, they perish in their sin.
But Truth shall abide strong, and still perseuer,
For it shall liue and reigne euer and euer.
With her, of persons there is no respect,
She doth to this way nor to that reflect:
She knowes no diffrence; what is just she loues,
But what's impure and sinfull she reproues.
And all men fauor her good works, because
Her judgements are vpright, and iust her lawes.
Shee's the Strength, Kingdome, Power, Dignitie,
And of all Ages Sov'raigne Majestie:
Blest be the GOD of Truth. At this he stay'd.
Then all the people cry'd aloud and sayd,
(With publique suffrage) Truth is great'st and strongest,
Which (as it was at first) shall endure longest.

This is that Truth in quest of which we trade,
And which, without invoking Diuine aid,
Is neuer to be found. Now lest we erre
Concerning Sp'rits, 'tis fit that we conferre
With sacred Story. Thus then we may read,
(Where of the fall of Babell 'tis decreed)

Saith Esay, Thenceforth Zijm shall lodge there,
And O him in their desolate roofes appeare:
The Ostriches their houses shall possesse,
And Satyrs dance there: Ijim shall no lesse
Howle in their empty Pallaces, and cry,
And Dragons in their forlorne places fly.
Againe: The Zijm shall with Ijim meet,
And the wilde Satyr with his parted feet
Call to his fellow. There shall likewise rest
The Scritch-Owle, and in safety build her nest.
The Owle shall lodge there, lay and hatch her brood;
And there the Vultures, greedy after food,
All other desolate places shall forsake,
And each one there be gath'red to his Make.

568

Some moderne Writers speaking of this Text,
Because that they would leaue it vnperplext,
Say, That by these strange names be either meant
Mis-shapen Fowles, or else it hath extent
Further, to wicked Sp'rits, such as we call
Hob-goblins, Fairies, Satyrs, and those all
Sathan by strange illusions doth employ,
How Mankinde to insidiate and destroy.
Of which accursed ranke th' appeare to bee
Which succeed next in this our Historie.

Subterren Spirits they are therefore styl'd,
Because that bee'ng th' vpper earth exyl'd,
Their habitations and aboads they keepe
In Con-caues, Pits, Vaults, Dens, and Cauernes deepe;
And these Trithemius doth hold argument
To be of all the rest most pestilent:
And that such Dæmons commonly inuade
Those chiefely that in Mines and Mettals trade;
Either by sudden putting out their lamps,
Or else by raising suffocating damps,
Whose deadly vapors stifle lab'ring men:
And such were oft knowne in Trophonius den.
Likewise in Nicaragua, a rich Myne
In the West-Indies; for which it hath lyne
Long time forsaken. Great Olaus writes,
The parts Septentrionall are with these Sp'ryts
Much haunted, where are seen an infinit store
About the places where they dig for Oare.

The Greeks and Germans call them Cobali.
Others (because not full three hand-fulls hye)
Nick-name them Mountaine-Dwarfes; who often stand
Officious by the Treasure-deluers hand,
Seeming most busie, infinit paines to take,
And in the hard rocks deepe incision make,
To search the mettals veines, the ropes to fit,
Turne round the wheeles, and nothing pretermit
To helpe their labour; vp or downe to winde
The full or empty basket: when they finde
The least Oare scatter'd, then they skip and leape,
To gather 't thriftily into one heape.
Yet of that worke though they haue seeming care,
They in effect bring all things out of square,
They breake the ladders, and the cords vntwist,
Stealing the workmens tooles, and where they list

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Hide them, with mighty stones the pits mouth stop,
And (as below the earth they vnderprop)
The Timber to remoue they force and striue,
With full intent to bury them aliue;
Raise stinking fogs, and with pretence to further
The poore mens taske, aime at their wracke and murther.
Or if they faile in that, they further aime,
(By crossing them and bringing out of frame
Their so much studied labor) so extreme
Their malice is, to cause them to blaspheme,
Prophane and curse: the sequell then insuing,
The body sav'd, to bring the soule to ruin.

Of these, that to mans hurt themselues apply,
Munsterus writes in his Cosmography.
Such was the Dæmon Annebergius, who
Twelue lab'ring men at once did ouerthrow
In that rich siluer Mine, call'd to this day
By Writers, Corona Rosaica.
The like (where choicest mettals they refine)
Snebergius did in the Georgian Mine.
These are the cause the earth doth often cleaue,
And by forc'd crannies and deepe rifts receiue
Robustious windes, her empty cavernes filling:
Which being there imprison'd, and vnwilling
To be so goald, struggle, and wanting vent,
Earthquakes thereby are caus'd incontinent,
Such as remoue huge mountaines from their scite,
And Turrets, Tow'rs, and Townes demolish quite.

In Arragon (Alphonsus) bearing sway
In Brixim, Apulia, and Campania,
Happen'd the like. So great an earthquake chanc't
(When Bajazet was to the Throne advanc't)
In Constantines great City, that of men
Full thirty thousand in one moment then
Perisht, th' Imperiall pallace quite destroy'd.
In the same kinde Dyrrachium was annoy'd
Vnder Pope Fœlix; and great Rome together
Three dayes, so shooke, the people knew not whether
The latest day was come. Like terror strooke
The World, when most part of the East was shooke,
In Hadrians reigne. Like terror did encroch
Vpon the famous city Antioch,
When Valentinian and Valens bore
Ioint scepter; what was neuer knowne before

570

Then hapned: for by an earths mighty motion
The waters were diuided in the Ocean,
And those concealed channels appear'd bare,
Which till then neuer saw the Sunne nor Aire.
Ships riding then in Alexandria's Bay,
Are tost on tops of houses, and there stay;
With as much swiftnesse bandied from the seas,
As balls at Tennis playd, and with like ease.

Illyria, Pannonia, and Dalmatia,
Morauia, Bauaria, and Dacia,
Were with the earths like-horrid feuers shaken,
And many townes and cities quite forsaken.
But in Bauaria (as my Author sayes)
One of these Tremors lasted forty dayes,
When six and twenty tow'rs and castles fell,
Temples and Pallaces, supported well;
Two great vnited hills parted in twaine,
And made betweene them a large leuel'd plaine:
It, beasts and men in the mid fields or'ethrew.
But that which aboue all things seem'd most new,
Of bodies fifty, not inhumated,
Were to mans sight miraculously translated
To statues of white salt. Then dwelling neere,
Of this strange prodegie eye-witnesse were
Conrad of Medenberch, a Philosopher,
And the great Austria's Arch-Dukes Chancellor.

These Spirits likewise haue the pow'r to show
Treasures that haue been buried long below:
By Gods permission, all the veins conceald,
Of gold or siluer, are to them reueald.
Of Vnions, Stones, and Gems esteemed high,
These know the place and beds wherein they ly;
Nay ev'ry casket and rich cabinet
Of that vnrifled rocke wherein th' are set.
But to dispose these, some are of opinion
It lies not in their absolute dominion:
For God will not permit it, as fore-knowing
Such auaritious thoughts in mansheart growing,
His corrupt nature would to Mammon bow,
And his Creator leaue he car'd not how.

Others yeeld other reasons: Ev'ry selfe-
Spirit is so opinion'd of this pelfe,
(I meane those seruants of God Plutus) that
The least they will not part with, no not what

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They might with ease spare. Some thinke they persist
To keep 't to the behoofe of Antichrist,
Inprejudice and dammage of th' Elect.
Nay, to their owne sonnes whom they most affect,
Either their bounty is exceeding small,
Or else the substance meere phantasticall.

Stumpsius recites this story, which ('t m' appeare
By computation) hapned in the yeare
One thousand fiue hundred twenty: There's a place
Neere Basill, which hath entrance by a space
Narrow and strait, but is within capatious,
And (as fame goes) possest with Sp'rits vngratious.
The like is in our Peke-hills to be seene,
Where many men for nouel-sake haue beene.
Another that's call'd Ouky hole, neere Wells;
All vnder earth, and full of spatious cells,
Both wondrous caues. Nor can't be truly said,
Whether by Art or Nature they were made.

But to the first; A Botcher of that towne,
Rude of behauior, almost a meere clowne,
Yet bold and blunt, vncapable of dread,
Especially when wine was in his head;
Into that Caue this Groome presum'd to enter
Further than any man till then durst venter.
He lights a waxen taper, which before
Was consecrate, then enters at a dore
Of sollid iron, which difficulty past;
Then chamber after chamber, comes at last
To a fresh fragrant garden, ev'ry thing
Seeming as if there had been lasting Spring.
In midst of which a goodly Pallace stands,
The frame appeares not built by mortall hands,
So curious was the structure, no inuention
There, but exceeding humane apprehension.
When entring the great Hall, he may espye
Vpon a throne magnificent and hye,
A Virgin of surpassing beauty plac't,
(Incomparable vpward from the wast)
Her golden haires about her shoulders hung,
Smooth brow'd, cleare ey'd, her visage fresh and young:
But all below the girdle seem'd to twine
About the chaire, and was meere serpentine.
Before her stood an huge great brasen chest,
Crosse-barr'd and double lockt, it seemes possest

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Of mighty treasure, and at either end
A blacke fierce ban-Dog couched, to defend
That Magosin; for such as approch neere,
With their sharpe phangs they threat to rend and teare.
She checks their fury, makes them stoope and lye
Flat on their bellies: She doth next vntye
A strong and double-warded Key that hung
About her necke, (in a silke Ribbond strung.)
The Chest she first vnlocks, then heaues the lid,
And shewes th' Aduent'rer what was therein hid
Gold of all stamps, and siluer in great store,
(Midas it seemes of Bacchus askt no more)
A small piece of each Coine to him she giues,
Desiring him to keepe it whilest he liues;
(Her bounty stretcht but to an easie load)
All that he got he after shew'd abroad.
And when she gaue it, thus she him bespake;
A Princesse see, who for a step-dames sake
Am thus transform'd, my fortunes ouerthrowne,
And I despoyl'd both of my state and Crowne.
But were I by a yong man three times kist,
Who from his childe-hood euer did persist
In modesty, and neuer stept astray,
I by his meanes should be remov'd away;
And as his vertues guerdon, for a dower,
He should receiue this masse, now in my power.
Twice (as he said) he stroue her lips to touch;
But in th' attempt her gesture appear'd such,
Her face so alter'd, her aspect so grim,
Her chattring teeth so gnashing, as if him
She would haue instantly deuour'd; it seem'd,
'Twixt hope and feare to be as then redeem'd.
But yet so terrible his offer was,
That for the worlds wealth added to that masse,
He durst not on the like exploit be sent,
But turned thence by the same way he went.
Yet by this strange relation, after mov'd
(By some of his Allyes whom he best lov'd)
To second his attempt, he neuer more
Could finde the way backe to that charmed dore.

Not many yeares ensuing this, another
Of the same towne, a kinsman or a brother
Hoping thereby a desp'rat state to raise,
By his direction had made oft essayes,

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This strange inchanted Pallace to discouer,
And to that Queene to be a constant Louer.
At length he entred, but there nothing found
Saue bones and skulls, and Coarses vnder ground:
But was withall so far distract in sence,
He dy'd some three dayes after parting thence.

The like vaine hope did Apollonius blinde;
Who though he studied by his Art to finde
Hid gold, and wholly gaue his minde vnto 't,
His fare thereby not better'd by a root,
(For so mine Authors say) The great Magition
Agrippa minding to make inquisition
By Magicks helpe, and search for treasures hidden;
Not only by the Emp'ror was forbidden,
Carolus the fift; but histories report,
He for that notion banisht was the Court.
Andrew Theuerus tells vs, One Macrine
A Greeke, labor'd the earth to vndermine,
In Paros Isle, and in that hope resolv'd,
Him suddenly the earth quite circumvolv'd.

Of Cabades the mighty Persian King,
Two Authors, Glycas and Cedrenius, bring
This Historie to light: 'Twixt the confines
Of Persia and of India, there be Mines
In Mount Zudaderin, of stones and gems,
Some valu'd at no lesse than Diadems:
But how to compasse them was found no meane,
The passage being kept by Sp'rits vncleane.
Th' ambitious King, for such a masse of pelfe
Daring to tug with Lucifer himselfe,
Brings thither an huge army, sundry wayes
Assaults the mountaine: still the Diuels raise
Tempests of fire and thunder to their wracke,
And maugre opposition force them backe.
After retreat, the covetous King persists
In his attempt, and of the Cabalists
And Magi calls a Councell, and of them
Demands, By what vnheard of stratagem
This Treasure may be compast. They agree,
It by one onely meanes atchiev'd may bee;
Namely, That in his prouinces reside
A Sect of Christians, at that time denyde
Their liberty of conscience: now if they
Will to that God they serue deuoutly pray,

574

Their Orisons haue sole pow'r to withstand
The force and fury of that hellish Band.

By one of his great Princes the King
Vnto the Patriarch many kinde commends;
Of him desiring their spirituall aid,
Those damned Caca-dæmons to inuade.
The Bishop grants, proclaimes a gen'rall Fast,
All shrieue them of their sinnes; which done, at last,
Betwixt the Mountaine and the Campe they bend
Their humble knees, and in their pray'rs commend
The Sultans safety. This no sooner done,
But these infernall Fiends afrighted runne,
With horrid cries and yells the aire they fill,
And leaue to him the conquest of the hill.

Of Faustus and Agrippa it is told,
That in their trauels they bare seeming gold
Which would abide the touch; and by the way,
In all their Hostries they would freely pay.
But parted thence, myne Host thinking to finde
Those glorious Pieces they had left behinde,
Safe in his bag, sees nothing, saue together
Round scutes of horne, and pieces of old leather.
Of such I could cite many, but I'le hye
From them, to those we call Lucifugi.

These in obscurest Vaults themselues inuest,
And aboue all things, Light and Day detest.
In Iohn Milesius any man may reade
Of Diuels in Sarmatia honored,
Call'd Kottri, or Kibaldi; such as wee
Pugs and Hob-goblins call. Their dwellings bee
In corners of old houses least frequented,
Or beneath stacks of wood: and these conuented,
Make fearefull noise in Buttries and in Dairies;
Robin good-fellowes some, some call them Fairies.
In solitarie roomes These vprores keepe,
And beat at dores to wake men from their sleepe;
Seeming to force locks, be they ne're so strong,
And keeping Christmasse gambols all night long.
Pots, glasses, trenchers, dishes, pannes, and kettles
They will make dance about the shelues and settles,
As if about the Kitchen tost and cast,
Yet in the morning nothing found misplac't.
Others such houses to their vse haue fitted,
In which base murthers haue been once committed.

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Some haue their fearefull habitations taken
In desolat houses, ruin'd, and forsaken.

Examples faile not to make these more plaine;
The house wherein Caligula was slaine,
To enter which none euer durst aspire
After his death, till 'twas consum'd by fire.
The like in Athens; of which Pliny writes
In his Epistles. As Facetius cites,

In Halberstad (saith he) there is a Dwelling
Of great remarke, the neighbour roofes excelling
For architecture; in which made aboad
A mighty rich man, and a belly-god.
After whose death (his soule gon Heav'n knowes whither)
Not one night fail'd for many moneths together,
But all the roomes with lighted tapers shone
As if the darknesse had beene chac't and gone,
And Day there onely for his pleasure stay'd.
In the great chamber where before were made
His riotous feasts, (the casements standing wide)
Clearely through that transparance is espy'de
This Glutton, whom they by his habit knew,
At the boords end, feasting a frolicke crew
Of lusty stomacks that about him sate,
Serv'd in with many a costly delicate,
Course after Course, and ev'ry Charger full:
Neat Seruitors attended, not one dull,
But ready to shift trenchers, and fill wine
In guilded bowles; for all with plate doth shine:
And amongst them you could not spy a guest,
But seem'd some one he in his life did feast.
At this high rate they seem'd to spend the night,
But all were vanisht still before day light.

Of Bishop Datius a learn'd Clerke thus saith;
He for the true profession of his Faith,
Sent into exile, in his difficult way
Opprest with penurie, was forc'd to stay
In Corinth: nor there lodging could he haue
In any Inne or place conuenient, saue
A corner house, suppos'd to be inchanted,
And at that time with sundry Diuels haunted.
There taking vp his lodging, and alone,
He soundly slept till betwixt twelue and one:
When suddenly (he knew not by what cranny,
The dores bee'ng fast shut to him) came a many

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Of Diuels thronging, deckt in sundry shapes,
Like Badgers, Foxes, Hedge-hogs, Hares, and Apes.
Others more terrible, like Lions rore:
Some grunt like hogs, the like ne're heard before.
Like Bulls these bellow, those like Asses bray;
Some barke like ban-dogs, some like horses ney:
Some howle like Wolues, others like Furies yell,
Scarse that blacke Santus could be match'd in hell.
At which vp starts the noble Priest, and saith,
O you accursed Fiends, Vassals of wrath,
That first had in the East your habitation,
Till you by pride did forfeit your saluation:
With the blest Angels you had then your seat,
But by aspiring to be god-like great,
Behold your rashnesse punisht in your features,
Being transhap'd into base abject creatures.
This hauing spoke, the Spirits disappeard,
The house of them for euer after clear'd.

One thing, though out of course it may appeare,
Yet I thought fit to be inserted here:
The rather too the Reader I prepare,
Because it may seeme wonderfull and rare.
Receiue 't as you thinke good; or if you please
To beleeue Plutarch, then his words are these:
One call'd Enapius, a yong man well bred,
By the Physitions was giv'n out for dead,
And left to his last sheet. After some howers
He seem'd to recollect his vitall powers,
To liue againe, and speake: The reason why
Demanded of his strange recouerie?
His answer was, That he was dead 't was true,
And brought before th' infernall Bar. They view
Him o're and o're, then call to them who'haue charge
The spirit from the body to inlarge:
Whom Pluto with the other Stygian Pow'rs
Thus threat; Base Vassals can we thinke you ours,
Or worthy our imployment, to mistake
In such a serious errand? Do we make
You Officers and Lictors to arrest
Such as are call'd to their eternall rest;
And when we send for one whose dismall fate
Proclaimes him dead, you bring vs one whose date
Is not yet summ'd, but of a vertue stronger,
As limited by vs to liue much longer.

577

We sent, that with Nicander you should meet,
A Currier that dwells in such a street:
And how haue you mistooke? This Soule dismisse,
And fetch his hither to our darke Abisse.
With that (saith he) I waken'd. His friends sent
Vnto the Curriers house incontinent,
And found him at the very instant dead,
When he his former life recouered.
And though meere fabulous this seeme to be,
Yet is it no impossibilitie
Fiends should delude the Ethnicks, and on them
Confer this as a cunning stratagem,
To make them thinke that he dispos'd mans breath,
And had the sole pow'r ouer life and death.
At nothing more these auerse Spirits aime,
Than what is Gods, vnto themselues to claime.

Others there are, as if destin'd by lot,
To haue no pow'r but ouer goods ill got.

For instance; One long with the world at strife,
Who had profest a strict religious life,
And taken holy Orders, at his booke
Spending his spare houres; to a crafty Cooke
Was neere ally'de, and at his best vacation
Findes out a time to giue him visitation;
And greets him with a blessing. The fat Host
Is glad to see his Vncle; Sod and Rost
He sets before him, there is nothing (fit
To bid him welcome) wanting: downe they sit.
The good old man, after some small repast,
More apt to talke than eat, demands at last
Of his Lay Nephew, (since he toiles and striues
In this vaine world to prosper) how he thriues?
The Cooke first fetcheth a deepe sigh; then sayes,
O Vncle, I haue sought my state to raise
By ev'ry indirect and lawlesse meane,
Yet still my couetous aimes are frustrat cleane.
I buy stale meat, and at the cheapest rate;
Then if my Guests complaine I cog and prate,
Out-facing it for good. Sometimes I buy
Beeues (haue been told me) of the murrain dye.
What course haue I not tooke to compasse riches?
Ventur'd on some haue been found dead in ditches;
Bak'd dogs for Venison, put them in good paste,
And then with salt and pepper helpt their taste.

578

Meat rosted twice, and twice boyl'd, I oft sell,
Make pies of fly-blowne joints, and vent them well:
I froth my cannes, in ev'ry jug I cheat,
And nicke my Ghests in what they drinke or eat:
And yet with these and more sleights, all I can,
Doth not declare me for a thriuing man;
I pinch myne owne guts, and from others gleane,
And yet (though I shew fat) my stocke is leane.

The good old man, though at his tale offended,
No interruption vs'd till he had ended.
First hauing shooke his head, then crost his brest,
Cousin (said he) this lewd life I detest:
Let me aduise you therefore to repent;
For know, ill-gotten goods are lewdly spent.
Pray let me see your Buttry. Turne your face
(Saith the Cooke) that way, you may view the place,
That casement shewes it. Well done, (saith the Priest)
Now looke with me, and tell me what thou seest?
When presently appeares to them a Ghost,
Swolne-cheekt, gor-bellied, plumper than myne Host;
His legs with dropsie swell'd, gouty his thighes,
And able scarse to looke out with his eyes,
Feeding with greedinesse on ev'ry dish,
For nothing could escape him, flesh or fish:
Then with the empty jugges he seemes to quarrell,
And sets his mouth to th' bung hole of a barrell,
(Lesse compast than his belly) at one draught
He seemes to quaffe halfe off, then smil'd and laught,
When jogging it he found it somewhat shallow:
So parted thence as full as he could wallow.

Mine Host amas'd, desires him to vnfold
What Monster 't was made with his house so bold.
To whom his Vncle; Hast thou not heard tell
Of Buttry-Sp'rits, who in those places dwell
Where cous'nage is profest? Needs must you waine
In your estate, when such deuour your gaine.
“All such as study fraud, and practise euill,
“Do only starue themselues, to plumpe the Deuill.

The Cooke replies, What course (good Vncle) than
Had I best take, that am (you know) a man
Would prosper gladly, and my fortunes raise,
Which I haue toil'd and labour'd diuers waies?
He mildely answers, Be advis'd by mee,
Serue God, thy neighbour loue, vse charitie,

579

Frequent the Church, be oft deuout in pray'r,
Keepe a good conscience, cast away all care
Of this worlds pelfe, cheat none, be iust to all,
So shalt thou thriue although thy gaine be small;
For then no such bad Spirit shall haue pow'r
Thy goods directly gotten to deuour.
This said, he left him. Who now better taught,
Begins to loue what 's good, and hate what 's naught;
He onely now an honest course affects,
And all bad dealing in his trade corrects.
Some few yeares after, the good man againe
Forsakes his cloister, and with no small paine
Trauels to see his Kinsman, in whom now
He findes a change both in his shape and brow;
Hee's growne a Bourger, offices hath past,
And hopes (by changing copy) at the last
To proue chiefe Alderman, wealth vpon him flowes,
And day by day both gaine and credit growes.
Most grauely now he entertaines his Ghest,
And leads him in the former roome to feast.
Some conf'rence past betwixt them two at meat,
The Cooke spake much, the Church-man little eat;
But findes by many a thankfull protestation,
How he hath thriv'd since his last visitation.
The table drawne, the Ghests retyr'd aside,
He bids him once more ope the casement wide
That looks into the Larder: where he spies
The selfe-same Sp'rit with wan cheekes and sunke eies,
His aspect meagre, his lips thin and pale,
(As if his legs would at that instant faile)
Leaning vpon a staffe, quite clung his belly,
And all his flesh as it were turn'd to gelly.
Full platters round about the dresser stood,
Vpon the shelues too, and the meat all good;
At which he snatcht and catcht, but nought preuail'd,
Still as he reacht his arme forth, his strength fail'd;
And though his greedy appetite was much,
There was no dish that he had pow'r to touch.
He craules then to a barrell, one would thinke,
That wanting meat, he had a will to drinke:
The Vessels furnisht and full gag'd he saw,
But had not strength the spigot forth to draw;
He lifts at juggs and pots, and cannes, but they
Had been so well fill'd, that he vnneths may

580

Aduance them (though now empty) halfe so hy
As to his head, to gaine one snuffe thereby.
Thus he that on ill gotten goods presum'd,
Parts hunger-starv'd, and more than halfe consum'd.
In this discourse far be it we should meane,
Spirits by meat are fatted or made leane:
Yet certaine 'tis, by Gods permission they
May ouer goods extorted beare like sway.

'Twere not amisse if we some counsell had,
How to discerne good Spirits from the bad,
Who since they can assume the shape of light,
In their discov'ry needfull is foresight.
In one respect th' agree; for both can take
Bodies on them, and when they please forsake
Their shapes and figures: but if we compare
By circumstance, their change, they diffrent are;
As in their true proportion, operation,
Language, and purpose of their transmutation.
Good Angels, though vndoubtedly they can
Put on all formes, still take the shape of Man.
But the bad Dæmons, not with that content,
When they on their curst embassies are sent,
In figures more contemptible appeare,
One like a Wolfe, another like a Beare:
Others resembling Dogs, Apes, Monkies, Cats,
And sometimes Birds, as Crowes, Pies, Owles, and Bats.
But neuer hath it yet been read or told,
That euer cursed Sp'rit should be so bold
To shew his damned head (amongst them all)
In th' innocent Lambes, or Doues that haue no gall.
Some giue this reason; God would not permit,
Since by the Lambe his deare Sonne thought it fit
Himselfe to shadow, and the Holy-Ghost
(As in that Bird whom he delighted most)
T'assume her figure in his apparition,
That Fiends should in these shapes shew any vision.

Whoso will sift their actions, he shall finde
(By their successe, if well or ill inclin'd)
The one from other; for the blessed still
Square all their actions to th' Almighties will,
And to mans profit: neither more nor lesse,
The limit that's prescrib'd them they transgresse.
The Cacadæmons labour all they can
Against Gods honour and the good of man:

581

Therefore the end of all their apparitions
Are meere idolatrous lies and superstitions:
They to our frailties all grosse sinnes impute,
That may the body staine, or soule pollute;
And when they aime against vs their chiefe batteries,
They bait their deadly hookes in candy'd flatteries,
In golden bowles they poys'nous dregs present,
Make shew to cure, but kill incontinent;
And therefore it behooues man to haue care,
Whom thousand wayes they labour to ensnare.

Take Saint Iohns counsell; Be not you (saith hee)
Deceiv'd by your too much credulitie:
Beleeue not ev'ry Spirit, but first try
Whether he doth proceed from God on hy.
Examine ev'ry good thing they pretend,
Whether they likewise doo't to a good end.
To diuers maladies they can giue ease,
Comfort and helpe, vprores sometimes appease,
Predict mischances, teach men to eschew
Mischiefes which they prepar'd as well as knew.
In all their speech Gods name they neuer vse,
Vnlesse it to dishhonour and abuse.
Another speciall signe they cannot scape,
Namely, That when they put on humane shape,
To giue man iust occasion to misdoubt them,
Some strange prodigious marke they beare about them
In one deficient member. These be notes
To finde them out, either the feet of Goats,
Foreheads of Satyrs, nailes deform'd and crooked,
Eyes broad and flaming, noses long and hooked,
Hands growne with haire, and nosthrils broad and wide,
Teeth gagg'd, and larger than their lips can hide.

The Crosses signe (saith Athanasius) they
Cannot endure, it puts them to dismay.
Lactantius tells vs, When vpon a season
An Emp'ror of his Idoll askt the reason
Of some doubt that perplext him, a long space
He answer'd not: the cause was, that in place
A Christian then was present at that time
Who had new blest him with the Crosses signe.

Good Angels when to man they first appeare,
Although they strike him with amase and feare,
Their em assies bee'ng done, before they part,
They leaue him with great joy and cheare of heart.

582

As he at whose dread presence Daniel shooke;
As th' Angell Gabriel, whom the Holy-Booke
Makes mention of, who when he came to bring
To the blest Maid a message from heav'ns King,
Frightfull at first appear'd his salutation,
But th' end thereof was full of consolation.
But the bad Spirits bringing seeming ioy,
The end thereof's disaster and annoy.
From circumstance might many more arise,
But these for this place at this time suffice.

Be it held no digression to looke backe
From whence I came, inquiring if I lacke
No fit accoutrement that may be found
Behoofull for the journey I am bound.
Something I had forgot in my great speed:
Of Musicke then, e're further I proceed;
I must deriue it from the first of dayes.
The Spheres chime Musicke to their Makers praise.
In the worlds first Creation it begunne,

From the word Fiat spoke, and it was done,
Was sound and sweetnesse, voice, and symphonie,
Concord, Consent, and heav'nly harmonie.
The three great Orders of the Hierarchie,
Seruants vnto th' eternall Majestie,
In their degrees of Ternions hourely sing
Loud Haleluiahs to th' Almighty King.
The Seraphins, the Cherubins, and Thrones,
Potestates, Vertues, Dominations,
The Principats, Arch-Angels, Angels, all
Resound his praise in accents musicall:
So doe the Heav'ns and Planets, much below them.
Touching the first, those that seeme best to know them,
Thus of their quicke velocitie relate:
As the supreme and highest, agitate
Their wheeles with swiftest motion, so conclude,
The lowest finish their vicissitude:
That is, their naturall courses much more soone.
As first, in nine and twenty dayes the Moone,
The Sun and Venus in one twelue-month theirs,
And Saturne his in thirty compleat yeares;
But many thousands must be fully done,
Before the starry heav'ns their course haue runne.

Such and so great is mans innate ambition,
Into all knowledge to make inquisition,

583

The depth of Natures hidden wayes to sound,
Mysteries to search, and diue in arts profound.
As if we looke into the first of Time,
When as the World was in it's youth and prime,
Ev'n to this latest Age, those much commended
For deepe conceptions, greatly haue contended
(Almost aboue capacitie indeed)
Laboriously, each other to exceed.

But as the Fable of Ixion proud
Saith, he in Iuno's stead embrac'd a Cloud:
So for the most part those of wits refin'd,
Building vpon their amplitude of mind,
And by their owne vaine apprehensions sway'd,
In their maine course erroneously haue stray'd;
Either in all mistaking, or some part,
Error for Truth, and Ignorance for Art.
The reason is, That in things vndecided,
By selfe-conceit bee'ng obstinatly guided,
And not acquiring out the perfect ground,
What's finite they with infinite confound;
What's humane, with diuine; what's wrong, with right,
As out of darknesse striuing to draw light.
Hence comes so many Sects and Schooles t'arise
Amongst the Sophists, thinking themselues wise;
As Pyrhagorians, Epicures, Platonicks,
Pythonicks, Scepticks, and Academicks,
Eleaticks, Perepateticks, Stoicks too,
With others more: And all these as they doo
Differ in names, so in opinions, and
Vpon diuersitie of judgements stand.

For instance; First, as touching the foundation
Of things that since the Chaos had creation,
And cause efficient; some hold Earth, some Fire,
Some Water, others Aire: some Sects conspire
Vpon the full foure Elements to impose it.
One names the Heav'ns; another saith (he knowes it)
The Stars were workers; Atoms this man names;
Another, Number; and the former blames;
Some, Musicall consent drawne from the Spheres;
Some Full, some Empty: by all which appeares,
Those things are only quarrel'd with, not prov'd;
For nothing's constant, sollid, or immov'd,
In all their doctrines each with other jar,
And are indeed still in seditious war.

584

And therefore God reproues Iob for aspiring,
And to his hidden wayes too deepe inquiring:
Thus saying, Who is he that doth obscure
Knowledge with words imperfect and impure?
Gird vp thy loines, thee like a man prepare,
I will demand, and thou to me declare;
Where wast thou when I layd the earths foundation?
If thou hast knowledge, giue me true narration?
Who measur'd it? now (if thou canst) divine:
Or ouer it what's he hath stretcht the line?
Vpon what are the solid Bases made?
Or who the corner stone thereof first layd?
When all the Morning Starres (as but one-voic't)
Prais'd me together: when all Saints reioyc't.
Who shut the Sea with dores vp, when the same
As from the wombe it selfe issu'd and came?
When for it I the Clouds a cov'ring found,
And as in swathing bands, in darkenesse bound;
And said, Thou hitherto shalt haue free way,
No further, thou shalt here thy proud waues stay.
And after this, the secrets doth pursue
Of Snow, Haile, Tempests, with the Light and Dew,
Raine, Ice, Death, Darknesse; and so further runnes
To th' Pleiades, Arcturus and his sonnes.

Saith Paul, In this world none himselfe deceiue,
To thinke hee's wise; but such vaine phansies leaue,
And let him be a foole, so to be wise.
For this worlds wisedome is a meere disguise
Of foolishnesse with God. Scriptures thus treat,
The Wise he catcheth in his owne conceit.

In Esays Prophesie the words thus sound;
The wisedome of the Wise I will confound,
The prudence of the Prudent reprehend.
Where is the wise man? Where's the Scribe now, or
He of this world the great Inquisitor?
Hath not God made all the worlds Wisedome Folly?
Who then dares thinke himselfe or wise or holy.

What was it that to Socrates first gaue
Wisedomes great attribute and honour, saue
That he confest, In all he did pursue,
He only knew this, That he nothing knew.

What saith the Preacher? When I did apply
My heart to search out Wisedome curiously,

585

And to behold on earth the secrets deepe,
That day nor night the eyes of man take sleepe;
Gods entire worke before myne eyes I brought,
That Man could not finde out the worke he sought
Beneath the Sun: for which mans busie minde
Labors to search, but it can neuer finde.
And though the Wise man thinke it to conceiue,
He cannot doo't without th' Almighties leaue.

When as the Academicks, of the rest
Of all the Ethnycke Sophists were held best;
Yet in their then supreme authoritie
None durst contest and say, So this shall be.

The Pyrhonicks, of no lesse approbation,
Would not of any thing make attestation;
But made a doubt in all, and held for true,
Whoeuer humane Science shall pursue,
No other base he hath whereon to sit,
Sauing the fraile opinion of mans wit:
No certaine principle at all th' haue lent,
Grounded on firme and sollid argument;
Which Principles no sooner are deny'de,
But all their doctrine 's ruin'd in it's pride.
Therefore these Academicks did inact
A Maxim, (held amongst themselues exact)
Let none dispute, or into termes arise
With any that the Principles denies.

Obserue but the Philosophers inuentions,
And amongst them the Fencer-like contentions,
Concerning the Creator of vs all,
The Angels, and the Worlds originall.
Some impiously and foolishly deny,
That there 's to gouerne vs a Deity.
Others that say there is a God, there are,
But he of humane actions takes no care.
And some remaine in doubt, and will not know
(At least confesse) there is a God or no.

Who in his best conceptions doth not storme
At their Idæa's, Atoms, Matter, Forme,
Full, Empty, Infinite, first Essence, Beeing,
With thousands more, and all these disagreeing.
Touching the Soule hath been more strange opinions,
Than now beneath the great Turke are dominions.
One, That man hath no Soule at all, will proue,
And that the Body of it selfe doth moue.

586

Some grant a Soule, but curiously desire
To haue th' essence thereof deriv'd from Fire;
Of Water, some; others, of Aire compound it;
And some as brain-sicke as the rest, would bound it
In Earthly humor: other Sectists dare
Affirme the substance to be Fire and Aire.
One, Heat, or an hot constitution: he
Saith (in 's great wisedome) it of force must be
Of the foure Elements the pure complexion:
Others will haue it Light, or Lights reflexion.
One calls it restlesse Motion; he, a Number
Mouing it selfe, &c. Thus one another cumber,
Warring with contradictions infinite.

As vainly too of the Soules seat they write;
To the braines ventricle some one confines it:
Come to anothers censure, he assignes it
Vnto the Epicranion: 'Mongst the rest,
Epicurus makes her mansion in the brest:
In the Hearts arteries some say it dwells;
Another, in the Heart, and no where els.
Empedocles would haue it vnderstood,
The sole place she resides in, is the Bloud.
In the whole Body others seeke to place it,
And with no seeming arguments out-face it.

Like diffrence hath amongst them been to know
Whether the Soule immortall be or no.
Democritus and Epicurus they
Beleev'd the Soule was mortall. Others (say,
And it seemes better warranted) incline
To make the world beleeue it is Diuine.
The Stoicks held opinion, with the breath,
All bad Soules are extinguisht ev'n in death:
But that the better are exalted hye
To place sublime, and neuer more to dye.
Some so ambiguous in their censures were,
Nothing saue doubt in all their Works appeare.

Then to conclude, Studies that haue foundation
Like these, vpon mans meere imagination,
Than the Chamælions are more variable,
Lighter than winde, than the sea more vnstable,
Than th' Elements th' are at more deadly hate,
And than the Labyrinth more intricate;
Than th' Moon more changing, Darknesse more obscure,
Than Women more inconstant and vnsure.

587

He then that in his best thoughts doth desire,
After the Truth ingeniously t'inquire,
And to the perfect path to be conducted,
May it please that man to be thus instructed;
Seeke not from Man, but God that can dispose,
Who all things, not from him that nothing, knowes.
Of Truth the Scriptures plenally report,
Of which our weake and dull conceit comes short.
Note what our Sauior saith, (to end all strife)
I am the Way, I am the Truth and Life.
Againe he saith, Into the world I came
To declare truth, and testifie the same.

No wonder then if ev'n the Wisest dote,
Who from the Scriptures were so far remote;
And that the more they labour'd Truth to finde,
The more they were made stupid, dull, and blinde.
By muddy streames it is an easie thing
To know a troubled and vnhealthfull Spring:
By bright and Chrystall rivelets we are sure
By consequence the fountaines head is pure.
And in this water so refin'd and cleare,
Our blessed Sauior makes himselfe appeare,
When he thus saith (as Iohn doth plainly tell)
To the Samaritan at Iacobs Well,
Who so shall of the Water drinke that I
Will giue him, shall no more thirst till he dye:
The water that I giue, in him shall be
A Well of water euerlastingly,
Springing to life eternall. Now if any
Of the great Doctors differ, (as th' are many)
Retire we to the Scriptures (the true test)
To know of their opinions which sounds best.
Nor let their works further authoris'd bee,
Than punctually they with the Text agree:
Neither let any (of his knowledge proud)
Dare further search than is by them allow'd.
From the wise men heav'ns secrets are conceal'd,
And vnto Infants and to Babes reveal'd:
Therefore let Arrogance no man delude,
Whilest humbly with Saint Austin I conclude;

Whoso shall reade this Worke, where he shall finde
Truth certaine, let him ioyne with me in minde:
Where he shall doubt with me, I next desire,
That he with me will labour to enquire.

588

If he haue err'd in iudgement, and finde here
To be resolv'd, from hence his error cleare.
If he my error finde, (with some respect
Of my good meaning) let him mine correct.

Explicit Metrum Tractatus Noni.

Eatenus rationandum est, donec veritas invenitur. Cum inventa est Veritas, ibi figendum est Juditium; & in victoria Veritatis soli Veritatis inimici pereant.

S. Chrisost.