University of Virginia Library

Magnis, peccata minus.

Yee nimble Satyrs, that with howling straine,
Belch out the poysoned' Canker yee containe
Of Earths pollution, and the worlds offence,
Maskt and obscur'd with secret vile pretence;
You that delight to torture men aliue,
And through the channels of destruction diue;
Avaunt, dispatch, and looke yee not protract,
To bring to light, each hainous horrid act.
What? Stand yee fearfull of mens outward features?
Or dread ye shadowes but of painted Creatures
Whose seeming outsides onely made for showe
Assume the substance which themselues not know;
Or is't because you scorne to dignifie
The leawde ambition of prowd bastardie;
Where can yee finde within Earths continent,
Men of that rare refined Element
Who fearing to be damnd or checkt for blame,
Are more lesse subiect vnto sinne then shame;
But so delight in lewdness to excell,
As they prooue Diuells before they come to Hell;
Drunck with the dregges of sinnne insatiate,
Appearing Monsters most adulterate.
Carelesse of Blisse, of Conscience, or of Soule,
Till glut of guiltines their deedes controule:
And they with Vleers so infected are,
As euery limme is blemisht with a skarre
Of shamelesse, leawde, and loath'd iniquitie,
Sprung from the loynes of lust and infamie.
Nurst with the milke of that infectious euill,
Which thus hath made them Chiildren for the Diuell.
And now swolln bigge with blushlesse Impudence,
Presume their greatnes may with Ioue dispence.
prescribing to themselues those rules of reasons,
As must accord with their owne times and seasons.
What's hee that's drunck, or sursets (hauing wealth)
But will alledge t'is Physicke for his health.
That Uenus sports and Carnall appetite
Are for euacuation requisite.
That murder rape and incest (threatning ruth)
Are all but held as idle toyes of Youth.
Mischiefes that pleasures bring who would preuent,
Ther's tyme (say they) hereafter to repent.
Or that their best of deedes are done too late,
If to be damnd it be predestinate.
Some Woolues in Sheep-Skinnes wrapt gainst such men barke,
And care not what themselues doe in the darke.
Yet chiefly are ordaind to rule the rout,
Because their Office herein beares them out.
Who knowes not Greatnes may dispence with Lawes,
Thers no resistance in a rich mans cause.
For those bewitching Obiects, Golde and pleasure,
Are Plutoes Agents that augments his treasure.
And do perswade vs, there's no Hell but feare,
No life, nor ioy, nor paine, but this life here.
The weake ones wanting grace streight follow this,
Credulitie in ill, robbs man of blisse.
Man wrongs his Maker by his want of merit,
Sinne giues a sharpe edge to a Satyrs spirit.
Pyde Uanitie, th' inticing bayte for Fooles,
Muffles our Knowledge, to intrappe our Soules.
The world growne Aged, should prepare to end,
But Nature so gainst reason doth contend.
As Light of Knowledge is put out by time,
And to be vertuous now is held a crime.
For those seuen Sciences their grounds of Arts,
Haue euermore possest their sacred parts.
Which seuen wide steppes vnto Damnation,
Deciph'red are in order one by one.
First, Selfe-lou'd Pride, the Idoll of the Court,
Is Plutoes Agent drest to make him sport.
And that mis-shapen Monster Drunkennesse,
Is his sworne Taster to the Furies messe.
Next horrid Murder, makes his veynes to swell,
And is as Butcher to the King of Hell.
Couetousnesse is his chief'st Officer,
And Enuie forreine-States Interpreter.
Sloath is his Chamber-groome, and makes the Bed
To Lust, his Sodomitick Ganymed.
Thus Pluto spends the TIME amidst those Reuills,
That first for pleasure were deuizde by Diuells.
Who surfetting at length, made drunk with myrth,
Casts vp those Monsters to defile the Earth
That with weake Frailtie, lickes those vomits vp,
For Plutos Nectar, which must fill his Cuppe.
These Hellish States-men, these soule-killing sinnes,
To follow here on Earth who so beginnes.
And meanes to practise, as they come but neare him,
Well may hee know GOD, but hee cannot feare him.