University of Virginia Library

VVorlds wonder, learned, mightie Cinthia,
Artes Darling, & Times Babe, subiect of same,
Wits obiect, Arcadian Pastorella
Wisdomes Trophæ honor and vertues frame,
Pardon (Princesse) though I conceale thy name,
Thy Traine, and Paragons of high degree
Homer and Virgill, vsed to doe the same,
And Astrophill when hee decyphred thee,
Baxtero Mastix may disparage mee,
That I dare make thee subiect of my pen,
At whose aspect Poets amazed be,
As things beyond the reach, of priuate men.
But wonder, Learning, witte, Fame, Wisdome, Time,
Shall glorifie the subiect of this Rime.

Time, wisdome, learning, witte wonder and fame,
Endimion tould me should attend on thee:
He consecrat's Ourania to thy name,
Without respect of pædanticall fee,
But if perchaunce great Astrophill thou see,
And Fates with-holde thee from Endymion:
Hee humbly sues that hee released be,
Of arrogancy, and prœsumption,
That he without his knights iniunction
Should dedicate vnto thy princely Shrine,
The treasurie, and hidden function,
Of Iehouahs Hexameron diuine.
And he that whilome liu'd in Græcian deep's,
Craues helpe of thee, as he in English creep's.

They say the soaring Eagle eates no Flies,
yet it may pleasure her to see them play:
The smallest sparke that couch'd in embers lies,
Shew's whilom fier in that circle lay,
Each thing created may yeeld a sweet delight,
To wisest witts perpending it aright.

Great Macedon when he laid by his Launce,
Sported himselfe with Homers golden verse,
And Hercules in his obscured traunce,
Would needs haue Theseus Madrigals reherse,
And Astrophill when bloodie warrs were donne,
Pastim'd himselfe to see the Muses ronne.

The wisest Monarch of Hierusalem,
View'd the Pismire for recreation,
Glorious Adam, Seth, Methusalem,
Had Marble stones in admiration.
Plinie, and Virgill wrote of seely Bees,
Of Gnats, of Fleas, of Shrubs, and Mirtle trees.

Yea simple wormes are vsed for a sport,
And Ladies loue to see a Monkey play,
And euerie tyred wit seeketh comfort,
In honest myrth to passe the time away:
The Ladies Spaniel snarling in her lap,
Sometimes delights her after her mis-hap.

The greatest Clearks of yore to trie their wit,
Made foolishnesse the subiect of their Pen,
And for their pleasures others thought it fit,
To proue that Baldnesse best be commeth men.
And euerie Stationer hath now to sale,
Pappe with a Hatchet, and Madge-Howlets tale.

And now comes creeping old Endymion,
Leauing Mysteries Theologicall,
Scarce worth the rotten earth he treadeth on,
And tells strange Tales Philosophicall,
Anatomizing th'uniuersall round,
and whatsoeuer may therein be found.

He pipeth in his homely Countrey Reed,
Made of an olde Aristotelian Quill,
He kens no Crochets of contentious breed,
Nor ha's that Quintessentiated skill,
He ha's no fine Dichotomizing wit,
Such musicke as he learn'd, he descants it.

You mightie Ladies that seeken repaste,
When weightie causes haue your Spirits tyr'd,
Rest here your wearied lims, and take a taste,
Here view the works of God so much admyr'd.
And fit your selues of Byrds, of Beasts, of Fish,
Twist Laurell Garlands, as your hearts can wish.

High-pryz'd Ourania, let her liue with you,
And shield her from surprizing infamie,
That vertue entertaines with frowning brow,
And learning scorns as pining beggerie,
Making more reckoning of a golden Asse,
Then of Trisinegist-Cælestiall-Atlas.

Endymion vow's if Fates doe sort aright,
With Corollaries of a laurell Twine,
That shall endure th'euerlasting light,
Hee'll shortly dignifie your princely shrine.
Mean-while all honor shal your states attend,
Blest be your life, and happie be your end.

V Aliant whilome the Prince that bare this Mot,
E Ngraued round about his golden Ring:
R Oaming In VENICE ere thou wast begot,
A Mong the Gallants of th' Italian spring.

N Euer omitting what might pastime bring,
I Talian sports, and Syrens Melodie:
H Opping Helena with her warbling sting,
I Nfested th' Albanian dignitie,
L Ike as they poysoned all Italie.

V Igilant then th' eternall majestie,
E Nthraled soules to free from infamie:
R Emembring thy sacred virginitie,
I Nduced vs to make speedie repaire,
V Nto thy mother euerlasting faire,
S O did this Prince begette thee debonaire.

S O wast thou chast and princely Nymph begot,
V Nder Cecilias education
S Trong in allyed friendes of highest lot,
A Midd the court of estimation
N Or doe I giue thee this for adulation:
N O Pen can show thy propagation,
A Ll heauens blesse thine operation.

N Aked we landed out of Italie,
I Nthral'd by Pyrats men of noe regard,
H Orror and death assayl'd Nobilitie,
I F Princes might with crueltie be scar'd
L O thus are excellent beginnings hard.

C Onioyn'd thou art to great Mongomria,
A Peerelesse Ladie onely fit for him:
S Ober and chaste, he was in Cardiff Cambria,
T He Knight I knew before mine eyes were dimme,
I F Temperance, and continence, an Earle may trimme,
V Nder the Orbe of mightie Phœbes round,
S Ydneian Knights like him are hardly found.

The Song.

Before this world (quoth he) was set in frame,
Or any thing, had Essence, forme, or Name,
Or Sunne or Moone or starry Firmament,
Or Planetarie Orbes, or Element,
Or Snow, or Haile, or any Meteore,
Whereof each Element produceth store:
Or Sea, or Sand, or Pearle, or Fowle, or Fish,
Or any Iewell, which the world may wish,
Or Floras Mantle garnished with flowers,
Wherewith you Ladies, decke your princely Bowers:
Or Trees, or Beasts, or any creeping thinges,
Which nature in abundance dayly brings:
Or Golde, or Siluer, Copper, Leade or Brasse,
Or glorious Man, or blessed woman was,
Or any thing that may be thought vpon,
Had eyther state or constitution;
There was one Soueraigne God, which we call Pan,
That cannot be defin'd by mortall man.
Some call him Ioua for his Existence,
Some Elohijm for his excellence,
Some call him Theos for his burning light
Some call him Deus, for his fearefull might.
Some call him mightie Tetragrammaton
Of letters fower in composition,
There is no Region vnderneath the skie,
But by foure letters write the Deitie.
For fower is a perfect number square,
And æquall sides in euerie part doth beare.
And God is that, which sometime Good we nam'd.
Before our English Tongue was shorter fram'd:
Pan in the Greeke, the Shepheards doe him call,
Which we doe tearme the whole vniuersall.
All in himself, All one, All euerie where,
All in the Center, All out, All in the Spheare,
All seeing all, All comprehending all,
All blessed, Almightie, All æternall,
Comprehended in no circumference
Of no beginning, nor ending essence,
Not capable of composition,
Qualitie, accident, diuision,
Passion, forme, or alteration.
All permanent without Mutation,
Principall Mouer alwaies in action,
Without wearinesse or intermission.
Immortall, and without infirmitie,
Of euerlasting splendent Maiestie.
One in Essence, not to be deuided,
Yet into Trinitie distinguished.
Three in one essence, one essence in three,
A wonder I confesse too hard for mee.
Yet diuine Poets innumerable,
With strong Arguments vnresistable,
As Theorems, and Demonstrations,
Deliuer it, to our Contemplations.
The Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost these three,
Are subsistent persons in the Deitie:
Abba, Ben, Ruach, blessed Poets sing,

Abba, Father. Ben, Sonne. Ruach, Spirit

Are the true Names of Pan cœlestiall King.
This may suffice, to shewe a mysterie,
That passeth mortall Mans Capacitie.
Now to proceed: Blessed immortall Pan,
Was not alone before this world began,
Yet were no Angels as then created,
Nor Angels Offices destinated.
Nor could their attendance doe him pleasure,
In whom consisted all blessed treasure,
All comprehending Pan was then no where.
A certaine place must euery Angel beare.
Not circumscriptiue but definitiue.
Pan fils eache place in manner repletiue.
But Abba, Ben, Ruach in Trinitie,
Making one Pan in perfect vnitie,
Whole Pan in eache, and each of these in Pan,
A mystery that passeth reach of Man,
These were sufficient of themselues to frame,
This glorious Engine which we Cosmos name.
Who when he pleas'd to make his glory know'n
And haue his power manifestly show'n,
He putteth on triumphant Maiestie,
That all his creatures might him glorifie.
And at one instant with his onely word,
As a most mightie, and imperiall Lord,
This wondrous frame, of Heauen and Earth we see,
At once were made in substance as they bee.
Yet was this frame a Masse vnpolished,
Void of all forme, rude and vngarnished,
Water, Earth, Ayre, Fire, togither blended,
As if Confusion were the thing intended.
But mightie Ruach spread his powerfull wings,
Vpon this Masse, of all confused things;
And kept it warme, making it apt to take,
Such different forme as pleased Pan to make.
So mightie Ioue commaunded separation,
Twixt light and heauie things for generation.
And of light Bodies made a Circumference,
In circle wise from th' earth for difference.
And made the earth both fast and permanent,
The Center of th'vniuersall continent.
And all these light bodies did he then dispose,
Into ten Heauens, the rest to enclose,
The Imperiall Heauen first and principall,

Cœlum Empyreum.

Most large and beautifull glorious, eternall,
Where Pan himselfe, doth vsually rest,
Where Angels dwel, and sacred soules are blest:

Primum Mobile.

The second the first mouing heauen is,
Not Christaline as many thinke amisse,
Whereby all other Orbs doe chiefly moue,
According to the will of Pan aboue.

Cœlum Siellaticum

The third is call'd the starrie Firmament,
which to our view is alwayes eminent.
Packt full of starres as Goulden Nailes in Poast,
To giue a luster vnto euery coast:
To giue direction to them that saile,

Pleiades Hyades.

From port to port, for their Countries auaile.
To bring sweete shewers to Tellus excellence,
As they arise by blessed influence.
One shepheard thought this Orbe the first that moued,

Arist, de cœlo.

But false it is by many reasons proued,
In order then doe follow Planets seauen,
Knowne to each Figure-flinger vnder heauen,
That wize from thence many an vncouth-tale,
As if great Pan were closed in their Male,
With fierie Trigons and watrie Triplicitie,
They dazell the mindes of humane simplicitie,
Turning the true nature of Astronomie,
Into iudiciall Egyptian Sophistrie,
For Planets shew by their opposition,
Trine, Quartile, Sextile, or Coniunction,
Whereto the weather and bodies doe encline,
By Natures course not prophecie diuine.
Nor can they shew by any secret starre,
Whether thou shalt die in prison or in warre,
Yet doubt we not, the Starres haue operation,
Working a secret inclination.
But what and how many of these Starres there boe,
Of that infinite number which we see,
Whether the thousand and two and twentie,
Which Shepheards single out of that plentie;
Or all the starres togither in the Skie,
Can shew when, and where, thou and I shall die.
Or al the vertues of the Planets seauen,
Can proue thee damn'd, or bring thee vnto heauen:
Sith iudgement of the starres can all things shew,
They can vnfold this Mysterie I trow.
The end of starres, as seely shepheards saine,
Was to illuminate this darkesome plaine,
And to demonstrate to men of reason,
Spring, Sommer, Haruest, and Winter season.
Not to foreshew what certaine shall befall,
To euerie part of this vniuersall.
But to conclud, I say, as I began,
A modest wisdome well beseemes a man.
Yet these are the names of the Planets seuen,
As neere as simple shepheards can them euen,
Saturne, Iupiter, and Mars, are three,
Next to the starrie Welken in degree,
Much slower than the rest in motion,
Because of their loftie Constitution.
Phœbus is next which we call Sol, the Sunne,
Without whose light the world were cleane vndone.
Without whose heate nothing that liu's could liue,
For Light and Heate, No Planet else doth giue.
He is the Fost'rer of this earthly Round,
And all the creatures that therein be found,
Piercing all things belowe with powerfull Raies
(Harke how the chirping Birds do chaunt his praise)
He swiftly runnes ouer th'vniuersall,
In twentie foure howres a day naturall
And yet he keepes a station diuine,
Staying one Month in euerie Zodiake Signe.
Producing creatures of such varietie,
As mou's all men t'admire his Deitie.
No Starre within the VVelkin taketh place,
But borrowes light of his resplendent grace.
The mightie Ocean is nourished by him,
Phœbe her selfe without his light is dim.
Ioues winged messenger sweete Mercurie,
Is fed by Phœbus blessed harmonie.
Venus the darling to the god of warre,
Doth neuer rest if Phœbus be too farre.
The bottom of the Sea, the fish, the sand,
Receiue their comfort from his blessed hand.
Tellus her selfe, and Flora in her pride,
Die and consume, if Phœbus looke aside.
The Diamond, Saphyr, and Rubie red,
By Phœbus scorching heate are ingendred:
The golden mettals in the deepest Mine,
Do consecrate their being to his Shrine.
Ceres that Queene doth fade and pine away,
If mightie Phœbus hide his golden ray.
Yea Bacchus and Pales, are soone withered,
If Phœbus in the Spring doe hide his head.
Æternall night shall all the world oppresse,
If Phœbus doe with-draw his golden Tresse.
There was a Light before there was a Sunne,
And Day and Night before Phœbus begunne.

Day and night before the sun was made, Genes. 1.

Yet is the Sunne the cause of Day and Night.
Shepheards diuine must iudge the reason right;
They say a glimering light did whirling wend,
From East to West, vnto none other end,
But to supplie for a time Phœbus place,
Till he was made to runne his princely race.
But then this whirling light that Heau'n graced,
Contracted was, and in great Phœbus placed,
Who euer since was cause of Night and Day,
As learned Shepheards sounden in their lay.
Next is the Orbe, and Spheare of Cytharæa,
Lame Vulcans wife, vnconstant Dalila,
Cupids mother, Diana's mortall foe,
Cause of most warres which Gallants vndergoe.
When bloodie fight the god of warre hath grieued,
The ioyes of Venus hath him oft relieued:
Therefore hath Venus Vulcans bed forsaken,
And dreadfull Mars his lodging vndertaken,
But why doth Beauties Queene loue man so well?
Whose words are wounds, whose frowns do death foretell
Shee Triumpheth in his Coniunction,
She's grieued at his opposition:
When he is merrie, then shee laughes or smiles,
And with conceits the longest nights beguiles.
Can there be any perfect Sympathie,
T'wixt bloodie warres, and Chamber-melodie?
Else Pan forbid: but let vs vnderstand,
The matter well that we do take in hand.
T'wixt warres and peace can be no Sympathie,
But man and woman are in peace pardie.
Great Pan ordain'd as Shepheards do relate,
Contrarie Elements without debate,
Should altogither in one bodie dwell,
Louing each other, and agreeing well:
So though Mars be bloodie in his Center,
Yet is he pacified if Venus enter.
Againe faire Venus with smyling pleasance
Know's how t'asswage his angrie countenance,
So that there is a perfect harmonie,
Twixt white and blacke directly contrarie,
Which being mixed do agree for euer,
Whom neither Art, or Nature, can disseuer.
And this is the reason, as shepheards skan,
Why a faire Ladie loues a Martiall man.
Next comes to our consideration,
Mercurie fraught with sophistication.
Nimble, ingenious, busie as the Bees,
Wittie, as an Ape, to follow what he sees.
In each thing some skill, in full Arte no bodie:
Thus whirleth about this Mercurial nodie.
Prate like a Perrot and readie of tongue,
At dice, Cards, and gaming all the day long.
Of wit sharpe and subtile, of quicke apprehention,
Fit to exployte any rare mad inuention.
VVhy these be Mercurial, if thou wouldest weet!
It's because Mercurius hath winged feet,
All designments to put in execution,
As Planets superior worke reuolution.
Faithfully keeping his circular Spheere,
Passing the Zodiak signes in one whole yeere.
Now must we speake of earths blessed mother,
The lowest Planet swifter than other.
Lowest of all and nearest to our view,
Resplendent Phæbe, chaste, powerfull and true.
Glorious Nurse of all this lower frame,
Infusing moysture to the burning flame,
Of parching Phœbus, whose fierie beames,
She doth allay, and coole with moistning streames.
The Moone, 'Dyana, Phæbe, Cynthia,
Shepheards call hir in Terra Florida
One of hir names I doe ascribe to thee,
In whom her princely vertues seated bee.
Dee'r Princesse Laureat of Hellicon,
Deigne to accept it from Endymion.
Since thou participat'st with her in qualitie,
Her name thy mightinesse shall dignifie.
I call her Phæbe now for difference,
Betweene thy selfe and her magnificence.
All things vpon, and all within the round,
Vnto her Soueraigntie are deepely bound,
Her greatnesse is the nine and thirtieth part,
Of all the earth as shepheards finde by Art.
In eight iust houres, and seuen and twentie dayes,
She runs through the twelue Zodiack signes alwayes,
She swiftly passeth through the Zodiacke,
Great Phœbus in his course to ouertake.
In twelue houres and nine and twentie dayes,
She ouertak's the Sonne, Ptolomie sayes.
And this is iustly called Heauens wonder,
That these two Planets distant farre a sonder,
Once euery month, meete in Conjunction.
To celebrate matrimoniall function.
O joyfull time when these two Louers meet!
When with sweet Congies one doth th'other greet.
But when they meete long time they cannot stay,
Phœbus must part, swift time calles him away.
Phæbe returnes to vndertaken taske,
No hower granted in idlenesse to maske.
Phœbus parting giues her light sufficient,
T'lluminate th'inferior Continent.
Which like a faithfull wife she doth dispose,
Proportionable to the neede of those,
That high or lowe haue their habitation
Capable of her Constellation;
She waggoneth to Neptunes Pallace than,
That wonneth in the mightie Ocean:
She views the Creekes, Ports, Hauens, and Towers,
And giu's them Floods and Ebbs at certaine houres.
Which euermore she truly doth obserue,
Not one momentall minute doth she swerue,
Which skilfull Mariners aswell can tell,
As little babies can their Crosserow spell.
Thence she doth search the Cauerns of the deepe,
Where strange and hydeous monsters vse to keepe.
Hydrippus, Salæna, and Hydra fell,
Gendred by Cerberus Porter of Hell,
Hin'dring by vertue their venemous brood,
Drenching their spawne in the brinish flood.
That sayling passengers at their leysure,
Mought safely touch their Porte with pleasure.
She viewes the bottom of the Ocean,
Where neuer walked mortall liuing man.
There beene shell-fishes innumerable,
Armed with scaly-shields impenetrable.
There lies Muscles with Pearles replenished,
Wherewith the Robes of Nymphes beene garnished.
There growen the Scallop, Cockle, Welke and Oyster,
The Tortoyse, Creuise, and creeping Lobster,

Lympet, a round shell, which womē lay vpon the nepples of their sore breasts.

The Lympet, Sea-snaile, with infinite moe,
Which in the treasury of Thetis goe;
All these shee cherisheth, as if they were
The noblest creatures in the highest Sphere.
She giu's them gifts that most of them should yawne,
At each full Sea for comforting their spawne.
And to the sea she giues dayly motion,
To ebbe and flow to voyde corruption.
She giu's her fertill generation,
And perfect Meanes of Vegitation.
So that Thetis hath more prouision,
of fish and foule in great diuision:
Then all th'inhabitable Earth can show,
Or skill of mortall man can know.
But all that of the Sea is said, or done,
Is to demonstrate the glorie of the Moone,
For the Seas place and constitution,
Requireth a speciall discourse alone.
And is reserued to his proper place,
So I'le proceede to speake of Phæbes grace,
And show how she within her Spherick Globe,
Cherisheth great Tellus and Flora's Robe;
Cotchelling all things in their infancie,
Till they haue got strength and maturitie.
There is no man, or woman, Art, or Trade,
Nor any thing that mightie Pan hath made,
Nor Tree, nor Plant, nor hearbe, nor grasse, nor flower,
But is maintained by her mightie power.
She shewes the Plowman when to sowe the ground,
To crop, to fell, to haue his timber sound;
She wizeth Surgeons when to ope a veine;
To ease the sicke, and stop it fast againe.
She showes Physitions times necessarie,
To purge by Pils, drinke or Electuarie.
To cure Rheums, fluxes, and bodies laxatiue,
To giue a medicine preparatiue,
To giue a vomit, clister, or gargarise:
Marking the signe wherein faire Phæbe lyes.
These sacred vertues, qualities diuine,
Do make her wonderfull in shepheards eine,
And straine the world to celebrate her name,
With louely Hymnes, and euerlasting fame.
Thus were the heauens orderly disposed,
By glorious Pan as you haue heard disclosed.
Yet is Endymions taske but now begonne,
When one would think his webbe were wholly sponne
Vnfold he must an other Mysterie,
And anatomize diuine Philosophie.
How the vast space t'wixt heauen and earth was fil'd,
With elementall Spheares as Ioua wil'd,
That Emptinesse might haue no habitation,
Amongst the workes of Gods creation.
O you Cælestiall euer-liuing fires,
That done inflame our hearts with high desires;
Our Spokes beene blunt, rude, harrish, vncooth,
Vnable in Mysteries to know the sooth.
Vnkempt, vnpolished, ignorant lewde,
Vneth with one drop of Nectar bedewde.
High are the Mysteries we take in hand,
To discusse of fire, aier, sea, and land.
With euery thing therein contained,
And by the wisdome of Pan ordeyned;
On bended knee therefore with humble prostration,
Endymion maketh his supplication,
To illuminate th'Eyes of his blinded minde,
The secrets of this lower world to finde,
To discouer them to men vnlettered,
Whose knowledge with Ignorance is fettered.
And hee will sacrifice vnto your shrine,
The fat of Lambes and sweetest Eglantine:
With Garlands of Roses and Gilliflowers,
Hee'l decke and garnishe all your sacred Bowers,
And with his choycest Notes and Roundelayes,
Cause Hil's and Dales to celebrate your praise,
And all the bordring Shepheards shall admyre,
The strange effects of your Cœlestiall Fyre.
The force whereof doth make me to entreat,
Of that which doth adioyne to Phœbus seate;
Which is thought to bee the firy Element,
Aboue the rest for lightnes excellent,
Most rare and thinne, most hot, yet doth not shine,
Of no colour, yet of qualitie Diuine.
Rounde in Fygure, yet most swiftly moues,
Not of it selfe as Aristotle proues:
But by the mightie Agitation,
Of Planets superior in operation.
Next to the Moone in constitution,
Speedie, and swifte in reuolution.
Giuing heate to euery thing compounde,
That hath his being in the lower round.
Not Conspicuous to any mortall Eye
Because of his Thinnes, and Raritie,
Yet burneth and consumeth vtterly,
What so resisteth his flaming Furie.
Hee worketh straunge Meteors in the Night,
Which shepheards hau'n often in their sight.
By vapors drawne from the heate of the Sunne,
From out the Earthe to Aers high Region.
Which vapours (once by this Fyre enflamed)
Expresse strange formes which Meteors are named.
Such as be Comets and the blazing Stars,
By which some shepheards prognosticate wars.
But certaine they signifie stirilitie,
By reason of the Earth's great siccity,
For want of Shewers and sweet moystening Rayne,
The cause of springing, and growing of Grayne,
For Comets alwayes in Summer appeere,
When Ceres calleth Aquarius for Beere.
The shortest Time, that blasing starres remayne,
Is seuen dayes as Phylosophers sayne;
The longest time is dayes foure-score,
(Too long, by so long for Pierce Plow-mans store,)
And then they disolue into Ayre or fire,
As the substance of the vapors require.
Starres of false Helena, and Starres flying,
Knowne to Marriners in their long sayling,
Are within the Comets comprehended,
And from th'Elemental fire descended.
So Castor, and Pollux, are to Saylers knowne,
By these their Ruine, or safetie is showen.
This Comet sometime lighteth on the Mast,
Thence flyeth to the Sayl's and Tacklings in hast;
Skipping heere and there without certaine byding,
The matter's vnctuous, and must needs be glyding:
And if it appeare before the storme beginne,
It foretels the perrils that the Ship is In.
Then they call it the starre of Helena,
Hell's Furie, Deaths messenger, fierce Megara;
They waile and wring their wofull hands for greife,
They looke for death expecting no reliefe.
But if such Comets fall when stormes are ended,
They say that Castor and Pollux them defended.
They ioy and reuell vowing Sacrifize,
For life is esteemed the richest prize,
This Comet constraineth the greatest wight.
To magnifie Pans maiestie and might.
Who forewarn's them of dangers imminent,
To make the Saylers wise and prouident,
All meanes within board, carefully t'aduise,
For dreadfull stormes shall presently arise.
If stormes be ended when they see it fall,
It is a Messenger vnto them All,
His glorious Name, on knees to magnifie,
That hath preserued them so gratiouslie.
Such firie vapors often-times are seene,
In Church-yards, and places where dead bodyes beene
Buryed, or executed in Summer-time,
In time of pestilence, or for some cryme,
Which Idiot's say'n bin dead-mens Ghosts or Sprights,
Walking those places in the Irke-some Nights.
When as no mortall man can be able,
To prooue or defend such ridiculous Fable.
For Shepheards sayne by naturall reason,
That from Bodyes buried in Sommer season,
And vnctuos vapour, hot and dry doth rise,
Which Phœbus seazeth according to his guise,
And doth inflame it in a little space,
Making it tumble vp, and downe the place.
Such fiery vapours, sometime do abide,
Vpon the bodyes of men that lightly ride,
Or on their horses-bodyes as they nimbly pace,
Daftly remoouing seat, from place, to place.
For when men post lightly they getten heate,
VVhich being turned to an Oyly-sweate.
Sends forth dry vapours which the Sunne doth take,
VVhereof he doth a skipping fire make.
For colours which oft in the Welkin seeme,
VVhich been firie Meteors as men doe deeme:
They be not very colours in the Skie:
Our eye-sight fayl's vs looking so high;
These haue not the Sunnes Inflamation,
Nor any firy Generation,
But mightie vapours drawne from the Sunne aloft,
Which to vs representen colours oft;
A circling garland compasseth the Moone,
Presaging windes and Tempests rising soone:
Blackish in colour, of thicke composition,
Shewing the weather by foule disposition.
This is no inflamed fiery Meteor,
But a cloudy, moysty, darke, thicke vapor.
One bright shining circle greatest of All,
VVhich learned Spephards Galaxia call,
A beaten high-way to the Gods Palace,
Glorious, beautifull, full of Solace.
Shyning most cleare in a Frostie Night:
And in the starrie firmament is pight.
Yet is not a vapour, nor meteor we know,
Nor drawne from the Sunne which is farre below.
But shineth most bright by resplendant grace,
By the beautie of starres that furnish the place.
Besides, starres dispersed, one hundred and eight,
Starres of Note, of high regard, and weight:
With glorious beames their shining display,
And hence it's called the milky-white waye,
And if you will weet what starres they hight,
That maken the Welkin in that place so bright:
Lysten you Shepheards Ile set them in order,
As they done garnish, that circulare Border.
Cassiopeia hath thirteene starres of Note,
VVherewith she frettizeth her purple Cote.
The siluered Swan that dying sweetly sings,
Adorn's with twelue starres her beautifull wings.
The soaring Eagle bearing Ioues Ganymed,
VVith foure Orientall Starres garnished.
The hatefull Scorpion doth neuer fayle,
Of fiue bright Torches in her poysoned Tayle.
Sagitarius the Archer bringeth Three,
And the Centaur twise as many as hee,
Twentie three starres, the noble ship of Greece,
Bring's in, as Lamp's to spie the golden fleece.
The Twinn's eighteene; The Wagoner seauen,
Perseus seauenteen, to lighten this heauen.
All these Starres maken one hundred and eight,
Bright and conspicuous without deceite.
Sporades also dispersed Starres been,
Confusedly mixing their glimmering Sheen:
These beene the starres that maken so bright,
The welkins broad way which seemeth so white.
Yet not in any sort colour verament,
For no colours hath the starrie Firmament.
Nor is the Rayne-bowe a firie Meteor,
Though there appeare in it colours store,
But is a mystie exhallation,
By great Phœbus without inflamation,
After a Shower appearing in the ayre,
Shewing the weather thence foorth to be fayre.
And euer appeareth halfe circlewise,
Opposite to Phœbus alwayes doth rise;
Hauing three colours seeming in our eye,
Red, Yellowe, Greene, in the low Region Aerie.
Red highest as neerest th'Elementall Fyre,
A white waterish Yeallow, next place doth require.
The lowest like Emeraulde, greene as the grasse,
Reflecting such colours to vs (like a Glasse,
Taking the forme as it is obiected,
Presently sending the same forme reflected,
Backe to the Author, and doth not containe,
Any such forme till you showe it againe)
Sometimes a Rayne-Bow sheweth in the night,
After a shower of Colour watrish white,
Not red, nor greene; to the Moone opposite.
Thus glorious Pan discouereth his Mighte.
But diuine Shepheards soothly sayen,
In their high Layes with wordes plaine:
That though it be, one thing by generation,
Yt's another thing in contemplation.
Representing to vs all sickerly,
A sealed eternall Testimonie,
That this center of the vniuersall round,
As once it was should not againe be drownde.
Nor cloudy waters hie; Nor Seas belowe,
Should dare presume the earth to ouer-flowe.
But should them holde in their habitation,
That man and beast should haue a quiet Station.
Thus blessed glorious euerlasting Pan,
Safely prouided for the life of man.
Some other things the Philosopers haue named,
That Firie beene, and are not yet inflamed.
The burning Thunderbolt, the lightning flash,
That Trees, Beasts, and buildings in peeces dash.
Wreaking by fell spite on the world this injurie:
Confounding all things in their spightfull fury,
That mortall wights, takne them for Fiends of Hell,
That in a moment simple creatures quell.
Of so swift and forceable penetration,
Of so sudden motion, and operation,
Yea, of so wonderfull a qualitie,
By reason of their hotte agilitie:
That things incredible by them been done,
As sowring the Wine, and sauing the Tonne;
Breaking the sword not hurting the sheath,
The stemme of an Oke in peeces they wreath.
And vpon the world bring desolation,
Seeming to spoyle the frame of creation.
The fiery whirle windes which we Prester call,
Of fearefull wonders exceeden All.
VVhich beene hote dry vapours whirled together,
From th' earth to heauen, no man knowes whither.
In forme of a circled Piller they wend,
And through our Region of th Ayre ascend.
with violent motion making a praye,
Of each loose parcell that stands in their waye.
Gyring and whirling it vp to the skie,
(Some Laundresses seene their lynnen so flye)
Brute beasts at the comming thereof doe crye,
As fearing their immynent ieopardy.
These taken ships out of the Ocean,
And cary en them beyonde the skill of man.
Letting them fall from the Ayrie region,
To their vtter Ruine and Subuersion.
Whole Flouds of waters from the brynish-store,
Of Thetis they sucke vp for euermore.
Carrying them to the Ayers middle region,
The coldnes whereof stoppeth them Anon.
Driuing them downe headlong to the Center,
Not suffering them that Region to enter.
So all at once they fall downe suddainly,
As a great Mountaine by extremitie.
Drowning whole ships vnder-sayle in their Rage,
For nothing but death may their furie asswage.
The profit we get by this consideration,
Is to haue Gods workes in Admiration,
And to bethinke vs, with what facilitie,
Pan can destroy, all humane Hostilitie.
And so to humble vs vnder his hand,
That free from dangers wee may safely stand.
Stedfastly hoping to stand vnreprooueable,
As mightie Mountaines vnremooueable.
Now hence must we proceed incontinent,
To discant of the Ayery Element,
Being simple, and subtile, thinne, rare, and quicke,
Pierced by grose substance, heauie, and thicke:
Capable of all formes and Figures jniected,
VVhererby her body, is often jnfected;
Scituate next to the fire in degree,
By reason of his transparant Leuitee.
Receiuing Meteors elementarie,
According as ascending vapours varie.
Affording breath to euery earthly thing,
That openeth mouth, or flyes with feathered wing.
Yea the Fishes in the Ocean were dead,
If colde thicke-yce the Ocean ouer-spread.
Which ioyeth in Ayres respiration,
To keepe the waters from corruption.
For Fishes in the deepe beene murdered,
If Ayers refreshing Gales been hindered.
Hotte and moyst, by essentiall qualitie,
Yet hath a coole-refreshing propertie.
By reason of the waters vicinitie,
Sending forth vapours colde continuallie.
VVhich by the Ayers Agitation,
Are made a temperate respiration;
Ayded by the cooling of the breathing winde,
VVhereby this Element is oft refin'de,
And man, and beast, and euery thing that liu's,
Is nourished by the temperature it giu's.
And Wormes abandoned from budding trees,
And extreme heate, allayed by degrees.
Thus was this splendent Ayrie Element,
Placed by Pan with perfect Complement,
Distinguished into Regions three,
As bookish shepheards euidently see;
The highest next the firie Element,
The middle second's it in continent:
The lowest is that space wherein we dwell,
VVhereof great Philosophers wonders tell.
The first is hotte: the middle extreme colde;
The third is temperate for reasons tolde.
The lowest Orbe the Fowles doon glorifie,
And with sweet Notes great Pan doe magnifie.
The Eagle, Griffin, Falcon, Marlion,
The Nightingale, and turtle Pidgeon,
The Thrush, the Lynnet, and mounting Larke,
Besides the Fowles that flyen in the darke,
The Bittour pyping in a Syrinx Reede,
VVayling that virgins losse in mourning weede.
VVith Fowles of Price and worth Innumerable,
VVhere-with great states garnishen their Table.
These take delight to sporte them in their Ayre,
Cheefely if Phœbus make the Region fayre,
The middle Region's coldest in his Place,
For Phœbus there yet neuer shewed his Face.
VVhich is the cause of Sleete, of Hayle, of Snowe,
All which by vertue of this Region growe.
The highest Region of the Ayre is hot;
Where all the fiery Meteors are begot.
Being placed next the fiery Element,
VVhich doth inflame with heate that Regiment
The Meteors to the Ayre destinated,
Are simply windes, and Earth-quakes nominated
Included in a vapor others there be,
Which yet are Meteors in their degree.
As stormes, & whirl-windes, and the mightie Thunder,
Rumbling as if heauen would cleaue a sunder.
Windes are vapors included in a Caue,
Whence by Phœbus force they issue haue;
And drawne by heate to the mid Region,
(Which is all colde by constitution)
There they would enter, but being expelled,
To be dispersed they are compelled.
To euerie part of this our lower ayer,
Whereby they purge it, And make it soe fayer.
All Merchants and Saylers are highly bound,
To the time when first this Meteor was found.
Two and thirtie windes Maryners finde out,
By which they saylen the round worlde about.
To east and west, Indies fayre Virginia,
Guyana, Chyna, Peru, and Gynnea;
And whatsoeuer the Southerne Pole descryes,
VVhat hidde treasure in America lyes,
The winds discouer to great Brittania,
The noble Empire of old Albania;
Another commoditie Shepheards finde,
By the excellent nature of the winde,
When a watry-cloude from the sea is taken,
By the winde it is, all-in-peeces shaken,
And so disseuered into drops of rayne,
To comfort the withered, and parched plaine:
The scorched-grasse, on the loftie Mountaine,
Reuiu's it selfe and getteth life againe.
For if this watry clowde should whollie fall,
The weight would destroy and ouer-whelme all.
These are not winds of monstrous generation,
But naturall windes of gentle inclination.
The earth-quake is a simple Meteor,
Ayrie and vncompounded as before;
An Ayrie vapor, closed in some den,
Or concaue of the earth, remote from men,
Serching for an issue, and finding none,
Beateth vp and downe, seeking to be gone,
But all in vayne, then being fast enclosed,
It shak's the earthe in searching to be losed.
This is the cause of great Tellus trembling
(A man in a shaking Feuer resembling)
What future euents it doth prognosticate,
I will not presage, th' effect is intricate.
But if a smale vapor be of that power,
To shake the whole frame of the earth in one houre,
How may proud man full of infirmitie,
Susteine the furie of the Deitie?
Of the Whirle-windes we haue spoken before,
Neyther will we as now adde any more.
But that they be not Meteors contained,
In the Fire, or Ayre, but to both restrained.
A storme is of a windie propertie,
With force dispersing vapors watery,
With great droppes of rayne so beating the place,
As if it would beate the skin off a mans face.
Such fearefull stormes, are hurtfull to the Tree's,
They pinch the Cattell and destroy the Bees,
Beate down the Hearbes, and grasse, & blades of graine,
Wherewith the Shepheards must their flockes sustaine.
The fearefull Thunder must not be forgot,
Of ayerie, and watry vapors begot,
Drawne by force to the highest Region,
(where it may haue no perfect Mansion)
Rowleth in the ayer with fearefull sound,
Till water gets issue to moyst the ground.
Then downe it falleth with drops violent,
Therefore be sure it cannot bee permanent.
Now comes the watrie Element in hand,
Enuroning round the habitable-land,
A bodie moyst fluent, circular, and thinne,
Penetrable and colde containing therein,
Innumerable fishes of great varietie,
Differing in magnitude and qualitie.
Continually moouing in forme circular,
About the brim of this earth particular,
The substance of this Element ouerspred,
And the bodie of this earth enuironed,
So that the face thereof could not be seene,
But hidden lay as if it had not beene,
Till almightie Pan this watrie Element,
Gathered togither from the Continent;
Into one vaste-roome, station and place;
Leauing faire Tellus with vnuailed face,
Drie and vnmantled, without viriditie,
Hard and solide without humiditie.
Then gan the mountaines of Armenia,
Burning Tartarus, Ætna in Sycillia,
Sacred Olympus, Parnassus Crowned
By the Muses, Hermon renowned,
Tabor, Horeb, euer blessed Syon,
Sometime Iehouah's habitation.
All rocks and hilles though they were farre distant,
Appeared eminently at one instant.
The Dales and Plaines, and barren Wildernesse,
Appeared drie, all voyd of comelinesse.
For Flora yet was hidden in her Bower,
Grinding her colours fit for euerie flower,
Greene, Vitrioll, Violet, Vermilion,
To garnish vp the Queenes Pauilion.
The siluered Ceruse, and Cuchenella,
The azured Blew and Purpurella,
With these colours must be enamiled,
The flowers which Tellus haue apparelled;
Naked therefore and void of Ornament,
Pan discouereth this earthly Element.
And these huge waters he diuided so,
That some in Clowds aboue th'earth should go,
That with distilling drops of moystning raine,
Might comfort Tellus parched face againe.
The rest might keepe their perfect station,
T'ingender fish, and further nauigation:
He made it of continuall motion,
To keepe the fishes from corruption,
He made it salt aboue for speciall reason,
That it might the slymie fishes season.
In twentie fower howers it ebbs and flow's twise,
Impossible therefore to be ouerflowen with ice.
The cause of this swift agitation,
Is mightie Phæbes alteration,
For as she wanes, or doth in light encrease,
So doth the Sea her floods augment, or cease.
The cause of her saltnesse is by accident,
Of Phœbus piercing beames so vehement.
Bringing from the Seas foundation,
Drie vapours which by inflamation:
Are burn'd to salt by the heate of the Sunne,
And hence the saltnesse of the Sea begunne;
For waters themselues haue no sauour at all,
But as it comes by cause accidentall.
Hence are ingendred moyst Meteors,
Almightie Iouah's strong Ambassadors,
The Mist, the Deaw, the Frost, the hollow Clowd,
That doth the Elementall vapors shrowd.
The Raine, the Snow, the fearefull Haile, the Sleete,
Wherewith in Februarie or March we meete.
The Sleete can neuer in the Summer fall,
For then the middle Region's coldst of all,
The Mist is a vapour which all men knowe
And doth of watrie Exhalations growe,
If it ascendeth before it doth raine,
Of much Raine it is a token certaine,
But if it doth rise when shower is ended,
Fowle weather's gone, and th'aire amended,
It is the matter also of the falling Dewe,
Which doth the face of great Flora renewe.
And if this vapour be foggie and thicke,
The raine will ensue: then speed away quicke,
If not raine, then snow, or haile without doubt:
Shall be the issue, therefore looke about,
But if this myst appeare subtile, or thinne,
Then shall the sweete Deawes, or sharpe Frosts begin.
But in Summer, Deaw: in Winter the Frost,
Do follow the myst in euerie coast.
The cause of the Deaw as Shepherds do finde,
Is Luke-warme breathing of the Southern winde.
The cause that hindereth the Deaws generation,
Is the Northren winds cold inflation,
The aptest times for the Deaw to abound,
Spring, Haruest, faire-day, when no winds do sound,
This Meteor worketh mightie effects;
And is high prized for many respects,
When hearbs and grasse are parched and combust,
And Phœbus burning flames colours them like dust,
Then comes the Deaw, and doth them recreate:
Making them fresh, virent and fortunate,
The bowels of the beasts it maketh soluble,
And all the grasse more sweete and voluble,
A wonder yet here-hence, is collected,
Which some Wise shepheards hau'n obiected.
How Manna a Deaw which is hot and drie,
Withering the hearbs and making them die,
And now is taken for purgation:
Should haue a contrarie operation;
And nourish th'Israelites in the Desert,
The solution is for men expert,
This is wonderfull to a mortall eye,
Yet is no matter in th' Almightie,
The Frost to vs men most profitable,
Though it seemeth nothing comfortable,
Is a Meteor watrie amongst the rest,
And for mans auaile is not reckned lest.
Of a thinne watrie vapour is ingendred,
Which to the wintrie Aire soone is tendred.
And by the same, in crustie Pearles concreate,
Falles on the grasse, and pincheth vitall heate,
It crusheth and abateth Floras pride,
Stripping her naked, as a naked bride:
Spoyling her flowers, discolouring her greene.
Imprisoning her as if she were no Queene;
All these be discommodities I trowe,
Obserue the commodities which doe growe
By this Meteors vertue, and qualitie,
Which grow'n by his forces abundantly.
All hurtfull wormes in the earth it doth kill,
And all noxious humors in the bodie spill:
These are the benefits which Pan doth giue
To a colde frost, that mortall man might liue.
The name of a Clowde is so commonly knowne,
That labour is lost if more should be showne:
For it is a vapour moyst, grosse, eleuate,
By Phœbus force to the Region scituate
In the middst of the Aire: where being compact,
By the colde circle till it be ransact
by Phebus heate: so moystned againe,
Is squeezed into a shower of raine,
As a Sponge in water deeply sunken,
Vntill it hath the whole moysture drunken:
If with force of hand you squeeze it suddainly,
Water from sundrie parts thereof will fly:
Raine is an issue from a Clowde watrie;
By drops discending from a Region ayrie:
(The middle Region of that Element)
To moysten this habitable Continent.
Where man and beast receyuen nourishment,
And Flora makes her mantle orient.
When a moyst vapour thicke eleuated,
And by the colde Region macerated,
Descendeth downe vpon the earth belowe,
It is then called a Meteor of snowe.
The drops that done fall, resemble a feather,
Not as rain's-round-drops contracted together,
The feathered-flakes dispersed are bound,
To couer the lower circulare round.
Shepheards at this time fodderen their flocke,
With the prouision of the Sommer stocke.
Boyes setten Lime-twigs, and diggen pit-falles
Watching hungrie Birds behind trees and walles:
Which comming thither, for food, vnawares,
Are tangled in lyme, or taken in snares;
Shepheards weare Freezes, and Ladies vse furres,
To keep them from Rewmes, Catarres, & cold Murres;
Snow water, Hus-wiues at euerie turning,
Saue in a glasse gainst scalding or burning.
So farre is the snow from doing of harme,
That rootes of trees, corne and grasse, it keepes warme;
As with a mantle the earth it enfoldes,
Preseruing the same from violent coldes.
It fattons the Fallow as Shepheards rehearse,
Mellowing the ridges, for Coulters to pearse.
In the highest mountaine and frozen hill,
Snow gendreth Cristall and shyning Berrill.
Thus is Snow not the meanest ornament,
For vs that in the earth are resident;
The Haile is reckoned as a mightie cursse,
Making all worldly creatures much the worsse.
And in Sommer season is ingendred,
When grasse and corne is chiefly tendred.
The reason why it is hard compacted,
Is because it hath his cold contracted.
For when it came to the middle region,
He found it colder in disposition
Then it was wont to be; because the heate
Of Phœbus beames, doth now more strongly beate.
Which when it cannot beare, it gathereth round,
It selfe, least Phœbus should his force confound.
And so dissolue it into raine, or sleete,
To do some good: for which Haile is not meete.
Therefore round, colde, and hard, it doth discend,
Of purpose princely Flora to offend.
“For there can be no perfect conuenience,
“Twixt noble Nature and maleuolence.
Vpon her fruits it makes intrusion,
Beating in peeces with confusion,
The buds of trees, the hearbs, the corne, the flowers,
Which Tellus kept for Floras Paramours.
There is no watrie Meteor in the Ayre,
But is profitable and debonaier,
Except this crabbed and furious Haile,
That fiercely our nourishment doth assaile,
For Sleete is not so forcible or strong,
To doe Dame Flora and her Babies wrong.
Discending in March, or in Februarie,
When Phœbus shews his burning luminarie,
But here some may a question propound,
Requiring a Philosopher profound,
Why is the Ayres middle Region,
Coldest in the burning Sommer season?
And in the Winter time more temperate,
Raine (and not Haile) fitter to generate?
Answere. Two contraries doe alwayes flie,
The one from the other naturally,
So when it is extreame hottest weather,
The cold collecteth his forces together,
And keepes himselfe close in his owne defence,
Least heate should surprize or expell him thence.
Then is he colder then he was before,
Hauing abundance of coldnesse in store.
But if that heate be from him deuided,
His force is dissolued: Our poynt decided,
Now is the discourse of the water ended.
And the shepheard to the earth discended:
The Centre of the whole vniuersall,
Whose circumference is Emperiall,
Whose bodie is round wholy considered,
Though of other forme in peeces seuered.
Colde, and dry by naturall propertie,
Seated permanent, on her Axeltree,
Æquallie standing, no way declyning,
Solid, and heauier, not bright, or shyning,
Full of Creatures of Diuine Excellence,
Gracing high Pans might and magnificence.
The mother of all grosse, and heauie things
That grow, creepe, or goe, or fly'n with wings;
(Fynnie footed fowles excepted, and fishes,
VVhich seruen for Thetis banquetting dishes)
Although their might arise some difference,
VVhether Sea, or Land, hath the preheminence.
For fethered fowles first Generation,
Which in the seas haue propagation.
For that Sea-fowles, as Shepheards vnderstand,
Layen, and hatchen, their eggs on the land,
And also neuer to Saylers appeare,
But it is certaine some Yland is neere;
Yt seemes, I might conclude in generall,
Tellus is mother of Fowles vniuersall.
A mother adorned with vertues excellent,
In Action, Passion, and habit, different,
From all other Elements supernall,
The Center of Creation-naturall;
Hauing seuen rare, speciall properties,
Whereof each-one a Mother glorifies:
Fruitefull, Good, Neuer-weary, Patient,
Most Constant, Faithfull, liberally-bent.
Fruitfull, alwayes parturient, and teeming.
VVhat heauenly Forces, beget to our seeming.
Shee dayly produceth, and bringeth to light.
Shee's alwayes with childe, in winters despight.
Good of nature, and kinde by creation,
To all her Babyes, by generation.
Cherishing them all in their infancie,
Till they may shift for themselues hansomlie.
Neuer wearie of worke, still dooing well,
Cheerefully viewing, each place of her Cell.
Swathing, and Bathing, well the tender Limmes,
Of all her yonglings, and with butter Trimmes,
The chafed Places of their Fylmy-skinne,
Curing their Bodies without and within.
Patiently suffring sclaunderous words,

Τιφος τριφφωαει το Σωμα, τον δε Νουν λογος.

VVhich wounden the mind more deeper then swords.
She suffereth worldings, to spit in her face,
To disgorge, to trample, spurne, and disgrace,
To wound with ploughing, where they liken best,
To search her bowels, her belly, her brest;
To steale her iewels, and deepe hidden treasure,
Both for necessitie, and for pleasure.
Constant, not wauering, alwaies the same,
Immooueable, keeping her glorious Frame.
Faithfully sauing, what to her you tender,
Vntill you require her the same thing to render.
If wheate you deliuer, wheat shall you receiue;
Shee meanes not with Darnell, your Barne to deceiue.
If gold you deliuer, then golde shall you finde,
For Tellus beareth, a most faithfull minde.
But if you will speake of her liberall plentie,
For one Corne of Graine you shall receiue twentie.
VVhen all thy friends thy body haue forsaken;
Then marke the Earth what she hath vndertaken.
A body dead, stinking corrupt, impure,
VVhose stench and gastly-view none can endure,
Opening her wombe, she takes it in againe.
And keep's it safe from Plutos fierie traine.
Rendring't againe in shining puritie:
From putrifaction to immortalitie.
Obserue thou well her qualities diuine:
And by immitation make them all thine.
For further must my wearied Pipe assay,
By part's, her hidden treasures to display.
Shewing the glorie of her blessed face,
Her breast, her wombe, and euery secret place.
Arcadian Orphen make my musicke able,

The couering of the earth called Telius-Mantle.

To annatomize Mysteries vnspeakable.
Hearken great Cynthia how Euterpe sings
Of Tellus Mantle, which sweet Flora brings,
Of colour greene with flowers entercheckt:
By curious skill of princely Architect.
With hearbs and Plants, and grasse for euery beast,
Tapistred with Foules, and beasts comely dreast.
Now hath Queene Tellus put her Mantle on,
Flora tryumphing in her Paragon.
She deckes her Queene with Roses white and red,
Muske and sweet Roses in Damasco bred.
Fragrant Gilliflowers and Carnation,
Enamiled with pure Vermilion,
The purple Violet, and Columbine,
The silu'red flower of sweete Eglantine,
The Dasie, Cow-cup, sweet smelling-Walflower,
The Flower de Luce: the Raine-bowes Paramour,
The whitest Lillie, and the Daffadill,
The Paggle, and the blessed Pimpernill:
The Marygolde, and partie coloured Pinke:
The Paunsey, and the Hearts-ease, as Shepheards think
With others infinite in variation,
Differing in colour, forme, and creation,
With Sauour, and odoriferous smell:
Refreshing the braine, as Ladies can tell,
The Gilliflower striketh admiration,
To Shepheards marking her creation.
Marking the Substance whereof it is framed,
The different forme whereby it is named,
The precious colour wherewith it's varnished
And the sweet sauour where with it's garnished.
Besides the flowers which in the Mantle been,
Diuersitie of hearbs, and Plants, are seene.
VVherewith our Ladies, curen Maladies:
Sauing our Bodies, from extremities.
These doon fayre Ladies, in their Gardens Plant,
As in a store-house, to supply their want.
The Sage, the Basill, and the Lauender,
The bitter Worme-wood, Rue, and Germander,
The louely Veruin, Balsam, Sauory,
The Smaladge, Liuer-wort, and Centorie,
The Eye-bright, and the powerfull Celedony,
The Camomill, head-purging Betony:
Bloodwort, Muggwort, Hartestrong, and Patience,
Parcelye, Penny-Reall, for ingredience,
Leaues of Violets, Strawberries, Succory,
Endiue, Time, Buglosse, Spannish Pellitory,
Margerom-gentle, Spikenard, Southern-wood,
Burnet, Burrage for Claret Wine good.
Sauen and Spurge, for strong purgation,
Hurtfull to womens generation;
Clary, Dragans, blessed Angelica,
Holy Thistle, and Indian Tobacca.
Featherfew, Knot-grasse, and Mayden Heare,
The brest and Longs, from Phlegme cleare.
Speremit, Playntaine, and faire Erimony,
Spinage, Costmary, for a Timpany.
Sparage, Beares-foote, and Oculus-Christi:
Whose black-seedes, Purgen eyes, dimme and Mistie:
Eight or ten, of these seedes put in thine eye,
VVill runne, vp to the, eye lids Immediately:
Not grieuing the eye or hindring the sight,
And there will they worke till they haue made bright,
And purged the eye, from all corruption:
Then full of white slime, will drop out alone.
Besides these Hearb's, beene Trees innumerable,
Some bearing fruite, of taste delectable,
And some for stately buildings, profitable,
Whereof men maken Shippes Nauigable.
It were a matter hard, and intricate,
Orderly of each, to particulate,
But these were all made, for mans sustentation,
Or else of purpose, for his recreation,
And on the face of mightie Tellus stand,
Admirable workes of Pans powerfull hand.
The loftie Cædar, and Sable Cypresse,
Threatening the welkin, with his mounting Tresse.
Sweet smelling Firre, and Saxifrace,
VVhich men venerous, done highly grace.
Besides their smell yeeld Turpentine,
Profitable Pitch, and richest Rozine,
The builders Oake, and Plough-mens Ashen tree:
Princes, and Souldiers, regard in their Degree.
The weeping Elme, the Beech, the Byrch, the Playne,
Haue vertues rare, and were not made in vaine.
For fruitfull Trees, that beene commodious,
Are so well known, that it were tedious
To recken them in order seuerally,
For it is thought fond in Philosopy,
To prooue a thing by demonstration,
That none denies, or needs probation.
So many fruites of blessed qualitie
Doth Pan prouide for mans necessitie.
That would the minde of mortall men amaze,
No Pamphlet, but huge volumes must them hlaze;
VVe know, we haue, we vse, we taste, we eate:
The vertue, tree, the leafe, the fruite, the meate:
Now must Endymion dresse himselfe to sing,
Of beasts, of Fowles, Of euery creeping-thing.
Of Bees, of Waspes, of Hornets and of Flyes,
VVhich Pan made not: But of corruption rise.
Wilde, feirce, raging beasts garnishen her Robe:
And with varietie diaper her Globe;
The roaring Lyon, and dreadfull Tyger,
The strange Hyena and fearefull Panther,
Armed Rhinoceros, the vgly Beare,
The precious Vnicorne, whose horne is deare.
The Ermine, Leoparde, Martin, and Sable,
VVhose princely skins beene rich and marchantable
Rich Luzerns, white and blake, Foxe, Mineueer,
Elke, and Bugle, Budge, and the swift Reine Deer,
Gemps; Shamoys, Roe-bucke; and the stately Hart;
The VVolfe, The Squirill iumping by Art.
From tree to tree, with that dexteritie,
As makes men wonder her celeritie.
The siluered white, blacke and gray Coney:
Good for the House and sparing of money.
The skinnes of these beasts beene profitable,
Highly prized and to Marchants salable.
The Vrchin & the quilled Porpentine;
Are good for medicine as the grease of Swine.
Th' emparked nimble Deere Red and fallowe,
Making hornes to Sound, and Hunters hallowe.
Light footed Hare a Game for mighty Kings,
At whose Pursute, The Faery Eccho sings:
Redoubling twise, or thrise, the merry Soundes,
Of hallowing Knight, shril-horne, & chaūting hoūdes.
The craftie Badger, the Watry Otter
Whome Howndes pursue, till they hauen got her
These Beastes been of highest Regard and Price
To pleasure Princes and to murder vice.
Wilde Apes, and Monkies with the Marmezite
Wherein our noble Ladies Done delight.
The Rammish filthie stinking Babioun,
That lewde Mountie-banks leaden vp and downe,
To make of fond people, a great concourse,
(A notable bayte for Perkin-Pickpurse.)
These been all wilde, and yet of great esteeme,
Though some of these later, as tamed seeme.
The Pole-catte, and wilde-catte, the Weezle, & Stoate,
Are wilde, yet discribed in great Tellus Coate.
The Muske-Catte for Ciuet, and the Dormouse,
Damn'd Rats, and vilde-Mise, the plague of a house.
Flora's sworne-foe, the Mould-warpe or Wante,
Subuerting the Corne, the grasse and the Plant:
Spoyling the Medow's and the Pasture ground,
With infinite Hillocks, raysed vp round,
Out of the earth, cast vp with her Nose,
Neither is she blinde, as many suppose.
These beene Floras foes, scarce worth the naming,
On whome no wise Man, bestowes the taming.
Besides sauadge Beastes there been domesticall,
Seruing for mans vse, as friendes naturall.
The friendly Elephant, powerfull, and Strong;
Armed with Tushes, of Yuorie long,
Sharpe, solide, and of mightie quantitie,
Where with he macerates his enemie.
With these the haughtie Porus of India.
Fronted Alexander of Macedonia.
These breaken rankes of the great Battælia:
These feare not the Cannons of Romania,
These carrie mightie Castles of lightest wood
Vpon their backes, to make their parties good:
Wherein some twelue or thirteene armed men,
May vse their Armes and one too good for ten:
One may rule him, with a twisted thread,
So wise is he, and hath his lesson read:
I say one man, this mightie beast, may guide,
Being the King of all the Babes of pride.
The fierce and warlike horse, which Chiron bred,
And princely Hector often nourished:
Whose fierie eyes done threaten blood and death,
Whose furious Nosethrils smoken flaming breath,
Whose crest is Proude, loftie, thinne, halfe circled,
Whose Mane with siluer lockes, his necke doth spred,
Whose eares beene short, and pricked neere do stand,
As if some mightie battaile, were in hand:
Little, and short, and thinne is his visage,
His nosethrils wide, his teeth in equipage,
Whose foaming mouth bends to his stately brest,
Scorning the foe-mans Lance in armed rest:
Champing the Bit, and trampling with his feete,
Crushing the fierie stones amid the streete.
Broad breast, straite backe, large and spacious,
Couragious, nymble, soone check, and gracious,
Broad-buttocks, long-taile, cleane-legs, Pastorns-short,
Like great Bucephalus in Greekish Fort.
Round-bellied, not grosse, nor gaunt, footlocks hairie;
Proude in his trot, not cutting, faint or wearie.
Barbed in steele with rich caparison,
Fit for the God of warre to mount vpon.
O how he glorieth in the bloodie fight:
At Trumpetters dreadfull sound to shew his might.
Looke how he bites and strikes on euerie side,
To shew the glorie of th' Hippeian pride.
But when great Cæsar's mounted on his backe,
He breakes the squadrons like Iou's thunder-cracke:
Disordereth rankes, Launces knapping in sonder,
Witnesse Sidneyan-Knight Albanias wonder.
High Ioue bestowed him for an ornament,
To make a mortall man more excellent.
He knowes, he lou's, He markes his masters voice,
A stranger cannot make him to reioyce:
But you shall heare him laugh after his kinde,
If he but chaunce his masters person winde.
The stately Camell, swift Dromedarie
That Merchants goods done speedily carrie:
The Spanish Iennet glorious in his pace,
Th'Irish Hobbie of a stately grace.
The Scottish Nagge of ancient Galloway,
That nimbly knowes to runne and pace his way.
Englands Paulfrey our English Ladies please,
To go their iournyes and returne at ease.
The Turkish horse of Pegasus discended,
Charlemaine hath mightily commended:
The Mule, the Asse, the Lawyers doe maintaine,
Their Clients cause softly to entertaine:
For coursing Nagges are not for men of state,
To mount and mannage causes intricate.
The Oxe, the Cowe, the Sheepe, the Goat, the Cat,
That murders in the night the Mouse and Rat.
The fawning Dog full of sagacitie;
Excelling in sense and capacitie.
The hardie Mastife, and nimble Greyhound,
The ornament of Floras blessed round,
Whose vse we know, the Hart doth feare his might,
The squatting Hare doth tremble at his sight.
The noble chaunting Hound with pleasing throat,
With bace and treble, meane, and tenor noat.
Warbling his voice, making the horne to sound,
Orderly tunes t' immortilize the Hound:
Quicke fenting Spannell, fit for Princelie game,
To pearch the Pheasant, and rare Birds of name.
To set the Heath-cocke, Partrich and the Quaile,
The Snype, the VVoodcocke, and the dainty Raile.
To serue the Spar-hawke, Faulcon and Laneret,
The Gosse-hawke, Ger-faulcon and young Eglet.
The Marlyon, Hobby, Hawkes of swiftest wing,
VVhich many pleasures vnto Ladies bring.
Deserueth praise of the best fluent Pen,
That euer wrote the benefits of men.
The Spannell for the water and the land,
That all their Maisters rules doon vnderstand,
To couch, to retriue, and to range the field,
Of purpose, game to spring, and sporte to yeilde:
And of their Masters seeke none other gaines,
But comfortable words for wearie paines.
How may my pen these Spanniels commend
Whose qualities are such as haue no end?
If thou wilt seeke a constant faithfull friend
In life and death, thy bodie to defend
Walking and running by thy Horses side,
Scorning all dangers that may thee betide
Being a faithfull and true Companion
In ioy, and wofull desolation
Whome neither change, or sad calamitie,
Nor raging famine, or aduersitie,
Nor naked state, or pyning pouertie:
Can make to shunne, or leaue thy company:
Then take thy Dogge: or finde thou such another,
Let him be thy nearest kins-man or Brother
Or conuerse with thee all daies of thy life
(Except thy dearest Mother, or thy wife)
And take for thy paines, if I be contrould,
The fattest Lambe conteyned in my fould.
The Tumbler a Dogge of rare quallitie,
To furnish the Kitchin abundantly,
VVith Connyes in a Warren suddainly,
Surprising with Arte so cunningly
The silly Connyes before they be aware,
That the beholders thinke it wondrous rare.
This Dogge deserueth commendation
As a wonder of Pans creation.
The little Spannell in the Ladies lappe,
Is blest with extraordinarie happe,
Feeding and lodging in that Princely place,
That whilom did renowmed Hector grace.
Young louing Lords doe wish, it were their Doome
A little while to take their Spannels Roome.
Now must Endimion make the world acquainted,
With Serpents, and wormes which Flora painted
Vpon the face of Tellus Mansion
Where nature shewes her deepe inuention.
The fearefull Crocadil, and Scorpion,
The flying Dragon from the Dungeon
Of Nessus springing: the poyzoned viper,
The Snake, the Slowe-worme, and the Adder,
The monstrous Cerberus, and Hydra venemous,
The Cocatrice, of sight so perrilous.
The creeping Dragon and the swelling Toade,
The Neught, the Swift, lurking in the Roade,
The Aspe couering herselfe in high-way dust,
Whome carefull passengers will hardly trust.
These Serpents been of great deformitie
Yet excell all other in Subtilty.
Of great force, and incredible furie,
Of great fore-sight to preuent iniurie,
Capitall enemies to Mortall man,
And he to them by all the meanes he can.
Except the Lizzard a Serpent admirable,
Of colour greene, to man Amiable.
Before him running on a little space,
Delighting herselfe to beholde his face.
VVell watching the place, where a man doth sleepe,
Guarding his bodie doth him safely keepe.
From other Serpents which would him deuoure,
As he carelesse sleepeth in Floras bower.
The Salamander liuing in the fire,
The greatest Phylosopher may admire.
For seely wormes and other creeping things
Which of corrupt putryfaction springs.
By these doth Phisis shew her Deitie,
In framing them with such varietie.
In Number infinite, and in qualitie
Surpassing the Serpents excellency:
The Oyle of Earth-wormes mightily preuailes,
Against the Gowte, that humane ioynts assailes.
The shelled Dodman, and white, and blacke Snaile,
Ioynt-eating Fellon, cureth without fayle.
The Glowe-worme shining in a frosty night,
Is an admirable thing in Shepheards sight.
Twentie of these wormes put in a small Glasse,
Stopped so close that no issue doe passe;
Hang'd in a Bow-net and suncke to the ground,
Of a Poole, or Lake, broad, and profound:
Will take such plentie of excellent fish,
As well may furnish an Emperors dish.
But of all creatures, which nature did forme
Of this kinde is th' admirable Silke-worme,
Whose daintie webbe doth cloath potentates,
Kinges, Queenes, Princes and Magistrates:
All princely Ladies celebrate her fame,
Shining in glorie of the Silke-wormes frame.
This might abate, the glorie of humane pride,
Since a poore Silke-worme hath it magnified.
Why boastest thou thy shining Satten Sute?
Is't not a part of the Caterpillers mute?
Her forme, her life, her foode, her worke, her end,
By Doctor Muffet is eloquently pen'd.
The Spyder next in contemplation,
Excellent in her operation.
'Mong'st creeping thinges, is numbred in her kinde,
Though she be thought to beare a hatefull minde.
To vitall heate, and healthfull mans estate,
Because colde poyson, she doth generate.
Yet if you marke her composition,
And view her vertuous disposition,
To sucke from Earth the fell deadly poyson,
That so corrupteth natures blessed foyzon:
And with her feete weaueth a daintie Net,
To shew that Ladies webbes beene counterfet:
If with her smallest threds they beene compared,
So rare, so thinne, so excellently shared.
Marke how in her, Dame nature shew's her Art,
Tryumphing in her worke in euery Part.
And tell me then, if all the world beside,
Bee not meere-bunglers vnto Natures pride.
Mount little Pismire, from thy hollow caue,
Thy turne com's next, thine honor shalt thou haue,
Sith mightie Pan within his sacred Layes,
Did make thee rowze, the Sluggard from his wayes.
How doost thou labour in the Summer season,
When Butter-flyes done range voide of Reason.
Through grassie Meades shewing their painted coate,
Scorning the VVinters blasts as lightest Moate.
But when fell Boreas shew's his Ghoastly face,
They pine, they sterue, they die, gone is their grace,
Their winges beene worne, no meate to liue vpon,
Repentance comes too late, Time's past, tis gone.
Thou, thou art appointed a Schoolemaster,
To retchlesse, carelesse, Ryotous-waster.
In Summer time, thou lay'st thy limmes to worke,
Noe idle person, in thy Caue doth lurke,
Thou packest vp thy strawes for winter fewell,
Esteeming warm'th, and meate, a princely Iewell.
Thou fillest thy Barnes, and Garners with thy Corne,
when beggers dye for colde, for food, forlorne.
Nature tryumpheth in thy bodies Frame,
Thy small compacted limmes, witnesse the same.
Who vieweth but the Pismires little head
And sees the Organs therein comprised.
Her little mouth to apprehend her meate,
Her tongue to taste, her throte hollow and neate,
To swallow downe the iuyce of what she takes:
Her hot stomacke which good digestion makes.
Her lower parts egesting excrements,
Her nimble legs with other complements:
One ioint to another soundly compacted,
Orderly couched, no way distracted:
Her wit to discerne when Sommer begins,
Presaging foule weather or euer she lins,
Or leaues her worke for herselfe and her traine:
With labour seeking her house to maintaine.
Her orderly care to burie her dead,
Some carrying the feete, some other the head.
To a place remote from her habitation,
T'avoid the stench of mortall contagion.
Who vieweth these things, must greatly admire,
The noble vertues of the little Pismire,
What shall I sing more? The least creeping thing,
Brings admiration to a mightie King.
The skipping Flea, and the poore beggers louse,
May make a wonder in a Princes house:
Viewing their mouthes, their bodies and legges,
In eating their meat, and laying their egges.
Floras rich mantle was fretiz'd with Fowles,
Which Shepheards haue discribed in their rowles:
And now enioyning poore Endymion,
As plaine song for his Pipe to warble on:
Birds of pray for our meane capacitie,
Deuouring Birds of great rapacitie.
Then smaller Birds that are of lower size;
That gentle Ladies rate of higher prize,
Must be the tenor of the shepheards song,
Though wearied voyse cannot endure long:
High soaring Eagle Empiring and bolde;
The shining face of Phœbus to beholde.
In the Ensigne of victorious Emperours,
Impressed; flying as great conquerours,
Of all furious birds, she beareth princely sway,
Woe to yong Lambs that commen in her way.
The Phænix bred in great Arabia,
(A countrie knowne to mightie Cynthia)
Of golden colour and rare qualities,
Who liuing alwayes chast, she burning dies.
Two of these Birds the world cannot containe,
From bird to worme, from worme to bird againe.
Vsing no act of generation,
As egges vsed for procreation.
But fire onely for priuation,
Whence must proceede the Birds corruption,
And then behold an alteration.
Which deserueth admiration:
The Ashes yeelden forth a creeping worme,
Which Time doth cause to take the Phænix forme.
Hereby some learned Shepheards highly scan,
The resurrection of a mortall man,
To be as possible out of the ground,
As, of a worme a Phænix to be found.
The Griffin halfe a bird, and halfe a beast,
Strong arm'd with mightie beak, tallents, & creast,
Making an armed man his Euening pray,
The mounting Eagle onely doth him fray.
The monstrous Vulture, Prometheus tormentor,
(Of fire naturall the first inuenter)
Mercilesse, not sparing in his furie,
To offer harmelesse creatures iniurie.
The Ostrich of deuouring qualitie.
Oxe-footed, broad beak'd, huge of quantitie,
And of incredible ceteritie,
And yet of grosse and ponderous grauitie.
Not able to mount, but holpen by her wings,
Great admiration to the hunters brings:
Disgesting steele, and breathing firie fumes,
Yet she adornes our Gallants with her plumes.
The spoyling Goss-hawke not so good for sport,
As fit to feed an armie in a Fort.
The Faulcon, and Ierfaulcon for pleasure,
Are accounted for a Princes treasure:
Terscēll, Tarcell-gentle, and Laneret,
The Lanner, bastard Muller, Malleret,
The princely Sagar, and the Sagaret,
Which Bastard-Hawkes, Faulconers can hardly get,
The thrice renowmed noble Marlion,
Which Ladies vse for recreation,
The long-wing'd Hobbie for the mounting Larke,
Fit for young eyes the towring game to marke.
The Irish Sparhawke to follow slender game,
Deserues with Hawkes to register her name:
In Winter time the Musket at a bush,
Will serue shepheards to maze a simple Thrush:
The Kistrell if he be well managed,
For swiftnesse will not be disparaged:
The Coward Kite fittest to ceaze the Mouse,
To gurmandize young chickens from thy house.
She serues to take the garbage from the field,
Least putrifaction might infection yeeld.
The Buzzard most hurtfull to thy warren,
With spoyle of Rabbets making it barren,
Deserueth not so much to be hated,
If he were to gaming animated.
The Ring-taile eke will truely kill her game,
If cunning hand and wit her nature tame.
The Rauen (some say) if she be cicurated,
Deserues in some sort to be nominated:
But take thou heed of all the Birds that flyne,
The Eagle and Rauen will strike out thine eyne:
Preuent it therefore, least it come to passe,
And arme thy face with spectacles of glasse.
The siluer stringed sweet sounding Virginall,
Without the Rauens quils is rusticall.
To write the Roman hand, and Secretarie,
The Rauens Pen is found most necessarie.
Thus for supposed inconuenience,
Her feathers yeeld young Ladies recompence:
And some commoditie doth seeme to grow,
By the noysome deuouring carion Crow.
To clense the streets neare to thy mansion,
Of stinking carions corruption.
The Rooke, the Chough, the Daw, may be forborne,
Which feede not of the carion but of corne.
The partie-coloured chattering Mag-pie,
Gorgeth herselfe vpon impuritie.
Learned Drayton hath told Madge-howlets tale,
In couert verse of sweetest Madrigale.
She whoops at all the World in frostie night,
Blazing the sinnes wherein it takes delight.
The Bat and she doth take their recreation,
If Phœbus be in declination
The Owle, banquets with Chickens at her feast,
The Bat delights herselfe with Bacon best.
If you will see as cleare by night as day,
Annoynt your eyes with blood of Bats they say.
But daunce not thou after Albertus Fiddle,
Till thou canst better vnderstand this Riddle:
For of this poynt Shepheards warne thee before,
Eyes so annoynted shall neuer see more.
The Kings-fisher laboureth in her kinde,
With her breast opposite against the winde,
To seaze the fishes spawne, and little frie,
That heedlesse in a Riuer swimmen by.
Her painted feathers maken Flies counterfet,
Tied vpon Hookes the leaping Trout to get:
The coloured Woodspite runs along the trees,
Killing for foode the creeping worme she sees:
The filthie Cormorant, and the Sea-gull,
Whose Crawes with eating will be neuer full;
In Floras mantle haue some place afforded,
Therefore Endymion hath them recorded,
But leaue we these, and let our Musicke mount
To sing of princely fowles in our account.
Faire sweetest Læda's Swan both wild and tame,
Which mightie Monarchs keep'n for their game.
The towring Hearnshaw, and the wakefull Crane,
Shaming Cancasus, fearing to be tane,
By dreadfull Eagle watching for her pray,
Trussing the Cranes as they flyen that way.
They keepen therefore silence in their Flight,
Till they haue scap'd that mountaine in the night.
As two lynes of a Tryangle meeting together,
At the end, so flyen they in colde weather,
In two rankes spredding themselues a sonder,
They ioyne at one sharpe end, great is the wonder.
They haue one leader, whome they duly marke,
Following one another in the darke.
This leader lighteth farre off from the rest,
As one with solitarinesse opprest.
Hee keepes his standing as a Centinell,
That all his Souldiers might in safetie dwell.
But if an aduersary come that way,
He makes a noyse: The troup is in array.
He mountes, they mount they take thē to their winges,
To seeke some place that lesser perrill brings.
The Goose, The Ducke, the Widgeon and Teale,
Like order keepe as in a common weale.
The daintie Curlew, Dottrell and Pewet,
The Redshanke, Bustard, Bittor, and Godwet,
The Snipe, the Woodcocke, Plouer, Gray and Greene,
Garnish the Table of the greatest Queene.
The Heath-cocke, Partrich, Rayle, Quaile & Phesant,
Are Princes dishes, and pastimes pleasant.
Sweet sounding Larke art not the meanest wish,
That oft is made to furnish Princes dish.
Furthermore in blessed Tellus coate,
Are framed Birds, of sweet and pleasing noate.
Long liuing Ouzle, little chaunting Thrush,
Singing on tops of trees, and highest bush;
Delighting passengers with Melodie,
Varying their tunes so curiously.
That Shepheards wonder how so diuers Noates,
Should couched be within such little throates.
But't is an admirable speculation,
To heare the delectable variation.
Of sweetest Noates, with stops vnmutable,
With loftie streynes, Musicke inestimable,
Of little Philomela, sacred Nightingall,
Phœbes Phœnix, Organist-imperiall.
Let no Musition with her voice compare,
No voice so sweete, so exquisite and rare.
Dame Linnet, and birdes of Canaria,
With Musicke please Arcadian Cinthia.
Robin-red-brest, the little dainty Wren,
With sweetest noates content the mindes of men.
Some other Birds Flora brought in beside,
Which not in voice, yet done excell in Pride.
The prating Parret, Parakito small,
Which please our Cinthian Ladies best of all.
As these beene taught, so vtter they their voice
They make much sport, and Ladies doone reioyce,
Orientall beene their Feathers delectable,
Of colour excellent, and variable.
But other vertues in them know I none,
But to eate a soppe and burnish a bone.
The Golde-finch, Bulfinch, Marlet and Swallow
Of colours diuers, in vertues shallow.
The Red-stone in a Swallowes Maw is good,
To stop the Fluxe and efusion of blood.
The Oyle of Swallowes, Phisitions haue tolde,
Help's swelling of ioyntes, proceeding of colde.
Thou shalt not once handle our English Iay,
The falling-sicknes infects her alway.
Peacocks beene Birds of rare qualitie,
Of shining Feathers, pride, and Maiestie,
Foes to the Adder by creation:
Contriuing alwaies his distruction.
Sabæan Queene for estimation,
Presented these to mightie Salomon,
The Turkie-cocke, a Crauen by nature,
Is excellent meate, and of Large stature.
The simple harmelesse groaning Turtle-doue,
Twixt man and wife paints neuer-dying loue:
The Doue commended in Diuinitie,
Grac'd by the third person in Trinitie,
Her bodies heate for sustentation,
Her qualities for imitation.
The dolefull mourning Stock-doue may thee moue,
To view thy state and praise thy God aboue.
The Storke may teach children with reuerence,
To yeeld their parents due obedience.
When crooked age their parents doth possesse,
And stiffened lims waxe faint with wearinesse;
When pouertie their substance doth assaile:
And vitall blood their Arteries doth faile.
When blinded eyes done sinke in hollowed head:
When trembling hands that should the mouth haue fed;
Steddily can hold no sustenance,
And grinding teeth (the stomacks maintenance)
Their offices no longer can fulfill:
And waywardnesse attacheth aged will:
When legs doe faile, that should the rest support;
And cold, and age, and griefe afoords no comfort:
Then marke the young, the strong and lustie Storke,
That day and night vncessantly doth worke,
Her aged dying parents to maintaine,
Refusing pleasure, and enduring paine.
To bring in food his parents to sustaine,
Thinking the parents life the childrens gaine.
And if he doe perceiue that food be scant,
And that his parents perishen for want;
So that constrained he must leaue the place:
Then wofully he viewes his fathers face,
Shewing his griefe to see his parents lacke,
And all at once he takes them on his backe.
And adding force vnto his fearfull wings,
Swiftly flees to the pallaces of Kings.
And laying aged parents safely downe,
For foode he rangeth all about the towne.
Which got, he brings it home with swiftest speede,
Whereof his parents and himselfe do feede.
But here Endymion began to weepe,
As if himselfe were drown'd in sorrowes deepe.
I know not what did touch the seely man,
But yet at last he thus againe began.
O blessed Pan grant vs that Shepheards beene,
Aged, vnwildie, with choller ouerseene:
To find young Storks to carrie vs in age;
To feede our mouthes to beare our froward rage:
Alas I feare it will be otherwise!
Now children done their parents poore despise:
And if they done to a little money rise,
Their Parents may in no case enterprise,
To call them sonnes, the black-mouth'd filthy Asse,
Thinks himselfe sham'd if that should come to passe.
For Hercules must needs be this mans father,
When he might iustly challenge Iris rather.
A fustie golden Braggadochio,
A Lumbardarie scauld Borachio.
The disgrace of an honourable howse,
As to a Ladie is a bodie-lowse.
But let this rest: A brond of infamie,
(There pride abhor'd in gentle-companie)
With frumps derides them to their verie face,
And secretly pursues them with disgrace.
Endymion must take another subiect,
Of high regard and princely respect,
A wonder for the world to gaze vpon,
Which still is out of forme and fashion.
A seely fowle, a Pellicane by name,
Shall shew how much this world is out of frame.
The Pellicane will spend his chiefest blood,
To doe his friends or yonglings any good;
But we will spend our warme and deerest blood,
To hang our friends or children in our mood:
We bragge, we prate of Christianitie,
Our hands are full of blood and crueltie:
Our tongues can talke of Iesus Christ his death,
And cursse, and sweare, with one, and the same breath.
We fast, we pray, we sigh, we groane, we preach,
We write, we reade, we heare, catechise, and teach,
We bend our knees, aloft we lift our eyes,
As if our hearts were rauish'd to the skies.
We rage at others vice, reproue corruption,
Speake against vsurie as abhomination:
We speake gainst the pomp of Prelates in their gree,
And yet who liues in action worsse then wee?
There is no sinne that worthily is blamed,
But we commit, and are not ashamed.
If true pietie consisted in wordes,
When working actions from the same discordes:
Then are we perfect in Religion,
Our words been plentifull, our deedes beene gon.
Except we take corrupt and stinking weeds,
For blessed sacred and religious deeds,
We had rather cut our poore neighbours throat,
Then releeue his want with one seely groat.
And if he fall into extremitie,
By shipwracke or other casualtie:
Shall we releeue his wofull penurie,
Or helpe to keepe his wife and familie
Of our owne purse? nay let him sterue and die,
And wife and children begge. O Christianitie!
Thy sacred lore teacheth quite contrarie,
From which who so doth obstinately varie,
Shall be acknowledged for none of thine,
Nor be partaker of that glorious shine,
Of blisse, of honour, and of maiestie,
And liue with th'euerlasting Deitie.
Another Bird I haue yet in my rowle,
Which may be spoken of without controwle,
A bird for courage, and for qualitie,
For husbandrie, thrift, and vtilitie:
Inferior to none that Nature hath framed,
And is the proude and wakefull House-cocke named.
Armed with spurr's to daunt assayling foes,
Crown'd as a King, tryumphing as he goes.
Obserue the tender loue, borne to his wife,
For whose saueguard, he spareth not his life.
If Corne or bread he finde, if but a cromme,
He chucks, and calls his wife vntill shee come:
Before he layeth downe that peece of bread,
Not feeding himselfe, if she be vnfed.
Each man knowes his nature by experience,
To holde you long were inconuenience.
The Titmouse and the multiplying VVren,
That deuours Spiders, and liues amongst men,
For order of our Sonnet as it lies,
Requireth that we speake of diuers flyes:
And specially of flies by creation,
For many Flies rise of corruption.
The Bees from Pan haue their originall,
At creation of things-naturall.
Flesh-Flyes, and VVasps, and Grassehoppers,
Crickets, Hornets, and Cowsherders,
Dorr's, and such like, as flying Gnats,
Haue their originall as Mise and Rats.
By Phœbus Heate, and putrifaction,
They taken forme and generation.
As mightie Cursses, and great plagues are sent,
Vpon this wicked world for punishment.
Great is thy wisdome euerlasting Pan,
In all thy workes seruing the vse of Man:
All thy creatures strike admiration,
To Shepheards in their contemplation.
But when we neerely marke the little Bee,
Our hearts must needes be rauished in thee.
That such a little Flie should farre surpasse,
The wisest workeman, euer framed was,
And all the Artist's in the world beside,
Are argued of insolence and pride,
If they presume by superficiall skill,
To knowe the cause of this thy secret will.
How is her bodie framed in euery parte,
Admirably contriu'd beyond all Arte?
Her little head her eyes, her mouth, her tongue,
Her throate, her brest, her little heart, her longue.
(As some doe thinke, to houlden breath and heate)
Their little Stomacke, to disgest their meate:
What Lower intrayles Dame Nature inuents,
To emptie, or auoide their Excrements,
Their alwaies-Armed-sting for their defence,
Their little ioynts, and legs of finest sence,
Their wit to sucke the iuyce from fragrant flower,
Their skill to keepe, and carrie it to their bower:
Their Arte to flye a mile into a playne,
And euerie Bee to finde his home againe.
But when we come to see their Citadell,
As by a Serieant Maior squared well:
How iustly are Philosophers amazed,
When they haue proportionably gazed,
Vpon a little concaue or a Hiue,
In which they doe their pollicie contriue?
Circle-Muring strong their pettie-fort,
With Pallazado, Flanker, Loop and Porte,
Rampiers of waxe, and thicke Baracados,
To withstand the theeuish Rats-Brauados.
But enter once within their Hiue, or wall,
And see their order vniuersall:
Marking how they doe place their Colonyes,
To dwell according to their qualities:
First for the King his Tent imperiall,
Next been placed States, Peers principall.
Then euerie other state in his degree,
According to his seruice hath his fee:
For him and his, a house peculiar:
Priuate for euerie thing particular:
For meate, for rest & Cradles for their young:
So neately drest as passeth Shepheards toung.
Framed sixe square Geometricall,
Each side to the other, proportionall,
And euerie one his lodging seuerall,
Framed by nature artificiall.
Not seiled with vnprofitable knacks,
But euerie lodging of the purest waxe,
These lodgings are appointed in regard,
That euerie one should labour, watch and ward.
Thus setled in their Cell against the Sunne,
Each falleth to his worke till day be done.
Some maken Honny-pots, some Honny clense,
Which closely they hide, and hourden in their Dens.
Of all the flowers growing in the field,
Which fragrant smell vnto the sense doe yielde:
They gatheren this composition,
The sicke mans Leeche, and best Phisition.
They nourish vp their younglings in their trade,
Till time and practise hath them skilfull made.
When Summer hath prouision for their health,
They swarme them foorth into the common-wealth.
To get some place for their habitation,
And labour in their generation.
If any one among them chaunce to die,
Hee is remooued thence immediatly.
For they can abide no dead carion,
For feare of pestilent infection.
By iust desert therefore they are recorded,
That haue to Man such benefits afforded.
Riuers and Springs, and Bathes, and pooles there beene

Riuers.

That Beautifie the Mantle of this Queene.
That flowen from the mightie Ocean
Running againe thither where they began.
Loosing their saltnesse in the hollow vaine:
Of Tellus Intrayles where they doe remaine.
Their swiftnesse spoyles the force of Phœbus Heates,
Which on the bottom of the Riuer beates.
The Pike, the Roach the Cheuen and the Dace,
The Breame, the Barble, with his bearded face,
The Pearch, the Gudgeon, and the siluer Eele,
Which Millers taken in their Ozier weele:
Dwell in the Riuer as principall fish.
And giuen by Pan to garnish thy Dish,
The Salmon, Trout, Flounder and Creuise,
Doe dwell in Riuers where the Menow is.
The Princely Carpe, and medicinable Tench,
In bottom of a Poole themselues doe trench.
The Poole of necessitie hath a spring,
Which feedeth it, and doth fresh water bring,
Least Phœbus burning beames doon make it drie,
The mudde to stinke and all the fish to die.
VVho dare the noble burbling Spring despise,
VVhich from the belly of great Tellus rise?
Where Birds doon drink for sustentation,
Where Nimphes and Graces, take their recreation.
Swiftly descending from Parnassus mount,
To sporte themselues by coole Castalion-Fount.
There beene Bathes also of high Soueraignetie
Med'cinable for mans infirmitie.
Colde Bath's springing vp from an Allum-mine,
Curing hot Gowts, and Maladies of eyne.
Hot Bath's alwaies worken quite contrarie,
As spring from a hot Mine Sulphurie.
And thus is Tellus Mantle finished:
And with beauties rich glorie garnished.
There resteth that Endimion begin,
To shew what treasures Tellus hath within.
Thrice honoured Cinthia deigne to heare this song,
Blame it not, as teadious or to long:
For thou shalt heare therein discouered,
Thinges that before in darkenes houered.
The Mothers wombe throughly Anatomized,
With glorious Meteors therein comprized.
So that if I should haue a Trophæ made,
When Shepheards life were turned retrograde:
Of all my skill except Theologie:
Set vp his pillar of Philosophy,
And let thy Poet be eternized,
For Phylosophy epitomized.
And let Arcadian Cynthia neuer die,
But liue in records of Antiquitie.
And euer tryumph in Endymions Layes,
With flourishing and euerlasting Bayes.
For listen how by Indagation,
In Tellus Belly by Creation
Are perfect mettals, Stones, and things betweene
That neyther perfect Stones, nor mettals been
Gould Siluer, Brasse, Yron, Steele, heauie-lead, Tinne,
Are Metals seauen, contained within
In Tellus belly whereunto some adde:
Copper which is fine Brasse if truth be had.
All these by Phœbus made effectuallie,
As hee's remote, or in propinguitie,
The neerer Phœbus commeth to the lyne,
So is the Metall eyther course or fine.
As Phœbus fierie Steedes circlen the Spheare,
Declyning the line, or approchen neare:
So are his beames of force, or weake estate
Minerall Mettals to operate,
As is the substance of the earth in qualitie,
So is the Mettall fram'd in pouertie.
Plenty of Gould is in America,
Peru, Moluccus, and Phillipina,
Little Gould, or Siluer in Uirginia,
France, Ireland, or Brittania.
Yet Copper, Tinne, Iron, Brasse, or Leade:
Are in those Countries plentifully bred.
America so neare the burning line,
Breedeth abundantly the golden Mine.
These other Countries subiect to the colde,
Can yeelde lesse plenty of siluer and golde.
For Gould and Siluer is the Care of man,
For these men maken warres, and cursse and ban:
Forsweare themselues, and sell their dearest life.
For these the husband kils his guiltlesse wife.
Friend sels his Friend as Iudas did his Lord:
Simplicitie, truth, vertue is abhorr'd.
Kings make war with their neighbour Kings for golde,
Religion is wounded, conscience is bought & solde.
Abbayes, Churches, Altars ruinated,
Whilom to pietie consecrated.
Bishoprickes spoyled, their Lands deuided,
Studie decayed, Schollers deryded.
Schollers constrained to buy their places deere,
The Parsonage farmed, it lyes the Patrone neere.
The Patrone claimes the Tithe to finde his Diet:
Or else the Parson must not liue in quiet.
But out of doubt, my Lord's a Puritan,
A vertuous and a moste Religious man.
Making a Scruple of his conscience,
As doth a Begger to take a sixe pence,
The Mistresse weares the Parsonage on her backe,
The Peacher, his wife, and family doe lacke.
But tell me, is not this a golden age,
When Rascalls ride in Golden Equipage
With Princely Lords and men of highest blood,
As Tarleton clad in Cæsars goulden Hood?
When guilded spurres, adorne Hodge-Climperton,
To friske the Hay with Glabbring-Iillion?
Fetching a Caper full as high from ground,
As fortie Angells is from twentie pound.
Spoyling more Cates and Viands at one Meale,
Then fiue great Mastiffes in a common weale.
Prouided it be of an others coste,
For his great Grand father neuer eate Roste.
And tell me? yst' not a goulden season,
When Golden fooles are praysed for reason?
As eloquent as learned Cicero,
As sententious as aged Cato:
Pithye, sage, and Graue, with a long white beard,
Like mine olde Horned Goate, præceeding the heard?
What Stratagems of warre, are wrought by golde?
What secret misteries doth it not vnfolde?
What Townes and Cities hath it not betrayd?
What Princes councels, hath it not bewray'd?
What strange aduentures doe men vndertake,
And all for golde, commoditie to make?
A man regardeth nor Age, nor qualitie;
Sexe, witte, learning, vertue nor honestie.
Friendship, faith, Soule, credit, Sinceritie;
So he get golde and worldly dignitie.
Damnable Vsurers Suburds of hell,
Iewes by profession, Baw'ds of Bride-well,
Deuouring English Gentle-men aliue,
That once approchen your pestilent Hiue
Nets of Belzebub t' ensnare noble frye,
Pretending conscience their wants to supplye.
Protesting that for perfect amitie
(Hoping there may be some Affinitie
By marriage, betweene your sodaine Daughter,
And this wanting wanton youth heareafter)
If hee'l knowledge a Satute of his Land,
For men are mortall: and a single Band,
Is not for you that are a Citizen.
When hee's content: what doe you for him then?
You will furnish him immediatly:
Eyther with money, or commoditie,
But wot ye what? (Pouchmouth Ciuilitie)
Now begins your packe of Scurrillitie.
You dampne your selues and sweare that money's scant
But ritch commodities he shall not want,
That certaine Money presently will yeeld:
If he be skilfull to Marshall the field.
Silks, and veluets at Intollerable price.
Embroydered Hangars, Pepper and Rice,
Browne Paper, Lute-strings, buckles for a Saddle,
Perwigs, Tiffany, Paramours to waddle.
Great bars of yron, and Spanish Tucks:
(Thus like a Horse-leech thy vanitie suckes)
These takes the Gentleman, at such a Rate,
As brings repentance speedy: but to late,
For halfe in halfe, is losse reasonable,
The Broker sweares they are not seasonable.
O inchaunting golde, O alluring witch!
Doth not a minde contented make men rich?
Desire of Thee, hath damn'd the Vsurer,
His wife, and children, and fil the Broker.
Desire of Thee makes many Marchants wiues,
Forsake their husbands beds, their soules, their liues.
Vnder pretence of blessed Religion,
Inflamed with cælestiall vision:
To haunt the beds of yonger golden states,
Buying short pleasures at the highest rates.
Desire of Thee constraines the Pandresse seeke,
Each angle of the towne, each house and Creeke,
To bend, perswade, allure, a simple Maid,
For Gold to haue her honestie betraid.
This Pandresse she, alas, she's past the best,
And knows the fittest meanes t'ensnare the rest:
Desire of Thee draw's the bankrupt marchant,
To become a blind Buzzard prædicant.
To blaze the Bible farre aboue the reach,
To be a Puritane, Catechise, and preach:
To single out a Church remote for ease,
Where he may best his auditorie please.
Where neuer commeth wise nor learned man,
Their fond absurdities to heare or scan.
But sweete Kate and Cisse, Bab, and Iulian,
Faire Parnell, and my blessed sister Anne.
Pen at a push, diuine Goinophila,
Prudence, Priscilla, with Polonyma.
These know to vse the sacred Oracles,
As lack-an-Apes a paire of Spectacles.
With diuinitie aswell edified
As a red Bricke by water's Albified.
This fellow first to get the worlds applause,
Cries out against the policie and law's.
And saith the Chuch is full of superstition,
And her officers without commission,
Thrust thereinto by Romish Antichrist,
Defended by Popish Artagonist.
Archbishops, Bishops, Deanes, Prebendaries,
Parsons, Vicars, Curates, Commissaries,
Common-set-prayer, and Citations,
Suspensions, and Excommunications:
Lord Bishops, Barons of Parliament,
Made Iustices of ciuill gouernment.
These are not of Christs institution,
But by corrupt times Reuolution.
Infecting the Church by Popes intrusion,
Poysoning her with wofull confusion.
He saith vnpreaching Ministers been dumbe dogs,
Fitter for plough and seruing of hogs,
Then to taken Christs blessed lore in hand,
Reading the things they doe not vnderstand.
If this be true thou pecuniarie Asse,
Art not thou come to a wofull passe?
That into Christs Church hast thrust thy selfe,
To coffer vp this yellow worldly pelfe?
And in a Pulpit doost but prate and clatter,
Without Diuinitie, Methode, or matter?
Thy foolish spokes all learned men do scorne,
As spur-gall'd-words, triuiall, and threed-bare worne.
Thy sences need Eleborus, They are too too blunt,
Such Parradoxes of thy selfe to hunt.
The Hebrue, Greeke, and Latin, vnto thee,
As the renowm'd and ancient fathers bee,
Thou speakest as perfect Ciceronian,
As a Monkey iabbereth Italian.
If I demaund how thou attain'dst thy skill,
Thou simply answerest: it was Ioues will.
It came to thee by inspiration:
And by a secret Reuelation.
Thus thou obtain'dst thy Consecration,
By an extraordinarie vocation.
Contrarie to the sacred Regiment,
Setled by Iesus Christ, and parmanent.
But for the Registers of Antiquitie,
And interpreters of Diuinitie,
The holy fathers blessed Monuments,
Which Christ hath vsed as his Instruments,
To make diuine Theorems perspicuous.
And obscure sentences illustrious:
Thou do'st reiect them as ridiculous,
And interpretations perillous.
Thou onely read'st the inuectiues of T. C.
Which by profound writers answered bee.
Why without blushing dar'st thou discommend,
The orders of the Church, or thus contend
About high poynts beyond thine Element?
Thy time in learning might be better spent.
But well I know what brought thee to this vaine,
Not conscionable zeale, but hope of gaine.
And this thou shalt acknowledge euident,
Vpon record as certaine Precedent.
Thou that before with railing bitter words,
Denied'st Christian Bishops to be Lords:
And squared Cap, and Surplesse didst forsweare,
Shunning the Ministers that did it weare,
Saying t'was a Relique of Antichrist,
Brought into the Church by the diuels high Priest.
The Crosse in Baptisme, and Ring in mariage,
Is a foolish toy, and meere Surplussage,
The Booke of Common-prayer is tittle tattle,
Much like to a Babies playing rattle.
But now thou hast by thine owne subscription,
Retracted thy former assertion.
Affirming the pollicie of our land,
With Gods eternall veritie to stand.
Vsing the Ceremonies as they beene,
Established as all thy people weene.
And what thou formerly hast contemned,
As things by Christianitie condemned.
By thy hand writing thou hast approoued,
(As plaine truth hath farre thy betters mooued)
Thou wear'st the Surplesse, and the cornerd cappe,
Onely but for a bush to stop a gappe.
Thine Audience demaund of thee the cause,
Why thou subiects thy selfe vnto these lawes?
Sith thou hast preached direct contrarie,
As white and blacke in colours seeme to varie.
Thouh sai'st fowle iniquitie of this time,
Procured thee to perpetrate this crime.
Out of thy mouth I straight do argue thee,
Of false dissembling hypocrisie.
For if it be direct iniquitie,
Discording from true Christianitie;
Why wilt thou thy conscience contaminate,
And with thy pen and hand corroberate,
Things meerely false and diabolicall,
Forsaking God, and things Cælestiall?
Answere me now or be thou well directed,
Least of hypocrisie thou be detected.
Thou sai'st thy skill is greater now then then;
(You blessed people answer all Amen.)
Then shall thy flocke be excellently fed,
Like the Camelion of the Ayre bred.
Thou hast nor Arte, nor wit, to feed thy sheepe,
No more then Wolfe, or Foxe thy lambs to keepe.
Thou know'st no more the Scriptures to vnfolde,
Then doth Aphron th' Alchimist to make golde.
But flesh is fraile, and thou art loath to say,
That which we shepheards sounden in our lay.
That thou wilt stay thy selfe vpon this ground,
As fast as will the Hare before the Hound.
Returne therefore vnto thy trade againe,
For in the Church thou labourest in vaine.
Think'st thou our Bishops will thee deigne to preach,
Rude, vnlearned, a Mercinany Dog-leach?
No no: Saint Nicholl is too wise for that,
Thou'st neuer in an English Pulpet chat.
Till thou hast better skill to manage well,
The mysteries diuine of sacred spell.
Yet herein art thou worthily commended,
That hast the Churches policie defended.
And forsworne Geneuian Presbyterie,
Being a phantasticall Anarchie.
But if thou wilt be an euerlasting so,
To this new vpstart Disciplinado:
Studiously with Pen marke each word and line,
Of that learned suruey of Discipline,
That which thou doost doe of intelligence,
Not for lucres sake, but for conscience.
Vpon this condition Ile let thee goe,
And speake of certaine golden wonders moe.
For out of doubt it worketh strange effects,
When euerie man the golden Asse respects.
A lustie Gallant seekes his wife for golde,
Though the withered Crone be foure-score yeare olde,
Blind, crooked, lame, deformed, full of gout:
Her gold, her gold, shall paint the Buzzard out,
As yong, as beautifuli, as Pollixana,
Wise, courteous, witte learned, as my Cynthia.
Gentle as a Doue, for why she cannot bite,
Fortie yeares agone she was toothlesse quite.
Yea a yong puppet, ill fauoured idiot,
A slabbering, grenning, laughing foole (God wot)
Gold can transforme to faire and gracious,
Wittie, and sober, in talke sentencious,
Able as wisely to vtter hir minde,
As Seneca's wife could see being starke blinde.
Yea, in a Countrey where no golde doth growe,
By arteficiall skill wee'll make golde, I trowe.
That shall abide the fierie test aswell,
As stubble can abide the fire of hell.
This skill is called the noble Alchimie,
Which bringeth all her friends to beggerie:
For with great expence and longation,
Must come this mettals alteration;
Perillous is the way by curtation,
Hauing no certaine operation,
By the white and greene, and red Lion,
By fixing Sulphurs liquefaction;
To haue a perfect calcination,
Right Tincture, and Maleation,
To make it ductible and fusible,
Close luted in an earthen Crusible,
Bewaring of too hot combustion,
Till fortie dayes and nights be come, and gone:
Secretly working by thy selfe alone:
Thou shalt obtaine the Philosophers stone.
A fine red powder, which being proiected,
(By great Arte and skill, least thou be detected)
Vpon a peece of Brasse as bigge as a house,
Shall make a peece of golde as bigge as a louse.
Goodly Mannors and Possessions are solde,
To make simple Brasse artificial Golde.
But as a Veluet Ape remaines an Ape,
Though he be attired in golden shape:
So shall a peece of Brasse be perfect Brasse,
Though it be somewhat purer then it was.
Well, this that is spoken proueth euident,
That this Mettall of Golde is excellent.
For which all states and sexes macerate,
Themselues and theirs with labours intricate.
Though Golde it selfe, as by creation,
Is not the cause of such corruption;
But mans vile insatiable desire,
To lade themselues with this thicke earthly mire,
Brasse for vessels, and sodder fast our Steele,
To make Canons, whose force our foes doe feele.
Iron and Steele are mettals of dignitie,
Of great esteeme, vertue, and qualitie,
The one with th' other may so be tempered,
That by no Arte they may be entered,
They make mightie instruments of warre,
Bellona, and Pallace with these armed are.
With these the Captaines of Britannia,
Beard the proude Monsters of Romania.
The force of these hath conquered India,
These fright the Muses and faire Cynthia.
And all young Ladies that delight in peace,
Whereby their ioy, their loue, their sports encrease,
Praying great Mars, no more to manage armes,
That they might claspe him in their Iuory armes.
The vse of these for which they were intended;
Was that our confines might be defended,
From foe mans force, and fierce Inuasion
That blessed peace might build her station,
That there might bee no fell corrasion,
Death, nor bloodie depopulation.
But out alasse! Sacred intent of Pan,
Is quite peruerted by the minde of man,
By a malitious disposition,
That turne these Mettals to pardition.
They kill, destroy, and murder one another,
The Father kils the Sonne, the childe the Mother:
Man killeth man, whome he ought to defend:
Kniues were ordained to a better end.
Woe worth the man, that first the sword inuented,
Neuer sufficiently to be lamented.
For since the time these weapons first began,
In small regard was had the life of man.
Each swaggering Ruffin now that walk's the streetes,
Proud as Lucifer, stabbeth whome he meetes.
Trampling the Guts of men vnder his feete,
Tryumphing in his brothers winding sheete.
O blessed region where no Iron growes,
Where no man Steele, nor golde, nor siluer knowes,
Where Guns and swords, beene reputed wonder
Where roring Cannon is holden thonder.
Where neuer wonned any martiall Man,
Where men doon neuer cursse, nor sweare, nor ban,
For Golde: but ledden a contented life,
Voide of pride, Mallice, contention, strife,
Giuing a lumpe of Golde for a small Bell,
A needle or a pinne, contents them well.
Thou Salomon renowned prince of peace,
How did thy kingdome flourish and increase?
When Siluer was compared vnto dust,
Voide of contention, malice and distrust?
Golde was as plenty as stones in the streete,
Neighbour vsed neighbour solemnlie to greete.
Saying (Shalumleca) peace be vnto thee,
Then was Ierusalem in high degree.
But after he was dead, then warres began,
Peace was exiled, waxed sick and wan,
Ciuill sedition, and dichostasie:
Clangor of Trumpets, noyse and fearefull crie
Trampling of warlike Steedes, Banners displaide,
Beating of Drums: Armor rustie Assayed.
Mightie men at armes, raunged in array.
Townes full of clamor, women ran away.
Lamenting of Mothers, wiues wringing hands,
Blood-breathing Mars, at each corner stands.
Two Kings in one Land, each clayming right,
Souldiours ignorant on which side to fight.
The whole land full of desolation,
Expecting nothing but diuastation.
A lamentable wofull Spectacle,
When closed was the blessed Tabernacle,
The lawes worship and Sacrifice did cease,
Exterminated quite with sacred Peace.
The champing horse vp to the Footelocks stood,
In flowing streames of dying Souldiers blood.
No reuerence to the aged man at all,
The wife doth dye to see her husband fall.
The Children weepe to see their Fathers death;
The aged Matron yeeldeth vp her breath;
Young virgins without regard deflowred,
Studies decayed, Students deuoured.
Merchants spoyled, and their goods deuided,
Iustice dispised, Iudges derided,
The whole Kingdome brought to confusion,
Thy house, thy good's, thy land's by intrusion,
Of a godlesse impudent companion,
Taken by force from thy possession.
Thy wofull wife rauish'd before thy face,
And presently thou murther'd in the place.
Tell me now if thou hast any conscience,
Yf this in making Steele were Pans pretence?
The armed Plough-Share in making Furrowes long:
Our Horses Yron shodd, to footen strong.
Boord's strong nail'd, to couch together close:
Keyes, and artificiall locks, to shut and lose:
With other infinite commodities:
Which by this Mettals principally rise.
Of these two Mettals shewn, vse principall,
For deadly warres beene thinges accidentall.
The leaden mines, are now in chiefe request,
For which we riuen sacred Tellus brest.
And turne them to bad vses contrary,
Vnto their first created destiny.
We vse it now to make Bullets round,
To gorge our Pistols Christians to wound.
Caliuers, Muskets, and such Trumpery,
Executors of humane crueltie.
Are stuf'd with Bullets of the purest Leade,
To kill a harmlesse Man vnfurnished.
Wee vs'd them first holy Church to couer,
At the charge of many a Christian Louer.
To couer close, the Pallaces of Kings:
Least raine might enter which corruption brings.
Glasiers can tell of vses manifold,
That neede not in our storie bee enrould.
This proou's there is a strange mutation,
Of all things from their first creation.
Excepting Tinn formed for Vtensils,
Which sculleries of Noble Ladies fils.
This mettall receiueth corruption,
By Pewterers sophistication.
Chargers, Basens, Platters, Pots of Tinne,
Mixed with leade craftily foysted Inne.
Making them heauie, and of colour blew,
But Tinn's light, and white, if Substance be trew.
If otherwise it is adulterated,
And by Cosonage sophisticated.
Thus is rich Tellus glorious within,
In deeper search if thou wilt wisdome winne:
Stones doon occurre next to be suruey'd,
As nature hath them orderly conuei'd.
Gems, Marble, whetstones, Flmt's & building stones,
Are ribb's of this Ladie, or our Mothers bones,
Hearken the musicke of mine Oaten Reed,
As Endymion doth orderly proceed.
Gems are principally memorable
As Iewels of price inestimable
In barryne Rocks, and mountaines engendred,
And by great Pan to Ladies tendred.
To garnish all their Princely Ornaments,
Tyres for their heads, vailes, and Abbillements.
Their caules, their haire, their necks, their brests, their hands
Whose price none but the owners vnderstands.
Of watry substance beene they composed,
And by the burning heate of Phœbus disposed.
Into diuers colours hard orientall,
Shining throughout, not superficiall.
The thicker they beene the more of regard,
So they beene impenetrable and hard,
This watry-substance by colde is congealed
And then by Phœbus long time Anealed.
Yea hardned so by the heate of the Sunne
By continuall Reuerberation.
So hard compact by Phœbus burning charme,
That the flaming fire can doe them no harme.
These beene called precious for their qualities,
Not for their Maginitude or quantities.
These casten such a luster to the eyes,
As might amazen Shepheards that been wise.
Resembling often with their splendent light,
Twinckling and shining Starres in frosty night.
Of precious stones some shining and cleere,
Some been obscure, and therefore not so deere.
Some partly cleare, and in some part obscure,
Yet verie precious, and will long endure.
The Diamond, Carbuncle perspicuous,
Blew Saphyre, Emerald, Iacynth lustrious,
Obscure, and darke, is the iewell Onix,
Cleare and obscure, Iasper, and Sardonix.
All beasts and plants of force must needs giue place,
To many stones precious for vertuous grace.
The truth hereof is euidently showne,
By the Load-stone vniuersally knowne.
The Princely Diamond of high respect,
Pierceth an armor with his hard effect:
Nine dayes to gither resisteth the fire,
Who doth not then his qualities admire?
It expelleth feare, as Shepheards haue tride,
If it be to a Ladies left wrist tide:
At midnight Carbuncles giue such a shine,
As if Phœbus blazed his power diuine:
It makes a man merrie that lookes thereon,
Gainst Melancholy preuailes this stone.
Most precious of all is the greene Emrald,
Which of vs Shepheards a chaste stone is call'd.
It is the softest, and foe to Venerie,
When thou and thy wife go to bed, lay't by:
If thou haue drunke venom, or poysoned thing,
Drinke this in wine, it will remedie bring.
Gainst falling sicknesse it is a remedie,
Which Phisitians call Epilepsie.
The fearefull dreames that risen vp in vs,
The Emeralde doth vtterly discusse.
The blew Saphyr maketh sound the eyes,
That beene opprest with mystie maladies,
Choler-adust, it cureth perfectly,
Drunke in wine, and powdred cunningly.
It doth preuaile against the Scorpions sting,
The powder also remedie doth bring,
Against a Carbuncle, or pestilent sore,
Strawde vpon it and drunke as before.
The Iacinth preserueth from the lightning,
Those that weare it garnish'd in a ring.
From the pestilence it keep's men sound,
That ayer infected may them not confound.
A precious helpe for them that cannot Sleepe,
Get this stone and doe it safely keepe.
The Marble stones excell in Dignitie,
All other stones that beene ordinarie.
Representing a shining looking-glasse,
Shewing the faces of them that doon passe.
Excellent for building of gorgeous Roomes,
Theators of state, and Emperors Toombes.
some white, some black, some green, with spots distinct,
Such as great Cynthia hath in her precinct.
Porphirie for ritches is commended,
Wherein Phisis hath her skill extended.
Alablaster shall not in silence sleepe,
Wherein our Ladies doon their Oyntments keepe.
Whet-stones been next as Endimion findes,
Deuouring Metalls: heereof been three kindes,
The Touch-stone, and Whet-stone of Damasco,
And the Indian Whet-stone, the razors Foe.
Gould-Smiths vse the first to try their Mettals by,
As Golde and Siluer from false Alchymie.
The second common vs'd to this intent,
To whet our kniues, or other instrument.
The third is yellow which the Barbers haue,
To whet their Razors if they meane to shaue.
The nature of the flint all men doe admire,
How that speciall stone is fit to strike fire,
Schollars, Souldiers, and Maryners are bound,
To blesse the time when first this stone was found,
If all the fire in the whole world were gone:
Tellus can helpe thee with one silly stone,
For common stones of great infinitie,
Framed by cælestiall Diuinitie.
Different in colour, forme and fashion,
For nature, vse, and Operation.
Hardned by the burning beames of the Sunne,
Being dust and sand, ere they were begunne.
Ile single some as stones of rarest name,
Which iustly doe deserue Records of fame,
The Load stone first comes to my memorie,
A Stone of admirable vtilitie.
Drawing by secret diuine influence,
Iron and Steele surpassing humane sence.
Two ends it hath, if they be rightly squar'd,
Doone wondrous thinges which cannot be declar'd.
Nor can we all the secret vertues tell,
Which in this little ragged stone doon dwell.
For one among the rest is admirable,
The reason whereof is Inscrutable.
One end drawes yron to it all the day;
The other end doth make it runne away.
One end drawes yron to the southern Pole,
The other, to the center of the Northern-hole:
So strange and implacable enmitie,
Such hidden raging Malignitie
In working nature of this stone is found,
As doth the wit of all the world confound.
All Mariners of force must be dismayed,
If they should want the Load-stones blessed ayde,
By this they saile, else knowe not where they were,
Such sou'reigntie in Ship doth Magnes beare.
Lapis Herculeus it is called those,
That say Herculeus did it first disclose,
Smiris a noble stone in operation
Much vsed for the Teeth's purgation.
The Pumice stone was not formed in vaine,
To clense your parchment and to make it plaine.
Tartar found in the bottom of Wine-Leyes,
For Pimpled spotted face, is of high Price.
A stone there is of colour blacke as sables,
Which Marchaunts oft, vse for wrighting-tables.
This also deserueth some memorie,
Because it serueth mans commoditie.
The stone which Shepheards doon Æthites call,
Is of great vertue, though the stone be small,
For this I wish young Ladies vnderstand,
If they hold this stone closely in their hand,
Or apply it, to the place Parturient
They shall be deliuered incontinent.
This soundeth Endimions in his Layes,
Make vse thereof and after giue him praise.
Redde and white corall as hard as a stone,
Tellus refuseth because it is none,
But a sea hearbe combust by the heate of the Sunne,
Wherewith some women faine wonders been done.
Drunken in powder, it vertue impart's,
To the Greene-sicknes, and languishing Heart's,
Neither is Ieat within the stony Lawe
As fit for naught, but to take vp a straw,
The third part of all the mineral's that beene,
Found in earthes-bellye, and dayly seene:
Haue strange and secret vertues intricate,
Profitable for mortall mans estate.
And first Phisitions done highly exalt,
The Pearled, and th' Ammonian Salt.
Salt-Peter, Minerall of high regard,
Digg'd by commission, in each house and warde,
Where by the Deuill inuented Gun-powder,
That hell might tryumph and death be prowder,
Which with sulphury composition,
Procurs fatall death and Perdition.
Sulphur the Damme of wilde fire and brimstone.
By a filthie diuelish commixion,
Which hath brought to finall subuersion,
Many a strong and worthie champion.
Many a learned Scholler of renowne,
The princely Souldier, and the rurall Clowne:
No Citie, Castle, Fort, or stately Tower,
Is able to withstand his raging power:
This hath Dame Tellus in her regiment,
Close coffred against the day of iudgement:
If mindes reuenging would vouchsafe it rest,
In darkesome closset of his Mothers brest,
Alume is also a famous minerall,
Cold, Abstersiue, peircing, medicinall.
For Cankers in the mouth, Vlcers and blaynes,
Hot and dry Scab's, and itching of the vaines.
Of Viscous matter, is glasse composed,
Which in her brest, Tellus hath enclosed.
Whereof men vessels excellent contriue,
Looking-glasses, and Glasses perspectiue.
Composed by Arte Geometricall,
Whereby beene wrought thinges Supernaturall.
Men with halfe bodies, men going in th' Ayre.
Men all deformed men as angels fayre.
Besides other thinges of great admiration,
Wrought by this Glasses Fabrication.
Drinking Glasses, and plaine window Glasse,
Placed by Arte, that light and heate may passe.
Though it be strange, we know't may come to passe,
To set fire on a Towne, or a Ship by a glasse.
How are old men bound to Pans Maiestie:
Whose sight is dimme, with their antiquitie?
That they might in age reade his Oracles,
He helps their sight with glassie spectacles.
You learned Searchers of ritch natures skill,
That oyles and waters souereigne distill,
What glassie Limbecks, and receptacles,
And closed fast luted Tabernacles,
Frame you of this one brittle treasurie,
Safelie to keepe distilled misterie?
Nimble quicksiluer what shall I say of thee?
Minerall excellent in thy degree.
Mother of Metals, transformer of all,
The seauen Metalls vniuersall.
How shall I celebrate thine excellence,
Or glorifie thy great Magnificence,
Golde ioyneth not to siluer but by thee,
Thou piercest all Mettalles that formed be.
No Mettall hindereth thine agilitie,
Tou flyest the sight of mans iniquitie.
Admirable thinges might well be wrought,
If man by Arte, could fixe thee as they ought,
And beate thee foorth into a siluer Plate,
Whome neyther Tuch, nor Teste could macerate.
No siluer then, to thee were comparable,
Made with small cost, excellent and durable,
This I thinke were a farre greater misterie,
Worthily fit to bee called Alchymie,
Then thus to make our wealth, and witte to range,
Good Copper, into seeming golde to change.
Which thing is as possible to be doone:
As for a Weezle to eate vp the Sunne.
But Mercury whome we quicke siluer call,
May be fixed as siluer naturall:
Perfect good siluer, permanent and sure,
And shall all proofes of Tuche, and Teste endure.
No difference twixt other siluer and this:
But that is steedefast, and this running is,
Yet as it is it cureth Maladies,
Ache in the ioynt's, and french infirmities.
And men once cur'd, with neuer dying praise,
With sacrifice and sacred rounded layes
Doe blaze with Trumpe, of euerlasting fame,
The glorious order of this circled frame.
And now Endymion hath Anatomized,
The vniuersall world, and all therein comprised,
One onely thing remain's as yet vntouch'd,
Which is moste admirable, yet closely couch'd,
Tis this: to what end all these thinges were fram'd!
Which in this particular we haue nam'd.
The answere is the vse thereof is great,
Eyther for contemplation or Meate.
Principallie for blessed mans behoofe,
These things were framed as a certaine proofe,
That he would loue him euerlastingly,
For whome he framed vniuersalitie.
For when worlds engine was thus finished,
And all the parts perfectly polished:
Yet this whole frame serued Pan to no purpose,
Nor did he benefite by one of those,
Whom he had made, vpon, and in this round,
Heauen, or Earth, or what therein is found.
For next to heauen were the Angels made,
And shortly after some fell Retrograde.
And became diuels by alteration,
Of all their qualities in creation.
And haue their place within the spacious ayre,
Kept in Chaines of euerlasting Despaire.
Yet not of Angell, Diuell: or ought created,
And Pan neede in pleasure scituated,
Yet would he make this glorious world, and why?
For that he ment to frame a Monarchie:
Or large Empire full of soueraigntie,
Then formed he a Prince of royall dignitie
Of a wonderfull Grace and Maiestie,
To sway this Imperiall Monarchie,
He framed first his bodies lineaments,
With all his admirable Complements.
As a yong man of thirtie yeares of age,
Beautifull, gratious, of comely visage.
Yet dead he lay, as carkasse on a greene,
No life or motion in him felt or seene.
Like sweete Adonis sleeping on the Mount,
Whom peerlesse Venus had in high account.
Then breath'd he into him the breath of life,
Where presently began a gentle strife.
When euery limme began it selfe to moue,
And stretch it selfe his vitall force to proue,
The closed eyes their Curtaines did display,
The rowling eye had motion euerie way.
The nosthrils gan to feele the fragrant smell,
Of sweetest sented flowers which there did dwell,
The eare began to heare melodious notes
Of daintie Birds, from out their warbling throates.
The Rubie, liquid, warming vitall blood,
Pass'd euerie veine, as riuers streaming flood.
From Liuers fountaine t'impart nourishment,
Vnto the heart that hath the gouernment,
And so through conduits secretly contriu'd,
Is blood to euery humane part deriu'd.
This life to euerie part gaue perfect sense,
To feele according to their difference.
Within his head by hidden instruments,
Were placed Natures blessed Ornaments.
The forehead kept obiected phantasie,
The hinder part reteyneth memorie.
Intelligence hath her place principall,
In the crowne of the head highest of all,
Fit to receiue obiects from phantasie,
And to commit them vnto memorie.
Within a branchie filme there lyeth the braine,
Close rampir'd vp with Barracados twaine:
Both maters, and the flint-hardie Scull,
Here reignes the Soule, in maner wonderfull.
From thence she doth diffuse her operation,
To euerie member in his scituation.
This breathed Soul's an immortall substance,
Simple, spirituall and of puissance,
Though breathed, yet no part of Pans Essence,
But a created glorious existence.
Fitting the bodie for Procreation,
It selfe not fit for generation.
A simple essence cannot be deuided,
As Philosophers haue well decided.
Thus being animated his tongue did moue,
And spake some words which tended vnto loue.
Then neuer present Pan tooke him by th'hand,
And set him on his feete, making him stand.
And made him view his glorious Maiestie,
As farre as might his perspicacitie.
And made him view the glorie of the place,
With all things fram'd, and set before his face.
Producing to him all creatures framed,
So to be termed, as he would haue them named.
He made Eden, Gan, Iehovah habitation,
Fit for a Prince of his creation,
Replenished with fruites of euery kinde,
To fit the belly and to please the minde.
In the midst of the round world Scituate,
The rest with great ease to contemplate.
There he inuested him, as in a Throne,
Giuing him season and possession,
And imperiall domination.
Of all this lowest roundes creation.
Gracing his gouernment with certaine law's,
Which Clarkys comprehenden in their Saw's.
And being high pointes of Theologie,
Surpasse Endymions Philosophie.
Marke (Cinthia) where Philosophie doth linne,
There alwaies doth Theologie beginne.
He cal'd him Adam: Isch: an earthly man,
Worldes wonder, Monarche, Terrestriall Pan.
So glorious shining, Princely excellent,
Vertuous, holy, wise, and continent:
Sober, modest, strong, graue, and temperate,
Amiable, Magnanimous, and moderate.
Of comely jesture, and sweetest carriage,
Fit to possesse Ioue's Queene in marriage.
Yet desolate alone, and comfortlesse,
Ritch yet poore, pinch'd with solitarines,
Commaunding all thinges that were created,
Yet could not his minde bee recreated
Because he was constrain'd to liue alone,
Without inioying a companion,
Which Pan perceiuing, cast him in a sleepe,
Commaunding Morpheus, this prince to keepe.
As one receiuing Opium, or Dwall,
Depriu'd of vitall sence, doth deadly fall:
So falleth downe this mightie earthly Prince;
Neuer felt Flora such a creature since,
Except he were more then a mortall man,
Receiuing Pearle of Tellus, part of Pan.
Falling she tooke him in her blessed armes,
And lul'd him fast a sleepe with sacred charmes.
Soe dead a sleepe with Incantations,
She dressed his bodie with Carnations:
Crimsen Gilliflowers, Pinkes and Paunsies,
Muske-Roses, and other pleasing Phansies.
Thinking herselfe, a Queene moste fortunate,
If she might liue to chuse him for her mate.
But mightie Pan prouided otherwise,
Out of his sencelesse side he made to rise,
A young Princely gratious louing creature,
Far surpassing any former feature.
Of such a shape diuine, and Majestie,
As amazeth my best Philosophie.
Her face was like my fairest Cinthya.
And peraduenture like Musophila.
Her grace; behauiour; and modestie,
Surmounteth any mans Capacitie.
Nor by Endimion can be blazed,
But it will make the whole world amazed.
Heauen and earth cannot the like afford,
As must be wife to this imperiall Lord.
For she must be of bodie excellent,
That must lie by a King Magnificent,
And it behooueth her to be precise,
To talke with him that's absolutely wise.
Pan therefore taking consultation,
Said she should serue for generation.
Her skinne was white as was the Iuorie,
Thinne and smooth as the finest Tiffany,
Where through a man might perfectly beholde,
The azured veynes, her inward parts to folde.
A reddie intermixt vermilion,
Diffused was pleasant to looke vpon.
Her golden hayre dispersed to her thighes,
Close shrowd's, Lucina's sacred Misteries.
Her modest eyes like sparkling Diamonds,
Pure and chaste (vnlike to Rosamonds,)
Piercing like Cupids fixed fierie Darts,
Sterne, fierce, and bloody, Marble: Martiall-hearts,
Loues mountaines, apples of Hisperida,
Such were her brests witnesse my Cinthia,
From whence by corall conduits flowing are,
Streames of the sweetest cælestiall Nectare,
Her crimson smyling lipps did make a showe,
That mirth and pleasure in her mouth did growe.
Her teeth euen set by natures curious hand,
As rowes of orientall Pearles did stand.
These keepe her tongue, and instruments of voice,
Of purpose made to cause her Lord reioyce.
Tender her hands, her fingars long and small,
Fit to delight her Lord, and sport withall.
Thus fram'd she was in iust proportion,
Which made the world amaz'd to looke vpon.
But for the Ornaments of her princely minde,
For excellency were not farre behinde.
The noble soule of Adam first created,
If they be view'd and iustly estimated.
Some shepheards hau'n seely folkes abused,
Which donne denie her soule to be infused
Into her bodie, as blessed Adams was,
But rather that creation came to passe,
By propagation out of Adams soule.
We finde no warrant for this in our rowle.
For simple essence can no way generate,
His like: and yet conserue his former state.
Thus was the glorious Queene accomplished,
And with cælestiall beautie furnished.
Pan blessed her, and call'd her Adamah,
A female earth, and after Nekebah.
By reason of her great concauitie,
To take and holde begotten progeny,
This being doon, he viewd the sleeping man,
At his commaund Morpheus swiftly ran.
In the darkesome Caues of Erebus,
With all his mistie charmes Somniferous.
And left the sleeping Prince in Floras lappe,
Not knowing what was done for his good happe,
At last his lustrious eyes, he gan aduaunce,
Rouzing himselfe, and shaking of his traunce,
And standing vp vpon his princely feete,
Pan caused his vertuous Lady him to greete.
Whose suddaine view, strook him to such amaze,
As marueling a while did naught but gaze,
He wondered at her beautifull porportion,
Her gratious lookes and constitution.
And looking well vpon himselfe (quoth he)
So well this peerelesse frame, resembleth me,
As if she were my propper flesh and bone,
In bodie and soule, wee seeme to be but one.
In all the earth her match can not be found,
In whome humanitie doth so abound.
Then euer liuing, euerlasting Pan,
Acquaintd him how euerie thing began,
And said absolute shall be thy pleasure,
Take heere to wife this surpassing treasure,
The Prince obey'd, the Lady was content,
Mightie Pan marryed them incontinent.
And blessed them: saying they should increase,
And fill the world till heauen and earth did cease.
This pleas'd the Prince, in token of consent,
He gaue her halfe this worldly regiment.
Parting betweene them, earthes circumference,
And cald her Iskah for preheminence,
Then was the marriage solemnized,
And in our sacred rowles eternized.
Where blessed Angels sounded harmonie,
And chirping Birds chaunted their Melodie,
The King and Queene, with ioyfull hearts did sing,
And hils and dales, rebounding Eccho's bring.
Tellus and Flora, kep't it holy-day,
Attired in their moste gorgeous array.
And all the Orbs and Spheres gaue looking on,
When Princely Adam tooke his Paragon.
How long they liu'd in their felicitie,
Is not contain'd in Natures Mysterie.
What was their arte, their life, their fall, their end,
By sacred layes and Oracles beene pend.