University of Virginia Library

Mounted aloft on Contemplations wings,
And noting with my selfe the state of things
I plainly did perceive as on a Stage,
The confus'd actions of this present age;
I view'd the World, and viewing saw my fill,
Because that all I saw therein was ill.
I weigh'd it well, and found it was the Scene
Of Villanie, of Lust, and all uncleane
And loath'd Corruption. Seeing which, my minde,
(That by some inspiration gan to finde
The place was not in fault for this) search't on
To finde the cause of this Confusion.
And noting every creature there, I found
That onely man was the chiefe spring and ground
Of all this uprore: Yea, I soone did see,
Hee there was all in all, and none but Hee.

Then having also a desire to know
Mans true condition; I began to grow
Yet more inquisitive. An old Record
At last I hapt upon, which did afford
Much sacred light. It shew'd, He was a Creature,
First made by God, just and upright by nature.
That in his likenesse fram'd he was compounded
Of Soule and Body: That, this last was founded
Of earth: The first, infus'd by inspiration.
And that, the finall cause of his creation
Was to set forth the glory of his Maker;
And with him to be made a joynt-partaker
Of endlesse happinesse. Growne much amaz'd
To read this of him, for a time I paus'd.
And finding now in Man no mark or signe
That ere he was a Creature so divine;
I knew not what to thinke unlesse the same
Should meane some other creature of that name:
But prying further on, I there found out
The resolution of my present doubt:
I saw the cause of's fall; How with Free-will,
He fell from his first goodnesse unto ill:
I saw how he from happinesse did slide,
Through disobedience and unthankfull pride:
Yea, and I found, how by that cursed Fall
He was bereaved and quite stript of all
That so adorn'd him. His first holinesse
Was chang'd to a corrupted filthinesse;
Then he began to draw a painfull breath,
And was a slave, made captive unto Death:
His body was expos'd to labour, sweat,
And much disquieting. He got his meat
With sorrow, care, and many perturbations,
And then his soule grew subject unto Passions
And strange distempratures. Moreover, he
So perfect miserable grew to be,
That if he had not a Re-generation,
Nothing was left him but meere desperation.

This, having seen, I made no question than,
But it was spoken of that Creature Man,
Which I sought after. Searching further yet,
On some Apocryphall Records I hit.
The works of wise Philosophers; from whence
I yet received more intelligence
Concerning him: for there they do unfold
Each part about his body, and have told
Secrets of nature very rare to finde.
They have considered also of the Mind
The Vnderstanding part: and do relate
The nature of his Soule, and her estate.
Deep Mysteries they be: but seeing, I
Have never searched that Philosophie,
So far as those: And sith, I shall but tell
Such things, as no man can explain so well
As they themselves: I leave you to their books.
In which, who ere with good advisement lookt,
Shall finde it largely handled. As for me,
I mean to speak but what I know, and see
By tri'd experience; which perhaps may give
(Although I have but now begun to live)
Some profitable notes. First, I avow
What-ever Man hath been; that, he is now
A reasonable living Creature; who
Consisteth of a Soul and Body too.
His Body flesh and bloud, to sinne subjected,
And from his very birth therewith infected,
Grows riper in uncleannesse. Then his Soule,
A pure and lasting substance, is made foule
Through th' others filthinesse, and much supprest
By divers hurtfull passions, which molest
And hinder her proceedings: yea, hee's this,
A Creature that exceeding wretched is:
And that he may be sure no fault to want,
Vain, Fickle, Weak, and wondrous Arrogant
And though his nature heretofore were pure,
Now nothing is more fading or unsure.
But Ile omit at this time to relate
The courses I've observ'd in's outward state:
For though the Body that before the Fall
Sustain'd no sorrow, were it ne're so small,
Doth now feel hunger, with heat, thirst, and cold,
A feeble birth, defects in being old,
With thousands more; & though each gasp of breath
In misery he draw untill his death:
Yet all this outward change which I do finde,
Is nothing when I do behold the minde.
For, there inordinate and brutish Passion
Keeps umpire; and hath got predomination.
Full many a pensive thought doth now molest
His troubled minde, whose conscience slept in rest.
His best contents but discontentments are:
His chiefe of pleasures are so mixt with care,
And with so little comfort he obtains them;
Or with such smart, and danger, he retains them;
Or with such feare of losing them, enjoyes them;
That those distastings, in the taste, destroyes them.

Amongst his own desires do hourely rise
So many wondrous Contrarieties,
And vain repentings of what's done before;
As all his good, makes but his ill the more.
This day hee's cheerefull, and to morrow sad,
E'ne from the same occasion made him glad.
The Minde, which sometime harbor'd so much good,
That evill but in name, was understood;
Knows ill so well, as of that good bereft,
The name of goodnesse now is scarcely left.
And unto me a wonder 'tis become
To see, what glories man is fallen from.
The best are bad, yet I observed still,
There are degrees amongst men in their ill.
The basest creatures that here breathe on earth,
(Inheriting corruption by their birth,)
In the condition of their life, are farre
Lesse different from what the worst men are,
Than they are from the best. Perhaps the shapes
(Vnlesse it be some strange disguised Apes)
Remain alike: but their poore soules are quite
Exchang'd to that which we call Appetite.
For, who can name of reasonable give,
To what is made but meerely sensitive?
It was a throne where Vertue ruling sate,
Ioyntly with Reason, her beloved mate:
And they two under sweet obedience, then,
Kept that fair place, th' unblemish't Ile of Man:
But sith with Good vie learn'd to know the Ill,
In stead of Reason, wee have set up Will.

The minde is nothing but a mint of jarres,
Or Little-world of mad domestique warres:
Vertue's depos'd thence, and Vice rule obtaines;
Yea, Vice from Vice there by succession reignes:
Expelling those whom Vertues presence graceth,
And in their steads these hurtfull Monsters placeth;
Fond Love, and Lust, Ambition, Enmitie,
Foolish Compassion, Ioy and Iealousie,
Feare, Hope, Despaire and Sadnesse, with the Vice
Call'd Hate, Revenge, and greedy Avarice,
Choler and Cruelty: which I perceiv'd
To be the onely causes Man's bereav'd
Of quietnesse and rest. Yea, these I found
To be the principall and onely ground
Of all pernicious mischiefs that now rage,
Or have disturbed him in any age.
These losing Reason, their true Prince, began
To breed disturbance in the heart of Man.
Each laid a severall claim (forsooth) and hee
Would be the Monarch in this Emperie
Ruine had got the upper hand, and they
Would be Commanders, that were made t'obey.
Love, (whē as Reason rul'd) you would have thought
Would never have been forc't or drawn to naught.
When God, the Chaos did divide; then he
Set it to look things should not disagree;
And taught it sweetly how to move the minde,
Both for increasing and preserving kinde.
But now, the bound it had, contenteth not;
A vein of domineering it hath got.
And the whole Man is held in slavery,
Within the compasse of that Tyranny.
Such apishnesse it now hath entertain'd,
That all the credit which it had is stain'd.
Yea, 'tis as far from what it was, as we
From our more honour'd ancient English be,
And so unlike unto it selfe doth prove,
We fearce dare give it now the name of Love.

Ambition, that erst gently mov'd Desire
To nought else but to good things to aspire;
Now must be Lord of Mis-rule, and will force
The Minde beyond her bound, from bad to worse,

Revenge doth claim a Princedome, and will be
The sole Commander in this Seignorie.
That cruell Ruffian, that in vain doth strive,
His Of-spring from true Valour to derive.

Despaire and Feare (two Rake-hels more) that Man
Had never knowledge of, till Sinne began;
With mighty troops of terrours, play their part,
To overthrow th' weak fortresse of the heart.
Yea, every Passion strives that onely he
Might Ruler in that Microcosmos be.

Ev'n Hope, (that when this discord first fell out,
Was sent to keep Despaires rude forces out,
And be a comfort to this troubled state,)
Becomes an Actor in this foule debate.
And when she had got footing in his brest,
Vnder the colour of procuring rest,
Built Castles in the ayre; from whence did grow;
Another meanes of Reasons overthrow:
Yea, Choler, jealousie, black Envy, Hate,
And bloudy Cruelty aim'd at this state.
Ioy, (though fare shew it made of discontent,)
And kinde Compassion (though she weeping went,)
Made private means to sway all to their wils,
Without the least care of ensuing ills.
That by their discord (I perceive) began
All whatsoever is amisse in Man.
And therefore I do here intend to show,
Ere I go farther, what ill humours flow
From these fore-named: and I will declare,
To what Abuses most men subject are,
Through every of them: for, when I took view,
Although I saw not all, I found a few.
And here because I will not order break,
I will asunder of each Passion speak.