Poems and Dramas of Fulke Greville :: :: University of Virginia Library

The Mind of Man is this worlds true dimension;
And Knowledge is the measure of the minde:
And as the minde, in her vaste comprehension,
Containes more worlds than all the world can finde:
So Knowledge doth it selfe farre more extend,
Than all the minds of Men can comprehend.

2

A climing Height it is without a head,
Depth without bottome, Way without an end,
A Circle with no line inuironed;
Not comprehended, all it comprehends;
Worth infinite, yet satisfies no minde,
Till it that infinite of the God-head finde.

3

This Knowledge is the same forbidden tree,
Which man lusts after to be made his Maker;
For Knowledge is of Powers eternity,
And perfect Glory, the true image-taker;
So as what doth the infinite containe,
Must be as infinite as it againe.

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4

No maruell then, if proud desires reflexion,
By gazing on this Sunne, doe make vs blinde,
Nor if our Lust, Our Centaure-like Affection,
Instead of Nature, fadome clouds, and winde,
So adding to originall defection,
As no man knowes his owne vnknowing minde:
And our Ægyptian darkenesse growes so grosse,
As we may easily in it, feele our losse.

5

For our defects in Nature who sees not?
Wee enter first things present not conceiving,
Not knowing future, what is past forgot:
All other Creatures instant power receiving,
To helpe themselues; Man onely bringeth sense
To feele, and waile his natiue impotence.

6

Which Sense, Mans first instructor, while it showes
To free him from deceipt, deceiues him most;
And from this false root that mistaking growes,
Which truth in humane knowledges hath lost:
So that by iudging Sense herein perfection,
Man must deny his Natures imperfection.

7

Which to be false, euen Sense it selfe doth proue,
Since euery Beast in it doth vs exceed;
Besides, these senses which we thus approue,
In vs as many diuerse likings breed,
As there be different tempers in Complexions,
Degrees in healths, or Ages imperfections.

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8

Againe, Change from without no lesse deceives,
Than doe our owne debilities within:
For th' obiect which in grosse our flesh conceives
After a sort, yet when light doth beginne
These to retaile, and subdiuide, or sleeues
Into more minutes; then growes Sense so thinne,
As none can so refine the sense of man,
That two, or three, agree in any can.

9

Yet these rack'd vp by Wit excessiuely,
Make fancy thinke shee such gradations findes
Of heat, cold, colors such variety,
Of smels, and tasts, of tunes such diuers kindes,
As that braue Scythian never could descry,
Who found more sweetnesse in his horses naying,
Than all the Phrygian, Dorian, Lydian playing.

10

Knowledges next organ is Imagination;
A glasse, wherein the obiect of our Sense
Ought to reflect true height, or declination,
For vnderstandings cleare intelligence:
But this power also hath her variation,
Fixed in some, in some with difference;
In all, so shadowed with selfe-application
As makes her pictures still too foule, or faire;
Not like the life in lineament, or ayre.

11

This power besides, alwayes cannot receiue
What sense reports, but what th' affections please
To admit; and as those Princes that doe leaue
Their State in trust to men corrupt with ease,
“False in their faith, or but to faction friend,
“The truth of things can scarcely comprehend:

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12

So must th'Imagination from the sense
Be misinformed, while our affections cast
False shapes, and formes on their intelligence,
And to keepe out true intromissions thence,
Abstracts the imagination, or distasts,
With images preoccupately plac'd.

13

Hence our desires, feares, hopes, loue, hate, and sorrow,
In fancy make us heare, feele, see impressions,
Such as out of our sense they doe not borrow;
And are the efficient cause, the true progression
Of sleeping visions, idle phantasmes waking,
Life, dreames; and knowledge, apparitions making.

14

Againe, our Memory, Register of Sense,
And mould of Arts, as Mother of Induction,
Corrupted with disguis'd intelligence,
Can yeeld no Images for mans instruction:
But as from stained wombes, abortiue birth
Of strange opinions, to confound the earth.

15

The last chiefe oracle of what man knowes
Is Vnderstanding; which though it containe
Some ruinous notions, which our Nature showes,
Of generall truths, yet haue they such a staine
From our corruption, as all light they lose;
Saue to conuince of ignorance, and sinne,
Which where they raigne let no perfection in.

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16

Hence weake, and few those dazled notions be,
Which our fraile Vnderstanding doth retaine;
So as mans bankrupt Nature is not free,
By any Arts to raise it selfe againe;
Or to those notions which doe in vs liue
Confus'd, a well-fram'd Art-like state to giue.

17

Nor in a right line can her eyes ascend,
To view the things that immateriall are;
For as the Sunne doth, while his beames descend,
Lighten the earth, but shaddow euery starre:
So Reason stooping to attend the Sense,
Darkens the spirits cleare intelligence.

18

Besides; these faculties of apprehension;
Admit they were, as in the soules creation,
All perfect here, (which blessed large dimension
As none denies, so but by imagination
Onely, none knowes) yet in that comprehension,
Euen through those instruments wherby she works,
Debility, misprision, imperfection lurkes;

19

As many, as there be within the braine
Distempers, frenzies, or indispositions;
Yea of our falne estate the fatall staine
Is such, as in our Youth while compositions,
And spirits are strong, conception then is weake,
And faculties in yeeres of vnderstanding breake.

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20

Againe, we see the best Complexions vaine,
And in the worst more nimble subtilty;
From whence Wit, a distemper of the braine,
The Schooles conclude, and our capacity;
How much more sharpe, the more it apprehends,
Still to distract, and lesse truth comprehends.

21

But all these naturall Defects perchance
May be supplyed by Sciences, and Arts;
Which wee thirst after, study, admire, aduance,
As if restore our fall, recure our smarts
They could, bring in perfection, burne our rods;
With Demades to make us like our Gods.

22

Indeed to teach they confident pretend,
All generall, vniforme Axioms scientificall
Of truth, that want beginning, haue no end,
Demonstratiue, infallible, onely essentiall:
But if these Arts containe this mystery,
It proues them proper to the Deity:

23

Who onely is eternall, infinite, all-seeing,
Euen to the abstract essences of Creatures;
Which pure transcendent Power can haue no being
Within mans finite, fraile, imperfect features:
For proofe, What grounds so generall, and known,
But are with many exceptions ouerthrowne?

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24

So that where our Philosophers confesse,
That we a knowledge vniuersall haue,
Our ignorance in particulars we expresse:
Of perfect demonstration, who yet gaue
One cleare example? Or since time began,
What one true forme found out by wit of Man?

25

Who those characteristicall Ideas
Conceiues, which Science of the Godhead be?
But in their stead we raise, and mould Tropheas,
Formes of Opinion, Wit, and Vanity,
Which we call Arts; and fall in loue with these,
As did Pygmalion with his carved tree;
For which men, all the life they here enioy,
Still fight, as for the Helens of their Troy.

26

Hence doe we out of words create us Arts;
Of which the People not withstanding be
Masters, and without rules doe them impart:
Reason we make an Art; yet none agree
What this true Reason is; nor yet haue powers,
To leuell others Reason vnto ours.

27

Nature we draw to Art, which then forsakes
To be herselfe, when she with Art combines;
Who in the secrets of her owne wombe makes
The Load-stone, Sea, the Soules of men, and windes;
Strong instances to put all Arts to schoole,
And proue the Science-monger but a foole.

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28

Nay we doe bring the influence of Starres,
Yea God himselfe euen vnder moulds of Arts;
Yet all our Arts cannot preuaile so farre,
As to confirme our eyes, resolue our hearts,
Whether the heauens doe stand still or moue,
Were fram'd by Chance, Antipathie, or Loue?

29

Then what is our high-prais'd Philosophie,
But bookes of Poesie, in Prose compil'd?
Farre more delightfull than they fruitfull be,
Witty apparance, Guile that is beguil'd;
Corrupting minds much rather than directing,
The allay of Duty, and our Prides erecting.

30

For as among Physitians, what they call
Word-Magike, neuer helpeth the disease,
Which drugges, and dyet ought to deale withall,
And by their reall working giue vs ease:
So these Word-sellers haue no power to cure
The Passions, which corrupted liues endure.

31

Yet not asham'd these Verbalists still are,
From youth, till age, or study dimme their eyes,
To engage the Grammar rules in ciuill warre,
For some small sentence which they patronize;
As if our end liu'd not in reformation,
But Verbes, or Nounes true sense, or declination.

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32

Musike instructs me which be lyrike Moodes;
Let her instruct me rather, how to show
No weeping voyce for losse of Fortunes goods.
Geometrie giues measure to the earth below;
Rather let her instruct me, how to measure
What is enough for need, what fit for pleasure.

33

Shee teacheth, how to lose nought in my bounds,
And I would learne with ioy to lose them all:
This Artist showes which way to measure Rounds,
But I would know how first Mans minde did fall,
How great it was, how little now it is,
And what that knowledge was which wrought vs this!

34

What thing a right line is, the learned know;
But how auailes that him, who in the right
Of life, and manners doth desire to grow?
What then are all these humane Arts, and lights,
But Seas of errors? In whose depths who sound,
Of truth finde onely shadowes, and no ground.

35

Then if our Arts want power to make vs better,
What foole will thinke they can vs wiser make,
Life is the Wisdome, Art is but the letter,
Or shell, which oft men for the kernell take;
In Moodes, and Figures moulding vp deceit,
To make each Science rather hard, than great.

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36

And as in Grounds, which salt by nature yeeld,
No care can make returne of other graine:
So who with Bookes their nature ouer-build,
Lose that in practise, which in Arts they gaine;
That of our Schooles it may be truely said,
Which former times to Athens did vpbraid:

37

“That many came first Wise men to those Schooles;
“Then grew Philosophers, or Wisdome-mongers;
“Next Rhetoricians, and at last grew fooles.
Nay it great honour were to this Booke-hunger,
If our schools dreams could make their scholars see
What imperfections in our Natures be.

38

But these vaine Idols of humanity,
As they infect our wits, so doe they staine,
Or binde our inclinations borne more free,
While the nice Alchymie of this proud veine
Makes some grow blinde, by gazing on the skie,
Others, like whelpes, in wrangling Elenchs die.

39

And in the best, where Science multiplies,
Man multiplies with it his care of minde:
While in the worst, these swelling harmonies,
Like bellowes, fill vnquiet hearts with winde,
To blow the flame of malice, question, strife,
Both into publike States and priuate life.

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40

Nor is it in the Schooles alone where Arts
Transform themselues to Craft, Knowledge to Sophistry,
Truth into Rhetorike; since this wombe imparts,
Through all the practice of Humanity,
Corrupt, sophisticall, chymicall allayes,
Which snare the subiect and the King betrayes.

41

Though there most dangerous, where wit serveth might,
To shake diuine foundations, and humane,
By painting vices, and by shadowing right,
With tincture of Probabile prophane,
Vnder false colour giuing truth such rates,
As Power may rule in chiefe through all Estates.

42

For which respects, Learning hath found distaste
In Gouernments, of great, and glorious fame;
In Lacedemon scorned, and disgrac'd,
As idle, vaine, effeminate, and lame:
Engins that did vn-man the mindes of men
From action, to seeke glorie in a den.

43

Yea Rome it selfe, while there in her remain'd
That antient, ingenuous austerity,
The Greeke professors from her wals restrain'd,
And with the Turke they still exiled be:
We finde in Gods Law curious Arts reprou'd;
Of Mans inventions no one Schoole approu'd.

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44

Besides, by name this high Philosophy
Is in the Gospell term'd a vaine deceipt;
And caution giuen, by way of prophecy
Against it, as if in the depth, and height
Of spirit, the Apostle clearely did foresee
That in the end corrupt the Schoole-men would
Gods true Religion, in a heathen mould.

45

And not alone make flesh a Deity,
But gods of all that fleshly sense brings forth:
Giue mortall nature immortality,
Yet thinke all but time present nothing worth:
An Angel-pride, and in vs much more vaine
Since what they could not, how should we attaine?

46

For if Mans wisedomes, lawes, arts, legends, schooles,
Be built vpon the knowledge of the evill;
And if these Trophies be the onely tooles,
Which doe maintaine the kingdome of the Diuell;
If all these Babels had the curse of tongues,
So as confusion still to them belongs:

47

Then can these moulds neuer containe their Maker,
Nor those nice formes, and different beings show,
Which figure in his works, truth, wisdome, nature,
The onely obiects for the soule to know:
These Arts, moulds, workes can but expresse the sinne,
Whence by mans follie, his fall did beginne.

166

48

Againe, if all mans fleshly Organs rest
Vnder that curse, as out of doubt they doe;
If Skie, Sea, Earth, lye vnder it opprest,
As tainted with that tast of errors too;
In this Mortalitie, this strange priuation,
What knowledge stands but sense of declination?

49

A Science neuer scientificall,
A Rhapsody of questions controuerted;
In which because men know no truth at all,
To euery purpose it may be conuerted:
Iudge then what grounds this can to others give,
That waued euer in it selfe must liue?

50

Besides, the soule of Man, Prince of this earth,
That liuely image of Gods truth, and might,
If it haue lost the blisse of heauenly birth,
And by transgression dimme that piercing light,
Which from their inward natures, gaue the name
To euery creature, and describ'd the same:

51

If this be stain'd in Essence, as in Shrine,
Though all were pure, whence she collects, diuides
Good, ill; false, true; things humane, or diuine;
Yet where the Iudge is false, what truth abides?
False both the obiects, Iudge, and method be;
What be those Arts then of Humanity?

167

52

But strange Chimeras borne of mortall sense,
Opinions curious moulds, wherein she casts
Elenches, begot by false intelligence,
Betweene our Reasons, and our Senses tasts:
Binding mans minde with earths imposture-line,
For euer looking vp to things diuine:

53

Whereby, euen as the Truth in euery heart
Refines our fleshly humors, and affection,
That they may easlier serue the better part,
Know, and obey the Wisedome to perfection:
These dreames embody, and engrosse the minde,
To make the nobler serve the baser kind.

54

In lapse to God though thus the World remaines,
Yet doth she with dimme eyes in Chaos'd light,
Striue, study, search through all her finite veines,
To be, and know (without God) infinite:
To which end Cloysters, Cells, Schooles, she erects,
False moulds, that while they fashion, doe infect.

55

Whence all Mans fleshly idols being built,
As humane Wisedome, Science, Power, and Arts,
Vpon the false foundation of his Guilt;
Confusedly doe weaue within our hearts,
Their owne aduancement, state, and declination,
As things whose beings are but transmutation.

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56

Subiect not onely therein vnto time,
And all obstructions of Misgouernment;
But in themselves, when they are most sublime,
Like fleshly visions, neuer permanent:
Rising to fall, falling to rise againe,
And never can, where they are knowne, remaine.

57

But if they scape the violence of Warre,
(That actiue instrument of Barbarisme)
With their owne nicenesse they traduced are,
And like opinion, craftie moulds of schisme;
As founded vpon flatteries of Sense,
Which must with truth keepe least intelligence:

58

But in a darke successiue Ignorance
Some times lye shadowed, and although not dead,
Yet sleeping, till the turnes of Change, or Chance
Doe (in their restlesse chariots garnished
Among the cloudy Meteors made of earth)
Giue them again, to scourge the world, new birth.

59

Thus, till Man end, his Vanities goe round,
In credit here, and there discredited;
Striuing to binde, and neuer to be bound,
To gouerne God, and not bee governed:
Which is the cause his life is thus confused,
In his corruption, by these Arts abused.

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60

Here see we then the Vainenesse, and Defect
Of Schooles, Arts, and all else that man doth know,
Yet shall wee straight resolve, that by neglect
Of Science, Nature doth the richer grow?
That Ignorance is the mother of Deuotion,
Since Schooles giue them that teach this such promotion?

61

No, no; amongst the worst let her come in,
As Nurse, and Mother vnto euery lust;
Since who commit iniustice, often sinne,
Because they know not what to each is iust;
Intemperance doth oft our Natures winne,
Because what's foule, vndecent, wee thinke best,
And by misprision so grow in the rest.

62

Man must not therefore rashly Science scorne,
But choose, and read with care; since Learning is
A bunch of grapes sprung vp among the thornes,
Where, but by caution, none the harme can misse;
Nor Arts true riches read to vnderstand,
But shall, to please his taste, offend his hand.

63

For as the World by time still more declines,
Both from the truth, and wisedome of Creation:
So at the truth she more and more repines,
As making hast to her last declination
Therefore if not to cure, yet to refine
Her stupidnesse, as well as ostentation,
Let vs set straight that Industrie againe,
Which else as foolish proves, as it is vaine.

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64

Yet here, before we can direct mans choice,
We must diuide Gods Children from the rest;
Since these pure soules (who only know his voice)
Haue no Art, but Obedience, for their test:
A mystery betweene God, and the man,
Asking, and giuing farre more than we can.

65

Let vs then respite these, and first behold
The World, with all her instruments, waies, ends;
What keepes proportion, what must be control'd,
Which be her enemies, and which her friends?
That so we best may counsell, or decree
The vanity can neuer wiser bee.

66

Wherein to guide Mans choice to such a mood,
As all the world may iudge a worke of merit;
I wish all curious Sciences let blood,
Superfluous purg'd from wantonnesse of spirit:
For though the world be built vpon excesse,
Yet by confusion shee must needs grow lesse:

67

For Man being finite both in wit, time, might,
His dayes in vanitie may be mispent;
Vse therefore must stand higher than delight;
The actiue hate a fruitlesse instrument:
So must the World those busie idle fooles,
That serve no other market than the Schooles.

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68

Againe the actiue, necessarie Arts,
Ought to be briefe in bookes, in practise long;
Short precepts may extend to many parts;
The practise must be large, or not be strong.
And as by artlesse Guides, States euer waine:
So doe they where these vselesse dreamers reigne.

69

For if these two be in one ballance weigh'd,
The artlesse Vse beares down the vselesse Arts;
With mad men, else how is the madd'st obey'd,
But by degrees of rage in actiue hearts?
While Contemplation doth the world distract,
With vaine Ideas, which it cannot act.

70

And in this thinking vndigested notion,
Transformes all beings into Atomi;
Dissolues, builds not; nor rests, nor gets by motion,
Heads being lesse than wombes of vanity:
Which Visions make all humane Arts thus tedious,
Intricate, vaine, endlesse, as they proue to vs.

71

The World should therefore her instructions draw
Backe vnto life, and actions, whence they came;
That practise, which gaue being, might giue law,
To make them short, cleare, fruitfull vnto man:
As God made all for vse; euen so must she,
By choice, and vse, vphold her mystery.

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72

Besides, where Learning, like a Caspian Sea,
Hath hitherto receiu'd all little brookes,
Deuour'd their sweetnesse, borne their names away,
And in her greenesse hid their chrystall lookes;
Let her turne Ocean now, and giue backe more
To those cleare Springs, than she receiu'd before.

73

Let her that gather'd rules Emperiall,
Out of particular experiments,
And made meere contemplation of them all,
Apply them now to speciall intents;
That she, and mutuall Action, may maintaine
Themselues, by taking, what they giue againe.

74

And where the progresse was to finde the cause,
First by effects out, now her regresse should
Forme Art directly vnder Natures Lawes;
And all effects so in their causes mould:
As fraile Man liuely, without Schoole of smart,
Might see Successes comming in an Art.

75

For Sciences from Nature should be drawne,
As Arts from practise, neuer out of Bookes;
Whose rules are onely left with time in pawne,
To shew how in them Vse, and Nature lookes:
Out of which light, they that Arts first began,
Pierc'd further, than succeeding ages can.

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76

Since how should Water rise rise aboue her fountaine?
Or spirits rule-bound see beyond that light?
So as if Bookes be mans Parnassus mountaine,
Within them no Arts can be infinite;
Nor any multiply himselfe to more,
But still grow lesse than he that went before.

77

Againe, Art should not, like a Curtizan,
Change habits, dressing graces euery day;
But of her Termes one stable Counterpane
Still keepe, to shun ambiguous allay;
That Youth in Definitions once receiu'd,
(As in Kings standards) might not be deceiu'd.

78

To which true end, in euery Art there should
One, or two Authors be selected out,
To cast the learners in a constant mould;
Who if not falsely, yet else goe about;
And as the Babes by many Nurses doe,
Oft change conditions, and complexions too.

79

The like surueyes that spirit of Gouernment,
Which moulds, and tempers all these seruing Arts,
Should take, in choosing out fit instruments,
To iudge mens inclinations, and their parts;
That Bookes, Arts, Natures, may well fitted be,
To hold vp this Worlds curious mystery.

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80

First dealing with her chiefe commanding Art,
The outward Churches, which their Ensignes beare
So mixt with power, and craft in euery part,
As any shape, but Truth, may enter there:
All whose hypocrisies, thus built on passion,
Can yet nor being giue, nor constant fashion.

81

For though the words she vse, seeme leuels true,
And strong, to show the crookednesse of Error;
Yet in the inward man there's nothing new,
But masked euill, which still addeth terror,
Helping the vanity to buy or sell,
And rests as seldome as it labours well.

82

Besides their Schoolemens sleepy speculation,
Dreaming to comprehend the Deity
In humane reasons finite eleuation;
While they make Sense seat of Eternity,
Must bury Faith, whose proper obiects are
Gods mysteries, aboue our Reason farre.

83

Besides, these Nymphs of Nemesis still worke
Nets of opinion, to entangle spirits;
And in the shadow of the Godhead lurke,
Building a Babel vpon faithlesse merits;
Whence Forme, and Matter neuer can agree,
To make one Church of Christianitie.

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84

The Ancient Church which did succeed that light,
In which the Iewes high Priest-hood iustly fell,
More faithfully endeauour'd to vnite,
And thereby neerer came to doing well;
Neuer reuealing curious mysteries,
Vnlesse enforc'd by mans impieties.

85

And when that Disobedience needs would deale
With hidden knowledge, to prophane her Maker;
Or vnder questions contradiction steale,
Then wisely vndertakes this vndertaker
With powerfull Councels, that made Error mute;
Not arguments, which still maintaine dispute.

86

So were it to be wish'd, each Kingdome would
Within her proper Soueraignity,
Seditions, Schismes, and strange Opinions mould
By Synods, to a setled vnity;
Such, as though Error priuately did harme,
Yet publike Schismes might not so freely swarme.

87

For though the World, and Man can neuer frame
These outward moulds, to cast Gods chosen in;
Nor giue his Spirit where they giue his Name;
That power being neuer granted to the sinne:
Yet in the world those Orders prosper best,
Which from the word, in seeming, varie least.

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88

Since therefore she brookes not Diuinity,
But Superstition, Heresie, Schisme, Rites,
Traditions, Legends, and Hypocrisie;
Let her yet forme those visions in the light,
To represent the Truth she doth despise;
And, by that likenesse, prosper in her lies.

89

To which end let her raise the discipline,
And practise of Repentance, Piety, Loue;
To image forth those Homages Diuine,
Which euen by showes, draw Honour from aboue;
Embracing Wisdome, though she hate the good,
Since Power thus vayl'd is hardly vnderstood.

90

Lawes be her next chiefe Arts, and instruments;
Of which the onely best deriued be,
Out of those tenne words in Gods Testaments,
Where Conscience is the base of policie;
But in the world a larger scope they take,
And cure no more wounds, than perchance they make.

91

They being there meere Children of disease,
Not form'd at once by that all-seeing might,
But rather as Opinions markets please,
Whose diuerse spirits in times present light,
Will yet teach Kings to order, and reduce
Those abstract rules of Truth, to rules of Vse.

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92

Therefore, as shadowes of those Lawes diuine,
They must assist Church-censure, punish Error,
Since when, from Order, Nature would decline,
There is no other natiue cure but terror;
By Discipline, to keepe the Doctrine free,
That Faith and Power still relatiues may be.

93

Let this faire hand-maid then the Church attend,
And to the wounds of Conscience adde her paines,
That priuate hearts may vnto publike ends
Still gouern'd be, by Orders easie raines;
And by effect, make manifest the cause
Of happy States to be religious Lawes.

94

Their second noble office is, to keepe
Mankinde vpright in trafficke of his owne,
That fearlesse each may in his cottage sleepe,
Secur'd that right shall not be ouerthrowne;
Persons indifferent, reall Arts in prise,
And in no other priuiledge made wise.

95

Lastly, as linkes betwixt mankinde, and Kings,
Lawes safely must protect obedience,
Vnder those Soueraigne, all-embracing wings,
Which from beneath expect a reuerence:
That like the Ocean, with her little springs,
We for our sweet may feele the salt of Kings.

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96

Physicke, with her faire friend Philosophie,
Come next in ranke, as well as Reputation;
Whose proper subiect is Mortalitie,
Which cannot reach that principall Creation,
Mixtures of Nature, curious mystery
Of timelesse time, or bodies transmutation;
Nor comprehend the infinite degrees
Of qualities, and their strange operation;
Whence both, vpon the second causes grounded,
Must iustly by the first cause, be confounded.

97

Therefore, let these which decke this house of clay,
And by excesse of Mans corruption gaine,
Know probabilitie is all they may,
For to demonstrate they cannot attaine:
Let labour, rest, and dyet be their way
Mans natiue heat, and moisture to maintaine,
As Healths true base, and in disease proceed,
Rather by what they know, than what they read.

98

Next after comes that Politicke Philosophie,
Whose proper obiects, forme and matters are;
In which she oft corrupts her mystery,
By grounding Orders offices too farre
On precepts of the heathen, humours of Kings,
Customes of men, and times vnconstant wings.

99

Besides, what can be certaine in those Arts,
Which cannot yeeld a generall proposition,
To force their bodies out of natiue parts?
But like things of Mechanicall condition,
Must borrow that wherewith they doe conclude,
And so not perfect Nature, but delude.

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100

Redresse of which cannot come from below;
But from that Orbe, where power exalted raignes,
To order, iudge, to gouerne, and bestow
Sense, strength, and nourishment, through all the veines,
That equall limbes each other may supply,
To serue the Trophies of Authority.

101

Once in an age let Gouernment then pease
The course of these traditions, with their birth;
And bring them backe vnto their infant dayes,
To keepe her owne Soueraignity on earth;
Else viper-like, their parents they deuoure:
For all Powers children easily couet power.

102

Now for these instrumentall following Arts,
Which, in the trafficke of Humanity,
Afford not matter, but limme out the parts,
And formes of speaking with authority:
I say who too long in their cobwebs lurks,
Doth like him that buyes tooles, but neuer works.

103

For whosoeuer markes the good, or euill,
As they stand fixed in the heart of Man:
The one of God, the other of the deuill,
Feele, out of things, Men words still fashion can:
So that from life since liuely words proceed,
What other Grammar doe our natures need?

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104

Logike comes next, who with the Tyranny
Of subtile rules, distinctions, termes, and notions,
Confounds of reall truth the harmony,
Distracts the iudgement, multiplies commotion
In memory, mans wit, imagination,
To dimme the cleare light of his own creation.

105

Hence striue the Schooles, by first, and second kinds
Of substances, by essence, and existence,
That Trine, and yet Vnitednesse diuine
To comprehend, and image to the sense;
As doe the misled superstitious minds,
By this one rule, or Axiom taken thence;
Looke where the Whole is, there the Parts must be,
Thinke they demonstrate Christs vbiquity.

106

The wise reformers therefore of this Art
Must cut off termes, distinctions, axioms, lawes,
Such as depend either in whole, or part,
Vpon this stained sense of words, or sawes:
Onely admitting precepts of such kinde,
As without words may be conceiu'd in minde.

107

Rhetorike, to this a sister, and a twinne,
Is growne a Siren in the formes of pleading,
Captiuing reason, with the painted skinne
Of many words; with empty sounds misleading
Vs to false ends, by these false forms abuse,
Brings neuer forth that Truth, whose name they vse.

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108

Besides, this Art, where scarcity of words
Forc'd her, at first, to Metaphorike wings,
Because no Language in the earth affords
Sufficient Characters to expresse all things;
Yet since, she playes the wanton with this need,
And staines the Matrone with the Harlots weed.

109

Whereas those words in euery tongue are best,
Which doe most properly expresse the thought;
For as of pictures, which should manifest
The life, we say not that is fineliest wrought,
Which fairest simply showes, but faire and like:
So words must sparkes be of those fires they strike.

110

For the true Art of Eloquence indeed
Is not this craft of words, but formes of speech,
Such as from liuing wisdomes doe proceed;
Whose ends are not to flatter, or beseech,
Insinuate, or perswade, but to declare
What things in Nature good, or euill are.

111

Poesie and Musicke, Arts of Recreation,
Succeed, esteem'd as idle mens profession;
Because their scope, being meerely contentation,
Can moue, but not remoue, or make impression
Really, either to enrich the Wit,
Or, which is lesse, to mend our states by it.

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112

This makes the solid Iudgements giue them place,
Onely as pleasing sauce to dainty food;
Fine foyles for iewels, or enammels grace,
Cast vpon things which in themselues are good;
Since, if the matter be in Nature vile,
How can it be made pretious by a stile?

113

Yet in this Life, both these play noble parts;
The one, to outward Church-rites if applied,
Helps to moue thoughts, while God may touch the hearts
With goodnesse, wherein he is magnified:
And if to Mars we dedicate this Art,
It raiseth passions which enlarge the minde,
And keepes downe passions of the baser kinde.

114

The other twinne, if to describe, or praise
Goodnesse, or God she her Ideas frame,
And like a Maker, her creations raise
On lines of truth, it beautifies the same;
And while it seemeth onely but to please,
Teacheth vs order vnder pleasures name;
Which in a glasse, shows Nature how to fashion
Her selfe againe, by ballancing of passion.

115

Let therefore humane Wisedome vse both these,
As things not pretious in their proper kind;
The one a harmony to moue, and please;
If studied for it selfe, disease of mind:
The next (like Nature) doth Ideas raise,
Teaches, and makes; but hath no power to binde:
Both, ornaments to life and other Arts,
Whiles they doe serve, and not possesse our hearts.

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116

The grace, and disgrace of this following traine,
Arithmetike, Geometrie, Astronomy,
Rests in the Artisans industrie, or veine,
Not in the Whole, the Parts, or Symmetrie:
Which being onely Number, Measure, Time,
All following Nature, helpe her to refine.

117

And of these Arts it may be said againe,
That since their Theoricke is infinite;
Of infinite there can no Arts remaine.
Besides, they stand by curtesie, not right;
Who must their principles as granted craue,
Or else acknowledge they no being haue.

118

Their Theoricke then must not waine their vse,
But, by a practise in materiall things,
Rather awake that dreaming vaine abuse
Of Lines, without breadth; without feathers, wings:
So that their boundlesnesse may bounded be,
In Workes, and Arts of our Humanity.

119

But for the most part those Professors are
So melted, and transported into these;
And with the Abstract swallowed up so farre
As they lose trafficke, comfort, vse, and ease:
And are, like treasures with strange spirits guarded,
Neither to be enioy'd, nor yet discarded.

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120

Then must the reformation of them be,
By carrying on the vigor of them all,
Through each profession of Humanity,
Military, and mysteries Mechanicall:
Whereby their abstract formes yet atomis'd,
May be embodied; and by doing pris'd.

121

As for example; Buildings of all kinds;
Ships, Houses, Halls, for humane policy;
Camps, Bulwarkes, Forts, all instruments of Warre;
Surueying, Nauigation, Husbandry,
Trafficke, Exchange, Accompts, & all such other,
As, like good children, do aduance their mother.

122

For thus, these Arts passe, whence they came, to life,
Circle not round in selfe-imagination,
Begetting Lines upon an abstract wife,
As children borne for idle contemplation;
But in the practise of mans wisedome giue,
Meanes, for the Worlds inhabitants to liue.

123

Lastly, the vse of all vnlawfull Arts
Is maine abuse; whose acts, and contemplation,
Equally founded vpon crased parts,
Are onely to be cur'd by extirpation:
The rule being true, that What at first is ill,
Grow worse by vse, or by refining will.

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124

Now as the Bullion, which in all Estates,
The standard beares of Soueraignity;
Although allaid by characters, or rates
Moulded in wisedome, or necessitie,
Gets credit by the stampe, aboue his worth,
To buy, or sell; bring home, or carry forth:

125

Eu'n so, in these corrupted moulds of Art,
Which while they doe conforme, reforme vs not;
If all the false infections they impart
Be shadowed thus, thus formally be wrought;
Though what works goodnesse, onely makes men wise;
Yet Power thus mask'd may finely tyrannize.

126

And let this serue to make all People see,
The vanity is crafty, but not wise;
Chance, or occasion her prosperitie,
And but aduantage in her head, no eyes:
Truth is no Counsellor to assist the euill,
And in his owne, who wiser than the deuill?

127

In which corrupt confusion let vs leaue
The vanity, with her Sophistications;
Deceiu'd by that wherwith she would deceiue,
Paying, and paid with vaine imaginations;
Changing, corrupting, trading hope, and feare,
Instead of vertues, which she cannot beare.

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128

And so returne to those pure, humble Creatures,
Who if they haue a latitude in any
Of all these vaine, traducing, humane features,
Where, out of one root doe proceed so many;
They must be sparing, few, and onely such,
As helpe Obedience, stirre not pride too much:

129

For in the world, not of it, since they be;
Like Passengers, their ends must be to take
Onely those blessings of Mortality,
Which he that made all, fashion'd for their sake:
Not fixing loue, hope, sorrow, care, or feare,
On mortall blossoms, which must dye to beare.

130

With many linkes, an equall glorious chaine
Of hopes eternall those pure people frame;
Yet but one forme, and metall it containes,
Reason, and Passion, being there the same:
Which well-linck't chaine they fixe vnto the sky,
Not to draw heauen downe, but earth vp by.

131

Their Arts, Laws, Wisedome, Acts, Ends, Honors being
All stamp'd and moulded in th' Eternall breast;
Beyond which truth, what can be worth their seeing,
That as false wisedomes all things else detest?
Wherby their workes are rather great than many,
More than to know, and doe, they haue not any.

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132

For earth, and earthynesse it is alone,
Which enuies, strives, hates, or is malecontent;
Which Meteors vanish must from this cleare zone,
Where each thought is on his Creator bent;
And where both Kings and People should aspire,
To fix all other motions of desire.

133

Hence haue they latitudes, wherein they may
Study Sea, Skie, Ayre, Earth, as they enioy them;
Contemplate the Creation, State, Decay
Of mortall things, in them that misimploy them:
Preserue the body to obey the minde,
Abhorre the error, yet loue Humane kinde.

134

Salomon knew Nature both in herbes, plants, beasts;
Vs'd then for health, for honour, pleasure, gaine;
Yet, that abundance few Crownes wel digest,
Let his example, and his booke maintaine:
Kings, who haue trauail'd through the Vanity,
Can best describe vs what her visions be.

135

For we in such Kings (as cleare Mirrors) see,
And reade the heauenly glory of the good;
All other Arts, which borne of euill bee,
By these are neither taught, nor vnderstood,
Who, in the wombe of Gods true Church their mother
Learne they that know him well, must know no other.

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136

Which God this People worship in their King
And through obedience trauaile to perfection;
Studying their wills vnder his will to bring,
Yeeld trust, and honour both, to his direction:
And when they doe from his example swarue,
Beare witnesse to themselues they ill deserue.

137

Since Goodnesse, Wisedome, Truth, then ioyn'd in one,
Shew Kings, and People, what the glories be
Of mutuall duties, to make up a Throne,
And weaue protection in humility:
Where else to rockes when men doe fasten chaines,
Their labors onely draw themselves to paines.

138

Now, if this wisedome onely can be found,
By seeking God, euen in the Faith he giues;
If earth, heauen, sea, starres, creatures be the bound,
Wherein reueal'd his power, and wisedome liues,
If true obedience be the way to this,
And onely who growes better, wiser is:

139

Then let not curious, silly Flesh conceiue
It selfe more rich, or happy when it knowes
These words of Art, which men (as shells) must cleave,
Before the lifes true wisedome they disclose;
Nor when they know to teach, they know not what,
But when their doings men may wonder at.

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140

For onely that man vnderstands indeed,
And well remembers, which he well can doe;
The Laws liue, onely where the Law doth breed
Obedience to the workes it bindes vs to:
And as the life of Wisedome hath exprest,
If this you know, then doe it, and be blest.

141

Againe, the vse of Knowledge is not strife,
To contradict, and Criticall become,
As well in bookes, as practise of our life;
Which yeelds dissoluing, not a building doome;
A cobwebs worke, the thinnest fruit of wit,
Like Atomi, things reall seeme to it.

142

But as to Warre the error is one end,
So is her worthiest to maintaine the right;
Not to make question, cavill or contend,
Dazell the earth with visions infinite;
But nurse the World with charitable food,
Which none can doe that are not wise, and good.

143

The chiefe Vse then in man of that he knowes,
Is his paines taking for the good of all,
Not fleshly weeping for our owne made woes,
Not laughing from a Melancholy gall,
Not hating from a soule that ouerflowes
With bitternesse, breath'd out from inward thrall:
But sweetly rather to ease, loose, or binde,
As need requires, this fraile fall'n humane kinde.

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144

Yet Some seeke knowledge, meerely but to know,
And idle Curiositie that is;
Some but to sell, not freely to bestow,
These gaine and spend both time, and wealth amisse;
Embasing Arts, by basely deeming so:
Some to be knowne, and vanity is this:
Some to build others, which is Charity;
But these to build themselues, who wise men be.

145

And to conclude, whether we would erect
Our selves, or others by this choice of Arts;
Our chiefe endeauour must be to effect
A sound foundation, not on sandy parts
Of light Opinion, Selfenesse, Words of men,
But that sure rocke of truth; Gods Word, or Penne.

146

Next that we doe not ouerbuild our states,
In searching secrets of the Deity,
Obscurities of Nature, casualtie of Fates;
But measure first our own Humanity;
Then on our gifts impose an equall rate,
And so seeke wisedome with sobriety:
Not curious what our fellowes ought to doe,
But what our owne creation bindes vs to.

147

Lastly, we must not to the world erect
Theaters, nor plant our Paradise in dust,
Nor build vp Babels for the Diuels elect;
Make temples of our hearts to God we must;
And then, as Godlesse wisedomes follies be,
So are his lights our true Philosophie.

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148

With which faire cautions, Man may well professe
To studie God, whom he is borne to serve;
Nature, t'admire the greater in the lesse;
Time, but to learne; Our selues we may obserue,
To humble vs: Others, to exercise
Our loue and patience, wherein Duty lies.

149

Lastly, the truth and good to loue, and doe them;
The error, onely to destroy, and shunne it;
Our hearts in generall will lead vs to them,
When gifts of Grace, and Faith haue once begun it.
For without these, the minde of man growes numbe,
The body darkenesse, to the soule a tombe.

150

Thus are true Learnings in the humble heart
A Spirituall worke, raising Gods Image, rased
By our transgression; a well-framed art,
At which the world, and error stand amazed;
A Light diuine, where man sees ioy, and smart
Immortall, in this mortall body blazed;
A wisdome, which the Wisedome vs assureth
With hers euen to the sight of God endureth.

151

Hard Characters (I grant) to flesh and blood,
Which in the first perfection of creation
Freely resign'd the state of being good,
To know the euill, where it found priuation;
And lost her being, ere she vnderstood
Depth of this fall, paine of Regeneration:
By which she yet must raise herselfe againe,
Ere she can iudge all other knowledge vaine.