The crowne of all Homers workes Batrachomyomachia or the battaile of frogs and mise. His hymn's - and - epigrams translated according to ye. originall by George Chapman — Battle of the frogs and mice. English.

1624

the CROWNE of all HOMERS WORKES Batrachomyomachia Or the (Battaile of Frogs and Mise. His Hymn's — and — Epigrams Translated according to y^e. Originall By George Chapman.

London, Printed by Iohn Bill, his MAIESTIES Printer.

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TO MY EVER MOST-WORTHIE-TO-BE-MOST HONOR'D LORD, THE EARLE OF SOMERSET, &c.NOt forc't by fortune; but since your free minde
(Made by affliction) rests in choice re­sign'd
To calme Retreate; laid quite beneath the winde
Of Grace, and Glory: I well know, my Lord,
You would not be entitl'd to a word
That might a thought remoue from your Repose,
To thunder and spit Flames, as Greatnesse does;
For all the Trumps, that still tell where he goes.
Of which Trumps, Dedication being One,
Me thinks I see you start to heare it blowne.
But this is no such Trump as summons Lords,
[Page]Gainst Enuies steele, to draw their leaden swords,
Or gainst Hare-lipt Detraction, Contempt,
All which, from all Resistance stand exempt,
It being as hard to seuer Wrong from Merit,
As meate-indude, from blood; or blood from spirit.
Nor in the spirits Chariot rides the soule
In bodies chaste, with more diuine controule;
Nor virtue shines more in a louely Face;
Then true desert, is stuck off with Disgrace.
And therefore truth it selfe that had to blesse
The merit of it all, Almightinesse;
Would not protect it, from the Bane and Ban
Of all Moodes most distraught, and Stygian;
As counting it the Crowne of all Desert,
Borne to Heauen, to take of Earth, no part
Of false Ioy here, for Ioyes-there-endlesse troth,
Nor sell his Birthright for a messe of Broth.
But stay and still sustaine, and his Blisse bring,
Like to the hatching of the Black-thornes spring,
With bitter frosts, and smarting haile-stormes forth;
Fates loue Bees labors; onely Paine crownes Worth.
This Dedication calls no Greatnes then,
To patrone this Greatnes-creating Penn;
Nor you to add to your dead calme a breath;
For those arm'd Angells, that in spight of death
Inspir'd those flowrs that wrought this poets wreath
Shall keepe it euer, Poesies steepest Starr,
As, in Earths flaming wals, Heauens seuenfold Carr,
[Page](From all the windes of Neptunes watrie sphere)
For euer guards the Erymanthian Beare.
Since then your Lordship, settles in your shade
A life retir'd; and no Retreate is made
But to some strength; (for else, tis no Retreate,
But rudely running from your Battailes heate)
I giue this, as your strength: your strength, my Lord,
In Counsailes and Examples, that afford
More Guard, then whole Hosts of corporeal powre,
And more deliuerance, teach the fatall Howre.
Turne not your medcine then, to your disease,
By your too set, and sleight repulse of these,
The Adiuncts of your matchlesse Odyss [...]s;
Since on that wisest minde of Man, relies
Refuge from all Liues Infelicities.
Nor sing these, such diuision from them;
But that these spinn the thred of the same streame,
From one selfe Distaffs stuff: for Poesies Pen
(Through al theames) is t'informe the liues of Men:
All whose Retreates, neede strengths of all degrees;
Without which; (had you euen Herculean knees;)
Your foes fresh Charges, would, at length preuaile,
To leaue your Noblest suff'rance, no least saile.
Strength then, the Obiect is of all Retreates;
Strength needes no friends trust; strength, your foes defeates.
Retire to strength then, of eternall things,
And y'are eternall; for our knowing Spring's
Flow into those things that we truely know;
[Page]Which (being Eternall) we are render'd so.
And though your high-fixt Light passe infinite farr
Th'aduicefull Guide, of my still-trembling Starr;
Yet heare what my dischardg'd Peece must foretell,
Standing your Poore, and Perdue Sentinell.
Kings may perhaps wish, euen your Beggars Voice
To their Eternities; how skorn'd a choice
Soeuer, now it lies; And (dead I) may
Extend your life to lights extreamest Raie.
If not; your Homer yet, past doubt shall make,
Immortall, like himselfe, your Bounties stake
Put in my hands, to propagate your Fame,
Such virtue reigns in such vnited Name.
Retire to him then, for aduice, and skill
To know, things call'd worst, Best; and Best most ill.
A fimile illu­strating the most renownd seruice of Ge­nerall Noris in his Retreate before Gant, neuer before made sacred to Memorie.
Which knowne; truths best chuse; and retire to still.
And as our English Generall, (whose Name
Shall equall interest finde in T'House of Fame,
With all Earths great'st Commanders) in Retreate
To Belgian Gant, stood all Spaines Armies heate,
By Parma led; though but one thousand strong:
Three miles together thrusting through the throng
Of Th'Enimies Horse, (still pouring on their Fall
Twixt him & home) & thunderd through them al:
The Gallick Monsiour standing on the wall,
And wondring at his dreadfull Discipline;
Fir'd with a Valor, that spit spirit Diuine:
In fiue Battaillons randging all his Men;
[Page]Bristl'd with Pikes, and flanck't with Flanckers ten;
Gaue fire still in his Rere, retir'd and wrought,
Downe to his fixt strength still: retir'd and  [...]ought;
All the Battaillons of the Enemies Horse
Storming vpon him still, their fieriest Force;
Charge vpon Charge laid fresh: he fresh as day
Repulsing all; and forcing glorious way
Into the Gates; that gaspt (as swounes for Ayre)
And tooke their life in, with vntoucht Repaire:
So fight out (sweet Earle) your Retreate in Peace;
No ope-warr equalls that, where priuie Prease
Of neuer-numberd odds of Enimie
Arm'd all by Enuie, in blinde Ambush lie,
To rush out, like an open threatning skie,
Broke al in Meteors round about your eares.
Gainst which, (though far frō hēce) through al your Reres
Haue fires prepar'd; wisdome, with wisdome flanck,
And all your forces randge in present ranck;
Retiring as you now fought in your strength,
From all the Force laid, in times vtmost length,
To charge, and basely, come on you behind.
The Doctrine of all which, you here shall finde,
And, in the true Glasse of a humane Minde.
Your Odysses; the Body letting see
All his life past, through Infelicitie,
And manage of it all. In which to friend,
The full Muse brings you both the prime and end
Of all Arts ambient in the Orbe of Man;
[Page]Which neuer darknesse most Cimmerian
Can giue Eclipse; since (blinde) He all things sawe
And to all, euer since, liu'd Lord, and Lawe.
And though our mere-learn'd mē; & Modern wise
Taste not poore Poesies Ingenuities,
Being crusted with their couetous Leprosies;
But hold her paines, worse then the spiders worke,
And lighter then the shadowe of a Corke;
Yet th'ancient learn'd; heat with celestiall fire,
Affirmes her flames so sacred and entire;
Vt non fine Maximo fa [...]re Dei comparari n [...]queat. Pla. in Ioue.
That, not without Gods greatest grace she can
Fall in the wid'st Capacitie of Man.
If yet, the vile Soule of this Verminous time;
Loue more the Sale-Muse; and the Squirrels chime,
Then this full sphere of Poesies sweetest Prime;
Giue them vnenuied, their vaine veine, and vent;
And rest your wings, in his approu'd ascent
That yet was neuer reacht; nor euer fell
Into affections bought with things that sell
Being the Sunns Flowre; and wrapt so in his skie,
He cannot yeeld to euery Candles eye.
Whosemost worthy Discoueries, to your Lordships Iudiciall Perspectiue in most subdude Humilitie submitteth, George Chapman.

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The occasion of this Impos'd CROWNE.

AFter this not onely Prince of Poets, but Philosophers, had written his two great Poems, of Iliads & Odysses; which (for their first Lights borne before all Learning) were worthily call'd the Sunne and Moone of the Earth; (finding no compensation) he writ, in contempt of Men, this ridiculous Poem of Vermin, giuing them Nobility of Birth, valorous elocution not inferior to his Heroes. At which the Gods themselues put in amaze, call'd Counsailes about their assistance of either Armie, and the iustice of their Quarrels, euen to the mounting of [...]oues Artillery against them, and discharge of his three-forckt flashes: and all for the deuouring of a Mouse. After which sleight and onely recreatiue touch, hee betooke him seriously to the honor of the Gods; in Hymn's resounding all their peculiar Titles, Iurisdiction, and Dignities; which hee illustrates at all parts, as he had beene continually conuersant amongst them: and whatsoeuer autentique Poe [...]ie he omitted in the Episods, contained in his Iliads and Odysses; he comprehends and concludes in his Hym'ns and Epigrams. Al his obseruance and honor of the Gods, rather mou'd their enuies against him, then their rewards, or respects of his endeauours. And so like a Man verecundi ingenij (which he witnesseth of himselfe) he liu'd vnhonord and needie till his death; yet notwithstanding all mens seruile and manacled Miseries, to his most absolute and neuer-equall'd Merite; yea euen bursten profusion to Imposture and Impiety; [...]eare our-euer-the Same intranced, and neuer-sleeping Master of the Muses, to his last accent, incomparablie singing.

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BATRAXOMYOMAXIA.ENtring the fields, first let my Vowes call on
The Muses whole Quire out of Helicon
Into my Heart; for such a Poems sake,
As lately I did in my Tables take,
And put into report, vpon my knees.
A fight so fierce, as might in all degrees
Fit Mars himselfe, and his tumultuous hand,
Glorying to dart to th'eares of euery land
Of all the Intending Men: being di­uided from all other crea­tures, by the voice,  [...] being a pe [...] ­phrasis signify­ing v [...]ce di [...]isus, of  [...] diuido, and  [...] vox.
 voice-deuided; And to show
How brauely did both Froggs and Mise bestow
In glorious fight their forces; euen the deedes
Daring to imitate of earths Giant-seedes.
Thus then, men talkt; this seede the strife begat:
The Mouse, once drie; and scap't the dangerous Cat;
Drench't in the neighbour lake, her tender berde,
To taste the sweetnesse of the waue it rer'de.
The farre-fam'de Fen-affecter (seeing him) said;
Ho? Stranger? what are you? And whence, that tred
[Page 2]This shore of ours? who brought you forth? replie,
What truth may witnesse, lest I finde, you lie.
If worth fruition of my loue, and me;
Ile haue thee home; and Hospitalitie
Of feast, and gift; good and magnificent
Bestow on thee: For all this Confluent
Resounds my Royaltie; my Name, the great
In blowne-vp count'nances; and lookes of threat,
 [...], Genas & buccas infl [...]n [...].
Physignathus; ador'd of all Frogs here
All their daies durance; And the Empire beare
Of all their Beings. Mine owne Beeing, begot
By royall  [...], qui ex luto nascitu [...].
Peleus; mixt in nuptiall knot,
With faire  [...]. Aquarum Regina.
Hydromedusa; On the Bounds
Nere which The riuer Po, in Italie.
 Eridanus, his Race resounds.
And Thee, mine Eie, makes my Conceipt enclinde
To reckon powerfull, both in forme, and Minde:
A Scepter-bearer; And past others farre,
Aduanc't in all the fiery Fights of warre.
Come then, Thy race, to my renowne commend.
The Mouse made answer; why enquires my friend?
For what so well, know men and Deities,
And all the wing'd affecters of the skies?
 [...]. Gather-crum, or rauish-crum.
Psycharpax, I am calld;Sheare-crust.
Troxartes seede;
Surnam'de the Mighty-Minded: She that free'd
Mine eies from darknesse; was Lick-mill.
Lichomyle,
King Bacon-flitch-deuourer, or gnawer.
Pternotroctes Daughter; shewing me
Within an aged houell, the young light:
Fed me with figges, and nuts; and all the height
[Page 3]Of varied viands. But vnfolde the cause,
Why, 'gainst similitudes most equall lawes
(Obseru'd in friendship) thou makst me thy friend?
Thy life, the waters only helpe t'extend.
Mine, whatsoeuer, men are vs'd to eat,
Takes part with them, at shore: their purest cheat,
Thrice boulted, kneaded, and subdu'd in past,
In cleane round kymnels; cannot be so fast
From my approches kept; but in I eat:
Nor Cheesecakes full, of finest Indian wheat,
That  [...]. Extenso & pro­misso Peplo a­mictus.
A metaphor ta­ken from la­dies veiles, or traines, and therefore their names are here added.
 Crustie-weedes weare, large as Ladies traines:
 [...] Liuering pud­dings white skind.
 Lyurings, (white-skind as Ladies:) nor the straines
Of prest milke, renneted; Nor collups cut,
Fresh from the flitch: Nor iunkets such as put
Palats diuine in Appetite: nor any
Of all mens delicates; thought ne're so many
Their Cookes deuise them, who each dish see deckt
With all the dainties  [...] Whose commō exposition is onely Varijs, when it pro­perly signifies, Ex omni solo.
 all strange soiles affect.
Yet am I not so sensuall, to flie
Of fields embattaild, the most fiery crie:
But rush out strait; and with the first in sight,
Mixe in aduenture: No man with affright
Can daunt my forces; though his bodie bee
Of neuer so immense a quantitie.
But making vp, euen to his bed, accesse;
His fingers ends dare with my teeth compresse:
His feet taint likewise; and so soft sease both,
They shall not tast Th'Impression of a tooth.
[Page 4]Sweet sleepe shall holde his owne, in euery eie
Where my tooth takes his tartest libertie:
But two there are, that alwaies, far and neare
Extremely still, controule my force with feare;
(The Cat, and Night-Hawke) who much skathe confer
On all the Outraies, where for food I erre.
Together with the  [...], of  [...], An­gustus.
 streights-still-keeping Trap;
Where lurkes deceiptfull and set-spleend Mishap.
But most of all the Cat constraines my feare;
Being euer apt t'assault me euery where:
For by that hole, that hope saies, I shall scape,
At that hole euer, she commits my Rape.
The best is yet, I eat no pot-herb grasse,
Nor Raddishes; nor Coloquintida's:
Nor Still-greene; Beetes, nor Parsley: which you make
Your dainties still, that liue vpon the lake.
The Frog replide: Stranger? your boasts creepe all
Vpon their bellies; though to our liues fall;
Much more miraculous meates, by lake and land:
Ioue tendring our liues with a twofold hand;
Enabling vs to leape ashore for food,
And hide vs strait in our retreatfull flood:
Which if your will serue; you may proue with ease.
Ile take you on my shoulders: which fast sease,
If safe arriuall at my house y'intend.
He stoopt; and thither spritelie did ascend,
Clasping his golden necke, that easie seat
Gaue to his sallie: who was iocund yet;
[Page 5]Seeing the safe harbors of the King so nere;
And he, a swimmer so exempt from Pere.
But when he sunke into the purple waue;
He mournd extremely; and did much depraue
Vnprofitable penitence: His haire▪
Tore by the roots vp, labord for the aire,
With his feet fetcht vp to his belly, close:
His heart within him, panted out repose,
For th'insolent plight, in which his state did stand:
Sigh'd bitterly, and long'd to greete the land,
Forc't by the dire Neede, of his freezing feare.
First on the waters, he his taile did stere
Like to a Sterne: then drew it like an ore,
Still praying the Gods to set him safe ashore:
Yet sunke he midst the red waues, more and more,
And laid a throat out, to his vtmost height:
Yet in forc'd speech, he made his perill sleight;
And thus his glorie with his grieuance stroue;
Not in such choice state was the charge of loue
Borne by the Bull; when to the Cretane shore
He swumme Europa through the wauie rore;
As this Frog ferries me; His pallid brest
Brauely aduancing; and his verdant crest
(Submitted to my seat) made my support,
Through his white waters, to his royall Court.
But on the sudden did apparance make
An horrid spectacle; a water-snake
Thrusting his freckeld necke aboue the lake.
[Page 6]Which (seene to both) away Physignathus
Diu'd to his deepes; as no way conscious
Of whom, he left to perish in his lake;
But shunn'd blacke fate himselfe; and let him take
The blackest of it: who amids the Fenn
Swumme with his brest vp; hands held vp in vaine,
Cried Peepe, and perisht: sunke the waters oft,
And often with his sprawlings, came aloft;
Yet no way kept downe deaths relentlesse force:
But (full of water) made an heauie Corse.
Before he perisht yet, he threatned thus;
Thou lurk'st not yet from heauen (Physignathus)
Though yet thou hid'st here, that hast cast from thee
(As from a Rocke,) the shipwrackt life of mee.
Though thou thy selfe, no better was than I
(O worst of things) at any facultie;
Wrastling or race: but for thy perfidie
In this my wracke; Ioue beares a wreakefull eie:
And to the Hoast of Mise, thou paines shalt pay
Past all euasion. This, his life let say,
And left him to the waters. Him beheld,
Lick-dish.
Lichopinax; plac't in the pleasing fielde:
Who shrick't extremely; ranne and told the Mise;
Who, hauing heard his watry destinies;
Pernicious anger pierst the hearts of all;
And then their Heralds, forth they sent to call
A councell early, at Troxartes house,
Sad father of this fatall shipwrack't Mouse:
[Page 7]Whose dead Corpse, vpwards swum along the lake;
Nor yet (poore wretch) could be enforc'd to make
The shore, his harbour; but the mid-Maine swum:
When now (all haste made) with first morne did come
All to set councell; in which, first rais'd head,
Troxartes, angrie for his sonne; and said;
O Friends, though I alone may seeme to beare
All the infortune; yet may all mette here
Account it their case. But ti's true, I am
In chiefe vnhappy; that a triple flame
Of life, feele put forth, in three famous sonnès;
The first, the chiefe in our confusions
(The Cat) made rape of; caught without his hole:
The second; Man, made with a cruell soule,
Brought to his ruine, with a new-found sleight;
And a most woodden engine of deceipt,
They terme a Trap; mere  [...]. Interfectrix. Perditrix.
 Murthresse of our Mise.
The last that in my loue held speciall prise,
And his rare mothers; this Physignathus
(With false pretext of wafting to his house;)
Strang l'd in chiefe deepes, of his bloudy streame.
Come then; haste all, and issue out on them,
Our bodies deckt, in our Dedalean armes.
This said; his words thrust all vp in alarmes;
And Mars himselfe, that serues the cure of war;
Made all in their Appropriats circular.
First on each leg, the greene shales of a Beane,
They clos'd for Bootes; that sat  [...], ab  [...], Elaborate con­cinno.
 exceeding cleane:
[Page 8]The shales they broke ope, Bootehaling by night,
And eat the beanes: Their Iacks; Art exquisite
Had showne in them; being Cats-skins, euery where
Quilted with quills: Their fencefull bucklers were,
The middle rounds of Can'sticks; but their speare
A huge long Needle was; that could not beare
The braine of any; but be Mars his owne
Mortall inuention. Their heads arming Crowne
Was vessel to the kirnell of a nut:
And thus the Mise, their powers in armour put.
This, the frogs hearing; From the water, all
Issue to one place; and a councell call
Of wicked war; consulting what should be
Cause to this murmure, and strange mutinie.
While this was question'd; neere them made his stand
An Herald with a Scepter in his hand,
(Enter-pot, or Serch-pot.
Embasichytrus calld) that fetcht his kinde,
From Cheese-mi­ner. Qui caseum rodendo cauat.
Tyroglyphus, with the mightie minde;
Denouncing ill-nam'd war, in these high termes;
O Frogs? the Mise, sends threats to you of armes
And bid me bid ye Battell; and fixt fight;
Their eies all wounded with Psycharpax sight,
Floting your waters, whom your king hath kild.
And therefore all prepare for force of field,
You that are best borne, whosoeuer held.
This said; he seuer'd; his speech firing th'eares
Of all the Mise; but frees'd the Frogs with feares,
Themselues conceiting guiltie; whom the King
[Page 9]Thus answer'd (rising.) Friends? I did not bring
Psycharpax to his end; He, wantoning
Vpon our waters, practising to swimme,
 [...] Aping or imi­tating vs.
 Ap'te vs, and drown'd; without my sight of him.
And yet these worst of Vermine, accuse me
Though no way guiltie. Come, consider we
How we may ruine these deceiptfull Mise.
For my part; I giue voice to this aduise;
As seeming fittest to direct our deeds.
Our bodies decking with our arming weeds;
Let all our Powr's stand rais'd in steep'st repose
Of all our shore; that when they charge vs close;
We may the helms snatch off, from all so deckt,
Daring our onset; and them all direct
Downe to our waters. Who not knowing the sleight
To diue our soft deeps, may be strangl'd streight;
And we triumphing, may a Trophey rere,
Of all the Mise, that we haue slaughter'd here.
These words put all in armes; and mallow leaues
They drew vpon their leggs, for arming Boot's of warre.
 Greaues.
Their Curets; broad greene Beetes; their bucklers were
Good thick-leau'd Cabbadge; proofe gainst any spe're.
Their speares, sharpe Bullrushes; of which, were all
Fitted with long ones. Their parts Capitall
They hid in subtle Cockleshels from blowes.
And thus, all arm'd; the steepest shores they chose,
T'encamp themselues; where lance with lance, they lin'd;
And brandisht brauelie; each Frogg full of Minde.
[Page 10]Then Ioue calld all Gods, in his flaming Throne
And shewd all, all this preparation
For resolute warre. These able soldiers,
Many, and great; all shaking lengthfull spe'res:
In shew like Centaures; or the Gyants Host.
When (sweetlie smiling,) he enquir'd who, most
Of all th'Immortalls, pleas'd to adde their aide
To Froggs or Mise: and thus to Pallas said;
O daughter? Must not you, needs aid these Mise?
That with the Odors, and meate sacrifice
Vs'd in your Temple, endlesse triumphs make;
And serue you, for your sacred victles sake?
Pallas repli'd; O Father, neuer I
Will aid the Mise, in anie miserie.
So many mischiefes by them, I haue found;
 [...], Lanas, eo quod colus cingant se [...] coronent. Which our learned sect translate ea­ting the crownes that Pallas wore.
 Eating the Cotten, that my distaffs crown'd;
My lamps still banting, to deuoure the oyle.
But that which most my minde eates, is their spoile
Made of a veile, that me in much did stand:
On which, bestowing an elaborate hand;
A fine woofe working; of as pure a thre [...]d;
Such holes therein, their Petulancies fed;
That, putting it to darning; when t'was done;
The darner, a most deare paie stood vpon
For his so deare paines; laid downe instantlie;
 [...], Partus et id quod partu  [...]dit Mater. Metap. hic appel­latur f [...]nus quod ex vsura ad nos redit.
Or (to forbeare) exacted vsurie.
So, borrowing from my Phane, the weed I woue;
I can by no meanes, th'vsurous darner, moue
[Page 11]To let me haue the mantle to restore.
And this is it, that rubs the angrie sore
Of my offence tooke, at these petulant Mise.
Nor will I yeeld, the Froggs wants, my supplies,
For their infirme mindes; that no confines keepe;
For I, from warre retir'd; and wanting sleepe;
All lept ashore in tumult; nor would staie
Till one winck seas'd myne eyes: and so I laie
Sleeplesse, and pain'de with headach; till first light
The Cock had crow'd vp. Therefore, to the fight
Let no God goe assistent; lest a lance
Wound whosoeuer offers to aduance;
Or wishes but their aid; that skorne all foes;
Should any Gods accesse, their spirits oppose.
Sit we then pleas'd, to see from heauen, their fight.
She said; and all Gods ioin'd in her delight.
And now, both Hosts, to one field drew the iarre;
Both Heralds bearing the ostents of warre.
And then the  [...] C [...]lex vi [...]arius.
 wine-Gnats, that shrill Trumpets sound
Terriblie rung out, the encounter, round.
Ioue thundred; all heauen, sad warrs signe resounded.
And first, Lowd-mouth.
Hypsiboas,Kitchen-ves­sell licker.
Lychenor wounded,
Standing th'impression of the first in fight.
His lance did, in his Lyuers midsts alight,
Along his bellie. Downe he fell; his face,
His fall on that part swaid; and all the grace
Of his soft hayre, fil'd with disgracefull dust.
Then Hole-dweller. Qui for  [...].
Troglodytes, his thick iaueline thrust
[Page 12]In Mud-borne.
Pelions bosome; bearing him to ground:
Whom sad death seas'd; his soule flew through his wound.
Beet-deuou­rer.
Sentlaeus next, Embasichytros slew;
His heart through thrusting: then The great bread- [...]ater.
Artophagus threw
His lance at The great Noise-maker, shrill or bigg-voic't.
Polyphon; and strooke him quite
Through his midd-bellie: downe he fell vpright:
And from his fayre limms, took his soule her flight.
The lake-lo­uer.
Lymnocharis beholding Polyphon
Thus done to death; did with as round a stone
As that the mill turnes; Troglodytes wound
Neare his mid-neck; ere he his onset found:
Whose eyes, sad darknes seas'd. Qui lambit culinaria vasa.
Lychenor cast
A flying dart off, and his ayme so plac't
Vpon Lymnocharis; that  [...] intentissime di­rigo, vt certum ictum inferam.
 Sure he thought
The wound he wisht him: nor vntruely wrought
The dire successe; for through his Lyuer flew
The fatall lance; which when The cabbage-eater.
Crambaphagus knew;
Downe the deepe waues neare shore; he, diuing, fled;
But fled not fate so; the sterne enimie fed
Death with his life in diuing: neuer more
The ayre he drew in; his Vermilian gore
Staind all the waters; and along the shore
He lay extended; his fat entrailes laie
(By his small guts impulsion) breaking waie
Out at his wound. Paludis Incola. Lake-liuer.
Lymnisius, neare the shore
Destroid Tyroglyphus: which frighted sore
The soule of Qui in Cala­mintha herba palustra habitat.
Calaminth; seeing comming on
(For wreake) Bacon-eater.
Pternoglyphus: who got him gon
[Page 13]With large leapes to the lake; his Target throwne
Into the waters. Qui Aquit delectatur.
Hydrocharis slew
King Collup-de­uourer.
Pternophagus, at whose throte he threw
A huge stone; strooke it high; and beate his braine
Out at his nostrills: earth blusht, with the staine
His blood made on her bosom. For next Prise;
Lichopinax, to death did sacrifice
Mudd- [...]loe­per.
Borborocoetes faultlesse faculties;
His lance enforc't it; darknes clos'd his eyes.
On which when Leeke-or sca­lion louer.
Brassophagus, cast his looke;
Kitchin smell, hanter, or hun­ter.
Cnisodioctes, by the heeles he tooke;
Dragg'd him to fenn, from off his natiue ground;
Then seas'd his throte, and souc't him, till he droun'd.
But now; Psycharpax wreakes his fellows deaths;
And in the bosome of Fennstalker.
Pelusius sheathes,
(In center of his Lyuer) his bright lance:
He fel before the Author of the chance;
His soule to hell fled. Which Qui per lutum it.
Pelobates
Taking sad note of; wreakefully did sease
His hands gripe full of mudd; and all besmear'd;
His forhead with it so; that scarce appeard
The light to him. Which certainely incenst
His fierie splene: who, with his wreake dispenst
No point of tyme; but rer'd with his strong hand
A stone so massie, it opprest the land;
And hurld it at him; when, below the knee
It strooke his right legge so impetuouslie;
It peece-meale brake it; be the dust did sease,
[Page 14]Vpwards euerted. But Vociferator.
Craugasides
Reuendg'd his death; and at his enimie
Dischardg'd a dart; that did his point implie
In his mid-bellie. All the sharp-pil'de speare
Got after in; and did before it beare
His vniuersall entrailes to the earth,
Soone as his swolne hand, gaue his iaueline birth.
Eate-corne.
Sitophagus, beholding the sad sight,
Set on the shore; went halting from the fight,
Vext with his wounds extremelie. And to make
Waie from extreme fate, lept into the lake.
Troxartes strooke, in th'insteps vpper part,
Physignathus; who, (priuie to the smart
His wound imparted) with his vtmost hast
Lept to the lake, and fled. Troxartes cast
His eye vpon the foe that fell before;
And, (see'ng him halfe-liu'de) long'd againe to gore
His gutlesse bosome; and (to kill him quite)
Ranne fiercely at him. Which Scallian-de­uourer.
Prassaeus sight
Tooke instant note of; and the first in fight
Thrust desp'rate way through; casting, his keene lance
Off at Troxartes; whose shield turn'd th'aduance
The sharpe head made: & checkt the mortall chance.
Amongst the Mise fought, an Egregiouse
Young spring all; and a close-encountring Mouse:
Pure Bread-be­traier.
Artepibulus-his deare descent:
A Prince that Mars himselfe shewd, where he went
(Call'd Scrap or bro­ken-meat-ea­ter.
Meridarpax.) Of so huge a might;
[Page 15]That onely He still, dominer'd in fight,
Of all the Mouse-Host. He aduancing close
Vp to the Lake; past all the rest arose
In glorious obiect; and made vant that He
Came to depopulate all the progenie
Of Froggs, affected with the lance of warre.
And certainely; he had put on as farre
As he aduanc't his vant; (he was indude
With so vnmatcht a force, and fortitude)
Had not the Father, both of Gods and Men
Instantly knowne it; and the Froggs (euen then
Giuen vp to ruine) rescude with remorse.
Who, (his head mouing,) thus began discourse:
No meane amaze, affects me to behold
Prince Meridarpax, rage so vncontrold,
In thirst of Frogg-blood; all along the lake:
Come therefore still; and all addression make;
Dispatching Pallas, with tumultuous Mars,
Downe to the field, to make him leaue the wars:
How  [...], Validus se [...] potens in reti­nendo.
 Potently soeuer he be said,
Where he attempts once; to vphold his head.
Mars answered; O Ioue; neither she nor I
(With both our aides) can keepe depopulacie
From off the Froggs. And therefore arme we all;
Euen thy lance letting brandish to his call
From off the field: that from the field withdrew
The Titanois; the Titanois that slew;
Though most exempt from match, of all earths seedes
[Page 16]So great and so inaccessible deeds
It hath proclaim'd to men; bound hand and foot,
The vast Enceladus; and rac't by th'root
The race of vpland Gyants. This speech past;
Saturnius, a smoking lightening cast
Amongst the armies; thundring then so sore,
That with a rapting circumflexe, he bore
All huge heauen ouer. But the terrible ire,
Of his dart, sent abroad, all wrapt in fire,
(Which certainely, his very finger was)
Amazde both Mise and Froggs. Yet soone let passe
Was all this by the Mise: who, much the more;
Burnd in desire t'exterminate the store
Of all those lance-lou'd souldiers. Which, had beene;
If, from Olympus, Ioues eye had not seene
The Froggs with pittie; and with instant speede
Sent them assistents. Who (ere any heede
Was giuen to their approch) came crawling on
With  [...]. Incudes feren­tes: Or Anuile-back't.
 [...]. Incus, dicta per synco­pen, quasi nullis Ictibus fatigetio.
 Anuiles on their backs; that (beat vpon
Neuer so much) are neuer wearied, yet:
Crook-pawd; and wrested on, with foule clouen feet:
 [...] Forcipem in  [...]re habens.
 Tongues in their mouths: Brick-backt, all ouer bone,
Broade-shoulderd; whence a ruddie yellow shone.
Distorted, and small thigh'd: had eyes that saw
Out at their bosomes. Twice foure feet did draw
About their bodies. Strong neckt; whence did rise
Two heads; nor could to any hand be Prise.
They call them Lobsters; that eat from the Mise,
[Page 17]Their tailes; their feet; and hands; and wrested all
Their lances from them so; that cold Appall
The wretches put in rout, past all returne.
And now the Fount of light forbore to burne
Aboue the earth. When (which mens lawes commend)
Our Battaile, in one daie, tooke absolute end.
The end of Homers Battaile of Frogges and Mise.

[Page]
[Page 19]
AL THE HYMNES OF HOMER. An Hymne to Apollo.I Will remember, and expresse the praise
Of heauens far-darter, the faire King of daies.
Whom euen the Gods themselues feare, when he goes
Through Ioues high house; and when his goodly bowes
He goes to bend; all from their Thrones arise,
And cluster neare, t'admire his faculties.
Onely Latona, stirs not from her seate
Close by the Thunderer; till her sonnes retreat
From his dread archerie; but then she goes;
Slackens his string; and shuts his Quiuer close;
And (hauing taken to her hand, his bowe,
From off his able shoulders) doth bestowe
Vpon a Pinne of gold the glorious Tiller;
The Pinne of gold fixt in his Fathers Piller.
Then doth she to his Throne, his state vphold;
Where his great Father, in a cup of gold
Serues him with Nectar; and shews all, the grace
Of his great sonne. Then th'other gods take place.
[Page 20]His gracious mother, glorying to beare
So great an Archer, and a sonne so cleare.
All haile (O blest Latona!) to bring forth
An issue of such All-out-shining worth,
Royall Apollo, and the Queene that loues
The hurles of darts. She in th'Ortygian groues,
And he, in cliffie Delos; leaning on
The loftie Oros; and being built vpon
By Cynthus Prominent: that his head reares
Close to the Palme, that Inops fluent cheares.
How shall I praise thee? farre being worthiest praise?
(O Phoebus) to whose worth, the law of layes
In all kindes is ascrib'de? If feeding flocks
By Continent, or Ile; all eminen'st rocks
Did sing for ioy: Hill-tops, and floods in song
Did breake their billows, as they flow'd along
To serue the sea. The shores, the seas, and all
Did sing as soone, as from the lap did fall
Of blest Latona, thee the ioy of Man.
Her Child-bed made, the mountaine Cynthian
In rockie Delos, the sea-circled Ile:
On whose all sides, the black seas brake their Pile,
And ouer-flowd for ioy, so franck a Gale
The singing winds did on their waues exhale.
Here borne; all mortalls liue in thy commands.
Who euer Crete holds; Athens; or the strands
Of th'Ile Aegina; or the famous land
For ships (Euboea:) or Eresia;
[Page 21]Or Peparethus, bordring on the sea.
Aegas; or Athos, that doth Thrace diuide
And Macedon. Or Pelion, with the pride
Of his high forehead. Or the Samian Ile;
That likewise lies neare Thrace; or Scyrus soile;
Ida's steepe tops. Or all that Phocis fill:
Or Autocanes, with the heauen-high hill:
Or populous Imber: Lemnos without Ports▪
Or Lesbos, fit for the diuine resorts,
And sacred soile of blest Aeolion.
Or Chius that exceeds comparison
For fruitfulnes: with all the Iles that lie
Embrac't with seas. Mimas, with rocks so hie.
Or Loftie-crownd Corycius; or the bright
Charos: or Aesagaeus dazeling height:
Or waterie Samos▪ Mycale, that beares
Her browes euen with the circles of the spheares.
Miletus; Cous; That the Citie is
Of voice-diuided-choice humanities.
High Cnidus; Carpathus, still strooke with winde.
Naxus, and Paros; and the rockie-mind
Rugged Rhenaea. Yet through all these parts,
Latona, great-growne, with the King of dares,
Trauailde; and tried, If any would become
To her deare birth, an hospitable home.
All which, extremely trembled (shooke with feare)
Nor durst endure, so high a birth to beare,
In their free States: though, for it, they became
[Page 22]Neuer so fruitfull; till the reuerend Dame
Ascended Delos; and her soile did sease
With these wing'd words: O Delos! would'st thou please
To be my sonne Apolloes natiue seat;
And build a welthie Phane to one so great:
No one shall blame, or question thy kinde deede.
Nor thinke I, thou, dost Sheepe or Oxen feede,
In any such store; Or in vines exceede;
Nor bring'st forth such innumerable Plants;
(Which often make the rich Inhabitants
Careles of Deitie.) If thou then should'st rere
A Phane to Phoebus: all men would confer
Whole Hecatombs of beeues for sacrifice,
Still thronging hither. And to thee would rise
Euer vnmeasur'd Odors; should'st thou long
Nourish thy King thus; and from forreigne wrong
The Gods would guard thee; which thine owne addresse
Can neuer compasse for thy barrennesse.
She said; and Delos ioi'd; replying thus:
Most happie sister of Saturnius?
I gladly would, with all meanes entertein
The King your sonne; being now despis'de of men;
But should be honord with the greatest then.
Yet this I feare; Nor will conceale from theee;
Your Sonne (some say) will author miserie
In many kindes: as being to sustein
A mightie empire ouer Gods, and Men,
Vpon the holie-gift-giuer the earth.
[Page 23]And bitterly I feare, that when his birth
Giues him the sight, of my so barren soile
He will contemne; and giue me vp to spoile:
Enforce the sea to me; that euer will
Oppresse my heart, with many a watrie hill.
And therefore, let him chuse some other land,
Where he shall please; to build at his command
Temple and Groue, set thick with many a Tree.
For wretched Polypusses, breed in me
Retyring chambers; and black sea-calues, Den
In my poore soile, for penurie of Men.
And yet (O Goddesse) would'st thou please to sweare
The Gods great oath to me, before thou beare
Thy blessed Sonne here; that thou wilt erect
A Phane to him, to render the effect
Of mens demands to them, before they fall;
Then will thy sonnes renowne be generall;
Men will his name, in such varietie call.
And I shall, then, be glad, his birth to beare.
This said; the Gods great oath, she thus did swere:
Know this (O earth!) broad heauens inferior sphere,
And of blacke Styx, the most infernall lake
(Which is the grauest oath, the Gods can take)
That here shall euer rise to Phoebus Name
An odorous Phane, and Altar; and thy fame
Honor, past all Iles else, shall see him emploid.
Her oath thus tooke, and ended; Delos ioi'd
In mightie measure, that she should become,
[Page 24]To farr-shot Phoebus birth the famous home.
Latona then, nine daies and nights did fall
In hopeles labor: at whose birth were all
Heauens most supreame, and worthie Goddesses.
Dione, Rhaea; and th'Exploratresse
(Themis;) and Amphitrite, that will be
Pursu'd with sighs still. Euery Deitie
Except the snowie-wristed wife of Ioue:
Who held her moodes aloft; and would not moue.
Onely Lucina, (to whose virtue vowes
Each Child-birth patient) heard not of her throwes;
But sat (by Iuno's counsaile) on the browes
Of broad Olympus, wrapt in clouds of gold.
Whom Ioues proud wife, in enuie did with-hold;
Because bright-lockt Latona, was to beare
A Sonne so faultles; and inforce so cleare.
The rest (Thaumantia) sent before to bring
Lucina to release the enuied King:
Assuring her, that they would strait confer
A Carquenet, nine cubits long, on her,
All wouen with wires of Gold. But chargd her then,
To call apart from th'Iuorie-wristed Queene
The child-birth-guiding Goddesse; for iust feare
Lest, her charge vtter'd, in Saturnia's eare;
She, after, might disswade her from descent.
When winde-swift-footed Iris, knew th'intent.
Of th'other Goddesses; away she went;
And instantly she past, the infinite space
[Page 25]Twixt Earth, and Heauen; when, comming to the place
Where dwelt th'Immortals; strait without the gate
She gat Lucina; and did all relate
The Goddesses commanded; and enclin'd,
To all that they demanded, her deare Minde.
And on their way they went, like those two Doues
That, walking high-waies, euery shadow moues
Vp from the earth; forc't with their naturall feare.
When entring Delos; she that is so deare
To Dames in labor, made Latona strait
Prone to deliuerie; and to weild the wait
Of her deare burthen, with a world of ease.
When, with her faire hand; she a Palme did sease
And (staying her by it) slucke her tender knees
Amidst the soft meade; that did smile beneath
Her sacred labor, and the child did breath
The aire, in th'instant. All the Goddesses
Brake in kinde teares, and shrikes for her quicke ease:
And Thee (O Archer Phoebus) with waues cleere
Washt sweetly ouer, swadled with sincere
And spotlesse swath- [...]ands; and made then to flow
About thy breast, a mantle, white as snow;
Fine, and new made; and cast a Veile of Gold
Ouer thy forehead. Nor yet forth did hold
Thy mother, for thy foode, her golden brest:
But Themis in supply of it, addrest
Louely Ambrosia; and drunke off to thee
[Page 26]A Bowle of Nectar; interchangeablie
With her immortall fingers, seruing thine.
And when (O Phoebus) that eternall wine
Thy tast had relisht; and that foode diuine:
No golden swath-band longer could containe
Thy panting bosome: all that would constraine
Thy soone-easd God-head; Euery feeble chaine,
Of earthy Child-rights; flew in sunder, all.
And then didst thou thus, to the Deities call:
Let there be giuen me, my lou'd Lute and Bow;
I'le prophecie to men; and make them know
Ioues perfect counsailes. This said; vp did flie
From brode-waide Earth, the vnshorne Deitie,
Far-shot Apollo. All th'Immortalls stood
In steepe amaze, to see Latonaes brood.
All Delos, looking on him; all with gold
Was loden strait; and ioi [...]d to be extold
By great Latona so; that she decreed,
Her barrennesse, should beare the fruitfulst seed
Of all the Iles, and Continents of earth;
And lou'd her, from her heart so, for her birth.
For so she florisht; as a hill that stood
Crownd with the flowre of an abundant wood:
And thou (O Phoebus) bearing in thy hand
Thy siluer bow: walk'st ouer euery land.
Sometimes ascend'st the rough-hewne rockie hill
Of desolate Cynthus: and sometimes tak'st will
To visit Ilands; and the Plumps of men.
[Page 27]And manie a Temple; all wayes, men ordein
To thy bright God-head: Groues, made darke with Trees,
And neuer shorne, to hide ye Deities.
All high-lou'd Prospects; all the steepest browes
Of farr-seene Hills: and euery flood that flowes
Forth to the sea; are dedicate to Thee.
But most of all; thy mindes Alacritie
Is rais'd with Delos; since to fill thy Phane
There flocks so manie an Ionian,
With ample Gownes, that flowe downe to their feet:
With all their children; and the reuerend Sweet
Of all their pious wiues. And these are they
That (mindefull of thee) euen thy Deitie
Render more spritelie, with their Champion fight
Dances, and songs, perform'd to glorious sight;
Once hauing publisht, and proclaim'd their strife.
And these are acted with such exquisite life
That one would say, Now, the Ionian straines
Are turn'd Immortalls; nor know what Age meanes.
His minde would take such pleasure from his eye,
To see them seru'd, by all Mortalitie.
Their men so humane; women so well-grac't;
Their ships so swift; their riches so encreast,
Since thy obseruance. Who (being all, before
Thy opposites) were all despis'd, and poore.
And to all these, this absolute wonder add,
Whose praise shall render all posterities gladd:
The Delian Virgines, are thy handmaides, All;
[Page 28]And, since they seru'd Apollo; iointly fall
Before Latona, and Diana too
In sacred seruice: and doe therefore know
How to make mention of the ancient Trimms
Of men, and women; in their well-made Hymns;
And soften barbarous Nations with their song's.
Being able, all, to speake the seuerall tongu's
Of forreine Nations; and to imitate
Their musiques there, with art so fortunate,
That one would say; there euery one did speake,
And all their tunes, in naturall accents breake.
Their songs, so well compos'd are; and their Art
To answer all soundes, is of such Desart.
But come Latona; and thou king of Flames,
With Phoebe Rectresse, of chaste thoughts in Dames;
Let me salute ye, and your Graces call
Hereafter to my iust memoriall.
And you (O Delian Virgins) doe me grace,
When any stranger of our earthie Race
Whose restlesse life, Affliction hath in chace;
Shall hither come; and question you; Who is
To your chaste eares, of choicest faculties
In sacred Poesie; and with most right
Is Author of your absolut'st delight;
Ye shall your selues doe, all the right ye can,
To answer for our Name: The sightlesse man
Of stonie Chios. All whose Poems, shall
In all last Ages, stand for Capitall.
[Page 29]This for your owne sakes I desire; for I
Will propagate mine owne precedencie,
As far as earth shall well-built cities beare;
Or humane conuersation, is held deare.
Not with my praise direct; but praises due;
And men shall credit it, because tis true.
How euer, I'le not cease the praise I vow
To farre-shot Phoebus, with the siluer bow;
Whom louely-hair'd Latona gaue the light.
O King? Both Lycia, is in Rule thy Right;
Faire Moeonie, and the Maritimall
Miletus; wisht to be the seate of all.
But chiefely Delos, girt with  [...]illowes round,
Thy most respected empire doth resound.
Where thou to Pythus wentst; to answer there,
(As soone as thou wert borne) the burning eare
Of many a far-come, to heare future deeds:
Clad in diuine, and odoriferous weeds.
And with thy Golden Fescue, plaidst vpon
Thy hollow Harp; that sounds to heauen set gone.
Then to Olympus, swift as thought hee flew
To Ioues high house; and had a retinew
Of Gods t'attend him. And then strait did fall
To studie of the Harp, and Harpsicall,
All th'Immortalls. To whom, euery Muse
With rauishing voices, did their answers vse,
Singing Th'eternall deeds of Deitie.
And from their hands, what Hells of miserie,
[Page 30]Poore Humanes suffer; liuing desperate quite.
And not an Art they haue; wit, or deceipt,
Can make them manage any Act aright:
Nor finde with all the soule they can engage,
A salue for Death, or remedie for Age.
But here, the fayre-hayrd graces; the wise Howres;
Harmonia, Hebe, and sweet Venus powres,
Danc't; and each others, Palme, to Palme, did cling.
And with these, danc't not a deformed thing:
No forspoke Dwarfe; nor downeward witherling;
But all, with wondrous goodly formes were deckt,
And mou'd with Beauties, of vnpris'd aspect.
Dart-deare-Diana, (euen with Phoebus bred)
Danc't likewise there; and Mars a march did tred,
With that braue Beuie. In whose consort, fell
Argicides, th'ingenious Sentinell.
Phoebus-Apollo, toucht his Lute to them;
Sweetely, and softly: a most glorious beame
Casting about him, as he danc't, and plaid;
And euen his feet, were all with raies araide.
His weede and all, of a most curious Trymm,
With no lesse Luster, grac't, and circled him.
By these, Latona, with a hayre that shin'd
Like burnisht gold; and, (with the Mightie Minde)
Heauens Counsailor, (Ioue;) sat with delightsome eyes
To see their Sonne, new rankt with Deities.
How shall I praise thee then, that art all praise?
Amongst the Brides, shall I thy Deitie raise?
[Page 31]Or being in loue, when, sad, thou wentst to wowe
The Virgin Aza? and didst ouerthrowe
The euen-with-Gods, Elations Mightie seed?
That had of goodly horse, so braue a breed?
And Phorbas; sonne of soueraigne Triopus;
Valiant Leucippus, and Ereutheus;
And Triopus, himselfe, with equall fall?
Thou but on foot; and they on horsebacke all?
Or shall I sing thee, as thou first didst grace
Earth with thy foot; to finde thee forth a place
Fit to pronounce thy Oracles to Men?
First from Olympus, thou alightedst then,
Into Pieria; Passing all the land
Of fruitles Lesbos, chok' [...] with drifts of sand.
The Magnets likewise, and the Perrhabes?
And to Iolous variedst thy accesse?
Cenaeus Topps ascending; that their Base
Make bright Euboea; being of ships the Grace.
And fixt thy faire stand, in Lelantus field;
That did not yet, thy mindes contentment yeeld,
To raise a Phane on; and a sacred Groue.
Passing Eurypus then; thou ma [...]'st remoue
Vp to earths euer-greene, and holyest Hill.
Yet swiftly, thence too, thou transcendedst still
To Mycalessus, and did'st touch vpon
Teucmessus, apt to make greene  [...] on,
And flowrie field-bedds. Then thy Progresse found
Thebes out; whose soile, with onely woods was crown'd.
[Page 32]For yet was sacred Thebes, no humane seate;
And therefore were no Paths, nor high waies beat
On her free bosome, that flowes now with wheat.
But then, she onely, wore on it, a wood.
From hence (euen loth to part, because it stood
Fit for thy seruice) thou put'st on Remoue
To greene Onchestus; Neptunes glorious Groue;
Where new-tam'd horse, bredd, nourish nerues so rare,
That still they frolick, though they trauaild are
Neuer so sore; and hurrie after them
Most heauie Coches: but are so extream
(In vsuall-trauaile) fierie-and-free;
That though their cochman, ne're so masterlie
Gouernes their courages; he sometimes must
Forsake his seat, and giue their spirits their lust:
When, after them, their emptie coach they drawe,
Foming, and Neighing, quite exempt from awe.
And if their Cocheman, guide through any Groue
Vnshorne, and vow'd to any Deities Loue:
The Lords encocht, leap out; and all their care
Vse to allaie their fires, with speaking faire;
Stroking, and trimming them; and in some queach,
(Or strength of shade) within their nearest reach,
Reigning them vp; inuoke the deified King
Of that vnshorne, and euerlasting spring;
And leaue them then, to her preseruing hands,
Who is the Fate, that there, the God commands.
And this was first, the sacred fashion there.
[Page 33]From hence thou wentst (O thou in shafts past Pere)
And found'st Cephyssus, with thy all-seeing beames;
Whose flood affects, so many siluer streames;
And from Lylaeus, poures so bright a waue.
Yet forth thy foot flew, and thy faire eyes gaue
The view of Ocale, the rich in towrs;
Then, to Amartus, that abounds in flowrs.
Then to Delphusa, putt'st thy progresse on,
Whose blessed soile, nought harme fall breeds vpon.
And there, thy pleasure, would a Phane adorne
And nourish woods, whose shades should ne're be shorne.
Where, this thou told'st her; standing to her close:
Delphusa? here I entertaine suppose
To build a farr-fam'd Temple; and ordein
An Oracle t'informe the mindes of Men:
Who shall for euer, offer to my loue
Whole Hecatombs. Euen all the men that moue
In rich Peloponesus; and all those
Of Europe; and the Iles the seas enclose;
Whom future search of Acts, and Beings brings:
To whom I'le prophecie the truths of things
In that rich Temple, where my Oracle sings.
This said; The all-bounds-reacher, with his bowe,
The Phanes diuine foundations did foreshowe;
Ample they were; and did huge length impart;
With a continuate Tenour, full of Art.
But when Delphusa look't into his end;
Her heart grew angrie, and did thus extend
[Page 34]It selfe to Phoebus: Phoebus? since thy minde
A farr-fam'd Phane, hath in it selfe design'd,
To beare an Oracle to men, in me;
That Hecatombs, may put in fire to thee;
This let me tell thee, and impose for staie
Vpon thy purpose: Th'Inarticulate neye
Of fire-hou'd horse, will euer disobaie
Thy numerous eare; and mules will for their drinke
Trouble my sacred springs; and I should thinke
That any of the humane Race, had rather
See here, the burreys of rich Coches gather,
And heare the haughtie Neys of swift-hou'd horse,
Than (in his pleasures place) conuert recourse
T'a Mightie Temple; and his wealth bestow
On Pieties; where his sports may freely flow,
Or see huge wealth, that he shall neuer owe.
And therefore, (wouldst thou beare, my free aduise;
Though Mightier farre thou art, and much more wise
O King, than I; thy powre being great'st of all)
In Crissa, vnderneath the bosomes fall
Of steepe Paranassus; let thy minde be giuen
To set thee vp a Phane; where neuer driuen
Shall glorious Coches be, nor horses Neys
Storme neare thy well-built Altars; but thy praise
Let the faire race of pious Humanes bring,
Into thy Phane, that Io-Paeans sing.
And those gifts onely let thy Deified minde
Be circularlie pleas'd with; being the kinde
[Page 35]And fayre-burnt-offrings, that true Deities binde.
With this; His minde she altered; though she spake
Not for his good; but her owne glories sake.
From hence (O Phoebus) first thou mad'st retreat;
And of the Phlegians, reacht the walled seat;
Inhabited with contumelious Men:
Whoe, sleighting Ioue; tooke vp their dwellings then
Within a large Caue, neare Cephyssus Lake.
Hence, swiftly mouing; thou all speed didst make
Vp to the tops intended; and the ground
Of Crissa, vnder the-with-snowe-still croun'd
(Parnassus) reacht; whose face affects the west:
Aboue which, hangs, a rock that still seemes prest
To fall vpon it; through whose brest doth runn
A rockie Caue, neare which, the King the Sunn
Cast to contriue a Temple to his minde;
And said; Now heere, stands my conceipt inclin'd
To build a famous Phane, where still shall be
An Oracle to Men; that still to me
Shall offer absolute Hecatombs; as well
Those that in rich Peloponessus dwell;
As those of Europe; and the Iles that lie
Walld with the sea; That all their paines applie
T'employ my counsailes. To all which will I
True secrets tell, by way of Prophesie,
In my rich Temple; that shall euer be
An Oracle, to all Posteritie.
This said; the Phanes forme he did strait present,
[Page 36]Ample, and of a length of great extent;
In which Trophonius, and Agamede
(Who of Erginus, were the famous seed)
Impos'd the stonie Entrie: and the Heart
Of euery God had, for their excellent Art.
About the Temple dwelt, of humane Name
Vnnumbred Nations; it acquir'd such Fame;
Being all of stone, built for eternall date;
And neare it did a Fountaine propagate
A fayre streame farr away; when Ioues bright seed,
(The King Apollo) with an arrow, (freed
From his strong string) destroid the Dragonesse
That Wonder nourisht; being of such excesse
In size, and horridnesse of monstrous shape,
That on the forc't earth, she wrought many a rape;
Many a spoile, made on it; many an ill
On crooke-hancht Herds brought; being impurpl'd still
With blood of all sorts: Hauing vndergone
The charge of Iuno, with the golden Throne,
To nourish Typhon the abhorr'd affright
And bane of mortalls. Whom, into the light
Saturnia brought forth, being incenst with Ioue;
Because the most renowm'd fruit of his loue
(Pallas) he got, and shooke out of his braine.
For which; Maiestique Iuno, did complaine
In this kinde, to the blest Court of the skies;
Know all ye sex-distinguisht Deities;
That Ioue (assembler of the cloudie throng)
[Page 37]Beginns with me first; and affects with wrong
My right in him; made by himselfe, his wife;
That knowes and does the honor'd marriage life,
All honest offices; and yet hath he
Vndulie got, without my companie
Blew-eyd Minerua: who of all the skie
Of blest Immortalls is the absolute Grace.
Where, I haue brought into the heauenly Race,
A Sonne, both taken in his feet and head;
So oughly; and so farr from worth my bedd,
That (rauisht into hand) I tooke and threw
Downe to the vast sea, his detested view.
Where Nereus Daughter Thetis; (who, her waie
With siluer feet makes, and the faire araie
Of her bright sisters) sau'd, and tooke to guard.
But, would to heauen, another, yet, were spar'd,
The like Grace of his God-head. (Craftie mate)
What other scape canst thou excogitate?
How could thy hears sustaine to get alone,
The grey-eyd Goddesse? her conception,
Nor bringing forth, had any hand of mine;
And yet know all the Gods, I goe, for thine
To such kinde vses. But I'le now employ
My braine to procreate a masculine Ioy;
That'mongst th'Immortalls, may as eminent shine;
With shame affecting, nor my bedd, nor thine;
Nor will I, euer, touch at thine againe;
But farr, fly it, and thee: and yet will raigne
[Page 38]Amongst th'Immortalls euer. This spleene spent,
(Still yet left angrie) farre away she went;
From all the Deathlesse; and yet praid to all;
Aduanc't her hand, and e're she let it fall
Vs'd these excitements; Heare me now (O Earth?)
Brode Heauen aboue it; and (beneath your birth)
The Deified Titanoys; that dwell about
Vast Tartarus; from whence sprung all the Rout
Of Men and Deities: Heare me all (I say)
With all your forces; and giue instant way
T'a sonne of mine, without Ioue; who yet may
Nothing inferiour proue, in force to him;
But past him spring as farre, in able lim,
As he past Saturne. This, pronounc't, she strooke
Life-bearing Earth so strongly; that she shooke
Beneath her numb'd hand: which when she beheld;
Her bosome with abundant comforts sweld;
In hope all should, to her desire extend.
From hence, the Yeare that all such proofes giues end;
Grew round; yet all that time, the bed of Ioue
Shee neuer toucht at; neuer was her loue
Enflam'd to fit nere his Dedalian Throne,
As she accustomed; to consult vpon
Counsells kept darke, with many a secret skill;
But kept her Vow-frequented Temple still,
Pleas'd with her sacrifice; till now, the Nights
And Daies accomplish't; and the yeares whole rights,
In all her reuolutions, being expir'de;
[Page 39]The Howres, and all, run out, that were requir'd,
To vent a Birth-right; she brought forth a Sonne,
Like Gods, or Men, in no condition;
But a most dreadfull, and pernicious thing
Call'd Typhon; who on all the humane Spring
Confer'd confusion: which, receiu'd to hand
By Iuno; instantly, she gaue command
(Ill to ill adding) that the Dragonesse
Should bring it vp, who tooke, and did oppresse
With many a misery (to maintaine th'excesse
Of that inhumane Monster) all the Race
Of Men, that were of all the world the grace.
Till the farre-working Phoebus; at her sent
A fierie Arrow; that inuok't euent
Of death gaue, to her execrable life.
Before which yet; she lay in bitter strife,
With dying paines; gr [...]ueling on earth, and drew
Extreme short respirations; for which slew
A shout about the aire▪ whence, no man knew
But came by power diuine. And then she lay
Tumbling her Tr [...]ncke; and winding euery way
About her nastie Nest; quite leauing then
Her murtherous life, embr [...]'d with deaths of Men.
Then Phoebus gloried; saying, Thy selfe now lie
On Men-sustaining Earth, and putrifie:
Who first, of Putrifaction, was inform'd.
Now on thy life, haue Deaths cold vapors stormd;
That stormd'st on Men the Earth-f [...]d, so much death,
[Page 40]In enuie of the Of-spring, they made breathe
Their liues out, on my Altars; Now from thee,
Not Typhon shall enforce the miserie
Of merited death; nor shee, whose name implies
Such scath (Chymaera) but blacke earth make prise
To putrifaction, thy Immanities.
And bright Hyperion, that light, all eyes showes,
Thyne, with a night of rottennesse shall close.
Thus spake he glory'ng; and then seas'd vpon
Her horrid heape, with Putrifaction
Hyperions louely powrs; from whence, her name
Tooke sound of Python; and heauens soueraigne flame
Was surnam'd Pythius; since the sharp-eyd Sunn,
Affected so, with Putrifaction
The hellish Monster. And now Phoebus minde
Gaue him to know, that falsehood had strooke blinde
Euen his bright eye; because it could not finde
The subtle Fountaines fraud. To whom he flew,
Enflam'd with anger; and in th'instant drew
Close to Delphusa; vsing this short vow;
Delphusa? you must looke no longer now
To vent your fraud's on me; for well I know
Your scituation, to be louely worth
A Temples Imposition; It poures forth
So delicate a streame. But your renowne
Shall now no longer shine here, but mine owne.
This said; he thrust her Promontorie downe,
And damn'd her fountaine vp, with mightie stones;
[Page 41]A Temple giuing consecrations,
In woods adioining. And in this Phane all
On him, by surname of Delphusius call.
Because Delphusa's sacred flood and fame
His wrath affected so, and hid in shame.
And then thought Phoebus, what descent of Men
To be his Ministers, he should retein;
To doe in stonie Pythos sacrifice.
To which, his minde contending; his quicke eies
He cast vpon the blew Sea; and beheld
A ship, on whose Masts, sailes that wing'd it sweld:
In which were men transferr'd, many and good
That in Minoian Gnossus, eate their food,
And were Cretensians; who now are those
That all the sacrifising dues dispose;
And all the lawes, deliuer to a word
Of Daies great King, that weares the golden sword:
And Oracles (out of his Delphian Tree
That shrowds her faire armes in the Cauitie
Beneath Parnassus Mount) pronounce to Men.
These, now his Priests, that liu'd as Merchants then,
In trafficks, and Pecuniarie Rates,
For sandie Pylos and the Pylean States,
Were vnder saile. But now encounterd them
Phoebus Apollo, who into the streame
Cast himselfe headlong: and the strange disguise
Tooke of a Dolphine, of a goodly  [...]ise:
Like which; He leapt into their ship, and lay
[Page 42]As an Ostent of infinite dismay.
For none, with any strife of Minde could looke
Into the Omen. All the shipmasts shooke;
And silent, all sate, with the feare they tooke.
Armd not; nor strooke they saile; But as before,
Went on with full Trim: And a foreright Blore,
Stiff; and from forth, the South; the ship made flie.
When first, they stript the Mal [...]e Promont'rie:
Toucht at Laconias soile; in which a Towne
Their ship ariu'd at, that the Sea doth Crowne,
Call'd Tenarus; A place of much delight
To men that serue Heauens Comforter of sight.
In which are fed, the famous flocks that beare
The wealthie Fleeces; On a delicate Laire
Being fed, and seated: where the Merchants, faine
Would haue put in; that they might out againe,
To tell the Miracle, that chanc't to them;
And trie if it would take the sacred streame,
Rushing far forth, that he againe might beare
Those other Fishes that abounded there,
Delightsome companie; Or still would stay,
Abord their drie ship. But it failde t'obay.
And for the rich Peloponesian shore,
Steer'de her free saile; Apollo made the Blore
Directly guide it: That, obaying still
Reacht drie Arena; And, (what wish doth fill)
Faire Aryphaea; And the populous height
Of Thryus; whose streame (siding her) doth weight
[Page 43]With safe passe on Alphaeus. Pylos sands
And Pylian dwellers: keeping by the strands
On which th'Inhabitants of Crunius dwell:
And Helida, set opposite to Hell.
Chalcis, and Dymes reach't; And happily
Made saile by Pheras: All being ouer-ioide
With that francke Gale, that Ioue himselfe emploid.
And then amongst the cloudes, they might descrie,
The Hill, that far-seene Ithaca, calls her Eie.
Dulichius, Samos, and, (with timber grac't)
Shadie Zacynthus. But when now they past
Peloponesus all: And then, when show'de
The infinite Vale of Crissa, that doth shroud
All rich Moraea, with her liberall brest:
So francke a Gale, there flew out of the West,
As all the skie discouered; twas so great,
And blew so from the verie Counsell seat
Of Ioue himselfe: that quickly it might send
The ship through full Seas, to her iourneys end.
From thence, they saild, (quite opposite) to the East,
And to the Region, where light leaues his rest.
The Light himselfe being sacred Pylot there;
And made the Sea-trod ship, ariue them nere
The Grapefull Crissa; where he rest doth take;
Close to her Port, and sands. And then forth brake
The far-shot King; like to a starre that strowes
His glorious forehead, where the Mid-day glowes,
That all in sparkles, did his state attire,
[Page 44]Whose Luster leapt vp, to the spheare of fire;
He trodd, where no waie op'te; and pierst the place
That of his sacred Tripods, held the grace;
In which, he lighted such a fluent flame,
As guilt all Crissa; In which, euery Dame
And Dames faire daughter; cast out vehement cries
At those fell fires, of Phoebus Prodigies:
That shaking feares, through all their fancies threw.
Then (lik the mindes swift light) Againe he flew
Backe to the ship; shap't like a youth in Height
Of all his graces: shoulders broad, and streit,
And all his haire, in golden currls enwrapt:
And to the Merchants, thus, his speech he shap't:
Ho? strangers? what are you? and from what seat
Saile ye these waies, that salt and water sweat?
To traffick iustlie? Or vse vagrant scapes
Voyde of all rule? Conferring wrongs, and Rapes
(Like Pyrats) on the men, ye neuer sawe?
With mindes proiect; exempt from list, or Lawe?
Why sit ye heere so stupified? nor take
Land while ye may? Nor deposition make
Of Nauall Arms? when this the fashion is
Of men Industrious! who, (their faculties
Wearied at sea,) leaue ship, and vse the land
For foode, that with their healths, and stomacks stand.
This said; with bold mindes, he their brest suppli'd,
And thus made answer, the Cretensian guide;
Stranger? because, you seeme to vs no seed
[Page 45]Of any mortall, but celestiall breed,
For parts, and person; Ioy your steps ensue,
And Gods make good, the blisse, we thinke your due.
Vouchsafe vs true relation, on what land
We here ariue? and what men▪ here command?
We were for well-knowne parts bound; and from Crete
(Our vanted countrie) to the Pylian,  [...]ea [...]
Vow'd our whole voyage. Yet ariue we here,
Quite crosse to those wills, that our motion [...] stere.
Wishing to make returne some other way;
Some other course desirous to assaie.
To pay our lost paines. But some God hath fill'd
Our frustrate sayles; defeating what we will'd.
Apollo answerd: Strangers? though before
Yee dwelt in wooddie Gnossus; yet no more
Yee must be made, your owne Reciprocalls
To your lou'd Cittie, and faire seueralls
Of wiues, and houses. But ye shall haue bere
My wealthie Temple; honord farre and nere
Of many a Nation: for my selfe am Son
To Ioue himselfe; and of Apollo won
The glorious Title; who thus safelie through
The seas vast billows, still haue held your plough.
No ill intending, that will let yee make
My Temple here, your owne; and honors take
Vpon your selues; all that to me are giuen.
And more: the counsailes of the King of Heauen,
Your selues shall know; and with his will receiue
[Page 46]Euer the honors, that all men shall giue.
Doe as I say then instantly; strike saile;
Take downe your Tackling; and your vessell hale
Vp, into land: your goods bring forth, and all
The instruments, that into sayling fall;
Make on this shore, an Altar: fire enflame;
And barley white cakes, offer to my name.
And then, (enuironing the Altar) pray,
And call me, (as ye sawe me, in the day
When from the windie seas, I brake swift way
Into your ship;) Delphinius: since I tooke
A Dolphins forme then. And to euery looke
That there shall seeke it; that, my Altar shall
Be made A Delphian memoriall
From thence, for euer. After this; ascend
Your swift blackship, and sup; and then intend
Ingenuous Offerings to the equall Gods
That in celestiall seates, make blest abods.
When, (hauing staid, your helthfull hungers sting)
Come all with me; and Io-Paeans sing
All the waies length, till you attaine the state,
Where I, your oppulent Phane haue consecrate.
To this, they gaue him, passing diligent eare;
And vow'd to his obedience, all they were.
First striking sayle, their tacklings then they los'd;
And (with their Gables stoop't) their mast impos'd
Into the Mast roome. Forth, themselues then went;
And from the sea into the Continent
[Page 47]Drew vp their ship; which farr vp from the sand
They rais'd, with ample raf [...]ers. Then, in hand
They tooke the Altar; and inform'd it on
The seas nere shore; imposing thereupon
White cakes of barley: Fire made; and did stand
About it round; as Phoebus gaue command▪
Submitting Inuocations to his will.
Then sacrifis'd to all the heauenly Hill
Of powrefull God heads. After which, they eat
Abord their ship; till with  [...] foot rep [...]ea [...];
They rose; nor to their Temple, vs a delay.
Whom Phoebus vsherd; and  [...]oucht; all the way
His heauenly Lute; with Art, aboue admir'd;
Gracefully leading them. When all were fir'd
With zeale to him; and follow'd wondring, All,
To Pythos; and vpon his name did call
With Io-Paeans, such as Cre [...]ans vse.
And in their bosomes did the deified Muse
Voices of honey-Harmonie, in fuse.
With neuer-wearie feet, their way they we [...];
And made, with all alacritie, asce [...]t
Vp to Parnassus; and that long [...]d-f [...] place
Where they should liue; and be of men, the Grace.
When, all the way; Apollo show'd there still
Their farr-stretch [...] valleys, and their two-topt Hill;
Their famous Phane; and all▪ th [...] All could eaise,
To a supreame height, of their Ioy▪ and praise.
And then the Cre [...]an Captaine, thus enquir'd
[Page 48]Of King Apollo; Since you haue retir'd
(O Soueraigne) our sad liues, so farr from friends
And natiue soile; (because so farr extends
Your deare mindes pleasure) tell vs how we shall
Liue in your seruice. To which question call
Our prouident mindes; because we see not croun'd
This soile, with store of vines; nor doth abound
In welthie meddows; on which, we may liue,
As well as on men, our attendance giue.
He smil'd, and said; O men, that nothing know
And so are follow'd, with a world of woe;
That needs will succour care, and curious mone
And poure out sighs, without cessation;
Were all the riches of the earth your owne.
Without much busines; I will render knowne;
To your simplicities, an easie way,
To wealth enough; Let euery man puruaie
A skeane, (or slaught'ring steele) and his right hand
(Brauely bestowing) euermore see mann'd
With killing sheepe, that to my Phane will flowe,
From all farr Nations. On all which bestowe
Good obseruation; and all else they giue
To me; make you your owne All; and so liue.
For all which, watch before my Temple well;
And all my counsailes, aboue all, conceale.
If any giue vaine language; or to deeds;
Yea, or as farr as iniurie proceedes;
Know that, (at losers hands) for those that gai [...]e;
[Page 49]It is the lawe of Mortalls, to sustaine.
Besides; yee shall haue Princes to obay,
Which, still, yee must; and (so yee gaine) yee may.
All, now, is said; giue All, thy memories stay.
And thus to thee, (Ioue and Latona's Sonne)
Be giuen all grace of salutation.
Both thee and others of th'Immortall state;
My song shall memorize, to endlesse date.
The end of the Hymne to Apollo.

[Page]
[Page 51]
A HYMNE TO HERMES.HErmes, the Sonne of Ioue and Maia, sing,
(O Muse) th'Arcadian, & Cyllenian King:
They rich in flocks; he heauen enriching still,
In Messages, return'd with all his will.
Whom glorious Maia (The Nimph rich in haire)
Mixing with Ioue, in amorous affaire;
Brought forth to him: sustaining a retre at
From all th'Immortalls of the blessed seat;
And liuing in the same darke Caue; where Ioue
Inform'd, at mid-night, the effect of loue,
Vnknowne to either man or Deitie:
Sweet sleepe once, hauing seas'd the ielous eye
Of Iuno, deckt with wrists of iuorie.
But when great Ioues high minde was consummate,
The tenth moneth had in heauen confin'de the date
Of Maias Labour; And into the sight
She brought, in one birth, Labours infinite.
[Page 52]For then she bore a sonne, that all tried waies
Could turne, and winde, to wisht euents, assaies.
A faire tongu'd, but false-hearted Counsellor.
Rector of Ox-stealers; and for all stealths, bore
A varied finger. Speeder of Nights spies
And guide of all her dreames obscurities.
Guard of dore-Guardians: and was borne to be
Amongst th'Immortalls, that wing'd Deitie,
That in an instant, should doe acts would aske
The Powres of others, an Eternall Taske.
Borne, in the Morne; He form'd his Lute at Noone;
At Night stole all the Oxen of the Sunne;
And all this in his Births first day was done;
Which was the fourth of the encreasing Moone.
Because Celestiall lims, sustain'd his straines;
His sacred swath-bands, must not be his chaines.
So (starting vp) to Phoebus Herde he stept;
Found strait, the high-roof't Caue where they were kept;
And (th'entrie passing) he th'inuention found,
Of making Lutes; and did in wealth abound
By that Inuention; Since He first of all,
Was author of that Engine Musicall.
By this meane, mou'd to the ingenious worke:
Nere the Caues inmost ouerture, did lurke
A Tortois, tasting th'odoriferous grasse;
Leisurely mouing; and this Obiect was
The motiue to Ioues Sonne (who could conuert
To profitablest vses, all desert
[Page 53]That nature had in any worke conuaid)
To forme the Lute: when (smiling) thus he said;
Thou mou'st in me, a note of excellent vse;
Which thy ill forme, shall neuer so seduce
T'euert the good, to be inform'd by it,
In pliant force, of my forme-forging wit.
Then the slowe Tortois, wrought on by his minde;
He thus saluted; All ioy to the kinde
Instinct of nature, in thee; Borne to be
The spirriter of Dances; companie
For feasts, and following Banquets; grac't and blest
For bearing light to all the interest
Claim'd in this Instrument. From whence shall spring
Play faire, and sweet; to which may Graces sing.
A prettie painted cote, thou putt'st on here
(O Tortois) while thy bill-bred vitall sphere
Confines thy fashion; but (surpris'd by me,)
I'le beare thee home; where thou shalt euer be
A Profit to me; and yet nothing more
Will I contemne thee, in my merited store.
Goods, with good parts got, worth and honour gaue:
Left goods, and honors, euery foole may haue.
And since thou first, shalt giue me meanes to liue,
I'le loue thee euer. Virtuous qualities giue
To liue at home with them, enough content;
Where those that want such inward ornament,
Fly out for outward; their life, made their lode;
Tis best to be at home; Harme lurks abroad.
[Page 54]And certainely, thy vertue shall be knowne
Gainst great-yll-causing incantation,
To serue as for a Lance, Or Ammulet.
And where, in comfort of thy vitall heat,
Thou now breathst but a sound confus'd, for song;
Expos'd by nature; after death, more strong
Thou shalt in sounds of Art be; and command
Song infinite sweeter. Thus with either hand
He tooke it vp; and instantly tooke flight
Back to his Caue, with that his home-delight.
Where, (giuing to the Mountaine Tortois vents
Of life and motion) with fit Instruments
Forg'd of bright steele; he strait inform'd a Lute.
Put neck, and frets to it; of which, a sute
He made of splitted quills; in equall space
Impos'd vpon the neck; and did embrace
Both backe, and bosome. At whose height (as gynns
T'extend, and ease the strings) he put in pynns.
Seuen strings, of seuerall tunes, he then applied;
Made of the Entrailes of a sheepe well dried;
And throughly twisted. Next he did prouide
A Case for all; made of an Oxes Hyde;
Out of his counsailes to preserue as well,
As to create: and all this Action fell
Into an instant consequence. His word,
And worke, had indiuiduall accord.
All being as swiftly to perfection brought;
As any worldly mans, most rauisht thought,
[Page 55]Whose minde, Care cuts, in an infinity
Of varied parts, or passions instantly;
Or as the frequent twincklings of an eye.
And thus his House-delight giuen absolute end;
He toucht it; and did euery string extend
(With an exploratorie spirit assaid)
To all the parts, that could on it be plaid.
It sounded dreadfully; to which he sung;
As if from thence, the first, and true force spr [...]ng
That fashions Virtue. God, in him did sing.
His play was likewise an vnspeakable thing;
Yet, but as an extemporall Assay,
Of what showe, it would make, being the first way,
It tryed his hand; or a tumultuous noise;
Such as at feasts, the first-flowr'd spirits of Boies
Poure out in mutuall contumelies still:
As little squaring with his curious will;
Or was as wanton, and vntaught a Store.
Of Ioue and Maia, that rich shoes still wore,
He sung; who sufferd, ill reports before,
And foule staines, vnder her faire titles bore.
But Hermes sung, her Nation, and her Name
Did itterate euer. All her high-flowne fame
Of being Ioues Mistresse; celebrating all
Her traine of seruants; and collaterall
Sumpture of Houses, all her Tripods there,
And Caldrons huge; encreasing euery yeare.
All which she knew; yet felt her knowledge flung
[Page 56]With her fames losse; which (found) she more wisht sung.
But now; he, in his sacred cradle laid
His Lute so absolute; and strait conuaid
Himselfe vp to a watch-towre, forth his house;
Rich, and diuinely Odoriferous;
A loftie wile, at worke in his conceipt;
Thirsting the practise of his Empires height.
And where Impostors rule; (since sable Night
Must serue their deeds) he did his deeds their right:
For now the neuer-resting Sunne, was turn'd
For th'vnder earth, and in the Ocean burn'd
His Coch, and Coursers. When th'ingenious spie
Pieria's shadie hill, had in his eye;
Where the immortall Oxen of the Gods
In ayres flood solac't their select Abods;
And earths sweet greene floure, that was neuer shorne;
Fed euer downe; And these the wittie-borne
(Argicides,) set serious spie vpon:
Seuering from all the rest; and setting gone
Full fiftie of the violent Bellowers.
Which driuing through the sands; he did reuerse
(His births-craft trait remembring) all their houes;
And them transpos'd, in opposite remoues;
The fore, behinde set; The behinde, before;
T'employ the eyes, of such as should explore.
And he himselfe (as slye-pac't) cast away
His sandalls, on the sea-sands. Past display;
And vnexcogitable thoughts, in Act
[Page 57]Putting; to shunn, of his stolne steps, the Tract.
Mixing, both Tamrisk; and like-Tamrisk sprayes,
In a most rare confusion, to raise
His footsteps vp from earth. Of which sprayes, he
(His armefull gathering, fresh from off the Tree,)
Made for his sandalls, Tyes; both leaues, and tyes
Holding together; and then fear'd no eyes
That could affect his feets discoueries.
The Tamrisk boughs he gather'd, making way
Backe from Pieria: but as to conuaie
Prouision in them, for his iourney fit;
It being long; and therefore needing it.
An ould man, now at labour, nere the field
Of greene Onchestus; knew the verdant yield
Of his fayre armefull; whom th'ingenious Sonne
Of Maia, therefore; salutation
Did thus beginn to; Ho? ould man! That now
Art crooked growne, with making Plants to grow!
Thy nerues will farr be spent; when these boughs shall
To these their leaues, confer me fruit, and All.
But see not thou, what euer thou dost see;
Nor heare, though heare; But all, as touching me
Conceale; since nought, it can endamage thee.
This, and no more he said; and on draue still
His brode-browd Oxen. Many a shadie Hill,
And many an echoing valley; many a field
Pleasant, and wishfull, did his passage yield
Their safe Transcension. But now, the diuine
[Page 58]And black-browd Night (his Mistresse) did decline
Exceeding swiftly; Daies most earely light
Fast hasting to her first point; to excite
Wordlings to worke; and in her Watch-towre, shone,
King Pallas-Megamedes seed, (the Moone)
When through th'Alphaean flood, Ioues powerfull Sonne
Phoebus-Apollo's ample-foreheaded Herd
(Whose necks, the laboring yoke, had neuer spher'd)
Draue swiftly on; and then into a stall
(Hillie; yet past to, through an humble vale
And hollow Dells, in a most louely Meade)
He gatherd all; and them diuinely fedd
With Odorous Cypresse; and the rauishing Tree
That makes his Eaters, lose the memorie
Of name, and countrie. Then he brought, withall;
Much wood; whose sight, into his serch let fall
The Art of making fire. Which thus he tried:
He tooke a branch of Lawrell, amplified
Past others, both in beautie, and in sise;
Yet, lay next hand; rubb'd it; and strait did rise
A warme fume from it. Steele, being that did raise
(As Agent) the attenuated Baies
To that hot vapor. So that, Hermes found
Both fire first; and of it, the seede, close bound
In other substances; and then, the seed
He multiplied; of sere-wood making feed
The apt heat of it; in a pile Combin'de,
Laid in a lowe Pit; that inflames strait shin'de;
[Page 59]And cast a sparkling crack vp to the Skye;
All the drie parts, so feruent were, and hye
In their combustion. And how long the force
Of glorious Vulcan, kept the fire in course;
So long was he, in dragging from their stall,
Two of the crook-hancht Herd: that ror'd withall;
And rag'd for feare, t'approch the sacred fire:
To which did all, his dreadfull powrs aspire.
When (blustring forth their breath) He on the soile,
Cast both, at length; though with a world of toile.
For long he was, in getting them to ground
After their through-thrust, and most mortall wound.
But worke, to worke, he ioin'd; the flesh and cut,
Couerd with fat; and (on treene broches put)
In peeces rosted. But, in th'Intestines
The black blood, and the honorarie chines,
Together with the carcases, lay there
Cast on the cold earth, as no Deities chere.
The Hydes, vpon a rugged rock he spred▪
And thus were these now, all in peeces shred,
And vndistinguisht from Earths common herd▪
Though borne for long date; and to heauen endeard;
And now must euer liue, in dead euent.
But Hermes, h [...]rehence, hauing his content,
Car'd for no more; but drew to places euen,
The fat-works, that, of force, must haue for heauen
Their capitall ends; though stolne; and therefore were
In twelue parts cut, for twelue choice Deities chere,
[Page 60]By this deuotion. To all which, he gaue
Their seuerall honors; and did wish to haue
His equall part thereof; as free, and well
As th'other Deities; but the fattie smell
Afflicted him, though he immortall were;
Play'ng mortall parts; and being, (like mortalls) here.
Yet his proud minde, nothing the more obayde
For being a God, himselfe; and his owne aide
Hauing to cause his due: And though in heart
Hee highly wisht it; but the weaker part
Subdu'd the stronger; and went on, in ill.
Euen heauenly Powre, had rather haue his Will,
Then haue his Right; and will's the worst of All,
When but in least sort, it is criminall;
One Taint, being Author of a Number, still.
And thus (resolu'd to leaue his hallow'd Hill)
First, both the fat parts, and the fleshie, All
Taking away; at the steepe-entryed stall
He laid all; All, the feet and heads entire;
And all the sere-wood; making cleare with fire.
And now, he leauing there then, all things done
And finisht, in their fit perfection;
(The Coles put out; and their black Ashes throwne
From all discouerie, by the louely light
The cherefull Moone cast; shyning all the Night)
He strait assum'd a nouell voices note;
And in the whirle-pit-eating-flood, aflote
He set his sandalls. When now, once againe
[Page 61]The-that-morne-borne-Cyllenius, did attaine
His Homes diuine height; all the farr-stretcht waie
No one blest God, encountring, his assaie;
Nor Mortall Man; nor any Dogg durst spend
His-borne-to-barke-mouth at him; till, in th'end,
He reacht his Caue; and at the Gate went in
Crooked, and wrapt into a fold so thin,
That no eye could discouer his repayre;
But as a darknesse, of th'Autumnall ayre.
When, going on; fore-right; he strait arriu'd
At his rich Phane: his soft feet quite depriu'd
Of all least noise, of one that trod the earth;
They trod so swift, to reach his roome of Birth.
Where, In his swath-bands, he his shoulders wrapt,
And (like an Infant, newly hauing scap't
The teeming streights) as in the Palms he lay
Of his lou'd Nurse. Yet instantly would play
(Freeing his right hand) with his bearing cloth
About his knees wrapt; and strait (loosing both
His right and left hand) with his left, he caught
His most-lou'd Lute. His Mother yet, was taught
His wanton wiles; nor could a Gods wit lie
Hid from a Goddesse; who did therefore trye
His answer, thus: Why (thou made all of sleight)
And whence ariu'st thou, in this rest of Night?
Improuident Impudent; In my conceipt
Thou rather shouldst be getting forth thy Gate,
With all flight fit, for thy endanger'd State;
[Page 62](In merit of th'Ineuitable bands,
To be impos'd by vext Latona's hands
Iustly incenst for her Apollo's harms)
Thenly thus wrapt, as ready for her arms,
To take thee vp, and kisse thee: Would to heauen,
(In crosse of that high grace) Thou hadst beene giuen
Vp to Perdition; ere poore mortalls beare
Those blacke banes, that thy father Thunderer
Hath planted thee of purpose to confer,
On them, and Deities. He return'd replie;
As Master of the feates of Policie;
Mother? why ayme you thus amisse at me?
As if I were a Sonne that Infancie
Could keepe from all the skill, that Age can teach?
Or had in cheating, but a childish reach?
And of a Mothers mandats, fear'd the breach?
I mount that Art at first; that will be best
When all times consummate their cunningest.
Able to counsaile, Now my selfe, and thee,
In all things best, to all Eternitie.
We cannot liue like Gods here, without gifts;
No, nor without corruption, and shifts.
And much lesse, without eating; as we must
In keeping thy rules, and in being Iust;
Of which we cannot vndergoe the lodes.
Tis better here, to Imitate the Gods,
And wine, or wench out all times Periods;
To that end, growing rich in readie heapes;
[Page 63]Stor'de with Reue [...]news; being in corne-fielde reapes
Of infinite Acres; then to liue enclos'd
In Caues, to all Earths sweetest ayre expos'd.
I, as much honor hold, as Phoebus does;
And if my Father please not to dispose
Possessions to me; I my selfe will see
If I can force them in, for I can be
Prince of all Theeues. And if Latona's Sonne
Make after my stealth, Indignation;
I'le haue a Scape, as well as  [...]e a Serch,
And ouertake him with a greater lurch.
For I can post to Pythos; and breake through,
His huge house, there; where harbors wealth enough;
Most precious Tripods; Caldrons; Steele, and Gold;
Garments rich wrought; and full of liberall fold:
All which will I, at pleasure owne; and thow
Shalt see all; wilt thou but thy  [...]ight bestow.
Thus chang'd great words; the Go [...]e-hyde-wearers Sonne,
And Maia, of Maiestique fashion.
And now the Ayre-begot Aurora rose
From out the Ocean-great-in-ebbs-and flows;
When, at the ne [...]er-shorne, pure-and-faire Groue,
(Onchestus) consecrated to the loue
Of round and long-neckt Neptune; Phoebus found
A man whom heauie yeares, had prest halfe roun [...] ▪
And yet at worke, in plashing of a Fenc [...]
About a Vineyeard; that had residence
Hard by the high-way; whom Latona's Sonne;
[Page 64]Made it not strange, but first did question,
And first saluted: Ho? you? Aged syre
That here are hewing from the Vine, the Bryre;
For certaine Oxen, I come here t'enquire
Out of Pieria; femalls All; and rer'd
All, with hornes wreath'd, vnlike the common Herde;
A Cole-black Bull, fed by them all alone;
And all obseru'd for preseruation
Through all their foodie, and delicious Fen;
With foure fierce Mastifs, like one-minded men.
These left their Doggs, and Bull; (which I admire)
And when was nere set, Daies eternall fire;
From their fierce Guardians; from their delicate fare,
Made clere departure. To me then declare;
(O ould man, long since borne) If thy graue raie
Hath any man seene, making stealthfull waie
With all those Oxen! Th'olde man made replie;
Tis hard (O friend) to render readily,
Account of all, that may inuade mine eye;
For many a Trauailer, this high-way tredds;
Some in much ills serch; some, in noble thredds
Leading their liues out; but I, this young Day
Euen from her first point, haue made good display,
Of all men, passing this abundant hill,
Planted with Vines; and no such stealthfull ill,
Her light hath showne me: But last Euening late,
I sawe a Thing, that shew'd of childish state;
To my ould lights; and seem'd as he pursude
[Page 65]A Herd of Oxen, with braue Heads indude;
Yet but an Infant; and retainde a Rodd;
Who warilie, both this, and that way trodd,
His head still backwards turn'd. This th'ould Man spake;
Which he well thought vpon; and swiftly brake
Into his Pursuit, with abundant wing;
That strooke but one plaine; ere he knew the thing
That was the Theefe; to be th'Impostor borne;
Whom Ioue yet, with his Sonnes name did adorne.
In studie, and with Ardor, then the King
(Ioues dazeling Sonne) plac't his exploring wing
On sacred Pylos, for his forced Heard;
His ample shoulders▪ in a cloud ensphear'd
Of fierie chrimsine. Strait, the steps he found
Of his stolne Herd: And said; Strange sights confound
My apprehensiue powers: for here I see
The Tracts of Oxen; but auersiuelie
Conuerted towards the Pierian Hills,
As tredding to their Meade of Daffodills;
But, nor mine eye, Mens feet, nor Womens drawes;
Nor hoarie Wolues, nor Beares▪ nor Lyons Paws;
Nor thick-neckt Bulls they show. But hee that  [...]oes,
These monstrous Deeds, with n [...]uer so swift shooes;
Hath past from that howre hither; but from hence,
His foule course, may meete, fouler consequence.
With thi [...], tooke Phoebus wing; and Hermes still,
(For all his Threats) secure lay in his Hill
Wall'd with a woodd; and more▪  [...] Rock, beside
[Page 66]Where a Retreat rann, deepely multiplide
In blinding shadows; and where th'endlesse Bride;
Bore to Saturnius, his Ingenious Sonne:
An Odor, worth a Hearts desire, being throwne,
Along the Heauen-sweet Hill; on whose Herb, fedd,
Rich flocks of sheepe, that bow not where they tredd
Their horney Pasterns. There, the light of Men,
(Ioues Sonne Apollo) strait descended then,
The Marble Pauement, in that gloomie Den.
On whom, when Ioue, and Maia's Sonne set eye,
Wroth for his Oxen: On then, instantly
His Odorous swath-bands, flew; in which, as close
Th'Impostor lay; As in the coole repose
Of cast-on Ashes, Harths of burning Coles
Ly in the woods hidd, vnder the Controules
Of skilfull Colyers: Euen so close did lie
Inscrutable Hermes in Apollo's eye.
Contracting his great God-head, to a small
And Infant likenesse; feet, hands, head and All.
And as a Hunter hath beene often viewd,
From Chace retir'd with both his hands embrewd
In his Games blood; that doth for water call
To clense his hands; And to prouoke withall
Delightsome sleepe; new washt and laid to rest;
So now lay Hermes in the close comprest
Chace of his Oxen. His New-found-out Lute;
Beneath his arme held; As if no pursuite
But that Prise, and the virtue of his play,
[Page 67]His heart affected. But to Phoebus, lay,
His close Heart, open: And he, likewise, knew
The braue Hyll-Nymph there; and her deare Sonne, new▪
Borne; and as well wrapt, in his wiles, as weed's.
All the close shroud's too, for his Rapinous deedes,
In All the Caue, he knew: and with his key
He open'd three of them; In which there lay
Siluer, and Gold-heapes; Nectar infinite store;
And Deare Ambrosia; and of weedes she wore,
(Pure white, and Purple) A rich Wardrobe shin'de;
Fit for the blest States, of powrs so diuin'de.
All which discouerd; Thus to Mercurie
He offerd Conference: Infant? you that lie
Wrapt so in swath-bands; Instantly vnfold
In what conceald Retreats of yours you bold
My Oxen stolne by you; Or strait we shall
Iarr, as beseemes not, powrs Celestiall.
For I will take, and hurle Thee to the Deepes
Of dismall Tartarus; where ill Death keepes
His gloomie, and inextricable fates;
And to no Eye, that light Illuminates,
Mother, nor Father, shall returne thee free,
But vnder Earth, shall Sorrow fetter thee,
And few repute thee, their Superiour.
On him replied, Crafts subtlest Counsailor;
What cruell speech hath past Latona's Care!
Seekes be his stolne-wilde-Cows, where Deities are?
I haue nor seene, nor  [...]eard; nor can report▪
[Page 68]From others mouthes, one word of their resort
To any strang r. Nor will I, to gaine
A base Reward, a false Relation faine.
Nor would I; Could I tell. Resemble I
An Ox-Theefe? Or a Man? Especiallie
A man of such a courage; such a force
As to that labour goes? That violent course?
No Infants worke is That. My powres aspire
To sleepe, and quenching of my hungers fire
With Mothers Milke; and gainst cold shades, to arme
With Cradle-cloths, my shoulders; and Baths warme,
That no man may conceiue, the warr you threat
Can spring, in cause, from my so peace full heat.
And euen amongst th'Immortalls it would beare
Euent of absolute Miracle, to heare
A new-borne Infants forces should transcend
The limits of his Dores; much lesse contend
With vntam'd Oxen. This speech nothing seemes
To sauour the Decorum of the Beames
Cast round about the Ayre Apollo breakes,
Where his diuine minde, her intention speakes.
I brake but yesterday, the blessed wombe,
My feet are tender, and the common Tombe
Of men, (the Earth) lies sharpe beneath their tred.
But, (if you please) euen by my Fathers head
I'le take the great Oath; That nor I protest
My selfe, to Author on your Interest
Any such vsurpation; Nor haue I
[Page 69]Seene any other, that felloniously
Hath forc't your Oxen. Strange thing! what are those
Oxen of yours? Or what are Oxen? knowes
My rude minde, thinke you? My eares onely touch
At their renowne, and heare that there are such.
This speech he past, and euer as he spake
Beames from the hayre, about his eye-lidds brake;
His eye-brows, vp, and downe cast; and his eye
Euery way look't, askans, and careleslie.
And he, into a loftie whistling fell;
As if he idle thought, Apollo's spell.
Apollo (gently smiling) made Replie;
O thou Impostor! whose thoughts euer lye
In labour with Deceipt! For certaine, I
Retaine Opinon; that thou, (euen thus soone)
Hast ransackt, many a House; and not in one
Nights-worke alone; nor in one Countrie neither
Hast beene beseeging, House and Man together;
Rigging, and rifeling all waies; and no Noise
Made with thy soft fee [...]e, where it all destroies.
Soft therefore, well; and tender thou maist call
The feet that thy stealthe, goe, and fly withall.
For many a field-bredd Herdsman. (vnheard still)
Hast thou made drowne, the Ca [...]er [...]s of the Hill
Where his Retreates lie, with his helplesse teares,
When any flesh-stealth thy desire endea [...] ▪
And thou encountrest, either flocks of sheepe
Or Herds of Oxen! vp then doe not sleepe
[Page 71]Thy last Nap, in thy Cradle; but come downe;
(Companion of black Night) and for this Crowne
Of thy young Rapines; beare (from all) the state
And stile of Prince Theefe, into endlesse Date.
This said; he tooke the Infant in his Armes;
And with him, the remembrance of his harmes;
This Praesage vtt'ring; lifting him aloft;
Be euer more, the miserablie-soft
Slaue of the bellie; Pursuiuant of all
And Author, of all mischiefs Capitall.
He scorn'd his Prophesie so; he Nees'd in's face
Most forciblie (which hearing) his embrace
He loth'd; and burl'd him gainst the ground; yet still
Tooke seate before him; though, (with all the ill
He bore by him) he would haue left full faine
That Hewer of his heart, so into twaine.
Yet salu'd all thus; Come! (you so swadl'd thing;
Issue of Maia, and the Thunders King;
Be confident; I shall hereafter finde
My brode-browd Oxen. My Prophetique minde
So farr from blaming this thy course; that I,
Foresee thee, (in it,) to Posteritie
The guide of All Men, (All waies,) to their ends.
This spoken; Hermes, from the Earth Ascends;
Starting Aloft; and as in Studie went;
Wrapping himselfe, in his Integument;
And thus askt Phoebus; Whither force you Me
(Farr-shot; and farr most powrefull Deitie.)
[Page 71]I know (for all your fayning) y'are still wroth,
About your Oxen; and suspect my Troth.
O Iupiter? I wish the generall Race
Of all Earths Oxen, rooted from her face.
I steale your Oxen? I againe, professe
That neither, I, haue stolne them; nor can ghesse
Who else should steale them. What strange Beasts are these
Your so-lou'd Oxen? I must say (to please
Your humor thus farr) that euen My few Hoowres
Haue heard their fame. But be the sentence yours
Of the Debate betwixt vs; Or to Ioue
(For more indifferencie) the Cause remoue.
Thus when the Solitude-affecting God,
And the Latonian seede, had laid abroad
All things betwixt them; (though not yet agreed;
Yet, might I speake) Apollo did proceede
Nothing vniustly, to charge Mercurie
With stealing of the Cows, he does denie.
But his Profession was, with filed speach,
And Crafts faire Complements, to ouerreach
All; And euen Phoebus. Who because he knew
His Trade of subtletie; He still at view
Hunted his Foe, through all the sandie waie
Vp to Olympus. Nor would let him stra [...]e
From out his sight; but kept behinde him still.
And now they reacht, the Odoriferous Hill
Of high Olympus, to their Father Ioue,
To Arbitrate the Cause, in which they stroue.
[Page 72]Where, before both; Talents of iustice were
Propos'd for him, whom Ioue should sentence Clere,
In cause of their contention. And now
About Olympus, (euer-crown'de with snow)
The rumor of their controuersie flew.
All the Incorruptible, to their view,
On heavens steepe Mountaine, made return'd repaire.
Hermes and He, that light hurls through the ayre;
Before the Thunderers knees stood: who begunn,
To question thus farr, his Illustrious Sonne:
Phoebus? To what end bringst thou Captiue here
Him in whom my Minde, putts delights so deare?
This New-borne Infant? that the place supplies
Of Herrald yet, to all the Deities?
This serious busines, you may witnesse, drawes
The Deities whole Court, to discusse the cause.
Phoebus replied: And not vnworthie is
The cause, of all the Court of Deities.
For you shall heare, it comprehends the weight
Of Deuastation; and the verie height
Of spoile, and rapine, euen of Deities rights.
Yet you (as if my selfe lou'd such delights)
Vse words that wound my heart. I bring you here
An Infant, that, euen now, admits no Pere
In rapes and robb'ries. Finding out, his Place,
(After my measure of an infinite space)
In the Cyllenian Mountaine. Such a one
In all the Art of opprobration,
[Page 73]As not in all the Deities, I haue seene;
Nor in th'Obliuion-marckt-whole Race of men.
In Night, he draue my Oxen from their Leas;
A long the loftie rore-resounding Seas:
From out the Rode way quite: the steps of them
So quite transpos'd, as would amaze the beam [...]
Of any mindes eye: being so infinite much
Inuolu'd in doubt; as showd a Deified touch
Went to the works performance. All the way
Through which, my cross-hou'd Cows hee did conuaie,
Had dust so darklie-hard to serch; and He
So past all measure, wrapt in subtiltie.
For, nor with feet, nor hands, be form'd his steps,
In passing through the drie waies sandie heap's:
But vs'd another counsaile to keepe hidd
His monstrous Tracts; that showd as one had slid
On Oke, or other Boughs; That swept out still
The footsteps of his Oxen; and did fill
Their prints vp euer; to the Daffodill
(Or daintie feeding Meddow) as they trodd,
Driuen by this cautelous, and Infant God.
A Mortall Man yet, saw him driuing on
His Prey to Pylos. Which when he had done
And got his Passe sign'd, with a sacred fire
In peace; and freely (though to his desire
Not to the Gods, he offerd part of these
My rauisht Oxen) he retires, and lies
Like to the gloomie Night in his dimm Denn,
[Page 74]All hid in darknesse; and in clouts againe,
Wrapt him so closely; that the sharpe-seene eye
Of your owne Eagle, could not see him lye.
For with his hands, the ayre he rarified
(This way, and that mou'd) till bright gleames did glide
About his Being; that if any eye
Should dare the Darknesse; Light appos'd so nie
Might blinde it quite, with her Antipathie.
Which wile he woue, in curious care t'illude
Th'Extreame of any eye, that could intrude.
On which relying; he outrageouslie
(When I accus'd him) trebled his replie;
I did not see; I did not heare; nor I
Will tell at all; that any other stole
Your brode-browd Beeues. Which an Impostors soule
Would soone haue done; and any Author faine
Of purpose onely, a Reward to gaine.
And thus he colourd truth, in euery lie.
This said; Apollo sate; and Mercurie,
The Gods Commander, pleas'd with this replie.
Father! I'le tell the truth; (for I am true
And farr from Art to lie.) He did pursue
Euen to my Caue, his Oxen: this selfe daie;
The Sunn, new raising his illustrious raie.
But brought with him, none of the Bliss-indu'd,
Nor any ocular witnesse▪ to conclude,
His bare assertion. But his owne command
Laid on with strong, and necessarie hand,
[Page 75]To showe his Oxen. Vsing Threats to cast
My poore, and Infant powrs, into the Vast
Of ghastlie Tartarus; because he beares
Of strength-sustayning youth, the flaming yeares.
And I, but yesterday produc't to light
By which, it fell into his owne fre sight
That I, in no similitude apper'd
Of powre to be the forcer of a Herde.
And credite me (O Father, since the Grace
Of that name, in your stile, you please to place)
I draue not home his Oxen, no nor preast
Past mine owne threshold; for tis manifest,
I reuerence, with my soule, the Sunn; and all
The knowing dwellers, in this heauenly Hall.
Loue you; obserue the least: and tis most cleare
In your owne knowledge, that my Merits beare
No least guilt of his blame. To all which, I,
Dare adde, heauens great oath, boldly swearing by
All these so well-built Entries of the Blest.
And therefore when I saw my selfe so prest
With his reproches; I confesse I burn'd
In my pure gall; and harsh replie return'd.
Adde your aid to your Yonger then; and free
The scruple fixt in Phoebus Ielousie.
This said; he winckt vpon his Sire; and still
His swath-bands, held beneath his arme; no Will
Discernd in him, to hide, but haue them showne.
Ioue laught aloud at his Ingenious Sonne,
[Page 76]Quitting himselfe with Art, so likely wrought,
As showd in his heart, not a rapinous thought.
Commanding Both, to beare attoned mindes
And seeke out th'Oxen; In which serch he bindes
Hermes to play the Guide; and show the Sunn
(All grudge exilde) the Shrowd to which he wunn
His fayre-eyd Oxen. Then; his forehead bow'd
For signe it must be so; and Hermes show'd
His free obedience. So soone, he inclin'd
To his perswasion, and command, his minde.
Now then, Ioues Iarring Sonnes, no longer stood;
But sandie Pylos, and th'Alphaean flood
Reacht instantly; and made as quick a fall
On those rich-feeding fields, and loftie stall
Where Phoebus Oxen, Hermes safelie kept;
Driuen in, by night. When sodainely he stept
Vp to the stonie Caue; and into light
Draue forth the Oxen▪ Phoebus at first sight
Knew them the same: and saw apart dispread
Vpon a high-rais'd rock; the hydes new flead
Of th'Oxen sacrifis'd. Then Phoebus said;
O thou in craftie counsailes vndisplaid!
How couldst thou cut the throtes, and cast to Earth
Two such huge Oxen? being so young a birth,
And a mere Infant? I admire thy force
And will, behinde thy back. But this swift course
Of growing into strength, thou hadst not need
Continue any long Date, O thou seed
[Page 77]Of honor'd Maia! Hermes, (to shew how
He did those Deedes) did forthwith cut and bow
Strong Osiers in soft folds; and strappl'd strait
One of his hugest Oxen: all his weight
Lay'ng prostrate on the earth, at Phoebus feet:
All his foure clouen houes, easly made to greete
Each other vpwards; all, together bro [...]ght.
In all which bands yet, all the Beasts powres wrought
To rise, and stand; when all the Herd about
The mighty Hermes, rusht in, to help out
Their fellow from his fetters; Phoebus view
Of all this, vp to Admiration drew
Euen his high forces: And sterne lookes he threw
At Hermes for his Herds wrong; and the place
To which he had retir'd them; being in grace
And fruitfull riches of it, so entire:
All which, set all his force, on enuious fire.
All whose heat, flew out of his eyes in flames:
Which faine he would haue hidd, to hide the shames
Of his ill gouern'd passions. But with ease
Hermes could calme them; and his humors please
Still at his pleasure; were he ne're so great
In force, and fortitude; and high in heat.
In all which, he his Lute tooke; and assaid
A Song vpon him; and so strangely plaid;
That from his hand, a rauishing horror flew.
Which Phoebus, into laughter turn'd; and grew
Pleasant past measure; Tunes so artfull clere
[Page 78]Strooke euen his heart-strings; & his minde, made heare.
His Lute so powerfull was, in forcing loue;
(As his hand rul'd it) that from him it droue
All feare of Phoebus; yet he gaue him still
The vpper hand; and (to aduance his skill)
The vtmost Miracle; he plaid sometimes,
Single awhile; In which, when all the Clymes
Of rapture he had reacht; (to make the Sunn
Admire enough) O then, his voice would runn
Such points vpon his play; and did so moue,
They tooke Apollo Prisoner to his loue.
And now the deathlesse Gods, and deathfull Earth
He sung; beginning, at their eithers Birth,
To full extent of all their Emperie.
And, first; the honor to Mnemosyne
(The Muses Mother) of all Goddesse states
He gaue; euen forc't too't, by the equall fates.
And then (as it did in Prioritie fall
Of Age, and Birth) He celebrated All.
And with such Elegance, and Order sung;
(His Lute still toucht, to stick more off his tongue)
That Phoebus heart, with infinite loue, he eate.
Who therefore thus, did his Deserts entreate:
Master of Sacrifice! chiefe soule of feast?
Patient of all paines? Artizan so blest;
That all things thou canst doe, in any One.
Worth fiftie Oxen is th'Inuention
Of this one Lute. We both, shall now; I hope;
[Page 79]In firme peace, worke, to all our wishes scope.
Informe me, (thou that euery way canst winde,
And turne to Act, all wishes of thy minde)
Together with thy birth, came all thy skill?
Or did some God, or God-like man instill
This heauenly song to thee? Me thinks I heare
A new voice; such as neuer yet came nere
The brest of any; either Man, or God;
Till in thee, it had Prime, and Period.
What Art? what Muse? that medicine can produce
For cares most curele [...]e? what inueterate vse;
Or practise of a virtue so profuse,
(Which three, doe all the contribution keep [...]
That Ioy, or Loue conferrs, or pleasing Sleepe)
Taught thee the soueraigne facture of them all?
I, of the Muses, am the capitall
Consort, or follower: (and to these belong
The grace of dance; all worthie waies of song;
and euer-florishing verse: the delicate Set
And sound of Instruments.) But neuer yet
Did anything so much affect my minde
With ioy, and care to compasse; as this kinde
Of Song and Play: that for the spritely feast
Of florishing assemblies, are the best
And aptest works, that euer Worth gaue Act.
My powres with admiration stand distract,
To heare, with what a hand to make in loue,
Thou rul'st thy Lute. And (though thy yongst howres moue,
[Page 80]At full art, in ould counsailes. Here I vow
(Euen by this Cornell Dart, I vse to throw)
To thee, and to thy Mother; I'le make thee
Amongst the Gods, of glorious degree.
Guide of Mens waies, and Theirs. And will impart
To thee, the mightie Imperatorie Art:
Bestowe rich gifts on thee; and in the end
Neuer deceiue thee. Hermes (as a friend
That wrought on all aduantage; and made gaine
His Capitall obiect) thus did entertaine
Phoebus Apollo: Doe thy Dignities
(Farr-working God; and circularlie wise)
Demand my vertues? without enuie I
Will teach thee to ascend my facultie.
And this Day thou shalt reach it; finding me,
In Acts and Counsailes, all waies kinde to thee;
As one that all things knows: And first tak'st seat
Amongst th'Immortalls; being good, and great.
And therefore to Ioues loue, mak'st free accesse,
Euen out of his accomplisht Holinesse.
Great gifts, he likewise giues thee; who (fame saies)
Hast wunn thy greatnesse, by his will: his waies.
By him know'st all the powers Propheticall
(O thou farr-worker) and the fates of all.
Yea; and I know thee rich; yet apt to learne:
And euen thy Wish, dost but discerne, and earne.
And since thy soule, so burns to know the way
To play and sing as I doe: sing, and play.
[Page 81]Play; and perfection in thy play employ;
And be thy care, to learne things good; thy Ioy.
Take thou my Lute (My Loue) and giue thou me,
The glorie of so great a facultie.
This sweet-tun'd consort; held but in thy hand;
Sing; and perfection in thy song command.
For thou, alreadie, hast the way to speake
Fayrely, and elegantly; and to breake
All eloquence into thy vtterd minde.
One gift from heauen found, may another finde.
Vse then, securely, this thy gift; and goe
To feasts, and dances, that enamour so;
And to that couetous sport of getting glory,
That Day, nor Night, will suffer to be sory.
Whoeuer, does but say, in verse; sings still:
Which he that can; of any other skill
Is capable; so he be taught by Art,
And wisedome; and can speake, at euery part
Things pleasing to an vnderstanding Minde:
And such a one, that seekes this Lute, shall finde.
Him still it teaches easely, though he plaies
Soft voluntaries onely; and assaies
As wanton, as the sports of children are.
And (euen when he aspires to singular
In all the Mast'ries he shall play or sing)
Findes the whole worke, but an vnhappie thing:
He (I say) sure; shall of this Lute be King.
But he; whoeuer, rudely sets vpon,
[Page 82]Of this Lutes skill, th'Inquest, or Question;
Neuer so ardently, and angrilie;
Without the aptnesse, and habilitie
Of Art, and Nature fitting: neuer shall
Aspire to this; but vtter triuiall
And idle accents; though sung ne're so lowd,
And neuer so commended of the Crowde.
But thee I know (O Eminent Sonne of Ioue)
The fiery Learner, of what euer Loue
Hath sharpn'd thy affections to achiue.
And thee, I giue this Lute; let vs now liue
Feeding vpon the Hill-and-horse-fed Earth
Our neuer-handled Oxen: whose deare Birth
(Their femalls fellowd with their Males) let flowe
In store enough hereafter; nor must you
(How-euer-cunning hearted your wits are)
Boile in your Gall, a Grudge too circulare.
Thus gaue he him his Lute; which he embrac't;
And gaue againe, a Gode, whose bright head cast
Beames like the light forth; leauing to his care
His Oxens keeping. Which, with ioyfull fare,
He tooke on him. The Lute Apollo tooke
Into his left hand; and aloft he shooke
Delightsome sounds vp; to which God did sing.
Then were the Oxen, to their endlesse Spring
Turn'd; and Ioues Two illustr'ous Off-springs flew
Vp to Olympus, where it euer snew;
Delighted with their Lutes sound all the way.
[Page 83]Whom Ioue, much ioi'd to see; and endlesse stay
Gaue to their knot of friendship. From which date;
Hermes gaue Phoebus, an eternall state
In his affection: whose sure pledge and signe
His Lute was; and the Doctrine so diuine,
Iointly conferd on him. Which well might be
True Symbole of his Loues simplicitie.
On th'other part; Apollo, in his friend
Form'd th'Art of Wisedome; to the binding end
Of his vow'd friendship; and (for further meede)
Gaue him the farr-heard fistularie Reede.
For all these forms of friendship, Phoebus yet
Feard that both forme, and substance were not mett
In Mercurie's intentions: and, in plaine,
Said, (since he saw him, borne to craft and gaine;
And that Ioues will had him the honor done,
To change at his will, the possession
Of others Gods) be fear'd his breach of of vowes,
In stealing both his Lute, and comming Bowes.
And therefore wisht, that what the Gods affect,
Himselfe would witnesse; and to his request
His head Bow; swearing by th'Impetuous flood
Of Styx; that of his whole possessions, not a Good
He would diminish; but therein maintaine
The full content, in which his Minde did raigne.
And then did Maia's Sonne, his fore-head bow:
Making, by all that he desir'd, his vow:
Neuer to prey more vpon any Thing,
[Page 84]In iust possession of the farr-shot King;
Nor euer to come neare, a House of his.
Latonian Phoebus, bowd his Brow to this,
With his like promise; say'ng, Not any One
Of all the Gods, nor any Man, that, Sonne
Is to Saturnius; is more deare to me;
More trusted, nor more honord, is then thee.
Which, yet, with greater Gifts of Deitie,
In future I'le confirme; and giue thy state
A Rodd that riches shall accumulate;
Nor leaue the bearer, thrall to Death, or fate
Or any sicknesse. All of Gold it is;
Three-leau'd; and full of all felicities.
And this shall be thy Guardian; this shall giue
The Gods to thee, in all the truth they liue.
And finally, shall this the Tutresse be
Of all the words, and workes, informing me
From Ioues high counsailes; making knowne to thee
All my instructions. But to Prophesie
(O best of Ioues belou'd) and that high skill;
Which to obtaine, lies burning in thy will;
Nor thee, nor any God, will Fate let learne.
Onely Ioues minde, hath insight to discerne
What that importeth; yet am I allowd
(My knowne faith trusted; and my forhead bowd;
Our great Oath taken, to resolue to none
Of all th'Immortalls, the restriction
Of that deepe knowledge) of it All, the Minde.
[Page 85]Since then it sits, in such fast bounds confinde,
(O Brother) when the Golden rodd is held
In thy strong hand; seeke not to haue reueal'd
Any sure fate, that Ioue will haue conceald.
For no man shall, by know'ng, preuent his fate;
And therefore will I hold, in my free state
The powre, to hurt and helpe, what man I will,
Of all the greatest; or least toucht with ill;
That walke within the Circle of mine eye;
In all the Tribes, and Sexes, it shall trye.
Yet, truely, any man shall haue his will
To reape the fruites of my Prophetique skill;
Whoeuer seekes it, by the voice, or wing
Of Birds, borne truely, such euents to sing.
Nor will I falfly, nor with fallacies
Infringe the truth, on which his faith relies;
But he that Truths, in chattering plumes would finde;
(Quite opposite to them, that prompt my Minde,)
And learne by naturall forgers of vaine lyes,
The more-then-euer-certaine Deities;
That man shall Sea-waies tred, that leaue no Tracts;
And false, or no guide finde, for all his facts.
And yet will I, his Gifts accept as well
As his; to whom, the simple truth I tell.
One other thing to thee, I'le yet make knowne
(Maia's exceedingly renowned sonne
And Ioues; and of the Gods whole session
The most ingenious Genius.) There dwell
[Page 86]Within a crooked Crannie, in a Dell
Beneath Parnassus; certaine sisters borne,
Call'd Parcae; whom extreame swift wings adorne;
Their Number three; that haue vpon their heads
White Barly floure still sprinckled; and are maids;
And these are schoole-Mistresses of things to come,
Without the gift of Prophecie: of whom
(Being but a boy, and keeping Oxen, nere)
I learn'd their skill; though my great Father were
Careles of it, or them. These flying from home,
To others roofes; and fedd with Hony-come,
Command all skill; and (being enraged then)
Will freely tell the Truths of things to Men.
But if they giue them not, that Gods sweete meat;
They then are apt, to vtter their deceit,
And leade Men from their way. And these will I
Giue thee hereafter; when their scrutinie
And truth; thou hast both made, and learn'd, and then;
Please thy selfe with them; and the Race of men
(Wilt thou know any) with thy skill endeare:
Who will, (be sure) afford it greedie eare;
And heare it often, if it proue sincere.
Take these (O Maia's Sonne) and in thy care,
Be Horse, and Oxen: all such Men as are
Patient of labour; Lyons; white-tooth'd Bores;
Mastifs, and flocks, that feede the flowrie shores;
And euery foure-foot Beast: all which shall stand
In awe of thy high Imperatory hand.
[Page 87]Be thou to Dis too, sole Ambassador;
Who (though all gifts, and bounties he abhor)
On thee he will bestowe, a wealthie One.
Thus King Apollo, honor'd Maia's Sonne,
With all the rights of friendship: all whose loue
Had Imposition, from the Will of Ioue.
And thus, with Gods and Mortalls Hermes liu'd;
Who truely helpt but few; but all deceiu'd
With an vndifferencing respect; and made
Vaine words, and false perswasions his Trade.
His Deeds, were all associats of the Night;
In which, his close wrongs, car'd for no mans Right.
So all salutes to Hermes, that are due;
Of whom, and all Gods, shall my Muse sing true.
The end of the Hymne to Hermes.

[Page]
[Page 89]
A HYMNE TO VENVS.THe force (O Muse) and functions, now, vnfold,
Of Cyprian Venus, grac't with Mines of Gold.
Who, euen in Deities, lights Loues sweet desire;
And all Deaths kindes of men, makes kisse her fire:
All Ayres wing'd Nation; all the Belluine;
That or the Earth feedes, or the Seas confine.
To all which appertaine, the loue and care
Of well-crown'd Venus works. Ye three there are,
Whose mindes, she neither can deceiue nor moue;
Pallas, the seede of Aegis-bearing-Ioue;
Who still liues Indeuirginate; her eyes
Being blew, and sparkling like the freezing skies:
Whom all the Gold of Venus, neuer can
Tempt to affect her facts, with God or Man.
She louing strife, and Mars-his working Bones;
[Page 90]Pitcht fields, and fights, and famous Artizanes,
Taught earthie men first, all the Arts that are;
Charriots, and all the frames vehiculare;
Chiefely with brasse, arm'd, & adorn'd for warre.
Where Venus, onely soft-skinnd wenches fills
With wanton House-works, and suggests those skills
Still to their studies. Whom Diana neither,
That beares the Golden distaff; and together
Calls Horns, and Hollows; and the cries of Houndes;
And ownes the Epithete of louing sounds
For their sakes; springing from such spritely sports;
Can catch with her kinde Lures. But hill resorts
To wilde-Beasts slaughters; accents farr-off heard
Of Harps, and Dances; and of woods vnsheard
The sacred shades she loues; yet likes as well
Citties where good men, and their off-spring dwell.
The third, whom her kinde Passions nothing please;
Is Virgine Vesta; whom Saturnides
Made reuerend with his counsailes: when his Sire
That aduers counsailes agitates, lifes fire
Had kindled in her; being his last begot.
Whom Neptune wow'd, to knit with him the knot
Of honord Nuptialls; and Apollo too;
Which, with much vehemence, she refus'd to doe;
And sterne Repulses, put vpon them both.
Adding to all her vows; the Gods great Oath;
And touching Ioues chynn, (which must consummate
All vows so bound) that she would hold her state;
[Page 91]And be th'Inuincible Maid of Deities
Through all her daies dates. For Saturnides
Gaue her a faire gift, in her Nuptialls stedd;
To sit in midst of his house, and be fedd
With all the free, and richest feast of Heauen:
In all the Temples of the Gods being giuen
The prise of honor. Not a mortall Man,
(That either of the powrs Olympian
His half-birth hauing; may be said to be
A mortall of the Gods; or else that he
(Deities wills doings) is of Deitie)
But giues her honor, of the amplest kinde.
Of all these Three; can Venus, not a Minde
Deceiue, or set on forces to reflect.
Of all powrs els yet, not a sex, nor sect,
Flies Venus; either of the blessed Gods;
Or Men, confin'de in mortall Periods.
But euen the Minde of Ioue, she doth seduce,
That chides with Thunder so, her lawlesse vse
In humane Creatures; and by lot is giuen
Of all, most honor; both in Earth, and Heauen.
And yet euen his all-wise, and mightie Minde;
She, when she lifts, can forge affectes to blinde,
And mixe with mortall Dames, his Deitie:
Conceald, at all parts, from the ielous eye
Of Iuno; who was both his sister borne,
And made his wife; whom beautie did adorne
Past all the B [...]ie of immortall Dames;
[Page 92]And whose so chiefely-glorified Flames
Crosse-counsailde Saturne got; and Rhaea bore;
And Ioues pure counsailes, (being Conqueror)
His wife made of his sister. I, and more;
Cast such an amorous fire into her minde
As made her (like him) with the Mortall kinde
Meete in vnmeete bedd; vsing vtmost haste;
Lest she should know, that he liu'd so vnchaste,
Before her selfe, felt that fault in her heart;
And gaue her tongue, too iust edge of Desert
To tax his lightnes. With this End, beside,
Lest laughter-studying Venus, should deride
The Gods more then the Goddesses; and say
That shee the Gods commixt in amorous play,
With mortall Dames; begetting mortall seede
T'Immortall sires; and not make Goddesses breede
The like with mortall Fathers. But t'acquite
Both Gods and Goddesses of her despite,
Ioue tooke (euen in her selfe) on him, her powre;
And made her with a mortall Paramoure
Vse as deform'd a mixture, as the rest;
Kindling a kinde affection in her brest
To God-like-limm'd Anchises; as he kept
 [...], Altissimum ha­bens virticem, cuiuss [...]mmitas ipsum polum  [...]ngit.
On Idas-top-on-top-to-heauens-Pole heapt,
Amongst the manie fountaines there, his Herd;
For after his braue Person had apper'de
To her bright eye; her heart flew all on fire;
And (to amaze) she burn'd in his desire.
[Page 93]Flew strait to Cyprus, to her odorous Phane
And Altars, that the people Paphiane
Aduanc't to her. Where, (soone as entred) shee
The shyning gates shut; and the Graces three
Washt; and with Oiles of euerlasting sent,
Bath'd, as became, her deathlesse lyneament.
Then her Ambrosian Mantle she assum'd;
With rich and odoriferous Ayres perfum'd;
Which being put on; and all her Trimms beside
Fayre, and with all allurements amplified;
The All-of-Gold-made-laughter-louing Dame;
Left odorous Cyprus; and for Troy became
A swift Contendresse; her Passe cutting All
Along the cloudes; and made her instant fall
On fountfull Ida; that her Mother-Brests
Giues to the Preyfull broode, of sauage Beasts.
And through the Hill she went, the readie way
T'Anchises Oxstall, where did fawne and play
About her blessed feet, Wolues griflie-gray;
Terrible Lyons; many a Mankind Beare;
And Lybberds swift, insatiate of red Deare.
Whose sight so pleas'd, that euer as she past
Through euery Beast, a kindely Loue she cast:
That in their Denns-obscur'd with shadowes deepe;
Made all, distinguisht, in kinde Couples, sleepe.
And now she reacht the rich Pauilion
Of the Heroe; In whom heauens had showne
A fayre and goodly Composition.
[Page 94]And whom she in his Oxstall found, alone;
His Oxen feeding in fat Pastures, by;
He walking vp, and downe; sounds clere, and hye,
From his harp striking. Then, before him, shee
Stood like a Virgine, that inuinciblie
Had borne her beauties; yet alluringly
Bearing her person; lest his rauisht eye
Should chance t'affect him, with a stupid feare.
Anchises seeing her, all his senses were
With wonder stricken; and high-taken-heed [...]s
Both of her forme; braue stature; and rich weedes.
For, for a vaile; she shin'd in an Attire
That cast a radiance, past the Ray of fire.
Beneath which, wore she guirt to her, a Gowne
Wrought all with growing-rose-budds; reaching downe
T'her slender smalls; which buskinns did diuine;
Such as taught Thetis siluer Feete to shine.
Her soft white neck; rich Carquenets embrac't;
Bright, and with gold, in all variety grac't;
That, to her brests (let downe) lay there and shone,
As at her ioyfull full, the rising Moone.
Her sight show'd miracles. Anchises Heart,
Loue tooke into his hand; and made him part
With these high Salutations; Ioy, (O Queene?)
Whoeuer of the Blest, thy beauties beene,
That light these Entries! Or the Deitie
That Darts affecteth; or that gaue the eye
Of Heauen, his heat and Luster! Or that moues
[Page 95]The hearts of all, with all-commanding Loues?
Or generous Themis? Or the blew-eyd Maid?
Or of the Graces, any that are laid
With all the Gods, in comparable skales?
And whom Fame, vp to Immortalitie calles?
Or any of the Nymphs, that vnshorne Groues,
Or that this fayre Hill-habitation loues?
Or valleys, flowing with earths fattest Goods?
Or Fountaines, pouring forth, eternall floods?
Say, which, of all thou art; that in some place
Of circular prospect, for thine eyes deare grace
I may an Altar build, and to thy Powres
Make sacred all the yeares deuoted Howres,
With consecrations sweet, and oppulent.
Assur'd whereof; be thy benigne Minde bent
To these wisht blessings of me; giue me parts
Of chiefe attraction in Troian hearts.
And after; giue me the refulgencie
Of most renownd, and rich Posteritie;
Long, and free life; and Heauens sweet light as long;
The peoples blessings; and a health so strong;
That no disease, it let my life engage;
Till th'vtmost limit, of a humane Age.
To this, Ioues seede, this answer gaue againe;
Anchises? happiest of the humane straine?
I am no Goddesse: why, a thrall to Death
Think'st thou like those, that immortality breath?
A woman brought me forth, my Fathers Name
[Page 96]Was Otreus (If euer his high fame
Thine eares haue witnest) for he gouernd all
The Phrygian State: whose euery Towne, a wall
Impregnable embrac't. Your tongue, (you heare)
I speake so well, that in my naturall spheare
(As I pretend) It must haue taken prime.
A woman likewise, of the Troian clime
Tooke of me, in her house, the Nurses care
From my deare Mothers Bosome; and thus are
My words of equall accent, with your owne.
How, here, I come; (to make the reason knowne)
Argicides, that beares the Golden Rod
Transferd me forciblie from my Abod
Made with the Maiden Traine, of her that ioies
In Golden shafts; and loues so well the noise,
Of Hounds, & Hunters (Heauens pure-liuing powre)
Where many a Nymph, and maid of mighty Dowre,
Chast sports emploid All circkl'd with a Crowne
Of infinite Multitude, to see so showne
Our maiden Pastimes. Yet from all the Fayre
Of this so forcefull concourse; vp in Ayre
The Golden-Rodd-sustaining-Argus Guide,
Rapt me in sight of all; and made me ride
Along the Clouds with him; enforcing me
Thro [...]gh many a labour of Mortalitie:
Through many an vnbuilt Region; and a rude,
Where sauage Beasts, deuour'd Preys warme, and crude▪
And would not let my feares, take one foots tred
[Page 97]On her by whom, are all Liues comforted;
But said, my Maiden State, must grace the Bed
Of King Anchises: And bring forth to thee
Issue as faire, as of diuine Degree.
Which said, and showing me thy mouing Grace;
Away flew he vp, to th'Immortall Race.
And thus came I to thee: Necessitie
With her steele stings; compelling me t'applie
To her high Powre, my will. But You must I,
Implore by Ioue; and all the reuerence due,
To your deare Parents; who (in bearing you)
Can beare no meane saile; leade me home to them
An vntoucht Maid: being brought vp in th'extreme
Of much too cold simplicitie; to know
The fiery cunnings, that in Venus glow.
Show me to them then; and thy Brothers borne:
I shall appeare none, that, parts disadorne;
But such as well may serue, a Brothers wife;
And show them now, euen to my future life;
If such, or no, my Present, will extend.
To Horse-Breede-vary'ng Phrygia, likewise send
T'Informe my Sire and Mother of my State,
That liue for me, extreame disconsolate.
Who Gold enough, and well-wouen weedes will giue.
All whose rich Gifts, in my Amends receiue.
All this perform'd; adde celebration then
Of honord Nuptialls; that by God and Men
Are held in reuerence. All this while she said;
[Page 98]Into his bosome, iointly, she conuaid
The fires of loue; when (all enamourd) He
In these terms answered: If Mortalitie
Confine thy Fortunes; and a woman were
Mother to those attractions that appeare
In thy admir'd forme; thy great Father giuen
High Name of Otreus; and the Spie of Heauen
(Immortall Mercurie) th'enforce-full cause
That made thee lose the Prize of that applause,
That modestie, immaculate Virgines giues:
My wife thou shalt be call'd, through both our liues.
Nor shall the powrs of Men, nor Gods withhold
My fiery resolution, to enfold
Thy bosome in mine armes; which here I vow
To firme performance, past delay; and Now.
Nor (should Apollo with his siluer Bow
Shoote me to instant death) would I forbeare
To doe a deede, so full of cause so deare.
For with a Heauen-sweet woman, I will ly,
Though strait I stoope the house of Dis, 'and die.
This said; he tooke her hand; and she tooke way
With him; her bright eyes casting round; whose stay
She stuck vpon a bed, that was before
Made for the King, and wealthie couerings wore.
On which, Beares Hydes, and bigg-voic't Lyons lay;
Whose Preyfull liues, the King had made his Prey,
Hunting th'Idalian Hills. This Bed when they
Had both ascended; first he tooke from her
[Page 99]The fierie weede, that was her vtmost weare.
Vnbutto'nd her next rosie Robe; and los'd
The Gyrdle, that her slender wast enclos'd.
Vnlac't her buskinns; all her Iewellrie
Tooke from her neck, and brests; and all lay'd by,
Vpon a Golden-studded Chaire of State.
Th'Amaze of all which, being remou'd: euen Fate,
And counsaile of the equall Gods gaue way
To this; that with a Deathlesse Goddesse lay
A deathfull Man: since, what his loue assum'd,
Not with his conscious knowledge, was presum'd.
Now when the shepherds, and the Herdsmen, all,
Turnd from their flowrie Pasture, to their Stall;
With all their Oxen; fat, and frolick sheepe;
Venus, into Anchises, cast a sleepe,
Sweet, and profound; while, with her owne hands now
With her rich weeds, she did her selfe indow:
But so distinguisht; that he clere might know:
His happie Glories; Then (to her desire
Her heauenly Person; put in Trimms entire)
Shee by the bed stood, of the well-built Stall,
Aduanc't her head, to State Celestiall,
And in her cheekes, arose the radiant hew
Of rich-cround Venus, to apparant view.
And then she rou [...]'d him from his rest; and said;
Vp (my Dardanides) forsake thy bed.
What pleasure, late emploid, letts Humor steepe
Thy lidds, in this inexcitable sleepe?
[Page 100]Wake, and now say, If I appeare to thee
Like her, that first, thine eyes conceited me.
This started him from sleepe; though deepe, and deare,
And passing promptlie, he enioy'd his eare.
But when his eye saw Venus neck, and eyes,
Whose beauties could not beare the Counterprise
Of any other: downe his owne eyes fell;
Which pallid feare, did from her view repell:
And made him, with a maine respect beside;
Turne his whole person from her state; and hide
(With his rich weede appos'd) his royall face;
These wing'd words vsing; When, at first, thy Grace,
Mine eyes gaue entertainment; well I knew
Thy state was Deified: but thou told'st not true;
And therefore let me pray thee; (by thy Loue
Borne to thy Father, Aegis-bearing Ioue)
That thou wilt neuer let me liue to be
An abiect, after so diuine degree
Taken in fortune; but take ruth on me.
For any Man that with a Goddesse lies;
Of interest in immortalities,
Is neuer long liu'd. She replied; Forbeare
(O happiest of Mortall Men) this feare:
And rest assur'd; that (not for me, at least)
Thy least ills feare fits; no nor for the rest
Of all the Blessed; for thou art their friend;
And so farr from sustaining instant end;
That to thy long-enlarg'd life; there shall spri [...]g
[Page 101]Amongst the Troians, a deare Sonne, and King;
To whom shall many a Sonne; and Sonnes Sonne rise
In euerlasting-great Posterities.
His Name Aeneas: therein keeping life;
For euer, in my much-conceipted griefe;
That I (immortall) fell into the bed
Of one whose blood, Mortality must shed.
But rest thou comforted; and all the Race
That Troy shall propagate, in this high grace;
That, past all Races else, the Gods stand nere
Your glorious Nation; for the formes ye beare
And Natures so ingenuous, and sincere.
For which, the great in counsailes (Iupiter)
Your Gold-lockt Ganymedes did transfer
(In rapture farr from mens depressed fates)
To make him Consort with our Deified states;
And skale the Top [...] of the Saturnian skies;
He was so meere a Marueile in their eyes.
And therefore from a Bolle of Gold he fills
Redd Nectar; that the rude distension kills
Of windes that in your humane stomacks breede.
But then did Languor, [...] Cuius Memoria erit perpetua.
 on the Liuer feede
Of Tros (his Father) that was King of Troy;
And euer did his memorie employ
With losse of his deare bewtie so bereuen;
Though with a sacred whirlewinde  [...]apt to heauen.
But Ioue (in pittie of him) saw him giuen
Good compensation; sending by Heauens Spye,
[Page 102]White-swift-hou'd Horse; that Immortality
Had made firme spirrited; and had (beside)
Hermes to see his Ambassie supplied
With this vow'd Bountie (vsing all at large
That his vnaltered counsailes gaue in charge)
That he himselfe, should Immortality breath,
Expert of Age, and Woe, as well as Death.
This Ambassie exprest, he mourn'd no more;
But vp, with all his inmost minde he bore;
Ioying that he, vpon his swift-hou'd Horse,
Should be stustain'd in an eternall course.
So did the golden-thron'de Aurora, raise
Into her Lap; another that the praise
Of an Immortall fashion, had in Fame;
And of your Nation, bore the Noble Name:
(His Title Tython) who, not pleas'd with her,
As she his louely Person, did transfer;
(To satisfie him) she bad aske of Ioue,
The Gift of an Immortall for her Loue.
Ioue gaue; and bound it with his bowed Brow;
Performing to the vtmost point, his vow.
Foole that she was; that would her loue engage;
And not, as long aske, from the Bane of Age,
The sweet exemption; and Youths endlesse flowre.
Of which, as long, as both the grace and powre
His person entertainde; she lou'd the Man;
And (at the fluents of the Ocean
Nere Earths extreame bounds) dwelt with him: but when
[Page 103](According to the course of aged Men)
On his faire head; and honorable Beard;
His first gray hayres, to her light eyes apperd;
She left his bed; yet gaue him still, for food
The Gods Ambrosia; and attire as good.
Till, euen the hate of Age, came on so fast
That not a lyneament of his was grac't
With powre of Motion; nor did still sustaine
(Much lesse) the Vigor had, t'aduance a vaine;
The virtue lost, in each exhausted lim [...],
That, (at his wish) before would answer him;
All Powrs so quite decaid; that when he spake,
His voice, no perceptible accent brake:
Her counsaile, then, thought best; to striue no more;
But lay him in his bed, and lock his Dore.
Such an Immortall; would not I wish thee,
T'extend all daies so, to Eternitie.
But if, as now, thou couldst performe thy course
In Grace of Forme, and all corporeall force
To an eternall Date; Thou then should'st beare
My Husbands worthie Name; and not a Teare,
Should I neede raine, for thy deserts declinde,
From my All clouded bitternesse of minde.
But now, the sterne storme of relentlesse Age
Will quickly circkle thee; that waites  [...]'engage
All Men alike; euen Lothsomnesse, and Bane
Attending with it, euery humane  [...]ane:
Which euen the Gods bate. Such a Penance lies
[Page 104]Impos'd on flesh and bloods infirmities.
Which I my selfe must taste, in great degree,
And date as endlesse; for consorting thee.
All the Immortalls, with my opprobrie
Are full, by this time; on their Hearts so lie,
(Euen to the sting of Feare) my cunnings vs'd;
And wiuing conuersations infus'd,
Into the bosomes of the best of them,
With women, that the fraile and mortall stream
Doth daily rauish. All this long since done.
Which now, no more but with effusion
Of teares; I must in Heauen, so much as name:
I haue so forfaited, in this, my Fame,
And am impos'd, paine of so great a kinde
For so much erring, from a Goddesse Minde.
For I haue put beneath my Gyrdle here,
A Sonne, whose sire, the humane mortall sphere
Giues Circumscription. But when first the light
His eyes shall comfort; Nymphs that hant the height;
Of Hills; and Brests haue, of most deepe receit;
Shall be his Nurses: who inhabit now
A Hill of so vast, and diuine a Brow,
As Man, nor God, can come at their Retreates.
Who liue long liues, and eat immortall Meates;
And with Immortalls, in the exercise
Of comely Dances, dare contend; and rise
Into high Question, which deserues the Prise.
The light Sileni, mix in loue with These;
[Page 105]And of all Spies, the Prince Argicides:
In well-trymmd Caues, their secret meetings made.
And with the liues of these; doth life inuade
Or odorous firre Trees; or high-forheaded Okes;
Together taking their begetting strokes.
And haue tbeir liues and deaths, of equall Dates;
Trees bearing louely, and Delightsome states;
Whom Earth first feedes, that Men initiates.
On her high Hills, she doth their states sustaine,
And they, their owne heights, raise as high againe.
Their Growghts together made; Nymphs call their Groues;
Vowd to th'Immortalls seruices, and loues.
Which mens steeles therefore touch not; but let grow.
But when wise Fates, times for their fadings know;
The faire Trees still, before the faire Nymphs die;
The Bark about them; growne corrupt, and drie;
And all their boughs (falne) yeeld to Earth her right;
And then the Nymphs liues, leaue the louely Light.
And these Nymphs, in their Caues, shall nurse my Son;
Whom (when in him, Youths first grace is begun)
The Nymphs, his Nurses, shall present to thee,
And shew thee what a Birth, thou hast by Me.
And (sure as now I tell thee all these things)
When earth, hath cloth'd her plants, in fiue faire springs;
My selfe will make returne, to this Retreate;
And bring that Flowre of thy enamour'd heate;
Whom when thou then seest, Ioy shall fire thine eyes;
He shall so well Present the Deities.
[Page 106]And then into thine owne care take thy Sonne;
From his calme seat, to windie Ilion.
Where, if strickt question, be vpon thee past,
Asking what Mother, bore beneath her wast
So deare a Sonne; answer, as I afford
Fit admonition, nor forget a word;
They say a Nymph, call'd Calucopides,
That is with others, an inhabitresse
On this thy wood-crownd Hill; acknowledges
That she, his life gaue. But if thou declare
The Secrets, truth; and art so mad to dare
(In glory of thy fortunes) te approue,
That rich-crownd Venus, mixt with thee in loue;
Ioue (fir'd with my aspersion, so dispred)
Will, with a wreakefull lightning, dart thee dead.
All, now, is told thee; comprehend it All.
Be Master of thy selfe; and doe not call
My Name in question; but, with reuerence vow
To Deities angers, all the awe, ye owe.
This said; shee reacht Heauen, where ayres euer flowe;
And so (O Goddesse) euer honord be
In thy so Odorous Cyprian Emperie;
My Muse, affecting first, thy Fame to raise;
Shall make Transcension now, to others Praise.
The end of the first Hymne to Venus.

[Page 107]
To the same.THe Reuerend Rich-crownd, and Faire Queene, I sing;
(Venus) that owes in Fate the fortres­sing,
Of all Maritimall Cyprus: Where the force
Of gentle-breathing Zephire sterde her Course
Along the waues of the resounding Sea;
While, yet, vnborne, in that soft fome she laie
That brought her forth; whom those faire Howrs that beare
The Golden-bridles; ioyfully stood nere;
Tooke vp into their armes; and put on her
Weed's of a neuer-corruptible weare.
On her immortall head, a Crowne they plac't;
Elaborate; and with all the beauties grac't
That Gold could giue it. Of a weight so great;
That, to impose, aud take off; it had set
Three Handles on it; made for endlesse hold,
Of shyning Brasse; and all adorn'd with Gold.
Her soft neck; all with Carquenets was grac't;
That stoop't, and both her siluer brests embrac't,
[Page 108]Which euen the Howrs themselues weare in resort,
To Deities Dances; and her Fathers Court.
Grac't at all parts; they brought to Heauen her graces;
Whose first sight seene; all fell into embraces;
Hugg'd her white bands; saluted; wishing, all,
To weare her Maiden Flowre in festiuall
Of sacred Hymen: and to leade her home.
All, to all admiration, ouercome
With Cytheraea, with the violet Crowne.
So, to the black-Browd-sweet-spoke; All Renowne;
Prepare my Song; and giue me, in the end,
The victory; to whose Palme, all contend.
So shall my Muse, for euer honour thee,
And (for thy sake) thy faire Posteritie.

[Page 109]
BACCHVS, OR The Pyrats.OF Dionysus (Noble Semeles Son)
I now intend to render Mention:
As on a prominēt shore, his person shone,
Like to a Youth, whose flowre was newly blone.
Bright azure Tresses, plaid about his head;
And on his bright brode shoulders, was dispred
A purple Mantle. Strait he was descride
By certaine Manly Pyrats, that applide
Their vtmost speede to prise him; being abord
A well-built Barck; about whose brode  [...]ides ror'd
The wine-black Tyrrhene Billows: Death as black
[Page 110]Brought them vpon him, in their future wrack.
For soone as they had purchast but his view;
Mutuall signes past them; and ashore they flew:
Tooke him; and brought him, instantly aborde;
Soothing their Hopes, to haue obtain'd a Horde
Of riches with him; and a Ioue-kept King
To such a Flowre, must needes be naturall spring.
And therefore-strait, strong Fetters they must fetch,
To make him sure. But no such strength would stretch,
To his constrain'd Powrs. Farr flew all their Bands
From any least force, done his feet, or hands.
But he sate casting smiles, from his black eyes
At all their worst. At which Discoueries
Made by the Master: he did thus dehort
All his Associats; Wretches? Of what sort,
Hold ye the Person, ye assaie to binde?
Nay, which of all, the Powre fully-diuin'de
Esteeme ye him? whose worth yeelds so much weight,
That, not our well-built Barck, will beare his freight.
Or Ioue himselfe he is; Or he that beares
The siluer Bowe; Or Neptune. Nor appeares
In him the least resemblance of a Man;
But of a straine; at least Olympian.
Come! Make we quick dismission of his state;
And on the black-soild earth, exonerate
Our sinking vessell, of his Deified Lode:
Nor dare the touch, of an intangible God.
Lest windes outragious, and of wrackfull scath;
[Page 111]And smoking Tempests, blowe his fiery wrath.
This well-spoke Master, the Tall captaine gaue
Hatefull, and horrible language: call'd him slaue;
And bad him mark the prosperous gale that blew;
And bow their vessell, with her maine saile, flew.
Bade all take armes; and said, their workes requir'de;
The cares of Men; and not of an inspir'de,
Pure zealous Master. His firme hopes being fir'de
With this Opinion; that they should ariue
In Aegypt strait; or Cyprus; or where liue
Men whose braue breaths, aboue the Northwinde blowe;
Yea, and perhaps beyond their Region too.
And that he made no doubt, but in the end,
To make his Prisoner, tell him euery friend
Of all his off-spring: Brothers: Wealth, and All;
Since that Prise, certaine, must some God let fall.
This said; the Most, and maine-saile; vp he drew,
And in the maine sailes midd'st, a franck Gale blew;
When all his ship tooke arms, to braue their Prise.
But strait, strange works apperde to all their eyes:
First; sweete wine, through-their swift-black Barck did flow;
Of which, the Odors, did, a little, blowe:
Their fiery spirits, making th'Ayre so fine,
That, they in flood were there, as well as wine.
A meere Immortall-making sauour rose;
Which on the Ayre, the Deitie did Impose.
The Sea-Men see'ng All; Admiration seas'd.
Yet instantly, their wonders were encreas'd:
[Page 112]For on the Top saile, there rann, here, and there,
A Vine that Grapes did, in abundance beare;
And in an instant, was the ships maine Mast
With an obscure-greene-Iuies armes embrac't,
That florisht strait, and were with Buries grac't;
Of which, did Gyrlonds, circle euery brow
Of all the Pirats; and no One knew how.
Which when they sawe, they made the Master stere
Out to the shore: whom Bacchus made forbeare,
With showing more wonders; On the Hatches, He
Apper'd a terrible Lyon, horriblie
Roring; and in the Mid-deck, a Male Beare,
Made with a huge Mane: making all, for feare
Crowd to the sterne, about the Master there:
Whose Minde, he still kept, dantlesse, and sincere.
But on the Captaine rusht and rampt, with force
So rude, and sodaine; that his maine recours
Was to the Maine-Sea strait: and after him,
Leapt all his Mates; as trusting to their swimm;
To fly foule Death. But so; found what they fled,
Being all to Dolphinns, metamorphosed.
The Master, he tooke Ruth of; sau'd, and made.
The blessedst Man, that euer tried his Trade.
These few words giuing him: Be confident
Thou God-inspir'd Pylot! In the Bent
Of my affection, readie to requite
Thy late-to-me-intended benefite.
I am the Roring God, of spritely Wine:
[Page 113]Whom Semele, (that did, euen Ioue incline,
To amorous Mixture, and was Cadmus care)
Made issue to the Mighty Thunderar.
And thus, all Excellence of Grace to thee,
Sonne of sweete-count'nance-cary'ng Semele.
I must not thee forget, in least Degree,
But pray thy spirit, to render so, my song,
Sweete, and all waies, in order'd furie, strong.

[Page]
[Page 115]
To Mars.MArs Most strong: Gold-helm'd; making Chariots crack;
Neuer without a shield, cast on thy back.
Minde master towne-guard▪ with darts neuer driuen.
Strong-handed; Allarmes; fort, and fence of heauen.
Father of Victory, with faire strokes giuen.
Ioint surrogate of Iustice, lest she fall;
In vniust strifes, a Tyrant. Generall,
Onely of Iust. Men, iustly. That dost beare
Fortitud's Scepter. To Heauens fiery sphere
Giuer of circulare motion: betweene
That, and the Pleiad's that still wandring bene.
Where thy still vehemently-flaming Horse,
About the third Heauen, make their fiery course.
Helper of Mortalls; Heare! As thy fires giue
The faire, and present boldnesses that striue
In Youth for Honor; being the sweete-beamd Light
That darts into their liues, from all thy Height
The Fortitudes, and Fortunes, found in fight.
[Page 116]So, would I likewise wish to haue the Powre
To keepe off, from my head, thy bitter Howre;
And that false fire, cast from my soules lowe kinde,
Stoope to the fit rule, of my highest Minde.
Controuling, that so eager sting of wrath,
That styrrs me on still, to that horrid scath
Of warr; that God still sends to wreake his splene;
(Euen by whole Tribes) of proud iniurious Men.
But O thou euer-blessed! Giue me still,
Presence of minde, to put in Act, my will
Varied, as fits, to all Occasion.
And to liue free; vnforc't; vnwrought vpon;
Beneath those Lawes of Peace, that neuer are
Affected with Pollutions Populare
Of vniust hurt; or losse to any One;
And to beare safe, the burthen vndergone
Of Foes inflexiue, and inhumane hates;
Secure from violent, and harmefull Fates.

[Page 117]
To Diana.DIana praise (Muse) that in Darts delights;
Liues still a Maid, & had nutritiall rights
With her borne-Brother, the farr-shooting Sunn.
That doth her all of Gold-made-Chariot runn
In Chace of Game; from Meles that abounds
In black-browd Bull-rushes; (and where her Hounds,
She first vncouples; ioyning there, her Horse)
Through Smyrna; carried in most fiery course
To Grape-rich Claros. Where (in his rich hom [...],
And constant expectation she will come)
Sits Phoebus, that the siluer Bowe doth beare;
To meete with Phoebe, that doth Darts transferre
As farr as He his shafts. As farr then, be
Th [...] chaste Fame shot (O Queene of Archerie)
Sacring my song, to euery Deitie.

[Page 118]
To Venus.TO Cyprian Venus, still my verses vow:
Who Gifts, as sweete as honey doth bestow
On all Mortality. That euer smiles;
And rules a face, that all foes reconciles.
Euer sustaining in her hand, a Flowre,
That all desire keepes, euer in her Powre.
Haile then O Queene of well-built Salamine,
And all the state, that Cyprus doth confine:
Informe my song, with that celestiall fire,
That in thy beauties, kindles all desire.
So shall my Muse, for euer honour Thee,
And any other, thou commend'st to Me.

[Page 119]
To Pallas.PAllas Minerua; Onely I beginne
To giue my song; that makes warrs terrible Dinne:
Is Patronesse of Citties; and with Mars
Marshall'd in all the care, and cure of wars:
And in euerted Citties, fights, and Cries.
But neuer doth her selfe, set downe, or rise,
Before a Cittie; but at both times Shee,
All iniur'de people, sets on foot, and free.
Giue, with thy warrs force, Fortune then to Me;
And with thy Wisedomes force, Felicity.

[Page 120]

To Iuno.

SAturnia, and her Throne of Gold I sing;

That was of Rhaea, the eternall spring;

And Empresse of a beautie; neuer yet

Equall'd in height of Tincture. Of the great

Saturnius (breaking Ayre, in awfull Noise,)

The farr-fam'd wife, and sister; whom in ioies

Of high Olympus, all the blessed Loue;

And Honour, equall, with vnequall'd Ioue.

[Page 121]

To Ceres.

THe Rich-hayr'd, Ceres, I assaie to sing;

A Goddesse, in whose Grace the naturall spring

Of serious Maiestie it selfe, is seene:

And of the wedded, yet in grace stil green,

(Proserpina, her Daughter) that displaies

A Beautie, casting euery way her Raies.

All Honor to thee (Goddesse:) keepe this Towne;

And take, thou, chiefe charge of my songs Renoune.

[Page 122]
TO THE MOTHER OF The Gods.MOther of All; both Gods, and Men, Commend
(O Muse) whose faire Forme did from Ioue descend;
That doth with Cymball sounds, delight her life;
And tremulous diuisions of the Fife.
Loues dreadfull Lyons Rores; and Wolues hoarse Houles,
Syluane Retreates; and Hills, whose hollow knoules,
Raise repercussiue soundes about her eares.
And so, may, Honour, euer crowne thy yeares,
With All-else Goddesses; and euer be
Exalted in the Muses Harmonie.

[Page 123]
TO LYON-HEARTED Hercules.ALlcides, (Force-fullest of all the Broode
Of Men, enforc't with neede of earthie foode,)
My Muse shal memorise; the son of Ioue;
Whom, in faire-seated Thebs (commixt in loue
With great Heauens sable-cloude-assembling state)
Al [...]mena bore to him. And who (in date
Of daies forepast) through all the Sea was sent
And Earths inernarable Continent,
To Acts, that King Eurystheus had decreede.
Did many a Petulant, and Imperious Deede
Himselfe; and therefore, suffer'd many a Toile.
Yet now inhabites the illustrious Soile
[Page 124]Of white Olympus; and Delights his life
With still young Hebe; his well-anckled wife.
Haile, King; and Sonne of Ioue; vouchsafe thou Me
Virtue; and her Effect, Felicitie.

[Page 125]

To Aesculapius.

WIth Aesculapius, (the Phisition) Sonne,

That cur'd all sicknesse, and was Phoebus

M [...] Muse, makes Entrie; to whose life gaue yield

Diuine Coronis, in the Dotian field,

(King Phlegius Daughter:) who, much Ioy on Men

Conferd in deare Ease, of their yrkesome Paine.

For which; my salutation (worthy King)

And vowes to thee paid, euer when I sing.

[Page 126]
TO CASTOR AND POLLVX.CAstor and Pollux, (the Tyndarides)
Sweete Muse illustrate; that their Essences
Fetch from the high forms of Olympian Ioue;
And were the faire fruits of bright Leda's Loue.
Which shee produc't, beneath the sacred shade
Of steepe Taygetus; being subdu'd; and made
To serue Affections of the Thunderer.
And so, all Grace to you; whom all Auer,
(For skill in Horses, and their Manage geuen)
To be the brauest Horsemen, vnder Heauen.

[Page 127]
To Mercurie.HErmes, I honor, (the Cyllenian Spie)
King of Cyllenia, and of Arcadie
With flocks abounding: and the Messenger
Of all th'Immortalls; that doth still inferre
Profites of infinite valew to their store:
Whom to Saturnius, bashfull Maia bore;
Daughter of Atlas; and did therefore flie
Of all th'Immortalls, the Societie,
To that darcke Caue; where, in the dead of Night,
Ioue ioind with her, in Loues diuine Delight;
When Golden sleepe, shut Iuno's iealous eye,
Whose arms had wrists, as white as Iuorie;
From whom, and all, both Men, and Gods beside,
The faire-hayrd Nymph, her scape kept vnderscride.
Ioy to the Ioue-got then, and Maia's Care;
Twixt Men and Gods, the generall Messenger:
Giuer of good Grace; Gladnesse, and the Flood
Of all that Men, or Gods, account their Good.

[Page]
[Page 129]
To Pan.SIng (Muse) this chiefe of Hermes loue-got Ioies;
Goate-sooted, Two-horn'd; amorous of noise.
That through the faire-Greenes, al adorn'd with Trees
Together goes, with Nymphs; whose nimble knees,
Can euer [...] Dance, foot; That affect to scale
The most inaccessible Tops of all
Vprightest rocks: and euer vse to call
On Pan, the bright-hayr'd God of Pastorall.
Who yet, is leane, and louelesse; and doth owe
By lot, all loftiest▪ Mountaines, crown'd with snowe;
All Tops of Hills, and cliffie Highnesses:
All Siluan Copses, and the Fortresses
Of Thorniest Queaches, here and there doth roue.
And sometimes, (by allurement of his loue;)
[Page 130]Will wade the watrie softnesses. Sometimes
(In quite oppos'de Capriccios) he climes
The hardest Rocks, and highest: euery way
Running their Ridges. Often will conuaie
Himselfe vp to a watch-Towrs Top; where sheepe;
Haue their Obseruance: oft through Hills as steepe,
His Gotes he runns vpon; and neuer rests.
Then turns he head; and flies on sauage Beasts,
Mad of their slaughters. So most sharpe an eye
Setting vpon them; as his Beames let flie
Through all their thickest Tapistries. And then
(When Hesp'rus calls to folde, the flocks of Men)
From the greene Clossets, of his loftiest Reedes,
He rushes forth; and Ioy, with Song, he feedes.
When, (vnder shadow, of their motions, set,)
He plaies a verse forth, so profoundly sweet;
As not the Bird that in the flowrie Spring
(Amidds the leaues set) makes the Thickets ring
Of her sowre sorrowes, sweetened with her song,
Runns her diuisions varied so, and strong.
And then the sweete-voic't Nymphs, that crowne his mountaines;
(Flockt round about, the deepe-black-watred foun­taines;
Fall in with their Contention of song.
To which, the Echoes, all the Hills along
Their repercussions add. Then here, and there
(Plac't in the midd'st) the God, the Guide doth beare
Of all their Dances; winding in, and out.
A Lynces Hide (besprinckled round about
[Page 131]With blood, cast on his shoulders. And thus He
With well-made songs, maintaines th'alacritie
Of his free minde, in silken Meddows crownde
With Hyacynths, and Saffrons; that abound
Iu sweete-breath'd Odors: that th'vnnumber'd grasse
(Besides their sents) giue as through all they passe.
And these, in all their pleasures, euer raise
The blessed Gods and long Olympus, praise:
Like zealous Hermes; who (of all) I said
Most Profits, vp, to all the Gods conuaide.
Who, likewise, came into th'Arcadian state;
(That's rich in Fountaines; and all celebrate
For Nurse of flocks.) Where, he had vowd a Groue
(Surnam'd Cyllenius) to his God-heads loue.
Yet euen himselfe (although a God he were
Clad in a squallid sheepskinn) gouernd there
A Mortalls sheepe. For soft Loue, entring him,
Conformd his state, to his conceipted Trimm.
And made him long, in an extreame degree,
T'enioy the fayre-hayrd Virgine Dryope.
Which, ere he could; she made him consummate
The florishing Rites of Hymens honord State.
And brought him, such a peece of Progenie,
As showd (at first sight) monstrous to the eye;
Gote-footed, Two-horn'd; full of noise, euen Then;
And (opposite quite to other children)
Told (in sweete laughter) he ought death no Teare.
Yet strait his Mother start; and fled, in feare
[Page 132]The sight of so vnsatisfying a Thing;
In whose face, put forth, such a bristled spring.
Yet the most vsefull Mercurie embrac't,
And tooke into his armes, his homely-fac't:
Beyond all measure ioyfull with his sight:
And vp to heauen with him, made instant flight,
Wrapt in the warme skinne, of a Mountaine Hare:
Set him by Ioue; and made most merrie fare
To all the Deities else, with his Sonnes sight;
Which, most of all, fill'd Bacchus with delight;
And Pan they call'd him, since he brought to All,
Of Mirth so rare; and full a Festiuall.
And thus, all honor to the shepherds King:
For Sacrifice to Thee, my Muse shall sing.

[Page 133]
To Vulcan.PRaise Vulcane, now Muse; whom Fame giues the Prise,
For Depth, & Facture, of al Fordge deuise;
Who, with the skie-eyd Pallas, first did giue
Men, rules of buildings, that before did liue,
In Caues, and Denns; and Hills like sauage Beasts:
But now, by Art-fam'd Vulcans Interests
In all their ciuill Industries; waies cleare
Through th'All-things-bringing-to-their-Ends, (the yeare)
They worke out to their Ages ends; at ease
Lodg'd in safe Roofes, from Winters vtmost prease.
But Vulcan; stand propitious to Me;
Virtue safe, granting, and Felicitie.

[Page 134]

To Phoebus.

O Phoebus! Euen the Swann from forth her wings,

(Iumping her proyning-banck) thee sweetly sings,

By bright Peneus, whirle-pit-making-streames.

Thee, that thy Lute; mak'st sound so to thy Beames.

Thee, first and last, the sweete-voic't singer, still

Sings; for thy songs-all-songs-transcending skill.

Thy Pleasure then; shall my song still supply:

And so salutes thee, King of Po [...]sie.

[Page 135]
To Neptune.NEptune, the mighty Marine God, I sing;
Earths mouer; & the fruitles Oceans king.
That Helicon, and th'Aegan Deepes dost hold.
O thou Earth-shaker; Thy Command, two-fold
The Gods haue sorted; making thee, of Horses
The awfull Tamer; and of Nauall Forces
The sure Preseruer. Haile (O Saturns Birth)
Whose gracefull greene bayre, circkles all the Earth.
Beare a benigne minde; and thy helpfull hand,
Lend All, submitted, to thy drad Command.

[Page]

[Page 137]

To Ioue.

IOue, now I sing; the greatest, & the best,

Of al these Powrs, that are with Deitie blest.

That farr-off, doth his dreadfull Voice, diffuse;

And (being King of All) doth all conduce

To all their Ends. Who (shut from all-Gods else

With Themis; that the lawes of all things tells)

Their fit Composures, to their Times doth call;

Wedds them together; and preserues This All. (geuen;

Grace then (O farr-heard Ioue) the grace t'hast

Most glorious, & most great of Earth & Heauen.

[Page 138]
To Vesta.VEsta, that (as a seruant) Ouersees
King Phoebus hallowd house: in all degrees
Of Guide about it; on the sacred shore
Of heauenly Pythos: and hast euermore
Rich balms distilling from thy Odorous hayre;
Grace this House, with thy huswifely repaire.
Enter, and bring a Minde that most may moue,
Conferring, euen the great in counsailes, Ioue:
And let my verse taste, of your eithers loue.

[Page 139]

TO THE MVSES AND APOLLO.

THe Muses Ioue, and Phoebus, now I sing;

For from the farr-off-shooting Phoebus, spring

All Poets, and Musitions; and from Ioue

Th'Ascents of Kings. The Man, the Muses loue,

Felicitie blesses; Elocutions choice

In Syrrup lay'ng, of sweetest breath, his voice.

Haile (Seede of Ioue) my song, your honors, giue;

And so, in Mine, shall yours, and others, liue.

[Page 140]
To Bacchus.IVie-Crown'd Bacchus, Iterate in thy Praises,
(O Muse) whose Voice, all loftiest
Echoes raises;
And He with all th'illustrous seede of Ioue;
Is ioinde in honor: being the fruite of Loue
To him, and Semele-the-great-in-graces:
And from the King, his Fathers kinde embraces,
By faire-hayrde Nymphs, was taken to the Dales
Of Nyssa; and with curious Festiuals
Giuen his faire Grought; far from his Fathers view,
In Caues, from whence, eternall Odors flew.
And in high number of the Deities plac't;
Yet, when the many-Hymne-giuen God, had past
His Nurses Cares; in Iuies, and in Baies
All ouer Thicketed; his varied waies
To syluan Couerts, euermore he tooke
With all his Nurses; whose shrill voices shooke
[Page 141]Thickets, in which, could no footes Entrie fall;
And he himself made Captaine of them All.
And so (O Grape-abounding Bacchus) be
Euer saluted by my Muse, and Me.
Giue vs to spend with spirit, our Howres out here;
And euery Howre, extend to many a Yeare.

[Page]
[Page 143]
To Diana.DIana, (that the Golden Spyndle, moues;
And loftie soundes, as wel as Bacchus loue [...]
A bashfull Virgine, and of fearefull hearts
The Death-affecter, with delighted Darts;
By Sire, and Mother, Phoebus Sister borne;
Whose Thigh, the Golden Falchion doth adorne)
I sing; who, likewise, ouer Hills of shade,
And Promontories, that vast windes inuade,
(Amorous of Hunting) bends her all-gold Bowe;
And sigh-begetting Arrows doth bestowe,
In fates so dreadfull; that the Hill-Tops quake;
And Bristlde woods, their leauie foreheads shake;
Horrors inuade Earth; and fishie Seas
Impassiond furies; nothing can appease
The dying Braies of Beasts; and her Delight
In so much Death, affects so with affright,
Euen all inanimate natures. For while shee
Her sports applies; Their generall Progenie
[Page 148]Shee all waies, turnes vpon, to All their Banes:
Yet, when her fierie Pleasures finde their wanes;
(Her yeelding Bowe vnbent) to th'ample House
(Seated in Delphos, rich, and Populous)
Of her deare Brother, her Retreats aduance.
Where, Th'Instauration of delightsome Dance
Amongst the Muses, and the Graces, shee
Giues forme; In which, her selfe the Regencie
(Her vnbent Bowe hung vp; and casting on
A gracious Robe) assumes; and first sets gone
The Dances Entrie; to which, all send forth
Their heauenly voices; and aduance the worth
Of her faire-anckl'd Mother; since, to light
Shee Children brought, the farr most exquisite
In Counsailes, and Performances; of all
The Goddesses, that grace the heauenly Hall.
Haile then, Latona's faire-hayrd seede, & Ioues;
My song shall euer, call to Minde your Loues.

[Page 149]
To Pallas.PAllas-Minerua's Deitie, the renown'd:
My Muse, in her variety, must resound;
Mightie in counsailes; whose Illustrous Eyes,
In all resemblance, represent the skies.
A reuerend Maid of an inflexible Minde:
In Spirit, and Person, strong: of Triple kinde;
Fautresse of Citties, that iust Lawes maintaine;
Of Ioue-the-great-in-counsailes, very Braine
Tooke Prime existence: his vnbounded Brows,
Could not containe her; such impetuous Throw's
Her Birth gaue way to; that abrode she flew,
And stood in Gold arm'd, in her Fathers view,
Shaking her sharpe Lance: all Olympus shooke
So terriblie beneath her; that it tooke
Vp, in amazes, all the Deities there.
All Earth resounded, with vociferous Feare.
The Sea was put vp, all in purple Waues;
[Page 150]And settld sodainly, her rudest Raues.
Hyperions radiant Sonne, his swift-hou'd Steedes,
A mighty Tyme staid; till her arming weedes,
As glorious as the Gods, the blew-eyd Maid
Tooke from her Deathlesse shoulders: but then staid
All these distempers; and heauens counsailor, Ioue,
Reioic't that all things else, his stay, could moue.
So I salute thee still; and still in Praise
Thy Fame, and others, shall my Memorie raise.

[Page 151]
To Vesta, and Mercurie.VESta I sing, who, in Bequest of Fate,
Art sorted out, an euerlasting State
In all th'Immortals high-built roofes, & all
Those of Earth-dwelling Men: As generall
And ancient honors, giuen thee for thy gift
Of free-liu'd Chastitie; and precious Thrift.
Nor can there amongst Mortalls, Banquets be;
In which, both first and last, they giue not Thee
Their endlesse Gratitudes, in pourd-out wine;
As gracious sacrifice, to thy diuine
And vsefull virtues; being inuok't by All,
Before the least Taste of their Festiuall
In wine or foode, affect their appetites.
And thou, that of th'adorn'd with all Delights,
Art the most vsefull Angell: borne a God
Of Ioue, and Maia; of Heauens golden Rodd
The sole Sustainer; and hast powre to blesse
[Page 152]With All good, All Men (great Argicides)
Inhabit all Good houses; see'ng no wants
Of mutuall mindes loue, in Th'inhabitants.
Ioine in kinde blessing with the bashfull Maid
And all-lou'd Virgin, Vesta; eithers aid
Combin'd in euery Hospitable House:
Both being best seene, in all the gracious
House-works of Mortalls. Iointly follow then
Euen from their youths, the mindes of dames and men.
Haile then, ould Daughter of the ouldest God,
And thou great bearer of Heauens golden Rodd?
Yet not to you, alone, my vowes belong;
Others as well, claime T'Homage of my song.

[Page 153]
TO EARTH THE Mother of all.MOther of all things, the well-founded Earth,
My Muse shall memorise; who al the birth
Giues foode, that al her vpper regions breede;
All that in her diuine diffusions feede
In vnder Continents: All those that liue
In all the Seas; and All the ayre doth giue
Wing'd expeditions; Of thy bounties eate
Faire Children, and faire fruites, thy labors sweate;
(O great in reuerence:) and referd to thee
For life, and death, is all the Pedigree
Of Mortall humanes. Happie then is He
Whom the innate Propensions of thy Minde
Stand bent to honor. He shall all things finde
[Page 154]In all abundance: All his Pastures yield
Herds in all plenties: All his roofes are fill'd
With rich possessions: He, in all the swaie
Of Lawes best orderd, cuts out his owne way
In Citties shining with delicious Dames;
And takes his choice of all those striuing Flames.
High happinesse, and riches, (like his Traine)
Follow his Fortunes; with delights that raigne
In all their Princes. Glorie inuests his Sonnes;
His Daughters, with their croun'd selections
Of all the Cittie, frolick through the Meades;
And euery one, her calld-for Dances treads
Along the soft-flowre of the clauer Grasse.
All this, with all those, euer comes to passe,
That thy loue blesses, Goddesse full of grace,
And treasurous Angell t'all the humane Race.
Haile then, Great Mother of the Deified kinde;
Wife to the Cope of Starrs? sustaine a Minde
Propitious to me, for my Praise; and giue
(Answering my minde) my vows fit Meanes to liue.

[Page 155]
To the Sun.THe radiant Suns diuine renowne, diffuse
(Ioues Daughter, great Calliope my Muse)
Whom Ox-ey'd Euryphaessa gaue Birth,
To the bright seede of starrie Heauen and Earth.
For the farr-fam'd Hyperion tooke to Wife
His sister Euryphaessa; that life
Of his high Race, gaue, to these louely Three,
Aurora with the Rosie-wrists, and shee
That ownes th'enamouring tresses (the bright Moone)
Together, with the neuer-wearied Sunne.
Who, (his Horse mounting) giues, both Mortalls light
And all Th'immortalls. Euen to horror, bright
A blaze burns from his Golden Burgonet
Which to behold, exceeds the sharpest set
Of any eyes intention: Beames so cleare
It allwaies powres abroade. The glorious cheare
Of his farr-shining Face, vp to his Crowne,
[Page 156]Casts circular Radiance: that comes streaming downe
About his Temples; his bright Cheekes, and all
Retayning the refulgence of their Fall.
About his bosome flowes so fine a Weede
As doth the thynnesse of the winde exceede
In rich context: beneath whose deepe folds flie
His Masculine Horses, round about the skie;
Till in this Hemisphere, he renders staie
T'his gold-yo'kt Coch, and Coursers: and his way
(Let downe by Heauen) the heauenly Cocheman makes
Downe to the Ocean, where his rest he takes.
My Salutations then, faire King, receiue,
And, in propitious returnes Relieue
My life with Minde-fit means; & then from Thee
And all the race of compleate Deitie
My song shall celebrate those halfe-God states,
That yet, sad deaths condicion circulates.
And whose braue Acts, the Gods shew men, that they
As braue may ayme at; since they can but die.

[Page 157]
To the Moone.THe Moone, now Muses, teach me to resound,
Whose wide wings measure such a world of ground.
Ioues Daughter, deckt with the mellifluous Tongue;
And seene in All, the sacred Art of Song.
Whose deathles Brows, when shee from Heauen dis­plaies,
All Earth she wraps vp, in her Orient Raies.
A Heauen of Ornament in Earth is rais'd,
When her Beames rise. The subt'le Ayre is sais'd
Of delicate splendor, from her Crowne of Gold;
And when her siluer Bosome is extoll'd,
Washt in the Ocean; In Daies equall'd Noone,
Is Mid-night seated: but when shee puts on
Her farr-off-sprinckling-Luster-Euening weedes;
(The Moneth in two cut: her high-brested Steedes;
Man'de All with curl'd flames; put in Coch and All,
Her huge Orb fill'd) her whole Trimms Then exhall
Vnspeakable splendors, from the glorious skie.
[Page 158]And, out of that State, Mortall Men implie
Many Praedictions. And, with Her then
(In Lo [...] mixt) lay, the King of Gods and Men;
By whom, (made fruitfull) she Pandaea bore,
And added her State, to th'immortall Store.
Haile, queene, & Goddesse, th'iuorie-wristed Moone
Diuine, Prompt; faire-hayr'd. With thy grace begun
My Muse shall forth, and celebrate the praise
Of Men whose states, the Deities did raise
To Semideities: whose deedes t'endlesse Date
Muse-lou'd, and sweete-sung Poets celebrate.

[Page 159]
TO CASTOR AND POLLVX.IOues faire Sonnes, Father'd by Th'Oebalian King,
Muses-well-worth-All Mens behol­dings, sing:
The Deare Birth, that Bright-Anckl'd Laeda bore;
Horse-taming Castor; and the Conqueror
Of Tooth-tongu'd▪ Momus (Pollux:) whom beneath
St [...]epe-Browd Taygetus, she gaue half-God breath;
In Loue mixt with the black-cloudes King of heauen:
Who, both of Men and ships, (being Tempest driuen,
When Winters wrathfull Empire, is in force
Vpon th'Implacable Seas) preserue the course.
For when the Gusts beginn; (if nere the shore)
[Page 160]The Sea-Men leaue their ship; and (euermore
Bearing two milke-white Lambs aboard;) they now
Kill them ashore, and to Ioues Issue vow,
When, though their ship (in height of all the rore
The windes and waues confound) can liue no more,
In all their hopes; then sodainely appeare
Ioues sauing Sonnes; who both their Bodies beare
Twixt yellowe wings, downe from the sparkling Pole.
Who strait, the rage of those rude Winds controle,
And all the high-waues couch into the Brest
Of T'hoarie Seas. All which sweete signes of rest
To Sea-Mens labors, their glad soules conceiue,
And End to all their yrckesome grieuance giue.
So (once more) to the swift-horse-riding Race
Of Royall Tyndarus, eternall Grace.

[Page 161]

TO MEN OF Hospitalitie.

REuerence a Man, with vse Propitious,

That Hospitable rights wants; and a house,

(You of this Cittie, with the seate of State

To Ox-eyd Iuno vowd) yet situate

Nere Pluto's Region. At the extreame Base

Of whose so high-hayrd Cittie; from the Race

Of blew-wau'd Hebrus louely Fluent (grac't

With Ioues begetting) you diuine Cups Tast.

[Page]

[Page 163]

Certaine Epigramms AND OTHER POEMS of Homer. To Cuma.

LEnd hospitable Rights, and house-respect,

You that the Virgine with the faire eys deckt,

Make Fautresse of your stately-seated Towne:

At foot of Sardes, with the high-haird Crowne,

Inhabiting rich Cuma: where ye Taste

Of Hermus heauenly Fluent; all embrac't

By curld-head whyrlpits: And whose waters moue

From the diuine seede, of immortall Ioue.

[Page 164]

IN HIS RETVRNE To Cuma.

SWiftlie my feete sustaine me to the Towne,

Where Men inhabit, whom due Honors Crowne:

Whose Mindes with free-giuen faculties, are mou'd;

And whose graue Counsailes, best of Best approu'd.

[Page 165]
VPON THE SEPVLCHER OF MIDVS, Cut in Brasse, in the FIGVRE OF A VIRGINE.A Maid of Brasse, I am, Inf [...]ixed here
T'Eternise Honest Midus Sepulcher.
And while the streame, her fluent seede receiues;
And steepe trees curle their verdant brows with leaues;
While Phoebus, rais'd aboue the Earth giues sight;
And T'humorous Moone, takes Luster from his light;
While floods beare waues; and Seas shall wash the shore;
At this his Sepulcher, whom all deplore,
I'le constantly Abide; All passers by
Informing; Here, doth Honest Midus Lie.

[Page 166]
CVMA REFVSING HIS OFFER T'ETERNISE THEIR STATE, THOVGH BROVGHT THITHER by the Muses.O To what Fate, hath father Ioue giuen O're
My friendles life; borne euer to be Pore?
While in my Infant state, he pleas'd to saue Mee;
Milke, on my reuerend Mothers knees, he gaue Me▪
In delicate, and curious Nurserie.
Aeolian Smyrna, seated neare the Sea;
(Of glorious Empire; and whose bright sides
Sacred Meletus siluer Current glides)
Being natiue Seate to me. Which (in the force,
Of farr-past Time) the Breakers of wilde Horse;
(Phriconias Noble Nation) girt with Towres:
Whose Youth in fight, put on with fiery Powres.
From hence, (the Muse-maids, Ioues illustrous seed [...]
[Page 167]Impelling me) I made impetuous speede;
And went with them to Cuma; with Intent
T'Eternise all the sacred Continent
And State of Cuma. They (in proud Ascent
From off their Bench) refus'd with vsage fierce
The sacred voice which I auerre, is Verse.
Their follies yet, and madnesse borne by Me
Shall by some Powre, be thought on futurely;
To wreake of him whoeuer, whose tongue sought
With false empaire, my fall. What fate, God brought
Vpon my Birth, Iile beare with any paine;
But vndeseru'd Defame; vnfelt, sustaine.
Nor feeles my Person (deare to me, though Pore)
Any great lust, to linger, any more
In Cuma's holy Highwaies: but my Minde
(No thought empaird, for cares of any kinde
Borne in my body) rather vowes to trie
The Influence of any other skie,
And spirits of People; bredd in any Land▪
Of ne're so slender, and obscure Command.

[Page 168]

AN ASSAIE OF HIS BEGVNNE ILIADS.

I Lion, and all, the braue-Horse-breeding Soile

(Dardania) I sing; that many a Toile

Impos'd vpon the Mighty Grecian Powrs,

Who were of Mars, the manlie Seruitours.

[Page 169]

TO THESTORS SONNE▪ Inquisitiue of HOMER,¹ ABOVT THE CAVSES OF THINGS.

THestorides? Of all the skills vnknowne

To errant Mortals; there remains not One,

Of more inscrutable Affaire, to finde

Than is the true State of a humane Minde.

[Page]
[Page 171]
To Neptune.HEare Powreful Neptune, that shak'st Earth in Ire;
King of the great Greene, where dance All the Quire
Of faire-hayr'd Helicon; giue pro­sperous Gales
And good passe, to these Guiders of our sailes:
Their Voyage rendring happily directed,
And their Returne, with no ill Fate affected.
Grant, likewise, at rough Mimas lowest rootes,
(Whose strength, vp to her Tops, praerupt rocks shootes)
My Passage safe arriuall; and that I
My bashfull disposition may applie
To Pious Men; and wreake my selfe vpon
The Man whose verball circumuention
In Me, did wrong, t'Hospitious Ioues whole state,
And T'Hospitable Table violate.

[Page]

[Page 173]

To the Cittie Erythraea.

WOrshipfull Earth; giuer of all things good?

Giuer of, euen Felicitie; whose flood

The Minde all-ouer steepes, in honey Dewe.

That, to some Men, dost infinite kindenesse shew;

To others that despise thee, art a Shrew.

And giu'st them Gamesters galls; who, once, their Maine

Lost with an ill cāhce; fare like Abiects slaine.

[Page 174]
To Mariners.YE waue-trod Watermen; As ill as shee
That all the Earth in Infelicitie
Of Rapine plunges. Who vpon youre Fare
As steru'd-like-rauenous, as Cormorants are.
The liues ye leade, (but in the worst Degree)
Not to be enuied, more then Misery.
Take shame, and feare the Indignation
Of him that Thunders from the highest Throne
(Hospitious Ioue) who, at the Back, prepares
Paines of abhord effect, of him that dares
The Pieties breake, of his Hospitious squares.

[Page 175]
The Pine.ANy Tree else, beares better Fruit then Thee,
That Idas Tops sustaine; where euery Tree
Beares vp in aire, such perspirable Heights,
And in which, Ca [...]s, and sinuous Receipts
Creepe, in such great abundance. For, about
Thy rootes (that euer, all thy Fruites put out
As nourisht by them, equall with thy Fruites)
Poure Mars his Iron-Mines their accust pursuites.
So that when any Earth-encroching Man
Of all the Martiall Broode Cebrenian;
Plead neede of Iron; They are certaine still,
About thy Rootes, to satiate euery Will.

[Page 176]

TO GLAVCVS: WHO WAS SO MISERABLIE, SPARING; THAT HE FEARED ALL MENS ACCESSE TO HIM

GLaucus? though wise enough; yet one word more,

Let my aduice add, to thy wisedomes store▪

For t'will be better so. Before thy Dore

Giue still thy Mastifs Meate; that will be sure

To lie there, therefore, still; and not endure

(With way-laid eares) the softest foot can fall;

But Men, and Beasts, make fly Thee and thy stall.

[Page 177]

AGAINST THE SAMIAN MINISTRESSE OR NVNNE.

HEare Me (O goddesse) that inuoke thine eare:

Thou that dost feede, and forme the youthfull Yeare.

And grant that this Dame, may the loues refuse

And Beds of Young Men; and affect to vse

Humanes whose Temples, hoary hayres distaine;

Whose Powrs are passing coye; whose Wils would faine.

[Page]

[Page 179]

WRITTEN ON THE COVNSAILE Chamber.

OF Men; Sonnes are the Crownes, of Citties Towres:

Of Pastures, Horse, are the most bewtious Flowres:

Of Seas, ships are the Grace; and Money still

With Traines, and Titles, doth the Family fill.

But Royall Counsailors; in Counsaile set,

Are Ornaments past All, as clearely great;

As Houses are that shining fires enfolde,

Superior farr, to Houses nak't and colde.

[Page]
[Page 201]
THE FORNACE CALL'D IN TO SING BY POTTERS.IF ye deale freely (O my fierie Friends,
As ye assure) I'le sing, and serue your Ends.
Pallas: Vouchsafe thou here, inuok't Accesse;
Impose thy hand vpon this Fordge; and blesse
All Cups these Artists earne so; that they may
Looke black still with their depth; and euery way,
Giue all their Vessels a most sacred Sale.
Make all well burn'd; and Estimation call
Vp to their Prices. Let them marcket well;
[Page 202]And, in all high-waies, in abundance sell.
Till Riches to their vtmost wish arise;
And as thou mak'st them rich; so make me wise.
But if ye now, turne all to Impudence;
And think to pay with lies, my Pacience;
Then will I summon gainst your Fornace, All
Hells harmefull'st spirits; Maragus, I'le call;
Sabactes, Asbett, and Omadamus,
Who, ylls against your Art, Innumerous
Excogitates, supplies, and multiplies.
Come Pallas then; and all command to rise:
Infesting Fordge, and house with fire, till All
Tumble together, and to Ashes Fall:
These Potters selues, dissolu'd in Teares as small.
And as a Horse-cheeke, chides his foming Bit
So let this Fordge, murmure in fire, and flit;
And all this stuffe, to ashie ruines runne.
And thou (O Circe) Daughter of the Sunne;
Great-many-Poison Mixer; come; and poure
Thy cruell'st Poisons, on this Potters floore;
Shiuering their vessells; and themselues affect
With all the Mischiefes possible to direct
Gainst all their Beings, vrdg'd by all thy feends.
Let Chiron, likewise come; and all those friends
(The Centaures) that Alcides fingers fled,
And All the rest too, that his hand strooke dead
(Their Ghosts excited;) come and macerate
These Earthen Men; and yet with further Fate
[Page 203]Affect their Fornace; All their teare-burst Eyes
Seeing, and mourning for their Miseries.
While I looke On, and laugh their blasted Art,
And them to Ruine. Lastly; if, apart,
Any lies lurking, and sees yet; his Face
Into a Cole, let th'angrie fire embrace;
That all may learne by them; in all their lust
To dare Deedes Great; to see them great and Iust.

[Page]
[Page 205]
EIRESIONE OR The Oliue Branch.THe Turrets of a Man of infinite Might;
Of infinite Action; substance Infinite,
Wee make accesse to; whose whole Being rebounds
From Earth to Heauen; & nought but Blisse resounds.
Giue entrie then, ye Dores; more riches yet
Shall enter with me; All the Graces met
In ioy of their fruition: perfect Peace
Confirming All; All crown'd with such encrease,
That euery emptie Vessell in your House
May stand repleate, with all thing precious.
Elaborate Ceres, may your Larders fill
With all deare Delicates; and serue in still.
May, for your Sonne, a Wife make wisht approch,
[Page 206]Into your Towrs; and rapt in, in her Coch
With strong-kneed Mules. May yet, her state proue staid
With honord Huswiferies: Her faire hand laid
To artfull Loomeworks; and her nak't feet treade
The Gumme of Amber, to a Golden Beade.
But I'le returne; Returne; and yet not presse
Youre bounties now assaid, with oft Accesse;
Once a yeere, onely; as the Swallow prates,
Before the welthie Springs wide open Gates.
Meane time I stand at yours: nor purpose stay
More time t'entreate. Giue, or not giue; away
My feet shall beare me; that did neuer come,
With any thought, to make your House, my Home.

[Page 207]

TO CERTAINE FISHER-BOYES PLEASING HIM WITH INGENIOVS RIDDLES.

YEt from the bloods, euen of your-selfe-like sires,

Are you descended; that could make ye heires

To no huge hords of Coine; nor leaue ye Able

To feede Flocks of innumerable Rabble.

The end of all the endlesse works of Homer.

[Page]
[Page]
THe Worke that I was borne to doe, is done.
Glory to him, that the Conclusion
Makes the beginning of my life: and Neuer
Let me be said to li [...]e, till I liue Euer▪
Where's the outliuing of my Fortunes then,
Ye errant vapors of F [...]mes Lernean Fenn?
That (like possest stormes) blast all; not in Herde
With your abhorr'd heads: who▪ because casher'de
By Men, for Monsters; thinck Men, Monsters All,
That are not of your pyed Hood, and your Hall.
When you are nothing but the scumm of things,
And must be cast off: Droues, that haue no stings,
Nor any m [...]re soule, then a stone hath wings.
Auant ye Haggs; your Hates, and Scandalls are,
The Crownes, and Comforts of a good Mans Care;
By whose impartiall Perpendiculare;
All is extuberance, and excretion All,
That you your Ornaments, and glories call.
Your wrie Mouthes censure right? your blister'd Tongues,
That licke but itches? and whose vlce [...]ous Lungs
Come vp at all things permanent, and sound?
O you (like flies in Dreggs) in Humors droun'd;
Your loues, like Atoms, lost in gloomie Ayre;
I would not retriue with a wither'd Haire.
Hate, and cast still your stings then; for your kisses
Betray but Truth; and your Applaud's, are Hisses.
[Page]To see our supercilious wizerds frowne;
Their faces falne like Foggs; and coming downe,
Stincking the Sunn out; make me shine the more:
And like a checkt flood, beare aboue the shore,
That their prophane Opinions faine would set,
To what they see not; know not; nor can let.
Yet then, our learn'd Men, with their Torrents come
Roring from their forc't Hills, all crown'd with  [...]ome,
That one not taught like them, should learne to know
Their Greeke rootes, & from thence the Groues that grow,
Casting such rich shades, from great Homers wings:
That first, and last, command the Muses springs.
Though he's best Scholler, that through paines and vows;
Made his owne Master onely; all things know's.
Nor pleades my poore skill; forme; or learned Place;
But dantlesse labor, constant Prayer, and Grace.
And what's all their skill, but vast varied reading?
As if brode-beaten High-waies had the leading
To Truths abstract, and narrow Path, and Pit?
Found in no walke, of any worldly wit.
And without Truth; all's onely sleight of hand,
Or our Law-learning, in a Forraine Land;
Embroderie spent on Cobwebs, Braggart show
Of Men that all things learne; and nothing know.
For Ostentation, humble Truth still flies,
And all confederate fashionists, defies.
And as some sharpe-browd Doctor, (English borne;)
In much learn'd Latine Idioms can adorne
[Page]A verse with rare Attractions▪ yet become
His English Muse, like an  [...]ach [...]ean in Loome,
Wrought spight of Pallas; and therein be [...]raies
More tongue then truth, beggs, and adopts his Bayes;
So Ostentation, hee bee neuer so
Larded with labour, to suborne his showe;
Shall soothe within him, but a bastard soule,
No more Heauen heyring, then Earths sonne the Moule.
But as in dead Calmes, emptiest smokes arise
Vncheckt, and free; vp, strait into the skies;
So drousie Peace, that in her humor steepes
All she affects, lets such rise while she sleepes.
Many, and most Men, haue of wealth least store,
But None the gracious shame that fits the Pore;
So most learn'd Men, enough are Ignorant;
But few the grace haue, to confesse their want,
Till Liues, and Learnings, come concomitant.
For from Mens knowledges▪ their Liues-Acts flowe▪
Vaine glorious Acts then, vaine proue all they know.
As Night, the life-enclining starrs, best showes;
So liues obscure, the starriest soules disclose.
For me; let iust Men iudge by what I show
In Acts expos'd, how much I erre, or knowe▪
And let not Enuie, make all worse then nought
With her meere headstrong, and quite braineles thought:
Others, for doing nothing; giuing All;
And bounding all worth in her bursten Gall.
God and my deare Redeemer, rescue Me
[Page]From Mens immane, and mad Impietie;
And by my life and soule, (sole knowne to them)
Make me of Palme, or Yew, an Anadem.
And so, my sole God, the thrice sacred Trine,
Beare all th'Ascription, of all Me and Mine.
2
Sine honore viuam, Nulloque Numero ero.
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