Humours heau'n on earth with the ciuile warres of death and fortune. As also the triumph of death: or, the picture of the plague, according to the life; as it was in anno Domini. 1603. / By Iohn Dauies of Hereford.

Humours heau'n on earth with the ciuile warres of death and fortune. As also the triumph of death: or, the picture of the plague, according to the life; as it was in anno Domini. 1603. / By Iohn Dauies of Hereford.

Table of contents

Title page

§

¶To the right Noble, Algernon, Lord Percy, ſonne and heire apparant to the right Honorable Henry Earle of Northumberland.

To the good Knight, and my much honored Scholler, Sir Philip Carey.

To the right worſhipfull my deere Scholler Sir Humfrey Baskeruile of Earſley, Knight: And the no leſſe louely than vertuous Lady his Wife.

To my deere, meeke, modest, and intirely beloued Miſtris Elizabeth Dutton, Miſtris Mary, and Mistris Vere Egerton, three Sisters of hopefull destenies, be all Grace and good Fortune.

To my worthy, and worthily beloued Scholer, Thomas Bodenham Eſquier, ſonne and heire apparant of Sir Roger Bodenham of Rotherwas, Knight of the Bathe.

The laſt Booke (being a Picture according to the Life) dedicated To the no leſſe high in Birth, then honorable in Diſpoſition (right noble in either) the Ladie Dorothie, and Ladie Lucy Percies.

To my beloued Maſter, Iohn Dauies.

To mine entirely beloued, Master Iohn Dauies of Hereford.

To the Reader in praiſe of the Author.

Humours Heauen on Earth.

THE SECOND TALE: Containing, The Ciuile Warres of Death and Fortune.

The Triumph of DEATH: OR, The Picture of the Plague: According to the Life, as it was in Anno Domini. 1603.

§

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Humours Heau'n on Earth; With The Ciuile Warres of Death and Fortune.

As alſo The Triumph of Death: Or, The Picture of the Plague, according to the Life; as it was in Anno Domini. 1603.

By Iohn Dauies of Hereford.

O! t'is a ſacred kinde of Excellence,

That hides a rich truth in a Tales pretence!

Printed at London by A. I. 1609.

§

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[figure]

¶To the right Noble, Algernon, Lord Percy, ſonne and heire apparant to the right Honorable Henry Earle of Northumberland.

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THrice Noble, and more hopefull Pupill I

(Who learnes thy Hand to ſhew thy Hearts conceits

Would make thy heart, before it Vice doth trie,

To know her Lures, to ſhunne her ſlie deceits.

But, in the Prime but of thy Pupillage

Before the ioynts of Iudgement can be knit,

(Although for Wit thou mai'st be Wiſedomes Page)

Vice throwes her Lures aboue thy reach of Wit.

But yet when Time ſhall throwly cloſe thy Mould,

Wherein all rare Conceits ſtill cast ſhall bee,

Then ſhalt thou (with cleere eies) darke lines behold,

That leade thee to all knowledge fit for thee.

And, ſith that Childhood more in Tales delights

Then ſaddest Truths; Ile tell thee merry Tales,

Of Lords and Ladies, with their merry Knights,

Their merry Bliſſes, and their ſory Bales.

The outſide of theſe Tales are painted o're

With colours rich, to pleaſe thine eagre ſence;

But, lin'd with naked Truth (yet richly poore)

More fit for thy more rich Intelligence.

When thou canst cracke this Nut, within the Shell

[Page]Thou ſhalt a Kernell finde will pleaſe thy Taste;

The Pallate of thy Wit will like it well,

When thou ſhalt ſwallow it, for ioy, in haste.

Then make this Nut a whirligigge the while,

To make thee merry (if thou canst be ſo)

To ſee the turning of our Sports to toile,

Wherein obſerue how pleaſures come and go:

For, as a whirligigge doth turne ſo fast,

That ſharpest ſights the fruit do ſcarſe perceiue:

So can no Pallate fruits of Pleaſure taste

When they are come, ſo ſoone they take their leaue!

Read [...] little Lord, this Riddle learne to reede;

So, firſt appoſe; then, tell it to thy Pecres:

So ſhall they hold thee (both in Name and Deed)

A perfect Pierc-ey that in darkeneſſe cleeres.

A Pierc-ey, or a pi [...]rcing Eie doth ſh [...]w

Both Wit and Courage; and, if thou wilt learne

By morall Tales ſinnes mortall to eſchew,

Thou ſhalt be wiſe, and endleſſe glorie earne:

That ſo thou mai'st, the meanest Tutors praiſe;

So, Percies fame ſhall pierce the Eie of Daies:

Then, by thoſe Raies my Pen (inflam'd) ſhall runn [...]

Beyond the Moone, to make thy Moone a Sunne!

Meane while, and euer, I reſt preſt to honour thee with my poore vttermoſt, Iohn Dauies.

To the good Knight, and my much honored Scholler, Sir Philip Carey.

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SIth Death (deere Sir) hath lately beene ſo fell,

To reaue that life, than deere life deerer farre;

This record of his greater rage may quell

The leſſe (perhaps) in your particular.

Faine would I (if I could) beguile your griefe,

With telling you of others heauie harmes:

But (ah) ſuch guile giues Griefe too true reliefe,

In your true humane heart, that Pitty warmes.

Life is a Plague: for, who doth liue, must die;

Yet ſome that haue the Plague, doe ſcape aliue,

So life's more mortall than Mortalitie:

Then ſith that life (like death) doth life depriue,

You may reioyce, ſith your Adolphus liu'd,

True Vertues life, which cannot be depriu'd.

Ʋiuat post funera virtus.

As much grieu'd for your loſſe, as glad any way to ſhew his loue. Iohn Dauies.

To the right worſhipfull my deere Scholler Sir Humfrey Baskeruile of Earſley, Knight: And the no leſſe louely than vertuous Lady his Wife.

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SIth I am Lecturing my nobleſt Schollers,

(You being two) this Lecture deigne to reade;

For thogh it treats of nought but death & dollers,

Yet it with pleaſure may your paſſion feede:

For, plagues to ſee (vnplagu'd) doth Nature pleaſe,

Although good nature (gladly) grieues thereat;

As we are well-ill pleaſ'd to ſee at Seas

The wofull'ſt wracke, while we are ſafe from that.

In health to tell what ſickeneſſe we haue paſt,

Makes vs more ſoūd; for, Gladnes health defends:

O then your eies on this Plagues-Picture caſt

To glad and grieue you for glad-grieuous ends.

But my ſole End by this poore Meane to yee,

Is but to tie your Eares, and Hearts to mee,

Iohn Dauies.

To my deere, meeke, modest, and intirely beloued Miſtris Elizabeth Dutton, Miſtris Mary, and Mistris Vere Egerton, three Sisters of hopefull destenies, be all Grace and good Fortune.

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SIth on my worthieſt Schollers I doe muſe,

How ſhould my Muſe to minde you once neglect,

Sith you are ſuch? Thē, ſuch ſhe ſhuld abuſe,

Should ſhe not vſe you with all deere reſpect.

Thou virgin Widow (eldeſt of the Three)

(That hold'ſt thy widows ſtate, of Death in chief)

Death in thy youth (being faſt) hath made thee free;

Free from thy Ioy, & faſtned thee to Griefe.

But he that is the Lord of lordly Death,

Reſerues thine honor'd Sires moſt honor'd Sire

From Deaths diſpite; & while he draweth breath,

Thou (lowly Soule) art likely to aſpire.

Thy Siſters (like in Nature, as in Name,

And both in Name and Nature nought but good)

(Beloued Pupills) well may hope the ſame,

Sith of like grace there is like likelihoode.

Yet in the height of Earths felicitie,

A meeke regard vnto this Picture giue,

To minde you ſo of lifes mortalitie,

So ſhall you liue to die, and die to liue.

Meane while I hope, through your cleere Stars to ſpie

A Trinitie of Ladies ere I die.

He which (for the exerciſe of your hie humilitie) you pleaſe to call Maſter Iohn Dauies.

To my worthy, and worthily beloued Scholer, Thomas Bodenham Eſquier, ſonne and heire apparant of Sir Roger Bodenham of Rotherwas, Knight of the Bathe.

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ANd, if among them that are deere to mee,

(Remembred by my Pen, my Muſes Tongue,)

I ſhould forget to ſhew my loue to thee,

My ſelfe, but much more thee, I ſo ſhould wrong.

Nay, wrong the right which I to thee doe owe:

But neuer ſhall my loue ſo guilefull proue,

As not to pay thee ſo deſeru'd a due;

For, I confeſſe thou well deſeru'st my loue.

Thou wert my Scholer; and if I ſhould teach

So good a Pupill ſuch a Leſſon ill

(By mine example) I might ſo impeach

Mine honest fame, and quite diſgrace my skill:

But when I learne thee ſuch detested Lore,

Then loathe my loue, and learne of me no more.

Yours, as what's moſt yours, Iohn Dauies.

The laſt Booke (being a Picture according to the Life) dedicated To the no leſſe high in Birth, then honorable in Diſpoſition (right noble in either) the Ladie Dorothie, and Ladie Lucy Percies.

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GReat-little Ladies, greatly might you blame

My little care of doing as I ought,

Should I neglect to ſet your noble Name,

Firſt of thoſe Principalls whoſe hands I taught.

Yet, the more high your Birth and Places are,

The more ye ought to mind the blaſt of Breath:

As Philips Page did ſhew his Maſters care,

When moſt he flouriſht, moſt to thinke on death!

Then, with moſt bliſſe, when you tranſported be,

Looke on this Picture; ſo, perceiue ye ſhall,

We fall, like Leaues, in Autumne from the Tree,

When Heau'n puffes at Exceſſe in generall:

But from all woes exceſſe I wiſh ye may

(Throgh Heau'n on Earth) to heau'n the eaſieſt way!

Your Ladiſhips vnworthie Tutor, Iohn Dauies.

To my beloued Maſter, Iohn Dauies.

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When I thy Reaſons weigh, & meat thy Rimes,

I find they haue ſuch happy weight and meaſure,

As makes thy Lines extend to After-times,

To leade them to a Maſſe of Wiſedomes Treaſure.

With weighty Matter ſo thou load'st thy Lines,

As to dimme ſights they oft ſeeme darke as Hell;

But thoſe cleere eies that ſee their deepe deſignes,

Do ioy to ſee much Matter coucht ſo well!

But theſe thy Numbers most familiar bee;

Becauſe ſtrange Matter plainely they recount:

For which Men ſhall familiar be with thee

That know thee not; and, make thy fame to mount.

I know no Tongueſ-man more doth grace his Tong

With more materiall Lines, as ſtreight as ſtrong!

Ed: Sharphell.

To mine entirely beloued, Master Iohn Dauies of Hereford.

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IN all thy Writings thou haſt ſuch a Vaine,

As but thy ſelfe thy ſelfe canſt counterfet;

Which, lying farre beyond the vulgar ſtraine,

Is harder well to open, then to get.

Few idle words thou haſt to anſwer for

In all thy workes; but, thou doſt merite much

(Nay ſupererogate) who doſt abhorre

Superfluous words, though thine be over-rich!

Both Words and Matter do ſo well agree,

To glorifie themſelves in either kinde,

That we muſt needs renowne both them, and thee,

Who neerely ſought (for vs) the ſame to finde:

Thy Numbers flow from ſuch a Minds exceſſe

As all ſeeme Raptures, in all happineſſe!

Ro: Cox.

To the Reader in praiſe of the Author.

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IN every Tale which ſcarffed Truth containes,

We must that Truth vnmaske to ſee her face:

Elſe ſee we but the halfe the Tale retaines;

Then ſuch (how e're well told) loſe halfe their grace.

But theſe are Tales, which (though their truth be maskt)

Tickle the itching'st Eares with wit [...]hing Touches;

And ſo ſuch Eares to listen ſtill are taskt,

By ſubtill clawing, that ſuch Eares bewitches.

Canst thou but Riddles reade, and not areede?

Theſe Riddles high (well read) ſtoope to thy reaſon:

That though they fat not Wit, yet Will they feede

With Wittes pure Salt, that Wits freſh-Sweetes doth ſeaſon:

The Fiction is for gladdest Will as fit,

As is the Morall for the ſaddest Wit.

Anth: Greys.

Humours Heauen on Earth.

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1

VPon a time (thus olde wiues Tales begin,

Then liſten Lordings to an old wiſes Tale)

There were three men, that were, & were not kin,

Kinne, as they were of the ſeue [...] deadly ſinnes, no kinne as they were different ſinnes.

(Reede me this Riddle) at the Wine or Ale,

Did ſtriue who moſt ſhould grace the deereſt Sin,

For which the daintieſt Soules are ſet to ſale:

For Soules that are moſt delicate for Senſe,

Gainſt ſtings of honied ſinnes haue leaſt defence.

2

The firſt (for firſt Ile tell you eithers name

To ſhew their natures) hight

The Glutton.

Poliphagus:

A greaſie guttes, of moſt vnweldie frame;

The ſecond named was

The Leacher.

Epithymus:

Light as a feather, apt to lighteſt game:

The third and laſt, hight

[...]he prowd, vaine, and ambitious man.

Hyſelophronus;

That ſtill lookt on himſelfe, as if he ſaw

That which the Gods did loue, and Men did awe.

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3

Nor is it vtterly impertinent

Vnto the matter ſubiect, to deſcribe

The Weedes they ware, which were as different,

As was their Names, their Natures, & their Tribe;

The Habit ſheweth how the heart is bent:

For, ſtill the Heart the Habit doth preſcribe:

And no externall ſignes can more bewray

The inwardeſt Affects then garments may.

4

Poliphagus a Sute of Satten ware,

A deſcription of the Gluttons habite.

Made wide and ſide; and yet his ſides did ſwell,

So that his Truſſe did couerſcarſe the bare,

And ſo his Panch (an homely Tale to tell)

Was fill'd with filth, that eu'ry ſtich did ſtare

Of that which caſd it; and of greaſe did ſmell:

Which ſo re-gloſſt the Sattens gloſſe, that it

Was varniſht like their vailes that turne the Spit.

5

His Buttons and the Holes, that held them faſt,

His breſtmade ſtil to ſtriue which beſt could hold

But yet that breaſt made one another braſt,

And ſo it ſelfe did ſwell as burſt it would;

Who was ſome two elles compaſſe in the waſte,

And had not ſeene his knees ſince two daies old:

No Points he vſ'd; whoſe bumme and Belly burſt,

Held vp his Sloppes, as ſtrait as they were truſſt.

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6

A paire of button'd Buskins caſd his Legges,

Which were all Calfe from Hams vnto the Heele;

And after him (like clogges) the ſame he dregges:

His Shooes were lin'd, that he no cold might feele [...]

The Soales whereof thicke Corke aſunder gegs,

Made broad (without Indents) leſt he might reele:

And ouer all, he ware a ſlabberd Gowne,

Which cloakt his Buttockes hugely ouergrowne!

7

Thus haue we caſd the Slouen, ſaue the Head;

And wittingly we doe the ſame forbeare;

Becauſe his Shoulders ſtoode in his Heads ſtead,

Which hardly did aboue their pitch appeare:

The lumpe of fleſh was all ſo ouer-fed,

As he no man, but ſome Behemoth were:

For they whoſe ioy is all in drinke and meate,

Thogh mean they be, they needs muſt be too great

8

Epithymus (the wanton) on his Crowne,

A deſcription of the Wantons Apparrell.

A Crowne of Roſes ware laſciuiouſly;

A falling Band of Cut-worke (richly ſowne)

Did his broad Shoulders quite ore-canopy:

A waſte-coate wrought with floures (as they had growne)

In colour'd ſilke, lay open to the eie:

And, as his Boſome was vnbutton'd quite,

So were his Points, vntruſſt for ends too light!

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9

His Doublet was Carnation, cut with greene

Rich Taffataes, quite through in ample Cuttes;

That ſo his Waſt-coate might, ech where be ſeene,

When luſty Dames ſhould eie this luſty Guttes:

And many Fauours hung the Cuttes betweene,

And many more, more light, in them he ſhuttes!

So that a vacant place was hardly found

About this Fancy, ſo well-fauour'd round.

10

His Hoſe was French, and did his doublet ſute,

For Stuffe and Colour; to which ſow'd there were

Silke-ſtockings, which ſate ſtrait his thighs about,

To make his leg and thigh more quaint appeere:

Their colour was, as was the vpper Sute,

Saue that the quirkes with gold and gawdie geere

Were ſo emboſſt, that as the Gallant goes,

The gloſſe did light his feete to ſaue his toes.

11

His Shooes were like to Sandalls, for they were

So caru'd aboue with many a curious Cut,

That through the ſame the ſtocking did appeere,

And in the Lachets were ſuch Ribbands put,

As ſhadow'd all the foote from Sunne well neere,

Though, in Roſe-forme, the ribband vp was ſhut:

And to make vp aright this Woman-Man,

He at his face ſtill fenced with a fan.

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12

But Hyſelophronus vnlike to him,

The Prowd-ambitious mans apparrel deſcribed.

Was richly clad, but much more graue it was;

For, he could not endure ſuch colours trim,

Yet vſ'd trimme colours to bring drifts to paſſe:

A Backe too bright, doth argue Braines too dim:

For, no ſuch Aſſe as is the golden Aſſe:

But he that State to catch, doth know the knacke,

Hides all his haughtie thoughts in humble blacke.

13

His Hat was Beauer of a middle ſiſe,

The Band, ſilke-Sipers foure-fold wreath'd about:

A ſhallow Cambricke Ruffe, with Sets preciſe,

Cloſ'd with a button'd ſtring, that ſtill hung out;

Wherewith he plai'd, while he did Plottes deuiſe;

To gull the Multitude, and rule the Rout:

His Sute was Satten, pinckt, and laced thicke,

As fit, as faire, without each peeuiſh tricke.

14

His Cloke cloth-raſh with veluet throughly lin'd,

(As plaine as Plaineneſſe) without welt, or garde,

To ſeeme, thereby, to be as plaine in Mind;

For, he to ſeeme good, ſtill had good regarde:

His rapier hilts wer blackt, which brightly ſhin'd,

A veluet Scobbard did that weapon warde:

The Hangers and the Girdle richly wrought,

With Silke of

Blacke.

pooreſt colour, deerely bought.

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15

His Stockings (ſutable vnto the ſame)

Were of blacke ſilke, and croſſe-wiſe gartered:

The Knot whereof a Roſes forme did frame,

Which neare the ham the ſable leaues did ſpred:

His Shooes were veluet, which his foote became,

Thus was he clad, from foote vnto the Head:

Who ſtill was ſtill, as one of iudgement ſtaid,

Before he heard, and poiz'd, what others ſaide.

16

While firſt (puft-panch) Poliphagus beſpake,

(But panted as he ſpake for want of winde;

And at each word his fat for feare did quake,

Leſt that winds want that fat ſhould melt, or bind,

O that (quoth he) then reached to perbrake)

Mans Necke were like a

The wiſh of Philoxenus a philoſopher.

Cranes, then ſhould we find

More pleaſure in our meat & drink, becauſe

T'would longer paſſe, with pleaſure to our mawes.

17

Eating and Drinking ſweetly eates vp Time

That eates vp all; then, feeding moſt of all

We ought to loue; for, we are made of

Geneſ. 3.15.

Slime;

Then ſhould we feed (leſt we to ſlime ſhould fall)

That ſo our fleſh, by fat, to fat ſhould climbe;

Fat Capons, Turkies, Fezants we may call

The

The Scale of Gluttony, for the p [...]nch to climbe by.

Ladders to Perfection, and t'aſcend

By ſuch Degrees, is mans perfections end.

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18

Deere

Taſte, the ſenſe wherein Men-beaſts do moſt delight.

Taſte (quoth he) the life of all my ioy),

Can they be bleſt that ſay thou bredſt our curſe,

When thou doſt ſweeten all our liues annoy,

That elſe were Hell it ſelfe, or rather worſe?

For my part, I eſteeme that

Gene. 3.6.

Tale a Toy;

And thinke that Taſte alone doth Nature nurſe:

If thou be Natures Nurſe, then ſay I dare,

Thou nurſeſt That that makes vs what we are.

19

Who are by nature Demi-gods at leaſt;

Gramercies Taſte, that mak'ſt vs ſo to be:

Man, but for thee, were farre worſe then a beaſt;

And, beaſts were worſe then nothing, but for thee:

For, man, and beaſts do toile but for the taſte;

Then if our taſte ſhould faile vs, curſt were we:

Sith both are borne to labor but for

All the labour of man is for the mouth, &c. Ecleſiaſt. 6.7.

foode;

That rather would offend; then doe vs good.

20

The mouth, & Maw are Pleaſures blisfull Bowres,

Where ſhe lies dallying with her loue Delight:

The Maw (Charibdis which Delight deuoures)

Takes frō the mouth what giu's the mēbers might;

Is That an Idol which ſuch good procures?

Or ſhould it not be

Adored.

ſeru'd by Natures right,

That keepes fraile Nature in her vitall heate,

That elſe would pine for want of taſting meate?

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21

Pſal. 34.8.

O! taſte, and ſee how ſweete the Lord; but whie

Do I enforce what

Epicures beleeue not the Soules immortalitie, and ſo no ſcripture.

forceleſſe I eſteeme?

Yet, ſith it's held for written-Veritie,

Ile ſucke ſweete from that weede, and holy ſeeme:

The ſou'raign'ſt ſenſe, enthron'd is in the Eie;

Yet Taſte, this Truth (if truth) doth better deeme:

For, taſte, and ſee, firſt taſte, and after ſee,

Implies that Taſte, of Sight hath ſou'raigntie.

22

O tis the Well from whence the Senſes drawe

Their ſummum bonum; ſweet'ſt, thogh ſhort, delite:

The right hie-way to Mirth, lies to the Mawe;

The way to mirth that cheares the fleſh, &

Good foode comforts the hart, cheeres the ſprite.

ſprite;

That warms the blood, & frozen harts doth thaw,

In ſpight of Nature, foiling Natures ſpight:

Then, who diſtaſts theſe ſweet Lauds of the Taſte,

His Taſte is ſenſleſſe, and his Wittes are waſte.

23

Aske Proofe, how all the Veines do flow with ioy

When as the Mouth takes in confected Sweetes;

Or when the Pallate doth her Powres imploy

To meet ſweet Wines, which ſhe with

Which the tong makes againſt the Pallate.

ſmacks regreets:

What hart ſo faint, that thē can feare anoy,

Though Hell itſelfe with all the Senſes meets?

Giue ſtrong drink to the damn'd, & they'l ſuſtaine,

In Paines deſpight, with eaſe, the ſpight of Paine.

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24

What Care can once but touch a merry hart,

That's merry made with precious blood of grapes?

And, who can chooſe but play a frolicke part,

That by ſtrong Sacke, frō Sorrows ſacke eſcapes:

Smart, them annoyes that feele, or thinke on ſmart,

But not thoſe that with Wine are Pleaſures rapes:

For, while they gape to let in,

They that drinke much, muſt euery way euacuate much.

out to run,

They feele, & think on nought but Healths begun.

25

Thus did this gormandizing Epicure

What we moſt loue of that we gladly heare and ſpeake.

Inſiſt in praiſe of That which Taſte commends;

And, (for winde lab'ring) labour'd paſt his powre

To make Mans gorge his god, for godleſſe ends:

When loe, Epithymus (to make it ſure)

In part approu'd his reaſons; yet he bends

His pow'r to proue the wenching practicke part,

To yeeld the ioy which moſt affects the hart.

26

Theſe Girles (quoth he) ſo they be faire, and yong,

Epithymus.

Are they alone that moſt do rauiſh Senſe;

For which, no leſſe then for our foode we long;

The praiſe of Touching.

The Touch, being furtheſt from th'Intelligence,

With much more

Touching being furtheſt remoued from the Vnderſtanding of all the ſenſes, makes it the more brutiſh.

libertie, and ioy among,

Doth play her part to proue her excellence:

It tickles all our veins with luſtful pleaſure,

Which the mean while, hath neither mean nor meſure.

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27

What Heart's ſo cold that is not ſet on fire,

With a tranſ-lucent beaming ſunne-brightface?

But, of that face to haue the hearts deſire,

The Heart cannot deſire a greater grace:

Who couets not bright Beauties golden wire,

His

Heroike ſpirites ſooneſt enthralled with loue.

Sprite is abiect, and his thoughts are baſe:

Sith thoſe wires winde about the turning thought,

And tie it to rich pleaſures dearely bought.

28

Who meets with fleſh that melts with tenderneſſe,

And melts not in Deſires ay-burning flames?

Whoſe kiſſes, ſteept in Sucket, Heau'n do preſſe

From lips

Wanton Louers moſt prophane.

diuine, too worthy for ſuch names;

Can any Eies looke into Beauties Preſſe,

And with her trimmeſt trinckets make no games?

No humane Eies (I weene) if chriſtaline,

But ioy to ſee themſelues in Eies diuine.

29

To ſee a Body more then Lilly-white,

With azur'd veines imbrodred here and there,

To ſee this blisfull Body

This Obiect makes the Soule moſt abiect.

naked quite,

And to behold Loues Hold ſome other where,

What Thing, with ioy, can more intrāce the ſight,

Sith to the ſight Loues Heauen doth appeare?

Then adde to this, a

A glauncing aluring looke.

Looke that ſaith approch,

It wil the Veſſell of all Sweetneſſe broch.

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30

O! to embrace her that embraceth all

That Beauty can embrace, is to infold

In mortall Armes, Armes ſupernaturall,

Of pow'r both

No paſſion more violent in the Soule of Man or Beaſt.

Gods and Men (inſnar'd) to hold;

And make them, as they pleaſe, to riſe, or fall,

Seruing Loues Soueraigne as Vaſſals ſhould:

For, Gods, and men do moſt obſequiouſly,

By nature, ſerue diuine Formoſitie.

31

He that orethrew what ere his ſtrength withſtood,

Hercules.

And vnderpropt the weight of Heauens frame,

Loue, made to ſpinne in weake vnmanly moode:

And He, for wiſedome, that had greateſt fame,,

Salomon.

Loue ſo, with Luſt, inflam'd his coldeſt blood:

That He a

700 wiues, and 300. concubines.

thouſand had to quench the ſame

For, no Age, Wiſedome, Pow'r, or Policie,

Haue pow'r t'impugne diuine Formoſitie!

32

Aske Mars the ſterne and ſtubberne god of warre,

How much frail Beuty made him (crouchīg) bow:

Nay aske (if men may aske) the Thunderer

The high'ſt of gods, by lordly Loue brought low)

Why he did make his manſion in a Starre,

Yet fell from heau'n an earthly

Danaae.

Dame to know,

But that both Gods and Men, moſt lowlily,

By nature, ſerue diuine Formoſitie!

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33

Giue me a Wench that hath the skill, and wit,

To let me (loue-ſicke) bloud in Luſtes right vaine;

And can, with pleaſure, eaſe me in the fit,

Yet eaſe me ſo, that Loue may ſtill complaine

Of

With Loue-tricks to make Luſtinſatiable.

heate, that is for Luſts life onely fit,

Which to the life of Loue yeelds pleaſant paine;

That can ſo humour me, and what I feele,

That ſhe may hurt me ſtill, my hurt to heale.

34

Such a Craftſ-miſtris, in the Arte of Loue,

Doth crowne the Touch with an imperiall

A laſciuious kiſſe bewitching wantons, knowne beſt to ſuch.

kiſſe;

For, ſhe makes Touching taſt ioy farre aboue

The reach of Arte to tell men what it is:

For feelinglie, ſhe can both ſtaie, and moue

About the Center of Loues boundleſſe bliſſe

Then boundleſſe is the Touches excellence

That, by a Laſſe, can ſo beheau'n the ſenſe.

35

Thus did this Orator of Lechery

Dilate the ſhortſweete of his liues delight;

Which, Hyſelophronus did not

The wicked conſpire in euill, though they vary in circumſtances.

deny,

(As though quite oppoſit) but bent his might,

To proue high'ſt bliſſe was borne of Maieſty;

Begot by Potency, right or vnright:

The greateſt ioy to Greatneſſe appertaines

For ioy doth raign (quoth he) in that which raigns.

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36

A roiall Robe, a Scepter, Mound, and Crowne

Are the true Signals of the trueſt ioy:

They neede not feare the threat of Sorrows frown

That

Soueraigne aucthority can ſilence all, vnder heauen, that inueighs againſt her inordinate pleaſures.

can confound, all cauſers of anoy:

The hand of Maieſty puts vp, and downe

The meanes of mirth, and thoſe that mirth deſtroy:

Hee's a rare Clarke that R [...]gnum can declyne

And Meus, Mea, Meum ad in fine.

37

What Hart is not enlarg'd, with ioy, as much

As it can hold, when pow'r is more enlarg'd

Then Earth can hold; or, on the ſame none ſuch,

When all by him, and he by none, is charg'd?

No not ſo much as with the ſmalleſt

What man ſhal ſay to the Soueraigne, What dooſt thou? without incurring his ire, which is the precurſor of Death. Prou. 16.14.

touch,

Touching his life, leſt ſuch be life-diſcharg'd:

It is the greateſt glorie of Mans ſtate,

Where the word of the King is, there is power, and who ſhall ſaie ta him, What dooſt thou? Eccleſ. 8.4.

When man, like God, doth raigne in ſpite of Hate.

38

To eate and drinke, and do the acts of luſt,

Is common vnto Beaſts, as well as Men;

What praiſe get they that do what

That which men & Beaſts by the prouocation of Nature onely.

needs they muſt;

But ſuch as ſhames the praiſed now and then?

For, ſo may men be praiſd for deedes vniuſt,

Sith Men, by nature, wrong their Bretheren:

But, to correct

To rule men well is proper to God and men onely.

Men, with directing Rods,

Is proper vnto none but Demi-gods.

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39

The Spheare of Greatnes (like the higheſt ſphere,

That turnes the neather with reſiſtleſſeſway)

Is the high'ſt ſtep to his Throne without Peere;

And, to the Sunne that makes eternall day;

Where Bliſſe abounds an euerlaſting yeare,

For which the moſt deuout doe inly

Few or none ſo mortified, but can be cō tented to liue, rather ruling then ruled.

pray:

Then, Greatnes is the great'ſt good vnder heau'n,

Which vnto none but Gods on Earth is giu'n.

40

O! how it rapts the Eie of Maieſtie,

To ſee all downe-caſt vnderneath her feete;

That may, if pleaſe her, march vpon the Hie,

Till ſhe with none, but with the Lowly meete:

Then,

Humane wiſedome.

Wiſedomes reach doth tend to Emperie;

And none but fooles neglect it as vnmeete:

It is the higheſt Note that Arte can reach,

To rule the voice when Sou'raigntie doth preach.

41

And what a glorie is't to mortall Man,

That when he bends his high-erected front,

Death in the

The lookes of ſoueraigne maieſtie doth either kill, or quicken.

foldes doth play the Artezan,

And kill, but with alooke, the higheſt Count:

Yet, with a word (like Him that all things can)

To create others, making them to mount;

Then, who hath pow'r all men to marre or make,

Muſt be a God, that life doth giue, and take.

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42

A Seepter's Circes Rod; which Men and Beaſts

Doth eaſlie tame, how wilde ſo ere they bee:

For, Birds that in the Stars doe build their neaſts,

Farre, farre aboue all Birds, of prey doe flee:

To which pitch if they mount, they ſcorch their creſts;

For, heat ſo high is in

The indignatiō of a prince is moſt mortall.

extreame degree:

Highneſſe is ſacred, and the ſacred Hie,

With their pow'rs wing aboue all perills flie!

43

O! tis a blisfull glitt'ring glorious ſtate,

Able to make Mortalitie diuine;

Which, with

Ars d [...]minabitur Astris: Wiſe kings much more.

inſpection, binds the hands of Fate,

And, like the Sunne, among the Stars doth ſhine,

Till Nature doth the Fleſh inanimate;

And in the mouthes of Men mens fames enſhrine:

Then, if in Earth be any diuine thing,

It's more then God, if it be not a King.

44

Poliphagus, though he his Intralls ſeru'd,

As if they were his Fancies Soueraignes,

Or rather Gods, by which he was preſeru'd,

Yet hee allowance to their fancie faines;

That ſo

The concord of the Euill condemns the diſcord of the Good.

fraternitie might be conſeru'd,

Which concord, in conceit, together chaines;

And, thus immod'rately doth moderate

The diffrence of the doubtfull Queſtions ſtate.

[...]

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57

But now, as wak'ned from a tedious ſleepe,

*Logus, chiefe guide of *Pſyche, their chiefe guide

(While they were plunged in all pleaſures deepe)

Thus gan their ſenſuall-ſenſleſſe Soules to chide:

Whither, O whither runne ye, ye loſt ſheepe,

Not weying in what danger ye abide?

The Blinde eates many a flie; and ſo doe you,

That chew ſweet poyſon, which ye ſhould eſchue.

58

But ere wee further proſecute her ſpeach,

We will deſcribe their Garments (as we may)

For as we ſaid the Coate and Cut do teach.

Sight to diſcerne what mood the mind doth ſway:

Logus was clad, as could no State impeach,

Sith ſhe was cloth'd with mean, thogh cleane aray:

For, ſhe with Garments farre more fit, then faire,

But ſauegard ſought from Paſſions of the Aire.

59

But, Pſyche (whom ſhe guided) like a Qu [...]ne

Was richly deckt, with ornaments diuine:

Who liu'd ſo cloſely that ſhe ſcarce was ſeene,

Yet through her Pallace did her glory ſhine,

As if at leaſt ſhe had a Goddeſſe beene;

Whoſe virtues were apparant to the Eine:

Her Ornaments were Wit, Will, Memory,

Which richly roab'd her with Regality.

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60

Vpon her ſacred Head ſhe ware a Crowne

(Like that of Ariadnes) all of Starres,

To light her feete in darke waies, and vnknowne,

And keepe the ſafeſt way in Paſſions warres;

Thoſe Starres were royall vertues of her owne

(Which ſome call Cardinall) her gard in Iarres:

Who was deckt inly with Pow'r, Grace, and Arte,

Being wholy in the whole, and in each Part.

61

Her Vnderſtandings Pow'r that Pow'r did line,

Which Heau'n and Earth religiouſly adore;

And in her Will ſhe ware Grace moſt diuine,

But in her Memory ſhe Artes did ſtore;

That made the Whole moſt gloriouſly to ſhine,

But moſt diuinely did thoſe three decore!

Affects and Fantaſies her Seruants were,

Which were all cloakt with Good, how ill ſo ere.

62

Hir prīcely train, which was of works wel wroght,

Was borne by Iudgement her chiefe Officer:

Then, Contemplation held her, as ſhe ought,

By the right Arme, ſo that ſhe could not ſteere

Frō thoſe right waies, whereon before ſhe thoght:

And double-Diligence before did cleere:

The outward Senſes her Purueiours were,

To whom the Common-ſenſe was Treaſorer.

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63

Thus were theſe two attended and araid,

Which I haue thus deſcribed by the way;

And now to proſecute what Logus ſaid

From thence where I before did make him ſtay;

Quoth hee, what meane ye thus to be betraid

By ſinfull Senſe, which ſeekes but your decay?

You are to ſeeke to know her Fallacies,

But know them not by ſeeking in this wiſe.

64

How neere to temporall and eternall death

You are (God wot) ye wot not, ne yet care;

Not weying how worlds

Worldes weale vncertaine in our life, but determines vtterly in our death.

weale waſtes with your breath,

And that your breaths within your noſtrills are;

Which to the Aire you muſt of force bequeath,

Perhaps forthwith, at leaſt ere ye beware:

If temp'rall death attach ye in this plight,

Your temp'rall daies will turne t'eternall night.

65

To yong and old Death is indifferent;

The Court and Cottage he frequents alike:

Yet, of the twaine, he Courts doth more frequent;

And loues thoſe, that do

Death is moſt familiar with thoſe that are moſt ſtrāge to him.

mind him leaſt, to ſtrike:

He wounds the luſtfull, vaine, and inſolent

With their owne weapons, quickly to the quicke:

For, euer he doth enuy lifes delight,

And makes the ſame moſt ſubiect to his might.

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66

How can vaine pleaſures pleaſe men, hauing ſenſe

To feele the ſweete and ſowre of ſinne, and grace?

For, if they feele the

The ſting of Conſciēce kil [...] our liuelieſt pleaſures of the fleſh.

ſting of Conſcience,

All pleaſures of the fleſh will giue it place:

That grieues the Will, that grieues th'Intelligence,

Which take no pleaſure in their owne diſgrace:

But ſtill the luſts offraile fleſh to fulfill,

Is to diſgrace Intelligence, and Will.

67

The obiect of the Will is perfect Good;

Which, the Intelligence to her preſents;

That neuer yet was found in roiall food,

In dainty Dames, or regall gouernments;

By

Daily proofe telles our vnderſtandings, [...]hat all worldly pleaſures are as [...]hort, as vaine, and vnſure.

Vnderſtanding theſe are vnderſtood

To yeeld but ſhort, and counterfet Contents:

If ſo they do, how madde are they the while,

That giue their pretious Soules for things ſo vile?

68

The

Salomon.

wiſeſt yet that euer breath'd this Aire

(Of ſinfull race) who in his wiſedomes might

Made proofe of all that was ſweet, great, or faire,

Yea of all pleaſures which the ſenſe delight,)

Said of them all (like Wiſedoms trueſt Heire)

They were than skumme of

Eccleſ. 1.2.

Vanitie more light:

If ſuch great Wiſedome found them to be ſuch,

They are much more thē fools that loue thē much.

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69

Aske eu'ry ſenſe what pleaſure they doe proue

In all their obiects: they muſt needes replie,

(Sith conſciēce knows it) nought to gaine our loue;

For, we loue nought but what we

Good is the obiect of loue

good do trie:

But, Proofe theſe pleaſures doe, in fine, reproue;

Sith they no ſooner liue, but ſooner die:

For, Triall knowing them to be but vaine,

Kills their delight ere we it entertaine.

70

And, Crownes are Hiues, where ſtinging cares do ſwarme;

Pomp's but the White whereat fell Enuy ſhoots:

which are as trees, whēce groes their owners harm;

Harms are the fruit; crowns, flours; & kīgdōs, roots:

The Arme of fleſh, is but a feeble Arme;

And, in ſuch ſtrong Extreames it little bootes:

He knowes not yet the nature of a Crowne,

That knows not none may call the ſame his

Our Crowne ſaith the Soueraigne.

owne.

71

What bootes a purple Robe, when purple blood

Doth iſſue from the wofull wearers hart?

And, of ſuch iſſue there's more likelihood

Then iſſue of his loines to take his part;

For, oft ſuch iſſue doth him little good,

Who conquer

The loue of a Crowne oft makes the ſon to hate the father.

Nature, by the aide of Arte:

They learne by Arte weake Nature to command,

When Crowns betwixt the Sire & Son doe ſtand.

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72

Sou'raignes, are ſubiect to extreame

Robert Cou [...] teſſe, Edward the ſecond, Richard the ſecond, Edward the fift, Rich. the third, Hē ry the ſixt.

deſpight,

For lo, a Dog, ſometimes, ſupplide their place:

A King of Norway, conquering in fight

The King of Swethland, for the more diſgrace,

Did make a Dog their King, to ſhew his ſpight,

And made thē neere

His Councellours.

him, that were neere as bace:

Then are they worſe then dogges that damne their ſoules

To catch a kingdom, that a dog cōtroules.

73

What ioy can be accompanied with feare,

Sith that companion doth all ioy

Feare betraieth the comforts and ſuccours which Reaſon offereth.

confound?

But terrene ioyes about with them do beare

An hell of

True ioy cō tents the deſire and excludes feare, which worldly ioy doth not.

feare, wherein true Hell is found:

For, where's vnſuretie, feare muſt needs be there;

And all's vnſure that ſurgeth from the ground

Of this vaſt Sea of extreame miſerie,

True Antitype of true felicitie.

74

Beſides, no pompe (how euer glorious)

No ioy or pleaſure, if ſublunarie,

But brings ſacietie ſoone with their vſe,

As they beſt know that haue beſt meanes to trie;

And none haue right ioy but the

The ioy of the Soule is incident to good and ghoſtly liuers onely.

righteous;

For, ne'r doth ſaciate their felicitie,

Which doth content Deſire, and Feare exclude,

Which is the ſumme of true Beatitude.

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75

Then, if my power ore your Soueraigne,

If my words (rules of Reaſon) can perſwade,

Vaine pleaſures fly; throgh which ye fly to paine;

Which ſtill haue marr'd, but neuer any made:

Containe your ſelues, and you ſhall ioy containe;

If you be good, then

Glory attēds vpon God & his onely.

glorious is your trade:

For, nought is great on Earth, but that great hart,

That ſcornes all ioyes by Nature bred, or Art.

76

Rouze vp your ſelues, ſhake off this ſloth of ſprite;

Put on the mind that men of mind becomes:

Away with all

Vaine pleaſures doe effeminate the minde.

effeminate delight,

That none but worſe then women ouercomes:

Shew your ſelues men of ſtrength in Frailties ſpite;

For, graceles ioyes poſſeſſe but graceles groomes:

O, tis

To obey reaſon is to rule kingly.

Dominion in the high'ſt degree,

When men to Reaſons rules obedient bee.

77

Hereat their Conſcience touched to the quicke,

Beganne, halfe fainting, inwardly to bleede:

No pricke more mortal then the conſciēce pricke;

It makes our faith to faint, and kills our Creede:

Yet, frozen in their dregges, therein they ſticke,

Without all feeling that which muſt ſucceede:

And, with hard harts (thogh ſaid for their behoofs)

They Logus thus reprooue, for his reproofes.

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78

What wight art thou (preſumptuous that thou art)

That com'ſt to Councell, yer thou called bee?

By what pow'r doſt thou this? by what deſart

Think'ſt thou we all ſhould be controld by thee?

We know no pow'r thou haſt, nor wit,

Reaſon is thought to be moſt vnreaſonable by the ſenſuall.

nor Art

To take the guidance of our actions free;

Being a meere ſtranger to vs and our ſtate,

Yet doſt from either more then derogate.

79

Thou would'ſt bee taught (that thus preſum'ſt to teach)

To know good maners, perſons, time and place;

Theſe circūſtances they ſhould know that preach,

Or elſe they may diſgrace their Sermons grace;

And thoſe that liue by preaching do

Philem. 9.

beſeech,

Not ſharply checke, which tendeth to diſgrace:

Then think we o're our paſſions haue great powre,

That giue thee ſweet aduice for cheeke ſo ſowre.

80

You may be gon, we need no councellors,

That breathe out worſe thē wormwood with their words;

We are twice ſeau'n, and our owne gouernors,

Your proffred ſeruice no good

Mer [...] v [...]t [...] nea putet.

ſent affords:

We are the higheſt Powres Compettitors,

And fight for pleaſure with our ſenſe, and ſwords:

We are reſolu'd to ſatisfie deſire

With all the comforts that it can require.

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81

Doth Loue (quoth Logus) with our ſelues begin?

It ſeemes not ſo, for with your ſelues it ends:

Foes to your ſelues, ſith you are folde to ſinne;

Yet will not

Not to ſee our ſinne, is to liue and die in ſinne.

ſee whereto that purchaſe tends:

To loſe your Soules, and all the world to win,

Is the worſt fortune, that fell Fortune ſends:

O be indulgent to your Soules, for whie,

Chriſt Lord of life.

Life died it ſelfe, that ſo they might not die.

82

I am that Logus, which your Soueraigne

(Great ſou'raigne Pſyche) gaue you for your

Reaſon, the eie of the ſoule.

guide:

Which you would ne'r vouchſafe to entertaine,

Though,

Humane creatures are reaſonable, thogh many liue brutiſhly.

vnimploied, I ſtill with you abide:

I pray you then (for your eternall gaine)

That now at laſt I may with you reſide,

To doe you ſeruice, which if you will vſe,

Ile make your life and death moſt glorious.

83

Let not my plaineneſſe with you, make yee plaine

Of my ſterne Courſe; for, ſith I am the Sterne

That rules the Mind, I muſt her ſo reſtraine

(When Paſſions riſe) that ſhe, by me, may learne

The way to weale, which ſhe ſeekes to attaine,

Which ſhe, by my

Humane reaſon aſſiſted by diuine grace, true guide to perfect felicity

direction ſhall diſcerne:

Now, if the Sterne reſiſt repugnant windes,

The Bark, to which ſhe's bound, to her ſhe bindes.

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84

Yee oft haue heard, that Sores quite mortified,

(If euer they be cured as they ought)

Muſt haue ſharpe Corraſiues thereto appli'd,

Elſe one ſore part may bring the whole to nought:

Then leaue your Gluttony, your Luſt, and

3. ſins moſt familiar with mens nature.

Pride;

Be ſober, chaſte, and meeke, in deed, and thought:

This muſt you doe; and I muſt needes ſay this,

Except I ſhould both ſay and doe amiſſe.

85

Should I, your Guide, winke when ye go aſtray?

Or ſee you runne in by-paths of offence?

Elſe drawe ye further on, out of the way,

And by all waies ſoothe vp your erring ſenſe?

So ſhould I, like a traitor, you betray;

Which would, in time, your Souls to

We hate our euill Councellors, when we are plagued for following them.

hate incenſe:

O then let me haue leaue your Soules to loue,

Which leaſt I do, when leaſt I you reproue.

86

Repentance oft (too oft) comes too too late,

(Though, better late then neuer to repent)

But ne'r too ſoone can Grace it animate;

For, Men,

All men are conceiued in ſinne.

beyond their birth, are euill bent:

So, yer they ſinne, they are in ſinfull ſtate;

For, ſinne in their conception's reſident:

Then ſith yer men Be (whole) it Is (in part)

Repentance ſhould take Being yer the Hart.

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87

Time paſt, is gone, in it none can repent,

If in that Time they did the ſame neglect:

The Time to come (although incontinent)

Is as vnſure, as is that rare

Repentance.

effect:

Therefore the

The preſent time is ſure to repent in, which is no ſooner thoght on, but gone for euer.

preſent Time for it is lent,

Which ſtrait is gone, then doe it not reiect:

Sith ſo ſmall time may all your time ingroſſe,

The loſſe of it may be your vtter loſſe.

88

But, what auailes an Angells tongue to moue

A fiend to goodneſſe, that by kind is ill?

From which he is reſolu'd ne'r to remoue;

No more can

They are enemies to reaſon that deſire to liue ſenſually.

Reaſon their deſires fulfill,

(Though with all reaſon he doth ſeeke their loue)

For, they deſire to liue corruptly ſtill;

And thus, with bitter taunts they do requite

His loue, that euer loues to guide them right.

89

What ere thou art (quoth they) we know thee not;

Nor will we know thee, ſith we know thou art

Repugnant to vs; and, thou ſeem'ſt a Sot,

To ſeeke to gaine loue by contentions Art:

Thou neuer knew'ſt, or elſe thou haſt forgot,

That manners

The Iay ſits with [...]he lay. Eccleſ. 17.9.

like, do ſtill like loue impart:

Therefore farewell, except thou worſe wilt fare,

We are reſolu'd, in what reſolu'd we are.

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90

So they to exceſſe fell exceſſiuely;

Sinning, with

A true mark of reprobatiō.

griefe, that they could ſin no more:

Now, they inlarge their Bounds of libertie,

Although it were but too too looſe before:

Like Water they

Iob 15.16.

lappe vp iniquitie,

Which, through thē, ouerflows both Sea & Shore:

A cauterized Conſcience being checkt,

Becomes farre worſe, in Cauſe, and in Effect.

91

Logus thus caſt from their ſocietie,

Waxt paſſing penſiue (as one deſolate)

Becauſe his Councell was no more ſet by,

And, with their mother

Nature.

Phuſis fell at bate;

As being aſſur'd in her the fault did ly,

That they from him ſo much did derogate:

Yet, knew one

Cuſtome.

Praxis, Phuſis follower,

Had made them worſe, then ſhe them made, by far.

92

But by the way we ſhould not do amiſſe,

Phuſis her habit deſcribed.

To ſhew how Ladie Phuſis was araid,

(Sith ſhee the mother of each matter is)

Yer we do proſecute what Logus ſaid:

For, ſo her nature may be knowne by this,

As outward, inward Things haue oft bewraid:

For, though it ſeeme the Tale, by force, to part,

Its recompenced with Deſcriptions Art.

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93

Vpon her Head ſhe ware a Crowne of Corne,

Like that of Ceres; ſauing that the ſame

Was mixt (like Achelous his plenteous Horne)

With fruits of eu'ry kinde, which her became;

Her Haire by her was ſtill diſheuled worne,

Who naked was, yet her hand hid her ſhame:

Or if a Vaile ſhe ware, it was but when

She was to come among licentious men.

94

About her Necke ſhe ware a Carcanet

Of eu'ry Iemme as it created was:

About her Wriſts, in Bracelet-wiſe, were ſet

The ores of Gold and Siluer, Lead, and Braſſe:

Thus haue we made this Ladies Counterfet,

Who being bare, as barely muſt it paſſe:

And now returne we eft to Logus ſpeach,

Who thus to Phuſis chidingly did preach.

95

Phuſis (quoth he) I ſpeake with griefe of hart,

I needs muſt chide, ſith your fault it procures;

Becauſe you haue not plaid a mothers part

Touching the breeding of theſe Sonnes of yours:

I know you haue, by nature, ſo much Art,

As might make them obey their Gouernours:

And, that you doe not, it is your diſgrace,

That kill your Children with a kinde

As it is ſaide of the Ape.

embrace.

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96

You may, perhaps, ſuppoſe your ſelfe you cleere

By ſaying,

Cuſtome is another nature.

Praxis hath abuſ'd you much;

In alt'ring of their natures, which were deere,

For that from you they all receiued ſuch;

Which could not be, if you not faultie were,

For, you might haue reſtrain'd them with a touch:

If then you had corrected

Cuſtome is ouercome by Cuſtome▪ if Nature be willing.

Praxis lore,

They would haue bin farre better then before.

97

Little do Mothers know what hurt they do,

By their indulgence, to their ſaucie Sonnes;

They make them wanton and rebellious too;

For, let looſe Nature, it to

Natures looſenes muſt be reſtrained by Reaſons ſtedfaſtnes.

looſeneſſe runnes;

Till Soule and Body it doth quite vndoe;

For, Cuſtome ill good nature ouer-runnes:

But, if the Mother be as Mothers ought,

She wil by Vſe amend what Vſe hath wrought.

98

Phuſis, not being vſ'd ſuch checkes to take,

Beganne to kindle with diſdainefull ire;

And, like a

Ouer-kinde mothers make vnkind Children.

doating mother, ſhe doth make

A ſtiffe defence, for her ſonnes lewd deſire:

Though fire be good, yet fire in flaxe is not good: ſo, though pleaſure be good, yet in you [...] hi [...] is not good.

Alas (quoth ſhe) ſhould they all ioyes forſake,

Which both their yeares, and natures do require?

Or ſhould they wear their days in waſtful thought

To bring themſelues, and me with them, to nought?

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99

You are no friend of theirs, if ſo you would;

And, if not theirs, then mine you cannot be:

For, me and them in one Loues Band doth hold;

Whom factiouſly you ſeeke to diſagree:

I take their part but as a Mother ſhould,

That her deere Childrens

A good pretēce for a fault maks the fault the fouler.

good deſires to ſee:

For, it a tender Mother doth become,

As life to loue the Children of her wombe.

100

And, are they not of fleſh and blood compoſ'd?

Then can ſuch mixture be aught elſe but fraile?

Or would you haue them otherwiſe diſpoſ'd

Then Adams heires, that hold but by the Taile?

And fleſh and

Founts of Frailtie.

blood to ſtrength are ſtill oppoſ'd;

Yet

Strength of pleaſures.

ſtrength, in weaknes, gainſt it doth preuaile:

Sith ſo it is, my Sonnes may be excuſ'd,

That haue in weakenes powrefull pleaſures vſ'd.

101

Now well I ſee (quoth Logus) thy fond loue

Makes thee

Affection tranſports iudgement into partialitie.

vnapt to iudge what's requiſite;

But, how if their looſe liues the monſter moue

(Monſtrous Gehenna) to deuoure them quite?

For, he loues ſuch to eate, as ſuch do proue;

May you not thanke your ſelfe for ſuch deſpite?

If Babes do burne them in a Candles flame,

Are they, or thoſe that giue it them, too blame?

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102

Theſe heauy words ſuncke deepe in Phuſis minde,

Who (as aſtonied) at the ſame did muſe;

Breath'd ſhort, in

Reaſon is very preualent with the attentiue.

paſſion, as if wanting winde,

Yet at the laſt, hi [...] Spirite ſhe vp did rowze,

And askt of Logus, in the kindeſt kinde,

What practiſe ſhe to ſaue her Sonnes might vſe:

I hate, as Hell, that Monſter, and I would

My Sons (quoth ſhe) frō him, by force, with-hold.

103

Now Logus, glad her nature had ſuch grace,

Said, for mine owne part, I will but aduiſe,

Not deale with them; ſith they did me

When Reaſon is reiected, men are leſt to all brutiſhneſſe.

diſgrace;

Therefore I councell, that in any wiſe

You hie you to the Lady

Truth.

Aletheias Place,

And there inuoke her aide, with carefull Cries;

Who is indu'd with power, will, and skill,

To tell them of their miſſe, and mend their ill.

104

Entreate her, who will ſoone intreated bee,

(For, ſhe doth loue to ſatisfie Good-will)

To go vnto thy Sonnes of each degree,

And tell them of this Monſter, made to

Hell made for torment. Eſa. 30 33.

ſpill

All thoſe that liue ſecure in Pleaſures glee,

And greedily their hungry luſts fulfill;

I will (ſaid Phuſis;) but where doth ſhe dwell?

Thou know'ſt (deare Logus) but I cannot tell.

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105

She wonted was (ſaid he) to neighbour mee;

But ſince that

Deceit and Guile excluded Truth frō the Earth,

Fraus and Dolus (wicked Twinnes)

The World produc'd, I do her ſeldome ſee;

For, ſhe from my ſights reach ſo ſlily rinnes,

As though to her I were an enemy,

Or made prodigious through my ſubiects ſinnes:

Who proſecute her with extreame deſpight,

That now ſhe euen loathes to ſee the light.

106

Shall I (quoth Phuſis) on the Earth her finde?

Hardly (quoth Logus) being chaſ'd from thence.

In th'Aire, or Water then, or in the Winde;

Or elſe within the Fires Circumference

Is ſhe (quoth ſhe?) ſaid Logus, theſe by kinde

Are mutable, and full of difference;

Which ſhe cannot abide, for ſhe is

Truth is one, but Errour is manifold.

one,

And rather will, then with ſuch, liue alone.

107

Is ſhe to Heau'n return'd (quoth ſhe) againe?

That's like (ſaid Logus) but th'art ne'r the neere:

For, without

As without the Sun none can ſee the Sun, ſo without Trueth none cā come at the Author of Truth.

her, thou canſt not Heau'n attaine;

For, all by her muſt come, that muſt come there.

Alas (ſaid ſhe) how ſhall I her obtaine,

Sith I muſt haue herſelfe her ſelfe to cleere?

For, as without the Sunne, none ſees the Sunne,

So, without her, none wots where ſhe doth wonne.

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108

This once (quoth Logus) I will thee direct

The beſt I can, but cannot as I could;

I oft haue heard, and finde true, by effect,

That ſhe is ſeene about the Manſion old

Of father

Time.

Chronus, which he did erect

For him, and her, (his daughter deere) to hold;

Or,

Death.

Thanatus, his Man, who riddes away

That which his Maſter bringeth to decay.

109

Which Man, and Maſters habites we might paint,

The deſcription of Chronus and Th [...] natus.

Though we but Chalke, & Coles, and Aſhes had:

For, Chronus clad is like a mortall Saint

In skinnes of Beaſts, to ſhew how life doth fade;

(Which of their age did ſeem to make complaint)

Girt with an Halter, or with Girth as bad:

Vpon whoſe Head, in ſtead of Hat, there ſtoode

An Houre-glaſſe, as an Embleme of his moode.

110

His Haire was white as was the driuen Snow,

And from his Head it ſeem'd to hang, by drifts

Turn'd vp againe; eu'n as the ſame doth ſhow

When it doth hang, ſo driuen vpon Clifts:

His Beard, beneath his girdle-ſtead did grow,

Which, platted, in his boſome oft he ſhifts:

Whoſe right hand did a Sithe, ſtill mouing weld,

And in his left, an Horologe he held.

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111

His Man hight Thanatus, bare to the bones,

Was more then naked from the toppe to toe:

All haireleſſe, toothleſſe, eieleſſe, ſtocks, or ſtones,

Are all as quicke, though he much more can doe:

And all he ſaid, I was as you are, once;

Which was in ſullen ſilence ſpoken to:

Vpon a Spade he leanes, as if he did

By his day-labour liue, call'd Wincke, all hid.

112

To theſe did Logus Phuſis wiſh to wend

Which were to her the

Nature cānot abide▪ Death, nor Time running thereto.

loathſom'ſt wights aliue;

And hardly thought that Logus was her frend,

(Although ſhe could not otherwiſe beleeue

Sith her and hers ſhe ſought ſtill to defend)

That would to her ſuch wofull councell giue:

And, with the water ſwelling in her eies,

She thus to Logus mournefully replies.

113

Alas (quoth ſhe) and to them muſt I goe?

To their moſt hatefull houſes muſt I hie,

That are the greateſt workers of my woe,

And faine would haue me vtterly to die?

What

A well tunde tongue cannot pleaſe an eare vtterly out of tune.

words can pleaſe a prowd inſulting foe,

That holds in ſcorne his foes humilitie?

Then, what hope haue I with them ro preuaile,

Who, though I kneele to them, will me aſſaile?

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114

What ſhall I ſay? alas, what ſhall I do?

To winne their fauour, that will not be wonne?

To go to them, I ſhall my ſelfe vndo;

For, though I kiſſe their feete, they'l me ore-runne:

If not, they'l paine me, and compell me to;

The choice is miſerable where the beſt is miſery.

Both which, if I do go, I cannot ſhunne:

I am amaz'd, I know not what to ſay,

If go, I die; if no, my Sonnes decay.

115

What ſhall I do? deere Logus, tell me

In caſe of diſtreſſe we willingly imbrace the aduice of Reaſon.

what?

O happy were I, if this feare were paſt:

There is no cauſe (quoth Logus) to feare that

That no wight liuing can auoide at laſt;

The Stag, the Rauen, and the nine-liu'd Cat

Muſt know thoſe houſes, then be not agaſt,

But go on boldly with erected Front,

Where you ſhall ſee her liue in high account.

116

If at the firſt you cannot ſee her face,

Their Porter

Sickneſſe.

Noſus will you ſoone direct

Vnto her priuy chamber, where her grace

Will talke with you, in ſecret, in effect:

But, ſee you bribe the Porter of the place

With

Naturall heate ſuſtaines the vital powers in ſickeneſſe.

Calor naturalis, moſt ſelect:

So may you paſſe ſecurely through each Gate,

That leades to this obſcured Ladies State.

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117

Sickeneſſe deſcribed.

This Noſus was a true Anatomie

(Though Thanatus be truely call'd the ſame)

Of mortall griefe, or cureleſſe maladie,

Whoſe Head was hāp'red (which him ill became)

With homely clowts (tide as vnhanſomly)

And with a ſtaffe he went as he were lame:

A Gowne (with Potions ſtain'd) he, girded, ware,

Who panted as he went, and went with care.

118

Foure paire of Stockings did his Legs comprize,

And yet his Shancks (God wot) but little were,

Although the vpper Stockings were of Frize,

Thicke Frize, or Rugge, or elſe of warmer geare:

Whoſe Slippers were with Cotton lin'd likewiſe;

And yet of taking cold he ſtill did feare:

Who lookt as he had not an houre to liue,

And eu'ry ſteppe he trode, his Soule did grieue.

119

His Face was of the colour of that clowt

That did his head inuolue, ſaue that his Face

Did looke more white: his Eies both ſeemed out,

For, they were ſunck, & ſhrunke out of their place:

His Noſe was ſharper then an Adders ſnowt;

His Tong, & Teeth were furr'd, in lothſome caſe;

His Lips were chapp'd, his Beard was driueld ore,

And euer breath'd as he ſhould breathe no more.

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120

And therewithall he was ſo waiward ſtill,

That none might pleaſe him, but he fault wold find

With the beſt words & deeds of meere good-will;

His bodies paines ſo peruerſe made his mind:

His wozen whez'd when his breath it did fill,

As, through the ſtraiteſt paſſage doth the wind:

And when he ſpake, his tong was furr'd ſo thicke,

That oft his words within the ſame did ſticke.

121

Yet ne'rtheleſſe, to theſe muſt Phuſis hie,

For, Logus held her to't by ſtrong perſwaſion,

Which thus ſhe preſt; Go, or thy Sonnes muſt die:

Thou needes muſt do it, there is no euaſion:

Herein their life, or death alone doth lie;

Then, of their perill if thou haue compaſſion▪

Thou muſt to Theſe, that they may be ſecure,

Then liuely go; for, Loue can Hell endure.

122

Phuſis, though while-ere ſomewhat weakned,

(By reaſon of theſe vncouth Accidents)

Yet thus, by Logus, being

Reaſon begets in vs reſolution to die coragiouſly.

comforted,

To his direction and aduice aſſents:

And now (all heart) ſhe holdeth high the Head,

Scorning her wonted dread, and dririments;

And, in her loue to her Sonnes, thither goes,

Their caſe to Aletheia to diſcloſe.

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123

A wearie iorney had ſhe, and a foule,

But, what paine is't a mothers

True loue deemes no paine intollerable endured for the beloued.

loue will ſhunne?

Who almoſt will forſake her deereſt Soule,

Yer once forſake her deere-bought deerer Sonne:

By Logus helpe, ſhe doth her feares controule;

And to theſe houſes goes not, but doth runne:

And as ſhe hies, ſhe more and more doth learne,

This Ladies Lodging rightly to diſcerne.

124

The deſcriptiō of the houſe of Time.

When to the Houſe of Chronus neere ſhe drew,

(Which was a Caue in Rocke of Flint cut out)

It, to the ſenſe more horride was in ſhew;

For, it with Moſſe was inlaid all about,

And ore the Gate, Harts-tongue, & Brābles grew;

As on the top, did Okes, old, ſtiffe, and ſtout:

Which rocks rogh ſides huge moſſie Beeches bare,

As if the Flint the weathers threats did feare.

125

This antique Top, where theſe trees did not ſhade

A kind of Moſſe ore-ſprad, as hard, as hore;

The vpper Cruſt of a Rocke vnfrequented.

Which ne'rtheleſſe, did ſoftly ſeeme to vade,

And grew farre ſhorter then it was before;

Ore which ſtrange vermin prety Paths had made,

Which there did ſtill increaſe in needleſſe ſtore:

For, in thoſe Places where men leaſt frequent,

There vileſt vermine are moſt reſident.

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126

About the groundſills of this hideous houſe

(Without) grew Nettles,

Noiſome Plants produced from Mans more noiſome offence.

Hemlocks, and the like;

Mongſt whō were Snakes and vermin venomous;

Which vnawares th'vnwarie foote do ſtrike:

Within the Caue was nought for Natures vſe,

Saue water, which ther leakt throgh many a creek:

Where nought was ſeene but Darknes, nought was heard,

But holow Ecchoes, making Noiſe afeard.

127

Neere to this vncouth Caue is ſcituate

(As t'were a vault digg'd vnderneath the ſame)

The Houſe of

Deaths houſe deſcribed.

Thanatus, which all do hate;

For, none came euer thence that thither came:

Then Chronus houſe its much more deſolate;

More deadly too, in nature, and in name:

For, fleſh doth faint, when but b'imagination

She

The Graue is irkeſome to fleſh & blood

ſees this fearefull vgly Habitation.

128

The Roofe whereof, with Sculles is ſeeled quite;

Whereon (in frets) hang ſhin-bones here & there:

The walls are hung with Mantles of the night;

Which, all with vermine vile, imbrod'red were:

If it, through any Chinke, receiued light,

Twas

If Graues open by reaſon of the earths hollowneſſe, they ſoone are cloſed againe with feete that treade on thē.

ſoone ſtopt vp with feet which it did beare:

It paued was with Ioynts and Knuckle-bones,

Set in no order, but like ſcatt'red ſtones.

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129

The Gate whereof is made of mans iuſt ſize,

Which yet receiues all

The Graue and Deſtruction can neuer be full: Prou. 27.20.

men that euer were;

Vpon whoſe Pauement all fleſh rotting lies;

And, to the ſenſe moſt

Nothing more noiſome to the Noſe and Eie then a rotten Carcaſſe.

odious doth appeare:

For, here lie Armes, and there lie Legs, and Thies;

Hete rotten Teeth, and ragged Iaw-bones there;

Within whoſe pores, the worms do keep their hold

Vntill they all conuert to perfect mould.

130

No one here keepes this grim Lord company,

But ſullen Silence, duſt, and naſtie mud;

And, yet he ſeekes all mens ſocietie,

For, ſtill he feedeth on their fleſh and bloud:

Friends of thoſe that are in burying.

Hard at the Gate do mournefull mourners crie,

And teare their haire, too like the Fury-brood:

Which yet is neuer heard that houſe within,

For, Thanatus is

No ſenſe enioyed in the Graue.

deafe, and heares no din.

131

Rotten Corruption here doth reuell keepe;

Where Worms (her Minions) out of meſure dance:

For, all about they trace, they turne, and creepe,

And merry make with Fleſhes fowle miſchance;

Who all the while lies drown'd in puddle deepe,

As full of Soile, as full of Sufferance:

Where Irkſomneſſe ſits on a duſtie Throne,

As if he were Lord of that

The earthly▪ Carcaſſe.

Earth alone.

[Page]

132

For, Beauty comes no ſooner to the Gate

Of this true earthly Hell, but ſhe doth looke

As if ſhe were in worſe then damned ſtate;

And all her Graces had her quite forſooke:

The Lures of Loue, here turne to Hoods of Hate;

Hate that no Loue (thogh Loue it ſelfe) can brook:

For,

Chriſt the Lord of Loue.

Loue itſelfe, which once three days lay there,

Fled from the ſame as if it hatefull were.

133

Here

Iſa. 34.14.

Zijm and Iim do loue alone to be,

(Grimme Deſola [...]ions ſterne Conſociates)

The vale of Viſions this doth ſeeme to me,

Where Senſe may ſee what Senſe quite ruinates:

Whoſe Organs here, lie in varietie

Of transformation; which Senſe deadly hates:

Where lie all Obiects which the ſight annoy,

Yet tis the

Death is the beginning of [...]oy, or miſery.

entrance to all griefe, or ioy.

134

Here Senſe (ſaith Senſe) lies in a Lethargie;

Whoſe powres are quite ſuppreſt with Earth and Stones:

Here

The Graue is the re [...]t of the reſtle [...].

Reſt of Labour hath the victorie:

And, Sorrows here ſurceaſe their ſighs and grones;

Where laſting ſleepe beguiles Calamitie:

For, Fleſh feeles not, if rotten to the bones;

This is the Lake, which Men moſt loathe, and yet,

It is the Lethe where they griefe forget.

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136

Downe a darke ſtaire (the paſſage to this houſe)

On eu'ry ſtep ſits all the impes of Feare;

Confronted with Chymaeraes hideous,

Which maks all men to hate their comming there;

Saue ſuch as daily do that

The mortified in conuerſation moſt familiar with Death.

paſſage vſe,

And with feete-mortifide thoſe ſteps do weare:

To them it ſeemes not ſtrange, how euer ſtrange,

Thoſe Monſters do their vgly faſhions change.

137

The Elements, whereof all Fleſh is made,

Do, with their

The Humors are the Children of [...] be Elements.

Children, the foure Humors, lie

Confuſed there, in Deaths confuſed Shade,

That no Eie can the one from the other ſpie;

But His that ſaw them ere they Being had,

On whom alone, they all do ſtill rely:

This is the Picture of Not-beings Pit,

Where it doth ſeeme (but doth but ſeeme) to ſit.

138

Sometimes, for pride, or praiſe, or both, ſome do

Beſtow a ſtately

Tombe or Pyramed.

Couer on this houſe;

For, worldly pompe doth preſſe them thereunto,

To make the glorified more glorious;

But Chronus ſpite that Couer doth

Time ruines al monuments how euer ſubſtantiall.

vndoe,

Which cannot brooke the pompe of Thanatus:

It is but vaine the dead to honour then,

With other honour then with Tongue, or Pen.

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139

Hard at the doore of this confuſed den

Sit rau'nous Rauens, watching for their pray;

Which doore if Chronus opes, they enter then,

And with the Relickes, there, they prey, or play:

This Roomes deſcription, no Pen well can pen

But ſuch as markes the meaſure of

In a Graue lies the Anatotomy of Ruine.

Decay:

O! tis a Heau'n to heare Hell well ſet forth,

And Heau'n, if ill deſcrib'd, ſeemes nothing worth.

140

The Rowme is little, this deſcription great;

And yet too little, for ſo great a Rowme,

Where all mankinde haue, and doe finde a Seate,

Vntill they haue receiu'd their later doome:

Let

Trueth. True deſcriptions are able to quicken things dead.

Aletheia then make it compleate;

Sith all deſcriptions true, come from her wombe:

Suffizeth me to ſhew but eu'n a glaunce

Of Thanatus his Houſes countenaunce.

141

The Porter of this Place (as erſt was ſed)

Is

Sickneſſe is manifold: for, we are borne one way, and die an hundred waies.

hundred-headed Noſus; much more ſterne

Then Hells grim Porter, with his threefold head;

The ſight of whom made Phuſis hart to yerne;

But, Logus ſaid, ſhe, by him, ſhould be

Nature is [...]ed by reaſon to the knowlege of Truth.

led

The Lady Aletheia to diſcerne:

In hope whereof ſhe did the better brooke

The horror of his moſt deteſted looke.

[Page]

142

Now, by this time, ſhe was within his touch,

Who, to him trembling came ſubmiſſiuely;

And

Gifts get fauour, but not with Death, or Sickeneſſe: ſauing that Sicknes is the better borne by the gift of naturall heate.

gaue him of her Calor (though not much)

That ſhe might be the better vſ'd thereby:

Noſus, whom though diſeaſes made to grutch,

Yet, through that Calor lookt more cheerefully:

And gently, with familiar aſpect,

He opes the Gate, and ſtrait did her direct.

143

For, he denieth paſſage vnto none

That makes

Who tenders ſickneſſe ſhall haue his company.

much of him, or doth loue him well;

But, had he well the Ladie Phuſis knowne,

Perhaps he would haue bin to her more fell:

For, when ſhe gaue him Calor, ſhe did grone,

To thinke how ſoone he would the ſame

Sickneſſe extinguiſheth our vitall flame.

expell:

And, Phuſis by no meanes can well endure,

That Noſus ſhould her any

Nature can not endure to be bettered by Sickneſſe.

good procure.

144

But he to her is moſt officious,

He tenders her his guidance, and what not?

But yet the

An inbred hate twixt Nature and Death.

oddes twixt her and Thanatus,

(Although by Him t'was more then quite forgot)

Made Her entreate this Porter curteous,

To call that Ladie forth, whom Chronus, got:

And gaue him ſome more Calor in a Box,

Which gaue him ſtrēgth to ope the Ladies Locks.

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145

Herewith he went to Aletheias Bed,

Who ouer head and eares lay couer'd quite;

And being naked, yet thus

Truth is hid with cloudes of myſteries that ſhee is hard to bee found.

couered,

He could not haue, of her, an open ſight:

But, he aloofe his errand vttered;

Wherewith ſhe roſe, yet came within the night:

For, ſhe being naked Darkenes ſeeks to hide her;

For, men without a Miſt haue ſeld eſpide her.

146

But, out ſhe

Truth being masked we muſt vſe the more diligen [...] to diſcouer her.

(masked) comes to Phuſis late,

Who knew her not, becauſe ſhe came conceal'd:

But, asked who ſhe was, who did relate,

Both who, and what, and ſtrait her ſelfe reueal'd:

It me behoues (quoth ſhe) to hide my State,

For, moſt men haue with me like Monſters deal'd:

Who, like to deuills, authors of vntruth,

Would force erroneous ſenſe into my mouth.

147

I goe thus mask'd (quoth ſhe) ſith men like fiends,

Of my deſtruction make no conſcience:

Stateſmen ſeeke for me, but for ſubtill ends;

Some Churchmen would haue me Non reſidence,

But where their pleaſure, or their

Many of thē meaſure truth by their preſent worldly profite.

profit tends;

And, fond Philoſophers peruert my ſenſe:

Strong thieues, & Lawyers, wound my tender hart,

The one by force, the other by their art.

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148

The Merchant and the ſlie Artificer

Will, for a penny profit ſtifle me

With Falſhoods cloake. The biting Vſurer

Doth vſe me better, though but cruelly;

And, hath a will to vſe mee worſe by farre,

So he a farthing might the better bee:

But, of all men, that ſeeme me moſt to paine,

Vpon poore

Poets which all men taxe for lying, doe leaſt lie of any, the morall of their fictions conſidered.

Poets I can leaſt complaine.

149

For, though they hide me from the vulgar view,

With robes (as they ſuppoſe) that ſumptuous be,

Yet giue they me my right, with more then due;

As they beſt know, that haue beſt eies to ſee:

They are my friendly foes, falſe-louers true;

Which hate, in ſhew, but do, indeed, loue me:

Whom I wil one day feed with more then praiſe,

Which Manna makes thē look

Their ſoules abhorre that light foode, for feeding, it doth but famiſh.

leane now adays.

150

All thoſe that Offices, by coine, come by,

(To come by coine, by buying Offices)

In Church or Common-weale, do me defie,

For interrupting their by-paſſages:

No, not ſo much as Somners but can ſpie

The way to wound me on aduantages;

In ſumme, all ſorts are reſolute herein,

To looſe me quite, ſo they thereby may winne.

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151

Haue I not reaſon then, conceal'd to go,

To ſhunne theſe Helhounds, hauing me in chaſe;

Who ſtudy, by all meanes, to worke my woe,

And with their craft transforme my conſtant face?

I were vnlike my ſelfe, and mine owne foe,

If I went like my ſelfe in ſuch a caſe:

By nature, I the Ignorant do hate;

Then ſhould I loathe, if I knew not my State.

152

But, wherefore Phuſis art thou come to me?

Who told thee where I lay? who found'ſt me out?

Thine eies are dimme, too

Natures eies are dimd by Adams tranſgreſſion.

dimme me well to ſee;

Then thogh thou ſee me, thou therof maiſt

Whether I be my ſelfe, or no, becauſe euery like is not the ſame.

doubt.

Quoth Phuſis, that full well I did foreſee,

By Logus, therefore brought I this about;

Who told me truly who, and where thou wart,

Whoſe ſayings, touching thee, I kon'd by hart.

153

And I am come to thee for thine aduice,

Touching my children; who (as I am told

By my friend Logus) are in loue with Vice;

Or rather to that ſtrumpet they are ſold:

Who, with faire

Vices perſwaſions are moſt forcible with the Sons of Nature.

words doth ſweetly them intice

To thinke, and ſay, and do, but as ſhe would:

Who, as its knowne to all that knoweth ought,

(In fine) doth bring her Louers all to nought.

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154

They being bound to Thanatus his houſe,

Are bound likewiſe (ah woe is me) from thence

On the left hand, to the land tenebrous,

Whereas Gehenna holdes his reſidence,

Which Monſter, being more then rauenous,

Will quite deuoure their Bodies, Soules, & Senſe;

The manner of whoſe houſe, no tongue can tell,

But ſuch as can deſcribe the loweſt Hell.

155

Heere, by the way, we will awhile digreſſe,

And proſecute the reſt of Phuſis plaint,

When as wee haue deſcrib'd this little leſſe

Then more then hell, which colours cannot paint:

For what ſo blacke as depth of all diſtreſſe,

Where vtter darkeneſſe raignes without reſtraint?

Then ſith we colours want, as all do ſee,

Our too light ſhadowes muſt excuſed bee.

156

There lie two waies from Thanatus his houſe,

(That ſtill are two, ſith they ſtill diſagree)

One on the right hand lies, ſcarſe now in vſe,

The other on the left, vſ'd commonly:

That, on the left, is full of all abuſe,

And leades vnto a world of miſery;

Wherein Gehennaes Hold is ſcituate,

Which, without

Hell is much more horrible then can enter into the thoght or vnderſtanding.

Patterne, thus wee figurate.

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157

A ruinous Rowme, whoſe bottom's moſt profoūd;

An ample deſcription of Hell.

A Pit infernall full of endleſſe dole;

A lothſome Lake where choaking damps abound;

Reuel. 20.3.

A dungeon deepe, a dreadfull darkeſome hole,

Wher noght but howlīgs, ſhriks, & grons do ſoūd,

And humane fleſh ſtill makes a quenchleſſe Cole:

The common Burſe, where none but Bugs repaire,

An Harbor full of horror and deſpaire.

158

Whoſe light is darke, which darke is

Ma [...]th. 8.12. & 25.30. Iob. 10.21, 22.

palpable;

Whoſe pleaſur's

Iſai 30.33.

paine, which pain no pen cā tell:

Whoſe life is

Reue. 20.14

death, which death is damnable:

Whoſe peace is

Reue. 16.11.

ſtrife, which ſtrife is diſcords well:

Whoſe eaſe is

Marke 9.44.48. Iſa. 66.24

toile, which toile's vnthinkable:

Where moſt obedience, learnes moſt to

Reue. 16.11.

rebell:

Where all

Reuel. 6.8.

confuſion raignes in endleſſe date,

In a tumultuous State-diſord'ring State.

159

Where

Reue. 16.13.

toads, and vipers, ſnakes, and vermine vile,

(Whoſe hiſſings make an helliſh harmony)

With ſlimie gleere, the place do cleane defile,

Swimming in Suddes of all ſordiditie,

While one on others backe themſelues they pile

To touch the top of topleſſe miſery:

Where heate, and coldnes, are in their extreames,

And frozen harts do floate in ſulphred ſtreames.

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160

The wals are hung with Cobwebs, which cōtaine

Soule-catching hellhounds, clad in Spiders ſhape;

The Roofe, of burning Braſſe, which droppes like raine;

Frō which no one below could ere eſcape:

The pauement's ful of groundleſſe gulfes of paine,

Which thogh they ſtil deuoure, they ſtil do

Hell, and the Graue are inſatiable.

gape;

Whoſe glowing Mawes cannot

The damned ſtill are dying, and neuer dead.

cōcoct the meate

Which there lies boiling in an hell of heate.

161

Here, weeping warbleth notes that anguiſh ſhow;

And,

Math. 24.51

gnaſhing Teeth tunes Iigges vntuning ioy:

Here, Seas of

And men boiled in great heate, & blaſphemed the name of God which bath power ouer theſe plagues, ond they repented not to giue him glory. Reue 16.9

boiling Lead their Bounds oreflow,

To make a boundleſſe deluge of annoy:

The Sands whereof are Soules orewhelm'd with woe;

Which though deſtroi'd, yet death canot deſtroy:

For, endleſſe

Deuills.

lords of death ſtill life do giue

To thoſe that in that death there ſtill do liue.

162

From whoſe wide open Throats great flames they caſt,

Which thūder forth with ſenſe-cōfounding noiſe;

The din whereof makes Horrors heart agaſt,

Which in that den no other bliſſe enioyes:

Such Gall of Gall affords no better taſt,

Which ſtil doth feed, with that which ſtil annoyes:

Such boiſtrous Bugs can yeeld no other glee,

But mirth is mone whereas ſuch Monſters be.

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163

Whoſe foule blaſphemos mouths are fraught with ſpite,

That boils with heat of baneful poiſō there;

Which ſpite they

Reuel. 16.9

ſpit againſt the Cauſe of Light,

Such is the enuy which to It they beare:

Yet, from their glowing eies flie ſparkles bright,

As they no eies but Vulcans Forges were:

The ſight whereof the ſight doth ſo annoy,

As thogh that ſight that ſenſe wold quite deſtroy.

164

Imagine now you ſee, (as there is ſeene)

Millions of Legions of this foule mouth'd crue,

With fangs more huge then Elephāts, more keene

Then Crocadiles chiefe grinders, to purſue

Soules diuing in thoſe

Reuel. 20▪ 3.

deepes to be vnſeene;

Which, ouergorg'd, them vp againe do ſpue:

While theſe dogs watch to take them in the riſe,

With teeth to teare, & feare them with their cries.

165

Here may you ſee a Goblin, griſly grim,

(With hooke and line) ſtand fiſhing for a Soule;

Which, in thoſe boiling

Reuel. 20.10

Seas, do ſinking ſwim;

Baiting their hooks with Salamanders foule:

Which, being hang'd he hales it to the brim,

And, all the while, as hunger-band, doth howle:

Which fingred, forthwith, in the diuells name,

In go the fangs, that inch-meale teare the ſame.

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166

Then others watch (as Spiders for a Flie)

In obſcure Nookes, to catch a flying Ghoſt;

That to thoſe Nooks to hide it ſelfe, doth flie;

Which caught, they binde it, leſt it ſhould be loſt,

And, to their webs of woe, with ioy they hie;

Where the poore Soule is ſtill in torment toſt:

In whom they all their deadly poiſon

So fares the Flie with the Spider.

poure,

Which more then kills them, ſith they it endure.

167

Now, ſullen Silence raignes as all were dead,

Then, ſodainely a world of Clamor rings;

Whereby the much more horror ſtill is bred;

For, ſodaine feare with it moſt horror brings.

No heart ſo heauie as the hart of Lead;

Yet ſodaine feare doth ſtart it when it ſtings.

The Lightnings flaſh doth

The light of Lightning is much more horrible then comfortable.

feare more than the flame

That ſtil is ſeene, and ſtil is ſeene the ſame.

168

Heere, in a Chimney, all of burning Brickes,

Sits Grimneſſe, and a red-hote Spit doth turne;

Whereon a humane Creature,

Reuel. 17.16

melting, ſtickes;

Whoſe greaſe doth make the fire the more to burn;

Which Turne-ſpit, oft, his filthy fingers lickes,

And, with this liquor, doth his lippes adorne:

Baſting the roaſt with what moſt torment giues,

Whiles the poore Creature dies, becauſe he liues.

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169

But, that which is moſt horrid to bee heard,

But much more hatefull to be felt, or ſeene;

Theſe Cookes oft gaſh their

Fleſh of the tormented.

fleſh, to interlard

The ſame with ſulphure, with woe waxen leane:

Leſt the ſoft marrow the hard bone ſhould guard,

From feeling woes incomparable keene:

So bone, and marrow, ſinew, nerue, and vaine

Do there endure paines, farre exceeding paine!

170

In other Coaſts of this infernall Realme;

(Confuſions Land, Gehennaes lording place,

A prudent man ſeeth the plague, and hideth himſelfe: but a foole goeth on ſtill, and is puniſhed. Prou. 22.3. Frigida Gehenna.

True Antitype of new Ieruſalem)

It freezeth fleſh, which pines in ſtaruing caſe;

Where, ſome do, naked, ſticke amidſt a ſtreame

To yce congeal'd; whom cold winds freeze apace:

Yet draw they breath, more cold thē coldeſt froſt,

To freeze their intralls, and congeale their ghoſt.

171

If any ſpit (for rheums cold places breede)

Its blowne, in Ice-cicles, into their face:

For, thoſe keene winds do forthwith do the deede,

And

Reuel. 16.21

haile, of drops, make in a moments ſpace:

On ycie morſells there the mouth muſt feede,

Sith mouthes to ycie morſells turne apace:

Here is cold comfort where is nought but cold,

That all congeales, on which it taketh hold.

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172

Here ſome (but new arriu'd) while blood is warme,

Attempt, by motion, ſo to keepe the ſame;

But ſtrait they cannot ſtirre, nor Leg, nor Arme;

For, in the offer, they freeze ſtiffe, and lame:

Yet hold they vitall heate (the more their harme)

For Ice, like Oile, doth feede their vitall flame:

If ſuch a foe to life, as ſuch a cold

Keepes life in being, life hath hatefull hold.

173

Who are ſo madde with paine that they do crie,

O what is this we feele! we feele, O what!

Is't limbes of Fleſh that brooke this agony?

All they haue rag'd with paine; but this, to that

Is like the Ocean to a fountaine drie:

This fleſh, nerues, ioynts, once Racks did lacerate,

Yet that with this compar'd, was Heau'n to Hell,

O what is this we feele? Senſe die, or tell.

174

It's but a moment ſince we hither came,

Yet feele what paine Eternity inflicts;

And though eternally we feele the ſame,

Yet vs with what we ne'r felt, it afflicts:

Proteus like ſtill paines new faſhons frame;

And one another euer interdicts:

Is this the Soule we thought with fleſh ſhould die,

Which feeles theſe mortall plagues immortally?

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175

Here, ſome with hands faſt frozen to their mouth,

Do ſeeke to thaw them with their warmeſt breath;

But lo, the

Reuel. 16.2 [...]

froſt that breath ſo faſt purſuth,

That it doth freeze in comming from beneath:

So, hand and mouth thereby the faſter growth;

Yet liue they ſtill, though frozen quite to death:

For, like to Alabaſter Tombs they ſtand,

Frozen to death, yet liue at Deaths command.

176

Here, boiſtrous Bugbeares do at foot-ball play

With a ſtill-toſt and tumbled groning Ghoſt,

To catch thē heat; which done, they dāce the Hay

About it (breathleſſe) being ouer-toſt;

So, with tranſmuted formes, it to diſmay

With feare that may afflict the ſeeing moſt:

While that poore Soule lies panting like an Hare,

Among foule hounds that ſeeke the ſame to ſhare.

177

Now Matacheyns they daunce, with viſage grim,

Rewarde her as ſhe hath rewarded you, and giue her double, according to her workes: and in the Cuppe which ſhee ha [...]h filled to you, fill her the double, Reuel. 17.6.

And at ech chāge they chāge their horrid ſhapes:

And at ech turne, they torture life and limb

Of this tormented Soule, that, gaſping gapes,

As if the Ghoſt were yeelding at the brim

Of deepe Not-beings Pit; which yet it ſcapes:

At point of death to liue immortally,

Is ſtill to liue, and liuing, ſtill to die!

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178

Now comes a chaſed Ghoſt that flies, for life,

Before a foule-mouth'd crie of helliſh hounds;

And being caught, twixt them is deadly ſtrife,

Which of them all ſhall giue it deadlieſt wounds:

Each of whoſe teeth is like an Hangmans knife,

Which torments, if not utterly confounds:

O! thinke then what an hell of feare that hart

Muſt hold, that ſuch infernall Hounds do ſtart.

179

Here winds, that whiſtle while they freezing are,

(As if they merry were for freezing ſo)

Bring, with their working, pitchy clouds of Care,

Wherewith they are involu'd that thither go;

Thoſe biting froſts do, there, make all things bare,

Which make the ſame a naked world of woe:

Where nought but nipping froſts are felt, & ſeene,

Ne'r-vading griefes do flouriſh euer greene.

180

Deliuer thy ſelfe as a Doe from the hād of the hunter, and as a Bird from the hād of the Fowler. Prou 6.5. They ſhall paſſe from the waters of the ſnow to ouer much heate. Iob.

Here ſtands a Fowler, fowle, with Nets of Wire,

To take a flight of Soules that ſtaruing flee;

Late fled from whence they neuer can retire;

So, when in that faſt-holding Net they bee,

He dragges them to the froſt, or to the fire,

Where either are in the extream'ſt degree:

This is the welcome which they firſt receaue,

That of their life miſ-ſpent haue tane their leaue.

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181

This flight thus caught, the Legions of the North,

Fill all thoſe Regions with their helliſh houles;

And, with their vglieſt formes, come roaring forth

To ſhare among them thoſe feare-ſhaken Soules:

The

The greate [...] the diuell the worſe.

worthieſt takes the Soule of ſmalleſt worth

To execute thereon the greateſt doles.

Quake fleſh to heare what fraile fleſh heere doth feele,

For endleſſe plagues turne here ſtill like a

Pſal. 83.13.

wheele.

182

Here may you ſee, for anguiſh, ſome to tear

Their

And they gnawed their tongues for ſorrow. Reu. 16.10.

fleſh from bones, yea bones and fleſh to

And they gnawed their tongues for ſorrow. Reu. 16.10.

gnaw;

That ſo they may no more thoſe torments beare,

Which make thē burſt, with choler, in their Maw:

Some grate their

Math. 24.5 [...]

teeth, as teeth they grīding were,

To cut the fleſh which they before did ſaw:

And all, and ſome, are ſo with tortures tir'd,

That they ſeeme quietſt, when they moſt are fir'd.

183

Here Bugs beſtirre them, with a bellowing rore,

(As at a Scamble we ſee Boyes to ſturre)

Who for Soules ſcamble on a glowing flore;

Biting and ſcratching, like the Cat and Curre;

Whiles with their Talons they their prey do gore,

And thogh they ſtriue, they do,

In tormenting.

therein concurre:

Within whoſe gripes the Soule, in ſilence grones,

For feare of feeling thouſand hells at once.

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184

Here, in a corner ſits an vgly forme,

That on the matter of a liuing Corſe

Finds matter of much mirth; which is, t'informe

Himſelfe of all the ſinews, and their force;

Who, with a knife, the fleſh doth all deforme,

To pull out nerues and ſinews in their courſe:

Which like ſtrings, broken, hanging at a Lute;

So hang theſe nerues the Body all about.

185

Here may you ſee ſome others driuing nailes,

Vnder the nailes of endleſſe ſorrowes ſlaues;

Some others, threſhing them (like flax) with flailes;

Thē moow thē vp, in groūdleſſe

Reuel. 20.3.

gulfs by thraues:

Some, playing on their hart-ſtrīgs with their nails;

Some others, broaching them on ragged ſtaues:

And all and ſome more buſie farre then Bees,

To gather hony from the gall of theſe.

186

If Paine her vtmoſt pow'r awhile for beare,

(As ſeld ſhe doth; for, there ſhe's ſtill in force)

It is ſuppli'd with feare, ſurmounting feare,

For loe, in Azur'd flames, with voices horſe,

Farre off approaching griſly Formes appeare

Which feare far off, & neare at hand, much worſe:

For, Fantaſie with paine is more orecome,

When it is comming, then when it is come.

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187

And, all about in darkneſſe,

Matth. 8.12.

thicke as darke;

Are ſeene to ſhine (like Gloworms) vgly eies;

Which (like a Partrige ſprong) ech ſoule do mark;

So, that to ſcape no Soules pow'r can deuiſe:

For, ſhould they mount (as doth the nimble Lark)

A gaſtly Griphon doth them ſtrait ſurpriſe:

Or ſhould they ſincke into Pits bottomleſſe,

There ſhuld they meet the like, with like diſtreſſe.

188

In mortall life (though mortall be mens woes)

Three things their vtmoſt rage do qualifie;

That's Comfort, Hope, and Reſt; but, none of thoſe

Come neare this place of paines

The paines of the damned are without end, meane, or meaſure.

extremity:

Mens Rackers, here, being tir'd, do let them looſe;

But, they are Sprites that men, there, crucifie;

Who can endure all labour, without paine,

While they do Sprites (that is for ere) remaines.

189

But, if mens plaguers here immortall were,

And were of pow'r, vntir'd, to plague them ſtill,

Yet would they them, yer long, to nothing

Nothing in this world that is violent, is permanent.

weare;

Or them with lacerating torments kill;

But all, ſo plagu'd, are made immortall there,

Who thogh they ſtil are ſpoil'd, yet noght cā ſpill:

Thē, thogh Time wears that on Time doth depēd

Yet they weare not, for Time doth them attend.

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190

Yea, thogh their Plaguers & themſelues were

Immortall.

ſuch

Yet, in this life, the Inſtruments of paine

To nought would waſte, with vſing long, & much;

But, that ſame firie

Reuel. 19.20

Lake doth ſtill remaine,

Which though it quite cōfounds, but with a tuch,

Yet, it confounds but to torment againe:

And, leſt the fire ſhould out, prepar'd there is,

A Sea of

Iſay 30.33

Sulphure, which ſtill feedeth this.

191

Theſe preſent paines the Wit do (pining) waſte;

But thoſe to come the Will do martire moſt:

The Memory is plagu'd with pleaſures

In this world

paſt,

And Vnderſtanding with the pleaſures

In heauen.

loſt:

Which on the Soule the Soule of

The more our loſſe, the more is our griefe.

Sorrowes caſt;

For, endles Ioyes to loſe, croſſe-woūds our Ghoſt:

To haue bin well, doth but encreaſe our curſe,

But, to loſe endleſſe being well, is worſe.

192

Then, what remaines to eaſe the wounded

The ſpirit of a man will ſuſtaine his infirmity, but a wounded ſpirit, who can beare it? Pro. 18.14.

ſpright,

When Hope, that keeps it

Wert not for Hope, Heart would breake

whole, becoms Diſpaire:

For, in that dungeon of eternall night

That moſt doth ruine, that ſhould moſt repaire:

For, Immortalitie right good, by right,

The Soule and Bodies powres doth moſt impaire:

Then, hauing but one

Immortalitie naturally is good.

good thing naturall,

Yet that made worſe then Ill, how ill is All?

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193

There, raignes what not? (that is not to be told

With tong, nor

The paine of the damned are as great as the wiſedome of the Creator could deuiſe, which is infinite, and vnvtterable.

pen) that ſenſe afflicts with griefe;

There is Perditions home, Damnations Hold;

Which giues death life, & death, giues life reliefe:

It is the vtmoſt reach of Hot and Cold,

And of Diſpaire the habitation chiefe:

In ſumme, it is the ſumme of all diſtreſſe,

Which ſubdiuided makes it nothing leſſe.

194

Theſe are Gehennaes Conſorts; theſe are they

That ſtill aſſociate thoſe that thither go:

This is the Place of that fell Monſters ſtay;

The Place where paine is infinite in woe:

The way thereto is

The way to Hell is heauenly in ſhew.

plaine, broad, greene, and gay,

All ſtrew'd with floures, to tice men thither ſo:

All which to Phuſis, erſt by Logus, told,

On Aletheia made her faſten hold.

195

Now, to returne to Phuſis, and her plaint,

Quoth ſhe, (and her embraced all the while)

Deere Aletheia, help me, for I faint;

To thinke my Sonnes are neere this monſter vile;

Who, with his Tuske, will teare, and all to taint

Their tender fleſh, which filthy Luſts defile:

Which to preuent, I faine would learne of thee,

For, thou beſt know'ſt, what's beſt for them, & mee.

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196

And, for I know thou canſt aright perſwade,

(For all thy words are held in

All the earth calleth for Truth, and the Heauen bleſſeth it: and al things are ſhaken, & trēb [...]e, neither is there any vniuſt thing in it. 1. E [...]dr. 4.36.

reuerence)

I thee beſeech from Vice them to diſſwade,

And from this Land; ſith none

In He [...]l is no redemption.

returns frō thence:

O bid them leaue their idle wandring Trade,

And tell them of this inconuenience:

Go, Lady go; the way thou canſt not miſſe,

To all their homes, and tel them home of this.

197

I would (quoth Aletheia) gladly goe,

But that, I feare, they will entreate me ill

For Logus ſake (neare

Truth, and Reaſon neare of kinne.

kin to me, they know)

But thy deſire I will herein fulfill:

For, I will go, though I my ſelfe forgoe,

To bar their courſe, and breake them of their will;

For, life is wonne, though loſt, in thoſe Aſſaies,

Wherein the loſer gaines immortall praiſe.

198

Go, gracious Ladie,

Truth is the ſtrength, and kingdome & the power, and maieſty of all ages, 1. Eſdr. 4 40.

glory be thy guide

(Quoth Lady Phuſis, to this hardy Dame)

And I, meane while, will at this Gate abide,

With my friend

Nature is greatly grieued till her ſonnes be reformed.

Noſus, Porter to the ſame.

So, on this iourney Aletheia hi'd,

For, ſhe, though wounded oft, was neuer lame,

In all her Actions ſhee's moſt vpright ſtill;

For, ſhe will neuer halt, how euer ill.

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199

This while ſate Phuſis at this narrow dore,

Talking with Logus, who came to

Reaſon doth cheere the heuineſſe of our nature in caſe of diſtreſſe.

her there;

Becauſe ſhe did as he her will'd before;

Who told him all her hope, and all her feare;

How Aletheia did her caſe deplore,

And went to ſchoole her Children eu'ry where:

For, Hearts are eaſ'd when Tongs vnfold at large,

The griefes, or ioyes, which do them ouercharge.

200

Logus her courſe, herein, did much commend;

And cheer'd her, as ſhe could, with heu'nly words:

Praid her, with

Patience a daughter of the Heauens, the beſt companiō of a forlorne fortune,

patience, to expect the end;

And comfort eu'ry way to her affords:

Strengthning her hope that now her ſons would mend;

Sith Aletheias ſayings would (like ſwords)

Subdue all rancke rebellion of the ſenſe,

For, powrefull words winne more then violence.

201

They had not thus ſate reaſ'ning there awhile,

But Aletheia they farre off might ſee

Flying to them-wards ouer ſtoppe and Stile,

Oft looking backe, as thoſe that chaſed bee;

Thē wel they knew hope did their hopes beguile,

Which they, till they had tri'd, could not

Contingent Accidents are hid from the eie of Reaſon.

foreſee:

For, that which is contingent who doth kno,

Are onely wiſe, and none but

God.

ONE is ſo.

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202

But comming neere thē (almoſt breathleſſe quite)

She, panting, told them (windleſſe as ſhe could)

How ſhe had bin (by vertue of her might)

About the whole world, and, with courage bold,

(For which, ſhe ſaid, ſhe was in painefull plight)

All Phuſis children of their

Reprehenſiō vnwelcome to all reſolute in euill.

errors told:

To whom (quoth ſhe) in diuerſe formes I came,

Yet kept my

Truth is like herſelfe in vnlike ſubiects.

nature, though I chang'd my name.

203

Some tooke me for groſſe Error, ſome for mad;

Some, ſuperſtitious; ſome, hereticall:

Some, for Deceipt; and ſome, for Vice, as bad:

Preſumptuous ſome; ſome, hipocriticall:

But, the

This guileful world is mortall enemy to Trueth.

moſt part, moſt malice to me had;

For they, at firſt ſight, draue me to the wall:

Some ſeem'd to take my part with Tooth & Naile,

That did (indeed) me moſt of all aſſaile.

204

The Curious rent my Maske to ſee my face;

The Prowd, ore lookt, nay, troade me vnderfeete,

The Learned, grac'd themſelues with my diſgrace;

Th'vnlerned (graueld) filld my mouth with

Made Truth to ſpeak moſt for the maintenaunce of earthly matters, &c.

Greet;

Which made me faine, and ſpeake as one in chaſe,

So, all I met withall, with me did meete:

Truth gets but hate, but Adulation loue:

That this is truth, vnto my paine I proue.

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205

So, when I ſaw the perill I was in,

Away I fled, thus

The wine is wicked, the King is wicked, women are wicked, & all the childrē of men are wicked, and al their wicked workes are ſuch, & there is no truth in them, but they periſh in their iniquitie, But Truth doth abide, and is ſtrōg foreuer, & liueth and raigneth for euer and euer. 1. Eſdr. 4.37.38

wounded as you ſee;

I held it baſe to keepe vnſcar'd my skin,

Sith mine aduenture might bring eaſe to thee:

But Phuſis, this I did thy loue to win,

Whom I do loue, how ere thou loueſt me:

No dearer loue can Loue bewray then this,

To venture that, for Loue, that deareſt is.

206

Ah, woe is me (quoth Phuſis) that thou ſhouldſt

For my poore Loue (which thou doſt well deſerue)

Venture that Iewell, which thou deareſt holdſt,

Yet that rare

Truth is in extreame perill of deprauation among the vncleane.

hazard, not my turne to ſerue:

Thy will I ſee, in that I ſee thou wouldſt

Venture thy life my ſonnes liues to preſerue:

And that thou ſhouldſt for that be wounded ſo,

And they the worſe for that, the worſe my woe.

207

Can neither Caueats of Mortalitie,

(Which flow frō thy mouth with almighty force)

Nor my perſwaſions, more then motherly,

Giue them ſome feeling of their ſenſleſſe courſe?

Are their

The Soule that hath no feeling of ſin, is dead in ſin.

Soules ſeared with impiety,

That they for it, therein, feele no remorce?

Then what ſhall I a woefull mother do,

But wiſh I Were not, and my children too?

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208

But what, I pray, did Princes ſay to thee,

When thou did'ſt mind them that they once muſt die?

They ſaid, & therewith ſtabb'd at me (quoth ſhe)

I, like a deuill, in my Throate did lie:

Theſe, of all others, moſt I ſought to

They that lacke leaſt worldly things moſt lacke friends that will tell them the trueth.

flee;

And yet I

Veritie and Iuſtice ſupports the Thrones of Princes.

honor roiall Maieſtie:

Without my hand ſuſtaine, Thrones reeling ſtand;

For, all ſtaid Thrones are ſtaied by my hand.

209

And how (quoth Phuſis) doe the Iudges liue?

Many of them (replied ſhe) doom'd me death,

Becauſe I would not (as did others) giue

Them goldē

Euer ſince Astrea forſooke th' earth whoſoeuer offers Iuſtice a golden Scabberd ſhe will ſheathe her ſword therein,

Scabberds, Iuſtice Sword to ſheath.

How Lawyers? They by others loſſes thriue,

And oft (quoth ſhe) on all ſides ſell their breath.

Phyſitions how? They reaſon doubtfully

Till Fees they finger paſt recouery.

210

Poore Poets how? while they (quoth ſhe) do fill

The world with Fables, feed thēſelues with hopes

More fabulous; ſo hold they but at will

Their tearme of life, of ſome great

That life is worſe then death that depēds on a mī [...]ers pleaſure.

Lord that opes

His Mouth, more then his Purſe, their Eares to fill

More then their Mawes; which greedie Famine grops:

Whoſe biting ſtomacks ſtil do ſtomack it,

The while they ſtarue for want of wealth and wit.

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211

Ah theſe deere Harts I pitty in my hart,

Who liue by ſweet

Immortall lines in Poeſie, are worſe then mortall lines that end our miſery▪ for the firſt make vs labour for our trauell, the laſt make vs labor for heauen, if wee die well.

Lines, which do end their life;

For, to liue long, they hang themſelues by Arte;

Or kill themſelues with ſharpe Inuentions knife:

Sith they, to liue, thus die, without deſart,

Long may they liue where glorie is more rife:

For, greater glory no fleſh can attaine,

Then die for glorie, ſo to liue againe.

212

And doe my ſonnes (quoth Phuſis) fare but thus?

O then aduiſe me (Lady) what to doe:

Who ſaid, ſith they no better are for vs,

Thou muſt

Iuſtice.

Aſtrea (my deere Siſter) wooe

To rule them with the Rod of Summum ius,

Before themſelues they vtterly vndoe:

And wooe thy ſelfe to take it patiently,

For, better thou ſhuldſt beare, then they ſhuld die.

213

For, if ſhe rule them not when wilde they bee,

She will ore rule them being truely tam'd,

If, in their life, ſhe doe them not oreſee,

She, in their death, will ſee they ſhalbe damn'd:

Thogh ſhe be blind, ſhe with mine

Iuſtice ſees with Truth [...] eies.

Eies doth ſee,

And I doe ſee how life and death are fram'd:

And thus, the beſt aduice that I can giue,

Is them to mortifie, that they may liue.

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214

Which hauing ſaid, ſhe Logus with her tooke

(To dreſſe her wounds) and hi'd her to her Bed;

So Phuſis, being of them both forſooke,

Sate at the doore of Thanatus, neere dead,

And fell aſleepe till Logus her awooke,

Who came againe to her as if he fled:

Whom when ſhe ſaw, her hart receiued cheare,

And in her face the ſame did ſoone

The countenance bewrais how the heart is affected.

appeare.

215

Logus aduiſ'd her ſtrait to take aduice

Of Thanatus, and Chronus, what to do:

Which to performe, ſhe ſeemed ſomewhat nice,

Becauſe ſhe thought they ſought her to

Time and Death enimies to Nature.

vndoo:

Yet, her loue to her ſonnes did her entice,

Her enemies, in this behalfe, to woo:

And, thus reſolu'd, ſhe boldly ruſhed in

Thoſe Gates, which erſt to her had fearefull bin.

216

Whoſe ſlipp'ry threſholds had neere made her fall

Into the Lake of Lethe, hard at hand;

But, Logus held her vp; yet, therewithall

She grew ſo fearefull, that ſhe ſcarſe could ſtand;

But held by Logus, and a

Body of clay

lomy Wall:

Then Logus her beſought (that might command)

That ſhe no more that paſſage would attempt,

For, tis not good the Fates too much to tempt.

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217

But I (quoth ſhe) will Chronus call outright;

Who forthwith came, on her ſweet ſounding call;

Holpe by two wings, one

Day & night are the wings of Time.

blacke, the other white;

And in his hand a Sithe, to cut downe All:

Who ſeem'd behind but low, and

When men die, their yere [...] ſeeme but ſo many daies, & before they dy all their dayes ſo many yeres: The time future ſeems lōg but that paſt, extream ſhort

poore in plight;

But yet before, moſt pretious, trimme, and tall:

Thus came he forth, and to theſe Ladies ſaid,

Who calls? and ſpake with motion moſt

Time's euer in motion.

vnſtaid.

218

T'was I (quoth Logus) know'ſt thou not my voice?

Or wilt not, ſith thou wilt become vnkinde?

The time hath

Before mans fall.

bin when It did thee reioyce;

Though now (it ſeemes) to thee it ſeemes but wind:

Wilt be vnconſtant, ſo to change thy Choice?

And ſhall I

Time, made by God, the fountaine of Reaſon.

making thee, thee fickle find?

But, if I ſhall, of this thou ſhalt be ſure

Thou ſhalt the leſſer while, for that

Iniquitie ſhal ſhorten Times continuance.

endure.

219

Thus Logus Chronus did reproue, becauſe

He wold not know that voice which wel he knew;

But, Chronus he himſelfe, from them, withdrawes;

As one that fear'd worſe chiding to enſue:

But, Logus bade him ſtay, or ſhew a cauſe,

Which

Reaſons are yeelded by Reaſon.

ſhews to Logus are all onely due;

Without whoſe help, old Chronus doth but dote,

And cannot ſing or ſay, right Word, or Note.

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220

On this Iniunction, Chronus mute did ſtand;

Yet ſtood as one that ſtill on

Still moouing.

Thornes had ſtood;

While Logus ſeem'd his ſeruice to command,

And gaue his Tongue

The office of Reaſon.

powre to be vnderſtood:

Quoth he, let Phuſis haue thy helping hand,

To make, if ſo thou canſt, her children good:

For, they that hurt muſt heale, or make amends,

Then (hurting them) on thee their help depends.

221

Here Phuſis, hearing how he thus was chid,

Was at the point, at him, likewiſe to

Our Nature is apt to inſult vpon the leaſt incoragement

ra [...]e,

But Logus bade her (in her Eare) take heede;

For, faire words wold with Chronus moſt preuaile:

Wherewith her headſtrong Will ſhe bridle did,

For Logus loue, and for her ſonnes auaile:

But yet ſhe ſaid, he did great hauocke make

Of her deere children in that Lethe Lake.

222

In which reſpect ſhe meekely him beſought

(By way of ſatisfaction) that he would

Preuent her Childrens going all to nought;

And, with

A forcible meane to reduce the euill to good.

Examples, them from that withhold:

For I their Mother, (quoth ſhe) ſtill haue ſought

To make them liue as toward children ſhould:

And if they periſh, it ſhall be their blame,

For, Ile leaue nought vnſought, to let the ſame.

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223

I will, quoth Chronus; and away he flew;

And, in one inſtant, made (the world throughout)

Babes, youths: youths, Men: Men, Old: Old, Babes anew!

Ph [...]ſis, mean while, with Logus talkt, about

The hope ſhe had that Chronus would ſubdue

Her ſonnes to Logus rule; which He did doubt:

For, no man of a rationall diſcourſe

Can thinke thei'l mend that ſtill waxe worſe and worſe.

224

While thus they talkt, they on the ſodaine ſaw

Chronus, vpon his wings, returning faſt;

Which in her ſmootheſt hope did make a flaw;

For, ſo he fled as he had beene agaſt:

What news (quoth ſhe) as he neere them did draw,

Fearing, ere ſhe had ſpoke, he would be paſt:

What do my Children? Chronus ſay, O what?

Speake, ſpeake, O ſpeake, I

Euery moment ſeemes an Age to [...]ne that longs to heare that which his ſoule deſires to know.

long to heare of that.

225

They are (quoth he) I know not what to ſay,

Following their pleaſures; and, do thinke of noght

But how they may ſhift me with eaſe away;

Yet I thereby the ſooner them haue caught:

O what a world it is to ſee them play

(Like Apes) with each vaine

Fooliſhneſſe is ioy to him which is deſtitute of vnderſtanding, &c. Prou. 15.21.

toy too

Vanitie holdeth nothing too deere, for things nere ſo worthleſſe, that may any way tend to her pleaſure.

deerely bought,

He is no man that cannot do what not?

That wiſe men neuer knew, or haue forgot.

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225

Ayme therefore (quoth ſhe) but didſt not thou

With thy Sithe menace them, to manage them?

Didſt thou not tell them thou their Backs wouldſt bow,

And that this mortal life was but a

Iob 7.6.

dreame?

O! couldſt thou not, with all this, caſt them low

To mount them more to high Ieruſalem?

What, haue they ſenſe, and cannot vſe the ſame,

That haue no kinde of ſenſe of ſinne, and ſhame?

226

When night was come (quoth he) I told ech one

The day was paſt: and when the Sabboth came,

I ſaid a weeke was fully paſt, and gone:

A month expir'd, I

No warning will preuaile with the wilfull.

told them of the ſame:

And when the Sun his compleate courſe had run,

I ſaid a yeare was paſt, and ſpent, with ſhame:

But▪ they that take delight to runne awrie,

Learne ſo to runne by Sols

The Sunne runnes an oblique courſe in the heauens which meaſures time, and in time men learne to doe amiſſe.

courſe in the Skie.

227

In Childhood, I did teach; in Youth, did threat:

In Manhood, I reprooued: and in Age,

With their own bones, their bones I ſore did beat:

And in Decrepiteneſſe, I worſe did rage;

For, I did euen quench their vitall heat:

And to the gripes of death did them ingage.

Yet for all this, they worſe and worſe became,

Still ſpoiling me, till them I

Men lewdly liuing make a ſpo [...]le of time, till [...] ſpoile them.

ouercame.

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228

What life then do my Yonglings liue (quoth ſhe?)

The life (ſaid he) of wanton skipping Roes:

The vices familiar with our natures in the ſeuerall ages of our life.

What the Yongmen? Of Goates, in Lecherie:

And what mē grown? Of Cocks, prowd, prone to bloes:

What aged men? Of wolues that greedy be

And what old Age? Of crafty Foxes thoſe:

But, moſt of all, do moſt of all tranſgreſſe,

And

Ther is none that doth good, no not one. Pſal. 17.

all, and ſome offend, ſome more, ſome leſſe.

229

Ah out alas (cride ſhe) what then remaines

To me, or them, but miſerable woe?

But, I will trie if yet my care and paines,

Can moue them their wrong courſes to forgoe:

Logus and

In time, by reaſon, & experience wee reforme our maners, if we be not vtterly void of grace.

Chronus to you it pertaines

To take my part herein, as friends ſhould doe:

Not I (quoth Logus) for, againſt their will,

I can ſaue none, that long themſelues to ſpill.

230

So, Logus left them, and away he hide

To ſeeke Astrea; (who, the earth had

Leauing her laſt [...]oo [...]eſteps among the men which n [...]w are leaſt acquainted w [...]th her or her ſteps, Husbandmen

left)

That ſhe of Phuſis ſonnes might take the guide;

While Phuſis ranne about (of Logus reſt)

And on her ſonnes, with tragicke voice, ſhe cri'd

Pitty, O pitty, me, ſhe cried eſt:

Griefe, wāting vent, the Heart (tormented) breaks,

And Paine's not ſad, while ſhe at pleaſure ſpeakes.

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231

Whereat Poliphagus (whoſe hearing was

All for the Belly) ſaid, me thinke I heare

(Yet Eares the Belly

Ʋenter auribus caret.

wants, but let that paſſe)

The

No graceleſſe wretch ſo vnnaturall but knowes the voice, and law of nature, becauſe it is written in all mēs hearts.

voice of Phuſis, our kind mother deare:

The other two ſaid, How comes this to paſſe

That ſhe is come? wherewith ſhe did appeare,

And to them ſaid, Deere Sonnes, how do ye fare?

Exceeding well (quoth they) and frolicke are.

232

But, do ye not conſider (Sonnes) quoth ſhe)

How neere ye are to be deuoured quite

By that Gehenna, which I loathe to ſee,

(Damn'd helliſh monſter headſman of Delight)

Except you change your courſe, and warie bee

To ſhunne him and his hardly

Sathan winnoweth vs like wheate. Luke 21.31.

ſhunned ſpight?

For, that ſpit's hardly ſhun'd that hath both force

And will, to make her Obiect worſe and worſe.

233

Alas (quoth they) we liue, as liue we ſhould,

Prolonging

They liue ill that thinke to liue euer.

Life with lifes immunities;

Except the ouerthrow thereof you would,

Do not

It is an abhomin [...]tion to fooles to depart from euil. Pro [...]. 13.19.

perſwade vs to liue otherwiſe:

What thogh our Soules to pleaſure quite are ſold,

Are they not ſold thereby to

To haue heauen in this life, is to holde hell in the other.

Paradiſe?

The Sale is good, as Reaſons law maintaines,

When both the Buyer and the Seller gaines.

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234

Phuſis (too fond, as too kinde Mothers are)

Seeing them well (for well they ſeeme to be

That liue, how euer ill, without all care)

Was

We meaſure our frinds well-doing altogether by the line of worldly proſperitie.

pleaſ'd with what ſhe did both heare & ſee;

Who ſaid, that Logus ſed, they ill did fare,

And were in more then mortall ieoperdy:

But ſith ſhe ſaw they were in perfect plight,

She would (ſhe ſaid) partake of their delight.

235

Indeed (quoth they) that ſolemne

A ſcorner loues not him that rebukes him, neither will he goe to the wiſe. Pro. 15.12.

Sage we ſaw;

Who (algates) wold haue drawne vs frō our ſports:

But, whilſt he drew vs, we made him withdraw

Himſelfe from vs, with many mortall

Reaſon is euer impugned and impeached by carnall Libertines.

hurts:

He would (forſooth) haue had vs keepe his Law;

And done our Suite and Seruice to his Courts:

Then, ſith he would needs Lord it ouer vs,

We as free men haue ſeru'd his Lordſhip thus.

236

Would that (quoth ſhe) ye had forborne, becauſe

Many obey him that do rule aright;

For, Equitie doth limit all his Lawes;

And they are held for mad, that with him fight:

Hereat, as loath t'offend, ſhe made a pawſe,

For, in their Fronts ſhe ſaw the face of

This makes ſo many miſeries by reaſon of flatterers in the world, for euery one couets to pleaſe for feare of frownes.

night:

When men looke blacke, then if you peace deſire,

Looke white, for Blackeneſſe is the child of fire.

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237

Here, with a ſmiling, and indulgent looke, (ſweet)

(To change their ſowre look with looks more thē

She told them Aletheia vndertooke

To ſhew them what was for their ſafetie meet:

For, her (quoth they) we neuer yet forſooke,

Becauſe we neuer yet with her did

Vicious liuers are ſtrangers▪ or rather enemies to Trueth [...]nd her doctrine.

meet:

Yet haue we heard that ſhe is too preciſe,

To liue with vs in Pleaſures Paradiſe.

238

But doubtleſſe (quoth ſhe) Chronus was with you;

What ſaid he to you? what was his aduice?

He to and fro (quoth they) about vs flew,

Yet to ſtay with vs ſeemed more then nice:

He

Theſe are the laſt, and there fore the worſt times, which rather ſeeke to reforme by windy, then explanary doctrine, which perſwades coldly.

coldly ſought our luſts heate to ſubdue,

But yer we wiſt, we loſt him a trice:

Yet, yer he went, with him wee merry made,

And made him moſt familiar with our Trade.

239

Wherefore, we pray you, when you goe away,

Leaue him with vs; For, we do well

All times apter to Vice then Vertue.

agree:

I will (quoth ſhe) ſo left them at their play,

And Chronus ſent to beare them company:

With whom they reuelld out the night, and day;

Though He from them ſtill ſought away to flee:

For Chronus weareth not his Wings for nought,

Sith he doth farre out flie the ſwifteſt Thought.

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240

While they thus gameſomely with Chronus toy'd,

(Deceiuing him with Fancies fallacies)

They heard a voice (which ſorely them annoy'd)

That ſommon'd them to leaue their luxuries;

Herewith by Thanatus, they were

They that liue without thinking of their end, doe commonly die ere they think of Death.

deſtroy'd;

To ſatisfie Gehennaes gurmandize:

At whoſe approach, old Chronus fled away,

For he could neuer yet, with neither ſtay.

241

Chronus thus leauing them to be deuour'd

By fell Gehenna (their foe capitall)

(Of whom, by

The firſt death, to the wicked, is the entrance into the ſecond.

Thanatus, he was aſſur'd)

He fled to Phuſis, and ſo, told her all:

Who was within the Earths womb then immur'd,

Prouiding foode for hir Broode great und ſmall;

Aſſuring her He ſchool'd them as they ought,

Till Thanatus had them paſt ſchooling brought.

242

Phuſis herewith tormented in the Soule,

Ranne (as diſtracted) where ſicke Fancie pleaſ'd;

Till, at the laſt, ſhe heard her Sonnes to howle,

As thoſe that were moſt damnably diſeaſ'd:

Exclaiming on their liues, and

Repentance may be too late, but neuer too ſoone.

follies fowle,

That pleaſ'd the Sēſe with all that now diſpleaſ'd:

But ſuch compunction neuer comes but where

The penitent doth deſperate appeare.

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243

So, when ſhe had well wai'd their agonies

Which they endured in that Monſters Iawes,

And, hauing view'd the like extremities,

Proceeding from the like, or worſer cauſe,

Of cruell

Tyrants.

Kings, that of Blood make but Size

To glew together their moſt bloudy Lawes:

Of corrupt Iudges; and Prieſts negligent,

The three that

If good, [...]hey raiſe▪ if bad, they ruine it.

raiſe, or ruine Gouernment.

244

The working woes of th'idle-curious;

Of the Rich-couetous; and the Poore-prowde;

Rebellious Subiects; Courtiers vicious:

Laſciuious Dames; damn'd Bawdes; the curſed Crowde:

Erroneous Teachers; Poets

A great torment, in the life to come, is due to thoſe that can, and will take ſuch an immortall reuenge for any mortall in [...]urie.

Libellous:

Cau'ling Philoſophers, (by fooles allow'd)

Of craftie Merchants; lying Aduocates:

And ſwearing Sea-men; roving Runnagates.

245

In few, when ſhe had ſeene the many woes

Of all that in Gehennaes Hold abide,

She was, by

Feare.

Phobus, (who attended thoſe)

Brought to the place where ſhe did erſt reſide;

Where ſhe did many Praiers ſweete compoſe

Vnto Aſtrea, (whom the Heau'ns did hide)

That ſhe would digne to teach, and to correct

The reſt of her wilde Children of each Sect.

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246

So, at theſe holy Praiers her I leaue,

(Sith they are neuer

None are forſaken of God that cleaue to him by humble & hearty praiee.

left that ſo do pray;)

Now, Poets ſay (that all in all perceiue)

Is this a Fiction? or a true Eſſay?

If both, then both are ready to deceaue

Thoſe that wold picke this Locke without a

The Kay of Intelligence.

kay:

But, be it what it will, it is the ſame

That is in earneſt true, how ere in game.

Bene cogitata, ſi excidunt, non occidunt.

Mimi. Publiani.

THE SECOND TALE: Containing, The Ciuile Warres of Death and Fortune.

1

THere was a Time (as I haue heard it ſed,

By thoſe that did, at leaſt, in Print it finde)

A certaine Marriage was ſolemnized

Betweene a mortall Paire of noble kinde;

And, for the loue of thoſe whom Loue doth wed,

Immortall Gods the

The Sonne of Gods firſt miracle hee wroght at the marriage, Ioh. 2. honouring the feaſt with his perſonall preſence.

company refin'd

[...]ith their pure preſence; who, the Feaſt to grace

[...]id reuell (as did all the reſt) a ſpace.

[Page]

2

Among the reſt of that immortall Crue,

Danc'd Death and Fortune, whoſe Masks were ſo like,

That none, that danc'd, the one from other knew;

So, in their choice of them they were to ſeeke:

For, ſome that ſoght for Fortune,

The wiſeſt men are oft thus miſt [...]ken for not being able [...]o foreſee perfectly future euents.

Deth out-drew;

And ſome that ſoght for Deth, did Fortune ſtrike [...]

T [...]me was their Minſtrell, who did euer play,

Aſwell when they did dance, as they did ſtay.

3

Fortune delighted moſt to dance with thoſe

That beſt could flatter, and the time obſerue;

But Death ſtill lou'd to foote it with his foes;

Or elſe with ſuch as he ſaw beſt

The beſt mē Death ſooneſt [...]akes away, becauſe this wicked world is vnworthie of them.

deſerue:

When Fortune danc'd, ſhe turnes, ſhe comes, and goes,

And kept no time, thogh Time hir turns did ſerue:

But, whē death danc'd, he did thoſe Meſures tread,

Whoſe times were lōg, & ſhort, & tunes were dead

4

So, Fortune vſ'd Lauoltaes ſtill to dance

That riſe, and

Fortune is euer in that m [...]ion like a waue mo [...]ued with the wind.

fall, as Time doth either play:

And Death the Meaſure of leaſt dalliance,

That's Paſſing-meaſure, and ſo ſtrait away:

Or elſe the ſhaking of the Sheets (per chance)

Which he would dance, vntired, night and day:

Wherein he put them downe, ſo that he did

Driue them from dancing vnto

A ſport ſo called.

Winck-all-hid.

[Page]

5

The dācing done, while yet their bloods were hot,

Fortune and Death began on tearmes to ſtand;

Which, for their dancing, had moſt glorie got;

And, who their actions did beſt command:

From which diſpute (with choller ouerſhot)

They fel to

The contentious take ſmall occaſion to contend.

vrge their powres by Sea and Land;

The while the Gods ſtoode moſt attentiuely,

To heare their more contentious Colloqui.

6

When loe Deth (Lord of all that breathe this aire)

Thus gan t'inforce his powre, beyond compare;

I know (ſaith he) their honors they impaire

That ſtriue with thoſe that their

Yet mightie men of our preſent times thinke otherwiſe, as appeareth by their actions. Oppreſſion.

inferiors are:

Yet Foulneſſe is not made a whit more faire

By being compar'd with Beauty, much more rare;

But, Fouleneſſe takes the greater foile thereby,

And Moles are foiles to ſet forth Beauties die.

7

Wert thou not blind (bold baiard) thou woldſt ſee,

A mighty diffrence twixt thy might and mine;

Sith among thoſe that moſt almighty bee,

I do admit no power more diuine:

For Empire large, who can compare with mee,

Sith Earth and Aire the ſame cannot confine:

Nay, in Earth, Water, yea, in Aire, and

All elementall Bodies ſubiect [...] death.

Fire

(That's all in all) I rule as I deſire.

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8

What breathes, or hath a vegetatiue Soule,

But paies me tribute, as vnto their King?

Nay, doe I not the hoaſt of

Which ſhall haue an end.

ſtarres controule?

Then Heau'n and Earth I to obedience bring:

And Kings, as Beggars, are in my Checke-role;

Nay, Kings more oft then Beggars do I ſting:

As farre as any thing hath

Al that hath motion is ſubiect to diſſolution.

motion, I

Play Rex, for, all that liue, do liue to die.

9

And therefore teſtifie thie modeſtie

(For error to defend is impudence)

In graunting that which thou canſt not deny,

And to be true, thou know'ſt in conſcience:

Thou ſure woldſt bluſh, if thou hadſt but one

The Eie is ſaide to cauſe our bluſhing, &c.

eie,

To ſtand on tearmes with mine omnipotence:

But ſith thine Eies are blind, and Iudgement too,

Thou canſt not bluſh at that thou can'ſt not doo.

10

Thy reaſons ſeeme (quoth Fortune) ſtrong to ſuch,

As do but ſleightly weigh them; but to mee,

(That ſeeth more then thou, at leaſt as much,

For, thou wanſt

Iuſtice, Fortune, & Death are eieleſſe ſith they haue no reſpect of perſons.

Eyes, as well as I, to ſee)

They are too baſe, to brooke my Trialls Touch,

For, Tyrranny is no true Sou'raigntie:

And, Empire large, conſiſtes not of large Partes,

But in the free ſubiection of whole Harts.

[Page]

11

Can any King be happy or ſecure

That drawing bodies, cleane with-draw the harts?

Or is it like that Kingdome ſhould endure,

That is, by Hate, diuided into Parts

A kingdom [...] diuided, is at point to be diſſolued.

And Hate a cruell Prince muſt needes procure,

That ſeekes his weale by all his Subiects ſmarts:

The Will is free, and will not be conſtrain'd,

How ere, for it, the body may be pain'd.

12

As vniuerſall as the Vniuerſe

Extends (I graunt) thy grand authoritie:

And that thy Takers (more then moſt peruerſe)

Sickneſſe, Miſchance, Diſgrace, and Deſtinie,

Thy tribute take from Man, Beaſt (tame or fierce)

To fill thy ſtill-conſuming Treaſurie:

But, their

Vntimely, as well as vnreaſonable taxings withdraw the loues of the Subiects.

vntimely taking, with high hand,

Makes thy rule odious on Sea and Land.

13

Such Officers, in each craz'd common-weale;

(That vnder colour of their Offices,

Do, with the Sou'raignes fauour badly deale)

Great Miſchiefs

Princes often become odious to their ſubiects thorow the fault of thoſe whō they put in truſt to gouerne vnder them.

cauſe, & Inconueniences;

Which though they touch the Subiects, kings do feele

Who often ſmart for ſuffring that diſeaſe:

When Princes tend their priuate, and neglect

The common good, they cauſe this ſore effect.

[Page]

14

But ballance, on the other ſide, my might

In th' vpright Scholes of true Indiffrencie,

And, thou ſhalt find I haue their heart and ſpright

Freely obaying mine authoritie:

For, thou compelleſt, but I do inuite:

I Fauors

The readieſt way to winne hearts.

giue, whoſe vſe thou doſt deny:

I do promote all thoſe that riſe to mee,

But thou ſubuerteſt thoſe that fall to thee.

15

Then, though that vniuerſall be thy powre,

Thinke not, therefore, Loue muſt to thee be ſuch:

For Wit and Courage may high place procure,

But

Loue and Bounty the beſt Baites to catch men.

Loue and Bountie ampler powre by much;

Then of my currant Cauſe I am ſo ſure,

That I dare rubbe it hard on Trialls Touch:

And, for my part, to end this Ciuile Warre,

Ile put it to iudicious Iupiter.

16

Although I iuſtly may (quoth Death) deny

To put a queſtion, without queſtion,

Vnto the Iudgement of ſelfe-Equity,

(For ſo I hold iuſt

Captare beneuolentiam.

Iupiter alone)

Yet (not affecting Singularitie)

Ile make him Iudge in this Contention:

Now Fortune, proue thy powre, as I will mine,

And then let Iupiter iudge both in fine.

[Page]

17

So, when they were (to play this maſters Prize)

Entred this round worlds ſpatious Theater,

Fortune adorn'd her ſelfe with Dignities,

With Gold, &

Men are honored and folowed in this world, onely for their fortunes.

Iems which made All follow her:

Theſe did ſhe fall, to make her followers riſe,

To gather which, they did themſelues beſtirre:

Keiſars and Kings, that vſherd her the way,

Oft caught much more then they could

They got Territories which they could not holde.

beare away.

18

Here might you ſee (like Beggars at a dole)

Some throng'd to death, in ſcābling for her almes;

He oft ſped beſt, that was the verieſt

Fortune fauors fooles,

foole;

Some tooke vp Come, ſome Crownes, and others Palms

For which they pull'd each other by the Pole,

While

Chirurgions.

otherſome, for thē, found precious Balms:

Some found odde ends to make their States intire,

And all found ſome thing that they did deſire.

19

But, that which was moſt notable to ſee,

Was the poore Prieſt, who ſtill came lagging laſt,

As if (God wot) he car'd not rich to bee,

To whom kinde Fortune Liuings large did caſt

(As t'were to guerdon his humilitie)

Which, in the name of God, he ſtill held faſt:

And ſtill look'd

The way to thriue in that function.

downe to find more, if he might,

For, well he found, he found well by that ſleight.

[Page]

20

Philoſophers (that gold did ſtill neglect)

Lookt only but (wiſe-fooles) to find their

Elixir.

Stone;

Which toy, in truth, was nothing, in effect,

But to get all the world to them alone:

For, with that Stone they would pure gold proiect

Worth all the

A little therof multiplies infinitely, as Alchymiſts affirme.

world by computation:

But, whiles they ſought a Stone ſo rich and faire,

They perfect gold but turn'd t'imperfect aire.

21

Thus, at the heeles of Fortune all attend,

Whom well ſhee feëd for attending ſo:

On th'other ſide, Death to and fro did wend

To ſeeke one that with him would gladly go:

But, none he

Life is ſweet.

found; which made him thoſe to end

He ouertooke, in going to and fro:

For, thoſe which are vnwilling Death to meete,

He is moſt willing ſooneſt them to greete.

22

Nor could thoſe Officers that him foreranne

(Sickeneſſe, Miſchance, Diſgrace, and Deſtinie)

Affect, with his affection, any Man;

For, none they found that willingly would die,

Sith all, before, with

O Death, how bitter is thy remembrance to a mā that hath pleaſure in his riches? Ecclus. 41.1.

fauours, Fortune wan,

And, ſuch deſir'd to liue eternally:

For, it is death to thinke on Death with ſuch,

That Fortune makes too merry with too much.

[Page]

23

Throgh Campes, & Hoſts he trauel'd with a trice,

(For, ſoldiers needs muſt meet deth by their trade)

At laſt he came where ſome were throwing dice,

Who firſt a Breach ſhould enter newly made;

Lord how ſome chaf'd (through Glories auarice)

For miſſing that which they wold not haue

Fron [...] [...]ullae [...]ides.

had:

And, he that wan, to loſe his life did ſtriue,

Yet ſo, as faine he would haue ſcapt aliue.

24

Among the rouing Crew, at Sea, he ſought

For one that willing was to go with him,

Who, thogh they valu'd all their liues at nought,

And oft for trifles ventred life & limme,

Yet when their woorthleſſe bloods were to bee bought

They ſold them deerely, and in blood did ſwim

From bloody death, as long as they could moue,

For thogh they fear'd not death, they life did loue

25

Through the Turkes Gallies, 'mong the Slaues he went

To ſeek ſome deſp'rat ſlaue that lōg'd to die;

But loe, not one to die would yeeld conſent,

For, all, through

Hope of future good, in this life, maks men feare death as an intollerable e [...]ill.

hope, ſtill lookt for libertie:

Hope doth the hart enlarge that Griefe foreſpent;

And Faith keepes Hope and Life, in charitie.

Diſpaire can neuer ſeize that hopefull hart,

That can, through

1. Iohn 5.4.

Faith endure an hell of ſmart.

[Page]

26

At laſt he to a Monaſterie came,

(Where mortified life is moſt profeſſ'd)

And ſought for one to meete him in the ſame;

But, all therein from ſodaine

None ſo mortified but feares death in point of dying.

death them bleſt:

And pra [...]'d to Ieſus ſo their liues to frame

That ſodainely Death might not them arreſt:

A Pater noster, Aue, and a Creede,

They thought right wel beſtow'd, ſo wel to ſpeed.

27

Thence went he to an holie Ancrets Cell,

Who ſeem'd to be quite buried there aliue;

He Death embrac'd, but yet the feare of Hell

Made him with Death, for life (in loue) to

The fe [...]re of finall or particular iudgement makes Death vnwelcome.

ſtriue:

He knew himſelfe (old Fox) perhappes, too well

Strait to preſume that God would him forgiue:

So, was moſt willing, and vnwilling too,

To do as preſent Death would haue him doo.

28

In fine, Death doubting in his Cauſe to faile,

Intreated Sickeneſſe ſuch an one to finde,

That wold not flinch, thogh Deth did him aſſaile,

And ſcorn'd the fauors of that Godddeſſe

Fortune.

blinde:

So, Sickenes went, throgh many a lothſome Iaile▪

And found, at laſt, one mortified in minde:

Who though he were but poore, yet held it vaine,

To follow Fortune that did him diſdaine.

[Page]

29

On whom ſeiz'd Sickeneſſe, with reſiſtleſſe force,

And, pull'd him downe ſo low, he could not ſtand;

To whom Death came, to make his corps a Corſe,

Yet, as his friend, firſt ſhak'd him by the hand;

And by

Deaths eloquēce is harſh to the eare of fleſh & blood

perſwaſions, would him faine enforce

With willing minde, to be at his command:

Which if he would, Death promiſ'd faithfully,

He ſhould die ſleeping, or moſt eaſily.

30

This forlorne wrech thākt death for his good wil,

But yet deſird one happy howre to liue,

Which ended, he would Deaths deſire fulfill,

Who from him with a Purge, did Sickneſſe driue,

That which cures one may kill another.

Which ſhortly did one of his Kinred kill,

From whome, as heire he did ſome wealth receiue:

And being well in ſtate of health, and wealth,

He followed Fortune more thē Death, by ſtealth.

31

Now, hee betooke him to a Furriers Trade,

And hauing Stock, hee multiplide his Store;

Then Death did mind him of the match he made,

But, him hee anſwer'd as hee did before:

Quoth he, O marre me not ere I am made,

But let me get (kind Death) a

[...]ouetouſnes is l [...]ke the Dropſie the more it drinks the more [...] may.

little more:

Contēte (quoth Death) thou ſhalt haue thy deſire,

So I may haue thereby what I require.

[Page]

32

Sables and Ermines Death for him did kill,

And made his wealth thereby, by heapes, increaſe;

Who hauing now (death thoght) the world at will,

He asked him if now he would deceaſe:

Who yet deſired life, of Dearh, to fill

His coffers to the top, thē would he

The more intereſt wee haue in this world, the more loath we are to leaue it.

ceaſe:

Death yet ſeem'd pleaſ'd, and brought all thoſe to nought

Th'reuerſions of whoſe States he erſt had bought.

33

Then, when he had a world of wealth obtain'd,

Death came againe for his conſent to die;

But now he told Death, his mind more was pain'd

With thought, and

[...]hen life is at the beſt, th [...]n Death i [...] better.

care, then erſt in pouertie:

Therefore he prai'd his death might be refrain'd

Till he had gotten ſome Nobilitie:

And then he would go willingly with Death,

And (nobly) yeelde to him his deereſt breath.

34

Death yet agreed (ſith his good will he ſought)

And gaue him leaue to compaſſe his intent;

Who, of a noble-man, decayed, bought

Both Land &

A cuſtome among the Germane [...].

Lordſhip, Honor, Houſe, & Rent;

Then Hee turn'd Courtier, and with Courtiers wroght

(By Deaths aſſiſtance, & with mony lent)

That he, in time, became a mightie King;

And al his Proiects to effect did bring.

[Page]

35

Then, Death (not doubting of his will to die)

Vnto him came, to know his will therein;

But, he did Death intreate (moſt earneſtly)

That ſith to him he had ſo gracious bin,

He yet might gaine imperiall

Which had, makes death the more irkſome.

Dignitie

Before his Death, which ſoone he hop'd to win:

And then he would moſt willingly reſigne

His life to Death, although a life diuine.

36

Death, hoping, that the greater he was made,

The greater glorie he, by him, ſhould gaine,

(Which might the vmpire Iupiter perſwade

That Death in powre, was Fortunes Soueraigne)

Made neighbour Kings each other to inuade,

To whom this King a Neuter did remaine;

Who whē they had by wars themſelues conſum'd,

He all their States, as Emperour, aſſum'd.

37

Now being Caeſar, Death came ſtrait to him,

As moſt aſſured of his company,

But to the Emperour he ſeem'd more grim

Then erſt he did, which made him loath to die;

Come on (quoth Deth, & therwith held a limme)

No oddes there muſt be now, twixt you and I:

To

Men in fortunate eſtate had rather go with life to the Diue [...] then by death to God.

Ioue Ile bring you, then with goodwill go

To him, with me, and ſee you tell him ſo.

[Page]

38

Alas (ſaid hee) I am but newly come

To honors height, and wilt thou throw me downe

Ere I be warme, or ſettled in my Roome,

And ſo my Brows ſcarſe

Its a double death to die when we haue attained the higheſt happineſſe of life.

feele th' [...]mperiall crown▪

O ſuffer me to liue, to tell the ſumme

Of the Contentments, from my Grandure grown;

For, better had it bin ſtill Low to lie

Then, being at the Higheſt, ſtraite to die.

39

Either (quoth Death) come willingly with me

Or thou ſhalt die a death thou moſt doſt

Death yeeldeth double terrour.

feare:

Hee hearing this, from Death did ſeeke to flee,

And cried on Fortune to aſsiſt him there,

Peace villaine then (quoth Death) I coniure thee,

Or lower ſpeake, that Fortune may not heare:

Yet Fortune (which he follow'd) was at hand,

And laught for ioy to heare him Death withſtand.

40

But by this Time, the Time prefixt by Ioue

Expired was: and Fortune with her brought

A world of people, following Her in loue,

Who, willingly, for Fortune long had ſought:

Theſe, as ſhe moved, with hir ſtill did moue,

Becauſe ſhe raiſ'd them higher then ſhe ought:

In which reſpect ſhe had more

Where the Carcaſes are the Eagles reſort. Matth. 28.

followars

Then Sol (that lights Heau'ns lamps) had waiting Stars.

[Page]

41

Lord [...] how ſome (ſweating) dropt in foll'wing hir,

To whō ſhee dropt that which be dropt thē more;

For, they were laden ſo, they ſcarſe could ſtirre,

Who vnder-went the ſame with labour

Gaine take away the thought of paine.

ſore:

And otherſome, themſelues did ſo beſtirre,

That they in each mans Boat would haue an Ore;

But, ſeeking to gripe more then well they could,

Were forc'd to

All coue [...] all loſe▪

loſe that which they had in hold.

42

Among the reſt, there was an Vſurer,

(Whoſe Backe his Belly did, for debt, arreſt)

Who being fearefull of iuſt

Leſt hee would plague him, for plaging others with racking.

Iupiter,

Made nice to goe with Fortune, and the reſt;

Sith well he knew, He was a Thunderer,

In, and from whom, he had no intereſt:

For he did neuer deale with ſuch, perhaps,

That gaue for intreſt nought but Thunderclaps.

43

The Souldier came, and gaue them much offence,

That ſtood betweene his Breaſt, & Fortunes Back:

So, Souldiers haue backe-fortune euer ſince,

For they, for others good, go ſtill to

Wrackt for thoſe that will rather racke then any waie relieue them.

wracke;

And for their wracks haue wrackful recompence;

For, they are ſackt, if they chance not to ſacke:

And if they doe, the Publique Purſe muſt haue,

That which muſt keepe them as a publique Slaue.

[Page]

44

They, with right Swords, do ballance kingdomes rights;

(A glorious office they perform the while)

The woorths of

The ſoldiers ſword cuts out the Portions of Kings

Kings appeares by thoſe their weights;

Which proue thē to be valorous, or vile:

Yet they gaine nought but blows, in blody fights,

So,

Of blowes.

ſtore they get without, or fraude, or guile;

The while the gown-mā keeps vnſcarr'd his skin,

And with his Pen (in peace) the world doth win.

45

O thou true Ioue, bow downe thine vpright Eare,

To heare thy loweſt Seruants Oriſons,

Which, in the loue which he to them doth beare,

He makes for them (that wracke ſtill ouer-runnes)

Incline the hearts of Princes farre and neare,

As Marſes Minions to loue Marſes *ſonnes:

And, make this little Land yeeld great increaſe,

To ſtay their ſtomackes great, in warre and peace.

46

A Soldiers ſword, from ſheath, here Fortune took,

To knight all thoſe that her had followd well,

Now eu'ry man did for a Knighthood looke,

That ſcarſe had found an houſe wherein to dwell:

Yet ſome did much their betters ouer-looke,

And thruſt in for it, while their lookes did ſwell:

So, Fortune ſeeing them to looke ſo big,

Poſſeſt them

Audac [...]s fortuna iuuat.

knights, without or Turffe or Twig

[Page]

47

Sois Cheualier; Ariſe ſir Knight, (quoth ſhe)

Then vp he ſprings, for feare leſt Fortune would

Recall hir word for his debilitie;

Now Knight he is, for nought but being bold;

For Fortune fauours Squires of lowe

A Squire of low Degree is a Squire of no degree.

degree,

If they be more audacious then they ſhould:

Now Honor hath He, get Grace where He can,

Yet Fortune gaue him grace to keepe a man.

48

Some layd on all which they, by Fortune, got

Vpon their backes, that brauely ſought to beare

The Sword vpon their ſhoulders, yet could not;

For, it fell in the ſheathe ere it fell there:

Fell lucke it was that ſo they were forgot;

Yet they

Not remembring who, or what they were.

forgat themſelues, as did appeare;

But when they ſaw they miſt of what they ſought,

Thei bar'd their backs, to line their guts, for noght.

49

Which Iupiter himſelfe did laugh to ſee;

For, theſe ſo much were mou'd with this diſgrace,

That they were at the point to Death to flee,

And Fortune leaue, for ſuch their fortune bace:

Yet followed her (moſt malecontentedly)

Beceuſe they followed her vnto that place:

To caſt away long ſeruice on a ſpleene,

Is not to foreſee, but to be oreſeene.

[Page]

50

O! twas a world to ſee what ſhift was made

To hold vp Greatnes with a little ſtay;

T'were ſinne to ſay ſome vſ'd the Cheaters trade,

To borrow with a purpoſe

A venial ſin at moſt as theſe [...]imes eſteeme it.

ne'r to pay;

And get all, howſoe'r, that might be had,

No, no, they did not ſo, I dare well ſay:

But this I ſay, perhaps, they liu'd by wit,

And ſo to liue, ſome great Ones thinke it fit.

51

Now, in theſe knightly times ye might haue ſeene

(If you, for pleaſure, had but tane the paine)

Each one ye met withall, a Knight in greene;

And ſo the world, b'ing old, grew greene againe;

As if the ſame but in the Blade had beene;

For, each one did his

A Hangerblade in a green ſcabbard

Hanger on, ſuſtaine:

Now, Time ſtood ſtill, to ſport himſelfe in Maie;

For, all was Greene, and at that ſtate did ſtay.

52

Some ſhuffled for ſome Office: ſome to gaine

Some Monopole, which then could not be got:

For, Fortune did thoſe Monopoles reſtraine,

Becauſe ſhe thought t'was to hir Rule a Blot

To pleaſure One by all her Subiects paine,

Thogh oft they made thē ſeem, as they were

Changed their Countenance with artificiall complexions.

not:

Some cried for warre, and otherſome for peace,

But Fortune, thogh they cried, ſtill held hir peace.

[Page]

53

Now, ſome, for Coine their Offices did ſell,

As if they had bin cloid with Fortunes grace;

And thoſe that bought them, others did compell

To

That which is deerely bought, muſt be deerely ſold.

pay for them, when they were in their Place:

And ſome, in ſeeking ſomewhat, did rebell;

But Fortune broght them ſoone to wretched caſe:

Some ſtrong, ſent long men to Ieruſalem,

Out of the way, to make a way for them.

54

Now, for Truths Matters, there was much adoe;

Some this, ſome that, ſom none of both wold haue:

And yet all three did (reſtleſſe) Fortune woe,

To yeeld to neither, that did either craue

In worlds behalfe, or fleſhes fixt thereto;

But all, in

All is not golde that gliſters.

ſhew, did ſeeke but Trueth to ſaue:

For, all ſeem'd to ſollicite Sions cauſe,

Which they would haue confirmed by the Lawes.

55

Some ſed they lied that only Truth did teach;

Some enuied them that liu'd by teaching ſo:

And at their liues, and liuings ſought to reach,

The iniurious offer.

Which they forgaue, but would not ſo forgo:

Somes Tongues defended Truth, which they did preach,

Whoſe actiōs gaue hir many a bitter

They had Iacobs voice and Eſaus hands.

blo:

Some liu'd, as dying, while they ſought to liue;

And ſome died liuing; yet did moſt reliue.

[Page]

56

Some, Liers called Carnall-libertie

The glorious Libertie of Truths deere Sonnes;

And

Truth.

her they vrg'd to prooue that veritie;

But, Truth's betraid by ſuch vntruſtie Ones,

That Sacrilege doe gild with Sanctitie;

Yet, for that, looke for high promotions:

O tis a world of miſchiefe when Pretence

Doth ſhrowd a world of Inconuenience!

57

When Truths ſonnes play the Polititians,

Heau'n help thee Truth, in Earth thy caſe is hard:

Truth's hardly matcht with Machiauelians,

That her wil woūd ſo they themſelues may ward:

For, pious Polititians are blacke

For their raritie.

Swans;

And, bleſt are Realmes that they do (ruling) gard:

But whereas Stateſmen meere Earth meditate,

There Heau'nly matters ſquar'd are by the State.

58

Some others followed her, by following others;

Vpon great men theſe greatly did

Such dependencie is as ful of difficulty as vncertaintie: Enuyings among the ſeruants cauſe of the firſt, mutabilitie of thoſe great mens mindes occaſioneth the laſt.

depend,

All thoſe, for likenes, might haue bin my brothers,

Who then began to liue, when life did end:

Or if before, they were bleſt in their mothers;

For, thoſe they tended that themſelues did tend:

It is abſurd that Lords ſhould tend their men,

Yet ſome Lords (Gods fooles) do it now and then.

[Page]

59

Some of theſe Seruants were ſo fortunate,

That they came forwards,

In their own not in their Lords right: for many get mony in their Lords ſeruice, to buy their Lords lands to do them ſeruice.

while their Lords went backe:

For, Loue beginning with ourſelues, we hate

Ourſelues; if we by Seruice goe to wracke:

Their Lords they loued for their owne eſtate;

And lou'd to haue that which their lords did lack:

O they are carefull Seruants that will keepe

Their lords eſtate, while they, with Pleaſure ſleep.

60

And ſome of this ſort thriu'd, not by their Lords;

Yet by their Lords; for, by their leaue, they ſell

Their fauours, nay their honors, deeds, and words,

And care not who do ill, ſo they do well:

Whoſe Clarkeſhip ſo much Art to them affords,

That for an Inch, alow'd, they tooke an

London meaſure.

Ell:

So meere Cliffs made they of their Lords to clime

To ſome high note, by keeping Tune, and Time.

61

Theſe Climers in each Clime are high'ſt of all

In their

Who are wiſe in their owne eies, there is more hope of a fool then of ſuch. Prou. 26.125

conceit; for, they conceiue they can

The round world bandy like a Racket-Ball;

And make a meere foole of the wiſeſt Man:

They ween the world without them were ſo ſmall,

As Ladies well might weld it with their Fan:

O there's no meaſure in the pride of ſuch.

That from too little, riſe to reach to too much!

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62

Some others thoght they Fortune gratious found,

Genus and

Meere Scholers.

Species throwing in their way;

Which they tooke vp, and them together bound,

To ſtay with them to be to them a ſtay:

But in the binding did them ſo confound,

That they proou'd fooles in

Men lerned, without iugement, whome the Prouerbe, The greateſt Clarkes are not the wiſeſt men, concerneth.

ſpecie to betray

Genus and Species to ſuch bitter Bands,

For which they loſt both honor, goods, and lands.

63

Lord, how ſome cloiſterd vp thēſelues like Friers,

To find out

Genus and Species.

Theſe, whom thus they did betray;

And lay in ambuſh for them many yeares,

Watching, by Candle-light, oft night and day;

Spending much money of their friends, or theirs,

And all (God wot) but to abuſe their

Miſuſe that little learning they catch.

pray:

O Genus, Genus, Species, Species, yee

Be moſt accurſt, that thus ſtill courſed be;

64

Some

Mathematitians.

others lookt for Euclids Elements,

Wherof, they thought, the whole world did cōſiſt;

Which found, they found therin ſuch ſweet cōtēts,

That Euclide carried them which way he

The Mathematiques are moſt pleaſing and alluring knowledges i [...]l rewarded, yet, they ſteale the ſtudier [...] thereof from themſelues.

liſt;

They lookt for nothing leſſe then Regiments,

But held themſelues in Euclide onely bliſt:

Who bleſt them ſo, that if for lands they ſought,

They got no land, but meaſur'd land for

[...]or little.

nought.

[Page]

65

Others there were, that ſought to find a

Magi [...]ians.

Spell,

And needs would riſe to Fortune by a Fiend;

Whom they would raiſe, for that intent from hell;

Theſe tēded fiends too much,

Coniurers and Witches are alwaies Beggars.

good Fate to tend:

Who whiles they ſoght the gods thēſelues t'excel,

They died, like damned Beggars, in the end:

So, they that needs would riſe through diuels aide,

Downe to the diuell were, at laſt, conuai'd.

66

Some others lookt for Spirits, not Sprites of hell,

But ſpirits of * ſack, and liquors of that kinde;

Wherwith they thoght (if once they could excell)

They could the hands of Fortune looſe or binde:

This made them (like poore Crickets) ſtil to dwel,

In, or about the fire till they were blinde:

And then, like Bats, that ſtill doe loathe the light,

They keep the darke conuerſing with that

Of liquo [...]s.

ſprite.

67

Others there were that ſought to finde the way

T'annatomize the Corps of Reaſoning,

With Logicall Concluſions; theſe would play

As Iugglers play with Boxes, or a Ring;

Make men beleeue what ere they pleaſe to

Subtil Sophiſter [...].

ſay;

And to a Non-plus Reaſ'n herſelfe to bring:

On theſe, indeed, too oft would Fortune ſmile,

To ſee how they the fond world did beguile.

[Page]

68

Orators.

Some wordy-men, by words, ſought worthineſſe,

Theſe raught at Rethorikes Rules to rule thereby;

And they that found the ſame, found little leſſe

Then greateſt

Fortune doth wel moſt commonly by men that do ſpeake well

Rule, for they rul'd wordily:

Theſe mē, for need, could make ſome mē confeſſe,

They Treachers were, and yet themſelues belie:

Theſe ſtill were Fortunes Minions; for they could

With wind of words orethrow wits ſtrōgeſt hold.

69

Others there were that ſtill gaz'd on the Starres,

As if by Starres, they ſhould the Sunne tranſcend:

Aſtronomers, Prognoſticators.

Theſe told of future weathers, woes, and warres,

Of the beginnings of them, and their end:

Of Prophets that ſhould riſe (to kindle Iarres)

And of I wot not what, which they defend:

But while they blabb'd out Fortunes Secrets, ſhe

Made them but poore, and liars held to be.

70

Some ſought for Notes, ſo to be notable,

Muſitions.

Not Notes to rule themſelues, but Notes in Rule;

To rule the voice by thoſe Notes tunable,

Yet many did themſelues the while miſ-rule:

Who while their Heads held points cōmendable,

In many points they err'd from Reaſons Rule:

So, this gift Fortune gaue their Heads: they ſhould

Still hold more Crochets, then their Purſes Gold.

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71

Some others ſought for Tongues as if they would

Haue ſtopt their flight, as they from Babel fled,

Linguiſts.

By catching them in nettes; ſo them to hold,

For themſelues onely, till themſelues were dead:

Theſe rich in Tongues, were not ſtill ſo in gold;

For, their Tongues taſted oft too much of

Many golden Lingu [...]ſts haue leaden inuention.

Lead:

So, theſe wel-tong'd men tied were by the Tongs,

Oft to be authors of their proper wrongs.

72

As ſome ſought Tongs, ſo others

Penne-men, or faire writers.

Hands did ſeek;

Italian, Romane, Spaniſh, French, and Duch,

With Letter Freeze among, and Letter Creeke;

Thoſe with their ha [...]ds, did Fortune ſeldom touch;

For, they wold needs teach thoſe hands in a week,

So, ſold for little, that they ſold for much:

For it is much to giue a Crowne for nought)

But onely to marre hands, too euill taught.

It is a badde bargaine to giue aught for nought.

73

Theſe paſted vp, in ech place where they came,

(And no place was ther where they did not come)

Bills (& thoſe Hands they held were oft but lame)

That they would giue their Hands, for ſome ſmall ſum;

To thoſe that wold but truſt thē for the ſame

So, in a weeke, they coſon'd all and

They ſhame the [...] vtterly.

ſome:

For, in a weeke, and ſome odde houres beſide,

They promiſ'd that which they could not abide.

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74

Their occupation brought thus to diſgrace,

They, though they would with all

For their recompence.

aforehand be,

Yet ran behind hand ſtill, from place to place:

So, with their Hands they caught but A, B, C:

Which by interpretation of the place,

Is, a all b baſe c Cheaters are, that ſo doe flee:

I wiſh thoſe Hand-men their hands well had vſ'd,

For, I know Pen-men that are ſo abuſ'd.

75

But ſome of Fortunes followers were her foes,

And Deaths true

Fencers.

friends (who for him ſwords vnſheath

But ſhewd it not, leſt ſhe ſhuld thē diſpoſe

Wher, if thei wold, thei could not meet with

In ſtraite priſon.

deth:

Theſe followed her for nothing but for blowes,

For they, with fencing, kept themſelues in breath:

And, for they could but breath by that their trade,

They ſtill were willing Fortune to inuade.

76

Some followed her by

Stage plaiers.

acting all mens parts,

Theſe on a Stage ſhe raiſ'd (in ſcorne) to fall:

And made them Mirrors, by their acting Arts,

Wherin men ſaw their

Shewing the vices of the time.

faults, thogh ne'r ſo ſmall:

Yet ſome ſhe guerdond not, to their

W.S.R.B.

deſarts;

But, otherſome, were but ill-Action all:

Who while they acted ill, ill ſtaid behinde,

(By cuſtome of their maners) in their minde.

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78

If maners make mens fortunes good, or bad,

According to thoſe maners, bad, or good,

Sui cuique m [...]r [...]s fingunt fortunam.

Then men, ill-manner'd, ſtill are ill beſtad;

Becauſe, by Fortune, they are ſtill withſtood:

Ah, were it ſo, I muſe how thoſe men had

Among them ſome that ſwamme in Foizons flood;

Whoſe maners were but apiſh at the beſt;

But Fortune made their fortunes but a Ieſt.

79

There were knights-arrant, that in Fortunes ſpite,

(Becauſe they could not king it as they would)

Did play the Kings, at leaſt prowd kings in ſight,

And oft were prowder then a Caeſar ſhould:

Yet Nature made them men by Fortunes

When men haue gotten wealth they are ſaid to be made.

might,

And Fortune made them Natures Zanees bold:

So thoſe, in nature, Fortune flowted ſo,

That though ſhe made them Kings, ſhe kept them low.

80

But ſome there were (too many ſuch, there are)

That follow'd Fortune in more abiect kinde;

Theſe matches made between the Hoūd & Hare,

Panders.

I would ſay whoore; for, men hunt ſuch to finde:

Theſe faithleſſe beaſtly Brokers of crackt ware

Had too too often Fortune in the winde;

Who followed ſo the ſent,

They liue like fleſh flies vpon the ſorts of men.

that oft they did

Find her where ſhe, frō thoſe they ſpoil'd, lay hid.

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81

Land-badgers Drouers.

Some others followed her by badging Land,

Or beaſtly grazing (yet made men thereby)

For, they that did thoſe myſt'ries vnderſtand

Caught hold of Fortune in obſcuritie;

To whom ſhe (ſtrumpet-like) lay at command,

Who, luſting for her, gript her greedily:

Till they grew great by her: O monſtrous birth,

Where Shee the He makes great with Graſſe and Earth!

82

Lawyers.

The Lawyers went with theſe, with hands as full

Of Deedes, and Manuſcripts as they could hold▪

But, Fortune from the ſame thoſe Scripts did pull,

Gold ſets an edge on an Orators tongue, and makes it cut like a razor.

And in exchange fill'd either fiſt with Gold:

For, whiles they had but Papers their were dull;

But be'ng wel-mettl'd they were blithe and bold:

For, Gold's a ſoueraigne Reſtoratiue,

And makes men more then dead, much more then liue.

83

Aurum potabile is of that powre

(If ſtore thereof be powrde in out of hand

Like Iupiters preuailing

Gold is the God of this world th [...]t [...]uines and windes the ſame as it liſteth.

Golden Showre)

That it will make Death lie at Lifes command:

It is the Aqua-vitae which doth cure

All ſore Conſumptions that our weale withſtand:

Nay tis the Aqua fortis which will eate

Throgh leaden Breſts, Cares, fretting, thēce to fret.

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84

O giue me Gold, and I will doe, what not?

And let but ſtore of Angells waite on me,

Ile make my ſelfe a God, with

Hire Mercenary Swizers and Souldiers to maintaine all vniuſt quarels euen with Monarches.

Thunder-ſhot;

Nay, I will make the Earthly Gods to flee

To Hean'n, or Hell, where they ſhall be forgot,

Sith there no God but I will minded be:

But God, thou knowſt, the Age is yron the while

That hammer can a God of thing ſo vile!

85

O! gold, the god which now the world doth ſerue,

(This Midas-world that would touch nought but gold

Gilding hir body while hir ſoul doth ſterue)

How glorious art thou (held faſt) to

So ſaith the rich miſer. Riches gather many friends, but the poore is ſeperate frō his neighbor. Prou. 19.4.

behold?

Thou mak'ſt a Beaſt a Man, and Man to ſwerue

More then a Beaſt; yet thou doſt all vphold:

For, whom thou tak'ſt into thy Patronage,

It matters not what is his Title-Page.

86

Men value men according to thy weight;

The worlde in his vniuſt Ballance weighs men accordidg to their Wealth & not by any other worthineſſe.

For, be their value ne'r ſo valorous

Its held but baſe and made, by nature, ſleight;

Nor can it be nor good, nor glorious,

Without thy vertue doe it ouer-freight;

And ſo remaine they without Grace, or Vſe:

But, if thou liſt to lade a leaden Aſſe,

(While thou rid'ſt on him) he ore gods doth paſſe.

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87

Come Gold: thē come (deere Gold) & ride on me,

Ile be thine

No wiſemā comparable to the golden Aſſe.

Aſſe, or Pack-horſe, which thou wilt;

Although thou heauy art, Ile carry thee;

Albe't thou art much heauier through thy guilt:

Lade me (good Gold) till my backe broken bee:

Sith, thou againe canſt make me, being ſpilt:

For all men now may vſe me like a Sot,

(That beares abuſe) becauſe I beare thee not.

88

Then foote it not whiles Copper rides on mee,

Baſe Copper dogs, be'ng made thēſelues to beare

But it is meere madneſſe not to b [...]re with inſenſible creatures: & bleſſed are thoſe that in this in [...]ious world, poſſeſſe their Soule [...] in patience.

But logs and faggots (for a ſtaruing fee)

And in a Chimneis end away to weare:

Then vp (faire Gold) Ile ſo mount vnder thee,

As if no ground ſhould hold me, when I reare:

For, by how much the more thou mak'ſt me bend,

So much the more thou mak'ſt me to aſcend.

89

Ride on me Gold, and I will ride on thoſe

(If ſo I luſt) of men, or women-kinde,

That ſhall be great, or faire, or friends, or foes,

Vntill I ridden haue them out of winde:

Better is a litle with the feare of God, then great treaſure, [...] trouble [...] 15 16.

But Heau'n my Heart ſtill otherwiſe diſpoſe,

For, riding ſo, I bliſter ſhould my minde:

Which ſtill would runne with matter of annoy,

And Soule, and Body ſo, perhaps, deſtroy.

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90

Then, gold, ſith thou woldſt

The touchſtone trieth gold and gold trieth men. Be [...]rer is a dry morſell with peace then an houſe full of ſacrifices with ſtrife. Prou. 17.1.

tēpt me to this ſpoile

Farewell (deere Gold) Ile not buy thee ſo deere;

I am content, without thy help, to toile

For ſo much Siluer as will arme me heere

'Gainſt wounding Wants, which there do keepe a coile,

Where nothing is but care, and griefe, and feare;

My Backe and Belly kept, in reſt Ile ſleep,

(Throgh coniuring Bookes) from gold, that diuels keepe.

91

The Fox will eate no Grapes: well, be it ſo;

That that is to be deſired of a man, is his goodneſſe, P [...]. 19 22. which ſeldom is foūd among much goodes.

Ile eate no Grapes that ſet my teeth on edge,

To eate ſuch bittes as bane where oft they go,

And Heart and Minde do all alike beſiege:

Who gathers golden fruits in Hell that gro,

Do for the ſame oft put their Soules to pledge:

But in that ſtate that ſtands with little coſt,

Is found the golden life that Adam loſt.

92

Touching this World (to my blame be it ſed)

I thinke of nothing, but what nothing brings;

And yet no thing more muſing then my head;

And yet my Muſe my head with nothing mings:

Head, and Muſe▪

Both feed on

Praiſe.

Aire, wherewith is nothing fed

But dead, or dull, or elſe meere witleſſe things:

For ſure that wit ne'r came neere wiſdoms ſchools

That weenes meere Aire fats any thing but fooles.

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93

I would, and would not, haue, what I haue not:

I would not haue, that had, the Hart inflates:

Yet would I haue my Lucke light on that Lot

That

As farre frō want as from too much.

mends the drouping Mind, & Bodies ſtates:

In too much, Nature oft is ouerſhot;

And oft too little, Art diſanimates:

Then, in this life, that ſeeke I, for my part,

That Nature keepes in life, and quickens Art.

94

To bury Liuing thoughts among the dead,

(Dead earthly things) is, ere Death comes, to die:

For, dead they are that lie in

Mindes alwaies conuerſant with theſe me [...]talls are dull, & make the bodies dead to all goodneſſe wherein they are.

Gold, or Lead;

As they are buried that in Earth ſtill lie:

The thoughts are moſt relieu'd when they are fed

With Angells

Diuinity.

foode, or ſweete Philoſophie:

But, ſome ſeeme on this Manna ſtill to liue,

Whom Quailes and Woodcoks moſt of al relieue.

95

Well, let theſe ſome out-liue as many yeares,

As they haue haires, they do but liuing die:

If ſo; their Soules muſt needs be full of feares,

Whoſe Hopes in this dead life alone do lie:

For, they weare euer double as Time weares;

In Soule and Body weare they double-

Die eternally in both

die:

O then, how painefull is that pleaſant life,

Wherein all ioy, with ſuch annoy, is rife.

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96

Beare with me Readers (thats the recompence

I aske for telling you this merry Tale)

For running out of my Circumference,

Ile come in ſtrait, before a merry Gale:

But, yet a word or two, ere I goe hence,

And then haue with you ouer Hill and Dale:

Nothing ſhall let me to relate the reſt,

For, commonly behind remaines the beſt.

97

This world (me ſeemes) is like, I wot not what:

Thats hard; for, that is no compariſon:

The world is like nothing: ſith by ſin [...] [...] was m [...]rre [...] after it [...] made: & [...] is nothing, becauſe [...] he [...] that made a [...]l things made it not.

Why thats the cauſe I it compare to that;

For, who's he like to, that is like to none?

Tis not like God; for, tis too full of hate:

Nor like the Diu'l, for he feares God alone:

It is not like to Heau'n, Earth, nor Hell,

Nor aught therein, for, they in compaſſe dwell!

98

Then what is't like? if like to any thing,

Its like itſelfe; and ſo it is indeede:

Or, if you will, like to the oldeſt Ling,

Simile.

That limes their fingers that on it doe feede:

So that, all things they touch, to them do

Euery [...]nger as good as [...] lime twi [...]ge.

cling,

Prouerb

And let them ſo, from doing pureſt deede:

If ſo it be, how mad are men the while

To cleaue to that which do them ſo defile?

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99

Now, this moſt noghtie thing, or thing of noght,

I cannot skill of; though but bad I am;

Therefore by me it leaſt of all is ſought,

Though oft I ſeeke for pleaſure in the ſame;

Which yet (I hope) ſhall not be ouer-bought,

For, I will giue but good-will for my

Harmeleſſe recreation.

game:

And if good-will will me no pleaſure bring

Ile buy therewith (I hope) a better thing.

100

Now from my ſelfe, I eft to Fortune flie,

(And yet I flie from Her, and She from me)

Who came thus followd with this Company,

That Iupiter did enuie it to ſee:

There did ſhe muſter them, in policie,

That Ioue of all might well informed be:

For, when an heape confuſ'd are call'd by Poll,

The many parts do make the number

It makes the number appea [...]e as it is.

whole.

101

Philoſophers and Poets furtheſt off Fortune.

Mongſt whom Philoſophers and Poets came,

(Laſt of the Crowde) and could not well appeare;

To whō blind Fortune gaue noght elſe but fame,

Wherof they fed; but lookt lean with their cheere:

So, they in Heau'n deifi'd this Dame,

Sith they (poore ſouls) could not come at her here:

And euer ſince a Goddeſſe call'd ſhe is,

Poets thanke her for That, Shee you for This.

[Page]

102

Who, though they be (perhaps) but paſſing poore,

Yet can they de [...]fie whom ere they will;

Then Demy-gods ſhould cheriſh them therefore,

That they may make thē whol

They affect miſery much more then Diuinitie.

gods by their skil:

Twixt whom there ſhuld be interchange of ſtore,

And make of Wit and Wealth a mixture ſtill,

That may each others woefull wants ſupply;

For, men by one another liue, or die.

103

Vaine fooles, what do ye meane to giue hir heau'n,

That giues you nothing but an earthly hell?

Thats only

Fleſh-pineing Praiſe

aire, which ſhe to you hath giu'n,

To make ye pine, whilſt ye on earth do dwell:

Ne'r ſpeake of Wit, for ye are Wit-bereau'n

To lie for nought, and make

Men, like the deuill great and nought.

Nought ſo excell:

For, now, who for him

If thou be wiſe, thou ſhalt be wi [...]e for thy ſelfe. Prou. 9.12.

ſelf's not wiſe alone,

Is vainely wiſe, though wiſe as Salomon.

104

By this time Death came with his Emperor,

Who followed Death, far off, which Ioue did ſee;

To whom Death ſaid, Loe vpright Iupiter,

This Keſar (though a Caeſar) followes mee:

He doth indeed (ſaid Ioue) though ſomewhat farre

(But kept in off, to ſhew indiffrencie)

For, though the Iudge do iudge aright (ſometime)

Before both Tales be heard) it is a crime.

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105

How ſaiſt (quoth he) Lieutenant▪ didſt thou come

With Death to vs of thy meere owne accord?

Whereat the Emprour was ſtroken dumbe,

For, he fear'd

The more we loue the world the more wee feare death.

death, as ſlaues do feare their Lord:

Yet, with deſire of glorie ouercome,

At laſt he ſpake, yet ſpake he but a word,

Which was, ſaue I the ſhorteſt word of words,

For, No a letter more then I affords.

106

Which he with ſubmiſſe voice (ſcarſe audible)

Vtterd, as one that would not well be heard;

But Iupiter (although moſt ſenſible)

Tooke on him not to heare, and preſt him hard

To ſpeake (through feare) not ſo inſenſible;

For, my vice

[...]are is a ſtranger to great hearts.

Ioues (quoth he) are ne'r afeard:

Therefore, on thy allegeance vnto mee,

I charge thee ſpeake, as thou from death wert free.

107

Then, with a princely death-out-daring

No courage [...] the d [...]ſperate Cowards.

looke

He ſaid, Dread Ioue, I had bin worſe then mad,

Sith your Lieutenancie to me you tooke,

If I ſo great a grace neglected had;

Which ſo I had, if ſo I had forſooke

Without your notice, that which made me glad:

Nor would I haue with Death come now to you,

But that he threatned me to bring me low.

[Page]

108

Wherewith the Iudge (iuſt Ioue) did ſentence giue

Iupiters Sentence.

On Fortunes ſide; which made Death rage ſo ſore,

That at the Emprour he amaine did driue,

Whilſt Ioue lookt on, and Fortune fled therefore:

Short tale to make, he did him life depriue,

And euer ſince Death rageth more and more:

That now all men falſe Fortune doe preferre,

Before iuſt Death; nay iuſter Iupiter.

109

And, thus with Death (that All in fine doth end)

We end our Tale, and, if a lie it be,

Yet naked Truth dares ſuch a lie

Scripture Parables containe trueth in their moralitie, though not in the Letter.

defend;

Becauſe ſuch lies doe lie in veritie:

But though loude lies do lie, they will not bend

So lowe as moſt profound Moralitie:

Then, be it lie, or be it what it will,

It lies too high, and lowe for Death to kill.

Bene cogitata, ſi excidunt, non occidunt.

Mimi Publiani.

Finis.

Notes

*

Diſtillators & Extracters of Quinteſſences.

↵

The Triumph of DEATH: OR, The Picture of the Plague: According to the Life, as it was in Anno Domini. 1603.

[Page]

SO, ſo, iuſt Heau'ns, ſo, and none otherwiſe,

Deale you with thoſe that your forbearaunce wrōg

Dumb Sin (not to be nam'd) againſt vs cries

Yea, cries againſt vs with a tempting tong.

And, it is heard; for, Patience oft prouokt

Conuerts to Furies all-conſuming flame;

And, fowleſt ſinne (thogh ne'r ſo cleanly cloakt)

Breaks out to publike plagues, and open ſhame!

Ne'r did the Heau'ns bright Eie ſuch ſins behold

As our long Peace and Plenty haue begot;

Nor ere did Earths declining proppes vphold

An heauier plague, then this outragious Rot!

Witneſſe our Citties, Townes, and Villages,

Which

Therefore ha [...]h the curſe deuoured the Land, and the inhab [...]tantes therof are deſolate. Iſai. 24 6.

Deſolation, day and night, inuades

With Coffins (Cannon-like) on Carriages,

With trenches ram'd with Carkaſes, with Spades!

A ſhiu'ring cold (I ſenſibly do feele)

Glides through my veines, and ſhakes my hart and hand,

When they doe proue their vertue, to reueale

This plague of plagues, that ouerlades this Land!

[Page]Horror ſtands gaping to deuoure my Senſe

When it but offers but to

Who among you ſhall harken to this, and take heed and hea [...]e for afterwards. Iſai. 42.23.

mention it;

And Will abandon'd by Intelligence

Is drown'd in Doubt, without her Pilot Wit!

But, thou, O thou great giuer of all grace,

Inſpire my Wit, ſo to direct my Will,

That notwithſtanding eithers wretched caſe,

They may paint out thy Plagues with grace, with skil,

That ſo theſe Lines may reach to future

Now goe & write it before them in a Table, and note it in a booke, that it may be for the laſt day for euer and euer. Iſai. 30.8.

times,

To ſtrike a terror through the heart of Fleſh;

And keep It vnder that by Nature climbes,

For, Plagues do Sin ſuppreſſe when they are freſh.

And freſh they be, when they are ſo expreſt,

As though they were in being ſeene of Senſe;

Which diuine Poëſie performeth beſt,

For, all our ſpeaking Pictures come from thence!

The obiect of

I am the man that hath ſeene afflictiō in the rod of his ind [...]gnatiō. Lament 3.1.

mine outward Senſe affords

But too much Matter for my Muſe to forme;

Her want (though ſhe had words at will) is words,

T'expreſſe this Plagues vnvtterable * Storme!

Fancie, thou needſt not forge falſe Images

To furniſh Wit t'expreſſe a truth ſo true;

Pictures of Death ſtoppe vp all Paſſages,

That Sēſe muſt needs thoſe obuious obiects view.

If Wit had powre t'expreſſe what Senſe doth ſee,

It would aſtoniſh Senſe that

Heare, yee deafe, and yee blinde▪ regard that ye may ſee. Iſa. 42▪ 18

heares the ſame;

For, neuer came there like Mortalitie,

Since Death from Adam to his Children came!

Scarſe three times had the Moone repleniſhed

Her empty Horns with light; but th'empty Graue

[Page](Moſt rauenous) deuoured ſo the Dead,

As ſcarſe the dead might Chriſtian buriall haue!

Th'Almighties hand that long had, to his paine,

Offer'd to let his Plagues fall, by degrees,

And with the offer pull'd it backe againe,

Now breakes his Viall, and a Plague out-flees,

That glutts the Aire with Vapors venemous,

That puttrifie, infect, and fleſh confound,

Thou haſt for ſakē mee, ſaith the Lord, and gone backeward: therfore will I ſtretch out mine hand againſt thee, and deſtroy thee: for I am weary with repenting. Ierem. 15.6.

And makes the Earthes breath moſt contagious,

That in the Earth and Aire but Death is found!

A deadlie Murraine, with reſiſt leſſe force,

Runnes through the Land and leuells All with it!

The Coaſt it ſcoured, in vncleanlie Courſe,

And thouſands fled before it to the

Feare, & the pit, & the ſnare are vpon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. Iſai. 24.17.

Pitte!

For, ere the breath of this Contagion,

Could fully touch the fleſh of Man, or Beaſt,

They on the ſodaine ſinke, and ſtrait are gone,

So, inſtantlie, by thouſands, are decreaſt!

No Phiſicke could be found, to be a meane,

But to al [...]aie their Paine, delaie their Death;

In this Phiſitions Harueſt,

Phiſitions.

They could gleane

But corrupt Aire and Danger by that Breath.

All Artes and Sciences were at a ſtand,

And All that liu'd by them, by them did die;

For death did hold their heads, & ſtaid their hād,

Sith they no where could vſe their Facultie.

The nurſing

Vniuerſities.

Mothers of the Sciences

Withdrew their Foſter-milke while witt did faſt;

For, both our forlorne Vniuerſities

Forſaken were and Colledges made faſt▪

[Page]The Magiſtrates did ſlie, or if they ſtaid,

They ſtaid to pray, for if they did command,

Hardly, or neuer ſhould they be obaid;

For, Death dares all Authority withſtand.

And, wheres no Magiſtrate, no Order is;

Where Order wants, by order doth enſue

Confuſion ſtrait, and in the necke of this

Muſt ſilent Deſolation all ſubdue!

For feare wherof, both king, & kingdome ſhakes,

Sith Deſolation threatens them ſo ſore;

All hope of earthly helpe the Land forſakes,

And Heau'n powres

Then ſaid I, Lord, howe long? and he anſwered, vntill the Cities bee waſted without inhabitant, and the houſes without man, and the Land be vtterly deſolate. Iſai. 6 11

plags vpō it more & more!

Now, Death refreſhed with a little reſt

(As if inſpired with the Spirit of Life)

With furie flies (like Aire) throgh man and beaſt,

And makes eftſoons the murraine much more rife!

London now

And the Cities that are inhabited ſhal be left void, the land ſhall be deſolate, & ye ſhall know that I am the Lord Ezech. 12.20.

ſmokes with vapors that ariſe

From his foule Sweat, himſelfe he ſo beſtirres;

Caſt out your Dead, the Carcaſſe-carrier cries,

Which he, by heaps, in groūdleſſe graues interres!

Now ſcowres he Streets, on either ſide, as cleane

As ſmoking ſhowrs of raine the Streets do ſcowre;

Now, in his Murdring, he obſerues no meane,

But tagge and ragge he ſtrikes, and ſtriketh ſure.

He laies it on the skinnes of Yong and Old,

The mortall markes whereof therein appeare:

Here, ſwells a Botch, as hie as hide can hold,

And, Spots (his ſurer Signes) do muſter there!

The South wind blowing frō his ſwelling cheeks,

Soultry hot Gales, did make Death rage the more,

[Page]That on all Fleſh to wreake his Wrath he ſeekes,

Which flies, like

Zephon. 2.2

chaffe in wind, his breath before!

He raiſeth Mountaines of dead carkaſes,

As if on them he would to Heau'n aſcend,

T'aſſwage his rage on diuine Eſſences,

When he of Men, on Earth, had made an end.

Nothing but Death alone, could Death ſuffize,

Who made each

Euen the mouſe ſhal be conſumed together, ſaith the Lord, Iſa. 66.17.

Mouſe to carry in her Coate

His heauy vengeance to whole Families,

Whilſt with blunt Botches he cuts others throate!

And, if ſuch Vermine were thus all imploide,

He would conſtraine domeſtike

Tame Pigeons, Cockes, Hennes, Capons, &c.

foules to bring

Deſtruction to their haunts; So, men deſtroid

As ſwiftly as they could beſtirre their wing!

So, Death might well be ſaid to flie the field,

And in the Houſe foile with reſiſtleſſe force,

When he abroad all kinde of Creatures kill'd

That he found liuing in his lifeleſſe Courſe!

Now like to Bees, in Summers heate, from Hiues,

Out

Ariſe and depart, for this is not your reſt, becauſe it is polluted, it ſhall deſtroy you euen with a ſore deſtruction. Michah 2.10.

flie the Citizens, ſome here, ſome there;

Some all alone, and others with their wiues:

With wiues and children ſome flie, All for feare!

Here ſtands a Watch with guard of Partezans

To ſtoppe their Paſſages, or too, or fro;

As if they were nor Men, nor Chriſtians,

But Fiends, or Monſters, murdring as they go!

Like as an Hart, death-wounded, held at Bay

Doth flie, if ſo be can, from Hunters chaſe,

That ſo he may recouer (if he may)

Or elſe to die in ſome more eaſie place.

[Page]So, might ye ſee (deere Heart) ſome luſtie Lad

Strooke with the Plague, to hie him to the field,

Where in ſome Brake, or

And he that flieth from the noiſe of the feare ſhall fall into the pit, &c. Iſa. 24.18

Ditch (of either glad)

With pleſure, in great pain [...], the ghoſt doth yield!

Each Village, free, now ſtands vpon her guard;

None muſt haue harbour in them but their owne:

And as for life and death all watch, and ward,

And flie for life (as Death) the man vnknowne!

For, now men are become ſo monſterous

And mighty in their powre, that with their breath

They leaue no ils, ſaue goods, from houſe to houſe,

But blow away each other from the Earth!

The ſickeſt Sucklings

Yee ſhall cōceiue chaffe, & bring forth ſtubble, the fire of your breath ſhall deuoure you. Iſai. 33.11.

breath was of that force

That it the ſtrongeſt Giant ouerthrew;

And made his healthie corpſe a carrion Corſe,

If it (perhaps) but came within his view!

Alarme, alarme, cries Death, downe, downe with All;

I haue, and giue Commiſſion All to kill:

Let not one ſtand to piſſe againſt a wall,

Sith they are all ſo good, in works ſo ill.

Vnioynt the body of their Common-weale,

Hew it in peeces, bring it all to nought;

With Rigors boiſtrous hand all Bands canceale,

Wherin the heau'ns ſtād bound to Earth in aught.

Wound me the ſcalpe of humane Policie,

Sith it would ſtand without the help of heau'n

On rotten proppes of all impietie;

Away with it, let it be life-bereau'n.

With plagues, ſtrike through Extortions loathed loines,

And riuet in them glowing peſtilence:

[Page]Giue, giue Iniuſtice many mortall foynes,

And with a plague, ſend, ſend the ſame frō hence.

Wind me a Botch (huge Botch) about the Necke

Of damn'd diſguiſ'd, man-pleaſing Sanctitie:

And Simony with ſelfe ſame Choller decke,

Plague theſe two Plagues with all extremitie.

For, theſe are Pearles that quite put out the eies

Of Piety in Chriſtian Common-wealths;

Theſe, theſe are they, from whō all plagues do riſe,

Thē plagues on plagues, by right, muſt reaue their healths.

Daſh Veng'āce viall on the curſed brow

Of

Aske now among the Heathen, who hath heard ſuch things? the virgine of Iſrael hath done very filthily Ierem. 18 13.

Zodomy, that euer-crying ſinne;

And that it be no more whole

A mountain in Theſ [...]al [...]e.

Pelions throw

Of plagues vpon it both without, and in!

Throgh black

Auernus a lake in Italie, where they ſay this ſinne is frequent.

Auernus (hels mouth) ſend the ſame

Into the deepeſt pit of loweſt hell;

Let neuer more the nature, nor the name

Be known within the Zones, where mē may dwel,

Oppreſſe Oppreſſion, this Lands burning-feauer,

With burning ſores of feauers-peſtilent;

And now or neuer, quell it now and euer,

For, it doth quell the Poore and Innocent

Bring downe damn'd Pride with a pure peſtilēce

Deriued from all plagues that are vnpure,

Extracted to th'extreameſt quinteſſence,

For Pride all Sinnes,

Pride, the cauſe of Adams fall, and ſo of all ſinne

& plagues for ſin, procures.

In Atheiſmes breaſt (inſtead of her curſt hart)

Set an huge Botch, or worſe plague, m [...]re cōpact;

That it may neuer conuert, or peruert,

Nor haue powre to perſwade, much leſſe coact.

[Page]Beblaine the boſome of each Miſteris,

That bares her

They are waxen fat, and ſhining, they doe ouerpaſſe the deedes of the wicked, &c. Iere 5.2 [...]

Breſts (luſts ſignes) gheſts to allure;

With a plague kiſſe her, (that plagues with a kiſſe)

And make her (with a murraine) more demure.

Our puling puppets, coy, and hard to pleaſe,

My too ſtrait-laced all-begarded Girles

(The skumme of Niceneſſe) London Miſtreſſes)

Their skins imbroder with plagues orient Pearls.

For theſe, for

Strawberies, Cherries, &c. when they firſt come in.

Firſt-fruits, haue

Shillings, Crownes, or Pounds.

Fifteenes to ſpare

But to a Beggar ſay, We haue not for yee:

Then do away this too-fine waſtefull Ware

To ſecond death; for they do moſt abhorre mee.

Then ſcowre the Brothel-houſes, make them pure,

That flow with filth that wholſomſt fleſh infects;

Then will I turne mine hād vpō thee, and burne out thy droſſe, till it be pure, and take away thy Tinne. Iſai 1.25.

Fire out the Pox from thēce with plages vnpure;

For they do cauſe but moſt vnpure effects.

Plague carnall Colleges, wherein are taught

Luſts beaſtly leſſons, which no beaſt will brooke,

Where Aratine is read, and nearely ſought;

And ſo Luſts Precepts practiz'd by the Booke.

Who knowes not Aratine, let him not aske

What thing it is; let it ſuffice hee was:

But what? no Mouth can tell without a Maske;

For Shame it ſelfe, will ſay, O let that paſſe!

He was a Monſter, Tuſh, O nothing leſſe:

For, Nature monſters makes (how ere vnright)

But Nature ne'r made ſuch a Fiend as this,

Who, like a Fiend, was made in Natures ſpight!

Therefore, away with all that like his Rules,

Which Nature doth diſlike as ſhe doth Hell:

[Page]Break vp thoſe free (yet deere & damned) Schools,

That teach but gainſt kinde Nature to rebell.

Rogh-caſt the skin of ſmooth-fac'd glozing Guile

With burning bliſters to conſume the ſame,

That ſwears to ſell crackt wares, yet lies the while,

And of gaine, by

And euery one will deceiue his fri [...]d and wil not ſpeake the truth: for they haue taught their tongues to ſpeake lies, and take great paines to doe wickedly. Ierem. 9 5.

deceiuing, makes her game.

Who, but to vtter, but a thing of nought,

Vtters all othes, more precious then her Soule:

And thinks them well beſtowd, ſo it be bought

So, vtters wares with othes, by falſhood foule.

This foule offence to Church & Commonwealth,

Sweep cleane away with Wormewood of annoy:

For, it conſiſteth but by lawfull

[...]s a Cage is full of Birds, ſo are their houſes full of deceit, thereby they are become great & waxen [...]ich. Ierem. 5.27.

ſtealth;

Then, let the trueſt Plagues it quite deſtroy.

Of Tauerns, reaking ſtill with

For all their Tables are full of filthy vomitings: no place is cleane. Iſai. 28.8.

vomitings,

Draw, with the Owners, all the Drawers out;

Let none draw Aire, that draw on Surffettings,

But Exceſſe, and her Slaues, botch all about.

Sith ſuch by drawing out, and drawing on

Do liue; let ſuch be drawne out on a Beare:

For, they with wine haue many men vndone,

And famiſht them, in fine, through belly-cheare.

Browne-paper Merchants (that do ven [...] ſuch traſh

To heedleſſe heirs, to more wealth borne then wit,

That gainſt ſuch Paper-rocks their houſes daſh,

While ſuch ſlie Merchants make much vſe of it)

Vſe them as they do vſe ſuch heires to vſe,

That is, to plague them without all remorce:

Theſe with their Brokers, plague; for they abuſe

God, King, and Law, by Lawes abuſed force.

[Page]Then, petti-botching-Brokers, all bebotch

That in a month catch eighteene pence in pound;

Six with a

Their Bill of Sale.

Bill, and twelue for vſe they catch,

So, vſe they all they catch, to make vnſound.

That they may catch them, and ſtill patches make,

Which in the pound do yeeld thē eighteen pence;

Forc'd, like ſheep treſpaſſing, the Pownd to take,

Leauing their

And they lie downe vpon cloths laide to pledge by euery Altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the houſe of their God. Amos 2.8.

Fleece, at laſt, for recompence.

Hang in their hang-mans wardrop plagues to aire

That all may flie, or die that with it mell;

And ſo, when none will to their ragges repaire,

They muſt forſake their liues, or labour well.

Briefly, kill curſed Sinne in generall,

And let Fleſh Bee no more to harbour it;

Away with filthie Fleſh, away with all

Wherein ſtill-breeding Sinne on broode doth ſit.

This was Deaths charge, & this charge did he giue,

Which was perform'd (forthwith) accordingly;

For now the dead had waſted ſo the liue,

(Or wearied ſo) that ſome vnburied lie:

For, All obſeru'd the Peſtilence was ſuch

As laught to ſcorne the help of Phiſickes art;

So that to death All yeelded with a touch,

And ſought no help, but help with eaſe to

And death ſhall be deſired rather thē life of all the reſidue that r [...]ma [...]n of this wicked family. Iere 8 3.

part.

An hell of heate doth ſcorch their ſeething vaines,

The blood doth boile, and all the Body burnes,

Which raging Heate aſcending to the Braines

The powres of Reaſon there quite ouerturnes!

Then, tis no ſinne to ſay a Plague it is

From whence immortall miſeries do flow;

[Page]That makes men reaſon with their reſt to miſſe,

And Soules and Bodies do endanger ſo.

Here crie the parents fot their Childrens death;

There howle the children for their parents loſſe;

And often die as they are drawing breath

To crie for their but now inflicted croſſe.

Here goes an husband heauily to ſeeke

A Graue for his dead wife (now hard to haue)

A wife there meets him that had done the like,

All which (perhaps) are buried in one Graue.

The laſt ſuruiuor of a Familie,

Which yeſterday (perhaps) were all in health,

Now dies to beare his fellowes company,

And for a Graue for all, giues all their wealth.

There wends the

Thy Sonnes haue fainted, & [...]e at head of al the ſtreets, as a wild Bull in a net, and are full of the wrath of the Lord, and rebuke of thy God. Iſa, 51.20.

fainting Son with his dead Sire

On his ſole ſhoulders borne, him to interre;

Here goes a father with the like deſire,

And to the Graue alone, his Sonne doth beare.

The needie, greedie of a wealthie Pray,

Runne into houſes cleanſ'd of Families,

From whence they bring, with goodes, their bane away,

So end in wealth their liues and miſeries.

No Cat, Dog, Rat, Hog, Mouſe, or Vermine vile,

But vſher'd Death, where ere themſelues did go;

For, they the pureſt Aire did ſo defile,

That whoſo breath'd it, did his breath forgo.

At London (ſincke of Sinne) as at the Fount,

This all-confounding Peſtilence began.

According to that Plagues moſt wofull wont,

From whence it (flowing) all the realme o'reranne.

[Page]Which to preuent, at firſt, they peſtered

Peſt-houſes with their murraine-tainted Sicke:

But, though from them, & thence the healthie fled,

They, ere ſuſpected, mortified the Quicke.

Thoſe ſo infected, being ignorant

That ſo they are, conuerſe with whom ſoere,

Whoſe open Shops and Houſes all doe haunt,

And finde moſt danger, where they leaſt do feare.

And ſo not knowing ſicke-folke from the ſound

(For, ſuch ill Aire's not ſubiect to the ſenſe)

They One with

I will d [...]ſh them one againſt another euen the [...]athers and the ſons together, ſaith the lord, I wil not ſpare I will not pitty, not haue compaſſion vpon them, but deſtroy them. [...]erem. 13.14.

Other do themſelues confound;

And ſo confound all with a peſtilence.

Out flies one from the Plague, and beares with him

An heauy Purſe, and Plague more ponderous;

Which in the hie-way parteth life from limbe,

So plagues the next of his coine couetous.

In this ditch lies one breathing out his laſt,

Making the ſame his Graue before his death!

On that Bancke lies another, breathing faſt,

And paſſers by he baneth with his breath.

Now runnes the

[...]herefore will I be vnto Ephraim as a moa [...]h, and to the houſe of Iuda as a rottennes, Hoſea 5.12.

Rot along each bancke & ditch,

And, with a murraine ſtrikes Swine, Sheep, and all

(Or man, or beaſt) that chance the ſame to touch,

So, all in fields, as in the Cities fall.

The London Lanes (themſeluet thereby to ſaue)

Did vomit out their vndigeſted dead,

Who by cart loads, are carried to the Graue,

For, all thoſe Lanes with folke were ouerfed.

There might ye ſee Death (as with toile oppreſt

Panting for breath, all in a mortall ſweat)

[Page]Vpon each bulke or bench, himſelfe to reſt,

(At point to faint) his Harueſt was ſo great!

The Bells had talkt ſo much, as now they had

Tir'd all their tongs, and could not ſpeake a word;

And Griefe ſo toild herſelfe with being ſad,

That now at Deaths faint threats, ſhee would but bourd.

Yea, Death was ſo familiar (ah) become

With now reſolued London Families,

That whereſoere he came, he was welcome,

And entertain'd with ioyes and iolities.

Goods were neglected, as things good for nought;

If good for aught, good but to breed more ill:

The Sicke deſpiſ'd them: if the Sound thē ſought,

They ſought their death which cleaued to thē ſtil!

So Sicke, and Sound, at laſt

Neither their ſiluer nor their golde ſhall be able to deliuer them in the day of the lords wrath, &c Zepha. 1.18.

neglected them,

As if the Sound and Sicke were neere their laſt;

And all, almoſt, ſo fared through the Realme

As if their Soules the Iudgement day were paſt.

This World was quite forgot; the World to come

Was ſtill in minde; which for it was

Her filthineſſe is in her ski [...]s: ſhe remembred not her laſt end, therefore ſhee came downe wonder [...]ully: ſhe had no cōforter. &c. Lament. 1.9.

forgot,

Brought on our World this little day of Dome,

That choakt the Graue with this contageous Rot!

No place was free for Free-men; ne for thoſe

That were in Priſons, wanting Libertie;

Yet Priſoners frëeſt were from Plagues and Woes

That viſite Free-men, but too lib'rally.

For, al their food came frō the helthy houſe,

Which then wold giue Gods plags from thence to keep;

The reſt, ſhut vp, could not like bountie vſe,

So, woefull Priſ'ners had leaſt cauſe to weepe.

[Page]The king himſelfe (O wretched Times the while!)

From place to place, to ſaue himſelfe did flie,

Which from himſelfe himſelfe did ſeeke t'exile,

Who (as amaz'd) not ſafe, knew where to lie.

Its hard with Subiects when the Soueraigne

Hath no place free from plagues his head to hide;

And hardly can we ſay the King doth raigne,

That no where, for iuſt feare, can well abide.

For, no where comes He but Death follows him

Hard at the Heeles, and reacheth at his head;

So ſincks al

The mir [...]h of tab [...]ets ceaſeth: the noi [...]e of them that rei [...]ceendeth: the ioy of the harpe ceaſeth. Iſa [...] 24.8.

Sports that wold like triumphs ſwim,

For, what life haue we, when we all are dead;

Dead in our Spirits, to ſee our Neighbours die;

To ſee our King ſo ſhift his life to ſaue;

And with his Councell all Concluſions trie

To keepe themſelues from th'inſatiate Graue.

For, hardly could one man another meete,

That in his boſome brought not odious Death;

It was confuſion but a friend to greet,

For, like a Fiend, he baned with his breath.

The wildeſt waſtes, and places moſt remote

From Mans repaire, are now the moſt ſecure;

Happy is he that there doth finde a Cote

To ſhrowd his Head from this Plagues ſmoaking ſhowre

A Beggars home (though dwelling in a Ditch

If farre from London it were ſcituate)

He might rent out, if pleaſ'd him, to the Rich,

That now as Hell their London homes doe hate.

Now, had the Sunne the

Libra September.

Ballance entered,

To giue his heate by weight, or in a meane,

[Page]When yet this Plague more heate recouered,

And ſcowr'd the towns, that erſt were clēſed clean.

Now, ſad Diſpaire (clad in a ſable weede)

Did All attend, and All reſolu'd to die;

For, Heat & cold, they thought, the Plague would feede

Which, like a

A Beaſt neuer but feeding, and when he hath eaten as much as his [...] hold, goe, to a for [...]ed t [...]ee, and there ſtraines out his fonde vndigeſted betweane the twiſt of the [...]ee, and ſo ag [...]ine preſently falles to ſe [...]ue, and being full, againe to the tree, and ſo eftſoones to feede.

Ierffe, ſtill ſinn;d in gluttony.

The heau'nly Coape was now ore-canopide,

(Neere each ones Zenith (as his ſenſe ſuppoſ'd)

With ominous impreſſions, ſtrangely died,

And like a Canopie at toppe it cloſ'd.

As if it had preſag'd the Iudge was nie,

To ſit in Iudgement his laſt doome to giue,

And cauſ'd his cloth of State t'adorne the Skie

That All his neare approach might ſo perceiue

Now fall the people vnto publike Faſt,

And all aſſemble in the Church to pray;

Earely, and late, their ſoules, there take repaſt,

As if preparing for the later day!

Where (faſting) meeting with the ſound and ſicke,

The ſicke the ſound do plage, while they do pray;

To haſte before the Iudge the dead and quicke,

And pull each other ſo, in poſt, away.

Now Angells laugh to ſee how contrite hearts

Incounter Death, and ſcorne his Tiranny;

Their Iudge doth ioy to ſee them play their parts,

That erſt ſo liu'd as if they ne'r ſhould die.

Vp go their harts & hands, and downe their knees,

While Death wēt vp & down, to bring thē down;

That vp they might at once (not by degrees)

Vnto the High'ſt, that doth the humble

Iſai. 57.15.

crown [...]!

[Page]O how the threſholds of each double dore

Of Heau'n, and Hell, were worne with throngs of ghoſts

Ne'r ſince the Deluge, did they ſo before,

Nor euer ſince ſo polliſht the ſide-poſts.

The Angells, good and bad, are now all toil'd

With intertaining of theſe ceaſeleſſe throngs;

With howling ſome (in heat and horror broild)

And otherſome in bliſſe, with ioyfull Songs.

Th'infernall Legions, in Battallions,

Seeke to inlarge their kingdome, leſt it ſhould

Be cloid with Collonies of wicked ones;

For now it held, more then it well could hold!

The Angells, on the Criſtall walls of Heau'n,

Holpe thouſands ore the Gates ſo glutted were;

To whom authoritie by Grace was giu'n

(The preaſe was ſuch) to helpe them ouer there.

The Cherubin eie-blinding Maieſtie

Vpon his Throne (that euer bleſt hath bin)

Is compaſt with

The world is diuided into twelue partes, and ten partes of it are gone already, and halfe of the tenth part: & there remaineth that which is after the halfe of the tenth part. 2. Eſd. 14.10, 11

vnwonted Company,

And ſmiles to ſee how Angells helpe them in.

The heau'nly ſtreets do glitter (like the Sunne)

With throngs of Sonnes but newly glorifide;

Who ſtill to praiſe their Glorifier runne

Along thoſe ſtreets, full fraught on either ſide.

Now was the earthly Mammon, which had held

Their Harts to Earth, held moſt contagious;

A Beggar ſcornd to touch it (ſo defilde)

So, none but caſtawaies were couetous.

Now Auarice was turned Cherubin,

Who nought deſir'd but the extreameſt Good;

[Page]For, now ſhe ſaw ſhe could no longer ſinne,

So, to the Time ſhe ſought to ſuite her moode,

The loathſome Leacher loath'd his wonted ſport;

For, now he thought all fleſh was moſt corrupt:

The brainſicke brawler waxed all-amort;

For, ſuch blood-ſuckers Bane did interrupt.

The Paſtors now, ſteep all their words in Brine,

With woe, woe, woe, and nought is heard but woe;

Woe and alas, they ſay, the powres diuine

Are bent Mankind, for ſinne to ouerthrow.

Repent, repent, (like Ionas) now they crie,

Ye men of England, O repent, repent;

To ſee if ſo yee maie moue Pitties Eye,

To looke vpon you, ere you quite be

Neuertheles ſaith the lord, at thoſe d [...]ys I will not make a full end of you. Ier 4.18.

ſpent.

And oft whilſt he breathes out theſs bitter Words,

He, drawing breath, drawes in more bitter Bane:

For, now the Aire, no Aire but death affords;

And lights of Art (for helpe) were in the wane.

Nor people praying, nor the Paſtor preaching,

Death ſpared ought; but murd'red one and other;

He was a walme, he could not ſtay impeaching,

For it is the day of the Lords vengeance, and the ve [...]e [...] re [...] rence for the i [...]dgement of [...] Iſai. 34.8

Who ſmoakt with heat, & chokt, all with the ſmother.

The babe new born hempt ſtrait in the head

With aire that through his yet vncloſed Mould

Did pierce his brains, & throgh thē poiſon ſpread,

So left his life, that ſcarſe had life in hold.

The Mother after hies, the Father poſts

After the Mother; Thus, at Baſe they runne

Vnto the Gole of that great Lord of Hoaſts

That for thoſe keepes it, that runnes for his Sonne.

[Page]The reſt Death trippes, and takes them priſoners;

Such loſe the Gole without gaineſaying-ſtrife;

But, all, and ſome, are as Deaths Meſſengers

To fetch both one and other out of life.

The Sire doth fetch the Sonne, the Sonne the Sire,

Death, being impartiall, makes his Subiects ſo:

The Priuate's not reſpected, but intire

(Death pointing out the way) away they go.

The ceremonie at their Burialls

Is Aſhes but to Aſhes, Dust, to Dust;

Nay not ſo much; for, ſtrait the Pit-man falles

(If he can ſtand) to hide them as he muſt.

A Mount thus made, vpon his Spade he leanes

(Tired with toile) yet (tired) preſt to toile)

Till Death an heape, in his inu'd Harueſt, gleanes,

That ſo he may by heapes, [...]ft ſeed the Soile.

Not long he ſtaies, but (ah) a mightier heape

Then erſt he hid, is made ſtrait to be hild;

The Land is ſcarſe, but yet the Seed is cheape,

For, all is full, or rather ouerfill'd.

The Beere is laid away, and Cribbes they get

To fetch more dung for Fields and Garden-plots;

Dung-cribs.

Worke-men are ſcarſe, the labour is ſo great,

That (ah) the Seede,

They ſhall die of deaths and diſeaſes, they ſhall not be lamented, neither ſhall they be buried, but they ſhall be as dung vpon the earth, &c. Ier. 16.4.

vnburied, often rottes.

It rottes, and makes the Land thereby the worſe,

For, being rotten, it ill vapors breedes,

Which many mortall miſeries doe nurſe,

And the Plague (ouerfed) ſo, ouerfeedes.

Here lies an humane Carcaſſe halfe conſum'd;

And there ſome fow or beaſt, in ſelfe ſame plight;

[Page]Dead with the Peſtilence, for ſo it fum'd,

That all it touched, it conſumed quite.

Quite through the hoaſt of Natures Animalls

Death like a Conquerer in Triumph rides;

And ere he came too neare, each Creature falls,

His dreadfull preſence then no fleſh abides.

Now man to man (if euer) fiends became,

Feare of infection choakt Humanitie;

The emptie Maw (abandon'd) got but blame

If it had once but ſought for Charitie.

The Poore muſt not about, to ſeeke for foode,

And no man ſought them, that they might be fed;

Two Plagues, in one, inuaded ſo their blood,

Both Famine, and Infection ſtrikes them dead.

Some ſtaid, in hope that Death would be appeaſ'd,

And kept the towns, which thē & theirs had kept;

Till their next neighbors were (perhaps) diſeaſ'd;

Or with Deaths fatall Fanne away were ſwept.

Thē, fain wold fly but could not (thogh thei wold)

For, wil they, nill they, they muſt keep their houſe,

Till throgh ſome chink, on thē Death taketh hold,

And vſ'd them, as he did their neighbours vſe.

If any at ſome Poſterne could get out,

As good they ſtaid, ſith ſure they ſtaid ſhould be;

They haue compaſſed her about, as the witchmen of the field, becauſe ſhe hath prouoked me to wrath, ſaith the Lord Iere. 4.17.

For, all the Countries watcht were round about,

That from the towne, none might a furlong flee.

Then, who from Death did flie, the feare of Death

Made Free-men keep the fliers in his Iawes;

Where (poiſon'd with his fowle infectious breath)

Their fleſh and bones he (ne'r ſuffized) gnawes.

[Page]Now might ye ſee the Plague deuoure with ſpeed

As it neare famiſht were, leſt in a while

It might be ſo, and want whereon to feede;

So fed, the future hunger to beguile.

Now doth it ſwell (hold hide) nay,

If the botch breake not, the Patient liueth not.

breake, or die)

Till skin doth crack, to make more

It killes others with breaking.

room for meat

Yet meat, more meate it (neuer cloid) doth crie,

And all about doth runne the ſame to get.

The Graues do often vomit out their dead,

They are ſo ouer-gorg'd, with great, and ſmall;

Who hardly, with the earth are couered;

So, oft diſcouer'd when the Earth did fall.

Thoſe which in hie-

They that feed delicately periſh in the ſtreetes, they that were brought vp in ſcarlet, embrace the d [...]g Lament. 4.5.

waies died (as many did)

Some worthleſſe wretch, hir'd for no worthles fee,

Makes a rude hole, ſome diſtance him beſide,

And rakes him in farre off; ſo, there lies hee.

But, if the Pit-man haue not ſo much ſenſe

To ſee, nor feele which way the winde doth ſit

To take the ſame, he hardly comes from thence,

But, for himſelfe (perhaps) he makes the pit:

For, the contagion was ſo violent,

(The wil of Heau'n ordaining ſo the ſame)

As often ſtrooke ſtone-dead incontinent,

And Natures ſtrongeſt forces ſtrait orecame.

Here lieth one vpon his burning breſt,

Vpon the Earths cold breaſt, and dies outright;

Who wanting buriall, doth the Aire infeſt,

That like a Baſaliske he banes with ſight!

There reeles another like one deadly druncke,

But newly ſtrooke (perhaps) then downe he falls,

[Page]Who, in the

And their corpes ſhall lie in the ſtreetes of the great citie, &c. Reuel. 11.8.

Streets, or waies, no ſooner ſuncke,

But forthwith dies, and ſo lies by the walles,

The Hay-cockes in the Meades were oft oppreſt

With plaguy Bodies, both aliue, and dead;

Which being vſ'd, confounded Man and Beaſt,

And vſ'd they might be ere diſcouered.

For, ſome (like Ghoſts) wold walk out in the night,

The Citie glowing (furnace-like) with heate

Of this contagion, to ſeeke if they might,

Freſh aire, where oft they died for want of meate.

The Traueler that ſpied (perhaps his Sire)

Another farre off, comming towards him

Would flie, as from a flying flame of fire

That would, if it he met, waſte life and limbe.

So, towns fear'd townes, and men ech other fear'd;

All were (at leaſt) attainted with ſuſpect,

And, ſooth to ſay, ſo was their enuy ſtirr'd,

Becauſe of their pride the Cities ſhall be troubled the houſes ſhall be afraid, men ſhall feare. 2. Eſd. 15.18.

That one would ſeeke another to infect:

For, whether the diſeaſe to enuy mou'd,

Or humane natures malice was the cauſe,

Th'infected often all Concluſions prou'd

To plague him that frō thē himſelfe withdrawes!

Here do they Gloues, and there they Garters fall;

Ruffs, Cuffs, & handkerchers, and ſuch like things

They ſtrow about, ſo to endanger all:

For, Enuy now, moſt peſtilently ſtings!

So, heau'n and earth, againſt Man did conſpire,

And Man againſt Man, to exrirpe his Race;

Who Bellowes were t'augment Infections fire,

And blow abroad the ſame from place to place.

[Page]Sedition thus marcht (with a peſtilence)

From towne to towne, to make them deſolate;

Deſtruction vpon deſtruction is cried, for the whole Land is waſted &c. Iere. 4.20.

The Browne-Bill was too ſhort to keep it thence,

For, further off it raught the Bill-mans pate.

Nor walls could keepe it out; for, it is ſaid

(And truely too) that Hunger breakes ſtone-walls:

The plague of Hunger with the Plague arrai'd

It ſelfe, to make way, where ere Succour calls.

For, hungrie Armies fight as Fiends they were:

No humane powre can well their force withſtand:

They laugh to

Iob 41.20.

ſcorne the ſhaking of the Speare:

And gainſt the gods thēſelues, thēſelues dare band

Some ranne as mad (or with wine ouer-ſhot)

From houſe to houſe, when botches on them ranne;

Who, though they menac'd were with Sword, and Shot,

Yet forward ran, & feare nor God nor man!

As when a Ship, at Sea, is ſet on fire,

Simil.

And (all on flame's) winde-driuen on a Fleete,

The Fleete doth flie, ſith that Ship doth deſire

(Maugre all force oppoſ'd) with it to meete:

So flies the Bill-man, and the Muskettire

From the approaching deſperate plaguy wight,

Plagues are ſent vnto you [...] and who can driue them away. 2. Eſd. 16.4.

As from a flying flame of quenchleſſe fire;

For, who hath any life, with Death to fight?

At all, cries Death, then downe by heaps they fall:

He drawes in By, and Maine, amaine he drawes

Huge heapes together, and ſtill cries, At all:

His hand is in, and none his hand withdrawes.

For,

Simil.

looke how Leaues in Autumne from the tree

With wind do fall, whoſe heaps fil holes in groūd;

[Page]So might ye (with the Plagues breath) people ſee,

Fall by great heapes, and fill vp holes profound.

No holy Turffe was left to hide the head

Of holieſt men; but, moſt vnhall'wed grounds

(Ditches and Hie-waies) muſt receiue the dead,

The dead (ah woe the while) ſo

Many dead Bodies ſhal be in euery place, they ſhall caſt them foorth with ſilence. Amos 8.3.

oreabounds!

Here might ye ſee as t'were a Mountainet

Founded on Bodies, grounded very deepe,

Which like a Trophee of Deaths Triumphs ſet

The world on wonder, that did wondring weepe:

For, to the middle Region of the Aire,

Our earthly Region was infected ſo,

That Foules therein had cauſe of iuſt diſpaire,

As thoſe which ouer Zodome dying go!

Some common Carriers, (for their owne behoofe,

And for their good, whoſe Soules for gaines doe

Fetching frō Lōdo packs of Plags, & ſtuffe (grone)

Are forc'd to inne it, in ſome Barne alone.

Where, leſt it ſhould the Country ſacrifiſe,

Barne, Corne, and Stuffe a Sacrifice is ſent

(In Aire-refining Flames) to th'angrie Skies,

While th'owners do their Faults & Loſſe lament.

The Carriers, to ſome Peſt-houſe, or their owne,

Carried, clapt vp, and watcht for comming out,

Muſt there with Time or Death conuerſe alone,

Till Time or Death doth free the world of doubt:

Who thogh they Cariers were, yet being too weak

Such heauy double Plagues as theſe to beare,

Out of their houſes ſom by force do break,

And

This no fiction, nor inſerted by poeticall licence: But this verily was performed in the borough of Leominſter in the county of Hereford: the one at the commandement of ſir Herbert Croſt knight, one of the Councell of the Marches of Wales: the other by the inſtigation of Sathan, and prococation of the diſeaſe.

drowne themſelues, themſelues from plags to cleare.

[Page]Theſe are reuenges fit for ſuch a God,

Fit for his Iuſtice, Powre, and Maieſtie;

Theſe are right ierkes of diuine Furies Rod,

That draw from Fleſh the life-blood mortally.

If theſe are but his temp'rall Puniſhments,

Then what are they ſurmounting Time and Fate?

Melt Fleſh to thinke but on ſuch Languiſhments,

That Soule and Bodie burne in endleſſe date.

His vtmoſt Plagues extend beyond the reach

Of comprehenſion of the deepeſt Thought;

For, he his wiſedome infinite doth ſtretch

To make them abſolutely good for nought.

Then, O what heart of ſenſible Diſcourſe,

Quakes not, as if it would in ſunder fall,

But once to thinke vpon ſuch Furies force,

As doth ſo farre ſurmount the thoughts of all?

If humane Wiſedome in the higheſt ſtraine,

Should yet ſtretch further Torments to deuiſe,

They would be ſuch that none could them ſuſtain,

Through weight of woes, and raging agonies:

Then (O) what be they that deuiſed are

By

Torments, deuiſed by infinite wiſedome, are infiite in paine.

Wiſedome that of Nought made all this All,

That ſtretch as farre paſt ſpeach, as paſt compare,

Surmounting Wonder; ſupernaturall!

They be the Iudgements of that Trinitie,

Which (like themſelues) are moſt inſcrutable;

Then can mans heart, but either ſwoone or die,

To thinke on anguiſh, ſo vnthinkeable.

And can our Senſe, our Senſe ſo much beſot,

To thinke ſuch worlds of woe no where exiſt,

[Page]Sith in this ſenſuall World it feeles them not,

And ſo in ſinne (till they be felt) inſiſt?

Then happy That, that is inſenſible,

Since wee imploy our happineſſe of Senſe

To feele and taſte but pleaſures ſenſible;

And ſee no Paine that at their end commence.

To breake the Belly of our damn'd Deſires

With honied Sweets that ſoone to poiſon turne;

And in our Soules enkindle quenchleſſe fires,

Which all the frame thereof quite ouerturne.

Mortall life is no more (at the moſt) compared to Eternitie.

To pleaſe it ſelfe a Moment, and diſpleaſe

It ſelfe for euer, with ne'r-ending paines;

To eaſe the Bodie with the Soules diſeaſe,

To glad the Guttes, to grieue the Heart & Braines.

To make the Throat a Through-fare for Exceſſe,

The Belly a Charibdis for the ſame;

To vſe Wit ſtill but onely to tranſgreſſe,

And make our Senſe the Spunge of Sin & Shame:

So fares it with ſenſuall Epicures and Libertines.

Then happy are ſweet Floures that liue and die

(Without offence) moſt pleaſing vnto all:

And hapleſſe Man that liues vnpleaſ [...]ngly

To Heau'n and Earth; ſo, liues and dies to fall.

The Roſe doth liue a ſweete life, but to pleaſe,

And when it dies, it leaues ſweet fruit behinde;

But Man in Life and Death doth none of theſe,

If Grace by

The conuerſion of a ſinner is moſt miraculous.

Miracle ne'r mend his mind.

Bluſh Man, that Floures ſhould ſo thy ſelfe excell

That waſt created to excell what not?

That on the Earth created was to dwell;

Then bluſh for ſhame to grace thy Beauties blot.

[Page]Art thou Horizon made (vnholy one)

Betwixt immortall Angells, and bruit beaſts?

Yet wilt twixt beaſts and fiends be Horizon

By that which Angells grieues, and God deteſts?

Then Plagues muſt follow thy miſguided Will,

So to correct thine ill-directing Wit;

Such as theſe are, or others much more ill,

The worſt of which Sinne (ill of Ills) befit.

And loe, for Sinne; how yet the Plague doth rage

(With vnappeaſed furie) more and more,

Making our Troy-nouant a tragicke Stage

Whereon to ſhew Deaths powre, with ſlaughters ſore.

Great Monarch of Earths ample world he is;

And of our little

Man is Microcoſmos.

Worlds (that worlds content)

He giues ill Subiects Bale, good Subiects Bliſſe;

So, though he raignes, iuſt is his Regiment.

Our ſins (foule blots) corrupt the Earth and Aire;

Our ſins (ſoules botches) all this All defile;

And make our Soules moſt foule, that were moſt faire;

For, nought but ſin we all, all nought the while!

When ſharpeſt wits are whetted to the point,

To pierce into all ſecrets, but to ſinne!

And all the corps of Luxury vnioint,

To ſee what ſenſuall ioy might be therein:

Whenas ſuch trickes as no Sunne euer ſaw

Deuiſ'd are daily by the Serpent-wiſe,

To cramme all Fleſh into the Deuills maw

By drifts, as ſcarſe the Deuill can deuiſe!

Can God (moſt iuſt) be good to men ſo ill?

And can the Earth, and Aire, wherein ſuch liue,

[Page]Keepe ſuch aliue? O no, all Plagues muſt fill

That Aire, and Earth, that do ſuch plagues reliue.

What are thoſe men but plagues, that plague but men?

All men are ſuch, that teach ſin in effect;

And all do ſo, that ſinne but now and then,

If now and then they ſinne, in ouert act.

What can containe vs, if theſe plagues cannot?

If neither theſe we feele, nor thoſe we ſhall,

Be not of force to keepe our liues from blot,

What then remaines but plagues to ſcowre vs all?

Till we wax leſſe, and they ſo multiplide,

That we be nothing leſſe, than what we are;

Conuerted, or confounded we abide

In, or without God, with, or without care!

If when his yron Rod drawes blood from vs,

And is vpon our backes, yea breakes our bones,

We ceaſe not yet to be rebellious,

What can conuert vs but plagues for the nones!

For Natures heart doth yrne with extreame griefe,

When wel ſhe weighs her childrens ſtrange eſt [...],

Subiect to ſinne, and ſo to ſorrowes chiefe,

For both in counterchange renew their date:

For now we ſinne (yea with a witneſſe ſinne,

Witneſſe our conſcience) then we plagued are,

Plagu'd with a witnes, (witneſſe plagues that

With fury on vs) then, when ſo we fare

Fall we to pray and creepe to Grace for grace,

Which being got, and eaſe, and weale at will,

We fall to ſinne, and ſo our ſoules diſgrace:

Thus ſinne and plagues runne round about vs ſtill

[Page]This euer-circling Plague of plagues and ſinne,

Surroundeth Mankinde in an hell of woe,

Man is the Axis ſtanding ſtill therein,

And goes with it where euer it doth goe:

For ſince he fell, who at this Center ſtaies

By Nature (moſt vnnaturall the while)

Here moues man moueleſſe as the Axis plaies,

And Times turns (turning with him) doth beguile.

And yet this Plague (if Griefs tears quench it not)

Is like a ſparke of fire in flax too drie,

And may, if our Luſts coole not, burne more hot

Than erſt it did; ſo waſte vs vtterly.

We ſee it will not out, but ſtill it lies

In our beſt Cities Bowells like a Cole

That threats to flame, and ſtil doth fall and

As appeareth by the Plague bills euerie weeke. Simil.

riſe,

Waſting a part, thereby to warne the whole.

None otherwiſe than when (with griefe) we ſee

Some houſe on fire, we ſtrait, to ſaue the towne,

Watch, faſt, and pray, and moſt induſtrious bee,

With hooke and line to pull the Building downe:

So doth this fire of heau'ns ſtill kindling ire

Bliſter our Cities publike Body ſo,

As we are bliſter'd, but with ſo much fire,

As we may quench with teares if they do flo.

[...] if it ſhould breake forth in flames afreſh,

(As (ah) what ſtaies it but vnſtinted Grace?)

What thing ſhuld quench it but a world of Fleſh?

Or deſolation it away to chace?

Time neuer knew ſince he beganne his houres,

(For aught we reade) a Plague ſo long remaine

[Page]In any Citie, as this Plague of ours:

For now ſix yeares in London it hath laine.

Where none goes out, but at his comming in,

If he but feeles the tendreſt touch of ſmart,

He feares he is Plague-ſmitten for his ſinne;

So, ere hee's plagu'd, he takes It to the heart:

For, Feare doth (Loadſtone-like) it oft attract,

That elſe would not come neere; or ſteale away;

And yet this plaguy-feare will ſcarſe coact

Our Soules to ſinne no more, this Plague to ſlay.

But thou, in whoſe high hand all hearts are held,

Conuert vs, and from vs this Plague auert:

So ſin ſhall yeeld to Grace, and Grace ſhall yeeld

The Giuer glory for ſo deere deſert.

Too deere for ſuch too worthles wicked Things,

At beſt but clods of baſe Infirmitie;

Too deere for ſinne that all this murraine brings;

Too deere for thoſe that liue but twice to die.

In few, what ſhould I ſay? the beſt are nought

That breathe, ſince man firſt breathing did rebell:

The beſt that breath are worſe thā may be thoght,

If Thought can thinke the beſt can do but well:

For, none doth well on Earth, but ſuch as will

Confeſſe (with griefe) they do exceeding ill!

The beſt is but a

Micah 7.4.

Briere, and

Pſal. 14 2.4

none doth good,

But He that makes Vs blameleſſe in his

Epheſ. 5.12.

Blood.

FINIS.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

Humours heau'n on earth with the ciuile warres of death and fortune. As also the triumph of death: or, the picture of the plague, according to the life; as it was in anno Domini. 1603. / By Iohn Dauies of Hereford.

Davies, John, 1565?-1618.

Edition statement

1609

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2006-02 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A69177

ID [STC]

STC 6332

ID [STC]

ESTC S109342

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99844992

ID [PROQUEST]

99844992

ID [VID]

9861

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A69177)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 9861)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 985:10, 1376:4)

Source

— Humours heau'n on earth with the ciuile warres of death and fortune. As also the triumph of death: or, the picture of the plague, according to the life; as it was in anno Domini. 1603. / By Iohn Dauies of Hereford., Davies, John, 1565?-1618..

Extent

[8], 41, 142-248, [4] p.

By A[dam] I[slip],. Printed at London :: 1609.. (In verse.) (Printer's name from STC.) (With two final leaves of dedicatory verses.) (British Library copy identified as STC 6331 at reel 985:10.) (Reproductions of the originals in the British Library (reel 985:10) and Cambridge University Library (reel 1376:4).)

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