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THE FABLES OF AESOP Paraphras'd in Verse, and adorn'd with Sculpture,
By JOHN OGILBY
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Warren for Andrew Crook, at the Green Dragon in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1651.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE HENEAGE FINCH Earl of Winchilsea and Viscount Maidston. AND THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE HENRY SEYMOUR Lord BEAUCHAMP.
My Lords,
AFter the Felicity, my first labour, the translation of Virgil, receiv'd, in the protection of so Learn'd, and so Honourable a Patron as your noble Father, my very good Lord, I could not, nor did resist, being charg'd home with Gratitude, Duty, and the Harmony [Page] of Order, to intitle my Second Piece to the same renowned Family by this humble Dedication to your Lordships.
Nor is it, (may it please your Honours) without something of design, by which this my last work, what ere it be, may in such a Grove of Honour, with your Names inscrib'd, and influenc'd by your Vertues, last, untill the truest Test of Books shall sign its Commission for milder ages, and perhaps more cleer from Prejudice, Barbarity, and the most cruell of all enemies, Ignorance.
If any, my good Lords, shall accuse my Iudgement, and Choice, who had the Honour of Conversation with Virgil, that I have descended to Aesop, whose Apologs this day are read and familiar with [Page] Children in their first Schools; and in these latter times dishonour'd by unworthie Translators; though the Dictates of my own reason denie I should make Answer to such men, It shall not be impertinent to say, this Antient Mythologist hath through all and the most learned Times, been highly esteem'd by the wisest, and studied to the great Advantage of Humane Life. Macrobius, of most eminent Iudgement, allowd his Book a place in the Temple of Wisdome; and Socrates, who was judg'd by the Oracle the wisest man then living, follow'd him in all his waies of perswasive Oratory, not disdaining to translate him into Verse.
But I fear I have troubled your Lordships with this Vindication, [Page] and now be pleas'd to receive your own, the old Philosopher in a modern and Poeticall dresse; if he find entertainment from you, it shall be an honour to him, and the greatest engagement upon,
My Lords,
Your most humble and obedient Servant, JOHN OGILBY.
To my Friend Mr. Ogilby.
IN Empire's Child-hood, and the dawn of Arts,
When God in Temples dwelt not, but in Hearts,
When Men might Teachers by their Deeds believe,
When Pow'r rob'd none, nor Science did deceive;
Nor soaring Thought wildly to Heaven did fly
Searching Records, which in Gods Closet ly,
To know (since none like God eternall were)
How his Dominion could at first appear;
Presuming he, nor Honour had, nor Sway,
Before some were, to Worship and Obey.
Vain Thought! could Man doubt God was ere alone,
Whose severall beings to himself were known,
Who if he Pow'r could want, it must but be
Because he could not make fit Companie
To tend his own perfections; which were more
Than now best souls can perfectly adore:
Or could he, if alone, feel want of sway,
Who worlds could make, and make those worlds obey
[Page]For what he since created Argues more
His Love of doing good, than Love of power.
Nor so could God mistake, as to believe
That to be honor which his Creatures give;
Nor could he then, since honor is respect,
Want honor till himself he did neglect;
For if it might be said, he was alone,
Yet to himself his Excellence was known;
Which was so great, that if himself could raise
His honor higher with his own just praise,
He was himself his own abundant Theme,
And only could himself enough esteem.
But these vext Thoughts, which Schools unquiet make,
And like to madness keep their souls awake,
Took rest, and slept, in th' Infancy of Time,
And with seeld eys did never upward climb.
To study God, God's Student, Man, was made;
To read him as in Natures Text convaid;
Not as in Heaven, but as he did descend
To Earth, his easier Book; where, to suspend
And save his Miracles, each little Flower,
And lesser Fly, shews his familiar power.
Then usefully the studious world was wise,
Not learn'd as now in useless subtilties.
[Page]Truth naked then, not arm'd with Eloquence,
Walk'd safe, because all rose in her defence.
But now the gravest Schools, through Pride, contend;
And Truth awhile, at last themselves defend.
So vext is now the world with mysteries,
Since prouder minds drest Truth in Arts disguise;
And so Serene and Calm was Empire then,
Whilst States-men study'd Beasts to Govern Men.
Accurst be Aegypt's Priests, who first through Pride
And Avarice this common light did hide:
To Temples did this morall Text confine,
And made it hard, to make it seem Divine:
In Creatures formes a fancy'd Deity
They drew, and rais'd the mysterie so high,
As all to reach it did require their aide;
For which they were, as hyr'd Expounders, paid.
This clouded Text, which but to few was known,
In time grew darker, and was read by none;
So weak of Wing is soaring Mystery;
And Learning's Light goes out, when held too high:
But blest be Aesop, whom the wise adore,
Who this dark Science did to light restore;
Which though obscur'd, when rais'd and made Divine,
Yet soon did in his humble Morals shine.
[Page]For that which was by Art for profit hid,
And to the Laitie, as to Spies, forbid,
He, as the hirelesse Priest of Nature, brought
From Temples, and her Doctrine freely taught;
Whilst even to Beasts Men, blushing, seem'd asham'd
That Men by Beasts he counsel'd and reclam'd.
Blest be our Poet too! whose fire hath made
Grave Aesop warm in Death's detested shade;
Though Verses are but Fetters deem'd by those
Who endlesse journys make in wandring Prose;
Yet in thy Verse, me thinks, I Aesop see
Lesse bound than when his Master made him free:
So well thou fit'st the measure of his mind,
Which, though the Slave, his body, were confind,
Seem'd, as thy wit, still unconstraind and young,
And like thy numbers easie and as strong.
Or as thy Muse in her Satyrick strain
Doth spare the Person, whilst the Vice is slain,
So his rebukes, though sharp, were kind and grave,
Like Judges chiding those whom they would save.
Thus since your equall souls so well agree,
I needs must paint his mind in drawing thee.
Be both renown'd! and whilst you Nature preach,
May Art ne'r raise your Text above our reach.
[Page]Your Morals will (they are so subt'ly plain)
Convince the Subtile, and the Simple gain;
So pleasant too, that we more pleasure take
(Though only Pleasure doth our Vices make)
To hear our sins rebuk'd with so much wit,
Than e'r we took when those we did commit.
Laws doe in vain with force our wils invade;
Since you can Conquer when you but Perswade.
W: D' AVENANT
From the Tower Sep. 30. 1651.
To my Worthy Friend Mr. JOHN OGILBY.
IN what part of our Hemisphear, could spread
A cloud, so long, t' obscure thy radiant Head?
Shine forth Prodigious Star, and make us know
What to thy welcome Beams our Age must owe.
As thou appear'st, how doth each trembling light
Retreat? whilst thou emergent from the night,
Like Days new Soveraign, hast discover'd more,
Than all their revolutions shew'd before.
At this a Marble heaves! Methinks I see
The Learned shade of Virgil rise to thee,
Taught our own Language, with that soul, and sense,
As hath not sham'd his Roman Eloquence;
And kissing his fresh shroud, smile, that he must
Confesse himself thy debtor, in his dust:
Whilst we admire both thy bold Hand and Fate,
Who hast perform'd, the next thing to Create.
Yet here thou leav'st us not, as if thy Fame
Were narrow, and too stooping for thy Name;
Aesop the Great Mythologist, thy Pen
Hath rais'd, and more than made alive agen.
(When Rimers vex'd his Ghost, and Men, to see't,
Staining fair paper with their Cloven feet)
[Page]Thou hast new made him, for (as if by thee,
Shuffled into his Antique dust) we see
Him rise, but visible in some Earthy part,
His Soul is the new Creature of thy Art.
This could thy great Converse with Virgil doe,
To make old Aesop rise a Poet too.
What in thy method must our wits amaze
Next thy Translation, and This Paraphrase:
Awake that Poem, born from thy own flame,
And at least Second in Heroick name;
This, only this remains, Then, thou maist trie,
And thy Muse tell thee, 'tis too late, to die.
JAMES SHIRLEY.
Imprimatur.
Na: Brent.
July, 1. 1651.
[Page] THE FABLES OF AESOP.
THE FIRST FABLE. Of the Cock and Precious Stone.
STout Chanticleere four times aloud proclames
Day's signall victorie ore nights vanquish'd flames:
As oft the mighty Lyons are affrighted
With his shrill notes, while others are delighted.
In a short coat of feathers warm as furs,
In boots drawn up, and gilded spurs,
(Of old the valiant Cock the Eagle Knighted,)
He from proud roosts high as the thatch descends,
His wives, his concubines, and fair race attends.
Scaling a sordid Mountain, straight he found
A star in dust, a Sparkling Diamond.
Then spake the Cock: Stone of the blackest water,
Whom time, nor fire can waste, nor anvile batter;
If thee some skillfull Jeweller had sold,
Adorned thus with purest Gold
To a fond lover: he, his love to flatter
Would swear his Ladies eyes out-shine thy rayes
(Brightest of gems) although she look nine wayes.
Thou Embleme of vain learning may'st adorn
The wisest, but give me a barley corn.
Let meager Scholars waste their braines and tapers
In quest of thee, while they turn anxious papers
Let me have pleasure and my bellie full;
Farre better is an Empty scull
Than a head stuft with melancholie vapours.
Lye still obscure; Ile be to nature kind;
My bodie Ile not starve to feed my mind.
MORALL.
Voluptuous men Philosophie despise;
Down with all learning the arm'd Soldier cries:
On gleab, and Cattell, greedy Farmers look;
And Merchants only prize their counting book.
[Page 3] THE SECOND FABLE. Of the Dog and Shadow.
THIS Dog away with a whole Shoulder ran,
Let thanks be to the careles Larder-man
Which made the Proverb true: both large and good
The mutton was, no way but take the flood;
His fellow Spaniells waiting in the Hall,
Nay Hounds, and Curres, in for a share would fall;
Those beggars, that like Plague and Famine sit
Guarding the gate, would eat both him and it;
Shrewd were his doubts lest Servingmen might put
In for their part, and strive for the first cut:
A thousand reall dangers thus perswade,
As many more his nimble fancy made:
Faces about, straight at a postern-gate
He takes the stream, and leaves the rest to Fate.
'Twas in the Dog-daies too; the skies were cleer;
Not one black patch did in Heavens face appear:
The conquering Sun left two and thirty winds
Breathles, and happy calmes the Halcyon findes.
When a refracted Ray, a golden beam
In the grosse Medium of the darker stream
Pencil'd an other shoulder like to that
The Dog had purchac'd, but more large, and fat.
To him, who oft had fed from beggars caps,
Shar'd in the Dole, and quarrell'd for faln scraps,
With twenty more for a gnawn bone would fight,
A greedy Worm, a dogged Appetite
Gave sad advice, to seise one shoulder more.
Some Mortalls till they're rich are never poor
[Page 4]Too rash he bites: down to the deepest stream
The shadow and the substance, like a Dream
Vanish'd together; thrice he dives in vain;
For the swift current bore it to the Main
To furnish Triton's Banquet, who that day
Married the famous Mermaid Galate.
The Virgin smil'd, but yet the easy Nymph
Return'd not, for the Present, one poor Shrimp.
Thrice round he lookes, raising his wofull head,
To see which way the featherd joynt was fled;
But finding none, he is resolv'd to dye,
And with his love dear lady Mutton lye.
Yet hating a wet death, he swam to shore,
Then set a throat up made the Welkin rore;
To hang himself in his own collar he
Is next resolv'd, could he but find a tree.
Full of despair, in a most desperate qualm
Then thus he howld his recantation Psalm.
Here I the Emblem of fond mortalls sit,
That lose the substance for an empty bit:
Whom fair pretences, and a hollow shade
Of future happines, unhappy made.
Nay States, and mighty Realmes, with plenty proud,
Thus for rich Juno oft imbrace a Cloud.
He is too blest that his own happines knowes,
And Mortalls to themselves are greatest Foes.
MORALL
Foul Avarice is of pregnant Mony bred;
He that loves Gold, starves more, the more he's fed:
Doubling of thousands Usurers to their cost
Know, when both Use and Principall is lost.
[Page 5] THE THIRD FABLE. Of the Lyon and other Beasts.
WHen troups of beames led by the grey-eyd dawn
From Eastern ports rush'd with recruited light,
And beat up all the quarters of the night;
When Cynthia fled, with broken silence drawn,
Her Glory plunderd, pale at the affright;
When Acherons jawes for routed Spirits yawn,
Dreames and phantastick visions put to flight;
When Stars disorderd hid in Sea Nymphs beds,
Or back to Heaven did shrink their golden heads:
Then was the Lyon up, and all his court,
Prepar'd to hunt, from woods and desarts came
Various wild beasts, from fields and Citties tame.
About his pallace throng a huge resort,
Because the Royall Edict did proclame
There would be profit, feasts, as well as sport:
Thus expectation heightend was by Fame,
The strong, swift, cunning, all layd nose to grownd,
Should share alike with him of what they found.
With
The Woolfe
Isgrim, The Beare.
Bruine came, and all his Bears,Attending in the presence yet beeing dark;
Ram Belin safe was there as in the Ark,
The Fox.
Reynard was buisy with his ginns and snares,Well know'ng all walks and outlets of the park,
The Cat.
Tybert attends with troupes of mountaineers,And Iefery the Ape, well hors'd, a gallant spark
All sorts of dogs, mongst whom the Spaniell waites,
For shadowes hoping now substantiall cates.
The Sun scarce drank his draught of morning dew,
Nor did his bowl of disolv'd pearl exhaust,
When mix'd troupes take the field, no time is lost.
At last a royall Hart they ran in view,
Whom, having at a bay, the Lyon drew
About him round his various languag'd Hoast:
Many their limbs, and some their lives it cost;
At last ore-powr'd by number, down he falls,
While Heaven and Earth ring at his funeralls.
Th'unlace, then strip, and next divide the Deer.
Thus the offended King did then complain:
These shares not equall are, divide again.
One portion of the Quarrey will appear
My Perquisit, as I'm your Soveraign;
The next is Ours, as being strongest here;
The third you must acknowledge for my pain;
The last shall be your bounty, not Our clame:
But who denies, look too't, his Foe I am.
No Subject 'gainst this Prince durst trie his sute;
Not Reynard though most learned in the Law.
Vain are all pleas against the Lyons paw,
Tis only force must violence confute,
Just title present power doth over-awe.
None of the beasts their grievances dispute,
All home return, sad with a hungrie maw.
But as they went, one said, Though equalls must,
Yet when they please Superiors may be just.
MORALL
When mighty power with Avarice is joyn'd,
Will is obey'd, and Justice cast behind:
So Tyrants to engage the people grant,
And at their pleasure breake the Covenant.
[Page 7] THE FOURTH FABLE Of the Eagle and the Daw.
THe royall Eagle, when the Ocean's dark
Waves had retir'd to their low water mark,
Wearie with grosser food, and bloody meat,
Forsakes his Cedar court and mountain seat
To seek fresh banquets; nothing that the Ark
Contain'd could please, Kid, Pidgeon, Lamb, nor Lark.
Nor humane slaughter moyst with putrid gore
His gorge with surfeit weaken'd could put ore.
Shell-fish beeing salt
Might cure the fault,
That only must his former health restore.
When his quick eye piercing the air a mile,
Upon the sea-wash'd margents of an Isle
A Scollop found: which was in shell so lock'd
That if the devill and his dam had knock'd,
They might have staid for enterance a while.
Without successe long did the Eagle toyl,
His beak growes blunt, his griping tallons ake,
No storm, nor stratagem the fort will take:
When the slie Daw
The leagure saw,
And to his king and royall master spake.
Prince of the plumed Citizens, to whom
We come for Justice and receive our doom,
Your Highnes hath been pleas'd to take advice
From silly Birds, from pratling Dawes and Pies,
And oft great Kings will hear the meanest Groom.
Not far from hence (Sir) stands an antient Toomb
[Page 8]Hard as the Adamantine gates of Hell,
Mount with that Fish enchanted by a spell,
Lessen to a Lark
Then take your mark,
And on hard marble break th'obdurate shell.
This counsell pleas'd the featherd King: who straight
'Bove Clouds and winged Tempests made a flight:
So high he soard, till Earth's magnetick force
Would not have hindred to the Starrs his course;
Then lets the Scollop fall, where its owne weight
Made a wide passage to the lushious Freight.
Soon as the hungry Daw perceiv'd the prize,
He stood not to consult, but in he flies;
And straight did eat
The Delicate,
Then to the sheltring wood for safety hies.
When th'Eagle this from Heavens bright arches saw,
With a deep sigh he said; Ah treacherous Daw!
By fair pretence, and counsell seeming good,
Thou hast depriv'd me of my dainty food.
Thus cunning Foxes use the Lyons Paw;
And by these Arts Subjects from Princes draw
Soveraignty to themselves: the Monarchs wing
Must be strech'd out to his owne ruining,
No other power
So high can towre,
'Tis the King only must destroy the King.
MORALL
Let Princes of the best advice beware,
Nor trust the greedy, they still treacherous are:
Subjects to Kings Exchecquers have no way,
Unles themselves deliver up the Key.
[Page 9] THE FIFTH FABLE. Of the Crow and the Fox.
VVAS it the Crow that by a cunning Plot
A peice of Cheese had got?
Or sherking Rook, or Chough, or Pye?
Some bold affirme, as boldly some deny.
But sure I am it was that Daw, or Crow:
And I can proove it to be so,
That rob'd the King his master of his meat,
And now to make his Cozenage more compleat,
On Man, his Kings King, puts the second cheat.
This Crow, surpriz'd with his own happy wit,
Could neither stand nor sit;
Proud of the spoil, he makes a search
Through all the Grove to find a dancing Pearch:
From bough to bough th'insulter hops;
Too low are now tall Cedars tops.
At last he fix'd, whom slie sir Reynard sees,
And soon projecting how to get the Cheese,
Thus he accosts him, plac'd 'mong lofty Trees.
O thou most weather-wise, who best canst tell
When Heaven as dark as Hell
Juno incens'd shall make, and when
Jove condens'd air will rarifie agen.
But what sings lying Fame? she saies
Thou blacker art than those foul daies:
But yet to thine, Swans silver down seems tann'd,
With such Plumes Phaenix funerall fire hath fand,
And Mexicans in fight like Angells stand.
As thou in Plumes, didst thou excell in voyce,
'Twould Heaven and Earth rejoyce:
Wouldst thou but chant one pleasing lay
Then be thou King of birds, and Lord of May.
Fair Crow intreated, not refuse
As crottcheting Musicians use;
Sing, and let mounting Larks forsake the skie,
And let the emulating Lynnet dye,
And Swans no more tune their own Obsequie.
Successe wide doores to open Flattery gives;
All this the Crow beleives:
Trying to reach no common Noat,
Down drops the Dainty in sly Reynards throat;
Who chops it up; then fleering said:
You have sung well, and I have plaid
My part not ill: All learned Doctors hold
Cheese for the voice far worser is than cold,
Since once it turn'd a Syren to a Scold.
When the Crow said: I that rob'd Man, whose Plot
Spoyls from the Eagle got;
A Beast hath cozen'd of no lesse
A dainty now than my whole second messe.
What cannot glozing Flatterers doe,
When our own selves we flatter too?
Go scornd of all, and take thy wofull flight
To dismall Groves, there mix with Birds of night:
Did thy owne eyes believe the Crow is white?
MORALL.
Great is the power of Charmes, but what enchants
More than bewitching tongues of Sychophants?
Love, and the wealth of Kings, are in their power,
And Gold not sooner takes the maiden Towre.
[Page 11] THE SIXTH FABLE. The Battaile of the Frog and Mouse.
FRog-land to save, and Micean Realms to spare
From War and Ruine, two bold Kings prepare
The Empire of the Marshes to decide
In single fight. From all parts far and wide
Both Nations flock to see the great event,
And load with Vowes and Pray'rs the Firmament:
Oppos'd Petitions grant Heaven's Court no rest,
While Hope and Feare thus strugle in their breast.
Up to the fatall Lists and measur'd Banks
Both Armies drew; bold yellow coats in Ranks
And black furr'd Monscovites the circle man,
Which the six-finger'd Giant could not span.
The rising Hills each where the Vulgar crownd:
Nor long expect they, when the warlike sound,
Of spirit-stirring Hornets, Gnats and Bees,
(Such Trumpeters would blood turnd Ice unfreeze)
Told the approach of two no petty Kings,
While the long Vale with big-voyc'd Croakers rings.
First King Frogpadock with the freckled face
Enters the List (for they by Lot took place)
Riding a Crafish, arm'd from head to heel
In shell, dame Natures gift insteed of steel.
Although the many-footed could not run
With the great Crab, which yearly feasts the Sun;
Nor with the golden Scorpion could set forth
And measure daily the tun-belli'd Earth;
[Page 12]Yet such his speed, he nere was overtook
By any shell-backd monster of the brook.
The armes he wore, once wear a water snakes,
Which in the battell when the springs and lakes
Decided were, a Conqueror he brought
From the deep floods, with gold and purple wrought.
Ore these a water-Rats black fur he cast
Dreadfull with teeth and claws. Thus, as he past
The Vulgar showt to see their six inch'd King
Like great Alcides in his Lyons skin.
A whole house arm'd his head, had been a snails:
Though Estridge Plumes it wants, and Peacocks tails,
Yet every colour the great Raine-bow dies,
Shone on his crest, the wings of butter-flies,
Sent him of old a present from Queen Mab.
His Targe the shell of a deserted Crab,
Where in the Phrogian tongue this verse was writ;
The Manlike swimming King, unvanquish'd yet.
Six sprightly Toadpoles his rush Javelins bore;
His sword, a sharp-long-two-edg'd-Flag he wore
Girt to his thigh, a wandring snaile the hilt
With a bright varnish in Meanders gilt.
Appointed thus about the lists he rid,
While all admire the Champions arms and steed.
Soon as the pleas'd spectators setled were,
Glad acclamations melting into aire,
Voices were heard through ecchoing valleys ring,
Th' approach foretelling, of the Micean King.
A subdu'd mouse-trap, his Sedan in peace,
His Chariot now; from mans high pallaces
[Page 13] Moustapha brought: Nere through the scorching plaine
Did sweating Kings draw such a Tamberlaine:
Six Princes, captive ferrets, through deep tracts
Fearing the lash, oft fir'd his thundring axe:
And though a heavie mortall was their load,
King Oberon they ore hill and dale out-rode.
Enter'd the list, he lights, then mounted on
A dapled Weesell; the bold Micedon
Appear'd (may we great things compare with small,)
Like the worlds Conqueror, though not so tall.
His armes were not of steele, nor gold, nor brasse;
Nor sweating Cyclops turn'd the yeelding masse
With griping tongues, nor Bull-skin bellows rore
To purge Electrum from the froathie ore;
But the black coat of a Westphalia swine,
Long hung in smoke, which now like jet did shine.
Fame says, (and she tels truth as oft as lyes,)
The seasond Gammon, Miceans did surprize,
Spoyld the red flesh before 'twas once serv'd up
After full boards, to rellish a fresh cup:
This their Kings right, his Captains did present
To him for safety, and an ornament;
Such was black Moustapha's habergeon.
The antient Hero's had but steel upon
The heads of cruell spears; but this did weeld
A lance, whose body was all over steeld;
It was a knitting needle, strong, and bright;
His helm a thimble daz'd th' enemies sight,
Ore which a thick fald plume, wagd with each gale,
Of Tiffanie, gnawn from a Ladies vaile;
[Page 14]In it a Sprig which made his own afeard,
The stiff Mustachios of a dead Catts beard.
His solid Shield which he so much did trust
Was Bisket, though some write twas Manchet crust.
Historians oft as Poets do mistake;
But I affirme 'twas Bisket, for the Cake
They all agree by Navigation,
Foure times was season'd in the Torrid Zone.
The Story thus is told, the Rattish Prince
A great Diviner, had Intelligence
From occult causes, that the dangerous Seas
Must be forsook, and floating Palaces:
His ship next voyage would by Stormes be lost:
Therefore his black bands swom to the next coast
On Bisket safe; But Tybert by the way
(The Prince of Catts) made him and it a prey,
Slew on the shore and feasted on his head.
He with blood sated, leaves neglected bread,
Of which black Moustapha after made his Targe,
Like Ajax sevenfold shield, but not so large.
His Motto was his Title and his name
Transpos'd into no costive Anagram,
Which from the Micean tongue we thus translate:
The Parmazan affecter, strong, and great.
Both Champions searcht, found free from fraud or Charmes,
They take their stands, and peise their mighty Armes.
At once loud Hornets sound, at once they start;
At once couch'd Speares, with equall Force and Art
Clos'd bevers met, struck fire; at once they both
Did backward kisse their mother Earth, though loth.
[Page 15]But first his nimble foot the Micean found:
When King Frogpadock as loath'd Irish ground
His limbs had touch'd, lay on his back upright:
Yet soon recovering, never Frogian Knight
Made such a Charge; for with strange fury led
At the first blow, he leapes quite ore his head,
Bearing his pondrous Arms, his Sword and Targe.
Nor was black Moustapha wanting in the Charge
To shew his wondrous courage, strength, and skill:
For, by the advantage of a rising Hill
A Mole had wrought, he strikes; and though the stroke
Would not have feld an Oxe, or cleft an Oake;
Yet such it was, that had it took, in blood
His Soul had wandred through the Stygian flood;
But missing, the soft air receives the wound,
And ore and ore he tumbles to the ground.
Nor at th' advantage was Frogpadock slack,
But at one jump bestrides the Miceans back;
Then grasping him twixt his cold knees, he said:
Robber of man, who now shall give thee ayd?
Foul Toad, so Oberon please, I feare not thee,
Stout Moustapha replyed: then actively
He backward caught the short arm'd King by th'rists,
And bore him on his shoulders round the Lists;
Lowd croaks scale Heaven, then mauger all his strength
Regaines his Sword, and threw him thrice his length.
On equall tearms agen they battle joynd:
Heroick Soules in narrow breasts confind!
For these in Trojan wars, once Champions fierce
With gallant Acts adorn'd great Homers verse:
[Page 16]After became Testie Philosophers,
And fought in hot disputes, and learned jarrs;
Then Lyons, Beares, Cocks, Bulls and brisly Hogs;
Last transmigrated Schismaticks, or Dogs:
Where ere they meet the war is still renewd,
With lasting hatred and immortall feud.
The King, whose Grandsire when it thunderd loud,
Mongst fire and haile, dropt from a broken Cloud,
And with an Hoast of Toadpoles from the sky
In those vast Fennes a Frogian Colony
At first did plant: though icy was his skin
With Rage and Shame an Aetna felt within;
Rais'd his broad Flag to make a mighty blow,
Thinking at once in two to cleave the Foe;
Who nimbly traversing with skill his ground
On the Ceralian Shield, receiv'd the wound:
Yet from the orbed bisket fell a slice,
Which neer the List, was eaten in a trice.
Here the Crum-picking King puts in a stuck
With a bright needle, his stiff Spanish Tuck;
Which pierc'd Frogpadocks skin, through's Dragons mail;
Rage doubles, then the Flag becomes a Flail;
And on his Thimble Cask struck such a heat,
That Moustapha was forced to retreat:
Not struck with feare, but from his hole to fling
Assured vengeance on the Diving King.
Seven times he sallies forth, as oft retir'd;
But now both Champions with like fury fir'd
Lay off all cunning, scorning to defend,
Strength, Rage, and Fortune must the battel end:
[Page 17]There was no interim; so the Cyclops beat
When Mars his arms require a second heat,
Though lowder the Aetnaean Cavern rores;
Blows had for death now made a thousand dores,
As many more for life to issue out.
But here among our Authors springs a doubt.
Some in this mighty combate, dare averre
Both Champions fainting, Symtomes shew'd of fear;
In a cold sweat Frogpadock almost choakd
With heat & dust gaspd thrice; and three times croakd.
And Moustapha bestewd in blood and sweat
As oft cryd peep; and made no slow retreat.
To these detractors, since I am provok'd,
I say 'tis false; this peepd not, nor that croakd.
Historians feign, but truth the Poet sings;
Some writers still asperse the best of Kings.
While thus the battell stood, the Kytish Prince
Had from lowd croaks and cries intelligence
Of this great fight, then to himself did say,
What mighty matters in the Marsh to day!
Then mounted high on labouring wings he glides,
And the vast Region of the air divides.
The wofull Fairy Mab did this foresee;
Whom grief transform'd now to an Humble-Bee:
She flies about them, buzzing in their eare:
For both the Champions she esteemed dear.
The black-Prince did with Captive Frogians come,
And at her Altars payd a Hecatombe
That day: and King Frogpadock in her house
With reard up hands offer'd a high-born Mouse;
[Page 18]And when th' immortall mortall Cates did wish,
The fattest sacrifice was made her dish.
Therefore she humns; desist; no more; be friends;
Behold the common enemy attends;
In vain 'gainst him are your united powers:
O stay your rage, see, ore your heads he towrs.
But they engag'd in cruell fight, not heard
The Queens admonishments, nor did regard
Approaching fates: but suddainly they bind
In graple fierce, their Targets cast behind.
When the plum'd Prince down like swift lightning stoops,
And seiz'd both Champions mauger all their troups:
Their arms drop down, upon them both he feasts,
And reconciles their doubtfull interests.
Amaz'd spectators fly, Hunt-crums, and Vaulters,
Run to their holes, and leap into the waters.
MORALL.
Thus Petie Princes strive with mortall hate,
Till both are swallow'd by a neighbouring state:
Thus factions with a civill War imbru'd
By some unseen Aspirer are subdu'd.
[Page 91] THE SEVENTH FABLE. Of the Court Mouse, and Countrie Mouse.
A Courtly dame of Moustapha's great line,
When length of time digested had long sorrow,
Will with her sister in the Country dine:
The Rustick Mouse dwelt neer a little Burrough,
About her round verminious troops inhabit;
The Weesell, Fox,
Bagers and Brocks,
And Ferrets, which so persecute the Rabit.
Hither
Court Mouse.
Crevisa comming, soon was broughtDown by
Coūtry Mouse
Pickgrana to a homely table,Supply'd with Cates, nor far fetch'd, nor dear bought;
Which to behold the Court Mouse was not able:
Cheese that would break a saw, and blunt a hatchet,
She could not taste,
Nor mouldie paste,
Though twelve stout rustick Mice that night did fetch it.
Yet had she fruit, and store of pulse and grain,
Ants Egs, the Bees sweet bag, a stars fall'n jellie,
Snails drest i'th' shels, with Cuckow fome, and rain,
Frog legs, a Lizards foot, a Neuts pi'd bellie,
The Cob, and hard roe of a pickle Herring
Got from a Dog,
As they did prog,
And a rush candle purchac'd by pickeering.
When dame Crevisa thus at length begun:
Dear sister rise, and leave this homely banquet;
Who with Westphalia hamnes and Parmazan
Are daily feasted (Oberon be thanked)
[Page 20]Such meats abhorre; come, goe with me toth' City,
Here is cold air,
Famine, and care;
Your miserable life, in truth I pity.
We Lords and Ladies see, dance, laugh, and sing;
Where is that dish they keep from us is dainty?
Prowd Cats not oftner look upon the King,
And we with Princes share prodigeous plenty.
Invited thus, they went through many a Crany,
When it was wide,
On, side by side,
To the Court larder undescri'd of any.
There heaps appear'd of bak'd, rost, stewd, and sod;
The vast earths plentie, and the Oceans riches;
Able to satisfie a belly God:
The roof was hung with toungs, and bacon flitches,
Beef Mountains had Rosemary Forrests growing
On their high back,
Nor was their lack
Of Vinegar in Peper Chanels flowing.
Little they said, but suddenly they charge
Huge Venison wals; then tow'rs of paste they batter;
Breaches are made in trembling Custard large,
Here a Potrido the bold sisters shatter;
This takes a Sturgeon, that a pickled Samon;
Then tooth and nail
They both assail
Red Dear immur'd, or seiz'd an armed Gamon.
While boldly thus they mighty havock made,
They hear keyes gingle, and a groaning Wicket;
From place to place Pickgrana as betraid
Seeks in strange corners out some Hole or Thicket.
To these Alarms Crevisa being no stranger
Needs not to think
Where was the Chink
That should from Man protect her, and all danger.
The coast being clere, the Court-mouse straight did call
The Country-dame to pillage the whole larder;
And Sister said, To second Course lets fall:
But she amaz'd, still seeking out some Harbour,
Trembling and pale, deare Lady said; Pray tell us
Are these feares oft?
Crevisa laught,
And thus replies; 'tis common what befell us,
No danger this; it adds to our delight;
Nor are we with a careles servant frighted;
Motion and time revives dull appetite,
And we to Banquets are afresh invited.
Then said Pickgrane; Is this the Royall Palace?
Better are Farmes
Without Alarmes,
Where we enjoy lesse plenty, but more solace.
MORALL
What relish hath the sated appetite,
When false Alarms tumultuous Cities fright?
But in the noysless Country, free from care,
Swaynes are more blest, though harder be their Fare.
[Page 23] THE EIGHTH FABLE. Of the Mountain in labour.
HArk, how the Mountain groans, what wondrous birth
Comitting Incest with his mother Earth
Did huge Typhaeon get! his sister Fame
Heightning the expectation, did proclame
'Twas with Rebellion big; the hopefull Heir
Should pull proud Jove from his usurped Chair;
The Starry Towers by Mortalls should be storm'd,
And the Gods sculk in severall shapes transform'd.
Poets and Painters, nay Historians too
As near as they in modesty could doe,
Draw to behold the issue, and to see
A Monster might beyond all fiction be.
Come you long-sided Widdowes, six or seven,
Whose husbands fell in the late war 'gainst Heaven,
And help the labouring Mountain; quickly come
And mollify her Adamantine Woomb.
While thus it labours, Fame divulg'd abroad,
The Hill was eas'd of her prodigious load.
Fear tells she saw, and th'Infant's shape describes;
Not all the Covenanting Brethren's Tribes
That Heaven assaulted, could such Forces boast:
This bigger was than that Gigantick Hoast.
This could more ponderous than his Mother peise
A Hill on every finger: Hercules
In Cradle strangl'd Serpents, but this can
Crack twixt his nail, Ironside Leviathan.
[Page 24]So much it grew in every houre, that soon
The Gold and Silver of the Sun and Moon
Would all be his; and some not stick to say
Joves armes, and thunder would be seiz'd next day.
At last the Mountain a huge grone did fetch,
Which made her bellies marble portals stretch;
And was deliver'd straight; from this great house
That threaten'd so much danger leaps a Mouse.
A showt scales heaven, all crie a Mouse is born;
And what so much they fear'd, is now a scorn.
Silence our Pipes, and Muses now be dumb,
Great expectations oft to nothing come.
MORALL.
Thus haughty Nations with Rebellion big
Land forces raise, and huge Armado's rig
Against the State, fame trebling their great power,
Which happier Stars have scatter'd in an houre.
[Page 23] THE NINTH FABLE. Of the Lyon and the Mouse.
VVHat's this that troubles us we cannot sleep?
Something is in our fur, we feel it creep
Betwixt our neck and shoulders, 'twill invade
Our throat anon, the weary Lyon said,
New come from hunting, stretch'd in a cool shade.
Peace, and wee'll catch a Mouse; his word is kept,
His great paw seiz'd the stragler as he crept.
Who trembling thus begun. King of the grove,
Whom when thou thunderst beasts more fear than Jove,
Let no small crime thy high displeasure move.
Hither I straid by chance; think not great Sir
I came to pick a hole in Royall Fur,
Nor with the Woolf and Fox did I contrive
'Gainst you, nor question'd your Prerogative:
If so, then justly me of life deprive.
Should I relate for what great act my name
Through Micean Realms resounded is by fame,
It would too much my modestie invade;
But when at stake life is and fortune laid,
To speak bold truths, why should I be afraid?
Pirrhus who now is through the world renownd,
The Roman Souldier no Barbarian found.
In compleat Steel he saw their armies shine;
Full squadrons stand exacter than a line,
Beyond the Aelian tacticks discipline.
Mountains of flesh, he mighty land Whales brought,
That tow'rs supported with arm'd Souldiers fraught:
Supposing by the Castle-carriers might,
To break the brazen ranks, and to affright
Ausonian squadrons with th' unusuall fight.
But the great warriour faild in this design;
The subtile Roman Herds of filthie swine
On th' Elephants drove: streight at their dismall crie
Cittadels clash, rang'd Castles rowted fly,
And tow'rs unsadled in their ruine lye.
Yet one maintain'd the field against all ods;
For which his King him with new honour loads:
And to paternall Scutcheons charg'd before
With sable Castles, in a field of ore
Cantond in gules, he ads an argent Boar.
This mighty Elephant I in dead of night,
With these smal arms, though sharp, challeng'd to fight,
And said; Your Castle, and your guard are gone,
On equall tearms encounter me alone.
True valour best is without witnesse shown.
Strange! from a Mouse this Mountain trembling ran,
And prayers in vain to the high Moon began:
But when in Clouds she hid her silver wain,
I through his trunck, like lightning pierc'd his brain,
And till the dawn tryumphed ore the slain.
But now my fortune's chang'd; I captive lye
Imploring quarter from your Majesty
Make me your friend; to sentence not proceed;
If fickle chance should frown, (which Jove forbid)
The Lyon of my aid may stand in need.
This said, the King admiring that a Mouse
Should such a monsters mighty soul unhouse,
Seizing the Pericranium of his brain,
And there with death, and sullen darknes reign:
Signs his dismisse, then seeks repose again.
Soon as to th' East tall shades began to creep,
The Lyon rose, and shakes off drowsie sleep:
Feasts for his pregnant Queen must now be sought
In fields remote; far fetch'd, as dear was bought,
The roring King in a strong net is caught,
Laid by a subtile Sun-burnt African;
While he his great strength us'd, and strove in vain,
Twisted grates gnawing of his Hempen Cage,
The Micean heard th' indulgent Lyon rage,
And gratefull streight to free him did engage.
First Hunts out busily to find the cord
Which clos'd the snare, which found, as with a sword,
His teeth (before well on an old cheese set)
Cleers all the meshes of the tangling net:
When thus the Lyon spake at freedome set.
Kings be to subjects mild; and when you move
In highest spheres, with mercy purchace love.
From private grudges oft great Princes have
Midst triumphs met with an untimely grave:
And swains have power sometimes their Lords to save.
MORALL.
Mercy makes Princes Gods; but mildest thrones
Are often shook with huge rebellions:
Small help may bring great ayd, and better far
Is Policie than Strength in Peace or War.
[Page 29] THE TENTH FABLE. Of the same Lyon and Mouse.
THen to the Mouse he spake, though Kings requite
Their Saviors oft, with steel, or Aconite;
Yet I magnanimous Micean since i'm free
And had this great deliverance from thee,
Shall (if our kingdoms have it) gratefull be.
I know the Frogians, now a popular State,
By various chance of war, and long debate,
Have driv'n your race to fensed towns, and tow'rs,
Where cruell
The Cat.
Tybert in nights dismall houres,Many a harmeless Mouscovite devoures.
But noble Catus boasts his stock from us,
For of our species is majestick Pusse.
Ile use my pow'r firm peace from him to gain,
And by the Eagles means from Jove obtain
A Stork, that shall ore Croking Frogians raign.
But more than this, by that Celestiall sign
(Which gilds the Corn, purples the plumper Vine)
The Lyon call'd, by wise Astronomers,
What's mine is thine; ask then; in peace and wars
Be also one of our prime Counsellors.
Th' ambitious Mouse; who chooseth still the best,
For where his phang tooth hath a seale imprest,
If purest bread, rich cheese, or mellow fruit,
That the whole table eats without dispute;
To great Kings taster is this little brute,
Encourag'd by the Lyon, thus repli'd;
Then let the royall Virgin be my bride.
Nor wonder at my sute; though I am small,
My mother was a mountain, full as tall
As high Olympus, Joves huge Counsell hall.
Great was the expectation at my birth;
My sister Fame divulg'd our mother Earth
Swelld with a son, should give heaven fresh alarms.
What ere my limbs, me, no lesse soul informs,
Than bold Briareus with the hundred arms.
The troubled King then to the Micean said;
Son, darest thou venture on the horrid maid.
See where she comes: attended from our court,
Pards, Leopards, Panthers, round about resort,
Neer, her delight, to wanton Jackcals sport.
The Lyon then aside his daughter took,
And to prepare sweet love, thus kindly spoke;
From whom I life and freedome have, behold:
Amongst our Kings his name shall be enrowld,
One wise in Counsell, and in Battell bold.
Then take this Jewell, honour him as Lord,
And in thy bosome warmest seats afford.
She then advancing with majestick gate,
Looking too high to view so low a mate,
Trod on him unawares, and slew him streight.
Then said the Lyon weeping ore his friend;
Great are the woes unequall beds attend.
Therefore I judge thou art more happy dead
Than those lye tortur'd in a scornfull bed,
Where Vulturs on their bleeding hearts are fed.
MORALL
Who dare a combat with the devill trie,
Are often vanquish'd by a Ladies eye:
Those that from Schools and hot disputings come,
Are at a Womans presence strucken dumb.
[Page 33] THE ELEVENTH FABLE. Of the Boare and the Asse.
THe Asse preferr'd from toyl, and tedious roads,
Labours no more now under packs and loads:
That Goddesse blind
To Asses kind,
Gave him trapings, and a golden sadle;
With the Horse he prances, with the Ape he modes,
And spends his time in fidle fadle.
His once short maine is powdred, curld, and dri'd;
He wears heart breakers too with ribands tide;
No more he brays,
But lowdly neighs
Love verses, madrigals and fancies
To some she Asse, his mistresse; by her side
No hobby horse more proudly dances.
The warlike Boar who never knew to yeild,
Who oft with bloud, and foame, had di'd the field;
He round be set
And in the net
Would break through Hounds, like tamer Cattell,
Charge horse, and man, speare, sword, and shield,
This beast, th' Asse challengeth to battail.
Sir, I have heard a Souldiers horse well shod,
His Arms, his Sword, and Pistoll, are his God:
And you I know
Have seen the foe,
[Page 34]By your buff-jerken, and your bristles:
'Tis like the paths of honour you have trod,
Where Roses doe not grow, but Thistles.
Fortune hath courted me, and I court Fame;
And though the arms we use are not the same,
The golden Asse
Will trie a passe
With your Boarship in a duell;
'Tis true I nere was tri'd by wild or tame,
Yet honour I esteem a jewell.
The warlike Boar viewing the Asse so brave,
Perceiving yet in him more fool than knave;
Though sudain rage
Bids him engage,
Yet with an Asse he scorns to meddle,
As Merchants trafficking through th' azure wave
To deal with those bear packs and pedle.
But to the high-fed beast the Boar thus spoke;
Thou art not worth my anger, nor a stroake;
Yet ile not stick
To give you a kick,
But for a combat choose a brother;
And there with equall arms your selves provoke;
One Asse must alwaies beat another.
MORALL.
Let valiant men themselves from Cowards blesse,
Lest Fortune favouring fools grant them successe:
Who deal with such, oft conscious shame disarms,
While hope of honour, the faint-hearted warms.
[Page 35] THE TWELFTH FABLE. Of the Frogs desiring a King.
SInce good Frogpadock Jove thou didst translate,
How have we suffer'd turn'd into a State?
In severall interests we divided are;
Small hope is left well grounded peace t' obtain,
Unlesse again
Thou hear our prayer
Great King of Kings, and we for Kings declare,
That Supreme power may on the people be
Setled, 'tis true; but who that day shall see?
Men, beasts, and birds; nay Bees their King obey.
When wealthie Regions factious Counsels steer,
Destruction's neer.
Thus night and day,
Grant us a King, a King, the Frogs did pray.
Jove hears, and smiles at their vain sute; but when
The great affairs he saw of Gods and men
Vext with their clamoring, down a block he threw;
With a huge fragor circkling billows rowle
From pole to pole:
The people flew,
And far from such a thundring Prince withdrew.
At last all calm and silent, in great State
On silver billows he enthroned sate,
Admir'd and reverenc'd by every Frog:
His brow like fate without or frown or smile
Struck fear a while;
Then all the bog
Proclame their King, and cry Jove save King Log.
But when they saw he floated up and down,
Unactive to establish his new Crown;
Some of the greatest of them without dread
Draw neerer to him; now both old and young
About him throng,
On's Crown they tread,
And last, they play at leap-Frog ore his head.
Streight they proclame a fast, and all repair
To vex Heavens King again with tedious prayer;
This stock, this wooden Idoll to remove;
Send them an active Prince, a Monarch stout,
To lead them out,
One that did love
New realms to conquer, and his old improve.
Jove grants their sute, ore them the Stork he puts,
Streight through the fens the dreadfull Long-shanks struts
Devowring Subjects with a greedie maw.
Again the Frogians with a dolefull croak
Heavens King invoke,
He would withdraw
This cruell Prince that made his Will a Law.
Then, th' angry God in thunder answer'd these;
To change your government great Jove did please,
And you I gave a peacefull Soveraign:
Since he dislik'd you, by the Stygian lake
A vow I make,
The Stork shall reign,
And you for evermore repent in vain.
MORALL
No government can th' unsetled vulgar please,
Whom change delight's think quiet a disease,
Now Anarchie and Armies they maintain,
And wearied, are for King and Lords again.
[Page 37] THE THIRTEENTH FABLE. Of the Frog and the Oxe.
FRom the Hydropick kingdoms of the bog,
Up to a verdant mead,
With green Plush Carpets spread,
Comes a proud Frog;
Who once did tread
Upon the head
Of his own gracious Soveraign mild King Log.
Whom fat with mighty spoyl
Of the rich wooden Isle
The Stork persu'd, the new Malignant flys,
And now in shadie Grasse in safety lys.
Amongst the bellowing Herds, and bleating flocks,
This Frog by chance espies
Of a prodigious size
A stall-fed Oxe,
Such chines and thighs
Good stomacks prize,
And bones with marrow big as hollow Okes;
Wide was his spreading horne
As Evening from the Morne:
When thus the Frog in length not half a span
Stuff'd up with envy, and self-love began.
I who once greatest of our Nation seem'd;
Now standing by this clown,
Whose flesh might feast a town,
Am unesteem'd,
[Page 38]And up and down
Hop 'thout renown;
Though no such bull-calf my dear mother teem'd;
With wind my sides and back
Ile swell untill they crack;
Fancy shall help, a revelation now
Bids me be great, as th' of-spring of the Cow.
Thus having said, on his design he falls;
And both with wind and pride
He swels his back and side;
To his son then calls:
And said, My hide
Now grows as wide
As that in thongs once measur'd Carthage walls.
Nor on a larger Chine
Did valiant Ajax dine,
When him the Grecian Generall did invite
Unfoyld by Hector in a single fight.
Then spake his son: Father you strive in vain,
To me you not appear
So big as his crop'd eare;
Ah doe not strain,
The wind I feare
Your sides will tear;
And though your soul may a new body gain,
A father I shall lack;
Should you bear on your back
A Castle, and inspire an Elephant,
The Mouse your deadly foe you shall not want.
Thus the wise son to his fond father spoke,
While he did strive in vain
Four winds to entertain
In one small nook:
Regions where rain
And hail remain
Must in his bosome be, as prisoners took;
At last he grew as full
As Toads live in a scull,
When at a mighty rupture enters death,
And air confind, now flys with vitall breath.
Then spake the son, over his gasping sire,
Hadst thou contented been
With this thy little Inn,
Not aiming higher,
Here thou hadst seen
Good days agen,
But thou like Icarus didst too much aspire,
On thy Kings neck hast trod,
Now th' Oxe th' Egyptian God
Strov'st to be like: so the proud Angels fell,
And though in Heaven, not knew when they were well.
MORALL
To strive what seems impossible to get,
A Supererogation is of wit,
Not follie now, when every day we see
What men thought once impossible to be.
[Page 41] THE FOURTEENTH FABLE. Of the Woolf and the Lamb.
IT fortun'd the fierce Woolf and tender Lamb,
Vex'd with high noon, and Phaebus scorching flame,
To quench their thirst to one cool river came.
To whom the Woolf betwixt his draughts, with slow
Yet rancourous speech, thus spake: How dar'st thou blow
My drink, and with thy feet up gravell throw?
Son of a rotten Sire; how durst thou (slave
To cruell man, who with thy fleece doth save
Himself from cold) fowl this cleer silver wave?
The Lamb astonish'd, struck with suddain fear,
To see his glowing eys, and brizly hair,
Said, Sir be patient, and your anger spare.
I humbly crave your pardon, that so neer,
And at one time with you I water here;
Yet under favour still your stream is cleer.
I am beneath, Sir, if you please to note,
And from your mouth to mine the waters float;
It passeth yours before it touch my throat.
The fell Woolf grind, his eys like firebrands glow;
Oh cursed race, he said, to mine a foe,
Still plotting harmlesse Wolves to overthrow;
Thy father, mother, sacrilegious Lamb,
And all thy bleating kindred, from the damne
Stile themselves guiltlesse, but I guilty am;
And none dare say you in Wolves habit come,
And tear dead bodies from the new built tombe,
And poor Woolves then for your offences doome.
Dogs once our brethren, cursed Curs, you lead,
Against our race, who now will heare us plead?
When you'r the cause of all the blood is shed.
Now by our King Lycaons crown I swear,
So wrong'd by that rebellious Jupiter,
Affronted thus, no longer ile forbear.
Thus having said, at the poor Lamb he flys,
His cruell teeth a purple river dies,
While warm blood spurtles in his face and eys.
MORALL.
They that have power to doe, may when they will
Pick quarrels, and pretending justice, kill.
Who hunt for blood, and spoyl, need not invent
New crimes, but lay their own on th' innocent.
[Page 43] THE FIFTEENTH FABLE. Of the Woolf and the Crane.
BUt while the Woolf devour'd the innocent Lamb,
Raising her voice and eys to heaven, the damne
Implor'd revenge: Pan from the shepherds coat
To Menalus heard, and fixd a bone in's throat.
He wonders what obstructs, who warder stood;
Stopping so old a thorough-fare of blood.
What shall he doe? or where now find a cure?
Great was the danger, nor could he indure
The pain, while he ore hill and dale did passe
To native realms, where his own Surgeon was.
When on a rising banck hard by, he spi'd
Beline the Ram: he could but be deni'd;
And though his teeth blushd with the purple gore
Of his dear son, slain neer his mothers dore,
Yet he would trie; in some mischances, foes
Will with our friends, commiserate our woes.
Upon this score he went, and thus bespoak
The King, and horned father of the flock.
Sir, may your wives be numerous, and bear
Twins alwaies, and be pregnant twice a year.
And may your beauteous son, who on youn banck
Conferr'd with me, where we together drank,
Be golden fleec'd, and when his horns grow large,
To thousand Yews, a husbands love discharge.
'Tis true, our nations long at ods have been;
Yet why should publick jars raise private spleen?
Let there my Lord no personall difference be;
Or strive we, let us strive in Courtesie.
[Page 44]Favours may purchace love, love peace may win,
Quarrels may end, since once they did begin.
Suspecting plots, his Bell, wise Beline rung,
When troops of Rams to guard his person throng.
Then said; Your businesse Sir? be brief; and know,
It must be lawfull, that I grant a foe.
When with dejected look thus Isgrim spake;
A bone sticks crosse my throat, some pity take,
And draw it forth; and when the silver Moon
Makes low-browd night faintly resemble noon,
The Goddess ile beseech, you never may
Want Grasse in Summer, nor in Winter Hay,
No floods in Autumn, no destructive cold
Send scabs, nor rots depopulate your fold.
And She will hearken to our pious race.
Oft when She swounds, and notes of tinckling brasse
Cannot recall, nor colour her pale lips,
Our cries have rescu'd from a dark Eclipse.
Then Beline said; Impudent Woolf be gone,
Who knows, but late thou hast some murther done,
And this a judgment due to thy desert.
On paine of death our quarters leave, depart.
Thus to the shaggie Goat, he did complain,
To the swift Dear, and the dull Oxe in vain;
They all refuse, and say, no punishment,
On ravening Wolves, can be unjustly sent.
When stalking through the Marsh he meets the Crane,
(Low-Country people know no God but gain)
To whom the Woolf thrice Congeeing began;
May your plum'd Phalanx passe the Ocean,
[Page 45]To Northern Regions safe, and landing there,
May all the Pigmie kingdoms shake with fear.
And may you Conqueror ore the dwarfish ranks,
Triumph on Strymon, or Caysters bancks.
But to your friend be kind, and draw a bone
Sticks in his throat, ingratefull i'm to none;
Then ile a Trout present thee sweet and good,
Cleans'd in a silver stream, and free from mud.
If that not satisfie, most noble Crane,
To please thy Pallat this whole Fen ile drain.
He undertakes the cure, nor pluck'd he oft
With his long bill, but Isgrim's well, and cough'd.
The Bird demands his pay; the Woolf at that
With a sowr smile repli'd: Sir Crane for what,
For plucking out a bone are thy demands?
Thou might'st have stretch'd, fool, on these yellow sands,
Vent'ring thy long bill in my throat, thy head
I freely gave, thank me thou art not dead.
Or come and draw another out, though loath
I shall reward thee nobly then for both.
When to himself, the griev'd Crane mourning said;
Great favours thus, are by th' ingratefull paid.
MORALL.
So Merchants having scap'd a dangerous Sea,
Mocks to their Saints for promis'd offerings pay:
But some more impious having touch'd dry land,
Think they performe, to let their Statues stand.
THE SIXTEENTH FABLE. Of the Husband-man and the Serpent.
WHen a cold storm confirm'd the trembling bogs,
And drove to warmer springs the naked Frogs,
With's prong on's back a simple farmer
Boldly goes
Through frost and snows,
Ice on's beard, fire in's nose,
A freeze jerkin all his armour;
To feed Sheep, and Cattell fodder.
Where by chance he found
Frozen to the ground
Stretch'd at length a dying Adder.
The cruell Serpent under deaths arrest,
Strange, but the Fable hath sufficient test,
He takes, and in his bosome lodges,
Where at night
His delight
His dear wife heel invite,
And home again in haste he trudges.
The viper as a precious jewell
Streight he layd in mosse,
Putting sticks acrosse
Busling out to fetch more fuell.
Fresh warmth gave resurrection to the fiend,
And from the dead the devill did ascend,
His vitall spirits returning;
He now grown hot,
Fresh poyson got,
Contriving streight a damned plot,
With rage and malice burning.
[Page 48]He uncoyls his speckled cable,
And prepares by arms
To seize all the farms,
Of him that was so hospitable.
And with injustice thus he tax'd the Gods;
Gives Jove to silly swains such warm aboads,
When subtile Serpents must lye sterving?
Who else will dain,
But this dull swain,
To take us up and ease our pain,
What ever our deserving?
But leaves us gasping in a furrow;
Or with a staff,
When we are half
Dead, kill, and so conclude our sorrow.
Ile scourse my windy lodging for this grange;
Nor is it robery to make a change,
A cool house for a warmer;
Him ile assigne
What ere is mine,
In open field to sup and dine,
And here ile play the Farmer.
Ile take the charge of Sheep and Cattel,
And when ther's need
On them ile feed.
This said, he streight prepares for battell.
His Nervy back, and his voluminous train,
Are both drawn up to charge one single swain,
[Page 49]His eys like Aetna flaming,
His sting he whets,
His scales he sets,
Now up and down the room he jets,
With hisses war proclaming:
He, stools and tables forms imbraces,
Wreathing about
Now in, now out,
And takes possession of all places.
Mean while the Rustick had with sounding strokes
Whole Elms disrob'd, and naked left tall Okes,
To bring the Snake home store of fuell:
Little the good
Man understood
Whom he sav'd would seek his blood,
And with the devill to have a duell.
But when he came into the entry,
It made him quake
To see the Snake
Stand, like an uglie Souldier centrie.
Not staying to plead the goodnesse of his cause,
Arm'd with a stake up the bold Shepherd draws
To save his house and dwelling;
Well he knows,
He must oppose;
Though fire and poyson arm your foes,
At first charge them rebelling.
[Page 50]A horse and arms the Knight could brag on.
This with a stake
Assaults the Snake
Swoln with fury to a Dragon.
Long time the fight was equally maintain'd;
The Shepherd now, and now, the Serpent gaind;
Chance gave the swain the better:
When with a stroke
Three ribs he broke,
And words with blows thus mixing spoke,
Sir, still I am your debtor;
I tender thus my house and cattle.
The Serpent flies
And quarter cries,
And once more dying quits the battel.
Spawn of th' old Dragon, worme, ingratefull wretch,
(Then lights a blow which made his long sides stretch,)
What, doe you crie peccavie?
Unworthy soul
Think'st thou a hole
Will shelter like a worme or mole
And from my fury save thee?
Ile sign your lease first on your shoulder;
Next take this sowse,
And then my house;
Now goe, and be a good free-holder.
With what he meant for fire, a knottie stake,
He warms the Serpents sides untill they ake,
Then on his breast he tramples:
His purple head
Waxt pale as lead
His golden scales with blood were red;
Live now he said among examples,
While this tough cudgell lasts ile bang thee;
I to my grief
Have sav'd a thief
That would have been the first to hang me.
MORALL
Ingratefull men are marshald in three rancks,
This not returns, the second gives no thanks,
Evill the last for good repays, and this
Of all hels monsters the most horrid is.
[Page 53] THE SEVENTEENTH FABLE. Of the sick Kite and his mother.
THe Kite first steeredge taught to Mariners,
By which strange lands they found, and unknown stars,
And took from Seas imaginary bars.
They saw when heaven was cleer
His plumie rudder steer,
Starboord and Larboord, plying here, now there.
These Sailers having a good voyage made,
Neer Kitish seats rich vessels did unlade,
And to that Prince a royall banquet made:
Him, with fat offerings fed,
With Oyl, Wine, moyst and red;
Which Surfeit a Malignant Feaver bred.
And now, who long by rapine and by stealth
Had heap'd up riches, lost his former health,
More worth to mortals than all worldly wealth:
In his well-feather'd nest,
The sick bird takes no rest,
When to his mother he himself confest.
Mother you know, and I now to my grief,
That I have liv'd a most notorious thief,
Robbing for pleasure, oftner than relief.
I, once from th' Altar, stole,
With flesh a kindled cole,
Which burnt my nest high as the lofty Pole.
Such are my sins, no God I dare implore,
Lest they should know I live, and punish more:
You for your son may pray as heretofore.
[Page 54]Let heaven but grant me health,
Ile give the Church my wealth,
And orders take, repenting former stealth.
Then to her son the mother made reply:
Ah my dear bird, couldst thou but once-more fly,
And cut with fanning wings the ample skie,
Wert hungry once agen,
Thou'lt rob the Lyons den,
Spoyl th' Eagles nest, and pillage Gods and men.
MORALL
A golden robe in Winter is too cold,
Too hot in Summer is a beard of gold:
Church robbers thus cram impious coffers still,
And greedy men count sacrilege Gods will.
[Page 55] THE EIGHTEENTH FABLE. Of the Old Hownd and his Master.
OLd Dog 'tis thou must doe it, come away,
Within a thicket neer
Is lodg'd a gallant Dear,
We must not, friend, neglect so brave a prey.
Kill'd, thou and I will feast,
To morrow and to day,
Upon the slaughterd beast,
Then come I say.
Remember once a Conqueror thou wert,
And seizing didst pull down a mighty Hart,
When the Kings swiftest dogs thou didst out-strip;
This said, the Huntsman let his old Hownd slip.
The rows'd Dear flys for life, the Dog to kill,
Through Lawns, ore hils and dales,
So swift the Nymble gales
Seem in their faces, turn which way they will.
Ready to pinch, Kilbuck
With air his mouth did fill,
At last the Dear he took
Yet was deluded still:
His phangs grown old, now fail, and what vext more,
He crost a proverb, says, old Dogs bite sore.
Then stripes resound upon his panting side,
Who while his Master beat him, lowd thus cry'd.
Ingratefull Lord, once I did save thy life,
When thou by thy own Hownds
Wer't chac'd through neighbouring grounds,
Transform'd like to Actaeon by thy wife.
You a hornd monster, Sir,
I knew, and vent'ring life
Beat off the leading cur;
But these rewards are rise:
Thus Masters former-services forget;
This no new way to pay old servants debt.
Ah me poor wretch, and must the proverb hold?
A serving creature is a Beggar old.
MORALL.
Servants beware, oft is but little space
Betwixt preferment, and the losse of place.
Ladies are fickle, and fantastick Lords
Would see new faces waiting at their boards.
[Page 57] THE NINTEENTH FABLE. Of the Hares and Frogs.
WHile a huge tempest through the wood resounds,
The frighted Hares
Prick up their ears,
Supposing lowd mouth'd gusts, shril horns & Hownds,
And leave their native seats, and antient bounds;
Wing'd with vain fear, th' out-strip the thundring
Not one durst make a halt, or look behind.
A stream th' incounter, swoln up to the brim,
Which a full cloud
Had made so lowd
As ranting Auster; this they dare not swim,
Viewing the hollow wave it look'd so grim.
Nor durst the valiant Hares once backward look;
The Devil's behind, the Devill is in the brook.
One of the gravest, here did courage take,
When he did spy
The Frogians fly
At their approach, and did their camps forsake
To shelter in the bosome of the lake.
Then bids them stand, and make the front the reare;
Vain is the Frog's, as vain may be our fear.
All doe as he commanded, not one stirs;
When soon they find
Threats empty wind,
Which did not hurt, but discompose their furs:
Then thus he said; There is from barking Curs
No danger; we are swift, and strong, all parts
We have, that makes good Souldiers up, but hearts.
Fortune assists the bold, and he that dares,
Though but a swain,
May Scepters gain;
But whom cold blood beleaguers with base fears,
That start at every sound like timorous Hares,
At Court not thrives, nor in the Martiall lists,
Nor Venus in loves Conduct them assists.
MORALL.
Strange are effects of fear; danger to shun
On grim death's sternest visages we run:
Fear in a night will blast the Conquerours bays,
And from sterv'd Cities mighty armies raise.
[Page 59] THE TWENTIETH FABLE. Of the Doves and Hawkes.
LOng had the Doves a happy peace injoy'd,
Broaching no quarrel with their neighbour nations,
Nor stird up civill strife, with plenty cloyd;
Than love the Pigeons had no other passions,
They have no Gall,
Nor know at all
Dissention, nor stern Mars his angry mood,
Nor pleasure taken in rapine nor in blood.
But they Diana slighted, nor prepare
For Pallas offerings, nor great Juno's Deity,
To Venus and her Son is all their prayer;
These powers offended highly with th' impiety,
Did Mars intreat,
Now in a heat,
Since more Adonis, Venus did delight,
To raise 'gainst gentle Doves, the cruell Kite.
Mov'd by the Gods, the Kitish Prince proclames
War 'gainst the Turtles, and their wealthy regions;
Far more than honour, booty him inflames,
And from the North he musters feather'd legions;
The War grows hot,
The Turtles not,
Inur'd to battels, Camps, and fierce alarms,
Many strong houses lose by force of arms.
They call a Counsell, and consult of aid;
They know the Hawk more valiant is and stronger,
Would he take pay, they need not be dismaid,
His pownces sharper be, his wing is longer,
The Hawks desire
But Souldiers hire,
Their purs shall only for the Pidgeons fight,
And they are certain to defeat the Kite.
The Hawks are muster'd, and the War renews,
Soon they regain their Houses, Forts, and Castles,
As soon the Pidgeon their assistance rues;
For those they hir'd, and were the Turtles vassals,
Seiz'd them for pay,
And day by day,
Their bowels rend, and tender bodies plume,
And more than Kites, the Dovish race consume.
MORALL.
Effeminate Nations, to long peace inur'd;
Are by Auxiliaries ill secur'd:
Who ere proove victors, they shall be the prize;
But best your friend knows where the mony lys.
[Page 61] THE ONE AND TWENTIENH FABLE. Of the Dog and Thief.
BOugh wough, who's there? Bough wough who's that dare break
Into my masters house? first stand, then speak,
Or else ile have you by the throat; nere start
You Sir, Ile know your businesse ere we part.
Thus in the Cynick language, lowd and brief,
A true Dog bark'd, discovering a Thief.
When softly thus nights pilfering minion said,
This sacred silence, and the holy shade
Of night, dear friend, disturb not, I am sent
(Because thy master keeps a stricter Lent
Than wiser mortals) with a sop to thee
From Cerberus, at such fond piety
From triple jaws exclaiming, he bids eate.
Wise Sects who Nature serve forsake no meat.
Then take this morsell and lye down to rest,
Let not fleas thee, nor others thou molest.
When thus the faithfull Dog repli'd agen:
Hast thou thy habitation among men,
And know'st not me? hast thou not heard how I
Six Winter days, and stormy nights did lye
Watching my murther'd Lord? his bleeding head
Three Spring tydes wash'd on a cold Osier bed:
At last with extreme hunger overcame,
I to this house, through the broad River swam;
Where well recruited, with warm Viands, then
From hospitable boards, and living men,
I crost rough mountains with a silver head,
To wait in open Mansions of the dead.
At last they following me with swifter Oars,
Where by the smell were found polluted shores
[Page 62]They made a search, and ere I took my place,
Kist his pale lips, or lick'd his wofull face,
My person they secur'd; then him interr'd,
And I for faithfulnesse was thus preferr'd.
Nay more than that: 'twas I the Murtherer found,
And with my forces first beleagur'd round;
Lowd vollies spent with foame, with tooth and nail
Fell on his quarters, all parts did assail,
No man durst rate me off, no not the frown
Of my dread Lord, untill I pluck'd him down;
And he cryd out 'twas I thy master slew;
Then fiercer Dogs upon him, Sergeants, flew:
And thinkst thou ile be treacherous for a crust?
Dogs are than men more faithfull to their trust.
Not our Penates keep a stricter watch
Over these seats, than I, such rogues to catch.
Erre, erre, bough wough, thieves thieves, with speed awake.
He frighted flys, the trustie Dog then spake;
But what he said, is dangerous now to tell:
What tortures Cerberus told him were in hell
For servants that are false; but they that sold
Their Country, or their native King for gold;
To them Judge Minos deepest seats allots,
Where moulten gold they quaffe in Iron pots,
And when their blood with burning liquor fries,
They get on Snakes the worme which never dies.
MORALL.
Servants that Centinels to Princes are,
When close Conspirers plotting civill War
Doe send them gold, if they proove faithfull, then,
They are the best, if false the worst of men.
[Page 63] THE TWO AND TWENTIETH. Of the Woolf and Carved Head.
VVAs it Alecto in that impious age
Stird up the peoples rage?
When dedicated temples they did spoyl,
And what no Prophet did presage,
With Hero's broken Statues strewd the Ile,
And horrid rudenesse did Religion stile.
This trod
Upon the Image of his God,
And that bold Souldier storms
Heavens Queen, and breaks the marble in her arms,
Then man
Began,
Seeing vengeance slow fall from unwilling skie,
To question truth, and sacred writ denie:
Not fearing hell, nor hop'd for heaven when they die.
'Mongst legs, and arms, and bulks of men and Gods,
Which lay in mighty loads,
The sacrilegious Woolf, who preys by night,
In sacred and prophane aboads,
Came, and with eys casting malignant light,
Through gloomie shades espi'd this joyfull sight;
And thought
Some battail had been fought,
Or fatall vespers had with blown-out lights,
Mix'd bloody butcheries with sacred rites.
Where best
To feast
[Page 64]And be with blood and humane slaughter fed,
He mus'd a while, then with much purple red,
Painted to life, he saw a decollated head,
The bloody neck inviting; streight he seiz'd
What little pleas'd;
And in obdurate Oke his teeth engag'd;
Which not his hunger well appeas'd,
Nor thirsty jaws with crimson draughts asswag'd.
Who while his broken fang extremely rag'd,
Thus said,
Beauty hath wit betraid,
All is not gold that glisters, and a fowl
Cabinet oft, includes the fairest soul,
They're wise
Whose eys
With deep inspection on the inside look,
Regarding not the gilding of the book;
But they are fools with Idoll stocks, and stones are took.
MORALL.
A comly carriage, youth, and beauteous form,
Take proudest hearts, and enter without storm:
But when they find their list of vertues short,
As suddainly they are expell'd the Fort.
[Page] THE FABLES OF AESOP. The Second BOOK.
THE THREE AND TWENTIETH FABLE. Of the Lyon grown old.
COme all, come all, take your revenges full,
My Cosen Horse, the Boar, the Bear and Bull;
Come all you free born-beasts, and now no more
Tremble to hear the cruell Lyon rore;
The Forrest now is ours; that Tyrant which
So long proud Scepters swaid, in yonder ditch
Lyes bedrid, brays the Asse; then come each one
And give him ample Retribution,
And Ile redeem my reputation lost:
The Lyon now shall know unto his cost,
The Asse is no such dastard, nor so dull;
Then come, come all, and take revenges full.
This said, the vulgar rush, both wild and tame,
Where the old Lyon lay, weak, sick, and lame:
His Crown they sieze, upon his Scepter tread,
And pull his Royall Ermine ore his head.
When round his eys the dying Monarch cast,
And as he view'd them, groning, spake his last,
I did not well, when I had strength and power,
So many loving Subjects to devour,
Whose friends take just revenge; but where are they
Who drank with me their blood, and shar'd the prey,
To guard my person, from their cruell rage?
Some my dim sight presents, who now engage
With greater malice: ah for which good deed
Friends doe you tear my side? You make me bleed?
[Page 66]'Twas no well grounded policie of S [...]te
By Arbitrary power to purchase hate;
But I did worse, in choosing such false friends,
That joyn with foes, having obtain'd their ends.
MORALL
When Kings are weak, then active Subjects strive
To raise their power above Prerogative:
Both friends and foes conspire with time and fates,
Oft to reduce proud Kingdoms into States.
[Page 67] THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH FABLE. Of the Dog and the Asse.
WHy how now rogue, why rascall, hast thou got
Thy breakfast yet, speak sirrah, hast thou not?
Your whining and colloguing will not serve,
Thy fat sides, villaine, say, thou dost not sterve,
The master said to's Dog; then strokes his head;
And claps his back, and neck: the Curwell bred
With fawning postures first plays with his knee,
Then leaps up to his breast, next who but he,
His masters lap's his cushion, where at ease
He lyes, and torments the tormenting fleas.
This put the sullen Asse in wofull dumps,
Who his deep judgement for a reason pumps
Why he should toyl, and eat the bread of care,
And th' idle Dog like his rich master fare.
Then with a sigh he said;
Have I with patience, and packsadles, broke
My heart and sides, my back so many a stroke
Endur'd, to make my greedy master rich?
When his proud Steed lay fainting in a ditch,
And cry'd no more he'd be a Pack horse made:
I took the burthen from the pamperd jade,
And bore it stoutly through a tedious rode.
And yet this Whelp, this cringing A-la-mode
With Bels, and Collar, hair in th' Island guise,
Feeds with his Lord, and on soft Couches lyes.
And why? because hee'l sport, and fawn, and cog,
He knows no other duty of a Dog.
This, keeps no Sheep, nor takes foul Swine by th' eare,
Nere barks at Thieves, nor plays at Bull or Bear,
But a meer foysting-Hownd; well, now I see,
Not alwaies strength, nor wit, nor industry
[Page 4]Gain's fortunes smile; too oft in Princes Courts
Great favourites rise by jests, and idle sports;
And Complements: if so, ther's none surpasses
For complement, your Complementall Asses.
I am resolv'd their Dog-ships, Ape-ships all
This day to imitate, fall, what may fall.
This said, the Asse pricks his notorious eare,
And like a Hobie-horse, or dancing Bear,
Begins to move, now like a Spaniell plays,
But still his own voice frights him when he brays.
Then to his Master boldly he drew neer:
And at last charg'd him with a full Careere,
Then rising up takes with a rough imbrace,
About the neck, offers to lick his face,
And with foul hoofs wanders all ore his breast.
With wonder then and suddain fear opprest,
Th' affrighted Master calls aloud for aid,
Then Assinego for his follie paid;
Who while his bones, Swains made with beating sore,
He thus his chance did patiently deplore;
My Genius, and my person I mistake,
Not every block a Mercury will make;
Foul ways, and heavy burthens better suit
With Rustick Asses, than the Ivory Lute.
All things befit not all, and imitation
Is for the Ape, more than the Asse in fashion.
MORALL.
Oft airy jesters, and phantastick Drowls,
Take more than wise, learnd, or industrious souls:
A handsome Meen, a varnish'd out-side can,
More than the golden linings of a man.
[Page 5] THE FIVE AND TWENTIETH FABLE. Of the Husband-man and Snake.
THere dwelt a learned Serpent neer a grove,
Whom fortune did not love.
She gave him want, whom Nature had made wise,
And Industry had taught all Sciences.
He knew each walk in Heavens great board of Chesse,
Where games not end in many thousand years,
Could golden Hierogliphicks all expresse
Which fill the volumes of nine mighty spheres,
He could the musters of heavens army tell,
And when Stars ruling seasons, rose, and fell.
There was a Shepherd who by his advice
Grew wealthie in a trice.
His thousands wandring on Sicillian hils,
Twice every day a milkie River fils,
His snowy pailes: his numbers not decrease,
When from the skie some dire contagion falls,
When Heards & flocks scarce make up Death one messe,
Thisipon raging in full coats and stalls.
This Swain invites the Snake his house to grace,
And live with him, the Genius of the place.
He that the wisest charmer would not hear
Gave to this rustick ear,
Resolv'd to leave sad hunger, cold, and care,
For roofs, where warmth and plentie were.
[Page 70]Nor long he sojourn'd, when th'ill natur'd Swain,
Vex'd that he could not fell a stubborn Oke,
With the same hatchet would his guest have slain,
And raging charg'd him with a mighty stroke;
Hardly with life the wounded Serpent fled
To his own seats, and frighted hides his head.
Those whom we wrong, we hate: what arts the stern
Rustick before did learn
From the wise Serpent, now seem'd poor, and cheap:
Who Winds and Stars observe, not Sow, nor Reap.
Him Industry, and Fortune happy made;
But not long after Udders full, wax drie,
A chaffie eare shoots from a wither'd blade;
His Corn is blasted, Sheep and Cattell die.
Suppliant he stands then at the Serpents dore,
And thus desires his company once more.
Wise as thy self, than Doves more innocent,
The injury I repent;
And though 'tis Justice, since thy head did feel
My cruell axe, that thou shouldst bruise my heel;
Yet pardon me, and once more I entreat,
That thou wouldst blesse my little house again:
Then spoke the Serpent from his low-roof'd seat,
Though the wound's whole, the memory I retain;
Yet Ile forgive the wrong, but never more
While thou a hatchet hast come in thy dore.
MORALL.
What pleasure hath full boards, when, ore our head,
A ponderous sword hangs on a twisted thread?
Fly dangerous company, when Choler burns,
Oft Princely cheer, to bloody banquets turns.
[Page 71] THE SIX AND TWENTIETH FABLE. Of the Fox and the Crane.
NOble Sir Crane, I tarried at my gate,
You, and your victory to congratulate.
I heard the battell was both sharp and long,
The Pigmies are a nation fierce and strong.
Be pleas'd good Sir to light,
And take a bait with me; 'tis long to night;
Thus did the Fox the mounted Crane invite.
The Crane not doubted but the Fox could gibe,
As well as any of his subtile tribe.
But the sharp air amongst Riphaean rocks,
Where nothing was but hunger, cold, and knocks,
Provok'd his appetite;
Besides, a savoury steam did him invite,
And his long Nose now stood in his own light.
At last Fox-Hall they enter, where they found
A table in a broathie deluge drownd:
Broath must not cool; This piddles with his bill,
While young Sir Reynard did whole Rivers swill,
Licks up the Mediterrane,
Drinks misty Bays, then guzzels up the Main,
Till the boards weinscot face appears again.
When to himself the vex'd Crane said; did I
That Giant Pigmie kill twelve inches high,
[Page 8]When breaking of our egs a Sea he made?
Him, spitted on this bill with wings displaid
I carried ore the rocks:
And shall this long-taild Cur, this Fox-furd Fox
Abuse me? must my shoulders bear his mocks?
It must not be; this said, he wipes his bill,
As if that he had banqueted his fill,
And Reynard then invites with many thanks,
To taste a dish brought from Ca [...]sters banks.
The Fox consents, nor did
Believe the Crane to any thing would bid
His Worship to, unlesse Veale, Lamb, or Kid.
Th' appointed hour is kep't, and as he wish'd
Choice Cates he found, but in glasse Viols dish'd.
This diving with his beak sweet morsels picks,
With watry Jaws drie glasse Sir Reynard licks;
Then said; I have deserv'd
With Tantalizing bankets to be sterv'd,
And am with tricks for tricks most justly serv'd.
MORALL.
The most ingenious scoffes, and bitter'st taunts
Are best revenged with the like affronts:
But many times from them such rancour breeds,
That he that laugh'd at first, soon after bleeds.
[Page 9] THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH FABLE. Of the File and the Viper.
VVAst ill-advising Hunger did perswade,
Or Anger, that fond Viper to invade
A horrid File, which had an iron husk,
Scorn'd the Sharkstooth, defi'd the wild Boars tusk;
It had a skin so hard, and rough,
As that infernall coat of Buff
The Luciferian Generall had on
In the first grand Rebellion:
Which no Celestiall arm
Could harm,
Or pierce,
But his, who guides the Stars, and rules the Universe.
But Anger gave the cause he so mistook;
He knew the sweating Artist was no Cook.
Who with this File that day had polished
The Snakes which Periwig the Gorgons head,
And had fil'd down the speckled mail,
Which shining arm'd th' old Dragons tail;
He thought those Snakes alive had been,
And strange tortures he had seen.
Since on the man he could not lite.
To bite,
He glides
Raging with venom'd tooth, to pierce strong Iron sides.
The secure File, whilst he did gnaw and bite,
Smiling lay still; at length it laughd out right;
Finding his foe no Estridge weapons had,
To murther Horse-shoos, and devoure a Gad.
Then thus began, Desist for shame,
Thou hurtst not me, Ime still the same:
When thou beginst a War, not only know
Thy own, but forces of the foe:
Thou seest I lye upon my back,
And crack
Thy Gums:
He is not wise with his own strength himself orecomes.
MORALL.
Fools that with spleen and fury are possest,
Not mind their own, nor publick interest▪
Some, vext abroad, on their domesticks fall;
Or bruise their knuckles on a senselesse wall.
[Page 11] THE EIGHT AND TWENTIETH FABLE. Of the Hart.
THe Hart beholding in a fountain clear
His stately crest,
With Antlers drest,
Admiring said, I am a gallant Dear.
How many in the Park like me appear?
Where is the beast that can,
Or the Cornuted man,
Shew such a horney Forrest on his head?
Nor could that mighty Stag,
Arms like these weapons brag,
Which with the famous Clubman combated,
Nor were Actaeons branches fairer spread.
But his supporters did stir up his Gall:
'Mongst all the rancks
Of spindle shanks,
None were so little, none had legs so small.
Both God and Nature he unjust did call,
To mount him like the Crane,
On four limbs lesse then twain.
Such spiny shins nere went in any road;
Those Usher dames boast half,
His legs had nere a calf;
He wonders that on Stilts he durst abroad,
And why four sticks bore such a gallant load.
Thus while he descanted on every part,
The wood resounds
With horns and hownds;
Like to a Scytbian shaft, or Indian dart,
Or clouds with tempest driven, flys the Hart:
Those Legs he so much scorns
Did save him, but his Horns
Entangled 'mongst thick boughs made him a prey▪
Who spake with weeping eys,
Poor friends I did despise,
Who me from Dogs and Hunters did convey,
But Pride, vain Pride, did the proud Hart betray.
MORALL.
Too much we valew Beautie, Wit, and Arts,
Since oft great men are ruin'd by their parts
Some with small learning, and a slender list
Of vertues, frowns of fickle Chance resist.
[Page 13] THE NINE AND TWENTIETH FABLE. Of Birds and Beasts.
A Difference 'twixt Birds and Beasts arose,
But how no story shews;
Traditions tell, that Beasts
In trees would build their nests;
Others, that Birds did Forrest lands enclose;
But hot debate at last did come to blows.
Both Feather'd, and Four-footed not delay,
To muster and array;
And as the nations use,
Their Generals they choose:
The Eagle must the winged Legions sway,
The Lyon, in great bodies Beasts, obey.
Poets and Painters added to their force,
The feather'd Griphon and the winged Horse;
Than those no other dare
Tempt Castles in the air,
Nor through untracted skie to bend their course,
Among steep rocks the Eagles nest to force.
The Bat observing that the bestiall power
Encreased every hour,
How Lyons, Wolves, Bears and Boars,
Dogs and Horses filld the shores,
Enough ten flying armies to devoure,
Streight he revolts, and yields his airy tower.
Both sides engage, there was a mighty fight,
From morning untill night;
Beasts well maintain their place,
Birds charge them in the face:
The Eagle by advantages of height,
Both salvage and domestick put to flight.
The treacherous Bat was in the battell took:
All hate the traitors look,
He never must display,
Again his wings by day,
But hated live in some foul dustie nook,
Cause he his Country in distresse forsook.
MORALL.
Wisemen are valiant, and of honest minds;
Treacherous subtile, and explore all winds:
Or King or State their ruin they'l indure,
May they from Sequestration be secure.
[Page 15] THE THIRTIETH FABLE. Of the Jay and Peacocks.
WHo hath not heard of that most cruell fight,
When by the Eagle beasts were put to flight?
When, from supplies fell in at setting sun
Of Harpies, Furies, and sad Birds of night,
Tygers like Steers, like Sheep bold Lyons run:
Then first on Birds and Beasts men to the height
Did feasts themselves, and they who often preyd,
On slaughter'd armies, now a prey are made.
'Mongst other chances of that dreadfull day,
A wing of Peacocks was discomfited:
Their valiant leader 'mongst the formost lay,
His Angel-plumes dy'd with his own blood red.
This had a Page, a proud and foolish Jay,
Whom, from an Egge, he in his nest had bred:
This, strips his Lord, and boldly then assumes
His train of Argos eys, and gaudie plumes.
When to the Eagles Court the proud Jay got,
And like a Turkie-Cock struts up and down,
Suing to draw in Juno's Chariot,
As if those gaudie feathers were his own:
With love fair Pea-hens, here he follows hot,
Keeps company with noble birds, or none;
Among the Wits, and Braveries did sit,
And would be (strange) a bravery and a wit.
His tongue condemn'd to everlasting prate,
Boasting his Beauty, Wealth, and better notes,
Brought on him first Suspicion, after Hate:
(Peacocks, though Angels plumes, have Devils throats)
At last they strip him, as he chattering sate,
Of his fairy feathers, and his guadie coats;
Naked, and banish'd from the court of birds,
He to a dolefull note, compos'd these words.
I stand the true example of vain pride,
Since I the Jayish nation did despise,
Not only noble Birds will me deride,
But I shall be a scorne to Jacks and Pies:
Not Tyrian robes can birth and breeding hide,
Let their own fortune still content the wise.
And let all those that climb above their place,
Strip'd like me, and suffer such disgrace.
MORALL.
Whether Ambition, Vertue be, or Vice;
Hath rais'd great disputations 'mong the nice:
Who by unseen gradations reach a crown
Heroes are stil'd, but Traitors tumbling down.
[Page 17] THE ONE AND THIRTIETH FABLE. Of the Woolves and Sheep.
THe Wolves & Sheep, great Nations both, & strong,
Had long
A mighty War maintain'd:
Great slaughter oft there was of old and young,
With various chance, yet none the better gain'd.
Finding their strength decay'd, their treasure drain'd,
With one consent Commissioners are chose,
That might so great a difference compose,
And joyn in lasting leagues such antient foes.
Long they not sate, when they conclude a peace:
On these
Few articles they streight agreed;
The Wolves should give their Whelps up hostages,
The Sheep their Dogs, their stout Molossian breed,
And then they might in fields at pleasure feed;
The Woolvish bands should sally forth no more
From Wood nor Hill; no Woolf come neer the dore:
To this hornd
The Ram.
Beline, and fierceThe Wolf
Isgrim swore.And now on pleasant plains themselves the Sheep
Doe keep;
No Dog of War to guard the Coat;
All seem secure; they eat, and drink, and sleep:
When the young Woolves extend a hungry throat,
Wanting their dams, and raise a dismall note.
[Page 18] Woolves crie the peace is broke, and like a showr
Fell in their quarters, and whole Flocks devour.
Neither to friend nor foe give up your power.
MORALL.
Not Hostages, though Sons, the foe can bind,
If they an evident advantage find:
Let Mothers weep, dye Children, suffer Friends,
The Ambitious vallews nothing but his ends.
[Page 19] THE TWO AND THIRTIETH FABLE. Of the Woolf and the Fox.
THat night what slaughter did the fields imbrew,
When from the Woods, & Hils, the Woolvish crew,
Pretending rescue of their cursed brood,
Howling the peace was broke,
Fell on the guiltlesse flock,
And satisfi'd their ravening jaws with blood!
They who a solemn League and Cov'nant swore,
But one short day before,
Then slew Ram Beline at the Shepherd's dore,
And with him slaughterd many thousands more.
'Mong these was one whom Woolves themselves did call,
For rapine, Plunder-Master-Generall;
This having stuft, in that great Massacer,
His den with fattest Sheep,
Resolves a feast to keep,
And sit in State alone like Kings to fare,
When with self-kindnesse struck, he thus began;
I fear nor Dog nor Man;
I scorn the Swain, and Sheep-Protector Pan;
Soul take thy rest; doe they the worst they can.
A crafty Fox, who strickt account did keep,
Of those well-fed, and golden-fleeced Sheep
He, by the horns, that night to's den had drawn,
Two days and long nights waits,
Expecting open gates;
When with the greedy worme his bowels gnawn,
[Page 20]Aloud he calls; Ho! Collonel, how d'ye fare?
Be pleas'd to take the air;
And since the Woolvish army Conquerors are,
Keep not within, nor spirits waste with care.
The Woolf perceiv'd the Fox desir'd to feast,
And in his absence make himself a guest;
When with a heavy grone, he thus returns;
Ah dearest Cousen, I
Am sick, am like to die;
In a hot Feavour all my body burns.
In that nights service, I provok'd with zeale,
To serve the Common-weale,
After much toyl, would needs stand Centinell,
Where I took cold, which did my blood congeale.
In my stopd veins rules adventitious heat;
Swift doth my pulse like an alarum beat;
My throat so drie, that Seas of Sheepish bloud,
Which still did use to cure
The Woolvish Calenture,
Commix'd with humane gore, will doe no good.
Desire not to come in; Cosen, I fear,
'Tis dangerous; spots appear:
My short breath tels me my departure's neer;
Ah! that I had some zealous Pastor here.
Thin hunger now gives place to swelling rage;
Thirst of revenge spurs Reynard to engage
With mortall foes; who, streight thus calls a Swain;
Ho! Shepherd, come away;
Make this a holy-day,
The Woolf, by whom such losse you did sustain,
[Page 21]Ile bring you to, be pleas'd to Fancy then
Me, with his goods and den,
And cleer my score of Lamb, Kid, Goose, and Hen.
The Shepherd grants, and calls his Dogs and men.
Mean while the Woolf did sit at joyfull feasts;
When at his gates he heard no welcome guests.
Repeated surfeits oft make courage fail.
Up starts his briefly hair,
His fiery eys now stare,
And Cowring 'twixt his legs he claps his tail.
But out he must, and venture to the field;
No quarter Shepherds yield:
His pamper'd belly made him leaden heeld,
That ere he ran six score, the Woolf was kild.
This done, the man sets on his Dogs again,
And Reynard seiz'd; who dying did complain;
I the sad Embleme am of rancourous spight.
The foolish Fox repind,
Because the Woolf had dind
So well alone, and would not him envite.
Thieves falling out, thus true men get their own.
His head must goe to town:
My skin must face some wealthie Burgers gown.
Thus Avarice hath the Woolf and Fox orethrown.
MORALL.
When Conquerors, rich with spoyl, scorn Men and Gods,
Chance unexepected shakes revenging rods.
Are common Foes destroy'd? th' unequall share
From Complices will raise a second War.
[Page 23] THE THREE AND THIRTIETH FABLE. Of the Fly and the Ant.
WHen the hot Dog-star, joyn'd with Phaebus beams,
Drank broad-backd floods, to narrow-shoulderd streams,
From the Kings Palace comes the silken Fly,
And cuts with sarcenet wing the sultrie skie;
From whence he saw black bands of labouring Ants,
(Mindfull of Winter, and approaching wants)
March through streight paths, on many shoulders born,
View'd a great Convoy guard one grain of corn.
Then to himself he said; 'tis wondrous strange
Ants thus should toyl, to fill some pettie grange,
When those in Courts, and Cities, with lesse pain,
Oft in an howr get more than Rusticks gain
In their whole life: Clowns toyl for cloath and milk,
While Courtiers feast, and flant in gold and silk
Purchac'd in kid-skin gloves a thousand ways;
None ere by sweat did a great fortune raise.
Then to a labouring Ant, the Fly did call,
And makes comparisons odious unto all.
What art thou wretch, to me? worm, thou dost creep,
And liv'st in Caves, when I my Palace keep
In Princes Courts, and when the world is May,
About their sun-reflecting towr's I play:
Among Heavens feather'd Quiristers I have flown,
And to Celestiall Musick was the Drone.
Thou water drink'st, and eat'st the bread of care,
And when your squadrons plunder, thou dost share
Perhaps one grain of Wheat, gain'd with more toyl,
Than some get kingdoms, and subdue an Isle.
[Page 24]I from the Margents of the golden bowl
Drink liquor, that revives the saddest soul;
Frees prisoners, cures the stripes of cruell rods,
Makes Peasants Princes, and makes Princes Gods.
On gilded seelings my heels upward, I
Ore my broad shoulders looking down, espie
Feasts for a mighty man, and full cups plac't:
At pleasure all those delicates I taste.
Phaebus my father was, me, he begot
When his steeds fainting fell into a trot
In the high Solstice; then my brother Fly
Dy'd by ambition in a Princes eye:
In his vast kingdoms he no place could find,
But that to rest in, equall to his mind.
Why should I boast that sad, yet happy Fate
Of my dear Cosen, the renowned Gnat,
Who with his Trumpet sav'd a sleeping Swain
From the Snakes tooth, yet for the fact was slain?
But soon th' ingratefull Shepher'd did repent,
And built him an eternall monument;
Whose Epitaph the
Virgil.
Prince of Poets made,And the first stone, with pollish'd verses laid.
Then spake the Ant; Sir Fly, I in a cave
Not golden beds, nor Ivory tables have;
Yet I contented live though under grownd,
When thou dost wander like a vagabond;
And where thou sojournests, those high aboads
Are none of thine; thou hast no Houshold-Gods;
But when a tempest comes, and Fortunes frown
Tumbles thy King, as other Princes down,
[Page 25]Then in vast circles may the hungry Fly
Round empty Halls, and keep his parch'd trunck drie;
There shall the Spider subtile meshes spread,
And having seiz'd thee, feast upon thy head.
And while She changes poyson for sweet blood,
Thou dying shalt in vain thy King and God
Great Belzebub implore, who minds not thee,
Nor pittying will those mighty slaughters see
That Emperor makes, when he so many days
To kill Flys, off all other businesse lays.
That thou art Phaebus Of-spring thou mayst pride,
But say, what art thou by the Mothers side?
From excrement, or putrifaction sprung,
Foul ordure brought thee forth, or Madam dung.
Though I inhabit caves, and narrow cels,
Yet mighty kingdoms, and great Common-weals,
Following examples of th' industrious Ant,
Rise to their height; who labour shall not want.
Thou that of idlenesse, and impertinence
The Embleme art, go, seek a safe defence,
In the great Shambles, from the Butchers Flap,
That kils whole hundreds like a thunder-clap.
Go drown thy self in snuffes of drowsie Ale,
Or leave the world, a straw thrust through thy tail:
Compare with me? know, that the noble Ant,
With Mirmidons, did once a kingdome plant.
MORALL.
Short life and merry, give me ease, this cries,
While that with sweat and care his marrow dries:
These are extremes; upon the medium fix;
Study, and toyl, with recreation mix.
[Page 27] THE FOUR AND THIRTIETH FABLE. Of the Fox and Ape.
THe French Ape gives the Fox of Spain bon jour,
Three Congees, and tres humble serviture:
Then thus begins; In France we not endure
To see long cloaks, all there
Goe in the shortest wear,
But your large fashion, is the statelier sure.
Pardonne moy, as we are all too short,
In Courtaild Garments, A la modes o'th' court,
So with th' other extreme, yours Sir, doth sort.
Be pleas'd to wear your fur
A little shorter Sir,
'Twill be as grave, and suite well with your port.
Seigneur, I know your Tailor is not here,
My Apeships workman, quickly with his Shear
Shall cut you shorter, and my self will wear
The remant of your train,
Conformable to Spain.
And then Don Degoes both we shall appear.
Si Sennor, said the Fox, we Dons of Spain
Are constant to our fashion, such a train
[Page 28]My fathers father wore, and to be plain,
This long wear I will keep,
Though it the Kennell sweep,
Rather than give an Inch to Monsieur Vain.
MORALL.
Heaven to each Nation severall Genius gave;
The French too airy, Spaniards seem too grave:
Citie, the Country, Courtiers both despise;
Civill, and rude, most their own manners prize.
[Page 29] THE FIVE AND THIRTIETH FABLE. Of the Horse and the Asse.
HE was a soal o'th' winds, or of the breed
Which Circes stole, got by a heavenly steed.
Broad was his back, his bellie short, a large
And dimpled breast, the office to discharge
Of swelling lungs: his feltlocks clean, a hoof,
'Gainst stony roads, and rockie mountains, proof.
Eys full, quick ears, fire when the trumpets sound
From's nostrils flys; nor stands on any ground.
His colour Daple-grey, his skin more sleek
Than Venus bosome, or plump Bacchus cheek:
On's breast a feather, on his crown a star:
Such Alexander, or the God of War
Did use to ride, bearing down all before
Their white feet Strawberi'd with Crimson gore.
His flowing main, and bushie tail was ty'd
With ribands, baffled Rain-bowes in their pride:
His Bridle, Sadle, all you could behold,
His Cloath, and Stirrups, nay his Shoes were gold.
This at Olympus when the prize he won,
Broke fiery Aethons breath, that drew the Sun,
Straind the neer pinion of the Northern wind,
And far left all Competitors behind.
This proud of many victories, at a passe
In his grand paw did meet a laden Asse;
To whom he said; Thou son of a dull fire,
Stand up, or else ile trample thee in th' mire:
Thou shalt lye gasping here beneath thy load,
Curst by all those thou hindrest in the road.
[Page 30]The silly Beast not daring in his face
To look, nor answer suddainly gave place,
Who, while the clock struck twelve did run a mile,
And shakes with thundring hoofs the rotten soyl.
And now the day was come, the hour drew on,
When seaven steeds, swift, as those drew Phaeton,
Were match'd to run for a huge golden bowl;
Which, cround with wine must glad his masters soul
That wins the cup Daple so well was known
All bett on his side, but against him, none.
To the first post they came, Jockys were weigh'd,
Great cracks on each sides were, and wagers laid.
The signal's given, at once seven Champions start,
Now spur, now switch, hanck, loose, no little art
Their Riders shew: low as their Horses care
Bending their heads, they break resisting aire.
The earth with hoofs, the skies with clamors rore,
While voices tumbled echoe on the shore.
But as swift Daple far did all out-strip,
Ah dire mischance, he strains and shot his hip;
Thus shaken out, he and his Rider droup,
While in a dustie cloud on goes the troup.
Here our sad tale begins, This steed unfit
To run the race, or with a burnish'd bit
To bear his wealthy Lord with proud short steps,
Disgrace for all his former service reaps:
They take from him his trappings, silk, and gold,
And to a cruell Carman he is sold,
Labour'd all day, and fed at night with grains,
He dreams of loads, steep Hils, and narrow Lanes.
[Page 31]With's Cart at's back weary and ill arraid
The Asse espi'd him, and thus vapouring braid;
Sir, I'm mistaken if I did not meet
Your Horse-ship lately in this winding street,
But you'r much alter'd in a little time,
You'r leane, and poor, then fat, and in your prime;
Wher's all the gallant furniture you had?
How rustily you look in Leather clad,
Nor your soft neck bends proudly in a trot,
With Ladies in a Belgick Chariot,
Bounding on Velvet Beds; nor I discern
No golden Scutcheons, on your gilded stern,
Your wheels not thunder, nor your axes flame;
This is a Cart, you draw as if you'r lame.
Thus are proud mortals paid, and them that know
No mean in blisse, shall have no mean of woe;
And this shall be the greatest gaule to Pride,
Whom they scornd rich, grown poor, shall them deride
MORALL.
Let no prosperity move arrogance;
Like April are the fickle brows of chance:
But when she most seems for thee, then provide
With caution to allay ore-swelling Pride.
[Page 33] THE SIX AND THIRTIETH FABLE. Of the Husband-man, and the Wood.
NEer a vast Comons, was a mighty grove,
Protected by the Hama-dryades,
Which then had mansion in those long-liv'd trees;
There flourish'd Esculus the delight of Jove,
And Phaebus love;
And there were plants had sense, and some could feed,
And fruitfull Palms did male and female breed;
Wool-bearing stocks grew there, and some of old
Whose leaves were spangles, and the branches gold;
In aged trees
Industrious Bees
Built Fortreses,
And did their waxen kingdoms frame,
And some, they fame,
From whose hard woomb mans knottie of-spring came.
This wealthy grove, the Royall Cedar grac'd,
Whose head was fix'd among the wandring stars,
Above loud Meteors and the elements Wars,
His root in th' Adamantine Center fast;
This all surpast
Crown'd Libanus; about him Elmie Peers,
Ash, Fir, and Pine, had flourish'd many years,
By him protected both from heat and cold,
Eternall Plants, at least ten ages old.
All of one mind,
Their strength conjoyn'd,
And scornd the wind;
[Page 34]Here highly honour'd stood the sacred Oke,
Whom Swains invoke,
Which oracles, like that of Dodon, spoke.
But in the neighbouring Commons dwelt a Swain
That to his Hatchet long did want a heft;
Which only was the Royall Cedars guift:
When to the under cops (that did complain
Their Soveraign
A Tyrant was) he su'd, they promis'd aid,
No Helve of Brier, or Thorn was ever made.
Some rotten-hearted Elms, and Wooden Peers,
Run with the stream, spurd up by Hopes or Fears;
Avarice, Pride,
Make others side;
Hoping more wide,
Some mighty trees remov'd, they in their stead
Branches might spread
From Sea to Sea, and raise to Heaven their head.
Then to the Cedar he his sute presents,
About whom round his whispering Counsell grows;
Hot they debate, some side, and some oppose,
When, but unwilling, the forc'd King consents,
And soon repents:
Arm'd by his guift, trees fall in ranks and files,
Friends, foes, in stacks to Heaven the Rustick piles;
Then hollow Pines first cut with sails unfurld
Lines, that like nets are drawn about the world;
[Page 35]Great trees and small
Together fall,
He ruins all:
But first the Grove told oracles expires,
And all their quires,
Enough t' have made twelve Caesars funerall fires.
At last the Shepherd standing on a hill,
Beheld the havock his own hands had made,
And with a deep-fetcht sigh, thus weeping said;
Where is the Mast, and Akorns that did fill
My briefly Cattell still?
Ill-gotten wealth, ah me, is ill imploy'd,
And I am poorer the whole Wood destroy'd.
Where shall my Kids browze? how shall I maintain
My board with Nuts, and blushing fruit again?
Thus Avarice brings
People, and Kings,
Their ruinings.
Thus grants of Princes have themselves brought low,
And oft orethrow
Them, by their fall on whom they did bestow.
MORALL.
Who weapons put into a mad Mans hands,
May be the first the error understands:
But Kings that Subjects with their Sword intrust,
If they do suffer, seems not much unjust.
[Page 37] THE SEVEN AND THIRTIETH FABLE. Of the Hart and Oxen.
AH me poor Hart, ah! whether shalt thou fly?
A pack of cruell Hounds in a full crie
Are at thy heels, on the bold Hunts-men rush;
In Woods there is no safety, every Bush
My Horns will tangle in: ah! wher's the stream
Whose waves commiserating would from them
To farther Shores in safety me convey,
Where I at last my weary lymbs might lay?
Thus the chac'd Deer his wofull chance bemones
To Hils and Dales, deaf Trees and senslesse Stones;
When his own fate by ill advice did call
Him to seek refuge, at the Oxens Stall.
To whom he said; Ah! for acquaintance sake,
Since we in one Park dwelt, some pitty take,
Receive me in; a thousand ways you may
Save this poor life, Ile hide in yonder Hay.
When one repli'd, he might in safety lye
There till the Men, and cruell Dogs passe by;
But if their Master or his Man came in,
The danger greater was, should he be seen.
Keep Counsell Sirs, and I will venture here:
Under the Cock, at all-hid plays the Deer.
When a dull servant enter'd, one that did
Not half the work his carefull master bid,
Returning when the Beasts were serv'd with Hay.
Then flattering hope did the glad Hart betray.
But an experienc'd Oxe, whom Livie made
Once speak before, to him rejoycing, said;
[Page 38]Unhappy friend, thou hast small cause to vant;
Wert thou as mighty as an Elephant,
Stood where I stand, a Castle on thy back,
This Clown had left thee feeding at the rack.
This is a clod heavier than earth; such souls,
Were all Heaven Sun, would see no more than moles:
But when our Master enters, I advise
That close thou lye, for he hath Argos eys;
To scape from him, that is a work, a task,
Would all the shifts of subtile Proteus aske.
Scarce said, but in the buisy master came,
And first his servants negligence did blame,
Gathers the offals, did the litter spread,
The labouring yoke-mates with his own hands fed;
Here, there, he pries, and searcheth every part,
Three fathome under Hay he finds the Hart.
Glad of the prize, aloud for ayd he cals,
Streight on the Deer, a troup of rusticks fals,
No hope of quarter, he with weeping eys,
Chief mourner was at his own obsequies.
MORALL.
When urgent dangers presse, 'tis hard to shun;
Sterne Fortune loves to end, as she begun:
On Fear, and Haste, bad Counsell still attends;
Let none seek refuge from unable friends.
[Page 39] THE EIGHT AND THIRTIETH FABLE. Of the Lyon that was sick.
THrough all the Forrest was a rumour spread,
The King the Lyon's Sick, some report Dead.
No sooner was it trumpeted by fame,
But wild and tame,
From all parts came,
With countenances sad,
Though inly glad;
A mighthy throng at the Court gates appear:
But slie Sir Reynard was not there.
To whom the King thus with a Porcupins quill
Writ on a leaf; Dear Cosen, I am ill,
And your advice now want to make my will.
If you suspect (but fear is causelesse Sir)
Danger at Court, alas I cannot stir,
The holy Woolf here teacheth Heavens commands,
Grim Malkin stands,
Wringing her hands,
The Lamb, and Tyger sit
Both at my feet;
But none of these can comfort us, like you:
You shall not friend your comming rue,
Ah let me see thee ere my eys doe fail,
You oft have help'd me, oft your wisdoms tail,
Made on the ground, my Parliament robes to trail.
To whom the subtile Fox repli'd again,
That he to Heaven would pray, his Soveraign
May former health recover, and once more
From shore to shore
Be heard to rore,
And with his voice to make
The Forest shake:
But to obey his will must be deni'd,
Because he many tracts espi'd
Of visitants repaird to's Royall den;
But saw no Print of those return'd agen.
His Majesty must pardon him till then.
MORALL.
Not too much credence to Kings letters give;
In flowrie Eloquence black Serpents live:
Conster th' ambiguous words, and wary read,
For ile advance, that's ile take off thy head.
[Page 41] THE NINE AND THIRTIETH FABLE. Of Cupid and Death.
CUpid too carefull of his Mother's task
Roving all day did wound a thousand hearts,
With golden or with leaden pointed darts;
At night his sport persuing to a mask,
Where he is Quiver empties, and supplies
Again from beauteous Ladies eys,
While they in comely motion act their parts:
What Nymphs are these? some whisper, others aske
What Goddesse now appears? and as the' admire,
Active and fierce desire
Seaven couples shoots at once with mutuall fire,
And ere nights wheels could the Meridian cut,
There, thousands more the God to torture put.
The same day Death had at a cruell fight
As buisy been, and mighty slaughter made,
She, and blind Chance on both sides double plaid;
Then the grim Angell visits Towns by night.
Now weary, and grown late, Death could not well
Reach the Adamantine Gates of Hell,
Where Plague, War, Famine, her Companions laid
On Iron Couches, trembling Ghosts affright;
Nor could blind Cupid Paphos find, so dark
The skie was grown, no spark
In all Heavens face to give the boy a mark,
[Page 42]At one Inne therefore two great Furies lay,
Till Sleep Death's elder brother both obey.
Nor Death long rests her weary bones, but wakes:
Not cleering well her eys which were two coals
That cast Malignant beams from gloomie hoals;
She Cupid's Quiver for her own mistakes,
And hungry out she flys to Countries far,
To Breakfast at a Massacer.
Nor long the Boy from torturing lovers souls
Cessation made, but out with speed he makes,
And storms with deadly arrows Mirtle groves,
Where perch'd his Mother's Doves,
Where cunning lovers lose to find their loves;
There while the youth did Cyprian Vigils keep,
Death seals their eys up in eternall sleep.
Then through the world a mighty change appears,
When the curld youth whom Love and Beauty lead,
Under pale Ensigns muster with the dead,
Sad Verse and Garlonds fix'd to Virgin Beers;
While in a dance up the long bedrid leaps,
And Beldams mince with wanton steps,
And their pale cheeks with borrow'd blushes spread,
False Lillys trenches fill plowd up with years;
Whom Death had mark'd for suddain funerals
Now for his Violl calls,
And old remembring, makes new madrigals.
This hath a Son, that hath a Daughter dead,
And their house cleer'd the lusty Parents wed.
But while this Trage-Comedie was plaid,
Of Error long, a youth more happy saw
When to his eare the God did aiming draw
A shaft at him, and thus to Cupid pray'd;
O hold thy arrow tipd with Charnell bone,
And shoot me with a golden one,
Thy Darts are wing'd with Death, 'gainst Natures Law;
See in the Groves what slaughter thou hast made.
Must the world end? must all our youth be slain?
Must feeble age again
Recruite the losse? then let the Gods ordain
That Winter marrying with North winds be bound
To make, with sharp Frosts pregnant, barren ground.
Admonish'd thus, he looks about, and spi'd
Old men and Matrons dancing in a ring,
And joyfull Paeans to Lov's Mother sing,
While arm in arm sad youthfull lovers di'd.
Streight the mischance Cupid to Death makes known.
Requiring to return his own;
But Death in various Conquests taking pride,
Reserv'd some featherd with the Sparrows wing
And left him others dipt i'th' Stygian Lake,
From whence rose the mistake,
That when sweet love Virgins and Youth should make,
It proves sad wils; and Old folks one Leg have
In wanton Sheets, he other in the Grave.
MORALL.
Age burns with Love, while Youth cold ague shakes;
And Nature oft her principles mistakes:
So suffers Youth in Ages cold imbrace,
As living men to dead bound face to face.
[Page 45] THE FORTIETH FABLE. The Parliament of Birds.
WHen Jove by impious arms had Heaven possest,
And old King Saturn setting in the West
Finish'd the Golden days, a Silver morn,
Pale with the crime's successe, did earth adorne,
The Silver Age.
And gave its name unto the second age.
Then Skies first thundred, Seas with tempest rage,
Four Seasons part the year, Men Sow, and Plant,
(The golden times nor labour knew nor want)
Then toyl found ease by art, art by deceits,
Then Civill War turn'd Kingdoms into States,
(For pettie Kings ruld first) then Birds, and Beasts
Did with Republicks private interests
Begin to build, Eagls were vanquish'd then,
And Lyons worsted lost their Royall Den.
The Birds reduc'd thus to a Popular State,
Their King and Lords of prey ejected, sate
A frequent Parliament in th' antient wood,
There acting daily for the Nations good.
When thus the Swallow rising from the flock,
To Master Speaker; the grave Parrot, spoke.
Great things for us, Sir, Providence hath done,
And we have through a world of dangers run,
The Eagle, and the gentle Falcon are
Destroyd or Sequester'd by happy War;
The Kitish Peers, and Bussard Lords are flown,
Who sate with us till we could sit alone:
[Page 46]Like worthy Patriots since, your speciall care
Hath setled our Militia in the aire.
All Monarch-hating Storks and Cranes, who march,
Like Sons of thunder, through Heavens Christall Arch,
When tumult calls, to beat those Widgeons down,
That vainly flock to readvance the Crown.
Of Maritim bus'nesse, let our Sea-fowle tell,
Who now as far beneath, as 'tis to Hell,
Th' Antipodes dive, to fetch home Gold and Spice
From Phaenix, and the Bird of Paradise;
Whom thunder-eating Fire-Drakes safe convey
From royall Harpies, that pickeer at Sea.
War is far off remov'd, and almost done;
And we now sporting in the golden Sun
Prune, and re-gild our wings; while on hard coasts,
Wedded to Famine, and eternall Frosts,
The Eagle rigid Discipline digests,
Drove from his Godwits to the Byters nests.
We fear no flying Nation, should the King
Plum'd Griffons, and his winged-Horses bring,
Of now scorn'd Pegasus the baffled Sons,
So oft chac'd round our vast Dominions.
But a new danger, with a dire ostent,
(You Gods avert it from this Parliament,)
Begins to threaten. Line unthought upon
Now shades it self, and to a wood is grown,
Luxurious branches shooting to the skie.
This, this behold! is the great enemie;
Man will make nets of this, where he'l no fewer
Than thousand silly Birds at once secure;
[Page 47]Under the tyrannie of twisted Cords,
Oft Lybian Lyons grone, those Forrest Lords
Wild Buls, and Boars, make all the wood resound,
When they are taken in this Linnen pound:
Fetterd in these, how loud storm salvage Bears?
And took Hyena's weep with unfeignd tears.
This branch and root must up, or else your State
(Which forraign Eagles now congratulate)
Will be short-liv'd; down, down with't to the ground,
Nor let its place or name be ever found:
Enact with speed, your time, your strength imploy
To ruin that, which else, will you destroy.
The Swallow for his wisdome much renound,
Since he the art of Architecture found,
Whose well-built nests incircle scarce a span,
Are yet but coldly patternd out by man;
Whose cement smiles at Time, and th' Elements rage,
Strengthend with storms, and more confirm'd by age,
Had now prevail'd, and his great Eloquence,
So sympathizing with the Houses sense,
Perswaded streight an host of Geese and Cranes
Should plunder, and depopulate those plains:
But that the Lynnet (private interest much,
Since Linseed was his food, this Bird did touch,)
Arising said, Most honour'd House of Birds,
The Swallow hath in well-composed words
And handsome language, drest up scar-Crow doubts
Of some Priapus, or a Thing-of-clowts,
Such as Plum'd foragers fright from Corne and Fruits,
And well with his complaining nature suites.
[Page 48]Sure I believe ere since the world began,
This Line hath grown, or wild, or sow'd by Man;
Yet nere imploy'd our Nation to betray:
Silver Age.
But these times find new Arts out every day,Lime-twigs are lately known, and Hair and Hooks
Which scaley people draw from Christall brooks.
But grant all this, will man his cordage pin
To the high Poles, and spread his Linnen gin
Ore Heavens broad face like Geometrick lines,
To catch Stars wandring through twelve spangled Signs?
Then, if hot Phaebus burn it not at noon,
How shall our guifted Wood-Cocks reach the moon,
Who now from Churches Lunatick have brought
Revelations, both for use and Doctrine taught.
Or over earths broad surface will he spread
This new device, and with entangling thread
Where ere we light engage our heedles foot?
If so, then grub it up both branch and root.
The worst that can, over some little patch
Of earth, this Yarn deceitfull man will watch,
And with some bait the hovering foe entice:
Then let them suffer for their avarice.
But the chief point I most insist upon
Too much we have insenc'd already Man;
Libidinous Doves, and Sparrows, (most unjust,)
Plunder his Wheat to heighten filthie lust:
And wicked Geese, Storks, and insulting Cranes,
Spoyl their own quarters, midst his Golden plains.
But humane forces if you long to know,
And aggravating wrong would raise a foe;
[Page 49]Muster your power; your strength consider first,
And the Malignants in your bowels nurst,
Ready to rise at all times, when so ere
Or Bird, or Beast, or Devils, or Men appear.
Unsetled, no such War you can maintain,
Unlesse the Common foe you home again
With joy invite, unanimous joyn in one.
But ere I see that fatall union,
And under cruell Eagles Ensigns goe,
Let me descend to unclean Birds below.
Brief, 'tis impossible to joyn agen,
Who Gods and Fiends despise, tremble at Men.
To Heaven, the harmlesse Vegetive let grow,
And Man incense not, he's a dangerous foe.
May our good Angels those celestiall Birds,
Who skreeking Eagles drove with flaming Swords
From this warm Paradise, our State defend,
'Gainst all dire fowl, from Stygian floods ascend.
This said, th' House thunders with discording notes,
This for the Swallow, that the Linnet Votes;
The major still the weaker part, decry
The Swallows Counsell, bearing to the skie
The Linnets Wisdom and high Eloquence;
This House by reason was not ruld, but sence.
They act, that Line shall to perfection grow,
And make it treason to call man a Foe.
Soon firy Syrius joynd with Phaebus raies,
Faint heats encreased, with decreasing daies;
When Ceres golden locks each where were shorne,
And Line in safety to drie Houses born.
[Page 50]Then said the Swallow, fearing future fates
Whom Jove will ruin, he infatuates;
And streight to Man he flys, and makes a peace,
The Articles they signd in brief were these,
He grants him Chimneys for his stately Nest,
For which his Song must calm Man's troubled breast.
Mean while fine threads are Spun of hatcheld Flax,
And nothing for the Expedition lacks:
The War grows hot, Fowlers both night, and day,
By their Commission thousands take and slay.
Here in vast Fields, Nets coulerd like the Corn
Doe execution, evening and morn;
There Dogs, and stalking-Horses many fright
Into the Snare, and lowbels dreadfull light;
Eagles and Hauks Auxiliaries they imploy,
And treacherous foul their dearest friends decoy,
Thus soon this rising State was overthrown,
And Man ere since did rule the earth alone.
When this sad ditty silver'd o're with age
A Captive Stare, Sung in his wofull Cage;
When Civill War hath brought greater Nations low,
Destruction comes, oft with a Forraign Foe.
MORALL.
In perverse Counsels best advice is scornd,
The worst, with Art, and handsome words adornd,
Enacted is; but private interest blinds
The Wisest, and betraies the Noblest mind.
[Page 51] THE ONE AND FORTIETH FABLE. Of the Rustick and Hercules.
O Thou that didst so many Monsters kill,
And of twelve Labours didst none ill,
Help, if it by thy will.
O thou that forc'd fire-spitting Cacus den,
And gotst thy Cattell then,
Though mine I nere could have agen.
Alcides, thou that art the strongest God,
Help with thy long arms out, and shoulders broad,
My Wheels, which stick up to the Nave in mire:
Ah 'tis a mighty load,
Help, I desire,
Or here I will expire.
In a deep tract his Cart being lodg'd thus pray'd
A lazie Swain to Hercules for aid.
When thus the Deity in a mighty crack
Of thunder to the Rustick spake,
Then lying on his back.
Fool, whip thy pamperd Horses up the Hill,
Thy Shoulder lay to th' wheel,
And there use all thy strength and skill:
Not only me whom now thou dost invoke,
But then expect a God at every spoke
[Page 52]To thy assistance; who offended be,
When they implor'd shall look
From Heaven, and see
A heavy Clown like thee.
We help the active, though thy wicked are;
The Gods nere did, nor will, hear idle prayer.
MORALL.
Under the Tropicks more refined souls
Cherish old piety: but neer the Poles
Men follow War, sail, bargain, sow, and reap,
And no Religion love but what is cheap.
[Page 53] THE TWO AND FOURTIETH FABLE. Of the Fox and Weesell.
WIth fasting long, Reynard was grown the type
Of seaven years famine,
Inforc'd with hunger, which so much did gripe
His clemd and emptie tripe,
At last he came in
To a full larder, through a straiter hole,
Than ever body past, or scarce a soule.
When he had stuff'd his Panier like a Sack
With store of Forrage,
Untill his bellie's Hoops, his ribs did crack,
Streight he resolveth to go back
With all his carriage,
By the same passe he enter'd, nor did think
His sides might larger grow, or the hole shrink.
At last the streights of the long narrow lane
And low-roof'd entrie
He came to, but a passage sought in vain;
The Fox repuls'd was fain
There to stand centry:
Seaven times the rockie passe with teeth and claws
He strives to open, and as oft did pause.
Then Conscience pricks, a melancholly fear
Shews all his slaughters,
The Hen
Sad Partlet following of a wofull beer,Where lay bold Chanticleer
And his three Daughters;
Then jetting Turkies with blew snouts he spy'd,
And white fleec'd Lambs which he in Scarlet dy'd.
Like Hydras hissing Geese extend their necks,
And threatning Ganders;
Ats eys the Crow took with his Pizle, pecks;
The Hare
Keyward's pale Ghost with squeaksAbout him wanders:
That some suppose the Fox this day did dine
On melancholly Dishes, wanting Wine.
Then spake a jeering Weesell from the Wall;
Sir Fox I know you'r crafty,
But you have made a Prison of your hall,
Nor can you scape at all,
Or look for safety,
Untill your be as thin, as when
You enter'd, then you may return agen.
Then said the Fox; Hunger did ill perswade,
Yet those are sterving
Oft through a Wall of stone a breach have made,
And I may now be paid
My just deserving.
But thou that in such danger jeerst the Fox,
Like Fortune may reward thee for thy mocks:
Revenge draws nigh, beware the Cat; I can
But be uncas'd, and bravely die by man.
MORALL.
Heavn's joys we sell for broath; rather than want,
With Death and Hell consign a Covenant.
Greedie of spoyl, with violence and deceit
We daily act, considering no retreat.
[Page 1] THE FABLES OF AESOP. The Third BOOK.
THE THREE AND FOURTIETH FABLE. Of the Hauke and the Cuckow.
UNworthy Bird, base Cuckow, thou that art
Large as my self in every part,
Strength, length, and colour of thy Wing,
Mine much resembling;
Whose narrow Soul, whose no, or little Heart,
Will to thy board
Afford
Nothing but Worms of Putrifaction bred;
Which of the Noblest Mortals are abhorr'd,
Since they must turn to such when they are dead;
Mount, gorge thy self with some delicious Bird;
Be wise,
Such Banquets leave for Daws, and silly Pies.
Thus the bold Hauke, the Cuckow did advise.
[Page 2]Who not long after taken in the Field,
Having a harmlesse Pidgeon kild,
Was in a most unluckie howr
Hung from a lofty towr;
To teach all those, who blood of innocents spild.
The Cuckow saw,
By Law,
The Murtheresse suffer'd; when these notes she sung;
Better with Worms to fill my hungry maw,
Than betwixt Heaven and Earth by th' heels be hung,
And a cold Bird lye in my stomack raw.
Had I
Thy Counsell took, and forag'd through the skie,
There I had hang'd with thee for company.
MORALL.
Some without Conscience plunder, spoyl, and kill,
As if for bloody Banquets were no bill:
But Vengeance Spring-tides hath, as well as Neap,
When Malefactors short from ladders leap.
[Page 3] THE FOUR AND FOURTIETH FABLE. Of the Bear and the Bees.
BRuine the Bear receiving a slight wound
From a too washpish Bee,
Joyfull to raise a War on any ground,
(It was their wealth had done the injury)
Did now propound
And to himself decree,
Nere to return, till he had overthrown
Twelve Waxen Cities of that Nation,
And seiz'd their Hony-treasure as his own.
This being resolv'd, he to the Garden goes,
Where stood the stately Hives,
One, after one, the Barbarous overthrows,
And many Citizens of life deprives:
A few survives,
Who in a Body cloze.
For your everted towrs, your slaughter'd race,
For your great losses, and your high disgrace,
Fix all your venom'd Weapons in his Face.
This said, the trumpet sounds, the vulgar rage,
And all at once in mighty War engage.
Now Bruine's ugly visage did not Freeze,
Nor his foul hands want Gloves;
The monstruous Bear you could not see for Bees,
No Bacon Gamon was so stuck with Cloves:
Who Hony loves
Not with sharp Sawce agrees.
[Page 4]Ore-powr'd by multitude, and almost slain,
He draws his shatter'd Forces off again;
Then said; I better had indur'd the pain
Of one sharp sting, than thus to suffer all;
Making a private quarrell Nationall.
MORALL.
Great Kings that pettie Princes did despise,
Have oft by War's experience grown Wise:
Who whipt the Sea, and threatend Floods to chain,
Brought back for Millions but a slender train.
[Page 5] THE FIVE AND FOURTIETH FABLE. Of the Hart and Horse.
LOng was the War betwixt the Hart and Horse
Fought with like courage, chance, and equal Force;
Untill a fatall day
Gave signall victory to the Hart: the Steed
Must now no more in pleasant Valleys feed
Nor verdant Commons swaigh.
The Hart who now ore all did domineere,
This conquering Stag
Slights like a Nag
The vanquish'd Horse, which did no more appear.
In want, exil'd, driven from Native Shores,
The Horse in Cities humane aide implores,
To get his Realms again.
Let Man now manage him and his affair,
Since he not knows what his own Forces are.
Thus sues he for the Rein;
For sweet revenge he will indure the Bit,
Let him orethrow
His cruell foe
And let his haughty Rider heavy sit.
He takes the Bridle ore his yielding head,
With Man and Arms the Horse is furnished,
And for the battel neighs.
But when the Hart two hostile faces saw
And such a Centaure to encounter draw,
He stood a while at gaze.
[Page 6]At last known valour up he rows'd again,
More hopes by fight
There was, than flight;
What's won by Arms, by Force he must maintain.
Then to the Battell did the Hart, advance,
The Horse a Man brings, with a mighty launce
Longer than th' others crest:
The manner of the fight is chang'd, he feels
No more the Horses hoof, and ill-aimd heels;
They charge now breast to breast.
Two to one ods 'gainst Hercules; the Hart,
Though strong and stout,
Could not hold out,
But flys, and must from Conquer'd Realms depart.
Nor longer could the Horse his joy contain,
But with lowd neighs, and an erected main,
Triumpheth after fight;
When to the Souldier mounted on his back,
Feeling him heavy now, the Beast thus spake;
Be pleas'd good Sir to light.
Since you restor'd to me my fathers seat,
And got the day,
Receive your pay,
And to your City joyfully retreat.
Then said the Man; This Sadle which you wear
Cost more than all the Lands we conquer'd here,
[Page 7]Beside this burnish'd Bit.
Your self, and all you have, too little are
To cleer m' engagemens in this mighty War;
Till that's paid, here I'le sit:
And since against your Foe I aided you,
Can you deny
Me like supply?
Come, and with me my Enemie subdue.
Then sigh'd the Horse, and to the Man reply'd;
I feel thy cruell Rowels gaul my side,
And now I am thy slave;
But thank thy self for this, thou foolish beast,
That for revenge, to forraign interest
Thy self and Kingdom gave.
'Mong Rockie Mountains I had better dwelt,
And fed on Thorns,
Gor'd by th' Harts Horns,
Than wicked Man's hard servitude have felt.
MORALL.
Some injur'd Princes have, to be reveng'd,
With their own Realms, the Christian World unhing'd,
On any tearms, with any Nation deal,
Will Heaven not hear them? they'l to Hell appeal.
[Page 9] THE SIX AND FOURTIETH FABLE. Of the Satyre and Traveller.
WHen Lucifer the first Grand Rebell fell,
With all his winged Officers, to Hell;
Th' Almighty Conqueror thought not fit
That then
All should be quarter'd in the Brimstone Pit
Prepared for bad Angels, and worse Men:
But they, the vulgar Spirits did incense
Against Gods Counsell, with a fair pretence,
That thus Heavens King they would more glorious make,
Were sent by thunder to the Stygian Lake:
But such whose crime was Error, he confines
To Caves,
And Graves,
And tender Gold to guard in hollow Mines:
And some there be, that dare
Make their repayr
To Etheriall air;
These the rough Ocean rule, and others guide
Wing'd Clouds, and on the backs of Tempests ride.
Such are those Spirits timorous people fright
In horrid shapes, and Play mad prancks by night;
Nymphs, Faireys, Goblins, Satyres, Fauns,
Which haunt
Soft purling streams, cool shades, and silent lawns,
Begot on Mortals, Sires Immortall vaunt.
[Page 10]Of which our Satyre was, whose cloven hoof,
Rough Thighs, and crooked Horns, were ample proof;
Who by the Mothers side more gentle, gave
To a cold Traveller shelter in his Cave,
Whom Boreas charg'd with a huge drift of Snow.
The Man
Began,
Having no Fire, his Fingers ends to blow.
Why thus he blew his hands
His Hoste demands,
And wondring stands:
Who then reply'd; My Breath, my Fingers will
Streight unbenum, and warm, though nere so chill.
Soon the kind Satyre made a Fire, and got
Boyld Lentils, which he gave the stranger, hot.
The Traveller begins to blow
His Broth,
Then ask'd the rurall Deity, Why so?
My breath will cool't he said; Then wondrous wrath,
The staring Satyre Answer'd; I that am
The Devils Sister's Son, and to his Dam
As neer ally'd by my dear Mother, which
Is now a famous Callydonian witch,
Dare not a Monster like to thee behold;
A Man
That can
With the same lungs at once blow hot and cold.
[Page 11]Be gon, or else that breath,
Thou shalt bequeath,
To me in death.
A Sycophant, and a Backbiter too!
My Unckle himself had best beware of you.
MORALL.
Who Smile, and Stab; at once cleer, and attaint,
Like Pictures are, here Devill, and there Saint:
But Fiends and Saints convertible be, for where
We spie a Devill, some say a Saint goes there.
[Page 13] THE SEAVEN AND FORTIETH FABLE. Of the Rebellion of the Hands and Feet.
REason, once King in Man, Depos'd, and dead,
The Purple Isle was rul'd without a head:
The Stomach a devouring State swaid all,
At which the Hands did burn, the Feet did gaule;
Swift to shed blood, and prone to Civill stirs
These Members were, who now turn Levellers:
The vast Revenue of the little World
Is in the Exchequer of the Bellie hurld,
And toyl on them impos'd by Eternall Laws;
With a drawn Sword the Hands thus pleads the cause.
Freeborne as you, here we demand our right;
Reason being vanquish'd, the proud Appetite
In Microcosmos must no Tyrant be,
The idle Paunch shall work as well as we.
The Stomach promis'd, and so gaind our loves,
Our King dethron'd, we should in Kid-skin Gloves
Grow soft again, and free from corn, the Feet
In Cordovant at leasure walk the Street,
Who now toyl more than when that Monarch swaid:
Then we did works of wonder, then we made
Aegyptian Pyramids, Mausolus toomb,
Built the Gran Caire, great Ninevie, and Rome;
Heaven-threatning Babell, those skie-kissing Towres,
Proud boast themselves, a mighty work of ours;
We Daedalus wing'd to fly from spire to spire,
And Thunder fram'd out-ranted Jove's lowd fire;
[Page 14]These were our works, which are by fame enrold;
Now we dresse Meat, Change it some God to Gold.
Skies, Seas, we spread with Nets, vast Earth with Gins,
To Banquet you, who feast seaven deadly Sins.
Did we for this storm the bold Breast, and raze
Joves Image in the Heaven-advanced Face?
Where our sharpe Nails a Rubrick pend in gore,
And curld roofs from King Reasons Palace tore?
For such rewards the Feet in cooling streams,
Sweating did rush; who by such Stratagems
Did at strange distance disafect with pain
The Head, hurt Reason, and disturb the Brain.
In brief, or work or fast, take up your Staffe,
Guird thy Loyns Bellie, and leave Banquets off.
This said, the Stomach with sharp Choler stird
Cast forth such things, belching at every word.
Rebellious Members, you that be so far
From Peace, that rather 'mong your selves you'l War;
What Acts did you, to those that we have done?
Who was it carried the great businesse on?
The Senses took, the Cinque-Ports of the Realm,
With a fair Shade, and a deluding Dream?
Was't you, or we? full with
Garlicks and Onyons
Aegyptian GodsThe Brainish Monarch drove from his aboads,
Beat up all Quarters of the Heart by Night,
And did that Fort with its own trembling fright?
Who sweld the Spleen? and made the Gall ore-flow?
The Feet and Hands? who made the Liver glow,
Till all those Purple Attoms in the Blood
Which make the Soul, swom in a burning Flood,
[Page 15]From whence inflam'd, they seiz'd upon the Head,
And ore the Face their blushing Ensigns spread?
All that you boast of since this War began,
Are but light skirmishes with th' outward man;
Leave threatning, must we keep perpetuall Lent?
The Members shall as soon as we repent.
Trembling with rage, the Feet and Hands depart,
The Stomach swels, high goes th' incensed Heart.
Three days in Pockets closeted the Hands
Refuse to put on Gloves, the vexd Foot stands.
Mean while the Stomach was come down, and cries,
What once a hollow Tooth serv'd, would suffice
The streightend Maw: one bit, one crum bestow:
But still the moodie Members answer, No.
At last an extreme feeblenesse they felt,
Saw all but skin, and their hard bones to melt,
A pale Consumption Lording over all;
At which a Counsell the faint Brethren call;
The Stomach must be fed, which now was so
Contracted, that like them, it answer'd, No.
At which pale Death her cold approaches made,
When to the dying Feet the weak Hands said;
Brethren in evill, since we did deny
The Bellie food, we must together die.
All that are Members in a Common-wealth,
Should more than Private, aim at Publick health:
The Rich the Poor, and Poor the Rich must aide:
None can protect themselves with their own shade.
None for themselves are Born; we brought in food,
Which the kind Stomach did prepare for Blood,
[Page 16]The Liver gave it tincture, the great Vein
Sends it in thousand severall streams again
To feed the parts, which there assimulates.
Concord builds high, when Discord ruins States.
But the chief cause did our destruction bring,
Was, we Rebell'd 'gainst Reason our true King.
MORALL.
Civill Commotions strongly carried on,
Seldome bring Quiet when the War is done:
Then thousand Interests in strange shapes appear,
And through all ways to certain Ruine steer.
[Page 17] THE EIGHT AND FOURTIETH FABLE. Of the Horse and laden Asse.
DEear Brother Horse, so heavy is my load,
That my galld back
Is like to crack,
Some pitty take,
Or I shall perish in the road;
For thy fair Sisters sake,
Who once did bear
To me a Son, a Mule, my hopefull Heir,
Assistance lend,
My burthen share,
Or else a cruell end
Waits on thy fellow servant, and thy friend:
Here I must lye
And die,
The tird Asse said to th' empty Horse went by.
Prick'd up with Pride, and Provender, the Horse
Deni'd his aid;
Shall I, he said,
My own back lade,
And hurt my self, stird up with fond remorse?
My prudent Master laid
This on thee, who
Better than you or I know's what to doe.
My Sister Mare,
Was given to you,
Our Nobler race to spare,
The Asse and Mule must all the burthens bear.
[Page 18]I must no pack▪
Nor sack,
But my dear Master carry on my back.
This said, Heart-broak the Asse fell down and di'd:
The Master streight,
Laid all the weight,
On his proud Mate;
And spread above the Asses hide.
Repenting, but too late,
The Horse then said,
Thou wert accurs'd didst not thy Brother aid,
Now on my back
Th' whole burthens laid.
Such Mortals goodnesse lack,
And Counsell, which their Friends distrest not aid
Had I born part
The smart
Had been but small, which now must break my Heart.
MORALL.
People that under Tyrant Scepters live,
Should each to other kind Assistance give
The Rich, the Poor, still over-Taxd should aid,
Lest on their Shoulders the whole burthens laid.
[Page 19] THE NINE AND FOURTIETH FABLE. Of the Fox and the Cock.
SOon as the Fox to Pullein-furnish'd Farms
Approaches made,
Though valiant, Chanticleere not trusting Arms
Nor humane aid,
Ascends a tree,
Where he
Stood safe from harms:
Loud was the Cackle at no false Alarms:
From ground
About him round
For safety all his feather'd Household Flock;
When Reynard thus spake to the wary Cock.
O thou through all the world for vallour fam'd,
Hast thou not heard,
What our two Kings so lately have proclaim'd:
Both Beast and Bird
At Amity
Must be:
War which enflam'd
Since Adams fall all creatures wild and tam'd
Must cease;
In lasting Peace
The cruell Lyon, and the Eagle then
Will joyn their force against more cruell Men.
The sacrilegious Woolf in graves must feed,
And Birds of prey
With humane slaughter must supply their need:
The Popinjay
Needs not to bauk
The Hauke,
The Lamb and Kid
'Mongst hungry Bears may in dark Forests feed;
At Feasts
Both Birds and Beasts
Begin to meet; the Cat with Linnets plays,
And Griffons Dine where tender Heifers graze.
Therefore most Noble Chanticleer descend;
And though your Spurs,
Maintaining Pullein Quarters, once did rend
My tender Furs,
When Feathers I
Made fly,
I'm now your friend;
Unlesse we strive in love let us contend
No more;
Though Reynard's poor,
He's faithfull to his trust, and boldly can
Affirme, no Beast is half so false as Man.
The Cock long weary of devasting War,
And fierce Alarms,
Well knowing what outrages committed are,
By Civill Arms;
[Page 21]And how the Man
Had slain,
To mend his fare,
His Off-spring, yet pretending love and care:
Right glad,
To him then said,
I meet your love, Sir Reynard, and descend
To choose 'mong Beasts rather than Men a friend.
While the Cock spake, a pack of cruell Hounds
The Fox did hear,
And saw them powdering down from Hilly grounds
After a Deer;
Reynard not stays,
Delays
Are dangerous found,
But earth's himself three fathome underground.
At last
The Dogs being past,
All danger ore, again he did appear.
Then, to the Fox return'd, spake Chanticleer;
Learned Sir Reynard, if the words be true
Which you have said,
Why did these Dogs the trembling Deer pursue?
They should have staid;
Like enemies
From these
You also flew.
Then said the Fox, though I th' agreement drew,
[Page 22]So late
This Act of State
Came forth, I fear, they th' Edict did not hear:
But I shall trounce them, have they kild the Deer:
The Cock reply'd, but Ile make good this tree,
Is it now true, then 'twill to morrow be.
MORALL.
To what we like we easy credit give,
This makes us oft from foes feignd news beleive:
Fame mighty Holds hath took, and storm'd alone,
And false Reports, whole Armies overthrown.
[Page 23] THE FIFTIETH FABLE. Of the Lyon and the Forester.
VAst Forrests and great Cities opend, when
Betwixt wild Beasts and Men
A long Cessation was;
And it was then
That Citizens and Rusticks viewd the Lyons Den,
At his vast Courts amaz'd;
Where now fat Buls, Colts, and tame Asses graz'd,
Through desarts Travellers took the nearest way,
Where, with their Spaniels wanton Tygers play
Foxes 'mong Geese, Wolves 'mong fat Weathers lay.
At Skinners Shops the Bear unmuzeld calls,
Cheapning on furnished Stals
His friend or Cozens fur:
In common Halls
Panthers behold themselves on stately Pedistals.
And now no Yeoman Cur,
Nor Sergeant mastive, Beasts indebted, stir;
The Woods Inhabitants wander every where,
And brizly Boars walk safe, with untouch'd eare,
After the Proclamation they did hear.
When the great Lyon met a Forester,
With whom he oft in War
Had strove with various chance,
This with a spear
The Lyon gald, that would his strong-spun ambush tear,
[Page 24]Then boldly up advance,
And with his teeth in sunder bite the lance.
To whom the Lyon said, Sir, you and I,
Could nere decide our strength by victory,
Let us dispute and it by Logick trie.
Then said the Woodman let us wave dispute,
Antiquity shall doo't,
Behold! Mausolus toomb,
And then be mute,
If the worlds wonder by example thee confute;
There let us take our doom.
This said, they to the Monument did come,
Where streight he shewd him by rare Artists made
A Lyons head in a Mans bosome laid:
This no sufficient proof the Lyon said.
Could we, as well as you, our stories cut,
We might, and justly, put
Your lying heads beneath
Our conquering foot,
From partiall Pens, all truth hath been for ever shut.
Where I first drew my breath,
I heard a Carthaginian at his death,
The Roman Nation most perfidious call;
Crying out, by treason they contriv'd the fall,
Of them, and their great Captain Haniball.
MORALL.
Through a gross Medium by refracted beams
Historians friends appear: still in extremes
The wrong end of the perspective must shew
In little, the great Actions of their Foe.
[Page 25] THE ONE AND FIFTIETH FABLE. Of the Lyon, the Forester, and his Daughter.
WHen they had viewd the wonder, and the strife
Admir'd of Artists working to the life,
Then drew the Foresters fair Daughter neer,
And whisper'd in her swarthie Fathers eare.
The Lyon starts, and feels a suddain wound,
As when at first his Lyonesse he found,
And made her pregnant, in a shadie wood,
High with mans flesh, and draughts of humane blood.
To whom the Woodman said; Sir, since the Sun
Mounts our Meridian, half his businesse done,
And your own Court so far, be pleas'd to share
Part of what's mine, though mean, yet wholsome fare;
Oft humane Princes in poor lodges have
Gladly repos'd, and low roofs honour gave.
The King the proffer takes, to lowlie rooms,
Yet daily visited with clensing brooms,
The Lyon is convaid, where he in State
At a full board in antient Maple sate.
Where, whom the Father never overcame,
The Daughter did: scorch'd with loves cruell flame
The Lyon burns, the valiant, strong, and wise,
Who Javelins did, Dogs, Men, and Nets despise,
Trammels of bright Hair took, a slender Dart
Shot from a Virgins eye, transpierc'd his heart.
The amorous Lyon lays his dreadfull jaws
Now in her lap, gently with dangerous paws
[Page 26]Her fair hand seizeth, shrinking up his Nails:
Fain would, but could not tell her what he ails.
Then staring in her face offers to rise
Ambitious of her Lip; She frighted, flys;
Whom with a grone he draws by th' Garments back,
And troubled, to the trembling Virgin spake;
Sweet Creature fear not me; A Roman slave
Who cur'd my fester'd foot, once in my Cave
I feasted fourty daies; and when that I
Was Pris'ner took, and he condemn'd to die
In a sad Theater, where Men sate, and laugh'd
To see how Beasts the blood of wretches quaff'd,
I mock'd their expectation, and did grace
My trembling Surgeon with a dear imbrace.
The story known, to him they pardon gave,
And honouring me, sent to my Royall Cave.
Dear if you knew me, I not dreadfull am;
How many Ladies have made Lyons tame?
My Grand-sires, Berecinthias Chariot drove,
Not by Force coupled, but Almighty Love.
We with your smiles are rais'd, and when you frown
The greatest Monarch valews not his Crown.
Then to her Father turning, thus he said,
Still holding in his armed foot, the Maid;
Lo! I the King of Beasts, a suter stand,
And this thy Daughter for our Queen demand.
We need not tell you, what our Interests are
In this great Forest, and my power in War
To you is known, but joynd with such a Bride,
Our race deriving from the Fathers side
[Page 27]Such active Spirits, strength, and valiant hearts;
From her woomb taking humane forme, and Arts;
How may we be advanc'd? where shall our Sons
Find limits for their vast Dominions?
The Sybils Man-Lyon, stil'd the wondrous Birth,
Must rule the Conquer'd Nations of the Earth.
The
Alexander the Great.
Macedonian was a type of this,Who sent the Spoyles of Persia to Greece,
Which to his Father was in sleep reveal'd,
When his Queens woomb he with a Lyon seald.
Then said the Man; I know great Prince you are
In desarts King, I know your force in War,
But all the Laws of Men and Gods forbid,
That humane Creatures should with Salvage Wed.
The Lyon then, ready to lash his side,
Rowsing up anger, with grim looks replyd;
Did not a Queen match with an ugly Bear?
And in dark Caverns liv'd with him a year?
Was not the pregnant Lady, he being slain,
By Hunters brought to her own Courts again?
Did not his Son prove a most valiant King,
And slew all those were at the murthering
Of his Dear Father? Orson was no Beast,
Though like his Sire he had a Hairy Breast.
Thus having said, he cruell Weapons draws,
Sharp Teeth appear, and needle-pointed Claws.
Now wit assist, against the Lyons rage
Inflam'd with love, what Madman would engage?
Then said the Forester, great Sir sheath your arms,
If you vast Realms will joyn to humble Farmes
[Page 28]My Daughter's yours; my error I confesse:
For many Salvage Beasts in Marriages
With Women have conjoynd, the golden Asse
As fair a Lady hath as ever was;
Mastives and pious Virgins wed so rife,
Ballads in Streets have Sung them Dog and Wife.
Take Sir my Daughter to your Royall Seat;
Yet one thing for the Damsell I entreat;
For sweet love grant her this; see, how she stands
Trembling to view your teeth, and armed hands!
Meet her with equall arms, that face to face,
She may as boldly charge with strick't imbrace:
Then pare, and draw them out. The Lyon said;
What ere thou askst, I freely give, O Maid;
I will devest my self of all my power,
And make my Teeth, and Claws, thy Virgin dowre.
No sooner said, but done; with bleeding jaws
On tender feet he stands; the Woodman draws
Then a bright Falchion hanging by his side,
Which to the Hilts he in his bosome dy'd.
The Lyon's slain, and the Cessation broke,
When to the dying King the Woodman spoke;
They that give up their power to foe or friend,
Let them for Love, expect a wofull end:
They that undoe themselves to purchace Wives,
Like Indians, part with Gold, for Beads and Knives.
Love is a Child, and such as Love obey,
Like Kingdoms fare, that Infant Scepters sweigh.
MORALL.
The powderd Gallant, and the dustie Cloun,
The horrid Souldier, and the subtil Gown,
Old, Young, Strong, Weak, Rich, Poor, both Fools and Wise,
Suffer when they with frantick Love advise.
[Page 29] THE TWO AND FIFTIETH FABLE. Of the Forester, the Skinner, and a Bear.
THe Lyon slain, the greedy Forester
Soon strips him of his Robe, and Royall fur;
The Crown and Scepter, old Regalities
Of many former Princes, now are his;
He takes possession of the Palace, which
Trophes made proud, and spoyls of enemies Rich:
Where at an Out-crie pretious things are sold
At small rates, deer to Potentates of old.
When the same Man that bought the Lyons Skin,
Thus to the insulting Victor did begin;
Sir, since the Groves are yours, and you have won
Dark Haunts, impenetrable by the Sun,
The Lyon dead; goe, and th' ambitious Bear
Destroy, who now aspires his Masters Chair.
A Heathen King sent to my Shop this morn,
To have a Lybian Bears-skin to adorn
His spreading shoulders with at annuall Feasts,
When barbarous cups, must raise his Salvage Guests.
Call forth thy Dogs, and a fresh War begin,
Then Gold receive, for slaughter'd Bruine's Skin.
Then said the Woodman; Wilt thou buy? Ile sell
The Devils hide, and bring it thee from Hell
For ready Mony; come, and give me Coyn,
And the Bears Skin, though now he lives, is thine.
And thou shalt goe along and see the sport,
And how Ile rowse him from his shadie Court:
[Page 30]Ile make him pay now for my slaughterd Bees.
Here they strike hands, and Gold the earnest is,
Then in vast Woods to Hunt they both prepare.
The valiant For'ster trusts his new ground Spear,
The Citizen more wary takes a tree,
Neer Bruines Cave, where he might safely see.
The Dogs are streight sent in, such ranting Guest
So troubled Bruine newly gone to rest,
That to the Tarriers he resigns his Cave;
At whose dire Gates the Woodman with a Glave
Did ready stand, thinking to give the blow
Should his Staffe Crimson in the dying Foe;
When his foot slip'd, his sure hand fails, his Spear
Leaves him to mercy of the cruell Bear,
Fainting, or feigning, to the ground he fell,
As one struck dead, then with a hideous yell
Came the incensed, and arrested him
With his great paw, to tear him limb from limb
Fully resolv'd; he brake the peace, he slew
The King his Guest, and watch'd to kill him too.
But when he nuzling laid his Nose to ground,
And from his Mouth nor Lip no passage found
For vitall Breath, nor saw his Breast and Sides
To Ebe and Flow with life-respiring tides,
Scorning to wreak vain anger on the dead,
To Man more cruell, he this lecture read;
Let Wolvish Monsters rip up putrid graves
Of buried Foes, and be old malice slaves:
Although thou soughtst my life when thou didst live,
Thy friends shall thee due rites of Funerall give;
[Page 31]I War not with the Dead; thus having said,
He coverts in the Woods protecting shade;
When from the tree the Skinner did descend,
And having rows'd almost from death his friend,
He thus began; Good Sir, what was't the Bear
Spake, when so long he whisper'd in your ear?
Who answer'd, Bruine said I did not well,
Before the Bear was slain, his Skin to sell.
MORALL.
Fortune assists the bold, the valiant Man
Oft Conquerour proves, because he thinks he can:
But who too much flattering successes trust,
Have faild, and found their honour in the dust.
[Page 33] THE THREE AND FIFTIETH FABLE. Of the Tortoise and the Frogs.
WOuld it not grieve one still to goe abroad,
Yet ever be within;
To lye condemn'd to a perpetuall load,
And over-match'd with every gowtie Toad,
And thus be hide-bound, in
A slough
Of proof,
An Adamatine Skin:
No Curase is more tough;
A home Spun Iron Shirt
A Web of Maile still on, would Gyants hurt.
How happy are these Frogs
That skip about the Bogs.
Some pittying God ah ease me of my Arms
And native Farmes,
That naked I may Swim
Below, now on the Brim,
Among the scallie swarms,
Searching the Bays, and Bosoms of the Lake,
And with these nymble Crokers pleasure take:
Vext at his Shell, thus the fond Tortoise spake.
But when he saw, firce Eeles devoure the Frogs,
And mark'd their tender Skin
Pierc'd with each Rush, which circle in the Bogs,
And his lesse penetrable then hard Logs,
[Page 34]The Tortoise did begin,
To find
His mind
Contented with his Inne!
And thought the Gods now kind
To grant him such a Fort,
Over whose Roof one drove a loaden Cart,
Better to bear his Castle on his back
Though it should crack,
Then to be made a prey
While he abroad did play,
To every Grig, and Jack.
Then thus aloud his error he confest:
I live in Walls impregnable, at rest,
While all my Friends with Tyrants are opprest.
MORALL.
Thus at home happy, oft fond Youth complain,
And Peace and plenty with soft Beds disdain.
But when in Forraign War death seals his eys,
His Birth place he remembers ere he dies.
[Page 35] THE FOUR AND FIFTIETH FABLE. Of the Tortoise and Eagle.
BUt now again she cries, ah, must I creep,
Still as I were asleep,
All creatures else can swim, or walk, or run;
I in the dusty road lye like a Stone:
The Birds doe fly
So high,
That oft they singe their Feathers in the Sun.
Most Princely Eagle bear me through the Skie,
That I may measure the bright Spangled Arch,
Where the great Planets march,
And I will give thee jems
Such as doe Shine in Princes Diadems
With a huge Pearl I in a Scollop found
In the Hellespontick sound
Thought worth nine hundred ninty thousand pound.
This said, the Eagle lifts her, and her house
Up like a little Mouse;
Through the cold quarters of the Stars they goe,
And Magazines of Rain, Hail, Wind, and Snow:
Such was their flight,
They might
See the dark Earths contracted face below,
To cast forth sullen beams, with brazen light,
Like a huge Moon, and turning on her poles
Dark Seas like Phaebes moles,
[Page 36]Casting a dimmer ray.
Then rowling East they view America,
Asia, and Africk; Europe next a rose:
No Map so perfect shews
How the great Midland Sea, betwixt them flows.
But here the Eagle his reward did aske.
Due for so great a task.
But when the Tortoise saw his threatning Beak,
And cruell Sears, amaz'd he could not speak.
The Royall Bird
Then stird
With indignation, thus did silence break;
Thou that didst boast as if thou hadst a hoard,
And didst with promis'd jewels mock a Prince,
Now for thy insolence
Ile strip thee from thy Shell;
Cheaper thou might'st have seen the Gates of Hell
Then the high Stars, who rais'd thee from thy hole
To Seats above the Pole,
Shall now devide, thy Body from thy Soul.
MORALL.
What to gain Treasure will not greedy Kings,
Sweet smels the Coyn draind from Merdurinous Springs:
But Promisers who Princes hopes defeat,
Oft pay sad forfeits with their Lives and State.
[Page 37] THE FIVE AND FIFTIETH FABLE. Of an Aegyptian King and his Apes.
REalms, marld and water'd with the fertile Nile,
A King did rule, who lov'd nor Care nor Toyl,
Nor with devasting War his neighbours land to spoyl.
Nor he in ostentation Riches spent
Vexing poor Israelites,
Proud Pyramids to build,
Whose pointed spires still wound the firmament,
Darkning our Western Nights,
Whey they our rising Moon and Stars unguild.
Nor took he pleasure to Hunt Salvage Beasts,
But entertainment lov'd and Princely Feasts,
Pleas'd with his own, or to here others witty jests.
When, at full Boards a jolley Peer did start
This question, whether Apes might learn the art
Of dancing, and be taught to act a humane part:
The Novell fancy much the King did please;
When thus he said, my Lord
This project ile advance;
Since here are none, weel send beyond the Seas,
To Realms far off well stord
With Masters, that shall teach them how to dance,
Both Greece and Rome the art of Ocastrie
Alwaies esteem'd, where dancing Masters be
Whose feet Historians are, and tell a History.
Mars in a Net this in a figure shapes,
That ravish'd Proserpine, these, the severall rapes,
Of all their wanton Gods and lustfull Joves escapes.
But there are Masters in a Realm far West,
As Trvellers relate,
More for our purpose fit;
Where the whole Nation like our Apes are drest
And grave long Garments hate,
Being much of their Capacity and Wit.
Go then and dancing Masters fetch from France,
The best choose by their Apish countenance,
To teach our Apes like men, or like themselves to dance.
Sails from Marcellies a stout vessell sets,
Laden with dancing Masters, and their Kits,
To purge the King of all his mellancholy fits.
Now Eastern Apes ply Gallick dancing Schools,
Where the dull German, joynd
With the raw English Asse,
That imitate all Nations, look'd like fools;
The Apes were so refind,
That all our Allamodes they far surpasse:
How they a Brawl, a Saraband would doe!
How stately move in a Coranto! who
From their great Masters, now, the cunning Scholler knew.
Oft for his Monsieur the King pleas'd to aske:
But when he heard they had perform'd their task,
He Solemn Order gave to have a stately mask.
[Page 39]And now th' expected night was come: when late
Enters the joyfull King,
And takes his lofty Chaire:
About him Peers and Princes of the State,
And in a glorious Ring,
Sate Gypsie Ladies, there, accounted fair.
The Scean appears, the envious Curtain drawn
In Gold and Purple, tufted with pure lawn,
Beasts Frenchifi'd, shewd like the blushing dawn.
When from the Scean, a nimble Hermes springs,
With his Caduceus, golden Shoes, and Wings,
Conducting in a Dynastie of antient Kings:
That had been Mummey many thousand years
Before our Authors say,
Adam the world began:
Each in his hand a mighty Scepter bears,
And from their heads display
Twelve Silver rays, shot from a Golden Sun.
Like demie Gods the Apes began to move,
Semele saw, such a Majestick Jove,
The men admire, the taken Ladies fire, with love.
When one that knew what best would please the King,
A Musse of Nuts did 'mong these Hero's fling;
Which suddainly did all to great disorder bring.
Figures they quit, and alter soon their pace,
And scambling run to seise
Their most beloved Nuts:
Respecting not the Majesty of place
[Page 40]These would Kings Pallaces
Forsake to raign in well stor'd Squirrels Huts.
At last the Dancing Kings began to rage,
Scuffling for prey, old Princes seeming sage,
All Laws of revels brake, and in fierce War engage.
They fight, they scratch, they tumble ore and ore,
Their Masking sutes are all in Mamocks tore,
The Stage with green cloath spread, is now a Field of gore.
There Apish Masters taken with the sport,
Among the thickest run,
Where scambling down they fall:
Then showts and laughter shake the joyfull Court,
Which had not yet been done,
But that the King did crie a Hall a Hall.
All silent then, he gravely thus began.
Rich Cloaths, nor cost, nor education can
Change nature, nor transforme an Ape into a Man.
MORALL.
Nature in th' old worlds infancy was strong:
But Education, Diet, Art, so long
'Mongst Mortals hath prevail'd, that Apes and Owls
Not only shapes transform, but change their Souls.
[Page 41] THE SIX AND FIFTIETH FABLE. Of the Eagle and the Beetle.
O Thou most noble Beetle, thou that art
Stild by some Nations the black flying Hart,
O save my life, and doe a friendly part.
The towring Eagle threatens from the Skies
Poor
The Hare.
Keyward to destroy.Help thou whose troups of Hornets, Wasps and Flys
The Bestiall Army did annoy,
More in that fatall day the Lyon lost,
Then they, who Wings like spreading Sails might boast:
Arm'd trumpeters they were, whose numerous swarms
Thunder'd about their ears still fresh alarms,
And in their faces fix'd their venom'd arms.
Thus at approaching death the Hare dismaid
To the poor Beetle for protection prayd,
Who pitties and to safety him conveyd.
The Eagle lights, and asks whose in that Cave,
She streight replies, I here
A harmelesse Beast my meniall servant have,
The Hare whom I esteeme most dear.
But the Eagle tore him streight without remorse.
Then said the Beetle, I that kild a Horse
With Hornets nine in that victorious day;
And dost thou thus thy Souldiers service pay,
Those that can help, to hurt may find away.
[Page 42]And now the Eagles Queen laid Royall Egs:
When the vext Fly aide of Alecto begs;
Who sprinkles her black wings with Stygian dregs;
And to small Members gave a mighty force.
Soon the high Nest she found
And what an Embrio was, without remorse,
Did break and tumble to the ground.
At which her Husband mounts Etheriall skies,
And to his great Protector Jove thus cries.
The spightfull Beetle to our Pallace came,
And our dear race, which should preserve our name,
She hath destroy'd, and I most wretched am.
To whom thus Jove in pleasing language said,
Thou broughtst me Ganimed on wings displaid,
Thou needst not thus for our high favour plead.
When next thy Queen brings forth a happy Birth,
And hath supply'd her Nest,
Bring them to me up from the dangerous earth,
And those Ile cherrish in my Breast.
Pleas'd with the grant the Bird descends again,
And did his Spouse with sweet Love entertain:
Who streight another hopefull Issue brings,
With which to Heaven he mounts on spreading wings
And bears them to great Jove the King of Kings.
Hell hath no depth, nor profound Heaven that height,
Will not be found by wrong begotten spight.
Thither the furious Beetle takes her flight;
[Page 43]And bears with her fowl Pils of sorded earth,
Which in Joves Breast she threw.
He shakes them out, with them the unhatch'd Birth:
Which when the God did view;
He said, I that have made, and can Unhinge
This worlds great frame, yet cannot curb Revenge.
And therefore Mortals, you that strongest are
Of injuring the smallest Worme beware;
Since they our lap, a Sanctuary, not spare.
MORALL.
To find much Treasure, to obtain a Bride,
For whom so oft thou hast, and others dy'd;
Hungry and cold, Feasts and Rich Wine to meet,
To sweetnesse of Revenge are nothing sweet.
[Page 45] THE SEVEN AND FIFTIETH FABLE. Of the Fox and the Cat.
THus to the Cat the Fox did boast his parts,
And glorify'd himself with his own Arts.
Know Madam Pusse, a thousand waies I have
Beloved life to save,
Despising the advantage of a Cave.
When bloody Hounds pursu'd me, I have oft
Trac'd my own sent, and their vain fury scoff'd:
When Dogs the Men, Masters their Dogs condemn,
While I did both contemn
And in contracted circles hunted them.
When me swift Grey-hounds follow'd, though a brace,
I have struck blind, and urind in their face.
When after me both Court and Country throng,
I from a Branch have sprung,
And in a stream on yielding Sallows hung:
Only my mouth above the swelling wave.
The King is mad, the Dogs, and Hunts-men rave.
These arts of mine, would many Volums make,
My slights would fill a Sack,
Of which from many, this short story take.
In a full slaughter house hung round with meat,
I uninvited did descend to eate:
Feasted with Poultrie, Mutton, Veale, and Lamb,
I did attempt the way I came
To have leap'd back, but fell short of my aime,
[Page 46]When in a fierce Man comes; no sooner spide,
But with loud voice, the Thief is found he cry'd;
Then shuts the dore and casts at me a stone,
Which bruis'd my Shoulder bone:
And made me Fiz, 'twas with such Fury thrown.
The fight was long, and doubtfull, in short space
I could expect no other but Uncase:
My Liver given in Wine to them that could
By Night no Water hold
And Hectick Lords to drink my Tail in Gold.
At last he threw at me a mighty Stone,
Which fell beneath the place where I came down,
He stoops to take it up: on's back I step'd,
Thence through the Window leap'd,
And spight of him my Skin and Breakfast kep'd.
Then said the Cat I have no trick but one,
If that Grimmalkin fail, then she's undone.
While thus she spake a pack of Dogs they see
Pusse nimbly takes a tree,
The Foxes heels must his deliverers be.
Safe on a Bough the Cat in th' open plain,
Mauger all Arts, saw boasting Reynard slain;
When thus she spoke, Friend for thy Death I'm sad,
Much knowledge makes some Mad,
One good Art better is, then thousand bad.
MORALL.
Some think, much Learning and to many Arts
Debillitate the strength of naturall parts:
Oft one ingenious Mistery fils the bags,
When Men of many Trades scarce purchase rags.
[Page 47] THE EIGHT AND FIFTIETH FABLE. Of the Fox and the Goat.
NOw Syrius and the Sun seem'd to conspire,
To set the great worlds Artick side on fire:
Countrys forbidden by eternall Laws
To feel excessive heat,
Lay in a burning sweat:
Opening ten thousand parched Jaws
Water to get:
To silence put were all those purling streams,
Whose murmur gives to Shepheards pleasant dreams:
And some did think,
Another Phaeton the Sea would drink.
Scarse would Dewcalions flood restore the Grasse,
Earth was turn'd Iron, Heaven had so long been Brasse.
In this Combustion, and excessive heat:
The Fox and Goat extreamly thirsty met,
Where (but deep dig'd) by chance they found a Well.
Then spake the Learned Fox,
Drie are all Pipes and Cocks;
For drink Ile venture down to Hell:
Through Adamantine Rocks
To Pluto's Cellers break, to get one drop;
And from loud Cerberus waking, snatch his Sop.
Let it be so,
Come Father let us try these shades below:
This said, they down to the deep Fountain glide,
Where they beheld the Heaven scarce three yards wide.
[Page 48]There they drank deep, and now their hands being in,
Profoundly quaffe to th' Lyon and his Queen,
Many goe downs on Reputation drank;
To th' Bull, the Bear and Boare,
To all could fight and rore:
To Animals, then, of the civill ranck.
Suffic'd gave ore;
For sensuall Beasts could alwaies better tell,
Than could the Rationall when they are well.
But here the Goat
Stroking his Beard the hard return did note;
And sighing said, to Hels an easie way,
But how shall we again revisit day.
That is a work, a task beyond my skill.
Then said the Fox have a good courage still:
The means is found to Scale Etheriall Skies:
Against these steep Wals set,
Your two fore-feet;
Stand Man-like on your hinder Thighs;
Let your Chin meet
Your Hairy Bosome, that your horns may rise
Upright, as if prepar'd to But the Skies:
Then from your back to those two Spires Ile leap,
Whence out is but a step,
Then on the brinck, Ile in fit posture stand,
Grave Sir, to bring you off with my strong hand.
[Page 49]Th' advise is took, who would good Counsell doubt?
And at three skips, the nimble Fox got out.
Then at the Margents like a wanton Hind
Sports, proud of his successe,
Nor more his promises,
Nor his forsaken friend did mind;
Who in distresse
False Reynard did with breach of Faith upbraid.
Th' insulting Fox to him deriding said,
Goate, in thy Head had so much Wisdom been
As Hair upon thy Chin,
(But long Beards wittless are) thou wouldst have known
How to get up, before thou hadst come down.
MORALL.
For Action Youth, Age best with Counsell fits,
But readiest are in danger younger wits.
A Forrest-Beard, grave looks, and Silver locks,
'Mong shaven Chins shew now like Tradesmens blocks.
[Page 51] THE NINE AND FIFTIETH FABLE. Of the old Weesell and the Mice.
I That so long maintain'd this ample house
From bold excursions of the plundring Mouse,
And in huge Weinscot Woods have in their holes,
Where never Cat could venture, freed their souls:
Now growing old, my strength and courage fail,
Just when I have them by the tail,
Like a swift Ship arrested under Sail
By Rocks or Remora's, I stay,
While they the Pillage to strong holds convey.
And when I stand and Cough,
And sharp-breath'd Tysicks shake my panting sides,
The Miceans laugh,
And Old-Rat m'imbecillitie derides.
In this my house Souldiers and Scholars dine,
Inspir'd with truth from most oraculous Wine,
I heard them say, That Strength, and Courage, are
Inferior much to Policy in War.
There gowtie Generals in Chairs will sit,
And by a Stratagem of wit,
Make stubborn Kings, with all their powers submit.
If it be so, Ile Cunning use at length,
Since with my Youth Courage is gone, and Strength.
In this huge pile of Wheat
Ile shelter, and the Cats invasion shun.
Let Miceans eat
To my retreat,
And din'd, then let them from the Weesell run.
[Page 52]Th' Old Vermin said, and dives into the Hold
Thrice his own length; as soon the news was told
The Foe was dead: then black bands issue out,
And like a deluge through the house are born:
They plunder all the Corn,
And highly feast from Evening to the Morn.
When with the dawn Ceralian Mountains shook,
And a dire spectrum with a gastly look
Rose from th' infernall shade,
Which to the Plunderers did no favour shew:
Great slaughter made,
The Weesell said,
Who Questions Fraud or Valour in a Foe?
MORALL.
Oft unknown Stratagems shorten a long War;
'Tis not how Valiant, but how Wise they are
That Armies lead: but Mony is a spell
That Conquers all, and takes in Heaven and Hell.
[Page 53] THE SIXTIETH FABLE. Of the Spider and the Swallow.
OH I shall burst
With my own Poyson stirr'd;
Oh that accurst
And most despightfull Bird,
The Swallow daily on spread Wings resounding,
Nere leaves surrounding
These vast and empty Halls;
And bold at once on winged legions falls
Of Flys that sport
About our Court,
And gives whole thousands cruell Funerals:
While I in vain
Have built my lofty Rooms,
From Wind and Rain
Secure, and cruell Brooms.
There I spread Nets to catch the bonelesse people,
High as a Steeple:
With slender hands and thyghs
Spining my bowels, poor Arachne lyes
Watching all day
To seize a prey,
And catch not one, this Bird takes all the Flyes.
What shall I doe.
Now to revenged be?
Ile make a clue
And threds twist three times three:
[Page 54]I know the Chimney top where builds the Swallow,
Thither Ile follow,
The Spider said;
Then ore her Nest, most skilfull in her Trade,
All night She spun
Till day begun,
And as she thought, a dangerous Engine made.
The Swallow saw,
And said thus with a smile;
I that gave Law
To th' over-flowing Nile,
And with huge Bulwarks did keep out his water,
Though floods did batter
A furlong wide,
I with rang'd Nests kep'd out his Conquering tide:
And is this Net
To catch me set?
Thou shouldst thy Mesh, fond Spinster, first have tri'd.
When with the dawn
Out the swift Swallow flies,
And Cobweb Lawn
She breaks, then to the Skies
The Spider, and her vain endeavour carries;
And never tarries,
Untill her flight
Did put
Spider.
Arachne in a wofull plight;In one small rope
Was all her hope,
And if that break She on the earth must light.
[Page 55]When thus she said;
I am deservedly
Example made,
That scarse could take a Fly
With all my boasted Art, and fond Indeavour,
To think that ever
In such thin Meshes I could Swallows catch:
I did but ill
Imploy my skill
And a Nights toyl, my self to over-reach.
MORALL.
Jews, Turks, and Christians, severall tenets hold,
Yet most one God acknowledge, and that's Gold,
Parent of Love and Hate, in Peace or War
Strength and Craft may, but thou much more by far.
[Page 1] THE FABLES OF AESOP. The Fourth BOOK.
THE ONE AND SIXTIETH FABLE. Of Cupid, Death, and Reputation.
CUpid, and Death, with Reputation met
At wofull Hymens, where the cruell Fates
At once snatch'd two, fair, young, and noble Mates:
And th' unrequired debt
Inforced them to pay,
Long time before the day
That was by nature set:
Conjugall rites are chang'd, a Funerall torch
Conducts dead lovers through a mournfull porch.
The fatall Archers having put up darts
With which glad Offices, and sad were done,
Their fames enrold by Reputation,
[Page 2]And three Gods playd their parts:
They in the wofull House
Full Cups of Brine Carowse,
And from sad Parents [...]earts,
Kindred, & Friends, which in long order stood,
Quaff'd, broach'd with sighs, warm spirits mix'd with blood.
They then began to vapour, and with Vain
Boasting promote their power; now mellow grown,
Desire t' each other to be better known,
And where to meet again,
Such Company to enjoy.
Cupid although a Boy,
Yet eldest there began:
All-Conquering Death, and Reputation, know,
Though Heaven's my Seat, I places haunt below.
But seek not me, where oft you hear my name,
In Princes Courts, nor 'mong the City throngs;
They all are Atheists, only in their tongues
My Deity proclame:
Their Bosoms never felt
My kindly Shafts, nor melt
With true coequall flame.
They Lust, and Wealth adore, to me they bring
Poesies for Offerings, conjur'd in a Ring.
But I reside in th' unfrequented plain,
Where silly Sheep the harmlesse Shepheard feeds,
Playing sweet Pastorall notes, on Oaten reeds;
[Page 3]There every Youthfull Swain,
And blushing Virgin, well
Can tell you where I dwell,
Who in their Bosome Reign;
In those chast Temples resident I'am
Till the last hour quench the long-lasting flame.
Then Death began; My Habitations are
Not in this world, but at the Gates of Hell,
I with the Devill and his Angels dwell:
The Cruell Furies there
On Iron Couches lie,
And bloody Pillets tye
Their Elf-lock'd viperous Haire.
By Love, nor Reputation to be found,
Three thousand mile and more beneath the ground.
But you shall find me, where in mighty War,
Against his King, some Valiant Generall stands;
There you shall see me use ten thousand hands.
Or when that burning Star
Joyns a pestiferous ray
With the great eye of day,
And towns infected are:
Then th' Angell Death you with a syth shall meet,
Mowing down thousands, daily in the Street.
Then Reputation spake; I have no Seat,
But wander up and down from coast to coast,
Hard to be found, and easie to be lost.
[Page 4]Therefore I would entreat,
Since now you have me, you
Would keep me; there are few
Having departed, meet
With me again; though false or small the ground;
Lost Reputation hard is to be found.
MORALL.
From Honest dealing Reputation springs,
But other notes the Matchivellian sings.
They are most honor'd, who are most unjust,
And wrong or right stand faithfull to their trust.
[Page 5] THE TWO AND SIXTIETH FABLE. Of the Gourd, and Pine.
THere was a stately Pine which long had stood
The glory of, and was it self a Wood;
Which when the warring Tempests took the Fields,
Did shake a hundred Arms with leavy shields,
Which watch'd about her, a perpetuall guard,
'Gainst all the injuries of Heaven, prepar'd.
Conquerors Trophies, Shepheards there their Pipes
Did use to hang; of War and Peace the Types.
Upon the swelling Bark Lovers did put
Their names with knots, and pleasant Fancies cut,
Still intimating, as the Letters grow
With the increasing tree, their Loves should so.
Neer to this plant which flourish'd many years,
In one short night shot up, a Gourd appears:
Which by sweet Seasons, gentle Dews, and Rain,
Did suddainly a mighty Body gain;
Her Boughs were spread, to Heaven her proud head shoots,
With blossoms white, the hopes of blushing fruits.
This Princock, the base Issue of the Morn,
When she beheld the Pine with branches torn,
Her front want Curles, an antiquated grace,
Mix'd with times ruin in a carefull face,
Her self beholding glorious as the day,
In Green and Silver Liveries of May;
Proud of her self at last forth boldly stood,
Comparing thus with th' honour of the Wood.
[Page 6]Give place, base wither'd Pine, that I may grow,
And at a distance me your better know:
Dost thou not see how far we doe excell?
My Crown strikes Heaven, and my roots touch Hell.
My Leaves are fairer, and more fresh than thine;
A Prince may on my Golden Aples dine,
When yours are fit to serve a hungry Pig.
See how my tresses flow! thy Periwig
So ruffled and uncurld, with boysterous storms,
Is powder'd with the Dust of Canker-Worms,
Of which you'r pleas'd some to bestow on me.
Then gravely thus reply'd the scorned tree.
I many a raging Winter here have been,
And felt black Auster's & bleak Roreas spleen,
And when loud winds made Cock-shoots through the Wood,
Rending down mighty Okes, I firme have stood:
So when I with Autumnall blasts have lost
My golden tresses with a biting Frost,
I stood bare-headed, and was naked-arm'd,
When the Sun beams no more than Cynthia warm'd;
I, in as extreme heats here also stood,
When Sol and Syrius to the swarthie mud
Drank brim-full Rivers, what the earth did yield
Rosted to powder, in the parched Field,
And to the bellowing Heards, and bleating Flocks
Gave shelter under my thick shadie locks.
Here I stand firm, all changes have indur'd,
My body with its mighty arms secur'd.
But when the raging heat, or bitter cold,
Or rough winds rise, Gourd, you'l not be so bold.
[Page 7]These gaudie Flowrs and spreading Leaves you boast,
Favours of Madam May, will all be lost:
Then I shall see thy Root and Branches torn,
And blown about, to the proud Winds a scorn.
Of Pride in thy Prosperity beware,
Vicissitudes of Fortune Constant are.
MORALL.
Whose tresses are in Golden billows curld,
Whose eys give life and light unto the world,
Bald wrinckled age despise, and hate to hear,
They shall in time as ruinous appear.
[Page 9] THE SIXTIE THIRD FABLE. Of the Devill and a Mallefactor.
A Mallefactor such a one that made
Of Murther, Theft, and Sacriledge a trade:
One that could Club
Plots to work mischief with old Belzebub,
And had from him at need especiall aid;
A little Devill still
Help'd him when things went ill,
And oft from Prisons, and strong Warders took,
And when condemn'd did save without his book.
He was an Honest Devill, and a stout,
A good Sollicitor to trot about.
How he would trudge!
There with a Golden dream corrupt the Judge,
Here with like visions a whole jury rout;
On this, a plentious showr
Of yellow drops hee'd powr
To Angel Gold transform'd, there he would set
Some Courtier on, that should his pardon get.
Who as his custome now in Jayl thus pray'd
Unto the Devill his good Lord for aid:
Almighty Fiend,
To thy poor Barabas some comfort send;
Who most unjustly is in Prison laid:
Whom I so late did stab,
Did call my Mistresse drab,
[Page 10]Good Pluto hear, and leave awhile debats
Of striving Princes, and aspiring States.
Thus while he pray'd, his Spirit appear'd, his Back
With old shooes loaden, and thus sadly spake:
Evening and Morn,
Trotting for thee, out all these Shooes are worn.
No more thy businesse friend Ile undertake:
To hang then be Content
Since all my Coin is spent:
Without which busie Lawyers will not doe
Ought for great Belzebub, my self, or you.
MORALL.
The Devill oft for his servants do's his best,
But now since Mortals have the Fiends possest,
Seek Hell no more, but with worse men, compact,
Wouldst thou to life unheard-of mischief act.
[Page 11] THE SIXTIE FOURTH FABLE. Of the Lyon and the Horse.
THe Lyon old, his power grown weak, his Crown
By Bestiall commotions trampled down,
Resolves to fill his Coffers with the gown.
Doctorships three,
Of Law, of Physick, and Divinity,
There be:
But which of these may greatest profit bring,
He long debates, then spake the Quondam King.
Sir Reynard thrives not since this civill War,
Nor pleading Beasts oft wake the slumbering Bar,
Sutes few be grown, but Bribes more frequent are:
Law hath no force
When plains are eaten up by armed Horse,
Her course
Obstructed is, what ever Gods and men
Injustice stile, is Law and Justice then.
Nor
Woolf.
Isgrims Preaching tribe now better fare,Though great Incendiaries of this War,
Since Beasts in Buffe full as long winded are:
The Sheep-skin gown,
Lin'd with Hypocrisie and Rebellion,
Is down;
In his own Cloaths th' Asse stands without a Ruff,
Beating the Pulpit with an unpaird Hoof.
Law and Divinity of these times farewell,
The Souldier is about to Ring your Knell;
Ile turn Phisitian, and Diseases sell.
A Turffe, or Stone
Conceals ill Cuers are by bad leeches done,
If one,
Or two we chance to help, up goes our name,
Then patient Beasts come in, both wild and tame.
While thus he spake, a pamperd Horse he spies;
And clapping on his Doctorships disguise,
Said, on this patient first Ile exercise,
And let him blood,
For me a drench may make him present food,
And good:
Oft skilfull Empericks doe as bad or worse,
And trie experiments would kill a Horse.
Then to the grazing steed the Lyon spake,
Your Horseship looks not well, be pleas'd to take
Something Ile give you for prevention sake:
What's worldly Wealth,
When sad Diseases shall invade your health,
By stealth;
When in these pastures you shall raging lie,
And tear those pamperd lymbs before you die.
Sir, I in Germany have practis'd long,
Where humane Bodies are like Horses strong,
What there I did prescribe, no Beast can wrong;
[Page 13]In England too,
Where men now drink as deep as they, or you,
A few
Cuers I have done, I made on cast a Frog
Had turnd his paunch with drinking to a Bog.
Mercurius-Dulcis, Scamonie, and the Flos
Of Sulphur, Colocynthis, each a dose;
Shall purge all humors chollerick or Grosse.
And next our art
Directs a cordiall to refresh the heart,
A Quart
Of Dyapenthed Muscadell each Morn,
Shall seaven years free you from the Farriers horn.
The Horse perciev'd the Doctor was not well,
Did through disguise a hungry Lyon smell,
And thus his malladie began to tell.
Sir th' other morn,
Leaping a hedge to breakfast on green Corn,
A Thorn
Did pierce my foot; your Doctorship no doubt,
Hath so much Surgerie to draw it out.
The Lyon joyfull was of any hint,
And looks on's foot; which, as the Devill were in't,
Dash'd him o'th brow, and leaves in blood the Print,
And dead him laies:
Wheeling about him then the palfrey neighs,
And saies,
[Page 14]A double fee dear Doctor is your due
For your great cure, come, and Ile make it two.
At last th' astonish'd Lyon rising said;
I am with fraud for fraud most justly paid,
And my own Stratagem hath me betraid.
Who lay a bait,
Should see lest others use not like deceit,
Too late
They may repent having their error then
Writ on their brow, thus with an Iron Pen.
MORALL.
He that in health by Physicks prescript lives,
Sicknesse t' himself, Wealth to Physicians gives.
Sick take advice, but well to Nature trust,
Let none, with Doctors deale, but when they must.
[Page 15] THE SIXTIE FIFTH FABLE. Of the Sun and Wind.
ROugh Boreas proud of many victories, now
Will not preheminence to the Sun allow.
While Phaebus stands, in the high Solstice, mute,
The blustring Wind did thus for place dispute.
Phaebus we are not ignorant of your parts,
And profound science in ignoble arts
Of Minstralcy and Physick, and we know
Well you can dart, and use a sounding bow.
But these are toys, let Gods for power contend:
When I my forces muster, when I blend
My Rain and Haile, and Snow; or when I cleer,
As now, black clouds from the bright Hemisphere,
(Which you with all your raies could not dispierce,
But sufferd them to drown the Universe)
I shall appear more potent far than thou.
Thou canst warp Timber, make green Staves to bow;
But I tall Okes that lofty Mountains Crown,
And only with my breath, can tumble down.
How many stately Piles have I o're-thrown?
And Towns interr'd with their own falling stone?
But who at Sea can my great victories tell!
Where I 'twixt billows storm the Gates of Hell;
On watery Mountains and congested Floods,
Then make approaches dreadfull to the Gods.
Like racket-Bals with Argosies I sport,
And the whole Ocean is my Tennis-Court.
[Page 16]Saylors in vain then to thy Deity pray,
That thou wouldst let them know there is a day.
But while I thunder through the trembling shrouds,
Thou darst not peep through mellancholie clouds.
And when Autumnus with the year grows old,
Thou looking on, I break hard Rocks with cold,
And turn broad Seas plowd up with thundring keels,
To roads, where Waggons jolt with groning wheels.
These are the acts that I have done, nor can
They be deny'd by Fiend, or God, or Man.
Then Phaebus; said words Boreas are but wind,
But let experience judge, then thou shalt find
Who strongest is; That Travellour behold:
Muster Riphaean blasts and Russian cold,
And take from him his upper weed, that cloak,
Which trembled at each breath, now while you spoak:
But if thou canst not, leave the task to me,
And sease comparing with a Deity.
Here he a Cloud unfolds, which like a pack,
Bore winds to sel to Witches at his back..
And at one soupe he treasures in his mouth,
Drie Northern vapours, and the dropsid-South.
Adding case shot of new created Haile:
His swelling cheeks made frighted Seamen pale.
But on the Man he fals with all his power,
And round beleagures, with a suddain shower.
Storms him with whirl-wind, lin'd with biting cold,
Yet all in vain, he faster kep't his hold.
What rent huge branches from a sturdie Oke,
Could not devorce the crafty from his cloak.
[Page 17] Who fight with Heaven, with Wooll must keep out death.
Then Boreas fainting ask'd sometime to breath.
When Phaebus smil'd, and bid the weary rest;
This said, his brows he with much glory drest,
And at the Travellour a whole Quiver shot
Of fiery darts, he warms first, then grows hot;
From pores exhausted Briny Rivers flow;
He takes short breath, at last he scarce could goe;
Weary and faint, then resting in the shade,
Throws by his Cloak, and Phaebus victor made.
Then said the God, Boreas thou art but voice,
Great actions are not carried on by noise;
What Ranters, nor loud blustering can obtain,
A fancie, or facetious jest may gain.
They that contend, they should not only know
The Forces, but the Cunning of the Foe.
Valour and Strength though Warriors great, submit
To Counsell, and th' Almighty power of Wit.
Then Northern Boreas saw himself a Fool,
And was resolv'd to put his Sons to School.
MORALL.
Loud threatnings make men stuborn, but kind words
Pierce gentle Breasts sooner than sharpest Swords.
To Rant and Mouth is not so neer away
To Cheat your Brother, as by Yea, and Nay.
[Page 19] THE SIXTIE SIXTH FABLE. Of the Woolf and the Lamb.
GReat seed of Mars, O Romulus, who art
My Grand-sires foster-Brother, aid impart:
If ere you at a she-Woolfs bosome hung,
If her life-saving Milk made you so strong,
And fierce,
If ere those hands she fashiond with her tongue
Laid Wals which after rul'd the Universe,
Then for her sake send help;
I and my tender Whelp
Are like to Die,
Ah for some Food,
A little Blood,
We crie;
Help thou that art the Wolves great Deity.
Scarce were his prayers ended, when he spi'd
A Bearded Goat, and Lamb walk side by side.
Then said the glad Woolf, I am heard: this Lamb
To me a Present from Rome's founder came.
Shee's fat,
Her Guardian is more dangerous than the Ram,
And his known prowesse I have try'd of late:
The fortune of all fights
Are doubtfull, Ile use slights.
Then loud he cries,
Good Mistrisse Lamb,
As is your Dam,
Be wise,
And leave that stinking Letcher I advise.
Seekst thou sweet Milk from ranck He-Goats to get?
Return poor Innocent to thy Mothers teat,
There at extended Udders take thy fill,
Kids drain their Dams, the Lamb her Mother still.
Beside
Such Masters of the Flocks are counted ill,
That rough Goats, not from fleecy Sheep divide.
Sweet Lamb forsake this Goat,
Go to thy Mother's coat,
The neerest way
Is through the Woods,
Where tender Buds
You may
Gather, and you and I in shade will play.
Then said the Bleater; know Sir Woolf I am
To follow the instructions of my Dam;
My Parents Counsell, and not yours obey:
She bid me with this armed Father stay.
The Counsell of our friends
Too oft have byast ends,
But when a Foe
Shall give advice
The Lamb's so wise
To know,
Some Plot may be to work her overthrow.
MORALL.
Youth that must travell carefull Tutors need,
Lest Gods commands, their Parents, and their Creed,
Should shaken by strange tenets be, and they
Return worse principled, than put to Sea.
[Page 21] THE SIXTIE SEVENTH FABLE. Of the Oke and the Reed.
THe four winds musterd up winds four times seaven
From all their Horizontick seats in Heaven,
Thirtie two brethren did at once conspire,
Because the Sacred Oke was free,
By Jove's decree,
Both from Celestiall fire
And thunder,
On her to wreak their spight,
And in one hideous night
T' extirp and ruin quite,
And all her Boughs and verdant leaves to Plunder.
To the Skies Arbiters since shee'll not bend,
They are resolv'd up by the roots to rend.
Stout Eurus mounts his steeds; on Northern Hags
Rough Boreas rides, black Auster sable Bags
And fowl Borachio's fill'd ith' Southern main;
Bright Zephyre now comes muffled up,
And in his troop
Did bring a Heuricane
To render.
They all at once discharge,
Huge armes and branches large,
'Gainst Sun and Wind a targe,
From their proud fury could no more defend her,
But with a mighty ruin branch and root,
Groning her last, lights at the Mountain Foot.
From whence down on the Rivers back she swims,
Which the fowl night had sweld above the Brims.
Catching her Boughs a small Reed stop'd her way;
The haplesse Oke, not yet quite dead,
Then rais'd her Head,
And to the Reed did say;
I wonder
That thou shouldst scape last night,
Who scarce canst stand upright,
So huge a tempests spight,
And art not rent like wretched me asunder:
Trusting my own strength, I from Rocks was torn,
And to ridiculous winds am now a scorn.
The gentle Reed then softly whispering said;
I am not of the greatest storm affraid;
When raging Winds among themselves contend,
What way they hurrey through the Skie
That course lye I,
And flexible doe bend:
I mervaile
How you so long kept up,
Disdaining still to stoop
To that all-conquering troop
Which wracks tall Ships, & drowns the stoutest Carvell:
I to the strongest yield, what ever chance,
All fortunes vanquish'd are by sufferance.
MORALL.
Though strong, resist not a too potent foe;
Madmen against a violent torrent row.
Thou maist hereafter serve the Common-weale,
Then yield till time shall latter Acts repeale.
[Page 23] THE SIXTIE EIGHTH FABLE. Of Jupiter and the Asse.
JOve, thou who viewst from thy Emperiall Skie,
And pittiest oft a Worme or injur'd Fly,
Leaving to Fate,
That Supreme State,
The March and Muster of the Golden Stars,
And to inconstant Fortune Princes Wars;
Without advice of thy great Counsell send,
And well thou mayst, aid to th' oppressed Asse,
Me from the Gard'ners tyranny defend:
Father of Men and Gods,
So heavy are my loads,
That though my Ribs were Steel, my Shoulders Brasse.
I in a little space
Must yield to cruell death:
O change my place, or stop my vitall breath.
The Gard'ners Asse to mighty Jove thus pray'd,
Who streight did bind him to another trade,
A Tyller now
His back did bow,
And him with what whole roofs must cover loads,
Through deep ways lashing, and far longer roads.
When thus to Jove the Beast again did pray;
Thou who from slavery broughtst the Golden Asse,
And didst prefer to them that Scepters sweigh,
With supercillious look,
He now denies the Book,
[Page 24]And cruell in his place
Oft frights sad Pris'ners with his Beastly face:
O here me when I cry,
And change this Master too, or else I die.
Jove turnd him over to another streight,
A cruell Tanner, who with no lesse weight
Did load his back
Till it did crack:
But when he found his Masters trade, and spi'd
Him Currying of his Brother Asses hide,
Struck with sad omens of his wofull doom,
Thus to himself the wretched did complain;
I see that seldome better Masters come,
I should have been content,
With what the Gods have sent;
This, when I am with cruell labour slain,
Will put me to fresh pain,
And what should shroud me in
He will not spare, but dead will Tan my skin.
MORALL.
Is it Decreed, and did the fates consent,
None should with present fortune be content,
Though in right judgement they most happy are?
If so, no wonder Men change Peace for War.
[Page 25] THE SIXTIE NINTH FABLE. Of the same Asse.
BUt after Jove, pittying the wofull Asse,
Bids Hermes take, and turn him out to Grasse;
There let him wander far, in unknown ground,
Nor by his cruell Master soon be found.
There the free born did lead a happy life
Among wild Asses, there he got a Wife,
A dainty female Asse, whose Assian seed,
In Vales and Groves, and on green Mountains feed.
Of Concubins since prosperous his affairs,
He had a whole Seraglio of wild Maies.
The Martiall Steed, though spurd with Venus, proof
Was not for his enamourd Rivals hoof;
But when he thought though up to th' eys in Grasse
Of his mean House, though Rich, yet still an Asse:
That the brave Horse could boast proud Ancestors,
And great atchievements got in antient Wars,
Then he repind, and when he saw his ears
At watering, brackish made the flood with tears.
But he had friends at Court, the Golden Asse,
T' in-noble him, might see his Patent passe.
While thus he murmurd, mighty War arose,
And great Kings prove (to raise their interests) foes:
Those Horse graz'd with him, on Thessallian plains,
Were all took up, and curb'd with Bits and Reins,
Yet still he kep'd his walk; at last he saw
Full Legions in thick ranks to Battell draw.
[Page 26]Then sees them charge, when suddainly the Fields
Were strewd with Men & Horse, & Spears, & Shields,
And Steeds he knew thrust through with hostile spears.
At this new light, 'twixt grief, and joy, with tears
He thanks the Gods they coynd him but an Asse,
Nor made a Horse, then said, I here may passe
My life in safety, and when Wars surcease,
An Asse may make a Justice of the Peace.
MORALL.
In Halcyons some repine, others no losse
Deject at all: is thy own fortune crosse?
Rectifie 't then; with better men compare,
And let their losses mollifie thy care.
[Page 27] THE SEVENTIETH FABLE. Of the same Asse and his Lyons Skin.
AFter that mighty Battell, where the Asse
A sad Spectator was,
Had long been fought, as various Chance did please,
Till many valiant Captains dy'd the Grasse,
And their great Souls stood neer the Stygian Seas
Begging a passe:
While Dogs, and Vultures feasted on the slain;
The Long-eard went to view the bloody plain,
And though an Asse, not without hope of gain.
Among huge heaps of slaughter, on the green,
He found a Lyons Skin,
Once dreadfull Trappings to a gallant Steed,
Old-fancy'd honour, as this prize was seen,
To raise Himself and his ignoble Breed,
Did fresh begin,
The shaggie main conceals his back, the jaws
Gape ore his face, long was the train, the paws
Struck fire on's hoofs, and shine with golden claws.
Acoutred thus, he with Majestick pace
Returns unto his place,
And at first view routs all the timorous Flocks,
(The Asse is dreadfull in the Lyon's Case:)
Buls leave their Courtship, and the labouring Oxe
As he did passe,
Ran bellowing as if bit by Summer swarms,
Nor Goat, nor Ram, have confidence in arms,
But fly for safety from such fierce alarms.
And now the Asse did ore vast Countries reign,
Commanding all the plain,
Scorning those honours which at first he aim'd,
Wondering he thoughts so mean could entertain.
The Lyonesse a Princesse him inflam'd,
Her love to gain,
Th' Impostor said, must be our next design,
The Royall and the Assian house must joyn,
Then by just title all these Plains are mine.
When Fortune, that delights in casting down
Great Kings, began to frown,
The cruell Tanner who had lost his Asse,
Severall occasions sent on foot from town;
He saw the Prodigie, wondring what it was,
To be his own
He little dream't, What ere thou art, said he,
Ile lose some way, and time, but I will see;
Thou canst not sure the dreadfull Lyon be.
Thus saying, he advanc'd, the Asse did know
This was a dangerous foe,
Should he goe lesse than what he seem'd, and fly,
He would a scorn to his new Subjects grow;
When thus he said, Ile keep up Majesty,
And courage shew,
Then to his Master loud he thus began;
What ere thou art, fly hence presumptuous Man,
Else thou art dead, and at him fiercely ran.
Then suddain fear the Tanner did surprise,
But when his ears he spies,
He stands, and by them Prisoner took the Asse,
And wondring at his Royall weeds, replies;
Among these Forresters thou well might'st passe,
Who have no better eys
For the great Lyon, and possesse a throne
In Groves where Asses are no better known,
But you my Asse are, and I seize my own.
MORALL.
The Taylor makes the man, Breeding and Coyn,
Of them passe by, as those ride ore a mine,
Are unregarded: great Impostors so
In Royall habits oft for Princes goe.
[Page 31] THE SEVENTIE FIRST FABLE. Of the Woolf and the Sow.
A War-Woolf mangie with an entaild itch,
Sympling Comprest a Callidonian Witch:
She, neer her time, with others did embark
In a tight Eggeshell; safe as in the Ark
Mountains they ride to Southern Kingdoms rowld,
While Northwinds lowd from sixteen angles scowld.
Then, landing safe, they mount fantastick Foales,
And bent their course to Cocker up their souls
With Gallick Wine. Down in a sacred vault
Where never came the impious race of malt,
Where sweet Lyaeus no small hoops contain,
The Hags descend, in Thunder, Wind, and Rain.
Heightend with Bacchus blood, and Bisket Sops,
Frolick, they throw Spigots ore houses tops,
Black, and red Seas, mix with the Mediterrane,
While they in Purple Must their anckles stain.
Then hoytie-toytie, frantick Bacchanals
Begin to revell: When the Spirit calls,
Aboard, aboard, the Chariot of the dawn
Rattles on Eastern hils; Their Cobweb lawn
Streight is unfurld, all yare, and tight, they saile
Back, whilst Seas, Seas, charge with an adverse gale.
But here the dame pregnant with Wolvish seed
Deliver'd was, but when they saw the Breed
A rough she-Woolf, streight inconcocted grapes
Began to work, nine, and no little scapes
[Page 32]Nine Hags discharge at once, and th' Infant bore
To Ardens Forrest, far off from the shore
A pittying Woolf took up, and nurc'd the child,
And from her wondrous fortune Erswind stil'd.
She married Isgrim, and if fame be true,
Him, a she-Woolf, bore to a wandring Jew,
Who by his humane nature got the hint
Of Wolvish discipline in Geneva Print,
And his mad zeale first made the Forrest blaze;
This by his howling Rhetorick did raise
Arms 'gainst his King, did antient right supplant,
And made Beasts take a beastly Covenant;
This Urchins calld, and stird up senslesse Moles,
And innocent Sheep inspir'd with Woolvish souls;
Then Femals, like milch Tygers, first were seen
To rage against the Lyonesse, their Queen;
Steers, Colts, and Asses, did like Panthers stare,
And Buls horn-mad for Reformation were.
When Erswind with a blessed Of-spring big,
Weary with Lamb, and Mutton, long'd for Pig,
And thus She howld to move her surly Mate;
Swines flesh I loath with a Maternall hate,
Yet for the Of-spring of the Salvage Boar,
The fat Priests Quarter which I keep in store,
Which at my lying in I meant should feast
My Mother, and her Calydonian guest,
Now I would give to see one Pig depart
To eat the Liver and the bleeding Heart.
When the grim sire reply'd, Leave off complaints,
Afflictions have been wholesome to the Saints:
[Page 33]But if the Boar her Husband be abroad.
My mortall Foe, by force or pious fraud
Ile get thee one, no scruple is in meat,
And thou and I abundantly will eat.
This said, he hasts unto the spreading Oke,
Where lay a pregnant Sow, and kindly spoke,
Sister, your Husband hath great service done,
And by his valour we the victory won;
But since I hear your Spouse in Countries far,
Must for small pay attend a lingering War,
And this your charge is great, take friendly helps:
Some of your Sons Ile foster with my Whelps,
Not in prophaner Arts, like Popish Pigs,
To pettietoe-it on the Organs Jigs,
When Surplic'd Asses chaunt it to the Lyre;
Nor they supine shall wallow in the Mire;
But Pastors be, and them Ile teach to keep
The Sheepish souls of flocks, and shear the Sheep.
They have Prick-ears, and as we Teachers wear,
Howling in hollow trees, such is their Hair.
The Brawny Dame did here break off all speech,
If you are such a friend, Sir, I beseech
You'l shew it in your absence, nothing more
Can me and mine oblige, back twentie score,
That is the greatest favour you can doe,
You hate all Swine, and I abhorre a Jew.
I hear him whet his tusk, the Boar is neer,
And you have taken a wrong Sow by th' eare.
[Page 34]Cowring his tail, endeavouring to have fled,
Wings fear not added to his feet, but Lead;
Whom suddainly the angry Boar ore-took:
Him, at whose rage the Lyons partie shook,
No more resistance than a tender Lamb,
Made 'gainst this foe, whom streight he overcame;
And with his phang a Window in his side
To Flanck from Shoulder rent, where, as he dy'd,
The deep Hypocrisie and bloodie ends,
Writ in his heart, were read by foes and friends.
Soon after that the Boar the Wood enjoy'd,
And Wolves as new Malignants be destroyd.
MORALL.
Mischiefs best Plots Women too oft have laid,
And tender Females soonest are betraid.
Some great Seducers make a timely end,
But oftner they in bloodie sheets descend.
[Page 35] THE SEVENTIE SECOND FABLE. Of the She Goat and Kid.
A She-Goat Widowed by Civill War,
(As many other wofull Matrons are)
Although her sequestration a small fine
Had taken off,
Had little cause to laugh,
For when she rose, she knew not where to dine,
Which made cold cups be Seasond oft with brine.
One Son she had, now Heir,
Just of his Fathers Haire,
Her comfort, and her care;
But what did most extoll this gentle Kid,
He did
All the Commands which his dear Mother bid.
When to her only hope the Parent said,
I goe dear Child (subsistance must be had)
Where I for thee will crop the tender Bud,
And search the ground,
For Moon-wort, rarely found;
Which from our wounds draws steel, & stops the blood,
A Soveraign Med'cine and a dainty food.
But Kid when I am gone,
Open the Gate to none,
To friend, nor foe, not one.
The Woolf, although the Boar hath brought him low,
I know,
His Nature keeps, and will no mercy shew.
Shall I forget how he thy father slew
When from the Cambrian Hils a Goatish Crew
Of British Long-beards with three Sons he lead?
He pierc'd his throat,
And dronk his best blood hot,
Then on his Bowels, and his Liver fed.
As ill, woes me, thy haplesse brethren sped,
When down their arms they threw,
Quarter being granted too,
Most barbarously he slew,
And in his Den their Limbs in pieces tore;
Nay more,
With their gnawn bones he pav'd his bloodie flore.
This said, away she speeds. The Woolf, who long
Had watch his time, skild in the Goatish tongue,
On's loyns the British Captains spoils did guird,
With his fair horns
His horrid Brow adorns,
Down from his Chin hung a long silver Beard,
As if the King and Father of the Heard.
Accoutred thus before,
At the dull Goatheards dore
He oft drank Kiddish gore;
When thus disguis'd with feigned voice he spoke,
Unlock,
Long-beard is here, the Father of the Flock.
I live, whom Fame reported dead, and bring
Good tydings, never better was the King.
[Page 37]The Lyon now is fourty thousand strong,
Enumerous swarms,
Both old, and young, take arms,
And he will thunder at their Gates ere long,
Changing their tryumph to a dolefull Song.
And now the Conquering Boar,
Of those subu'd before,
Doth speedie aid implore,
But the dissenting Brethren in one Fate,
Too late,
Shall rue they turnd this Forrest to a State.
Whom Pan, his Parents, and his King obey'd,
Duty, Belief, and Piety betraid,
And boulted dores he suddainly unbars:
The Woolf rush'd in,
Throwing off his borrowd Skin,
His eys with rage blazing like ominous Stars,
Which threaten Earth with Famine, Plague, and Wars:
Then on the expected prize,
With open mouth he flies,
His jaws sweet purple dies.
When thus th' Insulter did the Kid upbraid,
And said,
Let all thus perish wish the Lyon aid.
MORALL.
First, Gods commands, your Parents next obey;
A thousand Snares, Pride, Lust, and Avarice lay:
But other arts now taught in modern Schools,
Stile all our wise and pious Fathers, Fools.
[Page 39] THE SEVENTIE THIRD FABLE. Of the Youngman and the Cat.
GRimmalkins Grand-child, Tyberts Noble race,
For Beauty gave no Cattish Damsell place,
Round was her face,
Her Eys were Grey as Germans, or the Gaul,
The Stars that fall
Through gloomy shade, cast no such dazeling light:
Nor Gloeworms that most glorious are by night;
Her Bosome soft and white
Like down of Silver Swans, her Head was small,
And round as any Ball,
Daily she wore a party-collourd gown,
Curiously mix'd, with white; black, grey, and brown.
Stoln from her Mothers Teat, a young man bred
This Femall up, and laid her in his Bed;
Each Morning fed,
And Evening, with warm strokings from the Cow,
Would Fish allow,
But not to wet her tender feet afford,
She may in pleasant Gardens catch a Bird,
Or make afeard.
Scorch'd with Love's cruell flames this Youth did now
At Venus altars bow,
[Page 40]That She, his Love would change into a Maid,
When thus with reard-up hands to Heaven he prayd.
O Citherea, since the cruell Dart
Of thy dear Son, hath strangely pierc'd my heart,
Some aid impart;
Thou at the prayers of sad Pigmalion
Mad'st flesh of stone,
Form'd a soft Woman from obdurate Flint:
That had no Soul, this hath a Spirit in't,
This hath her passions, hath affection shown,
And loves or me, or none.
Make her for Marriage fit, and She and I
Will day and night adore thy Deity.
The Goddesse heard, first on her Hairy face
Did Lillys of untainted beauty place,
Which Roses grace;
And now her Grey eys sparkle more by day;
A Milkie way
'Twixt Hills of Snow, which Currall Fountains shews,
And her cleer Neck like silver dawn arose,
Her white Foot grows
Now a fair Palm, whence fingers long display,
Where azure Rivers stray:
A Virgin then appear'd, so fair, and sweet,
She seem'd a Heaven all ore, from Head to Feet.
Nor could the ravish'd Youth admire too much,
Nor could believe, till by enduring touch
He found her such,
But when she spake, sweet Love was in his Breast
With joy opprest,
And loud he cries; Come all my friends, and see
The Gods great guift, what Heaven hath done for me,
I shall too happy be.
Bring Silk and Gold, with Jems let her be drest,
Prepare the Marriage Feast:
All came, and wonder, Wom ens envious eye,
Survaying her, could not one blemish spie.
All rites perform'd, and Hymen's torch put out,
Who of the joys of Marriage Bed could doubt,
Or fear a flout?
The Cyprian Goddesse then, desir'd to find
If that her mind
Was with her forme improv'd; a little Mouse
Streight she presents on th' Evins of the House:
The Bride leaps from her Spouse,
And leaves the Young man to embrace the Wind,
The Cat will after kind;
Just when he thought to reap the joy of joys,
A Mouse she cries, and all his hope destroys.
When Venus thus, highly incensed, storm'd:
A hatefull Cat to a Virgin we transform'd,
But the deform'd,
[Page 42]And Bestiall thoughts still in her Breast remain,
The task was vain,
No power can stave off Nature, though our Art
Gave fair dimensions to the Outward part,
We could not change the Heart.
Here she transform'd her to a Cat again;
Then did the Youth complain,
Thy pitty Venus thou hast turnd to spight,
Wouldst thou not let me have her one short night?
MORALL.
No punishment, no penalty, nor hire,
Can repulse Nature led by strong Desire.
So barbarous people Civilliz'd with care,
The least occasion turns to what they were.
[Page 43] THE SEVENTIE FOURTH FABLE. Of the Cat and the Cock.
SHe that so lately was the Young mans Spouse,
And left the joys of Marriage Bed to Mouse,
Now conscious of her crime, and hooted at
By all the House,
Grew more and more a Cat:
And after that
By day she haunts sad Rocks, and shadie Groves,
When dark, through Gutters ore House tops she roves,
And seeks night-walking Loves,
Who couple not like Doves;
Where round about her Cattish youngsters throng,
(For she was fair) and with a hideous Song,
A dismall note and long,
The haughtie Rivals challenge, meet, and fight;
And terrifie the silence of the night.
'Mongst these she proves: her Pregnant woomb being laid,
The ravenons Beast in neighbouring Houses prey'd,
That Milkie Breasts her tender young might breed:
Once thus she straid
And not supply'd her need,
Nurses must feed.
When thus she spake, Each Passage, Dore, and Lock,
In my Lords House I know: there dwels a Cock
Cheef of a feather'd Flock,
Which once my hopes did mock,
[Page 44]But now he shall not scape: hark how he Crows,
What, boasts thou fool ere thou subdu'st thy foes!
This said, on streight she goes,
Through ways unknown, and mischievously bent,
Down boldly leaps, and seiz'd the Innocent.
With her sad Prisoners Pusse was us'd to play,
Though he must die, shee'l do't by Legall way,
And thus attainders formally began:
Thou before day
Awakenest drowsie man;
Who Curse and Ban,
Vext with thy minstralcies unwelcome aires,
At such a time, when Heaven should hear their prayers
To prosper them and theirs.
This said, the Cock declares,
I am the Husband-mans Alarm, and Watch,
Those Sons of toyl, that live in Smoak and Thatch,
Rais'd by my voice, dispatch
(Buckling on Leather, Freeze, and clouted shoon)
A long days labour, often before Noon.
Then said the Cat, is thy impiety
(O wicked Bird) and incest hid from me?
Thou hast against all Laws of Men, and God,
Which I did see,
Thy Virgin Daughter trod;
Nay thy hot blood,
Thy Sister, Mother, Grandam, did not spare.
Then he reply'd, thy last charge lesse I fear,
[Page 45]Since 'tis my Masters care,
For him and for his fair
Lady, I should get Eggs, who now is Wed.
Shalt thou a Strumpet feed injoys the Bed
From whence I'm banished?
Accumulative crimes have no retreat,
'Tis Treason, thou shalt die, and I must eat,
Said angry Pusse, and sharp-set with a Groul,
She eats his flesh, and drinks in blood his Soul.
MORALL.
When Tyrants would their empty Coffers fill,
Against some wealthy Peer, they draw a Bill:
The tryal's fair, Charge, Answer, and Replie,
But riches is your crime, and you must die.
[Page 47] THE SEVENTIE FIFTH FABLE. Of the Cat and the Mice.
ANd now our Cat which once had been a Wife,
The Iron tooth of time
Had alter'd from her prime,
Old, she with Nuns lead a Monastick life,
Free from rough Lovers, and proud Rivals strife.
And with those pious Virgins went to prayer,
Who while they number Beads,
About them softly treads,
Disturbing none that at devotion were,
Contented with long Fasts, and Lenten Fare.
Setled for Strength, Convenience, and Health,
Neer to the Larder Dore,
Some Miceaus had a poor
Plantation rais'd from Sacrilege, and Stealth,
Almost from nothing, to a Common-wealth.
These Hogen Mogens, when their cruell Foe
The Cat they heard drew neer,
Were struck with mighty fear,
And at the tydings streight to Counsell goe;
Till then these People knew no face of woe.
When some inform'd, and they of no mean place,
They Tyberts issue saw,
Her countenance struck no aw,
[Page 48]But full of meeknesse, heavy was her pace,
And sadnesse much dejected had her face.
They saw how oft She contemplating sate,
Nor in that holy House,
They thought, shee'l touch a Mouse;
Nor view with jealous eye their rising State,
This was a Saint, a most Religious Cat.
When they this Character had understood,
Commissioners they chose,
(No time they carefull lose)
That should bear guifts, and kisse great Pusses hand,
And Leagues confirming lasting peace demand.
Soon they admitted were, and Audience had;
The subtile Cat in State
Heard what they could relate
With mild aspect, her visage pale, and sad;
And thus to them a friendly answer made.
Bold Miceans know (if nere you heard the same)
I have been once a Wife,
Seeking one Miceans life,
I was transform'd to what you see I am,
For which bold crime to pennance here I came.
Your Sute we grant: but as our custome, nine
Potentates I invite
To Sup with me this night,
[Page 49]So intimate; but you with us shall dine.
Then in their presence lasting Peace Ile sign.
This known, nine chosen march through narrow Ports,
And winding passes forth,
With many Mice of worth:
There the fond vulgar in great troups resorts,
Expecting Banquets in the Cattish Courts.
No sooner in, but stern Pusse shuts the Dore,
Stops all the chincks and holes;
Then terror strikes their souls:
And to a Fury she's transform'd once more;
Best strews the room with mangled limbs, and gore.
Which to the Senate a new lesson reads,
Fair words, and simpering looks,
Are still deceivers hooks:
None that is wise, outward comportment heeds;
Mortals their face declares not, but their deeds.
MORALL.
Treaties are full of fraud; if rising States
Would joyn with Princes, and make Kings their mates,
Let them beware how they confirm the League,
Monarchs still jealous for small cause Reneage.
[Page 51] THE SEVENTIE SIXTH FABLE. Of the Fox and the Lyon.
OH all you Gods and Goddesses that dwell
In Heaven & Earth, in Heaven, Earth, Sea, & Hell▪
If all your power conjoynd can one protect,
Save the poor Fox,
Nor prayer reject.
What is it I behold?
His shaggie locks
Are prest with shining Gold.
It is the Lyon; See! his spreading Robe
Covers at least half the terrestriall Globe:
Terror of Beasts and Man,
Whose hard teeth can
Crack brazen bones of the Leviathan.
Help, help, if me he not in peeces tears,
I shall in sunder shake with my own fears.
At first the Fox thus trembled to behold
The Scepter'd Lyon, Arm'd and Crown'd with Gold.
But when the King the second time he saw
Hunting in green,
Not so much awe
Did in his looks appear,
Lesse Majesty in's Mein,
Then Reynard drew more neer;
But the third day the bold beast had the face
To come up close, and cry'd Jove save your grace.
[Page 52]At last so neer did stand,
He kist his hand,
Soon after did the Royall eare command,
In which he said Custome makes mortals bold
To play with that they durst not once behold.
MORALL.
Who hate to draw a Sword, and Guns abhor,
Custom hath made most valiant Men-of-War.
Love's Novice so, trembling, fresh beauty storms,
Which soon lyes ruffled in his conquering arms.
[Page 53] THE SEVENTIE SEVENTH FABLE. Of the Lark and her Young.
IT is the sweet and early chanting Lark,
That to the Heavenly Quiresters is Clark,
And mounts the Skie as freely as a spark;
Yet she in haughty Towres not builds her Nest,
Nor on the tops of lofty Cedars dwels,
Which are with all the roring winds opprest,
That Northern witches conjure up with spels;
But in Corn Fields her habitations found,
Flanckt round with earth, six inches under ground.
From whence she issuing to her young ones spake;
Notice be sure of what you hear to take,
And strickt acoount at my returning make.
When thus the Landlord to his Heir begun;
This Wheat is ripe, we must have down this Corn;
Goe, and invite my friends with rising Sun
To reap it, and at night it shall be Born.
At this sad news the Larks astonish'd were,
And told their Mother, struck with mighty fear.
Then said th' old Bird; If for his friends he look,
(He may be, but I shall not be mistook.)
This Corn, need fear no danger of the hook.
Giving like charge, out the next morn she flies,
While th' old-Man long, did friends in vain expect,
At last he said, grown with experience wise,
Son, call our Kindred, since our friends neglect,
Those from our own loyns sprung will not forget,
That we to morrow may cut down this Wheat.
[Page 54]Th' affrighted Birds this to their Mother told,
Who cheer'd them thus, Kindred too oft prove cold;
This Corn will stand, and we shall keep our Hold.
The second morn made bright the Hemisphere,
When of the Consanguineous none were seen;
Then said the Father to the Son, I fear
We shall not be beholding to our kin;
Stand to me Boy, to morrow thou and I
Will reap this Corn, Cosens and Friends desie.
With these, the Birds their Mother did acquaint,
When with a sigh she said, We time shall want,
For we to morow must new regions plant.
They that with care to their own businesse look,
Are in the readiest way to have it done,
But who shall trust to Friends or Kindreds hook,
Shall find it at a stand, or backward run:
As when the arme against the stream is slack,
The Boat in the swift Chanell hurries back.
MORALL.
Intelligence best moves affairs, by which,
Both Kings and Common-wealths grow great and rich.
But who their businesse would have follow'd, must,
More to themselves than any other trust.
[Page 55] THE SEVENTIE EIGHTH FABLE. Of the Hauke and the Nightingale.
WHen the triumphant Sun, in his Caroach,
Cut from an entire Topaz, made approach
To the great tract betwixt the Golden horns
Of the Celestiall Bull;
When the Ambrosian tresses of fair morns,
With liquid Pearl were full;
Then Philomel did from her Nest depart,
With a sad Omen, and a heavy heart,
To trie neglected Art;
By the Grove side she on a Haw-thorne bough,
Sung her first Song, and paid her yearly vow:
Lovers that heard her, ere the Cuckows voice,
Rejoyce,
Since Valentine chose, but she confirms the choice.
While thus she chants, a sharp thorn at her breast,
A prying Swain who late had found her Nest,
Came secretly, and in her absence stole
From thence the Callow young;
A freshs wound anguish in a wounded Soul
What Pen can say or Tongue?
He to his City Landlord bears the prize,
But she sends loud Complaints to Marble Skies,
And moves the Deities:
[Page 56]Which (as relentlesse as their Statues, were)
A Bird of War pickeering through the air,
A fierce Hauke sent, who while she did in vain Complain,
Siez'd, and poor Philomel must now be slain.
Though great her woe was, and she much did grieve,
Yet at Pale deaths approach she fain would live,
And from the proud Foe thus begs quarter then;
This little body spare,
What is to thee a Nightingale or Wren,
A Mouthfull but of air?
Take some large Bird, and Fat, on whom is Meat;
Behold on every Tree, and Bush they seat,
And spare me I intreat.
With frowning look, the Faulcon then replies,
Thus Counsell Daws, no Hauk is so unwise,
When in their pownces they have seiz'd a prey,
That they,
Let it in hope of better, fly away.
MORALL.
A small Estate and sure, is better far,
Than fortunes that in expectations are:
What we possesse we have, fancie may feed
The mind, but not supply the present need.
[Page 57] THE SEVENTIE NINTH FABLE. Of the Husbandman and the Stork.
THere was a greedy Villager took pain
To Plow deep wrinckles on a Virgin plain,
Where his strong Steers broke such obdurate glebes,
As might have danc'd into the Wals of Thebes
Instead of stones,
Harder than Pyrrha's moystned Mothers bones.
This Swain while he did whet his blunted Share,
Often to Ceres, and Superior Gods,
Did make no idle prayer,
To recompence his care,
And fruitfull render hard and barren clods.
They heard, and nurc'd his hope with timely rain,
That now black grounds did shine with golden Grain.
When a fierce troop of Plundering Cranes he spies,
And wicked Geese to cut the Christall Skies,
Calld in by those domestick Geese he fed
In his own Barn, with what should make him Bread.
His Gander thus
He heard declare; Welcome dear friends to us;
Our spightfull Master, if he see us look
But ore the hedge, with threatning voice will call:
Who can the injury brook?
Come let's deprive the Hook.
This said, th' whole Army on the Field did fall.
[Page 58]Plots meet with Counterplots, strong Gins were set,
Which took both Foes, and Traitors in a Net.
'Mongst whom he found a Stork, who to the Swain
Thus pleaded innocence; I am no Crane,
Nor impious Goose, nor have I touch'd your Corn,
But the best Bird am I on wings is born;
'Tis I that feed
My Parents spent with age, and in their need
Bear like the Trojan Hero on my back;
The Pelican, that feasts with her own blood
Her young when meat they lack,
Compar'd to me is black;
Who will not spend their lives to save their Brood?
Great Love descends; to Age who gives respect?
Children, and Friends, Parents grown old neglect.
Then said the Swain; Your boasting will not serve;
You found with these shall find what they deserve,
And with these cursed Malefactors die,
Though as you say you are the best that fly;
Your wicked troop
Would all my Harvest hopes have eaten up:
Wert thou the Phoenix, though we lost the race,
A Cherubine, or Bird of Paradice,
Expect from me no grace;
Now thou shalt suffer in this place:
You tell your Vertues, Bird, but not your Vice.
[Page 59]To your own Parents you obedient are,
But not for Kings (our Common Fathers) care.
MORALL.
What crimes commit we, or what grosse abuse,
That is not palliated by excuse?
Who saies he's Guilty? these Bad companie load,
The Devill this, and that laies all on God.
[Page 61] THE EIGHTIETH FABLE. Of the Eagle and the Crow.
THe Plumed King spreading his feather'd sail,
Down through the clouds like a black tempest stoops,
Passing through Quarters of Wind, Rain, and Hail,
He seiz'd a Lamb among the bleating Troops;
While the Dogs bark, and the old Shepheards rail,
That he a King should prey on harmelesse Beasts,
He flys to cruell Nests,
And bears the prey to Courts nine steeples high:
Then wonderous, Blood & Wool rain from the skie.
A foolish Crow, viewing this gallant Flight
The Eagle made down from the arched Skies,
Sweld with opinion, soars a mighty height,
To rob the flock of such another prize:
Thence on a youngling did with fury light,
And Knee deep strikes himself in Silver Wool,
That thence he could not pull
His tangled feet, with Art, nor Force, again,
But yields himself then Prisoner to a Swain.
Who gave him to the Boys, they clip his Wing,
And 'mongst the Flocks would with their Captive play,
Taught him new notes, another Song to sing,
And when men ask'd what Bird he was, to say
He thought he was an Eagle, and a King:
[Page 62]But to his grief he now too well did know
He is a foolish Crow,
Who 'bove his power great things attempting, fell
A sport to Boys, as mercilesse as Hell.
MORALL.
All imitate, or imitated are:
A shriveld Dwarf hath managed in War
A mighty Steed, and boldly charg'd the foe,
Shooting through loop-holes in the sadle bow.
[Page 63] THE EIGHTIE FIRST FABLE. Of the Dog and the Sheep.
ROugh with a trundle tail, a Prick-ear'd Cur,
That had nine Warrens of starv'd Fleas in's Fur,
On whom was manginesse entail'd, and itch,
From his Sire Isgrim, and a Cat-ey'd Bitch;
With these endowments Rich,
And some bold vices now we vertues call,
He brought to th' Judgement Hall
His accusation 'gainst a guiltlesse Sheep,
That he the staff of life from him did keep,
A Loaf he lent him of the purest Wheat,
And at the high Tribunal seat
At once he charg'd, and at once claims the debt.
The Sheep denies that ere he had to doe
With this strange Dog, that no good Shepheard knew;
Since he no Bond could prove, desir'd release;
Then bawls the Cur, Behold my Witnesses,
Let them the truth confesse;
The Vulture, Fox, and Squint-ey'd Kite appear,
Whom God nor Conscience fear,
To whom he promis'd equall shares before,
For which (as they instructed were) they swore
They saw when he deliver'd him the Bread,
Refusing bond; and kindly said,
Without such things, Brethren should Brethren aid.
The Beasts had savage Laws, Who could not pay,
Convicted at the Cred'tors mercy lay;
Such was the poor Sheeps case, none could exhort
The Dog to save the honour of the Court,
Since cruelty was his sport,
But at the Sheep with open mouth he flew,
And in th' whole benches view,
Sucks his warm Blood, and eats his panting Heart,
And to each Witnesse quarters out their part;
When one did say, Thus innocence we see,
Was never yet from danger free;
As th' Evidence, so must the Sentence be.
MORALL.
While Oaths and Evidence shall bear the cause,
Men of small Conscience little fear the Laws.
What Trade are you? a Witnesse Sir; Draw neer,
Ther's Coyn, goe swear, what I would have you swear.
FINIS.