with the Ruines of Warr have been even fatal to the very Memories of our Predecessors by almost a total suppression of our most antient Records as if it had been the sole ambition of their Power and Success to make Posterity believe they had a being from their Conqueror have ecclipsed with those Presidents of Fame the High Renown of Royal Arthur whose Deeds Authors are forced to deliver but as their best Fables For the Character of Vortiger our Stories of this Age though very obscure and imperfect mention him a Prince of this Nation and possibly I have taken his Figure more resembling what he truely was or ought to be supposed than had I endeavoured to produce his Life as it stands imperfectly framed in Story which considering the difference of Writers in the occurrences of that Age must render much of the Truth they pretend to deliver little better than mistake or fiction As to the Queen whom I mention by the name of Bonduca the strictness of some may be apt to call me to an Account because there was a Brittish Queen called Voadicia Boadicia or Bonduca in the time of Nero mentioned by Historians which is granted to precede the Age I take for my Poem for whose satisfaction I desire they will be contented to believe as my Muse presumes to verifie that this was another Person though as Heroick and Glorious a Queen as the former It being not at all impossible since as I have already expressed there were so few of the Princes of those times faithfully delivered to us from History That there is not seldome the difference of an Age or more in Writers as to their times of being in the World But however this to the Judicious can appear no fault when Virgil allow'd to be the Prince of Poets makes Dido and his Aeneas contemporaries which according to the strictness of Chronology could not be by some hundreds of years For introducing the Roman Consul into my Poem I suppose there cannot be any ground for exception there being at that time a Consull called by the name of Aetius or Ennius who Commanded botli in Gaul and Brittany And for my Character of Alvatrix he may well be allowed to be the Roman Generals Martial associate since Gaul had not then freed it self from the Tallons of the Roman Eagle being somewhat later than Brittany discharged from that Bondage and consequently obliged to bear Armes in their Quarrel which is so possible to be true that it cannot prejudice my introducing him here With like plausible liberty have I framed the Character of Merlinus in imitation of our famous Merlin supposed to be living about the age I have taken for my Poem and the rest But I fear I have given the Reader a needless trouble in behalfe of my Characters since I have little reason to doubt he will not willingly comply with the liberty I have taken Having thus given an account of the quality of my Poem I cannot but give him this short one of the Quantity of it which is that these two Books are not my intended end as may be judged from the Conclusion of my second My Original design being to introduce our famous Progenitors the Saxons and so Body in the end both Nations together who after many bloody Conflicts united themselves into one People But I find it is time to bid my Reader farewell though before I part with him I must oblige him not to misconster my sense in what I have written concerning Religion which as is already mentioned I thought most proper in a Poem to raise meerly from the Principles of Nature As likewise where I have expressed any thing concerning Superstitious Practises and Priests who originally must be supposed to be the Grand Introducers of those Delusions which have so missed and abused Mankind The Reader is desired to take all expressions of this kind as they are really meant not against any perswasion of Christian Religion and the Holy Functions appertaining to it But in General and wholly directed against False and Erroneous Worships and Beliefes which least there should be any imputation charged on me or those Reflections I have made Wrested to a contrary Sense I could not but instance this my defence Concluding that as this Poem was writ for my Diversion so it now comes to be published having received incouragement from the Judgments of some Friends who thought it might not be unwelcome to the World A Motive powerful enough to incline my Consent nor did I Judge it unreasonable for me to expect it since no less a Novelty than any this Age hath produced Yet I am not so fond as to believe there is much got from entertaining the World in Print it being too much good Fortune to hope that any thing can pass so currant as not to meet with Detraction Mistake or Envy which never want darts to wound a Merit farr Superior than I pretend to there being few who are Candid and truely discerning whose Judgments have any sway or not descry'd by the prevalency of Malevolent or weaker apprehensions But since I have sent this Poem abroad to shift for it self I must submit to what Reception the World will please to allow it not doubting but the impartially Judicious may receive no very inconsiderable satisfaction Farewell TO MY HONOURED FRIEND Edward Howard Esq On his Heroick Poem The Brittish Princes THat Noble Poem which thou giv'st us now Does both oblige the Dead and Living too Till the old Brittains fame thou didst display Their Glories were interr'd as much as they And all the world by what thou now dost write Are bravely taught both how to Love and Fight To purchase Fame two things are requisite Great Deeds and those by a great Poet writ Aeneas Glory had not liv'd so long Had it not been the Theam of Maro's Song Arthur a brave and valiant Brittish King Wanting a Poet who his Reige could sing Has nothing but his Name that does survive But in thy verse his Son shall ever live Which shows how soon a Lawrel Wreath decayes When 't is not interwoven with the Bayes Though Nature many Powerful Charms did give To fair Bonduca yet we all believe Her Beauties in their height ne'r shone so bright As thou hast drawn them now in black and white The Poets Art the Painters does controul This but the Body draws but that the Soul Old Ennius Passion for the Queen does prove No cold can triumph o'r the heat of Love Whose boundless Power who can too much admire Which Ages Ashes turns into a Fire Thou art the first hast done thy Country right For th' English who Heroick Poems write In praise of Foreigners employ their Pen Though their own Country yields the bravest men For who but they at once could overcome The falshood of the Gauls and force of Rome And on both Generals impose their Fate Though Rival'd Love their swords did animate But our Delight why dost thou so much wrong As
Infant to perfection grew And made Faith primitive with Reason too Thus Man from Nature Heaven did first revere E'r Priesthoods pious frauds induc'd their fear Who Man directed from this Road to stray That these as hireling Guides might lead his way And here themselves set up e'r mankind saw How Sects had mask'd the face of heav'ns bright Law Who like Seel'd Doves their souls had taught to fly That lose themselves in hope to reach the Sky Thus Reason and Belief at diff'rence grew Instructing more than from Heav'ns works men knew On which while they with wondring prospect look Admire Faiths Text unwritten in this Book While that reflects a Being to our sense In this vast mirror of omnipotence And but the essence from us does conceal Too great for Natures Glasses to reveal Hence Man from her own Institutes first read The Book of Heav'n in VVorks and Causes spread Not daring further by rash zeal to pry Lest Faith should prove his own bold mystery This antient zeal in Britain practic'd stood Untaught from Sects the seeds of war and blood VVho wayes to Heav'n by sev'ral tracts devise As if Faiths could be various and wise Or that above such peaceless Conducts were As wings of discord Souls must thither bear VVhilst in the Worlds great Volume here we find A Sacred Order and unerring mind And hence with pity did our Britains see The worlds divided bold Divinity As if heav'ns works did not enough declare Or to Beliefs alone defective were While they with sober eyes heav'ns Volume read Securely rev'renc'd by implicit dread To which in Natures works their sense must bow That Faith on Reasons wings may upward go But as contemplative Devotions seem Useless Conceptions on a Sacred Theam Except the Soul oblige the sense to be A due subservient in each faculty Which here a publick practice did avow That Temples Sacred Dedications show The Presence Chambers kept on Earth for Heaven Where Souls united-Rev'rence best is given Hither the Princes as the early morn With rosie blushes does the East adorn In Royal state with Great Bonduca come To pay their thanks for vanquish'd Gaul and Rome Yet in so solemn pomp they now appear As does on vulgar eyes impress heav'ns fear While Princes scarce divinely Subjects sway Unless they guide them their celestial way A Robe of Arthurs Albianus wears Which his great Lineage and Atchievments bears Kept sacred to adorn his mighty line When Temples with their offer'd Trophies shine A Vest as Admir'd Vortiger had on Which from this Islands foes his Grandsire won Whose artful colour pass'd the Tyrian Dye Oblig'd to triumph in this Legacy 'Twixt these the Queen more bright than Morning beams Whose beauties Poets might have wish'd their theams When they the Cyprian Goddess feign'd to be Loves matchless Copy and Divinity Her Robes were like the Easts bright Curtains drawn With Stars embroider'd that precede the dawn Which curious Virgins had with needles wrought And to their beauteous Queen a present brought O'r these in Tresses hangs her Aubrone hair Softer than Gossamors that glide the air While on her head a golden Crown is worn And in her hand a Jewell'd Scepter born Thus to this Temple Queen and Princes came Which if my Muse can credit give to Fame In London stood a Fane of more renown Than other Cities through the world had known No date so antient to record the Day When this vast building in foundation lay Whither from hands that stone could liquid mould The Gothick long lost Art or Dorrick old White Marble works the outward Frame adorn By mighty Pillars of like substance born And at some distance to the eye does show Like Alpine Mountains cover'd o'r with snow And though this Fane did wond'rous art compleat The Dedication's more divinely great Which here to Natures sacred works is rais'd From whence the Godhead though unknown is prais'd O'r a high Portal an Inscript'on's read In antient Text that speaks this Temples dread By which time Natures Child stands figur'd young Who feels no age though ages does prolong No less admir'd the inside does appear As if Art only plac'd her wonders here Or Nature had her choice mater'als brought And with these Artist hands her self had wrought The inward structures were of pollish'd stone From Quarries brought to man this day unknown Which like Heav'ns face their Azure glories shew Or clearest Saphirs of the richest blew VVhose spacious Roof such lofty Pillars bear As tallest Cedars shrubs to them appear On which their skill as from above inspir'd Such works had wrought no mortal like admir'd While from the Walls the Roof and Pavements here So strangely represented objects are As 't was some doubt to all in heart unclean These stones reflections should express their stain VVhich speaks how pure the souls of men should be That here adore this great Divinity VVithin this mighty Fane were lesser seen To Natures Morals had long sacred been As Justice Temp'rance divine Charity And Fortitude whose glory crowns the three But loves Religion a mysterious grace Has from all these a fifth divided place VVhich for mans sake this heav'nly Name must give Lest claim'd by beasts from procreation live Here the vow'd Lover takes his bloomy Bride Her Virgin Zone by Maiden hands unty'd VVhere Monuments were rais'd to give such fame That bare through wedlock an unspotted name But these my Muses Records faintly shew VVhich tells that Mar'age happy then made few And though tow'rds heav'n thus chain'd such seem to move Proves but too oft the schism war of love Yet here for Loves repute some Virgins lye In Chrystal Tombs were said love-sick to die Though this the Modern doubtfully believe Since this disease it self such cures can give The Queen and Princes passing these Fanes by Each casts on Loves their more indulgent eye As if they 'd secretly his ayd implore Or would his Altars above all adore Pass'd through the Body of this Temple they See Iv'ry Gates a spacious Quire display VVhich but admittance gives on solemn dayes The High Appartment call'd of Natures praise And here the Druids so renown'd by Fame In order stand to celebrate this Name Their Priestly Vestments of a speckled green As in her bloomy Livery Spring is seen VVhose Pow'r Divine in Mystick Notes they sing VVith all her Summer glories and her Spring VVhence Vegitives without sence life receive And Man and Beasts does healthful vigors give Describing next the Oceans vast extent VVith all the motions of that Element VVhy Egypts Nile so usefully does flow VVhile other Streams their narrow Ebbs must know Then from stupend'ous Rolls of Natures Law Praecepts from humane life divinely draw Free from disguise in controverted Texts The marks of Error and the Badge of Sects And thus these sacred Monitors declaim Vice the Souls riot in our Bodies frame But not as this day Priests our souls invade Since damning men was then an unknown Trade Lest Nature we a guilty
conjoyn'd they fought For which the Sun shall ne'r consume a Day But I devoted thankes to Heaven will pay That can no Merit great enough allow To you as Princes and as Lovers too For which 't is my unhappiness to live Except at once I had two Souls to give Yet must your Passions blame that did decree A Death of both or either without me That could have been contented first to dye And Pay Loves Debt with my sad destiny Then to each Prince a gentle hand does give Which humbly kiss'd they on their knees receive Whose Lilly-white best Orient-Pearl did stain And out-shin'd Saphyrs blew in every vein Thus leads them with her to a Royal seat Where soon Merlinus did attend to Greet The happy Cures his wondrous art had done Which they with highest thanks and presents own 〈◊〉 to his Person great endearments give Admiring his deep meanes by which they live Whence they in such short time o'rcame their griefs And Nature furnish'd with such strange reliefes To whom Merlinus thus does humbly speak Since Nature her bright handmaid Art did make Few of her Counsels and admir'd effects But profound Science wondrously Inspects Else her large Providence that guides things here Must prove to Mortals but a niggard Care If she producing Creatures by her Power Did fail of meanes their Glories might restore Hence through the Universe her healthful Lawes With every being show a Divine cause While Stars no more her operations cost Than Plants and Herbs that humbly spring may boast Nor does this Mistress of the World deny To disclose secrets in her bosome lie If Mans frail Sense she does sublimely teach Can the deep Process of her wonders reach Hence Med'cins sets apart and joyes the Cure That makes her Individuals long endure Which in her most lov'd sympathies consist Or such Antipathies Disease resist Thus by my skill and fervent Prayers I sought That Soul to Inform'd matter first she brought Which has from Elements distinct essence Yet is of all things one best Quintessence And this our Lives Infirmities Restores Beyond the aid of Natures common Powers Assisting life with life the self same way That first in Bodies she did Souls convey This said a Vial of a substance too His Art next precious to th' Elixar knew Presents the Queen and Princes which contain'd This sublime worke by his deep Science gain'd At Natures richest cost whose value could Purchase the World and next transmute to Gold All kind of mettals that if Treasure fail This endless wealth might Brittains Foes assaile And here admiring they a while it view Which does in colour far more beaut'ous show Than Iris various Arch and seemes like beames Of Sun and Stars or more Coelestial Flames And to Merlinus with one voice reply Most mighty Bard since in thy skill doth lie Such sublime knowledge ne'r to Man was known May future Ages ever it Renown Not suffering time whose hand doth often raze His choicest glories ever thine deface Or from forgotten truth make Fictions Fame The bold oblivion of thy sacred Name Which said resolve this matchless work shall be Preserv'd as Natures highest Mystery And in that Temple kept where Brittains pay Devotion to her mighty Power each day And now the Queen whose mind unusual cares Did apprehend in her late sad despaires Acquaints him how her Soul a Voyage took In that deep Trance as it lifes Fetters broke Whence to her seem'd that warlike Nations spread Banners throughout this Isle with horror led Whose manners they before did never know With Images beheld of Princes too That should mix blood with Brittains Royal Line And thence succeeding Ages fruitful shine Changing Complexion of our Lawes and Speech Say wond'rous Bard if thy deep Science reach To future things What do these Visions speak Or are they but such Fantasmes vain Dreams make To which this Learned Sage does thus express Illustrious Queen though 't is most hard to guess Succeeding Acts of Time wrapt in the Lawes Of Providence the Worlds great hidden cause While in our Bodies Souls commix with Sence That does obstruct their Divine Praescience Else might their Vision without sensual eyes Take highest Prospect of her Mysteries Since Nature to the World and all things live In different Bodies a-like Soul does give And is diffus'd from her Internal mind Where every cause does actual fore-sight find Which since our Souls cannot in Bodies reach By glorious Mediums she our Sence does teach Nor must we think the Orbes and Starry-Sphaere But as Nights Tapers Heaven has kindled there Or that Ecclipses of the Sun and Moon Defects of Nature show and not our own Though it must dazel Humane sence to read The Text of Heaven in such bright causes spread Hence oft Mutations follow Crowns and States Which ignorant minds allot to Chance and Fates While nothing to us Mortals 〈◊〉 insues But she in some Prophetick Cause foreshewes And what the restless studies of my Art To you great Queen and Princes can impart I humbly offer in this hour to show That strikes my Soul with some amazement too Craving this Royal Presence a short space Some learned Products of his skill to grace And may for Brittains sake be useful seen Which said the Princes with the beauteous Queen Remove in State and thus by him are brought To an Appartment vast and wond'rous wrought From Archytects taught by his deep survey Which none but he e'r enter'd to this day Wherein this Sage long Contemplation took T' instruct the World in Natures profound Book Or else the Muses sublime Raptures writ That Poets call Heavens best inspired wit A Science graces all yet taught by none In Schooles Pedantick Tearmes and Precepts known Where Faith could not it self from Tutors free While this remains untaught Divinity And Natures best Exchequer has for store Spending profusely thence yet never Poor Though oft like virtue meets Inglorious Fate Since more than Human Soul its worth must rate Nor did that Age the Muses less esteem Than Sacred Raptures Men Prophetick deeme From whence the wise Castalian Cliffs aspir'd And with Heavens zeal this Divine gift admir'd The End of the Sixth Canto The Seventh Canto ANd now this Royal Presence duely plac'd Wonder to see how this Appartment's grac'd Whose Globulous roofe seems like a moving Sphaere Where Stars in Aspects shine as Heaven was there Nor were the Walls and Pillars less bright fam'd By his great skill of hardn'd Chrystal fram'd That none e'r malleable had made before And which all shapes of Creatures figur'd bore Then entertains their Royal Eares and sight With Bodies wond'rous organ'd for delight While some in Birdlike shapes best Musick sing And thus about this Roofe are seen to wing Next which in various Postures did appear Gygantick figur'd-Men and what 's as rare The shapes of Pigmyes Natures Dwarfish crew That Dialogue speak and make strangè exits too A Crystal wall then severs whence to sight A Scene appeares than Evenings Sky more
calls their flights ignoble innocence While these that did him Sov'raign duties owe Consult their safeties and decline his now Like some base vulgars that for ends or fear Desert their Prince lest they his dangers share With frowns then curles his brow and shakes his head As if he 'd speak revenge to all that fled But he alass is but a Prince of Deer Whom Nature chiefly arms with flight and fear And thus forlorn in stately hast does flye Scorning such vassals dare not with him dye As some great Chief distress'd by Fate and Foes Safety by slight unwillingly had chose And as he is the mightiest of his kind In such proportion does his speed now find Yet so magnanimous designs his hast That Lyon-like unseen he runs most fast While Hounds the swiftest of the Brittish Race As if their heels were wing'd pursue his Chace To whose glad cries the Huntsmen wind recheats Which Eccho's wounded ear as shrill repeats Next these the Horse of Brittains Northern kind Fleeter than Jennets issues of the wind Their dext'rous Riders speed to chace this Deer As when for Palms they swift contenders are And now this Glory of the Herd perceives His breath impairs in which lifes essence lives Wond'ring that Nature should for life prepare Breath and yet want it while the world has air Or that so weak a substance should betray The Bodies frame to deaths inglorious sway To Woods the Shades of Nature then does fly The soft Apartments of his Monarchy Where he had often cool'd more mighty flames Among the nimble Hindes his am'rous Dames And thence did these a stately Progress lead To sport in Streams or fertile Vales to feed Now finds his shady Palaces beset And Men and Dogs for his destruction met Whose tracts though intricate as Lab'rinths are But easie problems to the Hounds appear While he laments his fate that Nature gave To make his life thus to their treasons slave Then leavs these Groves Woods with weary heels And ev'ry limb a frail supporter feels While thus emboss'd he takes his long-lov'd Thames That oft refresht Harts wearied limbs and flames And first with sighs he bids these streams adieu Then takes his thirsty farewel draught here too Which done he faster swims than Vessels glide Or into Neptune's bosom flowes the Tide And here the Queen that with her nimble Steed Did Horse and Hounds and ev'n the wind out-speed First to this Streame pursu'd this mighty Deere Next whom the Princes and their train appear Filling the Shoar t' observe this famous Chace While Thames rejoyc'd to see their pastimes grace His pleasing billows Curles his gentle brow Bidding his stream no further now to flow Until his Waves their homage here did pay To their great Persons gladly they obey Each Billow bowing with its Chrystal head Which done their gentle Current joyful speed And with their pleasing murmurs as they glide Encrease the constant Musick of their Tide While Thames now wish'd he might his Banks o'rflow And with them on his waves this Chace pursue Now this cool Flood and Glory of all Streams Begot by Isis smooth embrace with Thames This mighty Deer with some refreshment leaves As if his flames were Julip'd from these waves But when he finds no Element or Art Can Men and Hounds escape he chides his Heart That with his winged heels conspir'd to fly And thinks now of some glorious way to dye Not far from hence he views a Camp of Fame Great Julius rais'd to war upon this Stream Where first that Conqu'ror had him tamely bred And from his glorious hand and Table fed Thither with a Majestick grace he flies VVhile like small riv'lets tears flow from his eyes To miss his mighty Master who did give Him a bold Power in spight of Foes to live And now at this Camps Avennue does stand Where he had oft been stroak'd and lick'd his hand That did with glorious Chaplets wreath his Brow Circling his Neck with Jewell'd Collars too VVhere thus distress'd and weary'd by long flight Must all his Foes without protection fight Though here resolves like Caesars Stag to dye And with bold rage on Men and Dogs does flye Some with his Spear-like head he gores till life Impair'd by wounds did breathless end his strife VVhich into air a mingled flight does take No more discern'd than Tracts soft winds do make Thus fell this mighty Deer the Herds renown While his pursuers now a pity own Wishing they could his vanquish'd life restore That Dy'd more brave than e'r did Hart before Whose bulk and beam as they with wonder view A golden Ring upon his Neck does shew Him to have liv'd compleat five hundred year If Fame have credit since call'd Caesar's Deer The Queen and Princes to renown this Chace Resolve his Figure stately carv'd to place In their bright Courts that both his life and fate Might with their Glories bear perpetual date While as the Huntsmens Horns now wind his death And Fame that wing'd this chace a while took breath Fate does allarum her to take swift flight And blaze on crimson wings a bloody fight For as Romes Chief and Gauls this Hunting knew Design'd for the Queens sport and Princes too Resolve their plighted Faith and Truce to break And with bold Arms them here surpriz'd to take Thus with fierce hast their num'rous Troops they lead Which hot allarums to the Princes speed Who swiftly range their Guards of Spears and Bows And with the Trusti'st the fair Queen enclose Invoking Heav'ns just Pow'r to aid their might As the Truce-breaking Gauls and Romans fight That Ennius with Alvatrix thence may see Some dismal Fate on their joynt-treachery But oh the guilt of Pow'r imploy'd unjust To serve the ends of Empire or of lust Which highest Mortals impiously pursue Yet all Crimes but their own dare punish too The End of the Second Canto The Third Canto Romes Consul thus and Gauls fierce Prince array'd To act the Faithless Truce their Legate made Where Ambuscado's subt'ly they had drawn T'infest the VVoods and the adjoyning Lawn Where now the Princes their bold Forces drew In heart all daring though in numbers few Who disadvantag'd more must now oppose The force and treach'ry of their num'rous Foes And thus does Ennius to Alvatrix speak The time is come that Rome and Gaul shall take A full revenge on Brittains Pow'r and Pride That durst our Conquests with their Arms deride What though th' advantage breach of Truce obtains While ev'ry Monarch ev'n as guilty Raigns Making their Leagues wise respits unto warr Till they in Pow'r and Armes recruited are Nor will the World a prosperous Guilt condemne When Virtue does its bright Companion seem Who on success like Sun-shine cast their eyes Forgetting the Black Cloud did with it rise Nor is it more a Sin in War than State Disadvantageous Faith to violate VVhich Princes never meant should give them Law When onely feeble Faith their Power does awe See how our Leg'ons compass