torn One evil more not to be born Was that most men did think it right They not the Cause but Fortune's spight Beholding crying all things down But what th' Event does happy crown Who Fortune leaves it haps to those Their good esteem they first do lose To think on 't is vexation great How busily the Vulgar treat And 't is most true The heaviest weight Of adverse Fortune is that strait Who is accus'd and falls thereby Is thought to suffer worthily And I from my estate thrust out Stript of my honours and no doubt Of my good name thus suffer must For goodness punishments unjust Besides methinks I plainly see The wicked making jollity And egging each trapanning knave No matter how the good t' enslave Who by my fall deterr'd do ly Open unto their villany Who dare doe mischief ' cause that they Unpunish'd are and will for prey This to the innocent is hard Not only for to be debarr'd Of safety but of his defence Then loud to cry is no offence O thou most High that sitt'st on thy eternal Throne Who to th' whole Sky gav'st rules for it to move alone That mad'st the Moon by th' Sun's reflex to shine so bright Small Starrs to drown he from her hid to lose her light One Star thou mad'st t' attend the Sun each night new born Which then invades the circle to bring up the morn When Winter does the trees devest to have short light When Summer cloaths them then thou dost contract the night Throughout the year the seasons rul'd are by thy power What 's nipt by th' Bear the West-wind's fresh again restore And when benigne Arcturus gravidates the earth Then thou dost bring hot ripening Sirius to the birth All things we see by thy fixt law thou dost direct And can it be that Man alone thou should'st neglect How or from whence is' t fickle Chance does him pursue And Innocence receive the hire to th' wicked due That wicked men set in high place the good deride Whil'st in a den bright Vertue 's forc'd her head to hide And the Just man a villain 's deem'd whil'st perjuries Do him crapan and neatly-close-composed lies But if that they get strength insulting they none spare But make a prey of mighty Kings whom all do fear Thou that guid'st all behold this miserable Earth And the no small part of it Man thy dearest birth Fortune 's his foe but thy great power her rage can lay Then us below as thou above dost rule we pray When I with grief had this snarl'd out She smil'd and nothing mov'd No doubt Said she I made when I did see Thee weep thou wert in misery And banish'd but how far from home Hadst thou not told me I 'de not known But from your Country as you 've said You are not banish'd but have strai'd Or if you 'd rather think it true T is you your self has banish'd you For no man living else could doe 't Remember that your off-spring's root Is not Athenian Anarchy But in one King blest Monarchy Who joys in many Subjects free Does none thrust out by 's laws to be Guided and 's justice to obey Is the full summe of all we pray Dost thou not of thy Country know The ancient law the which does show That no man can be banish'd thence That there would make his residence For who within its bounds does keep Can't fear he can deserve to sleep In exile but who would it quit Quits therewithall desert and wit So not the place but thy disguise Me moves For why I do not prize Thy Library so richly wrought But thy own Mind with Vertues fraught Which not of Books but Knowledge great I once with care had made the seat Thou hast with truth spoke thy good will To th' common good but with small skill Thou hast thy own deserts lay'd out That thou art honest none do doubt All know the falshood they did use Thou hast done well not to accuse But gently thy accusers hate Because all tongues do it relate Thou blam'st the Senate's foul decree Thou griev'st they have accused me Bewail'st the loss of my good name And then Fortune dost exclame With bitterness thou dost complain That Vertue 's recompens'd with pain At last thou thy sharp verse dost close With praier on earth for heaven's repose By all which plainly we may see Sadness and grief distracteth thee So that in this mind thou art in With easie things we must begin Those perturbations that thee swell A gentle handling may dispell So fitted them for to endure With sharper med'cines we 'l thee cure Who seasons does not know But does i' th' Solstice sow 'T is fit he should want Bread And be with Acorns fed No Violets you 'l find When Frost the earth does bind Nor on the wither'd tree Fresh branches will you see 'T is Autumn all can tell When Bacchus clusters swell God does unto each time A proper use assigne And it so fast has bound Nothing can it confound But what does it forsake A sad account does make With a few questions first must I With your good leave you move and try That so I may know your disease Ask me said I e'ne what you please I 'le answer make Then she reply'd Dost think that Chance this world does guide Or think'st thou Reason does it rule Then said I I am no such fool To think rash Chance at all can move Such certainties 't is God above To his own work does sure preside Nor will nor have I it deny'd 'T is true said she you so did sing When Man you griev'd to be the thing Only from care Divine left out But of the rest you made no doubt And truly I do wonder how You can be ill that this do know But we will higher seek to find For that I guess something 's behind Then tell me since thou dost believe That God to th' world does order give By what means does he govern it I cannot frame an answer fit Since scarce thy scope by me 's conceiv'd Then I said she was not deceiv'd Thinking a breach was open left By which disturbances in crept But can'st thou tell of things the ends Or unto what whole Nature tends I 've heard but grief makes me forget Dost know who all things did beget Yes God said I. And how can't be That you the Rise yet End don't see Troubles of mind 't is often found Do man in 's Reason much confound But not destroy Answer me than Dost thou remember thou' rt a Man Why yes said I most perfectly And can'st thou tell what 't is to be A Man Strange question askt as though Me rational I did not know And mortal too I do confess Dost thou said she know nothing else Why no Then thy disease is plain Self-ignorance does cause thy pain And now the cause I have found out Thee for to cure I do not doubt Confounded by Oblivion vile Thou griev'st thy plunders
agree Which firmly all things govern does And sweetly does the same dispose How these results not only do The height of Reason to me show But thy words placed are so right They give to me a high delight Henceforth then imprudence and folly Will never vye with things so holy Hast thou not heard said she the tale How Giants Heaven did assail But them this power did confound And worthily them threw to ground But wilt thou that I farther yet Thy intellect with reasons whet By this collision there 's no doubt There will some sparks of Truth fly out Doe as you please There 's none said she Doubts God Omnipotent to be None well in 's wits The word is so Omnipotent can all things doe That 's true What then can God doe Ill Why no said I. Then follow will That Ill is nothing since that who Can all things cannot Evil doe Dost me delude me thus to bring Into a Lab'rinth with reasoning Thou me alwaies dost put in doubt While thou thy self go'st in and out At pleasure or dost complicate A winding circular estate Of the simplicity Divine For but ev'n now thou didst define Beatitude chief Good to be And that plac'd in the Deity That God himself is this Goodness As also perfect Blessedness Hence follow'd None can happy be That is not one o' th' Deity Thou said'st the form of this Goodness The very substance of God is This Good to be but one you taught For that by all things it is sought You farther also did decide That God by good this World does guide And that all things do with their will Obey that Nature has no ill To prove all this thou didst not bring Reasons which do at distance spring But such as nigh and proper are One still confirming the other Why then I do not mock said she For by God's help that 's prov'd you see For which we did agree before The heavenly aid for to implore Such is the form of this Divine Substance that it does not decline To outward things nor does at all Accept things that are externall Of which Parmenides does say A round is equall ev'ry way And if that I have not gone far For reasons to prove this matter But only have made use of those Which fitly from it self arose Thou hast no reason me to blame Since Plato taught the very same Speech that to matter is apply'd To th' matter ought to be ally'd Thrice happy is the man that can goodness clearly once behold Thrice happy surely is the man whom earth's ties do not hold Orpheus he Full mournfully his dear-belov'd Wive's death did ' plain While he did play Woods ran away and Rivers fixed did remain The Hinde without all fear did ly close unto the Lion's side Nor was the Hare scar'd with the cry nor when she the Dogs espy'd Yet inwardly The fire did fry and he who all things else could tame Could not appease This fierce disease nor quench this all-devouring flame Full highly then he did complain the Gods without mercy were And his dear Wife for to regain unto Hell he did repair With measur'd feet And musick sweet he did the hel-hounds all disarm His mother she A Goddess free did teach him how he them should charm He did his grief before them lay his lost Love did sadly mourn And Pluto ' s self did humbly pray her to him for to return With his sweet Song The Fiends among he Cerberus did chiefly move Who him let in Then all being for to sollicite for his Love Now Ixtion not turns the Wheel Tantalus his Thirst forgets Nor Titius does the Vulture feel musick all their torments lets The shady King When he did sing could not deny to grant his boon Give him said he Euridice with Musick us he has o'recome But lest that he too high should swell with this law I will him ty If he look back on her in hell he shall lose her instantly But who with law Can Lovers aw Love is a thing that has no bound He by twilight Of her had sight lost her and did himself confound This Fable does all them concern who to vertue do arrive And then forget what they did learn back again to darkness drive Who does know Bliss Yet will with this vain world give trouble to his mind All he did gain With so much pain by looking back he lost will find THE FOURTH BOOK PHilosophy with a sweet voice Did sing this song and kept a choice Decorum both in word and look When I abruptly undertook Not having yet my grief lay'd by To speak O light of truth said I Whatever yet thou hast lay'd forth Appears to be of divine worth By reasons not to be repell'd Thou said'st these were from me with held By extreme grief and yet but so That heretofore I did them know But of my grief the greatest cause Is this to know that God who laws To all does give is good then how Can Ills or be or scot-free goe This which does so much trouble me I leave to be admir'd by thee A greater yet for to be plain Is this while wickedness does reign Vertue has no reward at all But stead thereof the wicked call It Vice and punishments inflict But that it should be a delict And God should see 't who all does know All power has who will not doe Any thing but what 's very good May be admir'd not understood That 's right said she if that it were As thou dost think it would more scare Then sight of ugliest monsters would To think the Heavenly Father should In his well-order'd house respect The basest and the best neglect But 't is not so for if that that thou Our late Conclusions dost avow By his help of whom now we speak Thou 'lt know the Wicked are but weak The Good are potent and that Vice Is punish'd Vertue held in price The Good enjoy a happy state The Wicked are unfortunate More may be said of the like strain Will make thee henceforth not complain And since the forme of perfect Bliss By me unto thee shewed is And that thou know'st where it is plac'd The time I will no longer wast But I to thee the way will show How thou unto thy home may'st goe I will give wings unto thy Mind By which thou shalt a safe way find Set free from all disturbances Unto thy Country with much ease Triumphantly thou home shalt ride My skill and knowledge thee shall guide For I have Wings of subtle make which if the Mind puts on 'T will soon above the Pole ascend and Earth not look upon 'T will soon pass through the Aiery globe and clouds will leave behind With nimble course the Fire 't will pass o' th' Sun that mortals blind The region cold that Saturn rules will not at all it stay 'T will pass the Starrs that paint the sky so bright i' th' Milky way And having past the highest sphear and left the
them so Like as old Pictures do appear In smoaky rooms their colour were And in the lower bordering The letter II was weav'd in green And in the upper see you might The letter Θ weav'd in white Between the letters there were set As 't were a ladder up to get So climbing the degrees to move From Earth below to Heaven above But some rude hand her Robe did tear And every one catcht for a share In her Right hand a Book she held A Sceptre did her Left hand wield When she the Muses had descry'd They standing all by my bed's side As willing for to comfort me On them she cast an angry eye And Who unto this languishing Sick man said she these whores did bring With poisons they his fancy please But give no Physick him can ease These these are they that Reason's corn Destroy with planting fruitless thorn These trouble not relieve the mind And could you none but this man find Had you but only drawn apart A rude prophane or vulgar heart I had not car'd but to insnare Him who has been my only care In Wisdome's School brought up and nurst Go go ye Sirens go accurst And leave this sick man's cure to me This said th' whole quire did agree In one sad look confest that they For shame did blush so went away Tears dazled had my eyes and I Affrighted all this while did lie Wondring who this same should be Commanded with such majesty And silently I did me bear Expecting what next I should hear She me approach'd and did sit down On my bed's side then with a frown She me beheld who griev'd did lie And on the ground had fixt my eye But thus she seeing me in pain Of mans disquiet did complain O how cast down with care Mens minds oppressed are Who leaving bright day-light Run groveling in the night While clogg'd with things below Vexations on them grow He while he lived free The heavenly Orbs did see The splendor of the Sun And course of the cold Moon What course each wandering Star Thorough each Orb did bear All these he firmly knew And all the causes true How shrill loud Winds do make The Pontick Sea to quake What spirit roules the world How Hesperus that 's hurl'd Down nightly shines each morn Who 't is that does adorn The Earth i' th' Spring with Flowers Who giveth fertile Showers Makes Autumn's grapes to swell He wonted was to tell Dame Nature's secret laws But now knows not the cause Why he opprest does lie With sad and down-cast eye The foolish world him took Thence on it he does look What boots it though said she to chide 'T were better Physick were apply'd Then fiercely she on me did look Art thou the child said she I took Fed thee with milk and many a cate Untill thou cam'st to man's estate Then gave thee Arms which had kept thee Hadst thou kept them unconquer'd free Dost know me what is' t shame or fear Does make thee silent would it were Ingenuous Shame but I do see 'T is stupid Fear oppresses thee But when not only silent I But speechless seem'd then she to try My health upon my breast she lai'd Her hand Danger there 's none she said A lethargy the common ill Of mindes seduc'd from good to ill He has he 's stupefi'd but lo When come to 's self he will me know Let 's wipe from 's eyes that so he may This cloud of mortal things away Her vestment then folding in plies She wip'd therewith my watry eyes Darkness left me now and night my sight came to me clear Just as when bright Phoebus light at noon cannot appear For that clouds have round about the hemisphaere beset So fixt that it is a doubt the Heaven's motion 's let Boreas sent from Thracian den i' th' evening retrives The light o' th' Sun whose beams then strike the beholders eyes So sorrow's clouds being dispell'd I looking up found I beheld And knew the face that brought me cure Then looking on her Thou art sure My Nurse that brought me up said I Th' all-powerful Philosophy Art thou from heaven also sent To exile that thou dost frequent These solitudes or art thou come Me to accuse as falsly some Already have Darling said she Why shouldst thou think I will leave thee And not part of the burthen take Which thou dost bear for my names sake Philosophy would sure be shent If she should leave the Innocent Fear would me seise as if in sight Some hideous thing did me affright What 't is but now as it has been Wisdome full often has been seen By wicked manners to be torn Of old our Plato not yet born How oft have I with Foolishness Had strong contests wise Socrates His Master for me did see dy Yet dying gain'd the victory Stoicks and Epicures by name Unto his wisdome have lay'd claim And others too what came to hand Though I did call and did withstand Did catch as prey they tore my Coat Which with my own hands I had wrought And every one did get a part Believ'd they 'd all they did depart ' Mongst these ' cause something did appear Like me Imprudence thought they were Of mine so the mad multitude She did pervert with Errors rude Perhaps thou dost not know the flight Of Anaxagoras nor spight That Socrates endured nor The torments Zeno suffer'd for That they were strangers yet thou know'st That glorious memory can boast The Canii Soran's Seneca's Recent are the fames of these Why was 't these Vertuous men did fall ' Cause in my manners they were all Instructed loose minds could not like Their manners so to theirs unlike So that no wonder 't is at all If in the conflict they do fall Whose Maximes are for to displease The bad whose number 's numberless Yet to be scorn'd for that no guide But ERROR who draws them aside They have who if ' gainst us in sight He do draw up and us does fright Our chieftain presently does place Her forces in a secure place They instantly in vain imploy Themselves our strength for to destroy While we above sit and deride Their plunderings and foolish pride Thus from their fury we retire Sit safe where Folly can't aspire Who in a quiet state With an undaunted look Can trample on proud Fate Good and bad Fortune brook Not him the foaming threats Of rough Seas yelling death Nor Vesuvus fierce heats That strive to stop his breath Nor Lightning wild which coming from above Full oft high towers does consume can move Do not for Tyrants care Who without force do rage Nor hope thou nor yet fear Their fury thou l't asswage But who does trembling stand Wishing for what 's not sure Has left for to command And must inslav'd endure The fool has made a Chain and 't is most fit That he that made it should be bound with it Do'st thou yet understand or do I to a Goose yet velvet show Why do'st thou weep
why tears do'st shed Speak shew thy Reason is not dead If thou l't be cured don 't be shy Thy wounds to shew My mind's force I Collecting then this answer made Does not fell Fortune me invade What need I further it declare This place it self does make 't appear Is this at all like to that place Which thou didst chuse for thy solace My Library where thou and I Oft did descant on the beauty Of things both humane and divine Did I then thus my arms entwine Or did I thus dejected look When we disclos'd hid Nature's book When with thy Jacob's staff thou me Instructed'st in Geometrie And didst describe the spangled Sky That I should guide my life thereby And is this all that they do earn That thee do serve did not I learn From Plato's mouth as thy decree Those Common-wealths should happy be Where either wise men bear the sway Or else where to wise Guardians they Committed are by him also Thou with good arguments dost show That honest men endeavour should To sit at helm and not be fool'd Nor let lewd Citizens to grow Who would the good quite overthrow This thou me taught'st and I desir'd To practice what thou had'st inspir'd Thou and my God who thee did place In wise mens minds are witnesses That nothing but the good o' th' State Brought me to be a Magistrate Hence all my mischiefs grew ' cause I With wicked men could not comply The wicked ones I did offend Though ne're so great I them contemn'd I could not Conigastus brook When he the goods of poor men took How oft Triguilla though he were The King 's great Houshold-officer Have I restrain'd from ills before Such as were past made him restore How often did I interpose My power with hazard to save those Who marked were for sacrifice By the Barbarians cruelties No man did ever me withdraw From doing right that without Law By Pillage and by Taxes rife The people suffer'd was my grief As much as theirs Before the King In a great Famine I did bring The Praetor urg'd the heavy rate Laid on Campania and that State Sav'd from impov'rishing I drew Paulinus Consul when a crew Of ravening wolves did go about Him to devouer safely out When Cyprian Albin did accuse Him till his trial to excuse I did my self to th' hate expose Of his accuser All these foes For others cause I now do prove My safety then should others move Since that there is no way for me Now left by Courtiers to be free ' Cause I was good But by what way Was my fall wrought why even they Who Basil had accus'd before And him displac'd now being poor They him did hire me to accuse Opilio also they did use And lewd Gaudentius two that were For cheating banish'd and for fear Did take Asyle the King advis'd Did judge them to be stigmatiz'd If not soon gone yet these ' gainst me Were heard unheard-of cruelty Was it my cause or their offence Made them so righteous evidence Fortune if not to see me blam'd At least so basely was asham'd But what great Crime in short 't was this I wisht the Senate's happiness And how I stood in the defence O' th' Senate quasht the evidence Prepar'd to make them Traytors all Now judge you whether that I shall Rather this hainous crime deny And so shame thee or justify It as a truth I 'le be no lier I did and ever wil't desire Shall I confess it an offence I then must own the evidence But was 't a crime to wish them well Their own Decrees ' gainst me do tell That it was so but Follie's elf Which ever does bely it self Can't change the merit of the cause Nor ought I by Socratick laws To hide the truth or grant a ly If so then in what fault am I But this to thee and all wise men I leave to judge yet with my pen I 'le write it down that all may know Present and future what I doe Why should I name those Letters feign'd By which I falsly was arraign'd The Roman liberty to hope The craft of them had been lay'd ope If the confession might that day Which in all business most does sway Of my accusers have been ta'ne ' Las hopes of freedome none remain I well may wish but answer'd had In Canius words when it was said By Caius Caesar he was one That wrought the Conjuration Which was contrived against him If I had known 't ' thou hadst not bin But sorrow has not so me dull'd Only to whine because Vice would ' Gainst Vertue strive but I admire Her to o'recome he should aspire Weakness may prompt us unto ill But that we should conceive our Will God seeing against Innocence Should conquer monstrous is to sense From hence one of your family Not ill thus reason'd If there be A God from whence does evil come If none whence good but to come home Grant wicked men who sought the bloud O' th' Senate and of all were good Sought mine who did the Senate serve From them too did I it deserve When did I either say or doe But thou didst me instruct thereto Thou know'st not dreading danger how The Senate's good I did avow Whenas th' insatiate greedy King Did at Verona cause to bring Albinus Treason on them all That in his guilt they all might fall That all these things are true thou know'st That of my self I ne're did boast For he does lessen his good name Who by a brag does catch at fame But see th' event for Vertue true I 'me paid with what to th'Wicked's due When free confession at a Bar Is made those Judges cruel are Who humane frailty don't respect Nor on false Fortune do reflect Had I burnt Churches kill'd the Priests Made righteous bloud run through the streets Yet present I should have been try'd But now five hundred miles aside I by the Senateam condemn'd Because that I did them defend To death and to proscription O worthy that ne're any one Should so offend but they did see Of my great guilt the dignity Which for to blind they did alledge Falsly that I by Sacriledge My conscience had defil'd t' attain My honours but thou know'st that gain Of Worldly things thou far away Didst from my mind remove nor may It be believ'd who in thy sight Does live can such a crime commit This Pythagorean daily thou Into my ears and thoughts didst sow FOLLOW THOU GOD nor was it right That he should use an unclean sp'rite Whose excellence thou mad'st so free That like to God he seem'd to be At home my innocent Retreat Of honest Friends the concourse great The sweet society I held With holy Symmachus dispell'd Even suspicion of such crimes But O the wickedness o' th' times They with this crime did me asperse ' Cause with thy doctrine and manners I was replete so not enough That thou no help shouldst me allow But for me too thou shouldst be
and exile Not knowing of all things the close Thou vile men happy dost suppose Forgetting how the world is sway'd Thou think'st that Chance has thee betray'd Not cause of Sickness hence alone But Death it self may eas'ly come That yet thou dost in safety live To God thou' rt bound thy thanks to give Of Health a symptome great I find By th'sense thou hast of the world's mind That Chance therein does not abide But Godly Reason does it guide Then do not fear this spark so small In thee life's fier kindle shall But for yet 't is not time t' apply Strong remedies therefore will I Knowing by nature minds up take Opinions when they truth for sake From whence Disturbances arise And darken their truth-seeing eyes This cloud of Errours dissipate Or gently it attenuate From falshood's darkness so set free Truth 's glorious splendor thou may'st see In clouded sky the Starrs no light can give When Winds blow high at Sea we scarce can live A Floud down hill with ready current goes But does stand still when Rocks do it oppose So Truth 's bright charms if thou wilt clearly see Clouds Rocks and Storms must first removed be Nor Hope nor Fear nor Joy nor Grief obey Minds clouded are and. byass'd where these sway THE SECOND BOOK WHile silently on me she gaz'd Her modesty m' attention rais'd Then she began If truly I The causes of thy grief espy Thy former Fortune thou dost grieve The change of which thou dost believe Thy Mind has alter'd I well know The many wiles of this siend foe Most friendly she does ever use Those whom she most means to abuse With saddest grief them casting down When unexpected she does frown But if thou wilt but lay to heart Her manners nature and desert In her was nothing worth thy cost Nor by her hast thou gain'd or lost But this into thy mind to bring I think will be an easie thing With my wise sayings thou wert wont When she thee courted her to hunt But nothing new does us come nigh Without the mind's reluctancy Hence 't is that thou a while art gone From thine own quiet station But time it is that thou do take Some pleasing Cordials thee to make More fit strong med'cines to receive Soft sweet Persuasives I conceive Which only then have their right use When they our dictates don't abuse With them let Musick 's sweet delight Strike notes now solemn and now light What is' t I pray has wrought this teen Hast thou ought new not heard of seen If thou blam'st Fortune for this change Thou err'st her nature is to range She her own law has kept with thee In keeping Mutability Such was she when she thee did lure And with false joys did thee allure Her double Deity to thee Discover'd is which few else see And if you like her don't complain If not then do thou her disdain And this which now does thee oppress Should cause thy ease and quietness She thee has left if not 't is sure Thou never could'st have been secure Do fading joyes so rich appear Are Fortune's smiles to thee so dear Why thou canst neither trust her stay Nor brook that she should goe away Then if that none can her retain Nor let her goe without great pain What is this slipp'ry Deity But index of Calamity For what time present does commend Prudence regards not but the End And who both waies her nature metes Nor kindness hopes nor fears her threats With a contented mind then bear What 's done in Fortune's theatre Since thou art under her command For with what reason can it stand She should not her own freedome use Whom for thy mistress thou didst chuse Thou at thy Fortune may'st repine But can'st not change one stroke i' th' line If Sailes to th' winds committed are The Ship no certain course can stear Nor thou to thy design'd Port goe But thither where the winds do blow Thou sow'st thy ground good Corn to bear But oft-times comes a barren year Fortune 's thy Mistress her obey But thou her turning wheel would'st stay Fool of all fools if once that she Stands still she Fortune leaves to be While thus with haughty pride she does run round And like a torrent all does drownd Cruel she without aw on Kings does tread And falsly smiling mounts the abject head She hears no plaints nor cares for pain But laughs at them that do complain Those who her trust she cozens by her power Shewing them blest and curst the self-same hour But yet let Fortune have fair play Then judge if ought but right she say Why dost thou daily me accuse O man how do I thee abuse What is' t that from thee I have ta'ne Chuse thy own Judge 'fore him complain Of Wealth and Honours me implead I willingly will back concede All that thou ask'st if 't can be shown That any mortal them does own When first to live thou didst begin Naked and poor I took thee in With my own goods I cherish'd thee For which thou now dost rail at me I brought thee up with tenderness And with abundance did thee bless Well now from thee these things are rent Be thankfull I so long them lent And not complain that thou art crost As if thy own goods thou hadst lost No violence on thee does light Wealth Honours Pleasures are my right Me for their mistress they do own With me they come with me they 'r gone Thou rashly dost to them lay claim And falsly dost thy loss proclaim Shall only I be barr'd my right The Heavens we see do bring forth Light And it again with Darkness hide Each year the Earth decks as a bride With Fruits and Leaves and Flowers gay Then with chil Frosts nips them away Calm Seas and quiet now entice Now into horrid Storms do rise Yet me that fickle am by kind Insatiate Man to him will bind I having power i' th' world do play And sporting turn a wheel alway Pleasing my self to see how I The high turn down the low bring high If thou do for thy pleasure climbe To throw thee down is my pastime And yet no injury to thee To use my own I being free Dost thou not know rich Croesus sate Whom Cyrus great did fear of late Himself had burnt in his rich tower Had Heavens not quench'd it with a shower Hast thou forgot how pious Paul Did grieve his pris'ner Perses fall What do all Tragedies deplore But Fortune's turning Kingdoms o're When yet a youth wert thou not taught That at Jove's threshold there were wrought Two Vessels one replete with Ills The other Goodness wholy fills What if too much thou took'st of one If yet from thee I am not gone What if this change a just cause be That thou shouldst better hope of me Then faint not nor desire to be Where all are subject only free If as the sands the Seas cast up on high Or as the bands of Starres i' th'
spangled sky If so with Wealth rich plenty should us store Yet want of pelf vain man would still deplore If God each one Honours and Wealth should grant Still they would mone Honours and Wealth to want Rapine does still insatiately require No bridle will hold in untam'd desire None have so much but still desire more He 's never rich that thinks that he is poor If Fortune thus to thee should say How couldst thou answer her I pray Now if thou canst thy plaints defend Speak forth and I 'le attention lend Then I These are but specious shows Musick and Rhetorick God knows Which while we hear do only please But to deep Griefs do give no ease When from the ear the sound is gone Grief more the heart does work upon 'T is true said she these foments are Apply'd but only to prepare To cure thy unruly grief But that which must bring thee relief Must deeper pierce which I 'le apply When 't is fit time the same to try To be in misery to profess Is to forget thy Happiness Thy Father dead thou wert took in By the chief men and joyn'd in kin Alliance which is only good First to their love and then their bloud Who did not emulate thy joys Blest with such Father Wife and Boys But these as common I pass by Nor will I name the dignity With which thy Youth did Age excell The top of thy blest Hap I 'le tell If that in mortal things we see Ought that is blessed can it be A cloud the light should so obscure That memory should not endure When thy two Sons thou didst behold Carry'd from home Consuls inroll'd The Senators them waiting on And peoples acclamation When thou the King's praise didst dilate Before them plac'd in chairs of state When thou 'twixt them while throngs did press Triumphall largess didst disperse While Fortune thus did favour thee While of her bounties she was free While none so much her minion was Thou her good words didst give I guess Let thee and Fortune reckon now What though that she has bent her brow Number thy Joys and Sadnesses Thou happy yet wilt thee confess And if that thou do therefore mone Because thy Joys are past and gone Like reason bids thee mourning stay Since sorrows also pass away Art into th' world but newly come Do'st look here for Elyzium What 's in this life of certainty When ev'ry hower men do dy And could we Fortune's self insure She could but until death endure What diff'rence then whether by dying Thou leave her or she thee by flying When Phoebus galloping amain scatters his orient light The lesser Starrs to fly are fain from his all-dazling sight When Zephyrus doth gently blow the Earth a blush puts on But ruffling Auster he doth throw death's paleness her upon When courted with a gentle grace the Seas are smooth and clear But then put on an angry face when Boreas does appear If nothing in this world be sure but all to change is bent Trust if thou wilt to Fortune's lure trust what 's not permanent But know that ev'ry thing that 's made lies under this decree To rise to flourish and to fade and then no more to be Lady of Vertues then faid I All thou hast said is verity A prosperous swift course I had Which to remember makes me sad For of all mischief that is seen The worst is to have happy been Opinion thee does vex said she From which the things themselves are free If the vain name of Loss thee stound Let 's see how much thou dost abound If thou the best dost still retain How canst thou of misfortune plain If thou keep'st still of Fortune's store What is most rich thou art not poor Thy Father mankind's ornament Best Symmachus to Vertue bent And holy Wisdome for whose health Thou wouldst lay down thy life and wealth He safe from injuries does mone Thy miseries as if his own Thy Wife does live commended high For modest wit and chastity No more to say her father's like For thee does live though in dislike Of life in which one thing I grant Thou full felicity dost want For that she wishing thy relief Does pine away herself with grief Thy Children who have Consuls bin Maintain th' uprightness of their kin Since Life then is the thing most rare For which all mankind does take care How blest would'st thou thy self confess If thou knew'st thy own happiness Enjoying still as 't does appear What then life's self is far more dear Then cease to grieve and things miscall Since Fortune has not shipwreckt all That Anchors stick and sound 's the Rope Gives comfort now and future hope Pray God they hold and still be sound For if they hold we shall not drownd But thou dost see how we are torn How over-board our goods are born I 'me glad said she thou moved art And that thy grief is but for part But I thy niceness can't digest And plaints ' cause thou' rt not wholy blest For who so full content can find That something won't displease his mind Humane affairs still doubt procure Or never gain'd or never sure One does abound but 's sham'd by 's Birth Another Noble wanteth earth One stor'd with both wails single life Another happy in a Wife Wants Children and does grieve to see Another Child his Heir must be Another having Children store Grieves they are wicked or else poor So none with Fortune are content But their Condition still lament They 'r ignorant her have not try'd And they that have can't her abide Adde those men that most happy are Have quickest sense of their ill fare If Fortune but a little frown With smallest gusts they are cast down An easie thing distracts the state Of those that are most fortunate How many dost thou daily see Would think themselves in heav'n to be If they the least part did possess Of that which yet thy life does bless This place which thou call'st Banishment The Natives live in with content So nothing's ill but what 's so thought And unless so there 's happy nought Who is so happy but if he Once angry grow a change would see With what a world of bitterness Is season'd humane happiness Which though it please while't does remain Yet none could ever it retain See then the miserable bliss That in all mortal things there is Which stay not with those are content Nor please the froward while they 'r lent Why mortals then seek bliss without The which within they need not doubt Is for that Errour them does drownd And Ignorance does them confound The center of true bliss I 'le show Dost thou to any thing more ow Then to thy self why no then why Enjoy'st thou not thy self wholy In doing so thou shalt enjoy What Fortune 's self can't take away And that these casual things do ow No Blessedness thou thus may'st know If Blessedness be the chief Good By Humane Reason understood And that
the chiefest Good is not Which does depend upon a lot For that that same excell it must Which Chance nor Power out can thrust 'T is manifest that Bliss is higher Then Fortune's fopp'ries can aspire This more Who Happiness does row Or knows she 'l change or does not know If he don't know what blessedness Can be in ignorant blindness And if he know his fears are still He shall her lose since goe she will So being in fear continually 'T is sure he happy cannot be And if her loss he can neglect So that no way it him deject 'T is a poor Bliss that will not cross Him that enjoys it in the loss But since by many ways thou' rt known To be a person who does own That humane minds not mortal are And that this one thing more is clear That Death this Happiness does end Then if no further it extend No doubt but all mankind that dy By Death fall into misery But we have many known that have Sought Blessedness e'en in the grave By Death not only but have so By torments and afflictions too Then in this Life what can us bless Whose end only gives Blessedness Who would him seat With caution great Where is no fear That Winds should tear Nor Waves that threat A downfall great Let him not fly To Mountains high Where Winds that blow May overthrow Nor on Sands rear Which cannot bear But set him down In a low ground Where Winds that roar Can't turn him o're Thus quiet he May happy be Scorning their rage Throughout his age But since that I these foments find Already sink into thy mind I stronger med'cines now will try Grant Fortune's goods had certainty What 's in them that is worth the while Or well consider'd is not vile Are Riches thine or of such count Does Gold or Mony so surmount Why in the spending these by far Then in th' acquist more glorious are Base Avarice is hated still Bounty does mouths with praises fill And since Wealth can with no man stay Wealth 's precious then when giv'n away For should one man keep all the store All other men must needs be poor Words without Cost all men may spare But Riches spent diminish'd are Why then 't is of necessity Who parts with 's Wealth he poor must be How poor a thing is Riches then Which cannot be enjoy'd by men Nor without making many poor Can any man make up a store Does Jewels lustre thee intice If ought be in them of great price 'T is from the Jewels not the Men. Why so admir'd I wonder then What in a senseless thing can seem So fair that Reason so 't should deem Which though they by creation are In their degree exceeding fair Yet far below thee they are plac'd Nor do deserve to be so grac'd Do pleasant Fields else thee delight Why not no doubt 't is a fair sight So does the Sea delight the eye The Sun the Moon the Stars the Sky But what are all these things to thee Dar'st thou at all boast their beauty Dost thou sweet May adorn with flowers Is Earth made fertile by thy showers Why of vain joys dost so much make External for thine own dost take Fortune will never make that thine Which does by Nature thee decline The Earth no doubt her fruits does bring To nourish ev'ry living thing And if enough will thee suffice Scorn Fortune's superfluities Nature with little is content And if on her there more be spent 'T will or not please or hurtfull be With nauseous satiety Dost thou delight for to appear In sev'ral Suits gorgeous and dear If they at all the fancy raise The stuff or Taylor has the praise Will many Servants make thee blest If bad they are a houshold pest If good anothers probity Pray what shall that redound to thee By all which it is plainly shown What thou count'st thine is not thine own And if no beauty be in these Why should they anger thee or please And if by nature they are fair And so thee please what need'st thou care Since thou may'st all their beauty see Though they possest by others be For they not precious are therefore ' Cause thou hast made them of thy store But thou hast them in great esteem Because that they do precious seem And hunt'st them with great earnestness For fear that want should thee oppress In this thou art deceiv'd also Since still thou want'st to make a show For this of all hands we must grant They that have most they most do want Who nature only would suffice Cares not for superfluities Have you no inward sweet content On outward things you are so bent Or how is your condition free With a divine soul dost agree To boast the glory of thy state In goods that be inanimate Their own contents each other thing But you whose Mind from Heav'n does spring With low things would your self adorn Whereby you your Creator scorn God would have Man all things excell He them to serve himself does sell For if that good more precious is Then that which does that good possess And you base things your good esteem You truly them to serve do seem Which justly does upon you light Of Man not having the foresight To know all things he does excell Whenas himself he does know well And if himself he cease to know He puts himself the Beasts below For Ignorance the nature is Of Beasts but 't is of Man the vice You do your self but make a scorn When you with what 's not yours adorn For what is seen we only prize What 's hid in its own ordure lies I do deny that good to be Which does the owner injury Am I in this deceiv'd or no I 'me sure that thou wilt not say so But oft who Riches do possess By them are brought to heaviness Since ev'ry rogue does think that he Has right to them as well as thee And thou who now thy throat dost fear And for false goods dost take such care If thou those goods away would'st fling Before the Thief thou'dst leap and sing Then worldly Wealth great joy has sure While who't enjoyes can't be secure Happy that Age who their own Fields did till Could Hunger's rage with Acorns eas'ly fill Did not their Wine with hony mixt confound Nor made them fine with Tyrian dye unsound Who on the grass did take their quiet rest Drink Water was and under Pines did feast When dang'rous Trade which with it Wealth did bring Was not yet made of Vice the fatal spring No Trumpets did the Souldiers minds elate No weapons hid in wounds through mortal hate What could invite men then to kill and slay For none would fight if it were not for pay O would again those manners might return But love of gain like Aetna's fire does burn Ah! who was he that first did treasures find Man lived free they in their cells confin'd Of powers and of dignities Which you extoll unto the
skies Not knowing truly what they are I will unto thee now declare If they in wicked hands do light Not Aetna's flames can shew such spight Nor Inundations doe such harm Of this let Consuls power warn Which first ta'ne up for Liberty So great a burthen grew to be Your Fathers sought to lay 't aside As Kings before were for their pride And if by chance as 't is but rare Honours conferr'd on good men are What is in them that can delight But Courtesie and doing right So that there is no honour due To Dignity without Vertue For Vertue only does conferre Honour on those in power are And what is this desired thing What does this glorious Power bring Did you but see you would deride Those poor things to which you preside O things of Clay if among Mice The itch of Honour should intice And one for highest place should croud Would it not make you laugh aloud For if the Body thou look on What poorer thing is made then Man Who oft destroy'd is by a Fly Whom oft a Worm does cause to dy Now none can greater power have Then this poor Body to enslave Or that which far inferior is The goods of Fortune fools chief bliss For no man the free Mind commands Nor moves which firm on Reason stands When once we reade a Tyrant King By cruel torments sought to bring A bold free spirit to relate Who with him did confederate With 's teeth he did his tongue displace And threw it in the Tyrant's face So to his vertue bravely he Did turn the Tyrant's cruelty What to another can one doe That he himself 's not subject to Busiris who his guests did kill His bloud great Hercules did spill And Regulus who oft in bands The Poeni led they bound his hands Then what great power is in man Who his own harms not hinder can Again if that in Dignities Any essential good there lies The wicked could not them attain For these are rules that are certain Things naturally contrary And things oppos'd cannot agree Since bad men then we see oft-time Unto these dignities to climbe We may affirm in them to be No good they do so well agree So may be put on the same score The rest of Fortune's goodly store For that most often they them share Who of all men most wicked are These things may be consider'd too They valiant are valiantly doe Who 's swift we nimble-footed call And Musick makes men musicall Physick Physicians a sweet tongue To Rhetoricians does belong Nature gives all in all respects What 's proper not contrar ' effects And in all things that are her due All opposition does eschew But Wealth can't Avarice repell Nor Power make him not to swell Whom vicious lusts do strongly bind In fetters not to be untwin'd And Dignities which bad men gain Make them not worthy but the stain Of their unworthiness does show That this is so we come to know Because to things a name you rear Which their effects will no way bear For these are neither Wealth nor Might Nor Dignities so call'd of right But if their right names they do bear They are Vexations Trouble Care Lastly who 's wise the like concludes Of all false Fortune's interludes In which as it is manifest There 's nothing good nought that makes blest Which neither to good men are sent Nor make them good to whom they 'r lent What ruines did he make that Rome did fire The Fathers brought to stake and to aspire His Brother's bloud caus'd spill Mother to dy That he might gaze his fill where he did ly Ah! cruell sure was he without a tear Her intrails torn could see that did him bear Yet this man did bear sway from the Sun's rise Vnto where ends the day i' th' western skies From where congeal'd to ice men wine do eat To where the world not nice stark naked treat And would this power vast his mind asswage No he with sword did wast with poison rage Thou know'st said I Ambition ne're To worldly greatness did me rear But being stor'd with Learning I Thought fit in silence not to dy Then she repli'd This is the thing That oftentimes great wits does bring E'en such as at high vertue aime To hazard all on Fortune's game Desire of Glory and high place Puts on a seeming lovely face But how they vile nay nothing are By what I 'le show will plain appear First then by demonstrations all Which we call Astrologicall 'T is plain to heaven's vast extent The whole Earth's bulk is but a point So small that to the Globe if we Compar't it nothing seems to be Of this small point not the fourth part Well known by Geometrick art With living creatures planted is From whence take Lakes and Bogs and Seas Consider this thou wilt find then There 's scarce an atome left for Men. Then if of this small point thou art Shut up within the smallest part How poor a thing is thirst of Fame Or perpetrating of a Name Or how can Glory great be found Coop't up within so narrow bound Next let us adde this one thing more This little point is fill'd with store Of Nations who all are at strife In manners language course of life ' Mongst whom Fame is not greatly spred ' Cause commerce is prohibited Travel is hardly undergone And to be tongue-ty'd's vexation Then for a single Man a name To get is hard when Towns want fame Tully in his time does relate The fame of Rome was not dilate Beyond mount Caucasus yet she Then the World's Mistris seem'd to be Thou then dost see how streight and poor The glory is thou labour'st for That fame dost think Rome could not gain One Roman should to it attain Besides as Nations divers are Their Laws and manners differ far For what one people think worth praise Another with chastisement paies So that whoever takes delight In Fame's high busie-winged flight Which in most Countries can't have vent Let home-spread glory him content That Fame call'd Immortality Must in one Nation tether'd be More famous men forgot have dy'd Then are by Writers dignifi'd Or can Records eternize men No Time consumes Writers and them But you immortal call that same Which is indeed but future fame Consider but th' infinity Of ever-bless'd Eternity And you will find the joy you seek Is not a mote in a bright week Ten thousand Years let be the case With it compare one Moment's space Yet definite both spaces are Though small they some proportion bear Then multiply this manifold Yet no comparison will hold Finite things 'mong themselves may be Compar'd not with Infinity Then though that time do fame long spare It with Eternity compare Thou 'lt find it is not only small But seemeth not to be at all But you think nought can you commend If vulgar praise don't it attend Conscience nor Vertue you regard From vulgar mouths you seek reward Learn how he truly did deride One
Honours we can't him respect Who of himself deserves neglect But if a man with Wisdome we And Goodness do replenish'd see We give him all the honours due To sacred Wisdome and Vertue In whom alone it is innate Her goodnesses to propagate Which worldly Honours cannot doe For that no proper good they ow. Again if that a gen'ral scorn Does make men sordid and forlorn Then Honours that don't bring Respect Must bring Contempt and sore neglect If Honours make men evil fare Bad men with Honours even are While they the Honours do defile But further listen yet awhile And thou shalt see this painted place Can give small comfort no true grace 'Mong the Barbarians let be seen A man that oft has Consul been They won't with reverence 'bout him throng But if to th' place it did belong It would not cease the same to be In any Nation or Countrey As Fire is in all parts Fire But for their Worth does rise no higher Then what Opinion does it give It therefore can no longer live When it does come for to be seen ' Mongst them who Honours don't esteem And do they any better fare At home whence they derived are The Praefectship of old had power Now but a Name and burthen sour Who for the people did provide Was much esteem'd now vilify'd For that some bad men were accus'd That they that honour had abus'd But as before I have made known That Honour proper good has none But from Opinion takes repute As men the same do execute If Honours then don't give respect If ev'ly us'd they cause neglect If change of times do them deface And if Opinion them disgrace If in themselves no beauty be What pleasure can they give to thee Though Nero fell Proud and cruell his body did adorn With Tyrian silk Stones white as milk he was the people's scorn Though he did grace Proud men with place the Senate to keep under Yet for to guess Honours could bless by him bestow'd 's a wonder Can Kingdoms then make men be great Or can King's favours men elate Why not if they would alwaies be But these to change we oft do see Times past and present do shew clear To Misery Kings subject are Is not that Power then most vain Which its own self cannot sustain And if that Kingdoms make men blest Of it the loss does them devest Nay if in Rule they are confin'd Why that brings trouble to their mind There is no universal Crown The vastest Kingdom has a bound Where others power does it pin There does anxiety begin And makes them hapless by which count Kings ill their good does far surmount The which a Tyrant having try'd Great Princes fears he did deride By pointing down a Sword i' th' aire Hung by a slender threatning hair Is not then Power a fine thing That can't of fear remove the sting Who would but can't securely rest How by their Power are they blest And wouldst not thou that Power upbraid Which would but cannot be obey'd Canst thou him mighty think to be Who if not guarded is not free Who though to him they reverence bear Yet he of them stands still in fear Who with great Power to be grac'd I' ch' hands of Servants must be plac'd And can Kings favours any save When Kingdoms so much weakness have These oft disfavour do throw down And oft they perish with the Crown Think but how Seneca once fell Whom cruel Nero did compell To chuse his death yet he had bin Both Friend and Master unto him And did not Antoninus send His Souldiers for to make an end Of Papinianus whom before He favour'd Courtiers did adore Both these their Power would have quit And Seneca if he 'd thought fit His wealth to Nero had resign'd And privately himself confin'd But Greatness did them both destroy Nor a poor wish could they enjoy Is not then Power a fine thing Which Fear to th' owner still does bring Which is not safe to be enjoy'd Nor laid aside can harms avoid What trust in such a Friend can be Who only câ—â—rts Prosperity If Adverse fortune comes then he Of Friend soon proves an Enemy What greater plague can Pluto send Then the feign'd smiles of a false Friend Who would be Great must his own Passions rule Must not submit himself to be By Lusts inthrall'd that should be free Though he commands from Inde to farthest Thule Yet if Care conquer him and plaints He subject is and Power wants How false and filthy too is Fame Which made the Tragick Bard exclaim O Glory Glory for thy hire Thou' rt curs'd by those did thee desire For many men have gain'd a Name By vulgar false-opinion'd Fame Then which what can more base appear When they must blush their praise to hear But though the people true Worth sing What to a Wise man does this bring Who seeks not good by pop'lar fame But a good Conscience makes his aime Then if a Name to propagate Men purchase would at so great rate They sure would think 't great injury Should not this Name extended be But as before I have declar'd From many Nations is debarr'd A private Fame nay more what here Praise-worthy is is slighted there But I this windy pop'lar Fame Do not think worthy for to name Which without judgment is up blown And lasts not to be call'd ones own And now who is' t that does not see How vain a thing 's Nobility Whose Glory if we rightly weigh Is not his own does it enjoy Nobility that is not new Is praise that is to Parents due If Praise it be that Fame does give They who are prais'd in Fame do live Then if thy own Worth thee don't praise Another's Worth cannot thee raise Which since 't is so the good that is In Nobleness is only this That he that 's born of high estate Is bound not to degenerate All humane kind living From one beginning spring One governs eve'ry thing the Father high He made the Sun so bright To th' horned Moon gave light Made Earth of Men the site set Starres i' th' sky In Man he him to grace A heavenly Soul did place So of a noble race all mortals are From whence then is this cry I 'me born of Parents high Each man i' th' Deity has equal share Vnless that he with vices base and foul Degrade his noble high-descended Soul Of Luxury what shall I say Whose appetite bears greatest sway Yet not without anxiety And 's curs'd in the satiety What sad diseases does it bring What horrid pains do from it spring As 't were the fruits that it does bear I skill not in these pleasures rare But all shall find them don't refrain That Pleasure's end is certain pain And if that these can make men blest I see no cause t'exclude the Beast Who wholly does himself apply These Pleasures for to satisfy But of all Pleasures of this Life The best is Children with a Wife Yet feelingly one
Wickedness the Mind does seise For this is much the worse disease Whence is' t with so much eagerness ye do Pursue your fate would you death wooe He is at hand if Lion Tiger Bear Serpent nor Bore won't do 't your selves you 'l tear Whence does this cruelty proceed Thus one another to make bleed If ' cause Opinions differ you bloud spill This cause no reason has but deprav'd Will. Then learn to love the good pitty the ill Here I do plainly see said I What is or the felicity Or misery that does attend The good or wicked does offend But yet I am not satisfy'd But that there 's good and bad beside For what wise man would banish'd be Live poor and ignominiously Rather then rich and honoured This 't is makes Wisdome credited Whenas the Governour 's renown To th' people is transmitted down Besides that Prisons Whips and Racks By Law provided for the backs Of wicked Citizens do I Admire much they chang'd should be And Punishments should good destroy While as the ill rewards enjoy I pray render me a reason Of this unjust confusion For I my self should wonder less If I thought Chance all things did press But now I much astonish'd am When I consider that they come From God that he does distribute Oft-times what 's pleasant to the good What 's sharp to th' bad again that he The good keeps short to th' bad is free Unless I may the cause discern Why all 's not Chance I ne're shall learn No mar'le said she if any thing The cause not known confusion bring But though the cause thou dost not know Why that things are disposed so Yet since the World must God obey Ne're doubt but he does rightly sway Who does not know Arcturus course What him about the Pole does force How slow Bootes guides his horse Why he so late to bed does goe I' th' morn himself so soon does show Must needs the rest o' th' Heavens not know What is' t that when the Moon 's i' th' full Her glorious light from her does pull Whose splendor all the Starrs did dull The reason being hid to some Made them with Kettle and with Drum And Cries unto her aid to come None wonders that strong Winds do raise The waves nor that the Snow not staies When look'd upon by Phoebus raies These things seem easie to be known Those things the mind do vex alone Which seldom unto it are shown Things sudden do the vulgar move But if blind Error we remove They no way wonderfull will prove 'T is so said I but since that thou The hidden cause of things canst show I thee desire to bring to light The reasons so wrapt up in night Above all others pray thee tell Me for to ease this miracle Then she a little smiling said Thou hast a sute unto me made Which to perform a matter is So difficult best skill may miss The matter it is so abstruse One doubt resolv'd thousands produce Like Hydra's heads they do increase Nor will they come to any peace Unless they purely be calcin'd With a quick fier of the Mind For in this we must explicate Mild Providence and rugged Fate Unlook'd-for Chance divine Cognition Free-will and dark Predestination The weight of these thou well may'st guess But thee to cure since I profess Though time be short I 'le use it so That thou in part shalt them all know And if my verse delights thy ear Thou must the same awhile forbear Till I do utter orderly Some reasons As you please said I. Then she as if she new began Her speech to me this wise did frame The generation of all things All Nature's changing proceedings All whatsoever things do move The Cause Form Order's from above The high Mind set composedly I' th' tower of true Simplicity Thence issues out a firm decree How ev'ry thing shall govern'd be Which for that purely 't is divine We do it Providence define But if to th' things we it referre Which by this Mind disposed are We call it Fate That this is clear By both their natures will appear For Providence that Reason is Divine which constituted is In God himself who all does guide But Fate in low things does abide By Providence Fate orderly Disposes all things variably Providence does all things unite Though diverse or though infinite Fate singly does them cause to move As Time or Form or Place approve So temp'ral things for to know right United into God's foresight Is Providence and the same union By time digested and made known Is Fate distinct they have one End For one on th' other does depend Order of Fate is guided by Providence's simplicity For as a good Artificer Does a form in 's mind decypher In time and order brings to pass What but before in his mind was So God does by his Providence Dispose all things i' th' future tense And what things he does so dispose Fate does in order them disclose Then whether Fate 's web woven be By Spirits which immediately Serve Providence or by the Soul Or Nature which does serve the whole Or by the motions of the Spheres Or Angels or the Devil's cares Or some or all of these yet hence Ful clear it is that Providence Is an unmov'd and simple form Of such things as are yet unborn But Fate 's an engine moveable The which does orderly fulfil What the divine Simplicity In time does order for to be Whence all things that do Fate obey To Providence allegeance pay And Fate must unto it submit For under Providence are set Some things which Fate it self surmount Among the which we well may count Such as are sixt unmoveably Nigh the all-ruling Deity For as when many circles spin About one center that within To th' center 's stableness comes nigh And is as 't were the hinge whereby All those that placed are without Do make their motions round about But that which outermost does turn A great circumference does run The more it from the center goes The larger spaces from it grows But what to th' center is fast knit Does stableness enjoy with it So all those that are placed far From the first Mind perplexed are With more and greater snares of Fate And he enjoys a freer state Who out at distance does not ly But to the center does draw nigh And if unto the high Mind he Can fix'd be by stability Above all second things he 's born And Fate 's necessity may scorn Wherefore as we Discourse do find To be the product of the Mind And what begotten is we see Is still the fruit of the same tree Eternity produces Time And Circles from the Center climb So moving Fate has a firm ty To Providence's certainty Which does alone the Heavens move Which joyns the Elements in love Which makes all growing things proceed From the corruption of the Seed Which does mens acts and fortunes chain In links that firm and sure remain Then since
inferre Necessity For if that there One sit and I him sitting view That he does sit I do think true Again if that my thought be true That he does sit must be true too In both then there 's necessity To sit and also true to be But therefore sure he does not sit Because that I so think of it But therefore I so think of it Because 't is true that he does sit So though the cause of truth proceed But from one part yet there is need Of relative community Or we this point shall ne're agree We must make the like inference Of Future things and Providence Who ' cause things must be does foresee But her foresight don't make them be So necessary it does seem That things to come should be foreseen Or else what things God does foresee Should fall out necessarily So take 't which way soe're you will It must needs overthrow Free-will Besides is' t not preposterous That worldly things should be the cause Of God's eternal Prescience And pray what other is' t in sense To say because that things must be That therefore God does them foresee Then for to say what 's come to pass Of Providence the great cause was Besides if I do know a thing I know also it has being And if that I know ought shall be I know it necessarily Whence follows that no man can shun What in Fore-knowledge must be done Lastly if any one conceive A thing to be that may deceive That is no Knowledge certainly But Opinion's uncertainty Which from the truth of Knowledge is Far discrepant Then truth it is That if a thing be for to be But yet not of necessity It cannot possibly be shown That the same thing could be foreknown For Knowledge is a thing so pure It no false mixture will endure So that if ought conceived be By it it is of certainty For this cause Knowledge cannot ly Because that of necessity Whatever it does apprehend Must be the same unto the end How then by what means can God know That things uncertain will be so For if he thinks that things will be Inev'tably that may not be He is deceiv'd which for to speak Or think of God is wicked weak Again if so that he foresee Things as they are such for to be Or not to be to come to pass Or not to come what skill alas Is this which does not comprehend What stable is or sure i' th' end It as ridiculous must be As was Tiresias Prophecy What e're I say or sure must be Or sure it is it must not be In what does Divine Providence Excell the skill of humane sense If that as men uncertain he Does judge th' event of things to be But if that nought uncertain can Be unto him that is certain Then the event must certain be Of whatsoe're he does foresee Which thing all Liberty expels From humane actions and counsels If all these without falsity The Heav'nly Mind does surely see And them does bind and does constrain Unto events that are certain This granted what confusion Must all humane affairs put on In vain Rewards propounded are To th' good Pains to the ill if there Be no free motion of the mind But Necessity does it bind And that will high Injustice seem Which we most just do now esteem The wicked for to punish or The good reward since neither 's for Their own delict or probity Receiv'd but of necessity Vertue or Vice there will be none But of all things confusion And then then which there nothing can Be more blasphemous thought by man If Providence do all things guide And humane Will to it be ty'd It follows that our Vices must Be laid on him that is most just Nor will there any reason sway Why either we should hope or pray For what does hope or pray'r avail If the determin'd end can't sail No conversation there will be 'Twixt Mortals and the Deity For if no hope at all remain To pray will be esteem'd but vain But if by just Humility We have access to th' Deity And by it do of grace partake Which is the only means can make Us happy and by which men can With God have Conversation By which they to that light are joyn'd Inaccessible by mankind And do there by all good obtain If that I say pray'r be made vain By holding of Necessity Then by what other means shall we Stick fast unto and be made one With the great Prince of Vnion All men it must to ruine bring If as thou didst but lately sing They from their fountain sever'd are And in the Deity don't share How does Erinnys break the league of things What spirit is' t that such contention slings Between two truths such mighty warfare brings How is' t that singly things do clearly stand But joyn'd so dark are none them understand Or is' t that all truths do goe hand in hand No but the Soul that here is but a guest With cloudy members of dull flesh opprest Cannot attain to know what things are best Why should she then with zeal burn like to fire Why hidden waies of Truth should she desire Whenas she here can nought but doubts acquire If she the things that she desires does know Why then with scruples does she vex them so Why does she toil so much them to re-know If she knows not why does she being blind Seek them to know who ever wish'd to find He knew not what or sought to catch the wind What if she find them yet they being found How shall she know their natures for to bound When she herself in ignorance is drown'd Or for that she first came from God above Must all things which here and above do move No Causes have but what she does approve She now with cloudy flesh is mantled or'e And though some things of what she knew before She does retain her knowledge is but poor Yet who seeks Truth he does not doe amiss Though he can't come to know 't yet he gains this That he not wholy thereof ign'rant is Some things he does to memory commit High thingâ—â—e does admire and high wit He scans with reason and retains what 's fit This said she is an old complaint Canvast and scrutin'd by that quaint Distributer of Divination Cicero and thy self art one That much has toil'd in 't but as yet There 's none of you has had the wit Sufficiently to find it out The reason of it is no doubt ' Cause blindness of Humanity Can't see Divine Simplicity Nor comprehend the notions great Of heav'nly things in her conceit To which if that she could attain There would no doubt at all remain But I the same with my best skill Open to lay endeavour will But first I must those doubts remove Are by thee mov'd and do thee move And first I do demand of thee Why thou not reason it to be Dost think that nothing comes to pass ' Cause it Foreseen or
Foreknown was It only seeks for to maintain Prescience don't Free-will restrain Nor it at all the cause to be Of the Event's necessity Dost thou bring any arguments For the necessity of Events But ' cause that God does them Foresee They must be of Necessity But if Foreknowledge does not bring Necessity upon the thing As thou thy self didst late express When thou the same thing didst confess How is' t of things voluntary That the Event must certain be I will thee an example show Thereby the consequence to know Suppose there were no Prescience Couldst thou dost think affirm in sense That what proceedeth from the Will Necessity does it compel Why no. Let 's then again suppose Prescience and that it does impose On nothing a Necessity The Freedom of the Will will be As absolute the same alone As if Prescience there were none But thou wilt say Although there be By Prescience no necessity Of the Event a sign it is Things so to happen cannot miss By the same reason the same thing Had hapt had no Prescience bin A Sign does alwaies something show But does not cause it to be so Wherefore who this does not allow Must first demonstratively show That certainly nothing can be But it is from Necessity Before that he can make 't appear Foreknowledge does this title bear If there be no Necessity Then Prescience no Sign can be Of what is not Besides proofs must Not upon men by Signs be thrust But by firm Reasons proofs well wrought From causes necessary brought But by what means may things not be Which for to be God does Foresee 'T is true there is no means but that What God Foresees to be must hap For though I don't believe at all What God Foresees must not befall Yet though it must befall say I It is not of necessity From its own nature This to be A truth I 'le plainly shew to thee There 's many a thing before our eyes While doing that this truth descries As he that drives a Coach or Cart Does many things to shew his art For should Necessity compell In vain the Artist should excell So other things conclude may we Not to be of necessity Which as they 've no necessity Of being before that they be So they without necessity Do happen when they come to be It follows then some things be free In th' event from Necessity And yet there 's none will say what 's done Before 't was done was not to come By this th' event of things is shown For to be free although Foreknown For as there 's no necessity Of knowing things that present be â—ut as they 'r done or left undone Just so it is of things to come But likely 't is thou dost suppose There no Foreknowledge is of those Things whose event's not necessary Because their natures disagree For thou may'st think of Prescience Necessity the consequence And if there 's no Necessity Then no Foreknowledge can there be For Knowledge nought can comprehend That is not certain in the end And if th' event uncertain be And it as certain we foresee 'T is plain that Knowledge it is none But dark and cloudy Opinion For otherwise a mind to bear Of things or Causes then they are Thou think'st it much averse to be To Knowledge's integrity The cause of which thy error 's this Because thou think'st that what known is By its own force and nature 's known But the contrary shall be shown All that is known is not known by The force that in it self does ly But the force lies as I suppose I' th' faculty of him that knows That this a perfect truth must be I 'le by example shew to thee Suppose a body round to be The Eye this bodie 's form does see The Hand it feels that it is round We by two diff'rent waies have found The Eye it viewing with sight clear Unto the Mind its form does bear The Hand by joyning to the thing And round about it compassing Does so the roundness of it find And it conveies unto the Mind So Sense a Man does one way see Imagination diversly Reason a way not like these other And understanding quite another By Sense the figure as 't is plac'd In the material thing 's imbrac'd Imagination form does see Without Materiality But Reason yet does higher fly Considers universally The Species of ev'ry kind In the particulars assign'd But Vnderstanding yet more high Does soar and fixes its bright eye While it with knowing beams does pierce Above the frame o' th' Universe And with pure sight o' th' Mind does see The simple form from all these free So 't is that the superior Comprehends the inferior But the inferior in no wise To the superior can arise So that the Sense no Sense can find If it to th' Matter be not joyn'd Imagination cannot see Of Kind th' Universality Neither can Reason comprehend Of simple Forms the utmost end But Vnderstanding from an high Once casting down her knowing eye Does straight the simple forms conceive Of all things that are underneath But she the Forms discerneth so As none o' th' rest can them so know Reason's Univeriality Sense's Materiality Imagination's Form all these She comprehendeth with much ease Yet Reason does and Sense refuse Nor does Imagination use But with one stroke o' th' mind does she See and know all things Formally The same thing Reason whenas she Beholds Universality Imagination does not use And totally does Sense refuse Yet things Imaginable and Sensible she does comprehend For Reason does describe truly Thus her Universality A Man 's a creature animal That 's two-footed and rational This is a notion known to all In't self to be universal Yet it Imagination does And Sense contain ev'ry man knows Though it no use at all does make In all the notions it does take Of Sense or Imagination But Rational conception Imagination does the same Though she all Forms and Figures frame I' th' mind by sense of Touch and Sight Yet they laid by she judges right Of things not by any reason Of Sense but Imagination Then dost thou not now plainly see I' th' knowledge of all things that be All their own Power and Faculty Do use not their's they are known by Nor is this any injury For since all Judgment judg'd must be The act of him the judgement gave 'T is necessary he should have Full power unto him consign'd Not by another be consin'd The ancient Chairs and Schools were fill'd with old men and obscure Who into th' minds of men instill'd Outward things only did procure To th' Mind Idea's that were sure As when we have in readiness a paper that is white We wont are on it to impress Letters that do resemble night So we the Minds Idea's write But if the Mind no motions make that are her proper own But does from outward things them take Like Glasses show but what is shown Whence she sees all things would be
did repeat My Children are my torments great There 's no Condition this can free Thou long hast try'd it true to be That saying of Euripides I do acknowledge me does please Who did proclaim Sterility A happy Infelicity All Pleasure has this great malignity To wound and to torment who have it had like to the Bee Who having lost her Hony does grow mad And stings and swells the robbers though she dy Then suerly there is no doubt But who goes this way does goe out Of 's way to Blessedness nor can These Goods him render Happy man Nay these are Ills I 'le briefly show Dost thou endeavour Rich to grow Thou from another it must gain Wouldst thou to Dignities attain Thou must beseech the giver's grace And to excell thy self debase Dost thou desire Power to have Thou mak'st thy self to plots a slave If thou great Glory do procure Envy thee renders unsecure Wouldst thou a life of Pleasure lead Who would not Luxury down tread And think it base to have his Mind To so base service be confin'd And who the bodie 's Beauty prize How build they on uncertainties Can they the bulk o' th' Elephant Bull 's strength or Tiger's swiftness vaunt See Heaven's firmness space and fire Then leave these low things to admire Nor yet are these worth thy least thought With him compared that them wrought Then Beauty is but a frail thing More fading then the Floweri'th ' Spring Of which learn'd Aristotle cries If one could see with Lynceus eyes And with those eyes could penetrate The intrails nasty sordid state The fair-fram'd Alcibiades Would the beholder nothing please Thou canst not then thy Nature prize But the infirm beholders eyes 〈◊〉 of thy Body be as proud 〈◊〉 thou canst wish so 't be allow'd That three daies Fever can destroy The thing in which you so much joy From which we briefly may collect These Goods which promise such respect Nor can their promise keep nor show That they do any goodness ow So that they men nor bring to rest Nor are at all men by them blest O how does Ignorance Erroneous waies advance You seek not Trees for Gold Nor Vines for Crystalls cold You do not climb a Hill Fishes with nets to kill Nor go to th' Ocean clear To hunt the Fallow-deer You careful are to know The times of ebbe and slow And in what coasts are bred White Pearls where Corrall red What part o' th' Sea the Fin What Shel-fish does ly in But what you most should mind Chief Good in that y' are blind And seek for that below Which 'bove the Starrs does grow They 're curst not to be wise Who Wealth and Honour prize Which when with pain they 've got Then Goods they know they 're not The forms of false Felicity As yet I 've only shew'd to thee Which if that thou do clearly know I will true Bliss now to thee show I see said I that no Wealth can Sufficient be for any man No Kingdoms howsoever great Can give a Power that 's compleat No Dignities full Reverence Nor Glory wish'd for Eminence No Pleasures can give Perfect Bliss Know'st thou the causes of all this Methinks I see a glimmering But you a clearer light may bring The reason 's plain for that 't is try'd That humane Error does divide What 's simple perfect and what 's true And it to Falshood gives as due Dost thou think what 's in nothing scant That the same thing can power want Why no said I. Thou think'st then right For if in ought it want full might In that 't is of necessity It must by others succour'd be That 's true Then the condition Of Power and Enough 's all one So 't seems What think'st thou then is' t sit To slight this or to honour it Why it to honour there 's no doubt Since best of things it brings about Why then unto Sufficiency And Power let 's adde Dignity And then these three but one appear We must it adde if truth we 'le hear And now said she think'st thou that this Obscure and base or famous is Consider too since you do grant That is most glorious nought does want Whether this Glory do want Fame Which to it self it cannot frame And so does seem to come below I must needs grant it Famous too Why then in this we must agree Fame differs not from th' other three We must Then that which nought does want That which in Power is not scant That which has Fame and Glory high That is most pleasant certainly But see said I I no way can How Grief should seise on such a man No by what 's said we must confess That man does perfect joy possess And this too 's of necessity Power Fame Respect Sufficiency And Pleasure have a sev'ral name But all in substance are the same 'T is true 't is of necessity Then this you 'l grant man's pravity Divideth what is simple pure Which while he strives for to procure By part the which no parts contains Nor whole nor part to him remains How 's this said I. Who Wealth would have Flies Want but Power does not crave Had rather live obscure and vile From all delights himself exile Then part with what he cannot hold His dear-beloved darling Gold But by these means most certainly No man can have Sufficiency Whom Power leaves or Cares molest Or Baseness hides can have no rest Again who would to Power rise Wasts Wealth and Glory does despise And without Power Honour too Nor Pleasures can at all him woe And yet when he has all his will There 's many things he wanteth still Sometimes he Necessaries wants Sometimes is vext with Cares and Plaints Of which since he can't rid his mind He wants that Power he design'd With the same reason we may measure All Honour Claritude and Pleasure For since that ev'ry one 's the same With all the rest he is to blame Does unto any one aspire Losing thereby his own desire What then said I. If one address Himself to all can they him bless No we have shew'd they cannot doe 't Since they their promise can't make good Nor can they Bliss bring to effect Since each has singly his respect I do confess that nothing can Then this be truer taught to man The causes then and form said she Thou see'st of false Felicity Now bend thy mind but contrary And thou true Bliss shalt soon espy When thou the causes of false Bliss Didst open thou didst then clear this For if I rightly construe thee That 's perfect true Felicity Which does sufficient render and Gives Pleasure Fame Respect Command Further to make it plain to sight That I do understand thee right I do acknowledge that which shall Doe truely one performs them all And then no doubt but this must be True perfect full Felicity O happy thou that dost think so If one thing more thou'lt adde thereto What 's that said I. Dost think there