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
Honors Cause permits these tears More than a Lover loves his Soul endeares Then Albianus this fam'd Captain takes To his embrace and thus obliging speaks Thou Father of our Armes and more than all Honor does most renown'd in Mortals call Repine not 't is thy glorious fate to be With Fortune thus at virtuous enmity Or think past Trophies thou from Rome hast got While Brittain bears a name can be forgot My Warlike Sire Great Arthur ost did name Martianus with his Chiefes of Noblest same Telling what acts were by thy valour done In all those famous Battels he had won And to his Son thou shalt be still as dear While I thy Counsels and thy Dangers share Hoping to see thy Armes Romes yet subdue And to thy aged Garlands add more new Till then repine not thou hast lost a Field Alass thou didst but to more numbers yield Which Great Bonduca will her self confess Charging fate onely with thy ill success While for her sake our force shall soon contend Who did with aid Favonius to her send By whose great Prowess Rome and Gaul declin'd Their dreadful Onsets against London joyn'd And more a Comfort in thy Heart impress That these must fight us now or yield success Unto our Armes which in Bonduca's Cause Must out-doe wonder and to Rome give Lawes No less Martianus Vortiger endears Calling his Conduct Soul of Brittish Wars And next recounts those mighty deeds h 'ad done When late from Scots and Picts they Battels won Then Martianus with this grace o'rcome Feeles noble Passion gives his speech no room But to express a glorious wish to dye If his life may promote their victory And now the Princes view his harrass'd force Which had through roughest dangers fought their course His stately Ensignes with fierce Arrowes tore As scarce a mark remain'd of what they bore Then in their Battel these embody'd are Where their great Chief a high Command does bear Resolv'd their Valours shall set London free With its fair Queen from Roman Tyranny Soon had the wary Ennius perceiv'd This City by Favonius was releiv'd And that thus near the Princes Battels drew Highly resolv'd to assail their Powers too He therefore swiftly had his Army drawn By dreadful Bodies in this spacious Lawn The Brittain Forces for their Station took And thus with furious eyes on each now look Glad were the Brittish Heroes to perceive The time was come their Foes would Battel give Whose Valours did occasion so embrace As if their Souls were wing'd in Honors Race While thus to Royal Vortiger does speak Great Albianus May we happy make This day Lov'd Prince in which we see Romes power Spread their Battallions here this welcome hour That Courts our Armes such Honor to atcheive As may this antient City now relieve If Heaven to Brittain glory does decree We shall Bonduca aid successfully And teach her foes the Guilt of their bold sin Who thought their force enough her soul to win How has her virtues these unshaken stood When Ennius forc'd his way by Flames and Blood And fierce Alvatrix did that dread improve Threatning to Crown by force his burning love But e'r that Gaul shall boast so fair a Prize Let us resolve to fall her Sacrifice And dye this Plain with Blood if that can be A meritorious cause of Victory Then sprightly Vortiger at this darts beams That spoke the vigour of his Martial Flames Which at Bonduca's Name his breast inspires As lightning breakes from Clouds imbosom'd fires And thus to Albianus does express I 'l welcome Death if fate denyes success Nor shall my Soul be in this Body borne A living Witness and this Island mourn This day if lost 't is just that Princes fall When their sad Countrey keeps its funeral Nor shall Bonduca's vertues e'r reprove My valour to want merit for her Love Since in her cause if I make Death my own My end shall then add Glory to my Throne Then Arthur's Son a Supreme station takes Whence to his Militants and Cheifs thus speaks Fellows in Armes the wish'd for time is come To end this Islands long-made-War with Rome And needless 't were to tell you of the cause Since Rome and Gaul by th' Sword would give us laws Or thence infer how your rich Countrey may With Wives and Daughters soon become their prey This were from fear to bid you now to fight When Native Valour does enough excite Our Brittish blood which though 't is bred so near The Northern Pole was ne'r yet chill'd by fear Let Romans then their Oratories spend To raise their duller Legions to contend Enough we see the Foes that we must fight And not from words our hearts to Armes invite At this loud shouts of Joy do fill the Plain Which shake the Earth where Roman Powers Campain The usual Custom of this Martial-Isle When they embrace Wars most renowned toyl No less the Consul Ennius does take care To make this day the Glory of his VVar His force with Romes best Conduct now array'd That oft had Monarchs their great Captives made Then in Magnan'mous words the use of Rome T'incite their Militants to overcome He thus begins Lov'd Souldiers if that we Deserve by arms the worlds Sov'ráignity Since our Renowned City Deify'd Her Scepter'd Romulus for deeds atchiev'd By glorious Arms whose Capitol yet stands Fill'd with our Trophies won from Conquer'd Lands Where Mars is Templ'd with his fellow Gods Pleas'd to convert our Swords into their Rods And next to their Divinity allow The Earths Dominion to our vertue due Let not this day then our fam'd power beguile That oft has harrass'd this so potent Isle Though Nature joyn'd with Mighty Neptunes hand To sever't from the world Romes wide Command Yet could not our Renowned Julius stay Who sought on t Conquest wheresoe'r it lay And by our prowess ages since maintain'd The Noble Relicks here his valour gain'd We have the Legions still from him were nam'd The Tenth most lov'd with all the rest as fam'd They were but Romans then as we are now If we their virtues but inherit too How will the world our warlike Eagles dread If still this Isle remains unconquered When to our shames it shall recorded be One dayes Pharsalia forc'd Romes liberty Nor are their Conducts worthy of our fears Though Albianus joyns with Vortigers Infants in Arms while I their Fathers fought And thence great triumphs to our Empire brought You saw to us Martianus Powers gave way Think that a sign of a more signal day Since he the aged Captain of their Hoast Has prov'd how dear our Conflicts with him cost While London that our fierce assaults withstood Will then be yours without expence of blood And with its riches pay your Martial toyls Yielding their matchless Queen to grace our spoyls Thus speaks great Ennius while the Prince of Gaul Does on his Chiefs with furious vigour call Letting them know what honor will accrue To Rome and Gaul if Britains they subdue
all great Brittain her next heir That mighty James who brought such peaceful days And had for wisdom more than humane praise On whom here Glorious Embassies attend Their Masters with submissive Treaties send Returning all with prudent wonder home As once the Wise from Solomon did come While here the wary Spaniards Courtships poure Their Indian Mines on his more happy shore That Saturnes Golden Age his Raign did show And fled Astraea seems to return now Thus to his royal Son descends his Throne Less great in Fortune than in Virtue known In whom all Graces so divinely met As Heaven took paines his virtue to compleat Who meekness joyn'd with Princely Majesty And each adorn'd by matchless Piety That impious Rebels his just Power withstood Confess'd him both as Man and King most Good While o'r his head the shapes of Angels fly Merlinus wing'd by his Arts mystery And next an Azur'd Vaile before him drew Hides his black Scene of Murder from their view Which done a troop of rough-arm'd men appear Their hands in Sacred Blood embrew'd and war Whose visage look'd as if that Hell had sent Rebels from thence for some such curs'd intent Amongst whom their dire Chiefe like Pluto's shown When his Friends pay black Duties to his Throne Whose eyes were seen like sanguine Balls of Fire While blasts of Sulphur his flam'd Nares transpire And next his Lips dissolve that impious breath Betray'd both King and Subjects to vile death While Rolls of Oathes his mouth disgorges here That must Hells blackest Records ever bear Not long Merlinus does present this sight But in a mist does Image stygian Night This horrid vision from their eyes conveys And soon does figure happy Royal dayes That in great Second Charles this Isle restores Too sadly griev'd by Tyrant Subjects Powers Who here returning seem'd like wish'd for Spring Long suffer'd Winter happily did bring On whom such Triumphs and vast Glories waite As late him wellcom'd to his royal state For which the good transcendent joyes express Assur'd in him of all just happiness And here to represent his Naval Power Ships seem to move upon this wondrous Floore On which the vanquish'd Belgian Vessels fly Yeilding the Seas to his Sov'raignity Whence Brittish Ships in happy Calmes now steere That Indian-Mines in their rich bottomes bear With whatsoe'r to boundless Trade accrewes All which this Sage Prophetickly foreshowes And to consummate with more wonder too Each royal vision represented now Behold great Vortiger does figur'd lead A beaut'ous Princess must with him precede These mighty Glories whence in future springs Th' Illustrious Saxon blood and Brittish Kings Who here did seem so wounding faire and bright As even the Queen is Rivall'd by her sight VVhose Rosie Cheeks express a lovely fear Yet grants this object may her own compare Confessing Heaven does not impartial prove If such a Rival should injoy his Love While Albianus with amazement strook On this above all wonders seen does look Thinking what its appearance should foreshow Or what 's the Science future things can know But Vortiger transported more to see His Figure lead this beaut'ous Imag'ry Since in his Breast the Queens all-powerful beames Already kindled had a Lovers Flames Demands a thousand wayes perplex'd in thought VVhat strange effects in Brittain should be wrought Or if his Art in remote causes saw How unknown Love must give his Soul a Law To whom this mighty Bard did thus reply Renowned Prince in Providence do lie Such secrets Natures high Appartments close Our search cannot discern or wills oppose Though from this glorious Handmaid she does give The world a being and all things that live VVhence such mutations we observe in state And Princes with a secret homage waite VVhile every Passion of our Humane soul This sublime Inclination does controule Nor has Loves power so much endeares the sence Other then Charmes of her bright influence But as we thus from Providence are led VVe follow steps unknown this guide does tread Nor can my deepest science apprehend The meanes producing every admir'd end Though she sometimes this obscure Vaile layes by VVhence in her Face we view her Prophesy That in each star with eyes on us does look And thus we oft may read her future Book From which high Text my Art with humble dread Has in these Visions a deep Comment read Nor such did Spels or Charmes e'r like supply That spoke and mov'd by Nerves of Geometry The Queen and Princes wond'ring at his Art That could such secrets Imag'd thus impart VVhich might even Archymedes here have taught VVhose Geometrick Engins wonders wrought In state withdraw from this stupendious Place No Royal Presence e'r like this did grace Giving Merlinus highest Thanks and Praise Who like Heavens Act had foreshown future dayes The End of the Second Book FINIS ERRATA PAge 38. line 10. read I le express p. 47. l. 12. r. do bid p. 68. l 3. for furious r. wondrous p. 67. r to Arms p. 123. l. 16. r. it self p. 128 l. 18. r. add p. 132. l. 1. r. whom death p. 136. l. 7. r. Ambitions storm p. 146. l. 9. r. triple p. 150. l. 8. r. of these p. 153. l. 4. r. Deity p. 159. l. 3. r. that Hope l. 12. for fifty r. numerous p. 180. l. 8. r. that day p. 184. l. 10. r. do wait p. 186. l. 2. r. Henry youngest The Reader is desired besides these Errata's to excuse the false Comma's directing himself where he shall find any by the Sense of the words