Leagu'd to the neighbour towns with sure and friendly bands 3 Such as that starre which sets his glorious chair In midst of heav'n and to dead darknesse here Gives light and life such is this citie fair Their ends place office state so nearely neare That those wise ancients from their natures sight And likenesse turn'd their names and call'd aright The sunne the great worlds heart the heart the lesse worlds light 4 This middle coast to all the Isle dispends All heat and life hence it another Guard Beside those common to the first defends Built whole of massie stone cold drie and hard Which stretching round about his circling arms Warrants these parts from all exteriour harms Repelling angry force securing all alar'ms 5 But in the front two fair twin-bulwarks rise In th' Arren built for strength and ornament In Thelu of more use and larger size For hence the young Isle draws his nourishment Here lurking Cupid hides his bended bow Here milkie springs in sugred rivers flow Which first gave th' infant Isle to be and then to grow 6 For when the lesser Island still increasing In Venus temple to some greatnesse swells Now larger rooms and bigger spaces seizing It stops the Hepar rivers backward reels The stream and to these hills bears up his flight And in these founts by some strange hidden might Dies his fair rosie waves into a lily white 7 So where fair Medway down the Kentish dales To many towns her plenteous waters dealing Lading her banks into wide Thamis falls The big-grown main with fomie billows swelling Stops there the sudding stream her steddy race Staggers awhile at length flies back apace And to the parent fount returns its fearfull pace 8 These two fair mounts are like two hemispheres Endow'd with goodly gifts and qualities Whose top two little purple hillocks reares Most like the Poles in heavens Axletrees And round about two circling altars gire In blushing red the rest in snowy tire Like Thracian Haemus looks which ne're feels Phoebus fire 9 That mighty hand in these dissected wreathes Where moves our Sunne his thrones fair picture gives The pattern breathlesse but the picture breathes His highest heav'n is dead our low heav'n lives Nor scorns that loftie one thus low to dwell Here his best starres he sets and glorious cell And fills with saintly spirits so turns to heav'n from hell 10 About this Region round in compasse stands A Guard both for defence and respiration Of sixtie foure parted in severall bands Half to let out the smokie exhalation The other half to draw in fresher windes Beside both these a third of both their kindes That lets both out in which no enforcement bindes 11 This third the merrie Diazome we call A border-citie these two coasts removing Which like a balk with his crosse-builded wall Disparts the terms of anger and of loving Keeps from th' Heart-citie fuming kitchin fires And to his neigbours gentle windes inspires Loose when he sucks in aire contract when he expires 12 The Diazome of severall matter 's fram'd The first moist soft harder the next and drier His fashion like the fish a Raia nam'd Fenc'd with two walls one low the other higher By eight streams water'd two from Hepar low And from th' Heart-town as many higher go But two twice told down from the Cephal mountain flow 13 Here sportfull Laughter dwells here ever sitting Defies all lumpish griefs and wrinkled care And twentie merrie-mates mirth causes fitting And smiles which Laughters sonnes yet infants are But if this town be fir'd with burnings nigh With selfsame flames high Cephals towers fry Such is their feeling love and loving sympathie 14 This coast stands girt with a peculiar wall The whole precinct and every part defending The chiefest Citie and Imperiall Is fair Kerdia farre his bounds extending Which full to know were knowledge infinite How then should my rude pen this wonder write Which thou who onely mad'st it onely know'st aright 15 In middle of this middle Regiment Kerdia seated lies the centre deem'd Of this whole Isle and of this government If not the chiefest this yet needfull'st seem'd Therfore obtain'd an equall distant seat More fitly hence to shed his life and heat And with his yellow streams the fruitfull Island wet 16 Flankt with two severall walls for more defence Betwixt them ever flows a wheyish moat In whose soft waves and circling profluence This Citie like an Isle might safely float In motion still a motion fixt not roving Most like to heav'n in his most constant moving Hence most here plant the seat of sure and active loving 17 Built of a substance like smooth porphyrie His matter hid and like it self unknown Two rivers of his own another by That from the Hepar rises like a crown Infold the narrow part for that great All This his works glory made pyramicall Then crown'd with triple wreath cloath'd in scarlet pall 18 The Cities self in two partitions reft That on the right this on the other side The right made tributarie to the left Brings in his pension at his certain tide A pension of liquours strangely wrought Which first by Hepars streams are hither brought And here distill'd with art beyond or words or thought 19 The grosser waves of these life-streams which here With much yet much lesse labour is prepar'd A doubtfull chanel doth to Pneumon bear But to the left those labour'd extracts shar'd As through a wall with hidden passage slide Where many secret gates gates hardly spi'd With safe convoy give passage to the other side 20 At each hand of the left two streets stand by Of severall stuffe and severall working fram'd With hundred crooks and deep-wrought cavitie Both like the eares in form and so are nam'd I' th' right hand street the tribute liquour sitteth The left forc't aire into his concave getteth Which subtile wrought thinne for future workmen sitteth 21 The Cities left side by some hid direction Of this thinne aire and of that right sides rent Compound together makes a strange confection And in one vessel both together meynt Stills them with equall never-quenched firing Then in small streams through all the Island wiring Sends it to every part both heat and life inspiring 22 In this Heart-citie foure main streams appeare One from the Hepar where the tribute landeth Largely poures out his purple river here At whose wide mouth a band of Tritons standeth Three Tritons stand who with their three-forkt mace Drive on and speed the rivers flowing race But strongly stop the wave if once it back repace 23 The second is that doubtfull chanel lending Some of this tribute to the Pneumon nigh Whose springs by carefull guards are watcht that sending From thence the waters all regresse denie The third unlike to this from Pneumon flowing And his due ayer-tribute here bestowing Is kept by gates and
barres which stop all backward going 24 The last full spring out of this left side rises Where three fair Nymphs like Cynthia's self appearing Draw down the stream which all the Isle suffices But stop back-waies some ill revolture fearing This river still it self to lesse dividing At length with thousand little brooks runnes sliding His fellow course along with Hepar chanels guiding 25 Within this Citie is the palace fram'd Where life and lifes companion heat abideth And their attendants passions untam'd Oft very hell in this strait room resideth And did not neighbouring hills cold aires inspiring Allay their rage and mutinous conspiring Heat all it self and all would burn with quenchlesse firing 26 Yet that great Light by whom all heaven shines With borrow'd beams oft leaves his loftie skies And to this lowly seat himself confines Fall then again proud heart now fall to rise Cease earth ah cease proud Babel earth to swell Heav'n blasts high towers stoops to a low-rooft cell First heav'n must dwell in man then man in heav'n shall dwell 27 Close to Kerdia Pneumon takes his seat Built of a lighter frame and spungie mold Hence rise fresh aires to fanne Kerdia's heat Temp'ring those burning fumes with moderate cold It self of largest size distended wide In divers streets and out-wayes multipli'd Yet in one Corporation all are joyntly ti'd 28 Fitly 't is cloath'd with hangings thinne and light Lest too much weight might hinder motion His chiefest use to frame the voice aright The voice which publishes each hidden notion And for that end a long pipe down descends Which here it self in many lesser spends Untill low at the foot of Cephal mount it ends 29 This pipe was built for th' aires safe purveiance To fit each severall voice with perfect sound Therefore of divers matter the conveiance Is finely fram'd the first in circles round In hundred circles bended hard and drie For watrie softnesse is sounds enemie Not altogether close yet meeting very nigh 30 The seconds drith and hardnesse somewhat lesse But smooth and pliable made for extending Fills up the distant circles emptinesse All in one bodie joyntly comprehending The last most soft which where the circles scanted Not fully met supplies what they have wanted Not hurting tender parts which next to this are planted 31 Upon the top there stands the pipes safe covering Made for the voices better modulation Above it foureteen carefull warders hovering Which shut and open it at all occasion The cover in foure parts it self dividing Of substance hard fit for the voices guiding One still unmov'd in Thelu double oft residing 32 Close by this pipe runnes that great chanel down Which from high Cephals mount twice every day Brings to Koilia due provision Straight at whose mouth a floud-gate stops the way Made like an Ivie leaf broad-angle-fashion Of matter hard fitting his operation For swallowing soon to fall and rise for inspiration 33 But see the smoak mounting in village nigh With folded wreaths steals through the quiet aire And mixt with duskie shades in Eastern skie Begins the night and warns us home repair Bright Vesper now hath chang'd his name and place And twinkles in the heav'n with doubtfull face Home then my full-fed lambes the night comes home apace CANT V. BY this the old nights head grown hoary gray Foretold that her approaching end was neare And gladsome birth of young succeeding day Lent a new glory to our Hemispheare The early swains salute the infant ray Then drove the dammes to feed the lambes to play And Thirsil with nights death revives his morning lay 2 The highest region in this little Isle Is both the Islands and Creatours glorie Ah then my creeping Muse and rugged style How dare you pencill out this wondrous storie Oh thou that mad'st this goodly regiment So heav'nly fair of basest element Make this inglorious verse thy glories instrument 3 So shall my flagging Muse to heav'n aspire Where with thy self thy fellow-shepherd sits And warm her pineons at that heav'nly fire But ah such height no earthly shepherd fits Content we here low in this humble vale On slender reeds to sing a slender tale A little boat will need as little sail and gale 4 The third precinct the best and chief of all Though least in compasse and of narrow space Was therefore fram'd like heaven sphericall Of largest figure and of loveliest grace Though shap'd at first the least of all the three Yet highest set in place as in degree And over all the rest bore rule and soveraigntie 5 So of the three parts fair Europe is the least In which this earthly Ball was first divided Yet stronger farre and nobler then the rest Where victorie and learned arts resided And by the Greek and Romane monarchie Swaid both the rest now prest by slaverie Of Mosco and the big-swoln Turkish tyrannie 6 Here all the senses dwell and all the arts Here learned Muses by their silver spring The Citie sever'd in two divers parts Within the walls and Suburbs neighbouring The Suburbs girt but with the common fence Founded with wondrous skill and great expence And therefore beautie here keeps her chief residence 7 And sure for ornament and buildings rare Lovely aspect and ravishing delight Not all the Isle or world with this compare But in the Thelu is the fairer sight These Suburbs many call the Islands face Whose charming beautie and bewitching grace Ofttimes the Prince himself enthralls in fetters base 8 For as this Isle is a short summarie Of all that in this All is wide dispread So th' Islands face is th' Isles Epitomie Where ev'n the Princes thoughts are often read For when that All had finisht every kinde And all his works would in lesse volume binde Fair on the face he wrote the Index of the minde 9 Fair are the Suburbs yet to clearer sight The Cities self more fair and excellent A thick-grown wood not pierc'd with any light Yeelds it some fence and much more ornament The divers-colour'd trees and fresh aray Much grace the town but most the Thelu gay Yet all in winter turn to snow and soon decay 10 Like to some stately work whose queint devices And glitt'ring turrets with brave cunning dight The gazers eye still more and more entices Of th' inner rooms to get a fuller sight Whose beautie much more winnes his ravisht heart That now he onely thinks the outward part To be a worthie cov'ring of so fair an art 11 Foure severall walls beside the common guard For more defence the citie round embrace The first thick soft the second drie and hard As when soft earth before hard stone we place The second all the Citie round enlaces And like a rock with thicker sides embraces For here the Prince his court standing palace places 12 The other two of matter thinne and light And yet the first much harder then the other Both
't not surely held with strong retention Would stirre domestick strife and fierce contention And waste the weary Isle with never ceas'd dissension 16 Therefore close by a little conduit stands Choledochus that drags this poison hence And safely locks it up in prison bands Thence gently drains it through a narrow fence A needfull fence attended with a guard That watches in the straits all closely barr'd Lest some might back escape and break the prison ward 17 The next ill stream the wholesome fount offending All dreery black and frightfull hence convay'd By divers drains unto the Splenion tending The Splenion o're against the Hepar laid Built long and square some say that laughter here Keeps residence but laughter fits not there Where darknesse ever dwells and melancholy fear 18 And should these waies stopt by ill accident To th' Hepar streams turn back their muddie humours The cloudie Isle with hellish dreeriment Would soon be fill'd and thousand fearfull rumours Fear hides him here lockt deep in earthy cell Dark dolefull deadly-dull a little hell Where with him fright despair and thousand horrours dwell 19 If this black town in over-growth increases With too much strength his neighbours over-bearing The Hepar daily and whole Isle decreases Like ghastly shade or ashie ghost appearing But when it pines th' Isle thrives its curse his blessing So when a tyrant raves his subjects pressing His gaining is their losse his treasure their distressing 20 The third bad water bubbling from this fountain Is wheyish cold which with good liquours meint Is drawn into the double Nephros mountain Which suck the best for growth and nourishment The worst as through a little pap distilling To divers pipes the pale cold humour swilling Runs down to th' Urine-lake his banks thrice daily filling 21 These mountains differ but in situation In form and matter like the left is higher Left even height might slack their operation Both like the Moon which now wants half her fire Yet into two obtuser angles bended Both strongly with a double wall defended And both have walls of mudde before those walls extended 22 The sixt and last town in this region With largest stretcht precincts and compasse wide Is that where Venus and her wanton sonne Her wanton Cupid will in youth reside For though his arrows and his golden bow On other hills he frankly does bestow Yet here he hides the fire with which each heart doth glow 23 For that great Providence their course foreseeing Too eas'ly led into the sea of death After this first gave them a second being Which in their off-spring newly flourisheth He therefore made the fire of generation To burn in Venus courts without cessation Out of whose ashes comes another Island nation 24 For from the first a fellow Isle he fram'd For what alone can live or fruitfull be Arren the first the second Thelu nam'd Weaker the last yet fairer much to see Alike in all the rest here disagreeing Where Venus and her wanton have their being For nothing is produc't of two in all agreeing 25 But though some few in these hid parts would see Their Makers glory and their justest shame Yet for the most would turn to luxurie And what they should lament would make their game Flie then those parts which best are undescri'd Forbear my maiden song to blazon wide What th' Isle and Natures self doth ever strive to hide 26 These two fair Isles distinct in their creation Yet one extracted from the others side Are oft made one by Loves firm combination And from this unitie are multipli'd Strange may it seem such their condition That they are more dispread by union And two are twenty made by being made in one 27 For from these two in Loves delight agreeing Another little Isle is soon proceeding At first of unlike frame and matter being In Venus temple takes it form and breeding Till at full time the tedious prison flying It breaks all lets its ready way denying And shakes the trembling Isle with often painfull dying 28 So by the Bosphor straits in Euxine seas Not farre from old Byzantum closely stand Two neighbour Islands call'd Symplegades Which sometime seem but one combined land For often meeting on the watrie plain And parting oft tost by the boist'rous main They now are joyn'd in one and now disjoyn'd again 29 Here oft not Lust but sweetest Chastitie Coupled sometimes and sometimes single dwells Now linkt with Love to quench Lusts tyrannie Now Phoenix-like alone in narrow cells Such Phoenix one but one at once may be In Albions hills thee Basilissa thee Such onely have I seen such shall I never see 30 What Nymph was this said fairest Rosaleen Whom thou admirest thus above so many She while she was ah was the shepherds Queen Sure such a shepherds Queen was never any But ah no joy her dying heart contented Since she a deare Deers side unwilling rented Whose death she all too late too soon too much repented 31 Ah royall maid why should'st thou thus lament thee Thy little fault was but too much beleeving It is too much so much thou should'st repent thee His joyous soul at rest desires no grieving These words vain words fond comforters did lend her But ah no words no prayers might ever bend her To give an end to grief till endlesse grief did end her 32 But how should I those sorrows dare display Or how limme forth her vertues wonderment She was ay me she was the sweetest May That ever flowr'd in Albions regiment Few eyes fall'n lights adore yet fame shall keep Her name awake when others silent sleep While men have eares to heare eyes to look back and weep 33 And though the curres which whelpt nurst in Spain Learn of fell Geryon to snarle and brawl Have vow'd and strove her Virgin tombe to stain And grinne and fome and rage and yelp and bawl Yet shall our Cynthia's high-triumphing light Deride their houling throats and toothlesse spight And sail through heav'n while they sink down in endlesse night 34 So is this Islands lower region Yet ah much better is it sure then so But my poore reeds like my condition Low is the shepherds state my song as low Marre what they make but now in yonder shade Rest we while Sunnes have longer shadows made See how our panting flocks runne to the cooler glade CANT IIII THe shepherds in the shade their hunger feasted With simple cates such as the countrey yeelds And while from scorching beams secure they rested The Nymphs disperst along the woody fields Pull'd from their stalks the blushing strawberries Which lurk close shrouded from high looking-eyes Shewing that sweetnesse oft both low and hidden lies 2 But when the day had his meridian runne Between his highest throne and low declining Thirsil again his forced task begunne His wonted audience his sides entwining The middle Province next this lower stands Where th' Isles heart-Heart-city spreads his large cōmands