nought but Air. With that the Thoughts were very much perplext Then did resolve the Chymists should be next Which they would ask so unto them they go To be resolv'd If they of Souls did know They said unto the Thoughts When Bodies dye Souls are th' Elixir and pure Chymistry For Gold said they can never wasted be Nor can it alter from its purity Eternal 't is and shall for ever last And as pure Gold so Souls do never wast Souls are the Essence and pure Spirits of Gold Which never change but shall for ever hold And as Fire doth the pure from dross divide So Souls in Death are cleans'd and purifi'd From grosser parts of Body and no doubt The Soul as Spirits Death exhaleth out It is the Essence of great Nature's store All Matter hath this Essence less or more After the Thoughts had mused long In fine Said they we think the Soul is more Divine Than from a Metal'd Earth for to proceed Well known it is all Metals Earth doth breed And though of purest Earth the true Gold be Being refin'd by Heat to that degree Of pureness by which it long doth last Yet may long time and labour make it wast To shew 't is not Eternal and perchance Some slight Experience may that work advance Which Man hath not yet found but Time said they May Chymists teach and so they went away But travelling about they weary grew To rest a while they for a time withdrew The search of Truth into a Cottage went Where liv'd an aged Cottage well content A Man and Wife which pious were and old To them the Thoughts their tedious Journeys told And what they went to seek the Truth to find Concerning Souls to tell unto the Mind For we desire said they the truth to know From whence the Soul proceeds or where 't will go When parted from the Body The Old Man said Of such Employment he should be afraid Lest Nature or the Gods should angry be For his Presumption and Curiosity If it be Nature's work there is no doubt But it doth transmigrate all things about And who can follow Nature's steps and pace And all the subtil ways that she doth trace Her various Forms which curious Motion makes Or what Ingredients for those Forms she takes Who knows said he the Cause of any thing Or what the Matter is whence all doth spring Or who at first did Matter make to move So wisely and in order none can prove Nor the Decrease nor Destinies can find VVhich are the Laws that every thing do bind But who can tell that Nature is not VVife To mighty Jove and he begets the life Of every Creature which she breeds and brings Forth several Forms each Figure from her springs Thus Souls and Bodies joined in one Gin Though Bodies mortal be the Soul 's divine As being first begot by Jove and so The purest part of Life 's the Soul we know For th' animated part from Jove proceeds The grosser part from Nature self she breeds And what 's more Animated than Mankind Unless his Soul which is of higher Kind Thus ev'ry Creature to Jove and Nature are As Sons and Daughters and their Off-spring fair And as their Parents of them do take care So they as Children ought not for to fear How they dispose of them but to submit Obediently to all that they think fit Not to dispute on idle Questions still But shew obedience to their Maker's will Man asketh blessing of his Father Jove And Jove doth seem Mankind the best to love And Nature she her blessing doth bestow When she gives Health makes Plenty for to flow The blessings which Jove gives unto Mankind Are peaceful Thoughts and a still quiet Mind And Jove is pleas'd when that we serve his VVife Our Mother Nature with a Virtuous Life For Moral Virtues are the Ground whereon All Jove's Commands and Laws are built upon Thoughts trouble not your selves said he which way The Soul shall go to Jove and Nature pay For Temperance wherein the Life is blest That Temperance doth please the Life the best Intemperance doth torture Life with pain And what 's superfluous to us is vain Therefore return and temper well the Mind For you the truth of Souls shall never find At last came Reason which had been their Guide And brought them Faith in her they did confide Taking their leave away with Faith they ride And Faith e're since doth with the Mind reside A Lady which all Vanities had left Since she of Youth and Beauty was bereft She said That Pride in Youth was a great sin Of which a Tale did tell thus entring in A Description of the Fall of foolish and self-conceited Pride THere was a Lady rich that sate in state And round about her did her Servants wait Where every Tongue did walk still in their turn But in the ways of Flattery they run You are said one the finest drest to day A Heavenly Creature did another say Your Skin is purer far than Lillies white And yet is clear and glassy as the Light And from your Eyes such splendrous rays do spread That they seem like a Glory round your Head Your Wit is such 't is supernatural And all that hear you speak straight Lovers fall The sound but of your Voice charms every Ear And when you speak your breath perfumes the air Thus by these flatteries most proud she grew And scornful looks on every Object threw All Men she scorn'd that did to her address And laugh'd at all did love to her profess Her Senses for to please she was so nice That nothing serv'd but what was of great price Thus did she live in Lux'ry Pride and Ease And all her Thoughts were still her self to please She never pray'd unto the Gods on high For she did think her self a Deity That all Mankind was made her to admire And ought her Favours most for to desire That every knee that bow'd not to her low Or whose demeanors did not reverence show She thought them Beasts that did not Merit know Or that her Frowns should work their overthrow Her Smiles and Frowns she thought such power had As Destiny to work both good and bad At last the Gods that always have an eye Upon the Earth who all things do descry Amongst poor Mortals they this Lady spy'd Whose heart was swell'd and thoughts were big with pride Begot by Pluto's Wealth and Nature's Paint Bred in the Soul which makes it sick and faint But Pride is nurs'd still by the Senses five VVhat from each Sense it sucks it keeps alive But if no Nourishment it gets from those As Touch Taste Sound sweet pleasant scent orshows It faints and pines a way as starv'd so dyes And in a Grave of Melancholy lyes But as I said when Gods poor Mortals view'd They for their sins with Punishment pursu'd Then with this Lady they did first begin Many ill accidents at her they fling First they did set her
House and Goods on fire Where her rich Furniture did soon expire Then Envy sought all ways to pull her down And tax'd her Land as due unto the Crown And in that Suit great Sums of Money vast Lawyers ingross'd which made those Sums to wast And when those Lawyers got all that she had They cast her Suit as if her Cause was bad By which her Lands she lost then only left Her rich with Beauty but of Lands bereft In which she pleasure took although but poor Of Fortune's Goods of Nature's Giftssh ' had store But when the Gods did see her still content At last they to her Body Sickness sent She patient was her Beauty still did last But when that they their Judgment on that cast Making a Grave to bury Beauty in Which Beauty once did tempt the Saints to sin Because her Face so full of Pock-holes were That none could judg that Beauty once dwelt there Then did she sit and weep turn'd day to Night Asham'd she was to shew her Face the light Time an Ingraver cuts the Seal of Truth And as a Painter draws both age and youth His Colours mix'd with Oyl of Health lays on The plump smooth Youth he pencils thereupon Shadows of Age he placeth with much skill Making the hollow places darkest still But Time is slow and leisure he doth take No price will hasten him his Works to make But accidental Chance who oft doth jarr With aged Time and then some Works doth marr But when her wealth was gon and state was down Then did her Friends and Servants on her frown So far now from professing Slavery As they did use her most uncivilly Would rail against her spightful words throw out Or had she been but guilty would no doubt Betray her life such natures have Mankind That those in Misery no Friends can find For Fortune's Favours only Friendships make But few are Friends only for Virtue 's sake In Fortune's Frowns Man will not only be A Neuter but a deadly Enemy Nay ev'n a Devil to torment the Mind If he no mischief ' gainst the body find But after she had mourn'd Three hundred days Consid'ring Nature's Fortune's various ways She did repent weeping for what was past Imploring Gods to pity her at last Good Gods forgive my Vanity and Pride Let not my Soul with sinful spots be dy'd Let your great Mercies scour those spots off clean That by your Justice no spots may be seen Consider Lord the Works that Nature makes The Matter Motion and the Form she takes The Grounds and Principles on which she builds The Life and Death in all things she distills Is various still in what she doth compose Nothing but wild Inconstancy she shows Nor is it only the substantial part That is compos'd thus by her Curious Art But what we call Immortal as the Soul Doth various passions appetites controul And as all bodies that are young want strength And wait for Time to give them breadth and length So doth the Soul want Understanding too And knows not what is best to think or do Wherefore great Jove I never shall despair Of thy sweet Mercy nor yet Devils fear To punish Ignorance Youth rash ways runs Which Age by long-experienc'd knowledg shuns But Age oft time 's as faulty as Youths be Corrupted with bad Principles we see That length of Time and Custom makes them shew As if in Man they naturally grew But to conclude the time she had to live She heartily unto the Gods did give Though young into a Nunnery she went Her Vows unto the Gods she did present Her Days not being long she soon there dy'd And now her Soul with Angels doth reside For with her Penance Tears and Contrite Spirit She wash'd away her sins and Heav'n did merit The next Tale when you read it will discover The fortunate or the unfortunate Lover A Mock-Tale of the Lord Duke of Newcastle which his Grace was pleased to say out of his great Civility That it would serve for Shadows to set off the rest He loving Truth so well that he was never good at telling Tales A Young and Lusty Cheshire-Lad did move In Venus Sphere and was so fill'd with Love When first he saw a lovely Lass at Chester Whose badg of Christianity was Hester So beautiful and fair she did appear Fresh as the welcome Spring to the New Year And Odoriferous as Flower 's birth As fair as new-born Lillies from the Earth This set the young Man's heart in Love's Flame Fire Struck dumb in Love turn'd all now to admire At last Love found a Tongue which did not fail To burst out violently and thus to rail Cursing now partial Nature that did give More beauty to her than elsewhere doth live Bankrupt in Beauty since her store is gone Mankind condemn'd to foul ones now or none Was Nature lavish or else made the Thest Upon her self since she hath nothing left Of what is handsom so I now do find He enjoys thee enjoys all Womankind For Beauty Favour and what 's height of Pleasure Since thou art Nature's Store-house her Treasure O love me then since all my hopes are crost If I enjoy you not I 'm wholly lost For what I can call Happiness nay worse My Life then to me 's but a fatal Curse But if you yeeld I 'le bless Dame Nature's Gift And Bounty to you since 't was all her drist To make her Master-piece in you and vex The envious Females angring all your Sex And if her bounty to you you give me I shall be Deifi'd in love by thee Here on my knees I beg thy Love thus low Until I have it my Knees here shall grow Therefore be kind She answer'd with sweet Eyes Which spoke not speaking for to bid him rise And then discours'd with modest blushes so As that did tell him all her heart did know Trembling and shaking with Love's Palsi'd Tung With broken Sighs and half Words it was strung Love's Comma's Full-Points and Parenthesis And this Love's Rhetorick Oratory is With Love's pale-difficulty then afraid She softly said O I 'm a tender Maid And never heard such language you 'l deceive me And now I wish I could wish you would leave me Why d' ye inchant a silly Maid alas I never saw such beauty in my Glass And yet I 've heard of flatt'ring Glasses too But nothing flatters like you Men that woo Your Tongue 's Love's Conjuration without doubt Circles me here in Love cannot get out By your Love 's Magick whispering Then did yield And said You 've conquer'd and have won the field Such Joy between them such new Passions rais'd Which made the God of Love himself amaz'd Since by no Tongue or Pen can be exprest Cupid and Hymen ne're hop'd such a Feast But see the Fate of business which doth move So cross For Business hath no sense of Love O thou dull Bus'ness Yet some States-men pry Into Love's Secrets with a glancing Eye But here
Fair By Pleasures to the world invited are Bury not all your Youth and Beauty here Which like the Sun may to all Eyes appear O Sir said she the Sun that gave me light Death hath eclips'd and taken from my sight In Melancholy Shades my Soul doth lie And grieves my Body which will not yet die My Spirits long to wander in the air Hoping to find its loving Partner there Though Fates my Life have power to prolong Yet they have none my constant Mind to wrong But when I did perceive no Rhetorick could Perswade her to take comfort grieve she would Then taking my leave for to go away With adoration thus to her did say Farewell thou Angel of a Heavenly Breed For sure thou com'st not from a Mortal Seed Thou art so constant unto Virtue fair Which very few of either Sexes are And after a short time I heard she dy'd Her Tomb was built close by her Husband's side After the Man a Woman did begin To tell her Tale and thus she entred in A Description of Diverted Grief A Man had once a Young and Handsom Wife Whose Virtue was unspotted all her life Her words were smooth which from her Tongue did slide All her Discourse was wittily appli'd Her Actions modest her Behaviour so As when she mov'd the Graces seem'd to go Whatever Ill she chanc'd to see or hear Yet still her Thoughts as pure as Angels were Her Husband 's Love seem'd such as no Delight Nor Joy could take him out of his Wife's sight It chanc'd this virtuous Wife fell sick to death And to her Husband spake with dying-breath Farewell my dearest Husband dye I must Yet do not you forget me in the Dust Because my Soul would grieve if it should see Another in my room your LOVE to be My Ghost would mourn lament that never dyes Though Bodies do pure Loves eternalize You Gods said he that order Death and Life O strike me dead unless you spare my Wife If your Decree be fix'd nor alter can But she must dye O miserable Man Here do I vow Great Gods all witness be That I will have no other Wife but thee No Friendship will I make converse with none But live an Anchoret my self alone Thy Spirits sweet my Thoughts shall entertain And in my Mind thy Memory remain Farewell said she for now my Soul 's at peace And all the Blessings of the Gods encrease Upon thy Soul but I pray do not give Away that Love I had whilst I did live Turning her Head as if to sleep she lay In a soft Sigh her Spirits flew away VVhen she was dead great Mourning he did make VVould neither eat nor drink nor rest could take Kissing her cold pale Lips her Cheeks each Eye Cursing his Fate he lives and cannot dye Tears fell so fast as if his Sorrows meant To lay her in a watry Monument But when her Corps upon the Hearse was laid No Tongue can tell what mournful Cries he made Thus did he pass his time a week or two In sad commplaints and melancholy wo At last he was perswaded for to take Some air abroad ev'n for his own healths sake But first unto the Grave he went to pray Kissing that Earth wherein her Body lay After a Month or two his Grief to ease Some Recreations sought himself to please And calling for his Horses and his Hounds He went to hunt upon the Champian grounds His Thoughts by these Pastimes diverted are Pass'd by the Grave and never dropt a Tear At last he chanc'd a Company to meet Of Virgins young and fresh as Flowers sweet Their Cloathing fine their Humours pleasant gay And with each other they did sport and play Giving his Eyes a liberty to view VVith interchanging Looks in Love he grew One Maid amongst the rest most fair and young VVho had a ready wit and pleasant tongue He Courtship made to her he did address Cast off his Mourning Love for to express Rich Clothes he made and wondrous fine they were He barb'd and curl'd and powder'd sweet his Hair Rich Gifts unto his Mistress did present And every day to visit her he went They like each other well they both agree That in all haste they straight must married be To Church they went for joy the Bells did ring When married were he home the Bride did bring But when he married was some half a year He Curtain-Lectures from his VVife did hear For whatsoe're he did she did with spight And scorn dislike and all his kindness slight Cross every word she would that he did say Seem'd very sick complaining every day Unless she went abroad then she would be In humour good in other Company Then he would sigh and call into his Mind His dear dead Wife that was so wondrous kind He jealous grew and was so discontent And of his later Marriage did repent With Melancholy Thoughts fell sick and dy'd His VVife soon after was another's Bride VVhen she had done the Men aloud did cry Said she had quit her Tale most spitefully Another Man to answer what she told Began to tell and did his Tale unfold The Feminine Description A Man a walking did a Lady spy To her he went and when he came hard by Fair Lady said he why walk you alone Because said she my Thoughts are then my own For in a Company my Thoughts do throng And follow every foolish babling Tongue Your Thoughts said he 't were boldnessfor to ask To tell said she it were too great a task But yet to satisfie your Mind said she I 'le tell you how our Thoughts run commonly Sometimes they mount up to the Heavens high Then straight fall down and on the Earth will lye Then circling run to compass all they may And then sometimes they all in heaps do stay At other times they run from place to place As if they had each other in a Chace Sometimes they run as Phansie doth them guide And then they swim as in a flowing-Tide But if the Mind be discontent they flow Against the Tide their Motion 's dull and slow Said he I travel now to satisfie my Mind Whether I can a Constant VVoman find O Sir said she it 's Labour without end VVe cannot Constant be to any Friend VVe seem to love to death but 't is not so Because our Passions still move to and fro They are not fix'd but do run all about Every new Object thrusts the former out Yet we are fond and for a time so kind As nothing in the world should change our Mind But if Misfortune come we weary grow Then former Fondness we away straight throw Although the Object alter not yet may Time alter our fond Minds another way We love and like and hate and cry VVithout a Cause or Reason why Wherefore go back for you shall never find Any VVoman to have a Constant Mind The best that is shall hold but for a time Wav'ring like wind which Women hold no Crime A Woman
object of his Mistress clos'd Like Multitudes that gather in a Ring To view some curious or some wondrous thing Or like a devout Congregation met Will strive about the Altar near to set So did his Thoughts near her Idea get Which as a Goddess in his Soul did set Then he an Altar built of Marble white And Waxen Tapers round about did light Her Picture on this Altar plac'd was high There to be seen with an up-lifted Eye She was his Saint and he there every day Did offer Tears and Sighs to her did pray And her implore she would the Gods request To take his Soul his Body lay to rest In th' mean time his Mistress's made believe That he was kill'd for which she much did grieve For when she at the first the news did hear Her Face turn'd pale like Death it did appear Then gently sinking she fell to the ground Grief seiz'd her heart and put her in a swound At last life got the better and then wept And wisht to Heaven that she in death had slept But Melancholy her whole Soul possest And of all pleasing Thoughts it self divest All objects shuns that pleasing were and fair And all such sounds as were of a leight air The splendrous Light and glorious Sun shut out And all her Chamber hung with black about No other light but blinking Lamps would have Some Earth and Turf therein like to a Grave The which she often view'd or sate close by Imagining the Prince therein did lye And on that Grave her Tears like show'rs of rain Keep fresh the Turf on the green Grass remain As pearled dew before the Sun doth rise Or as refreshing show'rs from Cloudy Skies And often this supposed Grave doth dress With such significant Flow'rs as did express His Virtues and his Dispositions sweet More than those Flowers when in Posies meet His various Virtues known to all so well More fragrant than those Flowers were for smell But first she set a Lawrel-Garland green To shew that he a Victor once had been And in the midst a copious Branch did place For to express he dyed in the chace Of his fierce Enemies his Courage was so true That after a long fight away they flew Thus Melancholy past her time away Besides sad solemn Musick ' twice a day For ev'ry Sense with Melancholy fill'd And always dropping-tears from thence distill'd With which her Melancholy Soul did feed And Melancholy Thoughts her Mind did breed Then on the ground her Head aside-ways hung Would lye along whilst these sad Songs were sung A SONG TITAN I banish all thy joys of Light Turning thy glorious Rays to darker Night Clothing my Chamber with sad Black each part Thus suitable unto my mournful heart Only a dimn Wax Taper there shall wait On me to shew my sad unhappy Fate With mournful Thoughts my Head shall furnisht be And all my Breath sad Sighs for love of thee My Groans to sadder Notes be set with skill And sung in Tears and Melancholy still Languishing-Musick to fill up each Voice With Palsied trembling Strings is all my choice A SONG SInce he is gone Oh then Salt Tears Drown both mine Eyes and stop mine Ears With Grief my Grief it is so much It locks my Smell up Taste and Touch. In me remains but little breath Which quickly take away Oh Death A SONG WHY should I live But who doth know The way to him or where to go Death's ignorant the Dead they have No sense of Grief when in the Grave Forgetful and Unthankful Death Hast thou no love when gone's our Breath No Gratitude but there dost lye In dark Oblivion for to dye No sense of Love or Honour there Then Death I prethee me forbear Thousands of years in sorrow I Would live in Grief and never dye A SONG MY Bed of Sorrow 's made since no relief And all my Pillows shall be stuff'd with Grief My Winding-sheets are those whereon I lye My Curtains drawn with sad Melancholy Watching shall be my Food Weeping my Drink Sighing my Breath and Groaning what I think Trembling and shaking all my Exercise Disquiet and disorder'd Thoughts now rise Wringing of hands with folded arms lamenting Is all the joy is left me of contenting For he is gone that was my joy my life I 'm left his Widow who ne'er was his Wife But all the while the Queen was angry bent Against the Prince because away he went And left the Army without a General For which she Rebel Traytor him did call But she another General did make Which of the Army all the Charge did take Yet his Success in Warrs proved but bad For afterward the Queen great Losses had And all the Soldiers they were discontent Whereat the Queen another General sent But he no better Fortune there could meet The Enemy did force him to retreat Then did the Enemy so pow'rful grow The Forces of the Queen they overthrow In every Fight and Skirmish which they had For which the Queen and Kingdom did grow sad At last the Queen the Prince did flatter and Entreated him again for to Command But he deny'd the Queen would not obey Said Earthly Power to Gods they must give way At last she sent him word she would not spare His life and therefore bid him to prepare Himself for death for dye he should For Disobedience and Revenge she would Have on him Then his Father to him went For to perswade him and there did present Show'rs of Tears which sadly pouring fell Upon his only Son his grief to tell He round about his Neck one arm did wind The other arm embrac'd his Body kind His Cheeks his Son did joyn to his And often he his Lips did kiss O pity me my Son and thy Life spare Thou art my only Child and only Heir Th' art my sole Joy in thee I pleasure take And wish to live but only for thy sake The Prince his Father answer'd and said he I am not worth those Tears you shed for me But why do you thus weep and thus lament For my death now When to the Warrs I went You did encourage me to fight in field For Victory or else my Life to yeeld I willingly obey'd and joy'd to find My Father's Sympathy unto my Mind Besides it shew'd a greater love to me Than Parents self-lov'd fondness us'd to be For to prefer my Honour and my Fame Before the perpetu'ty of your Name And as you priz'd my Honour and Renown So I a Heavenly not an Earthly Crown And give me leave the better choice to make To quit all troubles and sweet Peace to take I ne'er more willing nor more fit can dye For Heaven and the Gods pure company For had I dy'd in Warrs my Soul had been Stained with Blood and spotted o're with Sin But now my Mistress is a Saint in Heaven Hath intercession made my sins forgiven And since she 's gone all Joys with her are fled And I shall never happy be till
on Yet they are Curious built with Art and Care Like Lovers who build Castles in the Air Which ev'ry puff of Wind is apt to break As Imaginations when Reason's weak They said His Tale was short He Answer made I 'le piece it out And thus he said THE Silk-worm digs her Grave as she doth spin And makes her Winding-sheet to lap her in And from her Bowels takes a heap of Silk Which on her Body as a Tomb is built Out of her ashes do her young ones rise Having bequeath'd her Life to them she dyes They only take that Life to spin a Death For as they wind up Silk they wind out Breath Thus rather than do nought or idle be They 'l work and spin out Life's small Thread we see When all their work is done ready to dye Their Wings are grown for Life away to flye The Silk-worm is first a small Seed then turneth into a Worm at last grows to have Wings like a Flye but lives not to make use of them As soon as she is big enough she spins a Ball of Silk all about her self wherein being grown to be a Fly she makes a hole to come out to leave Seed for the generation of her young ones After which she immediately dyes The Women said the Men made quick dispatch In telling Tales like Dogs that Bones do snatch But howsoe're a Woman did begin To tell a Tale and thus she entred in A Description of the Passion of Love misplaced A Lady on the Ground a mourning lay Complaining to the Gods and thus did say You Gods said she why do you me torment Why give you Life without the Mind's content Why do you Passions in a Mind create Then leave it all to Destiny and Fate With knot and snarls they spin the Thread of Life Then weave it cross and make a Web of strife Come Death though Fates are cross yet thou' rt a Friend And in the Grave dost peace quiet send It chanc'd a Gentleman that way came by And seeing there a weeping Beauty lye Alas dear Lady why do you so weep Unless your Tears you mean the Gods shall keep Jove will present those Tears to Juno fair For Pendants and for Neck-laces to wear And so present that Breath to Juno fair That she may always move in perfum'd air Forbear forbear make not the World so poor Send not such Riches for the Gods have store I 'm one said she to whom Fortune's a Foe Crossing my Love working my overthrow A Man which to Narcissus might compare For Youth and Beauty and the Graces fair Do him adorn on him my love is plac'd But his neglect doth make my life to wast My Soul doth mourn my Thoughts no rest can take He by his scorn doth me unhappy make With that she cry'd O Death said she come quick And in my heart thy Leaden Arrow stick Take comfort Lady grieve and weep no more For Nature handsome Men hath more in store Besides dear Lady Beauty will decay And with that Beauty love will flee away If you take time this heat of Love will wast Because 't is only on a Beauty plac'd But if your Love did from his Virtue spring You might have lov'd though not so fond have been The love of Virtue is for to admire The Soul and not the Body to desire That 's a gross Love which only dull Beasts use But Noble Man to love the Soul will chuse Because the Soul is like a Deity Therein pure Love will live eternally O Sir but Nature hath the Soul so fix'd Unto the Body and such Passions mix'd That nothing can divide or dis-unite Unless that Death will separate them quite For when the Senses in Delights agree They bind the Soul make it a Slave to be He Answered If that the Soul in Man should give consent In every thing the Senses to content No Peace but War amongst Mankind would be And Desolation would have Victory No Man could tell or challenge what 's his own He would be Master that is strongest grown Lady love Virtue and let Beauty dye And in the Grave of Ruins let it lye With that she rose and with great joy said she Farewell fond Love and foolish Vanity The Men condemn'd the Tale because said they None but a Fool would preach so Wise men pray But Ladies hear me did another say TO love but one is a great fault For Nature otherwise is taught She caus'd Varieties for us to taste And other Appetites in us she plac'd And caus'd dislike in us to rise To surfeit when we gormandise For of one Dish we glut our Palat Although it be but of a Salat When Solomon the Wise did try Of all things underneath the Sky Although he found it Vanitie Yet by it Nature made us free For by the change her Works do live By several Forms that she doth give So that Inconstancy is Nature's play And we her various Works must her obey A Woman said that Men were foolish Lovers And whining Passions Love oft discovers They 're full of Thoughts said she yet never pleas'd Always complaining and yet never eas'd They 'l sigh they mourn they groan they make great moan They 'l sit cross-legg'd with folded arms alone Sometimes their Dress is careless with despair With hopes rais'd up 't is costly rich and rare Setting their Looks and Faces in a frame Their Garb's affected by their Mistress Name Flattering their Loves forswearing then each boasts What Valiant Deedsh ' has done in Forreign Coasts Through what great dangers his adventures run Such acts as Hercules had never done That every one that hears doth fear his Name And every Tongue that speaks sounds forth his fame And thus their Tongues extravagantly move Caus'd by vain-glorious foolish amorous Love Which only those of his own Sex approve But when their Rallery was past The Tale upon a Man was cast Then crying peace to all that talking were They were bid hold their Tongues and lend an Ear. The Man more than the rest was somewhat old They said to him Your Tale you have not told Alas said he my Memory is bad And I have none so good as you have had He musing a short time thus did begin I hope said he my Tale may credit win A Description of Civil-Warrs A Kingdom which long time had liv'd in Peace Her People rich with Plenty fat with Ease With Pride were haughty grown Pride Envy bred From Envy Factions grew then Mischief spread And Libels every where were strew'd about Which after into Civil-Warr broke out Some for the Commons fought some for the King And great Disorder was in ev'ry thing Battels were won and lost on either side Where Fortune ebb'd and flow'd like to a Tide At last the Commons won and then astride Fierce Tyranny on Noble Necks did ride All Monuments pull'd down that stood long time And Ornaments were then thought a great Crime No Law was pleaded but the Martial Law The
Sword did rule and keep them all in aw No Prayers offer'd to the Gods on high All Ceremony in the Dust did lye Nothing was done in Order Truth and Right Nought govern'd then but Malice Spleen Spight But mark how justly Gods do punish Men To make them humble and to bow to them Though they had Plenty and thereof did eat They relish'd not that good and savoury Meat Because their Conscience did them so torment For all their Plenty they were discontent They took no rest Cares so oppress'd their Mind No Joy nor Comfort in the World could find When drowsie sleep upon their Eyes did set Then fearful Visions in their Dreams they met In Life no pleasure take yet fear to dye No Mercy can they hope from Gods on high O serve the Gods and then the Mind will be Always in peace and sweet tranquillity A Woman said A Tale I mean to tell That in those Warrs unto a Cross befell AN ancient Cross liv'd in our Father's time With as much Fame as did the Worthies nine No harm it did or injury to none But dwelt in peace and quietly alone On Times or Government did not complain But stood Stone-still not stirr'd in no King's Reign Both Winter's Snow and Summer's scorching Sun It did endure and Urin'd was upon Yet peaceful Nature nor yet humble Mind Shall not avoid rude Ignorance that 's blind That superstitiously beats down all things Which smell but of Antiquity or springs From Noble Deeds nor love nor take delight In Laws or Justice hating Truth and Right But Innovations love for that seems fine And what is new adore they as Divine That makes them so neglect the Gods above For Time doth waste both their respect and love And so this Cross poor Cross all in a rage They pull'd down quite the fault was only Age. Had it been gilded gloriously and brave They Vanity for an excuse might have But it was poor its Mortar all off worn Which Time had eaten as when Dogs have torn The Flesh from Bones of Hares or harmless Sheep Or like to Skeletons that Scholars keep If they had pious been it might have stood To mollifie the Minds of Men to good But they were wicked hating every thing That by example might to goodness bring Then down they pull'd it leaving not one stone Upon another for it to be known To after-ages for the Ground lies bare And none can know that once the Cross stood there Then said a Man I can this Tale well fit For I a Tale can tell that 's like to it IN old times when Devotion false did reign A Church was built although to use prophane Was Consecrated as Diana's right Who was their Goddess of the Moon-shine bright But afterwards when Truth with Zeal did flame It Christned was and bore Jove's mighty Name And dedicated to the Sun above Then married was became his Spouse and Love Long did she live in Duty Peace and Zeal Became an Honour to the Commonweal Was curiously adorn'd within without The Quoire all hung with Hangings rich about With Marble Tombs and Statues carv'd and cut Wherein the Bodies of good Saints were put There polish'd Pillars long the Iles did stand And Arched Roofs built by a skilful hand With Painted Windows plac'd on either side At every end were Gates large open wide And all the inside was most bravely gilt As all the outside with Free-stone were built There Choristers did sing each several Note And Organs loud did answer ev'ry throat And Priests there taught Men how to pray and live Rewards and Punishments which Jove did give But mark this Temple was destroy'd by sin Since they did leave to worship Jove therein Because this Church profan'd by sinful Men Was made a Stable and for Thieves a Den. No surer mark of Wrath when Gods do frown Then to give leave to pull their Temples down A Lady said these VVarrs her Soul did shake And the remembrance made her heart to ake My Brother then was murther'd in cold-blood Incircled round with Enemies he stood Where he like to a fixed Starr shin'd bright They like to black and pitchy Clouds of Night He like the Sun his Courage like that Heat Their Envy like bad Vapours strove to beat His Light of Honour out but pow'rful Fame Did throw their spight back on their heads with shame And though they struck his Body not his Mind For that in Death through all their Malice shin'd He valiant was his Spirits knew no fear They never chill'd when they in Battel were And strove to give more blows than safety sought His Limbs most vigour had when most he fought He spoke not loud nor sung his fear to hide With silence march'd and quietly did ride Viewing the Armies with a watchful Eye And careful was advantages to spye If that his Soldiers chanc'd to run away He ran not after them to make them stay As some Commanders which will call and run After the Soldiers when the Flight's begun But when once gone seldom return again But with their Soldiers they will safe remain But he amongst his Foes like Earth was fix'd Or like to Fire himself was intermix'd And their great solid Bodies did divide Pulling their Fabrick down on either side Until his Mercy did for Favour pray Unto his Courage so to run away He made them know he was a Soldier good Train'd up in Warrs which Art he understood Besides his Genius was prompt thereunto Wit Skill Invention knew what best to do Which made the Foe more fierce his Life to take For fear that he their ruin soon would make For they so soon as he was in their pow'r Like greedy Vulturs did his Life devour He stood their Rage his Courage knew no fear Nor on grim Death with terror did he stare But did embrace her with a Generous Mind VVith Noble Thoughts and Kisses that were kind Vollies of Shot did all his Body tear VVhere his blood 's spilt the Earth no Grass will abear As if for to revenge his Death the Earth VVas curs'd with barrenness ev'n from her birth And though his Body in the Grave doth lye His Fame doth live and will eternally His Soul 's Immortal and so is his Fame His Soul in Heav'n doth live and here his Name The next time had a Man his turn to speak Who said That Civil-Warrs made Rich men break Populous Kingdoms that do flourish well In Peace and Plenty then to ruin fell WHen I with grief unto remembrance bring The blessed time men liv'd with a goodKing To think at first how happy such do raign And in what Peace such Kingdoms do remain VVhere Magistrates do sit in Justice Throne Few Crimes committed Punishments scarce known The Nobles liv'd in state and high degree All happy even to the Peasantry Where easie Laws no Tax to make them poor All live Plenty full is every Store They Customs have to recreate the Mind Not barbarous but civil gentle kind
tell you said the Mind Nature builds some Minds like a curious and stately Palace and furnishes them so richly that it needs neither Time nor the Senses laying Reason as the Foundation and Judgment for the Building wherein are firm and straight Pillars of Fortitude Justice Prudence and Temperance is paved with Understanding which is solid and hard walled with Faith which is roofed with Love and bows like an Arch to embrace all towards a round Compass is Leaded with Discretion which sticks close keeping out watry Errors and windy Vanities it hath passages of Memory and Remembrance to let Objects in and Doors of Forgetfulness to shut them out likewise it hath Windows of Hopes that let in the Light of Joy and Shutts of Doubts to keep it out also it hath large Stairs of Desire which arise by steps or windings up by degrees to the Towers of Ambition Besides in Architecture of the Mind there are wide Rooms of Conception furnish'd richly with Invention and long Galleries of Contemplation which are carved and wrought with Imaginations and hung with the Pictures of Fancy Likewise there are large Gardens of Varieties wherein flow Rivers of Poetry with full Streams of Numbers making a purling Noise with Rhymes on each side are Banks of Oratory whereon grow Flowers of Rhetorick and high Trees of Perswasion upon which a Credulous Fool helped by the Senses will climb and from the top falls on the Ground of Repentance from whence old Father Time takes him up and puts him into the Arms of Expence who carries him in to the Chyrurgeon of Expence and is healed with the Plaster of Warning or else dyes of the Apoplexical Disease called Stupidity But Wisdom will only look up to the top viewing the growth and observing what kind they are of but never adventures to climb she will sit sometimes under the Branches for Pleasure but never hang on the Boughs of Insinuation While they were disputing in comes grim Death whose terrible Aspect did so affright the Mind that the very fear put out its Light and quenched out its Flame and the Body being struck by Death became sensless and dissolved into Dust. But old Father Time run away from Death as nimbly as a light-heel'd Boy or like those that slide upon the Ice but never turned to see whether Death followed or no Death called him but he made himself as it were deaf with Age and would not hear A Tripartite Government of Nature Education and Experience NATURE Education and Experience did agree to make a Juncto to govern the Monarchy of Man's Life every one ruling by turns or rather in parts being a Tripartite Government The Soul the Senses and the Brain where Nature creates Reason as the chief Magistrate to govern the Soul Education creates Virtue to govern the Appetites for Virtue is bred not born in Man And Experience creates Wit to govern the Brain for Wit though native without Experience is defective As for the Soul which Natural Reason governs it hath large Territories of Capacity and Understanding and many Nobles living therein as Heroick Passions and Generous Affections Subtil Enquiries Strong Arguments and Plain Proofs The Senses which Virtuous Education governs are five great Cities and the various Appetites are the several Citizens dwelling therein which Citizens are apt to rebel and turn Traitors if Virtue the Governess be not severe and strict in executing Justice with Courage cutting off the Heads of Curiosity Nicety Variety Luxury and Excess and though Temperance must weigh measure and set Limits yet Prudence must distribute to Necessity and Conveniency the several Gifts of Nature Fortune and Art The third is the Brain wherein Experienc'd Wit governs which is the pleasantest part and hath the larrgest Compass wherein are built many Towers of Conceptions and Castles of Imaginations Grounds ploughed with Numbers and sowed with Fancies Gardens planted with Study set with Practice from whence Flowers of Rhetorick grow and Rivers of Elegancy flow through it This part of the Kingdom hath the greatest Traffick and Commerce of any of the three parts and flourishes most being populated with the Graces and Muses Wit being popular hath great power on the Passions and Affections and in the Senses makes Civil Entertainments of Pleasure and Delight feeding the Appetites with delicious Banquets NATURE's HOUSE THE whole Globe is Nature's House and the several Planets are Nature's several Rooms the Earth is her Bed Chamber the Floor is Gold and Silver and the Walls Marble and Porphyrie the Portals and Doors are Lapis-Lazarus instead of Tapistry Hangings it is hung with all sorts of Plants her Bed is of several precious Stone the Bed-posts are of Rocks of Diamonds the Bed's-head of Rubies Saphires Topasses and Emeralds Instead of a Feather-bed there is a Bed of sweet Flowers and the Sheets are fresh Air her Table is of Agats and the like yet the Roof of the Chamber is Earth but so curiously Vaulted and so finely wrought that no Dust falls down it is built much like unto a Martin's Nest the Windows are the Pores of the Earth Saturn is her Gallery a long but a dark Room and stands at the highest Story of her House Sol is her Dining-Room which is a round Room built with Heat and lined with Light Venus is her Dressing-Room Cynthia is her Supping-Room which is divided into four Quarters wherein stand four Tables one being round at which she sits being furnished with all Plenty the other are Side-board Tables Mercury is her Room of Entertainment The Rational Creatures are her Nobles The Sensitive Creatures are her Gentry The Insensible Creatures are her Commons Life is her Gentleman-Usher Time is her Steward And Death is her Treasurer A DISPUTE THE Soul caused Reason and Love to dispute with the Senses and Appetites Reason brought Religion for whatsoever Reason could not make good Faith did Love brought Will for whatsoever Love said Will confirmed The Senses brought Pleasure and Pain which were as two Witnesses Pleasure was false Witness but Pain would not nor could not be bribed Appetite brought Opinion which in somethings would be obstinate in others very facil But they had not disputed long but they were so entangled in their Arguments and so invective in their Words as most Disputers are that they began to quarrel as most Disputers do Whereupon the Soul dismist them although with much difficulty for Disputers are Captains or Colonels of ragged Regiments of Arguments and when a Multitude are gathered together in a Rout they seldom disperse until some Mischief is done and then they are well pleased and fully satisfied The Preaching-Lady Dearly Beloved Brethren IHAVE called you together to Instruct Exhort and Admonish you My Text I take out of Nature the third Chapter in Nature at the beginning of the fourth Verse mark it dearly Beloved the third Chapter beginning at the fourth Verse The Text In the Land of Poetry there stands a steep high Mount named Parnassus at the top
After which the King and all the People rising up bowed their Heads down low as in humble obedience to the Commands he had receiv'd praying to him as a God to divert the Punishments intended to them and in sorrow lamenting their Fault went home each to his House sealing up their Lips for such a time from receiving Meat or sending forth Words In the mean time the old Man and he had leisure to bethink themselves what to do having at that time the Temple as a Palace to live in none to disturb them nor to hinder their Thoughts from working out their advantage and sitting in Counsel a long time disputing with each other what was best to do at last resolved That the old Man should go to the King as sent from the Gods to bid him send a Command to all his People to eat such Herbs for Sallads and drink their Water without mixture just before they came for else said the old Man their Hunger will make them impatient or so dull as it may stop their Ears by the faintness of their Spirits caused by their empty Stomacks and too much said he makes them furious sending up Malignant Vapours to their Brains which may cause our Ruins But after he had been with the King he returned back to the Temple again and the King obeyed his Desire as a Command from the Gods and brought the People all to the Temple where after they were all gathered together Travelia advanced himself so much higher than rest as they might hear him round about Then thus spake PIOUS Friends for so I may call you being willing to please the Gods though your Ignorance hath led you wrong ways But the Gods seeing your Zeal though through a false Devotion pitying your Ignorance have by their Wisdom found means to appease the Wrath of their Justice for every Attribute of the Gods must have a satisfaction for Right is their Kingdom and Truth is their Scepter wherewith they govern all their Works but the Gods have strowed Lots amongst Mankind of movable things which Chance gathers up and Chance being blind mistakes both in the gathering and distributing Now the Gods made this Chance by their Providence when they made Man for Man hath no more knowledg of the transitory things of the World than what Fortune gives them who is an unjust Distributer for all External Gifts come from her hand and for want of sight she gives oft-times the Beggar 's Lot to the King the Servants to the Master the Master 's to the Servant and for the Internal Gifts which the Gods have bestowed on Men they are different as the External are transitory for some are nearer to perfection some farther off yet none have perfect knowledg for the Gods mix Man's nature with such an aspiring Ambition that if they had a perfect knowledg of the glory of the Gods and a perfect knowledg of the first Cause and of the Effects produced therefrom they would have warr'd with the Gods and have strove to usurp their Authority So busie and vain-glorious hath the Gods made the Minds of Men Wherefore the Gods govern the World by Ignorance and though the goodness of the Gods is great yet it is bound in with their Justice which is attended with Terrors to punish the Crimes of Men and even to punish the innocent Errors that proceed from that Ignorance which they have muzled Man withall But as their Power made the World their Wisdom rules the World their Justice punishes the World so their Mercy keeps the World from destruction and their Love not only saves Man but preferrs Man to a glorious Happiness And some of this Love the Gods have sent to you although by your Ignorance you had almost cast it from you And since the Gods have sent you Knowledg by us take hold of it and do not wilfully fall in your superstitious Errors although it is a difficult pains even for the Gods themselves to perswade Man who is of a cross suspitious inquisitive and murmuring nature accusing the Gods of Partiality saying They prefer or cast out whom they please not as Man deserves Thus they judg of the Gods by their own Passions but the Gods by Variation are pleased to continue the World and by Contradiction to govern it by Sympathy delight it for Delight lives not altogether in the power of Chance being created in the Essence and Soul of Man for though Chance can present those things with Antipathies or Sympathies to the Senses which present them to the Soul yet it hath not the power to rule it for the Soul is a kind of God in it self to direct and guide those things that are inferior to it to perceive and descry into those things that are far above it to create by Invention and to delight in Contemplations and though it hath not an absolute power over it self yet it is a harmonious and absolute thing in it self and though it is not a God from all Eternity yet it is a kind of Deity to all Eternity for it shall never dye and though the Body hath a relation to it yet no otherwise than the Mansion of Jove hath unto Jove The Body is only the residing-place and the Sensitive Spirits are as the Soul's Angels or Messengers and Intelligencers So the Souls of Men are to the Gods as the Sensitive Spirits to the Soul And will you dislodg the Sensitive Spirits of the Gods by destroying and unbuilding each other's Body by violent Deaths before it be the Gods Pleasure to dissolve that Body and so remove the Soul to a new Mansion And though it is not every Creature that hath that Soul but only Man for Beasts have none nor every Man for most Men are Beasts only the Sensitive Spirits and the Shape may be but not the Soul yet none know when the Soul is out or in but the Gods and not only other Bodies may not know it but the same Body is ignorant thereof The Soul is as invisible to the Sensitive Spirits as the Gods to men for though the Soul knows and hath intelligence by the Sensitive Spirits yet the Sensitive have none from the Soul for as Gods know Men but Men know not Gods so the Soul knoweth the Senses but the Senses know not the Soul Wherefore you must seek all the ways to preserve one another as Temples of the Gods not to destroy and pull them down for whosoever doth so commits Sacriledg against the Gods Wherefore none must dye but those that kill or would kill others Death must be repaid with Death saith Jove and only Death is in the power of Man to call when they please but Life is in the power of the Gods and those that displease the Gods shall have a miserable Life not only in the bodily part which is sensible of pain and may be tormented out of one shape into another and be perpetually dying or killing with all manner of Torments and yet never dye in the
my Soul is yours there is nothing I can own that is not so And since you must and will go from this place let me go with you to set your Triumphs out and lead me as your Slave Sir answered she I have not been so ill treated nor am I so ungrateful to go away and leave no thanks behind me Wherefore I will stay until there is such a Peace made as you may receive as much Profit and as little Losses thereby as I. Wherefore in order thereunto I desire that the General of my Forces and some of my Council may come hither and so confer both with my self and you The King gave order that the Gates of the City might be set open but the Queen sent a Messenger to the Army that none of the Forces should enter into it but keep themselves where they were without only the General and the Council and some of the chiefest Commanders to come unto her But when they were ready to wait upon the Queen the old Man fell very sick and sent to his Son the young General to come unto him to take his leave of him before he dyed who went with a sorrowful heart and sad countenance and when he came close to his Bed the old Man spake Son said he My Lease of Life is expired and Death the Landlord of my Body knocks at my old and ruinated Cottage sending out my Soul to seek another Habitation which Soul intends to travel through the Airy Skies unto the Mansion of the Gods where it shall pray for your success and happy days on Earth O Father said Travelia Must you go and leave me here behind Why will the Gods so cruelly oppress An innocent Youth to leave it in distress You were my good Angel to guard me from those Evils that Fortune sets about me you were my Guide which did direct my simple Youth to just and honest ways What will become of me when you are gone Or who will rescue me from those that seek my ruin The old Man said The Gods the Gods my Son they will reward your Virtue Farewel farewell then turned his head and dyed After he had lamented and mourned over his lifeless Corps he sent to the Queen to give him leave to interr his Father's ashes The King hearing thereof sent to the General inviting him to bring his Father's Body into the City and there to be interr'd in his chief Temple which Honour he accepted Whereupon all the Army brought the Hearse unto the Gates and then returned unto their Trenches But the Chief Commanders did bear it unto the Grave the young General came into the Temple being clad all in Mourning only his Face seen which appeared like the Sun when it breaks through a dark and spungy Cloud whose Beams did shine on those watry drops that fell upon her Cheeks as Banks where Roses and Lillies grow and standing on a mounted Pillar he said I come not here to flatter or be-lye the dead but to speak the truth as far as my knowledg is informed He was aged in years not old for those are only old whose Memories and Understanding are grown defective by the length of time He was Wise by Experience not led with Self-opinion He was learned in the Art of Navigation and not ignorant of Land-Service or Command although few that dwell on Seas and profess that Art know more of Land than the Ports where they take harbour to shelter themselves from furious storms or to take fresh Victuals in or to be deboist with Wine and Women But he was most temperate not only in moderating his Passions but also his Appetites with Reason Honour and Religion In his Behaviour he was affable and free not formal nor constrain'd by vain and self-conceit His Disposition gentle sweet and kind He was in his Nature compassionate to all that were in distress He was Industrious to all good Effects and had a nimble and ingenious Wit and 〈◊〉 a superfluity of Courage as did not only banish fear in himself but begot spirit in others He was bred in the Schools of Honour where he had learnt Vertuous Principles and Heroick Actions He had all the Ingredients that goeth to the making of an Honest and Gallant Man And he was not only Morally Honest but most Pious and Devout He offered not Sacrifice to the Gods for Worldly Prosperity but out of Pure Love and Adoration to the Gods He was a Pattern for all others to take Example by His Soul was as the Breath of the Gods and his Animal Part as the best of Nature's Extraction But Nature makes nothing to last in one Form long for what she creates she dissolves again With that her Tears fell so fast from her Eyes as stopt her mouth for a time but at last she sighing said Although my Tears are useless to him since it is not in their power to alter the Decrees of Fate nor can perswade the Gods to give perpetual Life here in this World yet Natural Affections are forced through my Eyes Then bowing down her Head over the Corps which was placed underneath said These as satisfaction may asswage my grief to think my new-born Fears the issues of my Love shall be buried and lye intombed with his cold Ashes which is the only way to mingle Souls when Death hath parted Bodies But if Fate had had the power to twist the Thread of of my Life with his then Death had struck me too and so eased my grief But since it is not so his Memory shall lye entombed in my Heart until I dye After he had spoke this Funeral-speech he descended from the Pillar and helping to lay the Corps upon the Funeral-Pile did with a flaming-Torch set the Fuel on fire and gathering up the Ashes put them in the Urn and placed it in a Tomb. Having thus executed those Ceremonies belonging to the dead he changed his Mourning-Robes and clothed himself fit for the Court or Camp again Then he and the Council and the chief Commanders went unto the Palace of the King where after some discourse he was brought to the Queen who joyed more to see her Travelia than for the Victories they had won and after she had condoled with him for the loss of his Father she congratulated with him for the good success he had in the Warrs aud withal told him She must set at liberty his Prisoner the Prince for she had given him back unto the King Whereupon he presently gave order for the Prince to repair to the Court and after she had heard the relations of all their several Actions and Accidents and pleased her self with the variety of other Discourses she told them She would sit in Council to consider what was to be done as concerning the Peace and so dismist them for that time only she stayed Travelia loving his company so well she could not so easily part with him But the King perceiving her Affections as being never pleased but when
illustrate with false lights their dim Virtues or give them such Praises they never deserved Wherefore no History should be esteemed but what was written by the Authors themselves as such as write the History of their own Lives Actions and Fortunes and the several Accidents that befell in their time and to their knowledg yet said she I wish I might out-live the Historians of these times that I might write a History of the Historians there to describe their Birth and Breeding their Life their Actions their Fortunes their Interest and let the World judg whether they writ Truth and without Partiality But to draw towards an end of my Tale All sorts of People resorting to hear her speak she became so famous as that a great Monarch whose Kingdom was neighbouring to the Countrey she was born bred and lived in had a great curiosity to see and hear her for the fame of her Beauty was equal to the fame of her Wit and putting himself into a disguise left his Kingdom and Wife to visit this Lady whom when he saw and had heard speak her Wit Beauty and graceful Behaviour did so ravish him that he became a deseperate Lover Whereupon he secretly revealed himself unto her perswading all he could to leave that inclosed life proffering her to be divorced from his Wife and to marry her But she refused his Offers despised his Love forbid his Suit and absented her Person which caused him to return in a rage and fury sending Ambassadors to proclaim Warrs unless the State would deliver the Lady into his Power But they absolutely denied to deliver her thinking it both a wicked and dishonourable disgrace to their Countrey although they perceived an utter ruin was like to fall upon them by reason the Kingdom was in a weak condition caused by former Warrs But it came no sooner to her hearing but she desired to meet the Ambassadors in a publike audience which they granted where multitudes of People came thronging to see her and when they were met she thus spake I come not here to make Eloquent Orations to divulge my Wit or to present my Beauty to the view of many Eyes for though I may thank Nature for her bounteous Gifts Yet I have not that Vanity or Pride For to allure or draw from Virtue 's side But I come to answer these Threatning-Ambassadors for I cannot call them Noble or Honourable since they come upon a base Design and to an unjust End But let me tell them That the Gods would hate me should I break my holy Vow Next I should grieve my Father's sleeping-Ashes should I disobey his dyingcommand Thirdly I should be a dishonour to my Birth and Sex should I live incontinently Lastly I should curse my Birth hate my Life blast my Fame should I be the cause of my Countrey 's Ruin and my Countrey had cause to do the same should it beruined for me But since it will prove a Mischief Sin and Shame to live Honour Prudence Love and Justice bids me dye Wherefore I have sacrificed my Life for my Countrey 's Peace and Safety my unspotted Chastity holy Vows and dutiful Obedience and to quench the raging Lust of a wicked Tyrant And growing very sick she became so weak that she could stand no longer but gently sinking to the ground she fell whereupon all that could get near run unto her to help her but she told them it was in vain for Poyson saith she hath been the Engine that hath broken open the Gate of Life to let Death in and so immediately dyed Which the People no sooner understood but made such outcries lamentations and mournings as if there had been an utter desolation of the whole World Then after some time of Preparations they buried her with great solemnity and intombed her costly the State setting up her Statue of Brass for her Courage and Love to her Countrey the Church Deified her a Saint for her Virtue and Piety and the Clergy raised Altars where all the Kingdom twice a year did offer unto her solemn Sacrifices and the Poets built several Pyramides of Praise of her Beauty Wit Virtue and sweet Graces which Pyramides reach'd to Fame's highest Tower and the Historians writ her Life and Death in Golden Letters and recorded them in Fame's Brazen Tower that all the World might know and follow the Example of her Heroick Spirit Generous Soul Chast Body Pious Life and Voluntary Death HEAVEN's Library which is FAME's Palace purged from Errors and Vices JOVE and some of the other Gods being set in Council Pallas being one rose up and bowing to Jove thus spake Great Jove said she I ought in duty and love to inform you not only of the Vices and Errors which are numerous in the World and in time may bring it to confusion but of those Errors and Vices which are crept into your great Library Fame's Palace and if order be not taken to destroy them they will devour all your best and noblest Records Jove answers That Vices were as Serpents and Errors as Worms bred in the Bowels of Nature of which she could never be cured for the Gods had no Medicine strong enough to purge them out and by reason they were from all Eternity they could not be destroyed for if any thing could be destroyed that is from all Eternity then we our selves might be destroy'd but said Jove we can cast them out of our own Mansions though we cannot cast them out of Nature's Bowels also we can hinder them from coming in wherefore Fame is to be reproved for suffering the Library to be so foul and full of filthy Vermin Whereupon Mercury was sent to call Fame to appear before Jove and his Council so when Fame came Jove told her That Gods and Goddesses ought to be just and upright and to have their Palaces pure and full of Truth which said he you nor your Palace hath not been for you are Partial and your Court full of Faction and my Library your Palace foul and full of Wormy Errors which if it had been kept pure and clean they would never have entred or if they had entred you might have caused them to have been swept out by Old Father TIME Fame answered That it was not her fault for Mars Venus and Fortune had sent them in and it is not for me to oppose so great a God as Mars or so great a Goddess as Venus or to sit as Judg to determine what was best to be flung out or what to be placed therein for none is fit to judg those Causes but you great Jove and your Council Jove approving what Fame said told his Council That after they had taken some repast they would sit in Council again and their only Business should be to purge and cleanse their Library So after they had feasted with Ambrosia and Nectar they returned to Council where they did first decree That all those Records that were to be cast forth should be heapt up
walk in moving-Brains And in each Head Love's Altars for us build To sacrifice some Sighs or Tears distill'd Then to her Heart the Pistol set she shot A Bullet in and so her Grief forgot Fame with her Trumpet blew in every Ear The sound of this great Act spread every where Lovers from all parts came by the report Unto her Urn as Pilgrims did resort There offer'd Praises of her Constancy And vow'd the like unto Love's Deity A Woman said That Tale exprest Love well And shew'd that Constancy in Death did dwell Friendship they say a thing is so sublime That with the Gods there 's nothing more Divine With wonder Lovers having but one will Their two Bodies one Soul doth govern still And though they be always dis-joined much Yet all their Senses equally do t'uch For what doth strike the Eye or other part Begets in all like Pleasure or like smart So though in Substance Form divided be Yet Soul and Senses join'd in one agree A Man that to the Lady plac'd was nigh Said He would tell another Tragedy Humanity Despair and Jealousie express'd in three Persons WAlking along close by a River's side The Waters smooth ran with a flowing-tide The Sun thereon did dart such shining-light As made it than a Diamond-Chain more bright The purling-streams invited me to swim Pull'd my Clothes off then enter'd every Limb. But envious Cold alas did me oppress And darting-arrows sharp me backwards press The River to embrace me made great haste Her moist soft arms incircled round my waste Streams coming fast strove there to force me stay But that my arms did make my body way My hands did strike the soft smooth Waters face As flatt'ring them to give my body place But when I found them apt higher to rise Striving to stop my breath and blind my eyes Then did I spread my arms and Circles make And the united-streams asunder brake My Legs did kick away those Waters clear To keep them back lest they should croud too near And as I broke those Streams they run away Yet fresh suppli'd their place to make me stay Long did I struggle and my strength did try At last got hold upon a Bank near by On whose side was a Hill where Trees were plac'd Which on the Waters did a shadow cast Thither I went and when I came close by I saw a Woman there a weeping lye VVhich seeing I began to slack my pace Straight did my Eyes view there a lovely Face Under a Tree close by the Root she sate VVhich with her Tears as falling-show'rs she wet At last she spake and humbly thus did pray You Gods said she my Life soon take away No slander on my Innocency throw Let my pure Soul into Elyzium go If I drown here within this watry Lake O let my Tears a murmuring River make Give it both Voice and VVords my Grief to tell My Innocence and why therein I fell Then straight she rose the River leapt she in VVhich when I saw I after her did swim My Hands as Oars did well my Body row Though panting-breath made waters rough to grow Yet was my Breast a Keel for to divide And by that help my Body swift did glide My Eyes the Needle to direct the way VVhich from the North of Grief did not estray She as the Load-stone drew me to her aid Though Storms within did make my Mind afraid Her Garments loose did on the Waters flow Which were puft up like Sails when winds do blow I catch'd thereat to draw her to the brink But when I went to pull she down did sink Yet did not I my hold thereof let go But drew her to the Shore with much ado I panting with short breath as out of wind My Spirits spent my Eyes were dimly blind My strength so weak forc'd me to lye down straight did fill Because alas my Life was over-fraight VVhen life got strength my mind with thoughts Then to the Lady us'd all art and skill Bowing her forwardsth ' waters to let out VVhich from her Nose Mouth gusht like a spout At last her breath before restrain'd out-broke And thus to me she passionately spoke O who are you that do my Soul molest Not giving leave in Death to take my rest Is there no Peace in Nature to be found Must Misery and Fear attend us round O Gods said she here grant me my desire Here end my life and let my breath expire I Answered Thus you with Nature set your self at odds And by this wish you do displease the Gods By violence you cut off their Decree No violence in Nature ought to be But what makes you thus strive for to destroy That Life which God did give you to enjoy She Answered O Sir If you did know the torments I do feel My Soul is rackt upon Ill Fortune's Wheel My Innocency by aspersion whipt And my pure Chastity of Fame is stript My Love 's neglected and forsaken quite Banisht from that my Soul took most delight My Heart was plac'd upon a Valiant Man Who in the Warrs much Honour bravely wan His actions all by wisdom placed were And his discourse delighted every Ear His Bounty like the Sun gave life and light To those whom Misery had eclipsed quite This Man my Person seem'd for to admire My Love before the World he did desire Told me the Gods might sooner Heaven leave Than he forsake my love or truth deceive But O vile Jealousie a Lover's Devil Tormenting Thoughts with Suspitions evil Frighting the Mind with false Imaginations Burying all Joys in deepest Contemplations Long lay it smuther'd but at last out-broke VVith Hate in Rage and Spleen base words it spoke Slander and Infamy in Circles round My innocent Youth with sharpest Tongues do wound But his Inconstancy did wound me more Than Slander Spite or Malice did before For he another married and left me Clouded in dark Disgrace black Infamy VVith that she fetch'd a Sigh Heav'n bless said she This cruel unkind Man who e're he be I faint Death digs my Grave O lay me in This watry Monument then may the Spring In murmures soft with blubbering words relate And dropping weep at my Ill Fortune's Fate Then on a Groan her Soul with wings did flie Up to the Heavens and the Gods on high VVhich when I saw my Eyes with grief did flow Although her Soul I thought to Heaven did go And musing long at last I chanc'd to see A Gentleman which handsome seem'd to be He coming near ask'd me who there did lie I said 'T was one for Love and Grief did die Hearing my words he started back Brows bent VVith trembling legs he to the Body went VVhich when he view'd his blood fell from his face His Eyes were fix'd and standing in one place At last kneel'd down and thus did say No hope is left Life 's fled away Thou wandring Soul where e're thou art Hear my Confession from my heart I lov'd thee better far
in secret guise Courting her privately for fear of Spies He strove to win her unto his embraces Muffle the Faults he would and the Disgraces Said he Why may not we our Senses all delight Our Senses and our Souls Heaven unite That we call Honour only Man creates For it was never destin'd by the Fates It is a word Nature ne're taught us nay It is a Precept she forbids t' obey Then follow Nature for that follows God And not the Arts of Men they 're vain and odd Let every Sense lye steep not drown'd in pleasure Let us keep up their height in balanc'd measure First let our Eyes all Beauteous Objects view Our Ears all Sounds which Notes and Times keep true Then Scent all Odours to refresh the Brain With Tastes delicious Palates entertain Touch things most pleasing that all Parts may feel Expansion of the Soul from Head to Heel Thus we shall use what Nature to us gave For by restraint in Life we dig our Grave And in the Grave our Senses useless lye Just so is Life if Pleasures we deny Thus Heav'n that gave us Sense may take it ill If we refuse what 's offered to us still Then let our Sense and Souls take all delight Not to surfeit but feed each Appetite Come Pleasure Circle me within thy Arms Inchant my Soul with thy delightful Charms Said she It is not always in our Power To feed Delight nor Pleasure to devour Man no free Power hath of any thing Only himself can to destruction bring Can kill his Body and his Soul can damn Although he cannot alienate the same Nor can he make them always to remain Nor turn them to what they were first again Thus can we cross and vex our selves with pain But being sick cannot be well again We can Disturb great Nature's work at will But to Restore and Make is past our skill But he did plead so hard such Vows did make Such large Professions and such Oaths did take That he would constant be and that his Bride He would her make when that his Father dy'd She young and innocent knew no deceits Nor thought that Words and Vows were us'd as baits So yeelded she to all he did desire Thinking his Vows as much as Laws require But they so oft did meet till it befell She sick did grow her Body big did swell Which she took care to hide and would not be As she was wont in other Company But to her Parents she would often cry And said she swell'd so with a Tympany They did believe her and did make great moan Their only Child was now so sickly grown His Father old the Marriage to prevent Now in all haste his Son to travel sent Gave him no time nor warning to be gone Nor till he saw him ship'd left him alone But he to ease his Mistress of her fear For to return he only now took care But she no sooner heard that he was gone But in her Chamber lock'd her self alone Complain'd against her Destiny and Fate And all her Love to him was turn'd to Hate You Gods said she my Fault 's no wilful sin For I did think his Vows had Marriage been But by his stealth so privately to leave me I find my Crime and that he did deceive me For which said she you Gods torment him more Than ever any Man on Earth before With that she rose about her Neck she flung A Silken String and in that String she hung Her Parents to her Chamber did repair Calling her forth to take the fresh sweet air Supposing it might do her Health some good And at her Chamber door long time they stood But when they call'd and knock'd no answer made She being sick they ' gan to be afraid Their Limbs did shake with age Nerves being slack't Those Nervous Strings with fear were now contract At last though much a-do they had to speak They Servants call'd to open or to break The Lock No sooner done but with great fear They entred in and after they were there The horrid sight no sooner struck their Eyes But it congeal'd their Hearts and straight both dyes The Fame of their sad Fates all round was spread The Lover heard his Mistress then was dead His Clothes his Hair he tore his Breast did beat His Spirits issu'd out in a cold Sweat Said he O cursed Death come kill me quick And in my Heart thy Spear or Arrow stick Because my Love in thy cold Arms doth lye I now desire nay am resolv'd to dye But O! Love is a powerless God in vain He strives with 's Flame to melt Death's Icy Chain For though with Love my Heart so hot doth burn Yet cannot melt I fear Death's Icy Urn. Then he all in a rage to the Earth fell And there invoking up the Devils of Hell Saith he Ye Powerful Terrors me assist For to command or force Death when I list That by your help and pow'r my Love may rise From the dark Vault or Grave wherein she lies Or else by Death's cold hand alone Convert me into Marble-stone Then running as distracted in and out By Fancies Visions strange saw all about And crying loud My Mistress she is there He seem'd to catch but grasp'd nought else but air See see her Ghost how it doth slide away Her Soul is pure and shines as glorious Day But my foul Soul which is as black as Night Doth shadows cast upon the Soul that 's bright Which makes her walk as in a gloomy shade Like Shadows which the Silver Moon hath made Hark how my Love sings sweetly in the Skye Her Soul is mounted up to Heavens high And there it shall be made a Deity And I a Devil in Hell tormented lye His spirit being spent fell to the ground And lying there a while as in a swound At last he rose and with a sober pace He bent his steps as to her burying-place And with his Cloak he muffled him about His Hatpull'd o're his Brows his Eyes look't out To guide his way but far he had not gone That straight he saw the Funerals coming on Three Hearses all were born as on a breast Black cover'd two with white the third was drest A Silver Crown upon that Hearse did stand And Myrtle-boughs young Virgins bore in hand The graver sort did Cypress-branches bear The mournful Parents death for to declare With solemn Musick to the Grave them brought With Tears in-urn'd their Ashes in a Vault But he before the People did return Did make great haste to get close to the Urn His Hat pulls off then bows le ts loose his Cloak With dropping Eyes countenance sad thus spoke You charitable Friends whoe're you be To see the Dead thus buri'd solemnly The like to me your Favour I do crave Stay all and see me buri'd in this Grave Giving himself a private wound there fell Into the Grave and dying there did tell Of his sad Love but now said he Our Souls nor
Bodies ne're shall parted be With that he sighs and breathing out his last About his Mistress Corps his Arms he cast The Urn seal'd up his Friends a Tomb did build Famous it was such Love therein it held Most Parents do rejoyce and Offerings bring Of thankful Hearts or Pray'rs for their Off-spring These thought their Age was blest but they were blind With Ignorance and great affections kind More than with Age but who knows Destiny Or thinks that Joy can prove a Misery Some Parents love their Wealth more than their Breeds Hoording up more than Love or Nature needs And rather than poor Virtue they will take By crossing Love Childless themselves will make A sober Man who had a thinking-Brain Of Vice and Vanity did thus complain 'T IS strange to see the Follies of Mankind How they for useless things do vex their Mind For what superfluous is serves them for nought And more than necessary is a fault Yet Man is not content with a just measure Unless he surfeits with Delight and Pleasure As if true Pleasure only liv'd in Pain For in Excess Pain only doth remain Riches bring Care to keep Trouble to spend Beggars and Borrowers have ne're a Friend And Hospitality is oft diseased And seldom any of their Guests are pleased In Feasts much Company disturbs the rest And with much noise it doth the Life molest Much Wine and Women makes the Body sick And Doting-Lovers they grow Lunatick Playing at Cards and Dice Men Bankrupts grow And with the Dice away their Time they throw Their Manly Strength their Reason and their Wit Which might in Warrs be spent or Letters writ All Generosity seems buried here Gamesters seem Covetous as doth appear But when they spend most prodigally wast As if their Treasures were the Indies vast Or else their Purse an endless Myne of Gold But they 'l soon find it doth a bottom hold Titles of Honour Offices of State Bring Trouble Envy and Malicious Hate Ceremony restrains our Freedom and State-Offices Commands Men tott'ring stand And Vanities Inchanters of the Mind That muffle Reason and the Judgment blind Do lead the life in strange fantastick ways To seek that Pleasure which doth live in Praise Praise is no real thing an empty Name Only a Sound which we do call a Fame Yet for this Sound Men always are at strife Do spend their Fortunes and do hazzard Life They give their Thoughts no rest but hunt about And never leave until the Life goes out That Man that seeks in Life for more than Health For Rest and Peace within his Commonwealth Which is his Family sure is not wise And know not where true Happiness still lies Nor doth he guess that Temperance doth give The truest Pleasure makes it longest live You Gods said he give me a Temperate Mind An Humble Cottage a Chast Wife and Kind To keep me Company to bear a part Of all the Joys or Sorrows of my Heart And let our Labours Recreations be To pass our Time and not a Misery Banish all Cares you Gods let them not lye As heavy burthens and when we must dye Let 's leave the World as in a quiet Sleep Draw gently out our Souls our Ashes keep Safely in Urns not separate our Dust Or mix us so if transmigrate we must That in one Body we may still remain When that 's dissolved make us up new again A Lady said She his Discourse would fit A Story tell that should his Humour hit THere was a Man and Woman married were They liv'd just so as should a Married Pair Though their Bodies divided were in twain Their Souls agreed as one they did remain They did so mutually agree in all This Man and Wife we only One may call They were not rich nor were they very poor Not pinch'd with want nor troubled with great store They did not labour for the Bread they eat Nor had they various or delicious Meat Nor many Servants had to vex their Mind Only one Maid that faithful was and kind Whose VVork was just so much as to employ Her so as Idleness might not her annoy Thus decently and cleanly did they live And something had for Charity to give Her Pastime was to spin in Winter cold The whilst he read and to her Stories told And in the pleasant Spring fresh air to take To Neighbouring-Villages short Journeys make In Summer-Evenings they the Fields did round Or sit on Flow'ry-banks upon the ground And so in Autumn they their walks did keep To see Men gather Grapes or sheer their Sheep Nor did they miss Jove's Temple once a day Both kneeling down unto the Gods to pray For gracious Mercy their poor Souls to save A healthful Life an easie Death to have Thus did they live full forty years and more At last Death comes and knocketh at the dore And with his Dart he struck the Man full sick For which the Wife was almost Lunatick But she with care did watch great pains did take Broths Julips Jellies she with skill did make She most industrious was his pains to ease Studying always his Humour for to please For oft the sick are peevish froward cross And with their pains do tumble groan and toss On their sad Couches quietly he lay And softly to himself to Heaven did pray Yet was he melancholy at the heart For nothing else but from his VVife to part But when she did perceive his Life decay Close by his side upon a Bed she lay Embrac'd and kist him oft until his Breath And Soul did part drawn forth by powerful Death Art gone said she then I will follow straight For why my Soul upon thy Soul shall wait Then turn'd her self upon the other side In breathing-sighs and show'ring-tears she dy'd A Single-Life best A Man said He liv'd a most happy Life Because he was not ty'd unto a Wife Said he Marriage at best obstructs the Mind With too much Love or Wives that are unkind Besides a Man is still ty'd by the heel Unto the Cradle Bed Table and Wheel And cannot stir but like a Bird in string May hop a space but cannot use his wing But those who 're free and not to Wedlock bound They have the liberty the World to round And in their Thoughts much Heav'nly Peace doth dwell When Marriage makes their Thoughts like pains of Hell And when they die no Care doth grieve their Mind For any thing that they shall leave behind A Lady said If Women had but Wit Men neither Wives nor Mistresses should get No cause should have to murmure and complain If Women their kind Freedom would restrain But Marriage is to Women far more worse Than 't is to Men and proves the greater Curse And I said she for proof a Tale will tell What to a Virtuous Married Wife befell THere once a Lord and Lady married were And for Sev'n years did live a Happy Pair He seem d to love his Wife as well he might For she was Modest
Virtuous Fair and Bright A Disposition suitable and kind No more Obedience Man in VVife could find She did esteem him so and priz'd him such Of Merit she thought no Man had so much And lov'd him more than Life lov'd perfect Health Or Princes for to rule a Commonwealth But such the Natures of most Husbands be That they love Change and seek Variety Or else like Fools or Children eas'ly caught With pleasing looks or flatt'ring tongues are brought From Virtues side in wicked ways to run And seldom back with Virtue do return But Misery may drive them back again Or else with Vices they do still remain It chanc'd this Lord a Lady fair did meet Her Countenance was pleasing Speech was sweet And from her Eyes such wanton Glances went As from her Heart Love-Messages had sent Whereby this Lord was catch'd in Cupid's Snare How to address he only now takes care But he straight had access and Courtships makes The Lady in his Courtships pleasure takes And Pride she takes that she could so allure A Husband from a Wife that was so pure As Heaven's Light and had the Praise and Fame Of being the most Fair and Virtuous Dame At last this Lady by her wanton Charms Inchanted had this Lord till in his arms He might embrace her in an amorous way His Thoughts were restless working Night and Day To compass his Designs nor did he care To lose his Wife's affection but did fear His Mistress to desplease and as her Slave Obey'd her will in all that she would have But she was subtil and of Nature bad A crafty Wit in making Quarrels had For which she seemed to be Coy and Nice And sets her Beauty at so great a price That she would never yeeld unless that he From his Chast Wife would soon divorced be Straight he to please her from his Wife did part For which his VVife was grieved at the Heart And sought her self obscurely for to hide And in a solitary House did ' bide As if she had a grievous Criminal been Or Causer was of his adulterous Sin And for a Penance she did strictly live But she was Chast and no offence did give Yet she in sorrow liv'd no rest could find Sad melancholy thoughts mov'd in her Mind Most of her time in Prayers she did spend Which as sweet Incense did to Heav'ns ascend Did often for her Husband Mercy crave That they would pardon all his Faults and save Him from Destruction and that they would give Him Happy Days as long as he should live But after he his Mistress had enjoy'd And that his Amorous Appetite was cloy'd Then on his Virtuous Wife his Thoughts did run The later Lady he did strive to shun For often they did quarrel and fall out He gladly would be rid of her no doubt At last he was resolv'd his VVife to see And to be Friends if that she would agree But when he saw his VVife his Heart did ake As being guilty all his Limbs did shake The terror of his Conscience did present To him her wrongs but yet to her he went She being set near to a Fountain low Her Tears did make the Stream to overflow Thither he came and on the Earth did kneel But in his Soul such passions did he feel Of Shame Fear Sorrow as he could not speak At last his Passion through his Lips did break Begging her Pardon and great Vows did make Of Reformation and that for her sake He would all Pain or Punishment endure And that no Husband should to Wife be truer Which when she heard she sighing did reply You come too late my Destiny is over-fraught My Bark of Life with Grief is over-fraught And ready is to sink with its own weight For show'rs of Tears and stormy Sighs do blow Me to the Ports of Death and Shades below He being affrighted at the word she spake In haste he rose her in his arms did take Wherewith she pleas'd and smiling turn'd her Eye Upon his Face so in his arms did dye And being dead he laid her on the ground He in the Fountain and her Tears was drown'd Impatiently in a high discontent There dy'd so had a watry Monument Another Lady said Such Men I hate That wrong their Wives and then repent too late But all Adulterers I wish might have A Violent Death and an Untimely Grave The next Man's turn to speak was one that in The Warrs was bred and thus be did begin A Description of Natural Affection THere were two Potent Princes whose great Fames For Actions in the Warrs got mighty Names It chanc'd these Potent Princes both did greet And were resolv'd in open Warrs to meet Their Courages to try their Strengths and Pow'r Their prudent Conducts or their fatal Hour In short these Armies meet a Battel fight VVhere one Side beaten was by Fortune's spight The Battel won that Army routed ran And for to save his Life strove every Man And their Artillery they left behind Each for himself a shelter hop'd to find VVhen from pursuit the Victors did come back The Solidiers for to plunder were not slack And every Tent they search'd and sought about To see if they some Treasure could find out To th'Prince's Tent did some Commanders go VVhere they did find an Object of much wo. That Prince being dead upon the ground was laid And by him sate a fair and sweet young Maid Her Beauty was so splendrous and so bright Through Clouds of Grief it shone like Heavens light VVhich the Commanders saw then straight did go To let their General of this Beauty know VVho when he came amazed was in mind Such Beauty for to see and Grief to find For this fair Princess by her Father set Her Eyes being fixt her Tears his Cheeks did wet She leaning o're his Head her Eyes down bend From whence her Tears upon his Face descend Upon his Mouth such deep-fetch'd sighs did breathe As if therein her Soul she would bequeathe For which this General did her admire Her Tears quench'd not but kindle did Love's Fire With that he did command the Solidiers there The Dead to take the Body up to bear But then she spake For pity have remorse Remove not from me my dead Father's Corpse For had not Fortune which he never trust With any business but what needs he must Conspir'd with Death to work his overthrow His wisdom crossing her she grew his Foe But all her Spight could never do him harm For he with Prudence still himself did arm But when that Death assisted her Design She struck him dead when Battels were to join His Solidiers forc'd to fight when that their Mind Was press'd with grief which fast th' Spirits did bind It was his Death that made him lose the Day And made you Victors that now wear the Bay But look said she his Hands now strengthless lye In fight which made his Enemies to flye His Eyes now shut by Death in Life gave light Unto his
her mercy said he could not look It was so dark and thought he had mistook No said the Bride most sweetly you are right As if our Taper here was shining bright Now Love's Hesperides would touch the same That Place O Place which Place no tongue should name She gentle Dame with roving hand indeed Instead of Crutches found a broken Reed They both now fill'd with Ale Brains in 't did steep So arm in arm our Lovers fell asleep So for the Will though nothing else indeed To Love the Beggars built a Pyramid A Tale of his Grace the Duke of Newcastle called The Philosopher's Complaint I Through a Cranny there did spy A grave Philosopher all sad With a dim Taper burning by His Study was in Mourning clad He sigh'd and did lament his state Cursing Dame Nature for 't was she That did allot him such a Fate To make him of Mankind to be All other Animals their Mold Of thousand Passions makes them free Since they 're not subject unto Gold Which doth corrupt Mankind we see The busie Merchant plows the Main The Pleading-Lawyer for his Fee Pious Divines for Lawful Gain Mechanicks all still Coz'ners be With Plow-shares Farmers wound the Earth Look to their Cattel Swine and Sheep To multiply their Seed Corn's birth And all for Money which they keep The Sun-burnt Dame prevents the Day As her laborious Bees for Honey Doth milk her Kine and spins away Her fatal Thread of Life for Money Mankind doth on God Pluto call To serve him still is all their pleasure Love here doth little Money all For of this World it is the measure Beasts do despise this Orient Mettle Each freely grazing fills his Maw After Love's procreating settle To softer sleep wise Nature's Law They 're not Litigious but are mute False Propositions never make Nor of unknown things do dispute Follies for wise things do not take Or Flow'ry Rhet'rick to deceive Nor Logick to enforce the wrong Or tedious History to weave Troubling the Hearers all along Nor study the enamell'd Sky Thinking they 're govern'd by each Starr But scorn Man's false Astrology And think themselves just as they are Their Pride not being so supream Celestial Bodies moving thus Poor Mortals each awaking dream To think those Lights were made for us Nor are they troubled where they run What the Sun's Matter it might be Whether the Earth moves or the Sun And yet they know as well as we Nor do they with grave troubled looks By studious Learning for to stay Or multiplicity of Books To put them out of Truth 's right way For Policies Beasts never weave Or subt'ler Traps do ever lay With false dissembling which deceive Their Kind to ruin or betray No hot ambitions in them are Trumpets are silent Drums do cease No troublers in their Kind in Warr For to destroy but all for Peace The Stranger valu'd Jemms that dress Our beauteous Ladies like the day A Parrot's Feathers are no less And gossips too as well as they Man's ever troubled 'bout his Fame For Glory and Ambition hot When Beasts are constantly the same In them those Follies enter not Nor hope of Worlds to come that 's higher With several Sects divisions make Or fear an everlasting Fire But quiet sleep and so awake Man still with thoughts himself torments Various desires what shall be And in his life hath small contents Beasts pleas'd with what they have not we Repining Man for what is past Hating the present what they see Frighted with what 's to come at last Beasts pleas'd with what is and must be Ease Man doth hate and Business store A burthen to himself he is Weary of time yet wishes more Beasts all these Vanities they miss Self-loving Man so proud a Durt Vain 'bove all things when understood Studies always himself to hurt When Beasts are wise to their own good Man makes himself a troubled way Runs into several dangers still VVhen in those thoughts Beasts never stray But do avoid them with their will Man's troubled Head and Brain still swelling Beyond the Power of Senses five Not capable of those things telling Beasts beyond Senses do not strive Nature's just measure Senses are And no Impossibles desire Beasts seek not after things that 's far Or Toys or Baubles still admire Beasts Slander not or Falshoods raise But full of Truth as Nature taught And wisely shun dissembling ways Follow Dame Nature as they ought Nor to false Gods do sacrifice Or promise Vows to break them no No Doctrine to delude with Lyes Or worship Gods they do not know Nor envy any that do rise Or joyful seem at those that fall Or crooked ways 'gainst others tries But love their Kind themselves and all Hard labour suffer when they must When over-aw'd they wisely bend Only in Patience then they trust As Misery's and Affliction 's Friend They seek not after Beauty's blaze To tempt their appetite when dull But drink the Stream that Tempests raise And grumble not when they are full They take no Physick to destroy That Health which Nature to them gave Nor rul'd by Tyrants Laws annoy Yet happy seem with what they have With cares Men break their sweet repose Like Wheels that wear with turning round Beasts quiet thoughts their Eye-lids close And in soft sleep all cares they drown'd No Rattles Fairings Ribbons Strings Fiddles Pipes Minstrelses them move Or Bugle Bracelets or fine Rings And without Cupid maketh Love O happy Beasts that spend the day In pleasure with their nearest Kin And all is lawful in their way And live and dye without a sin Their Conscience ne're troubled is We made so yet forbid it too For Nature here is not amiss We strive 'gainst what w' are made to do Beasts need not Language they despise Unuseful things all Men's delight Those Marks which Language from doth rise If pleas'd with them discourse they might And out of words they argue not But reason out of things they do When we vain Gossipings have got They quiet silent Lives have too Complain'd of Scholars that they sought With envious watching and with spight To leave the good to find a fault In any Author that doth write O vain Philosophy their Laws With hard words still for matter brings Which nothing is nor knows the cause Of any thing unuseful things Why are our Learned then so proud Thinking to bring us to their bow And Ignorance Wisdom allow'd And know not that they do not know Motion's cessation is the end Of Animals both Beasts and Men The longest Lives to that do tend And to Death's Palace his dark Den. Or that Beasts breath doth downwards go And that Men's Souls do upward rise No Post from that World comes you know It puzzled Solomon the Wise. Thus he complain'd and was annoy'd Our grave Philosopher for 's birth That he was made to be destroy'd Or turn'd to sad or colder Earth I piti'd him and his sad case Wishing our Vicar him to teach For to
Cure But he that said The Stone in the Mind was Cruelty caused by the sharpness of Envy the bitterness of Hate and greedy Covetousness bid drink a Draught of Prodigality once a week and it would cure him And he that said Cruelty was the Stone that baked the tender and soft Humours into a hard confirmed Body of Stone bid him take an Ounce of Compassion two Ounces of Charity two Ounces of Generosity as much Clemency and bray them all together then divide them into two parts and lay one half to the Heart and another to the Reins of the Mind and those Medicines will soon dissolve the Stone As for Convulsions of the Mind he that said it was Fury bid the Mind take an Ounce of Discretion half an Ounce of Judgment a Scruple of Gravity mix them all together as in an Electuary and take it fasting and it will cure him And he who said That Inconstancy was the Convulsion in the Mind bid him take an Ounce of Temperance and an Ounce of Judgment one Ounce of Understanding two of Resolution mix these into an Electuary and take a good quantity of it every morning and this will cure him As for a Consumption he that said Pity was a Consumption bid the Mind take a Heart and bake it dry and when it was dried to Powder mix it in his ordinary Drink and it will cure him But he that said Forgetfulness was a Consumption bid him only take a Draught of Remembrance every day As for Dropsies he that said Desires were Dropsies bid the Mind take a Bunch of Reason that grows in a well-temper'd Brain and as much Humility that grows in a good Heart boil them in the Water of Content and drink a Draught three times a day this said he will dry up the superfluous matter But he who said That Desire was that Disease which was called the Dog-like-Appetite bid the Mind make a Bisk of Vanity an Oil of Curiosity and a Hodg-podg of Variety and eat so long till he did vomit it up again and if he could surfeit thereof it would prove a Cure otherwise there was no remedy unless the Mind could get some Fruition which is seldom to be had yet sometimes it is found said he But he that said A Dropsie was a Reluctancy that swelled out with an Aversion bid the Mind only use Abstinence and it would cure him And he that said It was Voluptuousness said That the same Medicine was to be prescribed He that said It was Pride that swelled out with Vain-glory bid the Mind take a great quantity of Humility but if you take it from the hand of Misfortunes said he it will make you sick But the Mind perceiving that they agreed not in any one Medicine or Disease desired that they would depart from him for said he Gentlemen it is impossible you should prescribe an effectual Medicine or Remedy since you cannot agree about the Disease So he paid them their Fees and they departed and the Mind became his own Physician Apothecary and Chyrurgeon First He let himself Blood opening the wilful Vein taking out the obstinate Blood Then he did take Pills made of Society and Mirth and those purged all strange and vain Conceits Also the Mind eat every morning a Mess of Broth wherein was Herbs of Grace Fruit of Justice Spice of Prudence Bread of Fortitude these were boiled with the Flesh of Judgment in the Water of Temperance This Breakfast was a Soveraign Remedy against the malignant Passions for it did temper Heat qualifie Sharpness allay Vapours and mollifie obdurate Passions and foolish Affections Likewise he did take to his Service the strongest soundest and quickest Senses which were Five these waited on him and each in their turn gave him intelligence of every thing and brought him all the News in the Countrey which was a Recreation and a Pastime for him And in thus doing he became the healthfullest and jolliest man in the Parish The Thoughts feasted THERE were two men great Companions one of them told the other That he had made a particular search and a strict enquiry for him three days together and could not hear of him insomuch that he had thought some unfortunate Accident or violent Death had befallen him He answered His Senses had been to visit the Soul which was the cause of his Body's retirement The other said I have heard that the Soul did use to visit the Senses but never heard that the Senses did use to visit the Soul He answered That the Sensitive Spirits did as often in some men visit the Rational as the Rational did the Sensitive Well said he and how doth the Soul live He said As a great Prince should do for the Mansion of the Soul is nobly situated upon a high Hill of Ambition which ascends by steps of Desires whereon stands a very curious Castle of Imaginations and all about are solitary Walks of Contemplations and dark Groves of Melancholy wherein run Rivers of Tears The Castle is Walled with Vain-glory and built upon Pillars of Hope Within the Walls are fine Gardens of Eloquence set full with Flowers of Rhetorick and Orchards of Invention wherein grow fruitful Arts. In this Orchard are many Birds of Fancies which flie from Tree to Tree from Branch to Branch from Bough to Bough singing fine Notes of Poetry in a sweet strain of Verse and chirping Rhymes and building their Nests in Arbours of Love wherein they hatch Conceits Likewise said he the Soul hath another House which is a most stately Palace it stands in the midst of a large Plain of good Nature wherein run Rivers of Generosity This Palace is walled about with Fortitude and stands upon Pillars of Justice There are long straight level Walks of Temperance where is fresh Air of Health This Palace is built very convenient for on the out-side are Stables of Discretion wherein are tyed up wild Opinions Phantasms and all skittish Humours and a large Riding-Room of Judgment where all Opinions are managed Also there are Granges of thrifty Contrivance wherein are Cattel of Prudence that give the Milk of Profit Besides there are Kitchins of Appetite Dining-rooms of Luxury Galleries of Memory Cellars of Forgetfulness Chambers of Rest and Closets of Peace But said he after my Senses had viewed every place they took their leave of the Soul who told them That they should stay and feast with her So the Soul invited all his Subjects the Thoughts The first of all were the Generous Thoughts who are the Nobles then the Gentry who are the Obliging and Graceful Thoughts the Heroick Thoughts were Commanders of Warr the Factious Thoughts were the Commons the Mercenary were Trades-men the Plodding-Thoughts were the Yeomantry the Ordinary Thoughts were Labourers and Servants Then there were the Politick Thoughts which were Statists the Proud Thoughts Magistrates and the Pious Thoughts Priests the Censuring Thoughts were the Judges the Wrangling and Pleading Thoughts Lawyers and the Terrifying Thoughts Sergeants the
Arguing Thoughts were Logicians the Doubting Thoughts Scepticks the Hoping Thoughts Physicians the Inquisitive Thoughts Natural Philosophers the Humble Thoughts Moral Philosophers the Phantastical Thoughts Poets the Modest Thoughts Virgins the Jealous Thoughts Wives the Incontinent Thoughts Courtesans the Amorous Thoughts Lovers the Vain Thoughts Courtiers and the Bragging or Lying Thoughts Travellers And when all these Thoughts were met the Soul feasted them with Delight and the Senses with Pleasure presenting them with Reason and Truth The Travelling Spirits THERE was a Man went to a Witch whom he entreated to aid his Desires for said he I have a curiosity to travel but I would go into such Countreys which without your power to assist me I cannot do The Witch asked him What those Countreys were He said He would go to the Moon Why said she the Natural Philosophers are the only men for that Journey for they travel all the Planets over and indeed study Nature so much and are so diligent and devout in her Services that they despise our great Master the Devil and would hinder us in our ways very much but that they travel most by Speculation Then said he I would go to Heaven Truly said she I cannot carry you thither for I am as unpractised in those ways and have as little acquaintance there as the Natural Philosophers have for they believe that there is no such Kingdom But if you desire to travel to that Kingdom you must go to the Divines who are the only Guides yet you must have a care in the choice for some will carry you a great way about and through very troublesome and painful places others a shorter but a very strait narrow way others through ways that are pleasant and easie and you will find not only in Natural Philosophers but also in Divines such Combats and Dissentions amongst them that it is both a great hindrance and a trouble to the Passengers which shews they are not very perfect themselves in their ways for many Travellers go some a quarter and some half and some three parts of the way and then are forced to turn back again and take another Guide and so from Guide to Guide until they have run them all over or are out of breath and yet be as far to seek of their way as when they first set out Why then said the Man carry me to Hell Truly said the Witch I am but a Servant extraordinary and have no power to go to my Master's Kingdom until I dye although the Way be broad and plain and the Guides sure yet being the Devil's Factor to do him service on the Earth I can call forth any from thence although it were the King himself Well then said he carry me I beseech you to the Center of the Earth That I can do said she and so obscurely that the Natural Philosophers shall never spye us So she prayed him to come into her House for said she it is a great Journey therefore you must take some repast before you go Besides said she your Body will be too cumbersome wherefore we will leave that behind that you may go the lighter being all Spirit So she went out and came and brought a Dish of Opium and prayed him to eat well thereof So he eat very heartily and when he had done his Senses grew very heavy insomuch as his Body fell down as in a swound remaining without Sense in the mean while his Spirit stole out and left the Body asleep So the Witch and he took their Journey and as they went he found the Climate very intemperate sometimes very hot and sometimes very cold great Varieties they found in the way in some places monstrous great and high Mountains of the Bones of Men and Beasts which lay mixed with one another Then he saw a very large Sea of Blood which had issued from slain Bodies but those Seas seemed very rough whereupon he asked What was the reason She answered Because their Deaths were violent And there were other Seas of Blood which seemed so smooth that there was not a wave to be seen Whereat he ask'd How comes this to be so smooth and calm She said It was the Blood of those that dyed in peace Then he asked her Where was the Blood of other Creatures as Beasts Birds Fish and the like She said Amongst the Blood of Men for said she the Earth knows no difference And as they went along they came through a most pleasant place which she said was the Store-house of Nature where were the shapes and sub stances of all kind of Fruits Flowers Trees or any other Vegetables but all were of a dusky colour There he gathered some Fruit to eat but it had no tast and he gathered some Flowers and they had no smell Of which he asked the reason She said That the Earth gave only the Form and Substance but the Sun was the only cause of the Tast Smell and Colours Going farther they saw great Mines Quarries and Pits but she being vers'd and knowing the way well did avoid them so that they were no hindrance in their journey as otherwise it would have been But going down further it began to grow very dark being far from the face of the Earth insomuch that they could hardly see the plainest way whereupon he told the Witch That the Hill was so hideously steep and the place began to grow so dark that it was very dangerous No said she there is no danger since our Bodies are not here for our Spirits are so light that they bear up themselves So they went a great length until the place grew so strait that it began to be a pain even to their Spirits and so he told the Witch His Spirit was in pain She said He must endure it for the Center of the Earth was but a Point in a Circle So when he came to the Center of the Earth he saw a Light like Moon-shine of which when he came near he saw that the first Circle about the Center was Glow-worms Tails which gave that Light and in the Center was an old Man who did neither stand nor sit for there was nothing to stand or sit on but he hung as it were in the Air nor ever stirr'd out of his place and had been there ever since the World was made for he having never had a Woman to tempt him to sin never dyed And although he could never remove out of his place yet he had the power to call all things on the Earth unto him by degrees and to dispose of them as he would But being near the old Man the Witch excused her coming and prayed him not to be offended with them for there was a Man desired Knowledg and would not spare any pains or industry to obtain it For which he praised the Man and said He was welcome and any thing he could inform him of he would The old Man asked him about the Chymists that lived upon the face of
the Tongue and leads Mankind to base Actions making their Life like leaking-Vessels where precious Time doth idly drop away Maid I have heard That all the VVorld was pictured in Fool 's Cap. Lady 'T is strange it should be so for Nature that did make it and Gods that rule it are wise but Men are bad which makes me not care what they say for I divide Mankind into Four parts whereof three are naught One part I hate as being Wicked The second I scorn as being Base And the third I pity as being Ignorantly foolish Maid VVhat is the fourth part Madam Lady The fourth part I may divide into four parts more One part I admire as being VVise. The second part I honour as being Noble The third part I love as being Good The fourth part I rely on as being Valiant Maid There would be little Security if only the fourth part of the fourth part were Valiant for the other parts might overpower them Lady O no Cowards know not their own strength because they dare not try it and one Valiant Man if Fortune sits but idle will beat at least twenty Cowards But Fortune for the most part is a Friend to Cowards and to Fools more than to the Valiant and the VVise yet oft-times the Valiant and the VVise do make a passage through though Fortune do obstruct Maid But Madam if there were so few Valiant there would not be so much VVarr amongst Mankind as is Lady O yes for Cowards fight for fear and Valiant Men do set them on and were it not for those that are Valiant and VVise there would neither be Justice nor Propriety Maid Indeed Justice is pictured with a Sword in one hand and a pair of Balances in the other Lady That shews that VVisdom doth justly weigh Truth and Valour doth maintain the Right Maid I have heard a Proverb Madam That be that is wise is honest Lady And those that are not Valiant can never be constantly Honest for said the Fear would put them out of Honest ways And so she left off discoursing A Dialogue betwixt a Contemplating Lady and a Poet. POET. PRAY Madam think me not rude to intrude upon your Contemplation Lady A Poet's Wit is a Companion Fit for a vain Imagination Poet. That is not vainly done which gives a Delight to the Mind without endangering the Soul or distempering the Body for Vanity lives only in that which is useless or unprofitable Lady Indeed to delight the Mind is more necessary than to feed the Body for a discontented Mind is worse than Death but the most part of the World think nothing useful to the Life but what is Substantial Poet. If they do so they must account Thoughts vain for Thoughts are only an Incorporeal Motion or at least believed to be so Lady But without the Incorporeal Motion the World would be a dead Carkass only for were it not for Contemplation there would be no Invention if no Invention no Conveniency if no Conveniency no Ease if no Ease no Pleasure if no Pleasure no Happiness and to be unhappy is worse than Death but Contemplation is the Mother of Invention Poet. But Language is the Midwife and Practise the Nurse Besides if there were no Practise or Conversation all Invention and Industry would be Abortive And Language utterly unknown The Trumpet loud of Fame unblown No Ladder set unto ber Throne The Hill untrod she sits upon Wherefore we ought not to bury our selves in Contemplation nor to banish our selves from Conversation for Conversation gives the Mind breath and makes the Imagination the stronger the Conception larger the Invention apter and Fancy livelier otherwise we shall smuther the Thoughts for want of vent and put out their Light for want of Oil and then the Life would sit in Darkness Lady Certainly the greatest Delight that Life gives is Contemplation and the Life of Contemplation is silent Solitariness Poet. 'T is true but the Mind as the Body may feed so long of Pleasures that they may prove tormenting-Pain so that the Mind must be exercised with Discourse cleansed with Writing otherwise the Streams of Fancy which arise in several Springs from the Imaginations may overflow the Mind causing it to be flatuous and hydropcal or the several and singular Opinions which are most commonly tough and hard may obstruct the Mind causing it to be pursie and short-breath'd and the cold and hot Passions for want of Purgingwords may either stupifie or inflame the Mind and too much Solitariness will bed-rid the Mind making it faint and weak Besides if the Mind do not travel to several Objects and traffick with the Senses and Discourse it would have no acquaintance with the World no knowledg of Men nor Famous Monuments And give me leave Lady to tell you Extreams in Nature are an Enemy to Life and to Life's delight Wherefore let me advise you to intermingle with your harmless Contemplations rational Discourses knowing Societies and worthy Actions and employ your Senses on profitable Labours and not suffer them to live idly and useless to the Mind Lady Let me tell you Sir the Mind needs them not for the Mind is so well attended so richly furnished has such witty Companions such wise Acquaintance such numbers of Strangers such faithful Friends such industrious Servants such various Pleasures such sweet Delights such spacious Walks such safe Habitations and such a peaceable Life that it neither needs to converse or have commerce either with the Senses Mankind or the World for it is a World within it self The Mind a vaster World it self doth prove Where several Passions like the Planets move Poetick Fancies like fix'd Starrs shine bright Upon the Brain mhich makes a Day of Night The flux of things produceth from the Earth As some decays to others gives new birth Nature and Time are equal in their ends As some decay to others new Life sends The Circulation of Time's World we see May prove Eternal the Mind Immortal be All the Material World hath Compass round But in the Mind no Compass can be found T is infinite like Nature can create Thoughts several Creatures Destiny and Fate And Life and Death do in the Mind still lye Death to forget and Life is Memory Poet. But Lady in Justice the Body as well as the Mind must share in the Pleasures of Life for it were unjust that only the Body should endure Restraint and Pain and take no Delight wherefore you ought not to imprison it to dark and solitary places to chain it up with Contemplation and to starve it with Abstinency but let it take a moderate pleasure Lady Well I will try to be more sociable and not starve the Life of my Body with over-feeding my Mind But hard 't will be to me for to abstain And leave the Banquet of a thinking-Brain Where all delicious Pleasures and Delight Are there set forth to feed each Appetite The Dialogue of the Wise Lady the Learned Lady and the Witty
Lady Learned Lady SOME are of opinion That the World is a living Creature and the Sun is the Soul of it A Wise and Learned Philosopher held That the World was made of Atoms the Chaos being nothing but an infinite confus'd quantity of them Wit I think the Chaos was a great Lump of Wit which run it self into several Figures creating several Forms Thus the Chaos being Wit and the Wit being Motion hath invented this World and many more for all we know for Wit is never idle but is still producing something either of Delight or Profit Wis. The best is Not to dispute of what Matter it is or how it was made or when it was made but to enjoy the Pleasures thereof to make use of the Profits it hath and to avoid as much as we can the Inconveniences and Troubles therein for Disputes carry more out of the ways of Truth and leads further into the ways of Ignorance than all the Reason Nature hath given can add to our Knowledg and there is no Reason so strong but may be contradicted by another Wit If our Reason be so false a Guide and not only the Creation but the Tract of the World is so hard to be found out How shall we find a direct way to Jove's Mansion Wis. I will tell you The way to walk is by the Line of a good Life and to take hold of Faith and to climb up to Heaven by the Ladder of Prayers Lear. Nature is a Chymist and Water is the Mercury Fire is the Sulphur Air is the Volatil Salt Earth is the fixed Salt the fixed Starrs are the Crystalline part Life is the Spirits or Essences Death is the Caput Mortuum Wit Wit which is the Scholar of Nature is as good a Chymist for Wit doth extract something out of every thing Wis. And Wisdom knows how to apply the Extraction to the best use Learn As the agitation of the Air makes us draw our breath so the agitation of the World makes it continue Wit The agitation of the Brain makes a sharp ready Wit Wis. The agitation of Virtue makes a peaceable Commonwealth Learn Some Moral Philosophers hold That no Creature hath Reason but Man Wis. Men only talk of Reason but live like Beasts following their Appetites without Rules Wit Men may as soon set Rules to Eternity as to themselves for their Desires are so infinite and so intricate that we may as soon measure Eternity as them for Desires are like Time still run forward and what is past is as it had never been Wis. But Man may set Rules to Himself not to his Desires and as wise Laws govern the Life so that Reason Which Men say they have should govern their insatiable Desires Learn 'T is said History instructs the Life it registers Time it enthrones Virtue it proclaims Noble Natures it crowns Heroick Actions it divulges Baseness and hangs up Wickedness It is a Torch that gives light to dark Ignorance It is a Monument to the Dead and a Fame to Persons of Merit Wit In Poetry is included Musick and Rhetorick which is Number and Measure Judgment and Fancy Imitation and Invention It is the finest Art in Nature for it animates the Spirits to Devotion it fires the Spirits to Action it begets Love it abates Hate it tempers Anger it asswages Grief it eases Pain it encreases Joy allays Fear and sweetens the whole Life of Man by playing so well upon the Brain that it strikes the strings of the Heart with Delight which makes the Spirits to dance and keeps the Mind in tune whereby the Thoughts move equally in a round Circle where Love sits in the Center as Mistress and Judg. Learn Some Philosophers hold That all the Changes in the World are only caused by Dilatation and Contraction Wit I am sure too much Dilatation of the Spirits causeth a weakness by dis-uniting their Forces and contracting of Humours causeth Diseases Yet a dilatating Wit is best spreading it self smoothly flowing and easily which if it be contracted it makes it constraint hard and unpleasant and becomes difficult to the Understanding VVis Let us contract our Vanities and moderate our Appetites with sober Temperance and dilate our Virtues and good Graces by Noble Actions and Pious Endeavours Learn The Mind some say is nothing but Local Motion in the Brain which we call Spirits in Animals that is Vapour indeed Vapour of Vapours that is the thin and sharp Vapours it is an Extract of Vapour from Vapours like Essences or Smoak that arises from the porous and liquid parts of the Body especially the Blood This Essence hath an innated Motion arising from the acuteness thereof yet its strength is often allayed by the dulness and coldness of grosser Vapours or obstructed or hindred by the thickness of dull Matter and oft-times it evaporates out of the Body by too much rarification caused by too quick a Motion Wit The Mind is like a God an Incorporeal thing and so infinite that it is as impossible to measure the Mind as Eternity Indeed Vapour is a great Instrument to the Wit for gross Vapour stops up the Wit cold Vapour congeals it hot Vapour inflames it thin and sharp Vapour quickens it Thus all sorts of Vapours make Variety of Wit and the several Figures and Works and Forms that the Vaporous Smoak ariseth in causeth several Fancies by giving several Motions to the Brain VVis Well Sisters to conclude your Dispute The best Ingredient of the Mind is Honesty and the best motion of the Brain is Reason otherwise the Brain would be mad and the Mind wicked wherefore moderate the one and temper the other Learn Learning encreases Knowledg begets Understanding employs Time and enriches the Mind Wit Wit invents profitable Arts it creates Sciences it delights the Mind it recreates the Life and entertains Time VVis VVisdom guides the Life safe gives honest Laws to the VVill sets noble Rules to the Actions it governs Misfortunes easily it prevents Misfortunes prudently it employs Time thristily it makes Peace it gets Victory it tempers those Passions that would disturb the Soul it moderates those Appetites that would cause Pain to the Body it endures Sickness patiently and suffers Death valiantly Learn There are many several kinds of Arts as Arts of Pleasure enticing Arts vain-glorious Arts vain Arts superfluous Arts superstitious Arts ambitious Arts covetous Arts profitable Arts destructive Arts. Arts of Pleasure are Gardens Groves Bowers Arbours Grots Fountains Prospects Landskips Gilding Painting Sculpture likewise Musick of all sorts Confectionary Cookery and Perfumes Enticing Arts are Artificial Singing Artificial Speaking Artificial Dressing Dancing Powdring Curling Perfuming Rich Clothing Luxurious Entertainments Vain Arts are Feathers Fancies Ribbons black-Patches and Side-Glasses Amorous Arts are flattering Complements false Professions affected Garbs affected Speeches affected Countenances affected Actions Sonnets Poems Frolicks Questions and Commands Proposes and Riddles Presents Private Meetings and Conference Expensive Arts are Feasting Masquing Balling Carding Dicing Racing
will be commanded too but in the mean time I hope you will be ruled by me and here is a great Match propounded to me for you the like I could not have hoped for which is the Vice-Roy he is rich Yet said she he may be a Fool. O he is Wise and Discreet said he I have heard said she he is ill-natured and froward Her Unkle answered He is in great Power and Authority He may be said she never the Honester for that He is said he in great Favour with the King Sir said she Princes and Monarchs do not always favour the most deserving nor do they always advance Men for Merit but most commonly otherwise the unworthiest are advanced highest besides Bribery Partiality and Flattery rule Princes and States Her Unkle said Let me advise you not to use Rhetorick against your self and overthrow a good Fortune in refusing such a Husband as shall advance your place above that false Duke's Duchess and his Estate with yours joined to it will be greater than his with which you shall be served nobly attended with numbers of Servants live plentifully adorned richly have all the Delights and Pleasures your Soul can desire and he being in years will dote on you besides he having had experience of vain Debaucheries is become staid and sage Sir said she His Age will be the means to barr me of all these Braveries Pleasures and Delights you propound for he being old and I young will become so jealous that I shall be in restraint like a Prisoner nay he will be jealous of the Light and of my own Thoughts and will enclose me in Darkness and disturb the Peace of my Mind with his Discontents for Jealousie I have heard is never at quiet with it self nor to those that live near it Come come said he you talk you know not what I perceive you would marry some young fan'tastical prodigal Fellow who will give you only Diseases and spend your Estate and his own too amongst his Whores Bawds and Sycophants whilst you sit mourning at home he will be revelling abroad and then disturb your rest coming home at unseasonable times and if you must suffer you had better suffer by those that love than those that care not for you for Jealousie is only an overflow of Love Wherefore be ruled and let not all my Pains Care and Cost and the Comfort of my Labour be lost through your disobedience Sir said she I am bound in Gratitude and Duty to obey your Will were it to sacrifice my Life or the Tranquillity of my Mind on the Altar of your Commands In the mean time the Duke was so discontented and melancholy that he excluded himself from all Company suffering neither his Duchess nor any Friend to visit him nor come near him only one old Servant to wait upon him all former Delights Pleasures and Recreations were hateful to him even in the remembrance as if his Soul and Body had taken a Surfeit thereof At last he resolved she should know what Torment he suffered for her sake and since he could not see nor speak to her he would send her a Letter He called for Pen Ink and Paper and wrote after this manner Madam THE Wrath of the Gods is not only pacified and they do not only pardon the greatest sins that can be committed against them taking to mercy the Contrite Heart but give Blessings for Repentant tears and I hope you will not be more severe than they Let not your Justice be too rigid lest you become cruel I confess the sins committed against you were great and deserve great punishment but if all your Mercies did flye from me yet if you did but know the Torments I suffer you could not chuse but pity me and my Sorrows are of that weight that they will press away my Life unless your Favours take off the heavy Burthen But bomsoever pray let your Charity give me a Line or two of your own writing though they strangle me with Death then will my Soul lye quiet in the Grave because I dyed by your hand and when I am dead let not the worst of my Actions live in your Memory but cast them into Oblivion where I wish they may for ever remain The Gods protect you Sealing this Letter he gave it to his Man to carry with all the secrefie he could bidding him to enquire which of her Women was most in her favour and to pray her to deliver it to her Mistress when she was all alone and to tell the Maid He would be in the Street to wait her Command The Man found such access as he could wish and the Letter was delivered to the Lady which when she had read and found from whom it came her Passions were so mix'd that she knew not whether to joy or grieve she joy'd to live in his Thoughts yet griev'd to live without him having no hopes to make him lawfully hers nor so much as to see or speak to him her Unkle was so averse against him and the greatest grief was to think she must be forced to become anothers when she had rather be his though once forsaken by him than to be beloved by another with Constancy Then musing with her self for some time considering whether it was fit to answer his Letter or no If my Unkle should come to know said she I write to him without his leave which leave I am sure he will never give I shall utterly lose his Affection and I had rather lose my Life than lose his Love but if I do not write I shall seem as if I were of a malicious nature which will beget an evil construction of my Disposition in that Mind in whose good Opinion I desire to live If I believe as Charity and Love perswades me that he speaks truth I shall endanger his Life and I would be loth to murther him with nice scruples when I am neither forbid by Honour nor Modesty Religion nor Laws to save him Well I will adventure and ask my Unkle pardon when I have done My Unkle is not of a Tyger's nature he is gentle and a Pardon may be gotten but Life when once it is gone will return no more Then taking Pen Ink and Paper writ to him after this manner SIR I Am obedient as being once tied to you until you did cut me off and throw me away as a worthless piece only fit to be trodden under the feet of Disgrace and certainly had perished with shame and been left destitute had not my Unkle own'd me And though you are pleased to cast some thoughts back upon me yet it is difficult for me to believe that you that did once scorn me should humbly come to sue to me and I fear you do this for sport angling with the Bait of Deceit to catch my innocent youth But I am not the first of my Sex nor I fear shall not be the last that has been and will be deceived by Men who glory
marrie her No said the Duke I love her too well to leave a possibility of her marrying you I will sooner die than set my hand to this said the Vice-Roy If you do not you shall die a violent death by Heaven answered he and more than that you shall set your hand never to complain against me to the King Will you do it or will you not for I am desperate said the Duke The Vice-Roy said You strike the King in striking me No disputing says he set your hand presently or I will kill you Do you say You are desperate Yes answered he Then I must do a desperate Act to set my hand to a Bond I mean to break Use your own discretion to that Come said he I will set my hand before I read it for whatsoever it is it must be done After he set his hand he read Here I do vow to Heaven Never to woo the Lady Delicia nor to take her to Wife Whereunto I set my hand To this Paper too said the Duke Here I do vow to Heaven Never to take Revenge nor to complain of the Duke to the King my Master Whereunto I set my hand The Duke said I take my leave rest you in peace Sir And the Devil torment you said the Vice-Roy O Fortune I could curse thee with thy Companions the Fates not only in cutting off my Happiness in the enjoying of so rare a Beauty but in stopping the passages to a sweet Revenge And though I were sure there were both Gods and Devils yet I would break my Vow for the one are pacified by Prayers and Praises and the other terrified with Threats But O! the Disgrace from our Fellow-Creatures Mankind sets closer to the Life than the Skin to the Flesh for if the Skin be flea'd off a new one will grow again making the Body appear younger than before But if a Man be flea'd once of his Reputation he shall never regain it and his Life will be always bare and raw and Malice and Envy will torment it with the Stings of ill Tongues which to avoid I must close with this Duke in a seeming-friendship and not defie him as an open Enemy lest he should divulge my base Acts done by my Cowardly Fear but they are Fools that would not venture their Reputations to save their Life rather than to dye an Honourable Death as they call it which is to dye to gain a good Opinion and what shall it avail them A few Praises it will be said He was a Valiant Man And what doth the Valiant get Is he ever the better No he is tumbled into the Grave and his Body rots and turns to dust all the clear distinguishing Senses the bright flaming Appetites are quenched out but if they were not there is no Fuel in the Grave to feed their Fire for Death is cold and the Grave barren besides there is no remembrance in the Grave all is forgotten they cannot rejoice at their past gallant Actions or remember their glorious Triumphs but the only happiness is that as there is no Pleasure in the Grave so there is no Pain but to give up Life before Nature requires it is to pay a Subsidy before we are tax'd or to yeeld up our Liberties before we are Prisoners and who are wise that shall do so No let Fools run head-long to Death I will live as long as I can and not only live but live easily freely and as pleasantly as I can Wherefore to avoid this Man's Mischiefs which lyes to entrap my Life I will agree with him and I had rather lose the Pleasures of one Woman than all other Pleasures with my Life but from a secret Mischief he shall not escape if I can prevail for I perceive this Duke since he can have but one Wife intends to set up a Seraglio of young Wenches and by my troth he begins with a fair one and whilst he courts his Mistress I mean to woo his Wife for he hath not sworn me from that So that my Revenge shall be To make him a Cuckold So the Vice-Roy went to the Duchess and after he had made his Complemental-Addresses they began to talk more seriously Madam said he How do you like the rare Beauty which your Husband doth admire so much that he is jealous of all that look on her and would extinguish the sight of all Mens Eyes but his own and challenges all that make Love to her and threatens Ruin and Murther to those that pretend to marry her She answered If he be so enamoured I shall not wonder now that my Beauty is thought dead my Embraces cold my Discourse dull my Company troublesome to him since his Delight is abroad But said she I am well served I was weary of my old Husband and wished him dead that I might marry a young one I abhorred his old Age that was wise and experienced despised his gray Hairs that should have been reverenced with respect O what happiness I rejected that I might have enjoyed For he admired my Beauty praised my Wit gave me my Will observed my Humour sought me Pleasures took care of my Health desired my Love proud of my Favours my Mirth was his Musick my Smiles were his Heaven my Frowns were his Hell whenas this Man thinks me a Chain that enslaves him a Shipwrack wherein all his Happiness is drown'd a Famine to his Hopes a Plague to his Desires a Hell to his Designs and a Devil to damn his Fruitions Nay certainly said he that Woman is the happiest that marries an ancient Man for he adores her Virtue more than her Beauty and his Love continues though her Beauty be gone he sets a price of Worth upon the Honour and Reputation of his Wife uses her civilly and gives her Respect as Gallant Men ought to do to a tender Sex which makes others to do the like when a Young Man thinks it a Gallantry and a Manly Action to use his Wife rudely and worse than his Lacquey to command imperiously to neglect despisingly making her the Drudg in his Family flinging words of disgrace upon her making her with scorn the mirth and pastime in his idle and foolish discourse amongst his vain and base Companions when an ancient Man makes his Wife the Queen of his Family his Mistress in his Courtship his Goddess in his Discourse giving her Praise applauding her Actions magnifying her Nature her Safety is the God of his Courage her Honour the World to his Ambition her Pleasure his only Industry her Maintenance the Mark for his Prudence her Delights are the Compass by which he sails her Love his Voyage her Advice his Oracle And doing this he doth Honour to himself by setting a considerable value upon what is his own when Youth regards not the temper of her Dispotion slights her Noble Nature grows weary of her Person condemns her Counsels and is afraid his Neighbour should think his Wife wiser than himself which is the Mark of a
be dead So in two or three days all Contracts were confirmed and the Match was concluded with the approbation of all Friends of either side married they were and in a short time after he carried her to his House there made her Mistress of his Estate and whilst he governed his outward Affairs she governed the Family at home where they lived plentifully pleasantly and peaceably not extravagantly vain-gloriously and luxuriously they lived neat and cleanly they loved passionately thrived moderately and happily they lived and piously dyed The She-Anchoret THERE was a Widower who had but one Child and she a Daughter which Daughter he bred with Pious Devotions Moral Instructions and Wise Advertisements but he falling sick to death called his Daugher unto him and thus spake to her Farewell my dearest Child for dye I must My Soul must flye my Body turn to dust My only care is that I leave thee young To wander in the World Mankind among Few of them charitable are or kind Nor bear they in their Breast a Noble Mind To help the Fatherless or pity Youth Protect the Innocent maintain the Truth But all their time 's spent with laborious toil For to pervert to ruin and to spoil Flatter thy Beauty and thy Youth betray To give thy Heart and Virgin-flower away They will profess love vow to be thy Friend Marriage will promise yet they will pretend Their Friends will angry be or else they 'l say Their Land 's engag'd they first their Debts must pay Or else that they during some time of life Have made a Vow Not yet to take a Wife And twenty such Excuses they will find For to deceive the simple Female-Kind And if you marry Troubles you will find Pains Griefs and Cares to vex a quiet Mind But here I charge you lying in Death's Arms That you do stop your Ears against their Charms Live chast and holy serve the Gods above They will protect thee for thy zealous Love Daughter I will obey whatever you command Although you dye your will shall fixed stand Father Next I do charge thee Not to grieve nor mourn Since no redress will from the Grave return Daughter O do not so said she But give Grief leave to flow out of my Eyes For if it be supprest the Body dyes Whilst now you live great wrong y'uld think you have If I should sit and laugh upon your Grave Or with neglect should I your Grave pass by And ne're take notice where your Ashes lye Father You cannot hinder Destiny's Decree Daughter O no! but Nature Nature still will be Nature created Love within the Mind The Object dead the Passion still is kind Had I as many Lives as Nature make I 'de lay them on Death's Altar for your sake That single one I have O Heavens me hear Exchange it for my Father's Life so dear But when her Father found that Death drew on He bid her lay her Hand his Eyes upon Father Close up my Eyes said he and then receive Upon thy Lips my last Breath let me breathe When he was dead sh' amaz'd long time sate still At last bethought her of her Father's Will Then up she rose his Body did entomb And how she spent her Life rehearse I 'le soon The Description of her Life in Prose AFTER she had interred her Father's Corps although she had rich honourable and importunate Suiters yet she resolved to live like a kind of an Anchoret's Life living encloistered by her self alone vowing Chastity and a Single-life but gave leave for any to speak to her through a Grate When she went first into her solitary Habitation she thus spake Virtues are several Pathes which lead to Heaven And they which tread these Pathes have Graces given Repentant tears allay the Dust of Pride And pious Sighs doth blow vain Thoughts aside Sorrow and Grief which in the Heart doth lye Doth cloud the Mind as Thunder doth the Skie But when in Thundring-groans it breaketh out The Mind grows clear the Sun of Joy peeps out This pious Life I now resolve to lead Will in my Soul both Joy and Comfort breed She had not been long enclosed but she grew as famous as Diogenes in his Tub all sorts of people resorted to her to hear her speak and not only to hear her speak but to get knowledg and to learn wisdom for she argued rationally instructed judiciously admonished prudently and perswaded piously applying and directing her Discourse according to the several Studies Professions Grandeurs Ages and Humours of her Auditory The first that came to her were Natural Philosophers who asked her Opinion of Man's Soul of which she discoursed in this manner She said Man hath three different Natures or Faculties A Sensitive Body Animal Spirits and a Soul This Soul is a kind of Deity in it self to direct and guide those things that are far above it and to create by Invention and though it hath not an absolute Power over it self yet it is an harmonious and absolute thing in it self and though the Sensitive Body hath a relation to it yet no other ways than Jove's Mansion hath unto Jove for the Body is only the residing-place and the Animal Spirits are as the Angels of the Soul which are Messengers and Intelligencers All Animal Creatures have not this Soul but only Man for Beasts have none nor every Man for most Men are Beasts and have only a Sensitive Body and Animal Spirits as Beasts have but none know when this Soul is out or in the Body but the Gods and not only other Bodies and Spirits cannot know but the Body where it resides and the attending-spirits are ignorant thereof for this Soul is as invisible to the Body and the Animal Spirits as the Gods to Men for though this kind of Soul knows and hath intelligence by the Senses and by the Animal Spirits yet the Senses nor Animal Spirits have none from the Soul for as Gods know Men but Men know not Gods so this Soul knows the Senses and Animal Spirits but the Senses nor Animal Spirits know not this Soul Then they asked her Whether Souls were Immortal She answered That only the Life was Immortal from whence all Souls are derived Then they asked her What Deities she thought there were She answered She thought but one which was the Father of all Creatures and Nature the Mother he being the Life and Nature the only Matter which Life and Matter produceth Motion and Figure various Successions Creations and Dissolutions Then they asked her What she thought Time was She said Time was only the Variation and Alteration of Nature for Time is only in respect to Creations Alterations and Dissolutions Then they asked her What Eternal was She answered An endless Succession Then they asked her What Infinite was She said A Numberless Succession but said she Eternal is in respect to Infinite as Infinite to Eternal Then they asked her Whether she thought there were fixt Decrees or all were governed by
by rage confirms it by melancholy destroys it by desperate fury as self-murther Likewise as the Sun doth not only contract and dilatate it self but contracts and dilatates the several Creatures on and in the Earth the same doth the Mind the several parts of the Body it dilatates the Body into several actions postures and behaviours to strike to kick to stretch out the Body to spread out the Arms to fling out the Legs to stare to call or cry out to hoop to hollow and it will contract the Body into a silent musing close the lips shut up the eyes fold in the arms bow or bend in the legs and as it were wind up the Body by fear grief anger melancholy joy wonder admiration and the like and as the Sun doth suck and draw from the Earth and dissolve and expel the Creatures therein so do the Passions the Humours of the Body for as some Sun-beams suck moisture from the several Springs that rise in the Earth so divers Passions suck out moisture from the several Veins that run in the Body or as such Beams which pierce the Earth make the face thereof wither and pale so will some sorts of Passions and as some other sorts of Sunny-beams for all work not the like effect draw Sulphureous Vapours from the Bowels of the Earth towards the Middle-Region which flash out in Lightning so do the Passions draw from the Heart a flushing-colour to the Face which flushes in hot blushes And as the Sun-beams draw Salt Vapours from the Sea which fall in pouring showers so do the Passions draw Salt Vapours from the Bowels which fall in trickling tears for the Passions are the beams of the Mind and have as great an influence and power over the Body as the Sun-beams have upon the Earth and as the Sun 's bright Rays cause the Elements to appear clear and light so doth the Mind's tranquility cause the countenance to look cheerful and fair Then they asked her of the Four Cardinal Virtues She said That Prudence and Temperance were two Virtues which belonged more to the Wise than the Heroick Men for Prudence barrs Generosity and Magnanimity and doth not only forewarn dangers but restrains from dangerous actions when Heroick Honour is got in Danger more than Safety and Courage is made known thereby likewise Temperance forbids Magnificence but Fortitude and Justice belongs most to Heroick Men. Then they asked her If she thought Beasts had a Rational Soul She answered That if there could be no Sense without some Reason nor Reason without the Sense Beasts were as Rational as Men unless said she Reason be a particular Gift either from Nature or the God of Nature to Man and not to other Creatures if so said she Nature or the God of Nature would prove partial or finite As for Nature in her self she seems unconfined and for the God of Nature he can have no Biass he ruling every thing by the straight Line of Justice and what Justice nay what Injustice would it not be for Mankind to be supream over all other Animal-Kind or some Animal-Kind over any other Kind Then they asked her Why no Creature was so shiftless at his birth as Man She answered There were other Creatures as shiftless as Man as for example Birds are as shiftless before their Wings are fledged For as Infants want strength in Arms to feed themselves and Legs to go so Birds want strength of Bills to feed themselves and Feathers in Wings to flye Then they asked her Whether she thought there were a Heaven and a Hell She answered That in Nature there was a Hell and a Heaven a God and a Devil good Angels and bad Salvation and Damnation for said she Pain and Trouble is a Hell the one to torment the Body the other the Mind Likewise said she Health and Pleasure is a Heaven which gives the body rest and the mind Tranquility also said she the natural God is Truth the natural Devil Falshood the one seeks to save the other to deceive the good Angels are Peace and Plenty the evil are Warrs and Famine Light is the Beatifical Vision Darkness the natural Dungeon Death is the Damnation Life the Salvation and Moral Virtue is the natural Religion and Moral Philosophers are Nature's Priests which preach and seem to practise a good life Then they asked What Government for a Commonwealth was best She answered Monarchical for as one Sun is sufficient to give Light and Heat to all the several Creatures in the World so one Governour is sufficient to give Laws and Rules to the several Members of a Commonwealth Besides said she no good Government can be without Union and Union is in Singularity not in Plurality for Union is drawn to a Point when Numbers make Division Extraction Substraction which often-times brings Distraction and Distraction Confusions Then they asked her Whether she was of that Opinion That those that had good Understandings had weak Imaginations She said She was not of that Opinion for said she from the pureness and cleerness of the Understanding proceeds the subtilty and the variety of their Imaginations and the Understanding is the foundation of Imagination for as Faith is built upon Reason so is Imagination upon Understanding Then they asked her If the Faculties of the Mind or Soul had their uses or proceeded from the temper of the Brain and Heart She answered That the uses and faculties of the Mind proceeded from the Motions of the Vital and Animal Spirits which I call said she the Sensitive and Rational Spirits which is the Life and Soul and from the regular motions and full quantity thereof proceeds a perfect Memory a clear Understanding and a sound Judgment from the quick motions proceed a ready Wit and from the various and regular motions proceed probable Imaginations or Opinions from the scarcity proceeds dulness and stupidity or insensibility from the irregularity proceeds Extravagancies or Madness and where the Scarcity and Irregularity meets it produceth a stupid dull Madness The Fourth sort that visited her were Scholars that studied Theology and they asked her Whether she was of opinion that Man hath Free will She answered That she was not so proud nor so presumptuous as to think that Man had Free-will for said she if Jove had given Men Free-will he had given the use of one of his Attributes to Man as free Power which said she Jove cannot do for that were to lessen himself To let any Creature have free power to do what he will for Free-will is an Absolute Power although of the narrowest limits and to have an Absolute Power is to be a God and to think Man had it only and no other Creature were to think Jove partial but said she Man's Ambition hath bred this and the like Opinions But said they Jove might permit Man or suffer Man to do some things She said That was as ill or a worse Opinion for to think Jove permits Man to cross his
that are or seem to be his Enemies Thus Subjects in general live happiest under a Tyrant but not particular Courtiers or busie prating Fools or Factious Knaves and a facil King causeth more Trouble Distraction and Ruin by his soft easie nature than a Cruel Tyrant with Executions severe Laws or heavy Taxes for the greatest Tyrant that ever was will not destroy all his Subjects or take away all Substance for his own sake for if he did he would destroy his Power and ruin his Monarchy Then they asked her What Men made the best Privy Councellors She said Those that had most Experience such as had seen the several changes of Fortune and observed the several Humours of Men. Likewise those that are rich for those will be cautious in their Counsel and careful for the Commonwealth for their own sakes not daring to adventure their Estates in a Factious Party or a rash Advice But said she Princes should not have more Councellors than Business for fear they should make Troubles to have Employments Likewise A State should not have too many Magistrates for many Magistrates in a Common-wealth are like many Masters in Family Nor too great a number of Officers lest the many Officers should over-charge the State spending more in ordering and commanding than they would lose by some Disorders and Disobedience Then they asked her What was apt to make Rebellion She answered Poor Nobility and Rich Citizens or Burgers being both Factious and apt to raise Rebellion through Covetousness and Ambition for the poor Nobility would have Wealth to maintain their Honour and rich Burgers and Yeomantry would have Honour to dignifie their Wealth Then they asked her Why those Kings that had Favourites were most commonly unfortunate She said One cause was That the Subjects in general take it for a weakness in a Prince to beruled or perswaded by one particular Man Secondly They hate that particular Person as an Usurper ingrossing wholly the King's Favour which makes them think their Prince unjust to give to one Man that which ought to be distributed according to Merit and Worth Thirdly The Favourite's Crimes are thought the King's Cruelty or Facility Fourthly The Favourite's Vanity is thought to be their Taxes all which makes them apt to murmur and rebel but they never fail to rebel when the King interposes himself as a Buckler betwixt the People and his Favourite by which he endangers himself but helps not the Favourite But a King who would reign long and peaceably if he will have a Favourite must have a Favourite to be a Buckler between him and the rest of his Subjects for he must not take his Favourite's Faults upon him but lay his Faults on the Favourite for when a People judg their King to have Faults they will withdraw their reverences for Princes must be thought as Gods that cannot err But Favourites said she are very dangerous and insinuating Parasites for those Princes must needs be ignorant that are much flattered for every flattering Tongue is as a Muffler to blind the Eyes of the Understanding and Self-conceit is the Mouth that sucks the Milk of Vain-glory which putrifies the Reasori and breeds a corrupted Judgment which causeth Crudities and Ulcers in the Stomack of the Commonwealth and makes the Heart of the Kingdom sick which distempers the whole Body and brings the Plague of Rebellion every Member being infected therewith which is a certain and sudden death to Monarchical Government Then they asked her How Great Monarchs should use Petty Princes Great Monarchs or Princes should always keep lesser Princes in awe lest in time they should go cheek-by-jowl and may chance to thrust them out of their Power either by Land or Sea Indeed they should be kept like Spaniels to crouch and not like Mastiffs to bite otherwise they may chance to leap at their Throat and tear out the Life of their Supremacy Also said she Lesser Princes ought not to be suffered to encroach upon the Ceremonies of great Monarchs for if Ceremonies Deifie those Ceremonies ought to be kept sacred Nor upon their Orders or Dignifyings as to make Nobility or to give their Orders or such as are like to them as the George the S. Esprit or Golden Fleece which Elective Princes are apt to do if they be not kept in awe by the Hereditary Kings and those Hereditary Kings that give way to them to do it ought to lose their Magnisicency Then they asked her How Kings and Monarchs should use their Officers of State and Commanders of Warr She said Kindly whilst they were in Employments for their Employments either in the Civil Magistracy or Martial Discipline give them Power and a small Power said she oft-times ruin a greater especially when Malice and Opportunity are joined together for though Ambition said she perswades yet it is Opportunity and Malice which betrays and sets open the Gates to Rebellion for many Powerful Princes and Potent Monarchs have been unthrnned and Kingdoms ruined by mean Subjects and small Beginnings Wherefore said she Princes and States should have a care of lessening the Power of their Officers and to remove them from a better Office or higher Degree to a worse Office or lower Degree but if they will remove them or must as being most convenient then let them put them out of all Power and Authority or advance them either in Authority of Office or Honour by which they will qualifie their Spleens or prevent their Malice or destroy their Abilities from doing any harm Then they asked her If it were seemly or fit that Kings should suffer any Subjects to be familiar in their Discourse or Actions either to themselves privately or in the presence of a publick Assembly She said No for said she a familiarity makes a parity for it advances a Subject to a greater respect and draws down a King to a less esteem but said she Kings should be like Gods obeyed with fear and loved for Mercy Then they asked her What Kings should do to such Subjects or Servants She said They shnuld be check'd with frowns and banished from their presence for that King that doth not keep strict orders and rules severely shall neither be obeyed nor loved as being either fearful that dares not check Offenders and cut off Criminals or facil to suffer boldness in his sight or hated as being thought partial and if you will observe said she you shall find the more stern a Master the better he shall be served for although his Servants complain yet they dare not disobey so a King the more Tyrannical he is the better he shall be obeyed when a gentle Master and a facil King shall lose his Power and Authority Then they asked her Whether it were wise for a King to discover the secrets of his Heart to a chief Favourite Councellor She said The King that made known the secrets of his Heart or would but make known his ordinary Intentions until they were to be put in execution
apt to sigh She said Sighs were the Minds Pulse and when the Mind was sick the Pulse beats strong fast and unevenly which made Lovers sigh softly smutheringly and sometimes deeply and strongly Then they asked her VVhat made Lovers groan She said Groans were the Mind's Voice and when it felt pains it complained as finding no ease Then they asked her VVhat made Lovers extravagant She said That Extravagantness was a distemper in the Mind which distemper was caused by the Pain it felt Then they asked her If there were no Cure She said Yes Time was a good Physician and Change the only Remedy unless said she the Object of Love be unalterable and then it is dangerous But said she the Mind would be well and free from such pains if it were not for the Appetites which are never pleased but are restless run after Excess and hunt after Variety for they are always in pain either in desiring and not enjoying or else with surfeiting of what they have fed upon for the period of the Appetites is Excess and Excess is Surfeit and Surfeit is Sickness and Desire is Travelling and Travelling is Restless and Restlesness is Wearisome and Wearisomness is Painful insomuch as before we get to our desired End we are tired or dead Seldom do Lovers weep sigh groan or tremble But to make love or rather to dissemble For some can forge those Passions by the dozen And act them all poor Women for to cozen The sixteenth sort of Visiters were Poets Who asked her Why Poets were most commonly Poor She said Poets are employed with Contemplations that they have no time for Fruition for Poets said she had rather have Fancies in their Heads than Money in their Purse and take more pleasure in expressing the one than in spending the other which makes their Imaginations their chiefest Possessions being careless of Fortune's Goods despising her Service regarding neither her Frowns nor her Favours being entertained by Nature whom they most industriously serve and diligently attend Then they asked her Who were most in Nature's favour Poets or Philosophers She answered There was no doubt to be made but that she esteemed and loved Poets the best for said she Natural Philosophers tire Nature with Enquiries trouble her with searching and seeking about anger her with their Erroneous Opinions tedious Disputations and sensless Arguments and make her outragious with their cruel Extractions Substractions and Dissections As for Moral Philosophers said she they restrain enclose and tye Nature as one that is mad tormenting her beyond all reason but sometimes said she with strugling and striving she breaks out but cannot get so far but they straight get hold of her again which makes them always at variance But Poets saith she never cross nor anger her nor torment her they please her all they can and humour her every way they sooth her Passions feed her Appetites delight her Senses praise her Wit admire her Beauty adorn her Person and advance her Fame Then they asked her What the Muses were She said That the Muses were Nature's Dressers and Poet's Mistresses to whom they made Love and several Courtships Then they asked her What Poets were She said Poets were Nature's Painters which drew her to the life yet some do flatter her said she and some do her wrong but those that flatter her she favours most as all great Ladies do Then they asked her What was the ground of Poetry She said Distinguishing and Similizing which is said she Judgment and Fancy as for Numbers Rhyme and Rhetorick they are but the several Accoutrements but no part of the Body of Poetry Then they asked her What was the Effect of Poetry She said To move Passions to describe Humours to express Actions to correct Errors to condemn Follies to persecute Vice to crown Virtue to adorn the Graces to entertain Time to animate Youth to refresh Age to encourage Noble Endeavours to quicken the Spirits to please the Senses to delight the Mind to recreate the Thoughts to encrease Knowledg to instruct the Understanding to preserve the Memory to refine Language to praise Heaven to enflame Zeal to register Life to in-urn Death to pencil Nature and raise Fame Then the Poets asked her If Wit might not be gotten by Industry She said Yes for though it is Nature's Work to make a Brain strong and well-temper'd or put it in tune yet it is Learned Practice and Skill that must play therewith like a Lute although it should be well strung and justly tuned yet if there were no hands or other things to set it in motion it would become useless and unless it were tried it would not be known whether it could sound or no and one that was not practised and learnt in the Art of that Instrument might jangle but hardly play a composed Tune or make any Harmony therewith So a Brain becomes dull for want of use stupid for want of subject and barren for want of learning unless Nature doth play on the Instruments she makes without the help of Art which she can do and doth sometimes but so seldom that it is a wonder But although she doth not always make use of Art she never but doth make use of Time for Time is her chief Instrument with which she works and produceth all things I perceive said she that few profit by reading over or repeating of their own Wit for it is like the Breath of Water-Divers who have two Bags one filled with Air the other to put in Breath that issues out and that Breath that goes out can never be drawn back for use for the life of the Body must be fed with fresh Air or else it is smuthered out so the life of Wit must be fed with new Subjects or else it becomes idle or panting dyes The Seventh sort that visited her were Aged Persons They asked her What made Age so dull She said That most commonly Aged Bodies had Melancholy Minds their Thoughts as their Bodies were always travelling towards death unless said she it be the Irrational sort who live only to their Appetites and dye like Beasts for although old Father Time preches Death to them every minute they sensually or being accustomed to his Doctrine regard him not but follow their Senses as long as they can until they become as insensible as before irrational Then they asked her What made Mankind afraid to dye She said Pain and Oblivion but said she all Creatures are afraid of the one but none but Mankind are afraid of the other Then they asked her What Age endured the most violent Pangs of Death She said Middle-age and perfect growth as being strongest Bodies for perfect growth with middle-age is like a well-built House throughly seasoned and strongly setled which makes Death take the greater pains to pull it down But Infacy and Age said she are like to Houses newly wrought or rotten with long time which the least puff of Wind lays level with the ground Then