Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
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A67506
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A journey to Hell, or, A visit paid to the Devil a poem.
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Ward, Edward, 1667-1731.
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1700
(1700)
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Wing W740; Wing W742; ESTC R3697
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25,878
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60
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A Journey to Hell OR A Uisit paid to the Devil A POEM LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster 1700. THE PREFACE SINCE a Poet in a piece of Satyr like a Passionate Man in a Skirmish may by accident offend those he never designed to meddle with the Author lest People should think he has too far jested with an Edge-Tool has thought fit to declare that he had no other Intention in the following Poem than to apply it as a Carpenter does his Axe when to the hazard of its Edge he strikes at those stubborn and irregular Knots which are a discredit to the Tree and lessen the value of the Timber Or as a Surgeon handles his Lancet when he lays open a corrupt Member which is both troublesome and scandalous to the sound parts of the Body It is evident enough there is no Church in the World but what has received some Blemishes from her Priests meaning some few who for want of either Learning Prudence or Piety have been a dishonour to their Function such only I accuse and I hope should I blame Peter for denying his Master or Judas for betraying Him the rest of the Apostles would have no reason to be angry If I am condemn'd for Arraigning 'em in the Lower Regions which some of 'em have good reason to hope was prepar'd only for us Laymen I have only this to say that I am not the first that has plac'd a vicious Clergyman in the Infernal Territories for Michael Angelo the Famous Roman Painter in his Resurrection in St. Peter's Chapel had the presumption to paint a Cardinal in Hell so very like the grave Father he represented that every body knew the Picture which put the good Old Gentleman under so great a Dissatisfaction that he complain'd to the Pope and desir'd he would Command it should be rub'd out who told him he was got quite out of his Jurisdiction saying If he had been but a step on this side he could have released him from Purgatory but having not the Keys of Hell from thence there could be no Redemption The next part of my Apology is to the Learned Professors both of Law and Physick for whom as well as the Orthodox Clergy of the English Church I have a peculiar Veneration who cannot be insensible what swarms of hungry and unskilful Practicers in both Sciences there are who fraudulently prey upon the honest Labours of the Publick at such only is this Satyr pointed who support themselves basely by others Ruin and have no just Prospect for want of true Knowledge in their Business to preserve themselves from Beggary but by often bringing others into it one side plunging their Clients further into Trouble instead of helping them out and the other instead of recovering their Patients of Curable Distempers will if they be Poor thro' neglect or if Rich by delays of Cure for Interest sake be the Death of some and the undoing of others to their whole Lives Misery Therefore since it as essentially relates to the Comforts of the Life of Man to know what other People are as well as what he himself should be I thought it no Ill Task to Communicate to the World what knowledge of Mankind I have gather'd from my own Experience the Good wont hurt us 't is the Bad we must be Cautious how we deal with for which reason I have herein separated the Wicked from the Godly representing only the former to show Youth what Monsters in Humane Shape they must expect to meet with in this World tho' of the most Noble Professions Therefore my whole Design is only to make Men careful with what Priests they trust their Souls with what Lawyers their Estates and with what Physicians their Bodies And if this Part of my Undertaking succeed well and that the World is pleased with it they shall hear further from me on the same Subject for in this I had not room to half finish my Design So Farewel A Journey to Hell OR A Uisit paid to the Devil CANTO I. WHEN Western Clouds involv'd the God of Light And all the Eastern starry Orbs look'd bright When Sots their Tavern Bacchanals begun And Thetis at a draught drank up the Sun Whilst Luna with her Silver Horns drew near To bless the Night and bear Dominion here 'T was then that I my better self my Soul Broke loose and thro' my Prison Casements stole And glad I 'd shifted off my Earthly Chains Danc'd like a flaming Vapour round the Plains I then thro' Brakes and over Whirl-Pools flew Till tir'd with only superficial view Then into Holes and Crannies did I dive Where Badger Fox and sundry Vermine live Where Moles were labouring to enlarge their Homes And buzzing Bees made Musick o'er their Combs Farther I darted thro' the porous Earth To seek that Womb whence Nature had her Birth But found the hidden Mistery far too great And for a Human Soul too intricate Causes with sundry Causes mix'd I found Each Matrix did with proper Seeds abound But why those Seeds their likeness shou'd produce Their Form preserve be still the same in use My shallow Reason neither see or knew But found each Cause did the Decrees pursue Of some Eternal Pow'r beyond dim Reasons view Thro' deeper Caverns still I forc'd my way Where useless Dregs of the old Chaos lay Involv'd in Night remote and never seen by Day Where Plagues and Pestilential Fumes were pent Till Heav'ns Decree shou'd give 'em fatal vent Where greater Serpents do the less devour And Human-like contend for Sov'reign Pow'r Where Streams thro' subteranean Channels run And fight with Winds far distant from the Sun Whose violent Shocks the World can scarce survive But trembles at the very strokes they give And where Heavens Judgments in subjection lay Ready the dreadful Trumpet to Obey And work the World's destruction at the last sad Day Thus thro' Nights deep Avenues did I pass Where all was rude as in the unform'd Mass. Thro' Death's remoter frightful Vaults I went Where ghastly Sprights their Follies past lament And in dispairing Sighs such Discord make No Soul could hear but of their Grief partake Dreading from thence their sad remove each Hour To endless Pains where Time shall be no more So the poor Thief when seiz'd for his Offence Finds his own Conscience Judge and Evidence And thus before he to the Bar shall come Dreads with sad Terror his succeeding Doom I forward press'd bemoaning of their Case Freed from my Earth Death ask'd me for no Pass But boldly shot the Adamantine Gates Without repulse unquestion'd by the Fates Who busie sate with Distaff Reel and Knife Spining and cutting Man's short Threads of Life O'er scorching Sands where fiery Seeds lay hid I Travell'd till the Avernuan Hills I spy'd High were their gloomy Heads the trodden Path as wide I ventur'd forwards till to Styx I came Which shone like humid Vapours in a flame It s poysonous