cannot Get And Envy those who Dye with it Here 's one with such thin hollow Cheeks you 'd say His Teeth had Eat his Cheeks away Here 's one with Legs so thin and bare That ev'n the naked Bones appear So that you 'd think they not his Legs but Crutches were Painters their art now needless find To paint a Lady with grim Death behind She takes her Looking-glass Startles to See she hath no Eyes Affrighted at her hollow face Blushes to see her cheeks in Pale disguise And Her self now Is both the Lady and Death too 24. People no more frequent the Theatre Since this new Tragedy began to rage A Tragedy ne're heard of where All the People Actors are And all the City is the Stage We act a while and then we have Our Exit and retire into the grave Only in this out far worse doom From Players is distinguished For we alas are Dead Both on the Stage and in the Tyring-room The Royal Theatre is empty Seen Nor dare the boldest Gallant enter in He fears the Lamps will Funeral-Torches be And they shall Act the Tragick-Play they only came to See 25. Death 's writ in blood on every door Red Characters on our Posts are signs of Life no more Some without Nurses helpless lye Yet knowing well their cruelty VVill suffer none come nigh But rather than with Two they will with One Plague dy Before each house are Bone-fires made As though they meant as once of old to Burn their Dead Strange way methinks is this VVith Fires to Cure an Hot Disease VVas ever sickness like to This endur'd VVhich can by nothing but It self be cur'd How can we hope that Smoak should Clear VVhich is the only thing that Clouds the Air 26. Strange Conqueror sure is that who with more ease Defeats his Strong than weaker enemies Yet such an one is this Disease Old men do live secure and safe And they who nearest are are farthest from the Grave Should but the Plague begin VVith his hot fires and burning pains To heat their blood and warm their veins They would Rejoyce and think they 're growing Young agen The strong and lusty dye at their best time VVhen Youth is at its height and life is in its prime So an Eclipse is never known But at Full Moon Thus Shadows always shortest are at Noon 27. The Drunkard felt the raging flame begin And swore he 'd put it out with wine The Grape that oft Distemper'd him before Doth now his health and life restore Thus is he quicken'd by the strange device And like his Bacchus is begotten Twice Then he prepares the Grave to cheat Stead of himself buries his Winding-sheet Such a deceit did Charles the Fifth contrive He to his Herse all funeral-rites did give But 't was his Coffin only Dy'd himself was yet Alive The Gamesters view'd themselves and were dismay'd For all their faces and their bodies o're They now black spots and patches wore And Lookt just like the Dice with which they Play'd In vain they meet at Ordinaries when Amongst them in the room A strange unheard-of Gamester there was come Who did not play for Money but for Men. The Lustful man who burns with hot desire Felt a new Flame burn hotter than his Lust And sure the heavens were just To send the Plague on Him and Punish Fire with Fire Oft he on Venus call'd yet could not She Allay his flames although begotten of the Sea In vain on Cupid doth he cry Well did He know and therefore comes not nigh That chiefly in a Plague the Little Children Dye 28. We laught at all Diseases else for they Like lesser guns but one a time do slay This like whole Cannon tears whole Troops away Here 's one doth in a shivering Ague lye Would Dance and Leap not Tremble should the Plague come nigh Here Swims another in a Dropsie who Himself doth seem to be Both his own Ship and Sea Who is both Tantalus and the water too He at the burning Plague does laugh Thinks in his VVaters he is safe The Dropsie though in time it self be sure To Kill him keeps him from the Plague secure Is both his Life-guard and his Murderer Small comfort in the change is found He escapes Burning only to be Drown'd 29. Some did their Dead in Gardens throw And on the Corps grew Flowers all along Decking the Bodies whence they sprung Flowers as Fading as the Corps from which they Grow The Dead who buried be Within these Gardens do Safer keep These Than the Hesperian Dragon His Nay and with Flames far worse than He Flames able to Consume Him and his Fires too Thus did they hide the Dead And every Garden a Church-yard was made Often alas the wretched people thought Upon the customs and the times before How that the Dead of old were wafted o're The Stygian Lake in Charon's Boat And oh how do they wish that also now Over That River they might go For in those VVaves having allay'd their heat and pain They did almost believe they should Revive again 30. Spots on their bodies did appear as though The angry Sun Had not on them sent forth his Beams alone But his Spots too Ladies wear Patches not to Grace But to Hide their blushing face Their cheeks which lately painted were with Red In sable colours now are clad So in an Evening you might see the Sun Setting in Purple Blushes yet anon A dark and blacker Night comes on Their Beauty in those Sable weeds adorn'd Did seem as if for Its own Death it mourn'd Those Clouds arising in that Sky Truly foretold a Tempest nigh VVhen the Black Sails we see appear VVe like Aegeus needs must fear Death and Destruction near The people's whiter skins were speckled o're And all the common Rout the Royal Ermine wore And Black Spots now Don't only show As 't is in Maps the Places but the People too 31. Hold nimble Muse Check the loose rains and stop thy hafty speed Ah wherefore like that Roman Lady thus Lov'st thou to drive thy Chariot o're the Dead Alas dear Muse thou spendst thy time in vain Nor wilt thou Laurel here but Cypress gain Thou 'lt meet with nothing here but tears and sighs and woes Where're thou strik'st thy Foot a Fountain flows And must thy Noble Pegasus then Like Diomedes Steeds be Fed with Men Thou that canst with mighty lays Another Thebes for thy Great Master Pindar raise Whilst Towers like their Guards within advance And Marbles nimbly as thy Strings would Dance Now thy breath in vain consumes Nor wilt thou Here Build Walls or Palaces but Tombs In urnes and graves such pleasure to be had Dost thou like Orpheus Sing among the Dead And shall the Laurel which adorns thy brow Only on Graves like fatal Mandrake grow Come come fond Muse away See where on Thames thy guilded Barge does stay Let it to Isis thee convey Thy Phoebus Steers thee and thy Barge shall move Swift as
Working as I live The Belides I fear anon will claim it for their Sieve And yet Our Duke some for himself doth spare And with the Grave the Booty share How many Captives wait upon Him home As though He meant to bring The Dutch In also as He did the KING Yet though in such Triumphant State He come Unmov'd He sits neglects the pompous Shew And Triumphs o're his very Triumph too TO THE KING XVI BUt You Great Monarch still did keep Your Throne Nor turn'd Your Scepter to a Gun Nor to an Helmet chang'd Your Crown You knew the Belgians were not worth Your Arms and therefore sent Your Agents forth So Jove of old when He would make a Prey Of the poor silly Phrygian Boy Himself sate still upon His Throne And sent his Winged Standard-bearer down To Fight with Foes let Mighty CHARLES disdain Let Him but only Think and they are Slain Thus Pallas Goddess of War was begotten of JOVE's Brain Let other Kings go to the Warrs Thou may'st remain Great CHARLES at home and thence Destroy like Titan with Thine Influence As though Thy Sword like bright Orion's Sword were made of Starrs Ah Mighty CHARLES that Twice our King hast been Both at Thy Fathers Death and at Thy Coming in And may'st Thou long survive and may The Starrs showr Blessings on Thee every day Blessings as Numberless as They. Thou CHARLES hast Travail'd almost Europe o're And mayst Thou with Thy Victories too Travail it once more Let Thy Conquest know no bound But mayst Thou like Thy Starry Wain the Globe surround May all Thy Journies be as free Through Sea and Land as through the Air to Thee And may the Poles Thy two Herculean Pillars be And since the Dutch no more Great CHARLES esteem He shall destroy them with those Arms which once Preserved them So Phoebus darting Rays the Earth-born Python Shot And Slew him with the Beams by which he was begot On the Great PLAGUE 1665. His Majestie Retiring to Oxford I. ENgland so long enjoy'd her health and ease Our happiness grew Tedious as if We had been weary of our life Or Health it self were a Disease We now could bragge A King Return'd without a War or Plague Which seem'd to be Almost as Great a Miracle as He. How was our Prince amaz'd that day to see Such joyful throngs before Him run Like crouded Atomes sporting in the Sun The people were so healthful then Multiply'd so every where And in such mighty swarms appear That we almost began to fear a Plague of Living Men. Scarce a Sick body there was known Or in the Country or the Town Diseases all were fled as though Ev'n the Diseases had been Cured too 2. Nor was this all for we As well as health had Victorie Our forreign Foes we did o'recome And Slew as fast abroad as we Encreas'd at Home But now as on that wretched Town The morning-Sun shin'd bright Shedding his gentler beams and milder light Where hotter fires did rain e're noon So on our Kingdom after all Its happiness a Plague did fall By whose strange Burnings we enflamed are Almost as bad as they with fire and brimstone were Unto God's ears the crimes of England came Their Sins were Loud as was their Fame Now having vanquished a Naval foe They Launch into the Sea Above as though With Valiant Sins they 'd conquer Heaven too Heav'n did already see the Land forlorn And every Evening wept and every Morn At length our daring crimes were such Angels came flying down in armed trains Slew all they met and with as little pains Destroy'd and Conquer'd us as We the Dutch 3. Michael of old by the Almighty chose Captain of his Life-guard arose To heav'n's Artillery He streight retires Takes a bright Sword and Scabbard bright as That The Sword was made of Comets deadly fires As Killing as the Flames it should anon Create From heav'n the glorious VVarrior withdrew Carrying an heaven with him as he flew A Mantle of a Cloud he made Which in It self he first did VVash Thus was the mighty Conqueror array'd And girded with a Rain-bow for a Shash The Body he assum'd did show So bright and glorious as though His Body were an Angel too On a high Steeple He came down And there did sit and thus did moan If thou dear London to thy God wouldst go VVith humble knee and trembling hand How glorious how securely mightst thou stand Ah would'st thou like this senceless Tower grow VVhich doth its Firmness in its Trembling show If thou dear City to thy God wouldst rise And like this lofty Spire mount the Skies Like its Foundation thou must lie as Low How happy England mightst thou be Didst thou but Fear thy God as much as Other Nations Thee 4. Beloved Island I thy griefs do grieve Die over all thy deaths and feel the wounds I give Wouldst thou but seek to heav'n with holy Vows This sword that hangs o're Thee I 'd use In thy Revenge against thy forraign Foes London repent what shall my Flaming Sword Destroy the Paradise which it should Guard The Plague already doth begin to rage Yet would thy tears its fury soon asswage As in the Pharian Land although Never so much the Plague encrease Yet if Nile but overflow It instantly doth Cease In vain he spoke for wicked men Him and the present judgement both neglect A judgement like the Air it did Infect Which always hangs before our Eyes yet never can be Seen 5. London that stately Palace is A Desert grown When on the Israelites the Plague did seize It Found them in a wilderness Here it Makes one England was clear'd of Salvage beasts in vain They 're all return'd again The People prove the Tyger Wolf and Bear And mad distracted Men the wild Beasts are Our multitudes are grown From almost infinite to none Whilst we against our will do number those remain And fear another Plague again 6. The Birds do grieve to see us dye Though in our Death 's their safeties lye The Swan doth droop his head and hang his wing And will not now His own but our Death sing The mournful Sparrow grieves in 's chirping rime As sweet for us as Lesbia once for Him The Philomel begins her song Now Thanks her Brother's cruelty and wrong VVhich made her Sing the More by Cutting our her Tongue The greedy Crows could not forbear Devour'd the Corps and streight infected were And do within burn hotter far Than Sol himself to whom they Sacred are The wretched Bird grew so enflam'd as tâ—ough The Sun again were hid within a Crow Should the infernal Vulture leave her cell And gnaw the scorching bowels of the Dead He 'd surely think he fed Not on Prometheus Liver but on Hell The Eagle hates the Sun and dares not now Behold it lest it should infect Him too VVith untry'd eyes he chuses to remain And will not by his Death his Birth maintain 7. Into the Vallies are the Bodies
on his Cathedral streight looks down VVonders to see his Church and Quire all gon And finds the barbarous Plague to be A far worse Persecutor of the Church than He. About his Head a glorious light there shone As Bright as That at his Conversion Able to strike beholders dim And make them Blind like Him He gaz'd and wonder'd what the cause should be But streight perceiving us bespotted He Almost believ'd 't had been his Leprosie No great Apostle This Rather thy burning Serpent is Organs are dumb instead of their sweet voice Nothing but the dreaful noise Of doleful knells And passing Bells Bells which do strike the trembling Hearers too Almost as Dead as Those for whom they Go. Away the Singers ran And though before they wisht and would be Glad Yet now they are afraid Lest they should Sing like the Melodious Swan The mournful Bells do ne're lye still England may truely now be call'd the Ringing Isle 16. The weeping mothers o're their infants set Hoping with tears t' allay the scorching heat The Babes are poyson'd with their tender food Their milk is mingled with their Blood The Children of Israel so Unto the Land which did with milk o'reflow Through a Red-sea did go Infected Mothers Breasts such flames dispence So hot a mortal Influence As though the Milky-way which There appears Like that in Heav'n were nothing else but Starrs 17. Here doth a little Son To ask his Father's Blessing run He Stabs his Father with infectious Air And Kills him with a Prayer The Child now Doubly feels the raging fire And sees Himself Again infected in his Sire The weeping Sire at once doth Bless and Chide The Pious Murderer the Obedient Paricide Children no more with terrour are amaz'd To hear the Story of Narcissus told How the Fair Youth was Drown'd of old Fair as the Nymph in which he gaz'd They count his Fate an Happiness and do Ev'n wish that They might dye so too They would rejoyce and think they 're bound To bless the very Waters where they 're Drown'd 18. By his dead Mistress there a Lover lies Who raves and beats himself as if he meant The Pestilence to Prevent And do Himself what was the Plague's intent Then looking on his Dear he cryes Ye Godds why tear you not away these Eyes I 've nothing now to Look upon Since that my Fair-ones gon The loveli'st creatures still do fare the worst Thus Roses always are Infected First Had she not Beauty-spots enough before Why then ah cursed Plague wouldst thou bring more Tell me curst Plague tell me How could Her Breath Infected be Breath that doth Sweeten all where're it comes Breath that was able to have cur'd ev'n Thee And turn thy Poyson to Perfumes For when rude winds upon sweet Flowers Blow The winds themselves are sweeten'd too Ah wretch and must I part with all my bliss VVithout one farewell-Kiss In those sweet Lips can death or danger be Those Lips which often have Recover'd me VVhen in Despair I 've lain as Dead as Shee That face from which I often Life have took How can it Kill me with a look O that it could and like Medusa's Face Transform me to a Stone that in this place Embracing thus my Dear-one I might dye And on her Corps her Tomb might lye 19. People were now grown almost mad Cheating and Stealing was the only Trade A Sin which to the Plague new Plagues did Adde One with his loaden Coffin home doth bye Wherein a little afterwards Himself doth lye Another when the Plague had clear'd an house At midnight into it he goes He ransacks all he there doth find Destroys what e're the Plague had left behind O how Unhappy is that Nations Doom VVhere men themselves the worser Pestilence become For whilst the Plague all other men doth Slay These by the Pestilence do Thrive And by the very Plague do Live So greedy are they of their wicked pelf They strip and Rob the Dead and seize On the Infected Carkasses As if they meant to Steal away the Plague It self 20. The Mayor within the City stays And is Imprison'd where he Sways He hates the glory of his Sword and Mace Curses his Honour and his Place He fears his very Guards will him annoy And whom they should Protect Destroy He strives to get away in vain He 's fetter'd with his own gold Chain Sad and disconsolate he sits alone Nor will admit too many Waiters on He nothing cares for watch or ward But thinks he 's safest now Without a Guard 21. But then as if the Plague destroy'd too Slow And murder'd not enough Accursed Rebels had a Plot begun A Plot which is High-Treason but to Think upon They Mines of Sulphur get To add unto the Plague a fiercer heat Fools that they were The very Powder which they did prepare VVas th' only remedy to cleanse the Air. They had been Courteous thus And had not Murder'd but Cur'd us Such dull ridiculous Souldiers sure as These Were never known who chuse Weapons that may not Hurt their foes Who fight not to Destroy but Save their Enemies Here was a valiant Troop indeed Of Living Souldiers now there was no need VVe could have overcome these with our Dead A mighty army sure where one Dead Infant could have made them Run And yet suppose they 'd got the better then Still had they Conquer'd been The Spoils they plunder from the slain Infect and murder them Again And they who are the Conquerours do Fly Destroy'd and Overcome by their own Victory 22. Famine beholding what was done Rose up in rage and thus begun So many Thousands and not One for me Have I so long O Death thee serv'd Have I so often Feasted thee And must I now my self be Sterv'd Hast thou a purpose to destroy Thou shouldst not Pestilence but Me employ Me who can Kill that very Pestilence Me VVho to the Plague It self a Plague can be Should I but rage the famisht people streight The dead infected Carkasses would Eat They'd tremble at the Plague no more But would the Plague it self Devour And Glut on Him as He on Them before 'T is I can make each Father be Thyestes and devour his Progenie I can make men on their Own bodies feast And be Themselves the Banquet and the Guest Should I my powerful anger show Not only Men but Godds would tremble too Should I ascend to heav'n and take away The Godd's Ambrosia The Godds themselves I fear Would Famish though they never so Immortal are No more would hungry Jove his Eagle spare But kill her with the Thunder she doth Bear And Juno wanting whereupon to feed Would quickly turn to Air and be a Cloud indeed 23. She spoke and streight the hungry people dye Meet a worse Death than that they flye The Famine doth not Quickly slay But kills like Salvage Tyrants with Delay In ling'ring pains they loose their breath As if they Liv'd a Death They wish the Plague they