POEMS viz. 1. A PANEGYRICK to the KING 2. SONGS and SONNETS 3. The BLIND LADY a COMEDY 4. The Fourth Book of VIRGIL 5. STATIUS his ACHILLEIS with ANNOTATIONS 6. A PANEGYRICK to GENERALL MONCK By the Honorable S r ROBERT HOWARD LONDON Printed for Henry Herringman and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Anchor on the lower Walk of the New Exchange 1660. TO THE READER IT has been the usuall custom of Epistles to give the Reader an account of the causes that brought those writings into publick that were onely intended for a private Closet and commonly it has been at the request of friends perhaps with mingled truth and designe to prae-engage the judgments of many by telling the opinion of some so to preserve their modesty as much in the pretence as they could have done in the concealment of their Writings Though I cannot pretend such a cause as this I can yet free my self from that vanity that others would avoid by assuring the Reader I had not stock of confidence enough to shew these things privately to many friends much lesse to be furnish'd with enough to make them publick to all indifferent persons had not the desires of the Book-seller prevail'd with me to whose civilities I believ'd my self so far engag'd as to deny him nothing that he thought a kindnesse which could not be severely prejudiciall to my self Yet I doubted not but that I should receive the censures of many which upon the granted principle of prejudice appear'd not a reasonable argument to prevail with me to deny his request since the same should as well perswade me not to live for life and conversation râ—nder man in Print more than letters can do and is made more publick by that way than he can be by this His life is mingled more with his defects and passions than probably his writings are and whether they are equall or exceed others need not trouble him that writes He may be satisfied the production of retir'd hours are the best of himself I had no great reason then to deny his request that imagin'd he ask'd his own advantage when he desired nothing that I believed contrary to mine Yet I wish that it may so far give satisfaction to all that they may as little repent the râ—ading as I did the writing whilst in these gentle studies I found a diversion from greater follies and by that comparison they received obliging natures Perhaps there 's few that read them may not as well be conscious to themselves to have spent some time not so 〈◊〉 and for that cause forgive that which for its own sake they cannot admire For the severall subjects which here make one bundle there is not any of them that have not layn by me these many years two or three copies of Verses onely excepted and had been wholly perhaps laid aside but for the reasons given applying my self now to more serious studies according to the severall seasons of encreasing age as the earth produces various fruits to the different seasons of the year By this short account of time the Reader may discern in what clowdy days my Muse spread her wings as little contributing to her flying a noble heighth as to shew a just subject He that most deserv'd it was most deni'd it as he was indeed his right in all things either from private fear or publick power though I equall not the crime of faint thoughts in passive submission to the guilt of bold profession in publick action 'T is now to be hop'd that the praises of our Prince who so much merits it may be received willingly by all since nothing can be said of him that has not been done by him and man's largest invention has been excell'd by His actions there being nothing capable â—o make him appear more excellent than himself unlesse it had been our want of him when by experience we found his miseries were ours and all that we inflicted on him returned in double measures on our selves lâ—ke stones madly tost into the air and forc'd from their proper center that fall back with encreas'd weight upon their heads that flung them We are now presented that in him which this world sparingly produces in one composure an object for our Consciences and Interest in whose preservation our Temporall and Eternall states have equall shares Yet I should a little be dissatisfied with my self to appear publick in his praise just when he was visibly restoring to power did not the reading of the Panegyrick vindicate the writing of it and besides my affirmation assure the Reader It was written when the King deserved the Praise as much as now but separated farther from the Power which was about three years since when I was Prisoner in Windsor-Castle being the best diversion I could then find for my own condition to think how great his Vertues were for whom I suffered though in so small a measure compar'd to his own that I rather blush at it than believe it meritorious For the other Verses and Songs I must professe they were never directed to any particular Beauty which may to the Amorous Reader at least be a just excuse if they want Perfection to remember I wanted Passion and had onely my own warmth unassisted by the influence of a Mistresse Nor shall I envy him that writes better by being much in love if he must purchase the advantage of Wit by the losse of Freedom For the Translations the Authors have already received those Characters from the world that they need none of mine especially Virgil of whose works I have onely publish'd this one Book that lay finished by me not judging it convenient to perfect those other Books of his Aeneid's which I have rudely gone through having long since laid aside all designes of that nature and this little of it rather grew publick from accident than designe the Mingle it had with my private Papers was the greatest cause that it received its share in the publick Impression For Statius he had received commendations enough had he been alone commended by Juvenal in his 7 Satyr but Alexand. ab Alex. also lib. 6 ch 14. relates that he thrice received the Victor's Lawrell in the publick reading of his Verses and was once vanquish'd as unjustly perhaps as Menander was judged to be overcome by Philemon whose faction was greater though his wit lesse insomuch that meeting him afterwards Menander desired him to confesse ingenuously if he did not blush when he vanquish'd him For this piece of his I confesse I chose it as most pleasing to me I wish it may be so to the Reader though there wants not ingenious men who preferr'd it before his other Poems The Annotations may in some places perhaps be judged too large yet had I omitted any thing it is probable that the same persons would have censur'd me for ignorance so that being equally sensible of these extreams I judg'd it the testimony of the greatest
his too-wretched Fall To whose successfull Courage once she gave The Mistress of the World to be his Slave To fair days storms succeed to storms the fair We know but what we are by what we were And Mans condition 's valu'd more or lesse By what he had not what he does possesse For no Extreams could ever gain a Height From their own natures but each other's weight So Lucan made the flying Pompey blame Not present Woes but his too-early Fame Great Scipio whose too happy courage made His Country free and Hannibal's enslay'd Had been more happy had he been but lesse And not fear'd want of glory but excesse Whose Countrie-men's ungrateful fears were more For his successe than Hannibal's before So much Plebeian Souls from Nature's School Are fitted more for Servitude than Rule Would such Examples had been onely known But we have felt a greater of our own In your Great Father seen whose Sunshine-days Deserves not more our wonder than our praise Nor did his days of Tempests lesse proclaim But taught us more of Miracle and Fame And equal'd all the miseries it brought By vertues which unequal'd sufferings taught Frailty affliction brings and yet a friend In giving those afflictions too an end Yet immortality can no blessing give But make that perfect which must ever live His soul refin'd so by Celestiall heat One could not hurt and t'other ha's made great He pay'd his scores of Frailty and of Joy's To live where nothing that 's enjoy'd destroy's And sell lest this frail World like Heaven might be At once admitting Him and Constancy Happy were we had we but understood None were too great nor we out selves too good Within our selves and by our selves confin'd One by our Ocean t'other by our Mind Whilst the obliged World by War unsought Was willingly by gentler Traffick brought Secure and Rich whilst every swelling Tide That brought us safety brought us Wealth beside Above the reach of the World's power grown And had been safe had we but fear'd our owne What the Grave Spaniard and the Belgian too The active French by power could not do Our passions did and quickly made it known We could be Conquered by our selves alone And acting that which others could not do Are now fit for their Scorn and Conquest too How just and sure Heaven's revenges are We slighted peace and grow despis'd by War Like Mad men then possest with Lunacy We now must find a Cure in misery And by our suffering to our wits redeem'd Our long-lost peacefull temper grows esteem'd For man does most by the Comparative At the true knowledge of Extreams arrive And in affliction 's ready to adore That which he hardly could indure before How fatally this Nation proves it true In mourning for our banish't Peace and You To You Great Sir Fortune 's in debt alone Who can be no way pai'd but by your owne Your Vertues have not more made Crowns your due Than sufferings taught you how to use them too Stroaks upon solid bodies do provoke A secret brightnesse free unmixt with smoak No grossnesse mingled but bright sparks declare What mighty firmnesse their Composures are So whilst the stroaks of Fortune on You light Your mighty frame appears more firm and bright Affliction often by its powerfull weight Is the Case-shot of Destiny and Fate Routing faint principles together brought By prosperous vertues not by hazards taught Whilst the weak man is too much understood His frailty more than his substantiall good As in the low declining of the day Mens shaddows more enlarged shew than they So in the worlds great last adversity When every Element their power must try To dissolution they must all retire And leave but one pure Element of fire All that was grosse which from weak nature flows In your great trialls so expiring shows And all unto your Nobler Soul resign'd Nothing seems lâ—fe in you but what 's refin'd No longer now subject to what is frail But have from Nature cut off the entail Nor yet could Fortune with her pow't or frowns Ravish your Father's Veroues though his Crowns So little was th' esteem of human things To that once best and now most blest of Kings One that in all his time was never known Greedy of Lives though weary of his own Peace Crown'd his thoughts though not his wretched time His Nature was his fate his Crown his crime Despis'd by his own people first because He stoop't below his power and their laws His easie gifts seem'd all but debts when they Had nothing left to ask nor he to pay Yet that he might unjust or mean appear For what his nature gave they thank't his fear All the fair vertues of his Halcyon-times Instead of gratitude contracted crimes In those who from the fears he ever had Of being ill took boldnesse to be bad Such as on peace the name of idle fling And make their Prince a Tyrant or no King So fell that Prince too good for such bad times By his own Vertues and by others Crimes Now against you Great Sir their swords are turn'd And joy in what the VVorld besides has mourn'd Still constant in their Crimes and Cruelty All Conscience turn'd into Necessity Which by the view of acted sins before Does safe appear onely by doing more As those who quit firm shores when the wind raves Must not retire but bustle still in waves The wandring Needle so can never stay Till it finds out the Point it should obey Our Constitution toucht by Monarchy Till it rests there must always wandring bee And that must fix in You None could convay True light but He that ought to rule the day VVhen Phaeton did to that heighth aspire He brought not influence to the world but fire So those led by Ambition to your Throne Have brought us ruine and have found their own VVhilst thus our Sphear is over-cast with Clowds You the bright Sun their envious darkness shrouds As ready to break forth when Factions here Divide as when dark clowds part in the Sphear The Sun can be No offer you neglect To warm us with your lustre and protect From such foggs of mean Souls which still will flie O're us till all 's dispell'd by Majesty Once for your Kingdome 's sake you durst oppose Your Laurel'd Enemies with your conquer'd foes Yet Heaven from your assistance then was staid Lest the ill Act the good had over-vveigh'd And in the Victory those Scots had found Their Crimes together vvith your Vertues crovvn'd Then 't was You did attempt your debt to pay To Us or Nature by a noble way The bold Aeneas so having left Troy In its own funerall flames scorn'd to enjoy Safety alone but led by Vertues great As vvere the Dangers he was to repeat Return'd among his ruin'd Friends and State To bring them safety or to fetch their fate VVhilst our dull souls all nobler vvarmth deny'd The Covvard and th'Insensible divide Our vvoes
act and let the story then Come to his unprepared ears Alb. Well that I may proserve you From some more unadvised course if more can be I 'le do it but take heed Of letting violence be offer'd to him Preserve thy self free from so foul a crime Love's way lies not through blood Consider too What we now go to act nor blush To think thou didst do ill or that 't will throw Aspersions on thy judgment to dislike The folly thou hadst dotingly embrac'd Hee 's wise that sees his error at the last Who weighs all these in perfect scales Shame of his crime and not his wit prevails Farewell I leave you to your thoughts I 'le on my way to night Heaven direct and prosper you Exit Phyl. How nice his conscience was now to my businesse And thou great god of Love that rul'st my heart Attempt but Fortune with as kind a Dart That whilst I reach at what can scarcely be Fortune as madly too may dote on me Now all things but designe Leave me and yet it looks but odly To put off all this honesty at once And to have none about me Or was it ever mine sure I borrow'd it And 't is a thing that 's taken up on trust I owe the world so much I 'le think on 't When I can pay it Lycespes welcome Enter Lycespes I was resolved just now to seek you Lyces You would have found me still prepar'd to serve you Phyl. You are my noble friend nor will I say That I shall try it now this onely can Preserve it But words are wasters of our time And robs us still of action As fast then as you can Get all our friends in readinesse as many As possibly you can well arm'd and mounted Return with all the speed your Love can make As we go you shall know all The rest must live in ignorance What Power now to invoke I hardly know Yet every god has felt what Love can do Exeunt ACT 1. SCEN 2. Enter two Huntsmen 1. COme the Princesse is hard at hand And if we haste not she may overtake us To night too we must lodge the Deer 2. We need not care for that this Forrest Is so well stor'd that Game 's in every Thicket It causes the Princesse constant progresse Into these parts But who are these Enter Mironault Hyppasus Pysander 1. 'T is the brave Mironault Mir. Well overtaken Huntsmen Is the Princesse Yet far behind 2. No my Lord he is almost in sight Exeunt Hunts Mir. I thank you Whither does Love thus hurry me A Tyrant that denies the smallest hopes Where he gives largest wishes The greatest Beauties are like greatest Wealths Subjects for all mens wishes not their hopes Fears share with Love the Empire of the heart Rendring alike the Lover and the Coward Danger 's the awfull Mistresse of the one Who fears to tempt her lest he should endure That fate too quickly which he knowes is sure So whilst the other's Mistress too is ignorant Onely more slow the pining Lover dies And that sure fate but hastes if she denies Hyp. Dear Sir let not grief thus torment you You should have there a nobler Guest your Reason And were that there there hardly could be room For such disorders Passions are like Thieves That watch to enter undefended places And rob you too of all that put 's a difference Between Wild-beasts and Man Yet mistake not Your grief if not dispair is the fond passion I speak against and not the love they spring from That were her injury to whom alone All is due as Rivers to the Ocean Yet Nature has decreed that she must love Believe your worth and your devotion then As great as any Mir. O Hyppasus 'T is easier far to counsell than to act And every one 's provided with the wisdom That has not interest in the misfortune And those that in Feavors though 't is their ruine Wish Rivers of drink the standers by That then advise and may be wonder at them Would in the same disease do just so too Pysan You know not Sir but this great goddesse May be a little mercifull by this hand If she be not I 'le be revenged On half the Sex at least by proving rigorous To those poor Wenches I have prated to That 's every one almost that e're I saw Then forsooth Will the poor creatures wish their amorous heads Fill'd with Romances pine and die With Willow-garlands under Myrtle-shades And grief for them will kill the Mothers too Your Princesse shall not have many Female Subjects Mir. I thank thee good Pysander for attempting To mix thy mirth with my opposing griefs But they are contraries and cannot meet in one but let it perish withme I must again Desire your secresies Hyp. Nay that 's Mir. Pardon me Hyppasus I know it 's needlesse to repeat A wish of mine to either of you But what men's thoughts are full with issue forth With too much haste and freedom Pysan Will you take my advice Sir Hyp. Nay pray Sir hear him Mir. Come what is 't Pysander Pysan Wholsom extreamly For the kind constitution Of a decaying Lover this is the short Receipt In the first place make your self very drunck Nay nay you need not wonder by divine Bacchus 'T is a rare expression of passion to court disorderly To make a meer Chaos of one's self and then give her The honor of Creating you then besides All truth and all good nature will appear If this be not the way to be consider'd I 'l be judg'd Hyp. How do you like it Sir Mir. There 's kindnesse in 't to me I know Hyppasus And were I capable of mirth it might produce it But Grief and Love are throng'd together And have scarce room enough Hyp. Have either Joy or Grief wee 'l share with you Nor was 't our fears of having part That made us wish you none we value you And our own lives at the same rate We wish them free from all misfortunes Yet share all willingly rather than part But we must alter now that shew of trouble Which we have given our selves for the Princesse Must needs be neer Mir. See Hippasus I had forgot the subject of my thoughts How greedily I wish yet fear to see her Like some poor Votary whose holy thoughts Sets off so much the joyes of Paradise That it employes as many fears as wishes Hark she comes You Powers above Lend Love and Fortune now their eyes To help or see at least their sacrifice Prin. You 're well met my Lord Was it a chance Or your designe that brought you Enter Princesse Philena followers Mir. 'T is all I have about me of ambition And of large wishes that I may often Have leave thus to present my service Prin. Your service Sir has been so much considerable That I should be alone guilty of folly Did I not valew it at such a rate As the whole World have sett upon it Miro If
Desires you to retire straight from Court Whither the Princesse now directs her haste And march with all your forces no other way Is left to make Conditions In the mean time He 's still pursuing Mironault Alb. 'T is unhappy Mess Necessity has left no other means Without this he bids me tell you You may dye tamely Alb. Well I must go it is the fate of guilty men That such should seek at safety through more crimes Men are unhappy when they know not how To value Peace without its losse And from the want learn how to use What they could so ill manage when enjoy'd Ambition gives this blindnesse yet permits The eyes to gaze upon her tempting baits But in attempting not what dangers are They see the Throne and not the blazing Star Thus foolish his ungovern'd youth Has made us both alike Who rather than to share a common good Ventur'd through danger at uncertain glory Nor could my power or prayers perswade him from it With such a grief the Ruler of the day Shook his illustrious tresses when he heard The ambitious Phaeton make his bold Request who did prefer Before the counsell of the god himself The long'd-for glories of his glittering Throne Yet Phoebus mourn'd the bonds of Nature tye Faster then our own good or honesty Exit ACT 2. SCEN. 2. Enter Princess Phylena Prin. THat I had wings Phylena this revenge Justice it self will follow Phyl. Pray heaven Madam no designer Has been before us Prin. It is my fear Phyl. But yet You may be confident of your father's temper Which does dispence Justice with deliberation Besides your interest Prin. Would we could learn what were become of him They still pursue him sure and heaven preserve His noble life from an untimely fate How the State-rascalls too were pleased VVith the suspition of a trecherous danger And grew as busie as a new wak't Fly At the first news of Summer Phyl. There is a basenesse runs through all their veins And ranckles in their bloods which to their children Descends a loath'd Inheritance Prin. But who are these Enter Amione and Follower Phyl. A very handsom person Prin. Extreamly fair I swear she bends this way Amio. Excellent Princesse she kneels Pardon the rude griefs of a distressed Maid That throws her at your feet for your clear eyes VVhich sends a comfort upon pleased beholders To see and pitty you that nature gave Perfections above all 't is you alone VVe must believe excells in goodnesse too Nothing that 's ill can have so fair a dwelling You shall have still a Virgin 's prayer That yours may ne're successlesse fly To those above that those fair blossoms Never have cares for to disturb their calmnesse Or force a wrincle on those snowy plains But may the beauty of a peace within Preserve and equall those your outward lustres Prin. Rise pretty Maid you should have ask'd and tri'd VVhether at first I had been worth these prayers She must be very good that does deserve 'em See Phylena flowers I swear she rises weeping Receive not so much sweetnesse from fresh drops As she from those Her grief adds to her sweetnesse VVhat is it gentle Maid you would desire Promise your self if I can help you in 't Amio. The gods reward you Let me but blush And I will say the act may too he is too near That I should tell you more And yet me-thinks He does deserve as much as I can say And his cause named to my poor heart Seems eloquence enough to move a pitty Pardon my disturbed passions Prin. Nay fairest Maid You injure me and your own hopes together To keep me in suspence I would as willingly Yield you my aid as you could haste to ask it For the bleâ—â— subject of your fair opinion Amio. I do not doubt your goodnesse pardon the throng Of all my tedious griefs Know then You best of Princesses for sure his name Has reach'd your ears the unhappy Mironault That much deserv'd to live is like to fall By bloody and unworthy hands Prin. O Phylena I 'me lost aside In that beauty is all my comfort buried Phyl. Madam what do you mean Madam for heaven's sake why Madam Prin. I prethee let me go thou art too cruell I shall enjoy peace undisturb'd hereafter Phyl. But hear her out and do but search the truth Then I will let you die I would not for the world Any should guesse the cause Prin. Alas Phyl. Why if they do they cann't condemn the grief Prin. O Phylena when Love has entred in the outward Forts Yet there is still a small reserve of Reason Which Love laughs at rather than thinks it worth His rage or storming for he knows it must Perish and starve when the relief Of all the nobler Faculties are kept out By the insulting Conqueror who contemns All the attempts I fain would make against him Amio. I see I am decreed to all misfortunes she speaks as no minded That I should now disturb you too who heaven knows I willingly would please Why do you turn Away your head How often have I heard His prayers sent to heaven for your joys That now denies to look upon his woes I 'le kneel again for in such a cause It were impiety to rise successelesse Nothing but Seas and Winds are deaf to prayers And Beasts to mercy who would expect A hidden form in undisturbed skies Or in that clearer breast a cruelty If you deny I 'le grow a fixed Monument Still to upbraid your rigour Prin. O Phylena why do you let me languish In her beauty dwells an undoing lustre Phyl. What mean you Madam can you believe The world can shew a subject for your jealousie Amio. I see I grow a trouble I durst have sworn You had been more charitable How often have I heard The now unpittied Mironault affirm You were the treasure of this world's perfections And wondred any thing but your fair self Should know what joys were Perhaps you too Believe as much or else you could not think All his unpittied miscries are just Had Nature Given you a Brother and your early loves Blest undisturb'd from Nature's fruitfull Cradle You would have begg'd as now His hopelesse sister does But sure I should have pittied more And yet perhaps our interests makes us partiall Yes I could wish I had your power to try Phyl. Now Madam Prin. Forgive me gentle Maid it was the power Of thy told griefs that seiz'd my faculties And left me able to do nought but grieve Forgive the time I lost to share with thee You may forgive the injuries of kindnesse And though my self were witnesse to the action Thy griefs made it a new afflicting story Each storm renews in Merchants minds The story of the shipwrack Nor do I blush To avow this since I must not lose The justnesse of my breast that does believe His innocence above suspition Amio. May heaven inspire you to wish well And grant your wishes too you
Tyranny For either is a Rock to split upon This glorious and frail Bark of Majesty When-People do not ask and yet Kings give Content and safety with them both may live But when they venture to reform the State Princes must suffer then By their own fears or by their people's hate They hide still what they mean in a redresse And know ill acts are buried with successe Seek peace in storms and in disorder safety Till in a Chaos they have felt Constraint and Freedom undistinguisht dwelt Their first fond way to reach at Liberty Is to assault those they believe too high And had the gods not Thunder sure there are That would attempt to light a Candle at a Star But Kings like Suns that at some time must pay Their lustres in another Sphear must leave Stars fitted with influence to direct this night Yet like the Queen of Night to know That to his beams their lustre they do owe. O Symathocles you 'r welcom Did you dispatch Enter Symathocles What I directed you Sym I did Sir and the Troops were marching But the arrivall of the Princesse prevented Kin Is she come then Sym. But now arrived Sir Kin. 'T is well Symathocles You have heard sure of the late accident 'T is odd What think you Sym. 'T is hard to guesse Sir easier far to doubt The Princesse must inform us all Kin. I have suspended too my thoughts in this Haste is an ill companion still to Justice And whilst we hear at distance things unprov'd The story of their lives prevails still most That has been fair in Mironault Yet our frailty Guides us to unsuspected acts so may the best of men Fall to the least suspected crimes that weaknesse Crows with our years and alterationâ—s still By Nature nurâ— Sym. You have weighed great Sir Things in so just and serious a scale That whilst thus evenly you preserve your mind You 'l need no other Oracle mean hasty fears Still tyranny begets non can deserve Their safety that attempt it that way That poorly tells the world he fears the reach Of common hands none but the Eagles gaze Upon the Sun unlesse it shrinck in clowds Nor do the common eyes attempt your glories Till shrouded in your fears He 's still most safe That tells the world He cannot be in danger For they 'l believe it then and 't is most just If they will borrow fears that he should trust Justice will then be ripe when every thought Takes its slow birth neither from fear nor passion And 't will be fruit worthy a King to bear And bless the appetites of them that gather Kin. You have hit my thoughts See Enter Princess Pylora Followers Here comes more Information I 'le see if she 'l begin Rise you are welcom Prin. kneels Prin. I must not Sir till I receive more then a common Blessing Your Justice is enough to case my fears Yet pardon me if so much of Woman rules me To tell you all I suffer'd Kin. What mean you Prin. Great Sir you might believe indeed I should be undisturb'd where you procure Peace from your carefull thoughts And sure it was The child of Insolence and high Contempt That curst attempt the rudenâ—sse Kin. It was so but to the matter Prin. When at my journey's end I was arrived Thither came Mironault in his own language To pay a duty which he owed your child Where being scarcely rested and resolved With the next rising Sun to seek our sport But word was brought the Castle was surrounded By Soldiers commanded by Phylanter Their businesse was for Mironault wâ—o they said Went to surprise me there who onely came With two brave friends and I dare swear with thoughts As innocent as Infants when he heard The Castle was be-set seriously weighing Not Justice sought his life but Treachery Disdain'd to fall upon so mean a score As an ungovern'd Torrent issues forth Bearing down all before it and in the action Finds its unknown power when its streams Are with a stop resisted o're-whelming What was believ'd beyond its power before So from resistance his disdaining rage Atchiev'd a victory which his thoughts Would ne're have hop'd nor aim'd at still Philanter's rage Pursues his noble life This is enough Whilst you are just nor need I to repeat The injury to me Kin. But they perhaps Might have a secret message of the intent Of Mironault you would be loath I see To have one testifie as much Prin. You cannot find one so extreamly bad So far from being to himself a friend His story in the world has nobler truths Than to be fouled by any base accuser If all were true it is your justice sure And not their furie that should punish Kin. For farther satisfaction of you Who waits there Go call the Lord Albertus hither Exit Messenger Prin. In this petition too Sir oyns with me This Maid who from one womb With the unhappy Mironault took her birth You will have many knees as he has hearts And yet none needs to beg for you are just Yet you must pardon those loves that mix with fears We oftner then we need wipe pretious Jewells His value makes us foolish Kin. He is beholding to you How now Enter Messenger Mess The Lord Albertus Sir is fled As soon as he came from your Majesty He instantly took Horse Kin. He was in haste Symathocles Sym. Sir Kin. Gather the Forces in a readinesse That were to meet my daughter then wait For further Orders Sym. I shall Sir Exit Syma Kin. Your pardon fair Maid that I seem'd so to forget you It onely was my care you shall have justice And should have had without an Advocate Your beauty though's a great one Amio. The gods preserve your Majesty with your years May peace still grow that give it unto others Till you shall go to have eternall rest Kin. Thanks gentle Maid the rich Arabian Fumes Are not so sweet to the delighted gods As thy calm prayers from thy harmlesse breast Come hither Mirramente I have not been At leisure yet to bid thee kindly welcom Prin. Pardon me Sir that I must once again Trouble your ears nor think too lightly Sir Of my request it is the child of gratitude I would in person Sir relieve Him that has suffer'd for my sake And in my sight contemn'd Kin. Symathocles would you not take it ill To have a Generall put o're your head Sym. Not if it may serve you Sir Kin. Look here Symathocles this Amazon has begg'd it Sym. She does the better Sir if there be danger From her fair name we all shall fight in safety Kin. Well take your course on more intelligence Move as you please Exit King Sym. Excellent Princesse How happy I am now to be your Soldier Let those be judge that would be sure of victory So fair a Cause fought by so fair a Generall Can never be forsaken By Victory or Fortune Prin. I thank you Sir nor can I think my self
Lesse happy in so brave a Soldier if you please For to dispatch before for some intelligence Wee 'l instantly away Sym. With all speed Madam Exit Syma Manent Princess Amione Amio. Excellent Princesse Which way to tell you all my heart returns I know not the gods in blessings thank you Who still assist the innocent and mean Because they made them so Prin. I thank you gentle Maid from hence my friend You cannot cheat my confidence you 'l deserve it So does your Brother all my best assistance I reckon it my happinesse to procure Your joyes and safety that I may then Have mine more perfect Amio. Now all the powers defend they should not be You never sure broke yet an houres repose With a disâ—urbing dream in that calme harbour All thoughts have been secur'd from storm May they be ever so Prin. Thy brother's cause deserves as much as that A thousand blushes stop me aside Besides thou mayest be much deceived the ship-wrack past The calmest waters may conceal the fate As well as the insulting waves Amione weeps Why doâ—st thou weep Amio. To hear you have been sad O Madam â—ardon me to say an undiscerned power Ioynes my affliction to your grief Forgive me that I cannot chuse but dare To accompany you in any thing There 's something tells me that I ought to love you More then the world does yet that 's very much Prin. When I first saw thee dearest maid I could have sworn as much And yet thou didst not please me then Come I shall disturb thee 't is an unkindnesse Not to be pardon'd to let thee share my griefs Amio. Now you afflict me more Is there a way To be a friend and stranger to your breast Though 't is ambition to be an humble one 'T is vertue not your greatnesse crowns my wishes And I shall fear that you will think me only A friend to that or else not worth the other Prin. I do not doubt thy Love the story will Disturb me when I tell it perhaps thee And yet it must return to me unhelpt Amio. How do you know the meanest thing in nature May bring an unexpected aid Gyants that passe And lets the obstacles alone do lesse Then dwarfs that do remove them as they are Shut in your breast fed with that pretious food How can they ever starve they may at last Consume your stock of joyes he does like you That would defend within a fair built Fort His enemies against his pressing friends And patiently destroyed by those he saved If you believe me worthy the gods have then Finish't their parts for they decreed us most To one anothers aid So to encrease Our joyes that way and lessen all our cares For still imparted comforts do increase And grief divided to a friend grows lesse Our natures too are like o'recâ—arged springs Willing to vent themselves and so are you Had I but as much worth as you have trouble Prin. I am not proof against thy perfect kindnesse I will keep nothing from thee but be sure You quickly understand me my blushes too Will tell tâ—ee half the storie what dos't guesse Amio. That you should have no cares Prin. Can love have any Amio. What in this world shall ever be so happy I hope it is not that Prin. And why Amio. A thousand times I have heard my brother pray That day might never be I wish as he does too Prin. Your Brother would not have me then How innocent she is aside Amio. He thinks it were unreasonable That one alone should make the world unhappy Weighing their own misfortunes from his joy's I hope it is not that Prin. 'T is that I swear Love has caused all my trouble And if thy brother thinks me such a blessing Why doth not he then wish it Amio. Alas he dares not welcome such a thought He onely dares to wish none else should have you But who must be so happy Prin. Your Brother Amio. Madam Prin. Wonder no more I could have told When I first saw thee that me-thought I lov'd thee As I would do a sister yet I was jealous too Nay I shall blush as much as thou canst wonder Yet he deserves my Love sure you did then Read a confusion in me and I am still Disorderd by my fears Amio. O Madam Pardon me to say the gods have justly so Decreed that it should be for I have heard Him sit and please himself with stories of you Till he has made his griefs too monstrous And I thought then too prodigall of comfort Yet now I think 't was all but due to you And though I am turnd of his religion too And can think nothing superstition in 't Yet you may spare the sacrifice Prin. Sweetest maid I have some reason to believe he loves me He cannot sure dissemble Wert thou ne're yet in love Amio. Never Prin. Pray that thou never mayst or that it ne're Have fears for it's Companions night will wear Disturbing blacknesse and not quiet shades The light will be too cheerfull whilst you fare Like an impatient Sea-man that would fain Attain the Port the gentlest calm Makes mad and crossing storms disturbs But from our own experience thus we raise Advices that are chid and and scorn'd by Fate Who oftnest sends what we least wish and makes What we most covet most unfortunate But now to his relief for time Persues his course with an impartiall haste And my revenge must sit upon his wings You Powers above what now is just assist Their thoughts were poor that trifled time and wisht Exeunt ACT. 3. SCEN. 1. Enter Mironault Solus Mirâ— TO be still subject to calamities We all must bear yet not esteem it hard Our frailty sets this odds from higher powers And their dis-orders are appeas'd by ours It is a hard injunction of the gods To set our natures and our selves at odds When they afflict though due unto our crimes Yet they give to the nature that repines Though if we use it well none but they give That blessing that we are displeas'd to live 'T was life first cousned man and did entice By knowledge its fair gift to cheat him twice Man was a happy stranger to himself When he believ'd his ignorance his wealth Did these Extreams our knowledge ne're employ VVe should have lesse of cares though lessâ— of joy For in the mind they never gain a height From their own natures but each others weight Thus truly man has either more or lesse From what he had not what he does possesse As if the god's would give us nothing here VVorthy of our affections but our fear For should we fall from happinesse the store Makes us more wretched of those joy 's before Such a disease is life we hold so dear Health's in the other world our Physick here O Hypposus what 's to be done Enter Hyppasus Fortune has strangely jaded us Hyp. Heaven knows I am confident we are persued The house is strong had
haste exit Mess For fear we are hindred joyning with my son Amidst these crimes a little policy does well It must be so all we can hope for now will be to make But good conditions To put it to the venture of a day were madnesse We can have no supplies they may have more And yet I know not what to think Distractions mingle with my thoughts And we still lose our judgments with successe Our resolutions waited on us then Like servants wanting wages All Mankind Is one of those two Cowards Either to wish to die When we should live or live when we should die Some fear some wish too early or too late Most fall yet none must chuse his Fate Those that prepare for every storm do seldom cast Themselves away It is but bravely sinking at the last Exit ACT. 4. SCEN. 6. Enter Princesse Amione Phylena and others Prin. No news yet 1. Not any Madam Prin. Leave us and give notice when any comes 1. I shall Exit Prin. We have not now sure far And yet me thinks 't is along while Ere we are there time is thought The fastest undiscerned flying thing That is but yet Love's wings are swifter Swift wishes impe his ragged plumes And pull the feathers from the wings of Time And every houer bears Double proportion from our hopes and fears Phyl. This pretty way of account Madam will rise Unto a sum of ages added To what now Mironault's a heaping 'T will make a new Chronologie But we still reckon on the old account Prin. You 'r merry still Phylena when your day comes You 'le give me leave to do the same Phyl. Yes Madam we both agree And yet you shrewdly once suspected it Of this fair maid Prin. You make me blush she way forgive me though For she deserved it Amio. O Madam Could you fall so much below The power of all your beauties in such fears That you could justly let suspition dwell Where you pretend an interest The Rose as well May drooping hang it's fragrant head Jealous of meaner Flowers and the Sun Suspect his light when mortalls kindle fires Prin. Nay Amione you court me now I will not call it flattery whil'st it comes From thee for that 's a crime That dwells with crooked natures yet it was Mistaken kindnesse Amio. 'T was you mistook it sure for none will find Themselves deceived that love you Enter Mess Prin. How now what news Mess Just now for certain Madam The Lord Albertus joyned unto his son With a great Body Prin. They have not yet attempted ought Mess Yes Madam before his Father's coming Phylanter storm'd the house Prin. Ha hast thou learnt no particulars Mess Yes all for before the Lord Albertus coming The smallnesse of their numbers gave us freedom To enquire near the place of all particulars And thus it was Soon as Phylanter had found out The house they stayed at presently he ghest That wounds had caused their stay by reason They strove to reach no place of more security And so indeed it was ghessing besides They should have smal resistance upon these thoughts Phylanter draws about it then summons them But in the midst the gallant Mironault Hinders the parly with a hasty scorn As if he meant to drive no bargain But sell at his own rate at which The bravely bad Phylanter sweld with rage Prepar'd to give th' assault and in the head Of all his men advanc't some distance first To bring on ruine great as was his crimes Or else to perish with them and seem'd half willing To be forgotten on a noble score So equally divided or to hide His mischiefs in their Fates or in his own The storm grew hot yet still Phylanter urged Beyond belief now out of Love with safety Because his foes in spight of him enjoyd it With an unlookt for power to resist him Branded the name of Fortune with a whore As if they had begot supplies upon her On t'other side his men sees shrinking from him When mad with rage he easily retires With such a look as longing Lovers send When they must part so much he coutted danger And now retreating with his drooping forces The gallant Mironault like a bright Sun Broke from the smoakie storm and issues forth Acting new Tragedies till being jealous More forces might come in In order they retreated and for certain Phylanter both and Mironault are hurt Prin. O me Phyl. Madam send off the messenger Let not him see The least disorder Prin. Go instanly and bid Symathocles Let all the Army march in readinesse to fight Mess I shall Prin. And acquaint him with all you know Exit Mess Nay do not hide thy tears Amione They can't displease me wench nor shall I think That there is grief enough for him Though I am fully stor'd Amio. Alas what a condition Fortune throws him in Did he but know by whom he were lamented He could not have so much of joy As grief to think how he was ravisht From the lov'd mourner Prin. I prethee peace not that I fear To have more grief for him for I have that Within me has made that impossibility But to inlarge thy own 't is true too That I should give thee counsell not to grieve But I shall grieve the while yet if thou thinkest I wrong thy kindnesse then wee 'le mourn together And joyn our stock of tears for no one store Is worthy of him Amio. Though nature made me partiall it robd me not Of so much reason to be so impudent The Fates perhaps or some great power That has a speciall care for you or kindnesse Preserved you for themselves and lent you to the world As the Sâ—n was not for the happinesse Of one alone but all Prin. May we not yet amidst our greatest grief Believe it is not dangerous for after he was hurt They leisurely retired Amio. Would I could so be satisfied And yet that clearly justifies we wish Our own contents then when we raise Our fears to equall power in our thoughts Of what we doubt yet what we wish to have None e're yet wish'd a life but fear'd a grave Prin. 'T is true Amione those torturing â—ivalls Hope and fear are ever whispering And they that have most need of one Have ever most of t'other When I think this Though I would willingly pretend to counsell Or any thing would ease thy grief I must Believe it both impossible and needlesse Am. Were it not just to linger then no longer In all these doubts since we might give them ease Prin. As how can it be done Am. I would attempt to see him I onely want your leave Prin. It is impossible the ways are all shut up Am. I do not mean to go concealed They say Phylanter is so much a Gentleman He will not certainly deny a woman Fear not Madam 't is but two hours time And I am there or here again Prin. I can deny thee nothing not this I 'me sure If thou seest
him tell him that Love and Constancy 's rewarded In t'other world and will be so in this Tell him I wish his happinesse And mine own together And be sure You take a Chirurgeon with you Phyl. My service Madam Am. I will not fail Heaven keep you May I return with such a blessing As I now bear to him Exit Prin. Farewell dear Maid Phylena now The time draws near of joy or misery We live at an uncertain rate Or flatter'd stil or else displeas'd with fate Exeunt ACT 4. SCEN. 7. Enter at one dore Albertus and Others at another Phylanter Lycespes and Others Alb. I Should chide now but the condition of your fortunes Cannot be that way helpt nor are you fit For a disturbance I hear you have succesless Storm'd the house Why stai'd you not till I arriv'd 'T was folly to attempt it with so few Phyl. But that has hapned now which I then feared For I did ghesse supplies would come to them As soon as you to us Besides who would have ghest Or now can think how they come by their aid Had we proved fortunate we might have made Our own conditions Alb. In that you have hit my thoughts for now we must Not lose our selves by fear or folly The one 's too mean the other but a madnesse And we must look on these we have Without a hope of more and on them As an encreasing body by this we are constrain'd Upon the nick to make our compositions Or put it to the venture of a Day The first 's the better were the last the likelier For I believe that passion laid aside That first incited these rash thoughts and actions You look upon 't as not to be pursu'd But fairly to be leâ—t Men may erre It is the influence of Chance and Nature But to pursue it is their own Lycespes There is much due to you you were still honest And most a friend in danger Who are in safety onely are their own Lyc. My Lord I always owed your son as much And did resolve to pay it till I had cause To leave or feared to avow it Alb. You are still noble But Phylanter VVhat certain intelligence have you Phyl. VVe know Sir the Army of the King Is hard at hand they say the Princesse too Is with them Alb. I ghess'd as much and for that reason I left the Court for I heard That she was big with rage VVell The time 's now short and something must be done Let all be in a readinesse and prepare Nobly to reach successe or ill to share In the mean time wee 'l presently advise The honorablest way for composition For to be safe and good is better far Than trust our crimes unto the chance of War Exeunt ACT. 5. SCEN. 1. Enter Phylanter Phyl. HOw have I thus been cousened how monstrous too It seems still to pursue the crimes I lov'd before To be uncousened though 't is just seems poor When danger gives the wisdom how low we sinck When we once fall below our selves We still must fear what others ought to do In crimes none can be wise and gallant too All this besides for an uncertain Beauty Nor yet possest or gain'd the Persian so Spends all his wealth and prayers on the Sun That equally dispences unto those Which ne're ador'd him his warm comforts too Farewell to all your Sex that cannot be Belov'd but with unthrifty misery The Lover that 's unlov'd like me must waste His store of Love the Lov'd may longer last They that joyn Stocks with ease our-spends Him that runs on unpaid and lends Farewell I will uncheat my self and you For when I lov'd you first I cousen'd two Sould. My Lord Phyl. How now Enter Souldier Sould. A woman at the dore Desires admittance to your Lordship Phyl. Thou ravest a woman Sould. So I told you Phyl. Nay I might wonder for such and I Have now so little businesse with each other That by my troth 't is strange Seems she a person of any quality Sould. Yes Phyl. Handsome Sould. To a miracle Phyl. The Devil on the wonder businesse with me Soul So she earnestly exprest Phyl. Bring her in Exit Souldier Curse on the Sex Civility must wait upon 'em Their weaknesse makes us fools or else their beauâ—ies Ha! 't is that indeed that charms us from our selves And all the handsome actions that we do Seem offerings to their powers as if the Sea Should send a tribute to the little Brooks Such a preposterous thing is Love 't is like The folly and the crime to make a god One's selfe to worship Now for a trap I shall be shy of these fair baits What subtle trick Must this fair Instrument bring about I will be deaf to charms She comes Enter Amione and Souldier Ha extreamly fair Come perhaps for to revenge The scandall of her sex upon me Is it on me Fair maid that you would lay commands Ami. A comely man pitty that form Should harbour so much basenesse aside It is you Sir I must petition for commands Though they might seem fair attributes to our sex Yet when you know to whose much hated name Nature has made my Love a debt You will believe Thardly should petition Phyl. I rather shall consider this fair thing To whom a hated name can owe an interest But you have heard Stories perhaps not much becomming me Made up of others envies and my crimes Nor can I tell a good one of my selfe But that I love an innocence like yours And only that for you to have a confidence I hardly shall deny you Ami. The world has sure belied him aside Nay Sir Nature commands that I should ask Your fair encouragement has given me hopes Not to be quite denied and I am sorry That I must now beg a civility And dare not own requitall 't is the first time That justice and ingratitude were friends Phyl. You still believe me too unworthy they that do An act that does deserve requitall Pay first themselves the stock of such content Nature has given to every worthy mind If others should be bankrupt Pray torture me no more but aske Amio. He would deceive me strangely aside Know then the sister to wrong'd Mironault must ask Does it not startle you Phyl. You see it does not He that has injured Mironault will grant it Trifle no more Amio. T is only then your leave that I may see him Phyl. And happinesse attend you you shall have A conduct with you I did not think That I should find so much of joy In that small time I have to bustle here As your lov'd power has given me Pardon me if I dare attempt To have a little peace within me Still to remember you I fear I must Though both should be unwilling Amio. I shall promise Sir I carry no intelligence Phyl. Urge it no more I do not fear Nor am I ignorant of what a storm Is falling now upon me only grieved That I
present you Safety Great as you merit Amio. I thank you Sir he has obliged me nobly Had he forgot his crimes I should forget He were an enemy Phyl. He bid me tell you farther That he had waited on you here himself But that he fear'd to injure your fair eyes That should be onely pleas'd with welcom objects Amio. Ha perish you easie thoughts that start aside At hearing of that name yet when you think of him I may forgive you if you then Frighten your selves And yet it may be Love ruines of Love And lightning are alike For what would willingly resist They both consume I shall attend you Sir If you please to lead the way Exeunt ACT 5. SCEN. 4. Enter Albertus Lycespes Albert. COntinue still worthy Lycespes To let him know repentance needs no blushes Or that 't is necessary for Fate or us To persue cruell actions yet with a gentle hand That no distraction mingle with his nature For he is young and youth's unsetled furie Is ready still to act Lyc. I have Sir with a gentle hand Toucht all the storie of this madnesse And find him too like an experienc't gamster Asham'd to have been cheated but resolv'd Wisely no more to venture at that game Our whole designs must needs therefore now Aime but to bring us off and yet prepare Not to want courage in the meanest Fortune Albert. 'T is all that can be said in our Conditions In order therefore to our sad affairs Wee 'le instantly dispatch a Trumpet To offer fair conditions or any thing That may not sound like mercy from another That 's an unworthy way to adde To other's fames in ruining our own And yet our whole desires shall be low Indeed they must for the extremity Of every unresisted Fate makes poor Their thoughts that were as rich before Exeunt ACT. 5. SCEN. 5. Enter Phylanter Amione Amio. YOu have now Sir performed that civill part That alwies shall enforce me to esteem The Lord Phylanter and may this Sir She offers him money Tell you my thanks Phyl. Madam reward can not be due To this small service though I may do What may perhaps seem to deserve Something of that nature but I must first Desire you to prepare for to believe Not ill of him that thinks your wrongs Deserve devotions greater than his trust Amio. What mean you Sir Phyl. Would it not be worth a reward at least That you might have within your power The ease of all your hard misfortunes Amio. Certainly 't were the sound bears greater joy Than possibility Phyl. I know sometimes that Treason seems But ugly in the justest cause Though I believe that never yet A power like yours commanded it Amio. Still I understand you not pray to the matter Phyl. To be short then know Phylanter loves you Your seeming kindnesse will have power To draw him where you please for to my breast He has committed all his thoughts And bid me judge when I should see you Whether he had not cause for all his passions Indeed he has so much his crimes are greater Nor is it more injustice to his trust Than due to you to tell you if you please That I may bear some feigned kindnesse from you I 'me sure 't will bring him any where That you may easily surprise him Amio. But do you think he has lost his reason so To trust himself without his guards And his surprifall then will not be easie Phyla Alas his reason 's like an helplesse friend Left and forsaken and nothing but your name Must be forgiven that would attempt to lessen His thoughts from what he has done you need not fear He can be over-wise that loves so much Nor will his reason tell him that 't is due To all his kindnesse Amio. Nor is it sure Phyl. But to his former storie 't is and present actions For though repentance onely at your name Has power in his thoughts yet he contemns To have that Virtue on a meaner score His crimes to all the world besides continue Amio. And they may better be the punishers Phyl. I grant you were it in their power As 't is in yours and they would then Do sure as much for you 'T is but the least command from you My life on 't I bring him where you think best He may be with most ease surpris'd Amio. But should not you consider That though this punishment be due from me The treacherie's unjust in you How much it is the businesse of mankind aside Whilest she turns away and speaks he throws off his disguise and lays his sword drawn with the hilt towards her To make a bargain for their honesty And yet not think how little that will yield To others which they make so cheap Man 's like a barren and ingratefull soil That seldom pays the labour of manuring How has Philanter injured him or I obliged him That I could at first upon a lesser score Share with his crimes and on a meaner now Basely dislike as if his choice were just Whose equall ease accepts and forfeits trust â—'le tell him too 't is base how fain would Love Tell his own story through a nobler cause And blushes sure as well as I. It should be for Phylanter Ha! Deceive me not fond eyes it cannot be she turns and sees him I owe amazement now so much It must arrest me Phyl. Wonder not fair Amione nor fear I 'le beg your pitty that contemn my own And yet for many reasons think I love you Though I believe my time will hardly give Me leave to reckon them Onely consider That I durst here avow it I could have faln It s true as nobly with my fellows But much more happier here I would have weigh'd it too More leisurely in reason's scales till a thought Of you broke in and ended the dispute I have at my own rate procured my happinesse Nor have I done lesse sure for you 't is the first service And likely too to be the last I e're shall do you Amio. O Phylanter you should not trust Revenge and all your crimes at once In any power though I perhaps Shall fear to be a murtherer so to make My self as bad as you Phyl. Why I confesse I willingly Would be as good as you but that 's a lesson Hardly to be learn'd and yet it looks Much like the way to read it often As I have done your vertues I say not this to tempt a mercy I have deserved a great deal of unkindnesse But not so much as now to fall A sacrifice to any but your wrongs Amio. I know not what to say You may repent perhaps grow good Pray try Phyl. 'T is true I think I might But 't is a question still whe're you 'd grow kind And indeed the fear of that great danger Made me contemn the rest But I trifle time By all that 's charitable let me not fall By meaner hands Hark some Souldiers a noise Use this for pitty's
Victories of Pollux and how too The monstrous Minotaur fam'd Theseus slew Lastly great Peleus and his Mother's love He sung the Marriage grac'd by those above At this sad Thetis seem'd to force a a smile Night now laid on her heavy charms the while Achilles the kind Centaur's shoulder took And his affecting Mother's breast forsook ANNOTATIONS On the first Book of STATIUS his ACHILLEIS 2. AN issue fear'd by heaven's thundring King When Jove sought the marriage of Thetis he was told by Proteus that the issue that came from Thetis should exceed the father who begot it At which mistrusting his own Omnipotency he left his Love to keep Heaven The Fable is thus rendred by the incomparable Sandys Metamorph 11. For aged Proteus thus foretold the truth To wave-wet Thetis thou shalt bear a Youth Greater then him from whom he took his birth In Arms and Fame Lest any thing on earth Should be more great than Jove Jove shuns the bed Of Sea-thron'd Thetis though her beauty led His strong desires Who bids Aeacides Succeed his Love and wed the Queen of Seas 6. Scyros An Island of the Aegean Sea one of the Cyclades over against Peloponnesus as Strabo l. 10. relateth having a Town of the same name famous most in being the place where Achilles lived disguised See Servius and Sabinus on Virgil's Aen. 2. 7. Not of dragg'd Hector c. Statius here proposeth his designe to sing the acts of Achilles onely from his infancy which Homer had omitted justly presenting the death of Hector for all his Victories whose fate was Troy's ruine Senec. Troad v. 185. Aut cùm superbo victor in curru stetit Egitque habenas Hectorem Trojam trahens Or when the Conqueror did his Horses guide And Troy which Hector at his Chariot ty'd For Achilles having killed him tied him to his Chariot and dragged him thrice round the walls of Troy as Homer Iliad 22. Which unwelcome sight Aeneas saw painted at Carthage Virg. Aen. 2. 487. Ter circum Iliacos raptaver at Hectora muros Examinumque auro corpus vendebat Achilles Tum verò ingentem gemitum dat pectore ab imo Vt spolia ut currus utque ipsum corpus amici Tendentemque manus Priamum conspexit inermes About Troy's walls Hector's dead body thrice Achilles dragg'd and sold it for a price Then from the bottom of his breast he drew A grief-expressing sigh his friend to view His Spoils and Charior and how Priam stands Begging with his erected aged hands 12. With sacred fillets bound These were Ornaments for the Priests heads in Latine Vittae Hence Juvenal Sat. 4. of the Vestall Virgin Vittatâ— Sacerdos And Virgil thus presenteth Anius Aen. 3. 80. Rex Anius Rex idem hominum Phoebique Sacerdos Vittis sacra redimitus tempora lauro Anius a King and Priest his Temples bound With sacred Fillets and with Lawrel crown'd The Title of Priest was antiently conferr'd on Kings as Casaubon on Suâ—tonius in Augusto delivereth from Aristotle Polit. 3. and Synesius Epist 121. by reason that the Government of all Commonwealths consisted in Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies and Politicall Laws the care of both which belonged to Kings Hence Augustus was created chief Priest that all kinds of power might be in him And as Servius observeth on Aen. 3. 80. the style of Pontifex Max. was still assumed by the succeeding Emperors as may also be seen in the Inscriptions of the Caesars at the end of Suetonius set forth by Schildius 1651. Poets called themselves Phoebus Priests so Tibullus and Protertius frequently Hereupon Statius here dresseth himself with Priestly Ornaments 13. Witnesse those Theban fields c. Our Poet here intimateth his Poem of the Theban-War So that hence and by the ensuing Complement to Domitius it is clear that this was Statius his second Work and his Silvae the last To his Thebans with confidence enough he here promâ—seth as lasting a fame as Thebes could give Amphion the son of Jupiter and Antiope who having as Plinie saith l 7. c. 56. found out the use of the Harp handled it so harmoniously that he made stones come of their own accord to raise the Walls of Thebes Senec. Theb. act 4. nulla quas struxit manus Sed convocatus vocis citharae sono Per se ipse turres venit in summas lapis Rais'd by no labouring workman's hands but brings With his harmonious voice and charming strings The willing stones together which compose Themselves and into lofty Towers â—ose Some joyne his brother Zethus with him in the businesse So Palaephatus who reducing the Fable to a seeming truth saith The two Brothers admitted their Auditors to their Musick on condition that every one should afford his assistance to the Building A far truer Mythologie is glanced at by Horace De arte Poet. v. 391. Silvestres homines sacer interpresque Deorum Caedibus victu foedo deterruit Orpheus Dictus ob hoc lenire Tigres rabidosque Leones Dictus Amphion Thebanae conditor arcis Saxa movere sono restuâ—inis prece blandâ Ducere quò vellet Orpheus inspir'd from gods first rude men brought From loving blood and slaughters hence was thought Fierce Lions and wild Tigers to have tam'd And so Amphion with his Harp was fam'd To raise the Theban walls and at his choice To move deaf stones with his admired voice So perhaps the Fable arose from his reducing a savage people to live under a form of Government and for their safety than which no argument can be more prevalent perswading them to compasse in their City with a Wall And herein in my opinion he was much more judicious than Lycurgus and Agesilaus who believed the breasts of valiant Citizens defence enough And so also thinketh Plato l. 6. De leg For these reasons Orpheus was said to have made wild beasts gentle and Amphionto have moved stones that is men of savage lives and obdurat natures Macrobius in Somn. Scip. l. 2. c. 3. keepeth closer to the Fable for setting fâ—rth the excellencies of Musick he saith That from it the Univerâ—all Soul of the world took its originall and that by it therefore all men not onely the civill but the barbarous also are either animated to verâ—ue or dissolved into pleasure quia anima in corpus defert memoriam Musicae cujus in caelo fuit conscia Because the soul though in the body still retaineth a memory of that harmony which it enjoyed in heaven And hence he conceiveth the Fables of Orpheus and Amphion had their Originall See Clemens Alexandr Admonit ad Gentes p. 2. Amphion's excellency proved his ruine For contemning Latena by her revenge he saw all his children slain and at the last added himself to the number Sandys Ovid's Metam l. 6. For sad Amphion wounding his own breast Had now his sorrow with his soul releast 13. Trojan Swain This title is usually given to Paris by reason he was brought up among the shepheards The story is thus Hecuba
He first taught men to love justice shewing the sacred Rites of the gods the figures and natures of the heavenly bodies His reputation was so great that some of the Achaians sacrificed to him as Eusebius writeth lib. 4. Prepar Evang. citing Monimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A poysoned arrow of Hercules by chance wounding Chiron's foot he desired death but could not obtain it being the issue of immortall parents At last Jupiter advanced him to be a signe in Heaven called Sagittariks Armatúsque arcu Chiron Virgil de XII Signis So Seneca Thyest act 4 Lucian in his Dialogue between Menippus and Chiron maketh Chiron give another reason Why he was out of Love with immortality here Because this life wanteth variety and is nothing but the repetition and doing again and again of the same things And he promised himselfe in the other World to be free from Thirst and Hunger and whatsoever begetteth care And though Lucian maketh Menippus advise the Centaure not to feed himselfe with hopes of that nature yet we may have a better opinion of his wishes having more knowledge of the joys of the next life and enough of this to be of Plutarch's mind Consolat ad Apollonium Terra malis scatet adversis pelagusque redundat O Mors veni nostris certus medicus malis Qui portus humanis es tempestatibus Aeschylus ibid. The Earth hath no such plenty as her woes The Ocean too with misery o'reflows Come Death thou cure of all this misery The Port where all from storms securely lie 62. The Tritons swim These by the Poets are commonly called Neptune's Trumpeters and were the issue of him and Salacia Servâ—us in Aeneid 1. That excellent Trumpeter Misenus oweth his death to the malice of a Triton Aen. 6. v. 170. Seâ— tum forte cava dum personat aequora concha Demens cantu vocat in certamina Diâ—os Aemulus exceptum Triton si credere dignum est Inter saxa virum spumosa immerserat unda But on a Rock whilst he by chance the charms Of Mars rung out and all the gods alarms With the loud challenge from his wreathed shell If it be worth belief what others tell Whirl'd by an envious Triton from that height Among the rocks and waves he found his fate So Virgil Aen 10. v. 209. Ovid Metam l. 1. v. 333. and Claudian de Nuptiis Honorii Mariae give Triton the character of Neptuue's Trumpeter Seneca Troad act 2. Triton cecinit hymenaeum that is with his shell or trumpet for none ascribe human voice to a Triton Plinie lib. 9. c. 5. saith The Emperor Tibâ—rius was told That a Triton was seen in a cave winding a shell Gillius in Additionib ad Aelian and Alexander ab Alex. lib. 3. cap. 8. relate That there was a Fountain near the Sea-shore frequently used by the Inhabitants whence women and virgins fetched water daily which a Triton that lay hid on the shore espying on a sudden ravished one of them which his hot fancy had most liking to And that afterwards he being caught in a snare and imprisoned died for grief The same Author reporteth that one Trapâ—zuntius to whom he affordeth a fair character told some friends That he had seen a Maid of an exceeding beauty playing in the Sea and ever and anon from the middle upward appearing above the water till at length perceiving she was discovered she plunged her self into the Deep Claudius the Emperor by a device made a Triton appear in the middle of a Lake rising out of the water and sounding a Trumpet Sueton. in Claudio c. 21. Which spectacle was afteward commonly shewed in the Theaters as Casaubon on that place relateth 73. By the bold Jason Statius here glanceth at the story of Jason's ravishing Medea with the golden Fleece comparing that act of his with this of Paris Jason was the first who violated the Sea's reserved rights as Seneca Medea act 3. chor ult It was the opinion formerly that Seas were set as bounds to confine every man within his own Country and that no man's ambition should aim at more than the higher powers had placed him in This among others Seneca Hippol. act 2. maketh an argument of the innocency of the Antients Nondum secabant credulae pontum rates Sua quisque nôrat maria No ventrous ship trusted the waves or wind But all men were with their own Seas confin'd 76. By the rash Judge of Ida. Paris whose judgment is accus'd of rashnesse because he preferred Pleasure before Wisdom or Empire and because his fond choice was his Countrie 's ruine Horat. lib. 3. Carm. Od. 3. Ilion Ilion Fatal is incestusque judex Et mulier peregrina vertiâ— In pulverem Troy by a fatall Judge's lust And a strange Woman turn'd to dust So Seneca Troad act 1. calleth him The fatall Judge Wherefore our Poet justly giveth him here the title of a rash one For any thing that is fatall is hardly to be freed from the imputation of Rashnesse 79. A Foster-child Venus who was bred of the Ocean as Hesiod in Theog and Pausanias in Corinthiacis relate By Seneca Hippol. act 1. she is called Diva generata ponto This was the greatest reason that Leander encouraged himself withall to swim over the Hellespont Musoeus vers 248. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why dost thou fear the waves Know'st thou not Venus from the Sea first came Mistresse both of the Ocean and my flame Servius in Aen. 5. writeth that Venus was therefore said to be born of the Sea quia dicunt Physici sudorem salsum esse quem semper elicit coitus Hence the Myrtle was consecrated to Venus because that Tree prospereth best on the Sea-shore Like this is that of Coelius Rhodiginus lib. 14. c 4. Lascivos Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant i. e. humidos c. because venereall appetites proceed from moisture Hence Poets took occasion to feign that Venus sprung from the Ocean Caspar Bartholinus Adversar l. 21. c. 22. giveth this Mythologie Eam Fabulam aliquando arbitratus sum exinde venire quòd Venus prima questûs faciendi causâ corpus prostituit velut insatiabile pelagus omnes ad se trahens I was sometimes of opinion saith he that the Fable arose from hence Because Venus was the first who prostituted her body for hire like an insatiable Sea attracting all to her More of Venus is to be seen in Gyraldus Histor Deor. Syntagm 13. Turnebus 9. Adversar c. 2. Natalis Comes Mytholog lib. 4. c. 13. Fulgentius Mythol l. 2. But above all I prefer the Interpretation of the Fable which Macrobius giveth Saturnal lib. 1. c. 8. That by the secret parts of Coelus which were cut off by his son Saturn and thrown into the Sea and of the froth whereof Venus was engendred were meant the seeds of things falling from Heaven as soon as there was such a thing as Time which Saturn is always held-to signifie
thereabouts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Suidas saith of equall age The like policy the Turk useth in the choice of his Janizaries and with no lesse successe 7. Athens This place also the goddesse held not safe to trust Achilles in by reason perhaps of the great confluence of strangers thither it being the most famous City in all Greece scated in Attica about forty furlongs from the Sea as Strabo lib. 9. Thucydides lib. 2 saith It was at its greatest height in the time of Pericles It was the Mother of many Philosophers and Orators and Poets and as Tullie styleth it the Mistresse of all human Sciences But in the time of Synesius it retained no such excellency Epist 135. It was called Cecropia from Cecrops who first built it and reigned in it afterwards Mopsopia from Mopsus lastly Athens from Minerva whom the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because she never sucked the breast nor had need to do it at her first springing from Jove's brain being not an Infant but a mature Virago of full statâ—re and strength To this derivation Cael. Rhodiginus assenteth lib. 14. c. 18. Macrobius Saturnal l. 1. c. 17. saith It was the opinion of Porphyrie that Minerva was the vertue of the Sun which infuseth prudence into the minds of men For therefore is this goddesse said to have issued from the head of Jupiter that is Wisdom commeth from the highest part of Heaven whence the Sun hath its Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also which signifyeth not-â—ffeminate or manly doth not onely come near to the name but also agreeth with the nature of this goddesse who was still pictured in a warlick posture with an Helmet a Spear and a Shield and said to have a great stroke in all actions of War which ever depend upon Wisdom This was the chief plea that Vâ—ysses used against Ajax when they strove for Achilles's Armour That Ajax his valour had been useless without Vlysses's policy to direct it Ovid. Metam lib. 13. 11. Myconos One of the Cyclades under which the Poets feign those Giants to have been buried that were slain by Hercules The Inhabitants are said to have been so subject to baldnesse that a bald man was wont proverbially to be called a Myconian Plin. l. 11. c. 37. ¶ Seriphos The Poet giveth it the epithet humilis haply by reason of its small compasse which is but twelve miles as Plinie saith So Juvenal parvâque Seripho Sat. 10. The whole world he saith was not wide enough for the young man of Pella so he calleth Alexander the Great but when he had it all to turn him in he found himself pittifully straitned for want of room like one cooped up in little Seriphos The people of this Isle Perseus transformed into stones by shewing them his Gorgon's head to revenge his forced mother Yet long before Acrisius having thrown his mother Danae and him into the Sea they were cast upon this Island and taken up by a fisher-man and here preserved 12. Delos This was placed in the middle of the Cyclades and most famous of them all by reason of Apollo's Oracle there consulted from most parts of the world The Fable of its first becomming firm land see in Plinie lib. 4. c. 12. Strabo lib. 10. and Servius in Virg. Aen. 3. who relate that it first appeared to receive the burden of Latona who was here delivered of Apollo and Diana It hath its name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifestus perspicuus Macrob. Saturnal l. 1. c. 17. being said to have risen up on a sudden above the waves Some think it worthy of this name from its Oracles I wonder why for they were seldome manifest But Servius and Alexander ab Alex. l. 6. c. 2. say The Oracle here was clear when all others were obscure After this Island had appeared it continued for some time loose and floated up and down untill at last it was fixed by Diana Seneca Agamemnone act 2. Chor. Tu maternam Sistere Delon Lucina jubes Hue atque illuc priùs errantem Cyclada ventis Nunc jam stabilis Fixa terras radice tenet Thou didst thy mother's Delos bind Wandring before drove by the wind Among the Cyclades Now it stands Fix'd to the earth with rooted bands Servius in Aen. 3. saith The truth is that Delos being shaken by a constant Earth-quake the Inhabitants petitioning Apollo that they might be freed from it were enjoyned thence-forward to bury none in the Island And Alexander ab Alex. lib. 6. c. 2. writeth That all such as were near dying and all women ready to be delivered were carried over to the Island Rhene Thucydides lib. 3. saith That when Delos was totally hallowed by the Athenians Pisistratus the Tyrant having before hallowed as much as was within the prospect of the Temple they took away all the Sepulchers and made an Edict That none should either be born or buried there for the future but when any were near the time for either they should be removed into Rheâ—e In the dispute between Pausanias and the Athenians about Title to this Island the Athenians alledging this Edict of theirs Pausanias wittily demanded How it could be their Island seeing none of them had either been born or buried in it Plutarch in Apophth Rhene is so near to it that when it was won by Polycrates he dedicated it to Apollo and tied it to Delos with a chain Divers Games were here celebrated as Thucydides affirmeth and Homer Hymno in Apollinem who ending their praises thus also leaveth his own vers 165. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Phoebus and Diana's kindnesse dwell Still here And now to every one Farewel But yet remember when I leave this land And among all some pilgrim shall demand Who was 't O Virgins that with harmony Could most affect your charmed ears Reply With one consent and thus my praises tell A Poet blind in Chios who doth dwell Lemnos unto men unkind This is an Island in the Aegean Sea called Ardens by Seneca Herc. Oet v. 1362. It is described by Valerius Flaccus Argonaut lib. 2. Here Cicero de natura deprum placeth Vulcan's Forge Statius Thebaidos l. 5. Aegâ—o premitur circumstua Nereo Lemnos ubi ignisera fessus respirat ab Aetna Mulciber To Lemnos in th' Aegean waves retires The wearied Mulciber from Aetna's fires Here Vulcan was bred and had in great veneration In his injuries the Inhabitants held themselves so concerned that they hated Venus for her adultery with Mars Alexand ab Alex. l. 2. c. 14. Wherear the goddesse being exasperated infused such hatred into the women against their husbands that they took counsell to slay them all at their return from the Thracian War and did so to all except Hypsipyle who saved her father Thoas