your future Trophees will grow less And with that Homage be you satisfi'd From him that conquers all the World beside Nor let your Rigour now the Triumph blot And lose the honour which your Beauty got Be just and kind unto your Peace and Fame In being so to him for they 're the same And live and die at once if you would be Nobly transmitted to Posterity Take heed lest in the story they peruse A murther which no language can excuse But wisely spare the trouble of one frown Give him his happiness and know your own Thus shall you be as Honour's self esteem'd Who have one Sex oblig'd your own redeem'd Thus the Religion due unto your Shrine Shall be as Universal as Divine And that Devotion shall this blessing gain Which Law and Reason do attempt in vain The World shall join maintaining but one strife Who shall most thank you for Philasters life To Mr. J. B. the noble Cratander upon a Composition of his which he was not willing to own publickly AS when some injur'd Prince assumes Disguise And strives to make his Carriage sympathize Yet hath a great becoming Meen and Air Which speaks him Royal spight of all his care So th' Issues of thy Soul can ne're be hid And the Sun's force may be as soon forbid As thine obscur'd there is no shade so great Through which it will not dart forth light and heat Thus we discover thee by thy own Day Against thy will snatching the Cloud away Now the Piece shines and though we will not say Parents can Souls as Taper lights convey Yet we must grant thy Soul transmitted here In beams almost as lasting and as clear And that 's our highest praise for but thy Mind Thy Works could never a resemblance find That mind whose search can Nature's secret hand At one great stroke discover and command Which cleareth times and things before whose eyes Nor Men nor Notions dare put on disguise And were all Authors now as much forgot As prosperous Ignorance her self would plot Had we the rich supplies of thy own breast The knowing World would never miss the rest Men did before from Ignorance take their Fame But Learning's self is honour'd by thy Name Thou studiest not belief to introduce Of Novelties more fit for shew than use But think'st it nobler Charity t' uphold The credit and the Beauty of the old And with one hand canst easily support Learning and Law a Temple and a Court. And this secures me for as we below Valleys from Hills Houses from Churches know But to their sight who stand extreamly high These forms will have one flat Equality So from a lower Soul I well might fear A critick censure when survey'd too near But not from him who plac'd above the best Lives in a height which levels all the rest To the Excellent Mrs. Anne Owen upon her receiving the name of Lucasia and Adoption into our Society December 28. 1651. WE are compleat and Fate hath now No greater blessing to bestow Nay the dull World must now confess We have all worth all happiness Annals of State are trifles to our fame Now 't is made sacred by Lucasia's name But as though through a Burning-glass The Sun more vigorous doth pass Yet still with general freedom shines For that contracts but not confines So though by this her beams are fixed here Yet she diffuses glory every where Her Mind is so entirely bright The splendour would but wound our sight And must to some disguise submit Or we could never worship it And we by this relation are allow'd Lustre enough to be Lucasia's Cloud Nations will own us now to be A Temple of Divinity And Pilgrims shall ten Ages hence Approch our Tombs with reverence May then that time which did such bliss convey Be kept by us perpetual Holy-day To the truly Noble Mrs. Anne Owen on my first Approches Madam AS in a Triumph Conquerors admit Their meanest Captives to attend on it Who though unworthy have the power confest And justifi'd the yielding of the rest So when the busie World in hope t' excuse Their own surprize your Conquests do peruse And find my name they will be apt to say Your charms were blinded or else thrown away There is no honour got in gaining me Who am a prize not worth your Victory But this will clear you that 't is general The worst applaud what is admir'd by all But I have plots in 't for the way to be Secure of fame to all posterity Is to obtain the honour I pursue To tell the World I was subdu'd by you And since in you all wonders common are Your Votaries may in your Vertues share While you by noble Magick worth impart She that can Conquer can reclaim a heart Of this Creation I shall not despair Since for your own sake it concerns your care For 't is more honour that the World should know You made a noble Soul than found it so Lucasia NOt to oblige Lucasia by my voice To boast my fate or justifie my choice Is this design'd but pity does engage My Pen to rescue the declining Age. For since 't is grown in fashion to be bad And to be vain or angry proud or mad While in their Vices only Men agree Is thought the only modern Gallantry How would some brave Examples check the crimes And both reproch and yet reform the Times Nor can Morality it self reclaim Th' apostate World like my Lucasia's name Lucasia whose rich Soul had it been known In that Time th' Ancients call'd the Golden one When Innocence and Greatness were the same And Men no battels knew but in a game Chusing what Nature not what Art prefers Poets were Judges Kings Philosophers Even then from her the Wise would copies draw And she to th' infant World had giv'n a Law That Souls were made of Number could not be An Observation but a Prophecy It meant Lucasia whose harmonious state The Spheres and Muses only imitate But as then Musick is best understood When every Chord's examin'd and found good So what in others Judgment is and Will In her is the same even Reason still And as some Colour various seems but yet 'T is but our diff'rence in considering it So she now light and then does light dispence But is one shining Orb of Excellence And that so piercing when she Judgment takes She doth not search but Intuition makes And her Discoveries more easie are Than Caesar's Conquest in his Pontick War As bright and vigorous her beams are pure And in their own rich candour so secure That had she liv'd where Legends were devised Rome had been just and she been canonized Nay Innocence her self less clear must be If Innocence be any thing but she For Vertue 's so congenial to her mind That Liquid things or Friends are less combin'd So that in her that Sage his wish had seen And Vertue 's self had personated been Now as distilled Simples do agree And in
to purge its Crime Were built into one Pyramid o're him Pompey would lie less stately in that Herse Than he doth now Orinda in thy Verse This makes Cornelia for her Pompey vow Her hand shall plant his Laurel on thy brow So equal in their merits were both found That the same Wreath Poets and Princes Crown'd And what on that great Captains Brow was dead She Joies to see re-flourish'd on thy head In the French Rock Cornelia first did shine But shin'd not like her self till she was thine Poems like Gems translated from the place Where they first grew receive another grace Drest by thy hand and polish'd by thy Pen She glitters now a Star but Jewel then No flaw remains no cloud all now is light Transparent as the day bright parts more bright Corneille now made English so doth thrive As Trees transplanted do much lustier live Thus Oar digg'd forth and by such hands as thine Refin'd and stamp'd is richer than the Mine Liquors from Vessel into Vessel pour'd Must lose some Spirits which are scarce restor'd But the French Wines in their own Vessel rare Pour'd into ours by thy hand Spirits are So high in taste and so delicious Before his own Corneille thine would chuse He finds himself inlightned here where shade Of dark expression his own words had made There what he would have said he sees so writ As generously to just decorum fit When in more words than his you please to flow Like a spread Floud inriching all below To the advantage of his well meant sence He gains by you another excellence To render word for word at the old rate Is only but to Construe not Translate In your own fancy free to his sence true We read Corneille and Orinda too And yet ye both are so the very same As when two Tapers join'd make one bright flame And sure the Copier's honour is not small When Artists doubt which is Original But if your fetter'd Muse thus praised be What great things do you write when it is free When it is free to chuse both sence and words Or any subject the vast World affords A gliding Sea of Chrystal doth best show How smooth clear full and rich your Verse doth flow Your words are chosen cull'd not by chance writ To make the sence as Anagrams do hit Your rich becoming words on the sence wait As Maids of Honour on a Queen of State 'T is not White Satin makes a Verse more white Or soft Iron is both write you on it Your Poems come forth cast no File you need At one brave Heat both shap'd and polished But why all these Encomiums of you Who either doubts or will not take as due Renown how little you regard or need Who like the Bee on your own sweets doth feed There are who like weak Fowl with shouts fall down Doz'd with an Army's Acclamation Not able to indure applause they fall Giddy with praise their praises Funeral But you Orinda are so unconcern'd As if when you another we commend Thus as the Sun you in your Course shine on Vnmov'd with all our admiration Flying above the praise you shun we see Wit is still higher by humility Philo-Philippa To the memory of the Excellent Orinda 1. FOrgive bright Saint a Vot'ry who No missive Orders has to show Nor does a call to inspiration owe Yet rudely dares intrude among This sacred and inspir'd throng Where looking round me ev'ry one I see Is a sworn Priest of Phoebus or of thee Forgive this forward zeal for things divine If I strange fire do offer at thy Shrine Since the pure Incense and the Gum We send up to the Pow'rs above If with devotion giv'n and love Smells sweet and does alike accepted prove As if from golden Censors it did come Though we the pious tribute pay In some rude vessel made of common clay 2. What by Pindaricks can be done Since the great Pindar's greater * Mr. A. Cowley Son By ev'ry Grace adorn'd and ev'ry Muse inspir'd Fromth ' ungrateful World to kinder Heaven 's retir'd He and Orinda from us gone What Name like theirs shall we now call upon Whether her Vertue or her Wit We chuse for our eternal Theme What hand can draw the perfect Scheme None but her self could such high subjects fit We yield with shame we yield To Death and Her the field For were not Nature partial to us Men The World 's great Order had inverted been Had she such Souls plac'd in all Woman-kind Giv'n 'um like wit not with like goodness join'd Our vassal Sex to hers had homage pay'd Woman had rul'd the World and weaker Man obey'd 3. To thee O Fame we now commit Her and these last remains of gen'rous wit I charge thee deeply to enroll This glorious Name in thy immortal Scroll Write ev'ry letter in large Text And then to make the lustre hold Let it be done with purest Gold To dazle this Age and outshine the next Since not a Name more bright than Hers In this or thy large Book appears And thou impartial powerful Grave These Reliques like her deathless Poems save Ev'n from devouring Time secure May they still rest from other mixture pure Vnless some dying Monarch shall to trye Whether Orinda though her self could dye Can still give others immortality Think if but laid in her miraculous Tomb As from the Prophets touch new life from hers may come James Tyrrell To the Memory of the incomparable Orinda A Pindarick Ode 1. A Long Adieu to all that 's bright Noble or brave in Womankind To all the wonders of their Wit And Trophies of their mind The glowing Heat of th' Holy Fire is gone To th' Altar whence 't was kindled flown There 's nought on Earth but Ashes left behind E're since th' amazing sound was spred ORINDA's Dead Every soft and fragrant word All that language could afford Every high and lofty thing That 's wont to set the Soul on wing No longer with this worthless World would stay Thus when the Death of the great PAN was told A long the shore the dismal tidings roll'd The lesser Gods their Fanes forsook Confounded with the mighty stroke They could not over-live that Fatal day But sigh'd and groan'd their gasping Oracles away 2. How rigid are the Laws of Fate And how severe that black Decree No sublunary thing is free But all must enter th' Adamantine Gate Sooner or later shall we come To Natures dark Retiring room And yet 't is pity is it not The learned as the fool should dye One full as low as t'other lye Together Blended in the general lot Distinguish't only from the common croud By an hindg'd Coffin or an Holland shroud Though Fame and Honour speak them ne're so loud Alas ORINDA even thou Whose happy verse made others live And certain Immortality could give Blasted are all thy blooming glories now The Laurel wither's o're thy brow Methinks it should disturbe thee to conceive That when poor I
Death of the Illustrious DVKE of GLOUCESTER GReat Glou'ster's dead and yet in this we must Confess that angry Heaven is wise and just We have so long and yet so ill endur'd The woes which our offences had procur'd That this new stroke would all our strength destroy Had we not known an interval of Joy And yet perhaps this stroke had been excus'd If we this interval had not abus'd But our Ingratitude and Discontent Deserv'd to know our mercies were but lent And those complaints Heaven in this rigid fate Does first chastise and then legitimate By this it our Divisions does reprove And makes us join in grief if not in love For Glorious Youth all Parties do agree As in admiring so lamenting thee The Sovereign's Subject's Foreiner's delight Thou wert the universal Favourite Not Rome's belov'd and brave Marcellus fell So much a Darling or a Miracle Though built of richest bloud and finest earth Thou hadst a heart more noble than thy birth Which by th' afflictive changes thou didst know Thou hadst but too much cause and time to show For when Fate did thy Infancy expose To the most barbarous and stupid Foes Yet thou didst then so much express the Prince As did even them amaze if not convince Nay that loose Tyrant whom no bound confin'd Whom neither laws nor oaths nor shame could bind Although his Soul was than his Look more grim Yet thy brave Innocence half softn'd him And he that Worth wherein thy Soul was drest By his ill-favour'd clemency confest Lessening the ill which he could not repent He call'd that Travel which was Banishment Escap'd from him thy Trials were encreas'd The scene was chang'd but not the danger ceas'd Thou from rough Guardians to Seducers gone Those made thy Temper these thy Judgm t known Whilst thou the noblest Champion wert for Truth Whether we view thy Courage or thy Youth If to foil Nature and Ambition claims Greater reward than to encounter Flames All that shall know the story must allow A Martyr's Crown prepared for thy brow But yet thou wert suspended from thy Throne Till thy Great Brother had regain'd his own Who though the bravest Suff'rer yet even He Could not at once have mist his Crown and Thee But as Commission'd Angels make no stay But having done their errand go their way So thy part done not thy restored State The future splendour which did for thee wait Nor that thy Prince and Country must mourn for Such a Support and such a Counsellor Could longer keep thee from that bliss whence thou Look'st down with pity on Earth's Monarchs now Where thy capacious Soul may quench her thirst And younger Brothers may inherit first While on our King Heav'n does this care express To make his Comforts safe he makes them less For this successful Heathens use to say It is too much great Gods send some allay To Her Royal Highness the Dutchess of York on her commanding me to send her some things that I had written TO you whose Dignity strikes us with aw And whose far greater Judgment gives us law Your Mind b'ing more transcendent than your State For while but Knees to this Hearts bow to that These humble Papers never durst come near Had not your pow'rful Word bid them appear In which such majesty such sweetness dwells As in one act obliges and compels None can dispute commands vouchsaf'd by you What shall my fears then and confusion do They must resign and by their just pretence Some value set on my obedience For in religious Duties 't is confest The most Implicite are accepted best If on that score your Highness will excuse This blushing tribute of an artless Muse She may encourag'd by your least regard Which first can worth create and then reward At modest distance with improved strains That Mercy celebrate which now she gains But should you that severer justice use Which these too prompt Approches may produce As the swift Hinde which hath escaped long Believes a Vulgar shot would be a wrong But wounded by a Prince falls without shame And what in life she loses gains in fame So if a Ray from you chance to be sent Which to consume and not to warm is meant My trembling Muse at least more nobly dies And falls by that a truer sacrifice On the Death of the Queen of Bohemia ALthough the most do with officious heat Only adore the Living and the Great Yet this Queen's Merits Fame so far hath spread That she rules still though dispossest and dead For losing one two other Crowns remain'd Over all hearts and her own griefs she reign'd Two Thrones so splendid as to none are less But to that third which she does now possess Her Heart and Birth Fortune so well did know That seeking her own fame in such a Foe She drest the spacious Theatre for the fight And the admiring World call'd to the sight An Army then of mighty Sorrows brought Who all against this single Vertue sought And sometimes stratagems and sometimes blows To her Heroick Soul they did oppose But at her feet their vain attempts did fall And she discover'd and subdu'd them all Till Fortune weary of her malice grew Became her Captive and her Trophee too And by too late a Tribute begg'd t' have been Admitted subject to so brave a Queen But as some Hero who a field hath wone Viewing the things he had so greatly done When by his spirit's flight he finds that he With his own Life must buy his Victory He makes the slaughter'd heap that next him lies His Funeral Pile and then in triumph dies So fell this Royal Dame with conquering spent And left in every breast her monument Wherein so high an Epitaph is writ As I must never dare to copy it But that bright Angel which did on her wait In fifty years contention with her fate And in that office did with wonder see How great her troubles how much greater she How she maintain'd her best Prerogative In keeping still the power to Forgive How high she did in her Devotion go And how her Condescention stoop'd as low With how much Glory she had ever been A Daughter Sister Mother Wife and Queen Will sure employ some deathless Muse to tell Our children this instructive Miracle Who may her sad Illustrious Life recite And after all her Wrongs may do her right On the 3. of September 1651. AS when the glorious Magazine of Light Approches to his Canopy of Night He with new splendour clothes his dying Rays And double brightness to his Beams conveys And as to brave and check his ending fate Puts on his highest looks in 's lowest state Drest in such terrour as to make us all Be Anti-Persians and adore his Fall Then quits the world depriving it of Day While every Herb and Plant does droop away So when our gasping English Royalty Perceiv'd her Period was now drawing nigh She summons her whole strength to give one blow To raise her self or pull
's as harmonious as thy Art Thou dost above the Poets praises live Who fetch from thee th' Eternity they give And as true Reason triumphs over sense Yet is subjected to intelligence So Poets on the lower World look down But Lawes on them his Height is all his own For like Divinity it self his Lyre Rewards the Wit it did at first inspire And thus by double right Poets allow His and their Laurel should adorn his brow Live then great Soul of Nature to asswage The savage dulness of this sullen Age. Charm us to Sense for though Experience fail And Reason too thy Numbers may prevail Then like those Ancients strike and so command All Nature to obey thy gen'rous hand None will resist but such who needs will be More stupid than a Stone a Fish a Tree Be it thy care our Age to new-create What built a World may sure repair a State A Sea-voyage from Tenby to Bristol begun Sept. 5. 1652. sent from Bristol to Lucasia Sept. 8. 1652. HOise up the Sail cry'd they who understand No word that carries kindness for the Land Such sons of clamour that I wonder not They love the Sea whom sure some Storm begot Had he who doubted Motion these men seen Or heard their tongues he had convinced been For had our Bark mov'd half as fast as they We had not need cast Anchor by the way One of the rest pretending to more wit Some small Italian spoke but murther'd it For I thanks to Saburra's Letters knew How to distinguish 'twixt the false and true But t' oppose these as mad a thing would be As 't is to contradict a Presbyt'ry 'T is Spanish though quoth I e'en what you please For him that spoke it ' tmight be Bread and Cheese So softly moves the Bark which none controuls As are the meetings of agreeing Souls And the Moon-beams did on the water play As if at Midnight 't would create a Day The amorous Wave that shar'd in such dispence Exprest at once delight and reverence Such trepidation we in Lovers spye Under th' oppression of a Mistress eye But then the Wind so high did rise and roar Some vow'd they 'd never trust the traitor more Behold the fate that all our Glories sweep Writ in the dangerous wonders of the Deep And yet behold Man's easie folly more How soon we curse what erst we did adore Sure he that first himself did thus convey Had some strong passion that he would obey The Bark wrought hard but found it was in vain To make its party good against the Main Toss'd and retreated till at last we see She must be fast if ere she should be free We gravely Anchor cast and patiently Lie prisoners to the weather's cruelty We had nor Wind nor Tyde nor ought but Grief Till a kind Spring-tide was our first relief Then we float merrily forgetting quite The sad confinement of the stormy night E're we had lost these thoughts we ran aground And then how vain to be secure we found Now they were all surpriz'd Well if we must Yet none shall say that dust is gone to dust But we are off now and the civil Tide Assisted us the Tempests to out-ride But what most pleas'd my mind upon the way Was the Ships posture that in Harbour lay Which to a rocky Grove so close were fix'd That the Trees branches with the Tackling mix'd One would have thought it was as then it stood A growing Navy or a floating Wood. But I have done at last and do confess My Voyage taught me so much tediousness In short the Heav'ns must needs propitious be Because Lucasia was concern'd in me Friendship 's Mystery To my dearest Lucasia COme my Lucasia since we see That Miracles Mens faith do move By wonder and by prodigy To the dull angry world let 's prove There 's a Religion in our Love 2. For though we were design'd t' agree That Fate no liberty destroyes But our Election is as free As Angels who with greedy choice Are yet determin'd to their joyes 3 Our hearts are doubled by the loss Here Mixture is Addition grown We both diffuse and both ingross And we whose minds are so much one Never yet ever are alone 4. We court our own Captivity Than Thrones more great and innocent 'T were banishment to be set free Since we wear fetters whose intent Not Bondage is but Ornament 5. Divided joyes are tedious found And griefs united easier grow We are our selves but by rebound And all our Titles shuffled so Both Princes and both Subjects too 6. Our Hearts are mutual Victims laid While they such power in Friendship lies Are Altars Priests and Off'rings made And each Heart which thus kindly dies Grows deathless by the Sacrifice Content To my dearest Lucasia COntent the false World 's best disguise The search and faction of the Wise Is so abstruse and hid in night That like that Fairy Red-cross Knight Who treacherous Falshood for clear Truth had got Men think they have it when they have it not 2. For Courts Content would gladly own But she ne'er dwelt about a Throne And to be flatter'd rich and great Are things which do Mens senses cheat But grave Experience long since this did see Ambition and Content would ne'er agree 3. Some vainer would Content expect From what their bright Out-sides reflect But sure Content is more Divine Than to be digg'd from Rock or Mine And they that know her beauties will confess She needs no lustre from a glittering dress 4. In Mirth some place her but she scorns Th' assistance of such crackling thorns Nor owes her self to such thin sport That is so sharp and yet so short And Painters tell us they the same strokes place To make a laughing and a weeping face 5. Others there are that place Content In Liberty from Government But whomsoe're Passions deprave Though free from shackles he 's a slave Content and Bondage differ only then When we are chain'd by Vices not by Men. 6. Some think the Camp Content does know And that she fits o' th' Victor's brow But in his Laurel there is seen Often a Cypress-bow between Nor will Content her self in that place give Where Noise and Tumult and Destruction live 7. But yet the most Discreet believe The Schools this Jewel do receive And thus far 's true without dispute Knowledge is still the sweetest fruit But whilst men seek for Truth they lose their Peace And who heaps Knowledge Sorrow doth increase 8. But now some sullen Hermite smiles And thinks he all the World beguiles And that his Cell and Dish contain What all mankind wish for in vain But yet his pleasure 's follow'd with a Groan For man was never born to be alone 9. Content her self best comprehends Betwixt two souls and they two friends Whose either joyes in both are fix'd And multiply'd by being mix'd Whose minds and interests are so the same Their Griefs when once imparted lose that name 10. These far
Monument is fit But what 's beyond our love and wit On the little Regina Collier on the same Tomb-stone VErtue 's Blossom Beauty's Bud The Pride of all that 's fair and good By Death's fierce hand was snatched hence In her state of Innocence Who by it this advantage gains Her wages got without her pains Friendship LEt the dull brutish World that know not Love Continue Hereticks and disapprove That noble Flame but the refined know 'T is all the Heaven we have here below Nature subsists by Love and they do tie Things to their Causes but by Sympathy Love chains the different Elements in one Great Harmony link'd to the Heav'nly Throne And as on Earth so the blest Quire above Of Saints and Angels are maintain'd by Love That is their Business and Felicity And will be so to all Eternity That is the Ocean our Affections here Are but streams borrow'd from the Fountain there And 't is the noblest Argument to prove A Beauteous mind that it knows how to Love Those kind Impressions which Fate can't controul Are Heaven's mintage on a worthy Soul For Love is all the Arts Epitome And is the Sum of all Divinity He 's worse than Beast that cannot Love and yet It is not bought for Money Pains or Wit For no chance or design can Spirits move But the Eternal destiny of Love And when two Souls are chang'd and mixed so It is what they and none but they can do This this is Friendship that abstracted flame Which groveling Mortals know not how to name All Love is sacred and the Marriage-tie Hath much of Honour and Divinity But Lust Design or some unworthy ends May mingle there which are despis'd by Friends Passion hath violent extreams and thus All oppositions are contiguous So when the end is serv'd their Love will bate If Friendship make it not more fortunate Friendship that Love's Elixir that pure fire Which burns the clearer ' cause it burns the higher For Love like earthly fires which will decay If the material fuel be away Is with offensive smoke accompanied And by resistance only is supplied But Friendship like the fiery Element With its own Heat and Nourishment content Where neither hurt nor smoke nor noise is made Scorns the assistance of a foreign aid Friendship like Heraldry is hereby known Richest when plainest bravest when alone Calm as a Virgin and more Innocent Than sleeping Doves are and as much content As Saints in Visions quiet as the Night But clear and open as the Summer's light United more than Spirits Faculties Higher in thoughts than are the Eagle's eyes What shall I say when we true friends are grown W' are like Alas w' are like our selves alone The Enquiry 1. IF we no old Historian's name Authentick will admit But think all said of Friendship 's fame But Poetry or Wit Yet what 's rever'd by Minds so pure Must be a bright Idea sure 2. But as our Immortality By inward sense we find Judging that if it could not be It would not be design'd So here how could such Copies fall If there were no Original 3. But if Truth be in ancient Song Or Story we believe If the inspir'd and graver Throng Have scorned to deceive There have been Hearts whose Friendship gave Them thoughts at once both soft and brave 4. Among that consecrated Few Some more Seraphick shade Lend me a favourable Clew Now mists my eyes invade Why having fill'd the World with Fame Left you so little of your flame 5. Why is' t so difficult to see Two Bodies and one Mind And why are those who else agree So differently kind Hath Nature such fantastick art That she can vary every Heart 6. Why are the bands of Friendship tied With so remiss a knot That by the most it is defied And by the rest forgot Why do we step with so light sense From Friendship to Indifference 7. If Friendship Sympathy impart Why this ill-shuffled game That Heart can never meet with Heart Or Flame encounter Flame What does this Cruelty create Is' t the Intrigue of Love or Fate 8. Had Friendship ne're been known to Men The Ghost at last confest The World had been a stranger then To all that Heaven possest But could it all be here acquir'd Not Heaven it self would be desir'd To my Lucasia in defence of declared Friendship 1. O My Lucasia let us speak our Love And think not that impertinent can be Which to us both doth such assurance prove And whence we find how justly we agree 2. Before we knew the treasures of our Love Our noble aims our joys did entertain And shall enjoyment nothing then improve 'T were best for us then to begin again 3. Now we have gain'd we must not stop and sleep Out all the rest of our mysterious reign It is as hard and glorious to keep A victory as it is to obtain 4. Nay to what end did we once barter Minds Only to know and to neglect the claim Or like some Wantons our Pride pleasure finds To throw away the thing at which we aim 5. If this be all our Friendship does design We covet not enjoyment then but power To our Opinion we our Bliss confine And love to have but not to smell the flower 6. Ah! then let Misers bury thus their Gold Who though they starve no farthing will produce But we lov'd to enjoy and to behold And sure we cannot spend our stock by use 7. Think not 't is needless to repeat desires The fervent Turtles alwaies court and bill And yet their spotless passion never tires But does encrease by repetition still 8. Although we know we love yet while our Soul Is thus imprison'd by the Flesh we wear There 's no way left that bondage to controul But to convey transactions through the Ear. 9. Nay though we read our passions in the Eye It will oblige and please to tell them too Such joys as these by motion multiply Were 't but to find that our Souls told us true 10. Believe not then that being now secure Of either's heart we have no more to do The Spheres themselves by motion do endure And they move on by Circulation too 11. And as a River when it once hath paid The tribute which it to the Ocean owes Stops not but turns and having curl'd and play'd On its own waves the shore it overflows 12. So the Soul's motion does not end in b'iss But on her self she scatters and dilates And on the Object doubles till by this She finds new joys which that reflux creates 13. But then because it cannot all contain It seeks a vent by telling the glad news First to the Heart which did its joys obtain Then to the Heart which did those joys produce 14. When my Soul then doth such excursions make Unless thy Soul delight to meet it too What satisfaction can it give or take Thou being absent at the interview 15. 'T is not Distrust for were that plea allow'd Letters
and Visits all would useless grow Love's whole expression then would be its cloud And it would be refin'd to nothing so 16. If I distrust 't is my own worth for thee 'T is my own fitness for a love like thine And therefore still new evidence would see T' assure my wonder that thou canst be mine 17. But as the Morning-Sun to drooping Flowers As weary Travellers a Shade do find As to the parched Violet Evening-showers Such is from thee to me a Look that 's kind 18. But when that Look is drest in Words 't is like The mystick pow'r of Musick 's unison Which when the finger doth one Viol strike The other 's string heaves to reflection 19. Be kind to me and just then to our love To which we owe our free and dear Converse And let not tract of Time wear or remove It from the privilege of that Commerce 20. Tyrants do banish what they can't requite But let us never know such mean desires But to be grateful to that Love delight Which all our joys and noble thoughts inspires A Resvery A Chosen Privacy a cheap Content And all the Peace a Friendship ever lent A Rock which civil Nature made a Seat A Willow that repulses all the heat The beauteous quiet of a Summer's day A Brook which sobb'd aloud and ran away Invited my Repose and then conspir'd To entertain my Phancie thus retir'd As Lucian's Ferry-man a loft did view The angry World and then laugh'd at it too So all its sullen Follies seem to me But as a too-well acted Tragedy One dangerous Ambition doth befool Another Envies to see that man Rule One makes his Love the Parent of his Rage For private Friendship publickly t' engage And some for Conscience some for Honour die And some are meanly kill'd they know not why More different then mens faces are their ends Whom yet one common Ruine can make Friends Death Dust and Darkness they have only won And hastily unto their Periods run Death is a Leveller Beauty and Kings And Conquerours and all those glorious things Are tumbled to their Graves in one rude heap Like common dust as quiet and as cheap At greater Changes who would wonder then Since Kingdoms have their Fates as well as men They must fall sick and die nothing can be In this World certain but uncertainty Since Pow'r and Greatness are such slippery things who 'd pity Cottages or envy Kings Now least of all when weary of deceit The World no longer flatters with the Great Though such Confusions here below we find As Providence were wanton with Mankind Yet in this Chaos some things do send forth Like Jewels in the dark a Native worth He that derives his high Nobility Not from the mention of a Pedigree Who thinks it not his Praise that others know His Ancestors were gallant long ago Who scorns to boast the Glories of his blood And thinks he can't be great that is not good Who knows the World and what we Pleasure call Yet cannot sell one Conscience for them all Who hates to hoard that Gold with an excuse For which he can find out a nobler use Who dares not keep that Life that he can spend To serve his God his Country and his Friend Who flattery and falsehood doth so hate He would not buy ten Lives at such a rate Whose Soul then Diamonds more rich and clear Naked and open as his face doth wear Who dares be good alone in such a time When Vertue 's held and punish'd as a Crime Who thinks dark crooked Plots a mean defence And is both safe and wise in Innocence Who dares both fight and die but dares not fear Whose only doubt is if his cause be clear Whose Courage and his Justice equal worn Can dangers grapple overcome and scorn Yet not insult upon a conquer'd foe But can forgive him and oblige him too Whose Friendship is congenial with his Soul Who where he gives a heart bestows it whole Whos 's other ties and Titles here do end Or buried or completed in the Friend Who ne're resumes the Soul he once did give While his Friend's Honesty and Honour live And if his Friend's content could cost the price Would count himself a happy Sacrifice Whose happy days no Pride infects nor can His other Titles make him slight the man No dark Ambitious thoughts do cloud his brow Nor restless cares when to be Great and how Who scorns to envy Wealth where e're it be But pities such a Golden Slavery With no mean fawnings can the people court Nor wholly slight a popular report Whose house no Orphan groans do shake or blast Nor any riot help to serve his taste Who from the top of his Prosperities Can take a fall and yet without surprize Who with the same august and even state Can entertain the best and worst of Fate Whose suffering's sweet if Honour once adorn it Who slights Revenge yet does not fear but scorn it Whose Happiness in ev'ry Fortune lives For that no Fortune either takes or gives Who no unhandsome ways can bribe his Fate Nay out of Prison marches through the Gate Who losing all his Titles and his Pelf Nay all the World can never lose himself This Person shines indeed and he that can Be Vertuous is the great Immortal man A Country-life HOw Sacred and how Innocent A Country-life appears How free from Tumult Discontent From Flattery or Fears This was the first and happiest Life When man enjoy'd himself Till Pride exchanged Peace for Strife And Happiness for Pelf 'T was here the Poets were inspir'd Here taught the multitude The brave they here with Honour fir'd And civiliz'd the rude That Golden Age did entertain No Passion but of Love The thoughts of Ruling and of Gain Did ne're their Fancies move None then did envy Neighbour's wealth Nor Plot to wrong his bed Happy in Friendship and in Health On Roots not Beasts they fed They knew no Law nor Physick then Nature was all their Wit And if there yet remain to men Content sure this is it What Blessings doth this World afford To tempt or bribe desire Her Courtship is all Fire and Sword Who would not then retire Then welcome dearest Solitude My great Felicity Though some are pleas'd to call thee rude Thou art not so but we Them that do covet only rest A Cottage will suffice It is not brave to be possest Of Earth but to despise Opinion is the rate of things From hence our Peace doth flow I have a better Fate then Kings Because I think it so When all the stormy World doth roar How unconcern'd am I I cannot fear to tumble lower Who never could be high Secure in these unenvi'd walls I think not on the State And pity no mans case that falls From his Ambition's height Silence and Innocence are safe A heart that 's nobly true At all these little Arts can laugh That do the World subdue While others Revel it in State Here
I 'le contented sit And think I have as good a Fate As Wealth and Pomp admit Let some in Courtship take delight And to th' Exchange resort Then Revel out a Winter's night Not making Love but Sport These never know a noble Flame 'T is Lust Scorn or Design While Vanity plays all their Game Let Peace and Honour mine When the inviting Spring appears To Hide-parke let them go And hasting thence be full of fears To lose Spring-Garden shew Let others nobler seek to gain In Knowledge happy Fate And others busie them in vain To study ways of State But I resolved from within Confirmed from without In Privacy intend to spin My future Minutes out And from this Hermitage of mine I banish all wild toyes And nothing that is not Divine Shall dare to tempt my Joyes There are below but two things good Friendship and Honesty And only those of all I would Ask for Felicity In this retir'd and humble seat Free from both War and Strife I am not forc'd to make retreat But chuse to spend my Life To Mrs. Wogan my Honoured Friend on the Death of her Husband DRy up your tears there 's enough shed by you And we must pay our share of Sorrows too It is no private loss when such men fall The VVorld's concern'd and Grief is general But though of our Misfortune we complain To him it is injurious and vain For since we know his rich Integrity His real Sweetness and full Harmony How free his heart and house were to his Friends VVhom he oblig'd without Design or Ends How universal was his courtesie How clear a Soul how even and how high How much he scorn'd disguise or meaner Arts But with a native Honour conquer'd Hearts We must conclude he was a Treasure lent Soon weary of this sordid Tenement The Age and World deserv'd him not and he Was kindly snatch'd from future Misery We can scarce say he 's Dead but gone to rest And left a Monument in ev'ry breast For you to grieve then in this sad excess Is not to speak your Love but make it less A noble Soul no Friendship will admit But what 's Eternal and Divine as it The Soul is hid in mortal flesh we know And all its weaknesses must undergo Till by degrees it does shine forth at length And gathers Beauty Purity and Strength But never yet doth this Immortal Ray Put on full splendour till it put off Clay So Infant Love is in the worthiest breast By Sense and Passion fetter'd and opprest But by degrees it grows still more refin'd And scorning clogs only concerns the mind Now as the Soul you lov'd is here set free From its material gross capacity Your Love should follow him now he is gone And quitting Passion put Perfection on Such Love as this will its own good deny If its dear Object have Felicity And since we cannot his great Loss Reprieve Let 's not lose you in whom he still doth Live For while you are by Grief secluded thus It doth appear your Funeral to us In memory of the most justly honoured Mrs. Owen of Orielton AS when the ancient World by Reason liv'd The Asian Monarchs deaths were never griev'd Their glorious Lives made all their Subjects call Their Rites a Triumph not a Funeral So still the Good are Princes and their Fate Invites us not to weep but imitate Nature intends a progress of each stage Whereby weak Man creeps to succeeding Age Ripens him for that Change for which he 's made Where th' active Soul is in her Centre staid And since none stript of Infancy complain ' Cause 't is both their necessity and gain So Age and Death by slow approches come And by that just inevitable doom By which the Soul her cloggy dross once gone Puts on Perfection and resumes her own Since then we mourn a happy Soul O why Disturb we her with erring Piety Who 's so enamour'd on the beauteous Ground When with rich Autumn's livery hung round As to deny a Sickle to his Grain And not undress the teeming Earth again Fruits grow for use Mankind is born to die And both Fates have the same necessity Then grieve no more sad Relatives but learn Sigh not but profit by your just concern Read over her Life's volume wise and good Not ' cause she must be so but ' cause she wou'd To chosen Vertue still a constant friend She saw the Times which chang'd but did not mend And as some are so civil to the Sun They 'd fix his beams and make the Earth to run So she unmov'd beheld the angry Fate Which tore a Church and overthrew a State Still durst be Good and own the noble Truth To crown her Age which had adorn'd her Youth Great without Pride a Soul which still could be Humble and high full of calm Majesty She kept true state within and could not buy Her Satisfaction with her Charity Fortune or Birth ne're rais'd her Mind which stood Not on her being rich but doing good Oblig'd the World but yet would scorn to be Paid with Requitals Thanks or Vanity How oft did she what all the World adore Make the Poor happy with her useful store So general was her Bounty that she gave Equality to all before the Grave By several means she different persons ty'd Who by her Goodness onely were ally'd Her Vertue was her Temper not her Fit Fear'd nothing but the Crimes which some commit Scorn'd those dark Arts which pass for Wisdom now Nor to a mean ignoble thing could bow And her vast Prudence had no other end But to forgive a Foe endear a Friend To use but slight the World and fixt above Shine down in beams of Piety and Love Why should we then by poor unjust complaint Prove envious Sinners ' cause she is a Saint Close then the Monument let not a Tear That may prophane her Ashes now appear For her best Obsequies are that we be Prudent and Good Noble and Sweet as she A Friend 1. LOve Nature's Plot this great Creation's Soul The Being and the Harmony of things Doth still preserve and propagate the whole From whence Mans Happiness and Safety springs The earliest whitest blessedst Times did draw From her alone their universal Law 2. Friendship 's an Abstract of this noble Flame 'T is Love refin'd and purg'd from all its dross The next to Angels Love if not the same As strong as passion is though not so gross It antedates a glad Eternity And is an Heaven in Epitome 3. Nobler then Kindred or then Marriage-band Because more free Wedlock-felicity It self doth only by this Union stand And turns to Friendship or to Misery Force or Design Matches to pass may bring But Friendship doth from Love and Honour spring 4. If Souls no Sexes have for Men t' exclude Women from Friendship 's vast capacity Is a Design injurious or rude Onely maintain'd by partial tyranny Love is allow'd to us and Innocence And noblest Friendships do proceed
constant Bliss Invitation to the Country BE kind my dear Rosania though 't is true Thy Friendship will become thy Penance too Though there be nothing can reward the pain Nothing to satisfie or entertain Though all be empty wild and like to me Who make new Troubles in my Company Yet is the action more obliging great 'T is Hardship only makes Desert complete But yet to prove Mixtures all things compound There may in this be some advantage found For a Retirement from the noise of Towns Is that for which some Kings have left their Crowns And Conquerours whose Laurel prest the brow Have chang'd it for the quiet Myrtle-bow For Titles Honours and the World's Address Are things too cheap to make up Happiness The easie Tribute of a giddy race And pay'd less to the Person then the place So false reflected and so short content Is that which Fortune and Opinion lent That who most try'd it have of Fate complain'd With Titles burthen'd and to greatness chain'd For they alone enjoy'd what they possest Who relisht most and understood it best And yet that understanding made them know The empty swift dispatch of all below So that what most can outward things endear Is the best means to make them disappear And even that Tyrant Sense doth these destroy As more officious to our Grief then Joy Thus all the glittering World is but a cheat Obtruding on our Sense things Gross for Great But he that can enquire and undisguise Will soon perceive the sting that hidden lies And find no Joys merit esteem but those Whose Scene lies only at our own dispose Man unconcern'd without himself may be His own both Prospect and Security Kings may be Slaves by their own Passions hurl'd But who commands himself commands the World A Country-life assists this study best Where no distractions do the Soul arrest There Heav'n and Earth lie open to our view There we search Nature and its Author too Possest with Freedom and a real State Look down on Vice and Vanity and Fate There my Rosania will we mingling Souls Pity the Folly which the World controuls And all those Grandeurs which the World do prize We either can enjoy or will despise In Memory of Mrs. E. H. AS some choice Plant cherish'd by Sun and Air And ready to requite the Gard'ner's care Blossoms and flourishes but then we find Is made the Triumph of some ruder Wind So thy untimely Grave did both entomb Thy Sweetness now and wonders yet to come Hung full of hopes thou sell'st a lovely prize Just as thou didst attract all Hearts and Eyes Thus we might apprehend for had thy years Been lengthen'd to have paid those vast arrears The World expected we should then conclude The Age of Miracles had been renew'd For thou already hast with ease found out What others study with such pains and doubt That frame of Soul which is content alone And needs no Entertainment but its own Thy even Mind which made thee good and great Was to thee both a shelter and retreat Of all the Tumults which this World do fill Thou wert an unconcern'd Spectatour still And were thy duty punctually supply'd Indifferent to all the World beside Thou wert made up within resolv'd and fix'd And wouldst not with a base Allay be mix'd Above the World couldst equally despise Both its Temptations and its Injuries Couldst summe up all and find not worth desire Those glittering Trifles which the most admire But with a nobler aim and higher born Look down on Greatness with contempt and scorn Thou hadst no Arts that others this might see Nor lov'dst a Trumpet to thy Piety But silent and retir'd calm and serene Stol'st to thy blessed Haven hardly seen It were vain to describe thee then but now Thy vast accession harder is to know How full of light and satisfi'd thou art So early from this treach'rous World to part How pleas'd thou art reflexions now to make And find thou didst not things below mistake In how abstracted converse thou dost live How much thy Knowledge is intuitive How great and bright a glory is enjoy'd With Angels and in Mysteries employ'd 'T is sin then to lament thy Fate but we Should help thee to a new Eternity And by successive Imitation strive Till Time shall die to keep thee still alive And by thy great Example furnish'd be More apt to live then write thy Elogy On Rosania's Apostacy and Lucasia's Friendship GReat Soul of Friendship whither art thou fled Where dost thou now chuse to repose thy head Or art thou nothing but voice air and name Found out to put Souls in pursuit of fame Thy flames being thought Immortal we may doubt Whether they e're did burn that see them out Go weary'd Soul find out thy wonted rest In the safe Harbour of Orinda's brest There all unknown Adventures thou hast found In thy late transmigrations expound That so Rosania's darkness may be known To be her want of Lustre not thy own Then to the Great Lucasia have recourse There gather up new excellence and force Till by a free unbyass'd clear Commerce Endearments which no Tongue can e're rehearse Lucasia and Orinda shall thee give Eternity and make even Friendship live Hail Great Lucasia thou shalt doubly shine What was Rosania's own is now twice thine Thou saw'st Rosania's Chariot and her flight And so the double portion is thy right Though 't was Rosania's Spirit be content Since 't was at first from thy Orinda sent To my Lady Elizabeth Boyle Singing now affairs c. SUbduing fair what will you win To use a needless Dart Why then so many to take in One undefended heart I came expos'd to all your Charms ' Gainst which the first half hour I had no will to take up Armes And in the next no Power How can you chuse but win the Day Who can resist your Siege Who in one action know the way To Vanquish and Oblige Your Voice which can in melting strains Teach Beauty to be blind Confines me yet in stronger Chains By being soft and kind Whilst you my trivial fancy sing You it to wit refine As Leather once stamp'd by a King Became a Current Coin By this my Verse is sure to gain Eternity with men Which by your voice it will obtain Though never by my Pen. I 'd rather in your favour live Then in a lasting name And much a greater rate would give For Happiness then Fame Submission 'T Is so and humbly I my will resign Nor dare dispute with Providence Divine In vain alas we struggle with our chains But more entangled by the fruitless pains For as i' th' great Creation of this All Nothing by chance could in such order fall And what would single be deform'd confest Grows beauteous in its union with the rest So Providence like Wisdom we allow For what created once does govern now And the same Fate that seems to one Reverse Is necessary to the Universe All these particular
lies Errour and Shadows are our choice and we Owe our perdition to our own decree If we search Truth we make it more obscure And when it shines cannot the light endure For most men now who plod and eat and drink Have nothing less their bus'ness then to think And those few that enquire how small a share Of Truth they find how dark their Notions are That serious Evenness that calms the Breast And in a Tempest can bestow a Rest We either not attempt or else decline By ev'ry trifle snatch'd from our design Others he must in his deceits involve Who is not true unto his own Resolve We govern not our selves but loose the Reins Counting our Bondage to a thousand chains And with as many Slaveries content As there are Tyrants ready to torment We live upon a Rack extended still To one Extreme or both but always ill For since our Fortune is not understood We suffer less from bad then from the good The Sting is better drest and longer lasts As Surfeits are more dangerous then Fasts And to complete the misery to us We see Extremes are still contiguous And as we run so fast from what we hate Like Squibs on Ropes to know no middle state So outward storms strengthned by us we find Our Fortune as disordered as our Mind But that 's excus'd by this it doth its part A trech'rous World befits a trech'rous Heart All ill 's our own the outward storms we loath Receive from us their Birth their Sting or both And that our Vanity be past a doubt 'T is one new Vanity to find it out Happy are they to whom God gives a Grave And from themselves as from his wrath doth save 'T is good not to be born but if we must The next good is soon to return to dust When th' uncag'd Soul fled to Eternity Shall rest and live and sing and love and see Here we but crawl and grovel play and cry Are first our own then others enemy But there shall be defac'd both stain and score For Time and Death and Sin shall be no more The Soul 1. HOw vain a thing is Man whose noblest part That Soul which through the World doth rome Traverses Heav'n finds out the depth of Art Yet is so ignorant at home 2. In every Brook or Mirrour we can find Reflections of our face to be But a true Optick to present our Mind We hardly get and darkly see 3. Yet in the search after our selves we run Actions and Causes we survey And when the weary Chase is almost done Then from our Quest we slip away 4. 'T is strange and sad that since we do believe We have a Soul must never die There are so few that can a Reason give How it obtains that Life or why 5. I wonder not to find those that know most Profess so much their Ignorance Since in their own Souls greatest Wits are lost And of themselves have scarce a glance 6. But somewhat sure doth here obscurely lie That above Dross would fain advance And â—ants and catches at Eternity As 't were its own Inheritance 7. A Soul self-mov'd which can dilate contract Pierces and judges things unseen But this gross heap of Matter cannot act Unless impulsed from within 8. Distance and Quantity to Bodies due The state of Souls cannot admit And all the Contraries which Nature knew Meet there nor hurt themselves nor it 9. God never Body made so bright and clean Which Good and Evil could discern What these words Honesty and Honour mean The Soul alone knows how to learn 10. And though 't is true she is imprison'd here Yet hath she Notions of her own Which Sense doth only jog awake and clear But cannot at the first make known 11. The Soul her own felicity hath laid And independent on the Sense Sees the weak terrours which the World invade With pity or with negligence 12. So unconcern'd she lives so much above The Rubbish of a sordid Jail That nothing doth her Energy improve So much as when those structures fail 13. She 's then a substance subtile strong and pure So immaterial and refin'd As speaks her from the Body's fate secure And wholly of a diff'rent kind 14. Religion for reward in vain would look Vertue were doom'd to misery All actions were like bubbles in a brook Were 't not for Immortality 15. But as that Conquerour who Millions spent Thought it too mean to give a Mite So the World's Judge can never be content To bestow less then Infinite 16. Treason against Eternal Majesty Must have eternal Justice too And since unbounded Love did satisfie He will unbounded Mercy shew 17. It is our narrow thoughts shorten these things By their companion Flesh inclin'd Which feeling its own weakness gladly brings The same opinion to the Mind 18. We stifle our own Sun and live in Shade But where its beams do once appear They make that person of himself afraid And to his own acts most severe 19. For ways to sin close and our breasts disguise From outward search we soon may find But who can his own Soul bribe or surprise Or sin without a sting behind 20. He that commands himself is more a Prince Then he who Nations keeps in awe Who yield to all that does their Souls convince Shall never need another Law Happiness NAture courts Happiness although it be Unknown as the Athenian Deity It dwells not in Man's Sense yet he supplies That want by growing fond of its disguise The false appearances of Joy deceive And seeking her unto her like we cleave For sinking Man hath scarce sense left to know Whether the Plank he grasps will hold or no. While all the business of the World is this To seek that Good which by mistake they miss And all the several Passions men express Are but for Pleasure in a diff'rent dress They hope for Happiness in being Great Or Rich or Lov'd then hug their own conceit But the Good man can find this treasure out For which in vain others do dig and doubt And hath such secret full Content within Though all abroad be storms yet he can sing His peace is made all 's quiet in that place Where Nature 's cur'd and exercis'd by Grace This inward Calm prevents his Enemies For he can neither envy nor despise But in the beauty of his ordered Mind Doth still a new rich satisfaction find Innocent Epicure whose single breast Can furnish him with a continual feast A Prince at home and Scepters can refuse Valuing only what he cannot lose He studies to do good a man may be Harmless for want of Opportunity But he 's industrious kindness to dispence And therein onely covets eminence Others do court applause and fame but he Thinks all that giddy noise but Vanity He takes no pains to be observ'd or seen While all his acts are echoed from within He 's still himself when Company are gone Too well employ'd ever to be alone For studying God
in all his volumes he Begins the business of Eternity And unconcern'd without retains a power To such like Bees a sweet from ev'ry flower And as the Manna of the Israelites Had several tastes to please all Appetites So his Contentment is that catholick food That makes all states seem fit as well as good He dares not wish nor his own fate propound But if God sends reads Love in every wound And would not lose for all the joys of Sense The glorious pleasures of Obedience His better part can neither change nor lose And all God's will can bear can do can chuse Death 1. HOw weak a Star doth rule Mankind Which owes its ruine to the same Causes which Nature had design'd To cherish and preserve the frame 2. As Commonwealths may be secure And no remote Invasion dread Yet may a sadder fall endure From Traitors in their bosom bred 3. So while we feel no violence And on our active Health do trust A secret hand doth snatch us hence And tumbles us into the dust 4. Yet carelesly we run our race As if we could Death's summons wave And think not on the narrow space Between a Table and a Grave 5. But since we cannot Death reprieve Our Souls and Fame we ought to mind For they our Bodies will survive That goes beyond this stays behind 6. If I be sure my Soul is safe And that my Actions will provide My Tomb a nobler Epitaph Then that I onely liv'd and dy'd 7. So that in various accidents I Conscience may and Honour keep I with that ease and innocence Shall die as Infants go to sleep To the Queen's Majesty on her late Sickness and Recovery THe publick Gladness that 's to us restor'd For your escape from what we so deplor'd Will want as well resemblance as belief Unless our Joy be measur'd by our Grief When in your Fever we with terrour saw At once our Hopes and Happiness withdraw And every crisis did with jealous fear Enquire the News we scarce durst stay to hear Some dying Princes have their Servants slain That after death they might not want a Train Such cruelty were here a needless sin For had our fatal Fears prophetick been Sorrow alone that service would have done And you by Nations had been waited on Your danger was in ev'ry visage seen And onely yours was quiet and serene But all our zealous Grief had been in vain Had not Great Charles's call'd you back again Who did your suff'rings with such pain discern He lost three Kingdoms once with less concern Lab'ring your safety he neglected his Nor fear'd he Death many shape but this His Genius did the bold Distemper tame And his rich Tears quench'd the rebellious Flame At once the Thracian Hero lov'd and griev'd Till he his lost Felicity retriev'd And with the moving accents of his wo His Spouse recover'd from the shades below So the King's grief your threatned loss withstood Who mourn'd with the same fortune that he woo'd And to his happy Passion we have been Now twice oblig'd for so ador'd a Queen But how severe a Choice had you to make When you must Heav'n delay or Him forsake Yet since those joys you made such haste to find Had scarce been full if he were left behind How well did Fate decide your inward strife By making him a Present of your Life Which rescu'd Blessing he must long enjoy Since our Offences could it not destroy For none but Death durst rival him in you And Death himself was baffled in it too Vpon Mr. Abraham Cowley 's Retirement ODE 1. NO no unfaithful World thou hast Too long my easie Heart betray'd And me too long thy Foot-ball made But I am wiser grown at last And will improve by all that I have past I know 't was just I should be practis'd on For I was told before And told in sober and instructive lore How little all that trusted thee have won And yet I would make haste to be undone Now by my suff'ring I am better taught And shall no more commit that stupid fault Go get some other Fool Whom thou mayst next cajole On me thy frowns thou dost in vain bestow For I know how To be as coy and as reserv'd as thou 2. In my remote and humble seat Now I 'm again possest Of that late fugitive my Breast From all thy tumults and from all thy heat I 'le find a quiet and a cool retreat And on the Fetters I have worn Look with experienc'd and revengeful scorn In this my sov'raign Privacy 'T is true I cannot govern thee But yet my self I may subdue And that 's the nobler Empire of the two If ev'ry Passion had got leave Its satisfaction to receive Yet I would it a higher pleasure call To conquer one then to indulge them all 3. For thy inconstant Sea no more I 'le leave that safe and solid Shore No though to prosper in the cheat Thou shouldst my Destiny defeat And make me be Belov'd or Rich or Great Nor from my self shouldst me reclaim With all the noise and all the pomp of Fame Judiciously I 'le these despise Too small the Bargain and too great the Price For them to cozen twice At length this secret I have learn'd Who will be happy must be unconcern'd Must all their Comfort in their Bosom wear And seek their treasure and their power there 4. No other Wealth will I aspire But that of Nature to admire Nor envy on a Laurel will bestow Whil'st I have any in my Garden grow And when I would be Great 'T is but ascending to a Seat Which Nature in a lofty Rock hath built A Throne as free from trouble as from guilt Where when my Soul her wings does raise Above what Worldlings fear or praise With innocent and quiet pride I 'le sit And see the humble waves pay tribute to my feet O Life Divine when free from joys diseas'd Not always merry but 't is always pleas'd 5. A Heart which is too great a thing To be a Present for a Persian King Which God himself would have to be his Court Where Angels would officiously resort From its own height should much decline If this Converse it should resign Ill-natur'd World for thine Thy unwise rigour hath thy Empire lost It hath not onely set me free But it hath made me see They onely can of thy possession boast Who do enjoy thee least and understand thee most For lo the Man whom all Mankind admir'd By ev'ry Grace adorn'd and ev'ry Muse inspir'd Is now triumphantly retir'd The mighty Cowley this hath done And over thee a Parthian Conquest won Which future Ages shall adore And which in this subdues thee more Then either Greek or Roman ever could before The Irish Grey-hound BEhold this Creature 's Form and state Which Nature therefore did create That to the World might be exprest What meen there can be in a Beast And that we in this shape may find A Lion of another
quickly bring her back Achillas then the great Head did expose Which still to speak it self seem'd to dispose At this new injury some warm remain Did in imperfect groans seem to complain I thought his open mouth and ghastly look Recall'd the Soul which scarce her leave had took And his last anger seem'd with dying breath To charge the gods with his Defeat and Death Caesar seem'd Thunder-stricken at this view As not resolv'd what to believe or do Immoveably on that sad Object ty'd He long from us his inward thought did hide And I would say if I durst make a guess By what our Nature uses to express Some such malignant pleasure he enjoy'd As his offended honour scarce destroy'd That the whole World now in his power lies Could not but bring some flattering surprize But though a while this conflict he endur'd Yet his great Soul it self soon re-assur'd Though he loves Power yet he Treason hates Himself he judges on himself debates Each joy and grief at Reason's Bar appears At length resolv'd he first let fall some Tears His Virtues Empire he by force regains And noblest thoughts by that weak sign explains The horrid present from his sight expell'd His Eyes and Hands he up to Heaven held In a few words their insolence repress'd And after did in pensive silence rest Nor even to his Romans could reply But with a heavy sigh and furious eye At last with thirty Cohorts come to Land To seiz the Gates and Ports he does command The Guards he set and secret Orders sent Shew his distrust as well as discontent Egypt he speaks of as a Province won And now calls Pompey not a Foe but Son This I observ'd CHARMION By which the Queen may find The just Osiris to her Vows inclin'd Whilst with this happy News to her I flye Do you preserve her your Fidelity ACHOREUS Ne're doubt it but here Caesar comes go then Describe the Consternation of our Men And whatsoever proves to be their Fate I 'le first observe and then to her relate SCEN. II. Caesar Ptolomy Lepidus Photinus Achoreus Roman and Egyptian Souldiers PTOLOMY Great Sir ascend the Throne and govern Us. CAESAR Do you know Caesar and speak to him thus What worse could envious Fortune offer me Who alike hate a Crown and Infamy This to accept would all my boast confute That Rome did me unjustly persecute Rome who both scorns gives Crowns every where And nothing sees in Kings to love or fear Nay at our Birth does all our Souls enflame To slight the Rank and to abhor the Name This truth you might have learn'd from Pompey who If he such Offers lik'd could shun them too Both Throne and King had honour'd been t' afford Service to him who had them both restor'd So glorious had been even ill success In such a Cause that Triumphs had been less And if your Fortune safety had deny'd To have bestow'd it had been Caesar's pride But though you would not own so brave a strife What right had you to that illustrious Life Who that rich blood to wash your hands allow'd That to the meanest Roman should have bow'd Was it for you Pharsalia's Field I won Wherein so many Nations were undone And did I purchase at so high a rate That you should be the Arbiters of Fate If I in Pompey that could ne're admit Shall you escape o're him assuming it How much is my success abus'd by you Who attempt more than ever I durst do What Name think you will such a blow become Which has usurp'd the Soveraignty of Rome And in one Person did affront her more Than could the Asian Massacre before Do you imagine I shall e're agree You would have been more scrupulous for me No had you Pompey here Victorious seen My Head to him had such a Present been I to my Conquest your Submissions owe When all wrongs had pursu'd my Overthrow You do adore the Conqueror not me I but enjoy it by Felicity Dangerous Friendship Kindness to be fear'd Which turns with Fortune and by her is steer'd But speak this silence does encrease your sin PTOLOMY Never hath my Confusion greater been And I believe Sir you 'l allow it me Since I a King born now a Master see Where at my frown each man did trembling stand And every word of mine was a Command I see a new Court and another sway And I have nothing left but to obey Your very look abates my spirits force And can it be regain'd by your Discourse Judge how I can from such a Trouble cease Which my Respects create and Fears encrease And what can an astonisht Prince express Who anger sees in that Majestick Dress And whose Amazements do his Soul subdue That Pompey's Death should be reveng'd by You. Yet I must say whatever he bestow'd We owe you more then ever him we ow'd Your Favour was the first to us exprest And all he did was done at your Request He did the Senate move for injur'd Kings And them that Prayer to our Assistance brings But all that He for Egypt could obtain Without your Mony Sir had been in vain By that his Rebels our late King subdu'd And you have Right to all our Gratitude We Pompey as your Friend and Son rever'd But when he your Competitour appear'd When of your Fortune he suspicious grew Tyranny sought and dar'd to fight with you CAESAR Forbear your hatreds Thirst his Blood supplies Touch not his Glory let his Life suffice Say nothing here that Rome still dares deny But plead your Cause without a Calumny PTOLOMY Then let the Gods be Judges of his Thought I only say that in the Wars last fought To which so many Wrongs did you perswade Our Vows for your success were only made And since he ever sought your Blood to spill I thought his Death a necessary Ill. For as his groundless Hatred daily grew He would by all ways the Dispute renew Or if at length he fell into your Hand We fear'd your Mercy would your Right withstand For to that Pitch your sense of Honour flies As would to Fame your Safety sacrifice Which made me Judge in so extream an Ill We ought to serve you Sir against your will My forward Zeal th' occasion did embrace Without your leave and to my own disgrace And this you as a Crime in me disclaim But nothing done for you deserves that Name I stain'd my Hands your Danger to remove Which Act you may enjoy and disapprove Nay by my Guilt my Merit higher grows Since I my Glory gave for your Repose And by that greatest Victim have procur'd Your Glory and your Power to be assur'd CAESAR You employ Ptolomy such Crafty Words And weak Excuses as your Cause affords Your Zeal was false if 't were afraid to see What all Mankind beg'd of the Gods should be And did to you such subtleties Convey As stole the Fruit of all my Wars away Where Honour me engag'd and where the end Was of
disputed to his latest Breath And cast away his Life for fear of Death O shame for Caesar Who so eminent And so sollicitous for your Content Yet by the Cruel Fortune of this Day Could not the First of your Commands Obey But vainly we resist the Gods who will Their Just Decrees on guilty men fulfil And yet his Fall your Happiness procures Since by his Death Aegypt is wholly Yours CLEOPATRA I know I gain another Diadem For which none can be blam'd but Heav'n and Him But as the Fate of humane things is such That Joy and Trouble do each other touch Excuse me if the Crown conferr'd by You As it obliges does afflict me too And if to see a Brother justly kill'd To Nature I as well as Reason yield No sooner on my Grandeur I reflect But my Ambition by my Blood is checkt I meet my Fortune with a secret Groan Nor dare without Regret ascend the Throne ACHOREUS The Court is full Sir People crowding in Who with great shouts demand to see their Queen And many signs of their Impatience give That such a Blessing they so late receive CAESAR Let them so just a Happiness obtain And by that Goodness Queen commence your reign O may the Gods so favour my Desire That in their Joy your Sorrow may expire That no Idea in your Soul may be But of the Wounds which you have given me Whilst my Attendants and your Courtiers may Prepare to morrow for a glorious day When all such Noble Offices may owne Pompey t' appease and Cleopatra Crown To her a Throne to him let 's Altars Build And to them both Immortal Honours yield Exeunt After the Fifth Act by two Egyptian Priests as after the second AScend a Throne Great Queen to you By Nature and by Fortune due And let the World adore One who Ambition could with stand Subdue Revenge and Love command On Honours single score 2. Ye mighty Roman shades permit That Pompey should above you sit He must be Deifi'd For who like him e're fought or fell What Hero ever liv'd so well Or who so greatly dy'd 1. What cannot Glorious Caesar do How nobly does he fight and woe On Crowns how does he tread What mercie to the weak he shews How fierce is he to living Foes How pious to the dead 2. Cornelia yet would challenge Tears But that the sorrow which she wears So charming is and brave That it exalts her Honour more Then if she all the Scepters bore Her Generous Husband gave Chorus Then after all the Blood that 's shed Let 's right the living and the dead Temples to Pompey raise Set Cleopatra on the Throne Let Caesar keep the World h' has won And sing Cornelia's praise After which a Grand Masque is Danc'd before Caesar and Cleopatra made as well as the other Dances and the Tunes to them by Mr. John Ogilby EPILOGUE Written by Sir Edward Dering Baronet PLeas'd or displeas'd censure as you think fit The Action Plot the language or the wit But we 're secure no Bolder thought can tax These Scenes of Blemish to the blushing Sex Nor Envy with her hundred Eyes espie One line severest Virtue need to flye As Chast the words as harmless is the sence As the first smiles of Infant Innocence Yet at your Feet Caesar's Content to bow And Pompey never truly Great till now Who does your Praise and kinder Votes prefer Before th' applause of his own Theatre Where fifty Thousand Romans daily blest The Gods and him for all that they possest The sad Cornelia says your gentler breath Will force a smile ev'n after Pompey's Death She thought all Passions bury'd in his Urn But flattering hopes and trembling fears return Undone in Egypt Thessaly and Rome She yet in Ireland hopes a milder Doom Nor from Iberian Shores or Lybian Sands Expects relief but only from your hands Ev'n Cleapatra not content to have The Universe and Caesar too her Slave Forbears her Throne till you her right allow 'T is less t' have rul'd the World then pleased you HORACE A Tragedy Translated from MONSIEVR CORNEILLE LONDON Printed for H. Herringman and are to be sold at his Shop at the Blew-Anchor in the lower walk of the new Exchange 1667. The Actors Tullus King of Rome Old Horace a Roman Knight Horace his Son Curtius a Gentleman of Alba in love with Camilla Valerius a Roman Knight in love with Camilla Sabina Wife of Horace and Sister of Curtius Camilla Mistress of Curtius and Sister of Horace Julia Roman Lady confident of Sabina and Camilla Flavian an Alban Souldier Proculus a Roman Souldier The Scene in the House of Horace at Rome HORACE ACT I. SCEN. I. Sabina and Julia. SABINA EXcuse my weakness and my grief permit In that distress which so much merits it When such a storm does its approaches make It may become the strongest heart to shake And Constancy will now admit dispute Ev'n in the Breast that is most resolute But yet how rude so'ere the shock appears Though not my Sighs I can command my Tears Though so much sorrow may my heart surprize Yet Vertue still is regent in my Eyes If to my heart I can confine my woe Though less than Man I more than Woman do To stop my tears in an assault so rough For our weak Sex will sure be brave enough JULIA It is for vulgar Souls I must confess Who create grief from every slight distress But a great Heart would blush at that defect And all things dares from doubtful Fate expect Under our Walls two Armies we survey But Rome ne're yet knew how to lose the day Applause not grief we to her Fortune owe Who whilst she fights must needs the mightier grow Then let vain terrours from your breast depart And find out Vows worthy a Roman heart SABINA My heart I gave to Horace and 't is true Since he 's a Roman I must be so too But yet that Knot a Fetter would be thought If my dear Country should be quite forgot Alba where I began to see the light Alba my native place and first delight When I behold a War 'twixt us and thee As much as loss I dread a Victory Rome if by this thy anger I create Find out a Foe whom I may justly hate When at thy Walls two Armies in thy sight Shew me my Brothers with my Husband sight What Prayers can I make how can I be Without impiety concern'd for thee I know thy growing Empire yet so young By War alone must make her sinews strong Thy future grandeur is by Fate design'd Not to the Latines to be long confin'd The gods the suppliant World for thee intend And 't is by Arms thou must attain that end Far from repining at that noble heat Which serves thy Stars and helps to make thee great I wish thy Troops may still new Triumphs claim And over-run Pyrenian Hills to Fame Go Eastern Conquests for thy Sword design And settle thy Pavillions in the Rhine Let
I then desir'd it too And if relenting Heav'n had heard my voice Alba had been reduc'd to other choice The Horaces had then triumphant stood With Swords unstained in the Curtian Blood And by a Combat less to Natures shame Had sav'd the Honour of the Roman name But otherwise the mighty Gods design And their high pleasure must determine mine With generous thoughts I build my great resolve And in the publick Int'rest mine involve Take you that course to stop your sorrows growth Rememb'ring this that you are Romans both * to Cam. You are by birth what * to Sab. you by vows became And there 's a'noble Fortune in that Name Rome shall hereafter to that Empire grow That the whole World shall to her Ensigns bow The trembling Universe her Yoke shall bear And Kings shall court the Title that you wear This our Aeneas from the Gods obtain'd SCEN. VI. Old Horace Sabina Camilla Julia. Old HOR. Well Julia know you who the Day has gain'd JULIA I know how Fatally it does conclude Rome now must stoop to Alba's servitude Two of your Sons are by the Albans slain Sabina's Husband only doth remain Who startling at this too unequal fight Himself preserv'd hath by his speedy flight Old HOR. Ah fearful Courge heat without a flame Thou to thy house hast brought Eternal shame I those regret not who for their Country 's slain But him whose fear suffers to live in vain He hopes by this base act his Life to save I 'le quickly send him to his Brother's grave I to Revenge am now so fully bent My steady heart will never it relent JULIA Can you him blame in this unequal strife When hope is gone to flye to save his life Valour o're power'd who will of fear condemn To shun that tyde of woes he cannot stem What would you have had him done HORACE Have dy'd And spent his life by his brave Brothers side Ah treacherous Destiny that thou should'st give A Son to me Rome's freedom to outlive The fight true Courage never will forsake When his own Country's freedom lies at stake CAMILLA But has his hasty flight his life then sav'd Is famous Rome by Alba quite enslav'd JULIA After this passage I made no delay To tell you th' news I hastened away Old HORACE His fearful flight has so my honour stain'd That it by him can never be regain'd JULIA He fled not 'till all hopes were lost and vain His want of courage you need not complain Old HORACE He should have fought still rouz'd his Valour now Trusting to what the Pow'rs above might do If he had fallen he had with honour dy'd And to his Name eternal Fame had ty'd But since he 's fled if I him ever see This hand his Executi'ner shall be And by that deed shall to the world make known At what a rate his action I disown SABINA Ah Sir a little check this generous heat And do not make our miseries compleat Old HORACE Your grief Sabina easie help endures Since our afflictions are no longer yours Heaven in our Sorrows yet excusing you Hath sav'd your Husband and your Brothers too We are betray'd but they have overcome And 't is your Country hath subjected Rome And in the lustre of your Brothers fame You lose the sight of all our loss and shame But your concern for this unworthy Man shall give You quickly cause as well as us to grieve Your tears for him will no protection prove For here I swear by all the powers above These very hands e're night invade the day Shall in his Blood wash Romes disgrace away Exit SABINA Let 's follow him lest rage his reason blind O Gods and will you never more be kind Must every hour new blows to us impart And still from hands that much increase the smart Exeunt ACT IV. SCEN. I. Old Horace and Camilla Old HORACE Go no more breath for such a Coward lose Let him flye me as he has done his foes To save that wretched Life he held so dear He has done little if he now appear Sabina may prevent it or I vow By all the Powers to which we mortals bow CAMILLA Oh Sir this cruel thought no more pursue Or Rome her self will kinder be than you And she as much as she by this does lose Valour opprest by number will excuse Old HORACE I 'm not concern'd what mercy Rome confers I have a Father's rights distinct from hers And know what genuine Vertue would have done It might be worsted but not trampled on True valour never knows a base allay And though it lose can never yield the day But let us hear what does Valerius bring SCEN. II. Old Horace Camilla Valerius VALERIUS I 'm sent to wait upon you from the King Who mourns your loss Old HORACE That merits not his care And I the needless complement can spare I my Sons deaths rather than shame would know And tears than blushes better can allow They that are slain like men of honour dy'd And that 's enough VAL. But they are all supply'd By him that lives and his immortal Fame Old HOR. Would he had perish'd too and all my Name VAL. Can only you his Virtue dis-esteem Old HOR. 'T is I alone that ought to punish him VAL. And what offence has in his conduct been Old HOR. But what great Vertue in his flight was seen VAL. Flight in this case wears an illustrious Name Old HOR. Why do you cover my gray hairs with shame Th' example 's rare indeed and few would die If men could catch bright honour when they flie VAL. Do you a shame and a confusion call T' have had a Son who has preserv'd us all Who with new triumphs did Rome's Empire save What greater honours could a Father have Old HOR. What Honours and what Triumphs brings he home When Alba must dispose the Fate of Rome VAL. What great success of Alba has appear'd Or have you yet but half the story heard Old HOR. Was not the Combat ended by his flight VAL. So Alba thought at that mistaken sight But she soon found he fled but as became A man entrusted with his Country's Fame HOR. Does Rome triumph VAL. O! his great story hear To whom you so unjustly are severe When he against three Foes was left alone Each of them having wounds he having none Too weak for all too strong for either's rage He dext'rously himself did dis-engage The stratagem of seeming flight he try'd And so th' abused Brothers does divide They all pursue yet not with equal haste But as their wounds permit them slow or fast Horace looks back his scatter'd Foes upon Whom he already thinks half overthrown He waits your Son-in-law for he was first Who much incens'd to see that so he durst His utmost braving does in vain express For his lost Blood denys him the success Alba whose hopes with Curtius strength decay'd Soon his next Brother summons to his aid Who hastening to his rescue finds too late