And like stirr'd fire in sparkles upward flies Rage which the Duke thus practis'd to reclaim 30. Though you design'd your ruin by surprise Though much in usefull Arms you us exceed And in your number some advantage lies Yet you may find you such advantage need 31. If I am vallu'd as th' impediment Which hinders your adoption to the Crown Let your revenge onely on me be spent And hazard not my Party nor your own 32. Ambition else would up to Godhead grow When so profanely we our anger prise That to appease it we the bloud allow Of whole offenceless Herds for sacrifice 33. Oswald who Honour 's publick pattern was Till vain ambition led his heart aside More temp'rate grew in manage of his cause And thus to noble Gondibert reply'd 34. I wish it were not needfull to be great That Heavens unenvy'd pow'r might Men so aw As we should need no Armies for defeat Nor for protection be at charge of Law 35. But more than Heav'ns Men Mans authoritie Though envy'd use because more understood For but for that Life's Utensils would be In Markets as in Camps the price of blood 36. Since the Worlds safety we in greatness find And pow'r divided is from greatness gone Save we the World though to our selves unkind By both endang'ring to establish one 37. Nor these who kindle with my wrongs their rage Nor those bold Youth who warmly you attend Our distant Camps by action shall ingage But we our own great cause will singly end 38. Back to your noble Hunters strait retire And I to those who would those Hunters chace Let us perswade their fury to expire And give obediently our anger place 39. Like unconcern'd Spectatours let them stand And be by sacred vow to distance bound Whilst their lov'd Leaders by our strict command As patient witnesses approach this ground 40. Where with no more defensive Arms than was By Nature ment us who ordain'd Men Friends We will on foot determine our great cause On which the Lombards doubtfull peace depends 41. The Duke full low did bow and soon obay Confess'd his honour he transcendent finds Said he their persons might a meaner way With ods have aw'd but this subdues their Minds 42. Now wing'd with hope they to their Troops return Oswald his old grave Brescians makes retire Lest if too near though like slow Match they burn The Dukes rash Youth like Powder might take fire 43. First with their noble Chiefs they treat aside Plead it humanity to bleed alone And term it needless cruelty and pride With others Sacrifice to grace their own 44. Then to their Troops gave their resolv'd command Not to assist through anger nor remorse Who seem'd more willing patiently to stand Because each side presum'd their Champions force 45. Now near that ground ordain'd by them and Fate To be the last where one or both must tread Their chosen Judges they appoint to wait Who thither were like griev'd Spectatours led 46. These from the distant Troops far sever'd are And near their Chiefs divided Stations take Who strait uncloath and for such deeds prepare By which strip'd Souls their fleshy Robes forsake 47. But Hubert now advanc'd and cry'd aloud I will not trust uncertain Destinie Which may obscurely kill me in a Crowd That here have pow'r in publick view to die 48. Oswald my Brother is If any dare Think Gondibert's great name more Kingly sounds Let him alight and he shall leave the care Of chusing Monarchs to attend his wounds 49. This Hurgonil receiv'd with greedy Ear Told him his summons boldly did express That he had little judgement whom to fear And in the choice of Kings his skill was less 50. With equal haste they then alight and met Where both their Chiefs in preparation stood Whilst Paradine and furious Dargonet Cry'd out we are of Oswald's Princely blood 51. Are there not yet two more so fond of same So true to Gondibert or Love's commands As to esteem it an unpleasant shame With idle eyes to look on busie hands 52. Such haste makes Beauty when it Youth forsakes And day from Travellers when it does set As Arnold to proud Paradine now makes And little Hugo to tall Dargonet 53. The bloudy Borgio who with anguish stay'd And check'd his rage till these of Oswald's Race By wish'd example their brave Challenge made Now like his curb'd Steed foaming shifts his place 54. And thus with haste and choler hoarse he spake Who e're amongst you thinks we destin'd are To serve that King your Courtly Camp shall make Falsly he loves nor is his Lady fair 55. This scarce could urge the temp'rate Tybalts fire Who said When Fate shall Aribert remove As ill then wilt thou judge who should aspire As who is fair that art too rude to love 56. But scarce had this reply reach'd Borgio's Ear When Goltho louder cry'd what ere he be Dares think her foul who hath a Lover here Though Love I never knew shall now know me 57. Grave Tybalt who had laid an early'r claim To this defiance much distemper'd grows And Goltho's forward Youth would sharply blame But that old Vasco thus did interpose 58. That Boy who makes such haste to meet his fate And fears he may as if he knew it good Through others pride of danger come too late Shall read it strait ill written in his blood 59. Let Empire fall when we must Monarchs choose By what unpractis'd Childhood shall approve And in tame peace let us our Manhood loose When Boys yet wet with milk discourse of Love 60. As bashfull Maids blush as if justly blam'd When forc'd to suffer some indecent Tongue So Goltho blush'd whom Vasco made asham'd As if he could offend by being young 61. But instantly offended bashfulness Does to a brave and beauteous anger turn Which he in younger flames did so express That scarce old Vasco's Embers seem'd to burn 62. The Princes knew in this new kindled rage Opinion might which like unlucky wind Sate right to make it spread their Troops engage And therefore Oswald thus proclaim'd his-mind 63. Seem we already dead that to our words As to the last requests men dying make Your love but Mourners short respect affords And ere interr'd you our commands forsake 64. We chose you Judges of our needfull strife Such whom the world grown faithless might esteem As weighty witnesses of parting life But you are those we dying must condemn 65. Are we become such worthless sacrifice As cannot to the Lombards Heav'n atone Unless your added blood make up the price As if you thought it worthier than our own 66. Our fame which should survive before us die And let since in our presence disobay d Renown of pow'r like that of beauty flie From knowledge rather than be known decay'd 67. This when with rev'rence heard it would have made Old Armies melt to mark at what a rate They spent their Hearts and Eyes kindly afraid To be omitted in their Gen'rals fate
Since love woo'd him and in the shape of Pow'r 78. But when he mark'd that he did from them move With sudden shyness he suppos'd it shame Of being seen in chase of Birtha's love As if above it grown since Orgo came 79. Goltho by nature was of Musick made Chearfull as Victors warm in their success He seem'd like Birds created to be glad And nought but love could make him taste distress 80. Hope which our cautious Age scarce entertains Or as a Flatt'rer gives her cold respect He runs to meet invites her and complains Of one hours absence as a years neglect 81. Hope the world 's welcome and his standing Guest Fed by the Rich but feasted by the Poor Hope that did come in triumph to his breast He thus presents in boast to Ulfinore 82. Well may I Friend auspicious Love adore Seeing my mighty Rival takes no pride To be with Birtha seen and he before Thou knowst enjoyn'd that I his love should hide 83. Nor do I break his trust when 't is reveal'd To thee since we are now so much the same That when from thee it is from me conceal'd For we admit no diff'rence but in name 84. But be it still from ev'ry other Ear Preserv'd and strictly by our mutual vow His Laws are still to my obedience dear Who was my Gen'ral though my Rival now 85. And well thou knowst how much mine Eyes did melt When our great Leader they did first perceive Love's Captive led whose sorrows then I felt Though now for greater of mine own I grieve 86. Nor do I now by love in duty erre For if I get what he would fain possess Then he a Monarch is and I preferre Him who undoes the world in being less 87. When Heav'n which hath preferr'd me to thy brest Where Friendship is inthron'd shall make it known That I am worth thy love which is exprest By making Heav'nly Birtha all mine own 88. Then at this quiet Eden thou wilt call And stay a while to mark if Love 's prais'd Plant Have after Spring a ripeness and a Fall Or never of the first abundance want 89. And I shall tell thee then if Poets are In using Beauty's Pencil false or blind For they have Birtha drawn but sweet and fair Stiles of her Face the Curtain of her Mind 90. And thou at parting shalt her picture wear For Nature's honour not to shew my pride Try if like her the teeming World does bear Then bring that Copy hither for thy Bride 91. And they shall love as quietly as we Their Beauty's pow'r no civil War will raise But flourish and like neighb'ring Flow'rs agree Unless they kindly quarrel in our praise 92. Then we for change will leave such luscious peace In Camps their Favours shall our Helms adorn For we can no way else our joys increase But by beholding theirs at our return 93. Thus cloath'd in Feathers heâ—on Steeples walks Not guessing yet that silent Ulfinore Had study'd her of whom he loosly talks And what he likes did solidly adore 94. But Ulfinore with cold discretion aw'd His passion and did grave with Love become Though youthfully he sent his Eyes abroad Yet kept with manly care his Tongue at home 95. These Rival's hopes he did with patience hear His count'nance not uneasie seem'd nor strange Yet meant his cares should more like Love appear If in the Duke Ambition bred a change 96. But as the Duke shun'd them for secrecy So now they from approaching Orgâ— move Made by Discretion Love's strict Tutor shy Which is to Lovers painfull as their Love 97. But Orgo they did ill suspect whose Youth And nature yielded Lovers no offence Us'd by his Lord for kindness and for truth Both native in him as his innocence 98. And here pass'd by in haste to Court employ'd That Birtha may no more have cause to mourn Full was his little Breast and over-joy'd That much depended on his quick return 99. Many like Orgo in their Manhoods Morn As Pages did the Noble Duke attend The Sons of Chiess whom beauty did adorn And fairer Virtue did that beauty mend 100. These in his Heroe's Schools he bred which were In Peace his Palace and in War his Tent As if Time's self had read sage Lecture there How he would have his hours Life's Treasure spent 101. No action though to shorten dreaded war Nor needfull Counsels though to lengthen Peace Nor Love of which wise Nature takes such care Could from this usefull work his cares release 102. But with the early Sun he rose and taught These Youths by growing virtue to grow great Shew'd greatness is without it blindly sought A desp'rate charge which ends in base retreat 103. He taught them shame the sudden sence of ill Shame Nature's hasty Conscience which forbids Weak inclination ere it grow to will And stays rash will before it grow to deeds 104. He taught them Honour Virtue 's bashfulness A Fort so yieldless that it fears to treat Like Pow'r it grows to nothing growing less Honour the moral Conscience of the Great 105. He taught them kindness Souls civilitie In which nor Courts nor Cities have a part For theirs is fashion this from falshood free Where Love and pleasure know no Lust nor Art 106. And Love he taught the Soul 's stoln Visit made Though froward Age watch hard and Law forbid Her walks no Spie has trac'd nor mountain staid Her friendship's cause is as the Loadstone's hid 107. He taught them love of Toyl Toyl which does keep Obstructions from the Mind and quench the bloud Ease but belongs to us like sleep and sleep Like Opium is our Med'cine not our Food 108. To dangers us'd them which Death's Visards are More uglie than himself and often chace From Battel Coward-life but when we dare His Vizard see we never fear his face CANTO the Third The ARGUMENT The Poet takes the Wise aside to prove Ev'n them concern'd in all he writes of Love The duteous ORGO from the Court returns With joys at which again fair BIRTHA mourns The Duke with open Arms does entertain Those Guests whom he receives with secret pain 1. THou whom some Ages hence these Roles dost read Kept as Records by Lovers of Love's pow'r Thou who dost live when I have long been dead And feed'st from Earth when Earth does me devour 2. Who liv'st perhaps amidst some Cities joys Where they would fall asleep with Lazie peace But that their triumphs make so great a noise And their loud Bells cannot for Nuptials cease 3. Thou who perhaps proudly thy bloomie Bride Lead'st to some Temple where I withered lie Proudly as if she Age's Frosts desy'd And that thy springing self could never die 4. Thou to whom then the chearfull Quire will sing Whilst hallow'd Lamps and Tapers brave the Sun As a Lay-Light and Bells in triumph ring As when from sallies the Besiegers run 5. Then when the Priest has ended if thine Eyes Can but a little space her Eyes
Scene at home in their own Countrey so much they avoid those remote Regions of Heaven and Hell as if the People whom they make civil by an easie communication with reason and familiar reason is that which is call'd the civility of the Stage were become more discreet than to have their eyes perswaded by the descending of Gods in gay Clouds and more manly than to be frighted with the rising of Ghosts in Smoke Tasso who reviv'd the Heroick flame after it was many Ages quench'd is held both in time and merit the first of the Moderns an honour by which he gains not much because the number he excells must needs be few which affords but one fit to succeed him for I will yield to their opinion who permit not Ariosto no nor Du Bartas in this eminent rank of the Heroicks rather than to make way by their admission for Dante Marino and others Tasso's honour too is chiefly allow'd him where he most endeavours to make Virgil his Pattern And again when we conâ—ider from whom Virgil's spirit is derived we may observe how rarely humane excellence is found for Heroick Poesie which if it exact in it self yields not to any other humane work flow'd but in few and even those streams descended but from one Grecian Spring and 't is with original Poems as with the Original Pieces of Painters whose Copies abare the excessive price of the first Hand But Tasso though he came late into the world must have his share in that Critical War which never ceases amongst the Learned and he seems most unfortunate because his errours which are deriv'd from the Ancients when examin'd grow in a great degree excusable in them and by being his admit no pardon Such as are his Councel assembled in Heaven his Witches Expeditions through the Air and enchanted Woods inhabited with Ghosts For though the elder Poets which were then the sacred Priests fed the World with supernatural Tales and so compounded the Religion of Pleasure and Mysterie two Ingredients which never fail'd to work upon the People whilest for the eternity of their Chiefs more refin'd by education they surely intended no such vain provision Yet a Christian Poet whose Religion little needs the aids of Invention hath less occasion to imitate such Fables as meanly illustrate a probable Heaven by the fashion and dignity of Courts and make a resemblance of Hell out of the Dreams of frighted Women by which they continue and increase the melancholy mistakes of the People Spencer may stand here as the last of this short File of Heroick Poets Men whose intellectuals were of so great a making though some have thought them lyable to those few Censures we have mentioned as perhaps they will in worthy memory out-last even Makers of Laws and Founders of Empires and all but such as must therefore live equally with them because they have recorded their names and consequently with their own hands led them to the Temple of Fame And since we have dar'd to remember those exceptions which the Curious have against them it will not be expected I should forget what is objected against spencer whose obsolete Language we are constrained to mention though it be grown the most vulgar accusation that is laid to his charge Language which is the onely Creature of Man's creation hath like a Plant seasons of flourishing and decay like Plants is remov'd from one soyl to another and by being so transplanted doth often gather vigour and increase But as it is false husbandrie to graft old branches upon young stocks so we may wonder that our Language not long before his time created out of a confusion of others then beginning to flourish like a new Plant should as helps to its increase receive from his hand new grafts of old wither'd words But this vulgar exception shall onely have the vulgar excuse which is that the unlucky choice of his Stanza hath by repitition of Rhime brought him to the necessity of many exploded words If we proceed from his Language to his Argument we must observe with others that his noble and most artfull hands deserv'd to be employed upon matter of a more natural and therefore of a more usefull kind His allegorical Story by many held defective in the connexion resembling me thinks a continuance of extraordinarie Dreams such as excellent Poets and Painters by being over-studious may have in the beginning of Feavers And those moral visions are just of so much use to humane application as painted History when with the cousenage of lights it is represented in Scenes by which we are much less informed than by actions on the Stage Thus Sir I have perhaps taken pains to make you think me malicious in observing how far the Curious have look'd into the errours of others Errours which the natural humour of imitation hath made so like in all even from Homer to Spencer as the accusations against the first appear but little more than repitition in every process against the rest and comparing the resemblance of errour in persons of one generation to that which is in those of another age we may find it exceeds not any where notoriously the ordinary proportion Such limits to the progress of every thing even of worthiness as well as defect doth imitation give for whilest we imitate others we can no more excel them than he that sayls by others Maps can make a new discovery and to Imitation Nature which is the onely visible power and operation of God perhaps doth needfully enclineus to keep us from excesses For though every man be capable of worthiness and unworthiness as they are defined by Opinion yet no man is built strong enough to bear the extremities of either without unloading himself upon others shoulders even to the weariness of many If courage be worthiness yet where it is over-grown into extreams it becomes as wilde and hurtfull as ambition and so what was reverenced for protection grows to be abhorr'd for oppression If Learning which is not Knowledge but a continu'd Sayling by fantastick and uncertain winds towards it be worthiness yet it hath bounds in all Philosophers and Nature that measur'd those bounds seems not so partial as to allow it in any one a much larger extent than in another as if in our fleshly building she consider'd the furniture and the room alike and together for as the compass of Diadems commonly fits the whole succession of those Kings that wear them so throughout the whole World a very few inches may distinguish the circumference of the heads of their Subjects Nor need we repine that Nature hath not some Favorites to whom she doth dispence this Treasure Knowledge with a prodigious Liberality For as there is no one that can be said vastly to exceed all mankind so divers that have in learning transcended all in some one Province have corrupted many with that great quantity of false gold and the authority of their stronger Science hath often serv'd to
brought before the meat to raise an expectation but to satisfie the longing curiosity of the Guests And that which I have call'd my Argument is onely meant as an assistance to the Readers memory by containing brief hints such as if all the Arguments were successively read would make him easily remember the mutual dependancies of the general design yet each rather mentions every person acting than their actions But he is very unskilfull that by Narratives before an Historical Poem prevents expectation for so he comes to have as little success over the Reader whom the Writer should surprize and as it were keep prisoner for a time as he hath on his Enemies who commanding a party out to take them and commonly Readers are justly Enemies to Writers imparts openly the design ere he begins the action Or he may be said to be as unluckily officious as he that leads a wooing to a Mistress one that already hath newly enjoy'd her I shall say a little why I have chosen my inter-woven Stanza of four though I am not oblig'd to excuse the choice for numbers in Verse must like distinct kinds of Musick be expos'd to the uncertain and different taste of several Ears Yet I may declare that I believ'd it would be more pleasant to the Reader in a Work of length to give this respite or pause between every Stanza having endeavour'd that each should contain a period than to run him out of breath with continu'd Couplets Nor doth alternate Rhyme by any lowliness of cadence make the sound less Heroick but rather adapt it to a plain and stately composing of Musick and the brevity of the Stanza renders it less subtile to the Composer and more easie to the Singer which in stilo recitativo when the Story is long is chiefly requisite And this was indeed if I shall not betray vanity in my Confession the reason that prevail'd most towards my choice of this Stanza and my division of the main work into Canto's every Canto including a sufficient accomplishment of some worthy design or action for I had so much heat which you Sir may call pride since pride may be allow'd in Pegasus if it be a praise to other Horses as to presume they might like the Works of Homer ere they were joyn'd together and made a Volume by the Athenian King be sung at Village-feasts though not to Monarchs after Victory nor to Armies before battel For so as an inspiration of glory into the one and of valour into the other did Homer's Spirit long after his bodies rest wander in musick about Greece Thus you have the Model of what I have already built or shall hereafter joyn to the same frame If I be accus'd of Innovation or to have transgress'd against the method of the Ancients I shall think my self secure in believing that a Poet who hath wrought with his own instruments at a new design is no more answerable for disobedience to Predecessours than Law-makers are lyable to those old Laws which themselves have repealed Having describ'd the outward frame the large rooms within the lesser conveyances and now the furniture it were orderly to let you examine the matter of which that furniture is made But though every Owner who hath the Vanity to shew his ornament or Hangings must endure the curiosity and censure of him that beholds them yet I shall not give you the trouble of enquiring what is but tell you of what I design'd their substance which is Wit And Wit is the laborious and the lucky resultances of Thought having towards its excellence as we say of the strokes of Painting as well a happiness as care It is a Web consisting of the subt'lest threds and like that of the Spider is considerately woven out of our selves for a Spider may be said to consider not onely respecting his solemness and tacit posture like a grave Scout in ambush for his Enemy but because all things done are either from consideration or chance and the work of Chance are accomplishments of an instant having commonly a dissimilitude but hers are the works of time and have their contextures alike Wit is not onely the luck and labour but also the dexteritie of thought rounding the world like the Sun with unimaginable motion and bringing swiftly home to the memorie universal surveys It is the Souls Powder which when supprest as forbidden from flying upward blows up the restraint and loseth all force in a farther ascension towards Heaven the region of God and yet by nature is much less able to make any inquisition downward towards Hell the Cel of the Devil but breaks through all about it as far as the utmost it can reach removes uncovers makes way for Light where Darkness was inclos'd till great bodies are more examinable by being scatter'd into parcels and till all that find its strength but most of mankind are strangers to Wit as Indians are to Powder worship it for the effects as deriv'd from the Deitie It is in Divines Humilitie Exemplariness and Moderation in States-men Gravitie Vigilance Benign Complacencie Secrecie Patience and Dispatch in Leaders of Armies Valor Painfulness Temperance Bountie Dexteritie in Punishing and Rewarding and a sacred Certitude of Promise It is in Poets a full comprehension of all recited in all these and an abilitie to bring those comprehensions into action when they shall so far forget the true measure of what is of greatest consequence to humanitie which are things righteous pleasant and usefull as to think the delights of Greatness equal to that of Poesie or the Chiefs of any Profession more necessary to the world than excellent Poets Lastly though Wit be not the envie of ignorant Men 't is often of evil States-men and of all such imperfect great spirits as have it in a less degree than Poets for though no man envies the excellencie of that which in no proportion he ever tasted as men cannot be said to envie the condition of Angels yet we may say the Devil envies the Supremacie of God because he was in some degree partaker of his glory That which is not yet is accounted Wit I will but sleightly remember which seems very incident to imperfect youth and sickly age Young men as if they were not quite deliver'd from Childhood whose first exercise is Language imagine it consists in the Musick of Words and believe they are made wise by refining their speech above the vulgar Dialect which is a mistake almost as great as that of the people who think Orators which is a title that crowns at riper years those that have practis'd the dexteritie of tongue the ablest men who are indeed so much more unapt for governing as they are more fit for Sedition and it may be said of them as of the Witches of Norway who can sell a Storm for a Dollar which for Ten Thousand they cannot allay From the esteem of speaking they proceed to the admiration of what are commonly call'd Conceits things that sound
like the knacks or toys of ordinarie Epigrammatists and from thence after more conversation and varietie of objects grow up to some force of Fancie Yet even then like young Hawks they stray and flie far off using their libertie as if they would nere return to the Lure and often go at check ere they can make a stedie view and know their game Old men that have forgot their first Childhood and are returning to their second think it lies in agnominations and in a kind of an alike tinkling of words or else in a grave telling of wonderfull things or in comparing of times without a discover'd partialitie which they perform so ill by favouring the past that as 't is observ'd if the bodies of men should grow less though but an unmeasurable proportion in Seven years yet reckoning from the Floud they would not remain in the Stature of Frogs So if States and particular persons had impair'd in government and increas'd in wickedness proportionably to what Old men affirm they have done from their own infancie to their age all publick Policie had been long since Confusion and the congregated World would not suffice now to people a Village The last thing they suppose to be Wit is their bitter Morals when they almost declare themselves Enemies to Youth Beautie by which severitie they seem cruel as Herod when he surpris'd the sleeping Children of Bethlem for Youth is so far from wanting Enemies that it is mortally its own so unpractis'd that it is everywhere cosen'd more than a stranger among Jews hath an infirmitie of sight more hurtfull than Blindness to Blind men for though it cannot chuse the way it scorns to be led And Beautie though many call themselves her Friends hath few but such as are false to her Though the World sets her in a Throne yet all about her even her gravest Counsellors are Traytors though not in conspiracie yet in their distinct designs and to make her certain not onely of distress but ruin she is ever pursu'd by her most cruel enemie the great Destroyer Time But I will proceed no farther upon old men nor in recording mistakes lest finding so many more than there be Verities we might believe we walk in as great obscurity as the Egyptians when Darkness was their Plague Nor will I presume to call the matter of which the Ornaments or Substantial parts of this Poem-are compos'd Wit but onely tell you my endeavour was in bringing Truth too often absent home to mens bosoms to lead her through unfrequented and new ways and from the most remote Shades by representing Nature though not in an affected yet in an usual dress 'T is now fit after I have given you so long a survay of the Building to render you some accompt of the Builder that you may know by what time pains and assistants I have proceeded or may hereafter finish my work and in this I shall take occasion to accuse and condemn as papers unworthy of light all those hastie digestions of thought which were published in my Youth a sentence not pronounc'd out of melancholly rigour but from a cheerfull obedience to the just authoritie of experience For that grave Mistress of the World Experience in whose profitable School those before the Floud stay'd long but we like wanton children come thither late yet too soon are call'd out of it and fetch'd home by Death hath taught me that the engenderings of unripe age become abortive and deform'd and that after obtaining more years those must needs prophesie with ill success who make use of their Visions in Wine That when the ancient Poets were valu'd as Prophets they were long and painfull in watching the correspondence of Causes ere they presum'd to foretel effects and that 't is a high pesumption to entertain a Nation who are Poets standing Guest and require Monarchical respect with hastie provisions as if a Poet might imitate a familiar dispatch of Faulkoners mount his Pegasus unhood his Muse and with a few flights boast he hath provided a feast for a Prince Such posting upon Pegasus I have long since forborn and during my Journey in this Work have mov'd with a slow pace that I might make my survays as one that travelled not bring home the names but the proportion and nature of things and in this I am made wise by two great examples for the friends of Virgil acknoledge he was many years in doing honour to Aeneas still contracting at night into a closer force the abundance of his morning strengths and Statius rather seems to boast than blush when he confesses he was twice Seven in renowning the War between Argos and Thebes Next to the usefulness of Time which here implies ripe age I believ'd pains most requisite to this undertaking for though painfulness in Poets according to the usual negligence of our Nation in Examining and their diligence to censure seems always to discover a want of natural force and is traduc'd as if Poesie concern'd the World no more than Dancing whose onely grace is the quickness and facilitie of motion and whole perfection is not of such publick consequence that any man can merit much by attaining it with long labour yet let them consider and they will find nor can I stay long ere I convince them in the important use of Poesie the natural force of a Poet more apparent by but confessing that great forces ask great labour in managing than by an arrogant braving the World when he enters the field with his undisciplin'd first thoughts For a wise Poet like a wise General will not shew his strengths till they are in exact government and order which are not the postures of chance but proceed from Vigilance and Labour Yet to such painfull Poets some upbraid the want of extemporary fury or rather inspiration a dangerous word which many have of late successfully us'd and inspiration is a spiritual Fit deriv'd from the ancient Ethnick Poets who then as they were Priests were States-men too and probably lov'd dominion and as their well dissembling of Inspiration begot them reverence then equal to that which was paid to Laws so these who now profess the same fury may perhaps by such authentick example pretend authoritie over the people It being not unreasonable to imagine they rather imitate the Greek Poets than the Hebrew Prophets since the later were inspir'd for the use of others and these like the former prophesie for themselves But though the ancient Poets are excus'd as knowing the weak constitution of those Deities from whom they took their Priesthood and the frequent necessitie of dissembling for the ease of Government yet these who also from the chief to the meanest are States-men and Priests but have not the luck to be Poets should not assume such saucie familiaritie with a true God From the time and labour requir'd to my Poem let me proceed to my Assistants by which I shall not so much attest my own weakness as
discover the difficulties and greatness of such a work For when Solomon made use of his Neighbours towards his Building he lost no reputation nor by demanding those aids was thought a lesser Prince but rather publish'd his Wisdom in rightly understanding the vast extent of his enterprise Who likewise with as much glorie made use of Fellers of Wood and Hewers of Stone as of learned Architects Nor have I refrain'd to be oblig'd to men of any Science as well mechanical as liberal Nor when Memorie from that various and plentifull stock with which all observers are furnish'd that have had diversitie of life presented me by chance with any figure did I lay it aside as useless because at that instant I was not skilfull to manage it artfully but I have staid and recorded such objects till by consulting with right Masters I have dispos'd of them without mistake It being no more shame to get Learning at that very time and from the same Text when and by which we instruct others than for a froward Scout discovering the Enemie to save his own life at a pass where he then teaches his Partie to escape In remembring mine own helps I have consider'd those which others in the same necessitie have taken and find that Writers contrarie to my inclination are apter to be beholding to Books than to Men not onely as the first are more in their possessions being more constant Companions than dearest friends but because they commonly make such use of treasure found in Books as of other treasure belonging to the Dead and hidden under ground for they dispose of both with great secrecie defacing the shape or images of the one as much as of the other through fear of having the original of their stealth or abundance discover'd And the next cause why Writers are more in Libraries than in company is that Books are easily open'd and learned men are usually shut up by a froward or envious humour of retention or else unfold themselves so as we may read more of their weakness and vanitie than Wisdom imitating the Holy-day-custom in great Cities where the shops of Chaundrie and slight wares are familiarly open but those of solid and staple merchandise are proudly lock'd up Nor indeed can it be expected that all great Doctors are of so benign a nature as to take pains in gaining treasure of which Knowledge is the greatest with intent to inrich others so easily as if they stood every where with their Pockets spred ready to be pickt nor can we read of any Father who so far and secretly adopted his Son to a Book of his own writing as that his Son might be thought Authour of that written Wit as much as his Father was Authour of him Nor of any Husband that to his darling Wife would so far surrender his Wisdom as that in publique he could endure to let her use his Dictates as if she would have others think her wiser than himself By this rememberance of that usual parsimony in owners of Wit towards such as would make use of their plenty I lament the fortune of others and may wish the Reader to congratulate mine For I have found Friends as ready as Books to regulate my conceptions or make them more correct easie and apparent But though I am become so wise by knowing my self as to believe the thoughts of divers transcend the best which I have written yet I have admitted from no man any change of my Design nor very seldom of my sense For I resolv'd to have this Poem subsist and continue throughout with the same complexion and spirit though it appear but like a plain Family of a neighbourly alliance who marry into the same moderate quality and garb and are fearfull of introducing strangers of greater rank lest the shining presence of such might seem to upbraid and put all about them out of countenance And now Sir that the Reader may whom Writers are â—ain to court draw in and keep with artifice so shy men grow of Books believe me worthy of him I cannot forbear to thank you in publick for examining correcting and allowing this Poem in parcels ere it arriv'd at the contexture by which you have perform'd the just degrees of proceeding with Poets who during the gayety and wantonness of the Muse are but as children to Philosophers though of some Giant race whose first thoughts wilde and roaming far off must be brought home watch'd and interâ—ogated and after they are made more regular be encourag'd and prais'd for doing well that they may delight in aiming at perfection By such a Method the Muse is taught to become Master of her own and others strength and who is he so learn'd how proud soever with being cherish'd in the bosom of Fame that can hope when through the several ways of Science he seeks Nature in her hidden walks to make his Journey short unless he call you to be his Guide and who so guided can suspect his safety even when he travels through the Enemie's Countrey for such is the vast field of Learning where the Learned though not numerous enough to be an Army lye as small Parties maliciously in Ambush to destroy all new Men that look into their Quarters And from such you and those you lead are secure because you move not by common Maps but have painfully made your own Prospect and travel now like the Sun not to inform your self but enlighten the world And likewise when by the strict survey and Government that hath been had over this Poem I shall think to govern the Reader who though he be noble may perhaps judge of supream Power like a very Commoner and rather approve authority when it is in many than in one I must acquaint him that you had not alone the trouble of establishing and destroying but enjoy'd your intervals and ease by Two Colleagues Two that are worthy to follow you into the Closets of Princes if the knowledge of Men past of whom Books are the remaining minds or of the present of whom Conversation is the usefull and lawfull Spie may make up such greatness as is fit for great Courts or if the rays that proceed from the Poetick Planet be not a little too strong for the sight of modern Monarchs who now are too seldom taught in their youth like Eaglets to fortifie their eyes by often soaring near the Sun And though this be here but my testimony it is too late for any of you to disclaim it for since you have made it valid by giving yours of GONDIBERT under your hands you must be content to be us'd by me as Princes are by their preferr'd Subjects who in the very act of taking honour return it to the Giver as benefits receiv'd by the creature manifest the power and redound to the glory of the Creator I am now Sir to your great comfort that have been thus ill and long diverted arriv'd at my last consideration which is to satisfie those
that hath wide possessions and priority over them as in some few places but when restrain'd in narrow dominion where no body commands and hinders their nature they quarrel like Cocks in a Pit the Sun in a days travel there sees more battels but not of consequence because their Kings though many are little than in Europe in a Year To Leaders of Armies as to very necessary Men whose Office requires the uttermost aids of Art and Nature and rescues the sword of Justice when 't is wrested from supream Power by Commotion I am now address'd and must put them in mind though not upbraidingly how much their Mighty Predecessours were anciently oblig'd to Poets whose Songs recording the praises of Conduct and Valour were esteem'd the chiefest rewards of Victory And since Nature hath made us prone to Imitation by which we equal the best or the worst how much those Images of Action prevail upon our minds which are delightfully drawn by Poets For the greatest of the Grecian Captains have confess'd that their Counsels have been made wise and their Courages warm by Homer and since Praise is a pleasure which God hath invited and with which he often vouchsaf'd to be pleas'd when it was sent him by his own Poet why is it not lawfull for virtuous men to be cherish'd and magnify'd with hearing their Vigilance Valour and good Fortune the latter being more the immediate gift of Heaven because the effect of an unknown Cause commended and made eternal in Poesie But perhaps the Art of praising Armies into great and instant action by singing their former deeds an Art with which the Ancients made Empire so large is too subtle for modern Leaders who as they cannot reach the heights of Poesie must be content with a narrow space of Dominion and narrow Dominion breeds evil peevish and vexatious minds and a National self-opinion like simple Jewish arrogance and the Jews were extraordinarie proud in a very little Countrey For men in contracted governments are but a kind of Prisoners and Prisoners by long restraint grow wicked malitious to all abroad and foolish esteemers of themselves as if they had wrong in not enjoying every thing which they can onely see out of Windows Our last application is to States-men and makers of Laws who may be reasonably reduc'd to one since the second differ no more from the first than Judges the Copies of Law-makers differ from their Originals For Judges like all bold Interpreters by often altering the Text make it quite new and States-men who differ not from Law-makers in the act but in the manner of doing make new Laws presumptuously without the consent of the people but Legislators more civilly seem to whistle to the Beast and stroak him into the Yoak and in the Yoak of State the people with too much pampering grow soon unruly and draw awrie Yet States-men and Judges whose business is Governing and the thing to be Govern'd is the People have amongst us we being more proud and mistaken than any other famous Nation look'd gravely upon Poetrie and with a negligence that betray'd a Northerly ignorance as if they believ'd they could perform the work without it But Poets who with wise diligence studie the People and have in all ages by an insensible influence govern'd their manners may justly smile when they perceive that Divines Leaders of Armies States-men Judges think Religion the Sword or which is unwritten Law and a secret Confederacie of Chiefs Policie or Law which is written but seldom rightly read can give without the help of the Muses a long and quiet satisfaction in government For Religion is to the wicked and saithless who are many a jurisdiction against which they readily rebel because it rules severely yet promiseth no worldly recompence for obedience obedience being by every humane Power invited with assurances of visible advantage The good who are but few need not the power of Religion to make them better the power of Religion proceeding from her threatnings which though mean weapons are fitly us'd since she hath none but base Enemies We may observe too that all Virtuous men are so taken up with the rewards of Heaven that they live as if out of the World and no government receives assistance from any man meerly as he is good but as that goodness is active in temporal things The Sword is in the hand of Justice no guard to Government but then when Justice hath an Army for her own defence and Armies if they were not pervertible by Faction yet are to Common-wealths like Kings Physitians to poor Patients who buy the cure of their disorder'd bodies at so high a rate that they may be said to change their Sickness for Famin. Policie I mean of the Living not of the Dead the one being the last rules or designs governing the Instant the other those laws that began Empire is as mortal as States-men themselves whose incessant labours make that Hectick seaver of the mind which insensibly dispatches the Bodie and when we trace States-men through all the Histories of Courts we find their Inventions so unnecessarie to those that succeed at the Helm or so much envi'd as they scarce last in authoritie till the Inventors are buried and change of Designs in States-men their designs being the weapons by which States are defended grows as distructive to Government as a continual change of various weapons into Armies which must receive with ruin any sudden assault when want of practice makes unactiveness We cannot urge that the ambition of Statesmen who are obnoxious to the people doth much disorder Government because the peoples anger by a perpetual coming in of new Oppressours is so diverted in considering those whom their Eyes but lately left as they have not time enough to rise for the Publick and evil successors to power are in the troubled stream of State like succeeding Tides in Rivers where the Mud of the former is hidden by the filth of the last Laws if very ancient grow as doubtfull and difficult as Letters on buried Marble which onely Antiquaries read but if not Old they want that reverence which is therefore paid to the virtues of Ancestors because their crimes come not to our remembrance and yet great men must be long dead whose ills are forgotten If Laws be New they must be made either by very Angels or by Men that have some vices and those being seen make their Virtues suspected for the People no more esteem able men whose defects they know though but errors incident to Humanitie than an Enemie values a strong Army having experience of their Errors And new Laws are held but the projects of necessitous Power new Nets spred to intangle Us the Old being accounted too many since most are believ'd to be made for Forfeitures and such letting of bloud though intended by Law-makers for our health is to the People always out of Season for those that love life with too much Passion and Money is the
Life-bloud of the People ever fear a Consumption But be Law-makers as able as Nature or Experience which is the best Art can make them yet though I will not yield the Wicked to be wiser than the Virtuous I may say offences are too hard for the Laws as some Beasts are too wily for their Hunters and that Vice over-grows Virtue as much as Weeds grow faster than Medicinable Herbs or rather that Sin like the fruitfull slime of Nilus doth increase into so many various shapes of Serpents whose walks and retreats are winding and unknown that even Justice the painfull pursuer of Mischief is become wearie and amaz'd After these meditations me thinks Government resembles a Ship where though Divines Leaders of Armies States-men and Judges are the trusted Pilots yet it moves by the means of winds as uncertain as the breath of Opinion and is laden with the People a Fraight much loosser and more dangerous than any other living Stowage being as troublesom in fair weather as Horses in a Storm And how can these Pilots stedily maintain their course to the Land of Peace and Plentie since they are often divided at the Helm For Divines when they consider great Chiefs suppose Armies to be sent from God for a temporarie Plague not for continual Jurisdiction and that Gods extream punishments of which Armies be the most violent are ordain'd to have no more lastingness than extreams in Nature They think when they consider States-men Policie hath nothing of the Dove and being all Serpent is more dangerous than the dangers it pretends to prevent and that out-witting by falshood and corruption adverse States or the People though the People be often the greater enemie and more perilsom being nearest is but giving reputation to Sin and that to maintain the Publick by politick evils is a base prostitution of Religion and the prostitution of Religion is that unpardonable whordom which so much anger'd the Prophets They think Law nothing but the Bible forcibly usurp'd by covetous Lawyers and disguis'd in a Paraphrase more obscure than the Text and that 't is onely want of just reverence to Religion which doth expose us to the charges and vexations of Law The Leaders of Armies accuse Divines for unwisely raising the War of the World by opposite Doctrine and for being more indiscreet in thinking to appease it by perswasion forgetting that the dispatchfull ending of War is blows and that the natural region for Disputes when Nations are engag'd though by Religion is the Field of Battel not Schools and Academies which they believe by their restless controversies less civil than Camps as intestine Quarrel is held more barbarous than forreign War They think States-men to them unless dignifi'd with militarie Office but mean Spies that like African Foxes who attend on Lions ranging before and about for their valiant prey shrink back till the danger be subdu'd and then with insatiate hunger come in for a share Yet sometimes with the Eye of Envie which enlarges objects like a multiplying glass they behold these States-men and think them immense as Whales the motion of whose vast bodies can in a peacefull calm trouble the Ocean till it boyl After a little hastie wonder they consider them again with disdain of their low constraints at Court where they must patiently endure the little follies of such small Favourites as wait even near the wisest Thrones so fantastically weak seem Monarchs in the sickness of Care a feaver in the head when for the humorous pleasure of Diversitie they descenâ— from purple Beds and seek their ease upon the ground These great Leaders say also that Law moves slowly as with fetter'd feet and is too tedious in redress of wrongs whilst in Armies Justice seems to ride post and overtakes Offenders ere the contagion of crimes can infect others and though in Courts and Cities great men fence often with her and with a forcive sleight put by her sword yet when she retires to Camps she is in a posture not onely to punish the offences of particular Greatness but of injurious Nations States-men look on Divines as men whose long solitude and Meditations on Heaven hath made them Strangers upon Earth and 't is acquaintance with the World and knowledge of Man that makes abilities of Ruling for though it may be said that a sufficient belief of Doctrine would beget Obedience which is the uttermost design of Governing yet since diversitie of Doctrine doth distract all Auditors and makes them doubtfully dispose their obedience even towards spiritual powers on which many would have the temporal depend therefore States-men think themselves more fit to manage Empire than Divines whose usefulness consists in perswasion and perswasion is the last medicine being the most desperate which States-men apply to the distemper of the People for their distemper is madness and madness is best cur'd with terrour and force They think that Leaders of Armies are to great Empire as great Rivers to the continent which make an easie access of such benefits as the Metropolis the seat of Power would else at vast distances with difficultie reach yet often like proud Rivers when they swell they destroy more by once overflowing their borders at home than they have in long time acquir'd from abroad They are to little Empire like the Sea to low Islands by nature a defence from Forreigners but by accident when they rage a deluge to their own shore And at all seasons States-men believe them more dangerous to Government than themselves for the popularitie of States-men is not so frequent as that of Generals or if by rare sufficiencie of Art it be gain'd yet the force of crowds in Cities compar'd to the validitie of men of Arms and discipline would appear like a great number of Sheep to a few Wolves rather a cause of Comfort than of Terrour They think that chief Ministers of Law by unskilfull integritie or love of popularity which shews the Mind as meanly born as bred so earnestly pursue the protection of the Peoples right that they neglect publick Interest though the Peoples right and publick Interest be the same yet usually by the People the Ministers of Law mean private men and by the other the State and so the State and the People are divided as we may say a man is divided within himself when Reason and passion and Passion is folly dispute about consequent actions and if we were call'd to assist at such intestine War we must side with Reason according to our dutie by the Law of Nature and Natures Law though not written in Stone as was the Law of Religion hath taken deep impression in the Heart of Man which is harder than marble of Mount-Sinai Chief Ministers of Law think Divines in government should like the Penal Statutes be choicely and but seldom us'd for as those Statutes are rigorously inquisitive after venial faults punishing our very manners and weak constitution as well as insolent appetite so Divines that
Poesie on our Stage or the Heroick in Musick for so the latter was anciently us'd is prejudicial to a State as begetting Levity and giving the people too great a diversion by pleasure and mirth To these if they be worthy of satisfaction I reply That whoever in Government endeavours to make the people serious and grave which are attributes that may become the peoples Representatives but not the people doth practise a new way to enlarge the State by making every Subject a States-man and he that means to govern so mournfully as it were without any Musick in his Dominion must lay but light burdens on his Subjects or else he wants the ordinary wisdom of those who to their Beasts that are much loaden whistle all the day to encourage their Travel For that supream Power which expects a firm obedience in those who are not us'd to rejoycing but live sadly as if they were still preparing for the funeral of Peace hath little skill in contriving the lastingness of Government which is the principal work of Art And less hath that Power consider'd Nature as if such new austeritie did seem to tax even her for want of gravity in bringing in the Spring so merrily with a musical variety of Birds And such sullen power doth forget that Battels the most solemn and serious business of Death are begun with Trumpets and Fifes and anciently were continu'd with more diversity of Musicks And that the Grecian Laws Laws being the gravest endeavour of humane Councels for the ease of Life were long before the days of Lycurgus to make them more pleasant to memory publish'd in Verse And that the wise Athenians dividing into three Parts the publick Revenue expended one in Plays and Shows to divert the people from meeting to consult of their Rulers merit and the defects of Government And that the Romans had not so long continu'd their Empire but for the same diversions at a vaster charge Again it may be objected that the Precepts of Christian Religion are sufficient towards our regulation by appointment of manners and towards the ease of Life by imposing obedience so that the moral assistance of Poesie is but vainly intruded To this I may answer That as no man should suspect the sufficiency of Religion by its insuccessfulness so if the insuccessfulness be confess'd we shall as little disparage Religion by bringing in more aids when 't is in action as a General dishonours himself by endeavouring with more of his own Forces to make sure an attempt that hath a while miscarried For Poesie which like contracted Essences seems the utmost strength and activity of Nature is as all good Arts subservient to Religion all marching under the same Banner though of less discipline and esteem And as Poesie is the best Expositor of Nature Nature being mysterious to such as use not to consider so Nature is the best Interpreter of God and more cannot be said of Religion And when the Judges of Religion which are the Chiefs of the Church neglect the help of Moralists in reforming the people and Poets are of all Moralists the most usefull they give a sentence against the Law of Nature For Nature performs all things by correspondent aids and harmony And 't is injurious not to think Poets the most usefull Moralists for as Poesie is adorn'd and sublim'd by Musick which makes it more pleasant and acceptable so morality is sweetned and made more amiable by Poesie And the Austerity of some Divines may be the cause why Religion hath not more prevail'd upon the manners of Men for great Doctours should rather comply with things that please as the wise Apostle did with Ceremonies than lose a Proselyte And even Honour taught by moral Philosophers but more delightfully infus'd by Poets will appear notwithstanding the sad severity of some latter Divines no unfase Guid towards Piety for it is as wary and nice as Conscience though more chearfull and couragious And however Honour be more pleasing to flesh and bloud because in this World it finds applause yet 't is not so mercenarie as Piety for Piety being of all her expectations inwardly assur'd expects a reward in Heaven to which all earthly payments compar'd are but Shaddows and Sand. And it appears that Poesie hath for its natural prevailings over the Understandings of Men sometimes making her conquests with easie plainness like Native countrey Beauty been very successfull in the most grave and important occasions that the necessities of States or Mankind have produc'd For it may be said that Demosthenes sav'd the Athenians by the Fable or Parable of the Dogs and Wolves in answer to King Philip's Proposition And that Menenius Agrippa sav'd the Senate if not Rome by that of the Belly and the Hands and that even our Saviour was pleas'd as the most prevalent way of Doctrine wholly to use such kind of Parables in his converting or saving of Souls it being written Wâ—hout a Parable spake he not to them And had not the learned Apostle thought the wisdom of Poets worthy his remembrance and instructive not onely to Heathens but to Christians he had not cited Epimenides to the Cretans as well as Aratus to the Athenians I cannot also be ignorant that divers whose conscientious Melancholy amazes and discourages others Devotion will accuse Poets as the admirers of Beauty and Inventors or Provokers of that which by way of aspersion they call Love But such in their first accusation seem to look carelesly and unthankfully upon the wonderful works of God or else through low education or age become incompetent Judges of what is the chief of his works upon Earth And Poets when they praise Beauty are at least as lawfully thankfull to God as when they praise Seas Woods Rivers or any other parts that make up a prospect of the world Nor can it be imagin'd but that Poets in praising them praise wholly the Maker and so in praising Beauty For that Woman who believes she is prais'd when her beauty is commended may as well suppose that Poets thinks she created her self And he that praises the inward beauty of Women which is their Virtue doth more perform his duty than before for our envious silence in not approving and so encouraging what is good is the cause that vice is more in fashion and countenance than Virtue But when Poets praise that which is not beauty or the mind which is not virtuous they erre through their mistake or by flattery and flattery is a crime so much prosperous in others who are companions to greatness that it may be held in Poets rather kindness than design They who accuse Poets as provokers of Love are Enemies to Nature and all affronts to Nature are offences to God as insolencies to all subordinate officers of the Crown are rudenesses to the King Love in the most obnoxious interpretation is Natures Preparative to her greatest work which is the making of Life And since the severest Divines of these latter times
given her by the Poet out of his own provision or is borrowed from others That which he hath of his own is nothing but experience and knowledge of Nature and specially humane nature and is the true and natural Colour But that which is taken out of Books the ordinary boxes of Counterfeit Complexion shews well or ill as it hath more or less resemblance with the natural and are not to be used without examination unadvisedly For in him that professes the imitation of Nature as all Poets do what greater fault can there be than to bewray an ignorance of Nature in his Poem especially having a liberty allowed him if he meet with any thing he cannot master to leave it out That which giveth a Poem the true and natural Colour consisteth in two things which are To know well that is to have images of Nature in the memory distinct and clear and To know much A sign of the first is perspicuity property and decency which delight all sorts of men either by instructing the ignorant or soothing the learned in their knowledge A sign of the latter is novelty of expression and pleaseth by excitation of the mind for novelty causeth admiration and admiration curiosity which is a delightfull appetite of knowledge There be so many words in use at this day in the English Tongue that though of magnifick sound yet like the windy blisters of a troubled water have no sense at all and so many others that lose their meaning by being ill coupled that it is a hard matter to avoid them for having been obtruded upon youth in the Schools by such as make it I think their business there as 't is exprest by the best Poet With terms to charm the weak and pose the wise they grow up with them and gaining reputation with the ignorant are not easily shaken off To this palpable darkness I may also adde the ambitious obscurity of expressing more than is perfectly conceived or perfect conception in fewer words than it requires Which Expressions though they have had the honour to be called strong lines are indeed no better than Riddles and not onely to the Reader but also after a little time to the Writer himself dark and troublesom To the property of Expression I referre that clearness of memory by which a Poet when he hath once introduced any person whatsoever speaking in his Poem maintaineth in him to the end the same character he gave him in the beginning The variation whereof is a change of pace that argues the Poet tired Of the Indecencies of an Heroick Poem the most remarkable are those that shew disproportion either between the persons and their actions or between the manners of the Poet and the Poem Of the first kind is the uncomliness of representing in great persons the inhumane vice of Cruelty or the sordid vice of Lust and Drunkenness To such parts as those the ancient approved Poets thought it fit to suborn nor the persons of men but of monsters and beastly Giants such as Polyphemus Cacus and the Centaurs For it is supposed a Muse when she is invoked to sing a song of that nature should maidenly advise the Poet to set such persons to sing their own vices upon the Stage for it is not so unseemly in a Tragedy Of the same kind it is to represent scurrility or any action or language that moveth much laughter The delight of an Epique Poem consisteth not in mirth but admiration Mirth and Laughter is proper to Comedie and Satyre Great persons that have their minds employed on great designs have not leasure enough to laugh and are pleased with the contemplation of their own power and virtues so as they need not the infirmities and vices of other men to recommend themselves to their own favour by comparison as all men do when they laugh Of the second kind where the disproportion is between the Poet and the persons of his Poem one is in the Dialect of the Inferiour sort of people which is always different from the language of the Court Another is to derive the Illustration of any thing from such Metaphors or Comparisons as cannot come into mens thoughts but by mean conversation and experience of humble or evil Arts which the person of an Epique Poem cannot be thought acquainted with From Knowing much proceedeth the admirable variety and novelty of Metaphors and Similitudes which are not possible to be lighted on in the compass of a narrow knowledge And the want whereof compelleth a Writer to expressions that are either defac'd by time or sullied with vulgar or long use For the phrases of Poesie as the airs of musick with often hearing become insipide the Reader having no more sense of their force than our Flesh is sensible of the bones that sustain it As the sense we have of bodies consisteth in change and variety of impression so also does the sense of language in the variety and changeable use of words I mean not in the affectation of words newly brought home from travel but in new and withal significant translation to our purposes of those that be already received and in far fetcht but withal apt instructive and comly similitudes Having thus I hope avoided the first Exception against the incompetency of my Judgement I am but little moved with the second which is of being bribed by the honour you have done me by attributing in your Preface somewhat to my Judgement For I have used your Judgement no less in many things of mine which coming to light will thereby appear the better And so you have your bribe again Having thus made way for the admission of my Testimony I give it briefly thus I never yet saw Poem that had so much shape of Art health of Morality and vigour and beauty of Expression as this of yours And but for the clamour of the multitude that hide their Envy of the present under a Reverence of Antiquity I should say further that it would last as long as either the Aeneid or Iliad but for one Disadvantage and the Disadvantage is this The languages of the Greeks and Romans by their Colonies and Conquests have put off flesh and bloud and are become immutable which none of the modern tongues are like to be I honour Antiquity but that which is commonly called Old time is Young time The glory of Antiquity is due not to the Dead but to the Aged And now whilest I think on 't give me leave with a short discord to sweeten the Harmony of the approaching close I have nothing to object against your Poem but dissent onely from something in your Preface sounding to the prejudice of Age. 'T is commonly said that old Age is a return to childhood Which me thinks you insist on so long as if you desired it should be believed That is the note I mean to shake a little That saying meant onely of the weakness of body was wrested to the weakness of mind by froward
children weary of the controulment of their parents masters and other admonitours Secondly the dotage and childishness they ascribe to Age is never the effect of Time but sometimes of the excesses of youth and not a returning to but a continual stay with childhood For they that wanting the curiosity of furnishing their memories with the rarities of Nature in their youth and pass their time in making provision onely for their ease and sensual delight are children still at what years soever as they that coming into a populous Citie never going out of their Inn are strangers still how long soever they have been there Thirdly there is no reason for any man to think himself wiser to day than yesterday which does not equally convince he shall be wiser tomorrow than today Fourthly you will be forced to change your opinion hereafter when you are old and in the mean time you discredit all I have said before in your commendation because I am old already But no more of this I believe Sir you have seen a curious kind of perspective where he that looks through a short hollow pipe upon a picture containing divers figures sees none of those that are there painted but some one person made up of their parts conveyed to the eye by the artificial cutting of a glass I find in my imagination an effect not unlike it from your Poem The virtues you distribute there amongst so many noble persons represent in the reading the image but of one mans virtue to my fancy which is your own and that so deeply imprinted as to stay for ever there and govern all the rest of my thoughts and affections in the way of honouring and serving you to the utmost of my power that am Paris January 10. 1650. SIR Your most humble and obedient Servant THO. HOBS TO S r WILL. D'AVENANT Upon his two first Books of GONDIBERT Finish'd before his Voyage to AMERICA THus the wise Nightingale that leaves her home Her native Wood when Storms and Winter come Pursuing constantly the chearfull Spring To forreign Groves does her old Musick bring The drooping Hebrews banish'd Harps unstrung At Babylon upon the Willows hung Yours sounds aloud and tells us you excell No less in Courage than in Singing well Whilst unconcern'd you let your Countrey know They have impov'rished themselves not you Who with the Muses help can mock those Fates Which threaten Kingdoms and disorder States So Ovid when from Caesar's rage he fled The Roman Muse to Pontus with him led Where he so sung that We through Pitie's Glass See Nero milder than Augustus was Hereafter such in thy behalf shall be Th'indulgent censure of Posteritie To banish those who with such art can sing Is a rude crime which its own Curse does bring Ages to come shall ne'r know how they fought Nor how to Love their present Youth be taught This to thyself Now to thy matchless Book Wherein those few that can with Judgement look May find old Love in pure fresh Language told Like new stampt Coyn made out of Angel gold Such truth in Love as th'antique world did know In such a style as Courts may boast of now Which no bold tales of Gods or Monsters swell But humane Passions such as with us dwell Man is thy theam his Virtue or his Rage Drawn to the life in each elaborate Page Mars nor Bellona are not named here But such a Gondibert as both might fear Venus had here and Hebe been out-shin'd By thy bright Birtha and thy Rhodalind Such is thy happy skill and such the odds Betwixt thy Worthies and the Grecian Gods Whose Deities in vain had here come down Where Mortal Beautie wears the Sovereign Crown Such as of flesh compos'd by flesh and bloud Though not resisted may be understood ED. WALLER TO Sr WIL. D'AVENANT Upon his two first Books of GONDIBERT Finish'd before his Voyage to AMERICA ME thinks Heroick Poesie till now Like some fantastick Fairy-land did show Gods Devils Nymphs Witches and Giants race And all but Man in Mans best Work had place Thou like some worthy Knight with sacred Arms Dost drive the Monsters thence and end the Charms In stead of those dost Men and Manners plant The things which that rich Soyl did chiefly want But even thy Mortals do their Gods excell Taught by thy Muse to Fight and Love so well By fatal hands whilest present Empires fall Thine from the grave past Monarchies recal So much more thanks from humane kind does merit The Poets fury than the Zelots Spirit And from the grave thou mak'st this Empire rise Not like some dreadfull Ghost t' affright our Eyes But with more beauty and triumphant state Than when it crown'd at proud Verona sate So will our God re-build Mans perish'd frame And raise him up much better yet the same So God-like Pâ—eâ—s do past things rehearse Not change but heighten Nature with their Verse With shame me thinks great Italie must see Her Conqu'rors call'd to life again by thee Call'd by such powerfull Arts that ancient Rome May blush â—o less to see her Wit orecome Some men their Fancies like their Faiths derive And count all ill but that which Rome does give The marks of Old and Catholick would find To the same Chair would Truth and Fiction bind Thou in these beaten paths disdain'st to tread And scorn'st to live by robbing of the Dead Since Time does all things change thou think'st not fit This latter Age should see all new but Wit Thy Fancie like a Flame her way does make And leaves bright tracks for following Pens to take Sure 't was this noble boldness of the Muse Did thy desire to seek new Worlds infuse And ne'r did Heaven so much a Voyage bless If thou canst Plant but there with like success AB COWLEY GONDIBERT The First Book CANTO the First The ARGUMENT Old ARIBERT'S great race and greater mind Is sung with the renown of RHODALIND Prince OSWALD is compar'd to GONDIBERT And justly each distinguish'd by desert Whose Armies are in Fame's fair Field drawn forth To shew by discipline their Leaders worth 1. OF all the Lombards by their Trophies known Who sought Fame soon and had her favour long King Aribert best seem'd to fill the Throne And bred most bus'ness for Heroick Song 2. From early Childhoods promising estate Up to performing Manhood till he grew To failing Age he Agent was to Fate And did to Nations Peace or War renew 3. War was his studi'd Art War which the bad Condemn because even then it does them aw When with their number lin'd and purple clad And to the good more needfull is than Law 4. To conquer Tumult Nature's suddain force War Arts delib'rate strength was first devis'd Cruel to those whose rage has no remorse Lest civil pow'r should be by Throngs surpris'd 5. The feeble Law rescues but doubtfully From the Oppressours single Arm our right Till to its pow'r the wise wars help apply Which soberly does Mans loose
much the Lombards to his conduct ow And this preserv'd him for the very Crowd Felt Honour here and did to valour bow 7. Vain Wrath Deform'd unquiet Child of Pride Which in a few the People madness call But when by Number they grew dignify'd What 's rage in one is liberty in all 8. Through dangers of this lawless liberty He like authentick Pow'r does boldly pass And with a quiet and experienc'd Eye Through Death's foul Vizard does despise his face 9. At Hubert's Tent alights where Hubert now With Gartha of this Torrent does advise Which he believes does at the highest flow And must like Tides sink when it cannot rise 10. When Hermegild he saw he did disperse Those cares assembled in his looks and strove Though to his Master and the Court perverse To shew him all the civil signs of Love 11. For him in stormy war he glorious knew Nor in calm Counsels was he less renown'd And held him now to Oswald's Faction true As by his love the world's first Tenure bound 12. For he though wasted in the ebb of blood When Man's Meridian tow'rds his Evening turns Makes against Nature's Law Lov 's Charter good And as in raging Youth for Gartha burns 13. Who did his suit not onely disapprove Because the summer of his life was past And she fresh blown but that even highest love Grows tasteless to Ambition's higher taste 14. Yet now in such a great and single cause With nice Ambition nicer Loves complies And she since to revenge he usefull was Perswades his hope with Rhet'rick of her Eyes 15. A closs division of the Tent they straight By outward Guards secure from all resort Then Hermegild does thus the cause relate Which to the Camp dispatch'd him from the Court. 16. Important Prince who justly dost succeed To Oswald's hopes and all my loyal aid Virtue as much in all thy wounds does bleed As love in me since wounded by that Maid 17. Long have I sayl'd through Times vexatious sea And first set out with all that Youth is worth The Tropicks pass'd of bloods hot bravery With all the Sayls gay Flags and Streamers forth 18. But as in hotter voyages Ships most Decay their trim yet then they chiefly gain By inward stowage what is outward lost So Men decays of youth repair in brain 19. If I experience boast when youth decays Such vanity may Gartha's pitie move Since so I seek your service by self-praise Rather than seem unusefull where I love 20. And never will I though by Time supply'd With such discretion as does Man improve To shew discretion wiser Nature hide By seeming now asham'd to say I love 21. For Love his pow'r has in grey Senates shown Where he as to green Courts does freely come And though loud youth his visits makes more known With graver Age he 's poivately at home 22. Scarce Oreece or greater Rome a Victor shows Whom more victorious Love did not subdue Then blame not me who am so weak to those Whilst Gartha all exceeds that ere they knew 23. Hope Love's first food I ne'r till now did know Which Love as yet but temp'rately devours And claims not love for love since Gartha so For Autumn Leaves should barter Summer Flowers 24. I dare not vainly wish her to be kind Till for her love my Arâ—s and Pow'r bestow The Crown on thee â—dorâ—'d with Rhodalind Which yet for Gartha is a price too low 25. This said he paws'd and now the hectick heat Of Oswald's blood doubled their Pulâ—es pace Which high as if they would be heard did beat And hot Ambition shin'd in eithers face 26. For Hermegild they knew could much out-doe His words and did possess great Aribert Not in the Courts cheap Glass of civil show But by a study'd Tenure of the heart 27. Whilst this try'd truth does make their wishes sure Hubert on Gartha looks with suing Eyes For Hermegild whose love she will endure And make Ambition yield what Youth denies 28. Yet in this bargain of her self she knows Not how to treat but all her chief desires Bids Hubert as the Twins of his dispose To glory and revenge and then retires 29. But with such blushes Hermegild she leaves As the unclouded Evening's Face adorn Nor much he for her parting glory grieves Since such an Evening bodes a happy Morn 30. Now Hermegild by vows does Hubert binde Vows by their fate in Lombard Story known He Gartha makes the price of Rhodalind And Aribert his Tenant to the Crown 31. He bids him now the Armies rage allay By rage said he onely they Masters are Of those they chuse when temp'rate to obay Against themselves th'impatient chiefly war 32. We are the Peoples Pilots they our winds To change by Nature prone but Art Laveers And rules them till they rise with Stormy Minds Then Art with danger against Nature Steers 33. Where calms have first amuz'd Storms most prevail Close first with calms the Courts suspicious Eyes That whilst with all their â—rim they sleeping sail A sudden Gust may wrack them by surprize 34. Your Army will though high in all esteem That ever rev'renc'd Age to action gave But a small Party to Verona seem Which yearly to such Numbers yields a Grave 35. Nor is our vast Metropolis like those Tame Towns which peace has soft'ned into fears But Death deform'd in all his Dangers knows Dangers which he like frightfull Vizards wears 36. From many Camps who forreign winters felt Verona has her conqu'ring Dwellers ta'ne In War's great Trade with richest Nations dealt And did their Gold and Fame with Iron gain 37. Yet to the mighty Aribert it bows A King out-doing all the Lombards Line Whose Court in Iron clad by courseness shows A growing pow'r which fades when Courts grow fine 38. Scorn not the Youthfull Camp at Bergamo For they are Victors though in years but young The war does them they it by action know And have obedient Minds in bodies strong 39. Be slow and stay for aids which haste forsakes For though Occasion still does Sloth out-go The rash who run from help she ne'r ore-takes Whose haste thinks Time the Post of Nature slow 40. This is a cause which our Ambition fills A cause in which our strength we should not waste Vainly like Giants who did heave at Hills 'T is too unwildy for the force of haste 41. A cause for graver Minds that learned are In mistick Man a cause which we must gain By surer methods than depend on war And respite Valour to employ the brain 42. In the King's Scale your merits are too light Who with the Duke weighs his own partial heart Make then the gift of Empire publick right And get in Rhodalind the Peoples part 43. But this rough side the meeting Multitude If we oppose we make our voyage long Yet when we with it row it is subdu'd And we are wise where Men in vain are strong 44. Then to the People sue but hide your force For they
Optick Tubes the Moons scant sace Vast Tubes which like long Cedars mounted lie Attract through Glasses to so near a space As if they came not to survey but prie 17. Nine hastie Centuries are now fulfill'd Since Opticks first were known to Astragon By whom the Moderns are become so skill'd They dream of seeing to the Maker's Throne 18. And wisely Astragon thus busie grew To seek the Stars remote societies And judge the walks of th' old by finding new For Nature's law in correspondence lies 19. Man's pride grown to Religion he abates By moving our lov'd Earth which we think fix'd Think all to it and it to none relates With others motion scorn to have it mix'd 20. As if 't were great and stately to stand still Whilst other Orbs dance on or else think all Those vast bright Globes to shew God's needless skill Were made but to attend our little Ball. 21. Now near a sever'd Building they discern'd Which seem'd as in a pleasant shade retir'd A Throng by whose glad diligence they learn'd They came frome Toils which their own choice desir'd 22. This they approch and as they enter it Their Eyes were stay'd by reading ore the Gate Great Natures Office in large letters writ And next they mark'd who there in office saâ—â— 23. Old busie Men yet much for wisdom fam'd Hastie to know though not by haste beguild These fitly Natures Registers were nam'd The Throng were their Intelligencers styl'd 24. Who stop by snares and by their chace oretake All hidden Beasts the closser Forrest yields All that by secret sence their rescue make Or trust their force or swiftness in the Fields 25. And of this Throng some their imployment have In fleeting Rivers some fixed Lakes beset Where Nature's self by shifts can nothing save From trifling Angles or the swall'wing Net 26. Some in the spacious Ayr their Prey oretake Cos'ning with hunger Faulcons of their wings Whilst all their patient observations make Which each to Natures Office duely brings 27. And there of ev'ry Fish and Foul and Beast The wilâ—s those learned Registers record Courage and fears their motion and their rest Which they prepare for their more learned Lord. 28. From hence to Nature's Nurserie they go Where seems to grow all that in Eden grew And more if Art her mingled Species show Thaâ— th'Hebrew King Nature's Historian knew 29. Impatient Simplers climb for Blossoms here When Dews Heav'n's secret milk in unseen showrs First feed the early Childhood of the year And in ripe Summer stoop for Hearbs and Flowers 30. In Autumn Seed and Berries they provide Where Nature a remaining force preserves In Winter dig for Roots where she does hide That stock which if consum'd the next Spring stervs 31. From hence fresh Nature's flowrishing Estate They to her wither'd Receptacle come Where she appears the loathsome Slave of Fate For here her various Dead possess the Room 32. This dismall Gall'ry lofty long and wide Was hung with Sâ—â—litons of ev'ry kind Humane and all that learned humane pride Thinks made t' obey Man's high immortal Mind 33. Yet on that Wall hangs he too who so thought And she dry'd by him whom that He obay'd By her an El'phant that with Heards had fought Of which the smallest Beast made her afraid 34. Next it a Whale is high in Cables ty'd VVhose strength might Herds of Elephants controul Then all in payres of ev'ry kind they spyd VVhich Death's wrack leaves of Fishes Beasts Fowl 35. These Astragon to watch with curious Eie The diff'rent Tenements of living breath Collects with what far Travailers supplie And this was call'd The Cabinet of Death 36. VVhich some the Monument of Bodies name The Ark which saves from Graves all dying kinds This to a structure led long known to Fame And call'd The Monument of vanish'd Minds 37. VVhere when they thought they saw in well sought Books Th' assembled souls of all that Men held wise It bred such awful rev'rence in their looks As if they saw the buryd writers rise 38. Such heaps of written thoughts Gold of the Dead VVhich Time does still disperse but not devour Made them presume all was from Deluge free'd Which long-liv'd Authours writ ere Noah's Showr 39. They saw Egyptian Roles which vastly great Did like faln Pillars lie and did display The tale of Natures life from her first hear Till by the Flood o're-cool'd she felt decay 40. And large as these for Pens were Pencils then Others that Egypts chiefest Science show'd VVhose River forc'd Geometry on Men VVhich did distinguish what the Nyle o're-flow'd 41. Near them in Piles Chaldean Cos'ners lie Who the hid bus'ness of the Stars relate Who make a Trade of worshipp'd Prophesie And seem to pick the Cabinet of Fate 42. There Persian Magi stand for wisdom prais'd Long since wise States-men now Magicians thought Altars and Arts are sooâ— to fiction rais'd And both would have that miracles are wrought 43. In a dark Text these States-men left their Minds For well they knew that Monarch's Misterie Like that of Priests but little rev'rence finds When they the Curtain ope to ev'ry Eye 44. Behind this Throng the talking Greeks had place Who Nature turn'd to Art and Truth disguise As skill does native beautie oft deface With Terms they charm the weak and pose the wise 45. Now they the Hebrew Greek and Roman spie Who for the Peoples ease yoak'd them with Law Whom else ungovern'd lusts would drive awrie And each his own way frowardly would draw 46. In little Tomes these grave first Lawyers lie In Volumes their Interpreters below Who first made Law an Art than Misterie So clearest springs when troubled cloudie grow 47. But here the Souls chief Book did all precede Our Map tow'rds heav'n to common Crowds deny'd VVho proudly aym to teach ere they can read And all must stray where each will be a Guide 48. About this sacred little Book did stand Unwieldy Volumes and in number great And long it was since any Readers hand Had reach'd them from their unfrequented Seat 49. For a deep Dust which Time does softly shed Where onely Time does come their Covers bear On which grave Spiders streets of webs have spred Subtle and slight as the grave Writers were 50. In these Heav'ns holy fire does vainly burn Nor warms nor lights but is in sparkles spent Where froward Authours with disputes have torn The Garment seamless as the Firmament 51. These are the old Polemicks long since read And shut by Astragon who thought it just They like the Authours Truth 's Tormentors dead Should lie unvisited and lost in dust 52. Here the Arabian's Gospel open lay Men injure Truth who Fiction nicely hide Where they the Monk's audacious stealth survay From the World's first and greater second Guide 53. The Curious much perus'd this then new Book As if some secret ways to Heav'n it taught For straying from the old men newer look And prise the found not finding those they sought
54. We in Tradition Heav'ns dark Map descrie Heav'n worse than ancient Maps far Indian show Therefore in new we search where Heav'n does lie The Minds sought Ophir which we long to know 55. Or as a Planter though good Land he spies Seeks new and when no more so good he finds Doubly esteems the first so Truth men prise Truth the discov'ry made by trav'ling Minds 56. And this false Book till truly understood By Astragon was openly display'd As counterfeit false Princes rather shou'd Be shewn abroad than in closs Prison laid 57. Now to the old Philosophers they come Who follow'd Nature with such just despair As some do Kings far off and when at home Like Courtiers boast that they deep secret share 58. Near them are grave dull Moralists who give Counsel to such as still in publick dwell At seâ— at Courts in Camps and Cities live And scorn experience from th'unpractis'd Cell 59. Aesop with these stands high and they below His pleasant wisdom mocks their gravitie Who Virtue like a tedious Matron show He dresses Nature to invite the Eye 60. High skill their Ethicks seems whilst he stoops down To make the People wise their learned pride Makes all obscure that Men may prise the Gown With ease lie teaches what with pain they hide 61. And next as if their bus'ness rul'd Mankind Historians stand big as their living looks Who thought swift Time they could in fetters bind Till his Confessions they had ta'ne in books 62. But Time oft scap'd them in the shades of Night And was in Princes Closets oft conceal'd And hid in Battels smoke so what they write Of Courts and Camps is oft by guess reveal'd 63. Near these Physitians stood who but reprieve Life like a Judge whom greater pow'r doeâ— aw And cannot an Almighty pardon give So much yields Subject Art to Nature's Law 64. And not weak Art but Nature we upbraid When our frail essence proudly we take ill Think we are rob'd when first we are decay'd And those were murder'd whom her law did kill 65. Now they refresh after this long survay With pleasant Poets who the Soul sublime Fame's Her auids in whose Triumphs they make way And place all those whom Honour helps to climb 66. And he who seem'd to lead this ravish'd Race Was Heav'ns lov'd Laâ—reat that in Jewry writ Whose Harp approach'd Gods Ear though none his Face Durst see and first made inspiration wit 67. And his Attendants such blest Poets are As make unblemish'd Love Courts best delight And sing the prosp'rous Battels of just War By these the loving Love and valiant fight 68. O hireless Science and of all alone The liberal Meanly the rest each State In pension treats but this depends on none Whose worth they rev'rendly forbear to rate CANTO the Sixth The ARGUMENT How ASTRAGON to Heav'n his duty pays In Pray'r and Penitence but most in Praise To these he sev'ral Temples dedicates And ULFIN their distinguish'd use relates Religion's Rites seem here in Reasons sway Though Reason must Religion's Laws obay 1. THe noble Youths reclaim'd by what they saw Would here unquiet war as pride for sake And study quiet Nature's pleasant Law Which Schools through pride by Art uneasie make 2. But now a sudden Shout their thoughts diverts So chearfull general and loud it was As pass'd through all their Ears and fill'd their Hearts Which lik'd the joy before they knew the cause 3. This Ulfin by his long Domestick skill Does thus explain The Wise I here observe Are wise tow'rds God in whose great service still More than in that of Kings themselves they serve 4. He who this Building 's Builder did create As an Apartment here Triangular Where Astragon Three Fanes did dedicate To days of Praise of Penitence and Pray'r 5. To these from diff'rent motives all proceed For when discov'ries they on Nature gain They praise high Heav'n which makes their work succe 〈…〉 But when it falls in Penitence complain 6. â—f after Praise new blessings are not giv'n Nor mourning Penitence can ills repair Like practis'd Beggers they solicite Heav'n And will prevail by violence of Pray'r 7. The Temple built for Pray'r can neither boast The Builder's curious Art nor does declare By choice Materials he intended cost To shew that nought should need to tempt to Pray'r 8. No Bells are here Unhing'd are all the Gates Since craving in distress is natural All lies so ope that none for ent'rance waits And those whom Faith invites can need no call 9. The Great have by distinction here no name For all so cover'd come in grave disguise To shew none come for decency or fame That all are strangers to each others Eyes 10. But Penitence appears unnatural For we repent what Nature did perswade And we lamenting Men's continu'd fall Accuse what Nature necessary made 11. Since the requir'd extream of Penitence Seems so severe this Temple was design'd â—olemn and strange without to catch the sense And dismal shew'd within to aw the mind 12. Of sad black Marble was the outward Frame A mourning Monument to distant sight â—ut by the largeness when you near it came It seem'd the Palace of Eternal Night 13. Black beauty which black Meroens had prais'd Above their own gravely adorn'd each part In Stone from Nyle's head Quarries slowly rais'd And slowlyer polish'd by Numidi an Art 14. Hither a loud Bells tole rather commands Than seems t' invite the persecured Ear A summons Nature hardly understands For few and flow are those who enter here 15. Within a dismal Majesty they find All gloomy great all silent does appear As Chaos was ere th' Elements were design'd Man 's evil fate seems hid and fashion'd here 16. Here all the Ornament is rev'rend black Here the check'd Sun his universal Face Stops bashfully and will no enterance make As if he spy'd Night naked through the Glass 17. Black Curtains hide the Glass whilst from on high A winking Lamp still threatens all the Room As if the lazy flame just now would die Such will the Sun's last light appear at Doom 18. This Lamp was all that here inform'd all Eyes And by refléx did on a Picture gain Some few false Beams that thence from Sodom rise Where Pencils seign the fire which Heav'n did rain 19. This on another Tablet did reflect Where twice was drawn the am'rous Magdaline Whilst beauty was her care then her neglect And brightest through her Tears she seem'd to shine 20. Near her seem'd crncifi'd that lucky Thief In Heav'ns dark Lot'ry prosp'rous more than wife Who groap'd at last by chance for Heav'ns relief And Throngs undoes with Hope by one drawn Prize 21. In many Figures by reflex were sent Through this black Vault instructive to the mind That early and this tardy Penitent For with Obsidian stone 't was chiefly lin'd 22. The Seats were made of Ethiops swarthy wood Abstersive Ebony but thinly fill'd For none this place by nature understood And practise when
unpleasant makes few skill'd 23. Yet these whom Heav'ns mysterious choice fetch'd in Quickly attain Devotion 's utmost scope For having softly mourn'd away their sin They grow so certain as to need no Hope 24. At a low Door they enter'd but depart Through a large Gate and to fair Fields proceed Where Astragon makes Nature last by Art And such long Summers shews as ask no seed 25. Whilst Ulfin this black Temple thus exprest To these kind Youths whom equal soul endeers Goltho and Ulfinore in friendship blest A second gen'ral shout salutes their Ears 26. To the glad House of Praise this shout does call To Pray'r said he no Summons us invites Because distress does thither summon all As the loud tole to Penitence excites 27. But since dull Men to gratitude are slow And joy'd consent of Hearts is high Heav'ns choice To this of Praise shouts summon us to go Of Hearts assembled the unfeigned Voice 28. And since wise Astragon with due applause Kind Heav'n for his success on Nature pays This day Victorious Art has given him cause Much to augment Heav'ns lov'd reward of praise 29. For this effectual day his Art reveal'd What has so oft made Nature's spies to pine The Load-stones mystick use so long conceal'd In closs allyance with the courser Mine 30. And this in sleepy Vision he was bid To register in Characters unknown Which Heav'n will have from Navigators hid Till Saturn's walk be twenty Circuits grown 31. For as Religion in the warm East bred And Arts which next to it most needfull were From Vices sprung from their corruption fled And thence vouchsaf'd a cold Plantation here 32. So when they here again corrupted be For Man can even his Antidotes insect Heav'ns reserv'd world they in the West shall see To which this stone 's hid virtue will direct 33. Religion then whose Age this world upbraids As scorn'd deformitie will thither steer Serv'd at fit distance by the Arts her Maids Which grow too bold when they attend too neer 34. And some whom Traffick thither tempts shall thence In her exchange though they did grudge her shrines And poorly banish'd her to save expence Bring home the Idol Gold from new-found Mines 35. Till then sad Pilots must be often lost VVhilst from the Ocean's dreaded Face they shrink And seeking safetie near the cos'ning Coast VVith winds surpris'd by Rockie Ambush sink 36 Or if success rewards what they endure The VVorlds chief Jewel Time they then ingage And forfeit trusting long the Cynosure To bring home nought but wretched Gold and Age. 37. Yet when this plague of ignorance shall end Dire ignorance with which God plagues us most Whilst we not feeling it him most offend Then lower'd Sayls no more shall tie the Coast. 38. They with new Tops to Fore-masts and the Main And Misens new shall th' Ocean's Breast invade Stretch new sayls out as Arms to entertain Those winds of which their Fathers were afraid 39. Then sure of either Pole they will with pride In ev'ry storm salute this constant Stone And scorn that Star which ev'ry Cloud could hide The Sea-men's spark which soon as seen is gone 40. 'T is sung the Ocean shall his bonds untie And Earth in half a Globe be pent no more Typhis shall sail till Thube he discrie But a domestick step to distant Shore 41. This Astragon had read and what the Greek Old â—râ—tiâ—s in Egyptian Books had found By which his travail'd soul new Worlds did seek And div'd to find the old Atlantis drown'd 42. Grave Ulfin thus discours'd and now he brings The Youths to view the Temple built for Praise Where Olive for th' Olimpian Victor Springs Mirtle for Love's and for War's triumph Bays 43. These as rewards of praise about it grew For lib'ral praise from an aboundant Mind Does even the Conqueror of Fate subdue Since Heav'n's good King is Captive to the Kind 44. Dark are all Thrones to what this Temple seem'd Whose Marble veins out-shin'd Heav'n's various Bow And would eclipsing all proud Rome esteem'd To Northern Eies like Eastern Mornings show 45. From Paros Iâ—le was brought the milkie white From Sparta came the Green which cheers the view From Araby the blushing â—niâ—hite And from the Misnian Hills the deeper Blew 46. The arched Front did on Vast Pillars fall Where all harmonious Instruments they spie Drawn out in Boss which from the Astrigall To the flat Eâ—ise in apt resemblance lie 47. Toss'd Cymbals which the sullen Jews admir'd Were figur'd here with all of ancient choice That joy did ere invent or breath inspir'd Or flying Fingers touch'd into a voice 48. In Statue o're the Gate God's Fav'rite-King The author of Celestial praise did stand His Quire that did his sonnets set and Sing In Niches rang'd attended either Hand 49. From these old Greeks sweet Musick did improve The Solemn Dorian did in Temples charm The softer Lydian sooth'd to Bridal Love And warlick Phrygian did to Battail warm 50. They enter now and with glad rev'rence saw Glory too solid great to taste of pride So sacred pleasant as preserves an awe Though jealous Priests it neither praise nor hide 51. Tapers and Lamps are not admitted here Those but with shadows give false beauty grace And this victorious glory can appear Unvayl'd before the Sun's Meridian Face 52. Whose Eastern lusture rashly enters now Where it his own mean Infancy displays Where it does Man's chief obligation show In what does most adorn the House of Praise 53. The great Creation by â—old Pencils drawn Where a feign'd Curtain does our Eies forbid Till the Sun's Parent Light first seem to dawn From quiet Chaos which that Curtain hid 54. Then this all-rev'renc'd Sun God's hasty Spark Struck out of Chaos when he first struck Light Flies to the Sphears where first he found all dark And kindled there th'unkindled Lamps of Night 55. Then Motion Nature's great Preservative Tun'd order in this World Life's restless Inn Gave Tydes to Seas and caus'd stretch'd Plants to live Else Plants but Seeds and Seas but Lakes had bin 56 But this Fourth Fiat warming what was made For Light ne'r warm'd till it did motion get The Picture fills the World with woodie shade To shew how Nature thrives by Motion's heat 57. Then to those Woods the next quick Fiat brings The Feather'd kind where merrily they fed As if their Hearts were lighter than their Wings For yet no Cage was fram'd nor Net was spred 58. The same Fifth voice does Seas and Rivers Store Then into Rivers Brooks the Painter powres And Rivers into Seas which rich before Return their gifts to both exhal'd in Showrs 59. This voice whose swift dispatch in all it wrought Seems to denote the Speaker was in haste As if more Worlds were framing in his thought Ads to this World one Fiat as the last 60. Then straight an universal Herd appears First gazing on each other in the shade Wond'ring with levell'd Eyes and lifted Ears Then play
busie without noise 10. Whilst her great Mistress Nature thus she tends The busie Houshold waits no less on her By secret law each to her beauty bends Though all her lowly Mind to that prefer 11. Gracious and free she breaks upon them all With Morning looks and they when she does rise Devoutly at her dawn in homage fall And droop like Flow'rs when Evening shuts her Eyes 12. The sooty Chymist who his sight does waste Attending lesser Fires she passing by Broke his lov'd Lymbick through enamour'd haste And let like common Dew th' Elixar flie 13. And here the grey Philosophers resort Who all to her like crafty Courtiers bow Hoping for secrets now in Nature's Court Which onely she her fav'rite Maid can know 14. These as the Lords of Science she respects And with famillar beams their age she chears Yet all those civil forms seem but neglecâ—s To what she shews when Astragon appears 15. For as she once from him her being took She hourly takes her Lawâ— reads with swift sight His will even at the op'ning of his look And shews by haste obedience her delight 16. She makes when she at distance to him bows His int'rest in her Mother's beauty known For that 's th' Orig'nal whence her Copy ' grows And near Orig'nals Copies are not shown 17. And he with dear regard her gifts does wear Of Flow'rs which she in mystick order ties And with the sacrifice of many a tear Salutes her loyal Mother in her Eyes 18. The just Historians Birtha thus express And tell how by her Syres Example taught She serv'd the wounded Duke in Life's distress And his fled Spirits back by Cordials brought 19. Black melancholy Mists that fed despair Through wounds long rage with sprinkled Vervin cleer'd Strew'd Leaves of Willow to refresh the air And with rich Fumes his sullen sences cheer'd 20. He that had serv'd great Love with rev'rend heart In these old wounds worse wounds from him endures For Love makes Birtha shift with Death his Dart And she kills faster than her Father cures 21. Her heedless innocence as little knew The wounds she gave as those from Love she took And Love lifts high each secret Shaâ—t he drew Which at their Stars he first in triumph shook 22. Love he had lik'd yet never loâ—g'd before But finds him now a bold unquier Guest Who climbs to windows when we shut the Door And enterâ—d never lets the Master rest 23. So strange disorder now he pines for health Makes him conceal this Revelleâ— with shame She not the Robber knows yet feels the stealth And never but in Songs had heard his name 24. Yet then it was when she did smile at Hearts Which Countrey Lovers weaâ— in bleeding Seals Ask'd where his pretty Godhead found such Daâ—â—s As make those wounds that onely Hymen heals 25. And this her ancient Maid with sharp complaintâ— Heard and rebuk'd shook her experienc'd Head With tears â—osought her not to jest at Saints Nor mock those Martyrs Love had Captive led 26. Nor think the pions Poets ere would waste So many tears in Ink to make Maids mourn Iâ— injur'd Lovers had in ages past The lucky Mirtle more than Willow worn 27. This grave rebuke Officious Memory Presents to Birtha's thought who now believ'd Such sighing Songs as tell why Lovers die And prais'd their faith who wept when Poets griev ' 28. She full of inward questions walks alone To take her heart aside in secret Shade But knocking at her breast it seem'd or gone Or by confed'racie was useless made 29. Or else some stranger did usurp its room One so remote and new in ev'ry thought As his behaviour shews him not at home Nor the Guide sober that him thither brought 30. Yet with this forreign Heart she does begin To treat of Love her most unstudy'd Theam And like young conscienc'd Casuists thinks that sin Which will by talk and practise lawfull seem 31. With open Ears and ever-waking Eyes And flying Feet Love's fire she from the sight Of all her Maids does carry as from Spies Jealous that what burns her might give them light 32. Beneath a Mirtle Covert now does spend In Maids weak wishes her whole stock of thought Fond Maids who Love with Minds fine stuff would mend Which Nature purposely of Bodies wrought 33. She fashions him she lov'd of Angels kind Such as in holy Story were employ'd To the first Fathers from th' Eternal Mind And in short vision onely are enjoy'd 34. As Eagles then when nearest Heav'n they flie Of wild impossibles soon weary grow Feeling their bodies find no rest so high And therefore peaâ—ch on Earthly things below 35. So now she yields him she an Angel deem'd Shall be a Man the Name which Virgins fear Yet the most harmless to a Maid he seem'd That ever yet that fatal name did beat 36. Soon her opinion of his hurtless heart Affection turns to faith and then Loves fire To Heav'n though bashfully she does impart And to her Mother in the Heav'nly Quire 37. If I do love said she that love O Heav'n Your own Disciple Nature bred in me Why should I hide the passion you have given Or blush to shew effects which you decree 38. And you my alter'd Mother grown above Great Nature which you read and rev'renc'd here Chide not such kindness as you once call'd Love When you as mortal as my Father were 39. This said her Soul into her breasts retires With Love's vain diligence of heart she dreams Her self into possession of desires And trusts unanchor'd Hope in fleeting Streams 40. Already thinks the Duke her own spous'd Lord Cur'd and again from bloody battel brought Where all false Lovers perish'd by his sword The true to her for his protection sought 41. She thinks how her imagin'd Spouse and she So much from Heav'n may by her virtues gain That they by Time shall ne'r oretaken be No more than Time himself is overta'ne 42. Or should he touch them as he by does pass Heav'ns favour may repay their Summers gone And he so mix their sand in a slow Glass That they shall live and not as Two but One. 43. She thinks of Eden-life and no rough wind In their pacifique Sea shall wrinkles make That still her lowliness shall keep him kind Her cares keep him asleep her voice awake 44. She thinks if ever anger in him sway The Youthfull Warriours most excus'd disease Such chance her Tears shall calm as showres allay The accidental rage of Winds and Seas 45. She thinks that Babes proceed from mingling Eyes Or Heav'n from Neighbourhood increase allows As Palm and the Mamora fructifies Or they are got by closs exchanging vows 46. But come they as she hears from Mothers pain Which by th' unlucky first-Maids longing proves A lasting curse yet that she will sustain So they be like this Heav'nly Man she loves 47. Thus to her self in day-dreams Birtha talks The Duke whose wounds of war are healthfull grown To cure
Love's wounds seeks Birtha where she walks Whose wandring Soul seeks him to cure her own 48. Yet when her solitude he did invade Shame which in Maids is unexperienc'd fear Taught her to wish Night's help to make more shade That Love which Maids think guilt might not appear 49. And she had fled him now but that he came So like an aw'd and conquer'd Enemy That he did seem offenceless as her shame As if he but advanc'd for leave to flie 50. First with a longing Sea-mans look he gaz'd Who would ken Land when Seas would him devour Or like a fearfull Scout who stands amaz'd To view the Foe and multiplies their pow'r 51. Then all her knowledge which her Father had He dreams in her through purer Organs wrought Whose Soul since there more delicately clad By lesser weight more active was in thought 52. And to that Soul thus spake with trembling voice The world will-be O thou the whole world's Maid Since now 't is old enough to make wise choice Taught by thy mind and by thy beauty sway'd 53. And I a needless part of it unless You 'd think me for the whole a Delegate To treat for what they want of yâ—â—â— excess Virtue to serve the universal State 54. Nature our first example and our Queen Whose Court this is and you her Minion Maid The World thinks now is in her sickness seen And that her noble influence is decay'd 55. And the Records so worn of her first Law That Men with Art's hard shifts read what is good Because your beautie many never saw The Text by which your Mind is understood 56. And I with the apostate world should grow From sov'reign Nature a revolted Slave But that my luckie wounds brought me to know How with their cure my sicker mind to save 57. A mind still dwelling idly in mine Eyes Where it from outward pomp could ne'r abstain But even in beautie cost of Courts did prise And Nature unassisted thought too plain 58. Yet by your beautie now reform'd I find All other onely currant by false light Or but vain Visions of a feav'rish mind Too slight to stand the test of waking sight 59. And for my healthfull Mind diseas'd before My love I pay a gift you may disdain Since Love to you Men give not but restore As Rivers to the Sea restore the Rain 60. Yet Eastern Kings who all by birth possess Take gifts as gifts from Vassals of the Crown So think in love your propertie not less By my kind giving what was first your own 61. Lifted with Love thus he with Lovers grace And Love's wild wonder spake and he was rais'd So much with rev'rence of this learned place That still he fear'd to injure all he prais'd 62. And she in love unpractis'd and unread But for some hints her Mistress Nature taught Had it till now like grief with silence fed For Love and grief are nourish'd best with thought 63. But this closs Diet Love endures not long He must in sighs or speech take ayr abroad And thus with his Interpreter her Tongue He ventures forth though like a stranger aw'd 64. She said those virtues now she highly needs Which he so pow'rfully does in her praise To check since vanitie on praises feed That pride which his authentick words may raise 65. That if her Pray'rs or care did ought restore Of absent health in his bemoan'd distress She beg'd he would approve her duty more And so commend her feeble virtue less 66. That she the payment he of love would make Less understood than yet the debt she knew But coyns unknown suspitiously we take And debts till manifest are never due 67. With bashfull Looks besought him to retire Lest the sharp Ayr should his new health invade And as she spake she saw her reverend Syre Approach to seek her in her usual shade 68. To whom with filial homage she does how The Duke did first at distant duty stand But soon imbrac'd his knees whilst he more low Does bend to him and then reach'd Birtha's hand 69. Her Face o recast with thought does soobâ— tray Th' assembled spirits which his Eies detect â—y her pale look as by the Milkie way Men first did the assembled Stars suspect 70. â—r as a Pris'ner that in Prison pines Still at the utmost window grieving lies Even so her Soul imprison'd sadly shines As if it watch'd for freedom at her Eys 71. This guides him to her Pâ—lse th' Alarum Bell Which waits the insurrections of desire And rings so fast as if the Cittadell Her newly conquer'd Breast were all one fire 72. Then on the Duke he casts a short survay Whose Veins his Temples with deep purple grace Then Love's dispair gives them a pale allay And shifts the whole complexion of his Face 73. Nature's wise Spie does outward with them walk And finds each in the midst of thinking starts Breath'd short and swiftly in disoder'd talk To cool beneath Love's Torrid Zone their hearts 74. When all these Symptones he observ'd he knows From Alga which is rooted deep in Seas To the high Cedar that on Mountains grows No sov'raign hearb is found for their disease 75. He would not Nature's eldest Law resist As if wise Nature's Law could be impure But Birtha with indulgent Looks dismist And means to counsel what he cannot cure 76. With mourning Gondibert he walks apart To watch his Passions force who seems to bear By silent grief Two Tyrants ore his Heart Great Love and his inferiour Tyrant Fear 77. But Astragon such kind inquiries made Of all which to his Art 's wise cares belong As his sick silence he does now disswade And midst Love's fears give courage to his Tongue 78. Then thus he spake with Love's humilitie Have pitie Father and since first so kind You would not let this worthless Bodie die Vouchasafe more nobly to preserve my Mind 79. A Mind so lately luckie as it here Has Virtue 's Mirrour found which does reflect Such blemishes as Custom made it wear But more authentick Nature does detect 80. A Mind long sick of Monarchs vain disease Not to be fill'd because with glorie fed So busie it condemn'd even War of Ease And for their useless rest despis'd the Dead 81. But since it here has Virtue quiet sound It thinks though Storms were wish'd by it before All sick at least at Sea that scape undrown'd Whom Glory serves as wind to leave the shore 82. All Virtue is to yours but fashion now Religion Art Internals are all gone Or outward turn'd to satisfie with show Not God but his inferiour Eye the Sun 83. And yet though Virtue be as fashion sought And now Religion rules by Art's prais'd skill Fashion is Virtue 's Mimmick falsly taught And Art but Nature's Ape which plays her ill 84. To this blest House great Nature's Court all Courts Compar'd are but dark Closets for retreat Of private Minds Battels but Childrens sports And onely simple good is solid Great 85.
was clearer taught His enter'd Slaves place at her rev'renc'd Feet A spacious Cabinet with all things fraught Which seem'd for wearing artfull rich and sweet 54. With leisurely delight she by degrees Lifts ev'ry Till does ev'ry Drawer draw But nought which to her Sex belongs she sees And for the Male all nice adornments saw 55. This seem'd to breed some strangeness in her Eyes Which like a wanton wonder there began But straight she in the lower Closet spies Th'accomplish'd dress and Garments of a Man 56. Then starting she her Hand shrunk nicely back As if she had been stung or that she fear'd This Garment was the skin of that old Snake Which at the fatal Tree like Man appear'd 57. Th' ambitious Maid at scornfull distance stood And bravely seem'd of Love's low vices free Though vicious in her mind not in her blood Ambition is the Minds immodestie 58. He knew great minds disorder'd by mistake Defend through pride the errours they repent And with a Lovers fearfulness he spake Thus humbly that extreams he might prevent 59. How ill delightfull Maid shall I deserve My Life's last flame fed by your beauty's fire If I shall vex your virtues that preserve Others weak virtues which would else expire 60. How more than death shall I my life despise When your fear'd srowns make me your service fear When I scarce dare to say that the disguise You shrink to see you must vouchsafe to wear 61. So rude a Law your int'rest will impose And solid int'rest must not yield to shame Vain shame which fears you should such honour lose As lasts but by intelligence with Fame 62. Number which makes opinion Law can turn This shape to fashion which you scorn to use Because not by your Sex as fashion worn And fashion is but that which Numbers chuse 63. If you approve what Numbers lawfull think Be bold for Number cancels bashfulness Extreams from which a King would blushing shrink Unblushing Senates act as no excess 64. Thus he his thoughts the picture of his mind By a dark Vayl to sudden sight deny'd That she might prise what seem'd so hard to find For Curtains promise worth in what they hide 65. He said her Manhood would not strange appear In Court where all the fashion is disguise Where Masquerades are serious all the year None known but strangers nor secure but Spies 66. All rules he reads of living great in Courts Which some the Art of wise dissembling call For Pow'r born to have Foes much weight supports By their false strength who thrust to make it fall 67. He bids her wear her beauty free as light By Ears as open be to all endeer'd For the unthinking Croud judge by their sight And seem half eas'd when they are fully heard 68. He shuts her breast even from familiar Eyes For he who secrets Pow'rs chief Treasure spends To purchase Friendship friendship dearly buys Since Pow'r seeks great Confed'rates more than friends 69. And now with Counsels more particular He taught her how to wear tow'rds Rhodalind Her looks which of the Mind false pictures are And then how Orna may believe her kind 70. How Laura too may be whose practis'd Eyes Can more detect the shape of forward love By treaty caught though not by a surprize Whose aid would precious to her faction prove 71. But here he ends his Lecture for he spy'd Adorn'd as if to grace Magnifick Feasts Bright Rhodalind with the elected Bride And with the Bride all her selected Guests 72. They Gartha in their civil pitie sought Whom they in midst of triumphs mis'd and fear Lest her full breast with Huberts sorrows fraught She like a Mourner came to empty here 73. But she and Hermegild are wild with haste As Traitors are whom Visitants surprise Decyphring that which searfully they cast In some dark place where worser Treason lies 74. So open they the fatal Cabinet To shut things slighter with the Consequent Then soon their rally'd looks in posture set And boldly with them to their triumphs went 75. Tybalt who Laura gravely ever led With ceaseless whispers laggs behind the Train Tries since her wary Governour is dead How the fair Fort he may by Treaty gain 76. For now unhappy Arnold she forsakes Yet he is blest that she does various prove When his spent heart for no unkindness akes Since from the Light as sever'd as from Love 77. Yet as in storms and sickness newly gone Some Clouds a while and strokes of faintness last So in her brow so much of grief is shown As shews a Tempest or a sickness past 78. But him no more with such sad Eyes she seeks As even at Feasts would make old Tyrants weep Nor more attempts to wake him with such shreekâ— As threatned all where Death's deaf Pris'ners 〈…〉 79. Hugo and him as Leaders 〈…〉 Not much as Lovers does their â—ame approve Nor her own fate but chance of battel blames As if they dy'd for honour not for love 80. This Tybalt saw and finds that the turn'd Stream Came fairly flowing to refresh his heart Yet could he not forget the kind esteem She lately had of Arnold's high desert 81. Nor does it often scape his memorie How gravely he had vow'd that if her Eyes After such Show'rs of Love were quickly drie He would them more than Lamps in Tombs despise 82. And Whilst he watch'd like an industrious Spie Her Sexes changes and revolt of Youth He still reviv'd this vow as solemnly As Senates Count'nance Laws or Synods Truth 83. But men are frail more Glass than Women are Tybalt who with a stay'd judicious heart Would love grows vain amidst his gravest care Love free by nature scorns the Bonds of Art 84. Laura whose Fort he by approch would gain With a weak sigh blows up his Mine and Smiles Gives fire but with her Eye and he is slain Or treats and with a whisper him beguiles 85. Nor force of Arms or Arts O Love endures Thy mightiness and since we must discern Diseases fully ere we studie cures And our own force by othes weakness learn 86. Let me to Courts and Camps thy Agent be Where all their weakness and diseases spring From their not knowing and not honouring thee In those who Nature in thy triumphs sing CANTO the Second The ARGUMENT Whilst BIRTHA and the Duke their joyes pursue In conqu'ring Love Fate doth them both subdue With triumphs which from Court young ORGO brought And have in GOLTHO greater triumphs wrought Whose hopes the quiet ULFINORE does bear With patience feigne'd and with a hidden fear 1. THe prosp'rous Gondibert from Birtha gains All bashfull plights a Maids first bounties give Fast vows which bind Love's Captives more than chains Yet free Love's Saints in chosen bondage live 2. Few were the days and swiftly seem'd to waste Which thus he in his minds â—tuition spent And lest some envious Cloud should overcast His Lov 's fair Morn oft to his Camp he sent 3. To Bergamo
forbear To shew her where my Marble Coâ—â—in lies Her Virgin Garlands she will offer there 6. Confess that reading me she learnt to Love That all the good behaviour of her heart Even tow'rds thy self my doctrine did improve Where Love by Nature is forewarn'd of Art 7. She will confess that to her Maiden state This Storie shew'd such Patterns of great Life As though she then could those but imitate They an Example make her now a Wife 8. And thy lif 's fire could she a while out-live Which were though lawfull neither kind nor good Then even her sorrows would examples give And shine to others through dark widowhood 9. And she will boast how spite of Cynick Age Of bus'ness which does Pow'r uncivil make Of ruder Cells where they Love's Fire asswage By studying Death and Fear for Virtue take 10. And spite of Courts where loving now is made An Art as dying is in Cells my Laws Did teach her how by Nature to perswade And hold by virtue whom her beautie draws 11. Thus when by knowing me thou know'st to whom Love ows his Eyes who has too long been blind Then in the Temple leave my Bodies Tomb To seek this Book the Mon'ment of my Mind 12. Where thou may'st read who with impatient Eyes For Orgo on the guilded Tarras stay Which high and golden shews and open lies As the Morn's Window when she lets out Day 13. Whose heighth Two rising Forrests over-looks And on Pine-tops the Eye-sight downward cast Where distant Rivers seem bestrided Brooks Churches but Anchor'd Ships their Steeples Masts 14. Hence by his little Regian Courser brought Orgo they spie with diligence indu'd As if he would oretake fore-running Thought And he by many swiftly seem'd pursu'd 15. But his light speed left those awhile behind Whilst with rais'd Dust their swiftness hide the way Yet Birtha will too soon by Orgo find What she by distance lost in this survay 16. Orgo a precious Casket did present To his dear Lord of Podian Saphyr wrought For which unknown to Birtha he was sent And a more precious Pledge was in it brought 17. Then thus proclaim'd his joy Long may I live Sent still with blessings from the Heav'nly Powers And may their bounties shew what they can give And full as fast as long expected Showers 18. Behold the King with such a shining Train As dazles sight yet can inform the Blind But there the Rich and Beauteous shine in vain Unless they dâ—stance keep from Rhodalind 19. Mâ— thinks they through the Middle Region come Their Chariots hid in Clouds of Dust below And ore their Heads their Coursers scatter'd Fome Does seem to cover them like falling Snow 20. This Birtha heard and she on Orgo cast A pitious look for she no anger knew But griev d he knows not that he brings too fast Such joys as fain she faster would eschew 21. So Gondibert this Gust of glorie took As Men whose Sayls are full more weather take And she so gaz'd on him as Sea-men look On long sought shore when Tempests drive them back 22. But now these glories more apparent be And justly all their observation claim'd Great as in greatest Courts less Princes see When entertain'd to be eclips'd and sham'd 23. West from Verona's Road through pleasant Meads Their Chariots cross and to the Palace steer And Aribert this winged triumph leads Which like the Planets Progress did appear 24. So shin'd they and so noiseless seem'd their speed Like Spartans touching but the silken Reins Was all the conduct which their Coursers need And proudly to sit still was all their pains 25. With Aribert sat royal Rhodalind Calm Orna by the Count by Hermegild Silver'd with time the Golden Gartha shin'd And Tybalt's Eyes were full by Laura fill'd 26. The lesser Beauties numberless as Stars Shew'd â—ickly and far off to this Noon-day And lagg'd like Baggage Treasure in the Wars Or onely seem'd another Milkie-way 27. The Duke perceiv'd the King design'd to make This visit more familiar by surprise And with Court art he would no notice take Of that which Kings are willing to disguise 28. But as in heedless sleep the House shall seem New wak'd with this Alarm and Vlfin strait Whose â—ame was precious in the Courts esteem Must as with casual sight their entrance wait 29. To Astragon he doubles all his Vows To Birtha through his Eies his Heart reveal'd And by some civil jealousies he shows Her beauty from the Court must be conceal'd 30. Prays her from Envy's danger to retire The Palace war which there can never cease Till Beauty's force in age or death expire A War disguis'd in civil shapes of Peace 31. Still he the precious Pledge kept from her view Who guess'd not by the Casket his intent And was so willing not to fear him true That she did fear to question what it ment 32. Now hasts she to be hid and being gon Her Lover thinks the Planet of the day So leaves the mourning World to give the Moon Whose Train is mark'd but for their number way 33. And entring in her Closet which took light Full in the Palace Front she finds her Maids Gather'd to see this gay unusuall sight Which Commet-like their wondring Eyes invades 34. Where Thula would by climbing highest be Though ancient grown and was in Stature short Yet did protest she came not there to see But to be hid from dangers of the Court. 35. Their curious longing Birtha durst not blame Boldness which but to seeing did aspire Since she her self provok'd with Courts great Fame Would fain a little see what all admire 36. Then through the Casement ventur'd so much Face As Kings depos'd shew when through Grates they peep To see Deposers in their Crowding pass But strait shrink back and at the triumph weep 37. Soon so her Eyes did too much glory find For ev'n the first she saw was all for she No more would view since that was Rhodalind And so much beauty could none others be 38. Which with her Virtue weigh'd no less renown'd Afflicts her that such worth must fatal prove And be in tears of the Possessor drown'd Or she depose her Lover by her love 39. But Thula wildly earnest in the view Of such gay sights as she did ne'r behold Mark'd not when Birtha her sad Eyes withdrew But dreamt the world was turn'd again to Gold 40. Each Lady most till more appear'd ador'd Then with rude liking prais'd them all aloud Yet thought them foul and course to ev'ry Lord And civilly to ev'ry Page she bow'd 41. The objects past out-sigh'd ev'n those that woo And strait her Mistris at the Window mist Then finding her in grief out-sigh'd her too And her fair Hands with parting passion kist 42. Did with a Servants usual art profess That all she saw was to her beauty black Confess'd their Maids well bred and knew to dress But said those Courts are poor which painting lack 43. Thy praise said Birtha poyson'd
their prize Her Maids run and return through ev'ry room Still seeming doubtfull where their safety lies All speaking with their looks and all are dumb 67. She who to dangers could more boldly wake With words swift as those errands which her heart Sends out in glances thus to Goltho spake My Mother Sir Alas You must depart 68. She is severe as dying Confessours As jealous as unable Husbands are She Youth in Men like Age in Maids abhors And has more Spies than any Civil War 69. Yet would you but submit to be conceal'd I have a Closet secret as my Brest Which is to Men nor Day no more reveal'd Than a closs Swallow in his Winters Nest. 70. To this good Goltho did begin to yield But Ulfinore who doubts that it may tend To base retreat unless they quit the Field Does by Example govern and descend 71. And now his Eyes ev'n wake with longingness Ready to break their strings to get abroad To see this Matron by whose sole access Dalga in all her furious hopes is aw'd 72. And as he watch'd her civil Mercurie The hopefull Page he saw him entrance give Not to a Matron still prepar'd to die But to a Youth wholly design'd to lâ—ve 73. He seem'd the heir to prosp'rous Parents toyls Gay as young Kings who sue in forreign Courts Or youthfull Victors in their Persian spoyls He seem'd like Love and Musick made for sports 74. But wore his clothing loose and wildly cast As Princes high with feasting who to win Are seldom us'd shew'd warm and more unbrac'd Than Ravishers oppos'd in their design 75. This Ulfinore observ'd and would not yet In civil pitie undeceive his friend But watch the signs of his departing fit Which quickly did in bashfull silence end 76. To the Duke's palace they enquir'd the way And as they slowly rode a grave excuse Griev'd Goltho frames vowing he made this stay For a discov'ry of important use 77. If Sir said he we heedlesly pass by Great Towns like Birds that from the Countrey come But to be skar'd and on to Forrests flie Let 's be no travell'd Fools but roost at home 78. I see reply'd his friend you nothing lack Of what is painfull curious and discreet In Travellers else would you not look back So often to observe this House and Street 79. Drawing your Citie Map with Coasters care Not onely marking where safe Channels run But where the Shelves and Rocks and Dangers are To teach weak strangers what they ought to shun 80. But Goltho flie from Lust's experiments Whose heat we quench much sooner than asswage To quench the Fornace-lust stop all the vents For give it any Air the Flames will rage FINIS POST-SCRIPT To the Reader I Am here arriv'd at the middle of the Third Book which makes an equal half of the POEM and I was now by degrees to present you as I promised in the Preface the several Keys of the main Building which should convey you through such short Walks as give an easie view of the whole Frame But 't is high time to strike Sail and cast Anchor though I have run but half my Course when at the Helm I am threatened with Death who though he can visit us but once seems troublesom and even in the Innocent may beget such a gravitie as diverts the Musick of Verse And I beseech thee if thou art so civil as to be pleas'd with what is written not to take it ill that I run not on till my last gasp For though I intended in this POEM to strip Nature naked and clothe her again in the perfect shape of Virtue yet even in so worthy a Design I shall ask leave to desist when I am interrupted by so great an experiment as Dying and 't is an experiment to the most experienc'd for no Man though his Mortifications may be much greater than mine can say He has alreadie Dy'd It may be Objected by some who look not on Verse with the Eyes of the Ancients nor with the Reverence which it still preserves amongst other Nations that I beget a POEM in an unseasonable time But be not thou Reader for thine own sake as well as mine a common Spectator that can never look on great Changes but with tears in his Eyes for if all Men would observe That Conquest is the Wheels of the World on which it has ever run the Victorious would not think they have done so new and such admirable actions as must draw Men from the noble and beautiful Arts to gaze wholly upon them neither would the Conquer'd continue their wonder till it involve them in sorrow which is then the Mind 's incurable Disease when the Patient grows so sullen as not to listen to Remedie and Poesie was that Harp of David which remov'd from Saul the Melancholly Spirit that put him in a continual remembrance of the revolution of Empire I shall not think I instruct Militarie Men by saying That with Poesie in Heroick Songs the Wiser Ancients prepar'd their Battels nor would I offend the austeritie of such as vex themselves with the mannage of Civil Affairs by putting them in mind that whilst the Plays of Children are punish'd the plays of Men are but excus'd under the title of Business But I will gravely tell thee Reader he who writes an Heroick POEM leaves an Estate entayl'd and he gives a greater Gift to Posteritie than to the present Age for a publick benefit is best measured in the number of Receivers and our Contemporaries are but few when reckon'd with those who shall succeed Nor could I sit idle and sigh with such as mourn to hear the Drum for if this Age be not quiet enough to be taught Virtue a pleasant way the next may be at leisure Nor could I like men that have civilly slept till they are old in dark Cities think War a noveltie For we have all heard that Alexander walk'd after the Drum from Macedon into India and I tell thee Reader he carry'd Homer in his Pocket and that after Augustus by many Battels had chang'd the Government of the world he and Mecoenas often feasted very peaceably with Horace And that the last wiâ—e Cardinal whilst he was sending Armies abroad and preparing against civil Invasion took Virgil Tasso aside under the Louvre Gallerie and at a great expence of time and Treasure sent them forth in new Ornaments And perhaps if my POEM were not so severe a representation of Virtue undressing Truth even out of those disguises which have been most in fashion throughout the World it might arrive at fair entertainment though it make now for a Harbour in a Storm If thou art a malicious Reader thou wilt remember my Preface boldly confessed That a main motive to this undertaking was a desire of Fame and thou mayst likewise say I may very possibly not live to enjoy it Truly I have some years ago consider'd that Fame like Time onely gets a reverence by long running and that like a River 't is narrowest where 't is bred and broadest afar off but this concludes it not unprofitable for he whose Writings divert Men from indiscretion vice becomes famous as he is an example to others endeavours and exemplary Writers are Wiser than to depend on the gratuities of this World since the kind looks and praises of the present Age for reclaiming a few are not mentionable with those solid rewards in Heaven for a long and continual conversion of Posteritie If thou Reader art one of those who has been warm'd with Poetick Fire I reverence thee as my Judge and whilst others tax me with vanitie as if the Preface argued my good opinion of the Work I appeal to thy Conscience whether it be more than such a necessarie assurance as thou hast made to thy self in like Undertakings For when I observe that Writers have many Enemies such inward assurance me thinks resembles that forward confidence in Men of Arms which makes them proceed in great Enterprise since the right examination of abilities begins with inquiring whether we doubt our selves Cowes Castle in the Isle of Wight October 22. 1650. WILL. D'AVENANT FINIS Gondibert lib. 2. Can. 10 6.
whilst yet their Tyrant is unmade 61. And Man the Painter now presents to view Haughtie without and busie still within Whom when his Furr'd and Horned Subjects knew Their sport is ended and there fears begin 62. But here to cure this Tyrant's sullenness The Painter has a new false Curtain drawn Where Beauty 's hid Creation to express From thence harmless as light he makes it dawn 63. From thence breaks lovely forth the Worlds first Maid Her Breast Love's Cradle where Love quiet lies Nought yet had seen so soul to grow afraid Nor gay to make it crie with longing Eyes 64. And thence from stupid sleep her Monarch steals She wonders till so vain his wonder grows That it his feeble sov'reigntie reveals Her Beautie then his Manhood does depose 65. Deep into shades the Painter leads them now To hide their future deeds then storms does raise Ore Heav'n's smooth face because their life does grow Too black a storie for the House of Praise 66. A noble painted Vision next appears Where all Heav'ns Frowns in distant prospect waste And nought remains but a short showre of Tears Shed by its pitie for Revenges past 67. The Worlds one Ship from th old to a new World bound Fraighted with Life chief of uncertain Trades After Five Moons at driâ—t lies now aground Where her frail Stowage she in haste unlades 68. On Persian Caucasus the Eight descend And seem their trivial essence to deplore Griev'd to begin this World in th' others end And to behold wrack'd Nations on the Shore 69. Each humbled thus his Beasts led from aboard As fellow-Passengers and Heirs to breath Joynt Tenants to the VVorld he not their Lord Such likeness have we in the Glass of Death 70. Yet this humilitie begets their joy And taught that Heav'n which fully sin survays VVas partial where it did not quite destroy So made the whole VVorld's Dirge their song of praise 71. This first redemption to another led Kinder in deeds and nobler in effects That but a few did respit from the Dead This all the Dead from second Death protects 72. And know lost Nature this resemblance was Thy frank Redeemer in ascension shown VVhen Hell he conquer'd in thy desp'rate cause Hell which before Man's common Grave was grown 73. By an Imperial Pencil this was wrought Ronnded in all the Curious would behold VVhere life Came out and Met the Painters thought The Force was tender though the strokes were bold 74. The holy Mourners who this Lord of Life Ascending saw did seem with him to rise So well the Painter drew their Passions strife To follow him with Bodies as with Eyes 75. This was the chief which in this Temple did By Pencils Rhethorick to praise perswade Yet to the living here compar'd seems hid VVho shine all painted Glory into shade 76. Lord Astragon a Purple Mantle wore Where Nature's storie was in Colours wrought And though her ancient Text seem'd dark before 'T is in this pleasant Comment clearly taught 77. Such various Flowrie Wreaths th' Assembly wear As shew'd them wisely proud of Natures pride Which so adorn'd them that the courâ—est here Did seem a prosp'rous Bride-groom or a Bride 78. All shew'd as fresh and â—all and innocent As Virgins to their Lovers first survay Joy'd as the Spring when March his sighs has spent And April's sweet rash Tears are dry'd by May. 79. And this confed'rate joy so swell'd each Breast That joy would turn to pain without a vent Therefore their voices Heav'n's renown exprest Though Tongues ne'r reach what minds so nobly ment 80. Yet Musick here shew'd all her Art 's high worth Whilst Virgin-Trebbles â—eem'd with bashfull grace To call the bolder marry'd Tenor forth Whose Manly voice challeng'd the Giant Base 81. To these the swift soft Instruments reply Whisp'ring for help to those whom winds inspire Whose louder Notes to Neighb'ring Forrests flie And summon Nature's Voluntarie Quire 82. These Astragon by secret skill had taught To help as if in artfull Consort bred Who sung as if by chance on him they thought Whose care their careless merry Fathers Fed. 83. Hither with borrow'd strength Duke Gondibert Was brought which now his rip'ning wounds allow And high Heav'ns praise in musick of the heart He inward sings to pay a Victor's vow 84. Praise is devotion fit for mightie Minds The diff'ring World's agreeing Sacrifice VVhere Heav'n divided Faiths united finds But Pray'r in various discord upward flies 85. For Pray'r the Ocean is where diversly Men steer their Course each to a sev'ral Coast VVhere all our int'rests so discordant be That half beg winds by which the rest are lost 86. By Penitence when we our selves forsake 'T is but in wise design on pitious Heav'n In Praise we nobly give what God may take And are without a Beggers blush forgiv'n 87. It s utmost force like Powder 's is unknown And though weak Kings excess of Praise may fear Yet when 't is here like Powder dang'rous grown Heav'ns Vault receives what would the Palace tear CANTO the Seventh The ARGUMENT The Duke 's wish'd health in doubtfull wounds assur'd Who gets new wounds before the old are cur'd Nature in BIRTHA Art's weak help derides Which strives to mend what it at best but hides Shews Nature's courser works so hid more course As Sin conceal'd and unconâ—esâ—'d grows worse 1. LEt none our Lombard Authour rudely blame Who from the Story has thus long digrest But for his righteous pains may his fair Fame For ever travel whilst his ashes rest 2. Ill could he leave Art's Shop of Nature's Store Where she the hidden Soul would make more known Though common Faith seeks Souls which is no more Than long Opinion to Religion grown 3. A while then let this sage Historian stay With Astragon till he new wounds reveals And such though now the old are worn away As Balm nor juice of Pyrâ—l never heals 4. To Astragon Heav'n for succession gave One onely Pledge and Birtha was her name Whose Mother slept where Flowers grew on her Grave And she succeeded her in Face and Fame 5. Her beauty Princes durst not hope to use Unless like Poets for their Morning Theam And her Minds beauty they would rather chuse Which did the light in Beautie 's Lanthorn seem 6. She ne'r saw Courts yet Courts could have undone With untaught looks and an unpractis'd heart Her Nets the most prepar'd could never shun For Nature spred them in the scorn of Art 7. She never had in busie Cities bin Ne'r warm'd with hopes nor ere allay'd with fears Not seeing punishment could guess no Sin And Sin not seeing ne'r had use of tears 8. But here her Father's precepts gave her skill Which with incessant bus'ness fill'd the Hours In spring she gather'd Blossoms for the Still In Autumn Berries and in Summer Flow'rs 9. And as kind Nature with calm diligence Her own free virtue silently employs Whilst she unheard does rip'ning growth dispence So were her virtues