To come and to release him in his need The like of Leonatus he requires Which at this time well suited his desires For to Antipater he now might go His Lady take i' th' way and no man know Antiphilus the Athenian Generall With speed his forces doth together call Striving to stop Leonatus that so He joyn not with Antipater that foe The Athenian Army was the greater far Which did his match with Cleopatra mar For fighting still whilst there did hope remain The valiant Chief amidst his foes was slain ' Mongst all the Captains of great Alexander For personage none was like this Commander Now to Antipater â—raterus goes Blockt up in Lamia still by his foes Long marches through Cilicia he makes And the remains of Leonatus takes With them and his he into Grecia went Antipater releas'd from 's prisonment After this time the Grecks did never more Act any thing of worth as heretofore But under servitude their necks remain'd Nor former liberty or glory gain'd Now dy'd about the end of th' Lamian warre Dimosthencs that sweet tongu'd oratour Craverus that Antipater now joyn In love and in affiaity combine Creteâ—us doth his daughter Phisa wed Their friendship may the more be strengthened Whilst they in Macedon doe thus agree In Asia they all asunder be Perdicas griev'd to see the Princes bold So many Kingdoms in their power to hold Yet to regain them how he did not know For 's Souldiers ' gainst those Captains would not goe To suffer them goe on as they begun Was to give way himself might be undone With Antipater t' joyn sometimes he thought That by his help the rest might low be brought But this again dislikes and would remain If not in word in deed a Soveraigne Desires the King to goe to Macedon Which of his Ancestors was once the throne And by his presence there to nullifie The Acts of his Vice-royes now grown so high Antigonus of Treason first attaints And summons him to answer these complaints This he avoyds and ships himself and 's Son Goes to Antipater and tels what 's done He and Craterus both with him now joyn And ' gainst Perdicas all their strength combine Brave Ptolomy to make a fourth now sent To save himself from dangers eminent In midst of these Garboyles with wondrous state His Masters Funerals doth celebrate At Alexandria in Aegypt Land His sumptuous monument long time did stand Two years and more since Natures debt he paid And yet till now at quiet was not laid Great love did Ptolomy by this act gain And made the Souldiers on his side remain Perdicas hears his foes are now combin'd ' Gainst which to goe is troubled in his minde With Ptolomy for to begin was best Near'st unto him and farthest from the rest Leaves Eumenes the Asian coast to free From the invasions of the other three And with his Army into Aegypt goes Brave Ptolomy to th' utmost to oppose Perdicas surly carriage and his pride Did alienate the Souldiers from his side But Ptolomy by affability His sweet demeanour and his courtesie Did make his owne firme to his cause remaine And from the other daily some did gaine Pithon next Perdicas a Captaine high Being entreated by him scornfully Some of the Souldiers enters Perdica's tent Knocks out his braines to Ptolomy then went And offers him his Honours and his place With stile of the Protector would him grace Next day into the Camp comes Ptolomy And is of all received joyfully Their proffers he refus'd with modesty Confers them Pithon on for 's courtesie With what he held he now was well content Then by more trouble to grow eminent Now comes there newes of a great victory That Eumenes got of the other three Hâ—d it but in Perdicas life arriv'd With greater joy it would have been receiv'd Thus Ptolomy rich Aegypt did retaine And Pithon turn'd to Asia againe Whilst Perdicas thus staid in Africa Antigonus did enter Asia And fain would draw Eumenes to their side But he alone now faithfull did abide The other all had kingdomes in their eye But he was true to 's masters family Nor could Craterus whom he much did love From his fidelity make him once move Two battells now he fought and had the best And brave Craterus slew amongst the rest For this great strife he pours out his complaints And his beloved foe full sore laments I should but snip a story into verse And much eclipse his glory to rehearse The difficulties Eumenes befell His stratagems wherein he did excel His policies how he did extricate Himself from out of labyrinths intricate For all that should be said let this suffice He was both valiant faithfull patient wise Python now chose protector of the State His rule Queen Euridice begins to hate Perceives Aridaeus must not king it long If once young Alexander grow more strong But that her Husband serve for supplement To warm the seat was never her intent She knew her birthright gave her Macedon Grandchild to him who once sat on that throne Who was Perdicas Philips elder brother She daughter to his son who had no other Her mother Cyna sister to Alexander Who hâ—d an Army like a great Commander Ceria the Phrigian Queen for to withstand And in a Battell slew her hand to hand Her Daughter she instructed in that Art Which made her now begin to play her part Pithons commands She ever countermands What he appoints She purposely withstands He wearied out at last would needs be gone Resign'd his place and so let all alone In 's stead the Souldiers chose Antipater Who vext the Queen more then the other farre He plac'd displac'd controld rul'd as he list And this no man durst question or resist For all the Princes of great Alexander Acknowledged for chief this old Commander After a while to Macedon he makes The King and Queen along with him he takes Two Sons of Alexander and the rest All to be order'd there as he thought best The Army with Antigonus did leave And government of Asia to him gave And thus Antipater the ground-work layes On which Antigonus his height doth raise Who in few years the rest so over-tops For universall Monarchy he hopes With Eumenes he divers Battels fought And by his sleights to circumvent him sought But vaine it was to use his policy ' Gainst him that all deceits could scan and try In this Epitomy too long to tell How neatly Eumenes did here excell That by the selfe-same traps the other laid He to his cost was righteously repaid Now great Antipater the world doth leave To Polisperchon then his place he gave Fearing his Son Cassander was unstay'd Too young to beare that charge if on him lay'd Antigonus hearing of his decease On most part of Assyria doth seize And Ptolomy now to encroach begins All Syria and Phenicia he wins Now Polisperchon 'gins to act in 's place Recals Olimpias the Court to grace Antipater had banisht her from thence Into
lifted up on high But yet in Babell he must still remain And native Canaan never see again Unlike his father Evilmerodach Prudence and magnanimity did lack Faire Aegypt is by his remissenesse lost Arabia and all the boardering coast Wars with the Medes unhappily he wag'd Within which broiles râ—ch Croesus was engag'd His Army routed and himselfe there slain His Kingdome to Belshazzar did remain Belshazzar UNworthy Belshazzar next weares the Crown Whose prophane acts a sacred pen sets down His lust and cruelty in books we find A Royall State rul'd by a bâ—uitish mind His life so base and dissolute invites The Noble Persians to invade his rights Who with his own and Uncles power anon Layes siedge to 's regall seat proud Babylon The coward King whose strength lay in his walls To banquetting and revelling now falls To shew his little dread but greater store To chear his friends and scorn his foes the more The holy vessells thither brought long since Carous'd they in and sacrilegious Prince Did praise his gods of mettall wood and stone Protectors of his Crown and Babylon But he above his doings did deride And with a hand soon dashed all his pride The King upon the wall casting his eye The fingers of his hand-writing did spy Which horrid sight he fears must needs portend Destruction to his Crown to 's Person end With quaking knees and heart appall'd he crys For the Soothsayers and Magicians wise This language strange to read and to unfold With guifts of Scarlet robe and Chaines of gold And highest dignity next to the King To him that could interpret clear this thing But dumb the gazing Astrologers stand Amazed at the writing and the hand None answers the affrighted Kings intent Who still expects some fearfull sad event As thus amort he sits as all undone In comes the Queen to chear her heartlesse son Of Daniel tells who in his Grand-fires dayes Was held in more request then now he was Daniel in haste is brought before the King Who doth not flatter nor once cloake the thing Re-minds him of his Grand-fires height and fall And of his own notorious sins withall His drunkennesse and his prophainnesse high His pride and sottish grosse Idolatry The guilty King with colour pale and dead There hears his Mene and his Tekel read And did one thing worthy a King though late Perform'd his word to him that told his fate That night victorious Cyrus took the town Who soone did terminate his Life and Crown With him did end the race of Baladan And now the Persian Monarchy began The end of the Assyrian Monarchy The Second Monarchy being the Persian begun under Cyrus Darius being his Vnckle and his Father in Law reigning with him about two years CYrus Cambyses Son of Persia's King Whom Lady Mandana did to him bring She Daughter unto great Astiages He in descent the seventh from Arbaces Cambyses was of Achemenes race Who had in Persia the Lieutenants place When Sardanapalus was over-thrown And from that time had held it as his own Cyrus Darius Daughter took to wife And so unites two Kingdoms without strife Darius was unto Mandana brother Adopts her Son for his having no other This is of Cyrus the true pedigree Whose Ancestors were royal in degree His Mothers Dream and Grand-fires cruelty His preservation in his misery His nourishment afforded by a Bitch Are fit for such whose eares for fables itch He in his younger dayes an Army led Against great Cressus then of Lidia head Who over-curious of wars event For information to Apollo went And the ambiguous Oracle did trust So over-thrown of Gyrus as was just Who him pursues to Sardis takes the town Where all that doe resist are slaughter'd down Disguised Cressus hop'd to scape i' th throng Who had no might to save himself from wrong But as he past his Son who was born dumbe With pressing grief and sorrow over-come Amidst the tumult bloud-shed and the strife Brake his long silence cry'd spare Cressus life Cressus thus known it was great Cyâ—us doome A hard decree to ashes he consume Then on a Pike being set where all might eye He Solon Solon Solon thrice did cry Upon demand his minde to Cyrus broke And told how Solon in his hight had spoke With pitty Cyrus mov'd knowing Kings stand Now up now down as fortune turnes her hand Weighing the age and greatnesse of the Prince His Mothers Vnckle stories doe evince Gave him at once his life and Kingdom too And with the Lidians had no more to doe Next war the restlesse Cyrus thought upon Was conquest of the stately â—abylon Now trebble wall'd and moated so about That all the world they neither feare nor doubt To drain this ditch he many sluces cut But till convenient time their heads kept shut That night Belshazzar feasted all his rout He cuts those banks and let the river out And to the walls securely marches on Not finding a defendant thereupon Enters the town the sottish King he slayes Upon earths richest spoyles his Souldiers preys Here twenty yeares provision he found Forty five mile this City scarce could round This head of Kingdoms Caldes excellence For Owles and Satyres makes a residence Yet wondrous Monuments this stately Queen Had after thousand yeares faire to be seen Cyrus doth now the Jewish captives free An Edict makes the Temple builded be He with his Vnckle Daniel sets on high And caus'd his foes in Lions den to dye Long after this he ' gainst the Sythians goes And Tomris Son an Army over-throwes Which to revenge she hires a mighty power And sets on Cyrus in a fatall houre There routs his Hoast himself she prisoner takes And at one blow worlds head she headlesse makes The which she bak'd within a But of bloud Using such taunting words as she thought good But Zenophon reports he dy'd in 's bed In honour peace and wealth with a grey head And in his Town of Pasargada lyes Where Alexander fought in hope of prize But in this Tombe was only to be found Two Sythian bowes a sword and target round Where that proud Conquerour could doe no lesse Then at his Herse great honours to expresse Three Daughters and two Sons he left behind Innobled more by birth then by their mind Some thirty years this potent Prince did reign Unto Cambyses then all did remain Cambyses CAmbyses no wayes like his noble Sire But to enlarge his state had some desire His reign with Bloud and Incest first begins Then sends to finde a Law for these his sins That Kings with Sisters match no Law they finde But that the Persian King may act his minde Which Law includes all Lawes though lawlesse stil And makes it lawful Law if he but wil He wages warre the fifth year of his reign ' Gainst Aegypts King who there by him was slain And all of Royal bloud that came to hand He seized first of life and then of Land But little Marus scap'd that cruel fate Who
it great happinesse One King so many Subjects should possesse But yet this goodly sight produced teares That none of these should live a hundred yeares What after did ensue had he fore-seen Of so long time his thoughts had never been Of Artabanus he again demands How of this enterprise his thoughts now stands His answer was both Land and Sea he feared Which was not vaine as it soon appeared But Xerxes resolute to Thrace goes first His Hoast who Lissus drinks to quench their thirst And for his Cattell all Pissirus Lake Was scarce enough for each a draught to take Then marching to the streight Thermopyle The Spartan meets him brave Leonade This 'twixt the Mountains lyes half Acre wide That pleasant Thessaly from Greece divide Two dayes and nights a fight they there maintain Till twenty thousand Persians falls down slain And all that Army then dismay'd had fled But that a Fugative discovered How part might o're the Mountains goe about And wound the backs of those bold Warriours stout They thus behemm'd with multitude of foes Laid on more fiercely their deep mortall blowes None cryes for quarter nor yet seeks to run But on their ground they dye each Mothers Son O noble Greeks how now degenerate Where is the valour of your antient State When as one thousand could some Millions daunt Alas it is Leonades you want This shamefull Victory cost Xerxes deare Amongst the rest two brothers he lost there And as at Land so he at Sea was crost Four hundred stately Ships by stormes was lost Of Vessels small almost innumerable Them to receive the Harbour was not able Yet thinking to out-match his foes at Sea Inclos'd their Fleet i' th' streights of Eubea But they as valiant by Sea as Land In this Streight as the other firmly stand And Xerxes mighty Gallies batter'd so That their split sides witness'd his overthrow Yet in the Streights of Salamis he try'd If that smal number his great force could bide But he in daring of his forward foe Received there a shameful over-throw Twice beaten thus by Sea he warr'd no more But Phocians Land he then wasted sore They no way able to withstand his force That brave Thymistocles takes this wise course In secret manner word to Xerxes sends That Greeks to break his bridge shortly intends And as a friend warns him what e're he doe For his retreat to have an eye thereto He hearing this his thoughts and course home bended Much that which never was intended Yet 'fore he went to help out his expence Part of his Hoast to Delphos sent from thence To rob the wealthy Temple of Apollo But mischief Sacriledge doth ever follow Two mighty Rocks brake from Parnassus Hil And many thousands of these men did kil Which accident the rest affrighted so With empty hands they to their Master go He seeing all thus tend unto decay Thought it his best no longer for to stay Three hundred thousand yet he left behind With his Mardon'us judex of his minde Who for his sake he knew would venture far Chief instigater of this hopelesse War He instantly to Athens sends for peace That all Hostility might thence-forth cease And that with Xerxes they would be at one So should all favour to their State be shown The Spartans fearing Athens would agree As had Macedon Thebes and Thessalie And leave them out the shock for to sustaine By their Ambassador they thus complain That Xerxes quarrel was ' gainst Athens State And they had helpt them as confederate If now in need they should thus fail their friends Their infamy would last till all things ends But the Athenians this peace detest And thus reply'd unto Mardon's request That whilst the Sun did run his endlesse course Against the Persians they would use their force Nor could the brave Ambassador be sent With Rhetorick t' gain better complement Though of this Nation borne a great Commander No lesse then Grand-sire to great Alexander Mardonius proud hearing this answer stout To adde unto his numbers layes about And of those Greeks which by his skil he 'd won He fifty thousand joynes unto his own The other Greeks which were confederate One hundred thousand and ten thousand make The Beotian Fields of war the seats Where both sides exercis'd their manly feats But all their controversies to decide For one maine Battell shortly both provide The Athenians could but forty thousand arme For other Weapons they had none would harme But that which helpt defects and made them bold Was Victory by Oracle fore-told Ten dayes these Armies did each other face Mardonius finding victuals wast apace No longer dar'd but fiercely on-set gave The other not a hand nor sword will wave Till in the entrails of their Sacrifice The signall of their victory doth rise Which found like Greeks they fight the Persians fly And troublesome Mardonius now must dye All 's lost and of three hundred thousand men Three thousand scapes for to run home agen For pitty let those few to Xerxes go To câ—rtifie this finall over-throw Same day the small remainder of his Fleet The Grecians at Mytale in Asia meet And there so utterly they wrack'd the same Scarce one was left to carry home the fame Thus did the Greeks destroy consume disperce That Army which did fright the Universe Scorn'd Xerxes hated for his cruelty Yet ceases not to act his villany His brothers wife sollicites to his will The chaste and beautious Dame refuses still Some years by him in this vain suit was spent Yet words nor guifts could win him least content Nor matching of her daughter to his son But she was stil as when it first begun When jealous Queen Amestris of this knew She Harpy-like upon the Lady flew Cut off her lilly breasts her nose and ears And leaves her thus besmear'd with blood and tears Straight comes her Lord and finds his wife thus lie The sorrow of his heart did close his eye He dying to behold that wounding sight Where he had sometime gaz'd with great delight To see that face where Rose and Lilly stood O're-flown with torrent of her ruby blood To see those breasts where chastity did dwel Thus cut and mangled by a hag of hell With loaden heart unto the King he goes Tels as he could his unexpressed woes But for his deep complaints and showres of tears His brothers recompence was naught but jears The grieved Prince finding nor right nor lâ—ve To Bactria his houshold did remove His wicked brother after sent a crew Which him and his most barbarously there slew Unto such height did grow his cruelty Of life no man had least security At last his Uncle did his death conspire And for that end his Eunuch he dâ—d hire Which wretch him privately smother'd in 's bed But yet by search he was found murthered The Artacanus hirer of this deed That from suspition he might be freed Accus'd Darius Xerxes eldest son To be the Authour of the deed was done And
would they passe not hundreds but legions My cities famous rich and populous Whose numbers now are growne innumerous I have not time to thinke of every part Yet let me name my Grecia 't is my heart For Learning Armes and Arts I love it well But chiefly ' cause the Muses there did dwell I 'le here skip o're my mountaines reaching skies Whether Pyrenian or the Alpes both lyes On either side the country of the Gaules Strong forts from Spanish and Italian braules And huge great Taurus longer then the rest Dividing great Armenia from the least And Hemus whose steep sides none foote upon But farewell all for deare mount Helicon And wonderous high Olimpus of such fame That heaven it selfe was oft call'd by that name Sweet Parnassus I dote too much on thee Unlesse thou prove a better friend to me But I le skip o're these Hills not touch a Dale Nor yet expatiate in Temple vale I le here let goe my Lions of Numedia My Panthers and my Leopards of Libia The Behemoth and rare found Unicorne Poysons sure antidote lyes in his horne And my Hyaena imitates mans voyce Out of huge numbers I might pick my choyce Thousands in woods and planes both wild and tame But here or there I list now none to name No though the fawning dog did urge me sore In his behalfe to speak a word the more Whose trust and valour I might here commend But time 's too short and precious so to spend But hark ye worthy Merchants who for prize Send forth your well man'd ships where sun doth rise After three years when men and meat is spent My rich commodities payes double rent Ye Galenists my Drugs that come from thence Doe cure your patients fill your purse with pence Besides the use you have of Hearbs and Plants That with lesse cost neare home supplyes your wants But Marriners where got you ships and sailes And Oares to row when both my sisters failes Your Tackling Anchor Compasse too is mine Which guides when Sun nor Moon nor Stars do shine Ye mighty Kings who for your lasting fames Built Cities Monuments call'd by your names Was those compiled heapes of massy stones That your ambition laid ought but my bones Ye greedy misers who do dig for gold For gemmes for silver treasures which I hold Will not my goodly face your rage suffice But you will see what in my bowels lyes And ye Artificers all trades and sorts My bounty calls you forth to make reports If ought you have to use to wear to eate But what I freely yeeld upon your sweat And cholerick sister thou for all thine ire Well knowest my fuell must maintain thy fire As I ingenuously with thanks confesse My cold thy fruitfull heat doth crave no lesse But how my cold dry temper works upon The melancholy constitution How the Autumnal season I do sway And how I force the grey head to obey I should here make a short yet true narration But that thy method is my imitation Now might I shew my adverse quality And how I oft work mans mortality He sometimes findes maugre his toyling paine Thistles and thornes where he expected graine My sap to plants and trees I must not grant The Vine the Olive and the Figtree want The Corne and Hay both fall before they 'r mowne And buds from fruitfull trees before they 'r blowne Then dearth prevailes that Nature to suffice The tender mother on her Infant flyes The Husband knowes no Wife nor father sons But to all outrages their hunger runnes Dreadfull examples soon I might produce But to such auditours 't were of no use Again when Delvers dare in hope of gold To ope those veines of Mine audacious bold While they thus in my intralls seem to dive Before they know they are inter'd alive Ye affrighted wights appall'd how do you shake If once you feele me your foundation quake Because in the abysse of my darke wombe Your Cities and your selves I oft intombe O dreadfull Sepulcher that this is true Korah and all his Company well knew And since faire Italy full sadly knowes What she hath lost by these my dreadfull woes And Rome her Curtius can't forget I think Who bravely rode into my yawning chinke Again what veines of poyson in me lye As Stibium and unfixt Mercury With divers moe nay into plants it creeps In hot and cold and some benums with sleeps Thus I occasion death to man and beast When they seek food and harme mistrust the least Much might I say of the Arabian sands Which rise like mighty billowes on the lands Wherein whole Armies I have overthrown But windy sister 't was when you have blown I le say no more yet this thing adde I must Remember sonnes your mould is of my dust And after death whether inter'd or burn'd As earth at first so into earth return'd Water SCarce Earth had done but th' angry waters mov'd Sister quoth she it had full well behov'd Among your boastings to have praised me Cause of your fruitfulnesse as you shall see This your neglect shewes your ingratitude And how your subtilty would men delude Not one of us all knowes that 's like to thee Ever in craving from the other three But thou art bound to me above the rest Which am thy drink thy blood thy sap and best If I withhold what art thou dead dry lump Thou bear'st no grasse nor plant nor tree nor stump Thy extream thirst is moistened by my love With springs below and showers from above Or else thy sun-burnt face and gaping chapps Complaines to th' heaven when I withhold my drops Thy Bear thy Tyger and thy Lyon stout When I am gone their fiercenesse none need doubt The Camell hath no strength thy Bull no force Nor mettl's found in the couragious Horse Hindes leave their Calves the Elephant the Fens The Woolves and savage Beasts forsake their Dens The lofty Eagle and the Storke flye low The Peacock and the Ostrich share in woe The Pine the Cedars yea and Daph'nes tree Do cease to flourish in this misery Man wants his bread and wine and pleasant fruits He knowes such sweets lyes not in earths dry roots Then seeks me out in River and in Well His deadly mallady I might expell If I supply his heart and veines rejoyce If nor soon ends his life as did his voyce That this is true earth thou canst not deny I call thine Egypt this to verifie Which by my fatting Nile doth yeeld such store That she can spare when Nations round are poore When I run low and not o're flow her brinks To meet with want each woefull man bethinks But such I am in Rivers showers and springs But what 's the wealth that my rich Ocean brings Fishes so numberlesse I there do hold Shouldst thou but buy it would exhaust thy gold There lives the oyly Whale whom all men know Such wealth but not such like Earth thou mayst show The Dolphin loving musique Arions friend The
crafty Barbell whose wit doth her commend With thousands moe which now I list not name Thy silence of thy beasts doth cause the same My pearles that dangle at thy darlings ears Not thou but shell-fish yeelds as Pliny clears Was ever gem so rich found in thy trunke As Aegypts wanton Cleopatra drunke Or hast thou any colour can come nigh The Roman Purple double Tirian dye Which Caesars Consuls Tribunes all adorne For it to search my waves they thought no scorne Thy gallant rich perfuming Amber-greece I lightly cast a shoare as frothy fleece With rowling graines of purest massy gold Which Spaines Americans do gladly hold Earth thou hast not more Countrys Vales and Moundâ— Then I have Fountaines Rivers Lakes and Ponds My sundry Seas Black VVhite and Adriatique Ionian Balticke and the vast Atlantique The Ponticke Caspian Golden Rivers fine Asphaltis Lake where nought remains alive But I should go beyond thee in thy boasts If I should shew more Seas then thou hast Coasts But note this maxime in Philosophy Then Seas are deep Mountains are never high To speake of kinds of VVaters I 'le neglect My divers Fountaines and their strange effect My wholesome Bathes together with their cures My water Syrens with their guilefull lures Th' uncertain cause of certain ebbs and flowes VVhich wondring Arisâ—oâ—les wit ne'r knowes Nor will I speake of waters made by Art Which can to life restore a fainting heart Nor fruitfull dewes nor drops from weeping eyes VVhich pitty moves and oft deceives the wise Nor yet of Salt and Sugar sweet and smart Both when we list to water we convert Alas thy ships and oares could do no good Did they but want my Ocean and my Flood The wary Merchant on his weary beast Transfers his goods from North and South and East Unlesse I ease his toyle and doe transport The wealthy fraught unto his wished Port. These be my benefits which may suffice I now must shew what force there in me lyes The flegmy constitution I uphold All humours Tumours that are bred of cold O're childehood and Winter I bear the sway Yet Luna for my Regent I obey As I with showers oft time refresh the earth So oft in my excesse I cause a dearth And with aboundant wet so coole the ground By adding cold to cold no fruit proves sound The Farmer and the Plowman both complain Of rotten sheep lean kine and mildew'd grain And with my wasting floods and roaring torrent Their Cattle Hay and Corne I sweep down current Nay many times my Ocean breaks his bounds And with astonishment the world confounds And swallowes Countryes up ne're seen againe And that an Island makes which once was maine Thus Albion t is thought was cut from France Cicily from Italy by th'like chance And but one land was Affriea and Spayne Untill straight Gibralter did make them twaine Some say I swallowed up sure 't is a notion A mighty Country i th' Atlanticke Ocean I need not say much of my Haile and Snow My Ice and extream cold which all men know VVhereof the first so ominous I rain'd That Israels enemies therewith was brain'd And of my chilling colds such plenty be That Caucasus high mounts are seldom free Mine Ice doth glaze Europs big'st Rivers o're Till Sun release their ships can saile no more All know what innundations I have made VVherein not men but mountaines seem'd to wade As when Achaia all under water stood That in two hundred year it ne'r prov'd good Ducalions great deluge with many moe But these are trifles to the Flood of Noe. Then wholly perish'd earths ignoble race And to this day impaires her beautious face That after times shall never feel like woe Her confirm'd sonnes behold my colour'd bow Much might I say of wracks but that I le spare And now give place unto our sister Aire Aire COntent quoth Aire to speake the last of you Though not through ignorance first was my due I doe suppose you 'l yeeld without controle I am the breath of every living soul Mortalls what one of you that loves not me Aboundantly more then my sisters three And though you love Fire Earth and VVater wel Yet Aire beyond all these ye know t' excell I aske the man condemn'd that 's near his death How gladly should his gold purchase his breath And all the wealth that ever earth did give How freely should it go so he might live No world thy witching trash were all but vain If my pure Aire thy sonnes did not sustain The famisht thirsty man that craves supply His moveing reason is give least I dye So loath he is to go though nature 's spent To bid a due to his dear Element Nay what are words which doe reveale the mind Speak who or what they will they are but wind Your Drums your Trumpets and your Organs sound VVhat is' t but forced Aire which must rebound And such are Ecchoes and report o' th gun VVhich tells afar th' exployt which he hath done Your songs and pleasant tunes they are the same And so 's the notes which Nightingales do frame Ye forging Smiths if Bellowes once were gone Your red hot work more coldly would go on Ye Mariners t is I that fill your Sailes And speed you to your Port with wished gales VVhen burning heat doth cause you faint I coole And when I smile your Ocean 's like a Poole I ripe the corne I turne the grinding mill And with my selfe I every vacuum fill The ruddy sweet sanguine is like to Aire And youth and spring sages to me compare My moist hot nature is so purely thinne No place so subtilly made but I get in I grow more pure and pure as I mount higher And when I 'm throughly rarifi'd turn fire So when I am condens'd I turne to water VVhich may be done by holding down my vapour Thus I another body can assume And in a trice my own nature resume Some for this cause of late have been so bold Me for no Element longer to hold Let such suspend their thoughts and silent be For all Philosophers make one of me And what those Sages did or spake or writ Is more authentick then their moderne wit Next of my Fowles such multitudes there are Earths Beasts and VVaters Fish scarce can compare The Ostrich with her plumes th' Eagle with her eyne The Phoenix too if any be are mine The Stork the Crane the Partrich and the Phesant The Pye the Jay the Larke a prey to th' Peasant VVith thousands moe which now I may omit VVithout impeachment to my tale or wit As my fresh Aire preserves all things in life So when 'ts corrupt mortality is rife Then Feavours Purples Pox and Pestilence VVith divers more worke deadly consequence VVhereof such multitudes have dy'd and fled The living scarce had power to bury dead Yea so contagious Countries have me known That birds have not scap'd death as they have flown Of murrain Cattle numberlesse did fall Men
the more distrest my mind If happinesse my sordidnesse hath found 'T was in the crop of my manured ground My fatted Oxe and my exuberous Cow My fleeced Ewe and ever farr owing Sow To greater things I never did aspire My dunghil thoughts or hopes could reach no higher If to be rich or great it was my fate How was I broyl'd with envy and with hate Greater then was the great'st was my desire And greater stil did set my heart on fire If honour was the point to which I steer'd To run my hull upon disgrace I fear'd But by ambitious sailes I was so carryed That over flats and sands and rocks I hurried Opprest and sunke and sact all in my way That did oppose me to my longed bay My thirst was higher then Nobility And oft long'd sore to taste on Royalty Whence poyson Pistols and dread instruments Have been curst furtherers of mine intents Nor Brothers Nephewes Sons nor Sires I 've spar'd When to a Monarchy my way they barr'd There set I rid my selfe straight out of hand Of such as might my son or his withstand Then heapt up gold and riches as the clay Which others scatter like the dew in May. Sometimes vaine-glory is the only bait Whereby my empty soule is lur'd and caught Be I of worth of learning or of parts I judge I should have room in all mens hearts And envy gnawes if any do surmount I hate for to be had in small account If Bias like I 'm stript unto my skin I glory in my wealth I have within Thus good and bad and what I am you see Now in a word what my diseases be The vexing Stone in bladder and in reines Torments me with intollerable paines The windy Cholick oft my bowels rend To break the darksome prison where it 's pend The knotty Gout doth sadly torture me And the restraining lame Sciatica The Quinsie and the Feavours oft distaste me And the Consumption to the bones doth wast me Subject to all Diseases that 's the truth Though some more incident to age or youth And to conclude I may not tedious be Man at his best estate is vanity Old Age. WHat you have been ev'n such have I before And all you say say I and something more Babes innocence Youths wildnes I have seen And in perplexed Middle-age have bin Sicknesse dangers and anxieties have past And on this Stage am come to act my last I have bin young and strong and wise as you But now Bis pueri senes is too true In every Age i 've found much vanitie An end of all perfection now I see It 's not my valour honour nor my gold My ruin'd house now falling can uphold It 's not my Learning Rhetorick wit so large Now hath the power Deaths Warfare to discharge It 's not my goodly house nor bed of down That can refresh or ease if Conscience frown Nor from alliance now can I have hope But what I have done wel that is my prop He that in youth is godly wise and sage Provides a staffe for to support his age Great mutations some joyful and some sad In this short Pilgrimage I oft have had Sometimes the Heavens with plenty smil'd on me Sometimes again rain'd all adversity Sometimes in honour sometimes in disgrace Sometime an abject then again in place Such private changes oft mine eyes have seen In various times of state i 've also been I 've seen a Kingdom flourish like a tree When it was rul'd by that Celestial she And like a Cedar others so surmount That but for shrubs they did themselves account Then saw I France and Holland sav'd Cales won And Philip and Albertus half undone I saw all peace at home terror to foes But ah I saw at last those eyes to close And then me thought the world at noon grew dark When it had lost that radiant Sun-like spark In midst of greifs I saw some hopes revive For 't was our hopes then kept our hearts alive I saw hopes dasht our forwardnesse was shent And silenc'd we by Act of Parliament I 've seen from Rome an execraâ—le thing A plot to blow up Nobles and their King I 've seen designes at Ree and Cades crost And poor Palatinate for ever lost I 've seen a Prince to live on others lands A Royall one by almes from Subjects hands I 've seen base men advanc'd to great degree And worthy ones put to extremity But not their Princes love nor state so high could once reverse their shamefull destiny I 've seen one stab'd another loose his head And others fly their Country through their dread I 've seen and so have ye for 't is but late The desolation of a goodly State Plotted and acted so that none can tell Who gave the counsel but the Prince of hell I 've seen a land unmoulded with great paine But yet may live to see 't made up again I 've seen it shaken rent and soak'd in blood But out of troubles ye may see much good These are no old wives tales but this is truth We old men love to tell what 's done in youth But I returne from whence I stept awry My memory is short and braine is dry My Almond-tree gray haires doth flourish now And back once straight begins apace to bow My grinders now are few my sight doth faile My skin is wrinkled and my cheeks are pale No more rejoyce at musickes pleasant noyse But do awake at the cocks clanging voyce I cannot scent savours of pleasant meat Nor sapors find in what I drink or eat My hands and armes once strong have lost their might I cannot labour nor I cannot fight My comely legs as nimble as the Roe Now stiffe and numb can hardly creep or go My heart sometimes as fierce as Lion bold Now trembling and fearful sad and cold My golden Bowl and silver Cord e're long Shal both be broke by wracking death so strong I then shal go whence I shal come no more Sons Nephews leave my death for to deplore In pleasures and in labours I have found That earth can give no consolation sound To great to rich to poore to young or old To mean to noble fearful or to bold From King to begger all degrees shal finde But vanity vexation of the minde Yea knowing much the pleasant'st life of all Hath yet amongst that sweet some bitter gall Though reading others Works doth much refresh Yet studying much brings wearinesse to th' flesh My studies labours readings all are done And my last period now e'n almost run Corruption my Father I do call Mother and sisters both the worms that crawl In my dark house such kindred I have store There I shal rest til heavens shal be no more And when this flesh shal rot and be consum'd This body by this soul shal be assum'd And I shal see with these same very eyes My strong Redeemer comming in the skies Triumph I shal o're Sin o're Death o're Hel And
grown a man resum'd again his state He next to Cyprus sends his bloudy Hoast Who landed soon upon that fruitful coast Made Evelthon their King with bended knee To hold his own of his free courtesie The Temples he destroyes not for his zeal But he would be profest god of their Weal Yea in his pride he ventured so farre To spoyl the Temple of great Jupiter But as they marched o're those desart sands The stormed dust o'r-whelm'd his daring bands But scorning thus by Jove to be out-brav'd A second Army there had almost grav'd But vain he found to fight with Elements So left his sacrilegious bold intents The Aegyptian Apis then he likewise slew Laughing to scorn that calvish sottish crew If all his heat had been for a good end Cambyses to the clouds we might commend But he that 'fore the gods himself preferrs Is more prophane then grosse Idolaters And though no gods if he esteem them some And contemn them woful is his doome He after this saw in a Vision His brother Smerdis sit upon his throne He strait to rid himself of causlesse fears Complots the Princes death in his green years Who for no wrong poore innocent must dye Praraspes now must act this tragedy Who into Persia with Commission sent Accomplished this wicked Kings intent His sister whom incestuously he wed Hearing her harmlesse brother thus was dead His woful fate with tears did so bemoane That by her Husbands charge she caught her owne She with her fruit was both at once undone Who would have born a Nephew and a Son O hellish Husband Brother Vnckle Sire Thy cruelty will Ages still admire This strange severity one time he us'd Upon a Judge for breach of Law accus'd Flayd him alive hung up his stuffed skin Over his Seat then plac'd his Son therein To whom he gave this in rememberance Like fault must look for the like recompence Praraspes to Cambyses favourite Having one son in whom he did delight His cruell Master for all service done Shot through the heart of his beloved son And only for his fathers faithfullnesse Who said but what the King bad him expresse 'T would be no pleasant but a tedious thing To tell the facts of this most bloody King Fear'd of all but lov'd of few or none All thought his short râ—ign long till it was done At last two of his Officers he heart Had set a Smerdis up of the same years And like in feature to the Smerdis dead Ruling as they thought good under his head Toucht with this newes to Persia he makes But in the way his sword just véngeance takes Unsheathes as he his horse mounted on high And with a Martall thrust wounds him i th' thigh Which ends before begun the Persian Waâ—re Yeelding to death that dreadfull Conquerer Griefe for his brothers death he did expresse And more because he dyed issulesse The Male line of great Cyrus now did end The Female many ages did extend A Babylon in Egypt did he make And built fair Meroe for his sisters sake Eight years he reign'd a short yet too long time Cut off in 's wickednesse in 's strength and prime The inter Regnum between Cambyses and Darius Hyslaspes Childlesse Cambyses on the sudden dead The Princes meet to chuse one in his stead Of which the cheife were seven call'd Satrapes Who like to Kings rul'd Kingdomes as they please Descended all of Achâ—menes blood And kinsmen in account to th' King they stood And first these noble Magi 'gree upon To thrust th' Imposter Smerdis our of throne Their Forces instantly they raise and rout This King with conspirators so stout Who little pleasure had in his short reigne And now with his accomplyces lye slaine But yet 'fore this was done much blood was shed And two of these great Peers in place lay dead Some write that sorely hurt they ' scap'd away But so or no sure t is they won the day All things in peace and Rebells throughly queâ—'d A Consultation by the States was held What forme of Government now to erect The old or new which best in what respect The greater part declin'd a Monarchy So late crusht by their Princes Tyranny And thought the people would more happy be If governed by an Aristocracy But others thought none of the dullest braine But bâ—tter one then many Tyrants reigne What arguments they us'd I know not well Too politicke t is like for me to tell But in conclusion they all agree That of the seven a Monarch chosen be All envie to avoyd this was thought on Upon a Green to meet by rising Sun And he whose Horse before the rest should neigh Of all the Peers should have precedency They all attend on the appointed houre Praying to Fortune for a Kingly power Then mounting on their snorting coursers proud Darius lusty stallion neighed full loud The Nobles all alight their King to greet And after Persian manner kisse his feet His happy wishes now doth no man spare But acclamations ecchoes in the aire A thousand times God save the King they cry Let tyranny now with Cambyses dye They then attend him to his royall roome Thanks for all this to 's crafty Stable-groome Darius Hyslapses DArius by election made a King His title to make strong omits no thing He two of Cyrus Daughters now doth wed Two of his Neeces takes to nuptiall bed By which he cuts their hopes for future times That by such steps to Kingdoms often climbs And now a King by marriage choyce and bloud Three strings to 's bow the least of which is good Yet more the peoples hearts firmly to binde Made wholsome gentle Laws which pleas'd each mind His affability and milde aspect Did win him loyalty and all respect Yet notwithstanding he did all so well The Babylonians ' gainst their Prince rebell An Hoast he rais'd the City to reduce But strength against those walls was of no use For twice ten months before the town he lay And fear'd he now with scorn must march away Then brave Zopirus for his Masters good His manly face dis-figures spares no bloud With his own hands cuts off his eares and nose And with a faithfull fraud to 'th town he goes Tels them how harshly the proud King had dealt That for their sakes his cruelty he felt Desiring of the Prince to raise the siege This violence was done him by his Leige This told for enterance he stood not long For they beleev'd his nose more then his tongue With all the Cities strength they him betrust If he command obey the greatest must When opportunity he saw was fit Delivers up the town and all in it To loose a nose to win a Town 's no shame But who dare venture such a stake for th' game Then thy disgrace thine honour 's manifold Who doth deserve a Statue made of gold Nor can Darius in his Monarchy Scarse finde enough to thank thy loyalty But yet thou hast sufficient recompence In that
thy fame shall sound whilst men have sence Yet o're thy glory we must cast this vaile Thy falshood not thy valour did prevaile Thy wit was more then was thine honesty Thou lov'dst thy Master more then verity Darius in the second of his reign An Edict for the Jews publish'd again The temple to re-build for that did rest Since Cyrus time Cambyses did molest He like a King now grants a Charter large Out of his owne revenues beares the charge Gives sacrifices wheat wine oyle and salt Threats punishment to him that through default Shall let the work or keep back any thing Of what is freely granted by the King And on all Kings he poures out execrations That shall but dare raze those firme foundations They thus backt of the King in spight of foes Built on and prosper'd till their walls did close And in the sixth yeare of his friendly reign Set up a Temple though a lesse again Darius on the Sythians made a war Entring that large and barren country far A bridge he made which serv'd for boat and barge Over fair Ister at a mighty charge But in that Desart ' mongst his barbarous foes Sharp wants not swords his vallour did oppose His Army fought with Hunger and with Cold Which two then to assaile his Camp was bold By these alone his Hoast was pinch'd so sore He warr'd defensive not offensive more The Salvages did laugh at his distresse Their minds by Hieroglyphicks they expresse A Frog a Mouse a Bird an Arrow sent The King will needs interpret their intent Possession of water earth and aire But wise Gobrias reads not half so farre Quoth he like Frogs in water we must dive Or like to Mice under the earth must live Or fly like birds in unknown wayes full quick Or Sythian arrows in our fides must stick The King seeing his men and victuall spent His fruitlesse war began late to repent Return'd with little honour and lesse gaine His enemies scarce seen then much lesse slaine He after this intends Greece to invade But troubles in lesse Asia him stay'd Which husht he straight so orders his affaires For Attica an Army he prepares But as before so now with ill successe Return'd with wondrous losse and honour lesse Athens perceiving now their desperate state Arm'd all they could which elev'n thousand make By brave Miltiades their chief being led Darius multitude before them fled At Marathon this bloudy field was fought Where Grecians prov'd themselves right Souldiers stout The Persians to their Gallies post with speed Where an Athenian shew'd a valiant deed Pursues his flying-foes and on the strand He stayes a landing Gally with his hand Which soon cut off he with the left Renews his hold but when of that bereft His whetted teeth he sticks in the firm wood Off flyes his head down showres his frolick bloud Go Persians carry home that angry peece As the best trophe that ye won in Greece Darius light he heavie home returnes And for revenge his heart still restlesse burnes His Queen Attossa caused all this stir For Grecian Maids 't is said to wait on her She lost her aime her Husband he lost more His men his coyn his honour and his store And the ensuing yeare ended his life 'T is thought through grief of his successesse strife Thirty six years this royall Prince did reign Unto his eldest Son all did remain Xerxes XErxes Darius and Attossa's Son Grand-childe to Cyrus now sits on the throne The Father not so full of lenity As is the Son of pride and cruelty He with his Crown receives a double warre Th' Aegyptians to reduce and Greece to marre The first begun and finish'd in such hast None write by whom nor how 't was over-past But for the last he made such preparation As if to dust he meant to grinde that Nation Yet all his men and instruments of slaughter Produced but derision and laughter Sage Artabanus counsell had he taken And 's cousen young Mardonius forsaken His Souldiers credit wealth at home had stay'd And Greece such wondrous triumphs ne're had made The first deports and layes before his eyes His Fathers ill successe in 's enterprise Against the Sythians and Grecians too What infamy to 's honour did accrue Flattering Mardonius on th' other side With certainty of Europe feeds his pride Vaine Xerxes thinks his counsell hath most wit That his ambitious humour best can fit And by this choyce unwarily posts on To present losse future subversion Although he hasted yet foure yeares was spent In great provisions for this great intent His Army of all Nations was compounded That the large Persian government surrounded His Foot was seventeen hundred thousand strong Eight hundred thousand Horse to them belong His Camels beasts for carriage numberlesse For truth's asham'd how many to expresse The charge of all he severally commended To Princes of the Persian bloud descended But the command of these Commanders all To Mardonius Captain Generall He was the Son of the fore-nam'd Gobrias Who married the sister of Darius These his Land Forces were then next a Fleet Of two and twenty thousand Gallies meet Mann'd by Phenisians and Pamphilians Cipriots Dorians and Cilicians Lycians Carians and Ionians Eolians and the Helispontines Besides the Vessels for his transportation Three thousand or more by best relation Artemesia Halicarna's Queene In person there now for his help was seen Whose Gallies all the rest in neatnesse passe Save the Zidonians where Xerxes was Hers she kept stil seperate from the rest For to command alone she thought was best O noble Queen thy valour I commend But pitty 't was thine ayde that here did'st lend At Sardis in Lidia these all doe meet Whither rich Pithyus comes Xerxes to greet Feasts all this multitude of his own charge Then gives the King a King-like gift most large Three thousand Tallents of the purest gold Which mighty sâ—m all wondred to behold He humbly to the King then makes request One of his five Sons there might be relead To be to 's age a comfort and a stay The other four he freely gave away The King cals for the Youth who being brought Cuts him in twain for whom his Sire besought O most inhumain incivility Nay more then monstrous barb'rous cruelty For his great love is this thy recompence Is this to doe like Xerxes or a Prince Thou shame of Kings of men the detestation I Rhetorick want to poure out execration First thing Xerxes did worthy recount A Sea passage cuts behind Orthos Mount Next o're the Hellispont a bridge he made Of Boats together coupled and there laid But winds and waves these couples soon dissever'd Yet Xerxes in his enterprise persever'd Seven thousand Gallies chain'd by Tyrians skil Firmly at length accomplished his wil Seven dayes and nights his Hoast without least stay Was marching o're this interrupting Bay And in Abidus Plaines must ring his Forces He glories in his Squadrens and his Horses Long viewing them thought
by his craft ordered the matter so That the poor innocent to death must go But in short time this wickednesse was knowne For which he dyed and not he alone But all his family was likewise slain Such Justice then in Persia did remain The eldest son thus immaturely dead The second was inthron'd in 's fathers stead Artaxerxes Longimanus AMongst the Monarchs next this Prince had place The best that ever sprang of Cyrus race He first war with revolting Aegypt made To whom the perjur'd Grecians lent their aide Although to Xerxes they not long before A league of amity had sworn before Which had they kept Greece had more nobly done Then when the world they after over-run Greeks and Egyptians both he overthrows And payes them now according as he owes Which done a sumptuous feast makes like a King Where ninescore days are spent in banquetting His Princes Nobles and his Captaines calls To be partakers in these festivalls His hangings white and green and purple dye With gold and silver beds most gorgiously The royall wine in golden cups doth passe To drink more then he list none bidden was Queen Vashty also feasts but 'fore t is ended Alas she from her Royalty's suspended And a more worthy placed in her roome By Memucan's advice this was the doome What Hester was and did her story reed And how her Country-men from spoile she freed Of Hamans fall and Mordica's great rise The might o' th' Prince the tribute on the Isles Unto this King Thymistocles did flye When under Ostracisme he did lye For such ingratitude did Athens show This valiant Knight whom they so much did owe Such entertainment with this Prince he found That in all Loyalty his heart was bound The King not little joyfull of this chance Thinking his Grecian wars now to advance And for that end great preparation made Fair Attica a third time to invade His Grand-sires old disgrace did vex him sore His father Xerxes losse and shame much more For punishment their breach of oath did call The noble Greek now fit for generall Who for his wrong he could not chuse but deem His Country nor his Kindred would esteem Provisions and season now being fit T' Thymistecles he doth his war commit But he all injury had soon forgate And to his Country-men could bear no hate Nor yet disloyall to his Prince would prove To whom oblig'd by favour and by love Either to wrong did wound his heart so sore To wrong himselfe by death he chose before In this sad conflict marching on his ways Strong poyson took and put an end to 's dayes The King this noble Captaine having lost Again dispersed his new levyed hoast ' Rest of his time in peace he did remain And dy'd the two and fortieth of his reign Daryus Nothus THree sons great Artaxerxes left behind The eldest to succeed that was his mind But he with his next brother fell at strife That nought appeas'd him but his brothers life Then the surviver is by Nothus slaine Who now sole Monarch doth of all remaine These two lewd sons are by hystorians thought To be by Hester to her husband brought If they were hers the greater was her moon That for such gracelesse wretches she did groan Disquiet Egypt ' gainst this King rebells Drives out his garison that therein dwels Joynes with the Greeks and so maintains their right For sixty years maugre the Persians might A second trouble after this succeeds Which from remissenesse in Asia proceeds Amerges whom their Vice-roy he ordain'd Revolts having treasure and people gain'd Invades the Country and much trouble wrought Before to quietnesse things could be brought The King was glad with Sparta to make peace So that he might these tumults soon appease But they in Asia must first restore All Townes held by his Ancestors before The King much profit reapeth by these leagues Re-gaines his own and then the Rebell breaks Whose forces by their helpe were overthrown And so each man again possest his owne The King his sister like Cambyses wed More by his pride then lust thereunto led For Persian Kings did deem themselves so good No match was high enough but their own blood Two sons she bore the youngest Cyrus nam'd A hopefull Prince whose worth is ever fam'd His father would no notice of that take Prefers his brother for his birth-rights sake But Cyrus scornes his brothers feeble wit And takes more on him then was judged fit The King provok'd sends for him to the Court Meaning to chastise him in sharpest sort But in his slow approach ere he came there His fathers death did put an end to 's fear Nothus reign'd nineteen years which run His large Dominions left to 's eldest son Artaxerxes Mnemon MNemon now fits upon his fathers Throne Yet doubts all he injoyes is not his own Still on his brother casts a jealous eye Judging all 's actions tends to 's injury Cyrus o' th' other side weighs in his mind What helps in 's enterprize he 's like to find His interest in the Kingdome now next heir More deare to 's mother then his brother far His brothers litle love like to be gone Held by his mothers intercession These and like motives hurry him amain To win by force what right could not obtain And thought ' it best now in his mothers time By lesser steps towards the top to climbe If in his enterprize he should fall short She to the King would make a fair report He hop'd if fraud nor force the Crown could gaine Her prevailence a pardon might obtain From the Lieutenant first he takes away Some Townes commodious in lesse Asia Pretending still the profit of the King Whose rents and customes duly he sent in The King finding revenues now amended For what was done seemed no whit offended Then next the Lacedemons he takes to pay One Greeke could make ten Persians run away Great care was his pretence those Souldiers stout The Rovers in Pisidia should drive out But least some worser newes should fly to Court He meant himselfe to carry the report And for that end five hundred Horse he chose With posting speed towards the King he goes But fame more quick arrives ere he came there And fills the Court with tumult and with fear The young Queen and old at bitter jars The one accus'd the other for these wars The wife against the mother still doth cry To be the Author of conspiracy The King dismay'd a mighty Hoast doth raise Which Cyrus heares and so fore-slowes his pace But as he goes his Forces still augments Seven hundred Greeks now further his intents And others to be warm'd by this new sun In numbers from his brother daily run The fearfull King at last musters his Forces And counts nine hundred thousand foot and horses And yet with these had neither heart nor grace To loâ—k his manly brother in the face Three hundred thousand yet to Syria sent To keep those streights to hinder
both wise and strong Whose courage nought but death could ever tame ' Mongst these Epimanondas wants no fame Who had as noble Raleigh doth evince All the peculiar vertues of a Prince But let us leave these Greeks to discord bent And turne to Persia as is pertinent The King from forraign foes and all at ease His home-bred troubles seeketh to appease The two Queens by his means 'gin to abate Their former envie and inveterate hare Then in voluptuousnesse he leads his life And weds his Daughter for a second wife His Mothers wicked counsell was the cause Who sooths him up his owne desires are Lawes But yet for all his greatnesse and long reign He must leave all and in the pit remain Forty three years he rules then turns to dust As all the mighty ones have done and must But this of him is worth the memory He was the Master of good Nehemie Darius Ochus GReat Artexerxes dead Ochus succeeds Of whom no Record's extant of his deeds Was it because the Grecians now at war Made Writers work at home they sought not far Or dealing with the Persian now no more Their Acts recorded not as heretofore Or else perhaps the deeds of Persian Kings In after wars were burnt ' mongst other things That three and twenty years he reign'd I finde The rest is but conjecture of my minde Arsames or Arses WHy Arsames his brother should succeed I can no reason give cause none I read It may be thought surely he had no Son So fell to him which else it had not done What Acts he did time hath not now left pend But as 't is thought in him had Cyrus end Whose race long time had worn the Diadem But now 's divolved to another Stem Three years he reign'd as Chronicles expresse Then Natures debt he paid quite Issue-lesse Darius Codomanus HOw this Darius did attain the Crown By favour force or fraud is not set down If not as is before of Cyrus race By one of these he must obtain the place Some writers say that he was Arses son And that great Cyrus line yet was not run That Ochus unto Arsames was father Which by some probabilities seems rather That son and father both were murthered By one Bagoas an Eunuch as is sed Thus learned Pemble whom we may not slight But as before doth well read Raleigh write Antd he that story reads shall often find That severall men will have their severall mind Yet in these differences we may behold With our judicious learned Knight to hold And this ' mongst all 's no controverted thing That this Darius was last Persian King Whose warres and losses we may better tell In Alexanders reign who did him quell How from the top of worlds felicity He fell to depth of greatest misery Whose honours treasures pleasures had short sâ—ay One deluge came and swept them all away And in the sixt year of his haplesse reigne Of all did scarce his winding sheet retaine And last a sad catastrophe to end Him to the grave did â—raytor Bessus send The end of the Persian Monarchy The third Monarchy was the Grecian beginning under Alexander the Great in the 112 Olimpiad GReat Alexander was wise Phillips son He to Amintas Kings of Macedon The cruell proud Olimpias was his mother Shee to the rich Molossians King was daughter This Prince his father by Pausanias slain The twenty first of 's age began to reign Great were the guifts of nature which be had His Education much to these did adde By Art and Nature both he was made fit T' accomplish that which long before was writ The very day of his nativity To th' ground was burnt Diana's Temple high An Omen to their near approaching woe Whose glory to the Earth this Prince did throw His rule to Greece he scorn'd should be confin'd The universe scarce bounds his large vast minde This is the hee-goat which from Grecia came Who ran in fury on the Persian Ram That broke his hornes that threw him on the ground To save him from his might no man was found Phillip on this great conquest had an eye But death did terminate those thoughts so high The Greeks had chose him Captain Generall Which honour to his son now did befall For as worlds Monarch now we speak not on But as the King of little Macedon Restlesse both day and night his heart now was His high resolves which way to bring to passe Yet for a while in Grecce is forc'd to stay Which makes each moment seem more then a day Thebes and old Athens both ' gainst him rebell But he their mutinies full soon doth quell This done against all right and natures laws His kinsmen puts to death without least cause That no combustion in his absence be In seeking after Soveraignity And many more whom he suspects will climbe Now taste of death least they deserv't in time Nor wonder is' t if he in blood begin For cruelty was his parentall sin Thus eased now of troubles and of fears His course to Asiâ— next Spring he steers Leaves sage Antipater at home to sway And through the Hellispont his ships make way Comming to land his dart on shear he throwes Then with alacrity he after goes Thirty two thousand made up his foot force To these were joyn'd five thousand goodly horse Then on he march'd in 's way he veiw'd old Troy And on Achillis Tombe with wondrous joy He offer'd and for good successe did pray To him his mothers Ancestor men say When newes of Alexander came to th' Court To scorn at him Darius had good sport Sends him a frothy and contemptuous letter Stiles him disloyall servant and no better Reproves him for his proud audacity To lift his hand ' gainst such a Monarchy Then to his Lieutenant in Asia sends That he be tane alive for he intends To whip him well with rods and then to bring That boy so mallepart before the King Ah! fond vaine man whose pen was taught ere while In lower termes to write a higher stile To th' river Granicke Alexander hyes Which twixt Phrigia and Propontis lyes The Persians for encounter ready sland And think to keep his men from off the land Those banks so steep the Greeks now scramble up And beat the coward Persians from the top And twenty thousand of their lives bereave Who in their backs did all their wounds receive This Victory did Alexander gain With losse of thirty sour of his there slaine Sardis then he and Ephesus did gaine Where stood of late Diana's wondrous Phane And by Parmenio of renowned fame Miletus and Pamphilia overcame Hallicarnassus and Pisidia He for his master takes with Lycia Next Alexander marcht t'wards the black sea And easily takes old Gordium in his way Of Asse-eard Midas once the regall seat Whose touch turn'd all to gold yea even his meat There the Prophetick knot he cuts in twain Which who so did must Lord of all remain Now newes of Memnons death