it is refuted rather by expresse testimonie of Christ who saith the latter day is vnknowne both to men and Angels Now that which the Poet propoundeth here concerning the worlds six ages not defining the number of yeres it is founded in the word of God The first age then begins from Adam and continues till Noe 1656 yeares The second from Noe who built the Arke and planted the Vine till Abraham 292 yeares The third lasteth from Abraham the great sheepheard drawne out of Chalden who obaying the voice of God was readie to sacrifice his onely sonne Isaac from Abraham I say vnto Daâ—id 942 yeares The fourth from Dauid the valiant and nimble sheepheard who with one cast of his sling ouerthrew the Gyant Goliah and of sheepheard was made King renowned aboue others who was also a great Prophet and excellent in Poetrie and Musicke vnto the taking of Ierusalem vnder Zedechias who after hee had seene his children slaine and the people of ludea led capture into Babilon had his eyes put out containes 475 yeares Now from the destruction of the first Temple built by Solomon vnto the destruction of the second Temple destroyed by the Romans about fortie yeares after the death of Christ some reckon 656 yeares and that 's the fift age The siâ—t holds on from Christ to the worlds end If this latter age last yet but 51 yeares longer the Lord shall haue attended it with as long patience as he did the former world destroyed by the blood but the destruction of this world shall be by fire Hereof see what Saint Peter saith in the third Chapter of his second Epistle 3 What shall I hope alas In all the rest of this discourse vpon the first day of the second weeke the Poet makes a â—â—iefe of the Historie in holy Scripture contained from about the end of the fourth Chapter of Genesis to the end of the seuenth Adams first consideration here is of his descendants by Cain who giuen wholly to the world forgot to exercise themselues in godlinesse and true justice Whereupon there ensued such vngedlinesse vnrighteousnesse and debauched life as brought the delâ—ge and vniuersall flood vpon them Adam foreseeth that such as shall be liuing in the latter age wherinto we are fallen are like to be wondrous peruerse sithence his so neere successors euen in his life time durst prouoke the iust Iudge of All. The Poets haue fained foure ages of the world the first of Gold the second of Siluer the third of Brasse the fourth of Iron And we may put thereto a fift mingled with Iron and Clay They said the first was of Gold for the abundance of all good things for then was there more knowledge and wisedome in the soule of man Iustice and all other vertues were more honored mens bodies were much more big strong and vigorous and so much the longer liuing by how much the lesse they need care to maintaine health After this life so commodious and ensie there followed another more troublesome and after that a third and a fourth declining still by little and little from worse to worse Compare ye the peaceable time of Adam with the broyles and mâ—ssakers of these our dayes and you shall see plainely in the one Gold and in the other Iron Nay euen in the daies of Hesiod and Ouid many hundred yeares agoe the Iron age is discouered by their complaints But in that Golden age before the flood when Adam Seth Enos Henech and other excellent Patriarches liued in the schoole of God raigned euer good order or if there were any disorder as in Cain and his line which corrupted the posteritie of Seth that same Enos and other good men found remedie for it Whereas now a daies vice it selfe is held a vertue and right is tried onely by the swords point so are both the bodies and soules of men decayed and abased But least these my notes turne to a Satire let vs stay them here with the 12 verse of the 12 chapter of the Apocalips well agreeing with this latter age Wo to you inhabitants of the Earth and Sea for the Diuell is come downe vnto you which hath great wroth knowing his time is short 4 Ha traitor and rebell Soule For example of vice and wickednesse he noteth Lamech mentioned in the fourth and fift Chapters of Gen. accusing him to haue tripled the Paire-of-man that is to haue brought in Poligamie by marrying and hauing two wiues at once so as contrarie to the Lords appointment who of one body made two and of two but one he went about to ioyne three bodies in one and whereas hee ought to haue but one wife tooke two viz. Ada and Tsilla Beside this desiling the marriage bed which the Apostle saith Hebr. 13. is honourable among all men and calles it the bed vndesiled Lamech is here also accused to haue embrued his sword with the bloud of his Grand-fathers Grand-father that is to haue killed Cain of this descent see Gen. 4. where you shall sinde Lamech in the seuenth degree counting Adam the first and Cain the second c. Philo Judaus Lib. de Praemâ—js Poeâ—â—s holds that Cain was not killed but as his offence was a thing neuer knowne before so was it punished after a new fashion and bearing a certain mark of Gods anger languished in coutinuall misery without hope of grace or comfort Certaine ancient Doctors giue Lamech the title of a Murderer bloudy minded Man and his menaces in the Text shew no lesse hence it is that the Poet after diuers others hath gathered that Cain was killed by Lamech some say purposely some vnawares But these Traditions hauing no ground in holy Scripture and little concerning the stay of our faith let the Poet say and the Reader thinke what they will Howbeit Muses sheweth plainly that this Lamech of Cains Posteritie was a cruell man and giuen to his pleasure 5 But Enos O thou Saint It is recorded by Moses Genes 4. Ch. the last verse that vnto Seth the third sonne of Adam was borne a sonne called Enos and it followeth that then men began to call on the name of the Lord as much to say as then began a distinction apparent betweene the Church of God and the Race of Cain For as much as Adam Seth Enos and their Families only of all the World called themselues the children of God and reioyced in that name The Poet so followes this exposition that he ioynes in opinion with such as say when Enos came into the world Adam was 239. yeares old and that then the Race of Cain was so multiplied as the seruice of God began to be of small account the due calling vpon his name neglected and the doctrine of Sacrifices mis-vnderstood Whereupon these good Patriarkes perceiuing the disorder opposed themselues against it by all the best meanes they could Some learned men there are who consider the words of Moses otherwise and as though in the time of Enos some others
les obiections des Atheistes D'où vient donc diras-tu ceste mer dont larage Les venteuses forests des Riphees saccage Met le Liban en friche tasche de ses eaux Enuieuse amortir les celestes flambeaux D'où vient diray-ie ô Cham que les Loups Pantheres Bridant pour quelque temps leurs fumantes choleres Et des bois ombrageux quittant le triste effroy On t adiournez du Ciel comparu deuant moy Qui tenant sous mon ioug tant de feres captiues Suis remis es honneurs estats prerogatiues Dont Adam est decheu Qu'ici de toutes pars Me sont venus au poing les oiseaux plus hagars Sans estre reclamez Que si peu de fourrage Si peu de grain froissé si peu de doux bruuage Suffit pour sustenter tant danimaux gloutons Qui viuent confinez dans ces obscurs grotons Qu'ici du sier Autour la Pordris na point crainte Ni le Leuraut ailé de la Tigresse peinte Que le flot contre nous tant de fois mutiué Nait brisé nostre nef que lair emprisonné Les sales excremens la punaise haleine Des corps dont la Carraque est confusement pleine Ne nous ait estousfez que bourgeois de l'eau Nous ne trouuons ailleurs la vie qu'au tombeau Ceste nefn'a tant d'ais tant de cloux tant de tables Que de miracles saincts prodiges notables Icy l'entendement de merueille englouti Sans pointe sans discours reste comme abruty Et Dieu n'a moins monstré quelle estoit sa puissance En restaurant ce Tout qu'en luy donnant essence Appaise ô sainct Patron appaise ton courrous Guide au port ce vaiseau seche l'onde fay nous Cognoistre soit auant soit apres la mort blesme Ta sureur sur autruy ta bonté sur nous-mesme DIuine Verse if with ease thou flow not as to fore The Poets modest complaint to breed attention and make way for his Innocation Frō out my weary quil but make me toyle the more The sacred crown of Bay that wont my fore-head shade If now decheueled it wither dwindle fade So that my Muse be falne into these earthly hels From that twypointed Mount where thine Vranie dwels Accuse the deadly fewds of this vnthankfull Age My many suits in Law mine often gardianage My houshold care my griefe at late and sundry losses And bodies crasie state these and such other crosses They downward force my thoughts aspiring heretofore And damp my Muses wings that erst so high did soare This haile beats downe my corne these bushes these weeds Before my haruest comes choak-vp those heau'nly seeds That in my soule shot-out 2. O rid me of all these lets My God and Father deerel kindle in me th' emberets Of Faith so nie put out and least mans wit deceiue me Be pleas'd ô Lord and ô let not thy spirit leaue me Paint varnish guild my Verse now better then before And grant I be not like the winde that in a rore Sends all his hurring force vpon the first he meets And proudest hils of all rooting trees scouring streets That driuing o're the plaine makes with his angry blast The stones to bound-againe and firie sparkles cast But fainteth more and more as though his winged sway Did scatter here and there her feathers by the way O rather make me like the streame that drop by drop At first beginning fals from some rocks barren top But farther from the Spring and nar to Thetis flowing Encreaseth in his waues and gets more strength by going And then enbyllowed-high doth in his pride disdaine With fome and roaring din all hugenesse of the Maine It came to passe at length as our fore-sire foretold And hausned long before that angry heau'n enrould And toomb'd the world in flood t' auenge as well it can The many plighted sinne of stubborne harted man Ne'r had the birds againe in coueys checky-pide The windy-whirled ayre with hardy flight defide Nor beast nor man had beene but on the land in vaine Had sprung all kinde of ftuit of tree of hearbe of graine Had not the godly sonne of Lamech learn'd the skill And tooke the paine to build that Arche huge as an hill Which of all breathing kinds safe from so great deluge A paire of breeders held in sakersaint refuge When all were once i'th'Arche At the end of the second day of the first weeke Th' almighty bindeth fast In Eols closest caue the cleering Northen blast And lets the South goe loose he flyes with myslie wing From each bristle of his berd there trickleth downe a spring A cloggy night of myst embowdleth round his braine His haire all bushy-shagd is turned into raine He squeaseth in his hand the sponge of cloudy soods And makes it thund'r flash powre down showry floods Forthwith the foamie drains the riuers and the brooks Are puft vp all at once their mingled water lookes And cannot finde her bound but hauing got the raine Bears haruest as it runs into the brackie Maine All Earth begins to quake to sweat to weepe for feare That nor in veine nor eye she leaueth drop or teare And thou O heau'n thy selfe draw'st all the secret sluses Of thy so mighty Pooles to wash away th' abuses That had thy sister soyld who void of law and shame Pleas'd onely to displease thy King and scorne his name Now lost is all the land 5. Now Nereus hath no shore Into the watry waste the riuers run no more Themselues are all a Meere and all the sundry Meeres That were before are one This All naught else appeares But as a mighty Poole and as it would conuent And ioyne flood with the floods aboue the firmament The Sturgeon mounting ore high Castles is abasht To see so many townes all vnder water dasht 6. The Secalues and the Seales now wand'r about the rocks Where late of bearded goats were fed the iumping flocks Camoysed Dolphins haunt the place of birds and browse Vpon the hugest hils the tallest Cedar browes A Greyhound or a Tygre a Horse a Haire a Hinde It little auailes them now to run as wight as winde They swin and try to stand and all but little auailes them The more they footing seeke alas the more it failes them The cruell Crocodile the Tortesse and the Beuer Haue now but wet aboad that wet and dry had euer The Wolfe swims with the Lambe the Lyon with the Deere And neither other frayes the Hawke and Swallow steere About with weary wings against a certaine death At length for want of perch in fierce waue loose their breath But miserable men how fare they thinke one treads On point of highest hill anoth'r on turret-leads Another in Cedars top bestirs him hand and foot To gaine of all the boughes the farthest from the root But ô alas the Flood ascending as doe they
euen the descendents of Seth also with whom the truth of God remained began to be debauched in following the course of Cainites Howsoeuer most likely it is that Enos and other good seruants of God by all meanes endeauoured to maintaine true righteousnesse and holinesse and so much the rather because they saw that issue of Cain giuen ouer wholly to the world And hence it is that we reade in the sixt Chapter of Genesis that the posteritie of Seth were called the Children of God and there also by the Daughters of Men are meant women descended of Cain 6 See Euoch Moses is briefe but as graue and pithie as may be speaking of the holy Patriarke Enoch Gen. 5.22 Enoch after he begat Methusala walked with God three hundred yeares and begat sonnes and daughters So Enoch walked with God and appeared no more for God tooke him To walke with God is to please God as the Apostle expounds it Hebr. 11. Hereto the Poet affords his learned Paraphrase As that Enoch dying to himselfe and liuing vnto the Lord was exercised daily in meditation of the ioyes of heauen and raised himself as it were aboue the world with the wings of faith fasting prayer As also the Apostle saith By saith Enoch was taken away that he might not see death neither was he found for God had taken him away Saint Iuâ—e in his generall Epistle saith that Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophecied against the wicked saying Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to giue Iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly among them of all the wicked deeds which they haue vngodly committed and of all their cruell speeches which wicked sinners haue spoken against him The Poet holds according to the opinion of many Diuines both old and new that Enoch was taken both soule and body vp into heauen for a manifest witnesse to the former world of euerlasting life For this was no such inuisible departure or disappearance as is of the soule from the body And whereas the Apostle saith hee was not found it shewes that such as then liued in the world laid to heart this miracle and after diligent search made the godly were much comforted thereby as the wicked could not but be much dismayed Moreouer the Chronicles doe reckon but fiftie six yeares betwixt the death of Adam and the taking vp of Enoch and as the death of the one taught all After-commers to thinke on their weaknesse so the life of the other made the godly more assured of life euerlasting and glory of body and soule for euer I desire each Christian Reader to consider well the fift Chapter of Genesis that he may well compare the times of these Patriarkes and marke how long some of them liued with their fore and after-beers whereby they might the better learne of the one and teach the other what was the true seruice of God 7 Men of vnbounded lust Although the first world endured 669. yeares after the Assumption of Enoch yet true is the Poets saying that after this Patriarke was gone all godlinesse holinesse and righteousnesse began to decay howsoeuer Noe and his Father Lamech and his Grand-father Methusala who deceased not many moneths before the Floud but in the same yeare did set themselues mainly against those disorders and shewed themselues euen by way of preaching to be as it were the Heraulds of Iustice Moses shewes plainly the particulars throughout the whole fift Chapter and in the beginning of the sixt what horrible sinnes the descendants of Seth committed by ioyning themselues to those of Cain as first the neglect of Gods word then Tyranny violence oppression iniustice wantonnesse polygamie or hauing more wiues at once than one and all wickednesse growne to a height altogether vncorrigible so as the estate both of Church Kingdome and Family were all turned vpside downe and to be short a deluge of impiety and filth had couered the face of the whole earth 8 Of Gyants God knowes what Moses saith Gen. 6.4 that in those daies were Giants vpon the earth and chiefly after that the sons of God which were the posterity of Seth grew familiar with the young women descended of the line of Cain and had issue by them He saith also that these Giants were mightie men which in old time were of great renowne Some apply the word Giant to the exceeding stature of those men whereby they made all afraid that beheld them Others whom the Poet followes to the Tyranny and violence of such as Irued immediatly before the Deluge among whom some there were who bore all afore them and became a terrour to all others Goropius in his Antiquities handleth at large this point concerning Gyants especially in his second booke entituled Gygantomachia 1. Chassagnon hath answered him in a Latine Treatise where he disputeth of the exceeding height these Gyants c. 9 Then God who saw The causes of the Deluge the fore-tellinâ— and execution thereof are set downe by Moses briefly but sufficiently and hereto may be applied that which our Lord and Saâ—iour saith as touching these latter times which he compareth to the time of Noe Matth. 24. As also that of St. Peter in his first generall Epistle 3.20 and in his second 2.5 Lay also to this prediction of Adam the description of the generall Floud set downe by the Poet at the end of the second Day of his first Weeke All this requires a full Commentary but this may suffice in briefe The end of the second Weekâ—s first Day called Adam The second day is called Noe because the most remarkeable things in all the time of that holy Father and his successors vntill Abraham is there represented in foure Bookes following and thus entitled Th' Arche Babylon Colonies and Columnes or Pillars whereof the first is as it were a briefe Commentary vpon diuers passages of the six seuen eight and ninth Chapters of Genesis But heare the Poet. L'ARCHE The first Booke of Noe called the Arke Auant propos auquel par vne modeste plainte le poëte rend les lecteurs attentifs se fait voye à linuocacion du nom de Dieu SI vous ne coulez plus ainsi que de coustume Et sans peine sans art ô saincts vers de maplume Si le Laurier sacré qui m'ombrageoit le front Esueillé se sletrit si du double Mont Où loin de cest Enfer vostre Vranie habite Ma muse à corps perdu si bas se prceipite Accusez de ce temps l'ingrate cruautè Le soin de mes enfans masoible santè Accusez la douleur de mes pertes nouuelles Accusez mes preces accusez mes tuteles Voila le contrepois qui tire violant En bas les plus beaux soins de mon esprit volant La gresle de mon champ les poignantes espines Qui estoufent en sleur les semences diuines Qui germoient en mon ame O
Surmounteth euery head whereas it makes a stay Behold then some their liues to floting plankes commit And some in troughes and some in coffers tottring sit One halfe asleepe perceiues the wat'r away to iogge His bed and life at once another like a frog Casts out his hands and feet in equall bredth and time And striuing still with head aboue the slood to clime Sees nere him how before it newly drownd his brother His only child his wife his father and his mother At length his weary limbes no longer fit to scull Vnto the mercy yeeld of wat'r vnmercifull All all now goes to wracke yet Fates and deadly seare That earst with hundred kindes of weapons armed were To spoile the fairest things now only by the force And foamy sway of Sea make all the world a corse Meane while the Patriarch who should the world refill Plowes vp the fallow-waue aboue the proudest hill And th'Arche on dapled backe of th' ocean swoln with pride Without or mast or oare doth all in safety ride Or ankers ankerlesse although from hav'n so farre For God her pylot was her compasse and her starre A hundred fiftie daies in generall profound Thus is the world ywrackt and during all the flound 7 Good Noe abridgeth not the space of night or day Nor puts-off irksomnesse with vaine discourse or play But as in dog-day seas'n a raine shed west-by-south When Earth desires to drink thirst hath parcht her mouth Reflowreth euery stalke regreeneth all the field That sunne and southerne wind with drought before had peild So from his pleafull tongue falls cheering dew and aire R'alliuing all his house and beating downe despaire And thus he washt their face and wyp'd away their teares And raised vp their heart opprest with vgly feares He incourageth his familie with consideration of Gods great mercies who neuer forgets his children Good â—heere my lads quoth he the Lord will soone rebinde And stop the murdring Seas which his fierce angers winde Hath whirled ore the world and as his ang'r I finde Hath armed Sea and Aire and Heau'n against our kinde So shall sure er 't be long his mercy more renownd Cleare heau'n vnghust this ayre bring the Seas to bound Still follow one anoth'r his Anger and his Grace His anger lightning-like it stay 's not long in place But th' other vnder wing it broodeth as an Hen The manifold descents of faithfull-hearted men The Lord the gracious Lord bestowes his wroth by waight And neuer waighes his grace he whips vs throwes straight His rod into the fire wer 't on our body laid Or soule or childe or goods he makes vs only afraid With fingers tyck and strikes not with his mightfull arme More often thunders he then shoots a blasting harme And wise-housholder-like giues them that bend him knees His angers wholsome wine and enemies the lees This wise that holy man sire of the second age Discourseth on the praise of Gods both loue and rage Wicked Cham replies vpon his father and diuers waies opposes the wise and blamelesse prouidence of God and the good and humble deuotion of Noe. 8 But Cham in whose foule heart blind roots were lately sone Of godlesse vnbeleefe that thought ere this t'vnthrone The mighty God of heau'n and beare the scept'r himselfe To hold in Africke sands with helpe of hellish Elfe By name of Hammon Ioue some temple stately built Where as a God he might haue Altars bloudy-guilt With anger-bended brow and count'nance ill apaid Thus in disdainfull tone his father checkd and said 9 Fie fath'r I am asham'd to see on you lay hold These slauish thoughts that seize base minds and flie the bold This fained angry Iudge thus alway will you feare As peyzing words and thoughts and counting euery heare A Censour faine you still that beares in hand the keyes Of yours and euery heart to search out when he please Yours and all hidden thoughts yea all your sighs t'enroule And present faults and past together to controule That ayming at your necke with bloud-embrued knife Is hangman-like at hand to cut the strings of life Alas perceiue you not how this hood-winked zeale And superstitious heat to reason I appeale Makes errours many and foule your wits bright lampe to smother How light beleefe you driues from one extreame t'another You make a thousand qualmes your great Gods heart to strike You make him fell as Beare Thus Atheists presumptuously censure the mercie and Iustice of God and queasie woman-like Let any sinner weepe his tender heart will melt As if a wretches harme the great Commander felt He sees no drop of bloud but ere we know what ailes him Swoons and in manly brest his female courage failes him And yet you make him fierce and suffring oft the sway And foamy streame of wroth to beare his reason away With heart of sauage Beare in manly shape he freats He rages then he roares he thunders out his threats Thus if your naile but ake your God puts fing'r ith'eye Againe he kills burnes drownes all for as light a why A wilde Boares tusked rage but only one forrest harries A Tyrant but a Realme when angers tempest carries Your God against the world with such a spightfull ghust As if his Realme of All should out of All be thrust Here 's Iustice here 's good Right what other can ensue it Some one or two perhaps haue sinn'd and all doe rue it Nay nay his venging hand alacke for our offence The Atheists coÌ„spiring with the Philosophers ascribe vnto naturall reason all that is done by the iust reuenging hand of God Destroys the very beasts for all their innocence O fath'r it cannot be that God's so passionate So soone in diuers fits peace and warre loue and hate Or so giu'n to reuenge that he for one default Should hurt his owne estate and bring the world to naught The many watrie mists the many floating clowds That heau'n hath stored vp and long kept vnder shrowds By selfe-waight enterprest and loosned of their bands Now gush out allatonce and ouer-flow the lands Then Aire amightie deale that vnder looser ground As thinne it is a way by secret leaking found And lay in wind-shot hilles by cold turn'd crystall waue At first well'd vp the skie then downward gau to rane And drownd the corny rankes at length so sweld and wox It pass'd the green-lock heads of tallest vpland okes Nots answer vnto all the blasphemies of Cham and his like 10 By this the father gauld with griefe and godly smart A long sigh yexed-out from deepe cent'r of his heart And ha vile Cam quoth he head of disloyall race Discomfort of myne age my houses soule disgrace Vndon th' art and deceiu'd thy sence is growne vnsownd By trusting to thy selfe without the Spirits ground And sure I feare but o God let me proue a lyar I feare with heauie hand the lofty-thundring Syre Will blast thy godlesse head and at thee
bien-nees Et puis ie parle ainsin O beaux ô clairs esprits Qui bien-heureux Southait du Poëte considerant les hommes doctes des escrits desquels la France iouit auez consacré vos escrits A l'immortalité puis que sur mes espaules Ie ne puis auec vous porter l'honneur des Gaules Que las ie ne vous puis mesme suyure desyeux Sur le Mont qui besson s'auoisine des cieux Au moins permettez moy que prosterné â—embrasse Vos genous honorez permettez que i'entasse Sur voschefs rayonneux d'vn Auril les moissons De grace permettez que mes soibles chausons Vne gloire cternelle en vostre gloire puisent Et que tousiours vos noms dans mes carmes se lisent Fin de la vision Accordant ma demande ils abaissent le front Le vallon disparoit les Colomnes s'en vont Et le songe suyeit de-mesme auecques elles Si ic ncusse englué de mon ancre ses ailes When this I wrote behold The Poet takes breath to enter afresh into the next discourse whereby way of a Vision he cunningly describeth the principall tongues with their best authors with tysing labour led Of Pallas heau'nly skill full heauy grew mine head And now and then I strike my chin vpon my brest That softly both mine eyes are closed vp to rest With sweet Ambrosian dew knit is my senses band And fairely slides my pen forth of my fainting hand Vpon my flattring couch I spread my selfe againe And plonge in Lethe-streame all troubles of my braine So drowne I all my care saue one that with no trance Is discontinued to please and profit France Whose sacred forge of loue that me enflamed keepes Will not let sleepe my soule although my body sleepes Then golden-winged dreame from of th'East-Indy shore Came forth at Christall gate and little while before The day-gate was vnlockt to valley of pleasant ayre By fancie led my soule where day night foule and faire The North winds the South the Summer Winters hew The spring and fall of leafe did neu'r each other ensue Where alway raigned May and Zepherus bedight VVith rosie coronets did breath-on day and night A young woods whizzing boughes that blossomes sweet did yeeld And ouall-wise bewald the flowre-embossed field In middle point of all this ammell-blooming glade Arose a mighty rocke in footstall-manner made Vpon the top thereof a brasse-colosse did stand That in the left hand held a flaming fierbrand And in the right a spout she shew'd a golden tongue And thence a many chaines all o're the medow sprong That worlds of hearers drew with fine deuise of art For some were held by th' eares some were held by th' hart Before her feet the Boare that forrest wilde had haunted The Tiger slept and Beare all aft'r a sort enchaunted The neighbour hillocks leapt and woods reioyced round Carranting as it were at her sweet voices sound A double circled row of pillers high and dight By cunning workmans hand all aft'r a Carian right With bases vnder-pinn'd to fasten their foundation Beset this goodly shrine of eloquent Oration And foure by foure bore-vp amid-them one language Of those that flourish most in this our learned age Among the blessed wits to whom was giu'n the grace 1. The Hebrue To beare-vp th'Ebrew tongue in such a sacred place The man whose fore-head shines as doth a blazing starre Skie-gracing frighting-men who for his scepter barre A seare yet budding rod and hath in fingers hent The ten-fould register of Gods Commandement Is he that Isac led and first authoritie Both of free stile and verse left to posteritie Such holy works as doe not onely long fore-run The writings of the Greekes but all that Greece hath done The second Dauid is whose touch right cunningly Combined with his voyce drawes downe sweet harmony From th'Organized heau'ns on harpe that aye shall sound As long as dayes great starre shall o're our heads goe round Nay long'r as who can tell when all these heau'nly lights Are at their measures end but that the blessed sprights And Champions of Christ at sound of his accords Shall honour with a dance th' Almighty Lord of Lords When all the Quire of heau'n and bands of winged ghosts Shall Holy holy sing O holy Lord of hosts The third is Salomon whose worke more bringtly beames With golden sentences then doth his crowne with gems The last is Amos sonne beset with graces all Graue holy full of threats deuout rhetoricall 2. The Greeke The Greeke on Homer leanes who sweetly versifies Whose learned schoole hath taught a many Companies Of old Philosophers and from whose cunning plea Run riuers through the world as from an Ocean Sea On Plato th'all-diuine who like the bird we call The bird of paradise ne soyles himselfe at all VVith earth or waters touch but more then hels descent Surmounted is by heau'n surmounts the firmament On Herodote the plaine and him of pleaders arts The Law Demosthenes the guilt-tongue Prince of harts Then he that thunder-speaks with lightning blast and shine 3. The Latine The Foe of Anthonie the scourge of Catiline The spring of thousand floods wherein the rarest wits Doe daily toyle themselues agast with wonder-fits And Coesar that can doe as well as he can plead And sinowie Salust next then he that Troy doth lead Againe to Tyber-shore a writer sent from heauen That neuer shuts his eyes to slumber morne or cu'n That euer treadeth sure is euer plaine and graue Demurely venterous and temperately braue That still is like himselfe and vnlike others all These hold the sweet-graue tongue was last imperiall Th'Italian founded is on Boccace pleasurous 4. The â—â—alâ—â—â— With Petrarch finely dight bould and sententious On slowing Ariost selfe-vnlike passionate With Tasso worthy wight to frame a verse of State Sharpe short fil'd figured with language rowling fast The first to be esteem'd albeet he wrote the last Th' Arabian tongue is here most worthily sustained By great Auerroes deep-reaching 5. The Arabian suttle-brained Ibunfarid the smooth allegorizing wag And faire-spoake Auicen and Satyr Eldebag The glory of Wittenberg and Isleb Martin Luther Is one that beares the Dutch 6. The Dutch another is Michael Buther Who Sleydan Almaned my Butrick is the next With Peucer who reguilds his all-entising text Then Boscan then Gueuare 7. The Spanish Grenade and Graoilas With Nectar all distain'd that mantleth in the glasse Of hony-powring Peith vpheld the Castillane And had not th' ancient grace of speaking Catallane Osias ouer-pleas'd his learning might haue bore The Spanish Crowne of Bay from one of th' other foure 8. The English The burd'n of th' English tongue I finde here vndertaken By quicke Sir Thomas More and graue Sir Nicolas Bacon They knit and rais'd the stile and were both eloquent And Keepers of the Scale and skill'd in gouernment Sir
destours d'vne sente nouuelle Et bat audacieux vne corde pucelle Chrestiens ne ponsez pas que i'aille recéuant Pour Articles de foy ce qu'il met en auant Que du Zenonic vneille apuyer le Portique Mettre aux sepi l'Eternel du destin Stoique R'ensiler les chesnons ou lisant l'auenir Dans le liure duciel Chaldee deuenir Rien rien de teut cela seulement s'entrelasse Vn si nouueau discours à sin qu'il vous deslasse Et qu'ay antâ—usqu'â—ci passé tant de fossez Tant d'horribles deserts taut de rocs creuassez Tant de baueux torrents dont la bruyante rage Poussant flot contre flot guorroye son riuage Vouâ— reucontriez en fin vn lieu delicieux Qui tousiours a'vn bon oeil soit regardé des cieux Où coule vn clair ruisseau où vente vn doux Zephyre Où pour vous caresser la terre semble rire Hé quisçait ô Lecteur si ceux-là qui viendront Apres nous comme nous pleins de zele rendront Yea Further to blot out of memory the Greeke fables Heber saith that the names giuen to the stars containe the mysteries of Holy Church were it not I feare to bold an enterprise Although why should I feare to cancell all the vice Theft furie sacrilege profane incestuous beds And all the monster-lyes wherewith Greeks idle heads We know not what they were to mock all After-age giuen to the stars containe the mysteries of Holy Church Of th'euermouing heau'n dishonour would the stage Well could I let thee know how these shapes vnder them Containe the mysteries of new Ierusalem That here the fing'r of God as on a crystall drew For holy men to reade what euer should ensue A publike register and chartr ' authenticall Containing orderlesse the view propheticall Of all Church-monuments Charles-waine O chariot firie-cleer That swift and whirlwind-like vp-rauishedst the Seer About the Northen Pole thou draw'n art day and night And dippest not at all thy wheeles in Amphitrite Nor stablest once thy teeme still-royling neuer spent Below the massie round of baser Element Bootes Meane while Elisha loe full wistly thee beholds And with a fiery zeale his master so with-holds That vp the starrie mount he makes the steeds to sting And round and round againe to turne and troe the ring See Dauid fast-him-by Hereulet The Crowne who beares in warlike hand Some Lyons tufted mane that flameth like a brand Here shines his royall crowne The Harpe and here his harpe of gold With seu'n stars richly deckt The little Bearâ— here th' vgly Beare behold That for his fathers Lambe he then a shepherd slew The Launce And here the whizzing launce that mad Saul at him threw Now thee Susanna faire Andromeda example of chastitee And honors chiefest hou'r I tremble should to see And weep thy trickling teares and those so weighty chaines That binde thy lillie wrests would yeeld me a thousand paines Among thy dearest kin and cause me to the skies Cessiopea For thy deliuerance ioine with them hands and eyes Cepheus But that a Daniel I see makes holy speed From death and shamefull doome to saue a maid at need Perseus He with some powerfull beames of ouer-awing light Which comes not of Meduse Medusaes head but of the Truth and Right Confounds the witnesses and breaks them head and bones With thunder-darted haile of ly-reuenging stones And sure as long as heau'n doth whirl-round any Signe Shall eu'r aboue our head so holy a Trophey shine Anuyst this Idol foule this dragon vgly and fell The Dragon Pegasus Which was in Babel pent by that young Daniel To whom may Pegasus more sitly be compared Then t 'one of those same horse that in th' aire burning flared Macab c. 5. Before the Tyrant great of Asia the Lesse Did in a firie rage Ierusalem oppresse This earnest Wagoner The Coachman who'st but Ezâ—chiel Which manageth so right the Coach of Israel And who 's the siluer swan that shineth here The Swan but eu'n That Deacon clad in white the faithfull Martyr Steu'n Who death endured for his master crucified And sung more heau'nly sweet then swan before he died The Fish of the South The siluer-scaled fish that shines here in the skies I take to be the same that heald old Tobyts eyes The Dolphin And whom this Dolphin bright but great Amramides Which out of Egypt led athwart the ruddie Seas The frie of Israel and brought his armed ranks A dry foot wanting ship to th'ldumean banks What shall I further say God hath not only engrau'n The Triangle His sakersaint Emprese on brasse of whirling heau'n And in tryangle shape embleam'd his mysterie Of nature wonderfull three in one one in three But by this valiant youth Ophiouchuâ— who slew you creeping euill Set-forth his only Sonne which ouercame the Deuill And with sway of a Crosse his engine most of might Broke-ope the brasen gates of euerlasting night Yea by this goodly bird The Eagle or Done the God-of-Gods delight Which with a stedfast eye beholds the Sun so bright And takes the thunder-boult oft out of 's angry hand His Spirit and Loue is ment who visited the land Descending feathered for why this winged signe In head in brest in back of starred-crmyline No lesse resembl ' it may the Pigeon simple and meeke Then th'eagle goodly-fierce then th' Eagle crookie-beeke Of the Zodiack As for the golden belt wherewith all heau'n is cross'd Whereon the dosen signes are curiously emboss'd Who but the Paschall Lambe The Ram. is he that leads the ring The Bull. The Bull 's that moulten calfe whom peopl ' Idolatring The Twins The Crab. Made Aron make for God The Twins that shine so bright Are Isacks sons who stroue before they saw this light The next is Salomon who like a Crab recoiles And in his latter time himselfe with sin besoiles And as a swine in mud doth after washing roule Becomes adulterer both in his bodie and soule The Lyon The Virgin The Lyon is the same that crusht was like a Kid By Samsons thundring hand The Virgin she that hid In vndefiled wombe for vs made maiden-mother And brought-forth at her time her father husband brother The Ballance The Ballance here is set for Kings of Israel To iudge the peopl ' aright and ponder causes well The Scorpion The next that serpent is which on the Maltan sand With traiterous intent hung-on th' Apostles hand For whether it be call'd a spotted Scorpion Or Viper-poysonous it matters not all 's one The Ancher Levit. â—6 Capricorne The Water-bearer The Bowman may be thought old Abrahams elder childe This Goat that scape-lot is whom Aaron lets goe wilde This Ewrer is the sonne of dombe Zacharia Messia's herbenger preparer of his way Which in the siluer streame of Iordan drown'd the sinne
and Winter Season holds the Basse our Phleme like the Autume time and Element of Water the Tenor our Blood like the Spring and Aire the Counter-tenor which runnes through all kinde of Notes our Choller as the Summer time and Fire the Treble as for all other parts vsed in Musicke they are euer correspondent to some one of these foure 51. See then the cause He speakes now of the effect and power of Musicke The Platonicks held the soule of Man to be composed of numbers and proportions the excellence whereof is chiefely in the heauens whereupon it ensues that Musicall harmony somewhat partaking with the nature of I se and soule diuersly mooues and affects all liuing Creatures capable thereof The Poet plaies vpon this opinion but still with a caueat that the truth and ground of this doctrine be rightly vnderstood For mans Soule is not made of numbers as the word is simply taken but thus much onely meanes the Platonist that these spirituall substances enclosed in mans body are so exquisite and as it were harmonious that all harmony concord and proportion delights them and contrariwise all discord and disproportion or confused noyse offends them as we see by daily experience Furthermore he that hath created all things in perfect concord and proportion would euen in such as seeme farthest from well agreeing haue the force of Musicke shew it selfe â—y the attention it commandeth of hearers and by their loue and reuerence thereof Whereupon I boldly dare auouch that soule not well ordered in it selfe or not well fitted with a body which cannot abide sweet harmony 52. Sweet Harmony In twelue verses here the Poet sets-out the force of Musicke both in regard of men and beasts whereof we finde in ancient History very notable examples as Teâ—â—aâ—der Timotheus Ariâ—â— and others whâ—â—by their Musicke haue done great wonders made the most offended to be friends one with another the most melancholy and sad to bee merry fooles to be wise and sum as were like to runne mad for loue to be stayed and what not It is reported also that against the Phâ—lâ—â—gies poyson there â—â—n helpe to ready and oueraigne as the well ordered sound of Musicall Instruments See what Aeâ—â—an Pâ—â—â—y and Plutarch â—y thereof 53. O what 's to Musicke hard He goes on yet further and shewes how Musicke is able to preuaâ—e euen with God himselfe And this he proues by three examples the first of Soul 1. Sam. 10. who meeting a company of Prophets with Instruments of Musicke began also to prophesie among them the second of Elizeus 2. King 3. who called for a Minstrell and when the Minstrell played the hand of the Lord that is his Spirit came vpon the Prophet the third of God anger appeased by deuout singing of Psalmes and namely those of Dauid which in the mouth of Gods faithfull seruants are of wonderfull power as by many particulars of these and former times may well be proued For God indeed hath promised to be neere vnto all those that call vpon him faithfully Psal 145.18 And it becommeth well the righteous to reioyce in the Lord and be thankfull Psal 33.1 To conclude here is the effect of a zealous prayer wherein heart voice and accent runne together most liuely set-out by the Poet describing with most elegant similitudes the fierce wrath of God against sinne and the sweetnesse of his mercy when he is appeased 54. But now as Heb'r had thought The Poet intending to make here an end of the second day of his second weeke brings-in Canan the sonne of Cham to seeke as it were by Fate along the bankes of Iordaine for the Countrey that was after to be inhabited by his posteritie So he comming toward the Pillar breakes-off the learned conference that was betwixt the other two And here therefore shall end our Commentary-Notes vpon these high conceits of this excellent Poet. FINIS The Epistle to the Lord Admirall 1596. WEighing how neare it concernes your Honourable Charge what strangers passe the Seas into England I was thereby and otherwise in humble dutie moued to giue your Lordship first intelligence of this Gentleman whom I haue newly transported out of Frame and also thought it necessary to craue your fauourable protection of him in this his trauell A worthy man is he my Lord in his owne Countrie howsoeuer here disguised and one of the sonnes of that Noble and Diuine Poet LE SIEVR DV BARTAS in my simple iudgement the properest and best learned of them all I am sure the best affected to England and the gracious Empresse thereof for which cause I made speciall choise of him and doe therefore the rather hope to finde fauour on his behalfe with your Honourable Lordship whose loyaltie to the Crowne the Prince by trust of so high an Office whose loue to the Land the people by ioynt consent of daily felt vertues haue so fully witnessed that the fame thereof hath spred it selfe farre beyond that your admirable Regiment In so much as this gentle stranger though he were at the first vnwilling Vlâ—sses-like to leaue his natiue soile especially now in this dangerous sea-faring time while all the world is in a manner troubled with Spanish Fleets yet after he called to minde what he had heard and written of the mightie Goddesse of the English Ocean and who there swayed the Trident vnder her trusting vpon such a Neptune he went aboord with a good courage and doubting not at all but that the proud Spanish Carackes if they be not yet sufficiently dismaid by the wracke they suffered in their former aduenture but dare againe attempt the like be they neuer so many more or greater than they were if more and greater they can be shall againe by the grace of God directing as before the courage and wisdome of Englands renowned Admirall be dispersed ouer the frowning face of our disdainfull Seas and drunken with salt waues regorge the bodies of their presumptuous Pilots And so my Lord with a fauourable wind breathing directly from the French Helicon by the safe conduit of your Honourable name and helpe of the Muses at length I landed my stranger in England Where since his arriuall he hath gladly encountred diuers of his elder brethren that were come ouer before some in a princely Scottish attire others in faire English habits and to the intent he might the better enioy their company whh by this time had almost forgotten their French he was desirous to learne English of me therefore I kept him a while about mee was his teacher at home and enterpreter abroad and now that he hath gotten such a smattering of the tongue as hee can so as hee can speake for himselfe may it please your good Lordship to talke with him at your leisure though I know you vnderstand very well his naturall speech I am of opinion it will much delight you to heare him vtter such counterfeit English as in so little time I was able to teach him He can say somewhat of the godly gouernment of good Princes the wicked practises of Tyrants as well in compassing as maintaining a Scepter both worthy your Lordships hearing for the manner sake though the matter be not vnknowne to your wisdome But some other things he doth report very strange as of NIMROD that was the first Tyrant of the world after the time of Noah the first Admirall of the world his aspiring minde and practises in seeking the peoples fauour his proud and subtile attempt in building the Tower of Babel and Gods iust punishment thereof in confounding the language of the builders Very truly reckoneth he that which few doe consider the great and manifold inconueniences that are befallen mankinde by the diuersitie of tongues Further he can tell of speech in generall whether man speake by nature or haue but onely an aptnesse to speake by vse and whether any other creature haue the like as for seuerall speeches he can prooue with many goodly reasons which is the best and most ancient of them all what altereth each tongue what continueth each in account what languages are in greatest regard now-adaies and what Authors haue most excelled in them And vpon occasion of the English tongue my Lord he setteth-out in such manner the Queenes princely Majesty her learning wisdome eloquence and other excellent vertues that I know your noble and loyall heart will greatly reioice to heare it at the mouth of such a stranger The rest if it be more curious then for the States weightie affaires your L. may intend to heare I wish referred vnto those goodly young Gentlewomen your noble and father-like-minded Sonnes whom after your L. I doe most of all honour there shall they finde profit so blended with pleasure learning with delight as it may easily win their hearts already vertuously aspiring from the wanton and faining Cantoes of other Syren-Poets wherewith many young Gentlemen and chiefely those of greatest hope are long and dangerously mis-led vnto a further acquaintance with this heauenly-Poeticall Writer of the truth who is now growne into such a liking of this Country chiefely for the peaceable gouernment thereof blessed be that Gouernor and free course of the Gospell God continue it and send the like into France that he is desirous to become a Freedenizen and hoping further to be an eye-witnesse of Gods wonderfull mercies towards this Land whereof in France he spake but by heare say to behold that precious Northerne Pearle and kisse her Scepter-bearing hand whose worthy praise he hath sung so sweetly he humbly beseecheth your gracious fauour to be enfranchised which if it may please you to grant my Lord vouchsafing also the patronage of him that vnder seale of your Honorable name he may escape the carping censures of curious fault-finders and enioy all honors priuileges liberties and lawes that belong euen to the naturall inhabitants of this noble Isle my selfe will vndertake to Fine for him at least hearty praiers for your daily encrease of honor and all such obedience as it shall please your L. to impose Whose I rest euer at command WILLIAM L'ISLE