cherish all the Citie therefore right They call that th' hard and this the tender mother The first with divers crooks and turnings wries Cutting the town in foure quaternities But both joyn to resist invading enemies 13 Next these the buildings yeeld themselves to sight The outward soft and pale like ashes look The inward parts more hard and curdy white Their matter both from th' Isles first matter took Nor cold nor hot heats needfull sleeps infest Cold nummes the workmen middle temper 's best When kindely warmth speeds work cool gives timely rest 14 Within the centre as a market place Two caverns stand made like the Moon half spent Of speciall use for in their hollow space All odours to their Judge themselves present Here first are born the spirits animall Whose matter almost immateriall Resembles heavens matter quintessentiall 15 Hard by an hundred nimble workmen stand These noble spirits readily preparing Lab'ring to make them thinne and fit to hand With never ended work and sleeplesse caring Hereby two little hillocks joyntly rise Where fit two Judges clad in seemly guise That cite all odours here as to their just assise 16 Next these a wall built all of saphires shining As fair more precious hence it takes his name By which the third cave lies his sides combining To th' other two and from them hath his frame A meeting of those former cavities Vaulted by three fair arches safe it lies And no oppression fears or falling tyrannies 17 By this third cave the humid citie drains Base noisome streams the milkie streets annoying And through a wide-mouth'd tunnel duely strains Unto a bibbing substance down convoying Which these foul dropping humours largely swills Till all his swelling spunge he greedy fills And then through other sinks by little soft distills 18 Between this and the fourth cave lies a vale The fourth the first in worth in rank the last Where two round hills shut in this pleasant dale Through which the spirits thither safe are past Those here refin'd their full perfection have And therefore close by this fourth wondrous cave Rises that silver well scatt'ring his milkie wave 19 Not that bright spring where fair Hermaphrodite Grew into one with wanton Salmacis Nor that where Biblis dropt too fondly light Her tears and self may dare compare with this Which here beginning down a lake descends Whose rockie chanel these fair streams defends Till it the precious wave through all the Isle dispends 20 Many fair rivers take their heads from either Both from the lake and from the milkie well Which still in loving chanels runne together Each to his mate a neighbour parallel Thus widely spread with friendly combination They fling about their wondrous operation And give to every part both motion and sensation 21 This silver lake first from th' Head-citie springing To that bright fount foure little chanels sends Through which it thither plenteous water bringing Straight all again to every place dispends Such is th' Head-citie such the Princes Hall Such and much more which strangely liberall Though sense it never had yet gives all sense to all 22 Of other stuffe the Suburbs have their framing May seem soft marble spotted red and white First stands an Arch pale Cynthia's brightnes shaming The Cities forefront cast in silver bright At whose proud base are built two watching towers Whence hate and love skirmish with equall powers Whence smiling gladnesse shines and sullen sorrow showers 23 Here sits retir'd the silent reverence And when the Prince incens'd with angers fire Thunders aloud he darts his lightning hence Here dusky-reddish clouds foretell his ire Of nothing can this Isle more boast aright A twin-born Sunne a double seeing light With much delight they see are seen with much delight 24 That Thracian shepherd call'd them Natures glasse Yet then a glasse in this much worthier being Blinde glasses represent some neare-set face But this a living glasse both seen and seeing Like heav'n in moving like in heav'nly firing Sweet heat and light no burning flame inspiring Yet ah too oft we find they scorch with hot desiring 25 They mounted high sit on a loftie hill For they the Princes best intelligence And quickly warn of future good or ill Here stands the palace of the noblest sense Here Visus keeps whose Court then crystall smoother And clearer seems he though a younger brother Yet farre more noble is farre fairer then the other 26 Six bands are set to stirre the moving tower The first the proud band call'd that lifts it higher The next the humble band that shoves it lower The bibbing third draws it together nigher The fourth disdainfull oft away is moving The other two helping the compasse roving Are call'd the circling trains wanton bands of loving 27 Above two compasse groves Loves bended bows Which fence the towers from flouds of higher place Before a wall deluding rushing foes That shuts and opens in a moments space The low part fixt the higher quick descending Upon whose tops spearmen their pikes intending Watch there both night and day the castles port defending 28 Three divers lakes within these bulwarks lie The noblest parts and instruments of sight The first receiving forms of bodies nigh Conveys them to the next and breaks the light Danting his rash and forcible invasion And with a clear and whitish inundation Restrains the nimble spirits from their too quick evasion 29 In midst of both is plac't the Cyrstall pond Whose living water thick and brightly shining Like Saphires or the sparkling Diamond His inward beams with outward light combining Alt'ring it self to every shapes aspect The divers forms doth further still direct Till by the nimble poast th' are brought to th' Intellect 30 The third like molten glasse all cleare and white Both round embrace the noble Crystalline Six inward walls fence in this Tower of sight The first most thick doth all the frame inshrine And girts the Castle with a close embrace Save in the midst is left a circles space Where light and hundred shapes flock out in apace 31 The second not so massie as the other Yet thicker then the rest and tougher fram'd Takes his beginning from that harder mother The outward part like horn and thence is nam'd Through whose translucent sides much light is born Into the Tower and much kept out by th' horn Makes it a pleasant light much like the ruddie morn 32 The third of softer mold is like a grape Which all entwines with his encircling side In midst a window lets in every shape Which with a thought is narrow made or wide His inmost side more black then starrelesse night But outward part how like an hypocrite As painted Iris looks with various colours dight 33 The fourth of finest work more slight and thinne Then or Arachne which in silken twine With
cloth of gold aspires In hundred-colour'd silks the Tulip playes Th' Imperiall flower his neck with pearl attires The Lily high her silver Grogram reares The Pansie her wrought Velvet garment bears The red Rose Scarlet and the Provence Damask wears 70 How falls it then that such an heav'nly light As this great Kings should sink so wondrous low That scarce he can suspect his former height Can one eclipse so dark his shining brow And steal away his beautie glittering fair One onely blot so great a light empair That never could he hope his waning to repair 71 Ah! never could he hope once to repair So great a wane should not that new-born Sun Adopt him both his brother and his heir Who through base life and death and hell would run To seat him in his lost now surer cell That he may mount to heav'n he sunk to hell That he might live he di'd that he might rise he fell 72 A perfect Virgin breeds and bears a Sonne Th' immortall father of his mortall mother Earth heav'n flesh spirit man God are met in one His younger brothers childe his childrens brother Eternitie who yet was born and di'd His own creatour earths scorn heavens pride Who th' deitie inflesht and mans flesh deifi'd 73 Thou uncreated Sunne heav'ns glory bright Whom we with knees and hearts low bent adore At rising perfect and now falling light Ah what reward what thanks shall we restore Thou wretched wast that we might happy be Oh all the good we hope and all we see That we thee know and love comes from thy love and thee 74 Receive which we can onely back return Yet that we may return thou first must give A heart which fain would smoke which fain would burn In praise for thee to thee would onely live And thou who sat'st in night to give us day Light and enflame us with thy glorious ray That we may back reflect and borrow'd light repay 75 So we beholding with immortall eye The glorious picture of thy heav'nly face In his first beautie and true Majestie May shake from our dull souls these fetters base And mounting up to that bright crystal sphere Whence thou strik'st all the world with shudd'ring fear May not be held by earth nor hold vile earth so deare 76 Then should thy shepherd poorest shepherd sing A thousand Canto's in thy heav'nly praise And rouze his flagging Muse and flutt'ring wing To chant thy wonders in immortall laies Which once thou wrought'st when Nilus slimie shore Or Iordans banks thy mighty hand adore Thy judgements thy mercies but thy mercies more 77 But see the stealing night with softly pace To flie the Western Sunne creeps up the East Cold Hesper 'gins unmask his evening face And calls the winking starres from drouzie rest Home then my lambes the falling drops eschew To morrow shall ye feast in pastures new And with the rising Sunne banquet on pearled dew CANT VII THe rising morn lifts up his orient head And spangled heav'ns in golden robes invests Thirsil up starting from his fearlesse bed Where uselesse nights he safe and quiet rests Unhous'd his bleating flock and quickly thence Hasting to his expecting audience Thus with sad verse began their grieved mindes incense 2 Fond man that looks on earth for happinesse And here long seeks what here is never found For all our good we hold from heav'n by lease With many forfeits and conditions bound Nor can we pay the fine and rentage due Though now but writ and seal'd and giv'n anew Yet daily we it break then daily must renew 3 Why should'st thou here look for perpetuall good At every losse against heav'ns face repining Do but behold where glorious Cities stood With gilded tops and silver turrets shining There now the Hart fearlesse of greyhound feeds And loving Pelican in safety breeds There shrieching Satyres fill the peoples emptie steads 4 Where is th' Assyrian Lions golden hide That all the East once graspt in lordly paw Where that great Persian Beare whose swelling pride The Lions self tore out with ravenous jaw Or he which 'twixt a Lion and a Pard Through all the world with nimble pineons far'd And to his greedy whelps his conquer'd kingdomes shar'd 5 Hardly the place of such antiquitie Or note of these great monarchies we finde Onely a fading verball memorie And empty name in writ is left behinde But when this second life and glory fades And sinks at length in times obscurer shades A second fall succeeds and double death invades 6 That monstrous beast which nurst in Tibers fenne Did all the world with hideous shape affray That fill'd with costly spoil his gaping denne And trode down all the rest to dust and clay His batt'ring horns pull'd out by civil hands And iron teeth lie scatter'd on the sands Backt bridled by a Monk with sev'n heads yoked stands 7 And that black Vulture which with deathfull wing O're-shadows half the earth whose dismall sight Frighted the Muses from their native spring Already stoops and flagges with weary flight Who then shall look for happines beneath Where each new day proclaims chance change and death And life it self 's as flit as is the aire we breathe 8 Ne mought this Prince escape though he as farre All these excells in worth and heav'nly grace As brightest Phoebus does the dimmest starre The deepest falls are from the highest place There lies he now bruis'd with so sore a fall To his base bonds and loathsome prison thrall Whom thousand foes besiege fenc'd with frail yeelding wall 9 Tell me oh tell me then thou holy Muse Sacred Thespio what the cause may be Of such despite so many foemen use To persecute unpiti'd miserie Or if these cankred foes as most men say So mighty be that gird this wall of clay What makes it hold so long and threatned ruine stay 10 When that great Lord his standing Court would build The outward walls with gemmes and glorious lights But inward rooms with nobler Courtiers fill'd Pure living flames swift mighty blessed sprites But some his royall service fools disdain So down were flung oft blisse is double pain In heav'n they scorn'd to serve so now in hell they reigne 11 There turn'd to serpents swoln with pride and hate Their Prince a Dragon fell who burst with spight To see this Kings and Queens yet happy state Tempts them to lust and pride prevails by slight To make them wise and gods he undertakes Thus while the snake they heare they turn to snakes To make them gods he boasts but beasts and devils makes 12 But that great Lion who in Iudahs plains The awfull beasts holds down in due subjection The Dragons craft and base-got spoil disdains And folds this captive Prince in his protection Breaks ope the jayl brings the prisoners thence Yet plac't them in this castles weak defence Where they might trust and seek an higher providence 13 So now spread round about this little hold With armies
Harpyes train Which in the world had never being yet Oft dreams of fire and water loose delight And oft arrested by some ghastly sprite Nor can he think nor speak nor move for great affright 48 Phantastes from the first all shapes deriving In new abiliments can quickly dight Of all materiall and grosse parts depriving Fits them unto the noble Princes sight Which soon as he hath view'd with searching eye He straight commits them to his Treasurie Which old Eumnestes keeps Father of memorie 49 Eumnestes old who in his living screen His mindefull breast the rolls and records bears Of all the deeds and men which he hath seen And keeps lockt up in faithfull Registers Well he recalls Nimrods first tyrannie And Babels pride daring the lofty skie Well he recalls the earths twice-growing infancie 50 Therefore his body weak his eyes halfblinde But minde more fresh and strong ah better fate And as his carcase so his house declin'd Yet were the walls of firm and able state Onely on him a nimble Page attends Who when for ought the aged Grandsire sends With swift yet backward steps his helping aidance lends 51 But let my song passe from these worthy Sages Unto this Islands highest Soveraigne And those hard warres which all the yeare he wages For these three late a gentle shepherd-swain Most sweetly sung as he before had seen In Alma's house his memorie yet green Lives in his well-tun'd songs whose leaves immortall been 52 Nor can I guesse whether his Muse divine Or gives to those or takes from them his grace Therefore Eumnestes in his lasting shrine Hath justly him enroll'd in second place Next to our Mantuan poet doth he rest There shall our Colin live for ever blest Spite of those thousand spites which living him opprest 53 The Prince his time in double office spends For first those forms and fancies he admits Which to his Court busie Phantastes sends And for the easier discerning fits For shedding round about his sparkling light He cleares their duskie shades and cloudy night Producing like himself their shapes all shining bright 54 As when the Sunne restores the glitt'ring day The world late cloath'd in nights black livery Doth now a thousand colours fair display And paints it self in choice varietie Which late one colour hid the eye deceiving All so this Prince those shapes obscure receiving With his suffused light makes ready to conceiving 55 This first is call'd the Active Facultie Which to an higher power the object leaves That takes it in it self and cunningly Changing it self the object soon perceives For straight it self in self same shape adorning Becomes the same with quick strange transforming So is all things it self to all it self conforming 56 Thus when the eye through Visus jettie ports Le ts in the wandring shapes the crystall strange Quickly it self to every sort consorts So is what e're it sees by wondrous change Thrice happy then when on that mirrour bright He ever fastens his unmoved sight So is what there he views divine full glorious light 57 Soon as the Prince these forms hath clearely seen Parting the false from true the wrong from right He straight presents them to his beauteous Queen Whose Courts are lower yet of equall might Voletta fair who with him lives and reignes Whom neither man nor fiend nor God constrains Oft good oft ill oft both yet ever free remains 58 Not that great Soveraigne of the Fayrie land Whom late our Colin hath eternized Though Graces decking her with plenteous hand Themselves of grace have all unfurnished Though in her breast she Vertues temple bare The fairest temple of a guest so fair Not that great Glorians self with this might e're compare 59 Her radiant beautie daz'ling mortall eye Strikes blinde the daring sense her sparkling face Her husbands self now cannot well descrie With such strange brightnesse such immortall grace Hath that great parent in her cradle made That Cynthia's silver cheek would quickly fade And light it self to her would seem a painted shade 60 But ah entic't by her own worth and pride She stain'd her beautie with most loathsome spot Her Lords fixt law and spouses light deni'd So fill'd her spouse and self with leprous blot And now all dark is their first morning ray What verse might then their former light display When yet their darkest night outshines the brightest day 61 On her a royall damsell still attends And faithfull Counseller Synteresis For though Voletta ever good intends Yet by fair ills she oft deceived is By ills so fairly drest with cunning slight That Vertues self they well may seem to sight But that bright Vertues self oft seems not half so bright 62 Therefore Synteresis of nimble sight Oft helps her doubtfull hand and erring eye Els mought she ever stumbling in this night Fall down as deep as deepest Tartarie Nay thence a sad-fair maid Repentance rears And in her arms her fainting Lady bears Washing her often stains with ever-falling tears 63 Thereto she addes a water soveraigne Of wondrous force and skilfull composition For first she pricks the heart in tender vein Then from those precious drops and deep contrition With lips confession and with pickled cries Still'd in a broken spirit sad vapours rise Exhal'd by sacred fires and drop through melting eyes 64 These cordiall drops these spirit-healing balms Cure all her sinfull bruises cleare her eyes Unlock her ears recover fainting qualms And now grown fresh and strong she makes her rise And glasse of unmaskt sinne she bright displaies Whereby she sees loathes mends her former waies So soon repairs her light trebling her new-born raies 65 But ah why do we simple as we been With curious labour dimme and vailed sight Prie in the nature of this King and Queen Groping in darknesse for so cleare a light A light which once could not be thought or told But now with blackest clouds is thick enroll'd Prest down in captive chains and pent in earthly mold 66 Rather lament we this their wretched fate Ah wretched fate and fatal wretchednesse Unlike those former dayes and first estate When he espous'd with melting happinesse To fair Voletta both their lights conspiring He saw what e're was fit for her requiring And she to his cleare sight would temper her desiring 67 When both replenisht with celestiall light All coming evils could foresee and flie When both with clearest eye and perfect sight Could every natures difference descrie Whose pictures now they scarcely see with pain Obscure and dark like to those shadows vain Which thinne and emptie glide along Avernus plain 68 The flowres that frighted with sharp winters dread Retire into their mother Tellus wombe Yet in the Spring in troups new mustered Peep out again from their unfrozen tombe The early Violet will fresh arise And spreading his flour'd purple to the skies Boldly the little elf the winters spite defies 69 The hedge green Sattin pinkt and cut arayes The Heliotrope to
infinite encamped lie Th' enraged Dragon and his Serpents bold And knowing well his time grows short and nigh He swells with venom'd gore and poys'nous heat His tail unfolded heav'n it self doth beat And sweeps the mighty starres from their transcendent seat 14 With him goes Caro cursed damme of sinne Foul filthie damme of fouler progenie Yet seems skin-deep most fair by witching gin To weaker sight but to a purged eye Looks like nay worse then hells infernall hagges Her empty breasts hang like lank hollow bagges And Iris ulcer'd skin is patcht with leprous ragges 15 Therefore her loathsome shape in steel arayd All rust within the outside polisht bright And on her shield a Mermaid sung and playd Whose humane beauties ' lure the wandring sight But slimy scales hid in their waters lie She chants she smiles so draws the eare the eye And whom she winnes she kills the word Heare gaze die 16 And after march her fruitfull serpent frie Whom she of divers lechers divers bore Marshall'd in severall ranks their colours flie Foure to Anagnus foure this painted whore To loathsome Asebie brought forth to light Twice foure got Adisus a hatefull wight But swoln Acrates two born in one bed and night 17 Moechus the first of blushlesse bold aspect Yet with him Doubt and Fear still trembling go Oft lookt he back as if he did suspect Th' approach of some unwisht unwelcome foe Behinde fell Jealousie his steps observ'd And sure Revenge with dart that never swerv'd Ten thousand griefs and plagues he felt but more deserv'd 18 His armour black as hell or starlesse night And in his shield he lively pourtray'd bare Mars fast impound in arms of Venus light And ti'd as fast in Vulcans subtil snare She feign'd to blush for shame now all too late But his red colour seem'd to sparkle hate Sweet are stoln waters round about the marge he wrate 19 Porneius next him pac't a meager wight Whose leaden eyes sunk deep in swimming head And joylesse look like some pale ashie spright Seem'd as he now were dying or now dead And with him Wastefulnesse that all expended And Want that still in theft and prison ended A hundred foul diseases close at 's back attended 20 His shining helm might seem a sparkling flame Yet sooth nought was it but a foolish fire And all his arms were of that burning frame That flesh and bones were gnawn with hot desire About his wrist his blazing shield did frie With sweltring hearts in flame of luxurie His word In fire I live in fire I burn and die 21 With him Acatharus in Tuscan guise A thing that neither man will owne nor beast Upon a boy he lean'd in wanton wise On whose fair limbes his eyes still greedie feast He sports he toyes kisses his shining face Behinde reproach and thousand devils pace Before bold Impudence that cannot change her grace 22 His armour seem'd to laugh with idle boyes Which all about their wanton sportings playd Al 's would himself help out their childish toyes And like a boy lend them unmanly aid In his broad targe the bird her wings dispread Which trussing wafts the Trojan Ganymed And round was writ Like with his like is coupeled 23 Aselges follow'd next the boldest boy That ever play'd in Venus wanton court He little cares who notes his lavish joy Broad were his jests wilde his uncivil sport His fashion too too fond and loosly light A long love-lock on his left shoulder plight Like to a womans hair well shew'd a womans sprite 24 Lust in strange nests this Cuckoe egge conceiv'd Which nurst with surfets drest with fond disguises In fancies school his breeding first receiv'd So this brave spark to wilder flame arises And now to court preferr'd high blouds he fires There blows up pride vain mirths and loose desires And heav'nly souls oh grief with hellish flame inspires 25 There oft to rivalls lends the gentle Dor Oft takes his mistresse by the bitter Bob There learns her each daies change of Gules Verd Or His sampler if she pouts her slave must sob Her face his sphere her hair his circling skie Her love his heav'n her sight eternitie Of her he dreams with her he lives for her he 'l die 26 Upon his arm a tinsell scarf he wore Forsooth his Madams favour spangled fair Light as himself a fanne his helmet bore With ribbons drest begg'd from his Mistresse hair On 's shield a winged boy all naked shin'd His folded eyes willing and wilfull blinde The word was wrought with gold Such is a lovers minde 27 These foure Anagnus and foul Caro's sonnes Who led a diff'rent and disorder'd rout Fancie a lad that all in feathers wons And loose desire and danger linkt with doubt And thousand wanton thoughts still budding new But lazie ease usher'd the idle crue And lame disease shuts up their troops with torments due 28 Next band by Asebie was boldly led And his foure sonnes begot in Stygian night First Idololatros whose monstrous head Was like an ugly fiend his flaming sight Like blazing starres the rest all different For to his shape some part each creature lent But to the great Creatour all adversly bent 29 Upon his breast a bloudie Crosse he scor'd Which oft he worshipt but the Christ that di'd Thereon he seldome but in paint ador'd Yet wood stone beasts wealth lusts fiends deifi'd He makes meer pageants of the saving Rock Puppet-like trimming his Almightie stock Which then his god or he which is the verier block 30 Of Giant shape and strength thereto agreeing Wherewith he whilome all the world opprest And yet the greater part his vassals being Slumbring in ignorance securely rest A golden calf himself more beast he bore Which brutes with dancings gifts and songs adore Idols are lay-mens books he round had wrote in Ore 31 Next Pharmacus of gashly wilde aspect Whom hell with seeming fear and fiends obey Full eas'ly would he know each past effect And things to come with double guesse foresay By slain beasts entrails and fowls marked flight Thereto he tempests rais'd by many a spright And charm'd the Sunne and Moon chang'd the day and night 32 So when the South dipping his fablest wings In humid Ocean sweeps with 's dropping beard Th' aire earth and seas his lips loud thunderings And flashing eyes make all the world afeard Light with dark clouds waters with fires are met The Sunne but now is rising now is set And findes west-shades in East and seas in ayers wet 33 By birth and hand he jugling fortunes tells Oft brings from shades his grandsires damned ghost Oft stoln goods forces out by wicked spells His frightfull shield with thousand fiends embost Which seem'd without a circles ring to play In midst himself dampens the smiling day And prints sad characters which none may write or say 34 The third Haereticus a wrangling carle Who in the way to heav'n would
most I love with just adoring That Mantuan swain who chang'd his slender reed To trumpets martiall voice and warres loud roaring From Corydon to Turnus derring-deed And next our home-bred Colins sweetest firing Their steps not following close but farre admiring To lackey one of these is all my prides aspiring 6 Then you my peers whose quiet expectation Seemeth my backward tale would fain invite Deigne gently heare this purple Islands nation A people never seen yet still in sight Our daily guests and natives yet unknown Our servants born but now commanders grown Our friends and enemies aliens yet still our own 7 Not like those Heroes who in better times This happy Island first inhabited In joy and peace when no rebellious crimes That God-like nation yet dispeop'led Those claim'd their birth from that eternal Light Held th' Isle and rul'd it in their fathers right And in their faces bore their parents image bright 8 For when the Isle that main would fond forsake In which at first it found a happy place And deep was plung'd in that dead hellish lake Back to their father flew this heav'nly race And left the Isle forlorn and desolate That now with fear and wishes all too late Sought in that blackest wave to hide his blacker fate 9 How shall a worm on dust that crawls and feeds Climbe to th' empyreall court where these states reign And there take view of what heav'ns self exceeds The Sunne lesse starres these lights the Sunne distain Their beams divine and beauties do excell What here on earth in aire or heav'n do dwell Such never eye yet saw such never tongue can tell 10 Soon as these Saints the treach'rous Isle forsook Rusht in a false foul fiend-like companie And every fort and every castle took All to this rabble yeeld the soveraigntie The goodly temples which those Heroes plac't By this foul rout were utterly defac't And all their fences strong and all their bulwarks raz'd 11 So where the neatest Badger most abides Deep in the earth she frames her prettie cell And into halls and closulets divides But when the stinking fox with loathsome smell Infects her pleasant cave the cleanly beast So hates her inmate and rank-smelling guest That farre away she flies and leaves her loathed nest 12 But when those Graces at their fathers throne Arriv'd in heav'ns high Court to Justice plain'd How they were wrong'd and forced from their own And what foul people in their dwellings reign'd How th' earth much waxt in ill much wan'd in good So full-ripe vice how blasted vertues bud Begging such vicious weeds might sink in vengefull floud 13 Forth stept the just Dicaea full of rage The first-born daughter of th' Almighty King Ah sacred maid thy kindled ire asswage Who dare abide thy dreadfull thundering Soon as her voice but Father onely spake The faultlesse heav'ns like leaves in Autumne shake And all that glorious throng with horrid palsies quake 14 Heard you not late with what loud trumpet sound Her breath awak'd her fathers sleeping ire The heav'nly armies flam'd earth shook heav'n frown'd And heav'ns dread King call'd for his three-forkt fire Heark how the powerfull words strike through the eare The frighted sense shoots up the staring hair And shakes the trembling soul with fright shudd'ring fear 15 So have I seen the earth strong windes detaining In prison close they scorning to be under Her dull subjection and her power disdaining With horrid struglings tear their bonds in sunder Mean while the wounded earth that forc'd their stay With terrour reels the hils runne farre away And frighted world fears hell breaks out upon the day 16 But see how 'twixt her sister and her sire Soft-hearted Mercy sweetly interposing Settles her panting breast against his fire Pleading for grace and chains of death unloosing Heark from her lips the melting hony flowes The striking Thunderer recals his blowes And every armed souldier down his weapon throwes 17 So when the day wrapt in a cloudie night Puts out the Sunne anon the rattling hail On earth poures down his shot with fell despight His powder spent the Sunne puts off his vail And fair his flaming beauties now unsteeps The plough-man from his bushes gladly peeps And hidden traveller out of his covert creeps 18 Ah fairest maid best essence of thy father Equall unto thy never equall'd sire How in low verse shall thy poore shepherd gather What all the world can ne're enough admire When thy sweet eyes sparkle in chearfull light The brightest day grows pale as leaden night And heav'ns bright burning eye loses his blinded sight 19 Who then those sugred strains can understand Which calm'd thy father and our desp'rate fears And charm'd the nimble lightning in his hand That all unwares it dropt in melting tears Then thou deare swain thy heav'nly load unfraught For she her self hath thee her speeches taught So neare her heav'n they be so farre from humane thought 20 But let my lighter skiffe return again Unto that little Isle which late it left Nor dare to enter in that boundlesse main Or tell the nation from this Island reft But sing that civil strife and home dissension 'Twixt two strong factions with like fierce contention Where never peace is heard nor ever peaces mention 21 For that foul rout which from the Stygian brook Where first they dwelt in midst of death and night By force the left and emptie Island took Claim hence full conquest and possessions right But that fair band which Mercie sent anew The ashes of that first heroick crue From their forefathers claim their right Islands due 22 In their fair look their parents grace appeares Yet their renowned sires were much more glorious For what decaies not with decaying yeares All night and all the day with toil laborious In losse and conquest angrie fresh they fight Nor can the other cease or day or night While th' Isle is doubly rent with endlesse warre and fright 23 As when the Britain and Iberian fleet With resolute and fearlesse expectation On trembling seas with equall fury meet The shore resounds with diverse acclamation Till now at length Spains firie Dons 'gin shrink Down with their ships hope life and courage sink Courage life hope and ships the gaping surges drink 24 But who alas shall teach my ruder breast The names and deeds of these heroick Kings Or downy Muse which now but left the nest Mount from her bush to heav'n with new-born wings Thou sacred maid which from fair Palestine Through all the world hast spread thy brightest shine Kindle thy shepherd-swain with thy light flaming eyn 25 Sacred Thespio which in Sinaies grove First took'st thy being and immortall breath And vaunt'st thy off-spring from the highest Iove Yet deign'dst to dwell with mortalls here beneath With vilest earth and men more vile residing Come holy Virgin in my bosome sliding With thy glad Angel light my blindfold footsteps guiding 26 And thou dread Spirit which at first
didst spread On those dark waters thy all-opening light Thou who of late of thy great bounty head This nest of hellish fogges and Stygian night With thy bright orient Sunne hast fair renew'd And with unwonted day hast it endu'd Which late both day thee and most it self eschew'd 27 Dread Spirit do thou those severall bands unfold Both which thou sent'st a needfull supplement To this lost Isle and which with courage bold Hourely assail thy rightfull regiment And with strong hand oppresse keep them under Raise now my humble vein to lofty thunder That heav'n and earth may sound resound thy praises wonder 28 The Islands Prince of frame more then celestiall Is rightly call'd th' all-seeing Intellect All glorious bright such nothing is terrestriall Whose Sun-like face and most divine aspect No humane sight may ever hope descrie For when himself on 's self reflects his eye Dull and amaz'd he stands at so bright majestie 29 Look as the Sunne whose ray and searching light Here there and every where it self displayes No nook or corner flies his piercing sight Yet on himself when he reflects his rayes Soon back he flings the too bold vent'ring gleam Down to the earth the flames all broken stream Such is this famous Prince such his unpierced beam 30 His strangest body is not bodily But matter without matter never fill'd Nor filling though within his compasse high All heav'n and earth and all in both are held Yet thousand thousand heav'ns he could contain And still as empty as at first remain And when he takes in most readi'st to take again 31 Though travelling all places changing none Bid him soar up to heav'n and thence down throwing The centre search and Dis dark realm he 's gone Returns arrives before thou saw'st him going And while his weary kingdome safely sleeps All restlesse night he watch and warding keeps Never his carefull head on resting pillow steeps 32 In every quarter of this blessed Isle Himself both present is and President Nor once retires ah happy realm the while That by no Officers lewd lavishment With greedie lust and wrong consumed art He all in all and all in every part Does share to each his due and equall dole impart 33 He knows nor death nor yeares nor feeble age But as his time his strength and vigour grows And when his kingdome by intestine rage Lies broke and wasted open to his foes And batter'd sconce now flat and even lies Sooner then thought to that great Judge he flies Who weighs him just reward of good or injuries 34 For he the Judges Viceroy here is plac't Where if he live as knowing he may die He never dies but with fresh pleasures grac't Bathes his crown'd head in soft eternitie Where thousand joyes and pleasures ever new And blessings thicker then the morning dew With endlesse sweets rain down on that immortall crue 35 There golden starres set in the crystall snow There daintie joyes laugh at white-headed caring There day no night delight no end shall know Sweets without surfet fulnesse without sparing And by its spending growing happinesse There God himself in glories lavishnesse Diffus'd in all to all is all full blessednesse 36 But if he here neglect his Masters law And with those traitours 'gainst his Lord rebells Down to the deeps ten thousand fiends him draw Deeps where night death despair and horrour dwells And in worst ills still worse expecting fears Where fell despite for spite his bowels tears And still increasing grief and torment never wears 37 Prayers there are idle death is woo'd in vain In midst of death poore wretches long to die Night without day or rest still doubling pain Woes spending still yet still their end lesse nigh The soul there restlesse helplesse hopelesse lies The body frying roars and roaring fries There 's life that never lives there 's death that never dies 38 Hence while unsetled here he fighting reignes Shut in a Tower where thousand enemies Assault the fort with wary care and pains He guards all entrance and by divers spies Searches into his foes and friends designes For most he fears his subjects wavering mindes This Tower then onely falls when treason undermines 39 Therefore while yet he lurks in earthly tent Disguis'd in worthlesse robes and poore attire Trie we to view his glories wonderment And get a sight of what we so admire For when away from this sad place he flies And in the skies abides more bright then skies Too glorious is his sight for our dimme mortall eyes 40 So curl'd-head Thetis waters feared Queen But bound in cauls of sand yeelds not to sight And planets glorious King may best be seen When some thinne cloud dimmes his too piercing light And neither none nor all his face discloses For when his bright eye full our eye opposes None gains his glorious sight but his own sight he loses 41 Within the Castle sit eight Counsellers That help him in this tent to govern well Each in his room a severall office bears Three of his inmost private counsell deal In great affairs five of lesse dignitie Have outward Courts and in all actions prie But still referre the doom to Courts more fit and high 42 Those five fair brethren which I sung of late For their just number call'd the Pemptarchie The other three three pillars of the state The first in midst of that high Tower doth lie The chiefest mansion of this glorious King The Judge and Arbiter of every thing Which those five brethrens poasts in to his office bring 43 Of middle yeares and seemly personage Father of laws the rule of wrong and right Fountain of judgement therefore wondrous sage Discreet and wise of quick and nimble sight Not those seven Sages might him parallell Nor he whom Pythian Maid did whilome tell To be the wisest man that then on earth did dwell 44 As Neptunes cestern sucks in tribute tides Yet never full which every chanel brings And thirstie drinks and drinking thirstie bides For by some hidden way back to the springs It sends the streams in erring conduits spread Which with a circling dutie still are led So ever feeding them is by them ever fed 45 Ev'n so the first of these three Counsellers Gives to the five the power of all-descrying Which back to him with mutuall dutie bears All their informings and the causes trying For through strait waies the nimble Poast ascends Unto his hall there up his message sends Which to the next well scann'd he straightway recommends 46 The next that in the Castles front is plac't Phantastes hight his yeares are fresh and green His visage old his face too much defac't With ashes pale his eyes deep sunken been With often thoughts and never slackt intention Yet he the fount of speedy apprehension Father of wit the well of arts and quick invention 47 But in his private thoughts and busy brain Thousand thinne forms and idle fancies flit The three-shap't Sphinx and direfull