The crowne of all Homers workes Batrachomyomachia or the battaile of frogs and mise. His hymn's - and - epigrams translated according to ye. originall by George Chapman Battle of the frogs and mice. English. 1624 Approx. 222 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 103 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A03505 STC 13628 ESTC S119240 99854447 99854447 19869 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A03505) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 19869) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 667:8) The crowne of all Homers workes Batrachomyomachia or the battaile of frogs and mise. His hymn's - and - epigrams translated according to ye. originall by George Chapman Battle of the frogs and mice. English. Passe, Willem van de, 1598-ca. 1637, engraver. Chapman, George, 1559?-1634. Homer, attributed name. [12], 143, 148-179, [1], 201-207, [5] p. Printed by Iohn Bill, his Maiesties printer, London : [1624?] "Batrachomyomachia" was attributed in antiquity to Homer, but is probably of a much later date. The hymns and epigrams are not by Homer. In verse. The title page is engraved and signed "Will: Pass: fecit". Variant: title page in an earlier state, with "worckes". Publication date conjectured by STC. The first leaf is blank. With a two-leaf epilogue. Identified as STC 13628a on UMI microfilm. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng 2002-08 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-09 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-10 Olivia Bottum Sampled and proofread 2002-10 Olivia Bottum Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-12 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion the CROWNE of all HOMERS WORKES Batrachomyomachia Or the ( Battaile of Frogs and Mise . His Hymn's — and — Epigrams Translated according to ye. Originall By George Chapman . London , Printed by Iohn Bill , his MAIESTIES Printer . TO MY EVER MOST-WORTHIE-TO-BE-MOST HONOR'D LORD , THE EARLE OF SOMERSET , &c. NOt forc't by fortune ; but since your free minde ( Made by affliction ) rests in choice resign'd To calme Retreate ; laid quite beneath the winde Of Grace , and Glory : I well know , my Lord , You would not be entitl'd to a word That might a thought remoue from your Repose , To thunder and spit Flames , as Greatnesse does ; For all the Trumps , that still tell where he goes . Of which Trumps , Dedication being One , Me thinks I see you start to heare it blowne . But this is no such Trump as summons Lords , Gainst Enuies steele , to draw their leaden swords , Or gainst Hare-lipt Detraction , Contempt , All which , from all Resistance stand exempt , It being as hard to seuer Wrong from Merit , As meate-indude , from blood ; or blood from spirit . Nor in the spirits Chariot rides the soule In bodies chaste , with more diuine controule ; Nor virtue shines more in a louely Face ; Then true desert , is stuck off with Disgrace . And therefore truth it selfe that had to blesse The merit of it all , Almightinesse ; Would not protect it , from the Bane and Ban Of all Moodes most distraught , and Stygian ; As counting it the Crowne of all Desert , Borne to Heauen , to take of Earth , no part Of false Ioy here , for Ioyes-there-endlesse troth , Nor sell his Birthright for a messe of Broth. But stay and still sustaine , and his Blisse bring , Like to the hatching of the Black-thornes spring , With bitter frosts , and smarting haile-stormes forth ; Fates loue Bees labors ; onely Paine crownes Worth. This Dedication calls no Greatnes then , To patrone this Greatnes-creating Penn ; Nor you to add to your dead calme a breath ; For those arm'd Angells , that in spight of death Inspir'd those flowrs that wrought this poets wreath Shall keepe it euer , Poesies steepest Starr , As , in Earths flaming wals , Heauens seuenfold Carr , ( From all the windes of Neptunes watrie sphere ) For euer guards the Erymanthian Beare . Since then your Lordship , settles in your shade A life retir'd ; and no Retreate is made But to some strength ; ( for else , t is no Retreate , But rudely running from your Battailes heate ) I giue this , as your strength : your strength , my Lord , In Counsailes and Examples , that afford More Guard , then whole Hosts of corporeal powre , And more deliuerance , teach the fatall Howre . Turne not your medcine then , to your disease , By your too set , and sleight repulse of these , The Adiuncts of your matchlesse Odyss●s ; Since on that wisest minde of Man , relies Refuge from all Liues Infelicities . Nor sing these , such diuision from them ; But that these spinn the thred of the same streame , From one selfe Distaffs stuff : for Poesies Pen ( Through al theames ) is t' informe the liues of Men : All whose Retreates , neede strengths of all degrees ; Without which ; ( had you euen Herculean knees ; ) Your foes fresh Charges , would , at length preuaile , To leaue your Noblest suff'rance , no least saile . Strength then , the Obiect is of all Retreates ; Strength needes no friends trust ; strength , your foes defeates . Retire to strength then , of eternall things , And y' are eternall ; for our knowing Spring 's Flow into those things that we truely know ; Which ( being Eternall ) we are render'd so . And though your high-fixt Light passe infinite farr Th'aduicefull Guide , of my still-trembling Starr ; Yet heare what my dischardg'd Peece must foretell , Standing your Poore , and Perdue Sentinell . Kings may perhaps wish , euen your Beggars Voice To their Eternities ; how skorn'd a choice Soeuer , now it lies ; And ( dead I ) may Extend your life to lights extreamest Raie . If not ; your Homer yet , past doubt shall make , Immortall , like himselfe , your Bounties stake Put in my hands , to propagate your Fame , Such virtue reigns in such vnited Name . Retire to him then , for aduice , and skill To know , things call'd worst , Best ; and Best most ill . Which knowne ; truths best chuse ; and retire to still . And as our English Generall , ( whose Name Shall equall interest finde in T'House of Fame , With all Earths great'st Commanders ) in Retreate To Belgian Gant , stood all Spaines Armies heate , By Parma led ; though but one thousand strong : Three miles together thrusting through the throng Of Th'Enimies Horse , ( still pouring on their Fall Twixt him & home ) & thunderd through them al : The Gallick Monsiour standing on the wall , And wondring at his dreadfull Discipline ; Fir'd with a Valor , that spit spirit Diuine : In fiue Battaillons randging all his Men ; Bristl'd with Pikes , and flanck't with Flanckers ten ; Gaue fire still in his Rere , retir'd and wrought , Downe to his fixt strength still : retir'd and ●ought ; All the Battaillons of the Enemies Horse Storming vpon him still , their fieriest Force ; Charge vpon Charge laid fresh : he fresh as day Repulsing all ; and forcing glorious way Into the Gates ; that gaspt ( as swounes for Ayre ) And tooke their life in , with vntoucht Repaire : So fight out ( sweet Earle ) your Retreate in Peace ; No ope-warr equalls that , where priuie Prease Of neuer-numberd odds of Enimie Arm'd all by Enuie , in blinde Ambush lie , To rush out , like an open threatning skie , Broke al in Meteors round about your eares . Gainst which , ( though far frō hēce ) through al your Reres Haue fires prepar'd ; wisdome , with wisdome flanck , And all your forces randge in present ranck ; Retiring as you now fought in your strength , From all the Force laid , in times vtmost length , To charge , and basely , come on you behind . The Doctrine of all which , you here shall finde , And , in the true Glasse of a humane Minde . Your Odysses ; the Body letting see All his life past , through Infelicitie , And manage of it all . In which to friend , The full Muse brings you both the prime and end Of all Arts ambient in the Orbe of Man ; Which neuer darknesse most Cimmerian Can giue Eclipse ; since ( blinde ) He all things sawe And to all , euer since , liu'd Lord , and Lawe . And though our mere-learn'd mē ; & Modern wise Taste not poore Poesies Ingenuities , Being crusted with their couetous Leprosies ; But hold her paines , worse then the spiders worke , And lighter then the shadowe of a Corke ; Yet th' ancient learn'd ; heat with celestiall fire , Affirmes her flames so sacred and entire ; That , not without Gods greatest grace she can Fall in the wid'st Capacitie of Man. If yet , the vile Soule of this Verminous time ; Loue more the Sale-Muse ; and the Squirrels chime , Then this full sphere of Poesies sweetest Prime ; Giue them vnenuied , their vaine veine , and vent ; And rest your wings , in his approu'd ascent That yet was neuer reacht ; nor euer fell Into affections bought with things that sell Being the Sunns Flowre ; and wrapt so in his skie , He cannot yeeld to euery Candles eye . Whosemost worthy Discoueries , to your Lordships Iudiciall Perspectiue in most subdude Humilitie submitteth , George Chapman . The occasion of this Impos'd CROWNE . AFter this not onely Prince of Poets , but Philosophers , had written his two great Poems , of Iliads & Odysses ; which ( for their first Lights borne before all Learning ) were worthily call'd the Sunne and Moone of the Earth ; ( finding no compensation ) he writ , in contempt of Men , this ridiculous Poem of Vermin , giuing them Nobility of Birth , valorous elocution not inferior to his Heroes . At which the Gods themselues put in amaze , call'd Counsailes about their assistance of either Armie , and the iustice of their Quarrels , euen to the mounting of ●oues Artillery against them , and discharge of his three-forckt flashes : and all for the deuouring of a Mouse . After which sleight and onely recreatiue touch , hee betooke him seriously to the honor of the Gods ; in Hymn's resounding all their peculiar Titles , Iurisdiction , and Dignities ; which hee illustrates at all parts , as he had beene continually conuersant amongst them : and whatsoeuer autentique Poe●ie he omitted in the Episods , contained in his Iliads and Odysses ; he comprehends and concludes in his Hym'ns and Epigrams . Al his obseruance and honor of the Gods , rather mou'd their enuies against him , then their rewards , or respects of his endeauours . And so like a Man verecundi ingenij ( which he witnesseth of himselfe ) he liu'd vnhonord and needie till his death ; yet notwithstanding all mens seruile and manacled Miseries , to his most absolute and neuer-equall'd Merite ; yea euen bursten profusion to Imposture and Impiety ; ●eare our-euer-the Same intranced , and neuer-sleeping Master of the Muses , to his last accent , incomparablie singing . BATRAXOMYOMAXIA . ENtring the fields , first let my Vowes call on The Muses whole Quire out of Helicon Into my Heart ; for such a Poems sake , As lately I did in my Tables take , And put into report , vpon my knees . A fight so fierce , as might in all degrees Fit Mars himselfe , and his tumultuous hand , Glorying to dart to th' eares of euery land Of all the a voice-deuided ; And to show How brauely did both Froggs and Mise bestow In glorious fight their forces ; euen the deedes Daring to imitate of earths Giant-seedes . Thus then , men talkt ; this seede the strife begat : The Mouse , once drie ; and scap't the dangerous Cat ; Drench't in the neighbour lake , her tender berde , To taste the sweetnesse of the waue it rer'de . The farre-fam'de Fen-affecter ( seeing him ) said ; Ho ? Stranger ? what are you ? And whence , that tred This shore of ours ? who brought you forth ? replie , What truth may witnesse , lest I finde , you lie . If worth fruition of my loue , and me ; I le haue thee home ; and Hospitalitie Of feast , and gift ; good and magnificent Bestow on thee : For all this Confluent Resounds my Royaltie ; my Name , the great In blowne-vp count'nances ; and lookes of threat , * Physignathus ; ador'd of all Frogs here All their daies durance ; And the Empire beare Of all their Beings . Mine owne Beeing , begot By royall Peleus ; mixt in nuptiall knot , With faire a Hydromedusa ; On the Bounds Nere which b Eridanus , his Race resounds . And Thee , mine Eie , makes my Conceipt enclinde To reckon powerfull , both in forme , and Minde : A Scepter-bearer ; And past others farre , Aduanc't in all the fiery Fights of warre . Come then , Thy race , to my renowne commend . The Mouse made answer ; why enquires my friend ? For what so well , know men and Deities , And all the wing'd affecters of the skies ? c Psycharpax , I am calld ; d Troxartes seede ; Surnam'de the Mighty-Minded : She that free'd Mine eies from darknesse ; was e Lichomyle , King f Pternotroctes Daughter ; shewing me Within an aged houell , the young light : Fed me with figges , and nuts ; and all the height Of varied viands . But vnfolde the cause , Why , 'gainst similitudes most equall lawes ( Obseru'd in friendship ) thou makst me thy friend ? Thy life , the waters only helpe t' extend . Mine , whatsoeuer , men are vs'd to eat , Takes part with them , at shore : their purest cheat , Thrice boulted , kneaded , and subdu'd in past , In cleane round kymnels ; cannot be so fast From my approches kept ; but in I eat : Nor Cheesecakes full , of finest Indian wheat , That f Crustie-weedes weare , large as Ladies traines : g Lyurings , ( white-skind as Ladies : ) nor the straines Of prest milke , renneted ; Nor collups cut , Fresh from the flitch : Nor iunkets such as put Palats diuine in Appetite : nor any Of all mens delicates ; thought ne're so many Their Cookes deuise them , who each dish see deckt With all the dainties h all strange soiles affect . Yet am I not so sensuall , to flie Of fields embattaild , the most fiery crie : But rush out strait ; and with the first in sight , Mixe in aduenture : No man with affright Can daunt my forces ; though his bodie bee Of neuer so immense a quantitie . But making vp , euen to his bed , accesse ; His fingers ends dare with my teeth compresse : His feet taint likewise ; and so soft sease both , They shall not tast Th' Impression of a tooth . Sweet sleepe shall holde his owne , in euery eie Where my tooth takes his tartest libertie : But two there are , that alwaies , far and neare Extremely still , controule my force with feare ; ( The Cat , and Night-Hawke ) who much skathe confer On all the Outraies , where for food I erre . Together with the i streights-still-keeping Trap ; Where lurkes deceiptfull and set-spleend Mishap . But most of all the Cat constraines my feare ; Being euer apt t' assault me euery where : For by that hole , that hope saies , I shall scape , At that hole euer , she commits my Rape . The best is yet , I eat no pot-herb grasse , Nor Raddishes ; nor Coloquintida's : Nor Still-greene ; Beetes , nor Parsley : which you make Your dainties still , that liue vpon the lake . The Frog replide : Stranger ? your boasts creepe all Vpon their bellies ; though to our liues fall ; Much more miraculous meates , by lake and land : Ioue tendring our liues with a twofold hand ; Enabling vs to leape ashore for food , And hide vs strait in our retreatfull flood : Which if your will serue ; you may proue with ease . I le take you on my shoulders : which fast sease , If safe arriuall at my house y'intend . He stoopt ; and thither spritelie did ascend , Clasping his golden necke , that easie seat Gaue to his sallie : who was iocund yet ; Seeing the safe harbors of the King so nere ; And he , a swimmer so exempt from Pere. But when he sunke into the purple waue ; He mournd extremely ; and did much depraue Vnprofitable penitence : His haire ▪ Tore by the roots vp , labord for the aire , With his feet fetcht vp to his belly , close : His heart within him , panted out repose , For th' insolent plight , in which his state did stand : Sigh'd bitterly , and long'd to greete the land , Forc't by the dire Neede , of his freezing feare . First on the waters , he his taile did stere Like to a Sterne : then drew it like an ore , Still praying the Gods to set him safe ashore : Yet sunke he midst the red waues , more and more , And laid a throat out , to his vtmost height : Yet in forc'd speech , he made his perill sleight ; And thus his glorie with his grieuance stroue ; Not in such choice state was the charge of loue Borne by the Bull ; when to the Cretane shore He swumme Europa through the wauie rore ; As this Frog ferries me ; His pallid brest Brauely aduancing ; and his verdant crest ( Submitted to my seat ) made my support , Through his white waters , to his royall Court. But on the sudden did apparance make An horrid spectacle ; a water-snake Thrusting his freckeld necke aboue the lake . Which ( seene to both ) away Physignathus Diu'd to his deepes ; as no way conscious Of whom , he left to perish in his lake ; But shunn'd blacke fate himselfe ; and let him take The blackest of it : who amids the Fenn Swumme with his brest vp ; hands held vp in vaine , Cried Peepe , and perisht : sunke the waters oft , And often with his sprawlings , came aloft ; Yet no way kept downe deaths relentlesse force : But ( full of water ) made an heauie Corse . Before he perisht yet , he threatned thus ; Thou lurk'st not yet from heauen ( Physignathus ) Though yet thou hid'st here , that hast cast from thee ( As from a Rocke , ) the shipwrackt life of mee . Though thou thy selfe , no better was than I ( O worst of things ) at any facultie ; Wrastling or race : but for thy perfidie In this my wracke ; Ioue beares a wreakefull eie : And to the Hoast of Mise , thou paines shalt pay Past all euasion . This , his life let say , And left him to the waters . Him beheld , a Lichopinax ; plac't in the pleasing fielde : Who shrick't extremely ; ranne and told the Mise ; Who , hauing heard his watry destinies ; Pernicious anger pierst the hearts of all ; And then their Heralds , forth they sent to call A councell early , at Troxartes house , Sad father of this fatall shipwrack't Mouse : Whose dead Corpse , vpwards swum along the lake ; Nor yet ( poore wretch ) could be enforc'd to make The shore , his harbour ; but the mid-Maine swum : When now ( all haste made ) with first morne did come All to set councell ; in which , first rais'd head , Troxartes , angrie for his sonne ; and said ; O Friends , though I alone may seeme to beare All the infortune ; yet may all mette here Account it their case . But ti 's true , I am In chiefe vnhappy ; that a triple flame Of life , feele put forth , in three famous sonnès ; The first , the chiefe in our confusions ( The Cat ) made rape of ; caught without his hole : The second ; Man , made with a cruell soule , Brought to his ruine , with a new-found sleight ; And a most woodden engine of deceipt , They terme a Trap ; mere a Murthresse of our Mise . The last that in my loue held speciall prise , And his rare mothers ; this Physignathus ( With false pretext of wafting to his house ; ) Strang l'd in chiefe deepes , of his bloudy streame . Come then ; haste all , and issue out on them , Our bodies deckt , in our Dedalean armes . This said ; his words thrust all vp in alarmes ; And Mars himselfe , that serues the cure of war ; Made all in their Appropriats circular . First on each leg , the greene shales of a Beane , They clos'd for Bootes ; that sat b exceeding cleane : The shales they broke ope , Bootehaling by night , And eat the beanes : Their Iacks ; Art exquisite Had showne in them ; being Cats-skins , euery where Quilted with quills : Their fencefull bucklers were , The middle rounds of Can'sticks ; but their speare A huge long Needle was ; that could not beare The braine of any ; but be Mars his owne Mortall inuention . Their heads arming Crowne Was vessel to the kirnell of a nut : And thus the Mise , their powers in armour put . This , the frogs hearing ; From the water , all Issue to one place ; and a councell call Of wicked war ; consulting what should be Cause to this murmure , and strange mutinie . While this was question'd ; neere them made his stand An Herald with a Scepter in his hand , ( g Embasichytrus calld ) that fetcht his kinde , From h Tyroglyphus , with the mightie minde ; Denouncing ill-nam'd war , in these high termes ; O Frogs ? the Mise , sends threats to you of armes And bid me bid ye Battell ; and fixt fight ; Their eies all wounded with Psycharpax sight , Floting your waters , whom your king hath kild . And therefore all prepare for force of field , You that are best borne , whosoeuer held . This said ; he seuer'd ; his speech firing th' eares Of all the Mise ; but frees'd the Frogs with feares , Themselues conceiting guiltie ; whom the King Thus answer'd ( rising . ) Friends ? I did not bring Psycharpax to his end ; He , wantoning Vpon our waters , practising to swimme , a Ap'te vs , and drown'd ; without my sight of him . And yet these worst of Vermine , accuse me Though no way guiltie . Come , consider we How we may ruine these deceiptfull Mise . For my part ; I giue voice to this aduise ; As seeming fittest to direct our deeds . Our bodies decking with our arming weeds ; Let all our Powr's stand rais'd in steep'st repose Of all our shore ; that when they charge vs close ; We may the helms snatch off , from all so deckt , Daring our onset ; and them all direct Downe to our waters . Who not knowing the sleight To diue our soft deeps , may be strangl'd streight ; And we triumphing , may a Trophey rere , Of all the Mise , that we haue slaughter'd here . These words put all in armes ; and mallow leaues They drew vpon their leggs , for arming b Greaues . Their Curets ; broad greene Beetes ; their bucklers were Good thick-leau'd Cabbadge ; proofe gainst any spe're . Their speares , sharpe Bullrushes ; of which , were all Fitted with long ones . Their parts Capitall They hid in subtle Cockleshels from blowes . And thus , all arm'd ; the steepest shores they chose , T'encamp themselues ; where lance with lance , they lin'd ; And brandisht brauelie ; each Frogg full of Minde . Then Ioue calld all Gods , in his flaming Throne And shewd all , all this preparation For resolute warre . These able soldiers , Many , and great ; all shaking lengthfull spe'res : In shew like Centaures ; or the Gyants Host. When ( sweetlie smiling , ) he enquir'd who , most Of all th'Immortalls , pleas'd to adde their aide To Froggs or Mise : and thus to Pallas said ; O daughter ? Must not you , needs aid these Mise ? That with the Odors , and meate sacrifice Vs'd in your Temple , endlesse triumphs make ; And serue you , for your sacred victles sake ? Pallas repli'd ; O Father , neuer I Will aid the Mise , in anie miserie . So many mischiefes by them , I haue found ; a Eating the Cotten , that my distaffs crown'd ; My lamps still banting , to deuoure the oyle . But that which most my minde eates , is their spoile Made of a veile , that me in much did stand : On which , bestowing an elaborate hand ; A fine woofe working ; of as pure a thre●d ; Such holes therein , their Petulancies fed ; That , putting it to darning ; when t' was done ; The darner , a most deare paie stood vpon For his so deare paines ; laid downe instantlie ; b Or ( to forbeare ) exacted vsurie . So , borrowing from my Phane , the weed I woue ; I can by no meanes , th'vsurous darner , moue To let me haue the mantle to restore . And this is it , that rubs the angrie sore Of my offence tooke , at these petulant Mise . Nor will I yeeld , the Froggs wants , my supplies , For their infirme mindes ; that no confines keepe ; For I , from warre retir'd ; and wanting sleepe ; All lept ashore in tumult ; nor would staie Till one winck seas'd myne eyes : and so I laie Sleeplesse , and pain'de with headach ; till first light The Cock had crow'd vp . Therefore , to the fight Let no God goe assistent ; lest a lance Wound whosoeuer offers to aduance ; Or wishes but their aid ; that skorne all foes ; Should any Gods accesse , their spirits oppose . Sit we then pleas'd , to see from heauen , their fight . She said ; and all Gods ioin'd in her delight . And now , both Hosts , to one field drew the iarre ; Both Heralds bearing the ostents of warre . And then the a wine-Gnats , that shrill Trumpets sound Terriblie rung out , the encounter , round . Ioue thundred ; all heauen , sad warrs signe resounded . And first , b Hypsiboas , c Lychenor wounded , Standing th' impression of the first in fight . His lance did , in his Lyuers midsts alight , Along his bellie . Downe he fell ; his face , His fall on that part swaid ; and all the grace Of his soft hayre , fil'd with disgracefull dust . Then d Troglodytes , his thick iaueline thrust In * Pelions bosome ; bearing him to ground : Whom sad death seas'd ; his soule flew through his wound . a Sentlaeus next , Embasichytros slew ; His heart through thrusting : then b Artophagus threw His lance at c Polyphon ; and strooke him quite Through his midd-bellie : downe he fell vpright : And from his fayre limms , took his soule her flight . d Lymnocharis beholding Polyphon Thus done to death ; did with as round a stone As that the mill turnes ; Troglodytes wound Neare his mid-neck ; ere he his onset found : Whose eyes , sad darknes seas'd . e Lychenor cast A flying dart off , and his ayme so plac't Vpon Lymnocharis ; that f Sure he thought The wound he wisht him : nor vntruely wrought The dire successe ; for through his Lyuer flew The fatall lance ; which when g Crambaphagus knew ; Downe the deepe waues neare shore ; he , diuing , fled ; But fled not fate so ; the sterne enimie fed Death with his life in diuing : neuer more The ayre he drew in ; his Vermilian gore Staind all the waters ; and along the shore He lay extended ; his fat entrailes laie ( By his small guts impulsion ) breaking waie Out at his wound . h Lymnisius , neare the shore Destroid Tyroglyphus : which frighted sore The soule of i Calaminth ; seeing comming on ( For wreake ) k Pternoglyphus : who got him gon With large leapes to the lake ; his Target throwne Into the waters . l Hydrocharis slew King m Pternophagus , at whose throte he threw A huge stone ; strooke it high ; and beate his braine Out at his nostrills : earth blusht , with the staine His blood made on her bosom . For next Prise ; Lichopinax , to death did sacrifice n Borborocoetes faultlesse faculties ; His lance enforc't it ; darknes clos'd his eyes . On which when o Brassophagus , cast his looke ; p Cnisodioctes , by the heeles he tooke ; Dragg'd him to fenn , from off his natiue ground ; Then seas'd his throte , and souc't him , till he droun'd . But now ; Psycharpax wreakes his fellows deaths ; And in the bosome of q Pelusius sheathes , ( In center of his Lyuer ) his bright lance : He fel before the Author of the chance ; His soule to hell fled . Which r Pelobates Taking sad note of ; wreakefully did sease His hands gripe full of mudd ; and all besmear'd ; His forhead with it so ; that scarce appeard The light to him . Which certainely incenst His fierie splene : who , with his wreake dispenst No point of tyme ; but rer'd with his strong hand A stone so massie , it opprest the land ; And hurld it at him ; when , below the knee It strooke his right legge so impetuouslie ; It peece-meale brake it ; be the dust did sease , Vpwards euerted . But a Craugasides Reuendg'd his death ; and at his enimie Dischardg'd a dart ; that did his point implie In his mid-bellie . All the sharp-pil'de speare Got after in ; and did before it beare His vniuersall entrailes to the earth , Soone as his swolne hand , gaue his iaueline birth . b Sitophagus , beholding the sad sight , Set on the shore ; went halting from the fight , Vext with his wounds extremelie . And to make Waie from extreme fate , lept into the lake . Troxartes strooke , in th'insteps vpper part , Physignathus ; who , ( priuie to the smart His wound imparted ) with his vtmost hast Lept to the lake , and fled . Troxartes cast His eye vpon the foe that fell before ; And , ( see'ng him halfe-liu'de ) long'd againe to gore His gutlesse bosome ; and ( to kill him quite ) Ranne fiercely at him . Which c Prassaeus sight Tooke instant note of ; and the first in fight Thrust desp'rate way through ; casting , his keene lance Off at Troxartes ; whose shield turn'd th'aduance The sharpe head made : & checkt the mortall chance . Amongst the Mise fought , an Egregiouse Young spring all ; and a close-encountring Mouse : Pure d Artepibulus-his deare descent : A Prince that Mars himselfe shewd , where he went ( Call'd e Meridarpax . ) Of so huge a might ; That onely He still , dominer'd in fight , Of all the Mouse-Host . He aduancing close Vp to the Lake ; past all the rest arose In glorious obiect ; and made vant that He Came to depopulate all the progenie Of Froggs , affected with the lance of warre . And certainely ; he had put on as farre As he aduanc't his vant ; ( he was indude With so vnmatcht a force , and fortitude ) Had not the Father , both of Gods and Men Instantly knowne it ; and the Froggs ( euen then Giuen vp to ruine ) rescude with remorse . Who , ( his head mouing , ) thus began discourse : No meane amaze , affects me to behold Prince Meridarpax , rage so vncontrold , In thirst of Frogg-blood ; all along the lake : Come therefore still ; and all addression make ; Dispatching Pallas , with tumultuous Mars , Downe to the field , to make him leaue the wars : How a Potently soeuer he be said , Where he attempts once ; to vphold his head . Mars answered ; O Ioue ; neither she nor I ( With both our aides ) can keepe depopulacie From off the Froggs . And therefore arme we all ; Euen thy lance letting brandish to his call From off the field : that from the field withdrew The Titanois ; the Titanois that slew ; Though most exempt from match , of all earths seedes So great and so inaccessible deeds It hath proclaim'd to men ; bound hand and foot , The vast Enceladus ; and rac't by th'root The race of vpland Gyants . This speech past ; Saturnius , a smoking lightening cast Amongst the armies ; thundring then so sore , That with a rapting circumflexe , he bore All huge heauen ouer . But the terrible ire , Of his dart , sent abroad , all wrapt in fire , ( Which certainely , his very finger was ) Amazde both Mise and Froggs . Yet soone let passe Was all this by the Mise : who , much the more ; Burnd in desire t'exterminate the store Of all those lance-lou'd souldiers . Which , had beene ; If , from Olympus , Ioues eye had not seene The Froggs with pittie ; and with instant speede Sent them assistents . Who ( ere any heede Was giuen to their approch ) came crawling on With a Anuiles on their backs ; that ( beat vpon Neuer so much ) are neuer wearied , yet : Crook-pawd ; and wrested on , with foule clouen feet : b Tongues in their mouths : Brick-backt , all ouer bone , Broade-shoulderd ; whence a ruddie yellow shone . Distorted , and small thigh'd : had eyes that saw Out at their bosomes . Twice foure feet did draw About their bodies . Strong neckt ; whence did rise Two heads ; nor could to any hand be Prise . They call them Lobsters ; that eat from the Mise , Their tailes ; their feet ; and hands ; and wrested all Their lances from them so ; that cold Appall The wretches put in rout , past all returne . And now the Fount of light forbore to burne Aboue the earth . When ( which mens lawes commend ) Our Battaile , in one daie , tooke absolute end . The end of Homers Battaile of Frogges and Mise . AL THE HYMNES OF HOMER . An Hymne to Apollo . I Will remember , and expresse the praise Of heauens far-darter , the faire King of daies . Whom euen the Gods themselues feare , when he goes Through Ioues high house ; and when his goodly bowes He goes to bend ; all from their Thrones arise , And cluster neare , t' admire his faculties . Onely Latona , stirs not from her seate Close by the Thunderer ; till her sonnes retreat From his dread archerie ; but then she goes ; Slackens his string ; and shuts his Quiuer close ; And ( hauing taken to her hand , his bowe , From off his able shoulders ) doth bestowe Vpon a Pinne of gold the glorious Tiller ; The Pinne of gold fixt in his Fathers Piller . Then doth she to his Throne , his state vphold ; Where his great Father , in a cup of gold Serues him with Nectar ; and shews all , the grace Of his great sonne . Then th' other gods take place . His gracious mother , glorying to beare So great an Archer , and a sonne so cleare . All haile ( O blest Latona ! ) to bring forth An issue of such All-out-shining worth , Royall Apollo , and the Queene that loues The hurles of darts . She in th' Ortygian groues , And he , in cliffie Delos ; leaning on The loftie Oros ; and being built vpon By Cynthus Prominent : that his head reares Close to the Palme , that Inops fluent cheares . How shall I praise thee ? farre being worthiest praise ? ( O Phoebus ) to whose worth , the law of layes In all kindes is ascrib'de ? If feeding flocks By Continent , or I le ; all eminen'st rocks Did sing for ioy : Hill-tops , and floods in song Did breake their billows , as they flow'd along To serue the sea . The shores , the seas , and all Did sing as soone , as from the lap did fall Of blest Latona , thee the ioy of Man. Her Child-bed made , the mountaine Cynthian In rockie Delos , the sea-circled Ile : On whose all sides , the black seas brake their Pile , And ouer-flowd for ioy , so franck a Gale The singing winds did on their waues exhale . Here borne ; all mortalls liue in thy commands . Who euer Crete holds ; Athens ; or the strands Of th'Ile Aegina ; or the famous land For ships ( Euboea : ) or Eresia ; Or Peparethus , bordring on the sea . Aegas ; or Athos , that doth Thrace diuide And Macedon . Or Pelion , with the pride Of his high forehead . Or the Samian Ile ; That likewise lies neare Thrace ; or Scyrus soile ; Ida's steepe tops . Or all that Phocis fill : Or Autocanes , with the heauen-high hill : Or populous Imber : Lemnos without Ports ▪ Or Lesbos , fit for the diuine resorts , And sacred soile of blest Aeolion . Or Chius that exceeds comparison For fruitfulnes : with all the Iles that lie Embrac't with seas . Mimas , with rocks so hie . Or Loftie-crownd Corycius ; or the bright Charos : or Aesagaeus dazeling height : Or waterie Samos ▪ Mycale , that beares Her browes euen with the circles of the spheares . Miletus ; Cous ; That the Citie is Of voice-diuided-choice humanities . High Cnidus ; Carpathus , still strooke with winde . Naxus , and Paros ; and the rockie-mind Rugged Rhenaea . Yet through all these parts , Latona , great-growne , with the King of dares , Trauailde ; and tried , If any would become To her deare birth , an hospitable home . All which , extremely trembled ( shooke with feare ) Nor durst endure , so high a birth to beare , In their free States : though , for it , they became Neuer so fruitfull ; till the reuerend Dame Ascended Delos ; and her soile did sease With these wing'd words : O Delos ! would'st thou please To be my sonne Apolloes natiue seat ; And build a welthie Phane to one so great : No one shall blame , or question thy kinde deede . Nor thinke I , thou , dost Sheepe or Oxen feede , In any such store ; Or in vines exceede ; Nor bring'st forth such innumerable Plants ; ( Which often make the rich Inhabitants Careles of Deitie . ) If thou then should'st rere A Phane to Phoebus : all men would confer Whole Hecatombs of beeues for sacrifice , Still thronging hither . And to thee would rise Euer vnmeasur'd Odors ; should'st thou long Nourish thy King thus ; and from forreigne wrong The Gods would guard thee ; which thine owne addresse Can neuer compasse for thy barrennesse . She said ; and Delos ioi'd ; replying thus : Most happie sister of Saturnius ? I gladly would , with all meanes entertein The King your sonne ; being now despis'de of men ; But should be honord with the greatest then . Yet this I feare ; Nor will conceale from theee ; Your Sonne ( some say ) will author miserie In many kindes : as being to sustein A mightie empire ouer Gods , and Men , Vpon the holie-gift-giuer the earth . And bitterly I feare , that when his birth Giues him the sight , of my so barren soile He will contemne ; and giue me vp to spoile : Enforce the sea to me ; that euer will Oppresse my heart , with many a watrie hill . And therefore , let him chuse some other land , Where he shall please ; to build at his command Temple and Groue , set thick with many a Tree . For wretched Polypusses , breed in me Retyring chambers ; and black sea-calues , Den In my poore soile , for penurie of Men. And yet ( O Goddesse ) would'st thou please to sweare The Gods great oath to me , before thou beare Thy blessed Sonne here ; that thou wilt erect A Phane to him , to render the effect Of mens demands to them , before they fall ; Then will thy sonnes renowne be generall ; Men will his name , in such varietie call . And I shall , then , be glad , his birth to beare . This said ; the Gods great oath , she thus did swere : Know this ( O earth ! ) broad heauens inferior sphere , And of blacke Styx , the most infernall lake ( Which is the grauest oath , the Gods can take ) That here shall euer rise to Phoebus Name An odorous Phane , and Altar ; and thy fame Honor , past all Iles else , shall see him emploid . Her oath thus tooke , and ended ; Delos ioi'd In mightie measure , that she should become , To farr-shot Phoebus birth the famous home . Latona then , nine daies and nights did fall In hopeles labor : at whose birth were all Heauens most supreame , and worthie Goddesses . Dione , Rhaea ; and th'Exploratresse ( Themis ; ) and Amphitrite , that will be Pursu'd with sighs still . Euery Deitie Except the snowie-wristed wife of Ioue : Who held her moodes aloft ; and would not moue . Onely Lucina , ( to whose virtue vowes Each Child-birth patient ) heard not of her throwes ; But sat ( by Iuno's counsaile ) on the browes Of broad Olympus , wrapt in clouds of gold . Whom Ioues proud wife , in enuie did with-hold ; Because bright-lockt Latona , was to beare A Sonne so faultles ; and inforce so cleare . The rest ( Thaumantia ) sent before to bring Lucina to release the enuied King : Assuring her , that they would strait confer A Carquenet , nine cubits long , on her , All wouen with wires of Gold. But chargd her then , To call apart from th'Iuorie-wristed Queene The child-birth-guiding Goddesse ; for iust feare Lest , her charge vtter'd , in Saturnia's eare ; She , after , might disswade her from descent . When winde-swift-footed Iris , knew th' intent . Of th' other Goddesses ; away she went ; And instantly she past , the infinite space Twixt Earth , and Heauen ; when , comming to the place Where dwelt th'Immortals ; strait without the gate She gat Lucina ; and did all relate The Goddesses commanded ; and enclin'd , To all that they demanded , her deare Minde . And on their way they went , like those two Doues That , walking high-waies , euery shadow moues Vp from the earth ; forc't with their naturall feare . When entring Delos ; she that is so deare To Dames in labor , made Latona strait Prone to deliuerie ; and to weild the wait Of her deare burthen , with a world of ease . When , with her faire hand ; she a Palme did sease And ( staying her by it ) slucke her tender knees Amidst the soft meade ; that did smile beneath Her sacred labor , and the child did breath The aire , in th' instant . All the Goddesses Brake in kinde teares , and shrikes for her quicke ease : And Thee ( O Archer Phoebus ) with waues cleere Washt sweetly ouer , swadled with sincere And spotlesse swath-●ands ; and made then to flow About thy breast , a mantle , white as snow ; Fine , and new made ; and cast a Veile of Gold Ouer thy forehead . Nor yet forth did hold Thy mother , for thy foode , her golden brest : But Themis in supply of it , addrest Louely Ambrosia ; and drunke off to thee A Bowle of Nectar ; interchangeablie With her immortall fingers , seruing thine . And when ( O Phoebus ) that eternall wine Thy tast had relisht ; and that foode diuine : No golden swath-band longer could containe Thy panting bosome : all that would constraine Thy soone-easd God-head ; Euery feeble chaine , Of earthy Child-rights ; flew in sunder , all . And then didst thou thus , to the Deities call : Let there be giuen me , my lou'd Lute and Bow ; I 'le prophecie to men ; and make them know Ioues perfect counsailes . This said ; vp did flie From brode-waide Earth , the vnshorne Deitie , Far-shot Apollo . All th'Immortalls stood In steepe amaze , to see Latonaes brood . All Delos , looking on him ; all with gold Was loden strait ; and ioi●d to be extold By great Latona so ; that she decreed , Her barrennesse , should beare the fruitfulst seed Of all the Iles , and Continents of earth ; And lou'd her , from her heart so , for her birth . For so she florisht ; as a hill that stood Crownd with the flowre of an abundant wood : And thou ( O Phoebus ) bearing in thy hand Thy siluer bow : walk'st ouer euery land . Sometimes ascend'st the rough-hewne rockie hill Of desolate Cynthus : and sometimes tak'st will To visit Ilands ; and the Plumps of men . And manie a Temple ; all wayes , men ordein To thy bright God-head : Groues , made darke with Trees , And neuer shorne , to hide ye Deities . All high-lou'd Prospects ; all the steepest browes Of farr-seene Hills : and euery flood that flowes Forth to the sea ; are dedicate to Thee . But most of all ; thy mindes Alacritie Is rais'd with Delos ; since to fill thy Phane There flocks so manie an Ionian , With ample Gownes , that flowe downe to their feet : With all their children ; and the reuerend Sweet Of all their pious wiues . And these are they That ( mindefull of thee ) euen thy Deitie Render more spritelie , with their Champion fight Dances , and songs , perform'd to glorious sight ; Once hauing publisht , and proclaim'd their strife . And these are acted with such exquisite life That one would say , Now , the Ionian straines Are turn'd Immortalls ; nor know what Age meanes . His minde would take such pleasure from his eye , To see them seru'd , by all Mortalitie . Their men so humane ; women so well-grac't ; Their ships so swift ; their riches so encreast , Since thy obseruance . Who ( being all , before Thy opposites ) were all despis'd , and poore . And to all these , this absolute wonder add , Whose praise shall render all posterities gladd : The Delian Virgines , are thy handmaides , All ; And , since they seru'd Apollo ; iointly fall Before Latona , and Diana too In sacred seruice : and doe therefore know How to make mention of the ancient Trimms Of men , and women ; in their well-made Hymns ; And soften barbarous Nations with their song's . Being able , all , to speake the seuerall tongu's Of forreine Nations ; and to imitate Their musiques there , with art so fortunate , That one would say ; there euery one did speake , And all their tunes , in naturall accents breake . Their songs , so well compos'd are ; and their Art To answer all soundes , is of such Desart . But come Latona ; and thou king of Flames , With Phoebe Rectresse , of chaste thoughts in Dames ; Let me salute ye , and your Graces call Hereafter to my iust memoriall . And you ( O Delian Virgins ) doe me grace , When any stranger of our earthie Race Whose restlesse life , Affliction hath in chace ; Shall hither come ; and question you ; Who is To your chaste eares , of choicest faculties In sacred Poesie ; and with most right Is Author of your absolut'st delight ; Ye shall your selues doe , all the right ye can , To answer for our Name : The sightlesse man Of stonie Chios . All whose Poems , shall In all last Ages , stand for Capitall . This for your owne sakes I desire ; for I Will propagate mine owne precedencie , As far as earth shall well-built cities beare ; Or humane conuersation , is held deare . Not with my praise direct ; but praises due ; And men shall credit it , because t is true . How euer , I 'le not cease the praise I vow To farre-shot Phoebus , with the siluer bow ; Whom louely-hair'd Latona gaue the light . O King ? Both Lycia , is in Rule thy Right ; Faire Moeonie , and the Maritimall Miletus ; wisht to be the seate of all . But chiefely Delos , girt with ●illowes round , Thy most respected empire doth resound . Where thou to Pythus wentst ; to answer there , ( As soone as thou wert borne ) the burning eare Of many a far-come , to heare future deeds : Clad in diuine , and odoriferous weeds . And with thy Golden Fescue , plaidst vpon Thy hollow Harp ; that sounds to heauen set gone . Then to Olympus , swift as thought hee flew To Ioues high house ; and had a retinew Of Gods t' attend him . And then strait did fall To studie of the Harp , and Harpsicall , All th'Immortalls . To whom , euery Muse With rauishing voices , did their answers vse , Singing Th' eternall deeds of Deitie . And from their hands , what Hells of miserie , Poore Humanes suffer ; liuing desperate quite . And not an Art they haue ; wit , or deceipt , Can make them manage any Act aright : Nor finde with all the soule they can engage , A salue for Death , or remedie for Age. But here , the fayre-hayrd graces ; the wise Howres ; Harmonia , Hebe , and sweet Venus powres , Danc't ; and each others , Palme , to Palme , did cling . And with these , danc't not a deformed thing : No forspoke Dwarfe ; nor downeward witherling ; But all , with wondrous goodly formes were deckt , And mou'd with Beauties , of vnpris'd aspect . Dart-deare - Diana , ( euen with Phoebus bred ) Danc't likewise there ; and Mars a march did tred , With that braue Beuie . In whose consort , fell Argicides , th'ingenious Sentinell . Phoebus-Apollo , toucht his Lute to them ; Sweetely , and softly : a most glorious beame Casting about him , as he danc't , and plaid ; And euen his feet , were all with raies araide . His weede and all , of a most curious Trymm , With no lesse Luster , grac't , and circled him . By these , Latona , with a hayre that shin'd Like burnisht gold ; and , ( with the Mightie Minde ) Heauens Counsailor , ( Ioue ; ) sat with delightsome eyes To see their Sonne , new rankt with Deities . How shall I praise thee then , that art all praise ? Amongst the Brides , shall I thy Deitie raise ? Or being in loue , when , sad , thou wentst to wowe The Virgin Aza ? and didst ouerthrowe The euen-with-Gods , Elations Mightie seed ? That had of goodly horse , so braue a breed ? And Phorbas ; sonne of soueraigne Triopus ; Valiant Leucippus , and Ereutheus ; And Triopus , himselfe , with equall fall ? Thou but on foot ; and they on horsebacke all ? Or shall I sing thee , as thou first didst grace Earth with thy foot ; to finde thee forth a place Fit to pronounce thy Oracles to Men ? First from Olympus , thou alightedst then , Into Pieria ; Passing all the land Of fruitles Lesbos , chok'● with drifts of sand . The Magnets likewise , and the Perrhabes ? And to Iolous variedst thy accesse ? Cenaeus Topps ascending ; that their Base Make bright Euboea ; being of ships the Grace . And fixt thy faire stand , in Lelantus field ; That did not yet , thy mindes contentment yeeld , To raise a Phane on ; and a sacred Groue . Passing Eurypus then ; thou ma●'st remoue Vp to earths euer-greene , and holyest Hill. Yet swiftly , thence too , thou transcendedst still To Mycalessus , and did'st touch vpon Teucmessus , apt to make greene 〈◊〉 on , And flowrie field-bedds . Then thy Progresse found Thebes out ; whose soile , with onely woods was crown'd . For yet was sacred Thebes , no humane seate ; And therefore were no Paths , nor high waies beat On her free bosome , that flowes now with wheat . But then , she onely , wore on it , a wood . From hence ( euen loth to part , because it stood Fit for thy seruice ) thou put'st on Remoue To greene Onchestus ; Neptunes glorious Groue ; Where new-tam'd horse , bredd , nourish nerues so rare , That still they frolick , though they trauaild are Neuer so sore ; and hurrie after them Most heauie Coches : but are so extream ( In vsuall-trauaile ) fierie-and-free ; That though their cochman , ne're so masterlie Gouernes their courages ; he sometimes must Forsake his seat , and giue their spirits their lust : When , after them , their emptie coach they drawe , Foming , and Neighing , quite exempt from awe . And if their Cocheman , guide through any Groue Vnshorne , and vow'd to any Deities Loue : The Lords encocht , leap out ; and all their care Vse to allaie their fires , with speaking faire ; Stroking , and trimming them ; and in some queach , ( Or strength of shade ) within their nearest reach , Reigning them vp ; inuoke the deified King Of that vnshorne , and euerlasting spring ; And leaue them then , to her preseruing hands , Who is the Fate , that there , the God commands . And this was first , the sacred fashion there . From hence thou wentst ( O thou in shafts past Pere ) And found'st Cephyssus , with thy all-seeing beames ; Whose flood affects , so many siluer streames ; And from Lylaeus , poures so bright a waue . Yet forth thy foot flew , and thy faire eyes gaue The view of Ocale , the rich in towrs ; Then , to Amartus , that abounds in flowrs . Then to Delphusa , putt'st thy progresse on , Whose blessed soile , nought harme fall breeds vpon . And there , thy pleasure , would a Phane adorne And nourish woods , whose shades should ne're be shorne . Where , this thou told'st her ; standing to her close : Delphusa ? here I entertaine suppose To build a farr-fam'd Temple ; and ordein An Oracle t' informe the mindes of Men : Who shall for euer , offer to my loue Whole Hecatombs . Euen all the men that moue In rich Peloponesus ; and all those Of Europe ; and the Iles the seas enclose ; Whom future search of Acts , and Beings brings : To whom I 'le prophecie the truths of things In that rich Temple , where my Oracle sings . This said ; The all-bounds-reacher , with his bowe , The Phanes diuine foundations did foreshowe ; Ample they were ; and did huge length impart ; With a continuate Tenour , full of Art. But when Delphusa look't into his end ; Her heart grew angrie , and did thus extend It selfe to Phoebus : Phoebus ? since thy minde A farr-fam'd Phane , hath in it selfe design'd , To beare an Oracle to men , in me ; That Hecatombs , may put in fire to thee ; This let me tell thee , and impose for staie Vpon thy purpose : Th'Inarticulate neye Of fire-hou'd horse , will euer disobaie Thy numerous eare ; and mules will for their drinke Trouble my sacred springs ; and I should thinke That any of the humane Race , had rather See here , the burreys of rich Coches gather , And heare the haughtie Neys of swift-hou'd horse , Than ( in his pleasures place ) conuert recourse T' a Mightie Temple ; and his wealth bestow On Pieties ; where his sports may freely flow , Or see huge wealth , that he shall neuer owe. And therefore , ( wouldst thou beare , my free aduise ; Though Mightier farre thou art , and much more wise O King , than I ; thy powre being great'st of all ) In Crissa , vnderneath the bosomes fall Of steepe Paranassus ; let thy minde be giuen To set thee vp a Phane ; where neuer driuen Shall glorious Coches be , nor horses Neys Storme neare thy well-built Altars ; but thy praise Let the faire race of pious Humanes bring , Into thy Phane , that Io-Paeans sing . And those gifts onely let thy Deified minde Be circularlie pleas'd with ; being the kinde And fayre-burnt-offrings , that true Deities binde . With this ; His minde she altered ; though she spake Not for his good ; but her owne glories sake . From hence ( O Phoebus ) first thou mad'st retreat ; And of the Phlegians , reacht the walled seat ; Inhabited with contumelious Men : Whoe , sleighting Ioue ; tooke vp their dwellings then Within a large Caue , neare Cephyssus Lake . Hence , swiftly mouing ; thou all speed didst make Vp to the tops intended ; and the ground Of Crissa , vnder the-with-snowe-still croun'd ( Parnassus ) reacht ; whose face affects the west : Aboue which , hangs , a rock that still seemes prest To fall vpon it ; through whose brest doth runn A rockie Caue , neare which , the King the Sunn Cast to contriue a Temple to his minde ; And said ; Now heere , stands my conceipt inclin'd To build a famous Phane , where still shall be An Oracle to Men ; that still to me Shall offer absolute Hecatombs ; as well Those that in rich Peloponessus dwell ; As those of Europe ; and the Iles that lie Walld with the sea ; That all their paines applie T' employ my counsailes . To all which will I True secrets tell , by way of Prophesie , In my rich Temple ; that shall euer be An Oracle , to all Posteritie . This said ; the Phanes forme he did strait present , Ample , and of a length of great extent ; In which Trophonius , and Agamede ( Who of Erginus , were the famous seed ) Impos'd the stonie Entrie : and the Heart Of euery God had , for their excellent Art. About the Temple dwelt , of humane Name Vnnumbred Nations ; it acquir'd such Fame ; Being all of stone , built for eternall date ; And neare it did a Fountaine propagate A fayre streame farr away ; when Ioues bright seed , ( The King Apollo ) with an arrow , ( freed From his strong string ) destroid the Dragonesse That Wonder nourisht ; being of such excesse In size , and horridnesse of monstrous shape , That on the forc't earth , she wrought many a rape ; Many a spoile , made on it ; many an ill On crooke-hancht Herds brought ; being impurpl'd still With blood of all sorts : Hauing vndergone The charge of Iuno , with the golden Throne , To nourish Typhon the abhorr'd affright And bane of mortalls . Whom , into the light Saturnia brought forth , being incenst with Ioue ; Because the most renowm'd fruit of his loue ( Pallas ) he got , and shooke out of his braine . For which ; Maiestique Iuno , did complaine In this kinde , to the blest Court of the skies ; Know all ye sex-distinguisht Deities ; That Ioue ( assembler of the cloudie throng ) Beginns with me first ; and affects with wrong My right in him ; made by himselfe , his wife ; That knowes and does the honor'd marriage life , All honest offices ; and yet hath he Vndulie got , without my companie Blew-eyd Minerua : who of all the skie Of blest Immortalls is the absolute Grace . Where , I haue brought into the heauenly Race , A Sonne , both taken in his feet and head ; So oughly ; and so farr from worth my bedd , That ( rauisht into hand ) I tooke and threw Downe to the vast sea , his detested view . Where Nereus Daughter Thetis ; ( who , her waie With siluer feet makes , and the faire araie Of her bright sisters ) sau'd , and tooke to guard . But , would to heauen , another , yet , were spar'd , The like Grace of his God-head . ( Craftie mate ) What other scape canst thou excogitate ? How could thy hears sustaine to get alone , The grey-eyd Goddesse ? her conception , Nor bringing forth , had any hand of mine ; And yet know all the Gods , I goe , for thine To such kinde vses . But I 'le now employ My braine to procreate a masculine Ioy ; That'mongst th'Immortalls , may as eminent shine ; With shame affecting , nor my bedd , nor thine ; Nor will I , euer , touch at thine againe ; But farr , fly it , and thee : and yet will raigne Amongst th'Immortalls euer . This spleene spent , ( Still yet left angrie ) farre away she went ; From all the Deathlesse ; and yet praid to all ; Aduanc't her hand , and e're she let it fall Vs'd these excitements ; Heare me now ( O Earth ? ) Brode Heauen aboue it ; and ( beneath your birth ) The Deified Titanoys ; that dwell about Vast Tartarus ; from whence sprung all the Rout Of Men and Deities : Heare me all ( I say ) With all your forces ; and giue instant way T' a sonne of mine , without Ioue ; who yet may Nothing inferiour proue , in force to him ; But past him spring as farre , in able lim , As he past Saturne . This , pronounc't , she strooke Life-bearing Earth so strongly ; that she shooke Beneath her numb'd hand : which when she beheld ; Her bosome with abundant comforts sweld ; In hope all should , to her desire extend . From hence , the Yeare that all such proofes giues end ; Grew round ; yet all that time , the bed of Ioue Shee neuer toucht at ; neuer was her loue Enflam'd to fit nere his Dedalian Throne , As she accustomed ; to consult vpon Counsells kept darke , with many a secret skill ; But kept her Vow-frequented Temple still , Pleas'd with her sacrifice ; till now , the Nights And Daies accomplish't ; and the yeares whole rights , In all her reuolutions , being expir'de ; The Howres , and all , run out , that were requir'd , To vent a Birth-right ; she brought forth a Sonne , Like Gods , or Men , in no condition ; But a most dreadfull , and pernicious thing Call'd Typhon ; who on all the humane Spring Confer'd confusion : which , receiu'd to hand By Iuno ; instantly , she gaue command ( Ill to ill adding ) that the Dragonesse Should bring it vp , who tooke , and did oppresse With many a misery ( to maintaine th' excesse Of that inhumane Monster ) all the Race Of Men , that were of all the world the grace . Till the farre-working Phoebus ; at her sent A fierie Arrow ; that inuok't euent Of death gaue , to her execrable life . Before which yet ; she lay in bitter strife , With dying paines ; gr●ueling on earth , and drew Extreme short respirations ; for which slew A shout about the aire ▪ whence , no man knew But came by power diuine . And then she lay Tumbling her Tr●ncke ; and winding euery way About her nastie Nest ; quite leauing then Her murtherous life , embr●'d with deaths of Men. Then Phoebus gloried ; saying , Thy selfe now lie On Men-sustaining Earth , and putrifie : Who first , of Putrifaction , was inform'd . Now on thy life , haue Deaths cold vapors stormd ; That stormd'st on Men the Earth-f●d , so much death , In enuie of the Of-spring , they made breathe Their liues out , on my Altars ; Now from thee , Not Typhon shall enforce the miserie Of merited death ; nor shee , whose name implies Such scath ( Chymaera ) but blacke earth make prise To putrifaction , thy Immanities . And bright Hyperion , that light , all eyes showes , Thyne , with a night of rottennesse shall close . Thus spake he glory'ng ; and then seas'd vpon Her horrid heape , with Putrifaction Hyperions louely powrs ; from whence , her name Tooke sound of Python ; and heauens soueraigne flame Was surnam'd Pythius ; since the sharp-eyd Sunn , Affected so , with Putrifaction The hellish Monster . And now Phoebus minde Gaue him to know , that falsehood had strooke blinde Euen his bright eye ; because it could not finde The subtle Fountaines fraud . To whom he flew , Enflam'd with anger ; and in th' instant drew Close to Delphusa ; vsing this short vow ; Delphusa ? you must looke no longer now To vent your fraud's on me ; for well I know Your scituation , to be louely worth A Temples Imposition ; It poures forth So delicate a streame . But your renowne Shall now no longer shine here , but mine owne . This said ; he thrust her Promontorie downe , And damn'd her fountaine vp , with mightie stones ; A Temple giuing consecrations , In woods adioining . And in this Phane all On him , by surname of Delphusius call . Because Delphusa's sacred flood and fame His wrath affected so , and hid in shame . And then thought Phoebus , what descent of Men To be his Ministers , he should retein ; To doe in stonie Pythos sacrifice . To which , his minde contending ; his quicke eies He cast vpon the blew Sea ; and beheld A ship , on whose Masts , sailes that wing'd it sweld : In which were men transferr'd , many and good That in Minoian Gnossus , eate their food , And were Cretensians ; who now are those That all the sacrifising dues dispose ; And all the lawes , deliuer to a word Of Daies great King , that weares the golden sword : And Oracles ( out of his Delphian Tree That shrowds her faire armes in the Cauitie Beneath Parnassus Mount ) pronounce to Men. These , now his Priests , that liu'd as Merchants then , In trafficks , and Pecuniarie Rates , For sandie Pylos and the Pylean States , Were vnder saile . But now encounterd them Phoebus Apollo , who into the streame Cast himselfe headlong : and the strange disguise Tooke of a Dolphine , of a goodly ●ise : Like which ; He leapt into their ship , and lay As an Ostent of infinite dismay . For none , with any strife of Minde could looke Into the Omen . All the shipmasts shooke ; And silent , all sate , with the feare they tooke . Armd not ; nor strooke they saile ; But as before , Went on with full Trim : And a foreright Blore , Stiff ; and from forth , the South ; the ship made flie . When first , they stript the Mal●●e Promont'rie : Toucht at Laconias soile ; in which a Towne Their ship ariu'd at , that the Sea doth Crowne , Call'd Tenarus ; A place of much delight To men that serue Heauens Comforter of sight . In which are fed , the famous flocks that beare The wealthie Fleeces ; On a delicate Laire Being fed , and seated : where the Merchants , faine Would haue put in ; that they might out againe , To tell the Miracle , that chanc't to them ; And trie if it would take the sacred streame , Rushing far forth , that he againe might beare Those other Fishes that abounded there , Delightsome companie ; Or still would stay , Abord their drie ship . But it failde t' obay . And for the rich Peloponesian shore , Steer'de her free saile ; Apollo made the Blore Directly guide it : That , obaying still Reacht drie Arena ; And , ( what wish doth fill ) Faire Aryphaea ; And the populous height Of Thryus ; whose streame ( siding her ) doth weight With safe passe on Alphaeus . Pylos sands And Pylian dwellers : keeping by the strands On which th' Inhabitants of Crunius dwell : And Helida , set opposite to Hell. Chalcis , and Dymes reach't ; And happily Made saile by Pheras : All being ouer-ioide With that francke Gale , that Ioue himselfe emploid . And then amongst the cloudes , they might descrie , The Hill , that far-seene Ithaca , calls her Eie . Dulichius , Samos , and , ( with timber grac't ) Shadie Zacynthus . But when now they past Peloponesus all : And then , when show'de The infinite Vale of Crissa , that doth shroud All rich Moraea , with her liberall brest : So francke a Gale , there flew out of the West , As all the skie discouered ; t was so great , And blew so from the verie Counsell seat Of Ioue himselfe : that quickly it might send The ship through full Seas , to her iourneys end . From thence , they saild , ( quite opposite ) to the East , And to the Region , where light leaues his rest . The Light himselfe being sacred Pylot there ; And made the Sea-trod ship , ariue them nere The Grapefull Crissa ; where he rest doth take ; Close to her Port , and sands . And then forth brake The far-shot King ; like to a starre that strowes His glorious forehead , where the Mid-day glowes , That all in sparkles , did his state attire , Whose Luster leapt vp , to the spheare of fire ; He trodd , where no waie op'te ; and pierst the place That of his sacred Tripods , held the grace ; In which , he lighted such a fluent flame , As guilt all Crissa ; In which , euery Dame And Dames faire daughter ; cast out vehement cries At those fell fires , of Phoebus Prodigies : That shaking feares , through all their fancies threw . Then ( lik the mindes swift light ) Againe he flew Backe to the ship ; shap't like a youth in Height Of all his graces : shoulders broad , and streit , And all his haire , in golden currls enwrapt : And to the Merchants , thus , his speech he shap't : Ho ? strangers ? what are you ? and from what seat Saile ye these waies , that salt and water sweat ? To traffick iustlie ? Or vse vagrant scapes Voyde of all rule ? Conferring wrongs , and Rapes ( Like Pyrats ) on the men , ye neuer sawe ? With mindes proiect ; exempt from list , or Lawe ? Why sit ye heere so stupified ? nor take Land while ye may ? Nor deposition make Of Nauall Arms ? when this the fashion is Of men Industrious ! who , ( their faculties Wearied at sea , ) leaue ship , and vse the land For foode , that with their healths , and stomacks stand . This said ; with bold mindes , he their brest suppli'd , And thus made answer , the Cretensian guide ; Stranger ? because , you seeme to vs no seed Of any mortall , but celestiall breed , For parts , and person ; Ioy your steps ensue , And Gods make good , the blisse , we thinke your due . Vouchsafe vs true relation , on what land We here ariue ? and what men ▪ here command ? We were for well-knowne parts bound ; and from Crete ( Our vanted countrie ) to the Pylian , ●ea● Vow'd our whole voyage . Yet ariue we here , Quite crosse to those wills , that our motion● stere . Wishing to make returne some other way ; Some other course desirous to assaie . To pay our lost paines . But some God hath fill'd Our frustrate sayles ; defeating what we will'd . Apollo answerd : Strangers ? though before Yee dwelt in wooddie Gnossus ; yet no more Yee must be made , your owne Reciprocalls To your lou'd Cittie , and faire seueralls Of wiues , and houses . But ye shall haue bere My wealthie Temple ; honord farre and nere Of many a Nation : for my selfe am Son To Ioue himselfe ; and of Apollo won The glorious Title ; who thus safelie through The seas vast billows , still haue held your plough . No ill intending , that will let yee make My Temple here , your owne ; and honors take Vpon your selues ; all that to me are giuen . And more : the counsailes of the King of Heauen , Your selues shall know ; and with his will receiue Euer the honors , that all men shall giue . Doe as I say then instantly ; strike saile ; Take downe your Tackling ; and your vessell hale Vp , into land : your goods bring forth , and all The instruments , that into sayling fall ; Make on this shore , an Altar : fire enflame ; And barley white cakes , offer to my name . And then , ( enuironing the Altar ) pray , And call me , ( as ye sawe me , in the day When from the windie seas , I brake swift way Into your ship ; ) Delphinius : since I tooke A Dolphins forme then . And to euery looke That there shall seeke it ; that , my Altar shall Be made A Delphian memoriall From thence , for euer . After this ; ascend Your swift blackship , and sup ; and then intend Ingenuous Offerings to the equall Gods That in celestiall seates , make blest abods . When , ( hauing staid , your helthfull hungers sting ) Come all with me ; and Io-Paeans sing All the waies length , till you attaine the state , Where I , your oppulent Phane haue consecrate . To this , they gaue him , passing diligent eare ; And vow'd to his obedience , all they were . First striking sayle , their tacklings then they los'd ; And ( with their Gables stoop't ) their mast impos'd Into the Mast roome . Forth , themselues then went ; And from the sea into the Continent Drew vp their ship ; which farr vp from the sand They rais'd , with ample raf●ers . Then , in hand They tooke the Altar ; and inform'd it on The seas nere shore ; imposing thereupon White cakes of barley : Fire made ; and did stand About it round ; as Phoebus gaue command ▪ Submitting Inuocations to his will. Then sacrifis'd to all the heauenly Hill Of powrefull God heads . After which , they eat Abord their ship ; till with 〈◊〉 foot rep●ea● ; They rose ; nor to their Temple , vs a delay . Whom Phoebus vsherd ; and ●oucht ; all the way His heauenly Lute ; with Art , aboue admir'd ; Gracefully leading them . When all were fir'd With zeale to him ; and follow'd wondring , All , To Pythos ; and vpon his name did call With Io-Paeans , such as Cre●ans vse . And in their bosomes did the deified Muse Voices of honey-Harmonie , in fuse . With neuer-wearie feet , their way they we●● ; And made , with all alacritie , asce●t Vp to Parnassus ; and that long●d-f●● place Where they should liue ; and be of men , the Grace . When , all the way ; Apollo show'd there still Their farr-stretch● valleys , and their two-topt Hill ; Their famous Phane ; and all ▪ th●● All could eaise , To a supreame height , of their Ioy ▪ and praise . And then the Cre●an Captaine , thus enquir'd Of King Apollo ; Since you haue retir'd ( O Soueraigne ) our sad liues , so farr from friends And natiue soile ; ( because so farr extends Your deare mindes pleasure ) tell vs how we shall Liue in your seruice . To which question call Our prouident mindes ; because we see not croun'd This soile , with store of vines ; nor doth abound In welthie meddows ; on which , we may liue , As well as on men , our attendance giue . He smil'd , and said ; O men , that nothing know And so are follow'd , with a world of woe ; That needs will succour care , and curious mone And poure out sighs , without cessation ; Were all the riches of the earth your owne . Without much busines ; I will render knowne ; To your simplicities , an easie way , To wealth enough ; Let euery man puruaie A skeane , ( or slaught'ring steele ) and his right hand ( Brauely bestowing ) euermore see mann'd With killing sheepe , that to my Phane will flowe , From all farr Nations . On all which bestowe Good obseruation ; and all else they giue To me ; make you your owne All ; and so liue . For all which , watch before my Temple well ; And all my counsailes , aboue all , conceale . If any giue vaine language ; or to deeds ; Yea , or as farr as iniurie proceedes ; Know that , ( at losers hands ) for those that gai●e ; It is the lawe of Mortalls , to sustaine . Besides ; yee shall haue Princes to obay , Which , still , yee must ; and ( so yee gaine ) yee may . All , now , is said ; giue All , thy memories stay . And thus to thee , ( Ioue and Latona's Sonne ) Be giuen all grace of salutation . Both thee and others of th' Immortall state ; My song shall memorize , to endlesse date . The end of the Hymne to Apollo . A HYMNE TO HERMES . HErmes , the Sonne of Ioue and Maia , sing , ( O Muse ) th' Arcadian , & Cyllenian King : They rich in flocks ; he heauen enriching still , In Messages , return'd with all his will. Whom glorious Maia ( The Nimph rich in haire ) Mixing with Ioue , in amorous affaire ; Brought forth to him : sustaining a retre at From all th'Immortalls of the blessed seat ; And liuing in the same darke Caue ; where Ioue Inform'd , at mid-night , the effect of loue , Vnknowne to either man or Deitie : Sweet sleepe once , hauing seas'd the ielous eye Of Iuno , deckt with wrists of iuorie . But when great Ioues high minde was consummate , The tenth moneth had in heauen confin'de the date Of Maias Labour ; And into the sight She brought , in one birth , Labours infinite . For then she bore a sonne , that all tried waies Could turne , and winde , to wisht euents , assaies . A faire tongu'd , but false-hearted Counsellor . Rector of Ox-stealers ; and for all stealths , bore A varied finger . Speeder of Nights spies And guide of all her dreames obscurities . Guard of dore-Guardians : and was borne to be Amongst th'Immortalls , that wing'd Deitie , That in an instant , should doe acts would aske The Powres of others , an Eternall Taske . Borne , in the Morne ; He form'd his Lute at Noone ; At Night stole all the Oxen of the Sunne ; And all this in his Births first day was done ; Which was the fourth of the encreasing Moone . Because Celestiall lims , sustain'd his straines ; His sacred swath-bands , must not be his chaines . So ( starting vp ) to Phoebus Herde he stept ; Found strait , the high-roof't Caue where they were kept ; And ( th' entrie passing ) he th' inuention found , Of making Lutes ; and did in wealth abound By that Inuention ; Since He first of all , Was author of that Engine Musicall . By this meane , mou'd to the ingenious worke : Nere the Caues inmost ouerture , did lurke A Tortois , tasting th'odoriferous grasse ; Leisurely mouing ; and this Obiect was The motiue to Ioues Sonne ( who could conuert To profitablest vses , all desert That nature had in any worke conuaid ) To forme the Lute : when ( smiling ) thus he said ; Thou mou'st in me , a note of excellent vse ; Which thy ill forme , shall neuer so seduce T'euert the good , to be inform'd by it , In pliant force , of my forme-forging wit. Then the slowe Tortois , wrought on by his minde ; He thus saluted ; All ioy to the kinde Instinct of nature , in thee ; Borne to be The spirriter of Dances ; companie For feasts , and following Banquets ; grac't and blest For bearing light to all the interest Claim'd in this Instrument . From whence shall spring Play faire , and sweet ; to which may Graces sing . A prettie painted cote , thou putt'st on here ( O Tortois ) while thy bill-bred vitall sphere Confines thy fashion ; but ( surpris'd by me , ) I 'le beare thee home ; where thou shalt euer be A Profit to me ; and yet nothing more Will I contemne thee , in my merited store . Goods , with good parts got , worth and honour gaue : Left goods , and honors , euery foole may haue . And since thou first , shalt giue me meanes to liue , I 'le loue thee euer . Virtuous qualities giue To liue at home with them , enough content ; Where those that want such inward ornament , Fly out for outward ; their life , made their lode ; T is best to be at home ; Harme lurks abroad . And certainely , thy vertue shall be knowne Gainst great-yll-causing incantation , To serue as for a Lance , Or Ammulet . And where , in comfort of thy vitall heat , Thou now breathst but a sound confus'd , for song ; Expos'd by nature ; after death , more strong Thou shalt in sounds of Art be ; and command Song infinite sweeter . Thus with either hand He tooke it vp ; and instantly tooke flight Back to his Caue , with that his home-delight . Where , ( giuing to the Mountaine Tortois vents Of life and motion ) with fit Instruments Forg'd of bright steele ; he strait inform'd a Lute . Put neck , and frets to it ; of which , a sute He made of splitted quills ; in equall space Impos'd vpon the neck ; and did embrace Both backe , and bosome . At whose height ( as gynns T' extend , and ease the strings ) he put in pynns . Seuen strings , of seuerall tunes , he then applied ; Made of the Entrailes of a sheepe well dried ; And throughly twisted . Next he did prouide A Case for all ; made of an Oxes Hyde ; Out of his counsailes to preserue as well , As to create : and all this Action fell Into an instant consequence . His word , And worke , had indiuiduall accord . All being as swiftly to perfection brought ; As any worldly mans , most rauisht thought , Whose minde , Care cuts , in an infinity Of varied parts , or passions instantly ; Or as the frequent twincklings of an eye . And thus his House-delight giuen absolute end ; He toucht it ; and did euery string extend ( With an exploratorie spirit assaid ) To all the parts , that could on it be plaid . It sounded dreadfully ; to which he sung ; As if from thence , the first , and true force spr●ng That fashions Virtue . God , in him did sing . His play was likewise an vnspeakable thing ; Yet , but as an extemporall Assay , Of what showe , it would make , being the first way , It tryed his hand ; or a tumultuous noise ; Such as at feasts , the first-flowr'd spirits of Boies Poure out in mutuall contumelies still : As little squaring with his curious will ; Or was as wanton , and vntaught a Store . Of Ioue and Maia , that rich shoes still wore , He sung ; who sufferd , ill reports before , And foule staines , vnder her faire titles bore . But Hermes sung , her Nation , and her Name Did itterate euer . All her high-flowne fame Of being Ioues Mistresse ; celebrating all Her traine of seruants ; and collaterall Sumpture of Houses , all her Tripods there , And Caldrons huge ; encreasing euery yeare . All which she knew ; yet felt her knowledge flung With her fames losse ; which ( found ) she more wisht sung . But now ; he , in his sacred cradle laid His Lute so absolute ; and strait conuaid Himselfe vp to a watch-towre , forth his house ; Rich , and diuinely Odoriferous ; A loftie wile , at worke in his conceipt ; Thirsting the practise of his Empires height . And where Impostors rule ; ( since sable Night Must serue their deeds ) he did his deeds their right : For now the neuer-resting Sunne , was turn'd For th'vnder earth , and in the Ocean burn'd His Coch , and Coursers . When th'ingenious spie Pieria's shadie hill , had in his eye ; Where the immortall Oxen of the Gods In ayres flood solac't their select Abods ; And earths sweet greene floure , that was neuer shorne ; Fed euer downe ; And these the wittie-borne ( Argicides , ) set serious spie vpon : Seuering from all the rest ; and setting gone Full fiftie of the violent Bellowers . Which driuing through the sands ; he did reuerse ( His births-craft trait remembring ) all their houes ; And them transpos'd , in opposite remoues ; The fore , behinde set ; The behinde , before ; T' employ the eyes , of such as should explore . And he himselfe ( as slye-pac't ) cast away His sandalls , on the sea-sands . Past display ; And vnexcogitable thoughts , in Act Putting ; to shunn , of his stolne steps , the Tract . Mixing , both Tamrisk ; and like-Tamrisk sprayes , In a most rare confusion , to raise His footsteps vp from earth . Of which sprayes , he ( His armefull gathering , fresh from off the Tree , ) Made for his sandalls , Tyes ; both leaues , and tyes Holding together ; and then fear'd no eyes That could affect his feets discoueries . The Tamrisk boughs he gather'd , making way Backe from Pieria : but as to conuaie Prouision in them , for his iourney fit ; It being long ; and therefore needing it . An ould man , now at labour , nere the field Of greene Onchestus ; knew the verdant yield Of his fayre armefull ; whom th'ingenious Sonne Of Maia , therefore ; salutation Did thus beginn to ; Ho ? ould man ! That now Art crooked growne , with making Plants to grow ! Thy nerues will farr be spent ; when these boughs shall To these their leaues , confer me fruit , and All. But see not thou , what euer thou dost see ; Nor heare , though heare ; But all , as touching me Conceale ; since nought , it can endamage thee . This , and no more he said ; and on draue still His brode-browd Oxen. Many a shadie Hill , And many an echoing valley ; many a field Pleasant , and wishfull , did his passage yield Their safe Transcension . But now , the diuine And black-browd Night ( his Mistresse ) did decline Exceeding swiftly ; Daies most earely light Fast hasting to her first point ; to excite Wordlings to worke ; and in her Watch-towre , shone , King Pallas-Megamedes seed , ( the Moone ) When through th' Alphaean flood , Ioues powerfull Sonne Phoebus-Apollo's ample-foreheaded Herd ( Whose necks , the laboring yoke , had neuer spher'd ) Draue swiftly on ; and then into a stall ( Hillie ; yet past to , through an humble vale And hollow Dells , in a most louely Meade ) He gatherd all ; and them diuinely fedd With Odorous Cypresse ; and the rauishing Tree That makes his Eaters , lose the memorie Of name , and countrie . Then he brought , withall ; Much wood ; whose sight , into his serch let fall The Art of making fire . Which thus he tried : He tooke a branch of Lawrell , amplified Past others , both in beautie , and in sise ; Yet , lay next hand ; rubb'd it ; and strait did rise A warme fume from it . Steele , being that did raise ( As Agent ) the attenuated Baies To that hot vapor . So that , Hermes found Both fire first ; and of it , the seede , close bound In other substances ; and then , the seed He multiplied ; of sere-wood making feed The apt heat of it ; in a pile Combin'de , Laid in a lowe Pit ; that inflames strait shin'de ; And cast a sparkling crack vp to the Skye ; All the drie parts , so feruent were , and hye In their combustion . And how long the force Of glorious Vulcan , kept the fire in course ; So long was he , in dragging from their stall , Two of the crook-hancht Herd : that ror'd withall ; And rag'd for feare , t'approch the sacred fire : To which did all , his dreadfull powrs aspire . When ( blustring forth their breath ) He on the soile , Cast both , at length ; though with a world of toile . For long he was , in getting them to ground After their through-thrust , and most mortall wound . But worke , to worke , he ioin'd ; the flesh and cut , Couerd with fat ; and ( on treene broches put ) In peeces rosted . But , in th'Intestines The black blood , and the honorarie chines , Together with the carcases , lay there Cast on the cold earth , as no Deities chere . The Hydes , vpon a rugged rock he spred ▪ And thus were these now , all in peeces shred , And vndistinguisht from Earths common herd ▪ Though borne for long date ; and to heauen endeard ; And now must euer liue , in dead euent . But Hermes , h●rehence , hauing his content , Car'd for no more ; but drew to places euen , The fat-works , that , of force , must haue for heauen Their capitall ends ; though stolne ; and therefore were In twelue parts cut , for twelue choice Deities chere , By this deuotion . To all which , he gaue Their seuerall honors ; and did wish to haue His equall part thereof ; as free , and well As th' other Deities ; but the fattie smell Afflicted him , though he immortall were ; Play'ng mortall parts ; and being , ( like mortalls ) here . Yet his proud minde , nothing the more obayde For being a God , himselfe ; and his owne aide Hauing to cause his due : And though in heart Hee highly wisht it ; but the weaker part Subdu'd the stronger ; and went on , in ill . Euen heauenly Powre , had rather haue his Will , Then haue his Right ; and will 's the worst of All , When but in least sort , it is criminall ; One Taint , being Author of a Number , still . And thus ( resolu'd to leaue his hallow'd Hill ) First , both the fat parts , and the fleshie , All Taking away ; at the steepe-entryed stall He laid all ; All , the feet and heads entire ; And all the sere-wood ; making cleare with fire . And now , he leauing there then , all things done And finisht , in their fit perfection ; ( The Coles put out ; and their black Ashes throwne From all discouerie , by the louely light The cherefull Moone cast ; shyning all the Night ) He strait assum'd a nouell voices note ; And in the whirle-pit-eating-flood , aflote He set his sandalls . When now , once againe The-that-morne-borne - Cyllenius , did attaine His Homes diuine height ; all the farr-stretcht waie No one blest God , encountring , his assaie ; Nor Mortall Man ; nor any Dogg durst spend His-borne-to-barke-mouth at him ; till , in th' end , He reacht his Caue ; and at the Gate went in Crooked , and wrapt into a fold so thin , That no eye could discouer his repayre ; But as a darknesse , of th'Autumnall ayre . When , going on ; fore-right ; he strait arriu'd At his rich Phane : his soft feet quite depriu'd Of all least noise , of one that trod the earth ; They trod so swift , to reach his roome of Birth . Where , In his swath-bands , he his shoulders wrapt , And ( like an Infant , newly hauing scap't The teeming streights ) as in the Palms he lay Of his lou'd Nurse . Yet instantly would play ( Freeing his right hand ) with his bearing cloth About his knees wrapt ; and strait ( loosing both His right and left hand ) with his left , he caught His most-lou'd Lute . His Mother yet , was taught His wanton wiles ; nor could a Gods wit lie Hid from a Goddesse ; who did therefore trye His answer , thus : Why ( thou made all of sleight ) And whence ariu'st thou , in this rest of Night ? Improuident Impudent ; In my conceipt Thou rather shouldst be getting forth thy Gate , With all flight fit , for thy endanger'd State ; ( In merit of th' Ineuitable bands , To be impos'd by vext Latona's hands Iustly incenst for her Apollo's harms ) Thenly thus wrapt , as ready for her arms , To take thee vp , and kisse thee : Would to heauen , ( In crosse of that high grace ) Thou hadst beene giuen Vp to Perdition ; ere poore mortalls beare Those blacke banes , that thy father Thunderer Hath planted thee of purpose to confer , On them , and Deities . He return'd replie ; As Master of the feates of Policie ; Mother ? why ayme you thus amisse at me ? As if I were a Sonne that Infancie Could keepe from all the skill , that Age can teach ? Or had in cheating , but a childish reach ? And of a Mothers mandats , fear'd the breach ? I mount that Art at first ; that will be best When all times consummate their cunningest . Able to counsaile , Now my selfe , and thee , In all things best , to all Eternitie . We cannot liue like Gods here , without gifts ; No , nor without corruption , and shifts . And much lesse , without eating ; as we must In keeping thy rules , and in being Iust ; Of which we cannot vndergoe the lodes . T is better here , to Imitate the Gods , And wine , or wench out all times Periods ; To that end , growing rich in readie heapes ; Stor'de with Reue●news ; being in corne-fielde reapes Of infinite Acres ; then to liue enclos'd In Caues , to all Earths sweetest ayre expos'd . I , as much honor hold , as Phoebus does ; And if my Father please not to dispose Possessions to me ; I my selfe will see If I can force them in , for I can be Prince of all Theeues . And if Latona's Sonne Make after my stealth , Indignation ; I 'le haue a Scape , as well as ●e a Serch , And ouertake him with a greater lurch . For I can post to Pythos ; and breake through , His huge house , there ; where harbors wealth enough ; Most precious Tripods ; Caldrons ; Steele , and Gold ; Garments rich wrought ; and full of liberall fold : All which will I , at pleasure owne ; and thow Shalt see all ; wilt thou but thy ●ight bestow . Thus chang'd great words ; the Go●e-hyde-wearers Sonne , And Maia , of Maiestique fashion . And now the Ayre-begot Aurora rose From out the Ocean-great-in-ebbs-and flows ; When , at the ne●er-shorne , pure-and-faire Groue , ( Onchestus ) consecrated to the loue Of round and long-neckt Neptune ; Phoebus found A man whom heauie yeares , had prest halfe roun● ▪ And yet at worke , in plashing of a Fenc● About a Vineyeard ; that had residence Hard by the high-way ; whom Latona's Sonne ; Made it not strange , but first did question , And first saluted : Ho ? you ? Aged syre That here are hewing from the Vine , the Bryre ; For certaine Oxen , I come here t' enquire Out of Pieria ; femalls All ; and rer'd All , with hornes wreath'd , vnlike the common Herde ; A Cole-black Bull , fed by them all alone ; And all obseru'd for preseruation Through all their foodie , and delicious Fen ; With foure fierce Mastifs , like one-minded men . These left their Doggs , and Bull ; ( which I admire ) And when was nere set , Daies eternall fire ; From their fierce Guardians ; from their delicate fare , Made clere departure . To me then declare ; ( O ould man , long since borne ) If thy graue raie Hath any man seene , making stealthfull waie With all those Oxen ! Th' olde man made replie ; T is hard ( O friend ) to render readily , Account of all , that may inuade mine eye ; For many a Trauailer , this high-way tredds ; Some in much ills serch ; some , in noble thredd 's Leading their liues out ; but I , this young Day Euen from her first point , haue made good display , Of all men , passing this abundant hill , Planted with Vines ; and no such stealthfull ill , Her light hath showne me : But last Euening late , I sawe a Thing , that shew'd of childish state ; To my ould lights ; and seem'd as he pursude A Herd of Oxen , with braue Heads indude ; Yet but an Infant ; and retainde a Rodd ; Who warilie , both this , and that way trodd , His head still backwards turn'd . This th'ould Man spake ; Which he well thought vpon ; and swiftly brake Into his Pursuit , with abundant wing ; That strooke but one plaine ; ere he knew the thing That was the Theefe ; to be th'Impostor borne ; Whom Ioue yet , with his Sonnes name did adorne . In studie , and with Ardor , then the King ( Ioues dazeling Sonne ) plac't his exploring wing On sacred Pylos , for his forced Heard ; His ample shoulders ▪ in a cloud ensphear'd Of fierie chrimsine . Strait , the steps he found Of his stolne Herd : And said ; Strange sights confound My apprehensiue powers : for here I see The Tracts of Oxen ; but auersiuelie Conuerted towards the Pierian Hills , As tredding to their Meade of Daffodills ; But , nor mine eye , Mens feet , nor Womens drawes ; Nor hoarie Wolues , nor Beares ▪ nor Lyons Paws ; Nor thick-neckt Bulls they show . But hee that ●oes , These monstrous Deeds , with n●uer so swift shooes ; Hath past from that howre hither ; but from hence , His foule course , may meete , fouler consequence . With thi● , tooke Phoebus wing ; and Hermes still , ( For all his Threats ) secure lay in his Hill Wall'd with a woodd ; and more ▪ ● Rock , beside Where a Retreat rann , deepely multiplide In blinding shadows ; and where th'endlesse Bride ; Bore to Saturnius , his Ingenious Sonne : An Odor , worth a Hearts desire , being throwne , Along the Heauen-sweet Hill ; on whose Herb , fedd , Rich flocks of sheepe , that bow not where they tredd Their horney Pasterns . There , the light of Men , ( Ioues Sonne Apollo ) strait descended then , The Marble Pauement , in that gloomie Den. On whom , when Ioue , and Maia's Sonne set eye , Wroth for his Oxen : On then , instantly His Odorous swath-bands , flew ; in which , as close Th'Impostor lay ; As in the coole repose Of cast-on Ashes , Harths of burning Coles Ly in the woods hidd , vnder the Controules Of skilfull Colyers : Euen so close did lie Inscrutable Hermes in Apollo's eye . Contracting his great God-head , to a small And Infant likenesse ; feet , hands , head and All. And as a Hunter hath beene often viewd , From Chace retir'd with both his hands embrewd In his Games blood ; that doth for water call To clense his hands ; And to prouoke withall Delightsome sleepe ; new washt and laid to rest ; So now lay Hermes in the close comprest Chace of his Oxen. His New-found-out Lute ; Beneath his arme held ; As if no pursuite But that Prise , and the virtue of his play , His heart affected . But to Phoebus , lay , His close Heart , open : And he , likewise , knew The braue Hyll-Nymph there ; and her deare Sonne , new ▪ Borne ; and as well wrapt , in his wiles , as weed's . All the close shroud's too , for his Rapinous deedes , In All the Caue , he knew : and with his key He open'd three of them ; In which there lay Siluer , and Gold-heapes ; Nectar infinite store ; And Deare Ambrosia ; and of weedes she wore , ( Pure white , and Purple ) A rich Wardrobe shin'de ; Fit for the blest States , of powrs so diuin'de . All which discouerd ; Thus to Mercurie He offerd Conference : Infant ? you that lie Wrapt so in swath-bands ; Instantly vnfold In what conceald Retreats of yours you bold My Oxen stolne by you ; Or strait we shall Iarr , as beseemes not , powrs Celestiall . For I will take , and hurle Thee to the Deepes Of dismall Tartarus ; where ill Death keepes His gloomie , and inextricable fates ; And to no Eye , that light Illuminates , Mother , nor Father , shall returne thee free , But vnder Earth , shall Sorrow fetter thee , And few repute thee , their Superiour . On him replied , Crafts subtlest Counsailor ; What cruell speech hath past Latona's Care ! Seekes be his stolne-wilde-Cows , where Deities are ? I haue nor seene , nor ●eard ; nor can report ▪ From others mouthes , one word of their resort To any strang r. Nor will I , to gaine A base Reward , a false Relation faine . Nor would I ; Could I tell . Resemble I An Ox-Theefe ? Or a Man ? Especiallie A man of such a courage ; such a force As to that labour goes ? That violent course ? No Infants worke is That . My powres aspire To sleepe , and quenching of my hungers fire With Mothers Milke ; and gainst cold shades , to arme With Cradle-cloths , my shoulders ; and Baths warme , That no man may conceiue , the warr you threat Can spring , in cause , from my so peace full heat . And euen amongst th'Immortalls it would beare Euent of absolute Miracle , to heare A new-borne Infants forces should transcend The limits of his Dores ; much lesse contend With vntam'd Oxen. This speech nothing seemes To sauour the Decorum of the Beames Cast round about the Ayre Apollo breakes , Where his diuine minde , her intention speakes . I brake but yesterday , the blessed wombe , My feet are tender , and the common Tombe Of men , ( the Earth ) lies sharpe beneath their tred . But , ( if you please ) euen by my Fathers head I 'le take the great Oath ; That nor I protest My selfe , to Author on your Interest Any such vsurpation ; Nor haue I Seene any other , that felloniously Hath forc't your Oxen. Strange thing ! what are those Oxen of yours ? Or what are Oxen ? knowes My rude minde , thinke you ? My eares onely touch At their renowne , and heare that there are such . This speech he past , and euer as he spake Beames from the hayre , about his eye-lidds brake ; His eye-brows , vp , and downe cast ; and his eye Euery way look't , askans , and careleslie . And he , into a loftie whistling fell ; As if he idle thought , Apollo's spell . Apollo ( gently smiling ) made Replie ; O thou Impostor ! whose thoughts euer lye In labour with Deceipt ! For certaine , I Retaine Opinon ; that thou , ( euen thus soone ) Hast ransackt , many a House ; and not in one Nights-worke alone ; nor in one Countrie neither Hast beene beseeging , House and Man together ; Rigging , and rifeling all waies ; and no Noise Made with thy soft fee●e , where it all destroies . Soft therefore , well ; and tender thou maist call The feet that thy stealthe , goe , and fly withall . For many a field-bredd Herdsman . ( vnheard still ) Hast thou made drowne , the Ca●er●s of the Hill Where his Retreates lie , with his helplesse teares , When any flesh-stealth thy desire endea●●● ▪ And thou encountrest , either flocks of sheepe Or Herds of Oxen ! vp then doe not sleepe Thy last Nap , in thy Cradle ; but come downe ; ( Companion of black Night ) and for this Crowne Of thy young Rapines ; beare ( from all ) the state And stile of Prince Theefe , into endlesse Date . This said ; he tooke the Infant in his Armes ; And with him , the remembrance of his harmes ; This Praesage vtt'ring ; lifting him aloft ; Be euer more , the miserablie-soft Slaue of the bellie ; Pursuiuant of all And Author , of all mischiefs Capitall . He scorn'd his Prophesie so ; he Nees'd in 's face Most forciblie ( which hearing ) his embrace He loth'd ; and burl'd him gainst the ground ; yet still Tooke seate before him ; though , ( with all the ill He bore by him ) he would haue left full faine That Hewer of his heart , so into twaine . Yet salu'd all thus ; Come ! ( you so swadl'd thing ; Issue of Maia , and the Thunders King ; Be confident ; I shall hereafter finde My brode-browd Oxen. My Prophetique minde So farr from blaming this thy course ; that I , Foresee thee , ( in it , ) to Posteritie The guide of All Men , ( All waies , ) to their ends . This spoken ; Hermes , from the Earth Ascends ; Starting Aloft ; and as in Studie went ; Wrapping himselfe , in his Integument ; And thus askt Phoebus ; Whither force you Me ( Farr-shot ; and farr most powrefull Deitie . ) I know ( for all your fayning ) y' are still wroth , About your Oxen ; and suspect my Troth . O Iupiter ? I wish the generall Race Of all Earths Oxen , rooted from her face . I steale your Oxen ? I againe , professe That neither , I , haue stolne them ; nor can ghesse Who else should steale them . What strange Beasts are these Your so-lou'd Oxen ? I must say ( to please Your humor thus farr ) that euen My few Hoowres Haue heard their fame . But be the sentence yours Of the Debate betwixt vs ; Or to Ioue ( For more indifferencie ) the Cause remoue . Thus when the Solitude-affecting God , And the Latonian seede , had laid abroad All things betwixt them ; ( though not yet agreed ; Yet , might I speake ) Apollo did proceede Nothing vniustly , to charge Mercurie With stealing of the Cows , he does denie . But his Profession was , with filed speach , And Crafts faire Complements , to ouerreach All ; And euen Phoebus . Who because he knew His Trade of subtletie ; He still at view Hunted his Foe , through all the sandie waie Vp to Olympus . Nor would let him stra●e From out his sight ; but kept behinde him still . And now they reacht , the Odoriferous Hill Of high Olympus , to their Father Ioue , To Arbitrate the Cause , in which they stroue . Where , before both ; Talents of iustice were Propos'd for him , whom Ioue should sentence Clere , In cause of their contention . And now About Olympus , ( euer-crown'de with snow ) The rumor of their controuersie flew . All the Incorruptible , to their view , On heavens steepe Mountaine , made return'd repaire . Hermes and He , that light hurls through the ayre ; Before the Thunderers knees stood : who begunn , To question thus farr , his Illustrious Sonne : Phoebus ? To what end bringst thou Captiue here Him in whom my Minde , putts delights so deare ? This New-borne Infant ? that the place supplies Of Herrald yet , to all the Deities ? This serious busines , you may witnesse , drawes The Deities whole Court , to discusse the cause . Phoebus replied : And not vnworthie is The cause , of all the Court of Deities . For you shall heare , it comprehends the weight Of Deuastation ; and the verie height Of spoile , and rapine , euen of Deities rights . Yet you ( as if my selfe lou'd such delights ) Vse words that wound my heart . I bring you here An Infant , that , euen now , admits no Pere In rapes and robb'ries . Finding out , his Place , ( After my measure of an infinite space ) In the Cyllenian Mountaine . Such a one In all the Art of opprobration , As not in all the Deities , I haue seene ; Nor in th'Obliuion-marckt-whole Race of men . In Night , he draue my Oxen from their Leas ; A long the loftie rore-resounding Seas : From out the Rode way quite : the steps of them So quite transpos'd , as would amaze the beam● Of any mindes eye : being so infinite much Inuolu'd in doubt ; as showd a Deified touch Went to the works performance . All the way Through which , my cross-hou'd Cows hee did conuaie , Had dust so darklie-hard to serch ; and He So past all measure , wrapt in subtiltie . For , nor with feet , nor hands , be form'd his steps , In passing through the drie waies sandie heap's : But vs'd another counsaile to keepe hidd His monstrous Tracts ; that showd as one had slid On Oke , or other Boughs ; That swept out still The footsteps of his Oxen ; and did fill Their prints vp euer ; to the Daffodill ( Or daintie feeding Meddow ) as they trodd , Driuen by this cautelous , and Infant God. A Mortall Man yet , saw him driuing on His Prey to Pylos . Which when he had done And got his Passe sign'd , with a sacred fire In peace ; and freely ( though to his desire Not to the Gods , he offerd part of these My rauisht Oxen ) he retires , and lies Like to the gloomie Night in his dimm Denn , All hid in darknesse ; and in clouts againe , Wrapt him so closely ; that the sharpe-seene eye Of your owne Eagle , could not see him lye . For with his hands , the ayre he rarified ( This way , and that mou'd ) till bright gleames did glide About his Being ; that if any eye Should dare the Darknesse ; Light appos'd so nie Might blinde it quite , with her Antipathie . Which wile he woue , in curious care t'illude Th' Extreame of any eye , that could intrude . On which relying ; he outrageouslie ( When I accus'd him ) trebled his replie ; I did not see ; I did not heare ; nor I Will tell at all ; that any other stole Your brode-browd Beeues . Which an Impostors soule Would soone haue done ; and any Author faine Of purpose onely , a Reward to gaine . And thus he colourd truth , in euery lie . This said ; Apollo sate ; and Mercurie , The Gods Commander , pleas'd with this replie . Father ! I 'le tell the truth ; ( for I am true And farr from Art to lie . ) He did pursue Euen to my Caue , his Oxen : this selfe daie ; The Sunn , new raising his illustrious raie . But brought with him , none of the Bliss-indu'd , Nor any ocular witnesse ▪ to conclude , His bare assertion . But his owne command Laid on with strong , and necessarie hand , To showe his Oxen. Vsing Threats to cast My poore , and Infant powrs , into the Vast Of ghastlie Tartarus ; because he beares Of strength-sustayning youth , the flaming yeares . And I , but yesterday produc't to light By which , it fell into his owne fre sight That I , in no similitude apper'd Of powre to be the forcer of a Herde . And credite me ( O Father , since the Grace Of that name , in your stile , you please to place ) I draue not home his Oxen , no nor preast Past mine owne threshold ; for t is manifest , I reuerence , with my soule , the Sunn ; and all The knowing dwellers , in this heauenly Hall. Loue you ; obserue the least : and t is most cleare In your owne knowledge , that my Merits beare No least guilt of his blame . To all which , I , Dare adde , heauens great oath , boldly swearing by All these so well-built Entries of the Blest . And therefore when I saw my selfe so prest With his reproches ; I confesse I burn'd In my pure gall ; and harsh replie return'd . Adde your aid to your Yonger then ; and free The scruple fixt in Phoebus Ielousie . This said ; he winckt vpon his Sire ; and still His swath-bands , held beneath his arme ; no Will Discernd in him , to hide , but haue them showne . Ioue laught aloud at his Ingenious Sonne , Quitting himselfe with Art , so likely wrought , As showd in his heart , not a rapinous thought . Commanding Both , to beare attoned mindes And seeke out th'Oxen ; In which serch he bindes Hermes to play the Guide ; and show the Sunn ( All grudge exilde ) the Shrowd to which he wunn His fayre-eyd Oxen. Then ; his forehead bow'd For signe it must be so ; and Hermes show'd His free obedience . So soone , he inclin'd To his perswasion , and command , his minde . Now then , Ioues Iarring Sonnes , no longer stood ; But sandie Pylos , and th' Alphaean flood Reacht instantly ; and made as quick a fall On those rich-feeding fields , and loftie stall Where Phoebus Oxen , Hermes safelie kept ; Driuen in , by night . When sodainely he stept Vp to the stonie Caue ; and into light Draue forth the Oxen ▪ Phoebus at first sight Knew them the same : and saw apart dispread Vpon a high-rais'd rock ; the hydes new flead Of th'Oxen sacrifis'd . Then Phoebus said ; O thou in craftie counsailes vndisplaid ! How couldst thou cut the throtes , and cast to Earth Two such huge Oxen ? being so young a birth , And a mere Infant ? I admire thy force And will , behinde thy back . But this swift course Of growing into strength , thou hadst not need Continue any long Date , O thou seed Of honor'd Maia ! Hermes , ( to shew how He did those Deedes ) did forthwith cut and bow Strong Osiers in soft folds ; and strappl'd strait One of his hugest Oxen : all his weight Lay'ng prostrate on the earth , at Phoebus feet : All his foure clouen houes , easly made to greete Each other vpwards ; all , together bro●ght . In all which bands yet , all the Beasts powres wrought To rise , and stand ; when all the Herd about The mighty Hermes , rusht in , to help out Their fellow from his fetters ; Phoebus view Of all this , vp to Admiration drew Euen his high forces : And sterne lookes he threw At Hermes for his Herds wrong ; and the place To which he had retir'd them ; being in grace And fruitfull riches of it , so entire : All which , set all his force , on enuious fire . All whose heat , flew out of his eyes in flames : Which faine he would haue hidd , to hide the shames Of his ill gouern'd passions . But with ease Hermes could calme them ; and his humors please Still at his pleasure ; were he ne're so great In force , and fortitude ; and high in heat . In all which , he his Lute tooke ; and assaid A Song vpon him ; and so strangely plaid ; That from his hand , a rauishing horror flew . Which Phoebus , into laughter turn'd ; and grew Pleasant past measure ; Tunes so artfull clere Strooke euen his heart-strings ; & his minde , made heare . His Lute so powerfull was , in forcing loue ; ( As his hand rul'd it ) that from him it droue All feare of Phoebus ; yet he gaue him still The vpper hand ; and ( to aduance his skill ) The vtmost Miracle ; he plaid sometimes , Single awhile ; In which , when all the Clymes Of rapture he had reacht ; ( to make the Sunn Admire enough ) O then , his voice would runn Such points vpon his play ; and did so moue , They tooke Apollo Prisoner to his loue . And now the deathlesse Gods , and deathfull Earth He sung ; beginning , at their eithers Birth , To full extent of all their Emperie . And , first ; the honor to Mnemosyne ( The Muses Mother ) of all Goddesse states He gaue ; euen forc't too 't , by the equall fates . And then ( as it did in Prioritie fall Of Age , and Birth ) He celebrated All. And with such Elegance , and Order sung ; ( His Lute still toucht , to stick more off his tongue ) That Phoebus heart , with infinite loue , he eate . Who therefore thus , did his Deserts entreate : Master of Sacrifice ! chiefe soule of feast ? Patient of all paines ? Artizan so blest ; That all things thou canst doe , in any One. Worth fiftie Oxen is th' Inuention Of this one Lute . We both , shall now ; I hope ; In firme peace , worke , to all our wishes scope . Informe me , ( thou that euery way canst winde , And turne to Act , all wishes of thy minde ) Together with thy birth , came all thy skill ? Or did some God , or God-like man instill This heauenly song to thee ? Me thinks I heare A new voice ; such as neuer yet came nere The brest of any ; either Man , or God ; Till in thee , it had Prime , and Period . What Art ? what Muse ? that medicine can produce For cares most curele●●e ? what inueterate vse ; Or practise of a virtue so profuse , ( Which three , doe all the contribution keep● That Ioy , or Loue conferrs , or pleasing Sleepe ) Taught thee the soueraigne facture of them all ? I , of the Muses , am the capitall Consort , or follower : ( and to these belong The grace of dance ; all worthie waies of song ; and euer-florishing verse : the delicate Set And sound of Instruments . ) But neuer yet Did anything so much affect my minde With ioy , and care to compasse ; as this kinde Of Song and Play : that for the spritely feast Of florishing assemblies , are the best And aptest works , that euer Worth gaue Act. My powres with admiration stand distract , To heare , with what a hand to make in loue , Thou rul'st thy Lute . And ( though thy yongst howres moue , At full art , in ould counsailes . Here I vow ( Euen by this Cornell Dart , I vse to throw ) To thee , and to thy Mother ; I 'le make thee Amongst the Gods , of glorious degree . Guide of Mens waies , and Theirs . And will impart To thee , the mightie Imperatorie Art : Bestowe rich gifts on thee ; and in the end Neuer deceiue thee . Hermes ( as a friend That wrought on all aduantage ; and made gaine His Capitall obiect ) thus did entertaine Phoebus Apollo : Doe thy Dignities ( Farr-working God ; and circularlie wise ) Demand my vertues ? without enuie I Will teach thee to ascend my facultie . And this Day thou shalt reach it ; finding me , In Acts and Counsailes , all waies kinde to thee ; As one that all things knows : And first tak'st seat Amongst th'Immortalls ; being good , and great . And therefore to Ioues loue , mak'st free accesse , Euen out of his accomplisht Holinesse . Great gifts , he likewise giues thee ; who ( fame saies ) Hast wunn thy greatnesse , by his will : his waies . By him know'st all the powers Propheticall ( O thou farr-worker ) and the fates of all . Yea ; and I know thee rich ; yet apt to learne : And euen thy Wish , dost but discerne , and earne . And since thy soule , so burns to know the way To play and sing as I doe : sing , and play . Play ; and perfection in thy play employ ; And be thy care , to learne things good ; thy Ioy. Take thou my Lute ( My Loue ) and giue thou me , The glorie of so great a facultie . This sweet-tun'd consort ; held but in thy hand ; Sing ; and perfection in thy song command . For thou , alreadie , hast the way to speake Fayrely , and elegantly ; and to breake All eloquence into thy vtterd minde . One gift from heauen found , may another finde . Vse then , securely , this thy gift ; and goe To feasts , and dances , that enamour so ; And to that couetous sport of getting glory , That Day , nor Night , will suffer to be sory . Whoeuer , does but say , in verse ; sings still : Which he that can ; of any other skill Is capable ; so he be taught by Art , And wisedome ; and can speake , at euery part Things pleasing to an vnderstanding Minde : And such a one , that seekes this Lute , shall finde . Him still it teaches easely , though he plaies Soft voluntaries onely ; and assaies As wanton , as the sports of children are . And ( euen when he aspires to singular In all the Mast'ries he shall play or sing ) Findes the whole worke , but an vnhappie thing : He ( I say ) sure ; shall of this Lute be King. But he ; whoeuer , rudely sets vpon , Of this Lutes skill , th'Inquest , or Question ; Neuer so ardently , and angrilie ; Without the aptnesse , and habilitie Of Art , and Nature fitting : neuer shall Aspire to this ; but vtter triuiall And idle accents ; though sung ne're so lowd , And neuer so commended of the Crowde . But thee I know ( O Eminent Sonne of Ioue ) The fiery Learner , of what euer Loue Hath sharpn'd thy affections to achiue . And thee , I giue this Lute ; let vs now liue Feeding vpon the Hill-and-horse-fed Earth Our neuer-handled Oxen : whose deare Birth ( Their femalls fellowd with their Males ) let flowe In store enough hereafter ; nor must you ( How-euer-cunning hearted your wits are ) Boile in your Gall , a Grudge too circulare . Thus gaue he him his Lute ; which he embrac't ; And gaue againe , a Gode , whose bright head cast Beames like the light forth ; leauing to his care His Oxens keeping . Which , with ioyfull fare , He tooke on him . The Lute Apollo tooke Into his left hand ; and aloft he shooke Delightsome sounds vp ; to which God did sing . Then were the Oxen , to their endlesse Spring Turn'd ; and Ioues Two illustr'ous Off-springs flew Vp to Olympus , where it euer snew ; Delighted with their Lutes sound all the way . Whom Ioue , much ioi'd to see ; and endlesse stay Gaue to their knot of friendship . From which date ; Hermes gaue Phoebus , an eternall state In his affection : whose sure pledge and signe His Lute was ; and the Doctrine so diuine , Iointly conferd on him . Which well might be True Symbole of his Loues simplicitie . On th' other part ; Apollo , in his friend Form'd th' Art of Wisedome ; to the binding end Of his vow'd friendship ; and ( for further meede ) Gaue him the farr-heard fistularie Reede . For all these forms of friendship , Phoebus yet Feard that both forme , and substance were not mett In Mercurie's intentions : and , in plaine , Said , ( since he saw him , borne to craft and gaine ; And that Ioues will had him the honor done , To change at his will , the possession Of others Gods ) be fear'd his breach of of vowes , In stealing both his Lute , and comming Bowes . And therefore wisht , that what the Gods affect , Himselfe would witnesse ; and to his request His head Bow ; swearing by th' Impetuous flood Of Styx ; that of his whole possessions , not a Good He would diminish ; but therein maintaine The full content , in which his Minde did raigne . And then did Maia's Sonne , his fore-head bow : Making , by all that he desir'd , his vow : Neuer to prey more vpon any Thing , In iust possession of the farr-shot King ; Nor euer to come neare , a House of his . Latonian Phoebus , bowd his Brow to this , With his like promise ; say'ng , Not any One Of all the Gods , nor any Man , that , Sonne Is to Saturnius ; is more deare to me ; More trusted , nor more honord , is then thee . Which , yet , with greater Gifts of Deitie , In future I 'le confirme ; and giue thy state A Rodd that riches shall accumulate ; Nor leaue the bearer , thrall to Death , or fate Or any sicknesse . All of Gold it is ; Three-leau'd ; and full of all felicities . And this shall be thy Guardian ; this shall giue The Gods to thee , in all the truth they liue . And finally , shall this the Tutresse be Of all the words , and workes , informing me From Ioues high counsailes ; making knowne to thee All my instructions . But to Prophesie ( O best of Ioues belou'd ) and that high skill ; Which to obtaine , lies burning in thy will ; Nor thee , nor any God , will Fate let learne . Onely Ioues minde , hath insight to discerne What that importeth ; yet am I allowd ( My knowne faith trusted ; and my forhead bowd ; Our great Oath taken , to resolue to none Of all th'Immortalls , the restriction Of that deepe knowledge ) of it All , the Minde . Since then it sits , in such fast bounds confinde , ( O Brother ) when the Golden rodd is held In thy strong hand ; seeke not to haue reueal'd Any sure fate , that Ioue will haue conceald . For no man shall , by know'ng , preuent his fate ; And therefore will I hold , in my free state The powre , to hurt and helpe , what man I will , Of all the greatest ; or least toucht with ill ; That walke within the Circle of mine eye ; In all the Tribes , and Sexes , it shall trye . Yet , truely , any man shall haue his will To reape the fruites of my Prophetique skill ; Whoeuer seekes it , by the voice , or wing Of Birds , borne truely , such euents to sing . Nor will I falfly , nor with fallacies Infringe the truth , on which his faith relies ; But he that Truths , in chattering plumes would finde ; ( Quite opposite to them , that prompt my Minde , ) And learne by naturall forgers of vaine lyes , The more-then-euer-certaine Deities ; That man shall Sea-waies tred , that leaue no Tracts ; And false , or no guide finde , for all his facts . And yet will I , his Gifts accept as well As his ; to whom , the simple truth I tell . One other thing to thee , I 'le yet make knowne ( Maia's exceedingly renowned sonne And Ioues ; and of the Gods whole session The most ingenious Genius . ) There dwell Within a crooked Crannie , in a Dell Beneath Parnassus ; certaine sisters borne , Call'd Parcae ; whom extreame swift wings adorne ; Their Number three ; that haue vpon their heads White Barly floure still sprinckled ; and are maids ; And these are schoole-Mistresses of things to come , Without the gift of Prophecie : of whom ( Being but a boy , and keeping Oxen , nere ) I learn'd their skill ; though my great Father were Careles of it , or them . These flying from home , To others roofes ; and fedd with Hony-come , Command all skill ; and ( being enraged then ) Will freely tell the Truths of things to Men. But if they giue them not , that Gods sweete meat ; They then are apt , to vtter their deceit , And leade Men from their way . And these will I Giue thee hereafter ; when their scrutinie And truth ; thou hast both made , and learn'd , and then ; Please thy selfe with them ; and the Race of men ( Wilt thou know any ) with thy skill endeare : Who will , ( be sure ) afford it greedie eare ; And heare it often , if it proue sincere . Take these ( O Maia's Sonne ) and in thy care , Be Horse , and Oxen : all such Men as are Patient of labour ; Lyons ; white-tooth'd Bores ; Mastifs , and flocks , that feede the flowrie shores ; And euery foure-foot Beast : all which shall stand In awe of thy high Imperatory hand . Be thou to Dis too , sole Ambassador ; Who ( though all gifts , and bounties he abhor ) On thee he will bestowe , a wealthie One. Thus King Apollo , honor'd Maia's Sonne , With all the rights of friendship : all whose loue Had Imposition , from the Will of Ioue . And thus , with Gods and Mortalls Hermes liu'd ; Who truely helpt but few ; but all deceiu'd With an vndifferencing respect ; and made Vaine words , and false perswasions his Trade . His Deeds , were all associats of the Night ; In which , his close wrongs , car'd for no mans Right . So all salutes to Hermes , that are due ; Of whom , and all Gods , shall my Muse sing true . The end of the Hymne to Hermes . A HYMNE TO VENVS . THe force ( O Muse ) and functions , now , vnfold , Of Cyprian Venus , grac't with Mines of Gold. Who , euen in Deities , lights Loues sweet desire ; And all Deaths kindes of men , makes kisse her fire : All Ayres wing'd Nation ; all the Belluine ; That or the Earth feedes , or the Seas confine . To all which appertaine , the loue and care Of well-crown'd Venus works . Ye three there are , Whose mindes , she neither can deceiue nor moue ; Pallas , the seede of Aegis-bearing - Ioue ; Who still liues Indeuirginate ; her eyes Being blew , and sparkling like the freezing skies : Whom all the Gold of Venus , neuer can Tempt to affect her facts , with God or Man. She louing strife , and Mars-his working Bones ; Pitcht fields , and fights , and famous Artizanes , Taught earthie men first , all the Arts that are ; Charriots , and all the frames vehiculare ; Chiefely with brasse , arm'd , & adorn'd for warre . Where Venus , onely soft-skinnd wenches fills With wanton House-works , and suggests those skills Still to their studies . Whom Diana neither , That beares the Golden distaff ; and together Calls Horns , and Hollows ; and the cries of Houndes ; And ownes the Epithete of louing sounds For their sakes ; springing from such spritely sports ; Can catch with her kinde Lures . But hill resorts To wilde-Beasts slaughters ; accents farr-off heard Of Harps , and Dances ; and of woods vnsheard The sacred shades she loues ; yet likes as well Citties where good men , and their off-spring dwell . The third , whom her kinde Passions nothing please ; Is Virgine Vesta ; whom Saturnides Made reuerend with his counsailes : when his Sire That aduers counsailes agitates , lifes fire Had kindled in her ; being his last begot . Whom Neptune wow'd , to knit with him the knot Of honord Nuptialls ; and Apollo too ; Which , with much vehemence , she refus'd to doe ; And sterne Repulses , put vpon them both . Adding to all her vows ; the Gods great Oath ; And touching Ioues chynn , ( which must consummate All vows so bound ) that she would hold her state ; And be th'Inuincible Maid of Deities Through all her daies dates . For Saturnides Gaue her a faire gift , in her Nuptialls stedd ; To sit in midst of his house , and be fedd With all the free , and richest feast of Heauen : In all the Temples of the Gods being giuen The prise of honor . Not a mortall Man , ( That either of the powrs Olympian His half-birth hauing ; may be said to be A mortall of the Gods ; or else that he ( Deities wills doings ) is of Deitie ) But giues her honor , of the amplest kinde . Of all these Three ; can Venus , not a Minde Deceiue , or set on forces to reflect . Of all powrs els yet , not a sex , nor sect , Flies Venus ; either of the blessed Gods ; Or Men , confin'de in mortall Periods . But euen the Minde of Ioue , she doth seduce , That chides with Thunder so , her lawlesse vse In humane Creatures ; and by lot is giuen Of all , most honor ; both in Earth , and Heauen . And yet euen his all-wise , and mightie Minde ; She , when she lifts , can forge affectes to blinde , And mixe with mortall Dames , his Deitie : Conceald , at all parts , from the ielous eye Of Iuno ; who was both his sister borne , And made his wife ; whom beautie did adorne Past all the B●●ie of immortall Dames ; And whose so chiefely-glorified Flames Crosse-counsailde Saturne got ; and Rhaea bore ; And Ioues pure counsailes , ( being Conqueror ) His wife made of his sister . I , and more ; Cast such an amorous fire into her minde As made her ( like him ) with the Mortall kinde Meete in vnmeete bedd ; vsing vtmost haste ; Lest she should know , that he liu'd so vnchaste , Before her selfe , felt that fault in her heart ; And gaue her tongue , too iust edge of Desert To tax his lightnes . With this End , beside , Lest laughter-studying Venus , should deride The Gods more then the Goddesses ; and say That shee the Gods commixt in amorous play , With mortall Dames ; begetting mortall seede T'Immortall sires ; and not make Goddesses breede The like with mortall Fathers . But t'acquite Both Gods and Goddesses of her despite , Ioue tooke ( euen in her selfe ) on him , her powre ; And made her with a mortall Paramoure Vse as deform'd a mixture , as the rest ; Kindling a kinde affection in her brest To God-like-limm'd Anchises ; as he kept On Idas-top-on-top-to-heauens-Pole heapt , Amongst the manie fountaines there , his Herd ; For after his braue Person had apper'de To her bright eye ; her heart flew all on fire ; And ( to amaze ) she burn'd in his desire . Flew strait to Cyprus , to her odorous Phane And Altars , that the people Paphiane Aduanc't to her . Where , ( soone as entred ) shee The shyning gates shut ; and the Graces three Washt ; and with Oiles of euerlasting sent , Bath'd , as became , her deathlesse lyneament . Then her Ambrosian Mantle she assum'd ; With rich and odoriferous Ayres perfum'd ; Which being put on ; and all her Trimms beside Fayre , and with all allurements amplified ; The All-of-Gold-made-laughter-louing Dame ; Left odorous Cyprus ; and for Troy became A swift Contendresse ; her Passe cutting All Along the cloudes ; and made her instant fall On fountfull Ida ; that her Mother-Brests Giues to the Preyfull broode , of sauage Beasts . And through the Hill she went , the readie way T' Anchises Oxstall , where did fawne and play About her blessed feet , Wolues griflie-gray ; Terrible Lyons ; many a Mankind Beare ; And Lybberds swift , insatiate of red Deare . Whose sight so pleas'd , that euer as she past Through euery Beast , a kindely Loue she cast : That in their Denns-obscur'd with shadowes deepe ; Made all , distinguisht , in kinde Couples , sleepe . And now she reacht the rich Pauilion Of the Heroe ; In whom heauens had showne A fayre and goodly Composition . And whom she in his Oxstall found , alone ; His Oxen feeding in fat Pastures , by ; He walking vp , and downe ; sounds clere , and hye , From his harp striking . Then , before him , shee Stood like a Virgine , that inuinciblie Had borne her beauties ; yet alluringly Bearing her person ; lest his rauisht eye Should chance t' affect him , with a stupid feare . Anchises seeing her , all his senses were With wonder stricken ; and high-taken-heed●s Both of her forme ; braue stature ; and rich weedes . For , for a vaile ; she shin'd in an Attire That cast a radiance , past the Ray of fire . Beneath which , wore she guirt to her , a Gowne Wrought all with growing-rose-budds ; reaching downe T' her slender small 's ; which buskinns did diuine ; Such as taught Thetis siluer Feete to shine . Her soft white neck ; rich Carquenets embrac't ; Bright , and with gold , in all variety grac't ; That , to her brests ( let downe ) lay there and shone , As at her ioyfull full , the rising Moone . Her sight show'd miracles . Anchises Heart , Loue tooke into his hand ; and made him part With these high Salutations ; Ioy , ( O Queene ? ) Whoeuer of the Blest , thy beauties beene , That light these Entries ! Or the Deitie That Darts affecteth ; or that gaue the eye Of Heauen , his heat and Luster ! Or that moues The hearts of all , with all-commanding Loues ? Or generous Themis ? Or the blew-eyd Maid ? Or of the Graces , any that are laid With all the Gods , in comparable skales ? And whom Fame , vp to Immortalitie calles ? Or any of the Nymphs , that vnshorne Groues , Or that this fayre Hill-habitation loues ? Or valleys , flowing with earths fattest Goods ? Or Fountaines , pouring forth , eternall floods ? Say , which , of all thou art ; that in some place Of circular prospect , for thine eyes deare grace I may an Altar build , and to thy Powres Make sacred all the yeares deuoted Howres , With consecrations sweet , and oppulent . Assur'd whereof ; be thy benigne Minde bent To these wisht blessings of me ; giue me parts Of chiefe attraction in Troian hearts . And after ; giue me the refulgencie Of most renownd , and rich Posteritie ; Long , and free life ; and Heauens sweet light as long ; The peoples blessings ; and a health so strong ; That no disease , it let my life engage ; Till th' vtmost limit , of a humane Age. To this , Ioues seede , this answer gaue againe ; Anchises ? happiest of the humane straine ? I am no Goddesse : why , a thrall to Death Think'st thou like those , that immortality breath ? A woman brought me forth , my Fathers Name Was Otreus ( If euer his high fame Thine eares haue witnest ) for he gouernd all The Phrygian State : whose euery Towne , a wall Impregnable embrac't . Your tongue , ( you heare ) I speake so well , that in my naturall spheare ( As I pretend ) It must haue taken prime . A woman likewise , of the Troian clime Tooke of me , in her house , the Nurses care From my deare Mothers Bosome ; and thus are My words of equall accent , with your owne . How , here , I come ; ( to make the reason knowne ) Argicides , that beares the Golden Rod Transferd me forciblie from my Abod Made with the Maiden Traine , of her that ioies In Golden shafts ; and loues so well the noise , Of Hounds , & Hunters ( Heauens pure-liuing powre ) Where many a Nymph , and maid of mighty Dowre , Chast sports emploid All circkl'd with a Crowne Of infinite Multitude , to see so showne Our maiden Pastimes . Yet from all the Fayre Of this so forcefull concourse ; vp in Ayre The Golden-Rodd-sustaining - Argus Guide , Rapt me in sight of all ; and made me ride Along the Clouds with him ; enforcing me Thro●gh many a labour of Mortalitie : Through many an vnbuilt Region ; and a rude , Where sauage Beasts , deuour'd Preys warme , and crude ▪ And would not let my feares , take one foots tred On her by whom , are all Liues comforted ; But said , my Maiden State , must grace the Bed Of King Anchises : And bring forth to thee Issue as faire , as of diuine Degree . Which said , and showing me thy mouing Grace ; Away flew he vp , to th' Immortall Race . And thus came I to thee : Necessitie With her steele stings ; compelling me t'applie To her high Powre , my will. But You must I , Implore by Ioue ; and all the reuerence due , To your deare Parents ; who ( in bearing you ) Can beare no meane saile ; leade me home to them An vntoucht Maid : being brought vp in th' extreme Of much too cold simplicitie ; to know The fiery cunnings , that in Venus glow . Show me to them then ; and thy Brothers borne : I shall appeare none , that , parts disadorne ; But such as well may serue , a Brothers wife ; And show them now , euen to my future life ; If such , or no , my Present , will extend . To Horse-Breede-vary'ng Phrygia , likewise send T' Informe my Sire and Mother of my State , That liue for me , extreame disconsolate . Who Gold enough , and well-wouen weedes will giue . All whose rich Gifts , in my Amends receiue . All this perform'd ; adde celebration then Of honord Nuptialls ; that by God and Men Are held in reuerence . All this while she said ; Into his bosome , iointly , she conuaid The fires of loue ; when ( all enamourd ) He In these terms answered : If Mortalitie Confine thy Fortunes ; and a woman were Mother to those attractions that appeare In thy admir'd forme ; thy great Father giuen High Name of Otreus ; and the Spie of Heauen ( Immortall Mercurie ) th'enforce-full cause That made thee lose the Prize of that applause , That modestie , immaculate Virgines giues : My wife thou shalt be call'd , through both our liues . Nor shall the powrs of Men , nor Gods withhold My fiery resolution , to enfold Thy bosome in mine armes ; which here I vow To firme performance , past delay ; and Now. Nor ( should Apollo with his siluer Bow Shoote me to instant death ) would I forbeare To doe a deede , so full of cause so deare . For with a Heauen-sweet woman , I will ly , Though strait I stoope the house of Dis , ' and die . This said ; he tooke her hand ; and she tooke way With him ; her bright eyes casting round ; whose stay She stuck vpon a bed , that was before Made for the King , and wealthie couerings wore . On which , Beares Hydes , and bigg-voic't Lyons lay ; Whose Preyfull liues , the King had made his Prey , Hunting th'Idalian Hills . This Bed when they Had both ascended ; first he tooke from her The fierie weede , that was her vtmost weare . Vnbutto'nd her next rosie Robe ; and los'd The Gyrdle , that her slender wast enclos'd . Vnlac't her buskinns ; all her Iewellrie Tooke from her neck , and brests ; and all lay'd by , Vpon a Golden-studded Chaire of State. Th'Amaze of all which , being remou'd : euen Fate , And counsaile of the equall Gods gaue way To this ; that with a Deathlesse Goddesse lay A deathfull Man : since , what his loue assum'd , Not with his conscious knowledge , was presum'd . Now when the shepherds , and the Herdsmen , all , Turnd from their flowrie Pasture , to their Stall ; With all their Oxen ; fat , and frolick sheepe ; Venus , into Anchises , cast a sleepe , Sweet , and profound ; while , with her owne hands now With her rich weeds , she did her selfe indow : But so distinguisht ; that he clere might know : His happie Glories ; Then ( to her desire Her heauenly Person ; put in Trimms entire ) Shee by the bed stood , of the well-built Stall , Aduanc't her head , to State Celestiall , And in her cheekes , arose the radiant hew Of rich-cround Venus , to apparant view . And then she rou●'d him from his rest ; and said ; Vp ( my Dardanides ) forsake thy bed . What pleasure , late emploid , let ts Humor steepe Thy lidds , in this inexcitable sleepe ? Wake , and now say , If I appeare to thee Like her , that first , thine eyes conceited me . This started him from sleepe ; though deepe , and deare , And passing promptlie , he enioy'd his eare . But when his eye saw Venus neck , and eyes , Whose beauties could not beare the Counterprise Of any other : downe his owne eyes fell ; Which pallid feare , did from her view repell : And made him , with a maine respect beside ; Turne his whole person from her state ; and hide ( With his rich weede appos'd ) his royall face ; These wing'd words vsing ; When , at first , thy Grace , Mine eyes gaue entertainment ; well I knew Thy state was Deified : but thou told'st not true ; And therefore let me pray thee ; ( by thy Loue Borne to thy Father , Aegis-bearing Ioue ) That thou wilt neuer let me liue to be An abiect , after so diuine degree Taken in fortune ; but take ruth on me . For any Man that with a Goddesse lies ; Of interest in immortalities , Is neuer long liu'd . She replied ; Forbeare ( O happiest of Mortall Men ) this feare : And rest assur'd ; that ( not for me , at least ) Thy least ills feare fits ; no nor for the rest Of all the Blessed ; for thou art their friend ; And so farr from sustaining instant end ; That to thy long-enlarg'd life ; there shall spri●g Amongst the Troians , a deare Sonne , and King ; To whom shall many a Sonne ; and Sonnes Sonne rise In euerlasting-great Posterities . His Name Aeneas : therein keeping life ; For euer , in my much-conceipted griefe ; That I ( immortall ) fell into the bed Of one whose blood , Mortality must shed . But rest thou comforted ; and all the Race That Troy shall propagate , in this high grace ; That , past all Races else , the Gods stand nere Your glorious Nation ; for the formes ye beare And Natures so ingenuous , and sincere . For which , the great in counsailes ( Iupiter ) Your Gold-lockt Ganymedes did transfer ( In rapture farr from mens depressed fates ) To make him Consort with our Deified states ; And skale the Top● of the Saturnian skies ; He was so meere a Marueile in their eyes . And therefore from a Bolle of Gold he fills Redd Nectar ; that the rude distension kills Of windes that in your humane stomacks breede . But then did Languor , on the Liuer feede Of Tros ( his Father ) that was King of Troy ; And euer did his memorie employ With losse of his deare bewtie so bereuen ; Though with a sacred whirlewinde ●apt to heauen . But Ioue ( in pittie of him ) saw him giuen Good compensation ; sending by Heauens Spye , White-swift-hou'd Horse ; that Immortality Had made firme spirrited ; and had ( beside ) Hermes to see his Ambassie supplied With this vow'd Bountie ( vsing all at large That his vnaltered counsailes gaue in charge ) That he himselfe , should Immortality breath , Expert of Age , and Woe , as well as Death . This Ambassie exprest , he mourn'd no more ; But vp , with all his inmost minde he bore ; Ioying that he , vpon his swift-hou'd Horse , Should be stustain'd in an eternall course . So did the golden-thron'de Aurora , raise Into her Lap ; another that the praise Of an Immortall fashion , had in Fame ; And of your Nation , bore the Noble Name : ( His Title Tython ) who , not pleas'd with her , As she his louely Person , did transfer ; ( To satisfie him ) she bad aske of Ioue , The Gift of an Immortall for her Loue. Ioue gaue ; and bound it with his bowed Brow ; Performing to the vtmost point , his vow . Foole that she was ; that would her loue engage ; And not , as long aske , from the Bane of Age , The sweet exemption ; and Youths endlesse flowre . Of which , as long , as both the grace and powre His person entertainde ; she lou'd the Man ; And ( at the fluents of the Ocean Nere Earths extreame bounds ) dwelt with him : but when ( According to the course of aged Men ) On his faire head ; and honorable Beard ; His first gray hayres , to her light eyes apperd ; She left his bed ; yet gaue him still , for food The Gods Ambrosia ; and attire as good . Till , euen the hate of Age , came on so fast That not a lyneament of his was grac't With powre of Motion ; nor did still sustaine ( Much lesse ) the Vigor had , t' aduance a vaine ; The virtue lost , in each exhausted lim● , That , ( at his wish ) before would answer him ; All Powrs so quite decaid ; that when he spake , His voice , no perceptible accent brake : Her counsaile , then , thought best ; to striue no more ; But lay him in his bed , and lock his Dore. Such an Immortall ; would not I wish thee , T' extend all daies so , to Eternitie . But if , as now , thou couldst performe thy course In Grace of Forme , and all corporeall force To an eternall Date ; Thou then should'st beare My Husbands worthie Name ; and not a Teare , Should I neede raine , for thy deserts declinde , From my All clouded bitternesse of minde . But now , the sterne storme of relentlesse Age Will quickly circkle thee ; that waites ●'engage All Men alike ; euen Lothsomnesse , and Bane Attending with it , euery humane ●ane : Which euen the Gods bate . Such a Penance lies Impos'd on flesh and bloods infirmities . Which I my selfe must taste , in great degree , And date as endlesse ; for consorting thee . All the Immortalls , with my opprobrie Are full , by this time ; on their Hearts so lie , ( Euen to the sting of Feare ) my cunnings vs'd ; And wiuing conuersations infus'd , Into the bosomes of the best of them , With women , that the fraile and mortall stream Doth daily rauish . All this long since done . Which now , no more but with effusion Of teares ; I must in Heauen , so much as name : I haue so forfaited , in this , my Fame , And am impos'd , paine of so great a kinde For so much erring , from a Goddesse Minde . For I haue put beneath my Gyrdle here , A Sonne , whose sire , the humane mortall sphere Giues Circumscription . But when first the light His eyes shall comfort ; Nymphs that hant the height ; Of Hills ; and Brests haue , of most deepe receit ; Shall be his Nurses : who inhabit now A Hill of so vast , and diuine a Brow , As Man , nor God , can come at their Retreates . Who liue long liues , and eat immortall Meates ; And with Immortalls , in the exercise Of comely Dances , dare contend ; and rise Into high Question , which deserues the Prise . The light Sileni , mix in loue with These ; And of all Spies , the Prince Argicides : In well-trymmd Caues , their secret meetings made . And with the liues of these ; doth life inuade Or odorous firre Trees ; or high-forheaded Okes ; Together taking their begetting strokes . And haue tbeir liues and deaths , of equall Dates ; Trees bearing louely , and Delightsome states ; Whom Earth first feedes , that Men initiates . On her high Hills , she doth their states sustaine , And they , their owne heights , raise as high againe . Their Growghts together made ; Nymphs call their Groues ; Vowd to th'Immortalls seruices , and loues . Which mens steeles therefore touch not ; but let grow . But when wise Fates , times for their fadings know ; The faire Trees still , before the faire Nymphs die ; The Bark about them ; growne corrupt , and drie ; And all their boughs ( falne ) yeeld to Earth her right ; And then the Nymphs liues , leaue the louely Light. And these Nymphs , in their Caues , shall nurse my Son ; Whom ( when in him , Youths first grace is begun ) The Nymphs , his Nurses , shall present to thee , And shew thee what a Birth , thou hast by Me. And ( sure as now I tell thee all these things ) When earth , hath cloth'd her plants , in fiue faire springs ; My selfe will make returne , to this Retreate ; And bring that Flowre of thy enamour'd heate ; Whom when thou then seest , Ioy shall fire thine eyes ; He shall so well Present the Deities . And then into thine owne care take thy Sonne ; From his calme seat , to windie Ilion . Where , if strickt question , be vpon thee past , Asking what Mother , bore beneath her wast So deare a Sonne ; answer , as I afford Fit admonition , nor forget a word ; They say a Nymph , call'd Calucopides , That is with others , an inhabitresse On this thy wood-crownd Hill ; acknowledges That she , his life gaue . But if thou declare The Secrets , truth ; and art so mad to dare ( In glory of thy fortunes ) te approue , That rich-crownd Venus , mixt with thee in loue ; Ioue ( fir'd with my aspersion , so dispred ) Will , with a wreakefull lightning , dart thee dead . All , now , is told thee ; comprehend it All. Be Master of thy selfe ; and doe not call My Name in question ; but , with reuerence vow To Deities angers , all the awe , ye owe. This said ; shee reacht Heauen , where ayres euer flowe ; And so ( O Goddesse ) euer honord be In thy so Odorous Cyprian Emperie ; My Muse , affecting first , thy Fame to raise ; Shall make Transcension now , to others Praise . The end of the first Hymne to Venus . To the same . THe Reuerend Rich-crownd , and Faire Queene , I sing ; ( Venus ) that owes in Fate the fortressing , Of all Maritimall Cyprus : Where the force Of gentle-breathing Zephire sterde her Course Along the waues of the resounding Sea ; While , yet , vnborne , in that soft fome she laie That brought her forth ; whom those faire Howrs that beare The Golden-bridles ; ioyfully stood nere ; Tooke vp into their armes ; and put on her Weed's of a neuer-corruptible weare . On her immortall head , a Crowne they plac't ; Elaborate ; and with all the beauties grac't That Gold could giue it . Of a weight so great ; That , to impose , aud take off ; it had set Three Handles on it ; made for endlesse hold , Of shyning Brasse ; and all adorn'd with Gold. Her soft neck ; all with Carquenets was grac't ; That stoop't , and both her siluer brests embrac't , Which euen the Howrs themselues weare in resort , To Deities Dances ; and her Fathers Court. Grac't at all parts ; they brought to Heauen her graces ; Whos 's first sight seene ; all fell into embraces ; Hugg'd her white bands ; saluted ; wishing , all , To weare her Maiden Flowre in festiuall Of sacred Hymen : and to leade her home . All , to all admiration , ouercome With Cytheraea , with the violet Crowne . So , to the black-Browd-sweet-spoke ; All Renowne ; Prepare my Song ; and giue me , in the end , The victory ; to whose Palme , all contend . So shall my Muse , for euer honour thee , And ( for thy sake ) thy faire Posteritie . BACCHVS , OR The Pyrats . OF Dionysus ( Noble Semeles Son ) I now intend to render Mention : As on a prominēt shore , his person shone , Like to a Youth , whose flowre was newly blone . Bright azure Tresses , plaid about his head ; And on his bright brode shoulders , was dispred A purple Mantle . Strait he was descride By certaine Manly Pyrats , that applide Their vtmost speede to prise him ; being abord A well-built Barck ; about whose brode ●ides ror'd The wine-black Tyrrhene Billows : Death as black Brought them vpon him , in their future wrack . For soone as they had purchast but his view ; Mutuall signes past them ; and ashore they flew : Tooke him ; and brought him , instantly aborde ; Soothing their Hopes , to haue obtain'd a Horde Of riches with him ; and a Ioue-kept King To such a Flowre , must needes be naturall spring . And therefore-strait , strong Fetters they must fetch , To make him sure . But no such strength would stretch , To his constrain'd Powrs . Farr flew all their Bands From any least force , done his feet , or hands . But he sate casting smiles , from his black eyes At all their worst . At which Discoueries Made by the Master : he did thus dehort All his Associats ; Wretches ? Of what sort , Hold ye the Person , ye assaie to binde ? Nay , which of all , the Powre fully-diuin'de Esteeme ye him ? whose worth yeelds so much weight , That , not our well-built Barck , will beare his freight . Or Ioue himselfe he is ; Or he that beares The siluer Bowe ; Or Neptune . Nor appeares In him the least resemblance of a Man ; But of a straine ; at least Olympian . Come ! Make we quick dismission of his state ; And on the black-soild earth , exonerate Our sinking vessell , of his Deified Lode : Nor dare the touch , of an intangible God. Lest windes outragious , and of wrackfull scath ; And smoking Tempests , blowe his fiery wrath . This well-spoke Master , the Tall captaine gaue Hatefull , and horrible language : call'd him slaue ; And bad him mark the prosperous gale that blew ; And bow their vessell , with her maine saile , flew . Bade all take armes ; and said , their workes requir'de ; The cares of Men ; and not of an inspir'de , Pure zealous Master . His firme hopes being fir'de With this Opinion ; that they should ariue In Aegypt strait ; or Cyprus ; or where liue Men whose braue breaths , aboue the Northwinde blowe ; Yea , and perhaps beyond their Region too . And that he made no doubt , but in the end , To make his Prisoner , tell him euery friend Of all his off-spring : Brothers : Wealth , and All ; Since that Prise , certaine , must some God let fall . This said ; the Most , and maine-saile ; vp he drew , And in the maine sailes midd'st , a franck Gale blew ; When all his ship tooke arms , to braue their Prise . But strait , strange works apperde to all their eyes : First ; sweete wine , through-their swift-black Barck did flow ; Of which , the Odors , did , a little , blowe : Their fiery spirits , making th' Ayre so fine , That , they in flood were there , as well as wine . A meere Immortall-making sauour rose ; Which on the Ayre , the Deitie did Impose . The Sea-Men see'ng All ; Admiration seas'd . Yet instantly , their wonders were encreas'd : For on the Top saile , there rann , here , and there , A Vine that Grapes did , in abundance beare ; And in an instant , was the ships maine Mast With an obscure-greene-Iuies armes embrac't , That florisht strait , and were with Buries grac't ; Of which , did Gyrlonds , circle euery brow Of all the Pirats ; and no One knew how . Which when they sawe , they made the Master stere Out to the shore : whom Bacchus made forbeare , With showing more wonders ; On the Hatches , He Apper'd a terrible Lyon , horriblie Roring ; and in the Mid-deck , a Male Beare , Made with a huge Mane : making all , for feare Crowd to the sterne , about the Master there : Whose Minde , he still kept , dantlesse , and sincere . But on the Captaine rusht and rampt , with force So rude , and sodaine ; that his maine recours Was to the Maine-Sea strait : and after him , Leapt all his Mates ; as trusting to their swimm ; To fly foule Death . But so ; found what they fled , Being all to Dolphinns , metamorphosed . The Master , he tooke Ruth of ; sau'd , and made . The blessedst Man , that euer tried his Trade . These few words giuing him : Be confident Thou God-inspir'd Pylot ! In the Bent Of my affection , readie to requite Thy late-to-me-intended benefite . I am the Roring God , of spritely Wine : Whom Semele , ( that did , euen Ioue incline , To amorous Mixture , and was Cadmus care ) Made issue to the Mighty Thunderar . And thus , all Excellence of Grace to thee , Sonne of sweete-count'nance-cary'ng Semele . I must not thee forget , in least Degree , But pray thy spirit , to render so , my song , Sweete , and all waies , in order'd furie , strong . To Mars . MArs Most strong : Gold-helm'd ; making Chariots crack ; Neuer without a shield , cast on thy back . Minde master towne-guard ▪ with darts neuer driuen . Strong-handed ; Allarmes ; fort , and fence of heauen . Father of Victory , with faire strokes giuen . Ioint surrogate of Iustice , lest she fall ; In vniust strifes , a Tyrant . Generall , Onely of Iust. Men , iustly . That dost beare Fortitud's Scepter . To Heauens fiery sphere Giuer of circulare motion : betweene That , and the Pleiad's that still wandring bene . Where thy still vehemently-flaming Horse , About the third Heauen , make their fiery course . Helper of Mortalls ; Heare ! As thy fires giue The faire , and present boldnesses that striue In Youth for Honor ; being the sweete-beamd Light That darts into their liues , from all thy Height The Fortitudes , and Fortunes , found in fight . So , would I likewise wish to haue the Powre To keepe off , from my head , thy bitter Howre ; And that false fire , cast from my soules lowe kinde , Stoope to the fit rule , of my highest Minde . Controuling , that so eager sting of wrath , That styrrs me on still , to that horrid scath Of warr ; that God still sends to wreake his splene ; ( Euen by whole Tribes ) of proud iniurious Men. But O thou euer-blessed ! Giue me still , Presence of minde , to put in Act , my will Varied , as fits , to all Occasion . And to liue free ; vnforc't ; vnwrought vpon ; Beneath those Lawes of Peace , that neuer are Affected with Pollutions Populare Of vniust hurt ; or losse to any One ; And to beare safe , the burthen vndergone Of Foes inflexiue , and inhumane hates ; Secure from violent , and harmefull Fates . To Diana . DIana praise ( Muse ) that in Darts delights ; Liues still a Maid , & had nutritiall rights With her borne-Brother , the farr-shooting Sunn . That doth her all of Gold-made-Chariot runn In Chace of Game ; from Meles that abounds In black-browd Bull-rushes ; ( and where her Hounds , She first vncouples ; ioyning there , her Horse ) Through Smyrna ; carried in most fiery course To Grape-rich Claros . Where ( in his rich hom● , And constant expectation she will come ) Sits Phoebus , that the siluer Bowe doth beare ; To meete with Phoebe , that doth Darts transferre As farr as He his shafts . As farr then , be Th● chaste Fame shot ( O Queene of Archerie ) Sacring my song , to euery Deitie . To Venus . TO Cyprian Venus , still my verses vow : Who Gifts , as sweete as honey doth bestow On all Mortality . That euer smiles ; And rules a face , that all foes reconciles . Euer sustaining in her hand , a Flowre , That all desire keepes , euer in her Powre . Haile then O Queene of well-built Salamine , And all the state , that Cyprus doth confine : Informe my song , with that celestiall fire , That in thy beauties , kindles all desire . So shall my Muse , for euer honour Thee , And any other , thou commend'st to Me. To Pallas . PAllas Minerua ; Onely I beginne To giue my song ; that makes warrs terrible Dinne : Is Patronesse of Citties ; and with Mars Marshall'd in all the care , and cure of wars : And in euerted Citties , fights , and Cries . But neuer doth her selfe , set downe , or rise , Before a Cittie ; but at both times Shee , All iniur'de people , sets on foot , and free . Giue , with thy warrs force , Fortune then to Me ; And with thy Wisedomes force , Felicity . To Iuno . SAturnia , and her Throne of Gold I sing ; That was of Rhaea , the eternall spring ; And Empresse of a beautie ; neuer yet Equall'd in height of Tincture . Of the great Saturnius ( breaking Ayre , in awfull Noise , ) The farr-fam'd wife , and sister ; whom in ioies Of high Olympus , all the blessed Loue ; And Honour , equall , with vnequall'd Ioue . To Ceres . THe Rich-hayr'd , Ceres , I assaie to sing ; A Goddesse , in whose Grace the naturall spring Of serious Maiestie it selfe , is seene : And of the wedded , yet in grace stil green , ( Proserpina , her Daughter ) that displaies A Beautie , casting euery way her Raies . All Honor to thee ( Goddesse : ) keepe this Towne ; And take , thou , chiefe charge of my songs Renoune . TO THE MOTHER OF The Gods. MOther of All ; both Gods , and Men , Commend ( O Muse ) whose faire Forme did from Ioue descend ; That doth with Cymball sounds , delight her life ; And tremulous diuisions of the Fife . Loues dreadfull Lyons Rores ; and Wolues hoarse Houles , Syluane Retreates ; and Hills , whose hollow knoules , Raise repercussiue soundes about her eares . And so , may , Honour , euer crowne thy yeares , With All-else Goddesses ; and euer be Exalted in the Muses Harmonie . TO LYON-HEARTED Hercules . ALlcides , ( Force-fullest of all the Broode Of Men , enforc't with neede of earthie foode , ) My Muse shal memorise ; the son of Ioue ; Whom , in faire-seated Thebs ( commixt in loue With great Heauens sable-cloude-assembling state ) Al●mena bore to him . And who ( in date Of daies forepast ) through all the Sea was sent And Earths inernarable Continent , To Acts , that King Eurystheus had decreede . Did many a Petulant , and Imperious Deede Himselfe ; and therefore , suffer'd many a Toile . Yet now inhabites the illustrious Soile Of white Olympus ; and Delights his life With still young Hebe ; his well-anckled wife . Haile , King ; and Sonne of Ioue ; vouchsafe thou Me Virtue ; and her Effect , Felicitie . To Aesculapius . WIth Aesculapius , ( the Phisition ) Sonne , That cur'd all sicknesse , and was Phoebus M● Muse , makes Entrie ; to whose life gaue yield Diuine Coronis , in the Dotian field , ( King Phlegius Daughter : ) who , much Ioy on Men Conferd in deare Ease , of their yrkesome Paine . For which ; my salutation ( worthy King ) And vowes to thee paid , euer when I sing . TO CASTOR AND POLLVX . CAstor and Pollux , ( the Tyndarides ) Sweete Muse illustrate ; that their Essences Fetch from the high forms of Olympian Ioue ; And were the faire fruits of bright Leda's Loue. Which shee produc't , beneath the sacred shade Of steepe Taygetus ; being subdu'd ; and made To serue Affections of the Thunderer . And so , all Grace to you ; whom all Auer , ( For skill in Horses , and their Manage geuen ) To be the brauest Horsemen , vnder Heauen . To Mercurie . HErmes , I honor , ( the Cyllenian Spie ) King of Cyllenia , and of Arcadie With flocks abounding : and the Messenger Of all th'Immortalls ; that doth still inferre Profites of infinite valew to their store : Whom to Saturnius , bashfull Maia bore ; Daughter of Atlas ; and did therefore flie Of all th'Immortalls , the Societie , To that darcke Caue ; where , in the dead of Night , Ioue ioind with her , in Loues diuine Delight ; When Golden sleepe , shut Iuno's iealous eye , Whose arms had wrists , as white as Iuorie ; From whom , and all , both Men , and Gods beside , The faire-hayrd Nymph , her scape kept vnderscride . Ioy to the Ioue-got then , and Maia's Care ; Twixt Men and Gods , the generall Messenger : Giuer of good Grace ; Gladnesse , and the Flood Of all that Men , or Gods , account their Good. To Pan. SIng ( Muse ) this chiefe of Hermes loue-got Ioies ; Goate-sooted , Two-horn'd ; amorous of noise . That through the faire-Greenes , al adorn'd with Trees Together goes , with Nymphs ; whose nimble knees , Can euer● Dance , foot ; That affect to scale The most inaccessible Tops of all Vprightest rocks : and euer vse to call On Pan , the bright-hayr'd God of Pastorall . Who yet , is leane , and louelesse ; and doth owe By lot , all loftiest ▪ Mountaines , crown'd with snowe ; All Tops of Hills , and cliffie Highnesses : All Siluan Copses , and the Fortresses Of Thorniest Queaches , here and there doth roue . And sometimes , ( by allurement of his loue ; ) Will wade the watrie softnesses . Sometimes ( In quite oppos'de Capriccios ) he climes The hardest Rocks , and highest : euery way Running their Ridges . Often will conuaie Himselfe vp to a watch-Towrs Top ; where sheepe ; Haue their Obseruance : oft through Hills as steepe , His Gotes he runns vpon ; and neuer rests . Then turns he head ; and flies on sauage Beasts , Mad of their slaughters . So most sharpe an eye Setting vpon them ; as his Beames let flie Through all their thickest Tapistries . And then ( When Hesp'rus calls to folde , the flocks of Men ) From the greene Clossets , of his loftiest Reedes , He rushes forth ; and Ioy , with Song , he feedes . When , ( vnder shadow , of their motions , set , ) He plaies a verse forth , so profoundly sweet ; As not the Bird that in the flowrie Spring ( Amidds the leaues set ) makes the Thickets ring Of her sowre sorrowes , sweetened with her song , Runns her diuisions varied so , and strong . And then the sweete-voic't Nymphs , that crowne his mountaines ; ( Flockt round about , the deepe-black-watred fountaines ; Fall in with their Contention of song . To which , the Echoes , all the Hills along Their repercussions add . Then here , and there ( Plac't in the midd'st ) the God , the Guide doth beare Of all their Dances ; winding in , and out . A Lynces Hide ( besprinckled round about With blood , cast on his shoulders . And thus He With well-made songs , maintaines th' alacritie Of his free minde , in silken Meddows crownde With Hyacynths , and Saffrons ; that abound Iu sweete-breath'd Odors : that th'vnnumber'd grasse ( Besides their sents ) giue as through all they passe . And these , in all their pleasures , euer raise The blessed Gods and long Olympus , praise : Like zealous Hermes ; who ( of all ) I said Most Profits , vp , to all the Gods conuaide . Who , likewise , came into th' Arcadian state ; ( That 's rich in Fountaines ; and all celebrate For Nurse of flocks . ) Where , he had vowd a Groue ( Surnam'd Cyllenius ) to his God-heads loue . Yet euen himselfe ( although a God he were Clad in a squallid sheepskinn ) gouernd there A Mortalls sheepe . For soft Loue , entring him , Conformd his state , to his conceipted Trimm . And made him long , in an extreame degree , T' enioy the fayre-hayrd Virgine Dryope . Which , ere he could ; she made him consummate The florishing Rites of Hymens honord State. And brought him , such a peece of Progenie , As showd ( at first sight ) monstrous to the eye ; Gote-footed , Two-horn'd ; full of noise , euen Then ; And ( opposite quite to other children ) Told ( in sweete laughter ) he ought death no Teare . Yet strait his Mother start ; and fled , in feare The sight of so vnsatisfying a Thing ; In whose face , put forth , such a bristled spring . Yet the most vsefull Mercurie embrac't , And tooke into his armes , his homely-fac't : Beyond all measure ioyfull with his sight : And vp to heauen with him , made instant flight , Wrapt in the warme skinne , of a Mountaine Hare : Set him by Ioue ; and made most merrie fare To all the Deities else , with his Sonnes sight ; Which , most of all , fill'd Bacchus with delight ; And Pan they call'd him , since he brought to All , Of Mirth so rare ; and full a Festiuall . And thus , all honor to the shepherds King : For Sacrifice to Thee , my Muse shall sing . To Vulcan . PRaise Vulcane , now Muse ; whom Fame giues the Prise , For Depth , & Facture , of al Fordge deuise ; Who , with the skie-eyd Pallas , first did giue Men , rules of buildings , that before did liue , In Caues , and Denns ; and Hills like sauage Beasts : But now , by Art-fam'd Vulcans Interests In all their ciuill Industries ; waies cleare Through th'All-things-bringing-to-their-Ends , ( the yeare ) They worke out to their Ages ends ; at ease Lodg'd in safe Roofes , from Winters vtmost prease . But Vulcan ; stand propitious to Me ; Virtue safe , granting , and Felicitie . To Phoebus . O Phoebus ! Euen the Swann from forth her wings , ( Iumping her proyning-banck ) thee sweetly sings , By bright Peneus , whirle-pit-making-streames . Thee , that thy Lute ; mak'st sound so to thy Beames . Thee , first and last , the sweete-voic't singer , still Sings ; for thy songs-all-songs-transcending skill . Thy Pleasure then ; shall my song still supply : And so salutes thee , King of Po●sie . To Neptune . NEptune , the mighty Marine God , I sing ; Earths mouer ; & the fruitles Oceans king . That Helicon , and th' Aegan Deepes dost hold . O thou Earth-shaker ; Thy Command , two-fold The Gods haue sorted ; making thee , of Horses The awfull Tamer ; and of Nauall Forces The sure Preseruer . Haile ( O Saturns Birth ) Whose gracefull greene bayre , circkles all the Earth . Beare a benigne minde ; and thy helpfull hand , Lend All , submitted , to thy drad Command . To Ioue . IOue , now I sing ; the greatest , & the best , Of al these Powrs , that are with Deitie blest . That farr-off , doth his dreadfull Voice , diffuse ; And ( being King of All ) doth all conduce To all their Ends. Who ( shut from all-Gods else With Themis ; that the lawes of all things tells ) Their fit Composures , to their Times doth call ; Wedds them together ; and preserues This All. ( geuen ; Grace then ( O farr-heard Ioue ) the grace t' hast Most glorious , & most great of Earth & Heauen . To Vesta . VEsta , that ( as a seruant ) Ouersees King Phoebus hallowd house : in all degrees Of Guide about it ; on the sacred shore Of heauenly Pythos : and hast euermore Rich balms distilling from thy Odorous hayre ; Grace this House , with thy huswifely repaire . Enter , and bring a Minde that most may moue , Conferring , euen the great in counsailes , Ioue : And let my verse taste , of your eithers loue . TO THE MVSES AND APOLLO . THe Muses Ioue , and Phoebus , now I sing ; For from the farr-off-shooting Phoebus , spring All Poets , and Musitions ; and from Ioue Th'Ascents of Kings . The Man , the Muses loue , Felicitie blesses ; Elocutions choice In Syrrup lay'ng , of sweetest breath , his voice . Haile ( Seede of Ioue ) my song , your honors , giue ; And so , in Mine , shall yours , and others , liue . To Bacchus . IVie-Crown'd Bacchus , Iterate in thy Praises , ( O Muse ) whose Voice , all loftiest Echoes raises ; And He with all th' illustrous seede of Ioue ; Is ioinde in honor : being the fruite of Loue To him , and Semele-the-great-in-graces : And from the King , his Fathers kinde embraces , By faire-hayrde Nymphs , was taken to the Dales Of Nyssa ; and with curious Festiuals Giuen his faire Grought ; far from his Fathers view , In Caues , from whence , eternall Odors flew . And in high number of the Deities plac't ; Yet , when the many - Hymne-giuen God , had past His Nurses Cares ; in Iuies , and in Baies All ouer Thicketed ; his varied waies To syluan Couerts , euermore he tooke With all his Nurses ; whose shrill voices shooke Thickets , in which , could no footes Entrie fall ; And he himself made Captaine of them All. And so ( O Grape-abounding Bacchus ) be Euer saluted by my Muse , and Me. Giue vs to spend with spirit , our Howres out here ; And euery Howre , extend to many a Yeare . To Diana . DIana , ( that the Golden Spyndle , moues ; And loftie soundes , as wel as Bacchus loue● A bashfull Virgine , and of fearefull hearts The Death-affecter , with delighted Darts ; By Sire , and Mother , Phoebus Sister borne ; Whose Thigh , the Golden Falchion doth adorne ) I sing ; who , likewise , ouer Hills of shade , And Promontories , that vast windes inuade , ( Amorous of Hunting ) bends her all-gold Bowe ; And sigh-begetting Arrows doth bestowe , In fates so dreadfull ; that the Hill-Tops quake ; And Bristlde woods , their leauie foreheads shake ; Horrors inuade Earth ; and fishie Seas Impassiond furies ; nothing can appease The dying Braies of Beasts ; and her Delight In so much Death , affects so with affright , Euen all inanimate natures . For while shee Her sports applies ; Their generall Progenie Shee all waies , turnes vpon , to All their Banes : Yet , when her fierie Pleasures finde their wanes ; ( Her yeelding Bowe vnbent ) to th'ample House ( Seated in Delphos , rich , and Populous ) Of her deare Brother , her Retreats aduance . Where , Th'Instauration of delightsome Dance Amongst the Muses , and the Graces , shee Giues forme ; In which , her selfe the Regencie ( Her vnbent Bowe hung vp ; and casting on A gracious Robe ) assumes ; and first sets gone The Dances Entrie ; to which , all send forth Their heauenly voices ; and aduance the worth Of her faire-anckl'd Mother ; since , to light Shee Children brought , the farr most exquisite In Counsailes , and Performances ; of all The Goddesses , that grace the heauenly Hall. Haile then , Latona's faire-hayrd seede , & Ioues ; My song shall euer , call to Minde your Loues . To Pallas . PAllas-Minerua's Deitie , the renown'd : My Muse , in her variety , must resound ; Mightie in counsailes ; whose Illustrous Eyes , In all resemblance , represent the skies . A reuerend Maid of an inflexible Minde : In Spirit , and Person , strong : of Triple kinde ; Fautresse of Citties , that iust Lawes maintaine ; Of Ioue-the-great-in-counsailes , very Braine Tooke Prime existence : his vnbounded Brows , Could not containe her ; such impetuous Throw's Her Birth gaue way to ; that abrode she flew , And stood in Gold arm'd , in her Fathers view , Shaking her sharpe Lance : all Olympus shooke So terriblie beneath her ; that it tooke Vp , in amazes , all the Deities there . All Earth resounded , with vociferous Feare . The Sea was put vp , all in purple Waues ; And settld sodainly , her rudest Raues . Hyperions radiant Sonne , his swift-hou'd Steedes , A mighty Tyme staid ; till her arming weedes , As glorious as the Gods , the blew-eyd Maid Tooke from her Deathlesse shoulders : but then staid All these distempers ; and heauens counsailor , Ioue , Reioic't that all things else , his stay , could moue . So I salute thee still ; and still in Praise Thy Fame , and others , shall my Memorie raise . To Vesta , and Mercurie . VESta I sing , who , in Bequest of Fate , Art sorted out , an euerlasting State In all th'Immortals high-built roofes , & all Those of Earth-dwelling Men : As generall And ancient honors , giuen thee for thy gift Of free-liu'd Chastitie ; and precious Thrift . Nor can there amongst Mortalls , Banquets be ; In which , both first and last , they giue not Thee Their endlesse Gratitudes , in pourd-out wine ; As gracious sacrifice , to thy diuine And vsefull virtues ; being inuok't by All , Before the least Taste of their Festiuall In wine or foode , affect their appetites . And thou , that of th'adorn'd with all Delights , Art the most vsefull Angell : borne a God Of Ioue , and Maia ; of Heauens golden Rodd The sole Sustainer ; and hast powre to blesse With All good , All Men ( great Argicides ) Inhabit all Good houses ; see'ng no wants Of mutuall mindes loue , in Th' inhabitants . Ioine in kinde blessing with the bashfull Maid And all-lou'd Virgin , Vesta ; eithers aid Combin'd in euery Hospitable House : Both being best seene , in all the gracious House-works of Mortalls . Iointly follow then Euen from their youths , the mindes of dames and men . Haile then , ould Daughter of the ouldest God , And thou great bearer of Heauens golden Rodd ? Yet not to you , alone , my vowes belong ; Others as well , claime T'Homage of my song . TO EARTH THE Mother of all . MOther of all things , the well-founded Earth , My Muse shall memorise ; who al the birth Giues foode , that al her vpper regions breede ; All that in her diuine diffusions feede In vnder Continents : All those that liue In all the Seas ; and All the ayre doth giue Wing'd expeditions ; Of thy bounties eate Faire Children , and faire fruites , thy labors sweate ; ( O great in reuerence : ) and referd to thee For life , and death , is all the Pedigree Of Mortall humanes . Happie then is He Whom the innate Propensions of thy Minde Stand bent to honor . He shall all things finde In all abundance : All his Pastures yield Herds in all plenties : All his roofes are fill'd With rich possessions : He , in all the swaie Of Lawes best orderd , cuts out his owne way In Citties shining with delicious Dames ; And takes his choice of all those striuing Flames . High happinesse , and riches , ( like his Traine ) Follow his Fortunes ; with delights that raigne In all their Princes . Glorie inuests his Sonnes ; His Daughters , with their croun'd selections Of all the Cittie , frolick through the Meades ; And euery one , her calld-for Dances treads Along the soft-flowre of the clauer Grasse . All this , with all those , euer comes to passe , That thy loue blesses , Goddesse full of grace , And treasurous Angell t' all the humane Race . Haile then , Great Mother of the Deified kinde ; Wife to the Cope of Starrs ? sustaine a Minde Propitious to me , for my Praise ; and giue ( Answering my minde ) my vows fit Meanes to liue . To the Sun. THe radiant Suns diuine renowne , diffuse ( Ioues Daughter , great Calliope my Muse ) Whom Ox-ey'd Euryphaessa gaue Birth , To the bright seede of starrie Heauen and Earth . For the farr-fam'd Hyperion tooke to Wife His sister Euryphaessa ; that life Of his high Race , gaue , to these louely Three , Aurora with the Rosie-wrists , and shee That ownes th'enamouring tresses ( the bright Moone ) Together , with the neuer-wearied Sunne . Who , ( his Horse mounting ) giues , both Mortalls light And all Th'immortalls . Euen to horror , bright A blaze burns from his Golden Burgonet Which to behold , exceeds the sharpest set Of any eyes intention : Beames so cleare It allwaies powres abroade . The glorious cheare Of his farr-shining Face , vp to his Crowne , Casts circular Radiance : that comes streaming downe About his Temples ; his bright Cheekes , and all Retayning the refulgence of their Fall. About his bosome flowes so fine a Weede As doth the thynnesse of the winde exceede In rich context : beneath whose deepe folds flie His Masculine Horses , round about the skie ; Till in this Hemisphere , he renders staie T' his gold-yo'kt Coch , and Coursers : and his way ( Let downe by Heauen ) the heauenly Cocheman makes Downe to the Ocean , where his rest he takes . My Salutations then , faire King , receiue , And , in propitious returnes Relieue My life with Minde-fit means ; & then from Thee And all the race of compleate Deitie My song shall celebrate those halfe-God states , That yet , sad deaths condicion circulates . And whose braue Acts , the Gods shew men , that they As braue may ayme at ; since they can but die . To the Moone . THe Moone , now Muses , teach me to resound , Whose wide wings measure such a world of ground . Ioues Daughter , deckt with the mellifluous Tongue ; And seene in All , the sacred Art of Song . Whose deathles Brows , when shee from Heauen displaies , All Earth she wraps vp , in her Orient Raies . A Heauen of Ornament in Earth is rais'd , When her Beames rise . The subt'le Ayre is sais'd Of delicate splendor , from her Crowne of Gold ; And when her siluer Bosome is extoll'd , Washt in the Ocean ; In Daies equall'd Noone , Is Mid-night seated : but when shee puts on Her farr-off-sprinckling-Luster-Euening weedes ; ( The Moneth in two cut : her high-brested Steedes ; Man'de All with curl'd flames ; put in Coch and All , Her huge Orb fill'd ) her whole Trimms Then exhall Vnspeakable splendors , from the glorious skie . And , out of that State , Mortall Men implie Many Praedictions . And , with Her then ( In Lo●● mixt ) lay , the King of Gods and Men ; By whom , ( made fruitfull ) she Pandaea bore , And added her State , to th' immortall Store . Haile , queene , & Goddesse , th'iuorie-wristed Moone Diuine , Prompt ; faire-hayr'd . With thy grace begun My Muse shall forth , and celebrate the praise Of Men whose states , the Deities did raise To Semideities : whose deedes t'endlesse Date Muse-lou'd , and sweete-sung Poets celebrate . TO CASTOR AND POLLVX . IOues faire Sonnes , Father'd by Th' Oebalian King , Muses-well-worth-All Mens beholdings , sing : The Deare Birth , that Bright-Anckl'd Laeda bore ; Horse-taming Castor ; and the Conqueror Of Tooth-tongu'd ▪ Momus ( Pollux : ) whom beneath St●epe-Browd Taygetus , she gaue half-God breath ; In Loue mixt with the black-cloudes King of heauen : Who , both of Men and ships , ( being Tempest driuen , When Winters wrathfull Empire , is in force Vpon th'Implacable Seas ) preserue the course . For when the Gusts beginn ; ( if nere the shore ) The Sea-Men leaue their ship ; and ( euermore Bearing two milke-white Lambs aboard ; ) they now Kill them ashore , and to Ioues Issue vow , When , though their ship ( in height of all the rore The windes and waues confound ) can liue no more , In all their hopes ; then sodainely appeare Ioues sauing Sonnes ; who both their Bodies beare Twixt yellowe wings , downe from the sparkling Pole. Who strait , the rage of those rude Winds controle , And all the high-waues couch into the Brest Of T'hoarie Seas . All which sweete signes of rest To Sea-Mens labors , their glad soules conceiue , And End to all their yrckesome grieuance giue . So ( once more ) to the swift-horse-riding Race Of Royall Tyndarus , eternall Grace . TO MEN OF Hospitalitie . REuerence a Man , with vse Propitious , That Hospitable rights wants ; and a house , ( You of this Cittie , with the seate of State To Ox-eyd Iuno vowd ) yet situate Nere Pluto's Region . At the extreame Base Of whose so high-hayrd Cittie ; from the Race Of blew-wau'd Hebrus louely Fluent ( grac't With Ioues begetting ) you diuine Cups Tast. Certaine Epigramms AND OTHER POEMS of Homer . To Cuma . LEnd hospitable Rights , and house-respect , You that the Virgine with the faire eys deckt , Make Fautresse of your stately-seated Towne : At foot of Sardes , with the high-haird Crowne , Inhabiting rich Cuma : where ye Taste Of Hermus heauenly Fluent ; all embrac't By curld-head whyrlpits : And whose waters moue From the diuine seede , of immortall Ioue . IN HIS RETVRNE To Cuma . SWiftlie my feete sustaine me to the Towne , Where Men inhabit , whom due Honors Crowne : Whose Mindes with free-giuen faculties , are mou'd ; And whose graue Counsailes , best of Best approu'd . VPON THE SEPVLCHER OF MIDVS , Cut in Brasse , in the FIGVRE OF A VIRGINE . A Maid of Brasse , I am , Inf●ixed here T'Eternise Honest Midus Sepulcher . And while the streame , her fluent seede receiues ; And steepe trees curle their verdant brows with leaues ; While Phoebus , rais'd aboue the Earth giues sight ; And T'humorous Moone , takes Luster from his light ; While floods beare waues ; and Seas shall wash the shore ; At this his Sepulcher , whom all deplore , I 'le constantly Abide ; All passers by Informing ; Here , doth Honest Midus Lie. CVMA REFVSING HIS OFFER T'ETERNISE THEIR STATE , THOVGH BROVGHT THITHER by the Muses . O To what Fate , hath father Ioue giuen O're My friendles life ; borne euer to be Pore ? While in my Infant state , he pleas'd to saue Mee ; Milke , on my reuerend Mothers knees , he gaue Me ▪ In delicate , and curious Nurserie . Aeolian Smyrna , seated neare the Sea ; ( Of glorious Empire ; and whose bright sides Sacred Meletus siluer Current glides ) Being natiue Seate to me . Which ( in the force , Of farr-past Time ) the Breakers of wilde Horse ; ( Phriconias Noble Nation ) girt with Towres : Whose Youth in fight , put on with fiery Powres . From hence , ( the Muse-maids , Ioues illustrous seed● Impelling me ) I made impetuous speede ; And went with them to Cuma ; with Intent T'Eternise all the sacred Continent And State of Cuma . They ( in proud Ascent From off their Bench ) refus'd with vsage fierce The sacred voice which I auerre , is Verse . Their follies yet , and madnesse borne by Me Shall by some Powre , be thought on futurely ; To wreake of him whoeuer , whose tongue sought With false empaire , my fall . What fate , God brought Vpon my Birth , Iile beare with any paine ; But vndeseru'd Defame ; vnfelt , sustaine . Nor feeles my Person ( deare to me , though Pore ) Any great lust , to linger , any more In Cuma's holy Highwaies : but my Minde ( No thought empaird , for cares of any kinde Borne in my body ) rather vowes to trie The Influence of any other skie , And spirits of People ; bredd in any Land ▪ Of ne're so slender , and obscure Command . AN ASSAIE OF HIS BEGVNNE ILIADS. I Lion , and all , the braue-Horse-breeding Soile ( Dardania ) I sing ; that many a Toile Impos'd vpon the Mighty Grecian Powrs , Who were of Mars , the manlie Seruitours . TO THESTORS SONNE ▪ Inquisitiue of HOMER , ABOVT THE CAVSES OF THINGS . THestorides ? Of all the skills vnknowne To errant Mortals ; there remains not One , Of more inscrutable Affaire , to finde Than is the true State of a humane Minde . To Neptune . HEare Powreful Neptune , that shak'st Earth in Ire ; King of the great Greene , where dance All the Quire Of faire-hayr'd Helicon ; giue prosperous Gales And good passe , to these Guiders of our sailes : Their Voyage rendring happily directed , And their Returne , with no ill Fate affected . Grant , likewise , at rough Mimas lowest rootes , ( Whose strength , vp to her Tops , praerupt rocks shootes ) My Passage safe arriuall ; and that I My bashfull disposition may applie To Pious Men ; and wreake my selfe vpon The Man whose verball circumuention In Me , did wrong , t'Hospitious Ioues whole state , And T'Hospitable Table violate . To the Cittie Erythraea . WOrshipfull Earth ; giuer of all things good ? Giuer of , euen Felicitie ; whose flood The Minde all-ouer steepes , in honey Dewe . That , to some Men , dost infinite kindenesse shew ; To others that despise thee , art a Shrew . And giu'st them Gamesters galls ; who , once , their Maine Lost with an ill cāhce ; fare like Abiects slaine . To Mariners . YE waue-trod Watermen ; As ill as shee That all the Earth in Infelicitie Of Rapine plunges . Who vpon youre Fare As steru'd-like-rauenous , as Cormorants are . The liues ye leade , ( but in the worst Degree ) Not to be enuied , more then Misery . Take shame , and feare the Indignation Of him that Thunders from the highest Throne ( Hospitious Ioue ) who , at the Back , prepares Paines of abhord effect , of him that dares The Pieties breake , of his Hospitious squares . The Pine. ANy Tree else , beares better Fruit then Thee , That Idas Tops sustaine ; where euery Tree Beares vp in aire , such perspirable Heights , And in which , Ca●●s , and sinuous Receipts Creepe , in such great abundance . For , about Thy rootes ( that euer , all thy Fruites put out As nourisht by them , equall with thy Fruites ) Poure Mars his Iron-Mines their accust pursuites . So that when any Earth-encroching Man Of all the Martiall Broode Cebrenian ; Plead neede of Iron ; They are certaine still , About thy Rootes , to satiate euery Will. TO GLAVCVS : WHO WAS SO MISERABLIE , SPARING ; THAT HE FEARED ALL MENS ACCESSE TO HIM GLaucus ? though wise enough ; yet one word more , Let my aduice add , to thy wisedomes store ▪ For t' will be better so . Before thy Dore Giue still thy Mastifs Meate ; that will be sure To lie there , therefore , still ; and not endure ( With way-laid eares ) the softest foot can fall ; But Men , and Beasts , make fly Thee and thy stall . AGAINST THE SAMIAN MINISTRESSE OR NVNNE . HEare Me ( O goddesse ) that inuoke thine eare : Thou that dost feede , and forme the youthfull Yeare . And grant that this Dame , may the loues refuse And Beds of Young Men ; and affect to vse Humanes whose Temples , hoary hayres distaine ; Whose Powrs are passing coye ; whose Wils would faine . WRITTEN ON THE COVNSAILE Chamber . OF Men ; Sonnes are the Crownes , of Citties Towres : Of Pastures , Horse , are the most bewtious Flowres : Of Seas , ships are the Grace ; and Money still With Traines , and Titles , doth the Family fill . But Royall Counsailors ; in Counsaile set , Are Ornaments past All , as clearely great ; As Houses are that shining fires enfolde , Superior farr , to Houses nak't and colde . THE FORNACE CALL'D IN TO SING BY POTTERS . IF ye deale freely ( O my fierie Friends , As ye assure ) I 'le sing , and serue your Ends. Pallas : Vouchsafe thou here , inuok't Accesse ; Impose thy hand vpon this Fordge ; and blesse All Cups these Artists earne so ; that they may Looke black still with their depth ; and euery way , Giue all their Vessels a most sacred Sale. Make all well burn'd ; and Estimation call Vp to their Prices . Let them marcket well ; And , in all high-waies , in abundance sell. Till Riches to their vtmost wish arise ; And as thou mak'st them rich ; so make me wise . But if ye now , turne all to Impudence ; And think to pay with lies , my Pacience ; Then will I summon gainst your Fornace , All Hells harmefull'st spirits ; Maragus , I 'le call ; Sabactes , Asbett , and Omadamus , Who , ylls against your Art , Innumerous Excogitates , supplies , and multiplies . Come Pallas then ; and all command to rise : Infesting Fordge , and house with fire , till All Tumble together , and to Ashes Fall : These Potters selues , dissolu'd in Teares as small . And as a Horse-cheeke , chides his foming Bit So let this Fordge , murmure in fire , and flit ; And all this stuffe , to ashie ruines runne . And thou ( O Circe ) Daughter of the Sunne ; Great-many-Poison Mixer ; come ; and poure Thy cruell'st Poisons , on this Potters floore ; Shiuering their vessells ; and themselues affect With all the Mischiefes possible to direct Gainst all their Beings , vrdg'd by all thy feends . Let Chiron , likewise come ; and all those friends ( The Centaures ) that Alcides fingers fled , And All the rest too , that his hand strooke dead ( Their Ghosts excited ; ) come and macerate These Earthen Men ; and yet with further Fate Affect their Fornace ; All their teare-burst Eyes Seeing , and mourning for their Miseries . While I looke On , and laugh their blasted Art , And them to Ruine . Lastly ; if , apart , Any lies lurking , and sees yet ; his Face Into a Cole , let th' angrie fire embrace ; That all may learne by them ; in all their lust To dare Deedes Great ; to see them great and Iust. EIRESIONE OR The Oliue Branch . THe Turrets of a Man of infinite Might ; Of infinite Action ; substance Infinite , Wee make accesse to ; whose whole Being rebounds From Earth to Heauen ; & nought but Blisse resounds . Giue entrie then , ye Dores ; more riches yet Shall enter with me ; All the Graces met In ioy of their fruition : perfect Peace Confirming All ; All crown'd with such encrease , That euery emptie Vessell in your House May stand repleate , with all thing precious . Elaborate Ceres , may your Larders fill With all deare Delicates ; and serue in still . May , for your Sonne , a Wife make wisht approch , Into your Towrs ; and rapt in , in her Coch With strong-kneed Mules . May yet , her state proue staid With honord Huswiferies : Her faire hand laid To artfull Loomeworks ; and her nak't feet treade The Gumme of Amber , to a Golden Beade . But I 'le returne ; Returne ; and yet not presse Youre bounties now assaid , with oft Accesse ; Once a yeere , onely ; as the Swallow prates , Before the welthie Springs wide open Gates . Meane time I stand at yours : nor purpose stay More time t' entreate . Giue , or not giue ; away My feet shall beare me ; that did neuer come , With any thought , to make your House , my Home . TO CERTAINE FISHER-BOYES PLEASING HIM WITH INGENIOVS RIDDLES . YEt from the bloods , euen of your-selfe-like sires , Are you descended ; that could make ye heires To no huge hords of Coine ; nor leaue ye Able To feede Flocks of innumerable Rabble . The end of all the endlesse works of Homer . THe Worke that I was borne to doe , is done . Glory to him , that the Conclusion Makes the beginning of my life : and Neuer Let me be said to li●e , till I liue Euer ▪ Where 's the outliuing of my Fortunes then , Ye errant vapors of F●mes Lernean Fenn ? That ( like possest stormes ) blast all ; not in Herde With your abhorr'd heads : who ▪ because casher'de By Men , for Monsters ; thinck Men , Monsters All , That are not of your pyed Hood , and your Hall. When you are nothing but the scumm of things , And must be cast off : Droues , that haue no stings , Nor any m●re soule , then a stone hath wings . Auant ye Haggs ; your Hates , and Scandalls are , The Crownes , and Comforts of a good Mans Care ; By whose impartiall Perpendiculare ; All is extuberance , and excretion All , That you your Ornaments , and glories call . Your wrie Mouthes censure right ? your blister'd Tongues , That licke but itches ? and whose vlce●ous Lungs Come vp at all things permanent , and sound ? O you ( like flies in Dreggs ) in Humors droun'd ; Your loues , like Atoms , lost in gloomie Ayre ; I would not retriue with a wither'd Haire . Hate , and cast still your stings then ; for your kisses Betray but Truth ; and your Applaud's , are Hisses . To see our supercilious wizerds frowne ; Their faces falne like Foggs ; and coming downe , Stincking the Sunn out ; make me shine the more : And like a checkt flood , beare aboue the shore , That their prophane Opinions faine would set , To what they see not ; know not ; nor can let . Yet then , our learn'd Men , with their Torrents come Roring from their forc't Hills , all crown'd with ●ome , That one not taught like them , should learne to know Their Greeke rootes , & from thence the Groues that grow , Casting such rich shades , from great Homers wings : That first , and last , command the Muses springs . Though he 's best Scholler , that through paines and vows ; Made his owne Master onely ; all things know's . Nor pleades my poore skill ; forme ; or learned Place ; But dantlesse labor , constant Prayer , and Grace . And what 's all their skill , but vast varied reading ? As if brode-beaten High-waies had the leading To Truths abstract , and narrow Path , and Pit ? Found in no walke , of any worldly wit. And without Truth ; all 's onely sleight of hand , Or our Law-learning , in a Forraine Land ; Embroderie spent on Cobwebs , Braggart show Of Men that all things learne ; and nothing know . For Ostentation , humble Truth still flies , And all confederate fashionists , defies . And as some sharpe-browd Doctor , ( English borne ; ) In much learn'd Latine Idioms can adorne A verse with rare Attractions ▪ yet become His English Muse , like an ●●●ach●ean in Loome , Wrought spight of Pallas ; and therein be●raies More tongue then truth , beggs , and adopts his Bayes ; So Ostentation , hee bee neuer so Larded with labour , to suborne his showe ; Shall soothe within him , but a bastard soule , No more Heauen heyring , then Earths sonne the Moule . But as in dead Calmes , emptiest smokes arise Vncheckt , and free ; vp , strait into the skies ; So drousie Peace , that in her humor steepes All she affects , le ts such rise while she sleepes . Many , and most Men , haue of wealth least store , But None the gracious shame that fits the Pore ; So most learn'd Men , enough are Ignorant ; But few the grace haue , to confesse their want , Till Liues , and Learnings , come concomitant . For from Mens knowledges ▪ their Liues-Acts flowe ▪ Vaine glorious Acts then , vaine proue all they know . As Night , the life-enclining starrs , best showes ; So liues obscure , the starriest soules disclose . For me ; let iust Men iudge by what I show In Acts expos'd , how much I erre , or knowe ▪ And let not Enuie , make all worse then nought With her meere headstrong , and quite braineles thought : Others , for doing nothing ; giuing All ; And bounding all worth in her bursten Gall. God and my deare Redeemer , rescue Me From Mens immane , and mad Impietie ; And by my life and soule , ( sole knowne to them ) Make me of Palme , or Yew , an Anadem . And so , my sole God , the thrice sacred Trine , Beare all th'Ascription , of all Me and Mine . Sine honore viuam , Nulloque Numero ero . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A03505-e100 A fimile illustrating the most renownd seruice of Generall Noris in his Retreate before Gant , neuer before made sacred to Memorie . Vt non fine Maximo fa●●re Dei comparari n●queat . Pla. in Ioue . Notes for div A03505-e2040 a Intending Men : being diuided from all other creatures , by the voice , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being a pe●●phrasis signifying v●ce di●isus , of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuido , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vox . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Genas & buccas infl●n● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , qui ex luto nascitu● . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Aquarum Regina . b The riuer Po , in Italie . c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Gather-crum , or rauish-crum . d Sheare-crust . e Lick-mill . f Bacon-flitch-deuourer , or gnawer . f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Extenso & promisso Peplo amictus . A metaphor taken from ladies veiles , or traines , and therefore their names are here added . g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liuering puddings white skind . h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose commō exposition is onely Varijs , when it properly signifies , Ex omni solo . i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Angustus . a Lick-dish . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Interfectrix . Perditrix . b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Elaborate concinno . g Enter-pot , or Serch-pot . h Cheese-miner . Qui caseum rodendo cauat . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aping or imitating vs. b Boot's of warre . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Lanas , eo quod colus cingant se● coronent . Which our learned sect translate eating the crownes that Pallas wore . b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Partus et id quod partu ●●●dit Mater . Metap . hic appellatur f●●nus quod ex vsura ad nos redit . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 C●lex vi●arius . b Lowd-mouth . c Kitchen-vessell licker . d Hole-dweller . Qui for 〈…〉 . * Mud-borne . a Beet-deuourer . b The great bread-●ater . c The great Noise-maker , shrill or bigg-voic't . d The lake-louer . e Qui lambit culinaria vasa . f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intentissime dirigo , vt certum ictum inferam . g The cabbage-eater . h Paludis Incola . Lake-liuer . i Qui in Calamintha herba palustra habitat . k Bacon-eater . l Qui Aquit delectatur . m Collup-deuourer . n Mudd-●loeper . o Leeke-or scalion louer . p Kitchin smell , hanter , or hunter . q Fennstalker . r Qui per lutum it . a Vociferator . b Eate-corne . c Scallian-deuourer . d Bread-betraier . e Scrap or broken-meat-eater . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Validus se●● potens in retinendo . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Incudes ferentes : Or Anuile-back't . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Incus , dicta per syncopen , quasi nullis Ictibus fatigetio . b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forcipem in ●re habens . Notes for div A03505-e31080 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Altissimum habens virticem , cuiuss●mmitas ipsum polum ●●●●ngit . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuius Memoria erit perpetua . Notes for div A03505-e46630 Homer intimated in this his Answer to Thestorides , A will to haue him learne , The knowledge of himselfe , before hee enquir'd so curiously the causes of other things . And from hence , had the great Peripatetique ( Themistius ) his most graue Epiphoneme , Anima quae seipsam ignorat , quid sciret ipsa de alijs ? And therefore ( according to Aristotle ) aduises all Philosophicall Students , to beginne with that Studie . Notes for div A03505-e48570 Supplico tibi Domine , Pater et Dux rationis nostrae ; vt Nostrae Nobilitatis recordemur , qua tu nos ornasti ; et vt tu nobis prestò sis , vt jis qui per sese mouentur ; vt et à Corporis contagio , Brutorumque affectuum repurgemur ; ●osque superemus , atque regamus ; et , sicut decet ; pro instrumentis jis vtamur . Deinde , vt nobis Adiuneto sis ; ad accuratam rationis nostrae correctionem ; et coniunctionem cum jis qui verè sunt , per lucem veritatis . Et tertiùm , Saluatori supplex oro ; vt ab oculis animorum nostrorum , caliginem prorsus ab●tergas ; vt norimus bene , qui Deus , aut Mortalis habendus , Amen .