the CROWN of all HOMER'S WORKS Batrachomyomachia Or the (Battle of Frogs and Mice. His Hymns— and— Epigrams Translated according to yᵉ. Original By George Chapman.  
London, Printed by john Bill, his MAJESTY'S Printer.   

TO MY EVER MOST-WORTHIE-TO-BE-MOST HONOURED LORD, THE EARL OF SOMERSET, etc.  
NOt forced by fortune; but since your free mind  
(Made by affliction) rests in choice resigned  
To calm Retreat; laid quite beneath the wind  
Of Grace, and Glory: I well know, my Lord,  
You would not be entitled to a word  
That might a thought remove from your Repose,  
To thunder and spit Flames, as Greatness does;  
For all the Trumpets, that still tell where he goes.  
Of which Trumpets, Dedication being One,  
Me thinks I see you start to hear it blown.  
But this is no such Trump as summons Lords,  
'Gainst Envy's steel, to draw their leaden swords,  
Or 'gainst Hare-lipt Detraction, Contempt,  
All which, from all Resistance stand exempt,  
It being as hard to sever Wrong from Merit,  
As meate-indude, from blood; or blood from spirit.  
Nor in the spirits Chariot rides the soul  
In bodies chaste, with more divine control;  
Nor virtue shines more in a lovely Face;  
Then true desert, is stuck off with Disgrace.  
And therefore truth itself that had to bless  
The merit of it all, Almightiness;  
Would not protect it, from the Bane and Ban  
Of all Moods most distraught, and Stygian;  
As counting it the Crown of all Desert,  
Borne to Heaven, to take of Earth, no part  
Of false joy here, for joyes-there-endlesse troth,  
Nor sell his Birthright for a mess of Broth.  
But stay and still sustain, and his Bliss bring,  
Like to the hatching of the Black-thornes spring,  
With bitter frosts, and smarting haile-stormes forth;  
Fates love Bees labours; only Pain crowns Worth.  
This Dedication calls no Greatness then,  
To patron this Greatnes-creating Pen;  
Nor you to add to your dead calm a breath;  
For those armed Angels, that in spite of death  
Inspired those flowers that wrought this poet's wreath  
Shall keep it ever, Poesy's steepest Star,  
As, in Earth's flaming walls, Heavens sevenfold Carr,  
(From all the winds of Neptune's watery sphere)  
For ever guards the Erymanthian Bear.  
Since than your Lordship, settles in your shade  
A life retired; and no Retreat is made  
But to some strength; (for else, 'tis no Retreat,  
But rudely running from your Battle's heat)  
I give this, as your strength: your strength, my Lord,  
In Counsels and Examples, that afford  
More Guard, then whole Hosts of corporeal power,  
And more deliverance, teach the fatal Hour.  
Turn not your medicine then, to your disease,  
By your too set, and slight repulse of these,  
The Adjuncts of your matchless Odyss●s;  
Since on that wisest mind of Man, relies  
Refuge from all lives Infelicities.  
Nor sing these, such division from them;  
But that these spinn the thread of the same stream,  
From oneself Distaffs stuff: for Poesy's Pen  
(Through all themes) is t'inform the lives of Men:  
All whose Retreats, need strengths of all degrees;  
Without which; (had you even Herculean knees;)  
Your foes fresh Charges, would, at length prevail,  
To leave your Noblest sufferance, no lest sail.  
Strength then, the Object is of all Retreats;  
Strength needs no friends trust; strength, your foes defeats.  
Retire to strength then, of eternal things,  
And y'are eternal; for our knowing Spring's  
Flow into those things that we truly know;  
Which (being Eternal) we are rendered so.  
And though your high-fixt Light pass infinite far  
Th'adviceful Guide, of my still-trembling Star;  
Yet hear what my discharged Piece must foretell,  
Standing your Poor, and Perdue Sentinel.  
King's may perhaps wish, even your Beggar's Voice  
To their Eternity's; how scorned a choice  
Soever, now it lies; And (dead I) may  
Extend your life to lights extremest Ray.  
If not; your Homer yet, past doubt shall make,  
Immortal, like himself, your Bounty's stake  
Put in my hands, to propagate your Fame,  
Such virtue reigns in such united Name.  
Retire to him then, for advice, and skill  
To know, things called worst, Best; and Best most ill.  

A fimile illustrating the most renowned service of General Noris in his Retreat before Gant, never before made sacred to Memory.  Which known; truths best choose; and retire to still.  
And as our English General, (whose Name  
Shall equal interest find in T'House of Fame,  
With all Earth's great'st Commanders) in Retreat  
To Belgian Gant, stood all Spain's Armies heat,  
By Parma led; though but one thousand strong:  
Three miles together thrusting through the throng  
Of Th'enemies Horse, (still pouring on their Fall  
'twixt him & home) & thundered through them all:  
The gallic Monsiour standing on the wall,  
And wondering at his dreadful Discipline;  
Fired with a Valour, that spit spirit Divine:  
In five Battaillons randging all his Men;  
Bristled with Pikes, and flanked with Flankers ten;  
Gave fire still in his Rear, retired and wrought,  
Down to his fixed strength still: retired and ●ought;  
All the Battaillons of the Enemy's Horse  
Storming upon him still, their fieriest Force;  
Charge upon Charge laid fresh: he fresh as day  
Repulsing all; and forcing glorious way  
Into the Gates; that gasped (as swoons for Air)  
And took their life in, with untouched Repair:  
So fight out (sweet Earl) your Retreat in Peace;  
No ope-warr equals that, where privy Press  
Of never-numberd odds of Enemy  
Armed all by Envy, in blind Ambush lie,  
To rush out, like an open threatening sky,  
Broke all in Meteors round about your ears.  
'Gainst which, (though far from hence) through all your Reres  
Have fires prepared; wisdom, with wisdom flank,  
And all your forces randge in present rank;  
Retiring as you now fought in your strength,  
From all the Force laid, in times utmost length,  
To charge, and basely, come on you behind.  
The Doctrine of all which, you here shall find,  
And, in the true Glass of a humane Mind.  
Your Odysseys; the Body letting see  
All his life past, through Infelicity,  
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 Orb of Man;  
Which never darkness most Cimmerian  
Can give Eclipse; since (blind) He all things saw  
And to all, ever since, lived Lord, and Law.  
And though our mere-learned men; & Modern wise  
Taste not poor Poesy's Ingenuities,  
Being crusted with their covetous Leprosies;  
But hold her pains, worse than the spider's work,  
And lighter than the shadow of a Cork;  
Yet th'ancient learned; heat with celestial fire,  
Affirms her flames so sacred and entire;  

Vt non fine Maximo fa●●re Dei comparari n●queat. Pla. in jove.  That, not without God's greatest grace she can  
Fall in the wid'st Capacity of Man.  
If yet, the vile Soul of this Verminous time;  
Love more the Sale-Muse; and the Squirrels chime,  
Then this full sphere of Poesy's sweetest Prime;  
Give them unenuied, their vain vein, and vent;  
And rest your wings, in his approved ascent  
That yet was never reached; nor ever fell  
Into affections bought with things that sell  
Being the Suns Flower; and wrapped so in his sky,  
He cannot yield to every Candle's eye.  
Whosemost worthy Discoveries, to your Lordship's judicial Perspective in most subdued Humility submitteth, George Chapman.   

The occasion of this Imposed CROWN.  
AFter this not only Prince of Poets, but Philosophers, had written his two great Poems, of Iliads & Odysseys; which (for their first Lights borne before all Learning) were worthily called the Sun and Moon of the Earth; (finding no compensation) he writ, in contempt of Men, this ridiculous Poem of Vermin, giving them Nobility of Birth, valorous elocution not inferior to his Heroes. At which the Gods themselves put in amaze, called Counsels about their assistance of either Army, and the justice of their Quarrels, even to the mounting of ●oues Artillery against them, and discharge of his threeforckt flashes: and all for the devouring of a Mouse. After which sleight and only recreative touch, he betook him seriously to the honour of the Gods; in Hymn's resounding all their peculiar Titles, jurisdiction, and Dignities; which he illustrates at all parts, as he had been continually conversant amongst them: and whatsoever authentic Poesy he omitted in the Episods, contained in his Iliads and Odysseys; he comprehends and concludes in his Hym'ns and Epigrams. Al his observance and honour of the Gods, rather moved their envies against him, than their rewards, or respects of his endeavours. And so like a Man verecundi ingenij (which he witnesseth of himself) he lived unhonord and needy till his death; yet notwithstanding all men's servile and manacled Miseries, to his most absolute and neuer-equalled Merit; yea even bursten profusion to Imposture and Impiety; ●eare our-ever-the Same intranced, and never-sleeping Master of the Muses, to his last accent, incomparably singing.   

BATRAXOMYOMAXIA.  
Entering the fields, first let my Vows call on  
The Muse's whole Choir out of Helicon  
Into my Heart; for such a Poems sake,  
As lately I did in my Tables take,  
And put into report, upon my knees.  
A fight so fierce, as might in all degrees  
Fit Mars himself, and his tumultuous hand,  
Glorying to dart to th'ears of every land  
Of all the 
a Intending Men: being divided from all other creatures, by the voice, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being a periphrasis signifying unce di●isus, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divido, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vox.  voice-devided; And to show  
How bravely did both Frogs and Mice bestow  
In glorious fight their forces; even the deeds  
Daring to imitate of earth's Giant-seedes.  
Thus then, men talked; this seed the strife begat:  
The Mouse, once dry; and scap't the dangerous Cat;  
Drenched in the neighbour lake, her tender berde,  
To taste the sweetness of the wave it rer'de.  
The farre-fam'de Fen-affecter (seeing him) said;  
Ho? Stranger? what are you? And whence, that tread  
This shore of ours? who brought you forth? reply,  
What truth may witness, lest I find, you lie.  
If worth fruition of my love, and me;  
I'll have thee home; and Hospitality  
Of feast, and gift; good and magnificent  
Bestow on thee: For all this Confluent  
Resounds my Royalty; my Name, the great  
In blowne-up count'nances; and looks of threat,  

* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Genas & buccas infl●n●.  Physignathus; adored of all Frogs here  
All their day's durance; And the Empire bear  
Of all their Being's. Mine own Being, begot  
By royal 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, qui ex luto nascitu●.  Peleus; mixed in nuptial knot,  
With fair 
a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Aquarum Regina.  Hydromedusa; On the Bounds  
Near which 
b The river Po, in Italy.  Eridanus, his Race resounds.  
And Thee, mine Eye, makes my Conceit inclined  
To reckon powerful, both in form, and Mind:  
A Scepter-bearer; And past others far,  
Advanced in all the fiery Fights of war.  
Come then, Thy race, to my renown commend.  
The Mouse made answer; why inquires my friend?  
For what so well, know men and Deities,  
And all the winged affecters of the skies?  

c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Gather-crum, or ravish-crum.  Psycharpax, I am called; 
d Sheare-crust.  Troxartes seed;  
Surnam'de the Mighty-Minded: She that freed  
Mine eyes from darkness; was 
e Lick-mill.  Lichomyle,  
King 
f Bacon-flitch-devourer, or gnawer.  Pternotroctes Daughter; showing me  
Within an aged hovel, the young light:  
Fed me with figs, and nuts; and all the height  
Of varied viands. But unfold the cause,  
Why, against similitudes most equal laws  
(Observed in friendship) thou mak'st me thy friend?  
Thy life, the waters only help t'extend.  
Mine, whatsoever, men are used to eat,  
Takes part with them, at shore: their purest cheat,  
Thrice bolted, kneaded, and subdued in past,  
In clean round kymnels; cannot be so fast  
From my approaches kept; but in I eat:  
Nor Cheesecakes full, of finest Indian wheat,  
That 
f 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Extenso & promisso Peplo amictus.  
A metaphor taken from lady's veils, or trains, and therefore their names are here added.   Crustie-weedes wear, large as Lady's trains:  

g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Livering puddings white skinned.  Lyuring, (white-skind as Ladies:) nor the strains  
Of pressed milk, renneted; Nor collops cut,  
Fresh from the flitch: Nor junkets such as put  
Palates divine in Appetite: nor any  
Of all men's delicates; thought ne'er so many  
Their Cooks devose them, who each dish see decked  
With all the dainties 
h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose common exposition is only Varijs, when it properly signifies, Ex omni solo.  all strange soils affect.  
Yet am I not so sensual, to fly  
Of fields embattaild, the most fiery cry:  
But rush out straight; and with the first in sight,  
Mix in adventure: No man with affright  
Can daunt my forces; though his body be  
Of never so immense a quantity.  
But making up, even to his bed, access;  
His fingers ends dare with my teeth compress:  
His feet taint likewise; and so soft seize both,  
They shall not taste Th'Impression of a tooth.  
Sweet sleep shall hold his own, in every eye  
Where my tooth takes his tartest liberty:  
But two there are, that always, far and near  
Extremely still, control my force with fear;  
(The Cat, and Night-Hawke) who much scathe confer  
On all the Outraies, where for food I err.  
Together with the 
i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Angustus.  streights-still-keeping Trap;  
Where lurks deceitful and set-spleend Mishap.  
But most of all the Cat constrains my fear;  
Being ever apt t'assault me every where:  
For by that hole, that hope says, I shall scape,  
At that hole ever, she commits my Rape.  
The best is yet, I eat no potherb grass,  
Nor Radishes; nor Coloquintida's:  
Nor Still-greene; Beets, nor Parsley: which you make  
Your dainties still, that live upon the lake.  
The Frog replied: Stranger? your boasts creep all  
Upon their bellies; though to our lives fall;  
Much more miraculous meats, by lake and land:  
jove tendering our lives with a twofold hand;  
Enabling us to leap ashore for food,  
And hide us straight in our retreatfull flood:  
Which if your will serve; you may prove with ease.  
I'll take you on my shoulders: which fast seize,  
If safe arrival at my house y'intend.  
He stooped; and thither spritelie did ascend,  
Clasping his golden neck, that easy seat  
Gave to his sally: who was jocund yet;  
Seeing the safe harbours of the King so ne'er;  
And he, a swimmer so exempt from Pere.  
But when he sunk into the purple wave;  
He mourned extremely; and did much deprave  
Unprofitable penitence: His hair▪  
Tore by the roots up, laboured for the air,  
With his feet fetched up to his belly, close:  
His heart within him, panted out repose,  
For th'insolent plight, in which his state did stand:  
Sighed bitterly, and longed to greet the land,  
Forced by the dire Need, of his freezing fear.  
First on the waters, he his tail did steer  
Like to a Stern: then drew it like an ore,  
Still praying the Gods to set him safe ashore:  
Yet sunk he midst the red waves, more and more,  
And laid a throat out, to his utmost height:  
Yet in forced speech, he made his peril sleight;  
And thus his glory with his grievance strove;  
Not in such choice state was the charge of love  
Borne by the Bull; when to the Cretan shore  
He swum Europa through the wavie roar;  
As this Frog ferries me; His pallid breast  
Bravely advancing; and his verdant crest  
(Submitted to my seat) made my support,  
Through his white waters, to his royal Court.  
But on the sudden did appearance make  
An horrid spectacle; a watersnake  
Thrusting his freckeld neck above the lake.  
Which (seen to both) away Physignathus  
Dived to his deeps; as no way conscious  
Of whom, he left to perish in his lake;  
But shunned black fate himself; and let him take  
The blackest of it: who amids the Fenn  
Swum with his breast up; hands held up in vain,  
Cried Peep, and perished: sunk the waters oft,  
And often with his sprawling, came aloft;  
Yet no way kept down deaths relentless force:  
But (full of water) made an heavy Corpse.  
Before he perished yet, he threatened thus;  
Thou lurk'st not yet from heaven (Physignathus)  
Though yet thou hidest here, that hast cast from thee  
(As from a Rock,) the shipwrackt life of me.  
Though thou thyself, no better was than I  
(O worst of things) at any faculty;  
Wrestling or race: but for thy perfidy  
In this my wrack; jove bears a wreakful eye:  
And to the Host of Miso, thou pains shalt pay  
Past all evasion. This, his life let say,  
And left him to the waters. Him beheld,  

a Lick-dish.  Lichopinax; placed in the pleasing field:  
Who shricked extremely; ran and told the Mice;  
Who, having heard his watery destinies;  
Pernicious anger pierced the hearts of all;  
And than their Heralds, forth they sent to call  
A council early, at Troxartes house,  
Sad father of this fatal shipwrecked Mouse:  
Whose dead Corpse, upwards swum along the lake;  
Nor yet (poor wretch) could be enforced to make  
The shore, his harbour; but the mid-Maine swum:  
When now (all haste made) with first morn did come  
All to set council; in which, first raised head,  
Troxartes, angry for his son; and said;  
O Friends, though I alone may seem to bear  
All the infortune; yet may all met here  
Account it their case. But ti's true, I am  
In chief unhappy; that a triple flame  
Of life, feel put forth, in three famous sonnès;  
The first, the chief in our confusions  
(The Cat) made rape of; caught without his hole:  
The second; Man, made with a cruel soul,  
Brought to his ruin, with a newfound sleight;  
And a most wooden engine of deceit,  
They term a Trap; mere 
a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Interfectrix. Perditrix.  Murderess of our Mice.  
The last that in my love held special prize,  
And his rare mothers; this Physignathus  
(With false pretext of wafting to his house;)  
Strange led in chief deeps, of his bloody stream.  
Come then; haste all, and issue out on them,  
Our bodies decked, in our Dedalean arms.  
This said; his words thrust all up in alarms;  
And Mars himself, that serves the cure of war;  
Made all in their Appropriats' circular.  
First on each leg, the green shales of a Bean,  
They closed for Boötes; that sat 
b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Elaborate concinno.  exceeding clean:  
The shales they broke open, Bootehaling by night,  
And eat the beans: Their jacks; Art exquisite  
Had shown in them; being Cat-skins, every where  
Quilted with quills: Their fencefull bucklers were,  
The middle rounds of Can'sticks; but their spear  
A huge long Needle was; that could not bear  
The brain of any; but be Mars his own  
Mortal invention. Their heads arming Crown  
Was vessel to the kernel of a nut:  
And thus the Mice, their powers in armour put.  
This, the frogs hearing; From the water, all  
Issue to one place; and a council call  
Of wicked war; consulting what should be  
Cause to this murmur, and strange mutiny.  
While this was questioned; near them made his stand  
An Herald with a Sceptre in his hand,  
(
g Enter-pot, or Serch-pot.  Embasichytrus called) that fetched his kind,  
From 
h Cheese-miner. Qui caseum rodendo cavat.  Tyroglyphus, with the mighty mind;  
Denouncing ill-named war, in these high terms;  
O Frogs? the Miso, sends threats to you of arms  
And bid me bid ye Battle; and fixed fight;  
Their eyes all wounded with Psycharpax sight,  
Floating your waters, whom your king hath killed.  
And therefore all prepare for force of field,  
You that are best borne, whosoever held.  
This said; he severed; his speech firing th'ears  
Of all the Mice; but freesed the Frogs with fears,  
Themselves conceiting guilty; whom the King  
Thus answered (rising.) Friends? I did not bring  
Psycharpax to his end; He, wantoning  
Upon our waters, practising to swim,  

a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aping or imitating us.  Ap'te us, and drowned; without my sight of him.  
And yet these worst of Vermin, accuse me  
Though no way guilty. Come, consider we  
How we may ruin these deceitful Miso.  
For my part; I give voice to this advice;  
As seeming fittest to direct our deeds.  
Our bodies decking with our arming weeds;  
Let all our Powers stand raised in steep'st repose  
Of all our shore; that when they charge us close;  
We may the helms snatch off, from all so decked,  
Daring our onset; and them all direct  
Down to our waters. Who not knowing the sleight  
To dive our soft deeps, may be strangled straight;  
And we triumphing, may a Trophy rear,  
Of all the Mice, that we have slaughtered here.  
These words put all in arms; and mallow leaves  
They drew upon their legs, for arming 
b boot of war.  Greaves.  
Their Curets; broad green Beets; their bucklers were  
Good thick-leaued Cabbadge; proof 'gainst any spe're.  
Their spears, sharp Bulrushes; of which, were all  
Fitted with long ones. Their parts Capital  
They hid in subtle Cockleshells from blows.  
And thus, all armed; the steepest shores they chose,  
T'encamp themselves; where lance with lance, they lined;  
And brandished bravely; each Frogg full of Mind.  
Then jove called all Gods, in his flaming Throne  
And showed all, all this preparation  
For resolute war. These able soldiers,  
Many, and great; all shaking lengthfull spe'res:  
In show like Centaurs; or the Giants Host.  
When (sweetly smiling,) he enquired who, most  
Of all th'immortals, pleased to add their aid  
To Frogs or Mice: and thus to Pallas said;  
O daughter? Must not you, needs aid these Mice?  
That with the Odours, and meat sacrifice  
Used in your Temple, endless triumphs make;  
And serve you, for your sacred victles sake?  
Pallas replied; O Father, never I  
Will aid the Mice, in any misery.  
So many mischiefs by them, I have found;  

a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Lanas, eo quod colus cingant se● coronent. Which our learned sect translate eating the crowns that Pallas wore.  Eating the Cotten, that my distaffs crowned;  
My lamps still banting, to devour the oil.  
But that which most my mind eats, is their spoil  
Made of a veil, that me in much did stand:  
On which, bestowing an elaborate hand;  
A fine woof working; of as pure a thread;  
Such holes therein, their Petulancies fed;  
That, putting it to darning; when 'twas done;  
The darner, a most dear pay stood upon  
For his so dear pains; laid down instantly;  

b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Partus et id quod partu ●●●dit Mater. Metap. hic appellatur f●●nus quod ex usura ad nos redit.  Or (to forbear) exacted usury.  
So, borrowing from my Fane, the weed I wove;  
I can by no means, th'usurous darner, move  
To let me have the mantle to restore.  
And this is it, that rubs the angry sore  
Of my offence took, at these petulant Miso.  
Nor will I yield, the Frogs wants, my supplies,  
For their infirm minds; that no confines keep;  
For I, from war retired; and wanting sleep;  
All leapt ashore in tumult; nor would stay  
Till one wink seized mine eyes: and so I lay  
Sleepless, and pain'de with headache; till first light  
The Cock had crowed up. Therefore, to the fight  
Let no God go assistant; lest a lance  
Wound whosoever offers to advance;  
Or wishes but their aid; that scorn all foes;  
Should any God's access, their spirits oppose.  
Sat we then pleased, to see from heaven, their fight.  
She said; and all Gods joined in her delight.  
And now, both Hosts, to one field drew the jar;  
Both Heralds bearing the ostents of war.  
And then the 
a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 C●lex vi●arius.  wine-Gnats, that shrill Trumpets sound  
Terribly rung out, the encounter, round.  
jove thundered; all heaven, sad wars sign resounded.  
And first, 
b Lowd-mouth.  Hypsiboas, 
c Kitchen-vessell licker.  Lychenor wounded,  
Standing th'impression of the first in fight.  
His lance did, in his Lyvers midsts alight,  
Along his belly. Down he fell; his face,  
His fall on that part swayed; and all the grace  
Of his soft hair, filled with disgraceful dust.  
Then 
d Hole-dweller. Qui for 〈…〉.  Troglodytes, his thick iaveline thrust  
In 
* Mud-borne.  Pelions bosom; bearing him to ground:  
Whom sad death seized; his soul flew through his wound.  

a Beet-devourer.  Sentlaeus next, Embasichytros slew;  
His heart through thrusting: then 
b The great bread-●ater.  Artophagus threw  
His lance at 
c The great Noise-maker, shrill or bigg-voiced.  Polyphon; and struck him quite  
Through his midd-bellie: down he fell upright:  
And from his fair limbs, took his soul her flight.  

d The lake-lover.  Lymnocharis beholding Polyphon  
Thus done to death; did with as round a stone  
As that the mill turns; Troglodytes wound  
Near his mid-neck; ere he his onset found:  
Whose eyes, sad darkness seized. 
e Qui lambit culinaria vasa.  Lychenor cast  
A flying dart off, and his aim so placed  
Upon Lymnocharis; that 
f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intentissime dirigo, ut certum ictum inferam.  Sure he thought  
The wound he wished him: nor untruely wrought  
The dire success; for through his Lyver flew  
The fatal lance; which when 
g The cabbage-eater.  Crambaphagus knew;  
Down the deep waves near shore; he, diving, fled;  
But fled not fate so; the stern enemy fed  
Death with his life in diving: never more  
The air he drew in; his Vermillion gore  
Stained all the waters; and along the shore  
He lay extended; his fat entrailes lay  
(By his small guts impulsion) breaking way  
Out at his wound. 
h Paludis Incola. Lake-liver.  Lymnisius, near the shore  
Destroyed Tyroglyphus: which frighted sore  
The soul of 
i Qui in Calamintha herba palustra habitat.  Calaminth; seeing coming on  
(For wreak) 
k Bacon-eater.  Pternoglyphus: who got him gone  
With large leaps to the lake; his Target thrown  
Into the waters. 
l Qui Aquit delectatur.  Hydrocharis slew  
King 
m Collup-devourer.  Pternophagus, at whose throat he threw  
A huge stone; struck it high; and beat his brain  
Out at his nostrils: earth blushed, with the stain  
His blood made on her bosom. For next Prize;  
Lichopinax, to death did sacrifice  

n Mudd-●loeper.  Borborocoetes faultless faculties;  
His lance enforced it; darkness closed his eyes.  
On which when 
o Leeke-or scallion lover.  Brassophagus, cast his look;  

p Kitchen smell, hanter, or hunter.  Cnisodioctes, by the heels he took;  
Dragged him to fenn, from off his native ground;  
Then seized his throat, and soused him, till he drowned.  
But now; Psycharpax wreaks his fellows deaths;  
And in the bosom of 
q Fennstalker.  Pelusius sheaths,  
(In centre of his Lyver) his bright lance:  
He fell before the Author of the chance;  
His soul to hell fled. Which 
r Qui per lutum it.  Pelobates  
Taking sad note of; wreakefully did seize  
His hands gripe full of mud; and all besmeared;  
His forehead with it so; that scarce appeared  
The light to him. Which certainly incensed  
His fiery spleen: who, with his wreak dispensed  
No point of time; but rered with his strong hand  
A stone so massy, it oppressed the land;  
And hurled it at him; when, below the knee  
It struck his right leg so impetuouslie;  
It piecemeal broke it; be the dust did seize,  
Upwards everted. But 
a Vociferator.  Craugasides  
Revenged his death; and at his enemy  
Discharged a dart; that did his point imply  
In his mid-bellie. All the sharp-pil'de spear  
Got after in; and did before it bear  
His universal entrailes to the earth,  
Soon as his swollen hand, gave his iaveline birth.  

b Eate-corne.  Sitophagus, beholding the sad sight,  
Set on the shore; went halting from the fight,  
Vexed with his wounds extremely. And to make  
Way from extreme fate, leapt into the lake.  
Troxartes struck, in th'insteps upper part,  
Physignathus; who, (privy to the smart  
His wound imparted) with his utmost haste  
Leapt to the lake, and fled. Troxartes cast  
His eye upon the foe that fell before;  
And, (seeing him halfe-liu'de) longed again to gore  
His gutlesse bosom; and (to kill him quite)  
Ran fiercely at him. Which 
c Scallian-devourer.  Prassaeus sight  
took instant note of; and the first in fight  
Thrust desperate way through; casting, his keen lance  
Off at Troxartes; whose shield turned th'advance  
The sharp head made: & checked the mortal chance.  
Amongst the Mice fought, an Egregiouse  
Young spring all; and a close-encountring Mouse:  
Pure 
d Bread-betraier.  Artepibulus-his dear descent:  
A Prince that Mars himself showed, where he went  
(Called 
e Scrap or broken-meat-eater.  Meridarpax.) Of so huge a might;  
That only He still, dominered in fight,  
Of all the Mouse-Host. He advancing close  
Up to the Lake; past all the rest arose  
In glorious object; and made vaunt that He  
Came to depopulate all the progeny  
Of Frogs, affected with the lance of war.  
And certainly; he had put on as far  
As he advanced his vant; (he was endued  
With so unmatched a force, and fortitude)  
Had not the Father, both of Gods and Men  
Instantly known it; and the Frogs (even then  
Given up to ruin) rescued with remorse.  
Who, (his head moving,) thus began discourse:  
No mean amaze, affects me to behold  
Prince Meridarpax, rage so uncontrolled,  
In thirst of Frogg-blood; all along the lake:  
Come therefore still; and all addression make;  
Dispatching Pallas, with tumultuous Mars,  
Down to the field, to make him leave the wars:  
How 
a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Validus se●● potens in retinendo.  Potently soever he be said,  
Where he attempts once; to uphold his head.  
Mars answered; O jove; neither she nor I  
(With both our aids) can keep depopulacie  
From off the Frogs. And therefore arm we all;  
Even 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 earth's seeds  
So great and so inaccessible deeds  
It hath proclaimed to men; bound hand and foot,  
The vast Enceladus; and raced by th'root  
The race of upland Giants. This speech past;  
Saturnius, a smoking lightning cast  
Amongst the armies; thundering then so sore,  
That with a rapting circumflexe, he bore  
All huge heaven over. But the terrible ire,  
Of his dart, sent abroad, all wrapped in fire,  
(Which certainly, his very finger was)  
Amazed both Mice and Frogs. Yet soon let pass  
Was all this by the Mice: who, much the more;  
Burned in desire t'exterminate the store  
Of all those lance-loued soldiers. Which, had been;  
If, from Olympus, Ioues eye had not seen  
The Frogs with pity; and with instant speed  
Sent them assistants. Who (ere any heed  
Was given to their approach) came crawling on  
With 
a 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Incudes ferentes: Or Anuile-backed.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Incus, dicta per syncopen, quasi nullis Ictibus fatigetio.   Anvils on their backs; that (beat upon  
Never so much) are never wearied, yet:  
Crook-pawd; and wrested on, with foul cloven feet:  

b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forcipem in ●re habens.  Tongues in their mouths: Brick-backt, all over bone,  
Broade-shoulderd; whence a ruddy yellow shone.  
Distorted, and small thighed: had eyes that saw  
Out at their bosoms. Twice four feet did draw  
About their bodies. Strong necked; whence did rise  
Two heads; nor could to any hand be Prise.  
They call them Lobsters; that eat from the Mice,  
Their tails; their feet; and hands; and wrested all  
Their lances from them so; that cold Appall  
The wretches put in rout, past all return.  
And now the Fount of light forbore to burn  
Above the earth. When (which men's laws commend)  
Our Battle, in one day, took absolute end.  
The end of Homer's Battle of Frogs and Mice.   

ALL THE HYMNS OF HOMER. An Hymn to Apollo.  
I Will remember, and express the praise  
Of heavens far-darter, the fair King of days.  
Whom even the Gods themselves fear, when he goes  
Through Ioues high house; and when his goodly bows  
He goes to bend; all from their Thrones arise,  
And cluster near, t'admire his faculties.  
Only Latona, stirs not from her seat  
Close by the Thunderer; till her son's retreat  
From his dread archery; but then she goes;  
Slackens his string; and shuts his Quiver close;  
And (having taken to her hand, his bow,  
From off his able shoulders) doth bestow  
Upon a Pin of gold the glorious tiler;  
The Pin of gold fixed in his Father's Pillar.  
Then doth she to his Throne, his state uphold;  
Where his great Father, in a cup of gold  
Serves him with Nectar; and shows all, the grace  
Of his great son. Then th'other gods take place.  
His gracious mother, glorying to bear  
So great an Archer, and a son so clear.  
All hail (O blessed Latona!) to bring forth  
An issue of such All-out-shining worth,  
Royal Apollo, and the Queen that loves  
The hurls of darts. She in th' Ortygian groves,  
And he, in cliffy Delos; leaning on  
The lofty Oros; and being built upon  
By Cynthus Prominent: that his head rears  
Close to the Palm, that Inops fluent cheers.  
How shall I praise thee? far being worthiest praise?  
(O Phoebus) to whose worth, the law of lays  
In all kinds is ascribed? If feeding flocks  
By Continent, or I'll; all eminen'st rocks  
Did sing for joy: Hill-tops, and floods in song  
Did break their billows, as they flowed along  
To serve the sea. The shores, the seas, and all  
Did sing as soon, as from the lap did fall  
Of blessed Latona, thee the joy of Man.  
Her Childbed made, the mountain Cynthian  
In rocky Delos, the sea-circled Ile:  
On whose all sides, the black seas broke their Pile,  
And over-flowd for joy, so frank a Gale  
The singing winds did on their waves exhale.  
Here borne; all mortals live in thy commands.  
Who ever Crete holds; Athens; or the strands  
Of th'isle Aegina; or the famous land  
For ships (Euboea:) or Eresia;  
Or Peparethus, bordering on the sea.  
Aegas; or Athos, that doth Thrace divide  
And Macedon. Or Pelion, with the pride  
Of his high forehead. Or the Samian Isle;  
That likewise lies near Thrace; or Scyrus soil;  
Ida's steep tops. Or all that Phocis' fill:  
Or Autocanes, with the heaven-high hill:  
Or populous Imber: Lemnos without Ports▪  
Or Lesbos, fit for the divine resorts,  
And sacred soil of blessed Aeolion.  
Or Chius that exceeds comparison  
For fruitfulness: with all the Isles that lie  
Embraced with seas. Mimas, with rocks so high.  
Or Loftie-crownd Corycius; or the bright  
Charos: or Aesagaeus dazzling height:  
Or watery Samos▪ Mycale, that bears  
Her brows even with the circles of the spheres.  
Miletus; Cous; That the City is  
Of voice-divided-choice humanity's.  
High Cnidus; Carpathus, still struck with wind.  
Naxus, and Paros; and the rockie-mind  
Rugged Rhenaea. Yet through all these parts,  
Latona, great-growne, with the King of dares,  
Travailde; and tried, If any would become  
To her dear birth, an hospitable home.  
All which, extremely trembled (shaken with fear)  
Nor durst endure, so high a birth to bear,  
In their free States: though, for it, they became  
Never so fruitful; till the reverend Dame  
Ascended Delos; and her soil did seize  
With these winged words: O Delos! wouldst thou please  
To be my son Apollo's native seat;  
And build a wealthy Fane to one so great:  
No one shall blame, or question thy kind deed.  
Nor think I, thou, dost Sheep or Oxen feed,  
In any such store; Or in vines exceed;  
Nor bring'st forth such innumerable Plants;  
(Which often make the rich Inhabitants  
Careless of Deity.) If thou then shouldst rear  
A Fane to Phoebus: all men would confer  
Whole Hecatombs of beefs for sacrifice,  
Still thronging hither. And to thee would rise  
Ever unmeasured Odours; shouldst thou long  
Nourish thy King thus; and from foreign wrong  
The Gods would guard thee; which thine own address  
Can never compass for thy barrenness.  
She said; and Delos joyed; replying thus:  
Most happy sister of Saturnius?  
I gladly would, with all means entertain  
The King your son; being now despised of men;  
But should be honoured with the greatest then.  
Yet this I fear; Nor will conceal from there;  
Your Son (some say) will author misery  
In many kinds: as being to sustain  
A mighty empire over Gods, and Men,  
Upon the holie-gift-giver the earth.  
And bitterly I fear, that when his birth  
Gives him the sight, of my so barren soil  
He will contemn; and give me up to spoil:  
Enforce the sea to me; that ever will  
Oppress my heart, with many a watery hill.  
And therefore, let him choose some other land,  
Where he shall please; to build at his command  
Temple and Grove, set thick with many a Tree.  
For wretched Polypusses, breed in me  
Retiring chambers; and black sea-calues, Den  
In my poor soil, for penury of Men.  
And yet (O Goddess) wouldst thou please to swear  
The Gods great oath to me, before thou bear  
Thy blessed Son here; that thou wilt erect  
A Fane to him, to render the effect  
Of men's demands to them, before they fall;  
Then will thy son's renown be general;  
Men will his name, in such variety call.  
And I shall, then, be glad, his birth to bear.  
This said; the Gods great oath, she thus did swear:  
Know this (O earth!) broad heavens inferior sphere,  
And of black Styx, the most infernal lake  
(Which is the gravest oath, the Gods can take)  
That here shall ever rise to Phoebus Name  
An odorous Fane, and Altar; and thy fame  
Honour, past all Isles else, shall see him employed.  
Her oath thus took, and ended; Delos joyed  
In mighty measure, that she should become,  
To farr-shot Phoebus' birth the famous home.  
Latona then, nine days and nights did fall  
In hopeless labour: at whose birth were all  
Heaven's most supreme, and worthy Goddesses.  
Dione, Rhaea; and th'exploratress  
(Themis;) and Amphitrite, that will be  
Pursued with sighs still. Every Deity  
Except the snowie-wristed wife of jove:  
Who held her moods aloft; and would not move.  
Only Lucina, (to whose virtue vows  
Each Childbirth patient) heard not of her throws;  
But sat (by Juno's counsel) on the brows  
Of broad Olympus, wrapped in clouds of gold.  
Whom joves proud wife, in envy did withhold;  
Because bright-lockt Latona, was to bear  
A Son so faultless; and enforce so clear.  
The rest (Thaumantia) sent before to bring  
Lucina to release the envied King:  
Assuring her, that they would straight confer  
A Carquenet, nine cubits long, on her,  
All woven with wires of Gold. But charged her then,  
To call apart from th'ivory-wristed Queen  
The child-birth-guiding Goddess; for just fear  
Lest, her charge uttered, in Saturnia's ear;  
She, after, might dissuade her from descent.  
When winde-swift-footed Iris, knew th'intent.  
Of th'other Goddesses; away she went;  
And instantly she passed, the infinite space  
'twixt Earth, and Heaven; when, coming to the place  
Where dwelled th'Immortals; straight without the gate  
She got Lucina; and did all relate  
The Goddesses commanded; and inclined,  
To all that they demanded, her dear Mind.  
And on their way they went, like those two Doves  
That, walking highways, every shadow moves  
Up from the earth; forced with their natural fear.  
When entering Delos; she that is so dear  
To Dames in labour, made Latona straight  
Prone to delivery; and to wield the wait  
Of her dear burden, with a world of ease.  
When, with her fair hand; she a Palm did seize  
And (staying her by it) slucke her tender knees  
Amidst the soft mead; that did smile beneath  
Her sacred labour, and the child did breathe  
The air, in th'instant. All the Goddesses  
Broke in kind tears, and shrieks for her quick ease:  
And Thee (O Archer Phoebus) with waves clear  
Washed sweetly over, swaddled with sincere  
And spotless swath-bands; and made then to flow  
About thy breast, a mantle, white as snow;  
Fine, and new made; and cast a Veil of Gold  
Over thy forehead. Nor yet forth did hold  
Thy mother, for thy food, her golden breast:  
But Themis in supply of it, addressed  
Lovely Ambrosia; and drunk off to thee  
A Bowl of Nectar; interchangeably  
With her immortal fingers, serving thine.  
And when (O Phoebus) that eternal wine  
Thy taste had relished; and that food divine:  
No golden swathband longer could contain  
Thy panting bosom: all that would constrain  
Thy soone-easd Godhead; Every feeble chain,  
Of earthy Child-rights; flew in sunder, all.  
And then didst thou thus, to the Deities call:  
Let there be given me, my loved Lute and Bow;  
I'll prophesy to men; and make them know  
Ioues perfect counsels. This said; up did fly  
From brode-waide Earth, the unshorn Deity,  
Far-shot Apollo. All th'immortals stood  
In steep amaze, to see Latona's brood.  
All Delos, looking on him; all with gold  
Was laden straight; and ioi●d to be extolled  
By great Latona so; that she decreed,  
Her barrenness, should bear the fruitfulst seed  
Of all the Isles, and Continents of earth;  
And loved her, from her heart so, for her birth.  
For so she flourished; as a hill that stood  
Crowned with the flower of an abundant wood:  
And thou (O Phoebus) bearing in thy hand  
Thy silver bow: walkest over every land.  
Sometimes ascend'st the rough-hewne rocky hill  
Of desolate Cynthus: and sometimes tak'st will  
To visit Lands; and the Plumps of men.  
And many a Temple; all ways, men ordain  
To thy bright Godhead: Groves, made dark with Trees,  
And never shorn, to hide ye Deities.  
All high-loued Prospects; all the steepest brows  
Of farr-seene Hills: and every flood that flows  
Forth to the sea; are dedicate to Thee.  
But most of all; thy mind's Alacrity  
Is raised with Delos; since to fill thy Fane  
There flocks so many an Ionian,  
With ample Gowns, that flow down to their feet:  
With all their children; and the reverend Sweet  
Of all their pious wives. And these are they  
That (mindful of thee) even thy Deity  
Render more spritelie, with their Champion fight  
Dances, and songs, performed to glorious sight;  
Once having published, and proclaimed their strife.  
And these are acted with such exquisite life  
That one would say, Now, the Ionian strains  
Are turned Immortals; nor know what Age means.  
His mind would take such pleasure from his eye,  
To see them served, by all Mortality.  
Their men so humane; women so well-graced;  
Their ships so swift; their riches so increased,  
Since thy observance. Who (being all, before  
Thy opposites) were all despised, and poor.  
And to all these, this absolute wonder add,  
Whose praise shall render all posterities glad:  
The Delian Virgins, are thy handmaids, All;  
And, since they served Apollo; jointly fall  
Before Latona, and Diana too  
In sacred service: and do 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 songs.  
Being able, all, to speak the several tongu's  
Of foreign Nations; and to imitate  
Their musics there, with art so fortunate,  
That one would say; there every one did speak,  
And all their tunes, in natural accents break.  
Their songs, so well composed are; and their Art  
To answer all sounds, is of such Desert.  
But come Latona; and thou king of Flames,  
With Phoebe Rectress, of chaste thoughts in Dames;  
Let me salute ye, and your Graces call  
Hereafter to my just memorial.  
And you (O Delian Virgins) do me grace,  
When any stranger of our earthy Race  
Whose restless life, Affliction hath in chase;  
Shall hither come; and question you; Who is  
To your chaste ears, of choicest faculties  
In sacred Poesy; and with most right  
Is Author of your absolut'st delight;  
Ye shall yourselves do, all the right ye can,  
To answer for our Name: The sightless man  
Of stony Chios. All whose Poems, shall  
In all last Ages, stand for Capital.  
This for your own sakes I desire; for I  
Will propagate mine own precedency,  
As far as earth shall well-built cities bear;  
Or humane conversation, is held dear.  
Not with my praise direct; but praises due;  
And men shall credit it, because 'tis true.  
How ever, I'll not cease the praise I vow  
To farre-shot Phoebus, with the silver bow;  
Whom louely-haired Latona gave the light.  
O King? Both Lycia, is in Rule thy Right;  
Fair Moeonie, and the Maritimal  
Miletus; wished to be the seat of all.  
But chiefly Delos, girt with ●illowes round,  
Thy most respected empire doth resound.  
Where thou to Pythus went'st; to answer there,  
(As soon as thou wert borne) the burning ear  
Of many a far-come, to hear future deeds:  
Clad in divine, and odoriferous weeds.  
And with thy Golden Fescue, play'dst upon  
Thy hollow Harp; that sounds to heaven set gone.  
Then to Olympus, swift as thought he flew  
To Ioues high house; and had a retinue  
Of Gods t'attend him. And then straight did fall  
To study of the Harp, and Harpsicall,  
All th'immortals. To Whom, every Muse  
With ravishing voices, did their answers use,  
Singing Th'eternal deeds of Deity.  
And from their hands, what Hells of misery,  
Poor Humans suffer; living desperate quite.  
And not an Art they have; wit, or deceit,  
Can make them manage any Act aright:  
Nor find with all the soul they can engage,  
A salve for Death, or remedy for Age.  
But here, the fayre-hayrd graces; the wise Hours;  
Harmonia, Hebe, and sweet Venus' powers,  
Danced; and each others, Palm, to Palm, did cling.  
And with these, danced not a deformed thing:  
No forspoke Dwarf; nor downward witherling;  
But all, with wondrous goodly forms were decked,  
And moved with Beauties, of vnprised aspect.  
Dart-deare- Diana, (even with Phoebus bred)  
Danced likewise there; and Mars a march did tread,  
With that brave Bevie. In whose consort, fell  
Argicides, th'ingenious Sentinel.  
Phoebus-Apollo, touched his Lute to them;  
Sweetly, and softly: a most glorious beam  
Casting about him, as he danced, and played;  
And even his feet, were all with rays arrayed.  
His weed and all, of a most curious Trymm,  
With no less Luster, graced, and circled him.  
By these, Latona, with a hair that shined  
Like burnished gold; and, (with the Mighty Mind)  
Heaven's Counsellor, (jove;) sat with delightsome eyes  
To see their Son, new ranked with Deities.  
How shall I praise thee then, that art all praise?  
Amongst the Brides, shall I thy Deity raise?  
Or being in love, when, sad, thou went'st to woo  
The Virgin Aza? and didst overthrow  
The evens-with-god, Elations Mighty seed?  
That had of goodly horse, so brave a breed?  
And Phorbas; son of sovereign Triopus;  
Valiant Leucippus, and Ereutheus;  
And Triopus, himself, with equal fall?  
Thou but on foot; and they on horseback all?  
Or shall I sing thee, as thou first didst grace  
Earth with thy foot; to find thee forth a place  
Fit to pronounce thy Oracles to Men?  
First from Olympus, thou alightedst then,  
Into Pieria; Passing all the land  
Of fruitless Lesbos, chok'● with drifts of sand.  
The Magnets likewise, and the Perrhabes?  
And to jolous variedst thy access?  
Cenaeus Topps ascending; that their Base  
Make bright Euboea; being of ships the Grace.  
And fixed thy fair stand, in Lelantus field;  
That did not yet, thy mind's contentment yield,  
To raise a Fane on; and a sacred Grove.  
Passing Eurypus then; thou ma●'st remove  
Up to earth's evergreene, and holiest Hill.  
Yet swiftly, thence too, thou transcendedst still  
To Mycalessus, and didst touch upon  
Teucmessus, apt to make green 〈◊〉 on,  
And flowery field-bedds. Then thy Progress found  
Thebes out; whose soil, with only woods was crowned.  
For yet was sacred Thebes, no humane seat;  
And therefore were no Paths, nor high ways beat  
On her free bosom, that flows now with wheat.  
But then, she only, wore on it, a wood.  
From hence (even loath to part, because it stood  
Fit for thy service) thou puttest on Remove  
To green Onchestus; Neptune's glorious Grove;  
Where new-tamed horse, bred, nourish nerves so rare,  
That still they frolic, though they travailed are  
Never so sore; and hurry after them  
Most heavy Coaches: but are so extreme  
(In usuall-travaile) fierie-and-free;  
That though their cochman, ne'er so masterlie  
Governs their courages; he sometimes must  
Forsake his seat, and give their spirits their lust:  
When, after them, their empty coach they draw,  
Foaming, and Neighing, quite exempt from awe.  
And if their Cocheman, guide through any Grove  
Unshorn, and vowed to any Deities Love:  
The Lords encocht, leap out; and all their care  
Use to allay their fires, with speaking fair;  
Stroking, and trimming them; and in some queach,  
(Or strength of shade) within their nearest reach,  
Reigning them up; invoke the deified King  
Of that unshorn, and everlasting spring;  
And leave them then, to her preserving hands,  
Who is the Fate, that there, the God commands.  
And this was first, the sacred fashion there.  
From hence thou went'st (O thou in shafts past Pere)  
And found'st Cephyssus, with thy allseeing beams;  
Whose flood affects, so many silver streams;  
And from Lylaeus, pours so bright a wave.  
Yet forth thy foot flew, and thy fair eyes gave  
The view of Ocale, the rich in towers;  
Then, to Amartus, that abounds in flowers.  
Then to Delphusa, puttest thy progress on,  
Whose blessed soil, nought harm fall breeds upon.  
And there, thy pleasure, would a Fane adorn  
And nourish woods, whose shades should ne'er be shorn.  
Where, this thou told'st her; standing to her close:  
Delphusa? here I entertain suppose  
To build a farr-famed Temple; and ordain  
An Oracle t'inform the minds of Men:  
Who shall for ever, offer to my love  
Whole Hecatombs. Even all the men that move  
In rich Peloponesus; and all those  
Of Europe; and the Isles the seas enclose;  
Whom future search of Acts, and Being's brings:  
To whom I'll prophesy the truths of things  
In that rich Temple, where my Oracle sings.  
This said; The all-bounds-reacher, with his bow,  
The Phanes divine foundations did foreshow;  
Ample they were; and did huge length impart;  
With a continuate Tenor, full of Art.  
But when Delphusa looked into his end;  
Her heart grew angry, and did thus extend  
Itself to Phoebus: Phoebus? since thy mind  
A farr-famed Fane, hath in itself designed,  
To bear an Oracle to men, in me;  
That Hecatombs, may put in fire to thee;  
This let me tell thee, and impose for stay  
Upon thy purpose: Th'Inarticulate neye  
Of fire-houed horse, will ever disobaie  
Thy numerous ear; and mules will for their drink  
Trouble my sacred springs; and I should think  
That any of the humane Race, had rather  
See here, the burreys of rich Coaches gather,  
And hear the haughty Neys of swift-houed horse,  
Than (in his pleasure's place) convert recourse  
T'a Mighty Temple; and his wealth bestow  
On Piety's; where his sports may freely flow,  
Or see huge wealth, that he shall never owe.  
And therefore, (wouldst thou bear, my free advice;  
Though Mightier fare thou art, and much more wise  
O King, than I; thy power being great'st of all)  
In Crissa, underneath the bosoms fall  
Of steep Paranassus; let thy mind be given  
To set thee up a Fane; where never driven  
Shall glorious Coaches be, nor horses Neys  
Storm near thy well-built Altars; but thy praise  
Let the fair race of pious Humans bring,  
Into thy Fane, that jo-paeans sing.  
And those gifts only let thy Deified mind  
Be circularly pleased with; being the kind  
And fayre-burnt-offrings, that true Deities bind.  
With this; His mind she altered; though she spoke  
Not for his good; but her own glories sake.  
From hence (O Phoebus) first thou mad'st retreat;  
And of the Phlegians, reached the walled seat;  
Inhabited with contumelious Men:  
Who, slighting jove; took up their dwellings then  
Within a large Cave, near Cephyssus Lake.  
Hence, swiftly moving; thou all speed didst make  
Up to the tops intended; and the ground  
Of Crissa, under the-with-snowe-still crowned  
(Parnassus) reached; whose face affects the west:  
Above which, hangs, a rock that still seems pressed  
To fall upon it; through whose breast doth run  
A rocky Cave, near which, the King the Sun  
Cast to contrive a Temple to his mind;  
And said; Now here, stands my conceit inclined  
To build a famous Fane, 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 Isles that lie  
Walled with the sea; That all their pains apply  
T'employ my counsels. To all which will I  
True secrets tell, by way of Prophecy,  
In my rich Temple; that shall ever be  
An Oracle, to all Posterity.  
This said; the Phanes form he did straight present,  
Ample, and of a length of great extent;  
In which Trophonius, and Agamede  
(Who of Erginus, were the famous seed)  
Imposed the stony Entry: and the Heart  
Of every God had, for their excellent Art.  
About the Temple dwelled, of humane Name  
Unnumbered Nations; it acquired such Fame;  
Being all of stone, built for eternal date;  
And near it did a Fountain propagate  
A fair stream far away; when Ioues bright seed,  
(The King Apollo) with an arrow, (freed  
From his strong string) destroyed the Dragonesse  
That Wonder nourished; being of such excess  
In size, and horridness of monstrous shape,  
That on the forced earth, she wrought many a rape;  
Many a spoil, made on it; many an ill  
On crooke-hancht Herds brought; being impurpled still  
With blood of all sorts: Having undergone  
The charge of juno, with the golden Throne,  
To nourish Typhon the abhorred affright  
And bane of mortals. Whom, into the light  
Saturnia brought forth, being incensed with jove;  
Because the most renowned fruit of his love  
(Pallas) he got, and shook out of his brain.  
For which; Majestic juno, did complain  
In this kind, to the blessed Court of the skies;  
Know all ye sex-distinguisht Deities;  
That jove (assembler of the cloudy throng)  
Begins with me first; and affects with wrong  
My right in him; made by himself, his wife;  
That knows and does the honoured marriage life,  
All honest offices; and yet hath he  
Vndulie got, without my company  
Blew-eyd Minerva: who of all the sky  
Of blessed Immortals is the absolute Grace.  
Where, I have brought into the heavenly Race,  
A Son, both taken in his feet and head;  
So oughly; and so far from worth my bed,  
That (ravished into hand) I took and threw  
Down to the vast sea, his detested view.  
Where Nereus Daughter Thetis; (who, her way  
With silver feet makes, and the fair array  
Of her bright sisters) saved, and took to guard.  
But, would to heaven, another, yet, were spared,  
The like Grace of his Godhead. (Crafty mate)  
What other scape canst thou excogitate?  
How could thy hairs sustain to get alone,  
The grey-eyed Goddess? her conception,  
Nor bringing forth, had any hand of mine;  
And yet know all the Gods, I go, for thine  
To such kind uses. But I'll now employ  
My brain to procreate a masculine joy;  
That'mongst th'immortals, may as eminent shine;  
With shame affecting, nor my bed, nor thine;  
Nor will I, ever, touch at thine again;  
But far, fly it, and thee: and yet will reign  
Amongst th'immortals ever. This spleen spent,  
(Still yet left angry) fare away she went;  
From all the Deathless; and yet prayed to all;  
Advanced her hand, and e'er she let it fall  
Used these excitements; Hear me now (O Earth?)  
Broad Heaven above it; and (beneath your birth)  
The Deified Titanoys; that dwell about  
Vast Tartarus; from whence sprung all the Rout  
Of Men and Deities: Hear me all (I say)  
With all your forces; and give instant way  
T'a son of mine, without jove; who yet may  
Nothing inferior prove, in force to him;  
But past him spring as far, in able limb,  
As he past Saturn. This, pronounced, she struck  
Life-bearing Earth so strongly; that she shook  
Beneath her numbed hand: which when she beheld;  
Her bosom with abundant comforts swelled;  
In hope all should, to her desire extend.  
From hence, the Year that all such proofs gives end;  
Grew round; yet all that time, the bed of jove  
She never touched at; never was her love  
Inflamed to fit near his Dedalian Throne,  
As she accustomed; to consult upon  
Counsels kept dark, with many a secret skill;  
But kept her Vow-frequented Temple still,  
Pleased with her sacrifice; till now, the Nights  
And Days accomplished; and the years whole rights,  
In all her revolutions, being expired;  
The Hours, and all, run out, that were required,  
To vent a Birthright; she brought forth a Son,  
Like Gods, or Men, in no condition;  
But a most dreadful, and pernicious thing  
Called Typhon; who on all the humane Spring  
Conferred confusion: which, received to hand  
By juno; instantly, she gave command  
(Ill to ill adding) that the Dragonesse  
Should bring it up, who took, and did oppress  
With many a misery (to maintain th'excess  
Of that inhuman Monster) all the Race  
Of Men, that were of all the world the grace.  
Till the farre-working Phoebus; at her sent  
A fiery Arrow; that inuoked event  
Of death gave, to her execrable life.  
Before which yet; she lay in bitter strife,  
With dying pains; grovelling on earth, and drew  
Extreme short respirations; for which slew  
A shout about the air▪ whence, no man knew  
But came by power divine. And then she lay  
Tumbling her Trunk; and winding every way  
About her nasty Nest; quite leaving then  
Her murderous life, embrued with deaths of Men.  
Then Phoebus gloried; saying, Thyself now lie  
On Men-sustaining Earth, and putrify:  
Who first, of Putrefaction, was informed.  
Now on thy life, have Death's cold vapours stormed;  
That stormd'st on Men the Earth-f●d, so much death,  
In envy of the Offspring, they made breathe  
Their lives out, on my Altars; Now from thee,  
Not Typhon shall enforce the misery  
Of merited death; nor she, whose name implies  
Such scathe (Chimaera) but black earth make prize  
To putrefaction, thy Immanities'.  
And bright Hyperion, that light, all eyes shows,  
Thine, with a night of rottenness shall close.  
Thus spoke he glory'ng; and then seized upon  
Her horrid heap, with Putrefaction  
Hyperions lovely powers; from whence, her name  
took sound of Python; and heavens sovereign flame  
Was surnamed Pythius; since the sharp-eyd Sun,  
Affected so, with Putrefaction  
The hellish Monster. And now Phoebus' mind  
Gave him to know, that falsehood had struck blind  
Even his bright eye; because it could not find  
The subtle Fountain's fraud. To whom he flew,  
Inflamed with anger; and in th'instant drew  
Close to Delphusa; using this short vow;  
Delphusa? you must look no longer now  
To vent your fraud's on me; for well I know  
Your situation, to be lovely worth  
A Temple's Imposition; It pours forth  
So delicate a stream. But your renown  
Shall now no longer shine here, but mine own.  
This said; he thrust her Promontory down,  
And damned her fountain up, with mighty stones;  
A Temple giving consecrations,  
In woods adjoining. And in this Fane 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 retain;  
To do in stony Pythos' sacrifice.  
To which, his mind contending; his quick eyes  
He cast upon the blue Sea; and beheld  
A ship, on whose Masts, sails that winged it swelled:  
In which were men transferred, many and good  
That in Minoian Gnossus, eat their food,  
And were Cretensians; who now are those  
That all the sacrificing dues dispose;  
And all the laws, deliver to a word  
Of Days great King, that wears the golden sword:  
And Oracles (out of his Delphian Tree  
That shrowds her fair arms in the Cavitie  
Beneath Parnassus' Mount) pronounce to Men.  
These, now his Priests, that lived as Merchants then,  
In trafficks, and Pecuniary Rates,  
For sandy Pylos and the Pylean States,  
Were under sail. But now encountered them  
Phoebus Apollo, who into the stream  
Cast himself headlong: and the strange disguise  
took of a Dolphin, 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 Mind could look  
Into the Omen. All the shipmasts shook;  
And silent, all sit, with the fear they took.  
Armed not; nor struck they sail; But as before,  
Went on with full Trim: And a foreright Blore,  
Stiff; and from forth, the South; the ship made fly.  
When first, they stripped the Mal●●e Promont'rie:  
Touched at Laconias' soil; in which a Town  
Their ship arrived at, that the Sea doth Crown,  
Called Tenarus; A place of much delight  
To men that serve Heaven's Comforter of sight.  
In which are fed, the famous flocks that bear  
The wealthy Fleeces; On a delicate Laire  
Being fed, and seated: where the Merchants, fain  
Would have put in; that they might out again,  
To tell the Miracle, that chanced to them;  
And try if it would take the sacred stream,  
Rushing far forth, that he again might bear  
Those other Fishes that abounded there,  
Delightsome company; Or still would stay,  
Aboard their dry ship. But it failed t'obey.  
And for the rich Peloponesian shore,  
Steer'de her free sail; Apollo made the Blore  
Directly guide it: That, obeying still  
Reached dry Arena; And, (what wish doth fill)  
Fair Aryphaea; And the populous height  
Of Thryus; whose stream (siding her) doth weight  
With safe pass 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 reached; And happily  
Made sail by Pheras: All being over-ioide  
With that frank Gale, that jove himself employed.  
And then amongst the clouds, they might descry,  
The Hill, that far-seene Ithaca, calls her Eye.  
Dulichius, Samos, and, (with timber graced)  
Shady Zacynthus. But when now they passed  
Peloponesus all: And then, when showed  
The infinite Vale of Crissa, that doth shroud  
All rich Moraea, with her liberal breast:  
So frank a Gale, there flew out of the West,  
As all the sky discovered; 'twas so great,  
And blew so from the very Counsel seat  
Of jove himself: that quickly it might send  
The ship through full Seas, to her journey's end.  
From thence, they sailed, (quite opposite) to the East,  
And to the Region, where light leaves his rest.  
The Light himself being sacred Pilot there;  
And made the Sea-trod ship, arrive them ne'er  
The Grapefull Crissa; where he rest doth take;  
Close to her Port, and sands. And then forth broke  
The far-shot King; like to a star that strews  
His glorious forehead, where the Midday glows,  
That all in sparkles, did his state attire,  
Whose Luster leapt up, to the sphere of fire;  
He trodd, where no way op'te; and pierced the place  
That of his sacred Tripods, held the grace;  
In which, he lighted such a fluent flame,  
As guilt all Crissa; In which, every Dame  
And Dames fair daughter; cast out vehement cries  
At those fell fires, of Phoebus' Prodigies:  
That shaking fears, through all their fancies threw.  
Then (like the minds swift light) Again he flew  
Back to the ship; shaped like a youth in Height  
Of all his graces: shoulders broad, and strait,  
And all his hair, in golden currls enwrapped:  
And to the Merchants, thus, his speech he shaped:  
Ho? stranger's? what are you? and from what seat  
Sail ye these ways, that salt and water sweat?  
To traffic justly? Or use vagrant escapes  
Void of all rule? Conferring wrongs, and Rapes  
(Like Pirates) on the men, ye never saw?  
With mind's project; exempt from list, or Law?  
Why sit ye here so stupefied? nor take  
Land while ye may? Nor deposition make  
Of Naval Arms? when this the fashion is  
Of men Industrious! who, (their faculties  
Wearied at sea,) leave ship, and use the land  
For food, that with their healths, and stomaches stand.  
This said; with bold minds, he their breast supplied,  
And thus made answer, the Cretensian guide;  
Stranger? because, you seem to us no seed  
Of any mortal, but celestial breed,  
For parts, and person; joy your steps ensue,  
And Gods make good, the bliss, we think your due.  
Vouchsafe us true relation, on what land  
We here arrive? and what men▪ here command?  
We were for well-known parts bound; and from Crete  
(Our vaunted country) to the Pylian, ●ea●  
Vowed our whole voyage. Yet arrive we here,  
Quite cross to those wills, that our motion● steer.  
Wishing to make return some other way;  
Some other course desirous to assay.  
To pay our lost pains. But some God hath filled  
Our frustrate sails; defeating what we willed.  
Apollo answered: Strangers? though before  
Ye dwelled in woody Gnossus; yet no more  
Ye must be made, your own Reciprocalls  
To your loved City, and fair severals  
Of wives, and houses. But ye shall have bear  
My wealthy Temple; honoured far and ne'er  
Of many a Nation: for myself am Son  
To jove himself; and of Apollo won  
The glorious Title; who thus safely through  
The seas vast billows, still have held your plough.  
No ill intending, that will let ye make  
My Temple here, your own; and honours take  
Upon yourselves; all that to me are given.  
And more: the counsels of the King of Heaven,  
Yourselves shall know; and with his will receive  
Ever the honours, that all men shall give.  
Do as I say then instantly; strike sail;  
Take down your Tackling; and your vessel hale  
Up, into land: your goods bring forth, and all  
The instruments, that into sailing fall;  
Make on this shore, an Altar: fire inflame;  
And barley white cakes, offer to my name.  
And then, (environing the Altar) pray,  
And call me, (as ye saw me, in the day  
When from the windy seas, I broke swift way  
Into your ship;) Delphinius: since I took  
A Dolphin's form then. And to every look  
That there shall seek it; that, my Altar shall  
Be made A Delphian memorial  
From thence, for ever. After this; ascend  
Your swift blackship, and sup; and then intent  
Ingenuous Offerings to the equal Gods  
That in celestial seats, make blest abodes.  
When, (having stayed, your healtful hunger's sting)  
Come all with me; and jo-paeans sing  
All the ways length, till you attain the state,  
Where I, your oppulent Fane have consecrate.  
To this, they gave him, passing diligent ear;  
And vowed to his obedience, all they were.  
First striking sail, their tackle then they loosed;  
And (with their Gables stooped) their mast imposed  
Into the Mast room. Forth, themselves then went;  
And from the sea into the Continent  
Drew up their ship; which far up from the sand  
They raised, with ample raf●ers. Then, in hand  
They took the Altar; and informed it on  
The seas near shore; imposing thereupon  
White cakes of barley: Fire made; and did stand  
About it round; as Phoebus gave command▪  
Submitting Invocations to his will.  
Then sacrificed to all the heavenly Hill  
Of powerful God heads. After which, they eat  
Aboard their ship; till with 〈◊〉 foot rep●ea●;  
They rose; nor to their Temple, us a delay.  
Whom Phoebus usherd; and ●oucht; all the way  
His heavenly Lute; with Art, above admired;  
Gracefully leading them. When all were fired  
With zeal to him; and followed wondering, All,  
To Pythos; and upon his name did call  
With jo-paeans, such as Cre●ans use.  
And in their bosoms did the deified Muse  
Voices of honey-Harmonie, in fuse.  
With never-wearie feet, their way they we●●;  
And made, with all alacrity, ascent  
Up to Parnassus; and that longed-for place  
Where they should live; and be of men, the Grace.  
When, all the way; Apollo showed there still  
Their farr-stretch● valleys, and their two-topped Hill;  
Their famous Fane; and all▪ th●● All could eaise,  
To a supreme height, of their joy▪ and praise.  
And then the Cre●an Captain, thus enquired  
Of King Apollo; Since you have retired  
(O Sovereign) our sad lives, so far from friends  
And native soil; (because so far extends  
Your dear minds pleasure) tell us how we shall  
Live in your service. To which question call  
Our provident minds; because we see not crowned  
This soil, with store of vines; nor doth abound  
In wealthy meadows; on which, we may live,  
As well as on men, our attendance give.  
He smiled, and said; O men, that nothing know  
And so are followed, with a world of woe;  
That needs will succour care, and curious moan  
And pour out sighs, without cessation;  
Were all the riches of the earth your own.  
Without much business; I will render known;  
To your simplicities, an easy way,  
To wealth enough; Let every man puruaie  
A skein, (or slaught'ring steel) and his right hand  
(Bravely bestowing) evermore see manned  
With kill sheep, that to my Fane will flow,  
From all far Nations. On all which bestow  
Good observation; and all else they give  
To me; make you your own All; and so live.  
For all which, watch before my Temple well;  
And all my counsels, above all, conceal.  
If any give vain language; or to deeds;  
Yea, or as far as injury proceeds;  
Know that, (at losers hands) for those that gai●e;  
It is the law of Mortals, to sustain.  
Besides; ye shall have Princes to obey,  
Which, still, ye must; and (so ye gain) ye may.  
All, now, is said; give All, thy memories stay.  
And thus to thee, (jove and Latona's Son)  
Be given all grace of salutation.  
Both thee and others of th'immortal state;  
My song shall memorise, to endless date.  
The end of the Hymn to Apollo.   

A HYMN TO HERMES.  
HErmes, the Son of jove and Maia, sing,  
(O Muse) th'Arcadian, & Cyllenian King:  
They rich in flocks; he heaven enriching still,  
In Messages, returned with all his will.  
Whom glorious Maia (The Nymph rich in hair)  
Mixing with jove, in amorous affair;  
Brought forth to him: sustaining a retre at  
From all th'immortals of the blessed seat;  
And living in the same dark Cave; where jove  
Informed, at midnight, the effect of love,  
Unknown to either man or Deity:  
Sweet sleep once, having seized the jealous eye  
Of juno, decked with wrists of ivory.  
But when great Ioues high mind was consummate,  
The tenth month had in heaven cozened the date  
Of Maia's Labour; And into the sight  
She brought, in one birth, Labours infinite.  
For than she bore a son, that all tried ways  
Could turn, and wind, to wished events, assays.  
A fair tongued, but false-hearted Counsellor.  
Rector of Ox-stealers; and for all stealths, bore  
A varied finger. Speeder of Night's spies  
And guide of all her dreams obscurities.  
Guard of dore-Guardians: and was borne to be  
Amongst th'immortals, that winged Deity,  
That in an instant, should do acts would ask  
The Powers of others, an Eternal Task.  
Borne, in the Morn; He formed his Lute at Noon;  
At Night stole all the Oxen of the Sun;  
And all this in his Births first day was done;  
Which was the fourth of the increasing Moon.  
Because Celestial limbs, sustained his strains;  
His sacred swath-bands, must not be his chains.  
So (starting up) to Phoebus Heard he stepped;  
Found straight, the high-roofed Cave where they were kept;  
And (th'entry passing) he th'invention found,  
Of making Lutes; and did in wealth abound  
By that Invention; Since He first of all,  
Was author of that Engine Musical.  
By this mean, moved to the ingenious work:  
Near the Caves inmost overture, did lurk  
A Tortoise, tasting th'odoriferous grass;  
Leisurely moving; and this Object was  
The motive to Ioues Son (who could convert  
To profitablest uses, all desert  
That nature had in any work conuaid)  
To form the Lute: when (smiling) thus he said;  
Thou movest in me, a note of excellent use;  
Which thy ill form, shall never so seduce  
T'euert the good, to be informed by it,  
In pliant force, of my forme-forging wit.  
Then the slow Tortoise, wrought on by his mind;  
He thus saluted; All joy to the kind  
Instinct of nature, in thee; Borne to be  
The spirriter of Dances; company  
For feasts, and following Banquets; graced and blest  
For bearing light to all the interest  
Claimed in this Instrument. From whence shall spring  
Play fair, and sweet; to which may Graces sing.  
A pretty painted cote, thou puttest on here  
(O Tortoise) while thy bill-bred vital sphere  
Confines thy fashion; but (surprised by me,)  
I'll bear thee home; where thou shalt ever be  
A Profit to me; and yet nothing more  
Will I contemn thee, in my merited store.  
Goods, with good parts got, worth and honour gave:  
Left goods, and honours, every fool may have.  
And since thou first, shalt give me means to live,  
I'll love thee ever. Virtuous qualities give  
To live at home with them, enough content;  
Where those that want such inward ornament,  
Fly out for outward; their life, made their load;  
'tis best to be at home; Harm lurks abroad.  
And certainly, thy virtue shall be known  
'Gainst great-yll-causing incantation,  
To serve as for a Lance, Or Ammulet.  
And where, in comfort of thy vital heat,  
Thou now breathest but a sound confused, for song;  
Exposed by nature; after death, more strong  
Thou shalt in sounds of Art be; and command  
Song infinite sweeter. Thus with either hand  
He took it up; and instantly took flight  
Back to his Cave, with that his home-delight.  
Where, (giving to the Mountain Tortoise vents  
Of life and motion) with fit Instruments  
Forged of bright steel; he straight informed a Lute.  
Put neck, and frets to it; of which, a suit  
He made of split quills; in equal space  
Imposed upon the neck; and did embrace  
Both back, and bosom. At whose height (as gynns  
T'extend, and ease the strings) he put in pynns.  
Seven strings, of several tunes, he then applied;  
Made of the Entrails of a sheep well dried;  
And throughly twisted. Next he did provide  
A Case for all; made of an Ox's Hyde;  
Out of his counsels to preserve as well,  
As to create: and all this Action fell  
Into an instant consequence. His word,  
And work, had individual accord.  
All being as swiftly to perfection brought;  
As any worldly man's, most ravished thought,  
Whose mind, Care cuts, in an infinity  
Of varied parts, or passions instantly;  
Or as the frequent twincklings of an eye.  
And thus his House-delight given absolute end;  
He touched it; and did every string extend  
(With an exploratorie spirit assayed)  
To all the parts, that could on it be played.  
It sounded dreadfully; to which he sung;  
As if from thence, the first, and true force spr●ng  
That fashion's Virtue. God, in him did sing.  
His play was likewise an unspeakable thing;  
Yet, but as an extemporal Assay,  
Of what show, it would make, being the first way,  
It tried his hand; or a tumultuous noise;  
Such as at feasts, the first-flowred spirits of Boys  
Pour out in mutual contumelies still:  
As little squaring with his curious will;  
Or was as wanton, and untaught a Store.  
Of jove and Maia, that rich shoes still wore,  
He sung; who suffered, ill reports before,  
And foul stains, under her fair titles bore.  
But Hermes sung, her Nation, and her Name  
Did itterate ever. All her high-flowne fame  
Of being Ioues Mistress; celebrating all  
Her train of servants; and collateral  
Sumpture of Houses, all her Tripods there,  
And Caldrons huge; increasing every year.  
All which she knew; yet felt her knowledge flung  
With her fame's loss; which (found) she more wished sung.  
But now; he, in his sacred cradle laid  
His Lute so absolute; and straight conuaid  
Himself up to a watch-towre, forth his house;  
Rich, and divinely Odoriferous;  
A lofty wile, at work in his conceit;  
Thirsting the practice of his Empire's height.  
And where Impostors rule; (since sable Night  
Must serve their deeds) he did his deeds their right:  
For now the never-resting Sun, was turned  
For th'under earth, and in the Ocean burned  
His Coach, and Coursers. When th'ingenious spy  
Pieria's shady hill, had in his eye;  
Where the immortal Oxen of the Gods  
In airs flood solaced their select Abodes;  
And earth's sweet green flower, that was never shorn;  
Fed ever down; And these the wittie-borne  
(Argicides,) set serious spy upon:  
Severing from all the rest; and setting gone  
Full fifty of the violent Bellowers.  
Which driving through the sands; he did reverse  
(His births-craft trait remembering) all their hoves;  
And them transposed, in opposite removes;  
The fore, behind set; The behind, before;  
T'employ the eyes, of such as should explore.  
And he himself (as slye-paced) cast away  
His sandals, on the sea-sands. Past display;  
And unexcogitable thoughts, in Act  
Putting; to shun, of his stolen steps, the Tract.  
Mixing, both Tamrisk; and like-Tamrisk sprays,  
In a most rare confusion, to raise  
His footsteps up from earth. Of which sprays, he  
(His armful gathering, fresh from off the Tree,)  
Made for his sandals, Ties; both leaves, and ties  
Holding together; and then feared no eyes  
That could affect his feets discoveries.  
The Tamrisk boughs he gathered, making way  
Back from Pieria: but as to convey  
Provision in them, for his journey fit;  
It being long; and therefore needing it.  
An old man, now at labour, ne'er the field  
Of green Onchestus; knew the verdant yield  
Of his fair armful; whom th'ingenious Son  
Of Maia, therefore; salutation  
Did thus begin to; Ho? old man! That now  
Art crooked grown, with making Plants to grow!  
Thy nerves will far be spent; when these boughs shall  
To these their leaves, confer me fruit, and All.  
But see not thou, what ever thou dost see;  
Nor hear, though hear; But all, as touching me  
Conceal; since nought, it can endamage thee.  
This, and no more he said; and on drove still  
His brode-browd Oxen. Many a shady Hill,  
And many an echoing valley; many a field  
Pleasant, and wishful, did his passage yield  
Their safe Transcension. But now, the divine  
And black-browed Night (his Mistress) did decline  
Exceeding swiftly; Days most early light  
Fast hasting to her first point; to excite  
Worldlings to work; and in her Watch-towre, shone,  
King Pallas-Megamedes seed, (the Moon)  
When through th' Alphaean flood, Ioues powerful Son  
Phoebus-Apollo's ample-foreheaded Herd  
(Whose necks, the labouring yoke, had never sphered)  
Drove swiftly on; and then into a stall  
(Hilly; yet past to, through an humble vale  
And hollow Dells, in a most lovely Meade)  
He gathered all; and them divinely fed  
With Odorous Cypress; and the ravishing Tree  
That makes his Eaters, lose the memory  
Of name, and country. Then he brought, withal;  
Much wood; whose sight, into his search let fall  
The Art of making fire. Which thus he tried:  
He took a branch of Laurel, amplified  
Past others, both in beauty, and in size;  
Yet, lay next hand; rubbed it; and straight did rise  
A warm fume from it. Steel, being that did raise  
(As Agent) the attenuated Bayss  
To that hot vapour. So that, Hermes found  
Both fire first; and of it, the seed, 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 low Pit; that inflames straight shined;  
And cast a sparkling crack up to the Sky;  
All the dry parts, so fervent were, and hie  
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 roared withal;  
And raged for fear, t'approachapproch the sacred fire:  
To which did all, his dreadful powers aspire.  
When (blustering forth their breath) He on the soil,  
Cast both, at length; though with a world of toil.  
For long he was, in getting them to ground  
After their through-thrust, and most mortal wound.  
But work, to work, he joined; the flesh and cut,  
Covered with fat; and (on treene broochs put)  
In pieces roasted. But, in th'Intestines  
The black blood, and the honorary chines,  
Together with the carcases, lay there  
Cast on the cold earth, as no Deities cheer.  
The Hides, upon a rugged rock he spread▪  
And thus were these now, all in pieces shred,  
And undistinguished from Earth's common herd▪  
Though borne for long date; and to heaven endear;  
And now must ever live, in dead event.  
But Hermes, herehence, having his content,  
Cared for no more; but drew to places even,  
The fat-works, that, of force, must have for heaven  
Their capital ends; though stolen; and therefore were  
In twelve parts cut, for twelve choice Deities cheer,  
By this devotion. To all which, he gave  
Their several honours; and did wish to have  
His equal part thereof; as free, and well  
As th'other Deities; but the fatty smell  
Afflicted him, though he immortal were;  
Play'ng mortal parts; and being, (like mortals) here.  
Yet his proud mind, nothing the more obeyed  
For being a God, himself; and his own aid  
Having to cause his due: And though in heart  
He highly wished it; but the weaker part  
Subdued the stronger; and went on, in ill.  
Even heavenly Powre, had rather have his Will,  
Then have his Right; and will's the worst of All,  
When but in least sort, it is criminal;  
One Taint, being Author of a Number, still.  
And thus (resolved to leave his hallowed Hill)  
First, both the fat parts, and the fleshy, All  
Taking away; at the steepe-entryed stall  
He laid all; All, the feet and heads entire;  
And all the sere-wood; making clear with fire.  
And now, he leaving there then, all things done  
And finished, in their fit perfection;  
(The Coals put out; and their black Ashes thrown  
From all discovery, by the lovely light  
The cheerful Moon cast; shining all the Night)  
He straight assumed a novel voices note;  
And in the whirle-pit-eating-flood, afloat  
He set his sandals. When now, once again  
The-that-morne-borne- Cyllenius, did attain  
His Homes divine height; all the farr-stretcht way  
No one blessed God, encountering, his assay;  
Nor Mortal Man; nor any Dog durst spend  
His-borne-to-barke-mouth at him; till, in th'end,  
He reached his Cave; and at the Gate went in  
Crooked, and wrapped into a fold so thin,  
That no eye could discover his repair;  
But as a darkness, of th'autumnal air.  
When, going on; foreright; he straight arrived  
At his rich Fane: his soft feet quite deprived  
Of all least noise, of one that trod the earth;  
They trod so swift, to reach his room of Birth.  
Where, In his swath-bands, he his shoulders wrapped,  
And (like an Infant, newly having 'scaped  
The teeming straits) as in the Palms he lay  
Of his loved Nurse. Yet instantly would play  
(Freeing his right hand) with his bearing cloth  
About his knees wrapped; and straight (losing both  
His right and left hand) with his left, he caught  
His most-loved Lute. His Mother yet, was taught  
His wanton wiles; nor could a God's wit lie  
Hid from a Goddess; who did therefore try  
His answer, thus: Why (thou made all of sleight)  
And whence ariu'st thou, in this rest of Night?  
Improvident Impudent; In my conceit  
Thou rather shouldst be getting forth thy Gate,  
With all flight fit, for thy endangered State;  
(In merit of th'inevitable bands,  
To be imposed by vexed Latona's hands  
justly incensed for her Apollo's harms)  
Thenly thus wrapped, as ready for her arms,  
To take thee up, and kiss thee: Would to heaven,  
(In cross of that high grace) Thou hadst been given  
Up to Perdition; ere poor mortals bear  
Those black banes, that thy father Thunderer  
Hath planted thee of purpose to confer,  
On them, and Deities. He returned reply;  
As Master of the feats of Policy;  
Mother? why aim you thus amiss at me?  
As if I were a Son that Infancy  
Could keep from all the skill, that Age can teach?  
Or had in cheating, but a childish reach?  
And of a Mother's mandates, feared the breach?  
I mount that Art at first; that will be best  
When all times consummate their cunningest.  
Able to counsel, Now myself, and thee,  
In all things best, to all Eternity.  
We cannot live like Gods here, without gifts;  
No, nor without corruption, and shifts.  
And much less, without eating; as we must  
In keeping thy rules, and in being Just;  
Of which we cannot undergo the loads.  
'tis better here, to Imitate the Gods,  
And wine, or wench out all times Periods;  
To that end, growing rich in ready heaps;  
Stored with Reue●news; being in corne-fielde reaps  
Of infinite Acres; then to live enclosed  
In Caves, to all Earth's sweetest air exposed.  
ay, as much honour hold, as Phoebus does;  
And if my Father please not to dispose  
Possessions to me; I myself will see  
If I can force them in, for I can be  
Prince of all thieves. And if Latona's Son  
Make after my stealth, Indignation;  
I'll have a Escape, as well as ●e a Search,  
And overtake him with a greater lurch.  
For I can post to Pythos; and break through,  
His huge house, there; where harbours wealth enough;  
Most precious Tripods; Caldrons; Steel, and Gold;  
Garments rich wrought; and full of liberal fold:  
All which will I, at pleasure own; and thou  
Shalt see all; wilt thou but thy ●ight bestow.  
Thus changed great words; the Go●e-hyde-wearers Son,  
And Maia, of Majestic fashion.  
And now the Ayre-begot Aurora rose  
From out the Ocean-great-in-ebbs-and flows;  
When, at the never-shorn, pure-and-faire Grove,  
(Onchestus) consecrated to the love  
Of round and long-neckt Neptune; Phoebus found  
A man whom heavy years, had pressed half roun●▪  
And yet at work, in plashing of a Fenc●  
About a Vineyard; that had residence  
Hard by the highway; whom Latona's Son;  
Made it not strange, but first did question,  
And first saluted: Ho? you? Aged sire  
That here are hewing from the Vine, the Bryre;  
For certain Oxen, I come here t'enquire  
Out of Pieria; females All; and rered  
All, with horns wreathed, unlike the common Herd;  
A Coal-black Bull, fed by them all alone;  
And all observed for preservation  
Through all their foodie, and delicious Fen;  
With four fierce Mastiffs, like one-minded men.  
These left their Dogs, and Bull; (which I admire)  
And when was ne'er set, Days eternal fire;  
From their fierce Guardians; from their delicate fare,  
Made clear departure. To me then declare;  
(O old man, long since borne) If thy grave ray  
Hath any man seen, making stealthfull way  
With all those Oxen! Th'old man made reply;  
'tis hard (O friend) to render readily,  
Account of all, that may invade mine eye;  
For many a Traveller, this highway tredds;  
Some in much ills search; some, in noble thredds  
Leading their lives out; but I, this young Day  
Even from her first point, have made good display,  
Of all men, passing this abundant hill,  
Planted with Vines; and no such stealthfull ill,  
Her light hath shown me: But last Evening late,  
I saw a Thing, that showed of childish state;  
To my old lights; and seemed as he pursued  
A Herd of Oxen, with brave Heads endued;  
Yet but an Infant; and retained a Rodd;  
Who warily, both this, and that way trodd,  
His head still backwards turned. This th'old Man spoke;  
Which he well thought upon; and swiftly broke  
Into his Pursuit, with abundant wing;  
That struck but one plain; ere he knew the thing  
That was the Thief; to be th'Impostor borne;  
Whom jove yet, with his Son's name did adorn.  
In study, and with Ardour, than the King  
(Ioues dazzling Son) placed his exploring wing  
On sacred Pylos, for his forced Herd;  
His ample shoulders▪ in a cloud ensphered  
Of fiery chrimsine. Straight, the steps he found  
Of his stolen Herd: And said; Strange sights confound  
My apprehensive powers: for here I see  
The Tracts of Oxen; but aversivelie  
Converted towards the Pierian Hills,  
As treading to their Mead of daffodils;  
But, nor mine eye, men's feet, nor women's draws;  
Nor hoary Wolves, nor Bears▪ nor Lions Paws;  
Nor thick-neckt Bulls they show. But he that ●oes,  
These monstrous Deeds, with n●uer so swift shoes;  
Hath passed from that hour hither; but from hence,  
His foul course, may meet, fouler consequence.  
With thi●, took Phoebus' wing; and Hermes still,  
(For all his Threats) secure lay in his Hill  
Walled with a wood; and more▪ ● Rock, beside  
Where a Retreat ran, deeply multiplied  
In blinding shadows; and where th'endless Bride;  
Boar to Saturnius, his Ingenious Son:  
An Odour, worth a Heart's desire, being thrown,  
Along the Heaven-sweet Hill; on whose Herb, fed,  
Rich flocks of sheep, that bow not where they tredd  
Their horny Pasterns. There, the light of Men,  
(Ioues Son Apollo) straight descended then,  
The Marble Pavement, in that gloomy Den.  
On whom, when jove, and Maia's Son set eye,  
Wroth for his Oxen: On then, instantly  
His Odorous swath-bands, flew; in which, as close  
Th'Impostor lay; As in the cool repose  
Of cast-on Ashes, Harths of burning Coals  
Lie in the woods hid, under the Controls  
Of skilful Colyers: Even so close did lie  
Inscrutable Hermes in Apollo's eye.  
Contracting his great Godhead, to a small  
And Infant likeness; feet, hands, head and All.  
And as a Hunter hath been often viewed,  
From Chase retired with both his hands imbrued  
In his Games blood; that doth for water call  
To cleanse his hands; And to provoke withal  
Delightsome sleep; new washed and laid to rest;  
So now lay Hermes in the close compressed  
Chase of his Oxen. His New-found-out Lute;  
Beneath his arm held; As if no pursuit  
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 brave Hyll-Nymph there; and her dear Son, new▪  
Borne; and as well wrapped, in his wiles, as weed's.  
All the close shrouds too, for his Rapinous deeds,  
In All the Cave, he knew: and with his key  
He opened three of them; In which there lay  
Silver, and Gold-heapes; Nectar infinite store;  
And Dear Ambrosia; and of weeds she wore,  
(Pure white, and Purple) A rich Wardrobe shined;  
Fit for the blessed States, of powers so diuin'de.  
All which discovered; Thus to Mercury  
He offered Conference: Infant? you that lie  
Wrapped so in swath-bands; Instantly unfold  
In what concealed Retreats of yours you bold  
My Oxen stolen by you; Or straight we shall  
jar, as beseems not, powers Celestial.  
For I will take, and hurl Thee to the Deeps  
Of dismal Tartarus; where ill Death keeps  
His gloomy, and inextricable fates;  
And to no Eye, that light Illuminates,  
Mother, nor Father, shall return thee free,  
But under Earth, shall Sorrow fetter thee,  
And few repute thee, their Superior.  
On him replied, Crafts subtlest Counsellor;  
What cruel speech hath past Latona's Care!  
Seeks be his stolne-wilde-Cows, where Deities are?  
I have nor seen, nor ●eard; nor can report▪  
From others mouths, one word of their resort  
To any strange r. Nor will I, to gain  
A base Reward, a false Relation fain.  
Nor would I; Could I tell. Resemble I  
An Ox-Theefe? Or a Man? Especially  
A man of such a courage; such a force  
As to that labour goes? That violent course?  
No Infant's work is That. My powers aspire  
To sleep, and quenching of my hunger's fire  
With Mother's Milk; and 'gainst cold shades, to arm  
With Cradle-cloths, my shoulders; and Baths warm,  
That no man may conceive, the war you threat  
Can spring, in cause, from my so peace full heat.  
And even amongst th'immortals it would bear  
Event of absolute Miracle, to hear  
A newborn Infant's forces should transcend  
The limits of his Doors; much less contend  
With untamed Oxen. This speech nothing seems  
To savour the Decorum of the Beams  
Cast round about the Air Apollo breaks,  
Where his divine mind, her intention speaks.  
I broke but yesterday, the blessed womb,  
My feet are tender, and the common Tomb  
Of men, (the Earth) lies sharp beneath their tread.  
But, (if you please) even by my Father's head  
I'll take the great Oath; That nor I protest  
Myself, to Author on your Interest  
Any such usurpation; Nor have I  
Seen any other, that feloniously  
Hath forced your Oxen. Strange thing! what are those  
Oxen of yours? Or what are Oxen? knows  
My rude mind, think you? My ears only touch  
At their renown, and hear that there are such.  
This speech he passed, and ever as he spoke  
Beams from the hair, about his eye-lidds broke;  
His eyebrows, up, and down cast; and his eye  
Every way looked, askans, and carelessly.  
And he, into a lofty whistling fell;  
As if he idle thought, Apollo's spell.  
Apollo (gently smiling) made Reply;  
O thou Impostor! whose thoughts ever lie  
In labour with Deceit! For certain, I  
Retain Opinion; that thou, (even thus soon)  
Hast ransacked, many a House; and not in one  
Nights-worke alone; nor in one Country neither  
Hast been besieging, House and Man together;  
Rigging, and rifeling all ways; and no Noise  
Made with thy soft fee●e, where it all destroys.  
Soft therefore, well; and tender thou mayst call  
The feet that thy stealth, go, and fly withal.  
For many a field-bredd Herdsman. (unheard still)  
Hast thou made drown, the Ca●er●s of the Hill  
Where his Retreats lie, with his helpless tears,  
When any flesh-stealth thy desire endea●●●▪  
And thou encountrest, either flocks of sheep  
Or Herds of Oxen! up then do not sleep  
Thy last Nap, in thy Cradle; but come down;  
(Companion of black Night) and for this Crown  
Of thy young Rapines; bear (from all) the state  
And style of Prince Thief, into endless Date.  
This said; he took the Infant in his Arms;  
And with him, the remembrance of his harms;  
This Praesage uttering; lifting him aloft;  
Be ever more, the miserablie-soft  
Slave of the belly; Pursuivant of all  
And Author, of all mischiefs Capital.  
He scorned his Prophecy so; he Neesed in's face  
Most forcibly (which hearing) his embrace  
He loathed; and burled him 'gainst the ground; yet still  
took seat before him; though, (with all the ill  
He bore by him) he would have left full fain  
That Hewer of his heart, so into twain.  
Yet salved all thus; Come! (you so swaddled thing;  
Issue of Maia, and the Thunder's King;  
Be confident; I shall hereafter find  
My brode-browd Oxen. My Prophetic mind  
So far from blaming this thy course; that I,  
Foresee thee, (in it,) to Posterity  
The guide of All Men, (All ways,) to their ends.  
This spoken; Hermes, from the Earth Ascends;  
Starting Aloft; and as in Study went;  
Wrapping himself, in his Integument;  
And thus asked Phoebus; Whither force you Me  
(Farr-shot; and far most powerful Deity.)  
I know (for all your feigning) y'are still wrath,  
About your Oxen; and suspect my Troth.  
O jupiter? I wish the general Race  
Of all Earth's Oxen, rooted from her face.  
I steal your Oxen? I again, profess  
That neither, I, have stolen them; nor can guess  
Who else should steal them. What strange Beasts are these  
Your so-loued Oxen? I must say (to please  
Your humour thus far) that even My few Hoowres  
Have heard their fame. But be the sentence yours  
Of the Debate betwixt us; Or to jove  
(For more indifferency) the Cause remove.  
Thus when the Solitude-affecting God,  
And the Latonian seed, had laid abroad  
All things betwixt them; (though not yet agreed;  
Yet, might I speak) Apollo did proceed  
Nothing unjustly, to charge Mercury  
With stealing of the Cows, he does deny.  
But his Profession was, with filled speech,  
And Crafts fair Compliments, to overreach  
All; And even Phoebus. Who because he knew  
His Trade of subtlety; He still at view  
Hunted his Foe, through all the sandy way  
Up to Olympus. Nor would let him stra●e  
From out his sight; but kept behind him still.  
And now they reached, the Odoriferous Hill  
Of high Olympus, to their Father jove,  
To Arbitrate the Cause, in which they strove.  
Where, before both; Talents of justice were  
Proposed for him, whom jove should sentence Clear,  
In cause of their contention. And now  
About Olympus, (euer-crown'de with snow)  
The rumour of their controversy flew.  
All the Incorruptible, to their view,  
On heavens steep Mountain, made returned repair.  
Hermes and He, that light hurls through the air;  
Before the Thunderers knees stood: who begunn,  
To question thus far, his Illustrious Son:  
Phoebus? To what end bringst thou Captive hear  
Him in whom my Mind, puts delights so dear?  
This Newborn Infant? that the place supplies  
Of Herald yet, to all the Deities?  
This serious business, you may witness, draws  
The Deities whole Court, to discuss the cause.  
Phoebus' replied: And not unworthy is  
The cause, of all the Court of Deities.  
For you shall hear, it comprehends the weight  
Of Devastation; and the very height  
Of spoil, and rapine, even of Deities rights.  
Yet you (as if myself loved such delights)  
Use words that wound my heart. I bring you here  
An Infant, that, even now, admits no Peer  
In rapes and robb'ries. Finding out, his Place,  
(After my measure of an infinite space)  
In the Cyllenian Mountain. Such a one  
In all the Art of opprobration,  
As not in all the Deities, I have seen;  
Nor in th'oblivion-marked-whole Race of men.  
In Night, he drove my Oxen from their Leas;  
A long the lofty rore-resounding Seas:  
From out the Road way quite: the steps of them  
So quite transposed, as would amaze the beam●  
Of any mind's eye: being so infinite much  
Involved in doubt; as showed a Deified touch  
Went to the works performance. All the way  
Through which, my cross-houed Cows he did convey,  
Had dust so darklie-hard to search; and He  
So past all measure, wrapped in subtlety.  
For, nor with feet, nor hands, be formed his steps,  
In passing through the dry ways sandy heap's:  
But used another counsel to keep hid  
His monstrous Tracts; that showed as one had slid  
On Oak, or other Boughs; That swept out still  
The footsteps of his Oxen; and did fill  
Their prints up ever; to the Daffodil  
(Or dainty feeding Meadow) as they trodd,  
Driven by this cautelous, and Infant God.  
A Mortal Man yet, saw him driving on  
His Prey to Pylos. Which when he had done  
And got his Pass signed, with a sacred fire  
In peace; and freely (though to his desire  
Not to the Gods, he offered part of these  
My ravished Oxen) he retires, and lies  
Like to the gloomy Night in his dim Den,  
All hid in darkness; and in clouts again,  
Wrapped him so closely; that the sharpe-seene eye  
Of your own Eagle, could not see him lie.  
For with his hands, the air he rarified  
(This way, and that moved) till bright gleams did glide  
About his Being; that if any eye  
Should dare the Darkness; Light opposed so nigh  
Might blind it quite, with her Antipathy.  
Which wile he wove, in curious care t'illude  
Th'extreme of any eye, that could intrude.  
On which relying; he outrageouslie  
(When I accused him) trebled his reply;  
I did not see; I did not hear; nor I  
Will tell at all; that any other stole  
Your brode-browd Beefs. Which an Impostors soul  
Would soon have done; and any Author fain  
Of purpose only, a Reward to gain.  
And thus he coloured truth, in every lie.  
This said; Apollo sat; and Mercury,  
The God's Commander, pleased with this reply.  
Father! I'll tell the truth; (for I am true  
And far from Art to lie.) He did pursue  
Even to my Cave, his Oxen: this self day;  
The Sun, new raising his illustrious ray.  
But brought with him, none of the Bliss-indued,  
Nor any ocular witness▪ to conclude,  
His bare assertion. But his own command  
Laid on with strong, and necessary hand,  
To show his Oxen. Using Threats to cast  
My poor, and Infant powers, into the Vast  
Of ghastly Tartarus; because he bears  
Of strength-sustayning youth, the flaming years.  
And I, but yesterday produced to light  
By which, it fell into his own free sight  
That I, in no similitude appeared  
Of power to be the forcer of a Herd.  
And credit me (O Father, since the Grace  
Of that name, in your style, you please to place)  
I drove not home his Oxen, no nor pressed  
Past mine own threshold; for 'tis manifest,  
I reverence, with my soul, the Sun; and all  
The knowing dwellers, in this heavenly Hall.  
Love you; observe the least: and 'tis most clear  
In your own knowledge, that my Merits bear  
No least guilt of his blame. To all which, I,  
Dare add, heaven's great oath, boldly swearing by  
All these so well-built Entries of the Blessed.  
And therefore when I saw myself so pressed  
With his reproaches; I confess I burned  
In my pure gall; and harsh reply returned.  
Add your aid to your Younger then; and free  
The scruple fixed in Phoebus' jealousy.  
This said; he winked upon his Sire; and still  
His swath-bands, held beneath his arm; no Will  
Discerned in him, to hide, but have them shown.  
jove laughed aloud at his Ingenious Son,  
Quitting himself with Art, so likely wrought,  
As showed in his heart, not a rapinous thought.  
Commanding Both, to bear attoned minds  
And seek out th'osen; In which search he binds  
Hermes to play the Guide; and show the Sun  
(All grudge exiled) the shroud to which he won  
His fayre-eyd Oxen. Then; his forehead bowed  
For sign it must be so; and Hermes showed  
His free obedience. So soon, he inclined  
To his persuasion, and command, his mind.  
Now then, Ioues jarring Sons, no longer stood;  
But sandy Pylos, and th' Alphaean flood  
Reached instantly; and made as quick a fall  
On those rich-feeding fields, and lofty stall  
Where Phoebus' Oxen, Hermes safely kept;  
Driven in, by night. When suddenly he stepped  
Up to the stony Cave; and into light  
Drove forth the Oxen▪ Phoebus' at first sight  
Knew them the same: and saw apart dispread  
Upon a high-raised rock; the hides new flayed  
Of th'Oxen sacrificed. Then Phoebus said;  
O thou in crafty counsels undisplaid!  
How couldst thou cut the throats, and cast to Earth  
Two such huge Oxen? being so young a birth,  
And a mere Infant? I admire thy force  
And will, behind thy back. But this swift course  
Of growing into strength, thou hadst not need  
Continue any long Date, O thou seed  
Of honoured Maia! Hermes, (to show how  
He did those Deeds) did forthwith cut and bow  
Strong Osiers in soft folds; and strappled straight  
One of his hugest Oxen: all his weight  
Lay'ng prostrate on the earth, at Phoebus' feet:  
All his four cloven hoves, easily made to greet  
Each other upwards; all, together brought.  
In all which bands yet, all the Beasts pours wrought  
To rise, and stand; when all the Herd about  
The mighty Hermes, rushed in, to help out  
Their fellow from his fetters; Phoebus' view  
Of all this, up to Admiration drew  
Even his high forces: And stern looks he threw  
At Hermes for his Herds wrong; and the place  
To which he had retired them; being in grace  
And fruitful riches of it, so entire:  
All which, set all his force, on envious fire.  
All whose heat, flew out of his eyes in flames:  
Which fain he would have hid, to hide the shames  
Of his ill governed passions. But with ease  
Hermes could calm them; and his humours please  
Still at his pleasure; were he ne'er so great  
In force, and fortitude; and high in heat.  
In all which, he his Lute took; and assayed  
A Song upon him; and so strangely played;  
That from his hand, a ravishing horror flew.  
Which Phoebus, into laughter turned; and grew  
Pleasant past measure; Tunes so artful clear  
Struck even his heartstrings; & his mind, made hear.  
His Lute so powerful was, in forcing love;  
(As his hand ruled it) that from him it drove  
All fear of Phoebus; yet he gave him still  
The upper hand; and (to advance his skill)  
The utmost Miracle; he played sometimes,  
Single awhile; In which, when all the Climbs  
Of rapture he had reached; (to make the Sun  
Admire enough) O then, his voice would run  
Such points upon his play; and did so move,  
They took Apollo Prisoner to his love.  
And now the deathless Gods, and deathful Earth  
He sung; beginning, at their either's Birth,  
To full extent of all their Empery.  
And, first; the honour to Mnemosyne  
(The Muse's Mother) of all Goddess states  
He gave; even forced to't, by the equal fates.  
And then (as it did in Priority fall  
Of Age, and Birth) He celebrated All.  
And with such Elegance, and Order sung;  
(His Lute still touched, to stick more off his tongue)  
That Phoebus' heart, with infinite love, he eat.  
Who therefore thus, did his Deserts entreat:  
Master of Sacrifice! chief soul of feast?  
Patient of all pains? Artisan so blest;  
That all things thou canst do, in any One.  
Worth fifty Oxen is th'invention  
Of this one Lute. We both, shall now; I hope;  
In firm peace, work, to all our wishes scope.  
Inform me, (thou that every way canst wind,  
And turn to Act, all wishes of thy mind)  
Together with thy birth, came all thy skill?  
Or did some God, or Godlike man instill  
This heavenly song to thee? Me thinks I hear  
A new voice; such as never yet came ne'er  
The breast 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 cureless? what inveterate use;  
Or practise of a virtue so profuse,  
(Which three, do all the contribution keeps  
That joy, or Love conferrs, or pleasing Sleep)  
Taught thee the sovereign facture of them all?  
ay, of the Muses, am the capital  
Consort, or follower: (and to these belong  
The grace of dance; all worthy ways of song;  
and ever-florishing verse: the delicate Set  
And sound of Instruments.) But never yet  
Did anything so much affect my mind  
With joy, and care to compass; as this kind  
Of Song and Play: that for the sprightly feast  
Of flourishing assemblies, are the best  
And aptest works, that ever Worth gave Act.  
My powers with admiration stand distract,  
To hear, with what a hand to make in love,  
Thou rul'st thy Lute. And (though thy youngest hours move,  
At full art, in old counsels. Here I vow  
(Even by this cornel Dart, I use to throw)  
To thee, and to thy Mother; I'll make thee  
Amongst the Gods, of glorious degree.  
Guide of men's ways, and Theirs. And will impart  
To thee, the mighty Imperatorie Art:  
Bestow rich gifts on thee; and in the end  
Never deceive thee. Hermes (as a friend  
That wrought on all advantage; and made gain  
His Capital object) thus did entertain  
Phoebus Apollo: Do thy Dignities  
(Farr-working God; and circularly wise)  
Demand my virtues? without envy I  
Will teach thee to ascend my faculty.  
And this Day thou shalt reach it; finding me,  
In Acts and Counsels, all ways kind to thee;  
As one that all things knows: And first tak'st seat  
Amongst th'immortals; being good, and great.  
And therefore to Ioues love, mak'st free access,  
Even out of his accomplished Holiness.  
Great gifts, he likewise gives thee; who (fame says)  
Hast won thy greatness, by his will: his ways.  
By him knowst all the powers Prophetical  
(O thou farr-worker) and the fates of all.  
Yea; and I know thee rich; yet apt to learn:  
And even thy Wish, dost but discern, and earn.  
And since thy soul, so burns to know the way  
To play and sing as I do: sing, and play.  
Play; and perfection in thy play employ;  
And be thy care, to learn things good; thy joy..  
Take thou my Lute (My Love) and give thou me,  
The glory of so great a faculty.  
This sweet-tuned consort; held but in thy hand;  
Sing; and perfection in thy song command.  
For thou, already, hast the way to speak  
Fairly, and elegantly; and to break  
All eloquence into thy uttered mind.  
One gift from heaven found, may another find.  
Use then, securely, this thy gift; and go  
To feasts, and dances, that enamour so;  
And to that covetous sport of getting glory,  
That Day, nor Night, will suffer to be sorry.  
Whoever, does but say, in verse; sings still:  
Which he that can; of any other skill  
Is capable; so he be taught by Art,  
And wisdom; and can speak, at every part  
Things pleasing to an understanding Mind:  
And such a one, that seeks this Lute, shall find.  
Him still it teaches easily, though he plays  
Soft voluntaries only; and assays  
As wanton, as the sports of children are.  
And (even when he aspires to singular  
In all the Mast'ries he shall play or sing)  
Finds the whole work, but an unhappy thing:  
He (I say) sure; shall of this Lute be King.  
But he; whoever, rudely sets upon,  
Of this Lutes skill, th'Inquest, or Question;  
Never so ardently, and angrilie;  
Without the aptness, and hability  
Of Art, and Nature fitting: never shall  
Aspire to this; but utter trivial  
And idle accents; though sung ne'er so loud,  
And never so commended of the Crowd.  
But thee I know (O Eminent Son of jove)  
The fiery Learner, of what ever Love  
Hath sharpened thy affections to achieve.  
And thee, I give this Lute; let us now live  
Feeding upon the Hill-and-horse-fed Earth  
Our never-handled Oxen: whose dear Birth  
(Their females fellowd with their Males) let flow  
In store enough hereafter; nor must you  
(How-ever-cunning hearted your wits are)  
Boil in your Gall, a Grudge too circular.  
Thus gave he him his Lute; which he embraced;  
And gave again, a Good, whose bright head cast  
Beams like the light forth; leaving to his care  
His Oxens keeping. Which, with joyful fare,  
He took on him. The Lute Apollo took  
Into his left hand; and aloft he shook  
Delightsome sounds up; to which God did sing.  
Then were the Oxen, to their endless Spring  
Turned; and Ioues Two illustr'ous Offsprings flew  
Up to Olympus, where it ever snew;  
Delighted with their Lutes sound all the way.  
Whom jove, much joyed to see; and endless stay  
Gave to their knot of friendship. From which date;  
Hermes gave Phoebus, an eternal state  
In his affection: whose sure pledge and sign  
His Lute was; and the Doctrine so divine,  
jointly conferred on him. Which well might be  
True Symbol of his Love's simplicity.  
On th'other part; Apollo, in his friend  
Formed thouArt of Wisdom; to the binding end  
Of his vowed friendship; and (for further meed)  
Gave him the farr-heard fistularie Reed.  
For all these forms of friendship, Phoebus yet  
Feared that both form, and substance were not met  
In mercury's intentions: and, in plain,  
Said, (since he saw him, borne to craft and gain;  
And that Ioues will had him the honour done,  
To change at his will, the possession  
Of others Gods) be feared his breach of of vows,  
In stealing both his Lute, and coming Bows.  
And therefore wished, that what the Gods affect,  
Himself would witness; 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 maintain  
The full content, in which his Mind did reign.  
And then did Maia's Son, his forehead bow:  
Making, by all that he desired, his vow:  
Never to pray more upon any Thing,  
In just possession of the farr-shot King;  
Nor ever to come near, a House of his.  
Latonian Phoebus, bowed his Brow to this,  
With his like promise; saying, Not any One  
Of all the Gods, nor any Man, that, Son  
Is to Saturnius; is more dear to me;  
More trusted, nor more honoured, is then thee.  
Which, yet, with greater Gifts of Deity,  
In future I'll confirm; and give thy state  
A Rodd that riches shall accumulate;  
Nor leave the bearer, thrall to Death, or fate  
Or any sickness. All of Gold it is;  
Three-leaued; and full of all felicities.  
And this shall be thy Guardian; this shall give  
The Gods to thee, in all the truth they live.  
And finally, shall this the Tutoress be  
Of all the words, and works, informing me  
From Ioues high counsels; making known to thee  
All my instructions. But to Prophesy  
(O best of Ioues beloved) and that high skill;  
Which to obtain, lies burning in thy will;  
Nor thee, nor any God, will Fate let learn.  
Only Ioues mind, hath insight to discern  
What that importeth; yet am I allowed  
(My known faith trusted; and my forehead bowed;  
Our great Oath taken, to resolve to none  
Of all th'immortals, the Restriction  
Of that deep knowledge) of it All, the Mind.  
Since than it sits, in such fast bounds confined,  
(O Brother) when the Golden rod is held  
In thy strong hand; seek not to have revealed  
Any sure fate, that jove will have concealed.  
For no man shall, by know'ng, prevent his fate;  
And therefore will I hold, in my free state  
The power, to hurt and help, what man I will,  
Of all the greatest; or least touched with ill;  
That walk within the Circle of mine eye;  
In all the Tribes, and Sexes, it shall try.  
Yet, truly, any man shall have his will  
To reap the fruits of my Prophetic skill;  
Whoever seeks it, by the voice, or wing  
Of Birds, borne truly, such events to sing.  
Nor will I falsely, nor with fallacies  
Infringe the truth, on which his faith relies;  
But he that Truths, in chattering plumes would find;  
(Quite opposite to them, that prompt my Mind,)  
And learn by natural forgers of vain lies,  
The more-then-ever-certaine Deities;  
That man shall Sea-ways tread, that leave no Tracts;  
And false, or no guide find, 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'll yet make known  
(Maia's exceedingly renowned son  
And Ioues; and of the Gods whole session  
The most ingenious Genius.) There dwell  
Within a crooked Cranny, in a Dell  
Beneath Parnassus; certain sisters borne,  
Called Parcaes; whom extreme swift wings adorn;  
Their Number three; that have upon their heads  
White Barley flower still sprinkled; and are maids;  
And these are schoolemistresses of things to come,  
Without the gift of Prophecy: of whom  
(Being but a boy, and keeping Oxen, ne'er)  
I learned their skill; though my great Father were  
Careless of it, or them. These flying from home,  
To others roofs; and fed with Hony-come,  
Command all skill; and (being enraged then)  
Will freely tell the Truths of things to Men.  
But if they give them not, that God's sweet meat;  
They then are apt, to utter their deceit,  
And lead Men from their way. And these will I  
Give thee hereafter; when their scrutiny  
And truth; thou hast both made, and learned, and then;  
Please thyself with them; and the Race of men  
(Wilt thou know any) with thy skill endear:  
Who will, (be sure) afford it greedy ear;  
And hear it often, if it prove sincere.  
Take these (O Maia's Son) and in thy care,  
Be Horse, and Oxen: all such Men as are  
Patient of labour; Lions; white-toothed Boars;  
Mastiffs, and flocks, that feed the flowery shores;  
And every four-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 bestow, a wealthy One.  
Thus King Apollo, honoured Maia's Son,  
With all the rights of friendship: all whose love  
Had Imposition, from the Will of jove.  
And thus, with Gods and Mortals Hermes lived;  
Who truly helped but few; but all deceived  
With an undifferencing respect; and made  
Vain words, and false persuasions his Trade.  
His Deeds, were all associates of the Night;  
In which, his close wrongs, cared for no man's Right.  
So all salutes to Hermes, that are due;  
Of whom, and all Gods, shall my Muse sing true.  
The end of the Hymn to Hermes.   

A HYMN TO VENUS.  
THe force (O Muse) and functions, now, unfold,  
Of Cyprian Venus, graced with Mines of Gold.  
Who, even in Deities, lights Loves sweet desire;  
And all Death's kinds of men, makes kiss her fire:  
All Airs winged Nation; all the Belluine;  
That or the Earth feeds, or the Seas confine.  
To all which appertain, the love and care  
Of well-crowned Venus' works. Ye three there are,  
Whose minds, she neither can deceive nor move;  
Pallas, the seed of Aegis-bearing- jove;  
Who still lives Indevirginate; her eyes  
Being blue, and sparkling like the freezing skies:  
Whom all the Gold of Venus, never can  
Tempt to affect her facts, with God or Man.  
She loving strife, and Mars-his working Bones;  
Pitched fields, and fights, and famous Artisans,  
Taught earthy men first, all the Arts that are;  
Chariots, and all the frames vehiculare;  
Chiefly with brass, armed, & adorned for war.  
Where Venus, only soft-skinnd wenches fills  
With wanton House-works, and suggests those skills  
Still to their studies. Whom Diana neither,  
That bears the Golden distaff; and together  
Calls Horns, and Hollows; and the cries of Hounds;  
And owns the Epithet of loving sounds  
For their sakes; springing from such sprightly sports;  
Can catch with her kind Lures. But hill resorts  
To wilde-Beasts slaughters; accents farr-off heard  
Of Harps, and Dances; and of woods unsheard  
The sacred shades she loves; yet likes as well  
Cities where good men, and their offspring dwell.  
The third, whom her kind Passions nothing please;  
Is Virgin Vesta; whom Saturnides  
Made reverend with his counsels: when his Sire  
That adverse counsels agitates, life's fire  
Had kindled in her; being his last begot.  
Whom Neptune wooed, to knit with him the knot  
Of honoured Nuptials; and Apollo too;  
Which, with much vehemence, she refused to do;  
And stern Repulses, put upon 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'invincible Maid of Deities  
Through all her day's dates. For Saturnides  
Gave her a fair gift, in her Nuptials stedd;  
To sit in midst of his house, and be fed  
With all the free, and richest feast of Heaven:  
In all the Temples of the Gods being given  
The prize of honour. Not a mortal Man,  
(That either of the powers Olympian  
His half-birth having; may be said to be  
A mortal of the Gods; or else that he  
(Deities wills doings) is of Deity)  
But gives her honour, of the amplest kind.  
Of all these Three; can Venus, not a Mind  
Deceive, or set on forces to reflect.  
Of all powers else yet, not a sex, nor sect,  
Flies Venus; either of the blessed Gods;  
Or Men, cozened in mortal Periods.  
But even the Mind of jove, she doth seduce,  
That chides with Thunder so, her lawless use  
In humane Creatures; and by lot is given  
Of all, most honour; both in Earth, and Heaven.  
And yet even his alwise, and mighty Mind;  
She, when she lifts, can forge affects to blind,  
And mix with mortal Dames, his Deity:  
Concealed, at all parts, from the jealous eye  
Of juno; who was both his sister borne,  
And made his wife; whom beauty did adorn  
Past all the B●●ie of immortal Dames;  
And whose so chiefely-glorified Flames  
Crosse-counsailde Saturn got; and Rhaea bore;  
And Ioues pure counsels, (being Conqueror)  
His wife made of his sister. ay, and more;  
Cast such an amorous fire into her mind  
As made her (like him) with the Mortal kind  
Meet in unmeet bed; using utmost haste;  
Lest she should know, that he lived so unchaste,  
Before herself, felt that fault in her heart;  
And gave her tongue, too just edge of Desert  
To tax his lightness. With this End, beside,  
Lest laughter-studying Venus, should deride  
The Gods more than the Goddesses; and say  
That she the Gods commixed in amorous play,  
With mortal Dames; begetting mortal seed  
T'Immortall sires; and not make Goddesses breed  
The like with mortal Fathers. But t'acquite  
Both Gods and Goddesses of her despite,  
jove took (even in herself) on him, her power;  
And made her with a mortal Paramour  
Use as deformed a mixture, as the rest;  
Kindling a kind affection in her breast  
To God-like-limmed Anchises; as he kept  

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Altissimum habens virticem, cuiuss●mmitas ipsum polum ●●●●ngit.  On Idas-top-on-top-to-heavens-pole heaped,  
Amongst the many fountains there, his Herd;  
For after his brave Person had apper'de  
To her bright eye; her heart flew all on fire;  
And (to amaze) she burned in his desire.  
Flew straight to Cyprus, to her odorous Fane  
And Altars, that the people Paphiane  
Advanced to her. Where, (soon as entered) she  
The shining gates shut; and the Graces three  
Washed; and with Oils of everlasting sent,  
Bathed, as became, her deathless lyneament.  
Then her Ambrosian Mantle she assumed;  
With rich and odoriferous Airs perfumed;  
Which being put on; and all her Trimms beside  
Fair, and with all allurements amplified;  
The All-of-gold-made-laughter-loving Dame;  
Left odorous Cyprus; and for Troy became  
A swift Contendresse; her Pass cutting All  
Along the clouds; and made her instant fall  
On fountfull Ida; that her Mother-Brests  
Gives to the Preyfull brood, of savage Beasts.  
And through the Hill she went, the ready way  
TO Anchises Oxstall, where did fawn and play  
About her blessed feet, Wolves griflie-gray;  
Terrible Lions; many a Mankind Bear;  
And Lybberds swift, insatiate of red Dear.  
Whose sight so pleased, that ever as she passed  
Through every Beast, a kindly Love she cast:  
That in their Denns-obscured with shadows deep;  
Made all, distinguished, in kind Couples, sleep.  
And now she reached the rich Pavilion  
Of the Hero; In whom heavens had shown  
A fair and goodly Composition.  
And whom she in his Oxstall found, alone;  
His Oxen feeding in fat Pastures, by;  
He walking up, and down; sounds clear, and hie,  
From his harp striking. Then, before him, she  
Stood like a Virgin, that invincibly  
Had borne her beauties; yet alluringly  
Bearing her person; lest his ravished eye  
Should chance t'affect him, with a stupid fear.  
Anchises seeing her, all his senses were  
With wonder stricken; and high-taken-heed●s  
Both of her form; brave stature; and rich weeds.  
For, for a veil; she shined in an Attire  
That cast a radiance, past the Ray of fire.  
Beneath which, wore she girt to her, a Gown  
Wrought all with growing-rose-budds; reaching down  
T'her slender smalls; which buskinns did divine;  
Such as taught Thetis silver Feet to shine.  
Her soft white neck; rich Carquenets embraced;  
Bright, and with gold, in all variety graced;  
That, to her breasts (let down) lay there and shone,  
As at her joyful full, the rising Moon.  
Her sight showed miracles. Anchises Heart,  
Love took into his hand; and made him part  
With these high Salutations; joy, (O Queen?)  
Whoever of the Blessed, thy beauties been,  
That light these Entries! Or the Deity  
That Darts affecteth; or that gave the eye  
Of Heaven, his heat and Luster! Or that moves  
The hearts of all, with all-commanding Loves?  
Or generous Themis? Or the blue-eyed Maid?  
Or of the Graces, any that are laid  
With all the Gods, in comparable scales?  
And whom Fame, up to Immortality calls?  
Or any of the Nymphs, that unshorn Groves,  
Or that this fair Hill-habitation loves?  
Or valleys, flowing with earth's fattest Goods?  
Or Fountains, pouring forth, eternal floods?  
Say, which, of all thou art; that in some place  
Of circular prospect, for thine eyes dear grace  
I may an Altar build, and to thy Powers  
Make sacred all the years devoted Hours,  
With consecrations sweet, and oppulent.  
Assured whereof; be thy benign Mind bend  
To these wished blessings of me; give me parts  
Of chief attraction in Trojan hearts.  
And after; give me the refulgencie  
Of most renowned, and rich Posterity;  
Long, and free life; and Heavens sweet light as long;  
The people's blessings; and a health so strong;  
That no disease, it let my life engage;  
Till th'utmost limit, of a humane Age.  
To this, Ioues seed, this answer gave again;  
Anchises? happiest of the humane strain?  
I am no Goddess: why, a thrall to Death  
Think'st thou like those, that immortality breath?  
A woman brought me forth, my Father's Name  
Was Otreus (If ever his high fame  
Thine ears have witnessed) for he governed all  
The Phrygian State: whose every Town, a wall  
Impregnable embraced. Your tongue, (you hear)  
I speak so well, that in my natural sphere  
(As I pretend) It must have taken prime.  
A woman likewise, of the Trojan clime  
took of me, in her house, the Nurse's care  
From my dear Mother's Bosom; and thus are  
My words of equal accent, with your own.  
How, here, I come; (to make the reason known)  
Argicides, that bears the Golden Rod  
Transferred me forcibly from my Abode  
Made with the Maiden Train, of her that joys  
In Golden shafts; and loves so well the noise,  
Of Hounds, & Hunters (Heavens pure-living power)  
Where many a Nymph, and maid of mighty Dowry,  
chaste sports employed All circled with a Crown  
Of infinite Multitude, to see so shown  
Our maiden Pastimes. Yet from all the Fair  
Of this so forceful concourse; up in Air  
The Golden-Rodd-sustaining- Argus Guide,  
Rapt me in sight of all; and made me ride  
Along the Clouds with him; enforcing me  
Through many a labour of Mortality:  
Through many an unbuilt Region; and a rude,  
Where savage Beasts, devoured Preys warm, and crude▪  
And would not let my fears, take one feet tread  
On her by whom, are all lives comforted;  
But said, my Maiden State, must grace the Bed  
Of King Anchises: And bring forth to thee  
Issue as fair, as of divine Degree.  
Which said, and showing me thy moving Grace;  
Away flew he up, to th'immortal Race.  
And thus came I to thee: Necessity  
With her steel stings; compelling me t'applie  
To her high Powre, my will. But You must I,  
Implore by jove; and all the reverence due,  
To your dear Parents; who (in bearing you)  
Can bear no mean sail; lead me home to them  
An untouched Maid: being brought up in th'extreme  
Of much too cold simplicity; to know  
The fiery cunnings, that in Venus glow.  
Show me to them then; and thy Brothers borne:  
I shall appear none, that, parts disadorne;  
But such as well may serve, a Brother's wife;  
And show them now, even to my future life;  
If such, or no, my Present, will extend.  
To Horse-Breede-vary'ng Phrygia, likewise send  
T'inform my Sire and Mother of my State,  
That live for me, extreme disconsolate.  
Who Gold enough, and well-woven weeds will give.  
All whose rich Gifts, in my Amends receive.  
All this performed; add celebration then  
Of honoured Nuptials; that by God and Men  
Are held in reverence. All this while she said;  
Into his bosom, jointly, she conuaid  
The fires of love; when (all enamoured) He  
In these terms answered: If Mortality  
Confine thy Fortunes; and a woman were  
Mother to those attractions that appear  
In thy admired form; thy great Father given  
High Name of Otreus; and the Spy of Heaven  
(Immortal Mercury) th'enforce-full cause  
That made thee lose the Prize of that applause,  
That modesty, immaculate Virgins gives:  
My wife thou shalt be called, through both our lives.  
Nor shall the powers of Men, nor Gods withhold  
My fiery resolution, to enfold  
Thy bosom in mine arms; which here I vow  
To firm performance, past delay; and Now.  
Nor (should Apollo with his silver Bow  
Shoot me to instant death) would I forbear  
To do a deed, so full of cause so dear.  
For with a Heaven-sweet woman, I will lie,  
Though straight I stoop the house of Dis, ' and die.  
This said; he took her hand; and she took way  
With him; her bright eyes casting round; whose stay  
She stuck upon a bed, that was before  
Made for the King, and wealthy coverings wore.  
On which, Bears Hides, and bigg-voiced Lions lay;  
Whose Preyfull lives, the King had made his Prey,  
Hunting th'Idalian Hills. This Bed when they  
Had both ascended; first he took from her  
The fiery weed, that was her utmost wear.  
Vnbutto'nd her next rosy Robe; and loosed  
The Girdle, that her slender waist enclosed.  
Unlaced her buskinns; all her jewellrie  
took from her neck, and breasts; and all laid by,  
Upon a Golden-studded Chair of State.  
Th'Amaze of all which, being removed: even Fate,  
And counsel of the equal Gods gave way  
To this; that with a Deathless Goddess lay  
A deathful Man: since, what his love assumed,  
Not with his conscious knowledge, was presumed.  
Now when the shepherds, and the Herdsmen, all,  
Turned from their flowery Pasture, to their Stall;  
With all their Oxen; fat, and frolic sheep;  
Venus, into Anchises, cast a sleep,  
Sweet, and profound; while, with her own hands now  
With her rich weeds, she did herself endow:  
But so distinguished; that he clear might know:  
His happy Glories; Then (to her desire  
Her heavenly Person; put in Trimms entire)  
She by the bed stood, of the well-built Stall,  
Advanced her head, to State Celestial,  
And in her cheeks, arose the radiant hue  
Of rich-cround Venus, to apparent view.  
And then she rou●'d him from his rest; and said;  
Up (my Dardanides) forsake thy bed.  
What pleasure, late employed, let's Humour steep  
Thy lids, in this inexcitable sleep?  
Wake, and now say, If I appear to thee  
Like her, that first, thine eyes conceited me.  
This started him from sleep; though deep, and dear,  
And passing promptly, he enjoyed his ear.  
But when his eye saw Venus' neck, and eyes,  
Whose beauties could not bear the Counterprise  
Of any other: down his own eyes fell;  
Which pallid fear, did from her view repel:  
And made him, with a main respect beside;  
Turn his whole person from her state; and hide  
(With his rich weed opposed) his royal face;  
These winged words using; When, at first, thy Grace,  
Mine eyes gave entertainment; well I knew  
Thy state was Deified: but thou told'st not true;  
And therefore let me pray thee; (by thy Love  
Borne to thy Father, Aegis-bearing jove)  
That thou wilt never let me live to be  
An abject, after so divine degree  
Taken in fortune; but take ruth on me.  
For any Man that with a Goddess lies;  
Of interest in immortalities,  
Is never long lived. She replied; Forbear  
(O happiest of Mortal Men) this fear:  
And rest assured; that (not for me, at least)  
Thy least ills fear fits; no nor for the rest  
Of all the Blessed; for thou art their friend;  
And so far from sustaining instant end;  
That to thy long-enlarged life; there shall spri●g  
Amongst the Troyans', a dear Son, and King;  
To whom shall many a Son; and Son's Son rise  
In everlasting-great Posterities.  
His Name Aeneas: therein keeping life;  
For ever, in my much-conceipted grief;  
That I (immortal) 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 near  
Your glorious Nation; for the forms ye bear  
And Natures so ingenuous, and sincere.  
For which, the great in counsels (jupiter)  
Your Gold-lockt Ganymedes did transfer  
(In rapture far from men's depressed fates)  
To make him Consort with our Deified states;  
And scale the Top● of the Saturnian skies;  
He was so mere a Marvel in their eyes.  
And therefore from a Bowl of Gold he fills  
Red Nectar; that the rude distension kills  
Of winds that in your humane stomaches breed.  
But than did Languor, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuius Memoria erit perpetua.  on the Liver feed  
Of Tros (his Father) that was King of Troy;  
And ever did his memory employ  
With loss of his dear beauty so bereven;  
Though with a sacred whirlwind ●apt to heaven.  
But jove (in pity of him) saw him given  
Good compensation; sending by Heaven's Spy,  
White-swift-houed Horse; that Immortality  
Had made firm spirited; and had (beside)  
Hermes to see his Embassy supplied  
With this vowed Bounty (using all at large  
That his unaltered counsels gave in charge)  
That he himself, should Immortality breath,  
Expert of Age, and Woe, as well as Death.  
This Embassy expressed, he mourned no more;  
But up, with all his inmost mind he bore;  
joying that he, upon his swift-houed Horse,  
Should be stustained in an eternal course.  
So did the golden-thron'de Aurora, raise  
Into her Lap; another that the praise  
Of an Immortal fashion, had in Fame;  
And of your Nation, bore the Noble Name:  
(His Title Tithon) who, not pleased with her,  
As she his lovely Person, did transfer;  
(To satisfy him) she bade ask of jove,  
The Gift of an Immortal for her Love..  
jove gave; and bound it with his bowed Brow;  
Performing to the utmost point, his vow.  
Fool that she was; that would her love engage;  
And not, as long ask, from the Bane of Age,  
The sweet exemption; and Youths endless flower.  
Of which, as long, as both the grace and pour  
His person entertained; she loved the Man;  
And (at the fluents of the Ocean  
Near Earth's extreme bounds) dwelled with him: but when  
(According to the course of aged Men)  
On his fair head; and honourable Beard;  
His first grey hairs, to her light eyes appeared;  
She left his bed; yet gave him still, for food  
The God's Ambrosia; and attire as good.  
Till, even the hate of Age, came on so fast  
That not a lyneament of his was graced  
With power of Motion; nor did still sustain  
(Much less) the Vigour had, t'advance a vain;  
The virtue lost, in each exhausted lim●,  
That, (at his wish) before would answer him;  
All Powers so quite decayed; that when he spoke,  
His voice, no perceptible accent broke:  
Her counsel, then, thought best; to strive no more;  
But lay him in his bed, and lock his Dore.  
Such an Immortal; would not I wish thee,  
T'extend all days so, to Eternity.  
But if, as now, thou couldst perform thy course  
In Grace of Form, and all corporeal force  
To an eternal Date; Thou then shouldst bear  
My Husband's worthy Name; and not a Tear,  
Should I need rain, for thy deserts declined,  
From my All clouded bitterness of mind.  
But now, the stern storm of relentless Age  
Will quickly circle thee; that waits ●'engage  
All Men alike; even Loathsomeness, and Bane  
Attending with it, every humane ●ane:  
Which even the Gods bate. Such a Penance lies  
Imposed on flesh and bloods infirmities.  
Which I myself must taste, in great degree,  
And date as endless; for consorting thee.  
All the Immortals, with my opprobry  
Are full, by this time; on their Hearts so lie,  
(Even to the sting of Fear) my cunnings used;  
And wiving conversations infused,  
Into the bosoms of the best of them,  
With women, that the frail and mortal stream  
Doth daily ravish. All this long since done.  
Which now, no more but with effusion  
Of tears; I must in Heaven, so much as name:  
I have so forfeited, in this, my Fame,  
And am imposed, pain of so great a kind  
For so much erring, from a Goddess Mind.  
For I have put beneath my Girdle here,  
A Son, whose sire, the humane mortal sphere  
Gives Circumscription. But when first the light  
His eyes shall comfort; Nymphs that haunt the height;  
Of Hills; and Breasts have, of most deep receipt;  
Shall be his Nurses: who inhabit now  
A Hill of so vast, and divine a Brow,  
As Man, nor God, can come at their Retreats.  
Who live long lives, and eat immortal Meats;  
And with Immortals, in the exercise  
Of comely Dances, dare contend; and rise  
Into high Question, which deserves the Prize.  
The light Sileni, mix in love with These;  
And of all Spies, the Prince Argicides:  
In well-trymmd Caves, their secret meetings made.  
And with the lives of these; doth life invade  
Or odorous fir Trees; or high-forheaded Okes;  
Together taking their begetting strokes.  
And have tbeir lives and deaths, of equal Dates;  
Trees bearing lovely, and Delightsome states;  
Whom Earth first feeds, that Men initiates.  
On her high Hills, she doth their states sustain,  
And they, their own heights, raise as high again.  
Their Growghts together made; Nymphs call their Groves;  
Vowed to th'immortals services, and loves.  
Which mens steels therefore touch not; but let grow.  
But when wise Fates, times for their fade know;  
The fair Trees still, before the fair Nymphs die;  
The Bark about them; grown corrupt, and dry;  
And all their boughs (fall'n) yield to Earth her right;  
And then the Nymphs lives, leave the lovely Light.  
And these Nymphs, in their Caves, shall nurse my Son;  
Whom (when in him, Youth's first grace is begun)  
The Nymphs, his Nurses, shall present to thee,  
And show thee what a Birth, thou hast by Me.  
And (sure as now I tell thee all these things)  
When earth, hath clothed her plants, in five fair springs;  
Myself will make return, to this Retreat;  
And bring that Flower of thy enamoured heat;  
Whom when thou then seest, joy shall fire thine eyes;  
He shall so well Present the Deities.  
And then into thine own care take thy Son;  
From his calm seat, to windy Ilium.  
Where, if strict question, be upon thee past,  
Ask what Mother, bore beneath her waist  
So dear a Son; answer, as I afford  
Fit admonition, nor forget a word;  
They say a Nymph, called Calucopides,  
That is with others, an inhabitresse  
On this thy wood-crownd Hill; acknowledges  
That she, his life gave. But if thou declare  
The Secrets, truth; and art so mad to dare  
(In glory of thy fortunes) te approve,  
That rich-crownd Venus, mixed with thee in love;  
jove (fired with my aspersion, so dispred)  
Will, with a wreakful lightning, dart thee dead.  
All, now, is told thee; comprehend it All.  
Be Master of thyself; and do not call  
My Name in question; but, with reverence vow  
To Deities angers, all the awe, ye owe.  
This said; she reached Heaven, where airs ever flow;  
And so (O Goddess) ever honoured be  
In thy so Odorous Cyprian Empery;  
My Muse, affecting first, thy Fame to raise;  
Shall make Transcension now, to others Praise.  
The end of the first Hymn to Venus.   

To the same.  
THe Reverend Rich-crownd, and Fair Queen, I sing;  
(Venus) that owes in Fate the fortressing,  
Of all Maritimal Cyprus: Where the force  
Of gentle-breathing Zephir sterde her Course  
Along the waves of the resounding Sea;  
While, yet, unborn, in that soft foam she lay  
That brought her forth; whom those fair Hours that bear  
The Golden-bridles; joyfully stood ne'er;  
took up into their arms; and put on her  
Weed's of a never-corruptible wear.  
On her immortal head, a Crown they placed;  
Elaborate; and with all the beauties graced  
That Gold could give it. Of a weight so great;  
That, to impose, and take off; it had set  
Three Handles on it; made for endless hold,  
Of shining Brass; and all adorned with Gold.  
Her soft neck; all with Carquenets was graced;  
That stooped, and both her silver breasts embraced,  
Which even the Hours themselves wear in resort,  
To Deities Dances; and her Father's Court.  
Graced at all parts; they brought to Heaven her graces;  
Whose first sight seen; all fell into embraces;  
Hugged her white bands; saluted; wishing, all,  
To wear her Maiden Flower in festival  
Of sacred Hymen: and to lead her home.  
All, to all admiration, overcome  
With Cytheraea, with the violet Crown.  
So, to the black-Browd-sweet-spoke; All Renown;  
Prepare my Song; and give me, in the end,  
The victory; to whose Palm, all contend.  
So shall my Muse, for ever honour thee,  
And (for thy sake) thy fair Posterity.   

BACCHUS, OR The Pirates.  
OF Dionysus (Noble Semele's Son)  
I now intent to render Mention:  
As on a prominent shore, his person shone,  
Like to a Youth, whose flower was newly blown.  
Bright azure Tresses, played about his head;  
And on his bright broad shoulders, was dispred  
A purple Mantle. Straight he was descried  
By certain Manly Pirates, that applied  
Their utmost speed to prize him; being aboard  
A well-built Bark; about whose broad ●ides roared  
The wine-black Tyrrhene Billows: Death as black  
Brought them upon him, in their future wrack.  
For soon as they had purchased but his view;  
Mutual signs past them; and ashore they flew:  
took him; and brought him, instantly aboard;  
Soothing their Hopes, to have obtained a Horde  
Of riches with him; and a jove-kept King  
To such a Flower, must needs be natural spring.  
And therefore-strait, strong Fetters they must fetch,  
To make him sure. But no such strength would stretch,  
To his constrained Powers. Farr flew all their Bands  
From any least force, done his feet, or hands.  
But he sat casting smiles, from his black eyes  
At all their worst. At which Discoveries  
Made by the Master: he did thus dehort  
All his Associates; Wretches? Of what sort,  
Hold ye the Person, ye assay to bind?  
Nay, which of all, the Pour fully-diuin'de  
Esteem ye him? whose worth yields so much weight,  
That, not our well-built Bark, will bear his freight.  
Or jove himself he is; Or he that bears  
The silver Bow; Or Neptune. Nor appears  
In him the least resemblance of a Man;  
But of a strain; at least Olympian.  
Come! Make we quick dismission of his state;  
And on the black-soild earth, exonerate  
Our sinking vessel, of his Deified Lode:  
Nor dare the touch, of an intangible God.  
Lest winds outrageous, and of wrackful scathe;  
And smoking Tempests, blow his fiery wrath.  
This well-spoke Master, the Tall captain gave  
Hateful, and horrible language: called him slave;  
And bade him mark the prosperous gale that blew;  
And bow their vessel, with her main sail, flew.  
Bade all take arms; and said, their works requir'de;  
The cares of Men; and not of an inspir'de,  
Pure zealous Master. His firm hopes being fired  
With this Opinion; that they should arrive  
In Egypt straight; or Cyprus; or where live  
Men whose brave breaths, above the Northwind blow;  
Yea, and perhaps beyond their Region too.  
And that he made no doubt, but in the end,  
To make his Prisoner, tell him every friend  
Of all his offspring: Brothers: Wealth, and All;  
Since that Prise, certain, must some God let fall.  
This said; the Most, and mainsail; up he drew,  
And in the main sails midst, a frank Gale blew;  
When all his ship took arms, to brave their Prize.  
But straight, strange works apperde to all their eyes:  
First; sweet wine, through-their swift-black Bark did flow;  
Of which, the Odours, did, a little, blow:  
Their fiery spirits, making th'air so fine,  
That, they in flood were there, as well as wine.  
A mere Immortall-making savour rose;  
Which on the Air, the Deity did Impose.  
The Seamen seeing All; Admiration seized.  
Yet instantly, their wonders were increased:  
For on the Top sail, there ran, here, and there,  
A Vine that Grapes did, in abundance bear;  
And in an instant, was the ships main Mast  
With an obscure-greene-Iuies arms embraced,  
That flourished straight, and were with Buries graced;  
Of which, did Garlands, circled every brow  
Of all the Pirates; and no One knew how.  
Which when they saw, they made the Master steer  
Out to the shore: whom Bacchus made forbear,  
With showing more wonders; On the Hatches, He  
Appeared a terrible Lion, horribly  
Roaring; and in the Mid-deck, a Male Bear,  
Made with a huge Mane: making all, for fear  
Crowd to the stern, about the Master there:  
Whose Mind, he still kept, dauntless, and sincere.  
But on the Captain rushed and rampt, with force  
So rude, and sudden; that his main recours  
Was to the Maine-Sea straight: and after him,  
Leapt all his Mates; as trusting to their swimm;  
To fly foul Death. But so; found what they fled,  
Being all to Dolphinns, metamorphosed.  
The Master, he took Ruth of; saved, and made.  
The blessedst Man, that ever tried his Trade.  
These few words giving him: Be confident  
Thou God-inspired Pilot! In the Bent  
Of my affection, ready to requite  
Thy late-to-me-intended benefit.  
I am the Roaring God, of sprightly Wine:  
Whom Semele, (that did, even jove incline,  
To amorous Mixture, and was Cadmus' care)  
Made issue to the Mighty Thunderar.  
And thus, all Excellence of Grace to thee,  
Son of sweete-count'nance-cary'ng Semele.  
I must not thee forget, in least Degree,  
But pray thy spirit, to render so, my song,  
Sweet, and all ways, in ordered fury, strong.   

To Mars.  
Mar Most strong: Gold-helmed; making Chariots crack;  
Never without a shield, cast on thy back.  
Mind master town-guard▪ with darts never driven.  
Strong-handed; Alarms; fort, and fence of heaven.  
Father of Victory, with fair strokes given.  
joint surrogate of justice, lest she fall;  
In unjust strifes, a Tyrant. General,  
Only of Iust. Men, justly. That dost bear  
Fortitud's Sceptre. To Heaven's fiery sphere  
Giver of circular motion: between  
That, and the Pleiad's that still wand'ring been.  
Where thy still vehemently-flaming Horse,  
About the third Heaven, make their fiery course.  
Helper of Mortals; Hear! As thy fires give  
The fair, and present boldnesses that strive  
In Youth for Honour; being the sweete-beamd Light  
That darts into their lives, from all thy Height  
The Fortitudes, and Fortunes, found in fight.  
So, would I likewise wish to have the Powre  
To keep off, from my head, thy bitter Hour;  
And that false fire, cast from my souls low kind,  
Stoop to the fit rule, of my highest Mind.  
Controlling, that so eager sting of wrath,  
That styrrs me on still, to that horrid scathe  
Of war; that God still sends to wreak his spleen;  
(Even by whole Tribes) of proud injurious Men.  
But O thou ever-blessed! Give me still,  
Presence of mind, to put in Act, my will  
Varied, as fits, to all Occasion.  
And to live free; vnforced; unwrought upon;  
Beneath those Laws of Peace, that never are  
Affected with Pollutions Populare  
Of unjust hurt; or loss to any One;  
And to bear safe, the burden undergone  
Of Foes inflexive, and inhuman hates;  
Secure from violent, and harmful Fates.   

To Diana.  
DIana praise (Muse) that in Darts delights;  
lives still a Maid, & had nutritiall rights  
With her borne-Brother, the farr-shooting Sun.  
That doth her all of Gold-made-Chariot run  
In Chase of Game; from Meles that abounds  
In black-browed Bulrushes; (and where her Hounds,  
She first uncouples; joining 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 silver Bowe doth bear;  
To meet with Phoebe, that doth Darts transfer  
As far as He his shafts. As far then, be  
Th● chaste Fame shot (O Queen of Archery)  
Sacring my song, to every Deity.   

To Venus.  
TO Cyprian Venus, still my verses vow:  
Who Gifts, as sweet as honey doth bestow  
On all Mortality. That ever smiles;  
And rules a face, that all foes reconciles.  
Ever sustaining in her hand, a Flower,  
That all desire keeps, ever in her Powre.  
Hail then O Queen of well-built Salamine,  
And all the state, that Cyprus doth confine:  
Inform my song, with that celestial fire,  
That in thy beauties, kindles all desire.  
So shall my Muse, for ever honour Thee,  
And any other, thou commend'st to Me.   

To Pallas.  
PAllas Minerva; Only I begin  
To give my song; that makes wars terrible Din:  
Is Patroness of Cities; and with Mars  
Marshaled in all the care, and cure of wars:  
And in everted Cities, fights, and Cries.  
But never doth herself, set down, or rise,  
Before a City; but at both times She,  
All iniur'de people, sets on foot, and free.  
Give, with thy war's force, Fortune then to Me;  
And with thy Wisdom's force, Felicity.   

To juno.  
SAturnia, and her Throne of Gold I sing;  
That was of Rhaea, the eternal spring;  
And Empress of a beauty; never yet  
Equalled in height of Tincture. Of the great  
Saturnius (breaking Air, in awful Noise,)  
The farr-famed wife, and sister; whom in joys  
Of high Olympus, all the blessed Love;  
And Honour, equal, with unequalled jove.   

To Ceres.  
THe Rich-hayred, Ceres, I assay to sing;  
A Goddess, in whose Grace the natural spring  
Of serious Majesty itself, is seen:  
And of the wedded, yet in grace still green,  
(Proserpina, her Daughter) that displays  
A Beauty, casting every way her Rays.  
All Honour to thee (Goddess:) keep this Town;  
And take, thou, chief charge of my songs Renown.   

TO THE MOTHER OF The Gods.  
MOther of All; both Gods, and Men, Commend  
(O Muse) whose fair Form did from jove descend;  
That doth with Cymbal sounds, delight her life;  
And tremulous divisions of the Fife.  
Love's dreadful Lions Rores; and Wolves hoarse Howls,  
Sylvan Retreats; and Hills, whose hollow knoules,  
Raise repercussive sounds about her ears.  
And so, may, Honour, ever crown thy years,  
With All-else Goddesses; and ever be  
Exalted in the Muse's Harmony.   

TO LION-HEARTED Hercules.  
ALlcides, (Force-fullest of all the Brood  
Of Men, enforced with need of earthy food,)  
My Muse shall memorise; the son of jove;  
Whom, in faire-seated Thebes (commixed in love  
With great Heavens sable-cloude-assembling state)  
Al●mena bore to him. And who (in date  
Of days forepast) through all the Sea was sent  
And Earth's inernarable Continent,  
To Acts, that King Euristeus had decreed.  
Did many a Petulant, and Imperious Deed  
Himself; and therefore, suffered many a Toil.  
Yet now inhabits the illustrious Soil  
Of white Olympus; and Delights his life  
With still young Hebe; his well-anckled wife.  
Hail, King; and Son of jove; vouchsafe thou Me  
Virtue; and her Effect, Felicity.   

To Aesculapius.  
WIth Aesculapius, (the Physician) Son,  
That cured all sickness, and was Phoebus  
M● Muse, makes Entry; to whose life gave yield  
Divine Coronis, in the Dotian field,  
(King Phlegius Daughter:) who, much joy on Men  
Conferred in dear Ease, of their irksome Pain.  
For which; my salutation (worthy King)  
And vows to thee paid, ever when I sing.   

TO CASTOR AND POLLUX.  
CAstor and Pollux, (the Tyndarides)  
Sweet Muse illustrate; that their Essences  
Fetch from the high forms of Olympian jove;  
And were the fair fruits of bright Leda's Love..  
Which she produced, beneath the sacred shade  
Of steep Taygetus; being subdued; and made  
To serve Affections of the Thunderer.  
And so, all Grace to you; whom all Auer,  
(For skill in Horses, and their Manage given)  
To be the bravest Horsemen, under Heaven.   

To Mercury.  
HErmes, I honour, (the Cyllenian Spy)  
King of Cyllenia, and of Arcady  
With flocks abounding: and the Messenger  
Of all th'immortals; that Doth still infer  
Profits of infinite value to their store:  
Whom to Saturnius, bashful Maia bore;  
Daughter of Atlas; and did therefore fly  
Of all th'immortals, the Society,  
To that dark Cave; where, in the dead of Night,  
jove joined with her, in Love's divine Delight;  
When Golden sleep, shut Juno's jealous eye,  
Whose arms had wrists, as white as ivory;  
From whom, and all, both Men, and Gods beside,  
The faire-hayrd Nymph, her escape kept underscride.  
joy to the jove-got then, and Maia's Care;  
'twixt Men and Gods, the general Messenger:  
Giver of good Grace; Gladness, and the Flood  
Of all that Men, or Gods, account their Good.   

To Pan.  
SIng (Muse) this chief of Hermes love-got joys;  
Goate-sooted, Two-horned; amorous of noise.  
That through the faire-greenes', all adorned with Trees  
Together goes, with Nymphs; whose nimble knees,  
Can euer● Dance, foot; That affect to scale  
The most inaccessible Tops of all  
Uprightest rocks: and ever use to call  
On Pan, the bright-hayred God of Pastoral.  
Who yet, is lean, and lovelesse; and doth owe  
By lot, all loftiest▪ Mountains, crowned with snow;  
All Tops of Hills, and cliffy Highnesses:  
All Sylvan Copses, and the Fortresses  
Of Thorniest Queaches, here and there doth rove.  
And sometimes, (by allurement of his love;)  
Will wade the watery softnesses. Sometimes  
(In quite oppos'de Capriccios) he climbs  
The hardest Rocks, and highest: every way  
Running their Ridges. Often will convey  
Himself up to a watch-Towrs Top; where sheep;  
Have their Observance: oft through Hills as steep,  
His Goats he runs upon; and never rests.  
Then turns he head; and flies on savage Beasts,  
Mad of their slaughters. So most sharp an eye  
Setting upon them; as his Beams let fly  
Through all their thickest Tapestries. And then  
(When Hesp'rus calls to fold, the flocks of Men)  
From the green Closets, of his loftiest Reeds,  
He rushes forth; and joy, with Song, he feeds.  
When, (under shadow, of their motions, set,)  
He plays a verse forth, so profoundly sweet;  
As not the Bird that in the flowery Spring  
(Amidds the leaves set) makes the Thickets ring  
Of her sour sorrows, sweetened with her song,  
Runs her divisions varied so, and strong.  
And then the sweete-voiced Nymphs, that crown his mountains;  
(Flocked round about, the deepe-black-watred fountains;  
Fall in with their Contention of song.  
To which, the Echoes, all the Hills along  
Their repercussions add. Then here, and there  
(Placed in the midst) the God, the Guide doth bear  
Of all their Dances; winding in, and out.  
A Lynxes Hide (besprinkled round about  
With blood, cast on his shoulders. And thus He  
With well-made songs, maintains th'alacrity  
Of his free mind, in silken Meadows crowned  
With Hyacynths, and Saffrons; that abound  
In sweete-breathed Odours: that th'unnumbered grass  
(Besides their scents) give as through all they pass.  
And these, in all their pleasures, ever raise  
The blessed Gods and long Olympus, praise:  
Like zealous Hermes; who (of all) I said  
Most Profits, up, to all the Gods conveyed.  
Who, likewise, came into th' Arcadian state;  
(That's rich in Fountains; and all celebrate  
For Nurse of flocks.) Where, he had vowed a Grove  
(Surnamed Cyllenius) to his Godheads love.  
Yet even himself (although a God he were  
Clad in a squalid sheepskinn) governed there  
A Mortals sheep. For soft Love, entering him,  
Conformed his state, to his conceited Trimm.  
And made him long, in an extreme degree,  
T'enjoy the fayre-hayrd Virgin Dryope.  
Which, ere he could; she made him consummate  
The flourishing Rites of Hymen's honoured State.  
And brought him, such a piece of Progeny,  
As showed (at first sight) monstrous to the eye;  
Gote-footed, Two-horned; full of noise, even Then;  
And (opposite quite to other children)  
Told (in sweet laughter) he ought death no Tear.  
Yet straight his Mother start; and fled, in fear  
The sight of so unsatisfying a Thing;  
In whose face, put forth, such a bristled spring.  
Yet the most useful Mercury embraced,  
And took into his arms, his homely-faced:  
Beyond all measure joyful with his sight:  
And up to heaven with him, made instant flight,  
Wrapped in the warm skin, of a Mountain Hare:  
Set him by jove; and made most merry fare  
To all the Deities else, with his Son's sight;  
Which, most of all, filled Bacchus with delight;  
And Pan they called him, since he brought to All,  
Of Mirth so rare; and full a Festival.  
And thus, all honour to the shepherd's King:  
For Sacrifice to Thee, my Muse shall sing.   

To Vulcan.  
PRaise Vulcan, now Muse; whom Fame gives the Prize,  
For Depth, & Facture, of all Forge device;  
Who, with the skie-eyd Pallas, first did give  
Men, rules of buildings, that before did live,  
In Caves, and Denns; and Hills like savage Beasts:  
But now, by Art-famed Vulcan's Interests  
In all their civil Industries; ways clear  
Through th'All-things-bringing-to-their-Ends, (the year)  
They work out to their Ages ends; at ease  
Lodged in safe Roofs, from Winter's utmost press.  
But Vulcan; stand propitious to Me;  
Virtue safe, granting, and Felicity.   

To Phoebus.  
O Phoebus! Even the Swann from forth her wings,  
(jumping her proyning-banck) thee sweetly sings,  
By bright Peneus, whirle-pit-making-streames.  
Thee, that thy Lute; mak'st sound so to thy Beams.  
Thee, first and last, the sweete-voiced 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;  
Earth's mover; & the fruitless Ocean's king.  
That Helicon, and th' Aegan Deeps dost hold.  
O thou Earth-shaker; Thy Command, twofold  
The Gods have sorted; making thee, of Horses  
The awful Tamer; and of Naval Forces  
The sure Preserver. Hail (O Satur's Birth)  
Whose graceful green bayre, circkles all the Earth.  
Bear a benign mind; and thy helpful hand,  
Lend All, submitted, to thy dread Command.   

To jove.  
Jove, now I sing; the greatest, & the best,  
Of all these Powers, that are with Deity blest.  
That farr-off, doth his dreadful Voice, diffuse;  
And (being King of All) doth all conduce  
To all their Ends. Who (shut from all-Gods else  
With Themis; that the laws of all things tells)  
Their fit Composures, to their Times doth call;  
Weds them together; and preserves This All. (given;  
Grace then (O farr-heard jove) the grace thou'st  
Most glorious, & most great of Earth & Heaven.   

To Vesta.  
VEsta, that (as a servant) Ouersees  
King Phoebus' hallowd house: in all degrees  
Of Guide about it; on the sacred shore  
Of heavenly Pythos: and hast evermore  
Rich balms distilling from thy Odorous hair;  
Grace this House, with thy huswifely repair.  
Enter, and bring a Mind that most may move,  
Conferring, even the great in counsels, jove:  
And let my verse taste, of your either's love.   

TO THE MUSES AND APOLLO.  
THe Muses jove, and Phoebus, now I sing;  
For from the farr-off-shooting Phoebus, spring  
All Poets, and Musicians; and from jove  
Th'Ascents of Kings. The Man, the Muse's love,  
Felicity blesses; Elocutions choice  
In Syrup lay'ng, of sweetest breath, his voice.  
Hail (Seed of jove) my song, your honours, give;  
And so, in Mine, shall yours, and others, live.   

To Bacchus.  
Ivie-crowned Bacchus, Iterate in thy Praises,  
(O Muse) whose Voice, all loftiest  
Echoes raises;  
And He with all th'illustrous seed of jove;  
Is joined in honour: being the fruit of Love  
To him, and Semele-the-greats-in-grace:  
And from the King, his Father's kind embraces,  
By faire-hayrde Nymphs, was taken to the Dales  
Of Nyssa; and with curious Festivals  
Given his fair Grought; far from his Father's view,  
In Caves, from whence, eternal Odours flew.  
And in high number of the Deities placed;  
Yet, when the many- Hymne-given God, had past  
His Nurse's Cares; in Iuies, and in Bayss  
All over Thicketed; his varied ways  
To sylvan Coverts, evermore he took  
With all his Nurses; whose shrill voices shook  
Thickets, in which, could no feet Entry fall;  
And he himself made Captain of them All.  
And so (O Grape-abounding Bacchus) be  
Ever saluted by my Muse, and Me.  
Give us to spend with spirit, our Hours out here;  
And every Hour, extend to many a Year.   

To Diana.  
DIana, (that the Golden Spindle, moves;  
And lofty sounds, as well as Bacchus' loue●  
A bashful Virgin, and of fearful hearts  
The Death-affecter, with delighted Darts;  
By Sire, and Mother, Phoebus' Sister borne;  
Whose Thigh, the Golden Falchion doth adorn)  
I sing; who, likewise, over Hills of shade,  
And Promontories, that vast winds invade,  
(Amorous of Hunting) bends her all-gold Bow;  
And sigh-begetting Arrows doth bestow,  
In fates so dreadful; that the Hill-Tops quake;  
And Bristlde woods, their leavy foreheads shake;  
Horrors invade Earth; and fishie Seas  
Impassioned furies; nothing can appease  
The dying Braies of Beasts; and her Delight  
In so much Death, affects so with affright,  
Even all inanimate natures. For while she  
Her sports applies; Their general Progeny  
She all ways, turns upon, to All their Banes:  
Yet, when her fiery Pleasures find their wanes;  
(Her yielding Bow unbent) to th'ample House  
(Seated in Delphos, rich, and Populous)  
Of her dear Brother, her Retreats advance.  
Where, Th'Instauration of delightsome Dance  
Amongst the Muses, and the Graces, she  
Gives form; In which, herself the Regency  
(Her unbent Bow hung up; and casting on  
A gracious Robe) assumes; and first sets gone  
The Dances Entry; to which, all send forth  
Their heavenly voices; and advance the worth  
Of her faire-anckled Mother; since, to light  
She Children brought, the far most exquisite  
In Counsels, and Performances; of all  
The Goddesses, that grace the heavenly Hall.  
Hail then, Latona's faire-hayrd seed, & Ioues;  
My song shall ever, call to Mind your Loves.   

To Pallas.  
PAllas-Minerua's Deity, the renowned:  
My Muse, in her variety, must resound;  
Mighty in counsels; whose Illustrious Eyes,  
In all resemblance, represent the skies.  
A reverend Maid of an inflexible Mind:  
In Spirit, and Person, strong: of Triple kind;  
Fautresse of Cities, that just Laws maintain;  
Of jove-the-greats-in-counsaile, very Brain  
took Prime existence: his unbounded Brows,  
Could not contain her; such impetuous Throws  
Her Birth gave way to; that abroad she flew,  
And stood in Gold armed, in her Father's view,  
Shaking her sharp Lance: all Olympus shook  
So terribly beneath her; that it took  
Up, in amazes, all the Deities there.  
All Earth resounded, with vociferous Fear.  
The Sea was put up, all in purple Waves;  
And settld suddenly, her rudest Raves.  
Hyperions radiant Son, his swift-houed Steeds,  
A mighty Time stayed; till her arming weeds,  
As glorious as the Gods, the blue-eyed Maid  
took from her Deathless shoulders: but then stayed  
All these distempers; and heaven's counsellor, jove,  
Rejoiced that all things else, his stay, could move.  
So I salute thee still; and still in Praise  
Thy Fame, and others, shall my Memory raise.   

To Vesta, and Mercury.  
VESta I sing, who, in Bequest of Fate,  
Art sorted out, an everlasting State  
In all th'Immortals high-built roofs, & all  
Those of Earth-dwelling Men: As general  
And ancient honours, given thee for thy gift  
Of free-liued Chastity; and precious Thrift.  
Nor can there amongst Mortals, Banquets be;  
In which, both first and last, they give not Thee  
Their endless Gratitude's, in pourd-out wine;  
As gracious sacrifice, to thy divine  
And useful virtues; being inuoked by All,  
Before the least Taste of their Festival  
In wine or food, affect their appetites.  
And thou, that of th'adorned with all Delights,  
Art the most useful Angel: borne a God  
Of jove, and Maia; of Heaven's golden Rodd  
The sole Sustainer; and hast power to bless  
With All good, All Men (great Argicides)  
Inhabit all Good houses; seeing no wants  
Of mutual minds love, in Th'inhabitants.  
join in kind blessing with the bashful Maid  
And all-loued Virgin, Vesta; either's aid  
Combined in every Hospitable House:  
Both being best seen, in all the gracious  
House-works of Mortals. jointly follow then  
Even from their youths, the minds of dames and men.  
Hail then, old Daughter of the ouldest God,  
And thou great bearer of Heaven's golden Rodd?  
Yet not to you, alone, my vows belong;  
Others as well, claim T'Homage of my song.   

TO EARTH THE Mother of all.  
MOther of all things, the well-founded Earth,  
My Muse shall memorise; who all the birth  
Gives food, that all her upper regions breed;  
All that in her divine diffusions feed  
In under Continents: All those that live  
In all the Seas; and All the air doth give  
Wing'd expeditions; Of thy bounties eat  
Fair Children, and fair fruits, thy labours sweat;  
(O great in reverence:) and referred to thee  
For life, and death, is all the Pedigree  
Of Mortal humans. Happy then is He  
Whom the innate Propensions of thy Mind  
Stand bend to honour. He shall all things find  
In all abundance: All his Pastures yield  
Herds in all plenties: All his roofs are filled  
With rich possessions: He, in all the sway  
Of Laws best ordered, cuts out his own way  
In Cities shining with delicious Dames;  
And takes his choice of all those striving Flames.  
High happiness, and riches, (like his Train)  
Follow his Fortunes; with delights that reign  
In all their Princes. Glory invests his Sons;  
His Daughters, with their crowned selections  
Of all the City, frolic through the Meads;  
And every one, her calld-for Dances treads  
Along the soft-flowre of the claver Grasse.  
All this, with all those, ever comes to pass,  
That thy love blesses, Goddess full of grace,  
And treasurous Angel t'all the humane Race.  
Hail then, Great Mother of the Deified kind;  
Wife to the Cope of Stars? sustain a Mind  
Propitious to me, for my Praise; and give  
(Answering my mind) my vows fit Means to live.   

To the Sun.  
THe radiant Sun's divine renown, diffuse  
(Ioues Daughter, great Calliope my Muse)  
Whom Ox-eyed Euryphaessa gave Birth,  
To the bright seed of starry Heaven and Earth.  
For the farr-famed Hyperion took to Wife  
His sister Euryphaessa; that life  
Of his high Race, gave, to these lovely Three,  
Aurora with the Rosie-wrists, and she  
That owns th'enamouring tresses (the bright Moon)  
Together, with the never-wearied Sun.  
Who, (his Horse mounting) gives, both Mortals light  
And all Th'immortals. Even to horror, bright  
A blaze burns from his Golden Burgonet  
Which to behold, exceeds the sharpest set  
Of any eyes intention: Beams so clear  
It always powers abroad. The glorious cheer  
Of his farr-shining Face, up to his Crown,  
Casts circular Radiance: that comes streaming down  
About his Temples; his bright Cheeks, and all  
Retaining the refulgence of their Fall.  
About his bosom flows so fine a Weed  
As doth the thinness of the wind exceed  
In rich context: beneath whose deep folds fly  
His Masculine Horses, round about the sky;  
Till in this Hemisphere, he renders stay  
T'his gold-yo'kt Coach, and Coursers: and his way  
(Let down by Heaven) the heavenly Cocheman makes  
Down to the Ocean, where his rest he takes.  
My Salutations then, fair King, receive,  
And, in propitious returns Relieve  
My life with Minde-fit means; & then from Thee  
And all the race of complete Deity  
My song shall celebrate those halfe-God states,  
That yet, sad death's condition circulates.  
And whose brave Acts, the Gods show men, that they  
As brave may aim at; since they can but die.   

To the Moon.  
THe Moon, now Muses, teach me to resound,  
Whose wide wings measure such a world of ground.  
Ioues Daughter, decked with the mellifluous Tongue;  
And seen in All, the sacred Art of Song.  
Whose deathles Brows, when she from Heaven displays,  
All Earth she wraps up, in her Orient Rays.  
A Heaven of Ornament in Earth is raised,  
When her Beams rise. The subt'le Air is saised  
Of delicate splendour, from her Crown of Gold;  
And when her silver Bosom is extolled,  
Washed in the Ocean; In Days equalled Noon,  
Is Midnight seated: but when she puts on  
Her farr-off-sprinckling-Luster-Euening weeds;  
(The Month in two cut: her high-brested Steeds;  
Man'de All with curled flames; put in Coach and All,  
Her huge Orb filled) her whole Trimms Then exhall  
Unspeakable splendours, from the glorious sky.  
And, out of that State, Mortal Men imply  
Many Predictions. And, with Her then  
(In Lo●● mixed) lay, the King of Gods and Men;  
By whom, (made fruitful) she Pandaea bore,  
And added her State, to th'immortal Store.  
Hail, queen, & Goddess, th'ivory-wristed Moon  
Divine, Prompt; faire-hayred. With thy grace begun  
My Muse shall forth, and celebrate the praise  
Of Men whose states, the Deities did raise  
To Semideities: whose deeds t'endlesse Date  
Muse-loued, and sweete-sung Poets celebrate.   

TO CASTOR AND POLLUX.  
Iove's fair Sons, Fathered by Th' Oebalian King,  
Muses-well-worth-All men's behold, sing:  
The Dear Birth, that Bright-anckled Leda bore;  
Horse-taming Castor; and the Conqueror  
Of Tooth-tongued▪ Momus (Pollux:) whom beneath  
St●epe-Browd Taygetus, she gave half-God breath;  
In Love mixed with the black-cloudes King of heaven:  
Who, both of Men and ships, (being Tempest driven,  
When Winters wrathful Empire, is in force  
Upon th'Implacable Seas) preserve the course.  
For when the Gusts begin; (if ne'er the shore)  
The Seamen leave their ship; and (evermore  
Bearing two milk-white Lambs aboard;) they now  
Kill them ashore, and to Ioues Issue vow,  
When, though their ship (in height of all the roar  
The winds and waves confound) can live no more,  
In all their hopes; then suddenly appear  
Ioues saving Sons; who both their Bodies bear  
'twixt yellow wings, down from the sparkling Pole.  
Who strait, the rage of those rude Winds control,  
And all the high-waves couch into the Breast  
Of T'hoarie Seas. All which sweet signs of rest  
To Seaman's labours, their glad souls conceive,  
And End to all their yrckesome grievance give.  
So (once more) to the swift-horse-riding Race  
Of Royal Tyndarus, eternal Grace.   

TO MEN OF Hospitality.  
Reverence a Man, with use Propitious,  
That Hospitable rights wants; and a house,  
(You of this City, with the seat of State  
To Ox-eyd juno vowed) yet situate  
Near Pluto's Region. At the extreme Base  
Of whose so high-hayrd City; from the Race  
Of blew-waued Hebrus lovely Fluent (graced  
With Ioues begetting) you divine Cups Tast.   

Certain Epigramms AND OTHER POEMS of Homer. To Cuma.  
LEnd hospitable Rights, and house-respect,  
You that the Virgin with the fair eyes decked,  
Make Fautresse of your stately-seated Town:  
At foot of Sardes, with the high-haird Crown,  
Inhabiting rich Cuma: where ye Taste  
Of Hermus' heavenly Fluent; all embraced  
By curld-head whyrlpits: And whose waters move  
From the divine seed, of immortal jove.   

IN HIS RETURNE To Cuma.  
Swiftly my feet sustain me to the Town,  
Where Men inhabit, whom due Honour's Crown:  
Whose Minds with free-given faculties, are moved;  
And whose grave Counsels, best of Best approved.   

UPON THE SEPULCHRE OF MIDUS, Cut in Brass, in the FIGURE OF A VIRGIN.  
A Maid of Brass, I am, Inf●ixed here  
T'Eternise Honest Midus Sepulchre.  
And while the stream, her fluent seed receives;  
And steep trees curl their verdant brows with leaves;  
While Phoebus, raised above the Earth gives sight;  
And T'humorous Moon, takes Luster from his light;  
While floods bear waves; and Seas shall wash the shore;  
At this his Sepulchre, whom all deplore,  
I'll constantly Abide; All passers by  
Informing; Here, doth Honest Midus Lie.   

CUMA REFUSING HIS OFFER T'ETERNISE THEIR STATE, THOUGH BROUGHT THITHER by the Muses.  
O To what Fate, hath father jove given O'er  
My friendless life; borne ever to be Poor?  
While in my Infant state, he pleased to save Me;  
Milk, on my reverend Mother's knees, he gave Me▪  
In delicate, and curious Nursery.  
Aeolian Smyrna, seated near the Sea;  
(Of glorious Empire; and whose bright sides  
Sacred Meletus silver Current glides)  
Being native Seat to me. Which (in the force,  
Of farr-past Time) the Breakers of wild Horse;  
(Phriconias Noble Nation) girt with Towers:  
Whose Youth in fight, put on with fiery Powers.  
From hence, (the Muse-maids, Ioues illustrious seed●  
Impelling me) I made impetuous speed;  
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) refused with usage fierce  
The sacred voice which I aver, is Verse.  
Their follies yet, and madness borne by Me  
Shall by some Powre, be thought on futurely;  
To wreak of him whoever, whose tongue sought  
With false impair, my fall. What fate, God brought  
Upon my Birth, jile bear with any pain;  
But undeserved Defame; unfelt, sustain.  
Nor feels my Person (dear to me, though Poor)  
Any great lust, to linger, any more  
In Cuma's holy Highways: but my Mind  
(No thought empaird, for cares of any kind  
Borne in my body) rather vows to try  
The Influence of any other sky,  
And spirits of People; bred in any Land▪  
Of ne'er so slender, and obscure Command.   

AN ASSAY OF HIS BEGUN ILIADS.  
I Lion, and all, the brave-horse-breeding Soil  
(Dardania) I sing; that many a Toil  
Imposed upon the Mighty Grecian Powers,  
Who were of Mars, the manly Servitors.   

TO THESTORS' SON▪ Inquisitive of HOMER, 
Homer intimated in this his Answer to Thestorides, A will to have him learn, The knowledge of himself, before he enquired so curiously the causes of other things. And from hence, had the great Peripatetique (Themistius) his most grave Epiphoneme, Anima quae seipsam ignorat, quid sciret ipsa de aliis? And therefore (according to Aristotle) advices all Philosophical Students, to begin with that Study.  ABOUT THE CAUSES OF THINGS.  
THestorides? Of all the skills unknown  
To errant Mortals; there remains not One,  
Of more inscrutable Affair, to find  
Than is the true State of a humane Mind.   

To Neptune.  
Hear Powerful Neptune, that shak'st Earth in Ire;  
King of the great Greene, where dance All the Choir  
Of faire-hayred Helicon; give prosperous Gales  
And good pass, to these Guiders of our sails:  
Their Voyage rendering happily directed,  
And their Return, with no ill Fate affected.  
Grant, likewise, at rough Mimas lowest roots,  
(Whose strength, up to her Tops, praerupt rocks shoots)  
My Passage safe arrival; and that I  
My bashful disposition may apply  
To Pious Men; and wreak myself upon  
The Man whose verbal circumvention  
In Me, did wrong, t'Hospitious Ioues whole state,  
And T'Hospitable Table violate.   

To the City Erythraea.  
Worshipful Earth; giver of all things good?  
Giver of, even Felicity; whose flood  
The Mind all-over steeps, in honey Dewe.  
That, to some Men, dost infinite kindness show;  
To others that despise thee, art a Shrew.  
And giv'st them Gamesters galls; who, once, their Main  
Lost with an ill canhce; fare like Abjects slain.   

To Mariners.  
YE wave-trod Watermen; As ill as she  
That all the Earth in Infelicity  
Of Rapine plunges. Who upon your Fare  
As steru'd-like-rauenous, as Cormorants are.  
The lives ye lead, (but in the worst Degree)  
Not to be envied, more than Misery.  
Take shame, and fear the Indignation  
Of him that Thunders from the highest Throne  
(Hospitious jove) who, at the Back, prepares  
Pains of abhorred effect, of him that dares  
The Piety's break, of his Hospitious squares.   

The Pine.  
ANy Tree else, bears better Fruit than Thee,  
That Ida's Tops sustain; where every Tree  
Bears up in air, such perspirable Heights,  
And in which, Ca●●s, and sinuous Receipts  
Creep, in such great abundance. For, about  
Thy roots (that ever, all thy Fruits put out  
As nourished by them, equal with thy Fruits)  
Pour Mars his Iron-Mines their accust pursuites.  
So that when any Earth-encroching Man  
Of all the Martial Brood Cebrenian;  
Plead need of Iron; They are certain still,  
About thy Roots, to satiate every Will.   

TO GLAUCUS: WHO WAS SO MISERABLE, SPARING; THAT HE FEARED ALL men's ACCESS TO HIM  
Glaucus'? though wise enough; yet one word more,  
Let my advice add, to thy wisdom's store▪  
For 'twill be better so. Before thy Door  
Give still thy Mastiffs Meat; that will be sure  
To lie there, therefore, still; and not endure  
(With waylaid ears) the softest foot can fall;  
But Men, and Beasts, make fly Thee and thy stall.   

AGAINST THE SAMIAN MINISTRESS OR NUN.  
Hear Me (O goddess) that invoke thine ear:  
Thou that dost feed, and form the youthful Year.  
And grant that this Dame, may the loves refuse  
And Beds of Young Men; and affect to use  
Humans whose Temples, hoary hairs distain;  
Whose Powers are passing coy; whose Wills would feign.   

WRITTEN ON THE COUNSEL Chamber.  
OF Men; Sons are the Crowns, of City's Towers:  
Of Pastures, Horse, are the most beauteous Flowers:  
Of Seas, ships are the Grace; and Money still  
With Trains, and Titles, doth the Family fill.  
But Royal Counsellors; in Counsel set,  
Are Ornaments past All, as clearly great;  
As Houses are that shining fires enfold,  
Superior far, to Houses naked and cold.   

THE FURNACE CALLED IN TO SING BY POTTERS.  
IF ye deal freely (O my fiery Friends,  
As ye assure) I'll sing, and serve your Ends.  
Pallas: Vouchsafe thou here, inuoked Access;  
Impose thy hand upon this Forge; and bless  
All Cups these Artists earn so; that they may  
Look black still with their depth; and every way,  
Give all their Vessels a most sacred Sale.  
Make all well burned; and Estimation call  
Up to their Prices. Let them market well;  
And, in all highways, in abundance sell.  
Till Riches to their utmost wish arise;  
And as thou mak'st them rich; so make me wise.  
But if ye now, turn all to Impudence;  
And think to pay with lies, my Patience;  
Then will I summon 'gainst your Furnace, All  
Hell's harmefull'st spirits; Maragus, I'll call;  
Sabactes, Asbett, and Omadamus,  
Who, ills against your Art, Innumerous  
Excogitates, supplies, and multiplies.  
Come Pallas then; and all command to rise:  
Infesting Forge, and house with fire, till All  
Tumble together, and to Ashes Fall:  
These Potter's selves, dissolved in Tears as small.  
And as a Horse-cheeke, chides his foaming Bit  
So let this Forge, murmur in fire, and flit;  
And all this stuff, to ashy ruins run.  
And thou (O Circe) Daughter of the Sun;  
Great-many-Poison Mixer; come; and pour  
Thy cruelest Poisons, on this Potter's floor;  
Shivering their vessels; and themselves affect  
With all the Mischief's possible to direct  
'Gainst all their Being's, urged by all thy fiends.  
Let Chiron, likewise come; and all those friends  
(The Centaurs) that Alcides fingers fled,  
And All the rest too, that his hand struck dead  
(Their Ghosts excited;) come and macerate  
These Earthen Men; and yet with further Fate  
Affect their Furnace; All their teare-burst Eyes  
Seeing, and mourning for their Miseries.  
While I look On, and laugh their blasted Art,  
And them to Ruin. Last; if, apart,  
Any lies lurking, and sees yet; his Face  
Into a Coal, let th'angry fire embrace;  
That all may learn by them; in all their lust  
To dare Deeds Great; to see them great and Iust.   

EIRESIONE OR The Olive Branch.  
THe Turrets of a Man of infinite Might;  
Of infinite Action; substance Infinite,  
We make access to; whose whole Being rebounds  
From Earth to Heaven; & nought but Bliss resounds.  
Give entry then, ye Doors; more riches yet  
Shall enter with me; All the Graces met  
In joy of their fruition: perfect Peace  
Confirming All; All crowned with such increase,  
That every empty Vessel in your House  
May stand replete, with all thing precious.  
Elaborate Ceres, may your Larders fill  
With all dear Delicates; and serve in still.  
May, for your Son, a Wife make wished approach,  
Into your Towers; and rapt in, in her Coach  
With strong-kneed Mules. May yet, her state prove stayed  
With honoured Huswiferies: Her fair hand laid  
To artful Loomeworks; and her naked feet tread  
The Gum of Amber, to a Golden Beade.  
But I'll return; Return; and yet not press  
Your bounties now assayed, with oft Access;  
Once a year, only; as the Swallow prates,  
Before the wealthy Springs wide open Gates.  
Mean time I stand at yours: nor purpose stay  
More time t'entreat. Give, or not give; away  
My feet shall bear me; that did never come,  
With any thought, to make your House, my Home.   

TO CERTAIN FISHER-BOYES PLEASING HIM WITH INGENIOUS RIDDLES.  
YEt from the bloods, even of your-selfe-like sires,  
Are you descended; that could make ye heirs  
To no huge hordes of Coin; nor leave ye Able  
To feed Flocks of innumerable Rabble.  
The end of all the endless works of Homer.   

THe Work that I was borne to do, is done.  
Glory to him, that the Conclusion  
Makes the beginning of my life: and Never  
Let me be said to li●e, till I live Ever▪  
Where's the outliving of my Fortunes then,  
Ye errant vapours of Foams Lernaean Fenn?  
That (like possessed storms) blast all; not in Herd  
With your abhorred heads: who▪ because casher'de  
By Men, for Monsters; think Men, Monsters All,  
That are not of your pied Hood, and your Hall.  
When you are nothing but the scumm of things,  
And must be cast off: Droves, that have no stings,  
Nor any more soul, than a stone hath wings.  
Avaunt ye Hags; your Hates, and Scandals are,  
The Crowns, and Comforts of a good Man's Care;  
By whose impartial Perpendiculare;  
All is extuberance, and excretion All,  
That you your Ornaments, and glories call.  
Your wry Mouths censure right? your blistered Tongues,  
That lick but itches? and whose ulcerous Lungs  
Come up at all things permanent, and sound?  
O you (like flies in Dreggs) in Humours drowned;  
Your loves, like Atoms, lost in gloomy Air;  
I would not retrieve with a withered Hair.  
Hate, and cast still your stings then; for your kisses  
Betray but Truth; and your Applauds, are Hisses.  
To see our supercilious wizards frown;  
Their faces fall'n like Fogs; and coming down,  
Stinking the Sun out; make me shine the more:  
And like a checked flood, bear above the shore,  
That their profane Opinions fain would set,  
To what they see not; know not; nor can let.  
Yet then, our learned Men, with their Torrents come  
Roaring from their forced Hills, all crowned with ●ome,  
That one not taught like them, should learn to know  
Their Greek roots, & from thence the Groves that grow,  
Casting such rich shades, from great Homer's wings:  
That first, and last, command the Muse's springs.  
Though he's best Scholar, that through pains and vows;  
Made his own Master only; all things knows.  
Nor pleads my poor skill; form; or learned Place;  
But dauntless labour, constant Prayer, and Grace.  
And what's all their skill, but vast varied reading?  
As if brode-beaten Highways had the leading  
To Truth's abstract, and narrow Path, and Pit?  
Found in no walk, of any worldly wit.  
And without Truth; all's only sleight of hand,  
Or our Law-learning, in a Foreign Land;  
Embroidery spent on Cobwebs, Braggart show  
Of Men that all things learn; and nothing know.  
For Ostentation, humble Truth still flies,  
And all confederate fashionists, defies.  
And as some sharpe-browd Doctor, (English borne;)  
In much learned Latin Idioms can adorn  
A verse with rare Attractions▪ yet become  
His English Muse, like an ●●●ach●ean in Loom,  
Wrought spite of Pallas; and therein be●raies  
More tongue than truth, begs, and adopts his Bays;  
So Ostentation, he be never so  
Larded with labour, to suborn his show;  
Shall sooth within him, but a bastard soul,  
No more Heaven heyring, then Earth's son the Moule.  
But as in dead Calms, emptiest smokes arise  
Unchecked, and free; up, straight into the skies;  
So drowsy Peace, that in her humour steeps  
All she affects, le's such rise while she sleeps.  
Many, and most Men, have of wealth lest store,  
But None the gracious shame that fits the Poor;  
So most learned Men, enough are Ignorant;  
But few the grace have, to confess their want,  
Till Lives, and Learnings, come concomitant.  
For from men's knowledges▪ their Lives-acts flow▪  
Vain glorious Acts then, vain prove all they know.  
As Night, the life-enclining stars, best shows;  
So lives obscure, the starriest souls disclose.  
For me; let just Men judge by what I show  
In Acts exposed, how much I err, or know▪  
And let not Envy, make all worse than nought  
With her mere headstrong, and quite brainless thought:  
Others, for doing nothing; giving All;  
And bounding all worth in her bursten Gall.  
God and my dear Redeemer, rescue Me  
From men's immane, and mad Impiety;  
And by my life and soul, (sole known to them)  
Make me of Palm, or Yew, an Anadem.  
And so, my sole God, the thrice sacred Trine,  
Bear all th'Ascription, of all Me and Mine. 
Supplico tibi Domine, Pater et Dux rationis nostrae; ut Nostrae Nobilitatis recordemur, qua tu nos ornasti; et ut tu nobis prestò sis, ut jis qui per sese moventur; ut et à Corporis contagio, Brutorumque affectuum repurgemur; ●osque superemus, atque regamus; et, sicut decet; pro instrumentis jis utamur. Deinde, ut nobis Adiuneto sis; ad accuratam rationis nostrae correctionem; et coniunctionem cum jis qui verè sunt, per lucem veritatis. Et tertiùm, Saluatori supplex oro; ut ab oculis animorum nostrorum, caliginem prorsus ab●tergas; ut norimus bene, qui Deus, aut Mortalis habendus, Amen.   
Sine honore vivam, Nulloque Numero ero.