THE LAWYER'S PHILOSOPHY: OR, LAW BROUGHT TO LIGHT. Poetized In a Divine Rhapsody or Contemplative Poem. BY ROGER TISDALE, Gent.  Sat Serò.  printer's device of G. Purslowe; device of an old man standing by an olive tree; above him, on a scroll, the motto, Noli altum sapere (McKerrow 311) 
At London printed for I.T. and H.G. and 〈…〉   

TO THE LEARNED AND REVEREND JOHN DONNE, D. of Divinity, Deane of the Cathedral Church of St Paul London, Roger Tisdale wisheth peace of Conscience in this world, and the joy of the world to come.  
'tIs late: and rather time to lie down and rest, then to sit up and discourse. The very candles of my life burn dim, which shows it to be bedtime. But I know not how, a friend, a dear and dear respected friend, and worthy to be so respected, 
Unready Age is ●eady for heaven.  knocked at the door, whilst I was making myself unready. No sooner I heard who it was, but I had Donne: left of untiring myself, and wished rather to tyre all my powers, than he should want a welcome. I am now therefore ready again, but so unreadily ready, as I was enforced to rubbe mine eyes to put off drowsiness, before I could fit myself to give him entertainment. 'tis you, dear Sir, that after a soaring flight of many years, have now lighted upon a fair Tree, 
Pos● cubila quies  under whose branches it is my fortune to hold a poor cottage, (subject (God knows) to wind and weather. The motion of your wings was to me a warning of your coming: 
Vltimae Musarum aetas.  & though it be in the wayne-time of my life, I could not choose but open the doors of my heart to receive you. To your friends I was heretofore bound in duty, 
Obligation commands duty.  and (in our youthful society) to yourself in love. But as the times are now, I rejoice that I shall have cause to show you both my love and duty. Flattery be fare from me, as I wish my soul from Atheism. Yet I must ingenuously confess, 
To observe, is a s●llable more than to serve.  as an ancient observant of your worth, that your young days were to me of much admiration, as these days are now of deserved reverence. To show therefore my duty, it becomes me to meet you with humility, as one of the Church's Servants: and to show my Love, I have thought fit to provide for you such a present, as for the present, I was able to give, and I know you do love pure, and undefiled Poesy. In respect of my weakness, you may call it an April Daisy, in the Lap of Winter, quickly blasted: but in respect of my aspiring Love, and your affecting Goodness, I hope it shall be received and welcomed as a Rose at Christmas, the Newyears gift of Art and Nature. 
●…its are best welcome in Winter.  If I have soared into the Sun, and singed my plumes, my fall will be easy in your arms. And I hope for the love of the Muses (who in your Youth initiated you their Son, 
Worthiness 〈◊〉 Youth, 〈…〉 venerable.  and now in your Age have elected you a Patron) you will open the embraces of favour, and graciously give me your acceptance, with a pardon for my daring into so high a Subject. And as to you in Capite, so to the rest in Capitulo, I humbly come for acceptance and pardon: as well knowing, you will all think better of me, that with Icarus I mount high, 
Os homini ●…lime dedit.  and fall into a fair Sea; then I should have reeled about with Bacchus, and fall'n into a foul Puddle. A Poet that is obscene forgets his Scene: and I dare promise, that if there be any spot or blemish in this Poesy, 
Venus had a Mole.  the fault is not in the Subject, but in the Accident. The black Ink may blot the fair paper: and my unskilfulness mis-shadow the Law's Beauty. But seeing velle and posse are not in every man, 
In things laudable, the will is pleadable.  Est voluisse satis shall be my pleading Advocate. And so with my Love and Duty equally twined together, either into a Laurel or a Willow Garland (which you please to account it) I offer it up with a desire it were worthy (I will not say your best, but) any little acceptance: and therewithal rest  
Most observant to your worthiness, RO: TISDALE.   

TO THE LEARNED AND CONSIDERATE READER. Lege, Perge, Perlege.  
I Entreat favour, that you will read me: & favour, that you will regard me. Read therefore and regard, for so you will add some grace in the reading: and read with delight, if it be with regarding. Connive a little, & so you may indulgeate my hopes. I have in many places of this work, rather lost my Rhyme, than my Reason. It is worthy of your pardon, because I confess my fault. As for the ignorant and inconsiderate, I will speak to every one of them no more but thus: 
Quem recitas meus est,  
Sed recitando tuus.   
And so commending this my late-born issue, to be fostered under your favours, and expecting you will Socraticam dare veniam, in respect of my now aged weakness, I rest  
A poor wellwisher to the Muses, RO: TISDALE.   

THE LAWYER'S PHILOSOPHY:  
AWake my Muse! & from this slumbering trance, 
Praeludium.   
Lightly arise, and on thy wings advance,  
Thy nimble-soaring Spirit, to the Sun,  
Above the Clouds, that yet do overrun  
Thy bright-eyed beauty! Rouse away this dream,  
That eddies in thy brain, like to a stream,  
Whose giddy windings with Plebeian storms,  
Turn, and return, begetting sundry forms.  
What though my sighs like clouds do fill the air?  
Think it not night. Nor let us so duspaire,  
As fainting to lie down in sorrows deep,  
And there take up our last eternal sleep.  
No, no, shake off the dewfals of the Night,  
That damp thy plumes, and soar into the Light,  
With cheerful notes: whilst I retired sit still,  
Sighing a sad Faburthen from my quill,  
To thy more nimble warble. Let not fear  
Distract our hopes! there's One above will hear,  
If all the world neglect us. And for rumours,  
Breathed from the Vulgar, which are only tumors,  
And swelling water-bubbles, that together  
Do rise, and fall, according to the weather,  
Why should we fear them? Let the inward Man  
Look upward, then do Envy what she can.  
Set therefore now thy voice in tune to mine,  
In descant manner! and again to thine  
I'll tune a ground: and both together we  
Two parts in one, so sweetly will agree,  
As whilst the rabble, and rude multitude,  
With their uncivil clamours do intrude,  
Breaking all Law, and Right, true Music's lore,  
We will in tune, them out of tune deplore.  

Law, the subject of this work.  The Law must be our Song: not Pedlars French,  
Nor old Prescriptions laid up in the Trench  
Of rusty Time: Nor motheaten Decrees  
Worn out of date: Nor that, whose golden fees  
Makes the tongue flow with Arguments of wit,  
And troll apace in Angell-Rethorick.  
These are but wrangling Echoes. But the Law  
We are to sing of, hath the power to draw  

The worthiness of this subject.  All Powers to Obedience, in Love,  
And not constraint, as being set above  
In the Seraphic Spheres of holy Angels,  
Penning the songs of Peace, & sweet Euangels.  
I mean that Law, that was beyond all Time,  
And yet even now rings forth, so sweet a chime  
Into our cares and understanding parts,  
As tunes the World, and glads all upright hearts, 
What this Law is.   
It is the Law of Wisdom: whose right hand,  
Is that eternal Power, that did command  
Of nothing, All-things, in their several numbers,  
And all in One brought forth a world of wonders.  
His left hand Goodness, or eternal Love,  
That on the Chaos like the silver Dove  
On Noah's watery Deluge sweetly gliding,  
Of new Discoveries brought the happy tiding,  
And formed all forms, one for another's sake,  
And for himself them all as one did make.  
Whilst in the midst Wisdom did fit enthroned,  
Spangled with Stars, and with a crown adorned  
Of awful Majesty writing a Lecture,  
To all his creatures, with that sacred Sceptre,  
Of his just will, whereby he sets a border  
To every form, and gives all forms their order. 
This Law is threefold: Power, Wisdom, Love   
Of this Law must I sing: the Law of Power,  
Wisdom and Love, that from the heau'ny Tower,  
On the wide-spredding sixe-winged Cherubins,  
Descended down into this frame of things:  
And in six days shed his trine-working Spirit  
Through All of this Round-All, to disinherit  
Confusion from his work, and make fair Light,  
The true succeeding issue of black Night.  

A Poetical Invocation.  O therefore thou most sacred Archy-Muse,  
With dulced, and harmonious Tones transfuse  
All my best Powers! Bear my frailty up  
The great Olympian height! and reach the cup  
Of heavenly Nectar, to my fainting hand!  
That I may taste, and with that taste command  
Dark Chaos to descend, and sprightly fire,  
From out dead Embers lightly to aspire.  
That as the Snake by casting off her Slough,  
The Eagle of his Bill aged and tough,  
Renew their youthful temper: or more fit,  
As did Elias let his garment slip,  
Casting off humane frailties, when his Spirit  
Kindling with zeal, mounted the burning Charrie  
To Ioues bright-shining Temple: So my powers,  
Forsaking earth's dark Elemental Bowers,  
May nimbly soar into th'angelic Tribe,  
And be with them divinely stellifide.  
Luciferous Beauties, fair, 
Of Angels.  and first of creatures  
Light of the prime Light, intellectual features  
Of the first Form, Heaven's glorious Architype,  
The sons of Elohim, and the day's delight.  
With you I first begin to show Law's power  
And calculate the Birth and native hour  
Of your great greatness, in whom first the Law  
(As in the first of Subjects under awe,  
Of heaven's eternal Sceptre) had his Being  
In golden Thrones, but knew no golden seeing.  
'tis you bright Mirrors of Majestic beauty,  
Collecting in your Orbs with sacred duty  
Th' Ideall Rays of Him, whose all-discerning  
Doth make you shine with intellectual Learning.  
'tis you in whom I see as in a glass,  
What is to come, what's now, and long since was  
Before there was Beginning. So the Bell  
Tolles to the Grave: So the clear Fountain Well,  
Is by the eddying streams at last found out:  
And the celestial eye that wheels about  
This elemental Square, by his bright Rays,  
That on the Christall-streaming River plays,  
Is steadfastly therein discerned and seen,  
That else by none but Ioues own Birds hath been.  

Homer's golden Chain: God, Angels, Stars, Elements.  And so by your tralucent beams of Light,  
Shot from the great Majestic Throne of Right,  
Into your dutyous Orbs, and then again  
From you into the great celestial Maine,  
And Sea of many Beauties, which descending  
Into these lower parts, that have depending,  
Only from things above, we read, and see,  
In Characters of State, and Majesty,  
The Law of Power, Wisdom, and of Love,  
That doth in all inferior Subjects move,  
Creating, Ruling, and withal preserving  
Things in their Being, Order, and true serving.  

Essence & Power  Essence and Being in this Round of things,  
Shows the great Power of the King of Kings:  
That could of Nothing such a Something make,  
As doth amaze and cause all Powers to shake,  
In comprehending but the least Creation  
His Power hath framed in this Conglomoration.  

Order and Wisdom.  Order shows Wisdom, setting every part  
With such a sweet facility and Art,  
Each in subordinate Order to another,  
As that to this, and this to that is Brother,  
In sympathy, and correspondent frame,  
And all together dutyously proclaim  
The God of Order to be only Wise,  
Deserving Hecatomben sacrifice.  
But when we look how every thing created, 
Beauty & Love..   
Is from above us inwardly innated  
With fruitful Virtues, thriving qualities,  
That out of their pure Natures do arise,  
All beauteous in themselves, and fit for th'use  
One of another: who can other choose,  
But see, and fairly read, Goodness and Love,  
In this great Volume, written from above,  
With Gods own finger, in such sweet inditing,  
As if Eternal Love for his delighting,  
Had penned a Poem all of Love and sweetness,  
To show himself, and teach us Love & meekness?  
All these (and these are all, no more but three  
United in one sacred Unity:)  
As Essence, Order, Beauty in this Frame,  
And Power, Wisdom, Love above the same:  
These three, I say, are the true Rules of Law,  
Before all time, and in all time do awe  
The creature in his bounds. For what's command  
That wanteth Power? Or who can understand  
What Power is, without a Being Subject,  
O'er which it hath Dominion to judge it.  

●ower without ●…sedome is Ty●…nny. visdome without ●oue, is subtlety. ●oue, without Wisdom and ●ower, is folly.  Yet Power without foreseeing Wisdom erreth,  
Not knowing: but with cruelty deterreth,  
Where it commands: when Sapience joined with Power,  
Ordreth extremes, and maketh mildness lower.  
It truly Governs, Wisdom is the Law,  
Knows to instruct, and how to keep in awe.  
But what is all th'essential frame of things?  
And what is Order? Neither of them brings  
Perfection to the work, without true use,  
Which Love and Goodness sweetly doth infuse.  
So in a Clock we see the solid form,  
On many nimble-moving wheels is borne,  
All ordered, with such Order, and such Art,  
As one to All, and All to every part,  
Is symmetrall, showing the Maker's skill,  
And Power to make. But should the Makers will  
Have gone no further, and not motion lent,  
To show the use, and his own fair intent:  
Who could have called that well-framed form a Clock,  
Or known it other wise then as a mock  
Of powerful Art, that wants his proper end,  
Feeding the eye, but doth to nothing tend?  
Will in the maker, tending to direction,  
Of Power, and Wisdom, is the full perfection,  
Which is true Love. 
The Court Ha●… of Law.  And so in this round Sphere  
Finding sweet Beauty, Order, and Essence there,  
We therewithal from the Floriferous Centre, 
1. Floriferous. 2. Stelliferous. 3. Luciferous.   
Through you Stelliferous. Stations soon do enter,  
Into your bright Luciferous Orbs of Beauty  
(Fair sons of Elohim) and there read the duty  
Of trueborn Subjects, ever held in awe,  
Under the Trine-Vne sovereignty of Law.  
Whereof that I may sing, first give me leave,  
The triple Region of this World to cleave,  
Just in three parts, as three Court Hals, wherein  
Of Errors they the upper hand do win,  
And in disposing right to every one,  
Forbidden withal, that wrong be done to none.  
The first and lowest is this earthly Stage, 
The great Ha●… hath 3. Co●…   
Whereon we tread in wand'ring equipage:  
All richly hung about her flowery Strands,  
With precious Gems like Sparks of Diamonds  
Dropped down from heaven: and is the common Hall  
Where diverse Courts are kept, 
Kings Bench. Chancery. Common Plac●…  that unto All  
Give common Right, in Earth, in Air, in Seas,  
With Royal, Peaceful, and with Common Pleas,  
Whereof hereafter. But above all these,  
Ascending upward by a few degrees,  

star-chamber.  One Court in glorious State above the rest,  
Opens her Gates equally East and West:  
Wherein the Sun of Majesty doth gild,  
Like April Flowers in a Meddowy Field,  
Her starry Thrones of judgement. Hear doth sit  
The Power of War, and true Promethean Wit:  
The jovialist, and graver Saturnine:  
Mild Venus' Dove, and quick-eyd Serpentine.  
In brief, this Court holds Planetary Station,  
And is the great Star-Chamber Constellation.  

parliament.  Next this, up higher, through heaven's Painted Chamber  
And Galaxia of the great Commander  
Of this round Universe, a third Court-Hall,  
Sacred for State, and made Imperial,  
Above all others, entertains the King,  
Crowned, and enthroned, upon whose right-hand wing,  
His Son the Prince of Peace, in Robes of State  
Sits richly clothed. Where that they may debate  
The Kingdom's great affairs (as from them sent)  
The Breath of Majesty calls a Parliament  
Of Angell-Senatours wise Intelligences,  
Full of Divine, and sacred influences.  

Poetical ●…estie.  But stay, my Muse! darest thou aspire so high,  
On waxed wings? Or darest thou mount so nigh  
That powerful Wisdom? that All-sapient Power,  
That made years, months, weeks, days, & every hour,  
Yea, every minute, & times smallest moment,  
To be the Register, and stately Comment  
Of his admired works, and working Spirit?  
Forbear I say! and and either climb the Charrit,  
Of true Seraphic Love that doth unite  
Wisdom and Power (like a Favourite  
Of that great King of Kings) or be still mute,  
And humbly kneeling offer up thy suit  
Of true Obedience, till that Arm descend,  
To lift thee up, that Virtue doth defend. 
A Poetical encouragement.   
And with the thought me thinks already now,  
I am all Fire, and I know not how  
The dark confused Chaos of my brain,  
And all those earthly Powers, that restrain  
Man's climbing Faculties, in an instant are  
Like an inflamed Meteor in the Air;  
And what was massy, intricate, and thick,  
Is now become light, delever, and quick,  
To mount through Heavens bright starry Regiment,  
Into the highest Court of Parliament.  
Where Power, Wisdom, Lone, do sit in acting  
Laws truly good, that suffer no detracting.  

Law is all Order and Harmony.  Sing then of these: and then thou singest of all,  
That can within the Scale of Music fall:  
For these are Music, and that ravishing Tone,  
That from the Chaos wrought all things to One,  
And ordered all disorders with one Fiat  
Of heavenly sweetness, the true Key of Quiet:  
Whereto all unisons with one consent,  
As strings are fitted on an Instrument,  
Do seu'rally in tune and order rise,  
And altogether sweetly harmonise.  

Moses Beginning.  In the Beginning— O where am I now?  
Even at an ending. For my Muse doth bow  
In Circlewise, whose first and last is One  
And All in All, that never is alone,  
And yet all One. In this Beginning was it,  
When (but Eternity) none did surpass it,  
Trine Elohim created Heaven and Earth,  
And to this Round-All gave a timely Birth,  

Chaos confusedly described.  Untimely though it seemed. For darkness then  
Surrounded All this Round-All, even as when  
A Point confusedly multiplied, doth cloud  
The Virgin paper, whilst the Artsman proud  
Of his enacting Power, doth blot it over  
All black, intending after to discover,  
Lines, Bodies, Shapes, & sundry beauteons forms,  
Drawn out of darkness, as fair Peace from storms,  
And Day from Night. For in this dark Abyss,  
Heaven, Earth, and all therein contained is  
Confusedly in one Conglomoration  
Were symbolised as seeds of this Creation.  
But in such strife, and orderless disorder,  
As therein nothing had his proper border,  
But each did War, to have another's place,  
And fight to give, or get unknown disgrace.  
That in the smooldring heat, cold Earth & Water,  
In dogged wrangle, did bring forth a Daughter,  
Called the tempestuous Air. And Air and Fire,  
Piercing the Chaos, did themselves retire,  
Into the Centrelesse bosom of the Deep,  
And through by-crannies here and there did creep,  
Till at the last, joining their lawless forces,  
To stir up War, like two untamed Horses,  
They shook with trampling all the formelesse Mass,  
And with that Ague-fit did boldly pass  
Through every humour, every quality  
Of heat and cold, drought and humidity,  
That altogether in an uproar were,  
Yet to be sought out, no man could tell where:  
For yet there was no place: but high and low,  
Was all enforcement, none his place did know.  
Which was the cause, turmoil and hurly-burly  
Rose like a tempest, and each thing was surly  
Unto another, without giving way,  
But proudly justling, and enforcing stay  
That as at Sea, when Aeolus unbindes  
The mustering clouds, & sends contrarious winds,  
To rouse the fretful waves: a sulphurous thunder  
With smoky Lightning breaks the Air asunder,  
To meet those raging Tidelings, and together  
All join in conflict, forcing stormy weather,  
That doth not cloud, but dark this Hemisphere,  
And in a grave transparent Light inter:  
Save that upon the liquid Ocean glass  
The nimble Lightning now & then doth pass,  
And gives a a glimmering light, which who had seen it,  
He could no more but as a twinkling deem it.  
So in this undigested formelesse Matter,  
Strife and Contention forcing up the Water,  
A smoky breath, from out their sulphurous bowels,  
In dusky clouds, and stormy vapour rowles,  
Hear, there, and all about, that with the fog  
So forced from that deep and myery Bog,  
Cimmerian Darkness was that nothing-All  
And All-beginning Nothing: save withal,  
That by odd starts, and suddainties, sometime  
In this hot tumult, from the muddy slime,  
A liquid sweat upon the upper face  
Of the vast Deep (like Pearl or Isinglasse)  
Did issue forth, casting a gleaming spangle,  
Which by and by, thick darkness did entangle.  
But now behold! 
God moved upon the face of the Waters.  (for now 'tis worth an Ecce)  
When all was formelesse, void, and in perplexie,  
Dark, and obscure, the Spirit of Elohim,  
On the moist Superficies did swim,  
Nay (as the Text saith) incubat, and nessle,  
To brood the unborn, who as then did wrestle  
Together in the teeming womb of Nature,  
Who should be first, and who of highest stature.  
And all this in the dark: for Darkness still  
The spacious Vault of Emptiness did fill.  
And he that was chief Lord of this Creation,  
Had Darkness made his secret habitation. 
Darkness is God's Habitation. Psal. 18.   
secret I call it; for what quick-eyed sense  
Of the best Sophist, ever found from whence  
Or how dark Chaos came? or could discover  
What formless Matter was, though much they hover,  
As I do now about it? Then much less,  
Can the dull eye of Art, see or express  

Light inaccessible  The Light that dims all Lights. Gaze on the Sun,  
And thou shalt find thine eyesight quite undone,  
Strucken with endless Darkness. So much rather,  
Who in his Essence seeks to know the Father  
Of all created Lights, glorious beyond  
What either Men, or Angels understand,  
May in that search say to the Day, good Night,  
And live for ever a blinded Sodomite,  
Dwelling in darkness. For when all is done,  
That nimble wit, and quick conception  
Can pry into, we do but grope, and feel,  
Like cupshot Bacchinals, that wand'ring reel  
About the room, to find a burning Candle,  
Which in the dark themselves do hold & handle,  
And cannot see it. Fear, and admiration  
Best fits a wise and sober generation,  
In this inquiry. Whoso seeks, doth well,  
For that great Light that doth in darkness dwell.  

God is Light and Life.  The Divine Eaglet that did tower so high  
Into this Light, above the Starry sky,  
Found him to be the very Life of all,  
Within this new-created general.  
And that this Life was Light, which by divine, 
john 1.5.   
And sacred influence, did pierce and shine,  
Even through the Chaos, in the secret dark,  
And yet withal, he leaves it for a mark  
Of eminence, and much to be commended,  
That Light of darkness was not comprehended.  
Again, the sixe-winged sacred Cherubin, 
Esay 6.   
The knowing sons of this great Elohim,  
Prime scholars of the prime Light, and endowed  
With learned graces, have their eyes yet shrouded,  
With their two fore-wings, showing bashful fear,  
And humble reverence to that Light so clear:  
Which should it in full Majesty forth shine,  
And they gaze on it with wide open eyen,  
Those bright-eyed Lamps would soon in darkness  
Whom now he doth with oily graces cherish.  
Therefore, O Man! and thou my forward Muse!  
Dare not too high! lest we ourselves abuse.  
An humble knowledge makes us to ascend:  
Pride casts us down, unfit to comprehend.  
So that to know the Light, with true discerning,  
Is to confess it comes not in our learning.  
For if that we could comprehend that Light,  
Not it, but darkness should be infinite.  
Yet that we might not altogether live  
In lawless darkness, and our Spirits give  
Up to dull ignorance, as nothing knowing,  
Of this prime Light, behold, new light comes flowing  

A Parliament of Power, Wisdom, Love..  From the bright Fountain. Power, Wisdom, Love,  
In consultation being set above,  
How to reduce dark Chaos into form,  
And give a Law unto the lawless storm  
Of the first then unformed Elements,  
Shot nimble Lightning forth, and so prevents  
The rage of rude disorder. Darkness fell,  
Affrighted down into the depth of Hell:  
And with the Word of Wisdom, Fiat Lux,  

The Law of Light.  Light flowing came, in a most glorious flux.  
Let there be Light! O, was there ever Law  
So short, so sweet? or had more power to awe  
Confused strife? when all was out of frame,  
This was the Law, did reconcile the same:  
Proclaimed a Peace: gave eyesight to the blind:  

Light threefold.  And drossy Oar in Minerals refined.  
Peace is the song of Angels. Light of Eye,  
The fair transparent beauty of the Sky.  
In Elements, the Fire hath supreme power,  
The scum and Tartar of the rest to scour,  
To purge, and quicken. So in a threefold Light,  
The Dayspring riseth, banishing the Night:  
The Night of lawless Error, and of blindness;  
Of warlike strife, and turbulent unkindness:  
That sees not what is what: but in confusion,  
All Law-rights breaks, with violent intrusion,  
One on another's neck, confounding Peace,  
And wanting Love, and so without increase.  
This Night, I say, was banished. And the Day,  
The Light, and Law of things, as fresh as May,  
Came like a Bridegroom forth in bright attire,  
As the Meridian Sun, that doth aspire  
The Vertick Point. No shadow than was seen;  
Nor the celestial Curtain drawn between  
This Elemental and the supreme Light,  
Whose round Expansion closeth in the Night:  
But All was all alike, and every where,  
About the earth, transparent, bright, and clear:  
For All was Light. Only in site and place,  
There was some difference. That had highest grace,  
That nearest to the Prime Light was advanced,  
And that of less, that towards this Centre chanced.  
The middle Region did of both partake:  
Yet but One Light th'eternal Power did make,  
To light us into darkness, there to see  
The sacred Light of all Eternity.  
Law-rights observed, do show us what is right:  
And Light it is that doth discover Light.  
Truth seeks no corners, there doth darkness lurk:  
And mighty Elohim, when he fell to work,  
Lighted a Candle up that all might view him:  
For In lumine suo videbimus Lumen.  
The Light creating, by created Light,  
Is out of darkness brought into our sight.  
For had not Light strooke Darkness underground,  
How in the dark could any thing be found,  
That now we find, and see? How could the Law  
Have come to light? who could Essentials draw  

Number. Order. Unity.  Into their several Numbers? who could order  
Those numbers right? and give a proper border  
To every such Essential? Who (I say)  
Can of these two find out the ready way,  
And Number make with Order so agree,  
As both should hold one useful sympathy?  
This Light and Law can do. The Law of Light,  
And Light of Law, that gives to all things Right,  
Can Number, Order, and Unite in One,  
With Fiat Lux: for so the Law begun.  
Let there be Light! Hear is a word of Power,  
Beyond all Powers: an enriching Dower,  
Beyond all Riches: and they both together, 
Law Commanding and forbidding   
Are a Commandment, well I know not whether  
Commanding, or forbidding. In the mean,  
Wisdom took place, and being apt to glean  
Wealth from the One, and Power from another  
Commanded this, and did forbid the t'other.  
So Light was cherished, and dull darkness chidden:  
Truth brought to Light, & Error was forbidden.  
In brief this Law in Power being strong,  
And rich in Love, because it doth no wrong,  
Grew upright Wise: for Wisdom is the Light  
To Power and Love, and thereby makes all right.  
So that a newborn Issue from above  
Descended out from Power, Wisdom, Love: 
Law descended from Heaven.   
And was no sooner borne, but by and by  
Was entertained with gladsome melody.  
And every one sung out this cheerful Salto,  
I am nova Progenies Coelo demittitur alto. 
Virg. Eclog. 4.   
And this was Law: the Law that lighteth All  
Into the Light, and Darkness doth enthral  
In chains below the Deep: strikes Error blind:  
And the light way to Truth & Right doth find.  

The Law of Light enacted.  Nor only so: for with the promulgation  
Of this great Law, issued a Proclamation,  
Commanding as it went to each degree,  
This loud proclaiming Summons, Let there be!  
Let, is a word of Power: There shows the place:  
Be, is all Being, Order, and due Grace.  
And altogether with one Let there be!  
Gives us fair Light, for every one to see.  
And with that Light, doth summon, & convent,  
In Heaven, Air, Earth, a Royal Parliament,  
Of powerful, wise, and graceful Senators,  
True Lamps of Light, and Christall-shining Mirrors,  
Who with that Word of Power no sooner had  
Their due creating summons, but all glad,  
Of such a Birthright, to that word of might,  

Light threefold: Intellectual, Celestial, Elemental.  Humbly did Echo forth, Let there be Light!  
Light Intellectual in th' Angellick Mansion,  
Celestial Light within the fair Expansion:  
And in these Elemental Orbs down lower,  
A Light of Fire, to cherish, not devour.  
And so as Light, by Light created was,  
From those true Lights, an Act of Light did pass,  
Approved in all three Courts, and by the King▪  
Established as an everlasting thing,  
Not to be darkened: for this Light was meant us,  
To be a Law, to which Le Roy assentus:  
And therefore is enacted unto All,  
Not to be broke, but held perpetual.  
Thus was there Light: which in the first Creation  
Commanded was with Royal approbation.  
Light had not only Being, but Command  
Was laid upon that Light, that it should stand  
Still in the ways of Light. Light must be Light,  
Not stooping down to the Errors of the Night,  
But hold dependence on the Word of Truth,  
That made this Light, and still this Light renu'th.  
This Light thus made, & this commmandment given  
Behold upon the glorious Thrones of Heaven,  
Great Elohim, the Ancient of Days, 
Dan. 7.   
And Father of Lights, did himself up-raise,  
To sit and view the bright resplendent beauty  
Of this first work, and with what awful duty,  
Each several Lamp shone in his proper Sphere,  
About his Palace, either dim, or clear,  
And what their Station was. 
Gen. 1.  Then Elohim saw  
The Lights he made, and this commanding Law  
Were good. And so from out the evening Chaos,  
(That he no longer might in darkness stay us)  
He brought the Spring-light of a cheerful morn,  

With Light were Angels created.  And with that Spring-light, was the first day born.  
Then in the Upper House incontinent,  
Of this so great and Royal Parliament,  
Assembled was before the dreadful Throne  
Of Heavens Majestic State, a beauteous Zone  
Of many Lamps, round-shining in a Ring  
Taking their Light from their creating King:  
And shooting forth that Light in cheerful beams,  
To glad this lower world, like dewy streams,  
That from the dropping clouds sweetly abound,  

Seraphim. Cherubin. Thrones.  And fruitful make the dry and barren ground.  
There shone Seraphic Love: and there again,  
Cherubick Wisdom: and that ne'er doth wain,  
Stayed judgement sat on Thrones of heavenly Light,  
With Love & Wisdom judging what was Right.  
And these in Number, numberless did shine,  
In several Orders: but with such Divine  
And sacred Beauty fare above the rest,  
As that in place, both highest, and the best,  
These did before the sacred Trinity,  
Stand forth the prime-elected Hierarchy.  

Dominations.  Next in the middle Order, Rule, and Power,  
Without all servile Fear: and then the Flower  
Of all fair Virtues, ever prevalent, 
Virtues. Potestates.   
Undaunted Fortitude: with whom forth went  
True Potent Magistracy, ordering both,  
That neither Tyrant Cruelty nor Sloth  
Had any place: this middle distribution,  
Received all power, and governed by infusion.  
The last and lowest (if in Heaven there be  
Place, high and low, as there is of degree)  
Are three Divine executory Graces 
Principalities. Archangels. Angels.   
Of warlike power in their several places,  
Leading forth Armies, Legions, Regiments,  
To guard fair Truth, and front all dark Events.  
Whereof some held prime Principality,  
As General Leaders in Authority,  
Some intermediat Officers advising,  
And through the royal camp Archangelizing,  
By Order from above: Whilst all the rest  
Of this so glorious Army stand addressed,  
Ready to do, and fairly execute  
Great Elohims' will, not making slow dispute.  
Thus was Heaven's Palace hung with shining Lamps:  
And thus about great Elohim encamps  
This Royal Host of Lights: whom could we see,  
And well distinguish each in their degree,  
What glory were it? But what glory more  
Were it to see the everlasting door  
Of Heaven set open, and behold within  
Upon his Thrones the mighty Elohim,  
Shining in Majesty, like a flame of Fire,  
Brighter than is the Sun? His whole attire  
Collucent like himself? And from his voice  
Issuing a flood of Fire? And then the choice  

Nine precious Stones, alluding to the nine orders of Angels. Ezech. 28.  Of those Eternal Lights like beautyous Stones  
Set in fine gold, shining about those Thrones?  
The fiery Carbuncle, and Topas green?  
The Diamond, the Berill, and Sardine?  
The many-coloured jasper? and the Saphin  
That casteth forth a bright resplendent Azure?  
And amongst others, not to overpass  
Smaragdus and the golden Chrysopras?  
These to behold with an enabled sight,  
And how each Lamp gives to another Light,  
And all do from that heavenly Fiat take,  
That first did light them, and their beauties make,  

Light set in judgement.  Were glory beyond greatness. But to see,  
The King of Lights sit in his Majesty,  
Commanding Light & Truth: and with what awe  
Those Lights receive that first commanding Law  
Of Light and Truth: and what melodious order,  
In casting forth their beams, they keep to further  
Each one another's Light; as in a Choir  
Of many Tones, some low, some mean, some higher,  
Each Voice doth grace another, and all sing  
A ravishing Anthem to the heavenly King,  
Of Wisdom, Power, Love, jod, jah, johove,  
The Law of Light and Truth that reigns above.  
This were a sweet melodious Rhapsody,  
T'inchant the Soul in Divine Ecstasy.  
But yet again, what means you rising Cloud, 
The fall of Lucifer from Light.   
And smoky Vapour? what's that noise so loud?  
As if some main battalion were to join,  
And Soldiers strive to rapine and purloin?  
What horror do I see? Is darkness yet  
Brought once again out of the vasty Deep,  
And Light in mourning clad? Or topsey-Turuy  
Is all reduced to the first Hurly-burly  
Of Chaos, and Confusion? O my Muse!  
Recline that soaring compass thou didst use,  
And stoop thy flight! New storms begin to rise  
And humble wings best then do fit the wise.  
O see Ben-schachar that Luciferous Beauty! 
Esay 14.   
Son of the Morning! and bright Lamp of duty!  
No sooner placed in Glory, but anon,  
Elated in himself, he stands upon  
His own proud worth, and with indignity  
Shoots at the face of Heavens great Majesty,  
His swift-aspiring Beams: Nor only so:  
But strait he doth a daring Trumpet blow  
To all the Host of Heaven, proclaiming Wars,  
And that he means to mount above the Stars  
Of mighty Elohim, and there alone  
Exalt and raise himself upon his Throne,  
Upon the holy Mount, and place his worth,  
Within the skirts and confines of the North.  
Nay more than so: he venter's up so nigh,  
As he will rise even up to the most High,  
And there be like to him. Then at the sound  
There was a murmur heard, which passed round,  
Through thousand Legions of Light-bearing Powers,  
Who should first join with him so proudly towers.  
And many of those Lucifers took part,  
To leave dependence, and to climb by Art.  
O how on earth can ever things be even,  
When there's so soon Rebellion raised in Heaven?  
But that Allseeing Lawgiver that made him  
So great a Light, found darkness to invade him,  
And compass in those Centaurs of the Night,  
That were before the beauteous day's delight.  
And he that would not stand within the ways  
Of Light and Truth, nor spend eternal days, 
job 24. Ezech. 28.   
Amidst those precious shining Stones of Fire  
That God's delightful Eden doth attire,  
Like Lightning down from his aspiring fell, 
Reu. 12.   
And with his Angels was shut up in Hell:  
In Hell, that but till then was not created, 
Hell created in Darkness.   
But was a place of Darkness situated,  
Fare off from Light: in which a Moorish water  
Like slimy Pitch, & a black sulphurous matter  
Left in the Chaos (when Heavens Spagirist  
Extracted Light, and formed it as him list)  
Were moulded up together. And till then  
Was nothing else within that darksome Fen.  
But then, even with the fall of daring pride,  
The breath of Majesty did swiftly glide  
Into the Deep, and in his anger kindle  
Combustious matter, which himself did mingle,  
Of purpose to bring forth eternal Fire,  
To punish sin that proudly durst aspire  
To break the Law of Light. Then smoky fume  
Choked up Snuf-lights, because they durst presume,  
With a few flashes and unsavoury vapours  
To take the place of evershining Tapers.  

Law executed.  Pride that would mount, and had not to aspire,  
Was tumbled down, and punished in this Fire.  
So he that was Ben-schachar, son of Light,  
Was now Ben-schechor, son of eternal Night.  
Thus was Sin punished: and sins great accuser  

Esay 36.  Did Tophet then prepare for the Seducer,  
Smoking with Aetna breath. Law kept his power,  
And strooke him down that meant aloft to tower,  
And chained him in (for falling from the Light)  
In chains of darkness, deeply out of sight.  

An allusion.  So have we seen Ambition in great Peers,  
Corruption in false Scribes, and Chantocleers,  
That sing before the Daylight songs of peace,  
Not for the Truths sake, but for rich increase,  
Have often climbed to high and great estate,  
And in a twinkling been precipitate.  
They left the ways of Light not being wise,  
And took their paths upon the slippery Ice:  
So let them fall. For 'tis not mine intent  

Star-chamber.  To summon any to the Parliament:  
Nor to discover in the great Star-chamber  
What are Eclipses, and what signs of danger:  
The dogged humour of dull Saturn's motion,  
Ioues banqueting, and feminine Devotion:  
The swearing Art of War, nor Venus' lust,  
Mercurian fraud, that finds but little trust:  
Nor Moonshine Flattery never constant proving,  
But as the wind and weather cock still moving:  
'Gainst none of these will I prefer a Bill,  
Lest they demur upon't, for want of skill,  
In drawing up the Book, and so get cost,  
With an Attachment, for my labour lost.  
But thou great Prince of Stars, the fair delight! 
The King is the Life of the Law.   
Of Heaven and Earth, in whom the Lord of might  
Hath placed his Tent, & built his Tabernacle,  
That Euiternally shall stand a miracle,  
To all the gazer's eyes, and glad the ears  
Of Musical inquiry! front my fears  
With thy most cheerful Beams, and make me bold,  
With Eaglet eyes thy beauty to behold!  
In thee the Fountain is of worth and Power,  
To give true beauty both to high and lower:  
Of Wisdom for to guide in all thy Station  
Th' aspects of Stars in every Constellation:  
And of true Love and Goodness (Music's Lore)  
Wherewith thou dost great Elohim adore,  
And cherish others. Strike the golden wire  
Of thy most sweet, and learned-sounding Lyre,  

job 38.  And all the Morning Stars shall dance and sing,  
At their vprising unto thee their King.  

Magistrates.  Saturn shall cast his melancholy off,  
And dance judicial Revels. jove shall doff  
His proud attire, and leave light heeled Lavoltoes,  
To  himself in bounty, and tread Saltos  
Worthy his Noble worth. Mars shall no more  
Weakness depopulate, nor oppress the poor:  
But hand in hand shall willingly advance  
The Fatherless and Widow in this dance.  
Venus shall change her Lust for fruitful Love,  
And tread a constant measure: Mercury prove  
No serpentine Deceiver, but abound  
In wise and witty footings at this Round.  

Trencher Flies.  As for Lunarian Changelings that depend  
Only upon the Light thy Lamp doth lend,  
And wax and wain, as to and fro thy Light,  
Doth come or go, not shining but by Night,  
In darkness for their own advantage sake,  
And not in public: what else can we make  
Of them but Antikes, or strange Mimic Apes,  
That in our dance can put on any shapes,  
And yet be nothing? 
These do live, by Give give  These I fear me much  
Will take, but what is given to others, grudge:  
And never shall the Music of thy Harp  
Make them keep Scene, but they'll or beg or carp.  
Beware of these! For were these set in tune,  
The Flowers of May, each one might crop in june,  
And every one have some. When one hath all,  
How can our dance in perfect measure fall?  
The Country Swaine leaves glean on his land, 
A Country content.   
To help the needy. And with foot and hand  
It is a dance worth looking on to see,  
How busily each one doth keep degree  
To gather what is left. Hear one doth borrow  
A little from the Sheafe: this in the furrow  
Takes what is scattered: that the Cart attends:  
Another binds up at the headlands ends:  
And all at Night go cheerfully away,  
And dance together a Harvest Roundelay.  
Trust not dissembling Fire-drakes that caper, 
Some things seem and are not.   
As if they knew to dance, yet are but vapour,  
Seeming of fiery temper, but are cold,  
And a poor Nutshell will their substance hold.  
Play not to them! Pan's Music is most fit,  
When Midas hath more avarice then wit.  

The Sun of Majesty in his Star-chamber.  But leave we these! And from the Sun's diurnal,  
That wheels a four & twenty hours' journal,  
Let us observe how on th' Ecliptic Line,  
He progress makes, along from Sign to Sign,  
Casting his Beams of Majesty so fare  
As from the lowest to the highest Star,  
Guiding their wand'ring Eccentricities,  
And crowning them with fair felicities  
He is the Monarch there. His Law is Light:  
And where he goes, he banisheth the Night.  
Darkness must not control stelliferous Powers,  
Nor come within the high celestial Bowers,  
To All he gives himself. Light is his name,  
And through his Court fair Light he doth proclaim;  
The only Law that never breedeth wars  
Twixt Peers & People, wand'ring & fixed Stars:  
But all is Love & Peace. Where darkness dwells  
Is Fear begot, than Hare, than nothing else  
But black Eclipses wrestling to prevail,  
And darken Light within the Dragon's tail.  
And when we hide the Light, keep truth unknown,  
And tread the paths of Error of our own:  
What hope is there of Peace? Light is the Law,  
Keeps the cheeks bashful, & the Heart in awe.  
Descend we now the high Star-Chamber Court,  
And let us to the lower Hall resort;  
Where throngs of Creatures, like to clients press,  
With shouldering forwardness to seek redress  
Of some dark errors that eclipse their Light,  
And cloud the Truth to take away their Right.  
Earth, is the Common-place, 
The Court of Common Pleas  in which are fixed  
All Actions, Real, Personal, and Mixt.  
As where things made are of a Simple Nature  
Such as the Elements; there the Creature  
Claims Real Interest, 
Real actions.  and enters Plea  
To hold his Birthright, by the rule and sway  
Of the Predominant. And where we find, 
Personal actions.   
Those Elements are altered in their kind,  
And for our use with Powers so innated,  
As th' Elements become Elementated,  
Each in his proper place: if any faction  
Do rise amongst them, 
Mixed actions.  there lies a personal action.  
But of all bodies decomposited,  
Out of those Elements, and by Nature bred;  
What quarrels do arise, receive their Trial,  
By Action, part Personal, part Real,  
As mixed of both. And thus is every Case  
Begun and ended in the Common-Place.  

The Court of Kings Bench.  The King's high Bench is the transparent Air,  
Where Light enthroned in a golden Chair,  
Shoots forth his Eye-beams brighter than our fire,  
And yet unseen makes all the World admire.  
This strikes the Centre with his piercing power,  
Cheereth up queachy coldness, gives a Dower  
To Nature's Treasury, is the Life of things,  
And virtue adds to Plants, and Crystal Springs.  
In brief, this is chief justice of the Court,  
Under the Prince of Lights, who sendeth forth,  
And gives him his Commission, to sit down,  

Pleas of the Crown.  And try before him matters of the Crown:  
Such as Eclipse the Majesty of Light,  
And veil fair Truth with Vapours of the Night.  

Worthless aspirers.  So in the Air, we see ofttimes ascend  
Dark foggy mists, which mounting in the end  
Near to the Seat of justice, angry breath  
Flies from the judge, and strikes them to the earth.  

Politic aspirers.  Sometimes again, a fare more subtle Vapour,  
Proudly aspiring to be made a Taper,  
At the celestial Altar: by and by,  
Is fired, and shot, like Lightning from the Sky.  

Traitorous aspirers  Another, but of some more viscous matter,  
Raising himself, from Fens, and Moorish water;  
Is hanged up in the air, and set on fire,  
A wonderment for all men to admire.  
Thus is their Treason judged, and punished right,  
That strive against the Majesty of Light. 
The Court of Chancery.   
But see, the Halcyon smoothness of the Sea,  
Smiling upon me, whilst the Sun doth play,  
And cast a cheerful blandish on the waves,  
To welcome All, that of their bounty craves, 
Equity. Goodness.   
And stand in need. The barren thirsty ground  
Doth with their Springtides fruitfully abound,  
And brings forth large increase. The limpid air  
Is vapourized with a moisture rare,  
And subtle in the rising, to refresh  
The breathing nostrils of all living flesh.  
This Court (in brief) is mild, and bountiful,  
To supply wants: 
Contempts, punishable.  though sometimes Ships do Hull  
At random on her waves, for want of skill,  
Or for defection in the Stearemans' will,  
Not knowing when it is for safety good,  
To bear up Sail, or Anchor in the Flood  
If this do happen, then contemptuous Winds  
Make the Court angry, and the Client finds  
But little favour. This Ship at a stay,  
Sticks in the Sands. That making swifter way,  
For common Law-rights, is attached back,  
And Fleets the Surges to his utter wrack.  
Another Sails, with full gale on the Tide,  
Yet in the Deep, his last decree doth hide.  
More I might say! Some Ships at Anchor lie  
Doing just nothing: and then by and by  
The Court commands the Halser to be cut,  
And to the Land they are dismissed, and put,  
To seek their Fortunes to their grievous cost,  
Since idly they their Anchorhold had lost.  
Some others near the Shore do lie at Roade  
Waiting the Wind: and spend in that abode,  
More than an Indian Voyage, All they have;  
And then In forma pauperis do crave,  
To pass the Port, and cannot be admitted,  
To Launch the Deep, being so Shallow-witted:  

The Chancellor.  Till at the last, great Neptune, Chancellor  
Of these extremes, gins to show his power,  
With a Quos Ego, brandishing his Mace,  
Wherewith he calms the Courts tempestuous face.  
And so when storms had well-nigh over-duckt us,  
Thus made he silence: Praestat componere fluctus?  
And all was hushed, Then rounded in a Ring,  
The peaceful waves did dance, and sweetly sing  
About this earthly Stage, 
Equity tempers, but not controls the Law.  the Centre-Court  
Whereto all Subcelestial forms resort  
For common Law-rights, which are strict and grave,  
But tempered, and made mild, with every wave,  
That danceth on the shore. The gentle Springs,  
And crystal Rivulets; all freely brings,  
From the great Ocean, fruitfulness, and Plenty,  
To every Creature. Want doth ne'er go empty,  
Without a sweet, and sovereign supply  
Of that great Ocean-Court of Chancery.  
But whither am I led? O tell me whither? 
The Perclose.   
(Great Archy-Muse, and powerful Lawgiver,  
In all these Courts) unto what settled Port  
Shall I now steer, and make my last resort?  
Shall I? O shall I steer into the Main?  
And launch the Deep of Law, that doth ordain  
In every Court a settled Rule and Order?  
Shall I teach men what is the proper border  
Circumferenceth every Court? and how  
Obedience to Sovereignty doth bow?  
This were a task, fitting some youthful Merit,  
Whose vigour shows a brave Mercurian Spirit.  
Saturn in me is too predominant,  
And retrograde withal. My blood doth want  
Castalian moisture, and Phoebean fire,  
To Iwenize my Muse, that should aspire  
So great a height. My breath goes thick and short,  
As weary of this journey. Little Sport  
Were it to climb Parnassus in mine Age,  
Or with the Muse's dance in equipage.  
The sons of Learning well might think me jolly:  
But sure they would deride my doting folly.  
Therefore I now descend, and flag my plumes  
Low to the ground, whereon my Muse assumes  
Her settled rest. Some other time perchance  
Promethean fire may stir me to advance  
A second, and a more aspiring flight  
That shall descry the Majesty of Light,  
And Law of every Court. Till when I cease,  
And with a tongue-tied silence hold my peace:  
As one that longs to hear what he hath done,  
In lighting up this Candle in the Sun.  
FINIS.  
R. T.   

To the desire of my Youth, and hope of mine Age, my young son ROGER.  
My Son,  
I Commend the reading of this Poem unto thee, that in it, thou mayst first see me what I am: and then learn what I wish thee to be. Make not Poesy thy profession, but thy pleasure. Profit so gotten, is mercenary, and ends in baseness. But if for thine own solace, thou sing to thyself the songs of the Muses, thou shalt find some Philomel's will record to thy Ditty. In thy Verse be not wanton, but wary Lose Numbers, argue light affections: and discretion is the Badge of Wisdom. Do not Critically abuse, what thou canst not amend: neither flatteringly sublime, what thou seest to be vile. Be thyself: and be constant in thyself: but take heed that thou be seldom less, and never more than thyself. Humility is neither Base, nor Proud. 'tis a Poetical fault, to presume, and compare. If at any time thou do so, let it be with thine Equals. For Superiors will crush thee, and Inferiors disgrace thee. Learn this, till I have occasion to teach thee more. And so I leave thee to God's blessing.  
Thy loving Father, R. T.