Several Poems, Poem 1
The Four Elements
THe Fire, Air, Earth and water did conteſt
Which was the ſtrongeſt, nobleſt and the beſt,
Who was of greateſt uſe and might'eſt force;
In placide Terms they thought now to diſcourſe,
That in due order each her turn ſhould ſpeak;
But enmity this amity did break
All would be chief, and all ſcorn'd to be under
whence iſſu'd winds & rains, lightning & thunder
The quaking earth did groan, the Sky lookt black
The Fire, the forced Air, in ſunder crack;
The ſea did threat the heav'ns, the heavn's the earth,
All looked like a Chaos or new birth:
Fire broyled Earth, & ſcorched Earth it choaked
Both by their darings, water ſo provoked
That roaring in it came, and with its ſource
Soon made the Combatants abate their force
The rumbling hiſſing; puffing was ſo great
The worlds confuſion, it did ſeem to threat
Till gentle Air, Contention ſo abated
That betwixt hot and cold, ſhe arbritrated
The others difference, being leſs did ceaſe
All ſtorms now laid, and they in perfect peace
That Fire ſhould firſt begin, the reſt conſent,
The nobleſt and moſt active Element.
Fire.
What is my worth (both ye) and all men know,
In little time I can but little ſhow▪
But what I am, let learned Grecians ſay,
What I can do well skil'd Mechanicks may:
The benefit all living by me finde,
All ſorts of Artiſts here declare your mind,
What tool was ever fram'd, but by my might?
Ye Martiliſts, what weapons for your fight,
To try your valour by, but it muſt feel
My force? your ſword, & Gun, your Lance of ſteel▪
Your Cannon's bootleſs and your powder too
Without mine aid, (alas) what can they do:
The adverſe walls not ſhak'd, the Mines not blown▪
And in deſpight the City keeps her own;
But I with one Granado or Petard,
Set ope thoſe gates, that'fore ſo ſtrong were bar'd.
Ye Husband-men, your Coulters made by me
Your Hooes your Mattocks, & what e're you ſee
Subdue the Earth, and fit it for your Grain
That ſo it might in time requite your pain:
Though ſtrong limb'd Vulcan forg'd it by his skill
I made it flexible unto his will▪
Ye Cooks, your Kitchen implements I frame
Your Spits, Pots, Jacks, what elſe I need not name.
Your dayly food I wholſome make, I warm
Your ſhrinking Limbs, which winter's cold doth harm.
Ye Paracelſ… too in vain's your skill
In Chymiſtry unleſs I help you Still.
And you Philoſophers if e're you made
A tranſmutation it was through mine aid.
Ye ſilver Smiths your Ure I do refine
What mingled lay with Earth I cauſe to ſhine;
But let me leave theſe things, my flame aſpires
To match on high with the Celeſtial fires:
The Sun an Orb of fire was held of old,
Our Sages new another tale have told:
But be he what they will yet his aſpect
A burning fiery heat we find reflect,
And of the ſelf ſame nature is with mine
Cold ſiſter Earth, no witneſs needs but thine:
How doth his warmth, refreſh thy frozen back
And trim thee brave, in green, after thy black:
Both man and beaſt rejoyce at his approach,
And birds do ſing, to ſee his glittering Coach
And though nought, but Salmanders live in fire
And fly Pyrauſta call'd, all elſe expire,
Yet men and beaſt Aſtronomers will tell
Fixed in heavenly Conſtellations dwell,
My Planets of both Sexes whoſe degree
Poor Heathen judg'd worthy a Diety:
There's Orion arm'd attended by his dog;
The Theban ſtout Alcides with his Club,
The valiant Perſeus, who Meduſa ſlew,
The horſe that kil'd Belerophon, then flew.
My Crab, my Scorpion, fiſhes you may ſee
The Maid with ballance, wain with horſes three,
The Ram, the Bull, the Lion, and the Beagle,
The Bear, the Goat, the Raven, and the Eagle,
The Crown the Whale, the Archer, Bernice Hare,
The Hidra, Dolphin, Boys that water bear,
Nay more, then theſe, Rivers 'mongſt ſtars are found
Eridanu…, where Phaeton was drown'd.
Their magnitude, and height, ſhould I recount
My ſtory to a volume would amount,
Out of a multitude theſe few I touch,
Your wiſdome out of little gather much.
I'le here let paſs my choler, cauſe of wars
and influence of divers of thoſe ſtars
When in Conjunction with the Sun do more
Augment his heat, which was too hot before.
The Summer ripening ſeaſon I do claim
And man from thirty unto fifty frame.
Of old when Sacrifices were Divine,
I of acceptance was the holy ſigne,
'Mong all my wonders which I might recount,
There's none more ſtrange then Aetna's Sulphry mount
The choaking flames, that from Veſuvius flew
The over curious ſecond Pliny ſlew,
And with the Aſhes that it ſometimes ſhed
Apulia's 'jacent parts were covered.
And though I be a ſervant to each man
Yet by my force, maſter, my maſters can.
What famous Towns, to Cinders have I turn'd?
What laſting ſorts my kindled wrath hath burn'd?
The ſtately Seats of mighty Kings by me
In confuſed heaps, of aſhes may you ſee.
Wher's Ninu… great wall'd Town, & Troy of old
Carthage, and hundred more in ſtories told
Which when they could not be o'recome by foes
The Army, through my help victorious roſe
And ſtately London, (our great Britain's glory)
My raging flame did make a mournful ſtory,
But maugre all, that I, or foes could do
That Phaenix from her Bed, is riſen New.
Old ſacred Zion, I demoliſh'd thee.
So great Diana's Temple was by me,
And more then bruitiſh Sodom, for her luſt
With neighbouring Towns, I did conſume to duſt
What ſhall I ſay of Lightning and of Thunder
Which Kings & mighty ones amaze with wonder,
Which made a Caeſar, (Romes) the worlds proud head,
Fooliſh Caligula creep under's bed.
Of Meteors, ignis ſatuus and the reſt,
But to leave thoſe to th'wiſe, I judge it beſt.
The rich I oft make poor, the ſtrong I maime,
Not ſparing Life when I can take the ſame;
And in a word, the world I ſhall conſume
And all therein, at that great day of Doom;
Not before then, ſhall ceaſe, my raging ire,
And then becauſe no matter more for fire.
Now Siſters pray proceed, each in your Courſe
As I, impart your uſefulneſs and force.
Earth.
The next in place Earth judg'd to be her due,
Siſter (quoth ſhee) I come not ſhort of you,
In wealth and uſe I do ſurpaſs you all,
And mother earth of old men did me call:
Such is my fruitfulneſs, an Epithite,
Which none ere gave, or you could claim of right
Among my praiſes this I count not leaſt,
I am th'original of man and beaſt.
To tell what ſundry fruits my fat ſoil yields
In Vineyards, Garden, Orchards & Corn-fields,
Their kinds, their taſts, their colors & their ſmells
Would ſo paſs time I could ſay nothing elſe:
The rich the poor, wiſe, fool, and every ſort
Of theſe ſo common things can make report.
To tell you of my countryes and my Regions,
Soon would they paſs not hundreds but legions:
My cities famous, rich and populous,
Whoſe numbers now are grown innumerous.
I have not time to think of every part,
Yet let me name my Grecia, 'tis my heart.
For learning arms and arts I love it well,
But chiefly 'cauſe the Muſes there did dwell.
Ile here skip ore my mountains reaching skyes,
Whether …yrenean, or the Alpes, both lyes
On either ſide the country of the Gaules
Strong forts, from Spaniſh and Italian brawles.
And huge great Taur… longer then the reſt,
Dividing great Arme…ia from the …eaſt;
And Hemus whoſe ſteep ſides none foot upon,
But farewell all for dear mount Hel…con.
And wondrous high Olimpus, of ſuch fame,
That heav'n it ſelf was oft call'd by that name.
Parn…ſſus ſweet, I dote too much on thee,
Unleſs thou prove a better friend to me:
But Ile leap ore theſe hills, not touch a dale,
Nor will I ſtay, no not in Tempe Vale,
Ile here let go my Lions of Nu…a…,
My Panthers and my Leopards of Libia,
The Behemoth and rare found Unicorn,
Poyſons ſure antidote lyes in his horn,
And my Hiaena (imitates mans voice)
Out of great numbers I might pick my choice,
Thouſands in woods & plains, both wild & tame,
But here or there, I liſt now none to name:
No, though the fawning Dog did urge me ſore,
In his behalf to ſpeak a word the more,
Whoſe truſt and valour I might here commend;
But time's too ſhort and precious ſo to ſpend.
But hark you wealthy merchants, who for prize
Send forth your well-man'd ſhips where ſun doth riſe,
After three years when men and meat is ſpent,
My rich Commodityes pay double rent.
Ye Galeniſts, my Drugs that come from thence,
Do cure your Patients, fill your purſe with pence;
Beſides the uſe of roots, of hearbs and plants,
That with leſs coſt near home ſupply your wants.
But Mariners, where got you ſhips and Sails,
And Oars to row, when both my Siſters fails?
Your Tackling, Anchor, compaſs too is mine,
Which guids when ſun nor moon nor ſtars do ſhine.
Ye mighty Kings, who for your laſting fames
Built Cities, Monuments, call'd by your names,
Were thoſe compiled heaps of maſſy ſtones
That your ambition laid, ought but my bones?
Ye greedy miſers, who do dig for gold
For geni…s, for ſilver, Treaſures which I hold,
Will not my goodly face your rage ſuffice
But you will ſee what in my bowels lyes?
And ye Artificers, all Trades and ſorts
My bounty calls you forth to make reports,
If ought you have, to uſe, to wear, to eat,
But what I freely yield upon your ſweat?
And Cholerick Siſter, thou for all thine ire
Well knowſt my fuel muſt maintain thy fire.
As I ingenuouſly with thanks confeſs,
My cold thy fruitfull heat doth crave no leſs:
But how my cold dry temper works upon
The melancholy Conſtitution;
How the autumnal ſeaſon I do ſway,
And how I force the grey-head to obey,
I ſhould here make a ſhort, yet true Narration,
But that thy method is mine imitation.
Now muſt I ſhew mine adverſe quality,
And how I oft work mans mortality:
He ſometimes finds, maugre his toiling pain
Thiſtles and thorns where he expected grain.
My ſap to plants and trees I muſt not grant,
The vine, the olive, and the figtree want:
The Corn and Hay do fall before the're mown,
And buds from fruitfull trees as ſoon as blown;
Then dearth prevails, that nature to ſuffice
The Mother on her tender infant …lyes;
The husband knows no wiſe, nor father ſons,
But to all outrages their hunger runs:
Dreadfull examples ſoon I might produce,
But to ſuch Auditors 'twere of no uſe.
Again when Delvers dare in hope of gold
To ope thoſe veins of Mine, audacious bold:
VVhile they thus in mine entrails love to dive,
Before they know, they are inter'd alive.
Y'affrighted wights appal'd, how do ye ſhake,
VVhen once you feel me your foundation quake?
Becauſe in the Abbyſſe of my dark womb
Your cities and your ſelves I oft intomb:
O dreadfull Sepulcher! that this is true
Dathan and all his company well knew,
So did that Roman, far more ſtout then wiſe,
Bur'ing himſelf alive for honours prize.
And ſince fair Italy full ſadly knowes
What ſhe hath loſt by theſe remed'leſs woes.
Again what veins of poy…on in me l…e,
Some kill outright, and ſome do ſtupifye:
Nay into herbs and plants it ſometimes creeps,
In heats & colds & gripes & drowzy ſleeps:
Thus I occaſion death to man and beaſt
When food they ſeek, & harm miſtruſt the leaſt.
Much might I ſay of the hot Libian ſand
Which riſe like tumbling Billows on the Land
Wherein Cambyſes Armie was o'rethrown
(but windy Siſter, 'twas when you have blown)
I'le ſay no more, but this thing add I muſt
Remember Sons, your mould is of my duſt
And after death whether interr'd or burn'd
As Earth at firſt ſo into Earth return'd.
Water.
Scarce Earth had done, but th'angry water mov'd
Siſter (quoth ſhe) it had full well behov'd
Among your boaſtings to have praiſed me
Cauſe of your fruitfulneſs as you ſhall ſee:
This your neglect ſhews your ingratitude
And how your ſubtilty, would men delude
Not one of us (all knows) that's like to thee
Ever in craving, from the other three;
But thou art bound to me, above the reſt
Who am thy drink, thy blood, thy ſap and beſt:
If I withhold what art thou? dead dry lump
Thou bearſt nor graſs or plant nor tree▪ nor ſtump
Thy extream thirſt is moiſtned by my love
With ſprings below, and ſhowres from above
Or elſe thy Sun burnt face, and gaping chop…
Complain to th' heavens if I withhold my drops
Thy Bear, thy Tyger, and thy Lion ſtout,
When I am gone, their fiercenes none needs doubt
Thy Camel hath no ſtrength, thy Bull, no force
Nor mettal's found, in the couragious Horſe
Hinds leave their calves, the Elephant▪ the Fens
The wolves and ſavage beaſts, forſake their Dens
The lofty Eagle, and the Stork fly low,
The Peacock and the Oſtrich, ſhare in woe,
The Pine, the Cedar, yea, and Daphne's Tree
Do ceaſe to flouriſh in this miſery,
Man wants his bread and wine, & pleaſant fruits
He knows, ſuch ſweets, lies not in Earths dry roots
Then ſeeks me out, in river and in well
His deadly malady I might expell:
If I ſupply, his heart and veins rejoyce,
If not, ſoon ends his life, as did his voyce;
That this is true, Earth thou canſt not deny
I call thine Egypt, this to verifie,
Which by my fatting Nile, doth yield ſuch ſtore
That ſhe can ſpare, when nations round are poor
When I run low, and not o'reflow her brinks
To meet with want, each woful man be-thinks:
And ſuch I am, in Rivers, ſhowrs and ſprings
But what's the wealth, that my rich Ocean brings
Fiſhes ſo numberleſs, I there do hold
If thou ſhouldſt buy, it would exhauſt thy gold:
There lives the oyly Whale, whom all men know
Such wealth but not ſuch like, Earth thou maiſt ſhow
The Dolphin loving muſick, Arians friend
The witty Barbel, whoſe cra…t doth her commend
With thouſands more, which now I liſt not name
Thy ſilence of thy Beaſts doth cauſe the ſame
My pearles that dangle at thy Darlings ears,
Not thou, but ſhel-fiſh yield, as Pliny clears.
Was ever gem ſo rich found in thy trunk,
As Egypts wanton, Cleopatra drunk?
Or haſt thou any colour can come nigh
The Roman purple double Tirian Dye?
Which Caeſars Conſuls, Tribunes all adorn,
For it to ſearch my waves they thought no ſcorn.
Thy gallant rich perfuming Amber-greece
I lightly caſt aſhore as frothy fleece:
With rowling grains of pureſt maſſie gold,
Which Spains Americans do gladly hold.
Earth thou haſt not moe countrys vales & mounds
Then I have fountains, rivers lakes and ponds.
My ſundry ſeas, black, white and Adriatique,
Ionian, Baltique and the vaſt Atlantique,
Aegean, Caſpian, golden Rivers five,
Aſphaltis lake where nought remains alive:
But I ſhould go beyond thee in my boaſts▪
If I ſhould name more ſeas then thou haſt Coaſts.
And be thy mountains n'er ſo high and ſteep,
I ſoon can match them with my ſeas as deep.
To ſpeak of kinds of waters I neglect,
My diverſe fountains and their ſtrange effect:
My wholſome bathes, together with their cures;
My water Syrens with their guilefull lures.
Th'uncertain cauſe of certain ebbs and flows,
Which wondring Ariſtotles wit n'er knows.
Nor will I ſpeak of waters made by art,
Which can to life reſtore a fainting heart.
Nor fruitfull dews, nor drops diſtil'd from eyes,
Which pitty move, and oft deceive the wiſe:
Nor yet of ſalt and ſugar, ſweet and ſmart,
Both when we liſt to water we convert.
Alas thy ſhips and oars could do no good
Did they but want my Ocean and my flood.
The wary merchant on his weary beaſt
Tranſfers his goods from ſouth to north and eaſt,
Unleſs I eaſe his toil, and do tranſport
The wealthy fraight unto his wiſhed port.
Theſe be my benefits, which may ſuffice:
I now muſt ſhew what ill there in me lies.
The flegmy Conſtitution I uphold,
All humors, tumors which are bred of cold:
O're childhood, and ore winter I bear ſway,
And Luna for my Regent I obey.
As I with ſhowers oft times refreſh the earth,
So oft in my exceſs I cauſe a dearth,
And with abundant wet ſo cool the ground,
By adding cold to cold no fruit proves ſound.
The Farmer and the Graſier do complain
Of rotten ſheep, lean kine, and mildew'd grain.
And with my waſting floods and roaring torren…,
Their cattel hay and corn I ſweep down current.
Nay many times my Ocean breaks his bounds,
And with aſtoniſhment the world confounds,
And ſwallows Countryes up, n'er ſeen again,
And that an iſland makes which once was Main:
Thus Britain fair (tis thought) was cut from France
Scicily from Italy by the like chance,
And but one land was Africa and Spain
Untill proud Gibraltar did make them twain.
Some ſay I ſwallow'd up (ſure tis a notion)
A mighty country in th' Atlantique Ocean.
I need not ſay much of my hail and ſnow,
My ice and extream cold, which all men know,
Whereof the firſt ſo ominous I rain'd,
That Iſraels enemies therewith were brain'd:
And of my chilling ſnows ſuch plenty be.
That Caucaſus high mounts are ſeldome free.
Mine ice doth glaze Europes great rivers o're,
Till ſun releaſe, their ſhips can ſail no more.
All know that inundations I have made,
Wherein not men, but mountains ſeem'd to wade,
As when Achaia, all under water ſtood,
That for two hundred years it n'er prov'd good.
Dencalions great Deluge with many moe,
But theſe are trifles to the flood of No…,
Then wholly periſh'd Earths ignoble race,
And to this day impairs her beauteous face,
That after times ſh… never feel like woe,
Her confirm'd ſons behold my colour'd bow.
Much might I ſay of wracks, but that Ile ſpare,
And now give place unto our Siſter Air,
Air.
Content (quoth Air) to ſpeak the laſt of you,
Yet am not ignorant firſt was my due:
I do ſuppoſe you'l yield without controul
I am the breath of every living ſoul.
Mortals, what one of you that loves not me
Abundantly more then my Siſters three?
And though you love Fire, Earth and Water well
Yet Air beyond all theſe you know t'excell.
I ask the man condemn'd, that's neer his death,
How gladly ſhould his gold purchaſe his breath,
And all the wealth that ever earth did give,
How freely ſhould it go ſo he might live:
No earth, thy witching traſh were all but vain,
If my pure air thy ſons did not ſuſtain.
The famiſh'd thirſty man that craves ſupply,
His moving reaſon is, give leaſt I dye,
So loth he is to go though nature's ſpent
To bid adieu to his dear Element.
Nay what are words which do reveal the mind,
Speak who or what they will they are but wind.
Your drums your trumpets & your organs ſound,
What is't but forced air which doth rebound,
And ſuch are ecchoes and report ofth' gun
That tells afar th'exploit which it hath done.
Your Songs and pleaſant tunes they are the ſame,
And ſo's the notes which Nightingales do frame.
Ye forging Smiths, if bellows once were gone
Your red hot work more coldly would go on.
Ye Mariners, tis I that fill your ſails
And ſpeed you to your port with wiſhed gales.
When burning heat doth cauſe you faint, I cool,
And when I ſmile, your ocean's like a pool.
I help to ripe the corn, I turn the mill,
And with my ſelf I every Vacuum fill
The ruddy ſweet ſanguine is like to air.
And youth and ſpring, Sages to me compare,
My moiſt hot nature is ſo purely thin,
No place ſo ſubti…ly made, but I get in.
I grow more pure and pure as I mount higher,
And when I'm throughly rarifi'd turn fire:
So when I am condens'd, I turn to water,
Which may be done by holding down my vapour.
Thus I another body can aſſume,
And in a trice my own nature reſume.
Some for this cauſe of late have been ſo bold
Me for no Element longer to hold,
Let ſuch ſuſpend their thoughts, and ſilent be,
For all Philoſophers make one of me:
And what thoſe Sages either ſpake or writ
Is more authentick then our modern wit.
Next of my fowles ſuch multitudes there are,
Earths beaſts and waters fiſh ſcarce can compare.
Th'Oſtrich with her plumes, th'Eagle with her ey…
The Phaenix too (if any be) are mine,
The ſtork, the crane, the partridg, and the pheſant
The Thruſh, the wren, the lark a prey to'th' peſant.
With thouſands more which now I may omit
Without impeachment to my tale or wit.
As my freſh air preſerves all things in life,
So when corrupt, mortality is rife:
Then Fevers, Purples, Pox and Peſtilence,
With divers moe work deadly conſequence:
Whereof ſuch multitudes have di'd and fled,
The living ſcarce had power to bury dead;
Yea ſo contagious countryes have we known
That birds have not 'ſcapt death as they have flown
Of murrain, cattle numberleſs did fall,
Me… fear'd deſtruction epidemical.
Then of my tempeſts felt at ſea and land,
Which neither ſhips nor houſes could withſtand,
What wofull wracks I've made may well appear,
If nought were known but that before Algere,
Where famous Charles the fifth more loſs ſuſtaind
Then in his long hot war which Millain gain'd.
Again what furious ſtorms and Hurricanoes
Know weſtern Iſles, as Chriſtophers, Barbado…s,
Where neither houſes, trees nor plants I ſpare;
But ſome fall down, and ſome fly up with air.
Earthquakes ſo hurtfull, and ſo fear'd of all,
Impriſon'd I, am the original.
Then what prodigious ſights I ſometimes ſhow,
As battles pitcht in th' air, as countryes know,
Their joyning fighting, forcing and retreat,
That earth appears in heaven, O wonder great!
Sometimes red flaming ſwords and blazing ſtars,
Portentous ſigns of famines, plagues and wars.
Which make the mighty Monarchs fear their fates
By death or great mutation of their States.
I have ſaid leſs then did my Siſters three,
But what's their wrath or force, the ſame's in me.
To adde to all I've ſaid was my intent,
But dare not go beyond my Element.