Poems, Poem 1 – Poem 2
Anno Aetatis 19. At a Vacation Exerciſe in the Colledge, part Latin, part Engliſh. The Latin ſpeeches ended, the Engliſh thus began.
HAil native Language, that by ſinews weak
Didſt move my firſt endeavouring tongue to ſpeak,
And mad'ſt imperfect words with childiſh tripp s,
Half unpronounc't, ſlide through my infant-lipps,
Driving dum ſilence from the portal dore,
Where he had mutely ſate two years before:
Here I ſalute thee and thy pardon ask,
That now I uſe thee in my latter task:
Small loſs it is that thence can come unto thee,
I know my tongue but little Grace can do thee:
Thou needſt not be ambitious to be firſt,
Believe me I have thither packt the worſt:
And, if it happen as I did forecaſt,
The dainteſt diſhes ſhall be ſerv'd up laſt.
I pray thee then deny me not thy aide
For this ſame ſmall neglect that I have made:
But haſte thee ſtrait to do me once a Pleaſure,
And from thy wardrope bring thy chiefeſt treaſure;
Not thoſe new fangled toys, and triming ſlight
Which takes our late fantaſticks with delight,
But cull thoſe richeſt Robes, and gay'ſt attire
Which deepeſt Spirits, and choiceſt Wits deſire:
I have ſome naked thoughts that rove about
And loudly knock to have their paſſage out;
And wearie of their place do only ſtay
Till thou haſt deck't them in thy beſt aray;
That ſo they may without ſuſpect or fears
Fly ſwif…y to this fair Aſſembly's ears;
Yet I had rather if I were to chuſe,
Thy ſervice in ſome graver ſubject uſe,
Such as may make thee ſearch thy coffers round,
Before thou cloath my fancy in fit ſound:
Such where the deep tranſported mind may ſoare
Above the wheeling poles, and at Heav'ns dore
Look in, and ſee each bliſsful Deitie
How he before the thunderous throne doth lie,
Liſtening to what unſhorn Apollo ſings
To th'touch of golden wires, while Hebe brings
Immortal Nectar to her Kingly Sire:
Then paſſing through the Spherse of watchful fire,
And miſtie Regions of wide air next under,
And hills of Snow and lofts of piled Thunder,
May tell at length how green-ey'd Neptune raves,
In Heav'ns defiance muſtering all his waves;
Then ſing of ſecret things that came to paſs
Wh…eldam Nature in her cradle was;
And laſt of Kings and Queens and Hero's old,
Such as the wiſe Demodocus once told
In ſolemn Songs at King Alcinous feaſt,
While ſad Uliſſes ſoul and all the reſt
Are held with his melodious harmonie
In willing chains and ſweet captivitie.
But fie my wandring Muſe how thou doſt ſtray!
Expectance calls thee now another way,
Thou know'st it muſt be now thy only bent
To keep in compaſs of thy Predicament:
Then quick about thy purpos'd buſineſs come,
That to the next I may reſign my Roome.
Then Ens is repreſented as Father of the Praedicaments his ten Sons, whereof the Eldest ſtood for Subſtance with his Canons, which Ens thus ſpeaking, explains.
GOod luck befriend thee Son; for at thy birth
The Faiery Ladies daunc't upon the hearth;
Thy drowſie Nurſe hath ſworn ſhe did them ſpie
Come tripping to the Room where thou didſt lie;
And ſweetly ſinging round about thy Bed
Strew all their bleſſings on thy ſleeping Head.
She heard them give thee this, that thou ſhould'ſt ſtill
From eyes of mortals walk inviſible,
Yet there is ſomething that doth force my fear,
For once it was my diſmal hap to hear
A Sybil old, bow-bent with crooked age,
That far events full wiſely could preſage,
And in times long and dark Proſpective Glaſs
Fore-ſaw what future dayes ſhould bring to paſs,
Your Son, ſaid ſhe, (nor can you it prevent)
Shall ſubject be to many an Accident.
O're all his Brethren he ſhall Reign as King,
Yet every one ſhall make him underling,
And thoſe that cannot live from him aſunder
Ungratefully ſhall ſtrive to keep him under,
In worth and excellence he ſhall out-go them,
Yet being above them, he ſhall be below them;
From others he ſhall ſtand in need of nothing,
Yet on his Brothers ſhall depend for Cloathing.
To find a Foe it ſhall not be his hap,
And peace ſhall lull him in her flowry lap;
Yet ſhall he live in ſtrife, and at his dore
Devouring war ſhall never ceaſe to roare:
Yea it ſhall be his natural property
To ha…our thoſe that are at enmity.
What power, what force, what mighty ſpell, if not
Your learned hands, can looſe this Gordian knot?
The next Quantity and Quality, ſpake in Proſe, then Relation was call'd by his Name.
RIvers ariſe; whether thou be the Son,
Of utmoſt Tweed, or Ooſe, or gulphie Dun,
Or Tren…, who like ſome earth-born Giant ſpreads
His thirty Armes along the indented Meads,
Or ſullen Mole that runneth underneath,
Or Severn ſwift, guilty of Maidens death,
Or Rockie Avon, or of Sedgie Lee,
Or Coaly Tine, or antient hollowed Dee,
Or Humber loud that keeps the S…ythians Name,
Or Medway ſmooth, or Royal Towred Thame.
The rest was Proſe.
On the new forcers of Conſcience under Long PARLIAMENT.
BEcauſe you have thrown of your Prelate Lord,
And with ſtiff Vowes renounc'd his Liturgie
To ſeiſe the widdow'd whore Pluralitie
From them whoſe ſin ye envi'd, not abhor'd,
Dare ye for this adjure the Civill Sword
To force our Conſciences that Chriſt ſet free,
And ride us with a claſſic Hierarchy
Taught ye by meer A. S. and Rotherford?
Men whoſe Life, Learning, Faith and pure intent
Would have been held in high eſteem with Paul
Muſt now be nam'd and printed Hereticks
By ſhallow Edwards and Scotch what d'ye call:
But we do hope to find out all your tricks,
Your plots and packing wors then thoſe of Trent,
That ſo the Parliament
May with their wholſom and preventive Shears
Clip your Phylacteries, though bank your Ears,
And ſuccour our juſt Fears
When they ſhall read this clearly in your charge
New Presbyter is but Old Prieſt writ Large.