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The Infancy of the World · Nicolas Billingsley

The Infancy of the World, Poem 2

The Worlds Infancy.

The Argument.

God begins the Worlds Creation,

Light from out of darkness brings.

Giving wondrous Operation,

To Wells, Rivers, Fountaixs, Springs.

SECT. I.

GOd, when besides himself there nothing was;

But a rude Chaos, a confused Mass,

Of things disordered; all together hurl'd,

Did by his providence ordaine the world.

And first his, power, and coelestial might,

Cleare light extracted, from the shades of night,

Then did he spread a glorious Curtain out,

Spangled with Starrs, and glory round about,

Embost with pearl, embroydered with gold,

With Chrysolits, and Carbuncles enrould.

O work to be admir'd; what pen? what story!

Can point▪ can blazon the Almighties glory.

I wanting Eagles eyes, am over-daz'd,

With too great light and winking stand amaz'd,

Thus, thus, heav'ns Architect by's word of power,

Ed…ficated the ae…herial Tower,

The Mass he dissipating, drew from thence,

The Center of the va… Circumference,

The so…id substance altogether clung,

And by g'ome…rica proportion hung,

In figure of a Sp…aer; this naked globe

He circumvested in a sea greene robe,

The Elements, Earth, Water, Ayer, and Fire,

Took each their station, Vu…can did aspire

To the sublimest Orb, Jove next in power

Predomi…ates: next him, the watry Bower,

Of curl'd-hair Neptune stands and last of all

Doth drossie Vesta to the bottome fall:

V…sta's inthron'd, Vesta that doth adorne,

Her breasts wi…h flowers, and her lap with corne,

Vesta si…k… down beneath her brothers sway

Being of more solidity then they▪

The dry▪ and humid, heavy, and the light,

Soft▪ hard, b'ing opposites doe disunite.

Wet things with wet, cold things cōmix with cold,

Hot things with hot, do correspondence hold.

From the Seas raging Tyranny, the Land

Is kept (Oh pow'r) with slipp'ry walls of sand.

Had the Sea leave to rāge beyond its bound

Earth'… Fabrick would (undoubtedly) be drown'd;

But the Almighties force of arms asswage

Th'impetuous threats of her imperious rage:

The Sea (now mild) engirds the earth abou…,

And like a Snake goes wriggling in and out:

The M…rine Empress lib'rally bestows

Her store, and into divers Channels flows.

A River in the late world brought to light

Runs all the day, and resteth all the night.

Conspicuous silver waved Euphrates,

P…yes tribute to the domineering seas,

The streams of Tanais, transparent Po

And clear Erid'nus, from the Ocean go.

The rive… Erax, and the swift Meander,

Whose winding Mazes in and out doe wander,

(Much like the Lab'rinth of faire Rosamond

Or that Daedalian frame which did abscond

The monstrous Minotaur, in former dayes

So intricate for their retorted wayes)

Niphates bringing Tigers up and Phasis

Fall on and Court with amorous embraces

The fair Queen Glance; nimble-footed Rhene

Whose earth-dividing course both run between

The Belgians, and the Germans, hath its motion

From Phorbas, Phorbas Kingling of the Ocean.

The Amazonian Thermodontin brooks,

And Oax also to the Ocean looks.

The river Jordan is a stream compounded

Of Jor and Dan, by curs'd Asphaltis bounded.

Gold-sanded Tagus, and the bow-string Tybur,

Yellow Pactolus, and Cantabrian Iber,

Take from the Seas their rise, the flowing Ganges,

With wandring current through the orient ranges

Septemfluous Nilus, and Armenian Tigris,

Libanian Jordan, Aquitanian Ligris,

Arcadian Ladon, and the Thuscian Arne,

The Thracian Stroymon, the Campanian Sarne,

Rhone, Incest, Lister, and the Marsyan tydes,

Flow from, and to, the swelling Oceans sides:

Caucasian Indus, which receiveth plenty

Of pleasant rivers wanting one of twenty.

And what doth Simois? and what Matrona,

But waite and tend upon the Queen Diona?

All rivers in the world, or smal or mighty

Derive their lineage, from great Amphitrite,

Hence comes our British Severn, Wye, Lugg, Umber

And thousands too innumerous for number.

But stay my Muse thou hadst almost forgot

The Kentish Medway one of greatest note

Next to that famous navigable Thames

Whose breasts are silv'red with compounded streams

Which bear up floating houses, what a train

Of lusty watermen doth Thames maintaine?

Who though with rapid force they'r backwards hurl'd

Yet are they often forwards in the world.

Great London is the Bow, the Thames the string

The Boats are arrows which about do spring

The Streams Sabbatical do rest and stay.

In observation of the Sabbath day.

Add here the German Savenire Pouhont,

And med'cinable Spa in great account

For its effecting strange unheard of things,

Unparalel'd by none unless the springs

Of Tunbridg famous in our Kentish county,

For casting up their subterraneous bounty,

Which relishing of Iron, and sulph'ry veines

Cures well nigh all infirmities and paines,

Nay lengthens life causing the fates t'unspin

Lifes drawn out thred, hath any got the spleen?

The dropsie? the vertigo? or the stone?

These waters will yield remedy alone.

Suppose th'art Lunatick, or Planet struck,

Hear's that will help thee, if thou hast the luck

To come and take it, is it thine endeavour

To be rid of the Collick or the feavour,

Or the Obstructions of the Mesentery,

Reines, Melt, and liver? wouldest thou fain be merry

And freed from Melancholy? if you pleas…

To use these waters, doubtless, you'l have ease;

Gouts Ischyatica's, the French-mans pox,

And what flows from Pandora's opened box

These Springs resist, and for your comfort here

Green sickness, Maids, a remedy is neere.

And you, disheartned Sarahs, do but come

And drink, and you'l have an enlarged wombe.

In brief, to cure all maladies, there dwells

A Soveraign vertue in these Tunbridge Wells.

Nor must I leave those Bristoll Baths which are

For their effects so wonderful, so rare.

All Aches Cramps, Convulsions▪ (and what not?)

Dy in those waters naturaly hot.

Well, I cou…d wish those Authors of disorders

T…o much encreased in those B…istoll borders

I mean that frantick self-afflicting crew

Of trembling Quakers, with their Captain too

Tongue-bored Nailor, branded in the forehead

W…th B for blasphemy, were in those torrid

And …lding Currents forc'd to stand awhile

My Ge…ius tells me they'd at last recoyle

… fond conceits, and soon be a forsaking

Their censuring others, and give over Quaking.

The ub'rous fountains and each conduit brings

Its store of water from their bubbling springs,

Of Neptune's stock Acidalus came down,

Yielding her store, to the Baeotian Town.

So Aganippe is a sacred fountaine,

U…'d by the Ladies of the by-fork'd mountaine,

And Arethusa, whose mellifluous wombe

Is sweet, nay sweeter then the hony-combe.

What should I speak of th' Hippocrenian Well?

And what shall I of the Clitorian tell?

The first wherof the Muses haunt a brook

The hoofe of winged Pegasus hath strook

The other Fount, (it seems to me divine,)

Can make men sober when ore took with wine,

The Well Telpissa, is so cold so chill

That it Tyresia, (as they say) did kill,

Th' Ammonian Fount, is cold and hot by turns

Cold in the day, and in the night it burns.

'Tis said the sportfull Eleusinian spring,

Will dance when shepherds are disposed to sing,

Clarean a Well (for it there needs no strife,)

Doth lengthen eloquence, but shortens life,

Sweet Helicon's a consecrated Well.

To th'Muses, in it do the Muses dwell.

Phineus, a Well, is wholsome in the day

To drink, but hurtful in the night (men say)

The fount Cabura yields a fragrant smell,

The well Halcyon, danceth very well,

Cilician Cydnus, cures the gout. the spring

Leucoges eye sight to the blinde doth bring,

Cyzices quencheth hot Idalian fire,

A draught of Lycus causeth life t'expire.

All things doe in the gulf of Sylla sink.

The Stream Anyger, casts a loathsom stink:

Azanium is a Well which doth incline,

Bacchus his Genial Friends to loath all wine.

Athamas water setteth wood on fire

Making the kindled flames for to aspire.

There are a number more which he that looks

Shall find set down in Learned Authors Books,

My Muse hath touch'd the chiefest she hath read,

And tir'd with search, discretion calls to bed.

The Argument.

God doth in a lib'ral measure,

Furnish these inferiour Bowers

With a large unsumm'd up treasure,

Of Trees, and Fruits, Plants and Flowers.

SECT. 2.

AS soon as Gods all pow'rful hand had laid

The worlds foundation, to the earth he said,

Lay by thy mournful weeds, unite thy powers,

And make a garland of the choysest flowers,

Embost with Gems, and Diamonds; then crowne

Thy front, and put on an Embroider'd gown,

Nay and the more thy glory for to grace,

With liveliest colours beautifie thy face.

Put one thy Periwig, all fruits, plums, pears,

Shall hang like Iewels, dangling in thine ears.

With that arose this new proclaimed Queen,

Her Ebon mantle turn'd a galant green,

Befring'd with flowers; the Gorget that she wore

Was lac'd with Flora's pride, bestarched ore

With Deaws, and rory mists, her hand did hold

A royal Scepter made of burnish'd gold.

Rich Gems, rare Iewels, pretious stones are set

Up charily in her wombs Cabinet.

This stately Empress don's her dangling T…sses,

And makes no more ado but tricks and dr…sses

Her wanton bosome with delightful flowers,

'Gainst Ioves descending in his silver showers.

The heav'ns as braclets, her pure hands bedeck

The stars are Beads which goe about her neck,

Her lilly neck so that fair Ʋenus seeks

Her heav'n-stol'n beauty in her earthly cheeks,

Wild Ash trees from earths swelling matrice spring

The river Sallowes, fens forth Alders bring

The Mirtle loves the shore, Vines doe enfold

Their arms on hils, the Yew tree haunts the cold,

The fruitfull Almond from earths wombe doth come

The sweet-scent Aromatick Balsamum;

The box-tree ever green, the tow'ring Cedar,

The stately Pine, which doth in height succeed her

The lovely Chery-trees sanguineous sap,

Is nourished in Demegorgon's lap,

The warr us'd Cornell, and the M…st-ful Beach,

The fun'ral Cypress, and the velvet Peach,

The Ambrosiack Cinamon, the Figg,

The P…mpkin and the aged Oke (so big)

The Iuniper which yields a fragrant smell,

And Sea green Willows on the earth do dwell.

The Daphnean Lawrel tree, which doth not dread

The thund'…ets voyce, whose hair-abounding head

Is never bald; but doth for ever flourish,

Springs from the earth, it is the earth doth norish

The never fading Palms; the beautious Firre

Streight as an arrow; and the red'lent Myrrhe,

The broad branch'd Plane-tree, with his spacious leaves

The wanton Jvy which adhers and cleavs

To other Arbors, groweth ev'ry where,

The downy Popl…r, The Piram'dal Peare,

The Melt-tree, Weapons Needles Thred, affords

Clothes-Honey, Sugar, Balm, Wine, Parchment, Cords

The Vine suporting Eim, the pearly Plum,

The balefull P…ch-tree, sweating forth its gum.

The fulsome Bullace, and the prickly Holly,

The furr'd coat Chestnut, and the shrub Trifolly,

The golden Orange, and the plush-coate Quince,

Which ord'red well yields Marm'let for a Prince,

The shad…e Linden, Goosberries and Wardens,

The Mulb'ry Raspb'ry, Strawb'ry, grow in gardens

All these and many more come from the earth

Earth gives them nutriment as well as birth,

The earth, mother of all things; suckles all

Her vegetative ofsprings, great and small

At Gods command Dame Tellus deck'd her bowers

With verdent hearbs, and Odorif'rous Flowers,

Of sundry vertues, and of sundry hew,

Some green, some red, some yellow, white, some blew.

Here doth the Cardu's-Benedictus grow,

Both to the plague and stone a deadly foe:

Here jaundis-cureing, Horehound, which is good

Against the Asthma; heer is Southern-wood

Good against Feavours; here the Worm-wood eases

All Surfeits, drunk'ness, Cholerick Diseases.

Cough-chasing, Rocket, Rue-expelling vapors,

Which dim the sight; the pallat-pleasing Capers

Helping the Spleen; sweet-scenting Marjoram

Is here; and there the Bawm of Abraham;

Here grows the Beet; yonder the Daffadill;

And there the fragrant spreading Cammomill;

Here is Mint, Centory, and Columbine,

And there the Cowslip and the Eglantine;

See here is Ey-bright, Annis, Cummin, Carry,

Dittander there, behold the hearb Cost-mary,

Here is Germander, Melilot also,

And Harts-tongue, Harts-horn, Harts-ease, there do grow

Roots white and red, and chockly, Artycocks,

Here maidens hair is, alias, Venus locks,

Here thriveth Hyssop, Lavender, and Sorrel,

Yonder the Night-shade, called Pety-morel,

Here Palma-Christi doth it self expand,

There Peneroyal, royaly doth stand.

Here groweth Parsly, yonder sprouteth Tansy;

And here the Lovage, yon' the Lovers Pansy.

Her's drowsie Popy, there are Dasies blowing,

And sweet Angelica is yonder growing:

Here Cic'ry springs, there Fumitory thrives,

Staves-aker lives here, that the Lowse unlives.

Here's sovr'aine Rhubarb, yonder is sweet Basil,

There Fullers hearb, known by the name of Thasil,

Yonder spread Mandrakes, the neglected Nettle,

There doth its foot in Tellus bosom settle.

Here's Sav'ry, Savery, and Helebore,

(Of which they say Anticyras hath store)

Parsnips, and Turneps, and Potatoes too,

Coleworts, and Cabbage, and the Radish doe

Rise from the ground; Elicampane, the Rape,

And all plants els have from the earth their shape

All sorts of grain Wheat, Barley, Oates, and Poder

Whose sap-less stalks the stall-fed Ox do fodder.

Burrage, and Bugloss, Fennel, Water-cresses,

Dame Tellus with all these her bosom dresses,

Now walk we (Reader) into Flora's Bowers,

For recreation; here are curious flowers,

To make fine Posies with; here here behold

The purple Violet, and Marigold.

Seest how these variegated beds do show

As many coulors as the Rainy Bow?

Here's choyce of Pinks, & banks of Damask Roses

Their sight doth pleas our eys, their smel, our noses

The cleer fac'd Lilly smiles, so here great store

Of Gil' flowers, Tulips, and—but what need more

In vaine alas! in vaine I goe about

To reckon all the branches which doe sprout

From out Methymna; the Hyblean Bees,

And yellow sands, neere the Pactolian Seas,

Are not so numerous, the starrs give place

(If numbred) to the Demegorgon's race,

'Tis night, and Titan his refulgent beams

Doth hide their glory in the Western streams

The third day left a universal shade,

And heaven was pleased with the works he made.

The Argument.

God doth the Canopy of heaven,

With sparkling glittering Gems inlay.

The twelve signes, and planets seaven.

Strange effects, the Milky way.

SECT. 3.

THe morrow after, when the light be purl'd

The yearly mantle of the new-made world;

Heav'ns hand, still nilling to be idle, gilded

The earths fair seeling, he before had builded.

Starrs are heav'ns Scutchions, thick as Argus eyes

They hang, and twinckle in the marble skies

Of great or lesser magnitudes, each one

Shine like the Iacynth and the Iasper stone.

But farr more glorious, yea they go beyond

The fy'ry Carbuncle, the Diamond,

And golden Crisolit, their beauty shines

So bright, nay brighter, then the wealthy Mines

Of hot Arabia, or Pactolean Seas,

The tailes of Peacocks, are but toys to these,

The purple Amethist, the Hesphesite,

And costly O pall's nothing neere so bright;

Earths rarest Iewells, mayn't with them compare,

The costliest Gems are not so rich as they're:

These pearls which garnish the aetherial story,

Are lively emblems of their makers glory.

These glittring Sphaeres, about the axle roul

Which joyns to th' Arctick and Antarctick Pole:

This part cold Boreas, and the North starr sees:

Hot Auster, vieweth the Antipodes.

The Ursa Major, and the Minor too,

Their backs turn'd to it, round the North Pole go:

The Dragon, which did keepe through watchfulness

The golden Apples of th' Hesperides

Much like the windings of a river flowes,

His widened mouth like a Charybdis showes.

Herc'les beneath him kneels, next whom the Crown

Of Ariadne, on the earth shines down.

Here Snake-engirted Serpentarius stands,

Squeezing the bending Snake in's griping hands,

Under him Scorpio exporrected lies:

There Libra's beame, turnes in the Azure skies.

Arctophylax here drives his waine; in's groyne

The radiant lustre of a lamp doth shine;

He treads on Virgo who a sheafe doth beare,

Next whom appeareth Berenices haire,

The great Bears hind feet, on the Lion tread,

Cancer and Gemini with his doub e head

Are next, and neere to Leda's egg hatch'd twins

Auriga holds strong wine; close by him shines

The rainy starr of the Olenian Goate;

Iove's nurses next Aix and Aelice note.

Here prostrate on the floor, behold a Bull,

Whose sublime horns with Starrs are beautifull:

The brood-hen or the rainy Hyades

See there, (some call them the Atlantides)

The taile of Cynosure the little Beare

Points at the widened Arms of Cepheus there,

Whose sad wife Cassiopea next complains

For her Andromeda, bound fast in chaines:

Next winged Pegasus on high doth mount

Whose hoof struck whilom th' Heliconian Fount;

And just before the Dwarf in fetters bound

foreign or Triangulus is found.

Two fishes, linked by their tailes ly forth,

One Southward, and the other tow'rds the North,

A sword in Perseus right hand out is spread,

In's left the snaky haird Medusa'es head.

He sits among the Pleiad's, his wing'd shoes.

Most sweetly there the Lyre of Merc'ry goes.

The Armiger of love, spreads here her wings,

And there the Swan that her owne El'gy sings.

See where swift Pegasus his mouth is plac'd,

There Joves Cup-bearer Ganimede is grac'd;

Beneath whom doth arise the Capricorn,

There Sagitarius doth the Heav'ns adorn,

His winged dart flies from his boysterous string

Betwixt the Eagles. and the Vulters wing.

The Dolphin last of all swims in the North,

Which sav'd Arion, in the Sea cast forth.

(Sweet Jesu! beare me to the Port of Sion,

Be thou my Dolphin I'le be thy Arion.

Orion mounteth▪ nigh the Southerne Pole,

With golden belt begyrt; his left-foot sole:

He gently dippeth in the silver streams

Of swift Erid'nus; next the Dog-starr gleams,

Whose yelping frights the Hare; there swims the Whale.

Pegasian Argo next is under saile,

Which bore the Argonauts, and Peers of Greece,

Together with the Colchian golden fleece.

The Southern Garland, called Ixion's wheele,

Lies under horned Sagittarius heele.

Yonder is the Thuribulum divine;

There doth the Kid; and here the Centaur shine.

In folds, the truc'lent Hydra lies, enrould,

On whome stands Corvus, and a cup of gold

The Crater of the Powers: in the skies

By th'egg-hatch'd breth'ren, litle Procyon lies.

See there the embroyred Bauldrick, and the starrs

Thereon engrav'd, Supine Astronomers.

The Ram, Bull, Twins, Crab, Lion, Virgo, Scale,

Scorp, Archer, Capri. Aquar. Pisces, call:

The Ram, the Bull, the Twins, shew in the Spring

Crab, Leo, Virgo, doe the Sumer bring.

Scale, Scorpion, Archer, gather corne together,

Goate Gan'med, Pisces, rise in winters weather.

Six Springs, and Harvests Aequinoctials share,

Summer and winter's Solstice six declare.

Seav'n wandring Planets, you may here see soon,

Saturne, Iove, Mars, Sol, Ʋenus, Merc'ry, Moon.

From these alone, from these aetherial flames

The Seav'n days of the weeke derive their nam's,

God placed in the Firmament of heaven

These pilgrim-planets, all in number Seaven

They and the golden Bauldricks thrice four powers,

Have influence in these bodies of ours:

They rule the Head, Neck, Arms, & Brest compleat.

Back, Bely, Reins, Secrets, Thighs, Knees, Legs, Feet,

Ther's many thousand nameless glittring globe,

Here inter-woven in this spangled Robe.

And in Earth's Tester, all with starrs set round

The Lactea via of Jehova's found:

This way doth lead to the Tribunal Throne

Of thund'ring Iove, this is the way alone

Conducts to bliss, if thou wilt enter in

Thy milk-white conscience must be free from sin:

The way doth ly direct, thou canst not miss:

¶ A pure white conscience is the way to bliss,

The Argument.

The Creation of the Sun

And the Moon in full Carier,

They alternately doe run

Ʋnto either Hemisphere.

SECT. 4.

When heavens great builder had about enrould

This Marble Gallery, with studs of gold;

He made the greater, and the lesser light

Alternately to rule the Day and Night;

Illustrious Phaebus his refulgent face,

The upper and the lower world doth grace,

With equal splendor; his irradient beams

Refresheth all things; his ignivomous teams

Run restless races; his all-quickning power

Gives life and breath to every plant and flower;

Unto our sight it ev'dently appears,

His revolution makes up days and years:

He circulates in twice twelve howers time

The Universe, spends half in this our clime,

And when his Chariots rapid wheels are whirl'd

Into the Climates of th'inferiour world;

He on the lower Hemisphere displayes

His Rosy light and bright refu…gent rayes,

Then pale-fac'd Phaebe riseth to fulfill

Her nightly course, ascending up the hill

Of the renoun'd Olympus, joys to spred

The glittring glory of her new-made head,

Silv'ring the world in her nocturnal race,

She reigns as Empress in her brothers place

And emulates his rayes, (although more dim)

What light she hath is all deriv'd from him;

She ev'ry month doth wax and wane and shew

Now Semicircled like a half bent bow:

But when Sol doth against her full face shine,

Earth interpoz'd in the Eccliptick line;

Her round cheeks are Ecclips'd, her masked face

Admits the glory of its borrowed grace,

She wears a Cypress hood and overshrouds

Her shamfac'd count'nance, in the gloomy clouds.

This Nights fair Lady, by her influence brings

Admir'd effects to sublunary things.

O sacred prudence, ev'ry day nay houer

Sets forth the greatness of th' Almighties power,

His pow'r fils all things, if I tow'r the skies

I do behold it in those twinkling eyes.

Doe not I see it in the burnish'd Sun,

And Moon, which round about their Circle run?

And if from heav'n I to the earth descend,

Are not his wonders there without an end

Nay saile I out into the boundless Seas

Gods goodness meets me; goe I where I please

His mercies find me; if I take the wings

Of fair Aurora, if I search the springs

Of his abundant grace; and if I …oul

Even from the Arctick to th'Antarctick Pole.

His favours doe prevent me; Sea and Land

Enrich'd are by the All-creators hand.

Dive I to the sulphureous pitt of hell,

There, there th' eternall doth in Iustice dwell

Look here, look there, nay turne I where I will

I see Gods greatness and his goodness still.

No Gods with him may equalized be;

Where is there such another God as he?

I stand amaz'd, on his stupendious name,

O with what words may I express the same▪

And now the Major-General of day,

(Whose eye doth all things in the world survay)

Hastens his Chariot to th' Hesperian streams,

Un-yokes his horses hides his blewing beams

In Thetis bosom; by the western Seas

He setting, riseth to th' Antipodes.

The sable Curtains of thick darkness spread

To give us notice Sol is gone to bed:

Night harnisseth her Stallions, and doth crown

Her head with popy; in a mourning gown

She widdow-like appears; a leaden mace

Her sleepy hand engrasps, her steps deface

The Chrystal-brow of day, and out she spreads

The spangled Orb of heaven, about the beds

Of ev'ry thing that draweth breath she closes

All eyes and leavs them to their sweet reposes:

All things doe sleep, the Lady of the night

Entring her brothers place, borrows his light;

Pale Luna rising from the Orient streams

Of Thetis brandisheth her trembling beams:

Th' Olimphick Tow'r sh' ambitiously aspires

Concomitated with her sister fires.

The perfect colours of all earthly things

Are hid with dim-ey'd darkness sable wings:

The fourth day left a universal shade,

And heaven was pleased with the works he made.

The Argument.

God replenisheth the waters

With innumberd living creatures,

Giving to them divers natures,

Properties, and several features.

SECT. 5.

WHen rosy-fac'd Aurora did unfold

Her dappled Curtains, fring'd with burnish'd gold,

And rudie Titan from his saffron bed

Rowzed the glory of his early head:

God spake the word, and fishes small and mighty

Furnish'd the Courts of Sea-green Amphitrite;

The family of Neptune soon amounted

To a great number more then can be counted.

Some of these wat'ry Citizens doe love,

Salt habitations; others fresh approve.

Nature hath given to these new formed creatures,

Diversities of natures, names, and features.

The Sturgeon loves to swim against the stream;

These live in ponds, the Perch, the Roch, & Bream,

The retrograding, Crab the Canther chast,

The Cephalus find in the Sea repast,

He hides his head then thinks himself secure,

The crafty Barble first unhooks the Lure.

"Great Neptune's Sea Clark cal'd the Calamary,

"About him doth his Pen and Penknife carry.

The lowzy Arica feeds upon flesh,

The Lamp'ry, Salmon live in waters fresh.

The tongueless Carp, doth in the fish pond dwell

The eyeless Cockle walketh from his shel.

The Musick charmed Dolphin, feried ore

Sea coast Arion to the wish▪d for shore.

The fish Plagusia swimeth one her sides,

The Remora resisteth winds and tides.

Large Oars stu…'d sails, and cleaving to a ship

Strongly and straingly stops it, if you rip

Thorn'd-foot Echinus, and him water give,

He'l reunite his parts dis-joyn'd and live.

The wide-mouth'd Labrax ever loves to yawn:

She Pearl-fish, alwayes leagueth with the Prawne.

Are you a hungry go and catch a Conger

What fish is larger then the Whale or longer?

His monstrous bulk doth like an Island seem,

Around enclosed in a watery stream.

The gilden Spirlings in cold winters weather,

Ly round (to keep them warm) in bals together.

The wing'd Voligo 'bove the water flies;

His head between his feet and belly lyes,

The Wolf-fishc aught, ploughs with his taile the sand,

And hiding there, escapes the fishers hand.

From Margarus our Margerites doe come:

The Meryx [Cow like] chews the cud say some.

When the Milvago 'bove the waves doth fly,

Tempests and stormes give o're immediatly.

The Musculus (making his fins his Oars)

Ushers the Whale from rockie shelves & shores.

Ears to the belly of the Oysters joyne;

The Oxyringus eyes most brightly shine.

The Muscle and the speckled Leopard:

The Peacock swimmeth like the heaven bestarr'd

Pediculus the Dolphins parasite,

Doth in the food, the Dolphin gets, delight.

The bleating Sea calfe, hath an hairy hide.

The fraud'lent Manifeet loves paciride.

Th'adultrous Sargus, the Sea grunting-hog,

The Turbet the Caerulian speckled frog.

The Scarus much delights to ruminate

The Scolopender swal'wing hook and baite

Vomits his bowels? having los'd the hook

It slips them in againe and is not took.

The Stockfish is a fish that wil not boyl

Unless you beat it with a stick a while

The bane-tooth'd Cuttle nigh destructions brink

Absconds her body with effused ink,

Which while it dazleth the poore fishers eyes

From the surprizer then escapes the prize.

The water's scale-backt golden-coated Ape,

Is like the earths in colour and in shape.

The Star-fish, by a natural instinct

Burneth what e're it toucheth; would you think't?

Tis said the Cramp fish will benum the hands

Of him that fisheth, and a distance stands.

The Lampreys life within her taile doth ly:

From Purple-fishes comes our purple dy.

Nature doth the Amphibious Sea-calfe give,

By water and by land full leave to live,

She breeds upon the land and by degrees

Her young sh' accustoms to the briny Seas.

A thousand colours (if't be true) 'tis strange

(As in Hyena's) in her eyes doe range.

The Sea grape squezed in the Vintage press,

Of Wine will take away the irksomeness.

The skin of Pompilous makes many a thong

Of a great value ever-during strong.

Th' Adult'rous Sargus changing mates behorns

The pates of Hee-Goats which before had horns.

Th' Vranoscop, alwayes his eyes round balls

Bands (as it were) against th' aetherial walls.

Lexus a fish is enemy to man,

And man to him, both are each others bane.

And thou Thymalus, left almost behind,

What fish more precious then thy noble kind?

Can any thing in sweetness thee excell?

Yields any odour a more fragrant smell?

Above all fishes thou deserv'st the Palme,

In that thou breathest like Arabian balme.

The wry-mouth'd Plais, the Whiting, & the Mackrel:

The slippry Eel, the Lobster, and the Cackrel

Making the eater laxative; the Trout,

The Herring King of fish, the Flownder, Pout,

The Wraith, the Gudgeon, and the boneless Seal,

And more there are, whose names I must conceal;

A world of Paper, and a Sea of Ink,

Would scarce suffice to hold them all I think.

But ah! what do we? we must hast to th'shore

The winds do rise, the waves begin to roar:

Let's tack about, and strive the land to gain,

Enough of roaming on the foaming main.

Hark! Cliô hark! behold the warbling Quire,

Call thee to play upon thine Iv'ry Lyre.

The Argument.

Heer there is a winged nation

Wandring in the feilds and groves,

All of one kind keep, their fashion,

God his fifth days work approves.

SECT. 5.

Now on the feather'd fowls bestow thine eyes,

(Kind reader) and observe their properties.

Mark how they fly and cut the flitting ayer,

These clap their wings, and those do quite contrair

Some run upon the ground, and some alway

Do leap from bough to bough from spray to spray,

These are delighted in the shadie gtove;

Whilst others in the open champion rove.

Some chuse to fly on high, and some as low,

And some do fly as swift as others go.

These hop about, while others love to sing

The praises of their everlasting King:

Some desarts haunt, some take a pride to shew

Their 'pinions colour'd like the rainy bow.

The silvan Choristers in various notes.

Send out sweet Carrols from their mus' call throats

The warbling Philomel her Sonnets sings,

So shril that at the sound each forrest …ings.

The milk-white Swan the river swims along,

Dying, sings sweetest, her Elegious song.

The pretty Linne…, and the whistling Thrush,

And Mavis chaunt in ev'ry thorny bush

Eare▪charming Ditties, and in ample st…ry

Devulge the greatness of their makers glory.

Nature to speak the Cissa doth inveigle

'Tis strange to think how the Majestick Eagle

The Armiger of Iove, with percing eye

Dares to coufront the Sun's coruscancy.

Amongst these aiery Cittizens we find

The Cipphos tost with ev'ry gust of wind

The gaggling-Goose, the G…ssing, & the Gander;

The brood-hen clucking, to and fro do wander:

Th' indulgent Stork most gratefuly doth feed

His aged parents, in their time of need:

He b…oods and carries them; the kissing Dove

Always lives single, having lost her love:

Th' Hedg Sparrow norisheth the Cucko's eggs.

The bird Apodes useth not his leggs.

Hast thou the Iaundice? Icterus but eye,

And thou'lt recover but the bird will dy.

The stately Cock, with his elated Crest

Comes stalking on, new rowzed from his rest,

His taile advanc'd, with a clear voyce he crows,

He daunts the Lion and the light foreshowes,

Fair weather followes when the Cranes soar high

Fowl weather followes when a pace they fly.

The greedy Corm'rant seeing storms before,

With clam'rous noise doth hasten to the shore.

The Cat fac'd melancholy Owl doth hollow

The swift wing'd lofty winding garr'lous swallow

Sings as she flyes; this Herauld of the spring,

From frozen winter flyes with speedy wing.

The great Bee backward flyes, the Black-Bird loves

To lead a solitary life in groves.

The Chough's fair body is about enroul'd

With plumes of silver, mixt with plums of gold.

The gnat-devouring Bat suckles her brood,

And shreds (for she hath teeth) her gotten food.

The prattling Parrot with his opned beak

In human language takes a pride to speak.

The Pel'can …ares her breast her young ones slayn;

And with her blood reviveth them againe.

The chat'ring Py foretelling guests are neere.

The chirping Sparrowes under house eves are.

The scent-strong Vulter in his flight most slow,

Loves Carrion touching not what mortals sow;

Five hundred miles doth putred Carrion smell

(If all be true Historians do tell)

The inauspicious Crow, th' unluckie Kite.

The witless Woodcock, and the simple Snite:

The long-neck'd hern, the wadling duck, & widgeon

The gold-finch, bull-finch, chaffinch & the pidgeon

The Lapwing, Wagtail, Feildfare, and the Stare.

The pleasant Phesant and the Partridg rare.

The Kestrel, Martin, Puet and the Plover,

The Rook, the Titmouse, up and down do hover.

The Robin-red-breast flyeth too and fro,

The Red-shank, Red-start and the Red-tail too.

The rav'nous Raven and the pratling Iay,

Proud of his borrowed plums, his plums so gay.

The Iron eating Corp'sent Estrich runs

As swift as doth a horse, Spinturus shuns

No sacred place, for she a burning cole

Hath from the Alters very often stole.

The envious Peacock hideth out of spight

His med'cinable dung from humane sight:

Treads softly like a theif, but from his throat

Yels out a horible Tartarian note;

A pride he takes in flinging up his head,

And doth abroad his starie spangles spread.

The Bee with laden thighs doth whom return

With prudent art doth tare the hony-comb

With flowry Tyhme (oh admirable thing!)

So loud a humming voyce, so stiff a sting.

Plant-wasting Locusts which without wings fly,

The Moth, the Hornet, Butterfly, and Fly?

The golden coloured Cantharides

Are stiled infects; I may add to these

Th' industrious Silk-worme which of Thisbian rine

And leaves; for nobles silken-sleeves doth twine.

Next in my way the Indian Griffin flyes,

With's snow-white wings; his fierce and fiery eyes

Ev'n dazle mine; four feet he doth not lack

A purp…e belly and a cole black back;

His hindmost part is fashion'd like a Lion,

His unked talents tare what he doth fly on.

And lastly, although last of all, not least

Th' Arabian Phenix passeth all the rest:

The rarest bird that under heaven flyes,

Glory's enthroned in her sparkling eyes.

A golden collar goeth round her neck:

A Purple colour doth her body deck;

A goodly taile she bears: a plumy crown

Upon her head appears; a scarlet down

Adornes her back: search throughout ev'ry clime

You'l find one only living at one time.

Six hundred years she lives then being old

Builds her a nest, a nest she doth infold

With fragrant Cassia, Cinamon, and Myr…h,

And such l…ke Aromatick sprigs, t'interr

Her self therin; she makes hir selfe an Urn

And fi'ry Titan with his rayes doth burne

(His rags reflecting on her lab'ring wings)

The crazy Phenix; from whose ashes springs

A little worme crawling in fun'ral spices,

And from that worme another Phenix rises.

When God created had all winged creatures

Divers for natures, discrepant in features,

And gave them power with their nimble wings

To soar alof…, above terestrial thin…s:

The fifth day left a universal shade,

And heav'n was pleased with the works he made.

The Argument.

Go… cre…ts beasts great and small,

And appoi…ts their habitation,

On the earth, earth feeds them all

All affords us admiration.

SECT. 7.

NOw radient Sol his morning beams displaies

Gilding the mountaines with his pregnant raies.

Th' Almighty God, he, who alone is able

T' accomplish all things; furnisheth the Table

Of earths fair parlour, with a sumptuous feast,

Against the coming of some Lordly guest.

The earth, the d…m of all things, forth doth bring

Millions of creatures, ev'ry creeping thing

The earth doth suckle, 'tis the earth doth breed

A world of hungry animals to feed

On her provisions, ev'ry kind of beast

Draws life (as well the greatest as the least)

From her exub'rant breast; seest how the Fawns

Do skip and frisk about the lovely Lawns.

The keen-tusk'd salvage Macedonian Bore:

The greedy Wolf (t' whom Lambs are an ey-sore)

The yoke-fit heifer, and the ubr'ous Cow,

The horse, true drudg, to the laborious plough

The slow pac'd burden-bearing long-ear'd Ass

And bastard Mules do crop the tender grass.

The gen'rous Spaniel, and the faithfull Dog,

The belly-grunting mire-delighting hog.

The Leopard famous for his speckled coat.

The tim'rous Coney and the browsing Goat.

The stinking Pole-Cat, and the mouzing Cat,

Which sees as well by night as day the Rat

That corn-devouring creature, and the Mouse.

That haunts the corners of the statliest house,

The Beaver much esteemed for his skin

Must needs among the traine be railed in.

The Armadilio besieged round

With shells like armour, undermines the ground.

Alternately his sex Hyaena changes,

His eyes assume all colours which as strange is;

Such Dogs as on his shadow light grow dumb:

His feet stick fast whoever sees him come;

Calling the shepherds from their thatched bowers,

He slayes them, and their sl…utered Corps devours.

The shagie Bear doth fashion out her yong,

By licking them all over with her tongue.

The q…ick-eyed Linx, his back bespeckled all

Can with hi… sight impeirce the thickest wall.

The suck-egg Weasil, and the harkning Hare,

(Which l…tters ev'ry month through out the yeare,)

The hounds d…ceiveth by her winding flight,

Rest… all day (if not ra…s'd) and tun's all night,

In p…ace…ull warrens, here are fleecy fl…cks

O… bleating sheep, there lurks the subtil Fox

Loathsome for smell. the little eyeless Moles,

And theevish Pict's lie hid in secret holes.

The bob-taild Squi…rel doth a storme foresee,

Seeming to be as weather-wise as we;

The buff whose firm impenetrable skin

Made into sheilds no shafts can enter in.

The truc'lent P…nther, and the direfull Tiger,

Devou… their captives with undaunted vigor,

The by-corn'd Girass doth the desarts like,

His n…ck'… as long as is a martial Pike.

The Salamander liveth in the flame,

It's extream coldness putteth out the same,

Th' egg-hatcht Cham…lion by the ayer is f…d

And turne t'all colours except white and red.

The rough Baboone, and E…heop an Ape,

Imitate man are most like men in shape.

'Tis fabled that the Naiades do make

With their loud roarings ev'n th' earth to qkuae.

The thorn-arm'd hedg-hog; for his various amell,

The Ortus famous; and the bunch-backt Camel.

Slow pac'd Ignatus unto these I'le put

It sings six notes fa, sol, la, mi, re, ut.

The scaly Dragon, and the furr'd-coat Ermin,

Locusts, and Catterpilers, such like verm…n.

The double-headed Amphisben…, and

Innum'rous insects creep upon the land,

The ven'mous Viper doth her b…ood devour,

Again the brood, inclosed in the bower

Of their dams wombe; impatient of delay

Break through their sides and so their dams do sl…y.

The hoarse-resounding Grashoppers in thicke…s

Do sing abroad; as doth at home the Cricke…

Earth breeds all rep…ils ev'ry kinde of forme

The Glow, the Palmer, and the Canker-worme,

The Toad, (the earths unprofi…able clog.)

The hissing Serpent and the croaking Frog.

The saffron-hating Crocodile will run

On those that fly▪ but the pursuers shun.

The dreadful Basilisk baneful eye doth slay

Whom e're it looks upon, his breath (they say)

H…s poysnous breath, will taint, nay mor…, unlock

The firmest Marbl…, and obdurest rock.

The horny-nos'd Rhinoceros will whet

His horne …'re on the Elephant he set.

The Lion next upon the stage I'le bring,

Of men the terror, of all beasts the king.

He cometh ramping, with his eyes bright shining,

Most bravely minded, yet to preys inclining:

The Crowing Cock, the rattling Carr, and fire,

Do terrifie this beast, this beast so dire,

This formidable beast is mild to those

Who doe submit, but cruel to his foes:

Gratefull to those his benefactots are;

Humble to those that humbleness declare.

The Elephant next claimeth excellence,

This beast comes nearest unto humane sense;

He knows his country speech, he's us'd in warrs,

He worshipeth the Sun, the Moon, the Starrs:

The greatest of all beasts the earth doth hold,

He's proud of trappings wrought with burnish'd gold

Adores the King, his most ambitious spirit

Aspires to glory, glory to inherit.

But oh! who can sufficiently declare

Gods works, the which so full of wonder are!

And now for to conclude earth doth produce

All beasts, and ev'ry creeping thing for use;

After their sev'rall kinds on earth they trade

And God was pleased with the works he made.

The Argument.

God a living soul sublime

Breath's in man compos'd of slime,

Of a rib he framing woman,

Gives her for a help unto man.

SECT. 8.

GOd having made the world, and all therin,

To frame a little world▪ did now begin;

This little world is man, he formed last,

Of the four elements the Proto-plast.

The great, almighty, everlasting God

Created Adam of a ruddy clod.

God, was the true Prometheus, did inspire

His earthly-nostrils with coelestial fire.

Man like himself he made in sacred feature,

And under his command brought ev'ry creature.

This little world is in the great world plac'd,

And with the title of a King is grac'd.

This Micro-cosm instal'd by God alone

Of the great world obtaines the royal throne,

The King of Kings gave to his regal hand

The juri…diction bot… of Sea and Land.

What things soever any eye can see

Within the furnish'd world his subjects be:

What birds soever in the ayer have motion,

What fish s…ever glidea along the Ocean,

What beasts soever on the hills do feed,

Wh…t e're the melancholy desarts breed,

What fruits soever on the eorth remaine,

Are tributary to mans Lordly reigne.

Man is the emblem of a divine nature,

And lively picture of his live creator.

All creatures pore on earth mans sublime face

Behold's his maker, he is fil'd with grace

And divine beauty, their terrestrial m…nd

Mind earthly things▪ man, only man's, enclin'd

To heav'nly wisdome, his infused spirit

Is most ambitious glory to inherit.

Mans understanding and heroick sense

Above all other hath preheminence.

A nat'ral sense, beasts have as well as we,

They touch, they tast, they feele, they heare, they see,

Man's head is term'd the understanding's thrown,

The intelectual pow'rs meet there in one.

There madam Reason is enthron'd, her grace

Reignes like an Empress in the highest place.

My lady Will, resideth in the brain;

The Judgment there, there doth Minerva raigne,

Light of the Micro-cosm our eyes are, wee

The glory of the Lord by them doe see.

Three humours do belong unto our eyn,

The White, the Viteral, and the Christaline,

Six Coates, as many Musckles arteries,

Tendons, and Nerves attend upon our eyes,

May not our eyes bee very well d…fin'd

The Looking-glass of Nature, and the minde.

Our eyes are twinckling Lamps, what is our sight?

But …ristall-Casements for to let in light,

The Optick sinews, or the Optick strings,

Dr…w in the sight of sublunary things.

The eyes, our anger, and our love, do shew,

Strike fire in hatred, and in love they glow,

One while they sparkle with Idalian fire,

One while they glance; ano…her while admire!

They bolt in boldness, and in reverence sinke,

They smile in laughter, and in greife they winke:

In love they flatter, and in wrath seeme froward,

They shew …he glad, the sad, the bold, the coward,

They well can put a difference betweene

Such objects as are either foule or clean.

Our cy-lids like Appentices prevent

A world of dangers, which are incident

Unto our eyes, our eyes bright shining balls

Are Bull-wark'd round about with fleshly walls.

Man's nose is like a sink by which the braine

Doth purge it self of phlegm, the nose doth drain

All slimy Excrements, and doth convay

Them (never to returne again) away.

By it we breath and smel; 'tis that doth grace

The man, and wonderously become the face.

The ay'r doth in the nose the smelling stop

Which else from out the nose would forthwith drop

Our ears the minds informers do go round

With winding mazes, evr'y kind of sound

They can distinguish, at the shril, the flat,

The acute, the gentle, and the aspirate.

The ear's the dainty'st sence, it doth descry

Base jarring Musick, from pure harmony:

By these we move the brain, the brain by these

Is rid of chol'rick superfluities.

It is by these we (as it were) discern

And let in knowledg, 'tis by these we learn

All kinds of noise we'r taught to know th'rough these

Mechanick Arts, and learned Siences.

¶ God gave one mouth, two ears, two eyes, that we

Might little speak, though much we hear, and see,

The mouth, the stomack's portal is, and by it

We unto nature let in nat'ral diet.

Two folding doores of corral do convene

Lest in the teeth deform'ty should be seen

Our Iv'ry Teeth the feeling sence have got,

Can tell you what is cold, and what is hot,

They are the bull-warks of the tongue (to tame

Th' unruly member), tis by them we frame

And fashion out our words; foreteeth, and hind

We use; they shred our food, and these do grind:

Our teeth are busie Cooks (which without question)

Makes our food ready for the first digestion.

Our tongue and pallat by their tasting power

Distinguish ev'ry relish sweet from soure.

It is our tongue that's vocal, on our tongue

The Lutes and Vials of our speech are hung:

What thing soe graceful to a man as hair?

How sliek! how comly does it show! how faire!

The pillar of our head's, the neck; neere kin

Unto the nether lip's, the dimpling chin.

The greatest strength that man enjoys, consists

Most in his shoulders, in his arms, and fists;

How necessary are our hands, our hands

Are handmaids to the body; man commands

All kind of things by them, nature imparts

Unto our hands, the Mastership of arts.

With pliant joynts our fingers are upheav'd

Apt to receive and k…ep the things receiv'd.

The servants of the mind they are, and do

What is her pleasure to command them to:

The left hand (u…experienc'd) stands and serves

The right hand b'ing a skilfull artist carves:

Nerves joine our bones, our bones do represent

The timber of our fleshly Tennement.

The main-spporting pi…lar of the frame

Is cal'd the c…ine, the chine doth prop the fame

Our thighs are plac'd beneath our hips and fl…nk

N…xt Hams, the Calfs, below the knees the, shank,

And in the Lesk, but just below the groine,

(O shame to name!) our privities do joyne.

Our feet are useful dangers for to baulk,

One while to stand another while to walk.

They are the bodies moving ground-work, all

The f…brick (were it not for them) would fall.

M…ns outward parts are shown, I'…e now begin

To rip him up, and see what is within.

His lungs, like bellows, are they which receive

Contracted ayer, and the same regives;

They puff up, at their taking air in,

And shrink when they do let it out again,

The pory lungs doth with it's spungie fan

Refrigerate the heart: The heart of man

Is made Triangular, the heart doth give

L…fe to each part, without it none can live.

Th' hearts motion doth our bodies motion breed,

The vital spirits from the heart proceed;

She, she the conduit of our blood convays

Her Crimson bounty thorough cleare blew-wayes.

She mitigates the coldness of the spleen,

And in the bodie regulates as Queen;

If not by her, whence do our pulses beat,

From her we do derive our nat'ral heat.

She is the center of the bodie, whence

All creatures draw their lives circumference.

This pearle absconded in a C…sket lies,

Is the first living, and the last that dies.

Man's stomack is a pot, wherein the m…at

Is reco…cocted, he before did eat.

The Mesaraick veins suck and deliver

The Chile of what we eat through pipes, to th' liver.

The belly is a buttery, wherein

(Within the cupbo…d of th… bowels skin)

The grosser offals, that the stomack leaues

Of its digestion adhers and cleav…s.

Wh…re t…ey rem…ine, un…il dame-nature pl…ase

For to exonerate such filthy lees.

When God h…d framed man with wondrous art,

He after made his soul the nobler part;

He did his dross with sacred fire refine

And breath'd in him a soul. a soul divine.

A soul immortal; death with all its power,

Nor Satan… fiery darts can't it devour.

God to the soul eternal essence gave,

It had b…ginning, but no end shall have.

Wit, Understanding, Memory, and Will,

The pa…lace of the soul inhabit still:

How circular, how speedy is hir motion?

She …oundeth in a trice the Heav'n, Earth, Ocean:

She scal…s heav'ns tower with her E…gles wings;

Finds out th'obst…uce Originals of things;

As …aine, hail, snow, ice, winds, nor doth she wonder

At fl…sh of lightning, nor at claps of thunder.

When thus his Image, man, the Lord had made

Each way compleat, within himself he said

It is not good, nor doth it please me well

That man alone without an ayd doth dwell:

I'le therefore make him one, his joy, his c…ear,

His D…ve, his solace, his beloved dear.

With that the Lord, whose actions are so deep

Past finding out, cast Adam fast a sleep;

Seal'd up his eyes, and from his fruitless side

Took ou… a rib, and of that rib a Bride

He fashion'd out; and did so nea…ly dearn

The cl…ft, that none the opening might discerne.

T…e w…man made, God gave her unto man,

And he (aw…ke out of his sleep) began

T'express his joy unpar…lelled favour;

I have an helper, the Almighty gave her

To be my wife; Lo two, are made of one,

Flesh of my flesh, and of my b…ne the bone.

And since the Lord from out my sides did frame her

She shall be woman, woman will I name her.

(Nor is'… a wonder why he call'd her so;

For unto MAN at last, she prov'd a WOE.)

For this cause shall a man his parents leave,

And to his wife, his deare, adhere, and cleave.

So they were naked seeking no redress,

Nor did they blush, at this their nakedness.

The sixth day left a universal shade,

And heav'n was pleased with the works he made.

An Appendix

Of

God's resting day.

Eden garden.

Man's

happiness before his fall.

misery after his fall.

The Argument.

Six dayes expir'd, the seaventh day

God rests, and doth his works survay.

Eden is pl…nted, man in Eden

May tast all fruits, but one forbiden,

SECT. 9.

When the great Architect had furnish'd all

The upper Regions; and the lower Ball,

He ceased from his works, and sanctifi'd

Unto himself, for ever to abide.

The seaventh day his glory it invested,

And from h…s workes, his workes so great, he rested.

The Lord of sabboths, hath this sabboth blest,

As a …rue Type of that eternal rest.

Ke…t in hav'ns blis ull Kingdome, to the praise

Of him that is the ancientest of dayes.

By his examples, he would have us doe

The like, and rest from wordly I bour too.

This day of rest; our Saviour will come in

Unto our souls, if we let out our sin.

He sets wide ope, the port…ls, of his ears;

To entertaine, (a…guests,) our praise, our prayers.

This day is Gods, on let us then adore him,

And in his reverence, fall downe before him;

That so we may here after be posses'd

Of that true Sabboth, that eternal rest,

Prepar'd for saints▪ and joyfull R…quiem… sing,

Before our great, and everl…sting K…g.

Six dayes are freely ours, bu… one, in seaven,

Is chaleng'd as a holy-day, by heaven;

And yet how little of that day we spend

Upon th… servic… of so great a freind!

Alas! a…as! how apt are we to think▪

That God beholds not, and his eyes do wink

A… our negl…cts; but patience ab…s'd

Turnes fury: ah! can, can we be excus'd,

That thus transgress? no we have cause to feare,

T'his leeden fe…t, Gods iron hands are neare.

Within the radient borders of the East,

Where early Titan as a welcome guest

Findes entertainment, God a garden planted

For Man's sole use, wherin there nothing wanted

To make it truly glorious, in it, he

The worlds abrig'd Epitomie might see;

Unfathom'd love spontaneously bestowing

A paradise with milk and honey flowing:

Upon a man, an animated Clod

Must n…eds advance …he goodness o… our God.

Here is the true Elizium indeed,

Whose choyce variety of objects seed

The greedy eye; seest here a divers hieu,

Crimson, Carnation, Green, and joyfu…l blew.

This soyle bears fruit, all seasons in the yeare,

You c…nnot name the thing, but what is there.

See here coole A…bors, mark how bubbling Brooks

Do g…ntly glide along in winding nooks:

Here'… speckled ammel beautifies the ground:

And heav'n se…t Manna, ev'ry morn is found.

Th… …re…ty birds (by nature taught) doe sing

M…lodious n…t…s, to their mellifluou… King.

How fr…grantly li…e-breathing Z…phyr blowes

H…s …wee…-heart Flora, g…n'rously bestrowes

The smiling Earth, with oderiferous flowers,

'Gainst Adam's wedding; pearly-dropping showers

Enrich the grass; withou… the help of ploughs

Tellus partu…iates; on the laden bou…hs

The m…llow fruits do dangle, and do stand

Ambit…ous (as …t were) to kiss the hand.

O what a lovely lustre doth adron

The balmy ai…! the Ama…thean horn

Is giv'n to Adam (not to Hercules)

Gemifluous Phi…on, golden Eu…hra…es

Silver-wav'd Hiddekel, Christal-ey'd …i…on,

Water this heav'nly earth, this earthly Sion.

Cloath'd are the Trees in g…een; the stately P…ne,

And tow'ring Cedar, lovingly combine,

A Bow'r with bending arches to compose:

The shame fac'd Lilly, and the red-cheek'd Rose,

Strive for priority: how all things smile

And e'ne luxuriate! Oh delightf…l soile!

Amongst the trees wherewith th' Eternal grac'd

This prime plantation, in the midst he plac'd

Two speciall t…ees (both inordain'd for food,

But seals the one of life, of knowledg good

And evil was the second; to th' intent

That Adam's life should not be idly spent

Trine-une Jehovah did his steps direct

To this blest Bow'r, and spake to this effect.

Of all the trees that in the O…chard be

I set them for thy use, one only tree

S…all be my rent; that tree thou shalt not tast,

Which in the center of the garden's plac'd

The rest are freely thine, by my permission,

Rent-free: but yet on an imply'd condition:

What I injoyne be studious to fulfill,

Touch not the tree of knowledg, good, and ill;

For by my sacred majesty, I vow,

And by my venerable name, if thou

Break but thy Lease, "thy v…ry lips that shall

"Let in this fruit, shal let in death withal.

But if thou please me well, this tree shal be

A sacred pledg between thy God, and thee.

My Vice-Roy shalt thou be, thy seed I'le bless,

Thy seed for ever shal the land possess.

Be thou obsequious thou shalt finde me mild,

I'le be thy father, thou shalt be my child.

He said no mo…e: Adam did: hen express

His loyal duty, and his thankfulness.

Glorious, and great, who hast insta…'d me K…ng

Of th…s vast Orb, and Lord of ev'y thing

Within its larg dementions: Gratious Lord

Thou gav'st me all, nay of thine owne accord.

Ah Lord! what merrit? what desarts in me

(To claime such hig…-bred f…vours could…t thou see)

O bounteous love! oh love that is extended

Beyond al bounds! O love uncomprehanded!

Ah! shall thy mercyes overflow my banks?

And shall I ebb, in the returnes of thanks?

Thou giv'st me life, and rare enjoyments too,

To tell them out is more then I can do.

And shall I not acknowledg thee? ah! sure

No senseless stone can e're be so obdure.

Take partial thanks, for as for to express

Love to the life I cannot, I confess:

Accept my mite, to praise I will persever

Thine holy name, for ever, and for ever

Ah! far be it from me to countermind

What thou prohibit'st▪ shall th… lib'ral hand

Heap blessings on me? thou afford'st me all,

Thy selfe reserv'st but one, and shall I fail

To keep from thee thy right? shall my transgression

Displease the Land-lord of my free possession.

O no, I will obey, one onley Tree

Shall put no varience 'twixt my God and me.

Should I attempt so foul a fact, I were not

Worthy to live; might then …ods j…stice spare not

To vulnerate my soul, Oh might I feele

Th' imprinted strakes of his revengeful steele.

Great God! Oh may I rather cease to be,

Then live t'offend, so good a God as thee?

The Sun shall sooner cease, for to display

On tender plants, his bright enlivning R…y:

Sooner shall sun-burnt India grow cold,

And Icy Zealand hot, and heav'ns grow old.

E're I from my first principles retreat,

And disobey my God, so good, so great.

Thus Adam liv'd in favour with the Lord,

Enjoying all the joyes earth could afford.

On while he walks along the bordred Alleys,

Now up the hillocks, down anon, the valleys,

And now by whisp'ring Brooks, takes sweet reposes

On beds of L…llies, and anon on Roses.

The Argument.

The Devill in the Serpent's forme

Tempteth to sin the woman first:

She man; so done, the Lord doth storme,

The Serpent, Eve, and Adam's cur'st.

SECT. ult.

Proud Lucifer, through vain ambition strove

To equalize himselfe with God above:

But of his pow'r Angelic…l bereaven,

He tumbled head-long down the courts of heaven:

From a bright Pallace to a sulph'ry Cell,

Made Monarch of (the land of darkness) Hell.

Thus strip'd of all his quondam pleasures, he

Greatly envieth man's felicity:

Man is his eye-sore, man's supernal state

The Object is of his insernal hate:

He finding opertunity, began

Sl…ly to worke, the overthrow of man:

His guil…s and wiles he palliates, and is

Turn'd int' a snake, strange Metamorphosis!

His toyles he spreads, and covertly he waits

To catch poore Adam, by his golden baits:

And's plot the better to acom…lish, he

G…es wriggling up on the forbiden tree:

Assaults the woman, with his baited gin,

And thus he drawes the sily woman in.

Serpent.

Great Emp…ess of the world: I humbly sue

To be resolved of a doubt, which you

Can satisfie me in: have you indeede

Your apetite restrain'd? what many't you feed

One evr'y pleasant fruit? why so? doth God

Limit your p…w'r? if so, 'tis very odd.

Eve.

Of all the trees that scited are in Eden,

There is but one, no more th…n one forbiden.

The tree thou se…st, there in the middle plac'd.

We m…st▪ on paine of death, not touch, nor tast.

That God reserv's unto himselfe, for what

I know not, but 'tis death to tast of that.

Serpent.

P…sh, P…sh you shall not dye, deaths bended Bow

Shall never harme you; you shal never know

What doth belong to death; death cannot slay you,

You are immortal; feare not death I pray yo…;

Touch, take, and tast, (beleive m…) and your eyes

Shall straight be op'ned; you will be as wise

As he that made you; be but rul'd, and ye

As Gods, both knowing good and ill shall be.

Feare not, (faire Lady) eat, I as a freind

Advise you not for any Private end,

Or self-resp…ct; you shall be deifi'd:

Ambitious Jove, no equals can abide.

Coy woman tast, behold their beautiful,

And cherry cheeks, coy woman doe but pull.

Cannot those mellow-delicates, invite

Your wat'ring palate, to an appetite?

Methinkes they should, taste, and you shall have skil,

To know the diference 'twixt good, and ill.

Why draw'st thou back? To the possessed Snake,

The cre…'lous woman this reply did make.

Eve.

Wisest of beasts, all that you sp…ak is true,

You counsel for the best, all thanks be due,

For your great love your love wh…ch doth transcend

All mer…it of mine, thanks to my loyal freind:

My life's to small to hazard for your ease,

Freind I could give't, your speeches doe so please.

This fruit is marv'lous pleasing to the eye;

And questionless, 'tis to the tast: I'le try.

And eat thereof and give my husband Adam.

Serpent.

They bow to serve you, at your pleasure, Madam.

Eve.

Ah! how delitious is this fruit, how sweet!

A finer Apple I did never eat.

Husband, my love, come sit thee down by me,

And taste the vertue of this sov'raigne Tree.

Say, say my love, did e're thine eye behold

A Tree so fair, so rare as this; be bold,

As was thy Eve; and venter on't; for why?

Come what come will, thou'lt fare no worse then I.

Ah! hadst thou knowne my dearest what a bliss

Attends the eating, thou hadst eat e're this.

What? frownes my Adam? wilt thou not draw nearer,

And taste my love, then whom my life's not dearer

For Eves sake eat, and know both good and ill.

Adam:

Seeing thou invit'st me eat, my joy, I will.

Ah! wee have sin'd in medling with this Tree,

This cursed Tree; Oh whither shall we flee?

Undone! undone! we know not what to do,

What course to take, Oh whither shall we goe?

Lo we are naked, and we must confess

Asham'd we are, of this our …akedness,

And blush to think on't, were not we of late

All cloth'd in glory? but where's now our state?

What have we got by our presumptious pride?

But shame, which if we could, faine would we hid….

Strange change! we have exchang'd, sad thing to tel,

God for an apple, and a heav'n for hell.

My conscience tells me what a gracious God

We have offended; now methinks his rod

He shakes in fury, now methinks his ire

Threatens to burn us, with consuming fire:

What thinkest thou, may not these leaves hard by

Make aprons wife, for naked thee, and I:

Quick, let's these broad Fig-leaves together sew,

And hide the shame, we are asham'd to shew.

Experience tels us that the things which tend

To greater bliss, prove dang'rous in the end.

The fruit that's pleasing, is not alwayes sound;

Untoothsome Clerus is in hony found.

That man-betraying Scorpion, did bring

Hony in's mouth, but in his tail a sting.

The fruit that seemed best, prov'd worst of all:

Sweet in the mouth, but in digestion gall.

Eve.

Hark! hark! methinks I hear (too true I feare)

A thundring voyce come rounding in mine eare.

I' me sure I hear't. I prithee Adam cease

Thy querulous complaints, peace, husband peace.

Ah me! vile wretch, '…is God, undon! undon!

We have transgress'd, 'tis therfore time to run;

Let's hide us in the Woods I feare, I feare,

That he will catch us, naked, as wee are.

A poor defence God-wot, what brazen Tower

Can keep us safe from his all-ba…'ring power.

¶ Such as doe strive, by hiding of their sin,

To shut God out, do let the Devil in.

The case is ours: the more we would conceale

Our sins, alas! the more we them reveal.

What place can us secure? where can we lie

Absconded from his all-beholding eye?

Dye, dye wee must, no wayes of our contriving

Can save us harmeless? can wee gaine by str…ving?

Are our bones Brazil, or our flesh of S…eel?

Can wee imagine that we shal not feele,

The worst of his displeasure? dare we stand

In opposition to th' Almighties hand?

Or rather shal we with submissive tears

Beg hard for pardon, w'have a W…lfe by th' ears.

The bellows, of our sins, have blowne the coales

Of flaming vengeance to devour our souls.

Adam.

P…ace, peace, I heare him too; he thunders now,

Where art thou Adam, tell me, where art thou.

Adam.

Great God! thy voyce, thy dreadful voyce, I heard

Rush in the garden, and I was affray'd:

It was my shameful nakedness, did move

Me to seek shelter in this shadie grove.

God.

Naked? who told thee thou we…'t naked? hast

Thou eat the fruit, forbidden thee to taste.

Gods mercyes Adam having thus …bus'd,

Accus'd the woman, but himself excus'd.

Adam.

All-glorious Lord, shee whom thou gav'st me, gave

The fruit unto me, and I eaten have.

God.

Nefandious woman, ah! what hast thou done,

That thus my awful presence thou dost shun?

Eve.

Lord, I confess that my offence is great;

The Serpent tempted me, and I did eat;

The Rhet'rick of his tongue, did so delight

Mine eares, that I obey'd mine appetite.

Thus did his Oratorious delusion

Lead me along, unto my sad confusion.

The Serpent's curse.

Because thou hast fallitiously deceiv'd

The silly woman; thou shalt be bereav'd

Of future happiness; thou, thou, the worst

Of all the beasts: shalt not be least acurs'd,

Dust shalt thou eat, and since thou hast done so,

For ever shalt thou on thy belly go,

Abhor'd of all; moreover I'le disperse

Debate, and variance 'twixt thy seed, and hers.

Her seed shall bruise thy head: And poysnous thine

Shall bruise her heele, and round her heele entwine.

Eves curse.

And thou, nefarious bride, who hast betray'd

Thy husbands trust, and wickedly obey'd

The Serpents words; I will inflict on thee

As bad a curse, as any curse can be.

In paine bring forth thou shalt; greifs shall encumber

Thy tortur'd soul; thy torments shal out number

The minutes of thy life; ten thousand woes

Shall plague thy spirit; and thrice as many throes

Shall rack thy body, this disast'rous chance

Shall cling to thee till thy deliverance.

With all submission: thou, vile creature, thou,

Thy servile neck, shalt to thine husband bow:

He, shall rule over thee, and thou shalt stand

As loyable, to his severer hand.

Adam's Curse.

Apostatized wretch, because thou hast

Giv'n audience to thy wife, to boldly taste

The bitter sweets of this reserved Tree,

From which (on paine of death,) I warned thee.

Curs'd be the earth, and all her smiling pleasures,

Her gratefull plenty and exub'rant Treasures:

Curs'd for thy sake, b' earth's amiable face,

Let thorns, and thistles, grow in ev'ry place.

And thou, for this abominable deed,

Shalt feed on hearbs; I'le make thee get thy bread,

With a laborious hand: thy sweetned meat

Must now have sower sauce: thy toylsome sweat

Shall stand in furrowes, on thy bubling brow,

Earning thy living at the pai…efull plough.

Thus shalt thou live; till death the thred divide

Of thy fraile life, thy sorrowes shall abide.

A number of diseases shall attend

Thy loathed life; sins off-spring, death, shall send

His Harbingers abroad, which shall anoy thee,

And never leave thee, till they quite destroy thee.

The never missing dart of death shall slay

The bri…tle Casket of thy soul, and lay

Thy earth-ta'ne body in an earthly urne;

For dust thou art and shalt to dust returne.

Be gone; base Caitiffe, from this garden, flee,

Such rare enjoyments sha'nt belong to thee.

Be gone: be gone: no longer shalt thou please

Thy del'cate palate with such ca…es as these:

Worse fare shall serve thy turne: with ploughs goe wound

Thy native soile goe dig, and delve the ground.

1 Tim, 1, 17.

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