THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID THE PURPLE ISLAND, ^ ^otm : BY PHINEAS FLETCHER. WITH TBE CRITICAL REMARKS OF . The lats HENRY HEADLEY, A. B. AND A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH by WILLIAM JAQUES, Translator of Franck's Guide to the Study of the Scriptures. LONDON : PRINTED FOR BURTON AND BRIGGS, 156, Leadenhall Street j Hatchard, Bookseller to the Queen, J90, Piccadilly; and S. Hamiiton, Paternoster Row. 1816. f* GIFT Jaques, Printeri 3 7, Dean Street, Soho> BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH PHINEAS FLETCHER. J. O be interested in the character and lives of those whose writings have instructed and delighted us, is natural to the human mind ; nor is it reasonable that they who have laboured successfully for our advantage, should be wholly forgotten. " The Monument of Banished Mindes" is contemplated with a sort of pensive pleasure ; and such mementoes must always contribute something of life and energy to the pieces which we peruse. Brief therefore as is the following sketch of our author's history, it will not be an unacceptable introduction to his poem of the Purple Island. His father. Dr. Giles Fletcher, was a man of consider- able reputation as an author, a poet, aiid a statesman. He was born in Kent in the middle of the 16th century; was educated at Eton ; and in the year 1565 was elected scholar of King's College, Cambridge. He took the degree of A. B. in 1569, that of M. A. in 1573, and that of L. L. D. in 1581. Queen Elizabeth, who discovered so much pru- dence and discrimination in herclio'ce of aiinisters, appointed him hec-commissioner in Scotland, Germany, and the Ne- therlands ; and in 158B, the year of the Spanish Armada, she constituted him her ambassador to the court of Russia ; where he concluded a commercial treaty with the Czar Theodore, much to the advantage of his native country. Duriugf his residence in that barbarous empire, he composed ivi904y24 A Biographical Sketch of his " Account of the Russe Commonwealth, or Manner of " Government by the Russe Emperor, commonly called the " Emperor of Moskovia, with the Manners and Fashions *' of the people of that Country." This he printed on his return in 1590 ; but it was suppressed lest it should give offence. A second edition of this book appeared however in 1643. Dr. Fletcher was appointed, subsequently to his mission to Russia, Secretary to the City of London, and one of the masters of the Court of Requests. In 1597 he was chosen Treasurer of St. Paul's. Besides the work already no- ticed, which will be found in Ilakluyt's Voyages, Dr. Fletcher was the author of a discourse, the object of which was, to prove that the Tartars are the descendants of the Ten Tribes, who were led captive by Shalmaneser. Whiston adopted the same opinion, and even printed the discourse in the first volume of his Memoirs. Dr. Fletcher died in 1610. Our author was allied to several men of eminence, besides his father. His uncle was the famous Fletcher, Bishop of Peterborough, who attended Mary, Queen of Scots, to the place of her execution, and exhorted her to change her religion ; his cousin was the celebrated dramatic writer, whose name is so often mentioned in connexion with that of Beaumont ; and his elder brother Giles Fletcher, was a poet of considerable merit. Benlowes in some verses which he addressed to our author, says, " Thy very name's a poet." Little is known of the life of Phineas Fletcher : but Mr. Ellis conjectures he was born in 1584 ; He was educated at Eton; and admitted a scholar of King's College, Cambridge in 1600, took his Bachelor's degree in 1604, and his Master's degree in 1608. He entered into the church ; and was presented to the living of Hilgay in Nor- folk, in 1621, by Sir Henry Willoughby, which he held during a period of twenty-nine years. He died about the year 1650. Besides the poem which is here reprinted, he was the author of seven Piscatory Eclogues, Eliza an Elegy, and several minor poems. He likewise wrote a drama, entitletl SiCELiDEs, ^hich was performed at King's College, Cam- bridge, and printed in 1631. " It was intended, originally," says the editor of the Biographia Draaiatica, •*' to be per- Phineas Fletcher. ^ formed before Kin^ James the First, on the 13th of May, " 1614 ; but his majesty leaving the university sooner, it " was not then represented." The serious parts of it are mostly written in rhyme, with choruses between the acts. Some of the incidents are borrowed from Ovid, and some from the Orlando Furioso. He also published at Cam- bridge, in 1632, some account of the lives of the Founders and other learned men of that university, under the fol- lowing title: — " De Literatis antiquae Britanniae, praiser- " tim qui doctrina clarueruut, quique collegia Cantabrigia *' fundarunt." The works of Phineas Fletcher were printed at Cambridge in 1633, 4to. The following remarks on the Poetry of our author, are from the elegant pen of the late lamented Henry Head- ley, A. B.— " Who " Of wisdom lover and sweet poesie, " Was cropped in his prime, *^ And ripe in worth, though green in years did die." They are extracted from his " Select Beauties of An- *' cient English Poetry;" and it may be observed that a distinguishfid place in that collection is assigned to Phi- neas Fletcher. " Were the celebrated Mr. Pott compelled to read a lec- ture upon the anatomy of the human frame at large, in a regular set of stanzas, it is much to be questioned whether he could make himself understood, by the most apprehen- sive auditor, without the advantage of professional know- ledge. Fletcher seems to have undertaken a nearly similar task, as the five first cantos of The Purple Island are al- most entirely taken up with an explanation of the title ; in the course of which the reader forgets the poet, and is sickened with the anatomist. Such minute attention to this part of the subject was a material error in judg- ment ; for which, however, ample mnends are made in what follows. Nor is Fletcher wholly undeserving of praise for the intelligibility with which he has struggled through his difficulties, for his uncommon command of words, and facility of metre. After describing the body, he proceeds to personify the passions and intellectual vi A Biographical Sketch of faculties. Here fatigued attention is not merely re- lieved, but fascinated and enraptured ; and, notwith- standing his figures, in many instances, are two arbi- trary and fantastic in their habiliments, often dispropor- tioned and overdone, sometimes lost in a superfluity of glaring colours, and the several characters, in general, by no means sufficiently kept apart ; yet, amid such a profusion of images, many are distinguished by a boldness of outline, a majesty of manner, a brilliancy of colouring, a distinctness and propriety of attribute, and an air of life, that we look for in vain in modern productions, and that rival, if not surpass, what we meet with of the kind even in Spenser, from whom our author caught his in- spiration. After exerting his creative powers on this department of his subject, the virtues and better qualities of the heart, under their leader Eclec ta, ^r I ntellect, are attacked by the vices : a battle^^en^ues, and IKeltatter are vanquished, after a vigorous opposition, through the in- terference of an angel, who appears at the prayers of Eclecta. The poet here abruptly takes an opportunity of paying a fulsome and unpardonable compliment to James the First (canto xii. stanza 55) ; on that account, perhaps, the most unpalatable passage in the book. From Fletcher's dedication of this his poem, with his Piscatory Eclogues and Miscellanies, to his friend Edmund Ben- lowes, it seems, that they were written very early ; as he calls them " raw essays of my very unripe years, and al- " most childhood." It is to his honour that Milton read and imitated him, as every attentive reader of both poets must soon discover. He is eminently intitled to a very high rank amoug our old English classics." Mr. Headley's Supplement furnishes us with the following luminous criticisms : " At the bright lamp of Spenser, whose flame will never expire but with our language, many inferior bards have lighted their slender torches. The perusal of the Fairy Queen biassed the minds both of Cowley and More * to the pursuit of poetry. And to them we may add Fletcher, who, not contented with de- riving his general taste for allegory and personification from him, has gone so far as immediately to adopt ima- * Preface to his Philosophical Poemii, 1 847. Phineas Fletcher. gery and particular figures. Though it may somewhat detract from the invention of Fletcher to compare him in some instances with his original, yet it is the only method of forming a real estimate of his merits ; and as Dr. Johnson well observes, " it is the business of critical justice to give every bird of the Muses his proper feather;" nor has he himself been backward in due acknowledg- \/ ment, as these instances sufficiently evince : " Two shepherds most I love with just adoring; " That Mantuan swain, who chang'd his slender reed " To trumpet's martial voice, and war's loud roaring, " From Corydon to Turnus' daring deed; " Atid next our homebred Colin's \ sweetest Jiring ; " Their steps not folloiving close, but far admiring ; " To lacquey one of these is all my pride's aspiring." Purple Island, Cant. vi. St. 5. " The eulogium to Spenser's memory, Cant. i. stanza 19. does equal credit to his heart as to his abilities, and deserves being brought forward to notice. " He again touches on the misfortune of Spenser, Cant, vi, St. 52. " Bdt to come more immediately to the several parallel passages, let the reader compare Fletcher's Gluttonie. ^ Cant. vii. St. 80. with Spenser's B. 1. Cant. iv. St. 21 "^ and 22. ; compare Fletcher's Atimus, Cant, viii, St. 42, &c. with Spenser's Idleness, B. 1. Cant. iv. St. 18. ; compare Fletcher's Thumos, Cant. vii. St. 55. with Spenser's Wrath, B. 1. Cant. iv. St. 33.; compare Fletcher's Aselges, Cant. vii. St. 23. with Spenser's Lech- ery, B. 1. Cant. iv. St. 24.; compare Fletcher's Pleo- necfes. Cant. viii. St. 24., with Spenser's Avarice, B. 1. Cant. iv. St 27. ; compare Fletcher's Envie, Cant. vii. St. 66. with Spenser's Envy, B. 1. Cant. iv. St. 30.; likewise with another description. B. 5. Cant. xii. St. 31. Some of Fletcher's lines well express what Pope with great felicity styles, " damning with faint praise. ' f Spenser. A Biographical Sketch of " When needs he must, yet faintly, then he praises; " Somewhat the deed, much more the means he raises : " So marreth what he makes, and praising most dispraise*. " Compare Fletcher's Deilos, Caiit. viii. St. 10. with Spenser's Fear. B. 3. Cant. xii. St. 12. There seems to be more nature and real poetry in Fletcher's describing him as but starting at the sight of his arms, than in Spen- ser^ who on the same occasion represents him as abso- lutely " Joying fast away ;'^ but perhaps Spenser has heightened the image by making bim equally terrified with the sound of them as the sight , this is omitted in Fletcher. No one of Fletcher's figures is more consis- tently habited than his Death. ^ " A dead man's skull supplied his helmet's place, " A bone his club, his armour sheets of lead : ,, " Some more, some less fear his all-frighting face ; " But most who sleep in downy pleasure's bed. Cant. xii. St. 38. *' Yet the first of these terrific attributes is suggested by Spenser, who has giren it to Meleager : " Upon his head he wore an helmet light, " Made of a dead man's skull, that seem'd a ghastly sight. B.Xl. Cant. xi. St. 22. "In the preceding part of this Canto of Spenser, in Tvhich the foes of Temperance besiege her dwelling-place, we find sight, hearing, smell, and taste, personified, which remind us of Fletcher, and disgrace Spenser. I have often thought that a painter of taste might extract from the Purple Island a series of allegorical figures, which if well executed might do honour to his pencil ; though in some instances he would find Fletcher " nimis Poeta," in others he would have little to do but to supply the colours : and as there can be no necessity for impli- citly tying him down to his original, the Uberty of reject- ing superfluities, and supplying deficiences, should be allowed. The mottos and impresses, which in general are very happily adapted, give Fletcher's figures an air Phineas Fletcher. ix of life, which in that particular renders them superior to those of Spenser and of Sackville *. The following- rich figure of Mope (which is represented as masculine,) is among Fletcher's best pieces ; the attitude of his leaning on his attendant Pollicita, to whom every female j^race ^ mi^ht be o^iven, seems worthy the notice of a painter. I will quote the description at length, as it affords me an opportunity of comparing it with a figure of Spenser on *' the same subject : " Next went Elpinus, clad in sky-like blue f ; " And through his arms few stars did seem to peep ; ^ " Which there the workman's hand so finely drew, " That rock'd in clouds they softly seem'd to sleep : " His rugged shield was like a rocky mould, " On which an anchor bit with surest hold : " I hold by being held, was written round in gold. " Nothing so cheerful was his thoughtful face, " As was his brother Fido's : fear seem'd to dwell " Close by his heart ; his colour chang'd apace, " And went, and came, that sure all was not well ; " Therefore a comely maid did oft sustain " His fainting steps, and fleeting life maintain : " Pollicita she hight, which ne'er could lie or feign. Cant. ix. St. 30. " The following is Spenser's personification, which is delineated with greater chastity than usual : * <' ^scfaylus, in his " Seven Chiefs against Thebes," has shown much (' fancy in themottos and devices of the shields of the different chiefs. * " Pyracles, in Sidney's Arcadia, is dressed in a garment of the same *' materials : " Upon her body she wore a doublet of sky-colour satin," * &c. p. 42 Milton also has his "■ sky -tinctured graUi," Psiradise Lost, V^ *• 285. But Fletcher might have had a passage in Quarles in his eye, who, *< after describing Partheniain a robe bespangled with stars of gold, aJds, " Her dishevell'd hair *' Hung loosely down, and veil'd the backer part " Of those her sky -resembling rohex ; but so, " That eveiy breath would wave it to and fro, " Like flying clouds, through which you might discover ' *' Sometimes one glimm'ring star, sometimes another. Ara, and Par. B. iii. A Biographical Sketch oj " With him went Hope in rank, a handsome maid, « Of cheerful look and lovely to behold ; " In silken samite she was light array'd, « And her fair locks were woven up in gold : « She always smil'd, and in her hand did hold « An holy-water sprinkle, dipt in dew, « With which she sprinkled favours manifold " On whom she list, and did great liking show ; - Great liking unto many, but true love to few. B. III. Cant. xu. bt. 1.5. " Thefisure is simple, and the attributes are new Hope is heredivfsted other usual emhlem, the anehor, {wh.ch Fletcher has preserved) and the water-sprmk le subsU- futed iuits room, «hich gives a religious a>r to the .mage ; fad it hut reeeived «^e ianct,on o( ant.qu.ty fo. Us Se^b^'their^ nV'tS.TeieX «e find, represented Sope in tL character of a sprightly gul, lookmg for- ™r and holding a blossom or hud m her right hand*, Xfst^^^tlX feft she hoMs up her g^rme^^t o prevent i'^en^Fo luL'^d^Hope ."!; tUTmblem. Mr.' Spenee has iustlv ohiected against Spenser, that many of his invented they are not ^veil-marked out and instance S Hotihifge^s rg»: .t:;in thist^ fdherence to them in all their mythological appendages s un "asonable and absurd, and at o"- P.f ,;,^*»Pi, ^ JSeTtmlo^^SigrtS ti "p^ SS :: -o^n^nn^^^ed X rtdtfdU'n mntirreligion,\istory, dress and manners hey m«s be considered as relatively excellent only, ive cannot » We commonly say " to destroy out »«?^^^ Where a new muse may try her pmion r What light'ning heroes, like great Peleus' heit J^ Darting his beams thro' our hard frozen air. May stir up gentle heat, and virtue's wane repair ? IX. Who knows not Jason ? or bold Tiphys' hand,* That durst unite what nature's self would part ? He makes isles continent, and all one land ; O'er seas, as earth, he march'd with dangerous art : He rides the white-mouth'd waves, and scorneth all Those thousand deaths wide gaping for his fall : He death defies, fenc'd with a thin, low, wooden wall. X. Who has not often read Troy's twice sung fires. And at the second time tAvice better sung ? Who hath not heard th' Arcadian shepherd's quires. Which now have gladly chang'd their native tongue ; And sitting by slow Mincius, sport their fill, With sweeter voice and never equall'd skill, Chanting their amorous lays unto a Roman quillf ? * Tiphys was pilot of the vessel which conveyed Jason to Colchis, f Mincius, a rirer of Mantua, Virgil's biith-plaee. 4 THE PURPLE ISLAND. XI. And thou, choice wit ! love's scholar, and love's master^ Art known to all, where love himself is known* : Whether thou bidd'st Ulysses hie him faster ; Or dost thy fault and distant exile moan : Who hath not seen upon the tragic stage, Dire Atreus feast, and wrong'd Medea rage. Marching in tragic state, and buskin'd equipage ? XII. And "now of late f th'Italian fisher-swain Sits on the shore to watch his trembling line, There teaches rocks and prouder seas to plain By Nesis fair, and fairer Mergiline : Whilst his thin net, upon his oars entwin'd, With wanton strife catches the sun and wind ; Which still do slip away, and still remain behind. XIII. And that [^French muse's eagle eye and wing, • Hath soar'd to heav'n, and there hath learn'd the art To frame angelic strains, and canzons sing ; Too high and deep for any shallow heart. Ah, blessed soul! in those celestial rays, Which gave thee light, these lower works to blaze, Thou sit'st imparadis'd, and chant'st eternal lays. XIV. Thrice happy wits ! which in the springing May, Warm'd with the sun of well deserved favours, Disclose your buds, and your fair blooms display, Perfume the air with your rich fragrant savours ! Nor may, nor ever shall, those honour' d flow'rs Be spoil'd by summer's heat, or winter's show'rs. But last, when time shall have decay'd the proudest to w'rs. * Ovid. f Saunazar. + Bartas. n clays, / reward : ^ THE PURPLE ISLAND. XV. Happy, thrice happy days in silver age ! When generous plants advanc'd their loity crest ; When honour stoop'd to be learn'd wisdom's page; When baser weeds starv'd in their frozen nest ; When th' highest flying muse still higlier climbs ; And virtue's rise, keeps down all rising crimes : Happy, thrice happy age ! happy, thrice happy timeg ! XVI. But wretched we, to whom these iron days, V Hard days ! afford no matter, nor Sings Maro ? Men deride high Maro's lays, Their hearts with steel, with lead their sense is barr'd. Sings Linus, or his father*, as he uses ? Our Midas' ears their well tun'd verse refuses : All what cares he for arts ! he mocks at sacred museiS. XVII. But if fond Bavins vent liis clouted song ; Or Moevius chant his thoughts in brothel charm ; The witless vulgar, in a num'rous throng, Like summer-flies about their dunghill swarm : They sneer, they grin : — ' Like to his like will move.' Yet never let them greater mischief prove Than this, Who hates not one, may he the other love ! XVIII. Witness our Colinf ; whom tho' all the graces, \ And all the muses nurs'd ; whose well taught song, Parnassus' self, and Glorian embraces, \ And all the learn'd, and all the shepherd throng; \ Yet all his hopes were cross' d, all suits denied ; \ Discourag'd, scorn'd, his Avritings vilified : ' Distrest alas ! he liv'd ; distrest alas ! he died. * Apollo. f Spenser. e THE PURPLE ISLAND. XIX. And had not that great Hart, whose honour'd head Now lies full low, pitied thy woeful plight ; There had'st thou lain unwept, uuburied, Unblessed, nor grac'd with any common rite : Yet shalt thou live when thy great foe shall sink ; Beneath his mountain tomb, whose fame shall stink '^ And time his blacker name shall blur with blackest ink. XX. O let th' Iambic muse revenge that wrong, Which cannot slumber in thy sheets of lead : Let thy abused honour cry as long As there are quills to write, or eyes to read : On his rank name let thine own voice be turn'd, " O may that man that hath the muses scorti'df *' Alive or dead J he never of a m^use adorn' d ^V* XXI. Oft therefore have I chid my tender muse ; Oft my chill breast beats off her flutt'ring wing : Yet wlien new spring her gentle rays infuse, All storms are laid, again I rise and sing : At length soft fires dispersed in every vein, Yield open passage to the thronging train. And swelling number's tide rolls like the surging main. XXII. So where fair Thames, and crooked Isis' son. Pays tribute to his king, — the mantling stream, Encounter'd by the tide now rushing on Witli equal force, of 's way doth doubtful seem ; At length the full-grown sea, and water's king Chides the bold waves with hollow murmuring : Back fly the streams to shroud them in their mother-spring. * A citation from Spenser's Poem " Tlie Ruines of Time ;",..and suppogcd to allude to Cecil, Lord Burl<=i£k. THE PURPLE ISLAND. ^ XXIIL Yet thou karmonious muse, why should'st thou droop, That every vuli^ar ear thy music scorns ? Nor can they rise, nor thou so low canst stoop ; No seed of heav'n takes root in mud or thorns. When owls or crows, imping their flagi^y wing With thy stol'n plumes, their notes thro' th' air would fling; Oh shame ! they howl and croak, whilst fond they strain to sing. XXIV. Enough for thee in heav'n to build thy nest ; Far be dull thoughts of winning earthly praise ; Enough, if kings enthrone thee in their breast, And crown their golden crowns with higher bays : Enough that those who wear the crown of kings, Great Israel's princes ! strike thy sweetest strings : Heaven's dove when high'st he flies, flies with thy heav'nly wings. XXV. Let others trust the seas, dare death and hell, "~\ Search either Ind, vaunt of their scars and wounds! \ Let others their dear breath, nay, silence, sell To fools ; and swol'n, not rich, stretch out their bouudsj By spoiling those that live, and wronging dead; That they may drink in pearl, and couch their head In soft, but sleepless down ; in rich, but restless bed : XXVI. O let them in their gold quatT dropsies down ! O let them surfeits feast in silver bright ! Whilst sugar hires the taste the brain to drown. And bribes of sauce corrupt false appetite, Its master's rest, health, heart, life, soul, to seil : Thus plenty, fulness, sickness, ring their knell. Death weds and beds them ; first in grave, and then in hell 4 THE PURPLE ISLAND. XXVII. But ah ! let me under some Kentish hill, Near rolling Medway 'raongst my shepherd peers, With fearless merry-make, and piping still. Securely pass my few and slow-pac'd years : While yet the great Augustus* of our nation, Shuts up old Janus in this long cessation, Strength'ning our pleasing ease, and gives us sure vacation, XXVIII. There may I, master of a little flock, Feed my poor lambs, and often change their fare, My lovely mate shall tend my sparing stock, And nurse my little ones with pleasing care; Whose love and look, shall speak their father plain : Health be my feast, heaven hope, content my gain ; So in my little house, my lesser heart shall reign. XXIX. The beech shall yield a cool safe canopy, While down I sit, and chant to th' echoing wood: Ah, singing might I live, and singing die ! So by fair Thames, or silver Medway's flood. The dying swan, when years her temples pierce. In music's strains breathes out her life and verse. And chanting her own dirge, rides on her Avat'ry hearse. XXX. What need I t^ien to seek a patron out; Or beg a favour from a mistress' eye, To fence my song against the vulgar rout ; Or shine upon me with her Gemini? What care I, if they praise my slender song ? Or heed I, if they do me right or wrong? A shepherd's bliss nor stands nor falls with every tongue, * Janes I. THE PURPLE ISLAND. XXXI. Great Prince of shepherds ! than thy heavens more high, Low as our earth, here serving, ruling there ; Who taught'st our death to Hve, thy Ufe to die ; Who, when we broke thy bonds, our bonds wouldst bear; Who reignedst in thy Heaven, yet felt'st our Hell ; Who(God)bought'stman, Avhomnian (tho'God's)did sell. Who in our flesh, our graves, and worse, our hearts wouldst dwell : XXXII. Great Prince of shepherds ! thou who late didst deign To lodge thyself within this wretched breast ; Most wretched breast, such guest to entertaiuj Yet oh most happy lodge in sucli a guest ! Thou First and Last, inspire tby sacred skill ; \ Guide thou my hand, grace thou my artless quill ; j So shall I first begin, so last shall end thy will. XXXIII. Hark then, ah, hark ! ye gentle shepherd crew ; An ISLE I fain would sing, an island fair ; A place too seldom vieAv'd, yet still in view; Near as ourselves, yet farthest from our care ; Which we by leaving find, by seeking lost ; A foreign home ; a strange, tho' native coast ; Most obvious to all, yet most unknown to most. XXXIV. Coeval with the world in her nativity ; Which tho' it now hath passed thro' many ages, And still retains a natural proclivity To ruin, compass'd with a thousand rages Of foe-men's spite, which still this island tosses ; Yet ever grows more prosp'rous by her crosses, By with'ring, springing fresh, and rich by often losses^ C 10 THE PURPLE ISLAND XXXV. Vain men ! too fondly wise, who plough the seas, With dang'rous pains another earth to find ; Adding new Workls to th' old, and scorning ease, The earth's vast limits daily more unbind ! The aged world though now it falling shows,- And hastes to set, yet still in dying grows : Whole lives are spent to win, what one death hour must lose. XXXVI. How like's the world unto a tragic stage ! Where every changing scene the actors change ; Some, subject, crouch and fawn ; some reign and rage ; And new strange plots, bring scenes as new and strange, Till most are slain ; the rest their parts have done. So here, some laugh and play, some weep and groan. Till all put off their robes ; and stage and actors gone. XXXVII. Yet this fair isle, scited so nearly near, That from our sides, nor place, nor time may sever ; Though to yourselves, yourselves are not more dear, Yet with strange carelessness you travel never : Thus while yourselves and naltive home forgetting, You search for distant worlds, with needless sweating. You never find yourselves ; so lose ye more by getting. XXXVIII. When that great Pow'r, that All, far more than all, (When now his time foreset was fully come) Brought into act this indigested ball. Which in himself, till then had only room ; He labour'd not, nor sulfer'd pain or ill; But bid each kind, their several places fill : ' He bid and they obe) 'd, their action was his will. THE PURPLE ISLAND. U XXXIX. Forth sprang the light, and spread his cheerful rays Thro' all the chaos ; darkness headlong fell, Frighten'd with sudden beams, and new-born days ; And plung'd her ugly head in deepest Hell : Not tliat lie meant to help his feeble sight To frame the rest ; he made the day, of night : All else but darkness ; he the true, the only light. XL. Fire, water, earth, and air that fiercely strove His SOVEREIGN HAND in strottg alliance tied, Binding their deadly hate in constant love : So that Great Wisdom teraper'd all their pride, / . ,o Commanding strife and love shou'd never cease ;^ That by their peaceful fight, and fighting peace. The world might die to live, and lessen to increase. XLI. Now when the first week's life was almost spent ; And this world built, and richly furnished ; To store Heaven's courts, and steer Earth's regiment, He cast to frame an isle, the heart and head Of all his works, compos'd with curious art ; Which like an index briefly should impart The sum of all ; the whole, yet of the whole a part. XLII. That Trine-One with himself, in council sits. And purple dust takes from the new-born earth ; * Part circular, and part triang'lar fits ; Endows it largely at the unborn birth ; Deputes his favourite \iceroy ; doth invest With aptness thereunto, as seem'd him best; And lov'd it more than all, and more than all it bless'd. 12 THE PURPLE ISLAND. XLIII. Then plac'd it in the calm pacific seas, And bid nor waves nor troublous winds, offend it ; Then peopled it with subjects apt to please So wise a prince, made able to defend it Against all outward force, or inward spite : Him framing like himself, all shining bright ; A little living Sun, son of the living light. XLIV. Nor made he this like other isles ; but gave it Vigour, sense, reason, and a perfect motion, To move itself whither itself would have it, And know what falls within the verge of notion : No time might change it, but as ages went, So still return'd ; still spending, never spent ; More rising in their fall, more rich in detrimc XLV. So once the *cradle of that double light, Whereof one rules the night, the other day ; Till sad Latona, flying Juno's spite. Her double burthen there did safely lay, Nor rooted yet, in every sea was roving, With every wave, and every wind removing ; But since, to those fair twins hath left her ever moving, XLVI. Look as a scholar, who doth closely gather Many large volumes in a narrow place ; So that GREAT Wisdom, all this all together, ■• Confin'd unto this island's little space ; And being one, soon into two he fram'd it ; And now made two, to one again reclaim'd it ; The little Isle of Man, or Purple Island nam'd it. * Delos, the birth-place of Apollo and Diana: so called fiom, ^>jXoc, because when Latoua their mother was persecuted i)j' tin; Python, it suddenly xn^ide its appearance in the sea, and afforded her the asylum she sought. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 13 XLVII. Thrice happy was the Avorld's first infancy, Nor knowing yet, nor cnrious, ill to know ; Joy without grief, love without jealousy ; None felt hard lahour, or the sweating plough : The willing earth brought tribute to her king ; Bacchus unborn lay hidden in the cling Of big swoirn grapes ; their drink was every silver spring. XLVIIL Of all the winds there was no difference. None knew mild Zephyrs from cold Eurus' mouth ; Nor Orithya's lover's violence Distinguish'd from the ever dropping south :* But^'either gentle west winds reignVl alone, Or else no wind, or harmful wind was none; But one wind was in all, and all the winds in one, XLIX. None knew the sea ; oh, blessed ignorance I None nam'd the stars, the north car's constant race, Taurus' bright horns, or Fishes' happy chance : Astrea yet chang'd not her name or place ; Her ev'n-pois'd balance, Heav'n yet never tried : None sought new coasts, nor foreign lands descried ; But in their own they liv'd, and in their own they died. L. But ah! what liveth long in happiness ? Grief, of a heavy nature, steady lies. And cannot be remov'd for weightiness ; But joy, of lighter presence, eas'ly flies, And seldom comes, and soon away will go : Some secret pow'r here all things orders so, That for a sunshine day, follows an age of woe. * Orithya, the daughter of Erechtheus, king of Athens, loved and carried away by Boreas. 14 THE PURPLE ISLAND. LI. Witness this glorious isle ; which, not content To be coufin'd in bounds of happiness, Would try whate'er is in the continent ; And seek out ill, and search for wretchedness, V Ah, fond, to seek what then was in thy will, . That needs no curious search ; 'tis next us still. 'Tis grief to know of grief, and ill to know of ill. LII. That old sly Serpent (sly, but spiteful more) Vex'd with the glory of this happy isle, Allured it subtly from the peaceful shore ; And with fair painted lies and colour' d guile, Drench'd in dead seas, whose dark streams full of fright, Empty their sulphur Avaves in endless night ; Where thousand deaths and hells, torment the damned sprite. LIU. So when a fisher-swain by chance hath spied A big- grown pike pursue the lesser fry, He sits a withy labyrinth beside. And with fair baits allures his nimble eye ; Which he invading with out-stretched fin, All suddenly is compass'd with the gin ; Where there is no way out, but easy passage in. LIV. That deathful lake, hath these three properties ; No turning path, or issue thence is found : I The captive never dead, yet ever dies ; j It endless sinks, yet never comes to ground : 1 Hell's self is pictur'd in that brimstone wave ; , ' For what retireth from that hellish grave ? Or who can end in death, whore deaths no ending have ? THE PURPLE ISLAND. 15 LV. For ever had this isle in that dire pit, With cureless grief, and endless error stray'd, Where fire and brimstone had tormented it ; Had not the king, whose laws he, fooj ! betrayM, UnsnaiTd that chain, then firm that lake secured ; For which ten thousand tortures he endur'd : So hard was this lost isle, so hard to be recur' d LVI O thou deep Well of life, wide stream of love, More deep, more wide, than widest, deepest seas ! Who, dying, death to endless death didst prove. To work this wilful rebel island's ease ; Thy love no time began, no time decays ; But still increaseth w ith decreasing days : Where then may we begin, where may we end thy praise ? LVIL My callow wing, that newly left the nest. How can it make so high a tow'ring flight ? O depth without a depth ! in humble breast. With praises I admire so wondrous height : But thou my sister Muse*, may'st well go highV, And end thy flight ; ne'er may thy pinions tire ! Thereto may he his grace, and gentle heat aspire. LVIII. Then let me end my easier taken story, And sing this island's new recover'd seat : — But see, the eye of noon, its brightest glory. Teaching great men, is ne'er so little, great ; Our panting flocks retire into the glade ; They crouch, and close to th' earth theirhorftshavelaid: Screen we our scorched heads in that thick beech's shade. * Alludiiij to his brother aud his poem entitled *' Christ's Victory and Tiiumph." J 16 THE PURPLE ISLAND. CANTO II. I. -LIECLINING Phoebus, as he larger grows, Taxing proud folly gentler vvaxeth still ; Never less fierce, than when he greatest shows : — When Thirsil on a gently rising hill Where all his flock he round might feeding view, Sits down, and circled with a lovely crew Of nymphs and shepherd-boys, thus 'gan his song renew, II. Now was this isle pull'd from that horrid main, Which bears the fearful looks and name of Death; And settled new with blood and dreadful pain By Him who twice had giv'n, once forfeit, breath : A baser state than what was first assigned ; Wherein, to curb the too aspiring mind. The better things werq lost, the worst were left behind ' III. That glorious image of himself was raz'd ; Ah ! scarce the place of that best part we find : And that bright sun-like knowledge much defac'd j Only some twinkling stars remain behind : Then mortal made ; yet as one fainting dies, Two other in its place succeeding rise ; And drooping stock with branches fresh immortalize. IV. So that lone *bird, in fruitful Arabic, When now her strength, and waning life decays. Upon some airy rock, or mountain high, In spicy bed (fir'd by new Phoebus' rays) * The Phceuix. THE PURPLE ISLAND H Herself, an4 all her crooked age consumes :' Straight from the ashes, and those rich perfumes, A new born Phccnix flics, and widow'd place resumes. ^- It grounded lies upon a sure ^foundation, \ Compact and hard ; whose matter, cold and dry, To marble turns in strongest congelation ; Fram'd of fat earth, which fires together tie. Through all the Isle and every part ^xtentf , To gi ve just form to ev'ry regiment;]; ; Imparting to each part due strength and 'stablishment. VI. Whose looser ends are glew'd with brother earth§. Of nature like, and of a near felaition ; Of self-same parents both, at self-same birth ; That oft itself stands for a good foundation || : Both ihesei a third doth solder fast, and bind^^^ ; Softer than both, yet of the self-same kind ; All instruments of motion, in one league combin'd. VII. Upon this base** a curious work is rais'd. Like undivided brick, entire and one, Tho' soft, yet lasting, with just balance pais'dff j Distributed with due proportion : * Namelv, the Bones. f i. e. Extended t is so used by .Spenser. ;}; i e. Re?ion. § Annexed to the Bones are the Cartilag'es, white, flexible, and smooth, which themselv -1 oss fy in process of time. II Some of them sustain and uphold cercain parts (^ ! hese are fastened together by i kind of ca't:lage8 called Ligaments. ♦* T't'Od the bon.-s, as the foundation, reposes the flesh, soft, ruddy, and co«ered with the oo:iimon membrane or skm. If i. e. Poised. So Spenser. D 18 THE PURPLE ISLAND. And that the rougher frame might lurk unseen, All fair is hung with coverings slight and thin : Which partly hide it all, yet all is partly seen. VIII. As when a virgin her snow-circled breast Displaying hides, and hiding sweet displays ; The greater segments cover'd, and the rest The vail transparent willingly betrays ; Thus takes and gives, thus lends and borrows light : Lest eyes should surfeit with too greedy sight, Transparent lawns with-hold, more to increase delight. IX. Nor is there any part in all this land, But is a little isle : for thousand brooks* In azure channels glide on silver sand ; Their serpent windings, and deceiving crooks, Circling about, and wat'ring all the plain. Empty themselves into th' all-drinking main ; And creeping forward slide, but ne'er return againf. X. Three diif'rent streams, from fountains different, Neither in nature nor in shape agreeing, (Yet each with other, friendly ever went) Give to this Isle its fruitfulness and being : The first in single channels + sky-like blue, With luke-warm waters dy'd in porphry hue. Sprinkle this crimson Isle, with purple colour'd dew. * Th# whole body is watered, as it were, with great plenty of rivers j namely, the veins, arteries, and nerves. f This was the universally received opinion, before Dr. Harvey mad-t known his great discovery of the circulation of the blood. X A vein is a hollow canal, which receives the blood from the artery, and oanviivs it baek to the heart. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 1» XL The * next, though from the same sprinj^s first it rise, Yet passing through another greater fountain, Doth lose his former name and qualities : Through many a dale it flows, and many a mountain; More fiery light, and needful more thau all ; And therefore fenced with a double wall ; All froths liis yellow streams, with many a sudden fall. XIL The flast, in all things diff 'ring from the other. Fall from an hill, and close together go, Embracing as they run ; each with his brother Guarded Avith double trenches sure they flow : The coldest spring, yet nature best they have ; And like the lacteal stones which Heaven pave ; Slide down to ev'ry part with their thick milky wave! XIIL These with a thousand ^streams through th' Island roving Bring tribute in ; the first gives nourishment. Next life, last sense, and arbitrary moving : For when the prince liath now his mandate sent. The nimble posts quick down the river run, And end their journey, though but now begun ; But now the mandate came, and now the mandate's done. * -An artery is a hollow canal, composed of fibres twisted together, whioh conveys the blowd from the cavity of the heart to all the parts of the body. f A«erve^sa whitish, round, slender body, arising from thebrain, which is supposed to convey the animal spirits to all parts of the body. X That is, the veins convey the nourishment; the artery, life and heat j the nerves, sense and motion j the will commands, and the mandate is exe- cuted almost in an instant. 20 THE PURPLE ISLAND. XIV. The whole isle, parted in three regiments*, By three metropolis's jointly sway'd ; Ord'ring in peace and war their governments, With loving concord, and with mutual aid : The lowest hath the worst, but largest see ; The middle less, of greater dignity : The highest least, but holds the greatest sov'reignty. XV. Deep in a vale doth that first province lie, With many a city grac'd, and fairly town'd ; And for a fence from foreign enmity. With five strong builded wallsf encompass'd round ; Which my rude pencil will in limning stain ; A work, more curious than which poets feign v Neptune and Phoebus built, and pulled down againj. XVI. The first of these, is that round spreading fence§. Which like a sea, girts th' Isle in every part ; Of fairest building, quick, and nimble sense, Of common matter, fram'd with special art ; Of middle temper, outwardest of all. To warn of ev'ry chance that may befall : The same, a fence and spy ; a watchman and a wall. * The whole body may be parted into three regions : the lowest, or belly ; the middle, or breast j the highest, or head. In the lowest the liver is sove- reign, whose region is the widest, but meanest. In the middle, the heart rpigiis. The brain obtains the highest place, and is thp least in compass, but the greatest in dignitj'. •f The skin, the fat, the fleshy panicle, the muscles, and the Peritouoeum, J Neptune and Phcebus arc related to have built the walls of Troy. K The skin covers almost the whole body, and is formed of whitish fibres, intermixed with numberless branches of nerves, veins, and arteries, • THE PURPLE ISLAND. 21 XVII. llis native beauty is a lily white* ; Which still some other colour'd stream infecteth. Least like itself ; with divers stainings dight, The inward disposition it deteeteth : If white, it argues wet ; if purple, fire ; If black, a heavy cheer, and fix'd desire j Youthful and blithe, if suited in a rosy tire. XVUI. It cover'd stands with silken flourishingf, Which as it oft decays, renews again, The other's sense and beauty perfecting ; Which else would feel, but with unusual pain : Whose pleasing sweetness, and resplendent shine, Soft'ning the wanton touch, and wand'ring eyn, Doth oft the f Prince Uimself with witch' ries undermine. XIX. The second § ram pier's of a softer matter. Made by the purple rivers overflowing : Whose airy wave and swelling waters, fatter, (For want of heat, congeal'd,) and thicker growing, The wand'ring heat||, which quiet ne'er subsisteth Sends back again to what confine it listeth j And outward enemies by yielding, most resisteth. * The native colour of the skin is white, but (as Hippocrates) it is^changed into the colour of the predominant humour. Where melancholy abounds, it is dark ; where phlegm, it is white and pale j where choler reigns, it is red and fiery,&c. ■f- The cuticle or scnrf-shin, is an extremely thin and transparent membrane, void of sense, and covering the skin all over. It consists of several layers of excet- ding- small scales, which cover one another. + The mind. § The fat is a whitish, oily substance, void of sense, is secreted from the blood, and lodged in small, oval, membranous bags, which shoot ont of the arteries. (] The fat increases inward heat, by keeping it from outward parts; an'd defends the parts subject to it from bruises. 22 THE PURPLE ISLAND. XX. The *third more inward, firmer than the best, May seem at first, but thinly built, and slight ; But yet of more defence than all the rest ; Of thick and stubborn substance strongly dight* These three (three common fences round impile) This regiment, and all the other Isle ; And saving inward friends, their outward foes beguile. XXI. Beside these three, twof more appropriate guards, With constant watch compass this government : The first eight companies in several wards, (To each his station in this regiment) On each side, four continual watch observe, And under one great captain jointly serve ; Two fore-right stand, tvfo cross, and four obliquely swerve, XXII. The Jother fram'd of common matter, all This lower region girts with strong defence ; More long than round, with double-builded wall, Though single often seems to slighter sense ; With many gates, whose strangest properties Protect this coast from all conspiracies ; Admitting welcome friends, excluding enemies. * The fleshy panicle, is a membrane very thick, sinewy, interwoven witb Utile veins, aud lies just under the fat. f 1 he proper parts infolding this lower region, are two ; the first, the mus- cles of the bell J', which are eight ; four side-long, two right, and two across. X The Peritoneum (called the rim of the belly) is a thin membrane, taking- its name from compassing the bowels; round, but longer; every whet's double, yet so Ihin that it seems but single. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 23 XXIIL Between this fence's double-walled sides*, Four slender brooks run softly o'er the lea ; The first is call'd the nurse, and rising slides From this low region's metropolie : Two from th' heart-city bend their silent pace ; The third from urine-lake with waters base, In the fallantoid sea empties his flowing race. XXIV. Down in a jvale where these two parted walls Differ from each with wide distending space, Into a lake the urine river falls, Which at the §Nephros hill begins his race: Crooking his banks he often runs astray, Xest his ill streams might backward find a way : Thereto, some say, was built a curious framed bay. XXV. The urine-lake 11 drinking his colour'd brook, By little swells, and fills liis stretching sides : But when the stream the brink 'gins overlook, A sturdy groom empties the swelling tides ; **■ The double tunicle of the rim, is parted into a large space, tliatwith a double wall it might fence the bladder, where the vessels uf the navel are contained. These are fonr, first the nurse, which is a vein nourishing the infant in the womb ; second, two arteries, in which the infant breathes ; the foarth, the Ourachos, a pipe whereby (vfhilst the child is in the womb; the arine is carried into the allantoid. •f- A membrane receiving sweat and urine. X The passages carrying the urine from the kidneys to the bladder. § Nephros---Greek (o Ns^po?) the kidneys. II The bladder is composed of three coats ; the first is an extension of the Peritoneum : the second consists of muscular fibres ; the third is both glandu- lous and nervous, and full of wrinkles, that it may be capable of coairactioa »ad dilatation. 24 THE PURPLE ISLAND Sphincter* some call ; who, if he loosed be, Or stiff with cold, out flows the senseless sea. And rushing unawares, covers the drowned lea. XXVI. From thence with blinder passage (flying name) These noisome streams a secret pipe conveys ; Which though we term the hidden parts of shame, Yet for the skill deserves no lessei praise Than they, to which we honoiir'd names impart. O, POWERFUL WISDOM ! With wliat wond'rous art Mad'st thou the best, who thus hast fram'd the vilest.part, XXVII. Six tgoodly cities, built with suburbs round, Do fair adorn this lower region ; The first |Koilia, whose extremest bound On this side's bordcr'd by the Splenion§, On that by sovereign Hepar's|| large commands, The merry Diazome^ above it stands. To both these join'd in league, and never failing bands. * A name common tfl several muscles, which bind, strengthen, or draw together any part. Its gLnds separate a slimy matter, which defends the bladder fiom the acrimony of the urine. The involuntary emission of this, is prevented by a small muscle, which goes round the neck of ihe bladder. + Besides the bladder there are six special parts contained in this lowe r^ion; the liver, the stomach, and the gutsj the gall, the spleen or miitj the kidneys and parts for genet ation. + The s'omach (or Koilia KoiKm n) is the fust in order though not in dig- nity which is long and round, made to receire and concoct the m«at, and to perfect the chyle. § Splenioa, the spleen from o 'ZvXt,'/, 1[ Hepar, the liver, from ro Hvaf. f riaz»ine, from t» Aio^WRa. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 25 xxvin The form (as when with breath the bag-pipes rise And swell) round -wise, and long, yet long-wise more, Fram'd to the most capacious figure's guise ; For 'tis the Island's garner; here its store Lies treasur'd up, which, well prepar'd, it sends By secret path that to th' arch-city bends ; Which, making it more fit, to all the Isle extends, XXIX. Far hence at foot of rocky Cephal's hills, This city's ^steward dwells in vaulted stone ; And twice a day Koilia's store-house fills With certain rent and due provision : Aloft he fitly dwells in arched cave. Which to describee I better time shall have, When that fair mount I sing-, and his white curdy wave. XXX. At that cave's mouth, twice sixteen porters f stand. Receivers of the customary rent ; On each side four, (the foremost of the band) Whose office to divide what in is sent ; Straight other four break it in pieces small ; And at each hand twice five, which grinding all, Fit it for convoy and this city's arsenal. * Gustus, Ihe taste, is the caterer, or steward to the stomach, which has its place in Cephal ; that is the head. The surface of the tongue is filled with small Papilla, which are no other than fine ramifications of the gustatory nerve ; these are variously moved by che particies of meat and drink ; and this motion being by tliat nerve transmitted to tiie bram, that per- ception arises uhich we style tasting. t In each jaw, are sixteen teeth, four cutters, two dog-teeth or breakers, and ten grinders. E 2ft THE PURPLE ISLAND. XXXI. From thence a *grooin of wondrous volubility Delivers all unto near officers, Of nature like himself and like agility; At each side four, that are the governors, To see the victuals shipp'd at fittest tide ; Which straight from thence with prosp'rous channel slide, And in Koilia's port with nimble oars glide. XXXII. The thaven, fram'd with wondrous sense and art, Opens itself to all that entrance seek ; Yet if ought back would turn, and thence depart, With thousand wrinkles shuts the ready creek : But when the rent is slack, it rages rife:^. And mut'nies in itself with civil strife : Whereto §a little groom eggs it with sharpest knife. XXXIII. Below II dwells in this city's market-place, The island's common cook, Concoction; Common to all, therefore in middle space Is quarter 'd fit in just proportion ; * The tongue with great agility delivers up the meat well chewed, t» tU« instruments of swallowing, (eight serving to this purpose,) which instantly send the meat into the stomach. f The upper mouth of the stomach hath little veins, or circular strings, to shut in the meat, and keep it from returning. J Rife, Frequently: so Spenser. § A short vessel, which sending in a melancholy humour, sharpens the appetite. II In the bottom of the stomach which is placed ia the midst of the belly is concoction performed. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 27 Whence never from his labour he retires ; No rest he asks, or better change requires : Both night and day he works, ne'er sleeps nor sleep desires. XXXIV. That *heat, which in his furnace ever fumeth, Is nothing like to our hot parching fire, Which all consuming, self at length consumeth ; But moist'ning flames a gentle heat inspire, Which sure some inborn neighbour to him lendeth ; And oft the bordering coast fit fuel sendeth, And oft the rising fume, which down again desceudeth. XXXV. Like to a pot, where under hovering Divided flames the iron sides entwining, Above is stopp'd with close lid covering. Exhaling fumes to narrow straits confining ; So doubling heat, his duty doubly speedeth : Such is the fire concoction's vessel needeth, Who daily all the Isle with fit provision feedeth- XXXVI. There many a groom, the busy cook attends In under offices and several place : This gathers up the scum, and thence it sends To be cast out ; anotlier, liquors base ; Another garbage, which the kitchen cloys ; And divers filth, whose scent the place annoys, J3y divers secret ways in under sinks convoys, * The concoction of meals in the stomal*, is perfected as by an innate property aid special virtue j as well ae by the outward beatofatl joining parts. 28 THE PURPLE ISLAND. XXXVIL Therefore a second *port, is sidelong fram'd, To let out what unsavory remains ; There sits a needful groom, the porter nam'd, Which soon the full-grown kitchen cleanly drains, By divers pipes with hundred turnings giring, Lest that the food, too speedily retiring, Should whet the appetite, still cloy'd and still desiring. XXXVIII. So Erisicthoo, fir'd (as men do say) With hungry rage, ne'er fed, though ever feeding ; Ten thousand dishes serv'd in ev'ry day, Yet still ten thousand thousand dishes needing; In vain his daughter hundred shapes assum'd: A whole camp's meat he in his gorge inhura'd ; And all consum'd, his hunger yet was unconsum'df. XXXIX. Such would the state of this whole Island be. If those pipes' windings (passage quick delaying) Should not refrain too much edacity, With longer stay fierce appetite allaying. These tpipes are seven-fold longer than the Isle, Yet all are folded in a little pile. Whereof three noble are, and thin ; three thick, and vile. * The lower orifice, or mouth of the stomacli, is not placed at the very bottom, but at the side, and is called the Janitor (or porter) as sending out the food now concocted, through the entrails, which are knotty and full of windii gs, lest the meat too suddenly passing through the body, should make it too subject to appetite and greediness. t See Ovid. Metam. 8. Fab. 18. J Theeatrails when dried and blown, are seven times longer than the body. THE PURPLE ISLAND. SlO XL. The *first is narrow'st, and dowii-rio-ht doth look, Lest that his charge dischavi^'d, might back retire ; And by the way takes in a twitter brook, That when the channel's stopt with stifling mire, Through th' idle pipe, with piercing AVaters soaking. His tender sides with sharpest stream provoking, Thrusts out the muddy parts, and rids the miry choking. XLI; The fsecond lean and lank, still pil'd, and harried By mighty bordVers ott his barns invading : Away his food and new-inn' d store is carried ; Therefore an angry colour never fading Purples his cheek : the Jthird for length exceeds, And down his stream in lumdred turnings leads : These three most noble are, adorn' d with silken threads. XLIL The §foreraost of the base, half blind appears ; And where his broad way in an isthmus ends, There he examines all his passengers, And those who ought not 'scape, he backward sends : * The first is straight without any winding, that the chyle might not re- turn ; and most narrow, that it might not find too hasty a passage. It tal:es in a little passage from the gall, which there purges the choler, to provoke the entrails (Avheu they are slow) to cast out the excrements. This is called Duodenum (or twel>e-fing(,r) from its leti>;th. f The second, is calied the lank or' hungry gut, as being more empty than the rest j for the liver being near, it draws out its juice or cream. It is known from the rf st by its red colour. \ The third called llicn, or winding, from his many folds and turnings, is the longest of all. ^ The first of the baser sort, is called blind; at whose end is an appen- dant, where if any of the thinner chyle do cliancC to escape, it is stopped, and by the veins of the midriife drawn out. 30 THE PURPLE ISK\Nt). The ^second .Elo's court, where tempests raging. Shut close within a cave the winds encaging, With earthquakes shakes the Island, thunders sad pre- saging. XLIII. The flast downright falls to port EsquilineJ, More straight above, beneath still broader growing, Soon as the gate opes by the king's assign. Empties itself, far thence the filth out-throwing : This gate endoAv'd with many properties, Yet for his office, sight and naming flies : Therefore between two hills, in darkest valley lies, XLIV. To that § arch-city of this government, The three first pipes the ready feast convoy : The other three, in baser office spent. Fling out the dregs which else the kitchen cloy. In II every one the Ilepar keeps his spies, Who if ought good with evil blended lies ; Thence bring it back again to Hepar's treasuries. * The second is Colon (or the tormentor) because of the wind there staying and vexing the body. JElos appears to be used for ^olus, the god of winds. See Virg. ^n. Lib, 1. v. 56, + The last called Rectum (or straight) hath no windings, short, larger towards the end, that th« excrement may be more easily ejected, and re- tained also upon occasion, X An allusion to the Porta Esquilina at Rome, through which dead Ixidies and criminals were conveyed to Mons Esqiiilinus. § The thin entrails serve for carrying and concocting the thyle. They are all sprinkledwith numberless little veins, that no part of the chjle might es- cape, till all be brought to the liver. -(- Epiploon or over-swimmer, descends below the navel, and ascends above the highegt entrails. U is •! ikinny substance and entirely rwcr- laid with fat. THE PURPLE ISLx\ND. ^ XLV. Two several *covers fence these twice three pipes : The first from over-swiininiiii^ takes his name, Like cobweb-lawn woven with lunulred stripes : The second strengthen'd with a double frame, From foreign enmity the pipes maintains : Close by fPancreas stands, who ne'er complains ; Though press'd by all his neighbours, he their state sustiiins. XL VI. Next Hepar, chief of all these lower parts, One of the three, yet of the three the least. — But see, the sun, like to undaunted hearts, Enlarges in his fall his ample breast. Now hie we home ; the pearled dew ere long Will wet the mothers and their tender young : To-morrow with the day we may renew our song." "i^ The Mesentery, which ties and knits the entrails together. f Pancreas or all-flesh, for so it seems, is laid as a pillow under the stomachy ani snstain^the reins, that are t4icre dispread. S2 THE PURPLE ISLAND. CANTO III. I. J. HE morning fresh, dapplini^ her horse with roses, (Vex'd at the ling'ring shades that long had left her. In Tithon's freezing arms) the light discloses ; And chasing night, of rule and heaven bereft her : The Sun with gentle beams his rage disguises, And like aspiring tyrants, temporises ; Never to be endur'd, but when he falls or rises. II. Thirsil from withy prison, as he uses, Lets out his flock, and on a hill stood heeding, Which bites the grass, and which his meat refuses ; So his glad eyes fed with their greedy feeding. Straight flock a shoal of nymphs and shepherd-swains, While all their lambs rang'd on the flow'ry plains ; Then thus the boy began, crown'd with their circling trains, III. " You gentle shepherds, and you snowy sires. That sit around, my rugged rhymes attending; How may I hope to quit your strong desires, In verse uncouth, such wonders comprehending ? Too well I know my rudeness, all unfit To frame this curious Isle, whose framing yet Was never throughly known to any human wit. IV. Thou Shepherd-God, who only know'st it right. And hid'st that art from all the world beside ; Shed in my misty breast thy sparkling light, And in this fog, my erring foot-steps guide • THE PURPLE ISLAND. 3^ Thou who first raad'st, and never wilt forsake it : Else how shall my weak hand dare undertake it, \Vhen thou thyself ask'st counsel of thyself to make it. V. Next to Koilia, on the right side stands, Fairly dispread in large dominion, Th' *arch city Hepar, stretching her commands, To all within this lower region ; Fenc'd with such bars and strongest situation; iSo never fearing foreigners' invasion : Hence are the t walls, slight, thin ; built but for sight and fashion. VL To th' heart and to th' head-city surely tied J: With firmest league and mutual reference : His lieges there, theirs ever here abide, To take up strife and casual difference : Built §all alike, seeming like rubies sheen ||, Of some peculiar matter ; such I ween. As over all the world, may no where else be seen. VII. Much like a **mount, it easily ascendeth ; The upper parts all smooth as slipp'ry glass : But on the lower many a crag dependeth. Like to the hangings of some rocky mass : * Of all this lower region, ihe Hepar, or liver, is the principaH Thd situation strong, and safe walled in by ttie ribs. ■f- It is covered with one single tunicle, and that very thin and slight. * The liver is tied to the heart by arteries, to the head by nerves, and to both by veins, dispersed to both. ^ The liver consists of no ordinary flesh, but of a kind proper to itself. jl i. e. Fair, shining. ** The liver's upper part rises, and swells gently ; is very smooth and eTCD ; the lower on the outside like to a hollow rock, rugged and craggy. F U THE PURPLE ISLAND. Here first the *purple fountain making vent^ By thousand riverS' through the Isle dispent, ♦ Gives every part fit growth, and daily nourishment. VIII. In this ffair town the Isle's^ great steward dwells ; His porphry house glitters in purple dye ; In purple clad himself: from thence he deals His store, to all the Isle's necessity : , And though the rent he daily, duly pay, Yet doth his floAving substance ne'er decays All day he rent receives, retui*ns it all the day. IX. And like that golden star, which cuts Fiis way Through Saturn's ice, and Mars his fiery ball, Temp'ring their strife with his more kindly ray J : So 'twixt the Splenion's frost and th' angry gall, The jovial Hepar sits ; with great expence Cheering the Isle by his sweet influence ; So slakes their envious rage, and endless^ diflference. X. Within, some say, §Love hath his habitation. Not Cupid's self, but Cupid's better brother : For Cupid's self dwells with a lower nation, But this, more sure, much chaster than the other ;/* By whose command, we either love our kind, *Or with more perfect love, aifect the mind ; With such a diamond knot, he often souls can bind. * From it rise all the springs of blood that rua in the veins, f The steward of the whole Isle, is here fitly placed j because as all (that i3| brought in) is here fitted and disposed, so from kence rsturned and dispensed? J The planet Jupiter. % Hire PIat» -Hjiposes the seiit of levcj THE PITRPLE ISLAND, 35 XI. Two *purple streams here raise their boiling heads ; The first and least, in hollow cavern breeding-, His waves on divers neighbour grounds dispreads : The next fair river all the rest exceeding, Topping the hill, breaks forth in fierce evasion, And sheds abroad his Nile-like inundation ; So gives to all the Isle their food and vegetation. XII. Yet these from other streams niuch different; For others, as they longer, broader grow ; These as they run in narrow banks irapent. Are then at least, when in the main they flow ; Much like a tree, which all his roots so guides, That all his trunk in his full body hides ; Which straight, his stem to thousand branches sub- divides. XIII. Yet lest these fstreams might hap to be infected. With other liquors in the well abounding. Before their flowing channels are detected ; Some lesser delfts, the fountain's bottom sounding. Draw out the baser streams, the springs an- noying, A hundred pipes unto that end employing ; Thence run to fitter place, their noisome load convoying. * Hence rise the two gre^t rivers of blood, of which all the rest are lesser streams. •f- The chyle, or juice of meats, concocted in the stomach, could notall be turned into sweet blood, by reason of the divers kinds of humours in it _; therefore there are three kinds of excremental liqviors drawn away by Utile vessels, and carried to their appointed places. 36 THE PURPLE ISLAN>D. XIV. Such is fair Hepar, *which with great dissension Of all the rest pleads most antiquity ; Put yet th' heart-city with no less contention, [ And justest challeng-e, claims priority : But sure the Hepar was the elder bore ; For that small river call'd the nurse, of yore, Laid both foundations, yet Hepar's built afore. XV. Three pois'nous liquors from this purple well, Rise with the native streams ; the first like firef, All flaming hot, red, furious, and fell ; The spring of dire debate, and civil ire ; Which, wer't not surely held with strong retention, Would stir domestic strife and fierce contention, And waste the weary Isle with never ceas'd dissension. XVI Therefoire close by, a little conduit stands, Choledochus-|:, that drags this poison hence, And safely locks it up in prison bands ; Thence gently drains it through a narrow fence ; A needful fence, attended with a guard, That watches in the straits, all closely barr'd. Lest some might back escape, and break the prison ward. * Famous is the controversy between the peripateticks and physicians; one holding the heart, the other the liver to be first. That the liver is the first in time and making, is manifest ; because the nurse (the vein that feeds the infant yet in the womb) empties itself upon the liver. f The first excrement drawn from the liver to the gall, is choleric, bitter, like flame in colour; which, were it not removed, and kept in due place, would till :il the bod) w th bitterness and gnawing. X Choledochus, the Gall, is of a membraneous substance, having but one, yet that a strong tunicle. it hath two passages, one drawing the huniour THE PURPLE ISLAND ^ xvir. The *next ill stream the wliolesorae fount otFeiiding, All dreary, black, and frightful, hence convey'd By divers drains, unto the Splenion tending. The Splenion o'er against the Hcpar laid, Built long and square : some say that laughter here Keeps residence ; but laughter fits not there, Where darkness ever dwells, and melancholy fear. XVIII. And should these t ways, stopt by ill accident, To th' Hepar's streams turn back their muddy humours, The cloudy Isle, with hellish dreariment Would soon be fill'd, and thousand fearful rumours : Fear hides him here, lock'd deep in earthy cell ; Dark, doleful, deadly, dull, a little hell ; Where with him fright, despair, and thousand horrours dwell. XIX. If this black town in :j;over-growth increases, With too much strength his neighbours overbearing. The Hepar daily and whole Isle decreases, Like ghastly shade or ashie ghost appearing : But when it pines, th'Isle thrives; its curse, his blessing: So when a ^tyrant raves, his subjects pressing, His gaining is their loss, his treasure their distressing. from the liver, another conveying the overplus into the first gut, and so emptying the gall ; and this fence hath a double gate, to keep the liquor from returning. * The second ill liumour is earthy and heavy, wbicli is drawn from the liver, by little vessels, unto the spleen ; the native seat of melancholy. •f If the sp'een should fail in this office, the whole body would be filled with melancholy fancies and vain terrors. + Where the spleen flourishes, all the body decays and withers; but where the spleen is kept down, the body flourishes. § Trajan compared the spleen to his exchequer, because, as his coffers be- in- full, drained his subjects' purse; so the full spleen makes the body sapless 3% THE PURPLE ISLAND. XX. The third bad *water, bubbling from this fountain, Is whc} ish cold, which with good liquors ment, Is drawn into the double Nephro's mountain ; Which draw the best for growth and nourishment ; The worst as through a little tpap distilling To divers pipes, the pale cold humour swilling, Runs down to th' urine-lake, his banks thrice daily filling. XXI These |mountains differ but in situation, lu form and manner like : the left is higher. Lest e\en height might slack thch' operation : Both like the Moon (which now wants half her fire) Yet into two obtuser angles bended, Both strongly with a double wall defended ; And both have walls of earth, before those walls extended. XXIL The sixth and last town in this region, With large stretch'd precincts and with compass wid^ Is that where Venus and her wanton son Her Avanton Cupid will in youth reside : For though his arrows and his golden bow. On other hills he frankly doth bestoTv, Yet here he hides the fire, with which each heart doth glow. XXIII. For that great Providence, their course foreseeing Too easily led into the sea of death ; After this first, gave them a second being. Which in their offspring newly flourisheth : * The watery humour with some good blood (which is spent for the noiir Vishmcnt of these parts) is drawn by the kidneys. f Tlie Ureters receive the water separated from the blood, as distilled froin little fleshy substances in the kidneys, like to teats. $ The kidneys are both alike j tlie left somewhat higber. THE PURPLE ISLAND 39 He, therefore, made the fire of generation, To burn in Venus' courts without cessation ; Out of whose ashes comes another Island nation. XXIV For from the first a fellow Isle he fram'd, (For what alone, can live or fruitful be r) Arren tlie first, the second Thelu nam'd ; Weaker the last, yet fairer much to see : Alike in all the rest, here disagreeing, Where Venus and her wanton have their being ; For nothiijg is produced of two, ia all agreeing. XXV, But though some few iu these hid parts would see Their Maker's glory, and their justest shame; Yet for the most would turn to luxury, And what they should lament, would make their game ; Fly then those parts, which best are undescried ; Forbear, my maiden song, to blazon wide, What th' Isle and nature's self, doth ever strive to hide!v XXVI. These two fair Isles, distinct in their creation. Yet one extracted from the other's side, ^re oft made one, by love's firm combination ; And from this unity are multiplied : Strange it may seem, such their condition. That they are more dispread by union ; <^nd two are twenty made, by being made, in one, XXVII. For from these two in love's delight agreeing. Another little Isle is soon proceeding ; At first of unlike frame and matter being. In Venus' templti takes its form and breeding i 40 THE PURPLE ISLAND, Till, at full time, the tedious prison flying^, It breaks all lets, its ready way denying ; And shakes the trembling Isle with often painful dying. XXVIII. So by the Bosphorus straights, in Euxine seas, Not far from old Byzantura, closely stand Two neighbour islands, call'd Symplegades, Which sometime seem but one combined land : For often meeting on the wat'ry plain. And parting oft, tost by the boist'rous main, They now are join'd in one, and how disjoin'd again. XXIX. Here oft, not lust, but sweeter chastity, Coupled sometimes, and sometimes single, dwells ; Now link'd with love, to quench lust's tyranny j Now Phoenix-like, alone in narrow cells : Such Phoenix one, (but one at once may be, In Albion's Isle,) thee, *Basilissa, thee, Such only have I seen, such shall I never see, XXX. What nymph was this, said fairest Rosaleen, Whom thou admirest thus above so many ? She, while she was, ah! was the shepherd's queen, Sure such a shepherd's queen, was never any : But, ah ! no joy her dying heart contented. Since she a dear fDeer's side unwilling rented j Whose death she all too late, too much repented. XXXI. Ah, royal maid ! why shouldst thou thus lament thee ? Thy little fault, was but too much believing J: * Queen Elizabeth. f The Earl of Essex. J Ifistorians inform us, that Elizabeth complained she had been betrayei into this sanguinarj' measure. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 41 It is too much, so much thou should'st repent thee ; His joyous soul at rest deserves no grievinj^. These words (vain words !) fond comforters did lend her; But, ah, no words, no pray'rs, might ever bend lier To give an end to grief : till endless grief did end her. XXXII. But how should I those sorrows dare display ? Or how limme forth her virtues' wonderment ! She was, ay me ! she was, the sweetest May, That ever flow'r'd in Albion's regiment : Few eyes fail'n lights adore ; yet fame shall keep Her name awake, when others silent sleep ; While men have ears to hear, eyes to look back, and weep* XXXIII. And though the curs (which whelpt and nurs'd in Spain, Learn of fell Geryon* to snarl and brawl) Have vow'd and strove her virgin tomb to stain ; And grin, and foam, and rage, and yelp, and bawl ; Yet shall our Cynthia's high triumphing light Deride their howling throats and toothless spite : And sail through heav'n, whilst they sink down in end- less night. XXXIV. So is this Island's lower region : Yet, ah ! much better is it sure than so. ' But my poor reeds, like my condition, ' (Low is the shepherd 's state, my song as low) Mar what they make — But now in yonder shade Rest we, while suns have longer shadows made : See, how our panting flocks run to the cooler glade." * In heathen mythology, a fabulous giant, with three heads, G 42 THE PURPLE ISLAND CANTO IV. I. X HE shepherds in the shade their hunger feasted, With simple cates, such as the country yields ; And while from scorching beams secure they rested, The nymphs, dispers'd along the woody fields, Puird from their stalks the blushing strawberries, Which lurk close shrouded from high looking eyes ; Shewing that sweetness oft both low and hidden lies. II. But when the day had his meridian run, Between his highest throne and low declining ; Thirsil again his forced task begun, His wonted nudipnpp hiH sides entwining. — " The middle province next this lower stands, Where th' Isle's heart-city spreads his large commands, Leagu'd to the neighbour towns with sure and friendly bands. III. Such as that star, which sets his glorious chair In midst of Heaven, and to dead darkness here Gives light and life ; such is this city fair : Their ends, place, office, state, so nearly near, That those wise ancients, from their nature's sight And likeness, turn'd their names, and call'd aright The sun the great world's heart, the heart the less world's light. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 43 IV. This * middle coast, to all the Isle dispeuds All heat and life : hence it another guard (Beside these common to the first) defends ; Built whole of massy stone, cold, dry, and hard : Which stretching round about his circling arms, Warrants these parts from all exterior harms ; Rei>€lling angry force, securing all alarms. • " V. But in the front f two fair twin-bulwarks rise ; In th' Arren built for strength and ornament ; In Thelu of more use, and larger size ; For hence the young Isle draws his nourishment ; Here lurking Cupid hides his bended bow ; Here milky springs in sugar'd rivers flow. Which first gave th' Infant Isle to be, and then to grow. VI. For when the lesser Island (still increasing In Venus' temple) to some greatness grows. Now larger rooms and wider spaces seizing. It stops the Hepar rivers ; — backward flows The stream, and to these hills bears up his flight, And in these founts (by some strange hidden might) Dyes his fair rosy waves into a lily white. VII. So where fair Medway down the Kentish dales, To many towns her plenteous waters dealing, * The heart is the seat of heat and life ; therefore walled about with the ribs, for more safety. f The breasts. X When the infant grows large, the blood vessels are so oppressed, that partly through the readiness of the passage, hut especially by the providence of God, blood turns back to the breast, and there by aa innate and wonderful faculty is turned into milk. 44 THE PURPLE ISLAND. Lading her banks into wide Thamis falls ; The big-grown main with foamy billows swelling, Stops there the sudden stream : her steady race Staggers a while, at length flows back apace ; And to the parent fount returns its fearful pace. VIII. These two fair mounts are like two hemispheres, Endow'd with goodly gifts and qualities ; Whose tops two little purple hillocks rears, Much like the poles in Heaven's axletrees : And round about two circling altars gire In blushing red ; the rest in snowy tire. Like Thracian Hcemus looks, which ne'er feels Phoebus' fire. IX. That mighty Hand, in these dissected wreaths, (Where moves our Sun) his throne's fair picture gives ; The pattern breathless, but the picture breathes ; His highest heav'n is dead, our low heav'n lives : Nor scorns that lofty One, thus low to dwell ; Here his best stars he sets and glorious cell, And fills with saintly spirits, so turns to Heav'n from Hell. X. About this region round in compass stand A guard, both for defence and respiration, Of * sixty four, parted in several bands ; Half to let out the smoky exhalation ; The other half to draw in fresher winds : Beside both these, a third of both their kinds. That lets both out and in ; which no enforcement binds. * In the Thorax, or breast, are sixty-five muscles for respiration, oi breathing, which is either free or forced : the instruments of forced breathing are sixty-four, whereof thirty -two distend, and as many contract it. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 45 XI. This third the merry * Diazoine we call, A border-city these two coasts removing- ; That Uke a balk with his cross-builded wall, Disparts the terras of anger and of loving ; Keeps from th' heart-city fuming kitchen fires, And to his neighbour's gentle winds inspires ; Loose t when he draws in air, contract when he expires. XII. The X Diazome of sev'ral matters fram'd: The first, moist, soft ; harder the next, and drier : His fashion like th' fish a Raia nam'd ; Fenc'd with two walls, one low, the other higher ; By eight streams water'd ; two from Hepar low, And from th' heart-town as many higher go ; But two twice told down from the Cephal mountain flow. XIII. Here § sportful laughter dwells, here ever sitting^, Defies all lumpish griefs and wrinkled care ; And twenty merry -mates mirth causes fitting, And smiles, with laughter's sons, yet infants are. But if this town be fir'd with burnings nigh. With self-same flames high Cephal's towers fry ; Such is their feeling love and loving sympathy. * The instrument of free breathing is the Diazome or Uiaphragma, which we call the Midrift'e, as a wall, parting the heart and liver. f The midriffe dilates itself when it draws in, and contracts itself when it puffs out the air. J The midriffe consists of two circles, one skinny, the other fleshy ; it hath two tunicles, as many veins and arteries, and foi;ir nerves. § Here most meji have placed the seat of laughter; it hath much sympa- thy with the brain, so that if the midriffe be inflamed, present madness ensues. 46 THE PURPLE ISLAND. XIV. This coast stands girt with a * peculiar wall, The whole precinct, and every part defending : The t chiefest city and imperial, Is fair Kerdia, far his bounds extending ; Which full to know, were knowledge infinite : How then should my rude pen this wonder write, Which Thou, who only mad'st it, only know'st aright ? XV. In middle of this middle regiment Kerdia seated lies, the centre deem'd Of this whole Isle, and of this government : If not the chiefest this, yet needfuU'st seem'd, Therefore obtain' d an equal distant seat, More fitly hence to shed his life and heat, And with his yellow streams the fruitful Island wet. XVI. Flank'd J with two diff'rent walls (for more defence} ; Betwixt them ever flows a wheyish moat ; In whose soft waves and circling profluence. This city, like an isle, might safely float : In motion still, (a motion fix'd, not roving) Most like to heav'n, in his most constant moving : Henoe most here plant the seat of sure and active loving. XVII. Built of a substance like smooth porphyry ; His § matter hid, and, like itself, unknown : * within, the Pleura, or skin which covers the ribs on the inside, compasses this middle region. f The heart is placed in the midst of this province and of tlie whole body. J The heart is immured, partly by a membrane going round it, and a^ peculiar tunicle; partly with an humour, like vvheyj as well to cool the heart, as to lighten the body. § The flesh of the heart is proper and peculiar to itself; not like other muscles, of a figure pyramidal. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 47 Two rivers of his own ; another by, That from the Hepar rises, like a crown, Infolds the narrow part : for that ^reat All This his works' glory made pyramidal, Then crown'd with triple wreath andcloth'd in scarlet pall. XVIIL The city's self in two * partitions reft, That on the right, this on the other, side : The t right (made tributary to the left) Brings in his pension at liis certain tide, A pension of liquors strangely wrought ; Which liist by Hepar's streams are higher brought, And here distill'd Avith art, beyond or words or thought. XIX. The X grosser waves of these life-streams (which here With much, yet mucli less labour is prepar'd) A doubtful channel doth to § Pneumon bear : But to the left those labour' d extracts shar'd As through II a wall, with hidden passage slide ; Where many secret gates (gates hardly spied) With convoy safe, give passage to the other side. XX. At each hand of the left, 5 two streets stand by, Of several stuff and several working fram'd, * Though the heart be an entire body, yet it is severed into two partitions, the right and left ; of which, the left is more excellent and noble. f The right receives into its hoUowness, the blood flou-inj from the liver, and concocts it. X This right side sends down to the lufigs that part of the blood which is less laboured and thicker j but the thinner part, it sweats through a fleshy partition into the left side. § The lungs. II This fleshy partition severs the right side from the left; at first it seems thick, but if it be well viewed, we shall see it full of many pores or passages. ^[ Two skinny additions (from their likeness called the ears or auricles) receive, the one the thicker blood, that called the right j the other^ tlie left, takes in the air sent by the Jungs. 48 THE PURPLE ISLAND. With hundred crooks and deep wrought cavity : Both hke the ears in form, and so are nara'd; I' th' right-hand street, the tribute liquor sitteth : The left, forc'd air into his concave getteth, Which subtile wrought and thin, for future workmen fitteth. XXI. The city's * left side (by some hid direction) Of this thin air, and of that right side's rent, (Compound together) makes a strange confection ; And in one vessel both together ment, Stills them with equal, never quenched firing Then in small streams (tlirough all the Isle retiring) Sends it to every part, both heat and life inspiring. XXII. In this t heart-city, four main streams appear ; One from the Hepar, where the tribute landeth, Largely pours out his purple river here ; At whose wide mouth, a band of Tritons standeth, (Three Tritons stand) who with their three fork'd mace, Drive on, and speed the river's flowing race ; But strongly stop the wave, if once it back repass J. XXIII. The § second is that doubtful channel, lending Some of this tribute to the Pneumon nigh ; • The leftside of the heart takes in this air and blood j and concocting them both in his hollow bosom, sends them out by the great artery into the whole body. 4* In the heart are four great vessels, the first is the hollow vein, bringing in blood from the liver ; at whose mouth stand three little folding doors, with three forks, giving passage, but no return to the blood. J (What is said concerning the blood, both in the stanzas and notes is agreeable to the old philosophy ; this poem being written before Dr. Harvey made known his discovery.) § The second vessel is called the artery vein, which rising from the right side of the heart, carries down the blood here prepared to the lungs, for their nourishment : here also are the like three folding door?, made like half circles ; giving passage from the heart, but not backward. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 49 Whose springs by careful guards are watch'd, that sending From thence the waters, all regress deny. The * third unlike to this, from Pueumon flowing. And is due air — tribute here bestowing, Is kept by gates and bars, which stop all backward going. XXIV. The t last full spring, out of this left side rises, Where three fair nymphs, like Cynthia's self appearing, Draw down the stream which all the Isle suffices ; But stop back ways, some ill revolture fearing. This river still itself to less dividing, At length with thousand little brooks runs sliding, His fellow course along with Hepar's channels guiding. XXV. Within this city is the % palace fram'd, W^here life, and life's companion, heat, abideth j And their attendants, passions untam'd : (Oft very Hell, in this straight room resideth) And did not neighbouring hills, cold airs inspiring, Allay their rage and mutinous conspiring. Heat, all (itself and all) would burn with quenchless firing* XXVI. Yet that great Light, by whom all heaven shines With borrow'd beams, oft leaves his lofty skies, And to this lowly seat himself confines. , Fall then again, proud heart, now fall to rise : * The third is called the veiuy arteiy, rising from the left side, which hath two folds three-forked, •f The fourth is the great artery : this hath also a flood-gate made of three semicircular membranes. The heart is the fountain of life and heat to the whole body, asd the seat of the passions. II 5ft THE PURPLE ISLAND. Cease Earth, ah ! cease, proud Babel Earth, to swel|_; Heav'n blasts high tow'rs, stoops to a low roof d cell ; Firstlleav'n must dwell in man,then raan in Ilear'n shall dwelL XXVIL Close to Kerdia, * Pneumon takes his seat, Built of a lighter frame and spongy mould : Hence rise fresh airs, to fan Kerdia's heat, Terap'ring those burning fumes with moderate cold : Itself of larger size, distended wide, In divers streets and out-ways, multiplied ; Yet in one corporation all are jointly tied. XXVIII. Fitly 'tis clothed with f hangings thin and light, Lest too much weight might hinder motion : His chief est use, to frame the voice aright ; (The voice which publishes each hidden notion) Artd for that end a long pipe down descends (Which here itself, in many lesser spends) Until, low at the foot of Cephal's mount it ends. XXIX. This pipe was built for th' air's safe purveyance, To fit each several voice with perfect sound ; Therefore of divers matter the conveyance Is finely fram'd ; the first in circles round. In hundred circles bended, hard and dry, (For wat'ry softness is sound's enemy) 'Not altogether close, yet meeting very nigh. * The PneumoD, or lunjrs, is nearest the heart; whose flesh is light and spongy, and very large. It is the iiigtriunent of breathing and speaking, divided into many parcels, hut all lUiited into one body. f Tlie lungs are covered with a light and very thin lunicle, lest it might binder their motion. + The wiiul-pipe, which is framed partly of cartilages, or gristly matter, kecBUse the voice is perfected with hard and smooth things (these cartilages are compassed like a ring) and partly of skin, which tie the gristles together. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 51 XXX. The second's drith and hardness somewhat less, But smooth and pliable, made lor extending, Fills up the distant circle's emptiness ; All in one body jointly comprehending : The * last most soft, which wliere the circle's scanted. Not fully met, supplies what they have wanted ; Not hurting under parts, which next to this are planted. XXXL Upon the top there stands the pipe's safe t eoverin^, Made for the voice's better modulations Above it fourteen careful warders hov'riug-, Which shut and open it at all occasion : The cover in four parts itself dividing. Of substance hard, fit for the voice's guiding : One still unmov'd (in Thelu double oft) residing, XXXII. Close + by this pipe, runs that great channel down, Which from high Cephal's mount, twice every day Brings to Koilia due provision : Straight at whose § mouth a flood-gate stops the way, Made like an ivy leaf, broad, angle fashion ; Of matter hard, fitting his operation. For swallowing soon to fall, and rise for inspiration. ii * And because the rings of the gristles do not wholly meet, this space is made up by muscles, that so the meat-pipe adjoining, might not be galled or hurt. f The Larynx, or covering of ihe wfcul-pipe, is a gristly substance, parted into four gristles; of which the first is ever unmoved, and ia womeo often tlouble. ^ Adjoining to it, is the Oesophagus or meat-pipe, convening meats ani drinks to the stomach. § At whose end is the Epiglottis or cotxr 'Jt I Ke throat ; the principal iiistni- ment of tuning, and changing the voice; oud theiefwre griitly, tlnat j» »nijj.Us Sooner fall whcu we s\vaBo\v,'~and rise wh9» we breathe. .52 THE PURPLE ISLAND. XXXIII. But see, the smoke mounting in village nigh, With folded wreaths, steals through the quiet air ; And mix'd with dusky shades, in eastern sky. Begins the night, and warns us home repair : Bright Vesper now hath chang'd his name and place. And twinkles in the Heav'n with doubtful face : Home then, my full fed lambs ; the night comes, home apace." THE PURPLE ISLAND. 53 CANTO V. I. J3Y this the old Night's head (grown lioary gray) Foretold that her approaching end was near; And gladsome birth of young succeeding Day, Lent a new glory to our hemisphere ; The early swains salute the infant ray, Then drove the dams to feed, the lambs to play : And Thirsil with night's death, revives his morning lay. IL " The highest region in this little Isle, Is both the Island's, and Creator's glory : Ah ! then, my lowly muse, and rugged style, How durst thou pencil out this wondrous story ? Oh Thou ! who mad'st this goodly regiment So heav'nly fair, of basest element, Make this inglorious verse, thy glory's instrument. III. So shall my flagging Muse to Heav'n aspire, Where with thyself, thy fellow -shepherd sits ; And warm her pinions at that heav'nly fire : But, ah ! such iieight no earthly shepherd fits : Content we here, low in this humble vale. On slender reeds to sing a slender tale. A little boat will need as little sail and gale. IV. The third precinct, the best and chief of all, Though least in compass and of narrow space, Was therefore fram'd, like Heav'n, spherical, Of largest figure and of loveliest grace : 54 THE PURPLE ISLAND. Though shap'd at first the *lea9t of all the tliree ; Yet hig-hest set in place, as in degree ; And over all the rest bore rule and sovereignty. V. So of three parts, fair Europe is the least, In which this earthly ball was first divided ; Yet stronger far, and nobler than the rest. Where victory and learned arts resided ; Ahdj by the Greek and Roman monarchy, Sway'd both the rest ; now press'd by slavery Of Moscow^ ind the big-swoll'n Turkish tyranny. VI. Here all the fsenses dwell, and all the arts : Here learned Muses by their silver spring : The tcily sever'd in two divers parts, Witiiin the walls, an4 suburbs neighbouring ; The suburbs girt but with the coi]»mon fence, Founded with wondrous skill and great expence j And therefore beauty here, keeps her chief residence. VII. And sure for ornariient and buildings rare, Lovely aspect and ravishing delight, Not all the Isle or world, with this can pair ; But in the Thelu is the fairest sight : These suburbs many call the Island's face ; Whose charming beauty and bewitching grace. Oft times the §Prince himself inthralls in fetters base. * The bead of tliesc three regions is the least, but noblest in frame anti offiee, roost like to heaven, being highest in this little world, as also, in ngure, being round. ■f The brain is the seat of th« mind and sense:!. ^ The head is divided into the city aad siiburbs j the brain withiu tkc wali of the scull, and the face witheut. 4 The mTud. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 5* VIIL For as this I&le is a short summary Of all that in this all is wide disproad; So th' Island's face is th' Isle's epitome, Where e'en the prince's thoughts are often read : For when that All had finish'd every kind, And all his Works would in less volume bind^ Fair on the face he wrote the index of the mind. IX. Fair are the suburbs ; yet to clearer sight, The city's self's more fair and excellent : A thick-grown wood, not pierc'd with any light. Yields it defence, but greater ornament : The divers colour' d trees and fresh array Much grace the town, but most the Thelu gay r Yet all in winter turn to snow, and soon decay, X. Like to some stately work, whose quaint device* And glitt'riug turrets with brave cunning dight. The gazer's eye still more and more entices, Of th' inner rooms to get a fuller sight ; Whose beauty much more wins his ravish'd heart. That now he only thinks the outward part To be a worthy cov'ring of so fair an art. XI. Four several * walls, beside the common guard. For more defence the city round embrace : The first thick, soft ; the second dry and hard ; As when soft earth before hard stone we place : * Be6i7 XV. Hard by, a ^hundred nimble workmen stand, These noble spirits readily preparini^ ; • Lab'dug to make them thin, and fit to hand, With never ended work and slee^>less caring ; Hereby two little hillocks jointly rise, Where sit two judges clad in seemly guise, That cite all odours here, as to their just assize. XVI Next these a fwall, built allot" sapphires, shining As fair, more precious ; hence it takes its name ; By which the tthird cave lies, his sides combining To the other two, and from them hath his fralme, (A meeting of those former cavities) ; Vaulted by three fair arches safe it |lies, And no oppression fears, or falling tyrannies. XVII. By this II third cave, the humid city drains Base noisome streams, the milky streets annoying ; And through a wide mouth'd tunnel duly strains, Unto a bibbing substance down convoying; Which these foul dropping humours largely swills, Till all his swelling sponge he greedy fills. And then through other sinks, by little, soft distills. * Here is a knot of veins and arteries weaved together; by whicli the aaimal spirits are concoctt^d, thinned, and fitted for service : and close by, are two little bunches, like teats, the instruments of sinelliug. •f- Next is that veptum LuC!dum,or b ight wall seveiingthese hollow caverns. ;j; Tha third cavity is nothing else but a meeting of the two former. § It lies undffr Corpus Came atum, or the chamber substance, which with three arches, bears n\> the who;e weight of the brain II By the rhird caviiy are two passages, aid at the end of the fir.-t is the (infuudibulum) or tunnel, under which is the (glaus pituiiaria) or rheum ker- nel, as a spon-e sucking the rheum, a!;d distilling it into the palate. I ^8 THE PURPLE ISLAND. XVIII. Between *this and the fourth cave lies a vale, (The fourth ; the first in worth, in rank the last) Where two round hills shut in this pleasing dale, , Through which the spirits thither safe are past ; Those here refin'd, their full perfection have. And therefore close by this ffourth wondrous caTe, Rises that silver well, scatt'ring his milky wave. XIX. Not that bright spring, where fair Hermaphrodite. Grew into one with wanton Salmacis ; Nor that where Biblis dropt, too fondly light. Her tears and self; may dare compare with this; Which |here beginning, down a lake descends. Whose rocky channel these fair streams defends. Till it the precious wave through all the Isle dispewds. XX. Many fair |j rivers take their heads from either, (Both from the lake, and from the milky well) Which still in loving channels run together, Each to his mate, a neighbour parallel : Thus widely spread with friendly combination. They fling about their wondrous operation. And give to every part both motion and sensation. * The frther passage reaches to the fourth cavity, which yields a safe way for tlic spirits, f The fourth cavity is most noble, where all the spirits are peifecteJ. X The pith, or marrow, springing in the brain, flows down tljrough the back bone. II All the nerves imparting all sei^se and motion to the wliole body, have tMioir ri;ut, partly fr(»TH ths biain, aud partly from the back bone. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 50 XXI. This *silvor lake, first from th' head-city springing^ To that bright fount four little channels sends ; Throuj^h which it thither plenteous water bringing", Straight all again to every place dispends : Such is th' head-city, such the prince's hall ; Such, and much more, which strangely liberal. Though sense it never had, yet gives all sense to all, XXII. Of other stuff the suburbs have their framing ; May seem soft marble, spotted red apd white : first t stands an arch, pale Cynthia's brightness shaming? The city's fore front, cast in silver bright : At whose proud base, are built two watching tow'rs, Whence hate and love skirmish with equal pow'rs, When smiling gladness shines, and sullen sorrow show'rs. XXIII. Here tsits rctir'd the silent reverence; And when the prince incens'd with anger's fire, Thunders aloud, he darts his light'ning hence : Here dusky reddish clouds foretel his wc : Of notliing can this Isle more boast aright : A twin-born sun, a double seeing light ; With much delight they see, are seen with much delight. XXIV. That §Thracian shepherd call'd them nature's glass ; Yet than a glass, in this much worthier being : Blind glasses represent some near set face. But this a living glass, both seen and seeing : * The pith of the back bone, springing from the brain, whence, by tonr passages, it is conve5'ed into the back. •f The fust part of the face is tlic forehead, at whose base are the eve*. ;J: The cj'es are the index of the mind, discoYcrin^ avcry aflVction. ^ OipijfUs! Oa THE PURPLE ISLAND. Like *Heav'n in moving, like in heav'nly firing ', Sweet heat and light, no burning flame inspiring : Yet, ah ! too ofi we find, they scorch with hot desiring. XXV. Tliey mounted high, sit on a lofty hill ; (For they the prince's best intelligence ! And quickly warn of future good or ill) Here stands the palace of the noblest sense r Here tVisus keeps, whose court than crystal smoother, And clearer s^ems ; he,, though a younger brother, Yet far more noble is, far fairer than the other. XXVI. Six :|;bands are set to stir the moving tow'r : The first the proud band call'd, that lifts it higher ; The next the humble band, tliat moves it lower ; The bibbing third, draws it together nigher ; The fourth disdainful, oft away is moving : The other two, lielping the compass roving, Are called the circling trains and wanton bands of loving. XXVII. Above, §two compass groves (love's bended bows) Which le ice the tow'rs from floods of higher place : Before, a || wall, deluding rushing foes, That shuts and opens in a moment's space : The low part fix'd, the higher quick descending ; Upon whose tops, spear-men their pikes intending. Watch thereboth night and day, the castle's port defending, * Plato affirmfid, they were lighted up with heavenly fire, not burning, but shining. f Visus, or the sight, is the noblest of all the senses. j: These are six muscles moving the ej'e, thus termed by anatomists. § Above are the eve-bro\vs, keeping off the sweat. jl The eye-lids serve to keep off dust, flies, &c. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 61 xxvm. Three* divei^ lakes withiu these bulwarks lie, The noblest parts, and iustruments of sight: The first, receiving forms of bodies nigh, Conveys thein to the next, and breaks the light. Daunting- his rash and forcible invasion ; And Avith a clear and whitish inundation. Restrains t!ie nimble spirits from tlieir too quick evasion. XXIX. In midst of both is plac'd the crystalf pond ; Whose living water tlxick, and brightly shining L'ke sapphires or the sparkling diamond. His inward beams with outward light combining, Alt'ring itself to every shape's aspect ; The divers forms doth further still direct, Till by the nimble post they're brought to th' intellect. XXX. The Jthird, like molten glass, all clear and white, Both round embrace the noble crystalline. Six §inward walls fence in this tow'r of sight ; The first, most thick, doth all the frame enshrine, And girts the castle with a close embrace, Save in the midst, is left a circle's space, Where light and hundred shapes, flock out and in apace. XXXI. The II second not so massy as the other, Yet thicker than the rest, and tougher fram'd, * There are tliree humours in the eye : the first the watery, breaking the too vehemci)t,ligfft, and stoj)ping the spirits from going out too fast. •j- The second is the crystalline, and is the chief instrument of si^^ht. ^ The third, from itb likeness, is called the glassy humour. § There are six tunicles belonging to the eye, the first called the conjunc- ture, solid, thick, compasiing the whole eye, except the black window. jl The second is cornea or horny tuniclc, transparent, and ma.de of the hard mother. C2 THE PURPLE ISLAND. Takes his beginning from that harder mother ; The outward part like horn, and thence is nam'd; Through whose translucent sides much light is borne Into the tow'r, and much kept out by th' horn ; Makes it a pleasant light, much like the ruddy morn. XXXII. The "f'third of softer mould, is like a grape. Which all entwines with his encircling side : In midst, a window lets in every shape ; Which with a thought is narrow made, or wide : His inmost side more black than starless night ; But outward part (how like an hypocrite !) As painted Iris looks, with various colours dight. XXXIII. The ffourth of finest work, more slight and thin, Than, or Arachne (which in silken twine With Pallas strove) or Pallas' self could spm : This round enwraps the fountain crystalline. The J next is made out of that milky spring, That from the Ccphal mount his waves doth fling, Like to a curious net his substance scattering. XXXIV. His substance as the head spring perfect white ; Here thousand nimble spies are round disprcad : The forms caught in this net, are brought to sight. And to his eyes are lively pourtrayed. * The third is Uven, or prrapj', made of the tender mot^c^, thin, andpco- vioiis by a small round window j is diversly coloured witliout, but exceeding black within. [ f The fourth is thinner than any cobweb, compassing the crystalline humour, * The fifth, rcticidaris, is a netty tuniclc, framed of U»e aubslaifce of ti»e Lraia. THE PURPLE ISLAND. ftS The *lastthe glassy vrall (that round eucasiug The moat of glass, is nam'd from that enlacing) The white and glassy wells, parts with his strict embracing. XXXV. Thus then is fram'd the noble Visus' bow'r ; Th' outward light by the first wall's circle sending Mis beams and hundred forms into the towV, The wall of horn, and that black gate transcending, Is light'ned by the brightest crystalline, And fully view'd in that wliite netty shine, From thence with speedy haste is posted to the mind- XXXVI. 3Iuch as a one-eyed room, hung all with night, Only that side, which adverse to his eye Cfives but one narrow'passage to the light, Is spread with some white shining tapestry, An hundred shapes that through flit airs stray. Rush boldly in, crowding that narrow way ; And on that bright fac'd wall obscurely dancing play;, XXXVIl. Two tpiur of rivers from the head-spring flow". To these two tow'rs, the first in their mid-race ^The spies conveying) twisted jointly go, Strength'ning each other with a firm embrace. The :]; other pair, these walking tow'rs are moving; At first but oi\e, then in two channels roving : And therefore both agree in standing or removing. * The sixth is called the glassy tunicle, clasping in the glassy humour. .f The eye hath two nerves, the optic or seeing nerve, and the moving one j the optic separate in their root, in the midst of their piogiess meet, and strengthen one another. + The moving, rising from the same stem, are at length severed ; therefore ■35 gne moves^ so move^ the other- 64 THE PURPLE ISLAND, XXXVIII. Auditus*, second of the Pentarchyf, Is next, not all so noble as his brother ; Yet of more need and more commodity : His seat is plac'd somewhat below the other : On each side of the mount's a double cave ; Both Avhich a goodly portal doth embrave. And winding entrance, like Meander's erring wave. XXXIX. The t portal hard and dry, all hung around With silken, thin, carnation tapestry; Whose open gate drags in each voice and sound. That through the shaken air passes by : The entrance winding, lest some violence Might fright the judge with sudden influence. Or some unwelcome guest, might vex the busy sense. XL. This §cave's first part, fram'd with a steep ascent, For in four parts 'tis fitly severed) Makes th' entrance hard, but easy the descent : W^here stands a braced drum, whose sounding head (Obli(iuoly plac'd) struck by the circling air. Gives instant warning of each sound's repair, Which soon is thence convey'd unto the judgment chair. XLI. The ydrura is made of suhstance hard and thin : Which if some falling moisture chance to wet, * Hearing is the second sense, less noble than tiie sight, but more needful, f The five senses. t The outward ear is of a gristly matter, covered with the common tuuicle . framed of* many crooks, lest the air should enter too forcibly. § The inward ear consists of four passages, the first is steep, lest any- thing should entei in. II If the drum be wet with the falling of the rheum, wc art hard of iiearingi if it glow thick, we become irrecoverably deaf. THE PURPLE ISLAND. «5 The loudest sound is hardly heard within : But if it once grow thick, with stubborn let, It bars all passage to the inner room ; No sounding voice unto his seat may come : The lazy sense still sleeps, unsummon'd with his drum. XLII. This *druin divides the first and second part, In whicli three hearing instruments reside ; Three instruments compact by wondrous art, With slender string knit to the drum's inside ; Their native temper being hard and dry, Fitting the sound with their firm quality, Continue still the same in age and infancy. XLIII. The first an f hammer call'd, Avhose out-grown sides Lie on the drum ; but with his swelling end Fix'd in the hollow stithe, there fast abides : The stithe's short foot, doth on the drum depend, His longer in the stirrup surely plac'd ; ' The stirrup's sharp side by the stithe embrac'd j But his broad base lied to a little Avindow fast. XLIV. Two I little windows ever open lie, The sound unto the cave's third part conveying ; *Tliedram partath the first and second passage. To it are joined three little bones, the instruments of hearing j which never grow, or decrease, in child hood or age : they are all in the second passage. f The hammer, stithe (or anvil), and stirrup, all take their names from their likeness ; and are all tied to the drum by a small string. X These are two small pass»ges, admitting the sounds into the head, and cleansing the air. K 66 THE PURPLE ISLAND. And slender pipe, whose narrow cavity, Doth purge the inborn air, that idle staying, Would else corrupt, and still supplies the spending : The cave's third part in twenty by-ways bending,. Is call'd the labyrinth, in hundred crooks ascending. XLV. Such whilome was that eye-deceiving frame. Which crafty Dasdal with a cunning hand Built to empound the Cretan prince's shame : Such was that Woodstock cave, where Rosamond, Fair Rosamond, fled jealous Ellenore ; Whom late a shepherd taught to weep so sore. That woods and hardest rocks, her harder fate deplore. XLVI. The third part with his narrow rocky straits Perfects the sound, and gives more sharp accenting; Then sends it to the *fourth ; where ready waits A nimble post, who ne'er his haste relenting. Makes to the judgment-seat with speedy flight ; There the 'gust judge attending day and night. Receives the ent'ring sounds, and dooms each voice arightl XLVII. As when a stone troubling the quiet waters, Prints in the angry stream a wrinkle round, Which soon another and another scatters. Till all the lake with circles now is crown' d : All so the air, struck with some violence nigh, Begets a world of circles in the sky ; AH which inflected move with sounding quality. * The last passage is called the Cochlea, snail, oi periwinkle, where the nejves of hearing plainly appear. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 67 XLVIIL These at Auditus' palace soon arriving, Enter the gate, and strike the warning drum : To those, three instruments fit motion giving, Which every voice discern : then that third room Sharpens each sound, and quick conveys it thence ; Till by the flying post 'tis hurry'd hence, And in an instant brought unto the judging sense. XLIX. This sense is made the master of request, Prefers petitions to the prince's ear : Admits what best he likes, shuts out the rest ; And sometimes cannot, sometimes will not hear : Oftimes he lets in anger-stirring lies. Oft melts the prince with oily flatteries. Ill mought he thrive, that loves his master's enemies I L. 'Twixt Visus' double court a tower stands, Plac'd in the suburbs' centre ; whose high top, And lofty raised ridge the rest commands : ' Low at his feet a double door stands ope, Admitting passage to the air's ascending: And divers odours to the city sending. Revives the heavy town, lijs lib'ral sweets dispeud^ng. LI. This vaulted tow'r's half built of massy stone, The other half of stuff less hard and dry, Fit for distending, or compression: The outward wall may seem all porphyry. Olfactus * dwells within this lofty fort ; But in tlie city is his chief resort, Where 'twixt two little hills he keeps his judging court. '^ The sense of smelliuj. 68 THE PURPLE ISLAND. LIL By two great caves are fix'd these * little hills, Most like the nipples of a virgin's breast ; By which the air that th' hollow tower fills, Into the city passeth : with the rest The odours pressing in, are here all stay'd ; Till by the sense impartially weigh' d. Unto the common judge they are with speed convey'd. LIII. At each side of that tow'r, stands two ffair plains, More fair than that in which rich Thessaly Was once frequented by the Muse's trains : Here ever sits sweet blushing modesty : Here in two colours beauty shining bright. Dressing her white with red, her red with Avhite, With pleasingchain enthrals, and binds loose wand' ring'sight. LIV. Below a cave, roof'd with a heav'u-like plaster. And under strew'd with purple tapestry, Where jGustus dwells, the Isle's and prince's taster, Koilia's steward, one of the Pentarchy ; Whom § Tactus (some affirm) got of his mother : For by their nearest likeness one to th' other, Tactus may eas'ly seem his father, and his brother. LV. Tactus the last, but yet the eldest brother ; (Whose office meanest, yet of all the race The first and last, more needful than the other) Hath his abode in none, yet every place : * These are those two little paps or teats spoken of in the xvth staaza of this canto, -j- The cheeks. J Gustus, or the taste, is in the palale. ) Tactus, the sense of fseling. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 69 ' Through all the Isle distended is his dwelling; He rules the streams that from the Cephal swelling, Run all along the Isle, both sense and motion dealing*. LVL With Gustus, Lingua* dwells, his prattling wife, Endowed with strange and adverse qualities: The nurse of iiate and love, of peace and strife ; Mother of fairest truth, and foulest lies. Or best, or worst ; no mean : made all of fire, Which sometimes Hell, and sometimes Heav'n inspire, By whom truth's self oft speaks, oft that first murd'ring liar. LVIL The idle Sun stood still at her command. Breathing his fiery steeds in Gibeon : And pale-fac'd Cynthia at her word made stand, Resting her coach in vales of Ajalon. • Her voice oft open breaks the stubborn skies. And holds th' Almighty's I'.auils with suppliant cries: Her voice tears open Hell with horrid blasphemies. LVin. Therefore that great Creator, well foreseeing To what a monster she would soon be changing, (Though lovely once, perfect and glorious being) Curb'd her with iront bit, and held from ranging ; And with strong bonds her looser steps enchaining', Bridling her course, too many words refraining. And doubled all his guards, bold liberty restraining. LIX. For close within he sets twice sixteen guarders|. Whose harden'd temper could not soon be mov'd: * The tongue. f The tongue is he'd with a ligament called the bridle. X It is guarded by the teeth and lips, both which help and sweeten the voice. 70 THE PURPLE ISLAND. Without the gate he plac'd two other warders. To shut and ope the door, as it behov'd : But such strange force hath her enchanting art. That she hath made her keepers of her part. And they to all her slights all furtherance impart. LX. Thus (with their help) by her the sacred Muses Refresh the prince, dull'd with much business ; By her the prince, unto his Prince oft uses, In heav'nly tlirone, from Hell to find access. She Heav'n to Earth in music often brings, And Earth to Heav'n : — but oh, how sweet she sings. When in rich Grace's key, she tunes poor Nature's strings. LXI. Tlius Orpheus won his lost Euridice ; Whom some deaf snake, that could no music hear. Or some blind newt, that could no beauty see. Thinking to kiss, kill'd with his forked spear : He, when his plaints on earth were vainly spent, Down to Avernus' river boldly went, And charm'd the meagre ghosts with mournful blandishments LXII. There what his mother, fair Calliope, From Phcfibus' harp and Muses spring had brought him y What sharpest grief for his Euridice, And love, redoubling grief, had newly taught him. He lavish'd out, and with his potent spell Bent all the rig'rous pow'rs of stubborn Hell : He tirst brought pity down with rigid ghosts to dwell. LXIII. Th' amazed shades came flocking round about. Nor cav'd they no-w to pass the Stygian ford : THE PURPLE ISLAND. 71 All Hell came runninj^ there (a hideous rout) And dropp'd a silent tear for ev'ry word : The aged ferryman shov'd out his boat ; But that without his help did thither float, And having ta'en him in, came dancing oa the moat. LXIV. The hungry Tantal might have fiU'd him now ; And with large draughts swill'd in the standing pool^ The fruit hung list'ning on the wond'ring bough, Forgetting Hell's command ; but he (ah, fool I) Forgot his starved taste, his ears to fill : Ixion's turning wheel at length stood still ; But he was rapt as much with pow'rful music's skill . LXV. Tir'd Sisyphus sat on his resting stone, And hop'd at length his labour done for ever : The vulture feeding on his pleasing moan. Glutted with music, scorn'd grown Tityus' liver. The Furies flung their snaky whips away, And melt in tears, at his enchanting lay ; No wailiugs now. were heard : all Hell kept holiday. LXVI. That treble dog, whose voice ne'er quiet fears All that in endless night'* sad kingdom dwell ; Stood pricking up his thrice two list'ning ears. With greedy joy drinking the sacred spell ; And softly whining pitied much his wrongs ; And now first silent at those dainty songs, Oft wish'd himself more ears, and fewer niiouths and tongues LXVI I. At length return'd with his Euridice ; But with this law, never to turn his eyes 72 THE PURPLE ISLAND. Till he was past the bounds of Tartary ; Alas ! who gives love laws in miseries ? Love is lovers law ; love but to love is tied). Now when the dawn of the next day he spied, Ah, wretch : — Euridice he saw, — and lost, — and died. LXVIII. Ail so, who strives from grave of hellisli nigiit, To bring his dead soul to the joyful sky ; If when he comes in view of heav'nly light, He turns again to Hell his yielding eye, And longs to see what he had left ; his sore Grows desp'rate, deeper, deadlier than afore : His helps and hopes much less, his crime and judgment more. LXIX. But why do I enlarge my tedious song, And tire my flagging Muse with weary flight? Ah ! much I fear, 1 hold you much too long. The outward parts be plain to every sight : But to describe the people of this Isle, And that great* prince, these reeds are all too vile. Some higher verse may fit, and some more lofty style. LXX. See Phlegon drenched in the liquid main. Allays his thirst, and cools liis flaming car ; Vesper fair Cynthia ushers, and her train : See, th' apish Earth hath lighted many a star. Sparkling in dewy globes ; — all home invite : Home then my flocks, home shepherd's, home,'tis night : My song with day is done ; my Muse is set with Hght." LXXI. By this the gentle boys had framed well A myrtle garland mix'd with conq'ring bay, * The intellect. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 78 From whose fit march issued a pleasing smile, And all cnamell'd it with roses gay ; With which theycrown'd their honour'd Thirsil's head; Ah ! blessed shepherd swain ! ah happy meed ! While all his fellows chant on slend«r pipes of reed. h 74 THE PURPLE ISLAND. CANTO /|y? I. THE hours had now unlock'd the gate of day. When fair Aurora leaves her frosty bed, Hasthig with youthful Cephalus to play, Unmask'd her face and rosy beauties spread : Tithonus' silver age was much despis'd. Ah ! who in love that cruel law devis^'d, That old love's little worth, and new too highly priz'd., IL The gentle shepherds on a hillock plac'd, (Whose shady head a beechy garland crown' d) View'd all their flocks that on the pastures graz'd : Then down they sit, while Thenot 'gan the round; Thenot ! was never fairer boy among The gentle lads, that to the Muses throng B^ Camus' yellow streams, learn tune their pipe and sonj^ IIL " See, Thirsil, see the shepherd's expectation ; Why then, ah ! why sitt'st thou so silent there r We long to know that Island's happy nation ; Oh, do not leave thy Isle unpeopled here. Tell us who brought, and whence these colonies ; Who is their king, Avhat foes, and what allies ; What laws maintain their peace; what wars, and victories?" IV. *' Thenot, my dear ! that simple fisher-swain, Whose little boat in some small river strays ; Vet fondly launches in the swelling main. Soon, yet too late, repents his foolish plays : THE PURPLE ISLAND. 7» How dare I then forsake my well-set bounds, Whose new-cut pipe as yet but harshly sounds ; A narrow compass best my ungrown Muse empounds. V. Two shepherds most I love, with just adoring-, That Mantuan swain, Avho chang'd his slender reed. To trumpet's martial voice, and war's loud roaring, From Cory don to Turnus' daring deed ; And next our home-bred Colin, sweetest firing : Their steps not following close, but far admiring' ; To lackey one of these, is all my pride's aspiring. VI. Then you my peers, whose quiet expectation Seeraeth my backward tale would fain invite ; Deign gently hear this Purple Island's nation, A people never seen, yet still in sight ; Our daily guests and natives, yet unknown ; Our servants born, but now commanders grown ; Our friends, and enemies ; aliens, yet still our own. VII. Not like those heroes, who in better times This happy Island first inhabited In joy and peace ; — when no rebellious crimes. That godlike nation yet dispeopled : Those claim'd their birth from that eternal Light Held th' Isle, andruFditin their Father's right ,: And in their faces shone their parent's image bright, VIII. For when this Isle that main would fond forsake. In which at first it found a happy place, And deep was plung\l in that dead hellish lake ; Ba^k to their father fled this heav'niy race. 76 THE PURPLE ISLAND. And left the Isle forlorn and desolate ; That now with fear, and wishes all too late, Sought in that blackest wave to hide his blacker fate. IX. How shall a worm, on dust that crawls and feeds, Climb to th' empyreal court, where these states reign. And there take view of what Heav'n's self exceeds ? The sun-less stars, these lights the Sun distain : Their beams divine, and beauties do excel What here on Earth, in air, or Heav'n do dwell : Such never eye yet saw, such never tongue can tell. X. Soon as these saints the treach'rous Isle forsook, \ Rush'd in a false, foul, fiend-like company. And every fort, and every castle took. All to this rabble yield the sov'reignty : The goodly temples which those heroes plac'd, By this foul rout were utterly defac'd, And all their fences strong, and all their bulwarks raz'd. XI. So where the neatest badger most abides ; Deep in the earth she frames her pretty cell, Which into halls and closulets divides : But when the crafty fox with loathsome smell Injects her pleasant cave, the cleanly beast So hates her inmate and rank smelling guest. That far away she flies, and leaves her loathed nest. Xll. But when those graces (at their Father's throne) In Heaven's high court to justice had complain' d. How they were wrong'd, and forced from their own, And what foul people in their dwellings reign'd j. THE PURPLE island; 77 How th' Earth much wax'din ill, much wan'd in good ; So full-ripe vice ; how blasted virtue's bud : Begging such vicious weeds might sink in vengeful flood : XUL Forth stepp'd the just * Dicaja, full of rage ; ^/ (The first born daughter of th' Almighty King) Ah, sacred maid ! thy kindled ire asswage ; Who dare abide thy dreadful thundering ? Soon as her voice, but * Father' only, spake, The faultless Heav'ns, like leaves in autumn, shake ; And all that glorious throng with horrid palsies quake ! XIV. Heard you not flate, with what loud trumpets' sound, Her breath awak'd her Father's sleeping ire ? The heav'nly armies flam'd, Earth shook, Heav'n frown'd. And Heav'ns dread king call'd for his forked fire! Hark ! how the pow'rful words strike through the ear; The frighten'd sense shoots up the staring hair. And shakes the trembling soul witli fright and shudd'rin"* fear. XV. So have I seen the earth, strong winds detaining In prison close ; they scorning to be under Her dull subjection, and her pow'r disdaining, With horrid strugglings tear their bonds in sunder. Meanwhile the wounded earth, that forc'd their stay, With terrour reels, the hills run far away ; And frighted world, fears Hell, breaks out upon the day. * According to heathen mythology, the danghter of JupUcr, the maidcs goddess of justice and judgment. f Soe the poQUi called Christ's Victory, &c. part I. stan;:a 18. ^8 THE PURPLE ISLAND. XVI. But see, how 'twixt her sister and her sire. Soft hearted Mercy sweetly hiterposing^. Settles her panting^ breast against his fire, Pleading- for grace, and chains of death unloosing : Hark ! from her lips the melting honey flows ; The striking thunderer recalls his blows ; And every armed soldier down his weapon throws. XVII. S'o when the day, wrapp'd in a cloudy night. Puts out the Sun ; anon the rattling hail On Earth pours down his shot with fell despite : Wiiich being spent, the Sun puts off his vail. And fair bis flaming beaxities now unsteeps ; The ploughman from his bushes gladly peeps ; And hidden traveller, out of his covert creeps. XVIII. Ah, fairest maid ! best essence of thy Father, Equal unto thy never equal!' d sire ; How in low verse shai! thy poor shepherd gather. What all the world can ne'er enough admire ? "When thy sweet eyes sparkle in cheerful light. The brightest day grows pale as leaden night, And Heav'ns bright burning eye loses his blinded sight. XIX. Who then those sugared strains can understand. Which calm'd thy Father and our desp'rate fears ; And charm'd the nimble light'ningin his hand, Tliat unawares it dropt in melting tears ? Then thou dear *swain, thy heav'nly load unfraughl ^ For she herself hath thee her s})eecbes taught. So neay her Heav'n they be, so far from human thought, • The author of Christ's Victory, &c. THE PURPLE ISLAND. 7» XX. Bat let my lighter skiff return again Unto that little Isle which late it left, Nor dare to enter in that boundless main, Or tell the nation from this Island reft ; But sing that civil strife and home dissension ^ 'Twixt two strong factions with like fierce contention. Where never peace is heard, nor ever peace is mention. XXI. For that foul rout, which from the Stygian brook, (Where first they dwelt in midst of death and night]i By force the lost, and empty Island took ; Claim hence full conquest, and possession's right : But that fair band which Mercy sent anew, \y^ The ashes of that first heroic crew,*, jEjfom their forefathers claim their right, and Island's due. XXII. In their fair looks their parents' grace appears, Yet their renowned sires were much more glorious ; 'For what decays not with decaying years ? All nigixt, and all the day, with toil laborious, (In loss and conquest angry) fresh they fight : Nor can the other cease or day or night, While th' Isle is doubly rent with endless war and fright XXIII.