The Works of the English Poets, from Chaucer to Cowper

Their twice-borne bodies when put on they have, First from the belly, last now from the grave.

By stratagems a captaine boldly wise,
His enemie's campe (not look'd for)oft confounds,
But when he first doth sentinels surprise,
That all about the neighbouring bounds rebounds,
In breasts unarm'd what terrour strange doth rise,
Whil'st drummes yeeld deadly, trumpets lively
sounds?
[blinde,
Whil'st shouts make deafe, amazement dumbe, dust
Ere swords the bodie, feare doth kill the minde.

So shall it be with all those broken bands,
(As for the godly they watch still prepar'd)
Then when life's Lord doth come to judge all lands;
Like fishes angled, or like beasts ensnar'd, [brands,
Those whom Hell's badge for endlesse darknesse
Not having power to wish, are straight despair'd;
And soone do see what now they not attend,
Ere thought by them begun, all at an end.

What hideous charge all to compeer compels,
Whose sound may show what breath the blast doth

feed?

No cannons, thunders, tempests, trumpets, bells, Nor yet all joyn'd, so huge a noise could breed; Since heard in Heaven, on Earth, aud in the Hells, Till dreadfull silence doth over all succeed:

The hearkening world seemes all become one eare,
The grave gives place, the dead his voice do heare.

All you who on, or in the dust, do lodge,
A great great court I cite you to attend,
Even at Christ's instance where himselfe is Iudge,
To heare that sentence which none can suspend,
Of boundlesse joyes, or else of anguish huge,
Which he doth give (as you deserv'd) in th' end.
What from his servant's mouth none would conceive,
Heare from himselfe, even what doth damne, or save.

Passe, passe, swift angels, ore each region range,
Force all to rise who ever downe did lye;
What in their essence th' elements did change,
Bid them restore, that Christ all flesh may spie;
You are the gathrers, this that vintage strange,
Which in all souls what stuffe hath beene, must try;
Twixt Heaven and Hell this is a judgement great,
To judge each one their owne, contentions date.

The word them gives by which they thus are sought,
Power to obey, else were the charge but vaine,
That word which first did make them all of nought,
May now of something make them soone againe;
Past numbring, numbers are together brought,
That some may thinke what bounds can them con-
Who makes the dead to rise at his decree, [taine:
May make a roome where they may marshall'd be.

The heavenly soules which with fraile bodies bound,
Did act together on this earthly stage,
Though subtile they of divers deeps did sound,
In which grosse organs could not then engage:
Yet in all actions equall partners found,
By reason led or head-long borne by rage.
Though once divorc'd, they marry must againe,
To joyne in joy, or in eternall paine.

Those gather up their garments from the dust,
Which prison'd are in Pluto's ugly cels,

Though loath to part thence, where returne they must,

As then their conscience inwardly them tels,
They know their ludge as terrible, as just,
Will but confirme their holding of the Hells,
Yet all their processe must deduced be,

That saints God's justice, and their faults may see.

Foure elements with foure complexions make,
This mortall masse soone rais'd, and soone ore-
throwne,

And when that it turns to corruption backe,
With what accrest each doth crave back the owne,
The waters all the liquid substance take,
Th' ayre breath, fire active heat, th' earth earth well
known.

Which all though thus in their first fountains drown'd,
Not take nor leave, but are the same still found.

The Lord doth not (which some would fondly doubt)
As once in Eden a creation use,
As if the first consum'd were all worne out,
That he not knows their substance where to chuse,
No these same bodies which we beare about,
The Lord will raise, and cleare or else accuse:
When done by God, then wonders are not strange,
The quality and nothing else doth change.

Of our fraile spoils each part (where made a prey)
He who doth watch our dust will straight require;
That which the waters washed have away,
What was in flames exhausted by the fire,
That which (winde's scorn) toss'd through the ayre

did stray,

And what to earth all rotten did retire:
All at an instant shall together go,
To recontinue, not beginning so.

The husband's hopes, which Ceres first renown'd,
Must buried rot, made lesse, to be made more;
Yet wrestle up (though in the earth still bound)
In forme more pleasant, multipli'd in store:
So shall our dust (though swallow'd in the ground)
Spring from corruption brighter then before,
In bodies new, whose state none can surmise,
Laid mortall downe, but must immortall rise.

Those creeping creatures which with silks conceive,
Bred first of seed, their food with toils acquite,
Then what they gaine must all to others leave,
And lye (stretch't out) wrapt up in funerall white:
Yet straight reviv'd, where buried burst the grave,
And mount aloft with wings all altered quite.
In wormes (men's types) those who do mark this
change,

Those heavenly sparks which are flowne up above, Till clad with skinne (his sex made free from doubt)

How can they thinke the resurrection strange?
As man like milk was at the first pour'd out,
Then straight like cheese turn'd all to cruds at once,

To shine in glory, and in zeale to burne;

And shall of pleasure the perfection prove,

With mortall vails which mask'd of late did mourne:

They from their place a moment must remove, With Christ in triumph glorious to returne;

With sinews joyn'd, and fortifi'd with bones;
When as the Moone hath chang'd thrice, thrice about,
He doth burst forth, neglecting mother's grones,
And (though from him at first as weake teares flow)

Doth straight of God a talking image grow.

So sowne by death where rests fraile mortals' seed, | But yet a part most knowne by fatne design'd, The earth conceiv'd, shall straight (big-bellyed) May leave a more impression in the minde. shake,

The spritual powers shall soone have repossess'd,
Their ancient roomes restor'd to them by grace,
Which were (they thence by nature's rigour press'd)
To death by sinne morgag'd but for a space;
But now (they free who had beene thus distress'd) -
All members move, power pour'd in every place.
What could corrupt all worne unto an end,
They spirituall bodies, bodied sprits ascend.

Then shall not weaknesse (passing each degree)
A progresse have perfection to attaine,
But from infirmity made freely free,
They shape, proportion, strength, and knowledge
All qualities at once accomplis'd be,

[gaine;

That to augment there nothing doth remaine:
The first and second birth do differ farre,

First men were made, now rais'd, then grew, now are.

scorne

Some Gentiles fond who from the truth did stray,
(When by th' apostles told) did
this once,
Yet trusted grounds which vaine inventions lay,
By fabulous doctrine learn'd, and fools at once,
That by Prometheus men were made of clay,
And by Deucalion quickened out of stones.
Thus had their souls to see the truth no eyes,
"Wholoath the light, God gives them over to lyes."

Great armies oft as if one body move,

The first great troupe inuding from the deep,
Which long have wandred with the watrie brood,
Which glutted Neptune in his caves did keер,
When all his guests were surfeited of food,
Are those amid'st the roaring waves who sleep,
Since first they fell drown'd by the generall flood:
Those who of God the threatenings still did scorne,
Till Death at once one fleece ore all had shorne.

What deluge strange doth from that deluge flow,
Of monstrous people terrible to see?

Whose stature shows what time they had to grow;
The dwarfes with them, with us would giants be:
Ere bended was the many colour'd bow,
All that had falne rise from corruption free.
Where raging deeps had justly lodg'd their dust,
Still drown'd when dead, who burn'd alive with lust.

Thence comes the tyrant who did sway the state,
Where fertile Nilus mollifies the minde;

Whom (to confirme his owne with wonders great)
God did obdure, and made by brightnesse blinde,
With guilded slaves, which, flattering his conceit,
The Lord to him would needs inferior finde.
Those all like him by his example made,
As oft to sinne he shall to judgement leade.

Mad men to whom by wond'rous blows abroad,
The arme of God had justly terrour brought;
Foole that had seene the proofe of Aron's rod,
What danger was thou might'st in time have thought,
Whil'st vaine magicians emulating God,
The same in show, but not in substance wrought:
Vaine sophists (to be mock'd) but mock the eyes,

lyes.

What made the doubt, that he whom thou didst spie, Turne streames to bloud, might mixe them with thy bloud,

Whose soul it seemes the trumpet's sound doth sway, Truth, (naked) truth, lyes are (though painted)
So when this charge is thundred from above,
One moment makes who were, or are, obey.
O strange alarme! what must this meeting prove,
Where ruine onely hath prepar'd the way? [there,
All knowne when mustred (though not numbred)
A dreadfull censor no man's spot will spare.

That he who made thy land's first borne to dye,
Would save the lives of (his friend) Abraham's brood,
Those which the deeps disgested did containe,
Where his might march he who the deeps did dry,
As bent to drink those who them oft did drink,
That he would make them drowne who him with-
To heaven exhal'd, though still'd through fruits by
stood ?
[blinde,
That dainty tastes more delicate them think: [raine, "But those whom God will lose he makes them
Their trunks drawn down when once throwne up | Those head-long runne who are for wrack design'd."
againe,
[sink:
Though dead and buried, move, not swimme, nor
A death which drunkards do deserve to have,
To lye with liquor in a liquid grave.

Of them whom Thetis kiss'd till kil'd of late,
Whilst their three mates they in her bosome leave,
Some winds, and waves, against each rock do beat,
'Till them for food the scalie troups receave;
That fishes men, men may those fishes eat,
Chang'd quality, and forme, whose flesh may have.
Man's substance it may transubstantiate oft,
But shall the same that first, mount last aloft.

Muse, do not strive above thy strength to mount,
As mortal's braines those hosts could comprehend,
Which not sea's sands, nor yet Heaven's starres can
count,

Whil'st swarming forth their judgment to attend,
They arithmetick's rules do farre surmount; [end,
When, rais'd from dust, more thick then dust in th'

eare,

They who with haste the Hebrew host pursu'd,
Whose glancing armes each eye, shouts fill'd each
[view'd,
Who lack'd no stately show, which might when
In them breed courage, and in others feare,
Their foes contemn'd (as if they were subdu'd)
Who did themselves as if in triumph beare:
And (spuing blasphemy from pride's low height)
Even challenge durst the Lord of hoasts to fight.

Loe, from the mudde they now creepe poorely out,
As from a prison which upbraids their blame,
And spoil'd of all which compass'd them about,
Rise naked up, yet kept by feare from shame;
The trumpet makes them tremble (though earst
stout)

As thinking it their sentence will proclaime;
And even great Pharo, vile amidst his owne,
Can by no signe more then the rest be knowne.

What fools then rise who never could be pleas'd, | Thy sea, the stage where death oft act'd with
Though setled owners of a fertile ground?

Where under them even thousands were well eas'd,
And, then their masters, more contentment found,
Whose trait'rous hopes still on new conquests seas'd
Till death did show how little might them bound:
That as all lands could but strict limits give,

Last for the seas (vaste like their minds) did strive.

Ah, for man's madnesse who enough can mourne,
From whom still pure that there may rest no place,
Who makes his rage even in the deeps to bärne,
And (standing) runnes in walking woods his race;
Makes Neptune's azure all to crimson turne,
And fills with bloud the wrinckles of his face?
What thirst of mischiefe thus torments man still,
That it no sea can quench, nor land can fill?

make,

The Grecian seas shall give those bodies back,
(When floting Athens camp'd in wooden walls)
Which mountains plains, and floods dry fields would
[thralls,
Scourg'd all the windes, rank'd nature with their
Which all conspir'd seem'd to procure their wrack,
Both sea and land made famous by their falls,
As if that king who could not count his host,

Had sought all means by which they might be lost.

All Salamina's straits disgorge againe,
Those whom they swallow'd and digested had;
But broken squadrons are restor'd in vaine,
Since with no armes, no, with no garment clad,
Whil'st both the parts then joyn'd in one remaine,
Great is the number, but the cause is bad:
Who striv'd for state, both as most abject bow:
Greeks and Barbarians no way differ now.

By this last blast those do assemble all,
At divers times who in the deeps fell dead,
By him almost preventing Persia's fall,
Who the Greeke empire had abortive made,
Who, charg'd with chains, lay for his father thrall,
An act more great then all his hosts to leade:
"From vertue's heightthis generous course did come,
A man most vitious armies might ore-come."

The last great act which Athens did intend,
Defrauded thousands of their funerall right,
Which did presage their greatnesse neere an end,
Whose state then chang'd, as having past the height:
Those to pursue that then did armies send,

From that time forth, did for their confines fight:
"A mighty towne whose growing nought could stay,
When com'd to faile, doth vanish soone away.

Their greatest captaine fondly then remov'd,
The other cold, procur'd what he divin'd,
Who happy first, last, most unhappy prov'd,
Whilst superstition vilified his minde;
But Siracusa yet to stand behov'd,
Whose conquest was for greater foes design'd;
And those by sea to get more land who striv'd,
Drown'd in the sea were of all land depriv'd.

Faire Sicile long still by great states was sought,
As fertile fields weake owners did entise,
The fatall lists where Rome and Carthage fought,
When all the world was made the victor's prise,
Thy bounds (oft-bath'd with blood) was dearely
bought,

Which strangers still, else tyrants did surprise;.

wounds,

Must muster many when the trumpet sounds.

Earst Athens, Pyrrhus, Carthage, Rome in ire,
(Their hungry hopes whilst Ceres fill'd with

dreames)

To daunt that people proudly did aspire,
Not fearing Scilla, nor Charibdis' streames,
Nor thund'ring Ætna vomiting forth fire,
Nor Vulcan's forge, nor monstrous giants' names;
No, Plutoe's selfe, who wedded in those fields,
His conquer'd Hells to greedy men he yeelds.

Those whose great valour did so honour wrong,
That each eternall pen it yet renownes,
Who rivals liv'd in love of glory long,
And though but cities did dispose of crownes,
Those two by sea did strive who was most strong,
As all the Earth could not containe two townes:
"Each state the world lesse then it selfe contrives,
A just proportion ruine onely gives."

That haughty race which kings in triumph led,
(All not well pleas'd with parting of the spoiles)
That fishes might aswell as beasts be fed,
(The land else glutted by their guilty broiles)
Did on the sea a sea of blood once shed,
Which (wash'd by waves away) might foile their

foiles,

That them to plague no furie place could finde;
All objects raz'd which might upbraid the minde.

A spatious field the waters did afford,
Where floting armies might their forces try,
When free men fighting who should be their lord,
With too much valour did their bondage buy,
Whilst Eolus did rage, and Neptune roar'd
More cruell creatures then themselves to spy;
"Men of all else which this large circuite fill,
Most subtile are, and violent in ill."

From liquid fields were carcasses are rife,
Now with this troupe Volteius passage finds,
Who were more bold then fortunate in strife,
And dying did triumph ore foes, waves, winds,
Of fame too greedie, prodigall of life,
As those whose soules were strangers to their minds;
"Who lose their owne to gaine from others breath,
Life by opinion seeke, for certaine death."

When as two brothers that were bound in law,
Did pledge their lives who onely should be free,
Pale Neptune once at Actium wondring saw,
His crystall walkes all as congeal'd in tree,
Which from their kingdomes diverse kings did draw,
To know whose slaves they were ordayn'd to be;
As both (till clear'd) from what they crav'd would
stand;

Two on the sea did fight for all the land.

When this encounter had made many smart,
A stately meeting, terrible to thinke,
Ships without kindnesse kiss'd, yet loath to part,
Stood strugling long which should the other sinke,
Till some oft pierc'd, and past all hope of art,
For poyson last (as desp'rat) flouds did drinke;
And that none might their conquer'd ensignes claime,
Slipt under seas, as if to hide their shame.

But haughtie Romans storm'd to be with-stood,
And us'd to conquer, marvel'd to be match'd;
From flouds in vaine some drinking back their blood,
Halfe kill'd, halfe drown'd, death by two darts dis-
[flood,
There where they fought whil'st bodies pav'd the
Till emptie first, no wooden cave was catch'd: [books,
"O how that life seemes foule which blots fame's
In glorie's glasse whil'st generous courage looks!"

patch'd;

Whil'st Mars as yet a doubtful iudge did prove,
The barbarous queene fled with Pelusian slaves,
And who lov'd her, did straight with her remove,
Not fearing, no, as who in feavers raves:
He fled not foes, but follow'd on his love,
For whom the hope of all the world he leaves:
Who vanquish'd armies oft, a woman foil'd,
Who all of all, him of himselfe she spoil'd.

The seas surrender at that dreadfull blast,
Troups of all lands which in their deeps did fall,
In discord then, but rise in league at last,
The cause growne common which doth joyne them all;
Not only ancients famous in times past,
But Turks and Christians thence a voice doth call,
Whom even when raging, raging floods supprest,
That waves might tosse them still who would not rest.

What turband band abandons Thetis' bowres,
By their misfortune fortunate to fame,
Who by a royall pen's eternall powers, [claime?
Reft back from death, life, whil'st men breath do
How those (still Turks) were baptiz'd in few houres,
Where azure fields foam'd forth a hoarie streame:
This my great Phœbus tun'd to trumpets' sounds,
Whose stately accents each strange tongue rebounds.

Not onely thus by barbarous hands ore-throwne,
Some whom Christ bought a floting tombe confines,
But by themselves (like Pagans spoil'd) though
In liquid plaines a number breath resignes, [knowne,
Whil'st those who toile to make the world their owne,
Do with devotion paint most damn'd designes :

For pride disdain'd, for cruelty abhorr'd,
Spaine beg'd (a slave) where looking to be lord.

O happie those for whom the Heavens will fight,
Of angels armies campe about them still,
[light,
Whil'st haile and thunder from Heaven's store-house
Arm'd winters are pour'd out, sterne tempests kill;
The stormy winds conjur'd in time charge right,
As train'd in warre to spend their power with skill.
"Still to the author mischiefe doth return,

And in the fires they make the wicked burn."

The tumid region numbers doth afford,
Who onely there could quench ambition's fire;
And avarice hath it with many stor'd,
Who onely there could bound their vaste desire;
Though each of them had of much wealth beene lord,
Who by no meanes contentment could acquire,
Till (like themselves) still taking, fill'd with nought,
The sea and Hell them to abundance brought.

What heavy thoughts their quaking hearts do move,
When with each wave a wound Death seemes to give;
Which rais'd up high like battering engines prove,
That so to charge do for advantage strive,
(Save sudden lightnings flash out from above)
Clouds masking Heaven, ore all do darknesse drive.
That whilst they nothing see, and too much heare,
Falne on the deeps Hell's shaddow doth appeare.

Some scap'd such stormes, whil'st they secure re[maine,

Surpris'd by pirats suddenly despaire,
Whose cruell avarice to render vaine,
They yeeld (as faint) till they to them repaire,
Then powder kindled by a lingring traine,
Straight all at once are thundred through the ayre:
In water burn'd, weake thralls kill victors strong,
And suffring, act, revenge preventing wrong.

Thus by the sea a number is bewray'd,
Whose dying eyes a friend did never close,
Not in their fathers', no, in no tombe lay'd,
Which had when dead no part where to repose,
But are by waves to every rocke betray'd,
Till this last day doe of all flesh dispose,
Which as would seeme most ready those may finde,
Whom th' earth not burdens, winding-sheets not
binde.

That they when all things else have fail'd for baits, Who for last lodgings could not get a grave,

May superstition use to angle states.

When haughtie Philip with this isle in love,
Whose rage to raigne no reason could appease;
As oft by fraud, it last by force would prove,
To barren Spaine whose fertile fields did please;
He sent huge hulks which did like mountains move,
As townes for traffique, palaces for ease;
And of all sorts did furnish forth a band,
As if to people, not to win, a land.

To brave the Heavens whil'st giants would assay,
The Lord their power would wonderfully bound;
One little bark their navy did dismay,
A woman did the mighty man confound;
All elements did arme their course to stay,

That wicked men might not pollute our ground :

The face of th' earth like those a number yeelds, Yet where they fell, as having wonne the fields, Them (dead a time) from all who liv'd did reave, Throwne in the dust, drawne from their bloudy

But when men spy'd whil'st venging wrong by chance,

That life was lodg'd in such a fortresse fraile,
To court vaine-glory which to fooles did glance,
Some (as for sport) their neighbours did assaile;
Then last, their state of purpose to advance,
Stray'd valour would by violence prevaile:
All armies first were by ambition led,
Till avarice a greater fury bred.

[names,

Who first from death by deeds redeem'd their
And eminent magnanimously grew,
Their fancies frying in ambition's flames)
They onely praise, not profit did pursue;
And as for glory, who contend at games,
Sought others to exceell, not to subdue:
Such Scythia one, another Egypt gave,
From conquer'd lands who did but honour crave.

Those weapons first were found, which pierc'd or bruis'd,

Ere dreadful Cyclops made their hammers reele;
Of Mars chiefe minions, sword and launce were us'd,
Ere men did march (as statues) all of steele;
What fury in proud mindes this rage infus'd,
That they would suffer to make others feele,
And strive to further, ere to hinder ill,
Then save themselves, more bent their mates to kill?

What mountains were of murd'red bodies made,
Which till falne dust, the dust did not receive,
Of Ashur, Persia, Greekes and Romans dead, [have,
Who whil'st that they more earth, them earth would
Whil'st of the world each striving to be head,
Those members maim'd which it to rule did crave?
Then though all lands one onely did adore,

As pent in too strict bounds, yet one sought more.

Of bones unburied, what huge heaps were rear'd
By Tentons, Cimbers, Gaules, great by doing harmes,
By Vandals, Allans, Hunnes, and Goths long fear'd,
Danes, Longobards, and Sarazens in swarmes ?
For which long time those fields could not be ear'd,
Where they to death had offred up their armes:
Whil'st where to live, to winne more lands then set,
Where they might dye, who onely land could get.

Then Nature strong, as in her perfect age,
As bees their swarmes, lands colonies sent forth,
Which fore'd by wants, or mov'd by generous rage,
In tempests huge inunded from the north;
Else that high hopes dream'd riches might asswage,
They sought the south as held of greatest worth:
To what it pleas'd, whil'st power a right did claime,
Oft with their dwellers, countries chang'd the name.
That heathenish host by Iuda so abhorr'd,
Whose captaine's railings vengeance to contrive,
A godly king did spread before the Lord,
Whose wrong his soule did most of peace deprive,
Till that an angell with just fury stor'd,
Did kill of thousands thrice threescore and five:
Those who blaspheming God by him were slaine,
Must rise with feare to looke on God againe.

Thence thousands rise with strangers, or their owne,
Where still to broyles the Grecians were inclin'd,
Where all the world at fortune's dice was throwne,
'Twixt sire and sonne in law, not love combin'd;
By vertues clients fall, which fields were knowne,
Of all, who onely the state's good design'd:

"None vertue should adore, all reverence must, Men should delight in it, not in it trust."

Thence (never buried) many bodie springs,
Where of all lands oft armies did contend,
Kill'd by the senate, emperours, or kings,
But most by him who did to Carthage send,
(Reft from Rome's nobles) bushels full of rings,
And by barbarians lords of all in th' end:
Thus Italy all nations did obey,

And to all nations was expos'd a prey.

That field yeelds thousands, where wrong squaring

right,

Whil'st Ottoman to make his crescent round,
Bloud (as but water) prodigally spill'd;
His bassaes now rise groning from the ground,
Which oft by him, or else for him were kil'd:
And as for bondage borne (free but from graves)
Did live to him, and dyed to Satan slaves.

By violence, death divers did surprise,

Still since the world first peopled did remaine,
But men in mischiefe fondly growne more wise,
By bolts unseene, some now of late are slaine,
Since some new Sulmons, no, divels did devise,
Those sulphurous engines bragging God againe :
Which men, yea towres, and townes, in pieces teare,
Then thunder now, men more the canon feare.

Those soone start up which fell, whil'st as lesse strong

By Vulcan fore'd succumbing Thetis ror'd,
And thundring forth the horrour of her wrong,
The burden urg'd, straight in disdaine restor'd,
The ayery region raging all along,
Which death to them did suddenly afford:
And by a blow most strange, no scarre then found,
The bones all broken, and the flesh still sound.

Those whom of th' earth the superfice as forc'd,
Did beare, not bury, suffer, not receive,
By men even dead (as oft alive) extorc'd,
To avarice, else cruelty, still slave,
Those shall from dust no sooner be divorc'd,
Then they who sought the centre for a grave;
Whose bodies with their soules did seeme to strive,
Which first at Hell should with most haste arrive.

The mutinous Hebrewes, who gainst him repinde,
Whose face (as glorie's rayes reflecting still)
Com'd from the thunderer like cleare lightning
shin'd,

God's secretary who first penn'd his will;
As soone as they whose dust no weight confin'd,
They rise whom th' earth did bury first, then kill :
To offer bent (pride burning in their breasts)
As like himselfe, whom Pluto tooke for priests.

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The Works of the English Poets, from Chaucer to Cowper: Including the ..., 第 5 卷