That falvage Nature seemed not to have,
Nor after greedy Spoil of Blood to crave:
Two fairer Beafts might not elfe-where be found,
Although the compast World were fought around.
But what can long abide above this Ground
In ftate of Blifs, or ftedfaft Happiness ?
The Cave, in which these Bears lay fleeping found,
Was but of Earth, and with her Weightiness
Upon them fell, and did unwares opprefs;
That for great forrow of their fudden Fate,
Henceforth all World's Felicity I hate.
Much was I troubled in my heavy Spright,
At fight of these fad Spectacles forepaft,
That all my Senfes were bereaved quight,
And I in mind remained fore agaft,
Diftraught 'twixt Fear and Pity; when at laft
I heard a Voice, which loudly to me call'd,
That with the fuddain Shrill I was appall'd.
Behold (faid it) and by enfample fee,
That all is Vanity and Grief of Mind,
Ne other Comfort in this World can be,
But Hope of Heaven, and Heart to God inclin'd;
For all the reft muft needs be left behind.
With that it bade me, to the other fide
To caft mine Eye, where other fights I fpide.
UPON that famous River's further Shore
There ftood a fnowy Swan of heavenly Hue,
And gentle Kind, as ever Fowl afore;
A fairer one in all the goodly Crew
Of white Strimonian Brood might no Man view:
There he most sweetly fung the Prophecy
Of his own Death in doleful Elegy.
At laft when all his mourning Melody
He ended had, that both the Shores refounded,
Feeling the Fit that him forewarn'd to die,
With lofty Flight about the Earth he bounded,
And out of fight to highest Heaven mounted:
Where now he is become an heavenly Sign;
There now the Joy is his, here Sorrow mine.
WHILST thus I looked, loe, adown the Lee
I saw an Harp ftrung all with filver Twine,
And made of Gold and coftly Ivory,
Swimming, that whilom feemed to have been
The Harp, on which Dan Orpheus was feen
Wild Beafts and Forrefts after him to lead;
But was th' Harp of Phillifides now dead.
At length out of the River it was rear'd,
And borne about the Clouds to be divin'd,
Whilft all the way.moft heavenly Noise was heard
Of the Strings, ftirred with the warbling Wind,
That wrought both Joy and Sorrow in my Mind:
So now in Heaven a Sign it doth appear,
The Harp well known befide the Northern Bear.
SOON after this, I faw on th' other fide
A curious Coffer made of Heben Wood,
That in it did moft precious Treasure hide,
Exceeding all this bafer Worldes good:
Yet through the overflowing of the Flood
It almost drowned was, and done to nought,
That fight thereof much griev'd my penuve Thought.
At length, when moft in peril it was brought,
Two Angels down defcending with fwift Flight,
Out of the fwelling Stream it lightly caught,
And 'twixt their bleffed Arms it carried quight
Above the reach of any living fight:
So now it is transform'd into that Star,
In which all heavenly Treasures locked are.
IV.
LOOKING afide, I faw a ftately Bed,
Adorned all with coftly Cloth of Gold,
That might for any Prince's Couch be red,
And deckt with dainty Flowres, as if it should
Be for fome Bride, her joyous Night to hold
Therein a goodly Virgin fleeping lay;
A fairer Wight faw never Summers-day.
I heard a Voice that called far away,
And her awaking, bad her quickly dight,
For loe her Bridegroom was in ready Ray
To come to her, and feek her Love's Delight:
With that she started up with cheerful fight,
When fuddenly both Bed and all was gone,
And I in Langour left there all alone.
STILL as I gazed, I beheld where ftood
A Knight all arm'd, upon a winged Steed,
The fame that bred was of Medufa's Blood,
On which Dan Perfeus born of heavenly Seed,
The fair Andromeda from Peril freed:
Full mortally this Knight ywounded was,
That Streams of Blood forth flowed on the Grafs,
Yet was he deckt (fmall joy to him alas!)
With many Garlands for his Victories,
And with rich Spoils, which late he did purchase
Through brave Atchievements from his Enemies.
Fainting at laft through long Infirmities,
He fmote his Steed, that ftraight to Heaven bore
And left me here his Lofs for to deplore.
ASTLY, I faw an Ark of pureft Gold brazen Pillour ftanding high,
th' Ashes feemed of great Prince to hold,
Enclos'd therein for endless Memory
Of him, whom all the World did glorify:
Seemed the Heavens with th' Earth did difagree,
Whether should of those Ashes Keeper be.
At laft, me feem'd, wing'd-footed Mercury,
From Heaven defcending to appease their Strife,
The Ark did bear with him above the Sky,
And to those Ashes gave a fecond Life,
To live in Heaven, where Happiness is rife:
At which, the Earth did grieve exceedingly,
And I for Dole was almoft like to die.
Mmortal Spirit of Phillie
Which now art made the Heaven's Ornament.
That whilom was't the World's chiefeft Riches;
Give leave to him that lov'd thee, to lament
His Lofs by lack of thee, to Heaven hent;
And with laft Duties of this broken Verfe,
Broken with Sighs, to deck thy fable Herfe.
And ye, fair Lady, th' Honour of your Days,
And Glory of the World, your high Thoughts fcorn;
Vouchsafe this Moniment of his laft Praise,
With fome few filver-dropping Tears t' adorn:
And as ye be of heavenly Off-fpring born,
So unto Heaven let your high Mind aspire,
And loath this Drofs of finful World's Defire.
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