Of Peace. SECT. XI.

PEace is the next in Order, first in end;
As the most perfect State of Government,
Where Art and Nature each to other friend,
Enlarge the Crowe by giving men content;
And what by Laws within and Leagues without,
Leaves nothing but prosperity to doubt.

So that in her Orbe there is left for Kings
Great undertakings, far beyond the flight
Or pitch, of any lower feather'd wings,
The Charge, Care, Council being infinite,
As undertaking rage of time, and seas,
Which Tyrant-like, to ruine else finds ways.

Ordering of Boats, and Bridges to be placed
Upon advantage, for the trade of men,
Rebuilding Monuments, or Towns defaced,
Cleansing of Havens, draining dry of Fenns,
Fitting out Brooks, and Mears for navigation.
All works of Princely Art, Charge, Reputation.

Such was the cleansing of the AEgyptian sluces,
Which got Augustus Ornament and Food,
For his Praetorian bands, and peoples uses,
In this kind prov'd the Appian high-way good;
Those publick works which active States bring forth,
Shewing the stranger Maps of wealth and worth.

Therefore Kings providence should still adorn
Natures producements, by the pow'r of Art;
But to subvert her frames proves Scepters scorn;
Through Athos, who yet sails in any part?
Is Corinths Istmus from the main Land torn?
Caesars vain dreams, as if fall'n flattering Rome
Over the free made Elements, had doome.

The Base of great works, and the Majesty,
Is when the the workers Pow'r, and wisdom shew,
Both in the use and possibility;
So over Ister, Trajan's bridge did goe;
Amasis and Cheops how can time forgive,
Who in their useless Pyramids would live?

Next, and of more refined policy,
The founding is of these sweet nurseries,
Where knowledge, and obedience multiply
The Fame, and Sinews of great Monarchies;
As Schools, which finely do between the Sence
And natures large forms, frame intelligence.

Unto which end in Achai, Athens, Creet,
Rhodes, Lacedemon, and more, were erect
Illustrious States, and Paedagogies meet,
By reason and example to protect
The coming ages from that Barbarisme
Which first breeds Ignorance, and after Schisme.

Whence again Rome in all her Colonies,
Even while her Eagles march't, had yet a care,
To plant the Muses in the soldiers Eyes;
Such means to move or qualifie they are;
Where, in the Turks excess of Tiranny,
These dainty Nymphs excel'd for ever be.

And to give more faith to this Sympathy,
Which between Mars and Muses ought to rest,
The Poets in Idea's far more free,
Then any other Arts of mortal breast,
Have in their fables ever shew'd them mixt,
As, if divided, neither could be fixt.

Hence feign they, when Jove sent his Daughters Nine,
To polish Greece, he would not have them pass
Alone, expos'd to every savage Myne,
Or rage, where in the earth abundant was;
But gave them Hercules for such defence,
As active vertue is to innocence.

Have not again these Muses, when they sing
The Jo Paean of their thundering Father
Apollo, with his shafts nock't in the string,
For Consort of their Quire, or Master rather;
To shew where Truth chains not men by the ear,
There Savage nature must be rul'd by fear.

Whence amongst all the famous victories,
Which old Rome frome the East did triumph on,
Even that of Fulvius did deserve the prize,
Who for a Trophy of Pow'r overthrown
Brought home the Statues of these Sisters Nine
And that of Hercules, alike Divine.

For which the City did a Temple build,
As spoils that their God Mars did better fit,
Then all those dainties which fine Asia yield,
Or curious Cobwebs of AEgyptian wit,
Plenties of Nylus, wealth of Macedone,
Which helpt not to raise up, but wain a Ihrone.

Hard by which Temple, Rome built up two more,
The one to Worth, the other unto Fame,
From Worth to Fame, there was an open door,
From Fame to Worth she did no passage frame;
The mind of which brave Nation was in this
To shew that Fame, but Vertue's shadow is.

Now, though it rarely be to be expected.
That all Kings perfect should, like Caesar, be,
Who in himself both Muse and Mars erected,
At least with Trajans ingenuity,
Let them that do in either branch excel,
Still, in the other, cherish doing well.

And as the Elephant, who not created
To swim, yet loves and haunts the waters shoar;
So let wise Pow'r in Mighty Empires stated,
Though boast they cannot in the Muses store,
Yet honor spirits of Parnassus free,
As knowing best what fits humanity.

Nor is the building of the Muses Cell
Pow'rs chief work, but to manage every spirit,
And frame each Science so to doing well,
As States and Men may multiply by merit;
All Arts prefer'd by odds of practick use,
The meer Contemplative scorn'd as abuse.

Chiefly this Cell-Art of the wrangling Monks,
Captiving both Mans Reason and his Sence,
In dreams of yesterday, wherewith these Trunks
Strive to corrupt Divine intelligence;
Their nominal and real Pedigrees
Being but descents of curious Vanities.

And hence it is, the acts of Peace and War
Never recorded here so bravely were,
As when these abstract wits liv'd not to mar,
By making their fond visions Characts bear,
Of these mens deeds, who, what by sword they wan,
By Pen as lively Registred to man.

For as that active Worth was then admir'd,
The effects it wrought being of large extent;
So in those times less actively inspir'd,
The stiles of that time seem Magnificent:
As if God made them Trumpets fit for Fame,
Who by their Deeds deserv'd to bear her name.

Meaning that when times iron days should blast
That Manly discipline of doing well,
The Art of Writing should no longer last;
Like Natures Twinns that must together dwell;
Doing and Writing being each to other,
As Bodies be of their own shadows Mother.

This was the Form, the Birth, the Education,
And Art of that Age, which did train her own,
To keep up great estates in reputation,
Making them stand, by Worth, as they had grown;
And drawing men from visions of abuse
To Arts, whereof both War and Peace find use.

In which account of objects still are, Life,
Speech, Manners, Scepter, Sphear, Earth, Shield, & Sea,
All Reasons Children, by the Sence his wife,
Fram'd to guide Nature in an active way;
Whether she would be rich, or serve her need;
Raising no Trophies for her, but by deed.

Now when of Monarchies the Mother seat
On these chief pillars thus shall setled be;
Then active Princes may grow rich, and great,
By striving under one self-policy,
Their Provinces divided to unite,
As worths addition unto native right.

Which union must all divers things attone
As Councils, Laws, Church, Commerce, Language Coin,
Degrees, and Forces, so that in the Throne,
As in one head, they may like Members joyn,
Intirely, without any reservation;
Which Union is, all else but Combination.

A State, like unto Coats with many seams,
Subject to all the rents of Time and Chance,
As floating high upon occasions streams,
Which one by harming others, doth advance,
The witty selfness of each humour hiding
That which in common traffick proves dividing.

Whereas that first and well united frame
With Head and Members joyned to one end,
Can bring forth nothing to divide the same,
Each in the whole to it self being friend,
Whereby no inward storm can easily rise,
Nor outward forces do it prejudice.

And though of these the Rights divided be,
Some into hands of People, some of Kings;
Yet must not Scepters by Transcendencie
Draw home their own Right with Imperial strings,
But by applause, to make up this new Chain,
Rather perswade the people then constrain.

More tenderly of force ought Thrones to deal
With those, where men prescribe by right or use,
For common liking must to common weal
Be wonne, or Man his profit will refuse,
And turn his waxen Mettal into Steel,
Which, harming others, self-harm cannot feel.

And when unto a true equality
All inequalities pow'r hath reduced,
Leaving her subjects no regality,
Lest divers minds should easily be seduced;
They that enjoy them, to restrain a Throne,
And they again to mutiny, that have none.

Then yet all wandring Titles of succession
Wise Princes must with Providence unite;
Else will these Crown-rights leave a deep impression,
That no set course can long continue right;
Since when the one line shall become extinct,
All Union built on that Base lies unlinckt.

Moreover, Realms of natural descent,
When they with those which Chance or Conquest win,
Shall be united in one government,
Then Scepters may more famous works begin;
Planting new Colonies in savage parts,
There to spread Wisdom, Pow'r, Laws, Worth, and Arts

Following, for guide of this establishment,
Either the common standard of Mans reason,
Or else the second light of government.
Which stories yield, and no time can disseason,
Drawn from those Monarcies which overran
In little time all this known world of Man.

Whose bent ambition still to conquer more,
Compell'd them wisely to dispose their own,
And by that discipline they us'd before,
Work nations conquer'd neer as soon as known,
To live in Order, and by Trade get wealth;
With equal justice, keeping both in health.

By which mild wisdome, they grew Lords of Fame,
As well as Crowns, and rather wanted Men
Then Stages, Means, or Models how to frame
Ruines, mishaps to better form again;
Building upon the Barbarous conquered,
The uttermost of ill, well governed.

See we not even among the brutish Nations,
If men to them transport Civility,
Those Colonies are dear in reputation,
And soon link't with them in affinity?
Their comings construed not to spoil, or take;
But as come from their dwellings for their sake.

So Athens with Jonian Colonies
Did people Asia; Lacedemon spread
Her Dorian Tribes thorough fertile Italy
And so by her that Euxine barbarous sea
Made hospitable is unto this day.

This the chief Pillar is of Policy,
That ever by the Romans was invented,
Envyless to uphold their Monarchy,
And make the stranger with their yoke contented;
Prodigal of Rome they to their neighbors were
Whereby her own womb did the Empire bear.

For by the long breath'd course it came to pass,
That all States did not onely stand in awe,
Of Rome as Mistriss; but all the whole world was
Link't unto her in Traffick, League, and Law;
And did so much adore the Romans Fame,
As they forsook their own to bear her Name.

Where, in this crafty worlds declining age,
Those large spread roots, are withered, or dead;
All spirits of Worth to present Pow'r engage,
And there so master'd, dull'd or measured,
As while men fear their litle toys to loose,
Worth they choose rather to suppress, then use.

From whence it is, that we find of erecting
Decay d Estates, or Colonies deriving,
Or proper Laws, the present time directing
Examples few; but many Princes striving
Through fear of change, and fatal hate of pains;
With publick loss to bring in private gains.

Which privatenefs forgets Times glory past,
And useth Time to come but to despise;
Her narrow ends being on the present plac'd,
And so in narrow selfness onely wise;
No undertaking Empire to extend,
To purchase Fame, or any Noble end.

But felfly to root out our Enemies,
Deface fair Monuments, spoil civil places,
Dispeople Realms of Men, and Earth, of Trees,
Spoiling, to varnish Tyrannies disgraces,
And bring the World to those days back again,
Where Pow'r did over Beasts, not People Raign.

Again, this Art of Tyrant Cittadel,
Not suffering free Citizens but slaves,
What is it, but a Council out of Hell,
Making the Princes Triumphs, Peoples graves?
And sorts it not well with the Sultans word,
Who vaunts, Grass grows not, where his horse hath stood?

This is the cause the Holy Prophet spake
And wrote, but of four Monarchies alone,
As if the rest, these Lights did rather take
To be on slaves a strict Dominion;
Not Empire but a crafty violence,
Whose Ruines never raise Magnificence.

For that indeed is no true Monarchy,
Which makes Kings more then Men, Men less then Beasts,
But that which works a perfect Unity,
Where Kings as heads, and Men as members rest,
With mutual ends like Twinns, each helping other,
In service of the Common-wealth, their Mother.

Thus unto Kings their Provinces remote
(Which oft else grudge at subaltern Subjection,)
May with good government be kept devote,
Men do ascribe so much unto Protection,
And oft adore most what they least do know,
Like specious things which far off fairest shew.

And as Mans heart, though in one place confin'd,
Yet to remote Limbs sends forth vital pow'rs,
With ease or disease to affect the mind,
According to her good or evil hours;
Whence sometimes Arms have of her Pulse more sence,
Then other Members less far off from thence,

Even so, that providence of Heavenly love,
Which holds the opposing Elements in awe,
Though in her Thronè advanced far above
The finite reach of any mortal Law,
Yet never rests confin'd to any seat
But by far spreading, proves her own pow'r great.

Therefore, since wisdom works both far and nigh,
As boundless, not restrain'd to time or place,
Ador'd when absent, honour'd in our Eye,
The more assiduous, still the more in grace;
Repressing Mans ambition with his fear,
A Ballance Kings must use, and People bear.

On these States, what true judgement can we lay
Which by the arts of crafty Tyranny,
So to their ends do peoples humours sway,
As Thrones rights grow a kind of mistery?
Whence Mahomet himself an Idol makes,
And draws Mankind to Mecha for his sake.

Thus did the Caliph of great Babilon,
In former times, bewitch the Barbarous nations,
With sight of rich Robes, fhadows of his Throne;
Reserv'd Magnificence gives such reputation,
Adding to arts of pow'r, which still seem more,
By making those souls less that must adore.

But to conclude, as Modern Tyranny
Hath not in any kind established
A State by peace unto prosperity
Of people, or of honor to the head;
But rather to the prejudice, or shame
Of both, like torrents, spread abroad ill name.

So against this, Pow'r absolute should strain
In their Estates to settle such a Péace,
As, People pleas'd; Kings might with pleasure Raign,
By making mens wealth to their use increase;
Which so will link all members to the head:
As Change shall there find all her movers dead.