Book II, Canto IV

From Wars wide breaches, whence his brave friends had
With Victory brought him, th' old Prince arriv'd
In safety, whilst fear punishes the bad
Rewards that Vertue, which his Cause reviv'd.
In which brave Act, Argalia's Merits met
With a reward that even desert out-grew,
Whilst him it the fair Princess Guardian set,
The root on which Loves fruit to ripeness grew.

THat too inferiour Branch, which strove to rise
With the Basillick to Anastomize;
Thus drain'd, the States Plethorick humours are
Reduc'd to Harmony; that blazing Star,
Which had been lifted by rebellious breath,
To's exaltation in the house of death;
Now lay opprest, which Victory compleat,
Leaving his Army, where before the seat
Oth' Rebels was, his entertainment by,
The welcome Harbenger of Victory,
Before prepared, the pleas'd Epirote goes
With an exalted joy to visit those,
His goodness (whilst unknown) reliev'd, where he
Such noble welcome finds, as not to be
Imagin'd, but by grateful Souls that know
The strength of Curtesie, when 'twould ore-flow
Those Merits, which whilst Love incites to praise
Our friends deserts, to Pyramids we raise,
The narrow Confines of Alcithius Wall,
Which kept them safe from dangers past, too smal
Grows for that present triumph, that blot out
All thoughts of grief, but what are spent about
Thansgiving for delivery, which they do
Perform in sports, whose choice delights might woo
Cold Anchorites from their sullen Cels, the Earth,
The Aire, the Sea, all in a plenteous birth,
Exhausted their rich Treasuries to pay
Tribute to their desires, which could time stay
Her Chariot wheels from hurrying down the Hill
Of feeble Nature, mans vain thoughts would fill
With subaltern delights, most highly priz'd,
Till the conclusion (death) hath annaliz'd
The doubtful Text, with what lets Mortals know
Their blooming joyes must drop to shades below.
That great eclipse of Glories rayes, within
Whose shades sad Corinth had benighted been:
Since like a widdowed Turth, first she sate
A Mourner for her wandring Princes fate;
Now like the dayes recoverd Rain breaks forth,
In fuller Luster; all excelling worth
That honour'd Vertue, or lov'd beauty plac'd
Her Ornaments, with their appearance grac'd
Those publick triumphs, she prepares to meet
The Princes in, in every splendid street;
The various pride of Persia strove t' out-vie
Rich English Wool, dipt in the Tyrrian Dye:
Each Shop shines bright, and every Merchant shews,
How little to domestick toyl he ows,
By the displaying beauteous Wardrobes, where
The worlds each part may justly claim a share,
Though what in all Arts stiff Contention lent
Most luster was the Windows Ornament,
Fair Constellations of bright Virgins, that
Like ful-blown Flowers, first to be wonderd at,
Display their beauties, but that past, with all
Tempt some kind hand to pluck them ere they fall.
Their entrance in this triumph made, whilst now
Each busie Artist is endeavouring how
To court their Fancies, times smal stock t'improve
The grave Epirote, whose designs toward Love;
Yet only by Ambition led, had made
His first approach so seeming retrograde,
By States nice Cautions; and what did presage
More ill the inequality of age,
That when Converse his Fancy Captive led,
His largest hopes on the thin Diet fed
Of a Paternal power, assisted by
Whose useful aid, with all the industry
Of cager Love, he stil augments that fire,
Which must consume, not satisfie desire.
But as occasion warn'd him to prevent
Unequal flames, he but few dayes had spent
In Loves Polemmicks, ere unpractic'd Art,
From this calm field, to wars more serious part
Is sadly summond, those large Conquests he
Had triumph'd in, whilst glorious Victory
Waited on's Sword, too spatious to be kept
Obedient whilst that glittering terrour slept,
In an unactive peace, disclaiming all
The harsh Injunctions of proud Victors, fall
Off from's obedience, and to justifie
Their bold revolt, to th' unsafe refuge flie,
Of a defensive power, to crush whose pride
With such a force, as an impeteous tyde
Assaults the shoars defence, he's forc'd to take
A march so sad as Souls, when they forsake
The wel-known Mansions of their bodies, to
Tread deaths uncertain paths, and there renew
Acquaintance with Eternity, perplext
To hear those new Combustions, but more vext
With Loves proud flames burning, in which wee'l leave
Him on his hasty Voyage, and receive
A smile from the fair Princess fate, which till
Enjoyment stifles strong desire, will fill
The tragick Scean no more, but with as sad
A progress to her hopes, as ever had
Poor Virgin to the Throne of Love, will frame
Those harsh Philacters, which in Cupids name,
She must obey, unless she will dispense
With sacred Vows, and Martyr Innocence.
These storms blown o're, and the Epirote gone,
Her Father, that till now had waited on
His Entertainment, with a serious eye,
Looks o're his Kingdomes wounds, and doth supply
Each part, which in this late unnatural War
Was grown defective, unto some that are
Not Lethargiz'd in Ill, he gently layes
Refreshing Mercies, sometimes danger stayes
From an approaching Gangren, by applying
Corroding threats, but unto those that flying
All remedies prescrib'd, had mortifi'd
Their Loyalty, stern Justice soon apply'd
The Sword of Amputation, which care past,
As 'twas his greatest, so becomes his last.
Pharonnida he places, where she might,
At once enjoy both safety and delight.
Her thoughts clear calm, too smooth for th' turbuler
And busie City, wants that sweet content
The private pleasures of the Country did
Afford her Youth, but late attempts forbid
All places far remote, which to supply,
He unto one directs his choice, that by
Its scituation did participate
Of all those rural privacies, yet sate
Cloathd in that flowry Mantle, in the view
Oth' Castle Wals, which as plac'd neer it to
Delight, not trouble, in ful bulk presents,
Her publick Buildings various Ornaments.
This beauteous Fabrick, where th' industrious hand
Of Art had Natures Midwife prov'd, did stand
Divided from the Continent, by th' wide
Armes of a spa•ious stream, whose wanton pride,
In Cataracts from th' Mountains broke, as glad
Of liberty to court the Valley, had
Curld his proud Waves, and stretcht them to inclose
That type of Paradice, whose Crown-top rose
From that clear Mirror, as the first light saw,
Fair Eden' mids the Springs of Havilah;
So fresh as if its verdant Garments had
Been in the first Creations beauties clad
Ere by mistaking of the fatal Tree,
That blooming type of blest Eternity,
Subjected was, by mans too easie Crime,
Unto the sick Vicissitudes of time.
Nor was she in domestick beauty, more
Then Prospect rich, the wandring eye past o're
A flowry Vale, smooth, as it had been spred
By Nature, for the Rivers fragrant Bed.
At th' opening of that lovely Angle met
The Cities Pride, as costlier Art had set
That Master-piece of Wit and Wealth, to shew
Unpollisht Natures pleasures were below
Her splendid beauties, and unfit to be
Lookt on, less in the Springs variety:
Though from the Palace where in prospect stood
All that nice Art, or plainer Nature wood;
If in Contention, shew to magnifie,
Their power did stand, yet now appeard to vie
Ehat Prospect, which the City lent, unless
Diverted from that civil Wilderness:
The pathless Woods, and ravenous Beasts within
Whose bulk were but the Metaphors for sin;
We turn to view the stately Hils, that fence
The other side oth' happy Isle, from whence
All that delight or profit could invent
For rural pleasures was for prospect sent.
As Nature strove for something uncouth in
So fair a dress, the struggling streams are seen,
With a loud murmure rowling 'mongst the high
And rugged clefts, one place presents the eye
With barren rudeness, whilst a neighbouring field
Sits cloathd in all the bounteous spring could yield,
Here lovely Landskips, where thou mightst behold,
When first the Infant Morning did unfold
The Dayes bright Curtains, in a spatious Green,
Which Natures curious Art had spread between
Two bushy Thickets, that on either hand,
Did like the Fringe of the fair Mantle stand,
A timerous herd of grasing Deer, and by
Them in a shady Grove, through which the eye
Could hardly pierce, a wel-built Lodge, from whence
The watchful Keepers careful diligence,
Secures their private walks, from hence to look
On a deep Valley, where a silver Brook,
Doth in a soft and busie murmure slide
Betwixt two Hils, whose shadows strove to hide
The liquid wealth, they were made fruitful by,
From ful discoveries of the distant eye.
Here from fair Country Farmes that had been
Built 'mongst those Woods, as places happy in
Their privacy, the first salutes of light,
Fair Country-Virgins meet, cleanly, and white,
As were their milky loads; so free from pride,
(Though truly fair) that justly they deride
Courts nice Contentions, and by freedome prove
More blest their Lives, more innocent their Loves.
Early as these appears within the field,
The painful Husbandman, whose Labour steeld
With fruitful hopes, in a deep study how
T' improve the Earth, follows his slow-pac'd Plow.
Neer unto these a Shepherd having took
On a green Bank, plac'd neer a purling Brook,
Protection from the Suns warm beams, within
A cool fresh shade, truly contented in
That Sollitude, is there endeavouring how
On's wel-tun'd Pipe, to smooth the furrowd brow
Of careful want, seeing not far from hence
His flock (the Emblems of his Innocence)
Where the more lofty Rock admits not these
Domestick pleasures, Nature there did please
Her self with wilder pastimes, on those Clifts
Whose rugged •eads the spatious Mountain lifts
To an unfruitful height, amongst a wild
Indomitable herd of Goats, the mild
And fearful Cony, with her busie feet,
Makes Warmth and Safety in one Angle mee•.
From this wild range, the eye contracted in
The Islands narrow bounds would think't had been
Ith' world before, but now were come to view
An Angel-guarded Paradice till to
A Pictures first rude Catagraph, the Art
Of an ingenious Pensil doth impart
Each Complement of skil, or as the Court
To the rude Country, as each Princely sport
That brisks the blood of Kings, to those which are
The gross-Soul'd Peasants rude delight, so far
These Objects differ, here wel-figur'd Nature
Had put in form, and to a goodly stature;
On whose large bulk more lasting Arts were spent,
Added the dress of choicest Ornament.
The stately Mount, whose artificial Crown,
The Palace was, to meet the Vale stole down
On soft descents, by labour forc'd into
A fliding Serpentine, whose winding Clew,
An easie, but a slow descent did give
Unto a purling stream, whose Spring did live,
When from the Hils cool Womb broke forth, within
A Grotto, whence before it did begin
To take its weeping farewel, into all
The various Forms restrictive Art could call,
Her Elemental Instruments unto
Obedience by it, Courts th' admiring view
Of pleas'd Spectators, here exalted by
Clear Aqueducts, in showers, it from those high
Supporters fals, now turnd into a thin
Vapour, in that Heavens painted Bow is seen;
Now it supplies the place of Aire, and to
A Quire of Birds gives breath, which all seemd flew
From thence for fear, when the same Element
With such a noise as Seas imprisond rent,
Including Rocks do roar, which rude sound done;
As noble Conqu'rors who the Battel won,
From the loud thunders of impeteous War,
To the calm fields of peaceful Mercies are
By manly pity led, so Proteus like,
Returnd from what did fear or wonder strike;
The liquid Nymph resuming her own shape,
Within a Marble square, a clear escape,
Till from her winding stream the River takes
Still fresh supplies, from that fair Fountain makes
Upon those Banks which guarded her descent,
Both for her Odour, and her Ornament,
Lillies, and fragrant Roses there were set;
To heighten whose perfume, the Violet
And maiden Primrose in their various dress,
Steal through that Moss, whose humble lowliness,
Preserve their beauties, whilst Aurora's rose
And that ambitious Flower that will disclose
The ful-blown beauties of her self to none,
Until the Sun mounts his Meridian Throne:
Like envied worth, together with the view
Of the Beholders, being expos'd unto
Each storms rough breath, in that Vicissitude,
Finds that their pride their danger doth include,
When scortcht with heat, or burthend with a shower,
From blooming beauty sinks the fading Flower;
Though here defended by a Grove that twin'd
[…] Imbraces, and with boughs combin'd,
Protects the […], which it ne're leaves,
Till thence the Vale its flowry wealth receives.
Plac'd as the nobler Faculty to this
Of vegitation, like an Emphasis,
Amongst the flowers of Rhetorick did stand
The gorgeous Palace, where Arts curious hand
Had to exceed example centerd in
One exact Model, what had scatterd been:
But as those Fragments which she now selects,
The glory of all former Architects,
Here did the beauties of those Temples shine,
Which Ephesu•, or sacred Pallastine,
Once boasted in, the Persian might from this
Take Paterns for his fam'd Pers•polis:
This, which had that fair Carian Widow known,
Mausolea's Tomb had ne're a Proverb grown,
But been esteemd, after her cost, by her
That did erect, a homely Sepulcher.
Though to describe this Fabrick, be as far
Above my Art, as imitations are
Beneath its worth, yet if thy Fancies eye
Would at its out-side glance, receive it by
This cloudy Medium; on a stately square,
Which powerful Art forc'd to a level, where
The Mountain highest rose, compast about
With a thick Grove, whose leavy Vail let out
Its beauties so, 'tis at a distance seen,
A silver Mount enameld o're with green;
The shining Palace stood, whose outward form
Though such, as if, built for perpetual storm.
Yet in that strength appeard but arm'd to be,
Beauties Protector, whose varietie
Though all met in an Artful gracefulness,
In every Square put on a several dress.
The sides whose large Balcones conveyd the Ey
To th' Filds wild Prospects, were supported by
A thousand Pillars, where in mixture shone
The Parian white and red Corinthian stone,
Supporting Frames, where in the like Art stood
Smooth Ivory mixt with India's swarthy wood:
All which with Gold, and purer Azure brought
From Persian Artists, in Mosaicks wrought:
The curious Eye into Meanders led,
Until diverted by a sight that bred
More real wonder, the rich Front wherein
By antick sculpture, all that ere had been
The various Acts of their preceding Kings,
So figur'd was, no weighty Mettal brings,
Ought to inhaunce its worth, Art did compose,
Each Emblem of such various Gems, all chose
Their several colours, under a Saphir Sky,
Here cheerful Emeraulds, chast Smaragdi ly;
A fresh green field, in which the armed Knights
Were all clad in heart-cheering Chrisolites,
With Rubies set, which to adorn them twist
Embraces with the temperate Amethyst:
For parts unarmd, here the fresh Onix stood,
And Sardias stone appeard like new-drawn blood.
The Proteus like Achates here was made,
For Swords fair Hilts, but for the glittering Blade,
(Since all of rich and pretious Gems was thus)
Compos'd, was shewn of flaming Piropus.
And least ought here that's excellent should want,
The Ladies Eyes were shining Adamant.
These glorious Figures large, as if that in
Each common Quar these glittering Jems had been
By sweaty Labourers dig'd, united by
Succesful Art unto the distant Ey;
Their mixt beams with such splendid Luster sent,
That Comets, with whose fall the Firmament,
Seems all on fire, amazes not the sight,
With such a full and sudden Flux of Light:
As Lines extended from their Center, hence
Unto the Islands clear circumference,
Four flowry Glades, whose odoriferous dress,
Tempted the weary to forgetfulness;
Cutting the Mountain, into Quadrants led,
Into the Valley, Pleasures humbler Bed;
Where come (if Natures stock can satisfie
The Fancy at the Fountains of the Eye)
'Twas here performd in all that did include,
What active mirth, or sacred sollitude,
Could happy call, Groves never seen by th' Eye
Oth' Universe, whose pleasing privacy,
Was more retir'd from treacherous light then those,
To hide from Heaven, Earths first Offender chose.
When Contemplation the kind Mother to,
All thoughts that ere in sacred rapture flew
Toward Celestial Bowers, had here refin'd
The yet imperfect Embrioes of the mind;
To recreate contracted Spirits by,
The Souls best Med'cine, fresh variety;
An easie walk conducts them unto all
That active Sports did ere convenient call.
All which, like a fair Theater by th' Bank
Oth' River verg'd, was guarded by a Rank
Of ancient Elms, whose lofty Trunks embrac'd,
By clasping Vines, with various colours grac'd
Their spreding branches, whose proud brows being crownd
With stately Walks, did from that ample round,
The wel-pleas'd Eye to every place convay,
That in the Islands humble level lay.
To guard her Court, a hundred Gentlemen,
Such as had glorifi'd their Valour, when
Tryed in her Fathers Wars attended, which
Commanded by Argalia, did enrich
His Merit with such fair reward, that all
His better Stars, should they a Synod call;
Those fires conven'd nere with more glorious Light,
Could cloath his hopes, his Fortunes dim-ey'd Night,
Inflam'd to Noon, and the fai• Princess blest
By the same power; for though his Fate invest
His noble Soul within the obscure Mask
Of an unknown descent, his Fame shall ask
In time to come a Chronicle, and be
The Glory of that royal Family,
From whence he sprung: but ere he must attain
The top of Fortunes Wheel, that Iron Chain,
By whose linkt strength it turns, too oft will grate
Him with most hot Afflictions, his wise Fate
Digs deep with Miseries, before it layes
The ground-fork of his Fame, which then shall raise
On the firm Basis of Authentick story,
To him eternal Pyramids of Glory.
Thou that art skil'd in Loves Polemmicks here,
Wish they may rest awhile, and though drawn neer
A sadder Fate, if pity sayes to rath,
'Tis to let sorrow sad the Scean, wee'l bath
Our Pen awhile in Nectar, though we then
Steep it in Gall again; the Spring did, when
The Princess first did with her presence grace
This house of pleasure, with soft Armes embrace
The Earth his lovely Mistress, clad in all
The painted Robes, the Mornings Dew let falls
Upon her Virgin Bosome; the soft breath
Of Zephirus sung calm Anthems at the death
Of Palsie-shaken Winter, whose large Grave
The Earth, whilst they in fruitful tears did leave,
Their pious grief turnd into smiles, they throw
Over the Herse a Vail of Flowers, the low
And pregnant Valleys sweld with fruit, whilst Heaven
Smil'd on each blessing its faire hand had given.
Be-calmd on this paciffick Sea of pleasure,
No boisterous Wave appearing, the rich treasure
Of Love, being ballast with Content, did fear
No threatning storm, so safe a Harbour neer,
As th' Object whence it sprung: such royal sports
As take their birth from the triumphant Courts
Of happy Princes, did contract the day
To pitied beauty, time steals away
On downy feet, whose loss since it bereaves
Them of no more then what new birth receives,
From the next teeming day, by none is thought
Worth the lamenting; sometimes rockt in the soft
Armes of the calmest pleasures, they behold,
A sprightly Comedy, the sins unfold
Of more corrupted times, then in its high
Cothurnal Sceans, a lofty Tragedy
Erects their […], and doth at once invite
To various Passions, So••ow and Delight.
Time (Motions aged […]) includes
Not more in all the […],
Then their oft changing […]
When the Suns lofty pride […]
The Earths imbroiderd Robes, […]
And palsie hand did those fresh […]
Up in her hoary Plush, each Seas•• […]
Delights of 'ts own, such a beguil'd […]
Its stock of hours unwasted on, in chast,
Though private sports, here happy Lovers […]
Fancie's fresh Youth, whose first attempts did pro••
Too innocent for th' Sophistry of Love;
There scornful beauty, or the envious eye
Of jealous Rivals nere afflicts, all by
An equal and a noble height so blest,
Pride none had rais'd, nor poverty deprest.