the fhops of chaundry and fight wares are fa- I made your own profpect; and travel now like the miliary open, but thofe of folid and staple mer- fun, not to inform yourself, but enlighten the chandife are proudly locked up. world.

Nor indeed can it be expected that all great And likewife, when by the strict furvey and doctors are of fo benign a nature, as to take pains in government that hath been had over this poem, I gaining treasure (of which knowledge is the great-hall think to govern the reader, (who though he eft) with intent to enrich others, fo eafily, as if be noble, may perhaps judge of fupreme power they stood every where with their pockets fpread, like a very commoner, and rather approve authoand ready to be picked; nor can we read of any rity, when it is in many, than in one) I muft acfather, who fo far and fecretly adopted his fon to quaint him, that you had not alone the trouble of a book of his own writing, as that his fon might eftablishing and destroying, but enjoyed your inbe thought author of that written wit, as much tervals and ease by two colleagues; two that are as his father was author of him; nor of any huf-worthy to follow you into the closets of princes, band that to his darling wife would fo far furren- if the knowledge of men paft, (of whom books der his wildom, as that in public he could endure are the remaining minds) or of the prefent (of to let her ule his dictates, as if he would have whom converfation is the useful and lawful spy) others think her wifer than himself. By this re- may make up fuch greatnefs, as is fit for great membrance of that ufual parfimony in owners of wit, courts; or if the rays that proceed from poetry towards fuch as would make ufe of their plenty, I be not a little too strong for the fight of modern lament the fortune of others, and may with the princes; who now are too feldom taught in their reader to congratulate mine; for I have found youth, like eaglets to fortify their eyes, by often friends as ready as books to regulate my concep- foaring near the fun. And though this be here but my tions, or make them more correct, eafy, and ap- teftimony, it is too late for any of you to difclaim parent. But though I am become fo wife, by it; for fince you have made it valid by giving knowing myself, as to believe, the thoughts of di- yours of Gondibert under your hands, you must yers tranfcend the best which I have written; yet be content to be ufed by me, as princes are by I have admitted from no man any change of my their preferred fubjects; who, in the very act of defign, nor very seldom of my fenfe; for I refolved taking honour, return it to the giver; as benefits to have this poem fubfiit and continue throughout received by the creature, manifeft the power, and with the fame complexion and spirit, though it redound to the glory of the Creator. appear but like a plain family, of a neighbouring alliance, who marry into the fame moderate quality and garb, and are fearful of introducing ftrangers of greater rank, left the fhining prefence of Juch, might feem to upbraid, and put all about them out of countenance.

I am now, Sir, (to your great comfort, that have been thus ill and long diverted) arrived at my laft confideration, which is to fatisfy thofe who may inquire why I have taken fo much pains to become an author? Or, why any man stays fo long sweating at invention, when most readers have fo imperfect ftomachs, as they either devour books with over hafty digeftion, or grow to lothe then from a furfeit. And why I more efpecially made my talk an heroic poem? I fhail involve the two firit queftions in one; as fubmitting to be concerned amongst the generality of writers, whofe enemies being many, and now mine, we must join forces to oppose them.

And now, Sir, that the reader may (whom writers are fain to court, draw in, and keep with artifice, fo thy men grow of books) believe me worthy of him, I cannot forbear to thank you in public, for examining, correcting, and allowing this poem in parcels, ere it arrived at the contexture, by which you have performed the juft degrees of proceeding with poets; who, during the gaiety and wantonnefs of the mufe, are but as Men are chiefly provoked to the toil of compilchildren to philofophers (though of fome giant ing books, by love of fame, and often by offici race) whofe first thoughts (wild and roaming far oufness of confcience, but feldom with expectation off) must be brought home, watched, and interro- of riches; for those that spend time in writing to ingated, and after they are made more regular, be struct others, may find leifure to inform them. encouraged and praifed for doing well, that they felves, how mean the provifions are which buty may delight in aiming at perfection. By fuch a and ftudious minds can make for their own fedenmethod the mufe is taught to become mistress of tary bodies: and learned men (to whom the reft her own and others ftrength: and who is he fo of the world are but infants) have the fame fool. learned (how proud foever with being cherished ifh affection in nourishing others minds, as peliin the bofom of fame) that can hope, when cans in feeding their young; which is, at the exthrough the feveral ways of science, he feeks na- pence of the very fubfiftence of life. It is then ture in her hidden walks, to make his journey fhort, apparent they proceed by the inftigation of fame unless he call you to be his guide; and who fo or confcience; and I believe many are perfuaded guided can fufpect his fafety, even when he tra- by the firit (of which I am one) and fome are comvels through the enemy's country? for fuch is the manded by the fecond. Nor is the defire of fame vast field of learning, where the learned (though fo vain as divers have rigidly imagined; fame benot numerous enough to be an army) lie as falling (when belonging to the living) that which is parties, maliciously in ambush, to destroy all new inen that look into their quarters. And from fuch, you and thofe you lead, are fecure; because you move not by common maps, but bave painfully

more gravely called a steady and neceffary repu. tation; and without it, hereditary power, or acquired greatnefs can never quietly govern the world. It is of the dead a mufical glory, in which God, 3. C iij.

the author of excellent goodness, vouchfafes to take a continual fhare; for the remembered virtues of great men are chiefly fuch of his works (mentioned by King David) as perpetually praife him; and the good fame of the dead prevails by example much more than the reputation of the living, because the latter is always fufpected by our envy, but the other is cheerfully allowed, and religiously admired; for admiration (whofe eyes are ever weak) ftand ftill, and gaze upon great things acted far off; but when they are near, walks flightly away as from familiar objects. Fame is to our fons a folid inheritance, and not unuseful to remote pofterity; and to our reafon it is the first, though but a little taste of eternity. Those that write by the command of confcience (thinking themselves able to inftruct others, and confequently obliged to it) grow commonly the most voluminous; because the preffures of conscience are so inceffant, that the is never fatisfied with doing enough: for fuch as be newly made the captives of God (many appearing fo to themfelves, when they first begin to wear the fetters of confcience) are like common flaves when newly taken; who, terrified with a fancy of the feverity of abfolute masters, abuse their diligence out of fear, and do ill rather than appear idle. And this may be the caufe why libraries are more than double lined with fpiritual books, or tracts of morality; the latter being the fpiritual counfels of laymen; and the newest of fuch great volumes (being ufually but transcriptions or tranflations) differ fo much from the ancients, as later days from thofe of old, which difference is no more than an alteration of names, by removng the Ethnics to make way for the Saints. Thefe are the effects of their labours, who are provoked to become authors merely out of confcience; and confcience we may again aver to be often fo unfkilful and timorous, that it seldom gives a wife and steady account of God, but grows jealous of him as an adversary, and is after melancholy vifions like a fearful fcout after he hath ill furveyed the enemy, who then makes incongruous, long, and terrible tales.

liberty for finging the tragedies of Euripides: that Thebes was faved from deftruction by the victor's reverence to the memory of Pindar: that the elder Scipio, (who governed all the civil world) lay continually in the bofom of Ennius: that the great Numantin and Lælius (no less renowned) were openly proud, when the Romans believed they aflifted Terence in his comedies: that Auguftus (to whom the mysteries of univerfal empire were more familiar than domeftic dominion to modern kings) made Virgil the partner of his joys, and would have divided his bufinefs with Horace and that Lucan was the fear and envy of Nero. If we approach nearer our own times, we may add the triumphal entry which the Papacy gave to Petrarch: and how much Taffo is still the glory and delight of Italy.

But as in this hafty mufter of poets, and lifting their confederates, I fhall, by omitting many, deptive them of that which is due from fame; fo I may now by the opinion of fome divines, (whom, notwithstanding, I will reverence in all their dif tinct habits and fafhions of the mind) be held partial and too bold, by adding to the first number, (though I range them upon holy ground, and afide) Mofes, David, and Solomon, for their fongs, pfalms, and anthems; the fecond being the acknowledged favourite of God, whom he had gained by excellent praifes in facred poefy. And I fear (fince poefy is the clearest light by which they find the foul who feek it), that poets have in their fluent kindness, diverted from the right ufe, and spent too much of that spiritual talent in the honour of mortal princes: for divine praise (when in the high perfection as in poets, and only in them) is fo much the uttermoft and whole of religious worship, that all other parts of devotion ferve but to make it up.

For pray'r the ocean is, where diversely

Men fteer their course, each to a sev'ral coaft;
Where all our int'refts fo difcordant be,
That half beg winds by which the rest are lost

XCI.

By penitence when we ourselves forfake,

'Tis but in wife defign on piteous heav'n; In praise we nobly give what God may take, And are without a beggar's blufh forgiven.. Its utmost force, like powder's is unknown;

XCII.

Having confeffed that the defire of fame made me a writer, I muft declare, why in my riper age I chose to gain it more efpecially by an heroical poem; and the Heroic being by moft allowed to be the most beautiful of poems, I fhall not need to decide the quarrels of poets about the degrees of excellence in poefy: but it is not amifs ere I avow the usefulness of the fcience in general (which was the cause of my undertaking), to remember the value it had from the greatest and most worthy fpirits in all ages: for I will not abftain (though it may give me the reputation but of common reading) to mention, that Pififtratus, (though a tyrant) lived with the praife, and died with the bleffing of all Greece, for gathering the scattered limbs of Homer's works into a body; and that After this contemplation, how acceptable the great Alexander, by publicly converfing with it, voice of poefy hath been to God, we may (by deattained the univerfal opinion of wit; the fame fcending from heaven to earth), confider how ufeof fuch inward forces conducing as much to his ful it is to men; and among men divines are the conquefts, as his armies abroad: that the Athe-chief, because ordained to temper the rage of hunian prifoners were thought worthy of life and man power by spiritual menaces, as by fudden and

And tho' weak kings excess of praise may fear, Yet when 'tis here, like powder dang'rous grown, Heav'ns vault receives what would the palace

tear.

facred days they walk gravely and fadly from temples, as if they had newly buried their finful fathers; at night, fleep as if they never needed forgiveness, and rife with the next fun, to lie in wait for the noble and the studious. And though these quiet cozeners are amongst the people esteem

and more active parts of fuch difobedient fpirits, as difdaining thus tamely to deceive, attempt bravely to rob the ftate; and the ftate, they be-lieve (though the helm were held by apostles) would always confift of fuch arch-robbers, as whoever ftrips them, but waves the tedious fatisfaction which the lazy expect from laws, and comes a fhorter way to his own.

ftrange threatenings, madness is frighted into reafon; and they are fent hither as liegers from God, to conferve in stedfait motion the flippery joints of government, and to persuade an amity in divided nations: therefore to divines i firft address myself; and prefume to ask them, why, ever fince their dominion was first allowed at the great change of reli-ed their steady men, yet they honour the courage gions (though ours more than any inculcates obedience, as an eafy medicine to cool the impatient and raging world into a quiet rest), mankind hath been more unruly than before? it being vifible that empire decreased with the increase of Chrif tianity; and that one weak prince did anciently fuffice to govern many ftrong nations: but now one little province is too hard for their own wife king; and a fmall republic hath seventy years maintained their revolt to the difquiet of many monarchs. Or, if divines reply, we cannot expect the good effects of their office, because their fpiritual dominion is not allowed as abfolute; then it may be asked them more feverely, Why it is not allowed for wherever there hath been great degrees of power (which have been often and long in the church) it discovers (though worldly viciffitude be objected as an excule) that the managers of such power, fince they endeavoured not to enlarge it, believed the increase unrighteous; or were in acting or contriving that endeavour, either negligent or weak: for power, like the hafty vine, climbs up apace to the fupporter; but if not skilfully attended and dreffed, inftead of spreading and bearing fruit, grows high and naked; and then (like empty title) being ioon useless to others, becomes neglected and unable to fupporting the dominion of poefy, a willing peaceful obeitself.

But if divines have failed in governing princes (that is, of being entirely belie ed by them), yet they might have obliquely ruled them, in ruling the people, by whom, of late, princes have been governed; and they might probably rule the people, because the heads of the church (wherever Christianity is preached) are tetrarchs of time, of which they command the fourth divifion; for to no leís the Sabbaths, and days of faints amount; and during those days of fpiritual triumph, pulpits are thrones, and the people obliged to open their ears, and let in the ordinances and commands of preachers, who likewife are not without fome little regency throughout the rest of the year; for then they may converfe with the laity, from whom they have commonly fuch respect (and respect foon opens the door to perfuafion), as fhows their congregations not deaf in thofe ho ly feafons, when speaking predominates.

Thus unapt for obedience (in the condition of beafts, whofe appetite is liberty, and their liberty a licence of luft), the people have often been, fince a long and notorious power hath continued with divines, whom, though with reverence we accufe for mistaken lenity, yet are we not fo cruel to expect they should behave themfelves to finners like fierce Phineas, or preach with their fwords drawn, to kill all they cannot perfuade; but our meaning is to fhow, how much their Christian meeknefs hath deceived them in taming this wild monfter the people, and a little to re. buke them for neglecting the affiftance of poets, and for upbraiding the Ethnics, because the poets managed their religion, as if religion could walk more profperously abroad, than when morality (respectfully, and bare-headed as her ufher) prepares the way; it being no lefs true, that dur

dience to fuperiors becalmed the world, than that obedience, like the marriage yoke, though a restraint more needful and advantageous than li-' berty, and hath the fame reward of pleasant quietness, which it anciently had, when Adam, till his difobedience, enjoyed Paradise. Such are the effects of facred poefy, which charms the people with harmonious precepts, and whose aid divines fhould not difdam, fince their Lord (the Saviour of the world) vouchsafed to deliver his doc trine in parabolical fictions.

Thofe that be of next importance are leaders of armies, and fuch I measure not by the fuffrages of the people, who give them refpect as Indians worship the evil fpirit, rather for fear of harm than for affection, but esteem them as the painful protectors and enlargers of empire, by whom it actively moves; and fuch active motion of empire is as neceflary as the motion of the fea, where all things would putrify and infect one another, if the element were quiet; fo it is with mens mind's on fhore, when that element of greatness and honour, empire, ftands ftill, of which the largeness is likew:fe as needful as the vastness of the sea ; for God ordained not huge empire as proportionable to the bodies, but to the minds of men; and the minds of men are more monstrous, and re

But notwithstanding thefe advantages, the pulpit hath little prevailed; for the world is in all regions reverfed, or thaken by difobedience, an engine with which the great angels (for fuch were the devils, and had faculties much more fublimed than men) believed they could diforder Heaven And it is not want of capacity in the lower auditory that makes doctrine fo unfuccefs-quire more space for agitation and the hunting of ful; for the people are not fimple, fince the gentry (even of ftrongest education) lack fufficient defence against them, and are hourly furprifed in (their common ambushes) their shops: For on

others, than the bodies of whales. But he that believes men fuch moderate sheep, as that many are peacefully contained in a narrow fold, may be better informed in America, where little king 3 C iiij

776

never enjoy a harmless neighbourhood, unless protected defenfively amongst themselves, by an emperor that hath wide poffeffions, and priority over them (as in fome few places); but when reftrained in narrow dominion, where nobody commands and hinders their nature, they quarrel like cocks in a pit, and the fun in a day's travel there, fees more battles (but not of consequence, becaufe their kings, though many, are little) than in Europe in a year.

To leaders of armies, as to very neceffary men (whofe office requires the uttermoft aids of alt and nature, and refcues the fword of justice, when it is wrefted from fupreme power by commotion), I now addrefs myself, and muft put them in mind (though not upbraidingly) how much their mighty predeceflors were anciently obliged to poets, whofe fongs (recording the praifes of conduct and valour) were esteemed the chiefest rewards of victory; and fince nature hath made us prone to imitation (by which we equal the best or the work) how much thofe images of action prevail upon our minds, which are delightfully drawn by poets; for the greateft of the Grecian captains have confeffed that their counfels have been made wife, and their courages warm by Homer; and fince praise is a pleasure which God hath invited, and with which he often vouchfafed to be pleafed when it was fent him by his own poet; why is it not lawful for virtuous men to be cherished and magnified with hearing their vigilance, valour, and good fortune (the latter being more the immediate gift of heaven, because the effect of an unknown cause) commended and made eternal in poefy? But perhaps the art of praifing armies into great and instant action, by fiaging their former deeds (an art with which the ancients made empire to large) is too fubtle for modern leaders, who as they cannot reach the heights of poefy, must be content with a narrow space of dominion, and narrow dominion breeds evil, peevish, and vexatious minds and a national felf opinion, like fimple Jewish arrogance; and the Jews were extraordinary proud in a very little country, for men in contracted governments are but a kind of prifoners, and prifoners by long restraint grow wicked, malicious to all abroad, and foolish efteemers of themselves, as if they had wrong in not enjoying every thing which they can only fee qut of windows.

Our last application is to ftatesmen and makers of laws, who may be reasonably reduced to one, fince the fecond differ no more from the first than Judges (the copies of law-makers), differ from their originals; for judges, like all bold interpreters, by often altering the text, make it quite new; and itateimen (who differ not from law-makers in the act, but in the manner of doing), make new Laws prefumptuously without the confent of the people, but legiflators more civilly feem to while to the beaft, and ftroak him into the yoke; and in the yoke of ftate the people (with too much pampering), grow foon untuly and draw awry; yet itatefmen and judges (whose bulinefs is governing, and the thing to be governed is the people), have amongst us (we being more proud and mil

taken than any other famous nation), looked gravely upon poetry, and with a negligence that betrayed a northerly ignorance, as if they believed they could perform their work without it. But poets (who with wife diligence study the people, governed their manners), may july fmile when and have in all ages, by an infenfible influence, they perceive that divines, leaders of armies, ftateimen, and judges, think religion, the fword, or (which is unwritten law, and a fecret confede racy of chiefs), policy, or law, (which is written, help of the mules, a long and quiet fatista on in but feldom rightly read), can give without the government; for religion is to the wicked and faithlefs (who are many), a jurifdiction against which they readily rebel, becaufe it rules feverely, yet promifeth no worldly recompence for obedience, obedience being by every humane power invited, with affurances of visible advantage. The good (who are but few), need not the power of religion to make them better, the power of religion proceeding from her threatenings, which, though mean weapons, are fitly used, fince the hath none but bale enemies. We may obferve too, that all virtuous men are fo taken up with the world; and no government receives affistance the rewards of Heaven, that they live as if out of from any man merely as he is good, but as that goodness is active in temporal things.

The fword is in the hand of justice no guard to
for her own defence; and armies, if they were
government, but then when justice hath an army
wealths like kings physicians to poor patients, who
not pervertible by faction, yet are to common-
buy the cure of their difordered bodies at fo high
a rate, that they may be faid to change their fick-
of the dead, the one being the last rules or designs
nels for famine. Policy (I mean of the living, not
governing the inftant, the other thofe laws that
began empire), is as mortal as statesmen them-
felves, whofe inceffant labours make that hectic
fever of the mind which infenfibly dispatches the
body; and when we trace statesmen through all
unneceflary to thofe that fucceed at the helm, or
the hiftories of courts, we find their inventions fo
fo much envied as they scarce laft in authority till
the inventors are buried; and change of defigns in
which states are defended), grows as destructive
statesmen (their defigns being the weapons by
weapons is to armies, which must receive with
to government as a continual change of various
ruin any fudden affault, when want of practice
ambition of statelinen (who are obnoxious to the
makes unactiveness. We cannot urge that the
people), doth much diforder government, because
the people's anger, by a perpetual coming in of
new oppreffors, is fo diverted in confidering thofe
whom their eyes but lately left, as they have not
time enough to rife for the public; and evil fuc-
ceffers to power are in the troubled stream of ftate,
the former is hidden by the filth of the laft.
like fucceeding tides in rivers, where the mud of

difficult as letters on buried marble, which only
Laws, if very ancient, grow as doubtful and
antiquaries read; but if not old, they want that
reverence which is therefore paid to the virtues of

ancestors, because their crimes come not to our | ing to appease it by perfuaflon, forgetting that remembrance; and yet great men must be long the difpatchful end of war is blows, and that the dead whofe ills are forgotten. If laws be new, they natural region for difputes when nations are enmuft either be made by very angels, or by men that gaged (though by religion) is the field of battle, have tome vices; and those being feen make their not fchools and academies, which they believe (by virtues fufpected; for the people no more esteem their reftless controverfies) lefs civil than camps, able men, whofe defects they know (though but as inteftine quarrel is held more barbarous than foerrors incident to humanity), than an enemy va- reign war. They think ftatesmen to them (unlues a strong army having experience of their er- lefs dignified with military office) but mean fpies, rors. And new laws are held but the projects of that like African foxes (who attend on lions, rangneceffitous power, new nets fpread to entangle ing before and about for their valiant prey) us, the old being accounted too many, fince most fhrink back till the danger be fubdued, and then are believed to be made for forfeitures; and fuch with infatiate hunger come in for a fhare: yet letting of blood (though intended by law-makers fometimes with the eye of envy (which enlarges for our health), is to the people always out of fea-objects like a multiplying glass) they behold thefe fon; for thofe that love life with too much paffion ftatesmen, and think them immenfe as whales; (and money is the life-blood of the people), ever the motion of whose vait bodies can in a peaceful fear a confumption. But be law-makers as able calm trouble the ocean till it boil; after a little as mature er experience (which is the best art), hafty wonder, they confider them again with dif can make them, yet, though I will not yield the dain of their low conttraints at court, where they wicked to be wifer than the virtuous, I may fay, muft patiently endure the little follies of fuch offences are too hard for the laws, as fome beafts fmall favourites, as wait even near the wifeft are too wylie for their hunters, and that vice over- thrones; fo fantastically weak feem monarchs in grows virtue, as much as weeds grow faster than the fickness of care, (a fever in the head) when medicinal herbs; or rather that fin, like the fruit- for the humorous pleafures of diverfity, they deful flime of Nilus, doth increase into fo many vafcend from purple beds and feek their eafe upon rious fhapes of ferpents (whofe walks and retreats the ground. These great leaders fay alfo, that law are winding and unknown), that even justice (the moves lowly as with fettered feet, and is too tepainful puriuer of mischief), is become weary, and dious in redress of wrongs, whilft in armies juftice amazed. feems to ride poft, and overtakes offenders ere the contagion of crimes can infect others; and though in courts and cities great men fence often with her, and with a forcive flight put by her sword; yet when the retires to camps, she is in a pofture not only to punish the offences of particular greatnefs, but of injurious nations.

After thefe meditations, methinks government refembles a fhip, where, though divines, leaders of armies, ftatesmen, and judges are the trufted pilots, yet it moves by the means of winds as uncertain as the breath of opinion, and is laden with the people, a freight much loofer and more dangerous than any other living ftowage, being as troublesome in fair Statesmen look on divines, as men whofe long weather as horfes in a storm. And how can thefe folitude and meditations on heaven hath made pilots feadily maintain their courfe to the land of them ftrangers upon earth, and it is acquaintance peace and plenty, fince they are often divided at with the world and knowledge of man, that makes the helm? For divines (when they confider great abilities of ruling: for though it may be faid that chiefs), fuppofe armies to be fent from God for a a fufficient belief of doctrine would beget obctemporary plague, not for continual jurifdiction; dience, (which is the uttermoft defign of governand that God's extreme punishments (of which ing) yet fince diversity of doctrine doth distract armies be the most violent), are ordained to have all auditors, and make them doubtfully difpofe no more laftingness than the extremes in nature. their obedience, (even towards fpiritual powers, They think (when they confider statesmen), poon which many would have the temporal depend) licy hath nothing of the dove, and being all fertherefore ftatefmen think themselves more fit to pent, is more dangerous than the dangers it pre- manage empire than divines, whose usefulness contends to prevent; and that out-witting (by falfe-fifts in perfuafion, and perfuafion is the last medihood and corruption), adverse states or the people, (though the people be often the greater enemy, and more perilfome being neareft) is but giving reputation to fin, and that to maintain the public by politic evils, is a bafe proftitution of religion; and the prostitution of religion is that unpardonable whoredom which fo much angered the prophets. They think law nothing but the Bible forcibly ufurped by covetous lawyers, and disguised in a paraphrafe more obfcure than the text; and that it is only want of juft reverence to religion, which doth expofe us to the charges and vexations of law.

The leaders of armies accufe divines, for unwifely raifing the war of the world by oppofite doctrine, and for being more indifcreet in think

cine (being the most defperate) which statesmen apply to the distemper of the people: for their ditemper is madness, and madness is best cured with terror and force. They think that leaders of armies are to great empire as great rivers to the continent, which make an eafy accefs of fuch benefits as the metropolis (the feat of power) would elfe at vaft distances with difficulty reach: yet often like proud rivers when they fwell, they de ftroy more by once overflowing their borders at home, than they have in long time acquired from abroad; they are to little empire like the fea to low islands, by nature a defence from foreigners, but by accident when they rage, a deluge to their own land; and at all feafons ftatefmen believe them more dangerous to government than them