Fish burn in seas; beasts, birds thy weapons prove; By thee dead elements and heav'ns move; Which void of sense itself, yet are not void of love.

V.

But those twin Loves, which from thy seas of light
To us on Earth derive their lesser streams,
Though in their force they shew thy wondrous might,
On thee reflecting back their glorious beams;
Yet here encounter'd with so mighty foe,

Had need both arm'd and surely guarded go :
But most thy help they need; do not thy help foreslow.
VI.

Next to the younger Love, Irenus* went,
Whose hoary head proclaim'd his winter age!
His spring in many battles had he spent ;
But now all weapons chang'd for counsel sage.
His heavy sword (the witness of his might)
Upon a loped tree he idly pight;

There hid in quiet sheath, sleeps it in endless night.
VII.

Patience his shield had lent to ward his breast,
Whose golden plain three olive branches dress:
The word in letters large was fair express'd,
Thrice happy author of a happy peace,'
Rich plenty yields him pow'r, pow'r stores his will
Will ends in works, good works his treasures fill:
Earth's slave+ Heav'n's heir heis;-as God, pays good for ill.

.VIII.

By him Andreost pac'd, of middle age,

His mind as far from rashness, as from fears; Hating base thoughts, as much as desp'rate rage : The world's loud thund'rings he unshaken hears :

* Peaceableness.

+ Matt. v. 9.
U

Fortitude.

Nor will he death or life, or seek or fly,.
Ready for both. He is as cowardly
Who longer fears to live, as he who fears to die.
IX.

Worst was his civil war, where deadly fought

He with himself, till passion yields or dies :
All heart and hand, no tongue; not grim,, but stout :
His warmth had counsel in't; his fury, eyes;

His rage well temper'd is: no fear can daunt
His reason; but cold blood is valiant :

Well may he strength in death; but never courage want.
X.

But like a mighty rock, whose unmov'd sides

The hostile sea assaults with furious wave,

And 'gainst his head the boist'rous north-wind rides;
Both fight, and storm, and swell, and roar, and rave;
Hoarse surges drum, loud blasts their trumpets strain;
Th' heroic cliff laughs at their frustrate pain;

Waves scatter'd, drop in tears, winds broken, whining plain*.
XI.

Such was this knight's undaunted constancy;

No mischief weakens his resolved mind:

None fiercer to a stubborn enemy;

But to the yielding none more sweetly kind.

His shield an even ballast ship embraves,

Which dances light, while Neptune wildly raves: His word was this, I fear but Heav'n, nor winds nor waves.'

XII.

And next Macrothumust, whose quiet face
No cloud of passion ever shadowed;
Nor could hot anger reason's rule displace,
Purpling the scarlet cheek with fiery red :
Long-suffering.

* i. c complain.

Nor could revenge, clad in a deadly white,
With hidden malice eat his vexed sprite.

For ill, he good repay'd, and love exchang'd for spite.
XIII.

Was never yet a more undaunted spirit ;

Yet, most him deem'd a base and tim'rous swain;
But he well weighing his own strength and merit,
The greatest wrong could wisely entertain.
Nothing resisted his commanding spear:
Yielding itself to him a winning were:

And though he died, yet dead, he rose a conqueror.
XIV.

His nat❜ral force beyond all nature stretched :
Most strong he is, because he will be weak:
And happy most, because he can be wretched.
Then whole and sound, when he himself doth break;
Rejoicing most, when most he is tormented:

In greatest discontents he rests contented:
By conquering himself, all conquests he prevented.
XV.

His rocky arms of massy adament,

Safely could back rebut the hardest blade;
His skin itself could any weapon daunt,

Of such strange mould and temper was he made:
Upon his shield a palm-tree still increas'd,

Though many weights its rising arms depress'd: His word was Rising most, by being most oppress'd.'

XVI.

Next him Androphilus*, whose sweetest mind

"Twixt mildness temper'd, and low courtesy,

Could cease as soon to be, as not be kind :
Churlish despite ne'er look'd from his calm eye,

* Gentleness, or courtesy.

Much less commanded in his gentle heart:
To basest men fair looks he would impart ;
Nor could he cloak ill thoughts in complimental art,
XVII.

His enemies knew not how to discommend him ;
All others dearly lov'd ; fell ranc'rous Spite,
And vile Detraction fain would reprehend him ;
And oft in vain his name they closely bite,
As popular, and flatterer accusing :

But he such slavish office much refusing,

Can eas❜ly quit his name from their false tongues abusing,* XVIII.

His arms were fram'd into a glitt'ring night,

Whose sable gown with stars all spangled wide, Afford the weary traveller cheerful light,

And to his home his erring footsteps guide:

Upon his ancient shield the workmen fine

Had drawn the Sun, whose eye did ne'er repine To look on good and ill: his word, To all I shine.' XIX.

Fair Virtue, where stay'st thou in poor exile,

Leaving the court from whence thou took'st thy name?

While in thy place is stept disdaining vile,

And flattery, base son of need and shame;

And with them surly scorn, and hateful pride;
Whose artificial face false colours dy'd,

Which more display her shame, than loathsome foulness hide,
XX.

Late, there thou livedst with a gentle swain,

(As gentle swain as ever lived there)

Who lodg'd thee in his heart, and all thy train,

Where hundred other gracés quarter'd were:

But he, alas! untimely dead and gone,

Leaves us to rue his death, and thee to moan,

That few were ever such; and now those few are noné.

XXI.

By him the stout Encrates* boldly went,

Assailed oft by mighty enemies,

Which all on him alone their spite mispent ;

For he whole armies single bold defies;

With him nor might, nor cunning slights prevail; All force on him they try, all forces fail: Yet still assail him fresh, yet vainly still assail. XXII.

His body full of vigour, full of health; }

His table feeds not lust, but strength and need : Full stor❜d with plenty, not by heaping wealth, But topping rank desires, which vain exceed :

On's shield a hand from Heav'n a orchard dressing, Pruning superfluous boughs the trees oppressing; So adding fruit: his word, By lessening increasing."

6

XXIII.

His settled mind was written in his face :
For on his forehead cheerful gravity
False joys and apish vanities doth chase :
And watchful care did wake in either eye.
His heritance he would not lavish sell

Nor yet his treasure hide by neighb'ring Hell:
But well he ever spent, what he had gotten well.
XXIV.

A lovely pair of twins clos'd either side:

Not those in Heav'n, the flow'ry Geminies, Are half so lovely bright; the one his bride, Agneiat chaste, was join'd in Hymen's ties, *Temperance, † Chastity in the married.