Yet in their lawless range contrive
To bring in Honey to their Hive:
Who look for method in their march

At Honey making are not arch.

The Sally's of our Authors Soul

So fly about without controul:
Sometimes they clamber Heavens steep,
And sometimes into Hell do peep;
Good meditation both improve,
For both to Godly living move.
Methinks I see him climb the Sky,
Viewing the Flaming Fires on High,
And how the will of God they do,
That we on Earth may do so too;
And then to Hell he doth descend,
To know the Sinners woful end:
He stands aloof, and hears the cry
Of Guilty worms that cannot die
But live in Lakes of flaming Fire
That never! Never! shall Expire;
Then, fir'd with zeal, like Lion bold
Roars out and tells what can't be told,

Warns men to fly from Wrath to come

Before the Judge pronounce their doom.

So snatching brands from Fire and Death,
He may his Fingers burn therewith;

30

Yet better so than burn our Souls
By vexing God and pleasing fools.

1702.

1702.

FROM

A CONSOLATORY POEM

DEDICATED UNTO MR. COTTON MATHER, SOON AFTER THE DECEASE OF HIS EXCELLENT AND VERTUOUS WIFE, MRS. ABIGAIL MATHER.

Sir, after you have wip'd the eyes

Of thousands in their miseries,

And oft condoled the heavy Fates

Of those that have surviv'd their mates,

It's come at length to your own turn

To be one half within an Urn.

1703

5

1703.

(Your Christ would have it so be done.)
Your other self 's torn off and gone.
Gone! said I? Yes, and that's the worst:
Your Wife's but gone to Heaven first. . .
And who would live that God makes fit
To die and then gives a permit?
And who would choose a world of fears,
Ready to fall about their ears,
That might get up above the spheres

And leave the region of dread thunder
To them that love the world that 's under,
Where canker'd breasts with envy broil,
And smooth tongues are but dipt in oil,
And Cain's club only doth lie by
For want of opportunity?

Yea, who would live among catarrhs,
Contagions, pains, and strifes, and wars,
That might go up above the stars,

And live in health and peace and bliss,

Had in that world but wish'd in this? . . . .

This phoenix built her nest of spice,

Like to the Birds of Paradise;

Which when a fever set on fire,

Her soul took wing and soared higher,
But left choice ashes here behind,

Christ will for resurrection find.

10

15

20

25

30

A Herd of Planters on the ground,

O'er-whelm'd with Punch, dead drunk, we found;
Others were fighting and contending;

A Sight so dismal to behold

One wou'd have judg'd him dead and cold;
When, wringing of his bloody Nose

By fighting got, we may suppose,

I found him not so fast asleep

Might give his Friends a cause to weep.

"Rise, Oronooko, rise," said I,

"And from this Hell and Bedlam fly!"

My Guide starts up, and in amaze
With blood-shot Eyes did round him gaze.
At length, with many a sigh and groan,

He went in search of aged Rhoan;

But Rhoan, tho' seldom us'd to faulter,

60

Had fairly this time slipt his Halter,

And, not content all Night to stay
Ty'd up from Fodder, ran away:
After my Guide to ketch him ran,
And so I lost both Horse and Man.
Which Disappointment, tho' so great,
Did only Mirth and Jests create,
Till one more Civil than the rest,
In Conversation for the best,
Observing that for want of Rhoan
I should be left to walk alone,
Most readily did me intreat
To take a Bottle at his Seat,
A Favour at that time so great
I blest my kind propitious Fate.

65

70

75

SONG OF LOVEWELL'S FIGHT

Of worthy Captain LOVEWELL I purpose now to sing,
How valiantly he served his country and his King:
He and his valiant soldiers did range the woods full wide,
And hardships they endured to quell the Indian's pride.

'T was nigh unto Pigwacket, on the eighth day of May,
They spied a rebel Indian soon after break of day;
He on a bank was walking, upon a neck of land

5

Which leads into a pond, as we 're made to understand.

Our men resolv'd to have him, and travell'd two miles round

Until they met the Indian, who boldly stood his ground.

ΤΟ

Then speaks up Captain LOVEWELL: "Take you good heed," says he; "This rogue is to decoy us, I very plainly see.