American Poems (1625-1892)

And heats us with the glances of his eye,

Our thicker rayment makes us lay aside

Lest by his fervor we be torrifi'd.

All flowers the Sun now with his beams discloses,

Except the double pinks and matchless Roses.

Now swarms the busy, witty, honey-Bee,

Whose praise deserves a page from more then me.
The cleanly Huswifes Dary 's now in th' prime,
Her shelves and firkins fill'd for winter time.
The meads with Cowslips, Honey-suckles dight;
One hangs his head, the other stands upright,
But both rejoyce at th' heavens clear smiling face,
More at her showers, which water them a space.
For fruits my Season yields the early Cherry,
The hasty Peas, and wholsome cool Strawberry.
More solid fruits require a longer time;

Each Season bath his fruit, so hath each Clime:

Each man his own peculiar excellence,

But none in all that hath preheminence.”

Sweet fragrant Spring, with thy short pittance fly;

Let some describe thee better then can I.

Yet above all this priviledg is thine;

Thy dayes still lengthen, without least decline.

1650.

FROM

THE FOUR MONARCHYES

Next o're the Helespont a bridge he made
Of Boats together coupled and there laid;
But winds and waves those iron bands did break,
To cross the sea such strength he found too weak;
Then whips the sea, and with a mind most vain
He fetters cast therein the same to chain;
The work-men put to death the bridge that made,
Because they wanted skill the same to 've staid.
Seven thousand Gallyes chain'd by Tyrians skill
Firmly at last accomplished his will.

Seven dayes and nights his host without least stay
Was marching o're this new-devised way.
Then in Abidus plains mustring his forces,

He gloryes in his squadrons and his horses;

ΙΟ

Long viewing them, thought it great happiness
One king so many subjects should possess;
But yet this sight from him produced tears
That none of those could live an hundred years:
What after did ensue had he foreseen,

Of so long time his thoughts had never been.

Of Artubanus he again demands

How of this enterprise his thoughts now stands.

His answer was both sea and land he fear'd;
Which was not vain, as after soon appear'd.
But Xerxes resolute to Thrace goes first:

His Host all Lissus drinks to quench their thirst;
And for his Cattel all Pissyrus Lake

Was scarce enough for each a draught to take.
Then marching on to th' streight Thermopyle,
The Spartan meets him, brave Leonade;

This 'twixt the mountains lyes, half Acre wide,
That pleasant Thessaly from Greece divide.

Two dayes and nights a fight they there maintain,

Till twenty thousand Persians fell down slain;

And all that Army, then dismaid, had fled,

But that a Fugitive discovered

How some might o're the mountains go about

And wound the backs of those brave warriors stout.

They, thus behem'd with multitude of foes,

Laid on more fiercely their deep mortal blows;

None cries for quarter nor yet seeks to run,

But on their ground they die, each Mothers Son.
O noble Greeks, how now degenerate,

Their leaves & fruits seem'd painted, but was true

Of green, of red, of yellow, mixed hew;

Rapt were my sences at this delectable view.

I wist not what to wish; "yet sure," thought I, "If so much excellence abide below,

How excellent is he that dwells on high,

Whose power and beauty by his works we know!

Sure he is goodness, wisdome, glory, light,

That hath this under-world so richly dight."

ΙΟ

More Heaven then Earth was here, no winter & no night.

Then on a stately Oak I cast mine Eye,
Whose ruffling top the Clouds seem'd to aspire:
"How long since thou wast in thine Infancy?

Thy strength and stature, more thy years admire.
Hath hundred winters past since thou wast born,
Or thousand since thou brakest thy shell of horn?
If so, all these as nought Eternity doth scorn."

Then higher on the glistering Sun I gaz'd,
Whose beams was shaded by the leavie Tree.
The more I look'd the more I grew amaz'd,
And softly said: "What glory's like to thee,
Soul of this world, this Universes Eye?
No wonder some made thee a Deity:

Had I not better known, alas, the same had I.

"Thou as a Bridegroom from thy Chamber rushes,
And as a strong man joyes to run a race;
The morn doth usher thee with smiles & blushes,
The Earth reflects her glances in thy face;

Birds, insects, Animals, with Vegative,

Thy heart from death and dulness doth revive,

And in the darksome womb of fruitful nature dive.

"Thy swift Annual and diurnal Course,

Thy daily streight and yearly oblique path,

Thy pleasing fervor and thy scorching force,

All mortals here the feeling knowledg hath.

Thy presence makes it day, thy absence night;
Quaternal Seasons caused by thy might.
Hail, Creature full of sweetness, beauty, & delight!

"Art thou so full of glory that no Eye

Hath strength thy shining Rayes once to behold?

And is thy splendid Throne erect so high

As to approach it can no earthly mould?

How full of glory, then, must thy Creator be
Who gave this bright light luster unto thee:
Admir'd, ador'd for ever be that Majesty!”

Silent, alone, where none or saw or heard,
In pathless paths I lead my wandring fect,
My humble Eyes to lofty Skyes I rear'd:

To sing some Song my mazed Muse thought meet;

They kept one tune and plaid on the same string,
Seeming to glory in their little Art.

Shall Creatures abject thus their voices raise,

And in their kind resound their makers praise,

Whilst I as mute can warble forth no higher layes?

When present times look back to Ages past,

And men in being fancy those are dead,

It makes things gone perpetually to last,

And calls back moneths and years that long since fled;

It makes a man more aged in conceit

Then was Methuselah or 's grand-sire great,

While of their persons & their acts his mind doth treat. 70

Sometimes in Eden fair he seems to be;

Sees glorious Adam there made Lord of all;
Fancyes the Apple dangle on the Tree,
That turn'd his Sovereign to a naked thral,
Who like a miscreant's driven from that place,
To get his bread with pain and sweat of face,
A penalty impos'd on his backsliding Race.

Here sits our Grandame in retired place,
And in her lap her bloody Cain new born;
The weeping Imp oft looks her in the face,
Bewails his unknown hap and fate forlorn:
His Mother sighs to think of Paradise,
And how she lost her bliss to be more wise,
Believing him that was and is Father of lyes.

Here Cain and Abel come to sacrifice;

Fruits of the Earth and Fatlings each do bring:
On Abels gift the fire descends from Skies,
But no such sign on false Cain's offering.
With sullen hateful looks he goes his wayes,
Hath thousand thoughts to end his brothers dayes,
Upon whose blood his future good he hopes to raise.

There Abel keeps his sheep, no ill he thinks;
His brother comes, then acts his fratricide:
The Virgin Earth of blood her first draught drinks,
But since that time she often hath been cloy'd.
The wretch, with gastly face and dreadful mind,
Thinks each he sees will serve him in his kind,

Though none on Earth but kindred near then could he find.

Who fancyes not his looks now at the Barr?

His face like death, his heart with horror fraught.
Nor Male-factor ever felt like warr

100

When deep dispair with wish of life hath fought.
Branded with guilt and crusht with treble woes,
A Vagabond to Land of Nod he goes;

A City builds, that wals might him secure from foes.

105

Who thinks not oft upon the Fathers ages?

Their long descent; how nephews sons they saw;

The starry observations of those Sages,

And how their precepts to their sons were law;
How Adam sigh'd to see his Progeny

Cloath'd all in his black sinfull Livery,

Who neither guilt nor yet the punishment could fly.

Our Life compare we with their length of dayes;
Who to the tenth of theirs doth now arrive?
And though thus short, we shorten many wayes,
Living so little while we are alive:

115

In eating, drinking, sleeping, vain delight,

So unawares comes on perpetual night,

And puts all pleasures vain unto eternal flight.

When I behold the heavens as in their prime,

I 20

And then the earth, though old, stil clad in green,
The stones and trees insensible of time,

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