NOw shall the Progresse of our Worke make cleare
Those are no Ills at All that so appeare.
For those things you, harsh, cruell, horrid call,
Were first ordain'd for them on whom they fall,
And next for all Mankind, which is Heav'ns Care
Farre more than any Individualls are.
[Page 10]Next, that these things falls not against their Wills,
That, did they, they deserv'd to suffer Ills,
To these I'le adde that they from Fate doe flow,
And to the good, by the same Rule they're so,
Doe happen; therefore I perswade thee shall
Never to pittie a good Man at All.
He miserable sometimes may be said,
But never can be miserable made.
But that which We did at the first propose,
Of All the rest, to prove, the Hardest showes,
Which is;
That for those Men, ev'n that's by Fate
Ordain'd, which Wee abhorre, and tremble at.
But thou wilt say, was't for their sakes ordaln'd
They should be banish'd? be to want constrain'd?
Of Children be deprived, and of Wife?
Slander'd? debarr'd the Meanes to strengthen life?
If thou think'st strange this should appointed be
For any; thou wilt wonder then to see
Lancings, and Fire, Famine, and Thurst, to some
The Instruments, and Meanes of Cure become.
But when thou shalt consider that t'obtaine
A Remedy; some doe indure the Paine
To have their Bones be scal'd, their vaines pull'd out,
And limbs lopt off, when the whole Frame's in doubt;
Thou then wilt easily to this Assent,
That Ills for those, on whom they fall are meant.
And are for them as fit, and proper thought,
As those things, which with eager longing sought,
Are contrary to those they doe delight.
As the raw, drunken sursets of the Night,
[Page 11]And such like Like Luxuries, which while W'injoy
Our Ruine prove▪ and while they please, destroy.
'Mongst All those high Expressions of his Mind
Which by our good
Demetrius left I find,
This voice above the rest, me thinks I heare
Still fresh, and smartly founding in my Eare.
"Nought then that Man can more unhappy be
"Who never tasted Infelicitie.
He ne're could come to try himselfe, though All
Ev'n at his Wish, nay 'fore his wish befall,
Yet the Impartiall Gods, of him esteem'd
But hardly: that Man was ne're worthy deem'd
That he should vanguish Fortune, which still flies
From the most dull unactive Enemies.
As though sh'had said; make him m'
Antagonist,
Will straight throw downe his Armes, and quit the
List?
Wee need not use our strength; Our threats shall chace
Him hence; He dares not looke us in the face.
Let's with some other Combatant joyne Hands,
With one who ready to be vanquisht stands,
'Tis shame t'incounter. Gladiators will
Thinke it a scorne, with those in strength and skill
To them Inferiour, to contend, who know
That's held but an Inglorious Overthrow
Is without danger giv'n: Fortune the same
Doth doe; and seekes out Combatants of Name.
Passes by others in a Scorne, and slight,
And the most resolute, and most upright
Incounters with. On
Mucius fire doth try,
Upon the stayd
Fabricius Poverty.
[Page 12]By Exile 'gainst
Rutilius would prevaile,
And
Regulus with Tortures doth assaile.
Upon wise
Socrates the Poison tryes,
And against
Cato Death it selfe imployes.
All Great Examples, are b'Ill Fortune sought.
Shall therefore
Mucius be unhappy thought.
'Cause middst the Hostile Flames his hand he thrust?
And his owne Error did conceive it just
Himselfe should punish? What? 'Cause with that Hand
He could not arm'd with Steele, when burnt t'a Brand,
He made
Porsenna flye? Or should he be
Thought happier in his Mistris Brest if he
His hand had cherist? Is
Fabricios found
E're the lesse happy, 'cause he digg'd his ground
When free from State-Affairs▪ Doubly ingga'd,
Who warre at once with
wealth, and
Pyrrbus wag'd.
And supp'd upon those Roots his Weeded Field
Did him an aged
Triumphator yeeld.
Or had he more Felicitie injoy'd
If with strange Fish, or forraigne Fowle h'had cloy'd
And stufft his Emprie belly? Or, if t'excite
The Dulnesse of his queasie Appetite
H'had rak'd the upper, and the lower Sea
For Shell-Fish? Or, if in large Hortyards, he
Beasts of the Noblest kind had clos'd, were ta'ne
With losse of many a bold Hunter slaine?
Or is
Rutilius unhappy? 'Cause
He was condemned by the unjust Lawes
And Power of those, who for that Act shall be
Condemn'd themselves to all Eternitie;
[Page 13]'Cause with an ev'ner Mind he underwent
His Doome, then Freedom from his Banishment?
'Cause he alone great
Sylla durst deny,
And when call'd home againe, did farther flye?
"Let those (saith he) whom thy Felicitie
"Inslaves at
Rome, a bloody Deluge see
"I'th'
Forum; and, 'bove the
Servilian Lake,
"(For in that Place they us'd the Spoile to take
"Of those whom
Sylla had proscrib'd) behold
"The Heads of
Senators; and Troopes of bold,
"Desp'rate
Assassinates, run everywhere
"Along the streets; and thousand
Romans there
"After Faith giv'n, and Pledge of thy right Hand,
'Nay, against Faith, butcher'd at thy Command.
"Let those that cannot endure Banishment,
"Be with such horrid Spectacles content.
What then?
Is Sylla e're the happier thought,
Cause to the
Roman Forum he was brought,
Guarded with Swords? and Heads of
Consulls slaine
He caus'd to be suspended? and the Gaine
And Price of his dire
Massacres he tooke
By
Publique Tables, and the
Questors Booke?
Yet All these things unquestion'd does that Man
Who first brought in the
Law Cornelian.
Come Wee to
Regulus; what hurt had he
By Fortune▪ that, him wh'of Fidelitie
[...]h
[...] Great Examp
[...]e was before, she now
Hath made the Arche type of Patience too▪
Nailes pierce his skin, and though he turne him round,
His wearied Body rests upon a Wound.
[Page 14]Nor can his Eyes in sleepe be ever clos'd
But to perpetuall Wakefulnesse expos'd.
How much the greater Torture he sustain'd,
So much the greater Glory thence he gain'd.
Would'st be assur'd he nor repents his Fate,
To have priz'd Vertue at so high a Rate?
Refresh him, send him to the
Senate, there,
You'l still from him the
same Opinion heare.
Now, does the great
M
[...]c
[...]n
[...] therefore seeme
The happier of the two in they esteeme,
'Cause, Vext with jealous love, griev'd at the life
Of his Imperious and fantastick Wife,
(Which
[...]v'
[...]y day threaten'd to leave him) he
With Musicks most delicious Harmony,
Eccho'd from farre, in soft, and melting Straines,
In pleasing slumbers sought to charme his Braines?
Though he in
[...]owing Bowles his sences steepe,
And with the Fall of Waters, court his sleepe,
As farre
[...]om r
[...] yet on his Downe he lies,
As he in Midd'st of all his Agonies,
This, from his Miseries a Comfo
[...]t drawes,
In that he suffer'd for an honest caus
[...].
Whi
[...]st t'other, with his lusts, and Pleasures spent,
Sick of a Surfet of
[...]o much content,
The Cause and Reason of his suff'rings paines
Farremore, then All that he for that sustaines.
Men are not yet to much inthrall'd to Vice,
But if the Gods should put them to their Choice
The
[...]e would be more with
R
[...]g
[...]'
[...] his Fate
Then to be borne unto
M
[...]e
[...]as state.
[Page 15]If there be any yet dares say that he,
Rather then
Reg'lus, would
Macends be,
That Man, (though to confesse it he be loath)
Had rather be
Terrentia, then e'm both.
Do'st
Socvates but hardly us'd, suppose,
'Cause he tooke off his publique-mixed Doze
As 'twere a Cup of Immortalitie?
And with a firme unmoved Con
[...]ancy
Of Mind, disputed, and discourt of Death
Untill that came, and stop'd his learned Breath?
Was he ill dealt with 'cause his Ice-turn'd Blood
Unactive in it it's frozen Channells stood?
How much more to be envy'd is his State
Then their's who served are in Jewel'd Plate,
To whom some old, and ou
[...]-worne slave, that's brought
To be at all Turnes, to beare All things taught,
Poures melted Snow from our a Golden
Ewre
That may A
Fres
[...] to their Wine procure.
Those what they drinke shall vomit up at last,
And 'gainst their Wills their bitter Choller raste.
When he to no such surfetings inclin'd,
Shall take downe Poyson with a willing Mind.
Enough of
Cat
[...]; whom all Men confesse
[...]o have attain'd the hight of Happinesse.
A Man whom Nature seem'd to choose, by whom
She might the Worst of Terrors overcome.
Of powerfull Men, heavy's the Enmitic.
Yet hee'd to
Pompey Caesar, Crassus be
Oppos'd:
'tis a sad thing, to see Men goe
'Bove us in Honours, in deserts below.
To be ingag'd in Civill warres, is hard
And grievous: Yet o're the whole World
for Right
Stoutly, though sure of Ill successe, be'd fight.
To part with life seemes grievous to most Men,
Yet should he do't: By this what would I then?
That All might know, these are not to b'esteem'd
[...]lls, of which, Catos
selfe I worthy deem'd.