Part 15 (1/2)

Of much more attractive order is the comparatively short poem, one of the series of quaternions in which she seehted

”The Four Elees, Fire, Earth, Air and Water, contend for the precedence, glorifying their own deeds and position and reproaching the others for their shortcoeneral worthlessness with the fluency and fury of seventeenth century theological debate There are passages, however, of real poetic strength and vividness, and the poem is one of the most favorable speciin the controversy

The Fire, Air, Earth and Water did contest Which was the strongest, noblest and the best, Who was of greatest use and ht now to discourse, That in due order each her turn should speak; But enmity this amity did break All would be chief, and all scorn'd to be under Whence issued winds & rains, lightning & thunder

The quaking earth did groan, the Sky looked black, The Fire, the forced Air, in sunder crack; The sea did threat the heav'ns, the heavn's the earth, All looked like a Chaos or new birth; Fire broyled Earth, & scorched Earth it choaked Both by their darings, water so provoked That roaring in it came, and with its source Soon , puffing was so great The worlds confusion, it did seeentle Air, Contention so abated That betwixt hot and cold, she arbitrated The others difference, being less did cease All storms now laid, and they in perfect peace That Fire should first begin, the rest consent, The noblest and most active Element

Fire rises, with the warmth one would expect, and recounts her services toor not, all things must in the end be subject to her power

What is my worth (both ye) and all men know, In little time I can but little show, But what I am, let learned Grecians say What I can do well skil'd Mechanicksby me finde, All sorts of Artists, here declare your ht?

Ye Martilisk, eapons for your fight To try your valor by, but it must feel My force? Your Sword, & Gun, your Lance of steel Your Cannon's bootless and your powder too Without mine aid, (alas) what can they do; The adverse walls not shak'd, the Mines not blown And in despight the City keeps her own; But I with one Granado or Petard Set ope those gates, that 'fore so strong were bar'd Ye Husband-men, your Coulters made by me Your Hooes your Mattocks, & what ere you see Subdue the Earth, and fit it for your Grain That so it -li'd it by his skill I made it flexible unto his will; Ye Cooks, your Kitchen implements I frame Your Spits, Pots, Jacks, what else I need not na Limbs, which winter's cold doth harm Ye Paracelsians too in vain's your skill In Chymistry, unless I help you Still

And you Philosophers, if e're you h led lay with Earth I cause to shi+ne, But let h with the Celestial fires; The Sun an Orb of fire was held of old, Our Sages new another tale have told; But be he what they will, yet his aspect A burning fiery heat we find reflect And of the self same nature is with mine Cold sister Earth, no witness needs but thine; How doth his warreen, after thy black

Both , to see his glittering Coach And though nought, but Salamanders live in fire And fly Pyrausta call'd, all else expire, Yet men and beasts Astronomers will tell Fixed in heavenly Constellations dwell, My Planets of both sexes whose degree Poor Heathen judg'd worthy a Diety; There's Orion ar; The Theban stout Alcides with his Club; The valiant Persens, who Medusa slew, The horse that kil'd Beleuphon, then flew

My Crab, my Scorpion, fishes you may see The Maid with ballance, tith horses three, The Rale, The Bear, the Goat, the Raven, and the Eagle, The Crown, the Whale, the Archer, Bernice Hare The Hidra, Dolphin, Boys that water bear, Nay st stars are found Eridanus, where Phaeton was drown'd

Their ht, should I recount My Story to a volume would amount; Out of a ather much

I'le here let pass, my choler, cause of wars And influence of divers of those stars When in Conjunction with the Sun do ment his heat, which was too hot before

The Su season I do claim, And man from thirty unto fifty framed, Of old when Sacrifices were Divine, I of acceptance was the holy Signe, 'Mong all thy wonders which I e then Aetna's Sulphryflames, that from Vesuvius flew The over curious second Pliny flew, And with the Ashes that it sometih I be a servant to each man Yet by my force, master, my masters can

What fa forts hty Kings by me In confused heaps, of ashes reat wall'd Town, & Troy of old Carthage, and hundred more in stories told Which when they could not be o'ercoh reat Britian's glory My raging flare all, that I, or foes could do That Phoenix from her Bed, is risen New

Old sacred Zion, I dereat Diana's Temple was by hbouring Towns, I did consu and of Thunder Which Kings & hty ones amaze onder, Which ula creep under 's bed

Of Meteors, Ignus fatuus and the rest, But to leave those to th' wise, I judge it best

The rich I oftLife when I can take the same; And in a word, the world I shall consureat day of Doo ire And then because no matter more for fire Now Sisters pray proceed, each in your Course As I, impart your usefulness and force

Fully satisfied that nothing re the sisterhood and waits scornfully for such poor plea as Earth adocio still remains and hastens to display itself

The next in place Earth judg'd to be her due, Sister (quoth shee) I come not short of you, In wealth and use I do surpass you all, And mother earth of old men did ave, or you could clai inal of man and beast, To tell what Sundry fruits my fat soil yields In Vineyards, Gardens, Orchards & Corn-fields, Their kinds, their tasts, their Colors & their s else

The rich, the poor, wise, fool, and every sort Of these so cos can ions, Soon would they pass not hundreds but legions; My cities farown innumerous, I have not time to think of every part, Yet letarms and arts I love it well, But chiefly 'cause the Muses there did dwell

Ile here skip oreskyes, Whether Pyrenean, or the Alpes, both lyes On either side the country of the Gaules Strong forts, froer then the rest, Dividing great Armenia from the least; And Hemus, whose steep sides none foot upon, But farewell all for dear h Olimpus, of such fame, That heav'n itself was oft call'd by that name

Parnapus sweet, I dote too much on thee, Unless thou prove a better friend to me: But Ile leap ore these hills, not touch a dale, Nor will I stay, no not in Teo my Lions of Numedia, My Panthers and my Leopards of Libia, The Behemoth and rare found Unicorn, Poyson's sure antidote lyes in his horn, And ht pick my choice, Thousands in woods & plains, both wild & tah the fawning Dog did urge me sore, In his behalf to speak a word the ht here commend; But times too short and precious so to spend

But hark you wealthy merchants, who for prize Send forth your well man'd shi+ps where sun doth rise, After three years when men and meat is spent, My rich Cos that come from thence, Do cure your Patients, fill your purse with pence; Besides the use of roots, of hearbs, and plants, That with less cost near hoot your shi+ps and Sails, And Oars to rohen both , Anchor, couides when sun, nor s, who for your lasting fames Built Cities, Monuments, call'd by your names, Were those coht but eoodly face your rage suffice But you will see, what in my bowels lyes?

And ye Artificers, all Trades and forts My bounty calls you forth to ht you have, to use, to wear, to eat, But what I freely yield, upon your sweat?

And Cholerick Sister, thou for all thine ire Well knowst enuously with thanks confess, My cold thy fruitfull heat doth crave no less; But how my cold dry temper works upon The melancholy Constitution; How the Auturay-head to obey, I should here make a short, yet true narration

But that thy method is mine imitation Now must I shew mine adverse quality, And how I oft workpain Thistles and thorns where he expected grain

My sap to plants and trees Itree want: The Corn and Hay do fall before the're mown, And buds from fruitfull trees as soon as blown; Then dearth prevails, that nature to suffice The Mother on her tender infant flyes; The husband knows no wife, nor father sons

But to all outrages their hunger runs: Dreadful exaht produce, But to such Auditors 'twere of no use, Again when Delvers dare in hope of gold To ope those veins of Mine, audacious bold; While they thus in mine entrails love to dive, Before they know, they are inter'd alive

Y' affrighted nights appal'd, how do ye shake, When once you feel me your foundation quake?

Because in the Abysse of my dark womb Your cities and yourselves I oft intomb: O dreadful Sepulcher! that this is true Dathan and all his company well knew, So did that Ro himself alive for honours prize