XXVIII.
So farre from hiding her guests, water is,
That she showes them in bigger quantities
Then they are. Thus doubtfull of her way,
For game and not for hunger a sea Pie
275Spied through this traiterous spectacle, from high,
The seely fish where it disputing lay,
And t'end her doubts and her, beares her away:
Exalted she'is, but to the exalters good,
As are by great ones, men which lowly stood.
280It's rais'd, to be the Raisers instrument and food.
XXIX.
Is any kinde subject to rape like fish?
Ill unto man, they neither doe, nor wish:
Fishers they kill not, nor with noise awake,
They doe not hunt, nor strive to make a prey
285Of beasts, nor their yong sonnes to beare away;
Foules they pursue not, nor do undertake
To spoile the nests industrious birds do make;
Yet them all these unkinde kinds feed upon,
To kill them is an occupation,
290And lawes make Fasts, and Lents for their destruction.
XXX.
A sudden stiffe land-winde in that selfe houre
To sea-ward forc'd this bird, that did devour
The fish; he cares not, for with ease he flies,
Fat gluttonies best orator: at last
295So long hee hath flowen, and hath flowen so fast
That many leagues at sea, now tir'd hee lyes,
And with his prey, that till then languisht, dies:
The soules no longer foes, two wayes did erre,
The fish I follow, and keepe no calender
300Of the other; he lives yet in some great officer.
XXXI.
Into an embrion fish, our Soule is throwne,
And in due time throwne out againe, and growne
To such vastnesse as, if unmanacled
From Greece, Morea were, and that by some
305Earthquake unrooted, loose Morea swome,
Or seas from Africks body had severed
And torne the hopefull Promontories head,
This fish would seeme these, and, when all hopes faile,
A great ship overset, or without faile
310Hulling, might (when this was a whelp) be like this whale.
XXXII.
At every stroake his brazen finnes do take,
More circles in the broken sea they make
Then cannons voices, when the aire they teare:
His ribs are pillars, and his high arch'd roofe
315Of barke that blunts best steele, is thunder-proofe:
Swimme in him swallow'd Dolphins, without feare,
And feele no sides, as if his vast wombe were
Some Inland sea, and ever as hee went
Hee spouted rivers up, as if he ment
320To joyne our seas, with seas above the firmament.
XXXIII.
He hunts not fish, but as an officer,
Stayes in his court, at his owne net, and there
All suitors of all sorts themselves enthrall;
So on his backe lyes this whale wantoning,
325And in his gulfe-like throat, sucks every thing
That passeth neare. Fish chaseth fish, and all,
Flyer and follower, in this whirlepoole fall;
O might not states of more equality
Consist? and is it of necessity
330That thousand guiltlesse smals, to make one great, must die?
XXXIV.
Now drinkes he up seas, and he eates up flocks,
He justles Ilands, and he shakes firme rockes.
Now in a roomefull house this Soule doth float,
And like a Prince she sends her faculties
335To all her limbes, distant as Provinces.
The Sunne hath twenty times both crab and goate
Parched, since first lanch'd forth this living boate;
'Tis greatest now, and to destruction
Nearest; There's no pause at perfection;
340Greatnesse a period hath, but hath no station.
XXXV.
Two little fishes whom hee never harm'd,
Nor fed on their kinde, two not throughly arm'd
With hope that they could kill him, nor could doe
Good to themselves by his death (they did not eate
345His flesh, nor suck those oyles, which thence outstreat)
Conspir'd against him, and it might undoe
The plot or all, that the plotters were two,
But that they fishes were, and could not speake.
How shall a Tyran wife strong projects breake,
350If wreches can on them the common anger wreake?
XXXVI.
The flaile-finn'd Thresher, and steel-beak'd Sword-fish
Onely attempt to doe, what all doe wish.
The Thresher backs him, and to beate begins;
The sluggard Whale yeelds to oppression,
355And t'hide himselfe from shame and danger, downe
Begins to sinke; the Swordfish upward spins,
And gores him with his beake; his staffe-like finnes,
So well the one, his sword the other plyes,
That now a scoffe, and prey, this tyran dyes,
360And (his owne dole) feeds with himselfe all companies.
XXXVII.
Who will revenge his death? or who will call
Those to account, that thought, and wrought his fall?
The heires of slaine kings, wee see are often so
Transported with the joy of what they get,
365That they, revenge and obsequies forget,
Nor will against such men the people goe,
Because h'is now dead, to whom they should show
Love in that act; Some kings by vice being growne
So needy of subjects love, that of their own
370They thinke they lose, if love be to the dead Prince shown.
XXXVIII.
This Soule, now free from prison, and passion,
Hath yet a little indignation
That so small hammers should so soone downe beat
So great a castle. And having for her house
375Got the streight cloyster of a wreched mouse
(As basest men that have not what to eate,
Nor enjoy ought, doe farre more hate the great
Then they, who good repos'd estates possesse)
This Soule, late taught that great things might by lesse
380Be slain, to gallant mischiefe doth herselfe addresse.
XXXIX.
Natures great master-peece, an Elephant,
The onely harmlesse great thing; the giant
Of beasts; who thought, no more had gone, to make one wise
But to be just, and thankfull, loth to offend,
385(Yet nature hath given him no knees to bend)
Himselfe he up-props, on himselfe relies,
And foe to none, suspects no enemies,
Still sleeping stood; vex't not his fantasie
Blacke dreames; like an unbent bow, carelesly
390His sinewy Proboscis did remisly lie:
XL.
In which as in a gallery this mouse
Walk'd, and surveid the roomes of this vast house,
And to the braine, the soules bedchamber, went,
And gnaw'd the life cords there; Like a whole towne
395Cleane undermin'd, the slaine beast tumbled downe;
With him the murtherer dies, whom envy sent
To kill, not scape, (for, only hee that ment
To die, did ever kill a man of better roome,)
And thus he made his foe, his prey, and tombe:
400Who cares not to turn back, may any whither come.
XLI.
Next, hous'd this Soule a Wolves yet unborne whelp,
Till the best midwife, Nature, gave it helpe,
To issue. It could kill, as soone as goe.
Abel, as white, and milde as his sheepe were,
405(Who, in that trade, of Church, and kingdomes, there
Was the first type) was still infested soe,
With this wolfe, that it bred his losse and woe;
And yet his bitch, his sentinell attends
The flocke so neere, so well warnes and defends,
410That the wolfe, (hopelesse else) to corrupt her, intends.
XLII.
Hee tooke a course, which since, succesfully,
Great men have often taken, to espie
The counsels, or to breake the plots of foes.
To Abels tent he stealeth in the darke,
415On whose skirts the bitch slept; ere she could barke,
Attach'd her with streight gripes, yet hee call'd those,
Embracements of love; to loves worke he goes,
Where deeds move more then words; nor doth she show,
Nor 〈make〉 resist, nor needs hee streighten so
420His prey, for, were shee loose, she would nor barke, nor goe.
XLIII.
Hee hath engag'd her; his, she wholy bides;
Who not her owne, none others secrets hides.
If to the flocke he come, and Abell there,
She faines hoarse barkings, but she biteth not,
425Her faith is quite, but not her love forgot.
At last a trap, of which some every where
Abell had plac'd, ends all his losse, and feare,
By the Wolves death; and now just time it was
That a quicke soule should give life to that masse
430Of blood in Abels bitch, and thither this did passe.
XLIV.
Some have their wives, their sisters some begot,
But in the lives of Emperours you shall not
Reade of a lust the which may equall this;
This wolfe begot himselfe, and finished
435What he began alive, when hee was dead;
Sonne to himselfe, and father too, hee is
A ridling lust, for which Schoolemen would misse
A proper name. The whelpe of both these lay
In Abels tent, and with soft Moaba,
440His sister, being yong, it us'd to sport and play.
XLV.
Hee soone for her too harsh, and churlish grew,
And Abell (the dam dead) would use this new
For the field. Being of two kindes thus made,
He, as his dam, from sheepe drove wolves away,
445And as his Sire, he made them his owne prey.
Five yeares he liv'd, and cosened with his trade,
Then hopelesse that his faults were hid, betraid
Himselfe by flight, and by all followed,
From dogges, a wolfe; from wolves, a dogge he fled;
450And, like a spie to both sides false, he perished.
XLVI.
It quickned next a toyfull Ape, and so
Gamesome it was, that it might freely goe
From tent to tent, and with the children play.
His organs now so like theirs hee doth finde,
455That why he cannot laugh, and speake his minde,
He wonders. Much with all, most he doth stay
With Adams fift daughter Siphatecia,
Doth gaze on her, and, where she passeth, passe,
Gathers her fruits, and tumbles on the grasse,
460And wisest of that kinde, the first true lover was.
XLVII.
He was the first that more desir'd to have
One then another; first that ere did crave
Love by mute signes, and had no power to speake;
First that could make love faces, or could doe
465The valters sombersalts, or us'd to wooe
With hoiting gambolls, his owne bones to breake
To make his mistresse merry; or to wreake
Her anger on himselfe. Sinnes against kinde
They easily doe, that can let feed their minde
470With outward beauty; beauty they in boyes and beasts do find.
XLVIII.
By this misled, too low things men have prov'd,
And too high; beasts and angels have beene lov'd.
This Ape, though else through-vaine, in this was wise,
He reach'd at things too high, but open way
475There was, and he knew not she would say nay;
His toyes prevaile not, likelier meanes he tries,
He gazeth on her face with teare-shot eyes,
And up lifts subtly with his russet pawe
Her kidskinne apron without feare or awe
480Of nature; nature hath no gaole, though shee hath law.
XLIX.
First she was silly and knew not what he ment.
That vertue, by his touches, chaft and spent,
Succeeds an itchie warmth, that melts her quite;
She knew not first, nowe cares not what he doth,
485And willing halfe and more, more then halfe 〈loth〉,
She neither puls nor pushes, but outright
Now cries, and now repents; when Tethlemite
Her brother, entred, and a great stone threw
After the Ape, who, thus prevented, flew.
490This house thus batter'd downe, the Soule possest a new.
L.
And whether by this change she lose or win,
She comes out next, where the Ape would have gone in.
Adam and Eve had mingled bloods, and now
Like Chimiques equall fires, her temperate wombe
495Had stew'd and form'd it: and part did become
A spungie liver, that did richly allow,
Like a free conduit, on a high hils brow,
Life-keeping moisture unto every part;
Part hardned it selfe to a thicker heart,
500Whose busie furnaces lifes spirits do impart.
LI.
Another part became the well of sense,
The tender well-arm'd feeling braine, from whence,
Those sinowie strings which do our bodies tie,
Are raveld out; and fast there by one end,
505Did this Soule limbes, these limbes a soule attend;
And now they joyn'd: keeping some quality
Of every past shape, she knew treachery,
Rapine, deceit, and lust, and ills enow
To be a woman. Themech she is now,
510Sister and wife to Caine, Caine that first did plow.
LII.
Who ere thou beest that read'st this sullen Writ,
Which just so much courts thee, as thou dost it,
Let me arrest thy thoughts; wonder with mee,
Why plowing, building, ruling and the rest,
515Or most of those arts, whence our lives are blest,
By cursed Cains race invented be,
And blest Seth vext us with Astronomie.
Ther's nothing simply good, nor ill alone,
Of every quality comparison,
520The onely measure is, and judge, opinion.
The end of the Progresse of the Soule.
7 gold] cold 1635-54
10 writt 1635-69, G: writs 1633, A18, N, TC: Writ's Chambers
12 begot.] begot, 1633
13 East] east 1633 some copies
beginst] begins 1633
16 Danow dine,] Danon dine, 1633
17 Myne, 1633 (but mine, in some copies): Mine, 1635-69
19 one day before thee O'F
21 Nor, holy Ianus, Ed: Nor holy Ianus 1633-69
27 From thence] For, thence G
All,)] All) 1633-69
31 Commissary] commissary 1633 some copies
33 every thing; Ed: every thing, 1633-69
34 instant; 1633: instant. 1635-69
36 vouch thou safe A18, G, N, O'F, TC: vouch safe thou 1633-69
37 booke: Ed: booke. 1633-69
45 Spirit-quenching] Spright-quenching G
54 shall, Ed: shall 1633: hold 1635-69
lone 1635-69: love 1633, A18, G, N, TC
wayes Ed: wayes, 1633-69
spright, Ed: spright 1633-69
59 hoised] hoisted G
61 For the] For this G, N, TCD: For that O'F
63 Which, Ed: Which 1633-69
us; Ed: us, 1633-69
69 when] where A18, G, N, O'F, TC
71 no low] nor low Chambers
74 every where; Ed: every where 1633: every where, 1635-69
83 enlive, G: enlive 1633-69: om. 1633 some copies, and A18, N, TC
93 poyson'd 1669: poisoned 1633-54
94 corrupt us, 1635-69: corrupts us, 1633: corrupt as G
Rivolets; Ed: Rivolets, 1635-69: om. 1633, A18, N, TC
95 breaks] breake 1633 some copies
nets; Ed: nets, 1633-69
96 thrust] thrusts 1633 (thrust in some copies)
97 fled.] fled, 1633
99 beare; 1635-69, G: here, 1633: heare, A18, N, TC
108 is't] i'st 1633
112 vanities, 1633, G: vanitie, 1635-69
114 minde; Ed: minde, 1633-69 reasons, Ed: reasons 1633: reason's 1635-69, Chambers and Grolier
115 which] with 1633 some copies
117 breake, doe 1633, A18, G, N, TC: breake, and doe 1635-69, Chambers
spill: Ed: spill, 1633-69
119 perfects] perfect 1633 some copies
125 day. 1635-69: day, 1633 (corrected in some copies)
126 dares] dare 1669
127 proofe] proofes O'F
130 earths pores, 1669, A18, G, N: earths-pores, 1633: earth-pores, 1633 (some copies), 1635-54
anew] a new 1633
135 grow: 1650-69: grow, 1633-39
137 the Prince, and have so fill'd G: the Princesse, and so fill'd 1633 (but some copies read the Prince, and so fill'd): the Prince, and so fill up 1635-69: the Prince, and so fill'd A18, N, TC
144 bed, Ed: bed; 1633-69
146 upbeare. Ed: upbeare; 1633: up beare; 1635-69
147 middle parts 1633, G, O'F: middle part 1635-69: mid-parts A18, N, TC
150 kindle, G: kinde, 1633, A18, N, O'F, TC: kindle; 1635-69
157 white; 1633: white, 1635-69
159 guest, Ed: guest 1633-69. See note
165 moist red 1633-35: moist-red 1639-69
166 slept] sleept 1633-35
light; Ed: light, 1633-69
167 mandrakes might, Ed: mandrakes might; 1633-54: mandrakes-might: 1669
180 inclos'd 1635-69, G: encloth'd A18, N, TC: encloth'd altered to unclothed then to enclosed O'F: uncloath'd 1633
pick'd] peck'd A18, G, TC
181 Outcrept 1633-35: Out crept 1639-69
185 a new downy 1635-69, A18, G, TC: downy a new 1633
overspreades, 1633-39: overspreads 1650-69
193 cocke, Ed: cocke 1633-69
tree,] tree 1633
194 tent, Ed: tent 1633-69
hen; Ed: hen, 1633-69
196 be; Ed: be, 1633-69
202 ingresse; Ed: ingresse, 1633-69
203-5
Till now unlawfull, therefore ill; 'twas not
So jolly, that it can move this soule; Is
The body so free of his kindnesses, 1633, and 1669 (Till now,):
Till now, unlawfull, therefore ill 'twas not
So jolly, that it can more this soule. Is
The body, so free of his kindnesses, 1635-54
Till now, unlawful, therefore ill 'twas not.
So jolly, that it can move this soul, is
The body, so free of his kindnesses,
Chambers, and Grolier but 203 not; and no commas in 204. See note
206 selfe-preserving] no hyphen 1633-39
207 soules,] souls 1669
208 temperance] têperance 1633-39
212 grow,] grow 1633-39
214 hid G: his 1633-69, A18, N, TC
snare,] snare 1633-69
220 encrease his race,] encrease, 1633
223 brooke. A Ed: brooke; a 1633-69
225 they had intertouch'd 1635-69, G, O'F: they intertouched 1633: they intertouch'd A18, N, TC
227 abled] able 1669
rowe] roe 1633
228 fit: Ed: fit, 1633-69
240 armed were.] arm'd were 1633
249 sure is gone, 1633-39: is sure gone. 1650-54: is sure gone, 1669
251 her A18, G, N, O'F, TC: the 1633-69
254-7 for when ... use, to get,] in brackets 1635-69
254 Need G: need 1633-69
255 then] thê 1633
257 use, Ed: use 1633-69
262 fast. Ed: fast; 1633-69
266 mills Ed: mills, 1633-69
267 water 1635-69, G: wether 1633, A18, TC
airelike 1633-35: ayre like 1639-69 and Chambers
faith 1633-69: faith, Chambers. See note
268 not; Ed: not, 1633-69
270 two.] two 1633
271 is,] is 1633
273 Thus doubtfull 1633, A18, G, N, TC: Thus her doubtfull 1635-69
277 away: Ed: away, 1633-69
279 in brackets 1635-69
stood. 1633-39: stood, 1650-69
280 It's rais'd 1633-69: It rais'd some copies of 1633, A18, G, N, TC
287 industrious] industruous 1633
290 Fasts, and Lents 1635-69: fasts, and lents 1633
296 That many leagues at sea, G: That leagues o'er-past at sea, 1633-69: That leagues at sea, A18, N, O'F (which inserts o'r past), TC. See note
297 dies:] dies, 1633
301 throwne,] throwne 1633
303 vastnesse as, if Grolier: vastnesse, as if 1633-69, Chambers
307 head, 1633: head; 1635-69: head. Chambers. See note
311 take,] take 1633
315 thunder-proofe: Ed: thunder-proofe, 1633-69
316 swallow'd] swallowed 1633
322 at] as A18, G, TCC
337 this 1633: his 1635-69
boate; Ed: boate, 1635-69: boate. 1633
339 perfection; Ed: perfection. 1633-35: perfection, 1639-69
344-5 brackets, 1719: death: ... outstreat, 1633-69
did not eate] doe not eate G
349 Tyran] Tyrant 1669
351 flaile-finn'd] flaile-find 1633: flaile-finnd 1635-39
358 well] were 1633
359 tyran] tyrant 1669
365 they, revenge 1635-69: they revenge, 1633: they, revenge, 1633 some copies
367 h'is 1633: he's 1635-69
368 act; Ed: act. 1633-69
383 who thought, no more had gone, to make one wise 1633, G, A18, N, TC (the last four MSS. all drop more, N and TCD leaving a space): who thought none had, to make him wise, 1635-69
386 relies,] relies 1633
389 dreames; Ed: dreames, 1633-69
390: lie: 1635: lie. 1633, 1639-69
395 downe; Ed: downe, 1633-69
396 dies,] dies 1633
397-8 brackets, Ed: scape, ... roome, 1633: scape; ... roome, 1635-69
ment] went A18, N, TC
403 goe. Ed: goe, 1633: goe: 1635-69
405 Who,] Who 1633
trade, 1635-69: trade 1633
413 foes. Ed: foes, 1633-69
419 Nor 〈make〉 resist, Ed: Nor much resist, 1633-69: Nowe must resist N: Nowe much resist A18, G, TC: Resistance much O'F
needs] need O'F
420 nor barke, 1633-39: not barke 1650-69, A18, N, TC
422 hides.] hides, 1633
427 plac'd, ends] plac'd end 1633 some copies
435 dead; Ed: dead, 1633-39: dead. 1650-69
443 field. Being Ed: field, being 1633-69
thus] om. 1633
453 play. Ed: play, 1633-69
470 beauty; Ed: beauty, 1633-69
472 lov'd. Ed: lov'd; 1633-69
479 or] of 1669
480 shee hath] shee have A18, N, TC
481 ment. Ed: ment, 1633-69
483 quite; Ed: quite, 1633-69
484 nowe 1633, G: nor 1635-69, Chambers: then A18, TC
485 〈loth〉, Ed: Tooth 1633, G: A18, N, TC leave a blank space: in TCC a later hand has inserted loath: wroth, 1635-69
487 Tethlemite A18, G, N, O'F, TC: Tethelemite 1633: Thelemite 1635-69
489 flew. 1635-69: flew, 1633
492 in. 1650-69: in, 1633-39
498 Life-keeping] Life keeping 1633
part; Ed: part, 1633-69
502 well-arm'd 1669: well arm'd 1633-54
503 sinowie] sinewy 1639-54: sinew 1669
504 out; Ed: out, 1633-69
505 this Soule] a Soule A18, N, TC attend; Ed: attend, 1633-69
506-7 joyn'd: ... past shape, 1633: joyn'd, ... past shape; 1635-69, Chambers, Grolier. See note
513 thoughts; 1650-69: thoughts, 1633-39
517 Astronomie.] Astronomie, 1633
519 comparison, 1633, 1669 (no comma): Comparison, 1635-54
520 opinion. 1633: Opinion. 1635-69
The end &c. 1635-69: om. 1633