One thinks the Soule is aire; another, fire;
Another blood, diffus'd about the heart;
Another saith, the elements conspire,
And to her essence each doth giue a part.
Musicians thinke our Soules are harmonies,
Phisicians hold that they complexions bee;
Epicures make them swarmes of atomies,
Which doe by chance into our bodies flee.
Some thinke one generall Soule fils euery braine,
As the bright sunne sheds light in euery starre;
And others thinke the name of Soule is vaine,
And that we onely well-mixt bodies are.
In judgement of her substance thus they vary;
And thus they vary in iudgement of her seat;
For some her chaire vp to the braine doe carry,
Some thrust it downe into the stomackes heat.
Some place it in the root of life, the heart;
Some in the liuer[88], fountaine of the veines;
Some say, Shee is all in all, and all in part:
Some say, She is not containd but all containes.
Thus these great clerks their little wisdome show,
While with their doctrines they at hazard play,
Tossing their light opinions to and fro,
To mocke the lewd, as learn'd in this as they.
For no craz'd braine could euer yet propound,
Touching the Soule, so vaine and fond a thought,
But some among these masters haue been found,
Which in their Schooles the self-same thing haue taught.
God onely wise, to punish pride of wit,
Among men's wits hath this confusion wrought,
As the proud towre whose points the clouds did hit,
By tongues' confusion was to ruine brought.
But Thou which didst Man's soule of nothing make,
And when to nothing it was fallen agen,
"To make it new, the forme of man didst take,
"And God with God, becam'st a Man with men.
Thou, that hast fashioned twice this Soule of ours,
So that she is by double title Thine;
Thou onely knowest her nature and her pow'rs,
Her subtill forme Thou onely canst define.