The Complete Poetical Works of George Chapman

by George Chapman

  Toyles not on Earth with more irregulare swaye,

  Nor is more turbulent, and mad then they.

  And shine; like gould-worms, whom you hardly finde,

  By their owne, light; not seene; but heard like winde.

  But this is Learning; To haue skill to throwe

  Reignes on your bodies powres, that nothing knowe;

  And fill the soûles powers, so with act, and art,

  That she can curbe the bodies angrie part;

  All perturbations; all affects that stray

  From their one obiect; which is to obay

  Her Soueraigne Empire; as her selfe should force

  Their functions onely, to serue her discourse;

  And, that; to beat the streight path of one ende

  Which is, to make her substance still contend,

  To be Gods Image; in informing it,

  With knowledge; holy thoughts, and all formes fit

  For that eternitie, ye seeke in way

  Of his sole imitation; and to sway,

  Your lifes loue so, that hee may still be Center

  To all your pleasures; and you, (here) may enter

  The next lifes peace; in gouerning so well

  Your sensuall parts, that you, as free may dwell

  Of vulgare Raptures, here; as when calme death

  Dissolues that learned Empire, with your Breath.

  To teach, and liue thus, is the onely vse,

  And end of Learning, Skill that doth produce

  But tearmes, and tongues, and Parrating of Arte,

  Without that powre to rule the errant part;

  Is that which some call, learned ignorance;

  A serious trifle; error in a trance.

  And let a Scholler, all earths volumes carrie,

  He will be but a walking dictionarie:

  A meere articulate Clocke, that doth but speake

  By others arts; when wheeles weare, or springs breake,

  Or any fault is in him; hee can mend

  No more then clockes; but at set howres must spend

  His mouth, as clocks do; If too fast, speech goe

  Hee cannot stay it; nor haste if too slowe.

  So that, as Trauaylers, seeke their peace through storms,

  In passing many Seas, for many forms,

  Of forreigne gouernment; indure the paine

  Of many faces seeing; and the gaine

  That Strangers make, of their strange-louing humors;

  Learn tongues; keep note books; all to feed the tumors

  Of vaine discourse at home; or serue the course

  Of State employment, neuer hauing force

  T’employ themselues; but idle complements

  Must pay their paines, costs, slaueries, all their Rents;

  And, though they many men knowe, get few friends:

  So couetous Readers; setting many endes

  To their much skill to talke; studiers of Phrase;

  Shifters in Art; to flutter in the Blaze

  Of ignorant count’nance; to obtaine degrees

  And lye in Learnings bottome, like the Lees,

  To be accounted deepe, by shallow men;

  And carue all Language, in one glorious Pen;

  May haue much fame for learning: but th’effect

  Proper to perfect Learning; to direct

  Reason in such an Art, as that it can

  Turne blood to soule, and make both, one calme man;

  So making peace with God; doth differ farre

  From Clearkes that goe with God & man to warre.

  But may this Peace, and mans true Empire then,

  By learning be obtainde? and taught to men?

  Let all men iudge; who is it can denie,

  That the rich crowne of ould Humanitie,

  Is still your birth-right? and was ne’re let downe

  From heauen, for rule of Beasts liues, but your owne?

  You learne the depth of Arts; and (curious) dare

  By them (in Natures counterfaits) compare

  Almost with God; to make perpetually

  Motion like heauens; to hang sad Riuers by

  The ayre, in ayre; and earth, twixt earth and heauen

  By his owne paise. And are these vertues giuen

  To powrefull Art, and Vertue’s selfe denied?

  This proues the other, vaine, and falsified,

  Wealth, Honour, and the Rule of Realmes doth fall

  In lesse then Reasons compasse; yet, what all

  Those things are giuen for (which is liuing well)

  Wants discipline, and reason to compell.

  O foolish men! how many waies ye vex

  Your liues with pleasing them? and still perplex

  Your liberties, with licence? euery way

  Casting your eyes, and faculties astray

  From their sole obiect? If some few bring forth

  (In Nature, freely) something of some worth;

  Much rude and worthlesse humour runs betwixt;

  (Like fruit in deserts) with vile matter mixt.

  Nor (since they flatter flesh so) they are bould

  (As a most noble spectacle) to behould

  Their owne liues; and (like sacred light) to beare

  There Reason inward: for the Soule (in feare

  Of euerie sort of vice, shee there containes)

  Flies out; and wanders about other mens;

  Feeding, and fatting, her infirmities.

  And as in auntient Citties, t’was the guise

  To haue some Ports of sad, and haplesse vent,

  Through which, all executed men they sent;

  All filth; all offall, cast from what purg’d sinne;

  Nought, chaste, or sacred, there going out, or in:

  So, through mens refuse eares, will nothing pearse

  Thats good, or elegant; but the sword; the herse;

  And all that doth abhorre, from mans pure vse,

  Is each mans onely Siren; only Muse.

  And thus, for one God; one fit good; they prise

  These idle, foolish, vile varieties.

  Wretched estate of men, by fortune blest;

  That being euer idle, neuer rest;

  That haue goods, ere they earne them; and for that,

  Want art to vse them. To bee wonderd at

  Is Iustice; for Proportion, Ornament;

  None of the Graces, is so excellent.

  Vile things, adorne her: me thought, once I sawe

  How, by the Seas shore, she sat giuing lawe

  Euen to the streames, and fish (most loose, and wilde)

  And was (to my thoughts) wondrous sweet and milde;

  Yet fire flew from her that dissolued Rocks;

  Her lookes, to Pearle turnd pebble; and her locks,

  The rough, and sandy bankes, to burnisht gould;

  Her white left hand, did goulden bridles holde;

  And, with her right, she wealthy gifts did giue;

  Which with their left hands, men did still receiue;

  Vpon a world in her chaste lappe, did lye,

  A little Iuory Book, that show’d mine eye,

  But one Page onely; that one verse containde,

  Where all Arts, were contracted, and explainde;

  All policies of Princes, all their forces;

  Rules for their feares, cares, dangers, pleasures, purses,

  All the fayre progresse of their happinesse here,

  Iustice conuerted, and composed there.

  All which I thought on, when I had exprest

  Why great men, of the great states they possest,

  Enioyd so little; and I now must note

  The large straine of a verse, I long since wrote.

  Which (me thought) much ioy, to men poore presented;

  God hath made none (that all might be) contented.

  It might (for the capacitie it beares)

  Be that concealed and expressiue verse,

  That Iustice, in her Iuorie Manuell writ;

&
nbsp; Since all Lines to mans Peace, are drawne in it.

  For great men; though such ample stuffe they haue

  To shape contentment; yet, since (like a waue)

  It flittes, and takes all formes, retayning none;

  (Not fitted to their patterne, which is one)

  They may content themselues; God hath not giuen,

  To men meere earthly, the true Ioyes of heauen;

  And so their wilde ambitions either stay;

  Or turne their headstrong course, the better way.

  For poore men; their cares may be richly easde;

  Since rich (with all they haue) liue as displeasde.

  You teach me to be plaine. But whats the cause,

  That great, and rich, whose stares winne such applause;

  With such enforc’t, and vile varieties,

  Spend time; nor giue their Hues glad sacrifice;

  But when they eate, and drinke, with tales, iests, sounds;

  As if (like frantique men, that feele no wounds)

  They would expire in laughters? and so erre

  From their right way; that like a Trauayler,

  (Weariest when neerest to his iourneys ende)

  Time best spent euer, with most paine they spend?

  The cause, is want of Learning; which (being right)

  Makes idlenesse a paine; and paine delight.

  It makes men knowe, that they (of all things borne

  Beneath the siluer Moone, and goulden Morne)

  Being onely formes of God; should onely fix

  One forme of life to those formes; and not mix

  With Beastes in formes of their liues. It doth teach,

  To giue the soule her Empire; and so reach

  To rule of all the bodies mutinous Realme;

  In which (once seated) She then takes the Helme,

  And gouernes freely; stering to one Port.

  Then, (like a man in health) the whole consort

  Of his tun’d body, sings; which otherwise,

  Is like one full of weiward maladies,

  Still out of tune; and (like to Spirits raisde

  Without a Circle) neuer is appaisde.

  And then, they haue no strength, but weakens them;

  No greatnes, but doth crush them into streame;

  No libertie, but turnes into their snare;

  Their learnings then, do light them but to erre;

  Their ornaments, are burthens; their delights,

  Are mercinarie, seruile Parasites,

  Betraying, laughing; Feends, that raisde in feares,

  At parting, shake their Roofes about their eares;

  Th’imprison’d thirst, the fortunes of the Free;

  The Free, of Rich; Rich, of Nobilitie;

  Nobilitie, of Kings; and Kings, Gods thrones;

  Euen to their lightning flames; and thunder-stones.

  O liberall Learning, that well vsde, giues vse

  To all things good; how bad is thy abuse!

  When, onely thy diuine reflection can

  (That lights but to thy loue) make good a man;

  How can the regular Body of thy light,

  Informe, and decke him? the Ills infinite,

  That (like beheaded Hydra’s in that Fen

  Of bloud, and flesh, in lewd illiterate men)

  Aunswere their amputations, with supplyes

  That twist their heads, and euer double rise;

  Herculean Learning conquers; And O see

  How many, and of what fowle formes they be?

  Vnquiet, wicked thoughts; vnnumbred passions;

  Poorenesse of Counsailes; howrely fluctuations;

  (In entercourse) of woes, and false delights;

  Impotent wils to goodnesse; Appetites

  That neuer will bee bridl’d; satisfied;

  Nor knowe how, or with what to be supplyed;

  Feares, and distractions, mixt with greedinesse;

  Stupidities of those things ye possesse;

  Furies for what ye lose; wrongs done for nonce;

  For present, past, and future things, at once

  Cares vast, and endlesse; miseries, swolne with pride;

  Vertues despisde, and vices glorified.

  All these, true Learning calmes, and can subdue:

  But who turnes learning this way? All pursue

  Warre with each other, that exasperates these;

  For things without; whose ends are inward peace;

  And yet those inward Rebels they maintaine.

  And as your curious sort of Passiue men,

  Thrust their heads through the Roofs of Rich & Poore;

  Through all their liues, and fortunes, and explore

  Forraigne, and home-affayres; their Princes Courts,

  Their Counsaile, and Bedchambers for reports;

  And (like free-booters) wander out, to win

  Matter to feede their mutinous Route within;

  (Which are the greedier still) and ouershoote

  Their true-sought inward Peace, for outward boote;

  So Learned men, in controuersies spend

  (Of tongues, and tearmes, readings, and labours pend)

  Their whole liues studies; Glorie, Riches, Place,

  In full crie, with the vulgare giuing Chace;

  And neuer, with their learnings true vse striue

  To bridle strifes within them; and to liue

  Like men of Peace, whome Art of Peace begat:

  But, as their deedes, are most adulterate,

  And showe them false Sons, to their Peacefull Mother,

  In those warres; so their Arts, are prov’d no other.

  And let the best of them, a search impose

  Vpon his Art: for all the things shee knowes

  (All being referd, to all, to her vnknowne)

  They will obtaine the same proportion

  That doth a little brooke that neuer ran

  Through Summers Sunne; compar’d with th’Ocean.

  But, could he Oracles speake; and wright to charme

  A wilde of Sauadges; take Natures Arme,

  And plucke into his search, the Circuit

  Of Earth, and Heauen; the Seas space, and the spirit

  Of euerie Starre: the Powers of Herbs, and Stones;

  Yet touch not, at his perturbations;

  Nor giue them Rule, and temper to obay

  Imperiall Reason; in whose Soueraigne sway,

  Learning is wholly vs’d, and dignified;

  To what end serues he? is his learning tryed

  That comforting, and that creating Fire

  That fashions men? or that which doth inspire

  Citties with ciuile conflagrations,

  Countries, and kingdomes? That Art that attones

  All opposition to good life, is all;

  Liue well ye Learned; and all men ye enthrall.

  Alas they are discourag’d in their courses;

  And (like surpris’d Forts) beaten from their forces.

  Bodies, on Rights of Soules did neuer growe

  With ruder Rage, then barbarous Torrents flowe

  Ouer their sacred Pastures; bringing in

  Weedes, and all rapine; Temples now begin

  To suffer second deluge; Sinne-drownde Beasts,

  Making their Altars crack; and the hide Nests

  Of vulturous Fowles, filling their holy places;

  For wonted Ornaments, and Religious graces.

  The chiefe cause is, since they themselues betraie;

  Take their Foes baites, for some particular swaie

  T’inuert their vniuersall; and this still,

  Is cause of all ills else; their liuing ill.

  Alas! that men should striue for others swaie;

  But first to rule themselues: And that being waie

  To all mens Bliss; why is it trod by none?

  And why are rules so dully lookt vpon

  That teach that liuely Rule?

  O horrid thing!

  Tis Custome powres in
to your common spring

  Such poyson of Example, in things vaine;

  That Reason nor Religion can constraine

  Mens sights of serious things; and th’onely cause

  That neither humane nor celestiall lawes

  Drawe man more compassé; is his owne slacke bent

  T’intend no more his proper Regiment,

  Where; if your Actiue men (or men of action)

  Their Policie, Auarice, Ambition, Faction,

  Would turne to making strong, their rule of Passion,

  To search, and settle them, in Approbation

  Of what they are, and shalbe (which may be

  By Reason, in despight of Policie)

  And in one true course, couch their whole Affaires

  To one true blisse, worth all the spawne of theirs;

  If halfe the idle speech, men Passiue spend,

  At sensuall meetings, when they recommend

  Their sanguine Soules, in laughters, to their Peace,

  Were spent in Counsailes how they might decrease

  That frantique humour of ridiculous blood

  (Which addes, they vainely thinke, to their liues flood)

  And so conuerted, in true humane mirth,

  To speech, what they shall be (dissolv’d from Earth)

  In bridling it in flesh; with all the scope

  Of their owne knowledge here; and future hope:

  If (last of all) your Intellectiue men

  Would mixe the streames of euery iarring Penne

  In one calme Current; that like land flouds, now

  Make all Zeales bounded Riuers ouer-flowe;

  Firme Truth, with question, euery howre pursue;

  And yet will have no question, all is true:

  Search in that troubled Ocean, for a Ford

  That by it selfe runnes; and must beare accord

  In each mans self; by banishing falshood there,

  Wrath, lust, pride, earthy thoughts; before elsewhere.

  (For, as in one man, is the world inclosde,

  So to forme one, it should be all disposde:)

  If all these would concurre to this one end,

  It would aske all their powres; and all would spend

  Life with that reall sweetnesse, which they dreame

  Comes in with obiects that are meere extreame:

  And make them outward pleasures still apply

  Which neuer can come in, but by that key;

  Others aduancements, others Fames desiring;

  Thirsting, exploring, praysing, and admiring;

  Like lewd adulterers, that their owne wiues scorne,

  And other mens, with all their wealth, adorne.

  Why, in all outraying, varied ioyes, and courses,

  That in these errant times, tire all mens forces,

  Is this so common wonder of our dayes?

  That in poore foretimes, such a fewe could raise