The Complete Poetical Works of George Chapman

by George Chapman

  Dissolue in sinckes, make Mire, and temper Clay:

  So puft Impostors (our Muse-vapours) striue,

  With their selfe-blowne additions, to depriue

  Men solid, of their full; though infinite short

  They come in their compare; and false report

  Of leuelling, or touching, at their light,

  That still retaine their radiance, and cleere right;

  And shal shine euer When, alas, one blast

  Of least disgrace, teares down th’Impostors Mast;

  His Tops, and Tacklings; His whole Freight, and He

  Confiscate to the Fishy Monarchy;

  His trash, by foolish Fame bought now, from hence,

  Giuen to serue Mackarell forth, and Frankincence.

  Such then, and any; too soft-ey’d to see

  Through workes so solid, any worth, so free

  Of all the learn’d professions, as is fit

  To praise at such price; let him thinke his wit

  Too weake to rate it; rather then oppose

  With his poore pow’rs, Ages, and Hosts of Foes.

  To the Ruines of Troy, and Greece.

  Troy rac’t; Greece wrackt: who mournes? Ye both may bost;

  Else th’Ilyads, and Odysses, had bene lost.

  Ad Deum.

  The onely true God, (betwixt whom and Me,

  I onely bound my comforts; and agree

  With all my actions) onely truly knowes,

  And can iudge truly me, with all that goes

  To all my Faculties. In whose free grace

  And inspiration, I onely place

  All meanes to know (with my meanes; Study, praire,

  In, & from his word taken) staire by staire,

  In all continual contentation, rising

  To knowledge of his Truth; and practising

  His wil in it, with my sole Sauiours aide,

  Guide, and enlightning: Nothing done, nor saide,

  Nor thought that good is; but acknowledg’d by

  His inclination, skill, and faculty.

  By which, to finde the way out to his loue

  Past all the worlds; the sphere is, where doth moue

  My studies, prai’rs, and pow’rs: No pleasure taken

  But sign’d by his: for which, my blood forsaken,

  My soûle I cleaue to: and what (in his blood

  That hath redeem’d, cleansd, taught her) fits her good.

  Deo opt. Max gloria.

  HYMNS OF HOMER.

  TO MY EVER MOST-WORTHIE-TO-BE-MOST HONOR’D LORD, THE EARLE OF SOMERSET, &c.

  Not forc’t by fortune; but since your free minde

  (Made by affliction) rests in choice resign’d —

  To calme Retreate; laid quite beneath the winde J

  Of Grace, and Glory: I well know, my Lord,

  You would not be entitl’d to a word

  That might a thought remoue from your Repose,!

  To thunder and spit Flames, as Greatnesse does;!

  For all the Trumps, that still tell where he goes.

  Of which Trumps, Dedication being One,

  Me thinks I see you start to heare it blowne.

  But this is no such Trump as summons Lords,

  Gainst Enuies steele, to draw their leaden swords,

  Or gainst Hare-lipt Detraction, Contempt,

  All which, from all Resistance stand exempt,

  It being as hard to seuer Wrong from Merit,

  As meate-include, from blood; or blood from spirit.

  Nor in the spirits Chariot rides the soule

  In bodies chaste, with more diuine controule;

  Nor virtue shines more in a louely Face;

  Then true desert, is stuck off with Disgrace.

  And therefore truth it selfe that had to blesse

  The merit of it all, Almightinesse;

  Would not protect it, from the Bane and Ban

  Of all Moodes most distraught, and Stygian;

  As counting it the Crowne of all Desert,

  Borne to All Heauen, to take of Earth, no part

  All Heauen] Heauen. Following Chapman’s own correction.

  Of false Ioy here, for Ioyes-there-endlesse troth,

  Nor sell his Birthright for a messe of Broth.

  But stay and still sustaine, and his Blisse bring,

  Like to the hatching of the Black-thornes spring,

  With bitter frosts, and smarting haile-stormes forth;

  Fates loue Bees labors; onely Paine crownes Worth.

  This Dedication calls no Greatnes then,

  To patrone this Greatnes-creating Penn;

  Nor you to add to your dead calme a breath;

  For those arm’d Angells, that in spight of death

  Inspir’d those flowrs that wrought this poets wreathj

  Shall keepe it euer, Poesies steepest Starr,

  As, in Earths flaming wals, Heauens seuenfold Carr,

  (From all the wildes of Neptunes watrie sphere)

  For euer guards the Erymanthian Beare.

  Since then your Lordship, settles in your shade

  A life retir’d; and no Retreate is made

  But to some strength; (for else, tis no Retreate,

  But rudely running from your Battailes heate)

  I giue this, as your strength: your strength, my Lord,

  In Counsailes and Examples, that afford

  More Guard, then whole Hosts of corporeal powre,

  And more deliuerance, teach the fatall Howre.

  Turne not your medcine then, to your disease,

  By your too set, and sleight repulse of these,

  The Adiuncts of your-matchlesse Odysses; —

  Since on that wisest minde of Man, relies

  Refuge from all Liues Infelicities.

  Nor sing these, such diuision from them;

  But that these spinn the thred of the same streame,

  From one selfe Distaffs stuff: for Poesies Pen

  (Through al theames) is t’informe the liues of Men:

  All whose Retreates, neede strengths of all degrees;

  Without which; (had you euen Herculean knees;)

  Your foes fresh Charges, would, at length preuaile,

  To leaue your Noblest suff’rance, no least saile.

  Strength then, the Obiect is of all Retreates;

  Strength needes no friends trust; strength, your foes defeates.

  Retire to strength then, of eternall things,

  And y’are eternall; for our knowing Spring’s

  Flow into those things that we truely know;

  Which (being Eternall) we are render’d so.

  And though your high-fixt Light passe infinite farr

  Th’ aduicefull Guide, of my still-trembling Starr;

  Yet heare what my dischardg’d Peece must foretell,

  Standing your Poore, and Perdue Sentinell.

  Kings may perhaps wish, euen your Beggars Voice

  To their Eternities; how skorn’d a choice

  Soeuer, now it lies; And (dead I) may

  Extend your life to lights extreamest Raie.

  If not; your Homer yet, past doubt shall make,

  Immortall, like himselfe, your Bounties stake

  Put in my hands, to propagate your Fame,

  Such virtue reigns in such vnited Name.

  Retire to him then for aduice, and skill

  To know, things call’d worst, Best; and Best most ill;

  Which knowne; truths best chuse; and retire to still.

  And as our English Generali, (whose Name

  Shall equall interest finde in T’House of Fame,

  With all Earths great’st Commanders) in Retreate

  To Belgian Gant, stood all Spaines Armies heate,

  By Parma led; though but one thousand strong:

  Three miles together thrusting through the throng

  Of Th’Enimies Horse, (still pouring on their Fall

  Twixt him & home) & thunderd through them al: V


  The Gallick Monsiour standing on the wall, J

  And wondring at his dreadfull Discipline;

  Fir’d with a Valor, that spit spirit Diuine:

  In hue Battaillons randging all his Men;

  Bristl’d with Pikes, and flanck’t with Flanckers ten;

  Gaue fire still in his Rere; retir’d and wrought,

  Downe to his fixt strength still: retir’d and fought;

  All the Battaillons of the Enemies Horse

  Storming vpon him still, their fieriest Force;

  Charge vpon Charge laid fresh: he fresh as day

  Repulsing all; and forcing glorious way

  Into the Gates; the gaspt (as swounes for Ayre)

  And tooke their life in, with vntoucht Repaire:

  So fight out (sweet Earle) your Retreate in Peace;

  No ope-warr equalls that, where priuie Prease

  Of neuer-numberd odds of Enimie

  Arm’d all by Enuie, in blinde Ambush lie,

  To rush out, like an open threatning skie,

  Broke al in Meteors round about your eares.

  Gainst which, (though far from hence) through al your Reres

  Haue fires prepar’d; wisdome, with wisdome flanck,

  And all your forces randge in present ranck;

  Retiring as you now fought in your strength,

  From all the Force laid, in times vtmost length,

  To charge, and basely, come on you behind.

  The Doctrine of all which, you here shall finde,

  And, in the true Glasse of a humane Minde,

  Your Odysses; the Body letting see:

  All his life past, through Infelicitie,

  And manage of it all. In which to friend,

  The full Muse brings you both the prime and end

  Of all Arts ambient in the Orbe of Man;

  Which neuer darknesse most Cimmerian

  Can giue Eclipse; since (blinde) He all things sawe,

  And to all, euer since, liu’d Lord, and Lawe.

  And though our mere-learn’d men; & Modern wise!

  Taste not poore Poesies Ingenuities, —

  Being crusted with their couetous Leprosies;

  But hold her paines, worse then the spiders worke,

  And lighter then the shadowe of a Corke:

  Yet th’ancient learn’d, heat with celestiall fire,

  Affirmes her flames so sacred and entire;

  That, not without Gods greatest grace she can

  Fall in the wid’st Capacitie of Man.

  If yet, the vile Soule of this Verminous time;

  Loue more the Sale-Muse; and the Squirrels chime,

  Then this full sphere of Poesies sweetest Prime;

  Giue them vnenuied, their vaine veine, and vent;

  And rest your wings, in his approu’d Ascent

  That yet was neuer reacht; nor euer fell

  Into affections bought with things that sell,

  Being the Sunns Flowre; and wrapt so in his skie,

  He cannot yeeld to euery Candles eye.

  Whose most worthy Discoueries, to your

  Lordships Iudiciall Perspectiue in most

  subdude Humilitie submitteth,

  George Chapman.

  EPILOGUE TO THE HYMNS.

  The Worke that I was borne to doe, is done.

  Glory to him, that the Conclusion

  Makes the beginning of my life: and Neuer

  Let me be said to liue; till I liue Euer.

  Where’s the outliuing of my Fortunes then,

  Ye errant vapors of Fames Lernean Fenn?

  That (like possest stormes) blast all; not in Herde

  With your abhorr’d heads: who, because casher’de

  By Men, for Monsters; thinck Men, Monsters All,

  That are not of your pyed Hood, and your Hall.

  When you are nothing but the scumm of things,

  And must be cast off: Drones, that haue no stings,

  Nor any more soule, then a stone hath wings.

  Auant ye Haggs; your Hates, and Scandalls are,

  The Crownes, and Comforts of a good Mans Care;

  By whose impartiall Perpendiculare;

  All is extuberance, and Tumor All,

  That you your Ornaments, and glories call.

  Your wrie Mouthes censure right? your blister’d Tongues,

  That licke but itches? and whose vlcerous Lungs

  Come vp at all things permanent, and sound?

  O you (like flies in Dreggs) in Humors droun’d;

  Your loues, like Atoms, lost in gloomie Ayre;

  J would not retriue with a wither’d Haire.

  Hate, and cast still your stings then; for your kisses

  Betray but Truth; and your Applaud’s, are Hisses.

  To see our supercilious wizerds frowne;

  Their faces falne like Froggs; and coming downe,

  Stincking the Sunn out; make me shine the more:

  And like a checkt flood, bear aboue the shore,

  That their prophane Opinions faine would set,

  To what they see not; know not; nor can let.

  Yet then, our learn’d Men, with their Torrents come

  Roring from their forc’t Hills, all crown’d with fome,

  That one not taught like them, should learne to know

  Their Greeke rootes, & from thence the Groues that grow,

  Casting such rich shades, from great Homers wings:

  That first, and last, command the Muses springs.

  Though he’s best Scholler, that through paines and vows;

  Made his owne Master onely; all things know’s.

  Nor pleades my poor skill; forme; or learned Place;

  But dantlesse labor, constant Prayer, and Grace.

  And what’s all their skill, but vast varied reading?

  As if brode-beaten High-waies had the leading

  To Truths abstract, and narrow Path, and Pit?

  Found in no walke, of any worldly wit.

  And without Truth; all’s onely sleight of hand,

  Or our Law-learning, in a Forraine Land;

  Embroderie spent on Cobwebs; Braggart show

  Of Men that all things learne; and nothing know.

  For Ostentation, humble Truth still flies,

  And all confederate fashionists, defies.

  And as some sharpe-browd Doctor, (English borne;)

  Jn much learn’d Latine Jdioms can adorne

  A verse with rare Attractions; yet become

  His English Muse, like an Arachnean Loome,

  Wrought spight of Pallas; and therein bewraies

  More tongue then truth; beggs, and adopts his Bayes;

  So Ostentation, bee hee neuer so

  Larded with labour, to suborne his showe;

  Shall soothe within him, but a bastard soule,

  No more Heauen heyring, then Earths sonne the Moule.

  But as in dead Calmes, emptiest smokes arise

  Vncheckt and free; vp, strait into the skies;

  So drousie Peace, that in her humor steepes

  All she affects, lets such rise while she sleepes.

  Many, and most Men, haue of wealth least store,

  But None the gracious shame that fits the Pore;

  So most learn’d Men, enough are Jgnorant;

  But few the grace haue, to confesse their want,

  Till Liues, and Learnings, come concomitant. J

  For from Mens knowledges; their Liues-Acts flowe;

  Vaineglorious Acts then, vaine proue all they know.

  As Night, the life-enclining starrs, best showes;

  So liues obscure, the starriest soules disclose.

  For me; let iust Men iudge by what J show

  In Acts expos’d, how much I erre, or knowe;

  And let not Enuie, make all worse then nought

  With her meere headstrong, and quite braineles thought:

  Others, for doing nothing; giuing All;

  And bounding all worth in her burst
en Gall.

  God and my deare Redeemer, rescue Me

  From Mens immane, and mad Impie tie;

  And by my life and soule, (sole knowne to them)

  Make me of Palme, or Yew, an Anadem.

  And so, my sole God, the thrice sacred Trine,

  Beare all th’Ascription, of all Me and Mine.

  Supplico tibi Domine, Pater et Dux rationis nostrae; vt Nostrae Nobilitatis recordemur, qua tu nos ornasti; et vt tu nobis presto sis, vt jis qui per sese mouentur; vt et à Corporis contagio, Brutorumque affectuum repurgemur; eosque supere- mus, atque regamus; et, sicut decet; pro instrumentis jis vtamur. Deinde, vt nobis Adiumento sis; ad accuratam rationis nostrae correctionem ; et coniunctionem cum jis qui verè sunt, per lucem veritatis. Et tertiùm, Saluatori supplex oro; vt ab oculis animorum nostrorum, caliginem prorsus abstergas; vt norimus bene, qui Deus, aut Mortalis habendus, Amen.

  Sine honore viuam, NulloqueNumero ero.

  LIST OF POEMS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

  A-D E-H I-L M-O P-S T-V W-Z

  A CORONET FOR HIS MISTRESSE

  A FRAGMENT OF THE TEARES OF PEACE.

  A HYMNE TO HYMEN FOR THE MOST TIME-FITTED NVPTIALLS

  A HYMNE TO OVR

  AN ANAGRAM ON HENRY: THE ILIADS.

  AN EPICED, OR FUNERALL SONG.

  AN JNVECTIVE WRIGHTEN BY MR. GEORGE CHAPMAN AGAINST MR. BEN: JOHNSON.

  ANDROMEDA LIBERATA.

  APODOSIS.

  CERTAINE ANCIENT GREEKE EPIGRAMMES TRANSLATED.

  CERTAMEN INTER PHILLIDEM & FLORAM.

  CONCLVSIO.

  COROLLARIVM AD PRINCIPEM.

  DE GUIANA, CARMEN EPICUM.

  DIALOGUS.

  EPICVRES FRVGALLITIE:

  EPILOGUE TO THE HYMNS.

  EPISTLE DEDICATORY: THE ILIADS.

  EVGENIA.

  EVTHYMIÆ RAPTVS

  FRAGMENTS.

  HYMNS OF HOMER.

  HYMNVS IN CYNTHIAM.

  HYMNVS IN NOCTEM.

  IN SEIANVM BEN. IONSONI ET MUSIS, ET SIBI IN DELICIJS.

  INDUCTIO.

  INDVCTIO

  MEMORIAL VERSES TO PRINCE HENRY: WHOLE WORKS OF HOMER.

  NARRATIO.

  OF A LATELY PUBLISHT AND MOST MALICIOUSLY MISINTERPRETED POEME; ENTITULED.

  ON THE TRAGIC HISTORY OF HIPOLITO AND ISABELLA.

  OVIDS BANQUET OF SENCE.

  PARCARVM EPITHALAMION.

  PERISTEROS: OR THE MALE TURTLE.

  PRO VERE, AVTVMNI LACHRYMAE.

  PSALME I.

  PSALME II.

  PSALME III.

  PSALME IIII.

  PSALME V.

  PSALME VI.

  PSALME VII.

  RICHARD STAPLETON TO THE AUTHOR.

  THE AMOROVS CONTENTION OF PHILLIS

  THE AMOROVS ZODIACK.