SONNET XXII.
On Cyriack Skinner.
Cyriack, whofe Grandfire on the royal bench.
Of Brittifh Themis, with no mean applaufe
Fronounc'd and in his volumes taught our Laws,
Which others at their barr fo often wrench;
To-day deep thoughts refolve with me to drench
In mirth, that after no repenting draws;
Let Euclid reft, and Archimedes paufe,
And what the Swede intend, and what the French, To measure life, learn thou betimes, and know Toward folid good what leads the nearest way; For other things mild Heav'n a time ordains, And difapproves that care, though wife in fhow, That with fuperfluous burden loads the day, And when God fends a chearful hour, refrains.
Methought I faw my late efpoufed Saint
Brought to me like Alceftis from the grave,
Whom Jove's great Son to her glad Husband gave,
Refcu'd from death by force though pale & faint.
Mine as whom wafht from fpot of child-bed taint,
Purification in the old Law did fave,
And fuch as yet once more I trust to have
Full fight of her in Heav'n without restraint,
Came vetted all in white, pure as her mind;
Her face was vail'd, yet to my fancied fight,
Love, Sweetness, Goodness, in her perfon fhin'd
So clear, as in no face with more delight.
But O as to embrace me the inclin'd
I wak'd, fhe fled, and day brought back my night.
Galli ex concubitu gravidam te, Pontia, mori,
Quis bene moratam, morigeramque neget?
Gaudete Scombri, & quicquid eft pifcium Salo,
Qui frigida hyeme incolitis algentes freta,
Veftrum mifertus ille Salmafius eques
Bonus amicire nuditatem cogitat;
Chartaque largus apparat papyrinos
Vobis cucullos praferentes Claudii
Infignia, nomenque & decus Salmafii,
Gefletis ut per omne cetarium forum
Equitis clientes, fcriniis mungentium
Cubito virorum, & capfulis gratiffimos.
Brutus taking with him Geryon the Diviner in the inward shrine of the Temple of the Goddess Diana, utters his Request thus,
Oddefs of Shades, and Huntress, who at will Walk'flon the lowring fphears, & thro' the deep, On thy third Reign the Earth look now, and tell! What land, what feat of reft thou bid'ft me feek. What certain feat, where I may worthip thee For aye, with Temples vow'd and Virgin quires?
To whom fleeping before the Altar, Diana in
a Vifion that night, thus answered.
Brute fub occafum folis, &c.
Brutus, far to the weft in th' ocean wide
Beyond the Realm of Gaul, a land there lies;
Sea girt it lies, where Gyants dwelt of old,
Now void, it fits thy people; thither bend
Thy courfe, there halt thou find a lafting feat,
There to thy Sons another Troy hall rife,
And Kings be born of thee, whofe dreadful might
Shall awe the World, and conquer Nations bold.
Dante in the 19th Canto of Inferno.
Ah Conftantine, of how much ill was cause,
Not thy converfion, but thofe rich domains
That the first wealthy Pope receiv'd of thee.
In the 20th Canto of Paradife.
Founded in chafte and humble poverty,
'Gainft them that rais'd thee doft thou lift thy horn,
Impudent Whore, where haft thou plac'd thy hope?
In thy Adulterers, or thy ill-got wealth?
Another Conftantine comes not in haste.
ARIOSTO, Cant. 34.
And to be short, at laft his guide him brings
Into a goodly valley, where he sees
A mighty mafs of things ftrangely confus'd,
Things that on Earth were loft, or were abus'd.
Then past he to a flow'ry mountain green,
Which once fmelt fweet, now ftinks as odiously;
This was that gift (if you the truth will have)
That Conftantine to good Silvefter gave.
Whom do we count a good Man? whom but he
Who keeps the Laws and Statutes of the Senate,
Who judges in great fuits and Controverfies,
Whofe witness and opinion wins the cause?
But his own house, and the whole neighbourhood *
Sees his foul infide through his whited Skin.
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