A CONTEMPORARY TRANSLATION
(ANONYMOUS)
In Fifteen
hundred eighty eight, Old Style,
When that
Armada did invade our Isle,
Call'd the
Invincible; whose Freight was then,
Nothing
but Murd'ring Steel, and Murd'ring Men;
Most of
which Navy was disperst, or lost,
And had
the Fate to Perish on our Coast:
April the
fifth (though now with Age outworn)
I'th'
early Spring, I, a poor worm, was born.
In
Malmesbury Baptiz'd, and Named there
By my own
Father, then a Minister.
Many
things worth relating had this Town;
And first,
a Monastery of Renown,
And
Castle, or two rather it may seem,
On a Hill
seated, with a double Stream
Almost
environ'd, from whence still are sent
Two
Burgesses to sit in Parliament.
Here lie
the Bones of Noble Athelstane,
Whose
Stone-Effigies does there remain;
Who for
reward gave them the Neighbouring Plains,
Which he
had moistned with the Blood of Danes.
Here was
the Roman Muse by Adelm brought,
Here also
the fìrst Latin Schole was taught.
My Native
place I'm not asham'd to own;
Th'ill
Times, and Ills born with me, I bemoan:
For Fame
had rumour'd, that a Fleet at Sea,
Wou'd
cause our Nations Catastrophe;
And
hereupon it was my Mother Dear
Did bring
forth Twins at once, both Me, and Fear.
For this,
My Countries Foes I e'r did hate,
With calm
Peace and my Muse associate.
Did Learn
to speak Four Languages, to write
And read
them too, which was my sole delight.
Six years
i'th' Greek and Latin Tongue I spent,
And at
Fourteen I was to Oxford sent;
And there
of Magd'len-Hail admitted, I
My self to
Logick first did then apply,
And
sedulously I my Tutor heard,
Who
Gravely Read, althou' he had no Beard.
Barbara,
Celarent, Darii, Ferio, Baralypton,
These
Modes hath the first Figure; then goes on
Caesare,
Camestres, Festino, Baroco, Darapti,
This hath
of Modes the same variety.
Felapton,
Disamis, Datisi, Bocardo, Ferison,
These just
so many Modes are look'd upon,
Which I,
tho' slowly Learn, and then dispense
With them,
and prove things after my own sense.
The
Physicks read, and my Tutor Display'd,
How all
Things were of Form aiìd Matter made.
The Aëry
Particles which make Forms we see,
Both
Visible and Audible, to be
Th'Effects
of Sympathy, Antipathy,
And many
things above my reach Taught me.
Therefore
more pleasant studies I then sought,
Which I
was formerly, tho' not well Taught.
My Phancie
and my Mind divert I do,
With Maps
Celestial and Terrestrial too.
Rejoyce
t'accompany Sol cloath'd with Rays,
Know by
what Art be measures out our Days;
How Drake
and Cavendish a Girdle made
Quite
round the World, what climates they survey'd;
And strive
to find the smaller Cells of Men,
And
painted Monsters in their unknown Den.
Nay
there's a Fulness in Geography;
For Nature
e'r abhor'd Vacuity.
Thus in
due time took I my first Degree
Of
Batchelor i'th' University.
Then
Oxford left; serv'd Ca'ndish known to be
A Noble
and Conspicuous Family.
Our
College-Rector did me Recommend,
Where I
most pleasantly my Days did spend.
Thus Youth
Tutor'd a Youth; for he was still
Under
Command, and at his Father's will:
Serv'd him
full twenty years, who prov'd to be,
Not a Lord
only, but a Friend to Me,.
That my
Life's sweetest Comfort was, and made
My
Slumbers pleasant in Nights darkest spade.
Thus I at
Ease did Live, of Books, whilst he
Did with
all sorts supply my Library.
Then I our
own Historians did peruse,
Greek,
Latin, and Convers'd too with my.Muse.
Homer and
Virgil, Horace, Sophocles,
Plautus,
Euripides, Aristophanes,
I
understood, nay more; but of all these,
There's
none that pleas'd me like Thucydides.
He says
Democracy's a Foolish Thing,
Than a
Republick Wiser is one King.
This
Author I taught English, that even he
A Guide to
Rhetoricians might be.
To Forrain
Countries at that time did I
Travel,
saw France, Italy, Germany.
This
Debonaire Lord th'Earl of Devonshire,
I serv'd
complete the space of twenty year.
His Life
by Sickness Conquer'd, fled away,
T'exchange
it for a better the last day.
But yet
províded ere he di'd for me,
Who liv'd
with little most contentedly.
I left my
pleasant Mansion, went away
To Paris,
and there eighteen Months did stay,
Thence to
be Tutor I'm cal'd back agen
To my
Lord's Son, the Earl of Devon then.
This Noble
Lord I did instruct when young,
Both how
to Speak and Write and Roman Tongue;
And by
what Arts the Rhetor deceives those
That are
Illiterate; taught him Verse and Prose;
The
Mathematíck Precepts too, with all
The
Windings in the Globe Terrestrial;
The whole
Design of Law, and how he must
Judge
between that which Equal is and Just,
Seven
years to him these Arts I did Explain:
He quickly
Learnt, and firmly did retain.
We
[studied all] this time in Books alone,
[So that]
you'í take the World for to be one;
Travel'd
through Italy and France, did view
The sweet
Retirements of Savoy too.
Whether on
Horse, in Coach, or Ship, still I
Was most
Intent on my Philosophy.
One only
thing i'th World seem'd true to me,
Tho'
several ways that Falsified be.
One only
True Thing, the Basis of all
Those
Things whereby we any Thing do call.
How Sleep
does fly away, and what things still
By Opticks
I can Multiply at will.
Phancie's
Internal, th'Issue of our Brain,
Th'internal
parts only Motion contain:
And he
that studies Physicks first must know
What
Motion is, and what Motion can do.
To Matter,
Motion, I my self apply,
And thus I
spend my Time in Italy.
I
scribbled nothing o'er, nor then e'r wrought;
I ever had
a Mistriss that me taught,
Then
leaving Italy, return we do
To Paris,
and its stately Fabricks view,
Here With
Mersennus I acquainted grew,
Shew'd him
of Motion what I ever knew.
He both
Prais'd and Approv'd it, and so, Sir,
I was
Reputed a Philosopher.
Eíght
Months elaps'd, I return'd, and thought good
For to
Connect what e'r I understood.
That
Principles at second hand more clear,
By their
Concatenation might appear.
To various
Matter various Motion brings
Me, and
the different Species of Things.
Man's
inward Motions and his Thoughts to know,
The good
of Government, and Justice too,
These were
my Studies then, and in these three
Consists
the whole Course of Philosophy:
Man, Body,
Citizen, for these I do
Heap
Matter up, designing three Books too.
I'th'
interim breaks forth a horrid War,
Injurious
to my Study, and a Bar.
In the
year sixteen hundred forty, then
Brake out
a Sickness, whereof many Men
Of
Learning, languishing, gave up their breath
At last,
and yielded to impartial death.
Wherewith
when seized, he reputed was
The Man
that knew Divine and Humane Laws.
The War's
now hot, I dread to see it so,
Therefore
to Paris well-belov'd, I go.
Two years
elaps'd, I published in Print
My Book de
Cive; the new Matter in't
Gratifi'd
Learned Men, which was the Cause
It was
Translated, and with great Applause
By several
Nations, and great Scholars read,
So that my
Name was Famous, and far spread.
England in
her sad Pangs of War, and those
Commend it
too, whom I do most oppose.
But what's
disadvantageous now, who wou'd,
Though it
be Just, ever esteem it Good?
Then I
four years spent to contrive which way
To Pen my
Book de Corpore, Night and Day;
Compare
together each Corporeal Thing,
Think
whence the known changes of Forms do spring.
Inquire
how I compel this Proteus may,
His Cheats
and Artifices to Display.
About this
time Mersennus was (by Name)
A Friar
Minorite, yet of Great Fame,
Learned,
Wise, Good, whose single Cell might be
Prefer'd
before an University.
To him all
Persons brought what e'r they found
By
Learning, if new Principle, or Ground,
In clear
and proper Phrase, without the Dress
Of Gawdy
Rhet'rick, Pride, Deceitfulness.
Which he
imparts to th'Learned, who might there
Discuss
them, or at leisure, any where.
Publish'd
some Rare Inventions, to the Fame
Of their
own Author, with each Authors Name.
About
Mervennus, like an Axis, here
Each Star
wheel'd round, as in its Orb or Sphere.
England,
Scotland, and Ireland was the Stage
Of Civil
War, and with its four years Rage,
Harras'd
and wasted was; Perfidious Fate
Exil'd the
Good, and Help'd the Profligate.
Nay,
Charles, the Kingdom's Heir, attended then,
By a
Retinue of Brave, Noble Men,
To Paris
came, in hope Times might amend,
And
Popular Fury once be at an end.
My Book de
Corpore then I design'd
To write,
all things being ready to my Mind.
But must
desist: such Crimes and Sufferings I
Will not
impute unto the Deity.
First I
resolv'd Divine Laws to fulfil;
This by
Degrees, and carefully I will.
My
Prince's studies I then waited on,
But cou'd
not constantly attend my own.
Then for
six Months was sick; but yet at length,
Though
very weak, I did recover strength,
And
finish'd it in my own Mother-Tongue,
To be read
for the good of old and young.
The Book
at London Printed was, and thence,
Hath visited
the Neighbouring Nations since;
Was Read
by many a Great and Learned Man,
Known by
its dreadful Name, LEVIATHAN.
This Book
Contended with all Kings, and they
By any
Title, who bear Royal sway.
In the
mean time the King's sold by the Scot,
Murder'd
by th'English, an Eternal Blot.
King
Charles at Paris who did then reside,
Had right
to Englands Scepter undeny'd.
A Rebel
Rout the Kingdom kept in aw,
And rul'd
the Giddy Rabble without Law,
Who boldly
Parliament themselves did call,
Though but
a poor handful of men in all.
Blood-thirsty
Leeches, hating all that's good,
Glutted
with Innocent and Noble Blood.
Down go
the Miters, neither do we see
That they
Establish the Presbytery.
Th'Ambitìon
of the stateliest Clergie-Men,
Did not at
all prevail in England then.
Hence many
Scholars to the King did go,
Expel'd,
Sad, Indigent, Burthensome too.
As yet my
Studies undisturbed were,
And my
Grand Clirnacterick past one year,
When that
Book was perus'd by knowing Men,
The Gates
of Janus Temple opened then;
And they
accus'd me to the King,,that I
Seem'd to
approve Cromwel's Impíety,'
And
Countenance the worst of Wickedness:
This was
believ'd, and I appear'd no less
T'han a
Grand Enemy, so that I was for't
Banish'd
both the King's Presence and his Court.
Then I
began on this to Ruminate
On
Dorislaus, and on Ascham's Fate,
And stood
amazed, like a poor Exile,
Encompassed
with Terrour all the while.
Nor cou'd
I blame th'young King for his Assent
To those
Intrusted with his Government.
Then home
I came, not sure of safety there,
Though I
cou'd not be safer any where.
Th'Wind,
Frost, Snow sharp, with Age grown gray,
A plunging
Beast, and most unpleasant way.
At London,
lest I should appear a Spy,
Unto the
State my self I did apply;
That done,
I quietly retired to
Follow my
Study, as I us'd to do.
A
Parliament so cal'd did Govern here;
T'here was
no Prelate then, nor Presbyter.
Nothing
but Arms and Souldiers, one alone
Design'd
to Rule, and Cromwel was that one.
What
Royalist can there, or Man alive,
Blame my
Defence o'th' Kings Prerogative?
All Men
did scribble what they wou'd, Content
And
yielding to the present Government.
My Book de
Corpore through this Liberty
I wrote,
which prov'd a constant War to me,
The Clergy
at Leviathan repines,
And both
of them oppos'd were by Divines.
For whilst
I did inveigh gainst Papal Pride,
These,
though Prohibited, were not deny'd
T'appear
in Print: 'gainst my Leviathan
They rail,
which made it read by many a man,
And did
confirm't the more; 'tis hop'd by me,
That it
will last to all Eternity.
'Twill be
the Ruie of Justice, and severe
Reproof of
those that Men Ambitious are.
The King's
Defence and Guard, the peoples Good,
And
satisfaction, read, and understood.
I, two
years after, Print a Book to show
How every
Reader may himself well know.
Where I
Teach Ethicks, the Phantômes of Sense,
How
th'Wise with Speetres, fearless may dispense.
Publish'd
my Book de Corpore withal,
Whose
Matter's wholly Geometrical.
With great
Applause the Algebrists then read
Wallis his
Algebra now Published.
A Hundred
years that Geometrick Pest
Ago began,
which did that Age Infest.
The Art of
finding out the Numbers sought,
Which
Diophantus once, and Gheber Taught:
And then
Vieta tells you that by this,
Each
Geometrick Problem solved is.
Savil the
Oxford Reader did supply
Watlls
with Principles Noble and High,
That
Infinite had end, and Finite shou'd
Have
parts, but yet those without end allow'd.
Both which
Opinions did Enrage and Scare
All those
who Geometricasters were.
This was
enough to set me Writing, who
Was then
in years no less than Scaventy two,
And in Six
Dialogues I do Inveigh
Against
that new and Geometrick way,
But to no
purpose, Great Men it doth please,
And thus
the Med'cine yields to the Discase.
I Printed
then two Treatises that stung
The Bishop
Bramhal, in our Mother-Tongue.
The
Question at that Time was, and is still,
Whether at
God's, or our own Choìce We Will.
And this
was the Result proceeding thence,
He the
Schools follow'd, I made use of Sense.
Six
Problems, not long after, Publish'd I,
A Tract
but small, yet pure Philosophy.
Wherein I
Teach how Nature does cast down
All
weighty Bodies, and huge massy Stone:
How Vapors
are exhaled by the Sun;
How Winds
engender Cold, when that is done:
The reason
of their Levity, and how
The Barren
Clouds do hang on Heaven's Brow;
How move,
and when that they are pregnant grown
With
Moisture, do in violent Showers pour down.
By what
Cement hard Matter is conjoyn'd,
And how
Hard Things grow Soft, the Cause do find:
Whence
Lightning, Snow, Ice do proceed, and Thunder,
Breaking
through wat'ry Clouds, even to wonder:
How
Loadstones Iron attract: how, and which way
They
th'Arctick and Antarctick Poles obey.
Why from
the Sea unequal Waves do glide,
I'th'
Year, or Month, each Day a double Tide;
And why a
Ship doth Sail against the Wind,
In that
small Treatise all these things you find,
Which may
in time tread with applause the Stage,
As yet
unblam'd in such a Carping Age.
The Nature
of the Air I do discry
in a small
Volume; and most pithily,
Compos'd
on purpose for to obviate
An
Inanisick Machin form'd of late.
Then,
leaving Physicks, I retum again
To my
Beloved Mathematick strain:
For now
the Barb'rous, Bloody Enemy
Had left
the place, where my Estate did ly.
Ile Truth
I cou'd not Teach; for none but Fools
May hope
t'Instruct in their declaiming Schools.
Another
Book of Principles I Print,
Nothing
cou'd be more clear than what was in't.
Whereby the
Nature of Proportion is
Explain'd
so fully, none can say amiss.
Upon this
Subject most agreed that I
Of every
one had gain'd the Victory;
Others
seem in it to find Errors. store,
But they
are crazy grown, and I the more
Press upon
them; then do ascend the high
And lofty
Summet of Geometry,
The
Circles Quadrature I publish then;
The
Pythian God's Porisma Teach all Men.
By a new
Method I thought to o'rcome,
Though not
by the same Reasons neither, some
O'th'
Former Demonstrations, but in vain.
Mathematicians
Half-Witted complain,
Who blush
for to Subscribe; but I'll not lose
My Labour
any longer, thinking those
Indocil
Brutes will ever master Sense,
Or with
good Literature ever dispense.
Then my
Rosetum was put forth, whìch I
Stor'd
with Rare Flowers of Geometry.
Wallis
opposes, and I lost the day,
As both
Divines and Algebrists do say.
The Army
then Discamp'd, and gone, thereby
Wallis of
nothing thinks, but Victory;
Who having
chosen an unpleasant Field,
Which
Thick and Troublesome deep Roots did yield,
Liking the
Combat, I turn, scatter quite
All in a
moment, Numbers Infinite.
These were
my Wars; what more have I to say?
Now Rich
am I, that is, how wise, I pray?
No matter
for my Money or my Land;
If any ask
that, let him understand,
A small
parcel of Ground I had to show,
My own
Inheritance, and let him know,
That This
I on my Brother did bestow:
Of small
Extent, but a most Fertil Ground,
Which did
with store of bladed Wheat abound
Fit for a
Prince; and had not ev'ry thing
Run cross,
I had been counted a great King.
When I the
Civil War approaching find,
And people
led by every breath of wind,
I sought
than this a more commodious place
To live
and study in, and that Paris was.
Stock'd
with five hundred pounds of Coin before
I did
desert, or leave my Native Shore;
To these
two hundred added, but withal,
A Weighty
Lasting Grief did me befal.
(Thou'rt
Dead, Godolphin, who lov'dst Reason, true
Justice
and Peace, Soldier Belov'd, Adieu)
Twice
forty pounds, a yearly Pension, then
I from my
own Country receiv'd; and when
King
Charles restored was, a hundred more
Was
allow'd me out of his private Store.
A Noble
Gift: I slight Reproaches, when
I know I'm
Good, from other Black-mouth'd Men.
Content
with this, desire no more Pelf;
Who but a
Mad-man lives beneath himself?
Let my
Estate by yours Computed be,
And
greater seem; if not, it's enough for me.
My Sums
are small, and yet live happy so,
Richer
than Craesus far, and Crassus too.
Verdusius,
thou know'st my Temper well,
And those
who read my Works, and with thee dwell.
My Life
and Writings speak one Congruous Sense;
Justice I
Teach, and Justice Reverence.
None but
the Covetous we Wicked call,
For
Avarice can do no good at all.
I've now
Compleated my Eighty fourth year,
And Death
approaching, prompts me not to fear.
FINIS.