'He Fire, Air, Earth and water did contest
Which was the strongest, noblest and the best, Who was of greatest use and might'eft force; In placide Terms they thought now to discourse,* That in due order each her turn fhould fpeak; But enmity this amity did break
All would be chief, and all fcorn'd to be under
Whence iffu'd winds & rains, lightning & thunder
The quaking earth did groan, the Sky lookt black
The Fire, the forced Air, in funder crack;
The fea did threat the heav'ns, the heavn's the earth,
All looked like a Chaos or new birth:
Fire broyled Earth, & fcorched Earth it choaked
Both by their darings, water so provoked
That roaring in it came, and with its fource
Soon made the Combatants abate their force
j Fire, Aire, Earth, and Water, did all contest.
Who the moft good could fhew, & who most rage
For to declare, themselves they all ingage.
The rumbling hiffing, puffing was so great
The worlds confufion, it did feem to threat
Till gentle Air,' Contention so abated
That betwixt hot and cold, she arbitrated
The others difference," being lefs did ceafe
All storms now laid, and they in perfect peace
That Fire fhould first begin, the rest consent,
The nobleft and most active Element."
WHAT is my worth (both ye) and all men° know,
In little time I can but little show,
But what I am, let learned Grecians fay
What I can do well skil'd Mechanicks may:
The benefit all living by me finde,
All forts of Artists, here' declare your mind,
What tool was ever fram'd, but by my might?
Ye Martilifts, what weapons' for your fight
To try your valour by, but it must feel
My force? your fword, & Gun,' your Lance of steel
But Aire at length. m enmity.
• things. Where little is. SO Martialift! what weapon.
" Being the most impatient Element. ? Beings. Come first ye Artists, and. t your Pike, your flint and fteele.
Your Cannon's bootlefs and your powder too
Without mine aid, (alas) what can they do:
The adverse walls not shak'd, the Mines not blown
And in defpight the City keeps her own;
But I with one Granado or Petard
Set ope thofe gates, that 'fore fo ftrong were bar'd
Ye Husband-men, your Coulters made by me
Your Hooes" your Mattocks, & what e're you fee
Subdue the Earth, and fit it for your Grain
That fo it might in time requite your pain:
Though strong limb'd Vulcan forg'd it by his skill
I made it flexible unto his will;
Ye Cooks, your Kitchen implements I frame
Your Spits, Pots, Jacks, what else I need not name
Your dayly" food I wholfome make, I warm
Your fhrinking Limbs, which winter's cold doth harm
Ye Paracelfians too in vain's your skill
In Chymistry, unless I help you Still.
And you Philofophers, if e're you made
A tranfmutation it was through mine aid.
Ye filver Smiths, your Ure I do refine
What mingled lay with Earth I caufe to fhine;
But let me leave thefe things, my flame afpires
To match on high with the Celestial fires:
The Sun an Orb of fire was held of old,
Our Sages new another tale have told:
But be he what they will," yet his afpect
A burning fiery heat we find reflect
And of the felf fame nature is with mine
Cold fifter Earth, no witness needs but thine:
How doth his warmth, refresh thy frozen back”
And trim thee brave," in green, after thy black."
Both man and beaft rejoyce at his approach,
And birds do fing, to fee his glittering Coach
And though nought, but Salmander s live in fire.
And fly Pyrausta call'd, all else expire,
Yet men and beaft Aftronomers will tell
Fixed in heavenly Conftellations dwell,
My Planets of both Sexes whofe degree
Poor Heathen judg'd worthy a Diety:
There's Orion arm'd attended by his dog;
The Theban ftout Alcides with his Club;
The valiant Perfeus, who Medufa flew,
The horse that kil'd Belerophon, then flew.
My Crab, my Scorpion, fifhes you may fee
The Maid with ballance, wain with horses three,
The Ram, the Bull, the Lion, and the Beagle,
The Bear, the Goat, the Raven, and the Eagle,
The Crown the Whale, the Archer, Bernice Hare
The Hidra, Dolphin, Boys that water bear,
Nay more, then thefe, Rivers 'mongft ftars are found
Eridanus, where Phaeton was drown'd.
Their magnitude, and height, fhould I recount
My ftory to a volume would amount;
Out of a multitude thefe few I touch,
Your wifdome out of little gather much.
I'le here let pass, my choler, cause of wars
And influence of divers of thofe ftars
When in Conjunction with the Sun do more
Augment his heat, which was too hot before.
The Summer ripening season I do claim
And man from thirty unto fifty frame.
Of old when Sacrifices were Divine,
I of acceptance was the holy figne,
'Mong all my wonders which I might recount, There's none more strange then Ætna's Sulphry mount The choaking flames, that from Vefuvius flew
The over curious fecond Pliny* flew,
And with the Afhes that it fometimes fhed
Apulia's 'jacent parts were covered.
And though I be a fervant to each man
Yet by my force, master, my masters can.
What famous Towns, to Cinders have I turn'd?
What lasting forts my kindled wrath hath burn'd?
The stately Seats of mighty Kings by me
In confufed heaps, of afhes may you fee.
Wher's Ninus great wall'd Town, & Troy of old
Carthage, and hundred more in stories told
Which when they could not be o'recome by foes
The Army, through my help victorious rofe
And ftately London, (our great Britain's glory)
My raging flame did make a mournful ftory,
* She does not mean, by mistake, the Younger Pliny, but translates the cognomen of Secundus, which belonged to both Plinys.
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