The four Monarchyes,

the Affyrian being the first,

beginning under Nimrod, 131. Years
after the Flood,

[69]

Hen time was young, & World in Infancy,

When

Man did not proudly" ftrive for Soveraignty: But each one thought his petty Rule was high,

If of his house he held the Monarchy.

This was the golden Age, but after came

The boisterous fon of Chus,* Grand-Child to Ham,
That mighty Hunter, who in his strong toyles
Both Beasts and Men fubjected to his spoyles:
The ftrong foundation of proud Babel laid,
Erech, Accad, and Culneh also made.
These were his first, all stood in Shinar land,
From thence he went Affyria to command,

And mighty Niniveh, he there begun,
Not finished till he his race had run.

Proudly" is not in the first edition.

* Sons of Cuth.

Refen, Caleh, and Rehoboth likewife
By him to Cities eminent did rife.
Of Saturn, he was the Original,
Whom the fucceeding times a God did call,
When thus with rule, he had been dignifi'd,
One hundred fourteen years he after dy'd.

[70]

Belus.

REAT Nimrod dead, Belus the next his Son

GRE

Confirms the rule, his Father had begun;
Whofe acts and power is not for certainty
Left to the world, by any History.

But yet this blot for ever on him lies,
He taught the people first to Idolize:

Titles Divine he to himself did take,
Alive and dead, a God they did him make.
This is that Bel the Chaldees worshiped,
Whofe Priests in Stories oft are mentioned;
This is that Baal to whom the Ifraelites
So oft profanely offered facred Rites:
This is Beelzebub God of Ekronites,
Likewife Baalpeor of the Mohabites,
His reign was short, for as I calculate,
At twenty five ended his Regal date.

Ninus.

IS Father dead, Ninus begins his reign,
Transfers his feat to the Affyrian 'plain;
And mighty Nineveh more mighty made,
Whofe Foundation was by his Grand-fire laid:
Four hundred forty Furlongs wall'd about,
On which stood fifteen hundred Towers ftout.
The walls one hundred fixty foot upright,
So broad three Chariots run abreft there might.
Upon the pleasant banks of Tygris floud
This ftately Seat of warlike Ninus stood:
This Ninus for a God his Father canonized,
To whom the fottish people facrificed.
This Tyrant did his Neighbours all opprefs,
Where e're he warr'd he had too good fuccefs.
Barzanes the great Armenian King

By force and fraud did under Tribute bring."
The Median Country he did also gain,
Thermus* their King he caused to be flain;
An Army of three millions he led out
Against the Bactrians (but that I doubt)
Zoreafter their King he likewife flew,
And all the greater Afia did subdue.
Semiramis from Menon did he take

Thèn drown'd himself, did Menon for her fake.
Fifty two years he reign'd, (as we are told)
The world then was two thousand nineteen old.

By force, his tributary, he did bring.

≈ Pharmus.

[71]

Semiramis.

THIS great oppreffing Ninus, dead and gone,

His wife Semiramis ufurp'd the Throne;

She like a brave Virago played the Rex
And was both shame and glory of her Sex:
Her birth place was Philiftines Afcolan,
Her mother Dorceta' a Curtizan.

Others report she was a veftal Nun,

Adjudged to be drown'd for th' crime' fhe'd done.
Transform'd into a Fish by Venus will,

Her beauteous face, (they feign) reteining still.
Sure from this Fiction Dagon first began,
Changing the womans face into a man:
But all agree that from no lawfull bed,
This great renowned Empress iffued:
For which she was obfcurely nourished,
Whence rofe that Fable, fhe by birds was fed.
This gallant Dame unto the Bactrian warre,
Accompanying her husband Menon farr,
Taking a town, fuch valour she did show,
That Ninus amorous of her foon did grow,
And thought her fit to make a Monarchs wife,
Which was the cause poor Menon loft his life:
She flourishing with Ninus long did reign,
Till her Ambition caus'd him to be flain.

[72]

That having no Compeer, fhe might rule all,
Or else she fought revenge for Menon's fall.
Some think the Greeks this flander on her caft,
As on her life Licentious, and unchaft,

That undeferv'd, they blur'd her name and fame ́

By their afperfions, caft upon the fame:
But were her virtues more or lefs, or none,
She for her potency must go alone.

Her wealth she fhew'd in building Babylon,
Admir'd of all, but equaliz'd of none;

g

The Walls fo ftrong, and curioufly was wrought,
That after Ages, Skill by them was taught:
With Towers and Bulwarks made of coftly stone,
Quadrangle was the form it stood upon.
Each Square was fifteen thoufand paces long,
An hundred gates it had of mettal strong:
Three hundred fixty foot the walls in height,
Almost incredible, they were in breadth

h

Some writers fay, fix Chariots might affront
With great facility, march fafe upon't:
About the Wall a ditch fo deep and wide,
That like a River long it did abide.
Three hundred thousand men here day by day
Bestow'd their labour, and receiv'd their pay.
And that which did all coft and Art excell,
The wondrous Temple was, fhe rear'd to Bell:

[73]