Classic Poem

Sir I must ever owne my self to be
Possest with humane curiositee
Of seeing all that might the Sense invite
By those two baites of profit and delight.
And since I had the witt to understand
The Termes of Native or of Forraine land;
I have had strong and oft desires to tread
Some of those Voyages which I have read.
Yet still so fruitlesse have my wishes prov'd
That from my Countrye's smoak I never mov'd:
Nor ever had the fortune (though design'd)
To satisfy the wandrings of my mind.
Therfore at last I did with some content,
Beguile my self in Time which Others spent,
Whose Art to Provinces small Lines allots,
And represents large Kingdomes but in Spots.
Thus by Ortelius' and Mercator's aid
Through most of the discover'd World I stray'd.
I could with ease double the Southerne Cape,
And in my passage Africk's wonders take:
Then, with a speed proportion'd to the Scale,
Northward againe as high as Zemla saile.
Oft hath the travaile of my Ey out-run
(Though I sate still) the journey of the Sun:
Yet made an end, ere his declining beames
Did nightly quench themselves in Thetis' streames.
Oft have I gone through Ægypt in a day,
Not hinder'd by the droughtes of Lybia;
In which, for lack of Water, Tides of Sand
By a dry diluge overflow the Land.
There I the Pyramids and Cairo see,
Still famous for the Warrs of Tomombee,
And its owne Greatnes; Whose Immured Fence
Takes Fourty miles in the Circumference.
Then without Guide or stronger Caravan
Which might secure the wild Arabian,
Back through the scorched Desarts passe, to seek,
Once the Worlde's Lord, now the beslaved Greek:
Made by a Turkish Yoake and Fortune's hate
In Language, as in Mind, degenerate.
And here all rap't in pitty and Amaze
I stand, whilst I upon the Sultan gaze.
To think how Hee, with Pride and Rapine fir'd
So vast a Territory hath accquir'd:
And by what daring stepps he did become
The Asian feare, and scourge of Christendome:
How he atchiev'd, and kept; and by what artes
He did concenter those divided Partes,
And how He holdes that monstrous Bulk in awe,
By settled Rules of Tyranny, not Law.
So Rivers large, and rapid Streames began,
Swelling from Dropps into an Ocean.
Sure who e're shall the just Extraction bring
Of this Gygantick Power from the Spring
Must there confesse a Higher Ordinance
Did it for terrour to the Earth advance.
For mark, how 'mongst a Lawlesse Straggling Crew
Made up of Arab, Saracen and Jew,
The worlde's disturber, faithlesse Mahomet
Did by Impostures an Opinion get:
O're whome He first usurpes as Prince, and than
As Prophet does obtrude his Alcoran.
Next, how fierce Ottoman his claime made good
From that unblest Religion, by Bloud;
Whilst he the Easterne Kingdomes did deface,
To make their ruin his proud Empire's base.
Then like a Comet blazing in the skyes
How Death-portending Amurath did rise;
When he his Horned Crescents did display
Upon the fatall Plaines of Servia:
And farther still his Sanguin Tresses spread,
Till Croya Life and Conquests limited.
Lastly how Mahomet, thence stil'd the Great,
Made Constantine's his owne Imperiall Seat
After that he in one Victorious bond
Two Empires grasp't, of Greece and Trabezond.
This, and much more then this, I gladly read,
Where my relatours it had Storyed;
Besides That People's Manners and their Rites,
Their Warlike discipline, and order'd fightes;
Their des'prate valour, hardned by the Sense
Of unavoyded Fate and Providence:
Their Habit, and their Houses; who confer
Lesse cost on them, then on their Sepulcher:
Their frequent washings, and the severall Bath
Each Meschit to it self annexed hath:
What honour they unto the Mufty give,
What to the Soveraigne under whome they live:
What quarter Christians have; how just and free
To in-offensive Travailours they bee.
Though I confesse, Like stomackes fed with Newes,
I took them in for wonder, not for use,
Till your Experienc'd and authentick pen
Taught mee to know the Places and the Men;
And made all those suspected Truthes become
Undoubted now, and cleare as Axiome.
Sir, for this work more then my thankes is due:
I am at once inform'd and cur'd by You.
So that, were I assur'd I should live o're
My periods of Time run out before;
Ne're needed my Erratick wish transport
Mee from my Native lists, to that Resort
Where many at Outlandish Martes unlade
Ingenuous manners, and doe only trade
For Vices and the Language. By your Eyes
I here have made my full Discoveryes;
And all your Countreyes soe exactly seene,
As in the Voyage I had sharer beene.
By This You make mee soe: And the whole Land
Your debtour. Which can only understand
How much Shee owes You, when hir Sons shall try
The solid depthes of your rare History.
Which lookes above our Gadders' triviall reach,
The common place of Travailours, who teach
But Table-talk; and seldomly aspire
Beyond the Countrye's Dyett or Attire.
Wheras your piercing judgment does relate
The Policy, and Manage of Each State.
And since Shee must here without envy grant
That You have farther journey'd the Levant
Then any noble Spiritt by hir bred
Hath in your way as yet adventured;
I cannot lesse in justice from hir look
Then that shee henceforth Canonize your Book
A Rule to all hir Travailours; And You
The brave Example. From whose equall view
Each knowing Reader may himself direct,
How he may Goe Abroad to some effect,
And not for Forme: what Distance and what Trust
In those remoter Partes observe he must:
How he with Jealous People may converse,
Yet take no hurt himself by that Commerce.
So when he shall embark'd in daungers be,
Which witt and wary caution not foresee;
If he partake your valour and your Braine,
He may perhapps come safely off againe
As You have done: Though not soe richly fraught
As this Returne hath to our Staple brought.
I know your modesty shuns vulgar praise:
And I have none to bring: But only raise
This Moniment of Honour and of Love.
Which your long know'n deserts so farr emprove,
They leave mee doubtfull in what stile to end;
Whither more your Admirer or your Friend.