Classic Poem

To Sir Jhon Wentworth upon his Curioseties and Curteous entertainments at Summerly in Lovingland

When thou the choise of natures welth hast scand
And brought it to compare with Lovingland
Know that thou maist as well make wonder less
By fanceing of two timbering Phenixes
At the same time: and dream two Suns to rise
At once to cast fier midst those Spiceries.
Pregnant she is, yet that must not deny
The purest gould to come from Barbery
Diamonds and Pearl fro'th'Indies to conferr.
On every Clime some thing peculier
For soe she hath; and like a Summ to all
That Curious is, seems heer most liberall
Affording in Epitome at least
What ere the world can bost of, or call best
Now as contracted vertue doth excell
In power and force this seems a miracle
Wherin all Travailers may truely say
They never saw soe much in little way
And thence conclude their folly that did steer
To seek for that abroad, at home was neer
In more perfection; wouldst thou Phebe meet?
Apollo or the Muses? nor in Creet
And Greece, but heer at Sommerly those are
Removd to dwell, under a Patrons care
Who can as much Civilety express
As Candy Lies, or Gretia Barbrousnes:
Wouldst thou be sheltred under Daphne's groves
Or chuse to live in Tempe, or make Loves
To any place wher Shepards wont to Lie
Upon the Hills, piping securety
Unto their Flocks, heer the sweet park containes
More evenness than the Arcadian plaines
Nor yet enchaunted by those shadowed ringes
Some say the Faires print with revelinges
But's all in one die clad, and doth appeer
Like the Springes Favorite throughout the year
The useful Ash and sturdy Oak are set
At distance and obey, the Brambles mett
Embrace and twine in t'arbours to conceal
And harbour such as stock this Commonweal
Until their Master pleas they should delight
His or his frends desire and appetite
All tales of Satyrs banisht are from hence
And fabled Goblins that delude the sence
'Tis reall Venison, and abroad, in past
Alike may satesfy both eye and tast:
The nobler Plants as Firr-deal and the Pine
Weeping out Rozan, bleeding Turpentine
Like the Life-guards upon the Hall attend
At neerer distance: wher the Gods descend
To keep their Courts, and either Glob's devisd
To grasp the Elements Epitomizd;
The Sun-beams steddy Fier, with the Ayer
Of the unconstant winds Endialled are
Soe whilst the one the hower would inferr
The Other points a rule for th'Mariner:
Earth heer's embroidred into walkes, Some strait
Others Meander-like or wormes to bayt
Occations hook til every humor come
And feed ther fatt as in Elisium.
Nor is ther Water wanting in the wood
Cleer as if running, Calme as if it stood
And soe contrivd by Natures helper Art
Ther's noe appeerance from the whol or part
That any sullen Sluce to malice bent
Can open to impair that Element
Nor yet th'Ambition of a Springes ore-flow
Cause it t'exceed or limits overthrow.
Thus like a gould Chain linkt, or bracelet strung
From Carkanet, pleasures on pleasures hunge
And such delightfull objects did descry
Pursuing of each other that the eye
Astonisht at such wonder did crave rest
For fear of forfeting its interest
In soe great bliss, for over dazeld 'twas
And dimm of sight made by that Looking-glas
Soe ther's a parle graunted, and some space
To guather strenght 'twixt this and t' other place
But very short, not half a mile at most
We landed were again, and made a Coast
Wher if all antient Poets were to write
They'd need noe other fountain to indite
Story of all kinds with, but dip their pen
Then swear the Muses were not nine but ten
For heer dwelt one whose magick could infuse
A Fluency beyond all other Muse
And Court the Soyle with soe much art applide
Til all the world seems barberous beside
Heer Fish and Foule inhabit with such state
As Lords and Ladies wont when servd in Plate
Rich Arras and the like, Bill, Breed, and Swimm
In all delightfull Sollace to the brimm
Decoyd by soe much rapture on we pass
Unto a Castle that enchanted was
By th'Magick spell of musick, til ther set
We found a Cod like to Euterpes nett
To catch all passengers, the Lesbian Lute
Ore come with harmony became ther mute
Whilst as for table to the song bookes servd
The Cristall Fountain: Soe have I observd
When walking neer a stream the heavens to be
Beneath my feet to ease Astronomy
Ther tell the Gammuth of the Stars and Crack
Of all their motians even with Tickebrack
The Fablers of Owld I guess might find
Some objects to help invention but the mind
Was sure Prophetick, for what ever is
Describ'd for rare by Them, 'twas meant of this
And yet this falls short too, when He to whom
The Cost and Care owes Tribute's thear to summ
Up all with such Humanety and press
Of Crowded Favours and heap't Curtises
As Frendship were a Jeweller the while
His welcome seemd the Diamond Those the foyle.