BEDLAM SCHOOLMAN.
Or, Some Lines made by an English Noble Man, that was in Bedlam. To its own proper Tune. Holow my Fancie, whither wilt thou go?
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INTO a Melancholick Fancie,
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Out of my self;
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Into the Vulcan dancie,
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All the World surveying,
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No where staying,
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Just like a Fairie Elff:
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Out ore the tops of highest Mountains Skipping,
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Out ore the Hills, the Trees, and Valleys tripping,
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Out ore the Ocean Seas, without an Oare or Shipping:
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Holow my Fancie, whither wilt thou go?
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Amidst the misty Vapours,
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fain would I know,
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What doth cause the Tapours?
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Why the Clouds benight us?
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And afright us;
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while we travel here below?
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Fain would I know what makes the roaring Thunder?
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And what these lightnings be, that rent the clouds asunder?
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And what these Comets are, on which we gaze and wonder?
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Holow my Fancie, etc.
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Fain would I know the reason,
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why the little Aunt,
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All the Summer season,
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Layeth up provision,
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Upon condition,
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to know no Winters want?
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And how these Huse-wives that are so good and painful,
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Do unto their Husbands prove so good and gainful?
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And why these lazie Drons, to them do prove disdainful?
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Holow, etc.
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Ships, Ships, I will discrie you,
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amidst the Main;
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I will come and try you,
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What you are protecting,
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And projecting.
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whats your end and aim?
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One goes abroad for Merchandise and Trading,
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Another stayes to keep his Countrey from invading,
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A Third is coming home with rich & wealth of loading.
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Holowe, etc.
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When I look before me,
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there do behold,
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Theres none that sees or knows me;
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All the Worlds a gadding,
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Running and madding,
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none doth his station hold:
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He that is below invieth him that riseth,
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And he that is above, him thats below despiseth,
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So every Man his plot and counter-plot deviseth.
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Holow, etc.
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Look, Look, what a busling,
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here I do espy;
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Each one another jusling,
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Every one turmoiling,
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One another spoiling,
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as I did pass them by:
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One sitteth musing in a dumpish Passion,
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Another hangs his Head, because hes out of fashion,
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A Third is fully bent on sport and recreation:
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Holow, etc.
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Amidst the foamie Ocean,
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fain would I know,
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What doth cause the motion,
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And returning,
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In its journeying?
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and doth so seldom swerve?
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And how these little Fishes, that swime beneath Salt water
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Do never blind their Eye? Me thinks it is a matter,
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An inch above the reach of Erra Pater!
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Holow, etc.
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Fain would I be resolved,
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how things are done?
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And where the Bull was calved,
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Of bloody Falaris?
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And where the Taylor is,
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that works to the Man in the Moon?
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Fain would I know how Cupid aims so rightly?
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And how these little Fairies do dance and leap so lightly?
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And where fair Cynthia makes her ambles nightly?
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Holow, etc.
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In conceit like Phaeton,
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Ill mount Phoebus Chaire!
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Having nere a Hat on,
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All my Hairs a burning,
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In my journeying,
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hurrying through the Air!
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Fain would I hear his fiery Horses neighing!
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And see how they on foamy Bitts are playing!
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All the Stars and Planets I will be surveying!
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Holow, etc.
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O from what ground of Nature,
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Doth the Pelican,
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That self devouring creature,
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Prove so froward,
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And untoward,
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her Vitals for to strain!
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And why the subtile Fox, while in deaths wounds is lying,
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Doth not lament his pangs, by howling and by crying?
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And why the milk white Swan doth sing when shes a dy-ing.
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Holow, etc.
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Fain would I conclude this,
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at least make an essay,
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What similitude is,
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Why Fowls of a feather,
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Do flock and fly together?
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and Lambs know Beastes of prey?
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How Natures Alchymists, these small laborious creatures,
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Acknowledge still a Prince in ordering their matters,
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And suffers none to live, who slothing lose their Fea[t]ures?
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Holow, etc.
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Im rapt with admiration,
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when I do ruminate,
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Men of one Occupation,
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How each one calls him Brother,
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Yet each invieth other,
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and yet still intimate;
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Yea, I admire to see, some Natives farther sundred,
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Then Antipodes to us, is it not to be wondred,
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In Myriads yell find of one Mind scarce an hundred!
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Holow, etc.
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What multitude of notions
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doth perturb my Pate,
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Considering the motions,
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How Heavens they are preserved;
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And this World served,
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in Moisture, Light and Heat!
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If one Spirit sits the outmost Circle turning,
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Or if one turns another continuing in journeying;
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If Rapids circles motion be that which they call burning
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Holow, etc.
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Fain also would I prove this,
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by considering,
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What that which you call love is?
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Whither it be a Folly,
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Or a Melancholy,
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or some Heroick thing!
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Fain would I have it proved, by one whom Love hath wounded
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And fully upon one their desire hath founded,
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That nothing els could please them tho the World were rounded!
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Holow, etc.
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To know this Worlds Center,
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Height, Depth, Breadth, and Length,
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Fain would I adventure,
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To search the hid attractions,
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Of Magnetick actions,
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And Adamantick strength!
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Fain would I know if in some lofty Mountains,
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Where the Moon sojourns, if there be Trees or Fountain?
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If there be Beasts of prey? or yet be fields to hunt in?
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Holow, etc.
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Fain would I have it tried,
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by Experiments,
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By none can be denied;
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If in this bulk of Nature,
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There be voids less or greater,
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or all remains compleat?
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Fain would I know if Beasts have any Reason?
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If Falcons killing Eagles, do commit a treason?
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If fear of Winters want, makes Swallowes fly the season?
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Holow, etc.
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Holow my Fancie, holow,
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stay thou at home with me,
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I can thee no longer follow;
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Thou hast betrayd me,
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And bewrayd me;
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it is too much for thee.
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Stay, stay at home with me, leave off thy lofty soaring,
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Stay thou at home with me, and on thy books be poring:
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For he that goes abroad layes little up in storing:
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thous welcome home my Fancie, welcome home to me!
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