XLIV. Nathanael Baxter

THEN formed He a prince, of royall dignitie,

Of a wonderfull grace and maiestie,

To sway this imperiall monarchie.

He framed first his bodie’s lineaments,

With all his admirable complements,

As a yong man of thirtie yeares of age,

Beautifull, gratious, of comely visage;

Yet dead he lay as carkasse on a greene,

No life or motion in him felt or seene,

Like sweete Adonis sleeping on the mount,

Whom peerlesse Venus had in high account:

Then breath’d He into him the breath of life,

Where presently began a gentle strife,

When euery limme began it selfe to moue,

And stretch it selfe, his vitall force to proue;

The closed eyes their curtaines did display,

The rowling eye had motion euery way;

The nosthrils ’gan to feel the fragrant smell

Of sweetest-sented flowers, which there did dwell;

The eare began to heare melodious notes

Of daintie birds, from out their warbling throates;

The rubie, liquid, warming vitall blood,

Pass’d euerie veine, as riuer’s streaming flood

From Liuer’s fountaine, t’impart nourishment

Vnto the heart that hath the gouernment,

And so through conduits, secretly contriu’d,

Is blood to euerie humane part deriu’d.

This life to euery part gaue perfect sense,

To feele according to their difference.

Within his head, by hidden instruments,

Were placed Nature’s blessed ornaments.

The forehead kept obiected phantasie,

The hinder part reteyneth memorie;

Intelligence hath her place principall

In the crowne of the head, highest of all,

Fit to receiue obiects from phantasie,

And to commit them vnto memorie;

Within a branchie filme there lyeth the braine,

Close rampir’d vp with barracados twaine,

Both maters, and the flint-hardie scull:

Here reignes the soule, in maner wonderfull;

From thence she doth diffuse her operation,

To euerie member in his scituation.