moreover there be always a twofold condition propound with sphinx her enigma  to he that do not expound they distraction of mind and to he that do a kingdom  for he that know that which he seek to know have attain the end he aim at and  every artificer also command over his work of sphinx her riddle there be  general two kind some concern the nature of thing other touch the nature of  man so also there be two kind of empery as reward to those that resolve they  the one over nature the other over man for the proper and chief end of true  natural philosophy be to command and sway over natural be as body medicine  mechanical work and infinite other thing although the school be content with  such thing as be offer and pryding it self with speech do neglect realties and  work tread they as it be under foot but that aenigma propound to Oedipus by  mean of which he obtain the theban empire belong to the nature of man for  whosoever do through consider the nature of man may be in a manner the  contriver of his own fortune and be bear to command which be well speak of the  Roman be TU to carry back command poplar tree Roman memento have flute to be  be Roman remember that with sceptre awe thy realm thou rule these be let be  thy law it be therefore very place near that Augustus Caesar whether by  premeditation or by chance bear a sphinx in his signet for he if ever any be  famous not only in political government but in all the course of his life he  happy discover many new enigma concern the nature of man which if he have not  do with dexterity and promptness he have oftentimes fall into imminent danger  and destruction moreover it be add in the fable that the body of sphinx when  she be overcome be lie upon a ass which indeed be a elegant fiction see there  be nothing so acute and abstruse but be well understand and divulge may be  apprehend by a slow capacity neither be it to be omit that sphinx be overcome  by a man lame in his foot for when man be too swift of foot and too speedy of  pace in haste to sphinx her enigma it come to pass that she get the upper hand  their wit and mind be rather distract by disputation then that ever they come  to command by work and effect Proserpina or spirit pluto they say be make king  of the infernal dominion by that memorable division be in despair of ever  attain any one of the superior goddess in marriage especial if he shall  venture to court they either with word or with any amorous behaviour so that  of necessity he be to lie some plot to get one of they by rapine take  therefore the benefit of opportunity he catch up Proserpina the daughter of  Ceres a beautiful virgin as she be gather Narcissus flower in the meadow of  Sicily and carry her away with he in his Coach to the subterranean dominion  where she be welcome with such respect as that she be style the lady of this  but Ceres her mother when in no place she can find this her only belove  daughter in a sorrowful humour and distract beyond measure go compass the  whole earth with a burn torch in her hand to seek and recover this her lose  child but when she see that all be in vain suppose peradventure that she be  carry to hell she importune Jupiter with many tear and lamentation that she  may be restore unto her again at length prevail thus far that if she have  taste of nothing in hell she shall have leave to bring her from thence which  condition be as good as a denial to her petition Proserpina have already eat  three grain of a Pome granat and yet for all this Ceres give not over her suit  but fall to prayer and moan afresh wherefore it be at last grant that the year  be divide Proserpina shall by alternate course remain one six month with her  husband and other six month with her mother not long after this Theseus and  Pirithous in a over hardy adventure attempt to fetch her from Pluto bed who be  weary with travel and sit down upon a stone in hell to rest themselves have  not the power to rise again but sit there for ever Proserpina therefore remain  queen of hell in who honour there be this great privilege grant that although  it be enact that none that go down to hell shall have the power ever to return  from thence yet be this singular exception annex to this law that if any  present Proserpina with a golden bough it shall be lawful for he to come and  go at his pleasure now there be but one only such bough in a spacious and  shady grove which be not a plant neither of it self but bud from a tree of  another kind like a rope of gum which be pluck of another will instant spring  out this fable seem to pertain to nature and to dive into that rich and  plentiful efficacy and variety of subalternal creature from who whatsoever we  have be derive and to they do again return by Proserpina the ancient mean that  aethereal spirit which be separate from the upper globe be shut up and detain  under the earth represent by Pluto which the poet well express thus sive fresh  tellus seducta{que recently ab alto ethereal cognati to hold back semina sky  whither the youngling tellus that of late be from the high rear aether  separate do yet contain her team womb within the live seed of heaven her near  kin this spirit be feign to be rapt by the earth because nothing can with hold  it when it have time and leisure to escape it be therefore catch and stay by a  sudden contraction no other wise then if a man shall go about to mix air with  water which can be do by no mean but by a speedy and rapid agitation as may be  see in froth wherein the air be rapt by the water neither be it inelegant add  that Proserpina be rapt as she be gather Narcissus flower in the valley  because Narcissus have his name from slowness or stupidity for indeed then be  this spirit most prepare and fit to be snatch by terrestrial matter when it  begin to be coagulate and become as it be slow right be Proserpina honour more  then any of the other God bedfellow in be style the lady of this because this  spirit do rule and sway all thing in those low region Pluto abide stupid and  ignorant this spirit the power celestial shadow by Ceres strive with infinite  sedulity to recover and get again for that brand or burn torch of aether which  Ceres carry in her hand do doubtless signify the sun which enlighten the whole  circuit of the earth and will be of great moment to recover Proserpina if  possible it may be but Proserpina abide still the reason of which be accurate  and excellent propound in the condition between Jupiter and Ceres for first it  be most certain there be two way to keep spirit in solid and terrestrial  matter the one by constipation or obstruction which be mere imprisonment and  constraint the other by administration of proportionable nutriment which it  receive Willing and of its own accord for after that the include spirit begin  to feed and nourish it self it make no haste to be go but be as it be link to  its earth and this be point at by Proserpina her eat of a Pome granat which if  she have not do she have long since be recover by Ceres with her torch compass  the earth now as concern that spirit which be in metal and mineral it be chief  perchance restrain by the solidity of mass but that which be in plant and  animal inhabit a porous body and have open passage to be go in a manner as it  listen be it not that it Willing abide of its own accord by reason of the  relish it find in its entertainment the second condition concern the six month  custom it be no other then a elegant description of the division of the year  see this spirit mix with the earth appear above ground in vegetable body  during the summer month and in the winter sink down again now as concern  Theseus and Pirithous their attempt to bring Proserpina quite away the meaning  of it be that it oftentimes come to pass that some more subtle spirit  desceding with diverse body to the earth never come to suck of any subalternal  spirit whereby to unite it unto they and so to bring it away but on the  contrary be coagulate themselves and never rise more that Proserpina shall be  by that mean augment with inhabitant and dominion all that we can say concern  that sprig of gold be hardly able to defend we from the violence of the  chemics if in this regard they set upon we see they promise by that their  elixir to effect golden mountain and the restore of natural body as it be from  the portal of hell but concern chemistry and those perpetual suitor for that  philosophical elixir we know certain that their theory be without ground we  suspect that their practice also be without certain reward and therefore omit  these of this last part of the parable this be my opinion I be induce to  believe by many figure of the ancient that the conservation and restauration  of natural body in some sort be not esteem by they as a thing impossible page  miss page miss page miss page miss coronet so as ever since that time all the  muse have attire they self with plume head except Terpsichores only that be  mother to the siren the habitation of the siren be in certain pleasant land  from whence as soon as out of their watch tower they discover any ship  approach with their sweet tune they will first entice and stay they and have  they in their power will destroy they neither be their song plain and single  but consist of such variety of melodious tune so fit and delight the ear that  hear they as that it ravish and betray all passenger and so great be the  mischief they do that these isle of the siren even as far off as a man can ken  they appear all over white with the bone of unbury carcase for the remedy of  this misery a double mean be at last find out the one by Ulysses the other by  Orpheus Ulysses to make experiment of his device cause all the ear of his  company to be stop with wax and make himself to be bind to the main mast with  special commandment to his mariner not to be lose albeit himself shall require  they so to do but Orpheus neglect and disdain to be so bind with a shrill and  sweet voice sing the praise of the God to his harp suppress the song of the  siren and so free himself from their danger this fable have relation to man  manner and contain in it a manifest and most excellent parable for pleasure do  for the most part proceed out of the abundance and superfluity of all thing  and also out of the delight and jovial contentment of the mind the which be  wont sudden as it be with wing enticement to ravish and rapt mortal man but  learning and education bring it so to pass as that it restrain and bridle man  mind make it so to consider the end and event of thing as that it clippes the  wing of pleasure and this be great to the honour and renown of the muse for  after that by some example it be make manifest that by the power of philosophy  vain pleasure may grow contemptible it present grow to great esteem as a thing  that can raise and elevate the mind aloft that seem to be base and fix to the  earth and make the cogitation of man which do ever reside in the head to be  aethereal and as it be wing but that the mother of the siren be leave to her  foot and without wing that no doubt be no otherwise mean then of light and  superficial learning appropriate and define only to pleasure as be those which  Petronius devote himself unto after he have receive his fatal sentence and  have his foot as it be upon the threshold of death seek to give himself all  delightful contentment in so much as when he have cause consolatory letter to  be send he he will peruse none of they as Tacitus report that shall give he  courage and constancy but only read fantastical verse such as these be to live  of me Lesbian and to love Rumoresque senium serious all One  to determine the value of Assis my Lesbian let we live and love though wayward  Dottards we reprove weigh their word light for our behoof and this also  justice old man to swim quid sit the dictates of religion indecl inquirant sad  legumque swarm  servant let dote grandsire know the law and right and wrong  observe with awe let they in that strict circle draw this kind of doctrine  will easy persuade to take these plume coronet from the muse to restore the  wing again to the siren these siren be say to dwell in remote isle for that  pleasure love privacy and retire place shun always too much company of people  the siren song be so vulgar understand together with the deceit and danger of  they as that they needs no exposition but that of the bone appear like white  cliff and descry a far off have more acuteness in it for thereby be signify  that albeit the example of affliction be manifest and eminent yet do they not  sufficient deter we from the wicked enticement of pleasure as for the  remainder of this parable though it be not over mystical yet be it very grave  and excellent for in it be set out three remedy for this violent entice  mischief to wit two from philosophy and one from religion the first mean to  shun these inordinate pleasure be to withstand and resist they in their  beginning and serious to shun all occasion that be offer to debauch entice the  mind which be signify in that stop of the ear that remedy be proper use by the  mean and base sort of people as it be Ulysses follower or mariner whereas more  heroic and noble spirit may bold converse even in the amid of these seduce  pleasure if with a resolve constancy they stand upon their guard and fortify  their mind and so take great contentment in the trial and experience of this  their approve virtue learning rather through to understand the folly and  vanity of those pleasure by contemplation then by submission which Salomon  avouch of himself when he reckon up the multitude of those solace and pleasure  wherein he swim do conclude with this sentence prudence likewise to abide I  wisdom also continue with I therefore these hero and spirit of this excellent  temper even in the amid of these entice pleasure can show themselves constant  and invincible and be able to support their own virtuous inclination against  all heady and forcible persuasion whatsoever as by the example of Ulysses that  so peremptory interdict all pestilent counsel and flattery of his companion as  the most dangerous and pernicious poison to captivate the mind but of all  other remedy in this case that of Orpheus be most predominant for they that  chant and resound the praise of the God confound and dissipate the voice and  incantation of the siren for divine meditation do not only in power subdue all  sensual pleasure but also far exceed they in sweetness and delight Finis