Part 8

I. NOSCE TEIPSUM.

NOTE.

'Nosce Teipsum' was originally published in 1599 (4to). The following is its title-page and collation:

Nosce teipsum

_This Oracle expounded in two Elegies_

1. Of Humane knowledge.

2. Of the Soule of Man, and the immortalitie thereof.

[Wood-engraving of an anchor within a border and the motto Anchora Spei.]

London, Printed by _Richard Field_ for _Iohn Standish_, 1599. [4to.]

Title-page--Dedication pp. 2--Of humane Knowledge pp. 1-8--Of the soule of man and the immortalitie thereof pp. 9-101. A second edition appeared in 1602, whereof the following are title-page and collation:--

Nosce teipsum,

_This Oracle expounded in two Elegies_.

1. Of Humane knowledge.

2. Of the Soule of Man, and the immortalitie thereof.

_Newly corrected and amended._

London, Printed by _Richard Field_ for _Iohn Standish_. 1602. [4to.] Title-page--Dedication pp. 2, signed 'Dauys': poem pp. 101.

A third edition was issued in 1608. I give its title-page also:

Nosce teipsum

_This Oracle expounded in two Elegies_.

1. Of Humane Knowledge.

2. Of the Soule of Man and the immortalitie thereof.

_Written by_ Sir Iohn Davis, _his Maiesties Atturney generall in Ireland_.

London, Printed by Henry Ballard for _Iohn Standish_. 1608. [4to.]

Collation same with the others, _supra_.

The next edition known to me, bears the date of 1618, along with Orchestra and Hymnes to Astræa: and the last during the life-time of the Author, was in the sm. 8vo of 1622, which volume contained the same Poems with that of 1618.

* * * * *

Our text is a faithful reproduction, including the significant and suggestive italics, of the last edition published by Sir John Davies, viz., that of 1622, with the few various readings from the first and subsequent editions. The following is the title-page and collation of 1622 edn.

_Nosce Teipsum_

This Oracle expounded in two _Elegies_.

1. Of Humane Knowledge.

2. Of the Soule of Man, and the immortalitie thereof.

Hymnes of _Astræa_ in Acrosticke Verse.

ORCHESTRA,

OR,

_A Poeme of Dauncing_.

In a Dialogue betweene _Penelope_ and one of her Wooers.

_Not finished._

* * * * *

London,

Printed by _Augustine Mathewes_ for _Richard Hawkins_, and are to be sold at his Shop in Chancery Lane, neere Serieants Inne. 1622. [8vo.]

Title-page--Dedic^{n} pp 2--Of Humane Knowledge pp 1-8--Of the Soule of Man and the Immortalitie thereof pp 9-81. Hymnes pp 20 [unpaged]--Orchestra pp 47 [unpaged].

In my first edition of Sir John Davies' Poems in the Fuller Worthies' Library, I printed, perhaps with too hasty decision, at the bottom of each page, certain slight MS. notes written by the famous Bp. Hacket, in his copy of Nosce Teipsum (1599). When it was too late to stop progress, the mere curiosity of the jottings was perceived. I do not deem it expedient to reproduce them here; but a specimen may be acceptable, and here and there in the places, a few. I limit myself to the Dedication:

Heading, 'soveraigne': Emmanuel [but Elizabeth was meant].

L. 1, 'maiestie': Elizabetha: and near it [meaningless] Richar[d] Yeorck.

L. 1, 'North': Scotland [but erased], and so against 'sunne' (l. 2) James, but erased.

L. 3, 'heauenly worth': Shewes for thy glory.

L. 5, 'alone': Supported by none but God.

L. 6, 'great States': Great affaires.

L. 8, 'the Almightie's hand': Per me reges regnant et dixi dii estis.

L. 10, 'Nature's dowre': Arte's excellence the gift of nature.

L. 13, 'Great Spirit': Deus.

L. 16, 'Cynthia': Luna.

L. 30, 'angell': Angellus Pommi.

L. 32, 'angell': [Greek: [Ag]gellos Phôtos].

L. 33, 'Heauen': Superior: to the higher heauen.

L. 34, 'heauen': Inferior.

These suffice to show how carefully, if not always accurately, the good Bishop read the poem, but also how unimportant his notes are. On the title-page opposite the words "This Oracle," &c., is written "written in the temple of Apollo, letters commendatory." On _verso_ of the title-page, is this memorandum by a former owner: "This Edition is extremely scarce. Vide Smith's Catgue. Iron Bridge, 1822. Pr. O. 16. O. This Book came out of Mr. Hacket's Library, a Descendant of Bp. Hacket, whose Book it was, and the MS. notes are by him." The book is now in the library of my excellent fellow-collector, G. W. Napier, Esq., of Merchiston House, Alderley Edge, Manchester, to whom I owe its re-use, as well as of other early editions of Davies. G.

I. $Royal Dedication$

TO MY MOST GRACIOVS DREAD SOVERAIGNE.

_To that cleere maiestie which in the North Doth, like another Sunne in glory rise; Which standeth fixt, yet spreads[55] her heauenly worth; Loadstone to hearts, and loadstarre to all eyes._

_Like Heau'n in all; like th' Earth in this alone, That though[56] great States by her support doe stand, Yet she herselfe supported is of none, But by the finger of the Almightie's hand:_

_To the diuinest and the richest minde, Both by Art's purchase and by Nature's dowre, That euer was from Heau'n to Earth confin'd, To shew the vtmost of a creature's power:_

_To that great Spirit,[57] which doth great kingdomes mooue, The sacred spring whence $right$ and $honor$ streames, Distilling $Vertue$, shedding $Peace$ and $Loue$, In euery place, as $Cynthia$ sheds her beames:_

_I offer up some sparkles of that fire, Whereby wee $reason, liue, and moue, and be$; These sparkes by nature euermore aspire, Which makes them to so $high$ an $highnesse$ flee._

_Faire $Soule$, since to the fairest body knit,[58] You giue such liuely life, such quickning power, Such sweet celestiall influences to it,[59] As keepes it still in youth's immortall flower:_

_(As where the sunne is present all the yeere, And neuer doth retire his golden ray, Needs must the Spring bee euerlasting there, And euery season like the month of May.)_

_O! many, many yeeres may you remaine, A happy angell to this happy Land; Long, long may you on Earth our empresse raigne, Ere you in Heauen a glorious angell stand._

_Stay long (sweet spirit) ere thou to Heauen depart, Which mak'st each place a heauen wherein thou art._

Her Maiestie's least and vnworthiest Subiect[60]

IOHN DAVIES.[61]

[Footnote 55: Spreds in 1st edn. G.]

[Footnote 56: Thomas Davies, as before, misprints 'thro.' G.]

[Footnote 57: Bp. Hacket writes 'Deus' against 'Spirit': but perhaps the Queen only was (flatteringly) intended, as her poetic name of Cynthia would seem to indicate. This word 'Spirit' is misprinted by Thomas Davies and by Southey and usually, 'spring'. G.]

[Footnote 58: Misprinted by Davies and Southey, as before, 'join'd'. G.]

[Footnote 59: Davies and Southey misread

'And influence of such celestial kind'

which I find supported by none of the author's own texts. G.]

[Footnote 60: Davies and Southey, as before, misread 'Her Maiesty's Devoted Subject and Servant' from Tate (1697). See our Memorial-Introduction. G.]

[Footnote 61: In 1599 edition 'Dauies,' and in 1608 edition 'Davis' and also in its title-page: in 1622 edition, as above. G.

[asterism]: TATE, and after him THOMAS DAVIES, dates this Dedication 'July 11th, 1592.' It is possible that the 'Poem' was then in manuscript: but it was not printed or published until 1599, and there is no date to the Dedication either in that edition or in those of 1602, 1608 or 1622. G.]

II. ANOTHER DEDICATION OF A GIFT-COPY (IN MS.) IN THE POSSESSION OF HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, AT ALNWICK CASTLE.[62]

[Footnote 62: On this MS. of Nosce Teipsum see our Preface. G.]

_To the right noble, valorous, and learned Prince Henry, Earle of Northumberland_:

The strongest and the noblest argument To proue the soule immortall, rests in this: That in no mortall thing it finds content, But seekes an object that æternall is.

If any soule hath this immortall signe, (As every soule doth show it, more or lesse), It is your spirit, heröick and diuine; Which this true noate most liuely doth expresse;

For being a prince, and hauing princely blood, The noblest of all Europe in your vaines; Having youth, wealth, pleasure, and every good, Which all the world doth seek, with endlesse paynes.

Yet can you never fixe y^{r} thoughts on these, These cannot with your heavenly mind agree; These momentary objects cannot please, Your wingèd spirit, which more aloft doth flee.

It only longs to learne and know the truth, The truth of every thing, which never dies; The nectar which præserves the soule in youth; The manna which doth minds immortalize.

These noble studdies, more ennoble you, And bring more honor to your race and name Than Hotspur's fier, which did the Scots subdew, Then Brabant's scion, or great Charles his name.

Then to what spirit shall I these noates commend, But unto that which doth them best expresse; Who will to them more kind protection lend, Then Hee which did protect me in distresse?

_Of Humane Knowledge._

Why did my parents send me to the Schooles, That I with knowledge might enrich my mind? Since the _desire to know_ first made men fools, And did corrupt the root of all mankind:

For when God's hand had written in the hearts Of the first Parents, all the rules of good, So that their skill infusde did passe all arts That euer were, before, or since the Flood;

And when their reason's eye was sharpe and cleere, And (as an eagle can behold the sunne) Could haue approcht th' Eternall Light as neere, As the intellectuall angels could haue done:

Euen then to them the _Spirit of Lyes_ suggests That they were blind, because they saw not ill; And breathes into their incorrupted brests A curious _wish_, which did corrupt their _will_.

For that same ill they straight desir'd to know; Which ill, being nought but a defect of good, In[63] all God's works the Diuell could not show While Man their lord in his perfection stood.

So that themselues were first to doe the ill, Ere they thereof the knowledge could attaine; Like him that knew not poison's power to kill, Vntill (by tasting it) himselfe was slaine.

Euen so by tasting of that fruite forbid, Where they sought _knowledge_, they did _error_ find; Ill they desir'd to know, and ill they did; And to giue _Passion_ eyes, made _Reason_ blind.

For then their minds did first in Passion see Those wretched shapes of _Miserie_ and _Woe_, Of _Nakednesse_, of _Shame_, of _Pouertie_, Which then their owne experience made them know.

But then grew _Reason_ darke, that _she_ no more, Could the faire formes of _Good[64]_ and _Truth_ discern; _Battes_ they became, that _eagles_ were before: And this they got by their _desire_ to _learne_.

But we their wretched of-spring, what doe we? Doe not we still taste of the fruit forbid Whiles with fond[65] fruitlesse curiositie, In bookes prophane we seeke for knowledge hid?

What is this _knowledge_ but the sky-stolne fire, For which the _thiefe[66]_ still chain'd in ice doth sit? And which the poore rude _Satyre_ did admire, And needs would kisse but burnt his lips with it.[67]

What is it? but the cloud of emptie raine, Which when _Ioue's_ guest imbrac't, hee monsters got?[68] Or the false _payles_[69] which oft being fild with paine[70], Receiv'd the water, but retain'd it not!

[Footnote 63: Misprinted 'and' in 1st edition and in 1608. G.]

[Footnote 64: 'God' in 1st edition. G.]

[Footnote 65: Foolish. G.]

[Footnote 66: In 1st edition 'Thief' is misprinted 'shie' and Bp. Hacket writes here: 'Prometheus stole fire: qui in tulit in terram malum.' G.]

[Footnote 67: Fable in Æsop [Babrius]. G.]

[Footnote 68: Ixion. G.]

[Footnote 69: Danaides. G.]

[Footnote 70: Painstaking. G.]

Shortly, what is it but the firie coach Which the _Youth_ sought, and sought his death withal?[71] Or the _boye's_ wings, which when he did approch The _sunne's_ hot beames, did melt and let him fall?[72]

And yet alas, when all our lamps are burnd, Our bodyes wasted, and our spirits spent; When we haue all the learnèd _Volumes_ turn'd, Which yeeld mens wits both help and ornament:

What can we know? or what can we discerne? When _Error_ chokes the windowes of the minde, The diuers formes of things, how can we learne, That haue been euer from our birth-day blind?[73]

When _Reasone's_ lampe, which (like the _sunne_ in skie) Throughout _Man's_ little world her beames did spread; Is now become a sparkle, which doth lie Vnder the ashes, halfe extinct, and dead:

How can we hope, that through the eye and eare, This dying sparkle, in this cloudy place, Can recollect these beames of knowledge cleere, Which were infus'd in the first minds by grace?

So might the heire whose father hath in play Wasted a thousand pound of ancient rent; By painefull earning of a[74] groate a day, Hope to restore the patrimony spent.

[Footnote 71: Phaethon. Hacket.]

[Footnote 72: Icarus. Hacket.]

[Footnote 73: Anima tanquam tabula, Aris[totle]. Hacket.]

[Footnote 74: 'One' in 1599 and 1608 editions. G.]

The wits that diu'd most deepe and soar'd most hie Seeking Man's pow'rs, haue found his weaknesse such: "Skill comes so slow, and life so fast doth flie, "We learne so little and forget so much.

For this the wisest of all morall[75] men Said, '_He knew nought, but that he nought did know_'; And the great mocking-Master mockt not then, When he said, '_Truth was buried deepe[76] below_.'

For how may we to others' things attaine, When none of vs his owne soule vnderstands? For which the Diuell mockes our curious braine, When, '_Know thy selfe_' his oracle commands.[77]

[Footnote 75: 'Mortal' in 1599 and 1608 editions. G.]

[Footnote 76: Misprinted 'here' but corrected in the errata of 1622 edition, as above, from 1599 and 1608 editions. G.]

[Footnote 77: Oraculum Appollinis [f]uit Diabolicum. Hacket.]

For why should wee the busie Soule beleeue, When boldly she concludes of that and this; When of her selfe she can no iudgement giue, Nor how, nor whence, nor where, nor what she is?

All things without, which round about we see, We seeke to knowe, and how therewith to doe; But that whereby we _reason, liue and be_, Within our selues, we strangers are thereto.

We seeke to know the mouing of each spheare, And the strange cause of th' ebs and flouds of _Nile_; But of that clocke within our breasts we beare, The subtill motions we forget the while.

We that acquaint our selues with euery[78] _Zoane_ And passe both _Tropikes_ and behold the _Poles_, When we come home, are to our selues vnknown, And vnacquainted still with our owne _Soules_.

We study _Speech_ but others we perswade; We _leech-craft_ learne, but others cure with it; We interpret _lawes_, which other men haue made, But reade not those which in our hearts are writ.

Is it[79] because the minde is like the eye, Through which it gathers knowledge by degrees-- Whose rayes reflect not, but spread outwardly: Not seeing it selfe when other things it sees?

[Footnote 78: Thomas Davies, as before, misprints 'each' G.]

[Footnote 79: Misprinted 'It is': corrected by H... G.]

No, doubtlesse; for the mind can backward cast Vpon her selfe, her vnderstanding light; But she is so corrupt, and so defac't, As her owne image doth her selfe affright.

As in the fable of the Lady faire, Which for her lust was turnd into a cow;[80] When thirstie to a streame she did repaire, And saw her selfe transform'd she wist not how:

At first she startles, then she stands amaz'd, At last with terror she from thence doth flye; And loathes the watry glasse wherein she gaz'd, And shunnes it still, though she for thirst doe die:

Euen so _Man's Soule_ which did God's image beare, And was at first faire, good, and spotlesse pure; Since with her _sinnes_ her beauties blotted were, Doth of all sights her owne sight least endure:

For euen at first reflection she espies, Such strange _chimeraes_, and such monsters there; Such toyes, such _antikes_, and such vanities, As she retires, and shrinkes for shame and feare.

[Footnote 80: Io. G.]

And as the man loues least at home to bee, That hath a sluttish house haunted with _spirits_;[81] So she impatient her owne faults to see, Turnes from her selfe and in strange things delites.

For this few _know themselues_: for merchants broke View their estate with discontent and paine; And _seas_ are troubled, when they doe reuoke Their flowing waues into themselues againe.

And while the face of outward things we find, Pleasing and faire, agreeable and sweet; These things transport, and carry out the mind, That with her selfe her selfe[82] can neuer meet.

Yet if _Affliction_ once her warres begin, And threat the feebler _Sense_ with sword and fire; The _Minde_ contracts her selfe and shrinketh in, And to her selfe she gladly doth retire:

As _Spiders_ toucht, seek their webs inmost part; As _bees_ in stormes vnto their hiues returne; As bloud in danger gathers to the heart; As men seek towns, when foes the country burn.

If ought can teach vs ought, _Afflictions_ lookes, (Making vs looke[83] into our selues so neere,) Teach vs to _know our selues_ beyond all bookes, Or all the learned Schooles that euer were.

This _mistresse_ lately pluckt me by the eare, And many a golden lesson hath me taught; Hath made my _Senses_ quicke, and Reason cleare, Reform'd my Will and rectifide my Thought.

So doe the _winds_ and _thunders_ cleanse the ayre; So working lees[84] settle and purge the wine; So lop't and prunèd trees doe flourish faire; So doth the fire the drossie gold refine.

Neither _Minerua_ nor the learnèd Muse, Nor rules of _Art_, not _precepts_ of the wise; Could in my braine those beames of skill infuse, As but the glance of this _Dame's_ angry eyes.

She within _lists_[85] my ranging minde hath brought, That now beyond my selfe I list[86] not goe; My selfe am _center_ of my circling thought, Onely _my selfe_ I studie, learne, and know.

I know my bodie's of so fraile a kind, As force without, feauers within can kill; I know the heauenly nature of my minde, But 'tis corrupted both in wit and will:

I know my _Soule_ hath power to know all things, Yet is she blinde and ignorant in all; I know I am one of Nature's little kings, Yet to the least and vilest things am thrall.

I know my life's a paine and but a span, I know my _Sense_ is mockt with euery thing: And to conclude, I know my selfe a MAN, Which is a _proud_, and yet a _wretched_ thing.

[Footnote 81: In 1599 and 1608 more accurately 'sprites'. G.]

[Footnote 82: Davies and Southey substitute 'the mind'. G.]

[Footnote 83: Davies and Southey, as before, mis-substitute 'pry.' G.]

[Footnote 84: An overlooked misprint here is 'seas': found in all the author's own editions, and repeated until now, _e.g._ by Thomas Davies and Southey, as before. G.]

[Footnote 85: Bounds: as in Race-courses. G.]

[Footnote 86: Thoms Davies, as before, mis-reads 'will'. G.]

OF THE SOULE OF MAN AND THE IMMORTALITE THEREOF.

_The lights of heau'n_ (which are the World's fair eies) Looke downe into the World, the World to see; And as they turne, or wander in the skies, Suruey all things that on this _Center_ bee.

And yet the _lights_ which in my _towre_ do shine, Mine _eyes_ which view all obiects, nigh and farre; Looke not into this little world of mine, Nor see my face, wherein they fixèd are.

Since _Nature_ failes vs in no needfull thing, Why want I meanes my inward selfe to see? Which sight the knowledg of my self might bring, Which to true wisdome is the first degree.

That _Power_ which gaue me eyes the World to view, To see my selfe infus'd an _inward light_; Whereby my _Soule_, as by a mirror true, Of her owne forme may take a perfect sight,

But as the sharpest _eye_ discerneth nought, Except the _sunne_-beames in the ayre doe shine; So the best _Soule_[87] with her reflecting thought, Sees not her selfe without some light diuine.

_O Light_ which mak'st the light, which makes the day! Which setst the eye without, and mind within; 'Lighten my spirit with one cleare heauenly ray, Which now to view it selfe doth first begin.

For her true forme how can my sparke discerne? Which dimme by _nature_, _Art_ did neuer cleare; When the great wits, of whom all skill we learn, Are ignorant both _what_ shee is, and _where_.

One thinks the _Soule_ is _aire_; another, _fire_; Another _blood_, diffus'd about the heart; Another saith, the _elements_ conspire, And to her _essence_ each doth giue a part.

_Musicians_ thinke our _Soules_ are _harmonies_, _Phisicians_ hold that they _complexions_ bee; _Epicures_ make them swarmes of _atomies_, Which doe by chance into our bodies flee.

Some thinke one generall _Soule_ fils euery braine, As the bright _sunne_ sheds light in euery starre; And others thinke the name of _Soule_ is vaine, And that we onely _well-mixt_ bodies are.

In judgement of her _substance_ thus they vary; And thus they vary in iudgement of her _seat_; For some her chaire vp to the braine doe carry, Some thrust it downe into the _stomackes_ heat.

Some place it in the root of life, the _heart_; Some in the _liuer_[88], fountaine of the veines; Some say, _Shee is all in all, and all in part_: Some say, She is not containd but all containes.

Thus these great clerks their little wisdome show, While with their doctrines they at _hazard_ play, Tossing their light opinions to and fro, To mocke the _lewd_, as learn'd in this as they.

For no craz'd braine could euer yet propound, Touching the _Soule_, so vaine and fond a thought, But some among these masters haue been found, Which in their _Schooles_ the self-same thing haue taught.

_God onely wise_, to punish pride of wit, Among men's wits hath this confusion wrought, As the proud _towre_ whose points the clouds did hit, By tongues' confusion was to ruine brought.

But _Thou_ which didst _Man's soule_ of nothing make, And when to nothing it was fallen agen, "To make it new, the forme of man didst take, "And _God_ with _God_, becam'st a _Man_ with men.

Thou, that hast fashioned twice this _Soule_ of ours, So that she is by double title Thine; Thou onely knowest her nature and her pow'rs, Her subtill forme Thou onely canst define.

To iudge her selfe she must her selfe transcend, As greater circles comprehend the lesse; But she wants power, her owne powers to extend, As fettered men can not their strength expresse.

But Thou bright Morning Star, Thou rising _Sunne_, Which in these later times hast brought to light Those mysteries, that since the world begun, Lay hid in darknesse, and eternall night: