THE TENTH PART[X. 424.]
Contayning the third Booke, of my third Travailes.
Now swolne ambition, bred from curious toile
Invites my feet, to tread parch’d Æthiops Soile,
To sight great Prester Jehan, and his Empire;
That mighty King, their Prince, their Priest, their Sire;
Their Lawes, Religion, Manners, Life and frame,
And Amais, mount-rais’d, Library of Fame.
Well, I am sped, bids Englands Court adiew,
And by the way the Hiberne bounds I view;
In whose defects, the truth like Razor sharpe
Shall sadly tune, my new-string’d Irish Harpe:
Then scud I France, and crossed the Pyrheneise
At the Columbian heights, which threat the skies;
And coasting Pampelon, I trac’d all Spaine,
From Behobia, to Jubile Taure againe.
Then rest’d at Malaga, where I was shent
And taken for a Spie, crush’d, rackt, and rent.
Where ah! (when Treason tride) by fals position;
They wrest’d on me their lawlesse Inquisition:
Which after Tortures, Hunger, Vermine gnashes,
[X. 425.]Condemn’d me quick, stake-bound, to burn in ashes:
Gods Providence comes in, and I’me discovered
By Merchants meanes, by Aston last delivered:
Where noble Maunsell, Generall of that Fleete,
That I was rack’t for; did kind Halkins greete
With strict command, to send me home for Court,
To show King James, my torments, pangs, and tort:
Loe I am come, to Bath I’me sent, and more
Mine hoplesse life, made Worlds my sight deplore;
Which here I’le sing, in Tragicke tune to all
That love the Truth, and looke for Babels fall.