54
[LVI]
A PAIRT OF DU BARTAS FIRST DAY:[1]
This largenes and this breadth so long, /this highnes so profounde,
This bounded infinite, the masse/ confused of all this rounde;
This Chaos lourde, I saye, which in /it selfe suche uproares wroght,
And sawe it[2] in one moment borne/in nothing made of noght,
5 The brooddie bodie was wherof/the essence pure divine,
And foure contending brethren ought/there birth to borrowe sine.
Now[3] as to these foure elements,/these twinne sonnes ment by here,
Towitt, the subtle aire, the fire,/the earthe, and waters cleere,
Composed they are not, bot of them/is all composed and made,
10 That can into our senses fall/or may be thought or saide:
Now 3 if there qualities do poure/ there whole effects within
Eache part of everie bodie mixed/and so to worke beginne;
Or whether that on everie part/ there beings they confounde
And so of beings double twaine/one bodie doe compounde;
15 Even as within the bottome/deepe[4] of christall glasses cleene,
The wine with the Acheloian sucke[5] /for to be mix'd is seene:
Or even as meate which wholesome is,/and subtle liquour fine
Doe mixe them selfs within us for/ to change in chilus sine.
This by experience may we see/into the stick that burnes,
20 Unto the heaven his native house/his fire full swift returnes,
