The Poetical Works of John Dryden Volume I Part 29

The viceroy Panther could not awe the herd; 549 The more the company, the less they fear'd.

The surly Wolf with secret envy burst, Yet could not howl; (the Hind had seen him first:) But what he durst not speak the Panther durst.

For when the herd, sufficed, did late repair, To ferny heaths, and to their forest lair, She made a mannerly excuse to stay, Proffering the Hind to wait her half the way: That, since the sky was clear, an hour of talk Might help her to beguile the tedious walk.

With much good-will the motion was embraced, 560 To chat a while on their adventures pa.s.s'd: Nor had the grateful Hind so soon forgot Her friend and fellow-sufferer in the Plot.

Yet, wondering how of late she grew estranged, Her forehead cloudy, and her countenance changed, She thought this hour the occasion would present To learn her secret cause of discontent, Which well she hoped might be with ease redress'd, Considering her a well-bred civil beast, And more a gentlewoman than the rest. 570 After some common talk what rumours ran, The lady of the spotted m.u.f.f began.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 94: 'Hare:' the Quakers.]

[Footnote 95: 'Ape:' lat.i.tudinarians in general.]

[Footnote 96: 'Reynard:' the Arians.]

[Footnote 97: 'Bilanders:' an old word for a coasting boat.]

[Footnote 98: 'First Apostate:' Arius.]

[Footnote 99: 'Wolf:' Presbytery.]

[Footnote 100: 'Many a year:' referring to the price put on the head of wolves in Wales.]

[Footnote 101: 'Kennel:' Geneva.]

[Footnote 102: 'Puddle:' its lake.]

[Footnote 103: 'Mighty hunter of his race:' Nimrod.]

[Footnote 104: 'Panther:' Church of England.]

[Footnote 105: 'Lion:' Henry VIII.]

[Footnote 106: 'Isgrim:' the wolf.]

[Footnote 107: 'Lion:' James II.]

PART II.

Dame, said the Panther, times are mended well, Since late among the Philistines[108] you fell.

The toils were pitch'd, a s.p.a.cious tract of ground With expert huntsmen was encompa.s.s'd round; The enclosure narrow'd; the sagacious power 5 Of hounds and death drew nearer every hour.

'Tis true, the younger Lion[109] 'scaped the snare, But all your priestly Calves[110] lay struggling there, As sacrifices on their altar laid; While you, their careful mother, wisely fled, 10 Not trusting destiny to save your head; For, whate'er promises you have applied To your unfailing Church, the surer side Is four fair legs in danger to provide.

And whate'er tales of Peter's chair you tell, Yet, saving reverence of the miracle, The better luck was yours to 'scape so well.

As I remember, said the sober Hind, Those toils were for your own dear self design'd, As well as me, and with the self-same throw, 20 To catch the quarry and the vermin too.

(Forgive the slanderous tongues that call'd you so.) Howe'er you take it now, the common cry Then ran you down for your rank loyalty.

Besides, in Popery they thought you nursed, As evil tongues will ever speak the worst, Because some forms, and ceremonies some You kept, and stood in the main question dumb.

Dumb you were born indeed; but thinking long The Test[111] it seems at last has loosed your tongue. 30 And to explain what your forefathers meant, By real presence in the sacrament, After long fencing push'd against the wall.

Your salvo comes, that he's not there at all: There changed your faith, and what may change may fall.

Who can believe what varies every day, Nor ever was, nor will be at a stay?

Tortures may force the tongue untruths to tell, And I ne'er own'd myself infallible, Replied the Panther: grant such presence were, 40 Yet in your sense I never own'd it there.

A real virtue we by faith receive, And that we in the sacrament believe.

Then, said the Hind, as you the matter state, Not only Jesuits can equivocate; For real, as you now the word expound, From solid substance dwindles to a sound.

Methinks an aesop's fable you repeat; You know who took the shadow for the meat: Your Church's substance thus you change at will, 50 And yet retain your former figure still.

I freely grant you spoke to save your life; For then you lay beneath the butcher's knife.

Long time you fought, redoubled battery bore, But, after all, against yourself you swore; Your former self: for every hour your form Is chopp'd and changed, like winds before a storm.

Thus fear and interest will prevail with some; For all have not the gift of martyrdom.

The Panther grinn'd at this, and thus replied: 60 That men may err was never yet denied.

But, if that common principle be true, The canon, dame, is levell'd full at you.

But, shunning long disputes, I fain would see That wondrous wight Infallibility.

Is he from Heaven, this mighty champion, come; Or lodged below in subterranean Rome?

First, seat him somewhere, and derive his race, Or else conclude that nothing has no place.

Suppose (though I disown it), said the Hind, 70 The certain mansion were not yet a.s.sign'd; The doubtful residence no proof can bring Against the plain existence of the thing.

Because philosophers may disagree If sight by emission or reception be, Shall it be thence inferr'd, I do not see?

But you require an answer positive, Which yet, when I demand, you dare not give; For fallacies in universals live.

I then affirm that this unfailing guide 80 In Pope and General Councils must reside; Both lawful, both combined: what one decrees By numerous votes, the other ratifies: On this undoubted sense the Church relies.

'Tis true, some doctors in a scantier s.p.a.ce, I mean, in each apart, contract the place.

Some, who to greater length extend the line, The Church's after-acceptation join.

This last circ.u.mference appears too wide; The Church diffused is by the Council tied; 90 As members by their representatives Obliged to laws which Prince and Senate gives.

Thus some contract, and some enlarge the s.p.a.ce: In Pope and Council, who denies the place, a.s.sisted from above with G.o.d's unfailing grace?

Those canons all the needful points contain; Their sense so obvious, and their words so plain, That no disputes about the doubtful text Have hitherto the labouring world perplex'd.

If any should in after-times appear, 100 New Councils must be call'd, to make the meaning clear: Because in them the power supreme resides; And all the promises are to the guides.

This may be taught with sound and safe defence; But mark how sandy is your own pretence, Who, setting Councils, Pope, and Church aside, Are every man his own presuming guide.

The Sacred Books, you say, are full and plain.

And every needful point of truth contain: All who can read interpreters may be: 110 Thus, though your several Churches disagree, Yet every saint has to himself alone The secret of this philosophic stone.

These principles your jarring sects unite, When differing doctors and disciples fight.

Though Luther, Zuinglius, Calvin, holy chiefs, Have made a battle royal of beliefs; Or, like wild horses, several ways have whirl'd The tortured text about the Christian world; Each Jehu las.h.i.+ng on with furious force, 120 That Turk or Jew could not have used it worse; No matter what dissension leaders make, Where every private man may save a stake: Ruled by the Scripture and his own advice, Each has a blind by-path to Paradise; Where, driving in a circle, slow or fast, Opposing sects are sure to meet at last.

A wondrous charity you have in store For all reform'd to pa.s.s the narrow door: So much, that Mahomet had scarcely more. 130 For he, kind prophet, was for d.a.m.ning none; But Christ and Moses were to save their own: Himself was to secure his chosen race, Though reason good for Turks to take the place, And he allow'd to be the better man, In virtue of his holier Alcoran.

True, said the Panther, I shall ne'er deny My brethren may be saved as well as I: Though Huguenots condemn our ordination, Succession, ministerial vocation; 140 And Luther, more mistaking what he read, Misjoins the sacred body with the bread: Yet, lady, still remember, I maintain, The Word in needful points is only plain.

Needless, or needful, I not now contend, For still you have a loop-hole for a friend; Rejoin'd the matron: but the rule you lay Has led whole flocks, and leads them still astray, In weighty points, and full d.a.m.nation's way.

For did not Arius first, Socinus now, 150 The Son's Eternal G.o.dhead disavow?

And did not these by gospel texts alone Condemn our doctrine, and maintain their own?

Have not all heretics the same pretence To plead the Scriptures in their own defence?

How did the Nicene Council then decide That strong debate? was it by Scripture tried?

No, sure; to that the rebel would not yield; Squadrons of texts he marshall'd in the field: That was but civil war, an equal set, 160 Where piles with piles[112], and eagles eagles met.

With texts point-blank and plain he faced the foe.

And did not Satan tempt our Saviour so?

The good old bishops took a simpler way; Each ask'd but what he heard his father say, Or how he was instructed in his youth, And by tradition's force upheld the truth.

The Panther smiled at this; and when, said she, Were those first Councils disallow'd by me?

Or where did I at sure Tradition strike, 170 Provided still it were apostolic?