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Proteus his Speech.
PRoteus of all the Marine gods the prime,
And held the noblest both for Birth and Time:
From him who with his Trident swayes the Maine,
And ploughs the waves in curles, or makes them plaine:
Neptune, both Lord of Ebbe, and Inundation▪
I come to greete your great Inauguration.
They call me Versi-pellis, and 'tis true,
No figure, for me, no shape to me is new;
For I appeare what Creature I desire,
Sometimes a Bull, a Serpent, sometimes Fire:
" The first denotes my strength; strong must he be,
" And powerfull, who aspire to your Degree.
" You must be wise as Serpents, to decide
" Such doubts as Errour or Misprision hide.
" And next, like Fire, (of th'Elements most pure)
" Whose nature can no sordid stuffe endure,
" As in Calcining Metalls we behold,
" It sunders and divides the drosse from Gold,
And such are the Decorements that still waite
Vpon so grave, so great a Magistrate.
This Tortois, double-natur'd, doth imply
(By the two Elements of moist and dry)
So much as gives the world to understand,
Your noble Trading both by Sea and Land.
Of Porposes the vast Heards Proteus keepes,
And I am styl'd the Prophet of the Deepes,
Sent to praedict good Omen: May that Fleete
Which makes th'East Indies with our England meete,