Canidia, or, The witches a rhapsody, in five parts / by R.D.

CANTO III.

‘ And now I have gone down to Hell, you'l see, ‘ I shall conjure up Hell to me. ‘ Go, Screetch-Owl, my Apparitor, ‘ At Midnight loudly at an hour, ‘ Rowze all the Sleepers in this Bow'r. ‘ Summon all the Ghosts to appear, ‘ And make their solemn Meeting here.

As in a clear transparent Air, The glorious Sun displays his fair Enlivening Beams, that pleasant while, The Earth doth laugh, the Heavens do smile. But ah! how soon 'tis chang'd? the Scale Turns on a sudden, lo, a Gale Breathing from the South-west, out peeps A sullen Cloud and small, that creeps O're the whole surface of the Sky, And turns all to Obscurity.

The golden lustre of the Sun, Is choakt with Vapors now, that run At random o're the Earth, till all Together in a huge Deluge fall. Or as when Aeolus does pen Each sturdy Blast within his Den. A gen'ral Silence, not a Breath, So much to shake a tender Leaf.

How quiet Nature is? how whist? 'Till those unruly Rebels list. (Boreas with his surly Mates) To burst wide ope the Prison-Gates: And all together headlong rush, Striving each others force to crush. Then th'Ʋniverse, quiet before, Is all in a confus'd uproar.

And such a Hurly-burly kept, As if all things were to be swept Out of all order; such a Bussling They make, such a promiscuous Jussing. Thus from a peaceful Air come Jars Of Winds, from Calms, tempestuous Wars.

Then in sprang those Hags, whom had the Sun Beheld, as well it was his hap, To be safe lull'd in Thetis Lap. He would have started back again, And dowst into the Eastern Main. When they came in, their presence made Of Darkness an Egyptian shade. Which to dispel large Flambo's were, With Tapers lighted here and there.

O thou bright Sister of the Sun, Who from thy lower Region, Dost the most secret Deeds descry, Of Magick and Necromancy. Thou that art conscious to each Fact, Which Imp or Witch did ever act.

'Tis Thee I do Invoke, thine Eye At silent hours can espy, When ugly Fiends assume the shapes Of Men, of Lions, Goats and Apes, Affrighting Mortals, thou canst tell, When by a strong enchanting Spell, They are call'd up, it is no News, To see them keep their Rendevouz.

Therefore to thee I make Request, Thou would'st be pleased to Attest Unto the naked Truth, I write, Of which thy Self hast had the sight.

And now because the Subject's rare, And fearful, vouchsafe to prepare Thy chaster Ears, kind Reader, First Peruse, and then pronounce it Curst.

'Twas just at Midnight, when dead sleep, Had seiz'd on Mortals very deep. When Dogs did bark, when Wolves did howl, When Aspects frown'd, and Heavens did scowl. When the Night-Raven strangely hover'd, As if she had this Rout discover'd. When Batts did cry, when Owls did tear, With hollow shreeks, the trembling Air.

When the Ill-boding Satyrs pranc'd Through silent Woods, when Fairies danc'd. When all that Melancholy Fry Were loose, then did the Scene draw nigh. But when the Winds and Seas did roar, When Lightning flasht, when Thunder tore The aged Oaks, when th'Earth did shake, And the whole Ʋniverse did quake. When Hells wide Jaws did yawn, Ope flew the Scene with all the Spawn.

If you would see the Face of Hell, And hear the Pack of Hell-Hounds yell. Lo, here it is! Heavens be ye abasht! And thou dull Earth, stand all agast! Avant, and ke••p aloof, stand clear, Come not I charge you, Sirs, too near! See now, and see your last!—A mixed Fry, Of Imps and Haggs in Kennels lye Altogether, such a Mass, Such a Chaos, as never was!

Stare thou bright Cynthia, thou Sun, Drop from thy Sphere, thy Course is done. Keep thee below, and go not on, Nor peep above our Horizon.

Thou shalt not see't, lose not thy Raies Th' hast kept, these Myriads of Days, For here is that will stain them: Here Are monstrous shapes of Wolf and Bear.

Of Bats and Toads, of Goats and Swine, Of Cats and Tygers, Dogs and Kine. Viper and Dragon, Rat and Snail, Vultur and Scorpion, Ferret, Quail. Porpuse and Sea-Horse, Tortoise, Snite, Hedghog and Hern, Raven and Kite. Screetch-Owl and Locust, Duck and Swan, Crane, Goss-hawk and Pelican. Crab, Elephant, Mouse, Goose and Gander, Cameleon and Salamander.

Pismire and Camel, Mullet, Flare, Dolphin and Shark, Lizard and Hare. Fox and Baboon, Stork and Ospray, Fesant, Beetle, and Popinjay. Spider and Cock, Swallow and Pye, Parrat and Tit, Eagle and Flye. Monky and Squirrel, Otter, Doe, Hyena, Crocadile and Roe. Griffon, Leopard and Cockatrice, Crocadile, Tygre and Lioness.

All these, with other mixed Forms Of Antick Fowls, Beasts, Fishes, Worms: Each in their fearful Troops are clustered, In horrid Squadrons rang'd and mustred.