The English Parnassus, or, A helpe to English poesie containing a collection of all rhyming monosyllables, the choicest epithets, and phrases : with some general forms upon all occasions, subjects, and theams, alphabeticaly digested : together with a short institution to English poesie, by way of a preface / by Joshua Poole.

A good old man. v. Earls. Chracters set out by Ed. Blount. Chap. 29. Omens.

Such as were seen Before the Romanes on th' Amathian plain, With their own Countries blood their swords distain, Sad presages, irregularities of natures, As ominous as was that voyage when VVhen Caesar did ••ail from Greece to Italy In the small Bark. The ominous ••aven with a dismall chear, Through his horse beak of following horrour tells, Bege••ting strange imaginary fear, VVith heavy ecchoes like to passing bel••s, The howling dog a dolefull part doth b••ar, As though they chim'd his latest bu••ying knell, Under the Eves the buzzing screech owl sings, Beating his windows with her fatal wings, And still affrigh••ed with his fearfull dreams, VV••th raging fiends and goblins that he meets, Of falling down from steep rocks into streams, Of tombs, of buri••lls, and of winding sheets, The melting stars their sulphu••••••s su f••t shed, The Centre pants with sudden throes, And trembling earth a sad distemper shows The sun a••••righted hides his golden he••d From hence by an unknown E••lyptick fl••d,

Irregular heavens, abortive shades display, And night usurps the empty throne of day, The Meteors fright the fixed stars of heaven, The palefac'd Moon looks bloody on the earth, And lean-look'd Prophets whisper fearfull change, As doth the raven o'r th' infectious house, The Skies hung with prodigious signs, As if the Scorpion would drop down Out of the Zodiack, or the fiercer Lion. The croaking ravens F••ag up and down beating the air With their obstreperous beaks, The yawning graves have yielded up their dead, Fie••ce, fiery warriours fight upon the clouds, In ranks and squadrons, and right form of war, Which drizzle blood upon the Temples top. The noise of battel hurtled in the air, Horses do neigh and dying men do groan, And Ghosts do shrick and squeal about the streets, Lamen••ings heard ••'ch air, Strange skreams of death and prophesying, With accents terrible of dire combustion, And confused accents hatch'd to wofull time, Th' obscure bird clamour'd the long liv'd night, Some say the earth was feaverous and did shake. Heart thrilling groan•• first heard, he round his bower, And then the screech owl with her utmost power, L••bou••'d her loathed note, the forrests bending with winds, as Hecate had been ascending, As if some divelish hag were come abroad With some kind mothers late delivered load, A ••uthlesse, bloody sacrifice to make To those infernall powers that by the Lake O•• m••ghte S••yx, and black Cocytus dwell: Swords in the spangled heavens did then by night, In th' East and West extend their blazing light, Ash••s in showers upon the earth did fall, L••stre deserts the Sun in height of all, His towring pitch. The Moon did then look red, And ••e••rs of blood from her dark Chariot shed, Ha••d ••ocks did groan. Ar••'d troops of foot and horse Incounter in the air with horrid force.

Prod••gious events. Presaging signs. Portents of dire calamity and woe, Affrighting voices in the air were heard, The Sun himself in threatning forms appear'd, Sometimes as if he wept, his glorious head, With a blue Rainbow round environed, S••metimes quite dimm'd, as if he fled the sight Of men, and meant to make eternal night. The windie spirits through earths torn caverns break, ••o••ds change their courses, beasts 'gainst nature speak, The air that night was fill'd with dismal groans, And people oft awaked with the howls, Of wolves and fatal dogs, ill boding owls, Night ja••s and ravens, with wide sttetched throats, From yews and hollies send their balefull notes, The shrieches, wailings, and all cries were heard Of every fatal and affrighting bird.