A CONFERENCE BETWIXT 



I count it higher pleasure to behold 

 The stately compass of the lofty sky, 

 And in the midst thereof, like burning gold, 

 The flaming Chariot of the World's great eye ; 

 The watery clouds that in the air up roll'd, 

 With sundry kinds of painted colours fly, 

 And fair Aurora lifting up her head, 

 Still blushing, rise from old Tithonus' bed. 



The hills and mountains raised from the plains, 

 The plains extended level with the ground, 

 The grounds divided into sundry veins, 

 The veins enclos'd with rivers running round; 

 These rivers making way through Nature's chains 

 With headlong course into the sea profound ; 

 The raging sea, beneath the vallies low, 

 Where lakes, and rills, and rivulets do flow. 



The lofty woods, the forests wide and long, 

 Adorn'd with leaves and branches fresh and green, 

 In whose cool bowers the birds with many a song 

 Do welcome with their quire the Summer's Queen : 

 The meadows fair where Flora's gifts among 

 Are intermix'd, with verdant grass between. 

 The silver-scaled fish that softly swim 

 Within the sweet brook's chrystal watery stream. 



All these, and many more of his creation 



That made the heavens, the Angler oft doth see; 



Taking therein no little delectation, 



To think how strange, how wonderful they be: 



Framing thereof an inward contemplation, 



To set his heart from other fancies free ; 



And whilst he looks on these with joyful eye, 



His mind is rapt above the starry sky. 



Sir, I am glad my memory has not lost these last verses, 

 because they are somewhat more pleasant and more suitable 

 to May-day, than my harsh discourse, and I am glad your 

 patience hath held out so long, as to hear them and me : for 

 both together have brought us within the sight of the Thatched- 

 house : and I must be your debtor, if you think it worth your 

 attention, for the rest of my promised discourse, till some other 

 opportunity, and a like time of leisure. 



VEN. Sir, you have Angled me on with much pleasure to 

 the Thatched-house : and I now find your words true, * That 

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