Marvell, Andrew, 1621-1678: Fleckno, an English
Priest at Rome. [from Miscellaneous poems (1681)]
1 Oblig'd by frequent visits of this man,
2 Whom as Priest, Poet, and Musician,
3 I for some branch of Melchizedeck took,
4 (Though he derives himself from my
Lord Brooke)
5 I sought his Lodging; which is at the Sign
6 Of the sad Pelican; Subject divine
7 For Poetry: There three Stair-Cases
high,
8 Which signifies his triple property,
9 I found at last a Chamber, as 'twas
said,
10 But seem'd a Coffin set on the Stairs
head.
11 Not higher then Seav'n, nor larger then
three feet;
12 Only there was nor Seeling, nor a
Sheet,
13 Save that th'ingenious Door did as you
come
14 Turn in, and shew to Wainscot half the
Room.
15 Yet of his State no man could have
complain'd;
16 There being no Bed where he
entertain'd:
17 And though within one Cell so narrow
pent,
18 He'd Stanza's for a whole Appartement.
19 Straight without further information,
20 In hideous verse, he, and a dismal
tone,
21 Begins to exercise; as if I were
22 Possest; and sure the Devil brought me there.
23 But I, who now imagin'd my self brought
24 To my last Tryal, in a serious thought
25 Calm'd the disorders of my youthful
Breast,
26 And to my Martyrdom prepared Rest.
27 Only this frail Ambition did remain,
28 The last distemper of the sober Brain,
29 That there had been some present to assure
30 The future Ages how I did indure:
31 And how I, silent, turn'd my burning
Ear
32 Towards the Verse; and when that could
ne'er
33 Held him the other; and unchanged yet,
34 Ask'd still for more, and pray'd him to
repeat:
35 Till the Tyrant, weary to persecute,
36 Left off, and try'd t'allure me with
his Lute.
37 Now as two Instruments, to the same key
38 Being tun'd by Art, if the one touched
be
39 The other opposite as soon replies,
40 Mov'd by the Air and hidden Sympathies;
41 So while he with his gouty Fingers
craules
42 Over the Lute, his murmuring Belly
calls,
43 Whose hungry Guts to the same
streightness twin'd
44 In Echo to the trembling Strings
repin'd.
45 I, that perceiv'd now what his Musick
ment,
46 Ask'd civilly if he had eat this Lent.
47 He answered yes; with such, and such an
one.
48 For he has this of gen'rous, that alone
49 He never feeds; save only when he tryes
50 With gristly Tongue to dart the passing
Flyes.
51 I ask'd if he eat flesh. And he, that
was
52 So hungry that though ready to say Mass
53 Would break his fast before, said he
was Sick,
54 And th'Ordinance was only Politick.
55 Nor was I longer to invite him: Scant
56 Happy at once to make him Protestant,
57 And Silent. Nothing now Dinner stay'd
58 But till he had himself a Body made.
59 I mean till he were drest: for else so
thin
60 He stands, as if he only fed had been
61 With consecrated Wafers: and the Host
62 Hath sure more flesh and blood then he
can boast.
63 This Basso Relievo of a Man,
64 Who as a Camel tall, yet easly can
65 The Needles Eye thread without any
stich,
66 (His only impossible is to be rich)
67 Lest his too suttle Body, growing rare,
68 Should leave his Soul to wander in the
Air,
69 He therefore circumscribes himself in
rimes;
70 And swaddled in's own papers seaven
times,
71 Wears a close Jacket of poetick Buff,
72 With which he doth his third Dimension
Stuff.
73 Thus armed underneath, he over all
74 Does make a primitive Sotana fall;
75 And above that yet casts an antick
Cloak,
76 Worn at the first Counsel of Antioch;
77 Which by the Jews long hid, and Disesteem'd,
78 He heard of by Tradition, and redeem'd.
79 But were he not in this black habit
deck't,
80 This half transparent Man would soon
reflect
81 Each colour that he past by; and be
seen,
82 As the Chamelion, yellow, blew, or green.
83 He drest, and ready to disfurnish now
84 His Chamber, whose compactness did
allow
85 No empty place for complementing doubt,
86 But who came last is forc'd first to go
out;
87 I meet one on the Stairs who made me
stand,
88 Stopping the passage, and did him
demand:
89 I answer'd he is here Sir; but you see
90 You cannot pass to him but thorow me.
91 He thought himself affronted; and
reply'd,
92 I whom the Pallace never has deny'd
93 Will make the way here; I said Sir you'l do
94 Me a great favour, for I seek to go.
95 He gathring fury still made sign to
draw;
96 But himself there clos'd in a Scabbard
saw
97 As narrow as his Sword's; and I, that
was
98 Delightful, said there can no Body pass
99 Except by penetration hither, where
100 Two make a crowd, nor can three Persons here
101 Consist but in one substance. Then, to fit
102 Our peace, the Priest said I too had some wit:
103 To prov't, I said, the place doth us invite
104 But its own narrowness, Sir, to unite.
105 He ask'd me pardon; and to make me way
106 Went down, as I him follow'd to obey.
107 But the propitiatory Priest had straight
108 Oblig'd us, when below, to celebrate
109 Together our attonement: so increas'd
110 Betwixt us two the Dinner to a Feast.
111 Let it suffice that we could eat in peace;
112 And that both Poems did and Quarrels cease
113 During the Table; though my new made Friend
114 Did, as he threatned, ere 'twere long intend
115 To be both witty and valiant: I loth,
116 Said 'twas too late, he was already both.
117 But now, Alas, my first Tormentor came,
118 Who satisfy'd with eating, but not tame
119 Turns to recite; though Judges most severe
120 After th'Assizes dinner mild appear,
121 And on full stomach do condemn but few:
122 Yet he more strict my sentence doth renew;
123 And draws out of the black box of his Breast
124 Ten quire of paper in which he was drest.
125 Yet that which was a greater cruelty
126 Then Nero's Poem he calls charity:
127 And so the Pelican at his door hung
128 Picks out the tender bosome to its young.
129 Of all his Poems there he stands ungirt
130 Save only two foul copies for his shirt:
131 Yet these he promises as soon as clean.
132 But how I loath'd to see my Neighbour glean
133 Those papers, which he pilled from within
134 Like white fleaks rising from a Leaper's skin!
135 More odious then those raggs which the French youth
136 At ordinaries after dinner show'th,
137 When they compare their Chancres and Poulains.
138 Yet he first kist them, and after takes pains
139 To read; and then, because he understood
140 Not one Word, thought and swore that they were good.
141 But all his praises could not now appease
142 The provok't Author, whom it did displease
143 To hear his Verses, by so just a curse,
144 That were ill made condemn'd to be read worse:
145 And how (impossible) he made yet more
146 Absurdityes in them then were before.
147 For he his untun'd voice did fall or raise
148 As a deaf Man upon a Viol playes,
149 Making the half points and the periods run
150 Confus'der then the atomes in the Sun.
151 Thereat the Poet swell'd, with anger full,
152 And roar'd out, like Perillus in's own Bull;
153 Sir you read false. That any one but you
154 Should know the contrary. Whereat, I, now
155 Made Mediator, in my room, said, Why?
156 To say that you read false Sir is no Lye.
157 Thereat the waxen Youth relented straight;
158 But saw with sad dispair that was too late.
159 For the disdainful Poet was retir'd
160 Home, his most furious Satyr to have fir'd
161 Against the Rebel; who, at this struck dead
162 Wept bitterly as disinherited.
163 Who should commend his Mistress now? Or who
164 Praise him? both difficult indeed to do
165 With truth. I counsell'd him to go in time,
166 Ere the fierce Poets anger turn'd to rime.
167 He hasted; and I, finding my self free,
168 As one scap't strangely from Captivity,
169 Have made the Chance be painted; and go now
170 To hang it in Saint Peter's for a Vow.