Physicians now could nought prevail, They the first spoils to the proud Victor fall, Nor would the Plague their knowledge trust, But feared their skill, and therefore slew them first: So Tyrants when they would confirm their yoke, First make the chiefest men to feel the stroke, The chiefest and the wisest heads, least they Should soonest disobey, Should first rebell, and others learn from them the way. No aid of herbs, or juyces power, None of _Apollo’s_ art could cure, But helpt the Plague the speedier to devour. Physick it self was a disease, Physick the fatal tortures did increase, Prescriptions did the pains renew, And _Æsculapius_ to the sick did come, As afterwards to _Rome_, In form of Serpent, brought new poysons with him too. XVI. The streams did wonder, that so soon As they were from their Native mountains gone, They saw themselves drunk up, and fear Another _Xerxes_ Army near. Some cast into the Pit the Urn, And drink it dry at its return; Again they drew, again they drank; At first the coolness of the stream did thank, But strait the more were scorch’d, the more did burn; And drunk with water in their drinking sank: That Urn which now to quench their thirst they use, Shortly their Ashes shall inclose. Others into the Chrystal brook, With faint and wondring eyes did look, Saw what a ghastly shape themselves had took, Away they would have fled, but them their leggs forsook. Some snach’d the waters up, Their hands, their mouths the cup; They drunk, and found they flam’d the more, And onely added to the burning store. So have I seen on Lime cold water thrown, Strait all was to a Ferment grown, And hidden seeds of fire together run: The heap was calm, and temperate before, Such as the Finger could indure; But when the moistures it provoke, Did rage, did swell, did smoke, Did move, and flame, and burn, and strait to ashes broke. XVII.