Which being gilded with the piercing rayes
Of its own sun and every neighbour starre,
It soon appear’d with shining silver blaze,
And then gan first be seen of men from farre.
Besides that firie flame that was so narre
The Planets self, which greedily did eat
The wastning mold, did contribute a share
Unto this brightnesse; and what I conceit
Of this starre doth with that of _Ophiuchus_ sit.
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And like I would adventure to pronounce
Of all the Comets that above the Moon,
Amidst the higher Planets rudely dance
In course perplex, but that from this rash doom
I’m bett off by their beards and tails farre strown
Along the skie, pointing still opposite
Unto the sun, however they may roam;
Wherefore a cluster of small starres unite
These meteors some do deem, perhaps with judgement right.
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And that these tayls are streams of the suns light
Breaking through their near bodies as through clouds.
Besides the Optick glasse has shown to sight
The dissolution of these starrie crouds.
Which thing if ’t once be granted and allow’d,
I think without all contradiction
They may conclude these Meteors are routs
Of wandring starres, which though they one by one
Cannot be seen, yet joyn’d, cause this strange vision.
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And yet methinks, in my devicefull mind
Some reasons that may happily represse
These arguments it’s not uneath to find.
For how can the suns rayes that be transmisse
Through these loose knots in Comets, well expresse
Their beards or curld tayls utmost incurvation?
Beside, the conflux and congeries
Of lesser lights a double augmentation
Implies, and ’twixt them both a lessening coarctation.
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For when as once these starres are come so nigh
As to seem one, the Comet must appear
In biggest show, because more loose they lie
Somewhat spread out, but as they draw more near
The compasse of his head away must wear,
Till he be brought to his least magnitude;
And then they passing crosse, he doth repair
Himself, and still from his last losse renew’d
Grows till he reach the measure which we first had view’d.
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And then farre distanc’d they bid quite adiew,
Each holding on in solitude his way.
Ne any footsteps in the empty Blew
Is to be found of that farre-shining ray.
Which processe sith no man did yet bewray,
It seems unlikely that the Comets be
Synods of starres that in wide Heaven stray.
Their smallnesse eke and numerositie
Encreaseth doubt and lessens probabilitie.
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