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The second Show by Land.
The second show by land is an Indian Beast, called a Rinoceros, which being presented to the life, is for the rarenesse thereof, more fit to beautifie a Triumph: his Head, Necke, Backe, Buttockes, Sides, and Thighes, armed by Nature with impenetrable Skales; his Hide or Skinne of the colour of the Boxe-tree, in greatnesse equall with the Elephant, but his Legges are somewhat shorter: an enemy to all beasts of rapine and prey, as the Lyon, Leopard, Beare, Wolfe, Tiger, and the like: but to others, as the Horse, Asse, Oxe, Sheep, &c.
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which feede not upon the life and blood of the weaker, but of the grasse and hearbage of the field, harmlesse and gentle, ready to succour them, when they be any way distressed. Hee hath a short horne growing from his nose, and being in continuall enmity with the Elephant, before hee encounter him, he sharpeneth it against a stone, and in the sight aimeth to wound him in the belly, being the softest place about him, and the soonest pierc'd: He is back't by an Indian, the speaker.
The Indians Speech.
The dignity of Merchants who can tell?
Or how much they all Traders ante-cell?
When others here at home securely sleepe,
He plowes the bosome of each unknowne deepe,
And in them sees heavens wonders; for he can
Take a full view of the Leviathan,
Whose strength all Marine Monsters doth surpasse,
His Ribs as Iron, his Fins and skales as brasse.
His Ship like to the feather'd Fowle he wings,
And from all Coasts hee rich materialls brings,
For ornament or profit; those by which
Inferiour Arts subsist, and become rich;
By Land he makes discovery of all Nations,
Their Manners, and their Countries scituations,
And with those savage natures so complies,
That there's no rarity from thence can rise
But he makes frequent with us, and yet these
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Not without dangers, both on shores and seas:
The Land he pierceth, and the Ocean skowers,
To make them all by free transportage ours.
You (honourd Sir) amongst the chiefe are nam'd,
By whose commerce our Nation hath beene fam'd.
The Romans in their triumphes had before
Their Chariots borne or lead, (to grace the more
The sumptuous Show) the prime and choisest things,
VVhich they had taken from the Captive, Kings:
VVhat curious Statue· what strange bird, or beast
That Clime did yeeld (if rare above the rest)
Was there expos'd: Entring your civill state,
VVhom better may we strive to imitate?
This huge Rinoceros (not 'mongst us seene,
Yet frequent wheresome Factors oft have beene)
Is embleme of the Praetorship you beare,
Who to all Beasts of prey, who rend and teare
The innocent heards and flocks, is foe profest,
But in all just defences armes his crest.
You of this wildernesse are Lord, so sway,
The weake may be upheld, the proud obey.
