The Windy Giants

The four chief winds are giants, long1 in length,
And as broad2 set, and wondrous great in strength.
Their heads are more (as it doth clear3 appear)
Than all4 the months or seasons of the year.
Nay, some say more than all the days and5 nights,                    5
And some, they’re numberless and infinite.6

The first four heads are largest of them all;
The twelve are next, the thirty two but small,
The rest so little, and their breath so weak,
Their mouths so narrow that they hardly7 speak.                    10
These giants are so lustful and so wild,
As they by force do8 get the Earth with child,
And big she swells until the time of birth:9
Her bowels stretched, high bellied is the earth.10
Then doth she groan with grievous pains,11 and shake,          15
Until she’s brought abed with her12 earthquake.
This child of wind doth ruin all it13 meets,
Rends14 rocks and mountains like to paper sheets;
It swallows cities, and the heav’ns15 doth tear;
It threatens Jove, and makes the gods to fear.                            20

The North Wind’s cold; his nerves are16 dry and strong;
He pulls up oaks, and17 lays them all along.
In icy fetters he18 binds rivers fast,
Imprisons fishes in the19 ocean vast,
Plows up the seas, and hail for seed in flings,                             25
Whence20 crops of overflows the tide in brings.
He drives the clouds in troops, which21 makes them run,
And blows as if he would put out22 the sun.

The Southern Wind, who is as fierce as he,
And to the Sun as great an enemy,                                               30
Doth raise23 an army of thick clouds and mists,
With which he24 thinks to do just as he lists,
Flinging25 up waters to quench out his light,
And26 in his face, black clouds to hide his sight.
But the bright27 Sun cannot endure this scorn,                         35
And28 doth them all in showers of rain29 return.

The Western Wind, without ambitious ends,
Doth what he can to join and make them friends,
For he is of a nature sweet and mild,
And not so headstrong, rough, nor rude, nor30 wild.               40
He’s soft to touch, and pleasant to the31 ear—
His voice sounds sweet and small, and very clear—
And makes hot love to young fresh buds that spring;32
They give him sweets, which he through th’air doth fling,33
Not through34 dislike, but for to make them known,35            45
As pictures are for beauteous faces shown.36

But O, the Eastern Wind is37 full of spite,
Diseases brings, which cruelly do bite;
He blasts young buds, and corn within the blade,38
He rots the sheep; to men he brings the plague.39                    50
Nay, he’s of such ill nature, that he would40
Destroy the world with poison, if he could.41

  1. long] high 1664, 1668
  2. And as broad] As broad are 1653
  3. Their heads are more (as it doth clear] These Gyants have Heads (as it doth 1653
  4. Than all] More then 1653
  5. Nay, some say more than all the days and] And some say more then days, and all the 1653
  6. And some, they’re numberless and infinite.] That they are numberlesse, and infinites. 1653
  7. that they hardly] cannot heare them 1653
  8. by force do] doe force to 1653
  9. And big she swells until the time of birth:] Whereof her Belly Swells, and Big doth Grow, 1664; Whereof her Belly Swells, and big doth grow, 1668
  10. Her bowels stretched, high bellied is the earth.] Untill her Time to which she hath to go; 1664; Until her time to which she hath to go: 1668
  11. Then doth she groan with grievous pains,] Which being near, she doth so Groan 1664; Which being near, she doth so groan 1668
  12. Until she’s brought abed with her] Till she be brought to Bed of an 1664; Till she be brought to bed of an 1668
  13. it] its 1664
  14. Rends] Rents 1664, 1668
  15. heav’ns] Heavens 1653
  16. The North Wind’s cold; his nerves are] And the cold North wind, his nerves 1653
  17. He pulls up oaks, and] Pulling up Oakes, then 1653
  18. In icy fetters he] In fetters of hard Ice 1653
  19. Imprisons fishes in the] And doth Imprison Fish in th’ 1664; And doth imprison Fish in th’ 1668
  20. Whence] Where 1653
  21. which] and 1664, 1668
  22. as if he would put out] to put the light out of 1653
  23. Doth raise] Raising 1653
  24. With which he] Which with them 1653
  25. Flinging] Throwing 1653
  26. And] Flings 1653
  27. bright] hot 1653
  28. And] But 1664, 1668
  29. doth them all in showers of rain] back in showres of raine doth them 1653
  30. rough, nor rude, nor] Cruel, Rough and 1664, 1668
  31. the] each 1653
  32. spring;] springs; 1653
  33. th’air doth fling,] Aire them flings; 1653
  34. through] from 1653
  35. for to make them known,] to divulge them farre, 1653
  36. are for beauteous faces shown] doe, for faces that are faire. 1653
  37. is] he’s 1664, 1668
  38. He blasts young buds, and corn within the blade,] Kills Buds, and Corn, as in the Blade it stands, 1664; Kills Buds, and Corn, as in the Blade it stands; 1668
  39. He rots the sheep; to men he brings the plague.] To Sheep the Rot, to Men the Plague he sends; 1664; To Sheep, the Rot; to Men, the Plague he sends. 1668
  40. Nay, he’s of such ill nature, that he would] He is an enemy, and of Nature ill, 1653
  41. Destroy the world with poison, if he could.] The world would poyson, if he had his will. 1653