The Ladie 's Blush Or THE HISTORY OF SUSANNA THE GREAT EXAMPLE OF Conjugal Chastity An HEROICK POEM By W. V. Attentant formâ celebréinque pudore Susannam Injusti quibus est facta repulsa Senes Ira metúsque fidem laesam testantur at insons Fatidici vatis solvitur ore nece LONDON Printed by James Cotterel for Robert Robinson neer Grays-Inne-gate in Holborn 1673. To the AMOROUS READERS PRREFACES to Books are as Gentlemen-Vshers to Ladies when they have given a short account of the person or Subject they introduce your own prudence will dictate to you that your entertainment of them should be in some measure answerable to their quality But the Lady we here bring into your view being of greater eminencie then any other as to the vertue for which her memory hath been celebrated through all ages it is thought requisite to do it with more pomp and ceremony The Author of this Poem having spent some time in the perusal of the Apocryphal part of the Holy Scriptures reflected that there were three eminent vertues recommended to us in the persons and examples of three remarkable Women The first is Prudence in those of Judith a Woman as to Counsel and Condâ—ct in the greatest extremities of a tedious Siege surpassing the best Politicians of the Jewish Government and as to Action out-doing all the Stratagems of the Inhabitants of the Hill-countries to the admiration and amazement of Posterity The second is Fortitude observable in the magnanimous Matrone mentioned in the Maccabees who with undaunted courage chose rather to follow her seven sons through the gates of death by a generous Martyrdom then violate the Law of her Country The third Continence exemplifi'd in the incomparable Susanna for which she will be look'd on by all subsequent generations as the great Example of Conjugal Chastity Our Author hath thought fit to pitch upon this last for the Subject of his Work waving the first as implying a wish of that which the world calls Dissimulation for the more prosperous management of her designe and the second as being too great a precedent of Feminine courage to be expos'd to the world when those of that sexe being made Egyptians by the Publick Faith of the Covenanting Cause were already over-forward to be personally engag'd against the late Royal Standard For about that time do I conceive this Piece to have been written if not rather in the year Forty four famous for the Story of the Four-legg'd Elder History tells us of a Romane Lady who reflecting too seriously on a forc'd enjoyment whether confounded with shame at her not having made a greater resistance or the more to animate her Relations to revenge the violence dagger'd her self out of a loath'd life But as to our Susanna what can be imagin'd more neerly approaching Martyrdome it self then for a young Lady of transcendent Beauty to be brought to a publick and shameful Execution surrounded with her disgrac'd and lamenting Relations to avoid a pleasure she had often tasted as being a Wife and might then have accepted from persons who manag'd the Government of her Nation and had the title of Elders not so much upon the score of their Age as that of their Authority Could there be a greater discovery of Resolution then for a delicate person of that tender Sexe to prefer Stoning in the open field before the pressing sollicitations of two Elderly yet not too far superannuated Gallants in the shady solitude of a Garden But never was so violent a temptation so bravely oppos'd yet without any other defensives then those of a meek and innotent resistance Let any but imagine the horrour it must have been to her to be so strangely surpriz'd in that posture of Paradise and what confusion of thoughts it must have rais'd in her to observe in the Chrystal Mirrour of her Cistern the representations of two persons so little expected and ere she could lift up her eyes to look about her to finde her self within their unwelcome embraces Let any I say but imagine these circumstances and thence compute what an incredible presence of spirit what a recollection of vertuous and Matrimonial obligations was requisite to withstand the shock of so sudden an assault These reflections I suppose occasion'd our Author's dressing up of this History of Susanna into an Heroick Poem which he might have much enlarged had he not thought it more convenient to make it somewhat proportionate to the Story it self as it lies in Sacred Writ Wherein if I am not mistaken he hath oblig'd several sorts of persons as first those who are mightily affected with a Story put into Verse or fitted for publick Action when in dull Prose it makes no impression at all upon them and would rather see Susanna represented with Scenes in the Theatre then hear of her exemplary Vertue and deliverance in a Sermon at St. Paul's before the whole Representative of the City To another sort especially the Sisterhood of the Nation it may serve for a smart reproach of their frailty who upon the very score of this Story have entertain'd such a pique against the Apocryphal Writings that of the many hundreds of Thousands of Bibles printed during the five fatal Olympiads of the late Usurpation I doubt the number of such as had those bound with the Canonical does not amount to the square root of the whole In fine whoever are concern'd in the sacred bond of Matrimony are accordingly concern'd in the strange accidents occurring in this Story finding here how innocent Vertue was miraculously rescu'd out of the jaws of death and the guilty contrivers of Susanna's shame brought to condigne punishment to be perpetual precedents to all such as shall presumptuously attempt the tasting of that fruit which the Laws of God and Man have forbidden them The Lady's Blush OR The HISTORY of SUSANNA SLeep on perfuming Morn let not thy smiles With one Reflex gild the Molucca-Isles 'T is time enough on Tython's Saffron-bed Repose the curls of thy refulgent head And let the Aethiopians Pearly Ore Sown by thy hand lie on their Swarthy shore A while ungather'd that no Signal may Alarm the nimble minutes of the Day To harness Sol's fierce Steeds lest while the Fates Enforce a passage through th'East's Lattice-gates And send them panting up the Indian hill This monstrous change him with amazement fill To see since he descended last t' allay His flaming Temples in th' Atlantick Sea Nature inverted heat with cold thus fight Within one body as before rude Night First spread its frozen arms to entertain That warmth which after brooded on the Main And chill December quit his weeds of gray T' usurp the Robe and Diadem of May Chaste Groves polluted where fair Daphne's hair True concord holdeth with th' affrighted Air And sacred streams complaining as they scape From Springs attempted by the Elders rape So pure a Fountain that the mighty Jove Might thence make Hebe mix him Healths of love And Iris draw
the wing of hoped Victory Launce threatning launce conjoyned Bodies meet And one another with loud Volleys greet Both Flesh and Spirit grapple parties made Hence from a congress of th' infernal shade On th' other side One onely subtil pure Th' adverse Phalanges able to endure These Elders then who such brave Champions had So potent was deceit with joy grew mad At th' honour of their crime and both apart This dispute eccho'd from 's redoubling heart 'T is true I 'm great and do the people awe By Israel's spotless and impartial Law The Tribes committed are unto my hand As to a Shepherd in a Captive-land And if the Shepherd chance to go astray To Savage beasts my Sheep must be a prey Their lovely fleeces briers and thorns will tear VVhen they orewhelm'd with pensiveness and fear Without their Leader wander whose disgrace Advantage gets by th' honour of his place Know it the people may who oft forsake The paths of goodness for examples sake And great mens faults move in a Sphere so high As to be noted by each vulgar eye Just as from Conflagrations in the skie Star-blazing streams prodigiously do flie But yet my greatness a disguise will lend That safely I accomplish may my end Fond mortal thinkest thou Heav'ns clearer fight Hath now put on the mourning robe of night Can mists or darkness or ought interpose Betwixt his eye that all things does disclose No no there 's one with flames of fire that flies Strictly t' avenge the world's impieties And by the blast of his consuming breath Sure to repay sin with its wages Death Though it be so my unconfined will Is towring now upon too high a Quill To minde such weak reclaims I cannot stay For fierce desire like to a raging Sea Bears me along and though the best I love Depraved sence makes me the worst approve Let Bears and Tygers all the Monsters that First roar'd upon the Mountain Ararat As Satan at the Sun-cloath'd woman hurl'd The Lethe-vomits of his dreadful world Our Tribes pursue then scatter and divide My headstrong passion will not be deny'd Destruction come I 'm satisfi'd if I May satiate my lust and after die Thus as Ripheus fell most good and true Scarce matcht for vertue mongst the Trojan crue Because the Gods thought fit so in this heat Heav'ns powerful Spirit 's pleased to retreat And this Triumvirate of darkness weilds Its conqu'ring Sword through the forsaken fields And reins once laid upon the stubborn neck Of each proud Elder not the sharpest check Of Conscience might them stay blindfold proceed As always those whom Hellish Princes lead Thus Vertue bleeding lay successful Sin Beats down the Bulwarks le ts the Victor in Who to compleat his Triumph strives t'unite Those which did under his black Banner fight Unknown to one another though both were Wounded alike yet neither durst declare So tim'rous guilt is ere its branches shoot Having i' th' minde but newly taken root How many black conceits within them move From day to day hatching lust-raging Love The object fair Susanna whom to win These Sages walk their usual rounds in sin Contented with a bare reflex till Chance Conspir'd their hellish purpose to advance For being both departed at high Noon Each to his several habitation They wheel'd about turn'd by an unseen rein VVhich brought them to the self-same place again Ev'n as a Needle toucht by th' Magnet-stone Abhors all points of variation So these impregnate by infernal fires No point inclin'd to but their base defires Therefore as rays that to one centre tend Or different footsteps to th'same journeys end They meet from whence they went dissembling it And forc'd to leave their former counterfeit Each on the other gaz'd their wrinkled veins Swell'd up with guilt dy'd in Vermilion-stains Exchanged red for white and white for red More then a thousand tongues discovered Till each as in the Mirrour of a Glass Reflections darted to the others face And prologue thereunto was first to learn The certain cause of either's quick return So that at last they both reveal'd their lust And hudled up the thing 'twixt fit and just Both thus alleadg'd I thought at home to stay But there 's no food my hunger can allay That longeth much since first I chanc'd to see The golden fruit of one forbidden tree Neer to this place which flourishng doth stand As if ne'r planted by a mortal hand Or that its fruit was ne'r ordain'd to grow For the rude taste of worldlings here below It is the wondrows Spouse of Joakim's bed That hath m'unwary hopeless fancie fed With new Idaea's yet mean while I pine For that which shuns these restless lips of mine Nor may ones thirst be quenched with that drink Which touched once forthwith away doth shrink Observe the motions of this glorious Star Not such another's in our Hemisphere Nay Venus whom youth call the Queen of Love Doth not with such a radiant lustre move In short those women came not near her when Angels of God were Sons-in-law to Men. The thought of home therefore 's abhorr'd for Hell 's In every place but where Susanna dwells And th'entertainments of our Beldames breath More dreadful are then shocks of sudden death Who with revengeful kisses daily strive Kindly to bury us poor two alive But doating Fools they are mistaken why Old Aeson's Bath proves now no Poetry Experience hath confirm'd it true and good I' th' vigour of our metamorphos'd blood We 're young again and like the Lads of Greece We 'll venture to surprise this Golden Fleece All Colchos can't withstand nor Dragons keep Their dreadful guard whilst charm'd by us a sleep Yet fair Laverna this request fulfill That when all 's done we may seem righteous still Now was that time when the Nemaean beast Stretch'd out his paws with rage on Cancer's breast Rouz'd by the Delian God roars out amain Quite through the fields of the Celestial plain VVhilst from his furious breath fierce flames are hurl'd VVith Thunders mixt upon the lower world And frozen Stars which court the Arctick Pole In sweltring Thaws about their centres roul As then of old the chaste Nymphs made their streams A refuge from that Boy 's misguided flames So here Susanna to the Spring retires To countermand the heat of July 's fires I'th'Garden to her Husbands Palace nigh Where stood a Fountain that was never dry But like to those which Paradise once sed Sendeth fresh glories unto every Bed Two Maids attending onely Th'Elders had Themselves before into this place convey'd Whey they lay hid like Serpents to deceive Taught by that Monster which so served Eve Ye lofty Pow'rs some reasons to us mind Why Hell the World and Flesh are thus combin'd VVithin that place Cothurnick steps to tread VVhere Flora does her various beauties spread VVhat is the cause that made them this devise Are Gardens Stages fit for Tragedies In such a place first was the Devil's Prize God and
the creature to make enemies Prodigious Garden that could bear a weed So full of poyson as all Adam's seed Still câ—ies O wrerched man what hast thou done Thus to orewhelm us in perdition David did there with an adulterous eye Bathsheba naked in the Fountain spie An eye with winged murther charg'd which flew As far as Rabbah and V riah slew A Garden 't was wherein a painful floud Sweat from our Saviour like to drops of bloud And in a Garden Judas him betray'd VVhere also was his righteous body layd VVhilst thus the Elders and their Engines lie Not the least thought of sordid Jealousie Disturbs Joakim's quiet who affords No small respect to these Judicial Lords VVhom to mistrust were madness their gray hairs Being Antidote enough against such fears But rather thinks These learned Sages will Susanna with some vertuous precepts fill On whose each look an aged Hist'ry sits The best improvement of all younger wits Whereby she may or ere old-age draws on The prospect have of a free Horizon Her understanding clearly so to view Fore pass'd events and judge what shall ensue Such guides I wish our Fathers had perhaps They ne'r had long'd for these accursed Grapes That edge their childrens teeth whose off-spring we The cause lament in our Captivity Thus Joakim's well-composed minde foresees Not ought of the two Elders treacheries But unsuspecting man receives as friends Those that disguised lusts with lawful ends VVhich freedom bound them to this fixed day VVherein they might his vertuous Spouse betray For being here she thinks it fit to lave Her wearied limbs in the refreshing wave So said unto her Maidens Hence be gone The place is private leave me here alone Haste balls perfum'd Sabaean Odours bring VVithout delay to wash me at the Spring Susanna then unveils her orient skin Like Eve's in Eden ere imperious sin First found an Apple then a Leaf to hide The spotted Beauty of her new-born pride Into the Fountain goes whose amorous brims Dropt tears for joy t' embrace such snowie limbs And curled in a wanton brayd t' orecome Love's fire concealed in its watry womb Had you but seeâ— when yet she was half-bare Part of her Mantle sporiing with the air The rest in folds about her middle born So sparkling Phlegon looketh in the morn VVhilst glorious cloudâ— in glittering fleeces flye To interpose 'twixt it and humane eye But once aloft and to th' Meridian fled His naked body on the hills doth spread Such was she when those weeds or rags of clay From her diviner flesh were cast away Ye fabulous Anoients was not this same She Your Aphrodite descended of the Sea VVith Nymphs not Neptune thus encompassed VVhilst now Lucina brings the Spring to bed Yea sure the same although your purblinde eyes Mistook when she did from a Fountain rise And this the Piece Apelles to pourtray Durst not adventure hove one line a day Glean'd up from thousand Beauties that might give The Painter fire to make his Picture live So rare th'Idaea seem'd such work there was T'extract from mortals an immortal face Her Ivory-neck's like David's Tower of war VVherein so many conqu'ring Bucklers are And Arrows numberless and sure to hit Unhappie Man that gazeth once at it Her Rosie Brests like the two Indies stand A Globed Hemisphere on either hand The cause perhaps our Fathers first did call East the right side of Earth's ever-rowling Ball And hither Merchants laden with desire Hurry to quench the flames of fire with fire The other Regions which beneath those lay Are not unfitly term'd Incognita Hid by the swelling water which denies Further pursuit to our discoveries Howere the Elders who stood watching here None of the worst Geometricians were Like him who having on Olympus found Alcides foot imprinted on the ground Did thereupon his whole proportion guess And so engrav'd the big-bon'd Hercules These not unlike conclude from what they saw An image they of th'unseen features draw And argue from the lesser Vales close by Must needs abound with more variety For when hills vaunt their fruitful pride sure we In lower parts shall richer pasture see Thus swell'd with hope they made out all their Sail And swiftly rid before a prosperous Gale Their Keel's the Flesh the Devil Pilots it Like some grave Artist whither he thinks fit Hell lends them Wind Presumption plies the Oar To land it safely at Susanna's shore Not many leagues this well-mann'd Vessel flew Till now within its wished Harbours view VVhen rapt with joy the goodly Steers-man cries Io my Babes lift up your aged eyes Behold your peace rejoyce for yonder is Th' expected Port of all true happiness Where bliss more then eternal rests in store Go and possess what can be wisht-for more Hereat these Elders though until this time The Gout and Palsey troubled every limb Make shift to run those who of late had gone In Lordly Chairs to the Judicial Throne Now finde their heels Desire as well as Fear Oft wings the slowest feet turns earth to air Love knows no pomp but stoops to meanest things And levels Subjects with their Captive-Kings Ev'n like two Eagles that are tow'ring high Within the Champian of the liquid skie No sooner do discern their harmless preys But th'on them with ne'r-failing talons seize So they by Lust's most hungry rage compell'd Susanna in their eager gripings held She strives and cries alas what should she do One naked woman in the arms of two Not men but monsters such as Poets feign The Cyclops were that did in Aetna reign Think how Susanna blush'd look'd pale and then A trembling fear blush'd and look'd pale agen VVhilst they ' Fair creature now behold the doors ' Are all made fast y' are now within our pow'rs ' Yet we intreat consent come do n't deny ' We 're smitten Lady and with you must lie ' There 's none can see 't 't is witness causeth shame ' VVhilst unrevealed Ills are free from blame Susanna sighs and strives and cries agen ' O subtle Elders O polluted men To which they ' If thou 't not we Judges are ' And ' gainst thy innocence will both declare ' That as we walked in this neighb'ring Grove ' Thou play'dst the harlot with thy wanton Love ' Therefore thy Maids away were sent lest they ' Should notice take of thine Adultery A strange Dilemma put forth to perplex The wav'ring judgement of that tender Sex Therefore Susanna ' Heavens be my guide ' I am betray'd distress'd on every side ' If I consent by Moses Law 't is said ' No wife shall climb up to anothers bed ' Unpunisht which divine decree implies ' Death the reward of all Adulteries ' But if refuse y'already have design'd ' VVhat base return true Vertue 's like to finde ' Howere I must not dare not sin your skill ' Extends no further then this life to kill ' But God will me avenge and one day plead ' My guiltless cause with vengeance on
your head Thus as a Rock perceiving her unmov'd The more she did refuse the more they lov'd For threats prevailing not with her they try By speeches fair and thus to her reply ' Lady such Coyness misbecomes your years ' 'T is time enough when care hath sown gray hairs ' And plowed furrows on your aged head ' Then to confine unto a husbands bed ' Y' are young and handsom of a comely feature ' Can it be thoughtere God made such a creature ' For one man's sole embraces why should Law ' Men more then other baser creatures awe ' What though our Fathers Moses led must he ' A pattern be to all posterity ' Or if he must what sin can you it call ' To break one Law when we oft break them all ' No no regard the days 'fore Moses was ' There were no sins till he invented Laws ' Can you suppose the Dest'nies ere withstood ' A free Community in what is good ' Observe the Air nothing more spotless is ' Yet in a thousand thousand bosomes lies ' Y' are born not for your self the Lord doth hate ' Those that are backward to communicate ' And rashness 't is t' engross Heav'ns liberal store ' Lest he who gave too much should give no more ' Nor be offended that old age hath drawn ' A ghostly curtain o'r our youthful Lawn ' Or think it strange that lusty bloud remains ' Still in the chanel of our paler veins ' 'T is you that gave it life the fault is yours ' Do but consent and then it shall be ours Yet she again tears trickling down her face Reflecteth on their Honours Charge and Place All 's labour lost When they could not perswade A rash attempt they on her body made Whereat Susanna for it was high time Cry'd out aloud ' O Heav'n avenge this crime And shriek'd so that the Palace did rebound With dismal ecchoes of that dreadful sound The Servants all amaz'd run to and fro Distracted ingorant which way to go By this the Elders therefore roar'd as high Against Susanna for those that were nigh Such yells had never heard before for there Two throats appear'd one open Sepulchre Her Servants then in a most frightful maze Into the Garden rush at several ways But when they saw their beauteous Lady stand Stark naked and the Judges on each hand What num'rous thoughts possess them yea what shame While the lewd Elders do this scandal frame ' Friends wonder not our clamour though so high ' Had cause enough ev'n for the stones to cry ' Out of this Garden-wall so to declare ' Your Lady's wickedness beyond compare ' T' her Husbands shame by being naught with one ' Young and spruce Gallant who now hence is gone ' For us to wink at such a fault had bin ' Upon our own heads to pull down the sin The Servants much astonished to hear The Elders give her such a character Durst not their Lady's cause defend though she Ne'r was before charg'd with unchastity And no such blemish was till then laid on The candour of her Reputation By this report Susanna's ill name's flown In one small moment through all Babylon Fame's wings are long and ever as it flies New courage gains and strangely multiplies How swiftly was the Persian once o'rthrown That loss from Greece unto Mycale blown Ev'n in a point of time Th' immortal Pow'rs Themselves confine not unto days or hours There 's sure some secret hand that doth convey With more then nat'ral speed an infamy This was Susanna's fate in Vertue 's place Onely succeed base titles of Disgrace Made Town-talk What is modest Susan she Turn'd Harlot taken in Adultery O wretched woman infants yet unborn This fact will rue and for their mother mourn If she should scape with life but 't is unfit The earth should bear so arch an Hypocrite Nay old wives scarce with teeth to chew their bread The thing through streets and every corner spread ' VVhat think ye Neighbours of that youthful Bride ' In whom such holiness was thought t' abide ' To day the Strumpet plaid and 's apprehended ' Is this that Vertue men so much commended ' The world is surely chang'd both young and fair ' Our selves were once yet 't was our constant care ' Our Husbands not to injure now it 's common ' He wants not faith that henceforth ere trusts woman VVhat art thou Lust or where is thy black seat VVhat Dev'lish pow'r did such a fiend beget 'T is thou that mov'st in hell through every part And whilst Love bindes the world that nothing start Confusion bring'st and shatterest asunder Its pleasant frame to trembling Nature's wonder How is' t that love so soon should hatred prove And fierce revenge possess the seat of love Or what unites such different extremes But that Revenge and Love are equal flames And Good and Bad oft lie so close together That 't is not easie to distinguish either Sin when conceiv'd Lust for a parent hath Lust the Grandsire unto that monster Death A wretched off-spring by these Elders got Upon Susanna though they knew her not For night was come and it they wholly spent In thoughts of their inten ded Ravishment And Junctoes set consisting but of three Resolv'd before debate on Villany ' Mischief said they must in progression be ' There 's no retrogradation in Villany ' Let 's then pursu't he has but half a will ' To be unjust who seems a fraid to kill ' Nor knows he well a mischief how to cover ' Who ere compleated thinks fit to give over ' Her life must pay for this disdain else we ' Our selves of guilt shall scarce acquitted be Spotless Susanna what misfortune 's this Occasion'd by these Elders wickedness Thus Joseph's Mistress would have slily brought Him to th' embraces which to eschew he sought Or that brave Grecian boy whose bloud was spilt To expiate his lustful mothers guilt Sol had by this ran his nocturnal round Over the utmost Antipodian ground And coming to Aurora's Rosie place From off the Ocean sends his smiling rays Whom to adore the mixed Heathen rise Devoutly ordering their Idolatries But wo is me he did the summons give Unto a Judgement where for no Reprieve Susanna hoped O immortal Steeds Turn back for shame be clad in mourning weeds Why should ye read in such resplendent glory The fatal accents of a Jewish Story Your Maker's darling one that 's innocent Unto the place of Execution sent That day therefore a greater concourse met At Joakim's house where was the Judgement set These Elders Pres'dents and if that wo'n't do They will be Judges and Accusers too O barbarous men and more perverted Law Where none is found will you there make a way Like Hannibal the horrid Alps climb ore And force a passage never known before And that pure Justice might attest the deed A Court is call'd to make good Naboth bleed These Elders then gravely began to