יהוה HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DU BARTAS HIS Deuine Weekes and Workes Translated And Dedicated to the Kings most excellent Maiestie by Josuah Syluester Now thirdly corrected augm ANAGRAMMATA REGIA Regi IACOBVS STVART Iusta Scrutabo IAMES STVART A iust Master FOr A iust Master haue I labour'd long To A iust Master haue I vow'd my best By A iust Master should I take no wrong With A iust Master would my life be blest In A iust Master are all Vertues met From A iust Master flowes aboundant grace But A iust Master is so hard to get That A iust Master seems of Phoenix race Yet A iust Master haue I found in fine Of A iust Master if you question This Whom A iust Master I so iust define My Liege IAMES STVART A iust Master is And A iust Master could my Work deserue Such A iust Master would I iustly serue Voy Sire Saluste Au Tres-puissant tres-prudent tres-Auguste IAQVES par la grace de Dieu Roy de la Grande Britaigne de France d' Irlande Defenseur de lay Foy vnique Catholique Apostolique Christiene * ⎠* VOY SIRE ton SALVSTE habillé en Anglois Anglois encore plus de Coeur que de language Qui cognoistant loyal ton Royal Heritage En çes beaux Liz dorez au Sceptre des Gaulois CoÌ„me au vray Souverain des vrays Subiects François Cy a tes pieds sacrez te faict son sainct Hommage De ton Hoeur Grandeur eternal tesmoignage Miroir de touts Heros Miracle de touts Roys VOY SIRR toÌ„ SALVSTE ou pour le moins son ombre Ou l'ombre pour le moins de se Traicts plus divins Qui ores trop noyrçis par moÌ„ pinçeau trop sombre S'esclair çiront aux Raiz de tes Yieux plus benins Donques d'vn oeil benin d'vn accueil Auguste Reçoy ton cher Bartas VOY SIRE SALVSTE Anagrammatisme de IOSVA SYLVESTRE de vostre Maiestè Tres humble Subiect Seruiteur A l'istessa sua Mäestá serenisma NEptun ' gielozo de La Musa Ingléze L'immura si del Braccio crystallino Ch'il piu divin del Canto suo divino Poco s'intende fuòr del suo Paëze â—erò Signor Come già la Francèze T'à Celebrato di-quà l' Apenino Di-là l' ITALICA al Peregrino Anche farà l' alte tue Lodi intèse Siche la Sèna el Pà do prestaranno Lor Chori sacri per Cantà r l' immenza Alma Virtù Valòr Pietà Prudénza Di GIACOMO gran SALOMON Britanno Per di tua Gloria vdita qualâ—e quanta Rapir il Mondo in maraviglia santa L'istesso Osseruantissimo I. S. INSCRIPTIO To England's Scotland's France Ireland's KING Great Emperour of EVROPE'S greatest Iles Monarch of Hearts and Arts and euery thing Beneath BOOTES manie thousand myles Vpon whose Head Honour and Fortune smiles About whose brows clusters of Crowns do spring VVhose Faith Him Champion of the FAITH en-stiles VVhos 's VVisdome's Fame O're all the World dooth ring MNEMOSYNE Her faire Daughters bring The DAPHNEAN Crown To Crowne Him Laureat VVhole and sole Soueraigne Of the THE SPIAN Spring Prince of PARNASSVS Piërian State And with their Crown their kingdoms Arms they yeelde Thrice three Penns Sun-like in a Cynthian field Sign'd by TIMES-SELVES and their high Treasorer BARTAS the great Ingrosst by SYLVESTER Our SVNNE did Set and yet no NIGHT ensew'd Our WOE-full losse so IOY-full gaine did bring In teares wee smile amid our sighes we Sing So suddainely our dying LIGHT renew'd As when the ARABIAN only Bird doth burne Her aged body in sweete FLAMES to death Out of Her CINDERS A newe Birde hath breath In whom the BEAVTIES Of the FIRST returne From Spicie Ashes of the sacred VRNE Of our dead Phoenix dear ELIZABETH A new true PHOENIX liuely flourisheth Whom greater glories than the First adorne So much O KING thy sacred Worth presum-I-on IAMES thou iust Heire of England's ioyfull VNION IAMES Thou iust Heire of England's ioyfull VNION VNITING now too This long sever'd I LE Sever'd for Strangers from it Selfe the while Vnder one Scepter in One Faith's Communion That in our Loues may never bee dis-vnion Throughout-all Kingdomes in thy Regall Stile Make CHRIST thy Guide In whom was neuer guile CLIO To RVLE thy Subiectes In his GOSPEL'S Vnion So on thy Seate thy Seede shall euer Florish To SION's Comfort and th' eternall Terror Of GOG and MAGOG Athëisme Error So shal one TRVTH thy people train nourish In meeke Obedience of Th' Almightie's Pleasure And to give CEASAR what belongs to CAESAR And to give CEASAR what belongs to CAESAR To sacred Thee drad Soveraigne deerest IAMES While sad-glad ENGLAND yields Hir Diadems To be dispos'd at Thine Imperiall Pleasure While Peers States expose their pomp treasure To entertaine thee from thy Tweed to THAMES VVith Royall Presentes And rare-pretious Gemmes THALIA As Mindes and Meanes Concurre in happy measure Heer gracious Lord lowe prostrate I present you The richest Iewell my poore FATE affoords A Sacrifice that long long since I meant you Your Minion BARTAS masked in My words With Him my Selfe my Seruice Wit and Arte With all the SINNEVVES of a Loyall Heart With all the SINNEWES of a Loyall Heart Vnto Your Royall Handes I humblie Sacre These weeks the works of the worlds glorius Maker Diuinely warbled by LORD BARTAS Art Though through my rudenes heer mis-tun'd in part For to whom meeter should This Muse betake her Than to Your Highnesse Whom as chiefe Partaker MELPOMENE All MVSES Crowne For Principall Desarte To whom should sacred Arte and learned Pietie In Highest Notes of Heauenly Musike Sing The Royall Deedes of the redoubted Dëitie But to a learned and religious KING To whom but You should Holy FAITH coÌ„mend-her Great king of ENGLAND christiaÌ„ FAITH' 's defender Great king of ENGLAND ChristiaÌ„ FAITH'S defender No Selfe-presuming of my Witt 's perfection In what is mine of this Diuine Confection Boldens mee thus to You the Same to tender But with the Rest the Best I haue to render For loyall Witnesse of my glad affection My MITE I offer To Your High Protection CALLIOPE Which MORE it needs The more it selfe is slender But for mine AVTHOR in his Sacred-fury I know your Highnes knows him Prince of Singers And His rare Workes worthy Your Royall fingers Though heer His lustre too-too-much obscure-I For His sake therefore and Your Selfes Benignitie Accept my ZEALE and pardon mine indignitie Accept my ZEALE and pardon mine Indignitie Smoothing with smiles sterne Maiesties Seueritie Sith from this Errour of my bolde temeritie Great good may grow through heav'ns and your benignitie For farre more equall to your BARTAS Dignitie This may prouoke with more diuine dexteritie Some NOBLER Wit To SING to our Posteritie TERPSICHORE This NOBLEST Worke After it Self's Condignitie Or else the sweete Rayes of your Royall Fauour May shine so warme on these wilde Fruites of mine As much may
cherish and reioyce And prety-fondling she doth prize it higher Then her own beauties which all else admire But as fell Fates mingle our single ioyes With bitter gall of infinit annoyes An extream Fever vext the Virgins bones By one disease to cause two deaths at once Consum'd her flesh and wanly did displace The Rose-mixt-Lillies in her lovely face Then far'd the Foul and Fairest both a-like Both like tormented both like shivering sick So that to note their passions one would gather That Lachesis spun both their lives together But oft the Aeagle striving with her Fitt Would fly abroad to seek som dainty bitt For her deer Mistress and with nimble wing Som Rail or Quail or Partridge would she bring Paying with food the food receiv'd so oft From those fair Ivory Virgin-fingers soft During her nonage yer she durst essay To cleave the sky and for herself to prey The Fever now with spitefull fitts had spent The blood and marrow of this Innocent And Life resign'd to cruell Death her Right Who three dayes after doth the Eagle cite The fearfull Hare durst now frequent the Down And round about the Walles of Hero's Town The Tercel-gentle and swift Falcon flew Dread-less of th' Aegle that so well they knew For shee alas lies on her Ladies bed Still-sadly mourning though a-live yet dead For O! how should she live sith Fatall knife Hath cut the threed of her lives deerest life O're the deer Corps somtimes her wings she hovers Somtimes the dead brest with her brest she covers Somtimes her neck doth the pale neck embrace Somtimes she kisses the cold lips and face And with sad murmurs she lamenteth so That her strange moan augments the Parents wo. Thrice had bright Phoebus daily Chariot run Past the proud Pillars of Aicmaenas son Since the fair Virgin past the fatall Ferry Whear lastly Mortals leaue their burthens weary And yet this doleful Bird drown'd in her tears All comfort-les Rest and Repast forbears So much alas shee seemeth to contend Her life and sorrows both at once to end But lastly finding all these means too-weak The quick dispatch that she did wish to wreak With ire and anguish both at once enraged Vnnaturally her proper brest she gaged And tears her bowells storming bitterly That all these deaths could yet not make her dy But lo the while about the lightsom door Of th' hap-les house a mournfull troop that bore Black on their back and Tapers in their fists Tears on their cheeks and sorrow in their brests Who taking vp the sacred Load at last Whose happy soule already Heav'n embra'çt With shrill sad cries march toward the fatall Pile With solemn pase The silly Bird the while Following far-off her bloody entrails trails Honoring with conuoy two sad Funerals No sooner had the Ceremonious Flame Embraç't the Body of her tender Dame But sodainly distilling all with blood Down soust the Eagle on the blazing wood Nor boots the Flamine with his sacred wand A hundred times to beat her from her stand For to the midst still of the Pyle she plies And singing sweet her Ladies Obsequies There burns herself and blendeth happily Her bones with hers she lov'd so tenderly O happy Payr vpon your sable Toomb May Mel and Manna euer showring come May sweetest Myrtles ever shade your Herse And evermore live you within my Verse So Morn and Euening the Fift Day conclude And God perceiv'd that All his Works were good THE SIXT DAIE OF THE FIRST WEEK THE ARGVMENT Inuiting all which through this world aspire Vnto the next Gods glorious Works t' admire Heer on the Stage our noble Poet brings Beasts of the Earth Cattell and Creeping things Their hurt and help to vs The strange euents Between Androdus and the Forrest Prince The little-World Commander of the greater Why formed last his admirable Feature His Heav'n-born Soule her wondrous operation His deerest Rib. All Creatures generation YOu Pilgrims which through this worlds City wend Toward th' happy City whear withouten end An exhortatiōto al which through the Pilgrimage of this life tend toward the euerlasting City to consider well the excellent workes of God heer represented by our Poet. True ioyes abound to anchor in the Port Whear Deaths pale horrors never do resort If you would see the fair Amphitheatres Th' Arks Arcenalls Towrs Temples and Theatres Colosses Cirques Pyles Ports and Palaces Proudly dispersed in your Passages Com com with me For ther 's not any part In this great Frame where shineth any Art But I will show 't you Are you weary since What! tyr'd so soon Why will you not my friends Having already ventur'd forth so far On Neptnn's back through Windes and Waters war Rowe yet a stroak the Harbour to recover Whose shoars already my glad eyes discover Almighty Father guide their Guide along Inuocation And pour vpon my faint vnfluent tongue The sweetest hony of th' Hyantian Fount Which freshly purleth from the Muses Mount With the sweet charm of my Victorious Verse Tame furious Lions Bears and Tigers fierce Make all the wilde Beasts laying fury by To com with Homage to my Harmony OF ALL THE Beasts which thou This-Day didst build The Elephant To haunt the Hills the Forest and the Field I see as vice-Roy of their brutish Band The Elephant the Vant-gard doth command Worthy that Office whether we regard His Towred back whear many Souldiers ward Or else his Prudence whearwithall he seems T' obscure the wits of human-kind somtimes As studious Scholer heeself-rumineth His lessons giv'n his King he honoreth Adores the Moon mooved with strange desire He feels the sweet flames of th' Idalian fire And pierçtwith glance of a kinde-cruell ey For humane beauty seems to sigh and dy Yea if the Graecians doo not miss-recite His combat with the Rhinocerot With 's crooked trumpet he doth somtimes write But his huge strength nor subtle wit can not Defend him from the sly Rhinocerot Who never with blinde fury led doth venter Vpon his Fo but yer the Lists he enter Against a Rock he whetteth round about The dangerous pike vpon his armed snout Then buckling close doth not at randon hack On the hard Cuirass on his Enemies back But vnder 's belly cunning findes a skin Whear and but thear his sharpned blade will in The scaly Dragon being else too lowe For th' Elephant vp a thick Tree doth goe So closely ambusht almost every Day To watch the Carry-Castle in his way Who once approaching straight his stand he leaues And round about him he so closely cleaues With 's wrything body that his Enemy His combat with the Dragon His stinging knots vnable to vn-ty Hastes to som Tree or to som Rock whearon To rush and rub-off his detested zone The fell embraces of whose dismall clasp Haue almost brought him to his latest gasp Then sodainly the Dragon slips his hold From th' Elephant and sliding down doth fold About his fore-legs fetter'd in such order
Knight Almoner of Scotland and one of his Maiesties Privy Councell there THE COLVMNS YOVNG Ancient Seruant of our Soueraign Lord Graue Maister of thy Maister 's minor-years Whose Prudence and whose Piety appears In his Perfection which doth Thine record Whose loyall Truth His royall Trusts approue By oft Embassage to the greatest Peers Whose Duty and Deuotion He endeers With present Fauours of his Princely Loue In Honour of these Honours many-fold And for memoriall of Thy kinde regard Of these poore Orfanes pyn'd in Hope-les cold Accept these Thanks for thy firm Loues reward Wher-in so Heav'ns prosper what we haue sung Through euery Age thou shalt liue euer YOVNG I. S. To the right vertuous fauorer of Vertue furtherer of Learning Sir Thomas Smith of Lonaon Knight late Lord Embassadour for his Maiesty to the Emperour of Russia IONAS TO thee long tost in a fell Storm of State Cast out and swallowed in a Gulf of Death On false-suspect of thine vn-spotted Faith And flying frō thy Heav'n-giuen Charge of late For much resemblance of thy troublous Fate Much like in Case to that he suffereth Though in effect thy Cause far differeth I send my IONAS to congratulate Thy happy Rescue and thy holy Triall Wher by as Fire doth purifie the Gold Thy Loyalty is more notorious Loyal And worthy th' Honours which thou now doo'st hold Thus Vertue 's Palms oppressed mount the more And Spices bruz'd smell sweeter than before I. S. To the most Honourable learned and religious Gent. M r. Anthony Bacone * ⎠* THE FVRIES BOund by thy Bounty and mine own Desire To tender still new Tribute of my zeal To Thee whose fauour did the first repeal My proto-BARTAS from Self-doomed Fire Hauing new-tuned to du BARTAS Lyre These tragik murmurs of His FVRIES fell Which with the Horrors of an Earthly Hell The Sinn curst life of wretched Mortals tire To whom but Thee should I present the same Sith by the breath of Thine incouragement My sacred fury thou didst first inflame To prosecute This sacred Argument Such as it is accept it as a signe Of Thankfull Loue from Him whose all is Thine I. S. To the same most Honourarable Gentleman Maister Anthony Bacone * ⎠* BABYLON THy friendly censure of my first ESSAIE Du Bartas FVRIES and his BABYLON My faint Endeuours hath so cheared on That Both His WEEKS are also Ours to-day Thy gracious hand repriuing from decay My fame-les Name doom'd to Obliuion Hath so stirr'd-vp my Soule 's deuotion That in my Songs thy Name shall liue for ay Thy milde acceptance of my simple myte Pattern and Patron of all vertuous drifts Doth heer again my gratefull Muse inuite To re-salute thee with mine humble gifts Indeed no Gifts but Debts to Thy desart To whom I owe my hand my head my hart I. S. ADAM The FIRST DAIE Of The SECOND WEEK Containing 1. EDEN 2. The IMPOSTVRE 3. The FVRIES 4. The HANDY-CRAFTS Acceptam refero יהוה EDEN THE I. PART OF THE I. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT Our Poet first doth Gods assistance seek The Scope and Subiect of his Second Week Adam in Eden Edens beauties rare A reall Place not now discerned where The Tree of Life and Knowledge-Tree with-all Knowledge of Man before and since his Fall His exercise and excellent Delights In 's Innocence of Dreams and Ghostly Sights Nice Questions curb'd Death Sins effect whereby Man else Immortall mortall now must Dy. GReat God which hast this World's Birth made me see Inuocation of the true God for assistance in Description of the Infancie first estate of the World Vnfold his Cradle shew his Infancy Walk thou my Spirit through all the flowring alleis Of that sweet Garden where through winding valleys Foure liuely flouds crauld tell mee what mis-deed Banisht both Edens Adam and his seed Tell who immortall mortalizing brought-vs The Balm frō Heav'n which hoped health hath wrought-vs Grant me the story of thy Church to sing And gests of Kings Let me this Totall bring From thy first Sabbaoth to his fatall toomb My stile extending to the Day of Doom Lord I acknowledge and confess before This Ocean hath no bottom nor no shoar But sacred Pilot thou canst safely steer My vent'rous Pinnasse to her wished Peer Where once arriv'd all dropping wet I will Extoll thy favors and my vows fulfill And gratious Guide which doost all grace infuse The Translator cōsidering his own weaknesse and insufficiency for a Worke so rare excellent as all the World hath worthily admired craueth also the assistance of the Highest that at least his endeuour may both stir-vp some abler Spirit to vndertake this Taske and also prouoke all other good Wits to take in hand some holy Argumēt and with-all that Him-self may be for euer sincerely affected and as it were throughly seasoned with the sweet relish of these sacred and religious discourses Simile Since it hath pleas'd thee task my tardy Muse With these high Theams that through mine Art-les Pen This holy Lamp may light my Country-men Ah teach my hand touch mine vnlearned lips Least as the Earths grosse body doth Eclipse Bright Cynthia's beams when it is interpos'd Twixt her and Phoebus so mine ill-dispos'd Dark gloomy Ignorance obscure the rayes Of this diuine Sun of these learned dayes O! furnish me with an vn-vulgar stile That I by this may we an our wanton I LE From Ouids heirs and their vn-hallowed spell Heer charming senses chayning soules in Hell Let this prouoke our modern Wits to sacre Their wondrous gifts to honour thee their Maker That our mysterious ELFINE Oracle Deep morall graue Inuentions miracle My deer sweet DANIEL sharp-conceipted brief Ciuill sententious for pure accents chief And our new NASO that so passionates Th' heroike sighes of loue-sick Potentates May change their subiect and aduance their wings Vp to these higher and more holy things And if sufficient rich in self-inuention They scorn as I to liue of Strangers Pension Let them deuise new Weeks new works new wayes To celebrate the supreme Prince of praise And let not me good Lord be like the Lead Which to som City from som Conduit-head Brings holsom water yet self-wanting sense It self receiues no drop of comfort thence But rather as the thorough-seasoned But Wherein the tears of death-prest Grapes are put Simile Retains long after all the wine is spent Within it self the liquors liuely sent Let me still sauour of these sacred sweets Till Death fold-vp mine earth in earthen sheets Least my young layes now prone to preach thy glory To BRVTVS heyres blush at mine elder Story GOD Supreme Lord committed not alone Narration Tour Father Adam this inferiour Throne God hauing Created and established Man Lord of the Crea tures lodgeth him in the faire Gardē of Eden Ranging beneath his rule the scaly Nation That in the Ocean haue their habitation Those that in horror of the Desarts lurk And those that capering in the Welk
mend their vertue taste and sauour And Rypen faire the Rest that are behinde The rather if some Clowde of COMFORT drop Amid the Braunches of my blasted Hope Amid the Braunches of my blasted Hope Three Noble pearches had my Muse of late Where Turtle-like groaning Sad tunes she sate But O! curst ENVIE did vntimely lop The First the Next bruiz'd with his Fall did drop The Third remaines growen a great arm of State Most WORTIE So But so prae occupate EVTERPE VVith other MVSES That OVRS hath no scope Wherefore for succour in her wearie flight Hardly pursu'd by that sharpe Vulture WANT Shee 's fain my Liege with your good leaue to light Amid the Top-leaues of Your CEDAR-Plant Where if you daign Her Rest froÌ„ FORTVNE'S wrong Shee shall more sweetely Ende her solemne Song Shee shall more sweetely Ende Her solemne Song If Heaven grant Life and You give leaue to doo-it By adding fitly All those Partes vnto it Which more precisely to Your Praise belong Wherein expresly with a Thankefull tongue To your great Self APOLLO'S self applies-him Yeeldes YOV His Laurells And dooth all agnize-him ERATO Rapt with the VVonder Of Your Uertues Young All the Posthumiall race of that rare Spirit His Swan tunes sweetest neer his latest breath Which of his glory their Childes-part inherit Thogh born alas after their Father's death As Epilogue shall PAYE our gratefull Vowes Vnder the shaddowe of Your Sacred Boughes Vnder the shaddowe of Your Sacred Boughes Great Royall CEDAR of Mounte LIBANON Greater then that great Tree of BABYLON No maruaile if our TVRTLE seek to House Sith CAESAR'S Eagles that so strongly Rouze Th' olde Hâ—gard FALCON hatcht by Pampelon Th' IBERIAN GRIPHIN And not THESE alone POLYMNIA But euerie Birde and Beast With HVMBLE vowes Seekes roost or rest vnder your mighty Bowers So mighty hath th' Almighty made you now O Honour Him who thus hath Honour'd You And build His house who thus hath blessed Yours So STVARTS ay shall stand propt with His Power To Foes a Terrour and to Friendes a Tower To Foes a Terrour and to Friendes a Tower ERROR' 's Defyer and True FAITH'S Defence A Sword to Wrong a Shielde to Innocence Cheering the mild checking the wild with powr The Starre of other States and Sterne of Our The Rod of Vice VERTVE'S Recompence Long liue King IAMES in al MAGNIFICENCE VRANIA And full of DAYES When in his Blis-ful Bowr Heauens king shal crown thee with th' immortal flowr Fall all These Blessings on that forwarde Prince HENRIE our Hope to-Crowne His Excellence A KING at Home abroad a CONQVEROR So Happily that wee may still Conclude Our Sunne did Sette and yet no Night ensew'd SVBSCRIPTIO YOVR MAIESTIES Most loyall Subiect Humble Seruant IOSVAH SYLVESTER The Order of the Bookes or Tracts of this Volume THE FIRST WEEKE containeth Seaven Dayes THE 1. Day pag. 1. THE 2. Day 24. THE 3. Day 59. THE 4. Day 91. THE 5. Day 114. THE 6. Day 144. THE 7. Day 175. THE SECOND WEEK likewise Seauen DAIES whereof Three were neuer finished ADAM 1. Day Eden pag. 215. The Imposture 236. The Furies 254. The Handy-Crafts 276. NOAH 2. Day The Arke pag. 298. Babylon 315. The Colonies 335. The Columnes 358. ABRAHAM 3. Day The Vocation pag. 381. The Fathers 421. The Law 436. The Captains 477. DAVID 4. Day The Tropheis pag. 514. The Magnificence 551. The Schisme 590. The Decay 619. Vrania pag. 656. The Triumph of Faith 672. The Quadrains of Pibrac 697. The miraculous Peace of France 738. A Paradox against Liberty 780. CEs Tempes laurizez du Laurier mesme honeur Ces Yeux contemple-Cieux ou la Vertu se lit Ces traits au front marquez de Scavoir d' Esprit Ne sont que du BARTAS vn ombre exterieur Le Pinçeau n'en peut plus Mais de sa propre Plume Il â—est peint le Dedans dans son divin Volume These laureat Temples which the Laurel grace These Honest Lines these Signes of Wit and Art This Map of Vertues in a Muse-full Face Are but a blush of BARTAS outward part The Pencil could no more But his owne Pen Limms him with-in the Miracle of Men. LECTORIBVS ENGLAND'S Apelles rather OVR APOLLO WORLD' 's wonder SYDNEY that rare more than-man This LOVELY VENVS first to LIMNE beganne VVith such a PENCILL as no PENNE dares follow How theÌ„ shold I in Wit Art so shalow AtteÌ„pt the Task which yet none other can Far be the thought that mine vnlearned hand His heauenly Labour shold so much vnhallow Yet least that Holy-RELIQVE being shrin'd In som High-Place close lockt froÌ„ common light My Country-men should bee debarr'd the sight Of these DIVINE pure Beauties of the Minde Not daring meddle with APELLES TABLE This haue I muddled as my MVSE was able INDIGNIS Hence profane Hands Factors for Hearts profaâ—e Hence hissing Atheists Hellish Misse-Creants Hence Buzzard Kites dazled with Beautie 's glances Hence itching Eares with Toyes and Tales vp-tane Hence Green-sick Wits that relish nought but bane Hence dead lyve Idiots drown'd in Ignorance Hence wanton Michols that deâ—ide my Dance Hence Mâ—mike Apâ—s vaine Follies Counter-pâ—ne Hence prying Critikâ—s carping past your Skill Hence dull Conceipts that have no true Discerning Hence envious Momes converting Good to Ill Hence all at-once that lack or loue not LEARNING Hence All vn-holy froÌ„ the WORLDS BIRTH Feast VRANIA's Grace brookes no vn-worthy Guest OPTIMIS But my best Guest welcom great King of FAERIE Welcom fair QVEEN his vertue 's vertuous Love Welcom right AEGLETS of the ROYAL Eyrie Welcom sound Eares that sacred Tunes approve Welcom pure Hands whose Hearts are fixt aboue Welcom deer Soules that of Art's choise are charie Welcom chaste Matrons whom true zeal doth move Welcom good Wits that grace-full Mirth can varie Welcom milde Censors that mean slips can cover Welcom quick Spirits that sound the depth of Art Welcom MECAENAS each LEARNING-lover Welcom All good Welcom with all my Heart Sit-down I pray and taste of every Dish If Ought mis like You better Cooke I wish Intimo Iosuae Sylvestri Hexasticon VTprodesse suis possit Salustius offert Gallis quod nobis Iosua noster opus Ille ergo eximijs hoc vno nomine dignus Laudibus at duplici nititur hic merito Quem simul Authoris famae charaeque videmus Communi Patriae consuluisse bono Io Bo. Miles Ad Ioshuam Sylvesterum G. Salustij genuinum Interpretem * ⎠* FAre agê divini cultissima lingua Salusti SYLVESTER Clarij ceu fuit ille Dei Elyzij qua parte Iugiconvenerat te Edocâ—it sensus sua verba Senex An mage corpored Herois compage soluta In te Anima Elyzium fecerat ipsa sibi Credo equideÌ„ Samij rata Dogmata sunt Senis vnde Non Translata mihi sed genuina canis Quin Posteritas si pagina prima taceret Interpres dubitet tune vel ille siet Car Fitz-Geofridus Lati-Portensis Iosua
meet Round large and long there of itselfe it thriues And Little-World into the World arriues But that becomes by Natures set direction From foul and dead to beauty life perfection But this dull Heap of vndigested stuf Had doubtlesse neuer come to shape or proof Had not th' Almighty with his quick'ning breath Of the secret power of God in quickning the matter whereof the World was made Blow'n life and spirit into this Lump of death The dreadfull Darknes of the Memphytists The sad black horror of Cimmerian Mists The sable fumes of Hell's infernall vault Or if ought darker in the World be thought Muffled the face of that profound Abyss Full of Disorder and fell Mutinies So that in fine this furious debate Euen in the birth this Ball had ruinate Saue that the Lord into the Pile did pour Some secret Mastik of his sacred Power To glew together and to gouern fair The Heav'n and Earth the Ocean and the Aire Who ioyntly iustling in their rude Disorder The new-born Nature went about to murder As a good Wit that on th' immortall Shrine The Spirit of God by an inconceiueable meane maintained and as it were brooding warmed the shape-lesse Masse Genes 1. Of Memory ingraues a Work Diuine Abroad a-bed at boord for euer vses To minde his Theam and on his Book still muses So did Gods Spirit delight itself a space To moue itself vpon the floating Masse No other care th' Almightie's minde possest If care can enter in his sacred brest Or as a Hen that fain would hatch a Brood Som of her own som of adoptiue blood Sits close thereon and with her liuely heat Of yellow-white balls doth lyue birds beget Euen in such sort seemed the Spirit Eternall To brood vpon this Gulf with care paternall Quickning the Parts inspiring power in each From so foul Lees so fair a World to fetch For 't's nought but All in 't self including All An vn-beginning midless endles Ball 'T is nothing but a World whose superfice Leaues nothing out but what meer nothingis Now though the great Duke that in dreadfullaw Vpon Mount Horeb learn'd th' eternall Law That there is but one World confuting the Error of Leucyppus his Disciples by two reasons Had not assur'd vs that Gods sacred Power In six Dayes built this Vniuersall Bower Reason itself doth ouer-throw the grounds Of those new Worlds that fond Leucyppus founds Sith if kind Nature many Worlds could * embrace clip Still th' vpper Worlds water and earth would slip Into the lower and so in conclusion All would return into the Old Confusion Besides we must imagin empty distance Between these Worlds wherein without resistance Their wheels may whirl not hindred in their courses By th' inter-iustling of each others forces But all things are so fast together fixt With so firm bonds that there 's no void betwixt Thence coms it that a Cask pearç't to be spent Though full yet runs not till we giue it vent Thence is' t that Bellowes while the sâ—out is stopt So hardly heaue and hardly can be op't Thence is' t that water doth not freez in Winter Stopt close in vessels where no ayre may enter Thence is' t that Garden-pots the mouth kept close Let fall no liquor at their siue-like nose And thence it is that the pure siluer source In leaden pipes running a captiue course Contrary to it's Nature spouteth high To all so odious is Vacuity God then not onely framed Nature one But also set it limitation Of Form and Time exempting euer solely From quantity his own self's Essence holy Confutation of another Error of such as make Nature and the Heauens infinita How can we call the Heav'ns vnmeasured Sith measur'd Time their Course hath measured How can we count this Vniuerse immortall Sith many-wayes the parts proue howerly mortall Sith his Commencement proues his Consummation And all things ay decline to Alteration Let bold Greek Sages fain the Firmament To be compos'd of a fift Element Let them deny in their profane profoundnes End and beginning to th' Heav'ns rowling roundnes And let them argue that Deaths lawes alone Reach but the Bodies vnder Cynthias Throne The sandy grounds of their Sophistick brawling Are all too-weak to keep the World from falling One Day the Rocks from top to toe shall quiuer A liuely description of the ende of the World The Mountains melt and all in sunder shiuer The Heav'ns shall rent for fear the lowely Fields Puft vp shall swell to huge and mighty Hills Riuers shall dry or if in any Flood Rest any liquor it shall all be blood The Sea shall all be fire and on the shoar The thirsty Whales with horrid noyse shall roar The Sun shall seize the black Coach of the Moon And make it midnight when it should be noon With rusty Mask the Heav'ns shall hide their face The Stars shall fall and All away shall pass Disorder Dread Horror and Death shall com Noise storms and darknes shall vsurp the room And then the Chief-Chief-Iustice venging Wrath Which heer already often threatned hath Shall make a Bon-fire of this mighty Ball As once he made it a vast Ocean all Alas how faith-les and how modest-les Against iudicial Astrologers that presume to point the verie time thereof Are you that in your Ephomerides Mark th' yeer the month and day which euermore Gainst yeers months daies shal dam-vp Saturnes dore At thought whereof euen now my heart doth ake My flesh doth faint my very soule doth shake You haue mis-cast in your Arithmetike Mis-laid your Counters groapingly yee seek In nights blacke darknes for the secret things Seal'd in the Casket of the King of Kings 'T is hee that keeps th' eternall Clock of Time And holds the waights of that appointed Chime Hee in his hand the sacred book doth bear Of that close-clasped finall Calender Where in Red letters not with vs frequented The certaine Date of that Great Day is printed That dreadfull Day which doth so swiftly post That 't wil be seen before fore-seen of most Then then good Lord shall thy dear Son descend Though yet he seem in feeble flesh ypend In complete Glory from the glistering Sky Millions of Angels shall about him fly Mercy and Iustice marching cheek by ioule Shall his Diuine Triumphant Chariot roule Whose wheeles shall shine with Lightning round about And beames of Glory each-where blazing out Those that were laden with proud marble Toombs Those that were swallow'd in wilde Monsters woombs Those that the Sea hath swill'd those that the flashes Of ruddy Flames haue burned all to ashes Awaked all shall rise and all reuest The flesh and bones that they at first possest All shall appear and hear before the Throne Of God the Iudge without exception The finall Sentence sounding ioy and terror Of euer-lasting Happiness or Horror Som shall his Iustice som his Mercy taste Som call'd to ioy som into torment cast When from
the Goats he shall his Sheep disseuer These Blest in Heav'n those Curst in Hell for euer O thou that once scornd as the vilest drudge Didst fear the doom of an Italian Iudge Daign deerest Lord when the last Trump shall summon To this Grand Sessions all the World in common Daign in That Day to vndertake my matter And as my Iudge so be my Mediator Th' eternall Spring of Power and Prouidence Hauing spoken of the creation of the Matter he sheweth how what Forme God gaue vnto it creating in six Dayes his admirable workes In Forming of this All-circumference Did not vnlike the Bear which bringeth forth In th' end of thirty dayes a shapeless birth But after licking it in shape she drawes And by degrees she fashions out the pawes The head and neck and finally doth bring To a perfect beast that first deformed thing For when his Word in the vast Voyd had brought A confus'd heap of Wet-dry-cold-and-hot In time the high World from the lowe he parted And by itself hot vnto hot he sorted Hard vnto hard cold vnto cold he sent Moist vnto moist as was expedient And so in Six Dayes form'd ingeniously All things contain'd in th' VNIVERSITIE Not but he could haue in a moment made Wherefore God imployed six Dayes in creating the World This flowry Mansion where mankind doth trade Spred Heav'ns blew Curtains those Lamps haue burnisht Earth aire sea with beasts birds fish haue furnisht But working with such Art so many dayes A sumptuous Palace for Mankinde to raise Yer Man was made yet he declares to vs How kinde how carefull and how gracious He would be to vs being made to whom By thousand promises of things to-come Vnder the Broad-Seal of his deer Sons blood He hath assur'd all Riches Grace and Good By his Example he doth also shewe-vs How men should imitate God in his workes We should not heedles-hastily bestowe-vs In any Work but patiently proceed With oft re-vises Making sober speed In dearest business and obserue by proof That What is well don is don soon enough O Father of the Light of Wisedom Fountain The 1. â—reature extracted from the Chaos was Light Out of the Bulk of that confused Mountain What should what could issue before the Light Without which Beauty were no beauty hight In vain Timanthes had his Cyclope drawn In vain Parrhasius counterfeited Lawn In vain Apelles Uenus had begun Zeuxis Penelope if that the Sun To make them seen had neuer showen his splendor In vain in vain had been those Works of Wonder Th' Ephesian Temple the high Pharian-Tower And Carian Toomb Tropheis of Wealth and Power In vain they had been builded euery one By Scopas Sostrates and Câ—esiphon Had All been wrapt-vp from all humane sight In th' obscure Mantle of eternall Night What one thing more doth the good Architect In Princely Works more specially respect Then lightsomness to th' end the Worlds bright Eye Careeâ—ing dayly once about the Sky May shine therein and that in euery part It may seem pompous both for Cost and Art Whether Gods Spirit mouing vpon the Ball Of bubbling Waters which yet couered All Sundry opinions concerning the matter and creation of Light Thence forç't the Fire as when amid the Sky Auster and Boreas iusting furiously Vnder hot Cancer make two Clouds to clash Whence th' aire at mid-night flames with lightning flash Whether when God the mingled Lump dispackt From Fiery Element did Light extract Whether about the vast confused Crowd For twice-six howrs he spread a shining Cloud Which after he re-darkned that in time The Night as long might wrap-vp either Clime Whether that God made then those goodly beams Which gild the World but not as now it seems Or whether else som other Lamp he kindled Vpon the Heap yet all with Waters blindled Which flying round about gaue light in order To th' vn-plaç't Climates of that deep disorder As now the Sun circling about the Ball As Light 's bright Chariot doth enlighten All. No sooner said he Be there Light but lo Gen. 1. 3. The form-less Lump to perfect Form gan growe And all illustred with Lights radiant shine Of the excellent vse and commoditie of Light Doft mourning weeds and deckt it passing fine All-hail pure Lamp bright sacred and excelling Sorrow and Care Darknes and Dread repelling Thou World's great Taper Wicked mens iust Terror Mother of Truth true Beauties onely Mirror God's eldest Daughter O! how thou art full Of grace and goodnes O! how beautifull Sith thy great Parent 's all-discerning Eye Doth iudge thee so and sith his Maiesty Thy glorious Maker in his sacred layes Can doo no less then sing thy modest prayse But yet because all Pleasures wax vnpleasant Why God ordained the Night and Day alternately to succeed each other If without pawse we still possesse them present And none can right discern the sweets of Peace That haue not felt Warrs irkesom bitterness And Swans seem whiter if swart Crowes be by For contraries each other best descry Th' All 's Architect alternately decreed That Night the Day the Day should Night succeed The Night to temper Dayes exceeding drought The commodities that the Night bringeth vs. Moistens our Aire and makes our Earth to sprout The Night is she that all our trauails eases Buries our cares and all our griefs appeases The Night is she that with her sable wing In gloomy Darknes hushing euery thing Through all the World dumb silence doth distill And wearied bones with quiet sleep doth fill Sweet Night without Thee without Thee alas Our life were loathsom euen a Hell to pass For outward pains and inward passions still With thousand Deaths would soule and body thrill O Night thou pullest the proud Mask away Where-with vain Actors in this Worlds great Play By day disguise-them For no difference Night makes between the Peasant and the Prince The poor and rich the Prisoner and the Iudge The foul and fair the Maister and the Drudge The fool and wise Barbarian and the Greek For Night's black Mantle couers all alike He that condemn'd for som notorious vice Seeks in the Mines the baits of Auarice Or swelting at the Furnace fineth bright Our soules diresulphur resteth yet at Night He that still stooping toghes against the tide His laden Barge alongst a Riuers side And filling shoars with shouts doth melt him quite Vpon his pallet resteth yet at Night He that in Sommer in extreamest heat Scorched all day in his own scalding sweat Shaues with keen Sythe the glory and delight Of motly Medowes resteth yet at Night And in the arms of his deer Pheer for goes All former troubles and all former woes Onely the learned Sisters sacred Minions While silent Night vnder her sable pinions Foldes all the World with pain-less pain they tread A sacred path that to the Heav'ns doth lead And higher then the Heav'ns their Readers raise Vpon the wings of their
is bow'd About the Waues and well content to suffer Milde Zephyrs blasts and Boreas bellowing rougher Water to quench thy thirst about thy Mountains Wraps her moist arms Seas riuers lakes and fountains O how I grieue deer Earth that given to gays Commendations of the Country-life Most of best wits contemn thee now-a-days And noblest hearts proudly abandon quight Study of Hearbs and Country-lifes delight To brutest men to men of no regard Whose wits are Lead whose bodies Iron-hard Such were not yerst the reuerend Patriarks Whose prayse is penned by the sacred Clarks Noah the iust meek Moses Abraham Who Father of the Faithfull Race becam Were Shepheards all or Husbandmen at least And in the Fields passed their Dayes the best Such were not yerst Attalus Philemetor Archelaus Hiero and many a Pretor Great Kings Consuls who haue oft for blades And glistering Scepters handled hooks and spades Such were not yerst Cincinnatus Fabricius Serranus Curius who vn-self-delicious With Crowned Coultars with Imperiall hands With Ploughs triumphant plough'd the Roman lands Great Scipio sated with fain'd curtsie-capping With Court Eclipses and the tedious gaping Of golden beggers and that Emperour Of Slave turn'd King of King turnd Labourer In Country Granges did their age confine And ordered there with as good Discipline The Fields of Corn as Fields of Combat first And Ranks of Trees as Ranks of Souldiers yerst O thrice thrice happy He who shunns the cares Of City-troubles and of State-affairs And seruing Ceres Tills with his own Teem His own Free-land left by his Friends to him Never pale Enuie's poysonie heads doo hiss To gnaw his heart nor Vultur Auarice Free from enuy ambition auarice and consequently from the diuelish practises of MachiauiliaÌ„ Politikes His Field's bounds bound his thoughts he never supps For Nectar poyson mixtin silver Cups Neither in golden Platters doth he lick For sweet Ambrosia deadly Arsenick His hand 's his boaul better then Plate or Glass The siluer Brook his sweetest Hypocrasse Milk Cheese and Fruit fruits of his own endeuour Drest without dressing hath he ready ever False Counsailours Concealers of the Law Not vâ—xed with counterfait wrestings of wrangling Laywers Turn-coat Attourneys that with both hands draw Sly Peti-Foggers Wranglers at the Bar Proud Purse-Leaches Harpies of Westminster With fained chiding and foul iarring noyse Break not his brain nor interrupt his ioyes But cheerfull Birds chirping him sweet Good-morrows With Natures Musick doo beguile his sorrows Teaching the fragrant Forrests day by day The Diapason of their Heav'nly Lay. His wandring Vessell reeling to and fro Not dreading shipwracke nor in danger of Pirates On th' irefull Ocean as the Windes doo blowe With sodain Tempest is not ouer-whurld To seek his sad death in another World But leading all his life at home in Peace Alwaies in sight of his own smoak no Seas No other Seas he knowes nor other Torrent Then that which waters with his siluer Corrent His Natiue Medowes and that very Earth Shall giue him Buriall which first gaue him Birth To summon timely sleep he doth not need Not diseased in body through delicious Idlenes Aethyop's cold Rush nor drowsy Poppy-seed Nor keep in consort as Mecaenas did Luxurious Villains Viols I should haue sayd But on green Carpets thrumd with mossy Beuer Frendging the round skirts of his winding Riuer The streams milde murmur as it gently gushes His healthy limbs in quiet slumber hushes Drum Fife and Trumpet with their loud A-larms Not drawen by factions to an vntimely Death Make him not start out of his sleep to Arms Nor deer respect of som great Generall Him from his bed vnto the block doth call The crested Cock sings Hunt is vp to him Limits his rest and makes him stir betime To walk the Mountains or the flowry Meads Impearld with tears that sweet Aurora sheads Never gross Aire poysond in stinking Streets Not choaked with contagion of a corrupted Aire To choak his spirit his tender nostrill meets But th' open Sky where at full breath he liues Still keeps him sound and still new stomack giues And Death drad Seriant of th' eternall Iudge Coms very late to his sole seated Lodge His wretched yeers in Princes Courts he spends not Nor Chamelâ—â—like changing with euery obiect the colour of his conscience His thralled will on Great mens wils depends not He changing Master doth not change at once His Faith Religion and his God renounce With mercenary lies hee doth not chaunt Praysing an Emmet for an Elephant Nor soothing Sin nor licking the Tayl of Greatnesse Sardanapalus drown'd in soft excess For a triumphant vertuous Hercules Thersites foul for Venus louely Loue And every Changeling for a Turtle-Doue Nor lavishes in his lascivious layes On wanton Flora chaste Alcestes prayse But all self-priuate serving God he writes Fear-less and sings but what his heart in dites No sallow Fear doth day or night afflict-him Vnto no fraud doth night or day addict-him Neither prest with Fear nor plotting Fraud Or if he muse on guile 't is but to get Beast Bird or Fish in toil or snare or net What though his Wardrobe be not stately stuft With sumptuous silks pinked and powne't and puft With gold-ground Velvets and with siluer Tissue And all the glory of old Eues proud Issue What though his feeble Cofers be not cramd With Misers Idols golden Ingotsramd He is warm-wrapped in his own-growen Wooll Of vn-bought Wines his Cellar 's everfull His Garner's stor'd with grain his Ground with flocks His Barns with Fodder with sweet streams his Rocks For heer I sing the happy Rustiks weal Whose handsom house seems as a Common-weal And not the needy hard rack-rented Hinde Or Copy-holder whom hard Lords doo grinde The pined Fisher or poor-Daiery-Renter That liues of whay for forfeiting Indenture Who scarce haue bread within their homely Cotes Except by fits to feed their hungry throats Let me good Lord among the Great vn-kend My rest of daies in the calm Countrey end Let me deserue of my deer AEGLE-Brood For Windsor Forrest walks in Almes-wood Bee Hadley Pond my Sea Lambs-bourn my Thames Lambourn my London Kennet's siluer streams My fruitfull Nile my Singers and Musicians The pleasant Birds with warbling repetitions My company pure thoughts to work thy will My Court a Cottage on a lowely Hill Where without let I may so sing thy Name That times to-com may wonder at the same Or if the new North-star my Souerain IAMES The secret vertue of whose sacred beams Attracts th' attentiue seruice of all such Whose mindes did euer Vertue 's Load-stone touch Shall euer daign t' inuite mine humble Fate T'approoch the Presence of his Royall State Or if my Duty or the Grace of Nobles Shall driue or draw me neer their pleasing-Troubles Let not their Fauours make me drunk with folly In their Commands still keep my Conscience holy Let me true Honour not the false delight And play the
th' Antartik Sky Harâ—â—st To be three months vp-rising and down-lying With Scorpio Libra and the Archer flying Th' Earth by degrees her louely beauty bates Pomona loads her lap with delicates Her Apron and her Osiar basket both With dainty fruits for her deer Autumns tooth Her health-less spouse who bare-foot hops about To tread the iuice of Bacchus clusters out And last of all when thy proud-trampling Teem For three Months more to soiourne stil doth seem With Capricorn Aquarius and the Fishes While we in vain revoke thee with our wishes Winter In stead of Flowrs chill shivering Winter dresses With Isicles her self-bald borrow'd tresses About her brows a Periwig of Snowe Her white Freez mantle freng'd with Ice belowe A payr of Lamb-lyn'd buskins on her feet So doth she march Orythias love to meet Who with his bristled hoarie bugle-beard Comming to kiss her makes her lips afeard Whear-at he sighs a breath so cold and keen That all the Waters Crystallized been While in a fury with his boystrous wings Against the Scythian snowie Rocks he flings All lusks in sloath and till these Months do end Bacchus and Vulcan must vs both befrend O second honour of the Lamps supernal Of the Moon her alterations Sure Kalender of Festiuals eternal Seas Soueraintess Sleep-bringer Pilgrims guide Peace-loving Queen what shall I say beside What shall I say of thine inconstant brow Which makes my brain wauer I woat not how But if by th' Ey a mans intelligence May ghess of things distance so far from hence I think thy body round as any Ball Of her roundnes and brightnesse borrowed of the Sunne Whose superfice nigh equall ouer all As a pure Glass now vp and down anon Reflects the bright beams of thy spouse the Sun For as a Husbands Nobless doth illustre Simile A mean-born wife so doth the glorious lustre Of radiant Titan with his beams embright Thy gloomy Front that selfly hath no light Yet 't is not alwaies after one self sort Of her waxing waning when she is in her last quarter wheÌ„ she renues and commeth to her full For for thy Car doth swifter thee transport Then doth thy Brothers diversly thou shin'st As more or less thou from his sight declin'st Therfore each month when Hymen blest above In both your bodies kindles ardent love And that the Starrs-king all inamoured on thee Full of desire shines down direct vpon thee Thy neather half-Globe toward th' Earthy Ball After it's Nature is obserued all But him aside thou hast no sooner got But on thy side a siluer file we noat A half-bent Bowe which swels the less thy Coach Doth the bright Chariot of thy spouse approach And fils his Circle When the Imperiall Star Beholds thee iust in one Diameter Then by degrees thy Full face falls away And by degrees Westward thy Horns display Till fal'n again betwixt thy Louers arms Thou wink'st again vanquisht with pleasures charms Thus dost thou Wax and VVane thee oft renuing Delighting change and mortall things ensuing As subiect to thee thy selfs transmutation Feel th' vnfelt force of secret alteration Not but that Phoebus alwaies with his shine Cleers half at least of thine aspect divine Of the cause of the diuers aspect of the Moone But 't sems not so because we see but heer Of thy round Globe the lower Hemisphear Though waxing vs-ward Heav'n-ward thou dost wane And waning vs-ward Heav'n-ward grow'st again Yet it befalls even when thy face is Full When at the highest thy pale Coursers pull When no thick mask of Clouds can hide away From liuing eys thy broad round glistering Ray Thy light is darkned and thine eys are seel'd Couered with shadow of a rusty shield For thy Full face in his oblique designe Confronting Phoebus in th' Ecliptick ligne And th' Earth between thou losest for a space Thy splendor borrowd of thy Brothers grace But to revenge thee on the Earth for this Of the cause of the Eclips of the Sunne Fore-stalling thee of thy kind Lovers kiss Somtimes thy thick Orb thou doo'st inter-blend Twixt Sol and vs toward the later end And then because his splendor cannot pass Or pearce the thicknes of thy gloomy Mass The Sun as subiect to Deaths pangs vs sees-not But seems all Light-less though indeed he is not Therfore far differing your Eclipses are For thine is often and thy Brothers rare Thine doth indeed deface thy beauty bright Difference between the Eclipses of the Sun of the Moone His doth not him but vs bereave of Light It is the Earth that thy defect procures It is thy shadow that the Sunne obscures East-ward thy front beginneth first to lack West-ward his brows begin their frowning black Thine at thy Full when thy most glory shines His in thy Wane when beautie most declines Thine's generall toward Heav'n and Earth together His but to Earth nor to all places neither For th' hideous Cloud that cov'red so long since Of the admirable extraordinary Eclipse of the Sun on the Day that our Sauiour suffered on the Crosse for our Redemption Mat. 27 ver 45 Mar. 15 ver 33 Luk 23. ver 44 With nights black vail th' eys of the Starry-Prince When as he saw for our foul Sinfull slips The Match-less Maker of the Light eclipse Was far far other For the swarty Moors That sweating toyl on Guinnés wealthy shoars Those whom the Niles continuall Cataract With roaring noise for euer deaf doth make Those that suruaying mighty * Quinzay Cassagale Within the Circuit of her spacious Wall Do dry-foot dance on th' Orientall Seas And pass in all her goodly crossing ways And stately streets fronted with sumptuous Bowrs Twelue thousand Bridges and twelue thousand Towers Those that in Norway and in Finland chase The soft-skind Martens for their pretious Cace Those that in Ivory Sleads on Ireland Seas Congeal'd to Crystall slide about at ease Were witness all of his strange grief and ghest That God or Nature was then deep distrest Moreover Cynthia in that fearfull stound Full-fild the compass of her Circle round And being so far off she could not make By Natures course the Sun to be so black Nor issuing from the Eastern part of Heav'n Darken that beauty which her own had given In brief mine ey confounded with such Spectacles In that one wonder sees a Sea of Miracles What could'st thou doo less then thy Self dishonour O chief of Planets thy great Lord to honor Then for thy Fathers death a-while to wear A moorning Roab on th' hatefull Hemi-spheare Then at high-noon shut thy fair eye to shun A Sight whose sight did Hell with horror stun And pearç't with sorrow for such iniuries To please thy Maker Nature to displease So from the South to North to make apparant Of the going back of the Sun in the time of Ezechias 1. King 26. Ver. 11. Esâ—y 38. Ver. 8 That God reuoak't his Seriâ—ant Death's sad Warrant
Which her small fingers draw so ev'n and fine Still at the Centre she her warp begins Then round at length her little threds she pins And equall distance to their compass leaues Then neat and nimbly her new web she weaues With her fine shuttle circularly drawn Through all the circuit of her open lawn Open least else th' vngentle Windes should tear Her cipres Tent weaker then any hair And that the foolish Fly migh easter get Within the meshes of her curious Net Which he no sooner doth begin to shake But streight the Male doth to the Centre make That he may conquer more securely there The humming Creature hampred in his snare You Kings that beare the sword of iust Hostilitie The Lion to Kings Pursue the Proud and pardon true Humilitie Like noble Lions that do neuer showe Their strength and stomach on a yeelding Foe But rather through the stoutest throngs doo forrage ' Mid thousands Deaths to shew their daunt-les courage Thou sluggard if thou list to learn thy part The Emmet and Hedge-hog to the sloathfull Goe learn the Emmets and the Vrchins Art In Summer th' one in Autumn th' other takes The Seasons fruits and thence prouision makes Each in his Lodging laying vp a hoord Against cold Winter which doth nought affoord But Reader We resemble one that windes Man may finde in himself excellent instruction From Saba Bandan and the wealthy Indes Through threatning Seas and dangers manifold To seek far-off for Incense Spice and Gold Sith we not loosing from our proper Strand Finde all wherein a happy life doth stand And our owne Bodies self-contained motions Giue the most gross a hundred goodly Notions You Princes Pastors and ye Chiefs of War The head teacheth all persons in authoritie Do not your Laws Sermons and Orders mar Least your examples banefull leaprosies Infect your Subiects Flocks and Companies Beware your euill make not others like For no part 's sound if once the Head be sick You Peers O doo not through self-partiall zeal The Eys instruct Princes and Noble-men With light-brain'd Counsails vex your Common-weal But as both Eys doo but One thing behold Let each his Countries common good vp-hold You that for Others trauail day and night With much-much labour and small benefite The teeth such as trauaile for others Behold the Teeth which Toule-free grinde the food From whence themselues doo reap more greef then good Euen as the Hart hath not a Moments rest The Hart the Ministers of the Word But night and day moues in our panting brest That by his beating it may still impart The liuely spirits about to euery part So those to whome God doth his Flock betake Ought alwaies study alwaies work and wake To breathe by Doctrin and good Conuersation The quickning spirit into their Congregation And as the Stomach from the holesom food The stomacke the same Diuides the grosser part which is not good They ought from false the truth to separate Error from Faith and Cockle from the Wheat To make the best receiv'd for nourishment The bad cast forth as filthy excrement The Hands all Christians to Charitie If Bat or Blade doo threaten sodain harm To belly brest or leg or head or arm With dread-less dread the hand doth ward the blowe Taking her self her brethrens bleeding woe Then mid the shock of sacrilegious Arms That fill the world with blood and boistrous storms Shall we not lendour helping hands to others Whom Faith hath made more neer and deer then Brothers Nor can I see where vnderneath the Sky The whole body the whole society of mankind that euery one ought to stand in his owne vocation A man may finde a iuster Policy Or truer Image of a calme Estate Exempt from Faction Discord and Debate Then in th' harmonious Order that maintains Our Bodies life through Members mutual pains Where one no sooner feels the least offence But all the rest haue of the same a sense The Foot striues not to smell the Nose to walk The Tongue to combat nor the Hand to talk But without troubling of their Common-weal With mutinies they voluntary deal Each in his Office and Heav'n-pointed place Bee 't vile or honest honoured or base But soft my Muse what wilt thou re-repeat The Little-Worlds admired Modulet If twice or thrice one and the same we bring 'T is teadious how euer swect we sing Ther-fore a-shoar Mates let our Anchor fall Heer blowes no Winde heer are we Welcom all Besides consider and conceiue I pray W'haue row'd sufficient for a Sabbath Day THE END OF THE FIRST WEEK Du BARTAS His SECOND VVEEKE Disposed After the proportion of his First Into SEAVEN DAYES viz. THE 1. ADAM THE 2. NOAH THE 3. ABRAHAM THE 4. DAVID THE 5. ZEDECHIAS THE 6. MESSIAS THE 7. Th' ETERNAL SABBATH But of the three last Death preuenting Our Noble Poet hath depriued vs. Acceptam refero TO THE MOST ROYAL PATTERN AND PATRON OF LEARNING AND RELIGION THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT BRITAINE FRANCE IRELAND TR VE DEFENDER OF THE TR VE ANTIENT CHRISTIAN CATHOLIKE AND APOSTOLIKE FAITH c. 1. SONNET From ZEAL Land sayling with the Winde of Loue In the Bark LABOVR stirr'd by Theorems Laden with â—ope and with DESIRE t' approve Bound for Cape Comfort in the I le of IHMMES In such a Mist wee fell vpon the Coast That sodainly vpon the Rock Neglect Vnhappily our Ship and Goods we lost Even in a Place that we did least suspect So Cast away my LIEGE and quight vn-don We Orphan-remnants of a wofefull Wrack Heer cast a-shore to Thee for succour run O Pittie vs for our deer Parent 's sake Who Honour'd Thee both in his Life and Death And to thy guard his POSTHVMES did bequeath 2. SONNET These glorious WORKS and gratefull Monuments Built by Du BARTAS on the â—yrenaeis Your Royall Vertues to immortalize And magnifie your rich Munificence Haue prov'd so Charge-full to Trans-port from thence That our smal Art's-stâ—ck hardly could suffize To vnder go so great an Enterprize But is even beggerd with th' vn-cast Expense So that except our Muses SOVERAIN With gracious Eye regard her spent Estate And with a hand of Princely Fauour daign To stay her fall before it be too-late She needs must fail as lending Light about Self-spending Lamps for lack of Oyl go-out Voy Sire Saluste To the Right Excellent and most hopefull young Prince HENRY Prince of WALES ANAGR Henricus Stuartus Hic strenuus ratus THE TROPHEIS MAGNIFICENCE THe gratious Welcome You vouchsaf't yer-while To my grave PIBRAC though but meanly clad Makes BARTAS now no Stranger in this Isle More bold to come though suted even as clad To kiss Your HIGHNES Hand and with Your Smile To Crown His Haps and Our faint Hopes to glad Whose weary longings languish in our Stile For in our Wants our very Songs be sad Hee brings for
their sacred ornaments beside Anon he wonders at the differing graces Tongues gests attires the fashions and the faces Of busie-buzzing swarms which still hee meets Ebbing and flowing ouer all the streets Then at the signes the shops the waights the measures The handy-crafts the rumors trades and treasures But of all sights none seems him yet more strange Then the rare beautious stately rich Exchange Another while he maruails at the Thames Which seems to bear huge mountains on her streams Then at the faâ—-built Bridge which he doth iudge More like a tradefull City then a Bridge And glancing thence a-long the Northren shoar That princely prospect doth amaze him more For in that Garden man delighted so That rapt he wist not if hee wak't or no If he beheld a true thing or a fable Or Earth or Heav'n all more then admirable For such excess his extasie was small Not hauing spirit enough to muse withall He wisht him bundred-fold redoubled senses The more to taste so rare sweet excellences Not knowing whether nose or ears or eyes Smelt heard or saw more sauors sounds or Dies But Adams best and supreame delectation Happines of the first Man before his fall Was th' often haunt and holy conuersation His soule and body had so many waies With God who lightned Eden with his Rays For spirits by faith religiously refin'd 'Twixt God and man retain a middle kinde And Vmpires mortall to th' immortall ioyn And th' infinit in narrow clay confine Som-times by you O you all-faining Dreams We gain this good but not when Bacchus steams Of the visions of the spirit And glutton vapours ouer-flowe the Brain And drown our spirits presenting fancies vain Nor when pale Phlegm or Saffron-coloured Choler In feeble stomacks belch with diuers dolor And print vpon our Vnderstandings Tables That Water-wracks this other flamefull fables Nor when the Spirit of lies our spirits deceiues And guile-full visions in our fancy leaues Nor when the pencil of Cares ouer-deep Our day-bred thoughts depainteth in our sleep But when no more the soules chief faculties Are sperst to sereue the body many waies When all self-vned free from dayes disturber Through such sweet Trance she findes a quiet harbour Where som in riddles som more plain exprest Shee sees things future in th' Almighties brest And yet far higher is this holy Fit Of the certainty of the visions of the spirit the body being at rest When not from flesh but from flesh-cares acquit The wakefull soule it self assembling so All selfly dies while that the body though Liues motion-les for sanctified wholly It takes th' impression of Gods Signet Soly And in his sacred Crystall Map doth see Heav'ns Oracles and Angels glorious glee Made more then spirit Now Morrow Yesterday To it all one are all as present aye And though it seem not when the dream 's expir'd Like that it was yet is it much admir'd Of rarest men and shines among them bright Like glistring Starrs through gloomy shades of night But aboue all that 's the divinest Trance Of diuine extraordinary visions and Reuelations When the soules eye beholds Gods countenance When mouth to mouth familiarly he deales And in our face his drad-sweet face hee seales As when S. Paul on his deer Masters wings Was rapt aliue vp to th' eternall things And he that whilom for the chosen flock Made walls of waters waters of a rock O sacred flight sweet rape loues soueraign bliss Of the excellency of such visions and Reuelations Which very loves deer lips dost make vs kiss Hymen of Manna and of Mel compact Which for a time dost Heav'n with earth contract Fire that in Limbeck of pure thoughts divine Doost purge our thoughts and our dull earth refine And mounting vs to Heav'n vn-mouing hence Man in a trice in God doost quintessence O! mad'st thou man divine in habitude As for a space O sweetest solitude Thy bliss were equall with that happie Rest Which after death shall make vs ever-blest Now I beleeve that in this later guise What manner of visions the first Man had in Eden Man did conuerse in Pleasant Paradise With Heav'ns great Architect and happy there His body saw or body as it were Gloriously compast with the blessed Legions That raign above the azure-spangled Regions ADAM quoth He the beauties manyfold Man is put in possession of EdeÌ„ vnder a conditioÌ„ That in this Eden thou doest heer behold Are all thine onely enter sacred race Come take possession of this wealthy place The Earth's sole glory take deer Sonn to thee This farm's demains leave the Chief right to me And th' only Rent that of it I reserue is One Trees fair fruit to shew thy sute and seruice Be thou the Liege and I Lord Paramount I 'le not exact hard fines as men shall woont For signe of Homage and for seal of Faith Of all the profits this Possession hath I only ask one Tree whose fruit I will For Sacrament shall stand of Good and Ill. Take all the rest I bid thee but I vow By th' vn-nam'd name where-to all knees doo bow And by the keen Darts of my kindled Ire More fiercely burning then consuming fire That of the Fruit of Knowledge if thou feed Death dreadfull Death shall plague Thee and thy Seed If then the happie state thou hold'st of me My holy mildnes nor high Maiesty If faith nor Honour curb thy bold ambition Yet weigh thy self and thy owne Seeds condition Most mighty Lord quoth Adam heer I tender Before Sinne Man was an huÌ„ble and zealous seruant of God All thanks I can not all I should thee render For all thy liberall fauours far surmounting My hearts conceit much more my tongues recounting At thy command I would with boyst'rous shock Goe run my self against the hardest rock Or cast me head long from som Mountain steep Down to the whirling bottom of the Deep Yea at thy beck I would not spare the life Of my deer Phoenix sister-daughter-wife Obaying thee I finde the things impossible Cruell and painfull pleasant kinde and possible But since thy first Law doth more grace afford Vnto the Subiect than the souerain Lord Since bountious Prince on me and my Descent Thou doost impose no other tax nor Rent But one sole Precept of most iust condition No Precept neither but a Prohibition And since good God of all the Fruits in EDEN There 's but one Apple that I am forbidden Euen only that which bitter Death doth threat Better perhaps to look on then to eate I honour in my soule and humbly kiss Thy iust Edict as Author of my bliss Which once transgrest deserues the rigor rather Of sharpest Iudge then mildnes of a Father The Firmament shall retrograde his course Swift Euphrates goe hide him in his source Firm Mountains skip like Lambs beneath the Deep Eagles shall diue Whales in the air shall keep Yer I presume with fingers ends to touch Much less
How long they had that Garden in possession Before their proud and insolent Transgression What Children there they earned and how many Of whether sex or whether none or any Or how at least they should haue propagated If the sly malice of the serpent hated Causing their fall had not defil'd their kin And vnborn seed with leprosie of Sin If void of Venus sith vnlike it is Such blessed state the noble flowr should miss Of Virgin-head or folk so perfect chaste Should furious feel when they their loues imbraç't Such tickling flames as our fond soule surprise That dead a-while in Epilepsâ—e lies And slack our sinews all by little and little Drowning our reason in foule pleasure brittle Or whether else as men in gender now Sith spouse-bedspot-less laws of God allow If no excess command sith else again The Lord had made the double sex in vain Whether their Infants should haue had the Powr We now perceiue in fresh youths Iusty flowr As nimble feet lims strong and vigorous Industrious hands and hearts couragious Sith before sin Man ought not less appear In Natures gifts then his then-seruants were And loe the Partridge which new-hatched bears On her weak back her parent-house and wears In stead of wings a bever-supple down Follows her dam through furrows vp and down Or else as now sith in the womb of Eue A man of thirtie yeares could neuer liue Nor may we iudge ' gainst Natures course apparant Without the sacred Scriptures speciall warrant Which for our good as Heav'ns deer babe hath right To countermaund our reason and our sight Whether their seed should with their birth haue brought Deep Knowledge Reason Vnderstanding-thought Sith now wee see the new-fall'n feeble Lamb Yet stayn'd with bloud of his distressed Dam Knowes wel the Wolf at whose fell sight he shakes And right the tear of th' vnknow'n Eaw he takes And sith a dull Dunce which no knowledge can Is a dead image and no liuing man Or the thick vail of Ignorance's night Had hooded-vp their issues inward sight Sith the much moisture of an Infant brain Receiues so many shapes that ouer-lam New dash the old and the trim commixation Of confus'd fancies full of alteration Makes th' Vnderstanding hull which settle would But findes no firm ground for his Anchors hold Whether old ADAM should haue left the place Vnto his Sonnes they to their after-race Or whether all together at the last Should gloriously from thence to Heav'n haue past Search whoso list who list let vaâ—â—t in pride The decision of such Questions is a busie idlenes T' haue hit the white and let him sage decide The many other doubts that vainly rise For mine owne part I will not seem so wise I will not waste my trauail and my seed To reap an empty straw or fruitless reed Alas we know what Orion of grief Rain'd on the curst head of the creatures Chief Sin makes vs perceiue more then sufficiently what happines our Grand-sire lost and what misery he got by his shamefull Fall After that God against him war proclaim'd And Satan princedom of the earth had claim'd But none can know precisely how at all Our Elders liv'd before their odious fall An vnknow'n Cifer and deep Pit it is Where Dircean Oedipus his marks would miss Sith Adam's self if now he liv'd anew Could scant vnwinde the knotty snarled clew Of double doubts and questions intricate That Schools dispute about this pristin state But this sole point I rest resolved in But for sinne man had not been subiect vnto Death That seeing Death 's the meer effect of sin Man had not dreaded Death's all-slaying might Had hee still stood in Innocence vpright For as two Bellows blowing turn by turn Simile By little and little make cold coals to burn And then their fire inflames with glowing heat An yron bar which on the Anuil beat Seems no more yron but flyes almost all In hissing sparks and quick bright cinders small So the Worlds Soule should in our soule inspire Th' eternall force of an eternall fire And then our soule as form breathe in our corse Her count-less numbers and Heav'n-tuned force Wherewith our bodies beauty beautified Should like our death-less soule haue neuer died Heer wot I well som wranglers will presume Obiections against the estate of man who had not beene subiect vnto death but for Sinne. To say Small fire will by degrees consume Our humor radicall and how-be-it The differing vertues of those fruits as yet Had no agreement with the harmfull spight Of the fell Persian dangerous Acomte And notwithstanding that then ADAMS taste Could well haue vsed all without all waste Yet could they not restore him euery day Vnto his body that which did decay Because the food cannot as being strange So perfectly in humane substance change For it resembleth wine wherein too rife Simile Water is brewd whereby the pleasant life Is ouer-cool'd and so there rests in fine Nought of the strength sauour or taste of wine Besides in time the naturall faculties Are tyr'd with toyl and th' Humour-enemies Our death conspiring vndermine at last Of our Soules prisons the foundations fast I but the Tree of life the strife did stay Answer to those obiections Which th' Humours caused in this house of clay And stopping th' euill changed perfect good In body fed the body of the food Only the soules contagious malady Had force to frustrate this high remedy Immortall then and mortall man was made Conclusion Mortall he liv'd and did immortall vade For 'fore th' effects of his rebellious ill To die or liue was in his power and will But since his Sin and proud Apostasie Ah! die he may but not alas not-dy As after his new-birth he shall attain Onely a powr to neuer-dy again FINIS THE IMPOSTVRE THE II. PART OF THE I. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT Iustice and Mercy modul'd in their kinde Satans proud Hate and Enuie to Mankinde His many Engins and malitious Wiles Whereby the best he many-times beguiles Why he assum'd a Body and began With Eue by Her to vndermine her Man Their dreadfull Fall Their drousie Conscience Gods righteous Sentence for their foul Offence On them and Theirs Their Exile Eden barr'd With flaming Sword and Scraphin for guard O Who shall lend me light and nimble wings That passing Swallows and the swiftest things Euen in a moment boldly-daring I From Heav'n to Hell from Hell to Heav'n may fly O! who shall showe the countenance and gestures Of Mercy and Iustice which fair sacred sisters With equall poiz doe euer ballance ev'n Th' vnchanging Proiects of the King of Heav'n Th' one stern of look the other milde-aspecting Th' one pleas'd with tears the other bloud affecting Th' one bears the Sword of vengeance vnrelenting Th' other brings Pardon for the true-repenting Th' one from Earths Eden Adam did dismiss Th' other hath rais'd him to a higher Bliss Who
their auncient hate Which suffers not O date-less discord th' one Live in that ground where th' other first hath growen O strange instinct O deep immortall rage Whose fiery fewd no Laethé floud can swage So at the sound of Wolf-Drums rattling thunder Th' affrighted Sheep-skin-Drum doth rent in sunder So that fell Monsters twisted entrails cuts By secret powr the poor Lambs twined guts Which after death in steed of bleating mute Are taught to speak vpon an Yvory Lute And so the Princely Eagles ravening plumes The feathers of all other Fowls consumes The First-mov'd Heav'n in ' tself it self still stirring The estate of Man before Sin Rapts with his course quicker then windes swift whirring All th' other Sphears and to Alcides Spyres From Alexanders Altars driues their Fires But mortall Adam Monarch heer beneath Erring draws all into the paths of death And on rough Seas as a blinde Pylot rash Against the rock of Heav'ns iust wrath doth dash The Worlds great Vessell sayling yerst at ease With gentle gales good guide on quiet Seas For yer his fall which way so e'r he rowl'd His estate after Sinne. His wondering eys God every-where behold In Heav'n in Earth in Ocean and in Ayr He sees and feels and findes him every-where The World was like a large and sumptuous Shop Where God his goodly treasures did vnwrap Or Crystall glass most liuely representing His sacred Goodnes every-where frequenting But since his sin the wofull wretch findes none Herb garden groue field fountain stream or stone Beast mountain valley sea-gate shoar or haven But bears his Deaths doom openly ingraven In brief the whole scope this round Centre hath Is a true store-house of Heav'ns righteous wrath Al creatures froÌ„ the highest to the lowest enemies to Man Rebellious Adam from his God revolting Findes his yerst-subiects 'gainst himself insulting The tumbling Sea the Ayr with tempests driven Thorn-bristled Earth the sad and lowring Heav'n As from the oath of their allegeance free Revenge on him th' Almighties iniury The Starrs coniur'd through enuious Influence The Heauens with all ther in By secret Hang-men punish his offence The Sun with heat the Moon with cold doth vex-him Th' Air with vnlookt-for suddain changes checks-him With fogs and frosts hails snowes and sulph'ry thunders Blasting and storms and more prodigious wonders Fire fall'n from Heav'n or else by Art incited Al the ElemeÌ„ts Fire Aire Or by mischance in som rich building lighted Or from som Mountains burning bowels throw'n Repleat with Sulphur Pitch and Pumie stone With sparkling fury spreads and in fewe hours The labour of a thousand years devours The greedy Ocean breaking wonted bounds Sea Vsurps his heards his wealthy Iles and Towns The grieved Earth to ease her as it seems Earth Of such profane accursed weight somtimes Swallows whole Countries and the airie tops Of Prince-proud towrs in her black womb she wraps And in despight of him abhord and hatefull Earth brings forth weeds She many wayes proues barren and ingratefull Mocking our hopes turning our seed-Wheat-kernel To burn-grain Thistle and to vapourie Darnel Cockle wilde Oats rough Burs Corn-cumbring Tares Short recompence for all our costly cares Yet this were little if she more malicious Venemous plants Fell stepdame brought vs not Plants more pernicious As sable Henbane Morell making mad Cold poysoning Poppy itching drowsie sad The stifning Carpesâ— th' eyes-foe Hemlock stinking Limb-numming belching and the sinew-shrinking Dead-laughing Apâ—um weeping Aconite Which in our vulgar deadly Wolfs-bane hight The dropsie breeding sorrow-bringing Psylly Heer called Flea-Wurt Colchis banefull Lilly With vs Wild-Saffron blistring byting fell Not Napell making lips and tongue to swell Blood-boyling Yew and costiue Mâ—sseltoe With yce-cold Mandrake and a many mo Such fatall plants whose fruit seed sap or root T'vntimely Graue doe bring our heed-less foot Besides she knowes we brutish value more Poyson hidden among the Metals Then Liues or Honours her rich glittering Ore That Auarice our bound-less thought still vexes Therfore among her wreakfull baits she mixes Quick-siluer Lithargie and Orpiment Wherwith our entrails are oft gâ—awn and rent So that somtimes for Body and for Minde Torture and torment in one Mine we finde What resteth more the Masters skilfull most The excellency of Mans Dominion ouer the Creatures before his Fall With gentle gales driv'n to their wished Coast Not with less labour guide their winged waynâ— On th' azure fore-head of the liquid plains Nor crafty Iugglers can more easily make Their self-liv'd Puppets for their lucres sake To skip and scud and play and prate and praunce And fight and fall and trip and turn and daunce Then happy we did rule the sealy Legions That dumbly dwell in stormy water-Regions Then fethered singers and the stubborn droues That haunt the Desarts and the shady Groues At every word they trembled then for aw And every wink then serv'd them as a law And always bent all duty to obserue-vs Without command stood ready still to serue-vs But now alas through our fond Parents fall The Creatures now becomn Tyrants and â—raytors to Him whose slaues and seruants they were before Sin They of our slaues are growen our tyrants all Wend we by Sea the dread Leuiathan Turns vpside-down the boyling Ocean And on the suddain sadly doth in toomb Our floting Castle in deep Thetis womb Yerst in the wel kin like an Eagle towring And on the water like a Dolphin scowring Walk we by Land how many loathsom swarms Of speckled poysons with pestiferous arms In every corner in close Ambush lurk With secret bands our sodain banes to work Besides the Lion and the Leopard Boar Bear and Wolf to death pursue vs hard And ielous vengers of the wrongs divine In peeces pull their Soverains sinfull line The huge thick Forrests haue nor bush nor brake But hides som Hang-man our loath'd life to take In every hedge and ditch both day and night We fear our death of every leaf affright Rest we at home the Masty fierce in force Th' vntamed Bull the hot courageous Horse With teeth with horns and hooues besiege vs round As griev'd to see such tyrants tread the ground And ther 's no Fly so small but now dares bring Her little wrath against her quondam King What hideous sights what horror-boading showes An admirable description of Mans miserable Punishments tortured by himselfe Alas what yels what howls what thund'ring throws O! am I not neer roaring Phlegoton Alecto sad Moger ' and Thesiphon What spels haue charm'd ye from your dreadfull den Of darkest Hell Monsters abhord of men O Nights black daughters grim-faç't Furies sad Stern Plutos Posts what make ye heer so mad O! feels not man a world of wofull terrors Besides your goaring wounds and ghastly horrors So soon as God from Eden Adam draue To liue in this Earth rather in this Graue Where raign a thousand deaths he summon'd-vp With thundering call the damned Crew
it were to coast the same about And rightly tun'd vnto the golden string Of Amrams Son in grauest verse to sing That Sem and Cham and Iapheth did re-plant Th' vn-peopled World with new inhabitant And that again great Noahs wandring Boat The second time o're all the World did float Not that I send Sem at one flight vnceast From Babylon vnto the farthest East Tartarian Chorat's siluer waues t'essay And people China Cambalu Cathay Iapheth to Spayn and that profanest Cham To thirstie Countries Meder ' and Bigam To Cephala vpon Mount Zambrica And Cape of Hope last coign of Africa For as Hymetus and Mount Hybla were 2. Fit coÌ„parisont to represent the same Not ouer-spread and couered in one year With busie Bees but yearly twice or thrice Each Hyve supplying new-com Colonies Heav'ns tender Nurcelings to those fragrant Mountains At length their Rocks dissolv'd in Hony Fountains Or rather as two fruitfull Elms that spred Amidst a Cloase with brooks enuironed Ingender other Elms about their roots Those other still and still new-springing shoots So ouer-growe the ground that in fewe yeers The sometimes-Mead a greet thick Groue appears Euen so th' ambitious Babel-building rout Disperst at first go seat themselues about Mesopotamia after by degrees Their happy Spawn in sundry Colonies Crossing from Sea to Sea from Land to Land All the green-mantled nether Globe hath mann'd So that except th' Almighty glorious Iudge Of quick and dead this World's ill dayes abbridge Ther shall no soyl so wilde and sauage be But shall be shadowed by great Adams Tree Therefore those Countries neerest Tigris Spring Why the first Monarkie began in Assyria In those first ages were most flourishing Most spoken-of first Warriours first that guide And giue the Law to all the Earth beside Babylon liuing vnder th' awfull grace Of Royall Greatnes sway'd th' Imperiall Mace Before the Greeks had any Town at all Or warbling Lute had built the Dircean Wall Yer Gauls had houses Latins Burgages Our Britains Tents or Germans Cottages The Hebrews had with Angels Conuersation The Hebrewes and their next neighbours were â—â—ligious learned before the Grâ—câ—ans knew anything Held th' Idol-Altars in abhomination Knew the Vnknowen with eyes of Faith they saw Th' inuisible Messias in the Law The Chaldees Audit of the Stars had made Had measur'd Heav'n conceiv'd how th' Earths thick shade Eclipst the siluer brows of Cynthia bright And her brown shadow quencht her brothers light The Memphian Priests were deep Philosophers And curious gazers on the sacred Stars Searchers of Nature and great Mathematicks Yer any Letter knew the ancient'st Attiks Proud Aegypt glistred all with golden Plate The Egyptians Tyrians had their fill of Riches and Pomp and Pleasure before the Greeks or Gauls knew what the world meant Yer the lame Lemnian vnder Aetna grate Had hammer'd yron or the Vultur-rented Prometheus 'mong the Greeks had fire inuented Gauls were not yet or were they at the least They were but wilde their habit plumes their feast But Mast and Acorns for the which they gap't Vnder the Trees when any winde had hapt When the bold Tyrians greedy after gain Durst rowe about the salt-blow Africk Main Traffikt abroad in Scarlet Robs were drest And pomp and pleasure Euphrates possest For as a stone that midst a Pond yee fling About his fall first forms a little ring Wherin new Circles one in other growing Through the smooth Waters gentle-gentle flowing Still one the other more and more compell From the Ponds Centre where the stone first fell Till at the last the largest of the Rounds From side to side 'gainst euery bank rebounds So from th' Earths Centre which I heer suppose About the Place where God did Tongues transpose Man day by day his wit repolishing Makes all the Arts through all the Earth to spring As he doth spread and shed in diuers shoals His fruitfull Spawn round vnder both the Poles Forth from Assyria East-ward then they trauail The first Colonies of Sem in the East Towards rich Hytanis with the golden grauell Then people they the Persian Oroätis Then cleer Choaspis which doth humbly kiss The Walls of Susa then the Vallies fat Neer Caucasus where yerst th' Arsaces sate Then mann they Media then with humane seed Towards the Sea th' Hyrcaniaâ— Plain they speed The Sons of these like flowing Waters spred The second O're all the Country which is bordered With Chiesel Riuer ' boue Thacalistan Gadel and Cabul Bedan Balestan Their off-spring then with fruitfull stems doth stoar The Third Basinagar Nayard and either shoar Of famous Ganges Aua Toloman The kingdom Mein the Musky Charazan And round about the Desart Op where oft By strange Phantasmas Passengers are scoft Som Ages after linkt in diuers knots The fourth Tipur they take rich in Rhinocerots Caichin in Aloes Mangit and the shoar Of Quinz ' and Anie lets them spread no more From that first Centre to the West-ward bending First Colonies of Iapheth in the West Old Noahs Nephews far and wide extending Seiz less Armenia then within Cilicia Possess the Ports of Tharsis and of Issea And the delicious strange Corycian Caue Which warbling sound of Cymballs seemes to haue â—onia Cappadocia Taurus horns Bythinia Troas and Meanders turns The second Then passing Sestos Straights of Strymon cold Herber and Nest they quaff and pitch their Fold In vales of Rhodopé and plow the Plains Where great Danubius neer his death complains Thrace on the other side subtle Greece beswarms The third diuided into many branches Greece Italy famous for Art and Arms Italy France France Spayn and Germany Rhines fruitfull bed and our Great Britanie On th' other side it spreads about Moldauia Mare-Maìour Podolìa and Morauìa With Transyluania Seruia and Panonia The Prussian Plains and ouer all Polonia The verge of Vistula and farther forth Beyond the Alman drawing to the North. First Colonies of Cham toward the South Now turn thee South-ward see see how Chaldéa Spews on Arabia Phoenice and Iudéa Chams cursed Ligne which ouer-fertill all Betweene two Seas doth into Aegypt fall Sowes all Cyrenia and the famous Coast Whereon the roaring Punik Sea is tost Fez Dara Argier Galate Guzol Aden Terminan Tombut Melle Gago Gogden The sparkling Desarts of sad Libya Zeczec Benin Borno Cano Nubia And scalding quick-sands of those thirsty Plains Where IESVS name yet in som reuerence raigns Where Prester Iohn though part he Iudaïze Doth in somsort devoutly Christianize But would'st thou knowe how that long Tract that lies Colonies of the North. Vnder Heav'ns starry Coach covered with yce And round embraced in the winding arms Of Cronian Seas which Sol but seldom warms Came peopled first suppose that passing by The Plains where Tigris twice keeps company With the far-flowing silver Euphrates They lodg'd at foot of hoary Nyphates And from Armenia then Iberia mann'd Albania Colchis and Bosphorian strand And then
Prince May'st thou surmount all those in Excellence Which haue before thee Rul'd th' hard-ruled Scots And ruder Picts painted with Martiall spots That first Fergusius glory of his dayes Ev'nus and Donald may enuy thy Praise And even the Scott'sh or rather th' Hebrew Dauid Iesses great son so holily-behaved Give place to thy Renown and therewithall Give thee his Zeal and Heart heroïcall And all his best which doth thee best belong As he hath given thee his sweet Harp and Song THOVGH profane service of Idolatry Had drown'd the whole Earth vniversally Though shame-less sin born with the COLONIES Through all the World through all did Tyrannize Yet in Chaldea was their chiefest Seat Their strength in Shinaar and that City great Built on the slymy strand of Euphrates Was the proud Palace where they held their Feasts So that even Sem's and Heber's sacred Ligne Where God his grace yet seemed to confine Sucking the Sin-bane of Assyrian aire Did like the Heathen every day impaire Simile Forgot the true God followed rashly-rude The gross grand Error of the multitude Degeneriz'd decay'd and withered quight Likesom rare Fruit-Tree over-topt with spight Of Bryers and Bushes which it sore oppress With the sowr shadow of their Thorny tress Till choakt withall it dies as they do growe And beareth nought but Moss and Misseltoe But God desirous more for vs then him The Calling of Abraham In som one stock to saue Faith's sacred stem Like as before from the All-drowning Flood He sav'd the worlds seed in an Ark of wood Marks Abram for his owne and from false Rites To men to Beasts to Stocks to Stones to Sprights Him gratiously to his owne Service drawes Not by meer Conduct of exteriour cause As by contempling th' Artship richly-rare Which gilds the Seeling of this Globe so fair Earthsfruitfull power producing goodly-green From so small seeds so huge and mighty Treen Flowrs fragrant aier so fresh and divers-died Seas foaming Course whose ever-Tilting Tide Ebbing or flowing is confin'd to Season Bounded with lists guided with reans of Reason But by the motion of his Spirit which seals In our hearts Centre what his word reveals And prudently in his fit time and place Dispensing frankly his free gifts of Grace Doth inwardly bear-witnes and aver-it Vnder our Spirits that'â—is God's Holy Spirit The sacred Faith of Abram languisht not In Idleness but alwayes waakt and wrought The fruits of a true faith and the effect thereof And ever lively brought forth Patience Humility Hope Bounty Innocence Love fervent Zeal Repentance Temperance Sincerity and true Perseverance Fruits that like Load-stones haue avertue given Through Faith to draw their Father-Tree to Heav'n And guide the soules to God the spring of life Of 's kins-man Lot and Sara his deer Wife Who with him following the Almighti's call Wend to the strand where Iordans course doth craul Their owne deer Country willingly forsake And true-religious less account do make Of goods and lands and quiet-lifes content Than of an end-les friend-les Bannishment O sacred ground of Vertu 's sole perfection O shield of Martyrs Prophets sure direction Soule 's remedy O contrite heart's Restorer Tears-wiping tame-grief Hopes guide hunting horror Path of Salvation Pledge of Immortality O lively FAITH through thy admired quality How many wonders doost thou work at once When from Sin 's slumbers thou hast waakt vs once And made vsmly in our spirits conceiue Beauties that never outward eyes perceiue Alas said Abram must I needs forgoe Natural conside rations to haue stopped the Iourney of Abraha These happy fields where Euphrates doth flowe Heer first I drew this vitall air and pleas'd With my births news my Mothersthroes I eas'd Heer from her tender brest as soft as silk My tender gums suckt my first drop of milk Heer with the pleasure of mine infant-smile Her Cares and Cumbers I did oft beguile Heer my chaste Sisters Vnkles Aunts and Kin My prity prattling haue delighted in Heer many a time I want only haue clung And on my Fathers wrinkled neck haue hung Heer I haue past my Lad-age fait and good Heer first the soft Down on my chin did bud Heer I haue learn'd Heav'ns Motions and the nature And various force of Fire Air Earth and Water Heer I haue show'n the noblest tokens forth Both of my Mindes and of my Bodies worth Heer I have spent the best part of mine age Heer I possess a plentious Heritage Heer I haue got me many friends and fame And by my Deeds attain'd a glorious Name And must I hence and leaue this certain state To roam vncertain like a Runnagate O're fearfull Hils and thorough foaming Torrents That rush-down Mountains with their roring currents In dreadfull Desarts where Heav'ns hottest beam Shall burn without within vs Thirst extream And gloomy Forrests full of ghastly fear Of yelling Monsters that are dwelling there To seek a Country God knowes where and whither Whose vnknowen name hath yet scarce sounded hither With staff in hand and wallet at our back From Town to Town to beg for all we lack To guise ourselues like counterfaiting Ape To th' guise of Men that are but Men in shape T' haue briefly nothing properly our owne In all the World no not our Grave-place knowen Is' t possible I should endure to see The sighs and tears my friends will shed for me O! can I thus my Native soyl forsake O! with what words shall I my farwell take Farwell Chaldea deer delights adieu Friends Brothers Sisters farwell all of you Farwell for ever Can I thus alas Rudely vnwinde me from the kinde embrace Of their deer arms that will me faster holde 2. Comparisons Than trembling Ivie doth the Oak enfolde Or then the Vine doth with her crawling spray The boughs of Elm her limber limbs to stay Can I expose with perill of my life Th' vn-vulgar beauties of my vertuous wife To the none-sparing lust of that loose Nation That brutely burns in all abhomination Besides what rigour nay what paricide To hale from Tygris shoat to Iordans side A weak olde-man a man so weak and olde He scarse can creep without our help and holde Yet 't must be so for so the Lord commands His resolution aboue al discour se of reason A carnall man on carnal reason stands But for all Reasons Faith suffizeth me Who lodge with God can never House-less be Then cheerly marcht he on and though the age And death of Terah slow'd his pilgrimage Therest of His he doth conduct in fine To Canaan since called Palaestine Where God pours down such flouds of goods vpon them The great blessing of God on his obedience And bountiously bestowes such blessings on-them That their abundance shortly seems t' exceed God's Promises and their desires indeed Their fruitfull Heards that hill and dale do haunt Resemble not the breed of th' Elephant Which slowe in coupling and in calving more Pyning her Master so long time
defence 'Gainst the tri-pointed wrathfull violence Of the drad dart that flaming in his hand Shall pash to powder all that him withstand And 'gainst the rage of flames eternal-frying Where damned soules ly ever-never-dying Sith the least Flies and Lice and Vermin too Out-braue your braves and Triumph over you Gallop to Anian sail to Iucatan Man caÌ„not hide him froÌ„ the hand of God nor auoid his vengeance Visit Botongas dive beyond the Dane Well may you fly but not escape him there Wretches your haltars still about you bear Th' Almighties hand is long and busie still Having escap't his Rod his Sword you feel He seems somtimes to sleep and suffer all But calls at last for Vse and Principall With hundred sorts of Shafts his Quiver's full Som passing keen som som-what sharp som dull Som killing dead som wounding deep som light But all of them do alwayes hit the White Each after other Now th' Omnipotence At Egypt shoots his Shafts of Pestilence Th' Ox falls-down in his yoak Lambs bleating dy 5. With the Plague of Pestilence The Bullocks as they feed Birds as they fly Anon he covers Man and Beast with cores Of angry Biles Botches and Scabs and Sores 6. With Vlcers grieuous Scabs or Murrain Whose vlcerous venoms all inflaming spread O're all the body from the foot to head Then Rain and Hail and flaming Fire among Spoyl all their fields their Cattel great with young 7. With hail Fire froÌ„ Heauen All brain'd with hail-stones Trees with tempest cleft Robd of their boughs their boughs of leaues bereft And from Heav'ns rage all to seek shelter glad The Face of Egypt is now dradly-sad The SoÌ„ in Virgins tear-their Beauties honour Egyptians amazed at this extraordinary scourge Not for the waste so much as for the manner For in that Country never see they Clowd With waight of Snowes their trees are never bow'd They knowe no Ice and though they haue as we The Year intire their Seasons are but three They neither Rain-bowe nor fat Deaws expect Which from else-where Sol's thirsty raies erect The naturall fruitfulnesse and prosperity of Egypt in it selfe maruailous Rain-les their soyl is wet and Clowd-les fat Itself 's moist bosom brings it this and that For while else-where the River's roaring pride Is dryed-vp and while that far and wide The Palaestine seeks for his thirsty Flock Iordan in Iordan Iaboc in Iaboc Their floud o'reflowes and parched Mâ—sraim A season seems in a rich Sea to swim Niles billows beat on the high-dangling Date And Boats do slice where Ploughs did slide of late Steep snowy Mounts bright Stars Etesian gales You cause it not no those are Dreams and Tales Th' Eternall-Trine who made all compassly Makes th' vnder waues the vpper's want supply And Egypts Womb to fill with fruits and Flowrs Gives swelling Nile th' office of heavenly Showrs Then the Thrice-Sacred with a sable Clowd Of horned Locusts doth the Sun be-clowd And swarmeth down on the rebellious Coast 8. They are vexed with Grashoppers The Grass-hoppers lean dam-devouring Hoast Which gleans what Hail had left and greedy crops Both Night and Day the Husband's whole-year's hopes Then gross thick Darkness over all he dight And three fair Dayes turns to one fearfull Night 9. With palpable darknesse With Ink-like Rheum the dull Mist's drouzy vapours Quench their home-Fires and Temple-sacred Tapers If hunger drive the Pagan from their dens One 'gainst a settle breaketh both his shins Another groping vp and down for bread Falls down the stayrs and there he lies for dead But though these works surmount all Natures might Though his owne Sages them of guile acquight Though th' are not casuall sith the holy-man The Israelites in all these plagues vntoucht yet Pharao still hardned Fore-tels prefixtly What and Where and Whan And though that living in the midst of His The Israelites be free from all of This Th' incensed Tyrant strangely-obstinate Retracts the Leave he granted them of late For th' Ever-One who with a mighty hand Would bring his People to the plentious Land Of Palestine Who providently-great Before the eyes of all the World would set A Tragedy where wicked Potentates Might see a Mirror of their owne estates And who most-iust must haue meet Arguments To showe the height of his Omnipotence Hardens the King and blinding him self-blinde Leaues him to Lusts of his owne vicious minde For God doth never ever purely bent Cause sin as sin but as Sin 's Punishment For the last Charge an Angell in one night 10. Therefore al the first borne of Egypt are slain in one night by the Angel All the first born through all the Land doth smite So that from Suës Port to Birdene Plain Ther 's not a House but hath som body slain Saue th' Israelites whose doors were markt before With sacred Pass-Lamb's sacramentall gore And therfore ever-since on that same day Yeerly the Iewes a Yearling Lamb must slay A token of that Passage and a Type Of th' Holy-Lamb which should in season ripe By powring-forth the pure and plentious Flood Of his most precious Water-mixed Blood Preserue his People from the drad Destroyer That fries the wicked in eternall fier Through all the Land all in one instant cry All for one cause though yet all knowe not why Night heaps their horrors and the Morning showes Their privat griefs and makes them publike woes Scarce did the glorious Governour of Day After so many grieuous plagues the Egyptianâ—ery out vpon their King to let the Israelites goe O're Memphis yet his golden tress display When from all parts the Maydens and the Mothers Wiues Husbands Sons and Siers Sisters and Brothers Flock to the Court where with one common voice They all cry-out and make this mournfull noyse O stubborn stomach cause of all our sadnes Dull Constancy or rather desperat Madnes A Flood of Mischiefs all the Land doth fill The Heav'ns still Thunder th' Ayr doth threaten stil Death ghastly death triumpheth every-where In every house and yet without all fear Without all feeling we despise the Rod And scorn the Iudgements of the mighty God Great King no more bay with thy wilfullings His Wrath 's dread Torrent He is King of Kings And in his sight the Greatest of you all Are but as Moats that in the Sun do fall Yield yield alas stoop to his powrfull threat He 's warn'd enough that hath been ten times beat Go get you gon hence hence vn-lucky race They hasten and importune them to be gone Your eyes bewitch our eyes your feet this Place Your breath this ayr Why haste you not away Hebrews what lets you wherfore do you stay Step to our houses if that ought you lack Choose what you like and what you like go take Gold Plate or Iewels Ear-rings Chains or Ouches Our Girdles Bracelets Carkanets or Brouches Bear them vnto your gods not in the sands Where the
thred of life To interrupt my rest And ' mid the strife Of struggling Mortals in the Worlds affairs By power-full Charms to re-entoyl my Cares Inquir'st thou what 's to-come O wretched Prince Too much too-soon what I fore-told long since Death 's at thy door to morrow Thou and Thine Even all shal fall before the Philistine And great-good Dauid shal possesse thy Throne As God hath sayd toÌ„ be gain-sayd by none Th' Author of Lies against his guise tels true How Sathan comes to tell things to-come Not that at-once he Selfly all fore-knew Or had revolv'd the Leaues of destiny The Childe alonly of Eternity But rather through his busie observation Of circumstance and often iteration Of reading of our Fortunes and our Fals In the close Book of clear Coniecturals With a far-seeing Spirit hits often right Not much vnlike a skilfull Galenite Who when the Crisis comes dares even foretell Whether the Patient shall doo ill or well Or as the Star-wise somtimes calculates By an Eclipse the death of Potentates And by the stern aspects of greatest Stars Prognosticates of Famine Plague and Wars As he foretold in brief so fell it out Saules death Braue Ionathan and his Two Brethren stout Are slain in Fight and Saul himself forlorn Lest Captiue he be made the Pagans scorn He kils him-Self and of his Fortune froward To seem not conquer'd shewes him Self a Coward For 't is not Courage whatsoe'r men say Against Self-killing But Cowardize to make ones Self away 'T is even to turn our back at Fears alarms 'T is basely-faint to yeeld vp all our Arms. O extream Rage O barbarous Cruelty â— All at one Blowe t' offend Gods Maiesty The State the Magistrate Thy Self in fine Th' one in destroying the deer work divine Of his almighty Hands the next in reaving Thy needfull Service it should be receiuing The third in rash vsurping his Commission And last Thy Self in thine owne Selfs-Perdition When by two Deaths one voluntary Wound Doth both thy body and thy soule confound But Isbosheth his deer Son yet retains His Place a space and Dauid only Raigns In happy Iuda Yet yerlong discreet He makes th' whole Kingdoms wracked ribs to meet And so He rules on th' holy Mount a mirror His Peoples Ioy the Pagans only Terror If ever standing on the sandy shoar Comparison Y' haue thought to count the rowling waues that roar Each after other on the British Coast When Aeolus sends forth his Northern Poast Waue vpon Waue Surge vpon Surge doth fold Sea swallowes Sea so thickly-quickly roul'd That number-les their number so doth mount That it confounds th' Accompter and th' Accompt So Dauid's Vertues when I think to number Their multitude doth all my Wits incumber That Ocean swallowes me and mazed so In the vast Forest where his Prayses growe I knowe not what high Fir Oak Chest-nut-Tree Rather what Brasil Cedar Ebonie My Muse may chuse Amphion-like to build With curious touch of Fingers Quauer-skild Durst she presume to take so much vpon-her A Temple sacred vnto Dauids honour Others shall sing his mindes true Constancie Epitome of Dauids Vertues In oftlong exiles try'd so thorowly His Life compos'd after the life and likenes Of sacred Patterns his milde gracious meeknes Towards railing Shimeâ— and the * Nâ—bâ—â— Churlish Gull His louely Eyes and Face so bewtifull Som other shall his Equity record And how the edge of his impartiall sword Is euer ready for the Reprobate To hewe them down and help the Desolate How He no Law but Gods drad Law enacts How Hee respects not persons but their Facts How braue a Triumph of Selfs-wrath he showes Killing the Killers of his deadly Foes Som other shall vnto th' Empyreall Pole The holy fervor of his Zeal extoll How for the wandring Ark he doth prouide A certain place for euer to abide And how for euer euery his designe Is ordered all by th' Oracle Diuine Vpon the wings of mine els-tasked Rime Through the cleer Welkin of our Western Clime I 'll only bear his Musike and his Mars His holy Songs and his triumphant Wars Lothere the sacred mark wherat I aim And yet this Theam I shall but mince and maim So many Yarnes I still am fain to strike Into this Web of mine intended WEEK The Twelue stout Labours of th' Amphitryonide Of his valour and victories Strongest of Men are iustly magnifi'd Yet what were They but a rude Massacre Of Birds and Beasts and Monsters here and there Not Hoasts of Men and Armies ouer throw'n But idle Conquests Combats One to One Where boist'rous Limbs and Sinnews strongly kniâ— Did much auaile with little ayde of Wit Bears Lions Giants foild in single fight Are but th' Essayes of our redoubted Knight Vnder his Armes sick Aram deadly droops Vnto his power the strength of Edom stoops Stout Amalek euen trembles at his name Prowd Ammons skorn he doth return with shame Subdueth Soba foyls the Moabite Wholly extirps the down-trod Iebusite And still victorious euery month almost Combats and Conquers the Philistian Hoast So that Alcides massie Club scarce raught So many Blowes as Dauid Battails fought Th' expert Great * Pompey Captain who the Pontiks quaild Wun in strange Wars in ciuill Fights he faild But Dauid thriues in all and fortunate Triumphs no lesse of Sauls intestine hate Of Isbosheth's and Absaloâ—'s designes Then of strong Aram and stout Philistines Good-Fortune alwayes blowes not in the Poop Of valiant Caesar she defeats his Troop Slayes his Lieutenants and among his Friends Stabb'd full of Wounds at length his Life she ends But Dauid alwayes feels Heav'ns gratious hand Whether in person He himself command His royall Hoast or whether in his sted By valiant Ioab his braue Troops be led And Happinesse closing his aged eye Even to his Toomb consorts him constantly Fair Victory with Him even from the first Did pitch her Tent his Infancy she nurst With noble Hopes his stronger years she fed With stately Tropheis and his hoary head She Crowns and Comforts with her cheerful Balms Triumphant Laurels and victorious Palmes The Mountains stoop to make Him easieway And Euphrates before Him dryesaway To Him great Iordan a small leap doth seem Without assault strong Cities yeeld to Him Th' Engine alone of His far-feard Renown Beats Thunder-like Gates Bars Bulwarks down Gads goodly Vales in a gore Pond he drenches Philistian Fiers with their owne Blood he quenches And then in Gob pursewing still his Foes His wrath 's iust Tempest on fell Giants throwes O strong great Worthies will soÌ„m one-day lay When your huge Bones they plough-vp in the Clay But stronger greater and more WORTHIE He Whose Heav'n-lent Force and Fortune made you be Maugre your might your masly Spears and Shields The fatt'ning dung-hill of those fruitfull Fields His Enimies scarcely so soon he threats As overthrowes and vtterly defeats On Dauids head God doth not spin good-hap But pours it down
Contract indeed cruell yet could not be Infring'd or broken without Crueltie Tell it O Tongue why stay'st thou so vpon-it Dar'st thou not say-it hauing dar'd and don-it Not having fear'd Heav'ns King how canst thou fear An earthly King Then thus my Liege while-yer I and my Neighbour desperately agreed Iointly to eate successiuely our seed Our owne deer Children and O luck-les Lot Mine first of all is destin'd to the Pot Forth-with I catch-him and I snatch him to-me Vp in mine armes he straight begins to woo-me Stroaks colls and huggs me with his arms and thighes And smiling sweet Mam-mam mam-mam he cryes Then kisses me and with a thousand toyes Thinks to delight me with his wonted ioyes I looke away and with my hand addrest Bury my knife within his tender brest And as a Tigresse or the Dam of Bears A Fawn or Kid in hundred gobbets tears I tear him quick dress him and on our Table I set him oh 't is now no time to fable I taste him first I first the feast begin His blood my blood runs round about my Chin My Childe returns re-breeding in my Womb And of my Flesh my Flesh is shamefull Tomb Soon cloyd alas but little could I eat And vp again that little striues to get But she she layes it in she greedy plyes-it And all night long she sits to gourmandize-it Not for her fill so much of such think I As to prolong the more my misery O God sayd she and smiles in eating it What a sweet morsell what a dainty bit Blest be the brest that nuâ—c't such meat for me But more the Womb that bare it so to be So to be brief my Son is eat But hers Alive and lustie in her arms she bears Why should her Pittie rather her despight Doo both her Faith Me and my Son vn-right Ah! for her belly rather then her Boy She playd this prank and robd me of my Ioy She did it not of tender hart to save him But greedy-gut that she alone might haue him Therfore O King doo Iustice in this case Nor craue I pardon of thy princely grace For mine Offence such an Offence I knowe As yet grim Minos never iudg'd belowe For if I should how should I doo for meat Not having now another Childe to eat No this is all I crave before I die That I may taste but of Her sonns sweet thigh Or that at least mine eye more iust then cruell May see him slain by her my Horrors Fuell But if you waigh not mine vnfained â—ears Indeed vn-worthy yet vouchsafe your ears To the loud Plaints of my lamenting Son Who with strange murmurs rumbling vp and down Seems in my bowels as reviv'd to groan And to your Highnes thus to make his moan Sir will you suffer without all revenge Mens cursed malice boldly to infringe Law Faith and Iustice Vows and Oaths and all As buzzing Flies tear Cob-webs on a wall Ah! shall I then descend alone belowe Dy vn-reveng'd foster my cruel Foe And then-cast-forth in foulest Excrement Infect the Aier offend the Element The while her Darling on his Hobby-horse About the Hall shall ride and prance and course And imitate Mens actions as an Ape Build paper-Towrs make Puppets sit in Lap No let him die let him as I be cut Let him as I be in two Bellies put Full-fill the Pact that so our wretched Mothers Their Guilt and Grief may either's match with others The King less mov'd with pitty than with horror Thunders these words raging in threat-full terror Vengeance and mischief on mine owne head light If curst Elisha keep his head this night And as he spake forth in a rage he flings To execute his bloody Threatenings Sir said the Prophet you have seen the skathe Deuouring Famin heer performed hath But by to-morrow this time God hath said Samaria's Gates shall even abound with Bread Tush sayd a Minion of the Court hard by Of surly speech proud gait and lofty ey Though God should open all Heav'ns windows wide It cannot be Yes Infidell reply'd The zealous Prophet Thouthy Self in sum Shalt see it then but slialt not taste a Crum Thus said Elisha and th' Almightie Powr Perform'd his Sayings in the very howr Her scarlet Robe Aurora had not donn'd Nor had she yet limn'd the Euphratean strond With trembling shine neither was Phoebus yet Willing to wake out of a drouzie Fit When pallid FEAR flyes to the Pagan Hoast Description and effects of Fear Wilde-staring Hag shiv'ring and wavering most She that her voice and visage shifts so oft She that in Counsails strives to lift aloft Irresolution to be President Canker of Honor curse of Government She that even trembles in her surest Arms Starts at a leaf swouns at report of harms Beleeves all sees all and so swayeth all That if she say the Firmament doth fall There be three Suns This or that Mountain sinks Paul's Church doth reel or the foundation shrinks It is beleev'd 't is seen and seis'd by Her The other Senses are as apt to err Clashing of Arms Rattling of iron Cars Murmur of Men a World of Soldiars Neighing of Horse noise of a thousand Drums With dreadfull sound from the next Vale ther coms The Syrian Camp conceiuing that the Troups Of Nabathits Hethits and Ethyops Hyr'd by th' Isaacians came from every side To raise their Siege and to repell their pride Fly for their lives disordered and disperst Amid the Mountains so well-ordered yerst One in his Cap-case leaves-behinde his Treasure To bridle 's horse another hath not leasure Another hungry on the grass hath set His Break-fast out but dares not stay to eat One thinks him far that yet hath little gon Another weens him in plain ground anon He breaks his neck into a Pit another Hearing the Boughs that brush against each other And doubting it to be the Conquerer He wretched dies of th' only wound of FEAR As after tedious and continuall rain Simile The honey-Flies haste from their Hiues again Suck heer and there and bear into their bowr The sweetest sap of euery fragrant flowr So from besieg'd Samaria each man hies Vnto the Tents of fear-fled Enemies Wherein such store of corn and wine they pill That in one day their hungry Town they fill And in the Gate the Croud that issueth Treads th' vnbeleeuing Courtier down to death So that at once even both effects agree Iust with Elisha's holy prophecie From this School comes the Prophet Amethite The twice-born Preacher to the Niniuite Ionas be gon hie hie thee said th' Almightie The ship-Wrack of IONAS To Niniuè that great and wanton Citie Cry day and night cry out vnto them all Yet forty daies and Niniue shall fall But 'gainst th' Eternall Ionas shuts his eare And ships himself to sail another-where Wherfore the Lord incensed stretcht his arm To wrack the wretch in suddain fearfull Storm Now Nereus foams and now the furious waues A liuely Description of
for their Deities Gods made with hands Gods without life or breath Gods which the Rust Fier Hammer conquereth But thou art Lord th' invincible alone Th' All-seeing GOD the Everlasting ONE And who so dares him gainst thy Powr oppose Seems as a Puff which roaring Boreas blowes Weening to tear the Alps off at the Foot Or Clowds-prop Athos from his massie Root Who but mis-speaks of thee he spets at Heav'n And his owne spettle in his face is driven Lord shew thee such take on thee the Defence Of thine owne glory and our innocence Cleer thine owne name of blame let him not thus Tryumph of Thee in tryumphing of vs But let ther Lord vnto thy Church appear Iust Cause of Ioy and to thy Foes of fear God hears his Cry and from th' Empyreal Round Miraculous slaughter of the Assirians He wrathfull sends a winged Champion down Who richly arm'd in more than humane Arms Mowes in one night of Heathen men at Arms Thrice-three-score thousand and five thousand more Feld round about beside behinde before Heer his two eyes which Sun-like brightly turn Simile Two armed Squadrons in a moment burn Not much vnlike vnto a fier in stubble Which sodain spreading still the flame doth double And with quick succour of som Southren blasts Crick-crackling quickly all the Country wastes Heer the stiff Storm that from his mouth he blowes Thousands of Souldiers each on other throwes Simile Even as a Winde a Rock a sodain Flood Bears down the Trees in a side-hanging Wood Th' Yew overturns the Pine the Pine the Elm The Elm the Oak th' Oak doth the Ash ore-whelm And from the top down to the Vale belowe The Mount's dis-mantled and even shamed so Heer with a Sword such as that sacred blade For the bright Guard of Eden's entry made He hacks he hews and somtimes with one blowe A Regiment hee all at once doth mowe And as a Cannon's thundrie roaring Ball Simile Battering one Turret shakes the next withall And oft in Armies as by proof they finde Kils oldest Souldiers with his very winde The whiffing Flashes of this Sword so quick Strikes dead a many which it did not strike Heer with his hands he strangles all at-once Legions of Foes O Arm that Kings dis-throans O Army-shaving Sword Rock-razing Hands World-tossing Tempest All-consuming Brands O let som other with more sacred fier Than I inflam'd into my Muse inspire The wondrous manner of this Overthrowe The which alas God knowes I little knowe I but admire it in confused sort Conceiue I cannot and much less report Com-on Zenacherib where 's now thine Hoast Where are thy Champions Thou didst lately boast Th' hadst in thy Camp as many Soldiers As Sea hath Fishes or the Heav'ns haue Stars Now th' art alone and yet not all alone Fear and Despair and Fury wait vpon Thy shame-full Flight but bloody Butcher stay Stay noysom Plague fly not so fast away Fear not Heav'ns Fauchin that foul brest of thine Shall not be honor'd with such wounds divine Nor shalt thou yet in timely bed decease No Tyrants vse not to Depart in Peace As bloud they thirsted they are drown'd in blood Their cruell Life a cruell Death makes good For O iust Iudgement lo thy Sons yer-long Zenacherib slain by his owne sonnes At Nisroch's Shrine revenge the Hebrews wrong Yea thine owne Sons foul eggs of fouler Bird Kill their owne Father sheath their either sword In thine owne throat and heirs of all thy vices Mix thine owne bloud among thy Sacrifices This Miracle is shortly seconded By one as famous and as strange indeed It pleas'd the Lord with heavy hand to smight King Ezechiah who in dolefull plight Ezekiah's sicknesse Vpon his bed lies vexed grieuously Sick of an Vlcer past all remedy Art fails the Leach and issue faileth Art Each of the Courtiers sadly wayles a-part His losse and Lord Death in a mourn-ful sort Through every Chamber daunteth all the Court And in the City seems in every Hall T' haue light a Taper for his Funerall Then Amos * The Prophet Isaiah Son his bed approaching pours From plentious lips these sweet and golden showrs But that I knowe you knowe the Lawes Divine But that your Faith so every-where doth shine But that your Courage so confirm'd I see I should my Liege I should not speak so free A comfortable Visitation of the sicke I would not tell you that in continent You must prepare to make your Testament That your Disease shall haue the vpper hand And Death already at your Door doth stand What fears my Lord Knowe you not heer beneath We alwayes say I towards the Port of Death Where who first anch'reth first is glorified That 't is Decreed confirm'd and ratified That of necessity the fatall Cup. Once all of vs must in our turn drink vp That Death 's no pain but of all pains the end The Gate of Heav'n and Ladder to ascend That Death 's the death of all our storms and strife And sweet beginning of immortall Life For by one death a thousands death's we slay Thear-by we rise from Body-Toomb of Clay Thear-by our Soules feast with celestiall food Thear-by we com to th' heav'nly Brother-hood Thear-by w' are chang'd to Angels of the Light And face to face behold Gods beuties bright The Prophet ceast and soon th' Isaacian Prince Deep apprehending Death's drad form and sense Vnto the Wall-ward turns his weeping eyes And sorrow-torn thus to himself he cries Lord I appeal Lord as thine humble childe A Prayer for a sick person mutatis mutandis From thy iust Iustice to thy Mercy milde Why will thy strength destroy a silly-one Weakned and wasted even to skin and bone One that adores thee with sincere affection The wrack of Idols and the Saints protection O! shall the Good thy servant had begun For Sion rest now by his death vndon O! shall a Pagan After-king restore The Groues and Idols I haue raz'd before Shall I dye Childe-les Shall thine Heritage In vain exspect that glorious golden Age Vnder thy CHRIST O! mercy mercy Lord O Father milde to thy dear Childe accord Som space of life O! let not Lord the voice Of Infidels at my poor death reioyce Then said the Seer Be of good cheer my Liege The Kings praier heard and his life prolonged 15 yeares Thy sighes and tears and prayers so be siege The throne of Pitty that as pierçt with-all Thy smyling Health God yieldeth to re-call Wills to his Temple three dayes hence thou mount Retracts his Sentence and corrects his count Makes Death go back for fifteen yeers as lo This Dial's shadow shal heer back-ward go His Word 's confirm'd with wonderfull Effect The Sunne goes backe For lo the Dial which doth houres direct Life's-guider Daye's-divider Sun's-Consorter Shadow's dull shifter and Time's dumb Reporter Puts-vp-again his passed Houres perforce And back-ward goes against his wonted course 'T is Noon at Mid-night and
dark Hel to quake 56 This subiect is a deep broad bound-les Ocean Th' aboundant Horn of Plentifull discourse The Magazin of wealth for Wits quick motion Of diuine Eloquence th' immortall source 57 Base Argument a base stile euer yields But of it self a lofty subiect raises Graue-stately words and of it self it gilds It self and crowns the Author's Pen with praises 58 If then you would suruiue yourselues so gladly Follow not him who burnt to purchase fame DIANA's Temple neither him that madly To get renoun a Brasen Bull did frame 59 Imploy no more th' Elixir of your spirit On Cytheréa and her winged Son How better neuer to be named were-it Then named blamed for a mischief donn 60 We Thrice-three Sisters of Parnassus Hill Be Virgins all your Pallas self is so So is that sacred Tree-turn'd Ladie still From whose pure Locks your stil-green Laurels growe 61 Then consecrate-me rather your Wits miracles To sacred Stories spend your Eloquence In singing loud those holy heav'nly Oracles Pour there your Soules pure pretious quint-essence 62 Let CHRIST as Man-God be your double Mount Whereonto Muse and for the winged hoove Of Pegasus to dig th' Immortall Fount Take th' Holy-Ghost typ't in a Siluer Doue 63 Excelling Works preserue the Memorie Of those that make them The Mausolean Toomb Makes Artemisia Scopas Timothy Live to this day and still in time to com 64 Name-les had Hiram been but for his ayd Towards God's Temple built in Israel And but for God's Ark in dark silence layd Long since had been th' Hebrew Bezaleel 65 Then sith these great and goodly Monuments Can make their makers after death abide Although themselues have Vanished long since By Age and Rage Fier Arms and Storms destroy'd 66 O think I pray how-much-much greater glorie Shall you attain when your Diviner quality In sacred strains shall singth ' Almightie's Storie Sith from immortall things springs Immortalitie 67 I knowe you 'l answer that the Ancient Fictions Are even your Song 's soule and that every Fable Aye breeding other makes by their commixtions To Vulgar ears your Uerse more admirable 68 But what may be more admirable found Then Faith's Effects or what doth more controule Witt 's curious pride or with more force confound The reach and reason of a humane soule 69 I 'ld rather sing the Towr of Babylon Than those three Mountains that in frantik mood The Giants pyl'd to pull love from his Throne And Noah's rather than Deucalion's Flood 70 I 'ld rather sing the sodain shape-depriving Of Assur's Monarch than th' Arcadian King And the Bethanian Lazarus reviving Than valiant Theseus Sonn's re-sodering 71 Th' one only doth delight their ears that hear it The other tends to profit in som measure But only He the Laurel Crown doth merit Who wisely mingles profit with his Pleasure 72 As sweetest walks are by the waters side And safest swimming neer the flowry shoar So prudent writers never do diuide Knowledge from Mirth Mirth from instruction's lore 73 Such shall you be if such a taske you take For teaching others you your selues shall learn-all Rules of good life and happy so shall make As is your subiect your owne Songs eternall 74 Abandon then those Olde-wiues-Tales and Toyes Leave the Blinde Lad who but the blinde abuses And only addle idle hearts annoyes Hence-forth no more profane the Sacred Muses 75 But O! in vain in vain alas I plain-me Som subtle Aspiks to eschew my Charming Stop their dull ears som Epicures disdain-me And my aduice and scoff my zealous warning 76 Som for a season listen to my Laws But soon Relapse through the Worlds sorceries And this discourse which but the Vertuous draws Enters at one ear and at th' other flies 77 Alas I see scarce one nay none at all That courts not Venus or corrupts not more His golden Honie with profaner Gall Although this Age of happy Wits have store 78 But thou my Darling whom before thy birth The Sacred Nine that lip th' immortall spring Of Pegasus predestin'd to set forth Th' Almightie's glory and his prayse to sing 79 Although their Subiect seem a barren soyl Which finest Wits have left for fallow fields Yet do thou never from this task recoil For what is rarest greatest glory yields 80 Faint not my Salust though fell Enuy bark At the bright Rising of thy fair Renown Fear not her malice for thy living Work In spight of spight shall not be troden down 81 That Fames-foe Monster is much like a Curr That fiercely barks at every new-com Guest But once-acquainted after doth not sturr Saving at strangers fawning on the rest 82 Or like a thick dark pitchie Clowd of smoak That round-about a kindling Fier suppresses With waving smother the new Flame to choak But as the Flame augments the Fume decreases 83 Wherefore my deer that sacred Path pursue Where none but Heav'n blest happy spirits can pase And heer I swear that shortly for thy due Among best Wits thou shalt have worthy place 84 With these sweet accents grac't in vtterance VRANIA holding in her Maiden-hand A glorious Crown rapt-vp in sacred Trance My prostrate soule prest to her high Command 85 Since when alone that Love my hearthath fired Since when alone that Winde my sayls hath spread O happy might I touch that Crown desired But with my hand not put it on my head 86 Now out of zeal to your deer Name and You Deer noble Name that I must aye affect And whose Disasters I must euer rue This MONVMENT of Honour I erect To you sweet ESSEX as your Vertues due For an eternall token of Respect Where your great worth and my good-will shall stand Inrowld for ever with VRANIA's hand FINIS THE TRIVMPH of FAITH formerly DEDICATED and now again for euer Consecrated to the grate-ful Memorie of the first kinde Fosterer of our tender Muses my neuersufficiently-Honored deer Vncle W. PLVMB Esq. For whose deer Bones we would a Toomb aduance Of Golde and Silver and CORINTHIAN Brasse VVith Ivorie Pillars mixt with Iette and Rance Rarer and richer than th' olde CARIAN's was And stately deck the same With Stories of his Fame And round-about it wright His Vertues shining bright But sith the most of our poore Meanes alas Not the least part of that Rich Pride affoords For want of Wealth we build a Toomb of Words Which though it cost less shall out-last The proud cloud threatning Battlements Th' aspiring Spires by NILVS plaç't And Hell-deep-founded Monuments For greedy waste of Houres that al things els deuours Spares the sweet Maydes of sacred HELICON And those fayre Ladyes to their Friendes alone This pretious Gift doo give Still after Death to Live THE TRIVMPH OF FAITH To Guy de Faur Lord of Pibrac W. Salustius du BARTAS I Hate those Satyres that the best still bite I hate the shamelesse Penns that sooth the vitious For these be flatterers and those malitious But wise is he can hit the Mean aright I pinch
saue vs at thy throne of mercy great Forgiue vs Lord and holde farre from vs all These plagues that on our heads are like to fall Alas what helpeth vs thy heavy stroke To binde our necks to such a servile yoke Wherewith th' Assyrian tyrants long haue grieved Thine Izak till their bondage thou relieved If so this natiue ground that new is tild If so these Hostries new with folke refild If so alas our chaste and modest Dames Our infants young our Virgins good of fames Should be a pray to Ammon and to Perse To Calde and the mutine Parthian fierse If that we see this Altar made prophane And witches it abuse with Idols vain Yet Lord if thou no pittie on vs take At least great God do for thy glories sake Haue pitie on this holy building now Where not a God hath sacrifice but thou Where not a God but thou hast residence To feel the sauour sweet of frankensence Hold back O Lord the Caldean cressets bright From these rich Cedar vaults of stately hight Preserue these vessels ornaments of gold From sacrilegious hands of neighbours bolde And let the blood of beasts before thy face Thy Iustice stay and grant thy seruants grace This prayer done the people went their way Then Ioachim conuen'd that present day The princes all of Iuda and them praid Gainst this mischief for counsell and thus sayd Companions if your former zeal remain If ardent loue to God ye still retain If wife or childe may cause your care or loue Which should the Centers of your senses moue If in your brests a noble hart doth bide Let deed bear witnes at this wofull tide For sauing God and your foresight in deed T is done t is done with vs and all our seed And after this th' Immortall shall not see This altar fume before his maiestee When th' Air is calme and still as dead and deaf Comparison And vnder Heav'n quakes not an aspin leaf When Seas are calme and thousand vessels fleet Vpon the sleeping seas with passage sweet And when the variant winde is still and lowne The cunning Pylot never can be knowne But when the cruell storme doth threat the Bark To drowne in deeps of pits infernall dark While tossing tears both father mast and sail While mounting seems the Azur sky to skail While driues perforce vpon som deadly shore There is the Pylot knowen and not before Alas I pray you then what care and strifes Haue we to keep our honours goods and lifes Forget not then the care of this same place Your countreyes weale Gods glory and his grace But humbly giue your selues into the hand Of God most high and with a holy brand Repurge your spirits from euerie hatefull sinne Which causeth God his Iustice to begin And see what may to God be agreeable For Iacobs weal and for you profitable This said an ancient traytour from his youth Who fostred gall in hart with hony in mouth Enforcing from his eyes som fained tear To cloke his malice spacke as ye shall hear My tongue me fails my hair for dread vp-starts My heavy spirit from pensiue corps departs The oration of a subtill worldling When I be think me of yone tyrant stout Who hath bed round the world with bloud about Approching threats our townes with fiery flames Our selfs with death dishonour to our Dames Yet when I call to minde the curtsie great That this great Lord doth vse who doth intreat Not onely those that beastiall are become And haue their hope in brutall Idols 〈…〉 But euen to zealous folke who do embrace The faith and law like vs of Abrams race Who being well aduisde did humbly sue His pardon and escap't his vengeance due Then thanke I God who sends vs such a foe As plagues the proude and lets the humble goe For we assoone shall vanquish him with teares As will be long to wrack him with our weares Then whil'st we may haue choise of eitherstate Of peace or warres his fauour or his hate Let vs not follow seeing skath at hand The follie of our fathers to gainstand But rather let vs beare another saile And serue his king as best for our availe But think not yet that I this counsell giue For craft or warrant forthy selfe to liue For I haue els my daies so neerely spent That for to dye I could be well content Th' Assyrian neede not in my brest to strike His fethred Dart nor yet his trembling pike Yea if my youth to me should eft returne And make my youthly bloode within me burne So honour I my God and country deare That for to dye for them I would not feare As Sampson did if so my death might yield The victory of the Uizroy and the field But most I feare least we with curious zeale Fight for the lawe yet fight against her weale Against our selfs to bring so great a wrack That proud and cruell tyrants shall vs sack And grow in pride suppressing Iudas strength For to contemne the glory of God at length For Israell being lost who shall ensue To render here to God deuotions due What people sparsâ—d on this earthly ball From Indian shoare to where the Sunne doth fall Or from the Climate of the northren blast Vnto that place where sommer ay doth last Hath God elect save Israell for his owne Vpon this Hill to have his glory showne At this the valiant Cambris of renowne With righteous rage grew pale and gan to frowne And brake the silence with a vehement stile His courage mov'd the Princes all the while Nay rather where I stand let ope the ground Quoth he to swallow me in pit profound Yea rather righteous Heav'n let firy blast Light on my head that thou on Sodom cast Ere I my malice cloke or oversile In giving Izac such a counsell vile For if the Leader of this folk profane Vpon our bodies onely sought to raigne Although that we haue dearely bought alway Our freedom from our first maternall day Which dearer is then gold for to be kept I would assent the holy Church except But since more pride this tyrants heart enroules To lay a greater burden on our soules Who are the vassels of that onely King That Thunder sends and scepters down doth thring ' Should we forget him who made vs of nought ' More then all wondrous things that he hath wrought Who treats and loues vs like our Father King Still vnder shadowes of his wondrous wing Will he that we receiue a Prince ambitious For God a gods contemner Nemrode vitious Whose beastly life is of so vile a fame That of a man he merits not the name Goe to goe to let men for men assaye With sword and shot to deale it as we may The victory lies not in mortall hands Nor barded horse nor force of armed bands These are but second instruments of God Who as him list may send them euen or od But if our soueraigne God willes such annoy That
withstand The Heathen host with ech of them in hand An yron mace in stead of launces long And brazen bucklers beating back the throng Their habergions like stiddies stithe they baire With helmets high and pennons pight in aire Of equall age they were and equall length Of equall courage and of equall strength Like Poplers twain that recheth vp their tops And holds their heads so high that none them crops But on the Riuers side do sweetly sway Like germain brether hailsing oft a day The Heathen seeing thus the Iews descend With edge of sword their Citie to defend They left th' assault and thence retyring went As they commanded were vnto their tent But when I think how xxx dayes that towne Tormented was with mischief vp and down Too sad a song I cannot hear inuent So great a sadnesse right to represent My hand for horrour shakes and now no more Can lead my sacred pen as erst before For now mine eyes that watred are with tears Declares my matter all of mischief bears Oh Sprite from whence all sprit and life doth come Thou loosde the tongue of Zacharie that was dōme And sent thy Heralds through the world to preach Thy name and in a hundreth tongues to teach Guide thou my pen and courage to me lend That to thy honour I this worke may end Although that Izak sawe on euery hand A world of folke against his towne to stand Yet tracting time he thought he would prouide No lesse to keep then coole th' Assiegers pride But when they fand the conduits cut and rent By which their water to their towne was sent Their courage bolde and all their craks alas As licour faild so did their stoutnesse pas Their Lords preferring death to bondage vile Made them beleeue the thing did them beguile To wit they gaue men hope that they might keep Sufficient wat'r in wels and cesterns deep Through all the towne the people to relieue That thirst should not the souldiers greatly grieue The magistrates in deed had great regard To see this water wisely spent and spar'd That Bottell sweet which serued at the first To keep the life but not to slocken thirst A viue description of Thirst. When wels grew dry the Commons ran in rage And sought out euery sink their thirst t' asswage And drank with long som draught the pools in haste To quench their thirst with ill contented taste Which poysoned ayre enfect their purest breath Whereby the drinker drank his present death O wretched folke who felt so hard a strife Drink or not drink both wayes must lose their life For he that drank and he that did refrain Had of their enmies both an equall pain For why the water vile slew them throughout No lesse then did their enmies them about That wretched towne had neuer a street nor rewe But Parcas there had found som facion newe To murder men or martyr them with fears As mov'd the most indurate hart to tears If so much water in their brains had been As might forbear a drop to wete their een There plaind the old man that the souldier strong Had reft his Bottell from his head with wrong But while he spake his hart for thirst did faint And life him left which frustrate his complaint The souldier braue Oh hart brek for to tell His proper vryne drank thirst to expell The wofull mother with her spettle fed Her little childe half dead in cradle bed The Lady with her Lord at point of death Embracing fals and yeelds their latest breath For cruell thirst came out of Cyren Land Where she was fostred on that burning sand With hote intracted tongue and sonken een With stomack worn and wrinkled visage keen With light and meigre corse and pailed vains In stead of blood that brimstone hote retains Her poysond mouth blew throw that holy town Such hellish ayr that stifled vp and down The Arters of the Iewes in such a way That nought was seen but burials night and day So that the heauen to see their dolours deep Could scarsly keep his course but preasd to weep And would haue ioind his tears to their complaint If God of hosts had made them no restraint Yea I my self must weep who cannot speak The woes that makes my heavy hart to break And so will silent rest and not rehearse But counterfait the painter in my verse Who thought his colours paile could not declare The speciall woe king Looke the Table Agamemnon bare When sacrificed was his onely race With bend of black he bound the fathers face Now while the people were in this estate And with their princes wrangling in debate They thus besought the Lord for to decide Between their simplesse and their princes pride The Lord be iudge of that which ye haue wrought And what your wicked counsells hath vs brought If you had offred peace to this great Lord At first we might haue wonne him to accord Then happy happy dayes we might haue seen And not so many souldiers murdred been Alas what hope haue we within this holde Our enmies are more meek a thousand folde Then are our owne They haps would vs preserue Our wilfull owne pretends to see vs sterue Our children do our childrens weal denay And headlong hastes vnto their owne decay We knowe O Lord the breaking of thy law Hath caused thee this sword on vs to draw And iustly thou thine yrefull bowe doest bend On our vnloyall heads the shot to send But thou who doth not long retain thine yre Against thine owne thy mercy we require Change thou the purpose of our foolish guides And of these Heathen armed at our sides Or els let vs vpon their weapons fall And of their hands to be destroyed all Er we this drougth and deadly venim haue With languishing to send vs to the graue My brethren dear the Ruler then gan say Our whole desire hath been both night and day Not for to see the seed of Abrahm lost For which we striue against this furious hoste What haue ye pain so likewise pain haue we For in one boat we both imbarked be Vpon one tide one tempest doth vs tosse Your common ill it is our common losse Th' Assyrian plague shall not vs Hebrews grieue When pleaseth God our mischief to relieue Which he will doe if ye can be content And not with grudge his clemency prevent Then striue not you against that puissant king Who create all and gouerns euery thing For comfort of his Church and children dear And succours them though time do long appear Somtime an Archer leaues his bowe vnbent And hong vpon a naile to that intent It may the stronger be to bend again And shoot the shot with greater might and main Right so th' eternall doth withholde his ill A longer time perchance for that he will More egerly reuenge him of their crime Who do abuse his long for bearing time When men applauds to sinne they count it light And but a matter
Ecbatan and now growes weed and herbe Where sometime stood his palaces superbe So that where erst the lute and lowde Haubois Were wont to sound with sweete concordant nois Now shriking owles and other monsters moe In funerall sound fulfils the place with woe My potent Prince when all this warre was ceast Consumed moneths foure in Royall feast In Niniue the great which banket done He me commanded to assemble sone His Royall hoste to punish all and some That to his former ayd disdaind to come And that I shortly should with sword and flame Reuenge his honour but alas Madame Full farre am I from that I would pursew For comming here thy nation to subdew I vanquisht am by thee so that deaths might Shall shortly close mine eyes with endles night If you not with a louing kisse to me Restore my life O worthy Prince quoth she Continue your discours and to me tell What great aduentures to your Hoste befell Then he retooke his tale he left alate And made a long discours of all his state Part true part false as do some warriours braue Who speaking of their Acts will lye and raue My Camp assembled then gan I t'enflame Oration My soldiers harts thus for to win them fame Companions now if euer ye pretend To winne renoume that neuer shall haue end Go forwards now plague these inhumain Lands That on our sacred Legats layd their hands Reuenge reuenge ye men your most hie Prince That ever Scepter bare in rich prouince That euer came adowne with mighty arme From circled starres Alarm ' soldats alarme Take blades in hand and brands of burning yre To waste the western world with sword and fyre With bloody seas bedewe ech mount and vvood And make your horses fearce to swimme in blood Receiue the Scepter great and crowne of might Of all this world vvhich is to you behight Receiue this laude that for your conquest braue Shall draw your fames from the forgetfull graue Receiue yee valiant men the noble spoyle Of many-a land that ye shall put to foyle Let men behold that sees you day by day How ye are cloyde with honour spoile and pray Thus ended I. And as my words were spent They bet their bucklers showing them content With courage bolde to fight with me and byde Then sixscore thousand men I had to guide Or moe and so from Niniuè we past And marched vnto Bectilè at last I through Edessi Amidi and Carran came Where sometime dwelt your father Abraham I wan the mount vvhose thwarting hornes diuyds All Asie and serues for bounds on sundrie syds To manie great Empyrs I â—lew I brent All in my way My fellon soldiers vvent Like moawers with their sithes in sowple hands Who leaues not after them a straw that stands But ample swathes of grasse on ground doth cast And showes what way their sharped sithes haue past All Lydia knowes that nought now growes in it But weeds And Phuli-and Tharsis feeles it yit I was welâ—eare the straits that closeth all Phoenice and th' Ishique Rouers like a wall When Rosea Solea Mops Anchiali ' and Iscia And sweete Egei and short the whole Cilicia This passage took before and lay in wait To stay my Armie for to passe this straight If I the harmes and hasâ—ards all should tell Of all th' affairs and bloody frayes that fell And succours sent the day should slide away Before my tale For that Cilicia I say Through great aduantage of their ground so narrow Defended them from both the speare and arrow So that my Hoste that gaue before the chace To puissant kings now fled with great disgrace Craking Then foming in despite despaire and yre I cast my selfe where shot flew like the fyre And though they hurt me in a hundred parts And though my buckler bare a wood of darts Yet left not I but with audacious face I brauely fought and made them all giue place My army followde where my arme made way With trenching blade on bodies dead that lay The greatest coward that my captains led Pursewd and â—lew the most of them that fled The Cidnus streame vvho for his siluer flood Esteemd a king ran now with humaine blood The Pyram fearce in seas discharged than Full many-a helm and sword and worthy man In short as your owne riuer seems to rest With swelling tyds and frothy foods represt Within his bank yet furiously him wreaks With weightie force and banks and bridges breaks And stroies the Plaines and makes for many-a day More wrak then if his channels open lay In semble sort their bands I did enchace That kept the entrance of that craggie place I brunt I â—lew cast down all that I fand And Asia spoild I entred th' easter Land I wan Celeâ— and raged pitti-les Vpon the fruitfull shore of Euphrates I bet the desart Rapse and Eagria Land Who knowes the vertue of my conquering hand From thence to seaward sewing mine entent I wasted Madian Northward then I went To Lâ—ban-ward Damascus ouerrinning With other towns Abilâ—a and Hippas winning From thence vvith curious mind my standerds styes The hill where sunne is seen to set and ryes And so from thence I forward led mine hoste To th' Occident on the Phoenicâ—an coste Then Sidon Bible Beryte Tyre and Gaze With Ascalon and Assot in a maze For feare sent humbly to my sacred seat Wise messengers my fauour to intreat We come not here my Lord said they with armes For to resist the chok of thy Gens â—'armes But Prince we come of thee for to resaue Both life and death and what law vve shall haue Our townes are thine our citties and our hills Our fields our flocks our wealth is at your wills Our seruice and our treasures great and small Our selfs our wyues and our faire children all Now only rests to thee if so thee please To take vs thus O God what greater ease O God vvhat greater good may vs befall Then vnto such a Chiefe for to be thrall Who weilds the valiant lance and ballance right With vertue like the Gods of greatest might So were to me as gratious to beholde Their townes and Citties both for young and old With crownes and presents of the Flora sweet And costly odours humbly did me greete At sounds of hornes and pypes they dauncing vvent With goods and bodies me for to present Then I abusing not the law of armes Entreated them and did to them no harmes Nor to their Lands But first their forts I mand With men of mine and theirs tooke in my Band. For where that I my people farthest drew My camp in bands from bands to armies grew As doth the Danow which begins to flow By Raurak fields with snakish crangling slow Then swels his floods with sixty riuers large That in the Golfe Euxinus doth discharge I vvende Madame that Izrell like the rest Would yeeld to me that I should not be strest Against their brest to moue my murdring speare But as I