inward bleed And if their Brother all this while should feed Upon revenge since full rage now had vent It 's poys'nous rancour should on them be spent Fear by guilt raised seldome is remiss Till in conclusion hope and pardon kiss Nor were our Brethren negligent but strove To gain firm int'rest in their Brothers love Yet so conceit had of their weak demerits Dissolv'd their courage and outbrav'd their spirits That they came not but sent nor durst they frame The message in theirs but their Fathers name Know'ng if their sute in Iacobs name were coucht 'T would like a Charm not cease till it had touch'd Their Brothers midriffs with remorse 't would wrest A soft remission from his melting Brest Great Sir this was the burthen of their sute And thus they humbly taught to prostitute Thus said our Father yer in Ephrons Urn He pawn'd his body for his Souls return Thus in my name you shall to Ioseph speak Remember not thy Brethrens sin nor wreak Thy just revenge upon their hate which sin Than all their sinns in gross hath greater been Remit what God hath pardond and in this On their soft Souls thy pardon seal with His Thus did our Father bid whose Soul above Hovers with blessings yet to crown thy love Now this offence remit we thee intreat Whose hearts with true devotion truly beat Of Jacobs God t' whom from our hearts arise Zealous affection in Sacrifice For Gods for Iacobs sake our fault remit Though we for neither would at all acquit Thy innocence and if it yet appears Thy rage doth flame we 'll quench it with our tears Mild Joseph pittying their anxious fears Could not but second grief again with tears Now griev'd he they suspected him and wept Then joy'd their conscience not securely slept Now as one having foil'd a fell disease Wherein he long hath labour'd doth not cease Untill that Physick shall the reliques purge Which after might in wonted Symptoms urge Ev'n so the Brethren though they now might judge Their Brother reconcil'd and that no grudge Did swell his peacefull Brest but that with tears He entertained had their anxious fears Yet Conscience never leaves her nice inquests Till in the Bosome shee of pardon rests Nor were the Ten remiss till they found out By true experience they had nought to doubt Wherefore all in a personall submission Thus beg their Pardon and thus couch contrition Neither presum'd they on an equall greet But thus fell prostrate at their Brothers feet Dread Sir in Jacobs name and for his sake We come to second what our message spake Thus Jacob said yer he enjoy'd on high The blessings purchas'd by his lamed thigh This in my name to Ioseph speak pray blot Thy Brethrens sin if it be not forgot From thy remembrance since they are convinc'd And their Souls in repentant tears are rinc'd Trample not grief guilt is a greater scourge That can revenge inflict or Justice urge 'T is true the fault was great and to be brief Such as me thinks yet startles my belief Yet think not on revenge their fault forget And let not rage usurp mild mercies seat This did our Father bid before his death Yer Angells suck'd his Soul out with his breath And now we hope our fault did not so harden Thy heart but tears may melt it to my pardon Huge winds they say are still'd by little rain Then let not all our tears thus fall in vain Thou at first sight we hope was 't reconcil'd For ever since thy carriage hath been mild And if yet mercy in thy Brest bear sway Our hopes are anchor'd in a happy Bay If not but then their passion grew so high That with th' Aposiopesis of a sigh They there must stop to whom quoth Joseph thus I know already what you would discuss 'T is true your fact was gross and since y' are come If you want tears I here will lend you some For to lament it God did you prevent And unto good did wrest your bad intent Who hath so many sav'd alive by one Unworthy person as you see is done I long for no revenge but that you sentence Your sin to death by an unfeign'd repentance Tears are the blood I thirst for since to God Belongs revenge I 'll not usurp his rod Yet since you fear I will revenge your deed That false suggestion doth from guilt proceed For though there be no cause yet busie guilt Still holds her hand upon her Daggers hilt Envy doth burn like fire and then no doubt But once in seventeen years it would break out But yet thus may your busie guilt insist My cords of friendship you may doubt were twist Upon my Fathers heart-strings and guilt durst Infer perchance both were together burst Fear not my Brethren this the end shall prove That guilt 's a traitour which misconstrues love Doubt no close malice fear no poys'nous rancour But in this Bosome let your hopes cast anchor I 'll nourish you respect you little ones And when I die the like will charge my Sons With such advice as this you may suppose Mild Ioseph did his satisfaction close Ev'n so as these Gods Saints do never cease Till through repentance they have purchas'd peace I in Gods mercy ioy that he did die A sacrifice for me yer I was I Yet can I not but grieve and grieving mourn That I him crucifi'd yer I was born Nay greater cause of grief for I 'm the Iew And him each minute crucifie anew My sighes should wing me to some Hermites Cave Where with my nayles I 'd hourly dig my grave And there would live a sorrowfull Recluse Tears should be Helicon and grief my Muse And as an Anch'ret would my self immure Yet live in tears a gawdy Epicure When Ioseph fully pardon'd had this crime Admit a certain Intervall of time When Fortune serving whom she can't seduce As proud of his acceptance grew profuse T'wards Ioseph in her favours which he took Still with a thankfull not ambitious look Vertue commandeth Fortune and doth clip Her wings or holds her like an anchor'd ship Nor doubted he lest that with giddy changes She should vacillate in her wonted ranges God who Alph ' and Omega is is love Which still doth Alpha and Omega prove Thus Ioseph long in honour liv'd the strength Of whose old age extended to that length That his Posterity to three degrees Descent he saw and on his aged knees Were Machirs children brought Manasseh's Son So might he boast as Iacob once had done Who comming one o'r Iordan was increast When he came back a Nation at the least Now as the glorious Sun who proudly oft Hath rid in triumph through the azurd loft Anon meets an Eclips which in a brook If view'd affronts him with a gloomy look So death which makes a falling-Star of each Although he mount unto the highest reach And altitude of honour in his Sphere Began to threaten Ioseph with such fear Rude death esteems not honour and Fate dooms With equall sentence Monarchs and their Grooms Shuffles the Beggers scabs and Ladies paint Into a clod nor Villain knowes nor Saint So Ioseph with the mean'st of Adams race Must feel th' arrest of Deaths imperious Mace When Fates black-bed-roul of diseases 'gan T' assault the suburbs of his inward man He conscious of his weakness 'gan to doubt His Souls frail mansion could not long hold out Wherefore his Brethren he as one convenes To whom Sirs I perceive what heaven means For death Gods Bayliff with his Ebbon Scepter Stands ready to arrest me as his debtor Nought but my life acquits me and each day Presents my senses with some new decay Now Brethren since you know my youthfull Dreams Th' event can witness were no idle theams I 'll speak a truth too now but it propounds Its burthen to your thoughts on surer grounds 'T is truth as if 't were by the heavens hoasts Proclaim'd and witness't by our Fathers Ghosts That God will sure in his appoined time To Can'an bring you back your Native clime Which Abr'ham Jsaack and to Jacob both He gave by promise and confirm'd by oath Then do not my expiring spirit grieve Nor forfeit Can'an by your unbelief Believ 't as if each of you as an heir Unto Gods promise now breath'd Can'ans air Record it on your Souls in after years Let these my words still echo in your ears And when you see th' event doth not fall short Of expectation swear for to transport My bones with you to Can'an for I lust To be dissolved with my Fathers dust So Joseph yeelded to the Fates so old That he an hundred and ten years had told Did all the Muses Springs unto my brain Pay Tribute as all Rivers to the Main I could not weep him as he was nor fits My creeping stile with Egypts tow'ring wits Yet thus conceive they mourn'd th' Astrologers Began to curse the base-revolting Stars Could one command the Sun he 'd make him burn As an obsequious Tapor on his Urn The Moon a second then unto his Hearse The yesty Sea should pay its brackish tears A third the Orbs then he would make them meet On earth in honour for his Winding sheet A fourth the Air then should some Meteors shine Like to a Fun'rall lamp stand o'r his shrine A fift the Earth then should her teeming womb Spread a continued May about his Tomb A sixth command the Fire then he would bid A ne'r to-be-extinguish'd Pyramid Blaze on his Hearse A seventh would set forth Fit Hieroglyphicks to describe his worth Pharaoh devested of his Kingly State In mourning wailes Zaphnath-Paaneahs fate The princely Priests lament and Isis Cow Within her Temple did in mourning low Th'embalming Doctor not at all forbears But with his Odours doth commix his tears One in commemoration of his alms With them his name as with sweet odour balms Grief witty grew in some each day his years Some vie with sighes and some his months with tears 'T were infinite to quote their Fun'rall Odes Endless for to describe their mourning Modes Fit Mourners were they all whom you might see Nature had deck'd in mourning Cap-a-pe But this large task had dull'd my tyred Muse My fingers are benum'd my Pen's obtuse Leave him in Egypt where on this Divorce Worms sweetly fed on his embalmed Course FINIS
hence Send one mean while ye shall be all restraind To prove if that your words be true or feign'd But if th' event convince you of a lie Why then by Pharaohs life ye come to spie Now were the Brethren all imprisoned Till thrice the Sun had left Aurora's bed When thus his Lordship spake Sirs if y' are true Doe this I fear a God as well as you If your cause spring from an unfeigned source No false injustice shall divert its course If true you blunt if false you whet the edge Of our proceedings leave one as a Pledge Of our return yet see you doe not fail None but that Brother proves your pledges bayl Now conscience like a wound by time o'r-skin'd Launc'd by the memory of what they 'd sinn'd Grew to an Ulcer which seem'd sound before And guilt like Titius Vultur gripes the sore Crosses the Midwives to the conscience be From the gross womb of dull security As Sols fierce heat dissolves the ycic plain That drowns the murmur of the roaring main So crosses soon the frozen heart-strings thaw As if a flaming Hell were in the Maw Heart-gnawing Vultures gripes are not so fierce As those that do a frighted conscience pierce Like a fierce lightning which doth frie at once The marrow and incinerates the bones No Tyrants cruelty nor are the phangs Of rav'nous Beasts more horrid than those pangs Which now the Brethren knew when that they felt Their wounded hearts even in their Brests to melt Brethren quoth one would we could that forget Which doth our conscience-seared heart-strings fret When we O horrid piacle inroll'd In heavens notaries our Brother sold Tyrants had wept but we would not condole The bitter anguish of his troubled soul This Curse our Brother did to us bequeath Whom we undoubtedly betrayd to death The fact was haynous and the sin most gross So here is rage for rage and cross for cross Me thinks as yet his mones do pierce my ears My heart drops blood fast as his ey wept tears Our scourging conscience more doth tyrannize Than did our rage upon so weak a prize This said quoth Reuben Brethren spake not I Soon as I heard your Plot your Tragedy Although I fortun'd not to intervene When you were acting of that rigid Scene O spare the Child but you prov'd to my plea As deaf and unrelenting as the Sea Bondage is Bawd to death I fear whose knise Made quick abridgement of his tender life We justly bondage fear and which is worse His blood may challenge blood a greater curse Little the Brethren thought that their remorse Of Conscience their language and discourse His Lordship understood whose meanings were Deliver'd them by an Interpreter Who now no longer could his passion smother But as in Tydes one wave pursues another Oft ceasing not till in their rolling ranks They drown all Barriers and fencing Banks So at each circumstance his passion higher And higher swell'd then did so high aspire That he retiring could not tears refrain But through his eyes discharg'd his troubled brain Who though the rain was past would yet allow Some frowning clouds to triumph on his Brow Anon quoth he returning to the room Your reason 's woven in too thin a Loom To take our faith my will by oath is seal'd By vow my sentence not to be repeal'd Since you no other evidence a lege To prove your truth thus will I choose my pledge Before them all then Simeon was bound Ev'n thus quoth he the truth I 'll justly sound Of your intents you gain no further grace Unless that younger Brother see my face That youngest Brother only shall redeem This Brother bound then traffick with esteem Why do you whisper thus speak if your cause Be just demur not thus Truth needs no pause Now had he charg'd the Steward of his Treasure To fill their Sacks with Corn in bounteous measure To store them for the journey and to pack Their Money in the mouth of each mans Sack Their Asses loaden now you may conceive With humble promises they take their leave And lest old Jacob might through their delay Do not lest they might prove an untimely prey Unto some danger lest his hopes might bleed T' a lingring death they make the greater speed Now at his Inne as each his Asse did bait Opening their Sacks their Money in full weight Was in their Sacks mouth much they did resent With sad amazement that strange accident One doubted Egypts spells another fear'd Th' abused Medium which another clear'd A third non-payment and a fourth pursute But all concluded in confus'd dispute But all grant 't was an act that God had wrought Which should b'unravel'd far beyond their thought Conceive them now at home where you may ghess They tell their Father of their sad success Dear Sir quoth one the Master of the Land Dealt roughly with us and began to brand Us with the name of Spies as some that aim'd To search their weakness which we all disclaim'd We humbly all our sute for Corn inferr'd As witness of our truth and more averr'd We 're twelve quoth we and by one man begot The youngest is at home and one is not Excuse nor plea could not maintain our cause But He th' advantage taking of that clause The youngest is at home thus aim'd to prove Where we were such that to such ends did rove Quoth he where either you speak truth or feign I 'll doe no more than Justice shall maintain Take for to nurse your houses and be gon And come not here without that youngest Son If y'have at home a Brother as you spoke That labours with you under the same yoke Of filiall duty if you here approach Sans him as Spies no doubt you now encroach And that you may conceive how far your wit Shall fail of our suspect you to acquit Let one of you here as your Pledge reside Till your return so shall your truth be tri'd You me quoth mourning Jacob have beguil'd Of Simeon now and Joseph whilst a Child And think you with this slight me to supplant To take his Brother This I cannot grant At this quoth Râ—uben let my Sons be slain If I return thy son not safe again Both mine I 'll sacrifice unto thy rigour If that he come not home in perfect vigour My Son quoth Jacob shall not hence go down To be a prey to those of Memphis town The journey 's dangerous and at each pace Death may arrest him with his Ebon Mace Oh be advis'd my sons when Joseph di'd My Soul neer sayl'd forth with his purple tide And should his Brother fail the self same dart Would cut the Cables of my an'chring heart Or weigh it from my bosomes anchorage Deliberate take pitty on my age Now Jacobs Corn was spent and yet this year Small shew of future harvest did appear Who calling for his Children thus began My Sons quoth he life which some tearm a span Dearth will t'an inch reduce
THE HISTORY OF IOSEPH A POEM Written by DANIEL CUDMORE Gent. Say not my hand this work to end hath brought Nor this my vertue hath attained to Say rather thus this God by me hath wrought God's th' Authour of the little good I do Du Bart. in Quadrians of Pabr LONDON Printed by T. Warren for the use of the Author 1652. To his much respected Vncle Mr. ZACHARY CUDMORE all health and happiness SIR PRomises are due debt you were pleased not long since so far to encourage my endevours as to claim this Poem which I having nothing which I might truly arrogate to my self but you might justly challenge yours as purchas'd by your favours thankfully promised and now at length like Pharaohs Butler on the consideration of your manifold Curtesies being check'd to a remembrance of my promise humbly tender and with it like the poor Spaniard who when a Father of the Inquisition desired but the Fruit presented him the Tree present my self accept this with the like candour of mind as I devote it with it really and I shall esteem my hopes anchor'd in a happy Bay If any upbraid me being a Poet with the fatall name of a begger I answer with the sweet Singer of Israel Adhuc vilior fiam so I may but herein do God the least service and so render my self gracious to your acceptance nor doubt I but time may so midwife it that hereafter I may tender some thing which may if not redeem some of my engagements yet induce your courtesie to forbear the debts wherein stands obliged Your observant Nephew DAN CUD To the Reader Courteous Reader I Here present thee with the History of Joseph which as I could seldome pass over without tears so I could not but digest them into matter through the Lymbeck of my Quill though into such a form as my mose easie Genius lead me 't is a subject I confess which seems to claim both a more elaborate Brain and a more accurate Pen than mine yet shall I neither esteem my labour lost nor my time ill-bestow'd if I may herein prove but the Foyl of those who have writ more gravely on the same matter that in my weakness may the more clearly appear their worth If thou object that in the pâ—ssage between Joseph and his wanton Mistris I have rendred my self Pathick than Pathetick I may answer first that I have described her Passion in as grave a Wantonnest as the tenour of her broad expressions would permit Secondly for the frequency of it the Text tells me that it was her daily practice Thirdly I have an example from Solomon himself who doubtless guided by Gods Spirit sets forth a Harlot thus in her courteous vanities In the last place I hope His modest answers which struck for the present the impatient opponent dumb will take off a judicious censure from reply What I here present thee is mine own what thou hast here is no Crambes bis cocta no Page furtivis ornata coloribus nor can my fancy upbraid my Pen as 't is to be fear'd God will one day our new compounded fashions Hoc non est opus meum imago mea Farewell The history of Joseph The Proem I Sing of Joseph's fate our Saviour's type Then heaven bee auspicious to my pipe What though my fancie 's dull my stile 's unfil'd My Pia-mater be an infant-child This be a task for Angells each whose page If fully peraphras'd would crave an age Each Angel is my muse Sion the hill Whose sacred raptures shall intrance my quill And if divine Apollo tune my harp Let Zoilus censure and let Momus carp Then where the Dove-like Spirit daignes us matter Let Owles forbear to screech and Pies to chatter Here is a story each whose circumstance Is to b'ascrib'd to providence not chance Compar'd to this all humane eloquence Doth scarce deserve the bounteous name of sense Here is a story whose sublime invention So farr transcends mans reach and weak dimension A story here whose fancie 's towring hight Doth soar so high beyond our dull conceit All wits should here their conquer'd lawrels bring Their Helicons are puddles to this spring Then sacred Three in One who in this story Didst from mans wickedness procure thee glory O let my weaknesse tun'd in slender layes Advance thy honour and promote thy praise Then I 'll invoke no Heliconian dame If thou but rarifie the smoakie flame That actuates my fancy and but drain From ' its polluted dreggs my youthfull brain My pen thus dipt in the true Thespian stream Thus do I prosecute my sacred theam THE heav'nly register of sacred truth Records old Jacobs age blest with a youth Joseph by name whose vertue from the rest Had won the chiefest room in Jacobs brest Th' equall proportion of both face and limb Requir'd in outward beauty was in him So here was that more noble Symnetry A heav'nly heart the rarer harmony For though no Architect will ever choose The stately marble but to noble use And in a palace what a stately guest Is entertain'd may by the pomp be ghest Beautie 's oft Bawd to vice a heav'nly fiend Sin oft abounds where beauty doth transcend Whose Angells image as it oft appears The superscription of the Devill bears Our Joseph's lovely visage some that viewd Thought Adams native beauty here renewd His spotlesse innocence by others was Compar'd to Adam in his state of grace For he must most be void of all offence Who was the perfect'st type of innocence God who in mercy did to Abraham swear That he should vie a child with ev'ry star Here of his promise as the Interest Fixt Joseph as a star to guide the rest Fixt star nay rather planet since his fate Was to be exil'd by his Brethrens hate Time now had writ old age on Jacobs skull And long since chang'd his down to rougher wooll When faint disease did on his members creep Hee to his sons resign'd his charge of sheep Joseph was always at his fathers beck Each frown a wound did seem a death each check And who but wondring saw that he should bring So full an harvest in his youthfull spring Which much in Jacobs thoughts did him promote Who clad him in a parti-colour'd coat His Brethren see'ng their Father so inclin'd At his indulgence proudly thus repin'd He 's Jacobs seed elixard we the dreggs Base chicken we born of unhappy eggs Quoth one we to no other end are born But t'wear out wooll or to consume the corn Joseph the white hens chick he Fortunes minion His childish face hath purchas'd this opinion Yet is no more like to my lad God knows Than is you cowslip to a verdant rose A Kid t' a Lamb my Ewe to yonder Goat Yet he 's invested in a gawdy coat Now since disease which still attends on age Confin'd had Jacob to an Hermitage And he whose discipline was wont to awe His sons and give unto their deeds a law The Sunshine of
whose presence would disperse Such vapours vice could here have no commerce Declining was no wonder there appears If pitchie vapours now did blot the sphears Which Joseph knew when he in humble sort Vnto his father brought their ill report Yet not in base revenge and ranc'rous spleen As is in some maligning Brethren seen Who strive to raise the Trophies of their name And Triumph on the Tombes of others shame Or some as if their envie were so nice To wound the Person and to spare the Vice But Joseph's heart with Zealous sorrow bleeds While to his father he reheaâ—st their deeds Nay further thus he did exasperate His Brethrens spleen and mov'd their sweiling hate Quoth he Dear Brethren not a foggy stream From a distemper'd liver no vain theam Ingrost my fancie when thus by your leaves I dreampt you and my self were binding sheaves My sheaf me thought rose up all your's in signe Of duty did obeysance unto mine His Brethren start and check him how so plain And must thou thus become our King and raign True in your robes your Majestie 's impall'd Oh how we long to see your grace install'd A scepter for him no thou sawcy swain A Rod to whip thee to thy wits again Nay further harmlesse Joseph did incur Their hate which needed not a second spur Brethren quoth he No aim to disinherit You of your Birth-right 't is no private Spirit My head like th' highest region of the air From all such Meteors is pure and fair I dream'd the Sun and Moâ—â— did with a troop Of'leven starrs unto mee humbly stoop No sooner spoke but all his Brethren rouz One stamps and fumes another frownes and vowes Must Father Mother and we all eleven Submit to thee how long since cam'st from heaven When is your Majestie 's inauguration King of your country Father of your nation These Temples are too stately to be bound With rosie Chaplets no they must be crown'd These armes of late too massie grown to weigh The worthlesse sheephook must a scepter sway Joseph takes all with an unfurrow'd brow And mildly crowcheth with a lowly bow Anon unto his Father tells again The heav'nly dreams of his inspired brain Who though his son was yet in years but green It fills him more with wonder than with spleen Quoth he Thine and thy Brothers purity Spark like a constellation in my skie In whom Vice ne'r could get a patronage Free from the sins that do ingross this age But that I with the rest shall prostitute Submissively to thee I yet dispute This in the Brethren had ill blood begotten Which by hot rage was soon to rancour rotten And yet no opportunity had been That they might vomit their impostum'd spleen Time was when youthfull Joseph's Brethren fed Their fleecy charge on Shechems flow'ry bed Anon-their wanton Lambkins further rov'd And they with them to Dothan next remov'd When Jacob calling Joseph to his tent With such like words him to his Brethren sent Run and make hast again my darling son On whose life 's thread that of my life is spun I through whose Organs breath my life and whose Eys if long absent mine would quickly close These apples in thy cheek my pretty page Are th' onely food that do sustain my age Thou knowst in Shechem now thy Brethren are Run and bring how they and their flocks do fare Obedience wing'd with loyalty now posts With nimble speed to Shechems past'rall coasts And finding not his Brethren there he wanders In crooked by-paths mazes and Meanders Thus roved he perplex'd till found by one Who told him they to Dothan late were gone Thither he bends and might anon behold His Brethren and their flocks as late was told One of his Brethren seeing him in hast Cryes yonder commeth our Enthusiast All with consent giv'd way to headstrong fury Sans the convention of the sacred Jury Of reason love and faith Joseph must die Grim death shall cast him in a Lethargy Then when he wakes let him with dreams out-brave Our thoughts thus slain let 's cast him in some Cave This said thus starts up Reuben Heav'n forbid We should be guilty all of fratricide Forbear the milder Citizens of th' wood Upon each tree will carve this theam of blood Forbear the Fish will lose their being mute Each Bird ' gainst murther quaintly will dispute Forbear our Lambs with bleating Oratory When they come home will tell of Josephs story Our Heards miscarry and each pregnant Ew Enix abortive Lamb-kins at the view Forbear the raging winds will burst their lungs And in articulate tones pronounce his wrongs O be not taught by self-experience Consider Cains just curse for this offence And since God is the same can we expect But like proceedings should have like effect Yet if your charity cannot forgive Then let humanity grant that he live Into the pit let 's cast the silly Swain So spoke that he might set him free again This said our nimble youth with active pace Where they consulted had attaind the place All rush on him God save our Soveraign sheaf Nay prethee speak not resolution 's deaf Do'st blush wee 'l empty all these veins of blood As clean as is thy soul from grace and good This is the coat this that Majestick sute To which we all must humbly prostitute A coat of Sack-cloth for to expiate Thy sin and to appease deserved hate Far better would become thee thou shalt die Pale death shall cloath thee in her livery What not a word unless you wear a Crown Pray knit your brows wee 'l tremble at your frown I prethee weep I prethee sigh my Boy That we may dance that we may sing for joy Let 's place him on yon-hillock for a throne Then to his Majestie wee 'll all fall proue Come come strip off this coat and next prepare For to uncloath thy soul why dost thou stare Rapt in some strange Enthusiasm we know Death quoth another shall intrance him now At this our youth grew pale his blood retreats And to his heart a fierce alarum beats Knees bended hands expans'd erected eye All silent Rhet'rick of humility Got nought but this We will without remorse Of soul and body make a quick divorce Like poor Absyrtus by his Sister slain Or wretched Itis so he beg'd in vain Quoth he I doe not use this bootless strife For to obtain that worthless name of life I fear not death yet Brethren pittie take If not for mine yet for my Fathers sake Since ther 's a God to Heaven I appeal If I you hate may not the stones conceal But give me strait the lie my soul is white Black guilt on her ne'r could such trespass write If that it could then I would never grudge Nay should my self-condemn were I my Judge Had I deserv'd death I 'd yeeld to dye Justice should swill untill my veins were dry Oh how his pittie-pleading eyes would view Now sadly one then to another sue Then to their
unrelenting Brests would fly Clasping their necks Sweet Brethren pitty me The true imagination of his pains Doth make my blood carcer within my veins When I think on 't my passion is so wild I start and cry as present Save the child My fingers fayl and in perplex'd demurs Instead of words my pen indenteth blurs My heart doth quake my joints are all benum'd My trembling tongue unto my jaws is gum'd Yet not for him alone but for my Saviour Of whom he was the type with worse behaviour They used him of old let every age At once present their Scenes upon one Stage And all the miseries in History Coucht in most tragick prodigality And in most gorgeous rhetorick exprest Yet his but in their naked colours drest Would shew most gaudy such as would inforce Ev'n Pagans unto mourning and remorse Anon our Brethren did deliberate Not to extenuate but defer their hate Till all the horrour of their wittiest rage Might wait on death in horrid equipage Mean while of Reubens counsell they admit And void of mercy cast him in the pit Where if they meant him meat for Wolves or Bears Or in the empty pit to drown in tears Or left him there a prey to greedy famine The text is silent nor may I examine Mild Reuben joyfull that by this perswasion He stopt their fury thought by this evasion When the dark night might with his care conspire To free young Joseph from his Brethrensire Wherefore he cri'd I 'm void from this offence Bear witnesse heaven of my Innocence Now when they had left Joseph and were dining And in a bloody synod were combining They lifted up their eies and might discern A company which they anon might learn Were Midianites whose trade was merchandice As Gilead Balm gum mirrh and fragrant spice For Egypt on their bunch-back'd Camels bound Which seen thus Judah riseth from the ground Brethren quoth he the blood in Josephs veines The self same tincture with our own retaines And from the self-same chanell it derives As we do that which actuates our lives He is our flesh let not his blood be spilt Since murther cann't be hid lest that the guilt On us and our posterity intail A curse from death let forefight be his bayl Come then let 's sell him to yon merchant-crew And then see what will of his dreams ensue The Brethren all assent to this advice And one is sent to barter for the price Quoth he Good sirs we have in yonder cave A smooth-fac'd lad whom you may buy your slave Whom we would sell at reasonable price Of gold or silver mirth sweet balm or spice Mean while our youth blessing their cruelty That yet where God sate thron'd he saw the skie Thus prayd Great God of Angels and of Man Who metest out yon heavens with the span Who stretch'st them like a curtain and canst roll Them up together like a Parchment scroll I 've not deserv'd this at my Brethrens hands Yet greater by transgressing thy commands And since thou by the hate dost me reprove Of those of whom I most did hope for love 'T is just ' gainst thee I oft commit offence Who most of me expectedst reverence Yet if I by my Brethren yeeld my breath O pardon me and pardon them my death No sooner had he voyc'd this prayer when His furious Brethren had approacht the den Whence having took him up by tackled cords Who look'd for nought but death they use these words Look you quoth one look yonder are thy masters Wee 'll give thee time to weep at thy disasters Forsake thy native for a forreign land Where this fair skin shall be Sun-parch'd and tand Prepare these dainty limbs t' endure the gripes Of hardest labour and these sides for stripes Prepare this dainty palate to be parch'd With thirst this stomach to be hunger-search'd Quoth Joseph if you will not pitty take For mine nor Jacobs then for heavens sake Here let me starve here let me dig my grave Within this pit O sell me not a slave I 'd weep such characters my tears should trace Such Water-works upon my blubberd face Whose intricate Meanders should out-vie Trajans or Bushells in Hydrography His mones no more appease their raging minds Than can a Sea-mans whistle still the winds But him for twenty silver pieces sell And with a scornfull look they bid farewell As Arethusa through the mazes led Of the dark earth through her inclosed bed At length makes passage so my sorrow swels O'r flows my Brain and drowns my brinie cels Their names and natures seem to suit each other Judas sold Christ and Judah sold his Brother And when I sin how can't be understood But that I 'm guilty of my Saviours blood I sold him and he bought me yet in vain For I each day doe barter him again Sins are too pregnant that they should appear So far remov'd only in Plato's year Their Brother by the Patriarks of old After our Saviour was by Iudas sold Men are liv'd o'r again O could our times Non guilty plead from such unnat'rall crimes For spurious vices are hereditary Though th' ages vanish and the seasons vary Now nights dark mantle had the world behung Nights Quirister her ev'ning notes had sung And carefull Reuben thinking all secure Darkness at hand that might his care mature Unto his Brother hies and comming near He cries aloud dear Brother Ioseph hear No answer made unto a higher strain He tunes his voice aloud to rouze the Swain None but an echo answers with his fist Then thumps his Breast lest death and sleep had kist Then carefull fear makes nearer scrutiny Believing not his ear he trusts his ey And finding him not there sadly returns Unto his Brethren rents his cloaths and mourns The child is not then I I will not home But like savage Satvr hence will come Like a wood-Cit'zen on the same accounts With Bears and Wolves I 'd dine and sup by ounce You never suckt the Breasts of Wolves or Bears That you should be obdurate to his tears Since he is slain where have you him inhears'd Which of you hath his guiltlesse bosome piec'd Fear you not Rachel will appear anon And to our Father mone her murtherd son And with strong dreams at night intrance his spirit You for a blessing may a curse inherit Had rage no other countermine in store Against contempt but death what could it more At this they all stood mute none was so bold For to reply that Josoph's bought and sold Untill that one more boldly for the rest To mourning Reuben all the truth confest That done the coat which they from Joseph stript I' th' blood of a young tender Goat they dipt Christs cloaths were parted Josephs dipt in blood May ne'r by them our Church be understood May ne'r our Church lie tinctur'd in her gore Not rent by Shismaticks I heav'n implore Nor heresies may not that lovely Spouse Be forc'd nor Goats upon that Vineyard
our beautie 's blasted Our strength is spent our spirits are exhausted Our young ones starve our abler stomacks feed Unless thou food supply on grass and weed Observe how Dearth mocks Death our nether jawes Hang down through weakness while we plead our cause Look look how some would speak but their faint lungs Stop the intendments of their clammy tongues Grant and dismiss us for we here resort Not for to make a Charnell-house thy Court The King prick'd with remorse of Egypts want Thus mildly condescends his Princely grant Quoth he go and what Joseph shall injoyn Obey doubt not his spirit is divine That said they croucht their thanks have you observ'd How that a Falcon through neglect neer starv'd Soon as her Keeper comes within her sight Both makes an eager though a slug-like flight Unto her prey and though her limbs be weak Shee fiercely tugs it with her ragged beak So the Egyptians in a numerous press To Joseph's Palace make their full address Some dumbly passionating begg'd some kist His feet who op'ning all his store dismist Them all without a rigorous dispute With a glad burthen of their purchas'd sute Now Egypt in this fatall time of dearth Remain'd the onely Store-house of the Earth The worlds chief Granary of grain the sole Exchequer of each Land from Pole to Pole Ev'n Canaan on whose rich abounding store Once lived thirtie Kings must now implore Her neighbours help glad if she might in peace Be made partaker of her blest increase Among whom so did Providence design Old Jacob and his Sons began to pine Through dearth the palat late so liquorish Would gladly banquet on a common-dish Oft Jacob ruminates and weighs the cause Why were all Kingdomes offer'd to the jawes Of Famine then concludes they 'r justly curst Since they such monstrous sinners long had nurst Then would he doubt lest that his Childrens sin Had brought this Curse on fertile Palestine Then seeks with Sacrifice for to appease The heavens wrath so might their fields increase Distrust he would not for he did believe God would redeem him with a safe reprieve Who promis'd that his seed though death did rage Should have their Country for their Heritage While thus imagination had ingrost His sense and fancy thus divinely glost He calls his sons to whom you may suppose His smother'd thoughts old Jacob did disclose My Sons quoth he you know our Corn is spent And little 's left either in Field or Tent Our plenty-pregnant sins have now at last Brought forth a Dearth the mighty Protoplast Mov'd by our monstrous sins hath strongly seel'd The heav'ns with brass and th' earth beneath hath steel'd And Death and Famine two remorsless Mates Triumphing ride and knock at all our gates Those dainties fail that fed our glutt'nous lust Our chalkie teeth have lost their unctuous rust Why do you whisper thus why do you gaze One on another let your Lambkins graze There 's Corn in Egypt goe and buy my sons That we may live we and our little ones You know our fruitfull fields forbear to teem We starve unless your speedy care redeem Go and make haste my sons your Brothers pain Shall be redoubled till you come again Your Sheep shall feed upon their pleasant grounds No Goat shall rove beyond his wonted bounds No Dog shall fright no rav'nous Beast pursue With fearfull flight a Kid or tender Ewe No dull delay could their intents adjourn But when stout Chaunticleer had wak'd the morn The carefull Brethren with a rustick port Knockt to fair Memphis then to Josephs Court For he it was who did dispense the Corn To those whom meager Death had made forelorn Anon to Joseph they themselves addrest With great submission and with lowly crest The prostrate Ten unto his Lordship croucht In every look humility was coucht Whom Joseph knew yet he his passion checkt And strangely views them with a stern aspect And thus began What are you and from whence Under what clime have you your residence Quoth they Great Master Canan is our home Hither to buy food are thy servants come Their lowliness remembring him the truth Of his presaging Dreams while yet a Youth Now might pale rancour swell revenge insult And malice might demand no common mulct And envy by that seeming Justice backt Of like for like might proudly now exact Great recompence a Dungeon well might sit Their cruelty that doom'd him to the Pit The law of Nature now might seem to crave As they had him so he should them inslave And in remembrance of their slouts in scorn Dismiss them hopeless and deny them Corn. Where envy is the memories Recorder Expect proceedings in remoâ—slless order But he ne'r entertain'd Her as a guest Much less a Tenant in his peacefull Brest Their sight his pitty not revenge begate His blood did daunce for joy not boyl with hate Yet though his bowels did through passion yern As were his looks thus his reproofs were stern Quoth he what made you hither to repair To leave your own to breath a forreign air How careless is our guard how have they watch'd That such suspitious Spies pass unattach'd Y' are Spies our tortures shall the truth extort Why you thus saucily approach our Court You come to spie our weakness you shall feel What strength our Country hath perhaps our Steel Our sins makes God seem strange as clouds we see Shrowd th'ey of heav'en so sin Gods heav'nly ey Or if but seen his cheeks with an anger glow Wrath 's on his ey thron'd ruin on his brow And while they sin as Traitors he attaints Unto his Covenant his dearest Saints The Brethren started at these thundring words The active blood within each body curds Quoth they let not your Lordship this Impute Nor mis-interpret our unfeigned sute We all the tincture have of one mans blood Who hither hath us sent to buy some food And so let heaven with thy servants deal As we intend unto your Common-weal Wee 'll have the truth of this upon the racks Quoth he your sute your Asses and your Sacks Are meer pretences you are all but Spies These specious colours cannot blind our eyes We 're twelve quoth they and by one man begot The youngest is at home and one is not We are no such that to such ends do rome Hither to buy food are thy servants come Let not your Lordship trample miserie Pitty a strangers privilege should be O do not censure w' are so innocent We scarce conceive what by your words is meant If want be treason and to come to buy Food be invasion then we come to spy Y' are Spies quoth he vain words no longer urge They are too empty this your guilt to purge Since you no other voucher can produce To prove your truth but only this excuse My Sentence like my words none may revoke Send for that youngest Son of whom you spoke Unless that Brother prove your evidence By Pharaohs life yee shall not part from
then cease to quilt A web of specious lies upon your guilt This aggravates what I of late suspected Heav'n will not you should thus passe undetected Great Sir quoth they you justly may upbraid Us with your love we justly are betrayd The fact is clear what shall we then allege To clear our selves and who shall be our pledge Wee scarce have blood in all our veins great Lord Enough to stain your Vice-revenging sword Creat Sir we beg if bondage expiates Our Crime then mercy rules among the Fates Nay quoth the Lord my heart 's not Adamant No rocky Isle where such like Furies haunt Nor hath my Soul so liquorish a gust That nought but blood can satiate her lust Mercy and Justice here are neer a kin Our mercy here 's still greater than the sin Think I have pitty on your Fathers age Nor will enslave you all in vassalage I 'll onely recompence upon that Youth That had my Cup bonds for his breach of truth No sore-tormenting Probe unto the quick More deeply searcht a wound nor of the sick No launcet hit more sure the master-vein Than did his Lordships words pierce through each swain Who ever thus in tearms accutely coucht Rub'd on the matter they would have untoucht Some beg'd some wept and some confus'dly mutter'd Some indigested resolutions utter'd At last quoth Judah humbly on his knee Great Sir yet what you spake your vow decree Let not your anger flame that I so rude In language and in habit thus intrude You ask'd when first wee hither did repair Doth yet your Father breath the common air Have you alive a Brother more at home Our speech in devious falshoods did not come But kept truths rode quoth we Our Father 's old Half wearied Fate doth yet her distaff hold We have a Brother more a youthfull page Whom He esteems the comfort of his age His Fathers joy since his deceased Brother The onely Son of his expired mother And since our Father 's old and lame and dim He only walks and breaths and sees in him Then saidst thou as a witness of your truth Bring down your Brother let me see the youth Great Sir quoth we our Brother stands between Death and our Fathers lamp as th' only screen And He remov'd our Sires declining snuff Would soon b'extinguisht by some envious puff Yet saidst thou to thy servants bring the Child If that you will we shall be reconcil'd All this we to our Father did rehearse With the proceedings of our last commerce Our Corn exhausted there was long dispute 'T wixt Want and Nature we renew'd our sute To him to send our brother and at large Importunately urg'd your Lordships charge So quoth our father were I most forlorn By Rachaell I had two children born Whereof one parting hence became a feast Ay me I fear unto some rav'nou Beast With whom fled half my life then leave his Brother 'T were Paricide to take away the other O think my sons should you remove the prop That stayes my age I in my grave should drop Were there a Chrystall window in each Brest We know no more than what we have confest Now should we home and leave his son behind As with Prophetick doubts his fear divin'd Both hope and life would fail him should I know That I my self were the unhappy Bow Through whom false death aim'd her remorsless dart To the true mansion of my Fathers heart What should I do that shall both guilty seem Both of my Brothers loss and death of him I to my Sire was surety for the youth Have pitty on his age and on my truth When death quoth I my lamp of life shall quench May my good name dy in a noysome stench And with like vows I heaven did implore If I his son not safely did restore Then if my Lord please to reverse his doom I 'd gladly serve bound in my Brothers room Great Sir be pleas'd t' admit me in exchange I 'd weary cruelty and mock revenge I 'd count deaths sentence but an idle breath Yer I 'd seem guilty of my Fathers death Good Sir have pitty I would dare to meet A Thunderbolt wrapt in a lightning sheet Yet I 'd provoke a Fathers angry gall Since Parents curses are Propheticall As a new tun'd Cask of unpurged Wine Wind pris'ned in the earth or like a Mine The one if clos'd will make a furious vent The other break forth in a thundring rent Such were his Lordships tears such was his joy Which Passion though it long seem'd strange and coy And fickle in the wooing th' end did prove In it was coucht a Brothers tender love Which he no more was able to resist Than the quick pulse that thumpt within his wrist And joy like wind impris'ned in the earth Will shake th' hearts center but 't will have a birth Now since he could no longer thus contest H'intended secretly t' unlock his breast Shame that 's sins daughter wer 't not for this care Might here have prov'd the mother of despair Open reproofs like an impetuous rain Do wash away but not refresh the grain Now would he think to speak and then retreat Then on the prize his heart a charge would beat And though the cause as yet obscurely slept Yet Pharaohs servants heard him while he wept At last he thus began I Joseph am Is th' Oyl yet spent that fed my Fathers flame This on the porches of their ears he beat But all in vain that sense had left her seat And with the eyes by horrour scattered Had to the brain as an Asylum fled Yet being the kingly hearts chief centinells He by degrees dismist them from their cells For sense-bereaving horrors are like lees Which being once stirr'd will sinke but by degrees Now when they something had expell'd their fears Hee with these speeches board anew their ears I am your brother Joseph whom you sold Is yet my Father ' mongst th'alive inroll'd Come neer and see I have no false reserves Come on this visage spend your visive nerves I am the same as when you took my coat Though chang'd in hiew and of a rougher throat Though heav'n have chang'd my Fortune years my stature Nor time hath chang'd my love nor clime my nature Fear not the fact though gross shall not be blaz'd 'T is from the book of my remembrance rac'd Then judge your selves not rashly bless the deed For I was promis'd to preserve your seed Two years are past wherein remorsless dearth Hath knit the bowels of the teeming earth And yet these five years Nile in vain shall flowe The Husband-man in vain shall plough and sow Like a true Alchimist hath providence Drawn Honey from the Poyson of offence You sold God sent me hither heav'n be blest That turn'd your very sin unto the best Hast then with winged swiftness and infuse Fresh spirits in our Father with this news Say thus saith Joseph whom thou thoughtst to be Seal'd in the bosome of
eternity Thus saith thy Son who by the common vogue Was thought one of grim deaths large catalogue Thus saith our Brother here I am ador'd As Pharaohs Father and all Egypts Lord Come down thou with thy house thy heards and flocks Time limps away methinks with leaden socks Untill thou come accept of my advice Thine shall be Goshen Egypts Paradise Let no delay this thy descent prorogue Lest Famine in a fatall Epilogue End thee and thine come that with my Protection I in some sort may answer thy affection The Sun five times shall pass through all his Inns Till dearth shall fully expiate our sins Mean while descend and of my store partake Since heav'n by me prepar'd it for thy sake Hast for your own sakes that I may refresh And cloath your naked bones with tender flesh My words and actions have not divers centers Both end in one but if upon the tenters This stretch your faith beside the foretold signs Observe this visage and its wonted lines Sweet Benjamin blest were th' Astrologers If as I know these eyes they knew the Starrs If so though all events be closely seal'd No doubt the future should be all reveal'd His Lordships speeches were no sooner ended But he and Benjamin together blended Themselves in close embraces both did lie Entwined like the Zodiacks Gemini As if they meant lest we again should part Come by the strings let 's knit each others heart Their eyes now pay'd their long-retained debt Each on anothers neck entwined wept That done the rest with sweet inviting phrases He even wearied in his close embraces Then kist them all and Chorus-like enquir'd Again is not my Father yet expir'd God will be su'd to who no other task Imposeth on our wants but this to ask And though he seem long in majestick pause Not onely not to hear but slight our cause 'T is but to edge devotion to inhance His Grace upon our Souls before he grants All distance then is chang'd to an imbrace Wrath falleth as a Vizzard from his face He not defers nor his affection smothers Nor doth disdain at all to call us Brothers As one that dreams he 's falling from a steep And tow'ring precipice into the deep Awaking finds himself free from such harms And taking safe repose in friendly arms Such were the Brethrens fears and sad extremes Which now did seem but fancies and vain dreams When Joseph in their Passions Extasie Reviv'd their senses from their Lethargie With sundry Passions were at once their minds Like a Ship tost 'twixt two opposing winds Now would they joy then grief by shame being backt Their new resolved greetings would distract The tears from divers springs seem'd to proceed Which they not so much seem'd to weep as bleed Within their brain two floods at once arose Of joy and grief as when two Seas oppose Some wept some weeping smil'd like Aprils weather Which rains then shines then rains and shines together Now were they all resolved to regreet Their Brothers courtesie but as a fleet Which comming neer the harbour back is thrust Into the Ocean by some angry gust Shame would retard intention some would smother In silent whispering the name of Brother Glad Reuben though he gave to God the glory Yet blest perswasion and his oratory And Judah though he sold him yet was bold To say he joy'd though griev'd he thus was sold Now they confest his Dreams no vain Phantasms But heav'nly and inspir'd Enthusiasms Their Sheaves and Stars had bow'd the sawcy Boy Was now their Lord and Egypts chief Vice-roy Glad Benjamin admiring the results Of their immanity thus now exults A Brother lost and found is worth like mirth As if you joyed at a Brothers birth Come then let 's triumph for who could expect From this so bad a cause so good effect To hear the Lord speak how he was re-sold How often fashion'd in afflictions mold His Chastity which with a full mouth'd blast Shall fill Fames trump as long as time shall last How he ran Chance as blind as ever painted Yet he by adoration thus was Sainted In mens opinions would make a dint And deep impression in hearts of flint For joy some swounded and each circumstance Of each relation struck them in a trance Each passage made each minutes time the mother Of some new joy so one joy crown'd another Had th' whole world seen each act heard each rehearsall No doubt the joy had here been Universall T' express the triumph fully would extort Descriptions treasury undoe report Now tell-tale Fame hath with a nimble wing Proclam'd these tidings to the Court and King Who thus to Joseph placed next his Throne We to thy Fathers care thy Mothers grone All owe our lives nay more for to him seeng Thou being ow'st we owe him all well being Now since he liveth and the fatall Star That blasts our Kingdomes plenty spreads so far Her fatall influence as Canaans clime Send for thy Father on our Souls this crime Shall not write guilt that He amidst our store Should faint whom for thee all are bound t' adore To Him alone for thee all Egypts bound So deep more than conceit hath line to sound Thy duty shall joyn issue with my will Since his one life exceeds the num'rous Bill So far that daily doth attend our gates As doth one Phoenix life whole clouds of Gnats Thus by thy Brethren say wee youth and dotage Both lofty Palace and the lowly cotage Owe thee the Father of a Son so blest More than by Hieroglyhick can b'exprest Thus saith the King let not thy thoughts be gravell'd In doubts thy Joseph who my Dreams unravell'd Which all our Sophies did in vain examine Shall nourish and protect thee in this famine Which though it have set limits to my wish And scarcity doth season every dish Delay not thy descent for thou deservests The greatest measure of our sev'n years Harvests This to thy Brethren say go take the best That Egypt yeelds and lead each man his beast Since that remorslesse dearth to death proscribes Your aged Father and his hopefull tribes Think Egypts King for Joseph's sake deplores Your empty Wine-presses and threshing-floores Go bring your Father down if Egypts Map Have land whose poares breath a more vigo'rous sap Than this that is more fertile and more pleasant Come down none shall resist thee Peer nor Peasant This say and for thy Fathers ease take Waggons And for thy Brethren spare no sprightly Flaggons To ratifie their welcome since with them Thou art a Branch sprung from the self same stem Glad Joseph was that Pharaoh's thus inclin'd To what before he had himself design'd Envy could not upbraid his want of love So much he did the means and time improve Scarce Morpheus could at all betray his sense But care would counter-charm His influence When bright Hyperion mounted Phlegons back He gave command to fill each Brothers Sack To all he gave provision lest the length Of the