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
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
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
had Egypt for all kind of grains Exchang'd their Coin their Jewels and their Chains All which our loyall Joseph never wrests To his own use but adds to Pharaohs Chests This store exhausted you may ghess for bread Thus the Egyptians to Joseph plead Dread Sir great Pharaoh's darling Egypts Saint Vouchsafe a patient ear to our complaint We have for Corn exchang'd our coin and gold And yet Dearth rageth as your Grace foretold Our Barns are empty not through our default Nor hath an en'my sow'd our Fields with Salt None enviously have choakt our Fields with stones None of these things are authors of our mones Great Nile's offended and no wonted shout Awakes the Echo since no flood ran out Through his fat banks cut by our num'rous troops No Nile within his shallow chanell stoops Our Money faileth and who will not hold A grain of Corn well worth an ounce of gold Our hopes are faild and when the main-spring Hope Is out of tune the lesser wheels will stop Of joy and pleasure yet we 'll not desist Since in thee bounty hath with goodness kist Think on thy honour let it not be said That we now perish whom you first didst aid Redeem us from the jawes of Death which boon Will make thy fame shine bright as Titans noon Sirs quoth the Lord my troubled heart doth languish In true imagination of your anguish Yet though I you condole I hope each knowes That I dispense as Pharaoh doth dispose Yet will he grant such is his mild remorse Corn in exchange for Heards and teams of Horse Glad was all Egypt nor at all deferr'd T' accept his love each brings his team and heard On which exchange they liv'd this year yet pind In sad conceit of two years yet behind More then with food refresh'd so ranging Deers Fear more emacerates than plenty cheers The year being ended which as in a ring It self within it self again doth bring Sad Egypt having all their cattle spent Which Industry had got or Fortune lent Ghess them in a full press with bended ham And prostrate faces unto Ioseph came Great Sir quoth they now this is the third time We have appeald to thee and yet no prime Is Nile after so many years effluxions Th' earth weary grown after so oft productions And so expects like an exhausted soil A rest and respite from the wonted toil Our Share tusts and our tools that digg'd the earth Hang like some Trophies dedicate to dearth Each body here 's her Obelisk that bears Her triumph Grav'd in meager Characters Since Pharaoh first our Cause to thee refer'd There 's none but hath exchang'd his Teem and Herd Wee not a Beast detain there 's none great Prince That can thy servants of such fraud convince Now if our persons may and each ones land Ioyn'd with thy love in equall ballance stand With one years diet more we have to boast Nor will as yet esteem our selves as lost So Pharaoh shall a double title have In each one of subject and a slave View but these looks well thou wilt not demur Nor will thy pity need another spur Thou art our nostrills breath why should we dy The breath of all our nostrills being by And since now 's the last year by fate decreed That Dearth shall rage we further beg some seed To sow the land that it may be reduc'd Which in its ancient Chaos lies confus'd Sirs quoth our Lord my heart with you condoles The bitter anguish of your troubled Souls Yet 't were a sin in me beyond excuse Should I not all dispence to Pharaohs use Yet as I pittie what you have disclos'd So will I grant you what you have propos'd Ghess Ioseph now for Pharaoh wisely changes Bread for their Fields their Mannors and their Granges And with the Citizens for Pharaoh Barters For Corn their Houses Liberties and Charters And that their lands and rights might all be known By some clear evidence as Pharaohs own Th' Egyptians were to Cities far remov'd To the lands end so Pharaohs right was prov'd Yet the Priests lands and I sis Princely Flamines Became not Pharaohs nor the greedy Famins As if 't were Sacrilegious extortion Ev'n in this Panic sale to buy their portion Nor were they famished for Pharaohs stores They made as bold with as their threshing floors And which those Priests who then serv'd I sis Cow Or they that serve the Lamb of heaven now Are worth most honours reader fear and pray Lest Pagans judge us at the latter day Ghess Egypt now were in a full convention By Joseph summond then to soft attention To whom quoth he Sirs there is none but knowes And will acknowledge still with thankfull vowes That y' are preserved not by common Power Since Fate and Fortune on you all did lower If Pharaoh's bounty did not intervene Your Play were marr'd now in the latter Scene And you like long-toss'd Vessells should fall short And drown within the kenning of the Port Now so will Pharaoh as you do importune In true commiseration of your fortune Not out of Avariee for to supplant But out of pitty to supply your want Be 't then in Egypts Notaries inroll'd That y'have your lands and selves to Pharaoh sold Lo here is seed go sow the land in peace Which with its former vigour shall increase Whereof a fifth part you shall grant the King You now being safe under his Graces wing You for your houshold shall the rest reserve To nourish them Bread's natures chiefest nerve This he Enacted and a Statute seal'd Which to this day 's not cancell'd nor repeal'd At this quoth Egypt most renowned Prince Whose truest Hieroglyphick were a Lynce For as with him compar'd each creature 's blind Each spirits dark to thy inlightned mind Nature the worlds great Soul must needs confess Thee alone her preserver th' world must bless Thee the sole cause thy pitty and remorse That Dearth on both now acts not a divorce To thee we owe we here converse with men And not with Ghosts in deaths unsavoury den Thee that our Wives by her impartiall Bawd Not ravish'd are for death we praise we laud Thee that our children like so many elves Shrink not to nought but yet look like themselves Admit us safe under thy Graces wing Renowned Prince so will we serve the King Grant now that debt that Adam did ingage All men in Death hath claim'd of Jacobs age Who swearing Joseph to transport his bones Hath breath'd his last in blessings on his Sons Grant Ioseph next by generall suffrage Attended on in mourning equipage His Fathers corps to Canaan brought interr'd In Machpelah so of his oath was cleer'd When Iacob thus had deaths arrest obeyd Conscience within the Brethren 'gan t' upbraid Their old offence anew thus guilt would plead Their Brothers hate but slept though it seem'd dead Occasion now might wake it th' end might prove That with their Father di'd their Brothers love That wounds are dang'rous when they