Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A64766
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The ladie's blush, or, The history of Susanna, the great example of conjugal chastity an heroick poem / by W.V.
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W. V.
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1673
(1673)
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Wing V15; ESTC R6702
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18,508
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48
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the creature to make enemies Prodigious Garden that could bear a weed So full of poyson as all Adam's seed Still câ—ies O wrerched man what hast thou done Thus to orewhelm us in perdition David did there with an adulterous eye Bathsheba naked in the Fountain spie An eye with winged murther charg'd which flew As far as Rabbah and V riah slew A Garden 't was wherein a painful floud Sweat from our Saviour like to drops of bloud And in a Garden Judas him betray'd VVhere also was his righteous body layd VVhilst thus the Elders and their Engines lie Not the least thought of sordid Jealousie Disturbs Joakim's quiet who affords No small respect to these Judicial Lords VVhom to mistrust were madness their gray hairs Being Antidote enough against such fears But rather thinks These learned Sages will Susanna with some vertuous precepts fill On whose each look an aged Hist'ry sits The best improvement of all younger wits Whereby she may or ere old-age draws on The prospect have of a free Horizon Her understanding clearly so to view Fore pass'd events and judge what shall ensue Such guides I wish our Fathers had perhaps They ne'r had long'd for these accursed Grapes That edge their childrens teeth whose off-spring we The cause lament in our Captivity Thus Joakim's well-composed minde foresees Not ought of the two Elders treacheries But unsuspecting man receives as friends Those that disguised lusts with lawful ends VVhich freedom bound them to this fixed day VVherein they might his vertuous Spouse betray For being here she thinks it fit to lave Her wearied limbs in the refreshing wave So said unto her Maidens Hence be gone The place is private leave me here alone Haste balls perfum'd Sabaean Odours bring VVithout delay to wash me at the Spring Susanna then unveils her orient skin Like Eve's in Eden ere imperious sin First found an Apple then a Leaf to hide The spotted Beauty of her new-born pride Into the Fountain goes whose amorous brims Dropt tears for joy t' embrace such snowie limbs And curled in a wanton brayd t' orecome Love's fire concealed in its watry womb Had you but seeâ— when yet she was half-bare Part of her Mantle sporiing with the air The rest in folds about her middle born So sparkling Phlegon looketh in the morn VVhilst glorious cloudâ— in glittering fleeces flye To interpose 'twixt it and humane eye But once aloft and to th' Meridian fled His naked body on the hills doth spread Such was she when those weeds or rags of clay From her diviner flesh were cast away Ye fabulous Anoients was not this same She Your Aphrodite descended of the Sea VVith Nymphs not Neptune thus encompassed VVhilst now Lucina brings the Spring to bed Yea sure the same although your purblinde eyes Mistook when she did from a Fountain rise And this the Piece Apelles to pourtray Durst not adventure hove one line a day Glean'd up from thousand Beauties that might give The Painter fire to make his Picture live So rare th'Idaea seem'd such work there was T'extract from mortals an immortal face Her Ivory-neck's like David's Tower of war VVherein so many conqu'ring Bucklers are And Arrows numberless and sure to hit Unhappie Man that gazeth once at it Her Rosie Brests like the two Indies stand A Globed Hemisphere on either hand The cause perhaps our Fathers first did call East the right side of Earth's ever-rowling Ball And hither Merchants laden with desire Hurry to quench the flames of fire with fire The other Regions which beneath those lay Are not unfitly term'd Incognita Hid by the swelling water which denies Further pursuit to our discoveries Howere the Elders who stood watching here None of the worst Geometricians were Like him who having on Olympus found Alcides foot imprinted on the ground Did thereupon his whole proportion guess And so engrav'd the big-bon'd Hercules These not unlike conclude from what they saw An image they of th'unseen features draw And argue from the lesser Vales close by Must needs abound with more variety For when hills vaunt their fruitful pride sure we In lower parts shall richer pasture see Thus swell'd with hope they made out all their Sail And swiftly rid before a prosperous Gale Their Keel's the Flesh the Devil Pilots it Like some grave Artist whither he thinks fit Hell lends them Wind Presumption plies the Oar To land it safely at Susanna's shore Not many leagues this well-mann'd Vessel flew Till now within its wished Harbours view VVhen rapt with joy the goodly Steers-man cries Io my Babes lift up your aged eyes Behold your peace rejoyce for yonder is Th' expected Port of all true happiness Where bliss more then eternal rests in store Go and possess what can be wisht-for more Hereat these Elders though until this time The Gout and Palsey troubled every limb Make shift to run those who of late had gone In Lordly Chairs to the Judicial Throne Now finde their heels Desire as well as Fear Oft wings the slowest feet turns earth to air Love knows no pomp but stoops to meanest things And levels Subjects with their Captive-Kings Ev'n like two Eagles that are tow'ring high Within the Champian of the liquid skie No sooner do discern their harmless preys But th'on them with ne'r-failing talons seize So they by Lust's most hungry rage compell'd Susanna in their eager gripings held She strives and cries alas what should she do One naked woman in the arms of two Not men but monsters such as Poets feign The Cyclops were that did in Aetna reign Think how Susanna blush'd look'd pale and then A trembling fear blush'd and look'd pale agen VVhilst they ' Fair creature now behold the doors ' Are all made fast y' are now within our pow'rs ' Yet we intreat consent come do n't deny ' We 're smitten Lady and with you must lie ' There 's none can see 't 't is witness causeth shame ' VVhilst unrevealed Ills are free from blame Susanna sighs and strives and cries agen ' O subtle Elders O polluted men To which they ' If thou 't not we Judges are ' And ' gainst thy innocence will both declare ' That as we walked in this neighb'ring Grove ' Thou play'dst the harlot with thy wanton Love ' Therefore thy Maids away were sent lest they ' Should notice take of thine Adultery A strange Dilemma put forth to perplex The wav'ring judgement of that tender Sex Therefore Susanna ' Heavens be my guide ' I am betray'd distress'd on every side ' If I consent by Moses Law 't is said ' No wife shall climb up to anothers bed ' Unpunisht which divine decree implies ' Death the reward of all Adulteries ' But if refuse y'already have design'd ' VVhat base return true Vertue 's like to finde ' Howere I must not dare not sin your skill ' Extends no further then this life to kill ' But God will me avenge and one day plead ' My guiltless cause with vengeance on
it woundeth swift destruction brings ' This hath thine heart corrupted and one stroke ' The slender clue of thy short Dest'ny broke ' Thus Israel's daughter have you serv'd whilst she ' Stood fearful of big-look'd Authority ' And gazing on your place durst not deny ' The freedom of Adulterous company ' But Judah's daughter she would not transgress ' Her chaster soul abhorr'd your wickedness ' Nor threats nor death prevail'd which you conspir'd ' For she refus'd to grant what Lust desir'd ' O glorious woman may this ever be ' A Jewel to adorn thy memory ' But since thou saw'st her to her charge hast lay'd ' That in the Garden she th'Adultress play'd ' Under what tree I pray declare it here ' And thou thereby thine innocence shalt clear Now comes the proof many a doubtful thought This perjur'd Elder to confusion brought Lest from the others answer he might vary Or for the right light on the quite contrary Since the Almighty hath one Truth dispos'd To be unto lyes numberless oppos'd Yet forc'd to speak after some short delay This desperate anxious speech t'himself did say ' I am now straightned hereon doth depend ' The utmost tryal of my fatal end ' Come life or death or hell or heaven whether ' Under an Holm tree they were naught together Then pious Daniel mildly to him said ' Ev'n now thou hast thy cursed life betraid ' God 's holy Angel has Commission ta'n ' Forthwith to cut thy wretched life in twain ' And with a sword attends this very hour ' Fierce vengeance on thy sinful head to pour Convicted plainly thus the Elders stand And Susan's freed by holy Daniel's hand VVhereat th'impatient Jewish concourse rise The Palace trembles at their thundering cries To God with praises first that still doth save Distressed sinners who his mercy crave Nor any forlorn creature will forsake That heav'n doth onely his sure anchor make This godly heat howe'r soon had an end They all their fury ' gainst the Elders bend With such a rage as Nature doth possess So violent 't was the whelp-rob'd Lioness That had not mighty Justice them reserv'd Unto the shameful death by both deserv'd Their bloud had doubtless wash'd the Judgement-floor And dy'd its Marble in a Purple-gore But they who Innocence would have betray'd To publike Execution are convey'd Nor is there Law more just then when man shall Perish by that he laid for others fall Thus did one day e'r-blessed may it be The guilty punish and the guiltless free Unpiti'd di'd these Elders whose black soul In hell about the fiery wheel may roul Whilst Susan late i' th' period of her age Betakes her to a better Pilgrimage To see those Vertues in their native rays Which gave their follower here such lasting praise Behold her Parents Kindred Husband too The mists exhaled of all former wo Observe them now imagine with what chear They do congratulate their Susan dear From death to life restor'd brought from the grave And one foot in snatch'd from the Stygian wave Then to compleat their joy with one accord For her deliverance they praise the Lord. ' O thou most worthy to be fear'd great God ' Who rul'st the Nations with an Iron rod ' But gently dost thine own choice Israel bring ' To be refreshed at thy mercy's spring ' Our Fathers trust in thee was not mistaken ' Nor were they in their greatest wants forsaken ' Thou heard'st the groans of this thy servant when ' She stood betray'd condemn'd by wicked men ' Who falssy charg'd her though no stain was found ' Whereby thy faithful Handmaid to confound ' Bless'd and for e'r admired be thy Name ' May worlds to come sing forth thy mighty fame ' That to death's portal turnest man and then ' Proclaim'st Return again ye sons of men By this time Daniel's glory proudly ran Like panting Phoebus to th' Meridian Of Babylon's Court where it still rising tow'rs Neerer and neerer to th' eternal Bow'rs Divinest Youth well worthy of a Throne More glorious then ere earthly wight sate on And of a righteous Crown whose guards shall be Such mystick Gems as Susan's Chastity FINIS