conscience seekes their conquest to confute At warre was vvit and will for best endevours Contending thoughtes did hold a civill schisme As freezing fittes preceede hoate burning fevors So conscience feeles a shaking paroxisme In vaine doth reason fight with Rhetorisme The weaklig wit constrained is to yeeld And bedlem lust left owner of the field For when hee had a tyme him selfe be thought Right shame and feare exiled from his heart And love with lust a cruell combate fought And strived one the other to converte Then hee began his passions to imparte Yet bent to speake and douptfull of her nay Hee faintes againe and knowes not what to say Then as those cheating mates in conny-catchinge Cogge prate and lie to furnish foorth their feate He beates and settes his braines a brood in hatching Straung sleightes to gaine this more then golden cheate And Epitheme to coole flesh-burning heat At length twixt faltring hope and faint despaire He fawnes he frownes he threates he speakes her faire Sweete ladie now saith he we must enioy thee If no or liues will soone vnbodied be Consent therefore if no vve will destroy thee And say we saw one heere embracinge thee Nay wee will vow by heaven wee did thee see To act adulterouse sinne with some base slaue Then yeeld if thou wilt lief and honor have If thou demaund how our sin-seas'ned hearts VVith out remorse can harbor this misdeed Then know that love and dutie playd their partes VVithin our brests some better thoughts to breed But lust did blot what reason still decreed Thy looke fair ladie worthie to be loved So bownd our hearts they might not be removed Thy stature like the statly Cedar trees Thy peerlesse beautie passing al the rest Thy seemely iestures which each noatâ— and sees These are the thinges enthrall the mightiest And make commaunding monarches to be prest To fall from honor iustice law and right And bannish those which love them out of sight These are the traytors which betray thee now These like false guides do lead vs from the Lord. These thinges make lawfull kinges and Lordes allow Thinges most vnlawfull and to bee abhord What man faire ladie could not well afford To try fell paines to purchaze such a loue Yea pains of death aud thousand perils prove Didst ever read those high conceyted storyes In which the livesâ— of worthy loves are writ If so thou seest the trophies of their glories Weare raysd on loue and how inspir'd with it They pawne their lives by farthest reach of wit To make loves name eternall and admired That else to fame had not with cost bin hired O then but thinke thy Lords are more tormented Who dare suscept more perilles then them all And yet we know our deedes may be repented Sith greater men do take the greatest fall For when they slip the Eccho is not smal That doth reflect their faultes to every eare VVhich makes contented mindes not climb for feare Had not the Charmer beautie vs bee witched VVe should have held the freedom of our state And have bin richly with Gods giftes enriched And never feard the spite of daring fate But why do we our fortunes now relate VVhich may perhapes our rash attemptes ensue VVe came not now our future state to rue But came our over burning hearts to cole Enflamed by reflection of thine eies Let them sweet love be quenched in that poole That may thy Ioachims vse and ours suffice But say the word and we will meanes devise That thou fair dame shalt never be suspected For why our deed to none shall be detected What if thy parentes be right deere vnto thee Thy children deere good Ioachim deerst of all Yet flie faint feare this fact shall not vndo thee Beat down distrust and all his thoughts appall For this misdeed shall not in question call Thy spotlesse fame which all men hold vnfracted And deeds vnknowne are ev'nas thoughtes vnacted Qâ—oth he we both are linially descended From Iuda race kinsmen to Zedechias Thou maist sweet fair in vs be princely frended Yea more if thou wilt bend vnto our byas Thou maist be mother to the great Messias And â—o be famosed by royall birth Of absolute commaunder of the earth Thus fleshly speakes this carnall Cabalist Pawninge his soules deere life to ransom lust Or like a kingdome dreaming Thalmudist That in an eartlhy empyre puts his trust For Iuda scepter then lay in the dust And then as now they hop'd an earthly kinge But to his tale this Sophist more doth singe If treasure want thou shalt haue gold at will Or what thy wish or pleasinge thought desireth If honors hight thie honor lasteth still While secreasie our age and state requireth Yea place and time thie free consent now hireth Thie maides away do winke at thine offence The cloased dores will with thie fact dispence If douptes obiecte our wordes in iest are spoken And that our loue is conninge deeply feigned Then heere by hollyest vow for never broken VVee deeply do protest and vnconstreigned Our suite is loue by true affection trayned Then yeeld if no this armes consent shall drawe For needs wee must and need obeyes no lawe Else if thou dost persist in flat deniall Bee hold extreames at hand thie doome is teemed Adulterie shall breed thie death in tryall So shalt thou dead an hipocrite bee deemed So shall thine end bee infamous esteemed So shalt thou staine thiekin and blud debase Defame thie pheere and bastardize thy race For we vvell knowne graue fathers in the land VVil in thy trial iudge and vvitnesse be By oath of two each verdict giv'n must stand Our selues vvill sweare we found embracing thee A beardlesse groome in foule adulterie Then better twere to liue and haue good name Then haue thy death sepulchred in defame As for our selues we haue at large debated VVhat shame what infamie this fact may gaine How that we may be pointed at and haâ—ed Yea more then pointed daâ—lie die like Cain While drowping life is buried in disdaine A loathsome graue a death far worse then death Because the scandal shal reviue on earth Thus haue we thought what may ensue the deede VVho feares what may be misseth Ladies loue Faint hearted carpet knightes doe seldome speede If feare of what may be doth them reproue No feare shall daunt my heart or may bee moue So strongly hath desire enchaunted me That I must needes embrace mine infamie Sweete let vs then feede on thy coral lippes If that wil not suffice lets farther feede For raging lust hath gotten bedlem whippes And beates our heartes so that the wounds doe bleede And nought can cure them and contentment breede But thine embracings and thy bodies vse Which can recure the hurt procure thy truce Be briefe therefore report to vs thy minde If thou wilt yeeld weele rest thy secret friendes If no thou knowst what friendship thou shalt finde Thou knowst who so against the streame contends Doth striue in vaine his health
Vriahs wife no sure the childe did die That thus was gotten in adultery Yea God did sweare the like disgrace and sword Should light on his for leaving of his word VVhat did prowd Paris gaine to gad to Greece To fet that mynion Menelaus vvife Fames Phoenix beauties saint a peerelesse peece Shee cost a kingdome large and many a life Sardanapalus living voide of strife Became lustes wanton wallowed in her pleasure VVhich life did leese his empire life and treasure And well for if the Lord in wedlocks cause Plague common-weales and play the vanquisher When one fowle fornicator breakes his lawes What shall be done to that adulterer 〈◊〉 stâ—â—kler of this strife and bloody stirre Were he not worthy breeder of this brawle 〈◊〉 end esse death to pine and die for all Your selues of late in practise of the law 〈◊〉 doome of stoning death for like offence 〈◊〉 can desire your heartes from right withdraw That lawlesse now you can with laws dispence What brainsicke humor doth your braines incence To deeme that fact death worthy in an other Which you your selues do foster feed and cover If speeches dâ—â— but breath and labour leese If former 〈◊〉 cannot forwarne your eares Then yet behold I offer on my knees A 〈◊〉 of sigâ—es and stormie teares Pâ—tâ—y the paine that in my looke appeares Let these my wringed hands awake remorse Vse favour good my Lords abuse not force Consider what you are not base borne slaves Buâ— chiefe conductors of Gods chosen sheepe Then as a crâ—zed ship that's tost with waues Doth let the waters at the chinckes in creepe And drown'th her selfe withall in whelming deepe So you the ship wherein your subiectes saile Your subiectes sinke when you beginne to faile Therfore I coniure you by greate Iehove For countries cause for subiectes happinesse Eor your deere soules estate no further moue Mee poore afflicted soule heere succorlesse O do not seeke to drowne me in distresse Least now you see old Sodom flaines descendinge Suppresse your suite serve God who waits amending But what avayles to sownd to beastes retreyt Or quench the blazâ— that burneth in the straw Though Croco diles do weepe they meane deceit Though Lyons cowch they hide a hurtful paw So though these Lordes be moane the teâ—res they saw Commende her zeale extoll her good entent Yet still vntamed lust growes insolent The softest drops do peirce the hardest stoanes Through gentle wordes vngentle heartes will yeeld The tenderest zutho softneth toughest boanes Milde musick can mad beastes allure and weild Then are your stubborne heades so strongly sâ—eeld Or are your heartes so heard so rough so feâ—rce That nought can enter soften season peirce Behold the melting teeres this ladie sheds Behold what greef lies harbord in her heart Behold what modestie her over-spreds Behold how soare the wound vnmade doth smart Behold her soule repining at this parte Behold hart-renting sobbes assault your eies Behold vp heaved handes for mercie cryes But as the wilfull Aspis stoppes her eare VVhen charmers chaunting wordes like baites entise So these enchaunted adders will not heere The wordes of health or wisedomes sound advise So bendded will is bent to winne the price That neither may this ladies plaint or moane Make pitty pierce their heartes more hard then stone For when her hearts deepe oracles were ended And that they saw such resolution in her VVhile chastest faire faire chastitie defended Gainst those who sought with fawning wordes to win her As farre from hope as though they had not seene her Perswaded now faint means would marre their matter Her with strong hands weak fort they seeke to batter For savage Satyre-like they vvould vncover VVhat bashfull nature biddeth secreat hide And close as hungrie Ravens they doe hover To doe that great disgrace shee may not bide But when shee saw foule lust was at full tide And that her lingring girles did stay so long Shee cride amaine before shee felt the wrong Helpe helpe shee saith helpe helpe I am vndone O helpe a wofull wretch in wretched case At which her crie the iunior iudge doth ronne And open settes the garden dore apase As if some fellon fled out of the place And shee for helpe doth not so often crie But they as fast stop keepe the thiefe doth flie The servantes netled with this suddaine noyes Of help help help stop keepe the theif doth flie Ronne to the posterne gate maydes men and boyes To find the author of this mutinie The cursed cause of that lamenting crye VVho staring gazing gaping ronne aboute Like men amazde to find their mistresse out At length they do desire their ladie faire Her beautie blemished with blubbring teeres As Phebe mantled with the mystie aâ—re VVith watrish beames vnto the sight appeeres Officious dutie bids her bannish feares Relate her hap and let her heart be stronge VVhere hands and hearts are vowd to right her wrong But shee good ladie that did deeme her groomes Vnequall vmpires of her high disgrace Leaves her bad hap vnto theâ— better doomes And by her selfe aloane with-drawes the place And beares her greif imprented in her face That loachims eie might see and seeing rew Her wronged faith in her deformed hewe VVho when he saw his love and his lives breath To quake in ev'ry parte as palsie shaken And cheeke and lip to looke as pale as death VVhome fresh life feeding humour had forsaken Himselfe by fainting feare is overtaken But when he sees her sinkinge to the ground With girdling armes he doth embrace her rovnd And sobbing wordes through his tongue stopping teeres He saith O sweete sweete heart vnfolde thy griefe O speake my loue and bannish bashfull feeres Heere is a hand shall yeeld thee lardge reliefe VVhose hearts true tenure holdes of thee in chiefe If all the world should vowt ' ware wrong'd by thee Yet should it not appeare a wrong to me At vvhich his quickning wordes as Phoebus shine With powerfull beames and heat vegetatiue Vnshrowdes the earth from her congealed shrine And makes the wythering shrubbe and grasse reviue So shee begins to spring and seeme aliue And vvith her faltring tongue yet all a mort Of traitrous men doth render true report And as we blame misfortunes in their bringers Shee blames her maides as fawtors of her wrong Shee feeles impatient fittes and they her fingers That durst neglect their due returne so long Whose sad excuse permixt with teares amonge To seeke the thinges her selfe had laide amisse Return'd her selfe the blame that wrong'd her blisse Meane time the vnresolved servaunts feare it VVhat spitefull ill their lady did surprize And though their itching eares did long to heare it Yet a king heartes did rather sympathize Then know from whence their passions did arise At length with bashfull boldnesse and good grace They aske the seniors of their mistrisle case VVhose irefull eies when first they did behold This giddie rowt to presse with speed in place Did first condemne their deede as overbold VVhile fainting
Heere now and helpe thy handmaide helpe For helpe of man doth faile Doe not expose me for their pray Because they doe not right But hunt in heart to bring about That's hatefull in thy sight And of a meere malicious minde False witnesse heere haue brought And causlesse laid vnto my chardge The things I never thought Thou seest my God vvhat they haue done Thou seest their envious heart Thou knowst they sought to lawlesse lust Thine hand-maide to convert Thou knowst I dread not dâ—ring death No force his might a pin No no I doe desire to die A better life to win I tender not faire beauties trash I tender my good name Least leesing life I be by death Entombed in defame For this cause rise O Lord make hast Repell my soules despight And shew the nations farre and neere How much thou tendrest right I know my sinnes are passing great VVhich acted are each hower Yet let my teeres thy mercy treate And shield me with thy power If no defamed wretch I die For keeping of thy law And causlesse thou shalt seeme my God Thy comfort to withdraw Hast then O Lord make hast I say Least guiltlesse blood be spilt Yet not my will be done in this But be it as thou vvilt VVhen shee her godly oraysons had ended And that no meanes was left to make delay The fawning officers in court attended VVith prophane handes to hale her thence away And though shee were as readie to obey Yet still this soare doth smart in guiltlesse minde That shee should leaue an ill report behinde VVhen once the streetes did act this tragaedie Vaultes and resounding Ecchoes from the stones Reporte the mothers teeres her childrens crie Her parentes plaintes her husbandes hideous moanes Her kinfolkes sighes her friendes heart-breaking grones The peoples pleading tongues to God to free her VVhile thicke tumultuous troopes doe run to see her VVho passing foorth with passing seemely port Her looke abated with her languishment Shee doth the gazing lookers on exhort Good people pray for me poore innocent Thats gultlesse faultlesse free from al intent Of this misdeede for which weake wretch I die VVhome still with deepest hate I did defie VVhile thus with plaintes they doe Gods aide implore The Lord did heere and helpe her wofull case For as when tyrant Pharaoh scepter bore A Pharaoh fierce that knew not Iosâ—phes face And did the Israelites oppresse long space They being tyred with his tirannie In deepest griefe vnto Gods favor flie VVho when their moanes did mount vnto his sight Dâ—d single foorth their speedy preservation From Pharaos traine a courtly trained wight Moses an Hebrew borne by education His daughters sonne which bred his estimation So now God seeing Susans great distresse Ev'n in the nicke did speede her due redresse For in the Chaldean court did then attend A noble Iew a youngling for his yeares The monarches mynion and his chiefest friend One of his sage and sharpest â—ighted Seeres In which high feate he past his graue compeeres While Isrels God did reare his fortunes hie To beare a stroake in Asias maiestie He Daniel cleaped by his natiue name The Chaldees cald him noble Balthazar VVhom neither courtly glee nor phrase of fame Could in faire Sions zeale ought make or marre But would to keepe the captiue Iewes from iar In private sort at times repaire and prie Into his brethernes state with wakefull eie And standing now in this tumultuous thronge Hee saw blinde zeale imployd in good pretence VVhat time Gods truth enform'd him of the wrong And raisd his sp'rite to speake in her defence Bad him be bold to plead her innocence Step foorth in place doe not thy thoughtes conceale Cry out amaine from divellish doome appeale Then Daniell as the Lord commaunded him Cride in the streetes I from this blood am cleane VVhile gazing heerers looked sowre and grim To muse what these vnlook'd for wordes should meane Fowle toades sâ—ith he infect the christall streame Because you would the streame farre purer finde You kill the fish but leaue the toades behinde Are you such sots O seede of Israell Are you so blind you see not what you do Are you so deafe you heare not what they tel Know you not right and what bee longes thearto Survey you not your steppes before you goe Whie haue yov heere condemnd this dame to dies And would not heere her iust appeale and crie O turne with speed turne to the iudgment seate And then behould what God will thear relate Your seviors sinnes haue growne exceeding â—greate Repelled lust ingendring with foule hate In them the bastard periurie begate Bold periurie did breed false witnesse bearing False witnesse wrested iudgmente by for-swearing At which his wordes the people yonge and olde Do make a stand and backwardes thence retire Whear daunting sins the seniours heartes make cold While daunger woundes the depth of their desire Yet past shams bowndes their shamlesse thoughts aspire And foorth they passe into the sessions hall And hide in crabbed brow their conscience gaule The elders of this circumsized race Which with repriued pris'nour turne a ge'n When ev'rie one had ta'ne his vsuall place They say vnto this stately stripling then Vse thou the roome of these malitious men Declare to vs Gods iudgmente and decree Sith God hath giv'n an elders spirite to thee Then Daniell tooke the powerfull place of life And thear to intimate God will to all Where are quoth he the wrongers of this wife Put them a parte out of each others call And bring forth one by one in to the hall So you shall see their tray trouse tonges reveale What wicked heartes do cover and conceale The formall officers performe his mind And brought forth one to be examined Who lookd like murthrous marked Cain vnkind When brothers blood he guiltlessely had shed His colour shew'd what harbord in his head His ioyntes as if vnioynted were at iarre False iudge now pris'ner pleading at the barre And standing thus before the balefull bench The beardlesse iudge to checke him vncontrold That conscience as a cooling carde-might quench The heate of his bravado overbold Saith thou sin seasned wretch that waxest olde In sin thy wicked life is come to light Whose falshood harmed manie a harmlesse wight Thou hast abus'd thy life God lent to thee To mend thy life and passed sins repent For nothing but oppressions he could see Therefore he will thie glorie from thee rent Which hast condemn'd to death an innocent And let the guiltie goe for giftes a way VVhile lust and bribes did blind thee day by day Sith sworne thou hast eie witnesse thou didst see This comely dame with her companion sin Report the trurh and name to vs the tree That hid the fact you did surprise them in Pause not but speake if wordes shall creadit win Be briefe let not oblivion beare the blot Things done so late are not so soone forgot Then pawsing twixt despaire and tyred hope As one that had
and the vaines Dies dusky coloured what before was bright Each seemely part lesse seemely shewes in sight While heart poore heart forefeeling passions great With frighted panting pulse doth thumpe and beate The prety Ivory hilles the maiden pappes Powt now with paine to feele chaste flesh defiled The nibled teates that perch vpon their toppes Yeeld mayden blush to see themselues beguiled Their freedome sled their liberties exiled Must now be tugging stockes for tootlesse chaps And subiectes liue to myriads of mishaps Chast loines by lawlesse lust are martyred The brest doth feele short breathing simpathies The bowels by defect are tortured In weakned backe do crickes and crampes arise What swellings feele the feeâ—e the legges the thighes While seemely wast that all the members graced By strouting wombe is stretched and defaced Yea vvhere sound appetite did hold his seate There sicke abhorfulnesse hath built his bower Fond lust doth long for sundry sortes of meate Sometimes it loathes the sweete and likes the sower And oft vile things with eagernesse devour Or else is subiect to such qualmes and fits As doe depriue the sence and dull the wits And thus the body by a bodies breeding Becomes discrased plethorique oppressed Faintes in his faculties erres in his feeding Fluds of defectes beare downe poore health distressed VVhich dangers with more danger are redressed VVhile nature these and many mo presages Appointed hath birthes hand attending pages And yet perhaps conceived hath this wife No perfect birth but some vnperfect thing A Mole deformed lump that wanteth life Which direfull death remedilesse doth bring Or during life doth yeeld a deadly wring Againe if womb be subiect to abhorsion Best hope is bankrupt by the same extortion Yea vvhen fine mettall hath deformed mould Or makes a fault in little or too much Or is not of the kindred that it should Then nature in true working keepes not tuch But frames the seely creature to be such As vvas the mowld the mettall or the minde A minotaur a mongrell out of kinde VVhy should we name the deadly panges and throwes Heart-pinching paines companions of the birth The sowning fits the weale-awayes and woes The broken sleepes sad dreames depriving mirth The little ease when once the infant stirth VVhom seemingly paine suffering mother feeles To teare her tender fides with thumping heeles Let silence have the nightly paines in noursinge The cradles rockes the wrayling brawling cries The dayly chardge in buying and disbursing To bringe it vp and yeeld his want supplies The hastned age the breedinge bodie buies VVith millions moe of houshold cares and strife That do attend the happiest maryed wife But if to cloake their folly with devises They set the gaine of fruit against this thorne They buy bad wares at to excessive prices For if the climbinge weed pull downe the corne The parentes wish such seed had not bin borne And equall greife doth dim hearts lamp the eie To see the bad to live or good to die Of which fayre bitter sweets toyle borne and bred The husbandes part ofte standeth in conceipt VVhen lawlesse lust polluteth lawfull bed The fathers picture proues a counterfeit Some times discent is patched by deceit VVhen cradle rockes a chaunglinge foysted in Defeites true heire defraudes the lawfull kin But deeme the best and cownte them all their owne Vnhad they ar not theirs when they would have them And once possest their title then is knowne Not theirs but his the mightie Gods that gave them VVhich can in youth or age or wombe ingrave them Thus is the child wives choyce perplext and sad And better hope in husband is not had Hast thou a pheere whose faith exceedeth farre If him the mighty monarch doth commaund To prove his martiall armes in feates of warre Midst troopes of bedlem foes in forreigne land How comfortlesse wil thy poore comfort stand VVhile carfull thoughtes will cause thy hart to morne Till ioyfull eie enioy his safe returne But if thy wedded mate bee wedlocke breaker How much doth matchlesse greife torment thy minde If that hee bee a churle and cursed speaker It killes kinde heart to see him so vnkinde Againe is hee to ielous lore enclind VVhat toile to tie free actions of thy bed To fond survey of his suâ—pitious head If he be good what fearefull thought to leaue him If he be bad what cunning to reclaime him If he be kinde it grieues thy heart to grieue him If he be fierce what wisedome to refraine him If he be lost what pollicie to gaine him If he be loathsome tis thy taske to loue him And no redresse til death from thee remoue him But out fond thoughtes saith shee vvhy do you reason Gainst God my conscience and the common weale Dread heresie if that you dread not treason Be not blind Essees nor so badly deale To beate downe mariage with a virgins veale Which were to be iniurious to my birth And leaue no man to tread the trampled earth You partiall pâ—â—â—ders in affections cause â—â—owd impes thâ—t doe conspire nurse natures end You â—iolaters of Gods first made lawes You sectaâ—â— you foes to mans most friend Nice coy vnkinde to country and to kind Wast common-weales and spend your wits in woing Loues lost the churches downefull mans vndoing VVhilst vnder-mâ—â—ing mariage with your lore You kill the roote whence all your good began The wedded life of mankinde is the moâ—e Take mariage from the earth and vvhere is man Man ceasing to haue being what comes than Your owne decay your death by his decrease For when the roote doth râ—t the sap doth cease As if your earthly being were too base VVith trustlesse vvinges you sore beyond the son To draw discent from ancient Angel-race You spend wind-wasting wordes and breathlesse ron Perdie you must come downe vvhen all is done Kisse mariage hand your ancient on the earth Vnlesse you will vvith basenesse blot your birth As vaine you vaunt of Angelles imitation Angelles full numbred spirites doe liue for aâ—e But man was made for fruitfull propagation Man must increase because man must decay And to that worke chast wedlocke was the way To tame flesh treasons and appease those iarres Hels rebles raise to breede soule-slaughtring warres Againe if that you hatch your single broâ—d In Evaes rib or Adams quickned earth Like reason if it stand with you for good For musickes art like consequence infearth Tubulcaines hammers making maiden mirth Tuball from them did frame mayd Harmonie Sweete noates consent hath nam'd her melodie What if iust Habell choose the virgin life And Salems king did die a batch'ler blest What if Elias liv'd without a wife And single life lik'd Elizeus best What if Messias sucke a maiden brest One Autumne primrose doth not proue the spring One winter swallow doth not sommer bring What if some few by gift of speciall grace If God giue not the gift is nought at all Victoriously run out this virgin race Yet many mo in running tooke the fall
Yea while her silent heart doth thankes record Her restlesse notes do reach beyond the skie VVhose endlesse ioy was in her gratious Lord. To him in hymnes and tuned psalmodie VVhich did transmute her mones to melodie shee giues the glorie of her victories As David when he foyld his enemies The mighty Lord saith shee Is my defence and might My king my guide my God My champion for to fight The combate of my truth and conscience triall He is my Anchor-hold My refuge rest and port My horne of saving health and eke my strongest fort Gainst whose coÌ„mand there standeth no denial VVhen over-flowing floodes Of raging fierce despight And great commaund of Lordes And men of power and might With dreadful threats of death did make me quiver I did implore his aide In deepenesse of distresse VVho heard my â—ust complaint And wrought my due redresse He sent me aide and did my soule deliver On him therefore I will In danger crie and call VVho can both heere and helpe He heeres and helpeth all He none but he is worthie to be praised Deathes swallowing sorrowes hem'd Me round on ev'rie side VVith renting paines of hel In danger to haue dide But he my life from ravening graâ—e hath raised He from my strongest foes Hath set me captiue free Because he had a loue And favour vnto me WhoÌ„ cunningly they sought to haue prevented But while he held me vp I could not swaie nor swarue They sought in vaine to spill The thing he did preserue And so to late their labour lost repented By him I made escape From handes of Tyrantes stout His power did put them downe And helpe his hand-maide out That power also will strongly keep them vnder He trampleth with his feete Bold traitours that rebell He makes their hurtfull tongues Their owne destruction tell Thus for his saintes he acteth workes of wonder VVhose workes are all divine VVhose mercies manifold His waies past finding out his word as finest gold His iudgement iust his providence vnspotted O let thine arme O Lord My feeble hand susteine O let thy holy sp'rite VVithin my heart remaine O let thy loue be still to me allotted I looke with wakefull eles Vnto thine holy lawes Thy statutes are my staffe And stay in ev'ry cause To doe thy will my will I finde affected That which I see is ill And hatefull in thy sight That doe I seeke to shun And flie with maine and might Least that my soule by sin should be infected Thou art a living God O blest be thou my king VVhich hast thy servant freed From tempting Sathans sting And reard my fame on high by wicked wroÌ„ged And hast confounded them That sought my greatest ill By working of my heart Vnto a wicked will To act such lewd designes as lust had longed They fought to end my life And gaue me doome to die Because my holy faith I would not falsifie Pretending right they worke what wrong them listed They vsed power to put Integritie to shame And ment an innocent To burie in defame Hadst thou not Lord their iudgement false resisted Thus hast thou bin my God Most mercifull to me Not wonne by my desert But of thy mercie free My workes I know deserue to be reiected But thy kinde promise made To helpe the godlie heartes Doth binde thee more then all Our deedes or good desertes To keepe protect and saue thy saintes elected Therefore I will sowne foorth Thy praise to ev'rie eare And shew thine endlesse power To nations farre and neere To Sathans and his kingdomes great confusion I haue bin am and will Remaine thine handmaide still Mine heart my thoughtes mine eies Shall waite vpon thy will This is my vow and setled resolution Thus did shee spend her following time of life In heavens contemplation and delight And lived long a ioious happie wife Of passing cariage and a worthie wight A foe to frawd and fastest friend to right VVho living in the world no worldling was But prest to bring a world of good to passe And as a bird escaped from the ginne Thinkes ev'ry bended twigge to be a trappe So shee that dangerously had snared bin VVith true remembrance of her former hap Surveâ—es her steppes to shunne each afterclap And feares to giue a fawning eie good grace In old or young in noble or in base At length when age had plotted lifes decay And sicknesse wrought in weakenesse more and more And that shee thought death had no long delay Shee cald her children taught in godlie lore And did bestow these precepts kept in store VVho come in place with dutious loving hearts Shee thus to them her carefull minde impartes Deare children cease with sad lamenting griefe And malancholicke moanes to waile my state Your sobbing hearts doe yeeld me no reliefe But vexing torments in my heart innate Leaue then for plaintes and teares are not in date No no if they could life in body hold VVeaye would weepe we would buy teares for gold But vaine it is to kicke against a pricke And sinne to take Gods scourge impatiently My debt to death to pay I must not sticke For why you know that all are borne to die Then must I yeeld for ther's no remedie And pay my due that I to nature owe For time requires and God will haue it so The strongest Lyon stoopes to conqu'ring death The aged oake at length doth change his hue In time the long liv'd Phoenix leeseth breath Thrice aged Enoch yeeldes to natures due Sith then tis so and what I saie is true And time doth trie that all things must decaie Then sure I know I haue not long to staie Therefore marke well the counsaile that I giue Revolue it in your mindes my children deere For it shall most prevaile if that you liue VVhen friends and worldly goods you haue not heere First worship God and to his lawes giue eare Set him your load-starre and your lampe of light His lawes the line to lead your liues aright Vse diligence in doing of your dueties To those superiours rulers over you Doe good to all bend thereto all your studies Sing not the Syrens song that proues vntrue Though trothlesse Absalon be faire in view VVith Ionathan doe faithfull still remaine Shun Ismaels bloudie teares and subtill braine Plaie not the cowards in your countries good Spend in her canse your deerest breath and wealth And though prosperitie hath you withstood And frowning world denies gal-sugred pelfe Be not dismaide esteeme your heav'nlie health For that shall yeeld you comfort in distresse VVhen world and friends haue left you comfortlesse Flie still aspiring mindes yet seeke renowne VVin it by vertue and by manly might Franke not rebellious flesh but keepe it downe Like not those painted dames that doe delight Lyllies are fowle in smell though faire in sight And though they tice with baites with teeres with moanes Yet minde that painted tombes haue rotten bones My sonnes if you must liue in wedlocke bandes Loue for vertue
EVSTATHIA or the CONSTANCIE OF SVSANNA CONTAINING THE PRESERvation of the Godly subversion of the wicked precepts for the aged instructions for youth pleasure with profitte Penned by R. R. G. Dominus mea rupes Printed at Oxford by Joseph Barnes and are to be solde in Paules church-yarde at the signe of the Bible 1599. TO THE RIGHT VERTVOVS AND modest Gentlewoman Mistris M. B. wife to the Right worshipfull D. B. Esquier R. R. wisheth the etetnizing of her vertues by the daily practise of her christian life ALthough right worshipfull my longer silence mighte iustly indite me either of ingratitude or forgetfulnes in Senecaes censure the greater of the two yet I not great in fortunes grace younge in yeares and not ripe in experience vvas fully resolued to trauerse the indictmeÌ„t vntill more store of wealth graver age greater practise might warrant meÌ„ to performe that indeed which now I can but promise in conceipte And in that resolution considering the vndigested method was fiâ— meate for foule-mouthed Momus and the Rhetoricall dogge I determined to make an herâ—â—icke of this illiterate paÌ„phlet commit it to the fire but yet respecting the goodnesse of the argument the greatnes of your vertues and many thanke-worthy benefites bestowed both by your selfe and your right worshipfull husbande I fell from this faint determination to a second and more sound resolution Phaeton-like to carry Atlas his burden and rather to hazarde a faulte in manners then incurre a blemish in nature rather by beeing to bolde to make you the patrones of so simple a worke then by silence to seeme vnthankâ—full And albeit in performing heereof I shall rather wronge my selfe in bewraying mine owne weakenesse then righte your worshippe in yeelding a fit worke â—unswerable to your vvorth yet my heartes hope is that as â—he christall stone illustrated by the glorious beames doth render â—ome though meane reflex of the suns immensitie so my selfe exâ—osed to your benefites may heereby make some though small reâ—urne of your vndeserved bounty And although the treatise â—eeme harsh and may dislike you because it came not from Pernasâ—us mountaine yet I doubt not but you will nourish it for the hill Syons sake a speciall obiect of your godly minde from whence by â—nduction it is derived The method I confesse is the more absurde by reason it was ordered without advice since my comming into the country where as the Persians vsed to whittle little stickes to keep themselues from idlenesse so my selfe to banish sloath haue at idle â—howers bâ—sied my head and hand to whittle out this simple exercise nothing doubting but that time will one day furnish mee with opportunitie and practise with sufficiencie to pen a more perfect volume worthier your vertuous view And hoping in the meane time that you Penelope like in the absence of your Vlysses will allow of this vouchsafe the reading and accept in kindenes what I offer in duety I leaue your worshippe to the ancient of daies to prolonge your life in all happines Your worships vnworthy yet worthely bounden ROBERT ROCHE To the Reader SVSANNA heere walkes forth the way to glory To shew her constancie and spotlesse fame If any fault escape her faultlesse story The fault is mine on me bestow the blame Which would her teach before I could attaine Well tuned verse or moralizing vaine Were shee or no were Ioachim her goodman Had Iewes iuditiall law and Sanhedrin To iudge of life in stately Babilon Were Daniell hence first knowne a Sambethin Were hee a childe when hee so well presaged Or termed so compared to these aged Were these two segniors heere base slaues to sin Achab and Tzidkâ—ja in Ieremie Fell this before or when full thrall was in Or Cirus reigne as some doe verefie Did all things passe as they haue past the pen Or poeme-like to better liues of men These things I leaue to iudgement of the wise Gray headded Senate of our graue divines If I should iudge I should but preindize And with erronious letters fill my lines It me contentes that well I may avow The stories subiect such as most allow Expect not heere th'invention or the vainâ— Of Lucrece rape-write or the curious scan Of Phillis friend or famous fairy Swaine Or Delias prophet or admired man My chicken fethered winges no ympes enrich Pens not full sum'd mount not so high a pitch Let Colin reare his flight to admiration And traine his louely flocke his pipe to follow Let Damons reach out-reach all imitation And frame melodious hymneâ— to please Apollo The swaine that pend this pastorall for Pan Thought once to end his worke ere begaâ— For while I ment to streigne these sorie noates Past Diapent vnto a Diapason There fell a chaunce within our seely coates Both graeat and suddaine able to amaze 〈◊〉 When mourning Mopsus cride leaue of thy play Shift noates a side flinge pipe and all away Cease seely man pull downe thy wonted pride Enioine thy muse to mourne and pen to moane As did Amintas when good Phillis dide For thou art quite forlorne and left aloane Sith Thestilis thy Thestilis hath left thee While death of greatest iewell hath bereft thee For Thestilis was shee which ioâ—'d thy springing Who eake allow'd thee breath to blow thy pipe And idle time to whistle and be singing And bred thee vp till thou were waxâ—n ripe Th' Elixir of thy life in loue was sheâ— Whose coine did quiâ—tessence thy muse and thee Whose knight-riv'd birth gaue blazon to thy bloud Whose godly end doth endlesse heere abide Yet wanting her thou wantest all thy good As doe more flockes the damme and lambes beside Whom ioyfull Thomas hath good will to vease From fruitfull lawnes vnto a shorter lease This vncouth newes did so my sences lame That though sweete Cynthius sold me by the eare My musicke after went in worser frame And as my musicke was such was my cheere My looke vnlusty countenaunce abated Minde make-content muse weake and overmateâ— Yet did I singe my sorrowes to an ende An ende betakes the longest tided day And to a vertuous patronesse commende My homly verse and rusticke roundelay Whose godly zeale equivalent with Hanna Will not disdâ—igne to countenaunce Susanna R. R. Coricaeus to the Author I seated late in leasures lappe Had leasure to pervse Thy Firstling term'd thy Susans constancie And at the swelling titles Promise long did muse Which how perform'd let others iudge not I Who spent my thoughtes to be thy warning spie That iudgement darst provoke by bolde attempt When time from tongues no writer doth exempt While deepe conceited critique wittes Of this our daintie time Doe like no birdes but what themselues haue hatched They loue no pleasant prose Are discontent with rime But what they please all Poems else are patched Which humors still with discontent are matched And wayward discontent the censors bowe To quippe they care not whome they care not how Sometimes whole heapes of idle wordes They quarle are cast away
he that stoopes for age For as the mower with his keene edg'd sickle Cuts downe aswell the greene as seeded grasse EveÌ„ so the souldiers sword though teares downe trickle Permitteth not a breathing soule to passe He spareth none that happen in his way Faire wordes chast lookes entreaties beare no sway Then sounded foorth the screitching griesly crie Of slaughtered soules and many a deepe fet groane Of such as murthred yeelde the ghost and die From wounded lungs yeelding a hollow moane While manly men that whilome stoutly stoode Dismembred now lie weltring in their blood Then might be heard and seene with wofull eies The living soules lamenting for the dead Powring out plaintes with sobbes with sighes and cries And bitter teares as bleeding heartes might shed The old lament long life to be forlorne The young repent that ever they were borne The wife shee soundes and yeeldes her vitall breath To see her husband die in wofull case The husband feeles a fit far worse then death To see his wife defild before his face And seely babes poore heartes to perish this That never did offence or thought amisse The mourning mothers tugge and hale their heares To see their slaughtred seede remedilesse The children bath their cheekes with bloudy teares To see their wretched parentes in distresse While help-lesse handes doe trust vnto their feete And leaue poore infantes crawling in the streete For now the men of armes were fled by stealth And every soule was left to shift for one Counsaile did want regard was none of wealth Of kin or friend or who were left alone Who makes not hast death and destruction feeles The happrest wight doth shew the swiftest heeles When souldiers slaughtring sword embrewd with blood Found not a man that durst resistance make Then bedlem minde gan grow to milder moode If mildnesse be as bad a course to take For now vnbridled lust at large doth stray And prowles about for pillage and for pray Had chast Lucrecia dwelt amongst those dames Full many a Tarquin would haue wrought his will Had good Susanna wandred in those flames Her spot-lesse corpes had bin constrain'd to ill While seely lambes the chastest and most iust Became a pray vnto a peysantes lust The matchlesse vessels of magnificence The temples treasure many a millions mate The wealth of Zedechias excellence The riches of his Lordes and men of state These things were sent away to Babilon As fit for Nabuchadnetzar alone What else was left of Iewels gold and plate Amongst the meaner sort which might be much Each souldier held what so thereof he gate While they with other spoiles themselues enrich And when the pilfring hand had his desire The rest was left to be consum'd withâ— fire Then clims the furious flame the stately tower Each priveleadge doth giue the souldier place The pioner spares nortemple house nor bower The time is spent to spoile and to deface There was not left one monument of fame Which did not feele the force of burning flame The Heav'n-like house the temple of the Lord The worldes eie and onely worke of name Whom once he did delight but now abhord Is raysed downe and robbed of that fame The walles also that hem the citie round By might of men are ev'ned to the ground The seely captiues that had scap'd the sword And were reserv'd as Trophies of the spoile Hange downe their heades and cannot speake a word Or sound adue vnto their natiue soile The servantes loath to see the masters face The subiectes grieue to weigh the princes case Whom haplesse king slight could not yeeld reliefe But as the deere before the nimble dogge He was enforst to stoope vnto his griefe And for a crowne to were a heavie clogge What time his sonnes once slaine before his face He had his eies put out with great disgrace And so blinde captiue led to Babilon To be a bondman to his dying day He left the royall seate of Salomon And now must leaue commaunding and obey Since he that was impyring prince before Is now a fellow prisner and no more Amongst these fettred troopes of thralled states You must suppose transported with the rest Helchia Ioachim and those tragicke mates VVhose natures not their names are heere exprest Were Susan borne or no their glories shine Vnknowne it wantes a Delius to divine But Daniell then past twenty yeares of age In Babilon was growne to great regard Of fame in court the mighty monarches page Dreame secreat Seear and renowned Bard. VVhich knowne I leaue both story and my skill Vnto your courteous censure and good will EVSTATHIA or the CONSTANCIE OF SVSANNA CONTAINING THE PRESERvation of the Godly subversion of the wicked precepts for the aged instructions for youth pleasure with profitte WHen Chaldean glory sate in whinged throane Of flying Fame which far and neere doth waÌ„der In Asian soile in statelie Babilon The worldes monarch and the earthes commander VVhat time no humane forces might vvithstand her Then did stout Syria stoope and Aegypt bovv And Iuda bend before her frowning brow Then princely peeres did ducke and doe her duety Then raisd shee in the aire sky-kissing towers Then did the circled earth admire her beauty Then dwelt there in her braue and matchlesâ—e bowers The hight and sovereigntie of worldlie powers VVhose selfe-ruld handes did sway the scepter royall That kingdomes kept in awe and subiectes loyall Standing this tipe of sading maiestie There dwelt vvithin this state-commaunding towne A Iew a man of passing modestie Helchia hight and he of good renowne Right worthy for his wit to weare a crowne VVho tooke to vvife a faire and louely dame VVhose godly life gaue glory to his fame â—or as the ringe compact by curious art 〈◊〉 of it selfe right seemely to the eâ—e â—ut when the Saphire is his true conserte There doth appeare a fuller maiesty â—er vertue so his fame doth beautifie Her husband was esteem'd among the states And decked with her glory in the gates â—rom which chaste roote in time did spring a rose â—usanna cleapt not borne â—o eate her foode Or make dandling that must feele no blowes Her parentes care was how to teach her good And to invest her minde with modest mood Their reason fond affection had exilde Not bent to make an idoll oâ— their childe â—ometimes the godly mother matron-like â—ith rod in hand to keepe her babe in awe â—ith setled looke and grace demure and meeke â—ould teach her childe the precepts of the law â—nd make her imitate what so shee saw In comely â—esture seemely gate and guise That vse might manners make and doctrine wise And as sweete Aprill showers make Flora flourish â—o her kinde father carefull for his ioy â—ith choice preceptes doth vertue feed and nourish That grace might freely grow without annoy And natures weedes keepe vnder and destroy Whereby it came to passe at bed and bord There past no ill-spent time or idle word And carefull man he led by meere remorse VVhen
said the mayd would proue a prophetesse The booke-wise vvench will yeeld a deepe divine Or of a saint will hardly make a shrine But godly graue that best doth iudge and say Did deeme her right a worke of rare perfection A peerelesse peece to be a princesse pray One Angel-like a vessell of election Whose shining fame was free from deathes infection Though her time-fading beavty dead doth lie Which did surmount each feature seene with eie Why didst thon beauty fade vvhy didst thou vvither O budding Rose why didst thou ever blast Why didst thou proue vnconstant as a feather In her whose constancie did stand so fast Sure twas to teach vs nothing heere doth last For else thou wouldst haue liv'd with Susans name And as a handmaide waited on her fame Whose shape splendiserous vvas in each mans sight Whose looke gaue argument of sober grace Whose eies two twinckling starres nev'r proved light Whose silent tongue knew well fit words to place Whose faith so firme that nothing could deface Though two great seniors sought to blot her brow And to their lure to make her chast soule bow O that such peerelesse splendor should haue wrong And be entised vnto lawlesse lust Not Iuda but false Iudasses doe long Pure chastitie to cast into the dust But leaving heere those matters vndiscust You heard her life first wained from the lappe Now doth ensue the processe of her happe When trust-lesse time by his swift-footed pages Cleap'd minute hower day weeke the month yeare Had brought her past her two first sevens of ages And set her in th' ascendant of her sphere And nature now gaue summons to draw neere In nuptiall court to yeeld expected homage Since that in bar shee could not pleade her nonage Then scruple-finding stickler vnto strife Propones her bashfull thoughtes this bold discourse Twixt barren mayden-head and bearing wife VVhich of these two did stand in greatest force For with the best shee ment to shape her course Whilst in pure conscience court where her soule sate Her pleading thoughtes it argue and debate Like Hebrew disputantes that had bin trained In Moses schoole at some Gamaliels feete And were not yet to christian lore reclaimed Sometimes they argue mariage is most meete Sometimes è contra spider-sucke the sweete VVhile sotted sences are so Iew-beguiled To deeme the mariage bed a thing defiled At her heartes bar these silent virgin pleaders VVith soaring high conceites as highly rated Far fet their petegree from stately leaders Pure Angell spirites virgins ere man created VVhose actiue life no Angell ever mated While victory of virgins doth excell Which vanquish their owne slesh wherein they dwell Each other iarre not long suspended hanges An hower a day a yeare doth stint the strife Blud-died martyrs soone do passe their panges But this fell battle dureth during life Heere daily striving victory not rife So matchlesse is by antique rare discent The mayden life and glorious vanquishment Yea auncient Adam Iohvaes protoplast Was moulded of his mother mayden birth And old dame Evah to commend the chast Of virgin rib was fram'd a mayden birth Iust Habell liv'd vn marryed heere on earth Melchâ—sedech also our Rabbins tell Did virgin preist and kinge in Salem dwell The wonder-workinge prophettes most of fame The Thesbite and the Abel-Mecholite The one transumpt to heav'n in fiery flame Do shew how god doth virgin life delight Fore-seeinge Esay where hee doth endite Messias birth a maydens son doth make him And sure I am his ayme doth not mistake him The thinge wee prayse is mynion to this kinge The iustice which the iustest iudge approveth Vowd to the Lord a secret holy thinge Sacred to God as such a state beehoveth And for bycause her contrary shee loveth Shee alwayes maryed lives a spowsed wife Yet evermore a mayd in single life Whose life is termd the Angels imitation And therefore is hir figure Angel faced Shee mowntes to heaven by winges of contemplation And therefore is shee paynted stately pased And for bycause like Goddesse shee is graced Her traine is trod with troopes of vertues nighnesse Like maydes of honor neere a princesse highnesse VVhose robes the spotlesse flesh integritie Do emulate the white spot Ermelin A trophie of vice-quellinge victorye The brannchinge palme hir fingers claspeth in The wimple that shee weareth on hir chin An ant-signe is of bashfull modestie Her humble minde declares her stoopinge eie The Gentiles hence in their high observations Compare chast Pallas Goddesse in their heaven To yeeld true maiden life due commendations Vnto the full and misticke number seven Compacted of two numbers od and eaven Th' entire and incorrupted vnitie VVith six the secrete of virginitie For what content but in the maiden life VVhose fleet wingd thoughts ar free to serve the Lord VVhose mal-content if not the maried wise Careful to please grim sir at bed and bord VVith best obedience in hir deede and word And so mans service is then Goddes more geason Thus on the virgin part her thoughtes do reason And to amase her weake and pusill minde In creepe through crannies of imagination Deformd Idean formes and phansies blinde Sent foorth by hir sicke sences instigation Like staringe greisly fendes threatninge invasion Presenting to her heart the homely iarres And houshold cares accurringe nuptiall warres Base mariage say these bugges is rife to all Braue virgin life a perle possest of few The seild found Sagda stoane though it bee small Exceedes huge rockes that make more often shew VVhat recknings made of recklesse drops of dew Rare things are in request and do surmount VVhere common base and vile have none accouur Perhaps some worldling will thee woo for wealth And talke of love when heart by lust is galled Pleades his playn-dealing steps not in by stealth Vowing thy vertue hath his heart enthralled When as thy beautie sitteth their enstalled VVhile mucke not modestie hath him bewitched VVith honor kin or friends to bee enriched And so when causes of his suite decay Lust fully gordgd with lothsomnesse infected Fine beautie fled false riches runne away The causes gon for which thou were elected Th'effectes fal downe and thou art then reiected VVhat better hope or hap may bee maintained Of better rightes why mariage was ordeined If that thou wed to tame flesh kindled sin The fault is doubled if thou fall away If to increase and multiplie thy kin Thou shalt for loathed pleasure deerly pay VVe but report what maryed folkes do say Childe-getting vadinge ioy is in their creedes A raging toy that rash repentance breedes VVhen once the fruitfull wombe hath seede conceived The altred woman seemes not what shee vvas But growes vnweildy groning and agrieved As one surchardged with some weighty masse Like Balams bearing Angel-frighted Asse No sence no signe no pulse no part no passion But that it feeles some perfect alteration Some giddy vapour doth infest her braines And with his foggy missing dims her sight Inslates the secret Artires
Ev'n when they ment most finely foote the Ball. And so haue mist the goale and to their cost Lament too late things past recovery lost Yea some which seeme in shevv to seeke it most â—n secret heart proue trevants treasure wasters One seely thought marres all the maiden bost Which soone betides these great tentation tasters Yea tis a booke-case pend by our great masters In vaine chast flesh a mayden name doth win Where yeelding thoughts haue given consent to sin All are not maides that vow they vvill not wed All are not virgins that are maides esteemed All are not chast that shun the nuptiall bed All are not true Dianaes that are deemed Chast Sara was not single when shee seemed Abused Thamar wore a virgins weede And might haue cloak'd false Amnons foule misdeede A droane doth sometimes in a bees place stand The single life no seale of maiden head Some batch'lers be but traitours in the band Worse foes to virgin wealth then those that wed Who when the foe appeares their force is fled Like Gedeons host faint cowardes prone to yeeld Scant one of ten is chosen for the field Yet quaint encomiast-like with wordes at wil You paint them out with praises at your pleasure VVhile making hast to preconize your skill You make the coate before you take the measure And to entize young tyrons with your treasure Like gold-sicke Alcumistes you pamper in A golden tincture on a peece of Tin VVhat praise peculiar to the thing you paint Which fits not modest mariage more divine Yet to canonize maiden-head a saint You put no ods betweene the saint and shrine To make a painted brow the brighter shine You parasite with praises to her face And causlesse clowd dame wedlocke with disgrace Nay rather say this buxome pleasing wife VVhile shee her toilesome fieldes of houshold tilleth And weanes her children to a Godly life In this her care the Lordes behest fulfilleth Sith that shee doth the thing his wisedome willeth And therefore well may take the vpper-hand Of her vvhose warrant hath not one command Nay rather reason mariage preservation Is lawded loved honored far and neere VVhose sacred rightes haue solemne observation VVhose ancient priviledge hath not his peere VVhose daily fruites are dainties held most deere And adde the cause for which shee is required The most commodious things are most desired VVhat if her house be neighbour to annoyes The blame be theirs not hers that dwelleth by them For if we walke in faire and easie waies That haue some noysome brambles growing nie them That rent our cloathes before we can descrie them The fault is not in fairenesse or the way But our owne folly or the brambles stay In Breschith booke it resteth in record Reporting Register of mans creation That when great Ihova by his powerfull word Made shapelesse man to his owne shape and fashion He first gaue nuptiall rightes for propagation As glorious ground-worke where he vvould begin That building which his prescience laboureth in And did in blessing knit this sociall band Endowd vvith vvorldly empire and earthes treasure Whilst purest nature did vnstained stand In easterne Eden place of passing pleasure When giving Adam of his Evahâ— seasure Ioind two in one inseperable vnion To represent him and his church communion Yea vvhen false man fell to Apostasie Misled by Sathan and his owne freewill Had spoild himselfe and plagu'd his progeny And chang'd his seas of ioies for flouds of ill The matrimoniall state continued still A mithredate to cure sius poysned sting The Bezoar stone that should healthes blessing bring For as a playster to repell despaire Paine ceasing med'cine to an aking sore God promise made that Eve should haue an heire Should bruze hell-serpents head and make him rore And to repaire those ruins added more To faithâ—ull Abr'am when he thus professed That in his seede all nations should blessed VVhen eake loves hot-spur Lamech over bold VVith one sweete fayre could not fowle lust suffice But let desire go loose and vncontrold And chose him mates in number to his eies VVhilst following age was wedded to his guise True wedlocke went to wracke and nature then Straunge mixtures made straung monsters out of men It greived God to see vngratfull man Pollute the earth with rape and ravishment VVhile to sweete bayted sin all headlong ran Ne would in time become true penitent Hee like a champion full of discontent VVith wreakful waters did these wicked wast Not one preserued but the wedded chast And as it were a warning heereto made VVhen nature ruld with law nunâ—npative How sore hee did detest flesh-mongers trade Fell traytors that do wedlocks wracke contriue From Sodoms flames he kept chast fower alive So to preserve chast Saraes bed vnspotted Hee plagued kings whom beautie had bee sotted But in the true transcript of Goddes owne hand Transplendant star how bright doth wedlocke shine Hee vnderprops her empire with commannd Dyrectes her lore with lawes as with a line Condemnes to death her subiectes that decline And when her peace is rent by ielous iarres Hee sets the way to cease her civill warres And vvhile her lasting glasse of glory ronnes He blots her foes faire brow with fowle disgraces But doth vouchsafe to call her children sonnes Enfranchizing her fruit with freedomes mace Doth nicke their counterfeit with name of base As slips of sin and fruites of basest folly Whose rootes he rooteth out as seede vnholly And that fierce Mars with sterne and sower aspect Should nothing hinder Venus influence He Mars his might doth countermaund and checke But gâ—ues her power protection and defence In maryed mates to act benevolence When to the Brides faire groome for loue he spares One yeare exempt from warres and worldly cares Even so the nations led by natures light Din sâ—intilles of the soules synterisis Did patron ze her peace with good fore-sight And to maintaine her princely port in blisse Restrain'd with lawes wild lust that walkes amisse Denouncing death or danger to her foes That darst gainst their states friend themselues appose Thus hath all times and tongues well entertained her Gods faithfull servant and mans fastest friend And those condemn'd to shame that haue disdeign'd her And if I augure right shall to the end When man in vaine doth gainst the Lord contend Ne can the state or pollititian misse her While he for his sweete Sions sake doth blisse her VVhose company giues comfort in distresse Two heades at neede yeeld more advice then one Two walkers in the way may falles redresse Two bodies sooner warme then post alone Two hands to helpe are better far then none How man man misse her comfort doe her right To passe the lingring day or tedious night Shee concord doth augment by consanguinity Sometimes shee standes the counterpawne of peace Shee doth enlardge loues boundes by new affinitie Shee arbitrating vmpire warres doth cease Shee still imploies the common-wealthes increase Her ympes in youth are loues sweete pawnes and
eie doth loath the light And long to haue sin-shrowding darkesome night And while they both revolue their case saith one I had a dreame God turne my dreame to good Mee seem'd we sitting on the iudgement throne Our seate fell downe into a streame of blood And both we drenched in the crymsen flood In sleepe I stroue and strugled wanting breath To scape those waues that did conspire our death VVhich terror made my feareful flesh so tremble Vnneathes I could my perfect sences finde Cease quoth his mate no more dreames oft dissemble Dreames are deceites as wavering as the winde They never daunt a full resolved minde A fainting heart shall never loose the pray VVhich mawgre dreames I meane to win this day Thus are those seniors sold to desolation VVho doth not see their soules subdude to sin VVhilst their lust-hardned hearts by no perswasion Can be recald from what they did begin But bent to venture all vnsure to win Like ravening beares bereaved of their whelpes They sit alone devising many helpes Devising manie helpes to worke their will To vvrest or winne her to their loathed lure O that such Tygers fierce her seeke to spill O that such drowsie droanes should be secure To creepe into a hiue vnstain'd and pure To tast that Nectar and Hyblean Honie That none but one could winne for loue or monie O hearts much harder then the Adamant O chartes of sinne mappes of impietie Are you the men that vices should supplant Doe you in shew adore the dietie And seeke in secret sinnes varietie O doe but thinke there comes a iudgement daie Where such misdeedes cannot be wip'd awaie But your hearts harbour nought but ravishment You follovv Tereus vaine in villanie You carelesse how to die or to repent Do liue secure of shame and infamie And thinke on nought but oportunity To perpetrate your vvicked levvd intent In which already many daies are spent But all daies now are passed and expired In vvhich you liv'd twixt hope and grimme dispaire VVhen time hath brought you vvhere you most deâ— Even to that orchard where most holsome aire Doth kisse the creature which you held most faire Iniurious time vvhy didst thou serue her so VVhich never vvas or ment to be thy foe VVhy didst thou seeke t' enthral a sacred soule VVhy didst thou seeke to traine her vnto lust VVhy dost not oportunitie controule VVhich seekes to draine her honour in the dust O flattring oportunitie vniust Fit slaue to sallie Sathans lewd designement VVhen thy compeere fit place yeeldes entertainment O God vvhy hast thou set the ravening wolfe Vpon the poore and harmelesse lamb to pray VVhy didst thou let her scape Charibdis gulfe For to by Scylla rocke be cast away Thou hast vpheld her happie to this daie And now must light in Lyons ravening iawes And plead to eares that know no right nor lawes For when the sunne neere sommer tropicke seated VVith bright reflected beames did all repeate And westvvard from the southerne line retreated Did make the foggie heart in shade to sweate And croaking raven gape and pant for heare Then did Susanna to her vvalke repaire In shadowed seate to take fresh cooling aire VVhere with her mates demure two modest maides Shee shrowds her selfe in shrubs neere pleasant spring Like harmelesse Elfes the fountaine fairy Naids VVhere waters rush and chirping birdes doe sing And art with nature framd a curious thing A stately conduit whence sweete streames distilled VVhich vnderneath a sumptuous cesterne filled In which this vertuous dame was wont to bath her VVhen lawful rightes such homage did require And now to soone induced much the rather Because sun-burning beames did fry like fire VVherefore shee saith good wentches home retire And bring the soape the cloathes and things I neede Shut fast the dores returne againe with speede VVith due obeysance and a bashfull smile They yeeld the looke of readie servitude And with officious foote they post awhile Vnto the garden dores and them occlude To stop each stranger out that night intrude And by a posterne gate they post away And yet quicke wantons make to tedious stay Thus left alone good lady voide of feare Shee serues her God with solitarie muse Secure what birdes of rapine roosted there That ment her wretch in their sharpe clawes to bruse And vnprophaned bodie to abuse O little doth shee know what serpentes lurke In traitrous place to pray on natures worke Had shee Diana bin as poets faine VVhen these Acteoâ—s pried through the vvood Shee as Diana did would them constraine To be transformed in her angry moode Shee could not doe her glory greater good But what Acteoâ—s seeke to serue their vvill Shee little knowes that never knew such ill The seely fish that hooke hath never angled Doth seldome feare whats hidden in the baite The bird that never was with snare entangled Doth shun no place for that shee feares deceite So carelesse shee what curres lie at receite To take entangle wronge her guiltlesse minde Doth nothing feare shee should such treason finde But Sathan that had smothered long his fire Brings now three blazes flaming hies apase To kindle bright the brand of their desire With beauties praie commodious time and place Vp saith he beastes faint sluggards are you base Cheere vp your spâ—rits let groaning thoughts be glad So faire a day no Lordings ever had VVhile faultlesse shee sits trapt by false occasion VVhen once her maides were gone and all things fast Forthwith these lust-breath'd Lordes made rash invasion To make prophane the soule that is so chast Like hunger-starved vultures they make hast To get the baite within their ravenous beakes To kisse those corall lips and roseall cheakes And though with hast they fall vpon the ground They rise againe and headlong foorth doe ronne The fall doth say this fact shall you confound Your seate is dipt in blood and you vndone O leaue it of that is so ill begonne But while rebellious Sathan runneth by them Good motions cannot enter or come nigh them VVhen shee good lady savv these stragling Lordes To presse in presence with such heedelesse speede Shee wondred greatly Ignorant vvhat wordes VVhen as they came would from their hearts proceede They streight vvith circled armes her bondage breede VVhile gazing eies beholde her comely hue And maffling mouthes these gracelesse speeches spue Quoth one of them for one did speake for boath Wee must with that false heart began to faile him To tell the rest his guilty minde was loath Thinking perhaps dumbe shewes would most availe him And shee amaz'd with merveile what should aile him To greete her helpelesse captiue with I must Did feare the fury of the tyrant lust And quivering standes as doth the harmelesse deere Beset with greedie curres and eagre houndes Shee lookes about and pries to finde a cleere To scape these Crocodiles that passe their bounds VVhose clasped armes doe yeeld her deadly wounds While shame doth tie their tongues make theÌ„ mute And
hope did much distrust their case Their lustfull heartes did murthring thoughtes embrace For bashfull nature once to boldnesse bent Growes shamelesse bold and boldly impudent And as a hoat and eagre dogge in hand VVhen he beholdes his game before his eies Doth fawne and leape licke to loose his band But when he sees him keeper surer ties Then feirce against him hee begines to rise So they when fawning could not win their wil Rayse like curst curres and have a minde to kill For to the sad demaundantes there they say Heere fownd we Susan in adulterye Whose yongue companion fled from hence away Bee fore we could what wight he was descrie Beleeve vs gentle frendes we tell no lie For these our eies are witnesses we saw them And here's the place to which thee did with draw theÌ„ VVhich cursed sight did so our eies offend And much the more for noble Ioachims sake Our honorable kinsman and good frend That we did do our best the groome to take That speedie death for wrong a mendes might make But he for vs to nimble at strong hand Fled by that dore which yet doth open stand The dutious servitors with bashfull brow Blush now with sylent shame at this her fact Who never till that day was thought to bow Vnto so base a sin or vile an act Wherefore they did suspect some plot compact And in her cause would shape some sharp replie VVell armed in her right to giue the lie But when they saw those elders of the land VVere vouchers of the fact and filthie deed They darst not contradict them or withstand And yet their inward partes were touch'd with meed To thinke how ill poore pris'ner shee should speed When as the iudges mouth the witnesse breath Should verdict giue that giues the doome of death And so sad men greife laden home they go To prie what comfort in their ladies looke And leaue these iudges plotting of her woe VVho straight the way vnto their howses tooke Where they their goodly being badly brooke While eagre enuie restlesse doth invent The overthrowe of this chast innocent O Envie wayward witch fowle hagge of hel Whie dost thou make men pine at mens prosperitie O you fond fooles that in her den do dwel And theare torment your selues with her seueritie VVhose slaue is slannder and her page Temeritie Whie wast you restlesse seruice on a dame That restlesse wisheth vertues seruantes shame Pale fretting furie furious sorceresse Bel-dame to madnesse and yoake mate to woe Thy mother pride a mortal murtheresse Thy father Plutus mans immortall foe Thy brattes blood shedding hate that hath no hoe Contention strisse debate revendge and slaunder VVhich vex the life and after death do wander Thy guttes are gald cholers boyling fome Like Aeinaes wombe that belkes sulphurious flames Thy cabbin carrin thoughtes a hell thy home Thy habite like those fierce Tartarian dames VVhose flesh consum'd there resteth but the rames For while thou know'st not how to hold a meane To eate thy neighbors fatlings makes thee leane Their hartes haue anguish soules haue bitternesse VVhome thou dost learne to laugh at vertues woe Thy path is blind and pau'd with slippernesse They walke to hell that in thy wayes do goe Yet are these elders thine devoted so That liuing now they liue but to depriue The life of her they loath to see aliue The filthie roades infect the fowntaines cleere Where others sucke the venome that they leaue And serpentes spue their poyson everie wheare VVhich yet them selues do not of life bereaue But these false seniors do themselues deceaue That spet foorth enuies venome on this dame Yet kill them selues by sucking in the same For on the following day of this disgrace The 〈◊〉 with the people make repaire To keepe thier vsuall courts in wonted place In Ioachims house a spacious roome and faire VVhere feeble hope vpholdeth faint dispaire VVhile their blud-thrishe thoughtes do wholie long To do her fame and body deadly wronge And mounted on the pow'rfull seat of life They wil their summ'nors to ascite and call Susan Helchias daughter loachims wife To make appearance there before them all And answere in an action criminall Thus they pretend with right roote out evilles But whie should right be prophand in such divelles And shee good lady loyall to the lawes Armd with assurance of her innocence And guarded with the goodnesse of her cause In conscience brazen fortresse of defence Feignes none excuse or shifting â—lie pretence But doth obey the summons and proceed And leaves to Godth ' event of her good speede And so attended with a mourning traine Shee makes appearance in the fatall place VVhere standers by cannot from teeres refraine To see the gallant pris'ners wofull case Her pheere her frendes her parentes children race Repleate the ayre with woes and grownd with teeres VVhile heartes eclipse in clowded eie appeeres And standing in a robe of finest blacke Deepe sorrowes signe by causlesse infamie There overspreades her shoulders head and backe Availe of lawne to note integritie Which hid her whiter beautie from the eie This shadow they commaund to be removed That they at least might looke on what they loued Which when th' officious officers had done Sweete beauties blush did yeeld her such a grace As when a clowd is taken from the sonne VVhen sorrow suckes the reds forth of her face The machlesse white aloane doth hold the place But when the crymson humor steines the white Corall seemes shadowed in the Galactite Such is the beautie that enchauntes their eies And charmes their heartes through it so sore attaynted That they both God and goodnesse do despise And vvith nought else but sin are novv acquainted O That shee should with such faire shape be painted To make commaunders mindes to lust obey And shâ—e her selfe exposed for their pray For when they had full gordgd their ravenous eies On beauties dainties with a short repast They two amid'st the people do aryse To giue their witnesse gainst this constante chast And as the law doth will their handes they plast Vppon the head of this pure innocent Two woulves foule pawes a seely lamb to rent VVheare swearing by Gods name a solemne oath To set aside all partiall loue and hate And speake the truth and nothing but the troth Periured iudges foes to truthes estate Vnto the people thus they intymate This noble dame that shewd a sant in sight Is fownd vnconstant fickle lewd and light For yesterday in Ioachims orchard walkinge To recreate our spirites with holesome ayre This dame with her two damselles thither stalkinge Thear did to her an vnknowne youth repayre VVhose shape was comly and his feature fayre But er he came in sight that none detect it Her madens shee disnust least they suspect it VVhoe being gone and dores ybarred fast VVee shrowded from their sight with wakefull heed Perceu'd the wicked to their sin make hast And creaping cloasly with conuenient speed Wee did surprize them in
and like the modest chast Set neither fading beauty goods nor landes Before that hue that in the heart is plast Be never prodigall your goods to wast Learne with the busie ant the way to liue Spare not to much but doe by sparing thriue If you vvith childrens store be blest of God His richest giftes account that pretie crew Enstruct and bring them vp to feare the rod VVith those precepts your parents taught to you Though all things want let them not want this due For sure my sonnes it is not saide for naught Better vnborne then borne to liue vntaught Esteeme the wavering world as it is VVhere swiftest time brings all things to decay Esteeme your selues heere voide of ioâ—es and blisse And thinke each morrow is your ending day Desire of God on earth not long to stay VVhere nought but sin griefe doth reigne be bold And nought is got but sinne in waxing old The little babe once comming to the birth Is borne as bare and naked as my naile The puling wretch his wofull state on earth VVith tongue and teeres new born doth weep and waile To see his soule shut vp in sinful gaile And swadled lims fast fettred round aboute Like captiue wreth that no way findeÌ„th out His childish actions all vnperfect are To sit to eate to speake to stand to goe The childe is taught and nursed vp with care And pampred eke with paine and wakefull woe He proues the pikes of manie a pangue also VVith furious foes he hath continuall warre His flesh this world and raging fiend they are His life is like the raging seas recoile His choysest things are in event but vaine His wealth is want his rest is restlesse toile His health mishap and all his pleasures paine His chiefe companions linked in one chaine Are hopelesse hope deepe danger care and feare VVhile dying life doth dailie dread the beare He often times beset with deepe distresse Doth call for death before his dying daie And dead man like by sleeping in excesse Doth spend the halfe of precious time away The rest mispent in idlenesse or play Or spent to serve our owne occasions so As least we care whear God haue part or noe Thus man is made the pray and spoyle of time A tipe of mis'rie and mishap God woat A sinke of sinfull-sin an heap of crime A ship that still on billowing waues doth flote When age comes on then all his sences doat He waxeth deafe his eies with dazing dimme His teeth currupt he hath no liuely limme Can such a dying man be sayd to liue What kind of life what living call you this No life but death a shade that life doth giue For perfect life by death obtained is Whie then do mortall worldlinges go amisse Whie love they life whie do they death detest Which sets them free from ill and bringeth rest Hence learne poore heartes your life vncerteine is Still heaps of harmes are hovering on your head Keepe these my wordes and feare to do amisse More would I say but life is partly fled Whome death with seely tryumph doth downe tred Fare well sweete ioyes somtimes my heartes delight The grownd my corpes to God I yeeld my spirite Epilogus Thus heere you see how God preserveth his And those that do them iniurize confowndeth Hence may you learne what t'is to live amisse What falles to him that with prowd sin abowndeth That hee which stedfast hope in Gods helpe growndeth Gainst him not hell nor hel houndes shall preveile For God will help when help of man doth faile FINIS Faultes escaped In foll 4. Page 1. make content malecontent 5. 1. surely surly 15 1. maiden birth mâ—ideâ— earth 15 2. maried wise maried wife 18 1. mu murne 23 1. faice faire 23 2. thus this 30 2. that those thus c. 37 1. repeate repleate 40 2. this these 42 2. smallow sâ—â—llow 46 1 â—heethey