jaws of Hell thy guilt extend This death we owe to our impiety But what are his misdeeds why should he die Then looking on his face with dropping eyes Forgive me O forgive a wretch he cries And O my Lord my King when thou shalt be Restor'd to thy own Heaven remember me He mildly gives consent and from the barres Of that sad Crosse thus rais'd him to the Starres With me a happy Guest thou shalt injoy Those sacred Orchards where no frosts destroy The eternall Spring before the Morne display The purple Ensigne of th' ensuing Day CHORVS What 's this the Centre pants with sudden throwes And trembling Earth a sad distemper showes The Sun affrighted hides his golden Head From hence by an unknown Ecliptick fled Irregular Heavens abortive shades display And Night usurpes the empty Throne of Day What threats do these dire Prodigies portend To our offending Race Those ills transcend All that can be imagin'd which inforce Disturbed Nature to forget her Course I heare approaching feet What ere thou art Whom darknesse from our sight conceales impart All that thou know'st to our prepared eares Accomplish or dissolve our pressing feares II NVNCIVS Fury from which if loose the Earth had fled And fatall Starres have their event He 's dead CHORVS O Heaven we pardon now Dayes hasty flight Nor will complain since they have quencht this light Yet tell how he dispos'd of his last breath The passages and order of his death II NVNCIVS As the declining Sun the shades increast Reflecting on the more removed East His blazing haire grew black no clouds obscures His vanisht Light this his own Orb immures The Dayes fourth part as yet invests the Pole Were this a Day when from the afflicted Soule This voice was clearely heard not like the breath Of those who labour between life and death My God O why dost thou thy own forsake VVhich purposely the Multitude mistake But to prolong their cruel mirth who said He on the Thesbian Prophet calls for aid Now to return and draw from Heaven again Devouring Showres of Fire or Flouds of Rain VVith silence this he indures His body rent His bloud exhausted and his Spirits spent He cry'd I Thirst As servants to his will The greedy hollowes of a spunge they fill VVith vineger which Hyssops sprigs combine And on a reed exalt the deadly Wine This scarcely tasted his pale lips once more He opens and now lowder then before Cry'd All is finisht here my labours end To thee O heavenly Father I commend My parting Soul This said hung down his head And with his words his mixed Spirits fled Leaving his body which again must bleed Now senselesse of the Crosse From prison freed Those happy seats he injoyes by God assign'd To injur'd Vertue and th' etheriall Minde But Terrours which with Nature war affright Our peacelesse Souls The World hath lost its Light Heaven and the Deeps below our Guilt pursue Pale troops of wandring Ghosts now hurrie through The holy Citie whom from her unknown And secret Wombe the trembling Earth hath thrown The cleaving Rocks their horrid jawes display And yawning Tombes afford the dead a way To those that live Heaven is the generall And undistinguisht Sepulcher to all Old Chaos now returnes Ambitious Night Impatient of alternate Rule or Right Such as before the Dayes etheriall birth With her own shady People fills the Earth CHORVS How did the many-minded People look At these Portents with what affection strook II. NVNCIVS The Lamentations mixed with the cries Of weeping Women in low'd Vollies rise Those who had known him who his followers were While yet he liv'd and did in death adhere In that new Night sighs from their sorrowes send And to those Heavens they could not see extend Their pious hands complaining that the Sun Would then appeare when this was to be done The safety of their lives the Vulgar dread Some for themselves lament some for the dead Others the ruine of the world bewaile Their Courages the cruel Romanes faile Those hands which knew no peace now lazie grew And conquering Feare to earth their weapons threw Th' amaz'd Centurion with our thoughts compli'd And swore the Heros most unjustly dy'd Whose punishment the Earth could hardly brook But groaning with a horrid motion shook Confirmed by the Dayes prodigious flight To be a beame of the celestiall Light And so the mourning Heavens inverted face Showes to the Vnder world his Heavenly Race CHORVS Why flock the People to the Temple thus No cause excepting piety in us Can want belief Hope they to satisfie With Sacrifice the Wrath of the most High II. NVNCIVS New prodigies as horrid thither hale Th' astonisht Multitude The Temples Vale That hung on guilded Beames in purple dy'd Asunder rent and fell on either side The trust of what was sacred is betray'd And all the Hebrew Mysteries display'd That fatall Ark so terrible of old To our pale foes which Cherubins of Gold Veil'd with their hovering wings whose closure held Those two-leav'd Tables wherein God reveal'd His sacred Lawes That Food which by a new Example fell from Heaven in fruitfull Dew About our Tents and tacidly exprest By intermitted showres the seventh Dayes rest The Rod with never dying blossoms spread Which with a Miter honour Aarons Head These with th' old Temple perisht Th' eye could reach No object in this rupture but the Breach What was from former Ages hid is shown Which struck so great a reverence when unknown The Temple shines with flames and to the sight That fear'd Recesse disclos'd with its own Light Either Religion from their fury flies Leaving it naked to profaner eyes Or God doth this abhorred Seat reject And will his Temple in the Minde erect CHORVS Shall Punishment in Death yet finde an end Shall his cold Corps to earth in peace descend Or naked hang and with so dire a sight Profane the Vefper of the sacred Night II. NVNCIVS Too late Religion warmes their savage brests Lest that neare Houre which harbengers their Feast Should take them unprepar'd to Pilat they Repaire intreat him that the Souldier may From bloudy crosses take their bodies down Before their Festivalls the Morning crown That no uncleannesse might from thence arise In memory of th' Aegyptian Sacrifice The leggs of the two Thieves they brake whose breath Yet groan'd between the bounds of life and death The crashing bones report a dreadfull sound While both their souls at once a passage found Nor had the Cohort lesse to Jesus done Who now the Course prescrib'd by Fate had runne But dead deep in his side his trembling speare A Souldier strake his entrails bare appeare And from that wide-mouth'd Orifice a floud Of water gusht mixt with a stream of bloud The Crosses now discharged of their fraught The People fled not with one look or thought Part sad and part amaz'd Spent Fury dies Whither so fast run you to sacrifice A silly Lambe too mean an Offering Is this for you
CHRISTS PASSION A TRAGEDIE WITH ANNOTATIONS LONDON Printed by Iohn Legatt M. D. C. XL. M. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTIE SIR I Am bold to present you with this Peece of the PASSION the Originall designed by the curious Pensill of Grotius whose former afflictions seeme to have taught him pliable passions and art to rule the affections of others cloathing the saddest of Subjects in the sutable attire of Tragedy not without the Example of two ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church Apollinarius and Nazianzen The Argument is of both the Testaments a patheticall Abstract Those formidable Wonders effected by God in his owne Common-wealth those stupendious Miracles for truth a Pattern to all History for strangenesse to all Fables here meet together to attend on CHRIST'S PASSION The effects of his Power here sweetly end in those of his Mercy and that terrible Lord of Hosts is now this meeke God of Peace reconciling all to one another and Man-kinde to Him-selfe Sr. in this change of Language I am no punctuall Interpreter a way as servill as ungracefull Quintilian censures a Painter that he more affected Similitude then Beauty who would have shown greater Skill if lesse of Resemblance the same in Poetry is condemned by Horace of that Art the great Law-giver Thus in the Shadow of your Absence dismist from Arms by an Act of Time have I in what I was able continued to serve you The humblest of your Majesties Servants GEORGE SANDYS THE PERSONS JESUS CHORUS OF JEWISH WOMEN PETER PONTIUS PILATE CAIAPHAS JUDAS THE JEWS FIRST NUNCIUS SECOND NUNCIUS CHORUS OF ROMANE SOULDIERS JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA NICODEMUS JOHN MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS Imprimatur Tho: Wykes September 17. 1639 THE FIRST ACT. JESVS O Thou who govern'st what thou didst create With equall sway great Arbiter of Fate The Worlds Almighty Father I thy Son Though born in Time before his Course begun Thus far my Deeds have answered thy Commands If more remain my Zeale prepared stands To execute thy Charge all that I feare All that I hate I shall with patience beare No misery refuse no toile nor shame I know for this into the world I came And yet how long shall these extreames indure What Day or Night have known my life secure My burthen by induring heavier grows And present ills a way to worse disclose My Kingdome Heaven I left to visit Earth And suffer'd banishment before my Birth An unknown Infant in a stable born Lodg'd in a manger little poore forlorn And miserable though so vile a Thing Yet worthy of the envy of a King Two yeers scarce yet compleat too old was thought By Herods fears while I alone was sought The bloudy Sword Ephratian Dames deprives Of their dear Babes through wounds they exhal'd their lives Secur'd by flying to a forreign Clime The Tyrant through his Error lost his Crime A Thousand Miracles have made me known Through all the World and my extraction shown Envy against me raves yet Vertue hath More storms of Mischief rais'd then Herods wrath It is decreed by thy unchanging Will I should be acknowledg'd and rejected still Th' inspired Magi from the Orient came Prefer'd my Starre before their Mithra's flame And at my infant feet devoutly fell But Abrahams Seed the House of Israel To thee sequestred from Eternity Degenerate and ingrate their God deny Behold the contumacious Pharisies Arm'd with dissembled Zeale against me rise The bloudy Priests to their stern Party draw The Doctors of their unobserved law And impious Sadduces to perpetrate My intended Overthrow incense the State What rests to quicken Faith Even at my Nod Nature submits acknowledging her God The Galilean Youth drink the pure bloud Of generous Grapes drawn from the Neighbor floud I others famin cur'd subdu'd my own Life-strengthning food for fourty dayes unknown Twixt the Dispensers hands th' admired Bread Increas'd great multitudes of People fed Yet more then all remain'd The Windes asswage Their stormes threatning Billows calme their rage The hardned Waves unsinking feet indure And pale Diseases which despise their cure My Voice subdues Long Darknesse chac'd away To me the Blind by Birth now owes his Day He hears who never yet was heard now speaks And in my Praises first his silence breaks Those damned Spirits of infernall Night Rebels to God and to the Sonnes of Light Inveterate foes my Voice but heard forsake The long possest and struck with terror quake Nor was 't enough for Christ such wonders done To profit those alone who see the Sunne To vanquish Death my powerfull hand invades His silent Regions and inferior Shades The Stars the Earth the Seas my triumphs know VVhat rests to conquer but the Deeps below Through op'ning Sepulchers Nights gloomy Caves The violated priviledge of Graves I sent my dread Commands A heat new born Reanimates the Dead from funerals torn And Deaths-numb Cold expulst inforc'd a way For Soules departed to review the Day The Ashes from their ransackt Tombs receive A second life and by my bounty breathe But Death his late free Empire thus restrain'd Not used to restore his Spoyles complain'd That I should thus unweave the web of Fate Decrease his Subjects and subvert his State I for so many ransomed from Death Must to his anger sacrifice my breath And now that horrid Houre is almost come When sinfull Mortalls shall their Maker doom When I the worlds great Lord who life on all Mankinde bestow'd must by their fury fall That Tragick Time to my last Period hasts And Night who now on all her Shadows casts While with the motion of the Heavens she flies This short delay of my sad life envies Fate be lesse sterne in thy intended Course Nor drag him who will follow without force After so many miseries indur'd Cold Heat Thirst Famine eyes to teares inur'd The end yet worst of ills draws neare their breath For whom I suffer must procure my death The Innocent made guilty by the foule Defects of others must his weary Soule Sigh into aire and though of heavenly birth With his chaste bloud distain th' ungratefull Earth They traffick for my Soule my death long sought Is by the mitred Merchants faction bought And Treason findes reward My travels draw Neare their last end These practices I saw See what this Nights confederate Shadows hide My Minde before my Body crucifi'd Horrour shakes all my Powers my entrailes beat And all my Body flowes with purple sweat O whither is my ancient Courage fled And God-like Strength by Anguish captive led O Death how farre more cruell in thy kinde Th' anxiety and torment of the Minde Then must I be of all at once bereft Or is there any hope of safety left O might I to my heavenly Father pray So supple to my teares to take away Part of these ills But his eternall Doome Forbids and ordered Course of things to come His purpose fixt when yet the world was young And Oracles so oft by Prophets sung Now rushing on their
the Prime And Prince of Priests relate th' imputed Crime CAIAPHAS Great Guardian of the Romane Peace whom we Next Caesar honour to be doom'd by thee Our Senate brings th' Infection of these Times Whom we accuse of no suggested crimes Those holy Rites which grave Antiquity First introduced since defended by A long descent this Innovator sought To abolish and a new Religion taught Nor fearing the Recesse of Gods own Seat The Temples ruine sings and Roof repleat With the full Deitie disturbs the Feast Of the seventh Day design'd for sacred Rest Those lawes rejects which Moses pen reveal'd Even those by God with dreadfull thunder seal'd Nor so content with Heaven his furie warres Aspires that Throne and tramples on the Starres Who stiles himself though of ignoble birth His onely sonne who made both Heaven and Earth This Death must expiate he hath judg'd his Cause Who writ in leaves of Marble our ten Lawes PILAT. When Wrath the Nurse of War and thirst of gold Destructive Arts produc'd the better Soul'd No peace nor safety found inforc't to bear Life of it self infirme through common fear Into Societies the scattered drew Who by united forces potent grew Intrenched Cities with high walls immur'd But more by well-digested Lawes secur'd The Crime and Punishment proportion kept And Wrongs like Wolves on their first Authors leapt Justice from each Offence example took And his own weapon the Delinquent strook Spoil seaz'd on Rapine Bloud drew bloud deter'd From doing that which they to suffer fear'd But more then humane plagues attend on those Who God provoke he prosecutes his foes With sure revenge Why should those Hands which tear The clouds with thunder shake the World with fear Their wrath to Man resigne The impious finde Their scourge the terror of th' astonish'd Minde Affrights their peace who feel what they deny And fear an unbeleeved Deity One Day no period to his torment gives To tremble at the Name of Death he lives Still apprehending what then death is worse Long life awarded to prolong his curse But if he have your laws infring'd be you Your selves the judges and his guilt pursue CAIAPHAS Although those ancient Laws which now remain Among us we acknowledge to retain From Romes free bounty yet to you 't is knowne Our curbed Power can death inflict on none You to whom Caesars Fortunes recommend His Rods and Axes sacred Rule defend This guilty Wretch whose practises we feare Of late his place of birth forsaking where The Sea is honour'd with Tiberius Name With troopes of Clients to this City came Who seeds of War among the Vulgar sowes With what injustice Romane Armes impose Their Tribute on a Nation ever free With magick Charmes and Stygian compact he Attracts beliefe denies the dead their rest Of those un-envi'd Mansions dispossest By wicked Spels These prodigies delude The novelty-affecting Multitude Whom for their Lord their loud Hosannas greet And strew the noble Palme beneath his se et Imboldned by these Arts He as his own By birth aspires to Davids ancient Throne When Rome provok'd by his rebellion shall Arme her just Griefe we by the sword must fall Our City sinke in flames our Countrey lye Depopulated But since One must dye To save the Generall sentenc'd by thy breath Let him redeeme his Nation with his death PILAT. Such doubtfull causes grave advice require Here if you please attend while I retire The Pris'ner to the Souldiers care commit On whom this day we will in judgement fit CHORVS OF JEWISH WOMEN YOu lofty towers of Solyma Thou ancient Throne of Soveraign sway To thee the conquered Tribute pay'd From th' Isthmos crown'd with Ebon shade To great Euphrates trembling Streames Arabians scorch'd by Phoebus beames Th' admiring Queen wing'd with thy Fame From her black-peopled Empire came Great Kings ambitious of thy love To joyne with thee in friendship strove Those who Canopus Scepter bore Those Monarchs who the Sun adore And o're the wealthy Orient reigne Sarrana Soveraigne of the Main Now ah a miserable Thrall O nothing but a prey to all This Land t'one God once chastly wed How often hath she chang'd her Head Since they our Temples ruin'd pride With bad presage reedifi'd Since those in forrein bondage born Did with their servile Fates return On us Antiochus guilt reflects Our Fathers Sinnes sit on our necks What durst that wicked Age not do Which could those Altars naked view Oft flaming with celestiall Fire Provoking Heavens deserved ire With their adult'rat Sacrifice For this did Ours so highly prize Th' Iönian Gods by mortals made And incense to those Idols pay'd Since when th' Accurst their brothers slew Wives lesse malitious poyson brew Sons fall by Mothers we have known That which will be beleev'd by none Twice vanquished by Romane Armes Twice have their Conquerours our harmes Remov'd for greater Fortunes change To our proud Masters prov'd as strange Yet this no lesse our grief provokes Our kindred beare divided yokes One part by Romane bondage wrung The other two by Brothers sprung From Savage Idumaeans whom Our Fathers have so oft ore-come O thou the Hope the onely One Of our distresse and ruin'd Throne Of whom with a prophetick tongue To Judah dying Jacob sung The crowned Muse on ivory Lyre His breast inflam'd with holy Fire This oft fore-told That thou shouldst free The People consecrate to thee That thou triumphing shouldst revoke Sweet Peace then never to be broke When free'd Judaea should obey One Lord and all affect his Sway O when shall we behold thy Face So often promis'd to our Race If Prophets who have won belief By our mishaps and flowing grief Of joyfull change as truely sung Thy absence should not now be long Thee by thy Vertue we intreat The Temples Vaile the Mercies Seat That Name by which our Fathers sware Which in our vulgar Speech we dare Not utter to compassionate Thy Kindreds Teares and ruin'd State Hast to our great Redemption hast O thou most Holy and at last Blesse with thy Presence that we may To thee our Vowes devoutly pay THE THIRD ACT. JVDAS CAIAPHAS YOu who preserve your pure integrity O you whose crimes transcend not credit fly Farre from my presence whose invenom'd sight Pollutes the guilty Thou who wrong and right Distinctly canst discern whose gentle brest All faith hath not abandon'd but art blest With children brothers friends nor hast declin'd The sweet affections of a pious Minde Shut up the winding entry of thine eare Nor let the world of such a bargain heare A Sinne so horrible should be to none Besides the desperate Contractors known Wher 's now that mitred Chief where that dire Train Of Sacrificers worthy to be slain On their own Altars I have found my Curse The Sun except my self sees nothing worse Heare without hire O heare the too well known If you seek for a witnesse I am one That can the truth reveal Or would you finde A Villain Her 's a self-accusing Minde That
sacred Life O most immaculate More then my Masters to your deadly Hate Have I betrai'd discharge my hands I may Although not of the Guilt yet of the Prey Receive the gift you gave a treachery Second to mine you may of others buy CAIAPHAS If thou accuse thy selfe of such a Sin Deservedly thou hast a Court with-in That will condemne thee Thy offences be No Crimes of ours our consciences are free Nor shall the sacred Treasury receive The price of bloud Thee to thy Fate we leave JVDAS Is this the doctrine of your piety To approve the Crime yet hate the Hire O fly Fly wretch unto the Altar and pollute The Temple with thy Sins accursed fruite Nor will I for my selfe with hopelesse praier Solicit Heaven lost in my owne despaire But Gods sterne Justice urge that we who were Joyn'd in the guilt may equall vengeance beare Nor shall I in my punishment proove slow Behold your Leader will before you go 'T is fit you follow to those silent Deepes Those horrid Shades where Sorrow never sleepes Thou great Director of the rouling Starres Vnlesse thou idlely lookst on mens affaires And vainely we thy brutish Thunder feare Why should thy land so dire a Monster beare Or the Sun not retire and yet behold If those thy fearefull punishments of old Require beliefe in one unite them all Let Seas in Cataracts from Meteors fall Afford no shore but swallow in their Brine That so the Worlds first ruine may prove mine Let melting Stars their sulphrous surfet shed And all the Heavenly Fires fall on my Head And thou O injur'd Earth thy jawes extend That I may to th' infernall Shades descend Lesse cause had thy revenge when she the five Inrag'd Conspirators devour'd alive Those evils which amaz'd the former-times Thy fury hath consum'd on smaller Crimes O slow revenger of his injuries And he thy Son some fearefull death devize Vnknowne and horrid Or shall I pursue My owne offence and act what thou shouldst doe You Legions of Heavens Exuls you who take Revenge on Mortals for the crimes you make Why troope you thus about me Or what need These terrors Is my punishment decree'd In Hell already Furies now I come In your darke dungeons what more horrid Rome Shall now devoure me Must I to that Place Where the curs'd Father of a wicked Race Your scourges feeles who when the world was new And but possest by foure his brother slew Or where that faithlesse Prince blasphemes then all His Host more eminent who lest his fall Should honour to his enemies afford Made way for hated Life with his own sword He most affects me who his fathers Chaire Vsurp'd when caught by his revenging Haire He lost the Earth and Life the way he led T'avoided Death my willing feet shall tread Master I fly to anticipate the event Of my foule crime with equall punishment PONTIVS PILAT THE JEWS HOrror distracts my sense irresolute Whether I should break silence or sit mute Envy th' accus'd condemnes whom Justice cleares I must confesse perswaded by my Feares Lest I this State and People should insence I wisht they could have prov'd that great Offence Yet whatsoever they inforc'd of late No fault of his reveal'd but their own hate His silence was a vanquishing reply Who for detecting their false piety Whose supercilious looks with fasting pale Close avarice and proud ambition vaile Is by their Arts made guilty One that slights The God they adore and violates his Rites From hence those many-nam'd Offences spring And his aspiring to become their King Can those poore Fishers of that In-land Sea And women following him from Galile So great a Spirit in their Leader raise That Rome should feare whom all the World obayes Yet he avers his Kingdome is unknown Nor of this World and bows to Caesars Throne Prov'd by th' event for when the Vulgar bound His yeelding hands they no resistance found But his endowments zealous in defence Of clouded Truth their mortall hate incense Follow'd by few who like affections beare And with beliefe their Masters doctrine heare If true he may speak freely nor must dye For Ostentation though he broach a lye But if distracted that 's a punishment Even to it selfe and Justice doth prevent He whom this Annual Solemnity Hath now invited to the Temple by His Father built whose Kingdome borders on The land innobled by Agenor's Throne Of these stupendious acts by Rumour spred Could fixe no faith though in his City bred To laughter doom'd his Rivall Herod scorned And sent him back in purple robes adorn'd Th' implacable now far more fiercely bent To prosecute the twice-found innocent Perhaps afraid lest they their owne should loose Vnlesse they him of forged guilt accuse But when Revenge doth once the Minde ingage O how it raves lost to all sense but rage No Lionesse late of her whelps bereft With wilder fury prosecutes the Theft O Shame I through feare I sought to shield the Right VVith honest Fraud and Justice steale by slight As when the labouring Bark too weak to stem The boysterous Tide obliquely cuts the stream They have an ancient Custome if we may Believe the Jews derived from that Day When the delivered Sons of Israel Fled from those banks whose flouds in summer swel That ever when the Vernall Moone shall joyne Her silver Orb and in full lustre shine They should some one release to gratifie The People by their Law condemn'd to die Now hoping to have free'd the Innocent The violent Priests my Clemency prevent Who urge the heady Vulgar to demand One Barrabas a Thiefe who had a hand In every murther hot with humane blood How little it avails us to be good Preposterous Favour through the hate they heare His guiltlesse Soule their Votes the guilty cleare And now my Wifes not idle dreames perplex My strugling thoughts which all this night did vex Her troubled slumbers who conjures me by All that is holy all the Gods that I Should not the laws of Justice violate To gratifie so undeserv'd a hate For this shall I the Hebrew Fathers slight Th' indeavours of a Nation so unite Committed to my charge Shall I for One Poore Abject forfeit all the good I have done These pester'd Wals all Jewry now infold The Houses hardly can their Strangers hold Sent from all parts to this great Festivall What if the Vulgar to their weapons fall Who knows the end if once the Storme begin Sure I their Judge egregious praise should win By troubling of the publique Peace Shall I Then render him to death Impiety For what offence Is his offence not great Whose innovation may a warre beget Lest Empire suffer they who scepters beare Oft make a Crime and punish what they feare One hope remaines Our Souldiers the Free-borne And yet by our command with whips have torne A sight so full of pitty may asswage The swiftly-spreading fire of popular Rage Look on this Spectacle his armes all o're With lashes
gall'd deep dy'd in their own gore His sides exhausted all the rest appeares Like that Fictitious Scarlet which he weares And for a Crown the wreathed Thornes infol'd His bleeding browes With griefe his griefe behold JEWES Away with him from this Contagion free Th' infected Earth and naile him on a Tree PILAT. What crucifie your King JEWES Dominion can No Rivall brook His rule a Law to Man Whom Rome adores we readily obay And will admit of none but Caesars Sway He Caesars right usurps who hopes to ascend The Hebrew Throne Thy own affairs intend Dost thou discharge thy Masters trust if in Thy government a president begin So full of danger tending to the rape Of Majesty Shall treason thus escape PILAT. The Tumult swels the Vulgar and the Great Joyne in their Votes with contributed heat Whose whisperings such a change of murmur raise As when the rising Windes first Fury strayes 'Mong wave-beat Rocks when gathering Clouds deforme The face of Heaven whose Wrath begets a Storme The fearefull Pilot then distrusts the Skies And to the neerest Port for refuge flies To these rude Clamours they mine eares inure Such sharpe diseases crave a sudden cure You my Attendants hither quickly bring Spot-purging Water from the living Spring Thou liquid Chrystall from pollution cleare And you my innocent hands like record beare On whom these cleansing streames so purely runne I voluntarily have nothing done Nor am I guilty though he guiltlesse die Yours is the Crime his Blood upon you lie JEWES Rest thou secure If his destruction shall Draw down celestiall Vengeance let it fall Thick on our heads in punishment renew And ever our dispersed Race pursue PILAT. Then I from this Tribunall mounted on Imbellish'd Marble Judgements awfull Throne Thus censure Lead him to the Crosse and by A servil death let Judahs King there dye CHORVS OF JEWISH WOMEN JESVS VVE all deplore thy miseries For Thee we beat our brests our eyes In bitter teares their moysture shed If thou be he by Ravens fed Aloft on flaming Charriot born Yet wouldst to cruell Lords return Or that sad Bard believ'd too late Who sung his Countreys servil Fate Now come to sigh her destiny A like unhappy twice to dye Or he long nourish'd in the Wood Who late in Jordans cleansing Flood So many wash'd that durst reprove A King for his incestious love Slain for a Dancer If the same Or other of an elder fame Sent back to Earth in vices drown'd To raise it from that dark Profound 'T is sure thy Sanctitie exceeds Blaz'd by thy Vertue and thy Deeds O never more ring'd with a Throng Of Followers shall thy sacred tongue Informe our Actions nor the way To Heaven and heavenly joyes display The Blind who now the unknown light Beholds scarce trusting his own sight Thy gift shall not the Giver see Those maladies subdu'd by thee Which powerfull Art and Hearbs desie No more thy soveraign Touch shall fly Nor Loaves so tacidly increast Againe so many thousands feast Thou Rule of Lifes Perfection By Practice as by Precept shown Late hemb'd with Auditors whose store Incumbred the too-narrow Shore The Mountains cover'd with their Preasse The Mountains then their People lesse For whom our Youths their garments strew Victorious Boughs before thee threw While thou in Triumph rid'st along Saluted with a joyfull Song Now see what change from Fortune springs O dire Vicissitude of Things Betray'd abandon'd by thy owne Drag'd by thy Foes oppos'd by none Thou hope of our afflicted state Thou Balme of Life and Lord of Fate Not erst to such unworthy bands Did'st thou submit thy powerfull Hands Lo he who gave the dumbe a tongue With patient silence bears his wrong The Souldier ah renews his blows The whip new-op'ned furrows shows Which now in angry tumors swel To us their wrath the Romans sel Lo how his members flow the smart Confin'd to no particular part His stripes which make all but one sore Run in confused streames of gore Art thou the Slave of thy owne Fate To beare thy torments cursed waight What Arab though he wildly stray In wandring Tents and live by prey Or Cyclop who no pitty knowes Would such a cruel task impose O that the fatall pressure might Sinke thee to Earth nor weigh more light Then Death upon thee that thy weake Vntwisted thread of life might breake It were a blessing so to dye But O for how great cruelty Art thou reserv'd the Crosse thou now Support'st must with thy burden bow JESVS Daughters of Solyma no more My wrongs thus passionately deplore These teares for future sorrows keep Wives for your selves and children weep That horrid day will shortly come When you shall blesse the barren Wombe And Brest that never infant fed Then shall you wish the mountains head Would from his trembling basis slide And all in tomb's of ruins hide CHORVS Alas thou spotlesse Sacrifice To greedy Death no more our eyes Shall see thy Face ah never more Shalt thou return from Deaths dark shore Though Lazarus late at thy call Brake through the barrs of Funerall Rais'd from that Prison to review The World which then he hardly knew Who forth-with former sense regains The bloud sprung in his heated Veins His sinews supple grew yet were Again almost conjeal'd with feare Thy followers Sadock now may know Their Error from the Shades below A Few belov'd by the Most High Through Vertue of the Deitie To others rarely rendred breath None ever rais'd himselfe from death THE FOVRTH ACT. FIRST NVNCIVS CHORVS OF JEWISH WOMEN SECOND NVNCIVS I From the horrid'st Act that ever fed The fire of barbarous Rage at length am fled Yet O too neare The Object still pursues Flotes in mine eyes that sad Scene renewes CHORVS Art thou a witnesse of his miserie Saw'st thou the Galilean Prophet die 1. NVNCIVS Those Savages to Scythian Rocks confin'd Who know no God nor vertue of the Minde But onely Sense pursue who hunger tame With slaughtered Lives they and their food the same Would this detest CHORVS Vain Innocence would none Lend him a teare were all transform'd to stone 1. NVNCIVS No certainly yet so commiserate As Pittie prov'd more tyrannous then Hate The cursed Tree with too much weight opprest His stooping shoulders Death had now releast His fainting Soul but O the Lenitie Of Malice would not suffer him to die Part of the load impos'd with idle scorn On Lybian Simon in Cyrene born To whom th' affected quiet of the fields Secur'd by Poverty no safety yeelds The Furies of the Citie him surprise Who from the vices of the Citie flies Who beares not his own burden that none may Misdoubt the Innocent became their prey CHORVS Forth-with unmask this wretched face of Wo All that he suffer'd and the manner show What words brake from his sorrow give thy tongue A liberall scope Our mindes not seldome long To know what they abhorre nor spare our eares What can be heard is fancied by our feares
1. NVNCIVS With-out the Citie on that side which lies Exposed to the boysterous injuries Of the cold North to War a fatall Way Infamous by our slaughters Golgotha Exalts his Rock No flowers there paint the field Nor flourishing trees refreshing shadowes yield The ground all white with bones of mortalls spread Stencht with the putrefaction of the dead And reliques of unburied Carcases Who on his aged Fathers throat durst sease Rip-up his mothers wombe who poyson drest For his own brother or his unknown Guest Betray'd and gave his mangled flesh for food Vnto the wild inhabitants of the Wood This Stage of Death deserv'd while every soule Misdeed of theirs pursues the guilty Soule Now when the Nazarite at this dismall place Arrived with a weak and tardy pace Least he should die too quickly some preferre Sweet wine mixt with the bitter teares of Myrrhe He of the idle present hardly tasts But to incounter with his torments hasts The Steel now bor'd his feet whose slit veines spout Like pierced conduits both his armes strechtout His hands fixt with two nailes While his great Soule These tortures suffer'd while the rising Bole Forsook the Earth and crimson Torrents sprung From his fresh wounds he gave his Grief no tongue The Crosse advanc'd and fixt then as more nigh To his own Heaven his eyes bent on the Skie Among such never to be equal'd woes Who would beleeve it pities his stern foes And thinks those false Contrivers those who gor'd His flesh with wounds more fit to be deplor'd Who even their merited destruction feares And falsely judg'd the truly guilty cleares Father he cries forgive this sinne they knew Not what they did nor know what now they do Mean-while the Souldiers who in bloud delight With hearts more hard then Rocks behold this sight And savage Rigor never reconcil'd To Pitty all humanitie exil'd Who us'd to pillage now intend their prey Nor for his death though then a dying stay But he alive and looking on divide The Spoil yet more in the Spectatour joy'd Fury in trifles sports their scorn his poore Yet parted garments distribute to foure His inward Robe with one contexture knit Nor of the like division would admit Their votes to the dispose of Lots referre Electing Chance for their blinde Arbiter Nor wa st the least of evils to behold Th' ignoble Partners of his pain who old In mischief rob'd the murder'd Passengers Follow'd by Troops that fill'd the Night with feares While thus they hung none could the doubt explain VVhether He more had sav'd then They had slain The numerous Index of each bloudy deed Now brand their lives when those who could not read At such a distance of the next inquire For what they dy'd who had the same desire But above his declining Head they hung A table in three Languages the Tongue The first of tongues which taught our Abrahamites Those heavenly Precepts and mysterious Rites Next that which to th' informed World imparts The Grecian Industry and learned Arts Then this from whence the conquer'd Earth now takes Her Lawes and at the Romane Virtue quakes All of one sense His place of birth his Name Declare and for the Hebrew King proclame After the bloudy Priests so long had fed On this lov'd Spectacle at length they read The Title and in such a miserie So full of ruth found something to envy The Governour intreating to take down That glorious Stile lest he the Hebrew Crown Should vindicate in Death and so deny That Princes by Subordinates should die But who that Day so readily compli'd To give a life austerely this deni'd CHORVS While lingring Death his sad release deferr'd How lookt the standers by what words were heard I. NVNCIVS Not all alike discording murmurs rise Some with transfixed hearts and wounded eyes Astonisht stand some joy in his slow fate And to the last extend their Barbarous hate Motion it self variety begets And by a strange vicissitude regrets What it affected nor one posture beares Teares scornfull laughter raise and laughter teares Who to the Temple from th' impoverisht shore Of Galilee his followed steps adore And ministred to his life now of his End The Witnesses still to their dying friend Their faith preserve which as they could they show In all th' expressions of a perfect woe One from her panting brest her garments tare Another the bright tresses of her haire This with her naked armes her bosome beats The hollow rock Her fearfull shriekes repeat She stiff with sorrow But what grief could vie With that example of all piety His virgin Mothers this affords no way To lessening teares nor could it self display Where should she fix her looks if on the ground She sees that with her bloud he bleeding drown'd Or if she raise her eyes the killing sight Of her wombes tort'red Issue quencht their light Fearing to look on either both disclose Their terrours who now licences her woes Ready to have stept forward and imbrast The bloudy Crosse her feeble lims stuck fast Her feet their motion lost her voice in vain A passage sought such Grief could not complain Whose Soul almost as great a Sorrow stung As his who on the Tree in torments hung That Youth one of the Twelve so dignifi'd By his deare Masters love stood by her side Beholding this sad Paire those Souls that were To him then life while life remain'd more deare He found an other Crosse his spirits melt More for the sorrow seen then torments felt At length in strength transcending either brake The barres of his long silence and thus spake A legacie to each of you I leave Mother this sonne in stead of me receave By thy adoption and thou gentle boy The seed of Zebedeus late my joy Thy friend now for thy mother take This said Again he to his torments bow'd his Head The Vulgar with the Elders of our Race And Souldiers shake their heads in his disgrace Is this the man said they whose hands can raise The Temple and rebuild it in three dayes Now shew thy strength Or if the Thunderer Above the rank of Mortalls thee preferre Acknowledg'd for his Heir let him descend Confirme thy hopes and timely succour lend Behold the help thou gav'st to others failes The Authour Break these Bonds these stubborn Nails And from the Crosse descend then we will say Thou art our King and thy Commands obey Nor wast enough that the surrounding Throng Wound with reproches Who besides him hung Doth now again a murderers minde disclose And in his punishment more wicked growes Who thus If thou be he whom God did choose To Govern the free'd Nation of the Jews Thy self and us release thus honour win The Partner of his death as of his sinne Who had his fiercenesse with the thief cast-off Ill brookes and thus reprooves that impious scoff Hast thou as yet not learnt to acknowledge God Nor sacred Justice fear who now the rod Of vengeance feel'st wilt thou again offend And to the
fleet with our breath After Death nothing rests and nothing Death But of swift Life the Gole Ambition lay Thy hopes aside nor Care our peace betray Inquir'st thou to what place thou shalt return VVhen dead To that where lie the yet Vnborn Seneca in Troad They held that there was neither Spirits nor Angels rejected all Traditions and onely allowed of the five books of Moses that there was no such thing as Fate that no evil proceeded from God and that Vertue and Vice were in our own Arbitrements The Pharisees were sociable among themselves but the Sadduces ever at discord and as uncivill to their own Sect as to strangers This Heresie infected not a few of the High Priests for Hircanus with his two Sons Aristobulus and Alexander were Sadduces so was Auanus the younger Vers. 151. Now the full Moon In the first full Moon after the Suns ascending into the Equinoctiall they celebrated the annuall Passeover according to the positive Law of Moses eating the Lambe in the Evening at their private houses and lying about the table on beds as the Romanes upon their Trielinium never fewer then ten together if they wanted of their owne Family they supplied themselves with their Neighbours nor above the number of twenty This Feast was onely to be kept at Ierusalem but those that came short of the Day by reason of the distance or were defiled with the Dead had a second Passeover in the moneth following assigned Vers. 161. Our washings past It was the Custome as well of all the Eastern Nations as of the Iewes to wash the feet of their Guests though performed by inferior Servants but here by Christ himself to give an example of humilitie They had vessels standing by ready fill'd with water for that purpose This at this Feast was observed between the first and second lying down by way of Purification Vers. 175. Phosphorus The same with Lucifer which is a bringer in of Light and therefore the Harbinger of the Day said to conduct and withdraw the Starres in that the last that shineth This is the beautifull Planet of Venus which when it riseth before the Sun is the Morning Starre and setting after it the Evening Now sea-bath'd Hesperus who brings Night on and first displayes his wings Now radiant Lucifer who Day Exalting chaceth Night away In regard that her Course is sometimes swifter then the Sun and sometimes slower yet never farre off and fulfilling the same period Vers. 193. Those Cities c. The Cities which lie at the foot of Libanus on the North of Galilee whereof Cesarea Philippi the Seat of the Tetrarch was the principall where Iordan not farre above descends from Ior and Dan two neighbouring Fountains Vers 198. A Sea-resembling Lake The Lake of Genesareth called also the Sea of Galilee and of Tiberias taking this name from that Citie there built by Antipas in honour of Tiberius It extendeth forty fur-longs in breadth and in length an hundred the shore once inriched with the Cities of Capharnaum Tiberias Bethsaida Bethsan Gadra Taricha and Chorosaim Vers. 199. Those VVoods of Palmes In the Plaines adjoyning to Iericho from their abundance called the Citie of Palmes Vers. 200. Of fragrant Balsamum which c. As in Engaddi so Balsamum grew plentifully about Iericho A plant onely proper to that Countrey and from thence transported into Aegypt by Antonius to gratifie Cleopatra It dies if it be toucht with iron and therefore they lanch the rinde with sharp stones or knives of bone from whence that precious liquour distilleth Vers. 203. That mount Phasga from whence Moses saw all the land of Promise from Dan to Bersheba and there died buried in an unknown Sepulcher by an Angel lest that should have drawn the Israelites to Idolatry Saint Hitrome writes how the Devil indeavouring to reveale the place was resisted by Michael the Archangel Vers 209. Cepheans whose strong walls c Cepheus the son of Phoenix reigned in Ioppa A citie built by Iaphet before the Floud and rather covered then demolisht by that Deluge The Inhabitants with their territories took the name of their King Who worshipped Dercetis the Goddesse of the Ascalonites their neighbours She as they fable inflamed with the love of a beautifull Youth who sacrific'd unto her having by him a Daughter who after in that nourished by Doves was called Semiramis ashamed of her incontinency put away the Youth exposed the childe to the mercie of the Deserts and distracted with sorrow threw her self into a Lake neare Ascalon and there was changed into a fish Of which Ovid To insist upon The sad Dercetis of great Babylon Who as the Palestines beleeve did take A scaly form inhabiting a Lake To whom a magnificent Temple was erected with her image in the likenesse of a fish from the navell downward This was that Dagon the Idol of the Ascolonites according to S. Hierome by interpretation the Fish of Sorrow which fell before the Ark of God when it was brought into her Temple Vers. 214. Azotus both the Jamnes Maritim townes belonging to the Philistines the latter so called of the flourishing Soyle Vers. 215. Lydda A Citie seated in the valley above and a little to the North of Ioppa called after the Citie of Iupiter famous for the Allegoricall Combat of St George and his Martyrdome Vers. 216. Caparorsa A Citie of Iudaea according to Ptolomey rather of Idumea as here intimated by our Authour Vers. 217. Damascus The regall Citie of Syria as pleasant as great here said to have commanded ten Nations It lieth on the North of Galiee in a valley beyond Antelibanus six short dayes journey from Ierusalem Vers. 219. Sabaste Samaria the soveraigne Citie of those ten Tribes which fell from the House of Iudah not much above a dayes journey from Ierusalem Built by Amri on the top of a Hill presenting an admirable Prospect which he bought of Samarus of whom it was called Samaria The Inhabitants infamous for their frequent falling from God to Idolatry Vers. 221. Phoenicians who The Inhabitants between the great Sea and Galilee so called of Phoenix their king the fifth in descent from Iupiter honour'd for the invention of Letters Phoenicians first exprest if Fame be true The fixt voice in rude figures Memphis knew Not yet how streame-lov'd Biblus to prepare But birds and beasts carv'd out in stone declare Their Hieroglyphick Wisdomes Lucan l. 3. These Cadmus the sonne of Agenor communicated to the Grecians Vers. 223. Tyrus full of Luxury The Metropolis of Phoenicia once soveraigne of the Sea and of all the World the greatest Emporium whose beauty commerce and riches the parent of luxury is by the Prophet Ezekiel most gloriously described Vers. 224. Mother Sidon The ancientest Citie of Phoenicia built by Sida the daughter of Belus or rather by Sidon the first-born of Canaan The mother of Tyrus for the Tyrians were a Colony of the Sidonians Vers. 226. Among the Syrians those c. The Syrians would eat no fish not
from the People this contrary to the Opinion of our Authour Baronius conceives to be that which then rent asunder interpreted to signifie the finall abolishing of the Law Ceremoniall They write that at the tearing thereof a Dove was seene to flye out of the Temple Vers. 319. Or God doth this abhorr'd c. Eusebius St. Ierome and others report that with this Earthquake at the Passion the Doores of the Temple flew open and that the Tutular Angels were heard to cry Let us remove from this place though Iosephus referre it to the destruction of the Temple Vers. 362. Tyrian Gades Gades now called Cales an Iland lying on the South of Spaine without Hercules Pillars held to be the uttermost Confines of the Western World was planted by a Colony of the Tyrians Vers. 363. As yet sees not thy panting Horses c. A Charriot and Horses were attributed to the Sunne in regard of the swiftnesse of his Motion and to expresse what is beyond the object of the sense by that which is subject unto it These also by the Idolatrous Iews were consecrated unto him The Sunne was feined to descend into the Sea because it so appeareth to the eye the Horizon being there most perspicuous Vers. 371. Hath some Thessalian Witch c. The Thessalian women were infamous for their inchantments said to have the power to darken the Sunne and draw the Moone from her Spheare Such Lucans Erictho Her words to poyson the bright Moone aspire First pale then red with darke and terrene fire As when deprived of her Brothers sight Earth interposing his Coelestiall Light Perplext with tedious Charmes and held below Till she on under Hearbs her gelly throw Phar l. 6. The Author of this opinion was Aglonice the daughter of Hegaemon who being skilfull in Astronomy boasted to the Thessalian women foreknowing the time of her Eclips that she would performe it at such a season which hapning accordingly and they beholding the distemper'd Moone gave credit to her deception The like may arise from the Eclipses of the Sunne Vers. 372. What new Phaëton The fable of Phaëton the sonne of Phoebus as the Allegory is notorious who by misguiding the Charriot of the Sunne set all the World on a conflagration Vers. 377. As when sterne Atreus c. Atreus having had his bed dishonored by his brother Thyestes slew his children and gave them for food to their father when the Sunne to avoid so horrid a sight fled back to the Orient So fained in that Atreus first discovered the Annuall Course of the Sun which is contrary to his Diurnall Vers. 379. Ilia's god-like sonne c. Romulus cut into a hundred pieces by the hundred Lords of the Senate for being so rigorous to them and so indulgent to the People every one carrying a piece away with him under his long Gowne to conceale the murder when Iulius Proculus to appease the People swore that he saw him ascend into Heaven whereupon they consecrated Temples unto him and gave him divine honours changing his Name into Quirinus Vers. 383. Or hath that Day c. The Great Yeere when all the Planets here called Gods because they carry their Names shall returne to that position which they were in at the beginning Comprising according to Cicero's Hortensius the revolution of twelve thousand nine hundreth and fifty yeers Vers. 390. If the World perish by licentious fire The Romanes could not then have this from St. Peter but rather from the Prophesies of the Sibyls These Signes the Worlds combustion shall fore-run Armes clashing Trumpets from the rising Sun Horrible fragors heard by all this Frame Of Nature then shall feed the greedy flame Men Cities Floods and Seas by rav'nous lust Of Fire devour'd all shall resolve to dust Orac. l. 4. From hence perhaps the Ancient Philosophers derived their opinions as Seneca a Latter The Stars shall incounter one another and what now shines so orderly shall burne in one Fire Vers. 395. Either the groaning world c. Vers. 397. Do proud Titanians c The Poets feigne that the angry Earth to be revenged of the Gods brought forth the Titans as after the Gyants who by throwing mountains upon mountains attempted to scale the Heavens and disinthrone Iupiter who overthrew them with his Lightning and cast those conjested Mountains upon them Pherecydes the Syrian writes how the Devils were cast out of Heaven by Iupiter this fall of the Giants perhaps alluding to that of the Angels The chief called Ophionius which signifies Serpentine having after made use of that Creature to poyson Eve with a false ambition Vers. 400. Dire Python A prodigious Serpent which after Deucalions Floud lay upon the Earth like a Mountain and slain by Apollo the sense of the Fable being meerely Physicall for Python born after the deluge of the humid Earth was that great Exhalation which rose from the late drowned world at length dissipated by the fervour of the Sunne or Apollo The Earth then soak'd in showres yet hardly dry Threw up thick clouds which darkned all the Sky This was that Python Pont. Meteor The word signifies putrefaction and because the Sun consumes the putrefaction of Earth his beams darting from his Orb like arrows with his arrows he is said to have slain Python Vers. 400. Lerna's Fen In this lay that venemous Serpent Hydra which is said to have many Heads whereof one being cut off two rose in the room more terrible then the former and with her poysnous breath to have infected all the Territories adjoyning This Fable had a relation to that place which through the eruption of waters annoyed the neighbouring Cities when one being stopt many rose in the room this Hercules perceiving burnt them with fire Corruption boyls away with heat And forth superfluous vapours sweat But Physically Hydra signifies water and Hercules according to Macrobius presenteth the Sunne whose extraordinary fervour dried up those noysome and infectious vapours Vers. 404. Lyaeus gave to man lesse precious wine Lyaeus is a name of Bacchus because wine refresheth the Heart and freeth it from sorrow Noah was he who immediately after the Floud first planted a Vineyard and shewed the use of wine unto man wherefore some write that of Noachus he was called Boachus and after Bacchus by the Ethnicks either by contraction or through ignorance of the etymologie This comparison hath relation to Christ's conversion of water into such excellent wine at Cana in Galilee Vers. 405. Not Hercules so many Monsters slew Hercules saith Seneca travelled over the world not to oppresse it but to free it from Oppressours and by killing of Tyrants and Monsters to preserve it in tranquillitie But how much more glorious were the victories of Christ who by suffering for Sinne subdued it led Captivity captive was the death of Death triumphing over Hell and those Spirits of Darknesse Vers. 406. Vnshorn Apollo desse in Physick knew Apollo to whom they attribute long yellow haire in regard of his beautifull Beams is