t' uphold hâ—s Masters family But as that to a period did haste So Eumenes of destiny must taste Antigonus all Persia now gains And Master of the treasure he remains Then with Seleuchus straight at ods doth fall But he for aid to Ptolomy doth call The Princes all begin now to envie Antigonus his growing up so hye Fearing their state and what might hap ere long Enter into a combination strong Selcuchus Ptolomy Cassander joynes Lyâ—â—mac us to make a fourth combines Antigonus desirous of the Greeks To make Cassander odious to them seeks Sends forth his declaration from a farre And shews what cause they had to take up warre The Mother of their King to death he 'd put His Wife and Son in prison close had shut And how he aymes to make himselfe a King And that some title he might seeme to bring Thessalonica he had newly wed Daughter to Phillip their renowned head Had built and call'd a City by his name Which none e're did but those of royall fame And in despight of their two famous Kings Th' hatefull Olinthians to Greece re-brings Rebellious Thebs he had re-edified Which their late King in dust had-damnified Requires them therefore to take up their Armes And to requite this Traytor for those harmes Now Ptolomy would gaine the Greeks likewise For he declares against his injuries First how he held the Empire in his hands Seleuchus drove from government and lands Had valiant Eumenes unjustly slaine And Lord o' th' City Susha did remain So therefore craves their help to take him down Before he weare the universall Crown Antigonus at Sea soone had a fight Where Ptolomy and the rest put him to flight His Son at Gaza likewise lost the field So Syria to Ptolomy did yeeld And Sclcuchus recovers Babylon Still gaining Countries East-ward goes he on Demetrius againe with Ptolomy did fight And comming unawares put him to slight But bravely sends the Priseners back againe And all the spoyle and booty they had tane Curtius as noble Ptolomy or more Who at Gaza did th' like to him before Antigonus did much rejoyce his son His lost repute with victorie had won At last these Princes tired out with warres Sought for a peace and laid aside their jarres The terms of their agreement thus expresse That each shall hold what he doth now possesse Till Alexander unto age was grown Who then shall be installed in the throne This touch'd Cassander sore for what he 'd done Imprisoning both the mother and her son He sees the Greeks now favour their young Prince Whom he in durance held now and long since That in few years he must be forc'd or glad To render up such kingdomes as he had Resolves to quit his fears by one deed done And put to death the mother and her son This Rexane for her beautie all commend But for one act she did just was her end No sooner was great Alexander dead But she Dariu's daughters murthered Both thrown into a well to hide her blot Perdicas was her partner in this plot The Heavens seem'd slow in paying her the same But yet at last the hand of vengeance came And for that double fact which she had done The life of her must go and of her son Perdicas had before for his amisse But from their hands who thought not once of this Gassander's dead the Princes all detest But 't was in shew in heart it pleas'd them best That he was odious to the world they 'r glad And now they are free Lords of what they had When this foul tragedy was past and done Polisperchon brings up the other son Call'd Hercules and elder then his brother Bur Olymptas thought to preferre th' other The Greeks touch'd with the murther done so late This Prince began for to compassionate Begin to mutter much ' gainst proud Cassander And place their hopes o' th heire of Alexander Cassander fear'd what might of this insue So Polisperchon to his Counsell drew Gives Peloponesus unto him for hire Who slew the prince according to desire Thus was the race and house of Alexander Extinct by this inhumane wretch Cassander Antigonus for all this doth not mourn He knows to 's profit all i' th end will turn But that some title he might now pretend For marriage to Cleopatra doth send Lysimachus and Ptolomy the same And vile Cassander too sticks not for shame She now in Lydia at Sardis lay Where by Embassage all these Princes pray Choise above all of Ptolomy she makes With his Embassadour her journey takes Antigonu's Lieutenant stayes her still Untill he further know his Masters will To let her go or hold her still he fears Antigonus thus had a wolf by th' â—aâ—s Resolves at last the Princesse then'd be stain So hinders him of her he could not gain Her women are appointed to this deed They for their great reward no better speed For straight way by command they 'r put to death As vile conspiratours that took her breath And now he thinks he 's ordered all so well The world must needs believe what he doth tell Thus Philips house was quite extinguished Except Cassanders wife who yet not dead And by their means who thought of nothing lesse Then vengeance just against the same t' expresse Now blood was paid with blood for what was done By cruell father mother cruell son Who did erect their cruelty in guilt And wronging innocents whose blood they spilt Philip and Olympias both were slain Aridaeus and his Queen by slaughters ta'ne Two other children by Olympias kill'd And Cleopatra's blood now likewise spill'd If Alexander was not poysoned Yet in the flower of 's age he must lie dead His wise and sons then slain by this Cassander And 's kingdomes rent away by each Commander Thus may we hear and fear and ever say That hand is righteous still which doth repay These Captains now the stile of Kings do take For to their Crowns there 's none can title make Demetrius is first that so assumes To do as he the rest full soon presumes To Athens then he goes is entertain'd Not like a King but like some God they fain'd Most grossely base was this great adulation Who incense burnt and offered oblation These Kings fall now afresh to warres again Demetrius of Ptolomy doth gain 'T would be an endlesse story to relate Their severall battells and their severall fate Antigonus and Seleuchus now fight Near Ephesus each bringing all their might And he that conquerour shall now remain Of Asia the Lordship shall retain This day twixt these two foes ends all the strife For here Antigonus lost rule and life Nor to his son did there one foot remain Of those dominions he did sometimes gain Demetrius with his troops to Athens flies Hoping to find succour in miseries But they adoring in prosperity Now shut their gates in his adversity He sorely griev'd at this his desperate state Tries foes since friends will not compassionate His peace he
then with old Seleuchus makes Who his fair daughter Stratonica takes Antiochus Seleuchus dear lov'd son Is for this fresh young Lady-half undone Falls so extreamly sick all fear his life Yet dares not say he loves his fathers wife When his disease the skilfull Physician found He wittily his fathers mind did sound Who did no sooner understand the same But willingly resign'd the beauteous dame Cassander now must die his race is run And leaves the ill got kingdomes he had won Two sons he left born of King Philips daughter Who had an end put to their dayes by slaughter Which should succeed at variance they fell The mother would the youngest should excell The eld'st enrag'd did play the vipers part And with his Sword did pierce his mothers heart Rather then Philips child must longer live He whom she gave his life her death must give This by Lysimachus soon after slain Whose daughter unto wife he 'd newly ta'n The youngest by Demetrius kill'd in fight Who took away his now pretended right Thus Philips and Cassander's race is gone And so falls out to be extinct in one Yea though Cassander died in his bed His seed to be extirpt was destined For blood which was decreed that he should spill Yet must his children pay for fathers ill Jehu in killing Ahabs house did well Yet be aveng'd must th' blood of Jesreel Demetrius Cassanders kingdomes gains And now as King in Macedon he reigns Seleuchus Asia holds that grieves him sore Those 〈◊〉 untries large his father got before These to recover musters all his might And with his son in law will needs go fight There was he taken and imprisoned Within an Isle that was with pleasures fed Injoy'd what so beseem'd his Royalty Onely restrained of his liberty After three years he dyed left what he 'd won In Greece unto Antigonus his son For h s posterity unto this day Did nâ—'r regain one foot in Asia Now dyed the brave and noble Ptolomy Renown'd for bounty valour clemency Rich Aegypt left and what else he had won To Philadelphus his more worthy Son Of the old Heroes now but two remaine Seleuchus and Lysimachus those twaine Must needs goe try their fortune and their might And so Lysimachus was slaine in fight 'T was no small joy unto Seleuchus breast That now he had out-lived all the rest Possession he of Europe thinks to take And so himselfe the only Monarch make Whilst with these hopes in Greece he did remaine He was by Ptolomy Cerannus slaine The second Son of the first Ptolomy Who for rebellion unto him did sly Selencbus was as Father and a friend Yet by him had this most unworthy end Thus with these Kingly Captaines have we done A little now how the Succession run Antigonus Seleuchus and Cassander With Ptolomy reign'd after Alexander Cassanders Sons soone after 's death were slaine So three Successors only did remaine Antigonus his Kingdoms lost and 's life Unto Seleuchus author of that strife His Son Demetrius all Cassanders gaines And his posterity the same retaines Demetrius Son was call'd Awigonus And his againe also Demetrius I must let passe those many battels fought Between those Kings and noble Fyrrus stout And his son Alexander of Epire Whereby immortall honour they acquire Demetrius had Philip to his son He Perseus from him the kingdom 's won Emillius the Roman Generall Did take his rule his sons himself and all This of Antigonus his seed's the fate Whose kingdomes were subdu'd by th' Roman state Longer Seleuchus held the Royalty In Syria by his posterity Awiochus Soter his son was nam'd To whom Ancient Berosus To much fam'd His book of Assurs Monarchs dedicates Tells of their warres their names their riches fates But this is perished with many more Which we oft wish were extant as before Antiochus Theos was Soters son Who a long warre with Egypts King begun The affinities and warres Daniel set forth And calls them there the Kings of South and North This â—â—cos he was murthered by his wife Seleuchus reign'd when he had lost his life A third Seleuchus next sitâ— on the seat And then Antiochus surnam'd the great Seleuchus next Anttiochus succeeds And then Epiphanes whole wicked deeds Horrid massacres murders cruelties Against the Jewes we read in Macchabees By him was set up the abomination I 'th' holy place which caused desolation Antiochus Eupator was the next By Rebells and imposters daily vext So many Princes still were murthered The Royall blood was quite extinguished That Tygranes the great Armenian King To take the government was called in Him Lucullus the Romane Generall Vanquish'd in fight and took those kingdomes all Of Greece and Syria thus the rule did end In Egypt now a little time we 'l spend First Ptolomy being dead his famous son Cal'd Philadelphus next sat on the throne The Library at Alexandria built With seven hundred thousand volumes fill'd The seventy two interpreters did seek They might translate the Bible into Greek His son was Evergetes the last Prince That valour shew'd vertue or excellence Philopater was Evergete's son After Epiphanes sat on the Throne Philometer then Evergetes again And next to him did false Lathurus reigne Alexander then Lathurus in 's stead Next Auletes who cut off Pompey's head To all these names we Ptolomy must adde For since the first that title still they had Fair Cleopatra next last of that race Whom Julius Caesar set in Royall place Her brother by him lost his trayterous head For Pompey's life then plac'd her in his stead She with her Paramour Mark Antony Held for a time the Egyptian Monarchy Till great Augustus had with him a fight At Actium slain his Navy put to flight Then poysonous Aspes she sets unto her Armes To take her life and quit her from all harmes For 't was not death nor danger she did dread But some disgrace in triumph to be led Here ends at last the Grecian Monarchy Which by the Romans had its destiny Thus Kings and Kingdoms have their times and dates Their standings over-turnings bounds and fates Now up now down now chief and then brought under The Heavens thus rule to fill the earth with wonder The Assyrian Monarchy long time did stand But yet the Persian got the upper hand The Grecian them did utterly subdue And Millions were subjected unto few The Grecian longer then the Persian stood Then came the Romane like a raging flood And with the torrent of his rapid course Their Crownes their Titles riches beares by force The first was likened to a head of gold Next armes and breast of silver to behold The third belly and thighs of brasse in sight And last was Iron which breaketh all with might The Stone out of the Mountaine then did rise And smote those feet those legs those arms and thighs Then gold silver brasse iron and all that store Became like chaffe upon the threshing floor The first a Lion second was a Beare The third a Leopard
daily have And some perhaps I carry to my grave Some times in fire sometimes in waters fall Strangely preserv'd yet mind it not at all At home abroad my danger 's manifold That wonder t is my glasse till now doth hold I 've done unto my elders I give way For 't is but little that a childe can say Youth MY goodly cloathing and my beauteous skin Declare some greater riches are within But what is best I 'le first present to view And then the worst in a more ugly hue For thus to do we on this Stage assemble Then let not him which hath most craft dissemble Mine education and my learning 's such As might my self and others profit much With nurture trained up in vertues Schools Of Science Arts and Tongues I know the rules The manners of the Court I likewise know Nor ignorant what they in Country do The brave attempts of valiant Knights I prize That dare climbe Battlements rear'd to the skies The snorting Horse the Trumpet Drum I like The glistring Sword and wel advanced Pike I cannot lye in trench before a Town Nor wait til good advice our hopes do crown I scorn the heavy Corsset Musket-proof I fly to catch the Bullet that 's aloof Though thus in field at home to all most kind So affable that I do suit each mind I can insinuate into the brest And by my mirth can raise the heart deprestâ— Sweet Mufick rapteth my harmonious Soul And elevates my thoughts above the Pole My wit my bounty and my courtesie Makes all to place their future hopes on me This is my best but youth is known alas To be as wilde as is the snuffing Asse As vain as froth as vanity can be That who would see vain man may look on me My gifts abus'd my education lost My woful Parents longing hopes all crost My wit evaporates in meriment My valour in some beastly quarrel 's spent Martial deeds I love not ' cause they 're vertuous But doing so might seem magnanimous My Lust doth hurry me to all that 's ill I know no Law nor reason but my wil Sometimes lay wait to take a wealthy purse Or stab the man in 's own defence that 's worse Sometimes I cheat unkind a female Heir Of all at once who not so wise as fair Trusteth my loving looks and glozing tongue Until her freinds treasure and honour 's gone Sometimes I sit carousing others health Until mine own be gone my wit and wealth From pipe to pot from pot to words and blows For he that loveth Wine wanteth no woes Dayes nights with Ruffins Roarers Fidlers spend To all obscenity my eares I bend All counsel hate which tends to make me wise And dearest freinds count for mine enemies If any care I take 't is to be fine For sure my suit more then my vertues shine If any time from company I spare 'T is spent in curling frisling up my hair Some young Adonis I do strive to be Sardana Pallas now survives in me Cards Dice and Oaths concomitant I love To Masques to Playes to Taverns stil I move And in a word if what I am you 'd heare Seek out a Brittish bruitish Cavaleer Such wretch such monster am I but yet more I want a heart all this for to deplore Thus thus alas I have mispent my time My youth my best my strength my bud and prime Remembring not the dreadful day of Doom Nor yet that heavy reckoning for to come Though dangers do attend me every houre And gastly death oft threats me with her power Sometimes by wounds in idle combates taken Sometimes by Agues all my body shaken Sometimes by Feavers all my moisture drinking My heart lyes frying and my eyes are sinking Sometimes the Cough Stitch painful Plurifie With sad affrights of death doth menace me Sometimes the loathsome Pox my face be-mars With ugly marks of his eternal scars Sometimes the Phrensie strangely madds my Brain That oft for it in Bealam I remain Too many's my Diseases to recite That wonder 't is I yet behold the light That yet my bed in darknesse is not made And I in black oblivions den long laid Of Marrow ful my bones of Milk my breasts Ceas'd by the gripes of Serjeant Death's Arrests Thus I have said and what i 've said you see Child-hood and youth is vaine yea vanity Middle Age. CHildehood and youth forgot sometimes I 've seen And now am grown more staid that have beengreen What they have done the same was done by me As was their praise or shame so mine must be Now age is more more good ye do expect But more my age the more is my defect But what 's of worth your eyes shal first behold And then a world of drosse among my gold When my Wilde Oates were sown and ripe mown I then receiv'd a harvest of mine owne My reason then bad judge how little hope Such empty seed should yeeld a better crop I then with both hands graspt the world together Thus out of one extreame into another But yet laid hold on vertue seemingly Who climbes without hold climbes dangerously Be my condition mean I then take paines My family to keep but not for gaines If rich I 'm urged then to gather more To bear me out i' th' world and feed the poor If a father then for children must provide But if none then for kindred near ally'd If Noble then mine honour to maintaine If not yet wealth Nobility can gain For time for place likewise for each relation I wanted not my ready allegation Yet all my powers for self-ends are not spent For hundreds blesse me for my bounty sent Whose loynes I 've cloth'd and bellies I have fed With mine owne fleece and with my houshold bread Yea justice I have done was I in place To chear the good and wicked to deface The proud I crush'd th' oppressed I set free The lyars curb'd but nourisht verity Was I a pastor I my flock did feed And gently lead the lambes as they had need A Captain I with skil I train'd my band And shew'd them how in face of foes to stand If a Souldier with speed I did obey As readily as could my Leader say Was I a laborer I wrought all day As chearfully as ere I took my pay Thus hath mine age in all sometimes done wel Sometimes mine age in all been worse then hell In meannesse greatnesse riches poverty Did toile did broile oppress'd did steal and lye Was I as poor as poverty could be Then basenesse was companion unto me Such scum as Hedges and High-wayes do yeeld As neither sow nor reape nor plant nor build If to Agricolture I was ordain'd Great labours sorrows crosses I sustain'd The early Cock did summon but in vaine My wakefull thoughts up to my painefull gaine For restlesse day and night I 'm rob'd of steep By can kered care who centinel doth keep My weary beast rest from his toile can find But if I rest
the more distrest my mind If happinesse my sordidnesse hath found 'T was in the crop of my manured ground My fatted Oxe and my exuberous Cow My fleeced Ewe and ever farr owing Sow To greater things I never did aspire My dunghil thoughts or hopes could reach no higher If to be rich or great it was my fate How was I broyl'd with envy and with hate Greater then was the great'st was my desire And greater stil did set my heart on fire If honour was the point to which I steer'd To run my hull upon disgrace I fear'd But by ambitious sailes I was so carryed That over flats and sands and rocks I hurried Opprest and sunke and sact all in my way That did oppose me to my longed bay My thirst was higher then Nobility And oft long'd sore to taste on Royalty Whence poyson Pistols and dread instruments Have been curst furtherers of mine intents Nor Brothers Nephewes Sons nor Sires I 've spar'd When to a Monarchy my way they barr'd There set I rid my selfe straight out of hand Of such as might my son or his withstand Then heapt up gold and riches as the clay Which others scatter like the dew in May. Sometimes vaine-glory is the only bait Whereby my empty soule is lur'd and caught Be I of worth of learning or of parts I judge I should have room in all mens hearts And envy gnawes if any do surmount I hate for to be had in small account If Bias like I 'm stript unto my skin I glory in my wealth I have within Thus good and bad and what I am you see Now in a word what my diseases be The vexing Stone in bladder and in reines Torments me with intollerable paines The windy Cholick oft my bowels rend To break the darksome prison where it 's pend The knotty Gout doth sadly torture me And the restraining lame Sciatica The Quinsie and the Feavours oft distaste me And the Consumption to the bones doth wast me Subject to all Diseases that 's the truth Though some more incident to age or youth And to conclude I may not tedious be Man at his best estate is vanity Old Age. WHat you have been ev'n such have I before And all you say say I and something more Babes innocence Youths wildnes I have seen And in perplexed Middle-age have bin Sicknesse dangers and anxieties have past And on this Stage am come to act my last I have bin young and strong and wise as you But now Bis pueri senes is too true In every Age i 've found much vanitie An end of all perfection now I see It 's not my valour honour nor my gold My ruin'd house now falling can uphold It 's not my Learning Rhetorick wit so large Now hath the power Deaths Warfare to discharge It 's not my goodly house nor bed of down That can refresh or ease if Conscience frown Nor from alliance now can I have hope But what I have done wel that is my prop He that in youth is godly wise and sage Provides a staffe for to support his age Great mutations some joyful and some sad In this short Pilgrimage I oft have had Sometimes the Heavens with plenty smil'd on me Sometimes again rain'd all adversity Sometimes in honour sometimes in disgrace Sometime an abject then again in place Such private changes oft mine eyes have seen In various times of state i 've also been I 've seen a Kingdom flourish like a tree When it was rul'd by that Celestial she And like a Cedar others so surmount That but for shrubs they did themselves account Then saw I France and Holland sav'd Cales won And Philip and Albertus half undone I saw all peace at home terror to foes But ah I saw at last those eyes to close And then me thought the world at noon grew dark When it had lost that radiant Sun-like spark In midst of greifs I saw some hopes revive For 't was our hopes then kept our hearts alive I saw hopes dasht our forwardnesse was shent And silenc'd we by Act of Parliament I 've seen from Rome an execraâ—le thing A plot to blow up Nobles and their King I 've seen designes at Ree and Cades crost And poor Palatinate for ever lost I 've seen a Prince to live on others lands A Royall one by almes from Subjects hands I 've seen base men advanc'd to great degree And worthy ones put to extremity But not their Princes love nor state so high could once reverse their shamefull destiny I 've seen one stab'd another loose his head And others fly their Country through their dread I 've seen and so have ye for 't is but late The desolation of a goodly State Plotted and acted so that none can tell Who gave the counsel but the Prince of hell I 've seen a land unmoulded with great paine But yet may live to see 't made up again I 've seen it shaken rent and soak'd in blood But out of troubles ye may see much good These are no old wives tales but this is truth We old men love to tell what 's done in youth But I returne from whence I stept awry My memory is short and braine is dry My Almond-tree gray haires doth flourish now And back once straight begins apace to bow My grinders now are few my sight doth faile My skin is wrinkled and my cheeks are pale No more rejoyce at musickes pleasant noyse But do awake at the cocks clanging voyce I cannot scent savours of pleasant meat Nor sapors find in what I drink or eat My hands and armes once strong have lost their might I cannot labour nor I cannot fight My comely legs as nimble as the Roe Now stiffe and numb can hardly creep or go My heart sometimes as fierce as Lion bold Now trembling and fearful sad and cold My golden Bowl and silver Cord e're long Shal both be broke by wracking death so strong I then shal go whence I shal come no more Sons Nephews leave my death for to deplore In pleasures and in labours I have found That earth can give no consolation sound To great to rich to poore to young or old To mean to noble fearful or to bold From King to begger all degrees shal finde But vanity vexation of the minde Yea knowing much the pleasant'st life of all Hath yet amongst that sweet some bitter gall Though reading others Works doth much refresh Yet studying much brings wearinesse to th' flesh My studies labours readings all are done And my last period now e'n almost run Corruption my Father I do call Mother and sisters both the worms that crawl In my dark house such kindred I have store There I shal rest til heavens shal be no more And when this flesh shal rot and be consum'd This body by this soul shal be assum'd And I shal see with these same very eyes My strong Redeemer comming in the skies Triumph I shal o're Sin o're Death o're Hel And
of Balladan In Babylon Leiutenant to this man Of opportunity advantage takes And on his Masters ruins his house makes And Belosus first his did unthrone So he 's now stil'd the King of Babylon After twelve years did Essarhadon dye And Merodach assume the Monarchy Merodach Baladan 21 years ALl yeelds to him but Ninivie kept free Until his Grand-childe made her bow the knee Embassadours to Hezekiah sent His health congratulates with complement Ben. Merodach 22 years BEn Merodach Successor to this King Of whom is little said in any thing But by conjecture this and none but he Led King Manasseh to captivity Nebulassar 12 years BRave Nebulassar to this King was Sonne The ancient Niniveh by him was won For fifty years or more it had been free Now yeelds her neck unto captivity A Vice-roy from her foe she 's glad t' accept By whom in firm obedience she 's kept Nebuchadnezar or Nebopolassar THe famous Wars of this Heroyick King Did neither Homer Hesiode Virgil sing Nor of his acts have we the certainty From some Thucidides grave History Nor 's Metamorphosis from Ovids Book Nor his restoring from old legends took But by the Prophets Pen-men most Divine This Prince in 's magnitude doth ever shine This was of Monarchies that head of gold The richest and the dreadfull'st to behold This was that tree whose branches fill'd the earth Under whose shadow birds and beasts had birth This was that King of Kings did what he pleas'd Kild sav'd pull'd down set up or pain'd or eas'd And this is he who when he fear'd the least Was turned from a King unto a Beast This Prince the last year of his Fathers reign Against Ichoiakim marcht with his train Iudah's poor King besieg'd who succourlesse Yeelds to his mercy and the present stresse His Vassal is gives pledges for his truth Children of Royal bloud unblemish'd youth Wise Daniel and his fellows ' mongst the rest By the victorious King to Babel's prest The temple of rich ornaments defac'd And in his Idols house the Vassal's plac'd The next year he with unresisted hand Quite vanquish'd Pharaoh Necho and his Band By great Euphrates did his Army fall Which was the losse of â—yria withall Then into Aegypt Necho did retire Which in few years proves the Assyrians hire A mighty Army next he doth prepare And unto wealthy Tyre with haâ—â— repure Such was the scituation of this place As might not him but all the world out-face That in her pride she knew not which to boast Whether her wealth or yet her strength was most How in all Merchandise she did excell None but the true Ezekiel need to tell And for her strength how hard she was to gain Can Babels tired Souldiers tell with pain Within an Island had this City seat Divided from the maine by channel great Of costly Ships and Gallies she had store And Mariners to handle sayle and oare But the Chaldeans had nor ships nor skill Their shoulders must their Masters minde fulfill Fetch rubbish from the opposite old town And in the channell throw each burden down Where after many aslayes they make at last The Sea firm Land whereon the Army past And took the wealthy town but all the gain Requited not the cost the toyle and pain Full thirteen yeares in this strange work he spent Before he could accomplish his intent And though a Victor home his Army leads With peeled shoulders and with balded heads When in the Tyrian wars the King was hot Jehoiakim his Oath had clean forgot Thinks this the fittest time to break his bands While Babels King thus deep ingaged stands But he alas whose fortunes now i' th ebbe Had all his hopes like to a Spiders web For this great King with-drawes part of his force To Judah marches with a speedy course And unexpected findes the feeble Prince Whom he chastased for his proud offence Fast bound intends at Babel he shal stay But chang'd his minde and slew him by the way Thus cast him out like to a naked Asse For this was he for whom none said Alas His Son three months he suffered to reign Then from his throne he pull'd him down again Whom with his Mother he to Babel led And more then thirty years in prison fed His Unckle he established in 's place Who was last King of holy Davids race But he as perjur'd as Ichoiakim Iudah lost more then e're they lost by him Seven years he keeps his faith and safe he dwels But in the eighth against his Prince rebels The ninth came Nebuchadnezar with power Besieg'd his City Temple Zions Tower And after eighteen months he took them all The wals so strong that stood so long now fall The cursed King by flight could no wise free His wel deserv'd and fore-told misery But being caught to Babels wrathful King With Children Wives and Nobles all they bring Where to the sword all but himself was put And with that woful sight his eyes close shut A haplesse man whose darksome contemplation Was nothing but such gastly meditation In mid'st of Babel now til death he lyes Yet as was told neâ—e saw it with his eyes The Temple 's burnt the Vessels had away The Towers and Palaces brought to decay Where late of Harp and Lute was heard the noyse Now Zim and Sim lift up their shriking voyce All now of worth are captive led with tears There sit bewailing Zion seventy years With all these Conquests Babels King rests not No nor when Moab Edom he had got Kedar Hazer the Arabians too All Vassals at his hands for grace must sue A totall Conquest of rich Aegypt makes All rule he from the ancient Pharoes takes Who had for sixteen hundred years born sway To Babylons proud King now yeelds the day Then Put and Lud doe at his mercy stand Where e're he goes he Conquers every Land His sumptuous buildings passes all conceit Which wealth and strong ambition made so great His Image Iudahs Captives worship not Although the Furnace be seven times more hot His Dreams wise Daniel doth expound ful wel And his unhappy change with grief fore-tel Strange melancholly humours on him lay Which for seven years his reason took away Which from no natural causes did proceed For by the Heavens above it was decreed The time expir'd remains a Beast no more Resumes his Government as heretofore In splender and in Majesty he sits Contemplating those times he lost his wits And if by words we may guesse at the heart This King among the righteous had a part Forty four years he reign'd which being run He left his Wealth and Conquest to his Son Evilmerodach BAbels great Monarch now laid in the dust His son possesses wealth and rule as just And in the first year of his royalty Easeth Jehoiakims captivity Poor forlorn Prince that had all state forgot In seven and thirty years had seen no jot Among the Conquered Kings that there did lye Is Judah's King now
both wise and strong Whose courage nought but death could ever tame ' Mongst these Epimanondas wants no fame Who had as noble Raleigh doth evince All the peculiar vertues of a Prince But let us leave these Greeks to discord bent And turne to Persia as is pertinent The King from forraign foes and all at ease His home-bred troubles seeketh to appease The two Queens by his means 'gin to abate Their former envie and inveterate hare Then in voluptuousnesse he leads his life And weds his Daughter for a second wife His Mothers wicked counsell was the cause Who sooths him up his owne desires are Lawes But yet for all his greatnesse and long reign He must leave all and in the pit remain Forty three years he rules then turns to dust As all the mighty ones have done and must But this of him is worth the memory He was the Master of good Nehemie Darius Ochus GReat Artexerxes dead Ochus succeeds Of whom no Record's extant of his deeds Was it because the Grecians now at war Made Writers work at home they sought not far Or dealing with the Persian now no more Their Acts recorded not as heretofore Or else perhaps the deeds of Persian Kings In after wars were burnt ' mongst other things That three and twenty years he reign'd I finde The rest is but conjecture of my minde Arsames or Arses WHy Arsames his brother should succeed I can no reason give cause none I read It may be thought surely he had no Son So fell to him which else it had not done What Acts he did time hath not now left pend But as 't is thought in him had Cyrus end Whose race long time had worn the Diadem But now 's divolved to another Stem Three years he reign'd as Chronicles expresse Then Natures debt he paid quite Issue-lesse Darius Codomanus HOw this Darius did attain the Crown By favour force or fraud is not set down If not as is before of Cyrus race By one of these he must obtain the place Some writers say that he was Arses son And that great Cyrus line yet was not run That Ochus unto Arsames was father Which by some probabilities seems rather That son and father both were murthered By one Bagoas an Eunuch as is sed Thus learned Pemble whom we may not slight But as before doth well read Raleigh write Antd he that story reads shall often find That severall men will have their severall mind Yet in these differences we may behold With our judicious learned Knight to hold And this ' mongst all 's no controverted thing That this Darius was last Persian King Whose warres and losses we may better tell In Alexanders reign who did him quell How from the top of worlds felicity He fell to depth of greatest misery Whose honours treasures pleasures had short sâ—ay One deluge came and swept them all away And in the sixt year of his haplesse reigne Of all did scarce his winding sheet retaine And last a sad catastrophe to end Him to the grave did â—raytor Bessus send The end of the Persian Monarchy The third Monarchy was the Grecian beginning under Alexander the Great in the 112 Olimpiad GReat Alexander was wise Phillips son He to Amintas Kings of Macedon The cruell proud Olimpias was his mother Shee to the rich Molossians King was daughter This Prince his father by Pausanias slain The twenty first of 's age began to reign Great were the guifts of nature which be had His Education much to these did adde By Art and Nature both he was made fit T' accomplish that which long before was writ The very day of his nativity To th' ground was burnt Diana's Temple high An Omen to their near approaching woe Whose glory to the Earth this Prince did throw His rule to Greece he scorn'd should be confin'd The universe scarce bounds his large vast minde This is the hee-goat which from Grecia came Who ran in fury on the Persian Ram That broke his hornes that threw him on the ground To save him from his might no man was found Phillip on this great conquest had an eye But death did terminate those thoughts so high The Greeks had chose him Captain Generall Which honour to his son now did befall For as worlds Monarch now we speak not on But as the King of little Macedon Restlesse both day and night his heart now was His high resolves which way to bring to passe Yet for a while in Grecce is forc'd to stay Which makes each moment seem more then a day Thebes and old Athens both ' gainst him rebell But he their mutinies full soon doth quell This done against all right and natures laws His kinsmen puts to death without least cause That no combustion in his absence be In seeking after Soveraignity And many more whom he suspects will climbe Now taste of death least they deserv't in time Nor wonder is' t if he in blood begin For cruelty was his parentall sin Thus eased now of troubles and of fears His course to Asiâ— next Spring he steers Leaves sage Antipater at home to sway And through the Hellispont his ships make way Comming to land his dart on shear he throwes Then with alacrity he after goes Thirty two thousand made up his foot force To these were joyn'd five thousand goodly horse Then on he march'd in 's way he veiw'd old Troy And on Achillis Tombe with wondrous joy He offer'd and for good successe did pray To him his mothers Ancestor men say When newes of Alexander came to th' Court To scorn at him Darius had good sport Sends him a frothy and contemptuous letter Stiles him disloyall servant and no better Reproves him for his proud audacity To lift his hand ' gainst such a Monarchy Then to his Lieutenant in Asia sends That he be tane alive for he intends To whip him well with rods and then to bring That boy so mallepart before the King Ah! fond vaine man whose pen was taught ere while In lower termes to write a higher stile To th' river Granicke Alexander hyes Which twixt Phrigia and Propontis lyes The Persians for encounter ready sland And think to keep his men from off the land Those banks so steep the Greeks now scramble up And beat the coward Persians from the top And twenty thousand of their lives bereave Who in their backs did all their wounds receive This Victory did Alexander gain With losse of thirty sour of his there slaine Sardis then he and Ephesus did gaine Where stood of late Diana's wondrous Phane And by Parmenio of renowned fame Miletus and Pamphilia overcame Hallicarnassus and Pisidia He for his master takes with Lycia Next Alexander marcht t'wards the black sea And easily takes old Gordium in his way Of Asse-eard Midas once the regall seat Whose touch turn'd all to gold yea even his meat There the Prophetick knot he cuts in twain Which who so did must Lord of all remain Now newes of Memnons death
Epire for her great turbulence This new Protector 's of another minde Thinks by her Majesty much help to finde Cassander could not like his father see This Polisperchons great ability Slights his commands his actions he disclaimes And to be great himselfe now bends his aymes Such as his father had advanc'd to place Or by his favour any way did grace Are now at the devotion of the Son Prest to accomplish what he would have done Besides he was the young Queens favourite On whom 't was thought the set her chief delight Unto these helps in Greece he seeks out more Goes to Antigonus and doth implore By all the Bonds 'twixt him and 's father past And for that great gift which he gave him last By these and all to grant him some supply To take down Polisperchon grown so high For this Antigonus needed no spurs Hoping still more to gaine by these new stirs Straight furnisht him with a sufficient aide Cassander for return all speed now made Polisperchon knowing he did relye Upon those friends his father rais'd on high Those absent banished or else he slew All such as he suspected to him true Cassander with his Hoast to Grecia goes Whom Polisperchon labours to oppose But had the worst at Sea as well as Land And his opponent still got upper hand Athens with many Townes in Greece besides Firme to Cassander at this time abides Whilst hot in wars these two in Greece remaine Antigonus doth all in Asia gaine Still labours Eumenes might with him side But to the last he faithfull did abide Nor could Mother nor Sons of Alexander Put trust in any but in this Commander The great ones now began to shew their minde And act as opportunity they finde Aridaeus the scorn'd and simple King More then he bidden was could act no thing Polisperchon hoping for 's office long Thinks to enthrone the Prince when riper grown Euridice this injury disdaines And to Cassander of this wrong complaines Hatefull the Name and House of Alexander Was to this proud vindicative Cassander He still hepâ— fresh within his memory His Fathers danger with his Family Nor counts he that indignity but small When Alexander knockt his head to th' wall These with his love unto the amorous Queen Did make him vow her servant to be seen Olimpias Aridaeus deadly hates As all her Husbands children by his Mates She gave him poyson formerly 't is thought Which damage both to minde and body brought She now with Polisperchon doth combine To make the King by force his seat resigne And her young Nephew in his stead t' inthrone That under him she might rule all alone For ayde goes to Epire among her friends The better to accomplish these her ends Euridice hearing what she intends In hast unto her deare Cassander sends To leave his Seige at Tagra and with speed To come and succour her in this great need Then by intreaties promises and coyne Some Forces did procure with her to joyne Olimpias now enters Macedon The Queen to meet her bravely marched on But when her Souldiers saw their ancient Queen Remembring what sometime she had been The Wife and Mother of their famous Kings Nor Darts nor Arrowes now none shoots nor flings Then King and Queen to Amphipolis doe fly But soone are brought into captivity The King by extreame torments had his end And to the Queen these presents she doth send A Halter cup of Poyson and a Sword Bids chuse her death such kindnesse she 'l afford The Queen with many a curse and bitter check At length yeelds to the Halter her faire neck Praying that fatall day might quickly haste On which Olimpias of the like might taste This done the cruell Queen rests not content Till all that lov'd Cassander was nigh spent His Brethren Kinsfolk and his chiefest friends That were within her reach came to their ends Digg'd up his brother dead ' gainst natures right And throwes his bones about to shew her spight The Courtiers wondring at her furious minde Wisht in Epire she still had been confin'd In Pelloponesus then Cassander lay Where hearing of this newes he speeds away With rage and with revenge he 's hurried on So goes to finde this Queen in Macedon But being stopt at Straight Tharmipoley Sea passage gets and lands in Thessaly His Army he divides sends part away Polisperchou to hold a while in play And with the rest Olimpias pursues To give her for all cruelties her dues She with the flow'r o' th Court to Pidna flyes Well fortified and on the Sea it lies There by Cassander she 's block'd up so long Untill the Famine growes exceeding strong Her Cousen of Epire did what he might To raise the Seige and put her foes to flight Cassander is resolv'd there to remaine So succours and endeavours proves but vaine Faine would she come now to capitulate Cassander will not heare such is his hate The Souldiers pinched with this scarcity By stealth unto Casander daily fly Olimpias wills to keep it to the last Expecting nothing but of death to taste But he unwilling longer there to stay Gives promise for her life and wins the day No sooner had he got her in his hands But made in Judgement her Accusers stand And plead the blood of their deare Kindred spilt Desiring Justice might be done for guilt And so was he acquitted of his word For Justice sake she being put to th' sword This was the end of this most cruell Queen Whose fury yet unparalleld hath been The Daughter Sister Mother Wife to Kings But Royalty no good conditions brings So boundlesse was her pride and cruelty She oft forgot bounds of Humanity To Husbands death 't was thought she gave consent The Authours death she did so much lament With Garlands crown'd his head bemoan'd his Fates His sword unto Apollo consecrates Her out-rages too tedious to relate How for no cause but her inveterate hate Her Husbands Wife and Children after 's death Some flew some fry'd of others stopt the breath Now in her age she 's forc't to taste that Cup Which she had often made others to sup Now many Townes in Macedon supprest And Pellas faine to yeeld amongst the rest The Funeralls Cassandra celebrates Of Aridaeus and his Queen with state Among their Ancestors by him there laid And shewes of lamentation for them made Old Thebes he then re-built so much of fame And rais'd Cassandria after his name But leave him building others in their urn And for a while let 's into Asia turn True Eumenes endeavours by all skill To keep Antigonus from Susha still Having Command o' th treasure he can hire Such as nor threats nor favour could acquire In divers battels he had good successe Antigonus came off still honourlesse When victor oft had been and so might still Pencestas did betray him by a wile Antigonus then takes his life unjust Because he never would let go his trust Thus lost he all for his fidelity Striving
our wrong Let such as say our sex is void of reason Know 't is a slander now but once was treason But happy England which had such a Queen O happy happy had those dayes still been But happinesse lies in a higher sphere Then wonder not Eliza moves not here Full fraught with honour riches and with dayes She set she set like Titan in his rayes No more shall rise or set such glorious Sun Untill the heavens great revolution If then new things their old form must retain Eliza shall rule Albian once again Her Epitaph Here sleeps THE Queen this is the reyall bed O' th' Damask Rose sprung from the white and red Whose sweet perfume fills the all-filling aire This Rose is withered once so lovely faire On neither tree did grow such Rose before The greater was our gain our losse the more Another Here lies the pride of Queens pattern of Kings So blaze it fame here 's feathers for thy wings Here lies the envy'd yet unparralell'd Prince Whose living vertues speak though dead long since If many worlds as that fantastick framed In every one be ber great glory famed Davids Lamentation for Saul and Jonathan 2 Sam. 1.19 ALas slaine is the head of Israel Illustrious Saul whose beauty did excell Upon thy places mountan'ous and high How did the mighty fall and falling dye In Gath let not this thing be spoken on Nor published in streets of Askelon Lest Daughters of the Philistins rejoyce Lest the uncircumcis'd lift up their voyce O! Gilbo Mounts let never pearled dew Nor fruitfull showres your barren tops bestrew Nor fields of offerings e're on you grow Nor any pleasant thing e're may you show For the mighty ones did soone decay The Shield of Saul was vilely cast away There had his dignity so fore a foyle As if his head ne're felt the sacred Oyle Sometimes from crimson blood of gastly slaine The bow of Jonathan ne're turn'd in vaine Nor from the far and spoyles of mighty men Did Saul with bloodlesse Sword turne back agen Pleasant and lovely were they both in life And in their deaths was found no parting strife Swifter then swiftest Eagles so were they Stronger then Lions ramping for their prey O Israels Dames o're-flow your beauteous eyes For valiant Saul who on Mount Gilbo lyes Who cloathed you in cloath of richest dye And choyse delights full of variety On your array put ornaments of gold Which made you yet more beauteous to behold O! how in battell did the mighty fall In mid'st of strength not succoured at all O! lovely Ionathan how wert thou slaine In places high full low thou dost remaine Distrest I am for thee deare Ionathan Thy love was wonderfull passing a man Exceeding all the Love that 's Feminine So pleasant hast thou been deare brother mine How are the mighty falne into decay And war-like weapons perished away Of the vanity of all worldly creatures AS he said vanity so vain say I O vanity O vain all under skie Where is the man can say lo I have found On brittle earth a consolation sound What is 't in honour to be set on high No they like beasts and sonnes of men shall die And whilst they live how oft doth turn their State He 's now a slave that was a Prince of late What is' t in wealth great treasures for to gain No that 's but labour anxious care and pain He heaps up riches and he heaps up sorrow It s his to day but who 's his heire to morrow What then content in pleasures canst thou find More vain then all that 's but to grasp the wind The sensuall senses for a time they please Mean while the conscience rage who shall appease What is' t in beauty no that 's but a snare They 'r foul enough to day that once was fair What Is' t in flowring youth or manly age The first is prone to vice the last to rage Where is it then in wisdome learning arts Sure if on earth it must be in those parts Yet these the wisest man of men did find But vanity vexation of the mind And he that knows the most doth still bemoan He knows not all that here is to be known What is it then to do as Stoicks tell Nor laugh nor weep let things go ill or well Such stoicks are but stocks such teaching vain While man is man he shall have ease or pain If not in honour beauty age nor treasure Nor yet in learning wisdome youth nor pleasure Where shall I climbe sound seek search or find That summum Bonum which may stay my mind There is a path no vultures eye hath seen Where lions fierce nor lions whelps hath been Which leads unto that living Christall fount Who drinks thereof the world doth naught account The depth and sea hath said its not in me With pearl and gold it shall not valued be For Saphyre Onix Topas who will change It s hid from eyes of men they count it strange Death and destruction the fame hath heard But where and what it is from heaven's declar'd It brings to honour which shall not decay It steeres with wealth which time cann't wear away It yeeldeth pleasures faire beyond conceit And truly beautifies without deceit Nor strength nor wisdome nor fresh youth shall fade Nor death shall see but are immortall made This pearl of price this tree of life this spring Who is possessed of shall reign a King Nor change of state nor cares shall ever see But wear his Crown unto eternitie This satiatâ—s the soul this stayes the mind The rest 's but vanity and vain we find FINIS