lake Of common shame and folly bars our blisse Remember we our novell case in this We have imparadis'd our best affection Within the Eden of her best complexion Let us be prudent still and we shall find A mooting time to new informe her mind What if Susanna be so seeming chast So carefull to conserve fond honours blast That she about the town will never rome But in her Palace live immur'd at home What if she walke but in her gardens we Have leave to walke in them aswell as she What if a seeming Angell we shall prove Her woman by obtaining of her love Boldnesse beseemeth lovers best and fortune Then â—et us watch her Gardens 't is a common Custome observ'd among the Hebrew women To bath her Iv'ry limbs if we out-find Her bathing there there she discerns our mind Though Iudges we 'll turn Sentinels for love This noble passion oft transformed Iove In her white Conscience-book we 'll register Our warme affections we deserve not her If we delay this houre let us begin Demurres in love are more the mortall sin Doubtlesse Diana-like she â—aves her limbes In yonder Fountain on whose floury brims May we surprize her and possesse our pleasure In rifling up dame Venus hidden treasure If in our aidance Heav'n Gods will not bow Help us you Acharontish gods below We can beguile if holpen but by you Daughters of Iacob and of Iudah too MEDIT. VI. Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur BElial and all his babes are busie still In darksome earth to do their pranks of ill And what the Dev'll dare scanâ— presume to doe That ev'll he tempts ungodly men unto The glorious Angels dare not pâ—wsing stand But what God will 's performe it out of hand The whirling spheares with armies of the heaven Observe the statutes God to them hath given The Skie the Earth the Ocean ev'ry thing Nay fiends themselves obey th' eternall King Dumbe creatures of this world fulfill the word And will of man their dominering Lord The brutish cattell do what them behove But sinfull men most disobedient prove They worse then all things else disdain to follow The Lord of all things all his Lawes unhallow And but for nothing in an angry mood They sometimes swim in streames of Abel's blood And for base lucre germane brothers slay The Devils have more feare and faith than they â—ome of them make a god of gold and some With giddy cups of Atheisme overcome Beleeve blind Fortune wrought this goodly frame That all contains and governeth the same Another kind remayn befool'd in evils Supposing neither Deity nor Devils Counting Religion and the holy Law But wiles to keep the wilfull world in awe Some others deeme death naturally came To ev'ry thing beneath the Cynthian flame Yet living so as they should never drink The cup of death nor sleep on Lethe-brink They fearelesse sin untill by death th' are sent Vnto infernall vales where Dathan went With his companions there 's no wrath to come As they beleeve soule 's blisse nor day of doome But ev'ry nullifidian which denies The resurrection from the dead shall rise And lastly heareth Archangel'â— trumpet summon To heav'ns chiefe sesâ—ions all the world in common Platonian wisemen when the world is done Shall come in judgment of the Virgins sonne At which great day the round enflaming earth The boyling Sea and burning hell beneath Shall vomit up their dead whose spirits shall In quickned corps be re-invested all All Naâ—ions shall at heav'ns throne appeare To yeeld account how they have lived here The King of glories at whose dexter-hand Thousands of thousands Saints and Angels standâ— Shall bend the shining heavens downe and come To render to the live and dead men doome Then righteous soules shall evermore be blest With Eulogâ—es to everlasting rest May I beleeve while I have life and breath That our dead bodies doe but sleep in death Vntill that glorious day that after then God's Paradâ—se just ones obtain agen For for the righteous Sions Lambe was kill'd Yer God foundations of the world did build But woe to them and many woes remayn That are miswandred in the wayes of Cain That by deceitfulnesse of Balam's hire Are tumbled down to Hel's Gehinnâ—â—-fire That in gainsayings of rebellious Core Are falne down and lost for evermore For they are stones in hospitable feasts Abominable more than any beasts Roaring like waves which Satan puts in â—â—tion To foame out shame on sin's bloud-colour'd Ocean And like to errant Stars bereav'n of light Reserv'd in darknesse for the darkest night Sect VII ARGUMENT Susanna bathes her in a Spring Of her Gardens where birds sing Neere which enamour'd Elders were Enambusht they surprise her there VPon a day Susanna walkt alone Save two yong damsels her attending on Into her gardens shady woods and bowers T' enjoy the blisse of vacant ev'ning houres To heare the Quiristers of Nature sing Their dulcet-tunes unto the dancing spring To heare the shrill sweet Philomel of May Warble forth sweet notes on a thorny spray Which birds she listening to them ran on still In various quav'rings of unmated skill Chanting their silver-ditties more and more And sweetlier sang than they had sung before Tuning through their winde-instrumentall throats Quaint diapasons of well sounding notes Which Musicke repercust by rocks and rils Sported nymph-Eccho in the boschy hils In her peramble loe the blossom'd trees With hony-dews imploy the humming bees And painted trouts in clearest fish-ponds play Above the water in a shining day There softer aires perfum'd by many flowers Which flourished through May as mid-night-showres Sweetned the bowers of her sweet meditation Pleasing her soule in heavenly contemplation Where lustfull Elders cunningly lay hidden To theeve away the onely fruit forbidden Now when she had perambulated round As she accustom'd her small Eden-ground She most unhappily came down to coole Her curious body in a chrystall poole The sultry time inviting to the same Lest purest bloud within her veines inflame She little weening what bold serpents lay Lurking to venter on so boon a pray Sent both her maidens that untir'd her in To fetch sweet washbals for her silken skinne Who brought the same returning in they barr'd Her garden doores as she had given word And then in veils with linnen-syndons dight Whose perfect hew out-shone the milken white Gently she waded from the fountaine brimmes Where water nymphs embrac'd her Iv'ry limbs The day was cleere and radiant Titans eâ—'n Did scantly through o'reshading arbors shine No eye she deem'd but heav'ns immortall one Discernd her in that secret fount alone She upright standing wheâ— false Elders ey'd her Like faire Diana when Actâ—on spi'd her Who wont while bathing in the silver spring This sequent Psalme most frequently to sing PSAL. 137. Psalmus comes optimus WHen by the flouds of Babylon We sate us downe did flow Flouds from our eyes to pender â—n Our mother Sion's 〈◊〉 As for our Harps we hanged
Doth evermore immortally indure To God and man is vertue known 't is she Obtain's gold-garlands wreaths of victory Conqu'ring her fomen finally in fight She gaineth Fame by more then manly might Divine Astraea on her part doth bring Armies of Angels from the heav'nly King Well is she known to God and man her presence Makes mortals muse on her immortall essence Like a Phoebeian Champion in Heav'n stories She rides triumphant on a Coach of glories Her seat transcendeth stars her high renown Is heav'nly Lawrels in th' eternall Crown Those Diamonds and glistring stones that shine In her rich Diadems are all divine Vnmated pleasures ever tend upon All her possessors in Iehovah's throne Before her feet when she from heav'n came down Emperiall Crowns Scepters and thrones were thrown Glory is her concomitant that brings Her unto view of ravisht earthly Kings Who covet having seen her forme divine To be insould in such a Saintly shrine Vertue thou darling of the King of Heaven Dost bring thy lovers into favour even With Helion to winne eternall fame Conducting to the presence of that lambe Who takes the worlds sins clean away on whom Attend chast thousands which from Rama come Thou royall Comfortresse of Saints while they Sojourne in mortall Mansions of Clay Sad soules do'st solace and when e're distrest Procur'st to them a sweet internall rest Angels and men shall see and fiends agast Vertues true lovers all renown'd at last Because the God of goodnesse that regards Chast soules to crown with undefil'd rewards Is glorious Iudge of Heav'n and earth and he Govern's the World with perfect equity Whose name be blest that blesseth ev'ry thing To whom all powr's of heav'n and earth do sing Sect. XVII ARGUMENT Where and how Susanna liv'd What poore people she releev'd Full of dayes departing she Enjoyes heav'n-joyes eternally AFter that time no Congregations came To Susan's Court to interrupt the same Iudges sate there no more no more loud noise Of loud-mouth'd gown-men did molest her joyes But little Birds chirping her sweet good-morrowes With Nature's melody beguil'd her sorrowes After this trouble Susan liv'd to see Her children's children in felicity Still beautifull in yeeres beheld them flourish Like noble Palme-trees which calme rivers nourish Or like those Olive-plants to fairnes grown On verdant Mountains neere King Davids town Her kindred and herselfe with prosp'rous hand From Babylon return'd to Canaan land Her Lord her children with her selfe remayn'd In Iudah borders where they re-obtain'd Lordships which their fore-fathers had foregone At their departure into Babylon Their sacrifices that the Levites took Made clensed Sion's hallow'd altars smoke Renown'd Susanna after this did never Feele any fit of cold affliction 's fever But all the quiet comfort earth could give She did enjoy while she on earth did live Her works of Charity performed then Sweetned the sowre afflictions of men Houses and lands bestow'd on poor-men prove To future times her hospitable love She holpe imprizon'd debters out of thrall Paying their debts them granted wherewithall To live at liberty her bread was given To hungry Orphans Beggars were releeven The naked pooremen clothed at her cost And many ransom'd that had long been lost Enfeebl'd sick-men gaining often health Through timely physick purchas'd by her wealth Weak Orphanes helplesse widowes blinde and lame Whom she releev'd to her eternall fame Pray'd for her as in conscious duty bound That she in Heav'n and Earth might live renown'd The trophees of good actions done by her Transcend high Heav'ns and are enrolled there Of whose cleere vertues mortals did adore The meer umbration counting heretofore Holy Susanna for a living shrine Of heav'nly spirits gloriously divine When God determin'd she should enter in The happinesse once lost by Adam's sinne Death witnesse of our protoparent's crime Amputed her As in Autumnall time Men gather Summer's rip'ned fruits into Their garner's home Heav'n took her spirit so So raigneth she Iehovah â— Saâ—nts among Her righteous friends for her lamenting long Her corps embalm'd in spicy Memphian gumme They sepulchred in whitest Marble-tombe Which Pilgrim-pleasing monument did stand Till time consum'd it in Iudaean land The world bemon'd her absence God of Heaven To this deere Saint a better world hath given Faire flights of Angels sung her soule to rest Which evermore now triumphs with the blest Carminibus vives â—empus in omne meis MEDIT. ultima Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat IT is a common theme the best must die And passe through Nature to eternitie 'T is so decreed the day of death and doome Are two Pole-stars whereby we Pilgrims rome The fairest Damsels drawing vitall breath Will not be favour'd by ill-favour'd death Both young and old Ester and Naomi Iudith and faire Susanna too must die Fate snatcheth amiable Queens at once With Country women eateth urned bones Spares neither Sexes pardons no degrees Destroyes Physicians scorneth golden fees A hel-born armed Fury mowing down The mounting Monarch with the mowing clown Impartiall Serjant I presume to call Thee by such titles thou art nam'd withall Thou longest of all slumbers dissolution Of mortall bodies wretched lifes effusion Wild Cormorant of mankind rich mens feare Wish of the poore men wrastler ev'ry-where A silent thiefe a Caniball of Nations Robbing the whole world swallowing generations Thou Pursuivant riding without remorse For Adam's sinne upon the pallid horse Bearing all soules in their long journey on Till they appeare at the Tribunall throne Of Sion's Lambe dost by appointment come And hurry hence the good and bad to doome Thou art a friend foe unto man thou art The good man's comfort the ungodlies smart A gate of endlesse merriment to one Vnto another of eternall mone Thou fiendly creature of th' infernall Lord With cruell phangs hadst made us all afeard Had not our heav'nly Captain conqu'rour been Of Tophet's King thy coward-selfe and sinne Where is the venome of thy quondam-sting Where is the valiance of thy vanquisht King O pale-fac'd Catiffe caught and wrought alas Like as in fables the Cumanan Asse Apparell'd with a frightning Lion's skin Thou seem'st a Lion unto men of sin But Saints can smile upon thee thou art fain To beare their burthens to exeme their pain Although our bodies thou unliv'st our soules Surviving raigne with God above the Poles Of whirling heav'n just actions that we do Doe also live and are eternall too Good works with faith are better worth then gold For they conduct us to the wisht-for fold Of our grand shepheard Iesus they become A milken way to our immortall home Where we shall dwell in everlasting day In better seasons then our moneth of May Where Salomon's much wisdome would be poore Where Absolon would seem a tawny Moore Where in comparison bold Sampson's strength Is infant-weaknesse and unequall'd length Of old Methus lem's life a slender span Of posting time where mundane blisse of man Would be accounted but a painfull pleasure Where Croesus gold is poorest earthen treasure Where Alexander's prize a certain losse And Neptune's rocks of Pearle Diamond drosse Where perfect wisdome beauty strength and store Of peerlesse pleasures during evermore Saints soules possesse To Sion's heav'nly home By faith in Iesus Iesus daigne we come DEO Triuâ—â— in aeternum gloria Conclusion MOnuments of Marble-stone Tombs with golden writings on Like mortall bodies balm'd in guÌ„mes Last but a while and time consume's Goodly Cities die like men Corn is sown where such have been Niniveh and Babylon Old Troy and strongest towns are gone Towns and Towres and Bulwarks fall Pyramid's of Nile and all Dian's Altars are uptore Delphian wonders are no more Monstrous Tyrants from renown In a moment tumble down To the den of lasting shames And black Oblivion hath their names Gods of Egypt Greece and Rome To a â—iriall end are come Vainâ— they vanisht from the ground Their ruines can no more be found Age and fate return'd them dust But all ages Vertue must Live immortall and her prayse Must dure in ever-during dayes
May'st o'recome Danae in her brazen towre Nations in blinded times of old bare love To Heaven when they deâ—sied Iove But now-adayes no Iupiter iâ— found For in all lands Pluto a god is 〈…〉 And through the Christian world in moderâ—â— times In female-hearts god Mammoâ— highly climbes Gold is a Load-starre to their loves it can Draw them to fancy any wealthy man To winne a golden Husband some devise To cover all Natures informities If fairnesse dwindles in their cheekes they will Water't with Clarets and bestow their skill Lest Titan's kisses staine their painted skin Their fannes and veiles shall mew their beauties in If they have bouncing limbs the same are pennd In leatherne prisons proportion to amend If they want grace by art in facâ— they bring Of white and red a second beauty's Spring Such when I see Lord how compleatly vaine Thinke I is all god Mammon's following traine Such yeeld's this world affording other some Contemning gold which covet wealth to come Not in this world whose parents that did breed them With blessed food Helcias-like did feed them And they not worldly minded never marry But where they find the feare of Heaven tarry Slighting Earth-treasures they will not approve Mortals for mortall riches worthy love They with Susannan vertues are endiâ—â—ae Of them iâ— but a slender multitude Who haply train'd in faintly education Can joyne their love with Christian moderation With so much comelinesse as their complexions A man would deeme full of divine perfections And such like Capharean Lanternes give Them light which in nocturnall darknesse live Such when I see I seeme to see the graces Of heav'nly Angels shrin'd in humanâ— faces And then I thinke if such perfection dwels With Saints abiding in terrestriall cell In mortall mansions of flesh what stories Can shew the heav'nly ones supernall glories Sect III. ARGUMENT Ioachim to Helcias â—oes His love unto Susanna showes Her Sire assents his speeches â—â—ines Her heart and marriage-day obtaines NOw when Susanna's beauty through the towne And Provinces was bâ—azon'd up and downe Some Noble Lords who liv'd in Babylon Sought her in marriage 〈◊〉 her Paragon Of fairest beauties so all tongues agreed Who her in wooing had as haplesse speed As those gay Dames that whilome but in vaine Suppos'd the yong Lord Ioachims love to gaine For old Helâ—ias though his daughter could Not fancy them fearing in time she would Susanna listning to her constant Lover Her whisp'ring friends in corners do discover A glorious combat in her countenance By all the Graces fought in puissance A pleasant battle none of them would yeild To lose the glory of that honour'd field Aurora's blush of ruby countenance Nor Maiden Cynthia's silver-radiance Nor deawly Vesper's Crimson-colour'd skie Nor via lactea's heavenly milken die Nor Doves nor Roses could such colours show As in her countenance did come and goe It seems her judgment wisely did approve His Courtly learning in the schoole of Love For yer Titania with her horned brow WaÌ„dred on high 12 heav'nly mansions through She was affianc'd at her father's booâ—d To Ioachim her overjoyfull Lord. Glad as our Lovers were their friends and they Prefixt the wedding's ceremoniall day Which soon expires and in his nuptiall bands The mariage-god conjoyns them heart hands Glad Io-Peans Hymen then did sing And to their wedding pompe and glory bring What shall I say such mariage unbereaven Of happinesse was forecontriv'd in heaven To tell the Bride and Bridegroom's going forth With various musick quaintest songs of mirth When spangled anadems bedeckt the brow Of Madam Bride time scanteth me to show Suffice it you she was attended on By all the stately trains of Babylon And through that town to honour Susan's name Loud Cymbals ring out Naptha bonfires flame Tilts Tournaments and great triumphant sport Honour'd her Nuptials in great Babels Court. MEDIT. III. Verus amor odit moras THe best love-potion is whoever prove Vertuous affection it obtaineth love True love resembling unction powr'd upon The Crown of Aaron thence descending on His beard and garment-skirts that left behind Odours which to devotion mov'd the mind 'T is like the fine dew of Hermoniâ—â—-fountains Gently distilling upon Sion-mountains 'T is purest fire extracted from the Pole Surpassing that that fond Prometheus stole It being enkindled by Celestiall breath Burns till extinguisht by the hand of death In vertuous soules of men Beauty alone â—nâ—ends it not it dures when beauty's gone 〈◊〉 profit not on pleasure it depend's Pleasure and profit on true love attends True love disdaineth all ignoble ends It 〈…〉 hearts in that contentive chaiâ— Which World 's great builder did for man ordain Not in the earth where bloud and wrong abounds But in the bosome of Elizian grounds By love and wedlock highest God who then Made two of one made them two one agen Leaving the same for signals to abide Of Heavens bridegroome and his holy bride Could men of such a Theme no verses make Mountains and Rocks would warblings undertake Lowd eccho answ'ring them again would sing And shame upon unthankfull men would bring Our soules Redeemer by his 〈◊〉 divine To honour these turn'd water into wine At Galilean Canaan God declar'd Heav'n-joyes unto a wedding feast compar'd But for true-love and marriage-propagation The World had still remain'd in desolation O love and wedlock chasing wanton fires Which in our soules the Paphian god inspires In you the poore man's joyes 〈◊〉 abound As his whose browes with fined gold are 〈◊〉 You empty dwellings fill and are a signe Of Sions bridegroome and his love diviâ—â— Your praise alas my Muse too saintly sings Let some good Angell spread his shining wings Descending on them from supernall Quire And bring with him some sempiternall Lyre To strike with aires of Heav'n the eares of men And shew how much indebted mortals been To Heav'n for these let duller worldlings be Ravisht to heare celestiall melody When he shall strike his more than Orphean string Stones streames and woods will dance about and sing Sect. IV. ARGUMENT Ioachim and Susann's love Crown'd with blessings from above They have beauteous children faire Mansions and Gardens rare OVr married Lovers full of high content Live merry lives in Fortune's blandishment God showr's abundant blessings on them down Giving them children wedlock joyes to crown In whose composure Elements conspire To turn themselves into eternall fire The vertuous Of-spring of the patient Ioh For beauty famous in this earthen Globe Whose fairnes sham'd the finest flowres of May Were not more amiably faire then they Lord Ioachim and Lady Susan were When ever nam'd Musick to ev'ry eare Their joy abound's on earth Fortune's Sunne With golden-beames on them serenely shone No sadning want no sorrow-bringing strife Was known to burthen their good mariage-life But in their bosome dwell'd a purer love Then what the Turâ—le beareâ—s his fellow-dove Their dwellings for the years bine seazoÌ„s stand Like little Temples in a holy Land Within
Had been familiar with their neighbour's wives Such wicked children and the same of whom Th' eternall said Iniquity is come From Babylon and plainly doth appeare In breasts of Ancients that doe govern there These haunt the Mansion of Lord Ioachim And crept in estimation with him Where often both of them in doubtfull cause Passe partiall judgement of impartiall Lawes Their heads were wilefull for a golden fee Saints they coÌ„demn'd bold sinner's lives to free These gazing on the Sun of Susan's beauty Were strucken blinde they could not ken their duty Their hasty feet in paths infernall trod And they forgat the glorious lawes of God When Time's cold Winter chang'd their beards like wools Of whitest Lambs and baldned both their sculs They burn'd in lust towards her and ev'ry day Court being ended there did loyt'ring stay Their bloud reboil'd like that in Aeson-veins They were as jocund as the yonger swains To dinner sent-for each returneth home Whither again they having din'd would come So in apparell chang'd that men whilere Who 〈…〉 were Though they by interparlance were unjust Yet did they not communicate their lust T'ill wondring at their frequent meeting there Each tell 's his fellow without shame or feare And then these Devils in a humane shape Cohasten faire Susanna to intrap Though Charon hel's infernall Boat-man stood Waiting to waft them ore the Stygian flood They doted on Venerian sport as though They had creation only to doe so So waxen old they both again begin To serve another prenâ—â—ship to sin Mispending their most precious heav'n lent leasure Not in repentance but in carnall pleasure MEDIT. V. Voluptas dulce venenum COuld judges having honour to be stil'd Gods upon earth then Devils prove more vil'd Could they who often had condemn'd to die Adulterers commit adulterie Could Elders burn in lust could old men wander In flames like the Serpentine Salamander Did they when crooked old and bald and rivell D'on youthfull rayments to allure to evill Had the seducing Div'll no yonger men In Babylon to be his factors then Vain-glorious fooles to think apparell could Intice a Saint though wrought with Indian gold Had they contemn'd the Lawes and taken leisure To fall from God to make a god of pleasure Pleasure what is it 't is an Amphisben Biting at both ends it soon endeth men Pleasure what is it is it not a trap To ruine Anthony in Fortune's lap To humble Hanibal who marched farre Renownedly unharm'd by Roman warre This is a hand of Mischiefe thiâ— could rim Proud Olophernes traitors head from him It could demolish skie-aspiring Troy And her bright glory in dark embers lay The soules of men are oftentimes betraid By carnall pleasure to infernall shade 'T is like a blind wormâ— in our paths it is A stinging Adder of the land of Dis 'T is like Medusa's tresse and if it be Tâ— wound in the body of man's living tree Man's heart of flesh convert's if he have one By secret vigour to unliving stone It steeleth o're the maiden-blushing soule Past sence of sinne make 's royall David foule Alas the Lebanon of God hath never Such Cedars nourisht but this storme could shiver This is a blast could tumble to the ground World-wondred Samson when he liv'd renown'd Could make the wisest mortall King bow down With foolish congies to the gods unknown Pleasure 's a monstrous Witch that can transforme Proud men into Harpeian-birds of harme Embrace her in your bosomes you that list To houle in darknesse of Chimeriaâ— mist For this pollutes man's soule and â—an vndoe The strongest men consenting thereunto Plebeans should beware and Prinâ—es then Be vigilant in choosing soundest men For Magistrates such whose example shoo'd Shining in goodnesse do their Conâ—iâ—â—e good Kings that so carefull are shall ever find Confirmed peace and leave renown behind Which Pharoh knew when he to Ioseph's hands Committed ruledome of Aegyptian-lands Wherefore let Christian Kings observe the same And they shall gaine an everlasting Name Sect. VI. ARGUMENT The Elders thinke mens spirits â—nâ—w â—fter death no wealâ— nor woe Of sin and Susan's destoration Consisteth all their consultation THese Elders when together on a day Between themselves these following words did say Such wordes renowned Salomon foretould In counsell speak our Saviour's Iudges would Mankind is born to live and die in sin Death makes a man as he had never bin Let 's laugh our time to nothing after death Comes neither joy nor pain our vitall breath Smoak-like ascendeth from our nostrils all Our words like fiery dying sparkles fall Unto the ground our bodies turn to clay Our spirits vanish like the aires of May Our lives consume like empty clouds of heaven Which winds beyond the ken of man have driven Or like to dewly mists that soon are done Upon the rising of the Summer's Sun Our names and fames in time will be forgotten Our memory like dead men's bones be rotten Time hastens man decay's compleats his Urn And 't is decre'd from death can none return Come let us fall unto our wonted games Let us be blith and nourish wanton flames On silver-trenchers let us frankly ear The finest fat of lust-provoking meat T' will make us young though we be waxen old And let us drink in burnisht bowles of gold The sparkling ancient strong Falernian Wines And look about for youthfull Concubines Sad cogitations jolly soules oppresse Let us ascend our thrones in pleasantnesse Let Nard and Amber on our garments smell Like Flora's Bow'rs where Maja's Nymphs do dwell Roses will wither being fully blown But while they bud wee 'le weare a Rosie crown What Lyncean eye discern's our lewd delight Cover'd with darknesse of the cloudy night Why should we censures feare or idle sound Of humane words that are inviron'd round With marble-wals the wit of mortals can Not find our wiles past finding out of man And Heav'n regardeth not the workes of men Come let us boldly feast and frollick then Let vs not care though heavâ—ns bright eie espies For danger comes not from serened skies That men to heav'n ascend is but a fable Heav'n for mankind is not inhabitable Faire women be our heaven Venus treasures Our happinesse some token of our pleasures In ev'ery place wherby the world may mind us In future time now let us leave behind us To swell our borders let us never spare To injure Orphans never let us care To estimate men's white senâ—â—ed haires The open Index of their doting yeares But to our pleasure let us bend Susanna Whom fame reporteth chaster then Diana Fame is mistaken she is fairer farre Shall we but gaze on this admired starre To pine with Tartalus let 's mount and teare Her glory down and stain her silver spheare If Susan be a Comet in the aire She doth portend Elders shall soon enjoy her Dedalian plumes let us ascend upon And shufâ—le Phoebus from his burning throne But if with wax-wings we our mounty make Doubtlesse we tumble in Icarian
cause Go mourn in sackcloth for your sins for shame But if such madnes you disdaine to ta'ne Depart from hence seek Babylonian Whores Who signe-post like stand painted at the dores In their white bosomes they will you enfold And welcome bid for bags of yellow gold By courting me you gain your wils as soon As Syrian Wolves by barking at the Moon You flie me seem's with idle Bees of Inde Against rough weather and the stormy wind Fierce Euphrates quoth she to yonder mountains Shall backwards run and hide him in his fountains Leaving the deep pools of his channell dry Swart leathern Swains shall plough-turmoile the sky Sodom's dead lake revive and entertain Leviathan and Neptune's hungry train Fishes shall flouds forsake and foules of heaven Be deckt with scales and in the Ocean driven Babell shall know no heat nor Pontus cold Fire and water shall one dwelling hold The brightest flame of Heaven shine by night And horned Cynthia give diurnall light Before I change my setled constant mind To damne my selfe that you may count me kind Depart and say you have a woman known Preserv'd your honour saving of her own Their Reply Proud scornfull dame what faire means cannot doe Be certain foule means shall compell thee to Our wronged Honours suddenly shall rain A storm of vengeance on thee for disdain Repent proud woman we shall make thee glad To lie with us or we will make thee mad Ten thousand times thy betters have agreed To pleasure us ten thousand times at need Nor need they to repent it such behavours Obtein'd them ours and all their husband's favours If thou refuse false witnes we will beare To stain thy reputation we will sweare To end thy life we found a yongman here With thee in Venus action we will say Therefore thy Maidens thou did'st send away So we 'll take vengeance dooming thee to death And after when thou wantest vitall breath Have thy supposed trespasse sung in rimes By errant Scundrils in succeeding times Drunkards and Mimicall Pantomini Shall make pastime to act thine infamy Pointing the horns at Ioachim and cleep Thy children bastards he 's constrain'd to keep As bug words children thy misbranded name Shall frighten strumpets from the acts of shame Wherefore for honour of thy name agree To condiscend that we may humble thee Concluding so they offred rape and fear'd her That she cry'd out and all her servants heard her But as she call'd pure rivolets of teares Stream'd from her eyes which in the spring appeare's peares Cleerer then morning-dew and did divide Themselves in droplings swimming tow'rds the side Which holy Well where Saintly Susan wept This strange memoriall of her teares hath kept That ever-since her fluid waters shine Brighter then silver brackt with siluer-brine Which waxing colder do for cures excell Saint Winifrid's waters in the Cambrian Well MEDIT. VIII De Daemone dira libido THe Devill want's no Orators in time Of old he could make Serpents plead for him In wily arguments all kind of evill Comes from and is ov'rgilded by the Devill There 's Love a vertue of vnvalued price And Lust misnamed love a brutish vice And this infernall thing wants neither tongues Nor tunes to warble forth inchanting songs Lust is a subtile Siren ever training Soules to destruction by her secret faining She is the prince of darknesse eldest daughter Wanting no craft her cunning Sire hath taught her Profound dissimulation she hath skill To speak all Languages when-ere she will Wandring this earthen world all carnall men To her doe homage they her servants been This strumpet clad in Peacock-plumes doth ride Both day and night in painted carres of pride Her handmaid Lying Pander's and suborn's Lovers enough to serve her lustfull turns Guilt Sorrow Shame Horrour attend her still But she can maske them and go where she will Bulwarks of brasse condensed walls of stone Cannot debarre her she can walk alone Vnseen in private Gardens ev'ry day Within the darknesse find-out Venus way And where her power cannot throughly pester She planteth Envie her Gorgonian sister But these assisted by the fiends of Hell Where all Serpentine monstrous legions dwell Can never change the Saints firme resolution Though they procure them bodily confusion Pleasures nor pains which wicked mortals plod Prevaile not to pull righteous soules from God Gemonian staires Phalarian Buls nor all Torments that flow from cruell Tyrants gall Tarpejan Mountains Altars of Busire Nor furnaces of Babylonian fire Rewards nor tortures have not powre to cause The Saints on Earth t' abandon heav'nly lawes Camelions change their colour Guile her game But in both fortunes Vertue is the same Nor hath a Planet's influence pow'r to make Resolved soules their chastity forsake The subcelestiall armour Saints do weare Is resolution soul-distracting feare Never can pierce it it defend's the heart Better then Coats of maile and can retort More keen and fiercer flying shafts then those That singing come from ful-bent Russian bowes Those valiant ones that weare it can be bold When others tremble unappal'd behold The sternest looks of Death can smile upon Cocytus waves and burning Phlegiton Though foule Erinnis in the world do's raign They Titan-like do constant still remayn Th'ungodly World can vomit up no gall On them but they can dauntlesse scorn it all Lord grant us resolution still to trust In thy defence from undermining lust Support us by thy pow'r and then we shall Like Sion-mountayns stand and never fall Sect. IX ARGUMENT Chast Susanna to her Lord Falsly accus'd and sent toward Tongues of taunting people stirre All her friends lament for her SVsanna call's the Elders loudly roare To drown her cryings o'pe her Garden dore Returning with a recareering pace As if some Rebell they had held in chase So greedy Huntsmen on the Pontick downes With whoopings cheer their game pursuing hounds Their voices they uplifted to the skie With hubbubs raising wofull hue on crie Her clamour-hearing servants running came To tender aydance to their tender Dame And as in post through postern dores they run Th' abominable Elders both begun Purboild in breathlesse sweatings to amort Her men and Maydens with obscene report Untill that time did never cloudy shame Obnubilate the Glory of her Name Her monefull Virgins dutifully run To comfort her her vestments they put on The clothed Lady comes before the Lords Whom Elders prepossest with lying words Which made their eares to tingle and their haire Ascend as if some Stygian fiends were there But Susan better meditating on 't Bedri'd her eye-lids cleer'd her mournfull front As doth the Delian Princesse when her Grace In Thetis wavy streames hath washt her face And gaining strength did presently begin To cleer her selfe from that suggested sinne Before her husband she the guilt did rem From her imputing haynous crime on them Which they denying call'd her impious dame Her greived Lord beleeved not the same Wherefore the Elders doe confine his Spouse That night close pris'ner
to her father's house Commanding upon pain of fines that none Should speak with her til morning Phoebus shone Where she good heart lie's pickled up in teares While to her parents she her conscience cleeres The vulgar people these aspersions cast Susanna is more beautifull then chast And as Diana kist with loving skill Shepheard Endimion upon Latmos hill Susanna so in wanton-bowers did spend Her houres in dalliance with a nimble friend These torrents of unjust defame and wrongs Of derogating vulgar-taunting tongues Like swelling flouds that to the Ocean roule Adde fresher troubles to her vexed soule Some men of Babylon begin to scorn Lord Ioachim pointing at him the horn But his true friends coÌ„joyn'd with him in prayer Knowing Susanna chast as she is faire They in compassion of this Innocent A silver-sea in brinish showers spent Till sable night had with her Ebon-robe Darkned the surface of this earthen Globe And drowsie Morpheus with his leaden key Had lockt the doores of many a mortall eye Night being waxen old and drunk with teares No golden star was seen to gild the Spheares Titan to their Antipodites being gone To luminate another Horizon Now did these Elders hold a parolment To practise mischiefe ' gainst this innocent Where they determin'd when the morning came They would condemne this good distressed dame So they departed bed-wards guilty feares Ringing like larums in their frightned eares In them the terrours of th' internall worme Ten thousand kinds of living deaths did forme Dissembling Satan tempting them 'till day To have them take Susannas life away Which they resolv'd yet did their bosomes quake Fearing of men whom they afraid should make MEDIT. IX Ludit in humanis divina potentia rebus WHat shall I laugh that Fortune like a ball Bandies the Globe of this inconstant All Shall loud Abderian laughter fill my tongue Or shall I sing Ephesian mourning song Because the world 's a wel concordant jarre Like fained Perseus wedding bringing warre Nothing subsists beneath the Cynthian flame But somewhat live's to terrifie the same The Emperour and Peazant have their foes Aswell as friends world's Epidemick woee And casuall joyes denoting great men know Few reall friends from friends in fained show Too day unconstant worldlings will dispraise Whom they to morrow to the Heavens raise And presently their judgements will condemne The persons whilome in esteeme of them 'T is necessary that offences come But woe and many woes to them by whom 'T were better they with milstones heavy tied About their necks had in the Ocean died 'T is necessary that offences come To make us mindfull of supernall home Should be continuall Summer all things faire And plentifull few soules for heav'n would care Should Fortune cheere us with still smiling eye We should condoat on this vain world and die Therefore all things beneath-expansed Heaven God hath to change and revolution given The Sun attain'd to his Meridian throne Declines again till he from thence be gone The gentle calmes bring rougher stormes and all Hot gleames of Titan cause cold showers to fall Mild Zeph'ry Summer partâ—s in Summers roome I hill Winter with Aeolian rufflers come Age follow 's youth death life night followes day So vanisheth world's glory clean away Calamity and comfort comes and goes From man to man like Neptune's ebbe and flowes Now caroll we like Nightingales of May Anon like Pellicans we pine away In humane things a pow'r divine doth play This changfull world attend's her changing day We prostrate lie on dunghils and anon Ascend in triumph upon Honour's throne Earth-joyes are false they bid us soon adue Her during-sorrowes are most certain true Our wise forefathers doted not on this Deceitfull round where Satan's kingdome is Though living in the golden age of joy Hundreds of yeeres they counted earth a toy But in these Iron-generations some Prize it on whom world's worser ends are come My soule contemnes this world which over flowes Me like a Sea with tydes of briny woes Where griefe 's Vorago's upon either hand Worser then Scylla with Charybdis stand Lord daigne we may by trouble-stormes 〈◊〉 Hence to our soule-contenting rest in heaven Sith we to Eden must through Bochim goe Thy will be done deere God that wil 's it so For one sweet day within the Courts of Heaven Will recompence all torts on earth receiven Sect. X. ARGUMENT Susan arraign'd the Bench before Falsly accus'd to be a whore Iudgment against her rashly given She prayes unto the Iudge of Heaven WHen day had with his early dawning light Earth uninvelopt from the cloudy night And rising Titan gloriously had shon Upon the golden Tow'rs of Babylon Firing the pine-trees on the Eastern Mountains Dancing a while on warme Eoan Fountains These scarlet-judges with their purple-brothers With swarmes of Babylonians Iewes and others Assemble in Lord Ioachim's great Hall Where to the Bar Susanna they do call Who thither comes and on her train attends 〈…〉 friends 〈…〉 in that place to wrong That places Owner whose mild kindnesse long There suffred them to make a Senat-roome O Devillish to pronounce a murdrous doome A sentence there to rifle her of Fame And in the Scroll of death describe her name Which in life's golden roll Angels on high Fore-registred above the shining skie Hence gentle eyes your teares again will drown Her story teer-already overflown The veile which modest Hebrew-women weare They gave command should be ta'ne from her there Forgetting all humanity and duty To glut their wicked eyes upon her beauty The sight whereof transpierced soules so deep All her spectators could not choose but weep The most obdurate Hinds in all that Nation Shed plenteous teares in this collachrimation Such sighes and grones came from her kindred pale As once were heard in Hadadeimmon-vale When as she heav'nwards looking Elders lai'd Their cursed hands upon her head and said Her accusation and condemnation AS we two were in Ioachim's garden-places One to another putting doubtfull cases Susanna with two Damsels yesterday Came there to walk sending her Maids away Who shut her Garden-dores and inwards went Then came a young man from enambushment Unto Susanna we beheld them in The Goatish action of Venerian sinne Which thing perceiving gently we drew neere If possibly to apprehend him there But the young Ruffian spying us forsook His Paramour and to his heels betook Him suddenly whom we persu'd a main With loudest hubbubs that he might be tane For he was lusty nimbler far then we And from us through the upper doore went he So he escapt this apprehended woman Deni'd the Fact affirming there was no man And urg'd by us disdained to confesse The runnaway's Name unto which wickednes She multiplieth more saying to wit We two with her Adult'ry would commit Thus scandall bringing on us but my Lords As there 's a powre divine discerning words And deeds of Mortals we prolate no lies T' is true so doom us he that fram'd the skies Here at the