Engines did all Nature scare Spouting their ruddy Vomit thro' the Air. Tempests of Fire like that which burns in Hell And blew Cascades of flaming Sulphur fell Dreadful to Sight and deadly to the Smell The rav'ning Flames were on the Mountains pour'd And all thy Shepherds with their Flocks devour'd I only am escap'd to let thee know Thy heavy Loss and this sad Scene of Woe Scarce had he ended when another came His Horror was alike his haste the same And thus he said The fierce Chaldeans made Three chosen Bands thy Camels to invade Thy Servants by surprize they 've overcome And with their Spoil they march'd in Triumph home Mean time another enter'd who in Speed And Consternation did the rest exceed And thus he spake Iob At a splendid Treat Thy Sons and Daughters were together met Within their Eldest Brother's pleasant Seat When rising from the Salvage Wilderness A howling hollow Wind with such a Stress Bore on the House that the high Roof and Wall Disjoynted crack'd and fell and with the Fall Crush'd and interr'd at once th' assembled Youth I only scap'd to tell so sad a Truth Then Iob his Garment rent and shav'd his Head And on the Ground adoring fell and said Naked at first I left my Mother's Womb And shall return as Naked to my Tomb. The Lord has giv'n and taken back again Because he takes his Own shall I complain Tho' now he Frowns I 'll praise th' Allmighty's Name And bless the Spring whence past Enjoyments came CHAP. II. The glorious Sons of God a second time Adoring stood around his Throne sublime A second time ambitious Lucifer Amidst the happy Seraphs did appear To whom th' Eternal thus Apostate whence Com'st thou to these blest Seats of Innocence Th' Apostate said I Lands and Seas have crost And past from Clime to Clime from Coast to Coast Till the Tour of yon low World had made And all its Empires and its States survey'd And now am hither come In all thy way Th' Allmighty said Ambitious Spirit say Hast thou observ'd good Iob my Servant one In Righteousness and Piety by none Thro' all the wide Terrestrial World out-done How ' midst his Suff'rings he asserts my Cause Defends my Justice and Obeys my Laws He perseveres unchang'd and still holds fast Th' Integrity which he has long embrac't Thou mov'st me to afflict his Soul in vain He still his generous Virtue does retain Shock'd with this Storm he still takes deeper root Nor is he less adorn'd with Noble Fruit. The Constancy th' unshaken Man has shew'd Does thy malicious Policy Elude Still against Sin he makes a brave defence Despoil'd of all things but his Innocence Th' Apostate then reply'd Mankind 't is known Will give their Childrens Skins to save their own To save their Lives their Treasures they produce Rather than Death a naked Being chuse But now extend thy Hand and let the smart Of some Disease afflict him to the Heart And thou wilt find my Accusation true That he with Curses will his God pursue Then said th' Allmighty Iob is in thy power Afflict his Flesh but be his Life secure In haste th' Apostate on this Errand went Pleas'd with a Power to vex the Innocent He soon collected thro' the Atmosphere Crude Exhalations and corrupted Air. He fetch'd raw Vapours and unwholsom Damps From standing Lakes low Caves and marshy Swamps Then finding Iob he secretly convey'd Thro' all his winding Veins th' infectious Seed The poyson'd Blood with Pestilential Boyls From Head to Foot the guiltless Man defiles In Ashes humbly silent down he sate With Groans bewailing his unhappy Fate To clean his Skin he with a Potsherd took The Filth away that from his Ulcers broke Then thus his Wife the Constant Man addrest How much thy pious dullness I detest Dost thou not see that thy Devotion 's vain What have thy Pray'rs procur'd but Woe and Pain To suff'ring Virtue wilt thou still adhere And harden'd in Religion persevere Wilt thou retain thy Praying Whining Cant And bless thy God for what for Plagues and Want Hast thou not yet thy Int'rest understood Perversly Righteous and absurdly Good These painful Sores and all thy Losses show How Heav'n regards the foolish Saint below Incorrigibly Pious can't thy God Reform thy stupid Virtue with his Rod Since only Woe attends thy Piety Be Wise and Brave for once Curse God and Dye Provoke th' Allmighty thus to be thy Friend To take thy Life and so thy Suff'rings end Then Iob reply'd Thou speakest as the Weak As the Prophane Flagitious Women speak What! shall a Man a Worm with God contend Dispute his Will his Rule of Justice mend He once enrich'd and made us to abound Fill'd us with Goodness and our Wishes crown'd Shall we receive his Blessings but complain When his afflicting Hand Creates our Pain We should our Patience in our Suff'rings shew Blessings are not but Suff'rings are our Due When Bildad Zophar and Wise Eliphaz Rever'd for Knowledge and their Noble Race All three to Iob by Friendship long endear'd The News of his Calamitys had heard They left their Seats and meeting on the Day And Place of Rendezvous they took their way To Mourn with Iob to share his mighty Grief And by their Councels to afford Relief His Pain in part by Kindness to remove And sooth his Anguish by condoling Love Then from afar they lifted up their Eyes Directed by his Moans and wofull Crys And spy'd th' afflicted Iob upon the Sand In Ashes laid his Potsherd in his Hand Consummate Sorrow in his Eyes appear'd And Tears and Dust his meagre Cheeks besmear'd Deform'd he lay Disfigur'd Cover'd o'er With running Boyls and undigested Gore They sought him in himself and scarce did know Their ancient Friend disguis'd with so much Woe At last convinc'd they whisper'd sure 't is he But O how chang'd with Pain and Poverty What wondrous Turn of Providence is this And how precarious is Terrestrial Bliss Amazing Change how soon O Righteous God Man's Glory sades beneath thy blasting Rod To see a Righteous Friend so much distrest Awaken'd various Passions in their Breast Grief Pity Wonder in their Bosoms pent Prest with like force and strove at once for Vent They tore their Vests like Men in deep Despair And scatter'd Clouds of Ashes thro' the Air Which thence descending on their Heads did rest Their inward Grief and Trouble to attest Not to molest a Sorrow so profound Sev'n Nights and Days they Silent sate around So long a Time they held their Peace to show A Rev'rence due to such prodigious Woe CHAP. III. And then afflicted Iob first Silence broke His Friends attentive sate while thus he spoke Curst be the fatal Day that cheer'd my Sight With the first Beam of Inauspicious Light Curst be the luckless Night be Curst the Morn When first they said an Infant Man was born Perish that Day let it no more appear Cut off from all Connexion with the Year
him and all File off in turn He is not more unhappy than the rest His Fate is common to the worst and best Why then do you pretend that prosp'rous days I yet might see would I amend my ways Experience your Assertion contradicts And shows that Heav'n the Righteous oft afflicts That the best Men prodigious Suff'rings bear While God is pleas'd great Wickedness to spare CH XXII Then Eliphaz If undefil'd thou dost thy Virtue keep Is God oblig'd does he the Profit reap Were all thy Days in pure Religion spent Would that th' Almighty's Happiness augment When he does strictly Righteousness enjoyn Does he his own Advancement seek or Thine If thou art Good the Profit is thy own God needs thee not he on his Heav'nly Throne Crown'd with Essential Bliss in Triumph â—its Unmeasur'd Bliss which no increase admits Does he in Wrath attempt thy overthrow Fearing in time thou shouldst too Potent grow I grant thy Suff'rings great and numerous are But with thy Guilt they just Proportion bear Justice Divine its Banks ne'er overflows All monstrous Suff'rings monstrous Crimes suppose Either thy Neighbour's Pledge thou hast detain'd And by Extortion hast his Substance drain'd Or of his Garment thou hast stript the Poor And sent him Naked from thy cruel Door Or to the Man with burning Sunbeams fry'd At his last Gasp thou hast thy Spring deny'd Or thou hast seen thy hungry Neighbour dye For want of Bread which thou wouldst not supply Or else unjustly to the Rich and Great Thou hast decreed another's Land and Seat While thou the mournful Widow didst oppress And crush without Remorse the needy Fatherless For some such Crime tho' secret and unknown Thou dost beneath this heavy Vengeance groan For this with Snares thou art encompass'd round And suddain Fears thy trembling Soul confound Thick Shades and Darkness o'er thy Dwelling spread And dismal Floods of Grief whelm o'er thy Head Does not th' Almighty sit enthron'd on high On the steep Convex of th' Empyreal Sky Whence with a quick and easy Prospect he Can all his Works and Worlds around him see Yet thou dost act as if thou didst believe Thou couldst th' Almighty's searching Eye deceive As if thou saidst how can th' Almighty know How can he mind and judge of things below Vast is the Gulph of Air that lies between And from his sight thick Clouds the Sinner skreen He walks the happy Circuit of the Sky Nor casts on this low dirty Ball an Eye Uninterrupted Pleasure him employs While he alone his Blissful Self enjoys Our Good or Evil Deeds our Joys or Pains Unworthy of his Notice he disdains Lo from thy Lips whate'er expressions break This is the Language which thy Actions speak Didst thou with due Attention ne'er behold The Paths in which the Wicked trod of Old Who from the Earth for their enormous Crime Were hurried off by Death before their time Who to th' gen'ral Flood became a Prey And with their Sons and Wealth were swept away These did th' Almighty's sacred Laws deride Contemn'd his Favour and his Threats defy'd They cry'd if we Religion's Rule regard Who will our Pains and pious Zeal reward Yet God their Houses with Abundance blest Enlarg'd their Empire and their Stores increast But who was by their Wealth to Envy mov'd Or who their impious Words or Ways approv'd For tho' like thee they Peace a while enjoy'd Yet they at last were from the Earth destroy'd But Righteous Men have still the Joy to see Justice Divine rebuke Impiety Th' Almighty they 'll exalt in Songs of Praise Who does his Glory by such Judgments raise They shall th' Oppressor's Pomp and Power deride When Heav'n's just Vengeance thus corrects their Pride The wicked perish while the pious Race Of Patriarchs whence our Descent we trace Favour'd by Heav'n possest their ancient place They never were to Desolation doom'd Never by such prodigious Fire consum'd As raining down from Heav'n in flaming Showers Destroy'd proud Sodom's and Gomorrah's Towers Wherefore O Iob to God with speed return With deep Contrition thy Offences mourn O'erwhelm'd with Shame and Sorrow prostrate lye Before his Feet and for Compassion cry Let humble Prayer and penitential Tears Appease Heav'n's Wrath and thus remove thy Fears When God is pleas'd all Nature will express A forward Zeal t' advance thy Happiness God's gracious Aspect with its Heav'nly Light Will dissipate this dark tempestuous Night Joy will arise and with its cheerful Ray Chase all these sullen Clouds of Grief away Will Iob prophane and impious Maxims learn From stupid Heathens who from all concern From Things below th' Almighty's Care exempt And thus expose Religion to Contempt No let the Law which God of old reveal'd To humane Kind which yet is unrepeal'd Or which should written in thy Heart abide Be made thy Rule of Life and sacred Guide Within thy Breast with pious Care record His blest Instructions and his Heav'nly Word If thou sincerely wilt thy Life devote To virtuous Deeds and wilt with Zeal promote Th' Almighty's Honour and Religions Cause By strict observance of his Righteous Laws He all thy dismal Ruins will repair And all thy reunited Fragments rear He 'll raise thy Head now buried in the Dust And make thee midst the Clouds thy glitt'ring Turrets thrust He 'll fix thy Pillars deeper in the ground And stronger Bulwarks shall thy House surround He shall thy Plenty and thy Peace restore And give thee Empire wider than before Thou shalt no more of Vengeance be afraid No Terrors more shall thy safe Tents invade Thy Neighbours shall with Wonder thee behold With Cedar blest adorn'd with Gems and Gold Thou such prodigious Treasures shalt command Thou shalt like Dust collect thy Golden Sand. Thy rich but disregarded Ophir Oar Shall lye like Stones on every River's Shore Wedges of Silver from the purest Mine Pil'd high in Heaps shall round thy Dwelling shine Against thy Foes th' Almighty will contend Protect thy Plenty and thy Life defend Thou with his Favour shalt be ever blest A vast Reward exceeding all the rest Thou shalt derive from him thy chief Delight The Thoughts of whom does now thy Soul affright Up thou shalt look with Courage and employ Thy Thoughts on Heav'n with Confidence and Joy Thou to th' Almighty shalt have free Access And to his Throne prevailing Prayers address When thou art heard thy Vows in Trouble made Shall with a glad and thankful Heart be paid All thy designs th' Almighty shall approve And thy decrees will ratify above Before thee he shall Heav'nly Light display To solace and to guide thee in thy way He shall protect thy Paths thy Counsels bless And crown thy Undertakings with Success When wicked Men shall be around destroy'd Stript of the Power and Wealth they once enjoy'd Thou shalt not feel th' Almighty's wrathful hand But undisturb'd enjoy thy fruitful Land For God the humble Person will regard And with his Blessing will his Love reward Nor
is a party-colour'd Vest Which Gems and rich Embroidery adorn Fit by the greatest Princes to be worn These boastful words she spoke while Sisera Dead in the Tent of Iael lay Lord let his Fate attend thine Enemys So let them perish who against thee rise But let the Men who Wickedness abhor Who love thee and thy Name adore Be like the Sun Who when refresh'd does in his Vigour rise Eager to run All the blew Stages of the spacious Skys David's Lamentation Occasion'd by the Death of Saul and Ionathan 1 SAMUEL Chap. I. WHen Ionathan and Saul expiring lay On the curst Hills of Gilbâ—a Ah black inglorious fatal Day 'T was then unhappy Israel Thy Beauty Strength and Glory fell How were thy mighty Warriours slain What a red Deluge bath'd the reeking Plain How were thy Sons to Conquest long inur'd How were thy Valiant Chiefs devour'd By the Philistine's unrelenting Sword How terrible how sudden was their Fate These Pillars fal'n that prop'd thy State Who shall support thy sinking Empire's weight Let Fame be struck with horror dumb That to our Foes the News may never come Let our dishonour be to Gath unknown Proclaim it not in Askelon Lest if their Daughters come to know Our loss and unexampled Woe They in their Feasts and Dances should express Insultingly their Joy at our distress And impiously ' devout should raise Their carv'd and graven Gods in wicked Songs of Pâ— Ye Hills of Gilbâ—a the fatal place O'er which the Foe did Israel chase Ye luckless Hills Spred with your Monarch's Ignominious Spoils May you the marks of Heav'n's displeasure bear Be you no more the Farmer 's care Let no kind Cloud hereafter pour On your parch'd Heads one fruitful Shower May the relentless harden'd Sky No Rain by Day or Dew by Night supply To ease your Thirâ—t and gaping clefts cement With Fire be blasted and with Thunder rent Let not a blade of Grass or Corn Nor one green Tree your Heads adorn By Heav'n accurst to future Ages stand Uncultivated Heaps of barren Sand. For vanquish'd Israel o'er these Mountains fled There with ignoble Rout the Fields were spred There lay our Weapons mingled with our Dead There scatter'd Bucklers lay Which routed Israel cast away There may the Shield of Saul be found Midst common Bucklers on the ground Thy Body too unhappy Monarch there Lys mixt with vulgar Corps expos'd in open Air. O Saul O Ionathan ye mighty Dead You ne'er before in Battel fled The Arrows from the Son's unerring Bow Have pierc'd ten thousand valiant Warriours thro' The Father 's unresisted Sword Like raging Fires around devour'd By no Opposer e'er withstood The crimson Conq'ror reek'd in Hostile Blood Till now you ever us'd to come Laden with Spoils and Trophys home Your Chariots thro' the confluent gazing Throng Us'd in slow State to roll along While crowds of Captive Princes chain'd Wiping their Brows with dust and sweat distain'd Did panting in the Pomp appear Part of the long Procession of the Rear Our Daughters both in Mind and Habit gay With Songs and Dances on the way Met and increast the Triumph of the Day Thus Vict'ry us'd to crown The mighty Father and the valiant Son Now vanquish'd o'er the Hills they fly From the pursuing Enemy Surprising change of Providence Those who resistless were can now make no defence So courteous were the Royal Pair So condescending mild and Debonnair That they became to all the Nation dear No more their kindness fail'd to move The People's universal Love Than their fam'd Courage did their Neighbours fear They liv'd in strongest bonds of Love combin'd And as they liv'd so they together dy'd So close was their Affection joyn'd That Death it self could not the knot divide For tho' they fell opprest with Pagan Power Their Love still triumph'd o'er the Conquerour And yet their Clemency did ne'er abate Their Courage and their Martial heat For they as swift as hungry Eagles flew Or to attack or to pursue And when they were in fight engag'd Like Lyons when provok'd they thro' the Battel rag'd O Daughters of Ierusalem express A Sorrow worthy of our vast distress Unite your Groans and mournful Crys Unite your Tears and Agonys Apply your selves to weeping day and night Raptures of Grief be your Delight Thro' every Street lamenting go Strains of unruly Anguish show And howling Tempâ—sts raise of wild despairing Woe too exquisite Affliction can't be shown Since Saul is fal'n from his Imperial Throne Saul lys upon the Mountains dead Who with abundance Israel fed Who gave you Garments glorious to behold Scarlet adorn'd with Needle-work and Gold Who hung rich Bracelets on your Arms And with bright Gems increas'd your native Charms Whose Arms enrich'd your Towns with precious Spoil And fill'd with Foreign Wealth Iudea's happy Soil How did the mighty Prince and all His valiant Chiefs in Battel fall How are the Hills with Slaughter spred How are our Captive Sons in Triumph led Captives who drag th' inglorious Chain Captives less happy than the Slain Horror and Shame hark how the shouting Foe How proud Philistia mocks our Woe Thro' all their Streets what Acclamations ring Hear how their Daughters sing See how they dance While their victorious Troops with Israel's Spoils advance O Israel where is now thy warlike Fame How will thy once much dreaded Name By Foes so often vanquish'd be despis'd By all the Nations of th' Uncircumcis'd Oh Ionathan how dear wert thou to me How dear must be thy Memory No Time can from my Breast remove Thy Image or thy wondrous love A Love like which we none recorded find A Love surpassing that of Womankind Their Love was ne'er so tender pure and strong And never lasted in excess so long What gen'rous Friendship hast thou shown What dreadful Dangers undergone To raise thy Rival to thy Father's Throne Kindest of Brothers my afflicted Soul Does thy unhappy Fall condole Thy suddain thy disast'rous Fate Does Agonies of Grief create As in a Storm my rolling Bowels move With strong Convulsive Throws of sad distracted Love I would the highest marks express Of uncontroul'd unmerciful distress For if my Grief does not outrageous grow 'T is unbecoming my unmeasur'd Woe Nothing 's enough that 's less than all that Love can show THE Second PSALM PARAPHRAS'D WHat means this mighty Uproar whence arise This great Commotion these tumultuous Crys What has alarm'd the Nations what offence Does all the jealous States around incense What does the Heathen Fire with so much Rage What Iacob's Sons in such Designs engage As they can ne'er effect or if they do They 'll miss the end they furiously pursue Infatuated Men you 'll sure repent Your rash Attempts too late the sad event Will show your Projects vain your Malice impotent Confed'rate Princes wicked Friendship make And in their Anger desp'rate Councels take Against their great Creator and his Son And hope the Lord 's Anointed to dethrone Let us say they assert
their Predictions with the greater Advantage to use the past for the future Tense that is to speak of Things to come as already done so that their Prophecies often seem Historical Narrations of Matters already transacted Therefore the Reader is not to be surpriz'd when in the second Song of Moses he finds that great Prophet speaking of what befel the Children of Israel in Canaan as things past in his own Time which did not happen till long after his Death I am of Mr. Cowley's Judgment who in his Preface declares that there are no more noble Subjects of Poetry to be found than those the Scriptures furnish us withal and therefore I have made this Attempt 'T is true Mr. Sandys a Gentleman of great Merit has done this before but that I did not know till after I had begun this Work and made some Progress in it and when I had perus'd part of his Paraphrase I thought I might be able to supply some Defects especially in relation to Perspicuity and Coherence As to the Leviathan and Behemoth mention'd in the latter Part of this Book I have appropriated the Character of the first to the Crocodile and of the last to the Elephant I believe the Marks enumerated by the Learned Bochart do justly determine the Description of the Leviathan to the Crocodile but I can't see any necessity from what he urges to conclude Behemoth to be the Hippopotamus or River-Horse The Character given in Job is in my Opinion more sutable to the Elephant The Reasons alledg'd on both sides may be seen in the Critici before-cited and whether the one or the other be true is not a Matter of that Importance as should oblige me to transcribe the Arguments in this Place Perswaded by the Reasons of some Learned Commentators I have taken the Unicorn for the Uri or wild Bull and not the Oryx or wild Goat according to Boshart or the Rhinoceros according to others I impose not my Opinion on others These are Matters of small Moment and every Man is at liberty to think as he pleases A PARAPHRASE UPON THE Book of JOB CHAP. I. IN ancient Times e'er Moses Wonders wrought And murmuring Israel back from Egypt brought A Prince of great Renown and wide Command Whose name was Iob dwelt in Arabia's Land He in the Heav'nly Paths of Virtue trod And fear'd to Sin because he fear'd his God Sev'n goodly Sons that Admiration bred And Three Fair Daughters crown'd his Nuptial Bed With gracious Heav'n's peculiar Favour blest The prosp'rous Man unmeasur'd Wealth possest His Fleecy Flocks o'er all the Hills were spred And in his Stalls a Thousand Oxen fed When he decamp'd to find a new Abode Three Thousand Camels bore along the Road His precious Goods and groan'd beneath the Load No Lord was found thro' all the Spicy East Whose Herds and Stores so vastly were increast His Sons to Feast each other did prepare By turns rich Liquors and delicious Fare And to their Treats their Sisters they invite To pass the â—lowing hours in soft delight While Charming Music Dances Sports and Play Gave swifter Wings to Time to fly away Beguil'd the Night and hurried on the Day Conscious that Sin does oft such Mirth attend The Father fear'd his Sons might Heav'n offend For he with mournful Eyes had often spy'd Scatter'd on Pleasure's smooth but treach'rous Tyde The Spoils of Virtue over-power'd by Sense And floating Wrecks of ruin'd Innocence He therefore for his Soâ—s to Heav'n convey'd His Supplications and Atonement made And while they Feasted he devoutly pray'd There was a Time when all the Sons of God Came to th' Allmighty's bright and blest Abode To pay their Adoration at his Throne Which high on Adamantine Pillars shone Around in Throngs the prostrate Seraphs lay Absorpt in Glory and Excess of Day ' Midst the bright Cherubs haughty Lucifer By marks of Guilt distinguish'd did appear To whom th' Eternal thus Apostate whence Com'st thou to these blest Seats of Innocence Th' Apostate said I Lands and Seas have crost And past from Clime to Clime from Coast to Coast Till I the Tour of yon low World had made And all its Empires and its States survey'd My Course compleated to these Seats of Light Mounting th' Aerial Void I wing'd my Flight Th' Allmighty then demanded In thy Way And toilsome Course Ambitious Spirit say Hast thou observ'd good Iob my Servant one In Righteousness and Piety by none Thro' all the wide Terrestrial World out-done Whose perfect Virtue Admiration draws From Men on Earth and finds in Heav'n Applause I 've long observ'd reply'd false Lucifer Thy Favourite and watch'd his Steps with Care Without the Saint is in Perfection seen But is the Saint without a Saint within He serves his God but does he serve for nought Does he thy Glory or his own promote Does he Religion for it's Self regard And Virtue Court not Virtue 's bright Reward Is it his Honour to Revere his God Who has his Smiles but never feels his Rod Hast thou not crown'd the Labour of his Hand Increas'd his Stores extended his Command He can't complain unless with Wealth opprest With Favours over-laden over-blest Entrench'd within th' impenetrable Fence Within the Works and Lines of Providence He can defy the most impetuous Shock And all th' Assaults of Hostile Forces mock With such Abundance blest with Honour Crown'd The Weakest Virtue may maintain its ground But let this Prosp'rous Wealthy Saint be try'd Let this pretended Gold the Test abide Change but the Scene and let thy Frowning Brow The marks of Anger and Displeasure show Extend thy Hand and touch his tender Part Thou 'lt find his Power and Substance next his Heart Despoil'd of these he 'll Curse thee to thy Face And naked Virtue will no more embrace Th' Eternal to th' Apostate thus reply'd Let him Affliction 's sharpest Edge abide The Fence I rais'd around him I remove Go let thy Malice try his Truth and Love Let Righteous Iob thy fiery Tests endure But let his Person be from Pain secure He said Th' Apostate from his Presence went And on his fierce malicious purpose bent He on Arabia made a swift Descent Mean time it happen'd at a splendid Feast Iob's Eldest Son in turn receiv'd the rest The Sisters with their Brothers Drank and Eat All the delightful kinds of Wine and Meat When at Iob's House a Courier did arrive Sweating with Speed Panting and scarce alive Horror and Wildness in his Aspect bred Just Fears of dismal News and thus he said Invading Robbers from Sabea warm'd With hopes of Booty and with Lances arm'd An Inroad made and first the Men destroy'd Who kept thy Herds and then the Spoil enjoy'd I am alone by favourable Fate Escap'd th' unwelcome Tydings to relate While he was speaking with as swift a pace Another came and with as sad a Face And thus he said O Iob a suddain Storm And lowring Clouds did all the Sky deform The bellowing