bird with vaine lamenting sound So in like woe his worthie men were left For that so worthie a chief was them bereft The townsmen theÌ„ beholding neare their wall These Miscreants to armour straight they fall yclad in plate and maill runs in bandes And fearsly fronts their foes with steele in hands as fast as done the riuers doune the hils that with their murmur hudge the deepes vpfils The Heathen seeing this retirde awaye And left the Lord of Ammon for a pray to th' Hebrew soldiers who did him constraine Though he was willing with them to remaine VVhen all the folke with prease about him past His eyes and hands vp to the pole he cast ' And thus he spak O God that great abyds ' vpon th' Immortall seate and iustly guyds ' the ruled course of heavne whose liuing spreete ' reuiuing spreds through all things doth fleete ' I render thee O God immortall praise ' for that before I end my wofull dayes ' Now from th'unfrutefull stock thou doest me race 'to graft me in thy frutefull tree of grace ' where in dispite of all coÌ„trarie strife ' I shall bring forth the fruits of lasting life And ye O Iacobs sonnes thinke not at all That I of purpose captiue am and thrall So that I meane hereby your wrack to bring For God he knowes I thinke not such a thing But I am captiue thus because I tolde VVhat woÌ„drous works the lord hath done of old to you and your forefathers euer still Delivring them that wold obey his will Then doubt not you a thousand flaffing flags Nor horrible cryes of hideous heathen hags Coole not your harts for if the world about would compasse you withall their warriours stout Prouyding first yee seeke your help at need At power deuine and not at mortall seede You surely shall see Mocmurs renning flood Made red with Assurs hoste and Ethnique blood ye surely shall see men not vsde to fight Subdue their foes that seemes of greater might The hand of God assailes you not with hate but for your weale your pride he will abate To let you wit it is within his power To leaue or to relieue you euery hower As on th'vnsavrie stocke the lillie is borne And as the rose growes on the pricking thorne So modest life with sobs of grieuous smart And cryes deuout comes from an humbled hart For euen the faithfull flocke are like the ground That for good frute with weeds will still abound If that the share and culter ydle lye That ryues the soyle and roots the brambles bye But in the end God will his yre relent Assoone as sinners truely will repent And saue you from these plagues that present be In shorter time then ye do thinke to see take courage friends vanquish God with teares And after we shall vanquish with our weares these enmies all Now if there rest in me the former force that once was wont to be If elde haue not decaid my courage bolde That I haue had with great experience olde I render me to serue you to my end for Iacobs weale Gods law for to defend FINIS THE SOMMARIE OF THE III. BOOKE ¶ In this third booke the Poet setteth forth the seege of Bethulia and the extremitie that God permitted them to fâ—ele thereby to giue an entrie to his miraculous deliuerance who is accustomed to lead his people to the gates of death and from thence to retyre them aboue all humaine expectation to the end they should confesse that the arme of flesh nor worldly wisedome mainteines not the Church but the onelie fauour of the Almightie to whome the whole glorie of duetie should be rendred Farder thre principall things ar to be noted First the preparations of the beseegers and the defences of the beseeged and how after throw the councell giuen to Holopherne for the restraint of the water from the towne ensewes a furious assault which the Iewes repelled with great paine Secondly the extreame desolation through want of water whereof proceedeth sundrie sorts of death with lamentations murmurations and daunger of mutine within the Cittie and how the Gouernour endeuoures himself with wise and godly admonitioÌ„s to appease the same But the commons in this hard estate regarding no reason required to reÌ„der the Citie rahter theÌ„ to perish in such apparaÌ„t miserie The Gouernour being caried with a humaine prudence promiseth to render the towne within fiue dayes â—f God send them no succour Yet such is the estate of gods church in this world that when all things faileth God manifesteth his power And therefore in the third part is Iudith introduced who being especially moued by the reading of Holy Scriptures is encouraged to deliuer her countrie but when she vnderstoode the resolution of the Maiestrats She being in estimation honourable modestly reproues them After their excuse she promiseth to attempt something for the publike weale not showing her deuise but onelie desired to haue passage by night vnto the enemies camp and this is granted THE THIRDE BOOKE OF IVDITH THhe Snoring snoute of restles Phlegon blewe Hote on the Ynds and did the daye renewe VVith skarlet skye when Heathen men awooke At sound of drumme then pike dart they tooke In order marching and to combat calles th' vndaunted sonnes within their Cities walles The meeds in May with flowers are not so dect of sundrie sauours hewes seere effect As in this campe were people different farre In toungs maners habits tents and warre Yea Chaos old where of the world was founded Of members more confuse was tot compounded yet soundely they in vnion did accord To wage the warre against th' Almightie Lord who shaks the Poles whose only breath doth beat Libanus mount and makes Caucasus sweat There came the Kettrinks wilde of colde Hircania Ioynd with the men of great and lesse Armania VVith coppintanks and there the Parthian tall Assaid to shoot his shafts and flee withall The Persians proud th' Empyre was in their haÌ„ds with plates of gold surbraued all their bands The Medes de clarde through fortunes ouerthwart they lost their Scepter not for lacke of hart And that no costly cloath nor rich aray Nor painting fine that on their face they lay nor boprrowde hair of fair comly length might oght empair their ancieÌ„t power streÌ„gth There were the happie Arabs those that buields In thatched waggons wandring throu the fields The subtill Tyrians they who first were clards that staid the wandring words in leaues barks The men of Moab Edom Ammon and the People sparst on large Elimia land The learned Memphians the men that dwell Near-to the AEthiopians black fell In short the most of Asia as it wair Encamped was within that army fair So that this Duke mo forraine souldiers lad then all the Hebrewes natiue people had But they who did the Hebrewes greatest wrong were Apostats of Ephrem fearce strong who fought with hatefull harts them to deface Least they should be
Army downe what laude to Iephthe iustly might we lowe Had he not hurt hsi owne through hastie vowe What hill or dale what flood or fixed ground Doth not the famous Gedeons praise resounde In later time their kings some good some bad Of all the Hebrew state the ruling had Had I the Harpe of Dauid holy King None other sound but Dauid would I sing But euen as all the deeds that Dauid did Could not be done by none but by Dauid So none but Dauid on his yvrie harpe The glorious praise of God could onely carpe But here his praise I prease not to proclame Least I throw want of shkill obscure the same Yet leaue I not his Sonne whome grace deuine Salomon made nolesse rich then wondrous of engine whose doctrine drew to Salem from all wheare A hundreth thousand wyzards him to heare From Araby from Ynde to Affrik shore His toung entysd them with his cunning lore Shall I forget the kings who ouerthrew Iosiat Idolatrie and plaste religion dewe Shall I forget that King who saw descend Hezekiath Ierulalem A win ged Hoste Solyma to defend Shall I forget him who before his eene Asa Enchast the bands of Chus on Gerar greene Shall I forget him who preparing fight Iosapbas gainst Ammon Seir Moabs Idoll might Saw ech of their three hostes on others fall And with them selfs their selfs disconfit all Yet for their sinnes God gaue them in the hāds Of Calde kings who conquerd all their lands And tooke king Zedekee and made an end Of that Impyre till God did Gyrus send VVho set them free and gaue them of his grace Two rulers of their owne And now this place Is kept by sacred Ioachim whose powers consists not onely within Syons towers But Edom Sidon Moab and we all Do know his strength knowes him principall Now Sir ye hear the progresse first last Of Izaks race in order as it past Onewhile the Lord enhaūst them to the skye Onewhile he drew them down in deeps to lye ' But were he Iudge or Prince or king of might ' sho reuld the Hebre ws polycie aright ' VVhile they obserude thaliance made before ' by their forefathers who to God them swore ' In happie state all others they surpast ' And vnderfoote their proudest foes were cast ' And all the world that their destruction sought ' Against their state and name preuailed nought ' But contrarie as oft as they astraide ' From god their guide he on their shoulders laid ' The Barbare yock of Moab oftymes ' Of Palestine Ammon for their crymes ' The heauie hand of God was seene to be ' On their ingratefull infidelitie Now if so be that any odious sinne Prouoke their Lord his Iustice to beginne Then myne not you their towres nor tourets tall Nor bring the wracksom engine to their wall Nor place thy battries braue not yet aduenter with thy couragious camp the breacth to enter For if Libanus mout or Carmell faire Or Niphathaei should parke them from repaire If Ynde and Nilus with the Rhene and Rhone to close them round about should runne in one For their defence yet shall they not withstand With all their force thy furious fighting hand But if they haue not broke the bnad in deede That God with Abrahm made with his seedc Beware my Lorde beware to touch or moue These people that the Lord so much doth loue For though south Autan would dispeople his lāds And bring the blackest Mores to swarme in bāds If Northren Boreas vnder his anners colde would bring to field his hideous Soldiers bolde If Zyphirus from sweete Hesperia coste would send his chosen armed men to Hoste If Eurus for to ayde thine enterprise would bring his men frō whence the sun doth rise Yet all their numbres hudge and forces strong Can neuer do to Isrel any wrong Nor hurt one hair if their great God say nay That god will them defend because he may with one small blast confound all kings that darre As thou doest now prouoke him vnto warre Then like as ye beholde the quiet see Not raging when the winds engen dring be But blauncheth first then growes in litle space In wallowing wa wes to flow with fomy face And lastly beats the banks and ships vnshrouds with wrackfull waues vphoist to highest clouds So almost all the princes of that hoste VVith in ward anger gan to be emboste As oft as they the praise of God did heare So to his speech encreast their spitefull cheare which in the end to blasphemie them brought Th' immortall God of gods to set at nought Kill cut off quoth they this traitour fine Whose subtill talke with all his whole engine Pretends to saue these Hebrcwsews from our hands And threts vs with vaine gods of forraine lands For if it plaease you noble prince to send But twentie men of value that are kend VVithin your camp these recklesse rebels then shal be a pray to all your warlike men O wicked wight but then the Vizroy stout with powre apeasde the murmur of the route And to him said O shameles Prophet thou what Sybill or what charmer tell mee now VVhat Diuell or Damon so doth thee enspire that Izrell shall of vs haue his desire Such men as with no God can be content But such as pleased Moyses to inuent Of his owne head a God that hath no power Blasphemie for to deliuer them nor thee this hower Haue we an other God or king of kings then our great Persian Monark now that rigns VVhose barded horse orerunns the Nations all whose armed men out of these mountains tall shall rake these Rebels that from Egypt came To this where they vniustly keep the same Dye dye thou shalt ô wretch thy toung vntrue And double hart shall haue their wages due But foole what spcake I thus no haste a while Thy blood O villaine shall not me defile so iust a paine so soone thou shalt not haue for thy deceipt so soone to go to graue ' For in a wretches sodaine death at ones ' Their longsome ill is buried with their bones But to that end I may prolong thy strife In Bethull towne I will prolong thy life where euerie howre thou shalt haue such affraye to dye vndead a thousand tymes a daye till time with thē who thou so strōg hath thought to shameful end with them thou shalt be brought what wherefore tremblest thou and art so paile VVhat sorrow makes thy hart so soone to faile If God be god as thou right now hast said then of thy faith giue witnesse vndismaid A marshall of the camp then being prest who was not yet so cruell as the rest There tooke this demy Pagan Ammons lord and sent him bound to Bethull with a corde Then euen as in his clawes the kite doth beare the chirping chicken throu the weather cleare while that the cakling hen below on ground Bewailes her
departed the regiments of townes to persones convenient who past to their aâ—sâ—gned places â—â—hone preparing according to them power vnto the war with courage paine and dilignce THE FIRST BOOKE OF IVDITH I Sing the vertues of a valiant Dame Proposition and somme of this work Who in defence of Iacob ouercame Th' Assyrian Prince and slew that Pagan stout Who had beset Bethulia walles about O thou who kept thine Izak from the thrall InuocarioÌ„ of the true God Of Infideles and stelde the courage small Of feeble Iudith with a manly strength VVith sacred furie fill my hart at length And with thy Holy sprite my sprite enspire For matter so deuine Lord I require No humaine stile but that the Reader may Great profit reape I ioye thou praise alway And since in vulgar verse I prease to sing DedicatioÌ„ of the Authour altred by the translatour This godly Pooeme to a Christian King To him who God in goodnesse hath crect For princely Piller to his owne elect For lawfull Lord to raigne with trueth and right For loue some Laurer to the verteous wight Him I beseech this trauel to defend That to his pleasure I the same may end WHen Izrell was in quiet rest and peace And fruitfully the ground gaue her encrease VVhich seauentie yeare vntilled lay beforne And nothing bare but thistle weede and thorne It pleased God vpon his iust correction T' awake his owne that were of his election Least that the loÌ„gsom peace should theÌ„ withhold And dull their spirites as doth the warriour bolde Who spoils his horse with pampring in the stable That makes him for the manaige more vnable He spred their land with bands of enmies stout VVhose cloudes of shot bedimd their land about Their Hoste with arrows pikes and staÌ„dards stood The Armie of Helepherne As bristel pointed as a thornie wood Their multitude of men the riuers dride VVhich throw the wealthy Iuda sweete did slide So that slood Iordane finding drye his banke for shame he blusht and down his head he shraÌ„ke For woe that he his credit could not keepe To send one waue for tribute to the deepe Scarse had the Haruest maÌ„ with hooke in hand Dispoilde the fruite and let the stuble stand Scarse had the hungrie Gleaner put in bind The scattred graine the Sherer left behind And scarse the slapping flaile began to thresh VVhen vnto Iacob newes was brought a fresh That Holophern his frontiers did inuade And past all Riuers straites and murders made So vile that none he left that drew the breath But olde and young he put to sodaine death The sucking babes vpon their mothers knee His cruell cutthroates made them all to dee Then like a slocke of sheepe that doth beholde A wolfe come from the wood vpon their fold Shapes no defence but runnes athwart the landes And shortly makes of one a hundreth bands So Isacks sonnes indreading for to feele The Hobreus This tyrant who pursued them at the heele Dissundring fled and sought their liues to saue In hils and dales and euerie desert caue The sheepherd of his flocke had now no care Feare of the enimie But fearing death sled to some mountaine bare The Craftsman now his lumes away hath laide The Marchant left his traffike and his trade To hide himselfe more safely in a vault Then in a Rampier to sustaine th' assault The Lords esteemde them selfes in furer holde In Dennes of beasts then castles gilt with golde Feare lent the wings for aged folke to flie And made them mount to places that were hie Feare made the wofull wemen for to beare Their cradles sweere to hilles that highest weare Feare made the wofull child to waile and weep For want of speede on foote and hand to creep Alwhere was nothing hard but hideous cryes And pittious plaints that did the harts agryes O Lord said they wilt thou still day by day Affiction causeth prayes The arrowes of thine anger neuer stay Wilt thou that Calde conquer vs againe Shall Iuda yet the Heathen yoke sustaine wilt thou againe that they make euerie towne But stonie he apes of houses casten downe Againe shall sacrilegious fire deuore thy holy house where we do thee adore Then Ioachim the priest of God most hie who ouer Iuda then had chiefe degrie Stood like a Pylot stout in tempest great who seeing wind and weather for to threat Yet to his mates his feare no terrour drawes Nor leaues his ship vnto the wrackfull wawes But with disguising feare his face vp casts And stoutly doth gainstand the balefull blasts Right so this prudent prelate sent in haste two hundreth men to passe where men were plaste In places strong and thence commanded them For to repaire vnto Ierusalem Now since th' Eternall did reueale his will Vpon the sacred top of Syna Hill the Arke of God which wisedome more did holde In Tables two then all the Grekes haue tolde And more then euer Rome could comprehend In huge of learned bookes that they pend Long wandred it throw tribs throw kin and kin Sam. 1.4 Sam. 2.6 and found no certaine place of resting in Yea sometime it the shamefull spoile hath beene to sacrilegious hands of Palestene vntill that time that Iessies holie race for euer lodged it in Iebus place Ierusalem But for that Dauids haÌ„ds with blood were filde throu infinits of humaines he had kilde the king of peace would haue a king of rest to build his Temple farre aboue the best Sam 2.7 His house whose front vpreard so high and eavne that lightlied earth seemd to threat the heavne vntill that wicked time a tyrant vile Of name and deede that bare the semble stile Nabuchadnezer Chr. 2.036 that did this king that building braue he wract And to the sacred ground al whole it sackt Yet when long after Abrahms holie race Of Tiger bankes had left the captiue place Esa 6. with combers great they redefied with paine that most renowmed house of God againe Which though vnto the first it seemde as small As to a Princes house a sheepherds hall And though the hugenes were not as it was yet sure the height and beutie did surpas And ouerseilde the famous worke of Pharie Ephesus temple and the tombe of Carie. The Rhodian Collos and the Caldean wall that Semirame set vp with tourrets tall Also the wondrous worke of this same temple Might serue a Cresiphon for his exemple Lysippus eke to carue by square and line Or guide Appelles pensile most deuine Heare in this place all Izrel most deuoute withdrew them selues to Salem round aboute Ierusalem As when the heavne his sluces opens wide And makes the floods vpon the ground to glide the brookes that breakes adoune from diuers hils with course impetious till one deepe distils Amongst the Dames that there deuoutest were The Holy Iudith fairest did appere Like Phoebus that aboue the starres doth shine It seemd that shee was made
on moulde deuine This Primate then assisted with his kinne Of great Eleazar priests whose head and chinne Was neuer shaue deuoutly on he preast A pearled Myter on his balmed creast And with a holy Alb with garnettes spred And golden Belles his sacred bodie cled And slew and burnt the bulks as was the guise Of many a kid and â—alfe for sacrifise And with their blood the Alters hornes he dyed And praying thus to God immortall cryed O Lord of Hostes we come not vnto thee Prayer To wey our merits with thy maiestie Nor to protest before thy heauenly might That sacklessy thy scourge doth on vs light But rather we confesse as true it is Our sinnes haue iustly merite more then this But Lord if thou thy couenant would forget VVhich thou with Abrahm made so wilt set For mercie great thy iustice most seueare Thou should a greater plague vpon vs reare Change then our proces from thy iustice seate And saue vs at thy throne of mercie great Forgiue vs Lord and holde farre from vs all These plagues that on our heads are like to fall Alas what helpeth vs thy heauie stroke To binde our necks to such a seruile yoke VVherewith th' Assyrian tyraÌ„ts long haue grieued Thine Izak till their bondage thou relieued If so this natiue ground that new is tilde If so these Hostries new with folke refilde If so alas our chast and modest Dames Our infants young our Virgins good of fames Should be a praye to Ammon and to Perse To Calde and the mutine Parthian fierse If that we see this Alter made prophane And witches it abuse with Idols vaine Yet Lord if thou no pittie on vs take At least great God do for thy glories sake Haue pittie on this holy building nowe Where not a God hath sacrifice but thou VVhere not a God but thou hast residence To feile the sauour sweete of frankensence Hold back O Lord the Caldean cressets bright From these rich Cedar vaults of stately hight Preserue these vessels ornaments of gold From sacrilegious hands of neighbours bolde And let the blood of beasts before thy face Thy Iustice stay and grant thy seruants grace This prayer done the people went their way Then Ioachim conuende that present day the Princes all of Iuda and them praide gainst this mischiefe for counsell and thus said Companions if your former zeale remaine Exhortation If ardent loue to god ye still retaine If wife or childe may cause your care or loue VVhich should the Centers of your senses moue If in your brests a noble hart doth bide Let deede beare witnes at this wofull tide For sauing God and your foresight in deede t' is done t' is done with vs and all our seede And after this th' Immortall shall not see this after fume before his maiestee VVheÌ„ th' Air is calme still as dead deafe Comparison And vnder heavne quakes not an aspin leafe VVhen Seas are calme and thousand vessels fleete VpoÌ„ the sleeping seas with passage sweete And when the variant wind is still and lowne the cunning Pylot neuer can be knowne But wheÌ„ the cruell storme doth threat the bark to drowne in deepes of pits infernall dark while tossing teares both ruther mast saile While mounting seemes the Azur skye to skaile while driues perforce vpon some deadly shore there is the Pylot knowne and not before Alas I pray you then what care and strifes Haue we to keepe our honours goods and lifes Forget not then the care of this same place your countreyes weale gods glorie and his grace But humblie giue your selues into the hand Of god most high and with a holy brand repurge your sprits from euerie hatefull sinne which causeth God his Iustice to begin And see what may to God be agreable For Iacobs weale and for you profitable This said an ancient traitour from his youth who fostred gall in hart with hony in mouth Enforcing from his eyes some fained teare to cloke his malice spacke as ye shall heare My toung me failes my hair for dread vpstarts The Oration of a subtill worldling My heauie spirite from pensiue corps departs VVhen I bethinke me of yone tyrant stout who hath bedround the world with bloud about Approching threats our townes with firie flames Our selfs with death dishonour to our Dames Yet when I call to minde the curtsie great That this great Lord doth vse who doth entreate Not onely those that beastiall are become And haue their hope in brutall Idols dome But euen to zealous folke who do embrace The faith and law like vs of Abrahms race who being well aduisde did humblie sue His pardon and escapte his vengeance due then thanke I God who sends vs such a foe As plagues the proude and lets the humble goe For we assoone shall vanquish him with teares As will be long to wrak him with our weares Then whilest we may haue choice of either state of peace or warres his fauour or his hate Let vs not follow seeing skath at hand the follie of our fathers to gainstand But rather let vs beare a lower saile And serue his king as best for our awaile But thinke not yet that I this councell giue for craft or warrant for my selfe to liue For I haue els my dayes so nearly spent that for to dye I could be well content The Assyrian neede not in my brest to strike His fethred Dart nor yet his trembling pike Yea if my youth to me should eft returne And make my youthly bloode within me burne So honour I my God and contrey deare that for to dye for them I would not feare As Sampson did if so my death might yeld The victorie of the Vizroy and the field But most I feare least we with curious zeale Fight for the lawe yet fight against her weale Against our selfs to bring so great a wracke that proude and cruell tyrants shall vs sacke And grow in pride suppressing Iudaes strength For to contemne the glorie of God at length For Israell being lost who shall ensue to render here to God deuotions due what people sparsed on this earthly ball From Indian shoare to where the Sunne doth fall Or from the Climate of the northren blast Vnto that place where sommer aye doth last Hath God elect saue Israell for his owne Vpon this Hill to haue his glorie showne At this the valiant Cambris of renowne with righteous rage grew pale and gan to frowne And brake the silence with a vehement stile His courage movde the Princes all the while Nay rather where I stand let ope the ground Quod he to swallowe me in pit profound Azealous godly answere Yea rather righteous heauen let firie blast Light on my head that thou on Sodom cast Eare I my malice cloke or ouersile In giuing Izac such a councell vile For if the Leader of this folke prophane Vpon our bodies onelie sought to raigne Although that we haue dearely bought alwaye
he was war that Iacob would aduance Against his Pamm force and arrogance A packe of what a packe of countrcy clownes Quod Holophern that them to battell bownes with beggers bolts and Leuers to arrest My warriours strong with whome I haue supprest Both Tigris swift faire Euphrates streame People of Asia with frosty Taurus and rocke Niphatheame Are they not wrackt ye cheefs of Moabits And valiant Fphrem ye strong Ammonits ye that as neighbours knowes this folke of olde That scattred thus doe all these mountaines hold Tell me what men are they of what of spring what is their force their customes and their king ' For wise is he that wots with whome hee playes ' And halfe is victor as the Prouerbe sayes The Lord of Ammon then with reurence due Right wisely spack the Duke and yet for true He was a Panim both of faith and kinde But so with fained toung hee spake his minde And all the Hebreus acts discourst so well That Esdr ' and Moyses seemde in him to dwell As did that sprite that made the Prophete blesse Nomb. 23 the Isralits whome Balac did addresse To curse them all and wadge his couetous toung which spake coÌ„trarie that he would haue soung So please it you my Lord I shall discire The storie of Izrell yet so doing I Am like the modest Bee that takes but small Of euerie flowre though she haue choice of all For where she list the sweetest of she crops These people that ye see on mountaine tops A briefe discourse of th'estat of the Iewes Encamped in these craggs are of the line Of Abraham who seruing God deuine That mightie God of gods who create all And firmely knit and built this mightie ball Came to this land that then was tilde and sowne Gen. 12. And by the name of wealthie Canaan knowne VVhere onely God his wealth did multiplie In goods and siluer gold and familie And when of age he was an hundreth yeare His wife eke barren neuer child did beare God gaue them Izak swearing that his seede Should many Scepters rule and land bespreede But when that holy Abraham was olde And hoped well the promise made should holde O pitious case Th' immortall voyce him spak And bad him sacrifice his sonne Izak Gen. â—â— Then like a ship betweene two winds beset Vpon the raging sea on both sides bet In doubtsome feare ne wots what way to keepe Least one of them confound her in the deepe Makes close her ports and slides on Neptuns back At pleasure of the boisteous winds to wrack So felt this Hebrew in his hart to fight Both loue and duetie reason faith and right Nor wist he way to take his troubled soule From this to that continually did roule vntill the time his heavnly feare and loue His naturall earthlie pitie did remoue Then hauing built the fire and all anone His sonne he layd vpon the sacred stone And with a trembling hand the cutlasse drewe with heauied arme the stroke for to ensewe When lo th' Eternall staid the balefull knife And downe it fell spaird the guiltles life Then God content to haue so great assaye Of Abrahms faith defended him alwaye Of Izak lacob came lacob than Of valiant sonne had twelue in Canaan who forst by famine fled to Aegipt land Exod. 1. wherfore a while there dwelling good they fand grew so great in nomber that they were a feare to those that had them harbrowde there And though th' Egyptians dayly them opprest And burthens on their sweating backs were drest Yet like the valiant Palme they did sustaine Their peisant weight redressing vp againe This movde King Pharo to command through all Great Nilus land where raine doth neuer fall He bad his folke should slay where so they came All children males the seede of Abrahame Assoone as they from mothers wombs were free Their day of birth should be their day to d ee O cruell Tiger thinks thou that this deede Of Izak may cut of th' immortall seede Exclamation well may it stay the sucklings for to liue kill th'accustomde frute that heavne doth giue But spite of this men Iacobs seede shall see In flouring state to rule all Cananee The first of euerie house shall feele the hand And wrath of God against this law to stand It fortunde Pharos daughter with her traine Of Ladies faire to play them on the plaine Vpon the shoare where Gossan floode doth slide where after many pastimes they had tride She hard an enfant weepe amongst the reedes Then iudging it for one of Izaks seeds As so it was yet with Paternall feare Against his piteous plaint she closde her eare But after vewing in that enfants face I know not what of fauour and of grace which did presage his greatnes to ensewe Loue vanquist lawe and pittie dread withdrewe So from the sloode not onely she him caught But curiously she causde him to be taught As her owne sonne O sonne elect of God That once shall rule the people with thy rod. Admiration Thou haste not found a seruant for thy mother But euen a Quene to nurse thee and none other Now see how God alwayes for his elect Of wicked things can draw a good effect his prouidence hath made a wicked thing Vnto his owne great profit for to bring Note VVhen Iosephs brether sold him like a slaue Gen. 41. He after came a kingly place to haue Of Haman proude the darke enuious hate brought Mardoche the iust to great estate Est. for where his enmie sought his shamefull end the same vnto the worker he did send This Hebrew Moyses once as he did keepe On Horeb mount his father Iethro his sheepe Father in Law He saw a fearefull sight a flaming fire Enclose a thornie bush whole and entire From whence a mightie voyce vnto him spake which made the grouÌ„d betwene the Poles to shake I am that one is was and ay shall bee Exod. 3. who creat all of nought as pleaseth mee I can destroye I am the great and Iust the faire the good the Hosie one to trust whose stroÌ„g righthaÌ„d this world hath set in frame I am th' Almightie God of Abrahame I plague my foes and graunt my seruants grace All those that knowledge me and all their race Then follow thou my will quickly go From me to that Prophane King Pharao who holds the towrs of Memphis and the field Of Nilus shore that rich encrease doth yeld And bid him let my people freely go But if with hardned hart he will not so Stretch out thy staffe for to confirme thy charge And it shall turne into a Serpent large And this he shortly did the thing to proue It quickned so and on the ground gan moue O Miracle he saw without all faile It grewe a Serpent fell with head and taile which crangling crept ranne from trod to trod In many a knot till time
her behold My toung doth stay in the pallet folde Why haue not I a hart of Chrystall cleare Transparant through to let my paine appeare that there she might of all my torments reed Which loue withholds within my hart in dreed Now since that Iudith to this camp aryvde the light of heavn had thrise his course revyvde And darkned thrise and gan with saffron hewe to light the Ynds the fourth day to renewe when thus the Duke who left repast and rest Vnto his Eunuch this like porpos drest O Bagos sonne adoptife not by chaunce whome I haue chose of nought thee to aduance By speciall grace and made thee though I boste first of my hart and second of myne Hoste Irage I burne I dye in desprate thought Throgh loue by this same straÌ„gers beutie broght Go seeke her then and shortly to her saye what secrete flame torments me day by day shew that I shall her to such honours bring As he that beares the Scepter of a King But chiefly see thy talke be framed thus that she do come this night and suppe with vs. Now should it not to me be folly and shame to haue within my holde the fairest dame That ground doth beare if I dare not aspire to quench the burning flame of my desire I should but serue my soldiers for a Ieast And Iudith faire wold count me but a beast Then Bagos well acquaint with such a cast He fed the lamp that brunt but ouerfast If priuate men quoth he and people poore that goes not ouer the threshold of their doore But spends their dayes in trauell and debate And neuer seeks to win a better state Liues not content if that the Cyprian Dame Do not sometime their frozen harts enflame what slaues are those then on whose baks ar drest The burdens of this world who takes no rest for Publike weale but wakes with Argus eyes For others ease that to no care applyes If they among so many great vexations May not receiue in loue some recreations Pursue your loue my Lord and make no let to take the fish that els is in your net And as ere this you haue me faithfull found In like Ambassades when ye them propound So shall you find me in this loue of new To be as faithfull secret trest and trew Alas how many such are in our tymes In princes Courts that high to honour clymes More for their handling such an enterprise Then for their being valiant learnde or wise SoÌ„times the Courts of kings were verteous skooles now find we nought in Court but curious fooles O you whose noble harts cannot accord to be the sclaues to an infamous lord And knowes not how to mixe with perlous art the deadly poyson with the Amorus dart whose natures being free wills no constraint Nor will your face with flattring pensile paint for well nor wo for pittie nor for hyre Of good my Lords their fauours to acquyre Go not to court if yee will me beleue For in that place where ye think to retreue the honour due for vertue ye shall find nought but coÌ„teÌ„pt which leaues good meÌ„ behind Ye worthy Dames that in your brests do beare Of your Al-seing God no seruile feare ye that of honour haue a greater care then sights of Courts I pray you come not thare Let men that in their purse hath not a myte Cloth them like kings and play the hypocryte And with a lying tale and feined cheare Courtcozen them whom they wold see on beare Let their the Pandar sell his wife for gaine with seruice vyle his noblesse to attaine Let him that serues the time chaunge his entent VVith saith vnconstant saile at euerie vent Ye sonnes of craft beare ye as many faces As Proteus taks among the Marine places And force your nature all the best ye can to counterfait the grace of some great man Camelion like who take to him ech hewe Of black or white or yellowe greene or blew that comes him next So you that finds the façion to hurt the poore with many-a great taxaçion you that do prease to haue the princes eare to make your names in Prouinces appeare ye subtill Thurims sell your fumish wind to wicked wights whose sences ye do blind Ye fearefull Rocks ye ymps of Achelois who wracks the wisest youth with charming vois ye Circes who by your enchantment straunge In stones and swine your louers true do chaunge ye Stimphalids who with your youth vptaks ye rauens that from vs our riches raks Ye who with riches art and painted face For Priams wife puts Castors sister-in place ye Myrrhas Canaces and Semirames And if there rest yet mo defamed dames Come all to Court and there ye shall resaue A thousand gaines vnmeete for you to haue There shall you sell the gifts of great prouinces there shall you sell the grace of graceles princes Stay heare my muse it thee behoues to haue Great constancie and many-a Hercles braue to purge this age of vyces more notable then was the stals of foule Aegeans stable Returne to Iudith who to bring to passe Her high atempt before her sets her glasse And ginnes to deck her hair like burnisht gold whose beutie had no pere for to behold Then went she to his tent where she espide the gorgious tappestries on euerie side Of Persian Kings of Meds and Syrian stories How Ninê° first prict forth with great vainglories Subdewde the East Then next in order came disguisde in kinde his wife Quene Semirame who tooke the Scepter and with tourrets hye great Babylon erected to the skye Lo how a Prince with fingers white and fine In womans weede the tender twist doth twine who bare a Rock in sted of Royall mace Sardanapalus And for a man with woman changeth grace In gesturs all hee frisles and he fards He oynts he bathes his visage he regards In Christall glasse which for his sword he wore And lost his crowne without all combat more Amongst his vertugals for ayde he drew from his Leutenant who did him pursew And wan his Scepter Yet with feeble yre He brunt himself and ended is empyre Behold a Bitch then feeds a sucking childe Amongst the prickiong thornes and brambles wild who grew so great was of such a fame Cyrue that bond and free his waged men became And afterward subuerted to his lawe the Median scepter vnder Persians awe But what is he that so deformed goze Before the camp and want his eares and noze that was that seruant true who by that slight Zopyrut Brought Babylon againe in Darius might While Iudith fed her eyes with figurs vaine Her hart replete with passions and with paine the Genrall came and with a visage gent Saluted her and by the hand her hent And caused her sit downe vpon a chare the more at ease to vew her beuties rare Then when he saw himself so neare his pleasure He brunt in hart scarse could byde the leasure Till Venus
Aurora ceased to embrace Her ancient loue and rose with ruddy face Vpon the Indian heavne the warriours strong take kept the towne now sorted forth in throng Enarmed all with such a hideous sound as seemde the elements foure for to confound And break the baÌ„ds that keeps theÌ„ in their border Retyring them vnto their old disorder The Pagan watches next the Citties side Awaked with this din start vp and cryde Alarme Alarme like fearefull men agast then through the Camp the whote Alarum past Some takes his neighbours armour first he finds ConfusioÌ„ And wrong on armes the bracels both he binds Some takes a staf for hast and leaues his launce Some madling runnes some trembles in a trauÌ„ce Some on his horse ill sadled ginnes to ryde And wants his spurres some boldly do abyde Some neither wakes nor sleeps but mazing staÌ„ds Some braue in words are beastly of their hands This brute from hand to hand from man to man Vnto the Pagans court at last it ran Then Bagos Eunuch sadly forth he went t' awake the sleeping Ethnique in his tent knockt once twise or thrise with trembling haÌ„d But such eternall sleep his temples band that he had past already miserable Of Styx so black the flood irrepassable Yet Bagos hearing Izaks crye encrease He with his foote the dore began to prease And entred where the bed he did beholde All bled with Holophernes carcasse colde He tore his haire all his garments rent and to the heavne his houling cryes he sent But when he mist the Hebrew-Dame away then raginghe began a gastly fray And from the bloody tent as he rant out Among the Heathen thus he gan to shout Woe woe to vs a slaue they Iudith call In sleaing Holopherne hath slaine vs all That daunted all the world These nouels last loynde the former feare that lately past Affrighted so the soldiers one and all that pike and dart and target they let fall And fled through moÌ„tains valeis throw heaths where evrie chaunce procurde theÌ„ worser deaths Then all th assieged folk in flocks descended on their enmies backs their bowes they beÌ„ded Both parties ran but th one that other chased The wearie flyers flight themselfs defaced The Hebrewes there in fight not one they loste But they bet downe and slew the Heathen hoste As doth a Lyon of Getulia woode Bespred the land with woried beasts bloode So long as he may find a beast abide that dare oppone him to his cruell pride Some headlong throwes themselfs froÌ„ craggie Rocks breaks their bones al their brains out knocks Some hath forgot that Parcas euerie wheare waits on their end that drowne in water cleare But if that any skapt by some great hap He skapte the first but not the after clap fore all the straits and passages were set that none should scape aliue wher they were met Yea scarsly one was left to tell the king At Niniuè of all this wondrous thing This battell done all those whose Sex and age withheld at home their dolours to asswage Came forth out of their fort to see and heare what God had done for them his people deare They found some men dismeÌ„bred hauing breath that cride in vaine a hundreth tymes for death Another gnashes with his teeth in paines some dead in face their former rage retains And some is shot directly throw the hart Ech soule departs to his appointed part According to the valew or the chaunce that fortunde them to dye on sword or launce In short to see this sight so dreadfull was That euen the Hebrews would haue said alas If they had vanquisht any enmie els This while amongst the corses infidels Among a hundreth thousand there was found the cheftains carcas rent with many-a wound Of speare and sword by th Hebrewes in their yre There was no sinew Arter vaine nor lyre that was not mangled with their vulgar rage No time nor moment might their yre asswage If Holophern had bene like Atlas long Or like in limmes vnto Briarius strong Yet should his body bene to small a praye to satisfie their fury evrie waye For in that camp was not so small a knaue but of his flesh some collup he would haue O tyrant now quod they giue thy right hand to the Cilicians and to Media land leaue thou thy left And to Celea sweete to Ismaell and Aegypt leaue thy feete to th end that all the world by thee offenced with such a present may be recompenced But here I faile thy corps thus to deuise In Attomy for it will not suffise This thankfull widow then who neuer thought to smore this woÌ„droê° work that god had wrought Entunde her vearse and song to sweet confort Of instruments past with gratious port Before the chosen Dames and virgins thair that were esteemde for honest chast and fair Sing sing with hart voyce souÌ„ding strings And praise the Lord of lords and king of kings who doth disthrone the great and in their place Erects the poore that leanes vpon his grace Who would haue thought that in a day one town Could ouercome a camp of such renown who daunted all the world whose pride was felt From Indian shore to where the Calpees dwelt Great God who will beleeue that Holopherne who did a hundreth famous princes derne should be discreptred slaine left in a midow by no great Gyant but a feeble widow great God who will beleue that he who raind From north to south in his hands retaind Both East and West now gets not grace to haue An ynch of Gazon ground to be his graue This Conqurour that came with no armie small now lyes on ground abandond of them all Not sole for those companions him in death that followde him while he had life and breath Not now the grouÌ„d but Reauens hunger sterude Are now his tombe as he hath well deserude No vaults of Marble rich nor Porphyr pure that he had built could be his sepulture Euen so good Lord from henceforth let vs finde thee not our Iudge but for our father kinde But let all Tyrants that against thee gather finde thee their Iudge but not their louing father Here Iudith ends And also heare I staye With thanks to God So for his state I praye The traÌ„â—slatour At whose command I vndertooke this deed To please his Grace and those that will it reed FINIS A TABLE OF SIGNIFICATION OF SOME WORDS AS THEY AR VSED BEFORE Words Significations ABderois Prophane delicate Epicurs Abile A hill in Affrica one of the Pillers of Hercules Abraham Father of the Iewes or the faithfull Achelois Ympes Sirenes or Mermaids Amram The father of Moyses Assur Assurs head the countrey of Assyria or their king Assyrian Prince Holophernes Vizroy or geÌ„rall Agamemnon The generall of the Grekes being present at the sacrificing of his onely Doughter was painted with a bend about his eies either forth vnskilfulnes of the painter who