his furious Prince Seem Samuel rais'd Saul routed Selfely-slain King Dauids TROPHEIS and triumphant Raign His heauenly Harp skill in King IAMES renewd His humane frailty heauily pursewd Bersabé batheing Nathan bold-reprouing Dauid repenting Our REPENTANCE moouing HEröike force and Prince-fit forme withall Saul king of Israell fortunate at the first is afterward reiected and Dauid elected in his fleed Honor the Scepter of courageous Saul Successe confirmes it for the power Diuine Tames by his hand th' outrageous Philistine Edom and Moab and the Ammonite And th' euer-wicked curst Amalekite O too-too-happy if his arrogance Had not transgrest Heauens sacred Ordinance But therefore God in 's secret Counsell iust Him euen alreadie from his Throne hath thrust Degraded of his gifts and in his steed Though priuily anointed Iesse's Seed Th' honour of Iacob yea of th' Vniuerse Heav'ns darling DAVID Subiect of my Verse Lord sith I cannot nor I may not once Invocation Aspire to DAVIDS Diadems and Thrones Nor lead behind my bright Tryumphal-Car So many Nations Conquered in War Nor DAVID-like my trembling Asps adorn With bloody TROPHEIS of my Foes forlorn Vouch safe mee yet his Verse and Lord I craue Let me his Harp-strings not his Bowe-strings haue His Lute and not his Launce to worthy-sing Thy glorie and the honour of thy King For none but DAVID can sing DAVID's worth Angels in Heav'n thy glory sound in Earth DAVID alone whom with Heav'ns loue surpriz'd To praise thee there thou now hast Angeliz'd Giue mee the Laurel not of War but Peace Or rather giue mee if thy grace so please The Ciuik Garland of green Oaken boughes Thrice-three times wreath'd about my glorious browes To euer-witnes to our after-frends How I haue reskew'd my con-Citizens Whom profane Fames-Thirst day and night did moue To be be-slav'd to th' yoake of wanton Loue For not to mee but to thee Lord be prayse Now by th' example of my Sacred Layes To Sacred Loues our noblest spirits are bent And thy rich Name 's their only Argument HEE WHOM in priuat wals with priuie signe The great King-maker did for King assigne Begins to showe himself a fier so great Could not liue flame-les long nor would God let So noble a spirits nimble edge to rust In Sheapheards idle and ignoble dust My Son how certain we that Saying proue Iessè or Ishai sendeth Dauid to see his brethreÌ„ in the Campe. That doubtfull Fear still wayts on tender Loue DAVID saith Iesse I am full of fears For thy deer Brethren Each Assault salt tears Draws from mine eyes mee thinks each point doth stab Mine Eliab Samna and Aminadab Therefore goe visite them and with this Food Beare them my Blessing say I wish them good Beseeching God to shield and them sustain And send them soon victorious home again Gladly goes DAVID and anon doth spie Two steep high Hils where the two Armies lie Description of Goliah A Vale diuides them where in raging mood Colossus-like an armed Giant stood His long black locks hung shagged slouen-like A down his sides his bush-beard floated thick His hands and arms and bosom bristled were Most Hedge-hog-like with wyer insteed of haire His foul blasphemous mouth a Caues mouth is His eyes two Brands his belly an Abysse His legs two Pillers and to see him go Hee seemd some steeple reeling to and fro A Cypresse-Tree of fifteen Summers old Pyramid-wise waues on his Helm of gold Whose glistring brightnes doth with rayes direct Against the Sun the Sun it self reflect Much like a Comet blazing bloodie-bright Simile Ouer some City with new threatfull light Presaging down-fall or some dismal fate Too-neer approaching to some ancient State His Launce a Loom-beam or a Mast as big Which yet he shaketh as an Osier twig Whose harmful point is headed stifly-straight With burnisht Brasse aboue an Anuils waight Vpon whose top in stead of Bannaret A hissing Serpent seems his foes to threat His brazen Cuirasse not a Squire can carrie For 't is the burthen of a Dromedarie His Shield where Cain his brother Abel slaies Where Chus his son Heav'n-climbing Towrs doth raise Where th' Ark of God to th' Heathen captiuate To Dagon's House is led with scorne and hate Is like a Curtain made of double planks To saue from shot some hard-besieged Ranks His threatfull voice is like the stormefull Thunder When hot-cold Fumes teare sulphury clowds asunder O Fugitiues this is the fortieth day His brauing Defiance to the Hoast of Israell Thus barkes the Dog that I haue stalked aye About your fearefull Hoast that I alone Against your best and choisest Champion In single Combat might our Cause conclude To shun the slaughter of the multitude Come then who dares and to be slaine by mee It shall thine honour and high Fortune bee Why am I not lesse strong my common strength Might find some Braue to cope with at the length But fie for shame when shall we cease this geare I to defie and you to flie for feare If your hearts serue not to defend your Lot Why are you arm'd why rather yeeld you not Why rather doe you sith you dare not fight Not proue my mildnesse than prouoke my might What needed Coats of brasse and Caps of steele For such as Hare-like trust but to their heele But sith I see not one of you alas Alone dares meete nor looke me in the face Come tenne come twenty nay come all of you And in your ayde let your great God come too Let him rake Hell and shake the Earth in sunder Let him be arm'd with Lightning and with Thunder Come let him come and buckle with me heer Your goodly God lesse then your selues I feare Thus hauing spewd the dreadfull Cyclop stirr'd His monstrous Limbes beneath his feet he reard A Clowd of dust and wheresoe're he wend Flight Feare and Death his ghastly steps attend Euen as a payr of busie chattering Pies Simile Seeing some hardie Tercell from the skies To stoop with rav'nous seres feele a chill feare From bush to bush wag-tayling here and there So that no noyse nor stone nor stâ—â—ke can make The timorous Birds their Couert to forsake So th' Hebrew Troopes this brauing Monster shun And from his sight some here some there doo run In vain the King commands intreats and threats And hardly three or foure together gets What shame saith he that our victorious Hoast Saul stirreth vp his Souldiers proposeth ample Reward to him that shall vndertake the Philistine Should all be daunted with one Pagans boast Braue Ionathan how is thy courage quaild Which yerst at Boses all alone aslaild Th' whole Heathen Hoast O Worthy Abner too What chance hath cut thy Nerues of Valour now And thou thy self O Saul whose Conquering hand Had yerst with Tropheis filled all the Land As far as Tigris from the Iapâ—ean Sea Where is thy heart how is it fall'n away Saul is not Saul O â— then what Izraelice Shall
venge God's honor and Our shame acquight Who spurrd with anger but more stirrd with Zeale Shall foile this Pagan and free Izrael O! who shall being me this Wolf 's howling head That Heav'n and Earth hath so vn-hallowed What e're he be that lauish of his soule Shall with his blood wash-out this blot so foule I will innoble him and all his House He shall inioy my Daughter for his Spouse And euer shall a Deed so memorable Be with the Saints sacred and honorable â—â— Yet for the Duel no man dares appeer All wish the Prize but none will win 't so deer Big-looking Minions braue in vaunts and vows Lions in Court now in the Camp be Cows But euen the blast that cools their courage so That makes my DAVID's valiant rage to glowe My Lord saith He behold this hand shall bring Dauids offer Th' heav'n-scorning head vnto my Lord the King Alas my Lad sweet Shepheard answers Saul Thy heart is great although thy limbs be small High flie thy thoughts but wee haue need of more More stronger Toyles to take so wilde a Boare To tame Goliah needs som Demi-god Some Nimrod rather then a Shepheard-Lad Of slender growth vpon whose tender Chin The budding doun doth scarcely yet begin Keep therefore thine owne Rank and draw not thus Death on thy self dis-honor vpon vs With shame and sorrow on all Izrael Through end-les Thral dom to a Fo so fel. The faintest Harts God turns to Lions fierce His assurance To Eagles Doues Vanquisht to Vanquishers God by a Womans feeble hand sub dews Iabins Lieutenant and a Iudge of Iews God is my strength therfore O King forbear For Izrael for Thee or Mee to fear No self-presumption makes me rashly braue Assured pledge of his prowd head I haue Seest thou these arms my Lord these very arms Steeld with the strength of the great God of Arms Haue bath'd Mount Bethlem with a Lions blood These very arms beside a shady Wood Haue slain a Bear which greedy after prey Had torn and born my fattest sheep away My God is still the same this sauage Beast Which in his Fold would make a Slaughter-feast All-ready feels his furie and my force My foot al-ready tramples on his Corps With his owne sword his cursed length I lop His head al-ready on the geound doth hop The Prince beholds him as amaz'd and mute To see a mind so yong foresolute Then son saith he sith so confirmd thou art Go and Gods blessing on thy valiant hart God guide thy hand and speed thy weapon so That thou return triumphant of thy Fo. Hold take my Corslet and my Helm and Launce And to the Heav'ns thy happy Prowes aduance The faithfull Champion being furnisht thus Is like the Knight which twixt Eridanus And th' heav'nly Star-Ship marching brauely-bright Hauing his Club his Casque and Belt bedight With flaming studs of many a twinkling Ray Turns Winters night into a Summers day But yer that hee had half a furlong gon The massie Launce and Armour hee had on Did load him so he could not freely mooue His legs and arms as might him best behooue Euen so an Irish Hobby light and quick Simile Which on the spur ouer the bogs they prick In highest speed If on his back he feel Too-sad a Saddle plated all with steel Too-hard a Bit with in his mouth behind Crooper and Trappings him too-close to binde He seems as lame he flings and will not go Or if he stir it is but stiff and slowe DAVID therefore lays-by his heauie load And on the grace of the great glorious GOD Who by the weakest can the strongest stoop Hee firmly founding his victorious hope No Arrows seeks nor other Arcenall But by the Brooke that runnes amid the Vale Hee takes fiue Pebbles and his Sling and so Courageously incounters with his Foe What Combat's this On the one side I see A moouing Rocke whose looks do terrifie Euen his owne Hoast wbose march doth seem to make The Mountaine tops of Sucoth euen to shake On th' other side a slender tender Boy Where grace and beautie for the prize doo play Shaue but the doun that on his Chin doth peer And one would take him for Anchises Pheer Or change but weapons with that wanton Eâ—â— And one would think that it were Cupids self Gold on his head skarâ—er in either Cheek Grace in each part and in each gest alike In all so louely both to Foe and Friend That very Enuy cannot but commend His match-les beauties and though ardent zeale Flush in his face against the Infidel Although his Fury fume though vp and down He nimblie trauerse though he fiercely frown Though in his breast boyling with manly heat His swelling heart do strongly pant and beat His Storme is Calm and from his modest eyes Euen gratious seems the grimmest flash that flies Am I a Dog thou Dwarf thou Dandiprat To be with stones repell'd and palted at Or art thou weary of thy life so soon O foolish boy fantasticall Baboone That never saw'st but sheep in all thy life Poore sotte 't is heer another kind of strife We wrastle not after your Shepheards guise For painted Sheep-hooks or such pettie Prize Or for a Cage a Lamb or bread and cheese The Vanquisht Head must be the Victors Fees Where is thy sweatie dust thy sun-burnt scars The glorious marks of Soldier strain'd in Warres That make thee dare so much O Lady-Cow Thou shalt no more be-star thy wanton brow With thine eyes rayes Thy Mistress shall no more Curl the quaint Tresses of thy Golden ore I 'll trample on that Gold and Crowes and Pyes Shall peck the pride of those sweet-smiling eyes Yet no my guirle-boy no I will not file My feared hands with blood so faintly-vile Go seek thy match thou shalt not dy by me Thine honor shall not my dishonor be No silly Lad no wert thou of the Gods I would not fight at so vn-knightly ods Come barking Curre the Hebrew taunts him thus That hast blasphem'd the God of Gods and vs The ods is mine villain I scorne thy Boasts I haue for Aide th' almighty Lord of Hoasts Th' Ethnik's a-fier and from his goggle eyes All drunk with rage and blood the Lightning flies Out of his beuer like a Boare he foames A hellish Fury in his bosom roames As mad he marcheth with a dreadfull pase Death and destruction muster in his face He would a-fresh blaspheam the Lord of Lords With new despights but in the steed of words Simile He can but gnash his teeth Then as an Oxe Straid twixt the hollow of steep Hils and Rocks Through craggie Coombs through dark ragged turnings Lowes hideously his solitary Moornings The Tyrant so from his close helmet blunders With horrid noise and this harsh voice he thunders Thy God raignes in his Ark and I on Earth I Chalenge Him Him if he dare come forth Not Thee base Pigme Villain saies the Iew That blasphemy thou
against Adam Eue. They are driuen out of Eden Bears the hard penance of his high transgression And Adam heer from Eden banished As first offender is first punished Hence quoth the Lord hence hence accursed race Out of my Garden quick auoyd the place This beautious place pride of this Vniuerse A house vnworthy Masters so peruerse Those that in quarrell of the Strong of Strongs Simile And iust reuenge of Queen and Countries wrongs Were witnesses to all the wofull plaints The sighes and tears and pitifull complaints Of brauing Spaniards chiefly braue inword When by the valiant Heav'n-assisted sword Of Mars like ESSEX Englands Marshall-Earl Then Albions Patron and Eliza's Pearl They were expulst from Cad'z their deerest pleasure Losing their Town their honour and their treasure Woe worth said they woe worth our Kings ambition Woe worth our Cleargy and their Inquisition He seeks new Kingdoms and doth lose his old They burn for conscience but their thirst is gold Woe and alas woe to the vain brauados Of Typhon like-inuincible ARMADOS Which like the vaunting Monster-man of Gath Haue stirr'd against vs little Dauids wrath Wo-worth our sins wo worth our selues and all Accursed causes of our suddain fall Those well may ghess the bitter agonies And luke-warm Rivers gushing down the eys Of our first Parents out of Eden driv'n Of Repeal hope-less by the hand of Heav'n For the Almighty set before the dore The earthly Eden shut-vp for euer from Mankinde Of th' holy Park a Seraphin that bore A waving sword whose body shined bright Like flaming Comet in the midst of night A body meerly Metaphysioall Which differing little from th' ONE vnicall Th' Act-simply-pure the onely-beeing BEEING Approcheth matter ne'rtheless not being Of matter mixt or rather is so made So meerly spirit that not the murdering blade His ioyned quantity can part in two For pure it cannot Suffer ought but Doo FINIS THE FVRIES THE III. PART OF THE I. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT The World 's tranform'd from that it was at first For Adams Sin all Creatures else accurst Their Harmony dis-tuned by His iar Yet all again concent to make Him war As th' Elements and aboue all the Earth Three ghastly FVRIES Sicknes War and Dearth A generall Muster of the Bodies Griefs The Soules Diseases vnder sundry Chiefs Both full of Horror but the later most Where vgly Vice in Vertues Mask doth boast THis 's not the World O! whither am I brought Sin hath changed and disfigured the face of the World This Earth I tread this hollow-hanging Vault Which Dayes reducing and renuing Nights Renues the grief of mine afflicted sprights This Sea I sail this troubled Ayr I sip Are not The First-Weeks glorious workmanship This wretched Round is not the goodly Globe Th' Eternall trimmed in so various Robe 'T is but a Dungeon and a dreadfull Caue Of that First World the miserable graue All-quickning Spirit great God that iustly-strange Inuocation Iudge-turned-Father wrought'st his wondrous change Change and new-mould me Lord my hand assist That in my Muse appear no earthly mist Make me thine organ giue my voice dexterity Sadly to sing this sad Change to Posterity And bountious Giuer of each perfect gift So tune my voice to his sweet-sacred Clift That in each strain my rude vnready tong Be liuely Eccho of his learned Song And hence-forth let our holy Musik rauish All well-born Soules from fancies lewdly-lauish Of charming Sin the deep-inchaunting Syrens The snares of vertue valour-softning Hyrens That toucht with terrour of thine indignation Presented in this wofull Alteration We all may seek by Prayer and true Repentance To shun the rigour of thy wrathfull Sentence * The TraÌ„slator heere humbly vaileth-bonnet to the Kings Maiesty who many yeeres since for his princely exercile translated these FVRIES the VRANIA and some other Pecces of Du BARTAS But yer we farther pass our slender Bark Must heer strike top-sâ—ils to a Princely Ark Which keeps these Straights Hee hails vs threatfully Star-boord our helm Com vnderneath his Lee. Ho Whence your Bark of Zeal-land Whether bound For Vertues Cape What lading Hope This Sound You should not pass sauâ— that your voyage tends To benefit our Neighbours and our Frends Thanks Kingly Captain daign vs then we pray Som skilfull Pylot through this FVRIOVS Bay Or in this Chanell sith we are to learn Vouch safe to togh vs at your Royall Stern YER THAT our Sire O too too proudly-base Turn'd tail to God and to the Fiend his face This mighty World did seem an Instrument True-strung well-tun'd and handled excellent Happy estate of the World before Sinne set forth by a Similitude Whose symphony resounded sweetly-shrill Th' Almighties prayse who play'd vpon it still While man serv'd God the World serv'd him the lyue And liue-less creatures seemed all to striue To nurse this league and louing zealously These two deer Heads embraced mutually In sweet accord the base with high reioyc't The hot with cold the solid with the moist And innocent Astraea did combine All with the mastick of a Loue diuine For th' hidden loue that now a-dayes doth holde The Sympathy yet appearing between certain Creatures is but as a litle shadow of the perfect vnion which was among all Creatures before Mans Fall The Steel and Load-stone Hydrargire and Golde Th' Amber and straw that lodgeth in one shell Pearl-fish and Sharpling and vnites so well Sargons and Goats the Sperage and the Rush Th' Elm and the Vine th' Oliue and Myrtle-bush Is but a spark or shadow of that Loue Which at the first in every thing did moue When as th' Earth's Muses with Harmonious sound To Heav'ns sweet Musick humbly did resound But Adam being chief of all the strings Of this large Lute o're-retched quickly brings All out of tune and now for melody Of warbling Charms it yels so hideously That it affrights fell Enyon who turmoils To raise again th' old Chaos antik broils Heav'n that still smiling on his Paramour Of the Discord that Sinne hath brought among all things Still in her lap did Mel and Manna pour Now with his hail his rain his frost and heat Doth parch and pinch and over-whelm and beat And hoars her head with Snowes and ielous dashes Against her brows his fiery lightning flashes On th' other side the sullen enuious Earth Sundry notable Antipathies From blackest Cels of her foul brest sends forth A thousand foggy fumes which every where With cloudy mists Heav'ns crystall front besmear Since that the Woolf the trembling Sheep pursues The crowing Cock the Lion stout eschews The Pullein hide them from the Puttock's flight The Mastie's mute at the Hyaenas sight Yea who would think it these fell enmities Rage in the sense-less trunks of Plants and Trees The Vine the Cole the Cole-wort Swines-bread dreads The Fearn abhors the hollow waving Reeds The Olyue and the Oak participate Even to their earth signes of
instantly shalt rue If e'r you saw at Sea in Summer weather Simile A Galley and a Caraque cope togither How th' one steers quick and th' other veers as slowe Lar-boord and star-boord from the poop to prowe This on the winde that on her Owres relies This daunteth most and that most damnifies You may conceaue this Fight th' huge Polypheme Stands stifly shaking his steel-pointed beam Dauid dooth trauerse round about him light Forward and back to th' left hand and the right Steps in and out now stoops anon he stretches Then he recoyls on either hand he reaches And stoutly-actiue watching th' aduerse blowes In euery posture dooth himself dispose As when at Cock-pit two old Cocks doo fight Simile Bristling their plumes and red with rage do smight With spurs and beak bounding at euery blowe With fresh assaults freshing their fury so That desperate in their vn yeelding wrath Nothing can end their deadly fewd but death The Lords about that on both sides do bet Look partially when th' one the Field shall get And trampling on his gaudie plumed pride His prostrate Fo with bloody spurs bestride With clanging Trumpet and with clapping wing Triumphantly his Victory to sing So th' Hebrew Hoast and so the Heathen stranger Not free from fear but from the present danger Behold with passion these two Knights on whom They both haue wagerd both their Fortunes sum And either side with voice and gesture too Hartens and cheers their Champion well to doo So earnest all that almost euery one Seems euen an Actor not a looker-on All feel the Skirmish twixt their Hope and Fear All cast their eyes on this sad Theater All on these two depend as very Founders Of their good Fortune or their Fates Confounders O Lord said DAVID as he whirld his Sling Be bowe and Bowe-man of this shaft I fling With sudden flerk the fatal hemp le ts go The humming Flint which with a deadly blowe Pearç't instantly the Pagans ghastly Front As deep as Pistol-shot in boord is wont The villain 's sped cries all the Hebrew band Goliah overthrowne The Dog the Atheist feels Gods heauy hand Th' Isacian Knight seeing the blowe stands still Fro th' Tyrants wound his ruddy soule doth trill As from a crack in any pipe of Lead That conuoyes Water from some Fountaines head Simile Hissing in th' Aire the captiue Stream doth spin In siluer threds her crystall humorthin The Giant wiping with his hand his wound Cries tush 't is nothing but eft soones the ground Sunk vnder him his face grew pale and wan And all his limbs to faint and fail began Thrice heaues he vp his head it hangs as fast And all a-long lies Isaac's dread at last Couering a rood of Land and in his Fall Simile Resembles right a lofty Tower or Wall Which to lay leuel with the humble soil A hundred Miners day and night doo toil Till at the length rushing with thundrous roar It ope a breach to th' hardy Conquerour Then two lowd cries a glad and sad were heard Wherwith reviv'd the vaunting Tyrant stird Re-summoning vnder his weak Controule The fainting Remnants of his flying Soule And to be once more buckling yer he dies With blowe for blowe he striues in vain to rise Such as in life such in his death he seems For euen in death he curses and blasphemes And as a Curre that cannot hurt the flinger Simile Flies at the stone and biteth that for anger Goliah bites the ground and his owne hands As Traytors false to his fel hearts commands Then the Hebrew Champion heads the Infidel With his own sword and sends his soule to Hell Pagans disperse and the Philistian swarms Haue armes for burthen and haue flight for armes Danger behinde and shame before their face Rowting themselues although none giue them chase Armi-potent Omnipotent my God Dauids Thanksgiving for the victory O let thy Praise fill all the Earth abroad Let Izrael through Thee victorious now Incessant songs vnto thy Glory vow And let me Lord said DAVID euer chuse Thee sole for subiect of my sacred Muse. O wondrous spectacle vnheard-of-Sight The Monster 's beaten-down before the Fight A Dwarf a Sheepheard conquers euen vn-armd A Giant fell a famous Captain armd From a fraile Sling this Battery neuer came But 't was the Breach of a Tower-razing Ram This was no cast of an vncertain Slinger 'T was Crosse-bow-shot rather it was the finger Of the All-mightie not this hand of mine That wrought this work so wondrous in our eyne This hath Hee done that by a woman weake Can likewise stone the stout Abimelech Therefore for euer singing sacred Layes I will record his glorious Power and Praise Then Iacob's Prince him ioyfully imbraces Prefers to honours and with fauours graces Imployes him farre and nigh and farre and neere From all sad cares he doth his Soueraigne cleere In Camp he curbs the Pagans arrogance In Court he cures the Melancholy Trance That toyls his soule and with his tunefull Lyre Effectâ— of Musick Expels th' ll Spirit which doth the body tyre For with her sheath the soule commerce frequents And acts her office by his instruments After his pipe she dances and againe The body shares her pleasure and her paine And by exchange reciprocally borrowes Some measure of her solace and her sorrowes Th' Eare doore of knowledge with sweete warbles pleas'd Sends them eft soones vnto the Soule diseas'd With darke black rage our spirits pacifies And calmly cools our inward flame that fries So O Tyrtéus changing Harmonie Examples of the same Thy Rowt thou changest into Victorie So O thrice-famous Princely Pellean Holding thy hart 's reâ—nes in his Tune-full hand Thy Timothie with his Melodious skill Armes and dis-armes thy Worlds-drad arme at will And with his Phrygian Musicke makes the same As Lion fierce with Dorik milde as Lambe So while in Argos the chaste Violon For 's absent Soueraigne doth graue-sweetly groan Queen Clytemnestra doth resist th' alarmes Of lewd Aegysthus and his lustfull Charmes So at the sound of the sweet-warbling brasse The Prophet rapting his soule 's soule a space Refines him selfe and in his fantasie Graues deep the seal of sacred Prophesie For if our Soule be Number some so thought It must with number be refreshed oft Or made by Number so I yeeld to sing We must the same with some sweet Numbers bring To some good Tune euen as a voice sometime Simile That in its Part sings out of tune and time Is by another voice whose measur'd straine Custome and Arte confirms brought in again It may be too that DAVIDS sacred Ditty Quickned with Holy-Writ and couched witty Exorcist-like chaç't Natures cruel Fo Who the Kings soule did tosse and torture so How e'r it were He is in euery thing A profitable seruant to the King Who enuious yet of his high Feats and Fame His Faith and Fortitude distrusts the same And the diuine Torch
of his Vertues bright Brings him but sooner to his latest Night Saue that the Lord still shields him from on hy And turnes to Triumph all his Tragedy O bitter sweet I burst thus raues the King To hear them all in Camp and Court to sing Sauls Envy to Dauid SAVL he hath slain a thousand DAVID ten Ten thousand DAVID O faint scorn of men Lo how with Lustre of his glorious parts Hee steals-away the giddy peoples harts Makes lying Prophets sooth him at a beck Thou art but King in name Hee in effect Yet thou endur'st it haste thee haste thee Sot Choak in the Cradle his aspiring Plot Preuent his hopes and wisely-valiant Off with his head that would thy foot supplant Nay but beware his death belov'd so wel Will draw thee hatred of all Izrael Sith then so high his heady valour flies Sith common glory cannot him suffice Sith Danger vpon Danger hee pursews And Victory on Victory renewes Let 's put him to 't Let 's make him Generall Feed him with winde and hazard him in all So shall his own Ambitious Courage bring For Crown a Coffin to our Iunior King Yea had hee Sangars strength and Sampsons too Hee should not scape the taske I 'll put him to But yet our DAVID more then all archieues And more and more his grace and glory thriues The more he doos the more he dares adventure His rest-les Valour seeks still new Aduenture For feeling him armd with th' Almighty's Spirit He recks no danger at the least to fear it Then what doos Saul When as he saw no speed By sword of Foes so great a Fo to rid Hee tries his owne and one-while throwes his dart At vn-awares to thrill him to the hart Or treacherously hee layes som subtill train At boord or bed to haue him harm-les slain On nothing else dreams the disloyall wretch But Dauids death how Dauid to dispatch Which had bin don but for his Son the Prince Who deerly tenders Dauids Innocence Ionathan's loue to Dauid And neerly marks and harks the Kings Designes And warns the Iessean by suspect-les signes But for the kinde Courageous Ionathan Who but attended onely with his man Neer Senean Rocks discomfited alone The Philistines victorious Garison About his eares a Shower of Shafts dooth fall His Shield's too-narrow to receiue them all His sword is duld with slaughter of his Foes Wherefore the dead he at the liuing throwes Head-lined helmes heawn from their trunks he takes And those his vollies of swift shot he makes The Heathen Hoast dares him no more affront Late number-les but easie now to count Dauid therefore flying his Princes Furie From end to end flies all the land of â—urie But now to Nob t' Adullam then anon To Desart Zif to Keâ—lah Mâ—aor Hauing for roof heav'ns arches starry-seeld And for repâ—st what wauing woods doe yeeld The Tyrant so frustrate of his intent Wreakes his fell rage vpon the innocent If any winke as willing t' haue not seen-him Or if vnweeting what 's the oddes between-him And th' angry king if any had but hid-him He dies for it if any haue but spid him Yea the High-Priest that in Gods presence stands Escapeth not his paricidiall hands Nor doth he spare in his vnbounded rage Cattle nor Curre nor state nor sexe nor age Contrariwise Dauid doth good for ill He hates the haters of his Soueraigne still And though he oft incounter Saul lesse strong Than his owne side forgetting all his wrong He shewes him aye loyall in deede and word Vnto his Liege th' Anointed of the Lord Respects and honors him and mindes no more The Kings vnkindnesse that had past before One day as Saul to ease him went aside Into a Caue where Dauid wont to hide Dauid vn-seen seeing his Foe so neer And all alone was strooke with suddaine feare As much amaz'd and musing there-vpon When whispering thus his Consorts egge him on Who sought thy life is fall'n into thy lap Doo'st thou not see the Tyrant in thy Trap Now therefore pull this Thorne out of thy foote Now is the Time if euer thou wilt doo 't Now by his death establish thine estate Now hugge thy Fortune yer it be too-late For he my Lord that will not when he may Perhaps he shall not when he would they say Why tarriest thou what doost thou trifle thus Wilt thou for Saul betray thy self and vs Wonne with their words to kill him he resolues But by the way thus with himself revolues He is a Tyrant true But now long since Anti-Bellâ—rmin His Disciples Authors or Fautors of our Powder-Mine And still he bears the mark of lawfull Prince And th' Ever-King to whom all Kings doe bow On no pretext did ever yet allow That any Subiest should his hand distain In sacred blood of his owne Soveraign He hunts me cause-les true but yet Gods word Bids me defend but not offend my Lord. I am anointed King but at Gods pleasure Not publikely therfore I waite thy leasure For thou O Lord regardest Thine and then Reward'st in fine Tyrants and wicked men Thus having sayd he stalkes with noise-les foot Behind the King and softly off doth cut A skirt or lap of his then-vpper clothing Then quick avoydes and Saul suspecting nothing Comes forth anon and Dauid afterward From a high Rock to be the better heard Cries to the King vpon his humble knee Come neer my Liege com neer and fear not me Fear not thy seruant Dauid Well I knowe Thy Flatterers that miss-inform thee so With thousand slanders dayly thee incense Against thy Seruants spot-les innocence Those smooth-sly Aspicks with their poysony sting Murder mine honour me in hatred bring With thee and with thy Court against all reason As if Convicted of the Highest-Treason But my notorious Loyalty I hope The venom of their viperous tongues shall stop And with the splendor of mine actions bright Disperse the Mists of Malice and Despight Behold my Lord Trueth needeth no excuse What better witnesse can my soule produce Of faithfull Loue and Loyall Vassalage To thee my Liege than this most certain gage When I cut-off this lappet from thy Coat Could I not then as well haue cut thy throat But rather Soveraign thorow all my veins Shall burning Gangrens spreading deadly pains Benum my hand then it shall lift a sword Against my Liege th' anointed of the Lord Or violate with any insolence Gods sacred Image in my Soveraign Prince And yet O King thy wrath pursews me still Like silly-Kid I hop from hill to hill Like hated Wolues I and my Souldiers starue But iudge thy self if I thy wrath deserue No my Sonne Dauid I haue don thee wrong Good God requight thy good there doth belong A great Reward vnto so gratious deed Ah well I see it is aboue decreed That thou shalt sit vpon my Seat supream And on thy head shalt wear my Diadem Then ô thou sacred and most noble Head Remember Mee and mine when I
thred of life To interrupt my rest And ' mid the strife Of struggling Mortals in the Worlds affairs By power-full Charms to re-entoyl my Cares Inquir'st thou what 's to-come O wretched Prince Too much too-soon what I fore-told long since Death 's at thy door to morrow Thou and Thine Even all shal fall before the Philistine And great-good Dauid shal possesse thy Throne As God hath sayd toÌ„ be gain-sayd by none Th' Author of Lies against his guise tels true How Sathan comes to tell things to-come Not that at-once he Selfly all fore-knew Or had revolv'd the Leaues of destiny The Childe alonly of Eternity But rather through his busie observation Of circumstance and often iteration Of reading of our Fortunes and our Fals In the close Book of clear Coniecturals With a far-seeing Spirit hits often right Not much vnlike a skilfull Galenite Who when the Crisis comes dares even foretell Whether the Patient shall doo ill or well Or as the Star-wise somtimes calculates By an Eclipse the death of Potentates And by the stern aspects of greatest Stars Prognosticates of Famine Plague and Wars As he foretold in brief so fell it out Saules death Braue Ionathan and his Two Brethren stout Are slain in Fight and Saul himself forlorn Lest Captiue he be made the Pagans scorn He kils him-Self and of his Fortune froward To seem not conquer'd shewes him Self a Coward For 't is not Courage whatsoe'r men say Against Self-killing But Cowardize to make ones Self away 'T is even to turn our back at Fears alarms 'T is basely-faint to yeeld vp all our Arms. O extream Rage O barbarous Cruelty â— All at one Blowe t' offend Gods Maiesty The State the Magistrate Thy Self in fine Th' one in destroying the deer work divine Of his almighty Hands the next in reaving Thy needfull Service it should be receiuing The third in rash vsurping his Commission And last Thy Self in thine owne Selfs-Perdition When by two Deaths one voluntary Wound Doth both thy body and thy soule confound But Isbosheth his deer Son yet retains His Place a space and Dauid only Raigns In happy Iuda Yet yerlong discreet He makes th' whole Kingdoms wracked ribs to meet And so He rules on th' holy Mount a mirror His Peoples Ioy the Pagans only Terror If ever standing on the sandy shoar Comparison Y' haue thought to count the rowling waues that roar Each after other on the British Coast When Aeolus sends forth his Northern Poast Waue vpon Waue Surge vpon Surge doth fold Sea swallowes Sea so thickly-quickly roul'd That number-les their number so doth mount That it confounds th' Accompter and th' Accompt So Dauid's Vertues when I think to number Their multitude doth all my Wits incumber That Ocean swallowes me and mazed so In the vast Forest where his Prayses growe I knowe not what high Fir Oak Chest-nut-Tree Rather what Brasil Cedar Ebonie My Muse may chuse Amphion-like to build With curious touch of Fingers Quauer-skild Durst she presume to take so much vpon-her A Temple sacred vnto Dauids honour Others shall sing his mindes true Constancie Epitome of Dauids Vertues In oftlong exiles try'd so thorowly His Life compos'd after the life and likenes Of sacred Patterns his milde gracious meeknes Towards railing Shimeâ— and the * Nâ—bâ—â— Churlish Gull His louely Eyes and Face so bewtifull Som other shall his Equity record And how the edge of his impartiall sword Is euer ready for the Reprobate To hewe them down and help the Desolate How He no Law but Gods drad Law enacts How Hee respects not persons but their Facts How braue a Triumph of Selfs-wrath he showes Killing the Killers of his deadly Foes Som other shall vnto th' Empyreall Pole The holy fervor of his Zeal extoll How for the wandring Ark he doth prouide A certain place for euer to abide And how for euer euery his designe Is ordered all by th' Oracle Diuine Vpon the wings of mine els-tasked Rime Through the cleer Welkin of our Western Clime I 'll only bear his Musike and his Mars His holy Songs and his triumphant Wars Lothere the sacred mark wherat I aim And yet this Theam I shall but mince and maim So many Yarnes I still am fain to strike Into this Web of mine intended WEEK The Twelue stout Labours of th' Amphitryonide Of his valour and victories Strongest of Men are iustly magnifi'd Yet what were They but a rude Massacre Of Birds and Beasts and Monsters here and there Not Hoasts of Men and Armies ouer throw'n But idle Conquests Combats One to One Where boist'rous Limbs and Sinnews strongly kniâ— Did much auaile with little ayde of Wit Bears Lions Giants foild in single fight Are but th' Essayes of our redoubted Knight Vnder his Armes sick Aram deadly droops Vnto his power the strength of Edom stoops Stout Amalek euen trembles at his name Prowd Ammons skorn he doth return with shame Subdueth Soba foyls the Moabite Wholly extirps the down-trod Iebusite And still victorious euery month almost Combats and Conquers the Philistian Hoast So that Alcides massie Club scarce raught So many Blowes as Dauid Battails fought Th' expert Great * Pompey Captain who the Pontiks quaild Wun in strange Wars in ciuill Fights he faild But Dauid thriues in all and fortunate Triumphs no lesse of Sauls intestine hate Of Isbosheth's and Absaloâ—'s designes Then of strong Aram and stout Philistines Good-Fortune alwayes blowes not in the Poop Of valiant Caesar she defeats his Troop Slayes his Lieutenants and among his Friends Stabb'd full of Wounds at length his Life she ends But Dauid alwayes feels Heav'ns gratious hand Whether in person He himself command His royall Hoast or whether in his sted By valiant Ioab his braue Troops be led And Happinesse closing his aged eye Even to his Toomb consorts him constantly Fair Victory with Him even from the first Did pitch her Tent his Infancy she nurst With noble Hopes his stronger years she fed With stately Tropheis and his hoary head She Crowns and Comforts with her cheerful Balms Triumphant Laurels and victorious Palmes The Mountains stoop to make Him easieway And Euphrates before Him dryesaway To Him great Iordan a small leap doth seem Without assault strong Cities yeeld to Him Th' Engine alone of His far-feard Renown Beats Thunder-like Gates Bars Bulwarks down Gads goodly Vales in a gore Pond he drenches Philistian Fiers with their owne Blood he quenches And then in Gob pursewing still his Foes His wrath 's iust Tempest on fell Giants throwes O strong great Worthies will soÌ„m one-day lay When your huge Bones they plough-vp in the Clay But stronger greater and more WORTHIE He Whose Heav'n-lent Force and Fortune made you be Maugre your might your masly Spears and Shields The fatt'ning dung-hill of those fruitfull Fields His Enimies scarcely so soon he threats As overthrowes and vtterly defeats On Dauids head God doth not spin good-hap But pours it down
want only with th' vnder-Fishes striues For in the bottom of this liquid Ice Made of Musaïck work with quaint device The cunning workman had contrived trim Carpes Pikes and Dolphins seeming even to swim Dauid gazing Ishai's great son too-idlely walking hie Vpon a Tarras this bright star doth spy And sudden dazled with the splendor bright Fares like a Prisoner who new brought to light Simile From a Cimmerian dark deep dungeon Feels his sight smitten with a radiant Sun But too-too-soon re-cleer'd he sees alas Th' admired Tracts of a bewitching Face Her sparkling Eye is like the Morning Star Her lips two snips of crimsin Sattin are Her Teeth as white as burnisht Silver seem Or Orient Pearls the rarest in esteem Her Cheeks and Chin and all her flesh like Snowes Sweet intermixed with Vermillion Rose And all her sundry Treasures selfly swel Prowd so to see their naked selues excel What living Rance what rapting Iuory Swims in these streams O what new Victory Triumphs of all my TROPHEIS O cleer Therms If so your Waues be cold what is it warms Nay burns my hart If hot I pray whence comes This shivering winter that my soule benums Freezes my Senses and dis-selfs me so With drousie Poppy not my self to knowe O peer-les Bewty meerly Bewtifull Vnknow'n to me th' art most vn-mercifull Alas I dy I dy O dismall lot Both for I see thee and I see thee not But a-far-off and vnder water too O feeble Power and O what shall I doo Weak Kingly-State sith that a silly Woman Stooping my Crown can my soul's Homage summon But ô Imperiall power Imperiall State Could happy I giue Bewties Check the Mate Thus spake the King and like as parkle small Simile That by mischance doth into powder fall Hee 's alla-fire and pensiue studies nought But how t' accomplish his lasciuious thought Which soon he compast sinks himself therin Forgetteth Dauid addeth Sin to Sin Simile And lustfull playes like a yong lusty Rider A wilfull Gallant not a skilfull guider Who proud of his Horse pride still puts him to 't With wand and spur layes on with hand and foot The too-free Beast which but too-fast before Ran to his Ruine stumbling evermore At every stone till at the last he break Against som Rock his and his Riders neck For fearing not Adulteries fact but fame A iealous Husbands Fury for the same And lessening of a Pleasure shar'd to twain He treach'rous makes her valiant Spouse be slain The Lord is moov'd and iust begins to stretch His Wraths keen dart at this disloyal wretch When Nathan then bright Brand of Zeal and Faith Comes to the King and modest-boldly sayth Vouchsafe my Liege that our Chief Iustice art The Prophet Nothan's Parable reprouing Dauid To list a-while to a most hainous part First to the fault giue ear then giue Consent To giue the Faulty his due Punishment Of late a Subiect of thine owne whose flocks Powl'd all Mount Liban's pleasant plentious locks And to whose Heards could hardly full suffice The flowry Verge that longst all Iordan lies Making a Feast vnto a stranger-Guest None of his owne abundant Fatlings drest But privy Thief from a poor Neighbour by His Faithfull Friend Hee takes feloniously A goodly Lamb although he had no more But even that one wherby he set such store That every day of his owne hand it fed And every night it coucht vpon his Bed Supt of his Cup his pleasant morsels pickt And even the moisture from his lips it lickt Nay more my Lord. No more replies the King Deeply incenst 'T is more than time this thing Were seen into and so outrageous Crimes So insolent had need be curbd be times What-ever Wretch hath done this Villany Shall Die the Death and not alonely Die But let the horror of so foul a Fact A more then common punishment exact O painted Toomb then answerd sacred Nathan That hast God in thy Mouth in thy Minde Sathan Thou blam'st in other thine owne Fault denounç't And vn-awares hast gainst thy self pronounç't Sentence of Death O King no King as than Of thy desires Thou art the very man Yea Thou art hee that with a wanton Theft Hast iust Vriah's only Lamb bereft And him ô horror Sin with Sin is further'd Him with the sword of Ammon hast Thou murther'd Bright Beauties Eye like to a glorious Sun Hurts the sore eye that looks too-much ther-on Thy want on Eye gazing vpon that Eye Hath given an Entrance too-too-foolishly Vnto that Dwarf that Divel is it not Which out of Sloath within vs is begot Who entring first but Guest-wise in a room Doth shortly Master of the house become And makes a Saint a sweet myld-minded Man That 'gainst his Life's Fo would not lift his hand To plot the death of his deer faith-full Friend That for his Loue a thousand liues would spend Ah! shak'st thou not is not thy Soule in trouble O brittle dust vain shadow empty bubble At Gods drad wrath which quick doth calcinize The marble Mountains and the Ocean dries No thou shalt knowe the waight of Gods right hand Thou for example t'other Kings shalt stand Death speedy Death of that adulterous Fruit Which even al-ready makes his Mother rue't Shall vex thy soule and make thee feel in deed Forbidden Pleasure doth Repenrance breed Ah shame-les beast Sith thy brute Lust forlorn Hath not the Wife of thy best Friend forborn Thy Sons dis-natur'd shall defile thy bed Incestuously thy fair Wiues rauished Shall doublely thy lust-full seed receaue Thy Concubines which thou behinde shalt leaue The wanton Rapes of thine owne Race shal be It shall befall that in thy Family With an vn-kins-mans kisse vn-louing Lover The Brother shal his Sisters shame discouer Thou shalt be both Father and Father-in-law To thine owne Blood Thy Children past all aw Of God or Man shall by their insolence Eyen iustifie thy bloody foul offence Thou sinn'dst in secret but Sol's blushing Eye Shall be eye-witnesse of their villany All Izrael shall see the same and then The Heav'n-sunk Cities in Asphaltis Fen Out of the stinking Lake their heads shall showe Glad by thy Sons to be out-sinned so Thou thou inhumane didst the Death conspire Of good Uriah worthy better Hire Thou cruell didst it therfore Homicide Cowardly treason cursed Paricide Vn-kinde Rebellion ever shall remain Thy house-hold Guests thy House with blood to stain Thine owne against thine owne shal thril their darts Thy Son from thee shal steal thy peoples harts Against thy Self he shal thy Subiects arm And giue thine age many a fierce Alarm Till hanged by the hair 'twixt Earth and sky His Gallow's pride shame of the Worlds bright Eye Thine owne Lieutenant at a crimsin spout His guilty Soule shall with his Lance let-out And if I fail not O what Tempest fel Beats on the Head of harm-les Izrael Alas how many a guilt-les Abramide Diesin Three dayes through thy too-curious Pride The Plague of
translatour This godly Pooeme to a Christian King To him who God in goodnesse hath erect For princely Piller to his owne elect For lawfull Lord to raign with trueth and right For louesom Laurer to the vertuous wight Him I beseech this trauell to defend That to his pleasure I the same may end VVHen Izrell was in quiet rest and peace And fruitfully the ground gaue her encreise Which seauenty yeer vntilled lay beforne And nothing bare but thistle weed and thorne It pleased God vpon his iust correction T' awake his owne that were of his election Least that the longsom peace should them withholde And dull their spirits as doth the warriour bolde Who spoyls his horse with pampring in the stable That makes him for the manaige more vnable He spred their land with bands of enemies stout Whose cloudes of shot bedimd their land about Their Hoaste with arrowes pikes and standards stood The Army of Holopherne As bristle-pointed as a thorniâ— wood Their multitude of men the riuers dri'd Which throw the wealthy Iuda sweet did slide So that flood Iordane finding dry his banke For shame he blusht and down his head he shrankâ— For woe that he his credit could not keep To send one waue for tribute to the deep Scarse had the Haruest-man with hook in hand Dispoylde the fruit and let the stubble stand Scarse had the hungry Gleaner put in bindc The scattered grain the Shearer left behinde And scarse the flapping flaile began to thresh When vnto Iacob newes was brought afresh That Holophern his frontiers did inuade And past all Rivers straits and murders made So vile that none he left that drew the breath But olde and young he put to sodain death The sucking babes vpon their mothers knee His cruell cut-throates made them all to dee Then like a flock of sheep that doth beholde A wolfe come from the wood vpon their fold Shapes no defence but runnes athwart the lands And shortly makes of one a hundreth bands So Isaaks sonnes indreading for to feel This tyrant who pursued them at the heel The Hebrews Dissundring fled and sought their liues to saue In hils and dales and euery desert caue The sheep heard of his flocke had now no care Fear of the enemy But fearing death fled to som mountain bare The Crafts man now his lumes away hath layde The Marchant lest his traffike and his trade To hide himself more safely in a vault Then in a Rampier to sustain th' assault The Lords esteemde them selfes in surer holde In Dennes of beasts then castles gilt with golde Fear lent the wings for aged folke to flie And made them mount to places that were hie Fear made the wofull women for to bear Their cradles sweet to hilles that highest were Fear made the wofull childe to waile and weep For want of speed on foot and hand to creep All where was nothing heard but hideous cries And pitious plaints that did the harts agrise O Lord sayd they wilt thou still day by day The arrowes of thine anger neuer stay Affliction causeth prayer Wilt thou that Calde conquere vs again Shall Iuda yet the Heathen yoke sustain Wilt thou again that they make every towne But stony heaps of houses casten down Again shall sacrilegious fire deuoure Thy holy house where we do thee adore Then Ioachim the priest of God most hie Who ouer Iuda then had chief degrie Stood like a Pylot stout in tempest great Who seeing winde and weather for to threat Yet to his mates his fear no terrour drawes Nor leaues his ship vnto the wrackfull wawes But with disguising fear his face vp casts And stoutly doth gain-stand the balefull blasts Right so this prudent prelate sent in haste Two hundreth men to passe where men were plac't In places strong and thence commanded them For to repair vnto Ierusalem Now since th' Erernall did reueale his will Vpon the sacred top of Syna Hill The Arke of God which wisedom more did holde In Tables two then all the Greeks haue tolde And more then euer Rome could comprehend In huge of learned books that they pend Sam. 1. 4. Long wandred it throw trybes throw kin and kin Sam. 2. 6. And found no certain place of resting in Yea somtime it the shamefull spoyl hath been To sacrilegious hands of Palestine Vntill that time that Iessies holy race For euer lodged it in Iebus place But for that Dauids hands with blood were fiâ—d Ierusalem Throu infinits of humains he had kild 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 eaven That lightlied earth and seem'd to threat the heaven Vntill that wicked time a tyrant vile Of name and deed that bare the semble stile Nabuchadnezar That did this king that building braue he wrackt And to the sacred ground all whole it sackt Yet when long after Abrahms holy race Of Tyger banks had left the captiue place Esd. 6. With combers great they redified with pain That most renowmed house of God again Which though vnto the first it seemd as small As to a Princes house a shepheards hall And though the hugenes were not as it was Yet sure the height and beauty did surpas And overseilde the famous work 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 work of this same Temple Might serue a Câ—esiphon for his exemple Lysippus eke to carue by square and line Or guide Apelles pensile most divine Heer in this place all Izrel most deuoute Withdrew themselues to Salem round about As when the Heav'n his sluces opens wide And makes the floods vpon the ground to glide The brooks that breaks adoun from diuers hils With course impetuous till one deep distils Amongst the Dames that there deuoutest were The holy Iudith fairest did appear Like Phoebus that aboue the starre doth shine It seem'd that she was made on moulde diuine This primate then assisted with the kinne Of great Eleazar priests whose head and chinne Was neuer shav'n 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 kalfe for sacrifise And with their blood the Altars hornes he dyed And praying thus to God immortall cryed O Lord of Hoastes we com not vnto thee Prayer To wey our merits with thy maiestie Nor to protest before thy heauenly might That sacklesly 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 Which thou with Abrahm made and so wilt set For mercy great thy iustice most seuear Thou should a greater plague vpon vs rear Change then our proces from thy iustice seat And
small in sinners sight But in the end the weight doth so encrease That Iustice leaues the sinner no release Like th' Vsurer who lends vpon the skore And makes the reckles debters debt the more What if the thundring Lord his iustice stay And for such sinne do not this tyrant slay The waters of the ground and in the aere Are in the hand of God then who is there That dare sediciously his yoke refuse Although he haue not water now to vse No no though heaven do seem serene and clear On euery part and wete doth not appear He may with moisture mildly wete the land As fell when Saul the Scepter had in hand Sam. 1. 12. For all the starres that do the heaven fulfill Are all but executors of his will All this could not the peoples thirst asswage But thus with murmurs they their Lords out-rage What shall we dye O sacred soldiers bolde For pleasure of our Lords these traytours olde What shall we dye on credit for to please These wyzard fooles who winks at our vnease Who with our blood would win them selfs renown So louable as neuer shal go down Nay nay let vs cut off this seruile chain To free our selfs let vs in hands retain The ruling of this towne the forte and all Least we into these deadly dangers fall Then like a wise Physician who persaue His patient that in feruent feuer raues Yet hights him more then Art can well performe So Prince Osias in this rurall storme He promist to the people their intent If God within fiue dayes no succonr sent Then Izak left their sorrowes all and some And present wo and fear of chance to com For that if they through this gat not their will At least they would auoyd the greatest ill But Iudith then whose eyes like fountains two Were neuer dry which witnest well her wo Right sad in sound th' Almighty she besought And on the sacred scriptures fed her thought Her prayers much auaylde to raise her spreet Aboue the skye and so the scriptures sweet A holy garden was where she might finde The medcyne meet for her molested minde Then Iudith reading there as was her grace She not by hazard hapned on that place Iudicum Where the lame handed Ahud for disdain To see the Iewes the Heathen yock sustain Sm ote Eglon with a dagger to the heft And from his flank the blood and life bereft The more she read the more she wonder had Of Ahuds act and hote desire her lad T' ensue his vertue yet her feeble kinde Empeached oft the purpose of her minde Proposing oft the horrour of the deed The fear of death the danger to succeed With haszard of her name and more then that Though she like wise the peoples freedom gat Yet for a man this act more seemly wear Than for a wife to handle sword or spear While Iudith thus with Iudith did debate A puffe of wind blew down that leaf by fate Discov'ring vp the story of Iaell how She droue a naile into Sisaras brow And â—lew that Pagan sleeping on her bed Who from the Hebrews furious hoast was fled In teaching vs albeit a tyrant flee Yet can he not auoy de the Lords decree This last example now such courage lent To feeble Iudith that she now was bent With wreakfull blade to slea and to diuorce The Heathen soule from such a sinfull corse But while she did her carefull minde imploy To finde som means to murder this Vizroy She heard report that made her hart to swoune Of the determination of the toune Then all the present perils to preuent Vnto the Rulers of the towne she went Reprouing them with words of bitter sweet What do ye mean O princes indiscreet Will ye the helping hand of God restrain And captiue it within your counsels vain Will ye include him vnder course of times Who made dayes years all seasons and their primes Do not abuse your selfs his power profound Is not to mens Imaginations bound God may all that he wills his will is iust God wils all good to them that in him trust Now fathers that which doth my hopereuiue Is onely this Ther is no wight on liue Within this towne that hath contracted hands To serue dumme Gods like folk of forrain Lands All sinnes are sinne but sure this sinne exceeds Our former faults by which our blinde misdeeds Offends the heaven by which the Lord of might Is frauded of his honours due and right In wresting of the title of his name To stocks and stones and metalls men do frame Since Izak then from such a fault is free Let vs to Gods protection cast our ee Consider that all Iuda rests in fear Aspecting onely our proceedings hear Consider that all Iacob in this tresse Will follow either our force or feeblenesse Consider that this house and altar stands Next vnder God vpholden with your hands Thinke that of Izrell whole ye keep the kaye Which if ye quite and giue this tyrant way Who more then death hates all of Izaks kinne Yee shall the name of kin-betrayers winne Then sayd the Captain I cannot deny That we offended haue the Lord most hye Vnwise are we our promises are vain But what we may not call our word again But if thou feele thy hart so sore opprest That moueth thee to tears for our vnrest Alas weep night and day and neuer tyre So that thy weepings may appease the yre Of that hie Iudge who hears in euery part The perfit prayer of the humble hart I will quoth she and if God giue me grace Repell the siege of this afflicted place By famous stroke But stay me in no wise But byde the ende of my bold enterprise And let me goe when night his mantle spreeds To th' enmies Camp Quoth he if thou wilt needs The great repressour of oppressors pride Preserue thy hart and hand and be thy guide FINIS THE SVMMARIE OF The IIII. BOOKE ACcording to the promis that Iudith made to the besieged Captaines in Bethulia she prepareth herselfe with armour meet for the execution of her enterprise to wit The inuocation of the name of God with a holy determination to deliuer her countrey from the hand of the Tyrant whom she deliberates to ouercome with the sweet and faire apparence of her amiable beutie and behauiour At her departing to the enemies camp our Poet introduceth one of the chief Captains of the town discriuing to another her stock and vp bringing with the progresse of her three estates Virginitie Mariage and Widowhood Thereby setting forth a singular example of all womanly behauiour vertue After her entrance to the Camp she is brought to Holophernes who was curious to knowe the cause of her comming there And after audience giuen he is so surprised with her beutie and eloquent language that she obtaineth licence to withdrawe herself by night to the next valley there to pray to God And continuing this exercise she requireth strength of the