fairest Iuly flowers showne Or buds of damaske Roses scarcely blowne Oh these my daughter giue you more content Then Egypts wealth and costliest ornament Me thinks they hang vpon each arme of thine Like two faire Clusters on a fruitfull Vine These shall renew our dying memory And vs reuiue vnto Posteritie Behold I see in little Ephraims face My dearest Rachels louely lookes and grace Manasses like to Ioseph doth appeare Who aboue all his brethen was my deare But oh my daughter how much am I bound To you for vndeserued fauours found But Ioseph more a Princesse of your state So lowly to descend to be his mate God make him worthy of your grace and loue And that he may as acceptable proue To you his deare as he was wont be blest With highest fauours alwayes of the best For he at home in Bondage Prison Court In grace was alwayes with the better sort I Potiphar the Gaoler and the King Best lou'd and trusted him in euery thing Then Asenah I wish you were obserued Here my deare father as you haue deserued As for your sonne no noblenesse of birth Nor Egypts dowers can counteruaile his worth Who me hath taught the vanity of state Me worthy make as happy of my mate Such is his worth and noblenesse of mind I wonder not that he should fauour find Amongst the best But shall I you intreate To tell your daughter what you vse to eate For here you all must as at home command We but desire your will to vnderstand Daughter saith Iacob I was neuer nice Nor dainty to consume things of high price That 's alwayes best you easiliest can prepare Better are homely Cates then forraine fare My heards my foode my sheepe my clothing breade No better weare I nor no other feede Sixe score and ten yeares haue I beene content To liue on milke fruits and such nourishment Yet few or none that to mine age attaine So strong of body are and free from paine But aboue all the weather being faire I loue to walke abroad in freshest aire After my mornings draught to stirre is good For to refresh the Spirits and warme the blood This is the way diseases to preuent I thanke God I neere knew what phisicke ment Thus whilst they talke in plaine familiar sort Lo Ioseph vnexpected comes from Court And tells his father how he did present His brethren to the King who is content Them to employ according to their breeding In looking vnto sheepe and cattell feeding And now he much desires to see your face And with all Courtly honour you to grace I Iacob saith with all my heart will goe To that good King that Ioseph honours so But I desire of him no greater grace Then to liue in his Land and see thy Face I hope he likewise will conceiue my breeding And leaue me to my flockes and Cattell feeding Ioseph his Father then to Pharoh brings Who doing first Obeisance due to Kings Begins oh blessed blest thou euer be That rais'd my Ioseph to such Dignitie From Dungeon where stockes did his Limbs enroule And yrons enter'd eu'n into his Soule To rule all Egypt by thy borrowed might And be alone great Pharohs Fauorite And blest be ay for thy Benignitie Who sauest me and all my Family From perishing Alas for want of food God render in thy Bosome all thy good And double thy fore-Fathers daies vpon Thee and thy seede that sit vpon thy throne Thus ends the Sage when Pharoh thus replide How much more cause haue I to blesse the tide That noble Ioseph did to Egypt driue To saue me and my people all aliue Come hither Iacob let me thee embrace How can I but loue thee and all thy race Whom now as Cause and Author I doe see Oh Ioseph Father of all mine and mee It ioyes me Israel most exceedingly When I thy sonne in ought can gratifie To whom my Kingdome Life and all I ow As thou and thine and all the people know God sent thy Ioseph as a man before To lay vp here against this famine store For had we not by his foresight beene fed We thou and all for want had perished Thy Ioseph doth informe my Senatours And Wisedome teach vnto my Counsellours Well may he rule then ore my house and Land And all my substance haue at his command I am to this by Prouidence but led God hath indeed thus Ioseph honored Thou seemst of no lesse wisedome and defert Then good old father tell how ould thou art And in what course thou hast worne out this terme I aske not to examine but to learne Examples more then precepts teach to liue Good King saith Iacob thou doest eu'n reuiue My older age to heare thy wondrous loue To Ioseph whom more then my selfe I loue But seeing thou inquirest of mine age Know that the dayes here of my Pilgrimage A hundred and full thirty yeares haue beene The dayes are few and ill which I haue seene Nor haue I yet attained to the age And dayes of my forefathers Pilgrimage Two things I studdy here especially The first to liue well second well to die For what is all our life once gone and past But eu'n a way vnto our happy last The terme from whence to all flesh is the wombe That whither all doe hasten is the Tombe He happiest here who findeth on the way Fewest impediments his course to stay Some passe through sicknesse pouerty some wealth Honour preferment pleasure strength and health Some equally of both participate This is the meane yet safe and happiest Fate The highest I did euer here aspire And in this state I still to liue desire The highest honours to your Grace are due For God hath with a Kingdome honourd you Whereof you haue your selfe most worthy showne In looking to Gods glory not your owne Wisely therefore I speake it to your praise You honour them whom God would haue you raise And in your Kingdome prudently depresse Those whom God hateth for their wickednesse Thus needs your Gouernment must happy be When King and Senatours in one agree The proud to cast downe and to raise the iust So may the Rulers one another trust God that from Famine vs deliuered And by a dreame foretold thee counselled Both for thy land and houshould to prouide And all the world which else for want had dide Feede thee with inward and spirituall grace And giue in heau'n an euerlasting place For this I your poore Beadsman night and day Will in a homely countrey cottage pray Pharoh much ioy'd would faine haue entertaind And him at his owne boord with bread sustaind But good old Iacob modestly denide And sayd How long haue I on earth to bide I cannot now of good from ill make choyce Nor musique iudge by instrument or voyce Why should I be a burthen to the King And he reward so my small-meriting But let my sonne for me before thee stand And ready alwayes be at thy command Good man saith Pharaoh I
heard Where in the Prison we a young man found In whom diuinest wisedome did abound For we a seuerall Dreame had in a night Which told to him to vs he read aright The Baker to the Gallowes I to Grace Should be restor'd and all in three dayes space This of our Dreames th'interpretation was All which you saw most truely came to passe Thus ends the Butler Pharaoh glad to heare Of ought might ease his longing wishd him there Who quickly sent for shau'd appareld white As him became to stand in Pharohs sight Heard and as soone his Dreame did right expound Which by nine yeares experience true is found For these seau'n faire Kine and ranke goodly eares He did interpret seu'n fat fruitfull yeares The seu'n thin sterued which did them deuower Seu'n yeares of famine In a lucky hower For Egypt for thus store we vp did lay In fruitfull yeares against this euill day And not sole happy for our temporall store But spirituall For many who before Long led in ignorance and errour blind Till they Gods Truth by good experience find To stones and stockes Sunne Moone and Starres did fall Now worship God the maker of vs all Of which for euer blessed be his name A thankfull one I though th'vnworthiest am And hauing all vaine worldly ioyes forsaken Now to deuotion sole my selfe betaken Thus ends the Sage When Iudah holy Sire Hearing thy words Gods goodnesse we admire Happy that God hath kindled in thy breast The holy Fire these flames doe manifest But tell vs what became of that great Sage Which of such store and famine did presage You told vs how the Butler him neglected But how hath Pharoh his desert respected For great ones for the most part doe despise The poore though they be ne're so iust and wise And though the Land is by their wisedomes guarded They are not long respected or rewarded That 's th' end saith Trismegist for which I told The rest When as King Pharoh did behold Such heaun'ly wisedome in such youthfull yeares For scarce six Lustres in his face appeares Who counsell'd him with speede for to prouide A man of vnderstanding that might guide His vnder Officers through all the Land To store vp plenty vnder Pharohs hand The fifth part e'un of all their Corne and seede To feede his people in the time of neede The saying seem'd so good in Pharohs eyes And all his Seruants that they soone deuise Because no man in Egypt could be found In whom the Spirit of God did so abound To place him ouer all his house and Land That all might be eu'n as he should command Thus now he with the King is all as one He only sits aboue him in his Throne Him then most sumptuously apparelling He made the Lord and Keeper of his Ring The which he vsed as the publique Seale For all his priuate state and Common-weale And his second Charet brauely plac'd And with the highest princely honour grac'd This is the Man hath stor'd vp in the Land Great heapes of Corne in number like the Sand For as the Sands cannot be numbered No more the Plenty he hath gathered Now twice the Sunne hath his full course nigh past Since all our Lands haue barren lien and wast Nilus no more our Fields hath watered Nor fertile dewes our fruits haue cherished And now the dearth in all the Land is sore As well amongst the Richest as the Poore The Garners open'd are and thence is sold Great store of Corne Nor doth this Prince withhold From strangers his Prouision For well-ny All Regions hether come them Corne to buy This man will you for Money Corne afford For he 's wise gentle iust and feares the Lord But whilst the Sage to them this tale relates They vnawares approach neere Memphis gates Then to his Cell returnes the aged Sire They hast into the Citie to enquire More of that Prince by whom the Corne was sold Where they their Brother though vnknowne behold The end of the second Booke of Ioseph THE THIRD BOOKE OF IOSEPH NOw is the time that all the Sheaues must bend To one now rais'd on high vpon his end The Sunne Moone Starres eleuen must now To him they meanely erst accounted bow For Ioseph now by due desert and right Is plac'd in honours Chariot shining bright And all the Corne the Treasure of the Land Vnder his sole disposing and Command For this same Ioseph which the Hebrewes sold Is he of whom great Trismegist erst told Who Corne had heap'd vp numberlesse like sand And was the Ruler ouer Egypts land When lo the brethren tenne before him brought Low bowing to the ground him thus besought Great Lord whose wisdome and deserued grace Giue 's thee in Egypt eu'n the second place Whose Prudence honour glory and renowne Through all the habitable Earth is knowne Vouchsafe to vs thy Seruants now such grace As thou hast done to many in our Case We Brethren all one mans Sonnes come to buy Corne to releeue vs and our Family Except we by thy Clemencie be fedde We and our Race must die for want of Bread The Lord of Egypt then who them did know But was vnknown Himself strange rough doth show And now remembring well his Dreames of late For which these that thus honour him did hate Thus answers See! you haue a faire pretence To buy you Corne and Victuall from hence But you are come into the Land as Spies To see wherein our strength and weakenesse lies I' st like ten Brethren should so farre descend None left at home their houses to defend Or are you all without a house or home And masterlesse about the Countrie rome Truly saith Iudah we twelue Brethren bee All one mans sonnes of which thou ten dost see The least at home doth with his Father stay But no man knowes where th' other is this day To buy foode are thy Seruants hither come For vs and for our Families at home By this saith then the Prince the truth I 'le know Whether you as I say be Spyes or no For by the life of Pharoh no man home Shall goe before your younger Brother come Take them to Prison till his comming tryes The truth By Pharohs life you are but Spyes Then he three dayes committeth them to ward Whilst of an answer they themselues prepar'd Thus as Gods Minister and Substitute He vengeance on their sinnes doth retribute Sinnes now forgot because so long since past But though God's slow he payes them home at last Yea then when they themselues thinke most secure For Iosephs wrongs he pay's them home and sure Happy who make right vse of Chastisement Which is to hate forsake Sinne and repent But they in Prison Ioseph doth aduise Alone with God how he may best deuise Them for their foule offences to correct And yet his aged Father not neglect Whom faine he would releeue with store of graine But feares his Brethren will not come againe The third day therefore thus saith
to Ioseph sends I suddenly Set ope the Barnes and sell for money out The Corne to all the Nations round about Now is the time indeed that I might buy Castles and Lands for my Posteritie But I all money bring to Pharohs hand To be the strength and sinewes of the Land If Pharoh will bestow on me a Place Or money to buy Land I of his Grace Will House and Land as I my Office hold Strangers in purchasing may be too bold When all their money 's spent with buying bread One yeare with Corne I them for Cattell fedde But when the next yeare they in neede doe stand I will for Corne their Bodies buy and Land But all for Pharoh whereby growing strong He and his Empire may continue long And to establish more his Segnurie From Place to Place I will each Colonie Transplant who on the East of Nile abide I will remoue vnto the other side Thus Pharoh Lord of Egypt shall be knowne By Seisin none shall say this is mine owne Thus haue I seene when Want or Waste compell A Gallant his Inheritance to sell Lest any right in him should still be thought Giue place to him that hath the purchase bought And in another Countrie dwelling hire Whether he with his houshold may retire Thus will I doe with all the Common Lands But for the Sacred in the Prophets hands To Muses and to Learning dedicate Or to Religious vses consecrate I thinke it Sacriledge indeed to touch Could all by this example learne as much And let the Priests their Portions freely eate Whose Braines in youth for vnderstanding sweate Their age in Prayers and Perswasions spend To saue the Good and wicked to amend When I seau'n yeares haue furnisht them with bread I in the eighth will furnish them with seede To sowe their Land The fifth of whose increase Shall be the Kings The other foure in Peace They and their Housholds eate And this shall stand For euer as a Law in Pharohs Land The Priests Lands only shall be euer free For to the Lord they consecrated bee Now as I said when I did Circuit ride And Egypts Land suruai'd from side to side One thing of greatest vse I did obserue Which doth perpetuall memory deserue Which if it once were rightly vnderstood Would force all studious of the publique good To doe speake write of this most rare inuention Till to effect they brought what next I mention A peece of Land an Istmos Barre or stay Twixt Midland-Sea and the Arabian Bay Suppos'd some ten Miles ouer at the most Adioineth fast vnto th' Egyptian Coast Which if one by a Channel did diuide Both Seas might each into the other slide This if it were once nauigable made Would bring to Kings and people of each trade Such wondrous gaine as cannot be expected With endlesse fame to those which it effected For it would ope an easie way and prest To saile from Europe Affricke Asia-West Within few daies to the rich Indyes place Which hardly now is done in three yeares space How might all dwellers on the earth hereby Soone be enriched by their Industrie When by this Channel Merchants might conuey Exchange of Merchandize so neare a way Eu'n from the Northerne Iles and Westerne Lands To China Ganges and the Indian Sands This proiect I to Pharoh did commend Intreating him this princely worke t' intend But some base mindes actiue in nought but ill Men of acedious spirits and little skill Who are most forward ay to vilisie All workes of Honour Art and Industrie Were ready this most noble worke to stay Saying a Beare or Lyon's in the way This Isthmos say they is ordain'd by fate To barre these Seas that they should neuer meete But euermore remaine a fatall Damme Betwixt them both and therefore call'd Eedam A fancie vaine which from mistaken name Some superstitious wisards idely frame For 't is not call'd Eedam and though it were Who for this name would this attempt forbeare For Eedam notes in language which they meane A firme strong water-course great Bankes between So from that name they might more truly gather This Isthmos should be a firme current rather For waters course which I more boldly say Because not Eedam it but Eetham ay Was call'd and so is still by which is ment That with his double side the Seas close pent Shall one day haue a Current faire and great In which the waues of both those Seas shall meete And haue so large a passage Ships may turne As they goe to the Indies or returne And whereas these fantastique men doe dreame This to effect impossible doth seeme They without reason selfe-conceited wise Against the publike profit this deuise High Mountaines Rockes of flint haue bin made plaine And forc'd to yeeld a passage to the Maine Yea who knowes not that far more harder things Haue beene effected by the Egyptian Kings But neuer any of such Eminence Nor any that could bring such recompence As this For little labour cost and paine Would to th' whole world bring infinite great gaine Another let they tell as fond and vaine That if this Barre be cut th' Arabian Maine Doth rise so high his waues would ouer-flow All th' Egyptian plaines they ly so low But I vpon my view could not descry Twixt Sea and Land such inequallitie But howsoeueuer Earth stones and that doth rise From digging of the Channell would suffice To raise Sea walles for a most strong defence Against the waters rage and violence And more secure on either side the shore From ouerflowing then it was before But though I haue small hope to win this Nation To cut this shorter course for Nauigation Yet when that King to whose high Scepters sway All Nations will they nill they must obey Shall rule as well o're Asia ' nd Europes Lands As China India and Arabian Sands Some potent Monarch will himselfe alone Or many Princes ioyning all in one Will take this Noble enterprize in hand And make this shorter passage to each Land If not for th' ease and good of Nauigation Yet for Gods Gloryes farther propagation That so his Words and Wisedomes glorious sound May through all Corners of the Earth resound This for the publique good I haue made knowne In Egypt as I now to thee haue showne Now whilst I for the Publique take such care Pharoh at home a helpe doth me prepare A Princes daughter Egypts ornament For whom King Pharoh with her Father sent And welcomes thus Great On who by thy place Art to me next and second in my grace Ioseph is first whose merits to display To light a candle were in clearest day All Nilus Borders doe resound his fame And honour most-deseruedly his name Strength youth and vigour in his face appeares And wisedome in his heart of graiest haires His Beauty as his Vertue hath no paire Him would I match with Asenah thine heire I know he is a stranger
in this place And wants Possessions yet in Pharohs grace And he thou know'st deserueth at my hands To haue a part in all my Goods and Lands The reuerend Priest replyes Dread Soueraigne Lo all the Place and honour I obtaine In Egypt I acknowledge from thy grace Which is enough to raise to highest place The meanest But thou dost a match propound Where Vertues more then honours doe abound Amongst the many Fauours thou hast done Thy Seruant this I deeme the highest one A Priest to be so gracious in thy sight To match his Childe with Pharohs Fauorite May 't please your Grace to aske the maids consent But by her lookes I see shee is content For then her vaile where modestly she shrouds Her radiant Rayes as Sol doth his in clouds Put off such heau'nly Beautie did disclose As if another Sunne in Court arose Which as the Rising Sunne the Courtiers all Adore and like a Queene before her fall Then Pharoh saith her taking by the hand By silence thy consent we vnderstand Good daughter thou art like thy Parents faire As of their Goods be of their Graces heire A fitter match for Ioseph none can find If to thy Bodies grace thou suit thy minde So as thine outward Beauties heaun'ly shine Thine inward shall b' Angellicall diuine Oh! Labour to be glorious within So Gods mans Iosephs fauour thou shalt win The King forth with then sends for me in haste And first repeating all things as they past With his owne hand her giues me for my Bride Assuring vs for euer to abide As louing as our Fathers naturall When humbly I vpon my face did fall And first gaue thankes as dutie did require To Pharoh next vnto her holy Sire As when Garden Adam all alone Saw Eue flesh of his flesh Bone of his Bone He her embrac'd kiss'd and so highly priz'd As if all Beautie were epitomiz'd In his faire Rib now with the Body met Two Sunnes which but for sinne had neuer set So I who though in honour was alone In Egypt till I met my flesh and Bone Sweete Asenah in whose faire eyes and face I saw my mother Rachels comely grace This Egypts Gem whose eies I did behold Like radiant Diamonds faire set in Gold Embrace kisse loue her and her Grace admire And set her as the Bound of my desire Thinking I now did reape with treble gaine The Crop of all my trauell care and paine Then in the presence of the Court and King I courted her with this speech following Faire Lady whose high Grace and Beautie seene To me your seruant may become a Queene Yet art such is thine humblenesse content To be poore Iosephs without complement I am all yours nor doe I lesse esteeme Your worth because you it so meanely deeme Our Sexes duety to your Sexe I know Is you to Court intreate and humbly woe But since that seruice you to me remit I will so much remaine more in your debt My time is pretious therefore let me show To you in briefe what Iosephs wife must doe It is not this worlds false vaine glittering glory So full of hazard lubrique transitorie At which I aime 'T is an eternall place Where we shall liue for ay in blessed case Whether the gods Th' Egyptians wont to serue Can neuer bring you He that will preserue This Land from Famine by th'interpretation Of Pharoh's Dreames must bring to this saluation One God with Ioseph must his wife adore One God one true Religion and no more God iealous is no Idol-stocke or stone May be his Riuall God and Truth is one These worldly shewes delights and vanitie As Mortall with our Mortall Bodies die The Pleasures which I speake off ay remaine Eternall thus for Temporall we gaine This God my Fathers with their wiues haue serued Who to this day from dangers me preserued This God me from the dungeon deepe did raise To be thy Husband him for euer praise Madame your King and Father are content But your owne mouth must shew your free consent When fairest Asenah long silence breakes And as an Angell sent from Heau'n thus speakes Good sir such is my due and filiall awe My Fathers iudgement is to me a Law Much more my Soueraignes But such worth in you I see and heare of I should rather sue But for my Sexes bashfull modesty For such an honour rather then deny Nor shall I meanely of my selfe thus deeme To honour him whom King and Realme esteeme Their Father and the Kingdomes Fauourite What greater Grace befals a mortall wight Sir that Religion which my holy Sire Taught me his child inform'd my soules desire Worlds Glory Pompe and vainenesse to despise But thy Religion makes men heau'nly wise And brings them by an vpright conuersation To happy euer lasting habitation Therefore as thy Religion our transcends As aiming at more high and happy ends So greater is my Ioy and happinesse To match where I it truly must professe So sure as that whereof thou didst diuine By Dreames shall come to passe so am I thine Thy God shall be my God and mine thy Nation In earth graue heau'n one be our habitation What thou approu'st as good the same doe I With thee Sweete Hebrew let me liue and dye Pardon A womans Tongue knowes no content Yea is enough t' expresse a Maids consent Lo thus Hearts hands words wishes ioin'd in one Two by Consent become one Flesh and Bone Then princely On begins Lo God hath tide These two in one Let no Man them diuide Deare Daughter I to Ioseph thee commit Thou therefore must thy Fathers house forget And people so shall sonnes before thee stand Fit to beare rule as Princes in the Land That God whom Pharoh On and Ioseph serue Who as he all things made doth all preserue God who of things to come to Pharoh told By Dreames which none but Ioseph could vnfold When God him from the Dungeon did aduance To saue vs by a great Deliuerance God Authour sole and end of happinesse This holy Marriage and this Vnion blesse Of the Egyptian and the Hebrew Nations And make them happy in their Generations And honour ay in heau'n our Sou'raigne King As he his Seruants honours in this thing The King thus pleas'd in royall pompe and state With sumptuous Feasts and showes doth celebrate Our Marriage day where all with Musique rings And King and Court a happy Hymen sings Happy I hope though with an Heathen Dame Whose Grace and Vertues I the rather name That you may know we here as elsewhere finde Some good as well as bad of woman-kind As a loose wicked wife of Potiphar So a most pious childe of Putiphar But why should I time in her praises spend Since her owne Workes her best of all commend God me hath giu'n by her two louely Boyes Before the Famine which are all my Ioyes Lo here shee kindly comes with all her traine Her welcome Father for to entertaine For now they all at Iosephs gate
haue giu'n command To place thee in the fattest of my Land The Land of Goshen be a habitation To thee thy children and thy generation There is best pasture-ground for them to keepe Their Camels Asses Cattell Gotes and Sheepe To raise to place of honour I desire Thee and thy sonnes but they of me require Still to be Heardsmen wherefore the most bould And actiue I make Rulers of my fould Then Iacob blessing Pharoh did depart Out of his presence with a ioyfull heart Seu'nteene yeares after in prosperitie Liu'd Iacob and did greatly multiplie And Ioseph in his former Grace did stand Still vnder Pharoh ruling all the Land Nor might be ere out of his masters sight Because he was his onely Fauorite Till one day Ioseph absent from the Court Pharoh bespeakes his seruants in this sort Nere thrise ten times the Sunne with panting horse Hath run through heau'n his swift and yeerly course Since first arose in this our hotter clime That hebrew Sun which euer since did shine And all the time he did in court appeare We haue had Spring and Summer all the yeare I cannot eate by day nor sleepe by night Without his Beames most comfortable bright That honest man in whose ingenuous face A man may reade what in his heart hath place Now by my life I higher doe esteeme This Hebrew then great Egypts Diademe Nor is it to the least of you vnknowne He hath beene better to me then my Crowne And beares still for me to all mens content The weight of all my kingdomes gouernment In those seu'n yeares of Famine and of Store When his employments greater were and more If he were but one day out of my sight I certaine was to heare from him at night But now of 's light hath beene neere three daies pause Yet no man here will tell to me the cause When thus the Butler who by Pharohs grace Restor'd was as he dream'd to 's former place Dread Soueraigne some small clouds do in this sort Shadow his beames which wont to shine at Court But no defect in his ay-constant light He 's still the same and shines as euer bright Ioseph at home for Pharohs health now prayes To Israels God these are his mourning dayes His father old now sleepes in happy rest Who dying made to him this last request My dearest sonne the honour of my race If in thy sight thy father hath found grace For though thou art my sonne by true relation Yea I am subiect to thy domination Now graciously and truely with me deale Not for my priuate but our common weale Well do I know that our posteritie Will soone admire faire showes and vanitie And not regard the land of happinesse The Type of future and of present blesse Therefore to me my dearest Ioseph sweare Thou wilt not me in Egypt here enterre But safely carry to the land of Rest. With my forefathers there my Bones to rest It may be ours will sooner hasten thither Where all their Fathers Bones doe lye togither Then Ioseph sware and Israel worshipped The Feare of Isaack sitting on his bed These words he me desir'd with many teares That I would publish in King Pharohs eares And Licence of thee to that end obtaine Which done he would to Court returne againe When Pharoh thus Is that good old man dead Like apple ripe in Autumne gathered We all must follow who can tell how soone Some fall at night at morning some at noone But I desire if any here can tell How that good old man dide that liu'd so well For most what it befals mortalitie As they haue liued here eu'n so to dye Good Ioseph saith the Butler thus me told That Iacob growing weake as he grew old He Ephraim and Manasses his two sonnes Takes with him and vnto his Father comes Wherewith his weakenesse greatly comforted He takes his strength and sits vp in his bed And thus begins My sonne my Ioseph deare The God Almightie did to me appeare At Luz in Canaan where he did me blesse And promise to my seede much fruitfulnesse Assuring me to make a mightie Nation And giue that Land vnto my Generation For those two sonnes God here hath giu'n to thee Before my comming thou shalt giue them me As Simeon and Ruben they are mine Thy Children since begotten shall be thine These two I meane shall be two Tribes The rest In these Tribes names shall be of Land possest For I a double portion thee allot As my First borne Because I thee begot Of Rachel deare my first my lawfull Wife Who on my hand in Canaan left her life Her there alas I buried on the way To Ephrata call'd Beth'lem to this day But what are these two Lads my Ioseph deare My sonnes saith Ioseph God first gaue me heere Oh! bring them me saith Iacob to this place Before I die to kisse blesse and embrace Sweet Boyes Good Ioseph I nere thought indeed To see thy face but now I see thy seede The old man then though he were dimme of sight His left hand on Manasses and his right On younger Ephraim layes and wittingly Thus blesseth Ioseph in his Progeny God in whose sight I here haue walk'd alway Who all my Life-long fed me to this day The God of Abram and great Isaacks dread And th' Angell which hath me deliuered From euill blesse these Lads and let my name With name of Isaack and of Abraham Be in them nam'd and in their Tribes renew'd And grow on earth eu'n to a multitude But it displeasing was to Iosephs sight To see on Ephraims head him lay his right And on Manasses his left hand to place And would his First borne with the right hand grace But Iacob nould but said I know indeed Thy First-borne shall be great But lo the seede Of Ephraim shall be greater farre then he And a more strong and mightie people be Thus aged Iacob bless'd them both that day And said in thee let Israel blesse and say God send thee Ephraims and Manasses store But Ephraim he Manasses set before Then said he Lo I die now out of hand And God shall bring you to your fathers land Then ere he dide he swan-like sung this song Most sweete because he liu'd not after long Iacobs last blessing Sith my deare sonnes I haue not long to dwell On earth come hither and I will you tell What shall come on you in the latter dayes Assemble and attend your Fathers Sayes My first borne Ruben thou that art the might And first beginning of my strength by right Thou shouldst haue all my Power and Dignitie Which thou hast lost by thine iniquitie Vnstable water thou shalt not be head Because thou wentst vp to thy fathers bed For then indeed thou didst my couch defile And thy true right of first-borne lost the while Simeon and Leui Brethren instruments Of cruelty neare to your fathers tents My soule come not neare to their congregations Mine honour ioyne
his parents and his kinde To put more pensiue thoughts out of his mind Know saith the gentle childe my parents came From Heber whence we Hebrewes haue our name The fourth from Sem first of that blessed seede Th' Almighty chose mankind againe to breede My Father Iacob who the Birth right bought Of Esau that Gods Blessing set at nought Was Isaacks sonne eu'n Abrams blessed seede In whom all Nations happinesse may reade My Mother Rachel now depriu'd of Life Was Israels first Loue but second Wife Laban both Sonne and Father in one night Deceau'd of 's wife him me of my Birth right For when his thoughts in nuptiall Bed embrace My Mother Rachel Lea's in place Whereby my Brethren me in yeares surpasse But I them in my Fathers loue and grace For enuy hereof Lo they me haue sold Thus briefly I my state to you haue told The Children of the Bond woman were glad They one now Bound of the Free-womans had But whilst such talke makes shorter seeme the houres Behold they now may see braue Memphis Towres Turrets which seeme to dare the Starry skies And Temples which like Toppes of Mountaines rise Whos 's Phanes and Spires all guilt with radiant gold They shining like the Lampes of heau'n behold Which often with reflecting splendor bright Seeme to obscure Sols clearest heau'nly Light When thus the Lad. Good Masters So must I Now call you and will serue you chearefully Tell me what glorious Buildings yonder bee Whose like in Canaan I did neuer see Which seeme except mine eyes me much doe faile Like to a Citie that on Sea doth saile Or Noahs Arke which floting on the Floud Preseru'd all kinde of Creatures with their food Boy saith a Merchant This is Egypts Plaine Where neuer yet did fall a drop of raine The Waues you see are seu'n-fold headed Niles Which now doth Ouer-flow the richest soiles Whence euer Sol by his all quickning heate Rais'd Corne and Grasse for Man and Beast to eate There where you see the Floud like Seas appeare Will be a Haruest twice within a yeare Beside no mortall wight could euer wish Then 's there more plenty of most dainty Fish Abram the Father of great Ishmael From whom our Nation Famine did compell For succour to descend into this Land Where he is said to make them vnderstand The Nature of the highest Deitie Formes Lawes and Natures of the Starry skie And first them taught to measure out their yeare By Sunnes iust course For it doth plaine appeare That they till then the Moone did measure by VVhich makes them bost of such antiquitie And reckon in their annuall Computation Thousands of yeares before the VVorlds Creation But though he gaue them in all Arts direction Yet neuer brought they one to such perfection As that we call Diuine Astronomie For in this Country best they might descrie The formes and orders of the Lamps of Night VVhere neuer Clouds obscure them from their sight First in Caldea Abram learn'd this skill And grew so well acquainted with Gods will He knew all things they say by Reuelation Past present future from the VVorlds Creation Till that last minute that it could expire VVhich as by Water erst shall be by Fire Indeed saith Ioseph I haue heard it tould The first man Adam prophecide of ould The worlds destruction twice for sinnes iust hire The one by Water th' other by the Fire Seth therefore Adams scholler and his sonne Not knowing which was first of earth and stone Two Pillars built The earth against the fire The stone to stand 'gainst waters raging ire Where Arts which long Experience had obserued He vnto future ages faire preserued The earthen pillar perisht in the flood The stone the waters violence withstood These Heber finding after published In Syria where first learning flourished Till Abram who herein did all excell Came downe to Egypt and as you doe tell Conuerst with one they called Mercury Whom with these Arts he taught the mystery Of one trine God-head and the worlds creation Who read the same vnto their neighbour nation Whence now they are and shall in time be spred Through all the earthly globe inhabited Thus they discourse as if they would foretell Of Gentiles all which after should excell In Arts and Sciences which now dispread As men through all the earth on which we tread For as the earth empeopled was below By Adam so all Arts and Learning flow First from the Hebrews vnto eu'ry nation As Rules and Precepts come by obseruation But now the cittie's towres obscure the skies And make them hold their tongues and vse their eyes The splendor of those buildings to behold Where they the second time good Ioseph sold. The end of the first Booke of Ioseph THE SECOND BOOKE OF IOSEPH NEuer did Adam more lament and plaine For Abel by his cruell Brother slaine Then Iacob mourn'd for fairest Rachels Seede Nor would by any meanes be comforted All Day the field his Lamentations heares All Night his Couch he watreth with his teares And if least slumber close his blubbring eyes Him thinkes he sees a cruell Beare surprize His dearest Ioseph crying out for aid And starting vp awakes much more afraid His Spirit 's thus spent his Body wearied With groanes and tossing vp and downe his Bed Loe aged Isaack who had long beene blinde Of 's fleshly eyes but yet of clearer minde Comes to his comfort being thither led By Beniamin who to him ministred Long stood he mute and to the grieuous moanes Of his blist Iacob ecchoed with groanes Till's heart with sorrow ready now to breake With words all weight he thus begins to speake Deare Sonne the staffe and comfort of mine age The blessed fruit of holy Marriage Far more to Mee then to thee Ioseph deare Mine only Sonne by Promise But thou here Hast Beniamin by thy beloued wife Faire Rachel whilst she liu'd thy Ioy and Life Not that I Ioseph dead or lost doe feare God that of mee and Abram had such care Hath no lesse of thee and thy blest seede In which all happinesse is promised And if of all of him especially VVho is the chiefe of all thy Family To whom the Sunne the Moone and Starres must fall VVhos 's Sheafe his brethrens Sheafs must worship all Of these two dreames I was a due obseruer And reade thence he shall be a great preseruer A figure of that Sauiour great which shall Himselfe by losing saue himselfe and all Thus was I once lost to my faithfull sire VVhen on the Altar kindled was the fire The knife was ready lift vp by his hand To sacrifice my Life at Gods command Thus thou as lost for more then thrice seuen yeares Revail'd wert by mine and Rebeccas teares VVhen Esaus wrath thee draue to Siria plaine But God Almightie brought thee home againe And I presage before the reuolution Of thrise seu'n yeares God will the whole solution of Iosephs dreames with Ioy to thee vnfold VVhich shall reuiue thy
Dales to laugh and sing And all the Birds with sweetest warbeling VVith them to tune sweet ditties to his praise VVhose heat and Light diuides the night from daies Seu'n times this Gyant his full course had run And ended where his trauell he begun VVhilst Iordans Nimph continues in his grace VVhich Canaan made the happyest fruitfull place Of all the Regions where Sunnes fertile heate Doth cause the Laborer with Ioy to sweate But as we alwaies after Drowth see Raine Warre after Peace and after Pleasure Paine So after plenteous and fruitfull yeares Great famine want and scarcitie appeares In Canaans Land For seu'n yeares being past Of Plenty Famine all the world doth wast Therefore they that of late Sols mariage fain'd Now of his wrath and Iealousie complain'd That he which with his Beames late cherished All fruits the Earth in fruitfull bosome bred Was so inflam'd with Iealousie and Ire As if he all the Earth would set on fire So as he either would her seedes not daigne To quicken or if that the hopefull graine Promis'd a fruitfull haruest at the last He in his fury all would burne or blast Thus did those heathen of Gods wonders fable And vainly construe his workes admirable But good old Israel who like Lilly-white Amongst the thornes fear'd God and did vpright The glory they did to the Creature giue Gaue the Creator who doth euer liue And looking to the Author of this store For this his greater plenty honours more And takes the Famine for a Chastisement To man for sinne that so he might repent But as the plenteous store did nothing breede But Pride and Follies vaine in Canaans seede Excessiue rioting Lust Drunkennesse Amongst the rich Nicenesse and Idlenesse Amongst the poore who swinishly eu'n all The Acornes eate but looke not whence they fall Consuming all the Corne their land them beares Not laying vp least store for dearer yeares But loathing and despising courser graine Transport it as superfluous for their gaine So when the Earth denide like store to bring All fall to grudging and to murmuring And Sol whom they so honourd at the first For his high fauours for his Fury curst And those which late so plenteously were fed In the first yeare are like to sterue for bread Yea holy Iacob though he were exempt From Canaans sinnes yet in their punishment Doth beare his share and now for want of Bread He feares the ruine of himselfe and seede And though he sole relyeth on Gods grace Of which he had good tryall in like case Neglects no meanes to make supply of store But thus bespeakes his sonnes I heretofore When plenty in your fields did so abound Wisht that a man amongst you might be found Who wisely would for future wants prouide But folly t is for Had I wist to chide We heare ther 's store of Corne in Egypt land Yet one doth gaping on another stand Oh hast you thither Bread from thence to buy To saue aliue vs and our Family The brethren ten for Iacob would not send Downe Beniamin with them do soone descend To Egypt where neare Memphis on the way A graue old Sage they ouertake in gray Who seem'd by his graue gestures and his motions To be a Hermit now at his deuotions As Isaacke going out one Eu n to pray Seeing his seruant lighting on the way With faire Rebecca vaild and all her traine Left his deuotions them to entertaine Eu'n so this Sage whose eyes on heauen were plast As they would thither ere his body hast Seeing these gentle strangers there alight And him to mutuall courtesie inuite Leaues his deuotions and of them enquires Knowing they Hebrewes were by their attires In their owne language what and whence they are Which true and plainly they to him declare And farther tell him that a famine sore Had now consum'd their Corne and all their store Compelling them from Canaan to goe downe To Egypt where they knew none nor were knowne Therefore saith Ruben may we you request Vs strangers to informe as you may best Of your condition first next of your king Your countrey and your forme of gouerning And if as Fame reports here 's store of graine And how and where we may the same obtaine For here eu'n as at home we see all wast No future haruest nor least signe of Past And therefore with my brethren I desire To know the cause of what we so admire Without a Seed-time or a Haruest Plentie And Garners full although the fields be emptie Brethren said Trismegist for so he hight I first must here lay open to your sight That Being's his goodnesse Power and Prouidence By which we all haue Motion Being Sense Who the first cause of all doth things dispose By Second these we see that keepes he close I am a Priests and Princes eldest sonne For Priests and Princes are in Egypt one And to the Sunne as was our countrey guize Was consecrate to offer Sacrifice Great Trismegistus was mine ancester A King a Priest and a Philosopher Soone as my Tongue mens words could imitate And though with little vnderstanding prate My parents me instruct to learne by heart The rules of Wisedome and the lawes of Art The aspects of the Starres their seuerall wayes Coniunctions Orders Interposings Stayes Flying of Birds Beasts intrailes and in fine All that might make with them a sound Diuine And well I profited for ere least haire Of Siluer with my Golden did appeare The wisest I of all my Peeres was deem'd And most in Temple and in Court esteem'd Could best of all expound the hardest Theames Tell men their Fortunes and interpret Dreames Thus I the Oracle was many a yeare Of Egypt and of all the Countries neare Till that high Wisdome which things future knowes As present Them by Dreames to Pharoh showes Fast by a Riuer side him thought he stood Whence came vp seu'n fat Kine well flesht and good And other seu'n ill-fauour'd Leane that houre Came vp and all the faire ones did deuoure Againe he slept and saw seu'n eares of Corne On one root well-set ranke and goodly borne Which seuen thin blasted spoild and eate vp cleane Then Pharoh wak'd and lo it was a dreame The Morning come and he sore troubeled His Sonthsayers are all assembeled Pharoh thereof to vs makes declaration But not a man can giue th'interpretation Our Spheres Spels Circles Birdes nor Sorceries Had power to discerne these Mysteries Then Pharoh mou'd and thenceforth grieuing sore Forbeares his meate and comes abroad no more Vntill his Butler rais'd againe to grace Who had forgot his friend in wretched case Till twice twelue times the Moon with borrowed light Had fill'd her hornes for friends once out of sight Are eu'n as soone out of a Courtiers minde Such Curtesie in Court most Schollers finde Thus said to Pharoh Sir you cannot yet Chuse but remember how you did commit Me and your Baker to your Stewards ward For some misdeeds which you of vs had
Lord me into Prison cast My daies in paine and miserie to waste Thus lightly crediting the accusation And his false Wifes most guilefull simulation He by his rashnesse lost a seruant iust And still maintaines a strumpets Pride and Lust. But as a six-squar'd Dye or carued stone How euer cast stands still vpright all one So was I constant in Aduersitie As resolute in my prosperitie That God which me had erst deliuered From Brethrens Fury and me honored In time of my vniust captiuitie Me leaues not now in this Calamitie Oh happy they whose Conscience them acquite That heere they suffer wrong for doing right So but a while Gods leisure they attend They sure shall haue a good and happy end Let Tyrants rage they God as gentle kind In Prison as in Paradise doe finde Wherefore though I was of my Coate bereft My masters Grace and Fauour and now left In stinking dungeon yet I felt no harme God gaue me power my Iailours hands to charme And sent me in the Prison-Keepers sight Fauour and grace for Potiphars despight For now that former diligence which gain'd Mee fauour with my Lord like trust obtain'd Mee in the Prison so that to my care Lo all the Prisoners committed are The Keeper lookes to nought vnder his hand God euer prospers all I did command About this season as it oft befals Great Fauorites in Court haue suddaine falls By their owne faults or others accusation Or by their Lords dislike and alteration Of Fauorites Two Lords of high regard In Pharohs Court committed are to warde The Keeper these doth to my trust commend That I with diligence should them attend These wanton Courtiers which had formerly Liu'd all in plentie ease and Iollitie Acknowledging nor seruing other God Then Pharoh and now chast'ned with his rod As without soules this change of Fortune beare But I by all meanes sought my charge to cheare And told them if indeed they guiltlesse were The iustest King of Heau'n would finde them cleere And if they had through frailtie him offended So they their sinnes confessed and amended Hee eu'n as willing was them to forgiue As they in 's Grace and fauour here to liue How earthly Kings our bodies might enchaine But still our soules in Freedome did remaine With many such good words I sought to please My charge who found therein no little ease And grew lesse heauy till both in one night Had seuerall Dreams which did them much affright Which soone as I had heard I right aread And as I told so all things followed Such Visions are not like Dreames naturall Which ordinary vs in sleepe befall They in our Soules deeper impressions leaue Then such as commonly the Sense deceiue Which in the Fantasie worst reuell keepe When Common-sense the Master is a sleepe And doe th' Imagination vaine delight Sometime with hope sometime with Feare affright Working most on th' affections of the minde When Sleepe the Bodies senses fastest binde For eu'n in Sleepe Griefe Ioy Feare Hope Hate Loue The soules affections wake and liuely moue God often by such Visions tels men plaine What things they ought to doe and what refraine Sometimes by Dreames to them are promised Great Blessings and great curses threatened God oft thus shewes one his determination And giues another the interpretation Thus vnto me two Dreames by night he told Which as they proue my Grand-sire did vnfold Thus Pharohs Seruants first and next their King See things to come But the interpreting Was giu'n to me which done I told them plaine Interpreting to God as Dreames pertaine And now who thinkes but that I thought it long Yet two yeares to abide in Prison strong After I had so well interpreted His dreame whom now the King so honored But hauing learn'd with Patience to attend Gods leasure and to hope vnto the end Eu'n at that time when as I least expected So long of Pharohs Cup-bearer neglected He that doth all things heere by weight and measure On whom they all attend to doe his pleasure By one poore Dreame but from an heathen King What 's long before decreed to passe doth bring I rais'd to Grace the World from Famine quite The Butler doth acknowledge his ore-sight South sayers weakenesse is discouered And God is all in all acknowledged My Brethren bold are to Repentance brought For all the wickednesse which they had wrought And this my wicked Mistris may reclame And bring her to acknowledgement with shame And make my master see his foolish passion And learne to Iudge by better information My two first Dreames proue true which I had told My Fathers spirit reuiu'd now being old Pharoh thus gaines the wealth of all his Land And must acknowledge it from Gods owne hand Thus all the parts of this sweet sacred story Are for mans good but end all with Gods glory All these are now the Consequence and Theames Of mine of Pharohs and his seruants Dreames See farther heere Satans Maleuolence And mans will freely serue Gods prouidence Satan sought by my brethrens Crueltie In me to ruine Isaacks Family My brethren me of wilfull enuie sould And for the twentie siluer peeces told The Midian Merchants bought me for their gaine And into Egypt meant to sell againe God hither sent me Graine heere to prouide Else thou and all thy sonnes for want had dide Thus Satan sought dishonour of Gods name And all for this my Brethren rightly blame Goodmen such Merchant's Couetise detest That buy and sell Gods Image as a beast But God who 's only powrefull good and wise From all these euils makes the Good arise But I thus hauing in great Pharohs grace Obtain'd the first in Realme the second place First pray to God me to direct aright To vse this fauour and my borrowed Light Nor sought I mine owne honour wealth and praise But his who did me from the Dungeon raise And therefore first take care for publike good Prouiding 'gainst the Future Famine food Wherefore I first through Egypt Circuit ride And garners great in eu'ry place prouide In those seu'n fruitfull yeares to fill with store Of eu'ry Graine And sith it is no more Vertue to purchase then preserue no tide I slipt but did most carefully prouide To kill all Vermine cut off all excesse Of Gluttonie and beastly Drunkennesse Abate all needlesse Beasts Dogges Mules and Horse Ridde idle Rogues and Vagrants which are worse Then Catter-pillars to consume the store To rob the richest and to sterue the poore No Corne out of the Land let I goe out But buy in rather from the Coasts about And many Forrests which before did ly All waste I vnto Tillage did apply Thus I proceede and God so blest my hand That all things prosper ouer all the Land But when the yeares of plentie all are past And all the Land of Egypt lyeth waste So that they liue of former yeares remaines Which them perhaps a month or two sustaines The people first of Pharoh seeke supply Who them