and Winter Season holds the Basse our Phleme like the Autume time and Element of Water the Tenor our Blood like the Spring and Aire the Counter-tenor which runnes through all kinde of Notes our Choller as the Summer time and Fire the Treble as for all other parts vsed in Musicke they are euer correspondent to some one of these foure 51. See then the cause He speakes now of the effect and power of Musicke The Platonicks held the soule of Man to be composed of numbers and proportions the excellence whereof is chiefely in the heauens whereupon it ensues that Musicall harmony somewhat partaking with the nature of I se and soule diuersly mooues and affects all liuing Creatures capable thereof The Poet plaies vpon this opinion but still with a caueat that the truth and ground of this doctrine be rightly vnderstood For mans Soule is not made of numbers as the word is simply taken but thus much onely meanes the Platonist that these spirituall substances enclosed in mans body are so exquisite and as it were harmonious that all harmony concord and proportion delights them and contrariwise all discord and disproportion or confused noyse offends them as we see by daily experience Furthermore he that hath created all things in perfect concord and proportion would euen in such as seeme farthest from well agreeing haue the force of Musicke shew it selfe â—y the attention it commandeth of hearers and by their loue and reuerence thereof Whereupon I boldly dare auouch that soule not well ordered in it selfe or not well fitted with a body which cannot abide sweet harmony 52. Sweet Harmony In twelue verses here the Poet sets-out the force of Musicke both in regard of men and beasts whereof we finde in ancient History very notable examples as Teâ—â—aâ—der Timotheus Ariâ—â— and others whâ—â—by their Musicke haue done great wonders made the most offended to be friends one with another the most melancholy and sad to bee merry fooles to be wise and sum as were like to runne mad for loue to be stayed and what not It is reported also that against the Phâ—lâ—â—gies poyson there â—â—n helpe to ready and oueraigne as the well ordered sound of Musicall Instruments See what Aeâ—â—an Pâ—â—â—y and Plutarch â—y thereof 53. O what 's to Musicke hard He goes on yet further and shewes how Musicke is able to preuaâ—e euen with God himselfe And this he proues by three examples the first of Soul 1. Sam. 10. who meeting a company of Prophets with Instruments of Musicke began also to prophesie among them the second of Elizeus 2. King 3. who called for a Minstrell and when the Minstrell played the hand of the Lord that is his Spirit came vpon the Prophet the third of God anger appeased by deuout singing of Psalmes and namely those of Dauid which in the mouth of Gods faithfull seruants are of wonderfull power as by many particulars of these and former times may well be proued For God indeed hath promised to be neere vnto all those that call vpon him faithfully Psal 145.18 And it becommeth well the righteous to reioyce in the Lord and be thankfull Psal 33.1 To conclude here is the effect of a zealous prayer wherein heart voice and accent runne together most liuely set-out by the Poet describing with most elegant similitudes the fierce wrath of God against sinne and the sweetnesse of his mercy when he is appeased 54. But now as Heb'r had thought The Poet intending to make here an end of the second day of his second weeke brings-in Canan the sonne of Cham to seeke as it were by Fate along the bankes of Iordaine for the Countrey that was after to be inhabited by his posteritie So he comming toward the Pillar breakes-off the learned conference that was betwixt the other two And here therefore shall end our Commentary-Notes vpon these high conceits of this excellent Poet. FINIS The Epistle to the Lord Admirall 1596. WEighing how neare it concernes your Honourable Charge what strangers passe the Seas into England I was thereby and otherwise in humble dutie moued to giue your Lordship first intelligence of this Gentleman whom I haue newly transported out of Frame and also thought it necessary to craue your fauourable protection of him in this his trauell A worthy man is he my Lord in his owne Countrie howsoeuer here disguised and one of the sonnes of that Noble and Diuine Poet LE SIEVR DV BARTAS in my simple iudgement the properest and best learned of them all I am sure the best affected to England and the gracious Empresse thereof for which cause I made speciall choise of him and doe therefore the rather hope to finde fauour on his behalfe with your Honourable Lordship whose loyaltie to the Crowne the Prince by trust of so high an Office whose loue to the Land the people by ioynt consent of daily felt vertues haue so fully witnessed that the fame thereof hath spred it selfe farre beyond that your admirable Regiment In so much as this gentle stranger though he were at the first vnwilling Vlâ—sses-like to leaue his natiue soile especially now in this dangerous sea-faring time while all the world is in a manner troubled with Spanish Fleets yet after he called to minde what he had heard and written of the mightie Goddesse of the English Ocean and who there swayed the Trident vnder her trusting vpon such a Neptune he went aboord with a good courage and doubting not at all but that the proud Spanish Carackes if they be not yet sufficiently dismaid by the wracke they suffered in their former aduenture but dare againe attempt the like be they neuer so many more or greater than they were if more and greater they can be shall againe by the grace of God directing as before the courage and wisdome of Englands renowned Admirall be dispersed ouer the frowning face of our disdainfull Seas and drunken with salt waues regorge the bodies of their presumptuous Pilots And so my Lord with a fauourable wind breathing directly from the French Helicon by the safe conduit of your Honourable name and helpe of the Muses at length I landed my stranger in England Where since his arriuall he hath gladly encountred diuers of his elder brethren that were come ouer before some in a princely Scottish attire others in faire English habits and to the intent he might the better enioy their company whh by this time had almost forgotten their French he was desirous to learne English of me therefore I kept him a while about mee was his teacher at home and enterpreter abroad and now that he hath gotten such a smattering of the tongue as hee can so as hee can speake for himselfe may it please your good Lordship to talke with him at your leisure though I know you vnderstand very well his naturall speech I am of opinion it will much delight you to heare him vtter such counterfeit English as in so little time I was able to teach him He can say somewhat of the godly gouernment of good Princes the wicked practises of Tyrants as well in compassing as maintaining a Scepter both worthy your Lordships hearing for the manner sake though the matter be not vnknowne to your wisdome But some other things he doth report very strange as of NIMROD that was the first Tyrant of the world after the time of Noah the first Admirall of the world his aspiring minde and practises in seeking the peoples fauour his proud and subtile attempt in building the Tower of Babel and Gods iust punishment thereof in confounding the language of the builders Very truly reckoneth he that which few doe consider the great and manifold inconueniences that are befallen mankinde by the diuersitie of tongues Further he can tell of speech in generall whether man speake by nature or haue but onely an aptnesse to speake by vse and whether any other creature haue the like as for seuerall speeches he can prooue with many goodly reasons which is the best and most ancient of them all what altereth each tongue what continueth each in account what languages are in greatest regard now-adaies and what Authors haue most excelled in them And vpon occasion of the English tongue my Lord he setteth-out in such manner the Queenes princely Majesty her learning wisdome eloquence and other excellent vertues that I know your noble and loyall heart will greatly reioice to heare it at the mouth of such a stranger The rest if it be more curious then for the States weightie affaires your L. may intend to heare I wish referred vnto those goodly young Gentlewomen your noble and father-like-minded Sonnes whom after your L. I doe most of all honour there shall they finde profit so blended with pleasure learning with delight as it may easily win their hearts already vertuously aspiring from the wanton and faining Cantoes of other Syren-Poets wherewith many young Gentlemen and chiefely those of greatest hope are long and dangerously mis-led vnto a further acquaintance with this heauenly-Poeticall Writer of the truth who is now growne into such a liking of this Country chiefely for the peaceable gouernment thereof blessed be that Gouernor and free course of the Gospell God continue it and send the like into France that he is desirous to become a Freedenizen and hoping further to be an eye-witnesse of Gods wonderfull mercies towards this Land whereof in France he spake but by heare say to behold that precious Northerne Pearle and kisse her Scepter-bearing hand whose worthy praise he hath sung so sweetly he humbly beseecheth your gracious fauour to be enfranchised which if it may please you to grant my Lord vouchsafing also the patronage of him that vnder seale of your Honorable name he may escape the carping censures of curious fault-finders and enioy all honors priuileges liberties and lawes that belong euen to the naturall inhabitants of this noble Isle my selfe will vndertake to Fine for him at least hearty praiers for your daily encrease of honor and all such obedience as it shall please your L. to impose Whose I rest euer at command WILLIAM L'ISLE
PART OF DV BARTAS ENGLISH AND FRENCH AND IN HIS OWNE KINDE OF Verse so neare the French Englished as may teach an English-man French or a French-man English Sequitur Victoria junctos With the Commentary of S. G. S. By WILLIAM L'ISLE of Wilburgham Esquier for the Kings Body Sufficit exiguâ fecisse in parte periclum Haec Regi placeant sic quoque caetera vertam LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND M.DC.XXV A Pastorall Dedication to the King I Soong of late as time then gaue me scope Howbee't for other times a way left ope But now as now to th' end my Lord may heare My voice then hoars to day is waxen cleere My former Shepheards song deuised was To please great Scotus and his Lycidas But this for Galla whom th'All-mightie power Hath made a Lilly-Rose and double flower O Vally Lilly and Sharon-Rose her blesse Though this good speed preuēted hath my presse Else had I not this peece of booke alone But whole Du Bartas offred at your throne For either nation counterpaged thus T' acquaint more vs with them and them with vs. Yet o vouchsafe it thus and grant an eare To these two Swains whom I ore-heard whilcare As Shepheard Musidor sate on a balke Philemon commeth to him and they talke Least on quoth he my tongue ore-often run Thus each with oth'r I stay till they haue done Phi. Good day what not a word how dost thou fare Or art thou sicke or takest thou some care Mu. Care Shepheard yea to shew what ioy I can Ph. How that 's a riddle what 's thy meaning man Mu. For sith a Nymph a daught'r of Shepheards God Who rules a world of sheepe with golden rod From loftie shrine descending yet will daigne To stoope at this my cottage homely-plaine And of her fauour make herselfe the guage To me that ought her seeke on Pilgrimage Phi. Oh now I see whereon thy mind is bent How to prepare fit entertainement Mu. What shall behooue me do or how to looke For though I pawne my fairest pype and hooke That one which Damon gaue me by his will That other woon in game on Magog hill I le entertaine her She I pawne my life Will proue the greatest Kings child sister wife I le entertaine her If I not mistake Some Wheat-floure haue I for a bridall-cake And Abricots and Plums blacke red and white Preseru'd with hony cleere as chrysolite And nuts and peares and apples prety store My poultrie will affoord me somewhat more Except the Fox deceiue me Phi. Shame him take Oft hath he made our Chaunticleer to quake But Creame and Butt'r is skarce yet out of horn And all Achats this yeare apprize to corn Mu. I nothing buy nor haue I much to sell Store is no sore my house it finds full well For there is corne and milke and butt'r and cheese Thankes vnto Pales then if please my bees That waxen wasps when any shrews do fret them But if I may by gentlenesse entreat them To lend m' a combe as sweet as is my guest Enough it will be for a Sheepheards feast Phi. Thou mak'st me think of my great gransirs cheere That would but did not Ouid. 8. Mei de Philemone Baucide Vnius anser eral minuna cuslodi◠villae kill for Iupitere And that he would was but a single goose The Sentinell of that skant furnisht house Mu. I know the Gods do hart and welcome prize Aboue great store of cheere and sacrifize Phi. True and their cheere some more some lesse by rate Not of their owne but of their hosts estate Mu. I haue a flocke too Pan I praise therefore Though not so fat as hath beene heretofore But I le receiue this guest with such deuice As Shephard best becomes no Muse is nice They quickly yeeld to grace a Pastorall Vranie Thalie Calliop and all Such I prepare and they will all be here With all the musicke of their heauenly queere Phi. But how I pray thee as thou lou'st the kirke Wilt thou deuise to set them all awerke Mu. I haue a pricke-song for Calliope To trie her voice in euery moode and key And she shall sing the battell of those Rammes Who to th' affrighting of our tender lambes In riualling for Helens of the flocke Affront each other with a cannon knocke Some faire Ewes wool-lock wearing each in horn Or other fauour as they wont toforn At feast of Gor good Shepheard that of yore Embrew'd the Crosier-staffe with Dragons gore This order shall she sing of all most liefe Because my faire guest weds thereof the chiefe Ph. So for Calliope What for the rest Mu. In Orchard that my selfe with care haue drest My rarest tree it beares but only seau'n Hath apples streaked like the Globe of Heauen On one of them Vranie shall discourse Of euery starre the setting and the sourse And shew the Bride and Bridegroome all confines Of his and her land by the mid-day lines Ph. Were lines of length and breadth like-easly seen It were not heard Mu Then on the flowrie green Or in my garden shall Thalia sing How diuers waies dame Flora decks the Spring And how she smiles to see May after May Draw'n-out for her to tricke this Ladies way With diuers kinds of diuers-colour'd flow'rs Some strew'd aground soe hanging on the bow'rs As curious writers wont embraue their Text With new and gueason words Phi. On on to th' next Mu. Well-pleasing Euterp shall the next in order With gentle breath enwhisper my Recorder And after playing sing and after song Trull-on her fingers all the cane along High low amids now vp now downe the key With Re-Mi-Fa-Sol and Sol-Fa-Mi-Re Declaring how by foure the selfe-same notes Are set all tunes of Instruments and Throates Which are to sound the Queenes sweet harmonie Both of her minde and bodies Symetrie Ph. As I haue heard report such if it be Mu. Fy-on that If Ph. Deserues it only she Mu. But I proceed On harpe shall Polymnie Renew great Orpheus sacred memorie For louing only one and her so well That he assayd to fetch her out of Hell Phi. So Poets say but such come neuer there From death perhaps Mu. So would I do I sweare For such a wife Phi. So would not I for mine But now the rest for here 's but fiue of nine Mu. Sweet Erato that sets my guest a fire Shall play the romant of her hearts desire So bee 't her Grace it hold no disrepute To heare it charmy-quauerd on her lute Then shal the Bride-maids the Bride-men dance The Men of England with the Maids of France And sing with Venus Cupid Himene This Madrigall set by Terpsichore Spring-Quyristers record this merry lay For Galla faire to day Goes forth to gather May. Grow all the Ground but chiefely where she goes With White and Crimsin Rose Her Loue is both of those She shall him choose and take before the rest To decke her lockes and brest And both shall be
such as hurt him P. Marlyr of Millaine in the 8. booke of his 3. Decade tels great wonders of one that was tamed and made so familiar with a certaine Cassike or Lord of India that he would play and make sport like an Ape and sometimo would carry ten Indians at once on his backe and passe or ferry them in that wise from one side of a great Lake there to the other And for as much as hauing foure feet like a Sea-dog he liued on the land as well as in the water he would now and then wrestle with Indians and take meat at their hand but would in no wise be reconciled vnto the Christians there because one of them whom he knew it seems very strangely by his face and clothes had once strooke him with a lance though hurt him not by reason of his hard and thicke hyde Ouiede in the 13. booke and 10. chap. f his History describes one but not as a creature liuing both at Sea and Land nor yet foure-footed Howbeit he saith the name of Manat is giuen to this fish by the Spaniards because he hath as t' were manus duas two hands neere his head which doe serue him for fynnes to swim withall he tels further many things of singular note and that this Manat or Seabullocke is found about the Isle of Hispaniola As for other fishes here mentioned they shall be handled in another place hereafter but who so desires to know more of the history and nature of them let him reade Gesner Rondeletius Bellon So much out of the second day of the first weeke Now let vs goe on with this booke of the Arke 7 Good Noe. In the history of Moses Gen. 7. there are certaine points worthy noting to proue that the faithfull and holy Patriarck Noes heart failed him not though he saw then the Arke tossed vp and downe the boundlesse waters of this generall Flood though all the fountaines of the great deepe broke forth and the flood-gates of Heauen were opened so as the raine fell amaine and without ceasing vpon the face of the earth forty daies and forty nights together and the water swelled fiftie cubits aboue the highest of all hills The first is that he entred the Arke himselfe with his wife and children and their wiues also at the commandement of God The second is that after all the beasts paire by paire were also come in God himselfe shut the doore vpon them For this shewes that the holy Patriarke with a liuely faith obeyed the voice of God and vpon his only wise prouidence wholly rested And therefore good reason had the Poet to set downe such holy exercises as were likely to be vsed by Noe being now close prisoner as it were for the space of a whole yeare and ten daies as may be gathered by the 11. and 13. verses of the seauenth chapter of Genesis and by the 13. and 14. verses of the chapter following The summe of his discourse is grounded vpon consideration of the great mercy of God who neuer forgetteth his children and such as feare him and rest vpon his goodnesse This goodnesse and mercy well shewed it selfe vnto Noe and his among so many fearefull shapes of death while in the Arke they were so preserued aliue from the Deluge together with the whole seminarie of the world next to ensue The Almighty now held all creatures obedient vnto the Patriarke as he had before disposed them to come and range themselues by couples into the Arke where they were during this imprisonment to be fed and kept cleane Let the Reader duely consider how many wayes the faith patience and constancie of Noe was exercised in so waighty a charge and how needfull it was that God who had shut vp his seruant in this prison of wood should be there also with him from time to time to strengthen and make him rich in faith as hee was whereby he onercame all these dangers God therefore doubtlesse was the Patron of his ship the sterne Load starre Ancor and Hauen of this Arke sloating amid the waters now hurried after a strange manner To this purpose saith a learned Father Noah iactatur procellis nec meigitur serpentibus beslijs sociatur nec terretur ei serae colla submittunt alites famulantur It was the great mercy of God toward Noe that hee gaue him the skill and knowledge how to fit the seuerall places in the Arke for the creatures and their food as also that vnder one man and so few more as were saued with him he held in obedience so many beasts and for the most part one contrary to another that the men were not choâ—ked vp with this close ayre and ill sauour of excrements that amid so many fearefull apprehensions they were able to keepe life and soule together But the blessing of God is the stay and sure hold of all his children 8 But Cham. I will not speake here now of the questions arising about the time when began or how long continued the Flood nor curiously examine the Hebrew words lest these Annotations grow too long And the Poet hath chosen matter of more importance to be considered I haue said else-where that it graceth much a Poem where the certame truth appeares not there to stand vpon likelyhoods C ham shewed himselfe a profane wretch and a scosser straight after the Flood whereupon both he and his posteritie were accursed The Poet therefore with great probabilitie supposeth he could not long conceale and hold-in the poyson whereof his heart was full but began to vent and vomit it euen in the Arke Noe then a man endued with the feare of God was surely not silent the space of a whole yeare and ten dayes and his care was not employed altogether vpon the beast it must needs be therefore that he spent some time in teaching and comforting his familie C ham was certainly gracelesse and had no feeling of the Spirit and fitly then doth the Poet personate in him all that are profane striuers against the iudgements of God For whatsoeuer is here imputed vnto Cham may be gathered for likely by that which he and his posteritie did after the Deluge Noe who liued yet three hundâ—ed and fiftie yeares longer returned it seemes from the Armenian hills where the Arke staid into his own former habitation about Damascus where his fore-fathers were buried It is held for certaine that Sem also came againe thither and that his issue peopled the lands thence reaching toward the East the South Cham drew to the South West Iaphet to the North and West whereof reade yee the 10. chap. of Genesis C ham had one sonne called Cus whose posteritie inhabited a part of Arabia and that of Ethiopia which is vnder Egypt another called Mitsraim of whom came the Egyptians and another called Canaan father of the Cananites He had also Put a fourth sonne but of his posteritie Moses hath not a word Iosephus in the sixt chapter
That swolne with raine hath drou'n a hundred brigs aside And with a bounding course vnbridled gallops fast All ouerthwart the stones in narrow valley cast Or else straight aft'r his throw to catch againe his dart Or else by footmanship to take the Hinde or Hart. He chaseth beasts first and afterward men Thus till his twentith yeare his exercise continues Then vnderstanding well his manly minde and sinewes May fit some great'r attempt if he know'th any where A Leopard a Tyg'r a Lion or a Beare He stoutly goes t'encount'r knocks him downe with mace And plants the goary spoiles in most apparant place The people then that see by his all-conquering hands The wayes enfranchised and all the waster lands Rid of such roaring theeues and feeding now at ease Their fearfull flocks and heards they loue this Hercules This rid-ill monster-mast'r and shew him speciall fauour And call him euermore their fath'r and eu'n their sauiour He leaueth his former chase for a better prey Here Nimrod by the locks hand-fasting his good fortune And striking th'iron hot doth flatter presse importune Now one and then anoth'r and hasting to his blisse Before that hunted beasts now of men hunter is For as he did imploy about his prey before The grins hare-pipes and traps and all the lymiestore Yea furthermore at need for stoutest had his art The heauy club the shaft the sharpe sword and the dart So some he wins by gift and others by hard dealing And breaking all in rage the bonds of equitie Of that renforcing world vsurps the royaltie Whereas in time before the chiefe of each houshold The same did rule apart nor did the young man bold Aspiring gyddie-braind vpon a wanton braue His sickle thrust as now int'haruest of the graue 3. Scarce is The posteritie of Noe being much increased as Moses reckoneth in the 10. chapter of Genesis they began to spread abroad and take seuerall habitations but not far one from another so soone after the Flood Among other the sonnes of Cham is numbred Cus the father of Nimrod of whom the historie maketh mention that he began to be great on the earth and was a mighty hunter before the Almighty and that the beginning of his raigne was Babel Erech Archad and Calnch in the land of Sennaar Vpon this place are giuen two diuers expositions The first is of some that hold that Nimred was the first after the Flood that gaue any meet forme of publike gouernment and by the consent of many families considering his wisdome and valour was accepted for master and gouernour to rule and order many housholds together by reason whereof say they he is called a strong hunter before the Lord and namely for that he repressed by maine force the wicked and vnruly who like sauage beasts preied vpon the life of man But the greater part of Expositors take this otherwise and hold that Nimrod by force and diuers subtleties here finely set downe by the Poet got the supremacie and that this power ascribed vnto him was not truly Roy all lawfull but a power vsurped by force a hunters power where with he surprised men and raigning ouer them cruelly handled them as if they were beasts and that before the Lord which is as much to say as in despite of God who had established a gentle rule and gouernment among the families This second exposition is the more certaine whether we consider the race of Nimrod or the proper meaning and sequele of the words of the text or the buildings of Nimrod or what successe his proud attempt had The Poet relying on this opinion hath further followed in the description of the youth and exercises of this first Tyrant that was in the second world such things as were likely to be and that with such a grace as in a discourse is requisite that out of the holy Scripture hath so narrow foundation and in other bookes is with many fables and names vncertaine darkned Dessus le throne assis Domination tyrannique de Nembrot violent il exerce Cent mille cruautez pesle-mesle renuerse Droit humain diuin braue le tout-puissant Luy porte iusqu'au nez son Scepre fleurissant Ses artifices pour se maintenir Et de peur qu'à la sin le peuple aisé ne pense Asecouër sou ioug il le met en despense Espuise sa richesse occupe ces bras A bastir vne Tour ou plustost vn Atlas C'est trop Sous couleur d'esleuer vn bastiment contre le deluge il veut affermir sa tyrannie dit-il vescu en bestes passageres Quittons ces toicts roulans ces tentes voyageres Massonnons vn Palais quifrappe ambitieux Les abismes du pied de la teste les cieux Asyle inuiolable sacré-sainct refuge Contre l'iré desbord a'vn rauageur Deluge Sus fondons vne ville passons la dedans Encorps sous vn Roy le reste de nos ans De peur que diuisez en pauillons Princes Nous ne soyons espars par toutes les prouinces Que la lampe du iour visite de son cours Sans nous pouuoir donner ni conseil ni secours Que si l'ardent tison d'vn intestine guerre Ou quelque autre mal-heur nous espand sur la terre Au moins frere laissons pour jamais engrauez Nos beaux noms dans ces murs iusqu'au Pole esleuez Comme vn foible Vulcan Comparaison propre monstrant combien grande efficace ont les desseins des tyrans fleaux de la vengeans de Dieu sur les peuples que la troupe frilleuse Des pasteurs laisse choir dans lorée fueilleuse D'vne vaste forest se tient quoy quelque temps Esleuant les nuaux fumeusement flottant Sur vn humble buisson puis aydé par Zephyre Fait voye rougissant aux efforts de son ire Monte du bas hallier au slairant Aubespin De l'Aubespiu au Chesne du Chesne au Sapin Gaigne tousiours pays en courant serenforce Et ne laisse Dryade en sa natale escorce Ainsi ce doux propos premierement issu De deux ou trois mignons fauorable est receu Des esprits remuants puis de main en main passe Iusqu'au plus malotru du confus populace Qui desireux de voir parfaite ceste Tour En mestier diuisé trauaille nuict iour Le peuple execute le desir de Nembrot s'employ à bastir sa prison le nid de la tyrannie Les vns d'vn fer trenchant font trebucher les Presnes Les Aunes bazardeux les durables Chesnes Degradent les forests monstrent au Soleil Des Champs qu'onque il n'auoit esclairé de son oeil As-tu veu quelque-fois vne ville exposee Au sac a'vn cam vaineucur Le pleur la risee Bruyent pesle-meslez Qui charrie qui prent Qui traine qui conduit Le Soldat insolent Ne treune lieu prou seur ni
goes from hand to hand Vnto the baser sort of people through the land Who greatly bent to see the famous tower made Doe labour day and night in all and euery trade Some trip the speare-wood Ash with sharp-edg'd axes stroke And some the sailing Elme and some th'enduring Oke So they degrade the woods and shew vnto the Sunne The ground where his bright eye before had neuer shone Who euer did behold some forraine armie sacke A citie vanquished ther 's griefe and ioy no lacke Together hurly-burld he carts and he lays-hold He drags by force he leads and there the souldier bold Can finde no place too sure nor yet no locke too strong The whole towne in a day forth at the gates doth throng So quickly do these men pull-off with one assent From those Assyrian hills the shaking ornament The wildernesse of shade they take from off the rocks And sheare off albeswat the leuell countries locks The waynes and yoked Mules scarse one by the other wend A liuely description of a people busied about a great worke The groaning axeltrees with load surcharged bend Behold here one for mort'r is day and night abruing Of some thicke-slimic poole the water fatly gluing And here the Tyler bakes within his smoakie kell His clay to stone and here one hollows downe to hell So deep foundations that many a damned Spright Aggazeth once againe the Sunnes vnhoped light Heaâ—'n ecchoes out the sound of their mauls clitter-clatters And Tigris feeles his fish all trembling vnd'r his waters The ruddy-colourd walls in height and compasse grow They far-off cast a shade they far-off make a show The world 's all on toile and men borne all to die God being angry with the bold enterprise of Nimrod and his folowers determineth to breake of their enterprise by confounding their language Thinke at the first daies worke their hand shall reach the skie 6. Hereat began th'Lord to sowre his countenance And with dread thuÌ„ders sound that storm-wise wont to glance Athwart the clowdie racks that hills wont ouerthrow And make heau'ns steddy gates flash often too and fro See see quoth he these dwarfes see this same rascall people These children of the dust O what a goodly steeple What mighty walls they build Is this the Cittadell So recklesse of my shot that shakes the gates of Hell I sware an oath to them henceforth the fruitfull ground Should neuer stand in feare of waters breaking bound They doubting fence themselues I would by their extent Haue peopled all the world they by themselues are pent In prison-walls of brick I would haue beene for euer Their master their defence their shepherd their law-giuer And they haue chose for King a sauage Liue-by-spoile A Tyrant seeking gaine by their great losse and toile Who doth my force despise and with vaine-glory swone Attempts to scale the walls of my most holy throne Come let 's defeat their drift and sith the bond of tong Of blood of will of law doth egge on all day long And hearten them in sin to stop their hastie intent Among them let vs send the Spirit of dissent Their language to confound to make both one and other The father strange to sonne the brother deafe to brother 7. The execution of Gods sentence Thus had he said and straight confusedly there went I know not what a brute throughout the buyldiment None other like I guesse then drunken peasants make Where Bacchus doth his launce with Ivy garland shake One doth his language too the another nose his note Another frames his words vnseemly through the throte One howleth one doth hisse another stuttereth Each hath his babbl ' and each in vaine endeuoureth To finde those loued termes and tunes before exprest That in their cradle-bands they drew from mothers brest Goe get thee vp betimes and while the morning gay A sit comparison With rainbow-glosse bedecks the portaile of the day Giue eare a while and marke the disagreeing moods Of winged quiristers that sing amid the woods Good-morrow to their loues where each one in his fashion Is pearched on a bough and chaunteth his Oration Then shalt thou vnderstand what mingle-mangle of sounds Confusedly was heard among the Mason-lounds A Trowell ho saith one his mate a beetl'him heaues Cut me saith he this stone and he some timber cleaues Come ho corne ho saith one and winde me vp this rope Then one vnwinding striues to giue it all the scope This scaffold bourd saith one one makes it downe to fare Giue me the line saith one and one giues him the square He shouts he signes in vaine and he with anger boyles And looke what one hath made forth with another spoiles VVith such confused cries in vaine they spend their winde And all the more they chafe the lesse is knowne their minde At length as men that stand an arched bridge to build In riuers channell deepe that wont surround the field Another excellent comparison declaring how neither counsell art force diligence nor multitude is able to resist God And sodainly behold how vnexpected raine Hath sent a hundred floods that downhill stretch amaine Their yoake-refusing waues they leaue with one aduise Some hasting here some there their carnest enterprise So when these Architects perceiu'd the stormy smart Of Gods displeasure come they straight were out of heart And there they ceas'd their work with hands malecontent Rules mallets plomets lines all downe the towre they sent 4. Now he enthroned is This is the exposition of the words mightie hunter before the Lord to wit that Nimred Chams nephew did proudly lift himselfe vp against God and man His buildings and the beginning of his raigne could not haue beene such without offering violence to the peace and libertie of diuers families ouer whom hee bare rule and there is no shew to the contrary but that by diuers practises from time to time he got the Soueraigntie The holy Scripture oftentimes by the names of hunters and chasers meaneth God enemies and the persecutours of his Church Psa ' 91. 124. Ezech. 32. Lament 3. The seuentie Interpreters translate the Hebrue text after this manner This Nimrod began to be a Giant on the earth and a huntesman or leader of hounds before the Lord God By the hounds of Nimrod may be vnderstood his guards and the fauourers of his tyrannie Moses called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Giâ—or isaid that is Iustie strong or great and mightie chaser Which noteth not only the stature and height of bodie but also might and authoritie ioyned with violence in all those that want the feare of God Now although Moses in the cleuenth Chapter of Genesis where he speaketh of the Citie and Tower of Babel make no mention of Nimrod yet hath the Poet aptly gathered out of the Chapter aforegoing that Nimrod was the author and promoter of those buildings in as much as Babel is called the beginning of his raigne who could not any waies
raigne without some habitations for himselfe and his subiects and considering that Moses in the selfe-same place affirmâ—th that the Cities founded by Nimrod were in the countrey of Sennaar and that in the 12. verse of the 11. Chapter he saith that these builders of Babel dwelt on a plaine in the countrey of Sennaar by good reason the inuention and beginning thereof is here ascribed to Nimrod who by this meanes sought to set his state on foot Also this Monarchie of Babylon was one of the first and with it that of Niniuie as may be gathered out of the words of Moses But the more particular discourse of these matters and diuers other questions concerning Nimrod and his outrages require a larger commentatie 5. Like as the Vulcan weake The Poet saith that as a small deale of fire let fall by some Shepherds among the drie leaues of a great Forrest setting it selfe and hatching as it were the heat a while at length with helpe of the wind groweth to so great a flame that it taketh the whole Forrest and leaueth not a Driad that is not a tree in his proper or naturall barke So the words first vttered by Nimrod then blowne with the bellowes of his Minions and fauourites set the hearts of the people on fire that he soone obtained his purpose This is it that Moses noteth in the eleuenth Chapter of Genesis the third and fourth verses They said one to another the chiefe men hauing put it in their heads Come let vs make bricke and burne in well in the fire so had they bricke in stead of stone and sâ—â—me had they in stead of morter Then said they Goe let vs build vs a Citie and a Tower whose top may reach vnto the heauens that we may get vs a name lest we be scattered vpon the whole earth The Poet in his verse discourseth vpon this deuise It is thought that this proud building was begun about an hundred and fiftie yeares after the Floud The good Patriarch Noe that liued yet long time after saw his posteritie confounded and scattered for so it was the Lords will to exercise the patient faith of his seruant to whom in recompence he shewed the effect of his blessings in the family of Sem where still remained the Hebrew tongue together with the doctrine and discipline of the true Church Now out of this history of Moses touching the building of the Towne and the confusion of the builders is sprong as it seemeth the fabulous discourse of the Poets set downe by Ouid in his first booke of Metamorphosis touching the Giants that heaped hilles one vpon another to scale heauen and dispossesse Iupiter of his throne Thus hath Satan endeuoured to falsifie the truth of sacred historie Well this arrogant building sheweth vs how vaine are the imaginations of worldly men namely to set at naught the true renowne of heauenly life and seeke after the false of earth Carnall men haue no care at all to worship and reuerence the name of the true God they regard only to be accounted-of themselues and so to write their names in the dust Against the attempts of the men of Babel and all their successours let vs oppose these sentences the 18. and 21. of Prouerbs The name of the Lord is a strong tower thither shall the iust repaire and be exalted There is no wisdome nor vnderstanding nor force can preuaile against the Lord and that which is written Psal the 127. Except the Lord doe build the house the builders labour but in vaine 6. God seeing this Moses in the 5. and 6. verses of the 11. chapter saith Then the Lord came downe to see the Citie and Towre which the sonnes of men had built And the Lord said Behold the people is one and they all haue one language and this they begin to doe neither can they now bee stopped from whatsoeuer they haue imagined to doe come on let vs goe downe and there confound their language that they vnderstand not one another Then he addeth the execution of the sentence saying So the Lord scattered them from thence vpon all the earth and they left off to build the Citie Therefore the name of it was called Babel because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth and scattered them from thence ouer all the world God that is all in all neuer changeth his place he goeth neither vpward nor downward but the Scripture saith hee goeth downe then when he worketh any thing on earth which falling out beyond and against the ordinary course of nature witnesseth his particular presence Vnder these few words of Moses a many things are to be considered chiefly he noteth the great sinnes of the builders in that he bringeth in the Lord iudge of the whole world vouchsafing to bow downe his eyes particularly vpon that foolish people For it is not without cause that the great God of heauen and earth should arise from his throne and if I durst so say leaue the palace of his glory to come and view these durt-dawbers or morter-makers By this manner of speech Moses sheweth and giueth vs to vnderstand that long time before these Babylonians had built in their hearts most wonderfull high and stately towers and that long agoe they had bak'd in the sire of their concupiscence some maruellous brickes to wit they had much counsailed one with another and discoursed of meanes to get renowme and found no better way to attaine their purpose then to raise a tower vp to the heauens to rauish with astonishment all those that should behold it So Moses saith that this pride and froward selfe trust deserued a grieuous punishment but as God is perfectly iust so layeth he vpon the builders a chastisement proportionable vnto their offence 7. Thus had he said and straight In God it is all one to will and to doe And further he sendeth not lightning winde nor tempest against the tower but contenteth himselfe to strike the proud and puffed-vp braines of the builders and so the building founded vpon their folly was ouerthrowne by their foolish iangling that God mingled with their language and the vainglorious masons insteed of their imagined renowne haue gotten themselues euerlasting shame Who would haue thought that God had had so ready such kinde of rods to punish mankinde withall But let the Reader consider whether the world at this day be not full of Babel-towers Marke what a number of men doe in euery kinde of vocation Sith I doe not take vpon mee but to write bare Annotations I leaue it to the Readers consideration who may see now more then euer that the world continueth the building of Babel that is men madly gainset their owne wisedome and power against the wisedome and power of God who treading as it were with woollen feet and stealing on softly is able with an arme of Iron to surprise and seize vpon these builders and turne by diuers meanes their vaine purposes and weake endeuours to
young ones dare assay to wrastl ' against the weather Right so the men who built the great Assyrian Tower Perceiuing Gods great voice in thunder-clashing stower Of their confounded speech each barbarous vnt ' ether Betake them to their heeles all fearefull altogether Some runne the left-hand way and some acoste the right Why God would not haue the posteritie of Noe stay in the plaine of Sennaar All tread th'vnhaunted earth as God ordain'd their flight For that great King of heau'n who long ere creature breath'd In priuie counsaile had this vnder-world bequeath'd Vnto the race of Man ne would at all abide it To be a den of theeues as if men should diuide it By dreadfull dint of sword and eu'ry people border This thickned Element beast-like and out of order But fire of warre to quench he did all try-diuide The earth dinided betweene the sonnes of Noe. Among the sonnes of Noe allotting each his side So Sem enhabited the day-beginning East To Cham befell the South and Iaphet gain'd the West 3. The men who built That which the Poet saith concerning the affright of these builders is implied by the words of Moses Gen. 11.8 they ceased to build by the one is the other vnderstood for vpon the sudden chance of so strange a confusion they were scarred as with a thunder-clap and after by necessitie constrained to sunder themselues Yet I am of their opinion who thinke the diuersitie of tongues is to bee considered not in euery particular builder but only in families As that the goodnesse of God was such in his iudgement that the builders departing thence each led his wife and children with him who vnderstood and spake as he did otherwise mans life could hardly haue beene sustained They also that parted furthest at the first from those of Noes successors that were not leagued in this presumptuous enterprise soonest forgat all their former language And true it is that at the first they sundered not all very farre one from another but as it pleased God more and more to encrease them they sought further and further for new countries to dwell in and all by the secret direction of the wonderfull prouidence of God 4 That great King of heau'n Hee reacheth euen to the first cause of the Colonies and diuers-way-partings of Noes posteritie Staight after the Floud God blessed Noe and his children and said Encrease and multiply and fill the earth and the feare of you and the dread of you shall be vpon euery beast of the earth and vpon euery fowle of the heauen vpon all that moueth vpon the earth and vpon all the fishes of the sea into your hands are they deliuered Gen. 9.1 2. Therefore if the builders had continued and fast setled themselues in the Plaine of Sennaar they had as much as was in them made void the Lords blessing and berest themselues and their posteritie of those great priuiledges which he had granted them But the deree of God must needs be fulfilled and therefore according to his ordinance he chaseth farre away these donataries to the end that yeare by yeare some in one place and some in another they may take possession of that which was giuen them the whole compasse of the world Whereas the Poet saith further that the Lord diuided the whole earth into three Lots that may be gathered out of the tenth Chapter of Genesis and 32. Chap. of Deuteronom vers 8. Noe a wise and learned man and one of groat experience was the instrument of Gods blessing in this behalfe and though the bounds of these habitations be not all and throughly specisied as were the diuisions of the Land of Canaan among the Tribes of Israel yet out of the tenth Chapter of Genesis a man may gather that in those daies Noe and his sonnes and their posteritie knew more a great deale hereof than men can now perceiue as may appeare by so many diuers Colonies so many strange languages so many names changed and rechanged A good Commentary vpon this Chapter would assoile many questions hereabouts arising 5 To Sem was giuen Because the sonnes of Noe were but three therefore here are named but three quarters of the world the East West and South Some of the successors of Iaphet peopled the North also as shall be shewed hereafter Concerning the names of these foure cardinall points somewhat hath beene said vpon discourse of the winds in the second day of the first weeke verse 571. The order of the sonnes of Noe is this Iaphet is the elder Sem the second C ham the last Gen. 9.24 10.21 But Sem is named first because of the fauour of God shewed to his posteritie by thence raising the Messias and there maintaining his Church Iaphet the second for that in the vocation of the Gentiles he is receiued into the reuts of Sem that is vnited to the family of the faithfull Abraham according to the Prophecie and blessing of Noe Gen. 9.27 Now in the tenth of Gen. vers 25. Moses further affirmeth that Heber Sems vnder nephew had two sonnes the one named Peleg which signifieth Diuision or parting asunder for in his time the Earth was diuided and the other Ioktan Whereout some gather that in the time of Peleg that is as I take it before the cofusion of tongues Noe and his sonnes remembred the grant that God had made them of all the Earth and that Noe then made a kinde of partition thereof among his sonnes If we recken the confusion of the builders together with the partition of the world though about the fiftieth yeare of Peleg who was borne but an hundred yeares after the Floud and liued 239. this confusion must happen within 150. yeares after the Floud which were very soone yet some take it sooner as from the time that Peleg receiued his name for remembrance as they say of both things so note-worthy to all posteritie and especially to the Church of God which well might be aduertised therof for Peleg liued 46. yeares after the birth of Abraham as appeareth by the eleuenth Chapter of Genesis Two things then are here to be considered the one that the partition of the Earth which Noe made was to his posteritie a token of Gods great blessing which neuerthelesse the Babel-builders for their part haue turned into a curse the other that this partition as many Diuines and Chroniclers thinke was made before Nimrod and his traine came out of the East and sate downe in the plaine of Sennaar what time they were scattered thence again by the confusion Whereunto this I will adioyne that as then the builders language was confounded so by continuance of time the speech of others also was corrupted especially when they began to forget the true Religion which euen in Sems family was decayed as appeareth plainely out of the 24. Chapter of Iosua where it is said that Terah father to Abraham and Nachor had serued strange gods It was no reason that the Holy