on moulde deuine This Primate then assisted with his kinne Of great Eleazar priests whose head and chinne Was neuer shaue deuoutly on he preast A pearled Myter on his balmed creast And with a holy Alb with garnettes spred And golden Belles his sacred bodie cled And slew and burnt the bulks as was the guise Of many a kid and â—alfe for sacrifise And with their blood the Alters hornes he dyed And praying thus to God immortall cryed O Lord of Hostes we come not vnto thee Prayer To wey our merits with thy maiestie Nor to protest before thy heauenly might That sacklessy thy scourge doth on vs light But rather we confesse as true it is Our sinnes haue iustly merite more then this But Lord if thou thy couenant would forget VVhich thou with Abrahm made so wilt set For mercie great thy iustice most seueare Thou should a greater plague vpon vs reare Change then our proces from thy iustice seate And saue vs at thy throne of mercie great Forgiue vs Lord and holde farre from vs all These plagues that on our heads are like to fall Alas what helpeth vs thy heauie stroke To binde our necks to such a seruile yoke VVherewith th' Assyrian tyraÌ„ts long haue grieued Thine Izak till their bondage thou relieued If so this natiue ground that new is tilde If so these Hostries new with folke refilde If so alas our chast and modest Dames Our infants young our Virgins good of fames Should be a praye to Ammon and to Perse To Calde and the mutine Parthian fierse If that we see this Alter made prophane And witches it abuse with Idols vaine Yet Lord if thou no pittie on vs take At least great God do for thy glories sake Haue pittie on this holy building nowe Where not a God hath sacrifice but thou VVhere not a God but thou hast residence To feile the sauour sweete of frankensence Hold back O Lord the Caldean cressets bright From these rich Cedar vaults of stately hight Preserue these vessels ornaments of gold From sacrilegious hands of neighbours bolde And let the blood of beasts before thy face Thy Iustice stay and grant thy seruants grace This prayer done the people went their way Then Ioachim conuende that present day the Princes all of Iuda and them praide gainst this mischiefe for counsell and thus said Companions if your former zeale remaine Exhortation If ardent loue to god ye still retaine If wife or childe may cause your care or loue VVhich should the Centers of your senses moue If in your brests a noble hart doth bide Let deede beare witnes at this wofull tide For sauing God and your foresight in deede t' is done t' is done with vs and all our seede And after this th' Immortall shall not see this after fume before his maiestee VVheÌ„ th' Air is calme still as dead deafe Comparison And vnder heavne quakes not an aspin leafe VVhen Seas are calme and thousand vessels fleete VpoÌ„ the sleeping seas with passage sweete And when the variant wind is still and lowne the cunning Pylot neuer can be knowne But wheÌ„ the cruell storme doth threat the bark to drowne in deepes of pits infernall dark while tossing teares both ruther mast saile While mounting seemes the Azur skye to skaile while driues perforce vpon some deadly shore there is the Pylot knowne and not before Alas I pray you then what care and strifes Haue we to keepe our honours goods and lifes Forget not then the care of this same place your countreyes weale gods glorie and his grace But humblie giue your selues into the hand Of god most high and with a holy brand repurge your sprits from euerie hatefull sinne which causeth God his Iustice to begin And see what may to God be agreable For Iacobs weale and for you profitable This said an ancient traitour from his youth who fostred gall in hart with hony in mouth Enforcing from his eyes some fained teare to cloke his malice spacke as ye shall heare My toung me failes my hair for dread vpstarts The Oration of a subtill worldling My heauie spirite from pensiue corps departs VVhen I bethinke me of yone tyrant stout who hath bedround the world with bloud about Approching threats our townes with firie flames Our selfs with death dishonour to our Dames Yet when I call to minde the curtsie great That this great Lord doth vse who doth entreate Not onely those that beastiall are become And haue their hope in brutall Idols dome But euen to zealous folke who do embrace The faith and law like vs of Abrahms race who being well aduisde did humblie sue His pardon and escapte his vengeance due then thanke I God who sends vs such a foe As plagues the proude and lets the humble goe For we assoone shall vanquish him with teares As will be long to wrak him with our weares Then whilest we may haue choice of either state of peace or warres his fauour or his hate Let vs not follow seeing skath at hand the follie of our fathers to gainstand But rather let vs beare a lower saile And serue his king as best for our awaile But thinke not yet that I this councell giue for craft or warrant for my selfe to liue For I haue els my dayes so nearly spent that for to dye I could be well content The Assyrian neede not in my brest to strike His fethred Dart nor yet his trembling pike Yea if my youth to me should eft returne And make my youthly bloode within me burne So honour I my God and contrey deare that for to dye for them I would not feare As Sampson did if so my death might yeld The victorie of the Vizroy and the field But most I feare least we with curious zeale Fight for the lawe yet fight against her weale Against our selfs to bring so great a wracke that proude and cruell tyrants shall vs sacke And grow in pride suppressing Iudaes strength For to contemne the glorie of God at length For Israell being lost who shall ensue to render here to God deuotions due what people sparsed on this earthly ball From Indian shoare to where the Sunne doth fall Or from the Climate of the northren blast Vnto that place where sommer aye doth last Hath God elect saue Israell for his owne Vpon this Hill to haue his glorie showne At this the valiant Cambris of renowne with righteous rage grew pale and gan to frowne And brake the silence with a vehement stile His courage movde the Princes all the while Nay rather where I stand let ope the ground Quod he to swallowe me in pit profound Azealous godly answere Yea rather righteous heauen let firie blast Light on my head that thou on Sodom cast Eare I my malice cloke or ouersile In giuing Izac such a councell vile For if the Leader of this folke prophane Vpon our bodies onelie sought to raigne Although that we haue dearely bought alwaye
th' Almightie God Commanded him the same for to retaine which to the former shape returnde againe Thus siling humain sight it chaunged forme One while a Rod one while a creeping worme Then armed with this staffe the lord him sent The proude Idolatrous princes to torment He in the name of God full oft did pray the King to let the Hebrews go their way Vnto the desert where he did deuise To offer God a pleasant sacrifise But Pharo closde his eare against the Lorde And to his holie word would not accorde Then God th' Eternall wrought by Moyses hand to approue his worde great wonders in that land Exod. 4 For he not onely Riuers turnd to bloode Exod. 7. But also all th heads of Nilus floode which wattreth wealthie Egypt with his sources was turnd to blood amid their siluer courses So that the king him selfe his life to feede was faine to vse such water for his neede This Moyses made the froggs in millions creep Exod. 8 From floods and ponds scrall froÌ„ ditches deep who cled all Misraim with their filthie frie Euen on the king an all his familie To young and old of either Sexe that while Exod. 9. He sent a plague of scalding botches vile So that the Memphits layd on beds to rest with vncouth venim dayly were opprest to Medciners the medcine vailed not So sore the poisond plague did vndercot He also smote the forrests herbs and gras The flocks of sheepe and euerie beast that was throw poison of th' infected ground so fell The Morrain made them all to dye or swell So that the shepherd by the riuer side His flock hath rather dead then sicke espide He earthly dust to lothly lice did change And dimd the Ayre with such a cloud so straunge Of flyes grashoppers hornets clegs clocks That day and night throw houses flew in flocks Exod. 10. that with incisions sharpe did sheare the skinnes of Aegipt Panims throw their proudest ynnes And when the heavne most quiet seemd fair th' Eternall sent a tempest through the air at this Hebrews prayer such a reare Of thunder fell that brought them all in feare Here lay a Bull that woodran while he brast There lay the Keeper brunt with thunder blast And now the forrest high that hid the air with many a spreeding arme is spoild and bair So that the sap that grafters keeps with paine which should restore the stock and leafe again Is loste alas in lesse then half a daye the husbands hoped fiuite gone to decaye VVhat more th' Eternall darkned so the skye For three dayes space none could another spye that cloude so thick the Memphis rebels fand that they might firmly feele it with their hand If seemd that Phoebus left his ancient round And dwelt three dayes with men of vnderground And as the snne at one selfe time is felt with heate to harden clay and wax doth melt so Amrams sacred sonne in these proiects made one selfe cause haue two contrarie effects For Izak humbly knew their Lord deuine But Pharo more and more did still repine Like to the corpslet colde the more t' is bet with hammers hard more hardnes it doth get Yet when his sonne was slaine by th' Angels haÌ„d Exod. 1â— Amongst the eldest heires of Aegipt land He was afraide and let them go that night Heyrs where pleased them to serue their God of might VVho sent a cloude before them all the day By night a Piller of fire to guide their way But sodainly this tyrant did gainstand His former graunt and armd all Aegipt land VVith hote pursute against all lacobs hoste that were encamped on the Red-sea coste Such noyse was neuer since the foraigne tide Brak throw Gibraltar when it did deuide the Calp from Abill or when Sicill strand Deuorsed was from her italia land As was in these two campes that one with boste that other with their waillings filde the coste It seemd the sounds of furious horse and men With hornes pypes to heavne resounded then O Iugler said the Iewes what hatefull strife Exod. 14. They â—â—â—mure Hath moued thee to change our happie life What are we fishes for to swimme the seas Or are we foules to fly where as we pleas Beyond the Sea or ouer hills to soare VVas there not graues for vs on Gossen shoare But in this desart heare to dye or haue the bloodred Occean Sea to be our graue Then Moyses with his quickned rod that tide He smote the sea which fearefull did deuide Discouering land that sunne had neuer seene And staid the sea as there two walles had beeues which made a passage dry of ample space For all to passe who were of I saks race But contrarie the Red-sea did deuower The barbrous tyrant with his mightie power who proudly durst himself to that present which opened but to saue the innocent O happie race since god doth arme for thee Both fire and aire the winds the clouds and see which all vnto thy paye haue whole enclinde Let not coÌ„suming time we are out of minde So rare a grace but let thine elders shewe this to their noble seed that shall ense we And let their sonnes vnto their sonnes recorde Throw all the world rhese wonders of the lorde God with Coelestiall breade in time of neede His loued Iacob fourtie yeare did feede Exod. 16 And gaue them water from the solide stone which of it selfe had neuer moisture none Their caps their cotes shoes that they did weas God kept all fresh and newe full fourtie year And larder least their soules for want of food should faint faile he of his mercies good Exod. 20. Gaue them his law pronounced by his voyce His sprite to theirs in him for to reioyce So teaching them and vs in precepts ten Our ductie first to god and next to men To th' end that man to man should truely stand And ioy ne with God and neuer break that band This mightie Prophet dead Duke Iosua than Iosua Their Captaine stout this Palmy prouince wan Throw might of God he Scepters did subdewe Of thirtie tyran kings whome all he slew At his commandment like the thunder sound The Rampers stroug fell fearefully to ground Before the Tortuse or the horned Ramme Had bet or mined from their wall a dramme For euen of hornes full hoarse their fimple blast An engine was their towres adoune to cast He prayd the heavne for to prolong the daye And made the horses of the sunne to staye To th'eÌ„d the night should not with cloud be eled To saue the faithles that before him fled Now when this Panim scourge with age at last Had left this life and vnto heauen past Then Izak had of Rulers sundrie men whose golrious acts deserues eternall pen. who knowes not Samgar Barac and Othoniell Indger The valiant Delbor Ahud and good Samuell What land O Sampson rings not thy renowne who sole vnarmed bet an
and bears and harts full olde Some tamenes from their daūted youth to holde Thus ere the Moone twelf dosen chaūges past Virginitie the maydens maners faire in forme were cast For as the perfite pylot feares to runne Vpon the rocks with singling sheet doth shunne Cyanes straites or Syrtes sinking sands Or cruell Capharois with stormy strands So wysely she dishaunted the resort Of such as were suspect of light report Well knowing that th' acquaintance with the ill Corrupts the good And though they euer still Remain vpright yet some will quarrell pike common brute will deeme them all alike For looke how your Companions you clect for good or ill so shall you be suspect This prudent Dame delyted not in daunce Nor sitting vp nor did her selfe aduaunce In publike place where playes banquets beene In euerie house to see to be seene But rather vnderstanding such a trade Had bene the wrak of many-a modest mayd who following wandring Dina wanton dame Haue ofty me put their noble house to shame she kept at home her fathers habitation Both day and night in godly conuersation She pittious Nurse applyde her painfull thought to serue nourish them that her vpbrought Like to the gratefull stork that gathereth meate brings it to her elders for to eate And on a firtree high with Boreas blowne Giues life to those of whome she had her owne But if she might some howre from trauell quite At vacant tyme it was her chiefe delyte to read the scriptures where her faithfull mind Might confort of the heavnly Manna finde Sometyme she broyded on the anuas gall Some bird or beast or Aegle or Eliphant tall VVhile subtely with siluer nedle fine she works on cloth some historie deuine Hear Lot escaping the deuouring fire From sinnefull Zodom shortly doth retire To Segor where his wife that was vnwittie Cast back her eye to see the sinfull Cittie And for hir misbeliefe God plagued the falt transforming her into a Piller of salt Here she Susannes story viuely wrought How neare she was to execution brought And yet how God the secret did disclose And made the mischiefe fall vpon her foes Here Iosephs storie stands with wondrous art And how he left his cloke not his hart to his lasciuious Dame rather chose the Prison then her armes him to enclose Here cruell Iephte with his murdring knife to keepe his vow bereaues his daughters life Her trauell done her lute she then assayes and vnto God she sings immortall prayes not folowing those that plyes their thriftles paine In wanton vearse and wastefull ditties vaine Thereby t'entrapt great men with luring lookes But as the greedy fisher layes his hookes Alongst the coste to catch some mightie fish More for his gaine then holesome for the dish Of him that byes euen so these sisters braue Haue louers mo then honest maydens haue But none are brunt with their impudent flame Saue fooles light lunatickes voyde of shame Of vertue only perfite loue doth growe whose first be ginning thought it be more slow then that of lust and quicknes not so fast Yet sure it is and longer tyme doth last The straw enkendles soone slakes againe But yron is slow and long will hote remaine Thus was the holie Iudiths chaste renowne so happly spred through Izrell vp and downe that many-a man disdaind the damesels fine with Iewels rich and haire in golden twine to serue her beutie yet loues firie dart Could neuer vnfriese the frost of her chast hart But as the Diamant byds the hāmer strong so she resisted all her suters long Vnminded euer for to wed but rather to spend her dayes with her beloued father till at the last her parents with great care ithstood her will and for her did prepare Manasses one who was of noble race Both rich and faire aswell of sprite as face Her mariage then was not a slight contract Of secrete billes but by willing act Mariage ' before her frends The chaunce that once befell 'to wandring Dina may be witnesse well ' that secret mariage that to few is kend ' doth neuer leade the louers to good end For of our bodies we no power may clame ' except our parents do confirme the same Then see how loue so holily begunne Betweene these two so holy a race they runne this chaste young-man his most chastest wife as if their bodies twaine had but one life what th' one did will the other wild no lesse As by one mouth their wils they do expresse And as a stroke giuen on the righter eye Offends the left euen so by Simpathie Her hus bands dolours made her hart vnglad And Iudiths sorrowes made her husband sad Manasses then is wife would not controule tyraniously but looke how much the soule Exceeds the corse not the corse doth grieue But rather to preserue it and relieue So Iudith with Manasses did accorde In tender loue and honourde him as Lord. Their house at home so holy was too tell it seemd a church and not a priuate Cell No seruant there with villaine iestes vncouth was suffred to corrupt the shamefast youth No ydle drunkard nor no swearing wight Vnpunist durst blaspheme the lord of might No pleasant skoffer nor no lying knaue No daylie Dyce nor no Ruffian braue Had there abode but all the seruants weare taught of their Rulers Gods eternall feare Manasses he who saw that in his tyme All iustice was corrupt with many-a cryme And that the most peruers and ignorant For money or fauour would none office want of high estate refusde all publike charge Contenting him with ease to liue at large from court and pallace free from worldly pelf but since he thought him borne not for himself But also that some charge he ought to beare for confort of his friends countrey deare Yet did he more not being magistrate for publike weale then men of more estate So that his house was euen the dwelling due Of Iustice and his mouth a sentence true Th' afflicted poore he dayly did defend and was the widowes ayde tutor kend to Orphelines and was the whole support And chiese conforter of the godly sorte The vaine desire of Indian treasurs great Made neuer his ship to saile nor oare to beat The greedy hope of gaine with ventruous dāger Made neuer his sword be drawn to serue the strāger He neuer sold within the wrangling Barre Deceitfull clatters causing clients Iarre But quietly manurde his litle feilde And took th' encrease therof that tyme did yeilde He sowde and planted in his proper grange vpon some sauage stock some frutrie strange The ground our common Dame he vndermines On stake ryce he knits the crooked vines and snoddes their bowes so neither hote nor cold might him from labour in his chamber holde But once as he beheld his haruest traine with crooked Cickle cutting do wne the graine the sunne a distillation on him sent whereof he dyed his soule
to heauen it went He that the nomber of the leaues could cast that in Nouember fals by winter blast He that could tell the drops of raine or slete that Hyad Orion or Pleiades wete sheds on the ground that man might only tell W … headâ— what teares from Iudiths eyes incessant fell VVhat treasur-and golde what he left her tho In place of pleasure caused all her woe The sight of them made her in hart recorde their olde possessor and her louing Lord. Though she had had asmuch of gold and good As Lydia land or Tagus golden flood yet losing him of treasure she was bare For whome all other treasures caus de her care Yet in this state she stoutly did sustaine Like patient Iob contempning all her paine Three times the sunne returned had his prime ' Siâ—ce this befell and yet the slyding tyme ' That wonted is to weare all woes awaye Could neuer for his death her dolour staye But alwayes in some black attyre she went Right modestly liu'd on litle rent Deuout she was most tymes sole and sad with dole in hart mourning vesture clad Outshedding teares as doth the turtle doue on withred stalke that waills her absent loue And widow like all pleasure doth forsake And neuer intends to take a secound make Thus Iudith chast within her house abode And seldome was she sene to come abrode Vnlesse it weare to see some wofull wife whose childe or husband was bereft of life Or for to visit some in sicknesse rage their longsome paine and dollours to asswage Or for to go to Church as God allowes to pray and offer to performe her vowes Thus haue I shortly told you brother deare the state of her on whome our citie heare haue fixed all their eyes but I can nought tell wher she goes much les what 's in her thought But if we may of passed things collect the things to come then may we well aspect Great good of her for that euen in her face Is signe of ioy and great presage of grace Or some good hap With this and other talke they cut the night as they together walke This while the worthie widow with her mayd Past towards th'enmies camp not vnafrayde For ere she had two hundreth paces past The Syrian Soldiers in her way were cast VVho spack her thus O faire excellent wight whence what art thou what doest thou here this night In Syrian camp I am quod she a gaine An Izralite whome dollours doth constraine To flee this towne and for my lifes relief submits me to the mercie of your chiefe They tooke her to the Duke but who hath sene the throngs of folke where proclamations bene In soÌ„e great woen or where some moÌ„strous beast Is brought wondred at by most least that maÌ„ might Iudge what flocks of soldiers came From euerie part to see that Hebrew Dame To see that faire so chast so amiable the more they gasde she seemd more admirable Her wavring haire disparpling flew apart In seemely shed the rest with reckles art with many-a curling ring decord her face and gaue her lashie browes a greater grace Tow bending bowes of Heben coupled right two lucent starres that were of heavnly light two geaty sparks where Cupid chastly hydes His subtill shafts that from his quiuer glydes Tweene these two sunnes and front of equall sise A comely figure formally did ryse VVith draught vnleuell to her lip descend where Momus self could nothing discomend Her pitted cheekes aperde to be depaint with mixed rose lillies sweete and saint Her dulcet mouth with precious breath repleate Excelde the Saben Queene in sauour sweete Her Corall lips discovred as it were two ranks of Orient pearle with smyling chere Her yvrie neck and brest of Alabastre Made Heathen men of her more Idolastre Vpon her hand no wrinkled knot was seene But as each nail of mother of pearle had beene In short this Iudith was so passing faire that if the learned zeuxis had bene th aire And seene this Dame when he with pensile drew the Croton Dames to forme the picture trew Of her for whome both Grece and Asia fought this onely patron chief be would haue sought Hesen No sooner Iudith entred his Pauillion But in her face arose the red vermillion with shamefast feare but then with laÌ„guage sweet The courteous Genrall mildly gan her greet My loue I am I am not yet so fell As fals reporte doth to you Hebrews tell They are my sonnes I wil be their father that honours me and them I loue the rather that worships for their God th' Assyrian King They shal be well assurde to want nothing And this shall Izak know if they will render Vnto that bonte ous king as their defender For thy my loue tell me withouten feare the happie motyf of thy comming heare O Prince quoth she with an assured face Most strong and wise most in heauens grace that drawes the sword with steele vpon his brest with helme on head and Iaunce in yron rest Since that my feeble Sex and tender youth Cannot longtime endure the cruell drouth the wakrife trauels frayes and haszards great That day and night our Burgesses doth threat Yet neuerthelesse this is not whole the cause that from my Citties body me withdrawes to this your Camp but that most grudging griefe Which burnes my zealous hart without reliefe Is this my Lord I haue a holy feare to eate those meates that God bids vs forbeares But Sir I see that our besieged towne Is so beset with mischiefe vp and downe The people wil be forst to eate in th' end the meats that God expresly doth defend Then will the lord with iust reueÌ„ge him wreak Vpon all those that do his statutes break Withouten fight their Citties he will sack And make one man of thine ten thousand wrack that flyes his furie and thy furious face Nowe I of Bethull am and in this place Beseech thy noble grace if so thee please with courteous ayde to giue my dolours ease ' Of common sence he is depriued cleene ' that falls with closed eye on danger seene ' And he that may both paine and hurt eschewe ' Is vaine if he his proper death pursewe Then in this quiet dale if I may byde in secret for to pray ech evning tyde to God I shall as he doth me enspyre Assure you when enkendled is his yre Against our folke Then shall I take on hand to leade thine Armie through all Iurie land And streaming standarts set on Syon hill where none with weapons dare resist thy will No not a verie dog in euening dark At noyse of harnes shall against thee bark Thy onely name shall fray the Armies bold Before thy face the mountaine tops shall fold R The floods shall drye from their running stay To make thine Hoste a new vncouth way O Iewell of the world quoth he ô Dame For gratious spech and beutie worthie fame Now
welcōe here would God it might you please Longtime with vs to dwell in rest and case For if your faith and trouth concurrant be to this your talke which greatly pleaseth me I will from this time forth with you accord to serue your onely Hebrewes God Lord And will my seruice whole to you enrowle Not of my Scepter onely but my soule I will your name and honour ay defend From Hebrew bounds vnto the world his end This sayd with silence as the moone arose The widow her withdrew and forth she goes Vnto a valley close on euerie part where as she washt her corse clenst her harte And with her weeping eyes the place beraid And to the God of Izak thus she praide O Lord withdraw not now thy helping hand from those that at thy mercie onely stand O Lord defend them that desires to spend their goods and blood thy cause for to defend O Lord grant that the cryes of Children may with plaints of oldmen weeping night and day And virgins voyces sad in shroude of shame And laudes of Leuits sounding forth thy fame Mount to thy throne and with dissundring breake thy heauie sleepe VVherefore doest thou awreake thy self on Hermon with thy burning blast or why doest thou on carefull Carmell cast Thy dreadfull darts forgetting all this space these Giants that thy Scepter would displace Ah wretch what say I lord apardon me thy burning zeale and none hypocrisie that frets my heauie hart at euerie howre Compels my toung this language out to powre O thou the euerliuing God and Guide of all our race I know thou wilt prouide For our reliefe against this furious boste And iustly kill the Captaine of this hoste I know that thou wilt help my onely hand to be the wrak of all this heathen band FINIS THE SOMMARIE OF THE V. BOOK ¶ Holophernes being surprised with the sweete language and excellent beutie of the chaste Iudith becommeth altogether negligent of his charge gouernement Wherein is represented the vnhabilitie of the reprobate who can not withstand such temptations as the lord sendeth vpon them But as they become slaues to their owne affections so by the same they are enforced to fall into perdition In place of some faithfull seruant to warne him of his vyces Holophernes conferreth with Bagos an Eunuch who feedeth him in his humour and bringeth Iudith to his Tent. And here the Poet reprooues all flatterers bawdes with the vyces of all Courts in Generall Iudith seing her chastitie in perill and the time vnmeete to execute her enterprise Subtily drawes the Tyrant to talke of other affaires He thinking to insinuate himself the more into her fauour taketh pleasure to crack of his conquests and of his speciall worthinesse discoursing so long till suppertyme aproached and she auoided the inconuenience And here is to be noted that whilest the tyrants boste of their cruellie against the Church God prouideth for his owne and preserueth them for that worke that he hath ordeined by them to be done THE FIFTH BOOKE OF IVDITH IN stead of mary-in bone and blood in vaines Great Holopherne doth feed his cruell paines He bootlesse flees and feeles but he ne knowes the quenched fire that of his ashes growes For so the charming Image of this Dame the onely mark wherat his soule did ame Tran sported him in passions of dispare that of his mightie camp he quits the care And goes no more his matters to dispatch Nor vewes his corpsgard nor relieues his watch Nor counsell calls nor sent to spye the coste Nor vewes the quarters of his spacious hoste But as the sheep that haue no hirde nor guide But wandring strayes along the riuers side Throu burbling brookes or throu the forests grene Throw medows closures or throu shadows shene Right so the Heathen hoste without all bridle Runns insolent to vicious actions ydle where none obeyes ech one commanding speaks Eche one at pleasure from his bāner breaks What do you Hebrews now within your wall Now time to fight or neuer time at all To pay these Pagans whose confused corse Combats against themselfs with deadly forse Nay stay a while of such a great victorie Your onely God will haue the onely glorie Before this tyrant was with loue yblent To winne the towne he plyde his whole entent But now both night day his mynd doth frame to conquer this most chast vnconquest Dame So lust him led th' vndaunted Theban knight with weightie mace had neuer him affright But now a womans looke his hart enfeares And in his brest the curelesse wound he beares Ambition erst so had him ouercumme that made him dayly ryse by sound of drumme Now Cupid him awaks with whote allarmes That his witholds to do the Hebrewes harmes Before he rulde aboue both prince and king now can he not himself in order bring Alas quod he what life is this I haue Becomming captiue to my captiue slaue Complaint vnhappie chance what life is this I say My vertue gone my forces falls away Nay sure no life it is more paine I feele The Ixion torne vpon th' Eternall wheele Pronit there My life is like the theefes that stoale the fire On whose mor tall hart doth alwayes tire A rauenous fowle that gnaues him to the bone Reuiuing still bound to the Scythian stone what serues it me t' haue won wher I haue haūted what serues my victor arme for to haue daunted The people situate tweene Hydaspe large And port wher Cydnus doth in sea discharge Since I am vanquisht by the feeble sight Of captiue Iudith what auaills my might My targe of steele my Burguinet of Brasse My guard of warriours stout where so I passe Since her sweete eye hath sent the pointed dart Throgh men weapōs pearcing throu my hart Whatserues my coursers who with swiftnes light Exceeds the swallow swiftest bird of flight since I on him cannot auoide one ynch the care that night and day my hart doth pinch Then chāge ô Hebrews chāge your tears in song And triumphe ore-my hoste and army strong I am no more that Duke whose name allone hath made great wariours quake both lim bone But I am he whose hart was sometime braue Now lesse then nought the slaue but of a slaue I come not here your Izak to annoy with fire and sword your houses to distroy But to require your Iudith her to render More milde to me What is my wit so slender berapt with loue haue I not here my ioye that onely may relieue me from annoye yet neuerthelesse I clieue the aire in vaine with plaints and makes myne eyes but fountaines twaine I wretch am like the wretched man indeed Tantalus the more he hath the greater is his need Although he deeply plonge in water cleare To quenche his thrist yet is he not the neare for so do I respect the heavnly grace that largely is bestowde vpon hir face that with mine eyes I dare not
with her garland shewde in sight On his Horizon to renue the night This widow finding then the tyme vnmete Gods iust determination to complete Made much delay and fand full many-a skuse with sundrie talke this tyrant to abuse And sayd my Lord I pray you shewe to me what furie iust hath movde your maiestie what haue our people done please it your grace By whome or when that Izaks holy race Might so prouoke a Prince to wrackfull warre In toungs and lawes so seprate from vs farre Then sayd the Duke vncourteous should I be If I denye ô faire to answer thee Now as the heavne two Sunnes cannot containe So in this earth two kings cannot remaine Of equall state So doth ambition craue One king will not another equall haue My Prince is witnesse who at warrs did fall with king Arphaxat cause he raisde his wall Of Ecbatane so high that it did shame to Niniuè and Babell feard the same For which he vndertooke to spoyle his throne And race his Scepter to the lowest stone with spite his buildings braue he cast adowne Arphaxat then a man of great renowne And worthie of his Scepter and his state thought better in the field to make debate Then beare a scorne his Meds to battell drew Thus tweene them two did cruell warre ensewe Arphaxat armed all the yles of Greece where Iason was but sought no golden fleece But golden lingots with aboundant gaine wher Phasis streame bedewes the pleasant plaine The Harmastans and Albans strong and wise that sowes but once and haue their haruest thrise The men that neare to Oxus banks a bydes And those that Antitaurus horns deuydes And those that mans the mount vpon whose brest the shipt that scapt the genrall flood did rest And those that are not hyd within the Reame wher proude Iaxartes flowes with furious streame In short the Meds brought men to ayde their plea From Pontus farre beyond the Caspian sea And of this Hoste Arphaxat was commander with hope and hart more high then Alexander My prince desirons then to winne or dye Left nought vndone that furthred to supplye His troubled state he armed Syttacene And waged Archers out of Osrohene ye lords of lands that yelds the hundreth corne Leaue Euphrates bounds where ye were borne ye Carmans bolde that all on fish do feede And of their pelts do make your warlike weede Leaue Hytan bounds go seeke the golden sands ye Parths ye Cosses Arabs and ye lands That of your Magi Prophets thinks ye know their spells deuine your self for pikmen show O Calde chaunge thine Astrolab and square To speare and shield for we no wight will spare Of able age of high or lowe degrie that trails the pik or launce layes on his thie Let women Children and the burghers olde At home alone let them their houses holde VVe somond eke the Persians and Phoenicians the soft Aegyptians Hebrewes and Cilicians 〈◊〉 come in hast ioyne their force to ours But they disdainfully deteind their powrs And with their wicked hands and words vnsage They did our sacred messengers outrage My maister for a time put vp this wrong Attending tyme to quite these enmies strong with purpose more at leasure to prouyde t' abate this sacrilegious peoples pride Two greater kings were neuer seene beforne then camped was in Ragau field at morne Battell with hautie harts enarmed all in yre Ech soldier set an other so on fire that scarsly they could keep them in their bound till pype or Cymball or the trumpets sound Denounce the choke but with ther furious faces they thret their foes afarre with fell menaces And strokes at hand two thousand Lads forlorne to blunt the sword were downe in battell borne Vpon their flanks flew feruently the stones that bet their bucklers to their brused bones The squadrons then steps sternly to the strokes with harts in humain all the battell yokes And are supplyde with many mightie bands Some counters them and sternly them withstands with foote to foote ech other ouer plyes Both Meds and Caldes clasp with gastly cryes Like Nilus streame that frō the rocks doth rōble Or Encelade when he in tombe doth tomble Here some lyes headles some that cannot stand trails on his wombe wants both foote hand cut off with stroks some perst throu plate mail◠Some shoulder slasht some panched in th' entrails Some brains outbet some in the guts were gorde Some dying vomit blood some were smorde Some neither quicke nor dead do yet attend what place it pleaseth god their soules to send So loth the litle life that doth abyde Is from the dying body to deuyde The ground that erst was yellow grene blew Is ouercled with blood in purpure hew While this man giues some one his deadly baine He of another gets the like againe The rage encreasing growes with yrefull flame the field is spred with bodies dead and lame Like as ye see the wallowing sea to striue Flood after floode and waue with waue to driue Comparison Then waues with waues the floods with floods do chace And eft returnes vnto their former place Or like the crops of corne in mids of May blowne with the westren wind aside doth sway Both to and fro as force doth them constraine And yet their tops redresseth vp againe So whiles the Syrians are by Meds displaced And whiles the Meds by Syrians are rechaced Then like two raging floods that down doe fall From two contrarie mutine mountaines tall Downe bearing bridge bank and all destroyes And striues which one may do the most annoyes So these two kings in force and courage stout Exceld the rest with slaughter them about VVherso they preast they left on either side Behind them two long opned wayes and wide for all their bucklers Morions and Quiraces were of no proofe against their peisant maces Yet for the time the Meds so fearcely fought that they th' Assyrian bands in terrour brought And pauld their soldiers harts brak their might Who ouercome tooke them to shamefull flight The Meds pursewde and wounded in that chace ten thousand men but none vpon the face In short this day our Scepter had depriued Had I not like the thunder dint arriued In battels brunt Their male their vantbras Their helme and shield before my Coutelas Were fraile as glas and neuer a stroke Hent But deadly was and them more terrour sent then all our camp The soldier then in feare with trēbling hand could scarsly weild his speare the palhewd knight with hart in brest that quakes His thyes in sadle and feete in stirrops shakes for dread of me There some with trenchant glaiue From hight of head to midle downe I claiue And some so farre I foyned through the Iack the blade aperde a foote behind his back So that the Meds afrayd at such a thing In heat of fight they fled left their king who seing himself betrayd his clothes he rent And