thou wilt yet revoke thy lavish breath And be converted to our gods and faith An act of our Oblivion quits our wrath Or else what tortures deaths black shop can lend Shall all concur unto thy wretched end I am sorry gracious Prince the Saint reply'd Your love is to such strict conditions ty'd Might it be purchas'd as that golden Fleece Was from the watchful Dragon brought to Greece Or to obtain it had but Caesar bid Me do those labours great Alcides did I had been press'd but to adore a Devil Instead of Jesus I abhor that evil I will not blot my soul for the worlds gain With such a foul indefricable stain And much I muse great Majesty that you To whom all knees 'twixt East and West do bow Can deign to undergo such vile abjection As tendring to a Devil your genuflection O cease from hence greeat Emperor to prophane Your far commanding tongue with that loath'd Name Of god Apollo honour Christ alone And all contentments shall attend your Throne Too much too much cry'd Caesar we have heard And with redoubled clamours call'd the Guard Whose bloody haste his hasty words out-run As bullets do the loud report of Gun And with such raptive rage did snatch him thence As to the Tyrant gave great complacence And then include him in a dampish grate Whose noysom vapours well-nigh suffocate A place where never any yet drew breath But Homicides and men design'd for death There laid they him supinate on the ground His hands and feet in fetters strongly bound Placing a pondrous stone upon his breast Which many Christian souls had dispossess'd Of earthly cages who in joyes Divine Adorn'd with glorious Martyrs crowns now shine And in that Dens profundity alone St. George with joy doth now embrace that stone And with continual laudes and hymns exprest His most indissoluble love to Christ And Caesar now the second day repairs To reconsult upon his great affairs Where his chief Lords with great circumfluence In Council-Hall surround their awful Prince Who scarcely can propound his vile decree Ere his obsequious Lords do all agree And having for some certain hours debated Their horrid acts which great Jehovah hated Caesar sent one to know what sad distress St. George endur'd under his massy Press For he had lain under that pondrous stone Till Titan once about the world had gone So that the Councils judgement was inforc'd To think his soul and body were divorc'd Or did remain in such a languid state He would be ready to obtemperate But their vain hopes the event deluded quite For loe the glorious Saint approach'd their sight With so great animosity and beauty His graceful presence seem'd to challenge duty Which sight did the spectators so amaze That for a space they sit in mutual gaze But Caesar fearing lest that some incline To think the Saint preserv'd by grace Divine Thus with scurrility begun to speak Thou grand Professor of the Magick feat I have another tortular device Which shall enforce thee to our Sacrifice You are mistaken said the Saint again We Christians do abhor such arts prophane It is that cursed Devil which you adore Upholds his honour by the Magick power But we that Devil and all his arts despise Much less will tender him our sacrifice Or be enforced to commit such evil By any servant of that hateful Devil And know great Caesar that for Jesus sake I shall your torturing grooms defatigate Well said the Tyrant and I shall provide Such kind of tortures for thee to abide Shall strow thy mangled limbs to Crows and Kites And spare thy Coffin and thy Funeral rites Go Rack-masters fetch from your crimson School The sharpest to tures for this Christian fool At which command they brought a pondrous wheel All circumdented with huge knives of steel Which engine was the dreadfullest that yet Invented was by any tyrants wit And on this wheel extens'd by feet and hands St. George was laid fast manicled in bands And here brave English if you wish to see A perfect type of magnanimity Come and attend your noble Patrons story For here are combats of the greatest glory For all St. George his great exploits in War To this Heroick act but may-games are For never did pale death in form appear So full of horror as this Ensign here Nor with less fear did ever mortal wight Confront such danger then our valiant Knight Who on this wheel doth lye with pleasant cheer As if that wheel some bed of Roses were Whilst now the turning of that rotal mass Doth by the bloody knives so grind and gash The holy Martyr through each side and limb That the spectators loath'd to look on him And were enforced to divert their eyes With detestation of those butcheries And Dioclesian judging him quite slain Glorying in his revenge departs again But scarce this Tyrant left the blood-goar'd ground When from the Heavens a great and fearful sound Break through the Airy regions with huge noise And to the Martyr did transport this voice Be constant George in witnessing my Name For thy Confession many souls must gain Which by thy passions must enlightned be And at my Altars come to honour me And when this great and fearful voice was done An Angel came in glory like the Sun And the blest Martyr from the wheel unbound And closed up again each gaping wound Resolidating every broken limb That not one fraction did appear in him And resanated thus by heavenly power The Saint stood ready still to suffer more T' amazed gazers at this strange ostent Like marble Statues all sit conticent But one of those with whose distracted sence This glorious wonder did at last dispence Went to call back the Emperor again From sacrificing to his gods prophane At whose return sight of St. George restor'd To perfect health like knives his bosom goar'd His eyes like bifrons Janus rouled he Scarce trusting them in things he loath'd to see But as he fluctuates thus occasions fall Of newer griefs to torture him withal Two reverent Councellors whose white hair'd scalps Might vie their candor with the snow crown'd Alps Prudent as those which in Bomes Senate sit When Constantine the great first Lorded it Resolv'd to throw Natures long Leases in And Martyrs crowns with their short lives to win In the fierce Tyrants presence did appear And these bold words presented to his ear Why doth obdurate Caesar vail his eyes When gratious Heavens do thus miraculize Desist great Monarch from your bloody spight You do in vain against Christ Jesus fight For if the Christian Faith transgress your Laws Our lives are ready to maintain that Cause Which words from reverence spoke and heavenly grace Threw such confusion in the Tyrants face That this grim Tyrants Diabolick state No Radamanthus can equiparate His mouth a Mortar-piece did best resemble His words Granadoes-like made all to tremble And in revenge made his unreverent Grooms Behead those reverent Martyrs without dooms But
Priests give their consent We by removal scape this punishment For Jove as all our Priests affirm did bring This Monster for to vindicate our sin And therefore do we offer every day A Maid of noble linage for his prey By Joves decree whose Priest expresly saith Those Virgins blood must expiate his wrath And having had Joves preordained number The monster will no more our Land incumber But at the last their Sacriledge did bring Unto that fate the daughter of our King Who for her birth sake hath by Joves consent An hundred dayes to her in respite lent But then as an Oblation must be ty'd Unto a Pillar neer the Cities side Upon the margent of a Lake profound Which doth circumplicate an Orb of ground Wherein this ugly Dragon hath his Den Within the concave of a loathsom Fen From whence he cometh to the Town each day To fetch the Virgin his oblated prey Which if he find not at the pillar plac'd His pest and ravine doth our City waste Now therefore Romans unto you I came Because to us it is divulg'd by fame Here is a God call'd Jesus Christ whose power Surpasseth all the gods that we adore And that his servants far more potent are Then Mars Apollo or great Jupiter If therefore that great God would some design And him invertue with his power Divine To kill this Dragon and set free our Land His Altars should in all our Temples stand And that same Champion so select by him Shall have great honours from th' Arabian King Which words did make that canvass builded City Much moved both with wonder and with pitty But not a tongue durst speak of Jesus Name Lest his bold words to Caesars hearing came Until St. George whose never daunted brest Much longing to divulge the power of Christ Replied Arabian loe I am the man Which dare encounter that Leviathan And shall thereby discriminate the odds 'Twixt Jesus Christ and your deluding gods For if I do not Heavens decrees misconster I am design'd the ruin of that Monster And hope my Imperial Lord will lend to me Some certain time to set that Princess free And if I do survive I vow my hands Shall expeditiously wait his commands But by these words the Emperor did find His General was to Christian Faith inclin'd And vexed said Let the mad Christian go I cannot match him with a fitter foe But then the Arabian said Brave Champion know It is not your hand nor a thousand moe Can conquer him Christ must his Champion save Or the great Dragons guts must be his grave But yet this fearless Knight himself addrest Unto Arabia on this famous quest And came at last conducted by his Guide Unto Berytus their chief Cities side Upon whose Walls the Citizens appear In sable Robes to shew their mournful cheer Expecting now this being the latest day To see the Dragon fetch his Royal prey But as they gaz'd behold this Christian Knight Approached neer upon a Courser bright On whose white back reflective Sun-beams shine From his guilt Armor like some light Divine Making th' amazed gazers to suppose Some glory did both man and horse inclose And others which were more idolatrous Thought him their day-god on his Pegasus But surely of this Knight spoke David then That God from Angels scarce distinguish'd men For he appeared in as glorious show As that arm'd Angel came to Jerico For never Knight in combat lift but he Appeared with such God-like Majesty Nor of our English or Barbarian breed Could ever Horse compare with his white Steed So that all circling Titan ne're lent light Unto so brave or so well-mounted Knight But as St. George rode thus in Martial guise Loe his fair eye as fair an Object spies For here alas the Kings sole Daughter stands Ty'd to a Pillar by her dainty hands This being th' appointed day her woful fate The Priests of Jove would not procrastinate So there she stood and like an Angel shone In purest lawns fret o're with gold and stone Which scarce her bosoms candor could conceal It gave such luster through that slender vail Her dangling tresses strove her face to hide Scorning to prostitute rich natures pride Or lest some eyes gazing on her fair cheek Should lose themselves and have their light to seek For she all Ladies did surpass as far As orbed Cynthia doth the dimmest star And nature had exprest in her such power As she ne're daind to shew the world before For since th'alternate course of nights and dayes Shone never Lady with such sideral blaze And sure her piteous looks were then so sweet As had made Tygers prostrate at her feet Or calm'd the Dragon with her eyes sweet glance Without th' assistance of St. George his Lance But as she raised her dejected eyes St. George the star of Knighthood she espies Who after congeant tender of his duty To her the Phenix of all mortal beauty Said Royal Princess I am a Christian Knight Which with this dreadful Dragon came to fight Drawn hither from th' Italian Wars with pitty Of your distress and this abused City And am resolv'd to win your liberty Or have precedence in your Tragedy Brave Knight said she again return again I prize thy love but thy attempt is vain Hadst thou the cloud-supporting Atlas power Or wert sublime and strong as Babels Tower The suffocation of this Dragons breath Would leave thee inclos'd in the cold arms of death For Jove himself did this great Monster bring Thou dost oppose our gods opposing him What honour then bold Knight canst thou attain To cast thy self away for glory vain Or what avails it now proud Phaeton That he rid in the chariot of the Sun Do not therefore such daring actions follow Take councel and be not thy own Apollo To whom the valiant Knight reply'd again Fair Princess you do much mistake my aim My youth 's not heated with vain glorious fire Nor your rare beauties which all else admire I came not hither on such vain pretence My mission is of greater consequence The finger of the Christian God points me To overthrow your vain idolatry This Monster here was meerly bred by kind Nor was he hither sent by Jove assign'd Though Jove would now the King tempt to such evil As offering his fair Daughter to the Devil For trust me Madam those you gods do call Are manufacts and things inanimal Wherein the damned spirits augurize To make the simple give them sacrifice Yet know not those damn'd Angels things to come Nor have they prescience of the Almighties doom But intermix conjectural truths with lyes Which proves they are but Devils not Deities But Jesus Christ torments those gods of yours Which are but damned subterranean powers With dateless pains Nor could they move from thence But by the leave of his Omnipotence Be happy then and expiate Gods wrath By your conversion to the Christian Faith And doubt not but he will invertue me In spight of all
is the true Deity I hope I shall that favour impetrate T' invest the dusty dead with vital shape Which said he humbly prostrates on the ground Praying to Christ with piety profound Till trembling Tellus did begin to gape As if she would her self deviscerate Whilst from her jaws St. George a man did call Whose lively form did personate King Saul At which prodigious sight the Roman crouds Extoll'd the power of Jesus to the clouds And with opprobrious words did signifie Their great contempt of all idolatry But hear my Muse engage thy faculties The Tyrants fury to characterize That black Lord of th' infernal sulpherous flames When Hercules knock'd out his Porters brains Was but his type nor greater rage did throw Upon Gods Saints then did this Tyrant do Their mutual malice and inveterate hate Caesar and Satan both concatenate Such friends as Pilate and false Herod were Against the Lord of life when he liv'd here So that in deeds and tortures it is clear Caesar and Satan both confatal were And both alike did brook those joyful cryes As show'd by rageful rabulosities Which were so obsonant to every ear That never Christian like to them did hear Blasphemous Julian and that Philistine Which was corrected by King Davids fling And those great builders of old Babels Tower Which breath'd defiance against th' Almighties power Might plead their blasphemies but venial sin Had they compai'd with Dioelesian been But when his tongues fellifluence had spent What Satan his Dictator could invent Loathing St. George his presence he commands His Grooms to whip him with impetuous hands Unto a Dungeon which grim Pluto might For depth and horror challenge for his right Or else the Closet which he did assign Unto his Dam the snakie Proserpine But loe th' effect of Davids Prophesie That earths Abisms should Jesus glorifie For hither crouds of Convertites resort Drawn by his famous miracles report Which by St. George his preaching unto them By multitudes converted souls became ' Mongst whom was one Glicerius dull and rude But compleat in the gift of fortitude Whilst this Georgick Groom pursued his toyl His Ox fell dead in plowing of the soyl Which loss did much depauperate the Swain Because his tillage did his House maintain Wherefore in haste he to the Martyr went With earnest sute but little complement And pray'd him of his charity redress His grievous chance and indigent distress St. George the loss commiserating much Which did this rural swain so nearly touch And well discerning the great confidence Which he repos'd in Christs Omnipotence Said Glicery believe in Jesus Name And be assur'd thy Ox shall live again The man return'd and finding him alive Continual thanks did unto Jesus give Who useth much his servants to convert By miracles consorting to their Art The draught of fish Christ bid St. Peter draw Confirm'd that Fisher-man in Christian Law When prison doors unlock'd themselves to Paul Converted Jaylors at his feet did fall And now this Ox rais'd by Christs power again Made the bold Plow-man to confess Christs Name For which through Caesars cruelties he try'd A world of tortures and with honour dy'd Loe not the Heralds book Heavens Registers Should guide the Writers of mens characters For here you see this Groom with life's expence Nobly maintain'd the Churches eminence Whilst there stood by him many a Lord and Peer Who durst not Christ confess through slavish fear But now I leave this blessed Convertite And of St. George his great Converter write Who fast inclos'd in his dark Conditory Was sought out by the King of endless glory Who with his presence made that den of night Competitor with heaven it self for light O wondrous thing that mortal man can move The great Almighty thus to Court his love And like Pigmalion but with sacred flame To fall in love with what his hands did frame Surely the Angels were they not Divine Might at these graces to St. George repine That none of them might this embassage bring Or internunciate 'twixt their Lord and him But that himself must thus come visit men Both in the High-ways and in dirty den As witness both St. Paul this Martyr here And many moe to whom he did appear But Jesus now to make his love more known Set on St. George his head a glorious Crown And thus pours out his most immense affection Be constant George I will be thy protection Lose not the glorious place prepar'd for thee With tortures terror or timidity To whom the prostrate Martyr thus replies My soul abhorreth such Apostacies I am resolv'd t' obtain the Martyrs crown Were it to suffer till the day of Doom But Lord my frailty is well known to thee Support sweet Jesus my proclivity Thus Christ his Saint left in that nightful place But all illuminate with heavenly grace But Caesars grief sticks to him more and more Like to the burning shirt Alcides wore Vexing to see the Saint his malice scorns As Hunters Acteons long revengeless horns And still his griefs do stick unto his heart Until he can the glorious Saint pervert Which to effect he now puts confidence In gratious usage and blandiloquence No hour doth pass but Caesar to him sends Great visitants to tender his commends No more do his contracted brows look grim But gratious countenance reflect on him Now he commends unto the Jaylors care To serve the Saint with all delicious fare And to omit no diligence therein To notifie his change of love to him All which being done Caesar in Council-Hall Inthron'd amongst his Lords and Princes all Sent for St. George and gracing him far more With all respects of honour then before Bespoke him thus George thy undaunted spirit Hath gain'd so great opinion of thy merit That if thou wouldst a little condescend Thou shouldst be Caesars chief and only friend And all those honours thou possest of late Our bounteous love to thee shall triplicate Be prudent then it rests now at thy pleasure To be an abject or a second Caesar But hereby well the Martyr understands This Syrens song did bode some wrackful sands Which to prevent in blandant manner thus He keeps a project still subnubilous Come gratious Monarch let us go to see That sumptuous Temple of your Deity Which plausive motion so did Caesar win That with embraces he embosom'd him And made it by his Bell-men to be cry'd Apollo conqueror of the crucifi'd And gave command that all his noble train Should to Apollo's Temple wait on them So that there came a greater multitude Then all that spatious Temple could include Th' officious Priests made punctual preparation For all things did belong to their Oblation And nothing wanted now they could desire Except St. George to give th' Oblation fire And his approach their wishes obviates For loe he entred the great Temple gates Attended with moe eyes which came to see Then witnessed great Sampsons Tragedy And silence call'd thus Heavens Commissioner Interrogates the