Which her small fingers draw so ev'n and fine Still at the Centre she her warp begins Then round at length her little threds she pins And equall distance to their compass leaues Then neat and nimbly her new web she weaues With her fine shuttle circularly drawn Through all the circuit of her open lawn Open least else th' vngentle Windes should tear Her cipres Tent weaker then any hair And that the foolish Fly migh easter get Within the meshes of her curious Net Which he no sooner doth begin to shake But streight the Male doth to the Centre make That he may conquer more securely there The humming Creature hampred in his snare You Kings that beare the sword of iust Hostilitie The Lion to Kings Pursue the Proud and pardon true Humilitie Like noble Lions that do neuer showe Their strength and stomach on a yeelding Foe But rather through the stoutest throngs doo forrage ' Mid thousands Deaths to shew their daunt-les courage Thou sluggard if thou list to learn thy part The Emmet and Hedge-hog to the sloathfull Goe learn the Emmets and the Vrchins Art In Summer th' one in Autumn th' other takes The Seasons fruits and thence prouision makes Each in his Lodging laying vp a hoord Against cold Winter which doth nought affoord But Reader We resemble one that windes Man may finde in himself excellent instruction From Saba Bandan and the wealthy Indes Through threatning Seas and dangers manifold To seek far-off for Incense Spice and Gold Sith we not loosing from our proper Strand Finde all wherein a happy life doth stand And our owne Bodies self-contained motions Giue the most gross a hundred goodly Notions You Princes Pastors and ye Chiefs of War The head teacheth all persons in authoritie Do not your Laws Sermons and Orders mar Least your examples banefull leaprosies Infect your Subiects Flocks and Companies Beware your euill make not others like For no part 's sound if once the Head be sick You Peers O doo not through self-partiall zeal The Eys instruct Princes and Noble-men With light-brain'd Counsails vex your Common-weal But as both Eys doo but One thing behold Let each his Countries common good vp-hold You that for Others trauail day and night With much-much labour and small benefite The teeth such as trauaile for others Behold the Teeth which Toule-free grinde the food From whence themselues doo reap more greef then good Euen as the Hart hath not a Moments rest The Hart the Ministers of the Word But night and day moues in our panting brest That by his beating it may still impart The liuely spirits about to euery part So those to whome God doth his Flock betake Ought alwaies study alwaies work and wake To breathe by Doctrin and good Conuersation The quickning spirit into their Congregation And as the Stomach from the holesom food The stomacke the same Diuides the grosser part which is not good They ought from false the truth to separate Error from Faith and Cockle from the Wheat To make the best receiv'd for nourishment The bad cast forth as filthy excrement The Hands all Christians to Charitie If Bat or Blade doo threaten sodain harm To belly brest or leg or head or arm With dread-less dread the hand doth ward the blowe Taking her self her brethrens bleeding woe Then mid the shock of sacrilegious Arms That fill the world with blood and boistrous storms Shall we not lendour helping hands to others Whom Faith hath made more neer and deer then Brothers Nor can I see where vnderneath the Sky The whole body the whole society of mankind that euery one ought to stand in his owne vocation A man may finde a iuster Policy Or truer Image of a calme Estate Exempt from Faction Discord and Debate Then in th' harmonious Order that maintains Our Bodies life through Members mutual pains Where one no sooner feels the least offence But all the rest haue of the same a sense The Foot striues not to smell the Nose to walk The Tongue to combat nor the Hand to talk But without troubling of their Common-weal With mutinies they voluntary deal Each in his Office and Heav'n-pointed place Bee 't vile or honest honoured or base But soft my Muse what wilt thou re-repeat The Little-Worlds admired Modulet If twice or thrice one and the same we bring 'T is teadious how euer swect we sing Ther-fore a-shoar Mates let our Anchor fall Heer blowes no Winde heer are we Welcom all Besides consider and conceiue I pray W'haue row'd sufficient for a Sabbath Day THE END OF THE FIRST WEEK Du BARTAS His SECOND VVEEKE Disposed After the proportion of his First Into SEAVEN DAYES viz. THE 1. ADAM THE 2. NOAH THE 3. ABRAHAM THE 4. DAVID THE 5. ZEDECHIAS THE 6. MESSIAS THE 7. Th' ETERNAL SABBATH But of the three last Death preuenting Our Noble Poet hath depriued vs. Acceptam refero TO THE MOST ROYAL PATTERN AND PATRON OF LEARNING AND RELIGION THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT BRITAINE FRANCE IRELAND TR VE DEFENDER OF THE TR VE ANTIENT CHRISTIAN CATHOLIKE AND APOSTOLIKE FAITH c. 1. SONNET From ZEAL Land sayling with the Winde of Loue In the Bark LABOVR stirr'd by Theorems Laden with â—ope and with DESIRE t' approve Bound for Cape Comfort in the I le of IHMMES In such a Mist wee fell vpon the Coast That sodainly vpon the Rock Neglect Vnhappily our Ship and Goods we lost Even in a Place that we did least suspect So Cast away my LIEGE and quight vn-don We Orphan-remnants of a wofefull Wrack Heer cast a-shore to Thee for succour run O Pittie vs for our deer Parent 's sake Who Honour'd Thee both in his Life and Death And to thy guard his POSTHVMES did bequeath 2. SONNET These glorious WORKS and gratefull Monuments Built by Du BARTAS on the â—yrenaeis Your Royall Vertues to immortalize And magnifie your rich Munificence Haue prov'd so Charge-full to Trans-port from thence That our smal Art's-stâ—ck hardly could suffize To vnder go so great an Enterprize But is even beggerd with th' vn-cast Expense So that except our Muses SOVERAIN With gracious Eye regard her spent Estate And with a hand of Princely Fauour daign To stay her fall before it be too-late She needs must fail as lending Light about Self-spending Lamps for lack of Oyl go-out Voy Sire Saluste To the Right Excellent and most hopefull young Prince HENRY Prince of WALES ANAGR Henricus Stuartus Hic strenuus ratus THE TROPHEIS MAGNIFICENCE THe gratious Welcome You vouchsaf't yer-while To my grave PIBRAC though but meanly clad Makes BARTAS now no Stranger in this Isle More bold to come though suted even as clad To kiss Your HIGHNES Hand and with Your Smile To Crown His Haps and Our faint Hopes to glad Whose weary longings languish in our Stile For in our Wants our very Songs be sad Hee brings for
ground still woorm-like basely crawling Dare not attempt nor scarcely think precise Any great Act or glorious Enterprise Because Ambition Custom and the Law From high Estate hath bounded them with aw Where He that never rightly learn'd t obay Commandeth not with heavy Sword of Sway Where each i' th' Publik having equall part All to save all will hazard life and hart Where Liberty as deer as life and breath Born with vs first consorts vs to our Death Shall savage Beasts like-better Nuts and Mast Simile In a free Forrest than our choise Repast In iron Cages and shall we poor Sots Whom Nature Masters of our selues allots And Lords of All besides shall we go draw On our owne necks an ease-les Yoak of Aw Rather O IACOB chuse we all to die Than to betray our Native Libertie Than to becom the sporting Tennis-ball Of a proud Monarch or to yeeld vs thrall To seive or honor any other King Than that drad LAVV which did from SINA ring Another then whom Age made venerable 2. Another of a reverent Senator for Aristocracy or the rule of a chosen Synâ—de of the best men Knowledge admir'd and Office honorable Stands-vp and speaks maiestically-milde On other Piles the COMMON-WEAL to build Doubt-les said he with waste of Time and Soap Y'have labour'd long to wash an AETHIOPE Y'have drawn vs heer a goodly form of STATE And well we have had proof of it of late Shall we again the Sword of IVSTICE put In mad mens hands soon their owne throats to cut What Tiger is more fierce what Bear more fel Comparisons What Chaff more light What Sea more apt to swel Than is th' vnbridled Vulgar passion-toss't In calms elated in foul-weather lost What boot deep Proiects if to th' eyes of all They must be publisht in the common Hall Sith knowen Designs are dangerous to act And th' vn-close Chief did never noble fact DEMOCRACY is as a tossed Ship Void both of Pole and Pilot in the Deep Simile A Senate fram'd of thousand Kinglings slight Where voices pass by number not by waight Where wise men do propound and Fools dispose A Fair where all things they to sale expose Simile A Sink of Filth where ay th' infamousest Simile Most bold and busie are esteemed best A Park of savage Beasts that each-man dreads Simile A Head-les Monster with a thousand heads What shall we then do shall we by and by In Tyrants paws deiect vs servilely Nay rather shunning these extremities Let vs make choise of men vp right and wise Of such whose Vertue doth the Land adorn Of such whom Fortune hath made Noble-born Of such as Wealth hath rais'd above the pitch Of th' abiect Vulgar and to th' hands of such Such as for Wisedom Wealth and Birth excell Let vs commit the Reans of ISRAEL And ever from the sacred Helm exclude The turbulent base moody Multitude Take away Choise and where is Vertue 's grace What shall not Chance vnto Desert give place And Lots to Right Shall not the blinde be led Simile By those whose eyes are perfect in their head Chiefly amid ' such baulks and blocks and Pits As in best State-paths the best States-man meets Who may be better trusted with the key Comparison Of a great Chest of Gold and gems than they That got the same And who more firm and fit At carefull Stern of POLICIE to sit Than such as in the Ship most venture bear Such as their owne wrack with the State 's wrack fear Such as Content and having Much to lose Even Death it self rather than Change would chuse While he discourst thus on a Theam so grave 3. The Oration of a Noble yong Prince for Monarchy or the sole Soveraintiâ— of a KING Vp-rose a Gallant noble yong and brave Fo to the Vulgar one that hop't perchance One-day t' attain a Scepters governance And thus he speaks Your RVLE is yet too Free. Y'have proin'd the leaves not boughs of Publik-Tree Y'have qualified but not yet cur'd our Grief Y'have in our Field still left the tares of Strife Of Leagues and Factions For plurality Of Heads and Hands to sway an Emperie Is for the most part like vntamed Bulls One this way hales another that way pulls Simile All every-way hurried with Passion 's windes Whither their Lust-storms do transport their mindes At length the strongest bears the weakest down And to himself wholly vsurps the Crown And so in fine your Aristocracie He by degrees brings to a Monarchie In brief the Scepter Aristocratike And People-Sway have * A passion following any sicknesse symptomes both a-like And neither of them can be permanent For want of Vnion which of Gouernment Is both the Life-bloud and Preservative Wherby a STATE yong strong and long doth thrive But MONARCHY is as a goodly Station Built skilfully vpon a sure Foundation A quiet House wherin as principall One Father is obey'd and serv'd of all A well-rigd Ship where when the danger 's neer A many Masters strive not who shall steer The world hath but One God Heav'n but One Sun Quails but One Chief the Hony-Birds but One One Master-Bee and Nature natively Graves in our hearts the Rule of MONARCHY At sound of whose Edicts all ioynt-proceed Vnder whose Sway Seditions never breed Who while consulting with Colleagues he stands Le ts not the Victory escape his hands And that same Maiesty which as the Base And Pedestal supports the waight and grace Greatnes and glory of a well-Rul'd State It not extinguisht nor extenuate By being parcelliz'd to a plurality Of petty Kinglings of a mean Equality Like as a goodly River deep and large Simile Able to bear Ships of the greatest Charge If through new Dikes his trade-full Waters guided Be in a hundred little Brooks divided No Bridge more fears nor Sea more waighs the same But soon it loses both his trade and name And to conclude a wise and worthy Prince A KING compleat in Royall excellence Is even the Peoples prop their powrfull nerves And lively Law that all intire preserves His Countrie 's life and soule sight and fore-sight And even th' Almightie's sacred Picture right While yet he spake the People loudly cri'd A KING a KING wee 'll have a KING for Guide He shall command He shall conduct our Hoasts And make vs Lords of th' IDVMEAN Coasts Ingrate said SAMVEL will you then reiect Th' Almighties Scepter do you more affect New POLICY than his olde PROVIDENCE And change th' Immortall for a mortall Prince Well Rebels well you shall you shall have one A KINGs Prerogatiue But do ye knowe what followes ther-vpon He from your Ploughs shall take your Horses out To serve his Pomp and draw his Train about In gilden Coaches a wilde wanton sort Of Popiniayes and Peacocks of the Court He shal your choisest Sons and Daughters take To be his Servants nay his slaves to make You shall plant Vineyards
Mardochey and the five Maccabees All the right heirs of heart and zeal paternall Receiue their guerdon from the great Eternall And vp again their stooping standards raise 13 Before these Warriours and the Royall band March holy Fathers that with vertue rare And holy Doctrine did the Diuell dare Foyling the force of his infernall hand 14 Enos by whom this World 's great Archi-tect Was call'd vpon leadeth religious That holy Father God took vp from vs Henoch Noah And him whose ship did saue the world Elect. 15 Then Sem and Iapheth and great Abraham Isaak The Faithfull's Father and his faithfull Son And then his Nephew that saw Angels run Iacob Both vp down froÌ„ Heav'n to th' earthly frame 16 Aron Eleazar Phinees full of zeal Good Ioyada and hundred Priests select That were by Heav'n by zeal and Church elect To keep the law the Lord did once reveal 17 His Father who was sent to sweep the way Zacharias Ioseph Of sweet Messias then the man suppos'd To be His Sire then He that Him inclos'd In 's ioyfull arms and sung a Swan-like Lay. Simeon 18 Then Barnabas Titus and Timothy Paul's famous Friends Sins fierce and deadly Foes And he that did by Sol's Eclipse suppose Som greater Sun to be Eclips't than he 19 Then this brave Triumph to adorn the more All on a rowe a hundred Prophets com Which haue so sure fore-told the things to-com As if indeed they had been don before 20 There first coms he that in the Coach of fire Elias By Gods strong Spirit was rapt above the Air Elizeus And then his Seruant that was made his heir Of cloak and knowledge as he did desire 21 He that reproov'd old Ishay's Sceptred Son Nathan For double fault Amos Ezechiel Ioel Semyah Abdiah Daniel And he that three dayes in the Sea did won Ionas 22 With these I see the Sonn of Barachie Zachariah Both Michais Baruc Iehu Ieremias Agg ' Abacuc Nahum and Sophonias Ahias Hosè Esdras Malachie 23 The glorious troop that march before this troop Are Martyrs all who full of constant zeal Their faith infract with their owne blouds did seal And never did to any Tyrant stoop 24 Their blessed bloud is like the morning dewe To make more fertil all the Churches field These are the weapons that inforce to yield The furious foe examples not a fewe 25 For as a fruit-Treelopped in December For one old Trunk many new twigs returns Which Nature kindely with sweet fruit adorns So one sole Martyr many doth ingender 26 First Abel goes then Ioyad's zealous Son That neer the Altar constant yielded breath Esay Iohn Baptist. The next goes he Manasses put to death Then he whose head th' incestuous Dancer won 27 Next Salone and her Sons who rather chose To cross the King than God strengthning each other Even in their death Sons worthy such a Mother And Mother worthy of such Sons as those 28 That Proto-Martyr the yong faithfull Steven Whom th' hatefull Iews with hellish rage did stone Who dying saw Christ Iesus on his Throne Leads those that for like cause their lives have given 29 Som smear'd with honey for the Flies were feasts Som men did eat som were on Gridirons broyl'd Som nayl'd on Crosses som in Caldrons boyl'd And som were throwen to most devouring beasts 30 After the Champions of this humble Troop I see fair Sara Rebecca Rachel Then Debora stout Iudeth and Iahel Who Faiths Viragoes their proud Foes did stoop 31 Then she that rais'd to Royall state and stile â—ester Preserv'd her people in a rank she goes With Naomi Ruth and the Dame that chose Rather to die than Nuptiall bed defile Susanna 32 From these mineeie no sooner trauerseth But I discern three Ladies zealous-led That sought their living Lord among the dead Then Anna Martha and Elizabeth 33 But my weak eyes cannot indure to gaze The Virgin Mary On beaming beauties of that Mother-Maid Who Sier-less bore her Sire yet ever-maid Of Faith and Loue th' inimitable maze 34 This this my Muse this is th' Aurora cleer Which brought the Sun to light the world vnkinde A Virgin pure in body and in minde Christ's Mother Sister Spouse and Daughter deer 35 God's holy Temple and the happy stair Wher-by the Heav'ns came down to dwell with Earth Rich-fraighted Ship Vessell of rarest worth Where Phoebus hid his beams most bright and fair Canto IIII. 1 I Thought to haue been now at my Races end T' haue though vnworthy born away the prise But I fall short my task doth longer rise For half the Trophè is yet hardly penn'd 2 Before Faith's Coach born in convenient height Are curious Tables draw'n by cunning hand Where after guise of warlik Romans stand The Victories of never-conquer'd Faith 3 Heer Iericho's cloud-kissing Towrs doo fall Iosua 6. 20. Batter'd alone by Faith's great Ordinance A coumpt-less hoast of craking Idolants 2. King 18 13 2. Chron. 32 20 Esa. 37 21 By Esaâ—e's Faith is heer confounded all 4 By Faith meek Moses with a zeal-full ire Arms smallest Worms th' Egyptian King to vex Exod. 7 8 9 Daniel by Faith fierce Lyons fury checks Dan. 6. 12 And quenches Dragons hot impoysoning fire 5 Heer Paul by Faith fears not in Mitylene Act. 28 5 The deadly sting of th' vgly Viper-worm Heer myching Ionas sunk in suddain Storm Ionas 22 Of his Deliverance finds a fish the mean 6 Then in another Table that was fram'd By Art exceeding Art I did espie Pale Death blithe Health and frail Infirmity That had by Faith a thousand times been tam'd 7 Moses by Faith doth Myriam leperize Num. 12 10 By Faith Elisha curing Naaman 2. King 6 14 17 The Syrian Prince strikes instantly his man With his Disease for Bribing Covetize 8 A man of God by Faith first strangely dri'd 1. King 13 4 6 Then heal'd again that King 's vnholy hand Who made ten Tribes of God's then chosen Land From God and from their lawfull Prince to slide 9 By Faith Saint Paul stark-blinded Elymas Act. 13 11 By Faith Saint Peter full of iust disdaign With suddain death did smite those periur'd twain That durst dissemble with the Spirit of Grace Act. 5 5 16 10 By Faith young Toby kindely doth restore Tob. 11 11 Act. â— 6 14 10. His Father's sight by sacred Faith likewise Two crooked Cripples are made straight to rise In Listra th' one th' other at Templedore 11 By Faith Saint Paul did a rich Maltois cure Of grievous Flix that him afflicted sore Act. 21 8 By Faith Saint Peter likewise did restore A Palsie-sick that eight yeers did indure Act. 9. 34 12 By Faith Saint Paul did Eutichus re-lyue Act. 20 10 1. King 17 21 2. King 4 33 By Faith Elias rais'd the Sareptite Elisha raysed the young Sunamite At Ioppa Peter Dorcas did
the Goats he shall his Sheep disseuer These Blest in Heav'n those Curst in Hell for euer O thou that once scornd as the vilest drudge Didst fear the doom of an Italian Iudge Daign deerest Lord when the last Trump shall summon To this Grand Sessions all the World in common Daign in That Day to vndertake my matter And as my Iudge so be my Mediator Th' eternall Spring of Power and Prouidence Hauing spoken of the creation of the Matter he sheweth how what Forme God gaue vnto it creating in six Dayes his admirable workes In Forming of this All-circumference Did not vnlike the Bear which bringeth forth In th' end of thirty dayes a shapeless birth But after licking it in shape she drawes And by degrees she fashions out the pawes The head and neck and finally doth bring To a perfect beast that first deformed thing For when his Word in the vast Voyd had brought A confus'd heap of Wet-dry-cold-and-hot In time the high World from the lowe he parted And by itself hot vnto hot he sorted Hard vnto hard cold vnto cold he sent Moist vnto moist as was expedient And so in Six Dayes form'd ingeniously All things contain'd in th' VNIVERSITIE Not but he could haue in a moment made Wherefore God imployed six Dayes in creating the World This flowry Mansion where mankind doth trade Spred Heav'ns blew Curtains those Lamps haue burnisht Earth aire sea with beasts birds fish haue furnisht But working with such Art so many dayes A sumptuous Palace for Mankinde to raise Yer Man was made yet he declares to vs How kinde how carefull and how gracious He would be to vs being made to whom By thousand promises of things to-come Vnder the Broad-Seal of his deer Sons blood He hath assur'd all Riches Grace and Good By his Example he doth also shewe-vs How men should imitate God in his workes We should not heedles-hastily bestowe-vs In any Work but patiently proceed With oft re-vises Making sober speed In dearest business and obserue by proof That What is well don is don soon enough O Father of the Light of Wisedom Fountain The 1. â—reature extracted from the Chaos was Light Out of the Bulk of that confused Mountain What should what could issue before the Light Without which Beauty were no beauty hight In vain Timanthes had his Cyclope drawn In vain Parrhasius counterfeited Lawn In vain Apelles Uenus had begun Zeuxis Penelope if that the Sun To make them seen had neuer showen his splendor In vain in vain had been those Works of Wonder Th' Ephesian Temple the high Pharian-Tower And Carian Toomb Tropheis of Wealth and Power In vain they had been builded euery one By Scopas Sostrates and Câ—esiphon Had All been wrapt-vp from all humane sight In th' obscure Mantle of eternall Night What one thing more doth the good Architect In Princely Works more specially respect Then lightsomness to th' end the Worlds bright Eye Careeâ—ing dayly once about the Sky May shine therein and that in euery part It may seem pompous both for Cost and Art Whether Gods Spirit mouing vpon the Ball Of bubbling Waters which yet couered All Sundry opinions concerning the matter and creation of Light Thence forç't the Fire as when amid the Sky Auster and Boreas iusting furiously Vnder hot Cancer make two Clouds to clash Whence th' aire at mid-night flames with lightning flash Whether when God the mingled Lump dispackt From Fiery Element did Light extract Whether about the vast confused Crowd For twice-six howrs he spread a shining Cloud Which after he re-darkned that in time The Night as long might wrap-vp either Clime Whether that God made then those goodly beams Which gild the World but not as now it seems Or whether else som other Lamp he kindled Vpon the Heap yet all with Waters blindled Which flying round about gaue light in order To th' vn-plaç't Climates of that deep disorder As now the Sun circling about the Ball As Light 's bright Chariot doth enlighten All. No sooner said he Be there Light but lo Gen. 1. 3. The form-less Lump to perfect Form gan growe And all illustred with Lights radiant shine Of the excellent vse and commoditie of Light Doft mourning weeds and deckt it passing fine All-hail pure Lamp bright sacred and excelling Sorrow and Care Darknes and Dread repelling Thou World's great Taper Wicked mens iust Terror Mother of Truth true Beauties onely Mirror God's eldest Daughter O! how thou art full Of grace and goodnes O! how beautifull Sith thy great Parent 's all-discerning Eye Doth iudge thee so and sith his Maiesty Thy glorious Maker in his sacred layes Can doo no less then sing thy modest prayse But yet because all Pleasures wax vnpleasant Why God ordained the Night and Day alternately to succeed each other If without pawse we still possesse them present And none can right discern the sweets of Peace That haue not felt Warrs irkesom bitterness And Swans seem whiter if swart Crowes be by For contraries each other best descry Th' All 's Architect alternately decreed That Night the Day the Day should Night succeed The Night to temper Dayes exceeding drought The commodities that the Night bringeth vs. Moistens our Aire and makes our Earth to sprout The Night is she that all our trauails eases Buries our cares and all our griefs appeases The Night is she that with her sable wing In gloomy Darknes hushing euery thing Through all the World dumb silence doth distill And wearied bones with quiet sleep doth fill Sweet Night without Thee without Thee alas Our life were loathsom euen a Hell to pass For outward pains and inward passions still With thousand Deaths would soule and body thrill O Night thou pullest the proud Mask away Where-with vain Actors in this Worlds great Play By day disguise-them For no difference Night makes between the Peasant and the Prince The poor and rich the Prisoner and the Iudge The foul and fair the Maister and the Drudge The fool and wise Barbarian and the Greek For Night's black Mantle couers all alike He that condemn'd for som notorious vice Seeks in the Mines the baits of Auarice Or swelting at the Furnace fineth bright Our soules diresulphur resteth yet at Night He that still stooping toghes against the tide His laden Barge alongst a Riuers side And filling shoars with shouts doth melt him quite Vpon his pallet resteth yet at Night He that in Sommer in extreamest heat Scorched all day in his own scalding sweat Shaues with keen Sythe the glory and delight Of motly Medowes resteth yet at Night And in the arms of his deer Pheer for goes All former troubles and all former woes Onely the learned Sisters sacred Minions While silent Night vnder her sable pinions Foldes all the World with pain-less pain they tread A sacred path that to the Heav'ns doth lead And higher then the Heav'ns their Readers raise Vpon the wings of their
is bow'd About the Waues and well content to suffer Milde Zephyrs blasts and Boreas bellowing rougher Water to quench thy thirst about thy Mountains Wraps her moist arms Seas riuers lakes and fountains O how I grieue deer Earth that given to gays Commendations of the Country-life Most of best wits contemn thee now-a-days And noblest hearts proudly abandon quight Study of Hearbs and Country-lifes delight To brutest men to men of no regard Whose wits are Lead whose bodies Iron-hard Such were not yerst the reuerend Patriarks Whose prayse is penned by the sacred Clarks Noah the iust meek Moses Abraham Who Father of the Faithfull Race becam Were Shepheards all or Husbandmen at least And in the Fields passed their Dayes the best Such were not yerst Attalus Philemetor Archelaus Hiero and many a Pretor Great Kings Consuls who haue oft for blades And glistering Scepters handled hooks and spades Such were not yerst Cincinnatus Fabricius Serranus Curius who vn-self-delicious With Crowned Coultars with Imperiall hands With Ploughs triumphant plough'd the Roman lands Great Scipio sated with fain'd curtsie-capping With Court Eclipses and the tedious gaping Of golden beggers and that Emperour Of Slave turn'd King of King turnd Labourer In Country Granges did their age confine And ordered there with as good Discipline The Fields of Corn as Fields of Combat first And Ranks of Trees as Ranks of Souldiers yerst O thrice thrice happy He who shunns the cares Of City-troubles and of State-affairs And seruing Ceres Tills with his own Teem His own Free-land left by his Friends to him Never pale Enuie's poysonie heads doo hiss To gnaw his heart nor Vultur Auarice Free from enuy ambition auarice and consequently from the diuelish practises of MachiauiliaÌ„ Politikes His Field's bounds bound his thoughts he never supps For Nectar poyson mixtin silver Cups Neither in golden Platters doth he lick For sweet Ambrosia deadly Arsenick His hand 's his boaul better then Plate or Glass The siluer Brook his sweetest Hypocrasse Milk Cheese and Fruit fruits of his own endeuour Drest without dressing hath he ready ever False Counsailours Concealers of the Law Not vâ—xed with counterfait wrestings of wrangling Laywers Turn-coat Attourneys that with both hands draw Sly Peti-Foggers Wranglers at the Bar Proud Purse-Leaches Harpies of Westminster With fained chiding and foul iarring noyse Break not his brain nor interrupt his ioyes But cheerfull Birds chirping him sweet Good-morrows With Natures Musick doo beguile his sorrows Teaching the fragrant Forrests day by day The Diapason of their Heav'nly Lay. His wandring Vessell reeling to and fro Not dreading shipwracke nor in danger of Pirates On th' irefull Ocean as the Windes doo blowe With sodain Tempest is not ouer-whurld To seek his sad death in another World But leading all his life at home in Peace Alwaies in sight of his own smoak no Seas No other Seas he knowes nor other Torrent Then that which waters with his siluer Corrent His Natiue Medowes and that very Earth Shall giue him Buriall which first gaue him Birth To summon timely sleep he doth not need Not diseased in body through delicious Idlenes Aethyop's cold Rush nor drowsy Poppy-seed Nor keep in consort as Mecaenas did Luxurious Villains Viols I should haue sayd But on green Carpets thrumd with mossy Beuer Frendging the round skirts of his winding Riuer The streams milde murmur as it gently gushes His healthy limbs in quiet slumber hushes Drum Fife and Trumpet with their loud A-larms Not drawen by factions to an vntimely Death Make him not start out of his sleep to Arms Nor deer respect of som great Generall Him from his bed vnto the block doth call The crested Cock sings Hunt is vp to him Limits his rest and makes him stir betime To walk the Mountains or the flowry Meads Impearld with tears that sweet Aurora sheads Never gross Aire poysond in stinking Streets Not choaked with contagion of a corrupted Aire To choak his spirit his tender nostrill meets But th' open Sky where at full breath he liues Still keeps him sound and still new stomack giues And Death drad Seriant of th' eternall Iudge Coms very late to his sole seated Lodge His wretched yeers in Princes Courts he spends not Nor Chamelâ—â—like changing with euery obiect the colour of his conscience His thralled will on Great mens wils depends not He changing Master doth not change at once His Faith Religion and his God renounce With mercenary lies hee doth not chaunt Praysing an Emmet for an Elephant Nor soothing Sin nor licking the Tayl of Greatnesse Sardanapalus drown'd in soft excess For a triumphant vertuous Hercules Thersites foul for Venus louely Loue And every Changeling for a Turtle-Doue Nor lavishes in his lascivious layes On wanton Flora chaste Alcestes prayse But all self-priuate serving God he writes Fear-less and sings but what his heart in dites No sallow Fear doth day or night afflict-him Vnto no fraud doth night or day addict-him Neither prest with Fear nor plotting Fraud Or if he muse on guile 't is but to get Beast Bird or Fish in toil or snare or net What though his Wardrobe be not stately stuft With sumptuous silks pinked and powne't and puft With gold-ground Velvets and with siluer Tissue And all the glory of old Eues proud Issue What though his feeble Cofers be not cramd With Misers Idols golden Ingotsramd He is warm-wrapped in his own-growen Wooll Of vn-bought Wines his Cellar 's everfull His Garner's stor'd with grain his Ground with flocks His Barns with Fodder with sweet streams his Rocks For heer I sing the happy Rustiks weal Whose handsom house seems as a Common-weal And not the needy hard rack-rented Hinde Or Copy-holder whom hard Lords doo grinde The pined Fisher or poor-Daiery-Renter That liues of whay for forfeiting Indenture Who scarce haue bread within their homely Cotes Except by fits to feed their hungry throats Let me good Lord among the Great vn-kend My rest of daies in the calm Countrey end Let me deserue of my deer AEGLE-Brood For Windsor Forrest walks in Almes-wood Bee Hadley Pond my Sea Lambs-bourn my Thames Lambourn my London Kennet's siluer streams My fruitfull Nile my Singers and Musicians The pleasant Birds with warbling repetitions My company pure thoughts to work thy will My Court a Cottage on a lowely Hill Where without let I may so sing thy Name That times to-com may wonder at the same Or if the new North-star my Souerain IAMES The secret vertue of whose sacred beams Attracts th' attentiue seruice of all such Whose mindes did euer Vertue 's Load-stone touch Shall euer daign t' inuite mine humble Fate T'approoch the Presence of his Royall State Or if my Duty or the Grace of Nobles Shall driue or draw me neer their pleasing-Troubles Let not their Fauours make me drunk with folly In their Commands still keep my Conscience holy Let me true Honour not the false delight And play the
Som through the Plain but neither in the chace Dares once look back no not with half a face Their fear had no restraint and much less Art This throwes away his shield and that his dart Swords Morrions Pouldrons Vaunt-brace Pikes Launces Are no defence but rather hinderances They with their hearts haue also lost their sight And recking less a glorious end in Fight Than thousand base deaths desperatly they ran Into the flood that fats rich Canaan Then Iordan arms him 'gainst these infidels With rapid course and like a sea he swels Lakes vnder ground into his channel range And shallowest Foords to ground-less gulfs do change He fumes he foams and swiftly whirling ground Seems in his rage these bitter words to sound Die Villains die O more than in famous Foul Monsters drench your damned soules in vs. Sa sa my Floods with your cold moisture quench The lust-full flame of their self-burning stench Drown drown the Hel-hounds and revenge the wrong Which they haue done our Mother Nature long The River swiftly whirling-in the slaues Aboue with Bowes beneath with Bodies paues The gaudy Plume yet floting light and soft Keeps for awhile the hollow helm aloft But yet at length even those that smim the best Down to the bottom sink among the rest Striving and struggling topsi-turuy tost While fain they would but cannot yield the ghost Because the flood vnwilling to defile His purest waues with spirits so foul and vile Re-spews them still into themselues and there Smoothers and choaks and rams them as it were Then both at once Bodies and Soules at last To the main Sea or his own shoar doth cast The Kings of Sodom and Gomorrha then Their own Ambush serues against themselues Hoping to train the King of Elams men Among the Clay-pits which themselues before T' intrap the Foe with boughs had covered or'e Ran thither-ward but their confused flight In their owne ambush made their owne to light Wherin they lost the flowr of all their rest Sooner of death then of deaths fear possest One as he flies with trembling steps the dart Which from behinde nigh pearst him to the heart Tangling his foot with twyning tendrels tho Of a wilde Vine that neer a pit did growe Stumbles and tumbles in hung by the heels Vp to the waste in water where he feels A three-fold Fate for there O strange he found Three deaths in one at once slain hangd and drownd Another weening ore a Well to skip From the wet brim his hap-less foot doth slip And he in falls but instantly past hope He catcheth holde vpon a dangling rope And so at length with shifting hands gets-vp By little and little to the fountains top Which Thadael spying to him straight he hies And thus alowd vnto the wretch he cries Varlet is this is this the means you make Your wonted yoak of Elam off to shake Is this your Skirmish and are these your blowes Wher-with t' incounter so courageous Foes Sir leaue your ladder this shall serue as well This sword shall be your ladder down to Hell Go pay to Pluto Prince of Acheron The Tribute heer deni'd vnto your owne Heer-with he drawes his Fauchin bright and keen And at a blowe heaws both his arms off clean His trickling hands held fast down fell his Trunk His blood did swim his body quickly sunk Another roughly pushed by the Foe Falls headlong down into a Bog belowe Where on his head deep planted in the mud With his heels vp-ward like a tree he stood Still to and fro wauing his legs and arms Simile As Trees are wont to waue in windie storms Another heer on hors-back posting ouer A broad deep clay-pit that green boughs do couer Sinks instantly and in his suddain Fate Seems the braue Horse doubly vnfortunate For his own neck he breaks and bruzing in With the keen scales of his bright Brigandin His Masters bowels serues alas for Tomb To him that yerst so many times did comb His crispy Crest and him so frankly fed In 's hollow Shield with oats and beans and bread Simile Even so somtimes the loving Vine and Elm With double domage ioyntly over-whelm Shee wails the wrack of her deer Husbands glade He moans his Spouses feeble arms and shade But most it grieues him with his Trunk to crush The precious Clusters of her pleasing Bush And press to death vnkindly with his waight Her that for loue embraceth him so straight Yet Lot alone with a small troup assisted Lots valour The Martiall brunt with Manly breast resisted And thirsting Fame stands firmly looking for The furious hoste of Chedorlaomor But as a narrow and thin-planted Cops Of tender Saplings with their slender tops Is fell'd almost as soon as vnder-taken By Multitudes of Peasants Winter-shaken Lot's little Number so environ'd round Hemm'd with so many swords is soon hew'n down His vndanted resolution Then left alone yet still all one he fares And the more danger still the more he dares Like a strange Mastif fiercely set vpon Simile By mongrell Currs in number ten to one Who tyr'd with running growen more cunning gets Into som corner where vpright he sets Vpon his stern and sternly to his Foes His rage-full foaming grinning teeth he showes And snarls and snaps and this and that doth bite And stoutly still maintains th' vnequall fight With equall fury till disdaining Death His Enemies be beaten out of breath Arioch admiring and even fearing too What Lot had done and what he yet might doo Him princely meets and mildely greets him thus Cease valiant youth cease cease t' incounter vs. Wilt thou alas wilt thou poor soule expose And hazard thus thy life and Fame to lose In such a Quarrell for the cause of such Alas I pitty thy mis-fortune much For well I see thy habit and thy tongue Thine Arms but most thy courage yet so yong Showe that in SODOM's wanton walls accurst Thou wert not born nor in Gomorrha nurst O chief of Chivalry reserue thy worth For better wars yield thee and think hence-forth I highly prize thy prows and by my sword For thousand kingdoms will not false my word Past hope of Conquest as past fear of death Lot taken prisoner LOT yields him then vpon the Princes Faith And from his Camel quick-dismounting hies His Royall hand to kiss in humble wise And th' Army laden with the richest spoyl Triumphantly to th' Eastward marcht the while No sooner noyse of these sad novels cam Abraham with his family of 300. goes to rescue Lot Vnto the ears of faithfull ABRAHAM But instantly he arms to rescue LOT And that rich prey the heathen Kings had got Three hundred servants of his house he brings But lightly arm'd with staues and darts and slings Aided by MAMRE in whose Plain he wons ASCOL and ANER AMOR's valiant sons So at the heels he hunts the fearless Foe Yet waits aduantage yer he offer blowe Favour'd by streightness of the ways
can the Steer The whistling Goad-man's guiding language hear It rain'd indeed but not such fertil rain The manner of their punishment by fire and brimstone from Heaven and the reason thereof As makes the Corn in Sommer sprout amain And all things freshed with a pleasant air To thrive and prove more lively strong and fair But in this sink of Sin this stinking Hel A rain of Salt of Fire and Brimston fel. Salt did consume the pleasant fruitfulness Which serv'd for fewel to their Wantonness Fire punished their beastly Fire within And Brimstone's stink the stench of their foul Sin So as their Sin was singular of right Their Punishment was also exquisite Heer open Flames and there yet hidden Fires Burn all to ashes sparing neither Spires Of Brick nor Stone nor Columns Gates nor Arches Nor Bowrs nor Towrs nor even their neighbour-Marches In vain the-while the People weep and cry The same most liuely represented To see their wrack and knowe no remedy For now the Flame in richest Roofs begun From molten gutters scalding Lead doth run The Slats and Tyles about their ears do split The burning Rafters Pitch and Rosin spit The whirling Fire re-mounteth to the Skie About the fields ten thousand sparks do flie Half-burned Houses fal with hideous fray And VVLCAN makes Mid-night as bright as Day Heaven flings-down nought but flashing Thunder-shot Th' Air 's all a-fire Earth's exhalations hot Are spewing AETNA'S that to Heaven aspire All th' Elements in brief are turn'd to fire Heer one perceiving the next Chamber burning With suddain leap towards the window turning Thinks to cry Fire but instantly the smoke And Flame with-out his with-in Voice do choke Another sooner feels then sees the Fire For while O horror in the stinking mire Of his foul Lust he lies a Lightning flash Him and his Love at-once to dust doth dash Th' abhorred Bed is burnt and they aswell Coupled in Plague as Sin are sent to Hell Another yet on tops of Houses crawls But his foot slips and down at last he falls Another feeling all his cloathes a-fire Thinking to quench them yer it should come nigher Leaps in a Lake but all the Lake began To boyl and bubble like a seething Pan Simile Or like a Chaldron that top-full of Oyl Environ'd round with fume and flame doth boyl To boyl to death som cunning counterfait That with false stamp som Princes Coyn hath beat Another seeing the City all in Cinders Himself for safety to the fields he renders But flakes of Fire from Heav'n distilling thick There th' horror of a thousand Deaths do strike Through Adamah's and Gomor's goodly Plains Sodom and Seboim not a soule remains Horse Sheep and Oxen Cows and Kids partake In this revenge for their vile Masters sake Thus hath the hand of the Omnipotent Inroll'd the Deed of their drad Punishment With Diamantin Pen on Plates of Brass With such an Ink as nothing can deface The molten Marble of these cindred Hills Asphaltis Lake and these poor mock-fruit Fields Keep the Record and cry through every Age How God detesteth such detested rage O chastisement most dradly-wonderfull Th' Heav'n-cindred Cities a broad standing Pool O're-flowes yet flowes not whose infectious breath Corrupts the Ayr and Earth dis-fertileth A Lake whose back whose belly and whose shoar Nor Bark nor Fish nor Fowl hath ever bore The pleasant Soyl that did even shame yer-while The plentious beauties of the banks of Nile Now scarr'd and collowed with his face and head Cover'd with ashes is all dri'd and dead Voyd of all force vitall or vegetive Vpon whose brest nothing can live or thrive For nought it bears save an abortiue suit Of seeming-fair false vain and fained fruit A fruit that feeds theey and fills the hand But to the stomach in no steed doth stand For even before it touch the tender lips Or Ivory teeth in empty smoak it slips So vanishing only the nose receiues A noysom savour that behinde it leaues Heer I adiure you vent'rous Trauailours Exhortation to Trauailers that haue seene to others that shall reade or heare these fearefull monuments of Gods seuere Iustice to make right vse of this fearefull Example That visit th' horror of these cursed shoars And taste the venom of these stinking streams And touch the vain fruit of these wythered stems And also you that do beholde them thus In these sad Verses pourtray'd heer by vs To tremble all and with your pearly tears To showr another Sea and that your hairs Staring vpright on your affrighted head Heave-vp your Hats and in your dismall dread To think you hear like Sulph'ry Storms to strike On our nâ—w Monsters for Offences like For the Almightie's drad all-daunting arm Not only strikes such as with Sodom swarm In these foul Sins but such as sigh or pity Sodoms destruction or so damn'd a City And cannot constant with dry eyes observe God's iudgements iust on such as such deserve LOT hies to SEGOR but his wife behinde Lots wise metamorphozed Lagged in body but much more in minde She weeps and wails O lamentable terror O impicus Pity O kind-cruell error The dire destruction of the smoking Cities Her Sons-in-Law which should haue been she pities Grieves so to leave her goods and she laments To lose her Iewels and habiliments And contrary to th' Angels Words precise Towards the Town she turns her wofull eyes But instantly turn'd to a whitely stone Her feet alas fast to the ground be growen The more she stirs she sticks the faster in As silly Bird caught in a subtil gin Simile Set by som Shepheard neer the Copses side The more it struggles is the faster ty'd And as the venom of an eating Canker Simile From flesh to flesh runs every day the ranker And never rests vntill from foot to head O're all the Body his fell poyson spread This Ice creeps-vp and ceaseth not to num Till even the marrow hard as bones becom The brain be like the seul and bloud convert To Alablaster over every part Her Pulse doth cease to beat and in the air The Windes no more can wave her scattered hair Her belly is no belly but a Quar Of Cardon Rocks and all her bowels are A pretious Salt-Mine supernaturall Such as but Salt I wot not what to call A Salt which seeming to be fall'n from Heav'n To curious Spirits hath long this Lesson given Not to presume in Divine things to pry Which seav'n-times seal'd vnder nine Locks do lie She weeps alas and as she weeps her tears Turn into Pearls fro'rn on her twinkling hairs Fain would she speak but forced to conceal In her cold throat her guilty words congeal Her mouth yet open and her arms a-cross Though dumb declare both why and how she was Thus Metamorphos'd for Heav'n did not change Her last sad gestures in her suddain Change No gorgeous Maâ—sole grac't with flattering verse Eternizeth her Trunk her House and Herse But to
this Day strange will it seem to som One and the same is both the Corps and Tomb. Almighty Father Gracious God and Iust Mans pronenesse â—o fall without the support of Gods gracious faâ—â—our O! what hard-heartednes what brutish Lust Pursueth man if thou but turn thy face And take but from vs thy preventing grace And if provoked for our past offences Thou give vs vp to our Concupiscences O Harran'â— Nieces you LOTS daughters saw SODOM consumed in that Sulphury flaw Their Hills and Forrests calcined in fine Their liberall fields sowen with a burning brine Their stately houses like a coal-pitsmoaking The Sun it self with their thick vapours choking So that within a yard for stinking smother The Labourers could hardly knowe each other Their flowring Valley to a Fen exchang'd And your owne Mother to a Salt-stone chang'd Yet all alas these famous Monuments Of the iust rigour of God's Punishments Cannot deter you but even Sodom-like Incestuously a holy-man you seek Even your owne Father whom with wine you fill And then by turns intice him to your will Conceiving so O can Heav'n suffer it Lot drawen by his Daughter in drunkennesse to commit Incest with both of theÌ„ Even of that seed which did your selues beget Within your wombs you bear for nine months time Th' vpbraiding burden of your shame-less Crime And troubling Kindred's names and Nature quight You both becom even in one very Night Wives to your Fathers Sisters to your Sons And Mothers to your Brothers all at once All vnder colour that thus living sole Sequestred thus in an vnhaunted hole Heav'ns envy should all ADAM'S race have reft And LOT alone should in the World be left Had 't not been better never to haue bred Than t' have conceived in so foul a bed Had 't not been better never t' haue been Mothers Than by your Father to have born your Brothers Had 't not been better to the death to hate Then thus t' haue lov'd him that you both begate Him so much yours that yours he mought not be Sith of these Rocks God could immediatly Haue rais'd LOT Son-in-lawes or striking but Th' Earths solid bosom with his brazen foot Out of the dust haue reared suddain swarms Of People stay'd in Peace and stout in Arms. FINIS The FATHERS A PART OF THE II. PART OF THE III. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT The famous FATHER of the Faithfull heer Limn'd to the life in strife of Faith and Fear His Sonn 's sweet nature and his nurture such Endeer his TRIAL with a neerer Touch REASON'S best Reasons are by FAITH refell'd With GOD th' Affection for the Action held So counter-manding His command atchiev'd The Sire 's approoued and the Son repriev'd Heer had our Author liv'd to end his Works Should haue ensu'd the other PATRIARCHS O! 'T is a Heav'nly and a happy turn Of godly Parents to be timely born To be brought-vp vnder the watchfull eyn Of milde-sharp Masters awfull Discipline Chiefly to be even from the very first With the pure milk of true Religion nurst Such hap had Isaac but his Inclination Exceeds his Birth excels his Education His Faith his Wit Knowledge and Iudgement sage Out-stripping Time anticipate his age For yet a Childe he fears th' Eternall Lord And wisely waits all on his Fathers word Whose steady steps so duly he obserues That every look him for a lesson serues And every gesture every wink and beck For a command a warning and a check So that his toward Diligence out-went His Fathers hopes and holy document Now though that Abram were a man discreet Sober and wise well knowing what is meet Though his deer Son somtimes he seem to chide Yet hardly can he his affection hide For evermore his loue-betraying ey On 's darling Isaac glanceth tenderly Sweet Isaac's face seems as his Glasse it were And Isaac's name is musick in his ear But God perceiving this deep-settled Loue Thence takes occasion Abrams Faith to prooue And tempteth him But not as doth the Divell His Vassals tempt or Man his Mate to evill Satan still draws vs to Death's dismall Path But God directs where Death no entry hath Ay Satan ayms our constant Faith to foyl But God doth seal it never to recoyl Satan suggesteth ill God mooues to grace The Divell seeks our Baptisme to deface But God to make our burning Zeal to beam The brighter ay in his Ierusalem A Prince that means effectuall proof to make Simile Of som Man's Faith that he doth newly take Examins strictly and with much a-doo His Words and Deeds and every gesture too And as without within as well to spy-him Doth carefully by all means sift and try-him But God ne'r seeks by Triall of Temptation To sound Man's heart and secret cogitation For well he knowes Man and his ey doth see All thoughts of men yer they conceived be But this is still his high and holy driâ—t When through temptation he his Saints doth siâ—t To leaue for pattern to his Churches seed Their stedfast Faith and never-daunted Creed Yet out of season God doth never try His new-converted Children by and by Such novices would quickly faint and shrink Such ill-rigg'd Ships would even in launching sink Their Faith 's light blossoms would with every blast Be blowen away and bear no fruit at last Against so boistrous stroaks they want a shield Vnder such weight their feeble strength would yield But when his Words deer seed that he hath sowen Within their hearts is rooted well and growen And when they haue a broad thick Breast-plate on High peril-proof against affliction Such as our Abram Who now waxen strong Through exercise of many trials long Of faith of loue of fortitude and right Who by long weary wandrings day and night By often Terrors Lots Imprisonment His Wifes twice taking Ismaels banishment Beeing made invincible for all assaults Of Heav'n and Earth and the infernall Vaults Is tempted by the voyce which made all things Which sceptreth Shepheards and vn-crowneth Kings Giue me a voyce now O voyce all divine With sacred fire inflame this breast of mine Inuocation Ah! ravish me make all this Vniverse Admire thine Abram pourtrayd in my Verse Mine Abram sayd the Lord deer Abraham Thy God thy King thy Fee thy Fence I am Hie straight to Salem and there quickly kill Thine owne Son Isaac on that sacred Hill Heaw him in pieces and commit the same In Sacrifice vnto the rage-full Flame As he that slumbering on his carefull Bed Simile Seems to discern som Fancy full of dread Shrinks down himself and fearfull hides his face And scant draws breath in half an howrs space So Abraham at these sharp sounding words Which wound him deeper than a thousand swords Seised at once with wonder grief and fright Is well-nigh sunk in Deaths eternall night Death's ash-pale Image in his eyes doth swim A chilling Iee shivers through every lim Flat on the ground himself he groveling throwes A
Coward lose the Crown So neer your head to heap you with renown Shal we so dare to dally with the Lord To cast his yoak and to contemn his Word Where shall we fly his hand Heav'n is his Throne The Earth his foot-stool and dark Acheron The Dungeon where the damned soules be shut Is of his anger euermore the Butt On him alone all our good-hap depends And he alone from dangers vs defends Ah! weep no more This sacred Turf doth craue More blood than Tears let vs vs so behaue That ioyn'd in zeal we yield vs willingly To make a vertue of necessity Let 's testifie we haue a time abod I in your School you in the school of God Where we haue learned that his sacred Word Which made of Nothing all that euer stirr'd Which all sustaines and all directeth still To diuers ends conducts the good and ill Who loues not God more than all Kinn's respect Deserues no place among his deer Elect And who doth once God's Till age vnder-take Must not look back neither his Plough forsake Here-with th' old Hebrew cheerfuller becam And to himself cries Courage Abraham The World the Flesh Adam are dead in thee God Spirit and Faith alone subsisting be Lord by thy Spirit vnto my spirit annex So liuely Faith that still mine eyes may fix On thy true Isaac whose sharp sin-less Suffering Shall purge from sin me and my sinfull offering Scarce had he draw'n his sword in resolution With heaued hand for instant execution When instantly the thundring voyce of God Stay'd heart and hand and thus the Fact forbod Abram enough holde holde thy hand sayd he Put-vp thy sword thine Isaac shall not die Now of thy faith I haue had perfect proof Thy Will for Deed I do accept enough Glad Abram then to God giues thanks and prayse Vnbindes his Son and in his room he lays A Lamb there strangely hampered by the head And that to God devoutly offered Renowned Abraham Thy noble Acts Excell the Fictions of Heröik Facts And that pure Law a Son of thine shall write Shall nothing els but thy braue deeds recite Extol who list thy wisdom's excellence Victorious Valour frank Beneficence And Iustice too which even the Gentiles honor Ill dares my Muse take such a task vpon-her Onely thy Faith not all with all th' Effects Onely one fruit of thousand she selects For glorious subiect which to say the right I rather loue to wonder-at than write Go Pagans turn turn-over every Book Through all Memorials of your Martyrs look Collect a Scroule of all the Children slain On th' Altars of your Gods dig-vp again Your lying Legends Run through every Temple Among your Offerings choose the best example Among your Offerings which your Fathers past Haue made to make their names eternall last Among them all fondlings you shall not finde Such an example where vnkindely-kinde Father and Son so mutually agree To showe themselues Father nor Son to be Where man 's deep zeal and God's deer fauour stroue For Counter-conquest in officious loue One by constraint his Son doth sacrifice Another means his Name t' immortallize By such a Fact Another hopes to shun Som dismall Plague or dire Affliction Another only that he may conform To Tyrant Custom 's aw-les law-les Form Which blears our eys and blurs our Senses so That Lady Reason must her seat forgo Yea blindes the iudgement of the World so far That Uertue's oft arraign'd at Vice's Bar. But vn-constrain'd our Abram all alone Vpon a Mountain to the guise of none For it was odious to the Iewes to doo And in a time of Peace and plenty too Fights against Nature prickt with wondrous zeal And slaying Isaac wars against his Weal O sacred Muse that on the double Mount With withering Bayes bind'st not thy Singers Front But on Mount Sion in the Angels Quire With Crowns of glory doest their brows atrire Tell for thou know'st what sacred Mystery Vnder this shaddow doth in secret ly O Death Sin Satan tremble ye not all For hate and horror of your dreadfull Fall So liuely figur'd To beholde Gods Bowe So ready bent to cleaue your heart in two To see yong Isaac Pattern of that Prince Who shal Sin Satan Death and Hell convince Both only Sons both sacred Potentates Both holy Founders of two mighty States Both sanctified both Saints Progenitors Both bear their Cross both Lamb-like Sufferers Both bound both blame-less both without reply Both by their Fathers are ordain'd to dy Vpon Mount Sion which high glorious Mount Serues vs for Ladder to the Heav'ns to mount Restores vs Edens key the key of Eden Lost through the eating of the fruit forbidden By wretched Adam and his weaker Wife And blessed bears the holy Tree of life Christ dies indeed but Isaac is repriv'd Because Heav'ns Councell otherwise contriv'd For Isaac's blood was no sufficient price To ransom soules from Hell to Paradise The Leprosie of our contagious sin More powr-full Rivers must be purged in FINIS The LAWE THE III. PART OF THE III. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT Envy in Pharao seeks to stop the Cause Of Iews increase Moses escapes his claws Out of a Burning vnburnt Bush a Voice For Iacob's Rescue doth of Him make choice Sends him with Aaron to the Egyptian King His Hard'ning PLAGVING finall Ruining In the Red Sea Israel ingrate for all Christ-Typing Manna Quails Rock-waters fall The glorious LAVVE the golden Calf strange Fire Coré in-gulft MOSES prepar'd t' expire ARm-Arming Trumpets lofty Clarions Rock-battering Bumbards Valour-murdering Guns Think you to drown with horror of your Noise The choise sweet accents of my sacred Voice Blowe till you burst roar rend the Earth in sunder Fill all with Fury Tempest War and Thunder Dire Instruments of Death in vain yee toyl For the loud Cornet of my long-breath'd stile Out-shrills yee still and my Stentorian Song With warbled Ecchoes of a silver tongue Shall brim be heard from India even to Spain And then from thence even to the Artik Wayn Yet 't is not I not I in any sort My sides's too-weak alas my breath 's too-short It is the spirit-inspiring Spirit which yerst On th' eldest Waters mildly moved first That furnishes and fills with sacred winde The weak dull Organs of my Muse and minde So still good Lord in these tumultuous times Giue Peace vnto my Soule soule to my Rimes Let me not faint amid so fair a course Let the World's end be th' end of my Discourse And while in FRANCE fell MARS doth all devour In lofty stile Lord let me sing thy Powr ALL-CHANGING Time had cancell'd and supprest IOSEPH'S Deserts his Master was deceast His Sons were dead when currish Envie 's strife Lays each-where ambush for poor ISRAEL'S life Who notwithstanding doth far faster spread Comparison And thicker spring than in a fruitfull Mead Moted with Brooks the many-leaved locks Of thriving Charvel which the bleating Flocks Can with their dayly hunger hardly mowe So
of his Vertues bright Brings him but sooner to his latest Night Saue that the Lord still shields him from on hy And turnes to Triumph all his Tragedy O bitter sweet I burst thus raues the King To hear them all in Camp and Court to sing Sauls Envy to Dauid SAVL he hath slain a thousand DAVID ten Ten thousand DAVID O faint scorn of men Lo how with Lustre of his glorious parts Hee steals-away the giddy peoples harts Makes lying Prophets sooth him at a beck Thou art but King in name Hee in effect Yet thou endur'st it haste thee haste thee Sot Choak in the Cradle his aspiring Plot Preuent his hopes and wisely-valiant Off with his head that would thy foot supplant Nay but beware his death belov'd so wel Will draw thee hatred of all Izrael Sith then so high his heady valour flies Sith common glory cannot him suffice Sith Danger vpon Danger hee pursews And Victory on Victory renewes Let 's put him to 't Let 's make him Generall Feed him with winde and hazard him in all So shall his own Ambitious Courage bring For Crown a Coffin to our Iunior King Yea had hee Sangars strength and Sampsons too Hee should not scape the taske I 'll put him to But yet our DAVID more then all archieues And more and more his grace and glory thriues The more he doos the more he dares adventure His rest-les Valour seeks still new Aduenture For feeling him armd with th' Almighty's Spirit He recks no danger at the least to fear it Then what doos Saul When as he saw no speed By sword of Foes so great a Fo to rid Hee tries his owne and one-while throwes his dart At vn-awares to thrill him to the hart Or treacherously hee layes som subtill train At boord or bed to haue him harm-les slain On nothing else dreams the disloyall wretch But Dauids death how Dauid to dispatch Which had bin don but for his Son the Prince Who deerly tenders Dauids Innocence Ionathan's loue to Dauid And neerly marks and harks the Kings Designes And warns the Iessean by suspect-les signes But for the kinde Courageous Ionathan Who but attended onely with his man Neer Senean Rocks discomfited alone The Philistines victorious Garison About his eares a Shower of Shafts dooth fall His Shield's too-narrow to receiue them all His sword is duld with slaughter of his Foes Wherefore the dead he at the liuing throwes Head-lined helmes heawn from their trunks he takes And those his vollies of swift shot he makes The Heathen Hoast dares him no more affront Late number-les but easie now to count Dauid therefore flying his Princes Furie From end to end flies all the land of â—urie But now to Nob t' Adullam then anon To Desart Zif to Keâ—lah Mâ—aor Hauing for roof heav'ns arches starry-seeld And for repâ—st what wauing woods doe yeeld The Tyrant so frustrate of his intent Wreakes his fell rage vpon the innocent If any winke as willing t' haue not seen-him Or if vnweeting what 's the oddes between-him And th' angry king if any had but hid-him He dies for it if any haue but spid him Yea the High-Priest that in Gods presence stands Escapeth not his paricidiall hands Nor doth he spare in his vnbounded rage Cattle nor Curre nor state nor sexe nor age Contrariwise Dauid doth good for ill He hates the haters of his Soueraigne still And though he oft incounter Saul lesse strong Than his owne side forgetting all his wrong He shewes him aye loyall in deede and word Vnto his Liege th' Anointed of the Lord Respects and honors him and mindes no more The Kings vnkindnesse that had past before One day as Saul to ease him went aside Into a Caue where Dauid wont to hide Dauid vn-seen seeing his Foe so neer And all alone was strooke with suddaine feare As much amaz'd and musing there-vpon When whispering thus his Consorts egge him on Who sought thy life is fall'n into thy lap Doo'st thou not see the Tyrant in thy Trap Now therefore pull this Thorne out of thy foote Now is the Time if euer thou wilt doo 't Now by his death establish thine estate Now hugge thy Fortune yer it be too-late For he my Lord that will not when he may Perhaps he shall not when he would they say Why tarriest thou what doost thou trifle thus Wilt thou for Saul betray thy self and vs Wonne with their words to kill him he resolues But by the way thus with himself revolues He is a Tyrant true But now long since Anti-Bellâ—rmin His Disciples Authors or Fautors of our Powder-Mine And still he bears the mark of lawfull Prince And th' Ever-King to whom all Kings doe bow On no pretext did ever yet allow That any Subiest should his hand distain In sacred blood of his owne Soveraign He hunts me cause-les true but yet Gods word Bids me defend but not offend my Lord. I am anointed King but at Gods pleasure Not publikely therfore I waite thy leasure For thou O Lord regardest Thine and then Reward'st in fine Tyrants and wicked men Thus having sayd he stalkes with noise-les foot Behind the King and softly off doth cut A skirt or lap of his then-vpper clothing Then quick avoydes and Saul suspecting nothing Comes forth anon and Dauid afterward From a high Rock to be the better heard Cries to the King vpon his humble knee Come neer my Liege com neer and fear not me Fear not thy seruant Dauid Well I knowe Thy Flatterers that miss-inform thee so With thousand slanders dayly thee incense Against thy Seruants spot-les innocence Those smooth-sly Aspicks with their poysony sting Murder mine honour me in hatred bring With thee and with thy Court against all reason As if Convicted of the Highest-Treason But my notorious Loyalty I hope The venom of their viperous tongues shall stop And with the splendor of mine actions bright Disperse the Mists of Malice and Despight Behold my Lord Trueth needeth no excuse What better witnesse can my soule produce Of faithfull Loue and Loyall Vassalage To thee my Liege than this most certain gage When I cut-off this lappet from thy Coat Could I not then as well haue cut thy throat But rather Soveraign thorow all my veins Shall burning Gangrens spreading deadly pains Benum my hand then it shall lift a sword Against my Liege th' anointed of the Lord Or violate with any insolence Gods sacred Image in my Soveraign Prince And yet O King thy wrath pursews me still Like silly-Kid I hop from hill to hill Like hated Wolues I and my Souldiers starue But iudge thy self if I thy wrath deserue No my Sonne Dauid I haue don thee wrong Good God requight thy good there doth belong A great Reward vnto so gratious deed Ah well I see it is aboue decreed That thou shalt sit vpon my Seat supream And on thy head shalt wear my Diadem Then ô thou sacred and most noble Head Remember Mee and mine when I
long Pike a space Perfume thy head with dust and sweat appeer Captain and Soldier Soldiers are on fire Hauing their King before them Marching forth Fellow in Fortune witnes of their Worth I should inflame thy hart with Learnings loue In Peace not to be over-studious yet to vnderstand the Principals of all Prince-fit Sciences Saue that I know what diuine habits moue Thy profound Spirit only let th' ornament Of Letters wayt on th' Art of Regiment And take good heed least as excesse of humor In Plants becomes their Flowring Lifes consumer So too-much Study and delight in Arts Quench the quick vigour of thy Spiritual parts Make thee too-pensiue ouer-dull thy Senses And draw thy Minde from Publike cares of Princes With a swift-winged soule the Course suruay Of Nights dim Taper and the Torch of Day Sound round the Cels of th' Ocean dreadly-deep Measure the Mountains snowie tops and steep Ferret all Corners of this nether Ball But to admire the Makers Art in all His Power and Prudence and resemble not Simile Some simple Courtier or the silly Sot That in the base-Court all his time hath spent In gazing on the goodly Battlement The chamfred Pillers Plinths and antique Bosses Medals Ascents Statues and strange Colosses Amaz'd and musing vpon euery piece Of th' vniforme fair stately Frontispice Too-too-self-rapt through too-self-humoring Losing him-self while others finde the King Hold euen the Balance with clean hands clos'd eyes The principal peculiar office of a King Reuenge seuerely Publike Iniuries Remit thine Owne Heare the Cries see the Tears Of all distressed poor Petitioners Sit oft thy Self in Open Audience Who would not be a Iudge should be no Prince For Iustice Scepter and the Martiall Sword Ought neuer seuer by the Sacred Word Spare not the Great neither despise the Small Let not thy Lawes be like the Spiders Caul Simile Where little Flyes are caught and kild but great Passe at their pleasure and pull-down the Net Away with Shepheards that their Flocks deface Chuse Magistrates that may adorn their Place Such as fear God such as will iudge vprightly Men by the seruants iudge the Master lightly Giue to the Vertuous but thy Crown-Demain Diminish not giue still to giue again For there too-deep to dip is Prodigality And to dry-vp the Springs of Liberality But aboue all for Gods sake Son beware Hic labor hoc Opus Be not intrapt in Womens wylie snare I fear alas good Lord supreamly sage Auert from Mine th' effect of this Praesage Alas I fear that this sweet Poyson wil My House here-after with all Idols fil But if that neither Vertu 's sacred loue Nor Feare of Shame thy wanton Minde can moue To watch in Arms against the Charms of Those At least be warned by thy Fathers Woes Fare-wel my Son th' Almightie cals me hence I passe by Death to Lifes most excellence And to go Raign in Heav'n from World-cares free The Crown of Izrael I resigne to thee O thou that often for a Princes Sin Transport'st the Scepter euen from Kin to Kin From Land to Land Let it remaine with Mine And of my Sons Sons in successiue Ligne Let that Al-Power full deer-drad Prince descend Whose glorious Kingdom neuer shal haue end Whose iron Rod shall Satans Rule vn-doo Whom Iacob trusts in Whom I thirst for too ' DAVID deceast His Son him tracking right Initium Regni SALOMON With heart and voice worships the God of Might Enters his Kingdom by the Gate of Pietie Makes Hymâ—s and Psalms in Laud of the true Deïtie Offers in Gabeon where in Spirit he sees While his Sense sleepes the God of Maiesties His Vision The Lord of Hoasts who Crownd with radiant flames Offers him choise of these foure louely Dames First Glory shaking in her hand a Pike Not Maid-like Marching but braue Souldier-like Description of Glory Among the Stars her stately head she beares A siluer Trumpet shril a slope she wears Whose Winde is Praise and whose Stentorian sound Doth far and wide o'r all the world redound Her wide-side Robes of Tissue passing price All Story-wrought with bloody Victories Tryumphs and Tropheis Arches Crowns and Rings And at her feet there sigh a thousand Kings Not far from her coms Wealth all rich-bedight Of Riches In Rhéa's Thetis Pluto's Treasures bright The glittering stuff which doth about her fold Is rough with Rubies stiff with beaten Gold With either hand from hollow steans she powrs Pactolian surges and Argolian showrs Fortune and Thrift and Wakefulnes and Care And Diligence her dayly Seruants are Then cheerfull Health whose brow no wrinkle bears Of Health Whose cheek no palenesse in whose eye no tears But like a Childe shee 's pleasant quick and plump Shee seems to fly to skip to daunce and iump And Life 's bright Brand in her white hand doth shine Th' Arabian Birds â—are plumage platted â—ine Serues her for Suâ—-coat and her seemly â—â—ain Mirth Exercise and Temperance sustain Last Wisedom comes with sober countenance Of Wisedom To th' euer-Bowrs her oft a-loft t' aduance The light Mamuques wing-les wings she has Her gesture cool as comly-graue her pase Where e'r she go she neuer goes with-out Compasse and Rule Measure and Waights about And by her side at a rich Belt of hers The Glasse of Nature and her-Self she wears Hauing beheld their Bewties bright the Prince Seems rapt all-ready euen to Heauen from hence Sees a whole Eden round about him shine And ' mid so many Benefits Diuine Doubts which to chuse At length he thus begun O Lord sayth he what hath thy Seruant don That so great Blessings I should take or touch Or thou shouldst daign to honour me so much Thou doost preuent my Merit or deer Father Delight'st to Conquer euen my Malice rather Fair Victorie's a noble Gift and nought Is more desired or is sweeter thought Than euen to quench our Furie's thirst with blood In iust Reuenge on those that wrong our Good But oft alas foul Insolence comes after And the long Custome of in humane Slaughter Transforms in time the myldest Conquerors To Tigers Panthers Lions Bears and Boars Happy seems He whose count-les Herds for Pasture Dis-robe alone Mount Carmels moatly Vesture For whom alone a whole rich Countrey torn With timely Tools brings forth both Wine and Corn That hath soft Sereans yellow Spoils the Gems And precious stones of the Arabian streams The Mines of Ophir th' Entidorian Fruits The Saban Odours and the Tyrian Sutes But yet we see where Plenty chiefly sways There Pride increases Industry decays Rich-men adore their Gold whoso aspires To lift to Heav'n his sight and Soules Desires He must be Poor at least-wise like the Poor Riches and Fear are fellows euer-more I would liue long and I would gladly see My Nephews Nephews and their Progeny But the long Cares I fear and Cumbers rife Which commonly accompany Long-Life Who well liues long liues for this age of
for their Deities Gods made with hands Gods without life or breath Gods which the Rust Fier Hammer conquereth But thou art Lord th' invincible alone Th' All-seeing GOD the Everlasting ONE And who so dares him gainst thy Powr oppose Seems as a Puff which roaring Boreas blowes Weening to tear the Alps off at the Foot Or Clowds-prop Athos from his massie Root Who but mis-speaks of thee he spets at Heav'n And his owne spettle in his face is driven Lord shew thee such take on thee the Defence Of thine owne glory and our innocence Cleer thine owne name of blame let him not thus Tryumph of Thee in tryumphing of vs But let ther Lord vnto thy Church appear Iust Cause of Ioy and to thy Foes of fear God hears his Cry and from th' Empyreal Round Miraculous slaughter of the Assirians He wrathfull sends a winged Champion down Who richly arm'd in more than humane Arms Mowes in one night of Heathen men at Arms Thrice-three-score thousand and five thousand more Feld round about beside behinde before Heer his two eyes which Sun-like brightly turn Simile Two armed Squadrons in a moment burn Not much vnlike vnto a fier in stubble Which sodain spreading still the flame doth double And with quick succour of som Southren blasts Crick-crackling quickly all the Country wastes Heer the stiff Storm that from his mouth he blowes Thousands of Souldiers each on other throwes Simile Even as a Winde a Rock a sodain Flood Bears down the Trees in a side-hanging Wood Th' Yew overturns the Pine the Pine the Elm The Elm the Oak th' Oak doth the Ash ore-whelm And from the top down to the Vale belowe The Mount's dis-mantled and even shamed so Heer with a Sword such as that sacred blade For the bright Guard of Eden's entry made He hacks he hews and somtimes with one blowe A Regiment hee all at once doth mowe And as a Cannon's thundrie roaring Ball Simile Battering one Turret shakes the next withall And oft in Armies as by proof they finde Kils oldest Souldiers with his very winde The whiffing Flashes of this Sword so quick Strikes dead a many which it did not strike Heer with his hands he strangles all at-once Legions of Foes O Arm that Kings dis-throans O Army-shaving Sword Rock-razing Hands World-tossing Tempest All-consuming Brands O let som other with more sacred fier Than I inflam'd into my Muse inspire The wondrous manner of this Overthrowe The which alas God knowes I little knowe I but admire it in confused sort Conceiue I cannot and much less report Com-on Zenacherib where 's now thine Hoast Where are thy Champions Thou didst lately boast Th' hadst in thy Camp as many Soldiers As Sea hath Fishes or the Heav'ns haue Stars Now th' art alone and yet not all alone Fear and Despair and Fury wait vpon Thy shame-full Flight but bloody Butcher stay Stay noysom Plague fly not so fast away Fear not Heav'ns Fauchin that foul brest of thine Shall not be honor'd with such wounds divine Nor shalt thou yet in timely bed decease No Tyrants vse not to Depart in Peace As bloud they thirsted they are drown'd in blood Their cruell Life a cruell Death makes good For O iust Iudgement lo thy Sons yer-long Zenacherib slain by his owne sonnes At Nisroch's Shrine revenge the Hebrews wrong Yea thine owne Sons foul eggs of fouler Bird Kill their owne Father sheath their either sword In thine owne throat and heirs of all thy vices Mix thine owne bloud among thy Sacrifices This Miracle is shortly seconded By one as famous and as strange indeed It pleas'd the Lord with heavy hand to smight King Ezechiah who in dolefull plight Ezekiah's sicknesse Vpon his bed lies vexed grieuously Sick of an Vlcer past all remedy Art fails the Leach and issue faileth Art Each of the Courtiers sadly wayles a-part His losse and Lord Death in a mourn-ful sort Through every Chamber daunteth all the Court And in the City seems in every Hall T' haue light a Taper for his Funerall Then Amos * The Prophet Isaiah Son his bed approaching pours From plentious lips these sweet and golden showrs But that I knowe you knowe the Lawes Divine But that your Faith so every-where doth shine But that your Courage so confirm'd I see I should my Liege I should not speak so free A comfortable Visitation of the sicke I would not tell you that in continent You must prepare to make your Testament That your Disease shall haue the vpper hand And Death already at your Door doth stand What fears my Lord Knowe you not heer beneath We alwayes say I towards the Port of Death Where who first anch'reth first is glorified That 't is Decreed confirm'd and ratified That of necessity the fatall Cup. Once all of vs must in our turn drink vp That Death 's no pain but of all pains the end The Gate of Heav'n and Ladder to ascend That Death 's the death of all our storms and strife And sweet beginning of immortall Life For by one death a thousands death's we slay Thear-by we rise from Body-Toomb of Clay Thear-by our Soules feast with celestiall food Thear-by we com to th' heav'nly Brother-hood Thear-by w' are chang'd to Angels of the Light And face to face behold Gods beuties bright The Prophet ceast and soon th' Isaacian Prince Deep apprehending Death's drad form and sense Vnto the Wall-ward turns his weeping eyes And sorrow-torn thus to himself he cries Lord I appeal Lord as thine humble childe A Prayer for a sick person mutatis mutandis From thy iust Iustice to thy Mercy milde Why will thy strength destroy a silly-one Weakned and wasted even to skin and bone One that adores thee with sincere affection The wrack of Idols and the Saints protection O! shall the Good thy servant had begun For Sion rest now by his death vndon O! shall a Pagan After-king restore The Groues and Idols I haue raz'd before Shall I dye Childe-les Shall thine Heritage In vain exspect that glorious golden Age Vnder thy CHRIST O! mercy mercy Lord O Father milde to thy dear Childe accord Som space of life O! let not Lord the voice Of Infidels at my poor death reioyce Then said the Seer Be of good cheer my Liege The Kings praier heard and his life prolonged 15 yeares Thy sighes and tears and prayers so be siege The throne of Pitty that as pierçt with-all Thy smyling Health God yieldeth to re-call Wills to his Temple three dayes hence thou mount Retracts his Sentence and corrects his count Makes Death go back for fifteen yeers as lo This Dial's shadow shal heer back-ward go His Word 's confirm'd with wonderfull Effect The Sunne goes backe For lo the Dial which doth houres direct Life's-guider Daye's-divider Sun's-Consorter Shadow's dull shifter and Time's dumb Reporter Puts-vp-again his passed Houres perforce And back-ward goes against his wonted course 'T is Noon at Mid-night and
a triple Morn Seems that long Day to brandish and adorn Sol goes and coms and yer that in the Deep Of Atlas shade he lay him down to sleep His bright Light-winged Gold-shod wheels do cut Three times together in the self-same rut Lord what are we or what is our deserving That to confirm our Faith so prone to swarving Thou daign'st to shake Heav'ns solid Orbs so bright Th' Order of Nature to dis-order quight To make the Sun's Teem with a swift-slowe pase Back back to trot and not their wonted Race That to dispell the Night so blindely-black Which siels our Soules thou mak'st the shade go back On Ahaz Dial And as Self-vn-stable Seem'st to revoke thine Acts irrevocable Raze thine owne Dooms tost in vn-steddy storm And to reform vs thine owne speech reform To giue thy Self the Ly and in a Word As Self-blam'd softly to put-vp thy Sword Thrice-glorious God! thrice-great thrice-gracious Heer-in O Lord thou seem'st to deal with vs As a wise Father who with tender hand Simile Severely shaking the correcting Wand With voice and gesture seems his Son to threat Whom yet indeed he doth not mean to beat But by this curb of fained Rigor aims To aw his Son and so him oft reclaims This Prince no sooner home to Heav'n returns But Israel back to his vomit turns Him re-bemires and like a head-strong Colt Runs headlong down into a strange Revolt And though â—osias Heav'n-deer Prince vho yong Coms wisely-olde to liue the older long Had re-aduanç't the sacred Lawes divine Propt Siou's Wall all ready to decline With his owne back and in his happy Raign The Truth re-flowr'd as in her Prime again Yet Iaeob's Heirs striue to resemble still Simile A stiff-throw'n Bowl which running down a Hill Meets in the way som stub for rub that stops The speed a space but instantly it hops It ouer-iumps and stayes not though it stumble Till to the bottom vp-side-down it tumble With puissant Hoast proud Nebuchadnezzar Now threatned Iuda with the worst of War Nabuchadnezar besiegeth Ierusalem His Camp coms marching to Ierusalem And her olde Walls in a new Wall doth hem The busie Builders of this newer Fold In one hand Swords in th' other Trowels hold Nor felder strike with blades than hammers there With firmer foot the Sieged's shock to bear Who seem a swarm of Hornets buzzing out Among thir Foes and humming round about To spet their spight against their Enemies With poysonie Darts in noses brows and eyes Cold Capricorn hath pav'd all Iuda twice With brittle plates of crystal-crusted Ice Twice glased Iordan and the Sappy-blood Of Trees hath twice re-perriwigd the Wood Since the first Siege What sayd the yonger sort Shall we growe olde about a feeble Fort Shall we not Martial but more Maçon-skild Shall we not batter Towrs but rather build And while the Hebrue in his sumptuous Chamber Disports himself perfum'd with Nard and Amber Shall We swelting for Heat shivering for Cold Heer far from home lie in a stinking Hold Shall time destroy vs shall our proper sloath Annoy vs more than th' Hebrues valour doth No no my Lord let not our Fervour fault Through length of Siege but let vs to th' Assault Let 's win 't and wear it tut Sir nothing is Impossible to Chaldean courages Contented sayd the King braue Bloods away Goeseck Renown ' mid wounds and death to-day Now in their breasts braue Honor's Thirst began Nabuzaradan Me thinks I see stout Nabuzaradan Already trooping the most resolute Of every Band this plot to prosecute Each hath his Ladder and the Town to take Bears to the Wall his Way vpon his back But the braue Prince cleaues quicker then the rest His slender Firr-poles as more prowes-full prest Alike they mount affronting Death together A Scalâ—dâ— But not alike in face nor fortune neither This Ladder slippery plaç't doth slide from vnder That over-sloap snaps in the midst asunder And souldiers falling one another kill As with his weight a hollow Rocky-Hill Simile Torn with som Torrent or Tempestuous windes Shivers it self on stones it vnder-grindes Som rashly climb'd not wont to climb so high With giddy brains swim headlong down the Sky Som over-whelmd vnder a Mill-stone-storm Lose with their life their living bodies form Yet mounts the Captain and his spacious Targe Bears-off a Mountain and a Forest large Of Stoans and Darts that fly about his ears His teeth do gnash he threats he sweats and swears As steady thear as on the ground he goes And thear though weary he affronts his Foes Alone and halfly-hanging in the ayr Against whole Squadrons standing firmly fair Vpright he rears him and his Helmet braue Whear not a Plume but a huge Tree doth wave Reflecting bright above the Paripet Affrights th' whole Citty with the shade of it Then as half Victor and about to venter Over the Wall and ready even to enter With his bright Gantlet's scaly fingers bent Grasping the coping of the battlement His hold doth fail the stones vn-fastâ—ed fall Down in the ditch and headlong he with-all Yet he escapes and getts again to shoar Thanks to his strength but to his courage more Now heer me thinks I hear proud Nergal raue Nergal In War quoth he Master or Match to haue By Mars I skorn yea Mars himself in Arms And all the Gods with all their braving Storms O wrathfull Heav'ns roar lighten thunder threat Gods do your worst with all your batteries beat If I begin in spâ—ght of all your powrs I 'll skale your Walls I 'll take your Crystall Towrs Thus spewd the Curr and as he spake withal Climbs-vp the steepest of a dreadfull Wall With his bare-feet on roughest places sprawling With hook-crookt hands vpon the smoothest crawling As a fell Serpent which som Shepheard-lad Simile On a steep Rock incounters gladly-â—ad Turning and winding nimbly to and fro With wriggling pase doth still approach his Foe And with a Hiss a Frisk and flashing ey Makes soudainly his faint Assailer fly Even so the Duke with his fierce countenance His thundring-voice his helms bright radiance Drives Pashur from the Walls and Iucal too A iolly Prater but a Iade to doo Brauer in Counsâ—il then in Combat far With Sephatiah tinder of this War And Malchy he that doth in Prison keep Vnder the ground a hundred â—ubits deep Good â—eremie and instrument alone Inspir'd with breath of th' ever-living ONE Let 's fly cries Pâ—shur fly this Infidell Rather this Fiend the which no waight can fell What force can front or who in count â—r can An armed Faulcon or a flying Man While Nergal speeds his Victory too-fast His hooks dis-pointed disappoint his haste Prevent him not of praise but of the Prize Which out of doubt he did his owne surmize He swears and tears what should what could he more He cannot vp nor will he down therefore Vnfortunate and vainly-valiant He 's fain to stand like the Funambulant
Ecbatan and now growes weed and herbe Where sometime stood his palaces superbe So that where erst the lute and lowde Haubois Were wont to sound with sweete concordant nois Now shriking owles and other monsters moe In funerall sound fulfils the place with woe My potent Prince when all this warre was ceast Consumed moneths foure in Royall feast In Niniue the great which banket done He me commanded to assemble sone His Royall hoste to punish all and some That to his former ayd disdaind to come And that I shortly should with sword and flame Reuenge his honour but alas Madame Full farre am I from that I would pursew For comming here thy nation to subdew I vanquisht am by thee so that deaths might Shall shortly close mine eyes with endles night If you not with a louing kisse to me Restore my life O worthy Prince quoth she Continue your discours and to me tell What great aduentures to your Hoste befell Then he retooke his tale he left alate And made a long discours of all his state Part true part false as do some warriours braue Who speaking of their Acts will lye and raue My Camp assembled then gan I t'enflame Oration My soldiers harts thus for to win them fame Companions now if euer ye pretend To winne renoume that neuer shall haue end Go forwards now plague these inhumain Lands That on our sacred Legats layd their hands Reuenge reuenge ye men your most hie Prince That ever Scepter bare in rich prouince That euer came adowne with mighty arme From circled starres Alarm ' soldats alarme Take blades in hand and brands of burning yre To waste the western world with sword and fyre With bloody seas bedewe ech mount and vvood And make your horses fearce to swimme in blood Receiue the Scepter great and crowne of might Of all this world vvhich is to you behight Receiue this laude that for your conquest braue Shall draw your fames from the forgetfull graue Receiue yee valiant men the noble spoyle Of many-a land that ye shall put to foyle Let men behold that sees you day by day How ye are cloyde with honour spoile and pray Thus ended I. And as my words were spent They bet their bucklers showing them content With courage bolde to fight with me and byde Then sixscore thousand men I had to guide Or moe and so from Niniuè we past And marched vnto Bectilè at last I through Edessi Amidi and Carran came Where sometime dwelt your father Abraham I wan the mount vvhose thwarting hornes diuyds All Asie and serues for bounds on sundrie syds To manie great Empyrs I â—lew I brent All in my way My fellon soldiers vvent Like moawers with their sithes in sowple hands Who leaues not after them a straw that stands But ample swathes of grasse on ground doth cast And showes what way their sharped sithes haue past All Lydia knowes that nought now growes in it But weeds And Phuli-and Tharsis feeles it yit I was welâ—eare the straits that closeth all Phoenice and th' Ishique Rouers like a wall When Rosea Solea Mops Anchiali ' and Iscia And sweete Egei and short the whole Cilicia This passage took before and lay in wait To stay my Armie for to passe this straight If I the harmes and hasâ—ards all should tell Of all th' affairs and bloody frayes that fell And succours sent the day should slide away Before my tale For that Cilicia I say Through great aduantage of their ground so narrow Defended them from both the speare and arrow So that my Hoste that gaue before the chace To puissant kings now fled with great disgrace Craking Then foming in despite despaire and yre I cast my selfe where shot flew like the fyre And though they hurt me in a hundred parts And though my buckler bare a wood of darts Yet left not I but with audacious face I brauely fought and made them all giue place My army followde where my arme made way With trenching blade on bodies dead that lay The greatest coward that my captains led Pursewd and â—lew the most of them that fled The Cidnus streame vvho for his siluer flood Esteemd a king ran now with humaine blood The Pyram fearce in seas discharged than Full many-a helm and sword and worthy man In short as your owne riuer seems to rest With swelling tyds and frothy foods represt Within his bank yet furiously him wreaks With weightie force and banks and bridges breaks And stroies the Plaines and makes for many-a day More wrak then if his channels open lay In semble sort their bands I did enchace That kept the entrance of that craggie place I brunt I â—lew cast down all that I fand And Asia spoild I entred th' easter Land I wan Celeâ— and raged pitti-les Vpon the fruitfull shore of Euphrates I bet the desart Rapse and Eagria Land Who knowes the vertue of my conquering hand From thence to seaward sewing mine entent I wasted Madian Northward then I went To Lâ—ban-ward Damascus ouerrinning With other towns Abilâ—a and Hippas winning From thence vvith curious mind my standerds styes The hill where sunne is seen to set and ryes And so from thence I forward led mine hoste To th' Occident on the Phoenicâ—an coste Then Sidon Bible Beryte Tyre and Gaze With Ascalon and Assot in a maze For feare sent humbly to my sacred seat Wise messengers my fauour to intreat We come not here my Lord said they with armes For to resist the chok of thy Gens â—'armes But Prince we come of thee for to resaue Both life and death and what law vve shall haue Our townes are thine our citties and our hills Our fields our flocks our wealth is at your wills Our seruice and our treasures great and small Our selfs our wyues and our faire children all Now only rests to thee if so thee please To take vs thus O God what greater ease O God vvhat greater good may vs befall Then vnto such a Chiefe for to be thrall Who weilds the valiant lance and ballance right With vertue like the Gods of greatest might So were to me as gratious to beholde Their townes and Citties both for young and old With crownes and presents of the Flora sweet And costly odours humbly did me greete At sounds of hornes and pypes they dauncing vvent With goods and bodies me for to present Then I abusing not the law of armes Entreated them and did to them no harmes Nor to their Lands But first their forts I mand With men of mine and theirs tooke in my Band. For where that I my people farthest drew My camp in bands from bands to armies grew As doth the Danow which begins to flow By Raurak fields with snakish crangling slow Then swels his floods with sixty riuers large That in the Golfe Euxinus doth discharge I vvende Madame that Izrell like the rest Would yeeld to me that I should not be strest Against their brest to moue my murdring speare But as I