Selected quad for the lemma: rest_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A00034
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Susanna: or, the arraignment of the two vniust elders
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Aylett, Robert, 1583-1655?
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1622
(1622)
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STC 1003; ESTC S100330
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23,050
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50
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they should assault it one by one So shall we finde the Fortresse of this Dame By both than one more easy to be tâ—ne Yea if through waiwardnesse it shall stand out By force or policy wee 'le bring 't about Either with peace our pleasures to enioy Or ruine it and vtterly destroy Deare Brother I mine heart must tell thee plaine My stomacke can not brooke so fowle a Swaine As Ioachim whom the base Multitude Honour as King should thus vnto be sude Of all to be their Patrone Aduocate And sway our powre in ruling oâ— the State Alleadging Law and Custome to maintaine Things that so crosse our pleasure and our gaine That he I say should be the onely wighâ— That feeles the Beames of this cleare Suns sweet light That in his armes he should enioy alone Susanna a fit Bride for Salomon Let vs bethink's of some conuenient tide Our selues in some close shady place to hide And take her in heâ— Orchard all alone For there she walketh euâ—ry afternoone Theâ—e when we see our opoâ—tunitie Keepe thou the dooâ—e I le keepe Her company And when I satisfide haue my desire As I did mine thou mayst asswage thy fire Thus wickedly one with another reason Deferring all to more conuenient season The end of the first Booke The second Booke of Susanna Susans devotions workes and Husewifery Ioachims iustice hospitality Elders her washing tempt but she denyes They offer force then out for ayde she cryes On her transferre they falsâ—ly all the blame Vnto her owne and all her seruants shame Now scarce his steedes had Phebus watered And for long iourney ready harnessed And faire Aurora vsher of the day Made haste because Sol went his longest way When chaste Susanna from sweete side arose Of Ioachim and putting on her cloathes She meditates on â—oabe of righteousnesse Wherewith the bridegroome his belou'd doth dresse His merits made her owne by imputation In spirituall birth nor fleshly generation Long costly dressings did the Dame decline As nurse of pride and mis-expence of time Wherefore her nightgowe quicke at out her cast With band and hat in seemely order plac't She suddainely vp all her maidens calls And kneeling with them to this prayer falls Oh King of rest that doest appoint the night For rest the day that man should in thy sight To all the duties of his calling tend Hauing thy glory euer for his end We first acknowledge our vnworthinesse Relying whole on Lambs vnspottednesse Which from worlds first foundation was slaine That he might free vs from eternall paiâ—e We for this wondrous grace thee euer praise Thy care and prouidence for vs alwayes Grant we of this may euer meditate Our tongues thy praise noble acts relate And make vs truely doe all thy commands So thou the workes maist prosper of our hands As nimble larke which with the morne doth rise Mouâ—ts from her couch first to salute the skies And all the way to Heauen and earth she rings Prayse to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings But hauing finished her due devotion Falls silent downe with swift and nimble motion And diligent takes paines for daily foode That may sustaine and keepe her selfe and broode Eu'n so this Dame as soone as any light Affoorded her the least vse of her sight Vp from the bed doth her faire body raise Her soule mounts vp to heau'n the Lord to praise But after her devotions finished And all her seruants duely ordered Due portions to her maidens she divides And for her houshold daily food provides Still caring for her husbands table most To furnish't bounteously with smallest cost Here she directs her steward and her cooke One to provide the other well to looke That with her faire allowance they be able To furnish plenteously her husbands table This time she soueraigne waters did distill For she in Physicke art had mickle skill Yet was her charity than cunning more Stooping to heale the meanest Lazars sore Her Lyons heart fine hand and eagles eye Made her admir'd of all for surgery That done she backe returneth to her maides Where either she to them the Scripture reades Or learnes them some choise precepts she collected Or hystories which most her soule affected With piety their minds to exercise Whilst each her taske with nimble ioints applies Their chiefest workes were roabes to keepe froÌ„ cold The orphans poore and widowes that were old Of cloath which she had spun of her owne fleece Yet oft to shew her skill in curious peece She for her husband workes a cap or band To make him be more honour'd in the land Where thou might see with cunning needle told The subtile serpent simple Eue infold Here stands a tree all couered with leaues whose fairest fruit most lookers on deceiues By this was shadow'd that Forbidden tree That Adam ban'de and his posteritee Many faire trees she planted there around But none so goodly to the eye was found Like sinne of pleasing shew but deadly tast Better than eate such poison euer fast But not farre off her cunning hand contriues An Antidote which out this poison driues For here the child 's depainted to the life That trembleth vnder faithfull Abrams knife Where lo aboue his hand an Angell stayes And doth his faith and firme obedience praise Here in the bush a spotlesse lambe doth lye Willing to saue young Isaacks life to dye A figure of that lambe that offered His life to saue vs all in Isaacks seede Oft with her maids about her round she sings Dauids sweete layes vnto the King of Kings Who ioyning all with angelique sweete noise Doe praise the Highest of all as with one voice Thus was her house of maidens arts the schoole And Academy to instruct their soule Her hands with vse so cunning were become That though her eyes lookd off her worke was done The whilst with them her maidens she directs And her owne businesse no whit neglects Oft reads she them some holy Hymne of praise Yet neuer from their worke her fingers stayes Thus she her time in working spends till noone Whilst Ioachim which rose from bed as soone Doth his whole family together call And ioynes in humble prayer with them all Then walkes he forth to see his oxen plow Or mowers pearly lockes of medowes mow Or widows weeding of his earing graine Or maidens milke from bagges of kine to straine Here he appoints a iolly Swaine to tend His flocke and from the wolfe and flye defend Oft would he teach a courser for to pace More easy and to raine with pleasing grace But euer he returneth home by eight Where many longing Clyents for him waite And him for pitty and compassion praid To be the widowes and the orphans aide Brethren saith he with all my skill and might I 'le stand for you if that your cause be right But surely know I cannot mooue my tongue To doe you good and doe another wrong Law is a constant will a ballance true That giues to
SVSANNA OR THE ARRAIGNMENT OF THE TWO VNIVST ELDERS DEVT. 16.20 That which is iust and right shalt thou follow that thou maist liue and enioy the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee LONDON Printed for Iohn Teage and are to be sold at his shoppe in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Ball. 1622. To the Right Honourable ROBERT EARLE of WARVVICKE and to his most vertuous and Noble Countesse the Lady Frances THou who art in thy Country iustly hight Another Daniel for iudging right And thou his Dame a Susan of this age Let Both be graced with your Patronage The Argument or Morall of the whole Historie I Chaste Susanna here interpret Right Or Iustice cleare as pure celestiall Light Whom couetous false Elders most vniust Seeke to corrupt to satisfie their Lust. Diuine Astrea of immortall Seede Abhominates such foule and wicked deede Wherefore they to the people her disgrace And set vp wrong and bribing in her place The people alwaies prone to imitate Their vice not vertues that do sway the state Ioine with the Iudges al to beat down right And take in guifts and doing-wrong delight Till Ioue awaked with the piteous cry Of those that grone vnder Iniquity The gods his Peares to Parlament doth call And to Olâ—â— pus court them summons all Wâ—â—re they decree a Daniel to send To iudge the woâ—st that al the rest may meÌ„d Thence doth Astrea â—lâ—are like Susan shine And iudges measure by her equall Line THE FIRST BOOKE OF SVSANNA Gods goodnesse in Iudahs captiuitie Ioachims worth what Elders ought to be A good wife by Susanna is descride The greatest Blisse that can a man betide The Elders each to other doe discouer Their Lusts and plot their wishes to recouer I Sing the honour of that noble Dame Who for true vertues sake despised shame And rather chose to die with infamy Then violate her sacred Chastitie For she him made her confidence and stay That made her righteousnesse as cleare as day Lucrece be mute if chaste why should thou die If not why should we praise thy chastitie I sing of Iudges base not more vniust In iudgement than obscene in filthy lust I sing of Iustice Iudgement Equitie And knowledge of discerning Veritie Oh blessed Spirit who didst the spirit dispose Of youth the Elders malice to disclose Direct my Muse Iniustice to discouâ—r That hating vice I may be vertues louer And teach me sing Susannas sacred story To all chaste eares delight and to thy glory Whilst Canaans Land lay seauenty yeeres vntilde And Sabbaths all prophan'd had nigh fulfilld The Abramites that vnder bondage groane Sate weeping by the streames of Babylon Their Harpes vpon the willow trees then hung On which they lately Sions songs had sung And though their voices had forgot to sing And fingers touch of sweetest warbling string Iehouah could not for his Abrams sake Forget the promise he to him did make But gaue them fauour in the heathens sight And dwellings both for profite and delight And lest they should these benefits despise They had within themselues tâ—e exercise Of their owne Lawes and Elders euery yeare The people chose the gouernment to beare Who might by vprightnesse and skill in law Protect the Good and keepe the bad in awe Amongst the â—est that in that region Had large possessions In Babylon Ioachim had a house most rich and faire Most pleasant fruitfull healthfull eke for ayre But was renowm'd and famous most of all For one faire large and open goodly Hall Whither all Iewish suitours wont resort For Iustice there the Elders kept their Court Elders whiâ—h ought by Iethros counsell wise Be men of courage hating couetise Fearing the Lord in dealing iust vpright And able to discerne the wrong from right But these were Ancients in iniquity Malice Iniustice and Adultery Both like in Ignorance and base condition Both rais'd by bribing fauour and ambition Not vsing Law hard causes to decide For they all matters by one ballance tride Whose guift weighs heauiest victory obtaines This mickle profit brings with little paines Deferring strifes finall determination Not thereby to take better information But for to groape whose purse did heauiest way And vnto him they alwayes giue the day These iudged then the congregation Of captiue Iewes that were in Babylon And for Ioachim was a noble man To him the people with the Elders came Where they till noone the causes ouer call As now our Iudges in Westminster hall This noble man was not so honorable For ancestry or ought that 's heritable As for his vertues Iustice Pietie Humblenesse Meekenesse and Integritie These did his minde and actions more adorne Than wealth ambition fauour armes with scorne These made him of the highest reputation And sought vnto of all the Iewish nation Who though he Patron was and Aduocate And wondrous knowledge had to rule the State By his great skill in Lawes iudiciall The Morall and the Ceremoniall Yet seeing the corruptions of the Time And Folly into Seate of Iustice clime And that the most vniust and ignorant By bribing friends or boldnesse got the Grant Of highest Offices Hee free from charge Of publique Office chose to liue at large But for because man borne he vnderstood Not for himselfe but for his countreys good He tooke more paines than any Magistrate For wronged friends and good of publike state So that his was the House of Iustice hight His mouth an Oracle of Law and Right The widows poores and orphans sure defendour Th' Innocents aid and terrour of th' offendour He ware a Lawyers Gowne to keepe him warme But sould no Breath to doe a poore man harme He that describe all heauenly Graces can May tell the vertues of this noble man Which he not only learnd by contemplation But acted to the good of all his nation But aboue wealth and all this man possest He with a faithful honest wife was blest In whom her husbands heart might safely trust In wealth or want contented true and iust Who did him good not euill all her daies Industrious with her mind and hands alwaies Like merchants ship that foode from far doth bring Early and late her houshould ordering Her working hand still open for to feede The hungry and to giue to them that neede And in the Sommer for the Winter tide She cloathing for her houshould doth prouide This made her husband so much set by and To sit amongst the Rulers of the Land Her mouth was shut and couered her face In one sate modesty in th' other grace In one did angelique sweet beautie shine From th' other wisdome flowes and grace diuine To many daughters Graces rare befall But chaste Susannna went beyond them all Amongst the fruits of her Industriousnesse Who neuer eate her Bread in idlenesse Shee plants an orchard fruitfull rich and faire Whither she with her Lord doth oft repaire Themselues awhile from worldly cares to free And on their handy workes Gods