said Let not your minds with terror be dismaid Almighty God whose I reioyce to be Hath sent me to you on this embasie The honour which you lately did his Sonne Hath so much fauour from his goodnesse wonne That knowing you are bent to vndertake A dangerous iourney he desires to make The hazzard knowne vnto you Iuda's King Herod I meane is rather any thing Then whaâ— he seem'd vnto you his pretence Of worship when in that close conference He brake about the Infant was a wile Both you and him the better to beguile For in his heart he plotted long before To wash his hands within the purple gore Of his lâ—e blood and chose for this intent Your simplenâ—sse to be his instrument Meaning when he had seru'd his turne to reaue You of your dearest liues striuing to leaue A president vnto posterity Of an vnmatâ—â—â— vnheard of tyranny Be mindfull of â— â— words and take good heed How you returne to Herod rather speed Into your Country bâ— some other way For no â—â—alâ— danger waits vpon delay This said he quickly vanisht out of sight And they fell to their rest that rest of night No sooner did the grav-eyed Morne appeare And by her blushiâ—g â—hew the Sunne was neare But to their â—ourney they themselues addresse And mindfull of the vision which did presse Their memories afresh they leaue the rode Which leades to Sâ—â—em though the tract were broad And ride through laâ—es and by-waies till at last The confines of â—udea they are past Secure from danger their post-haste they stay And trauaile on at leasure by the way Discoursing with ioy not to be exprest How highly they were in that iourney blest Ere many daies their Country smoke appeares And they in peace at hoâ—e liue many yeeres I cannot leaue this part of history Till I haue shewed a vsefull mystery Herod by the vnanimous assent Of Fathers doth the diuell represent They then which by Gods mercy are set free From bondage worse then Egypts slauery Satans oppression must abhorre such bands And take good heed they fall not in his hands The silly Bird hauing escap'd the net Farre from the fatall place herselfe will get The Lambe which from the Wolfe hath got away Will no more venture from the flocke to stray If by the Gospels Starre we once are brought To Christ let vs by no temptation wrought Turne backe to Herod but forsaking quite The workes of darknesse in Gods Word delight Indeed I know we are to trauaile farre To our owne Country in this world we are 1. Pet. 2. 11. But strangers he that liues the longest age Doth waste his life in tedious pilgrimage Heauen is our happy home and we must striue Though close by hell we passe how to arriue Vnto that blessed Harbor by the way Remouing all such rubs as would vs stay But let me tell you lest we chance to stray Our iourney thither lyes another way 'T is not the too-too common road of vice Which is the passage vnto Paradice Ah no the path which vnto blisse doth lead Matth. 7. 13. Is straight and few they are that doe it tread Then onely then another way we take Immutatio viae emendatio vitae Eusebius Emissenus 1. King 13. When of our vicious life a change we make Like as the Prophet which was sent to cry Against that Altar of impiety Set vp by Ieroboam had command Not to goe backe vnto his natiue Land By the same way he came the like haue we VVe must our old waies leaue and speedily As we new creatures are new wayes enquire Such as may bring vs whither we desire He that by sinne hath left heauens vsuall track Must by repentance a new way come back Hast thou walkt on in lusts impurity Returne another way by chastety Didst thou with pride a stately march maintaine Another way humility regaine In auarice didst thou delight to moue Returne another way and walke in loue Did sharpe contention make thee trudge to Law From that misleading path thy feet withdraw And striue to liue in peace Did thy heart range In vsuries wilde maze O let it change Though much against thy natiue constitution With good Zacheus to a restitution In fine if we wander from truth or stray Neuer so little from the narrow way We â—isse our path and so abberring rome From the right way should leade vs to our home And therefore as the trauailer in doubt Which way to take with heed doth looke about To spie some house or person which may be A helpe to him in his perplexitie And neuer leaue enquiring till he know Which way he must decline and which way goe So if yee be in doubt which path to hold With Salomons faire Spouse get to the fold Where shepheards keepe their flock of them enquire Cant. 1. 8. And they will satisfie your iust desire Then hauing found it keepe it with delight And neither turne to the left hand nor right So shall ye find what euer may betide In your way thither 't will you safely guide To your owne Country where you shall possesse More good then heart can thinke or tongue expresse Thursdaies Meditation or the fifth Canto The Argument An Angell is to Ioseph sent To tell him Hérods foule intent He with his charge to Egypt flies And there remaines tiâ—l Herod dies NO sooner had the Magi left the Land Of Palestine but He which hath command Of all that know a beeing and can see Things plotted with the greatest secrecy And easily elude them diâ— intend To Herods proiect a vaine fruitlesse end God can though man be crafty to deuise Infatuate the Counsels of the wise And free his children from what may annoy them Though malice ioyne with cunning to destroy them So Pharaoh who from Israel will not part Wants of his will yet for it feeles the smart Consilium diuinum dum deuitatur impletur humana sapientia dum reluctatâ—r comprehenditur Greg. So Saul who practiz'd Dauid â—â— confound Did himselfe fall and Jsh 〈…〉 s sonne was croun'd So Herod who did seeke â—â— haue depriu'd Christ of his life did find â—imselfe short liu'd Thus Gods decree while hund doth take effect And humane wisedome wâ—ile it striues is checkt Now were all humane eyes shut vp in sleepe But such whom care or paine did open keepe When a blest Angell Angels are prepar'd To be to Gods Elect a surer guard Then mortals can be vnto Ioseph came Sent to that iust man in Iehouahs Name Whose Sun-like presence had so bright aray That it made mid-night to excell mid-day Yet the good man fearelesse because vntainted And with such apparitions pre-acquainted Expected the euent when thus made bold The Angell did his Embasy vnfold O thou which from the Lord such grace hast won To be the Foster-father of his Sonne And husband though thou liuest more like a brother Vnto that euer blessed Virgin Mother Looke well vnto thy charge the Wolfe
through the bloud of 70. brothers waded Vnto the Crowne most wrongfully inuaded Herod was more vnnaturall then these ' Gainst his owne sonne he could not rage appease But fearing he should the Messias be Among the rest he wrought his tragedy Therefore Augustus did this saying vse If I were bound to liue among the Iewes With greater willingnesse I would be swine Then sonne to Herod for by law deuine Malo Herodis porcum quam filium esse Macrobius Swines flesh forbid the Hebrewes they did giue A kinde of priuiledge the beasts might liue Whereas King Herod a worse beast did grutch Vnto his owne childe to afford so much The Lyon will not tender Infants slay Vnlesse meere hunger force him to such prey O With what hunger then was Herod wag'd When he against so many Infants rag'd With hunger of ambition which of all The greatest hunger we may iustly call Hunger of raigning sure must needes be great Which to appease it must haue so much meate So many Infants flesh that thirst is sore Which nought can satisfie but crimsin gore Enioy bloud thirsting Herod re-inioy Thy kingdome safely free from all annoy He that aboue doth Heauenly crownes bestow Gapes not for earthly scepters here belowe Such earth-bred honor Christ doth much despise Elephants take no mice nor Eagles flies Though he of power be for to cast thee downe Yet feare no depriuation of thy crowne For though two Kings can in one kingdome raigne No more then Heauen can two bright Suns sustaine Yet euery King may with him in him daigne His kingly Lord his true Messias raigne As the faire Heauen with many Starres is dight And with the Sun from whom they take their light Only learne mercy from this potent one And heape not bloud so long vpon thy Throne Till it become so slippery as to threat Each step thou tak'st to cast thee from thy seat But rage like to the belly hath no eares To reason deafe it onely passion heares Aduice is vaine say what I can or will Herod will be himselfe a tyrant still They say that Bee who of the rest is King Either hath none or doth not vse a sting Surely this man whom wretched Bethlehem sees Reeke in the blood of Infants not of Bees But Waspes was King for wasplike full of spleene 2. King â— He thrusts his poysonous sting so great his teene Into the flesh of children and doth kill Those who to hurt him had nor power nor will Indeed two Beares did certaine children sley But cause they mockt Gods Prophet thou then they More fierce destroyst the guiltlesse fearefull man Do'st thou dread silly childrens force or can Faint cowardize with thee preuaile so farre Thou shouldst gainst Infants wage such bloody warre Great praise no doubt and many a worthy spoile Thou shalt enioy by giuing them the foile The noble Elephants will not inuade The weaker sort of beasts thou shakst thy blade At sucking children and sendst men of might To challenge those that know not how to sight There is a story of great Constantine How true the Authors credit and not mine Must answer but the matter â—le relate And leaue the question further to debate Before he came to Christianity The Prince was troubled with a Leprosie To cure this sicknesse the aduice and care Of his Phisicians would haue him prepare A Bath of Infants blood sure here the Diuill Prompted his Doctors to so great an euill But being by Gods prouidence conuerted He from so foule a slaughter was diuerted By soules Phisicians who doe well assure him Baptisme a Bath more powerfull is to cure him He hearkens to them is baptiz'd and free Both from the bodies and soules leprosie Behold ambition Herods soule inuades Like a foule Leprosie â—atan perswades Such is hells phisicke naught will doe him good Vnlesse he bathe himselfe in Infants blood And not the opening of a veâ—e or two No but their life blood this great cure must doe Therefore to satisfie the soule-sicke King Each tender Babe must empty all his Spring And now God lets the Wolfe the Lambes deuoure Without restraining of his rage or power He puts no bridle into Herods nose But lets him take full swinge in his dispose Because he knew how to draw good from ill And make this wicked action serue his will From Lyons mouth sweet honey he can take And Marahs bitter waters wholesome make Herod in this his rage doth type out those Of the malignant Church who still are foes To the Church Militant and by their will Religion in it infant age would kill Herod like malice and impiety Egyptian Babylonian cruelty It is though tyrants hold these termes in scorne To smother piety as soone as borne To quench Religion while it is a sparke And drowne poore soules by keeping from the Arke Againe in Herods foule designe of blood Satans condition may be vnderstood Who seekes not only by malicious will Christ while an Infant in our heart to kill But many children more euery good thought Though it be neuer into action brought To make those babes good motions in vs die Though they want strength to goe in act and lie In meditations cradle is his glory But I leaue types to prosecute the story While Herod inly vext became thus wilde With furious rage the Deuill rockt his childe But would not let him sleepe like some mad beast By nature feirce if wounded will not rest But doubling his fell fury and euen blinde With rage regards no longer how to finde His foe that hurt him but with head and feete Fiercely assailes the next that he doth meete So Herod who conceiu'd himselfe much wrong'd By the wise men for whose returne he long'd His hope deluded like one robd of sence Wreakes his reuengefull spleene on Innocence For full of doubtfull thoughts as well as sinnes To reason with himselfe he thus begins What childe is this that hath from Heauen his birth Foretold ere it be perfected on earth Vnto the World himselfe he hath not showne Yet is to those that neuer saw him knowne Ouer no people yet he hath command And wise men great men leaue their natiue land To waite vpon him o who is the wight That ouercomes me and yet does not fight That like a tyrant ouer me doth raigne Ere he the kingdome I possesse obtaine If he already me of state beguile What will he doe if he encrease a while Poore as he is he is more fear'd then I With all my riches and authority Or else these wise men or impostors rather For by their dealing lesse I cannot gather Whom my intelligence is I did make Would not haue faltered with me for his sake But here I vow who euer doe be friend him Nor heauen nor hel shall from my power defend him No I will make if my vnhappy fate Crosse not my will Bethlem as desolate Of Infants as this Infant hath made me Of comfort since his new nanâ—'d soueraignty Thus
he resoluâ—s in rage anâ— what that still To rash attempts a Counsellor full ill Suggests vnto him he in action brings So soone men execute the will of Kings And now come other actors on the stage The bloâ—dy instruments of Herod rage Made ready to present vnto our eye A tragicke â—ceane of horrid cruelty Not to examine who they were we see Subiect and King full well and ill agree Tyrants doe neuer want fit Instruments To execute their very worst intents Would wicked Saul haue the Lords Priests be slaine Doeg the motion soone will entertaine Doth Dauid plot to stop Vrâ—ahs breath Joab will set him in the face of death Doth Iezabell ' gainst Naboths life conspire The elders will effect her lewde desire The world yet neuer knew a Prince so vicious But that he should haue men to be officious Such as account it an especiall grace To doe their Lords will be it nere so base The officers of Herod bare this mind Ready to goe when he their warrant sign'd And now suppose them vnto Bethlehem come Ready to act the tyrants fatall doome While the Sunne hides his head at such a sight As if a Noone he meant to make it night And with blacke clouds did couer his sad face Grieuing that men should haue so little grace The melting heauens doe also showre downe raine As if they wept for the poore Infants paine Euen the walles there in a cold dew stood As struck with horror to see so much blood Yet these feele no remorce nor once desist From the commanded murther but persist In that abhorred worke of cruelty Which shall them brand with lasting infamy With their swords drawne that none this course may stay Into mens houses they do force their way Here they an Infant from the cradle snatch There from the fathers armes another catch And the poore childrens sad destruction wrought Ere the amazed parents had a thought Of any danger neere some they transpierce With their blood thirsting sword others in fierce And sauage manner they deuide asunder While they that own them stand stone still in wonder Me thinkes in one place I some father heare At his deare Infants danger struck with feare Like Nisus in the Poet or more milde Crie out vnto the Butcher of his childe O spare my sonne or if you blood must spill Here turne your swords the grieued father kill I might he durst not could not entertaine A thought of wrong vnto his Soâ—eraigne Me thinkes I in another place behold An Infant stab'd whose pretty armes lay hold About his mothers breast whence he doth draine Milke that in blood runs out as fast againe While the affrighted mother with her hands Heau'd vp like Niobe turn'd Marble stands In euery place that doth afford an age Markt out for slaughter death and fury rage While the poore soules some for their mothers crying Some smiling on their murderers are dying O here a while your speedy haste forbeare Compassionate parents and vouchsafe a teare Thinke but what sad what soule affrighting sight These saw when they were rob'd of their delight Suppose your Infants whom you highly prize Snatcht from your armes and slaine before your eyes What would you doe in such a case as this Nay what would you not doe surely amisse I doe conceiue or else your sorrow would Be greater farre then all their suffering could While from their pretty eyes salt teares did trill Your pierced hearts would liquid blood distill And euery wound their bodies should receiue FroÌ„ murderers hands your very soules would cleaue And yet behold such was the wofull state Of that late happy Citie fortunate Erst in her Sauiour who there first drew breath But now most wretched in her childrens death Whilest by this fearefull act of sinne and shame Of Bethlehem a Bethauen it became But not this bloody act could yet asswage Either their cruelty or Herods rage No the neare Villages in her hard fate The wofull City must associate Not one poore cottage can keepe out pale death Wherein a child sucks in an infant breath They passe through all the coasts about and striue That not one Infant may be left aliue Their charge so ready are they to fulfill And satisfie the Tyrant in his will O mercilesse and matchlesse murderers How can you thinke whâ—n iustice once preferres A bill against your liues and death you brings Fore the Tribunall of the King of Kings To answer this foule act when their blood cries To Heauen for vengeance it will not suffice That you had Herods Warrant Gods Command Did you knew well ' gainst murder firmely stand But how haue I forgot you all this while Poore Innocents delay must not beguile You of your worthy suffering ample glory The which alone deserues to make a story The Church on blood and the not doing wrong But suffering for it hath foundation strong By persecution she receiues renowne And martyrdome giues her a glorious Crowne The blood of Abel at the Worlds creation Of this truth giues a pregnant demonstration So likâ—wise in the Gospels pupiâ—lage The blood of Infants slaine by Herods rage There be two colours which God much delight And they are white and red first the pure white Of innocence then martyrdomes blood red And bâ—th these in the Infants largely spread Not all the coates though quartered nere so faire Wâ—â—re men thâ—ir armes emblazon to repaire Th 〈…〉 â—â—â—try of their Family Which time would weare out but for Heraldry Are halfe so glorious as those faire Armes were These Innocents did in their Scutcheon beare For crosse of Gules in Argent field they carry Versus est vagitus in gaâ—dium luctus in iubilum Cyprian O paruuli beati nunquam tentati multum luctati â—am coronati Augustine Well may their Crest be a rich Crowne of glory Some doubt but such either doe iudgement want Or else of charitie are wondrous scant Whether these Infants here depriu'd of breath Were sau'd or no from an eternall death But what should this strange dubitation breed Is not Gods promise made vnto the seed Of faithfull parents Were not these receiu'd Into the couenant ere of life bereau'd They were they were therefore their cry did turne To ioy and they now laugh who then did mourne O blessed Infants whom the cunning Diuell By his temptation neuer led to euill With death you struggled hard and for that strife You are now crowned with immortall life Sure Herods flattery could nere haue wrought you So great a blessing as his fury brought you O blessed age which could not speake Christs Name Yet was thought worthy to die for the same Sure you were borne in a thrice happy time Felicities high toy so soone to clime You are scarce past the threshold of your birth When life comes forth to meet you and from earth Takes you to heauen you doe no sooner leaue Your infant cradles but a Throne receiue In stead of hanging at your mothers breast In