Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A37724
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Noah's flood, or, The destruction of the world an opera / by Edward Ecclestone ...; Noah's flood. Libretto
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Ecclestone, Edward, fl. 1679.
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1679
(1679)
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Wing E140; ESTC R17281
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36,863
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70
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ev'ry Insect ev'ry Creature can This great Plenipotentiary unman Nay through our veins such killing poysons pass Each small Distemper breaks the brittle Glass But these we fear not though pernitious they Too often take our pretious Lives away A greater Plague is come a Draught that will Not only Man and Beast but even Nature kill 3. Man Vain mis-believing Man Can't death be found Nor learnt but when he 's striking of the Wound Can't we believe his mighty piercing Steel Nor know his Dart before its point we feel But now too late we see our dreadful Foe And strive to shun what we are sure to know He stalks along with a Majestick pace With direful Desolation in his Face Castles and Tow'rs Rocks Mountains all are vain All are o're-whelm'd all cover'd by the Rain And only this doth 'bove the Waves remain Too late we now believe our Reverend Sire Too late we know his truths and worth admire Now his Prophetick raging Judgment 's come And in the rapid Waves we find our Tomb. In vain he preach'd in vain good manners taught Him and his Precepts both we set at naught Which has this dire Destruction on us brought Exeunt Enter a Woman with several Children hanging about her some in her Arms c. 1. Chil. O my dear Mother how the Waves do roar Moth. My aid Dear Children you in vain implore I 've given you all and now can give no more Unless I do anticipate your fears And Drown you all in Deluges of Tears Like to a harmless Herd that hasts away From a fierce Tyger that would on 'em prey And to some safe retiring Covert fly Where they in vain their small Defiance try Till the poor Dams do with their young ones die But I 'm afraid so faint my Spirits grow And grief 's so great I shall prevent the blow 2. Chil. Will you then die and leave us here alone To all things but to misery unknown Strangers to all where e're we walk or go Companions only to sad grief and woe We their acquaintance in all places find Marching before or tracing us behind 3. Chil. What shall we do if we stay here we die To yonder higher Mountain let us fly It is some ease to prolong misery Moth. Chear up my Infants since no hopes remain But that together we must all be slain And in one Dismal Grave Intomb'd must lie Thus hand in hand we will prepare to die And launch from hence into Eternity 1. Chil. Here I will grasp Hangs on the Mother 2. Chil. Here I 'le for ever stay Till Desolation hurries me away Moth. Thus then let 's go let each one take their hold And Miser-like I 'le perish with my Gold So desp'rate Souls that on their Deaths bed lie Take their last Cordial and then faint and die Exeunt The Scene changes and discovers a throng of men Women and Children on the highest Mountains who on a sudden are all overwhelm'd with the Waves The Scene changes again and represents Hell with Lucifer Sathan Beelzebub Asmoday and Belial sitting in Council in their Pandaemonium Moloch swiftly flying down to them Mol. Hell and Damnation seize this mystick sense And Curse upon the eye of Providence Such a design so close so surely laid One should have thought would all Heav'ns watch evade Hid ev'n to all but Gabriels searching eyes Who soon discover'd me through this Disguise Those piercing eyes that penetrate all bars And shine far brighter than the clearest Stars From his Transcendent Beams I stole away And swift as wind I div'd beneath the day But his more swifter eyes trac'd all my way I grinning turn'd me round and saw the Door Of th' Ark made fast he standing just before With his bright Flaming sword so now we are Compel'd by Force to proclaim open War By this time too the Waters so prevail They o're the tops o' th' highest Mountains scale That fifteen Cubits 'bove the Earth they rise And by their height they seem to touch the Skies So to our War a stop may soon be giv'n Unless we hast the Ark so high is driv'n I fear before we go 't will sail to Heav'n Luc. Then let us haste with all our Banners spread Blazon'd with all the Trophies of the Dead With a large Deluge that to Heav'n does flow A Shipwrack'd Ark half sinking down below And all our Legions following their blow Thus let us pass and through the Deluge glide Springing like thought above the swelling Tide They all fly out of fight The Scene changes Representing all destroy'd but the Ark which is swimming on the Surface of the Waters All the Devils appear again Luc. Ho Moloch loose the Eastern Wind let go Belial the West both shall together blow You Asmoday must rule the Southern Wind Ho Beelzebub the stubborn North unbind Whilst I and Satan like two mighty Whales Toss up the Ark with our impetuous Tails And beat and bandy it from Wave to Wave Till 't is impossible for Heav'n to save Let us all Charge and with one dreadful Shock Sink down this floating World this swimming Rock Which though through Dangers it doth safely ride And boldly with its Prow doth sweep the Tide Yet not so safe but that no doubt we may Make it a brave and a Triumphant day Here they all assault the Ark and almost overturn it Several Flaming Chariots full of Angels fly down from whence breaks Thunder and Lightning which drives them headlong into the Deep The Scene changes and represents Noah in the Ark. Noah What dreadful noise and roarings round us move Far be 't that we have sin'd to lose Heav'ns Love To feel his Wrath making our bliss become A Curse our Sanctuary turn our Tomb. Escaping Rocks and Shipwracks now to find His Goodness Infinite to be unkind But far be 't too I should his Love mistrust Who is all Mercy all Divine all Just Who from his word doth never go away His Cov'nant is Eternal as the Day For he protecting Rocks nor Gulphs avail Through Seas of Storms we shall in safety sail Exit Enter Sin and Death Sin appearing upward like a fair Beautiful Woman but ending in a Serpentine Scaly Tail Death wearing a Crown of Gold upon his Head Sin What glorious Trophies ought t' adorn my Head Since I have Crown'd you Lord o're all the Dead Dea. It was from you that I did first begin My Father Satan but my Mother Sin So for my b'ing I 'm ready to obey And wait your strict Commands both Night and Day Where e're you go I will your train attend To see your Enemies or dearest Friend Sin For thy great Love I 've had thee to the Court My chief delight where all my Friends resort Envy Ambition Malice Hatred Pride Lust Flattery and all the rest beside Too tedious to account by whose sly ways And guiles we 've gain'd our selves Immortal praise Dea. There I did first grow great I was before Naked and starv'd and miserably
NOAH'S FLOOD OR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD The Scene being open'd Hell is represented with Spirits in several postures of Torments hideous Howlings and Lamentations are heard and several are flying cross the Stage The Scene on a sudden shifts and represents Lucifer Sathan Beelzebub Asmoday Moloch and Belial at which Songs of Joy and Triumph are heard all advancing from a Rowling Lake of Burning Brimstone ACT the First Lucifer BID 'em their Shrieks and Howlings now refrain And let each Soul make Musick with his Chain For at this Juncture all from pains are free And Hell it self shall keep a Jubilee Bel. It shall be done Flies swiftly from ' em Luc. The happy time is nigh I plainly see 't i' th Records of the Sky The Characters of Heav'n with ease are found Read there the Universe shall soon be drown'd Sat. The Watry Planets in Conjunction stand Ready to pour their Vials o're the Land Beel The Sea insulting like a Conq'ting Foe Doth daily many Islands overthrow Still threatning all that does its force withstand And only waits for the All-high's Command Asm The little Rivolets run swifter on As with their hast they 'd meet the Ocean And add their Force with his all swell so high They seem the Deluge in Epitomy Mol. The Sea Springs Lakes as with some private heat Boil higher up Each bubble swells so great That every drop seems to push on their Fate Luc. Thus far with brave success we have prevail'd And in out direful Projects never fail'd You han't forgot how subtly I did win The first Form'd man and taught him how to fin How shamefully he from his bliss was driv'n And banish'd from his Paradise his Heav'n How since their Off springs toil and live forlorn And know their Race accurst before they 'r born It was a Deed so exquisitely great I almost did their lives Anticipate And rather than have lost it I would bear Double Damnation doubled with despair I saw that if he fell the world would fall And in his Ruin I should ruin all Sat. Your Prophecy is just at hand Mankind Is grown so imp'ous there 's but eight design'd To populate the world again Mol. Those few Though from the Deluge sav'd we 'l in the Ark subdue Luc. That task Great Moloch we design for you Mol. And with such force I will the Ark invade I 'le cause a new Creation to be made For in one day his six I 'le ruinate 'T is easier to Destroy than to Create Luc. Go Moloch and observe the ways of man Moloch flies away We 'l bring their period lesser than a span In this brave Action let us all comply Beel Who doubts th' event if possible should die Luc. Let every Spirit chuse his proper Vice What he can most prevail in most entice And with your cunning'st guiles declare your Art Playing your Engines into ev'ry heart For fear the World turn pious and repent And so this Universal Flood prevent Asm By you Great Sir was the first Act begun You did the Father Ruin I the Son At his Devotions and i' th midst of Pray'r I rais'd up Envy and that caus'd Despair Seeing his Offerings despis'd he threw The Altars down and streight his Brother slew So for the deed a Vagabond was made And of each Soul he met was so affraid He even fear'd his Murther from his shade So by one Act I did both Brothers slay Envy alone would the whole World betray This is my Chief Delight this very sin I 've cull'd from all to be my Concubine Sat. That which I most affect is dire Despair To fill mens Souls with grief distrust and fear Horrors and Furies seize each vital part And irk some Maladies shall plague the heart In gentle sleep when their rack'd Souls repose With dreadful Visions I their rest oppose Nay at the Altars as they prostrate lie Asking forgiveness of the Deity I make 'em Atheist-like high Heav'n despise And ' stead of Pray'rs they utter Blasphemies With desp'rate madness they their lives destroy And think in dying they shall Bliss enjoy They long for Death and Death must be their end To some the worst of Foes to them the happiest Friend Beel Pride and Ambition are my darling Joys My Minion Pleasures and my dear Decoys With those sweet Poysons I man's Soul inspire Like us they would be always mounting high'r None is contented with his proper State But ev'ry Slave would be a Potencate Proud in Ambition all to rule are giv'n Subjects would Monarchs sway great Monarchs Heav'n The Holy Hermits who all praise defie Do cloak their Pride under Hypocrisie Their seeming Sanctity their hearts reveal And they are proud in that they Pride conceal This lust of Pride in ev'ry Soul is seen She over all the World is Regent Queen Luc. You 've rais'd my Spirits high I long to roam Lord over all and view this World in foam To see the Cataracts of Heav'n fall And spread its Waters o're this mighty Ball. 'T was well design'd of the Great Conqueror And in 't he shew'd his Wisdom and his Pow'r For their hot lust a Deiuge does require And should he stop the World would be on fire Moloch flies down Mol. At length great Lucifer the Ark is made Luc. If that be finish'd then the World 's betray'd 'T is joyful News now the great Period's come And all must wallow in the Watry Tomb The Birds and Beasts with man confus'd must lie And Fish in their own Element shall dye Sat. What has been Ages building we 'l destroy In a few days and in its Ruin joy Beel But how it shall be done I cannot tell For Hosts of Angels will keep Centinel And round the Sanctuary always stay Questioning all who shall advance that way And with strict Guard defend it night and day Mol. The way is easie and the passage fair Know from all parts all Creatures do repair And round the Ark reside waiting the time When to their place of safety they shall climb Then with the rest I in some borrow'd shape Will enter in and so the Guards escape There lurking close I 'le in some Corner lie Few think of danger when it is most nigh And soon into their private thoughts will pry There at the least advantage I 'le fly in And teach this great small World of Eight to sin If this should fail I 'le fill each Soul with rage And all the Ark a Civil-War shall wage The Beast with Fowl Father shall fight with Son 'Till with Intestine strife they 'r all undone Luc. Bravely design'd may the whole Ark be curst And mayst thou prosper as I did at first Whilst you 're within Plotting their sudden Fall We 'l hovering be without and wait your call Then we 'l combine and at one dreadful blow This remnant of the World we loverthrow Asm This will prove hazardous and hard to gain What cost a hundred years to build with pain Was never sure design'd to be