had Egypt for all kind of grains Exchang'd their Coin their Jewels and their Chains All which our loyall Joseph never wrests To his own use but adds to Pharaohs Chests This store exhausted you may ghess for bread Thus the Egyptians to Joseph plead Dread Sir great Pharaoh's darling Egypts Saint Vouchsafe a patient ear to our complaint We have for Corn exchang'd our coin and gold And yet Dearth rageth as your Grace foretold Our Barns are empty not through our default Nor hath an en'my sow'd our Fields with Salt None enviously have choakt our Fields with stones None of these things are authors of our mones Great Nile's offended and no wonted shout Awakes the Echo since no flood ran out Through his fat banks cut by our num'rous troops No Nile within his shallow chanell stoops Our Money faileth and who will not hold A grain of Corn well worth an ounce of gold Our hopes are faild and when the main-spring Hope Is out of tune the lesser wheels will stop Of joy and pleasure yet we 'll not desist Since in thee bounty hath with goodness kist Think on thy honour let it not be said That we now perish whom you first didst aid Redeem us from the jawes of Death which boon Will make thy fame shine bright as Titans noon Sirs quoth the Lord my troubled heart doth languish In true imagination of your anguish Yet though I you condole I hope each knowes That I dispense as Pharaoh doth dispose Yet will he grant such is his mild remorse Corn in exchange for Heards and teams of Horse Glad was all Egypt nor at all deferr'd T' accept his love each brings his team and heard On which exchange they liv'd this year yet pind In sad conceit of two years yet behind More then with food refresh'd so ranging Deers Fear more emacerates than plenty cheers The year being ended which as in a ring It self within it self again doth bring Sad Egypt having all their cattle spent Which Industry had got or Fortune lent Ghess them in a full press with bended ham And prostrate faces unto Ioseph came Great Sir quoth they now this is the third time We have appeald to thee and yet no prime Is Nile after so many years effluxions Th' earth weary grown after so oft productions And so expects like an exhausted soil A rest and respite from the wonted toil Our Share tusts and our tools that digg'd the earth Hang like some Trophies dedicate to dearth Each body here 's her Obelisk that bears Her triumph Grav'd in meager Characters Since Pharaoh first our Cause to thee refer'd There 's none but hath exchang'd his Teem and Herd Wee not a Beast detain there 's none great Prince That can thy servants of such fraud convince Now if our persons may and each ones land Ioyn'd with thy love in equall ballance stand With one years diet more we have to boast Nor will as yet esteem our selves as lost So Pharaoh shall a double title have In each one of subject and a slave View but these looks well thou wilt not demur Nor will thy pity need another spur Thou art our nostrills breath why should we dy The breath of all our nostrills being by And since now 's the last year by fate decreed That Dearth shall rage we further beg some seed To sow the land that it may be reduc'd Which in its ancient Chaos lies confus'd Sirs quoth our Lord my heart with you condoles The bitter anguish of your troubled Souls Yet 't were a sin in me beyond excuse Should I not all dispence to Pharaohs use Yet as I pittie what you have disclos'd So will I grant you what you have propos'd Ghess Ioseph now for Pharaoh wisely changes Bread for their Fields their Mannors and their Granges And with the Citizens for Pharaoh Barters For Corn their Houses Liberties and Charters And that their lands and rights might all be known By some clear evidence as Pharaohs own Th' Egyptians were to Cities far remov'd To the lands end so Pharaohs right was prov'd Yet the Priests lands and I sis Princely Flamines Became not Pharaohs nor the greedy Famins As if 't were Sacrilegious extortion Ev'n in this Panic sale to buy their portion Nor were they famished for Pharaohs stores They made as bold with as their threshing floors And which those Priests who then serv'd I sis Cow Or they that serve the Lamb of heaven now Are worth most honours reader fear and pray Lest Pagans judge us at the latter day Ghess Egypt now were in a full convention By Joseph summond then to soft attention To whom quoth he Sirs there is none but knowes And will acknowledge still with thankfull vowes That y' are preserved not by common Power Since Fate and Fortune on you all did lower If Pharaoh's bounty did not intervene Your Play were marr'd now in the latter Scene And you like long-toss'd Vessells should fall short And drown within the kenning of the Port Now so will Pharaoh as you do importune In true commiseration of your fortune Not out of Avariee for to supplant But out of pitty to supply your want Be 't then in Egypts Notaries inroll'd That y'have your lands and selves to Pharaoh sold Lo here is seed go sow the land in peace Which with its former vigour shall increase Whereof a fifth part you shall grant the King You now being safe under his Graces wing You for your houshold shall the rest reserve To nourish them Bread's natures chiefest nerve This he Enacted and a Statute seal'd Which to this day 's not cancell'd nor repeal'd At this quoth Egypt most renowned Prince Whose truest Hieroglyphick were a Lynce For as with him compar'd each creature 's blind Each spirits dark to thy inlightned mind Nature the worlds great Soul must needs confess Thee alone her preserver th' world must bless Thee the sole cause thy pitty and remorse That Dearth on both now acts not a divorce To thee we owe we here converse with men And not with Ghosts in deaths unsavoury den Thee that our Wives by her impartiall Bawd Not ravish'd are for death we praise we laud Thee that our children like so many elves Shrink not to nought but yet look like themselves Admit us safe under thy Graces wing Renowned Prince so will we serve the King Grant now that debt that Adam did ingage All men in Death hath claim'd of Jacobs age Who swearing Joseph to transport his bones Hath breath'd his last in blessings on his Sons Grant Ioseph next by generall suffrage Attended on in mourning equipage His Fathers corps to Canaan brought interr'd In Machpelah so of his oath was cleer'd When Iacob thus had deaths arrest obeyd Conscience within the Brethren 'gan t' upbraid Their old offence anew thus guilt would plead Their Brothers hate but slept though it seem'd dead Occasion now might wake it th' end might prove That with their Father di'd their Brothers love That wounds are dang'rous when they
likewise his for to unfold Weak sorcery may feed you with delusion Ne'r satisfie you with a true conclusion Then here unload your thoughts to me and I I'th'end may prove your faithfull Mercury At this the Butler speaks then hear Ipray Me thought one Vine three branches did display Which first me thought did bud then bloom'd abroad Then bore ripe clusters of a pleasant load I having Pharaohs Cup before him stood And in it to him crusht their sparkling blood Quoth Joseph then three branches are three days Which time expired Pharaoh shall thee raise From up this Dungeon unto former grace And shalt officiate in thy wonted place But then quoth he as this shall thus prove true So to the King for my releasment sue That I no longer thus may ly inplung'd My spotless name by infamy expung'd For I long since was ravished by theft Both of my Country and my friends bereft Then when you are to dignity restor'd Pray think on what I humbly here implor'd Remember Joseph quit me from this blame Lest I prove shortly nothing but the name From that sin of Lust heav'n knows I 'm cleer As is you light that Chariots in his Sphear The Baker seeing the Butlers Dreams import Was of his re-advancement in the Court Quoth he I likwise strangely dream'd me thought As to the Court I three white Baskets brought With bak'd-meats and with other plenty stor'd Wherewith I might replerish Pharaohs board The Birds allured by the dainties fled And pickd them as I bore them on my head Quoth Joseph these three Baskets do presage When thrice the Sun hath past the azurd stage The King shall from this Prison thee conveigh And hang thee on a tree for Birds a prey The third day Memphis with triumphall mirth Held in remembrance of their Pharohs birth When that the Butlers innocent desert Was re-advanc'd the Baker to the Cart From Prison was conveigh'd and in this season Was hang'd in expiation of his treason Whose trunk allured many an aery guest Who seem'd in honour of the time to feast The Butler notwithstanding this forgot Sad Joseph that foretold his future lot As fattest fields yeeld weeds of foulest savours Ingratitude repayes the greatest favours Since Pride is Fortunes daughters 't is less strange To see how soon us can Preferment change For they whose Fortunes flie another sphear Unto their Mates stern Planets oft appear At least despise them or their Vows forget So Bells at first speak thick but rais'd are set So small Brooks roar but gaining depth of land Their swelling streams are at a sullen stand Twice swelling Nile his barren banks had drown'd And with his fertile slime inricht the ground Twice twelve times had the Mistris of the night Lookt black through absence of her lovers sight When that great Pharaoh on his couch lay stretcht And leaden Morpheus on his senses watcht His roving Genius was entertain'd By such conceits which though his fancy feign'd Yet under them he fear'd was coucht a sense Of high Import and mighty Consequence When straight he tryes the Charmers and their Spells Who all implor'd their wonted Oracles One woo'd the Stars another pli'd the Tomb A third his Spirit charm'd but all were dumb As when some did the Delphian Shrine implore When th' Oracle grew dumb and spake no more On which the Butler being seen awoke By racking memory thus humbly spoke Great Sir I cannot give my thoughts a truce Till I my self thus to your Grace accuse I with the Baker were accus'd long since To have conspir'd the death of thee our Prince On which as Traitours to the solemn Oath Of our Aleageance you confin'd us both When in one night our fancies had imprest Such Dreams on memory which to the test Of Reason brought drove us t'amazed straights Who might unfold their intricate conceits When to a fellow-pris'ners much requests The Captains servant We unlockt our Breasts Who the results both of my innocence Foretold and of the Bakers just events Pharaoh not asking why he was attach'd A hasty Message to the Guard dispatch'd To set their Pris'ner free who we may ghesse Was brought to Pharaoh in a seemly dresse Who now rejecting all the Magick sect Thus speaks to Joseph with a mild aspect Strange Dreams this night my Spirits have ingrost Remembrance haunts me like an angry Ghost And I have heard thy Spirit is accute And canst unravell Dreams beyond dispute Now couldst thou lead me through this Maze and Mist Of doubts could'st thou my ridling Dreams untwist Quoth Joseph Then let Pharaoh hear me speak Yet 't is not I but God for I am weak Let fears all vanish let debarement cease My God shall to great Pharaoh answer peace Quoth Pharaoh as I slept this was my Dream Me thought I stood close by a pleasant stream I look'd and from the banks I saw there climb'd Seven Kine fat-flesh'd and well proportion limb'd Which in a Medow neer the River plac'd Fed pleasantly and made a full repast Next from the stream ascending I observ'd Seven Kine small limb'd sunk-ey'd and hunger-starv'd Who straight devour'd the rest that came before Yet still remain'd ill-favoured lean and poor Then I awoke and while I sadly mus'd Where this were naturall or else infus'd I know not yet what vapours did condense Within my brain sleep once more lockt my sense When lo I dream'd again One stalk sustaind Sev'n eares of Corn rank good and heavy-graind Next them sev'n eares thin blasted and deflowr'd Arose which strait the former crop devour'd I told the Charmers this yet ne'r could learn Of them what these my dreamings did concern Great Sir quoth Joseph thus these sev'n full ears And sev'n good kine are seven plenteous years In which the earth shall in increasfull crops Rejoyce the Husbandmen beyond their hopes The sev'n thin eares and seven ill-favoured kine Are seven years of Famine I divine Which shall ensue the first the Springs recruit Be void the Earth fail of her wonted fruit The Vine shall not her wonted Vintage bleed And Nile in nothing fruitfull but in weed The Dream was twice presented for to shew That this establish'd is and shall ensue Through Gods decree now by your Graces leave If I might counsell what I fit conceive Though I am shallow and my thoughts I still Confesse flag much below your Counsels skill Yet I might say that oft your Grace doth know To lowest means we greatest matters owe. And though that no one can anticipate The Heavens decree and cross the doom of Fate Your Grace may know there 's by this warning meant That you this judgement may through care prevent Let Pharaoh make one of his wisest Peers Chief Master of the Corn the plenteous years Who may disperse his servants through each County To gather up Ceres superfluous bounty To a fifth part while plenty so shall last Through riot that there be no spoil nor wast Who where there are no Barns may give a charge To
build where they are small for to inlarge For great shall be the plenty and extream Shall be the famine as your Grace did Dream So shall you wisely deal like carefull Ants Whom Natures teacheth to prevent their wants Famine's Death's younger Sister 't is an Elf More terrible than War or Death it self This liking Pharaoh well he answers thus Where can we find so fit a Genius So dext'rous as thy self so full of merit In whom there is inshrin'd so rare a Spirit So worthy of our confidence so prompt Of my affairs here take the full accompt Who dares against my choice for to repine Or turn a Rebell to thy Discipline My Genius my triple ey I swear Thou than my other two art far more dear How joy refines my temper oh 't is strange They erre that think Complexions cannot change Embraces distant are O would that Fate Would grant we might more neer incorporate My wit wants words to set my Passion forth Or Hieroglyphycks to describe thy worth Who dares with thee confest there 's greater none Than thee but I that sit upon the Throne So â—e late under an Imperious guard Was now advanced unto high reward Pharaoh sate at the Helm but Joseph steer'd And in the second Chariot was preferr'd And some according to the Kings Decree Would run before him crying Bow the knee So he who seem'd in miserie forlorn'd His neck hath with a golden Chain adorn'd His finger decked with a precious Ring Which Pharaoh wore as Embleme of a King Who in despised rags did lie of late Now in rich Robes walk'd in Majestick state The Bias of all Egypt he that drew Their Inquisition t'an admiring view The Court was but the Ring and he the Gem As to a branch of Egypts Royall Stem All did submit themselves and to the Court As to a late descended God resort First one would call him Father and salute Him with a present of his early fruit In things of weight one by his Genius swore A third in pain would Josephs God implore The old late weary of their lives desir'd To bless their Eyes with him yet they expir'd The middle ag'd would bless him and the young Unto him issue in a num'rous throng Rich poor strong weak the humble and the haughty All ran to see the Author of their safety So he on whom the heavens seem'd to frown Is now advanced unto high renown So he who late in Prison did obey Now o'r all Egypt bears a mighty sway Our Saviours truest Type so Christ arose To save those whom God of his mercy chose As Pharaohs love to Joseph was inclin'd Hath God the Father to his Son resign'd All Power hath Him from bonds of flesh releas'd So is the Father in the Son well pleas'd Hath at his right hand plac'd him wills that wee At Jesus name should bow an humble knee Thrice ten times Joseph had seen I aniveer With double face to usher in the year When thus he stood before great Pharaohs face And gain'd this measure of his Princely grace Which age now for a bosome help matur'd Such was kind Pharoahs love that he procur'd Potipherah the princely Priest of Un To take his Countries Father for his Son His first-born was Manasseth for I have Quoth he forgot how I was sold a slave My present happiness where e'r I come Makes me forget my Friends and native home His second Ephraim for I a stranger Quoth he am fruitfull in a Land of danger About which age our blessed Sacrifice Having redeem'd us not with common price But with his blood ascended hence from this 〈…〉 a far more glorious world of bliss And for his sweet belov'd though he the groom Prorogue the Mariage till the day of doom He ne'r is absent from the Church his Spouse Both by the Spirit dart their mutuall vowes Now 'gan the plenteous years Nile at no time Did ever leave such fruitfull beds of slime The Husbands pain though great though fat the soyl Yet still the fruit surpast their hopes and toyl As if God through a gracious remorse Of mans great toyl had here repeal'd that curse Of tedious barrenness for here their ground Did like a fertile Paradise abound Fields that this Marshes weep that Fens did mourn With fruit now laught and sung with cheerfull corn The weather seasonable no fierce rain Egg'd on by Tempests wash'd away their grain The heat was temperate Sols gawdy torch Did smile to ripen never kiss to scorch And now did Joseph like a carefull Father Against the time of Dearth begin to gather Conceiv'd how many sands are on the shore So vast so numberless was Joseph's store Who from the Kings Exchequer stor'd with Coin Fill'd up both Field and City then would join Barn unto barn which large repositories Stood long as Monuments of Joseph's glories Now to prevent all riots he began Which still destroyes more than a Famine can Corrupting plenty often is the Nurse Of foul disease no blessing but curse Time oft can witness when abuse begat Upon so fair a piece so foul a Brat Sev'n times had Sol cheer'd the Cymmerian coast Twelve times so oft exchang'd his monthly Host Since Nature like an ill-drawn Picture grew When it is pencill'd with a partiall view Or an unconstant Parent whose love 's blind And so imparts his store by Gavell kind Since she thus Egypt with such plenty blest But prov'd almost a Stepdame to the rest Anon all things being hurried on the hinge Of change and subject to the fatall swinge Of misery here Famine rays'd her stage And 'gan as Joseph did foretell to rage Nile that was wont to drench their parched earth Now only flow'd in tears to weep their dearth As if some pore or dry-exhausting vein Had drain'd that slime that should refresh their grain The Husband-man lamented that his seed Di'd not to live again the noysome weed Did revell in his labour whose excess Did riot in a fruitfull barrenness Thus pin'd he ' cause he liv'd a bootless slave Now might he with his Plough share dig his grave His Prune-hook useless was unless the Fate Of Dearth therewith he would anticipate Now Famine had presented her first scene Which made the frighted Country-man to glean His late neglected fields and that is priz'd As a rich Harvest which was late despis'd Another greedily would scrape the dough That lay neglected in her kneading trough That face which had Natures fresh liv'ry worn And shew'd as verdant as the rosie morn Now full-fac'd plenty had the Land forsook Famine display'd pale colours in each look All walking like to naked Skeletons Unto their Fellows made their heavy mones Some in the street did reel how could they tread A steady pace that lack'd the staff of bread Now all neer famish'd and their gleanings done With trembling steps they all to Pharaoh run As to their Father making their complaint While some through weakness in his presence faint Great Sir quoth one look how