theft 10. O Thou the deare Inflamer of mine eyes Life of my soule and hearts eternall prize How delectable is thy love How pure How apt to ravish able to allure A frozen soule and with thy secret fire T' affect dull spirits with extreame desire How doe thy joyes though in their greatest dearth Transcend the proudest pleasures of the earth 11. THy lips my dearest spouse are the ful treasures Of sacred Poesie whose heavenly measures Ravish with joy the willing heart that heares But strike a deafenesse in rebellious eares Thy words like milke and Honie doe requite The season'd soule with profit and delight Heavens higher Palace and these lower places Of dungeon-earth are sweetned with thy graces 12. MY Love is like a Garden full of flowers Whose sunny banks choice of shady bowres Give change of pleasures pleasures wall'd about With Armed Angels to keepe Ruine out And from her brests enclosed from the ill Of looser eyes pure Chrystall drops distill The fruitfull sweetnesse of whose gentle showres Inrich her flowrs with beautie ' banks with flowrs 13. MY Love is like a Paradise beset With rarest gifts whose fruits but tender yet The world ne're tasted dainties farre more rare Than Edens tempting Apple and more faire Myrrhe Alloes Incense and the Cypresse tree Can boast no swetnesse but is breath'd from thee Dainties for taste and flowers for the smell Spring all from thee whose sweets all sweets excell BRIDE SONET XIII O Thou my deare whose sweets all sweets excell From whom my fruits receive their tast their smell How can my thriving plants refuse to grow Thus quickned with so sweet a Sun as thou How can my flowers which thy Ewers nourish With showers of living waters choose but flourish O thou the spring from whence these waters burst Did ever any taste thy streames and thurst 2. AM I a Garden May my flowers bee So highly honour'd to be smelt by thee Inspire them with thy sacred breath and then Receive from them thy borrowed breath agen Frequent thy Garden whose rare fruit invites Thy welcome presence to his choise Delights Taste where thou list and take thy full repaste Here 's that wil please thy smel thine eye thy taste BRIDEGROOME SONET XIIII THou sacred Center of my soule in whome I rest behold thy wisht-for Love is come Refresht with thy delights I have repasted Vpon thy pleasures my full soule hath tasted Thy rip'ned dainties and hath freely beene Pleas'd with those fruits that are as yet but green All you that love the honour of my Bride Come taste her Vineyards and be deifi'de BRIDE SONET XV. IT was a night a night as darke as foule As that blacke Errour that entranc'd my Soule When as my best beloved came and knockt At my dull gates too too securely lockt Vnbolt said he these churlish doores my Dove Let not false slumbers bribe thee from thy Iove Heare him that for thy gentle sake came hither Long injur'd by this nights ungentle weather 2. Heard the voice but the perfidious pleasure Of my sweet slumbers could not finde the leasure â—ope my drowsie dores my Spirit could speake â—ords faire enough but ah my flesh was weake 〈◊〉 fond excuses taught me to betray 〈◊〉 sacred vowes to a secure delay â—â—â—â—dious slumbers how have you the might 〈◊〉 blinde true pleasures with a false delight 3. WHen as my Love with oft repeated knocks Could not availe shaking his dewy locks â—â—â—ly displeas'd he could no longer bide 〈◊〉 slight neglect but went away denyde 〈◊〉 sooner gone but my dull soule discern'd 〈◊〉 drowzie error my griev'd Spirit yearn'd 〈◊〉 finde him out these seiled eyes that slept 〈◊〉 soundly fast awak'd much faster wept 4. THus rais'd and rouz'd from my deceitfull rest â—op'd my doores where my departed Guest 〈◊〉 beene I thrust the churlish Portals from me That so deny'de my dearest Bridegroome to me 〈◊〉 when I smelt of my returned hand 〈◊〉 soule was rapt my powers all did stand â—â—azed at the sweetnesse they did finde Which my neglected Love had left behinde 5. I Op'd my doore my Myrrheâ— distilling doore But ah my Guest was gone had given me o're What curious pen what Artist can define A matelesse sorrow Such ah such was mine Doubts and despaire had of my life depriv'd me Had not strong hope of his returne reviv'd me I sought but he refused to appeare I call'd but he would not be heard nor heare 6. THus with the tyranny of griefe distraught I rang'd a round no place I left unsought No care unask'd The watch-men of the City Wounded my soule without remorse of pity To virgin teares They taught my feet to stray Whose steps were apt enough to lose their way With taunts scornes they checkt me and derided And call'd me Whore because I walkt unguided 7. YOu hallowed Virgins you whose tender hearts Ere felt th' impression of Loves secret darts I charge you all by the deare faith you owe To Virgin purenesse and your vestall vowe Commend me to my Love if ere you meet him O tell him that his love-sick spouse doth greet him O let him know I languish with desire Tâ— enjoy that heart that sets this heart on fire VIRGINS SONET XVI O Thou the fairest flowre of mortall birth If such a beautie may be borne of earth â—â—gell or Virgin which or both in one â—â—gell by beauty Virgin by thy moane â—â—y who is He that may deserve these teares â—hese precious drops Who is 't can stop his eares 〈◊〉 these faire lips Speake Lady speake at large â—ho is 't For whom giv'st thou so strict a charge BRIDE SONET XVII MY Love is the perfection of delight Roses and Doves are not so red so white â—â—patern'd beautie summon'd every grace 〈◊〉 the composure of so sweet a face 〈◊〉 body is a Heaven for in his brest â—he perfect Essence of a God doth rest â—he brighter eye of Heaven did never shine â—â—an another glorie so divine 2. HIs Head is farre more glorious to behold Than fruitfull Ophyres oft refined gold T is the rich Magazen of secret treasure â—hence Graces spring in unconsined measure 〈◊〉 curl'd and dagling Tresses doe proclame Nâ—zarite on whom ne're Razor came Whose Raven-blacke colour gives a curious relish To that which beauty did so much imbellish 3. LIke to the eyes of Doves are his faire eyes Wherein sterne Iustice mixt with mercy lies His eyes are simple yet Majesticall In motion nimble and yet chaste withall Flaming like fier and yet burne they not Vnblemisht undistained with a spot Blazing with precious beames and to behold Like two rich Diamonds in a frame of gold 4. HIs cheeks are like two fruitfull beds ore-grown With Aromaticke flowers newly blowne Whose odours beauty please the smell the sight And doubling pleasures double the delight His lips are like a chrystall spring
I had no other heaven 〈◊〉 a while not able to digest So great a losse to lose so faire a Guest I left no path untrac'd no place â—nsought No secret Cell unsearcht no way unthought I ask'd the shade but shadowes could not hide him I ask'd the World but all the world deny'd him 5. MY jealous Love distemp'red with distraction Made fierce with feare unapt for satisfaction Aplyes fresh fuell to my flaming fires With Eagles wings supplies my quicke desires Vp to the walls I trampled where I spide The City watch to whom with teares I cryde Ah gentle Watchmen you aloft descry What 's darke to us did not my love passe by 6 AT leÌ„gth wheÌ„ dul despaire had gain'd the grouÌ„d Of tyred hopes my faith fell in a swound But He whose sympathising heart did finde The tyrant passion of my troubled minde Forthwith appear'd What Angels tongue can let The world conceive our pleasures when we met And till the joyes of our espoused hearts Be made coÌ„pleat the world ne're more shall part 's BRIDEGROOME SONET X. NOw rests my love Till now her tender brest Wanting her joy could finde no peace no rest I charge you all by the true love you beare To friendship or what else you count most deare Disturbe her not but let her sleepe her fill I charge you all upon your lifes be still O may that labouring soule that lives opprest For me in me receive eternall rest 2. WHat curious face is this what mortall birth Can shew a beauty thus unstain'd with earth What glorious Angell wanders thus alone From earths foule dungeon to my fathers throne 〈◊〉 is my love my love that hath denyde The world for me It is my fairest Bride 〈◊〉 fragrant is her breath How heavenly faire Her Angell face Each glorifying the Aire BRIDE SONET XI O How I 'm ravisht with eternall blisse Who e're thought heaveÌ„ a joy coÌ„par'd to this â—ow doe the pleasures of this glorious Face Adde glory to the glory of this place 〈◊〉 how Kings Courts surmouÌ„t poore Shepheards cells So this the pride of Salom on excells 〈◊〉 wreathes of glory crowne his royall Head And troopes of Angels waite upon his bed 2. THe Court of Princely Salomon was guarded With able men at armes their faith rewarded â—ith fading honours subject to the fate Of Fortune and the jealous frownes of State 〈◊〉 here th' harmonious quire of heaven attend Those prize is glory glory without end â—â—mixt with doubtings or degenerous feare 〈◊〉 greater Prince than Salomon is here 3. THe Bridall bed of Princely Salomon Whose beautie amaz'd the greedie lookers on Which all the world admired to behold Was but of Cedar and her Sted of gold Her pillars silver and her Canopie Of silkes but richly stain'd with purple die Her curtaines wrought in workes workes rarely led By th' needles art such was the bridall bed 4. SVch was the bridall bed which Time or Age Durst never warrant from th'opprobrious rage Of envious fate Earths measure 's but a minit Earth fades all fades upon it all within it O but the glorie ' of this diviner place No age can injure nor yet Time deface Too bright an object for weake eyes to bide Or tongues t' expresse Who ever saw 't but dyde 5. WHo e're beheld the royall Crowne set on The nuptiall browes of Princely Salomon His glorious pompe whose honour did display The noysed triumphs of his Marriage day A greater Prince than Salomon is here The beauty of whose Nuptials shall appeare More glorious farre transcending his as farre As heavens bright lamp out-shines th'obscurest star BRIDEGROOME SONET XII HOw orient is thy beauty How divine How darke's the glory of the earth to thine Thy vailed eyes out-shine heavens greater light Vnconquer'd by the shadie Cloud of night Thy curious Tresses dangle all unbound With unaffected order to the ground How orient is thy beautie how divine How darke's the glory of the earth to thine 2. THy Ivory Teeth in whitenesse doe out-goe The downe of Swans or winters driven snow Those even proportions lively represent Thâ— harmonious Musicke of unite consent Whose perfect whitenesse Time could never blot Nor age the Canker of destruction rot How orient is thy beauty How divine How darke's the glory of the earth to thine 3. THe rubie Portalls of thy ballanc'd words Send forth a welcome relish which affords A heaven of blisse and makes the earth rejoyce To heare the Accent of thy heavenly voice The mayden blushes of thy Cheekes proclaime A shame of guilt but not a guilt of shame How orient is thy beauty How divine How darke's the glory of the earth to thine 4. THy necke unbeautifyde with borrowed grace Is whiter than the Lillies of thy face 〈◊〉 whiter may for beauty and for powre T is like the glory of Davids princely Towre What vassall spirit could despaire or faint Finding protection from so sure a Saint How orient is thy beauty How divine How darke's the glory of the earth to Thine 5. THe deare-bought fruit of that forbidden Tree Was not so dainty as thy Apples be These curious Apples of thy snowy brests Wherein a Paradise of pleasure rests They breathe such life into the ravisht Eye That the inflam'd beholder cannot dye How orient is thy beautie How divine How darke's the glory of the earth to Thine 6. MY dearest Spouse I 'le hie me to my home And till that long-expected day shall come The light wherof shall chase the night that shrouds Thy vailed beauty in these envious clouds Till then I goe and in my Throne provide A glorious welcome for my fairest Bride Chapplets of conqu'ring Palme Lawrel boughs Shall crowne thy Temples and adorne thy browes 7. WOuld beauty faine be flatter'd with a grace She never had May she behold thy face Envie would burst had she no other taske Than to behold this face without a maske No spot no veniall blemish could she finde To feed the famine of her ranc'rous minde Thou art the flowre of beauties Crowne they 're Much worse than foule that thinke thee lesse than faire 8 Feare not my Love for when those sacred bands Of wedlock shall conjoyne our promis'd hands I 'le come and quit thee from this tedious place Where thou art forc'd to sojourne for a space No forrein Angle of the utmost Lands Nor seas Abysse shall hide thee from my hands No night shall shade thee from my curious eye I 'le rouze the graves although grim death stand by 9. ILlustrious beames shot from thy flaming eye Made fierce with zeale and soveraigne Majestie Have scorcht my soule and like a fiery dart Transfixt the Center of my wounded heart The Virgin swetnesse of thy heavenly grace Hath made mine eyes glad pris'ners to thy face The beautie of thine eye-balls hath bereft Me of my heart O sweet O sacred
that Quire Of endlesse joy fill'd with coelestiall fire Pardon my teares that in their passion would Recall thee from thy Kingdome if they could Pardon O pardon my distracted zeale Which if condemn'd by reason must appeale To thee whose now lamented death whose end Confirm'd the deare affection of a friend Permit me then to offer at thy herse These fruitles teares which if they prove to fierce O pardon you that know the price of friends For teares are just that nature recommends ELEG 18. SO may the faire aspect of pleased heaven Conforme my noone of daies crowne their even So may the gladder smiles of earth present My fortunes with the height of joâ—s content As I lament with unaffected breath Our losse deare Ailmer in thy happy death May the false teare that 's forc'd or slides by Art That hath no warrant from the soule the heart Or that exceeds not natures faint commission Or dares unvented come to composition O may that teare in stricter judgement rise Against those false those faint those flattring eyes ELEG 19. THus to the world and to the spacious eares Of fame I bâ—azon my unboasted teares Thus to thy sacred dust thy Vrne thy Herse I consecrate my sighes my teares my verse Thus to thy soule thy name thy just desert I offer up my joy my love my heart That earth may know and every eare that heares True worth and griefe were parents to my teares That earth may know thy dust thy Vrne thy herse Brought forth bred my sighes my teares my verse And that thy soule thy name thy just desert Invites incites my joy my love my heart ELEG 20. VNconstant earth why doe not mortalls cease To build their hopes upon so short a lease Vncertaine lease whose terme but once begun Tells never when it ends till it be done We dote upon thy smiles not knowing why And whiles we but prepare to live we dye We spring like flowers for a daies delight At noone we flourish and we â—ade at night We toile for kingdomes conquer Crownes then We that were Gods but now now lesse than men If wisdome learning knowlege cannot dwell Secure from change vaine bubble earth farewell ELEG 21. WOuldst thou when death had done deserve a story Should staine the memory of great Pompeyes glory Conquer thy selfe example be thy guide Dye just as our selfe-conquering Ailmer dyde Woldst thou subdue more kingdoÌ„es gain mo crowns Than that brave Hero Caesar conquer'd townes Then conquer death Example be thy guide Die just as our death-conquering Ailmer dyde But woldst thou win more worlds than he had done Kingdomes that all the earth hath over-runne Then conquer heaven example be thy guide Die just as our heaven-conquering Ailmer dyde ELEG 22. YEares fully laden with their months attend Th' expired times acquitance and so end Months gone their dates of numbered daies require Bright Cynâ—â—ia's full discharge and so expire Dayes deepely ag'd with houres lose their light And having runne their stage conclude with night And howers chac'd with light-foot minutes flye Tending their labour to a new supply Yet Ailmers glory never shall diminish Though yeares and months though daies howers finish Yet Ailmers joyes for ever shall extend Though yeares months though daies and howers end FINIS Dâ—loris nullus His Epitaph ASke you why so many a teare Bursts forth I 'le tell you in your eare Compell me not to speake aloud Death would then be too too proud Eyes that cannot vye a teare Forbeare to aske you may not heare Gentle hearts that overflow Have onely priviledge to know In these sacred ashes then Know Reader that a man of men Lyes covered Fame and lasting glory Make deare mention of his story Nature when she gave him birth Op'd her treasure to the earth Put forth the modell of true merit Quickned with a higher spirit Rare was his life His latest breath Saw and scorn'd and conquer'd death Thanklesse Reader never more Vrge a why when teares runne ore When you saw so high a Tyde You might haue knowne 't was Ailmer dyde Obijt Ian. vj. MDCXXV Vivet post funera Virtus * Sensible graves * Pure in heart * The Kingdome of Heaven * Through apparant infirmities * Glorious in him * Weaknesse of the flesh * Afflictions * 〈◊〉 to Idolatrous superstitions * By reason of my â—â—â—â—nesse * Being seduced by false Prophets * Persecutions * By Idolatry * Thâ—ough my merits and thy sanctification * The Doctrine of the true Prophets * Teacher of my Congregations * Thy most visible parts * Sanctification * The riches of his holy Spirit * The holy Prophets * Thy holy Spirit * In giving grace and receiving glory * The Congregation of Saints * In inward graces * 〈◊〉 is outword glorie * The holy Scriptures * Thy sweet promises * 〈◊〉 imperfections of my present state * The weakenesse of my flesh * The Elect. * Angels * The Congregation of the faithfull * To offer up the first 〈◊〉 of obedience * â— Persecutions * The day of Iudgement * 〈◊〉 sanctification * 〈◊〉 my soule * By strict examination * Amongst the wisest worldlings * The Ministers of the word * At the resurrection * Through sanctification by my merits * â—y heavenly contemplation * Through the gifts of my spirit * The modestie and purity of thy judgement * Ornaments of necessary Ceremonies * Sincere Ministers * Doctrine of thy holy Prophets * Modest graces of the â—pirit * Magistrates * The old and new Testaments * The sanctified zealous Reader * The second death * I will withdraw my bodily presence * The day of judgement * Infirmities of the flesh * This vale of miserie * Thine eye of Faith * Divine Harmonie * The two Testaments * Riddles to prophane Readers * Celestiall comforts * â—he faithfull * The Sunne of righteousnesse * Obedience * Strong workes of Faith * The new fruits of the Spirit * Toâ— much securitie * My heart * The pleasures of the Flesh. * Thy hard-hearted unkindenesse * â—â—pented * The sweetnesse of his graces * False teachers * With their false doctrines * Divine Love * His Dietie * His Humanitie * His judgements and care of his Church * The discovery of him in his word * His promises * Those that die to sinne * That live to righteousnesse * His actins * With purenesse * His secret counsells * Inwardly glorious * His waies constant firme and pure * His whole carriage * The Church is the way to Christ. * Congregation of the faithfull * Giving graces * Receiving glory * Despairing soules * Not yet thorowly humbled * Strengthning the weake in spirit * The force of repentance * Sincere Ministers * Thy visible parts * Modestie and zeale * The pure in heaâ—t * My Spirit * Securitie * Worldly pleasures * Thy wayes * The girdle of truth * The precious gifts of the Spirit * Thereby there is a receipt of spirituall Conceptions * Increase of the faithfull * The old and new Testament * Magistrates * Teachers * Glorious in all parts * The Ceremonies of the Church * Despairing soules * Young Converts * Opposers of the Truth * Congregation of the faithfull * By affliction * Young Convers. * Assemblies * Faithfull * Faith and good workes * The universall Church * Teares and sorrowes * Not to vexe and grieve his holy Spirit * In humility * The Church of the Gentiles then uncalled * Vncall'd to the truth * In the great Congregation * The penitent * The presumptuous
first descend before the ball rebound It must be throwne with force against the ground The seed increases not in fruitfull eares Nor can she reare the goodly stalke she beares Vnlesse bestrow'd upon a mould of earth And made more glorious by a second birth So man before his wisedome can bring forth The brave exploits of truly noble worth Or hope the granting of his sinnes remission He must be humbl'd â—â—rst in sad contrition The plant through want of skill or by neglect If it be planted from the Sunnes reflect Or lacke the dew of seasonable showres Decayes and beareth neither fruit nor flowres So wretched Man if his repentance hath No quickning Sun-shine of a liuely Faith Or not bedew'd with showres of timely teares Or workes of mercy wherein Faith appeares His prayers and deeds and all his forced groanes Are like the howles of dogs and works of Drones The wise Chirurgeon first by letting blood Weakens his Patient ere he does him good Before the Soule can a true comfort finde The body must be prostrate and the minde Truly repentive and contrite within And loathe the fawning of a bosome sin But Lord Can Man deserve Or can his best Doe Iustice equall right which he transgrest When Dust and Ashes mortally offends Can Dust and Ashes make eternall mends Is Heaven unjust Must not the recompence Be full equivalent to the offence What mends by mortall Man can then be given To the offended Majesty of Heaven O Mercy Mercy on thee my Soule relyes On thee we build our Faith we bend our eyes Thou fill'st my empty strain thou fill'st my tongue Thou art the subject of my Swan-like song Like pinion'd pris'ners at the dying tree Our lingring hopes attend and wait on thee Arrain'd at Iustice barre prevent our doome To thee with joyfull hearts wee cheerly come Thou art our Clergy Thou that dearest Booke Wherein our fainting eyes desire to looke In thee we trust to read what will release us In bloody Characters that name of IESVS ¶ What shall we then returne the God of heaven Where nothing is Lord nothing can be given Our soules our bodies strength and all our pow'rs Alas were all too little were they ours Or shall wee burne untill our life expires An endlesse Sacrifice in Holy fires ¶ My Sacrifice shall bee my HEART intire My Christ the Altar and my Zeale the Fire THE ARGVMENT The Prophet discontented praye To God that he would end his dayes God blames his wrath so unreprest Reproves his unadvis'd request Sect 11. BVt this displeasing was in Ionah's eyes His heart grew hot his blood began to rise His eyes did sparkle and his teeth strucke fire His veines did boyle his heart was full ire At last brake forth into a strange request These words he pray'd and mumbl'd out the rest Was not O was not this my though O Lord Before I fled Nay was not this my word The very word my jealous language vented When this mis-hap might well have beene prevented Was there O was there not a just suspect My preaching would procure this effect For Lord I knew of old thy tender love I knew the pow'r thou gav'st my tongue would move Their Adamantine hearts I knew 't would thaw Their frozen spirits and breed relenting awe I knew great God upon their true repentance That thou determin'dst to reverse thy sentence For well I knew thou were a gracious God Of long forbearance slow to use the Rod I knew the power of thy Mercies bent The strength of all thy other workes outwent I knew the tender kindnesse and how loath Thou wert to punish and how slow to wrath Turning by Iudgements and thy plagues preventing Thy minde rever sing and of ev'll repenting Therefore O therefore upon this perswasion I fled to Tarshish there to make evasion To save thy credit Lord to save mine owne For when this blast of zeale is over-blowne And sackcloth left and they surcease to mourne When they like dogs shall to their vomit turne They 'll vilipend thy Sacred Word and scoffe it Saying was that a God or this a Prophet They 'll scorne thy judgements and thy threats despise And call thy Prophets Messengers of lyes Now therefore Lord bow downe attentive eare For ah my burthen's more than flâ—sh can beare Make speed O Lord and banish all delayes T' extinguish now the Taper of my dayes Let not the minutes of my time extend But let my wretched houres finde an end Let not my fainting spirits longer stay In this fraile mansion of distempered clay The threds but weake my life depends upon O cut that thred and let my life be done My brest stands faire strike then and strike againe For nought but dying can asswage my paine O may I rather dye than live in shame Better it is to leave and yeeld the game Than toyle for what at length must needs be lost O kill me for my heart is sore imbost This latter boone unto thy servant give For better 't is for me to dye than live So wretched Ionah But Iehovah thus What boot's it so to storme outragious Becomes it thus my servants heart to swell Can anger helpe thee Ionah dost thou well Medita 12. HOw poore a thing is maÌ„ How vain 's his mind How straÌ„ge how base wav'ring like the wind How uncouth are his wayes how full of danger How to himselfe is hee himselfe a stranger His heart 's corrupt and all his thoughts are vaine His actions sinfull and his words prophane His will 's deprav'd his senses are beguil'd His reason 's darke his members all defil'd His hasty feet are swift and prone to ill His guilty hands are ever bent to kill His tongue 's a spunge of venome or of worse Her practice is to sweare his skill to curse His eyes are fire-bals of lustfull fire And outward helps to inward foule desire His body is a well-erected station But full of folly and corrupted passion Fond love and raging lust and foolish feares Griefes overwhelmed with immoderate teares Excessive joy prodigious desire Vnholy anger red and hot as fire These daily clog the soule that 's fast in prison From whose encrease this lucklesse bâ—ood is risen Respectlesse pride and lustfull idlenesse Base ribbauld talke and loathsome drunkennesse Faithlesse Despaire and vaine Curiosity Both false yet double-tongu'd Hypocrisie Soft flattery and haughty-ey'd Ambition Heart-gnawing Hatred and squint-ey'd Suspition Selfe-eating Enâ—y envious Detraction Hopelesse distrust and too-too sad Dejection Revengefull Malice hellish Blasphemy Idolatry and light Inconstancy Daring Presumption wry-mouth'd Derisson Damned Apostasie Fond superstition ¶ What heedfull watch Ah what continuall ward How great respect and howerly regard Stands man in hand to have when such a brood Of furious hel-hounds seeke to suck his blood Day night and hower they rebell and wrastle And never cease till they subdue the Castle ¶ How slight a thing is man how fraile and brittle How seeming great is he How truly little
heart and sucke thy blood Beware betimes lest custome and permission Prescribe a title and so claime possession ¶ Despairing man whose burthen makes thee stoop Vnder the terror of thy sinnes and droop Through dull despaire whose too too sullen griefe Makes heav'n unable to apply reliefe Whose eares are dull'd with noyse of whips and chaines And yels of damned soules through tort'red pains Come here and rouze thy selfe unâ—eele those eyes Which sad Despaire clos'd up Arise Arise And goe to Nineveh the worlds great Palace Earths mighty wonder and behold the Ballace And burthen of her bulke is nought but sin Which wilfull she commits and wallowes in Behold her Images her fornications Her crying sinnes her vile abominations Behold the guiltlesse blood that she did spill Like Spring-tides in the streets and reeking still Behold her scorching lusts and taint desier Like sulph'rous Aetna blaze and blaze up higher She rapes and rends and theeves there is none Can justly call the thing he hath his owne That sacred Name of God that Name of wonder In stead of worshipping she teares in sunder She 's not enthrall'd to this Sin or another But like a Leper's all infected over Not onely sinfull but in sinnes subjection Shee 's not infected but a meere infection No sooner had the Prophet Heav'ns great Spy Begun an onset to his lowder Cry But she repented sigh'd and wept and tore Her curious hayre and garments that she wore She sate in ashes and with Sack-cloth clad her All drencht in brine that griefe cannot be sadder She calls a Fast proclames a prohibition To man and beast sad tokens of contrition No sooner pray'd but heard No sooner groan'd But pittied No sooner griev'd but moan'd Timely Repentance speedy grace procur'd The sore that 's salvd in time is eas'ly cur'd No sooner had her trickling teares ore-flowne Her blubber'd cheeks but heav'n was apt to mone Her pensive heart wip'd her suffused eyes And gently strok'd her cheekes and bid her rise No faults were seene as if no fault had bin Deare Mercy made a Quittance for her sin ¶ Malfido rouze thy leaden spirit bestirre thee Hold up thy drouzy head here 's comfort for thee What if thy zeale be frozen hard What then Thy Saviours blood will thaw that frost agen Thy pray'rs that should be servent hot as fier Proceed but coldly from a dull desier What then Grieve inly But do not dismay Who heares thy pray'rs will give thee strength to pray Though left a while thou art not quite giv'n ore Where Sinne abounds there Grace abounâ—eth more This this is all the good that I can doe thee To ease thy griefe I here commend unto thee A little booke but a great Mystery A great delight A little History A little branch slipt from a saving tree But bearing fruit as great as great mought be A small abridgement of thy Lords great love A message sent from heaven by a Dove It is a heavenly Lecture that relates To Princes Pastors People all Estates Their sev'rall duties ¶ Peruse it well and binde it to thy brest The rests the Cause of thy defect of rest But read it often or else read it not Once read is not observ'd and soone forgot Nor is 't enough to read but understand Or else thy tongue for want of wit 's prophan'd Nor is 't enough to purchase knowledge by it Salve heales no sore unlesse the party ' apply it Apply it then which if thy flesh restraines Strive what thou canst pray for what remaines The particular Application ¶ THen thou that art opprest with sad Despaire Here shalt thou see the strong effect of pray'r Then pray with faith servent without ceasing Like Iacob wrestle till thou get a blessing ¶ Here shalt thou see the type of Christ thy Saviour Then let thy suits be through his name and favour ¶ Here shalt thou finde repentance and true griefe Of sinners like thy selfe and their beliefe Then suit thy griefe to theirs and let thy soule Cry mightily untill her wounds be whole ¶ Here shalt thou see the meeknesse of thy God Who on Repentance turnes and burnes the Rod Repents of what he purpos'd and is sorry Here may ye heare him stoutly pleading for ye Then thus shall be thy meed if thou repent In stead of plagues and direfull punishment Thou shalt find mercy love and Heav'ns applause And God of Heav'n himselfe will plead thy cause ¶ Here hast thou theÌ„ compil'd within this treasure First the Almighties high and just displeasure Against foule sinne or such as sinfull be Or Prince or poore or high or low degree ¶ Here is descri'd the beaten Road to Faith ¶ Here maist thou see the force that Preaching hath ¶ Here is describ'd in briefe but full expression The nature of a Convert and his passion His sober Dyet which is thin and spare His clothing which is Sack-cloth and his Prayre Not faintly sent to heaven nor spatingly But piercing â—ervent and a mighty cry ¶ Here maist thou see how Pray'r true repeÌ„tance Do strive with God prevaile and turn his sentence From strokes to stroking from plagues infernall To boundlesse Mercies and to life Eternall ¶ Till Zephyr lend my Barke a second Gale I slip mine Anchor and I strike my saile FINIS O dulcis Salvator Mundi ultima verba quae tu dixisti in Cruce sint ultima mea verba in Luce quando amplius effari non possum exaudi tu cordis mei desiderium A HYMNE to GOD. WHo gives me then an Adamantine quill A marble tablet And a Davids skill To blazon forth the praise of my deare Lord In deepe-grav'n Characters upon record To last for times etcâ—nall processe suer So long as Sunne and Moone and Starres endure Had I as many mouthes as Sands there are Had I a nimble tongue for every Starre And every word I speake a Character And every minutes time ten Ages were To chaunt forth all thy prayse it no'te availe For tongues words and time and all would faile Much lesse can I poore Weakling tune my tongue To take a taske befits an Angels song Sing what thou canst when thou canst sing no more Weepe then as fast that thou canst sing no more Beblurre thy booke with teares and go thy wayes For every blurre will prove a booke of prayse Thine eye that viewes the moving Spheares above Let it give praise to him that makes them move Thou riches hast Thy hands that hold have them Let them give praise to him that freely gave them Thine armes defend thee then for recompence Let them praise him that gave thee such defence Thy tongue was given to praise thy Lord the Giver Then let thy tongue praise highest God for ever Faith comes by hearing thy Faith will save thee TheÌ„ let thine cars prais him that hearing gave thee Thy bea rt is beg'd by him whose hands did make it My Sonne Give me thy Heart Lord freeâ—y take
gnaw Prometheus And let poore Ixion turne his endlesse wheele Let Nemesis torment with whips of steele They far come short t' expresse the paines of those That rage in Hell enwrapt in endlesse woes Where time no end and plaguâ—s finde no exemption Where cryes admit no helpe nor place redemption Where fier lacks no flame the flame no beat To make their torments sharpe and plagues compleaâ— Where wretched Soules to tortures bound shall beâ— Serving a world of yeares and not be Freâ— Where nothing's heard but yells and sudden cryes Where â—ier never flakes nor Worme e're dyes But where this Hell is plac'd my Muse stop there Lord shew me what it is but never where Mors tua 1. ¶ CAn he be faire that withers at a blast Or he be strong that ayery Breath can cast Can he be wise that knowes not how to live Or hee be rich that nothing hath to give Can he be young that 's feeble weake and wan So faire strong wise so rich so young is mâ—n So faire is Man that Death a parting Blast Blasts his faire flow'r and makes him Earth at last So strong is Man that with a gasping Breath Hee totters and bequeathes his strength to Deatâ— So wise is Man that if with Death he strive His wisedome cannot teach him how to live So rich is Man that all his Debts b'ing paid His wealth 's the winding-sheet wherein he 's laid So yong is Man that broke with care and sorrow He 's old enough to day to Dye to morrow Why brag'st thou theÌ„ thou worm of five-foot long Th' art neither faire nor strong nor wise nor rich nor 〈◊〉 Mors Christi 2. I Thurst and who shall quench this eager Thurst I grieve and with my griefe my heart will burst I grieve because I thurst without reliefe I thurst because my Soule is burnt with griefe I thurst and dry'd with griefe my heart will dye I grieve and thurst the more for Sorrow's dry The more I grieve the more my thurst appeares Would God I had not griev'd out all my teares I thurst and yet my griefes have made a Floud But teares are salt I grieve and thurst for blood I grieve for blood must send reliefe I thurst for blood for blood for blood must ease my griefe I thurst for sacred blood of a deare Lambe I grieve to thinke from whence that deare blood came 'T was shed for me O let me drinke my fill Although my griefe remaine entier still O soveraigne pow'r of that Vermilian Spring Whose vertue neither heart coÌ„ceives nor tongue can sing Fraus Mundi 3. I Love the World as Clients love the Lawes To manage the uprightnesse of my Cause The World loves me as Shepheards doe their flockes To rob and spoile them of their fleecy lockes I love the World and use it as mine Inne To bait and rest my tyred sarkeise in The World loves me For what To make her 〈◊〉 For filthy sinne she sels me timely shame She 's like the Basiliske by whose sharpe eyes The living object first discover'd dyes Forth from her eyes empoysoned beames do durâ—â— Dyes like a Basiliske discerned first We live at jarres as froward Gamesters doe Still guarding nor regarding others foe I love the World to serve my turne and leave her 'T is no deceit to coâ—zen a Deceiver She 'll not misse me I lesse the world shall misse To lose a world of griefe t' enjoy a world of Blâ—sse Gloria Coeli 4. EArth stands immov'd and fixt her situation Admits no locall change no alteration Heaven alway moves renewing still his place And ever sees us with another Face Earth standeth fixt yet there I live opprest Heaven alway mooves yet there is all my rest Enlarge thy selfe my Soule with meditation Mount there and there bespeake thy habitatioâ— Where joies are full pure not mixt with mourniâ—â— All endlesse and from which is no returning No theft no cruell murther harbours there No hoary-headed Care no sudden Feare No pinching want no griping-fast oppression Nor Death the stipend of our first transgression But dearest Friendship Love and lasting Plâ—â—sure Still there abides without or stint or measure Fulnesse of Riches comfâ—â—â—t sempeternall Excesse without a surfetting And Life Eternall Dolor Inferni 5. THe Trump shall blow the dead awak'd shal rise And to the Clouds shall turn their wondring eies The heav'ns shal ope the Bridegroom forth shal come To judge the World and give the World her doome Ioy to the Iust to others endlesse smart To those the Voyce bids Come to these Depart Depart from Life yet dying live for ever For ever dying be and yet Dye never Depart like Dogs with Devils take your lot Depart like Devils for I know you not Like Dogs like Devils goe Goe howle and barke Depart in darknesse for your deeds were darke Let râ—aring be your Musicke and your Food Be flesh of Vipers and your drinke their blood Let Fiends afflict you with Reproach and Shame Depart depart into Eternall Flame If Hell the Guerdon then of Sinners be Lord give me Hell on earth Lord give mee heav'n with thee vv vv Iam deâ—ine Tibia versus FINIS Hadassa Horat. Ode 6. â—onamur tenues grandia nec pudor â—mbellisque Lyrae Musapotens vetat By Fra. Quarles LONDON Printed for IOHN MARRIOT 1632. A PREFACE TO THE READER A Sober veine best suits Theologie If therefore thou expect'st such Elegancy as takes the times affect some subject as will beare it Had I laboured with over-abundaÌ„ce of fictions or flourishes perhaps they had exposed mee censurable and disprized this sacred subject Therefore I rest more sparing in that kinde Two things I would treate of First the matter secondly the manner of this History As for the matter so farre as I have dealt it is Canonicall and indited by the holy Spirit of God not lyable to errour and needs no blanching In it Theologie sits as Queene attended by her handmaid Philosophy both concurring to make the understanding Reader a good Divine and a wise Moralist As for the Divinitie it discovers the Almighty in his two great Attributes in his Mercy delivering his Church in his Iustice confounding her enemies As for the Morality it offers to us the whole practick part of Philosophy dealt 〈◊〉 into Ethicks Politicks and Oeconomickâ— 1. The Ethical part the object wherof is thâ— manners of a private man ranges throâ—â—â— the whole booke and empties it selfe 〈◊〉 the Catalogue of Morall vertues either thâ—â— that governe the body as Fortitude Châ—â— 9. 2. and Temperance Chap. 1. 8. or thoâ—â— which direct the soule either in outwaâ—â— things as Liberalitie Chap 1. 3. Magnifâ—cence Chap. 1. 6. Magnanimity Chap. 2. â— and Modesty Chap. 6. 12. or in conversatioâ— as Iustice Chap. 7. 9. Mansuetude Chap 5 c. 2. The Politicall part the object whereof publike Societie instructs first in the behaviour of a Prince to his Subject in punishâ—â— his vice Chap 7. 10. in rewarding of vertuâ—
No more mine owne if thou adopt it thine O be thy Spirit â—ll in All to me That will implore no ayde no Muse but thee â—e thou the Load-starre to my wandring minde â—ew rigg'd and bound vpon a new Adventure â—fill my Canvas with a prosp'rous winde â—nlock my Soule and let thy Spirit enter So blesse my Talent with a fruitfull Lone That it at least may render two for one Vnworthy I to take so high a Taske Vnworthy I to crave so great a Boone Alas unseason'd is my slender Caske My Winters day hath scarcely seene her 〈◊〉 But if the Childrens Bread must be deny'd Yet let me licke the Crummes that fall beâ—â—â—â— THE HISTORIE OF ESTER THE ARGVMENT The King Assuerus makes two Feasts Invites his great and meaner guests He makes a Statute to represse The lothsome sin of Drunkennesse Sect. 1. WHen great Assuerus under whose Command The worlds most part did in subjectioÌ„ stand Whose Kingdome was to East and West confin'd And stretcht from Ethiopia unto Ind ' WheÌ„ this brave Monarch had with two yeers pow'r Confirmd himselfe the Persian Emperour The peoples patience nilling to sustaine The hard oppression of a third yeares raigne Softly began to grumble sore to vexe Feeling such Tribute on their servile necks Which when the King as he did quickly heares For Kings have tender and the nimblest eares Partly to blow the coales of old affection Which now are dying through a forc'd subiection Partly to make his Princely might appeare To make them feare for love or love for feare He made a Feast He made a Royall Feast Fit for himselfe had he himselfe beene Guest To which he calls the Princes of his Land Who paying tribute by his power stand To which he calls his servants of Estate His Captains and his Rulers of the State That he may shew the glory of his store The like unseene by any Prince before That he may boast his Kingdomes beauty forth His servant Princes and their Princely worth That he may shew the Type of Sov'raignty Fulfill'd in th' honour of his Majesty He made a Feast whose Date should not expire Vntill seven Moones had lost and gain'd their 〈◊〉 When as this Royall tedious Feast was ended For good more common 't is 't is more coÌ„mendeâ— For meaner sort he made a second Feast His Guests were from the greatest to the least In Susa's place Seven dayes they did resort To Feast i' th' Palace Garden of the Court Where in the midst the house of Bacchus stands To entertaine when Bounty claps her hands The Tap'stry hangings were of divers hue Pure white and youthfull Greene and joyful 〈◊〉 The maine supporting Pillars of the Place Were 〈◊〉 â—arble of the purest race The 〈◊〉 were rich right Princely to behold Of bâ—aten Silver and of burnish't Gold The â—â—vement was disâ—olour'd Porphyry And during Marble colour'd diversly In lavish Cups of oft-refined gold Came Wine unwisht drink what the people 〈◊〉 The Golden vessel did in number pasle Great choyce of Cups great choyce of wine the 〈◊〉 And since Abuse attends vpon Excesse Leading sweet Mirth to loathsome Drunkenneâ—â— A temp'rate Law was made that no man might Inforce an undisposed Appetite So that a sober mind may use his pleasure And measure drinking though not drinke by measure Medit. 1. NO man is borne unto himselfe alone Who lives unto himselfe he lives to none The World 's a body ' each man a member is To adde some measure to the publike blisse Where much is giv'n there much shall be requir'd Where little lesse for riches are but hyr'd Wisedome is sold for sweat Pleasures for paine Who lives unto himselfe he lives in vaine To be a Monarch is a glorious thing Who lives not full of Care he lives no King The boundlesse glory of a King is such To sweeten Care because his Care is much The Sun whose radiant beames reflect so bright Comforts and warmes as well as it gives light By whose example Phoebe though more dim Does counterfeit his beames and shines from him So mighty Kings are not ordain'd alone To pearch in glory on the Princely Throne But to direct in Peace command in Warre Those Subjects for whose sakes they onely are So loyall Subjects must adapt them to Such vertuous actions as their Princes doe So shall his people even as well as He Princes though in a lesser volume be ¶ So often as I fixe my serious eye Vpon Assuerus Feast me thinkes I spye The Temple dance me thinkes my ravisht eare Rapt with the secret musicke that I heare Attends the warble of an Angels tongue Resounding forth this sense-bereaving Song Vashti shall fall and Ester rise Sion shall thrive when Haman dyes Blest are the meetings and the Banquets blest Where Angels caroll musicke to the Feast ¶ How doe our wretched times degenerate From former ages How intemperate Hath lavish custome made our bedrid Age Acting obscoene Scenes on her drunken Stage Our times are guided by a lewder lot As if that world another world begot Their friendly feasts were fill'd with sweet sobrieâ— Ours with uncleane delights and base ebriety Theirs the unvalued prise of Love intended Ours seeke the cause whereby our Love is ended How in so blind an Age could those men see And in a seeing Age how blinde are we THE ARGVMENT The King sends for the Queene the Queene Denies to come His hasty spleene Inflames unto the Persian Lawes He leaves the censure of his cause Sect. 2. TO adde more honour to this royall Feast That Glory may with Glory be increast Vashti the Queene the fairest Queene on earth She made a Feast and put on jolly mirth To bid sweet welcome with her Princely cheere To all her Guests Her Guests all women were By this the Royall bounty of the King Hath well-nigh spent the seven dayes banquetting Sixe ioviall dayes have run their howers out And now the seventh revolves the Weeke about Vpon which day the Queenes unlucky Day The King with jollity intic'd away And gently having slipt the stricter reynes Of Temperance that over-mirth restraines Rose up commanded that without delay Howe're the Persian custome doe gain-say That men and married Wives shold feast together That faire Queene Vashti be conducted thither For him to shew the sweetnes of her face And peerelesse beauty mixt with Princely Grace To wound their wanton hearts and to surprize The Princes with th' Artill'ry of her eyes But fairest Vashti in whose scornfull Eyes More haughty pride then heav'nly beauty lies With bold deniall of a flinty brest Answer'd the longing of the Kings request And fill'd with scorne return'd this message home Queene Vashti cannot Vashti will not come Whereat as Boreas with his blustering When sturdy Aries ushers in the Spring Here fells an aged Oke there cleanes a Tree Now holds his full-mouth'd blast now lets it flee So stormes the King now pale now fiery red His colour comes and goes his angry head He sternly shakes
have still conspir'd to blesse That faithfull seed and with a faire successe Have crown'd their just designes If Mordecai Descend from thence thy hopes shall soone decay And melt like waxe before the mid-day Sun So said her broken speech not fully done Haman was hasted to Queene Esters Feast To mirth and joy an indisposed Guest Medita 13. THere 's nothing under heaven more glorifies The name of King or in a subjects eyes Winnes more observance or true loyalty Than sacred Iustice shared equally No greater glory can belong to Might Than to defend the feeble in their right To helpe the helplesse and their wrongs redresse To curbe the haughty-hearted and suppresse The proud requiting ev'ry speciall deed With punishment or honourable meed Herein Kings aptly may deserve the name Of gods enshrined in an earthly frame Nor can they any way approach more nye The full perfection of a Deity Than by true Iustice imitating heaven In nothing more than in the poizing eaven Their righteous ballance Iustice is not blinde As Poets feigne but with a sight refin'd Her Lyncian eyes are clear'd and shine as bright As doe their errours that denie her sight The soule of Iustice resteth in her eye Her contemplation's chiefly to descry True worth from painted showes and loyalty From false and deepe dissembled trechery A noble Statesman from a Paraâ—ite And good from what is meerely good in sight Such hidden things her piercing eye can see If Iustice then be blinde how blinde are we ¶ Right fondly have the Poets pleas'd to say From earth the faire Astraea's fled away And in the shining Baudrike takes her seat To make the number of the Signes compleat For why Astraea doth repose and rest Within the Zodiake of my Sov'raignes brest And from the Cradle of his infancy Hath train'd his Royall heart with industry In depth of righteous lore and sacred thewes Of Iustice Schoole that this my Haggard Muse Cannot containe the freenesse of her spright But make a Mounty at so faire a flight Perchance though like a bastard Eagle daz'd With too great light she winke and fall amaz'd ¶ Heav'n make my heart more thankfull in confessing So high a blisse than skilfull in expressing THE ARGVMENT The Quene brings Hamans accusation The King 's displeas'd and growes in possion Proud Hamans trechery descry'd The shamefull end of shamelesse pride Sect. 14. FOrthwith to satisfie the Queenes request The King and Haman came unto her Feast Whereat the King what then can hap amisse Became her suitor that was humbly his And fairely thus intreating this bespake What is 't Queene Ester would and for her sake What is 't the King would not preferre thy suit Faire Queene Those that despaire let them be mute Cleare up those clouded beames my fairest Bride My Kingdomes halfe requested I 'le divide Whereat the Queene halfe hoping halfe afraid Disclos'd her trembling lips and thus she said If in the bounty of thy Princely Grace Thy sad Petitioner may finde a place To shrow â—her most unutterable griefe Which if not there may hope for no reliefe If in the treasure of thy gracious eyes Where mercy and relenting pity lies Thy hand-â—aid hath found favour let my Lord Grant me my life my life so much abbord To doe him service and my peoples life Which now lye open to a Tyrants knife Our lives are sold 't is I t is guiltlesse I Thy loyall Spouse thy Queene and â—ers must dye The spotlesse blood of me thy faithfull Bride Must swage the swelling of a Tyrants pride Had we beene sold for drudges to attend The busie Spindle or for slaves to spend Our weary howers to deserve our bread So as the gaine stood but my Lord in stead I had beene silent and ne're spent my breath But neither he that seekes it nor my death Can to himselfe the least advantage bring Except revenge nor to my Lord the King Like to a Lyon rouzed from his rest Rag'd then the King and thus his rage exprestâ— Who is the man that dares attempt this thing Where is the Traitor What am I a King May not our subjects serve but must our Queene Be made the subject of a visâ—aines spleene Is not Queene Ester bosom'd in our heart What Traitor then dares be so bold to part Our heart and us Who dares attempt this thing Can Ester then be slaine and not the King Reply'd the Queene The man that hath done this That cursed Haman wicked Haman is Like as a Felon shakes before the Bench Whose troubled silence proves the Evidence So Haman trembled when Queene Ester spake Nor answer nor excuse his guilt could make The King no longer able to digest So foule a trechery forsooke the Feast Walk'd in the Garden where consuming rage Boil'd in his heart with fire unapt t' asswage So Haman pleading guilty to the fault Besought his life of her whose life he sought When as the King had walk'd a little space So rage and choller often shift their place In he return'd where Haman fallen flat Was on the bed whereon Queene Ester sate Whereat the King new cause of rage debares Apt to suppose the worst of whom he hates New passion addes new fuell to his fire And faines a cause to make it blaze the higher Is 't not enough for him to seeke her death Said hee but with a Letchers tainted breath Will be inforce my Queene before my face And make his Brothell in our Royall Place So said they veiled Hamans face as he Vnfit were to be seene or yet to see Then said an Eunuch sadly standing by In Hamans Garden fifty Cubits high There stands a Gibbet built but yesterday Made for thy loyall servant Mordecai Whose faithfull lips thy life from danger freed And merit leads him to a fairer meed Said then the King It seemeth just and good To shed his blood that thirsted after blood Who plants the tree deserves the fruit 't is fit That he that bought the purchase hansell it Hang Haman there It is his proper good So let the Horseleach burst himselfe with blood They straight obeyd Lo here the end of Pride Now rests the King appeas'd and satisfi'd Meditat. 14. CHeere up and caroll forth your silver ditie Heavens winged quiristers and fil your City earth The new Ierusalem with jolly mirth The Church hath peace in heaven hath peace on Spread forth your golden pinions and cleave The flâ—tting skies dismount and quite bereave Our stupid senses with your heavenly mirth For loe there 's peace in heav'n there 's peace on earth Let Hallelujah fill your warbling tongues And let the ayre compos'd of saintly songs Breathe such celestiall Sonnets in our eares That whosoe're this heav'nly musicke heares May stand amaz'd ravisht at the mirth ChaÌ„t forth there 's peace in heav'n there 's peace on earth Let mountaines clap their joyfull joyfull hands And let the lesser hils trace o're the lands In equall measure and resounding woods Bow downe your heads
thy spirit for fleshly lust too cold Makes thee a slave to thine owne base desire Which melts and hardens at the selfe-same Fire Art thou deâ—repit Then thy very breath Iâ— grievous to thee and each griefe 's a death Looke where thou list thy life is but a span Thou art but dust and to conclude A Man Thy life 's a Warfare thou a Souldier art Satan's thy Foe-man and a faithfull Heart Thy two-edg'd Weapon Patience thy Shield Heaven is thy Chiefetain and the world thy Field To be afraid to dye or wish for death Are words and passions of despairing breath Who doth the first the day doth faintly yeeld And who the second basely flies the field Man 's not a lawfull Stearsman of his dayes His bootlesse wish nor hastens nor delayes We are Gods hired Workmen he discharges Some late at night and when he list inlarges Others at noone and in the morning some None may relieve himselfe till he bid Come If we receive for one halfe day as much As they that toyle till evening shall we grutch Our life 's a Road in death our Iourney ends We goe on Gods Embassage some he sends Gall'd with the â—â—otting of hard Misery And others pacing on Prosperity Some lagge whilest others gallop on before All goe an end some faster and some slower Lead me that pase great God that thou think'st best And I will follow with a dauntlesse brest Which ne'rethelesse if I refuse to doe I shall be wicked and yet follow to Assist me in my Combat with the flesh Relieve my fainting powers and refresh My feeble spirit I will not wish to be Cast from the world Lord cast the world from me THE ARGVMENT Bildad mans either state expresses Gods Mercy and Iustice Iob confesses He pleads his cause and begs reliefe Foild with the burthen of his griefe Sect. 9. SO Bildads silence great with tongue did breake And like a heartlesse Comforter did speake How long wilt thou persist to breathe thy minde In words that vanish as a storme of winde Will God forsake the innocâ—nt or will His Iustice smite thee undeserving ill Though righteous death thy sinfull sons hath rent From thy sad bosome yet if thou repent And wash thy wayes with undissembled teares Tuning thy troubles to th' Almighties eares The mercy of his eyes shall shine upon thee And shoure the sweetnesse of his blessings on thee And though a while thou plunge in misery At length hee l crowne thee with prosperity Run backe and â—earne of sage Antiquity What our late births to present times deny See how and what in the worlds downy age Befell our Fathers in their Pilgrimage If Rushes have no mire and Grasse no raine They cease to flourish droop their heads â— waine So fades the man whose heart is not upright So perisheth the double Hypocrite His hopes are like the Spiders web to day That 's flourishing to morrow swept away But he that 's just is like the flowting tree Rooted by Chrystall Springs that cannot be Scorcht by the noone of day nor stird from thence Where firmely fixt it hath a residence Heavenâ—never failes the soule that is upright Nor offers arme to the base Hypoâ—rite The one he blesses with eternall joyes The other his avenging hand destroyes I yeeld it for a truth sad Iob reply'd Compar'd with God can man be justifi'd If man should give account what he hath done Not of a thousand can he answer one His hand 's all-Power and his heart all pure Against this God what man can stand secure He shakes the Mounâ—aines and the Sun he barres From circling his due course shuts up the Starres He spreades the Heavens and rideth on the Flood His workes may be admir'd not understood No eye can see no heart can apprehend him Lists he to spoile what 's he can reprehenâ— hâ—m His Will 's his Law The smoothest pleader hath No power in his lips to slake his Wrath Much lesse can I pleade faire immunity Which could my guiltlesse tongue attaine yet I Would kisse the Footstep of his Iudgement-seat Should he receive my cry my griefe 's so great It would perswade me that he heard it not For he hath torne me with the five-fold knot Of his sharpe Scourge his plagues successive are That I can finde no ground but of Despaire If my â—â—old lips should dare to justifie My selfe my lips would give my lips the lye God owes his mercy nor to good nor bad The wicked oft he spares and oft does adde Griefe to the just mans griefe woes after woes We must not judge man as his Market goes But might my prayers obtaine this boone that God Would cease those sorrowes and remove that Rod Which moves my patience I would take upon me T'implead before him your rash judgement on me Because my tender Conscience doth perswade mee I 'me not so bad as your bad Words have made me My life is tedious my distresse shall breake Into her proper Voyce my griefes shall speake Iust â—udge of Earth condemne me not before Thou please to make me understand wherefore Agrees it with thy Iustice thus to be Kinde to the wicked and so harsh to Me Seest thou with fleshly eyes or doe they glance By favour Are they clos'd with Ignorance Liv'st thou the life of man Dost thou desire A space of time to search or to enquire My sinne No in the twinkling of an eye Thou seest my heart seest my Immunity From those foule crimes wherewith my friends at pleasure Taxe me yet thou afflict'st me in this Measure Thy hands have form'd and fram'd me what I am Whâ—n thou hast made wilt thou destroy the same Remember I am built of Clay and must Returne againe without thy helpe to Dust. Thou didst create preserve me hast indu'd My life with gracious blessings oft renew'd Thy precious favours on me How wert thou Once so benigne and so cruell now Thou hunt'st me like a Prey my plagues encrease Succeed each other and they never cease Why was I borne Or why did not my Tombe Receive me weeping from my mothers wombe I have not long to live Lord grant that I May see some comfort that am soone to dye Meditat. 9. HE that 's the truest Master of his owne Is never â—esse alone than when alone His watchfull eyes are plac't within his heart His skill is how to know himselfe his Art How to command the pride of his Affections With sacred Reason how to give directions Vnto his wandring Will His conscience checks hiâ— More looser thoughts His 〈◊〉 sins she vexes With frights and feares within her owne precincts She rambles with her Whips of wire ne're 〈◊〉 At smallest faults like as a tender Mother How e're she loves her darling will not 〈◊〉 His childish fault but shee her selfe will rather Correct than trust him to his angry Fatâ—â—er Even so the tender Conscience of the wise Cheâ—ks her beloved soule and doth chastise And Iudge the crime it selfe lest it
all other things assisting Divided yet without division A perfect three yet Three entirely one Both One in Three and Three in One together Begetting and begotten and yet neither The Fountaine of all Arts confounding Art Both all in All and all in every part Still seeking Glory and still wanting none Though just yet reaping where thou ne'r hast 〈◊〉 Great Majestie since Thou art every where O Why should I misdoubt thy Presence here I long have sought thee but my ranging heart Ne'r quests and cannot see thee where thou art There 's no Defect in thee thy light hath shin'd Nor can be â—id great God but I am blind O cleare mine eyes and with thy holy fire Inflame my brest and edge my dull desire Wash me with Hysope clense my stained thoughts Renew my spirit blurre forth my secret faults Thou tak'st no pleasure in a Sinners death For thou art Life thy Mercy 's not beneath Thy sacred Iustice Give thy servant power To seeke aright and having sought discover Thy glorious Presence Let my blemisht Eye See my Salvation yet before I die O then my Dust that 's bowell'd in the ground Shall rise with Triumph at the welcome sound Of my Redeemers earth-awaking Trumpe Vnfrighted at the noyse no sullen Dumpe Of selfe-confounding Conscience shall affright me For he 's my Iudge whose dying blood shal quite me THE ARGVMENT God speaks to Iob the second time Iob yeelds his sin repents his crime God checks his friends restores his health Gives him new issue double wealth Sect. 19. ONce more the mouth of Heav'n rapt forth a voice The troubled Firmament was fill'd with noise The Rafters of the darkned Skie did shake For the Eternall thundred thus and spake Collect thy scattered senses and advise Rouze up fond man and answer my replies Wilt thou make Comments on my Text must I be unrighteous to conclude thee just Shall my Decrees be licenced by thee What canst thou thunder with a voyce like Me Put on thy Robes of Majestie Be clad With as bright glory Iob as can be had Make fierce thy frownes and with an angry face Confound the Proud and his high thoughts abase Pound him to Dust Doe this and I will yeeld Thou art a God and need'st no other sheild Behold the Castle-bearing Elephant That wants no bulke nor doth his greatnesse want An equall strength Behold his massie bones Like barres of Yron like congealed stones His knottie sinewes are Him have I made And given him naturall weapons for his ayde High mountaines beare his food the shady boughes His Covers are Great Rivers are his Troughes Whose deepe Carouses would to standers-by Seeme at a watring to draw Iordan dry What skilfull huntsman can with strength out-dare him Or with what engines can a man ensnare him Hast thou beheld the huge Leviathan That swarthy Tyrant of the Ocean Can Thy bearded hooke impierce his Gils or make him Thy landed Prisner Can thy angles take him Will he make suit for favour from thy hands Or be enthralled to thy fierce commands Will he be handled as a bird or may Thy fingers bind him for thy childrens play Let men be wise for in his lookes he hath Displayed Banners of untimely death If Creatures be so dreadfull how is he More bold then wise that dares encounter Me What hand of Man can hinder my designe Are not the Heavens and all beneath them mine Diffect the greatnesse of so vast a Creature By view of severall parts summe up his feature Like Shields his scales are plac't which neither art Knowes how to sunder nor yet force can part His belching rucks forth flames his moving Eye Shines like the glory of the morning skie His craggâ—e sinewes are like wreaths of brasse And from his mouth quicke flames of fier passe As from an Oven the temper of his heart Is like a Nether-milstone which no Dart Can pierce secured from the threatning Speare Affraid of none he strikes the world with feare The Bow-mans brawny arme sends shafts in vaine They fall like stubble or bound backe againe Stones are his pillow and the Mud his Downe In earth none greater is nor equall none Compar'd with him all things he doth deride And well may challenge to be King of Pride So said th' amazed Iob bent downe his eyes Vpon the ground and sadly thus replyes I know great God there 's nothing hard to Thee Thy thoughts are pure and too too deepe for me I am a foole and my distempered wits Longer out-stray'd my Tongue than well befits My knowledge slumbred while my lips did chat And like a Foole I spake I knew not what Lord teach me Wisedome lest my proud Desire Singe her bold feathers in thy Sacred fire Mine eare hath oft beene rounded with thy Story But now these very eyes have seene thy glory My sinfull words I not alone lament But in the horror of my soule repent Repent with Teares in sack-cloth mourne in Dust I am a sinfull man and Thou art just Thou Eliphaz that makst my sacred Word An Engine of Despaire said then the Lord Behold full Vyolls of my wrath attends On thee and on thy two too-partiall Friends For you have judg'd amisse and have abus'd My Word to worke your ends falsly accus'd My righteous Servant Of you all there 's none Hath spoke uprightly as my Iob hath done Haste then before my kindling fire begin To flame and each man offer for his sin A sacrifice by Iob my servants hand And for his sake your Offrings shall withstand The wages of your sinnes for what can I If Iob my servant make request deny So straight they went and after speedy pardon Desir'd and had the righteous Iob for guerdon Of his so tedious Griefe obtain'd the health Of a sound body and encrease of wealth So that the second Harvest of his store Was double that which he enjoy'd before Ere this was blazed in the Worlds wide Eares The frozen brests of his familiars And cold Allyes being now dissolv'd in Griefe His backward friends came to him with reliefe To feed his wants and with sad shouring eyes To moane his yet supposed Miseries Some brought him sheepe to blesse his empty Fold Some precious Earings others Rings of Gold God blest his loyns froÌ„ whence there sprang again The number of his children that were slaine Nor was there any in the Land so rare In vertue as his daughters or so faire Long after this he liv'd in peace to see His childrens children to the fourth degree Till at the lenth cut short by Him that stayes For none he dy'd in peace and full of Dayes Meditat. 19. EVill's the defect of Good and as a shade That 's but the ruines of the light decay'd It hath no being nor is understood But by the opposition of Good What then is man whose purest thoughts are prest For Satans warre which from the tender brest With Infant silence have consented to Such sinfull Deeds as babes they could
not doe What then is man but Nothing being Evill His Lunatike affections doe unlevell What Heaven created by just Waight and measure In pleasures sinke he takes a swine like Pleasure His span of life and beauties like a Flower Faire flourishing and fading in an hower He breakes into the world with teares and then Departs with Griefe not knowing how nor when His life 's a Bubble full of seeming Blisse The more it lengthens the more short it is Begot in darknesse he 's brought forth and cries For succour passes ore the stage and dyes Yet like a Moale the earth he undermines Making the World the Forge of his designes He plots complots for esees prevents directs Hee hopes he feares he doubts pursues effects Each hath his plot each one his course doth bend Each hath his project and each one his end Thus restlesse man doth still his soule molest To finde out that which hath no being Rest Thus travels sinfull man in endlesse toyle Taking a pleasure in his owne turmoyle Fond man first seeke to purchase that divine And sacred prize and all the world is thine Great Salomon made suit for Wisdome and he found Not barely Wisdome but that Wisdome crown'd With Diadems of wealth and faire encrease Of Princely Honour with long dayes of Peace With safe respect and awfull reverence To Myst'ries Meditation doth commence An earnest doubt Was Iobs dispoiled Flock Restored double Was his former Stock Renew'd with double vantage Did heaven adde To all his fortunes double what he had Yet those sweet Emblemes of his dearest love His sonnes whom death untimely did remove From off the face of the unthankfull earth Why likewise sprang not they in double birth Bruit beasts that perish once are lost for ever Their substance and their All consumes together Once having given a farewell to the light They dye and with them is perpetuall night But man unorgan'd by the hand of Death Dyes not is but transplanted from beneath Into a fairer soyle or as a stranger Brought home secure from the worlds pleasing danger Iobs flocks were lost and therefore double given His Issue 's equall shar'd 'twixt Earth and Heaven One halfe in heav'n are glorious in their doome Ingag'd as Pledges till the other come Great God! my Time 's but short and long my way My Heart hath lost her Path and gone astray My spirit 's faint and fraile my soule 's imbost If thou helpe not I am for ever lost Though Dust and Ashes yet I am thy Creature Howe're my sinnes are great thy Mercie 's greater Of nothing didst thou make me and my sinne Hath turn'd me back to nothing once agin Create me a new heart great God inspire My cold affections with thy sacred fire Instruct my Will and rectifie my Wayes O teach me Lord to number out my Dayes The Digestion of the whole HISTORY 1 In Prosperity THou whose lank fortunes heav'n hath swel'd with store Make not thy selfe by over-wishing poore Husband that good which else abuse makes bad Abstracting where thy base desire would adde Lines flowing from a Sophoclean quill Deserve no Plaudit being acted ill 2 In Adversity Hath heav'n withdrawn the talent he hath giv'n thee Hath envious Death of all thy Sons bereaven thee Have soule Diseases foil'd thee on the floore He earnes no sweet that never tasted sowre Thou art a Scholler if thy Tutor doe Pose thee too hard he will instruct thee too 3 In Tentation Art thou oppos'd to thine unequall Foe March bravely on thy Gen'rall bids thee goe Thou art heav'ns Champion to maintain his right Who cals thee forth wil give thee strength to fight God seekes by conquest thy renowne for He Will win enough Fight thou or Faint or Flee 4 In Slander If Winter fortunes nip thy Summer Friends And tip their tongues with Censure that offends Thy tender Name despaire not but be wise Know Heaven selecteth whom the world denies Thou hast a milke-white Thisâ—y that's within 〈◊〉 Will take thy part when all the world's â—giâ— thee 5 In Re-advancement Art thou advanc'd to thy supreme desier Be still the same Feare Lower aime no higher Mans Play hath many Sceanes but in the last Heaven knits up all to sweeten all that 's past Affliction is a Rod to scourge us home An 'a painfull earnest of a Heaven to come The end THE HISTORIE OF SAMSON By Fra. Quarles LONDON Printed by MILES FLESHER for I. MARRIOTT in S. Dunstans Church-yard in Fleet-street 1632. To the READER THe tyranny of my affaires was never yet so imperious but I could steale some howers to my private Meditations the fruits of which stolne time I here present thee with in the History of Samson Wherein if thy extreme severity check at any thing which thou conceivest may not stand with the Majesty of this sacred Subject know that my intention was not to offend my brother The wisest of Kings inspired by the King of Wisdome thought it no detraction from the gravity of his Holy Proverbs to describe a Harlot like a Harlot Her whorish Attire her immodest Gesture her bold Countenance her flattering Tongue her lascivious Embraces her unchast Kisses her impudent Invitations If my descriptions in the like kinde offend I make no question but the validitie of my Warrant will give a reasonable satisfaction He that lifts not his feet high enough may easily stumble But on the contrary if any be whose worse then sacrilegious minds shall prophane our harmles intentions with wanton conceits to such I heartily wish a Procul Ite Let none such looke farther then this Epistle at their own perils If they doe let them put off their shoos for this is holy Ground Foule hands will muddle the clearest waters base minds will corrupt the purest Text If any offence be taken it is by way of stealth for there is none willingly given I write to Bees and not to Spiders They will sucke pleasing honey from such flowers These may burst with their owne poyson But you whose well-seasond hearts are not distempered with either of these extremities but have the better relish of a Sacred understanding draw neere and reade I Sing th' illustrious and renowned Story Of mighty Samson The eternall glory Of his Heroicke acts His life His death Quicken my Muse with thy diviner breath Great God of Muses that my prosp'rous Riâ—es May live and last to everlasting times That they unborne may in this sacred Story Admire thy goodnes and advance thy glory THE HISTORIE OF SAMSON THE ARGVMENT A holy Angell doth salute The wife of Manoah and inlarge Her barren wombe with promis'd fruit Of both their loynes The Angles charge Sect. 1. WIthin the Tents of Zorah dwelt a man Of Iacobs seed and of the Tribe of Dâ—n Knowne by the name of Maenoah to whom Heaven had deny'd the treasure of the wombe His Wife was barren And her prayers could not Remove that great reproach or clense that blot Which on her fruitlesse name appear'd
and what must then be done When time shal bring to light this promis'd sonne About that time when the declining Lampe Trebles each shadow when the evening dampe Begins to moisten and refresh the land The Wife of Manoah under whose command The weaned Lambes did feed being lowly seated Vpon a Shrubbe where often she repeated That pleasing newes the subject of her thought Appear'd the Angell he that lately brought Those blessed tidings to her up she rose Her second feare had warrant to dispose Her nimble foot-steps to unwonted haste She runnes with speed she cannot runne too fast At length she findes her husband In her eyes Were Ioy and Feare whilst her lost breath denies Her speech to him her trembling hands make signs She puffes and pants her breathlesse tongue disjoynes Her broken words Behold behold said she The man of God if man of God he be Appear'd againe These very eyes beheld The man of God I left him in our field Meditat. 3. HEav'n is Gods Magazen wherein he hath Stor'd up his Vials both of love and wrath Iustice and Mercy waite upon his Throne Favours and Thunderbolts attend upon His sacred Will and Pleasure Life and Death Doe both receive their influence from his breath Iudgements attend his left at his right hand Blessings and everlasting Pleasures stand Heav'n is the Magazen wherein he puts Both good and evill Pray'r is the key that shuts And opens this great Treasure T is a key Whose wards are Faith and Hope and Charity Wouldst thou prevent a judgement due to sinne Turne but the key and thou maist locke it in Or wouldst thou have a Blessing fall upon thee Open the doore and it will shower on thee Can Heav'n be false or can th' Almighties tongue That is all very truth doe truth that wrong Not to performe a vow His lips have sworne Sworne by himselfe that if a Sinner turne To him by pray'r his pray'r shall not be lost For want of eare nor his desier crost How is it then we often aske and have not We aske and often misse because we crave noâ— The things we should his wisdome can foresee Those blessings better that we want than weâ— Hast thou not heard a peevish Infant baule To gaine possession of a knife And shall Th' indulgent nurse bee counted wisely kinde If she be mov'd to please his childish minde Is it not greater wisdome to deny The sharp-edg'd knife and to present his eye With a fine harmlesse Puppit We require Things oft unfit and our too fond desire Fastens on goods that are but glorious ills Whilst Heav'ns high wisdome contradicts our wils With more advantage for we oft receive Things that are farre more fit for us to have Experience tels we seeke and cannot finde We seeke and often want because we binde The Giver to our times He knows we want Patience and therefore he suspends his grant T' encrease our faith that so we may depend Vpon his hand he loves to heare us spend Our childish mouthes Things easily obtain'd Are lowly priz'd but what our prayers have gain'd By teares and groanes that cannot be exprest Are farre more deare and sweeter when possest Great God! whose power hath so oft prevail'd Against the strength of Princes and hast quail'd Their prouder stomaks with thy breath discrown'd Their heads thrown their Scepters to the grouÌ„d Striking their swelling hearts with cold despaire How art thou conquer'd and o'recome by Pray'r Infuse that Spirit Great God into my heart And I will have a blessing ere we part THE ARGVMENT Manoah desires to know the fashion And breeding of his promis'd sonne To whom the Angel makes relation Of all things needfull to be done Sect. 4. WIth that the Danite rose and being guided By his perplexed wife they both divided Their heedlesse paces â—ill they had attain'd The field 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of God remain'd And drawing â—eerer to hâ—s presence stai'd His weary steps and with obeysance said Art thou the 〈…〉 blessed lips â—oretold Those joyfull 〈◊〉 Shall my tongue be bold Without the breach of manners to request This boone Art thoâ—â— that Prophet that possest This barren woman with a hope that She Shall beare a Sonne He answer'd I am He Said Manoah then Let not a word of thine Be lost let them continue to divine Our future happinesse let them be crown'd With truth and thou with honour to be found A holy Prophet Let performance blesse And speed thy speeches with a faire successe But tell me Sir when this great worke is done And time shall bring to light this promis'd Sonne What sacred Ceremonies shall we use What Rites What way of bleeding shall we chuse T' observe What holy course of life shall be Be trained in What shall his Office be Whereat th' attentive Angel did divide The portall of his lips and thus replide The Child that from thy fruitfull loynes shall come Shall be a holy Nazarite from the wombe Take heed that wombe that shall inclose this Childe In no case be polluted or defilde With Law-forbidden meates Let her forbeare To taste those things that are forbidden there The bunch-back Camell shall be no repast For her Her palate shall forbeare to taste The burrow haunting Cony and decline The swiftfoote-Hare and mire-delighting Swine The griping Goshauke and the towring Eagle The party-coloured Pye must not inveigle Her lips to move the brood-devouring Kite The croaking Raven th' Owle that hates the light The steele-digesting Bird the laste Snaile The Cuckow ever telling of one tale The fish-consuming Osprey and the Want That undermines the greedy Cormorant Th' indulgent Pellican the predictious Crow The chattring Storke and ravenous Vulter too The thorn-backt Hedgehogge and the prating lay The Lapwing flying still the other way The lofty-flying Falkon and the Mouse That findes no pleasure in a poore mans house The suck-egge Weasell and the winding Swallow From these she shall abstaine and not unhallow Her op'ned lips with their polluted flesh Strong drinke she must forbeare and to refresh Her lingring palate with luâ—-breeding Wine The Grape or what proceedeth from the Vine She must not taste for feare she be defilde And so pollute her wombe-enclosed Childe When time shall make her mother of a Sonne Beware no keen-edg'd Raisor come upon His bâ—llowed Crowne the haire upon his head Must not be cut His bountious lockes must spred On his broad shoulders From his first drawne breath The Childe shall be a Nazarite to his death Meditat. 4. WHat shallow judgment or what easie braine Can choose but laugh at those that strive in vaine To build a Tower whose ambitious Spire Should reach to heaven what foole would not admire To see their greater folly who would raise A Tower to perpetuate the praise And lasting Glory of their renowned Name What have they lâ—ft but Monuments of shame How poore and slender are the enterprises Of man that onely whispers and advises With heedlesse flesh and blood and never
hearts admier and beleeve THE ARGVMENT Samson at Timnah falls in love And fancies a Philistian maide He moves his parents They reprove His sinfull choyce dislike disswade Sect. 7. NOw when as strong limb'd Samson had dispos'd His trifling thoughts to children and disclos'd His bud of child-hood which being overgrowne And blossome of his youth so fully blowne That strength of nature now thought good to seeke Her entertainment on his downy cheeke And with her manly bounty did begin To uneffeminate his smoother chin He went to Timnah whither did resort A great concourse of people to disport Themselves with pastime or perchance to show Some martiall Feats as they were wont to doe Scaffolds were builded round about whereon The Crowne of eye-delighted lookers on Were closely pil'd As Samsons wandring eye Was ranging up and downe he did espye A comely Virgin beautifull and young Where she was seated midst the gazing throng The more he view'd the more his eye desir'd To view her face and as it view'd admir'd His heart inflam'd his thoughts were all on fire His passions all were turn'd into desire Such were his lookes that she might well discry A speaking lover in his sparkling eye Sometimes his reason bids his thoughts beware 〈◊〉 he be catcht in a Philistian snare And then his thwarting passion would reply Feare not to be a prisoner to that eye Reason suggests 'T is vaine to make a choyce Where parents have an over-ruling voyce Passion replies That feare and filiall duty Must serve affection and subscribe to beauty Whilst Reason faintly mov'd him to neglect Prevailing passion urg'd his soule t' affect Passion concludes Let her enjoy thy heart Reason concludes But let thy tongue impart Thy affection to thy parents and discover To them thy thoughts With that the wounded lover Whose quicke-divided paces had out-runne His lingring heart like an observant sonne Repaires unto his parents fully made Relation of his troubled thoughts and said Sir 〈◊〉 day at Timnah to these wretched eyes 〈◊〉 taken captive with the novelties 〈◊〉 entertain'd my pleased thoughts appear'd 〈◊〉 object which hath so endear'd 〈◊〉 very soule with sadnesse so distrest That this poore heart can finde no ease no rest It was a Virgin in whose Heavenly face Vâ—pattern'd Beauty and diviner Grace Were so conjoyn'd as if they both conspir'd 〈…〉 Angell when these eyes enquir'd 〈◊〉 the excellence of her rare perfection 〈…〉 not choose but like and my affection Is so inflamed with desire that I Am now become close prisoner to her eye Now if my sad Petition may but finde A faire successe to ease my tortur'd minde And if your tender hearts be pleas'd to prove Aâ— prone to pitty mine as mine to love Let me with joy exchange my single life And be the husband of so faire a wife Whereto th' amazed parents in whose eye Distast and wonder percht made this reply What strange desire what vnadvis'd request Hath broken loose from thy distracted brest What! are the Daughters of thy brethren growne So poore in Worth and Beauty Is there none To please that over-curious eye of thine But th' issue of a cursed Philistine Can thy miswandring eyes choose none but her That is the child of an Idolater Correct thy thoughts and let thy soule rejoyce In lawfull beauty Make a wiser choyce How well this counsell pleas'd the tyred eares Of love-sicke Samson O let him that beares A crost affection judge Let him discover The wofull case of this afflicted lover What easie pencill cannot represent His very lookes How his sterne browes were bent His drooping head his very port and guise His bloodlesse cheekes and deadnesse of his eyes Till at the length his moving tongue betrai'd His sullen lips to language thus and said Sir Th' extreame affection of my heart does leade My tongue that 's quickned with my love to plead What if her parents be not circumcis'd Her issue shall and she perchance advis'd Iâ— worship Israels God and to forget 〈◊〉 fathers house Alas she is as yet 〈◊〉 young her downy yeares are green 〈◊〉 tender 〈◊〉 but a twigge and time may 〈…〉 â—â—brace the truth Oâ—r counsells 〈…〉 〈…〉 breeding and so save a soule 〈◊〉 who can tell but Heaven did recommend 〈◊〉 beauty to these eyes for such an end 〈◊〉 not that which Heaven is pleas'd to save 〈◊〉 Samson then obtaine as well as crave 〈◊〉 gave me being then prolong my life And make me husband to so faire a wife With that the pareÌ„ts joyn'd their whispering heads 〈◊〉 observes and in their parly reads 〈◊〉 Characters of hope The mother smiles The father frownes which Samson reconciles â—â—th hopefull fears She smiles smiling crownes 〈◊〉 hopes which He deposes with his frownes 〈◊〉 whispring ended joyntly they displaid â—â—alfe resolved countenance and said Samson suspend thy troubled minde a while 〈◊〉 thy â—ver-charged thoughts recoile 〈…〉 of Shipwracke Rocks are neare the Shore 〈◊〉 the Virgin and resolve thee mâ—re Meditat. 6. LOve is a noble passion of the heart That with it very essence doth impart All needfull Circumstances and effects Vnto the chosen party it affects In absence it enjoyes and with an eye Fill'd with celestiall fier doth espye Objects remote It joyes and smiles in griefe It sweetens poverty It brings reliefe It gives the Feeble strength the Coward spirit The sicke man health the undeserving merit It makes the proud man humble and the stout It ouercomes and treads him underfoot It makes the mighty man of warre to droope And him to serve that never yet could stoope It is a fire whose Bellowes are the breath Of heaven above and kindled here beneath T is not the power of a mans election To loue He loves noâ— by his owne direction It is nor beauty nor â—enigne aspect That alwayes moves the Lover to affect These are but means Heavens pleasure is the cause Love is not bound to reason and her Lawes Are not subjected to th' imperious will Of man It lies not in his power to nill How is this Love abus'd That 's onely made A snare for wealth or to set up a trade T' enrich a great mans Table or to pay A desperate debt or meerly to allay A base and wanton lust which done no doubt The love is ended and her fier out No he that loves for pleasure or for pelfe Loves truely none and falsely but himselfe The pleasure past the wealth consum'd and gone Love hath no subject now to worke upon The props being falne that did support the roofe Nothing but rubbish and neglected Stuffe â—â—ke a wilde Chaos of Confusion lies Presenting uselesse ruines to our eyes The Oyle that does maintaine loves sacred fire Is vertue mixt with mutuall desire Of sweet societie begun and bred 〈◊〉 soule nor ended in the mariage bed This is the dew of Hermon that does fill The soule with sweetnesse watring Sions hill This is that holy fire that burns and lasts Till quencht by death The other are but blasts
feares 'T is well But they that doe Attempt to ruine me will ransacke you First you shall firmely engage your plighted trâ—th By the acceptance of a sacred â—ath That when I shall be pris'ner to your bands I may not suffer violence by your hands With that they drawing nearer to him laid Their hands beneath his brawny thigh and said Then let the God of Iacob cease to blesse The tribe of Iudah with a faire successe In ought they put their cursed hand unto And raze their seed If we attempt to doe Bound Samson violence And if this curse Be not sufficient heaven contrive a worse With that the willing prisoner joyn'd his hands To he subjected to their stronger bands With treble twisted cords that never tried The twitch of strength their busie fingers tied His sinewy wrists which being often wound About his beating pulse they brought him bound To the forefront of the Philistian band And left him captive in their cursed hand Meditat. 17. O What a pearle is hidden in this field Whose orient luster and perfections yeeld So great a treasure that the Easterne Kings With all the wealth their colder Climate brings Nere saw the like It is a pearle whose glory Is the diviner subject of a story Pend by an Angels quill not understood By the too dull conceit of flesh and bloud Vnkinde Iudeans what have you presented Before your eyes O what have you attented He that was borne on purpose to release His life for yours to bring your Nation peace To turne your mournings into joyfull Songs To fight your Battells to revenge your wrongs Even him alas your cursed hands have made This day your prisoner Him have you betraid To death O he whose snowy arme had power To crush you all to nothing and to shower Downe strokes like thunderbolts whose blasting breath Might in a moment puft you all to death And made ye fall before his frowning Brow See how he goes away betraid by you Thou great Redeemer of the world whose bloud Hath power to save more worlds than Noahs floud Destroyed bodies thou O thou that art The Samson of our soules How can the heart Of man give thankes enough that does not know How much his death-redeemed soule does owe To thy deare merits We can apprehend No more than flesh and bloud does recommend To our confined thoughts Alas we can Conceive thy love but as the love of man We cannot tell the horror of that paine Thou bought us from nor can our hearts attaine Those joyes that thou hast purchas'd in our name Nor yet the price thou paidst our thoughts are laÌ„e And craz'd Alas things mortall have no might No meanes to comprehend an Infinite We can behold thee cradled in a Manger In a poore Stable We can see the danger The Tetrarch's fury made thee subject to We can conceive thy poverty We know Thy blessed hands that might bin freed were bouÌ„d We know alas thy bleeding browes were crown'd With pricking thorne Thy body torne with whips Thy palmes impeirc'd with ragged nailes Thy lips Saluted with a Traitors kisse Thy browes Sweating forth bloud Thy oft repeated blowes Thy fastning to the crosse Thy shamefull death These outward tortures all come underneath Our dull conceits But what thy blessed soule That bore the burden of our guilt and Scroule Of all our sinnes and horrid paines of Hell O what that soule endur'd what soule can tell THE ARGVMENT He breakes their bands And with a bone A thousand Philistians he slue Hee thirsted fainted made his moane To Heaven He drinkes his spirits renew Sect. 18. THus when the glad Philistians had obtain'd The summe of all their hopes they entertain'd The welcome pris'ner with a greater noise Of triumph than the greatnesse of their joyes Required Some with sudden death would greet The new come Guest whilst others more discreet With lingring paines and tortures more exact Would force him to discover in the Fact Who his Abettors were others gainsaid That course for feare a rescue may be made â—ome cry ' T is fittest that th' Offender bleed 〈◊〉 where his cursed hands had done the deed Others cryed No where Fortune hath consign'd him Wee 'le kill him Best to kill him where we finde him Thus variously they spent their doubtfull breath At last they all agreed on sudden death There 's no contention now but onely who Shall strike the first or give the speeding blow Have ye beheld a single thred of flax Touch'd by the fire how the fire crackes With ease and parts the slender twine in sunder Even so as the first arme began to thunder Vpon the Prisners life he burst the bands From his strong wrists freed his loosned hands He stoop'd from off the bloud-expecting grasse He snatcht the crooked jaw-bone of an Asse Wherewith his fury dealt such downe-right blowes So oft redoubled that it overthrowes Man after man And being ring'd about With the distracted and amazed rout Of rude Philistians turn'd his body round And in a circle dings them to the ground Each blow had proofe for where the jaw-bone mist The furious Champion wounded with his fist Betwixt them both his fury did uncase A thousand soules which in that fatall place Had left their ruin'd carkeises to feast The flesh-devouring fowle and rav'nous beast With that the Conquerour that now had fed And surfeited his eye upon the dead His hand had slaine sate downe and having flung His purple weapon by triumpht and sung SAmson rejoyce Be fill'd with mirth Let all Iudea know And tell the Princes of the earth How strong an arme hast thou How has thy dead enricht the land And purpled ore the grasse That hadst no weapon in thy hand But the jaw-bone of an Asse How does thy strength and high renowne The glory of men surpasse Thine arme has strucke a thousand downe With the jaw-bone of an Asse Let Samsons glorious name endure Till Time shall render One Whose greater glory shall obscure The glory thou hast wone His song being ended rising from the place Whereon he lay he turn'd his ruthlesse face Vpon those heapes his direfull hand had made And op'ning of his thirsty lips he said Great God of conquest thou by whose command The heart received courage and this hand Strength to revenge thy quarrels and fulfill The secret motion of thy sacred will That shall thy Champion perish now with thirst Thou knowst I have done nothing but what first Was warranted by thy command 'T was thou That gave my spirit boldnesse and my brow A resolution 'T is mine arme did doe No more than what thou didst enjoyne me to And shall I die for thirst O thou that sav'd Me from the Lyons rage that would have rav'd Vpon my life by whom I have subdu'd Thy cursed enemies and have imbru'd My heaven-commanded hands in a spring-tyde Of guilty bloud Lord shall I be denyde A draught of cooling water to allay The tyranny of my thirst I that this day Have
the God of Love's as blinde as hee 〈◊〉 that they brought poore Samson to the Hall 〈◊〉 as he past he gropes to finde the wall 〈◊〉 paâ—â— was slow His feet were lifted high 〈◊〉 tongue would taunt him Every scornfull eye 〈◊〉 filld with laughter Some would cry aloud 〈◊〉 in state His Lordship is growne proud 〈◊〉 bid his honour â—asle whilst others cast â—prochfull termes upon him as he past 〈◊〉 would salute him fairely and embrace 〈◊〉 wounded sides then spit upon his face 〈◊〉 would cry For shame for heare t' abuse 〈◊〉 high and great redeemer of the Iewes 〈◊〉 gibe and flout him with their taunts quip◠〈◊〉 others flurt him on the starting lips 〈◊〉 that poore Samson whose abundant griefe 〈…〉 hopes of comfort or reliefe Resolv'd for patience Turning round he made Some shift to feele his Keeper out and said Good Sir my painfull labour in the Mill Hath made me bold although against my will To crave some little rest If you will please To let the Pillour but afford some ease To my worne limmes your mercy should relieve A soule that has no more but thanks to give The keeper yeelded Now the Hall was filld With Princes and their People that beheld Abused Samson whilst the Roofe retain'd A leash of thousands more whose eyes were chainâ—â— To this sad Object with a full delight To see this flesh-and-blood-relenting sight With that the pris'ner turnd himselfe and pray'd So soft that none but heaven could heare and saidâ— My God my God Although my sinnes doe cry For greater vengeance yet thy gratious eye Is full of mercy O remember now The gentle promise and that sacred vow Thou mad'st to faithfull Abram and his seed O heare my wounded soule that has lesse need Of life then mercy Let thy tender eare Make good thy plenteous promise now and heare See how thy cursed enemies prevaile Above my strength Behold how poore and fraile My native power is and wanting thee What is there Oh what is there Lord in me Nor is it I that suffer My desert May challenge greater vengeance if thou wert â—xtreme to punish Lord the wrong is thine The punishment is just and onely mine I am thy Champion Lord It is not me They strike at Through my sides they thrust at thee 〈◊〉 thy Glory 't is their Malice lies 〈◊〉 at that when they put out these eyes 〈◊〉 their blood-bâ—dabl'd hands would flie 〈…〉 thou but cloth'd in flesh as I 〈◊〉 thy wrongs great God O let thy hand 〈◊〉 thy suffring honour and this land 〈◊〉 â—e thy power Renew my wasted strength 〈…〉 fight thy bâ—ttels and at length 〈◊〉 thy glory that my hands may do 〈◊〉 faithfull service they were borne unto 〈…〉 thy power that I may restore 〈◊〉 and I will never urge thee more 〈◊〉 having ended both his armes he laid 〈◊〉 the pillours of the Hall and said 〈◊〉 with the Philistines I resigne my breath 〈◊〉 let my God finde Glory in my death 〈◊〉 having spoke his yeelding body strain'd 〈◊〉 those Marble pillours that sustain'd 〈◊〉 pondrous Roofe They cracket and with their fall 〈◊〉 fell the Battlements and Roofe and all 〈◊〉 with their ruines slaughter'd at a blow 〈◊〉 whole Assembly They that were below 〈◊〉 their sudden deaths from those that fell 〈◊〉 off the top whilst none was left to tell 〈◊〉 horrid shreckes that filld the spatious Hall 〈◊〉 ruines were impartiall and slew all 〈◊〉 fell and with an unexpected blow 〈◊〉 every one his death and buriall too Thus di'd our Samson whose brave death has won 〈◊〉 honour then his honourd life had done 〈◊〉 di'd our Conquerour whose latest breath 〈◊〉 crown'd with Conquest triumph'd over death 〈◊〉 di'd our Sampson whose last drop of blood â—deem'd heavn's glory and his Kingdome 's good Thus di'd heavens Champion and the earths bright Glory The heavenly subject of this sacred Story And thus th' impartiall hand of death that gathers All to the Grave repos'd him with his fathers Whose name shall flourish and be still in prime In spight of ruine or the teeth of Time Whose fame shal last till heaven shal please to free This Earth from Sinne and Time shall cease to be Medita 23. WAges of sinne is death The day must come Wherin the equall hand of death must sum The severall Items of mans fading glory Into the easie totall of one Story The browes that sweat for Kingdomes and renown To glorifie their Temples with a Crowne At length grow cold and leave their honourd name To flourish in th' uncertaine blast of Fame This is the heighth that glorious Mortalls can Attaine This is the highest pitch of Man The quilted Quarters of the Earths great Ball Whose unconfined limits were too small For his extreame Ambition to deserve Six foote of length and three of bredth must serve This is the highest pitch that Man can flie And after all his Triumph he must die Lives he in Wealth Does well deserved store Limit his wish that he can wish no more And does the fairest bounty of encrease Crown him with plenty and his dayes with peaceâ— It is a right hand blessing But supply Of wealth cannot secure him He must die Lives he in Pleasure Does perpetuall mirth 〈◊〉 him a little Heaven upon his earth â—eets he no sullen care no sudden losse 〈◊〉 coole his joyes Breathes hee without a crosse â—ants he no pleasure that his wanton eye 〈◊〉 crave or hope from fortune He must dye 〈◊〉 he in Honour Hath his faire desart â—â—tain'd the freedome of his Princes heart 〈◊〉 may his more familiar hands disburse 〈◊〉 liberall favors from the royall purse 〈◊〉 his Honour cannot soare too high 〈◊〉 palefac'd death to follow He must dye Lives he a Conqu'rour And doth heaven blesse 〈◊〉 heart with spirit that spirit with successe Successe with Glory Glory with a name To live with the Eternitie of Fame The progresse of his lasting fame may vye With time But yet the Conquerour must dye Great and good God Thou Lord of life and deth 〈◊〉 whom the Creature hath his being breath Teach me to underprize this life and I Shall finde my losse the easier when I dye So raise my feeble thoughts and dull desire That when these vaine and weary dayes expire I may discard my flesh with joy and quit My better part of this false earth and it Of some more sinne and for this transitory And tedious life enjoy a life of Glory The end SIONS SONETS Sung By SOLOMON the KING And PERIPHRAS'D By Fra. Quarles LONDON Printed by MILES FLESHER 1632. To the READERS REaders now you have them May the end of my paines be the beginâ—ing of your pleasures Excuse me for â—haring so high else give me leave to excuse my selfe Indeed I flew with Eagles feathers otherwise I had not flowne or falne It is the Song of Songs There present you with The Author King SOLOMON the wisest of Kings The matter mysticall the divinest of subjects
The Speakers CHRIST the Bridegroome the CHVRCH the Bride The end to invite you all to the wedding Farewell AN EPITHALME TO THE BRIDEGROOME HOsanna to the Highest Ioy betide The heavenly Bridegroome and his holy Bride Let Heaven above be fill'd with songs Let Earth triumph below For ever silent be those tongues That can be silent now You Rocks and Stones I charge you all to breake Your flinty silence if men cease to speake You that professe that sacred Art Or now or never show it Plead not your Muse is out of heart Here 's that creates a Poet. Be ravisht Earth to see this contract driven 'Twixt sinfull Man and reconciled Heaven Dismount you Quire of Angels come With Men your joyes divide Heaven never shew'd so sweet a Groome Nor Earth so faire a Bride SIONS SONETS BRIDE SONET I. 1. O That the bounty of those lips divine Wold seale their favors on these lips of mine That by those welcome kisses I might see The mutuall love betwixt my Love and me For truer blisse no worldly joy allowes Than sacred Kisses from so sweet a Spouse With which no earthly pleasures may compare Rich Wines are not so delicate as they 'r 2. NOr Myrrh nor Cassia nor the choice perfumeâ— Of unctious Narde or Aromaticke fumes Of hot Arabia doe enrich the Aire With more delicious sweetnesse than the faire Reports that crowne the merits of thy Name With heavenly Lawrels of eternall fame Which makes the Virgins fix their eyes upon thee And all that view thee are enamour'd one thee 3. O Let the beauty of thy Suâ—-like face Inflame my soule and let thy glory chace Disloyall thoughts Let noâ— the World allure My chaste desires from a Spouse so pure But when as time shall place me on thy Throne My feares shall cease and interrupt by none I shall transcend the stile of Transitory And full of Glory still be fill'd with glory 4. BVt you my curious and too nice allyes That view my fortunes with too narrow eyes You say my face is black and foule 't is true I 'm beauteous to my Love though black to you My censure stands not upon your esteeme He sees me as I am you as I seeme You see the Clouds but he discernes the Skie Know 't is my mask that lookes so black not I. 5. WHat if Afflictions doe dis-imbellish My naturall glory and deny the rellish Of my adjourned beauty yet disdaine not Her by whose necessary losse you gaine not I waâ— inforc'd to swelter in the Sun 〈◊〉 keepe a strangers Vine left mine alone â—eft mine owne and kept a strangers Vine 〈◊〉 fault was mine but was not onely mine 6. O Thou whose love I prize above my life More worthy farre t' enjoy a fairer wife Tell me to what cool shade dost thou resort â—here graze thy Sheepe where doe thy lambs disport 〈◊〉 from the scorching of this sowltry weather 〈◊〉 tell thy Love and let thy Love come thither 〈◊〉 gentle Shepheard fits it thee to cherish â—hy private Flocks and let thy true Love perish BRIDEGROOME SONET II. ILlustrious Bride more radiant and more bright Then th' eye of Noon thrice fairer then the light Thou dearest off-spring of my dying blood â—ad treasure of my soule why hast thou stood â—arching so long in those ambitious beames Come come coole thee in these silver streams â—nshade thy face cast back those golden Locks And I will make thee Mistris of my Flocks 2. O Thou the Center of my choyce desires In whom I rest in whom my soule respires Thou art the flowre of beauty and I prize thee Above the world how e're the world despise thee The blinde imagines all things black by kinde Thou art as beautifull as they are blinde And as the fairest troopes of Pharoes steeds Exceed the rest so Thou the rest exceeds 3. THy cheek the garden where fresh beauty plaÌ„â—â— Her choicest flowers no adorning wants There wants no relish of diviner grace To summe compleatnesse in so sweet a face Thy Neck without a blemish without blot Than pearl's more orient cleare from stain or spot Thy Gemms and Iewels full of curious art Imply the sacred treasures of thy heart 4. THe Sun-bright glory of thy resounding fame Addes glory to the glory of thy Name The more 's thy honor Love the more thou striv'st To honour me thou gainest what thou giv'st My Father whom our Contract hath made thine Will give thee large endowments of divine 〈◊〉 everlasting treasure Thus by me Thou shalt be rich that am thus rich in thee BRIDE SONET III. OH how my soule is ravisht with the joyes That spring like fountains froÌ„ my tru-loves voice 〈◊〉 cordiall are his lips How sweet his tongue Each word he breathes is a melodious song 〈◊〉 absent ah how is my glory dim 〈◊〉 have no beauty not deriv'd from Him What e're I have from Him alone I have And he takes pleasure in those gifts he gave 2. AS fragrant Myrâ—h within the bosome hid Sents more delicious than before it did And yet receives no sweetnesse from that brest That proves the sweeter for so sweet a guest Even so the favour of my dearest Spouse Thus priz'd and placed in my heart endowes My ardent soule with sweetnesse and inspires With heavenly ravishment my rapt desires 3. WHo ever smelt the breath of morning flowres New sweet'nd with the dash of twilight shoures Of pounded Amber or the flowring Thyme Or purple violets in their proudest prime Or swelling Clusters from the Cypresse tree So sweet's my Love I farre more sweet is He So faire so sweet that Heavens bright eye is dim And flowers have no sent compar'd with Him BRIDEGROOME SONET IIII. O Thou the joyes of my sufficed heart The more thou think'st me fair the more thou art Looke in the Christall Mirrours of mine eyes And view thy beauty there thy beauty lyes See there th'unmated glory of thy Face Well mixt with Spirit and divinest grace The eyes of Doves are not so faire as thine O how those eyes inflame these eyes of mine BRIDE SONET V. MOst radiant and refulgent Lampe of light Whose midday beauty yet ne're found a night 'T is thou 't is onely thou art faire from Thee Reflect those rayes that have enlightned mee And as bright Cinthia's borrow'd beames doe shine From Titan's glory so doe I from thine So dayly flourishes our fresh delight In dayly giving and receiving light 2. NOr does thy glory shine to me alone What place wherein thy glory hath not shone But O how fragrant with rich odour smells That sacred House where thou my true Love dwells 〈◊〉 is it strange How can those places bee 〈◊〉 fill'd with sweetnesse if possest with thee 〈◊〉 heart 's a Heaven for thou art in that heart 〈◊〉 presence makes a Heaven where e're thou art BRIDEGROOME SONET VI. THou
excelling 〈◊〉 new-falne snow upon th' untroden mountains From whence there flowes as from exub'rous fountaines â—â—â—ers of heavenly Nectar to allay The holy thirst of soules Thrice happy they â—â—d more than thrice whose blest affections bring Their thirstie palats to so sweet a Spring 14. THy Necke doth represent an Ivory Tower In perfect purenesse and united power Thine Eyes like pooles at a frequented gate For every commer to draw water at Are common treasures and like chrystall glasses Shwes each his lively visage as he passes Thy Nose the curious Organ of thy Sent Wants nothing more for use for ornament 15. THy Tyres of gold inricht with glorious gems Rare Diamonds and princely Diadems Adorne thy browes and with their native worth Aduance thy glory and set thy beautie forth So perfect are thy Graces so divine And full of heaven are those faire lookes of thine That I 'm inflamed with the double fire Of thy full beauty and my fierce desire 16. O Sacred Symmetrie O rare connection Of many perfects to make one perfection O heauenly Musicke where all parts doe meet In one sweet straine to make one perfect sweet O glorious members whose each severall feature Divine compose so so divine a Creature Faire soule as all thy parts united be Entire so summ'd are all my joyes in thee 17. THy curious Fabricke and erected stature Is like the generous Palme whose lofty nature In spight of envious violence will aspire Then most supprest the more it mouÌ„ts the higher Thy lovely brests whose beautie reinvites My oft remembrance to her oft delights Are like the swelling Clusters of the vine So full of sweetnesse are those brests of thine 18. ARâ— thou my Palme My busie hand shal nourish Thy fruitfull roots make thy braÌ„ches flourish 〈◊〉 thou my vine My skilfull arme shall dresse Thy dying plants my living springs shall blesse Thy infant Buds my blasting breath shall quell Presumptuous weeds make thy clusters swell And all that love thee shall attaine the favour To taste thy sweetnesse and to smell thy savour 19. THose Oracles that from thy lips proceed With sweet Evangels shall delight and feed 〈◊〉 attentive eare and like the Trumpets voyce 〈◊〉 faint hearts but make brave spirits rejoice Thy breath whose Dialect is most divine â—â—cends quicke flames where ember'd sparkes but shine 〈◊〉 strikes the Pleaders Rhet'ricke with derision And makes the dullest soule a Rhetorician BRIDE SONET XXI MY faith not merits hath assur'd thee mine Thy Love not my desert hath made me thine Vnworthy I whose drowsie soule rejected Thy precious favours and secure neglected Thy glorious presence how am I become A Bride besitting so divine a Groome It is no merit no desert of mine Thy love thy love alone hath made me thine 2. SInce then the bountie of thy deare election Hath stil'd me thine O let the sweet reflection Of thy illustrious beames my soule inspire And with thy spirit inflame my hot desire Vnite our soules O let thy Spirit rest And make perpetuall home within my brest Instruct me so that I may gaine the skill To suite my service to thy sacred will 3. COme come my soules preserver thou that art Th' united joyes of my united heart Come let us visit with the morning light Our prosperous Vines with mutuall delight Lt's view those grapes whose clusters being prest Shall make rich wines to serve your Mariage feast That by the thriving plants it may appeare Our joyes perfecting Mariage draweth neere 4. BEhold my new disclosed flowers present Before thy gates their tributary sent Reserve themselves for Garlands that they may Adorne the Bridegorme on his Mariage day My Garden 's full of Trees and every Tree Laden with fruit which I devote to thee Eternall joyes betide that happy guest That tastes the dainties of the Bridegroomes feast 5. O Would to God mine eyes these fainting eyes Whose eager appetite could ne're devise A dearer object might but once behold My Love as I am clad in fleshly mold That each may corporally converse with other As friend with friend as sister with her brother O how mine eyes could welcome such a sight How would my soule dissolve with o're-delight 6. THen should this hand conduct my fairest Spouse To taste a banquet at my mothers house Our fruitfull Garden should present thine eyes With sweet delights her trees should sacrifice Their early fruits to thee our tender Vine Should cheare thy palate with her unprest wine Thy hand should teach my living Plants to thrive And such as are a dying to revive 7. THen should my soule enjoy within this breast A holy Sabbath of eternall Rest Then should my cause that suffers through despight Of errour and rude Ignorance have right Then should these streames whose tydes so often rise Be ebb'd away from my suffused eyes Then should my spirits fill'd with heavenly mirth Triumph o're Hell and finde a heaven on earth 8. ALL you that wish the bountifull encrease Of dearest pleasures and divinest peace I charge you all if ought my charge may move Your tender hearts not to disturbe my Love Vexe not his gentle Spirit nor bereave Him of his joyes that is so apt to grieve Dare not to breake his quiet slumbers lest You rouze a raging Lyon from his rest 9. WHo ever lov'd that ever lov'd as I That for his sake renounce my selfe deny The worlds best joyes and have the world forgone Who ever lov'd so deare As I have done I sought my Love and found him lowly laid Beneath the tree of Loveâ— in whose sweet shade He rested there his eye sent forth the fire That first enflam'd my amorous desire 10. MY dearest Spouse O seale me on thy heart So sure that envious Earth may never part Our joyned soules let not the world remove My chast desiers from so choyce a Love 〈◊〉 O my love 's not slight her flames are serious â—as never death so powerfull so imperious 〈◊〉 jealous zeale is a consuming fire 〈◊〉 burns my soule through feare fierce desire 11. â—Ires may be quencht and flames though ne'r so great With many drops shal faint and lose their heat 〈◊〉 these quick fires of love the more supprest â—he more they flame in my inflamed brest â—ow darke is Honour how obscure and dim 〈…〉 bright glory but compar'd with him 〈◊〉 â—oule is Beauty what a toyle is Pleasure 〈◊〉 poore is Wealth how base a thing is treasure 12. Have a Sister which by thy divine 〈◊〉 bounteous Grace our Marriage shall make thine 〈◊〉 is mine owne mine onely Sister whom 〈◊〉 Mother bare the youngest of her wombe Shee 's yet a childe her beauty may improve Her brests are small and yet too greene for love When time and yeares shall adde perfection to her Say dearest Love what honour wilt thou do her BRIDEGROOME SONET XXII IF she be faire and with
heart My glowing heart to these imperious fires No earthly sorrow but at length expires But these my Tyrant-torments doe extend To infinites nor having ease nor end Loe I the Pris'ner of the highest God Inthâ—ailed to the vengeance of his Rod Lie bound in fetters that I cannot flie Nor yet endure his deadly stroakes nor die My joyes are turn'd to sorrows backt with feares And I poore I lie pickled up in teares ELEG 14. O! How unsufferable is the waight Of sinne How miserable is their state The silence of whose secret sinne conceales The smart till Iustice to Revenge appeales How ponderous are my crimes whose ample scroul Weighs downe the pillars of my broken Soule Their sowre masqu'd with sweetnes overswai'd me And with their smiling kisses they betrai'd me Betraid me to my Foes and what is worse Betraid me to my selfe and heavens curse Betraid my soule to an eternall griefe Devoid of hope for e're to finde reliefe ELEG 15. PErplext with change of woes where ere I turne My fainting eyes they finde fresh cause to mourne My griefes move like the Planets which appeare Chang'd from their places coÌ„stant to their sphaere Behold the earth-confounding arme of Heaven Hath cow'd my valiant Captaines and hath driven Their scattered forces up and downe the street Like worried sheepe afraid of all they meet My younger men the seede of propagation Exile hath driven from my divided Nation My tender Virgins have not scap'd their rage Which neither had respect to youth nor age ELEG 16. QVicke change of torments equall to those crimes Which past unthought-of in my prosp'rous times From hence proceed my griefes ah me from hence My Spring-tyde sorrowes have their influence For these my soulâ— dissolves my eyes lament Spending chose teares whose store wil ne're be speÌ„t For these my fainting spirits droepe and melt In anguish such as never Mortall felt Within the selfe-same flames I freeze and frie I roare for helpe and yet no helpe is nigh My sons are lost whose fortunes would relieve me And onely such triumph that hourely grieve me ELEG 17. REnt from the glory of her lost renowne Sion laments Her lips her lips o'reflowne With floods of teares she prompteth how to breake New languages instructs her tongue to speake Elegious Dialects She lowly bends Her dusty knees upon the earth extends Her brawnlesse armes to them whose ruthlesse eyes Are red with laughing at her miseries Naked she lies deform'd and circumvented With troopes of feares unpitied unlamented A loathsome draine for filth despis'd forlorne The scorne of Nations and the childe of scorne ELEG 18. SOwre wages issue from the sweets of sin Heavens hand is just this trecherous heart hath bin The author of my woes 'T is I alone My sorrowes reap what my foule sins have sowne Often they cry'de to heaven e're heaven reply'd And vengeance ne're had come had they ne'r cride All you that passe vouchsafe your gracious eares To heare these cries your eyes to view these tears They are no heat-drops of an angry heart Or childish passions of an idle smart But they are Rivers springing from an eye Whose streams no joy can stop no griefe draw drie ELEG 19. TVrne where I list new cause of woe presents My poore distracted soule with new laments Where shall I turne shall I implore my friends Ah summer friendship with the Summer ends In vaine to them my groanes in vaine my teares For harvest friends can finde no winter eares Or shall I call my sacred Priests for aid Alas my pined Priests are all betraid To Death and Famine in the streets they cryed For bread whilst they sought for bread they died Vengeance could never strike so hard a blow As when she sends an unlamented woe ELEG 20. VOuchsafe great God to turne thy tender eyes On me poore wretch Oh let my midnight cries That never cease if never stopt with teares Procure audience from thy gracious eares Behold thy creature made by change of griefe The barest wretch that ever beg'd reliefe See see my soule is tortur'd on thy rack My bowels tremble and my heart-strings crack Abroad the sword with open ruine frights me At home the secret hand of Famine smites me Strange fires of griefe How is my soule opprest That findes abroad no peace at home no rest ELEG 21. WHere where art thou O sacred Lambe of peace That promis'd to the heavie laden ease Thee thee alone my often bended knee Invokes that haue no other helpe but thee My foes amazed at my hoarse complaining Scoffe at my oft repeated cries disdaining To lend their prosp'rous hand they hisse and smile Taking a pleasure to behold my spoile Their hands delight to bruize my broken reeds And still persist to prick that heart that bleeds But there 's a Day if Prophets can divine Shal scourge their sins as they have scourged mine ELEG 22. YOu noy some weeds that lift your crests so high When better plants for want of moysture die Thinke you to flourish ever and unspide To shoot the flowers of your fruitlesse pride If plants be cropt because their fruits are small Thinke you to thrive that beare no fruit at all Looke downe great God from their places teare These weeds that suck the juice shold make us bear Vndew'd with showers let them see no Sun But feel those frosts that thy poor plaÌ„ts have done O clense thy Garden that the world may know Wee are the seeds that thy right hand did sow Threnodia II. ELEG 1. ALas my torments my distracted feares Have no commerce with reasonable teares How hath Heavens absence darkned the renowne Of Sions glory with one angry frowne How hath th' Almighty clouded those bright beams And chang'd her beauties streamers into streames Sion the glory of whose refulgent Fame Gave earnest of an everlasting name Is now become an indigested Masse And ruine is where that brave glory was How hath heaven strucke her earth-admired name From th' height of honour to the depth of shame ELEG 2. BEautie nor strength of building could entice Or force revenge from her just enterprise Mercy hath stopt her eares and Iustice hath Powr'd out full vialls of her kindled wrath Impatient of delay she hath strucke downe The pride of Sion kickt off Iuda's Crowne Her streets unpeopled and disperst her powres And with the ground hath levell'd her high towres Her priests are slaine her captiv'd Princes are Vnransom'd pris'ners Slaves her men of warre Nothing remaines of all her wonted glory But sad memorialls of her tragicke story ELEG 3. COnfused horror and confounding shame Have blur'd the beauty and renowned name Of righteous Israel Israels fruitfull land Entail'd by Heaven with the usurping hand Of uncontroled Gentiles is laid waste And with the spoile so ruine is defac't The angry mouth of Iustice blowes the fires Of hasty vengeance whose quicke flame aspires With fury to that place which heaven did sever For Iacob and his holy seed for ever No part no
God knew perhaps it were worse had than wanted Can God and Belial both joyne in one will The one to aske the other to fulfill Sooner shall Stygian darknesse blend with light The Frost with Fier sooner day with Night True God and Satan will'd the selfe-same Will But God intended Good and Satan Ill That Will produc'd a severall conclusion He aim'd at Mans and God at his confusion He that drew Light from out the depth of Shade And made of Nothing whatsoe're he made â—an out of seeming Evill bring good Events God worketh Good though by ill Instruments As in a Clocke one motion doth convay And carry divers wheeles a severall way Yet altogether by the great wheeles force Direct the hand unto his proper course Even so that sacred Will although it use Meanes seeming contrary yet all conduce To one effect and in a free consent They bring to passe heavens high decreed intent Takes God delight in humane weaknesse then What glory reapes he from afflicted men The Spirit gone can Flesh and Blood indure God burnes his Gold to make his Gold more pure Even as a Nurse whose childe 's imperfect pace Can hardly leade his foote from place to place Leaves her fond kissing sets him downe to goe Nor does uphold him for a step or two But when she findes that he begins to fall She holds him up and kisses him withall So God from man sometimes withdrawes his hand A while to teach his Infant faith to stand But when he sees his feeble strength begin To faile he gently takes him up againe Lord I 'm a childe so guide my paces than That I may learne to walke an upright man So shield my Faith that I may never doubt thee For I shall fall if e're I walke without thee THE ARGVMENT The frighted Mâ—ssengers tell Iob His foure-fold losse He rends his Roâ—e Submits him to his Makers trust Whom he concludeth to be just Sect. 3. VPon that very day when all the rest Were frollicke at their elder Brothers feaâ—t A breathlesse man prickt on with winged feare With staring eyes distracted here and there Like kindled Exhalations in the Aire At midnight glowing his stiffe-bolting haire Not much unlike the pennes of Porcupines Crossing his armes and making wofull signes Purboyl'd in sweat shaking his fearfull head That often lookt behinde him as he fled He ran to Iob still ne'rethelesse afraid His broken blast breath'd forth these words said Alas deare Lord the whiles thy servants ply'd Thy painfull Plough and whilest on every side Thy Asses fed about us as we wrought There sallyed forth on us suspecting nought Nor ought intending but our cheerfull paine A rout of rude Sabaeans with their Traine Armed with death and deafe to all our Cries Which with strong Hand did in an houre suprize All that thou hadst and whilest we strove in vaine To guard them their impartiall hands have slaine Thy faithfull Servants with their thirâ—ty Sword I onely scap't to bring this wofull word No sooner had he clos'd his lips but see Another comes as much agast as he A â—lash of fire said he new falne from heaven Hath all thy servants of their lives bereaven And burnt thy Sheâ—pe I I alone am he That 's left unslaine to bring the newes to thee This Tale not fully told a third ensues Whose lips in labour with more heavy Newes Brake thus The forces of a triple Band Brought from the fiâ—rce Caldaeans with strong haÌ„d Hath seiz'd thy Camels murther'd with the sword Thy servants all but me that brings thee word Before the aire had cool'd his hasty breath Rusht in a fourth with visage pale as Death The while said he thy children all were sharing Mirth at a feast of thy first Sonnes preparing Arose a Winde whose errand had more hast Than happy speed which with a full-mouth blast Hath smote the house which hath thy children reft Of all their lives and thou art childlesse left Thy children all are slaine all slaine together I onely scap't to bring the tidings hither So said Behold the man whose wealth did flow Like to a Spring-tide one bare houre agoe With the unpattern'd height of fortunes blest Above the greatest Dweller in the East He that was Syre of many sonnes but now Lord of much people and while-e're could show Such Herds of Cattell He whose fleecy stocke Of Sheepe could boast seven thousand in a flocke See how he lies of all his wealth dispoil'd He now hath neither Servant Sheepe nor Childe Like a poore man arose the patient Iob Stun'd with the newes and rent his purple Robe Shaved the haire from off his wofull head And prostrate on the floore he worshipped Naked ah Poore and naked did I come Fâ—rth from the closet of my mothers wombe And shall returne alas the very same To th' earth as poore and naked as I came God gives and takes and why should He not have A priviledge to take those things he gave We men mistake our Tenure oft for He Lends us at will what we miscall as Free He reassumes his owne takes but the same He lent a while Thrice blessed be his Name In all this passage Iob in heart nor Tongue Thought God unjust or charg'd his hand with wrong Medita 3. THe proudest pitch of that victorious spirit Was but to win the World whereby t'inheritâ— The ayrie purchase of a transitory And glozing Title of an ages Glory Would'st thou by conquest win more fame thaÌ„ He Subdue thy selfe thy selfe's a world to thee Earth's but a Ball that Heaven hath quilted o're With wealth and Honour banded on the floore Of fickle Fortunes false and slippery Court Sent for a Toy to make us Children sport Mans satiate spirits with fresh delights supplying To still the Fondlings of the world from crying And he whose merit mounts to such a Ioy Gaines but the Honour of a mighty Toy But would'st thou conquer have thy conquest crown'd By hands of Seraphins trimph'd with the sound Of heavens loud Trumpet warbled by the shrill Celestiall quire recorded with a quill Pluckt from the Pinion of an Angels wing Confirm'd with joy by heavens Eternall King Conquer thy selfe thy rebell thoughts repell And chase those false affections that rebell Hath Heaven dispoil'd what his full hand had giveÌ„ thee Nipt thy succeeding Blossomes or bereaven thee Of thy deare latest hope thy bosome Friend Doth sad Despaire deny these griefes an end Despair's a whispring Rebell that within thee Bribes all thy Field and sets thy selfe agin thee Make keene thy Faith and with thy force let flee If thou not conquer him hee 'll conquer thee Advance thy Shield of Patience to thy head And wheÌ„ griefe strikes t will strike the striker deadâ— The patient man in sorrow spies reliefe And by the taile he couples Ioy with Griefe In adverse fortunes be thou strong and stout And bravely win thy selfe Heaven holds not out His Bow for ever bent The disposition Of noblest spirits doth by
opposition Exasperate the more A gloomy night Whets on the morning to returne more bright A blade well triâ—d deserves a treble price And Vertu 's purest most oppos'd by Vice Brave mindes opprest should in despight of Faâ—â— Looke greatest like the Sunne in lowest state But ah shal God thus strive with flesh and blood Receives he Glory from or reapes he Good In mortals Ruine that he leaves man so To be or'ewhelm'd by his unequall Foe May not a Potter that from out the ground Hath fram'd a Vessell search if it be sound Or if by for bushing he take more paine To make it fairer shall the Pot complaine Mortall thou art but Clay Then shall not he That fram'd thee for his service season thee Man close thy lips Be thou no undertaker Of Gods designes Dispute not with thy Maker Lord 't is against thy nature to doe ill Then give me power to beare and worke thy Will Thou know'st what 's best make thou thine owne conclusion Be glorifi'd although in my confusion THE ARGVMENT Satan the second time appeares Before th' Eternall boldly dares Maligne Iobâ— tryed Faith afresh And gaines th'afflicting of his Flesh. Sect. 4. ONce more when heaveÌ„s harmonious queristers Appear'd before his Throne whose Ministers They are of his concealed will to render Their strict account of Iustice and to tender Th'accepted Sacrifice of highest praise Warbled in Sonnets and celestiall Layes Satan came too bold as a hungry Fox Or ravinous Wolfe amid the tender Flockes Satan said then th' Eternall from whence now Hath thy imployments driven thee whence com'st thou Satan replies Great God of heaveÌ„ earth I come from tempting and from making mirth To heare thy dearest children whine and roare In briefe I come from whence I came before Said then th' Eternall Hast thou not beheld My servants Faith how like a seven-fold shield It hath defended his integrity Against thy fiery Darts Hath not thine Eye Thine envious eye perceiv'd how puâ—ely just He stands and perfect worthy of the trust I lent into his hand persisting still Iust fearing God eschewing what is ill 'T was not the losse of his so faire a Flock Nor sudden rape of such a mighty Stock 'T was neither losse of Servants nor his Sonnes Vntimely slaughter acted all at once Could make him quaile or warpe so true a Faith Or staine so pure a Love say Satan hath Thy hand so deepely counterfeiting mine Made him mistrust his God or once repine Can there in all the earth say can there be A man so Perfect and so Iust as He Replyes the Tempter Lord an outward losse Hopes for repaire it 's but a common crosse I know thy servant's wise a wise forecast Grieves for things present not for things are past Perchance the tumour of his sullen heart Brookes losse of all since he hath lost a part My selfe have Servants who can make true boast They gave away as much as he hath lost Others which learning made so wisely mad Refuse such Fortunes as he never had A Faith 's not try'd by this uncertaine Tuch Others that never knâ—w thee did as much Lend mee thy Power then that I might once But Sacrifice his Flesh afflict his Bones And pierce his Hide but for a moments space Thy Darling then would curse thee to thy Face To which th' Eternall thus His body 's thine To plague thy fill withall I doe confine Thy power to her â—ists Afflict and teare His flesh at pleasure But his life forbeare Meditat. 4. BOth Goods and body too Lord who can stand Expect not Iobs uprightnesse at my hand Without Iobs aid The temper of my Passion Vntam'd by thee can brooke no Iobs Temptation For I am weake and fraile and what I can Most boast of proves me but a sinfull man Things that I should avoid I doe and what I am injoyn'd to doe that doe I not My Flesh is weake too strong in this alone It rules my spirit that should be rul'd by none But thee my spirit 's faint and hath beene never Free from the fits of fins quotidian Fever My pow'rs are all corrupt corrupt my Will Marble to good and Waxe to what is ill Eclipsed is my reason and my Wit By interposing Earth 'twixt Heaven and it My mem'ri's like a Scarce of Lawne alas It keepes things grosse and lets the purer passe What have I then to boast What Title can I challenge more than this A sinfull man Yet doe I sometimes feele a warme desire Raise my low Thoughs and dull affections higher Where like a soule entranc't my spirit flies Makes leagues with Angels and brings Deities Halfe way to heaven shakes hands with Seraphims And boldly mingles wings with Cherubims Frem whence I looke askauns adowne the earth Pity my selfe and loath my place of birth But while I thus my lower state deplore I wake and prove the wretch I was before Even as the Needle that directs the howre Toucht with the Loadstone by the secret power Of hidden Nature points upon the Pole Even so the wav'ring powers of my soule Toucht by the vertue of thy Spirit flee From what is Earth and point alone to Thee When I have faith to hold thee by the Hand I walke securely and me thinkes I stand More firme than Atlas But when I forsake The safe protection of thine Arme I quake Like wind-shakt Reeds and have no strength at all But as a Vine the Prop cut downe I fall Yet wretched I when as thy Iustice lends Thy glorious Presence from me straight am friends With Flesh and blood forget thy Grace flye froÌ„ it And like a Dog returne unto my vomit The fawning world to pleasure then invites My wandring eyes The flesh presents delights Vnto my yeelding heart which thinke those pleasures Are onely bus'nes now and rarest treasures Content can glory in whilst I secure Stoope to the painted plumes of Satans Lure Thus I captiv'd and drunke with pleasures Wine Like to a mad-man thinke no state like mine What have I then to boast what title can I challenge more than this A sinfull man â— feele my griefe so enough nor can I be â—edrest by any but Great God by thee â—oo great thou art to come within my Roofe â—ay but the word Be â—â—â—le and 't is enough â—ill then my tongue shall never 〈◊〉 mine Eyes â—â—e're cloze my lowly bended knees ne're rise â—ill then my soule shall ne're want early sobs My cheekes no teares my Pensive brest no throbs My hart shall lack no zeale nor tongue expressing â—le strive like Iacob till I get my Blessing Say then Be cleaâ—e I 'le never stop till then Heaven ne'r shall rest till Heaven shal say Amen THE ARGVMENT Iob smote with Vlcers groveling lyes Plung'd in a Gulfe of Miseries His Wife to blasphemy doth tempt him His three Friends visit and lament him Sect. 5. LIke as a Truant-Scholler whose delay Is worse than whipping having leave to play â—â—kes haste to bee inlarged from