marke the malice of a wayward Fate He whom successe crown'd alwayes fortunate He that was strong t' atchieve bold to attempt Wise to foresee and wary to prevent Valiant in warre successefull to obtaine Must now be slaine and by a Woman slaine Accursed be thy sacrilegious hand That of her Patron rob'd the holy Land Curs'd be thy dying life thy living death And curs'd be all things that proud â—omyris hath O worst that death can doe to take a life Which lost leaves Kingdomes to a Tyrants knife For now alas degenerate Cambyses Whose hand was fill'd with blood whose hart with vices Sits crowned King to vexe the Persian state With heavy burdens and with sore regrate O Cyrus more unhappy in thy sonne Then in that stroke wherewith thy life was done Cambyses now fits King now Tyrant rather Vnlucky Sonne of a renowned Father Blood cries for Blood Himselfe revenged hath His bloody Tyranny with his owne death That cruell sword on his owne flesh doth feed Which made so many loyall Persians bleed Whose wofull choyce made an indiffâ—rent thing To leave their lives or lose their Tyran King Cambyses dead with him the latest drop Of Cyrus blood was spilt his death did stop The infant source of his brave Syers worth Ere after-times could spend his rivers forth Tyrant Cambyses being dead and gone On the reversion of his empty Throne Mounts up a Magus with dissembled right Forging the name of him whose greedy night Too early did perpetuate her owne And silent death had snatcht away unknowne But when the tydings of his Royall cheat Times loyall Trumpe had fam'd th' usurped seat Grew too-too hot and longer could not beare So proud a burthen on so proud a Chayre The Nobles sought their freedome to regaine Not resting till the Magi all were slaine And so renowned was that happy slaughter That it solemniz'd was for ever after So that what pen shall write the Persian story Shall treat that Triumph write that daies glory For to this time the Persians as they say Observe a Feast and keepe it holy-day Now Persia lacks a king and now the State Labours as much in want as it of late Did in abundance Too great calmes doe harme Sometimes as much the Sea-man as a storme One while they thinke t' erect a Monarchy But that corrupted breeds a Tyranny And dead Cambyses fresh before their eyes Afrights them with their new-scap'd miseries Some to the Nobles would commit the State In change of Rule expecting change of fate Others cry'd no More Kings then one incumber Better admit one Tyrant than a number The rule of many doth disquiet bring One Monarch is enough one Lord one King One sayes Let 's rule our selves let 's all be Kings No sayes another that confusion brings Thus moderne danger bred a carefull trouble Double their care is as their feare is double And doubtfull to resolve of what conclusion To barre confusion thus they bred confusion At last and well advis'd they put their choyce Vpon the verdict of a Iuries voyce Seven is a perfect number then by seven Be Persia's Royall Crowne and Scepter given Now Persia doe thy plagues or joyes commence God give thy Iurie sacred evidence Fearefull to chuse and faithlesse in their choyce Since weale or woe depended on their voyce A few from many they extracted forth Whos 's even poys'd valour and like equall worth Had set a Non plus on their doubtfull tongues Vnweeting where the most reward belongs They this agreed and thus advis'd bespake Since purblinde mortalls of themselves can make No difference 'twixt good and evill nor know A good from what is onely good in show But with unconstant frailty doth vary From what is good to what is cleane contrary And since it lyes not in the braine of man To make his drooping state more happy than His unprospitious stars allot much lesse To lend another oâ— a state successe In vaine you therefore shall expect this thing That we should give you fortune with a King Since you have made us meanes to propagate The joyfull welfare of our headlesse State Bound by the tender service that we beare Ouâ— native soyle farre than our lives more deare We sifted have and boulted from the Rest Whose worst admits no badnesse and whose best Cannot be bettered When Chaunticleere the Belman of the morne Shall summon twilight with his bugle horne Let these brave Hero's drest in warlike wise And richly â—ounted on their Paâ—feries Attend our rising Sun-gods ruddy face Within the limits of our Royall place And he whose lusty Stallion first shall neigh To him be given â—he doubtfull Monarchy The choyce of Kings lies not in mortals bâ—east This we The Gods and Fortune doe the rest So said the people tickl'd with the motion Some tost their caps some fell to their devotion Some clap their joyfull hands some shout some sing And all at one cry'd out A King A King When Phoebus Harbinger had chac'd the night And tedious Phosphe brought the breaking light Compleat in armes and glorious in their traine Came these brave Heroes prancing o're the plaine With mighty streamers came these blazing starres Poâ—tending Warres and nothing else but Warrs Into the royall Palace now they come There sounds the martiall Trump here beats the Drum There stands a Steed and champes his frothy steele This stroaks the grouÌ„d that scorns it with his heel One snorts another puffs out angry wind This mounts before and that curvets behind By this the fomy Steeds of Phaeton Puffe too and spurne the Easterne Horizon Whereat the Nobles prostrate to the ground Ador'd their God their God was early found Forthwith from out the thickest of the crowd In depth of silence there was heard the loud And lustfull language of Darius Horse Who in the dialect of his discourse Proclaim'd his rider King whereat the rest Patient to beare what cannot be redrest Dismount their lofty steeds and prostrate bring Their humbled bodies to their happy King God save the King they joyntly say God blesse Thy prosprous actions with a due successe The people clap their sweaty palmes and shout The bonfires smoake the bels ring round about The minstrels play the Parrats learne to sing Perchance as well as they God save the King Assuerus now 's invested in the throne And Persia's rul'd by him and him alone Prove happy Persia Great Assuerus prove As equall happy in thy peoples love Enough And let this broken breviate Suffice to shadow forth the downfall state Of mighty Babel and the conquest made By the fierce Medes Persians conqu'ring blade Whose just succession we have traced downe Till great Assuerus weare the Persian Crowne Him have we sought and having found him rest To morrow goe we to his royall Feast FINIS TO THE HIGHEST His Humble Servant Implores his gracious ayde THou great Directer of the Hearts of men From whence I propagate what e're is mine Still my disquiet thoughts Direct my Pen
broght th'embassage But they gave faith to what he said relented And changing their mis-wandred wayes repented Before the searching Ayre could coole his word Their hearts returned and beleev'd the Lord And they whose dainty lips were cloy'd while ere With cates and viands and with wanton cheare Doe now enjoyne their palats not to tast The offall bread for they proclaim'd a Fast And they whose looset bodies once did lye Wrapt up in Robes and Silkes of Princely Dye Loe now in stead of Robes in rags they mourne And all their Silkes doe into Sack-cloth turne They read themselves sad Lectures on the ground Learning to want as well as to abound The Prince was not exempted nor the Peere Nor yet the richest nor the poorest there The old man was not freed whose hoary age Had ev'n almost outworne his Pilgrimage Nor yet the yong whose Glasse but new begun By course of Nature had an age to runne For when that fatall Word came to the King Convay'd with speed upon the nimble wing Of flitting Fame he straight dismounts his Throne Forsakes his Chaire of State he sate upon Disrob'd his body and his head discrown'd In dust and ashes grov'ling on the ground And when he rear'd his trembling corps againe His haire all filthy with the dust he laie in He clad in pensive Sackcloth did depose Himselfe from State Imperiall and chose To live a Vassall or a baser thing Then to usurpe the Scepter of a King Respectlesse of his pompe he quite forgate He was a Monarch mindlesse of his State He neither sought to rule or be obay'd Nor with the sword nor with the Scepter sway'd Meditat. 9. ¶ IS fasting then the thing that God requires Can fasting expiate or slake those fires That sinne hath blowne to such a mighty flame Can sackcloth cloth a fault or hide a shame Can ashes clense thy blot or purge thy ' offence Or doe thy hands make heaven a recompence By strowing dust upon thy bryny face Are these the trickes to purchase heavenly grace No though thou pine thy selfe with willing want Or face looke thinne or Carkas ne're so gaunt Although thou worser weeds then sackcloth weare Or naked goe or sleepe in shirts of haire Or though thou chuse an ash-tub for thy bed Or make a daily dunghill on thy head Thy labour is not poys'd with equall gaines For thou hast nought but labour for thy paines Such holy madnesse God rejects and loathes That sinkes no deeper than the skin or cloathes 'T is not thine eyes which taught to weepe by art Looke red with teares not guilty of thy hart 'T is not the holding of thy hands so hye Nor yet the purer squinting of thine eye 'T is not your mimick mouths your antick faces Your Scripture phrases or affected Graces Nor prodigall up-banding of thine eyes Whose gaâ—â—â—full bals doe seeme to pelt the skyes 'T is not the strict reforming of your haire So close that all the neighbour skull is bare 'T is not the drooping of thy head so low Nor yet the lowring of thy sullen brow Nor wolvish howling that disturbs the aire Nor repetitions or your tedious prayer No no 't is none of this that God regards Such sort of fooles their owne applause rewards Such puppet-plaies to heaven aâ—e strange quaint Their service is unsweet and foully taint Their words fall fruitlesse from their idle braine But true repentance runnes in other straine Where sad contrition harbours there the heart Is truly'acquainted with the secret smart Of past offences hates the bosome sin The most which most the soule tooke pleasure in No crime unsifted no sinne unpresented Can lurke unseene and seene none unlamented The troubled soule 's amaz'd with dire aspects Of lesser sinnes committed and detects The wounded Conscience it cryes amaine For mercy mercy cryes and cryes againe It sadly grieves and soberly laments It yernes for grace reformes returnes repents I this is incense whose accepted savour Mounts up the heavenly Throne findeth favour I this is it whose valour never failes With God it stoutly wrestles and prevailes I this is it that pearces heaven above Never returning home like Noab's Dove But brings an Olive leafe or some encrease That workes Salvation and Eternall Peace THE ARGVMENT The Prince and people fasts and prayes God heard accepted lik'd their wayes Vpon their timely true repentance God rever'st and chang'd his sentence Sect. 10. THen suddenly with holy zeale inflam'd He caus'd a generall Act to be proclaim'd By sage advice and counsell of his Peeres Let neither man or child of youth or yeares From greatest in the Citie to the least Nor Herd nor pining Flocke nor hungry beast Nor any thing that draweth ayre or breath On forfeiture of life or present death Presume to taste of nourishment or food Or move their hungry lips to chew the cud From out their eyes let Springs of water burst With teares or nothing let theÌ„ slake their thirst Moreo're let every man what e're he be Of higher quality or low degree D'off all they weare excepting but the same That nature craves that which covers shame Their nakednesse with sackcloth let them hide And mue the vest'ments of their silken pride And let the brave cariering Horse of Warre Whose rich Caparisons and Trappings are The glorious Wardrobe of a Victors show Let him disrobe and put on sackcloth too The Oxe ordain'd for yoke the Asse for load The Horse as well for race as for the roade The burthren-bearing Camell strong and great The fruitfull Kine and every kinde of Neate Let all put sackcloth on and spare no voyce But cry aloud to heaven with mighty noise Let all men turne the bias of their wayes And change their fiercer hands to force of praise For who can tell if God whose angry face Hath long bin waining from us will embrace This slender pittance of our best indeavour Who knowes if God will his intent persever Or who can tell if he whose tender love Transcends his sharper Iustice will remove And change his high decree turn his sentence Vpon a timely and unfain'd repentance And who can tell if heaven will change the lot That we and ours may live and perish not So God perceiv'd their workes saw their waies Approv'd the faith that in their workes did blaze Approv'd their works approv'd their workes the rather because their faith works weÌ„t both together He saw their faith because their faith abounded He saw their works because on faith they grounded He saw their faith their workes and so relented H'approv'd their works their faith so repented Repented of the plagues they apprehended Repented of the evill that he intended So God the vengeance of his hand withdrew He tooke no forfeiture although 't were due The evill that once hee meant he now forgot Cancell'd the forfeit bond and did it not Medita 10. ¶ SEe into what an ebbe of low estate The soule that seekes to be regenerate Must
spits his inraged spleene Now on the messenger now on the Queene One while he deeply weighs the foule contempt And then his passion bids his wrath attempt A quicke revenge now creepe into his thought Such things as aggravate the peevish fault The place the persons present and the time Increase his wrath increase his Ladies Crime But soone as Passion had restor'd the Reyne To righteous Reason's goverment againe The King unfit to judge his proper Cause Referr'd the triall to the Persian Lawes He call'd his learned Counsell and display'd The nature of his Grievance thus and said By vertue of a Husband and a King To make compleat our Royall banqâ—etting We gave command we gave a strict command That by the office of our Eunuchs band Queene Vashti should in state attended be Into the presence of our Majestie But in contempt she slacks our dread bebest Neglects performance of our deare Request And through disdaine disloyally deny'd Like a false subject and a faithlesse bride Say then my Lords for you being truely wise Have braines to judge and judgements to advise Say boldly say what doe the Lawes assigne What punishment or what deserved Fine Assuerus bids the mighty King commands Vashti denyes the scornefull Queene withstands Medit. 2. EVil manners breed good Lawes that 's the 〈◊〉 That e're was made of bad The Persian feaâ— Finding the mischiefe that was growne so rife Admitted not with men a married wife How carefull were they in preserving that Which we so watchfull are to violate O Chastity the Flower of thâ— soule How is thy perfect fairenesse turn'd to foule How are thy Blossomes blasted all to dust By sudden Lightning of untamed Lust How hast thou thus defil'd thy Iv'ry feet Thy sweetnesse that was once how far from sweet Where are thy maiden-smiles thy blushing cheeke Thy Lamb-like countenance so faire so meeke Where is that spotlesse Flower that while-ere Within thy lilly bosome thou didst weare Has wanton Cupid snatcht it Hath his Dart Sent courtly tokens to thy simple heart Where dost thou bide the Country halfe disclaimes thee The City wonders when a body names thee Or have the rurall woods engrost thee there And thus fore-stall'd our empty markets here Sure th' art not or kept where no man showes thee Or chang'd so much scarce man or woman knowes thee ¶ Our Grandame Eve before it was forbid Desired not the fruit she after did Had not the Custome of those times ordain'd That women from mens feasts should be restrain'd Perhaps Assuerus Vashti might have dyed Vnsent for and thy selfe beene undenyed Such are the the fruits of mirth's and wine's abuse Customes must crack love must breake his truce Conjugall bands must loose and sullen Hate Ensues the Feast where Wine 's immoderate ¶ More difficult it is and greater skill To beare a mischiefe ' than prevent an ill Passion is naturall but to bridle Passion Is more divine and vertues operation To doe amisse is Natures act to erre Is but a wretched mortalls Character But to prevent the danger of the ill Is more then Man surpassing humane skill Who playes a happy game with crafty slight Confirmes himselfe but fortunes Favorite But he that husbands well an ill-dealt game Deserves the credit of a Gamesters name ¶ Lord if my Cards be bad yet lend me skill To play them wisely ' and make the best of ill THE ARGVMENT The learned Counsell pleâ—d the case The Queene degrâ—ded from her place Decrees are sent throughout the Land That Wives obey and men command Sect. 3. THe righteous Counsel having heard the cause Adviz'd a while with respite of a pause Till Memucan the first that silence brake Vnseal'd his serious lips and thus bespake The Great Assuerus Sov'raigne Lord and King To grace the period of his banquetting Hath sent for Vashti Vashti would not come And now it rests in us to give the doome But left that too much rashnesse violate The sacred Iustice of our happy state We first propound the height of her offence Next the succeeding inconvenience Which through the circumstances does augment And so discend to th'equall punishment Th' offence propounded now we must relate Such circumstances that might aggravate And first the Place the Palace of the King And next the Time the Time of Banquetting Lastly the Persons Princes of the Land Which witnesse the contempt of the command The Place the Persons present and the Time Make â—oule the fault make foule the Ladies crime Nor was her fault unto the King alone But to the Princes and to every one For when this speech divulg'd about shall be Vashti the Queene withstood the Kings Decree Woemen that soone can an advantage take Of things which for their private ends doe make Shall scorne their coward husbands and despise Their deare requests within their scornfull eyes And say if we deny your hâ—sts then blame not Assuerus sent for Vashti but she came not By Vashties patterne others will be taught Thus her example 's fouler then her fault Now therefore if it like our gracious King Since he refers tous the censuring Let him proclaime which untransgressed be His royall Edict and his just Decree That Vashti come no more before his face But leave the titles of her Princelâ—â— place Let firme divorce unloose the Nuptiall knot And let the name of Queene be quite forgot Let her estate and Princely dignity Her Royall Crowne and seat assigned be To one whose sacred Vertue shall attaine As high perfection as her bold disdaine So when this Royall Edict shall be fam'd And through the severall Provinces proclaim'd Disdainfull â—ives will learne by Vashties fall To answer gently to their Husbands call Thus ended Memucan the King was pleas'd His blustring passion now at length appeas'd And soone apply'd himselfe to undertake To put in practice what his Counsell spake So into every Province of the Land He sent his speedy Letters with command That Husbands rule their wives beare the sway And by subjection teach their Wives t' obey Meditat. 3. VVHen God with sacred breath did first inspire The new-made earth with quick holy fire He well advising what a goodly creature He builded had so like himselfe in feature Forth-with concluded by his preservation T'eternize that great worke of Mans creation Into a sleepe he cast this living clay Lockt up his sense with drouzy Morpheus key Opened his fruitfull flanke and from his side He drew the substance of his helpfull Bride Flesh of his flesh and bone made of his bone He framed Woman making two of one Thus broke in two he did anew ordaine That these same two should be made One againe Till singling Death this sacred knot undoe And part this new-made One once more in two ¶ Since of a Rib first framed was a Wife Let Ribs be Hi'roglyphicks of their life Ribs coast the Heart and guard it round about And like a trusty Watch keepe danger out So tender wives should loyally impart
he lists No power is of man to love or hate Lyes not in mortals brest or pow'r of Fate MaÌ„ wants the strength to sway his strong affections What power is is from Divine directions Which oft unseene through dulnesse of the minde We nick name Chance because our selves are blind And that 's the cause mans first beholding eye Oft loves or hates and knowes no reason why ¶ 'T was not the brightnesse of Rebecca's face Or servants skill that wan the virgins grace 'T was not the wish or wealth of Abraham Or Isacks fortune or renowned name His comely personage or his high desert Obtain'd the conquest of Rebecca's heart Old Abra'm wisht in secret God directed 'T was Abra'm us'd the meanes 't was God effected Best marriages are made in heaven In heaven The hearts are joyn'd in earth the hands are given First God ordaines then man confirmes the Love Proclaming that on earth was done above ¶ 'T was not the sharpnesse of thy wandring eye Great King Assuerus to picke Majesty From out the sadnesse of a Captives face 'T was not alone thy chusing nor her grace Who mounts the meeke and beates the lofty down Gave thee the heart to chuse gave her the Crown Who blest thy fortunes with a second wife He blest thy fortunes with a second life That brest that entertain'd so sweet a Bride Stood faire to Treason by her meanes descride With double fortunes wer 't thou doubly blest To finde so faire and scape so foule a guest ¶ Thou aged father of our yeares and houres For thou as well discoverst as devoures Search still the entrails of thy just Records Wherein are entred the diurnall words And deeds of mortall men Bring thou to light All trech'rous projects mann'd by craft or might With Towr's of Brasse their faithful heart's imbosse That beare the Christian colours of the Crosse. ¶ And Thou Preserver of all mortall things Within whose hands are plac'd the hearts of Kings By whom all Kingdomes stand and Princes raigne Preserve thy CHARLES and my dear Soveraigne Let Traitors plots like wandring Atomes fly And on their heads pay ten-fold usury His bosome tuter and his safety tender O be thou his as hee 's thy Faiths Defender That thou in him and hee in thee may rest And we of both may live and die possest THE ARGVMENT The line of Haman and his race His fortunes in the Princes grace His rage to Mordecai exprest Not bowing to him as the rest Sect 7. VPon a time to Persias Royall Court A forraigne Stranger used to resort He was the issue of a royall breed The off-cast off-spring of the cursed seed Of Amelck from him descended right That sold his birth-right for his Appetite 〈◊〉 his name His fortunes did improve Increast by favour of the Princes love Full great he grew preferd to high command And plac'd before the Princes of the Land And since that honour and due reverence Belong where Princes give preeminence The King commands the servants of his State To suit respect to Hamans high estate And doe him honour fitting his degree With vailed bonnet and low bended knee They all observ'd but aged Mordecai Whose stubborne joynts neglected to obey The seed which Heaven with infamy had branded Stoutly refused what the King commanded Which when the servants of the King had seene Their fell disdaine mixtwith an envious spleene Inflam'd They question'd how he durst withstand The just performance of the Kings Command Daily they checkt him for his high disdaine And hee their checks did daily entertaine With silent slight behaviour which did prove As full of care as their rebukes of love ¶ Since then their hearts not able to abide A longer sufferance of his peevish pride Whose scorching fires passion did augment Must either breake or finde a speedy vâ—nt To Haman they th' unwelcome newes related And what they said their malice aggravated Envie did ope her Snake-devouring Iawes Foam'd frothy blood and bent her unked Pawes Her hollow eyes did cast out sudden flame And pale as ashes look't this angry Dame And thus bespake Art thou that man of might That Impe of Glory Times great Favorite Hath thy deserved worth restor'd againe The blemisht honour of thy Princely straine Art thou that Wonder which the Persian State Stands gazing at so much and poynting at Filling all woâ—dring eyes with Admiration And every loyall heart with Adoration Art thou that mighty He How haps it then That wretched Mordecai the worst of men A captive slave a superstitious Iew Slights thee and robs thee of thy righfull due Nor was his fault disguis'd with Ignâ—â—â—ce The unfee'd Advocate of sinne or Chance But backt with Arrogance and foâ—le Despite Rise up and doe thy suffring honour right Vp like his deepe Revenge rose Haman then And like a sleeping Lion from his Den Rouz'd his relentlesse Rage But when his eye Confirm'd the newes Report did testifie His Reason straight was heav'd from off his henge And Fury rounded in his eare Revenge And like a rash Adviser thus began There 's nothing Haman is more deare to man Aâ—d cooles his â—oyling veines with sweeter pleasure Than quicke revenge for to revenge by leisure Is but like feeding when the stomacke 's past Pleasing nor eager appetite nor taste â—et when delay returnes Revenge the greater Like poynant saâ—ce it makes the meate the sweeter It fiâ—s not th' honour of thy personage Nor stands it with thy Greatnesse to ingage Thy noble thoughts to make Revenge so poore To â—e reveng'd on one alone thy sore Needs many plaisters make thy honour good Not with a drop but with a world of blood Borrow the Syâ—â—e of Time and let thy Passion Mowe downe thy Iewish Foe with all his Nation Medita 7. FIghts God for cursed Amalek That hand That once did curse doth now the curse withstand Is God unjust Is Iustice fled from heaven Or are the righteous Ballances uneven Is this that Iust Iehova's sacred Word Firmely inroll'd within the Lawes Record I le fight with Amalek destroy his Nation And from remembrance blurre his Generation What shall his curse to Amalek be void And with those plagues shall Isr'el be destroyd Ah sooner shall the sprightfull flames of fire Descend and moysten and dull earth aspire And with her drinesse quench faire Titans heate Then shall thy words and just Decrees retreat The Day as wery of his burden tyres The Yeare full laden with her months expires The heav'ns growne great with age must soon decay The pondrous earth in time shall passe away But yet thy sacred words shall alway flourish Though daies years heaveÌ„ earth do perish How perkes proud Haman then What prosp'rous fate Exalts his Pagan head How fortunate Hath favour crown'd his times Hath God decreed No other Curse upon that cursed seed The mortall eye of man can but perceive Things present when his heart cannot conceive Hee 's either by his outward senses guided Or like a Quere
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
at length So mortals die and being dead ne're minde The fairest fortunes that they leave behinde While man is man untill that death bereave him Of his last breath his griefes shal never leave him Meditat. 10. DOth Hist'ry then and sage Chronologiâ— The Index pointing to Antiquity So firmly grounded on deepe Iudgement guarded And kept by so much Miracle rewarded With so great glory serve but as slight Fables To edge the dulnesse of mens wanton Tables And claw their itching eares Or doe they rather Like a conciâ—e Abridgement serve to gather Mans high Adventures and his transitory Atchievements to expresse his Makers glory Acts that have blown the lowdest Trumpe of Fame Are all but humours purchas 't in His name Is he that yesterday went forth to bring His Fathers Asses home to day crown'd King Did hee that now on his brave Palace stood Boasting his Babels beauty chew the cud An hower after Have not Babes beene crown'd And mighty Monarchs beaten to the ground Man undertakes heaven breathes successe upon it What good what evill is done but heaveÌ„ hath done it The Man to whom thâ— world was not asham'd To yeeld her Colours he that was proclam'd A God in humane shape whose dreadfull voyce Did strike men dead like Thunder at the noyse Was rent away from his Imperiall Throne Before his flowre of youth was fully blowne His race was rooted out his Issue slaine And left his Empire to another straine Who that did e're behold the ancient Rome Would rashly given her glory such a doome Or thought her subject to such alterations That was the Mistresse and the Queen of Nations Egypt that in her wals had once engrost More Wisdome than the world besides hath lost Her senses now Her wisest men of State Are turn'd like Puppets to be pointed at If Romes great power and Egypts wisdome can Not ayde themselves how poore a thing is Man God plaies with Kingdomes as with Tennis-balls Fells some that rise and raises some that fals Nor policy can prevent nor secret Fate Where Heaven hath pleas'd to blow upon a State If States be not secure nor Kingdomes than How helpelesse Ah! how poore a thing is Man Man 's like a flower the while he hath to last Hee 's nipt with frost and shooke with every blast Hee 's borne in sorrow and brought up in teares He lives a while in sinne and dyes in feares Lord I 'le not boast what e're thou give unto me Lest e're my brag be done thou take it from me No man may boast but of his owne I can Then boast of nothing for I am a Man THE ARGVMENT Rash Eliphaz doth aggravate The sinnes of Iob malign's his flâ—te Whom Iob reproving justifies Himselfe bewailes his miseries Sect. 11. DOth vaine repining Eliphaz replies Or words like wind beseeme the man that 's wise Ahsure thy faithlesse heart rejects the feare Of heaven dost not acquaint thy lips with pray'r Thy words accuse thy heart of Impudence Thy tongue not I brings in the Evidence Art thou the first of men Doe Mysteries Vnfold to thee Art thou the onely wise Wherein hath Wisdome beene more good to you Then us What know you that we never knew Reverence not Censure fits a young mans eyes We are your Ancients and should be as wise It't not enough your Arrogance derides Our counsels but must scorne thy God besides Angels if God in quier strictly must Not pleade Perfection then can man be just It is a truth receiv'd these aged eyes Have seen 't and is confirmed by the wise That still the wicked man is void of rest Is alwayes fearefull falls when he feares least In trouble he despaires and is dejected He begs his bread his death comes unexpected In his adversity his griefes shall gaule him And like a raging Tyrant shall in thâ—all him He shall advance against his God in vaine For Heaven shall crush beate him downe againe What iâ— his Garners thrive and goods increase They shall not prosper nor he live in peace Eternall horrour shall begâ—â—t him round And vengeance shall both him and his confound Amidst his joyes despaire shall stop his breath His sons shall perish with untimely death The double soule shall die and in the hollow Of all false hearts falâ—e hearts theÌ„selves shall swallow Then answered Iob All this before I knew They want no griefe that finde such friends as you Ah cease your words the fruits of ill spent houres If heaven should please to make my fortunes yours I would not scoffe you nor with taunts torment ye My lips should comfort and these eyes lament ye What shall I doe speake not my griefes oppresse My soule or speake alas they 'r ne're thelesse Lord I am wasted and my pangs have spent me My skin is wrinkâ—ed for thy hand hath rent me Mine enemies have smit me in disdaine Laught at my torments jested at my paine I swell'd in wealth but now alas am poore And feld with woe lye groveling on the floore In dust and sackcloth I lament my sorrowes Thy Hand hath trencht my cheekes with water furrowes Nor can I comprehend the cause that this My smart should be so grievous as it is Oh earth if then an Hypocrite I be Cover my cryes as I doe cover thee And witnesse Heaven that these my Vowes be truâ— Ah friends I spend my teares to Heav'n not you My time 's but short alas would then that I Might try my cause with God before I dye Since then I languish and not farre from dead â—et me a while with my Accusers plead Before the Iudge of heaven and earth my right Have they not wrong'd and vext me day night Who first layes downe his Gage to meet me Say I doubt not Heaven being Iudge to win the day You 'll say perchance wee 'll recompell your word E're simple truth should unawares afford Your discontent No no forbeare for I Hate lesse your Censures then your flattery I am become a By-word and a Tabor To set the tongues and eares of men in labour Mine eyes are dimme my body 's but a shade Good men that see my case will be afraid But not confounded They will hold their way And in a bad they 'll hope a better day Recant your errours for I cannot see One man that 's truly wise among you Three My dayes are gone my thoughts are mis-possest The silent night that heaven ordain'd for rest My day of travell is but I shall have E're long long peace within my welcome grave My neerest kinred are the wormes the earth My mother for she gave me first my birth Where are my hopes then where that future joy Which you fals-prophecy'd I should enjoy Both hopes and I alike shall travell thither Where clos'd in dust we shall remaine together Meditat. 11. THe Morall Poets nor unaptly faine That by lame Vulcans help the pregnant brain Of soveraigne â—ove brought forth and at that birth Was borne Minerva Lady of the earth
tempting that no power Was left in thee to stay another hower Or didst thou feed by chance and not observ'd What food it was but tooke as Fortune carv'd 'T is done Be it or Fortunes act or thine It fed the one whose want made Millions pine ELEG 5. ENvie now burst with joy and let thine eyes Strut forth with fatnesse let thy collops rise Pampred and plump Feed full for many yeares Vpon our losse Be drunken with our teares For he is dead whose soule did never cease To crosse and violate your malitious peace He 's dead but in his death hath overthrowne More vices than his happy life had done In life he taught to dye and he did give In death a great example how to live Though he be gone his fame is left behinde Now leave thy laughing Envie and be pin'd ELEG 6. FArewell those eyes whose gentle smiles forsooke No misery taught Charity how to looke Farewell those cheerefull eyes that did e'rewhile Teach succour'd misery how to blesse a smile Farewell those eyes whose mixt aspect of late Did reconcile humility and state Farewell those eyes that to their joyfull guest Proclaim'd their ordinary fare a feast Farewell those eyes the load-stars late whereby The graces â—ail'd secure from eye to eye Farewell deare eyes bright Lamps ô who can tell Your glorious welcome or our sad farewell ELEG 7. GOe glorious Saint I knew 't was not a shrine Of flesh could lodge so pure a soule as thine I saw it labour in a holy scorne Of living dust and ashes to be sworne A heavenly Quirifter It sigh'd and groan'd To be dissolv'd from mortall and enthron'd Among his fellow Angells there to sing Perpetuall Anthems to his heavenly King He was a stranger to his house of Clay Scarce own'd it but that necessary stay Miscall'd it his And onely zeale did make Him love the building for the builders sake ELEG 8. HAd vertue learning the Diviner Arts Wit judgement wisdome or what other parts That make perfection and returne the minde As great as Earth can suffer beene confin'd To earth had they the Patent to abide Secure from change our Ailmer ne're had dy'de Fond earth forbeare and let thy childish eyes Ne're weep for him thou ne're knew'st how to prize Shed not a teare blinde earth for it appeares Thou never lov'dst our Ailmer by thy teares Or if thy flouds must needs oreflow their brim Lament lament thy blindenesse and not him ELEG 9. I Wondred not to heare so brave an end Because I knew who made it could contend With death and conquer and in open chace Would spit defiance in his conquered face And did Dauntlesse he trod him underneath To shew the weaknesse of unarmed death Nay had report or niggard Fame denyde His name it had beene knowne 't was Ailmer dyde It was no wonder to heare rumor tell That he which dyde so oft once dyde so well Great Lord of life how hath thy dying breath Made man whoÌ„ death had conquerd coÌ„quer death ELEG 10. KNowledge the depth of whose unbounded maine Hath bin the wreck of many a curious braine And from her yet unreconciled schooles Hath fill'd us with so many learned fooles Hath tutor'd thee with rules that cannot erre And taught thee how to know thy selfe and her Furnisht thy nimble soule in height of measure With humane riches and divinest treasure From whence as from a sacred spring did flow Fresh Oracles to let the hearer know A way to glory and to let him see The way to glory is to studie thee ELEG 11. LOoke how the body of heavens greater light Inâ—iches each beholder with his bright And glorious rayes untill the envious West Too greedy to enjoy so faire a guest Calls him to bed where ravisht from our sight He leaves us to the solemne frownes of night Even so our Sun in his harmonious spheare Enlightned every eye rapt every eare Till in the earely sunset of his yeares He dyde and left us that survive in teares And like the Sun in spight of death and fate He seemed greatest in his lowest state ELEG 12. MOlest me not full sighes and flowing teares You stormes showres of nature stop your eares Fond flesh and bloud against the strong temptation Of fullen griefe and sense-bereaving passion Cease to lament Let not thy slow pac'd numbers Disturbe his rest that so so sweetly slumbers The child of virtue is asleepe not dead He dies alone whom death hath conquered Why should we shed a teare for him or why Lament we whom we rather should envie He lives he lives a life shall never tast A change so long as Crownes of glory last ELEG 13. NO no he is not dead The mouth of fame Honors shrill Herald would preserve his name And make it live in spight of death and dust Were there no other heaven no other trust He is not dead The sacred Nine deny The soule that merits fame should ever dye He lives and when the latest breath of fame Shall want her Trumpe to glorifie a name He shall survive and these selfe closed eyes That now lie slumbring in the dust shall rise And fill'd with endlesse glory shall enjoy The perfect vision of eternall joy ELEG 14. O But the dregs of flesh and bloud How close They grapple with my soule and interpose Her higher thoughts which yet but young of wing They cause to stoope and strike at every thing Passion presentâ— before their weakned eye Iudgement and better reason standing by I must lament Nature commands it so The more I strive with teares the more they flow These eyes have just nay double cause of mone They weepe the coÌ„mon losse they weep their own He sleepes Indeed then give me leave to weepe Teares fully answerable to his sleepe ELEG 15. PArdon my teares if they be too too free And if thou canst not weepe I 'le pardon thee Dull Stoick If thou laugh to heare his death I 'le weep that thou wert borne to spend that breath Thou dry-brain'd Portick whose Ahenian brest Transcending passion never was opprest With griefe O had your flinty Sect but lost So rare a prize as we lament and boast Your hearts had crost your Tenet and disburst As many drops as we have done or burst No marvell that your marble braines could crosse Her lawes that never gave you such a losse ELEG 16. QVicke-sould Pythagoras O thou that wert So many men and didst so oft revert From shades of death if we may trust to Fame With losse of nothing but thy buried name Hadst thou but liv'd in this our Ailmers time Thou wouldst have dyde once more to live in him Or had our Ailmer in those daies of thine But dyde and left so glorious so divine A soule as his how would thy hasty brâ—st Have gasp'd to entertaine so faire a guest Which if obtained had no doubt supplyde thee With that immortall state thy Sire denyde thee ELEG 17. RAre soule that now sits crowned in