' doptive Mother to displease He sees and hears their Miseries and cries Without concern Court Gaudy Butterflies Dazled his youthful Eyes the silken Nets Of honour wreath him so that he forgets Himself his name and for some time confin'd His heart and hands from that he had design'd But all those charms were loathsome when he spy'd A wounded Hebrew of which wound he dy'd Bathed in Blood What Slave said he none by Must these men work and yet your Victims lye Thy life shall pay for his this fatal Dart Thrown by my hand shall pierce thy env'ous heart And shall expel thy Soul that all may see The just reward of this thy cruelty Return'd to Court his grief next night did break His wonted rest he must rise and go back To see his friends and to suppress their foes Thus did commence his hardships and his woes Night-Tapers were not yet extinguished Nor Titan started from his watry bed When he in haste unto the Kilns repairs With pensive mind and head perplext with cares About his Brethrens usage Bondage snares He comes and sees a sad amazing sight Two Jews in hot dispute and fiercer fight With whom he mildly did expostulate About the rise of their unkind debate Say'ng is it not enough that en'mies beat Kill and abuse you this unnat'ral heat Will work your ruin He that gave the cause Said you begin too soon to frame new Laws What must a beardless stripling be our Judge Who is more fit with us to be a drudge If that suffice to expiate his crime Committed yesterday about this time ' When Heav'n designs for men things great and good ' They are despis'd because not understood ' Moses is sent to free them from their woes ' Yet they 're the first proclaim themselves his foes ' That scorn his Counsel threat'ning to declare ' How Pharaoh's Servants by him treated are This like a rapid Cataract o'reflow'd His Soul with fear which his sad count'nance show'd Who sighing from a bleeding heart thus said The thing is known alas I am betray'd Pharoah will hear 't who me already hates I will not fall into his hands the fates Shall guide my wandring steps none knows what he Who only knows events will do with me His Providence may find a safer place VVith Foreigners perhaps of milder Race VVhose pity will preserve me from disgrace Egypt Farewel He is no sooner gone But his escape unto the King is flown And cause assign'd which they thus aggravate This is the fruit of pity our poor State VVill quickly dwindle to an empty name Unless you find out means to quench this flame It is unsufferable Our great Monarch's blood VVill be as cheap if they be not withstood And we their slaves The King enraged said Hark! foolish Girl your Son so magnify'd Is turn'd already Traytor to my Crown Slights your Relation Favours doth disown My Subjects he hath killed for their care No man can tell what his pretensions are But I 'll prevent him lest he go too far His death when found shall let the Hebrews see That dreams are vain their visions fallacy And that their famed God may sometimes lie Strict search is made for him about the Court City and Suburbs where he did resort But all in vain his Angel-Providence Before next light convey'd him far from thence And made him strange invisible to all VVho sought his blood who sought his Nations fall The Desart now 's his Inn the Rocks his Bed He must no more with delicates be fed But travel hard and eat such nat'ral fare As by kind Sol and Earth produced are Lemmons and Chase-nuts Mellons Mangoes Rice Oranges Almonds Nutmegs and their Spice His Drink the Milk of Coco's mixt with Wine That thro Earth's bosom secretly doth twine 'A gen'rous Breast is equally content ' With Plenty Poverty or Banishment He sings of his adventures by the Well Near unto which the Midian Priest did dwell He sings his Birth his Cradle Rapid Nile He sings his rescue with a pleasant smile The Princess fondness and her Father's care He sings the cause why all these blasted were And then the quiet of a Hermit-life Free from the cares at Court and Country strife The joys accruing by a virtuous wife This Jethro's Daughter heard whose daily care Was that their Herds and Flocks well water'd were Tho to their grief they often were constrain'd To wait the rising of the VVell when drain'd By surly Swains who with their Cattle came Because that water had the praise of fame 'Twixt frown and smile this noble Soul disdain'd To see the daily wrongs the Maids sustain'd He said dull Souls is this your carriage To these fair Nymphs Doth neither Sex nor Age Nor beauty charm you Will you ne'er be brave And shew that Shepherds scorn both Clown and Knave Cold Mists and Dews their florid beauties break When Frost and Hail your Faces fairer make For shame forbear if you be Great Pan's race Fill up the Troughs and give these Maidens place Sir we are yours since they with you find grace The Shepherdesses soon dispatched are Who hastening home the first that did appear Was the old Priest whose fears dispersed were What! come so early are the Flocks all well You look as if you hadsome News to tell Yes Reverend Sir a noble Personage Of aspect fair courteous above his Age By 's Habit nothing else Egyptian Drew all our water after we began And curb'd our Rivals for their insolence VVhere is the Hero stood in your defence ' He 's great and good the Gods themselves you know ' Have Human Shapes and Actions when below Haste to the Well he may â—…em thence remove And say our Parents must requite his love Arm'd with Command they ran in winged haste To their deliverer and him thus addrest Fair stranger we such favours thought was due From every Swain much more from such as you VVho for the matchless Glories of your face Your sprightly looks your grave and graceful pace My justly claim precedence of your race VVe home-bred bashful wenches went away VVithout thanks giv'n not knowing what to say But coming timely home we did relate To our old Father Raguel our fate How you our quarrel boldly did debate Water'd our Flocks and bid us all adieu Who said I blush to hear such things from you Ingratitude makes all things black you know Go say I 'm restless till I see his face T' excuse your rudeness know his name and race ' The Rosie morn such Beauties ne're display'd ' Such blushes and such smiles as did the Maid ' And Stranger who reciprocally dart ' Equal desires as if they 'd had on heart Bold with the charm he took and kist her hand Say'ng Fair Nymph since you 've received command To offer me this honour I will go As they desire my name and race I 'll shew That and much more I to you beauty owe. ' The sighs the smiles and the endearing strains '
Israel's TROUBLES AND TRIUMPH OR The History of their dangers in and deliverance out of EGYPT AS It is recorded by Moses in Exod. AND Turned into English Verse By GEORGE LESLY M. A. Minister of Olney Bucks Discite Justitiam Moniti Virg. Hearken to a Verser who may chance Rhime thee to good and make a bait of pleasure Herbert LONDON Printed for the Author and sold by Nicholas Woolf at his House in Star Court Cheapside 1699. THE PRINTER TO THE READER THE Author makes no apology for what he hath here offered being fully perswaded that he hath injured no man but in the room of that or a prolix Preface he desires me to inform you if you be strangers in our Israel and know not that since the lowest of the people daily invade the Ministerial Office he thinks that for harmless humour and innocent diversion an ancient Preacher may turn Religious Poet because Rhimes as he saith were of old the common Theology and why they may not be subservient to it yet he knoweth not However taking it for granted he was resolved with the Great Apostle to become all things to all men c. If any true Son of the Muses seem to be dissatisfied he saith to such as Gideon did to the angry Ephramites what have I done now in comparison of you Is not the gleaning of the Grapes of Ephraim better than the Vintage of Abiezer c. Farewel ERRATA PAge 5. line 19. r. them p. 13. l. 13. r. Isacides p. 18. l. 20. r. Sire l. 30. r. your p. 19. l. 24. r. your p. 20. l. 23. r. armies p. 21. l. 10. r. Sire p. 26. l. 20. leave out A grant p. 36. l. 7. r. hear p. 38. l. 7. r. those p. 39. l. 3. r. yet p. 44. l. 1. r. Sun p. 51. l. 10. r. Remote p. 55. l. 12. r. were p. 36. l. 31. r. deluding p. 61. l. 3. add great l. 6. dele their p. 63. l. 17. r. God p. 69. l. 8. r. ro p. 72. l. 19. r. descrie p. 75. l. 25. r. dear p. 78. l. 7. r. May l. 26. add himself p. 81. l. 7. r. never p. 85. l. 28. r. not p. 87. l. 11. add then These and what others are not taken notice of the Reader is requested to do it as he reads Israel's TROUBLES AND TRIUMPH I Sing th' Almighty's Friend and Israel's guide His birth and rescue from th' impetuous tide Of rapid Nile I sing his Mother's care His Royal Nurse and how Heav'n's mercies are Like himself boundless his own acts I sing Whose growing greatness griev'd the grumbling King And all his Subjects who combin'd to have His guiltless blood how he was forc'd to leave A Princely Court where ev'ry thing lookt brave His wand'rings and his happy Residence At last with Jethro Midian Priest and Prince His Nuptials Trade and of the great content He had in hours on Mathematicks spent Astronomy was pleasant but Gods Law Delighted most since by its light he saw His change of State his en'mies pride and fall He saw himself made Heav'n's General The flaming Bush and Voice confirmed all This Province Lord a greater light requires Than can be kindled by Promethean fires The way 's unbeaten slipp'ry dark and strange Conduct thy Servant that he may not range Too high 'bove what is written nor too low It 's truth not fancy I desire to show Truth to convince the world of Pharaoh's sins And punishments with thee my Muse begins Joseph the great the good the just and wise Remov'd from Memphis unto Paradice And Pharaoh to that fair Elizian grove To perfect and perpetuate their love Left Israel blest with all the happiness Their King and Brother could by deeds express Which they in peace profound for many years Possest ne're harb'ring jealousies nor fears Admir'd caress'd and lov'd by ev'ry one From the rude Cottage to the Royal Throne But ah where time is nam'd there 's nothing sure All have Convulsions Cramps or Calenture Earth hath strong Palsies that do shake its frame Man accidents ten thousand without name Sent from the Throne Celestial or Abyss To shew how vain a thing is humane bliss Their day's o'recast and stormy Clouds appear When a strange heir sat in th' Imperial Chair Whose haughty humour taught him to despise His Predecessors Laws tho Just and Wise Our Gods themselves count it a saucy thing Said he in Vassals to advise their King A Monarchy that 's absolute I 'll have I 'll change the name of Subject into Slave To reign one day is much more glorious Without controul than ages curbed thus With endless Counsels I will â—…e alone By borrow'd light the former Pharaohs shone I must Eclipse that Turning to his Court You see said he the great the oft resort Of all sorts daily to our Goshenites This chills my blood this checks my active sp'rits Ah me opprest My thoughts I can't relate My apprehensions of our falling state Are black and dismal my night dreams foretel Our overthrow by them that with us dwell And here he stopt tho more he would have said Leaving the rest to tears which crav'd their aid Tears that like torrents from his eyes distill'd All the beholders with amazement fill'd Whose sympathizing eyes and hearts condole The tort'ring torments of his troubled soul With pickled sighs which o're they bow and say Dread Soveraign do you propose the way Your sorrow 's ours if that be its true rise The common Foe at once well sacrifice Which is soon done if we right measures take That 's vent'ring all for King and Country's sake This brisk resolve reviv'd the drooping King So as the aged Winter 's by the Spring His center'd blood resum'd its circ'lar course The briny streams are stopped at their source All parts are changed clarify'd his eyes His tongue 's unty'd with which he magnifies Their Love and Courage Daring souls said he This undertaking calls for secrecy Since they we must attack most subtile be If it takes air they 'll quickly trace the scent Destroy our Persons and our Government Once more invade then we must bow the head As heretofore with pray'rs and tears for bread Or if a Foreign Foe should us infest They 'd joyn with them and prove worse than the rest They know our Strength they know our Houses well They know our Closets where we Money tell Which they would rifle and from us be gone ' Gainst this I know no Remedy but one They live in wealth and ease as if their Land Was not by Grace but by a conqu'ring hand This irritates their wild and wealthy Souls To publish Israel wise and us kind Fools I must an Edict frame that may suppress Their pride and pow'r and all our wrongs redress Which must run thus Our Countries open'lye To ev'ry one that hath a wishing eye On us such may make Inroads when they please Destroy our State our Fruits disturb our ease And stop our Traffick both by Land
when Heavens bids him go Distrust no more your God doth undertake This wondrous task and for that end will make Thy pow'rful signs bring down great Pharaoh â—s heart When Aaron as thy mouth shall act his part Exceed not thy commission say no more To him than I to thee have said before This bid him freely unto Pharaoh say Heav'ns chosen Servants must not longer stay In his Dominions their increased woe Is at an end they must to Canaan go I know his rage his fury he 'll deny Thy God or thee in this to gratify From 's hard'ned heart my spirit I 'll remove His Conscience him shall no more warnings give Of my displeasure nor his future state The Devil shall him deceive till it 's too late I 'll blind his judgment so that he shall be The chiefest actor in 's own tragedy ' Like Fish unwary plung'd into the Net ' The more they strike the faster in they get ' So he while all my wonders I have spent ' Not dreaming that his own destructionâ—s meant Shall boldly with enchanting Witch-crafts dare ' The signs by thee and Aaron acted are I know he 'll strive my Outguards to defeat Not knowing that I have more wonders yet At my command whole Armies that can dye His waters Crimson darken his bright Sky My word shall bring poor vermin from their Cells Will him despise and all his Magi's spells The winged Troops I 've ready at my beck His ruin Israel's rescue to effect That tawny King and all his swarthy crew Shall that with vengeance learn they never knew I will the Winds let loose and Seas adjure With him to make the fatal overture For bringing Israel out by my great pow'r I know when you before him next appear Your persons he will scorn yet say draw near You who pretend a message from above Must it confirm by Miracles or prove Your selves Impostors Rebels to my Crown Most willingly say you and then throw down This pregnant Rod which turning to a Snake Shall twist unfold and crawl and strive to take The Royal Scepter out of Pharaoh's hand At which he much affrighted mute will stand Nodding and sighing for his Sophi-band They come He said what think my Priests of this Can you such Serpents turn and make them hiss Alas great Sir said they this fellow's art Was learn'd from us before he did depart Thy Predecessors Court and now he brings Owls into Athens we know better things Look on our Rods Great Sir which we command By all our Deities to turn from our hand As that of his to many Serpents great And when all 's done both his and ours are cheat Legerdemain can make false things appear To th' ignorant as if they real were But here is more said he his swalloweth yours This if a trick I 'm sure 's beyond your pow'rs Well Moses this is fine but yet I must See more and greater things before I trust That you commission have from any God To rob me of my Subjects Aaron's Rod And all your charms for this will prove in vain Once more be gone and from these slights abstain This will not ease but more increase your pain Then turn'd and frown'd and said disdainfully I 'm King of Egypt I your God defie I scorn to think of a superiour Who can make Gods I 'll hear of him no more ' This heard in haste the flaming Seraphs came 'To pay their homage Cherubs did the same ' Say'ng Holy Holy Holy Lord and true ' How long have we blest Spirits honour'd you ' Both night and day not daring once to pry ' Into the secrets of such Majesty ' Yet in our tarvels at your beck we hear ' Proud Mortals talk as they your Rivals were ' Your patience we 've experienc'd in our selves ' Whom you confirm'd in grace but that such elves ' As they should sharers of this goodness be ' Is unto us next to a prodigy ' Since nobler beings for one single fault ' When they attempt your honour to assault ' Receiv'd a present Mittimus to go ' From bliss eternal to eternal woe ' Have you so long domesticks been to me ' And count one single Act a prodigy ' Look back on former ages there you 'll find ' Greater and more done by me of that kind ' My mercy's great and cannot be confin'd ' When all the Sons of men like Pharaoh spoke ' Reproachfully of me and did provoke ' My Justice then I took a fixed time 'To vindicate my self correct that crime ' And so I will do now Take speedy wing To Moses saying you a message bring From me It 's best to see him in the night That he may be prepar'd when it is light To wait on vexed Pharaoh at the River Whose heart is hard and faithless yet as ever And in that state resolves to persevere Tell him from me that when the Monarch views Himself and Aaron coming with fresh news That sight will so exasperate his wrath He 'll threaten both of them with present death Command him not to fear but take his Rod And say once more to him the Hebrews God Scorns his repulses in the business Of Isra'l's going to the Wilderness At his command Shall vile Earthworms deny Their maker and refuse to gratify His just demands his pow'r will make thee know That thou allegiance unto him do'st owe With full obedience Pray Great Sir believe For God commands that I a sign shall give These limpid streams that he made for thy good By this small Rod shall turned be to blood Blood that to thee may fearful loathsome be And all it s sinn'd inhab'tants stupify Thy Rivers shall with blood and fish so stink That thine tho fainting may not of it drink This said the winged Herauld took his flight Leaving his Friend in bed curtain'd with night Whose sleep was broke by th' awful Messenger Who left his errand and did disappear The message Moses must to Pharaoh bear Confused slumbers did again invade The Prophets temples no sound sleep he had Till lofty Titan Earth's Ethereal eye Nights sables tinged with a Rosie dye Which show'd him that the King was passed by He drest and blusht his thoughts were on the River Th' Almighty speaks whose mercy faileth never Whose Judgments slumber not when he begins To bare his arm and punish crying sins Friend Moses do my will it is not hid From thee I 've by my self and Angel bid That thou in this affair should fearless be As Aaron both direction from me From time to time shall have go hand in hand While you have brought my Sons out of the Land Let Aaron take the Rod and shake it over Their Rivers and their Ponds which waters cover And all their Vessels wherein they keep sweet That which they draw for drink and dressing meat For I will turn those waters into blood Because they 've hitherto my power withstood And slain my subjects for this cruel deed They in
this punishment their sin shall read As blood was their delight so blood shall be The first sad sign of their Catastrophe My Infants tears I cannot longer smother The griefs and groans of each distressed Mother The Fathers loss I do with him condole Infanticide doth vex my very Soul My Justice must this cruelty controul The harmless waters that did suffocate Those half-liv'd babes shall show my pow'r my hate By painted blushes tho this Livery Will not yet work the wish'd delivery Of their surviving parents Go and try Tho he 'll not me by this yet gratify Thus authoriz'd the Brethren haste to Nile Whose early coming made the Monarch smile Stood there before who said come Moses tell Us news from Heav'n are all things settled well In that Utopean Territory say Have you command to take my Slaves away Yes Sir we have as you 're long shall know None can distrust those good credentials show These waters we will in your presence smite Waters that bring to Egypt wealth delight Because in them you drown the Israelite They strike the Flood put on a crimson blush Dy'd by the hand that sav'd the flaming bush Which quickly turn'd to nauseous putrid blood Dazzling the Fishes tho their sight was good They could not see to swim nor gather food But wondring at the change of th' Element Struggle for life until their life was spent The Crocodil's feign'd tears do real grow Because they could not rest above below The waters running bloody thick and slow The Tortoises crawl from their warmer Sand To lay and hatch their Eggs upon the Land All shewing Pharaoh 't was th' Almighty's hand Tho he the prodigy with indignation Beholds and calls the wise men of the Nation Saying have you this new trick never done Are they the Wonder workers they alone Call up your Demons and their aid implore Or else be gone I 'll be Priest-rid no more Most Sacred Sir you know to us your will Is dearer than our Souls we will fulfil All your desires when we clear water find We'â—l do as they have done and ease your mind That Egypt you and all the world may see It is not fit such Fops to gratify Believe your Priests great Sir your doubt is o're Well now my heart is harden'd as before Let us go home My Lord what shall we do Cry'd the Egyptians with a triple bow Our thirst is great the Water none can drink Nor eat the Fish now dead for both do stink We are undone what're the wise men think Remove from Nile deep Wells you may prepare Where Moses nor his Brother Aaron were The subterraneal streams I hope are free From Incantation Jewish Sorcery Try 't is but sev'n days wonder when that 's o'er Nile will be sweet and clear as heretofore When they are weary'd we shall have a Truce With satisfaction for the loss abuse Done to our sacred person to our state Elohim frowning crys obliterate The name of that proud Prince his crimes require Both temp'ral Judgments and eternal Fire Tell him my Justice since he will not mend Designs far greater plagues on him to send His clear'd sweet water shall for smell and taste Be worse than when the blood did it infest For I will call from thence a croaking host That cover shall the Earth with Spawn his Coast Shall be discolour'd no place shall be free His House and Bed will both infested be His Servants who have yet scarce trouble had Shall eat the loathsome slime amongst their bread These Frogs so fast so numerous will come On him and his that there shall be no Room Unhaunted left I say go tell the King Then with your hallowed Rod perform the thing The Brothers go who after honours made Inform'd the King of what Jehovah said He seem'd secure and frown'd they urg'd the case And with a Frog-plague dar'd him to his face Think not said they that menaces will do We have command to act and menace too The Wand stretcht o're the stream a hideous noise Was heard an uncouth croak harsh-sounding voice Of new made Frogs such as the world's eye Ne're yet beheld A loathsom Majesty Sat on their o'er grown bulks and made them dare T' invade their Houses Temples without fear Tho newly rais'd they train'd and valiant were The trembling King and Country strove to oppose The inroads of those unknown warlike Foes But all in vain the more of them they kill The more they grew the more their Houses fill The Palace is not free'd the King must bear The greatest burden while they quarter there Heav'n gave the Billets made the Court of Guard In Pharaoh's House this him from sleep debarr'd Who thought each Frog a dying Child whose cries Pierced his heart as theirs had pierc'd the Skies And brought the Judgment under which he groans Because his cruel heart despis'd their moans Blood-shed and Cruelty make empty Thrones Choak'd with faint fulsome smells he left his bed Shaking his Locks with Frogs-spawn overspread Then sighs and shrieks and weeps and calls who 's there To those lay by but they opprest with fear Made no return At last great Jambres speaks My Lord why are you troubled at such freaks I 'll make such vermin if you say I shall No such delusions do but haste my fall Call Heav'ns Envoys Moses and his Brother There is a God I cannot longer smother My sentiments of this great truth I see That not your art nor love can comfort me You have encreas'd my Sorrows but relief Transcends your pow'r This this augments my grief This said shame paleness seiz'd on ev'ry face To see the insolence impet'ousness Of Titan's spurious brood base watry race But most of all o' the Wizards who begin To shrivel up their Noses Cheeks and Chin Mutter and howl because they cannot awe Pharaoh as formerly He doth withdraw They gawn and yell than Cerberus more loud And so expire Hell gaping for their blood Moses appears to whom the King with tears Said you are not insensible what fears What horrors and what miseries attend The man 's abus'd and cheated by his friend This is my case you know I have withstood At their desire that Heav'n meant for my good Peace tho I drown'd his Servants in the flood Now now alas my Land and Conscience feel The worst of woes think'st not that Heaven may deal More mildly with me since his mercy 's great Beg thou that he remove from my poor state This loathsome fry I will no more contend But willingly his loved people send To offer sacrifice Make this thy care I 'm now convinc'd he is a God of pray'r And thou his Servant This with grave accent He uttered as tho he did repent ' Grand Rebels Murtherers and Thieves when come ' Before the Bench expecting their last doom ' Have mourning on and with a pitious tone ' Complain of their misfortunes every one ' Doth beg for mercy yet if Jur ' or Judge ' Or Clement
expressions to confess his sin To Moses and to Aaron saying thus Egypt is wicked Heav'n is Righteous Good men entreat your God once more for me To cease the Thundâ—rings let the Hail storm be Abated then what you desire I 'll give It is enough if I and mine may live I 'd better lose such Subjects than to hire Them at so dear a rate they shall retire To which the Prophet maketh this reply I must go hence before I lift on high My heart and hands for thee unto the Lord That th' Hail and Thunder may cease at my word And turn to their own elements to show That th' Heav'ns above are Gods and th' Earth below But I am sure when this great plague is o're Thy thoughts will be the same as heretofore Faithless and froward and thy sottish crew Of slavish Subjects will their rage renew The damage done by this seventh plague's so great That with dry Eyes no man can it repeat The Flax now ripe from whence the Staple trade Of Egypt had its rise and Linnen made By subtile corruscations withered The pond'rous Hail its bolls knopt off interr'd And bowing Barley calling for the hand Of nimble Sythe-man buried in the Sand. The Wheat and Rye that did not yet appear Were only sav'd from this great Massacre ' The Judgment must be great all must confess ' When Eden's turn'd into a Wilderness This Pharaoh saw but when thro Moses's pray'r The Sun dispers'd the Clouds and made all fair When Thunder Rain and Hail were called in He waxed worse and added sin to sin Whose ill example was so prevalent With all his Subjects that they likewise bent Their minds on future mischief and deny Their punisher to please or gratify Who now resolv'd on Egypt's desolation And the deliv'ry of the Hebrew Nation Said Moses Go unto the King yet know That I his heart have harden'd he 'll not bow To make my wisdom powâ—r and glory shine For ages after in the eyes of thine By thy instruction and may oft repeat With joy and gratitude the wonders great For their redemption wrought and constant prove To thee their Leader me their great Jehove Away in haste unto the faithless King And say the Hebrews God remembering His Servants slavery and thy peevishness Resolves thy ruin this is the Express He wonders at thy refractory Spirit Which will not humble after thy just merit Hath brought seven plagues 't is time his friends were gone The eighth is near a great and grievous one A dreadful host sent by a scorching wind From the South west will eat that 's left behind That will disrobe thy new-cloath'd Fields and Trees Of all their Summer Glories Liveries And such a Famine bring as heretofore When Jacob's Sons to Egypt first came o'er And greater much because the Hebrew Prince Joseph your Saviour is forgot long since Who like a father furnish'd you with Corn When faint thro hunger you did daily mourn Before his Gate His wise his melting heart Found out new measures by a divine art That might your wants supply and you relieve Not dreaming then that you his race would grieve With stripes disgrace with burthens and with death Revenge implacable and endless wrath These are your crimes and this your punishment To morrow Locusts will from Heav'n be sent Locusts so strange so great so numerous They 'll cover all the Land and fill each House The Land that promis'd you a small supply After the Hail and Rain shall putrifie The fruitful Trees shall shake their Leaves and bare Meadows shall look as Winter had been there Whate'er proud Nile and the attracting Sun Hath forced from the Earth shall be undone Nor shall your Bodies from them be excus'd Such measures you shall have as you have us'd Your Tongues and Hands were sharpen'd and your Swords Destroy'd my people your most pleasant words Like Serpents Vipers and like Wasps did bite The fainting feeble famisht Israelite Their poyson'd stings shall pierce your trembling veins Opening their Sluces as you did the Drains Thro Nile's great banks to vex my Servants hearts That when you feel the fury of their Darts You may bind up not chaff the wound that smarts This when the angry Prophet had exprest Without farewel he leaves him and the rest Unspoken All his Counsellors dismaid Seeing Moses to their King no reverence paid At his departure but with high disdain Show'd by his looks charg'd him once more on pain Of Death in haste to let the people go Cry 't is of God now we must own it so We must submit unto their God's decree And not of our own ruin authors be Tho we could flatter when all things went well We must give over now and frankly tell The King that he not we began this 〈◊〉 In which we 're daily worsted better far It is to yield than wait th' unknown event We see their Magazines cannot be spent They are not men we fight with when the pow'rs Of Heav'n and Earth are raised what are ours A loathsome Louse a Frog a Flie can bring Destruction on us and on our King Come le ts not dally here the Monarch comes Chaffâ—d with the late affront he stares he foams Who dares accost him in this furious mood His trembling shows the thirsteth after blood But we must tâ—y before it be too late With him about this matter to debate Great Sir our grief not boldness makes us offer The Nations state our troubles will not suffer â—onger connivance speedy remedy Must be consulted on 'twixt us and thee Earth Water Fire and Air do all agree Against our Counsels to set Israel free It must be done necessity hath no Law Pray Sir be wise and let the men withdraw My Lords it is not strange that loss and fear Give you occasion to accost my ear With such surprizing Language But I wonder That Jannes Jambres who so oft did Thunder Another Dialect should cringe and truckle Against the rules of their own art and buckle To foreign fancies Yet it grieves me most That this grave Priest should too himself be lost Who Pharaoh wished the fondling brat to kill His Daughters joy before he had done ill All made returns the mighty Lords begin Great Sir the loss is yours we would not sin Against a Prince so glorious so great Against a fertile Land and potent State Of all we must be guilty if we do Our eyes hoodwink our senses brains forego It is the glory of a Courtier First to foresee and then prevent the shower This is our Province time lost to recover Is full of hazard Pray Great Sir give over The Sorcerers in order next appear Blushing with shame and stupifi'd with fear Dread Soveraign say they our mortal state Admits of changes while this grand debate 'Twixt Heav'n and you lay dormant our Ally's Taught us both God and Men how to despise You you great Sir excepted now they flie They dare not ape Heav'ns smallest prodigy Nor