hence Send one mean while ye shall be all restraind To prove if that your words be true or feign'd But if th' event convince you of a lie Why then by Pharaohs life ye come to spie Now were the Brethren all imprisoned Till thrice the Sun had left Aurora's bed When thus his Lordship spake Sirs if y' are true Doe this I fear a God as well as you If your cause spring from an unfeigned source No false injustice shall divert its course If true you blunt if false you whet the edge Of our proceedings leave one as a Pledge Of our return yet see you doe not fail None but that Brother proves your pledges bayl Now conscience like a wound by time o'r-skin'd Launc'd by the memory of what they 'd sinn'd Grew to an Ulcer which seem'd sound before And guilt like Titius Vultur gripes the sore Crosses the Midwives to the conscience be From the gross womb of dull security As Sols fierce heat dissolves the ycic plain That drowns the murmur of the roaring main So crosses soon the frozen heart-strings thaw As if a flaming Hell were in the Maw Heart-gnawing Vultures gripes are not so fierce As those that do a frighted conscience pierce Like a fierce lightning which doth frie at once The marrow and incinerates the bones No Tyrants cruelty nor are the phangs Of rav'nous Beasts more horrid than those pangs Which now the Brethren knew when that they felt Their wounded hearts even in their Brests to melt Brethren quoth one would we could that forget Which doth our conscience-seared heart-strings fret When we O horrid piacle inroll'd In heavens notaries our Brother sold Tyrants had wept but we would not condole The bitter anguish of his troubled soul This Curse our Brother did to us bequeath Whom we undoubtedly betrayd to death The fact was haynous and the sin most gross So here is rage for rage and cross for cross Me thinks as yet his mones do pierce my ears My heart drops blood fast as his ey wept tears Our scourging conscience more doth tyrannize Than did our rage upon so weak a prize This said quoth Reuben Brethren spake not I Soon as I heard your Plot your Tragedy Although I fortun'd not to intervene When you were acting of that rigid Scene O spare the Child but you prov'd to my plea As deaf and unrelenting as the Sea Bondage is Bawd to death I fear whose knise Made quick abridgement of his tender life We justly bondage fear and which is worse His blood may challenge blood a greater curse Little the Brethren thought that their remorse Of Conscience their language and discourse His Lordship understood whose meanings were Deliver'd them by an Interpreter Who now no longer could his passion smother But as in Tydes one wave pursues another Oft ceasing not till in their rolling ranks They drown all Barriers and fencing Banks So at each circumstance his passion higher And higher swell'd then did so high aspire That he retiring could not tears refrain But through his eyes discharg'd his troubled brain Who though the rain was past would yet allow Some frowning clouds to triumph on his Brow Anon quoth he returning to the room Your reason 's woven in too thin a Loom To take our faith my will by oath is seal'd By vow my sentence not to be repeal'd Since you no other evidence a lege To prove your truth thus will I choose my pledge Before them all then Simeon was bound Ev'n thus quoth he the truth I 'll justly sound Of your intents you gain no further grace Unless that younger Brother see my face That youngest Brother only shall redeem This Brother bound then traffick with esteem Why do you whisper thus speak if your cause Be just demur not thus Truth needs no pause Now had he charg'd the Steward of his Treasure To fill their Sacks with Corn in bounteous measure To store them for the journey and to pack Their Money in the mouth of each mans Sack Their Asses loaden now you may conceive With humble promises they take their leave And lest old Jacob might through their delay Do not lest they might prove an untimely prey Unto some danger lest his hopes might bleed T' a lingring death they make the greater speed Now at his Inne as each his Asse did bait Opening their Sacks their Money in full weight Was in their Sacks mouth much they did resent With sad amazement that strange accident One doubted Egypts spells another fear'd Th' abused Medium which another clear'd A third non-payment and a fourth pursute But all concluded in confus'd dispute But all grant 't was an act that God had wrought Which should b'unravel'd far beyond their thought Conceive them now at home where you may ghess They tell their Father of their sad success Dear Sir quoth one the Master of the Land Dealt roughly with us and began to brand Us with the name of Spies as some that aim'd To search their weakness which we all disclaim'd We humbly all our sute for Corn inferr'd As witness of our truth and more averr'd We 're twelve quoth we and by one man begot The youngest is at home and one is not Excuse nor plea could not maintain our cause But He th' advantage taking of that clause The youngest is at home thus aim'd to prove Where we were such that to such ends did rove Quoth he where either you speak truth or feign I 'll doe no more than Justice shall maintain Take for to nurse your houses and be gon And come not here without that youngest Son If y'have at home a Brother as you spoke That labours with you under the same yoke Of filiall duty if you here approach Sans him as Spies no doubt you now encroach And that you may conceive how far your wit Shall fail of our suspect you to acquit Let one of you here as your Pledge reside Till your return so shall your truth be tri'd You me quoth mourning Jacob have beguil'd Of Simeon now and Joseph whilst a Child And think you with this slight me to supplant To take his Brother This I cannot grant At this quoth Râ—uben let my Sons be slain If I return thy son not safe again Both mine I 'll sacrifice unto thy rigour If that he come not home in perfect vigour My Son quoth Jacob shall not hence go down To be a prey to those of Memphis town The journey 's dangerous and at each pace Death may arrest him with his Ebon Mace Oh be advis'd my sons when Joseph di'd My Soul neer sayl'd forth with his purple tide And should his Brother fail the self same dart Would cut the Cables of my an'chring heart Or weigh it from my bosomes anchorage Deliberate take pitty on my age Now Jacobs Corn was spent and yet this year Small shew of future harvest did appear Who calling for his Children thus began My Sons quoth he life which some tearm a span Dearth will t'an inch reduce
our beautie 's blasted Our strength is spent our spirits are exhausted Our young ones starve our abler stomacks feed Unless thou food supply on grass and weed Observe how Dearth mocks Death our nether jawes Hang down through weakness while we plead our cause Look look how some would speak but their faint lungs Stop the intendments of their clammy tongues Grant and dismiss us for we here resort Not for to make a Charnell-house thy Court The King prick'd with remorse of Egypts want Thus mildly condescends his Princely grant Quoth he go and what Joseph shall injoyn Obey doubt not his spirit is divine That said they croucht their thanks have you observ'd How that a Falcon through neglect neer starv'd Soon as her Keeper comes within her sight Both makes an eager though a slug-like flight Unto her prey and though her limbs be weak Shee fiercely tugs it with her ragged beak So the Egyptians in a numerous press To Joseph's Palace make their full address Some dumbly passionating begg'd some kist His feet who op'ning all his store dismist Them all without a rigorous dispute With a glad burthen of their purchas'd sute Now Egypt in this fatall time of dearth Remain'd the onely Store-house of the Earth The worlds chief Granary of grain the sole Exchequer of each Land from Pole to Pole Ev'n Canaan on whose rich abounding store Once lived thirtie Kings must now implore Her neighbours help glad if she might in peace Be made partaker of her blest increase Among whom so did Providence design Old Jacob and his Sons began to pine Through dearth the palat late so liquorish Would gladly banquet on a common-dish Oft Jacob ruminates and weighs the cause Why were all Kingdomes offer'd to the jawes Of Famine then concludes they 'r justly curst Since they such monstrous sinners long had nurst Then would he doubt lest that his Childrens sin Had brought this Curse on fertile Palestine Then seeks with Sacrifice for to appease The heavens wrath so might their fields increase Distrust he would not for he did believe God would redeem him with a safe reprieve Who promis'd that his seed though death did rage Should have their Country for their Heritage While thus imagination had ingrost His sense and fancy thus divinely glost He calls his sons to whom you may suppose His smother'd thoughts old Jacob did disclose My Sons quoth he you know our Corn is spent And little 's left either in Field or Tent Our plenty-pregnant sins have now at last Brought forth a Dearth the mighty Protoplast Mov'd by our monstrous sins hath strongly seel'd The heav'ns with brass and th' earth beneath hath steel'd And Death and Famine two remorsless Mates Triumphing ride and knock at all our gates Those dainties fail that fed our glutt'nous lust Our chalkie teeth have lost their unctuous rust Why do you whisper thus why do you gaze One on another let your Lambkins graze There 's Corn in Egypt goe and buy my sons That we may live we and our little ones You know our fruitfull fields forbear to teem We starve unless your speedy care redeem Go and make haste my sons your Brothers pain Shall be redoubled till you come again Your Sheep shall feed upon their pleasant grounds No Goat shall rove beyond his wonted bounds No Dog shall fright no rav'nous Beast pursue With fearfull flight a Kid or tender Ewe No dull delay could their intents adjourn But when stout Chaunticleer had wak'd the morn The carefull Brethren with a rustick port Knockt to fair Memphis then to Josephs Court For he it was who did dispense the Corn To those whom meager Death had made forelorn Anon to Joseph they themselves addrest With great submission and with lowly crest The prostrate Ten unto his Lordship croucht In every look humility was coucht Whom Joseph knew yet he his passion checkt And strangely views them with a stern aspect And thus began What are you and from whence Under what clime have you your residence Quoth they Great Master Canan is our home Hither to buy food are thy servants come Their lowliness remembring him the truth Of his presaging Dreams while yet a Youth Now might pale rancour swell revenge insult And malice might demand no common mulct And envy by that seeming Justice backt Of like for like might proudly now exact Great recompence a Dungeon well might sit Their cruelty that doom'd him to the Pit The law of Nature now might seem to crave As they had him so he should them inslave And in remembrance of their slouts in scorn Dismiss them hopeless and deny them Corn. Where envy is the memories Recorder Expect proceedings in remoâ—slless order But he ne'r entertain'd Her as a guest Much less a Tenant in his peacefull Brest Their sight his pitty not revenge begate His blood did daunce for joy not boyl with hate Yet though his bowels did through passion yern As were his looks thus his reproofs were stern Quoth he what made you hither to repair To leave your own to breath a forreign air How careless is our guard how have they watch'd That such suspitious Spies pass unattach'd Y' are Spies our tortures shall the truth extort Why you thus saucily approach our Court You come to spie our weakness you shall feel What strength our Country hath perhaps our Steel Our sins makes God seem strange as clouds we see Shrowd th'ey of heav'en so sin Gods heav'nly ey Or if but seen his cheeks with an anger glow Wrath 's on his ey thron'd ruin on his brow And while they sin as Traitors he attaints Unto his Covenant his dearest Saints The Brethren started at these thundring words The active blood within each body curds Quoth they let not your Lordship this Impute Nor mis-interpret our unfeigned sute We all the tincture have of one mans blood Who hither hath us sent to buy some food And so let heaven with thy servants deal As we intend unto your Common-weal Wee 'll have the truth of this upon the racks Quoth he your sute your Asses and your Sacks Are meer pretences you are all but Spies These specious colours cannot blind our eyes We 're twelve quoth they and by one man begot The youngest is at home and one is not We are no such that to such ends do rome Hither to buy food are thy servants come Let not your Lordship trample miserie Pitty a strangers privilege should be O do not censure w' are so innocent We scarce conceive what by your words is meant If want be treason and to come to buy Food be invasion then we come to spy Y' are Spies quoth he vain words no longer urge They are too empty this your guilt to purge Since you no other voucher can produce To prove your truth but only this excuse My Sentence like my words none may revoke Send for that youngest Son of whom you spoke Unless that Brother prove your evidence By Pharaohs life yee shall not part from
our pledge As yet quoth Joseph doth that old man breath Hath Fate not yet betray'd him unto death Is death yet retrograde hath yet your God Unto your Famine set a period Great Sir quoth they our Father yet doth breath Through heav'n and you but no triumphant wreath Of full-ear'd Harvest crowns the Husbands brows Nor one smali Sheaf doth answer all our vowes Our Father lives though not with wonted heat His heart with healthy vigour yet doth beat As yet he lives unless his life be spun To th' utmost thread through absence of his Son By us he beggs you Sir though we are rude And though of language indigest and crude This present as the Interest t' accept Of a more vast and far immense a debt Is this quoth Joseph he of whom I sware That being owes and life to the same care Of the same Sire with you they on their knee Falling submissively say this is he Let God quoth Joseph from his bounteous treasure Showr on thee blessings in a gracious measure I now my Censure willingly revoke Gladly release your brother from this yoak Untill your miserie be retrograde You shall b'admitted here in peace to trade Y' are proof enough y' are of an honest tribe What doth this Present mean I ruth needs no bribe Scarce could he Passion check which would eruct What he would have concealed scarce obstruct His tears which now like billowes rais'd by wind Disdain'd within their cells to be confind Which lest too soon they might excell his power He stept aside and wept a plenteous shower Thrice had he wash'd his face but tears did rise Too great a chanell for his conduit-eyes And he must stay their weeping the extent Of his large cells had too too small a vent Thrice had he lockt his door but all in vain For through the flood-gates broke the silver rain Thrice he in Passion as he past the stair Did for his Brother hug the empty air Then must return for tears again did trace Their rivulets upon his blubber'd face Scarce could he with his Passion take a truce Scarce could he stop his tear-betraying sluce His reeking cheeks like Roses rain-bedasht Imagin from their stains at length were washt When Passions close recluse at length came down With looks importing nor a smile nor frown None there despaired through a stern reflect None by his pleasant looks might him suspect At his command the Table strait was spread The Dainties usher'd by a grim death head Where Joseph by himself was serv'd in state His honour had no rivall knew no mate And Egypt ' mongst all of the Universe With th' Hebrews might not eat and scarce commerse Now as each Brothers age excell'd in date Of years each one above another sate The eldest was not Lord nor th' young'st his Page But each took place according to his age To whom his Lordship sent to each a dish And so surpast at once desert and wish And as though clouds shrowd Titans golden ray Through them unseen he doth dispense the day So Joseph though thus strange yet did dispense Kind welcome through his favours influence As oft the Sun doth through those vapours pierce That shrowd his beauty from the Universe So through his austere strangeness oft there shin'd Beams of unwonted favour while they din'd On Benjamin though few the cause could ghesse Why he was served with a five fold messe And though his Lordship by no means could brook Excess his Butler Luxurie his Cook No Kickshawe wanting was nor Courtly cate Which they enjoy'd in peace and jolly chat Now heav'n through grief of losing Phoebus light In mourning darkness entertain'd the night And stars like to obsequious Tapors shin'd As if lamenting that their Lord declin'd When Joseph charg'd the Steward of his Corn With early care t'anticipate the morn Yer sleep the Howlets watchfull sense benum'd Birds chirp their morning peals or Beetle hum'd In plenteous sort to fill each Brothers Sack Till ev'n they did with swelling plenty crack To give them for their journey and restore In each ones Sack his Money as before And in the youngest Brothers Sack to knit His silver Cup Love's waited on by wit Soon as Aurora wept her dewy drops And jocund day peer'd on the mountain tops The carefull Brethren kindly were dismist And when departing Sol the morn had kist His Lordship sent his Steward on pursute Of the late strangers to their charge t'impute T' have stoln his Lordships Cup and thus to gloss With harsh expressions on a fault so gross That if his Lordships late unwonted care Wrought no impression yet how they did dare T' abuse him thus whose power like the Kings Could reach far off like wide-stretcht Dragons wings That not deliberation could of time Nor close evasions excuse this crime That 't was the Cup by which his Lord divin'd No weak conjecture of a doubtfull mind This spoke that by this means he might reduce Them on pretence to answer this abuse The carefull Steward this command discharg'd And wisely on the premises enlarg'd Soon like a biting frost this fierce arrest Nipt all the hopes that budded on their crest Great Sir quoth they why speaks my Lord these words They of our hearts dissect the tender cords God who Heaven rules and Hells infernall vault Knows we are innocent free from this fault Fearing mistakes we brought again our Coin Why should we Gold or Silver then purloin Wee 'll this offence not with pretences gild Truth needs no colour let his blood be swill'd By the severest Justice at a sup With whomsoe'r is found his Lordships Cup. Well quoth the Steward as you say I 'll deal Your words are just and I to them appeal With whomsoe'r his Lordships Cup is found Ev'n as you spoke he shall my slave be bound But yee shall all be free through innocence Since each must answer for his own offence At this each willingly his Sack unknit While each one sought himself for to acquit The Cup was found knit in the young'st his Sack At which ev'n all their ey-strings seem'd to crack So stars as sham'd of day I 've seen to wink So have I seen the Snail being hit to shrink Within his shelly penthouse and now fail'd Their eyes as sudden grief their ey-balls veil'd What should they say for to deny the deed Did seem a shift weak as a Nilus reed Which would both fail and hurt them should they lie What should they do who like a late-spawn'd frie In the wild Sea were subject to the prey Of every greater fish ev'n so seem'd they Sad Beniamin spar'd neither vowes nor oaths To back his innocence each rent his cloathes And back in grief returned to the City Submissively to crave his Lordships pitie Guess them return'd to them the Lord begun What deed is this quoth he that you have done I gave you Wine for which my Cup you stole Thought you I had not a divining Soul The fact is evident
primes And who will gain his ends must wait on times Where pleasure 's principall pain paies the use Of Fate and Fortune now she begs excuse And Love with whom she madly late contested Is in his Deity now re-invested who 'll not endure Love's pecking Doves shall smart For his impatience with his angry dart To those that yeeld Love is a gracious Queen A tyrant to a refractory spleen Somtimes she fears suspition might discover To Putiphar she was her Vassals lover And then what slight or what insinuation Can free her from his just repudiation But Fear 's a Pigmie drest in Gorgons cloaths To gain her ends shee 'll break all nuptiall oaths On Lovers perjuries they say Joves smiles And Love is still auspicious to such Wiles As did Semiramis once woo her Nine So likewise our Egyptian Messaline Occasion serving her you may surmize Thus makes her third assault upon her prize Look dear how Time hath granted what I claim'd And Chance presents the scope to which I aim'd Let 's not delay of my request accept And in my graunt let Nature have her debt Thou to a Father wert a Child I gather That to a Child thou mightst become a Father Pray do not thus discourteously impeach Me as before hear till I end my Speech Yet in my suing looks if I were mute Thou mightst most plainly read my loving sute Regard these Tears Pearls of so rare esteem Which Pharoh if a Captive might redeem What 's here shouldst thou of envie take advice What 's here deformed that thou shouldst be nice Here 's symmetry no ill-proportion'd frame Nature and Art herein deserve no blame My sinewes active are my spirits quick Are as thine own they 'r neither grâ—ss nor thick Which granted speak who but a sensless stone To such requests as these would not be prone Madam quoth he my resolution 's fixt Nor with ambiguous doubts at all is mixt Were you an Angell come from heav'n and mov'd Me to this sute I never would have lov'd Which yer I grant conceive that Heav'n and Hell Things inconsistent incompatible Shall in harmonious unity combine Yer I one thought to your request incline Though nature you with choysest parts endows My ey shall never countermand my vows I hate not love but that intemp'rate flame Of burning lust that thus usurps his name Love at a heav'nly beam doth light his torch While hellish flames the lust-allured scorch Much more than this for sacred love I 'd speak The text is old the oratory weak Pray speak no more my ears do burn for shame To hear your talk my cheeks are all aflame Thus daily did our pathick Amorist The fair Iempsar in her sute persist And Joseph's truth as bold was as her lust Denies to violate his faith and trust Oft did his ears pump her invention dry And then her sighes her meaning would supply And as some doe observe the visage keeps The self-same figures when it laughs and weeps So various were her passions none could read In hers where that she smil'd or wept indeed Had but the Syrens to Ulysses sung So sweetly as here woo'd Iemsars tongue 'T is thought Ulysses had though ne'r so chast Broke through the yeelding Cable burst the Mast His mens unsealed ears charm'd by her notes Had left their empty ship to Neptunes floats Now would she strike her Brests then otherwhiles Weep tears would cheat even the Crocodiles Ne'r was a Roe more weary of her chase Ne'r timerous Hare to shun the Hunters trace Doubled more folds or made more neer escapes Than to avoid her he did vary shapes And when he ever would himself unmew Shee like disdained Echo still would sue Or like his shadow only had not fled Had he returned to her lustfull Bed Iempsar at young Josephs chast regrets Is madly malecontent and thus she frets Shall expectation longer dull my sense Or I turn'â— o'r to racking patience Stoop I so low and in my sute so serious And is this Lad so sullen and imperious Shall I shall I who was so nobly born Thus prove a â—ropâ—â—â— to my vassals scorn Shall I whose words can either save or doom Thus â—ive as sentenc'd by my servile groom Shall I whose powrfull face was wont to bow The stoutest Monarchs to an amorous vow Be thus despis'd contemn'd condemn'd rejected My promise slighted and my faith suspected I 'll make him know by dear experience What 't is a womans fury to incense Women are Angels grant to what they mov'd Deni'd are Furies hate what e'r they lov'd But yet there are some hopes perhaps this Boy Is out of inexperience thus so coy A bold assault perchance may win the crown Then will I thunder if he dare to frown The sweetest Wine hath still the sharpest lees And water heat once coold will hardest freeze Seeing thus my resolution hath decreed Let Venâ—â— or Alecto be my speed Ne'r could our haunted youth have the enjoyment Of ease or quiet labour or employment But him she haunts at length he unaware Thus boldly she anticipates his ear Look dear my care thy utmost hath outvi'd Why fly'st me so sweet give me leave to chide Was it not grief enough thou should'st deny mee But thus likewise discourteously to fly mee Denyalls wound but where love cannot plead His sute through absence sorrow strikes him dead Dear Why art thou and I grown day and night When I am most then thou art least in sight Look Time o'rshades us with a prosp'rous wing And but thy love could I wish any thing Frown not since Fortune smiles make use of season Here is no blab to prate then fear no treason Art thou religious What is zeal but love And such proficients must such means improve Leave leave this coyness let not love be banish'd Make use of love before this Youth be vanish'd This said our hasty lover is grown mute As was invention prompting a recruit Quoth Joseph Madam leave these Syrens songs This pair of ears can dry a thousand tongues They ne'r shall force a passage to my heart My resolution goes beyond your art Then be resolv'd I wish you understood Lust stains the tincture of your noble blood Love is all valour damned lust a craven Love's Embleme is a Dove but Lust's a Raven More I could speak and more he would have spoke Had she not lustfully caught at his Cloak Who of his Cloak not chastity bereft Fled and his garment with his Mistris left He gon her blood through choler grew adust Within her veins black as her burning lust Where Lust's the Mother Hate is still the Child Thus Love and Lust are never reconcil'd Iempsar raves no other pains she felt Than did some Witch her waxen statue melt Her heart knockt at her ribs e'n such a pain Did Meleager Poets say sustain When that his Mother with her angry hand Into the flames had cast the fatall brand Officious envy soon a lie suggested And she as by some horrid ghest
infested Exclaim'd aloud her servants at the noyse Approach'd whom strait she greeteth with this voice Quoth she The slave on which He so consides Forsooth the Steward who our business guides Would ravish me but by my outcrie chac't Fled and his garment with me left through hast Glad she had drest her lie in such a shape That he on her attempted had a rape She knew the Youth should from her Husband win No expiation for so foul a sin On which triumphing our incensed Dame Layes up the Garment till her Husband came He come her mind our Lady thus discust As Phaedra once accus'd her son of lust With mournfull looks moyst eies and hands expans'd Quoth she The Youth whom you have so advanc'd Had ravish'd me had not my shreeking tongue More powerfull been than my defence was strong And as a witness of what he design'd For hast he left with me his Cloak behind This said the blood boyld in the Captains veins Rough Jealousie strait gave his rage the reins Quoth He to Joseph is this lovely look So fair an Index to so false a Book Nay sure old Nature doted when she shrind Within so fair a Case so foul a Mind Hence I 'll ne'r trust to beauty since I know Worst thoughts lurk mask'd under the fairest show How I 'm deceived who would ever fear A Devill mov'd within this splendid sphear I know the reason now and will assent Why fairest flowers have still the foulest sent Is thy Religion but a feign'd disguise Is lust the zeal that thus thy temper fries Wert thou for this prefer'd so highly fed That thou shouldst thus attempt to stain my Bed Could none could none ambitious lust suffice But such a purchase of so rare a prize Hardship shall check this temper day and night Hunger shall quell this lustfull Appetite Yet though thou herein wer 't so malapert And this offence might cancell all desert My rage shall not glut on thy flesh for food Nor shall my furyes revell on thy blood Yet leave these robes that I may be reveng'd These golden Chains for Guives must be exchang'd These Rings for Manacles for Tapestry Darkness shall serve thee for a Canopy To prison hence whence hope for no reprivall Think'st thou my thoughts can brook my slave my rivall Oft Joseph thus began yet when he spoke The Captain on the Jaylour would invoke My grief the rigour of your doom exceeds That Fate hath interwoven so my deeds With secrecy that what my Mistris saith Beyond my truth of all should purchase faith Yet innocence is bold and I avouch If e'r I so attempted her to touch May heav'n and earth against me both conspire And may I stand the object of their ire If I were false then as my just desert May this right hand prove traytour to my heart To God who is as innocent so just I do appeal I never ment this lust To him that will both quit me for this blame And in the end make envy blush for shame These notwithstanding Josephs vows and tears So Jealousie stood in the Captains ears As Centinell that no complaint or mone Could force a passage unto reasons throne And thus no further brought unto the test The Jaylour entertains his wofull guest Although a Pearl through glass more dully shines 'T is not the prison Wall but guilt confines Where conscience in the bosome runs atilt Against the heart the Jaylour there is guilt And if the body not the mind be free What is that but a captiv'd liberty The greater world to such no less doth seem Than is the lesser in the souls esteem But innocence though in a narrow gyre Is free as ever fancy can desire Angels spread not more free their aery wings The charter'd Libertine of the Woods not sings More free the ship cuts not the silver fome Nor Fish more freely in the Ocean come Nay Winds are limited and Sea 's restrain'd But Innocence is free though bound and chain'd Oft our impris'ned Youth his God implor'd And with these mournfull sighes the heavens board Thou that art cloath'd with light as with a cloak Before whom heaven vanisheth like smoak Dispell O Lord that wilfull ignorance That would miscall this Providence a Chance Lord I have sinned and this heavy scourge Thou plagu'st me with was formed in my forge 'T is sin my conscience Lord doth so attest Betraies my freedome unto this arrest So that I cannot satisfie my mind Which of the two more straightly is confin'd Either my Soul within this flesh immur'd Or else my Body that is thus secur'd Thou that for former sins dost thine correct Although then innocent with false suspect Thou who mak'st greatest men like stoutest trees At thy rebuke to bow their knotty knees Since sin upon my Soul writes not this guilt Let mercy bayl let not my life be spilt This of thee Lord I humbly do importune Who art far much above Men Fate or Fortune Our Youth in Prison had not long been kept But that his winning manners softly crept Into the Jaylours brest and won such grace The Jaylour captive to his Pris'ner was So ever did this holy Witch inchaunt him So ever Joseph's good conceit did haunt him That he anon commiserates the youth And makes strange descants on Iemsars truth Anon his care by constancy matur'd Had so the Jaylour of the truth assur'd That to his providence he grants at large His keyes his care his custody and charge Anon great Pharaoh highly was incens'd For thus suspition had her plaint commenc'd His Butler and his Baker had compli'd On him to act a poys'nous Regicide The King defer'd not but on his attaint Both were confined to a close restraint Both to the self-same prison were conveigh'd To which sweet Joseph lately was betray'd Whom so the Captain of the guard inlarg'd That with the new-come Pris'ners he was charg'd Who for a time were both in prison kept Till in a night when sleep payd Natures debt Their brains had etertained such conceits Whose resolution drove them to such straits What should these dreams import whose ridling fancy They fear'd surpast the rack of Necromancy With strange imaginations thus perplext They sate revolving on the fancies text Till Ioseph came who strait in humble sort Thus asks what these demeanours did import Quoth he what means this eye late quick and full So suddenly grow hollow sunk and dull These fixed looks what do these sighs imply This visage drest in sorrows livery Grief vented much is eas'd then tell the cause On what you thus demur and sadly pause This night quoth they our troubled Genii Have fixt so strangely on our memory Strange Dreams beyond our powers to untwist And worse we fear of Charm or Chemosh Priest This sayd quoth Joseph heaven oft in Dreams Presents imagination with Theams Of high import inspired fantasie Oft speaks more true then weak Astrology And as 't is Gods t' inspire I dare be bold To say 't is
then cease to quilt A web of specious lies upon your guilt This aggravates what I of late suspected Heav'n will not you should thus passe undetected Great Sir quoth they you justly may upbraid Us with your love we justly are betrayd The fact is clear what shall we then allege To clear our selves and who shall be our pledge Wee scarce have blood in all our veins great Lord Enough to stain your Vice-revenging sword Creat Sir we beg if bondage expiates Our Crime then mercy rules among the Fates Nay quoth the Lord my heart 's not Adamant No rocky Isle where such like Furies haunt Nor hath my Soul so liquorish a gust That nought but blood can satiate her lust Mercy and Justice here are neer a kin Our mercy here 's still greater than the sin Think I have pitty on your Fathers age Nor will enslave you all in vassalage I 'll onely recompence upon that Youth That had my Cup bonds for his breach of truth No sore-tormenting Probe unto the quick More deeply searcht a wound nor of the sick No launcet hit more sure the master-vein Than did his Lordships words pierce through each swain Who ever thus in tearms accutely coucht Rub'd on the matter they would have untoucht Some beg'd some wept and some confus'dly mutter'd Some indigested resolutions utter'd At last quoth Judah humbly on his knee Great Sir yet what you spake your vow decree Let not your anger flame that I so rude In language and in habit thus intrude You ask'd when first wee hither did repair Doth yet your Father breath the common air Have you alive a Brother more at home Our speech in devious falshoods did not come But kept truths rode quoth we Our Father 's old Half wearied Fate doth yet her distaff hold We have a Brother more a youthfull page Whom He esteems the comfort of his age His Fathers joy since his deceased Brother The onely Son of his expired mother And since our Father 's old and lame and dim He only walks and breaths and sees in him Then saidst thou as a witness of your truth Bring down your Brother let me see the youth Great Sir quoth we our Brother stands between Death and our Fathers lamp as th' only screen And He remov'd our Sires declining snuff Would soon b'extinguisht by some envious puff Yet saidst thou to thy servants bring the Child If that you will we shall be reconcil'd All this we to our Father did rehearse With the proceedings of our last commerce Our Corn exhausted there was long dispute 'T wixt Want and Nature we renew'd our sute To him to send our brother and at large Importunately urg'd your Lordships charge So quoth our father were I most forlorn By Rachaell I had two children born Whereof one parting hence became a feast Ay me I fear unto some rav'nou Beast With whom fled half my life then leave his Brother 'T were Paricide to take away the other O think my sons should you remove the prop That stayes my age I in my grave should drop Were there a Chrystall window in each Brest We know no more than what we have confest Now should we home and leave his son behind As with Prophetick doubts his fear divin'd Both hope and life would fail him should I know That I my self were the unhappy Bow Through whom false death aim'd her remorsless dart To the true mansion of my Fathers heart What should I do that shall both guilty seem Both of my Brothers loss and death of him I to my Sire was surety for the youth Have pitty on his age and on my truth When death quoth I my lamp of life shall quench May my good name dy in a noysome stench And with like vows I heaven did implore If I his son not safely did restore Then if my Lord please to reverse his doom I 'd gladly serve bound in my Brothers room Great Sir be pleas'd t' admit me in exchange I 'd weary cruelty and mock revenge I 'd count deaths sentence but an idle breath Yer I 'd seem guilty of my Fathers death Good Sir have pitty I would dare to meet A Thunderbolt wrapt in a lightning sheet Yet I 'd provoke a Fathers angry gall Since Parents curses are Propheticall As a new tun'd Cask of unpurged Wine Wind pris'ned in the earth or like a Mine The one if clos'd will make a furious vent The other break forth in a thundring rent Such were his Lordships tears such was his joy Which Passion though it long seem'd strange and coy And fickle in the wooing th' end did prove In it was coucht a Brothers tender love Which he no more was able to resist Than the quick pulse that thumpt within his wrist And joy like wind impris'ned in the earth Will shake th' hearts center but 't will have a birth Now since he could no longer thus contest H'intended secretly t' unlock his breast Shame that 's sins daughter wer 't not for this care Might here have prov'd the mother of despair Open reproofs like an impetuous rain Do wash away but not refresh the grain Now would he think to speak and then retreat Then on the prize his heart a charge would beat And though the cause as yet obscurely slept Yet Pharaohs servants heard him while he wept At last he thus began I Joseph am Is th' Oyl yet spent that fed my Fathers flame This on the porches of their ears he beat But all in vain that sense had left her seat And with the eyes by horrour scattered Had to the brain as an Asylum fled Yet being the kingly hearts chief centinells He by degrees dismist them from their cells For sense-bereaving horrors are like lees Which being once stirr'd will sinke but by degrees Now when they something had expell'd their fears Hee with these speeches board anew their ears I am your brother Joseph whom you sold Is yet my Father ' mongst th'alive inroll'd Come neer and see I have no false reserves Come on this visage spend your visive nerves I am the same as when you took my coat Though chang'd in hiew and of a rougher throat Though heav'n have chang'd my Fortune years my stature Nor time hath chang'd my love nor clime my nature Fear not the fact though gross shall not be blaz'd 'T is from the book of my remembrance rac'd Then judge your selves not rashly bless the deed For I was promis'd to preserve your seed Two years are past wherein remorsless dearth Hath knit the bowels of the teeming earth And yet these five years Nile in vain shall flowe The Husband-man in vain shall plough and sow Like a true Alchimist hath providence Drawn Honey from the Poyson of offence You sold God sent me hither heav'n be blest That turn'd your very sin unto the best Hast then with winged swiftness and infuse Fresh spirits in our Father with this news Say thus saith Joseph whom thou thoughtst to be Seal'd in the bosome of
large journey should exceed their strength To each remitting their unnat'rall quarrell He bounteousty gave changes of apparell To Benjamin besides five change of rayment Three hundred silverlings in courteous payment To Jacob thus a choice Viaticum And to reward his Mirrhe Spice Balm and Gumm Ten Asses load of those best things in which Egypt is held most happy and most rich And ten she Asses load of Corn close thrist Seems base where princely duty walls a gift Their Asses ready and their justling Waggons Lest that our Joseph's should like Cadmus Dragons Fierce teeth-sprung Brethren when they fail'd in words Dispute the matter with their angry swords While each one to acquit himself attempted Who from that former rage was most exempted At least they might expect to be surpriz'd The lot of quarr'ling strangers not advis'd As a small Fleet who in a forreign Sea While each ship would maintain a private plea And rudely mutiny amongst themselves Is sunk surpriz'd or dasht against some shelves For fear of which events you may conjecture Ioseph thus to his brethren reads this lecture You may remember but I wish that it You could so soon forget as I remit When you conspired my destruction As if your hearts were gravell'd into stone Or rib'd with steel congeal'd t'an Iron mass Yet though your Bowells thus were cramt with Brass Mine now are soft with pitty may you find As here of body alway peace of mind Confession cancells all and I accept Acknowledgement as if you pai'd the debt Your pardon is with many favours seal'd Which time shall ne'r see cancel'd age repeal'd For which grant this one favour 't is but one That you forget the wrong that you have done I in oblivion have lai'd it deep Then dig't not up again but let it sleep Both for your Fathers mine your safeties sake Drink to it all a draught of Laethes Lake Take my example 't was I had the wrong 'T is I that for your reconcilement long Since I forgive it in dissentious sort Do not one on another it retort Dissent not in the way lest that you teach Strangers to take advantage on the breach Advise with Policie if not with Love Nay with the Serpent if not with the Dove Serpents will not sting Serpents nor will crush The Cockatrices egg then Brethren blush That Reason's law to that of sense subscribes Should Brethren quarr'll with Brethren Tribes with Tribes With such advice as This you may suppose Our carefull Ioseph did his farewell close Ev'n thus our Saviour yer his last he breath'd Peace his last Legacy to his bequeath'd Who if he now should come would look to find Us as he left us of a peacefull mind And if both Poles did now to ruine reel Did th' world its pangs of dissolution feel Would he not find adherents did increase More to the Prince of discord than of peace While that old Iacob fervently did burn In expectation of his Son's return Ghesse them come home who to their Father thus The Sum of their proceedings did discuss Dear Sir you causelesly accus'd Fates knife To have bereft thy Ioseph of his life Unless that she again have knit his cord For hee yet liveth and 's great Egypts Lord. My Sons quoth he my Meditation chewes And dubiously doth ruminate your newes O be advised when my Ioseph di'd My tears stow'd high ev'n at their highest tide But if you mock my grief I drown in tears My heart of Ioseph an impression bears Too deep to be forgot inhaunce not grief Lest you incur a Curse not win belief Dear Sir quoth they what 's by these Waggons meant There 's twenty Asses load that he hath sent As dutious Pledges those our change of cloaths But if these fail believe us on our oaths So now quoth he these evidences draw My Faith as strong as Vouchers do in Law Speak thick till th'vapours of your breath condense Ev'n to the smoth'ring of my hearing sense I 've surfeited with sorrow but this joy Is so transcendent it can never cloy My soul would hence and leave her truth behind How she disdaineth thus to be confind My senses seem too weak to hinder her But she would hence my winged harbinger O for some Eagles pinions or some Dragons With wide-stretcht wings to waft along our Waggons Their motions are too dull O would their wheeles Were swift as Titans or the slippery Keeles Which with a Sphear-tike swiftness cut their way Through the wide Bosome of the yesty Sea I 'll down and see my Son and yeeld my breath In Josâ—ph's bosome and then welcome death Conceive him on his journey with his train When in the Visions of the night his brain Receiv'd the Ordinance of Pharaoh's love Confirmed to an act from heav'n above And seal'd with promises that God would bless This his removall with a good success And with assurance that he had decreed The safe returning of his num'rous seed Guesse Judah likewise sent for to direct His Fathers face to Goshen then reflect Your thoughts on Joseph who you now may gather In gallant equipage did meet his Father Imagine with what triumph at the last Earth-rending sound and tomb-dividing blast The widdow'd Soul will welcome the return Of her dear Body from the sleepy urn With such like joy your fancy may admit Were Joseph and his Father sweetly knit In twin'd embraces as if they each other Would cramp in chained arms or meant to smother Each other in their kisses hast thou ever Beheld a Gardner while he did discover Two sprigs asunder then to joyn by craft Two divers parts in one entired graft Ev'n thus was Jacob twined with his Son As if they meant to grow again in one Iacob could onely with glad tears dispute For as great sorrow's dumb great joy is mute Ev'n so did Joseph at his Brethrens sight His eyes but drizled now they rain'd down-right For tears are badges both of joy and sorrow Both Passions do alike the visage furrow Dear God quoth I acob then in num'rous chace Tears pursue tears upon his reeking face Blest heav'n that alwayes thus dost me restore Unless 't were heav'n I could wish no more Sweet Son I know these eyes this rosie cheek That thus in dutious tears doth sweetly reek Since yet thou liv'st Fate finish out my glome And let my Soul on wings of joy fly home But yet my darling Son great heav'n forgive If I for thee do yet desire to live My tears shall tell the rest my lungs are weak If not I know not what I more shall speak Sir quoth his Son then tears in a full stream Choakt the proceedings of his dutious theam Dear Sir my swelling Brest will burst a sunder Like wind-swoll'n Clouds rent by the heavens thunder My mouth a vessell of a narrow bore That must by slow degrees vent forth its store Though pay I cannot what your love deserves Yet to requite I 'll stretch my utmost nerves Since Seas repay through
inward bleed And if their Brother all this while should feed Upon revenge since full rage now had vent It 's poys'nous rancour should on them be spent Fear by guilt raised seldome is remiss Till in conclusion hope and pardon kiss Nor were our Brethren negligent but strove To gain firm int'rest in their Brothers love Yet so conceit had of their weak demerits Dissolv'd their courage and outbrav'd their spirits That they came not but sent nor durst they frame The message in theirs but their Fathers name Know'ng if their sute in Iacobs name were coucht 'T would like a Charm not cease till it had touch'd Their Brothers midriffs with remorse 't would wrest A soft remission from his melting Brest Great Sir this was the burthen of their sute And thus they humbly taught to prostitute Thus said our Father yer in Ephrons Urn He pawn'd his body for his Souls return Thus in my name you shall to Ioseph speak Remember not thy Brethrens sin nor wreak Thy just revenge upon their hate which sin Than all their sinns in gross hath greater been Remit what God hath pardond and in this On their soft Souls thy pardon seal with His Thus did our Father bid whose Soul above Hovers with blessings yet to crown thy love Now this offence remit we thee intreat Whose hearts with true devotion truly beat Of Jacobs God t' whom from our hearts arise Zealous affection in Sacrifice For Gods for Iacobs sake our fault remit Though we for neither would at all acquit Thy innocence and if it yet appears Thy rage doth flame we 'll quench it with our tears Mild Joseph pittying their anxious fears Could not but second grief again with tears Now griev'd he they suspected him and wept Then joy'd their conscience not securely slept Now as one having foil'd a fell disease Wherein he long hath labour'd doth not cease Untill that Physick shall the reliques purge Which after might in wonted Symptoms urge Ev'n so the Brethren though they now might judge Their Brother reconcil'd and that no grudge Did swell his peacefull Brest but that with tears He entertained had their anxious fears Yet Conscience never leaves her nice inquests Till in the Bosome shee of pardon rests Nor were the Ten remiss till they found out By true experience they had nought to doubt Wherefore all in a personall submission Thus beg their Pardon and thus couch contrition Neither presum'd they on an equall greet But thus fell prostrate at their Brothers feet Dread Sir in Jacobs name and for his sake We come to second what our message spake Thus Jacob said yer he enjoy'd on high The blessings purchas'd by his lamed thigh This in my name to Ioseph speak pray blot Thy Brethrens sin if it be not forgot From thy remembrance since they are convinc'd And their Souls in repentant tears are rinc'd Trample not grief guilt is a greater scourge That can revenge inflict or Justice urge 'T is true the fault was great and to be brief Such as me thinks yet startles my belief Yet think not on revenge their fault forget And let not rage usurp mild mercies seat This did our Father bid before his death Yer Angells suck'd his Soul out with his breath And now we hope our fault did not so harden Thy heart but tears may melt it to my pardon Huge winds they say are still'd by little rain Then let not all our tears thus fall in vain Thou at first sight we hope was 't reconcil'd For ever since thy carriage hath been mild And if yet mercy in thy Brest bear sway Our hopes are anchor'd in a happy Bay If not but then their passion grew so high That with th' Aposiopesis of a sigh They there must stop to whom quoth Joseph thus I know already what you would discuss 'T is true your fact was gross and since y' are come If you want tears I here will lend you some For to lament it God did you prevent And unto good did wrest your bad intent Who hath so many sav'd alive by one Unworthy person as you see is done I long for no revenge but that you sentence Your sin to death by an unfeign'd repentance Tears are the blood I thirst for since to God Belongs revenge I 'll not usurp his rod Yet since you fear I will revenge your deed That false suggestion doth from guilt proceed For though there be no cause yet busie guilt Still holds her hand upon her Daggers hilt Envy doth burn like fire and then no doubt But once in seventeen years it would break out But yet thus may your busie guilt insist My cords of friendship you may doubt were twist Upon my Fathers heart-strings and guilt durst Infer perchance both were together burst Fear not my Brethren this the end shall prove That guilt 's a traitour which misconstrues love Doubt no close malice fear no poys'nous rancour But in this Bosome let your hopes cast anchor I 'll nourish you respect you little ones And when I die the like will charge my Sons With such advice as this you may suppose Mild Ioseph did his satisfaction close Ev'n so as these Gods Saints do never cease Till through repentance they have purchas'd peace I in Gods mercy ioy that he did die A sacrifice for me yer I was I Yet can I not but grieve and grieving mourn That I him crucifi'd yer I was born Nay greater cause of grief for I 'm the Iew And him each minute crucifie anew My sighes should wing me to some Hermites Cave Where with my nayles I 'd hourly dig my grave And there would live a sorrowfull Recluse Tears should be Helicon and grief my Muse And as an Anch'ret would my self immure Yet live in tears a gawdy Epicure When Ioseph fully pardon'd had this crime Admit a certain Intervall of time When Fortune serving whom she can't seduce As proud of his acceptance grew profuse T'wards Ioseph in her favours which he took Still with a thankfull not ambitious look Vertue commandeth Fortune and doth clip Her wings or holds her like an anchor'd ship Nor doubted he lest that with giddy changes She should vacillate in her wonted ranges God who Alph ' and Omega is is love Which still doth Alpha and Omega prove Thus Ioseph long in honour liv'd the strength Of whose old age extended to that length That his Posterity to three degrees Descent he saw and on his aged knees Were Machirs children brought Manasseh's Son So might he boast as Iacob once had done Who comming one o'r Iordan was increast When he came back a Nation at the least Now as the glorious Sun who proudly oft Hath rid in triumph through the azurd loft Anon meets an Eclips which in a brook If view'd affronts him with a gloomy look So death which makes a falling-Star of each Although he mount unto the highest reach And altitude of honour in his Sphere Began to threaten Ioseph with such fear Rude death esteems not honour and Fate dooms With equall sentence Monarchs and their Grooms Shuffles the Beggers scabs and Ladies paint Into a clod nor Villain knowes nor Saint So Ioseph with the mean'st of Adams race Must feel th' arrest of Deaths imperious Mace When Fates black-bed-roul of diseases 'gan T' assault the suburbs of his inward man He conscious of his weakness 'gan to doubt His Souls frail mansion could not long hold out Wherefore his Brethren he as one convenes To whom Sirs I perceive what heaven means For death Gods Bayliff with his Ebbon Scepter Stands ready to arrest me as his debtor Nought but my life acquits me and each day Presents my senses with some new decay Now Brethren since you know my youthfull Dreams Th' event can witness were no idle theams I 'll speak a truth too now but it propounds Its burthen to your thoughts on surer grounds 'T is truth as if 't were by the heavens hoasts Proclaim'd and witness't by our Fathers Ghosts That God will sure in his appoined time To Can'an bring you back your Native clime Which Abr'ham Jsaack and to Jacob both He gave by promise and confirm'd by oath Then do not my expiring spirit grieve Nor forfeit Can'an by your unbelief Believ 't as if each of you as an heir Unto Gods promise now breath'd Can'ans air Record it on your Souls in after years Let these my words still echo in your ears And when you see th' event doth not fall short Of expectation swear for to transport My bones with you to Can'an for I lust To be dissolved with my Fathers dust So Joseph yeelded to the Fates so old That he an hundred and ten years had told Did all the Muses Springs unto my brain Pay Tribute as all Rivers to the Main I could not weep him as he was nor fits My creeping stile with Egypts tow'ring wits Yet thus conceive they mourn'd th' Astrologers Began to curse the base-revolting Stars Could one command the Sun he 'd make him burn As an obsequious Tapor on his Urn The Moon a second then unto his Hearse The yesty Sea should pay its brackish tears A third the Orbs then he would make them meet On earth in honour for his Winding sheet A fourth the Air then should some Meteors shine Like to a Fun'rall lamp stand o'r his shrine A fift the Earth then should her teeming womb Spread a continued May about his Tomb A sixth command the Fire then he would bid A ne'r to-be-extinguish'd Pyramid Blaze on his Hearse A seventh would set forth Fit Hieroglyphicks to describe his worth Pharaoh devested of his Kingly State In mourning wailes Zaphnath-Paaneahs fate The princely Priests lament and Isis Cow Within her Temple did in mourning low Th'embalming Doctor not at all forbears But with his Odours doth commix his tears One in commemoration of his alms With them his name as with sweet odour balms Grief witty grew in some each day his years Some vie with sighes and some his months with tears 'T were infinite to quote their Fun'rall Odes Endless for to describe their mourning Modes Fit Mourners were they all whom you might see Nature had deck'd in mourning Cap-a-pe But this large task had dull'd my tyred Muse My fingers are benum'd my Pen's obtuse Leave him in Egypt where on this Divorce Worms sweetly fed on his embalmed Course FINIS