from the People this contrary to the Opinion of our Authour Baronius conceives to be that which then rent asunder interpreted to signifie the finall abolishing of the Law Ceremoniall They write that at the tearing thereof a Dove was seene to flye out of the Temple Vers. 319. Or God doth this abhorr'd c. Eusebius St. Ierome and others report that with this Earthquake at the Passion the Doores of the Temple flew open and that the Tutular Angels were heard to cry Let us remove from this place though Iosephus referre it to the destruction of the Temple Vers. 362. Tyrian Gades Gades now called Cales an Iland lying on the South of Spaine without Hercules Pillars held to be the uttermost Confines of the Western World was planted by a Colony of the Tyrians Vers. 363. As yet sees not thy panting Horses c. A Charriot and Horses were attributed to the Sunne in regard of the swiftnesse of his Motion and to expresse what is beyond the object of the sense by that which is subject unto it These also by the Idolatrous Iews were consecrated unto him The Sunne was feined to descend into the Sea because it so appeareth to the eye the Horizon being there most perspicuous Vers. 371. Hath some Thessalian Witch c. The Thessalian women were infamous for their inchantments said to have the power to darken the Sunne and draw the Moone from her Spheare Such Lucans Erictho Her words to poyson the bright Moone aspire First pale then red with darke and terrene fire As when deprived of her Brothers sight Earth interposing his Coelestiall Light Perplext with tedious Charmes and held below Till she on under Hearbs her gelly throw Phar l. 6. The Author of this opinion was Aglonice the daughter of Hegaemon who being skilfull in Astronomy boasted to the Thessalian women foreknowing the time of her Eclips that she would performe it at such a season which hapning accordingly and they beholding the distemper'd Moone gave credit to her deception The like may arise from the Eclipses of the Sunne Vers. 372. What new Phaëton The fable of Phaëton the sonne of Phoebus as the Allegory is notorious who by misguiding the Charriot of the Sunne set all the World on a conflagration Vers. 377. As when sterne Atreus c. Atreus having had his bed dishonored by his brother Thyestes slew his children and gave them for food to their father when the Sunne to avoid so horrid a sight fled back to the Orient So fained in that Atreus first discovered the Annuall Course of the Sun which is contrary to his Diurnall Vers. 379. Ilia's god-like sonne c. Romulus cut into a hundred pieces by the hundred Lords of the Senate for being so rigorous to them and so indulgent to the People every one carrying a piece away with him under his long Gowne to conceale the murder when Iulius Proculus to appease the People swore that he saw him ascend into Heaven whereupon they consecrated Temples unto him and gave him divine honours changing his Name into Quirinus Vers. 383. Or hath that Day c. The Great Yeere when all the Planets here called Gods because they carry their Names shall returne to that position which they were in at the beginning Comprising according to Cicero's Hortensius the revolution of twelve thousand nine hundreth and fifty yeers Vers. 390. If the World perish by licentious fire The Romanes could not then have this from St. Peter but rather from the Prophesies of the Sibyls These Signes the Worlds combustion shall fore-run Armes clashing Trumpets from the rising Sun Horrible fragors heard by all this Frame Of Nature then shall feed the greedy flame Men Cities Floods and Seas by rav'nous lust Of Fire devour'd all shall resolve to dust Orac. l. 4. From hence perhaps the Ancient Philosophers derived their opinions as Seneca a Latter The Stars shall incounter one another and what now shines so orderly shall burne in one Fire Vers. 395. Either the groaning world c. Vers. 397. Do proud Titanians c The Poets feigne that the angry Earth to be revenged of the Gods brought forth the Titans as after the Gyants who by throwing mountains upon mountains attempted to scale the Heavens and disinthrone Iupiter who overthrew them with his Lightning and cast those conjested Mountains upon them Pherecydes the Syrian writes how the Devils were cast out of Heaven by Iupiter this fall of the Giants perhaps alluding to that of the Angels The chief called Ophionius which signifies Serpentine having after made use of that Creature to poyson Eve with a false ambition Vers. 400. Dire Python A prodigious Serpent which after Deucalions Floud lay upon the Earth like a Mountain and slain by Apollo the sense of the Fable being meerely Physicall for Python born after the deluge of the humid Earth was that great Exhalation which rose from the late drowned world at length dissipated by the fervour of the Sunne or Apollo The Earth then soak'd in showres yet hardly dry Threw up thick clouds which darkned all the Sky This was that Python Pont. Meteor The word signifies putrefaction and because the Sun consumes the putrefaction of Earth his beams darting from his Orb like arrows with his arrows he is said to have slain Python Vers. 400. Lerna's Fen In this lay that venemous Serpent Hydra which is said to have many Heads whereof one being cut off two rose in the room more terrible then the former and with her poysnous breath to have infected all the Territories adjoyning This Fable had a relation to that place which through the eruption of waters annoyed the neighbouring Cities when one being stopt many rose in the room this Hercules perceiving burnt them with fire Corruption boyls away with heat And forth superfluous vapours sweat But Physically Hydra signifies water and Hercules according to Macrobius presenteth the Sunne whose extraordinary fervour dried up those noysome and infectious vapours Vers. 404. Lyaeus gave to man lesse precious wine Lyaeus is a name of Bacchus because wine refresheth the Heart and freeth it from sorrow Noah was he who immediately after the Floud first planted a Vineyard and shewed the use of wine unto man wherefore some write that of Noachus he was called Boachus and after Bacchus by the Ethnicks either by contraction or through ignorance of the etymologie This comparison hath relation to Christ's conversion of water into such excellent wine at Cana in Galilee Vers. 405. Not Hercules so many Monsters slew Hercules saith Seneca travelled over the world not to oppresse it but to free it from Oppressours and by killing of Tyrants and Monsters to preserve it in tranquillitie But how much more glorious were the victories of Christ who by suffering for Sinne subdued it led Captivity captive was the death of Death triumphing over Hell and those Spirits of Darknesse Vers. 406. Vnshorn Apollo desse in Physick knew Apollo to whom they attribute long yellow haire in regard of his beautifull Beams is
jaws of Hell thy guilt extend This death we owe to our impiety But what are his misdeeds why should he die Then looking on his face with dropping eyes Forgive me O forgive a wretch he cries And O my Lord my King when thou shalt be Restor'd to thy own Heaven remember me He mildly gives consent and from the barres Of that sad Crosse thus rais'd him to the Starres With me a happy Guest thou shalt injoy Those sacred Orchards where no frosts destroy The eternall Spring before the Morne display The purple Ensigne of th' ensuing Day CHORVS What 's this the Centre pants with sudden throwes And trembling Earth a sad distemper showes The Sun affrighted hides his golden Head From hence by an unknown Ecliptick fled Irregular Heavens abortive shades display And Night usurpes the empty Throne of Day What threats do these dire Prodigies portend To our offending Race Those ills transcend All that can be imagin'd which inforce Disturbed Nature to forget her Course I heare approaching feet What ere thou art Whom darknesse from our sight conceales impart All that thou know'st to our prepared eares Accomplish or dissolve our pressing feares II NVNCIVS Fury from which if loose the Earth had fled And fatall Starres have their event He 's dead CHORVS O Heaven we pardon now Dayes hasty flight Nor will complain since they have quencht this light Yet tell how he dispos'd of his last breath The passages and order of his death II NVNCIVS As the declining Sun the shades increast Reflecting on the more removed East His blazing haire grew black no clouds obscures His vanisht Light this his own Orb immures The Dayes fourth part as yet invests the Pole Were this a Day when from the afflicted Soule This voice was clearely heard not like the breath Of those who labour between life and death My God O why dost thou thy own forsake VVhich purposely the Multitude mistake But to prolong their cruel mirth who said He on the Thesbian Prophet calls for aid Now to return and draw from Heaven again Devouring Showres of Fire or Flouds of Rain VVith silence this he indures His body rent His bloud exhausted and his Spirits spent He cry'd I Thirst As servants to his will The greedy hollowes of a spunge they fill VVith vineger which Hyssops sprigs combine And on a reed exalt the deadly Wine This scarcely tasted his pale lips once more He opens and now lowder then before Cry'd All is finisht here my labours end To thee O heavenly Father I commend My parting Soul This said hung down his head And with his words his mixed Spirits fled Leaving his body which again must bleed Now senselesse of the Crosse From prison freed Those happy seats he injoyes by God assign'd To injur'd Vertue and th' etheriall Minde But Terrours which with Nature war affright Our peacelesse Souls The World hath lost its Light Heaven and the Deeps below our Guilt pursue Pale troops of wandring Ghosts now hurrie through The holy Citie whom from her unknown And secret Wombe the trembling Earth hath thrown The cleaving Rocks their horrid jawes display And yawning Tombes afford the dead a way To those that live Heaven is the generall And undistinguisht Sepulcher to all Old Chaos now returnes Ambitious Night Impatient of alternate Rule or Right Such as before the Dayes etheriall birth With her own shady People fills the Earth CHORVS How did the many-minded People look At these Portents with what affection strook II. NVNCIVS The Lamentations mixed with the cries Of weeping Women in low'd Vollies rise Those who had known him who his followers were While yet he liv'd and did in death adhere In that new Night sighs from their sorrowes send And to those Heavens they could not see extend Their pious hands complaining that the Sun Would then appeare when this was to be done The safety of their lives the Vulgar dread Some for themselves lament some for the dead Others the ruine of the world bewaile Their Courages the cruel Romanes faile Those hands which knew no peace now lazie grew And conquering Feare to earth their weapons threw Th' amaz'd Centurion with our thoughts compli'd And swore the Heros most unjustly dy'd Whose punishment the Earth could hardly brook But groaning with a horrid motion shook Confirmed by the Dayes prodigious flight To be a beame of the celestiall Light And so the mourning Heavens inverted face Showes to the Vnder world his Heavenly Race CHORVS Why flock the People to the Temple thus No cause excepting piety in us Can want belief Hope they to satisfie With Sacrifice the Wrath of the most High II. NVNCIVS New prodigies as horrid thither hale Th' astonisht Multitude The Temples Vale That hung on guilded Beames in purple dy'd Asunder rent and fell on either side The trust of what was sacred is betray'd And all the Hebrew Mysteries display'd That fatall Ark so terrible of old To our pale foes which Cherubins of Gold Veil'd with their hovering wings whose closure held Those two-leav'd Tables wherein God reveal'd His sacred Lawes That Food which by a new Example fell from Heaven in fruitfull Dew About our Tents and tacidly exprest By intermitted showres the seventh Dayes rest The Rod with never dying blossoms spread Which with a Miter honour Aarons Head These with th' old Temple perisht Th' eye could reach No object in this rupture but the Breach What was from former Ages hid is shown Which struck so great a reverence when unknown The Temple shines with flames and to the sight That fear'd Recesse disclos'd with its own Light Either Religion from their fury flies Leaving it naked to profaner eyes Or God doth this abhorred Seat reject And will his Temple in the Minde erect CHORVS Shall Punishment in Death yet finde an end Shall his cold Corps to earth in peace descend Or naked hang and with so dire a sight Profane the Vefper of the sacred Night II. NVNCIVS Too late Religion warmes their savage brests Lest that neare Houre which harbengers their Feast Should take them unprepar'd to Pilat they Repaire intreat him that the Souldier may From bloudy crosses take their bodies down Before their Festivalls the Morning crown That no uncleannesse might from thence arise In memory of th' Aegyptian Sacrifice The leggs of the two Thieves they brake whose breath Yet groan'd between the bounds of life and death The crashing bones report a dreadfull sound While both their souls at once a passage found Nor had the Cohort lesse to Jesus done Who now the Course prescrib'd by Fate had runne But dead deep in his side his trembling speare A Souldier strake his entrails bare appeare And from that wide-mouth'd Orifice a floud Of water gusht mixt with a stream of bloud The Crosses now discharged of their fraught The People fled not with one look or thought Part sad and part amaz'd Spent Fury dies Whither so fast run you to sacrifice A silly Lambe too mean an Offering Is this for you
destinated end No Orisons nor Sacrifice can bend Why stay I with triumphant feet to tread Vpon th' infernall Serpents poysnous Head And break th' old Dragons jaws The sin of our First Parents must be cleansed with a showre Of bloud rain'd from my wounds my death appease And cure the venome of that dire Disease All you who live rejoyce all you who die You sacred ashes of the just which lie In peacefull Vrnes rejoyce in this my fall I for the living liv'd but die for all My sufferings are not lost To Earth I owe These promis'd ills bonds whips and thorns to grow About out bleeding brows the Crosse the scorn Of a proud People to destruction born O let my Fathers wrath through singed aire On me in thunder dart so mine it spare Lest the World should I perish and must beare The punishments of all that ever were You who inhabit where the Sunne displaies His earely light or neer his setting Raies Who suffer by his perpendicular Aspect or frieze beneath the Northerne star Affect this ready Sacrifice who am A greater offering then the Paschall Lamb My precious bloud alone the vertue hath To purge your sins and quench my Fathers wrath Now the full Moone succeeds that Vernal light Which equally divides the Day and Night Sacred to Feasts The next Sunne shall survay One brighter then himselfe and lose his Day False Traitor through thy guilt so timerous growne Although thou lead'st an army against One Shrouded in Night I am not taken by Thy guile but know thy' fraud and hast to die But you my chosen friends who yet preserve Your faith intire nor from your duty swerve Your Festivall our washings past reherse Your Makers excellence in sacred Verse While I to those frequented Shades repaire Where the trees answer to the sighing Aire Learn as we walke along unto what place I shortly shall return what heavenly Grace Is to descend upon you from above What are the laws of Charity and Love While my last prayers solicit Heaven to Sleep Give no accesse this Night my Vigil keep CHORVS OF JEWISH WOMEN THe rapid Motion of the Spheres Old Night from our Horizon bears And now declining shades give way To the return of chearefull Day But Phosphorus who leads the Starres And Day 's illustrious Path prepares Who last of all the Hoast retires Not yet with-draws those radiant Fires Nor have our Trumpets summoned The Morning from her dewy Bed As yet her Roses are unblown Nor by her purple Mantle known All night we in the Temple keep Not yeelding to the charmes of Sleep That so we might with zealous praier Our thoughts and cleansed hearts prepare To celebrate th' insuing Light When Phoebe shall her hornes unite This annuall Feast to Memory Is sacred nor with us must die Thus by that dreadfull Exul taught When God his plagues on Aegypt brought Those Cities these our Rites bereave Of Citizens and widdows leave Where Jordan from two bubling Heads His oft-returning waters leads Till they their narrow bounds forsake And grow a Sea-resembling Lake Those Woods of Palme producing Dates Of fragrant Balsamum which hates The touch of Steele where once the sound Of trumpets level'd with the ground Vnbatter'd Wals that Mount which shrouds His aiëry head in hanging Clouds Where Death clos'd our lost Prophets eies Admire to see their Colonies Ascend the hills of Solyma In celebration of this Day Cephaeans whose strong Wals with-stood The ruines of the Generall Flood To solemnize this Day forsake Ador'd Dercetis and her Lake Hither the Palestines from strong Azotus both the Jamnes throng Not Lydda could her Own restraine Nor Caparorsa's wals containe Her Edomites Damascus could Not hers though she ten Nations ruld Nor yet Sabaste long the Nurse Of impious Sons sprung from our Surse Phoenicians who did first produce To Mortals letters with their use Where Tyrus full of Luxury With Mother Sidon front the Sky Hither with hasty zeale repaire Among the Syrians those who dare Feed on forbidden fish nor more The Deitie of a Dove adore From Belus whose slow waters passe On glittering sands which turn to glasse From Arnons banks those Borderars The subject of our ancient wars Whose sulphurous Bitumen take From salt Asphaltis deadly lake No Tempest on that Sea provailes No ship upon her bosome sailes Vnmov'd with oares what over-flies Struck by her breath fals down and dies Hates all that lives in her Profound None are receiv'd but flore undrownd No Seas by slymie fhores imbras't So pestilent a vapor cast This blasts the corne before it bears And poysons the declining Ears Sad Autumns fruits to cinders turn And all the fields in ashes mourn Lest time should waste the memory Of those revengefull flames the sky On Earth in melting sulphur showr'd Which that accursed Race devour'd When she who did commiserate With impious griefe her Cities fate Grew in the moment of her fault A Statue of congealed Salt Hither devout Esseans fly Who without issue multiply And Vertue onely propagate All sensuall loves all lucre hate And equall Povertie imbrace Thrice happy of a noble Race Who slight your own particular Transported with a publique care He flies a pitch above our woes Or crimes who gladly undergoes Their toile and want nor would possesse VVhat others miscall Happinesse VVhat numbers from the Suns up-rise From where he leaves the mourning Skies Of our dispersed Abrahamites This Vesper to their Homes invites Yet we in yeerly triumph still A Lamb for our deliverance kill Since Libertie our Confines fled Given with the first unleaven'd Bread She never would return though bought With wounds and in destruction sought Some stray to Lybia's scorched Sands Where horned Hammons Temple stands To Nilus some where Philips Son VVho all the rifled Orient won Built his proud City others gon To their old Prison Babylon A part to freezing Taurus fled And Tiber now the Oceans Head Our Ruines all the world have fill'd But you by use in sufferings skill'd Forgetting in remoter Climes Our vanisht Glory nor those Times Those happy Times compare with these Your burdens may support with ease More justly we of Fate complaine VVho Servitude at home sustaine VVe to perpetuall woes design'd In our owne Countrey Aegypt find THE SECOND ACT. PETER YOu Of-spring of bloud-thirsty Romulus Foes to sweet Peace to our great God and us And you prophaner Sacrificers who VVith subtil mischiefe guiltlesse bloud pursue Since you would not refuse to binde the hands Of Innocence on me impose your bands Seize on the guilty he who hath refus'd His Lord and Master by himselfe accus'd The ills yet suffer'd I deserve to beare For looking on what follows for my feare You need no torches to subdue the Night's Dark Shades to finde me no sterne Satellites Drawn from the Temple nor with Romanes joyne To act one Sin nor spend your sacred Coine In salary to such a Guide as may VVith a perfidious kisse his Lord betray This Head I give
you freely hither hast No sudden hurl-windes shall your bodies cast On trembling Earth Behold I with my hands Behinde me bound implore your dire Commands And run to meet your stripes Are you now prone To melting pitty will you punish none But with injustice is your fury slow Vnlesse to those who no offences know We both alike have impiously transgrest You in not punishing a fault confest And I who have the living Lord deni'd Just Judges of a life so sanctified To whom suborned Witnesses have sold Their damned perjuries a Wretch behold And heare his Crime My Countrey Galile To follow Christ I left both Land and Sea Son to the Thunderer his onely Heire From Heaven sent by his Father to repaire And rule th' affairs of Mortals This is He VVhom you have bound who must his Countrey free Rebellious Vassals you have doom'd your King I know the impious Race from whence you spring Your savage manners cruel Ancestors VVhom Nature as her greatest curse abhors Such when the trembling Boy his brethrens hands Their truculent aspects and servill bands Beheld though privy to a better fate Whose providence was to reward their hate Soon after cal'd to Niles seven channel'd Flood He famine from both Lands expel'd with food So your seditious Fathers mutined At Sina's rocks against their sacred Head And there the food of Angels loth'd which fell From Heaven in showres besotted Israel Aegypt and Servitude prefer'd above The Tents of Moses and their Countries love What numbers with prophetick Raptures fill'd Have you and yet not unrevenged kill'd Memphis devouring Desarts Civill wars Oft forreign Yokes Assyrian Conquerars Great Pompeys Eagles sacred Rites profan'd Your Temple sackt with slaughtered Levites stain'd Are all forgot Yet worse attend your Hate O that I were the Minister of Fate I then would teare your guilty buildings down And in a crimson Sea their ruines drown Witnesse you Groves late conscious to our cares Where Christ with tears pour'd forth his funeral praiers How I revenge pursu'd and with their bloud Would have augmented Cedrons murmuring Floud But he for whom I struck reproov'd the blow And following his own Precept cur'd his foe For Malchus rushing on in front of all Perceiving part of his with-out him fall Searcht with his flaming brand the bleeding eare See on the earth revenge subdu'd his feare Who lowdly roaring shook his threatned bands And streight incountred those all-healing hands They to his Head that Ornament restor'd And benefits for injuries affor'd But O blinde Mischief I who gave the Wound Am left at large and he who heal'd it bound O Peter canst thou yet forbeare to throw Thy body on the weapons of the Foe If thou would'st vindicate thy Lord begin First with thy selfe and punish thy own Sin Thou that dar'st menace armies thou that art Fierce as a Midian Tyger of a heart Invincible nor knows what 't is to dread VVith Fortune at the first incounter fled A Fugitive a Rebel one that hath All crimes committed in this breach of faith VVho towring hopes on his own strength erects Nor the selfe-flattering Mindes deceit suspects But his vaine Vertue trust let him in me The sad example of his frailty see From slippery heights how pronely Mortals slide Their heady errors punishing their pride VVhat can I adde to these misdeeds of mine VVho have defil'd the water bread and wine VVith my abhor'd defection O could I Those lips pollute with wilfull perjury But newly feasted with that sacred food Presenting his torne flesh and powr'd-out blood O Piety for this thou Renegate Did Jesus wash thy flying feet of late Not Jordan with two Heads whose waters roule From snow-top Libanus can cleanse thy Soule Not thou Callirhoe nor that ample Lake From whose forsaken shore my birth I take Could'st thou blue Nereus in whose troubled Deep Niles seven large Mouthes their foming currents steep Or that red Sea whose waves in Rampires stood While our Fore-Fathers past the parted Flood These purging streames from thy own Springs must flow Repentance why are thy complaints so slow Raise stormes of sighes let teares in torrents fall And on thy blushing cheekes deep furrows gall O so run freely beat thy stubborn breast Here spend thy rage these blowes become thee best This wretched Cephas for thy crimes I owe What can I for my injur'd Lord bestow My deeds and sufferings disproportion'd are Nor must they in an equall sorrow share Should this Night ever last to propagate Increasing sorrowes till subdu'd by Fate My penitent Soule this wasted flesh forsake Yet can my guilt no reparation make Swoln eyes now weep you then you should have wept Besprinkled my devotion and have kept That holy Watch when interdicted Sleep Your drowsie lids did in his Lethe steep You should have dropt my brains into a Flood Before he at that dire Tribunall stood Ere thrice abjur'd on me his looks he threw Or ere th' accusing Bird of Dawning drew Where shall I hide me in what Dungeon may My troubled Soul avoid the wofull Day Fly quickly to some melancholy Cave In whose dark entrails thou maist finde a grave To bury thee alive there waste thy yeares In chearisht Sorrow and unwitnest Tears PONTIVS PILAT CAIAPHAS TArpaean Jove Mars great Quirinus Sire You Houshold gods snatcht from Troys funerall Fire With greater Zeal ador'd when shall I pay My Vows my Offerings on your Altars lay And see those Roofs which top the Clouds the Beams With burnisht gold inchac'd and blazing Gems Those Theaters which ring with their applause Who on the conquered World impose their Lawes And thee the triple Earths imperious Guide Great-Soul'd Tiberius whether thou reside On Tibers banks ador'd by gratefull Rome Ambitious of his residence for whom She gave the World or Caprae much renown'd For soft delights impoverish the Long-gown'd Farre from my friends farre from my native Soyl I here in honourable Exile toyl To curb a People whom the Gods disclaim Who cover under the usurped Name Of Piety their hate to all Man-kinde Condemne the world in their own vices blinde And with false grounded fear abjure for One All those Immortalls which the Heavens inthrone Their onely Law is to renounce all Laws Their Error which from others hatred draws Fomenting their own discord still provokes Their Spirits to Rebellion who their yokes Have oft attempted to shake-off though they More eas'ly are subdu'd then taught to obey Cleare Justice sincere Faith bear witnesse you With how much grief our swords the Hebrews slew But such as stubborn and inhumane are Vnlesse they suffer would inforce a War And Reason urgeth those who Scepters bear Against their Nature oft to prove severe I go to question what these Prelates would Since they forbear to enter lest they should Their Feast so neare with my unhallowed Floore Their feet pollute Who 's this by such a power In shackles led How reverend his aspect How full of awe these Looks no guilt detect Thou Caiaphas of Solyma
who have sacrific'd your King CHORVS Either deceiv'd by the ambiguous Day Or troops of mourners to my eyes display A perfect Sorrow Women with their bare And bleeding brests drown'd cheeks dissheveld haire The Souldiers slowly march with knees that bend Beneath their feares and Pilats staires ascend CHORVS OF ROMANE SOVLDIERS O Thou who on thy flaming Charriot rid'st And with perpetuall Motion Time divid'st Great King of Day from whose farre-darting Eye Night-wandring Stars with fainting Splendor flie Whither thus intercepted dost thou stray Through what an unknown darknesse lies thy way In Heaven what new-born Night the Day invades The Mariner that sails by Tyrian Gades As yet sees not thy panting Horses steepe Their fiery fet-locks in th' Hesperian Deep No pitchy storme wrapt up in swelling Clouds By Earth exhal'd thy golden Tresses shrouds Nor thy pale Sister in her wandring Race With interposed wheeles obscures thy Face But now farre-off retires with her stolne Light Till in a silver Orbe her hornes unite Hath some Thessalian Witch with Charms unknown Surpriz'd and bound thee What new Phaëton With feeble hands to guide thy Charriot strives And farre from the deserted Zodiack drives What horrid fact before th' approach of Night Deservedly deprives the World of Light As when stern Atreus to his Brother gave His Childrens flesh who made his owne their grave Or when the Vestall Ilia's God-like Sun Who our unbounded Monarchie begun Was in a hundred pieces cut by theft At once of Life and Funerals bereft Or hath that Day wherein the Gods were borne Finish'd the Course of Heaven in its returne And now the aged Stars refuse to run Beyond that place from whence they first begun Nature what plagues dost thou to thine intend Whither shrinks this huge Masse what fatall end If now the Generall Floud againe retire If the World perish by licentious Fire What shall of those devouring Seas become Where shall those funerall Ashes finde a Tomb What ever innovates the Course of Things To men alone nor Nations ruine brings Either the groaning Worlds disordered Frame Now suffers or that Power which guides the same Doe proud Titanians with their impious War Again provoke th' Olympian Thunderer Is there a mischiefe extant greater then Dire Python or the Snake of Lerna's Fen That poysons the pure Heavens with Viperous breath What God from Gods deriv'd opprest by Death Is now in his own Heaven bewail'd Divine Lyeus gave to man lesse precious Wine Not Hercules so many Monsters flew Vnshorne Apollo lesse in Physick knew Sure we with darknesse are invelloped Because that innocent bloud by Envy shed So deare unto the Gods this place defam'd VVhich shook the Earth and made the Day asham'd Great Father of us all whose Influence Informes the World thou mad'st though Sin incense Thy just displeasure easie to forgive Those who confesse and for their Vices grieve Now to the desperate Sons of men who stray In sinnes dark Labyrinth restore the Day One Sacrifice seek we to expiate All our Offences and appease his hate VVhich the Religion of the Samian Nor Thracian Harpe wild beasts instructing can Nor that Prophetick Boy the Gleabs swart son VVho taught the Thuscans Divination The Bloud which from that mangled body bled Must purge our sins which we unjustly shed O smooth thy brows Receive the innocence Of one for all and with our guilt dispence For sin what greater Ransome can we pay VVhat worthier Offering on thy Altar lay THE FIFTH ACT. JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA NICODEMVS SEe Citizens we Pilats bounty beare With-out a suite men cannot man interre The Romane Progeny nor freely will Doe what is good nor unrewarded ill Nothing is now in use but barbarous Vice They sell our bloud on graves they set a price NICODEMVS O Joseph these vaine extasies refraine But if it seeme so pleasant to Complaine Let Rome alone and seek a neerer guilt His bloud not Romulus sons but Abrahams spilt VVho so the purer sense sincerely draws From those celestiall Oracles and Lawes By God above himselfe inspir'd will say None led to Eternitie a straighter way VVhat 's that to Pilat fell the Innocent by A Romane Oath was 't through the subtilty Of Senators or Priests The Doome display'd They Caesar lesse then Caiaphas obay'd Let us transferre the fact the impious Jew VVith heart with tongue and eyes first Jesus slew The Romans onely acted their Offence How well the Heavens with Hebrew hands dispence For this the Jew th' Italians Crime envi'd And wish'd himselfe the bloody Homicide Doe we as yet our servitude lament VVhen such a murder meets no punishment This doe they this command JOSEPH The Progeny Of Romane Ilia and of Sara I VVith equall detestation execrate O may they perish by a fearefull Fate Just Heaven why sleepes thy Lightning in a Showre Of pitch descend Let stenching Seas deuour This cursed City Sodome thou art cleare Compar'd to ours No more will I a teare Shed for my Countrey Let the Great in War VVorse then the Babylonian Conquerar Enter her Breaches like a violent Floud Vntill the bloudy City swim in bloud Is this too little Let Diseases sow Their fruitfull Seed and in destruction grow Famine in their dry entrailes take thy seat VVhat Nature most abhors inforce to eat Let th' Infant tremble at his Fathers knife The Babe re-enter her who gave it Life VVhile yet the eager Foe invests the wall VVithin may they by their own weapons fall The Temple wrapt in flames Let th' Enemy Decide their Civill Discord and destroy VVith fire and sword ungratefull Solyma The reliques of their slaughter drive away Nor seventy yeers dissolve their servill bands Despis'd and wretched wander through all Lands Abolish'd be their Law all forme of State No Day see their returne Let sudden Fate Succeed my curses This infected Soyle No more shall feed me What unusuall toyle Shall my old feet refuse so they no more Tread on this Earth though to that unknown shore VVhich lyes beneath the slow Bootes VVaine Dasht by th' unconstant billows of that Maine That Countrey shall be mine where Justice swayes And bold Integrity the Truth obayes NICODEMVS This Error with a secret poyson feeds The minds Disease VVho censures his own deeds VVho not anothers These accusing Times Rather the men condemne then taxe their Crimes Such is the Tyranny of Judgement prone To sentence all Offences but our owne Because of late we cry'd not Crucifie Nor falsely doom'd the Innocent to die Our selves we please as it a Vertue were And Great one if from great Offences cleare Confesse what Orator would plead his Cause To vindicate his truth who urg'd the Laws Or once accus'd their bloudy suffrages By Envy sign'd VVho durst those Lords displease So Piety suffer'd while by speaking they And we by silence did the Just betray VVhen women openly their zeale durst show VVe in acknowledging our Master slow Vnder the shady coverture of Night Secur'd our feares which would not brook the Light Joseph
ô too blest Whom Yester-night saw leaning on thy brest If Love in death survive if yet as great Even by that Love thy pardon I intreat By this thy weeping Mother I the Heire By thee adopted to thy filiall care Though alike wretched and as comfortlesse Yet as I can will comfort her distresse O Virgin-mother favour thy Reliefe Though just yet moderate thy flowing griefe Thy downe-cast Minde by thy owne Vertue raise Th' old Prophets fill their Volumes with thy praise No Age but shall through all the round of Earth Sing of that heavenly Love and sacred Birth What female glory parallels thy Worth So grew a Mother such a Son brought forth She who prov'd fruitfull in th' extreame of age And found the truth of that despis'd presage She whose sweet Babe expos'd among the reeds Which ancient Nilus with his moisture feeds Who then a smiling Infant overcame The threatning floud aspir'd not to thy fame But these expressions are for thee too low The op'ning Heavens did their observance show Those radiant Troopes which Darknesse put to flight Thy Throws assisted in that festive Night Who over thy adored Infant hung With golden wings and Allelujah's sung While the Old Sky to imitate that birth Bare a new Starre to amaze the wondring Earth MARY Sorrow is fled Joy a long banish'd Guest With heavenly rapture fill's my inlarged brest More great then that in youth when from the Sky An Angel brought that blessed Embassy When Shame not soon instructed blush'd for feare How I a Son by such a Fate should beare I greater things fore-see my eyes behold What ever is by Destiny inrold With troops of pious Soules more great then they Thou to felicity shalt lead the way A holy People shall obey thy Throne And Heaven it selfe surrender thee thy own Subjected Death thy Triumph now attends While thou from thy demolish'd Tombe ascends Nor shalt thou long be seene by mortall eies But in perfection mount above the Skies Propitious ever from that heighth shalt give Peace to the World instructed how to live A thousand Languages shall thee adore Thy Empire know no bounds The farthest Shore Washt by the Ocean those who Dayes bright Flame Scarce warmes shall heare the thunder of thy Name Licentious sword nor hostill Fury shall Prevaile against thee thou the Lord of all Those Tyrants whom the vanquisht Worlds obay Before thy feete shall Caesars Scepter lay The Time draws on in which it selfe must end When thou shalt in a Throne of Clouds descend To judge the Earth In that reformed World Those by their sins infected shall be hurl'd Downe under one perpetuall Night while they Whom thou hast cleans'd injoy perpetuall Day The END THe Tragedie of CHRIST'S PASSION was first written in Greek by Apollinarius of Laodicea Bishop of Hieropolis and after him by Gregory Nazianzen though this now extant in his Works is by some ascribed to the former by others accounted suppositions as not agreeing with his Strain in the rest of his Poems which might alter in that particular upon his imitation of Euripides But Hugo Grotius of late hath transcended all on this Argument whose steps afar-off I follow ANNOTATIONS VPON THE FIRST ACT. VErse 23. Ephratian Dames Of Ephrata the same with Bethlehem Ver. 33. Magi Tradition will have them three of severall Nations and honour them with crownes But the word delivers them for Persians for so they called their Philosophers such as were skilfull in the Coelestiall Motions from whence they drew their predictions and with whom their Princes consulted in all matters of moment Some write that they were of the posteritie of Balaam by his Prophesies informed of the birth of Christ and apparition of that narrative Starre but more consonant to the Truth that they received it from divine inspiration Ver. 34. My Starre None of those which adorne the Firmament nor Comet proceeding from condensed Vapors inflamed in the Aire but above Nature and meerely miraculous which as they write not onely illuminated the eye but the understanding excited thereby to that heavenly inquisition Some will have it an Angel in that forme The excellencie whereof is thus described by Prudentius This which in Beames and Beauty far Exceld the Sunnes flame-bearing Car Shew'd Gods descent from Heaven to Earth Accepting of a humane Birth No servant to the humerous Night Nor following Phoebe's changing Light But didst thy single Lamp display To guide the Motion of the Day Hym Epiphaniae It is probable that this Starre continued not above thirteene dayes if we may beleeve that Tradition How the Magi were so long in travelling from their Countrey unto Bethlehem Ver. 34. Mithra's flame Mithra the same with the Sunne adored by the Persians His Image had the countenance of a Lion with a Tiara on his head depressing an Oxe by the hornes Of this Statius Come O remember thy owne Temple prove Propitious still and Juno's Citie love Whether we should thee rosy Titan call Osyris Lord of Ceres festivall Or Mithra shrin'd in Persian rocks a Bull Subduing by the horror of his skull Thebaid l. 1. And in a Cave his Rites were solemnized from whence they drew an Oxe by the hornes which after the singing of certaine Paeans was sacrificed to the Sun Zorastes placeth him between Oremazes and Arimanius the good and bad Daemon from which he took that denomination Vers. 39. Pharisees A precise Sect among the Iews separating themselves from others in habit manners and conversation from whence they had their Name as their Originall from Antigonus Sochaeus who was contemporary with Alexander the Great Men full of appearing Sanctitie observant to Traditions and skilfull expositors of the Moysaicall Law wearing the Precepts thereof in Phylacters narrow scroules of parchment bound about their browes and above their left elbowes passing thorow the streets with a slow motion their eyes fixed on the ground as if ever in divine contemplations and wincking at the approach of women by meanes whereof they not seldome met with churlish incounters Superstitious in their often washing keeping their bodies cleaner then their soules They held that all was governed by God and Fate yet that man had the power in himselfe to doe good or evill That his Soule was immortall that after the death of the body if good it returned into an other more excellent but if evill condemned to perpetuall torments Vers. 43. Sadduces These derived the Sect and name from Sadock the scholar of Antigonus Socaeus as he his Heresie by misinterpreting the words of his Master that we should not serve God as servants in hope of reward concluding thereupon that in another World there was no reward for Pietie and consequently no resurrection holding the Soul to be annihilated after the death of the Body herein agreeing with the Stoicks As smoke from trembling flames ascends and there Lost in its liberty resolves to aire As empty Clouds which furious tempests chace Consume and vanish in their aiery race So our commanding Souls