CHRISTS PASSION A TRAGEDIE WITH ANNOTATIONS LONDON Printed by Iohn Legatt M. D. C. XL. M. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTIE SIR I Am bold to present you with this Peece of the PASSION the Originall designed by the curious Pensill of Grotius whose former afflictions seeme to have taught him pliable passions and art to rule the affections of others cloathing the saddest of Subjects in the sutable attire of Tragedy not without the Example of two ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church Apollinarius and Nazianzen The Argument is of both the Testaments a patheticall Abstract Those formidable Wonders effected by God in his owne Common-wealth those stupendious Miracles for truth a Pattern to all History for strangenesse to all Fables here meet together to attend on CHRIST'S PASSION The effects of his Power here sweetly end in those of his Mercy and that terrible Lord of Hosts is now this meeke God of Peace reconciling all to one another and Man-kinde to Him-selfe Sr. in this change of Language I am no punctuall Interpreter a way as servill as ungracefull Quintilian censures a Painter that he more affected Similitude then Beauty who would have shown greater Skill if lesse of Resemblance the same in Poetry is condemned by Horace of that Art the great Law-giver Thus in the Shadow of your Absence dismist from Arms by an Act of Time have I in what I was able continued to serve you The humblest of your Majesties Servants GEORGE SANDYS THE PERSONS JESUS CHORUS OF JEWISH WOMEN PETER PONTIUS PILATE CAIAPHAS JUDAS THE JEWS FIRST NUNCIUS SECOND NUNCIUS CHORUS OF ROMANE SOULDIERS JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA NICODEMUS JOHN MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS Imprimatur Tho: Wykes September 17. 1639 THE FIRST ACT. JESVS O Thou who govern'st what thou didst create With equall sway great Arbiter of Fate The Worlds Almighty Father I thy Son Though born in Time before his Course begun Thus far my Deeds have answered thy Commands If more remain my Zeale prepared stands To execute thy Charge all that I feare All that I hate I shall with patience beare No misery refuse no toile nor shame I know for this into the world I came And yet how long shall these extreames indure What Day or Night have known my life secure My burthen by induring heavier grows And present ills a way to worse disclose My Kingdome Heaven I left to visit Earth And suffer'd banishment before my Birth An unknown Infant in a stable born Lodg'd in a manger little poore forlorn And miserable though so vile a Thing Yet worthy of the envy of a King Two yeers scarce yet compleat too old was thought By Herods fears while I alone was sought The bloudy Sword Ephratian Dames deprives Of their dear Babes through wounds they exhal'd their lives Secur'd by flying to a forreign Clime The Tyrant through his Error lost his Crime A Thousand Miracles have made me known Through all the World and my extraction shown Envy against me raves yet Vertue hath More storms of Mischief rais'd then Herods wrath It is decreed by thy unchanging Will I should be acknowledg'd and rejected still Th' inspired Magi from the Orient came Prefer'd my Starre before their Mithra's flame And at my infant feet devoutly fell But Abrahams Seed the House of Israel To thee sequestred from Eternity Degenerate and ingrate their God deny Behold the contumacious Pharisies Arm'd with dissembled Zeale against me rise The bloudy Priests to their stern Party draw The Doctors of their unobserved law And impious Sadduces to perpetrate My intended Overthrow incense the State What rests to quicken Faith Even at my Nod Nature submits acknowledging her God The Galilean Youth drink the pure bloud Of generous Grapes drawn from the Neighbor floud I others famin cur'd subdu'd my own Life-strengthning food for fourty dayes unknown Twixt the Dispensers hands th' admired Bread Increas'd great multitudes of People fed Yet more then all remain'd The Windes asswage Their stormes threatning Billows calme their rage The hardned Waves unsinking feet indure And pale Diseases which despise their cure My Voice subdues Long Darknesse chac'd away To me the Blind by Birth now owes his Day He hears who never yet was heard now speaks And in my Praises first his silence breaks Those damned Spirits of infernall Night Rebels to God and to the Sonnes of Light Inveterate foes my Voice but heard forsake The long possest and struck with terror quake Nor was 't enough for Christ such wonders done To profit those alone who see the Sunne To vanquish Death my powerfull hand invades His silent Regions and inferior Shades The Stars the Earth the Seas my triumphs know VVhat rests to conquer but the Deeps below Through op'ning Sepulchers Nights gloomy Caves The violated priviledge of Graves I sent my dread Commands A heat new born Reanimates the Dead from funerals torn And Deaths-numb Cold expulst inforc'd a way For Soules departed to review the Day The Ashes from their ransackt Tombs receive A second life and by my bounty breathe But Death his late free Empire thus restrain'd Not used to restore his Spoyles complain'd That I should thus unweave the web of Fate Decrease his Subjects and subvert his State I for so many ransomed from Death Must to his anger sacrifice my breath And now that horrid Houre is almost come When sinfull Mortalls shall their Maker doom When I the worlds great Lord who life on all Mankinde bestow'd must by their fury fall That Tragick Time to my last Period hasts And Night who now on all her Shadows casts While with the motion of the Heavens she flies This short delay of my sad life envies Fate be lesse sterne in thy intended Course Nor drag him who will follow without force After so many miseries indur'd Cold Heat Thirst Famine eyes to teares inur'd The end yet worst of ills draws neare their breath For whom I suffer must procure my death The Innocent made guilty by the foule Defects of others must his weary Soule Sigh into aire and though of heavenly birth With his chaste bloud distain th' ungratefull Earth They traffick for my Soule my death long sought Is by the mitred Merchants faction bought And Treason findes reward My travels draw Neare their last end These practices I saw See what this Nights confederate Shadows hide My Minde before my Body crucifi'd Horrour shakes all my Powers my entrailes beat And all my Body flowes with purple sweat O whither is my ancient Courage fled And God-like Strength by Anguish captive led O Death how farre more cruell in thy kinde Th' anxiety and torment of the Minde Then must I be of all at once bereft Or is there any hope of safety left O might I to my heavenly Father pray So supple to my teares to take away Part of these ills But his eternall Doome Forbids and ordered Course of things to come His purpose fixt when yet the world was young And Oracles so oft by Prophets sung Now rushing on their
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
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
the Prime And Prince of Priests relate th' imputed Crime CAIAPHAS Great Guardian of the Romane Peace whom we Next Caesar honour to be doom'd by thee Our Senate brings th' Infection of these Times Whom we accuse of no suggested crimes Those holy Rites which grave Antiquity First introduced since defended by A long descent this Innovator sought To abolish and a new Religion taught Nor fearing the Recesse of Gods own Seat The Temples ruine sings and Roof repleat With the full Deitie disturbs the Feast Of the seventh Day design'd for sacred Rest Those lawes rejects which Moses pen reveal'd Even those by God with dreadfull thunder seal'd Nor so content with Heaven his furie warres Aspires that Throne and tramples on the Starres Who stiles himself though of ignoble birth His onely sonne who made both Heaven and Earth This Death must expiate he hath judg'd his Cause Who writ in leaves of Marble our ten Lawes PILAT. When Wrath the Nurse of War and thirst of gold Destructive Arts produc'd the better Soul'd No peace nor safety found inforc't to bear Life of it self infirme through common fear Into Societies the scattered drew Who by united forces potent grew Intrenched Cities with high walls immur'd But more by well-digested Lawes secur'd The Crime and Punishment proportion kept And Wrongs like Wolves on their first Authors leapt Justice from each Offence example took And his own weapon the Delinquent strook Spoil seaz'd on Rapine Bloud drew bloud deter'd From doing that which they to suffer fear'd But more then humane plagues attend on those Who God provoke he prosecutes his foes With sure revenge Why should those Hands which tear The clouds with thunder shake the World with fear Their wrath to Man resigne The impious finde Their scourge the terror of th' astonish'd Minde Affrights their peace who feel what they deny And fear an unbeleeved Deity One Day no period to his torment gives To tremble at the Name of Death he lives Still apprehending what then death is worse Long life awarded to prolong his curse But if he have your laws infring'd be you Your selves the judges and his guilt pursue CAIAPHAS Although those ancient Laws which now remain Among us we acknowledge to retain From Romes free bounty yet to you 't is knowne Our curbed Power can death inflict on none You to whom Caesars Fortunes recommend His Rods and Axes sacred Rule defend This guilty Wretch whose practises we feare Of late his place of birth forsaking where The Sea is honour'd with Tiberius Name With troopes of Clients to this City came Who seeds of War among the Vulgar sowes With what injustice Romane Armes impose Their Tribute on a Nation ever free With magick Charmes and Stygian compact he Attracts beliefe denies the dead their rest Of those un-envi'd Mansions dispossest By wicked Spels These prodigies delude The novelty-affecting Multitude Whom for their Lord their loud Hosannas greet And strew the noble Palme beneath his se et Imboldned by these Arts He as his own By birth aspires to Davids ancient Throne When Rome provok'd by his rebellion shall Arme her just Griefe we by the sword must fall Our City sinke in flames our Countrey lye Depopulated But since One must dye To save the Generall sentenc'd by thy breath Let him redeeme his Nation with his death PILAT. Such doubtfull causes grave advice require Here if you please attend while I retire The Pris'ner to the Souldiers care commit On whom this day we will in judgement fit CHORVS OF JEWISH WOMEN YOu lofty towers of Solyma Thou ancient Throne of Soveraign sway To thee the conquered Tribute pay'd From th' Isthmos crown'd with Ebon shade To great Euphrates trembling Streames Arabians scorch'd by Phoebus beames Th' admiring Queen wing'd with thy Fame From her black-peopled Empire came Great Kings ambitious of thy love To joyne with thee in friendship strove Those who Canopus Scepter bore Those Monarchs who the Sun adore And o're the wealthy Orient reigne Sarrana Soveraigne of the Main Now ah a miserable Thrall O nothing but a prey to all This Land t'one God once chastly wed How often hath she chang'd her Head Since they our Temples ruin'd pride With bad presage reedifi'd Since those in forrein bondage born Did with their servile Fates return On us Antiochus guilt reflects Our Fathers Sinnes sit on our necks What durst that wicked Age not do Which could those Altars naked view Oft flaming with celestiall Fire Provoking Heavens deserved ire With their adult'rat Sacrifice For this did Ours so highly prize Th' Iönian Gods by mortals made And incense to those Idols pay'd Since when th' Accurst their brothers slew Wives lesse malitious poyson brew Sons fall by Mothers we have known That which will be beleev'd by none Twice vanquished by Romane Armes Twice have their Conquerours our harmes Remov'd for greater Fortunes change To our proud Masters prov'd as strange Yet this no lesse our grief provokes Our kindred beare divided yokes One part by Romane bondage wrung The other two by Brothers sprung From Savage Idumaeans whom Our Fathers have so oft ore-come O thou the Hope the onely One Of our distresse and ruin'd Throne Of whom with a prophetick tongue To Judah dying Jacob sung The crowned Muse on ivory Lyre His breast inflam'd with holy Fire This oft fore-told That thou shouldst free The People consecrate to thee That thou triumphing shouldst revoke Sweet Peace then never to be broke When free'd Judaea should obey One Lord and all affect his Sway O when shall we behold thy Face So often promis'd to our Race If Prophets who have won belief By our mishaps and flowing grief Of joyfull change as truely sung Thy absence should not now be long Thee by thy Vertue we intreat The Temples Vaile the Mercies Seat That Name by which our Fathers sware Which in our vulgar Speech we dare Not utter to compassionate Thy Kindreds Teares and ruin'd State Hast to our great Redemption hast O thou most Holy and at last Blesse with thy Presence that we may To thee our Vowes devoutly pay THE THIRD ACT. JVDAS CAIAPHAS YOu who preserve your pure integrity O you whose crimes transcend not credit fly Farre from my presence whose invenom'd sight Pollutes the guilty Thou who wrong and right Distinctly canst discern whose gentle brest All faith hath not abandon'd but art blest With children brothers friends nor hast declin'd The sweet affections of a pious Minde Shut up the winding entry of thine eare Nor let the world of such a bargain heare A Sinne so horrible should be to none Besides the desperate Contractors known Wher 's now that mitred Chief where that dire Train Of Sacrificers worthy to be slain On their own Altars I have found my Curse The Sun except my self sees nothing worse Heare without hire O heare the too well known If you seek for a witnesse I am one That can the truth reveal Or would you finde A Villain Her 's a self-accusing Minde That