lose that nothing too What a dead toy is Man when his thin breath Flyes to its kindred Ayre ô why at all Did Heav'n bestow or why at all bereave Man of this Vapour of Eternity And must we one day be a stocke like this Fit onely to inrich the greedy Earth And fill an house of Death perhaps before We see the Issue of another Plot Must we lie subject to be trampled on By some perhaps not Politicians Where 's then our Wisedome our deepe Providence Are they durt too ô heav'ns but if they are Enter some Negroes to cary away the body Or durt or nothing I le enjoy my fame And rottennesse shall seize me not my name Vit ' Are those the Instruments well my black friends I eas'd you of a labour all succeeds According to the flatt'ry of my wish And my suspition turnes to prophecy But my so bloody and so wary Sforza Your Agent 's dead but not your crime 't will out And by this carcasse I will flye to France Divulge loud papers they are writ already And here they are these I will sweare were found In the dead pois'ners pockets by this meanes Sforza's proclaim'd a murtherer I 'me freed And make it be his guilt which was my deed Vitellio going forth meets with Isabella Scena quinta Vitellio Isabella Iulia. MAdame I have some newes of that import That if you please to command privacy Will both desire and fright your patience Is. Be briefe Vit. First know I am Vitellio Is. Thou art a villaine and a pois'ner then Hast thou a drugge for us Vit. Yes such an one Shall make you love a poyson reade wonder Is. I doe and more how thou could purchase this Without a guilt Vit. I did peruse the spoyles Of Malatesta's carcasse whom I found Most strangely guilty and as strangely dead Whose pockets furnisht me with these instructions Is. Thus we learne Murther from thy Felony But what should make me trust a confest rogue Vit. My villany my credit is my crime Had not I stole you had not understood Is. I must beleev 't but darst thou poison well Commit a crime which thou maist glory of Vit. On whom deare Lady Is. Nay I care not whom But I can give reward to a wise crime Vit. My quicke dispatch shall make you gladly know I understand what you desire and hide Exit Is. Now should he poison Sforza O fond hope That mak'st us thinke all true that we desire Should he betray us now for what that we Intreated him to kill we knew not whom By this expression thus much I have wonne I may be made but cannot be undone Scena sexta Picinino FOrtune is merry and the heav'n dispos'd To play with me I am turn'd Favourite Me thinkes my haires asham'd of their white hue Should blush to youth O how I could looke big Take Gyant strides doat on my lovely selfe And talke as fillily as any Lord. To see the prettinesse of action Of State imployment Sforza's to be crown'd And I must winne the popular suffrages Good Heav'ns was ever such a merry load Impos'd on Man some cry the times are ill Others could wish them better and a third Knowes how to make all well but tells not how And cause that he is silent would be wise But in conclusion I doe finde them ready On supposition of no more expence And that their voice is su'd for not their purse To give a lusty acclamation Sforza 3 Ambassadors Cajazzo Sanseverin Malvezzo as in procession they offer up the French Banners at the Altar whilst this is sung Song Io Io gladly sing Till the Heav'n with wonder ring He is fled let Millan say Once more he is fled the day Cleares againe and makes us see A braver light of victory Io Io c. Yet he had before he fought By the speedy warre of thought Conquer'd Italy and so Has hasten'd his owne overthrow Io Io c. Henceforth let them learne to live In the peace that home doth give Nor againe so fondly rave To travell for a forren grave Io Io c. Sf. First we thank Heav'n by whose most gracious aid We have the meanes and reason to thanke you Now we beginne to lift up our faint heads And entertaine though scarce beleeve a peace Now Italy at length has lost her yoake Which she was wont to give but never beare And therefore wondred at the strangenesse more Then at the weight of 't in this noble act Sforza claimes nothing but the happinesse Which he acknowledges receiv'd from you 1 Amb. Sforza's deserts exceed the height of praise 2 Amb. He has slav'd Italy by freeing it 3 Amb. Millan must know him for her Romulus Sf. VVe know our selfe so underneath this praise That could we but suspect untruth in you VVee 'd call all this but mockery Pic. D' yee doubt Make you a question of the name of it VVhy call it as it is plaine flattery Cajaz VVe wondred lately at the prouder French And gave too high a valew to their acts VVhen in a serious estimation Their chiefest victory was of the miles And more a journey then a warre if they Could gaine a fame by nimble travelling How shall we reare a trophee to his name That made them goe farre faster then they came For my part though I know his Modesty VVhich will refuse the honours he deserves I 'de have him forc'd unto the government To rule that happy land which he hath sav'd Omnes A Sforza a Sforza Ascanio crowns him Sf. Sforza will ne'r gainesay the gen'rall voice Your love I like beyond your gift kind Heav'ns Shew by my governments integrity You were the peoples prompter and I 'le shew If you but actuate my just desires I onely am their Duke in goodnesse since Millan hath chose it shall applaud her Prince Actus tertii Scena prima Umbra Galeatii NO rest in death why then I see they erre That give a quiet to a sepulcher 'T is our hard fate nor can Man chuse but die But where Griefe is is Immortality This drawes our juicelesse bones to a new day From Lethes banks where we have learnt the way An easie learning to returne our woes And laugh at our misfortunes in our foes Wee 'll draw felicity out of our fall And make our ghost reuenge our Funerall That our dim Eyes with pale death benighted May by revenge be clear'd and we be righted If other punishment should come too slow By the exacter justice of our foe When being betray'd by them he trusted most He shall be pris'ner in a forren coast When wanting sustenance his teeth shall chaw His armes for food and their once feeders gnaw When Hell shall have but part of him when he That now triumphs shall be lesse ghost then we Scena secunda Sforza Ascanio Asc. SForza you are undone Sf. Why my Ascanio Fortune is fearefull of so foule a crime Asc. You durst be bad and yet improvident And so it
is not Fortunes but your crime Which shall I first beginne to blame your fault Or pardon if I call it Foolishnesse I faint to thinke that you are past excuse Both with the honest and the Politicke Sf. Come neerer my deare Cardinall and tell In easier termes what t is that troubles you Is Galeazzo's death divulg'd Asc. It is The time the manner and the murtherer Nor am I free from th' imputation Sf. You speake what you suspect not what is true Dos speech come frō the dead can their dry'd nerves Borrow a tongue for accusation This is no other then the voice of Guilt The speech of our home-executioner And yet I feare and yet what should I feare Bloud hath strange organs to discourse withall It is a clamorous Oratour and then Enter Sanseverin Halberdeers Vit. Even nature wil exceed her self to tell A crime so thwarting Nature Sans. My good Lord Pardon the zeale of my intrusion I bring hid danger with me 't was my chance As I was passing to the bedchamber Iust at the doore to finde this muffled man Waiting some trecherous opportunity Each circumstance swell'd with suspition The place the time the person all did seeme To beare a danger worthy of your feare At least your wiser disquisition Sf. Thou art all goodnesse and deserv'st of us Beyond the niggardly reward of thankes But what are you that thus becloud your face Who not unlike that over-bashfull fowle He discovers himselfe Delight in darknesse Ha! Vitellio The wonder is resolv'd by a new wonder Ex. San. Vit. Sforza I live doe ye stare I live these words Are not the fond delusions of the Ayre As you officiously would gull your selfe But from a solid substance had not we Ent. Sans. with 2 Negroes Bin by your diligēt spy too soon surpriz'd Before our projects full maturity Thy death more fully should have prov'd my life Sf. Foole that I was who thought to take thy life By that which nourisht it there 's none so mad Would poyson Serpents I le worke surely now Once more Iletry your immortality Strangle the Monster Vit. 'T was a doubtfull chance within this houre who first should own those words But Tyrant weary thy invention To finde variety of punishment Yet all that thou canst doe exceeds not this A pinne could doe as much weake silly Sforza All thou canst doe to me exceeds not that Which I did on the person of thy Prince Disease would prove a better murtherer Sf. Stop that malignant throat O my Ascanio Thus must they toyle which work an hight by bloud How I could wish an innocent descent To new subjection how I hate that wish How scorne all thoughts that have not danger in them Get us more Remora's sweet Cardinall Or rather then to droope to Idlenesse Wee 'll worke to be no Prince our selfe re-calling In rising most some wit there is in falling Scena tertia Cajazzo ASsist me Hell for I intend an Act Which should your puny fiends but think upon Would make their blacker cheeks receive a blush Would give a rednesse which your weaker Fire Had ne're that heating pow'r to worke in them An act the Heav'ns did onely then declare They would permit to be perform'd by man When they created Night for were all Day Could such a Crime be as well seene as done Their Immortality might justly feare Lest all the guilt should be remov'd on them As Idle or as Cruell lookers on Whilst heav'n on Earth did suffer this blacke night Must Isabella dye dye by this hand This Chappell is her ordinary walke Discover'd to me by her Iulia Where when she comes to see her husbands tombe This hand shall make her fit for such a roome Enter Isabella and Julia with two torches she places them at either end of the Tombe Exit Isabella drawes towards the Tombe and speakes Is. PRince of shades for unto me Still thou keep'st thy Majesty If thou art not wholly lost And there 's something in a Ghost Heare thy Isabella's vow If hereafter I allow Of a second match or know Any man but for a foe Saving him that shall ingage His revenge unto my rage Heare just heav'ns may I then be Made another Ghost like thee May I dye and never have What I visit now a Grave Caj O doe not heare her Heav'n kill me straight If I dare touch her he that sees those eyes And dares attempt to make those eyes not see Has a blinde soule burne clearer you kind lights O doe not envy me the sight of her But what 's there in a sight I must be briefe If not for love yet for ambition Her Mariage makes me greater then her Death And she has taught me the condition Pardon bright Angell and returne the sword Which Sforza made me sweare to sheath in you Into my bosome Is. No obey your Prince If you have goodnesse in you keepe your oath Murther is nothing unto perjury Caj By this faire hand you injure me and more Then ever Sforza did can you suppose Though you had heard the vowes he forc't me to I meant what I protested that this hand Which ever yet has us'd a sword for you Would use it now for your destruction Revoke that thought deare Lady that harsh thought And let not so much sweeter innocence Make it selfe guilty by suspition Suspition of impossibilities Rather command and you shall quickly see That he who would have arm'd me against you Shall finde in his owne entrailes the just steele Is. aside What traps are these to catch the Innocent Sforza I smell your project 't is too ranke My Lord no more your speech is dangerous I must not heare it Caj You shall see it then Doe not beleeve me Madam till I 've done Till I doe bring my credit in my armes The Traitors head and when you see that time Confesse you owe your life unto my crime Scena quarta Picinino Iuliano Iul. WHat will become of this declining State Can we beleeve that the yet patient heav'n Will any longer suffer and not give Destruction as notorious as our crimes Awake sterne Iustice and unsheath thy sword The Scabberd will not heale us but the edge Nor is 't enough to brandish but to strike Let then thy terrour give us innocence That mildnesse may no longer injure man Pic. Why thou perpetuall Murmurer thou sea Tost with eternall tempest thou darke sky VVith everlasting clouds thou any thing VVhom being angry I can call no more Thinke better of those acts thou canst not mend VVill Sforza be lesse bad because thou whin'st Or dost thou thinke thy pittifull complaints Can beg a goodnesse of Ascanio I never knew that mighty use of teares That they could wash away anothers fault VVhen thou shalt want a teare for a fit griefe Sanseverin will be a Coward still And when thy groanes are turn'd to thy last gaspe Cajazzo will not be lesse trecherous Enter Sanseverin with divers suitors following him some of whose
laugh at their fond wish whose desire aymes no higher Then the bayts of Midas dish VVhat is Gold but yellow durt which th' unkind heavens refin'd VVhen they made us love our hurt VVould to heav'n that I might steepe my faint eyes in the wise In the gentle dew of sleepe VVhose effects doe pose us so that we deeme it does seeme Both Deathes brother and his foe This does alwayes with us keepe and being dead that 's not fled Death is but a longer sleepe Sf. Pretty Philosophy goe boy goe sleepe Ex. Enjoy the good thou sing'st this boy can sleepe Sleepe quietly and sing himselfe a sleepe Making that gentle Rest unto his Song But I le goe read what have we here a Map VVelcome thou lively picture of the world Now I le peruse my large Dominions VVhat a vast compasse they doe fill in thee How Poe is wearied with his tedious course But running onely through our Continent Ha! where is Poe which is our Continent If that my eyes deceive me not I see My Empire is compriz'd within my nayle VVhat a poore point I me Master of a blot Made by the swiftest tincture of the Inke But what did this point cost me this small blot My innocence my conscience my soule I kill'd a Nephew to obtaine this blot O horrid purchace all this toyle this guilt For so despis'd a Nothing let me see Here is no roome to sit to walke to stand In all my land I cannot place my selfe Nor be at all where I would be the Duke But the sad tapers doe deny their light And stranger fire supplyes an horrid day Of Lightning help us heav'n make us cōfess There is a Power in your Mercy too Ascendit Umb. Gale Umb. Is then a time when all our time is spent That thou of us shouldst feare a punishment O happy purchas'd privacy to have The free possession of an humble grave VVu't poyson us from that why startst thou so VVe doe not shunne a kinsman but a foe Beleeve it Sforza I am a neer ghost Nor is our kindred by thy murther lost Rayse thy cheer'd looke see Galeazzo here Traitor and coward does thy faint breast feare The shadow which is made or is a soule Vncloath'd of Earth more abled to controle Him that uncloath'd it Then I see to dye Is more to right then suffer injury Know I am still thy prince and if that man In such a Miracle of villaine can At last be found in this thy manhood show That thou darst heare thy doome of overthrow Sf. Villaine be dumbe we are too tamely mild That dead men dare affront us assume flesh And we will make a second ghost of thee Umb. Thy threats are Ayre like us but to goe on In curse now that thy wisedome hopes upon A joy in unmolested royalty Now shalt thou have onely a certainty Of high unhappinesse and be undone Losing thy rule no better then t was wonne Fetters shall bind thy legs not Crownes thy head And as a curst beast is prohibited From common shew so thou of beasts the worst Must die imprison'd and what 's most accurst Obey to death all comforts tane away Rob'd of the light and the sweet heav'n of day Then flatter not thy miseries to know Is not to hinder Fate fall shalt thou low Sinke to despaire despaire to nought and dye Then lower fall and then as low as I. Discen Umb. Sf. Sinke into earth and doe not reach thy hell Propheticke bubble might thy threats prove true For we could wish the death that thou foretell'st That our feirce shadow might pursue thee still To fright thy Ghost to nothing O weake Heav'n VVas this a terror for a man to send A Bug-beare fram'd out of the empty Ayre This does confirme not fright us this might be A terror to my picture not to me Scena secunda Cajazzo Cai. IT must succeed Fortune may shew her spite Her pow'r she cannot in the houre I 'me made A Princes Lord or murtherer I 've plac'd Close at the outward doore Sanseverin That if successe doe crowne my hopes his cares May give me safety with my happinesse That I be not surpris'd but if I faile I have injoyn'd him on the noyse he heares Straight to go call the Duke enter hither Ent. Is. Madame t is done and now the guilty head VVhich whilst it stood made all to feare their heads VVho durst affirme it did usurp a crown Most humbly bends and offers it to you Is. VVhich I accept but for no other end Then to revenge his death base wretch on thee If that head be not planted there 't shall off You shall injoy your Masters death Caj How 's this Is this a love tricke Lady I had thought After your thankes parted twixt heav'n and me You would with greedinesse have giv'n you selfe To him that gave you your desires Is. Fond thought Dost thinke I de love a man that kils a man Make him my Prince who hath dispatch this owne VVas Treason euer Preface unto love Hadst thou monopoliz'd perfection And shar'd a thousand Cupids in each eye I would contemne the proudest of their shafts And give thee onely what is due Disdaine Caj You le urge me to just vengeance doe you heare Madam ingratitude quickly professe That this harsh language was but a wise baite To make him faster who was sure before Or I professe I le joyne your death with his VVith thy loath'd Sfroza Is. I beleeve thee now And trust me so beleeve that I could thanke thee I love thy cruelty though not thy person Caj Hath death so little horror well I le doe VVhat shall inforce you to desire a death This ponyards point shall naile thee to the earth Strucke through thy armes where doe not hope upon A noble ravisher my swarty slaves Slaves hated of their fellow-Black a mores Shall on thy Honors ruine tyre their Lust And kill thee in thy loathfull suffering Ent. Sforz Sanseverin Belgiosa What dare you struggle Is. A rape a rape Caj O my good Lord you come in such a time As I could wish for for this houre or more This wicked woman hath beene wooing me To murther your most sacred Majesty And for reward hath promis'd me herselfe Together with the Duchy my good Lord In detestation of such trechery I gave her some harsh answers with which mov'd She us'd a womans craft and cry'd a Rape Sf. Is this truth Isabella see shee 's dumbe Have I then liv'd to have you seeke my death A Cosin-Traitor yet you shall not dy Nor know another prison then my Court I love to see my Murtherer O heav'ns Why should I feare to kill her yet t is reason Who is no true Prince can ne'er punish treason Caj And I shall take you at your word deare Sf. Ex. Scena tertia Iuliano Picinino Pic. IT cannot be good Iulian no more I doe not love these over-earnest dreames The French invade us when their jolly King With
When he had seene their numbers yet at length They will rely upon another strength Or if to numbers they will trust agen 'T is to Gods numerous mercies not their men He can deliver they have seene by few And they doe thinke it possible and true That he can help by many too they find Without him all their actions full of wind Of emptinesse and with him they not doubt To be as well victorious as devout Now Pride hath left them now they goodnesse yeeld Now have they lost their vices with the field Such holy lessons doe misfortunes teach Which make our once bad thoughts bravely to reaâ—â— At Heav'n and glory if you marke it well Whilst yet it was a populous Israel It was a proud one too but when that now God lookes upon them with an angry brow When all their troopes halfe weary and halfe sicke Are growne to easier Arithmeticke Th' are truly penitent hence we may see The pow'r the good pow'r of Adversitie W' are bad if we are happy if it please Heav'n to indow us with a little ease If riches doe increase untill our store Meet our desires till we can wish no more If that our garners swell untill they feare Ruine from that with which they furnisht were We but abuse these benefits our Peace Brings forth but factions if that strangers cease To give us the affront our selves will be Both the defendant and the Enemy Our riches are our snares which being giv'n To man to make a purchase of the heav'n We buy our ruine with them the abuse Is double in the getting and the use So that our summes unto such heaps are growne When Avarice succeeds Oppression In briefe our garners so well stuff'd so eramm'd Detaine our Corne as if that it were damn'd To everlasting prison none appeares And thus we give dearth to the fruitfull yeares Being to such a proud rebellion growne Famine is not heav'ns judgement but our owne So wretched are we so we skilfull grow In crimes the which the heathen doe not know We wrong God for his blessings as if thus We then were thankfull if injurious Why should not mercy winne us why should we â—e worse by that whence we should betterd be Blessings were ne're intended for our harme Nor should the snake have stung when he was warme Him that had warm'd him O how base is man How foolish Irreligion has wanne Vpon his reason too Doe we not say That hee 's a beast whom onely stripes can sway O what is man then who ne're heares his Lord Till that the famine call him or the sword Who as he meant to tyre his patient God Yeelds not unto his favours but his rod. And can we yet intreat him to be kind To alter his when wee 'l not change our mind If we are heard we will offend agen And all our pray'r does but intreat a Sinne. Thus pray'd the Israelites but if th' are heard If he that made them scorn'd will make them feard It is in chance no t is as sure as fate Having forgot their misery of late They will rebell againe like those good hearts Who though they know the paines the many smarts Which fruitfulnesse is fruitfull with still give Death to themselves to make their issue live And if they scape this death they try againe And boldly venture for a second paine As if t were pleasure or as if they meant Rather to dye then to be continent Thus have we seene a barren sandy soyle Made onely for the husbandmans sad toyle And not his profit when the full heav'n powres His moisture downe easing himselfe by showres Drown'd with the drops to make us understand A figure of the Sea upon the Land When once those drops are spent when that the sky Smiles with his new restor'd serenitie Swifter then thought before that we can say This was the place the water 's gone away There 's a low Ebbe againe we see the Land Changing its moisture for its ancient sand Yet he that knowes this their infirmity At last will pitty it and from on high When now their thoughts of war they will adjourne When there 's no talke now but of their returne Hee 'l hinder it by victory with that About the time that pitchy night had gat The conquest of the day of which being proud He wrapt himselfe within his thickest cloud Thinking perhaps his conquest to be voyd If any saw the triumphs he injoyd Vnto our Levite he a vision sends Clad in her dearest shape in whom he ends All thoughts of Fancy Whom when he had seene And quickly he had spy'd her Fairest Queene Of heav'n he sayes what is there here on earth That could perswade thee to a second birth Thus to appeare agen needs must thou know For ignorance belongs to us below Excluded out of heav'n that our sad state Is for its goodnes prov'd unfortunate That Benjamin is conqueror and that we Could not revenge but onely follow thee Nor was 't one losse one petty overthrow Hath daunted us but as if fate would shew All her choyce malice on us we have try'd How many wayes 't was possible t' ave dy'd Beleeve it heavenly one no cowardise Which heretofore being base is now tearmd wise Lost us the day no providence no zeale Nor that which can the maymes of actions heale Councell and grave advice was wanting to us Only the heav'ns which we had thought would wooe us To prosecute thy vengeance and from whence We look'd for daies like a good conscience Shining and cleare with cruelty unheard Give vs an overthrow for a reward That we can onely such our wretched fate Deplore the losse which we should vindicate Is this your Iustice heav'ns nay I would know If it at least be wisedome thus to show Your wrath upon you followers if there be Such a desire in you to make us see What powre you have wherefore d' ye not use That powre on those who impiously abuse Vs and your selves O there are heathen still People that neither feare nor know your will If you will ruine these or any wise But lessen y 'ave the fewer Enemies On these be powerfull but if you doubt Whether such nations may be singled out That sinne hath fled the world then here begin For all the Heathen are in Benjamin Are we the onely faulty or am I Pickt out for eminent Iniquity All lights on me t was I that rays'd these warres T was I that this thicke people like to starres Have lessend into Number I alone Merit both peoples curses joynd in one Benjamin does detest me and I guesse Israels hatred is more close not lesse What shall I doe what course is to be tryde When safe I cannot goe nor safe abide No more sayes she nor foolishly conclude To give complaints in stead of gratitude Wee ' are heard my deare and he at whose command The earth will learne to move the heav'n to stand Fast as the Center who brings
Hell and was in Innocence But I doe wonder at the fault so long That I deferre the punishment my song Must to the Levite turne or rather be No more a Song but a sad Elegy He having carv'd his Love as you have heard And done that act which Hell and Furies fear'd Sends a choice piece to every Tribe to plead Their injuries and tell why she is dead Benjamin shall have one of them lest he Might dare commit a crime he durst not see A severall messenger to each Tribe is sent But he that unto Princely Iudah went Carying the head of the dismembred coarse With such a voice which sorrow had mad hoarse Least he should rave too highly thus beginnes Is there an Heav'n and can there be such sinnes Stands the Earth still me thinkes I hardly stand Feeling the Seas inconstancy on Land After this Act why flowes the water more Why does 't not staine which alwaies clear'd before It is not Ayre we draw now 't is a breath Sent to infect us from the Land of Death The Fire whose office 't is to warme and shine Growes blacke and downewards as it did repine To see the fact and sheds a kinde of teares Quenching his heat because he cannot theirs Can you behold these eyes without a teare Can you with patience longer thinke they were And are not the worlds wonder yet I erre It is Revenge and not a Teare fits her Let women weepe for women then you shall Shew you have sorrow'd heartily if all Doe sorrow which have injur'd her and be Examples as of Crimes so Misery Gibeah 't was O 't was not Gibeah Credit me not beleeve not what I say I scarce dare trust my selfe and yet agen Gibeah 't was that did this Fact and then He tells them all what I before have wept Now Iudah stormes and as a River kept From its owne course by Weares and Milles if once It force a passage hurryes or'e the stones Sweepes all along with it and so alone Without stormes makes an Inundation Such was the peoples fury they 're so hot That they will punish what we credit not And be as speedy as severe but some Who loath'd the bloudy accents of the Drumme Who thought no mischiefes of that foulnesse are But that they gaine excuse compar'd with warre And warre with brethren these I say of age The chiefe amongst them doe oppose their rage Exhort them to a temper Stay sayes one And be advis'd before you be undone Whence is this fury why d' yee make such hast To doe that act which you 'l repent as fast Are any glad to fight or can ought be Mother of warre beside Necessity Be not mistaken brethren take good heed It is not Physicke frequently to bleed He that for petty griefes incision makes Cannot be cur'd so often as he akes Are then your sisters daughters wifes too chast Or are you sorry that as yet no wast Deformes your richer grounds or does it stirre An anger in you that the souldier Mowes not your Fields Poore men do you lament That still you are as safe as innocent We yet have Cities proudly situate We yet have people be it not in fate That your esteeme of both should be so cheape To wish those carcasses and these an Heape Me thinkes our Iordan hath an happier pace And flowes with greater majesty and grace In his owne naturall wave then if the sword Should higher colour to his streames afford Should paint and so deforme it to mine eye A River's better then a Prodigy But I desire deere Countrymen to know Whose is the blood that we must lavish so Perhaps the Philistins ambition Would to our Shiloh bring their Ascalon And these you would encounter or it may be Egypt still envying that you are free Intends a second bondage or perchance Your daily conquer'd Enemies advance Their often flying ensignes those at hand Possessors and destroyers of the Land Whom God reserving for our future Pride Left to our eyes as thornes prickes to our side No none of these but all your swords intend I grieve to speak 't the ruine of a friend And all the sonnes of Israel doe presse That Israel may have a sonne the lesse Ioseph I 've read suffer'd his brothers hate Ioseph of neere acquaintance unto fate The mouth of Destiny they would kill him first But after sell him to try which was worst And yet no reason for this spleene appeares But that his glory was beyond his years To hate the yonger still is too much sinne And after Ioseph to spoile Benjamin Hath twelve no mystery doe ye ascribe Meerely to Chance that there is no odd Tribe Trust me my brethren they doe injure God Who say that he delights in what is odd I thinke 't is parity best pleaseth heav'n And what is most just loves what is most ev'n Doe I excuse them then to please the time And onely make an error of a Crime Am I sinnes Advocate farre be 't from me To thinke so ill of Warre as Sodomy For Sodomy I tearme it Iustice calls That fact which never into action falls If it hath past the license of the will And their intent reacht to that height of ill But whose intent O pardon me there be Benjamites spotlesse of that Infamy Shall these be ioyn'd in punishment a sinne You 'd warre against O doe not then beginne To act a greater as if you would see Whether Injustice aequall'd Luxury This madnesse was from Gibeah 't is true Yet some doe more distast the crime then you Even in that City heare then my advice And God shall prosper what you enterprize Exhort them to doe justice if that then They still be partiall to these guilty men Their guilt is greatest let them perish all And equall their offences with their fall Thicke acclamations breake off his discourse They le heare no more because they like't Remorse Ceizeth each conscience they already hate The civill warre which they so wisht of late Embassadors by generall voice are sent But Benjamin conceits that to repent Were the worse sinne and that who ere will doe A wicked act he ought defend it too But are not we true Benjamites in this And aggravate what ere we doe amisse By a new act as if the second deed Excus'd the former if it did exceed Did we not thus an end were come to warre Did we not thus no more should private jarre Molest our peace Kings might put up their swords And every quarrell might conclude in words One conference would root out all debate And they might then most love who now most hate The most sworne foes for shew me where is he Would seeke Revenge without an injury A wrong receiv'd or thought one then no need But to deny or to excuse the deed Why is Defence O what doe they intend Who justifie those acts which they should mend O Pride O folly O extreme disease O Fact which he condemnes who practises Who in his
Stupiditie Not to be borne with had they knowne the use At first of that which they now call a truce This truce had beene unnecessary then They might have spar'd whilst now they bury men And that they now may bury they intreat Respite a while from warre thus all their heate Is buried for the time good heav'n to see Th' Omnipotency of Necessity Whom all the nearest ties of Neighbourhood Religion Language nay of the same Blood Could not containe from fight but that they would To see if it were theirs shed their owne blood These are intreated to a forme of peace Their fury for a day or two can cease Commanded by Necessity they feare Lest th' Ayre by so much carcasse poysoned were Lest to revenge the blood which they had shed They now might feele the valour of the dead Of strong corruptiō these thoughts hold their mind These thoughts a while inforce them to be kind On both sides for they doe not jarre in all Nature prevailes not but a Funerall Nor doth this long prevaile for when they had Interr'd some carcasses they yet are mad Till they have made some more till they have done A second fault as not content with one They see their Error and commit it thus Who are not eminently vertuous Are easily entrapp'd in vices snares And want the poore excuse that unawares They were ingag'd we greedily runne on Offending with Deliberation And can you call this but Infirmity Nick-name a Vice O call it Prodigy Call it O what What name can well expresse The miracle of humane guiltinesse Could he pretend an ignorance at least And be in Nature as in Fact a beast He were not worse then they then he might be Both from the Vse and fault of Reason free But what new horror ceizeth me what fire Raignes in my thoughts prompts me to rise higher Hence you low soules who groveling on the Earth Basely deject your selves below your birth Sold to your senses I intend to tell What none can know but in whose breasts doe dwell Coelestiall fires and unto whom 't is given To have a neerer intercourse with Heav'n Yet pardon you pure soules whom no one dares Eas'd of our flesh to trouble with our cares Pardon I once more aske if my weake pen Fitting it selfe to ordinary men Attaine not to your height to us unknowne And give you those words which you shame to owne The Lawgiver who saw as in a glasse All in the Word what ever 't was did passe In these neer enmities as farre as Man Perfectly happy knowes a griefe began To feele Compassion Have I then said he Deliver'd Israel for this misery And did I free them from the Aegyptian Onely to find them graves in Canaan I did foretell their Land shall overflow But never thought to be expounded so Never with bloud I meant that they should have More blessings then the covetous can crave The flowing Vdder and the untir'd Bee An happy Deluge of Fertility O how would now proud Pharaoh rejoyce How he would have a joy beyond a voyce Beyond his tyranny could he but know What Israel does indure without a Foe Was it for this I did so oft repeat Wonders before him wonders of so great Exuberance of powre so highly done That they contemne all admiration How wert thou Nilus bloody'd into Red Thy waters as unknowne as is thy Head When all thy finny progeny did find That to destroy now which did breed their kind When by a nimble death they understand The River as discourteous as the Land Can I forget that when I did bestow A liberty as heretofore to flow Vnto thy now pale waters there did passe An issue stranger then his Colour was From the too fertil river Frogges are found With such a multitude to hide the ground That there 's no grasse appeares no corne is seene The spring does blush because he lookes not greene Their numbers and their noise equally harsh Make Egypt not a Region but a Marsh. What a small portion of my acts where these How scarcely to be counted passages In my large story Dust is chang'd to Lice And now beginnes to creepe which the most nice And curious eye before could never find To move at all unlesse 't were by the winde Which could not scatter those thicke clouds of Flyes That would not let them no not see the skyes When I but threaten all the cattle dye And Egypts Gods find a Mortality But lest the men should thinke that they were free From the fault too if the Calamity I taught their bodies with blacke goare to runne And imitate their soules corruption What was a Face is now a pimple growne And in each part is plentifully sowne A store of blaines so ugly that to me It was a kind of Iudgement but to see And if this were but little was 't not I That call'd those candy'd pellets from the sky Which in a moment overwhelming all Did badly change their colour in their fall And by the murthering every one they found Within their reach came red unto the ground When to repaire the numbers they had slaine Beasts of all sorts the land is fill'd againe But t is with Locusts such a swarme they see Made for the shame of all their Husbandry That they could wish so they were rid of these The former Murrein ere this new increase But who can tell the following Prodigy Last day the Earth was hid but now the sky Chaos returnes the Sunne hath lost his rayes And Nights obscurity is turn'd to Dayes Who could a greater miracle afford God made the Light I Darknesse by a Word Which had it lasted had it ne'r beene spent They would have call'd it a kind punishment They had not seene then their first borne to dy To challenge death by their Nativity All this I did but why was it to see My people suffer fuller misery To gaine the Country which they could not hold From which their owne armes ignorantly bold Expell their owne selves O let no man tell That Israel did banish Israel My prayers forbid nor let it ere be said That Moses was unkind since he was dead That in the grave I left my goodnesse too And could not pity when not feele a woe Having said this with all the speed he may He seekes out holy Abraham who that day By his deere Isaac seconded did sing The ancient mercies of their heavenly King One tells how having now worne out a life And so being fitter for his Grave then Wife Nay then when she had liv'd unto those yeares To be accounted with the Grandmothers When Sara now was so unweildy growne Her legges could scarcely beare her selfe alone She beares another burthen and does swell Not with a child but with a Miracle This said he stops and then againe goes on No more with story but Devotion O praise the Lord my soule let me not find My body was more fruitfull then my mind O let that teeme with
How hath he try'd variety of griefe How beene in dangers as in Rule our Chiefe That when there is a speech of suffering He is no lesse our Patterne then our King The Seas spoke loud yet if we rightly poyse There was more danger where there was lesse noyse Yet was he freed from both when in mans eye Successe had seem'd to smile on Trechery These are your wonders Heav'n and not so much Favours although the Favour too be such That it does pose our gratitude and so Onely proclaimes that we are made to owe Our proverty of merit to be short Th' are not so much your Favours as your Sport You in an instant rayse whom we would sweare Nayl'd to the Earth him that had left to feare More then he suffer'd that had beene so long Acquainted with ill lucke with such a throng Of misadventures that he does not know VVhat it is to be free from them and so This courteous intermission he expounds Rather a Change then Cure of his neer wounds You in an unthought Minute can depresse VVhom we beleeve in league with Happinesse And as upon the Stage we oft have seene Him act a Beggar who a King hath beene For no default but that the Poets art Thought at that time he best would fit that part So in our serious Theaters when you please Kings are as varying persons as are these Onely in this their disadvantage lyes That they may fall but cannot hope to rise They whom the bands that make a kingdome strong Succession to the Crowne both right and long From worthy Ancestors obedience At home and lastly sure intelligence Abroad hath fortifyed those that suppos'd True joy to be wholly in them inclos'd If you but please to frowne in one short day When they not thinke their Enemies on their way Are conquer'd by them and at last retaine This comfort onely to allay their paine That their misfortune if the heavens decree May be the portion of their Enemy Why then doe trifling miseries so grate Our minds and make us more unfortunate Then heav'n intended if out of a summe Of mony not so rich as troublesome By the large roome it occupies some one Willing to teach us moderation Nibble a little how we fret we rave How for our treasure we distraction have As if we did beleeve to say no more Heav'n had the onely powre to make us poore Israel thought not thus but does prepare All things that for the action needfull are He thinkes now double diligence is due That he may be victorious and God true On the Eastside of Gibeah there stood An overgrowne and unfrequented wood The trees so thickly plac'd that you would guesse Had you beheld that horrid wildernesse How darkenesse all the Mastery had wonne T was made for the discredit of the Sunne Never did any raye pierce through those leaves And if at any time it light receives T is onely when the heavens doe misse their stroke And passing wicked men murder an Oke So that the brightnesse that adornes the same Serves not so much to'inlighten as inflame Here never did the nimble Fairy tread Nor ever any of the Wood-nymphes bred Within this grove but it was singled out For Pluto's regiment for that bad rout Of Hell-borne furies there you might have seene Alecto stretch'd at her full length betweene Two fatall Yughs where while her rest she takes She gives an intermission to her Snakes Who in a thousand curles there hissing lye And she sleepes sweeter by their harmony Here had the Canaanite in former times Whilest that Religion did consist in crimes Offer'd his sonnes in sacrifice as though He meant to pay backe heav'n all he did owe Or did conceive that which he should despaire To be without sinne when without an heire This horrid place till now had emptie stood But now the Israelites conclude it good To plant an ambush there for thus they plot That when the skirmish shall be growing hot They will draw backe to make the Benjamite Conceive that stratagem to be a flight And leave the towne for the pursuit when straight Vpon a signe giv'n they that lie in waite Shall ceize upon the City and so force Their Enemy to such a desp'rate course That being pursu'd by those he put to flight He shall not know whether to flie or fight Hearken ye silly ones that doe suppose You ought not to beare Armes against your foes VVho having cast off ordinary sense Affirme that they doe warre with Providence VVho providently warre that they distrust The powre or care of heav'n who will be just To their owne cause which you will noyse to be A spice of wiser Infidelity To these I need no other answer find Shall we be foolish because heav'n is kind And when your industry might doe as well VVill ye inforce God to a Miracle It is a truth I grant which you pretend That God hath destin'd all things to their end Which stands immoveable nor is 't in Fate To alter what he will praeordinate Yet never any did so farre proceed In folly to affirme that he decreed Onely the end that was in Gods intents Whilest we did sleepe to blesse us with events We dreame not of Such fondnes cannot find Any excuse unlesse they were design'd Inevitably to 't for I would know If they suppose it possible to shew Their mind in these affaires or if they be Not hindred from an answer by Decree Why they doe eate and why they doe not hence Conclude rebellion against Providence Why they doe cloath themselves and why desire When cold oppresseth them to choose a fire Have you forgot that for his holy ones God can at ease produce e'ne out of stones As solid sustenance or is it lost In your fraile memory that when Israel crost The Desert out of Aegypt forty yeares Nor Taylors they imploy'd nor Shoomakers Trust me if you your selves thinke your selves true Your care does vilify Gods care of you And every dish that to your board is brought Vpbraides him to his face as if you sought To mend his purpose and by this odd feat You doe blaspheme as often as you eate The Israelites are wiser farre although They have that unknowne happinesse to know Their victory aforehand though they heare This truth from him from whom they cannot feare Any deceit whose powerfull word alone Makes that a truth which he resolves upon Although they will allow his Act for chiefe Yet they will doe their part too to be briefe Every soldier to himselfe sayes thus God will bestow the victory but by us The night they spend in prayer but whē the morne Had dimm'd the pride of Cynthia's cleerest horne By higher luster being call'd away Nor by the Cocke the Trumpetter of Day But by an earlier trumpet then you might By her unwilling and yet hasting light Discerne and seeing almost rightly poyse Whether were more their number or their noyse And unto which more feare was to be giv'n
Who fill the Earth with Numbers with noyse Heav'n Benjamin takes th' alarme and having chose One in whose faithfulnesse they might repose A wary confidence they quit the wall And to the wider field issue out all Lest if they stay'd within and did oppose Rampiers and ditches onely to their foes They might have bragg'd as if that they had won Making a prison of their garrison Now both the Hoasts themselves so neere do find That it would aske more labour t' have declin'd The field then to have wonne it yet they stay Hoping that innocence is in delay If they are slowly guilty now speares flye Shiver'd in thousand fitters to the skye And whether it revenge or fortune were Every peece becomes a Murtherer And from their bodies frees a many soule Doing that broken which they could not whole Could Xerxes here have sate upon an hill To see these warriors he would not still Fondly lament nor lavish out a teare Because they could not live an hundred yeare But melt into just passion away Because they could not live out all that day Now might you have beheld the fiery horse Proud of his owne and of his Masters force Robb'd of his Master whom you now might see Running as if t were after Liberty Or you 'd conceive had you but seene the race That 't was no more a battle but a chase No stroke falls idle nay they are so neere They need not strike at all death is caus'd here By their bad neighbourhood the whole and sound You might have seene here dead without a wound To save the guilt and labour of the sword Bodies to bodies their owne ends afford Now nothing but the dust is to be seene Which like so many Emblems flyes betweene They mingled armies which in silence sayes They are no better then the motes they raise Thē those poore Atomes but they think to shrowde Their acts from sight of heav'n under that cloud And therefore doe their utmost yet as though Those hands were sluggish or this fury slow The trumpets chid them to a lustier guilt And the loud drums proclaim'd you have not spilt Blood enough yet O what were they that found Out first the use and malice of that sound Which makes us kill with greedinesse and when T is the Corrupted Nature of most men Hardly to yeeld unto the destitute These will not suffer us to heare their suite This drowns the groanes but now both armies reele Now this gives backe some ground now that doth feele That it is prest too hardly Thus the seas When over it the angry winds doe please To exercise their fury doe not know What course to take nor whither they should flow This wave breakes that and then another blast Makes that the conqueror which was conquerd last At length the Israelites give backe indeed And though in order yet with such a speed Benjamin calls it Flight all 's ours they cry If we can runne we have the victory With that what ever men the towne affords Skilfull to use their fingers or their swords For spoyle or for pursuite issue out thence With such a noyse they give intelligence That they have left it emptie O the vaine Attempts of foolish man O deserv'd paine Th' are made the spoile that they intend to make So wisely can just heav'ns their vengeance take On bad attempts so all our heate asswage And make our Ruine greater then our Rage It never entred into their proud thought They should receive the damage which they sought To give unto their brethren who having left Their woody covert and the friendly cleft Which entertain'd them by a quicke surprize Take the unguarded towne O who can prize Those losses to the full or who rehearse Those misadventures in an equall verse They spare no age but cruell take away From the old men the solitary day They could expect to live now Infants dye Ev'n those who yet within their mothers lye Finding a Night before they see the Morne Being buri'd thus before that they were borne For whom their murtherers no crime could choose But that they were and had a life to loose Nor does the weaker sex escape the rage Of these intruders and as every Age So every Person suffers onely here May be the difference if that any were Either they 're killd out-right or which is worse They thinke their life to be the greater curse Here mothers see their daughters whom they bred As Votaries unto their Maiden head Vn-virgin'd in their sight where having lost That peerelesse jewell which they valewd most They doe receive to vindicate their name A death from them from whom they had their shame Avarice followes Lust now they have leisure To ransacke all those Mineralls of treasure Long peace and thrift had hoarded up at last As children when their Appetite is past Spoyle what they cannot eate and badly kind Pamper their dogs with that they leave behind So these as surfeiting with such a store Which made them lose all feare of being poore What is not ready spoyle give to the fire Whose conqu'ring flames unto the heav'ns aspire As boasting of their service through the towne Swifter then any thing that has renowne For speedinesse they runne one houre does spoile Vnlucky houre what was an Ages toyle Now cracke the houses now the Temples fry Now the poore Citizens resolv'd to dye Doubt of what death and know not which to try The fire the downefalls or the Enemy Had this misfortune hapned in the Night Though Nature had oppos'd such a full light Had made a day and so againe had wonne A Conquest of the towne and of the Sunne Never did Sailor with such joy behold Castor and Pollux when his ship was roll'd Vpon the angry Ocean whose proud waves Made the most haughty mindes freeze into slaves With a base feare as Israel does view Those flames which he does feare not to be true They are so great and yet he hopes to see These flames to light him to a victory Now all the face of things is chang'd a new Now those which earst seem'd vanquish'd do pursue The Israelites confirming by their Fight That they could cause as well as act a Flight Benjamin growes amaz'd and does not know What he should doe nor on what grounds to goe Which probably seeme safe if he should flye He runnes away unto the Enemy And shall he fight alas but he will find It is impossible to fight behind Where he shall be assay'ld yet he shifts ground And figures out his battle in a round And since he hath no hope to scape away Hee 'l nobly sell not give away the day They never fought till now all the whole day Before was onely somewhat fiercer Play Murder in jest but now they are so fierce As if they would inforce their swords to pierce Beyond the body this a while at length Despaire does yeeld the victory to strength And Fortune that the world henceforth might find That they