Coward lose the Crown So neer your head to heap you with renown Shal we so dare to dally with the Lord To cast his yoak and to contemn his Word Where shall we fly his hand Heav'n is his Throne The Earth his foot-stool and dark Acheron The Dungeon where the damned soules be shut Is of his anger euermore the Butt On him alone all our good-hap depends And he alone from dangers vs defends Ah! weep no more This sacred Turf doth craue More blood than Tears let vs vs so behaue That ioyn'd in zeal we yield vs willingly To make a vertue of necessity Let 's testifie we haue a time abod I in your School you in the school of God Where we haue learned that his sacred Word Which made of Nothing all that euer stirr'd Which all sustaines and all directeth still To diuers ends conducts the good and ill Who loues not God more than all Kinn's respect Deserues no place among his deer Elect And who doth once God's Till age vnder-take Must not look back neither his Plough forsake Here-with th' old Hebrew cheerfuller becam And to himself cries Courage Abraham The World the Flesh Adam are dead in thee God Spirit and Faith alone subsisting be Lord by thy Spirit vnto my spirit annex So liuely Faith that still mine eyes may fix On thy true Isaac whose sharp sin-less Suffering Shall purge from sin me and my sinfull offering Scarce had he draw'n his sword in resolution With heaued hand for instant execution When instantly the thundring voyce of God Stay'd heart and hand and thus the Fact forbod Abram enough holde holde thy hand sayd he Put-vp thy sword thine Isaac shall not die Now of thy faith I haue had perfect proof Thy Will for Deed I do accept enough Glad Abram then to God giues thanks and prayse Vnbindes his Son and in his room he lays A Lamb there strangely hampered by the head And that to God devoutly offered Renowned Abraham Thy noble Acts Excell the Fictions of Heröik Facts And that pure Law a Son of thine shall write Shall nothing els but thy braue deeds recite Extol who list thy wisdom's excellence Victorious Valour frank Beneficence And Iustice too which even the Gentiles honor Ill dares my Muse take such a task vpon-her Onely thy Faith not all with all th' Effects Onely one fruit of thousand she selects For glorious subiect which to say the right I rather loue to wonder-at than write Go Pagans turn turn-over every Book Through all Memorials of your Martyrs look Collect a Scroule of all the Children slain On th' Altars of your Gods dig-vp again Your lying Legends Run through every Temple Among your Offerings choose the best example Among your Offerings which your Fathers past Haue made to make their names eternall last Among them all fondlings you shall not finde Such an example where vnkindely-kinde Father and Son so mutually agree To showe themselues Father nor Son to be Where man 's deep zeal and God's deer fauour stroue For Counter-conquest in officious loue One by constraint his Son doth sacrifice Another means his Name t' immortallize By such a Fact Another hopes to shun Som dismall Plague or dire Affliction Another only that he may conform To Tyrant Custom 's aw-les law-les Form Which blears our eys and blurs our Senses so That Lady Reason must her seat forgo Yea blindes the iudgement of the World so far That Uertue's oft arraign'd at Vice's Bar. But vn-constrain'd our Abram all alone Vpon a Mountain to the guise of none For it was odious to the Iewes to doo And in a time of Peace and plenty too Fights against Nature prickt with wondrous zeal And slaying Isaac wars against his Weal O sacred Muse that on the double Mount With withering Bayes bind'st not thy Singers Front But on Mount Sion in the Angels Quire With Crowns of glory doest their brows atrire Tell for thou know'st what sacred Mystery Vnder this shaddow doth in secret ly O Death Sin Satan tremble ye not all For hate and horror of your dreadfull Fall So liuely figur'd To beholde Gods Bowe So ready bent to cleaue your heart in two To see yong Isaac Pattern of that Prince Who shal Sin Satan Death and Hell convince Both only Sons both sacred Potentates Both holy Founders of two mighty States Both sanctified both Saints Progenitors Both bear their Cross both Lamb-like Sufferers Both bound both blame-less both without reply Both by their Fathers are ordain'd to dy Vpon Mount Sion which high glorious Mount Serues vs for Ladder to the Heav'ns to mount Restores vs Edens key the key of Eden Lost through the eating of the fruit forbidden By wretched Adam and his weaker Wife And blessed bears the holy Tree of life Christ dies indeed but Isaac is repriv'd Because Heav'ns Councell otherwise contriv'd For Isaac's blood was no sufficient price To ransom soules from Hell to Paradise The Leprosie of our contagious sin More powr-full Rivers must be purged in FINIS The LAWE THE III. PART OF THE III. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT Envy in Pharao seeks to stop the Cause Of Iews increase Moses escapes his claws Out of a Burning vnburnt Bush a Voice For Iacob's Rescue doth of Him make choice Sends him with Aaron to the Egyptian King His Hard'ning PLAGVING finall Ruining In the Red Sea Israel ingrate for all Christ-Typing Manna Quails Rock-waters fall The glorious LAVVE the golden Calf strange Fire Coré in-gulft MOSES prepar'd t' expire ARm-Arming Trumpets lofty Clarions Rock-battering Bumbards Valour-murdering Guns Think you to drown with horror of your Noise The choise sweet accents of my sacred Voice Blowe till you burst roar rend the Earth in sunder Fill all with Fury Tempest War and Thunder Dire Instruments of Death in vain yee toyl For the loud Cornet of my long-breath'd stile Out-shrills yee still and my Stentorian Song With warbled Ecchoes of a silver tongue Shall brim be heard from India even to Spain And then from thence even to the Artik Wayn Yet 't is not I not I in any sort My sides's too-weak alas my breath 's too-short It is the spirit-inspiring Spirit which yerst On th' eldest Waters mildly moved first That furnishes and fills with sacred winde The weak dull Organs of my Muse and minde So still good Lord in these tumultuous times Giue Peace vnto my Soule soule to my Rimes Let me not faint amid so fair a course Let the World's end be th' end of my Discourse And while in FRANCE fell MARS doth all devour In lofty stile Lord let me sing thy Powr ALL-CHANGING Time had cancell'd and supprest IOSEPH'S Deserts his Master was deceast His Sons were dead when currish Envie 's strife Lays each-where ambush for poor ISRAEL'S life Who notwithstanding doth far faster spread Comparison And thicker spring than in a fruitfull Mead Moted with Brooks the many-leaved locks Of thriving Charvel which the bleating Flocks Can with their dayly hunger hardly mowe So
this Day strange will it seem to som One and the same is both the Corps and Tomb. Almighty Father Gracious God and Iust Mans pronenesse â—o fall without the support of Gods gracious faâ—â—our O! what hard-heartednes what brutish Lust Pursueth man if thou but turn thy face And take but from vs thy preventing grace And if provoked for our past offences Thou give vs vp to our Concupiscences O Harran'â— Nieces you LOTS daughters saw SODOM consumed in that Sulphury flaw Their Hills and Forrests calcined in fine Their liberall fields sowen with a burning brine Their stately houses like a coal-pitsmoaking The Sun it self with their thick vapours choking So that within a yard for stinking smother The Labourers could hardly knowe each other Their flowring Valley to a Fen exchang'd And your owne Mother to a Salt-stone chang'd Yet all alas these famous Monuments Of the iust rigour of God's Punishments Cannot deter you but even Sodom-like Incestuously a holy-man you seek Even your owne Father whom with wine you fill And then by turns intice him to your will Conceiving so O can Heav'n suffer it Lot drawen by his Daughter in drunkennesse to commit Incest with both of theÌ„ Even of that seed which did your selues beget Within your wombs you bear for nine months time Th' vpbraiding burden of your shame-less Crime And troubling Kindred's names and Nature quight You both becom even in one very Night Wives to your Fathers Sisters to your Sons And Mothers to your Brothers all at once All vnder colour that thus living sole Sequestred thus in an vnhaunted hole Heav'ns envy should all ADAM'S race have reft And LOT alone should in the World be left Had 't not been better never to haue bred Than t' have conceived in so foul a bed Had 't not been better never t' haue been Mothers Than by your Father to have born your Brothers Had 't not been better to the death to hate Then thus t' haue lov'd him that you both begate Him so much yours that yours he mought not be Sith of these Rocks God could immediatly Haue rais'd LOT Son-in-lawes or striking but Th' Earths solid bosom with his brazen foot Out of the dust haue reared suddain swarms Of People stay'd in Peace and stout in Arms. FINIS The FATHERS A PART OF THE II. PART OF THE III. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT The famous FATHER of the Faithfull heer Limn'd to the life in strife of Faith and Fear His Sonn 's sweet nature and his nurture such Endeer his TRIAL with a neerer Touch REASON'S best Reasons are by FAITH refell'd With GOD th' Affection for the Action held So counter-manding His command atchiev'd The Sire 's approoued and the Son repriev'd Heer had our Author liv'd to end his Works Should haue ensu'd the other PATRIARCHS O! 'T is a Heav'nly and a happy turn Of godly Parents to be timely born To be brought-vp vnder the watchfull eyn Of milde-sharp Masters awfull Discipline Chiefly to be even from the very first With the pure milk of true Religion nurst Such hap had Isaac but his Inclination Exceeds his Birth excels his Education His Faith his Wit Knowledge and Iudgement sage Out-stripping Time anticipate his age For yet a Childe he fears th' Eternall Lord And wisely waits all on his Fathers word Whose steady steps so duly he obserues That every look him for a lesson serues And every gesture every wink and beck For a command a warning and a check So that his toward Diligence out-went His Fathers hopes and holy document Now though that Abram were a man discreet Sober and wise well knowing what is meet Though his deer Son somtimes he seem to chide Yet hardly can he his affection hide For evermore his loue-betraying ey On 's darling Isaac glanceth tenderly Sweet Isaac's face seems as his Glasse it were And Isaac's name is musick in his ear But God perceiving this deep-settled Loue Thence takes occasion Abrams Faith to prooue And tempteth him But not as doth the Divell His Vassals tempt or Man his Mate to evill Satan still draws vs to Death's dismall Path But God directs where Death no entry hath Ay Satan ayms our constant Faith to foyl But God doth seal it never to recoyl Satan suggesteth ill God mooues to grace The Divell seeks our Baptisme to deface But God to make our burning Zeal to beam The brighter ay in his Ierusalem A Prince that means effectuall proof to make Simile Of som Man's Faith that he doth newly take Examins strictly and with much a-doo His Words and Deeds and every gesture too And as without within as well to spy-him Doth carefully by all means sift and try-him But God ne'r seeks by Triall of Temptation To sound Man's heart and secret cogitation For well he knowes Man and his ey doth see All thoughts of men yer they conceived be But this is still his high and holy driâ—t When through temptation he his Saints doth siâ—t To leaue for pattern to his Churches seed Their stedfast Faith and never-daunted Creed Yet out of season God doth never try His new-converted Children by and by Such novices would quickly faint and shrink Such ill-rigg'd Ships would even in launching sink Their Faith 's light blossoms would with every blast Be blowen away and bear no fruit at last Against so boistrous stroaks they want a shield Vnder such weight their feeble strength would yield But when his Words deer seed that he hath sowen Within their hearts is rooted well and growen And when they haue a broad thick Breast-plate on High peril-proof against affliction Such as our Abram Who now waxen strong Through exercise of many trials long Of faith of loue of fortitude and right Who by long weary wandrings day and night By often Terrors Lots Imprisonment His Wifes twice taking Ismaels banishment Beeing made invincible for all assaults Of Heav'n and Earth and the infernall Vaults Is tempted by the voyce which made all things Which sceptreth Shepheards and vn-crowneth Kings Giue me a voyce now O voyce all divine With sacred fire inflame this breast of mine Inuocation Ah! ravish me make all this Vniverse Admire thine Abram pourtrayd in my Verse Mine Abram sayd the Lord deer Abraham Thy God thy King thy Fee thy Fence I am Hie straight to Salem and there quickly kill Thine owne Son Isaac on that sacred Hill Heaw him in pieces and commit the same In Sacrifice vnto the rage-full Flame As he that slumbering on his carefull Bed Simile Seems to discern som Fancy full of dread Shrinks down himself and fearfull hides his face And scant draws breath in half an howrs space So Abraham at these sharp sounding words Which wound him deeper than a thousand swords Seised at once with wonder grief and fright Is well-nigh sunk in Deaths eternall night Death's ash-pale Image in his eyes doth swim A chilling Iee shivers through every lim Flat on the ground himself he groveling throwes A
revive Act. 9 40 13 Then in another Picture I did view The foure Elements The foure first bodies of this massie Globe Green-gowned Tellus Uulcan Scarlet-robe Py'd mantled Iuno Neptune clad in blew 14 Elisha's Faith brought from the lofty Skies 2. King 6. 17 Bright fiery Charrets 'gainst the Syrian hoast 1. King 18 38 Elias Faith scorning the Baal-Priests boast Fier'd without fire his moated Sacrifice 15 By Faith three Hebrues cast in seaven-fold flame By a proud Prince escape the raging Fire Dan. 3 27 Their very garments sent-less and entire While their Tormentors perish in the same 16 Moses by Faith makes fire from Heav'n to fall Leuit. 10 21 Num. 16 35 In th' Hebrue hoast those wretches to consume Whose profane hands with profane Fire and Fume God's holy Altar had polluted all 17 Moses by Faith heard by the God of powr Compels the Mountain's burly sides to shake Commands the Earth to rent and yawn and quake Num. 16 30 To swallow Rebels and them quick devour 18 Moses by Faith divides the Sea in twain Exod. 14 21 When Israël came out of Egypt Land Then in the Desert's dry and barren sand Exod. 17 9 From flinty Rocks doth plentious Rivers strain 19 Moses by faith converts to foul black blood Exod. 7 20 The Crystall Current of the seaven-fold Nile By Faith again he makes another while Exod. 15 25 Those stinking waters holsom sweet and good 20 Thrice silver Iordan did it self divide To giue safe passage to God's deer-belov'd Once by the Faith of valiant Iosuah proov'd Iosua 3 16 2. King 2 8 14 Elias once once by Elisha tri'd 21 The zealous Thisbit did by Faith seal-vp The Heav'ns wide windows that ther fell no Rain In seaven-six months and then by Faith again 1. King 18 41 To drench the dry Earth set them all wide-ope 22 Likewise by Faith the nimble-winged train That cleave the Air are to our service set The Ravens are made to bring Elias meat 1. King 16 6 Gen 8 11 Exod. 16 13 The Dove serves Noah Quails for Moses rain 23 O! who is able Faith to countermand If Faith doo force all-taming yron yield If Faith make yron flote on Neptunes field 2. King 6 6 If that Elisha's Faith strong steel command 24 Faith hath not onely powr on things terrene Both high and lowe but often times doth force Gods iustice too and somtimes seems perforce God's purposes to change and alter clean 25 The Niniuits by Faith repenting shun Their over-throwe that Ionas threatned neer Ionas 3 10 And Ahaz Son by Faith adds fifteen yeer 2. King 20. 10 To his short life that seem'd already don 26 Now if the giver of this Faith we see Seem to incline and bow vnto her still As bound and ready to obey her will What marvell is' t if Angels be not free 27 The Angels serue in Ezechias pay 2. King â—9 â—5 1. King 19 Acts 12. 7 Gen. 32 1. By Faith they bring the Thisbit needfull Cates By Faith they ope for Peter prison gates By Faith to Iacob they direct the way 28 About twelue pases past these former Pomps Full many sacred Minstrels sound on hie Triumphant Faith 's great name and dignity Tuning aloft their Clarions Flutes and Tromps 29 Mark Matthew Luke the Lords deerest Iohn Christs Secretaries winde with such a brest Their warbling Cornets that from East to West Through all the World their sacred sound is gon 30 Both Iameses one the Son of Zebedeus Th' other Alphcus Thomas Simon Andrew Peter Mathias Philip Bartholomew Paul Gentile's Doctor with-the good Thaddeus 31 Sound with so sweet accord their Sagbuts long And their shril Fifes heard from the North to Nile As if one spirit did fill them all the while And one same hand had set their holy Song 32 While thus my spirit this strange discourse did cumber Rare-builder Prognè earlier then the rest Beginning th' out-most of her curious nest Brake with her prattling my deep pleasing slumber 33 Sorry to be so suddain wak't I would I were a Dor-Mouse for a hundred yeer That I might sleep full twenty Lustres heer To shun the woes that waking I behold 34 For now alas waking with grief I see Babel tryumphing over Sion still And on the Good th' Vngodly work their will The Wicked prais'd the Righteous scorned be 35 I see alas in these lamented Times Mens greatest zeal in bloudy murther stands Profane our hearts and so profane our hands Bare Christian Name serves but to cloak our crimes 36 Incest's a sport and Murther Man-hood thought Disloyalty a speciall Vertue deem'd And Periury sound Policy esteem'd Medea's Arts and Sodomie are taught 37 Maydens be bold and Wives be impudent Princes are Tyrants people full of rage This Age is sink of every former Age Receiving each Sinn 's vgliest excrement 38 But my swolne brest shut-vp thy sighe's sad gate Stop Stop mine eyes the passage of your tears Cast-off my heart thy deep despairing fears That which most grieues me most doth consolate 39 No no my Dream is true soon shall we see Faith's glory shine Satan perceiuing nie His prides Eclipse his greatest force doth trie To stop great Faith's triumphant victorie 40 Sure if my Card and Compasse doo not fail W' are neer the Port where danger being past We need not fear the billow nor the blast Of blustring windes nor Seas that can assail 41 Our beastly manners like Gomorrha's guise The troubled Seasons Warrs domesticall The threats of Heauen are the fore-runners all Of CHRIST that coms to hold his last Assise 42 That drad-desired Day shall soon appeer Christ coms the Rav'ns from Swans to set a-side The Tares from wheat and Goats from Lambs diuide And this braue Triumph that I sing is neer 43 O Father while this Triumph I expect Waiting to see the Wicked's vtter Fall And thy iust Scepter Ruling ouer all Let liuely Faith my Reason still direct FINIS TETRASTICHA OR The Quadrains of Guy de Faur Lord of Pibrac Translated By IOSVAH SYLVESTER Acceptam referro TO The right excellent and most hopefull young Prince Henry AFfter so many golden Rules of State Religious Lessons Morall Precepts graue As in your Fathers ROYAL-GIFT you haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These seeme supersfluous or to come too-late Yet 't is no Error tore-iterate The Voice of Wisedome to the tender Eare Of Princes chiefly such as You that beare The Hope and Hap of Europe in your Fate And though You want not these weake helpes of ours To consummate Your Selfe in Excellence Yet may those Subiects which shall once be Yours Draw vertuous Wisedome and all Dutie hence If You but daigne with your deer Name to grace it Which Load-stone-like shal draw them to embrace-it Iosuah Syluester The Quadrains of Pibrac 1 DIEV tout premier puis Pere Mere honore Sois iuste droict en toute saison Del
cross Meseems som Tempest all the Sea doth toss Our fear-less Saylers in far Voyages More led by Gain's hope then their Compasses Of their monstrous shape and huge greatnes On th' Indian shoare haue somtime noted som Whose bodies couered two broad Acres room And in the South-Seas they haue also seen Som like high-topped and huge-armed Treen And other-som whose monstrous backs did bear Two mighty wheels with whirling spokes that were Much like the winged and wide spreading sayls Of any Winde-mill turn'd with merry gales But God who Nature in her nature holdes Not onely cast them inso sundry moldes But gaue them manners much more differing Of the diuers qualities of Fishes As well our wits as our weak eyes to bring In admiration that men euermore Praysing his Works might prayse their Maker more Som loue fresh Waters som the salt desire Som from the Sea vse yeerly to retire To the next Rivers at their own contenting So both the Waters with free Trade frequenting Having like Lords two Houses of receipt For Winter th' one th' other for Sommers heat As Citizens in som intestine braul Simile Describing the custome of certain Sea-Fishes frequenting the fresh Waters in some seasons of the yeare Long cooped vp within their Castle wall So soon as Peace is made and Siedge remov'd Forsake a while their Town so strong approv'd And tir'd with toyl by leashes and by payrs Crowned with Garlands go to take the ayrs So dainty Salmons Châ—uins thunder-scar'd Feast-famous Sturgeons Lampreys speckle-starr'd In the Spring Season the rough Seas for sake And in the Rivers thousand pleasures take And yet the plenty of delitious foods Their pleasant Lodging in the crystall floods The fragrant sents of flowry banks about Cannot their Countreys tender loue wipe out Of their remembrance but they needs will home In th' irefull Ocean to go seek their Tomb Likâ— English Gallants that in Youth doo go To visit Rhine Sein Ister Arn and Po Comparison Where though their Sense be dandled Days and Nights In sweetest choise of changeable Delights They neuer can forget their Mother-Soyl But hourly Home their hearts and eyes recoyle Long languishing with an extream Desire To see the smoak of their deer Natiue Fier One like a Pirat only liues of prizes That in the Deep he desperatly surprises The Fishes feeding Another haunts the shoar to feed on foam Another round about the Rocks doth roam Nibbling on Weeds another hating thieuing Eats nought at all of liquor only liuing For the â—alt humor of his Element Serues him alone for perfect nourishment Som loue the clear streams of swift tumbling Torrents Which through the rocks straining their struggling currents Break Banks and Bridges and doo neuer stop Till thirsty Sommer com to drink them vp Som almost alwayes pudder in the mud Of sleepy Pools and neuer brook the flood Of Crystall streams that in continuall motion Bend toward the bosom of their Mother Ocean As the most part of the Words Peers prefer â—â—oyls before Rest and place their Peace in War And som again of a far differing humour Holde Rest so deer that but the only â—umour Of War far off affrights them at the first And wanting Peace they count their States accurst O watry Citizens what Vmpeer bounded Of the prouideÌ„ce of God in their diuers and notable manner of liuing affording many Lessons to Man-kinde Your liquid Liuings O! what Monarch mounded With walls your City What severest Law Keeps your huge Armies in so certain aw That you encroach not on the neighbouring Borders Of your swim-brethren as against all Orders Men dayly practice ioyning Land to Land House vnto House Sea to Sea Strand to Strand Mountain to Mountain and most-most insaci'ble World vnto World if they could work it possible And you wise Fishes that for recreation Or for your seeds securer propagation Doo somtimes shift your ordinary Dwelling What learned Chaldè skill'd in Fortune-telling What cunning Prophet your fit Time doth showe What Herralds Trumpet summons you to go What Guide conducteth Day and Night your Legions Through path-lâ—â—s paths in vnacquainted Regions What Captain stout what Loadston Steel and Star Measures your course in your Adventures far Surely the same that made you first of Nought Who in your Nature som Idéas wrought Of good and Euill to the end that we Following the Good might from the Euill flee Th' adulterous Sargus doth not onely change Strange nature of the fish Sargus Wiues every day in the deep streams but strange As if the honey of Sea-loues delights Could not suffice his ranging appetites Courting the Shee-Goats on the grassie shoar Would horn their Husbands that had horns before Contrary to the constant Cantharus Of Cantharus Who ever faithfull to his deerest Spouse In Nuptiall Duties spending all his life Loues never none but his own onely wife But for her Loue the Mullet hath no Peer Of the Mullet For if the Fisher haue surpriz'd her Pheer As mad with wo to shoar she followeth Prest to consort him both in life and death As yerst those famous louing Thracian Dames Simile That leapt aliue into the funeral flames Of their dead Husbands who deceast and gon Those loyall Wiues hated to liue alone O! who can heer sufficiently admire That Gaping Fish whose glistering eyes aspire Still toward Heav'n as if beneath the skies The Vrano-Sâ—opâ—â— He found no Obiect worthy of his eyes As the Wood-pecker his long tongue doth lill Out of the clov'n-pipe of his horny bill To catch the Emmets when beguil'd with-all The busie swarms vpon it creep and crawl Th' Vrano-scope so hid in mud doth put Out of his gullet a long limber gut Most like vnto a little Worm at sight Wher-at est-soons many small Fishes bite Which ther-with all this Angler swallows straight Alwayes self armed with hook line and bait The suttle * The Ozena Smell-strong-Many-foot that â—ain A dainty feast of Oister-flesh would gain Swims softly down and to him slily slips Wedging with stone his yet wide-yawning lips Least else before that he haue had his pray The Oyster closing clip his limbs away And where he thought t' haue ioy'd his victories Himself becom vnto his prize a prize The Cramp-fish knowing that shee harboureth The Torpedo A plague-full humour a fell banefull breath A secret Poppy and a sense-less Winter Benumming all that dare too-neer hâ—r venter Pours forth her poyson and her chilling Ice On the next Fishes charm'd so in a tâ—icâ— That shee not onely stayes them in the Deep But stuns their sense and â—ulâ— them fast a sleep And then at fill she with their flesh is fed Whose frozen limbs stil liuing seem but dead 'T is this Torpedo that when she hath took Into her throat the sharp deceitfull hook Doth not as other Fish that wrench and wriggle When they be prickt and plunge and striue and struggle And by their stir thinking to scape
fury and the Prelats gall Serv'd all as organs to repair the Fall Of Edens old Prince whose luxurious pride Made on his seed his sin for euer slide 4 He turneth the malice of Sathan and his instruments to his own glory and the good of his of whom he hath alwaies speciall care Th' Almighties Care doth diuersly disperse Ore all the parts of all this Vniuerse But more precisely his wide wings protect The race of Adam chiefly his Elect. For ay he watcheth for his Children choice That lift to him their hearts their hands and voice For them he built th' ay-turning Heav'ns Theater For them he made the Fire Aire Earth and Water He counts their hairs their steps he measureth Handles their hands and speaketh with their breath Dwels in their hearts and plants his Regiments Of watchfull Angels round about their Tents A remedy for temptation of the godly seeing the prosperity of the wicked and the afflictions of Gods children But heer what hear I Faith-less God-less men I meruail not that you impugn my pen But O! it grieues me and I am amaz'd That those whose faith like glistering Stars hath blaz'd Even in our darkest nights should so obiect Against a doctrin of so sweet effect Because alas with weeping eyes they see Th' vngodly-most in most Prosperity Clothed in Purple crown'd with Diadems Handling bright Scepters hoording Gold and Gems Croucht-to and courted with all kinde affection As priuiledged by the Heav'ns protection So that their goods their honours their delights Excell their hopes exceed their appetites And opposite the godly in the storms Of this Worlds Sea tost in continuall harms In Earth less rest then Euripus they finde Gods heauy Rods still hanging them behinde Them shame and blame trouble and loss pursues As shadows bodies and as night the deawes Peace peace deer friends I hope to cancel quite The same cōforted in diuers sorts with apt Similitudes cōfirming the reason declaring the right end of God diuers dea ling with men This profane thought from your vnsettled Sp'rit Know then that God to th' end he be not thought A powr-less Iudge heer plagueth many a fault And many a fault leaues heer vnpunished That men may also his last iudgement dread On th' other side note that the Crosse becoms A Ladder leading to Heav'ns glorious rooms A Royall Path the Heav'nly Milken way Which doth the Saints to Ioues high Court convay O! see you not how that a Father graue Curbing his Son much shorter then his Slaue Doth th' one but rare the other rife reproue Th' one but for lucre th' other all for loue As skilfull Quirry that commands the Stable Of som great Prince or Person honourable Giues oftest to that Horse the teaching spur Which he findes fittest for the vse of War A painfull School-master that hath in hand To institute the flowr of all a Land Giues longest Lessons vnto those where Heav'n The ablest wits and aptest wills hath giv'n And a wise Chieftain neuer trusts the waight Of th' execution of a braue Exploit But vnto those whom most he honoureth For often proof of their firm force and faith Such sends he first t' assault his eager foes Such 'gainst the Canon on a Breach bestowes Such he commands naked to scale a Fort And with small number to re-gain a Port. God beats his Deer from birth to buriall To make them know him and their pride appall Affliction profitable to the Faithfull To draw deuout sighes from calamitie And by the touch to try their Constancy T' awake their sloath their minds to exercise To trauail cheer'ly for th' immortall Prize A good Physician that Arts excellence Can help with practice and experience They are necessary to cure the diseases of the soule Applies discreetly all his Recipés Vnto the nature of each fell-disease Curing this Patient with a bitter Potion That with strict Diet th' other with a Lotion And sometime cutteth off a leg or arm So sharply sweet to saue the whole from harm Euen so the Lord according to th' ill humours That vex his most-Saints with soule-tainting tumours Sends somtimes Exile somtimes lingring Languor Somtimes Dishonour somtimes pining Hunger Somtime long Law-suits somtime Loss of good Somtimes a Childes death or a Widdow-hood But ay he holdeth for the good of His In one hand Rods in th' other Remedies The Souldier slugging long at home in Peace Without them Gods children decline His wonted courage quickly doth decrease The rust doth fret the blade hangd vp at rest The Moath doth eate the garment in the Chest The standing Water stinks with putrefaction And Vertue hath no Vertue but in action All that is fairest in the World we finde Subiect to trauail So with storms and winde Th' Air still is tost the Fire and Water tend This still to mount that euer to descend The spirit is spright-less if it want discourse Heavn's no more Heav'n if it once cease his Course The valiant Knight is known by many scars The Crosse an honorable mark But he that steals-home wound-less from the Wars Is held a Coward void of Valours proof That for Deaths fear hath fled or fought a-loof The Lord therfore to giue Humanitie Rare presidents of daunt-less Constancy God will be glorified in the constant sufferings of his Seruants And crown his deer Sons with victorious Laurels Won from a thousand foes in glorious quarrels Pours downe more euils on their hap-less head Then yerst Pandora's odious Box did shead Yet strengthning still their hearts with such a Plaister That though the Flesh stoop still the Spirit is Maister But wrongly I these euils Euill call There is nothing euill in Mans life but sinne vertue is best perceiued in the proofe Sole Vice is ill sole Vertue good and all Besides the same is selfly simply had And held indifferent neither good nor bad Let enuious Fortune all her forces wage Against a constant Man her fellest rage Can never change his godly resolution Though Heav'n it self should threaten his confusion A constant man is like the Sea whose brest True constantie liuely represented by two comparisons Lyes ever open vnto every guest Yet all the Waters that she drinks can not Make her to change her qualities a iot Or like a good sound stomack not soon casting For a light surfet or a small dis-tasting But that vntroubled can incontinent Convert all meats to perfect nourishment Though then the Lords deep Wisedom to this day God Resting on the seuenth Day and blessing it teacheth vs that in resting one day of the Week we should principally imploy it in his seruice That we should cease from our worldly and wicked workes to giue place to his grace and to suffer his Spirit to worke in vs by the Instrument of his holy word Work in the Worlds vncertain-certain Sway Yet must we credit that his hand compos'd All in six Dayes and that He then Repos'd
The Pines and Cedars haue but boughs to showe The shoars do shrink the swelling waters growe Alas so-many Nephews lose I heer Amid these deeps that but for mountains neer Vpon the rising of whoseridges lofty The lusty climbe on every side for safety I should be seed-less but alas the Water Swallows those Hils and all this wide Theater Is all one Pond O children whither fly-you Alas Heav'ns wrath pursues you to destroy-you The stormy waters strangely rage and roar Rivers and Seas haue all one common shoar To wit a sable water-loaden Sky Ready to rain new Oceans instantly O Sonn-less Father O too fruitfull haunches O wretched root O hurtfull hatefull branches O gulfs vnknowen O dungeons deep and black O worlds decay O vniversall wrack O Heav'ns O Seas O Earth now earth no more O flesh O bloud Heer sorrow stopt the door Of his sad voice and almost dead for woe The prophetizing spirit forsook him so NOAH The SECOND DAY Of The SECOND WEEK Containing 1. THE ARK 2. BABYLON 3. THE COLONIES 4. THE COLVMNES Acceptam refero The ARKE THE I. PART OF THE II. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT Noah prepares the Ark and thither brings With him a Seed-payr of all liuing things His exercise a ship-board Atheist Cham His holy Fathers humble Zeal doth blame And diversly impugns Gods Prouidence Noah refells his Faith-less arguments The Flood surceast Th' Ark-landed Blood forbid The Rain-bowe bent what it pre-figured Wine drowneth Wit Cham scoffs the Nakednes Of 's sleeping Sire the Map of Drunkennes IF Now no more my sacred rimes distill A Preamble wherin by a modest Complaint the Poet stirs vp the Readers attention and makes himselfe way to the inuocation of the name of God With Art-less ease from my discustom'd quill If now the Laurell that but lately shaded My beating temples be dis-leav'd and vaded And if now banisht from the learned Fount And cast down head-long from the lofty Mount Where sweet Vrania sitteth to indite Mine humbled Muse flag in a lowely flight Blame these sad Times ingratefull cruelty My houshold cares my healths infirmity My drooping sorrows for late grieuous losses My busie suits and other bitter crosses Lo there the clogs that weigh down heavily My best endevours whilom soaring high My harvest's hail the pricking thorns and weeds That in my soule choak those diviner seeds O gracious God! remove my great incumbers Kindle again my faiths neer-dying imbers Asswage thine anger for thine own Sons merit And from me Lord take not thy holy Spirit Comb gild and polish more then ever yet This latter issue of my labouring wit And let not me be like the winde that proudly Begins at first to roar and murmur loudly Against the next hils over-turns the Woods With furious tempest tumbles-vp the floods And fiercely-fell with stormy puffs constrains The sparkling flints to roule about the Plains But flying faints and every league it goes One nimble feather of his wing doth lose But rather like a River poorly-breeding In barren Rocks thence drop by drop proceeding Which toward the Sea the more he flies his source With growing streams strengthens his gliding course Rowles roars and foams raging with rest-less motion And proudly scorns the greatnes of the Ocean THE DOOMS of Adam lackt not long effect For th' angry Heav'ns that can without respect The comming of the Flood and Building of the Ark. Of persons plague the stubborn Reprobate In Waters buried th' Vniuersall-state And never more the nimble painted Legions With hardy wings had cleft the ayrie Regions We all had perisht and the Earth in vain Had brought such store of fruits and grass and grain If Lamechs Son by new-found Art directed That huge vast vessell had not first erected Which sacred refuge kept the parent-payrs Of all things moving in the Earth and Ayrs Now while the Worlds-re-colonizing Boat Noahs exercises aboord the Ark. Doth on the waters over Mountains float Noe passeth not with tales and idle play The tedious length of dayes and nights away But as the Sommers sweet distilling drops Vpon the medowes thirsty yawning chops Re-greens the Greens and doth the flowrs re-flowr All scorcht and burnt with Auster's parching powr So the care-charming hony that distills From his wise lips his house with comfort fils Flatters despair dries tears calms inward smarts And re-aduanceth sorrow-daunted harts Cheer ye my children God doth now retire These murdering Seas which the revenging ire Of his strict Iustice holy indignation Hath brought vpon this wicked generation Arming a season to destroy mankinde The angry Heav'ns the water and the winde As soon again his gracious Mercy will Clear cloudy Heav'ns calm windes and waters still His wrath and mercy follow turn by turn That like the Lightning doth not lightly burn Long in a place and this from age to age Hides with her wings the faithfull heritage Our gracious God makes scant-weight of displeasure And spreads his mercy without weight or measure Somtimes he strikes vs to especiall ends Vpon our selues our Children or our friends In soule or body goods or else good names But soon he casts his rods in burning flames Not with the fist but finger he doth beat vs Nor doth hethrill so oft as he doth threat-vs And prudent Steward giues his faithfull Bees Wine of his wrath to rebell Drones the Lees. And thus the deeds of Heav'ns Iust-gentle King The Second Worlds good Patriarch did sing Cham full of impiety is brought-in answering his Father and diuersly impugning the wisdom irreprohensible Prowidence of God Almighty and All-mercifull and the humble religious Zeal of Noah But brutish Cham that in his brest accurst The secret roots of sinfull Atheisme nurst Wishing already to dis-throne th' Eternall And self-vsurp the Maiesty supernall And to himself by name of Iupiter On Afrik sands a sumptuous Temple rear With bended brows with stout and stern aspect In scornfull tearms his Father thus be-checkt Oh! how it grieves me that these servil terrors The scourge of Cowards and base vulgars errors Haue ta'n such deep root in your feeble brest Why Father alwayes selfly thus deprest Will you thus alwaies make yourself a drudge Fearing the fury of a fained Iudge And will you alwaies forge your self a Censor That weighs your words and doth your silence censure A sly Controuler that doth count your hairs That in his hand your hearts keys ever bears Records your sighes and all your thoughts descries And all your sins present and past espies A barbarous Butcher that with bloudy knife Threats night and day your grieuous-guilty life O! see you not the superstitious heat Of this blinde zeal doth in your minde beget A thousand errors light credulity Doth drive you still to each extreamity Faining a God with thousand storms opprest Fainter then Women fiercer then a Beast Who tender-hearted weeps at others weeping Wails others woes and at the onely peeping Of others bloud in suddain swoun deceases In
thou think it fit To haue it so or so to suffer it Pardon me Father that I am so free I heer surrender thy Lieutenancy Bestow 't on him put all into his hand Who Heav'ns commands He well may Earth command Why daughter know'st thou not God answers her That many times my Mercy doth transfer Into my Children mine owne power wher-by They work not seldom mine owne Wonders high That th' are my sacred Vice-Roys and that Hee The power of a stedfast Faith Who stript of Flesh by Faith is ioyn'd to me May remove Mountains may dry-vp the Seas May make an Ocean of a Wilderness Th' hast seen it Daughter therfore but thou pine In Ielousie of this drad arm of mine Grudge not at theirs for they can nothing do But what my Spirit inables them vnto O happy Prince I wonder not at all IOSVAH his victories If at thy feet the stout Anachian fall If th' Amorrhite Hevite and Canaanite The Pheresite Hethite and Iebusite And huge Basanian by thy daunt-les Hoast Were over-throwen and if as swift almost As my slowe Muse thy sacred Conquests sings Thou Cam'st Saw'st Conquer'dst more then thirty Kings Sub duing Syria and dividing it Vnto twelve Kindreds in twelve portions fit Sith O grand Vicar of th' Almighty Lord With onely summons of thy mighty Word Thou makest Rivers the most deafly-deep To lobstarize back to their source to creep Walls giue thee way after thy Trumpets charge Rock-rushing Tempests do retreat or charge Sol's at thy service and the starry Pole Is proud to pass vnder thy Muster-Roule As a blind man forsaken of his guide Simile In som thick Forest sad and self-beside Takes now a broad anon a narrow path His groaping hand his late eys office hath Heer at a stub he stumbles there the bushes Rake-off his Cloak heer on a Tree he rushes Strayes in and out turns this and that way tries And at the last falls in a Pit and dies Even so alas having their Captain lost After his death Israel having lost his guide fals from his God So blindely wanders IACOB's wilfull Hoast Contemns the Fountain of God's sacred Law From I doll-Puddles poysoning drink to draw Forsakes th' olde true God and new fals-gods fains And with the Heathen friendship entertains Th' Almighty saw it for what sees he not God therefore forsakes him And so dainly his fury waxed hot And on their neck for his sweet yoak he layd The Strangers yoak that hard and heavy waigh'd Simile But as an Infant which the Nurce le ts go To go alone waves weakly to and fro Feels his feet fail cries out and but alas For her quick hand would fall and break his face So IACOB iustly made afflictions thrall Is never ready in the Pit to fall Of pale Despair but if he cry and craue-him God still extends his gracious hand to save-him Vpon his Repentance God again receiues him to fauour Raysing som Worthy that may break insunder The Gyves and Fetters that he labours vnder So then assisted by th' immortall hand Brave ISRAEL brings vnder his Command IERVSALEM LVS BETHEL ACCARON SESAI and THOLMAI GAZA and ASCALON And BEZEC too whose bloudy Tyrant fled Is caught again and payd with Cake for Bread To self-taught Torture he himself is put The Tyrant Adoni-Bezec ta ken intreated as He had handled others His sacrilegeous Thumbs and Toes be cut Whereby more inly prickt then outly payn'd God's Vengeance iust he thus confess 't and playn'd O hand late Scepter-graç't O hand that late EGYPT did dread and EDOM tremble at His Complaint O hand that armed durst even MARS defie And could'st have pull'd proud IVPITER from high Now where-to serv'st thou but t' augment my moan Thou canst not now buckle mine Armour on Nor wield my mighty Launce with brazen head Ah! no alas thou canst not cut my bread O feet late winged to pursue the flight Of hundred Armies that I foyl'd in fight Now you haue lost your office now alas You cannot march but limp about this place But 't is the iust God the iust hand of Heav'n His confession In mine owne Coin hath me my payment given For seventy Kings thus maim'd of Toes and Thumbs I insolent haue made to lick the crums Vnder my boord like Dogs and drawen perforce To serue for blocks when I should mount my horse Therefore O Kings by mine example learn His caâ— eat to all Tyrants and cruell minded men To bound your rage limit your fury stearn O Conquerers be warned all by me Be to your Thralls as God to you shall be Men pitty Man wretched and over-throwen And think his case may one-day be your owne For Chance doth change and none aliue can say He happy is vntill his dying day The Foe that after Victorie survives Not for himself but for your glorie liues Th' Oliue's aboue the Palm and th' happiest King His greatest Triumph is Self-triumphing But Israel wallowing in his myre again Israel again and again relapseth Soon lost the glory former Arms did gain And goods and bodies easie booties bin To Aram Moab and the Philâ—stâ—m What help O Iacob th' hast nor arms nor head Again humbled Thy Fields with bones of thine owne bands be spread And th' only name of thy profaner Foe Congeals thy blood and chils thy heart for Woe Fly fly and hie thee quickly to recover The all-proof Target of thine ancient Lover Thy gracious God the glorious Tyrant-tamer Terror of terrors Heathen's dreadfull hammer Ah! see already how he rescues thee Again again releeued From th' odious yoak of Pagan Tyranny Breaking the Fetters of thy bondage fell By Ahod Baraâ— and Othoniel And Goad-man SANGAR whose industrious hand Sangar a Plow-Swainâ—a famous Champion of Israel With Ox-teem tills his tributary Land When Philistins with Sword and Fiery fury Slaughter the Iews and over-run all Iury Deflowr the Virgins and with lustfull-spight Ravish chaste Matrons in their Husbands sight He leaues his Plough he calls vpon his God And onely armed with his slender Goad Alone he sets on all the Heathen Camp A Pagan Captain weens him thus to damp What means this Fool saith he go silly Clown Get thee to Plough go home and till thy ground Go prick thy Bullocks leave the Works of MARS To my long-train'd still-conquering Souldiars First learn thou Dog replies the Israelite To knowe my strength rather th' Almightie's might And on his head he layes him on such load With two quick vennies of his knotty Goad And with the third thrusts him between the eyes That down he falls shaking his heels and dies Then steps another forth more stout and grim Shaking his Pike and fierce lets fly at him But SANGAR shuns the blowe and with his stroak The Pagan leg short-off in sunder broak On th' other yet a while he stands and fights But th' Hebrew Champion such a back-blowesmights That flat he
venge God's honor and Our shame acquight Who spurrd with anger but more stirrd with Zeale Shall foile this Pagan and free Izrael O! who shall being me this Wolf 's howling head That Heav'n and Earth hath so vn-hallowed What e're he be that lauish of his soule Shall with his blood wash-out this blot so foule I will innoble him and all his House He shall inioy my Daughter for his Spouse And euer shall a Deed so memorable Be with the Saints sacred and honorable â—â— Yet for the Duel no man dares appeer All wish the Prize but none will win 't so deer Big-looking Minions braue in vaunts and vows Lions in Court now in the Camp be Cows But euen the blast that cools their courage so That makes my DAVID's valiant rage to glowe My Lord saith He behold this hand shall bring Dauids offer Th' heav'n-scorning head vnto my Lord the King Alas my Lad sweet Shepheard answers Saul Thy heart is great although thy limbs be small High flie thy thoughts but wee haue need of more More stronger Toyles to take so wilde a Boare To tame Goliah needs som Demi-god Some Nimrod rather then a Shepheard-Lad Of slender growth vpon whose tender Chin The budding doun doth scarcely yet begin Keep therefore thine owne Rank and draw not thus Death on thy self dis-honor vpon vs With shame and sorrow on all Izrael Through end-les Thral dom to a Fo so fel. The faintest Harts God turns to Lions fierce His assurance To Eagles Doues Vanquisht to Vanquishers God by a Womans feeble hand sub dews Iabins Lieutenant and a Iudge of Iews God is my strength therfore O King forbear For Izrael for Thee or Mee to fear No self-presumption makes me rashly braue Assured pledge of his prowd head I haue Seest thou these arms my Lord these very arms Steeld with the strength of the great God of Arms Haue bath'd Mount Bethlem with a Lions blood These very arms beside a shady Wood Haue slain a Bear which greedy after prey Had torn and born my fattest sheep away My God is still the same this sauage Beast Which in his Fold would make a Slaughter-feast All-ready feels his furie and my force My foot al-ready tramples on his Corps With his owne sword his cursed length I lop His head al-ready on the geound doth hop The Prince beholds him as amaz'd and mute To see a mind so yong foresolute Then son saith he sith so confirmd thou art Go and Gods blessing on thy valiant hart God guide thy hand and speed thy weapon so That thou return triumphant of thy Fo. Hold take my Corslet and my Helm and Launce And to the Heav'ns thy happy Prowes aduance The faithfull Champion being furnisht thus Is like the Knight which twixt Eridanus And th' heav'nly Star-Ship marching brauely-bright Hauing his Club his Casque and Belt bedight With flaming studs of many a twinkling Ray Turns Winters night into a Summers day But yer that hee had half a furlong gon The massie Launce and Armour hee had on Did load him so he could not freely mooue His legs and arms as might him best behooue Euen so an Irish Hobby light and quick Simile Which on the spur ouer the bogs they prick In highest speed If on his back he feel Too-sad a Saddle plated all with steel Too-hard a Bit with in his mouth behind Crooper and Trappings him too-close to binde He seems as lame he flings and will not go Or if he stir it is but stiff and slowe DAVID therefore lays-by his heauie load And on the grace of the great glorious GOD Who by the weakest can the strongest stoop Hee firmly founding his victorious hope No Arrows seeks nor other Arcenall But by the Brooke that runnes amid the Vale Hee takes fiue Pebbles and his Sling and so Courageously incounters with his Foe What Combat's this On the one side I see A moouing Rocke whose looks do terrifie Euen his owne Hoast wbose march doth seem to make The Mountaine tops of Sucoth euen to shake On th' other side a slender tender Boy Where grace and beautie for the prize doo play Shaue but the doun that on his Chin doth peer And one would take him for Anchises Pheer Or change but weapons with that wanton Eâ—â— And one would think that it were Cupids self Gold on his head skarâ—er in either Cheek Grace in each part and in each gest alike In all so louely both to Foe and Friend That very Enuy cannot but commend His match-les beauties and though ardent zeale Flush in his face against the Infidel Although his Fury fume though vp and down He nimblie trauerse though he fiercely frown Though in his breast boyling with manly heat His swelling heart do strongly pant and beat His Storme is Calm and from his modest eyes Euen gratious seems the grimmest flash that flies Am I a Dog thou Dwarf thou Dandiprat To be with stones repell'd and palted at Or art thou weary of thy life so soon O foolish boy fantasticall Baboone That never saw'st but sheep in all thy life Poore sotte 't is heer another kind of strife We wrastle not after your Shepheards guise For painted Sheep-hooks or such pettie Prize Or for a Cage a Lamb or bread and cheese The Vanquisht Head must be the Victors Fees Where is thy sweatie dust thy sun-burnt scars The glorious marks of Soldier strain'd in Warres That make thee dare so much O Lady-Cow Thou shalt no more be-star thy wanton brow With thine eyes rayes Thy Mistress shall no more Curl the quaint Tresses of thy Golden ore I 'll trample on that Gold and Crowes and Pyes Shall peck the pride of those sweet-smiling eyes Yet no my guirle-boy no I will not file My feared hands with blood so faintly-vile Go seek thy match thou shalt not dy by me Thine honor shall not my dishonor be No silly Lad no wert thou of the Gods I would not fight at so vn-knightly ods Come barking Curre the Hebrew taunts him thus That hast blasphem'd the God of Gods and vs The ods is mine villain I scorne thy Boasts I haue for Aide th' almighty Lord of Hoasts Th' Ethnik's a-fier and from his goggle eyes All drunk with rage and blood the Lightning flies Out of his beuer like a Boare he foames A hellish Fury in his bosom roames As mad he marcheth with a dreadfull pase Death and destruction muster in his face He would a-fresh blaspheam the Lord of Lords With new despights but in the steed of words Simile He can but gnash his teeth Then as an Oxe Straid twixt the hollow of steep Hils and Rocks Through craggie Coombs through dark ragged turnings Lowes hideously his solitary Moornings The Tyrant so from his close helmet blunders With horrid noise and this harsh voice he thunders Thy God raignes in his Ark and I on Earth I Chalenge Him Him if he dare come forth Not Thee base Pigme Villain saies the Iew That blasphemy thou
Tissue with too-mean supplies You all the year long doo not spend your wing But during only your delightfull Spring Like Nightingales from bush to bush you play From Tuneto Tune from Myrtle spray to spray But I too-bold and like the Swallow right Not finding whereto rest me at one flight A bound-les ground-les Sea of Times I passe With Auster now anon with Boreas Your quick Career is pleasant short and eath At each Lands-end you sit you down and breathe On som green bank or to refresh you finde Som Rosie-arbour from the Sun and winde But end-les is my Course for now I glyde On Ice then dazled head-long down I slyde Now vp I climbe then through the Woods I craul I stray I stumble somtimes down I fall And as base Morter serveth to vnite Simile Red white gray Marble Iasper Galactite So to con-nex my queint Discourse somtimes Imix loose limping and ill-polisht Rimes Yet wil I not this Work of mine giue o're The Labour 's great my Courage yet is more My hart 's not yet all voyd of sacred heat Ther 's nothing Glorious but is hard to get Hils were not seen but for the Vales betwixt The deep indentings artificiall mixt Amid Musaïks for more ornament Haue prizes sizes and dyes different And O God grant the greatest spot you spie In all my Frame may be but as the Fly Which on her Ruff whiter than whitest snowes To whiten white the fairest Virgin fowes Or like the Veluet on her brow or like The dunker Mole on Venus dainty Cheek And that a few faults may but lustre bring To my high furies where I sweetest sing DAVID waxt old and cold and 's vitall Lamp Lacking it's oyl of Natiue moist grew damp But by degrees when with a dying voice But liuely vigor of Discretion choise He thus instructs his yong Son SALOMON And as Heav'n cals instals him in his Throne Whom with-out Force Vproar or Ryualing Dauids instructions to his Son Salomon Nature and Law and Fortune make a King Euen He my Son must be both Iust and Wise If long He look to Rule and Royalize But he whom onely Fortunes Fauours rears Vnto a Kingdom by some new-found stairs He must appear more than a man and cast By rarest Worth to make his Crown sit fast My SALOMON thou know'st thou art my Yongest Thou know'st besides out of what Bed thou sprungest Thou seest what loue all Izrael bears thy Brother To honour Thee what wrong I doo to other Yea euen to Nature and our Natiue Law 'T is thy part therefore in all points to draw To full Perfection and with rare effect Of Noblest Vertues hide thy Births defect Thou Izraels King serue the great King of All A king first of all ought to bee Religious And only on his Conducts pedestall Found thine Affaires vpon his Sacred Lore Thine eyes and minde be fixed euermore The barking rage of bold Blasphemers hate Thy Soueraign's Manners Vice-Roy imitate Nor think the thicknes of thy Palace Wals Thine iron Gates and high gold-seeled Halls Can let his Eye to spie in euery part The darkest Closets of thy Mazie Hart. If birth or Fate my Son had made thee Prince Of Idumeans or of Philistins Valorous If Pharaoh's Title had be-fall'n to thee If the Medes Myter bowed at thy knee Wert thou a Sophy yet with Vertues lustre Thou oughtst at least thy Greatnes to illustre But to Command the Seed of Abraham The Holy Nation to Controul and tame To bear a Iosuahs or a Samsons load To be Gods Vice-Roy needs a Demi-God Before old Seruants giue not new the start Impartial in bestowing Preferments Kings-Art consists in Action more then Art Old Wine excelleth new Nor giddily Will a good Husband grub a goodly Tree In his faire Orchards midst whose fruitfull store Hath graç't his Table twenty years and more Simile To plant a Graft yer e'r he taste the same Saue with the teeth of a perhaps false Fame These Parasites are euen the Pearls and Rings Pearls said I Perils in the eares of Kings For O what Mischief but their Wiles can work Impatient of Parasites Flatterers Sith euen within vs to their aid doth lurk A smoother Soother euen our owne Selfs-loue A malady that nothing can remoue Which with these strangers secretly Combin'd In League offensiue to the firmest Minde Perswades the Coward he is Wisely-meek The drunkard Stout the Periure Politick The cruel Tyrant a iust Prince they call Sober the Sot the Lauish Liberal And quick-nos'd Beagles senting right his lore Trans-form'd into him euen his Faults adore Fly then those Monsters and giue no accesse To banish Atheists and all notoriously wicked persons from his presence To men infamous for their wickednesse Endure no Atheist brook no Sorcerer Within thy Court nor Thief nor Murderer Least the contagion of their banefull breath Poyson the publike fountain and to death Infect Thy manners more of force then Law The spring whence Subiects good or bad will draw To over-Rule his owne Passiōs Affections Rule thine Affects thy fury and thy fear Hee 's no true King who no self's-sway doth bear Not what thou could'st but what thou shouldst effect And to thy Lawes first thine owne-self subiect For ay the Subiect will fear set a-side Through thick and thin hauing his King for guide To be milde and gratious Shew thy Self gracious affable and meek And be not proud to those gay godlings like But once a year from their gilt Boxes tane To impetrate the Heav'ns long wisht-for raine To fail his Word a King doth ill beseem To be faithful of his promise Who breaks his faith no faith is held with him Deceipt's deceiu'd Iniustice meets vniust Disloy all Prince armes subiects with distrust And neighbour States will in their Leagues commend A Lion rather then a Foxe for Friend Be prodigall of Vertues iust reward To be readier to Reward then Punish Of punishments be sparing with regard Arm thou thy brest with rarest Fortitude Things Eminent are euer most pursu'd On highest Places most disgraces threat The roughest windes on widest gates do beat Not to be Quarellous yet quick and couragious in a iust Cause Toil not the World with Wars ambitious spite But if thine Honour must maintain thy Right Then shew thee DAVID's Son and wisely-bold Follow't as hot as thou beginst it cold Watch Work Deuise and with vn-weary limb Wade thorough Foords and ouer Chanels swim Let tufted Planes for pleasant shades suffice His exercises in Warre In heat in Cold thy Fier be Exercise A Targe thy Table and a Turf thy Bed Let not thy Mouth be ouer-dainty fed Let Labour be thy sauce thy Cask thy Cup Whence for thy Nectar some ditch-water sup Let Drums and Trumpets and shril Fifes and Flutes Serue thee for Citterns Virginals and Lutes Trot vp a Hill Run a whole Feeld for Race Leap a large Dike Tosse a
long Pike a space Perfume thy head with dust and sweat appeer Captain and Soldier Soldiers are on fire Hauing their King before them Marching forth Fellow in Fortune witnes of their Worth I should inflame thy hart with Learnings loue In Peace not to be over-studious yet to vnderstand the Principals of all Prince-fit Sciences Saue that I know what diuine habits moue Thy profound Spirit only let th' ornament Of Letters wayt on th' Art of Regiment And take good heed least as excesse of humor In Plants becomes their Flowring Lifes consumer So too-much Study and delight in Arts Quench the quick vigour of thy Spiritual parts Make thee too-pensiue ouer-dull thy Senses And draw thy Minde from Publike cares of Princes With a swift-winged soule the Course suruay Of Nights dim Taper and the Torch of Day Sound round the Cels of th' Ocean dreadly-deep Measure the Mountains snowie tops and steep Ferret all Corners of this nether Ball But to admire the Makers Art in all His Power and Prudence and resemble not Simile Some simple Courtier or the silly Sot That in the base-Court all his time hath spent In gazing on the goodly Battlement The chamfred Pillers Plinths and antique Bosses Medals Ascents Statues and strange Colosses Amaz'd and musing vpon euery piece Of th' vniforme fair stately Frontispice Too-too-self-rapt through too-self-humoring Losing him-self while others finde the King Hold euen the Balance with clean hands clos'd eyes The principal peculiar office of a King Reuenge seuerely Publike Iniuries Remit thine Owne Heare the Cries see the Tears Of all distressed poor Petitioners Sit oft thy Self in Open Audience Who would not be a Iudge should be no Prince For Iustice Scepter and the Martiall Sword Ought neuer seuer by the Sacred Word Spare not the Great neither despise the Small Let not thy Lawes be like the Spiders Caul Simile Where little Flyes are caught and kild but great Passe at their pleasure and pull-down the Net Away with Shepheards that their Flocks deface Chuse Magistrates that may adorn their Place Such as fear God such as will iudge vprightly Men by the seruants iudge the Master lightly Giue to the Vertuous but thy Crown-Demain Diminish not giue still to giue again For there too-deep to dip is Prodigality And to dry-vp the Springs of Liberality But aboue all for Gods sake Son beware Hic labor hoc Opus Be not intrapt in Womens wylie snare I fear alas good Lord supreamly sage Auert from Mine th' effect of this Praesage Alas I fear that this sweet Poyson wil My House here-after with all Idols fil But if that neither Vertu 's sacred loue Nor Feare of Shame thy wanton Minde can moue To watch in Arms against the Charms of Those At least be warned by thy Fathers Woes Fare-wel my Son th' Almightie cals me hence I passe by Death to Lifes most excellence And to go Raign in Heav'n from World-cares free The Crown of Izrael I resigne to thee O thou that often for a Princes Sin Transport'st the Scepter euen from Kin to Kin From Land to Land Let it remaine with Mine And of my Sons Sons in successiue Ligne Let that Al-Power full deer-drad Prince descend Whose glorious Kingdom neuer shal haue end Whose iron Rod shall Satans Rule vn-doo Whom Iacob trusts in Whom I thirst for too ' DAVID deceast His Son him tracking right Initium Regni SALOMON With heart and voice worships the God of Might Enters his Kingdom by the Gate of Pietie Makes Hymâ—s and Psalms in Laud of the true Deïtie Offers in Gabeon where in Spirit he sees While his Sense sleepes the God of Maiesties His Vision The Lord of Hoasts who Crownd with radiant flames Offers him choise of these foure louely Dames First Glory shaking in her hand a Pike Not Maid-like Marching but braue Souldier-like Description of Glory Among the Stars her stately head she beares A siluer Trumpet shril a slope she wears Whose Winde is Praise and whose Stentorian sound Doth far and wide o'r all the world redound Her wide-side Robes of Tissue passing price All Story-wrought with bloody Victories Tryumphs and Tropheis Arches Crowns and Rings And at her feet there sigh a thousand Kings Not far from her coms Wealth all rich-bedight Of Riches In Rhéa's Thetis Pluto's Treasures bright The glittering stuff which doth about her fold Is rough with Rubies stiff with beaten Gold With either hand from hollow steans she powrs Pactolian surges and Argolian showrs Fortune and Thrift and Wakefulnes and Care And Diligence her dayly Seruants are Then cheerfull Health whose brow no wrinkle bears Of Health Whose cheek no palenesse in whose eye no tears But like a Childe shee 's pleasant quick and plump Shee seems to fly to skip to daunce and iump And Life 's bright Brand in her white hand doth shine Th' Arabian Birds â—are plumage platted â—ine Serues her for Suâ—-coat and her seemly â—â—ain Mirth Exercise and Temperance sustain Last Wisedom comes with sober countenance Of Wisedom To th' euer-Bowrs her oft a-loft t' aduance The light Mamuques wing-les wings she has Her gesture cool as comly-graue her pase Where e'r she go she neuer goes with-out Compasse and Rule Measure and Waights about And by her side at a rich Belt of hers The Glasse of Nature and her-Self she wears Hauing beheld their Bewties bright the Prince Seems rapt all-ready euen to Heauen from hence Sees a whole Eden round about him shine And ' mid so many Benefits Diuine Doubts which to chuse At length he thus begun O Lord sayth he what hath thy Seruant don That so great Blessings I should take or touch Or thou shouldst daign to honour me so much Thou doost preuent my Merit or deer Father Delight'st to Conquer euen my Malice rather Fair Victorie's a noble Gift and nought Is more desired or is sweeter thought Than euen to quench our Furie's thirst with blood In iust Reuenge on those that wrong our Good But oft alas foul Insolence comes after And the long Custome of in humane Slaughter Transforms in time the myldest Conquerors To Tigers Panthers Lions Bears and Boars Happy seems He whose count-les Herds for Pasture Dis-robe alone Mount Carmels moatly Vesture For whom alone a whole rich Countrey torn With timely Tools brings forth both Wine and Corn That hath soft Sereans yellow Spoils the Gems And precious stones of the Arabian streams The Mines of Ophir th' Entidorian Fruits The Saban Odours and the Tyrian Sutes But yet we see where Plenty chiefly sways There Pride increases Industry decays Rich-men adore their Gold whoso aspires To lift to Heav'n his sight and Soules Desires He must be Poor at least-wise like the Poor Riches and Fear are fellows euer-more I would liue long and I would gladly see My Nephews Nephews and their Progeny But the long Cares I fear and Cumbers rife Which commonly accompany Long-Life Who well liues long liues for this age of
otherwise Yea oldest Gangraens of blinde-burning Zeal As the Kings Evill a new KING can heal And those Scoene-servers that so loud haue crid Gainst Prelats sweeping in their silken Pride Their wilfull Dumbness forcing others dumb To Sion's grieuous Loss and Gain of Rome Their Courting Sporting and Non-residence Their Avarice their Sloath and Negligence Till som fat Morsels in their mouths do fall And then as choakt and sodain chang'd with-all Them-selues exceed in all of these much more Than the Right Reverend whom they taxt before And those Chamaeleons that con-sort their Crew In Turky Turks among the Iewes a Iew In Spain as Spain as Luther on the Rhine With Calvin heer and there with Bellarmine Loose with the Lewd among the gracious graue With Saints a Saint and among Knaues a Knaue But all such Neuters neither hot nor cold Such double Halters between GOD and GOLD Such Luke-warm Lovers will the Bride-groom spue Out of his mouth his mouth hath spoke it true O ISRAEL I pity much thy case This Sea of Mischiefs which in every place So over-flowes thee and so domineres It drowns my soule in griefs mine eyes in tears My heart's through-thrilled with your miseries Already past your Fathers Tragedies But O! I die when in the sacred stem Of royall IVDA in Ierusalem I see fell Discord from her loath som Cage To blowe her poyson with ambitious rage Sion to swim in bloud and Achab's Daughter Make David's House the Shambles of her Slaughter Cursed Atháliah she was called so Athaliah Knowing her Son by Mimshi's Son his so For Ioram's sake to be dispatcht disloyal On th' holy Mount vsurps the Sceptre Royall And fearing lest the Princes of the Bloud Would one-day rank her where of right she should She cuts their throats hangs drowns destroyes them all Not sparing any either great or small No not the infant in the Cradle lying Help-les alas and lamentably crying As if bewailing of his wrongs vn-knowen No O extream she spareth not her owne Like as a Lion that hath tatterd heer Simile A goodly Heifer there a lusty Steer There a strong Bull too-weak for him by half There a fair Cow and there a tender Calf Strouts in his rage and wallows in his Prey And proudly doth his Victory suruay The grass all goary and the Heard-groom vp Shivering for fear vpon a Pine-Trees top So swelleth she so growes her proud Despight Nor Aw nor Law nor Faith she reaks nor right Her Cities are so many Groues of Thieves Her Courta Stews where not a chaste-one lives Her greatest Lords given all to all excess In stead of Prophets in their Palaces Haue Lectures read of Lust and Surfaiting Of Murder Magik and Impoysoning While thus she builds her tottering Throne vpon Her childrens bones Iehosheba saves one One Royall Imp yong Ioash from the pile As when a Fier hath fiercely rag'd awhile Simile In som fair House the avaricious Dame Saues som choise Casquet from the furious flame Hides him prouides him and when as the Sun Iehoiada preserueth Ioash Six times about his larger Ring hath run Iehoiada her husband brings him forth To the chief Captains and the Men of worth Saying Behold O Chiefs of Iuda see See heer your Prince great Dauids Progeny Your rightfull King if me you credit light Beleeue this Face his Fathers Picture right Beleeue these Priests which saw him from the first Brought to my House there bred and fed and nurç't In so iust Quarrel holy Men-at-arms Imploy I pray your anger and your Arms Plant in the Royall Plot this Royall bud Venge Obed's bloud on Strangers guilty bloud Shake-off with showts with Fier and Sword together This Womans Yoak this Furie's Bondage rather Then showt the People with a common cry Long liue King Ioash long and happily Ioash God saue the King God saue the noble seed Of our true Kings and ay may They succeed This news now bruited in the wanton Court Quickly the Queen coms in a braving sort Towards the Troop and spying there anon The sweet yong Prince set on a royall Throne With Peers attending him on either hand And strongly guarded by a gallant Band Ah! Treason Treason then she cries aloud False I'oyada disloyall Priest and proud Thou shalt abie it O thou House profane I 'll lay thee levell with the ground again And thou yong Princox Puppet as thou art Shalt play no longer thy proud Kingling's Part Vpon so rich a stage but quickly stript With wyery Rods thou shalt to death be whipt And so go see thy Brethren which in Hell Will welcom thee that bad'st not them farwell But so dainly the Guard layes hold on her And drags her forth as 'twerea furious Cur Out of the sacred Temple and with scorn Her wretched corps is mangled tugg'd and torn Th' High-Priest inspired with a holy zeal In a new League authentikly doth seal Th' obedient People to their bountious Prince And both to God by ioint Obedience Now as a Bear-whelp taken from the Dam Simile Is in a while made gentle meek and tame By witty vsage but if once it hap He get som Grove or thorny Mountains top Then playes he Rex tears kills and all consumes And soon again his savage kinde assumes So Ioash while good Ioyada survives For Piety with holy Dauid strives But he once dead walking his Father's wayes Ingrately-false his Tutor's * Zachariah son he slayes Him therfore shortly his owne Servants slay His Son soon after doth Them like re-pay His People him again then Amaziah Uzziah follows Ioatham Vzziah As one same ground indifferently doth breed Simile Both food-fit Wheat and dizzie Darnell seed Baen-baening * Arâ—emisia Mug-wort and cold Hemlock too The fragrant Rose and the strong-senting Rue So from the Noblest Howses oft ther springs Som monstrous Princes and som vertuous Kings And all fore-seeing God in the same Ligne Doth oft the god-les with the godly twine The more to grace his Saints and to disgrace Tyrants the more by their owne proper Race Ahaz betwixt his Son and Ioathan He bad they good seems a swart Mauritan Betwixt two Adons Ezekiah plaç't Between his Father and his Son is graç't He good they bad as twixt two Thorns a Rose Wher-by his Vertue the more vertuous showes For in this Prince great DAVID the divine Ezekiah Devout iust valiant seems again to shine And as we see from out the severall Seat Of th' ASIAN Princes self-surnamed Great Simile As the great Cham great Turk great Russian And if less Great more glorious Persian Araxis Chesel Uolga and many moe Renowned Rivers Brooks and Floods do flowe Falling at once into the Caspian Lake Withall their streams his streams so proud to make The true pattern of an excellent Prince So all the Vertues of the most and best Of Patriarchs meet in this Princes brest Pure in Religion Wise in Counsailing Stout in Exployting Iust in Governing
Vn-puft in Sun-shine vn-appall'd in Storms Not as not feeling but not fearing Harms And therefore brauely he repels the rage Of proudest Tyrants living in his Age And ayvn-daunted in his God's behalf Hazards at once his Scepter and himself For though for Neighbours round about him raign Idolaters that would him gladly gain Though Godlings heer of wood and there of stone A Brazen heer and there a Golden one With Lamps and Tapers even as bright as Day On every side would draw his minde astray Though Assur's Prince had with his Legions fell Forrag'd Samaria and in Israel Quencht the small Faith that was and vtterly Dragg'd the Ten Tribes into Captivity So far that even the tallest Cedar-Tree In Libanon they never since could see Yet EZECHIAH serues not Time nor Fears His Constancy in the seruice of God and zealous Reformation of all Abuses in the same The Tyrants fury neither roars with Bears Nor howls with Wolues nor ever turns away But godly-wise well-knowing that Delay Giues leave to Ill and Danger still doth wait On lingering in Matters of such waight He first of all sets-vp th' Almightie's Throne And vnder that then he erects his owne Th' establishing of Gods pure Law again Is as the Preface of his happy Raign The Temple purg'd th' High-places down he pashes Fells th' hallowed Groves burns th' Idol-Gods to ashes Which his owne Father serv'd and Zeal-full brake The Brazen Serpent Moses yerst did make For though it were a very Type of CHRIST Though first it were by th' Holy-Ghost devis'd And not by Man whose bold-blinde Fancie's pride Deforms God's Service strayes on either side Flatters itself in his Inventions vain Presumes to school the Sacred Spirit again Controules the Word and in a word is hot In his owne fashion to serue God or not Though the Prescript of Ancient vse defend it Though Multitude though Miracles commend it True Miracles approved in conclusion Without all guile of Mens or Fiends illusion The King yet spares not to destroy the same When to occasion of Offence it came But forth ' Abuse of a fond Peoples will Takes that away which was not selfly ill Much less permits he thorough all his Land One rag one relique or one signe to stand Of Idolism or idle superstition Blindely brought-in without the Words Commission This zealous Hate of all Abhomination This royall Work of thorough Reformation This worthy Action wants not Recompence God who his grace by measure doth dispence Who honors them that truly honour him To EZHCHIAH not so much doth seem His sure Defence as his Confederate His Quarrel 's His He hates whom him do hate His Fame He bears about both far and high On the wide wings of Immortalitie To Gath He guideth his victorious Troup He makes proud Gaza to his Standards stoup Strong Ascalon he razeth to the ground And punishing a People wholly drownd In Idolism and all rebellious Sins Adds to his Land the Land of Philistins Yea further more 't is He that him with-draws From out the bloudy and ambitious paws Of a fell Tyrant whose proud bounds extend Past bounds for breadth and for their length past end Whose swarms of Arms insulting every-where Made All to quake even at his name for fear Already were the Coelo-Syrian Towrs All sackt and seiz'd by the Assyrian Powrs And of all Cities where th' Isaacians raign'd Only the great Ierusalem remain'd When Rabsakeh with railing insolence Rayling Rabsaketh in the name of his Master Zenacherib brauing and blaspheming against God and good king Ezekiah Thus braues the Hebrues and vp braids their Prince Weening them all with vaunt-full Threats to snib Thus saith th' almighty great Zenacherib O Salem's Kingling wherfore art thou shut In these weak Walls Is thine affiance put In th' Ayd of Egypt O deceitfull prop O feble stay O hollow-grounded hope Egypt's a staff of Reed which broken soon Runs through the hand of him that leans ther-on Perhaps thou trustest in the Lord thy God What! whom so bold thou hast abus'd so broad Whom to his face thou dayly hast defi'd Depriv'd of Altars robd on every side Of his High Places hallowed Groves and all Where yerst thy Fathers wont on him to call Whom to conclude thou hast exiled quite From every place and with profane despight As if condemned to perpetuall dark Keepst him close-Prisoner in a certain Ark Will He can He take Sion's part and Thine And with his Foes will He vniustly ioyn No wretched knowe I haue His Warrant too Express Commission what I haue to doo I am the Scourge of God 't is vain to stand Against the powr of my victorious hand I execute the counsails of the Lord I prosecute his Vengeance on th' abhorr'd Profaners of his Temples and if He Have any Powr 't is all conferr'd to me Yield therfore Ezechia yield and waigh Who I am who Thou art and by delay Blowe not the Fier which shall consume thee quite And vtterly confound the Israelite Alas poor People I lament your hap This lewd Impostor doth but puff you vp With addle hope and idle Confidence In a delusion of your God's Defence Which of the Gods against my Powr could stand Or save their Citties from my mightier hand Where 's Hamath's God Where 's Arpad's God becom Where Sepharvaim's God and where in summ Where are the Gods of Heva and Ivah too Haue I not Conquer'd all So will I doo You and your God and I will lead you all Into Assyria in perpetuall Thrall I 'll haue your Manna and your Aron's Rod I 'll haue the Ark of your Almighty God All richly furnisht and new furbisht o'r To hang among a hundred Tropheis more And your great God shall in the Roule be read Among the Gods that I haue Conquered I 'll haue it so it must it shall be thus And worse then so except you yeeld to vs. Scarce had he don when Ezechias gor'd With blasphemies so spewd against the Lord Hies to the Temple tears his purple weed And fals to Prayer as sure hold at need O King of All but Ours especially Prayer The Refuge of the Godly Ah! sleep'st thou Lord What boots it that thine ey Perceth to Hell and even from Heav'n beholds The dumbest Thoughts in our hearts in-most folds If thou perceiv'st not this proud Chalenger Nor hear the Barking of this foul-mouth'd Cur Not against vs so much his Threats are meant As against Thee his Blasphemies are bent Against Thy Greatnes whom he proudly-rude Yoaks with the Godlings which he hath sub dew'd T is true indeed hee is a mighty Prince Whose numbrous Arms with furious insolence Haue over-born as many as with-stood Made many a Province even to swim in blood Burnt many a Temple and insatiate still Of neighbour Gods haue wholly had their will But O! What Gods are those Gods void of Beeing Saue by their hands that serue them Gods vn-seeing New vp-start Gods of yerster-dayes devise To Men indebted
Husband deerest Lord can wee Can we survive absented quight from Thee And slaues to those whose Talk is nothing els But thy Disgrace thy Gyves and Israels Can we alas exchange thy Royall bed With cunning-cost rare richly furnished For th' vgly Cabbin and the louzie Couch Of som base Buffon or som beastly Slouch Can we alas can wretched we I say We whose Commands whole Kingdoms did obay We at whose beck even Princes knees did bend We on whose Train ther dayly did attend Hundreds of Eunuchs and of Maids of Honour Kneeling about vs in the humblest manner To dress vs neat and duly every Morn In Silk and Gold our Bodies to adorn Dress others now work on disgrace-full frame Weeping the while our SION's wo-full flame Dragging like Moyls drudge in their Mills and hold Brooms in our hands for Sceptre-Rods of gold Com Parrots com y' haue prated now enough The Pagans cry in their insulting ruff On Chaldè shoars you shal go sigh your fill You must with vs to Babel there at will You may bewail there this shal be your plight Our Mayds by day our Bed-fellows by night And as they spake the shame-les lust-full crew With furious force the tender Ladies drew Even from between th' arms of the woe-full King Them haling rough and rudely hurrying And little lackt the act of most despight Ev'n in their Father's and their Husbands sight Who his hard Fortune doth in vain accuse In vain he raves in vain he roars and rews Even as a Lion prisoned in his grate Whose ready dinner is bereft of late Roars hideously but his fell Fury-storm May well breed horror but it brings no harm The proud fell Pagans doo yet farther pass They kill they tear before the Father's face The more to gore what Marble but would bleed They massacre his miserable seed O! sayd the Prince can you less pitious be To these Self-yielders prostrate at your knee Than sternly-valiant to the stubborn-stout That 'gainst your rage courageously stood-out Alas what haue they don what could they doo To vrge revenge and kindle wrath in you Poor silly Babes vnder the Nources wing Haue they conspir'd against the Chaldean King Haue these sweet Infants that yet cannot speak Broak faith with you Haue these so yong and weak Yet in their Cradle in their Clouts bewayling Their Woes to-come to all Man-kinde vnfayling Dis-ray'd your Ranks Haue these that yet doo craul Vpon all fowre and cannot stand at all With-stood your Fury and repulst your Powrs Frustred your Rams fiered your flying Towrs And bravely sallying in your face almost Hew'n-out their passage thorough all your Hoast O! no Chaldeans only I did all I did complot the King of Babels fall I foyld your Troups I filld your sacred Flood With Chaldean bodies dy'd it with your blood Turn therfore turn your bloody Blades on-me O! let these harm-less Little-ones go free And stain not with the blood of Innocents Th' immortall Tropheis of your high Attents So ever may the Riphean Mountains quake Vnder your feet so ever may you make South East and West your owne on every Coast So ay victorious march your glorious Hoast So to your Wiues be you thrice welcom home And so God bless your lawfull-loved womb With Self-like Babes your substance with increase Yourselues at home with hoary haires in Peace Simil◠But as a Rock gainst which the Heav'ns do thunder Th' Air roars about the Ocean rageth vnder Yields not a iot no more this savage Crew But rather muse to finde-out Tortures new Heer in his sight these cruell Lestrigons Between them take the eldest of his Sons With keenest swords his trembling flesh they heaw One gobbet heer another thear they streaw And from the veins of dead-lyve limbs alas The spirit-full blood spins in his Father's face Thear by the heels his second Son they take And dash his head against a Chimnies back The skull is pasht to peeces like a Crock Or earthen Stean against a stony Rock The scatterd batterd Brains about besmeard Som hang O horror in the Fathers beard Last on himself their savage fury flyes And with sharp bodkins bore they out his eyes The Sun he loses and an end-les night Beclowds for euer his twin-balled sight He sees no more but feels the woes he bears And now for crystall weeps he crimsin tears For so God would and iustly too no doubt That he which had in Iuda clean put-out Th' immortall Lamp of all religious light Should have his eyes put-out should lose his sight And that his body should be outward blinde As inwardly in holy things his minde O Butchers sayd he satiat your Thirst Swill swill your fill of Blood vntill you burst O! broach it not with bodkin but with knife O! reaue me not my bodie 's light but life Give me the sight not of the Earth but Skies Pull-out my heart O! poach not out mine eyes Why did you not this barbarous deed dispatch Yer I had seen me an vn-sceptred Wretch My Cittie 's sackt my wealthy subiects pilld My Daughters ravisht and my Sonns all killd Or else why stayd you not till I had seen Your Beast-like Master grazing on the Green The Medes conspiring to supplant your Throne And Babel's glory vtter ouerthrowne Then had my soule with Fellow-Falls bin eas'd And then your pain my pain had part appeas'd O ragefull Tyrants moody Monsters see See heer my Case and see yourselues in me Beware Contempt tempt not the Heav'nly Powrs Who thunder-down the high-aspiring Towrs But mildely pardon and permit secure Poor Cottages that lie belowe obscure Who Pride abhor who lift vs vp so high To let vs fall with greater infamy Th' Almighty sports him with our Crowns and vs Our glorie stands so fickle-founded thus On slippery wheels alreadie rowling down He gives vs not but only shewes the Crown Our Wealth our Pleasure and our Honour too Wher at the Vulgar make so much a-doo Our Pomp our State our All that can be spoken Seems as a glass bright-shining but soon broken Thrice-happy He whom with his sacred arm Th' Eternall props against all Haps of harm Who hangs vpon his prouidence alone And more preferrs GOD'S Kingdom than his owne So happy be great BRITTANNE Kings I pray Our Soveraigne IAMES and all his Seed for ay Our hope-full HENRY and a hundred mo Good faithfull STVARTS in successiue rowe Religious righteous learned valiant wise Sincere to Vertue and seuere to Vice That not alone These dayes of Ours may shine In Zeal-full Knowledge of the TRVTH divine And We illightned with her sacred rayes May walk directly in the Saving wayes Offaith-full Seruice to the ONE true Deitie And mutuall Practise of all Christian Pietie But that our Nephews and their Nephews till Time be no more may be conducted still By the same Cloud by day and Fier by night Through this vast Desart of the World's despight Towards their Home the heav'nly CANAAN Prepared for vs yer the World began That
like God be honoured 33 Then saw I him that served Sapores For foot-stoole base I saw Aurelian Valeriâ—â— Decius Lycinus and Hostilian And fell Maxentius marching next to these 34 I saw great Traian learn'd Aurelius And learned Dioclesian all which three Among wise Caesars might well praysed be Had they not been 'gainst Christians barbarous 35 Iustin Theodorus Constantinus Sonne Anâ—stasius Heraclius Ualence Constance Manuel And that Bizantian Prince that did mis-tell A foure-fold Essence in the onely ONE Comnâ—â—â—â—s 36 Then Goaths and Uandals Gens'ric Trasimond Honorius Theodorus Totilas Alaricus and Rhotoris alas Who Rome and Afrik with S 〈…〉 blood haue drown'd 37 But who is this that laden so with chains By thousand hang-men racked with despight By thousand furies tortur'd day and night For God-les deeds receiues so righteous pains 38 'T is Mahomet who more by Mauors Art Sergius a Nestorian Monk holp Mahomet to make his Alcoran Than 's Alcaron Bird of a Friers nest Hath all subdu'd the wealthy golden East And won with-all the triple world's best part 39 I see Prince Saladine of match-les force But th' Alcaron too-deeply favouring Haly th' Caliphe and the wanton King That did our Maids on Edess Altars force 40 With wrath and woe old Ottoman opprest Too-late repentance in his face presents And Mahomet the second much laments That he the Greekish Emperie supprest 41 So the proud scorn of scourge-Turk Tamberlain Baiazeth That in an iron Cage was cooped straight And he that first presum'd to passe the Streight Which Europ's bounds divides from th' Asian 42 Then he that quittance did with Scythia cry And over Sea his Scepter rais'd again Mahomet 3 And Amurath that did repell amain Uincenslaus that first had made him fly 43 Orcan the Phrigian s fear and Calipine Who foil'd Sigismond's hoast his Father fear'd And Baiazeth that being haughty rear'd By Germain Tropheis did their peace repine 44 He that his Sire and Brother put to death Selim â— Is with a Cable kill'd his Son that quail'd Th' Hungarian King and Rhodes and Bud assail'd Solyman With trembling fear now quakes like Aspen leaf 45 And neer this Solyman ther doth remain An empty room for him that yet survives Selim. Who by our Kings strange iars so richly thrives That proud he threats both Germany and Spain 46 O wretched Christians while your civillrage Gainst your owne hearts doth arme your proper hands O see you not the Turks invade your Lands And safely spoyl the Lords choise heritage 47 The discord growen 'twixt the Bulgarian King And th' Eastern Caesar even the Bridge it was For hate-Christ Turks the Hellespont to pass And so in Greece a Pagan Scepter bring 48 The discord of two brethren Morea lost And O! I fear lest Christians home-bred frayes Dejecting quite Christs name and all his prayse Bring Turks to land in farthest Western coast 49 Forget then Christians your vn-christian iarrâ— Your civill strife for wagging of a straw Ioyn harts hands and all ioynt weapons draw In Faith's defence to fight Iehoua's warrs 50 In Asia and Egypt make your Forces knowen Recover Gaza Aâ—tioch Ascalon Tyre Sidon Ioppa and King Dauids Throne And Famagosta lost a yeer agon Canto II. 1 THough bloody Tyrants had in every age Busiris Altars Bulls of Phalaris Gemonid Ladders making Land and Seas And fire and air racks of their beastly rage 2 Yet could they neuer wound the Church so much As haue the Writings of the worldly Wise Which on mens soules doo felly tyrannize The tortures onely did the bodies touch 3 These Sages puft with self-conceited pride Dare to controule th' Almighties match-less work Where mystik Secrets from our senses lurk The search wherof the Lord hath vs deni'd 4 And though the spred of our too-feeble wings Scant rayse vs from the ground they mount aloft Even vp to Heav'n where they do measure oft By their Wits compass God's eternall things 5 Their knowledge is but meerly ignorance They lose the truth in seeking it too much For Truth doth still conceal her self from such And to the humble doth herself advance 6 Truth alwayes dwels within the holy Tables Of God's liue Word not in our wanton brain Which dayly coyning som strange Error vain For Gold takes Lead for Truth electeth Fables 7 Long time their reasons were with Reason riâ—e To wrack the Church and Faith to ruinate But now I see they doo detest too late Their former errors and their former life 8 In formost rank march all Gymno-sophists 1 The ancient Sages of the world Follow'd by all the cunning Persian Mages Th' old French Druids learned Calde-Sages And flower of all the Brachmane-sophists 9 Pathagoras Zeno Xenophanes 2 Philosophers Greeks Latins Parmenides merrie Democritus Empedocles and sad Heraclitus Archytas Naucides Nausiphanes 10 Brief all the Doctors of the Latin Sect Tearing their Tresses melting into tears Beating their breasts detest those Dreams of theirs And so the greatest of the Greeks Elect. 11 Anaximander Anaximenes Mylesian Thales Anaxagoras Gnawen with continuall care cry out alas On their owne Errors and so Socrates 12 Cleanthes and Chrysippus next to these With Zeno Stoâ—kâ— that haue often stray'd And next the Cynâ—ks all as ill-appay'd Diogenes Crates Antisthones 13 There the grand Patrons of each Aâ—adem Plato Speusippus and Zenocrates Clytomachus Crantor Carneades And he that labours to conciliate them 14 There mourns in vain Pirrhon Son of Plistarchus That fond beleeues not what his ears do hear Eyes see nose smells tongue tastes and hands do bear Then Timon Hecate and Anaxarchus 15 There the Stagirian that with learned vain Aristotle In 's Works includes the Encyclopedy Sorrie t' haue led so many soules awry With Strato and Theophrastus doth complain 16 There carnall Epicurns wayls with tears And Metodorus next to whom there came Both Aristippâ— Aretas and that same Vile wretch that coyn'd a worser sect than theirs 17 I mean that Monster Theodorus hight Who shame-less sayes Ther is no God at all And that the Wise may when occasionâ— fall Be Lyer Traytor Theef and Sodomite 18 Alas how true the Proverb proves too plain Saying Bad weeds grow euery-where a-pace But wholsom hearbs scant spring in any place Without great labour and continuall pain 19 O Graecians Baen thy mortifying mores To growe in Rome the swelling Seas haue crost From Rome too soon over the Alps have past As far as France and all her neighbour shoars 20 Thy deadly Plant now buds on Iustice Throne In Christian Camps and Courts of Christian Kings In Church and Chair and every-where so springs That with thy thistles all is over-growen 21 But now return we to our task again All these Wise-men of God have false defin'd Of Cheefest-good Soules or wrong place assign'd Where dead we feel or end-les peace or pain 22 Those that since Christ true Son of righteousness 3. Deceiptfull Sophists and Apostataes opeÌ„ Enemies
of Christ. On our Horizon brought the dayes broad light Haue led men's soules in dark eternall night Feel torments worthy of their wickedness 23 Next Symmachus Porphirius marches first Lucian and Celsus then whose hardned heart The Gospell knowen did labour to subvert And Iulian also of all Caesars worst 24 Who knowing well that tortures were but vain To force the Saints from the right Faith to straie By sugred stile studies another way Turns truth to lies and lies to truth again 25 Next I perceive the Circumcised Crew 4. Cabalists and Talmudists Rabbies Of Cabalists and butly Talmudists Troubling the Church with their mysterious Mists Who wel-nigh dead'gainst CHRIST do spet and spew 26 Much like to Snakes that wagg their sting-les sting When as their heads and bodies being slain They threat their Foes with force-less fury vain And to their Graues their Thirst of vengeance bring 27 Now com the Doctors of the Alcaron 5. Turkish Doctors Who mingling poyson by their subtill glose The World 's blinde eyes with darker Clouds inclose They shew their sorrow by their saddest mone 28 But who are these that wear Faith's Livery 6. Heretiks old and new And bear the badge of Faith's best Souldiars And yet are laden with such bolts and bars And so despised of Faith's company 29 These if I err not are the Heretiks Who pusht by proud and curious spirits do blend Both Heav'n and Earth and busily contend To lead the World in crooked paths and Creeks 30 Now as soft windes with straight constrayned breath Through chinks and crannies stealing privily Hurt more our health than boistrous blasts that fly And roule abroad the stones vpon a heath 31 And as the Foe that shakes the Citie 's wallâ— With thundring shot is not so dangerous As a lewd Burgess false and mutinous That in the Town stirs-vp domestik brauls 32 So Pagans Turks Iews doo not damnifie The Faith like these their open violence May be avoyded but false fair-pretence Is hardly scaped with much ieopardie 33 They make like vs a fair religious showe They haue like vs one Church one FAITH one Lord They read like vs one Bible and one Word So sly they are Gods Church to over-throwe 34 In foremost rank heer go the Sadduces That to deny Angels and Resurrection Both Spirits of grace and of reiection Then th' Esseans foul and Formal Pharises 35 Next that deceiver that devised first Simon Magus Nicolaus Author of the Sect of the Nicolaites Church-chaffering and after him insues That mariage-Foe who brutishly renews Pluto's not Plato's Common-law accurst 36 Cerinthus next all bruis'd and bleeding fresh Of Beam-pasht wounds that brain'd him suddainly When in the Baths profane he did denie Christs holy God-head hidden in our flesh 37 For having likewise warr'd against the same God-head of th' onely Man-God Ebion Paul Samyan Photin Carp'crate Artemon Shewe by their looks their sorrow and their shame 38 There mourns that Manés who did fondly fain Two divers Gods Authors of Good and Ill There Valentin the air with cries doth fill Who did deny that bodies Rise again 39 Cerdon great Patron of the Stoïcall Marcion Menander pitious Moan do make There sighes Apelles saying Christ did take Not simply flesh but flesh fantasticall 40 There goes Basilides who canoniz'd Cyrenean Simon in our SAVIOVRS steed Montanus there afrantik head indeed Who guiltless Children kill'd and sacrifiz'd 41 There Tatians Encratiâ—s Severioâ—s Sabellians too which seeking th' vnity In Gods great Essence lost the Trinity Abhor too-late their fond conclusions 42 There th' Alexandrian Priest that yerst did voyd Arrius His entrails at the stool whose Heresie Witching wel-neer th' Earths Vniversity With Sword and Schism the World so much annoy'd 43 Sadly beholds sad-marching Macedonius And Eunomus who at the first had sowen His poysonie seeds but after of their owne They gathered two other Sects erronious 44 Bizantian Nestor and our owne â—â—lagius Libian Donatus Luciferians Euticheans fond and fond Priscillians All frown and fret for inward grief outrageous 45 Shall I conceal Seruetus and the train Of those Dëists that in Sarmatia swarms And Kingling Muncer that with frantik arms Founds hundred sorts of Anabaptists vain 46 Both Syrtes sands I might as eas'ly number As number those whose sweet in chanting Writs With Error 's dregs have drenched wanton Wits Chiefly'n this Age which all corruptions cumber 47 For Satan now him so insinuates In faithless hearts that ween themselues be wise That so foul Error can he not devise But shall be backt by strong associates 48 I see the Beast that bears the purple Whore Great Anti-christ vsurping powr divine 7. Antichrist the Schismatiks Set on Seaven Hills who with her whordom's wine Makes drunk the Princes that her Seat adore 49 And last of all I see the Schismatiks Which renting Christ's vnseamed coat in twain Trouble the Church-peace with contentions vain Following too neer the steps of Heretiks Canto III. 1 GReat Sire's great Son Oliue God's liuely face Wisedom conceiued of the onely Wise To vs given Giver First and Last born twise Once in full Time once out of all Times space 2 Beam of that Sun which fills the world with Light Life of our life our death's death Stinger's sting Our perfect wise iust holy valiant King Word that no word can full express aright 3 O Lord draw draw me draw me from this throng Whose feet and hands are bold to war with thee For with dry eyes I can them never see Nor without grief recite them in my Song 4 Ah! I am out now my deer God I goe From Babel to Iernsalem the Land Of Life Saints house and holy Ark to stand Against all Seas and all rough storms that blowe 5 Lo heer these Champions that haue brauely-bold Withstood proud Tyrants stoutly consacring Their liues and soules to God in suffering Whose names are all in Life's fair Book in-roll'd 6 All-hail Saint-Souldiers let vs once imbrace O valiant Knights let me your hands and brows Adorn with Palms and with Apollo's boughs Let present honours former shames deface 7 Com sacred Kings O holy Princes com Com to this Triumph Lords whose valiant hands Haue Satan's kingdom sought to bring in bands And in your Crowns giv'n Faith the chiefest room 8 He that the first Isaac infranchized Moses Iosua Leads by the hand that Duke whose faithfull word Stopt Phoebus Coursers and whose conquering Sword Subdu'd the Land the Lord had Promised 9 He that but armed with an Asses bone Samson Slew thousand Foes Sangar Othoniel Ahod and Ieptha Barac Samuel And th' Heathen's scourge triumphant Gedeon 10 That great King-Prophet Poet Conqueror Dauid Sweet Psalmograph Asa that Idols brake He that made all the Idol-altars quake Iosias And after did the Paschal Lamb restore 11 Iehosaphat Ioathan Azarias And he whose life the Lord did dis-abbridge Whom Heav'nly arms from Assur did vnsiedge The most religious match-less Ezechias 12 Wise
in our Truth finde doubts whence follow Schismes They whose fond Law doth all of Lies consist Abide confirm'd in their vaine Paganismes One nought beleeues another what him list One ouer-Creeds another Creeds too-short Each makes his Church rather his Sect a-part SONNET 37. Put-off deere French all secret grudge and gall And all keen stings of vengeance on all parts For if you would haue PEACE proclaim'd to all It must be first faire printed in your hearts Henry the mildest of all Conquerers Your perfect glasse for Princely clemencie He to appease and calme the State from â—arres For his friends sake hath sav'd his enemie Let 's all be French all subiects to one Lord Let Fraunce from hence-forth be one onely State Let 's all for Gods sake be of one accord So through true zeale Christs praise to propagate May the most Christian King with prosperous power On Sion walls re-plant our Lilly-flower SONNET 38. O Christian cor'siue that the Mahomite With hundred thousands in Vienna Plaine His Mooned Standards hath already pight Prest to ioyne Austrich to his Thracian Raigne Malth Corfu Candie his proud Threats disdaine And all our Europe trembles in dismay While striuing Christians by each other slaine Each other weak'ning make him easieway Rhodes Belgrade Cyprus and the Realmes of Greece Thrall'd to his barbarous yoke yet fresh-declare That while two striue a third obtaines the fleece Though name of Christian be a title faire If but for Earth they all this while haue striu'n They may haue Earth but others shall haue Heau'n SONNET 39. May I not one day see in Fraunce againe Some new Martellus full of stout actiuitie To snatch the Scepter from the Saracen That holds the Holy Land in strait captiuitie May I not see the selfe-weale-wounding Laâ—nce Of our braue Bloods yerst one another goring Turn'd with moâ—e valour on the Musulmans A higher pitch of happy prowesse soaring But who deare Fraunce of all thy men-at-armes Shall so farre â—eâ—ce renue thine ancient Laurels Sith here they plot thine and their proper harmes I rather feare that through these fatall quarrels That hate-Christ Tyrant will in time become The Lord and Soueraigne of all Christendome SONNET 40. Mid all these mischiefes while the friend foe Strangers With vs. against vs had intelligence Henry our King our Father voides our dangers And O Heav'ns wonder planteth PEACE in Fraunce Thou Iudge that sitt'st on thâ— supernall Throne O quench thy furie keepe vs from hostilitie With eyes of mercy looke thou still vpon Our PEACE and found it on a firme stabilitie Sith in despight of discord thou alone Inward and outward hast thus salv'd vs Lord Keepe still our Fraunce or rather Lord thine owne Let Princes loue and liue in iust accord Dis-arme them Lord or iâ— Armes busie them Be it alone for thy Ierusalem FINIS A Dialogue vpon the Troubles past BETWEENE HERAclitus and Democritus the weeping and the laughing Philosophers Acceptam refero A DIALOGVE Heraclitus ALas thou laugh'st perhaps not feeling well The painfull torments of this mortall Hell Ah! canst thou teare-les in this iron Age See men massacred Monsters borne to rage Democritus Ha but why weep'st thou wherefore in this sort Doost thou lament amid this merry sport Ha canst thou chuse but laugh to see the State Of mens now-follies and the freaks of Fate Heraclitus He hath no heart that melts not all in teares To see the treasons murders massacres Sacks sacrileges losses and alarmes Of those that perish by their proper armes Democritus Who all dismayed swouneth sodainly To heare or see some fained Tragedie Held in these dayes on euery Stage as common Is but a heart-les man or but a woman Heraclitus O! would to God our Countries tragick ruth Were but a fable no effected truth My soule then should not sigh to angry Heav'n Nor for her plagues my tender heart be riv'n Democritus I take the world to be but as a Stage Where net-maskt men doo play their personage 'T is but a mummerie and a pleasant showe Sith ouer all strange vanities doo flowe Heraclitus Those vanities I haue in detestation As cursed causes of Gods indignation Which makes me alwayes weepe sith on the earth I see no obiect for the meanest mirth Democritus Thus from one Subiect sundry sequels spring As diuersly our wits conceiue a thing I laugh to see thee weepe thou weep'st to see Me laugh so much which more afflicteth thee Heraclitus Laugh while thou list at mortall miseries I cannot chuse but euen weepe out mine eyes Finding more cause for teares in bloody slaughter Then for thy sense-les ill-beseeming laughter Democritus Melt thee distill thee turne to waxe or snowe Make sad thy gesture tune thy voice to woe I cannot weepe except sometimes it hap Through laughing much mine eyes let fall a drop Heraclitus I weepe to see thus euery thing confused Order disordred and the Lawes abused Iustice reuerst and Policie peruerted And this sicke State neere vtterly subuerted Democritus I laugh to see how Fortune like a ball Playes with the Globe of this inconstant All How she degradeth these and graceth those How whom she lifts-vp downe againe she throwes Heraclitus I raine downe Riuers when against their King Cities rebell through subiects bandying When Colledges through Armes are rest of Art When euery Countie Kingdomes-it a-part Democritus I burst with laughter when confounding State I see those Rebels hunt their Magistrate When I heare Porters prate of State-designes And make all common as in new-found Indes Heraclitus I weepe to see Gods glory made a vaile To couer who his glory most assaile That sacred Faith is made a maske for sinne And men runne headlong to destructions ginne Democritus I laugh with all my heart at the transforming Of Iugling Proteis to all times Conforming But most I laugh t' haue seene the world so mad To starue and die when those damn'd Atheists bad Heraclitus I weepe alas to see the People weepe Opprest with rest-les waight in danger deepe Crying for PEACE but yet not like to get-her Yet her condition is not greatly better Democritus I laugh to see all cause of laughter gone Through those which yerst thou said'st haue caus'd thy mone Noting th' old guise I laugh at all their new I laugh at more but dare not tell it you Heraclitus Som sorrowes also I in silence keepe But in the Desart all my woes shall weepe And there perhaps the Rocks will helpe me then For in these dayes they are more milde then men Democritus I 'le dwell in Cities as my Genius guides To laugh my fill for smiling PEACE prouides Such plentious store of laughing-stuffe to fill me That still I 'le laugh vn-les that laughing kill me FINIS AN ODE OF THE LOVE AND beauties of Astraea To the most matchles-faire and vertuous M. M. H. TETRASTICON THou for whose sake my freedome I forsake Who murdring me doost yet maintain my life Heere vnder PEACE thy beauties Type I make Faire war-like
Nimph that keep'st me still in strife Sacred PEACE if I approue thee If more then my life I loue thee 'T is not for thy beautious eyes Though the brightest Lampe in skies In his highest Sommer shine Seemes a sparke compar'd with thine With thy paire of selfe-like Sunnes Past all els-comparisons 'T is not deere the dewes Ambrosiall Of those pretie lips so Rosiall Make me humble at thy feet Though the purest honey sweet That the Muses birds doo bring To Mount Hybla euery spring Nothing neere so pleasant is As thy liuely louing kisse 'T is not Beauties Emperesse Th' Amber circlets of thy tresse Curled by the wanton windes That so fast my freedome bindes Though the pretious glittering sand Richly strow'd on Tagus Strand Nor the graines Pactolus rol'd Neuer were so fine a gold 'T is not for the polisht rowes Of those Rocks whence Prudence flowes That I still my sute pursue Though that in those Countries new In the Orient lately found Which in precious Gemmes abound 'Mong all baytes of Auarice Be no Pearles of such a price 'T is not Sweet thine yuorie neck Makes me worship at thy beck Nor that prettie double HILL Of thy bosome panting still Though no fairest Laedas Swan Nor no sleekest Marble can Be so smooth or white in showe As thy Lillies and thy Snowe 'T is not O my Paradise Thy front euener than the yee That my yeelding heart doth tye With his milde-sweet Maâ—ostie Though the siluer Moone befaine Still by night to mount her waine Fearing to sustain disgrace If by day shee meet thy face 'T is not that soft Sattin limme With blew trailes enameld trimme Thy hand handle of perfection Keeps my thoughts in thy subiection Though it haue such curious cunning Gentle touch and nimble running That on Lute to heare it warble Would mooue Rocks and rauish Marble 'T is not all the rest beside Which thy modest vaile doth hide From mine eyes ah too iniurious Makes me of thy loue so curious Though Diana being bare Nor Leucothoe passing rare In the Crystall-flowing springs Neuer bath'd so beautious things What then O diuinest Dame Fires my soule with burning flame If thine eyes be not the matches Whence my kindling Taper catches And what Nectar from aboue Feedes and feasts my ioyes my Loue If they taste not of the dainties Of thy sweet lips sugred plenties What fell heat of couetize In my feeble bosome fries If my heart no reckoning hold Of thy tresses purest gold What inestimable treasure Can procure me greater pleasure Then those Orient Pearles I see When thou daign'st to smile on mee What what fruit of life delights My delicious appetites If I ouer-passe the messe Of those apples of thy brests What fresh buds of scarlet Rose Are more fragrant sweet than those Then those Twins thy Strawberrie teates Curled-purled Cherrielets What to finish fairer limme Or what member yet more trimme Or what other rarer Subiect Makes me make thee all mine obiect If it be not all the rest By thy modest vaile supprest Rather which an enuious cloud From my sight doth closely shroud Ah't's a thing farre more diuine 'T is that peere-les Soule of thine Master-peece of Heav'ns best Art Made to maze each mortall hart 'T is thine all-admired wit Thy sweet grace and gesture fit Thy milde pleasing curtesie Makes thee triumph ouer me But for thy faire Soules respect I loue Twin-flames that reflect From thy bright tra-lucent eyes And thy yellow lockes likewise And those Orient-Pearly Rocks Which thy lightning Smile vn-lockes And the Nectar-passing blisses Of thy honey-sweeter kisses I loue thy fresh rosie cheeke Blushing most Aurora-like And the white-exceeding skin Of thy neck and dimpled chin And those Iuorie-marble mounts Either neither both at once For I dare not touch to know If they be of flesh or no. I loue thy pure Lilly hand Soft and smooth and slender and Those fine nimble brethren small Arm'd with Pearle-shel helmets all I loue also all the rest By thy modest vaile supprest Rather which an enuious cloud From my longing sight doth shroud FINIS SONNET 1. Sweet mouth that send'st a musky-rosed breath Fountain of Nectar and delightfull Balm Eyes cloudy-clear smile-frowning stormy-calm Whos 's every glance darts me a living-death Browes bending quaintly your round Ebene Arkes Smile that then Uenus sooner Mars besots Locks more then golden curl'd in curious knots Where in close ambush wanton Cupid lurkes Grace Angel-like fair fore-head smooth and high Pure white that dimm'st the Lillies of the Vale Vermilion Rose that mak'st Aurora pale Rare spirit to rule this beautious Emperie If in your force Divine effects I view Ah who can blame me if I worship you SONNET 2. Thou whose sweet eloquence doth make me mute Whose sight doth blinde me and whose nimblenes Of feet in daunce and fingers on the Lute In deep amazes makes me motion-les Whose onely presence from my self absents me Whose pleasant humours make me passionate Whose sober mood my follies represents me Whose graue-milde graces make me emulate My heart through whom my heart is none of mine My All through whom I nothing doo possesse Saue thine Idea glorious and divine O thou my Peace-like War and war-like PEACE So much the wounds that thou hast given me please That 't is my best ease never to haue ease Epigramms and Epitaphes vpon Warre and Peace Vpon the League FRaunce without cause thou doost complain Against the League for wronging thee Sh' hath made thee large amends again With more then common vsury For for thy one King which she slew Sh' hath given thee now a thousand new Vpon the taking of Paris 1 When Paris happily was wonne With small or no endangering Such suddain common ioy begunne That one would say t' haue seen the thing Th' King took not Paris Paris took the King 2 O rarest sight of ioyfull woe Adorned with delightfull dread When Henry with oneself-same showe Conquer'd at once and triumphed 3 Sith thee from danger and distresse to free The King thus took or rather entred thee Paris it was not in stern Mars his Moneth But in the month that mild ASTREA owneth Vpon the fall of the Millars-bridge 1 The Millars in the River drown'd While Paris was beleagerd round To die were all resolv'd in minde Because they had no more to grinde 2 Then was their fittest time to die Because they might intend it best But their intent was contrary Because they then liv'd so at rest 3 As after long sharp famine som foâ—lorn Of surfet Die their greedines is such This Mill-bridge hauing fasted long from corn Is drown'd perhaps for having ground too-much Vpon the recouerie of Amiens I knowe not which may seem most admirable To take or re-take such a Cities force But yet I knowe which is most honorable To take by fraud or to re-take by force 2 Each where they sing a thousand wayes The glory of this enterprise But yet of all their merry Layes The best is still
prisoners trouble Much worse me thought the time his martyrdome did double So that to scape that scourge so irk some to my hart I could haue beene content to suffer any smart Lo by blind ignorance how iudgements are mis-led Now that full thirtie monthes I haue experienced That so-much-feared ill 't is now so vs'd to me That I a prisoner liue much more content and free Then when as vnder cloake of a false freedome vaine I was base slaue indeede to many a bitter paine But now I see my selfe mockt euery-where almost And feeble me alone met by a mightie hoast Of such as in this case doo not conceiue as I But doo esteeme themselues offended much thereby And therefore Father deere this weake abortiue Child For refuge runnes betweeneth ' armes of his Grand-sire mild If you accept of it my labour hath his hire For careles of the rest all that I heere desire Is onely that yourselfe as in a Glasse may see The Image of th' estate of my Captiuitie Where though I nothing can auaile the Common-weale Yet I auaile my selfe atleast some little deale Praising th' all-powerfull Lord that thus vouch safes to poure Such fauours manifold vpon meeuery houre Wherof your self yer while so sweet sure proof haue tasted In cruell bitternes of bands that longer lasted Now I beseech his Grace to blesse mine enterprise My heart and hand at once to gouerne in such wise That what I write may nought displeasing him containe For voide of his sweet aide who works he works in vaine Within the wide-spred space of these round Elements Whatsoeuer is indewd with liuing soule and sense Seekes of it selfe selfe-good this instinct naturall Nature her selfe hath grauen in harts of Creatures all And of all liuing things from largest to the least Each one to flie his ill doth euermore his best Thereof it comes we see the wilde Horse full of strength Tamely to take the bit into his mouth at length And so by force we tame each most vntamed beast Which of it selfe discreet of euils takes the least And though that that which seemes to be his chiefe restraint He often-times despise that 's by a worse constraint As when the Lyon fierce feare-lesse pursues the shining Of bright keen-piercing blades and 's royal crest declining Full of the valiant Fire that courage woonts to lend Runnes midst a million swords his whelplings to defend More fearing farre that they their libertie should lose Than on himselfe the smart of thousand wounding blowes But all things haue not now the selfe same goods and ils What helpeth one the same another hurts and kils There 's ods between the good that sauage Beasts do like And that good good indeed which soul-wiseman must seek When Beasts haue store of food and free from foe's annoy Smart-lesse and sound and safe may as they list enioy Their fill of those delights that most delight the sense That that 's the happines that fully them contents But reasonable soules as God hath made mankind Can with so wretched Good not satisfie their mind But by how much the more their inly sight excels The brutish appetite of euery creature els So much more excellent the good for which they thirst Man of two parts is made the body is the worst The Heav'n-born soule the best wherein mans blisse abides In body that of beasts nought hauing els besides This body stands in need of manie an accessorie To make it somewhat seeme the soule receiues this glory That selfly she subsists and her aboundant wealth Vnlike the bodies store is euer safe from stealth Our body took his birth of this terrestriall clod Our spirit it was inspir'd of th' inly breath of God And either of them still striues to his proper place This earth-born stoopes to earth that stics to heauen apace But as the silly bird whose wings are wrapt in lime Faine but in vaine attempts to flie full many a time So our faire soule surcharg'd with this foule robe of mud Is too-too often held from mounting to her GOOD She striues she strikes sometimes she lifts her vp aloft But as the worser part we see preuaileth oft This false fraile flesh of ours with pleasure's painted lure Straight makes her stoop againe downe to the dust impure Happy who th' honour hath of such a victory He crowns his conquering head with more true maiesty Then if he had subdued those Nations by his might Which doo discouer first Aurora's early light And those whom Phoebus sees from his Meridian Mount Th' Anti-podes and all more then the sand to count For small the honour is to be acknowledg'd King And Monarke of the world ones selfe vn-maistering But each man on his head this Garland cannot set Nor is it giuen to all this victorie to get Onely a very few Gods deere-belov'd Elect This happy Goale haue got by Vertues lyue effect Therest soon weary of this fame so painfull War Like well of Heauen but loue the earth aboue it far Some drunk with poysony dregs of worldly pleasures brute Know where true good consists but neuer doo ensue't Some doo ensue the same but with so faint a heart That at the first assault they doo retire and start Some more courageous vow more then they bring to passe So much more easie 't is to say then doo alas And all through too-much loue of this vaine worlds alâ—urements Or too-much idle feare of sufferings and endurements Meerevanities whereto the more men doo incline The farther-off they are from their chiefe Good diuine Therefore so many think themselues so miserables Therefore the aire is fill'd with out-cries lamentable Of such as doâ— disdaine the thing that better is To entertaine the worse with forfeit of their blisse Therefore we see those men that riches doo possesse Afflicted still with care and therefore heauinesse Abandons neuer those that fed with honours fill Fawne vpon Potentates for â—litting fauours still And cause God wot they haue to be at quiet neuer Sith their felicitie is so vncertaine euer Neither are Kings themselues exempted from vexation How-euer Soueraignesway they beare in any Nation For now they wish to win anon feare losse no lesse Yea though for Empire they did this wide world possesse Not one of them withall could full contented be For how man more attaines the more attempteth he Who therfore couets most such soon-past goods vncertain Shall ne'r enioy the ioy of goods abiding certain But who so seeks to build a true content to last On else-what must else-where his first foundation cast For all things here below are apt to alter euer Heere 's nothing permanent and therefore whosoeuer Trusts thereto trusteth to a broken staffe for stay For no earth's vanity can blesse a man for aye We must to make vs blest our firme assurance found Els-where then in this world this change-inthralled ground We must propose our selues that perfect perish-les That true vnfained good that good all danger-les From th' vniust
thinke not at all That I of purpose captiue am and thrall So that I meane hereby your wrack to bring For God he knowes I thinke not such a thing But I am captiue thus because I tolde What wondrous workes the Lord hath done of olde To you and your forefathers euer still Deliv'ring them that would obey his will Then doubt not you a thousand â—laâ—â—ing flags Nor horrible cries of â—â—leous heathen hags Coole not your hearts For if the world about Would compasse you with all their warriours stout Prouiding first ye seek your helpe at need At power diuine and not at mortall seede You surely shall see Mocmurs renning flood Made red with Assurs hoste and Ethnique blood Ye surely shall see men not vsde to fight Sub due their foes that seemes of greater might The hand of God assailes you not with hate But for your weale your pride he will abate To let you wit it is within his power To leaue or to relieue you euery houre As on th' vnsauorie stocke the lilly is borne And as the rose growes on the pricking thorne So modest life with sobs of grieuous smart And cryes deuout comes from an humbled hart For euen the faithfull flocke are like the ground That for good fruit with weedes will still abound If that the share and culter idlelye That riues the soyle and roots the brambles bye But in the end God will his yre relent Assoone as sinners truely will repent And saue you from these plagues that present be In shorter time then ye do think to see Take courage friends and vanquish God with teares And after we shall vanquish with our weares These enmies all Now if there rest in me The former force that once was wont to be If elde haue not decaid my courage bolde That I haue had with great experience olde I render me to serue you to my ende For Iacobs weale Gods law for to defend FINIS THE SVMMARIE OF The III. BOOKE IN this third book the Poet setteth forth the seege of Bethulia and the extremity that God permitted them to feele therby to giue an entry to his miraculous deliuerance who is accustomed to leade his people to the gates of death and from thence to retire them aboue all humane expectation to the ende they should confesse that the arme of flesh nor worldly wisedome maintaines not the Church but the only fauour of the Almightie to whome the whole glory of duty should be rendred Father three principall things are to be noted First the preparations of the beseegers and the defences of the beseeged and how after throw the counsell giuen to Holopberne for the restraint of the water from the towne ensâ—wes a furious assault which the Iewes repelled with great paine Secondly the extreame desolation through want of water whereof proceedeth sundry sorts of death with lamentations murmurations and danger of mutiâ—e within the Citie and how the Gouernour endeuours himselfe with wise and godly admonitions to appease the same But the Commons in this hard estate regarding no reason required to render the Citie rather then to perish in such apparant miserie The Gouernour being carried with a humane prudence promiseth to render the Towne within fiue dayes if God send them no succour Yet such is the estate of Gods Church in this world that when all things faileth God manifesteth his power And therefore in the third partis IVDITH introduced who being especially moued by the reading of Holy Scriptures is encouraged to deliuer her Country but when she vnderstood the resolution of the Magistrates Shee being in estimation honourable modestly reproues them After their excuse shee promiseth to attempt something for the publike weale not showing her deuise but onely desired to haue passage by night vnto the enemies campe and this is granted THE THIRD BOOKE of IVDITH THe Snoring snoute of restles Phlegon blewe Hote on the Ynds and did the day renewe With skarlet skie when Heathen men awooke At sound of drumme then pike and dart they tooke In order marching and to combat â—alles Th' vndaunted sonnes within their Cities walles The meeds in Maie with flowers are not so dect Of sundry sauours hews and seere effect As in this campe were people different farre In toungs and maners habits tents and warre Yea Chaos old whereof the world was founded Of members more confuse was not compounded Yet soundly they in vnion did accord To wage the warre against th' Almightie Lord Who shakes the Poles whose onely breath doth beat Libanus mount and makes Caucasus sweat There came the Kettrinks wilde of cold Hircania Ioynd with the men of great and lesse Armania With coppintanks and there the Parthian tall Assaid to shoot his shafts and flee withall The Persians proud th' Empyre was in their hands With plates of gold surbraued all their bands The Medes declar'd through fortunes ouerthwart They lost their Scepter not for lack of hart And that no costly cloath nor rich aray Nor painting fine that on their face they lay Nor borrowd hair of fair and comly length Might ought impair their ancient power and strength There were the happie Arabs those that buields In thatched waggons wandring throu the fields The subtill Tyrians they who first were clarks That staid the wandring words in leaues and barks The men of Moab Edom Ammon and The People sparst on large Elimia land The learned Memphians and the men that dwell Engins of Warre Neere to the Aethiopians black and fell In short the most of Asia as it wair Encamped was within that armie fair So that this Duke mo forraine souldierslad Then all the Hebrewes natiue people had But they who did the Hebrewes greatest wrong Were Apostâ—ts of Ephrem fierce and strong Who fought with hatefull harts them to deface Least they should be esteemd of Izaks race Then as in time of Spring the water is warme And crowping frogs like fishes there doth swarme But with the smallest stone that you can cast To stirre the streame their crouping stayes as fast So while Iudea was in ioyfull dayes The constancie of them was worthy prayes For that in euery purpose ye should heare The praise of God resounding euery wheare So that like burning candles they did shine Among their faithfull flocke like men diuine But looke how soon they heard of Holopherne Their courage quailde and they began to dern Their ardent zeale with closed mouth they choke Their zeale too hote returnd to fuming smoke The fear of losse of life and worldly good Brought Infidels to shed their brothers blood Alas how many Ephramits haue we In our vnhappy time all which we see Within the Church like hypocrits to dwell So long as by the same they prosper well Who feines a zeale th' Euangill to maintaine So long as serues their honour or their gaine But turne the chance with some contrary winde So that their browes but half a blast do finde Then faints their harts and they seek other way Like bankers
Hermon with thy burning blast Or why doest thou on carefull Carmell cast Thy dreadfull darts forgetting all the space These Giants that thy Scepter would displace Ah wretch what say I Lord apardon me Thy burning zeale and none hypocrisie That frets my heauy heart at euery howre Compels my toung this language out to powre O thou the euerliuing God and Guide Of all our race I know thou wilt prouide For our reliefe against this furious boste And iustly kill the Captaine of this hoste I knowe that thou wilt help my onely hand To be the wrack of all this heathen Band. FINIS THE SVMMARIE OF The V. BOOKE HOlophernes being surprised with the sweete language and excellent beautie of the chaste Iudith becommeth altogether negligent of his charge and gouernement Wherein is represented the vnhabilitie of the reprobate who cannot withstand such temptations as the Lord sendeth vpon them But as they become slaues to their owne affections so by the same they are enforced to fall into perdition In place of some faithfull seruant to warne him of his vices Holophernes conferreth with Bagos an Eunuch who feedeth him in his humour bringeth Iudith to his Tent. And here the Poet reprooues all flatterers and bawdes with the vices of all Courts in Generall Iudith seeing her chastitie in perill and the time vnmeete to execute her enterprise subtilie drawes the Tyrant to talke of other affaires He thinking to insinuate himselfe the more into her fauour taketh pleasure to crack of his conquests and of his speciall worthinesse discoursing so long till suppertime approached she auoyded the inconuenience And here is to be noted that whilest the tyrants boast of their cruelty against the Church God prouideth for his owne preserueth them for that worke that he hath ordained by them to be done THE FIFT BOOKE of IVDITH IN stead of marrow-in bone and blood in vaines Great Holopherne doth feede his cruell paines He bootlesse flees and feeles but he ne knowes The quenched fire that of his ashes growes For so the charming Image of this Dame The onely marke where at his soule did ame Transported him in passions of despaire That of his mighty camp he quits the care And goes no more his matters to dispatch Nor vewes his corpsgard nor relieues his watch Nor Councell cals nor sent to spy the coste Nor vewes the quarters of his spacious hoste But as the sheep that haue no hirde nor guide But wandring strayes along the riuers side Throw burbling brookes or throw the forrest grene Throw meadowes closures or throw shadows shene Right so the Heathen hoste without all bridle Runns insolent to vicious actions ydle Where none obeyes ech one commanding speaks Eche one at pleasure from his banner breaks What do you Hebrews now within your wall Now time to fight or neuer time at all To pay these Pagans whose confused corse Combats against themselfs with deadly force Nay stay a while of such a great victory Your onely God will haue the onely glory Before this tyrant was with loue yblent To winne the towne he plide his whole entent But now both night and day his minde doth frame To conquer this most chast vnconquest Dame So lust him led th' vndaunted Theban knight With waighty mace had neuer him affright But now a womans look his hart enfeares And in his brest the curelesse wound he beares Ambition erst so had him ouercumme That made him dayly ryse by sound of drumme Now Cupid him awaks with hote alarmes That him with holds to do the Hebrews harmes Before he rulde aboue both Prince and King Now can he not himselfe in order bring Alas quoth he what life is this I haue Complaint Becomming captiue to my captiue slaue Vnhappy chance what life is this I say My vertue gone my forces fals away Nay sure no life it is more pain I feele Then Ixion torn vpon th' Eternall wheele Prometheus My life is like the theefs that stole the fire On whose mortall hart there doth alwayes tire A rauenous fowle that gnawes him to the bone Reuiuing still bound to the Scythian stone What serues it me t' haue won where I haue haunted What serues my victor arme for to haue daunted The people situate tween Hydaspe large And port where Cydnus doth in sea discharge Since I am vanquisht by the feeble sight Of captiue Iudith what auailes my might My targe of steele my Burguinet of Brasse My guard of warriours stout whereso I passe Since her sweet eye hath sent the pointed dart Throgh men and weapons pearcing throu my hart What serues my coursers who with swiftnes light Exceeds the swallow swiftest bird of flight Since I on him cannot auoide one ynch The care that night and day my heart doth pinch Then change O Hebrewes change your tears in song And triumph ore my hoste and army strong I am no more that Duke whose name alone Hath made great warriours quake both lim and bone But I am he whose hart was sometime braue Now lesse then nought the slaue but of a slaue I com not here your Isaac to annoy With fire and sword your houses to destroy But to require your Iudith her to render More milde to me What is my wit so slender Berapt with loue haue I not heer my ioy That onely may relieue me from annoy Yet neuerthelesse I clieue the aire in vain With plaints and makes myne eyes but fountains twain I wretch am like the wretched man indeed Tantalus The more he hath the greater is his need Although he deeply plonge in water cleare To quench his thirst yet he is not the neare For so do I respect the heavenly grace That largely is bestowde vpon her face That with mine eyes I dare not her behold My toung doth stay and in the palat folde Why haue not I a heart of Crystall cleare Tronsparent through to let my paine appeare That there she might of all my torments reed Which loue with holds within my heart in dreed Now since that Iudith to this camp arriv'd The light of heav'n had thrise his course reviv'd And darkned thrise and gan with saffron hew To light the Ynds the fourth day to renewe When thus the Duke who leftrepast and rest Vnto his Eunuch this like porpos drest O Bagos sonne adoptife not by chaunce Whom I haue chose of nought thee to aduance By speciall grace and made thee though I boaste First of my hart and second of myne Hoaste I rage I burne I dye in desp'rate thought Through loue by this same strangers beuty brought Go seek her then and shortly to her say What secret flame torments me day by day Shew that I shall her to such honours bring As he that beares the Scepter of a King But chiefly see thy talke be framed thus That she do come this night and suppe with vs. Now should it not to me be folly and shame To haue within my holde the fairest dame That ground doth heare if I
out their God they disobay Discyphring then their malice to be more To Gods contempt then was their zeale before And fights against the Lord with greater hate Then Celsus did or Iulian Apostate The Hebrewes now from heights of houses faire Who saw so many banners beat the aire And men to march against their forces small Who now might well decerne their feeble wall They swoune with fear and fand none other aid But of that God to whom their fathers praid O father quod they father holy king Who shields vs alwayes vnderneath thy wing Since now the world against vs doth conspire Defende vs mighty Lord we thee require Thus hauing humbly prayd the Lord of might The Gouernour renforc't his watches wight And fires at midnight built in euery way Which made the night appear as clear as day And wakerife through the corpsgard of the past And thought that Phoebe hyed her course too fast With horses paile to steale away the night To leaue the Hebrews to their enmies sight Again the Pagan thought she did but creep Or that with Latmies sonne she was on sleep But humain wishes neuer hath the powre To haste or hold the course of heaven one hower Then as Aurora rose with sanguine hew And our Horyzon did the day renew The Vizroy made a thousand trumpets sound To drawe his scattred Cornets to ◠Round Who from all parts with speed assembled weare About the Generals tent his will to hear As doth the hounds about their hunt at morne Com gladishing at hearing of his horne Now when the towne his sommonds did disdain Engins of Warre To conquer it perforce he plyde his pain And their th' Inginers haue the Trepan drest And reared vp the Ramme for batterie best Here bends the Briccoll while the cable cracks Their Crosbowes were vprent with yron Racks Here croked Coruies fleeing bridges tall Their scathfull Scorpions that ruynes the wall On euery side they raise with ioynture meet Thetymber towres for to command ech street The painfull Pioners wrought against their will With fleaks and fagots ditches vp to fill Or vnder ground they delue in dust with pain To raise a mount or make a mount a Plain Or Cauerns cut where they might soldiers hide T' assaile the towne at sodain vnespide Som ladders drest to seale the wall or els To steale vpon the sleeping Sentinels Som vndermines som other vndertook To fire the gates or smore the towne with smoke The greatest part did yet in trenches lurke To see what harme their engins first would wurke That if the wall were bet they would not faile With braue assault the Citie to assaile There Mars towre-myner there Bellona wood Enforced feeble Cowards to suck blood Their hidious horses braying loude and clear Their Pagans fell with clamor huge to hear Made such a dinne as made the heaven resound Retented hell and tore the sixed ground Yet God who keeps his watch aboue the skyes For his elect who neuer ydlelyes Took pity on his people in that tide Repressing part this cruell princes pride In causing all the chiefes of Moabites Of Edom strong and awfull Ammonites To speak him thus and thus him terrours drest O Prince that Scepter bears aboue the rest And giues them law and holds the world in thrall Set not thy soldiers to assault this wall For neither bowe nor sling nor weapons long Nor sword nor buckler will be found so strong And is this threatning rock whose mighty corse Sustains their wall of such eternall force That thou can make no skallade on no coste But on the corpses dead of half thine hoste ' The victor can no honour iustly clame 'To lose the men who should aduance the same ' O valiant Prince that fisher is not fine ' Who for a frog will lose a golden line ' The holy head band seems not to attyre ' The head of him who in his furious yre ' Preferrs the pain of those that haue him teend ' Before the health and safety of one freend You may my Lord you may in little fight Subdue these Roags and not to lose a knight Surprise me first their chiefest water spring From whence these rebels do their conduits bring Then drought shall driue them from their whole defence In cords to yeld them to thine excellence ' The noble Lyon neuer sleas the least ' But alway prayes vpon som worthy beast ' The thunder throwes his sulphred shafts adowne ' On Atlaeas high or colde Riphes crowne ' The tempest fell more feruently doth fall ' On houses high then on the homely hall So you my Lord need not to prease your powre Against such foes as will themselfs deuowre Sir this is not for fauour or for meede Nor that this Cities sack may causevs dread Nor that we mean thy high attempts to stay For ere we from thy standarts stirre away For thee th' immortall Gods we shall defie For thee we shall break down their altars hie For thee we frankly shall pursue and thole Th' eternall heat and colde of either Pole For thee our hardy hands shal help to tear From Ioue and Neptune both their Eagle and spear For thee the sonne for father shall not care Nor father sonne nor brother brother spare Now Holopherne to conquest whole enclynde And weighing well this counsell in his minde Dismissed from his camp a galliard rout Of men to guard the Riuers round about This stratageme the Hebrews wel might knowe To see their fountains run with passage slowe Then manfully their soldiers out they send Against their foes the water to defend There fought the Pagan for to winne him fame The Hebrew ment he would not dye with shame Together soon they shock with hatefull yre And first they forç't the heathen to retyre Who turning face again do them pursew And wins the victory from the victors new So doubtfull was the fight none could define Saue God to whom the victrie would encline Till Izrell was on all sides ouereled With clouds of short then to their town they fled As doth the Pilgrim passing through the Plain Who is beset with tempest haile or rain Who leaues his way and seeks himself to hide Within som caue or hollow mountain side The Panims them pursued without all pitty And Peslmell entred almost in the Citty At open gate Then rose the cry vnsweet Of fearfull folke who fled in euery street And rent their hair and their affrighted face As Panims els had wonne that holy place How flee you cowards now and leaues your Port The Captain sayes haue ye another Fort Thinke ye to finde for safety of your crowne In this Bethulia another Bethull towne Alas if ye make no defence at all While time this tyrant is without your wall How dare you him resist when he hath wunne This forte of yours from which ye feebly runne The commons with this check brought to their powers Where Cambris and Sir Carmis like two towers Stood at th' assaulted gate and did
them that her vpbrought Like to the gratefull stork that gathereth meat And brings it to her elders for to eate And on a firtree high with Boreas blowne Giues life to those of whom she had her owne But if she might som howre from trauell quite At vacant time it was her chief delyte To read the scriptures where her faithfull minde Might confort of the heav'nly Manna finde Somtime she broyded on the canuas gall Som bird or breast or A egle or Elephant tall While subtely with siluer nedle fine She works on cloth som history diuine Heer Lot escaping the deuouring fire From sinnefull Zodom shortly doth retire To Segor where his wife that was vnwitty Cast back her eye to see the sinnefull Citty And for her mis-beliefe God plagued the falt Transforming her into a Pillar of salt Here she Susannaes story viuely wrought How neer she was to execution brought And yet how God the secret did disclose And made the mischief fall vpon her foes Here Iosephs story stands with wondrous art And how he left his cloke and not his heart To his lasciuious Dame and rather chose The Prison then her armes him to enclose Her cruell Iâ—phte with his murdring knife To keep his vow bereaues his daughters life Her trauell done her lute she then assayes And vnto God she sings immortall prayes Not following those that plyes their thriftles pain In wanton vearse and wastefull ditties vain Thereby t' entrap great men with luring looks But as the greedy fisher layes his hooks Alongst the coste to catch som mighty fish More for his gain then holesom for the dish Of him that byes euen so these sisters braue Haue louers mo then honest may dens haue But none are burnt with their impudent flame Saue fooles and light lunatikes voyd of shame Of vertue only perfect loue doth growe Whos 's first beginning though it be more slowe Then that of lust and quickens not so fast Yet sure it is and longer time doth last The straw en kendles soone and slakes again But yron is slowe and long will hot remain Thus was the holy Iudiths chaste renowne So happily spred through Israell vp and down That many a man disdaind the damsels fine With Iewels rich and haire in golden twine To serue her beuty yet Loues firy dart Could neuer vnfriese the frost of her chaste hart But as the Diamant byds the hammer strong So she resisted all her suters long Vnminded euer for to wed but rather To spend her dayes with her beloued father Till at the last her parents with great care Withstood her will and for her did prepare Manasses one who was of noble race Both rich and faire as well of sprite as face Her mariage then was not a slight contract Mariage Of secret billes but by a willing act Before her friends The chaunce that once befell To wandring Dina may be witnesse well That secret mariage that to fewe is kend Doth neuer lead the louers to good end For of our bodies we no power may clame Except our parents do confirme the same Then see how loue so holily begunne Between these two so holy a race they runne This chaste young-man and his most chastest wife As if their bodies twain had but one life What th' one did will the other will'd no lesse As by one mouth their wils they do expresse And as a stroke giuen on the righter eye Offends the left euen so by Sympathie Her husbands dolours made her hart vnglad And Iudiths sorrowes made her husband sad Manasses then his wife would not controule Tyranniously but look how much the soule Exceeds the corse and not the corse doth grieue But rather to preserue it and relieue So Iudith with Manasses did accorde In tender loue and honourde him as Lord. Their house at home so holy was to tell It seemd a Church and not a priuate Cell No seruant there with villain iestes vncouth Was suffered to corrupt the shamefast youth No ydle drunkard nor no swearing wight Vnpunisht durst blaspheme the Lord of might No pleasant skoffer nor no lying knaue No dayly Dycer nor no Ruffian braue Had there abode but all the seruants weare Taught of their Rulers Gods eternall feare Manasses he who saw that in his time All iustice was corrupt with many-a cryme And that the most peruers and ignorant For money or fauour would none office want Of high estate refusde all publike charge Contenting him with ease to liue at large From Court and Palace free from worldly pelfe But since he thought him borne not for himself But also that som charge he ought to bear For confort of his friends and countrey dear Yet did he more not being magistrate For publike weale then men of more estate So that his house was euen the dwelling due Of Iustice and his mouth a sentence true Th' afflicted poore he dayly did defend And was the widowes ayde and tutor kend To Orphelines and was the whole support And chief conforter of the godly sort The vain desire of Indian treasures great Made neuer his ship to sayl nor oar to beat The greedy hope of gain with ventrous daunger Made neuer his sword be drawen to serue the stranger He neuer sold within the wrangling Barre Deceitfull clatters causing clients Iarre But quietly manurde his little feild And took th' encrease therof that time did yeilde He sowde and planted in his proper grange Vpon som sauage stock som frutry strange The ground our common Dame he vndermines On stake and ryce he knits the crooked vines And snoddes their bowes so neither hote nor cold Might him from labour in the chamber hold But once as he beheld his haruest train With crooked Circle cutting downe the grain The sunne a distillation on him sent Whereof he dyed his soule to heauen it went He that the number of the leaues could cast That in Nouember fals by winter blast He that could tell the drops of rain or slete That Hyad Orion or Pleiades wete Sheds on the ground that man might only tell What tears from Iudiths eyes incessant fell What treasure and golde and what he left her tho VVidowhead In place of pleasure caused all her woe The sight of them made her in heart recorde Their olde possessor and her louing Lord. Though she had had asmuch of gold and good As Lydia Land or Tagus golden flood Yet losing him of treasure she was bare For whom all other treasures causde her care Yet in this state she stoutly did sustain Like patient Iob contempning all her pain Three times the Sunne returned had his prime Since this befell and yet the sliding time That wonted is to wear walloes away Could neuer for his death her dolour stay But alwayes in som black attire she went Right modestly and liv'd on little rent Deuout she was and most times sole and sad With dole in heart and mourning vesture clad Out shedding tears as doth the turtle doue On withred stalke that wails her
absent loue And widowlike all pleasures doth forsake And neuer intends to take a secound make Thus Iudith chaste within her house abode And seldom was she seen to com abroad Vnlesse it were to see som wofull wife Whose childe or husband was bereft of life Or for to visit som in sicknesse rage Their longsom pain and dolours to asswage Or for to go to Church as God allowes To pray and offer and to perform her vowes Thus haue I shortly told you brother dear The state of her on whom our Citie hear Haue fixed all their eyes but I can nought Tell where she goes much less what 's in her thought But if we may of passed things collect The things to come then may we well aspect Great good of her for that euen in her face Is signe of ioy and great presage of grace Or som good hap With this and other talke They cut the night as they together walke This while the worthy widdow with her maid Past towards th' enmies camp not vnafraid For ere she had two hundreth pases past The Syrian Soldiers in her way were cast Who spack her thus O fair excellent wight Whence what art thou what doest thou here this night In Syrian camp I am quoth she again An Israelite whom dolours doth constrain To flee this towne and for my lifes relief Submits me to the mercy of your Chief They took her to the Duke But who hath seen The throngs of folke where proclamations been In som great town or where som monstrous beast Is brought and wondred at by most and least That man might iudge what flockes of soldiers came From euery part to see that Hebrew Dame To see that fair so chaste so amiable The more they gasde she seemd more admirable Her wav'ring hair disparpling flew apart In seemly shed the rest with reckles art With many-a curling ring decor'd her face And gaue her glashie browes a greater grace Two bending bowes of Heben coupled right Two lucent starres that were of heav'nly light Two geaty sparks where Cupid chastly hides His subtill shafts that from his quiuer glydes Tween these two sunnes and front of equall sise A comely figure formally did rise With draught vnleuell to her lip descend Where Momus self could nothing discommend Her pitted cheeks aperde to be depaint With mixed rose and lillies sweet and saint Her dulcet mouth with precious breath repleat Excelde the Saben Queen in sauour sweet Her Corall lips discov'red as it were Two ranks of Orient pearle with smyling chere Her yv'ry neck and brest of Alabastre Made Heathen men of her more Idolastre Vpon her hand no wrinkled knot was seen But as each naile of mothet of pearle had been In short this Iudith was so passing fair That if the learned Zeuxis had been th aire And seene this Dame when he with pensile drew The Croton Dames to forme the picture trew Helen Of her for whom both Greece and Asia sought This onely patron chiefe he would haue sought No sooner Iudith entred his Pauilion But in her face arose the red vermillion With shame fast feare but then with language sweet The courteous Generall mildely gan her greet My loue I am I am not yet so fell As false report doth to you Hebrews tell They are my sonnes and I will be their father That honours me and them I loue the rather That worships for their God th' Assyrian King They shall be well assurde to want nothing And this shall Isaac knowe if they will render Vnto that bountious king as their defender For thy my loue tell me withouten feare The happy motyf of thy comming heare O Prince quoth she with an assured face Most strong and wise and most in heauens grace That drawes the sword with steele vpon his brest With helme on head and launce in yron rest Since that my feeble Sex and tender youth Cannot long time indure the cruell drouth The wakrife trauels frayes and haszards great That day and night our Burgesses doth threat Yet neuerthelesse this is not whole the cause That from my Cities body me withdrawes To this your Camp but that most grudging griefe Which burnes my zealous hart without reliefe Is this my Lord I haue a holy feare To eate those meates that God bids vs forbeare But Sir I see that our besieged towne Is so beset with mischiefevp and downe The people will be forç't to eate in th' end The meats that God expresly doth defend Then will the Lord with iust reuenge him wreak Vpon all those that do his statutes break Withouten fight their Cities he will sack And make one man of thine ten thousand wrack That flyes his fury and thy furious face Now I of Bethul am and in this place Beseech thy noble Grace if so thee please With courteous aide to giue my dolours ease ' Of common sense he is depriued cleene ' That fals with closed eye on daunger seen ' And he that may both paine and hurt eschew ' Is vaine if he his proper death pursew Then in this quiet dale if I may byde In secret for to pray each euening tyde To God I shall as he doth me enspyre Assure you when enkendled is his yre Against our folke Then shall I take on hand To leade thine army through all Iurie Land And streaming standarts set on Syon hill Where none with weapons dare resist thy will No not a very dog in euening dark At noyse of harness shall against thee bark Thy onely name shall fray the Armies bolde R Before thy face the mountaine tops shall folde R The floods shal dry from their running stay R To make thine Hoste a new and vncouth way O Iewell of the world quoth he O Dame For gratious speech and beuty worthy fame Now welcome here would God it might you please Long time with vs to dwell in rest and ease For if your faith and trouth concurrent be To this your talke which greatly pleaseth me I will from this time forth with you accord To serue your onely Hebrews God and Lord And will my seruice whole to you enrowle Not of my Scepter onely but my soule I will your name and honour ay defend From Hebrew bounds vnto the world his end This said with silence as the moone arose This widow her withdrew and forth she goes Vnto avalley close on euery part Where as she washt her corse and clens'd her heart And with her weeping eyes the place beâ—aid And to the God of Isaac thus she praide O Lord withdraw not now thy helping hand From those that at thy mercie onely stand O Lord defend them that desire to spend Their goods and blood thy cause for to defend O Lord graunt that the cries of Children may With plaints of Oldmen weeping night and day And virgins voyces sad in shroude of shame And laudes of Leuits sounding forth thy fame Mount to thy throne and with dissundring break Thy heauy sleep Wherefore doest thou awreake Thy self on