Monsters chang'd the lustfull twain Her peerlesse forme and vertues do inspire My bosome with a holy warming fire Emboldning me whom Fortune barr'd to climbe The Muses Mountains in my Sylvan-rime To sing her prayses which will duâ—e even Longer on Earth then shining Lamps in Heaven And I admire her Legend hath so long Poets so plenteous never yet been sung Susanna that eternall Saintly thing Merits a worthier Muse than mine to sing Her honour'd Fame my boldnesse should be dumbe In this attempt saving in dayes to come My mean untutor'd pains perchance may call More learned men to come and mend it all Sect. I. ARGUMENT In Babylon liv's Ioachim Blessings God showrs downe on him Living single Noble Lords Would wâ—â—e him he dislikes their words ON Shinar â—plains where haughty Ninus would His Babel-tow'r to heaven should be extoll'd Stands scituaâ—â— within a wall of stone Bitumenate the City Babylon Where dwell'd an Hebrew Lord of â—aintlesse fame And high descent Lord Ioachim by name A man to whom the Governour of heavâ—â— Vertue and riches bounteously had given Slighted their profer'd Virgins nor did heâ— Regard their portions nor their pedigree Hearing his wise forewarning parents say How many perils in such wedding lay He vow'd to marry but to marry one Of Iudah's Tribe and not of Babylon MEDIT. I. Res est solliciti plena timoris amor PRide and Idolatry are Babel's sinnes Whence all the woe of Sion still beginnes He that from Babylon a good wife take's Snatcheth an Eeele out of a bag of Snakes Before the floud good Fathers by divine Instinct of goodnesse did their sonnes confine By marriage not to mingle with the straine Of feminines sprung from condemned Caine Who tempted men to fall from God above Insteed of him unliving Gods to love The man that wives with an Idolatresse Marries temptation never wants distresse Curst is such wedding to declare how foule Such wedding render's man's eternall soule God made men's wives a monstrous brood bring forth Of ugly Giants to amaze the Earth Who for their pride and cruell acts remov'd 'Mongst men with men of the old world were drownd And who have so been married since the flood Begotten have a Gigantean brood Such Nimrod was such were his workers on The lucklesse Towre of confusion Of whom old Bards ingeniously did faine To warre with Heaven fals-thirsting thereto raigne Heaping huge hils on hils and chambring on To pull Iove downe from his supernall throne Cruell Idolatry and Pride are Twins Which God abhorres too seldome pardon'd sins Th' one banisht Angels from the Courts of Heaven T'other hath Kings of Diadems bereaven Both making children of the holy lands Distressed bondmen in Chaldean bands How happen's then that any captive-captive-lord In Babylon with blessings should be stor'd He that from heaven sent hels infernalâ— slashes On sinne-blind Sodome burn'd to dust and ashes For unrepented crimes hath also given To penitents ' midst earthly hell a heaven He is the true God when his people turnes Doth raine downe blessings and his scourges burnes Else Ioachim had knowne no day of mirth In Babylon nor no such heav'n on earth God thinks on kindnesse when for sinnes he scatters The sonnes of Sion among many waters Rods for amendment sending upon those Which sleepe in sinne he wakens them with woes When sinners turne to him they doe not want Vineyards he gives which they did never plant And corne-full acres which they have not sowne And townes of strangers giv'n them for their owne Let no man trust in sinne nor though sinne-driven From mans societie despaire in heaven For God on a sinne banisht man put on A Crowne imperiall in great Babylon Making him after for presumptuous ills Graze among Cattell on a thousand hills And after that gave him his Crowne againe To make him know a King of Kings doth raigne Seâ—â— II. ARGUMENT Babel Ladies try their 〈◊〉 To gâ—ine Lâ—rd Ioachims good will Susan who deserves the Bayâ—s Winnes his love her beauties praise NOw when the Babylonian Lords could not Tangle Lord Ioâ—chim in Loves Gordian knot When they perceiv'd 't would be in vaine for them To turne unto their beâ—t his passion-streame They all suâ—ceast their hopelesse suits to moue Leaving him freedome to select his love But now some Feminines of Babylon To gaine his love did gay adornments d'on They went apparrell'd in the Hebrew fashion Swelling their minds with vaine imagination This loveâ— now attendeth Time to â—inde Wherin his Love should know his loving mind The youthfull Lady marriageable growne Vertue and Beauty gaind her such â—â—downe That ev'ry man informed of her Name Farre in the Orient spred her new-borne fame For unto her this attribute was given Susan the faire who feares the God of heaven Her forme and vertue interblending raies Transplended theirs that liv'd before her daies Before her such a beauty was not seene Within the City of King Ninus Queene Cleerely in whose complexion glory shone Like Titan in serenest Horizon Beyond expression beautifull her Nation Admir'd her forme with more than admiration Some paralell her by the fond compare Of mundane things some call her Phoenix faire Some said her front seem'd like an Iv'rie hill Whereon some god did Nard and Amber spill Her lovely cheeks resembling summer-fields Which damaske-rose and silver lilly yeelds Her haires the golden threads or in the skien Like bright Apollo's morning-beames hereyn Sparkling like Diamonds or stars that shone With influence to comfort lookers on Others affirme her head 's a little heaven Imperiall where blessed Angels liven Her breathing like perfumed wind which moves In balmy sweet Aegyptian autumne-groves Her teeth like orient pearle whose comly rows Her lips like Rubie very seldome showes In her discourse whose voyce to stâ—nders by Soom'd like supernal seav'n-spheer'd harmony Some said her necke a turret seem'd of one Smooth pollisht snow-white Alablaster-stone And that the same for evermore inzon'd A Carquenet of costly diamond Her paps two Swan-down worlds that each containes Like Rivolets bright Azure branched veines Such kinde of commendation did but staine Her holy count'nance in a purer graine Then blushing rose then Vespers crimson skie Then snow-bals tincted with vermilion dye What man soe're Susanna's praise would sing Had need carouse the Helliconian spring Had need Arion's silver Harpe and voice Or of King Davids a diviner choice Else he can never truly blazon forth Sufficient praises of Susanna's worth MEDIT. II. Auri sacra fames WHen men on plenti's swelling Ocean saile Attended on with honour's windy gale Worldlings will be their servants earthly treasure Attracteth friends and momentany pleasure Women to wealthy men conjoyne alone Like steele unto Septentrionall stone If pleased Fortune's Sunny beamlings shine Serenely on some boon estate of thine If bounteous heavens builder daine to â—hrow His left-hand-blessings on thy crowned brow Thou shalt not want sufficient friends that will Augment the portion of thy plenty still Then Iove-like thou in welcome-golden showre
lake Of common shame and folly bars our blisse Remember we our novell case in this We have imparadis'd our best affection Within the Eden of her best complexion Let us be prudent still and we shall find A mooting time to new informe her mind What if Susanna be so seeming chast So carefull to conserve fond honours blast That she about the town will never rome But in her Palace live immur'd at home What if she walke but in her gardens we Have leave to walke in them aswell as she What if a seeming Angell we shall prove Her woman by obtaining of her love Boldnesse beseemeth lovers best and fortune Then â—et us watch her Gardens 't is a common Custome observ'd among the Hebrew women To bath her Iv'ry limbs if we out-find Her bathing there there she discerns our mind Though Iudges we 'll turn Sentinels for love This noble passion oft transformed Iove In her white Conscience-book we 'll register Our warme affections we deserve not her If we delay this houre let us begin Demurres in love are more the mortall sin Doubtlesse Diana-like she â—aves her limbes In yonder Fountain on whose floury brims May we surprize her and possesse our pleasure In rifling up dame Venus hidden treasure If in our aidance Heav'n Gods will not bow Help us you Acharontish gods below We can beguile if holpen but by you Daughters of Iacob and of Iudah too MEDIT. VI. Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur BElial and all his babes are busie still In darksome earth to do their pranks of ill And what the Dev'll dare scanâ— presume to doe That ev'll he tempts ungodly men unto The glorious Angels dare not pâ—wsing stand But what God will 's performe it out of hand The whirling spheares with armies of the heaven Observe the statutes God to them hath given The Skie the Earth the Ocean ev'ry thing Nay fiends themselves obey th' eternall King Dumbe creatures of this world fulfill the word And will of man their dominering Lord The brutish cattell do what them behove But sinfull men most disobedient prove They worse then all things else disdain to follow The Lord of all things all his Lawes unhallow And but for nothing in an angry mood They sometimes swim in streames of Abel's blood And for base lucre germane brothers slay The Devils have more feare and faith than they â—ome of them make a god of gold and some With giddy cups of Atheisme overcome Beleeve blind Fortune wrought this goodly frame That all contains and governeth the same Another kind remayn befool'd in evils Supposing neither Deity nor Devils Counting Religion and the holy Law But wiles to keep the wilfull world in awe Some others deeme death naturally came To ev'ry thing beneath the Cynthian flame Yet living so as they should never drink The cup of death nor sleep on Lethe-brink They fearelesse sin untill by death th' are sent Vnto infernall vales where Dathan went With his companions there 's no wrath to come As they beleeve soule 's blisse nor day of doome But ev'ry nullifidian which denies The resurrection from the dead shall rise And lastly heareth Archangel'â— trumpet summon To heav'ns chiefe sesâ—ions all the world in common Platonian wisemen when the world is done Shall come in judgment of the Virgins sonne At which great day the round enflaming earth The boyling Sea and burning hell beneath Shall vomit up their dead whose spirits shall In quickned corps be re-invested all All Naâ—ions shall at heav'ns throne appeare To yeeld account how they have lived here The King of glories at whose dexter-hand Thousands of thousands Saints and Angels standâ— Shall bend the shining heavens downe and come To render to the live and dead men doome Then righteous soules shall evermore be blest With Eulogâ—es to everlasting rest May I beleeve while I have life and breath That our dead bodies doe but sleep in death Vntill that glorious day that after then God's Paradâ—se just ones obtain agen For for the righteous Sions Lambe was kill'd Yer God foundations of the world did build But woe to them and many woes remayn That are miswandred in the wayes of Cain That by deceitfulnesse of Balam's hire Are tumbled down to Hel's Gehinnâ—â—-fire That in gainsayings of rebellious Core Are falne down and lost for evermore For they are stones in hospitable feasts Abominable more than any beasts Roaring like waves which Satan puts in â—â—tion To foame out shame on sin's bloud-colour'd Ocean And like to errant Stars bereav'n of light Reserv'd in darknesse for the darkest night Sect VII ARGUMENT Susanna bathes her in a Spring Of her Gardens where birds sing Neere which enamour'd Elders were Enambusht they surprise her there VPon a day Susanna walkt alone Save two yong damsels her attending on Into her gardens shady woods and bowers T' enjoy the blisse of vacant ev'ning houres To heare the Quiristers of Nature sing Their dulcet-tunes unto the dancing spring To heare the shrill sweet Philomel of May Warble forth sweet notes on a thorny spray Which birds she listening to them ran on still In various quav'rings of unmated skill Chanting their silver-ditties more and more And sweetlier sang than they had sung before Tuning through their winde-instrumentall throats Quaint diapasons of well sounding notes Which Musicke repercust by rocks and rils Sported nymph-Eccho in the boschy hils In her peramble loe the blossom'd trees With hony-dews imploy the humming bees And painted trouts in clearest fish-ponds play Above the water in a shining day There softer aires perfum'd by many flowers Which flourished through May as mid-night-showres Sweetned the bowers of her sweet meditation Pleasing her soule in heavenly contemplation Where lustfull Elders cunningly lay hidden To theeve away the onely fruit forbidden Now when she had perambulated round As she accustom'd her small Eden-ground She most unhappily came down to coole Her curious body in a chrystall poole The sultry time inviting to the same Lest purest bloud within her veines inflame She little weening what bold serpents lay Lurking to venter on so boon a pray Sent both her maidens that untir'd her in To fetch sweet washbals for her silken skinne Who brought the same returning in they barr'd Her garden doores as she had given word And then in veils with linnen-syndons dight Whose perfect hew out-shone the milken white Gently she waded from the fountaine brimmes Where water nymphs embrac'd her Iv'ry limbs The day was cleere and radiant Titans eâ—'n Did scantly through o'reshading arbors shine No eye she deem'd but heav'ns immortall one Discernd her in that secret fount alone She upright standing wheâ— false Elders ey'd her Like faire Diana when Actâ—on spi'd her Who wont while bathing in the silver spring This sequent Psalme most frequently to sing PSAL. 137. Psalmus comes optimus WHen by the flouds of Babylon We sate us downe did flow Flouds from our eyes to pender â—n Our mother Sion's 〈◊〉 As for our Harps we hanged
Doth evermore immortally indure To God and man is vertue known 't is she Obtain's gold-garlands wreaths of victory Conqu'ring her fomen finally in fight She gaineth Fame by more then manly might Divine Astraea on her part doth bring Armies of Angels from the heav'nly King Well is she known to God and man her presence Makes mortals muse on her immortall essence Like a Phoebeian Champion in Heav'n stories She rides triumphant on a Coach of glories Her seat transcendeth stars her high renown Is heav'nly Lawrels in th' eternall Crown Those Diamonds and glistring stones that shine In her rich Diadems are all divine Vnmated pleasures ever tend upon All her possessors in Iehovah's throne Before her feet when she from heav'n came down Emperiall Crowns Scepters and thrones were thrown Glory is her concomitant that brings Her unto view of ravisht earthly Kings Who covet having seen her forme divine To be insould in such a Saintly shrine Vertue thou darling of the King of Heaven Dost bring thy lovers into favour even With Helion to winne eternall fame Conducting to the presence of that lambe Who takes the worlds sins clean away on whom Attend chast thousands which from Rama come Thou royall Comfortresse of Saints while they Sojourne in mortall Mansions of Clay Sad soules do'st solace and when e're distrest Procur'st to them a sweet internall rest Angels and men shall see and fiends agast Vertues true lovers all renown'd at last Because the God of goodnesse that regards Chast soules to crown with undefil'd rewards Is glorious Iudge of Heav'n and earth and he Govern's the World with perfect equity Whose name be blest that blesseth ev'ry thing To whom all powr's of heav'n and earth do sing Sect. XVII ARGUMENT Where and how Susanna liv'd What poore people she releev'd Full of dayes departing she Enjoyes heav'n-joyes eternally AFter that time no Congregations came To Susan's Court to interrupt the same Iudges sate there no more no more loud noise Of loud-mouth'd gown-men did molest her joyes But little Birds chirping her sweet good-morrowes With Nature's melody beguil'd her sorrowes After this trouble Susan liv'd to see Her children's children in felicity Still beautifull in yeeres beheld them flourish Like noble Palme-trees which calme rivers nourish Or like those Olive-plants to fairnes grown On verdant Mountains neere King Davids town Her kindred and herselfe with prosp'rous hand From Babylon return'd to Canaan land Her Lord her children with her selfe remayn'd In Iudah borders where they re-obtain'd Lordships which their fore-fathers had foregone At their departure into Babylon Their sacrifices that the Levites took Made clensed Sion's hallow'd altars smoke Renown'd Susanna after this did never Feele any fit of cold affliction 's fever But all the quiet comfort earth could give She did enjoy while she on earth did live Her works of Charity performed then Sweetned the sowre afflictions of men Houses and lands bestow'd on poor-men prove To future times her hospitable love She holpe imprizon'd debters out of thrall Paying their debts them granted wherewithall To live at liberty her bread was given To hungry Orphans Beggars were releeven The naked pooremen clothed at her cost And many ransom'd that had long been lost Enfeebl'd sick-men gaining often health Through timely physick purchas'd by her wealth Weak Orphanes helplesse widowes blinde and lame Whom she releev'd to her eternall fame Pray'd for her as in conscious duty bound That she in Heav'n and Earth might live renown'd The trophees of good actions done by her Transcend high Heav'ns and are enrolled there Of whose cleere vertues mortals did adore The meer umbration counting heretofore Holy Susanna for a living shrine Of heav'nly spirits gloriously divine When God determin'd she should enter in The happinesse once lost by Adam's sinne Death witnesse of our protoparent's crime Amputed her As in Autumnall time Men gather Summer's rip'ned fruits into Their garner's home Heav'n took her spirit so So raigneth she Iehovah â— Saâ—nts among Her righteous friends for her lamenting long Her corps embalm'd in spicy Memphian gumme They sepulchred in whitest Marble-tombe Which Pilgrim-pleasing monument did stand Till time consum'd it in Iudaean land The world bemon'd her absence God of Heaven To this deere Saint a better world hath given Faire flights of Angels sung her soule to rest Which evermore now triumphs with the blest Carminibus vives â—empus in omne meis MEDIT. ultima Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat IT is a common theme the best must die And passe through Nature to eternitie 'T is so decreed the day of death and doome Are two Pole-stars whereby we Pilgrims rome The fairest Damsels drawing vitall breath Will not be favour'd by ill-favour'd death Both young and old Ester and Naomi Iudith and faire Susanna too must die Fate snatcheth amiable Queens at once With Country women eateth urned bones Spares neither Sexes pardons no degrees Destroyes Physicians scorneth golden fees A hel-born armed Fury mowing down The mounting Monarch with the mowing clown Impartiall Serjant I presume to call Thee by such titles thou art nam'd withall Thou longest of all slumbers dissolution Of mortall bodies wretched lifes effusion Wild Cormorant of mankind rich mens feare Wish of the poore men wrastler ev'ry-where A silent thiefe a Caniball of Nations Robbing the whole world swallowing generations Thou Pursuivant riding without remorse For Adam's sinne upon the pallid horse Bearing all soules in their long journey on Till they appeare at the Tribunall throne Of Sion's Lambe dost by appointment come And hurry hence the good and bad to doome Thou art a friend foe unto man thou art The good man's comfort the ungodlies smart A gate of endlesse merriment to one Vnto another of eternall mone Thou fiendly creature of th' infernall Lord With cruell phangs hadst made us all afeard Had not our heav'nly Captain conqu'rour been Of Tophet's King thy coward-selfe and sinne Where is the venome of thy quondam-sting Where is the valiance of thy vanquisht King O pale-fac'd Catiffe caught and wrought alas Like as in fables the Cumanan Asse Apparell'd with a frightning Lion's skin Thou seem'st a Lion unto men of sin But Saints can smile upon thee thou art fain To beare their burthens to exeme their pain Although our bodies thou unliv'st our soules Surviving raigne with God above the Poles Of whirling heav'n just actions that we do Doe also live and are eternall too Good works with faith are better worth then gold For they conduct us to the wisht-for fold Of our grand shepheard Iesus they become A milken way to our immortall home Where we shall dwell in everlasting day In better seasons then our moneth of May Where Salomon's much wisdome would be poore Where Absolon would seem a tawny Moore Where in comparison bold Sampson's strength Is infant-weaknesse and unequall'd length Of old Methus lem's life a slender span Of posting time where mundane blisse of man Would be accounted but a painfull pleasure Where Croesus gold is poorest earthen treasure Where Alexander's prize a certain losse And Neptune's rocks of Pearle Diamond drosse Where perfect wisdome beauty strength and store Of peerlesse pleasures during evermore Saints soules possesse To Sion's heav'nly home By faith in Iesus Iesus daigne we come DEO Triuâ—â— in aeternum gloria Conclusion MOnuments of Marble-stone Tombs with golden writings on Like mortall bodies balm'd in guÌ„mes Last but a while and time consume's Goodly Cities die like men Corn is sown where such have been Niniveh and Babylon Old Troy and strongest towns are gone Towns and Towres and Bulwarks fall Pyramid's of Nile and all Dian's Altars are uptore Delphian wonders are no more Monstrous Tyrants from renown In a moment tumble down To the den of lasting shames And black Oblivion hath their names Gods of Egypt Greece and Rome To a â—iriall end are come Vainâ— they vanisht from the ground Their ruines can no more be found Age and fate return'd them dust But all ages Vertue must Live immortall and her prayse Must dure in ever-during dayes
May'st o'recome Danae in her brazen towre Nations in blinded times of old bare love To Heaven when they deâ—sied Iove But now-adayes no Iupiter iâ— found For in all lands Pluto a god is 〈…〉 And through the Christian world in moderâ—â— times In female-hearts god Mammoâ— highly climbes Gold is a Load-starre to their loves it can Draw them to fancy any wealthy man To winne a golden Husband some devise To cover all Natures informities If fairnesse dwindles in their cheekes they will Water't with Clarets and bestow their skill Lest Titan's kisses staine their painted skin Their fannes and veiles shall mew their beauties in If they have bouncing limbs the same are pennd In leatherne prisons proportion to amend If they want grace by art in facâ— they bring Of white and red a second beauty's Spring Such when I see Lord how compleatly vaine Thinke I is all god Mammon's following traine Such yeeld's this world affording other some Contemning gold which covet wealth to come Not in this world whose parents that did breed them With blessed food Helcias-like did feed them And they not worldly minded never marry But where they find the feare of Heaven tarry Slighting Earth-treasures they will not approve Mortals for mortall riches worthy love They with Susannan vertues are endiâ—â—ae Of them iâ— but a slender multitude Who haply train'd in faintly education Can joyne their love with Christian moderation With so much comelinesse as their complexions A man would deeme full of divine perfections And such like Capharean Lanternes give Them light which in nocturnall darknesse live Such when I see I seeme to see the graces Of heav'nly Angels shrin'd in humanâ— faces And then I thinke if such perfection dwels With Saints abiding in terrestriall cell In mortall mansions of flesh what stories Can shew the heav'nly ones supernall glories Sect III. ARGUMENT Ioachim to Helcias â—oes His love unto Susanna showes Her Sire assents his speeches â—â—ines Her heart and marriage-day obtaines NOw when Susanna's beauty through the towne And Provinces was bâ—azon'd up and downe Some Noble Lords who liv'd in Babylon Sought her in marriage 〈◊〉 her Paragon Of fairest beauties so all tongues agreed Who her in wooing had as haplesse speed As those gay Dames that whilome but in vaine Suppos'd the yong Lord Ioachims love to gaine For old Helâ—ias though his daughter could Not fancy them fearing in time she would Susanna listning to her constant Lover Her whisp'ring friends in corners do discover A glorious combat in her countenance By all the Graces fought in puissance A pleasant battle none of them would yeild To lose the glory of that honour'd field Aurora's blush of ruby countenance Nor Maiden Cynthia's silver-radiance Nor deawly Vesper's Crimson-colour'd skie Nor via lactea's heavenly milken die Nor Doves nor Roses could such colours show As in her countenance did come and goe It seems her judgment wisely did approve His Courtly learning in the schoole of Love For yer Titania with her horned brow WaÌ„dred on high 12 heav'nly mansions through She was affianc'd at her father's booâ—d To Ioachim her overjoyfull Lord. Glad as our Lovers were their friends and they Prefixt the wedding's ceremoniall day Which soon expires and in his nuptiall bands The mariage-god conjoyns them heart hands Glad Io-Peans Hymen then did sing And to their wedding pompe and glory bring What shall I say such mariage unbereaven Of happinesse was forecontriv'd in heaven To tell the Bride and Bridegroom's going forth With various musick quaintest songs of mirth When spangled anadems bedeckt the brow Of Madam Bride time scanteth me to show Suffice it you she was attended on By all the stately trains of Babylon And through that town to honour Susan's name Loud Cymbals ring out Naptha bonfires flame Tilts Tournaments and great triumphant sport Honour'd her Nuptials in great Babels Court. MEDIT. III. Verus amor odit moras THe best love-potion is whoever prove Vertuous affection it obtaineth love True love resembling unction powr'd upon The Crown of Aaron thence descending on His beard and garment-skirts that left behind Odours which to devotion mov'd the mind 'T is like the fine dew of Hermoniâ—â—-fountains Gently distilling upon Sion-mountains 'T is purest fire extracted from the Pole Surpassing that that fond Prometheus stole It being enkindled by Celestiall breath Burns till extinguisht by the hand of death In vertuous soules of men Beauty alone â—nâ—ends it not it dures when beauty's gone 〈◊〉 profit not on pleasure it depend's Pleasure and profit on true love attends True love disdaineth all ignoble ends It 〈…〉 hearts in that contentive chaiâ— Which World 's great builder did for man ordain Not in the earth where bloud and wrong abounds But in the bosome of Elizian grounds By love and wedlock highest God who then Made two of one made them two one agen Leaving the same for signals to abide Of Heavens bridegroome and his holy bride Could men of such a Theme no verses make Mountains and Rocks would warblings undertake Lowd eccho answ'ring them again would sing And shame upon unthankfull men would bring Our soules Redeemer by his 〈◊〉 divine To honour these turn'd water into wine At Galilean Canaan God declar'd Heav'n-joyes unto a wedding feast compar'd But for true-love and marriage-propagation The World had still remain'd in desolation O love and wedlock chasing wanton fires Which in our soules the Paphian god inspires In you the poore man's joyes 〈◊〉 abound As his whose browes with fined gold are 〈◊〉 You empty dwellings fill and are a signe Of Sions bridegroome and his love diviâ—â— Your praise alas my Muse too saintly sings Let some good Angell spread his shining wings Descending on them from supernall Quire And bring with him some sempiternall Lyre To strike with aires of Heav'n the eares of men And shew how much indebted mortals been To Heav'n for these let duller worldlings be Ravisht to heare celestiall melody When he shall strike his more than Orphean string Stones streames and woods will dance about and sing Sect. IV. ARGUMENT Ioachim and Susann's love Crown'd with blessings from above They have beauteous children faire Mansions and Gardens rare OVr married Lovers full of high content Live merry lives in Fortune's blandishment God showr's abundant blessings on them down Giving them children wedlock joyes to crown In whose composure Elements conspire To turn themselves into eternall fire The vertuous Of-spring of the patient Ioh For beauty famous in this earthen Globe Whose fairnes sham'd the finest flowres of May Were not more amiably faire then they Lord Ioachim and Lady Susan were When ever nam'd Musick to ev'ry eare Their joy abound's on earth Fortune's Sunne With golden-beames on them serenely shone No sadning want no sorrow-bringing strife Was known to burthen their good mariage-life But in their bosome dwell'd a purer love Then what the Turâ—le beareâ—s his fellow-dove Their dwellings for the years bine seazoÌ„s stand Like little Temples in a holy Land Within
them On willowes to remain Which crowned Perah's winding streame In midst of Shinar-plain Then our Captivors mockt our mone Thus taunting with their tongues Come tune your Harps and sing us one Of Sions holy songs Lord how can we our songs commend To our great God and King Can we be glad within a land Of strangers can we sing Hierusalem if I doe let From my remembrance slide Then let my dexter-hand forget My warbling Harpe to guide And if I thee remember not Cleaue to my mouth O tongue Hierusalem â—f I preferre Not thee within my song Forget not Edom's sonnes O Lord When thou did'st Sion wound How they against thy Sion roar'd Down down with 't to the ground O daughter Babel thou shalt be Quite overturned thus He shall be blest rewardeth thee As thou hast served us They shall be blessed that shall take The children of thy sonnes And for thy fornications sake Dash them against the stones Before she was in middle of her song Lust-boldned elders through the thickets flung And rudely a blacke Psalme began to sing Unto molested Susan in the Spring To her asham'd they unconfounded plead Whose lustfull language nothing stands instead For where Heav'n winnes that fortresse of renown Is too much strong for fiends to batter down MEDIT. VII Aetas aurea prima IT was a golden age yer sin began Strange fires to kindle in the soule of man For man an Angel's fellow then could sing Heav'n-tuned lauds to heav'ns eternall King Could then converse with God could psalme his praise Commingling sweet songs with Archangel's layes Like Truth did man go naked then and blesse The God of truth without abashfulnesse He had no charmes like Sirens to entise The gentler Virgins of the world to vice His body did a heav'n-born soule eashrine And like the same was deathlesse and divine All humane thoughts were perfect Belial then Had not a sonne among the sonnes of men Then fairest women naked though they went Did never feare inhumane ravishment For their illustrious ever-during beauty Inchanted not men to forget their duty Sorrowes and shames which since have overflown The earth in earth were utterly unknown Enormous crimes dwell'd with infernall Devils And man's sweet heart was undistain'd with evils A mansion 't was where Vertues did remayne 'T was then a throne where Helion did raigne But sinfull now become a noysome stie Of all pollution where Fiend-legiens-lie And since this worser Iron-age is come Vertues retire unto coelestiall home That Vertue Chastity which God regard's To crown from Heav'n with undefil'd rewards By painted Vice is injur'd ev'ry â—â—ower Almost is lost her mayden-blushing flower Vice counterfeit's her colours she proclaimes Ever to dwell in insubstantiall wind Fair Chastity which vice cannot infring Nor the great Engineere of Hell unhing O Favourite of th' Eternall where art thou What happy place doth entertain thee now Didst thou relinquish this vain World below When other Goddesses of old did so Abandoning the earth of blisse bereaven To wander in the milky way of heaven Or staidst behind alone to raigne and rest In Princely throne of faire Susanna's brest Thou art but seldome seen on earth 〈…〉 Shall almost sooner find a sable 〈…〉 Where may the Daphnes of the 〈…〉 Themselves in safety from assaulting 〈…〉 Sith Sinne that wandring Iew 〈◊〉 fast 〈◊〉 Through earthly kingdoms Heav'n 〈◊〉 the chast Sect. VIII ARGUMENT The Elders sue to chast Susan Who doth their obscene suit disdain Threatning her they offer rape Which she by calling loud doth scape TO holy-thoughted Susan in the Spring These Goatish Elders thus began to sing Susanna fairest of all blessed creatures Susanna quintessence of blessed features With whom the faire dames of the world compar'd Would Morians seeme unworthy man's regard World's living wonder rare Susanna know We unto thee are humble Suppliants now In such a suit as once supernall Iove Motion'd unto his metamorphos'd Love Uncloud the Sun-beams of thy Beautie 's shine Let no misseemly frowne nor teares of brine Unglorifie that happy forme of thine Grant us thy love becalme thy countenance In Lethe-streames drench the rememberance Of nuptiall vowes let folly not forestall Thy soule of blessings take the golden ball Of lovely Venus whiles youth's flower lasts Gather the same before the flower blasts By us old blades whose mettle backs are steele The approbation thou anon shalt feele We are no Scouts thy jealous Husband sends To tempt and tell by heav'n we are thy friends And German-kinsmen of the Royall line Of Iudah-Kings as thou mayst well divine Our complements must not be tedious we This many a day have long'd to lie with thee We are love-martyrs and to dust shall turn Unlesse thou quench the fires wherein wee burn The Planet now which bringeth love's delight Comes in conjunction with the Queen of night Heav'n on the action smile 's thy doores are fast Come in thy Paradise of joy repast Our warme desires let us fal quickly to it Lest Gods themselves transâ—orme themselves and do it Susanna be not coyous we do know Women who take good turns will answere no. Why seemest thou compos'd of snowy stone Turn like the Image to Pigmaâ—ion Be not flint-hearted from this fountain come Have pity on us and be pleasuresome Hast thou not heard of Iacob's princely sonne Thy grand forefather's lovely actions done In holy Regions to a dainty dame For pawned ring it savours not of shame Were to thy husband such occasion lent He would persue the self-same merriment As he hath often done in wisdome then Reciprocall come forth and pleasure men That we thy servants wilt thou but infold Us in thy armes may give thee bags of gold Which unto thee we consecrating prove Like men of Lemnos to the Queen of Love Scorn not affection love disdained will In little time convert to mortall ill Th' amazed Lady oftentimes afraid Div'd under stream not harkning what they said When she up-heav'd her beauty ten times more They gan to woo and threaten then before Like David she desired Dove-like wings Or to deferre them from her holy springs Such sounds as frightned sonnes of Aram from Besieg'd Samaria in their eares might come Within her Saintly countenance there stood Abundance of abasht Vermilion-blood But then she frown'd upon these evill doers And thus admonisht her old wanton woers Her deniall You that are more lascivious far then either Sea-Sargons or the Land-goats when together Know that mine Honour not receiu'd in vain Abhor's the tincture of foule whoredomes stain Were you both young as David when he kill'd The monstrous Giant in Philistian field More beautifull then Absolon and could To be unchast you give me seas of gold I would contemne you both and rather fall Into your wrath then to infernall thrall Men shall not stain for gold nor orient stone The faire white robe Heav'n gave my soule to d'on Iudges go doom your selves masters of Lawes Who learn'd you plead in such a crimefull