fawning smooth delusive Tale I on his tender Conscience shall prevail I 'le tell him that the pious Pray'rs he sent To Heav'n does the Worlds fall prevent And that a longer date is now decreed Before the mighty Judgment will proceed Perswading him this concourse of the Earth Must be dispers'd each to their place of Birth That when the fatal Deluge shall be nigh All unprovided in the Flood may die Asm This proposition you have stated well A thought fit only for the Prince of Hell Luc. In the mean time lest we should idle be I' th' Holy Tribe let 's raise up Jealousie And on true Love we 'l stamp so base a shape They shall mistake embraces for a Rape Sat. Though they are free from each dividual sin We need not fear if we with this begin For with suspition Legions enter in Fear hate revenge all plagues within 'em dwell A Jealous Lover is possest with Hell Luc. Now to our Gloomy Caverns let us go Carrying glad tydings to our States below Since all we act prevails with such success We even in Hell it self find happiness They all sink as they vanish great Flashes of Fire are seen and horrid Acclamations of Joy are heard The Scene on a sudden changes and represents Hell where sundry Devils are flying up and down and others in extravagant postures dancing for joy c. End of the second Act. ACT the Third Scene a pleasant Garden adorn'd with various Walks and close Bowers and Enameled with Purling Rivolets a Showre of Rain is seen to fall the Sky on a sudden clears up and a glorious Sun appears Enter Sem and Philothea Japhets Wife Phil. SUre Brother the sad time is drawing nigh And this same Scene th' event doth Prophecy Such a bright Morn before sure ne're did rise From such a boistrous night such Gloomy Skies Yet still the fragrant Flowers raise up their Heads That were beat down by the swift falling Showre With lively Grace deck their Ennameld Beds And smell far sweeter than they did before Sem. The proposition you propound is well This Stormy Night may the great Flood foretel It is so long since any Rain did fall That it seems now a Prodigie to all And though the Storm was great yet view around The Earth has but its due refreshment found And rather doth the Vales adorn than spoil Making the Meadows seem with Joy to smile So we by this sad Emblem may express Our present state and future happiness The Worlds destruction in the Tempest born And our felicity in th' rising Morn The Suns bright Beams do promise to requite With joyful Rays this Tragedy of Night Decking the Day with his Transcendent Light Phil. Like to himself his mighty Blessings rise Both Infinite and none can them comprise Sem. We Heca toombs of Sacrifices owe Which on his Holy Altars soon we 'l rair And in thanksgiving we our zeal will show For all his Favours in an humble Pray'r Yet for the blessed Talent we receive Our Stewardship can't satisfaction give Phil. He ne're requires returns for what he lends So that we manage it for happy ends He bestows Grace which grace if we accept In the acceptance we discharge the Debt Sem. Than the receiving something more is due We must increase and multiply it too For barely to accept the Grace that 's giv'n Is not the ready way to mount to Heav'n Phil. Grace is the Center where all vertues fall And having that we do embrace 'em all As in the body of one single Grain The species of several more remain Sem. As each dividual Grain its numerous birth And its increase owes to the fertile Earth So we for Grace indebted are to Heav'n Of which a just account must once be giv'n Or like neglectful husbandmen our Crops Will blasted be and rob us of our hopes So we Heav'ns Harvest must with care get in Or what 's a virtue soon will turn a sin But this discourse defer and let us praise And magnifie th' eternity of Days Come Sister to the Altar let 's repair And the small time we have we 'l spend in Pray'r With all sincerity we 'l him adore Mankind can ask and He 'l exact no more When to th' All-high there 's such a Victim giv'n Bright Angels wait to carry 't up to Heav'n Phil. By all th' endearments of a Royal mind I love you more than man so sweet so kind Are all your mellow'd words that I rejoyce And think when e're you speak I hear an Angels voice As they are going out Japhet Enters Japh And I a Devils tongue Oh Heavens that she Should be so kind to him so false to me To love him more than man Oh tortur'd heart Sure Jealousie has shot me with her Dart. What a strange fancy does my mind surprize Her Soul me thought flew to him from her eyes A glowing heat did in her face appear Showing at once her passion and her fear But I 'le observe and watch where they repair For now 's the time for Sacrifice and Pray'r And if they should prove false they both shall die And fall a Victim for Idolatry For bowing to that Idol in the Eye Exit The Scene opens and represents several Altars with Sacrifices on them the Sacrificers devoutly kneeling before them A Cloud of Fire Descends on the Altars and consumes the Sacrifices then Ascend A Song is sung all the while the Cloud rises expressing the acceptation of their Sacrifice and then the Scence changes to the Garden Enter Noah Noa What unaccustom'd miracle is this That Heav'nly fire should burn our Sacrifice How like a Meteor it trild through the Air As swiftly down as upward went our Pray'r The Omen's good for by the token giv'n Our Pray'rs and Victims both are gone to Heav'n But see from far a Messenger is sent Seeming to bear some news of vast portent For by his swiftness he out-flies the Wind Out-strips the Lightning and leaves time behind And he 's already here Enter Lucifer in Robes of Light Luc. Hail mighty Prince The news I bring will much amaze your sense For by your Holy Pray'rs and Pious Zeal You the Destruction of the World repeal You call back Fate which does so swiftly move So strong 's your Mighty Faith so good Heav'ns Love Mankind is sav'd you need not now embark Your selves nor Beasts for all the World 's an Ark. Salvation to you all I must declare For Heav'n against the World proclaims no War All wrath 's defer'd and now your mighty train Of Birds and Beasts must be dispers'd again Each to their homes the Beasts to Woods and Brakes The Fowl to Meadows Woods Springs Ponds and Lakes To confirm which if you a sign require Instead of rain shall fall a Showre of Fire A Showre of Fire falls down Noa I something doubted what was said by you But now this token doth confirm it true For the All-high doth seldom speak in vain Nor cancels that which he
poor When I on Plants and Herbs did feed and all That e're the tedious Scyth of Time did fall When I in Towns and Cottages did live All that I had would no contentment give So lean and thin I look'd 't was only then I got the name of Sceleton from men But since at Court I 've fill'd this Rav'nous Jaw And with sweet Dainties cram'd and gorg'd my Maw That now I am grown so vigorous at heart I dare encounter Armies with my Dart. Sin Nay more your mighty Empire spreads so far It s boundless circuit does admit no Bar So Monarch-like you Reign o're ev'ry thing Except the Ark you 're Universal King That Ark which like the World if it should be O'rethrown you next to that will ruin me Then shall your Empire end so soon as I Do leave this World you too your self must die Dea. Since I have had such plenty and such store Of all varieties what need I more Therefore ne're fear I will Mankind pursue So far as to be forc'd to prey on you You are forbidden Fruit and if I try To tast of you I when I tast must die And lose this Earthly Paradise and be For ever lost in vast Eternity So for your sake the Ark shall safely sail And o're the Waves as they o're all prevail So Heavenly is your face you shall be seen In future Ages a most Glorious Queen You shall be deck'd in such deluding Charms That Kings shall wish to die between your Arms Lie panting on your Breast and with one smile You Universal Nature shall beguile A Talent but to touch or glance or toy A thousand for a kiss the World t' enjoy Nay men your company shall like so well Within your Tents they shall desire to dwell And for your Love shall pawn their Souls to Hell Sin You chear my Spirits now and I presage I shall grow mighty in th' ensuing Age As I have been in this but that the fall And price of sin won't be so general From Noah's Vineyard I already spy Him drunk with Wine and naked to the eye His laughing Son does a sad Curse obtain Such are th' effects of a distemper'd Brain A Curse which will for ever last and be A sad remembrance to Posterity Hence Curses Murthers Whoredom Rapes proceeds Incest Blasphemous words and desp'rate Deeds Hence do most mischiefs rise therefore my Son I call this sin my lovely Paragon From whence to you shall many Trophies fly By Surfets Feavers Broils do most men die Dea. This sin to me is a most welcom guest For ev'ry Day it yields a plenteous Feast The Dove with an Olive Branch flies cross the Stage But see the Dove with an indulgent care Hasts to the Ark through the mild peaceful Air And in his beak an Olive Branch doth bear Emblem of Peace white Parlee Flag which he The Ensign waves to set the Monarch free Pen'd up in th' Ark which on the Mount doth stand In safety now upon the stable Land Such joy will from this Embassage be giv'n As dying Saints in Vision view their Heav'n Therefore with haste you thither must repair With sly Temptations bring them to your snare I 'le follow you and whilst you make the set I over all will draw the fatal Net Sin Come Son like Ice I will to all appear Where they slide swiftly on and never fear Seldom look back to see what does pursue But boldly venture and ne're think of you Until at last they hear the dreadful crack In vain they then repent in vain look back Exeunt The Scene changes and discovers Noah in the Ark the Angel Gabriel appearing to him Gabr. Hail Earths preserver Heav'n remembers thee And all thy Creatures all thy Family For on the Earth he 's caus'd a Wind to blow Has struck the Flood and made it sink below Th' Almighty Word no sooner heard but they With hasty zeal march forward to obey And to their utmost Thule swiftly ran Sinking i' th' Deep from whence they first began The Earth her shrowd of Waters throws away And all appears most pleasant sweet and gay It seems to be Earths Coronation day A New-born Light springs from the Torrid Flood And Heav'n again declares that it is good He is all Peace and now sends his Command You from the Ark depart to Till the Land You and all yours must to the Earth repair Each creeping thing all Beasts and Birds of th' Air For he this Blessing doth bequeath once more Increase and Multiply the World with store Hail and Farewell Exit Noah turning to his Family Noa You hear th' Ambrosial Words Divinely sweet Like Harmony when Concords joyntly meet This immense Goodness like th' All High doth prove Almighty Merciful Almighty Love The Sun to th' Earth is reconcil'd again And Heav'n reiterates his Grace to men Therefore his Name we will with praise extol And on th' Omnipotent th' Immortal call Ev'n all the Ark shall with one voice declare Their Love and sound his Praises through the Air. So let our thanks for these great Blessings rise In Hallelujahs Ecchoing through the Skies Exeunt After some Harmony is heard the Scene changes and represents them descending from the Ark. Noa But hark what sweet Hosannas fill the Air And charming Notes our happiness prepare And in my Breast a secret Joy doth rise Whose Symphonies my very Soul surprize By this I know the Earth has found his Grace He doth the Prodigal again embrace And cloaths her all in an embroider'd dress Of many thousand Colours to express The mighty work of Nature and her Art Enamelling the Earth in ev'ry part With such Imbellish'd streams in such a hew They speak their own and Makers glory too With silent Oratory they declare His Praise but we in Sacrifice and Pray'r So in Burnt Offerings and Holy Fire Our Tributary thanks shall t' Heav'n aspire And touch the sense of him and all his Holy Quire Exit The Scene changes and represents them offering up a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving Noa Since the All-High doth now again restore The World I hope he will destroy 't no more And that his Ancient Love he will renew And man no more with such dire wrath pursue But on the wicked let thy fury fly Let Reprobates with the polluted die But let the Innocent thy Grace enjoy Let not one Gangren'd Limb the whole destroy Accept this Sacrifice which is design'd In thanks for preservation of Mankind Suffer not time to shake our Glass too soon Nor let our Ages Sun-shine set at Noon But to our Patriarchs years let them abound Then fall like shedding Roses to the ground That like the Rose though wither'd parch'd and dry We may fall sweet and in perfumes may die The Angel Gabriel flies down to them Gabr. With your Oblations Heaven is pleas'd so well He from the Earth does a sweet savour smell And with the World a Covenant doth make He will no more destroy it for Mans sake So if
Should be on Earth a Land Leviathan And over all maintain Supremacy But if a greater rise on Earth than he He must resign to him his Soveraignty This is my Rule and shall my Maxim be I 'le Conquer all or all shall Conquer me And if in th'Enterprize I fail and die I 'le in my thoughts mount Monarch to the Sky Exit The Scene changes and represents a vast multitude of People then shuts An Angel Enters From Heav'n to Earth on a swift pinion'd ray Of the Suns darting Beams I 've wing'd my way T' inform Mankind they should themselves divide And into some remoter parts reside For from so vast a Multitude will rise A multitude of endless miseries Innumerable Plagues will fall on Man From Multitudes all discords first began As many winds do form a Hurricane So to prevent these ills Heaven doth ordain They in far parts in Colonies shall reign Both Peace and Plenty from this Spring will run From distance sure friendship ne're first begun Yet the Moons nearness does Eclipse the Sun If Men this Moral would observe but right Of the imbellish'd Suns dismantled Light They would like him good deeds for ill requite Though rob'd of all his Glory all his Beams He guilds her tawny face with silver Streams But hark I 'm call'd I must with speed away Quick as my flight my Duty does obey Ascends swiftly out of fight Enter Nimrod Joctan Saphane with an innumerable Host The Scene the plain of Shinar Nim. Tell us no more we must this place resign Spoak by false Visions or what fools Divine Let me an Angel see not Dream I do And then perhaps I may believe it true Where can we gather a more plenteous store We are too rich and Heaven would make us poor Where better Live What place so fair as this Where every thing paints forth a Paradise This is a trick of Heav'n I understand To banish us unto some Foreign Land Where we in Woods and Rocks and Wilds shall be Devour'd by Famine Sickness Poverty So when all 's gone we then too late shall see We Masters only are of Slavery That we may call our own and may perchance Entail it too on our Inheritance Considering this and all our future Lives How weak our Children how unapt our Wives To travel are 't is best we here reside And in this Plain of Shinar all abide Heav'n knows we 're strong and able to resist But when dispers'd He 'l rule us as he list The Body Politick like ours should be Knit close together in joint Unity And not with one another disagree 'T is the same case with us therefore with speed We ought to some great Action to proceed My suffrage is that we a City rear For strength impregnable for beauty fair And lest another Deluge should ensue We 'l build a Tower that shall preserve us too A Pyramid which we will raise so high The top thereof shall peep into the Sky By which we may even Heav'n it self defie Joct. By which we too shall gain Eternal Fame And through the World blaze our Immortal Name Nim. These are my thoughts and as I judg 't is fit That ev'ry Man to th' judgment should submit But if you can a better way declare Speak how it shall be done and when and where Saph. We all agree to what you say and you Shall be our Leader and Commander too Nim. Then let us hast to th' Work this very hour We will begin to build this mighty Tower So many hands will make the Work seem small And in an instant we shall raise it all The Worlds great Fabrick we will imitate In bigness and in swiftness too like that Built only with a LET IT BE by Fate That when ' t is done we may all stand amaz'd At the Prodigious Work our hands have rais'd Joct. We Storms and Tempests then may fear no more And hear beneath our feet Heav'ns Thunder roar Saph. It s top with Diamonds with burnish'd Gold And Crystal glittering shall shine so fair When Travellers from far the sight behold They shall mistake it for the Morning Star Nim. No from the Earth its Glory shall be seen Not like a Star that fancy is too mean But like another bright Heav'n hung between Exeunt The Scene shifts and represents the building of Babel some digging others making of Brick and tempering of Mortar Nimrod Joctan and Saphane giving them directions An Angel flies down and hovers Perpendicularly over the Tower Angel To visit Man once more from Heav'n I 'm come To dash their Pride and to pronounce their Doom See with what frantick madness they rush on And with the Tower build their destruction For raising that but pulls fate faster down Like Icy Mountains they this structure Scale When neer the top their feet then soonest fail Such a preposterous zeal was never seen They reach at Heav'n whilst their feet tread on sin In their Clay frames they would their Souls refine As Eve in th' Apple thought to be Divine But they like her their Eden shall forego And wander Vagabonds in th' World below The Hunter shall himself be made a Prey His Subjects shall rebel and disobey Thus o're the Tower I wave this Sacred Wand And on Mankind I lay Heav'ns great Command Their Native Language none shall understand Each Man a several Spirit shall possess And in strange words his stranger sence express And though in Tongues they have increas'd their store Yet Miser-like they 'r ' midst their plenty poor Such horrid jangling of a Hideous noise Shall be exprest by each partic'lar voice They hoarse with gabling silently shall go To Foreign parts their unknown Fate to know And to their wish they shall a Name obtain Which to the end of all things shall remain But like the dreadful latter end their Fate Shall stand a ghast and for confusion wait Their proud Imperial Tower shall by Heav'ns ire Fall down and shrink like Parchment in the Fire Once more my fatal Wand I wave around Thunder and Lightning fall and crush it to the ground Their Babel with their Language shall expire What they thought safe from floods shall be destroy'd by fire They all disperse themselves to several parts of the Earth but as they go with amazement they look back on their Tower surrounded with bellowing Thunder and flakes of Lightning The Angel flies to Heaven FINIS
NOAH'S FLOOD OR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD AN OPERA Dedicated to Her GRACE the DUTCHESS OF Monmouth By Edward Ecclestone Gent. Non illo melior quisquam nec amantior aequi Vir fuit aut illâ reverentior ulla Deorum Ovid. Metam LONDON Printed by M. Clark and sold by B. Tooke at the Ship in St. Paul's Church-yard 1679. To Her GRACE the DVTCHESS OF Monmouth T IS the greatest and chiefest aim Madam of most men still to chuse out the Highest Loveliest and Fairest Objects as may best agree with their Intentions thus the Pious and Devout are in a perpetual contemplation of Heaven thinking that the fittest place about which they can or ought to busie their Religious thoughts the Glories of the one running in a just Parallel with the Meditations of the other Now pardon me Madam if the Divine Perfections Providence has bestowod upon You have made me thus boldly aspire to Dedicate this Poem to Your Grace as being the only Person with whose Nature such Sacred History best accords and I must needs alledg too Your Grace deserves the Name of Beautiful and that not only for the Excellent Proportion and Lineaments of Body as for the Intrinsick Perfections of Your Mind and Vertues of Your Soul which are so sweetly joyn'd that You may justly Challenge to Your self the Title of a visible Divinity But my greatest fear is lest while I address my self to Your Grace like a mistaken Zealot I should approach the true Deity with a wrong Worship What was said of Greece may be now confirm'd here That all their Beauties there could make but one Venus You like that Goddess bare away the Golden Prize whilst all the rest stand neglected by and envy at Your Glory therefore lest any should think I derogate from them by giving You Your due Commendations or at lest You Your self should think I flatter I must aver thus much in my own Defence that Your Perfections are so Divinely rare You exceed the very Name of Flattery for what is Adulation in others is but Your real Character and to diminish what I have said would rather prove abusive than a fawning Speceh And I am so far from extinguishing others Lustre by Yours that like the Sun You rather distribute Your diffusive Beams on all inferior Lights than take any Rays from them and that too without diminution to Your self Had Your Grace liv'd in the Old World You would not only have made an addition to those that were sav'd in the Ark but even have prevented the Destruction of the Whole For so pious and sincere so importunate are all Your Devotions as what was spoke by the two Angels to Lot would have been said to You That they could not be destroy'd so long as You was there Or like Astrea Your Grace must have been forc'd to have left the Confines of this World and in a Cloud of Incense flown to Heav'n Nor need we doubt but like her being a Star on Earth You would have made as bright a Constellation there So sweet and affable is all Your Conversation so universal is Your Charity and Bounty and so Charming are Your Smiles that all who know You must admire You and bless themselves that You are now alive though in an Age almost as bad as that As it was the general Custom amongst the Jews to present their first Fruits to Heav'n so I hope Your Grace will pardon this Ambition in me for laying this my First-born fancy on your Altar for without Your Protection I may doubt the Insolence of a Censorious Age. But so long as Your Seraphick Form guards the door of the Ark I need not fear what the malice of a Hell of Criticks can do against it but rather am assur'd by Your Patronage to view it safely sayling through all their Storms to the happy Mount where when they are all securely Landed I shall not think them more happy than I am in subscribing my self Madam Your Graces Most Humble Most Obedient and Most Devoted Servant Edward Ecclestone TO My Worthy and Ingenious Friend Mr. EDWARD ECCLESTONE Upon his publishing his OPERA WHILE thy choice Lines I read Dear Friend I see Pythagoras taught truth Souls changed be And Cowley's Transmigrated into thee Thy fancy 's lofty quick and full of sence Thou' rt safe â—… yet dost reach an Excellence An Art ' cept Thou and Cowley none attain And which our upstart Wits pursue in vain Who when they labour with some happy thought E're the slow Brat can in to th' World be brought They make such mighty pudder such a ding If not Still-born 't proves quite another thing But thou dost to just bounds thy flights confine We see an active Soul in every Line And every word is like thy Theme Divine Dryden will grieve to hear thy Couplets Chime And yield he 's foyl'd at his own Weapon Rhime While ev'ry Page such sweetness does distill Thy Noah's Ark rests on Parnassus Hill Had Milton liv'd to see how thou hast writ He 'd for the Charms thou giv'st it Rhime admit This Piece is such so excellently rare 'T were sin of its success but to Despair Thy Deluge can all Censures down before it bear And thou may'st sit secure within thy Ark No Floods by Criticks rais'd can hurt thy Bark While this thy Book to thy Eternal praise Shall like the Dove return within few days And ' stead of Olives bring thee sprigs of Bays For such a Work except the ablest Brain None sure but in a wish cou'd e're attain Then what vast thanks we to this Opera owe I may conceive but Verse can't let thee know RICHARD SAVNDERS To his Worthy and Ingenious Friend Mr. Edward Ecclestone upon his Publishing Noah's Flood or the Destruction of the World MILTON reviv'd or rather Dryden trac'd Each step found out and follow'd though in haste A second Op'ra to the World is brought Full of quick sence smooth fancy subtle thought The strugling Infant from the Womb is thrown To wander in this Critick Age alone No dear fond Parent to support its worth Nor biass'd Friend to blaze its praises forth Without those aids you let it roam about Fearless of danger mongst the Wits to scout To see whose Genius finds its virtues out If this first Birth so many praises win What merits the whole Mass conceal'd within Your well-tun'd flights and sweet conceptions show No rugged thoughts did from your fancy flow But smooth as gliding streams in Summer Brooks Are all thy Lines and ev'ry one such sence As if you ever had consulted Books Or writ with all the helps of Providence Nature to thee has these perfections giv'n A sense Divine a Soul that treats of Heav'n What mighty rule Omnipotence doth bear Over the Daemons and the Prince o' th' Air As in a mirror I 've discover'd here All the black gath'ring Clouds are past away And we through you behold a New-born day Those Troops of Atoms which before us flew Scatter
NOAH'S FLOOD OR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WORLD The Scene being open'd Hell is represented with Spirits in several postures of Torments hideous Howlings and Lamentations are heard and several are flying cross the Stage The Scene on a sudden shifts and represents Lucifer Sathan Beelzebub Asmoday Moloch and Belial at which Songs of Joy and Triumph are heard all advancing from a Rowling Lake of Burning Brimstone ACT the First Lucifer BID 'em their Shrieks and Howlings now refrain And let each Soul make Musick with his Chain For at this Juncture all from pains are free And Hell it self shall keep a Jubilee Bel. It shall be done Flies swiftly from ' em Luc. The happy time is nigh I plainly see 't i' th Records of the Sky The Characters of Heav'n with ease are found Read there the Universe shall soon be drown'd Sat. The Watry Planets in Conjunction stand Ready to pour their Vials o're the Land Beel The Sea insulting like a Conq'ting Foe Doth daily many Islands overthrow Still threatning all that does its force withstand And only waits for the All-high's Command Asm The little Rivolets run swifter on As with their hast they 'd meet the Ocean And add their Force with his all swell so high They seem the Deluge in Epitomy Mol. The Sea Springs Lakes as with some private heat Boil higher up Each bubble swells so great That every drop seems to push on their Fate Luc. Thus far with brave success we have prevail'd And in out direful Projects never fail'd You han't forgot how subtly I did win The first Form'd man and taught him how to fin How shamefully he from his bliss was driv'n And banish'd from his Paradise his Heav'n How since their Off springs toil and live forlorn And know their Race accurst before they 'r born It was a Deed so exquisitely great I almost did their lives Anticipate And rather than have lost it I would bear Double Damnation doubled with despair I saw that if he fell the world would fall And in his Ruin I should ruin all Sat. Your Prophecy is just at hand Mankind Is grown so imp'ous there 's but eight design'd To populate the world again Mol. Those few Though from the Deluge sav'd we 'l in the Ark subdue Luc. That task Great Moloch we design for you Mol. And with such force I will the Ark invade I 'le cause a new Creation to be made For in one day his six I 'le ruinate 'T is easier to Destroy than to Create Luc. Go Moloch and observe the ways of man Moloch flies away We 'l bring their period lesser than a span In this brave Action let us all comply Beel Who doubts th' event if possible should die Luc. Let every Spirit chuse his proper Vice What he can most prevail in most entice And with your cunning'st guiles declare your Art Playing your Engines into ev'ry heart For fear the World turn pious and repent And so this Universal Flood prevent Asm By you Great Sir was the first Act begun You did the Father Ruin I the Son At his Devotions and i' th midst of Pray'r I rais'd up Envy and that caus'd Despair Seeing his Offerings despis'd he threw The Altars down and streight his Brother slew So for the deed a Vagabond was made And of each Soul he met was so affraid He even fear'd his Murther from his shade So by one Act I did both Brothers slay Envy alone would the whole World betray This is my Chief Delight this very sin I 've cull'd from all to be my Concubine Sat. That which I most affect is dire Despair To fill mens Souls with grief distrust and fear Horrors and Furies seize each vital part And irk some Maladies shall plague the heart In gentle sleep when their rack'd Souls repose With dreadful Visions I their rest oppose Nay at the Altars as they prostrate lie Asking forgiveness of the Deity I make 'em Atheist-like high Heav'n despise And ' stead of Pray'rs they utter Blasphemies With desp'rate madness they their lives destroy And think in dying they shall Bliss enjoy They long for Death and Death must be their end To some the worst of Foes to them the happiest Friend Beel Pride and Ambition are my darling Joys My Minion Pleasures and my dear Decoys With those sweet Poysons I man's Soul inspire Like us they would be always mounting high'r None is contented with his proper State But ev'ry Slave would be a Potencate Proud in Ambition all to rule are giv'n Subjects would Monarchs sway great Monarchs Heav'n The Holy Hermits who all praise defie Do cloak their Pride under Hypocrisie Their seeming Sanctity their hearts reveal And they are proud in that they Pride conceal This lust of Pride in ev'ry Soul is seen She over all the World is Regent Queen Luc. You 've rais'd my Spirits high I long to roam Lord over all and view this World in foam To see the Cataracts of Heav'n fall And spread its Waters o're this mighty Ball. 'T was well design'd of the Great Conqueror And in 't he shew'd his Wisdom and his Pow'r For their hot lust a Deiuge does require And should he stop the World would be on fire Moloch flies down Mol. At length great Lucifer the Ark is made Luc. If that be finish'd then the World 's betray'd 'T is joyful News now the great Period's come And all must wallow in the Watry Tomb The Birds and Beasts with man confus'd must lie And Fish in their own Element shall dye Sat. What has been Ages building we 'l destroy In a few days and in its Ruin joy Beel But how it shall be done I cannot tell For Hosts of Angels will keep Centinel And round the Sanctuary always stay Questioning all who shall advance that way And with strict Guard defend it night and day Mol. The way is easie and the passage fair Know from all parts all Creatures do repair And round the Ark reside waiting the time When to their place of safety they shall climb Then with the rest I in some borrow'd shape Will enter in and so the Guards escape There lurking close I 'le in some Corner lie Few think of danger when it is most nigh And soon into their private thoughts will pry There at the least advantage I 'le fly in And teach this great small World of Eight to sin If this should fail I 'le fill each Soul with rage And all the Ark a Civil-War shall wage The Beast with Fowl Father shall fight with Son 'Till with Intestine strife they 'r all undone Luc. Bravely design'd may the whole Ark be curst And mayst thou prosper as I did at first Whilst you 're within Plotting their sudden Fall We 'l hovering be without and wait your call Then we 'l combine and at one dreadful blow This remnant of the World we loverthrow Asm This will prove hazardous and hard to gain What cost a hundred years to build with pain Was never sure design'd to be
in vain Sat. Still with fond Reason you our Acts debate Sure we that won the World may conquer Eight Luc. To me methinks it may with ease be done For scarce above a Century is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all the World is in Confusion You talk like Fools such a Cabal as we Are able sure to check Eternity Retrieve our former States and mount on high Shining all Glorious Monarchs of the Sky Such Storms to plague the deep I will prepare Shall make Omnipotence it self despair Though he be Lord of Heav'n I 'm Prince o th' Air. Asm You 've rais'd my drooping Soul from sluggish sleep Methinks I see it sinking in the deep Beel If through his anger the great World doth fall We will by his Example drown the small Luc. With Storms and Whirlwinds we our selves will man And plunge i' the Gulf this huge Leviathan Enter Several Pious Men. But see those Piqus Men whose Holy Way And Heav'nly life false Woman shall betray Their sweet repose of a contented Life Shall have an end in that curst name of Wife Woman our only Engine to deceive Mankind first taught by Ancient Eve And with such Zeal they do the trade pursue Hanging out sighs and smiles and pearls of dew They cheat Not men alone but even us Devils too They shift so oft land roul from sin to sin From Pride to Malice then to Pride again Now in this form they fin then in that shape Like Water graspt they do our hands escape So if we tempt in Lust from Lust they fly To Rage from Rage to Jealousie Yet though we miss 'em here we find 'em there And still are sure although uncertain where Nay they so fast so swift sin's Mazes tread So surely follow our dire clew of thread They 'r here with us in Hell before they 'r scarcely dead Behold they do Appear Enter divers fair Women drest in wanton Garments they pass over the Stage Singing and Dancing 1. Ret. Man See where they come each does such charms display My pure Devotions at their sight decay And as they pass they steal my heart a way I 've often seen 'em Dancing hand in hand Yet with my Zeal I did their force withstand But now I 'm lost to pray is needless now For whilst I pray to Heav'n to them I bow 2. Rel. Man Oh how I faint my Vitals melt away And Love all-conquering Love has won the day Has entred in in at these eyes he came With a most swift and most surprizing flame And through each part each vein such heat doth run It burns more fierce than the Meridian Sun 3. Rel. Man Devotion Incense Sacrifice and Pray'r Farewel you nothing to these Saints compare Adieu dear Books once my delight adien Those Golden leaves must be my study now pointing to the Women All Arts and Sciences in them appear View but their eyes Astronomy is there They are that bliss which but to gain we 'd die Therefore let 's hast let each to 's pleasure fly And so anticipate the Bliss that 's given And without Martyrdom obtain our Heaven Let 's hast for when such mighty joys are near One idle Minute lost out-vies a Year Enter the fair Women singing SONG When Charming Beauty does appear How can you then deny You think the Fruit forbid den here And if you tast you die Lay your Religion but a side That Cloud which hides your eyes And you 'l for ever here abide And call it Paradise You 'l fast and mortifie no more When once this Fruit you eat For if you taste you 'l ne're give o're 'T is so Divinely sweet Then boldly venture to enjoy The Bliss of those above This Food doth only Fools destroy That know not how to Love This Heav'nly Tree you may ascend With safety and with ease See how the Boughs their Branches bend Desiring still to please Th' immortal Juice when drunk by you Will keep you from all harms But if you die we will die too In one an others Arms. 1. Rel. Man O Divine sound see they again appear More pleasant to the eye than to the ear Advancing to the Women Fair Goddesses whose looks are so Divine We all our hearts do offen at your Shrine And if our Sacrifice successful prove We always shall admire you always love 1. Wom. In their addresses still they can't forbear Aside to the rest But they must court in Sacrifice and Pray'r Grave Sires we doubt whether we may or no Accept of that you should on Heav'n bestow Or if we do you 'l still like Flames aspire And mount to'rds Heav'n but not our Charms admire Or when our Loves you should again requite You 'l Sacrifice all Day and Pray all Night And draw Lifes Scene without one Ray of Light 1. Rel. Man Grant us but Love we 'l lay aside our Zeal And though we pray to Heav'n to you we 'l kneel You our Devotion are Religion Pray'r And what we say is true as you are fair 1. Wom. By these expressions you our fears remove And we may now believe that you can love Unless Religions path again you tread That perplext Labirinth whose fly winding thread Leads you through Thorns and Briars when you may Tread upon Roses and make sweet your way 1. Rel. Man 'T is the worst madness for a man to stay In darkness when he might enjoy the day Our eyes thus open'd now we plainly view Our only happiness is plac'd in you The azure Sky expands its Purple shrowd And we behold our Heav'n without a Cloud With Fancies Pencil we before did grave Our Heav'n and for a Goddess carv'd a Slave Chain'd to a Gally in a stormy Sea Rowing ' gainst Wind and Tide for Liberty But never gains his Port so had we steer'd Our Course had not Loves Beacon thus appear'd Your eyes those lights are that direct our way Like Heav'n they shine with an Eternal Day And who e're follows cannot go astray 1. Wom. Now you confirm all what you said before 1. Rel. Man If you believe not we will say much more 1. Wom. You 've said enough and we believe you kind You see our Blushes do declare our mind Our Maiden Modesty they do betray As the Suns Rising does confirm the Day The Banquet 's spread take eat and make good chear There 's no resistance nor denials here 1. Rel. Man Of all these Dainties only you I chuse And in Exchange I would the World refuse All Men. We 'l follow you but each so pleasant is It is impossible to chuse amiss Each take a Woman 1. Rel. Man O Joys Divine O Everlasting Bliss Sure the High Pow'r cannot deny us this kissing the first Womans hand To kiss and press these hands to view those eyes The Starry Harbingers to Paradise If it be sin to be to bliss enslav'd No man upon the Earth would e're be sav'd Or if it be what Mortal would not sin If he were sure t' enjoy a Cherubim Exeunt Men
and Women Luc. From these ill Hymens shall a Race arise Whose Pow'r o're all the World shall Tyrannize Lead the Earth Captive and hold Heav'n in scorn And Kings and Princes shall their Pomps adorn Yet though they thus Triumphant Glory get They shall fall prostrate at a Womans feet Resign their Scepter but to stop a frown And for a smile they shall present a Crown In these all mischiefs and all sorrows dwell Were't not for Woman we should have no Hell But to his task let ev'ry one Repair Be circumspect and tempt each soul with care Be sure you make 'em all of Heav'n despair For the success we hitherto have found Let Hell in Universal Joy abound And as they play we 'l here repose a while And midst our Torments strive to gain a smile They lay themselves down A Song is Sung expressing the joy they take in destroying the World and how their pains are lessened in having made so brave a Revenge And in several Figures Antick Dances are represented which done they vanish and the rest fly out of sight End of the First Act. ACT the Second The Scene Represents a Glorious Sun in its full Meridian Enter the Angel Gabriel and Noah as in Discourse Noah AND is the time so nigh Can 't Tears obtain A little Truce Are all mens Pray'rs in vain Will not Oblations his fierce wrath abate Nor Holy Sacrifice drive back his hate The smell of Incense he was wont to love Will not sweet savours mollifie nor move Must all our Altars empty titles bear Can 't bended knees prevail nor fervent Pray'r To spotless Souls no Obstacle is giv'n Sincerity will ope ' the very Gates of Heav'n Gabr. You argue well but only you alone That great Prerogative of Love must own A Holy Life has all your Actions crown'd Therefore both Grace and Favour you have found To you and yours the Covenant is giv'n All else must die that breath on this side Heav'n Therefore prepare with speed for e're the Sun Hath seven times more over the Ocean run This fatal Doom must come Noa Immense Divinity there 's none can scan 'T is too mysterious for the thoughts of man Though all the World must perish in the Flood Yet in Destruction he is always Good His way 's unsearchable no bottom have For often he destroys that he may save Strange Contradiction yet as strangely true From the old World must rise a happier new As in the Vineyards we th' old Branches lop That from their stock may rise a better crop Gabr. You are the Vintage which such Joys must bring You are at once both Priest and Offering And from your Loins shall rise so vast a Birth Your Progeny shall people all the Earth Children like Branches of the Vine shall spread And clasping Tendrils shall adorn your Head Clusters of Off-springs from your Stock shall rise And new Create in th' World a Paradise Noa For his great Love how can I Tribute give When all 's destroy'd to suffer me to Live His tender Love is Excellently high Thus to preserve so mean a Slave as I I do confess I do his Image bear If that 's the Reason he my life doth spare All Mankind else should in his Favour share Gab. Man first of an unspotted mould he made But with base sin they since his stamp allay'd And to his Image they such soils have giv'n The Coyn will never current pass in Heav'n Noa How then shall I escape since all do sin Gabr. You with Obedience do your Maker win Leave all the rest to him and but obey You need not fear the Resurrection Day Then you 'l in pleasing Anthems mount on high And Hallelujahs sing throughout the Sky Noa You 've to my Soul such consolation giv'n Methinks like Henoch I am snatch'd to Heav'n Gabr. Observe the mighty Dictates then in hand And with Obedience finish his Command Be sure your self and yours be ready there And of each Fowl and of each Beast a pair Of the clean Beasts the Ark must seven contain But of unclean he doth but two ordain Take heed you fail not to perform his Will Noa With Joy and Gladness I 'le his Acts fulfil Gabr. Hail best of men I now must leave you here When the time 's nigh I will again appear Be circumspect and guard your thoughts with Pray'r For the Apostate Angels lurki'th Air They 'l use all means your tender heart to win And with false pleasures tempt your Soul to fin All Hail Gabriel flies away Noa All Hail to thee thou Messenger of Heav'n With speed I 'le act the charge that thou hast giv'n But see the Monsters come with furious rage Nor men nor Angels can their pride asswage For against Heav'n and Earth a War they wage Their killing eyes I must with care escape Men monstrous in their natures as their shape These these are they who have destroy'd the Earth O wicked times but O more wicked birth Exit Enter Abaddon and Agon two Monstrous Gyants The Scene a Hilly Country Ab. How calm's the Air What is his Thunder gone Nay then I 'le mount the Sky and seize his Throne Ago The trembling Moon I 'le into pieces rent And twist the Stars out of his Firmament Ab. The Sun himself that doth so bright appear I 'le drag about the Sky by 's golden Hair Then spurn him in the Sea and quench him there Ago Thunder nor Lightning shall my passage stay Angels nay Gods shall fall that stop my way If Clouds met Clouds and Storm met Storms I 'de through This hand of mine should their whole force subdue Whirl-winds shall back upon themselves be driv'n And such Assaults shall to their Guards be giv'n They shall be forc'd to yield to us their Heav'n Ab. Let us th' advantage take while Heav'n is fair And all these little Mountains let 's prepare To raise Olympus high'r methinks the Sun Leans on the top o' th Hill let 's hast and run And as he rests surprize him there By this time the Sun hath got over the top of the Hill Ago 'T is vain For when we 'r there he 's as far off again Ab. Then on the Hills we must more Mountains rear Ago This Mountain then you to the top must bear Ab. With ease I will perform it mighty Brother That in this Arm and under this another Ago You mighty Mountain I my self will bring And on Olympus to with ease I 'le fling Ab. But see the light o' th Glorious Sun decays Here the Sun is all o're darkned with a Cloud Ago He hears us and for fear draws in his Ray We Hills on Hills will raise till we 'r so high That from their tops we 'l step into the Sky And all their mighty Godheads tumble down Placing upon our selves th' Imperial Crown But see our valiant Brothers hither throng We 'l make Heav'n tremble as we march along As they advance towards them great flashes of Lightning are seen
breaking from the Cloud that covers the Sun after which dreadful claps of Thunder are heard the Cloud breaks in two and a shower of fire falls on 'em and destroys 'em The Sun on a sudden recovers his light then Lucifer Sathan Beelzebub Asmoday and Belial rise out of the Earth Luc. See where the Trophies of our Triumphs lye This is a way makes sure of Victory To make 'em first curse God then cursing die Sat. There 's no Redemption for that wicked state Where they sin high and do repent too late And now the World is brought to such a Fate Beel They 'r hardned now and do their Fates defie Despising the great pow'r of the most High Asm They 'r past repentance and each strives to be Crown'd the most famous man for Infamy But see Despair comes melancholy in Our surest aim and mans most dangerous sin Enter Despair melancholy walking with his Arms a cross Desp What have I done that I must thus be driven And banish'd from the glorious light of Heav'n Bankrupt of hope I must a pris'ner stay The World it self cannot my forfeits pay What have I done Let all strange mischiefs be Sum'd up that wait on man and they 'r in me Whoredom Pride Murther Blasphemy and Lust Ambition Rape and Envy all the worst Ingredients of sin to make me curst And curst I am in all I do or say Fiends stop my mouth when I 'de devoutly pray I 'de think of Heav'n but they those thoughts expel And in its glorious room present me Hell Horrors confusions all the Plagues that are Reckon'd in Hell are harbour'd in despair Legions of Devils do my mind possess And rob my Soul of its true happiness I 'm sure I 'm damn'd what need I then take care Whither I go since Hell is ev'ry where Than to live thus 't is better far to die And end this endless plague of misery All is but Hell and this shall set me free Stabs himself and dies Enter a Man-Lover Lov. Rejected Love who can with patience bear She bids me though I prostrate fall despair The angry Goddess scorns to hear my Pray'r Lovers forsook death before Treasures crave And think no Spouse so happy as a Grave Then farewel Love farewel my sweet desire Surely these Waves will quench my raging fire Throws himself from a precipice into the Sea Enter a Woman-Lover Wom. Lov. First to contract then basely to depart Was too too cruel for my tender heart For since he 's gone I do my self disdain I 'm turn'd a Reprobate and Heav'n prophane Run mad with rage with this I 'le ease my pain Drinks a Cup of Poyson and dies Luc. But see Ambition on great Pride attends Seldom asunder and yet seldom friends Enter Pride and Ambition Pride You 'r too ambitious and too sawcy grown Thus to intrude when I would be alone Amb. Most mighty Queen let me your wrath appease I ne're approach you but on bended knees See at your feet where your offender lies And for his fault when e're you please he dies You are the Saint to whom I always pray It is for you I languish night and day And at your Shrine my Soul doth pine away Pride Such flattery such a deluding Art Attends all Courts but ne're shall win my heart Your sighs and groans and prayr's are all in vain And all these Adulations are prophane You 'r an Impostor and with fraud beguile But know none but great Kings shall gain a smile Amb. That you may look serene such force I 'le bring I 'le in an instant crown my self a King Nay I 'le be more for with my mighty pow'r I 'le over all the World reign Emperor The petty Kings shall all their Crowns submit And lay their Scepters at your Royal feet The plenteous World her dainties shall afford And choice varieties shall spread your board There 's not a sense but shall such pleasures find When they combine they shall intrance the mind I 'le ransack Natures Wardrobe and adorn You far more brighter than the rising morn Pride These I enjoy already I am Queen Of all rich Natures richest Magazeen Kings with their Scepters at my feet lie down And ev'ry Conqueror presents a Crown Amb. Since no content to you on Earth is giv'n I 'le change my thoughts and will advance to Heav'n Where you for Jewels glittering Stars shall wear And streaming Lights shall guild your radiant hair The Sun shall for us his bright mantle spread And we will sleep in sweet Auroras Bed Where like to them each other we 'l embrace Raising your maiden blushes in your face With eager zeal lie panting by your side A loving Bridegroom you a willing Bride Free to enjoy expanding all your Charms Throwing your self and love into my Arms Where in close twinings through the Air we 'l fly And all the Gods that do our Actions spy Shall envy us for our Mortality Then if again we would to earth repair We 'l gently glide through the soft yielding Air Dissolving both into a falling Star Pride Your mind soars high but I have thoughts much higher God like Ideas do my soul inspire And I breath nothing now but Heav'nly fire Seraphs and Cherubs shall companious be And the bright Angels all shall wait on me I scorn all Kings and their base earths abode None shall enjoy my love beneath a God And you Earths Gally-slave thus to aspire To raise your thoughts on me Vile wretch retire And in some dirty Creek o' th' Earth forlorn Expire as basely as you 're basely born Exit Pride Amb. I 'le follow thee where ever thou dost fly I must enjoy or in pursuit I 'le die Exit Amb. The Scene opens and discovers several horrid Murthers drinking to Excess Quarrels Broils Rapes c. Luc. Behold whole Troops of sins the fields surround In each dividual sin they so abound And with such boldness they all bliss defie They 'd act their sins though Angels should stand by Without allurements they to sin are brought Performing crimes we scarce our selves e're thought Those are the chief great Agent sins which we With Triumph view but Heav'n does weep to see Sat. Yet still we will pursue their direful fall 'T is true State-Policy to conquer all And not let one survive Luc. This Gallant deed Outvies our Labours past if it succeed I 'le manage this affair my self and all This Holy Tribe into my snare shall fall Mol. The brave by fortune are in Triumph lead A glorious Halo does surround your head True Omen of success Luc. Hear then the way before the mighty Rain Shall fall the Angel will appear again As they discours'd I hovering in the Air Heard all they said he bid him have a care Of us by which precaution we may know He 's not impossible to overthrow I 'le shake off all these shagged shades of Night And will adorn my self with Robes of Light Appearing like to him all Fair and Bright Then with a
ev'ry Insect ev'ry Creature can This great Plenipotentiary unman Nay through our veins such killing poysons pass Each small Distemper breaks the brittle Glass But these we fear not though pernitious they Too often take our pretious Lives away A greater Plague is come a Draught that will Not only Man and Beast but even Nature kill 3. Man Vain mis-believing Man Can't death be found Nor learnt but when he 's striking of the Wound Can't we believe his mighty piercing Steel Nor know his Dart before its point we feel But now too late we see our dreadful Foe And strive to shun what we are sure to know He stalks along with a Majestick pace With direful Desolation in his Face Castles and Tow'rs Rocks Mountains all are vain All are o're-whelm'd all cover'd by the Rain And only this doth 'bove the Waves remain Too late we now believe our Reverend Sire Too late we know his truths and worth admire Now his Prophetick raging Judgment 's come And in the rapid Waves we find our Tomb. In vain he preach'd in vain good manners taught Him and his Precepts both we set at naught Which has this dire Destruction on us brought Exeunt Enter a Woman with several Children hanging about her some in her Arms c. 1. Chil. O my dear Mother how the Waves do roar Moth. My aid Dear Children you in vain implore I 've given you all and now can give no more Unless I do anticipate your fears And Drown you all in Deluges of Tears Like to a harmless Herd that hasts away From a fierce Tyger that would on 'em prey And to some safe retiring Covert fly Where they in vain their small Defiance try Till the poor Dams do with their young ones die But I 'm afraid so faint my Spirits grow And grief 's so great I shall prevent the blow 2. Chil. Will you then die and leave us here alone To all things but to misery unknown Strangers to all where e're we walk or go Companions only to sad grief and woe We their acquaintance in all places find Marching before or tracing us behind 3. Chil. What shall we do if we stay here we die To yonder higher Mountain let us fly It is some ease to prolong misery Moth. Chear up my Infants since no hopes remain But that together we must all be slain And in one Dismal Grave Intomb'd must lie Thus hand in hand we will prepare to die And launch from hence into Eternity 1. Chil. Here I will grasp Hangs on the Mother 2. Chil. Here I 'le for ever stay Till Desolation hurries me away Moth. Thus then let 's go let each one take their hold And Miser-like I 'le perish with my Gold So desp'rate Souls that on their Deaths bed lie Take their last Cordial and then faint and die Exeunt The Scene changes and discovers a throng of men Women and Children on the highest Mountains who on a sudden are all overwhelm'd with the Waves The Scene changes again and represents Hell with Lucifer Sathan Beelzebub Asmoday and Belial sitting in Council in their Pandaemonium Moloch swiftly flying down to them Mol. Hell and Damnation seize this mystick sense And Curse upon the eye of Providence Such a design so close so surely laid One should have thought would all Heav'ns watch evade Hid ev'n to all but Gabriels searching eyes Who soon discover'd me through this Disguise Those piercing eyes that penetrate all bars And shine far brighter than the clearest Stars From his Transcendent Beams I stole away And swift as wind I div'd beneath the day But his more swifter eyes trac'd all my way I grinning turn'd me round and saw the Door Of th' Ark made fast he standing just before With his bright Flaming sword so now we are Compel'd by Force to proclaim open War By this time too the Waters so prevail They o're the tops o' th' highest Mountains scale That fifteen Cubits 'bove the Earth they rise And by their height they seem to touch the Skies So to our War a stop may soon be giv'n Unless we hast the Ark so high is driv'n I fear before we go 't will sail to Heav'n Luc. Then let us haste with all our Banners spread Blazon'd with all the Trophies of the Dead With a large Deluge that to Heav'n does flow A Shipwrack'd Ark half sinking down below And all our Legions following their blow Thus let us pass and through the Deluge glide Springing like thought above the swelling Tide They all fly out of fight The Scene changes Representing all destroy'd but the Ark which is swimming on the Surface of the Waters All the Devils appear again Luc. Ho Moloch loose the Eastern Wind let go Belial the West both shall together blow You Asmoday must rule the Southern Wind Ho Beelzebub the stubborn North unbind Whilst I and Satan like two mighty Whales Toss up the Ark with our impetuous Tails And beat and bandy it from Wave to Wave Till 't is impossible for Heav'n to save Let us all Charge and with one dreadful Shock Sink down this floating World this swimming Rock Which though through Dangers it doth safely ride And boldly with its Prow doth sweep the Tide Yet not so safe but that no doubt we may Make it a brave and a Triumphant day Here they all assault the Ark and almost overturn it Several Flaming Chariots full of Angels fly down from whence breaks Thunder and Lightning which drives them headlong into the Deep The Scene changes and represents Noah in the Ark. Noah What dreadful noise and roarings round us move Far be 't that we have sin'd to lose Heav'ns Love To feel his Wrath making our bliss become A Curse our Sanctuary turn our Tomb. Escaping Rocks and Shipwracks now to find His Goodness Infinite to be unkind But far be 't too I should his Love mistrust Who is all Mercy all Divine all Just Who from his word doth never go away His Cov'nant is Eternal as the Day For he protecting Rocks nor Gulphs avail Through Seas of Storms we shall in safety sail Exit Enter Sin and Death Sin appearing upward like a fair Beautiful Woman but ending in a Serpentine Scaly Tail Death wearing a Crown of Gold upon his Head Sin What glorious Trophies ought t' adorn my Head Since I have Crown'd you Lord o're all the Dead Dea. It was from you that I did first begin My Father Satan but my Mother Sin So for my b'ing I 'm ready to obey And wait your strict Commands both Night and Day Where e're you go I will your train attend To see your Enemies or dearest Friend Sin For thy great Love I 've had thee to the Court My chief delight where all my Friends resort Envy Ambition Malice Hatred Pride Lust Flattery and all the rest beside Too tedious to account by whose sly ways And guiles we 've gain'd our selves Immortal praise Dea. There I did first grow great I was before Naked and starv'd and miserably
again great Storms and Floods appear No Deluge shall surprize the World with fear He keeps in awe the Cataracts of Rain And the vast Sea does to its Channel chain As you are Lords of all and made above All other Creatures so must be your Love In Love and Quiet Reign and ever be From cruel Murthers and Manslaughters free For who e're spills the Blood of Man shall fall A bloody Victim to his Funeral He is Heav'ns Tyrant and the Earth's disgrace And stabs his Maker in his Creatures Face The Earth Sea Air and all the things that grow Heav'n does for food and for your use bestow Only the blood of Beasts you must refrain Since that doth both the Life and Soul contain So to confirm his promise he hath bow'd His Royal Signet in yon rorrid Cloud The Rainbow appears In such a form the painted Arch appears As mourning Heav'n seems even to smile in Tears Noa But in such pleasant mourning such a shrowd It seems to be an Hieroglyphick Cloud Of Grief and Joy and intermixt so fine The Artist Nature shews her Work 's Divine And in the Bow no Shaft nor Arrow 's seen But the whole scene is peaceful and serene With wonder and amazement I behold Those streaks of Light so mixt with streams of Gold It an Enamell'd Amulet doth seem To preserve Man and all his Race redeem Hung on the bosom of the Sky to be A charm to keep the World from Tempests free Gabr. Well dost thou Judg henceforth shall heat and cold Seed-time and Harvest their due Seasons hold Winter and Summer shall their Course maintain And Day and Night shall never err again Till Time and Nature too shall both decay And the last Trumpet summon all away That dreadful sound shall make the Earth to quake The Stars fall down and Heav'n it self to shake The Sun turn black the Moon all Blood till then Shall all these Blessings be showr'd down on men All Hail Mankind and when this sign you view Think of the Cov'nant seal'd 'twixt Heav'n and you Exeunt End of the Fourth Act. ACT the Fifth The Scene represents a Vineyard and all sort of Fruit-Trees Noah Enters Noah LIKE the six days Creation Earth appears And all the glorious Pomp of Heav'n it wears With a transplendent glory every thing Doth shine and shows a new-born Infant Spring View but each Plant each Tree how fair they stand Like Trees of Life each tempt the willing hand And every Prospect seems an Eden Land View the imbroidred Liv'ries of the Flowers The Eglantine and Jess'min wreath'd in bowers Observe the flavours that from each do rise How through the Air the Balmy Odor flies One would in Transport say The Earth in joy with Heav'n doth sympathize The Divine Orange whose Immortal Fruit With the Omnipotence of Heav'n doth suit Her fertile growth is in Eternal Bloom And Emblems forth Eternity to come But above all view the rich pregnant Vine How with enamel'd clusters it doth shine Sure this if any must be term'd Divine I 'le go and taste the Fruit that seems so fair And yet my private thoughts bid me beware Fancy prescribes new Arts new Methods shews And says the Vine her Fruit thus ill bestows And that for higher nobler ends it grows So e're the Sun with his all-parching Ray Distills the juice of th' udder'd Grapes away I will the Dictates of my mind obey Between two Planks the liquid juice I 'le squeeze Then drain it forth and clear it from the Lees The Project 's good I 'le hast and try the way 'T is pity that this thought should lose a day Exit Enter Shem and Japhet as from work with fruit Shem. How mighty hot does the Sun dart his Beams Japh Let 's hast to yonder Crystal purling Streams Where there 's an Arbor fram'd by Natures hand And on each side with pleasant gales 't is fan'd There let 's repose from the fierce scorching heat Repast a while then to our task retreat Shem. And as we go I 'le a strange thing relate That bears some hidden Mystery of Fate E're the bright Sun his Eastern course begun And o're the World his purple mantle flung By dawn of day e're he his portion drew Through his Alembick heat of pearly Dew In yonder Mead as to my task I went I saw strange sight the Aged Elephant Who for his knowledg since the World began Excels the whole Creation except Man I saw this Beast with greedy appetite Feed on a poysonous Berry black as night And in its Nature baneful 'T is Heav'ns Will The outward form should shew the inward still As Toads are ugly made ' cause they 're in Nature ill Japh 'T is strange a Creature of so vast a sense Should chuse out food of such dire consequence Since every simple Beast by instinct can Feed on what 's good and what is bad refrain Shem. He had not long fed on this fatal Food But that his Eyes grew dim he trembling stood His Legs like Pillars that might even Towers bear Were like a Bulrush waver'd by the Air His nimble Trunk that cookt him all his meat Hung dangling down and trail'd beneath his feet On 's Ivory Teeth he lean'd his drowsie Head Then on a sudden reel'd and fell down dead Japh Last night in th' Eve when in the Western Bay The Sun had stop'd the swift carrier of Day And in the Ocean cool'd his fiery Steeds As strange a thing I saw in yonder Meads One of the stragling Herd stray'd to a rill Hid with luxuriant Grass there drank his fill He swill'd so much I thought he would have burst And at the sight I even quench'd my thirst But as he strove to turn his head aside Some Meagrim seiz'd his Brain and he in th' Water died Shem. Let 's to our Father haste to know th' events For these are something more than accidents Exeunt Enter Ham with a Bough of Fruit bleeding in his hand Ham. What Prodigie is this Wood drops forth Blood Sure I 've not err'd in gathering my Food And sure there 's no forbidden Fruit again Heaven has each thing that grows bestow'd on Man If so within these Mystick drops I see Lies some Prophetickill that aims at me My Soul Prognosticks so Heaven change my Fate Oh Heavens This does my wonder more create That a pure crimson hue should dye a black all his hand turns black And make my ruddy Skin a sable take Such a strange change never before befel To any but to th' arch-Arch-Angels Host in Hell And that my Fate as theirs should prove severe Does 'bove my wonder far increase my fear To learn the truth I 'le to my Fathers Tent He 'l soon expound what by this riddle 's meant For he who could foretel the mighty Rain Small Oracles of Heaven can sure explain Exit Enter Satan Sat. The godly Man who was so just and good Who like a Cedar in th' Worlds forest stood Who ' gainst
show They go backward into the Tent and cover him then return Shem. Now to our Labours let us haste away The Sun 's already past Meridian day And make an end of th' Task we have begun And finish all with the declining Sun Exeunt Here a sumptuous Banquet of all sort of Fruits especially of Grapes rise up out of the Earth Sin Enters in a rich gaudy loose Attire and after her several Devils in the shapes of Men and Women who make their obeysance to her then greet one another with profound Salutations after which a symphony of Musick is heard to which they all dance after which a fair Vineyard arises loaden with beautiful Grapes Being all placed round the Banquet and Sin at the upper end She Sings Sin Behold a Vineyard big with juice Divine Like to the Firr and stately Pine Drops forth its Balmy juice As Nature silently should say This was the only way To make it fit for use 1. Man Since then Nature doth show Which may we must go We 'l squeeze out the Liquor and call the Juice Wine Sin Though flat on the Grape though thick on the Vine See here it doth sparkle see here it doth shine Shews a cup of Wine then drinks they all pledg her 1. Man How dull and insipid would every man be If it were not for this to make the heart free It doth ravish the Soul and transport the mind It teacheth to love to be gentle and kind It doth sharpen our wits and our fancies refine Then how pleasant how pleasant's the Juice of the Vine Chorus It doth sharpen c. Sin Here 's a Palm for those Souls That drink off most Bowls And so let the Goblet go round For he that drinks most Shall the Victory boast When his head with this Garland is crown'd Incircled with Charms holds forth a Garland in her hand He shall lie in my Arms And his Head in my Bosom I 'le lay We 'l sport all the Night In joys and delight But in Drink we 'l carouse all the day Chorus We 'l sport c. After several Healths are gone round they all quarrel for the Garland The Women vanish away Death rises with a Dart in his hand moving it by turns at every one of them They all draw and fight and mortally wound each other then reel to several places and on a sudden sink Death and the Banquet sinks presently after them Sin takes the Garland and places it on her own Head Musick is heard to which she Dances then vanisheth away Noah awaking from sleep comes out of his Tent. Noah In what deep Visions gloomy Scene I 've lain A kind of Death has seiu'd my Opiate Brain Where have I been methinks I 've slept an Age And in my sleep have been a Pilgrimage Rapt in the Spirit over all I flew Did Sea and Land Rocks Mountains Deserts view Survey'd the World each Covert and each Cell And as I think too I have traverst Hell Sure 't was no Heavenly ravishment for I Bright Heaven in my vast progress could not spy But an Infernal Vision that arose From the black sumes of sin There in a Pageant Mask I did behold A Vineyard rise with Grapes that shone like Gold Nay they so beautiful so fair did seem Methoughts I took and eat 'em in my Dream Then a bright Maid did of the juice begin A Health to th' rest I judg'd her to be Sin For the effects the causes do declare Among themselves began a Civil War For on a sudden each his Weapon drew And in the fatal feud each other flew And what confirms that she was there her Son Grim Death appear'd before the broil begun Though in his Looks a deadly paleness lies Yet I methoughts saw bloodshots in his eyes He grimly glar'd around I judg to see Whether he 'd made a perfect Victory Then gazing round again he found out me And with a ghastly Visage shook his Dart And as I guest 't was level'd at my heart But as he went to strike I gave a groan Leapt up amaz'd and found my self alone I lookt to view the Tragick Scene but they Vanish'd like Night at the approaching Day My eyes those Harbingers of th' mind can spy Things only present or a Land-skip nigh But my Prophetick Soul foresees the Doom And all these direful mischiefs are to come But what doth rack my tortur'd Soul 't is I Must be the Author of this Misery Posterity will curse my Art my name confound Wishing I were in th' Drink or Deluge drown'd But pardon me O future Age for you Mayn't only learn the sin but danger too And how to shun that which I never knew A trembling terror does my heart surround And I am loth the Spirit to expound It is a Curse against my younger Son For his contempt and his derision Servant of Servants a most wretched Slave He shall for ever live so pass to 's Grave And like a Pestilence this Curse shall be Spreading Infection through his Progeny But blest be Shem his Race shall be Divine For from his Stock shall spring the Holy Line And blest be Japhet's Off-spring Heav'n will them Inlarge and they shall live in th' Tents with Shem Now may my Age in rest and peace repose And fall like dew upon an Evening Rose Exit Enter Shem and Japhet Shem. Like Heav'ns Inhabitants my Life appears Repleat with joys and free from cares and fears Some Cherub sure does in my soul reside And to Seraphick Bliss my Spirit guide For such transporting extasies I find Does to immortal Glory lead my mind I on an Angels Wing do clip my way Leaving the dregs of Life this clod of Clay And mount to Heaven to an Eternal Day Japh Like you a mighty joy does through me run But all my Bliss is by reflection As the Moons Light is borrow'd of the Sun So would my Life wear an Eternal shrowd But that your Beams do gild the sable Cloud So in your Tent I shall desire to stay And in soft peace to pass my time away That when my circl'd years have gone their round I may like Fleecy Snow fall gently to the ground Exeunt Enter Ham. Ham. Since I am curst and curst a Slave to be I 'le reign a Royal one with Majesty He is a Slave that hath an abject Soul That dares not fortunes frowns with frowns controul I do despise her and contemn my Fate 'T is brave to live Magnificently great So though a Slave yet I will rule in State There 's no such thing as Slavery can be I 'm under them they under him and he Is unto Heaven as great a Slave as we We all pay Homage and who Homage give Is mark'd a Slave to that Prerogative So we must all as Slaves or Equals be Or else each man alone 's a Monarchy But since nor one nor t'other it implies That he that dares do most should highest rise By which it follows that the bravest Man