us encourage you to gratify The aged Father last of all comes forth With Mitred head gray hairs of famed worth Who said O King your great experience Of my fidelity and vast expence Deserves of you a better recompence I told that King before the Child was born That he would be the cause of Egypt's scorn If then his Death by him had been decreed As I requested Egypt had been freed From all these plagues For he himself presaged In Childish sports what he would do when aged Pharaoh his Infant Temples did adorn With Egypt's Crown which he pull'd off in scorn By which most just suspicion he gave That he would force the Sceptre not receive It from his hands Then it was my advice That death should pay him for the enterprize But now 't's too late he 's King you his Viceroy Which I forsee you will not long enjoy He threatens kills commands and which is more Destroys our Lands their Fruits and all our store There is but one way left us to preserve Egyyt from ruin that we may not starve To let them go that they may serve the Lord Perhaps this Moses may perform his word He says Heav'n's merciful and will repent Of his fierce anger if ill men relent You have o'rcome me said the raging King Go out in haste Moses and Aaron bring A Monarch is no Monarch when alone His Subjects ruin'd let the men be gone To do as they have said yet I must see Th' extent of this great Goal-delivery Moses Heav'n's fury acted by thy hand I am no longer able to withstand Tell me but who must go Let modesty bound your demands and they shall granted be Who asks too much his own denyal craves I will not part at once with all my Slaves You are not ignorant great Sir I know By this time that my Message from below Came not just Heaven me often did command The Tribes to carry out of Egypt's land And they must go Men Children Herds and Sheep None must be absent when our Feasts we keep Unto Jehovah Is this the justice of your fam'd Jehove Is this the kindness of your God of love To his Vicegerents said the angry King Must they submit to every idle thing That he requires Must every Slave have power To spoil their goods and honours to deflow'r No this great point I will dispute and try Who must be here obeyed he or I Your little ones as pledges I will keep Till you return Go you with Herds and Sheep If this will not content you look you to it I 'll punish you with stripes and Death to boot The present losses I thro you sustain My honour shall repair which I 'll regain By conqu'ring him in you his Subjects slain Go then I say and let your Children stay What! Murmur Serjeants drive the fools away The General omnipotent who far Or near ne'er yet made one false step in War Laugh'd at the indiscretion of his foe And said to his Lieutenant you must go With new rais'd Troops to curb the insolence Of this unwary this bewitched Prince Let Eurus be the Trumpeter whose breath Shall animate the Army threatning Death Death unto Men and Beasts that they may see I do demand this Goal-delivery He spoke no sooner than he was obey'd The hand is stretched forth and Rod display'd O'er Egypt Land then the East Wind doth call The Catterpillers Locusts Insects all Out of their slimy dust who buz and fly About the ears of every stander by Seizing on all the Fruits they could destroy The Earth was cover'd with the numerous swarms No Tree no Fruit no Herb escap't their harms Their Eyes their Mouths their Stings were merciless This made the Prince with tears his grief express Unto the Brethren with heart-breaking voice I cannot longer hear this dreadful noise ' O! that Heav'n had not brought me to the Throne ' O! that I 'd Hermit been and liv'd alone ' In unfrequented Groves in Woods and Caves ' Careless of Crowns Lands Subjects or of Slaves ' If Heav'n had been my Canopy my Bed ' The Flow'ry Earth the Pillow for my Head 'A bundle of Vi'lets Pinks or Cammomile ' Rose-buds with Lillies and sweat smelling Dill ' My meat wild Fruits with quintessence of Bees ' My Drink sweet Liquors from the juicy Trees ' My recreation hunting of the Hare ' The vacant hours I could from Study spare ' Or Fox or Deer or what I liked best ' I had not then by Heav'n been thus opprest ' But so Jehove would have it he did raise ' Me to this shame for his immortal praise ' That Kings may learn true wisdom and their Subjects ' Dread ev'n in thought such great such fearful objects ' As high ambition Diabolick pride ' Will bring on all like Pharaoh stupifi'd ' My hainous crimes and grievous punishment ' Will fright the worst and force them to repent ' As I begin O! may 't not be too late ' I grieve I mourn Alas my cursed fate ' Made me offend your God his Sons and you ' For which I pardon crave with tears and vow ' My Life I see is threat'ned yet spare ' This once that I may see what 's mercies are ' Forgive forgive my friends and you shall see ' That weeping Pharaoh will not falsify Moses the God-like Moses judg'd his heart By his expressions knew no wheedling art Whose Sympathy with tears made him depart And thus accost his maker I have prov'd The King who begs this plague may be remov'd At my request my God let it be so Since he hath vowed that the men shall go Without delay yet be that as it will Omnipotence hath Armies that can kill As these have done such wonders more when shown The more men will thy Justice Mercy own It shall be done I 'll call a Western Wind Shall clear the Land tho you him falfe will find That all those living Clouds shall headlong bear To the Arabick watry Sepulcher Whose purple waves will quickly overflow And send them to the fish that dwell below A Feast that heretofore they did not know I will not leave one Locust on his Coasts That he may know I am the Lord of Hosts This done the Hypocrite forgets his woe His solemn vow and will not let them go Moses said God the blindness of this man Hath still encreased since the War began With us since wonders will not ope his eyes The Sun the Moon the Air shall him despise Stretch out thy Rod to Heav'n and damp the Fires Give light and heat to th' Earth and mens desires With pleasure gratify and let no Star Our En'mies guide it is a time of War Make the Air thick and black for three days space That none of them may see anothers face But fixed sit not rising from his place Yet let my Servants have their wonted joy In Goshen light to see that I employ My wisdom power and justice arm'd with might On their behalf
Israel's TROUBLES AND TRIUMPH OR The History of their dangers in and deliverance out of EGYPT AS It is recorded by Moses in Exod. AND Turned into English Verse By GEORGE LESLY M. A. Minister of Olney Bucks Discite Justitiam Moniti Virg. Hearken to a Verser who may chance Rhime thee to good and make a bait of pleasure Herbert LONDON Printed for the Author and sold by Nicholas Woolf at his House in Star Court Cheapside 1699. THE PRINTER TO THE READER THE Author makes no apology for what he hath here offered being fully perswaded that he hath injured no man but in the room of that or a prolix Preface he desires me to inform you if you be strangers in our Israel and know not that since the lowest of the people daily invade the Ministerial Office he thinks that for harmless humour and innocent diversion an ancient Preacher may turn Religious Poet because Rhimes as he saith were of old the common Theology and why they may not be subservient to it yet he knoweth not However taking it for granted he was resolved with the Great Apostle to become all things to all men c. If any true Son of the Muses seem to be dissatisfied he saith to such as Gideon did to the angry Ephramites what have I done now in comparison of you Is not the gleaning of the Grapes of Ephraim better than the Vintage of Abiezer c. Farewel ERRATA PAge 5. line 19. r. them p. 13. l. 13. r. Isacides p. 18. l. 20. r. Sire l. 30. r. your p. 19. l. 24. r. your p. 20. l. 23. r. armies p. 21. l. 10. r. Sire p. 26. l. 20. leave out A grant p. 36. l. 7. r. hear p. 38. l. 7. r. those p. 39. l. 3. r. yet p. 44. l. 1. r. Sun p. 51. l. 10. r. Remote p. 55. l. 12. r. were p. 36. l. 31. r. deluding p. 61. l. 3. add great l. 6. dele their p. 63. l. 17. r. God p. 69. l. 8. r. ro p. 72. l. 19. r. descrie p. 75. l. 25. r. dear p. 78. l. 7. r. May l. 26. add himself p. 81. l. 7. r. never p. 85. l. 28. r. not p. 87. l. 11. add then These and what others are not taken notice of the Reader is requested to do it as he reads Israel's TROUBLES AND TRIUMPH I Sing th' Almighty's Friend and Israel's guide His birth and rescue from th' impetuous tide Of rapid Nile I sing his Mother's care His Royal Nurse and how Heav'n's mercies are Like himself boundless his own acts I sing Whose growing greatness griev'd the grumbling King And all his Subjects who combin'd to have His guiltless blood how he was forc'd to leave A Princely Court where ev'ry thing lookt brave His wand'rings and his happy Residence At last with Jethro Midian Priest and Prince His Nuptials Trade and of the great content He had in hours on Mathematicks spent Astronomy was pleasant but Gods Law Delighted most since by its light he saw His change of State his en'mies pride and fall He saw himself made Heav'n's General The flaming Bush and Voice confirmed all This Province Lord a greater light requires Than can be kindled by Promethean fires The way 's unbeaten slipp'ry dark and strange Conduct thy Servant that he may not range Too high 'bove what is written nor too low It 's truth not fancy I desire to show Truth to convince the world of Pharaoh's sins And punishments with thee my Muse begins Joseph the great the good the just and wise Remov'd from Memphis unto Paradice And Pharaoh to that fair Elizian grove To perfect and perpetuate their love Left Israel blest with all the happiness Their King and Brother could by deeds express Which they in peace profound for many years Possest ne're harb'ring jealousies nor fears Admir'd caress'd and lov'd by ev'ry one From the rude Cottage to the Royal Throne But ah where time is nam'd there 's nothing sure All have Convulsions Cramps or Calenture Earth hath strong Palsies that do shake its frame Man accidents ten thousand without name Sent from the Throne Celestial or Abyss To shew how vain a thing is humane bliss Their day's o'recast and stormy Clouds appear When a strange heir sat in th' Imperial Chair Whose haughty humour taught him to despise His Predecessors Laws tho Just and Wise Our Gods themselves count it a saucy thing Said he in Vassals to advise their King A Monarchy that 's absolute I 'll have I 'll change the name of Subject into Slave To reign one day is much more glorious Without controul than ages curbed thus With endless Counsels I will â—…e alone By borrow'd light the former Pharaohs shone I must Eclipse that Turning to his Court You see said he the great the oft resort Of all sorts daily to our Goshenites This chills my blood this checks my active sp'rits Ah me opprest My thoughts I can't relate My apprehensions of our falling state Are black and dismal my night dreams foretel Our overthrow by them that with us dwell And here he stopt tho more he would have said Leaving the rest to tears which crav'd their aid Tears that like torrents from his eyes distill'd All the beholders with amazement fill'd Whose sympathizing eyes and hearts condole The tort'ring torments of his troubled soul With pickled sighs which o're they bow and say Dread Soveraign do you propose the way Your sorrow 's ours if that be its true rise The common Foe at once well sacrifice Which is soon done if we right measures take That 's vent'ring all for King and Country's sake This brisk resolve reviv'd the drooping King So as the aged Winter 's by the Spring His center'd blood resum'd its circ'lar course The briny streams are stopped at their source All parts are changed clarify'd his eyes His tongue 's unty'd with which he magnifies Their Love and Courage Daring souls said he This undertaking calls for secrecy Since they we must attack most subtile be If it takes air they 'll quickly trace the scent Destroy our Persons and our Government Once more invade then we must bow the head As heretofore with pray'rs and tears for bread Or if a Foreign Foe should us infest They 'd joyn with them and prove worse than the rest They know our Strength they know our Houses well They know our Closets where we Money tell Which they would rifle and from us be gone ' Gainst this I know no Remedy but one They live in wealth and ease as if their Land Was not by Grace but by a conqu'ring hand This irritates their wild and wealthy Souls To publish Israel wise and us kind Fools I must an Edict frame that may suppress Their pride and pow'r and all our wrongs redress Which must run thus Our Countries open'lye To ev'ry one that hath a wishing eye On us such may make Inroads when they please Destroy our State our Fruits disturb our ease And stop our Traffick both by Land
Past 'twixt our Lovers as they crost the plains ' Are thoughts too high for any but such Souls ' As Venus softens with Circean Bowls He comes salutes and soon acquaintance had With Raguel Jethro and Zipporah who said Blushing Dear Sir I love this stranger well Perswade him if you can with us to dwell Heav'n rules the Stars the Stars our Actions guide All which portend that I shall be his Bride And if my judgment fail not you will see Him prop and glory of our Family He hath in 's Face such Beams of Majesty Your pardon Sir with your consent I crave To be his wife for he a wife will have How know'st thou that fond Girl Sir at the Well I heard him sing unseen and he sung well Most of the Subject mystical but this He ended with the praise of Marriage bliss Be not too forward he may change his mind And after all prove peevish or unkind 'T is rare a constant Courtier to find Some time is spent in viewing of the place The Herds the Flocks the Buildings and the Grass The manner of their Living and their Laws Sacred and Civil their sweet Springs and Spaws The stranger shew'd his great content in all And wish'd himself the woolly General Of Jethro's bleating arms and that he Might be a Servant in that Family ' Had you seen Venus in her Robes Divine ' Or Helen in Corinthian bravery shine ' Young Paris's love but now the sport of fame ' The Greeks disturber and the Trojans shame ' Or Rachel fair when in her nat'ral dress ' Whom at the Well the Patriarch did caress ' Then at our Zipporah's Beauty you might guess When she appear'd in splendour like love's Queen All on a flame and yet would not be seen To be her Martyr Jethro must make way Who to our Gallant smiling thus did say Sir doth our Country please Can any thing Within my reach to you contentment bring Speak freely all is yours my joy my life My eldest Daughter you may have to wife Dear Zipp what say'st thou to this choice of mine My dearest Sir said she this great design May be above my Merits yet since yours I do submit O! may the higher Pow'rs Direct us all ' When brave Leander boldly ventured ' O're Hell espont by fatal Torches led ' When mighty Jove came down in Golden Show'rs ' Nor Hero â—s charms nor Danae's had more Pow'rs ' Than Zipp'ra's eyes and Jethro's well-tun'd breath ' The stranger blushing said I 'm yours to death Joynt promise giv'n and rites all consummate Our Lovers now are in a fearless state Bashful and coy no more their Bed is one Till pregnant Zipporah had a hopeful Son Whom Moses Gershom nam'd himself to mind Of th' entertainment he on earth should find A stranger there he was tho lov'd and known Tho Jethro's House and Flocks were as his own Where he abode until the time was come That Pharaoh from the fates must have his doom Tho Kings be Gods they cannot scape the Tomb. Whose unlamented fall the Hebrews cheer'd Who said by our new King we may be heard But all their hopes and wishes proved vain Their Tasks are doubled and the Lab'rers slain This made them sigh this made them pray and cry To Heav'n that he no longer would deny His promis'd aid who call'd his word to mind And said I must to Israel be kind For Abra'm Isaac and for Jacob's sake Their Fetters I 'll knock off their Chains I 'll break Now I think fit to ease and set them free From their heart-breaking sorrows slavery ' 'T was I that suffer'd Joseph to be sold ' Imprison'd and releas'd 't was I enroll'd ' His name with Egypt's Worthies it was I ' That gave the wisdom him did dignify ' I moved Pharaoh to send for the Father ' I taught the Son all Egypt's Corn to gather ' Before the Famine I gave Israel grace ' With Egyt's King and chose for him a place ' Goshen the fair where he in wealth did flourish ' 'T was I his num'rous Family did nourish ' When dead 't was I his Bones to Canaan sent 'A pledge of 's Children's future settlement ' It is for reasons to me only known ' They have not yet enjoy'd it tho their own ' But now they shall the best of Lands inherit ' Because I love them not because they Merit The fodder spent and Midian Pastures bare Religious Moses doubleth his care To find out Grass at last his Flocks he brings Unto the back of Horeb where the Springs Are limpid salutiferous and where The Pastures good and Sky is always clear And gladsome Spirits have fam'd dwellings there Here he with patience waits th' accomplishment Of Heav'ns promise and what else Heav'n meant The Angel-God to hasten his design Appearâ—d as man but cloath'd with Light Divine A bush surrounding with Celest'al fire This sight madâ— Moses discompos'd retire The flame was hot and fierce yet frighted more Because the Shrubs stood verdant as before With pensive thoughts mov'd he lookt backt to see The end of this yet unknown mystery Taking it for a sign of victory O're some Great Prince Heaven sees and calls him twice Moses Moses be curious take advice Look to thy Feet and make no rash advance This place is holy sign of importance I 'm no deceitful nor fictitious Jove Tho in this bush I am the God of Love He in whom Abra'm trusted Isaac fear'd And for whose honour Jacob Altars rear'd That seen this heard the trembling Shepherd bows Just sentiments of both in 's face he shews With vailed Eyes not daring more to see Sucâ— wâ—ful beams of splendid majesty As had the Author of this prodigy Whilst he in this dejected posture lay His sences lockt not knowing what to say A sweet refreshing soft melodious voice Revives his Spirits and bids him rejoyce Say'ng the promis'd time is fully come Of Israel's freedom and th' Egyptian's doom It was not my forgetfulness that did Protract their Bondage my eyes were not hid Nor bowels hard my Providence requir'd That they should first with Egypt's fare be tir'd And worship too I must now for my ancient promise sake For which Truth Justice Goodness are at stake Use such sure methods as shall bring them back All their opposers shall before them fall That brutish Nation shall no more enthral The Off-spring of my Friends I 've heard their cry And am come down their wrongs to rectify Their Sorrows to remove their State to change From making Bricks to cultivate a Grange That 's large and fruitful whose Inhabitants Their cup now full shall be expos'd to wants My Peoples plaints I cannot longer bear Without redress revenge on them that tear Their Hearts with Tongues and Hands it is my will Go thou to Pharaoh and bid him fulfil The Lords commands and send his Friends away Doubt not th' event I Egypt's Sceptre sway To this the bashful Shepherd answer made Great God thou
dispose Of both the Armies who his Angel sent To guards his friends when thro the Sea they went By spreading of a dark and dismal Cloud O'er Egypt's Host while lighted Torches stood By the transparent walls to fright the Flood And light his Servants to the other shore That they might see their enemies no more Alive The sign giv'n Heav'n rais'd the wind That made the Sea contract it self and bind Its furious waves that they might not o'erflow The Walls above nor the new way below Isra'l trod safe th' Egyptians pursue Nor knowing where they were till morning dew Was by the Sun exhal'd and they oâ—erthrew The Foot and Horse sink in the slimy Sands The Chariots cast their Wheels the Riders hands Were feeble when they saw themselves surrounded By th' impetuous Ocean that rebounded With swelling forc't by Thunder and by Rain While they sought to retire but all in vain Heav'n fights for them said they why should we strive Against the stream Is Pharaoh yet alive He was the author of this Tragedy Oh! dye we must we cannot longer flie Vengeance Divine which we have justly brought Upon our selves and this destruction wrought Winds have no ears the Seas are merciless When Heav'n by Men or Angels sends th' express Farewel dear Egypt farewel happiness ' Let Tyrants tremble where my pen relates ' Th' Almighty's fury and th' Egyptian fates ' They fight he wards till that unhappy war ' Wax'd so intense that justice could not spare ' Small parties foil'd he call'd the Arieaban ' Armies too fierce too numerous for man ' The Serpent leads the Van. Their waters fry ' Themselves in blood and took its crimson dye ' Blood that their Streams with stench did putrify ' The drowsy Insects all strong poyson speak ' Frogs haunt the Palace as the watry creek ' Lice there without an optick might be seen ' On the Kings Carpets and the Peasants Skreen ' The mystie Clouds forbad the healthful Sun ' Sucking their poyson while the work was done ' He likewise blusht to see the insolence ' Offer'd to wisdom and omnipotence ' The Stars danc'd up into a higher sphere 'To bath themselves in the Crystal waters there ' Hell storm'd the lower orbs and left its hue ' Black as Egyptian and then withdrew ' At last a Prince of great fidelity ' In Heav'ns guards the first Majestick high ' With vailed face his humble honours made 'To his adored Soveraign thus said ' Holy of Holies 't is your patience ' Procures you all this trouble and expence ' Give me command and this great debate ' Shall soon be ended with their first born's fate ' Your pow'r my hand the Rebels seed shall kill ' As they the infant blood of yours did spill ' He goes with armed Pestilence and Sword ' Two edged sharp for both were Heav'n's word ' And smote the first of all their Beasts and Men ' The sottish crew too late believed then ' So Heav'n would have 't that by this overthrow ' Of theirs a false presumptuous world might know ' That first or last he would proud mortals bow ' Who hastes his out with all things necessar'e ' For their intended journey and their fare ' But ah the wicked's mercies cruel are ' For they like Bears robb'd of their Whelps when young ' With furious haste after Heav'ns Free-men throng ' Resolving to make one attempt for all ' Return Victorious or for ever fall ' And so it was for they no sooner charge ' The Rear of those he did intend t' inlarge ' Than the great Angel of the Covenant came ' As after in the Flesh and quencht their flame ' He was the guide who led them to the shore 'A place made by his power fit to pass o'er 'A Cloud gave light to them that went before ' He view'd the Rear and made the Cloud opac 'To ' maze th' Egyptians and to keep them back ' Commanding Moses to divide the stream ' While they all night lay in a Golden dream ' Pleas'd with the hopes of Conquest while the Sun ' Show'd them the Nest from whence the Birds were gone ' The way they thought was pleasant smooth and plain ' Not knowing that that way would them enshrine ' And so march boldly till a furious Wind ' Rais'd by Jehovah did the Walls unbind ' That rail'd the path to guide his people safe 'To th' other side This did th' Egyptians chafe ' For untam'd surges swell and fill the place ' Where Israel dry-shod walkt no empty space ' Was left The Quick-sands rise they sink below ' The billows did their Chariots overthrow ' Teaching them by experience Heav'n to know ' Half dead some backward and some forward strive ' Tho Neptune vow'd none should go out alive ' Prayers were their last shift but they pray'd in vain ' Men of deserv'd ills must not complain ' Their King they blame for his ill conduct had ' He blames himself for all his insults made ' Gainst God and Isra'l the last words he said ' His Standards fallen and all his daring blades ' Drunk with the Sea he tumbled to the shades THE SONG of MOSES After the VICTORY EXOD. XV. ' AWake my Soul and sing Jehovah's praise ' O! may Jehovah my dull Spirits raise ' May Heav'n's Arch-Flamine give me light and heat ' That I with Zeal may on this subject treat ' O! that I might that double portion have ' Eijah once to his Elisha gave ' May Choires of Angels from the sacred Throne ' Help me to sing this Epinicion Great God! our lives our all we owe to thee For thou alone hast got this Victory By drowning all our en'mies in the Sea Sing Hallelujah Horses are vain things to be trusted in Char'ots tho Iron by the Riders sin Will drown and sink when Justice doth begin Sing Hallelujah No battle ever so unequal known Never was host so easily o'erthrown The Winds and Sea this wond'rous work have done Sing Hallelujah We we faint-hearted Foreigners stood still Trembling and scolding tho against our will Until we saw our en'mies case was ill Sing Hallelujah Then we some prospect had of Victory When thou for us a path made thro the Sea 'T was thou not we triumphed gloriously Sing Hallelujah We thro thy strength do stand upon this shore And see our en'mies floating dead nay more Their Horse and Chariots tost the flood all o're Sing Hallelujah He is my strength my song and my salvation He hath reliev'd the hated Hebrew Nation Therefore I will build him an habitation Sing Hallelujah His Covenant with faithful Abra'm made What he to Isaac and to Jacob said Is all fulfilled by this our present aid Sing Hallelujah What Men of War do for those in distress His pow'r for feeble us hath done no less His name 's Jehovah whom we'll ever bless Sing Hallelujah The proud Kings Host was utterly destroy'd When they our Lives and Land thought t o've enjoy'd And us as formerly in Bricks employ'd Sing Hallelujah His chosen men not able to withstand The watry Troops unhors'd and on the Land Are cast or bury'd in the slimy Sand. Sing Hallelujah This unknown way was made for us alone Soft for our feet the Rocks upon us shone Which they attempting sunk down like a Stone Sing Hallelujah We have exper'ence of thy wondrous pow'r Thy glor'ous right hand did our foes devour Saving us at our last and fatal hour Sing Hallelujah Thou didst but blow upon them yet that wind Gather'd the floods together and did bind Them up in heaps that we a way might find Sing Hallelujah The en'my said pursuing we will take These fugitives and kill or bring them back Dividing all the spoil we from them take Sing Hallelujah Lord who among the Gods is like to thee Spotless and Holy full of Majesty Thy praises fearful wonders many be Sing Hallelujah Thy mercy we believe will save and lead Thy Sons redeem'd unto a fertile meed Where they may safely rest and freely feed Sing Hallelujah They that inhabit Palestine shall hear Approaching sorrow will increase their fear With all their Neigbouring Countries far or near Sing Hallelujah The lofty Dukes of Edom shall be then Greatly amazed Moab's mighty men Losing their courage tremble shall with pain Sing Hallelujah The Canaanites tho strong with grief opprest With trembling hearts and voice will say it 's best To leave the Land that Isra'l may have rest Sing Hallelujah Such dread shall fall upon them by thine arm As will their mouths stop lest they offer harm To us when we do over Jordan swarm Sing Hallelujah Then to the place of thy great holiness Thou shalt us bring and we with joy express In all our Songs this weighty business Sing Hallelujah Say'ng O Lord thou shalt for ever reign Since Pharaoh and his Host who caus'd our pain Are drown'd and we on dry Land see them slain Sing Hallelujah It is our turn said Miriam now to sing The weaker Sex by praise may honour bring Unto Jehovah Nissi our great King Sing Hallelujah Our instruments of all sorts let us take Harps Flutes with Timbrels and sweet Music make To him who hath wrought wonders for our sake Sing Hallelujah Great God! our lives our all we owe to thee Since thou alone hast wrought this Victory By drowning all our enemies in the Sea Sing Hallelujah FINIS
that they 're my hearts delight Day put 's on mourning the night birds appear At noon the Hemisphere wax'd black with fear Thinking that Phoebus would come no more there Cynthia for shame creepeth behind the Earth Castor and Pollux weeping cease to breath Their flaming Vapours all the rest do wrap Their drowsie heads in troubled Thetis's lap Thousands of terrours thro the darkness fled The Ghosts complain'd the Spirits murmured Then Egypt like the damn'd did howl and cry For glo'worm-light which Heaven doth them deny This made the King again for Moses call Say'ng you may go your little ones and all Except your Flocks and Herds they must remain With me in safety till you come again ' Ah! Moses Moses was not thou the boy ' Drawn out of Nile to be the Princess joy ' In Flaggen boat Did not that King pass by ' Thy Childish faults and crimes of deeper dye ' Of all his Armies thou wast General ' Peer unto him and Daughter dear to all ' All was committed to thy prudent care ' Then be not be not executioner 'To their successor speak yet to thy friend Whose mercies as you say do never end Your Cattle leaving for my proper use The rest may go I will no more refuse Sir your fair promise would prevail with me If I was Master of my Liberty When I was banish'd first from Pharoah's Court I with my Flocks to Horeb did resort Horeb much fam'd for Spirits habitation I chose for pasture and for meditation Where I continued till one Summer-day I sought a Sheep that from the rest did stray Amongst the Thickets one of which did show Like Flames above and yet unburn'd below A voice from thence came to my trembling ear Which I am sure said Moses come not near The place where thou dost stand is holy ground This double wonder cast me in a swound From which reviv'd appeared to my sight A form divine than Cherubin more bright With charming Language such as Seraphs use In courting Mortals who by craft refuse Heav'ns favours and the best inheritance By this rouz'd up I made a small advance Whom he perceiving readily did meet And with a Godlike smile thus did me greet Moses in Egypt born thou know'st it well Its King and all the Strangers in it dwell They 're mine tho poor afflicted and distrest That King and people have them long opprest Thou must be first Ambassador then Guide To bring them over to the other side Of Jordan Great Sir this was my Commission I must not alter it without permission Pray urge no more this is a fond device Without our Flocks we cannot Sacrifice Nor offerings make It is Jehovah's mind That we in Egypt leave no hoof behind This general command we must obey Yet know not when we come what he will say Unto us more Devotion chiefly tends To Heav'n's praise with many other ends Unknown to thee The more I do comply the more I treat In love and calmness your new zeal and he at Encreaseth I must leave the whole debate Moses be gone look to thy self if I Again behold thy face thou' rt sure to die Thou hast well spoken this is Prophecy For one act more compleats thy Tragedy A plague to which the rest shall seem but small Shall not upon thy Flocks and Cattle fall Alone as heretofore but shall destroy The oldest pledges of your loves and joy This for a time shall move thy stubborn heart To favour Isra'l force them to depart And when resistance thou shalt after make What the Sword leaves the foaming Sea shall take Know then proud King when all are fast asleep This night when thee thy doubled Guards do keep Michael fam'd for strength and warlike power By Heav'n's warrant shall break ope each door In thy unhallow'd Country and shall kill From Egypt's heir that next the Throne should fill To hers that grindeth in the Bridewel Mill None of the first-born shall alive remain Of Men of Women Beasts all shall be slain Whose dying shrieks and groans shall pierce thy Soul And make their frighted Parents cry and howl Unheard of woes thy fearful heart shall seize While they in Goshen live in health and ease Each of their doors shall have a Centinel The grand destroyers hand that my repel The Crimson'd Posts and Lintels shall reveal Heav'ns secret will to him that bears the Steel When thou dost see this great discrimination Betwixt the Hebrew and Egyptian Nation Thy Menaces thou will repent and send The best of all thy subjects who will bend To me and say be gone with all ye have To whom I 'll answer Now no leave I crave But in despite of you and of your King At Heav'n's command we will make offering Do what thou canst I 'll see thy face no more The Death thou threat'nest is at thy own door Thy harden'd heart Heav'n's hand will quickly break When he on thee and thine doth vengeance take ' Ah! Pharaoh what a dismal change is this ' Must I deprived be of all my bliss ' Upbraided scorn'd and slighted by a Slave ' Who holds his life of me yet doth behave ' As King o'er us and all we have ' My feeble Gods whose Altars I have smoak't ' With best Perfumes your Deities invok't ' Why stand you gazing on my misery ' Hath a poor Shepherd greater pow'r than ye ' And you infernal Spirits whose great boasts ' Perswaded me there was no Lord of Hosts ' Have you no Philtre no Enchanted Spell ' Or is there no experiment in Hell ' Against this Moses and against his Rod ' Alas I fear you think there is a God ' If so I am undone I 'll not submit ' Destruction is the worst can come of it By this time night the dreadful night drew on For Egypt's first-born's execution An Angel thro the Air came flying down With speedy wing o'r Egypt's Memphis Town Who without sight or noise view'd all the Tow'rs Of Pharaoh's lofty house and 's Subjects Bow'rs Finds out the Victims and on them doth try The keenness of his Sword by which they die And dying with their groans do pierce the Sky For each his eldest Child saw gasping out Its tender Soul with blood which flew about From Wound and Mouth and Nostrils with great pain And heard their cries to Heav'n for help in vain This made a doleful sound o'er Egypt's plain ' Rachel mourn'd not so long so loud as they ' When Benjamin to his en'mies was a prey ' Nor when the Fox her Children all did slay 'To theirs the mourning in Megiddo's vale ' For good Josiah was no parallel Here ev'ry House sobb'd out the same complaint My eldest's dead ne'er was such punishment The King himself awak'd with this alarm Cry'd out O Heav'n hath this destroyer's arm Bereav'd me of my Successor in State I see I must repent when 't is too late Let none like me again with Heav'n debate Call in the Brothers quickly tho
't is night They shall go hence before next morning light With Flocks and Herds and all they can desire For which great favour I will nought require But faithful pray'rs to God for me and mine Who knows He may repent his ear incline To pity me and haste his own design This heard his Subjects all do beg and pray Moses to hasten Israel away Haste haste say they if any thing you lack We 're readier to give than you 're to take Our lives are more to us than what we give When you are gone we and our Babes may live This like melodious Musick to thier ears Warm'd their chill'd blood and banish'd all their fears They had full wages for four hundred years The signal given our torn and helpless crew Like forward spring their Liveries renew And furnish'd with new garments and their Slaves Bid them farewel Their Victuals drest to halves Yet their old foes enrag'd to see them go Tho with consent said it must not be so Now we are miserable what have we done The Slaves with all our Treasures hence are gone Good news to Pharaoh who a Council calls Saying my friends we must find Generals Horses and Chariots Men and Ammunition In haste you know th' intended expedition My eyes are open'd I cannot behold Those Slaves enriched with our Cloaths and Gold They took and wear they â—…re Trophies of our Shame And Cowardice which very things to name Are worse than death to him whom Gods above Nor men below could ever yet remove From his intended purposes till now Of which the reason yet I do not know Heav'n sure 's appeased since I 've let them go Tho I perceive they have no mind to leave My borders while they 've paid for what they have Their God repents him of the Violence Offer'd to us before they went from hence This makes them go about and not pursue The beaten roads they heretofore well knew When they for Corn to Egypt came and when With Jacob's Corps they back return'd agen Their late rebellion proves to them a snare Since they a lazy unarm'd people are They cannot fight their flight we need not fear Up let us follow and cut off their Rear Dread Sir said they your thoughts were always great Nor Gods nor men your courage could abate Pray be advis'd before this enterprize You undertake lest you prove after-wise In vain you sought to hinder them when here And we your subjects all about you were Our threats our blows and what we could invent Wrought for their good and for our punishment Heav'n always doth protect the innocent Behold the ruins of your shatter'd state The murder'd Heirs of Egypt small and great Think on the threatnings you did calmly bear Think on your darling off-spring then declare What hopes you have to catch them in a snare Their God's the same their Leader constant wise Therefore great Sir leave off this enterprize It will prove fatal if our dream be true Last night O King we saw our selves with you In warlike posture following the men We lately forc't to go from us and then We likewise saw Heav'n open'd whence came down An Host most terrible 'bout Succoth Town Of Giant stature and of stern aspect Who seem'd their Swords to brandish and direct To our proud Throats while we did stupid stand Not daring to resist move tongue nor hand Away with dreams haste up and let us show Our selves Heav'ns rivals and his peoples too 'T is now or never that we must attack The wand'ring Slaves and kill or bring them back Their God himself it seems doth them forsake Their way was smooth and short nor Seas nor Rocks Could stop the passage of themselves or Flocks But missing that they have no way to ' scape The Hills they cannot climb nor o'er Seas leap That are before them Wilderness and Rocks On each side we behind whose deadly strokes Will soon reduce them to their Slavery Since they can neither fight nor from us fly This said they mount their Chariots in haste The Horse and Infantry scarce take repast Who by their doubled marches soon o'ertake The ftighted Jews whose hearts began to ake Together run in heaps like fearful Sheep Attack'd by Dogs or Wolves when those should keep Are either absent or are fast asleep Who pat and stare the harmless dialect Of their just fear as if that would effect Their rescue So the Tribes with direful tone Cry unto God and Moses whom they stone Would both of you had let us still alone To serve in Egypt then if we had dy'd We might like men have there been bury'd Whereas we must be drowned now or slain We will beg pardon and return again Moses who all this time was griev'd to see The peoples rudeness infidelity Doth first expostulate and then entreat Them to forbear their blasphemy and heat And wait with patience a successful end Of all their troubles What if you be penn'd Up in this Creek What tho the Rocks and Waves Conspire your death What if these Hell-born Slaves Resolve your future thraldom and your Death Shakeoff all fear there 's hope as long as breath 'T was Heav'n that brought you hither and not I To show his pow'r in your delivery Which you should not distrust but magnify Since he is faithful who hath promised And by this work will show that you are freed Beyond your expectation Stand but still Whatever Pharaoh thinks it is Gods will That you escape this danger and your foes The outmost feel of their late feared woes Stand still Heaven bids me say you have no cause To grieve they must submit unto his Laws While you look on and with triumphant Tongues Sing his due praise who hath redress'd your wrongs All silent and the Prophet gone to pray Heav'ns hears commands that Isra'l make his way Unto the foamy shore where they must stand Fearless and wait the ebb when Moses's hand Shall smite the Waves and bid them bare the Sand To make a way pal'd on each side with glass On which the fainting Tribes might safely pass Beyond the reach of any Enemy May them infest or make discovery Of their night-march until it was too late With God or Moses friendship to create Who will behonour'd on all those that know Him or shall read of this great overthrow They move th' Egyptians laugh and say aloud We thought the Hebrews God had understood What was most proper for his peoples good But now we plainly see they 're led by chance Which cannot work their wish'd deliverance They 're safe enough Halt let the Infantry Refresh themselves and sing the Victory To morrow will be soon enough to drive The fools into the Sea or keep alive Such as will quarter crave and say they are At our disposal Prisoners of war Their Arms grounded the Horses Provender Eat Chariots serve for Tents in sudden War Where they betook themselves to free repose And did conclude tho Heav'n was to