through the bloud of 70. brothers waded Vnto the Crowne most wrongfully inuaded Herod was more vnnaturall then these ' Gainst his owne sonne he could not rage appease But fearing he should the Messias be Among the rest he wrought his tragedy Therefore Augustus did this saying vse If I were bound to liue among the Iewes With greater willingnesse I would be swine Then sonne to Herod for by law deuine Malo Herodis porcum quam filium esse Macrobius Swines flesh forbid the Hebrewes they did giue A kinde of priuiledge the beasts might liue Whereas King Herod a worse beast did grutch Vnto his owne childe to afford so much The Lyon will not tender Infants slay Vnlesse meere hunger force him to such prey O With what hunger then was Herod wag'd When he against so many Infants rag'd With hunger of ambition which of all The greatest hunger we may iustly call Hunger of raigning sure must needes be great Which to appease it must haue so much meate So many Infants flesh that thirst is sore Which nought can satisfie but crimsin gore Enioy bloud thirsting Herod re-inioy Thy kingdome safely free from all annoy He that aboue doth Heauenly crownes bestow Gapes not for earthly scepters here belowe Such earth-bred honor Christ doth much despise Elephants take no mice nor Eagles flies Though he of power be for to cast thee downe Yet feare no depriuation of thy crowne For though two Kings can in one kingdome raigne No more then Heauen can two bright Suns sustaine Yet euery King may with him in him daigne His kingly Lord his true Messias raigne As the faire Heauen with many Starres is dight And with the Sun from whom they take their light Only learne mercy from this potent one And heape not bloud so long vpon thy Throne Till it become so slippery as to threat Each step thou tak'st to cast thee from thy seat But rage like to the belly hath no eares To reason deafe it onely passion heares Aduice is vaine say what I can or will Herod will be himselfe a tyrant still They say that Bee who of the rest is King Either hath none or doth not vse a sting Surely this man whom wretched Bethlehem sees Reeke in the blood of Infants not of Bees But Waspes was King for wasplike full of spleene 2. King â— He thrusts his poysonous sting so great his teene Into the flesh of children and doth kill Those who to hurt him had nor power nor will Indeed two Beares did certaine children sley But cause they mockt Gods Prophet thou then they More fierce destroyst the guiltlesse fearefull man Do'st thou dread silly childrens force or can Faint cowardize with thee preuaile so farre Thou shouldst gainst Infants wage such bloody warre Great praise no doubt and many a worthy spoile Thou shalt enioy by giuing them the foile The noble Elephants will not inuade The weaker sort of beasts thou shakst thy blade At sucking children and sendst men of might To challenge those that know not how to sight There is a story of great Constantine How true the Authors credit and not mine Must answer but the matter â—le relate And leaue the question further to debate Before he came to Christianity The Prince was troubled with a Leprosie To cure this sicknesse the aduice and care Of his Phisicians would haue him prepare A Bath of Infants blood sure here the Diuill Prompted his Doctors to so great an euill But being by Gods prouidence conuerted He from so foule a slaughter was diuerted By soules Phisicians who doe well assure him Baptisme a Bath more powerfull is to cure him He hearkens to them is baptiz'd and free Both from the bodies and soules leprosie Behold ambition Herods soule inuades Like a foule Leprosie â—atan perswades Such is hells phisicke naught will doe him good Vnlesse he bathe himselfe in Infants blood And not the opening of a veâ—e or two No but their life blood this great cure must doe Therefore to satisfie the soule-sicke King Each tender Babe must empty all his Spring And now God lets the Wolfe the Lambes deuoure Without restraining of his rage or power He puts no bridle into Herods nose But lets him take full swinge in his dispose Because he knew how to draw good from ill And make this wicked action serue his will From Lyons mouth sweet honey he can take And Marahs bitter waters wholesome make Herod in this his rage doth type out those Of the malignant Church who still are foes To the Church Militant and by their will Religion in it infant age would kill Herod like malice and impiety Egyptian Babylonian cruelty It is though tyrants hold these termes in scorne To smother piety as soone as borne To quench Religion while it is a sparke And drowne poore soules by keeping from the Arke Againe in Herods foule designe of blood Satans condition may be vnderstood Who seekes not only by malicious will Christ while an Infant in our heart to kill But many children more euery good thought Though it be neuer into action brought To make those babes good motions in vs die Though they want strength to goe in act and lie In meditations cradle is his glory But I leaue types to prosecute the story While Herod inly vext became thus wilde With furious rage the Deuill rockt his childe But would not let him sleepe like some mad beast By nature feirce if wounded will not rest But doubling his fell fury and euen blinde With rage regards no longer how to finde His foe that hurt him but with head and feete Fiercely assailes the next that he doth meete So Herod who conceiu'd himselfe much wrong'd By the wise men for whose returne he long'd His hope deluded like one robd of sence Wreakes his reuengefull spleene on Innocence For full of doubtfull thoughts as well as sinnes To reason with himselfe he thus begins What childe is this that hath from Heauen his birth Foretold ere it be perfected on earth Vnto the World himselfe he hath not showne Yet is to those that neuer saw him knowne Ouer no people yet he hath command And wise men great men leaue their natiue land To waite vpon him o who is the wight That ouercomes me and yet does not fight That like a tyrant ouer me doth raigne Ere he the kingdome I possesse obtaine If he already me of state beguile What will he doe if he encrease a while Poore as he is he is more fear'd then I With all my riches and authority Or else these wise men or impostors rather For by their dealing lesse I cannot gather Whom my intelligence is I did make Would not haue faltered with me for his sake But here I vow who euer doe be friend him Nor heauen nor hel shall from my power defend him No I will make if my vnhappy fate Crosse not my will Bethlem as desolate Of Infants as this Infant hath made me Of comfort since his new nanâ—'d soueraignty Thus
Hebdomada Sacra A WEEKES DEVOTION OR SEVEN POETICALL MEDITATIONS VPON THE SECOND Chapter of St. Matthewes Gospell Written by ROGER COCKS AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Henry Seile and are to be sold at his shop in St. Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Tygers head 1630. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE IAMES LORD Strange POetry noble Lord in these loose times Wherin men rather loue then loath their crimes If hand in hand with piety she goe Though without blushing she her face may show Finds but cold welcome such things onely take As flatter greatnesse or fond fancie make A baud to base delight yet grauer eyes No sacred lines though rudely drawne despise And such are yours vpon this worke of mine Vouchsafe to let them fall or rather shine With kind acceptance doe but daine to grace it And enuie shall want power to deface it To the Reader REader my fortunes are so meanely friended I come into thy presence vncommended Nor would I haue thee for Encomiums looke Or frontispeece farre better then the booke My veine is not so high to be commended Nor yet so low but it may be defended By one sole Patron Some that carpe will gather This is no Poem but a Sermon rather But let them know who thus seuerely note it No profest Poet but a Preacher wrote it A WEEKES DEVOTION Sundaies Meditation or the first Canto for the first day The Argument Christs obscure Birth describ'd the Place To which he did vouchsafe such Grace The Time when he was borne is nam'd The Iew for vnbeliefe is blam'd WHen Caesar famous for his Gallian warre Had ended that vnnaturall ciuill jarre Twixt him and Pompey and by his defeat Got him a greater name thē that of great Perpetuall Dictator Enuie rose To ioyne with coward Murder and depose Vertue from bearing rule the Senate made A bloudy shambles and a couert shade For horrid treason was the fatall place Where his blacke tragedie was wrought in base Vnmanly manner falling by the hand Of an vnthankefull Brutus the command Of Romes faire Empire then in three did lie Augustus Lepidus and Anthonie Lepidus soone gaue o're whether in doubt Had he held still he could not long hold out Or for some other reason t'other twaine Shar'd equally Romes glorie and the gaine Of forraine kingdomes till at length there past For great mens freindship doth not alwaies last Vnkindnesse twixt them Anthonie had wed Augustus Sister but forsooke her bed For Aegypts Cleopatra This gaue fire To new dissention his vniust desire Must be made good by Armes for gentle words Turne him to furie our impartiall Swords Shall soone decide this difference said he And soone they did indeed fate did agree To second his proud saying for his forces Broke by Augustus powers he life diuorces From her weake hold and being thus o'recome Caesar went backe triumphant vnto Rome Augustus now hauing sole rule soone brought His Prouinces in awe all humblie sought To haue his friendship some few did rebell But with vndaunted courage he did quell Their vaine attempts and to his fames encrease Establisht through the world a welcome peace While Ianus Temple was shut vp and warre Chas'd backe to Plutoes kingdome while no iarre Kept out soule-ioyning concord whose sweete art Did Speares to Mattockes Swords to Plowes conuert While Noahs Doue brought in her mouth the Marke Of generall peace and Oliue Branch toth ' Arke Christ the celestiall Salomon was borne That King of peace whose Amalthaean horne Powr'd peace and plenty on vs so they say That when the Eagle flies abroad to prey The pratling birds are silent should not then Warres tongue be silent when the best of men Like to a Royall Eagle from his nest Came from the Virgins wombe in manhood drest When Halcyons build their nest breed their yong The Seas are quiet the winde findes no tongue 'T was fit the world should haue the like behauiour When the pure Virgin did bring forth our Sauiour Philosophers obserue the dewes descent Is in a cleare night when the winde is pent Aristotle In Aeols prison and the Prophet told Christ should come downe like dew and such behold Was his sweet entrance neuer was the earth So much refresht by dew as by his birth Fit was it then for warres loud noise to cease That this dew might come in a calme of peace If in two Kingdomes suppose Spaine and France Which long in hostile manner did aduance Armes against armes one Kings eldest sonne Marries the others daughter warres are done And they which earst contended eagerly Now meet in loue and feast in royalty So stood the case with vs by faire pretence Malicious Satan made man to commence A warre with God a warre that would haue wrought His endlesse ruine had not mercie sought A meanes to settle peace the onely son Of the Almightie when he did put on That veile of flesh did by it fast combine Our humane nature to his owne diuine And made a reconcilement which no power Can breake or time weare out though euery houre Satan attempt new practises and Hell Spit out her rankest venome to expell Man from his Makers fauour but her spite Falls on her head redoubled while delight Crownes our desires such happy vnion gan The blest Messias make 'twixt God and man No sooner had Augustus brought each land Luke 2. Into subiection but by his command A generall Taxe was laid on euery nation Iudea ' mongst the rest by Proclamation Each person to his natiue city went There to be taxed O that men were bent With ready minde and prompt alacrity To yeeld obedience vnto Gods decree As well as Caesars in the ranke of those Who with submissiue dutie did dispose Their wills to this edict a blessed paire Ioseph the iust Mary the chast and faire Both Abrahams issue both of Dauids stemme Came vnto Dauids City Bethlehem There to be taxed as the Law requir'd She being neere her time which soone expir'd While they were there the dayes accomplished That the pure Virgin should be brought to bed And yet that phrase ist but improper heere Because the Inne though full of guests yet cleare Of Grace and goodnesse would afford no roome Where she might child her issue her ripe wombe Found saue a stable no conuenient place To rest it selfe hard hearts whom such a case Mou'd to no pitty heere she forth did bring The Worlds Redeemer heauens eternall King A King where were the nobles of his Court Where all his followers Where the full resort Of honourable Matrons to attend Vpon his mother was there neere a Friend To giue soft musique by whose gentle touch Her sorrowes might be swagde did all hearts grutch To lend assistance at a Princes birth The voice of ioy speakes high and from the earth Vnnumbred fires to such perfection grow As they would make another heauen below Heere all was husht and silent to his owne Christ came vnentertaind because vnknowne
he resoluâ—s in rage anâ— what that still To rash attempts a Counsellor full ill Suggests vnto him he in action brings So soone men execute the will of Kings And now come other actors on the stage The bloâ—dy instruments of Herod rage Made ready to present vnto our eye A tragicke â—ceane of horrid cruelty Not to examine who they were we see Subiect and King full well and ill agree Tyrants doe neuer want fit Instruments To execute their very worst intents Would wicked Saul haue the Lords Priests be slaine Doeg the motion soone will entertaine Doth Dauid plot to stop Vrâ—ahs breath Joab will set him in the face of death Doth Iezabell ' gainst Naboths life conspire The elders will effect her lewde desire The world yet neuer knew a Prince so vicious But that he should haue men to be officious Such as account it an especiall grace To doe their Lords will be it nere so base The officers of Herod bare this mind Ready to goe when he their warrant sign'd And now suppose them vnto Bethlehem come Ready to act the tyrants fatall doome While the Sunne hides his head at such a sight As if a Noone he meant to make it night And with blacke clouds did couer his sad face Grieuing that men should haue so little grace The melting heauens doe also showre downe raine As if they wept for the poore Infants paine Euen the walles there in a cold dew stood As struck with horror to see so much blood Yet these feele no remorce nor once desist From the commanded murther but persist In that abhorred worke of cruelty Which shall them brand with lasting infamy With their swords drawne that none this course may stay Into mens houses they do force their way Here they an Infant from the cradle snatch There from the fathers armes another catch And the poore childrens sad destruction wrought Ere the amazed parents had a thought Of any danger neere some they transpierce With their blood thirsting sword others in fierce And sauage manner they deuide asunder While they that own them stand stone still in wonder Me thinkes in one place I some father heare At his deare Infants danger struck with feare Like Nisus in the Poet or more milde Crie out vnto the Butcher of his childe O spare my sonne or if you blood must spill Here turne your swords the grieued father kill I might he durst not could not entertaine A thought of wrong vnto his Soâ—eraigne Me thinkes I in another place behold An Infant stab'd whose pretty armes lay hold About his mothers breast whence he doth draine Milke that in blood runs out as fast againe While the affrighted mother with her hands Heau'd vp like Niobe turn'd Marble stands In euery place that doth afford an age Markt out for slaughter death and fury rage While the poore soules some for their mothers crying Some smiling on their murderers are dying O here a while your speedy haste forbeare Compassionate parents and vouchsafe a teare Thinke but what sad what soule affrighting sight These saw when they were rob'd of their delight Suppose your Infants whom you highly prize Snatcht from your armes and slaine before your eyes What would you doe in such a case as this Nay what would you not doe surely amisse I doe conceiue or else your sorrow would Be greater farre then all their suffering could While from their pretty eyes salt teares did trill Your pierced hearts would liquid blood distill And euery wound their bodies should receiue FroÌ„ murderers hands your very soules would cleaue And yet behold such was the wofull state Of that late happy Citie fortunate Erst in her Sauiour who there first drew breath But now most wretched in her childrens death Whilest by this fearefull act of sinne and shame Of Bethlehem a Bethauen it became But not this bloody act could yet asswage Either their cruelty or Herods rage No the neare Villages in her hard fate The wofull City must associate Not one poore cottage can keepe out pale death Wherein a child sucks in an infant breath They passe through all the coasts about and striue That not one Infant may be left aliue Their charge so ready are they to fulfill And satisfie the Tyrant in his will O mercilesse and matchlesse murderers How can you thinke whâ—n iustice once preferres A bill against your liues and death you brings Fore the Tribunall of the King of Kings To answer this foule act when their blood cries To Heauen for vengeance it will not suffice That you had Herods Warrant Gods Command Did you knew well ' gainst murder firmely stand But how haue I forgot you all this while Poore Innocents delay must not beguile You of your worthy suffering ample glory The which alone deserues to make a story The Church on blood and the not doing wrong But suffering for it hath foundation strong By persecution she receiues renowne And martyrdome giues her a glorious Crowne The blood of Abel at the Worlds creation Of this truth giues a pregnant demonstration So likâ—wise in the Gospels pupiâ—lage The blood of Infants slaine by Herods rage There be two colours which God much delight And they are white and red first the pure white Of innocence then martyrdomes blood red And bâ—th these in the Infants largely spread Not all the coates though quartered nere so faire Wâ—â—re men thâ—ir armes emblazon to repaire Th 〈…〉 â—â—â—try of their Family Which time would weare out but for Heraldry Are halfe so glorious as those faire Armes were These Innocents did in their Scutcheon beare For crosse of Gules in Argent field they carry Versus est vagitus in gaâ—dium luctus in iubilum Cyprian O paruuli beati nunquam tentati multum luctati â—am coronati Augustine Well may their Crest be a rich Crowne of glory Some doubt but such either doe iudgement want Or else of charitie are wondrous scant Whether these Infants here depriu'd of breath Were sau'd or no from an eternall death But what should this strange dubitation breed Is not Gods promise made vnto the seed Of faithfull parents Were not these receiu'd Into the couenant ere of life bereau'd They were they were therefore their cry did turne To ioy and they now laugh who then did mourne O blessed Infants whom the cunning Diuell By his temptation neuer led to euill With death you struggled hard and for that strife You are now crowned with immortall life Sure Herods flattery could nere haue wrought you So great a blessing as his fury brought you O blessed age which could not speake Christs Name Yet was thought worthy to die for the same Sure you were borne in a thrice happy time Felicities high toy so soone to clime You are scarce past the threshold of your birth When life comes forth to meet you and from earth Takes you to heauen you doe no sooner leaue Your infant cradles but a Throne receiue In stead of hanging at your mothers breast In
as much care expresse In preseruation of you as before Ah no Gods loue encreaseth more and more To such as serue him and his power extends Beyond all limitation to his friends â— grant thou mightst as not vnlikely gather That Archelaus would be like his father A bloody Tyrant for a wicked Sire Mali coruâ— malum ouum Prouerb Leaues his sonne like himselfe a strong desire To be thought apt for imitation Leades children to obserue their parents fashion But yet for all this thou maist rest secure He who hath vndertaken will procure Safety for thee and thine onely be bold And on his goodnesse by true faith lay hold Danger may threaten but it shall not harme Such as are guarded by th' Almighties arme Now was the time that Morpheus with his wand Did charme a silent sleepe on all the Land Only perplexed Ioseph could not rest 〈…〉 any cares lay tumbling in his breast â—he while he thought he should most safety find 〈◊〉 going back to Egypt but his mind Did quickly alter when the Lords command Which bad expressely he should leaue the land To his remembrance came then he thought best Where he now lodged to set vp his rest But that was dasht when being come so neare He did consider an vnmanly feare Should keepe him from his home in maze of doubt An Angell came at last to lead him out Giuing direction he should not abide Neare Archelaus eye but turne aside Into the parts of Galile for there He might securely liue without all feare Ioseph obeyes and now his course he bends To Nazareth where all his trauaile ends Forfully seated there he liues in peace With his soules comfort and his ioyes encrease And this saith the Euangelist was done That there might be a consummation Of what the Prophets told of Christ for he A Nazarite say they shall called be Expositors haue here been much perplext Because they can directly find this text In none of all the Prophets some conceaue That time which doth of many things bereaue The world hath in his reuolution lost Those sacred books where these things were engro'st Chrysost Another before this his sence preferres And doth for Prophets read intâ—rpreâ—â—rs Isidor For Prophets may be thought to say that thing Which men from them by good deduction bring But matter fetcht so farre wee need not vse Or seeke the sacred writer to excuse For holy writ two waies a thing affords Either according to the sence or words Now though we meet not the same words in sound Yet the same sence in Scripture may be found Nazaren signifies one flourishing And doth not Esay call this heauenly King A Rod of Iesses Stem a branch that growes Out of his roote each one that Scripture knowes Isal 11. 1. Knowes this prophetique truth Againe this name Is giuen him that he may haue the same Which his type had before him Sampsons facts Did but foresignifie our Sauiours acts Sampson from barraine parents did proceed And Christ alone was the pure Virgins seed His killing of the lyon did foretell Christ should that roaring lyons power quell Slaughtering his foes euen when he lost his breath shewed Christ should ouercome his foes by death Now of the first we read that he was stil'd A Nazarite to God therefore this child Iudg. 13. 15. That truth and type might fitly both agree was call'd a Nazaren as well as he But properly his name came from the place Hight Nazareth which had the happy grace To giue him education as a bower Most fit to entertaine so sweet a flower Nazareth doth a flower signifie And what place could he better dignifie With his abode then that whose name exprest His nature who of all flowers was the best Alcinous garden or Adonis Bower Was neuer deckt with halfe so rare a flower Those of the greatest beauty are but silly 〈◊〉 Sharons Rose or to the Valleys Lilly This is not like French Flowers in out side braue Which yet within nor sent nor vertue haue No from an outside meane there doth distill Such vertue as the Saints with grace doth fill The Soule a Nosegay is if this adorne it The Lord will take the sent if not hee 'l scorne it O may this blessed flower which now doth grow In Heauens high Nazareth not here below Make vs so sweetly in Gods nostrils smell That we transplanted from the earth may dwell In Heauen for euer and in such a ioy As time cannot weare out or death destroy Flourish with Christ and blisfull Peans sing Vnto the praise of our eternall King FINIS Errata Pag. 3. l. 2. r. an l 25. r. armies p. 10. l. 10. r. Iew. l 27. r. successors p. 13. l. 2. r y'runne p. 16 l. 25. r. thy p. 17 l 17. r. when p. 18. l. 6. r. humane p. 19. l. 20. r. leese p. 31. l 18. r. nonce p. 34. l. 10. r. repurchace p. 43 l. 16. r. Ewe p. 45. l. 14. r yeld p. 49. l. 19. r. kill p. 57. l. 22. r in