wil-full will not hear The SONG OF MOSES Hearken O Heavens and O thou Earth give ear Vnto my voice and Witness on-my part Before the Lord my zeal and their hard hart O Heav'n and Earth attend vnto my Song Hear my discourse which sweetly slides along As silver showrs on the dry Meads do trill And hony deaws on tender grass distill God grant I pray that in their hearts my Verse As water on the withered Lawns may pearce And that the hony dropping from my tongue May serve the olde for rain for deaw the young I sing th' Eternal O let Heav'n and Earth Com praise him with me sound his glory forth Extol his Powr his perfect Works record Truth Goodnes Greatnes Iustice of the Lord. But though for ever He have showen him such His children yet no Children rather-much A Bastard Race full of malicious sin All kinde of vice have foully wallowed in O foolish People doost thou thus requight His Father-care who fenç't thee day and night As with a Shield Who chose thee as his heir Who made thee of so foule a masse so fair Vn-winde the bottom of olde Times again Of Ages past vn-reel the snarled skain Ask of thy Parents and they shall declare Thine Elders and they 'll tell thee Wonders rare They 'll tell thee how when first the Lord had spred Men on the Earth and iustly levelled His strait long Measure th' All-Bal to divide He did for thee a plentious Land provide For his deer IACOB whom his favour then Seem'd t' have sequestred from the rest of men To th' end his Blessed Seed in future age Should be his Care Love Lot and Heritage They 'll tell thee too how through the sandy horro◠Of a vast Desart Den of ghastly Terror Of Thirst and Hunger and of Serpents fell He by the hand conducted ISRAEL Yea of his goodnes to direct him still By Word and Writ show'd him his sacred Will Vnder his wings shade hid him tenderly And held him deer as apple of his ey As is the royall Eagle's sacred wont When she would teach her tender Birds to mount To flie and cry about her Nest to cheer-them And when they faint on her wingd back to bear-them God without aid of other Gods or Graces Safe guide hath made him mount the highest Places Suck Oyl and Hony from the Rocks distilling In plentious Land with pleasant Fruits him filling He gave him Milk and Butter for his meat Kid Lamb and Mutton and the flowr of Wheat And for his Drink a most delicious Wine The spright full bloud of the broad-spreading Vine But waxen fat he lifts his wanton heel Against his God to whom his Soule should kneel Forsakes his Maker and contemns the Same That saved him from danger death and shame Then he inflam'd the fury of the Lord With profane bowing to false Gods abhord With serving Idols and with Sacrificing To Fiends and Phansies of his owne devising For vain false Gods Gods vn-renown'd and new Gods that his Fathers nor he neuer knew He hath forgot the true eternall BEEING The God of whom he holdes his bliss and being God saw it well and Ielously a-fire Against his Children thus he threats his ire No I will hide the brightnes of my face I 'll take from them the treasures of my grace Then let vs see what will of them becom But what but mischife can vnto them com That so perverse with every puff let fly Their Faith sole constant in inconstancy Th' have made me ieloux of a God no God I 'll make them ieloux I will Wed abroad A People yet no People And their brest Shall split for spight to see the Nations blest Devouring Fire that from my heart doth fume Shall fiercely burn and in my wrath consume The deep of Deeps the middle Downs and Fields And strong foundations of the steepest Hils I 'll spend on them my store of Punishments And all mine Arrows Famine Pestilence Wilde Beasts and Worms that basely crawling are Without remorse shall make them end-les War Abroad the Sword their strong men shall devour At home through Fear the Virgin in her flowr The fresh young Youth the sucking Children small And hoary head dead to the ground shall fall Yea even already would I quite deface And clean destroy them I would IACOB race Raze his Memoriall from the Earth for ay But that I fear the Heathen thus would say We have preuail'd we by our strength alone Have quell'd this People and them over-throwen 'T was not their God that did it for their Sins No He himself is vanquisht with his Friends Ha! sottish blocks void of all sense and sight Could one man put a thousand men to flight And two ten thousand if the God of Arms Had not even solde their Troops and bound their arms For God our God doth all their Gods surpass They knowe it well but their Wine springs alas From SODOM's Vine and grew in GOMER's fields Which Gall for Grapes for Raysins Poyson yeelds It is no Wine no the black bane it is The killing vomit of the Cockatrice 'T is bitter venom 't is the same that coms From the fel ASPIK's foul infecting gums Do not I knowe it keep not I account In mine Exchequer how their Sins do mount Vengeance is mine I will in fine repay In my due time I will not long delay Their Ruin posteth then th' Omnipotent Shall iudge for IACOB then I will repent To quite-destroy mine owne beloved People Seeing their strength all fail'd and wholly feeble 'T will then be said Where are there Gods becom Their deaf dull Idols sent-les sight-les dumb To whom they lift their hearts and hands and eyes And as their Guards so oft did sacrifice Now let those trim Protectors them protect Let them them rise quickly and defend their Sect Their Fires and Altars and com stand before To shield the Fondlings that their Fanes adore Knowe therfore Mortals I th' IMMORTAL am There 's none like Me in or above this Frame I wound I heal I kill I fetch from Grave And from my hands none can the Sinner save I 'll lift my hand toward th' arched Heav'ns on high And swear with-all by mine Eternity Which onely Beeing gives to all to Been That if I whet my Sword of Vengeance keen If once I say as soverain King alone I sit me down on my high Iustice Throne I 'll venge me roughly on mine Enemies And guerdon iustly their iniquities My heart-thrill Darts I will make drunk with blood I 'll glut my Sword with slaughter all the brood Of rebell Nations I will race in fine To recompence the blood and death of Mine O Gentiles then his People praise and fear Sith to the Lord it is so choisely-deer Sith Hee 'll auenge his Cause and beating down His Enemies will mildly cheer his Owne FINIS The CAPTAINES THE IIII. PART OF THE III. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT Iust Duked IOSVAH cheers the Abramides To CANAAN's
let thy future passe thy former more And go-before those that haue gone-before Excell thy Self and braue graue godly Prince Confirme my Songs eternall Euidence FINIS THE SCHISME THE III. BOOK OF THE IIII. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT Reiecting Olde Yong-Counsail'd rash ROBOAM Loseth Ten Tribes which fall to IEROBOAM He Godding Calves makes Izrael to Sin His Scepter therefore shortly fails his Kin. BAAZ ZIMRI OMRI ACHAB worst of all With IEZABEL Elias conquers Baal Commands the Clouds rapt-vp to Heav'n aliue Elisha's Works his bones the dead reuiue SAMARIA'S tragik Siege A Storm at Sea For Ionas sake repentant NINIVE HEer sing I ISAAC'S ciuill Brauls and Broils The miserie of a State distracted by factions into Ciuil Wars Iacobs Revolt their Cities sack their Spoils Their cursed Wrack their Godded Calues the rent Of th' Hebrew Tribes from th' Isheans Regiment Ah! see we not som seek the like in France With rage-full swords of civill Variance To share the sacred Gaulian Diadem To strip the Lillies from their natiue stem Application And as it were to Cantonize the State Whose Law did aw Imperial Rhine of late Tiber and Iber too and vnder whom Even silver Iordan's captiue floods did foam But let not vs good Lord O let not vs Apprecation Serue servilely a hundred Kinglings thus In stead of one great Monarch never let The lawfull Heir from his owne Throne be beat This Scepter yearly to be new possest Nor every Town to be a Tyrants nest Keep all intire re-stablish prudent Raign Restore the Sword to Iustice hand again That blest with Peace thy blessed Prayse O Lord My thankfull Layes may more and more record THE GENERAL States of Israel gathered all A Parliament or Assembly of the Estates of Israel By thousands now within strong Sichem's Wall All iointly name ROBOAM for their King But strictly-stout his Powr thus limiting Command say they and Rule in Abram's Fold Not as a Wolf but as a Shepheard should Slacken the reans of our late Servitude The People capitulate with their new King Lighten our gall'd backs of those Burthens rude Those heavy Imposts of thy Father fierce Repress the rapin of thine Officers So we will serue thee life and goods at-once If other-wise thy Service we renounce Heer-with amaz'd the moody Prince in post Sends for those Ancients which had swayed most His Fathers Counsails and he seems to crave Their sage Advises in a case so graue God hath not made say they iumping together Subiects for Kings but Kings for Subiects rather Then let not thine already in distress The Counsaile of the ancient Nobles â—e gnaw'n by others by thy Self much less What boots a Head with-out the hand and foot What is a Scepter and no Subiects to 't The greater Milt the Body pines the more The Checker's fatting makes the People poor A Princes Wealth in Subiects Wealth is set The Bank of Thrift where gold doth gold beget Where the good Prince coms never but at need For he is prais'd for a good Heard indeed Whose Flock is fat and fair with frolik bounds Frisking and skipping vp and down the Douns Among the Beasts fullest of furious gall The Vulgar's fiercest wildest worst of all Hydra with thousand heads and thousand stings Yet soon agreed to war against their Kings If then you wish their barking rage to cease Cast them a bone by an Abatement ease Their wringing Yoak thy Pity let them proue And ground thy Greatness on thy Peoples loue Or if thou fell wilt needs feed on their ice Yet vse no threats nor giue them flat Denies But to establish thy yet-new Estate Give them som hope and let them feed on that And wisely minde thy Fathers Saying sage That A soft answer soon appeaseth rage ROBOAM scorning these olde Senators Roboam leaving their sound aduice leaneth rather to the young fury of his Minions Flatteries Leans to his Yonglings Minions Flatterers Birds of a feather that with one accord Cry-out importune and perswade their Lord Not sillily to be by such disturb'd Nor let him-self so simply to be curb'd But to repress press and oppress the more These Mal-contents but too-well vs'd before With iron teeth to bruise their idle bones To suck their Marrow out and for the nonce Their rebell Pride to fetter as it were And lock their Furie in the stocks of Fear And to shake-off on th' other side and shun Those Gray-beards olde and colde direction Their sawcie censures snibbing his Minority Where-by too-proud they trip at his Authority Vsurp his place and too-too-malapert Would teach a wiser then them-selues his part To knowe that he 's a King and that he took Even in the womb as th' outward limbs and look So th' inward graces the Discretion And deep Fore-fight of prudent SALOMON And in the Shop of Nature learn'd long since The Art of State the Office of a Prince Wisedom fond King her sacred Seaterects In hoarie brains and Day the Day directs Th' old-man-fore-sees a-far by past events He prudent ponders future accidents The Young-man knowes not new-com as it were This wily World but as a passenger And more with courage then with Counsail's guide Barely beholds things on the outer side Yet to the last thou lean'st and frowning fel Checkst thus the Son 's of noble Israel Ah! rebel Slaues you you will Rule your King The Kings rashnes threatning rigour You 'll be his Carvers you will clip his wing You 'll hold the sacred helm controule the Crown You 'll rate his State and turn all vp-side-down But know you varlets whom you dally-with My little finger over-balanceth My Father's loigns he did but rub you light I 'll flay your backs he bow'd I 'll break yee quight He threatned Rods or gentle Whips of cord But I will haue your carrion shoulders goar'd With scourges tangd with rowels and my Name Shall make you quake if you but hear the same As rapid streams incountring in their way Simile With close-driv'n piles of som new bank or bay Or steady pillers of a Bridge built new Which last-past Sommer never saw nor knew Swell roar and rage far fiercer then they wont And with their foam defile the Welkins front So yerst griev'd Isaac now growen desperate With loud proud tearms doth thus expostulate Why what haue we to do what part what place With Böozian Ishay's avaricious race The Reuolt of the 10. Tribes Go Raign proud Iuda where thou wilt for we Nill bear the burthen of thy Tyranny Go vse els-where thy cruell threats and braues We are thy Brethren we and not thy Slaues Thus cry the People and th' ill-counsal'd King Vn-kingly yeelds to their rude Mutining And flies eft-soons with som few Beniamites The zealous Leuites and the â—â—daïtes The rest revolt and chuse for Soveraign A shame-les faith-les bold and busie-brain An Ephraimite who double-false doth fall Ieroboam Both from his King and from his God
revive Act. 9 40 13 Then in another Picture I did view The foure Elements The foure first bodies of this massie Globe Green-gowned Tellus Uulcan Scarlet-robe Py'd mantled Iuno Neptune clad in blew 14 Elisha's Faith brought from the lofty Skies 2. King 6. 17 Bright fiery Charrets 'gainst the Syrian hoast 1. King 18 38 Elias Faith scorning the Baal-Priests boast Fier'd without fire his moated Sacrifice 15 By Faith three Hebrues cast in seaven-fold flame By a proud Prince escape the raging Fire Dan. 3 27 Their very garments sent-less and entire While their Tormentors perish in the same 16 Moses by Faith makes fire from Heav'n to fall Leuit. 10 21 Num. 16 35 In th' Hebrue hoast those wretches to consume Whose profane hands with profane Fire and Fume God's holy Altar had polluted all 17 Moses by Faith heard by the God of powr Compels the Mountain's burly sides to shake Commands the Earth to rent and yawn and quake Num. 16 30 To swallow Rebels and them quick devour 18 Moses by Faith divides the Sea in twain Exod. 14 21 When Israël came out of Egypt Land Then in the Desert's dry and barren sand Exod. 17 9 From flinty Rocks doth plentious Rivers strain 19 Moses by faith converts to foul black blood Exod. 7 20 The Crystall Current of the seaven-fold Nile By Faith again he makes another while Exod. 15 25 Those stinking waters holsom sweet and good 20 Thrice silver Iordan did it self divide To giue safe passage to God's deer-belov'd Once by the Faith of valiant Iosuah proov'd Iosua 3 16 2. King 2 8 14 Elias once once by Elisha tri'd 21 The zealous Thisbit did by Faith seal-vp The Heav'ns wide windows that ther fell no Rain In seaven-six months and then by Faith again 1. King 18 41 To drench the dry Earth set them all wide-ope 22 Likewise by Faith the nimble-winged train That cleave the Air are to our service set The Ravens are made to bring Elias meat 1. King 16 6 Gen 8 11 Exod. 16 13 The Dove serves Noah Quails for Moses rain 23 O! who is able Faith to countermand If Faith doo force all-taming yron yield If Faith make yron flote on Neptunes field 2. King 6 6 If that Elisha's Faith strong steel command 24 Faith hath not onely powr on things terrene Both high and lowe but often times doth force Gods iustice too and somtimes seems perforce God's purposes to change and alter clean 25 The Niniuits by Faith repenting shun Their over-throwe that Ionas threatned neer Ionas 3 10 And Ahaz Son by Faith adds fifteen yeer 2. King 20. 10 To his short life that seem'd already don 26 Now if the giver of this Faith we see Seem to incline and bow vnto her still As bound and ready to obey her will What marvell is' t if Angels be not free 27 The Angels serue in Ezechias pay 2. King â—9 â—5 1. King 19 Acts 12. 7 Gen. 32 1. By Faith they bring the Thisbit needfull Cates By Faith they ope for Peter prison gates By Faith to Iacob they direct the way 28 About twelue pases past these former Pomps Full many sacred Minstrels sound on hie Triumphant Faith 's great name and dignity Tuning aloft their Clarions Flutes and Tromps 29 Mark Matthew Luke the Lords deerest Iohn Christs Secretaries winde with such a brest Their warbling Cornets that from East to West Through all the World their sacred sound is gon 30 Both Iameses one the Son of Zebedeus Th' other Alphcus Thomas Simon Andrew Peter Mathias Philip Bartholomew Paul Gentile's Doctor with-the good Thaddeus 31 Sound with so sweet accord their Sagbuts long And their shril Fifes heard from the North to Nile As if one spirit did fill them all the while And one same hand had set their holy Song 32 While thus my spirit this strange discourse did cumber Rare-builder Prognè earlier then the rest Beginning th' out-most of her curious nest Brake with her prattling my deep pleasing slumber 33 Sorry to be so suddain wak't I would I were a Dor-Mouse for a hundred yeer That I might sleep full twenty Lustres heer To shun the woes that waking I behold 34 For now alas waking with grief I see Babel tryumphing over Sion still And on the Good th' Vngodly work their will The Wicked prais'd the Righteous scorned be 35 I see alas in these lamented Times Mens greatest zeal in bloudy murther stands Profane our hearts and so profane our hands Bare Christian Name serves but to cloak our crimes 36 Incest's a sport and Murther Man-hood thought Disloyalty a speciall Vertue deem'd And Periury sound Policy esteem'd Medea's Arts and Sodomie are taught 37 Maydens be bold and Wives be impudent Princes are Tyrants people full of rage This Age is sink of every former Age Receiving each Sinn 's vgliest excrement 38 But my swolne brest shut-vp thy sighe's sad gate Stop Stop mine eyes the passage of your tears Cast-off my heart thy deep despairing fears That which most grieues me most doth consolate 39 No no my Dream is true soon shall we see Faith's glory shine Satan perceiuing nie His prides Eclipse his greatest force doth trie To stop great Faith's triumphant victorie 40 Sure if my Card and Compasse doo not fail W' are neer the Port where danger being past We need not fear the billow nor the blast Of blustring windes nor Seas that can assail 41 Our beastly manners like Gomorrha's guise The troubled Seasons Warrs domesticall The threats of Heauen are the fore-runners all Of CHRIST that coms to hold his last Assise 42 That drad-desired Day shall soon appeer Christ coms the Rav'ns from Swans to set a-side The Tares from wheat and Goats from Lambs diuide And this braue Triumph that I sing is neer 43 O Father while this Triumph I expect Waiting to see the Wicked's vtter Fall And thy iust Scepter Ruling ouer all Let liuely Faith my Reason still direct FINIS TETRASTICHA OR The Quadrains of Guy de Faur Lord of Pibrac Translated By IOSVAH SYLVESTER Acceptam referro TO The right excellent and most hopefull young Prince Henry AFfter so many golden Rules of State Religious Lessons Morall Precepts graue As in your Fathers ROYAL-GIFT you haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These seeme supersfluous or to come too-late Yet 't is no Error tore-iterate The Voice of Wisedome to the tender Eare Of Princes chiefly such as You that beare The Hope and Hap of Europe in your Fate And though You want not these weake helpes of ours To consummate Your Selfe in Excellence Yet may those Subiects which shall once be Yours Draw vertuous Wisedome and all Dutie hence If You but daigne with your deer Name to grace it Which Load-stone-like shal draw them to embrace-it Iosuah Syluester The Quadrains of Pibrac 1 DIEV tout premier puis Pere Mere honore Sois iuste droict en toute saison Del
saue vs at thy throne of mercy great Forgiue vs Lord and holde farre from vs all These plagues that on our heads are like to fall Alas what helpeth vs thy heavy stroke To binde our necks to such a servile yoke Wherewith th' Assyrian tyrants long haue grieved Thine Izak till their bondage thou relieved If so this natiue ground that new is tild If so these Hostries new with folke refild If so alas our chaste and modest Dames Our infants young our Virgins good of fames Should be a pray to Ammon and to Perse To Calde and the mutine Parthian fierse If that we see this Altar made prophane And witches it abuse with Idols vain Yet Lord if thou no pittie on vs take At least great God do for thy glories sake Haue pitie on this holy building now Where not a God hath sacrifice but thou Where not a God but thou hast residence To feel the sauour sweet of frankensence Hold back O Lord the Caldean cressets bright From these rich Cedar vaults of stately hight Preserue these vessels ornaments of gold From sacrilegious hands of neighbours bolde And let the blood of beasts before thy face Thy Iustice stay and grant thy seruants grace This prayer done the people went their way Then Ioachim conuen'd that present day The princes all of Iuda and them praid Gainst this mischief for counsell and thus sayd Companions if your former zeal remain If ardent loue to God ye still retain If wife or childe may cause your care or loue Which should the Centers of your senses moue If in your brests a noble hart doth bide Let deed bear witnes at this wofull tide For sauing God and your foresight in deed T is done t is done with vs and all our seed And after this th' Immortall shall not see This altar fume before his maiestee When th' Air is calme and still as dead and deaf Comparison And vnder Heav'n quakes not an aspin leaf When Seas are calme and thousand vessels fleet Vpon the sleeping seas with passage sweet And when the variant winde is still and lowne The cunning Pylot never can be knowne But when the cruell storme doth threat the Bark To drowne in deeps of pits infernall dark While tossing tears both father mast and sail While mounting seems the Azur sky to skail While driues perforce vpon som deadly shore There is the Pylot knowen and not before Alas I pray you then what care and strifes Haue we to keep our honours goods and lifes Forget not then the care of this same place Your countreyes weale Gods glory and his grace But humbly giue your selues into the hand Of God most high and with a holy brand Repurge your spirits from euerie hatefull sinne Which causeth God his Iustice to begin And see what may to God be agreeable For Iacobs weal and for you profitable This said an ancient traytour from his youth Who fostred gall in hart with hony in mouth Enforcing from his eyes som fained tear To cloke his malice spacke as ye shall hear My tongue me fails my hair for dread vp-starts My heavy spirit from pensiue corps departs The oration of a subtill worldling When I be think me of yone tyrant stout Who hath bed round the world with bloud about Approching threats our townes with fiery flames Our selfs with death dishonour to our Dames Yet when I call to minde the curtsie great That this great Lord doth vse who doth intreat Not onely those that beastiall are become And haue their hope in brutall Idols 〈…〉 But euen to zealous folke who do embrace The faith and law like vs of Abrams race Who being well aduisde did humbly sue His pardon and escap't his vengeance due Then thanke I God who sends vs such a foe As plagues the proude and lets the humble goe For we assoone shall vanquish him with teares As will be long to wrack him with our weares Then whil'st we may haue choise of eitherstate Of peace or warres his fauour or his hate Let vs not follow seeing skath at hand The follie of our fathers to gainstand But rather let vs beare another saile And serue his king as best for our availe But think not yet that I this counsell giue For craft or warrant forthy selfe to liue For I haue els my daies so neerely spent That for to dye I could be well content Th' Assyrian neede not in my brest to strike His fethred Dart nor yet his trembling pike Yea if my youth to me should eft returne And make my youthly bloode within me burne So honour I my God and country deare That for to dye for them I would not feare As Sampson did if so my death might yield The victory of the Uizroy and the field But most I feare least we with curious zeale Fight for the lawe yet fight against her weale Against our selfs to bring so great a wrack That proud and cruell tyrants shall vs sack And grow in pride suppressing Iudas strength For to contemne the glory of God at length For Israell being lost who shall ensue To render here to God deuotions due What people sparsâ—d on this earthly ball From Indian shoare to where the Sunne doth fall Or from the Climate of the northren blast Vnto that place where sommer ay doth last Hath God elect save Israell for his owne Vpon this Hill to have his glory showne At this the valiant Cambris of renowne With righteous rage grew pale and gan to frowne And brake the silence with a vehement stile His courage mov'd the Princes all the while Nay rather where I stand let ope the ground Quoth he to swallow me in pit profound Yea rather righteous Heav'n let firy blast Light on my head that thou on Sodom cast Ere I my malice cloke or oversile In giving Izac such a counsell vile For if the Leader of this folk profane Vpon our bodies onely sought to raigne Although that we haue dearely bought alway Our freedom from our first maternall day Which dearer is then gold for to be kept I would assent the holy Church except But since more pride this tyrants heart enroules To lay a greater burden on our soules Who are the vassels of that onely King That Thunder sends and scepters down doth thring ' Should we forget him who made vs of nought ' More then all wondrous things that he hath wrought Who treats and loues vs like our Father King Still vnder shadowes of his wondrous wing Will he that we receiue a Prince ambitious For God a gods contemner Nemrode vitious Whose beastly life is of so vile a fame That of a man he merits not the name Goe to goe to let men for men assaye With sword and shot to deale it as we may The victory lies not in mortall hands Nor barded horse nor force of armed bands These are but second instruments of God Who as him list may send them euen or od But if our soueraigne God willes such annoy That
Pearl and Gold From Russia Furres to keep the rich from cold From Florence Silks From Spayn Fruit Saffron Sacks From Denmark Amber Cordage Firres and Flax From France and Flanders Linnen Woad and Wine From Holland Hops Horse from the banks of Rhine In brief each Country as pleas'd God distribute To the Worlds Treasure payes a sundry Tribute Man lord of the World which for the commodity of his life contributes bountifully all maner of necessaries And as sometimes that sumptuous Persian Dame Out of her Pride accustomed to name One Prouince for her Roab her Rayl another Her Partlet this her Pantofles the tother This her rich Mantle that her royall Chain This her rare Bracelets that her stately Train Euen so may Man For what wilde Hill so steep What so waste Desart what so dangerous Deep What Scaso wrackfull or so barren shoar In all the World may be suppos'd so poor But yields him Rent and free from enuious Spight Contributes frankly to his Lifes Delight The same more especially dilated in the particulars Th' inammell'd Valleys where the liquid glass Of siluer Brooks in curled streams doth pass Serue vs for Gardens and their flowerie Fleece Affoords vs Sythe-work yeerly twice or thrice The Plains for Corn the swelling Downs for Sheep Small Hills for Vines the Mountains strangely-steep Those Heav'n-climbe Ladders Labyrinths of wonder Cellars of winde and Shops of sulphury Thunder Where stormie Tempests haue their vgly birth Which thou mis-call'st the blemish of the Earth Thinking profane that God or Fortune light Made them of enuie or of ouersight Bound with eternall bounds proud Emperies Bear mighty Forrests full of Timber-Trees Whereof thou buildest Ships and Houses fair To trade the Seas and fence thee from the Ayr Spew spacious Riuers full of fruitfull Breed Which neighbour-Peoples with their plenty feed Fatten the Earth with fresh sweet fertill mists Driue gainfull Mills and serue for Forts and Lists To stop the Furie of Warres waste-full hand And ioyn to th' Sea the middle of the Land The Wyldes and Desarts which so much amaze-thee Are goodly Pastures that do daily graze-thee Millions of Beasts for tillage and besides Store thee with flesh with Fleeces and with Hides Yea the vast Sea which seems but only good To drown the World and couer with his Flood So many Countries where we else might hope For thrifty pains to reape a thankfull Crop Is a large Lardar that in brynie Deeps To nourish thee a World of Creatures keeps A plentious Victualler whose prouisions serue Millions of Citties that else needs must starue Like half-dead Dolphins which the Ebb le ts lie Gasping for thirst vpon the sand a-drie ' Tincreaseth Trade Iournies abbreuiates The flitting Clouds it cease-les exhalates Which cooling th' ayr and gushing down in rain Make Ceres Sons in sight to mounta-main But shall I still be Boreas Tennis-ball Here as it were wearied with so long a voyage from so broad bottom-les an Ocean in imitation of the inimitable Author the Translator hoping kind entertainmeÌ„t puts in for the Port of England whose happy praises hee prosecutes at large Concluding with a zealous Praier for preseruation of the King and prosperity of his Kingdoms Shall I be still stern Neptunes tossed Thrall Shall I no more behold thy natiue smoak Deer Ithaca Alas my Barkis broak And leaks so fast that I can rowe no more Help help my Mates make haste vnto the shoar O! we are lost vnless som friendly banks Quickly receiue our Tempest-beaten planks Ah courteous ENGLAND thy kinde arms I see Wide-stretched out to saue and welcom me Thou tender Mother wilt not suffer Age To snowe my locks in Forrein Pilgrimage That fel Bresile my breath-les Corps should shrowd Or golden Peru of my Praise be prowd Orrich Cathay to glory in my Verse Thou gav'st me Cradle thou wilt giue me Herse All-haile deer ALEION Europ's Pearl of price The Worlds rich Garden Earths rare Paradise Thrice-happy Mother which ay bringest-forth Such Chiualry as daunteth all the Earth Planting the Trophies of thy glorious Arms By Sea and Land where euer Titan warms Such Artizans as do wel-neer Eclipse Fair Natures praise in peer-les Workmanships Such happy Wits as Egypt Greece and Rome At least haue equall'd if not ouer-com And shine among their Modern learned Fellows As Gold doth glister among paler Yellows Or as Apollo th' other Planets passes Or as His Flowr excels the Medow-grasses Thy Riuers Seas thy Cities Shires do seem Ciuil in manners as in buildings trim Sweet is thine Ayr thy Soyl exceeding Fat Fenç't from the World as better-worth then That With triple Wall of Water Wood and Brass Which neuer Stranger yet had power to pass Saue when the Heav'ns haue for thy haynous Sin By som of Thine with false Keys let them in About thy borders O Heav'n-blessed I LE There neuer crawls the noy som Crocodile Nor Bane-breath'd Serpent basking in thy sand Measures an Acre of thy flowry Land The swift foot Tiger or fierce Lioness Haunt not thy Mountains nor thy wilderness Nor rauening Wolues worry thy tender Lambs Bleating for help vnto their help-les Dams Nor subtle Sea-Horse with deceiptfull Call Intice thy Children in thy Floods to fall What though thy Thames and Tweed haue neuer rowl'd Among their grauel massie grains of Gold What though thy Mountains spew no Siluer-streams Though euery Hillock yield not pretious Gemms Though in thy Forrests hang no Silken Fleeces Nor sacred Incense nor delicious Spices What though the clusters of thy colder Vines Distill not Clarets Sacks nor Muscadines Yet are thy Wolls thy Corn thy Cloath thy Tin Mines rich enough to make thee Europes Queen Yea Empress of the World Yet not sufficient To make thee thankfull to the Cause efficient Of all thy Blessings Who besides all this Hath now nine Lustres lent thee greater Bliss His blessed Word the witnes of his fauour To guide thy Sons vnto his Son their Sauer With Peace and Plenty while from War and Want Thy neighbours Countries neuer breathed scant And last not least so far beyond the scope Of Christians Fear and Anti-Christians Hope When all thy Fall seem'd to Prognosticate Hath higher rais'd the glory of thy State In raysing STVARDS to thy regal Throne To Rule as Dauid and as Salomon With prudence Prowess Iustice and Sobrietie Thy happy People in Religious Piety Otoo-too happy too-too fortunate Knew'st thou thy Weal or wert thou not ingrate But least at last Gods righteous wrath consume-vs If on his patience still we thus presume-vs And least at last all Blessings had before Double in Curses to torment-vs more Deer Mother ENGLAND bend thine aged knee And to the Heav'ns lift vp thy hands with me Off with thy Pomp hence with thy Pleasures past Thy Mirth be Mourning and thy Feast a FAST And let thy soule with my sad soule confesse Our former sins and â—oul vnthankefulnes Pray we the Father through th' adopting Spirit Not measure vs
according to our merit Nor strictly weigh at his High Iustice Beam Our bold Rebellions and our Pride extream But for his Son our deer Redeemer's sake His Sacrifice for our Sins Ransom take And looking on vs with milde Mercies Ey Forgiue our Past our Future Sanctifie That neuer more his Furie we incense To strike as Now with raging Pestilence Much less prouoke him by our guilt so far To wound vs more with Famine and with War Lord cease thy wrath Put vp into thy Quiuer This dreadfull shaft Deer Father vs deliuer And vnder wings of thy protection keep Thy seruant IAMES both waking and a-sleep And furthermore we with the Psalmist sing Lord giue thy iudgements to our Lord the King Psalm 72. And to his Son and let there aye be one Of his Male Seed to sit vpon his Throne To feed thy Folk in Iacob and aduance In Israel thy deer Inheritance And long-long-liued full of Faith and Zeal Reform like Asa Church and Common-weal Raysing poor Vertue razing proudest Vice Without respect of Person or of Price That all bold Atheists all Blasphemers then All Popish Traytors may be weeded clean And Curst be All that say not heer Amen FINIS THE COLVMNES THE IIII. PART OF THE II. DAY OF THE II. WEEK THE ARGVMENT Seth's Pillars found Heber instructs his Son In th' vse therof and who them first begun Opens the One and findes on seuerall Frames Foure liuely Statues of foure louely Dames The Mathematiks furnisht each apart With Equipages of their seuerall Art Wonders of Numbers and Geómetrie New Obseruations in Astronomy Musiks rare force Canaan the Cursed cause Of Hebers stop and BARTA swittie pause IF euer Lord the purest of my Soule Being about to treat of the Mâ—thematicks our Poet heâ—r imploreth especiall assistance in handling so high and difficult a Subiâ—ct In sacred Rage were rapt aboue the Pole If euer by thy Spirit my spirit inspir'd Offred thee Layes that learned France admir'd Father of Light Fountain of learned Art Now now or neuer purge my purest part Now quintessence my Soule and now aduance My care-free Powrs in som celestiall Trance That purg'd from Passion thy Diuine address May guide me through Heav'ns glistring Palaces Where happily my deer VRANIA'S grace And her fair Sisters I may all imbrace And the melodious Syrens of the Sphears Charming my senses in those sweets of theirs So rauished I may at rest contemple The Starrie Arches of thy stately Temple Vnto this end that as at first from thee Our Grand-sires learn'd Heav'ns Course and Qualitie Thou now mai'st prompt me som more lofty Song As to this lofty Subiect doth belong AFTER THAT Mens strife-hatching haut Ambition The occasion and ground of this Discourse Had as by lot made this lowe Worlds partition Phalec and Heber as they wandred sand A huge high Pillar which vpright did stand Much like a Rock amid the Ocean set Seeming great Neptunes surly pride to threat Whereon a Pharos bears a Lanthorn bright To saue from Shipwrack those that sayl by night And afterward another nigh as great But not so strong so stately nor so neat For on the flowrie field it lay all flat Built but of Brick of rusty Tyles and Slat Whereas the First was builded fair and strong Of Iasper smooth and Marble lasting long What Miracles what monstrous heaps what Hills Phalecs Question Heav'd-vp by hand what Types of antike Skills In form-les Forms quoth Phalec Father showe For th' Ages past I knowe full well you knowe Pray teach me who did both these Works erect About what time and then to what effect Old Seth saith Heber Adams Scholler yerst Hebers answer Who was the Scholler of his maker first Hauing attain'd to knowe the course and sites Th' aspect and greatnes of Heav'ns glistring Lights He taught his Children whose industrious wit Through diligence grew excellent in it For while their flocks on flowrie shoars they kept Of th' Eastern Floods while others soundly slept Hushing their cares in a Night-shortning nap Vpon Obliuions dull and sense-les Lap They liuing lusty thrice the age of Ravens Observ'd the Twinkling Wonders of the Heav'ns And on their Grand-sires firm and goodly ground Asumptuous building they in time doo found But by Tradition Cabalistâ—k taught That God would twice reduce this world to nought By Flood and Flame they reared cunninglie This stately payr of Pillars which you see Long-time safe-keeping for their after-Kin A hundred learned Mysteries therein This hauing sayd old Heber drawing nigher The openìng of the Pillars Opens a Wicket in the Marble Spire Where Phalec following soon perceive they might A pure Lamp burning with immortal light As a mean person who though oft-disgraç't By churlish Porters is conuaigh'd at last Simile To the Kings Closet rapt in deep amaze At th' end-les Riches vp and down doth gaze So Phalec fares O father cries he out What shapes are these heere placed round about So like each other wrought with equall skill That foure rain-drops cannot more like distill What Tools are these what diuine secrets lie Hidden within this learned Mysterie These foure quoth Heber Foure bright Virgins are The liberall Sciences Heav'ns Babes and Sisters the most fair and rare That e're begot th' eternall Spirit ex-pir'd From double Spirit or humane soule admir'd This first that still her lips and fingers moues Arithmetike And vp and down so sundry-wayes remoues Her nimble Crowns th' industrious Art it is Which knowes to cast all Heav'ns bright Images All Winters hail and all the gawdy flowrs Wherewith gay Flora pranks this Globe of ours Shee 's stately deckt in a most rich Attire All kinde of Coyns in glistering heaps ly by-her Vpon her sacred head Heav'n seems to drop A richer showr then fell in Danâ—es Lap A gold-ground Robe and for a Glass to look Down by her girdle hangs a Table-book Wherein the chief of her rare Rules are writ To be safe-guarded from times greedy bit Mark heer what Figure stands for One the right Her Numbers Root of all Number and of Infinite 1 Loues happiness the praise of Harmonie Nurcerie of All and end of Polymnie No Number but more then a Number yet Potentially in all and all in it 2 Now note Two's Character One's heir apparant As his first-born first Number and the Parent 3 Of Female Payrs Heer now obserue the Three Th' eldest of Odds Gods number properly Wherein both Number and no-number enter Heav'ns deerest Number whose inclosed Center Doth equally from both extreams extend The first that hath beginning midst and end The Cubes-Base Foure a ful and perfect summ 4 Whose added parts iust vnto Ten doo com Number of Gods great Name Seasons Complexions Windes Elements and Cardinall Perfections Th' Hermaphrodite Fiue neuer multipli'd 5 By'tself or Odd but there is still descri'd His proper face for three times Fiue arriue Vnto Fifteen Fiue Fiues to Twenty fiue The
to vndo-vs As these neer Nations Israel accords And with an Oath confirms the solemn words So I good Lord perceiving all the Seed A sacred application of their profane example Of Sin-full Adam vnto Death decreed Doom'd to the Vengeance of thy Fury fell And damn'd for ever to the deepest Hell Would fain be free but if I should alas Com as I am before thy glorious face Thou righteous God wilt turn thine eyes away For Flesh and Blood possess not Heav'n for ay And the strict Rigour of thy Iustice pure Cannot O Lord the least of sins endure Oh then what shall I do I 'll similize These Gabaonites I will myself disguize To gull thee Lord for even a holy Guile Findes with thee grace and fauour often-while I'll put-on crafty not the cloak of Pride For that was it whereby our Grandsires di'd And Lucifer with his associates fell From Ioys of Heav'n into the Pains of hel But th' humble Fleece of that sweet sacred Lamb Which for our sakes vpon the Cross became So torn and tatter'd which the most refuse Scorn of the Gentiles Scandal of the Iewes And as a piece of Silver Tyn or Lead Simile By cunning hands with Gold is covered I that am all but Lead or dross more base In fervent Crusible of thy free Grace I 'll gild me all with his pure Beautie 's Gold Born a new man by Faith I 'll kill mine old In Spirit and Life Christ shall be mine example His Spirit shall be my spirit and I his Temple I beeing thus in Christ and Christ in me O! wilt thou canst thou driue vs farre from thee Deprive from promis'd new Ierusalem Christ thine owne Likenes and me like to him Bannish from Heav'n whose Blisâ— shal never vade Thy Christ by whom and me for whom 't was made But O presumption O too rash Designe Alas to Will it only is not mine And though I Would my flesh too-Winter-chill My Spirit 's small sparkles doth extinguish still O! therfore thou thou that canst all alone All-sacred Father's like all-sacred Son Through thy deep Mercy daign thou to transform Into thy Self me sin-full silly worm That so I may be welcom to my God And liue in Peace not where the Iewes abode But in Heav'n Sion and that thou maist be Th' vniting glew between my God and me Now Eglon's Hebron's Iarmuth's Salem's Lords And Lachis Kingling after these Accords Wroth that their Neighbours had betrayed so Their common Country to their common Foe Had made so great a breach and by the hand Led as it were th' Hebrews into their Land Set-vpon Gabaon but th' Isacian Prince As iust as valiant hastes to hunt them thence And resolute to rescue his Allies He straight bids Battail to their Enemies The Fight growes fierce and winged Victory The Battaile of the fiue Kings Shaking her Laurels rusht confusedly Into the midst she goes and coms and goes And now she leans to these and now to those Auster the while from neighbour Mountains arms A hundred Winters and a hundred storms With huge great Hail-shot driving fiercely-fell In the stearn visage of the Infidel The roaring Tempest violently retorts Extraordinary Volleys of Hail-shot froÌ„ Heauen vpoÌ„ the Infidels Vpon themselues the Pagans whirling darts And in their owne breasts their owne Launces bore Wher-with they threatned th' Hoast of God before And even as if it enuied the Renown Of valiant Iosuah now by Ganges knowen With furious shock the formost Ranks it whirr'd Vpon the next the second on the third Even as a Bridge of Cards which Play-full Childe Simile Doth in an evening on a Carpet build When som Wag by vpon his Work doth blowe If one Arch fail the rest fall all arowe Each vpon other and the Childe he Cries For his lost labour and again he tries If any resting on his knotty Spear Gainst Arms and storms yet stand out stifly there Th' Hail which the Winde full in his face doth yerk Smaâ—ter than Racquets in a Courtre-ierk Balls 'gainst the Walls of the black-boorded house Beats out his eyes battters his nose and brows Then turn the Pagans but without a vail For instantly the stony storm of Hail Which flew direct a-front direct now falls Plumb on their heads and cleaues their sculs and cauls And ever as they waver to and fro Over their Hoast the Haily Clowd doth go And never hits one Hebrue though between But a sword's length or not so much be seen A bluckler one another a bright helm Over his threatened or sick head doth whelm But the shield broken and helm beaten in Th' Hail makes the hurt bite on the bloody green Those that escape be take them to their heels Iosuah pursues and though his sweat distills From every part he wounds he kills he cleaues Neither the Fight imperfect so he leaues But full of faithfull zeal and zealous faith Thus O strange language thus alowd he saith Beam of th' Eternall daies bright Champion At the command of Iosuah the Sun staÌ„dâ—th stil. Spiall of Nature O all-seeing Sun Stay stand thou still stand still in Gabaon And thou O Moon i' th' vale of Aialon That th' Ammorites now by their hare-like flight Scape noâ— my hands vnder all-hiding Night As a Caroche draw'n by foure lusty steeds Simile In a smooth way whirling with all their speeds Stops suddainly if 't slip into a slough Or if it cross som Log or massie bough The Day-reducing Chariot of the Sun Which now began towards his West to run Stops instantly and giues the Hebrews space To rid the Pagans that they haue in chase Nature amaz'd for very anger shakes DescriptioÌ„ of Na ture who offended therat makes her complaint to GOD. And to th' Almighty her complaint she makes Seemly she marches with a measur'd pase Choler puts colour in her lovely face From either nipple of her bosom-Twins A liuely spring of pleasant milk their spins Vpon her shoulders Atlas-like she bears The frame of All down by her side shee wears A golden Key wher-with shee letteâ—h-forth And locketh-vp the Treasures of the Earth A sumptuous Mantle to her heels hangs down Wher-in the Heavens the Earth and Sea is showen The Sea in Silver woven the Earth in Green The Heav'ns in azure with gold threds between All-quickning Loue fresh Beauty smiling Youth And Fruitfulness each for her fauour su'th Grace still attends ready to do her honour Riches and Plenty alwayes wait vpon her Accoutred thus and thus accompani'd With thousand sighs thus to the Lord she cri'd Prosopopoeia Shall it be sayd a Man doth Heav'n command Wilt thou permit a braving Souldiers hand To wrong thine eldest Daughter ah shall I Haue the bare Name and He th' authority To Govern all and all controul O Lord With the bare winde of his ambitious word Shall I the World's Law then receiue the Law At others hands of others stand in aw If 't be thy pleasure or
askt in vain For what is it Elijah cannot do If he be hungry Fouls and Angels too Becom his Stewards Fears he th' armed Bands Of a fel Tyrant from their bloody hands To rescue him Heav'n his confederate Consumes with Fire them and their fierie hate Or would he pass a Brook that brooks no bay Nor Bridge nor Bank The Water giues him way Or irks him Earth To Heav'n alive he hies And sauing Henoch onely He not-dies This Man of God discoursing with his heir Elijah taken vp aliue into Heaven Of th' vpper Kingdom and of Gods Affair A sodain whirl-winde with a whiffing Fire And flaming Chariot rapts him vp intire Burns not but fines and doth in fashion strange By death-les Death mortall immortall change A long-tail'd squib a flaming ridge for rut Seems seen a while where the bright Coach hath cut This sacred Rape nigh rapt Elisha too Who taking vp his Tutors Mantle tho Follows as far as well he could with ey The fire-snort Palfreys through the sparkling Sky Crying My father father mine fare-well The Chariots and the Horse of Izrael The Thisbian Prophet hangs not in the Air Amid the Meteors to be tossed there As Mists and Rains and Hail and hoarie Plumes And other Fierie many-formed Fumes Amid the Air tumultuous Satan roules And not the Saints the happy heav'nly Soules Nor is he nailed to some shining Wheel Ixion-like continually to reel For CHRIST his flesh transfigur'd and divine Mounted aboue the Arches Crystalline And where CHRIST is from pain and passion free There after death shall all his Chosen bee Elijah therfore climbs th' Empyreal Pole Where ever-blest in body and in soule Contemns this World becoms an Angel bright And doth him firm to the TRINE-ONE vnite But how or why should He this vantage haue Yer CHRIST right call'd the first-fruits of the Grave O happy passage O sweet sacred Flight O blessed Rape thou raptest so my spright In this Dispute and mak'st my weaker wit So many wayes to cast-about for it That I confess the more I do contend I more admire and less I comprehend For lack of wings then biding heer belowe With his Successor I proceed to showe How soon as he took-vp his Cloak to bear-it Elizeus or Elisha Within Elisha shin'd Elijah's Spirit By powr whereof immediatly he cleaves An vn-couth way through Iordan's rapid waves Past hope he gives to the Sunamian Wife A Son and soon restores him dead to life With sodain blindness smightes the Syrian Troup The which in Dothan did him round in coup Increaseth bread and of a pound of Oyl Fills all the Vessels in a Town that while His hoary head in Bethel laught to scorn Is veng'd by Bears on forty children torn Naaman's cleans'd and for foul Simonie Gehazi's punisht with his Leprosie Mends bitter Broath he maketh Iron swim As porie Cork vpon the Water's brim Rich Iericho's sometimes sal-peetry soil Through brinie springs that did about it boil Brought forth no fruit and her vn-holsom Brooks Voyded the Town of Folk the Fields of Flocks The Towns-men therefore thus besought the Seer Thou seest our Citie 's situation heer Is passing pleasant but the ground is naught The Water worse we pray thee mend the fault Sweeten our Rivers make them pleasanter Our Hills more green our Plains more fertiler The Prophet calls but for a Cruse of Salt O strangest cure to cure the brynie fault Of all their Floods and casting that in one Foul stinking Spring heals all their streams anon Not for an houre or for a day or twain But to this Day they sweet and sound remain Their Valley walled with bald Hills before But even a horror to behold of-yore Is now an Eden and th' All-circling Sun For fruitfull beauty sees no Paragon There labour-les mounts the victorious Palm There and but there growes the all-healing Balm There ripes the rare cheer-cheek Myrobalan Minde-gladding Fruit that can vn-olde a Man O skilfull Husbands giue your fattest Plains Five or six earths spare neither cost nor pains To water them rid them of weeds and stones With Muck and Marle batten and baste their bones Vnles God bless your Labour and your Land You plough the Sea and sowe vpon the sand This Iurie knowes a Soil somtimes at least Sole Paradise of all the proudest East But now the brutest and most barren place The curse of God and all the Worlds disgrace And also Greece on whom Heav'ns yerst so good Rain nothing now but their drad Furie's Flood The grace of God is a most sure Revenue A Sea of Wealth that ever shall continew A never-failing Field which needs not ay The cool of Night nor comfort of the Day What shall I say This sacred Personage Not only profits to his proper Age But after life life in his bones hee leaves And dead the dead he raiseth from their graves Nor is Elisha famous more for Miracles Than for the Truth of his so often Oracles He showes the Palms and Foils of Israell Benhadad's death the Raign of Hazael Beyond all hope and passing all appearance Deiected Ioram's neer relief he warrants For now the Syrian with insulting Powrs The fiege and Famine of Samaria So streict besiegeth the Samarian Towrs That even al-ready in each nook agrising Fell wall-break all-break Famin ill-advising Howls hideously even the bare bones are seen As sharp as kniues thorough the emptie skin Of the best bred and each-man seems almost No Man indeed but a pale ghastly Ghost Som snatch the bread from their owne Babes that pine Som eat the Draff that was ordain'd for Swine Som doo defile them with forbidden flesh Som bite the grass their hunger to refresh Som gold for Birds-dung waight for waight exchange Som of their Boots make them a Banquet strange Som fry the Hay-dust and it savorie finde Som Almond-shels and Nut-shels gladly grinde Som mince their Fathers Wills in parchment writ And so devoure their Birth-right at a bit The King when wearie he would rest awhile Dreams of the Dainties he hath had yer-while Smacks swallows grindes both with his teeth and iaws But only winde his beguil'd bellie draws And then awaking of his owne spare Diet Robbs his owne brest to keep his Captains quiet He is importun'd heer and there about Aboue the rest a Woman skrieketh out In moornfull manner with disheueled haire Her face despight her fashion showes despaire O! stay my Liege heat hear a grieuous thing Mothers eat their owne Children Iustice great Ioram Iustice gentle King O no not Iustice did I Iustice craue Fondling in Iustice thou canst nothing haue But a iust death nay but a Torture fell Nay but a Torment like the pains of Hell Yet even this Plea is worse then death to me Then grant me Iustice Iustice let it be For O! what horror can restrain desire Of iust Revenge when it is once afire My Lord I bargain'd and to bind the Pact By solemn Oath I sealed the Contract
a storm at Sea All topsie-turned by th' Aeolian slaues Do mount and roule Heav'ns war against the Waters And angrie Thetis Earth's green bulwarks batters A sable ayrso muffles-vp the Sky That the sad Saylers can no light descry Or if som beam break through their pitchy night 'T is but drad flashing of the Lightning's light Strike strike our saile the Master cries amain Vail misne and sprit-sail but he cries in vain For in his face the blasts so bluster ay That his Sea-gibberish is straight born away Confused Cries of men dismay'd in minde Seas angry noise lowd bellowing of the winde Heav'ns Thunder-claps the tackles whisteling As strange Musicians dreadfull descant sing The Eastern winde driues on the roaring train Of white-blew billows and the clouds again With fresh Seas crosse the Sea and she doth send In counter-change a rain with salt y-blend Heav'ns headlong seem in Thetis lap to fall Seas scale the skies and God to arm this All Against one ship that skips from stars to ground From waue to waue like Balloons windie bound While the sad Pilot on a foamy Mount Thinks from the Pole to see Hells pit profound And then cast down vnto the sandie shole Seems from lowe Hell to see the lofty Pole And feeling foes within and eek without As many waues so many deaths doth doubt The Billows beating round about the ship Vncauk her keel and all her seams vnrip Whereby the waters entring vncontroul'd Ebbing abroad yet flowe apace in hold For euery Tun the plied Pump doth rid A floud breaks in the Master mastered With dread and danger threatning euery-way Doubts where to turn him what to doo or say Which waue to meet or which salt surge to flie So yeelds his charge in Sea to liue or die As many Cannons 'gainst a Castle bent Simile Make many holes and much the rampire rent And shake the wall but yet the latest shock Of fire-wingd bullets batters down the Rock So many mounts that muster 'gainst this Sail With roaring rage doo this poor ship assail But yet the last with foaming fury swoln With boistrous blasts of angry tempests boln Springs the main-mast the mast with boystrous fall Breaks down the deck and sore affrights them all Pale Idol-like one stands with arms a-cross One moans himself one mourns his childrens loss One more than Death this form of Death affrights Another calls on Heav'ns vn-viewed Lights One 'fore his eys his Ladies looks beholds Another thus his deadly fear vnfolds Curst thirst of gold O how thou causest care My bed of Doun I change for hatches bare Rather than rest this stormie war I chose T' enlarge my fields both land and life I lose Like piezless plume born-vp by Boreas breath With all these wings I soar to seek my death To Heav'n and Hell by angry Neptune led Where least I scape it all these sails I spread Then thus another Sure no winde quoth he Could raise this Storm som rarer Prodigy Hath caus'd this Chaos cause of all our grief Some Atheist dog som Altar-spoyling theef Lurks in this ship com Mates by lot let 's trie To saue the rest the man that ought to die 'T is I quoth Ionas I indeed am cause Of this black night and all the fearfull flaws Of this rough Winter I must sole appease By my iust death these wrath-full wrackfull Seas Then vp they heave him straight and from the waste Him suddainly into the Sea they cast The King of Windes calls home his churlish train And Amphitritè smooths her front again Th' Air 's cloudy Robe returns to crystal cleer And smiling Heav'ns bright Torches re-appeer So soon as Ionas to them all appease O're head and eares was soused in the Seas Thrice coms he vp and thrice again goes down Vnder the waves yer he do wholly drown But then he sinks and wretched roul'd along The sands and Oase and rocks and mud among Thus thus he cries with lips of zealous faith Mercy my God shew mercy Lord he saith Then God who ever heares his childrens wish Provided straight a great and mighty Fish That swilling swallow'd Ionas in her womb A living Corps laid in a living Toomb Like as a Roach or Ruff or Gudgeon born Simile By som swift stream into a weer forlorn â—risks to and fro aloft and vnder dyves Fed with false hope to free their captive lyves The Prophet so amazed walks about This wondrous Fish to finde an issue out This mighty Fish oâ— Whale-like huginess Or bigger-bellied though in body less Where am I Lord alas within what vaults In what new Hell doost thou correct my faults Strange punishment my body thou bereav'st Of mother earth which to the dead thou leav'st Whither thy wrath drives me I do not knowe I am depriv'd of air yet breathe and blowe My sight is good yet can I see no skie Wretch nor in Sea nor yet a-shore am I Resting I run for moving is my Cave And quick I couch within a living Grave While thus he plain'd the third day on the sand The friendly Fish did cast him safe a-land And then as if his weary limbs had been So long refresht and rested at an Inn He seems to flie and com'n to Niniue Your sins have reached vp to Heav'n quoth he Wo and alas wo wo vnto you all Yet forty dayes and Ninive shall fall Thus Ionas preacht But soon the Citizens Sincerely toucht with sense of their foul sins Dispatch in haste to Heaven Repentance sad Sweet-charming Prayer Fasting hairy-clad Repentance makes two Torrents of her eyes Her humble brow dares scant behold the skies Her sobbing brest is beaten blew and black Her tender flesh is rent with rugged sack Her head all hoar'd with harty sorrows past With dust and ashes is all over-cast Prayer's head and sides and feet are set about With gawdy wings like Ioves Arcadian Scout Her body flaming from her lips there fumes Nard Incense Mummy and all rich Perfumes Fasting though faint her face with ioie she cheers Strong in her weakness young in aged yeers Quick health's preserver curbing Cupid's fits Watchfull purge-humors and refining-wits Then Faith Grand Vsher of th' Empyreal Court Vshers these Legats by a golden Port Into the Presence and them face to face Before th' All-Monarch's glorious Throne doth place Where zealous prostrate on her humble knee Thus Prayer speaks in name of all the Three God slowe to wrath O Father prone to grace Lord sheath again thy vengeance sword a space If at thy beam of Iustice thou wilt waigh The works of men that wander every day If thou their metall by that touch-stone try Which fearfull-sounding from thy mouth doth flie If thou shalt summ their Sins which pass the sand Before thee Lord who shall indure to stand Not Ninive alone shall perish then But all this All be burnt to ashes clean And even this day shall thy iust wrath prevent The dreadfull Day of thy last Dooms event This world to
their learning fits To sing of nought but lyes and loues and wanton Theames False sooth-sin flatteries and idle Fairie dreames Then turning towards those that fill'd with holier flame For onely obiect choose th' Eternalls sacred name These chiefly I admire whose honourable browes Disdain the fained crowne of fading Laurel boughes Then full-gorg'd with the sweets of such a dainty feast Prickt forward with desire to imitate the best Oft-times I exercise this Art-les Muse of mine To sing in holy Verse some argument diuine One while to praise my God for all receiued good Another while to beg that in his deere Sons blood My black sinnes he will wash and that he will not waigh At his high Iustice beame how I haue gone a-stray Sometimes these wretched times to pittie and deplore Wherein the wicked ones do flourish more and more Sometime to waile the State of sad distressed Sion Imploring to her aide the Tribe of Iudah's Lion If any other Theame at any time I take Yet neuer doth my Verse the setled bounds forsake That Veritie prescribes nor now no more disguise The vgly face of sinne with maske of painted lies And though that heeretofore I also in my time Haue writ Loues vanities in loose and wanton râ—me 'T was as a whet-stone that whereon I whet my stile Yer it were ably-apt ought grauer to compile Yet I repent thereof for we must neuer tend To bring by euill meanes a good intent to end When as my wearie spirits some relaxation aske To recreate the same I take some other taske One while vpon the Lute my nimbleioints I plie Then on the Virginalls to whose sweet harmonie Marrying my simple voice in solemne Tunes I sing Some Psalme or holy Song vnto the heauenly King So that the idlest houre of all the time that flies So fast is neuer free from some good exercise Where in I ioy as much as euer I haue done In the most choise delights found vnderneath the Sun But you can neuer walke nor goe to take the aire Nor once looke out of doore be weather ne're so faire But there in solitude you lead your life alone Bard from the fellowship of almost euery one Which doubtles at the last must grieue you needs I thinke A man that neuer thirsts hath neuer need of drinke So though I be bereft these other things you speake of I misse nor minde them not as things I neuer reake of For I haue school'd my heart since my captiuitie To wish for nothing els but what is graunted me And what is graunted me contents me passing well In each condition doth some contentment dwell But men of differing states haue difference in delights What pleaseth common eyes that irketh Princes sights What rashlings do delight that sober men despise What fooles take pleasure in doth but offend the wise What prosperous people loath afflicted folke will loue And what the free abhorr that prisoners will approue But all haue equally indifferent power to make Them equally content that can them rightly take For whoso presently himselfe can rightly beare Hath neither passed ill nor future ill to feare Th' one which is now no more ought now no more affray-vs Th' other which is not yet as little can dismay-vs For what no essence hath that also hath no might And that which hath no power can do a man no spight Besides sith that our life is but a pilgrimage Through which we dayly passe to th' heauenly heritage Although it seeme to thee that these my bands do let me Yet haste I to the goale the which my God hath set me As fast as thou that runst thy selfe so out of breath In poasting night and day by dales and hills and heath If thou haue open fields and I be prisoner T'mporteth me no more then to the mariner Whether he go to sea shipt in some spacious arke Or els at lesser scope aboord some lesser barke Nay heer the least is best sith this vast Ocean wide Whereon we daily saile a thousand rocks doth hide Gainst which the greater ships are cast-away full oft While small boats for the most float ouer safe aloft Then may I well conclude with reason and assurance That there 's no better state then to be kept in durance A sweeter kind of life I neuer prou'd then there Nor was I euer toucht with lesser griefe and câ—re If that I care at all it is for others cause And for the miseries this times corruption drawes But being well aâ—â—ur'd that nothing heere â—â—â—â—deth Against Gods ordinance and will that all things guideth And knowing him to be good iust and most of might I gladly yeeld myselfe to th' order he hath â—ight For he it is that now makes me accept soâ—â—ll And like of this estate which others hate as hell He'tis that heeretofore vouchsaf't me like reliefe When as I was opprest with a more grieuous griefe He'tis from whom I hope in time to-come no lesse Although a hundred fold were doubled my distresse Yea he it is that makes me profit euery day And also so content in this estate to stay That of my liberty I am not now so faine To think by liberty a happier life to gaine For I were well content no more from hence to go If I might profit most my friends and countrie so Now here I humbly pray expecting such an end The Lord still towards me his fauour to extend And that he will vouchsâ—â—e still to allot like grace To all that for like cause are handled in like case FINIS OF THE WORKE AVTHOR AND TRANSLATOR LOheer a MONVMENT admir'd of all That weigh the compass weight and height of It O'retopping Eâ—uie's clowds and ever shall Sith built by deepest Art and highest Wit The BASâ— that bears it is the WORD that stands True GROVND of highest glory truth and grace The BVILDING rear'd by two rare Heads and Hands Diuinely holp to glorifie that BASE Heer French and English ioyn in friendly fight On even Ground to proue their vtmost pow'r Who shew such equall Skill and equall Might That hard it is to say who 's Conquerour But English bound to foot it like the French And offer nought but what shall like her foe It is as glorious seld to take a Wrench As being free to giue an Overthrowe If French to English were so strictly bound It would but passing lamely striue with it And soon be forc'â— to lose both grace and ground Although they straue with equall Skill and Wit Besides all Prose is easier to translate Than Uerse and easier lowe than lofty Lines Then these LINES reaching to the top of STATE Are hard'st of all yet none of all declines O fair Translation then with smoothed face Go forth t' allure TIMES Turns to turn Thee o're So shall they in thy folds vnfold thy grace And grace thee with Fames glorie more and more If * Oâ—id Metamor HE that churn'd the cream of Poetry To honied Butter that the Muses
small in sinners sight But in the end the weight doth so encrease That Iustice leaues the sinner no release Like th' Vsurer who lends vpon the skore And makes the reckles debters debt the more What if the thundring Lord his iustice stay And for such sinne do not this tyrant slay The waters of the ground and in the aere Are in the hand of God then who is there That dare sediciously his yoke refuse Although he haue not water now to vse No no though heaven do seem serene and clear On euery part and wete doth not appear He may with moisture mildly wete the land As fell when Saul the Scepter had in hand Sam. 1. 12. For all the starres that do the heaven fulfill Are all but executors of his will All this could not the peoples thirst asswage But thus with murmurs they their Lords out-rage What shall we dye O sacred soldiers bolde For pleasure of our Lords these traytours olde What shall we dye on credit for to please These wyzard fooles who winks at our vnease Who with our blood would win them selfs renown So louable as neuer shal go down Nay nay let vs cut off this seruile chain To free our selfs let vs in hands retain The ruling of this towne the forte and all Least we into these deadly dangers fall Then like a wise Physician who persaue His patient that in feruent feuer raues Yet hights him more then Art can well performe So Prince Osias in this rurall storme He promist to the people their intent If God within fiue dayes no succonr sent Then Izak left their sorrowes all and some And present wo and fear of chance to com For that if they through this gat not their will At least they would auoyd the greatest ill But Iudith then whose eyes like fountains two Were neuer dry which witnest well her wo Right sad in sound th' Almighty she besought And on the sacred scriptures fed her thought Her prayers much auaylde to raise her spreet Aboue the skye and so the scriptures sweet A holy garden was where she might finde The medcyne meet for her molested minde Then Iudith reading there as was her grace She not by hazard hapned on that place Iudicum Where the lame handed Ahud for disdain To see the Iewes the Heathen yock sustain Sm ote Eglon with a dagger to the heft And from his flank the blood and life bereft The more she read the more she wonder had Of Ahuds act and hote desire her lad T' ensue his vertue yet her feeble kinde Empeached oft the purpose of her minde Proposing oft the horrour of the deed The fear of death the danger to succeed With haszard of her name and more then that Though she like wise the peoples freedom gat Yet for a man this act more seemly wear Than for a wife to handle sword or spear While Iudith thus with Iudith did debate A puffe of wind blew down that leaf by fate Discov'ring vp the story of Iaell how She droue a naile into Sisaras brow And â—lew that Pagan sleeping on her bed Who from the Hebrews furious hoast was fled In teaching vs albeit a tyrant flee Yet can he not auoy de the Lords decree This last example now such courage lent To feeble Iudith that she now was bent With wreakfull blade to slea and to diuorce The Heathen soule from such a sinfull corse But while she did her carefull minde imploy To finde som means to murder this Vizroy She heard report that made her hart to swoune Of the determination of the toune Then all the present perils to preuent Vnto the Rulers of the towne she went Reprouing them with words of bitter sweet What do ye mean O princes indiscreet Will ye the helping hand of God restrain And captiue it within your counsels vain Will ye include him vnder course of times Who made dayes years all seasons and their primes Do not abuse your selfs his power profound Is not to mens Imaginations bound God may all that he wills his will is iust God wils all good to them that in him trust Now fathers that which doth my hopereuiue Is onely this Ther is no wight on liue Within this towne that hath contracted hands To serue dumme Gods like folk of forrain Lands All sinnes are sinne but sure this sinne exceeds Our former faults by which our blinde misdeeds Offends the heaven by which the Lord of might Is frauded of his honours due and right In wresting of the title of his name To stocks and stones and metalls men do frame Since Izak then from such a fault is free Let vs to Gods protection cast our ee Consider that all Iuda rests in fear Aspecting onely our proceedings hear Consider that all Iacob in this tresse Will follow either our force or feeblenesse Consider that this house and altar stands Next vnder God vpholden with your hands Thinke that of Izrell whole ye keep the kaye Which if ye quite and giue this tyrant way Who more then death hates all of Izaks kinne Yee shall the name of kin-betrayers winne Then sayd the Captain I cannot deny That we offended haue the Lord most hye Vnwise are we our promises are vain But what we may not call our word again But if thou feele thy hart so sore opprest That moueth thee to tears for our vnrest Alas weep night and day and neuer tyre So that thy weepings may appease the yre Of that hie Iudge who hears in euery part The perfit prayer of the humble hart I will quoth she and if God giue me grace Repell the siege of this afflicted place By famous stroke But stay me in no wise But byde the ende of my bold enterprise And let me goe when night his mantle spreeds To th' enmies Camp Quoth he if thou wilt needs The great repressour of oppressors pride Preserue thy hart and hand and be thy guide FINIS THE SVMMARIE OF The IIII. BOOKE ACcording to the promis that Iudith made to the besieged Captaines in Bethulia she prepareth herselfe with armour meet for the execution of her enterprise to wit The inuocation of the name of God with a holy determination to deliuer her countrey from the hand of the Tyrant whom she deliberates to ouercome with the sweet and faire apparence of her amiable beutie and behauiour At her departing to the enemies camp our Poet introduceth one of the chief Captains of the town discriuing to another her stock and vp bringing with the progresse of her three estates Virginitie Mariage and Widowhood Thereby setting forth a singular example of all womanly behauiour vertue After her entrance to the Camp she is brought to Holophernes who was curious to knowe the cause of her comming there And after audience giuen he is so surprised with her beutie and eloquent language that she obtaineth licence to withdrawe herself by night to the next valley there to pray to God And continuing this exercise she requireth strength of the
Incessantly beset with battell great One while her feare refeld her first entent One while her action iust her courage lent Then sayd she Iudith now is time go to it And saue thy people Nay I will not do it I will I will not Go fear not again Wilt thou the sacred gestning then prophane Not it prophane but holier it shall stand When holy folke are helped by my hand But shamefull liues the tray tour euermore No trayt or she who doth her towne restore But murdrers all are of the heav'n forsaken All murder-is not for murder alwayes taken Alas are they not murdrers sleyes their Prince This tyrant is no prince of my prouince But what if God will haue vs vnder his-awe Hee 's not of God that fights against his lawe For then should Ahud Iahell and Iehew Be homiâ—ids because they tyrants slew But what they were commanded of the Lord To such an act my hart should soone accord Alas my hart is weak for such a deed Th' are strong ynough whom God doth strength at need But when 't is done who shall my warrant be God brought me here God will deliuer me What if the Lord leaue thee in Heathen hands Were this Duke dead I fear no death nor bands But what if they pollute thee like a slaue My body with my hart they shall not haue Thus she resolued in her minde at last Her hands and eyes vnto the heauen she cast And with an humble voyce to God she prayd O gratious God that alwayes art the ayd To thy beloued Izak I thee pray To strength my hand euen my right hand this day That I may make this bloody tyrant dye That to discepter thee would skale the skye But since thy goodnesse hath preserued me And brought my bote so near the shoare to be Grant that some sleepy drinke I may prouide To dull this tyrants hart and daunt his pride To th' end that I may free thy congregation Vnto thy honour and our consolation This prayer done she looked round about And heard this dronken prince in sleeping rout Then stept she to his sword that by him stood Which oft had bath'd the world with humain blood But as she preast this tyrant for to quell Fear reft the sword from her and downe she fell And lost at once the strength of hart and corse O God quoth she now by thy mighty force Restore my strength This said with pale annoy She rudly rose and stroke this sleeping Roy So fell that from his shoulders flew his powle And from his body fled his Ethnique â—owle Hie way to hell His bulk all blood bestaind Lay still his head in Iudiths hand remaind The which her maid put vp into a sack Thus throw the camp they close away do pack Empeacht of none For those that had her seen Supposde she went as she had wonted been The nights before vnto the valley whear They thought she went to serue Diana clear When Iudith chaste came near the Hebrew wall Let in quoth she for our great God of all Hath broke this night the whole Assyrian power And raysd the horne of Izak at this hower Then men amazde of her vnhoped state About her ran assembling at the gate Where holy Iudith on a hill was mounted And all her chaunce from point to point recounted And there discov'ring drew out of the sack The bloody head of th' enmy of Izak The Citizens that saw how she did stand With th' end of Assurs head in her right hand They praysed God who by her hand had slain And punished that traytour in humain ' But most of all Duke Ammon did admire ' The worke of God Then he t' escape they re ' Of Iacobs God who aydes the weakest part ' He shortly circumcis'd his flesh and hart ' O God that rightly by foresight diuine ' Repels the purpose of all mens engine ' Who for to lead th' elect to destnyed health ' Even when it seemes them fardest from their wealth ' Of ill thou drawes the good and som in ill ' Thou lets them runne thy Iustice to fulfill ' O Lord the vile desire of blood and sak ' Made Holopherne to warre vpon Izak ' But where that he would Izaks blood haue shed ' He lost his owne for Izak on his bed ' Thus thy good grace hath made his vain inuention 'To take effect contrary his intention ' So Paul became a Saint who was a Pharisee ' And of a tyrant teacher of thy veritee ' So was the theefe that hong with our Messias ' For all his sinne preserued with Elias ' His vitious corps could haue no life here downe ' His soule by grace yet got a heav'nly crowne ' Change then O God the harts of christian princes ' Who sheds the faithfuls blood in their prouinces ' Let thou that sword that thou giues them to guide ' Vpon thy enmies onely be applyde ' Vpon those tyrants whose vnrighteous horne ' Deteins the Land where thy dear sonne was borne ' Not on the backs of those who with humilitie ' Adores the Triple one great God invnitie Then at commandement of this widow chaste A soldier tooke the tyrants head in haste And for to giue the Hebrews hart withall He fixed it vpon the foremost wall Their fathers came and sonnes and wiues and mayds Who erst had lost amongst the Heathen blayds Their sonnes their parents maks and louers dear With heauie harts and furious raging chear They pild and paird his beard of paled hew Spet in his face and out his tongue they drew Which vsde to speak of God great blasphemies And with their fingers poched out his eyes The rife remembrance of so late an ill Made vulgar folke such vengeance to fulfill This while Aurora ceased to embrace Her ancient loue and rose with ruddy face Vpon the Indian heaven the warriours strong That kept the towne now sorted forth in throng Enarmed all with such a hydeous sound As seemde the elements foure for to confound And break the bands that keeps them in their border Retyring them vnto their olde disorder The Pagan watches next the Cities side Awaked with this din start vp and cryde Alarme Alarme like fearfull men agast Then through the Camp the hote Alarum past Som takes his neighbours armour first he findes Confusion And wrong on armes the braceâ—â— both he bindes Som takes a staf for hast and leaues his launce Som madling runnes som trembles in a traunce Som on his horse ill sadled ginnes to ride And wants his spurres som boldly do abide Som neither wakes nor sleeps but mazing stands Som braue in words are beastly of their hands This brute from hand to hand from man to man Vnto the Pagans Court at last it ran Then Bagos Eunuch sadly forth he went T' awake the sleeping Ethnique in his tent And knockt once twise or thrise with trembling hand But such eternall sleep his temples band That he had past already miserable Of Styx so black the
meet Round large and long there of itselfe it thriues And Little-World into the World arriues But that becomes by Natures set direction From foul and dead to beauty life perfection But this dull Heap of vndigested stuf Had doubtlesse neuer come to shape or proof Had not th' Almighty with his quick'ning breath Of the secret power of God in quickning the matter whereof the World was made Blow'n life and spirit into this Lump of death The dreadfull Darknes of the Memphytists The sad black horror of Cimmerian Mists The sable fumes of Hell's infernall vault Or if ought darker in the World be thought Muffled the face of that profound Abyss Full of Disorder and fell Mutinies So that in fine this furious debate Euen in the birth this Ball had ruinate Saue that the Lord into the Pile did pour Some secret Mastik of his sacred Power To glew together and to gouern fair The Heav'n and Earth the Ocean and the Aire Who ioyntly iustling in their rude Disorder The new-born Nature went about to murder As a good Wit that on th' immortall Shrine The Spirit of God by an inconceiueable meane maintained and as it were brooding warmed the shape-lesse Masse Genes 1. Of Memory ingraues a Work Diuine Abroad a-bed at boord for euer vses To minde his Theam and on his Book still muses So did Gods Spirit delight itself a space To moue itself vpon the floating Masse No other care th' Almightie's minde possest If care can enter in his sacred brest Or as a Hen that fain would hatch a Brood Som of her own som of adoptiue blood Sits close thereon and with her liuely heat Of yellow-white balls doth lyue birds beget Euen in such sort seemed the Spirit Eternall To brood vpon this Gulf with care paternall Quickning the Parts inspiring power in each From so foul Lees so fair a World to fetch For 't's nought but All in 't self including All An vn-beginning midless endles Ball 'T is nothing but a World whose superfice Leaues nothing out but what meer nothingis Now though the great Duke that in dreadfullaw Vpon Mount Horeb learn'd th' eternall Law That there is but one World confuting the Error of Leucyppus his Disciples by two reasons Had not assur'd vs that Gods sacred Power In six Dayes built this Vniuersall Bower Reason itself doth ouer-throw the grounds Of those new Worlds that fond Leucyppus founds Sith if kind Nature many Worlds could * embrace clip Still th' vpper Worlds water and earth would slip Into the lower and so in conclusion All would return into the Old Confusion Besides we must imagin empty distance Between these Worlds wherein without resistance Their wheels may whirl not hindred in their courses By th' inter-iustling of each others forces But all things are so fast together fixt With so firm bonds that there 's no void betwixt Thence coms it that a Cask pearç't to be spent Though full yet runs not till we giue it vent Thence is' t that Bellowes while the sâ—out is stopt So hardly heaue and hardly can be op't Thence is' t that water doth not freez in Winter Stopt close in vessels where no ayre may enter Thence is' t that Garden-pots the mouth kept close Let fall no liquor at their siue-like nose And thence it is that the pure siluer source In leaden pipes running a captiue course Contrary to it's Nature spouteth high To all so odious is Vacuity God then not onely framed Nature one But also set it limitation Of Form and Time exempting euer solely From quantity his own self's Essence holy Confutation of another Error of such as make Nature and the Heauens infinita How can we call the Heav'ns vnmeasured Sith measur'd Time their Course hath measured How can we count this Vniuerse immortall Sith many-wayes the parts proue howerly mortall Sith his Commencement proues his Consummation And all things ay decline to Alteration Let bold Greek Sages fain the Firmament To be compos'd of a fift Element Let them deny in their profane profoundnes End and beginning to th' Heav'ns rowling roundnes And let them argue that Deaths lawes alone Reach but the Bodies vnder Cynthias Throne The sandy grounds of their Sophistick brawling Are all too-weak to keep the World from falling One Day the Rocks from top to toe shall quiuer A liuely description of the ende of the World The Mountains melt and all in sunder shiuer The Heav'ns shall rent for fear the lowely Fields Puft vp shall swell to huge and mighty Hills Riuers shall dry or if in any Flood Rest any liquor it shall all be blood The Sea shall all be fire and on the shoar The thirsty Whales with horrid noyse shall roar The Sun shall seize the black Coach of the Moon And make it midnight when it should be noon With rusty Mask the Heav'ns shall hide their face The Stars shall fall and All away shall pass Disorder Dread Horror and Death shall com Noise storms and darknes shall vsurp the room And then the Chief-Chief-Iustice venging Wrath Which heer already often threatned hath Shall make a Bon-fire of this mighty Ball As once he made it a vast Ocean all Alas how faith-les and how modest-les Against iudicial Astrologers that presume to point the verie time thereof Are you that in your Ephomerides Mark th' yeer the month and day which euermore Gainst yeers months daies shal dam-vp Saturnes dore At thought whereof euen now my heart doth ake My flesh doth faint my very soule doth shake You haue mis-cast in your Arithmetike Mis-laid your Counters groapingly yee seek In nights blacke darknes for the secret things Seal'd in the Casket of the King of Kings 'T is hee that keeps th' eternall Clock of Time And holds the waights of that appointed Chime Hee in his hand the sacred book doth bear Of that close-clasped finall Calender Where in Red letters not with vs frequented The certaine Date of that Great Day is printed That dreadfull Day which doth so swiftly post That 't wil be seen before fore-seen of most Then then good Lord shall thy dear Son descend Though yet he seem in feeble flesh ypend In complete Glory from the glistering Sky Millions of Angels shall about him fly Mercy and Iustice marching cheek by ioule Shall his Diuine Triumphant Chariot roule Whose wheeles shall shine with Lightning round about And beames of Glory each-where blazing out Those that were laden with proud marble Toombs Those that were swallow'd in wilde Monsters woombs Those that the Sea hath swill'd those that the flashes Of ruddy Flames haue burned all to ashes Awaked all shall rise and all reuest The flesh and bones that they at first possest All shall appear and hear before the Throne Of God the Iudge without exception The finall Sentence sounding ioy and terror Of euer-lasting Happiness or Horror Som shall his Iustice som his Mercy taste Som call'd to ioy som into torment cast When from
the Goats he shall his Sheep disseuer These Blest in Heav'n those Curst in Hell for euer O thou that once scornd as the vilest drudge Didst fear the doom of an Italian Iudge Daign deerest Lord when the last Trump shall summon To this Grand Sessions all the World in common Daign in That Day to vndertake my matter And as my Iudge so be my Mediator Th' eternall Spring of Power and Prouidence Hauing spoken of the creation of the Matter he sheweth how what Forme God gaue vnto it creating in six Dayes his admirable workes In Forming of this All-circumference Did not vnlike the Bear which bringeth forth In th' end of thirty dayes a shapeless birth But after licking it in shape she drawes And by degrees she fashions out the pawes The head and neck and finally doth bring To a perfect beast that first deformed thing For when his Word in the vast Voyd had brought A confus'd heap of Wet-dry-cold-and-hot In time the high World from the lowe he parted And by itself hot vnto hot he sorted Hard vnto hard cold vnto cold he sent Moist vnto moist as was expedient And so in Six Dayes form'd ingeniously All things contain'd in th' VNIVERSITIE Not but he could haue in a moment made Wherefore God imployed six Dayes in creating the World This flowry Mansion where mankind doth trade Spred Heav'ns blew Curtains those Lamps haue burnisht Earth aire sea with beasts birds fish haue furnisht But working with such Art so many dayes A sumptuous Palace for Mankinde to raise Yer Man was made yet he declares to vs How kinde how carefull and how gracious He would be to vs being made to whom By thousand promises of things to-come Vnder the Broad-Seal of his deer Sons blood He hath assur'd all Riches Grace and Good By his Example he doth also shewe-vs How men should imitate God in his workes We should not heedles-hastily bestowe-vs In any Work but patiently proceed With oft re-vises Making sober speed In dearest business and obserue by proof That What is well don is don soon enough O Father of the Light of Wisedom Fountain The 1. â—reature extracted from the Chaos was Light Out of the Bulk of that confused Mountain What should what could issue before the Light Without which Beauty were no beauty hight In vain Timanthes had his Cyclope drawn In vain Parrhasius counterfeited Lawn In vain Apelles Uenus had begun Zeuxis Penelope if that the Sun To make them seen had neuer showen his splendor In vain in vain had been those Works of Wonder Th' Ephesian Temple the high Pharian-Tower And Carian Toomb Tropheis of Wealth and Power In vain they had been builded euery one By Scopas Sostrates and Câ—esiphon Had All been wrapt-vp from all humane sight In th' obscure Mantle of eternall Night What one thing more doth the good Architect In Princely Works more specially respect Then lightsomness to th' end the Worlds bright Eye Careeâ—ing dayly once about the Sky May shine therein and that in euery part It may seem pompous both for Cost and Art Whether Gods Spirit mouing vpon the Ball Of bubbling Waters which yet couered All Sundry opinions concerning the matter and creation of Light Thence forç't the Fire as when amid the Sky Auster and Boreas iusting furiously Vnder hot Cancer make two Clouds to clash Whence th' aire at mid-night flames with lightning flash Whether when God the mingled Lump dispackt From Fiery Element did Light extract Whether about the vast confused Crowd For twice-six howrs he spread a shining Cloud Which after he re-darkned that in time The Night as long might wrap-vp either Clime Whether that God made then those goodly beams Which gild the World but not as now it seems Or whether else som other Lamp he kindled Vpon the Heap yet all with Waters blindled Which flying round about gaue light in order To th' vn-plaç't Climates of that deep disorder As now the Sun circling about the Ball As Light 's bright Chariot doth enlighten All. No sooner said he Be there Light but lo Gen. 1. 3. The form-less Lump to perfect Form gan growe And all illustred with Lights radiant shine Of the excellent vse and commoditie of Light Doft mourning weeds and deckt it passing fine All-hail pure Lamp bright sacred and excelling Sorrow and Care Darknes and Dread repelling Thou World's great Taper Wicked mens iust Terror Mother of Truth true Beauties onely Mirror God's eldest Daughter O! how thou art full Of grace and goodnes O! how beautifull Sith thy great Parent 's all-discerning Eye Doth iudge thee so and sith his Maiesty Thy glorious Maker in his sacred layes Can doo no less then sing thy modest prayse But yet because all Pleasures wax vnpleasant Why God ordained the Night and Day alternately to succeed each other If without pawse we still possesse them present And none can right discern the sweets of Peace That haue not felt Warrs irkesom bitterness And Swans seem whiter if swart Crowes be by For contraries each other best descry Th' All 's Architect alternately decreed That Night the Day the Day should Night succeed The Night to temper Dayes exceeding drought The commodities that the Night bringeth vs. Moistens our Aire and makes our Earth to sprout The Night is she that all our trauails eases Buries our cares and all our griefs appeases The Night is she that with her sable wing In gloomy Darknes hushing euery thing Through all the World dumb silence doth distill And wearied bones with quiet sleep doth fill Sweet Night without Thee without Thee alas Our life were loathsom euen a Hell to pass For outward pains and inward passions still With thousand Deaths would soule and body thrill O Night thou pullest the proud Mask away Where-with vain Actors in this Worlds great Play By day disguise-them For no difference Night makes between the Peasant and the Prince The poor and rich the Prisoner and the Iudge The foul and fair the Maister and the Drudge The fool and wise Barbarian and the Greek For Night's black Mantle couers all alike He that condemn'd for som notorious vice Seeks in the Mines the baits of Auarice Or swelting at the Furnace fineth bright Our soules diresulphur resteth yet at Night He that still stooping toghes against the tide His laden Barge alongst a Riuers side And filling shoars with shouts doth melt him quite Vpon his pallet resteth yet at Night He that in Sommer in extreamest heat Scorched all day in his own scalding sweat Shaues with keen Sythe the glory and delight Of motly Medowes resteth yet at Night And in the arms of his deer Pheer for goes All former troubles and all former woes Onely the learned Sisters sacred Minions While silent Night vnder her sable pinions Foldes all the World with pain-less pain they tread A sacred path that to the Heav'ns doth lead And higher then the Heav'ns their Readers raise Vpon the wings of their
translatour This godly Pooeme to a Christian King To him who God in goodnesse hath erect For princely Piller to his owne elect For lawfull Lord to raign with trueth and right For louesom Laurer to the vertuous wight Him I beseech this trauell to defend That to his pleasure I the same may end VVHen Izrell was in quiet rest and peace And fruitfully the ground gaue her encreise Which seauenty yeer vntilled lay beforne And nothing bare but thistle weed and thorne It pleased God vpon his iust correction T' awake his owne that were of his election Least that the longsom peace should them withholde And dull their spirits as doth the warriour bolde Who spoyls his horse with pampring in the stable That makes him for the manaige more vnable He spred their land with bands of enemies stout Whose cloudes of shot bedimd their land about Their Hoaste with arrowes pikes and standards stood The Army of Holopherne As bristle-pointed as a thorniâ— wood Their multitude of men the riuers dri'd Which throw the wealthy Iuda sweet did slide So that flood Iordane finding dry his banke For shame he blusht and down his head he shrankâ— For woe that he his credit could not keep To send one waue for tribute to the deep Scarse had the Haruest-man with hook in hand Dispoylde the fruit and let the stubble stand Scarse had the hungry Gleaner put in bindc The scattered grain the Shearer left behinde And scarse the flapping flaile began to thresh When vnto Iacob newes was brought afresh That Holophern his frontiers did inuade And past all Rivers straits and murders made So vile that none he left that drew the breath But olde and young he put to sodain death The sucking babes vpon their mothers knee His cruell cut-throates made them all to dee Then like a flock of sheep that doth beholde A wolfe come from the wood vpon their fold Shapes no defence but runnes athwart the lands And shortly makes of one a hundreth bands So Isaaks sonnes indreading for to feel This tyrant who pursued them at the heel The Hebrews Dissundring fled and sought their liues to saue In hils and dales and euery desert caue The sheep heard of his flocke had now no care Fear of the enemy But fearing death fled to som mountain bare The Crafts man now his lumes away hath layde The Marchant lest his traffike and his trade To hide himself more safely in a vault Then in a Rampier to sustain th' assault The Lords esteemde them selfes in surer holde In Dennes of beasts then castles gilt with golde Fear lent the wings for aged folke to flie And made them mount to places that were hie Fear made the wofull women for to bear Their cradles sweet to hilles that highest were Fear made the wofull childe to waile and weep For want of speed on foot and hand to creep All where was nothing heard but hideous cries And pitious plaints that did the harts agrise O Lord sayd they wilt thou still day by day The arrowes of thine anger neuer stay Affliction causeth prayer Wilt thou that Calde conquere vs again Shall Iuda yet the Heathen yoke sustain Wilt thou again that they make every towne But stony heaps of houses casten down Again shall sacrilegious fire deuoure Thy holy house where we do thee adore Then Ioachim the priest of God most hie Who ouer Iuda then had chief degrie Stood like a Pylot stout in tempest great Who seeing winde and weather for to threat Yet to his mates his fear no terrour drawes Nor leaues his ship vnto the wrackfull wawes But with disguising fear his face vp casts And stoutly doth gain-stand the balefull blasts Right so this prudent prelate sent in haste Two hundreth men to passe where men were plac't In places strong and thence commanded them For to repair vnto Ierusalem Now since th' Erernall did reueale his will Vpon the sacred top of Syna Hill The Arke of God which wisedom more did holde In Tables two then all the Greeks haue tolde And more then euer Rome could comprehend In huge of learned books that they pend Sam. 1. 4. Long wandred it throw trybes throw kin and kin Sam. 2. 6. And found no certain place of resting in Yea somtime it the shamefull spoyl hath been To sacrilegious hands of Palestine Vntill that time that Iessies holy race For euer lodged it in Iebus place But for that Dauids hands with blood were fiâ—d Ierusalem Throu infinits of humains he had kild The king of peace would haue a king of rest To build his Temple farre aboue the best Sam. 2. 7. His house whose front vpreard so high and eaven That lightlied earth and seem'd to threat the heaven Vntill that wicked time a tyrant vile Of name and deed that bare the semble stile Nabuchadnezar That did this king that building braue he wrackt And to the sacred ground all whole it sackt Yet when long after Abrahms holy race Of Tyger banks had left the captiue place Esd. 6. With combers great they redified with pain That most renowmed house of God again Which though vnto the first it seemd as small As to a Princes house a shepheards hall And though the hugenes were not as it was Yet sure the height and beauty did surpas And overseilde the famous work of Pharie Ephesus Temple and the tombe of Carie The Rhodian Collos and the Caldean wall That Semirame set vp with tourrets tall Also the wondrous work of this same Temple Might serue a Câ—esiphon for his exemple Lysippus eke to carue by square and line Or guide Apelles pensile most divine Heer in this place all Izrel most deuoute Withdrew themselues to Salem round about As when the Heav'n his sluces opens wide And makes the floods vpon the ground to glide The brooks that breaks adoun from diuers hils With course impetuous till one deep distils Amongst the Dames that there deuoutest were The holy Iudith fairest did appear Like Phoebus that aboue the starre doth shine It seem'd that she was made on moulde diuine This primate then assisted with the kinne Of great Eleazar priests whose head and chinne Was neuer shav'n deuoutly on he preast A pearled Myter on his balmed creast And with a holy Alb with garnettes spred And golden Belles his sacred bodie cled And slew and burnt the bulks as was the guise Of many a kid and kalfe for sacrifise And with their blood the Altars hornes he dyed And praying thus to God immortall cryed O Lord of Hoastes we com not vnto thee Prayer To wey our merits with thy maiestie Nor to protest before thy heauenly might That sacklesly thy scourge doth on vs light But rather we confesse as true it is Our sinnes haue iustly merite more then this But Lord if thou thy couenant would forget Which thou with Abrahm made and so wilt set For mercy great thy iustice most seuear Thou should a greater plague vpon vs rear Change then our proces from thy iustice seat And