DIVINE POEMES Reuised and Corrected with Additions By the Author Fra Quarles Printed for Iohn Marriott in St Dunstons Church yard 〈…〉 DIVINE POEMS Containing The History of IONAH ESTER IOB SAMPSON SIONS SONETS ELEGIES Written and newly augmented BY FRA QVARLES LONDON Printed by M. F. for I. MARRIOT and are to be sold at his Shop in St. Dunstans Church-yard in Fleet-streete TO THE SACRED MAIESTIE of King CHARLES SIR WHen your Landed Subject dyes and leaves none of his Blood to inherite the Lawes of this your Kingdome finds the King heyre In this Volume are contained severall Poems lately dedicated to divers of your Nobility whom they have out-lived So that the Muses who seldome or never give honour for lifes have found them all for the King which have here gathered together and prostrated before the feet of your Sacred Majesty Indeed one of them I formerly dedicated and presented to your selfe So that now they are become doubly yours both by Escheate and as Survivour And if you please to owne me as your servant your Majestie hath another Title good by which I most desire they should bee knowne yours I will not sin against the common good so much as to expect your Majesties serious eye upon them If when your Crowne shall be most favourable to your Princely browes you please to afford a gracious hearing they will with the helpe of some benevolous Reader and your Royall acceptance I hope relish in your sacred eares and receive honour from your accustomed goodnes farre above their merits or the expectation of Your true-hearted and loyall Liegeman FRA QVARLES To the READER I List not to tyre thy patient eares with unnecessary Language the abuse of Complementâ— My mouth 's no Dictionary it only serves as the needfull Interpreter of my Heart I have here sent thee the first fruits of an abortive Birth It is a daintie Subject not Fabulous but Truth it selfe Wonder not at the Title A FEAST FOR VVORMES for it is a Song of Mercy What greater FEAST than Mercy And what are Men but WORMES Moreover I have gleaned some few Meditatations obvious to the History Let mee advise thee to keepe the Taste of the one whilest thou readest the other and that will make thee relish both the better Vnderstanding Reader favour mee Gently expound what it is too late to correct He leva le Golpe Dios sea con ella Farewell THE PROPOSITION of this first Worke. â—TIs not the Record of great Hectors glory Whose matchlesse Valour makes the World a Story Nor yet the swelling of that Romans name That onely Came and Look'd and Overcame Nor One nor All of those brave Worthies nine Whose Might was great and Acts almost divine That live'd like Gods but dy'd like Men and gone Shall give my Pen a Taske to treat upon I sing the praises of the KING of Kings Out of whose mouth a two-edg'd Smiter springs Whose Words are Mystery whose Works are Wonder Whose Eyes are Lightning and whose Voice is Thunder Who like a Curtaine spreads the Heavens out Spangled with Starres in Glory round about 'T is He that cleft the furious waves in twaine Making a High-way passage through the Maine 'T is He that turn'd the waters into Blood And smote the Rocky stone and caus'd a Flood 'T is He that 's justly armed in his Ire Behinde with Plagues before with flaming Fire More bright than mid-day Phoebus are his Eyes And whosoever sees his Visage dyes I sing the Praises of Great Iudahs Lyon The fragrant Flowre of Iesse the Lambe of Sion Whose Head is whiter than the driven Snow Whose visage doth like flames of Fier glow His Loynes begirt with golden Belt his Eyne Like Titan ridinst in his Southerne Shine His Feet like burning Brasse and as the noise Of surgie Neptunes roaring in hiâ— Voice This is that Paschall Lambe whose dearest Blood Is soveraigâ—e Drinke whose Flesh is saving Food His precious Blood the Worthies of the Earth Did drinke which though but borne of mortall birth Return'd them Deities For who drinkes This Shall be receiv'd into Eternall Blisse Himselfe 's the Gift which He himselfe did give His Stripes heale us and by His Death we live He acting God and Man in double Nature Did reconcile Mankinde and Mans Creator I heere 's a Taske indeed If Mortalls could Not make a Verse yet Rockes and Mountaines would The Hills shall dance the Sunne shall stop his Course Hearing the subiect of this high Discourse The Horse and Gryphin shall together sleepe The Wolfe shall fawne upon the silly Sheepe The crafty Serpent and the fearfull Hart Shall joyne in Consort and each beare a part And leape for Ioy when my Vrania sings She sings the praises of the King of Kings The Introduction ¶ THat Ancient Kingdome that old Assur swayd Shew'd two great Cities Ah! but both decayd Both mighty Great but of unequall growth Both great in People and in Building both But ah What hold is there of earthly good Now Grasse growes there where these brave Cities stood The name of one great Babylon was hight Through which the rich Euphrates takes her flight From high Armenia to the ruddy Seas And stores the Land with rich Commodities ¶ The other Ninus Nineveh the Great So huge a Fabricke and well-chosen Seat Don Phoebus fiery Steeds with Maines becurl'd That circundates in twice twelve houres the world Ne're saw the like By great King Ninus hand 'T was rais'd and builded in th' Assyâ—ians Land On one hand Lycus washt her fruitfull sides On t'other Tygris with her hasty â—ides Begirt she was with walles of wondrous might Creeping twice fifty foot in measur'd height Vpon their bredth if ought we may rely On the report of Sage Antiquity Three Chariots fairely might themselves display And ranke together in a Baâ—tell ray The Circuit that her mighty Bulke imbraces Containes the mete of sixty thousand 〈◊〉 Within her well-fenc'd walls you might discover Five hundred stately Towers thrice told over Whereof the highest draweth up the eye As well the low'st an hundred Cubits hie All rich in those things which to state belong For beauty brave and for munition strong Duly and daily this great Worke was tended With ten thousand Workmen begun and ended In eight yeares space How beautifull how faire Thy Buildings And how foule thy Vices are ¶ Thou Land of Assur double then thy pride And let thy Wells of Ioy be never dry'd Thou hast a Palace that 's renown'd so much The like was never is nor will be such ¶ Thou Land of Assur treble then thy Wâ—â— And let thy Teares doe as thy Cups o'reflow For this thy Palace of so great renowne Shall be destroy'd and sackt and batter'd downe But cheere up Niniveh thine inbred might Hath meanes enough to quell thy Foemans spite Thy Bulwarkes are like Mountaines and thy Wall Disdaines to stoope to thundring Ordnance call Thy watchfull Towers mounted round about Keepe thee in safety and thy Foe-men out I
But thy Bulwarkes aid cannot withstand The direfull stroake of the Almighties hand Thy Wafer-walls at dread Iehovahs blast Shall quake and quiver and shall downe 〈◊〉 Thy watchfull Towers shall asleepe be found And nod their drowsie heads downe to the ground Thy Bulwarks are not Vengeance-proofe thy Wall When Iustice brandisheth her Sword must fall Thy lofty Towers shall be dumbe and yeeld To high Revenge Revenge must win the field Vengeance cryes loud from heaven she cannot stay Her Fury but impatient of delay Hath brimm'd her 〈◊〉 full of deadly Bâ—ne Thy Palâ—ce shall be burnt thy People slaine Thy Heart is hard as Flint and swolne with pride Thy murth'rous Hands with guitlesse blood are dy'd Thy silly Babes doe starve for want of Food Whose tender Mothers thou hast drencht in Blood Women with childe lye in the streets about Whose Braines thy savage hands have dashed out Distressed Widowes weepe but weepe in vaine For their deare Husbands whom thy hands have slaine By one mans Force another man 's devour'd Thy Wives are ravisht and thy Maids deflowr'd Where Iustice should there Tort Bribes are plac't Thy ' Altars defil'd and holy things defac't Thy Lips have tasted of proud Babels Cup What thou hast left thy Children have drunke up Thy bloody sinnes thine Abels guiltlesse blood Cryes up to heaven for Vengeance cryes aloud Thy sinnes are seire and ready for the fire Heere rouze my Muse and for a space respire TO THE MOST HIGH HIS HVMBLE SERVANT IMPLORES HIS FAVOVrable Assistance O All sufficient God great Lord of Light Without whose gracious ayd constant sprite No labours prosper howsoe're begun But flye like Mists before the morning Sun O raise my thoughts and cleare my Apprehension Infuse thy Spirit into my weake invention Reflect thy Beames upon my feeble Eyes Shew me the Mirrour of thy Mysteries My Art-lesse Hand my humble Heart inspire Inflame my frozen tongue with holy fire Ravish my stupid Senses with thy Glory Sweeten my Lips with sacred Oratory And thou O FIRST and LAST assist my Quill That first and last I may performe thy will My sole intent's to blazon forth thy Praise My ruder Pen expects no crowne of Bayes Suffice it then Thine Altar I have kist Crowne me with Glory Take the Bayes that list A FEAST FOR VVORMES By Fra Quarles LONDON Printed for IOHN MARRIOT 1633. A FEAST FOR WORMES THE ARGVMENT The word of God to Ionahâ—â—me â—â—me Commanded Ionah to proâ—lame The â—engeance of his Mâ—jestie Against the sinnes of 〈◊〉 Sect. 1. TH' Eternall Word of God whose high Decree Admits no change and cannot frustrate be Came downe to Ionah from the heavens above Came downe to * Ionah heavens anointed Dove Ionah the flowre of old 〈◊〉 youth Ionah the Prophet Sonne and Heire to Truth The blessed Type of him that ransom'd us That Word came to him and bespake him thus Arise trusse up thy loynes make all thingâ— meet And put thy Sandals on thy hasty feet Gird up thy reynes and take thy staffe in hand Make no delay but goe where I command Me pleases not to send thee Ionah downe To sweet Gath-Hepher thy deare native Towne Whos 's tender paps with plenty overflow Nor yet unto thy brethren shalt thou goe Amongst the Hebrewes where thy sprâ—dden fame Fore-runnes the welcome of thine honor'd name No I 'le not send thee thither Vp arise And goe to Niniveh where no Allies Nor consanguinity preseâ—ves thy blood To Niâ—iveh where strangers are withstood To Niniveh a City farre remov'd From thine acquaintance where th' art not belov'd I send thee to Mount Sinay not Mount Sion Not to a gentle Lambe but to a Lion Nor yet to Lydia but to bloody Pashur Not to the Land of Canaan but of Ashur Whose language will be riddles to thine eares And thine againe will be as strange to thâ—irs Isay to Niniveh the worlds great Hall The Monarchs seat high Court Imperiall But terrible Mount Sinayâ—ill â—ill affright thee And Pashurs heavy hand is bent to smite thee The Lions rore the people'â— strong and stout The Bulwarkes stand a front to keepe thee out Great Ashur minaces with whip in hand To entertaine thee welcome to his land What then Arise be gone stay not to thinke Bad is the cloth that will in wetting shrinke What then if cruell Pashur heape on stroakes Or Sinay blast thee with her sulph'rous smokes Or Ashur whip thee Or the Lions rent thee Pâ—sh on with courage I the Lord have sent thee Away away lay by thy foolish pity Aâ—d goe to Niniveh that mighty City Cry loud against it let thy dreadfull voice Make all the City eccho with the noise Not like a Dove but like a Dragon goe Pronounce my judgement and denounce my Woe Make not thy bed a fountaine â—all of teares â—o weepe in secret for her sinnes Thine eares Sâ—all heare such things will make thine eyes run over â—hine eyes shall smart with what they shall discover Spend not in private those thy zealous drops But hew and backe spare neither trunke nor lâ—ps Make heaven and earth rebound when thou discharges Plead not like Paul but roare like Boanarges Nor let the beauty of the buildings bleare thee Let not the terrors of the Rampiers feare thee Let no man bribe thy fist I well advise thee Nor foule meanes force thee nor let faire entice thee Ramme up thine eares Thy heart of stone shall be Be deafe to them as they are deafe to me Goe cry against it If they aske thee why Say heavens great Lord commanded thee to cry My Altars cease to smoke their holy fires Are quencht and where praiers should their sin aspires The fatnesse of their fornication fryes On coales of ragiâ—g lâ—st and upward flies And makes me seek I heare the mournefull groâ—es And heavy sighes of such whose aking bones Th' oppressor grindes Alas their griefes implore me Their pray'rs prefer'd with teares plead lowd before 〈◊〉 Behold my sonnes they have opprest and kill'd And bath'd their hands within the blood they spill'd The steame of guiltlesse blood makes suit unto me The voâ—â—e of many bloods is mounted to me The vile prophaner of my sacred Names He teares my titles and my honour maimâ—s Makes Rhet'rick of an oath sweares and forsweares Recks not my Mercy nor my Iudgement feares They eatâ— they drinke they sleepe they tire the â—igh◠〈…〉 â—alliance and uncleane delight Heavens winged Herald Ionaâ— up and goe To mighty Niniveh Denounce my woe Advance thy voice and when thou hast advanâ—â—â— it Spare Shrub nor Cedar but cry out against it Hold out thy Trumpet and with louder breath Proclame my sudden comming and their death The Authors Apology IT was my morning Muse A Muse whose spirit Transcendâ— I feare the fortunes of her merit Too bold a Muse whose fethers yet in blood She never bath'd in the Pyrenean Flood A Muse unbreath'd unlikely to attaine An easie honour by so stout a Traine Expect no lofty Hagard that
Ionah sleepe so sound Could he sleepe then When with the sudden sight of Death the men So many men with yelling shrikes and cryes Made very heaven report Were Ionah's eyes Still clos'd and he not of his life bereaven Hard must he wink that shuts his eies from heaveÌ„ O righteous Isr'el where O where art thou Where is thy Lampe thy zealous Shepheard now Alas the rav'nous Wolves will worr ' thy Sheepe Thy Shepheard's carelesse and is falne asleepe Thy wandring flockes are frighted from their fold Their Shepherd's gone and Foxes are too bold They they whose smooth-fac'd words become the altar Their works dissent first begin to faulter And they that should be watchlights in the Temple Are snuffes and want the oyle of good example The chosen Watch-men that the tow'r should keep Ate waxen heavy-ey'd and falne asleepe ¶ Lord if thy watchmen wink too much awake theÌ„ Although they slumber do not quite forsake them The flesh is weake say not if dulnesse seize Their heavy eyes sleep henceforth take your â—ase And we poore weaklings when we sleepe in sin Knocke at our drowzy hearts and never lin Till thou awake our sin-congealed eyes Lest drown'd in sleepe we sinke and never rise THE ARGVMENT They question Ionah whence he came His Country and his peoples Name He makes reply They mone their woe And aske his counsell what to doe Sect 4. AS when a Thiefe's appr'hended on suspect And charg'd for some supposed malefact A rude concourse of people straight accrewes Whose itching eares even smart to know the newes The guilty pris'ner to himselfe betraid He stands dejected trembling and afraid So Ionah stood the Sailers all among Inclosed round amid the ruder throng As in a Summers evening you shall heare In Hives of Bees if you lay close your eare Confused buzzing and seditious noise Such was the murmure of the Saylers voice What was thy sinfull act that causes this Sayes one wherein hast thou so done amisse Tell us What is thine Art another sayes That thou professest Speake man Whences awayes From what Confines caâ—â—'st thou A third replyes What is thy Country And of what allies What art thou borne a Iew or Gentile whether 〈◊〉 he could lend an answer unto either A fourth dâ—â—ands Where hath thy breeding beene All what they askt they all askt o're agen In fine their eares impatient of delay Becalm'd their tongues to hear what he could say So 〈◊〉 humbly rearing up his eyes Breaking his long-kept silence thus replyes I am an Hebrew sonne of Abraham From whom my Land did first derive her name Within the Land of Iury was I borne My name is Ionah â—etchelesse and forlorne I am a Prophet ah but woe is me For from before the face of God I flee From whence through disobedience I am driven I seare Iehovah the great God of Heaven I feare the Lord of Hosts whose glorious hand Did make this stormy Sea and massie Land So said their eares with double ravishment Still hung upon his melting lips attent Whose dreadful words their harts so neer impiercâ—t That from themselves themselves were quite diversâ— As in a sowltry Summers evening tide When lustfull Phoebus re-salutes his Bride And Philomela 'gins her caroling A Herd of Deere are browzing in a Spring With eger appetite misdeeming nought Nor in so deepe a silence fearing ought A sudden cracke or some unthought-of sound Or bounce of Fowlers Peece or yelpe of Hound Disturbs their quiet peace w th strange amaze Where senslesse halfe through feare they stand aâ— gaze So stand the Sea-men as with Ghosts affrighted Entraunc'd with what this man of God recited Their tyred limbes doe now waxe faint and lither Their harts did yern their knees did smite together Congealed blood usurpt their trembling hearts And left a faintnesse in their feeble parts Who trembling out distracting language thus Why hast thou brought this mischiefe upon us What humour led thee to a place unknowne To seeke forraigne Land and leave thine owne What faith hadst thou by leaving thine abode To thinke to flye the presence of thy God Why hast thou not obey'd but thus transgrest The voyce of God whom thou acknowledgest Art thou a Prophet and dost thou amisse What is the cause and why hast thou done this What shall we do The tempest lends no eare To fruitlesse that nor dot the bâ—llowes heare Or marke our language Waves are not aâ—tent Our goods they flâ—at our needlesse paines are spent Our Barke's not weather proofe no Fort 's so stout To keepe continuall siege and battry out The Lot accuses thee thy words condemne thee The â—â—ves thy deaths men strive to overwhelme thee What she we doe Thou Prophet speake we pray thee Thou fear'dst the Lord Alas we may not stay thee Or shall we save thee No for thou dost flye The face of God and so deserv'sâ— to dye Thou Prophet speake what shall be done to thee That angry Sea may calme and quiet be Medita 4. GIve leave a little to adjoyne your text And ease my soule my soule with doubts perplexâ— Can he be said to feare the Lord that flyes him Can word confesse him when as deed denies him My sacred Muse hath rounded in mine eare And read the mystery of a twofold feare The first a servile feare for judgements sake And thus hells Fire-brands doe feare and quake Thus Adam fear'd and fled behinde a tree And thus did bloody Cain feare and flee Vnlike to this there is a second kinde Of feare extracted from a zealous minde Full fraught with love and with a conscience clear From base respects It is a filiall feare A feare whose ground would just remaine level Were neither Heaven nor Hel nor God nor devil Such was the feare that Princely David had And thus our wretched Ionah fear'd and fled He fled asham'd because his sinnes were such He fled asham'd because his feare was much He fear'd Iehovah other fear'd he none Him he acknowledg'd him hee fear'd alone Vnlike to those who being blinde with errour Frame many gods and multiply their terrour Th' Egyptians god Apis did implore God Assas the Chaldeans did adore Babel to the Devouring Dragon seekes Th' Arabians Astaroth Iuno the Greekes The name of Belus the Assyrians hallow The Troianâ— Vesta Corinth wise Apollo Th' Arginians sacrifice unto the Sunne To light-foot Mercury bowes Macedon To god Volunus Lovers bend their knee To Pavor they that faint and fearefull bee Who pray for health and strength to Murcia those And to Victoria those that feare to lose To Muta they that feare a womans tongue To great Lucinâ— women great with young To Esculapius they that live opprest And such to Quies that deâ—ier rest O blinded ignorance of antique times How blent with errour and how stuft with crimes Your Temples were And how adulterate How clogg'd with needlesse gods How obstinate How void of reason order how confuse How full of dangerous and foule abuse How sandy were
the grounds and how unstable How many Deities yet how unable Implore these gods that list to howle and barke They bow to Dagon Dagon to the Arke But hee to whom the seale of mercy 's given Adores Iehovah the Great God of Heaven Vpon the mention of whose sacred Name Meeke Lambs grow fierce the fierce Lions tame Bright Sol shall stop heaven shal turn his course Mountains shall dance and Neptune slake his force The Seas shall part the fire want his flame Vpon the mention of Iâ—hovah's Name A Name that makes the roofe of Heaven to shake The frame of Earth to quiver Hell to quake A Name to which all Angels blow their Trumps A Name puts frolicke man into his dumps Though ne're so blythe A Name of high renown It mounts the meeke and beats the loftie downe A Name divides the marrow in the bone A Name which out of hard and flintiâ— stone Extracteth hearts of flesh and makes relent Those hearts that never knew what mercy ment O Lord how great 's thy Name in all the Land How mighty are the wonders of thy hand How is thy glory plac't above the heaven To tender mouthes of Sucklings thou hast given Coercive pow'r and boldnesse to reproove When elder men doe what them not behoove O Lord how great 's the power of thine hand O God! how great 's thy Name in all the Land THE ARGVMENT The Prophet doth his fault discover Perswadeâ— the men to cast him over They row and toyle but doe no good They pray to be excus'd from blood Sect. 5. SO Ionah fram'd this speech to their demand Not that I seeke to traverse the command Of my deare Lord and out of minde perverse T' avoid the Ninivites doe I amerâ—e My selfe Nor that I ever heard you threat Vnlesse I went to Niniveh the great And doe the message sent her from the Lord That you would kill or cast me over-boord Doe I doe thiâ— 'T is my deserved fine You all are guiltlesse and the fault is mine T is I ' tâ—â— I alone 't is I am he The tempest comes from heaven the cause from me You shall not lose a haire â—or this my sâ—â— Nor perish for the fault that mine hath bin Lo I the man am here Lâ— I am he The root of all End your revenâ—e on me I fled th' Eternall God O let me then Because I fled my God so flie from men Redeeme your lives with mine Ah why should I Not guiltlesse live and you not guilty die I am the man for whom these billowes dance My death shall purchase your deliverance Feare not to cease your feares but throw me in Alas my soule is burthen'd with my sin And God is just and bent to his Decree Which certaine is and cannot alter'd be I am proclaim'd a Traitor to the King Of heaven an earth The windes with speedy wing Acquaint the Seas The Seas mount up on high And cannot rest untill the Traytor die Oh cast me in and let my life be ended Let Death make Iustice mends which Life offended Oh let the swellinâ— waters me enbalme So shall the Waves be still and Sea be calme So said th' amazed Mariners grew sad New Love abstracted what old Feare did adde Love called Pity Feare call'd vengeance in Love view'd the Sinner Feare beheld the Sin Love cry'd out Hold for better sav'd than spil'd But Feare cry'd Kill O better kill than kill'd Thus plung'd with Passions they distracted were Betwixt the hopes and doubts of Love and Feare Some cry'd out Save if this foule deed we doe Vengeance that haunted him will haunt us too Others cry'd No May rather death befall To one that hath deserv'd to dye then all Save him sayes one Oh save the man that thus His dearest blood hath profer'd to save us No sayes another vengeance must have blood And vengeance strikes most hard when most withstood In fine say all Then let the Prophet die And we shall live For Prophets cannot lye Loth to be guilty of their owne yet loth To haste poore Ionahs death with hope that both Th' approching evils might be at once prevented With prayers and paines reutter'd reattented They try'd new wayes despairing of the old Love quickens courage makes the spirits bold They strove in vaine by toile to win the shore And wrought more hard than erâ—e they did before But now both hands and hearts begin to quaile For bodies wanting rest must faint and faile The Seas are angry and the waves arise Appeas'd with nothing but a Sacrifice Gods vengeance stormeth like the raging Seas Which nought but Ionah dying can appease Fond is that labour which attempts to free What Heaven hath bound by a divine decree Ionah must die Heaven hath decreed it so Ionah must die or else they all die too Ionah must die that from his Lord did flie The Lott determines Ionah then must die His guilty word confirmes the sacred Lott Ionah must die then if they perish not If Iustice then appoint since he must die Said they us Actors of â—is Tragedy We beg not Lord a warrant to offend O pardon blood-shed that we must intend Though not our hands yet shall our hearts be cleare Then let not stainlesse consciences beare The pond'rous burden of a Murders guilt Or pay the price of blood that must be spilt For 〈◊〉 deare Lord it is thine owne decree And we sad ministers of Iustice be Meditat. 5. BVt stay a while this thing would first be known Can Ionah give himselfe and not his owne That part to God and to his Countrey this Pertaines so that a slender third is his Why then should Ionah doe a double wrong To deale himselfe away that did belong The least unto himselfe or how could hee Teach this Thou shalt not kill if Ionah be His life 's owne Butcher What was this a deed That with the Calling he profest agreed The purblinde age whose workes almost divine Did meerely with the oyle of Nature shine That knew no written Law nor Grace nor God To whip their conscience with a steely rod How much did they abhorre so foule a fact When led by Natures glimpse they made an act Selfe-murderers should be deny'd to have The charitable honour of a Grave Can such doe so when Ionah does amisse What Ionas Isr'els Teacher and doe this The Law of Charity doth all forbid In this thing to doe that which Ionah did Moreo're in charity 't is thy behest Of dying men to thinke and speake the best The mighty Samson did as much as this And who dare say that Samson did amisse If heavens high Spirit whisper'd in his eare Expresse command to doe 't No wavering feare Drew backe the righteous Abram's armed hand From Isaacks death secur'd by heavens command ¶ Sure is the knot that true Religion tyes And Love that 's rightly grounded never dyes It seemes a paradoxe beyond beliefe That men in trouble should prolong reliefe That Pagans to withstand a
spits his inraged spleene Now on the messenger now on the Queene One while he deeply weighs the foule contempt And then his passion bids his wrath attempt A quicke revenge now creepe into his thought Such things as aggravate the peevish fault The place the persons present and the time Increase his wrath increase his Ladies Crime But soone as Passion had restor'd the Reyne To righteous Reason's goverment againe The King unfit to judge his proper Cause Referr'd the triall to the Persian Lawes He call'd his learned Counsell and display'd The nature of his Grievance thus and said By vertue of a Husband and a King To make compleat our Royall banqâ—etting We gave command we gave a strict command That by the office of our Eunuchs band Queene Vashti should in state attended be Into the presence of our Majestie But in contempt she slacks our dread bebest Neglects performance of our deare Request And through disdaine disloyally deny'd Like a false subject and a faithlesse bride Say then my Lords for you being truely wise Have braines to judge and judgements to advise Say boldly say what doe the Lawes assigne What punishment or what deserved Fine Assuerus bids the mighty King commands Vashti denyes the scornefull Queene withstands Medit. 2. EVil manners breed good Lawes that 's the 〈◊〉 That e're was made of bad The Persian feaâ— Finding the mischiefe that was growne so rife Admitted not with men a married wife How carefull were they in preserving that Which we so watchfull are to violate O Chastity the Flower of thâ— soule How is thy perfect fairenesse turn'd to foule How are thy Blossomes blasted all to dust By sudden Lightning of untamed Lust How hast thou thus defil'd thy Iv'ry feet Thy sweetnesse that was once how far from sweet Where are thy maiden-smiles thy blushing cheeke Thy Lamb-like countenance so faire so meeke Where is that spotlesse Flower that while-ere Within thy lilly bosome thou didst weare Has wanton Cupid snatcht it Hath his Dart Sent courtly tokens to thy simple heart Where dost thou bide the Country halfe disclaimes thee The City wonders when a body names thee Or have the rurall woods engrost thee there And thus fore-stall'd our empty markets here Sure th' art not or kept where no man showes thee Or chang'd so much scarce man or woman knowes thee ¶ Our Grandame Eve before it was forbid Desired not the fruit she after did Had not the Custome of those times ordain'd That women from mens feasts should be restrain'd Perhaps Assuerus Vashti might have dyed Vnsent for and thy selfe beene undenyed Such are the the fruits of mirth's and wine's abuse Customes must crack love must breake his truce Conjugall bands must loose and sullen Hate Ensues the Feast where Wine 's immoderate ¶ More difficult it is and greater skill To beare a mischiefe ' than prevent an ill Passion is naturall but to bridle Passion Is more divine and vertues operation To doe amisse is Natures act to erre Is but a wretched mortalls Character But to prevent the danger of the ill Is more then Man surpassing humane skill Who playes a happy game with crafty slight Confirmes himselfe but fortunes Favorite But he that husbands well an ill-dealt game Deserves the credit of a Gamesters name ¶ Lord if my Cards be bad yet lend me skill To play them wisely ' and make the best of ill THE ARGVMENT The learned Counsell pleâ—d the case The Queene degrâ—ded from her place Decrees are sent throughout the Land That Wives obey and men command Sect. 3. THe righteous Counsel having heard the cause Adviz'd a while with respite of a pause Till Memucan the first that silence brake Vnseal'd his serious lips and thus bespake The Great Assuerus Sov'raigne Lord and King To grace the period of his banquetting Hath sent for Vashti Vashti would not come And now it rests in us to give the doome But left that too much rashnesse violate The sacred Iustice of our happy state We first propound the height of her offence Next the succeeding inconvenience Which through the circumstances does augment And so discend to th'equall punishment Th' offence propounded now we must relate Such circumstances that might aggravate And first the Place the Palace of the King And next the Time the Time of Banquetting Lastly the Persons Princes of the Land Which witnesse the contempt of the command The Place the Persons present and the Time Make â—oule the fault make foule the Ladies crime Nor was her fault unto the King alone But to the Princes and to every one For when this speech divulg'd about shall be Vashti the Queene withstood the Kings Decree Woemen that soone can an advantage take Of things which for their private ends doe make Shall scorne their coward husbands and despise Their deare requests within their scornfull eyes And say if we deny your hâ—sts then blame not Assuerus sent for Vashti but she came not By Vashties patterne others will be taught Thus her example 's fouler then her fault Now therefore if it like our gracious King Since he refers tous the censuring Let him proclaime which untransgressed be His royall Edict and his just Decree That Vashti come no more before his face But leave the titles of her Princelâ—â— place Let firme divorce unloose the Nuptiall knot And let the name of Queene be quite forgot Let her estate and Princely dignity Her Royall Crowne and seat assigned be To one whose sacred Vertue shall attaine As high perfection as her bold disdaine So when this Royall Edict shall be fam'd And through the severall Provinces proclaim'd Disdainfull â—ives will learne by Vashties fall To answer gently to their Husbands call Thus ended Memucan the King was pleas'd His blustring passion now at length appeas'd And soone apply'd himselfe to undertake To put in practice what his Counsell spake So into every Province of the Land He sent his speedy Letters with command That Husbands rule their wives beare the sway And by subjection teach their Wives t' obey Meditat. 3. VVHen God with sacred breath did first inspire The new-made earth with quick holy fire He well advising what a goodly creature He builded had so like himselfe in feature Forth-with concluded by his preservation T'eternize that great worke of Mans creation Into a sleepe he cast this living clay Lockt up his sense with drouzy Morpheus key Opened his fruitfull flanke and from his side He drew the substance of his helpfull Bride Flesh of his flesh and bone made of his bone He framed Woman making two of one Thus broke in two he did anew ordaine That these same two should be made One againe Till singling Death this sacred knot undoe And part this new-made One once more in two ¶ Since of a Rib first framed was a Wife Let Ribs be Hi'roglyphicks of their life Ribs coast the Heart and guard it round about And like a trusty Watch keepe danger out So tender wives should loyally impart
me feare no harme What strange disaster caus'd this sudden change How wert thou once so neare and now so strange ELEG 20. VAnquisht by such as thirsted for my life And brought my soule into a legall strife How oft hast thou just GOD maintain'd my cause And crost the sentence of their bloudie lawes Be still my God be still that GOD thou wert Looke on thy mercy not on my desert Be thou my Iudge betwixt my foes and me The Advocate betwixt my soule Thee 'Gainst thee great Lord their arme they have advanc'd And dealt that blow to thee that thus hath glanc'd Vpon my soule smite those that have smit thee And for thy sake discharge their spleene at me ELEG 21. WHat squint-ey'd scorne what flout what wry-mouth'd scoffe That sullen pride e're tooke acquaintance of Hath scap'd the furie of my Foemans tongue To doe my simple Innocencie wrong What day what houre nay what shorter season Hath kept my soule secure from the treason Of their corrupted counsels which dispensed Dayes nights and houres to conspire my end My sorrowes are their songs and as slight fables Fill up the silence of their wanton tables Looke downe just God with thy powre divine Behold my Foes They be thy Foes and mine ELEG 22. YEt sleeps thy vengeance Can thy lustice be So slow to them and yet so sharpe to me Dismount just Iudge from thy Tribunall Throne And pay thy Foemen the deserved lone Of their unjust designes Make fierce thy hand And scourge thou theÌ„ as they have scourg'd my laÌ„d Breake thou their Adamantine hearts pound theÌ„ To dust and with thy finall curse confound them Let horror seize their soules O may they bee The scorne of Nations that have scorned thee O may they live distrest and die bereaven Of earth delights and of the joyes of Heaven Threnodia IIII. ELEG 1. ALas what alterations Ah how strange Amazement flowes from such an uncouth change Ambitious Ruine could thy razing hand Finde ne're a subject but the Holy Land Thou sacrilegious Ruine to attempt The house of God! was not heavens house exempt From thy accursed Rape Ah me Behold Sion whose pavement of refulgent gold So lately did reflect so bright so pure How dimme how drossie now ah how obscure Her sacred stones lie scatter'd in the street For stumbling blocks before the Levites feet ELEG 2. BEhold her Princes whose victorious browes Fame oft had crowned with her Laurell bowes See how they hide their shame-confounded crests And hang their heads upon their fainting brests Behold her Captaines and brave men at armes Whose spirits fired at warres loud alarmes Like worried sheepe how flee they from the noise Of Drummes and startle at the Trumpets voice They faint and like amazed Lyons show Their fearefull heeles if Chaunticleere but crow How are the pillars Sion of thy state Transform'd toâ—lay and burnisht gold so late ELEG 3. CAn furious Dragons heare their helplesse broode Cry out and fill their hungry lips with food Hath Nature taught fierce Tygers to apply The brest unto their younglings empty cry Have savage beasts time place and natures helps To feed and foster up their idle whelpes And shall the tender Babes of Sion cry And pine for food and yet their mothers by Dragons and Tygers and all savage beasts Can feed their young but Sion hath no breasts Distressed Sion more unhappie farre Than Dragons savage Beasts or Tygers are ELEG 4. DEath thou pursuest if from death thou flee Or if thou turnst thy flight Death followes thee Thy staffe of life is broke for want of bread Thy City pines and halfe thy Land is dead The son t' his father weepes makes fruitlesse moane The father weepes upon his weeping sonne The brother cals upon his pined brother And both come crying to their hungry mother The empty Babe in stead of milke drawes downe His Nurses teares well mingled with his owne Nor chaÌ„ge of place nor time with help supplys thee Abroad the Sword famine at home destroyes thee ELEG 5. EXcesse and Surfet now have left thy coast The lavish Guest now wants his greedie Host No wanton Cooke prepares his poynant meate To teach a saciate palate how to eate Now â—acchus pines and shakes his feeble knees And pamp'red Envie lookes as plumpe as Hee 's Discolour'd Ceres that was once so faire Hath lost her beauty â—indg'd her golden haire Thy Princes mourne in rags asham'd t' infold Their leaden spirits in a case of gold From place to place thy Statesmen wandring are On every dung-hill lies a man of warre ELEG 6. FOule Sodome and incestuous Gomorrow Had my destruction but ne're my sorrow Vengeance had mercy there Her hand did send A sharpe beginning but a sudden end Iustice was milde and with her hastie flashes They fell and sweetly slept in peacefull Ashes They felt no rage of an insulting Foe Nor Famins piching furie as I doe They had no sacred Temple to defile Or if they had they would have helpt to spoile They dy'd but once but I poore wretched I Die many deaths and yet have more to die ELEG 7. GOld from the Mint Milke from the uberous Cow Was ne're so pure in substance nor in show As were my Nazarites whose inward graces Adorn'd the outward lustre of their faces Their faces robb'd the Lilly and the Rose Of red and white more faire more sweet then those Their bodies were the magazines of perfection Their skins vnblemisht were of pure complexion Through which their Saphire-colour'd veines descride The Azure beauty of their naked pride The flaming Carbuncle was not so bright Nor yet the rare discolour'd Chrysolite ELEG 8. HOw are my sacred Nazarites that were The blazing Planets of my glorious Sphaere Obscur'd and darkned in Afflictions cloud Astonisht at their owne disguize they shrowd Their foule transformed shapes in the dull shade Of sullen darknesse of themselves afraid See how the brother gazes on the brother And both affrighted start and flie each other Blacke as their Fates they cross the streets unkend The Sire his Son The friend disclaimes his frend They they that were the flowers of my Land Like withered Weeds and blasted Hemlocke stand ELEG 9. IMpetuous Famine Sister to the Sword Left hand of Death Childe of th' infernall Lord Thou Tort'rer of Mankind that with one stroake Subject'st the world to thy imperious yoake What pleasure tak'st thou in the tedious breath Of pined Mortals or their lingring death The Sword thy generous brother 's not so cruell He kills but once fights in a noble Duell But thou malicious Furie dost extend Thy spleene to all whose death can find no end Alas my haplesse weale can want no woe That feeles the rage of Sword and famine too ELEG 10. KInde is that death whose weapons do but kill But we are often slaine yet dying still Our torments are too gentle yet too rough They gripe too hard because not hard enough My people teare their trembling flesh for food
Can render to a dying man his health Our life on earth is like a thred of flax That all may touch and being roucht it craks ¶ As when an Archer shooteth for his sport Sometimes his shaft is gone sometimes 't is short Somtimes o' th left haÌ„d wide sometimes o' th right At last through often tryall hits the White So death sometimes with her uncertaine Rover Hits our Superiours and so shoots over Sometimes for change shee strikes the meaner sort Strikes our Inferiours and then comes short Sometimes upon the left hand wide shee goes And so still wounding some shee strikes our foes And sometimes wide upon the right hand bends There with Imperiall shafts she strikes our friends At length through often triall hits the White And so strikes us into Eternall night ¶ Death is a Kalender compos'd by Fate Concerning all men never out of Date Her dayes Dominicall are writ in blood She shewes more bad daies than she sheweth good She tels when dayes monthes termes expire Meas'ring the lives of mortals by her squire ¶ Death is a Pursivant with Eagles wings That knocks at poore mens door gates of Kings Worldling beware betime death sculks behind thee And as she leaves thee so will Iudgement find thee THE ARGVMENT Within the bowels of the Fish Ionah laments in great anguish God heard his pray'r at whose command The Fish disgorg'd him on the Land Sect 7. THen Ionah turn'd his face to heav'n and pray'd Within the bowels of the Whale and said I cry'd out of my balefull misery Vnto my God and he hath heard my cry From out the paunch of hell I made a noyse And thou hast answer'd me and heard my voyce Into the Deeps and bottome thou hast throwne me Thy Surges and thy Waves have past upon me Then Lord aid I from thy refulgent sight I am expell'd I am forsaken quite Nay'thelesse while these my wretched eyes remaine Vnto thy Temple will I looke againe The boystrous Waters compast me about My body threats to let her pris'ner out The boundlesse depth enclosed me almost dead The weeds are wrapt about my fainting head I liv'd on earth rejected at thine hand And a perpetuall pris'ner in the Land Yet thou wilt cause my life t' ascend at length From out this pit O Lord my God my Strength When as my soule was over-whelm'd and faint I had recourse to thee did thee acquaint With the condition of my woefull case My cry came to thee in thine holy Place Who so to Vanities themselves betake Renounce thy mercies and thy love for sake To thee I 'le sacrifice in endlesse dayes With voyce of thankes and ever-sounding praise I 'le pay my vowes for all the world records With one consent Salvation is the Lords But he whose word 's a deed whose breath 's a law Whose just command implies a dreadfull awe Whose Word prepar'd a Whale upon the Deepe To tend and wait for Ionah's fall and keepe His out-cast body safe and soule secure This very God whose mercy must endure When heaven earth when sea all things faile Disclos'd his purpose and bespake the Whale To redeliver Ionah to his hand Whereat the Whale disgorg'd him on the land Medita 7. I Well record a holy Father sayes He teaches to deny that faintly prayes The suit surceases when desire failes But whoso prayes with fervency prevailes For Prayr's the key that opes th' eternall gate And findes admittance whether earl ' or late It forces audience it unlockes the eare Of heavens great God though deafe it makes him heare Vpon a time Babel the worlds faire Queene Made drunk with choller and enrag'd with spleen Through fell disdaine derraigned war 'gainst them That tender homage to Ierusalem A maiden-fight it was yet they were strong As men of Warre The Battaile lasted long Much blood was shed an spilt on either side That all the ground with purple gore was dyde In fine a Souldier of Ierusalem Châ—â—â—ssa hight the Almner of the Realme Chill'd with an ague and unapt to fight Into Iustitia's Castle too her flight Whereat great Babets Queene commanded all To lay their siege against the Castle wall But poore Tymissa not with warr acquainted Fearing Charissa's death fell downe and fainted Dauntlesse Prudentia rear'd her from the ground Where she lay pale and senselesse in a swound She rub'd her temples and at length awaking She gave her water of Fidissa's making And said Cheare up deare sister though our foe Hath tane us Captives thus besieg'd with woe We have a King puissant and of might Will see us take no wrong and doe us right If we possesse him with our sad complaint Cheare up wee 'l send to him and him acquaint Tymissa new awak'd from swound replies Our Castle is begirt with enemies And troops of armed men besiege our walls Then suer Death or worse than death befalls To her who ere she be that stirs a foote Or rashly dares attempt to venture out Alas what hope have wee to finde reliefe And want the meanes that may divulge our griefe Within that place a jolly Matron dwell'd Whose lookes were fixt and sad her left hand held A paire of equall ballances her right A two-edg'd sword her eyes were quicke bright Not apt to squint but nimble to discerne Her visage lovely was yet bold and sterne â—â—r name Iustitia to her they make Their moane who well advis'd them thus bespake Faire Maidens more beloved then the light â—rue the suffrance of your wofull plight â—ut pitty's fond alone recures no griefe â—ut fruitlesse fals unlesse it yeeld reliefe Cheare up I have a Messenger in store Whose speed is much but faithfull trust is more Whose nimble wings shall cleave the flitting skies And scorne the terrour of your enemies â—ratio hight well knowne unto your King Your message she shall doe and tydings bring Provided that Fidissa travaile with her And so on Christs name let them goe together With that Fidissa having ta'ne her errant And good Oratio with Iustitia's Warrant In silence of the midnight tooke her flight Arriving at the Court that very night But they were both as flames of fier hot For they did fly as swift as Cannon shot But they left sudden cold should do them harme Together clung and kept each other warme But now the kingly gates were sparr'd and lockt They call'd but none made answer theÌ„ they knockt Together jâ—yning both their force in one They knockt againe Yet answer there was none But they that never learn'd to take deniall With importunity made further triall The King heard well although he list not speake Till they with strokes the gate did wel-nie breake In fine the brazen gates flew open wide Oratio moov'd her suit The King replide â—ratio was a faire and welcome guest So heard her suit so granted her request Fraile man observe In thee the practice lies Let sacred Meditation moralize Let Pray'r bee servent and thy Faith intire And
Within the bosome of his holiest works Some hidden Embers of old Adaâ— lurkes Which oftentimes in men of purest wayes Burst out in flame and for a season blaze ¶ Lord teach our hearts and give our soules directions Subdue our passions curb our stout affections Nip thou the bud before the bloome begins Lord shield thy servants from presumptuous sins THE ARGVMENT A Booth for shelter Ionaâ— made God sent a Gourd for better shade But by the next approching light God sent a Worme consum'd it quite Sect. 12. SO Ionah sore opprest and heavie-hearted From out the Cities circuit straight departed Departed to the Easterne borders of it Where sicke with anguish sate this sullen Prophet He built a Booth and in the Booth he sate Vntill some few dayes had expir'd their date With over-tedious pace where he might see What would betide to threatned Nineveh A trunke that wanteth sap is soone decay'd The slender Booth of boughes and branches made Soone yeelding to the Sun's consuming Ray Crumbled to dust and early dry'd away Whereat the great Iehovah spake the word And over Ionah's head there sprang a Gourd Whose roots were fixt within the quickning earth Which gave it nourishment as well as birth God raised up a Gourd a Gourd should last Let winde or scorching Sun or blow or blast As coales of fier rak'd in embers lye Obscure and undiscerned by the eye But being stirr'd regaine a glimm'ring light Revive and glow burning afresh and bright So Ionah 'gan to cheere through this reliefe And joyfull was devoyded all his griefe He joy'd to see that God had not forgot His drooping servant and forsooke him not He joy'd in hope the Gourds strange wonder will Perswade the people hee 's a Prophet still The fresh aspect did much refresh his sight The herball savour gave his sense delight Thus Ionah much delighted in his Gourd Enjoy'd the pleasures that it did affoord But Lord what earthly thing can long remaine How momentany are they and how vaine How vaine is earth that man 's delighted in it Her pleasures rise and vanish in a minit How fleeting are the joyes we finde below Whose tides uncertaine oftner ebbe than flow For see this Gourd that was so faire and sound Is quite consum'd and eaten to the ground No sooner Titan had up-heav'd his head From off the pillow of his Saffron bed But heav'n prepar'd a silly silly worme Perchance brought thither by an Eastern storme The worme that must obey and well knew how Consum'd the Gourd nor left it root nor bough Consum'd it straight within a minutes space Left nought but sleeping Ionas in the place Medit. 12. ¶ THe pleasures of the world which soon abate Are lively Emblemes of our owne estate Which like a Banquet at a Fun'rall show But sweeten griefe and serve to flatter woe ¶ Pleasure is fleeting still and makes no stay It lends a smile or twaine and steales away ¶ Man's life is fickle full of winged haste It mockes the sense with joy and soone does waste ¶ Pleasure does crown thy youth Iuls thy wants But sullen age approaching straight avaunts ¶ Man's life is joy and sorrow seekes to banish It doth lament and mourne in age and vanish ¶ The time of pleasure 's like the life of Man Both joyfull both contained in a span Both highly priz'd and both on sudden lost When most we trust them they deceive us most What fit of madnesse makes us love them thus We leave our lives and pleasure leaveth us Why what is pleasure But a golden dreame Which waking makes our waÌ„ts the more extreme And what is Life A bubble full of care Which prickt by death straight empties into ayre The flowers clad in farre more rich aray Than e're was Salomon doe soone decay What thing more sweet or fairer then a flowre And yet it bloomes and fades within an houre What greater pleasure then a rising Sun Yet is this pleasure every evening done But thou art heyre to Croesus and thy treasure Being great and endlesse endlesse is thy pleasure But thou thou Croesus heyre consider must Thy wealth and thou came from and goes to dust Another's noble and his name is great And takes his place vpon a lofty seat True 't is but yet his many wants are such That better 't were he were not knowne so much Another binds his soule in Hymens knot His Spouse is chast unblemisht with a spot But yet his comfort is bedasht and done His grounds are stockt and now he wants a sonne ¶ How fickle and unconstant's Mans estate Man fain would have but then he knows not what And having rightly knowes not how to prize it But like that foolish Dunghill-cock imployes it But who desires to live a life content Wherein his Cruze of joy shall ne're be spent With fierce pursuit let him that good desire Whose date no change no fortune can expire For that 's not worth the craving to obtaine A happinesse that must be lost againe Nor that which most doe covet most is best Best are the goods mixt with contented rest Gasp not for honour wish no blazing glory For these will perish in an ages story Nor yet for power power may be carv'd To fooles as well as thee that hast deserv'd Thirst not for Lands nor Money wish for none For wealth is neither lasting nor our owne Riches are faire inticements to deceive us They flatter while we live and dying leave us THE ARGVMENT Ionas desires to die the Lord Rebukes him be maintaines his word His anger hee doth justifie God pleads the cause for Ninevie Sect. 13. WHen ruddy Phoebus had with morning light Subdu'd the East put the stars to flight Heav'ns hand prepar'd a servent Easterne winde Whose drought together with the Sun combin'd The one as bellowes blowing t'others fire With strong united force did both conâ—pire To make assault upon the fainting head Of helplesse Ionah that was well nye dead Who turning oft and tossing to and fro As they that are in torments use to doe And restlesse finding no successe of ease But rather that his tortures still encrease His secret passion to his soule betraid Craving no sweeter boone then death and said O kill me Lord or loe my heart will rive For better 't is for me to dye than live So said The Lord did interrupt his passion And said How now is this a seemely fashion Doth it become my servants heart to swell Can anger helpe thee Ionah dost thou well Is this a â—it speech or a well-plac'd word What art thou angry Ionah for a Gourd What if th' Arabians with their ruder traine Had kild thine Oxen and thy Cattell slâ—ine What if consuming fier falne from heaven Had all thy servants of their lives bereaven And burnt thy sheepe What if by strong oppression The Chaldees had usurp'd unjust possession Vpon thy Camels Or had Boreas blowne His full-mouth'd blast and cast thy houses downe And slâ—ine thy sonnes amid
leaves it undecided The fleshly eye that lends a feeble sight Failes in extent and hath no further might Than to attaine the object and there ends His office and of what it apprehends Acquaints the understanding which conceives And descants on that thing the sight perceives Or good or bad unable to project The just occasion or the true effect Man sees like man and can but comprehend Things as they present are not as they end God sees a Kings heart in a shepheards brest And in a mighty King he sees a Beast 'T is not the spring tyde of an high estate Creates a man though seeming Fortunate The blaze of Honour Fortunes sweet excesse Doe undeserve the name of Happinesse The frownes of indisposed Fortune makes Man poore but not unhappy He that takes Her checks with patience leaves the name of poor And lets in Fortune at a backer doore ¶ Lord let my fortunes be or rich or poore If small the lesse account if great the more THE ARGVMENT Vnto the King proud Haman sues For the destruction of the Iewes The King consents and in his name Decrees were sent t' effect the same Sect. 8. NOw when the year had turn'd his course about And fully worne his weary howers out And left his circling travell to his heire That now sets onset to th' ensuing yeare Proud Haman pain'd with travell in the birth Till after-time could bring his mischiefe forth Casts Lots from month to month from day to day To picke the choycest time when Fortune may Be most propitious to his damned plot Till on the last month fell th' unwilling Lot So Haman guided by his Idoll Fate Cloaking with publike good his private Hate In plaintiffe tearmes where Reason forg'd a rellish Vnto the King his speech did thus imbellish Vpâ—â— the limits of this happy Nation There flotes a skumâ—e an off-cast Generation Disperst despis'd and noysome to the Land And Refractory to the Lawes to thy Command Not stooping to thy Power but despising All Government but of their owne devising Which stirs the glowing embers of division The hatefull mother of a States perdition The which not soone redrest by Reformation Will ruine-breed to thee and to thy Nation Begetting Rebels and seditioâ—s broyles And fill thy peacefull Land with bloody spoyles Now therefore if it please my gracious Lord To right this grievance with his Princely sword That Death and equall Iustice may o'rewhelme The secret Ruiners of thy sacred Realme Vnto the Royall Treasure of the King Ten thousand silver Talents wâ—ll I bring Then gave the King from off his heedlesse hand His Ring to Haman with that Ring command And said Thy proffer'd wealth possesse Yet â—e thy just Petition ne'rthelesse Entirely granted Lâ—e before thy face Thy vassals lye with all their rebell race Thine be the people and the power thine T' allot these Rebels their deserved Fine Forthwith the Scribes were summon'd to appeare Decrees were written sent to every Shire To all Lieutenants Captaines of the Band And all the Provinces throughout the Land Stil'd in the name and person of the King And made authentick with his Royall Ring By speedy Post men were the Letters sent And this the summe is of their sad content ASSVERVS REX Let ev'ry Province in the Persian Land Vpon the Day prefixt prepare his hand To make the Channels flow with Rebels blood And from the earth to roote the Iewish brood And let the sâ—finesse of no partiall heart Through melting pitie love or false desert Spare either young or old or man or woman But like their faults so let their plagues be common Dicreed and signed by our Princely Grace And given at Sushan from our Royall Place So Haman fill'd with joy his fortunes blest With faire successe of his so foule request Laid care aside to sleepe and with the King Consum'd the time in jolly banquetting Meane while the Iewes the poore afflicted Iewes Perplext and startl'd with the new-bred newes With drooping heads and selfe-imbracing armes Wept forth the Dirge of their ensuing harmes Medita 8. OF all diseases in a publike weale No one more dangerous and hard to heale Except a tyrant King then when great might Is trusted to the hands that take delight To bathe and paddle in the blood of those Whoâ— jealousies and not just cause oppose 〈…〉 as haughty power is conjoynd Vnto 〈◊〉 will of a distemper'd mind What â—â—re it can it will and what it will It in it 〈◊〉 hath power to fulfill What! 〈◊〉 then can linger unattemted What base attempts can happen unprevented Statutes must breake good Lawes must go to wracâ— And like a Bow that 's overbent must cracke Iustice the life of Law becomes so furious That over-doing right it proves injurious Mercy the Steare of Iustice flyes the City And falsly must be term'd a foolish Pity Meane while the gracious Princes tender brest Gently possest with nothing but the best Of the disguis'd dissembler is abus'd And made the cloke wherewith his fault 's excus'd The radient beames that warme shine so bright Comfort this lower world with heat and light But drawne and recollected in a glasse They burne and their appointed limits passe Even so the power from the Princes hand Directs the subject with a sweet command But to perverse fantasticks if confer'd Whom wealth or blinded Fortune hath prefer'd It spurres on wrong and makes the right retire And sets the grumbling Common-wealth on fire Their foule intent the Common good pretends And with that good they maske their private ends Their glorie 's dimme and cannot b'understood Vnlesse it shine in pride or swimme in blood Their will 's a Law their mischiefe Policy Their frownes are Death their power Tyranny Ill thrives the State that harbours such a man That can what e're he wills wills what he can May my ungarnisht quill presume so much To glorifie it selfe and give a touch Vpon the Iland of my Soveraigne Lord What language shall I use what new-founâ—â—ord T' abridge the mighty volume of of his worth And keepe me blamelesse from th' untimely birth Of false reputed flattery He lends No cursed Haman pow'r to worke his Ends Vpon our ruine but transferres his grace On just desert which in the ugly face Of foule detraction untouch't can dare And smile till black-mouth'd Envy blush and tare Her Snaky fleece Thus thus in happy peace He rules to make our happinesse increase Directs with love commands with Princely awe And in his brest he beares a living Law Defend us thou and heavens thee defend And let proud Haman have proud Hamans end THE ARGVMENT The Iewes and Mordecai lament And waile the height of their distresses But Mordecai the Queene possesses With cruell Hamans foule intent Sect 3. NOw when as 〈◊〉 the daughter of the earth Newly dis-burthen'd of her plumed birth From off her Turrets did her wings display And pearcht in the sad cares of Mordecai He rent his garments wearing in their stead Distressed sack-cloth
patience of so strong a foe To bring these evils and worke their overthrow To him they haste and with resolv'd desire Of bloud they burne his house him with fire Meditat. 15. DOst thou not tremble does thy troubled care Not tingle nor thy spirits faint to heare The voice of those whose dying shriekes proclaime Their tortures that are broyling in the flame She whose illustrious beautie did not know Where to be matcht but one poore houre agoe She whose faire eyes were apt to make man erre From his knowne faith and turne Idolater She whose faire cheeks inricht with true complexion Seem'd Beauties store-house of her best perfection See how she lies see how this beautie lies A foule offence unto thy loathing eyes A fleshly Cinder lying on the floore Starke naked had it not beene covered ore With bashfull ruines which were fallen downe From the consumed roofe and rudely throwne On this halfe roasted earth O canst thou reade Her double storie and thy heart not bleed What art thou more than she Tell me wherein Art thou more priviledg'd Or can thy sinne Plead more t' excuse it Art thou faire and young Why so was she Were thy temptations strong Why so were hers What canst thou plead but she Had power to plead the same as well as thee Nor was 't her death alone could satisfie Revenge her father and his house must die Vnpunisht crimes doe often bring them in That were no lesse than strangers to the sinne Ely must die because his faire reproofe Of too foule sinne was not austere enough Was vengeance now appeas'd Hath not the crime Paid a sufficient Intrest for the time Remove thine eye to the Philistian fields See what increase their fruitfull harvest yeelds There 's nothing there but a confused heape Of ruinous Ashes There 's no corne to reape Behold the poyson of unpunisht sinne For which the very earth 's accurst againe Famine must act her part her griping hand For one mans sinne must punish all the land Is vengeance now appeas'd Hath sinne given ore To cry for plagues Must vengeance yet have more O now th' impartiall sword must come and spill The bloud of such as famine could not kill The language of unpunisht sinne cryes loud It roares for Iustice and it must have bloud Famine must follow where the fire begun The sword must end what both have left undone Iust God! our sinnes doe dare thee to thy face Our score is great our Ephah fills apace The leaden cover threatens every minut To close the Ephah and our sinnes within it Turne back thine eye Let not thine eye behold Such vile pollutions Let thy vengeance hold Looke on thy dying Sonne there shalt thou spie 〈◊〉 object that 's more fitter for thine eye 〈◊〉 sufferings Lord are farre above our finnes 〈◊〉 looke thou there Ere Iustice once begins â—T ' unsheath her sword O let one precious drop Fall from that pierced side and that will stop The eares of vengeance from that clamorous voice Of our loud sinnes which make so great a noise O send that drop before Revenge begins And that will crie farre louder than our sinnes THE ARGVMENT He makes a slaughter Doth remove To Etans rocke where to repay him The wrongs that he had done they move The men of Iudah to betray him Sect. 16. THus when th'accurs'd Philistians had appaid The Timnies sinne with ruine and betraid Th'unjust Offenders to their fierce desire And burn'd their cursed Family with fire 〈◊〉 the greatnesse of whose debt deni'd So short a payment and whose wrongs yet crideâ— For further vengeance to be further laid Vpon the sinne-conniving Nation said Vnjust Philistians you that could behold 〈◊〉 a crime and yet with-hold 〈◊〉 well deserved punishment so long 〈◊〉 made you partners in their sinne my wrong Had yee at first when as the fault was young Before that Time had lent her clamorous tongue So great a strength to call for so much bloud O hid your earlie Iustice but thought good To strike in time nay had you then devis'd Some easier punishment it had suffic'd But now it comes too late The sinne has cryed Till heaven hath heard and mercy is denied Nay had the sinne but spâ—r'd to roare so loud A drop had serv'd when now a Tide of bloud Will hardly stop her mouth Had ye done this betimes But now this hand Must plague your persons and afflict your land Have ye beheld a youth-instructing Tutor Whose wisdome's seldome seene but in the future When well deserved punishment shall call For the delinquent Boy how first of all He preaches fairely then proceeds austerer To the foule crime whilst the suspitious hearer Trembles at every word untill at length His language being ceas'd th' unwelcome strength Of his rude arme that often proves too rash Strikes home and fetches bloud at every lash Even so stout Samson whose more gentle tongue In easie tearmes doth first declare tho wrong Injustice did then tells the evill effects That mans connivence and unjust neglects Does often bring upon th' afflicted land But at the last upheaves his ruthlesse hand He hewes he hacks and furie being guide His unresisted power doth divide From top to toe his furious weapon cleft Where ere it strucke It slue and never left Vntill his flesh-destroying arme at length Could finde no subject where t' imploy his strength Here stands a head-strong Steed whose fainting guider Drops down another drags his wounded rider Now here now there his franticke arme would thunder And at one stroake cleaves horse man in sunder In whose mixt bloud his hands would oft embrue And where so ere they did but touch they slew Here 's no imployment for the Surgeons trade All wounds were mortall that his weapon made There 's none was left but dying or else dead And onely they that scap'd his fury fled The slaughter ended the proud victor past Through the afflicted land untill at last He comes to Iudah where he pitcht his tent At the rocke Etan There some time he spent He spent not much till the Philistian band That found small comfort in their wasted land Came up to Iudah and there pitch'd not farre From Samsons tent their hands were arm'd to warre With that the men of Iudah strucke with feare To see so great an Armie straite drew neere To the sad Campe who after they had made Some signes of a continued peace they said What new designes have brought your royall band 〈◊〉 the borders of our peacefull land 〈◊〉 strange adventures What disastrous weather 〈◊〉 you this way What businesse brought you hether 〈◊〉 my Lords be angry or conceive 〈◊〉 evill against your Servants What we have 〈◊〉 The peacefull plentie of our land 〈◊〉 we are yours and at your owne command 〈◊〉 to what purpose are you pleas'd to shew us 〈◊〉 strength Why bring you thus an Army to us 〈…〉 our yearly tributes justly paid Have we not kept our vowes have we delaid Our faithfull
glorious Conquerour is now afraid His conscious heart is smitten with his sinne He cannot chuse but feare and feare agin He feares and now the terrible alarmes Of sinne doe call him from th'unlawfull armes And lips of his luxurious Concubine Bids him arise from dalliance and resigne The usurpation of his luke-warme place To some new sinner whose lesse dangerous case May lend more leisure to so soule a deed Samson with greater and vnwonted speed Leapes from his wanton bed his feares doe presse More haste to cloath than lust did to undresse He makes no tarryance but with winged hast Bestrides the streets and to the gates he past And through the armed troupes he makes his way Beares gates and barres and pillers all away So scap'd the rage of the Philistian band That still must owe his ruine to their land Medit. 19. HOw weake at strongest is poore flesh blood Samson the greatnes of whose power withstood A little world of armed men with death â—ust now be foyled with a womans breath The mother sometimes lets her infant fall To make it hold the surer by the wall God lets his servant often goe amisse That he may turne and see how weake he is David that found an overflowing measure Of heavens high favours and as great a treasure Of saving grace and portion of the Spirit As flesh and bloud was able to inherit Must have a fall to exercise his feares And make him drowne his restles couch with tears Wise Salomon within whose heart was planted The fruitfull stockes of heavenly wisdome wanted Not that whereby his weakenesse understood The perfect vanity of flesh and bloud Whose hand seem'd prodigall of his Isaacs life He durst not trust Gods providence with his wife The righteous Lâ—t had slidings Holy Paul He had his pricke and Peter had his fall The sacred Bride in whose faire face remaines The greatest earthly beauty hath her staines If man were perfect land entirely good He were not man he were not flesh and blood Or should he never fall he would at length Not see his weakenesse and presume in strength Ere children know the sharpnesse of the Edge They thinke their fingers have a priveledge Against a wound but having felt the knife A bleeding finger sometime saves a life Lord we are children our sharpe-edg'd knives Together with our bloud le ts out our lives Alas if we but draw them from the sheath They cut our fingers and they bleed to death Thou great Chirurgion of a bleeding soule Whose soveraigne baulme is able to make whole The deepest wound Thy sacred salve is sure We cannot bleed so fast as thou canst cure Heale thou our wounds that having salv'd the sore Our hearts may feare and learne to sinne no more And let our hands be strangers to those knives That wound not fingers onely but our lives THE ARGVMENT He falls in league with Delila The Nobles bribe her to discover Her Samsons strength and learne the way To binde her arme-prevailing Lover Sect. 20. NOt farre from Azza in a fruitfull Valley Close by a brooke whose silver streams did daâ—ley â—ith the smooth bosome of the wanton sands â—hose winding current parts the neighbring lands And often washes the beloved sides â—her delightfull bankes with gentle tydes â—â—re dwelt a Beauty in whose Sunne-bright eye 〈◊〉 sate in thron'd and full of Majestie 〈◊〉 forth such glorious eye-surprizing rayes 〈◊〉 she was thought the wonder of her dayes 〈◊〉 name was called Delila the faire â—â—ther did amorous Samson oft repaire 〈◊〉 with the piercing flame of her bright eye 〈◊〉 so long that like a wanton flye 〈◊〉 â—urnt his lustfull wings and so became 〈◊〉 slavish prisner to that conquering flame She askt and had There 's nothing was too high For her to beg or Samson to denie Who now but Delila What name can raise And crowne his drooping thoughts but Delila's All time 's mispent each houre is cast away That 's not imploy'd upon his Delila Gifts must be given to Delila No cost If sweetest Delila but smile is lost No ioy can please no happinesse can crowne His best desires if Delila but frowne No good can blesse his amorous heart but this Hee 's Delila's and Delila is his Now when the louder breath of fame had blowne Her newes-proclaiming Trumpet made knowne This Lovers passion to the joyfull eares Of the cow'd Philistines their nimble feates Advis'd their better hopes not to neglect So faire advantage which may bring t' effect Their best desires and right their wasted Land Of all her wrongs by a securer hand With that some few of the Philistian Lords Repaire to Delila with baited words They tempt the frailty of the simple maid And having sworne her to their counsell said Faire Delila Thou canst not chuse but know The miseries of our land whose ruines show The danger whereinto not we but all If thou deny they helpefull hand must fall Those fruitfull fields that offer'd but of late Their plenteous favours to our prosperous state See how they lie a ruinous heape and void Of all their plenty wasted and destroyde Our common foe hath sported with our lives Hath slaine our children and destroy'd our wives 〈…〉 poore distressed land doth grone Vnder that mischiefe that his hands have done â—â—dowes implore thee and poore Orphans tongues â—all to faire Delila to right their wrongs 〈◊〉 lies in thee to help Thy helpefull hand May haâ—e the Glory to revenge thy land For which our thankefull Nation shall allow Not onely honour but reward and thou From every hand that 's present here shall gaine 〈◊〉 a thousand Sicles for thy paine To whom faire Delila whom reward had tied To satisfie her owne desires replied My Lords My humble service I acknowledge due 〈◊〉 to my native country next to you If Heaven and Fortune have enricht my hand With so much power to relieve our Land When ere your honours please to call me to it 〈◊〉 Delila shall die or doe it Say then my Lords wherein my power may doe This willing Service to my land or you Thou knowest say they No forces can withstand The mighty strength of cursed Samsons hand 〈◊〉 ruines Armies and does overthrow 〈◊〉 greatest Bands nay kingdomes at a blow The limits of his more then manly powers Are not confin'd nor is his Arme like ours His strength is more then man his conquering Arme Hath sure th' assistance of some potent charme 〈◊〉 nothing but the glory of thine eyes Wherein a farre more strong enchantment lies 〈◊〉 overthrow He 's prisoner to thine eye 〈◊〉 canst thou aske what Samson can deny 〈◊〉 sweetnesse of thy language hath the Art To dive into the secrets of his heart Move Samson then unbarre his bolted brest And let his deafned eares attaine no rest Vntill his eye-inchanted tongue replyes And tells thee where his hidden power lyes Vrge him to whisper in thy private â—are And to repose his magicke mystr'y there How by what meanes
his strength may be betray'd To bâ—nds and how his power may be allaid That we may right these wrongs which his proud hand Hath rudely offer'd to our ruinous land In this thou shalt obtaine the reputation To be the sole redeemer of thy Nation Whose wealth shall crowne thy loyalty with a meed Due to the merits of so faire a deed Whereto faire Delila whose heart was tyed To Samsons love for her owne ends replied My honourable Lords If my successe In these your just imployments prove no lesse Then my desiers I should thinke my paines Rewarded in the Action If the raines Of Samsons headstrong power were in my hands These lips should now performance Your commands Should worke obedience in the loyall brest Of your true servant who would never rest Till she had done the deed But know my Lords If the poore frailty of a womans words May shake so great a power and prevaile My best advis'd endeavours shall not faile To be imploy'd I le make a sudden triall And quickly speed or finde a soule deniall Meditat. 20. INsatiate Samson Could not Azza smother Thy flaming Lust but must thou finde another Is th' old growne stale And seekst thou for a new Alas where Two's too many Three 's too few Mans soule is infinite and never tires In the extension of her owne desires The sprightly nature of his active minde Aimes still at further Will not be confinde To th' poore dimensions of flesh and blood Something it still desiers Covets good Would faine be happy in the sweet enjoyment Of what it prosecutes with the imployment Of best endeavours but it cannot finde So great a good but something 's still behind It first propounds applauds desires endeavours At last enjoyes but like to men in Feavours Who fancy alway those things that are worst The more it drinks the more it is a thirst The fruitfull earth whose nature is the worse For sin with man partaker in the curse â—â—mes at perfection and would faine bring forth As first it did things of the greatest worth â—er colder wombe endeavours as of old To ripen all her Metals unto Gold O but that sin-procured curse hath chill'd The heate of pregnant Nature and hath filld Her barren seed with coldnesse which does lurke In her â—aint wombe that her more perfect worke Is hindred and for want of heate brings forth Imperfect metals of a baser worth Even so the soule of Man in her first state Receiv'd a power and a will to that Which was most pure and good but since the losse Of that faire freedome onely trades in drosse Aimes shee at Wealth alas her proud desire Strives for the best but failing to mount higher Than earth her errour grapples and takes hold On that which earth can onely give her Gold Aimes she at Glory Her ambition flies As high a pitch as her dull wings can rise But failing in her strength she leaves to strive And takes such Honour as base earth can give Aimes she at Pleasure her desires extend To lasting joyes whose pleasures have no end But wanting wings she grovels on the Dust And there she lights upon a carnall Lust Yet nerethelesse th'aspring Soule desires A perfect good but wanting those sweet fires Whose heate should perfect her unrip'ned will Cleaves to th'apparent Good which Good is ill Whose sweet enjoyment being farre unable To give a satisfaction answerable To her unbounded wishes leaves a thirst Of re-enjoyment greater than the first Lord When our fruitlesse fallowes are growne cold And out of heart we can inrich the mould With a new heate wee can restore againe Her weakned soile and make it apt for graine And wilt thou suffer our faint soules to lie Thus unmanur'd that is thy Husbandry They beare no other bulke but idle weeds Alas they have no heart no heate Thy seedes Are cast away untill thou please t'enspire New strength quench them with thy sacred fire Stirre thou my Fallowes and enrich my mould And they shal bring thee'encrease a hundred fold THE ARGVMENT False Delila accosts her Lover her lips endeavour to entice His gentle nature to discover his strength Samson deceives her thrice Sect. 21. SOone as occasion lent our Champions eare To Delila which could not chuse but heare If Delila but whisper'd she whose wiles Were neatly baited with her simple smiles Accosted Samson Her alluring hand Sometimes would stroke his Temples sometime span'd His brawny arme Sometimes would gently gripe His sinewy wrest Another while would wipe His sweating browes Her wanton fingers plai'd Sometimes with his faire lockes sometimes would brai'd His long dishevell'd hair her eyes one while Would steale a glance upon his eyes and smile And theÌ„ her crafty lips would speak then smother Her broken speech and then begin another At last as if a sudden thought had brake From the faire prison of her lips she spake How poore a Grisle is this arme of mine Me thinkes 't is nothing in respect of thine I 'd rather feele the power of thy Love Than of thy hand In that my heart would prove The stouter Champion and would make thee yeeld And leave thee captive in the conquer'd field The strength of my affection passes thine As much as thy victorious arme does mine The greatest conquest then is due to me Thou conquer'st others but I conquer thee But say my love is it some hidden charme Or does thy stocke of youth enrich thy arme With so great power that can overthrow And conquer mighty Kingdomes at a blow What cause have I to joy I need not feare The greatest danger now my Samson's here I feare no Rebels now me thinks thy power Makes me a Princesse and my house a Tower But say my Love if Delila should finde thee Lost in a sleepe could not her fingers binde thee Me thinkes they should But I would scorne to make So poore a Conquest When th' art broad awake Teach me the tricke Or if thou wilt deny me Know that my owne invention shall supply me Without thy helpe I 'le use a womans charmes And binde thee fast within these circled Armes To whom the Champion smiling thus replied Take the greene Osyers that were never dried And bind thy Samsons wrists together then He shall be fast and weake as other men With that the Philistines that lay in waite Within an eares command commanded strait That Osyers should be brought wherwith she tyed Victorious Samsons joyned hands and cryed Samson make haste and let thy strength appeare Samson take heed the Philistines are here He starts and as the flaming fier cracks The slender substance of th'untwisted flaxe 〈◊〉 â—witcht in sunder his divided bands 〈◊〉 in a moment freed his fastned hands 〈◊〉 that offended Delila bewrai'd 〈◊〉 frowne halfe sweetned with a smile and said Thinkst thou thy Delila does goe about 〈◊〉 â—rappe thy life Or can my Samson doubt â—wrodâ— ledge a secret in the loyall brest 〈◊〉 faithfull Delila that findes no rest 〈◊〉 happinesse
ayre-diuiding plumes She struggles often and she oft presumes To take the sanctuary of the open fields But finding that her hopes are vaine she yeelds Even so poore Samson frighted at the sound That rows'd him from his rest forsook the ground Perceiving the Philistians there at hand To take him pris'ner he began to stand Vpon his wonted Guard His threatning breath Brings forth the prologue to their following death He rowz'd himselfe and like a Lyon shooke His drowzy limmes and with a cloudy looke Fore-telling boystrous and tempestuous weather Defi'd each one defi'd them all together Now when he came to grapple he upheav'd His mighty hand but now alas bereav'd Of wonted power that confounding arme That could no lesse then murther did no harme Blow was exchang'd for blow wound for wound He that of late disdained to give ground Flies backe apace who lately stain'd the field With conquer'd blood does now begin to yeeld He that of late brake twisted Ropes in twaine Is bound with Packthred He that did disdaine To feare the power of an Armed Band Can now walke prisoner in a single hand Thus have the trecherous Philistines betray'd Poore captive Samson Samson now obay'd Those glowing eyes that whirled death about Where ere they view'd their cursed hands put out They led him pris'ner and convai'd him downe 〈◊〉 strong-wall'd d' Azza that Philistiâ—â— towne Those gates his shoulders lately bore away â—â—ere in the common Prison did they lay â—â—stressed Samson who obtain'd no meate 〈◊〉 what he purchas'd with his painfull sweate 〈◊〉 every day they urg'd him to fulfill 〈◊〉 twelve howres taske at the laborious Mill 〈◊〉 when his wasted strength began to tyre â—â—ey'd quicken his bare sides with whips of Wire â—â—ll'd was the towne with Ioy and Triumph All â—rom the high-Prince to th' Cobbler on the stall â—ept holy-day whilest every voice became â—oarse as the Trumpe of newes-divulging fame 〈◊〉 tongues were fill'd with shouts And every eare â—â—as growne impatient of the whisperer 〈◊〉 generall was their Triumph their Applause That children shouted ere they knew a cause The better sort betooke them to their knees Dagon must worship'd be Dagon that frees â—oth Sea and Land Dagon that did subdue 〈◊〉 common â—oe Dagon must have his due Dagon must have his praise must have his prize Dagon must have his holy Sacrifice Dagon has brought to our victorious hand â—roud Samson Dagon has redeem'd our land 〈◊〉 call to Dagon and our Dagon heares 〈◊〉 groanes are 〈◊〉 to holy Dagons eares To Dagon all renowne and Glory be Where is there such another God as Hee Medita 22. HOw is our story chang'd O more then strange Effects of so small time O sudden change Is this that holy Nazarite for whom Heaven shew'd a Miracle on the barren wombe Is this that holy Thing against whose Birth Angels must quit their thrones and visit Earth Is this that blessed Infant that began To grow in favour so with God and man What is this he who strengthn'd by heav'ns hand Was borne a Champion to redeeme the Land Is this the man whose courage did contest With a fierce Lyon grapling brest to brest And in a twinkling tore him quite in sunder Is this that Conquerour whose Arme did thunder Vpon the men of Askalon the power Of whose bent fist slew thirty in an hower Is this that daring Conquerour whose hand Thrasht the proud Philistines in their wasted land And was this He that with the helpe of none Destroy'd a thousand with a silly Bone Or He whose wrists being bound together did Break Cords like flax and double Ropes like thrid Is this the man whose hands unhing'd those Gates And bare them thence with pillars barrs Grates And is he turn'd a Mill-horse now and blinde Must this great Conquerour be forc'd to grinde For bread and water Must this Heroe spend His latter times in drudgery Must he end His weary dayes in darknesse Must his hyer Be knotted cords and torturing whips of wyer â—â—ere heaven withdraws the creaturs power shakes 〈◊〉 miserie 's wanting there where God forsakes 〈◊〉 Samson not abus'd his borrow'd power 〈◊〉 had still remain'd a Conquerour 〈◊〉 Philistins did act his part No doubt 〈◊〉 eyes offended and they pluck'd them out 〈◊〉 will be just He punishes a sin 〈◊〉 in the member that he findes it in â—â—en faithlesse Zacharias did become 〈◊〉 curious his lips were strucken dumbe 〈◊〉 whose lustfull view did overprize â—â—lawfull beautie's punisht in his eyes 〈◊〉 flaming eyes seduc'd his wanton minde 〈◊〉 act a sinne Those eyes are stricken blinde 〈◊〉 beauty he invaded did invade him 〈◊〉 that faire tong that blest him so betraid him 〈◊〉 strength intemperate lust imploy'd so ill 〈◊〉 a dâ—iving the laborious Mill 〈◊〉 naked sides so pleas'd with lusts desire 〈◊〉 now as naked lasht with whips of wire Lord shouldst thou punish every part in me 〈◊〉 does offend what member would be free 〈◊〉 member acts his part They never lin 〈◊〉 they joyne and make a Body ' of fin 〈◊〉 sinne my burthen Let it never please me 〈◊〉 thou hast promis'd when I come to ease me THE ARGVMENT They make a feast And then to crowne Their mirth blind Samson is brought thither He pulls the mighty pillers downe The Building falls All slaine together Sect. 23. THus when the vulgar Triumph which does last But seldome longer then the newes was past And Dagons holy Altars had surecast To breath their idle fumes they call'd a feast A common Feast whose bounty did bewray A common joy to gratulate the day Whereto the Princes vnder whose command Each province was in their diuided land Whereto the Lords Leiutenants and all those To whom the supreme Rulers did repose An under-trust whereto the better sort Of gentry and of Commons did resort With mirth and jolly triumph to allay Their sorrowes and to solemnize the day Into the common Hall they come The Hall Was large and faire Her arched roofe was all Builded with massie stone and over-lai'd With pond'rous Lead Two sturdy Pillers stai'd Her mighty Rafters up whereon relied The weighty burthen of her lofty pride When lusty dyet and the frollicke cup Had rouz'd and rais'd their quickned spirits up 〈◊〉 brave triumphing Bacchus had displaid 〈◊〉 conquering colours in their cheeks they said 〈◊〉 Samson forth He must not worke toâ— day 〈…〉 feast Wee 'l give him leave to play 〈…〉 bravely Does our Mill-horse sweat 〈◊〉 lacke nothing What he wants in meaâ—e 〈◊〉 in lashes He is strong and stout 〈◊〉 his breath can drive the Mill about 〈◊〉 too hard we feare Goe downe and free him 〈◊〉 that his Mistresse Delila would see him 〈◊〉 of him will take our howers short 〈◊〉 him then to make our Honours sport 〈◊〉 proviaâ— some Riddles Let him bring 〈◊〉 of Triumph He that 's blinde may sing 〈◊〉 better boldnesse Bid him never doubt 〈◊〉 What matter though his eyes be out 〈◊〉 dishonour that he cannot see 〈◊〉
Thy servants glory in thy ruine those That were thy private friends are publike foes Thus thus say they we spit our rankrous spleene And gâ—ash our teeth upon the worlds faire Queene Thrice welcome this this long expected day That crownes our conquest with so sweet a prey ELEG 17. REbellious Iudah Could thy flattring crimes Secure thee from the dangers of the times Or did thy summer Prophets ere foresay These evills or warn'd thee of a winters day Did not those sweet-lipt Oracles beguile Thy wanton eares with newes of Wine and Oile But heaven is just what his deepe counsell wild His prophets told and Iustice hath fulfill'd He hath destroy'd no secret place so voyd No Fort so sure that Heaven hath not destroy'd Thou land of Iudah How 's thy sacred throne Become a stage for Heathen to trample on ELEG 18. SEe see th' accursed Gentiles doe inherit The Land of promise where heavens Sacred Spirit Built Temples for his everlasting Name There there th'usurping Pagans doe proclaime Their idle Idols unto whom they gave That stolen honor which heavnes Lord should have Winke Sion O let not those eyes be stain'd With heavens dishonour see not heaven profan'd Close close thine eyes or if they needs must be Open like flood-gates to let water flee Yet let the violence of their flowing streames Obscure thine open eyes and mask their beames ELEG 19. TRust not thy eye-lids lest a flattering sleepe Bribe them to rest and they forget to weepe Powre out thy heart thy heart dissolv'd in teares Weepe forth thy plaints in the Almighties eares Oh let thy cries thy cries to heaven addrest Disturbe the silence of thy midnight rest Prefer the sad petitions of thy soule To heaven ne're close thy lips till heaven condole Confounded Sion and her wounded weale That God that smit oh move that God to heale Oh let thy tongue ne're cease to call thine eye To weepe thy pensive heart ne're cease to cry ELEG 20. VOuchsafe oh thou eternall Lord of pitty To looke on Sion and thy dearest City Confus'd Ierusalem for thy DAVIâ—S sake And for that promise which thy selfe did make To halting Isr'el loe thy hand hath forc'd Mothers whom law lesse Famine hath divorc'd From deare affection to devoure the bloomes And buds that burgeond froÌ„ their painful wombs Thy sacred Priests and Prophets that while-ere Did hourely whisper in thy neighbouring eare Are falne before the sacrilegious sword Even where even whilst they did unfold thy word ELEG 21. WOunded and wasted by th' eternall hand Of heaven I grovell on the ground my land Is turn'd a Golgotha before mine eye Vnsepulchred my murthred people lye My dead lye rudely scattred on the stones My Cawsies all are pav'd with dead mens bones The fierce Destroyer doth alike forbeare The maidens trembling and the Matrons teare Th' imperiall sword spares neither Foole nor Wise The old mans pleading nor the Infants cries Vengeance is deafe and blinde and she respects Nor Young nor Old nor Wise nor Foole nor Sex ELEG 22. YEares heavie laden with their months retire Months gone their date of numbred daies expire The daies full houred to their period tend And howers chac'd with light-foot Minutes end Yet my undated evills no time will minish Though yeares months though daies and howers finish Feares flocke about me as invited guests Before the Portalls at proclamed feasts Where heaveÌ„ hath breathd that man that state must fall Heaven wants no thunder-bolts to strike withall I am the subject of that angry Breath My sonnes are slaine and I am mark'd for death Threnodia III. ELEG 1. ALL you whose unprepared lips did tast The tedious Cup of sharp affliction cast Your wondring eyes on me that have drunke up Those dregs whereof you onely kist the Cup I am the man 'gainst whom th' Eternall hath Discharg'd the lowder volley of his wrath I am the man on whom the brow of night Hath scowl'd unworthy to behold the light I am the man in whom th' Almighty showeâ— The dire example of unpattern'd woes I am that Pris'ner ransome cannot free I am that man and I am onely he ELEG 2. BOndage hath forc'd my servile necke to faile Beneath her load Afflictions nimble flayle Hath thrasht my soule upon a floore of stones And quasht the marrow of my broken bones Th' assembled powres of Heaven enrag'd are eager To root me out Heavens souldiers doe beleager My worried soule my soule unapt for fleeing That yeelds o'reburthen'd with her tedious being Th' Almighties hand hath clouded all my night And clad my soule with a perpetuall light A night of torments and eternall sorrow Like that of Death that never findes a morrow ELEG 3. CHain'd to the brazen pillars of my woes I strive in vaine No mortall hand can loose What heaven hath bound my soule is walld about That hope can nor get in nor feare get out When ere my wav'ring hopes to heaven addresse The feeble voice of my extreame distresse He stops his tyred eares without regard Of Suit or Suitor leaves my prayers unheard Before my faint and stumbling feet he layes Blockes to disturbe my best advised wayes I seeke my peace but seeke my peace in vaine For every way 's a Trap each path's a Traine ELEG 4. DIsturbed Lyons are appeas'd with blood And ravenous Beares are milde not wanting food But heaven ah heaven will not implored be Lyons and Beares are not so fierce as Hee His direfull vengeance which no meane confines Hath crost the thriving of my best designes His hand hath spoild me that erewhile advanc't me Brought in my foes possest my friends against me His Bow is bent his forked Rovers flie Like darted haile-stones from the darkned skie Shot from a hand that cannot erre they be Transfixed in no other marke but me ELEG 5. EXil'd from Heaven I wander to and fro And seeke for streames as Stags new stricken doe And like a wandring Hart I flee the Hounds With Arrowes deeply fixed in my wounds My deadly Hunters with a winged pace Pricke forwards and pursue their weary chace They whoope they hollow me deride flout me That flee from death yet carrie death about me Excesse of torments hath my soule deceiv'd Of all her joyes of all her powres bereiv'd O curious griefe that hast my soule brim-fill'd With thousand deaths and yet my soule not kill'd ELEG 6. FOllow'd with troopes of feares I flie in vaine For change of places breeds new change of paine The base condition of my low estate My exalted Foes disdaine and wonder at Turne where I list these these my wretched eyes They finde no objects but new miseries My soule accustom'd to so long encrease Of paines forgets that she had ever peace Thus thus perplext thus with my griefes distracted What shall I do Heavens powers are compacted To worke my ' eternall ruine To what friend Shal I make mone when heaven conspires my end ELEG 7. GReat GOD what helpe ah me what hope is left