heard Where in the Prison we a young man found In whom diuinest wisedome did abound For we a seuerall Dreame had in a night Which told to him to vs he read aright The Baker to the Gallowes I to Grace Should be restor'd and all in three dayes space This of our Dreames th'interpretation was All which you saw most truely came to passe Thus ends the Butler Pharaoh glad to heare Of ought might ease his longing wishd him there Who quickly sent for shau'd appareld white As him became to stand in Pharohs sight Heard and as soone his Dreame did right expound Which by nine yeares experience true is found For these seau'n faire Kine and ranke goodly eares He did interpret seu'n fat fruitfull yeares The seu'n thin sterued which did them deuower Seu'n yeares of famine In a lucky hower For Egypt for thus store we vp did lay In fruitfull yeares against this euill day And not sole happy for our temporall store But spirituall For many who before Long led in ignorance and errour blind Till they Gods Truth by good experience find To stones and stockes Sunne Moone and Starres did fall Now worship God the maker of vs all Of which for euer blessed be his name A thankfull one I though th'vnworthiest am And hauing all vaine worldly ioyes forsaken Now to deuotion sole my selfe betaken Thus ends the Sage When Iudah holy Sire Hearing thy words Gods goodnesse we admire Happy that God hath kindled in thy breast The holy Fire these flames doe manifest But tell vs what became of that great Sage Which of such store and famine did presage You told vs how the Butler him neglected But how hath Pharoh his desert respected For great ones for the most part doe despise The poore though they be ne're so iust and wise And though the Land is by their wisedomes guarded They are not long respected or rewarded That 's th' end saith Trismegist for which I told The rest When as King Pharoh did behold Such heaun'ly wisedome in such youthfull yeares For scarce six Lustres in his face appeares Who counsell'd him with speede for to prouide A man of vnderstanding that might guide His vnder Officers through all the Land To store vp plenty vnder Pharohs hand The fifth part e'un of all their Corne and seede To feede his people in the time of neede The saying seem'd so good in Pharohs eyes And all his Seruants that they soone deuise Because no man in Egypt could be found In whom the Spirit of God did so abound To place him ouer all his house and Land That all might be eu'n as he should command Thus now he with the King is all as one He only sits aboue him in his Throne Him then most sumptuously apparelling He made the Lord and Keeper of his Ring The which he vsed as the publique Seale For all his priuate state and Common-weale And his second Charet brauely plac'd And with the highest princely honour grac'd This is the Man hath stor'd vp in the Land Great heapes of Corne in number like the Sand For as the Sands cannot be numbered No more the Plenty he hath gathered Now twice the Sunne hath his full course nigh past Since all our Lands haue barren lien and wast Nilus no more our Fields hath watered Nor fertile dewes our fruits haue cherished And now the dearth in all the Land is sore As well amongst the Richest as the Poore The Garners open'd are and thence is sold Great store of Corne Nor doth this Prince withhold From strangers his Prouision For well-ny All Regions hether come them Corne to buy This man will you for Money Corne afford For he 's wise gentle iust and feares the Lord But whilst the Sage to them this tale relates They vnawares approach neere Memphis gates Then to his Cell returnes the aged Sire They hast into the Citie to enquire More of that Prince by whom the Corne was sold Where they their Brother though vnknowne behold The end of the second Booke of Ioseph THE THIRD BOOKE OF IOSEPH NOw is the time that all the Sheaues must bend To one now rais'd on high vpon his end The Sunne Moone Starres eleuen must now To him they meanely erst accounted bow For Ioseph now by due desert and right Is plac'd in honours Chariot shining bright And all the Corne the Treasure of the Land Vnder his sole disposing and Command For this same Ioseph which the Hebrewes sold Is he of whom great Trismegist erst told Who Corne had heap'd vp numberlesse like sand And was the Ruler ouer Egypts land When lo the brethren tenne before him brought Low bowing to the ground him thus besought Great Lord whose wisdome and deserued grace Giue 's thee in Egypt eu'n the second place Whose Prudence honour glory and renowne Through all the habitable Earth is knowne Vouchsafe to vs thy Seruants now such grace As thou hast done to many in our Case We Brethren all one mans Sonnes come to buy Corne to releeue vs and our Family Except we by thy Clemencie be fedde We and our Race must die for want of Bread The Lord of Egypt then who them did know But was vnknown Himself strange rough doth show And now remembring well his Dreames of late For which these that thus honour him did hate Thus answers See! you haue a faire pretence To buy you Corne and Victuall from hence But you are come into the Land as Spies To see wherein our strength and weakenesse lies I' st like ten Brethren should so farre descend None left at home their houses to defend Or are you all without a house or home And masterlesse about the Countrie rome Truly saith Iudah we twelue Brethren bee All one mans sonnes of which thou ten dost see The least at home doth with his Father stay But no man knowes where th' other is this day To buy foode are thy Seruants hither come For vs and for our Families at home By this saith then the Prince the truth I 'le know Whether you as I say be Spyes or no For by the life of Pharoh no man home Shall goe before your younger Brother come Take them to Prison till his comming tryes The truth By Pharohs life you are but Spyes Then he three dayes committeth them to ward Whilst of an answer they themselues prepar'd Thus as Gods Minister and Substitute He vengeance on their sinnes doth retribute Sinnes now forgot because so long since past But though God's slow he payes them home at last Yea then when they themselues thinke most secure For Iosephs wrongs he pay's them home and sure Happy who make right vse of Chastisement Which is to hate forsake Sinne and repent But they in Prison Ioseph doth aduise Alone with God how he may best deuise Them for their foule offences to correct And yet his aged Father not neglect Whom faine he would releeue with store of graine But feares his Brethren will not come againe The third day therefore thus saith
to Ioseph sends I suddenly Set ope the Barnes and sell for money out The Corne to all the Nations round about Now is the time indeed that I might buy Castles and Lands for my Posteritie But I all money bring to Pharohs hand To be the strength and sinewes of the Land If Pharoh will bestow on me a Place Or money to buy Land I of his Grace Will House and Land as I my Office hold Strangers in purchasing may be too bold When all their money 's spent with buying bread One yeare with Corne I them for Cattell fedde But when the next yeare they in neede doe stand I will for Corne their Bodies buy and Land But all for Pharoh whereby growing strong He and his Empire may continue long And to establish more his Segnurie From Place to Place I will each Colonie Transplant who on the East of Nile abide I will remoue vnto the other side Thus Pharoh Lord of Egypt shall be knowne By Seisin none shall say this is mine owne Thus haue I seene when Want or Waste compell A Gallant his Inheritance to sell Lest any right in him should still be thought Giue place to him that hath the purchase bought And in another Countrie dwelling hire Whether he with his houshold may retire Thus will I doe with all the Common Lands But for the Sacred in the Prophets hands To Muses and to Learning dedicate Or to Religious vses consecrate I thinke it Sacriledge indeed to touch Could all by this example learne as much And let the Priests their Portions freely eate Whose Braines in youth for vnderstanding sweate Their age in Prayers and Perswasions spend To saue the Good and wicked to amend When I seau'n yeares haue furnisht them with bread I in the eighth will furnish them with seede To sowe their Land The fifth of whose increase Shall be the Kings The other foure in Peace They and their Housholds eate And this shall stand For euer as a Law in Pharohs Land The Priests Lands only shall be euer free For to the Lord they consecrated bee Now as I said when I did Circuit ride And Egypts Land suruai'd from side to side One thing of greatest vse I did obserue Which doth perpetuall memory deserue Which if it once were rightly vnderstood Would force all studious of the publique good To doe speake write of this most rare inuention Till to effect they brought what next I mention A peece of Land an Istmos Barre or stay Twixt Midland-Sea and the Arabian Bay Suppos'd some ten Miles ouer at the most Adioineth fast vnto th' Egyptian Coast Which if one by a Channel did diuide Both Seas might each into the other slide This if it were once nauigable made Would bring to Kings and people of each trade Such wondrous gaine as cannot be expected With endlesse fame to those which it effected For it would ope an easie way and prest To saile from Europe Affricke Asia-West Within few daies to the rich Indyes place Which hardly now is done in three yeares space How might all dwellers on the earth hereby Soone be enriched by their Industrie When by this Channel Merchants might conuey Exchange of Merchandize so neare a way Eu'n from the Northerne Iles and Westerne Lands To China Ganges and the Indian Sands This proiect I to Pharoh did commend Intreating him this princely worke t' intend But some base mindes actiue in nought but ill Men of acedious spirits and little skill Who are most forward ay to vilisie All workes of Honour Art and Industrie Were ready this most noble worke to stay Saying a Beare or Lyon's in the way This Isthmos say they is ordain'd by fate To barre these Seas that they should neuer meete But euermore remaine a fatall Damme Betwixt them both and therefore call'd Eedam A fancie vaine which from mistaken name Some superstitious wisards idely frame For 't is not call'd Eedam and though it were Who for this name would this attempt forbeare For Eedam notes in language which they meane A firme strong water-course great Bankes between So from that name they might more truly gather This Isthmos should be a firme current rather For waters course which I more boldly say Because not Eedam it but Eetham ay Was call'd and so is still by which is ment That with his double side the Seas close pent Shall one day haue a Current faire and great In which the waues of both those Seas shall meete And haue so large a passage Ships may turne As they goe to the Indies or returne And whereas these fantastique men doe dreame This to effect impossible doth seeme They without reason selfe-conceited wise Against the publike profit this deuise High Mountaines Rockes of flint haue bin made plaine And forc'd to yeeld a passage to the Maine Yea who knowes not that far more harder things Haue beene effected by the Egyptian Kings But neuer any of such Eminence Nor any that could bring such recompence As this For little labour cost and paine Would to th' whole world bring infinite great gaine Another let they tell as fond and vaine That if this Barre be cut th' Arabian Maine Doth rise so high his waues would ouer-flow All th' Egyptian plaines they ly so low But I vpon my view could not descry Twixt Sea and Land such inequallitie But howsoeueuer Earth stones and that doth rise From digging of the Channell would suffice To raise Sea walles for a most strong defence Against the waters rage and violence And more secure on either side the shore From ouerflowing then it was before But though I haue small hope to win this Nation To cut this shorter course for Nauigation Yet when that King to whose high Scepters sway All Nations will they nill they must obey Shall rule as well o're Asia ' nd Europes Lands As China India and Arabian Sands Some potent Monarch will himselfe alone Or many Princes ioyning all in one Will take this Noble enterprize in hand And make this shorter passage to each Land If not for th' ease and good of Nauigation Yet for Gods Gloryes farther propagation That so his Words and Wisedomes glorious sound May through all Corners of the Earth resound This for the publique good I haue made knowne In Egypt as I now to thee haue showne Now whilst I for the Publique take such care Pharoh at home a helpe doth me prepare A Princes daughter Egypts ornament For whom King Pharoh with her Father sent And welcomes thus Great On who by thy place Art to me next and second in my grace Ioseph is first whose merits to display To light a candle were in clearest day All Nilus Borders doe resound his fame And honour most-deseruedly his name Strength youth and vigour in his face appeares And wisedome in his heart of graiest haires His Beauty as his Vertue hath no paire Him would I match with Asenah thine heire I know he is a stranger
fairest Iuly flowers showne Or buds of damaske Roses scarcely blowne Oh these my daughter giue you more content Then Egypts wealth and costliest ornament Me thinks they hang vpon each arme of thine Like two faire Clusters on a fruitfull Vine These shall renew our dying memory And vs reuiue vnto Posteritie Behold I see in little Ephraims face My dearest Rachels louely lookes and grace Manasses like to Ioseph doth appeare Who aboue all his brethen was my deare But oh my daughter how much am I bound To you for vndeserued fauours found But Ioseph more a Princesse of your state So lowly to descend to be his mate God make him worthy of your grace and loue And that he may as acceptable proue To you his deare as he was wont be blest With highest fauours alwayes of the best For he at home in Bondage Prison Court In grace was alwayes with the better sort I Potiphar the Gaoler and the King Best lou'd and trusted him in euery thing Then Asenah I wish you were obserued Here my deare father as you haue deserued As for your sonne no noblenesse of birth Nor Egypts dowers can counteruaile his worth Who me hath taught the vanity of state Me worthy make as happy of my mate Such is his worth and noblenesse of mind I wonder not that he should fauour find Amongst the best But shall I you intreate To tell your daughter what you vse to eate For here you all must as at home command We but desire your will to vnderstand Daughter saith Iacob I was neuer nice Nor dainty to consume things of high price That 's alwayes best you easiliest can prepare Better are homely Cates then forraine fare My heards my foode my sheepe my clothing breade No better weare I nor no other feede Sixe score and ten yeares haue I beene content To liue on milke fruits and such nourishment Yet few or none that to mine age attaine So strong of body are and free from paine But aboue all the weather being faire I loue to walke abroad in freshest aire After my mornings draught to stirre is good For to refresh the Spirits and warme the blood This is the way diseases to preuent I thanke God I neere knew what phisicke ment Thus whilst they talke in plaine familiar sort Lo Ioseph vnexpected comes from Court And tells his father how he did present His brethren to the King who is content Them to employ according to their breeding In looking vnto sheepe and cattell feeding And now he much desires to see your face And with all Courtly honour you to grace I Iacob saith with all my heart will goe To that good King that Ioseph honours so But I desire of him no greater grace Then to liue in his Land and see thy Face I hope he likewise will conceiue my breeding And leaue me to my flockes and Cattell feeding Ioseph his Father then to Pharoh brings Who doing first Obeisance due to Kings Begins oh blessed blest thou euer be That rais'd my Ioseph to such Dignitie From Dungeon where stockes did his Limbs enroule And yrons enter'd eu'n into his Soule To rule all Egypt by thy borrowed might And be alone great Pharohs Fauorite And blest be ay for thy Benignitie Who sauest me and all my Family From perishing Alas for want of food God render in thy Bosome all thy good And double thy fore-Fathers daies vpon Thee and thy seede that sit vpon thy throne Thus ends the Sage when Pharoh thus replide How much more cause haue I to blesse the tide That noble Ioseph did to Egypt driue To saue me and my people all aliue Come hither Iacob let me thee embrace How can I but loue thee and all thy race Whom now as Cause and Author I doe see Oh Ioseph Father of all mine and mee It ioyes me Israel most exceedingly When I thy sonne in ought can gratifie To whom my Kingdome Life and all I ow As thou and thine and all the people know God sent thy Ioseph as a man before To lay vp here against this famine store For had we not by his foresight beene fed We thou and all for want had perished Thy Ioseph doth informe my Senatours And Wisedome teach vnto my Counsellours Well may he rule then ore my house and Land And all my substance haue at his command I am to this by Prouidence but led God hath indeed thus Ioseph honored Thou seemst of no lesse wisedome and defert Then good old father tell how ould thou art And in what course thou hast worne out this terme I aske not to examine but to learne Examples more then precepts teach to liue Good King saith Iacob thou doest eu'n reuiue My older age to heare thy wondrous loue To Ioseph whom more then my selfe I loue But seeing thou inquirest of mine age Know that the dayes here of my Pilgrimage A hundred and full thirty yeares haue beene The dayes are few and ill which I haue seene Nor haue I yet attained to the age And dayes of my forefathers Pilgrimage Two things I studdy here especially The first to liue well second well to die For what is all our life once gone and past But eu'n a way vnto our happy last The terme from whence to all flesh is the wombe That whither all doe hasten is the Tombe He happiest here who findeth on the way Fewest impediments his course to stay Some passe through sicknesse pouerty some wealth Honour preferment pleasure strength and health Some equally of both participate This is the meane yet safe and happiest Fate The highest I did euer here aspire And in this state I still to liue desire The highest honours to your Grace are due For God hath with a Kingdome honourd you Whereof you haue your selfe most worthy showne In looking to Gods glory not your owne Wisely therefore I speake it to your praise You honour them whom God would haue you raise And in your Kingdome prudently depresse Those whom God hateth for their wickednesse Thus needs your Gouernment must happy be When King and Senatours in one agree The proud to cast downe and to raise the iust So may the Rulers one another trust God that from Famine vs deliuered And by a dreame foretold thee counselled Both for thy land and houshould to prouide And all the world which else for want had dide Feede thee with inward and spirituall grace And giue in heau'n an euerlasting place For this I your poore Beadsman night and day Will in a homely countrey cottage pray Pharoh much ioy'd would faine haue entertaind And him at his owne boord with bread sustaind But good old Iacob modestly denide And sayd How long haue I on earth to bide I cannot now of good from ill make choyce Nor musique iudge by instrument or voyce Why should I be a burthen to the King And he reward so my small-meriting But let my sonne for me before thee stand And ready alwayes be at thy command Good man saith Pharaoh I
Ioseph heare Doe this and liue for I the Lord doe feare If you be true men as you all affirme Leaue one man bound the rest all home returne With Corne for to releeue your Family Then bring your brother And not one shall dye But traffique here as true men in the Land And I will free your Hostage from his Band. His word preuail'd But they in conscience Prickt for their cruelty and foule offence Long since committed 'gainst this Lord vnknowne And thinking God now payes them with their owne Thus one to other to complaine begin Ah! how did we against our Brother sinne When his Soules anguish did to vs appeare And he besought vs yet we would not heare Therefore on vs this trouble now doth fall When Ruben thus oh did I not you all Not to offend against the Lad desire And now you see God doth his bloud require Little thinke they that Ioseph by doth stand And all their speeches plainly vnderstand Who turnes and weepes yet soone returnes againe So Friends afflictions teares from friends constraine Then taking Simeon he him binds with bands Before their eyes And secretly commands To fill their Sackes with Prouender and Graine And put their Money in their Sackes againe So they returne with Conscience tiring more Then all the Miles from Nile to Iordanes shore As when tenne horse men rouing out for prey Lose one of their deare fellowes by the way Though with rich Spoiles they to the campe returne All for him lost lift vp their voice and mourne So mourne these Brethren nine for Simeons chaine Their brothers losse was greater then their gaine But when Gad in the Inne his Sacke vnbindes For Prouender and there his money findes Their hearts them failing all are sore affraid That they as Simeon likewise were betraid Ah! What say they hath God vpon vs brought For all the wickednesse which we haue wrought This thing vpon vs all is iustly come But most especially on Simeon Who was the cruellest and rather would Haue Ioseph slaine then to the Merchants sold But when at home they to their Father tell All that to them in Egypt had befell And how that they for Spyes were taken there Imprisoned three dayes and put in feare And that the Man there still kept Simeon bound Till by inquirie all the Truth he found And seeing also eu'ry man bring backe The money which he carryed in his Sacke The good old man was wondrously affraid That Simeon eu'n as Ioseph was betraide And said my sonnes you laugh mine age to scorne You haue my Simeon pawn'd or sold for Corne Else where should you prouide such store of graine And yet bring all your Moneys home againe But when they farther told him in a word How rough and sterne they found th' Egyptian Lord And that their bringing Beniamin must trye Whether or no they came the Land to Spy He thinkes they likewise seeke him to depriue Of Beniamin his dearest sonne aliue Wherefore he thus Laments and makes great mone His brother's dead and he is left alone If mischiefe him befall vpon the way You bring my head to graue with sorrow gray The Dearth grows great Corn's spent Iacob in vaine Them bids for foode to Egypt hast againe We dare not see say they the Princes face Except our youngest Brother be in place We straight will goe so him with vs thou send But ah saith Iacob what did you intend By telling of the man you had a brother Alas saith Iudah how could we doe other He of our state and kindred did inquire Saying what liueth yet your aged Sire Haue you a Brother yet we told him so Ah! how could we what he intended know But send the Lad with vs we instantly Will bring you food for all your Family I am his surety him of me require For euer let me beare thy blame and ire Except I bring him backe The fault is thine Else we returned had the second time Father saith Ruben let my Sonnes be slaine Except I safe doe bring him home againe As in some Siege when Famine growes so great That Mothers their owne children deare doe eat One close her dearest Darling vp doth hide Lest others her compell it to diuide And rather chooseth eu'n to sterue and pine Then cleaue her tender infant in the Chine So when the Famine now growes grieuous sore In Iacobs house and like still to be more He steruing rather chooseth to abide Then part with his deare darling from his side But when he saw himselfe and all his race With dearest Beniamin in equall case That all for want of Bread must sterue and dy Except from Egypt they had new supply He said to them Since needes it must be so A present of my hands take ere you goe Balme Spice and Myrrhe with best fruits of the land Take likewise double money in your hand And that brought backe returne as it is right It may be it was but some ouer-sight And take your Brother with you and arise God send you fauour in the Princes eyes To free my Simeon and this my delight Thus of my Children I am robbed quite With that he poured out a floud of teares But hungry Stomackes had nor eyes nor eares But tooke the Spice and money in their hand And haste with Beniamin to Egypts Land From Hebron three dayes Iourney passe they right To Memphis where they lodged all that night Early ' n the morning when as Ioseph sate Dispatching Suitors and affaires of State Amongst the other suitors in the Hall He first one of his Brethren spyes then all But most his dearest Beniamin he ei'd And therefore bids his Steward soone prouide And take those Hebrewes to some priuate roome For he would haue them dine with him at noone 'T is fit that those whom God to Place doth call Should be to strangers kind and hospitall Then brought to Iosephs house they are affraid The money to their charges should be laid When Iudah thus The money we did finde In our Sacks mouths when we did them vnbinde We haue brought backe with money eke to buy New Corne for vs and all our Family Peace saith the Man your Father's God you sent That treasure I was paid and well content And forth-with Simeon out vnto them brought Who each saluting other as they ought Enquire at first of one anothers wealth But Simeon chiefly of his Fathers health Then are they to a stately Parlour brought All hang'd with curious Arras richly wrought By Iosephs Bride To whom he had made knowne His Kindred there in curious colours showne For as her Lord so she no time mispends But duely with her Maides her worke intends Lo Ioseph is the Paterne of her life Thus a good Husband alwaies makes a wise The Deluge in the first peece was contain'd Where but the Arke nought on the flouds remain'd But they abated Lo there commeth forth All liuing ceeeping things vpon the earth With such varietie and cunning wrought As
plainer folkes them liuing would haue thought So skilfull Art doth Nature imitate The Dogges doe seeme to runne the Lambs to bleate Here Noah offreth on an Altar built Of all cleane Beasts to cleanse sinnes foulest guilt Good Sem Arphaxad Selah of whose race Came Heber whence the Hebrewes next had place And Pelag next who first diuides the Land Reu Serug Nahor Tarah next doe stand From whence comes blessed Abraham by whom The blessed Seede of Sarahs wombe should come Here Angels him salute with God he walkes And as two friends with God familiar talkes Here Sarah laughs to heare from her dry wombe Seede like Sea sands all numberlesse should come Here Isaack's Circumcis'd Here sacrific'd By Faith but for his bloud a Lambe suffic'd Rebecca skins on Iacobs hands here cleaues Here 's Brother of his Blessing he deceaues And blessed straight flyes from his brothers wrath To Laban where he both his daughters hath Here he returnes whom soone as Laban misses With anger he pursues but parts with kisses Here wrestles he with God lo here he meetes His angry brother who him kindly greetes Before one Sheafe here ten Sheaues seeme to fall Here Sunne and Moone and Starres it worship all Here are ten Brethren playing in the shadowes Whilst all their flockes are mowing of the Meadows Like liuely Shepheards all doe dance and sing That Woods and Hils with Ecchos seeme to ring When comes a Childe in party-colourd Coat Them to salute but all flye to his Throat And like so many Butchers 'bout a Lamb Seeke to bereaue him from his dearest Dam Of all the stories they did there behold This had most life For Iosephs wife had told With her owne hands it here so cunningly A man would thinke he saw the Picture cry And on his knees with vnfeign'd Innocence To begge his Life of their Maleuolence This made their eyes those curious sights forbeare And gastly one vpon another stare And so amaz'd them they now surely thought God all their wickednesse to light had brought But now that Ioseph is return'd they heare Therefore their Present ready they prepare As Abram when he had recouered His Kinsman Lot and Captiues with him led Returning by the way with Bread and Wine Was met by great Melchizedek diuine And blessed for that God now by his hand Had sau'd the Prince and People of the Land Eu'n so good Ioseph who by paines not sword Had sau'd aliue th' Egyptians and their Lord And daily from fierce Famine succored Such as had died else for want of Bread Was met with Presents comming to his Hall And blest as the Preseruer of them all Amongst the rest these Hebrewes louting low Their Present offer him who straight would know How they did all and if their Father old Liu'd still in health of whom they last him told And what is this your Brother young said he Of whom you told mee They all answer'd yea God blesse my sonne saith Ioseph and retires To weepe for Ioy now hauing his desires But washing's eyes and face he doth refraine And to his Brethren soone returnes againe So calls for meate he by himselfe alone Th' Egyptians by themselues are plac'd each one His brethren by themselues For Egypts Nation Are ranked as their ages doe require Which made them this due order all admire To all then from his Board he messes sends But fiue to one on Beniamins he spends Lo thus they all eate drinke and made good cheare Till they had drown'd all sorrow griefe and care But Ioseph who amidst his feasts doth minde Those that abroad for hunger steru'd and pinde Thinkes of his Father old and doth command His Steward for to fill streight out of hand The Hebrews sacks so full as they can thrust And put their moneys in their sacks as first And in the youngest's sacke his siluer Cup So in the morning e're the Sunne was vp They with their Camels laden are let go But e're they thence are gone a mile or two Vp gets the Steward and them after hies Whom ouer-taking thus aloud he cryes Ah! why haue you rewarded ill for good My Master of his Grace hath giu'n you food And you his Cup wherein he drinketh wine And wont to Prophecie and to diuine Purloined haue oh it is euill done Good sir saith Ruben Thinke not any one Of vs would doe such thing the money found Last time when we our sackes at home vnbound Was brought to thee againe most truly told How should we then or Siluer steale or gold Dye let him wheresoeuer it is found Wee Bondmen to my Lord for euer bound He saith the Steward shall be bound where wee The Cup shall finde the other shall goe free Then taking downe their sackes they doe begin To search from Ruben eu'n to Beniamin There was it found then all their clothes rend And backe againe vnto the Citie tend As Theefes who by the owner ouer-take In fresh pursuit with goods about them take And brought before the Iudge all mercy cry Without defence for such their Felony So they to Ioseph brought before him fall And only vnto him for mercy call What haue you done saith he know you not I Am able to diuine and Prophecie Ah! Iudah saith what shall thy seruants say Or doe How can we cleare our selues this day God hath made plaine thy seruants wickednesse We are thy Bondmen all we must confesse As likewise he with whom the Cup was found Nay God forbid saith Ioseph he be bound Who had the Cup The rest depart in peace To your old Father haste why doe you cease My Lord saith Iudah we haue no defence Yet let me speake one word without offence At our last beeing heere thou didst inquire Of this our Brother and our aged Sire And we thy seruants true and plainly told We haue a Father which is very old Who also in his age begat our brother The only childe aliue now of his mother His Brother 's dead and therefore more belou'd By this my Lord then answerd shall be prou'd The truth of all your sayings Bring him hither That I may see the Brethren all together We answerd if the Lad should but depart From his old Father It would kill his heart My Lord repli'd except he to this place With you returne forbeare to see my face We comming home this to our Father show Who to buy Corne againe would haue vs goe But wee repli'd except the Lad we place Before the Man wee may not see his face Ah! saith our Father you my sonnes well know That I had by his Mother onely two One's dead and gone if this away you haue You bring my head with sorrow to the graue Now if thou vs vnto my Father send Without the Lad on whom his dayes depend Soone as our Father misseth him he dyes And we be Authors of his miseries Besides I suretie for the Lad became And if I bring him not must beare the blame How shall I then my Fathers
face behold Without the Lad be there except I would Bring on my Fathers house such wrechednesse As no mans Tongue is able to expresse With that like Iordanes flouds his teares doe fall And as he wept so wept his Brethren all But Ioseph then no longer could refraine But biddes forbeare there may not one remaine Within with him whilst he himselfe declares Vnto his Brethren with such cryes and teares That the Egyptians and Pharoh heare His loud laments and scarcely can forbeare To mourne with him who kept them all from mourning But Ioseph to his Brethren soone returning Saith I am Ioseph doth my Father liue Feare not my Brethren I you all forgiue As when a King that he discouer may Some traitrous plot his body doth array In such an habit as none can descry Him from one of that close Conspiracy Till hearing all the Traitours Coniuring He shewes himselfe to be their Lord and King So that they all stand mute and in a maze And gastly one vpon another gaze So stand the ten one looking on another To see so high their late betraied Brother Thus at the last the wicked men shall hide Their face at sight of him they Crucifide When on his Throne his glory they behold Like Iosephs who shall like to him be sold. But Beniamin poore harmelesse innocent After he had endur'd this chastisement At hearing Iosephs name lifts vp his eyes And lowder now for Ioy then Sorrow cryes So shall the innocent at last appeare To be absolued by their Brother deare Then Ioseph saith my Brethren all draw neare I am your Brother Ioseph doe not feare That very Ioseph you to Egypt sold But be not greeu'd therewith nor doe it hold A cruell thing For God me sent before For to preserue your liues with millions more This is the second yeare fiue are behinde When none shall reape or mow or sheaues vp binde God sent me to preserue your Progeny And saue you by a great deliuery Not you I say but God me hither sent And made me here to your astonishment Great Pharoh's Father and giu'n free command Ore all his House and ouer all his Land Hast to my Father Tell him in a word Thus saith thy Ioseph God hath made me Lord Of Egypt Tarry not but soone come downe And thou shalt dwell on Goshens fruitfull downe Thy Children Childrens children and thy flocke Beasts Asses Camels all thy store and stocke Lo there I sustenance for thee will finde For those fiue yeares of Famine yet behinde Your owne eyes see and Beniamins behold I all in your owne tongue haue truly told My glory here then to my Father tell As you haue seene and hither hast to dwell So weeping he vpon the necke doth fall Of Beniamin and he on his so all He kisses and doth after with them talke Familiarly as they together walke As when a Treasure in the earth is found Fames Trumpet doth it farre and neere resound So Fame this newes in Pharohs Court doth tell Which pleased him and all his seruants well Therefore he thus to Ioseph out of hand Thy Brethren send with Corne into their Land To bring their Father and his family That they may eate my Lands fertilitie Besides I will my Charrets thou command For to conuey your Father to my Land With Wiues and Children let them leaue their stuffe Egypt shall furnish them with store enough Then Ioseph hasting them away to send Peace by the way doth thus to them commend I will not now things past commemorate Your griefe and sorrow more to aggrauate For God hath turn'd your morne of griefe and sadnesse Vnto a day of Feasting Ioy and gladnesse Yet patiently my louing Counsell heare And by your former harmes learne to beware Let not that wicked Enuyer of mankinde Breede discords strifes or quarrels in your minde Nor question or dispute one with another Who 's most in fault for selling of your brother Each of his sinne vnfainedly repent And giue God glory who me hither sent And all the euill you against me thought Turning to good this great deliuerance wrought I send now Charrets by the Kings command To bring my aged Father to this land Ten Asses laden all with Egypts good I likewise send my father for his food And ten she-Asses lade with corne and bread That by the way you may thereof be fed Changes of Rayment I to each assigne These fiue my dearest Beniamin are thine With these three hundred siluer peeces So He hath his right yet you no wrong I do Let not your eye cause I am good be ill 'T is reason good enough to say I will Yet Nature may informe you of another He is my onely brother by my mother Enuy him not because he in mine eyes Most gracious is nor shall he you despise Brethren in loue and amitie combind Are like small stickes we in a fagot bind No force them bends whilst they remaine in one Disioynd a child will breake them all alone Hast Fare-you-well fall not out by the way W'offend against my Father by your stay Lo thus they flie from Nile to Iordans shore To tell their Father all you heard before Ioseph is yet aliue saith Iudah and Is Gouernor of all King Pharohs land Alas saith Iacob come you me to flout Ioseph now liues in heau'n I make no doubt He was the Prey long since of cruell beast I haue his bloody Coate still in my chest Ah! saith Dan to Gods glory we confesse Who hath laid open all our wickednesse That we our brother out of enuy fold When we at Dothan pastured our fold To Ishmaelites who after for their gaine In Egypt where we found him sold againe His colourd Coate which doth with thee abide We dipt in bloud our fowlest sinne to hide Lo now thy sonnes on knees before thee fall And for this our offence beg pardon all Ioseph vnaskd our trespasse did remit Therefore good father also pardon it As Indian merchant on the sodaine told His ship is safe arriu'd all lade with gold Which long since to be cast away he feard Because he neuer tidings of her heard First wauers and it hardly can beleeue Fearing lest he too sodaine credence giue But when he sees the Porters bringing in The golden Oare and Ingots doth begin For to reuiue Eu'n so old Israel Misdoubts when first he heard his children tell Of Iosephs life and glory great at Nile But when he thus had wauered awhile And saw the goodly charrets Ioseph sent To bring him and his houshold from their tent To Egypt and his dearest Beniamin Confirm'd it all for Truth Behold within The old mans spirit doth againe reuiue And cryes with Ioy Ioseph is yet aliue God pardon you all your Iniquitie I will goe downe and see him ere I die The end of the third Booke of Ioseph THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF IOSEPH NOw Iacobs tents abound with such great store Of corne which they had wanted heretofore As if God had
soone that flame Makes to returne into her cheekes with shame Reason with this base Passion striued long Put one weake as the other groweth strong But nought so checks her Pride and courage braue As stooping to an hated Hebrew slaue That she who now did sit in highest grace Should thus her honour great and state debase As to become a vassall to her slaue Pride many womens chastities doth saue But now the violence of lustfull flame Had sear'd the Reason of th' Egyptian Dame Who waiting till her Lord to Court was gone Thus smiling set vpon me all alone Faire Hebrews sonne whose equall neuer I Yet saw nor do I thinke Sols searching eye In all his trauels from the East to West A Beautie sees with thine fit to contest Not that hereby I vnderprize mine owne Mine no Superiour Thine hath neuer knowne An equall and though Fates vs vp did reare In sundry Climates yet since now appeare In one Horison Sunnes so equall bright Let 's each on other shine with mutuall light Let thy bright Beames vpon my Beautie shine I on thee will reflect both thine and mine Deare seruant do not thou my grace despise Thee I alone can make to honour rise Thou seest how Potiphar alone doth stand In Pharohs grace and rules both Court and Land To the I loue I dare be bold to say I Potiphar the Court and Kingdome sway See then thy happinesse a slaue of late In me to rule all Egypts glorious state And if the Fates vs send a lucky heire Which may like to his Parents seeme most faire All hearts he by thy Beautie shall command And by my right inherit all our land Sweet Ioseph let not frownings cloud thy face Soure lookes thy glorious Beautie do disgrace Let 's take th' occasion now we are alone As Bodyes so our soules to ioyne in one So may we with good likelyhood suppose Bright Phebus with faire Cynthia to close When ioyning for their mutuall delight They seeme eclipsed to the vulgars sight As when some lustfull Prince alone vnseene Doth tempt the faithfull handmaid of his queene To win her to his will and wicked lust The modest maid considring well the trust Of her great Dame whom if she so offended She iustly were of God and man condemned Prayes and intreates his awfull maiestie Her not to force to such iniquitie And breake the sacred Lawes for lustfull rage Of faithfull trust and holy marriage So I poore wretch whose fresh and youthfull chin Fine softest downe to shadow did begin Strangely amaz'd and grieu'd at this foule fact Abhorring eu'n the offer as the act Yet with all due respect and reuerence Did shew my duty and obedience And thus replide deare Mistresse you shall find Me ready ay to satisfie your mind In all where I may iustly you obay And not my heauenly Masters will gainsay My master all commits vnto my hand Nor knoweth he how his owne state doth stand No man is greater in his house then I Nor doth he to my custody denie Ought but thy selfe because thou art his wife His onely comfort deare delight and life How can I to this sinne then condescend And not against my fathers God offend The simple rude saith she a sinne it call But here at Court 't is no offence at all Those that are most seuere against this vice Delight it most Oh 't is a deepe deuice Of Polititians to make a law To hold their children wiues and fooles in aw When they then keepe it nothing lesse intend But at their pleasures diuersly offend I know not one braue spirit in Pharohs Court That this esteems of other then a sport And yet their faire yong lusty able wiues Must like reclused virgins leade their liues For my part I haue learned this by kind Such measure as men meete vs they shall find Then blushing she doth Teares like Pearles distill For she had teares and Blushes at her will But I replide good Madame be content I cannot to your arguments consent To proue from Greatnesse lawfulnesse to euill Is for to draw a Paterne from the Deuill Who is the greatest worldly Potentate Yet no excuse 't is him to imitate For great mens faults they are vnsearch'd vnkowne To me I haue enough to mend my owne They that seuerely iudge sinne yet delight Therein they iudge themselues and yet iudge right And who do thus Gods iudgements iust abuse Must neuer hope that greatnesse shall excuse Will you because men wrong your sexe offend Your Maker God such wickednesse defend Embrace true chastitie of flesh and mind Which honours men and graceth womankind But notwithstanding she from day to day Me wooes yet would I not her voyce obay But shun'd by all good meanes her company Till one day she occasion did espy I being in my closet all alone And in the house not of the houshold one Then all inrag'd with Fury heate and Lust Like hungry Hawke that hath a Partridge trust She on my garment ceasde immodestly And cride come sleepe with me or else I die Not Rachels losse my Brethrens rage nor yet The feare of Famine lying in the pit Nor Midians bondage did me so perplexe As now this womans furious Lust doth vexe Who as the cruell Serpent's said to wind About the noble Elephant by kind So winds this wicked monster womans shame About me to my sorrow and her blame What shall I fly she me too fast doth hold Shall I cry out for shame be it not told A manlike heart did for a woman cry Oh who can but bewayle my misery Should I but now to dalliance consent Me followes honour pleasure worlds content But if that I this offerd grace reiect Bondage disgrace a prison I expect But fearing more diuine reuenging hand Then racke disgrace imprisonment or band Taking more pleasure in a conscience sound Then all wealth honours ioyes she did propound Acquite my body though I left behind My garment and out of the rome doe winde So haue I seene some modest country maid With some vnciuill vsage much dismaid Closely her Aprons strings to escape vntie And left it with the clowne away to flie Who can the Leopards fell rage display Chasing a Pilgrim fast vpon the way And laying on his Cloke her cruell pawes Eu'n ready to deuoure him in her Iawes Who strucke with sudden terrour and affright Forsakes his Cloake and scapes by winged flight May tell the rage of this most cruell Dame Who now hath nothing left but spight and shame Then raging that her Beautie which she priz'd Aboue all others should be so despis'd Shee cals her Seruants in and to them told How that base Hebrew slaue was growne so bold And proud of hers and her deare husbands grace That now he did aspire into his place And would haue slept with her had she not cride All which his garment left here testifide Which vp vntill her Lords returne she laid Then with my Coate her malice she displaid For which my
not in their machinations Who in their Wrath the Sichemites slew all And in their Fury digged downe a wall Curst be their wrath for it was voyd of shame And Fiercenesse which was cruelly to blame Lo I their seede in Iacob will diuide And them abroad in Israel scatter wide Iudah is next whom all his brethren praise Thine hand be in thine enemies necke alwayes Thy Fathers Children thee shall stoupe before Lo Iudah like a Lyons whelpe shall rore My sonne comes like a Lion from the spoile Who laid him downe and couch'd himselfe awhile Eu'n like a Lion or a Lionesse Who dares awake him from his sleepinesse The Scepter from his race shall neuer start Nor a Law giuer from his feete depart Till the Messias come who to him shall By his great powre the Nations gather all Lo he shall binde his Foale vnto the Vine His Colt vnto the Branch His Cloke in Wine Is washt His Cloths with bloud of grapes bedight Eyes red with wine His Teeth with milke are white The Sea-Haun's Zabulon shall dwell beside And 's Border eu'n to Sidon shall diuide Like a strong Asse shall Isachar couch low Betweene two burthens And for he doth know That rest is good in such a pleasant Land Shall stoupe and be anothers to command Dan shall be Iudge and one of Israels Tribes A serpent by the way him well describes Or Adder in the path horse-heeles to gall Vntill he make the rider backward fall To be a Iudge's a dangerous Vocation Lord I haue waited long for thy Saluation An host of men God downe in warre shall cast Yet they shall ouer-come him at the last Aser from fattest Lands his bread shall bring And shall enioy eu'n pleasures for a King Napthalim is as nimble as the hind But fauour seekes with pleasing words to finde Ioseph's like plant by well whose boughs are small Yet run vp flourishing vpon the wall With shooting many Archers haue him harm'd And with sharpe Darts to 's hindrance him disarm'd But he stands fast his armes are made so strong By God to whom all strength and powre belong His glory all his Brethrens doth excell And hee 's become a stone in Israel His Fathers God shall helpe him from aboue And the Almightie with his Blessings proue With Blessings that from hight and depth shall come With Blessings of the Breasts and of the Wombe To thee thy Fathers Blessings be more strong Then those that doe from mine to me belong From th' vtmost hils they light on Iosephs head That from his Brethren once was seuered Beniamin like a Wolfe shall spoile The prey He shall diuide by night and eate by day Thus Iacob of each seuerall prophecide What should to their Posteritie betide Some call it his last will Then to them all He dying spake these words in generall We all are Pilgrims on the way our home Is Heau'n as all men enter by the Wombe So through the Gate of Death we all must driue Before we at this Citie faire arriue Lusts of our youth Infirmities of age Make few and ill our daies of Pilgrimage All spend like Lamps some blowne out with a blast Some waste some melt some hold out till the last Like fruit all blow bud grow greene ripe then fall Bud blossome greene or ripe we perish all And turn'd to dust are vnder Deaths subiection In Graue vntill the day of Resurrection Eu'n as our ages so we change our minde For those things we doe most delightfull finde To Child-hood Youth disdaines our Youth-full fires Accord not with our riper yeares desires Old-age in none of all the three delights The reason 's plaine we serue our appetites Truth and Religions path we leaue to treade And follow as our Lusts and Pleasures leade Which alter with our bodies constitutions And these are sensuall beastly resolutions But who doth his affections measure by Right rules of Reason and of Pietie Them neuer alters but is still the same All tending to the glory of Gods name No change of state age health wealth constitution Can alter such desires and resolution This Life 's a minute to Eternitie Like mite vnto the Globes immensitie Like droppe compard vnto the Ocean Maine Yet here we either all must lose or gaine Vpon this mite droppe minute doth depend All Blisse we aye continue as we end All Gods most gracious glorious promises But types and Shadowes are of future Blesse Phari on Land vs to the Port to light And guide our Barkes through worlds darke misty night In all our voiage through worlds Ocean-wast Are many Rockes and dangers to be past Without are Satan and the Worlds infections Within our Lusts vaine fraile and vile affections Which like so many Traitours readiely Against the Pilot ay to mutiny But most in danger of them all we stand When nearest we approch vnto the Land So some escape the boistrous raging Sea And neere the Port doe wrecke vpon the Lea I looking backe my span like daies behold Like a fantastique Dreame or tale new told And were I now them to begin againe I should all worldly vaine delights refraine Yea could you see heau'ns Ioyes by Faiths cleare eyes You would with me Worlds Pleasures vaine despise And runne fast to the marke you set before Your end to liue with God for euermore As th' aire is hottest neerest to the Sunne Brookes deeper neerer to the Sea they runne So nearer to your end doe you aspire To grow in grace and glow with heaun'ly fire Now goe I hence and shall be seene no more Haue mine examples alwaies you before So Isaack followed faithfull Abraham I holy Isaack from whose loines I came What we did well doe you the like But when We did amisse obserue we were but men Oh let your wisedome shine with your gray haires Most of you now draw neere to seu'nty yeares Ioseph is fifty seu'n a child eu'n when The most of you were growne vp to be men Seau'nty seau'n yeares a single life I led God since hath seau'nty to them numbred The youngest nor the strongest haue no power To adde a minute to their fatall hower Deferre not of Repentance then the date Now is the time to morrow is too late Count all mens ages that on earth remaine More die before then to your daies attaine And should you old Mathuselaes surmount The longer life the greater your account I will not exprobrate offences past Repent amend and turne to God at last Leaue off to sinne his Promises beleeue You cannot aske so much as God will giue You are a chosen seede a holy race Not by desert or worthinesse but Grace Oh make it knowne to all your Generations God vs hath chose before all other Nations To walke here worthy of this Grace diuine And like to purest heau'nly Tapers shine In this worlds mistie darke obscured night Whose euill workes abhorre to see the light Expect not worlds vaine glory Pompe