dear Union fierce Malecche broke And quite dissolv'd Oh happy chance said he That love which you does now so strictly yoake So sweet in Life in Death your Tye shall be Nor would I 'twixt you envy now provoke Since Heav'n your likeness made to this Degree But as the world you enter'd at your Birth Fair Twins such Twins you now shall quit the earth XX. His Irresistable strong hand upon The nearest to him seiz'd as this he said Thence through a lofty Window threw him down Which light and air into the room convey'd The other down the stairs was headlong thrown By 's Foot the stairs of rocky stone were made So that all bruis'd and broken every stair An ample Tribute of his bloud did share XXI Each of them seem'd with mutual sighs to mourn And their own Exequies accompany As two fair branches from one Cyontorn She for him languishing and for her he So guiltless both and both so lately born By stones they dy'd as for Adultery For Fate ordain'd they at their birth should have One womb one Bed and at their Death one Grave XXII Thence where he sound a poor and modest Maid Who as a guard did on two children wait The one was slumbring in a Cradle laid The other in a Bathing Vessel sate This with the Linnen often laughing play'd Nought could the others forward moan abate Born of two Venters but one Father One A living Mother had the other none XXIII Soon as the Assailer their poor Mother spy'd So suddenly within the room arrive The Son-in law she quits her self employ'd to her own Son to keep him still alive She takes him in her arms and terrifi'd First thought how she might his escape contrive But an Humane though not maternal Love To th' other would not suffer her to move XXIV With her own Son tow'rds him whom she desir'd To save she runs and poor Fool in her way Met them who him whom she had safe retir'd Out of the water did to th' Sword betray Bald Barabasso and Malecche fir'd With rage on her kind Folly torments lay And in her sight to one the Vessel there Is made his Coffin t'others Bed his Bier XXV O'recome with this surprizing Message cold Seizeth her trembling heart her looks grow pale To th' earth she falls and what she did behold So cruel was her life and spirits fail Some strangled in the bands that them enfold Struggle and strive for life till Death prevail While these in water milk and tears and bloud Sink and are suffocated in the floud XXVI From thence away with like impetuous rage Into an house of Citizens he broke 'Mong whom one married in her tender age Was newly then freed from the Nuptial Yoke Yet some fair branches still her love engage Two at one birth from her Lucina took But now she saw her self made in one year Wife Mother Widow and without an Heir XXVII Of these by th' Neck Malecche seizeth two Another by the feet by th' arm the last One with his Lance into the fire he threw His feet the second squeez'd to death then past To a third whom unto a Beam he drew And hang'd into a Well the fourth he chac'd By several torments thus they murder'd were That every Element a Death might share XXVIII The various spoils alas who can relate With which death seem'd so rich so full of pride This from the Trunk the head doth separate That from the shoulder doth the arm divide By strangling this gives the last stroke of Fate That with his Sword transfix'd a trembling side And amidst rage ' midst terrour grief and thrall Fury with all the Sisters runs through all XXIX The armless Trunks a dismal sight afford And strangled Bodies that the ground o'respread Heads gasping newly sever'd by the Sword Some are wrung off some trampled on till dead Even ruthless Cruelty her self abhorr'd While Death in various shapes such Triumphs led And yet her Fury was too great to cease But malice made the pois'nous gall encrease XXX The Morn was risen from the Indian Sea And by her blushes shew'd th' approaching Sun While Heav'n the shades had mix'd with every Ray And Day late married to the Night begun Herod perplex'd and troubled with delay His heart enflam'd until the deed was done He rose and 's Royal Ornaments resum'd His Scepter and his Purple Robes perfum'd XXXI Streight through the lofty Palace dismal crys Sad houlings and most loud complaints were heard Women and Men with all the Extasies Of grief and sorrow every where appear'd When see a Messenger in doleful guise Pale in his looks and all with bloud besmear'd Came breathless and while sweat his face bedews Bows to the King and thus relates the news XXXII I am Sir an unworthy Instrument Of that dire Massacre which was last night By your command perform'd and now am sent To tell a message neither of delight Nor happiness to you if each event I should distinctly as 't was done recite 'T would be a memorable story and I must speak truth much done by this my hand XXXIII Under your Royal Ensigns as enjoyn'd By you most readily we went away Under Malecche's conduct all inclin'd Your Orders to perform without delay None of us though a Father but design'd To his own loss your pleasure to obey On then we silent march'd conceal'd from sight Of all by th' shades and horrour of the night XXXIV The Market-place first seiz'd and both the gates All Streets and Avenues blockt up and barr'd On every side enclos'd in greatest straits Each place so well our faithful Souldiers guard That no way open Fortune or the Fates â—ould find to make escape or death retard Our Captain gave the word through all around To give the Signal to the Trumpet 's sound XXXV By vertue of your Royal Edict he Commands that all who arms for use could bear Their houses and the City instantly â—hould quit and a strong Guard without prepare That so the wicked Traytor might not flie Our search and none t' assist his flight should dare A Traitor who there and inclin'd To mischief something ' gainst the King design'd XXXVI The Citizens all promptly straight compli'd With your command none backward to obey And in a moment from all streets we spi'd Children through the dark shades to fly away For we believ'd the number less that did Than those who yet conceal'd in secret lay 'T was so and then a thousand Infants slain By several sorts of wounds our Weapons stain XXXVII Nothing but sighs deep groans complaints and cries From every place on every side we hear With horrour in all houses 'fore their eyes Murder and Death triumphant now appear Here scatter'd Swaths and broken Limbs arise In heaps in bloud warm Intrails swimming there Should I what then I did my self conceal 'T were vain Sir since my Acts themselves reveal XXXVIII When thus in slaughter we the night had spent And were upon return at break of day
blade Much broader then the Oâ—ince it made XXXVI The Mother seiz'd and hugg'd him to her brest The weight once easy then too heavy grew Tears from her heart his spirits by cold possesst Seek to revive and his pale Face bedew His looks and likeness she so just expresst That the dead infant she appeares in view Scarce could she be distinguish'd while she kept This measure in her grief but that she wept XXXVII One 'mong the rest expos'd her naked side With snowy breasts and a most beauteous Face Her self a shield she made her child to hide And keep him safe from death in her embrace But in her Golden Looks the Homicide His arme entwists to force her from the place And all the glories of her shining head Torne off are broken on the pavement spread XXXVIII Yet she as close as Ivy to the Tree To her dear pledge of Love still firmly clings Till him by th' foot her by her tresses he Most cruel forc'd and to subjection brings Then with a furious hand immediately The child against a neighbouring wall he flings But first him twice or thrice about his head He swong and with more violence struck him dead XXXIX At this so dreadful spectacle so wild A rage fear did so far the Fact out-go That the still trembling and affrighted child Appear'd as dead before he felt the blow At last his limbs all broke his bones all spoil'd As bleeding Trophies all the ground bestrow While through his mouth and nostrils like a floud The brains gush'd out marrow mix'd with bloud XL. The cruel villain not yet satisfi'd With his proud feet the mangled carcase spurns Her heart with pitty melting when she spy'd Her hopes destroy'd to the Almighty turnes It cannot be a wonder now she cry'd That in the breasts of men such fury burns Nor that such wrongs and murthers they procure But that thou King of Heaven should'st them endure XLI Near these was one of countenance most stern Rude in his Habit dreadful in his Deeds In him they nothing Humane could discern No Bear so fierce the Lucane Mountain breeds Bloud in his hands his eyes with fury burn His dreadful dress his actions much exceeds A heavy Hedg-bill in his hand he bore With which he lopt off limbs as boughs before XLII He to a miserable Hebrew there Who suck'd the spirits of Life from 's Mother's brest Insulting turns and cryes I 'le quickly tare Thee from that bosom where thou' rt so caresst I will unbowel thee and thee declare Son of her bowels and belov'd the best This said H'assailes her but th' undaunted dame Opposing him did more his rage enflame XLIII Alass what can a woman's weakness do ' Gainst the arm'd Fury of a cruel hand Fear for her dearest Infant made her slow Love drew her back and put her to a stand While thus in doubt she could no farther go Betwixt her own and his defence restrain'd Behold at once a blow that mortal prov'd Her from her doubts and him from life remov'd XLIV The Villain with one death unsatisfy'd Murder 's the Son and at that instant too Through the same wound piercing her tender side With a new kind of death the Mother slew Her trembling heart within he opens wide Where yet maternal Love was quick in view So that now twice her dear delight was slain First in her arms then in her brest again XLV ' Gainst one who sadly weeping begg'd relief A Souldier cruel as an Aspe or Bear To rob her of her Son and him of life Had rais'd his arm when she in his careere Of fury stop'd him and grown bold with grief Did both her teeth and nales like mad prepare The sword then turn'd against her she withstands And bravely wrests it from his murdring hands XLVI Then to her self It must not be she said That thou my Son these bowels onely paine It must not be that thou the spoile be made Of that fell heart and in vile hands remain No I who first to thee thy milk convey'd By this dire Act will take thy bloud again And me these salvage Troops hereafter shall A better Murdress then a Mother call XLVII As thus she spake the new Medea streight Transfix'd and kills him and iâ— two divides And the loved pieces held so dear of late Throws at the Villain 's face who her derides Thus from an Hebrew Mother learn to sate Thy rage on thine own children and besides In cruel blows said she to be more skill'd From this right hand with that herself she kill'd XLVIII Two more there were this thought herself late blest With one sole Son that in a lovely paire They both in silence had their grief suppresst And up to Heaven their weeping stars did rear Till towards her who the sole Son possesst And in her bosome hugg'd then full of fear A Jew half-naked bare-foot and his arm All bloudy swiftly brought the sad alarm XLIX A Sleeveless Coat of purple dye he wore All torne and scarce did to his knees descend Red and as stiff as bristles of a Boar Two long Mustachoes from his chin descend Gaping his mouth his thick lips foaming o're His squinting eyes rough hairy eyebrows bend His crooked nose the Vultur's beak expresst In brief he was a Man but seem'd a beast L. The beauteous woman as if stupify'd All suffer'd and gave neither sigh nor groan But even in pitty with his rage comply'd And freely to the Ruffian gave her Son Who if he had not turn'd his eyes aside If with her veile she had not hid her own At her sweet looks the sword had fallen from His murdring hand and she had overcome LI. But what can Beauty against Fury do His naked sword streight pierc'd the Infant 's breast Who on th' Assassin as he struck him through Smiles and cryes Pappa as by him caress'd Then wantonly his hand extended to The weapon that was through his body presst Thinking the blade was silver and a gift To play with which him then of life bereft LII He saw not nor reguarded him at all But where his smiles came forth his weapon drown'd Yet when he saw the murder'd Infants spraul And sadly languish dying on the ground He like the Crocodile laments his fall And wept for him to whom he gave the wound But all his tears and sorrow soon were gone And pitty by his cruelty o'rethrowne LIII Then to the other turn'd irresolute On which of her two Sons he first should fall What should she wretched do who durst dispute Her cause on whom should she for succour call She flyes he follows and in the pursuit Like a fierce Masrif hunts her over all On every side she labours to evade But like a Lamb is to the Wolf betray'd LIV. With the same Love when Troy was overthrown Aeneas from his Native Country fled On 's back his Father in his hand his Son To safty from th' insulting flames he led So she their refuge and Defence alone
's cruel marks are onely seen Made by a murdring hand these ruins are Though from another left to my repaire LXXIV Are these alass those lovely limbs those gay Which from your mother you did first assume O Stars that me to ruin did betray Is such my miserable Flesh become 'Mong all these wounds and bloud these these are they These belov'd Heads I know is' t then your doome That I should while to me you thus return For the sad reliques of my bowels mourn LXXV Oh sweetest Faces mirrours of my Heart Where I my self was wont to recreate Sons of these eyes eyes that with sorrow smart In which I tasted all delights of late O Lips where Love with kisses would divert And intermingled smiles himself would sate Alass what Hellish monsters now combine Thus cruelly to mix your bloud with mine LXXVI Let me these limbs distinctly touch at least Though with my touch I fear they 'le break again Wretch I my sons thus fatally deceas't Lament yet know not for which I complain For while with this dire paleness y' are possesst I must distracted and confus'd remain And all the beauty that I once might boast In this your want of bloud I see is lost LXXVII Art thou my First-born sure it cannot be This Head so late cut off cannot be thine Dire change to this thy Body who was He Who could another Face so unlike join Dear children now no hopes remain for Me All joyes I in your eyes to Death resign Here my griefs swell yet can't I more bewail Your Fate with tears whose springs are dry and fail LXXVIII She faints her looks all pale no voice or sound Of words but breathless and unmov'd her eyes While a black storm of thousands swords the ground Shakes all around and through all quarters flyes Where such Stars reign and such a King is found They fix a curse on all Nativities Happy who was unborn or if then born Who from his Birth nere saw a second morn LXXIX But what afflicts thee why dost thou complain Vile World that th' Age is rude or bad the Times That Fraud now flourishes and Vices reign That Faith and Truth inhabit not thy climes Virtue brave Minds and noble Souls in vain Languish and grieve to see the growth of Crimes Since clearest Innocence could perish so And from that Day lyes murder'd here below LXXX Rivers of bloud now flow nothing is heard But doleful mourning shouts of rage and ire Horrour and Death Herod alone appear'd with pleasure the sad Objects to admire The Slaughter feasts him and which others fear'd He prais'd the wounds that kept his joyes entire With greedy appetite he reckons all The blows and still observes them as they fall LXXXI Mean while the People full of grief and sad With lamentable Cryes their Fate bemoan Trembling with memory of what they had Beheld the King fix'd in his joyes alone As the Sun s warmth makes poisonous Serpents mad Seem's through their Pitty to all ill more prone Biting his Lips he foames his eyes with flame Are fill'd and gnashing Teeth his rage proclaime LXXXII Now from the place he rose from whence before Th' effects of his dire Fury he had seen Then nearer went resolving to explore The Shambles of Tyranny and therein Sees corps dispers'd like wracks upon the Shore Wracks of Mortality that there had been Late drown'd in children's bloud whose horrid Tide Their Swathbands and their Members seem'd to hidâ— LXXXIII Over these dismal Piles these bloudy Heaps Dreadful to think on He insulting goes O're gaping sides and cloven heads he leaps Whence of warm bloud a reeking deluge flows There as in streams clear flowing in their Deeps Himself he views and 's inward pleasure shews And as the Wretches lay upon the ground Measures with his own hand each fatal wound LXXXIV So a fierce Dragon from his Den with green And shining wings and Scarlet Crest ascends To view the Sun by him before not seen And then his wide and dreadful Jaws extends Erects his Scales that shine as they had been With rough and squallid Gold enlay'd then bends His rage against the Light of Heav'n and throws Poyson from 's trident-tongue where e're he goes LXXXV Some cover'd o're with ugly stains he there Beheld lie languishing with deadly pain And in their Mothers arms uncertain are Whether in death or life they yet remain Others expose their hearts that open were And quite depriv'd of life then shew again Their Faces shap'd for pity and for love But objects now of grief and sorrow prove LXXXVI Others whose vital Humour was not spent And from their panting hearts yet largely flows While bloud by Vomit from their Mouths is sent As when a sinking Bark near harbour rows Some one by swimming would his Fate prevent And himself on some swelling billow throws But spent and breathless in this last effort Sinks in his Mothers arms and dies i' th' Port. LXXXVII But the sad Women some their tender cheeks Beat with their hands their lovely tresses tare Here one her naked bosome Frantick strikes Sighs not nor groans but houling rends the air Anothers breast with lamentable skreeks Like Aetna fumes her eyes like Ganges are Some ' gainst the King some against Heav'n exclaim And some their griefs that had not kill'd them blame LXXXVIII There one to give her griefs a silent vent Near to her Son late murder'd prostrate lies Quite stupid in the Act her self she spent In groans and with deep sighs her self destroys Another checks her sorrow as content To give her scarce-dead Sons their Obsequies And gath ' ring on their Lips their fleeting breath Stamps there departing kisses cold as Death LXXXIX The squalid dismal spoils and torn Remains Of a pale little Corps another there Within a covering cleans'd from bloudy stains An object of extremest Pity bare And while her heart to water through her veins Distils and while her soul dissolves to air Her Bosome late his Cradle is become By her so strict Embrace in Death his Tomb. XC Tyr'd with this sight not satisfi'd with bloud Herod would now his greedy eyes divert On the soft Torrent and Vermilion sloud And in that tepid Bath caress'd his heart Of late like troubled streams but now they stood Like setled Pools and calm in every part Only a Gale of sighs as they the world Forsook with circles had the Surface curl'd Notes upon the Third Book Stanza I. This Painter so commended by our Author was Gioseppi Cesari d' Arpino cotemporary with Marino a Facorite to three successive Popes for his excellent Pieces and for a Piece of St. Michael presented to Lewis the 13th the French King beside other considerable gratuities had the Order of St. Michael conferred upon him Stanza V. Bethlehem was called the City of David where his Ancesters dwelt from the time of Obed of whom Jâ—sse â—ineally descended It was not the least of the Tribe of Judah â—et we no where find it
A sad but unexpected Accident Dire chance unheard of intercepts our way O could your Majesty have been content That we had been less ready to obey But what do silly People know What ill Can give them blame that 's done against their will XXXIX Our hands too ready were alas too prone All our desires to satisfie you were With bloud rage shame our hearts were drunk and none Saw what they did dark and obscure the air The Fault might be excus'd but it is done This said his Tongue did farther speech forbear But Herod urg'd him on and he again Begun and thus the King did entertain XL. While we as I have said your high command Had thus perform'd resolving to be gone A cunning Souldier of Malecche's Band His Spy who all his secrets knew alone Met us in haste to let him understand That he a woman saw to him unknown Who with two Children in her garment wrap'd Fled thence and to a secret place escap'd XLI Then not far distant from the Palace where From the soft stream the Royal Garden sees With such delight proud Libanus to rear His head led on by cruel destinies A Postern door our Guide approach'd and there 〈◊〉 While he desir'd to act all by surprize Through crannies of the broken posts appeard A little light and streight a voice was heard XLII Within a Woman was whose looks put on All that of fear or sorrow could be found Solicitous for her two Sons the one Lay'd in her bosom t' other on the ground With sighs mix'd with a sad and trembling tone Drawn from her heart where doubtful thoughts abound To one dear Child where shall I save or hide Thee in th' Abyss of deepest seas she cry'd XLIII Samaria once had Women as 't is said By Fame so cruel that with hunger prest Flesh born of their own bowells re-conveyd To them and so on their own Issue feast And may not this that their Rage lawful made To Me in Pitty be allow'd at least And to conceal you from these Harpies Pride My dearest entrails in my entrails hide XLIV But after Patterns of such Ills so great I 've often opâ—d my bosom unto thee Dear Child that so thou might'st thy hopes repeat After my Death to have a Life from Me. Nay even my Soul thou mayst lay open yet If with my Soul thou mayst concealed be How greedily should I receive thee here Within my very Soul thou Soul more dear XLV Thus reas'ning with her self the child held in Her arms within a Vessel deep and wide That lately fill'd with Bacchus spoils had bin Not yet quite empty silent seeks to hide Then addes to thee O Vessel free from sin Of fraud I all my Joy and Peace confide And let me ' midst such Ruins thee a kind Depository of my Treasure find XLVI More she would say but at her back she hears Our Captain 's rage and voice who at the door Knock'd and streight in he breaks in pieces tears The locks and barres more furious then before One hidden in the Caske t'other her fears Snatching into her arms she flying bore Into the most remote and secret room Of all the house and waited there her doom XLVII She hid him there but might have with him fled From the dire mischief that was then so near Had she had time to leave there in his steed Some other Child that might like this appear But from this fatal Risque she hop d this Head First to secure which she esteem'd most dear Or with a wile so merciless and strange Make one to take the other 's sad revenge XLVIII 'T was wonderful she past thus undescry'd By Us but through the dark and gloomy aire And horrours that appear'd on every side None did consider what she acted there Besides our rage swell'd to so high a Tyde That we ran blind and madding every where And since she was not in the Palace seen None did suspect this chance could e're ha' been XLIX But our Malecche who exactly knew The place where this dear Theft then hidden lay To boast his power and his fierce rage pursue As he his furious humour would betray Still threatning and in 's actions dreadful too Would scofling with her sad misfortune play And with cruel cunning on her smil'd To cloak 's intent before her Sons were kil'd L. And now his hands then he his feet employ'd Against her now tares her Vest and then her hair Tell me said he where is it thou didst hide Thy two Sons tell me vile wretch where they are And thou said she whose hands with bloud are dy'd Where are those Babes whom thou hast murder'd where Eyes of so many wretched Mothers Thou While I of thousands speak seek'st onely two LI. Dear Children who to Me like Stars did show Whom I so fondly Nurst up and caresst What Nest protects you now did you but know What cruel talons snatch you from my brest That ' midst these wracks chains arms and dangers tho Torments of quickest flames did me invest This Heart which now no other light can see Robb'd of a Mother's faith shall never be LII Whither O whither can you now retire My hapless Babes what fortune can you save You are perhaps to Ashes turn'd by fire Or in deep waters now have found a Grave Food or for Dogs or Birds or Winds conspire With raging Seas and you for pastime have Or the dire thirst of barbarous swords late drench In bloud of Innocents perhaps have quench'd LIII Quench'd alass no there 's nothing can restrain This barbarous rage I see it flames so high To this Malceche says Thou dost in vain What cannot be deny'd to Me deny Fond Faith dull Piety mad Love to feign That as a Secret which must open ly The violence of the sword with quickest force Deprives a Mother's heart of all remorse LIV. Art thou the valiant Mother thou the wise Who wouldst conceal what is already known Who Life neglectest and do'st Death despise For Love of thy dear children this is done Like motions of Love in Herod rise And him invite too to preserve his own Thus menacing he spoke and she with brave And manly courage this stout answer gave LV. Plant Me 'mong swords or hottest flames if thou Know'st how to kill Death will great kindness be If thou desirest to terrify me now With Life and not with Death then threaten me Thus the brave Woman with a constant brow Her courage greater then before they see When the poor infant in the Vessel lay'd Himself with childish cryes alass betray'd LVI â—â—lecche seiz'd the Vessel which upon The floor he roll'd and with it laughing play'd But when with pointed steel nought could be done And that the poignard small impression made When all the strength and force of 's arm was gone What might be done by fire he then essay'd To th' flames he drives it and the hearth was fill'd With bloud wine through numerous holes distill'd LVII As