thy Lawes affect Shine on my Soule thy Statutes teach mine Eyes Shed showres of teares when men thy Lawes despise TSADDI Part. 18 As Thou thy Selfe so all thy Lawes are just Faithfull to those who in thy Promise trust Zeale hath consum'd me for my Foes neglect Of thy pure Lawes which I in heart affect Those to observe though meane and scorn'd intend Truth crownes thy Word thy Justice without end These in my griefe and trouble comfort give Informe with Knowledge that my Soule may live COPH. Part. 19 O heare my cries preserve his life who will Thy Laws obey and just Commands fulfill My Eies out-watch the Night my cries prevent The early Morne in due Devotion spent Heare and revive thy Justice execute On lawlesse men preserve from their pursuit Thy oft-tri'd Mercy ever is at hand Thy Judgements on eternall Bases stand RESCH. Part. 20 Behold my sorrowes patronize my cause Thy Word performe to him that keepes thy Lawes Death shall devoure who thy Commands neglect Thou great in Mercy my sought life protect In all extreames I have thy VVill observ'd Griev'd when Transgressors from thy Statutes swerv'd To me who love thy Lawes thy Grace extend Thy Truth began with Time and knowes no end SCHIN Part. 21 Tyrants oppresse thy VVord restraines my Minde VVherein I joy like those who Treasure finde Fraud I abhorre inamour'd on thy VVaies Seven times a Day my Lips thy Justice praise VVho love thy Lawes sweet Peace and Safetie blesse In Thee I hope nor thy just Will transgresse Thy Word observe thy Statutes I affect Which through these humane Seas my course direct TAV Part. 22 Accept my Prayers with Knowledge Lord indue From Death redeeme since to thy Promise true Thy Statutes taught I will thy Praise resound Thy Word extoll and Lawes with Justice crown'd These are my choice uphold with thy right Hand Who feed on Hope and joy in thy Command Prolong my life that I thy Praise may sing Lord thy straid Sheepe backe to thy Pasture bring PSALME CXX As the 5. DIstrest and in my minde dismay'd When destitute of humane aid To Thee successefully I prai'd Lord shield me from the Fraudulent From those that are on malice bent Who envious Calumnies invent O thou false tongue steep't in the gall Of Serpents what reward for all Thy mischiefe shall to thee befall Like Arrowes shot from Parthian strings Fir'd Juniper and Scorpions stings Such art thou ô thou worst of things Wo's me that I from Israel Exiled must in Mesech dwell And in the Tents of Ismael O how long shall I live with those Whose savage minds sweet Peace oppose Where Fury by disswasion growes PSALME CXXI As the 15. TO the Hils thine Eies erect Helpe from those alone expect He who Heaven and Earth hath made Shall from Sion send thee aid God thy ever-watchfull Guide Will not suffer thee to slide He even he who Israel keepes Never slumbers never sleepes He thy Guard with Wings display'd Shall refresh Thee in their Shade Suns shall not with heat infect But their temperate beames reflect Nor unwholsome Serene shall From the Moones moyst influence fall When thou travel'st on the way VVhen at home thou spend'st the Day VVhen sweet Peace thy life delights VVhen imbroil'd in bloudie Fights God shall all thy steps attend Now and evermore defend PSALME CXXII As the cxi O Happy Summons to the Court And Temple of the Lord resort Jerusalem our Feet shall tread VVithin thy VValls O thou the Head Of all the Earth and Judah's Throne Three Cities strongly joyn'd in one The Tribes in throngs to Thee ascend The Tribes which on the Lord depend Fat Offerings to his Altar bring And his immortall Praises sing There shall he his Tribunall place The Judgement-seat of Davids Race Your joyes shall with your daies increase VVho love and pray for Salems Peace May Peace within thy VValls abound Thy Palaces with joy resound Even for my Friends and Kindreds sake May never VVarre thy Bulwarkes shake Even for the hope of Israel And House where God vouchsafes to dwell PSALME CXXIII As the 34. THou mover of the rolling Spheares I through the Glasses of my Teares To Thee my Eies erect As Servants marke their Masters hands As Maids their Mistresses commands And liberty expect So we deprest by enemies And growing troubles fixe our Eies On God who sits on High Till he in mercy shall descend To give our miseries an end And turne our teares to joy O save us Lord by all forlorne The subject of contempt and scorne Defend us from their pride VVho live in fluency and ease VVho with our woes their malice please And miseries deride PSALME CXXIV As the 72. BVT that God fought for us may Israel say But that God fought for us in that sad Day VVhen men inflam'd with wrath against us rose VVe had alive beene swallowed by our Foes Then had we sunke beneath the roaring Waves And in their horrid entrailes found our graves Then had their violence like torrents powr'd From melting Hils our wretched lives devour'd O blest be God! who hath not given our bloud To quench their thirst nor made our flesh their food Our Soules like Birds have scap't the Fowlers Net The snares are broke which for our lives were set Our onely confidence is in his Name VVho made the Earth and Heavens immortall frame PSALME CXXV As the 9. THey who the Lord their Fortresse make Shall like the Towers of Sion rise VVhich dreadfull Earth-quakes never shake Nor raging tumults of the skies Lo as the Hils of Solyma Divine Jerusalem enclose So shall his Angels in the Day Of danger shield them from their Foes The Wicked shall not long subject Their holy Race lest through despaire They should the Lawes of God neglect And be as their Commanders are Lord to the Good be good the Just Protect Their punishments increase Who follow their rebellious lust But crowne thy Israel with Peace PSALME CXXVI As the cxi VVHen God had our deliverance wrought And Sion out of Bondage brought It seem'd to us a Dreame who were Distracted betweene Hope and Feare Then sacred Joy fill'd every Brest In flowing Mirth and Songs exprest The wondring Heathen oft would say How good how great a God have they Great things for us the Lord hath wrought Above the reach of humane thought We therefore will his praises sing The Remnant Lord from Bondage bring As Rivers through the parched Sand Or showres which fall on thirsty land VVho sow in Teares shall reape in Joy We after long Captivity Unto our native Soile retire The scope and crowne of our desire PSALME CXXVII As the 7. VNlesse the Lord the house sustaine They build in vaine In vaine they watch unlesse the Lord The City guard In vaine you rise before the Light And breake the slumbers of the Night In vaine the bread of sorrow eat Got by your sweat Unlesse the Lord with good successe Your labours blesse For he all good on
A PARAPHRASE VPON THE DIVINE POEMS BY GEORGE SANDYS LONDON At the Bell in St. Pauls Church-yard M.DC.XXXVIII TO THE BEST OF MEN AND MOST EXCELLENT OF PRINCES CHARLES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT-BRITAINE FRANCE AND IRELAND LORD OF THE FOVRE SEAS OF VIRGINIA THE VAST TERRITORIES ADIOYNING AND DISPERSED ISLANDS OF THE VVESTERNE OCEAN THE ZEALOVS DEFENDOR OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH GEORGE SANDYS THE HVMBLEST OF HIS SERVANTS PRESENTS AND CONSECRATES THESE HIS PARAPHRASES VPON THE DIVINE POEMS TO RECEIVE THEIR LIFE AND ESTIMATION FROM HIS FAVOVR THe Muse who from your Influence tooke her Birth First wandred through the many-peopled Earth Next sung the Change of Things disclos'd th' Vnknown Then to a nobler Shape transform'd her Owne Fetch'd from Engaddi Spice from Iury Balme And bound her browes with Idumaean Palme Now Old hath her last Voyage made and brought To Royall Harbor this her Sacred Fraught VVho to her King bequeathes the VVealth of Kings And dying her owne Epicedium sings To the Queene A Night-peece most affects the Eye Sad VVords and Notes charme powerfully The pleasing Sorrow they impart Slides sweetly to the melting Heart Since no sincere Delight we tast Our best of Daies with clouds ore-cast VVise Nature giddy Mirth disdaines And tunes our Soules to Mournefull Straines As Aethiop's who faire colours lack Place Beauty in the deepest Black And we are counsell'd to be Guests Rather at Death's then Hymen's Feasts This was that well-limn'd Face of VVoe VVhere of we but a Coppy show To you addrest whose chearefull Ray Can turne the saddest Night to Day Not to infect or make it lesse But to set-off your Happinesse Nor are wee all of Black compos'd Our setting Sun serenely clos'd And as in Iob all Stormes dispell'd His Evening farre his Morne excell'd So Iuda in her wandring Race At length shall rise to greater Grace Our Vowes ascend that you may tast Of these the onely First and Last And wheresoe're the Subject's Best the Sense Is better'd by the Speakers Eloquence But Sir to you I will no Trophie raise From other Mens detraction or dispraise That Iewell never had inherent worth Which ask't such Foyles as these to set it forth If any quarrell your Attempt or Stile Forgive them their owne Folly they revile Since ' gainst Themselves their factious Envie shall Confesse this Worke of Yours Canonicall Nor may you feare the Poets common Lot Read and Commended and then quite forgot The Brazen Mines and Marble Rockes shall waste When your Foundation will unshaken last 'T is Fames best pay that You your Labours see By their Immortall Subject crowned bee For nere was Author in Oblivion hid Who Firm'd his Name on such a Pyramid Henry King To my very much honoured Friend Mr. George Sandys upon his Paraphrase on the Poeticall Parts of the Bible THese pure immortall Streames these holy Streynes To flow in which th' Eternall Wisedome deignes Had first their sacred Spring in Iuda's Plaines Borne in the East their Soule of heavenly Race They still preserve a more then Mortall Grace Though through the Mortall Pens of Men they passe For purest Organs ever were design'd To this high Worke the most Etheriall Mind Was touch't and did these holy Raptures finde You Sir who all these severall Springs have knowne And have so large a Fountaine of your owne Seeme Borne and Bred for what you now have done Plac'd by just Thoughts above all worldly Care Such as for Heaven it selfe a Roome prepare Such as alreadie more then Earthly are Next you have knowne besides all Arts their Spring The happie East and ftom Iudea bring Part of that Power with which her Ayres you Sing Lastly what is above all Reach of Praise Above Reward of any fading Bayes No Muse like Yours did ever Language raise Devotion Knowledge Numbers from your Pen Mixtly and sweetly flow whilst listning Men Suspend their Cares inamour'd of your Theme They calme their Thoughts and in their Bosoms own Better Desires to them perhaps unknowne Till by your Musicke to themselves brought Home Musicke the universall Language sweyes In everie Minde the World this Power obeyes And Natures Selfe is charm'd by well-tun'd Layes All disproportion'd harsh disorder'd Cares Vnequall Thoughts vaine Hopes and low Despaires Fly the soft Breath of these harmonious Ayres Here is that Harp whose Charms uncharm'd the brest Of troubled Saul and that unquiet Guest With which his Passions travel'd disposses'd Iob moves Amazement David moves our Teares His Royall Sonne a sad Apparell weares Of Language and perswades to Pious Feares The Passions of the First rise great and high But Salomon a lesse concerned Eye Casting on all the world flowes equally Not in that ardent course as where He woes The Sacred Spouse and her chast Love pursues With brighter flames and with a higher Muse This Work had beene proportion'd to our Sight Had you but knowne with some allay to Write And not preserv'd your Authors Strength and Light But you so crush those Odors so dispense Those rich perfumes you make them too intense And such alas as too much please our Sense We fitter are for sorrows then such Love Iosiah falls and by his fall doth move Teares from the people Mourning from above Iudah in her Iosiah's Death doth dye All Springs of griefe are opened to supply Streames to the torrent of this Elegy Others breake forth in everlasting Praise Having their wish and wishing they might raise Some monument of Thanks to after-Dayes These are the Pictures which your happy Art Gives us and which so well you doe impart As if these passions sprung in your owne Heart Others translate but you the Beames collect Of your inspired Authors and reflect Those heavenly Rai's with new and strong effect Yet humane Language only can restore What humane Language had impair'd before And when that once is done can give no more Sir I forbeare to adde to what is said Least to your burnisht Gold I bring my Lead And with what is Immortall mixe the Dead Sidney Godolphin To my worthy friend Mr. George Sandys I presse not to the Quire nor dare I greet The holy Place with my unhallow'd feet My unwasht Muse pollutes not things Divine Nor mingles her prophaner notes with thine Here humbly at the Porch she listning stayes And with glad eares sucks in thy Sacred Layes So devout Penitents of old were wont Some without doore and some beneath the Font To stand and heare the Churches Liturgies Yet not assist the solemne Exercise Sufficeth her that she a Lay-place gaine To trim thy Vestments or but beare thy traine Though nor in Tune nor Wing She reach thy Larke Her Lyricke feet may dance before the Arke Who knowes but that Her wandring eyes that run Now hunting Glow-wormes may adore the Sun A pure Flame may shot by Almighty Power Into my brest the earthy flame devoure My Eyes in Penitentiall dew may steepe That bryne which they for sensuall love did weepe
A Vice my heart would give my tongue the lye If of perfection boast I should herein My guilt disclose thought I I had no Sin My selfe I should not know Oh bitter strife VVhose only Issue is the hate of life Yet judge not by events in generall The good and bad without distinction fall For he th'Appeale of innocence derides And with his Sword the controverse decides He gives the Earth to those that tyrannize And spreads a vaile before the Judges Eyes Or else what were his power Oh you who see My miseries this truth behold in mee My dayes runne like a Post and leave behinde No tract of joy as ships before the winde They through this humaine Ocean sayle away And fly like Eagles which pursue their prey If I determine to remove my care Forget my griefe and comfort my Despaire The feare that he would never purge mee mocks M'imbarqued Hopes and drives them on the Rocks For if he hold me guilty if I soile My selfe with Sin I then but vainely toyle Though I should wash my selfe in melting Snow Vntill my hands were whiter he would throw Me downe to Earth and ah so plunge in mire That I should loath to touch my owne attire For he is not as I a man with whom I might contend and to a Tryall come I in my cause shall find no Aduocate Nor Vmpire to compose our sad debate Oh should he from my shoulders take his Rod Free from the awe and terror of a God Then would I argue in my owne defence And boldly justifie my Innocence Chap. 10 Oh I am sick of life nor will controule My Passion but in bitternesse of Soule Thus teare the Aire what should thy wrath incense To punish him who knowes not his offence Ah! do'st thou in oppression take delight Wilt thou thy Servant fold in shades of Night And smile on wicked Counsels do'st thou see With Eyes of Flesh is Truth conceal'd from thee VVhat are thy Dayes as fraile as ours or can Thy yeares determine like the age of Man That thou should'st my Delinquencies exquire And with Variety of tortures tire Cannot my knowne Integritie remove Thy cruell Plagues wilt thou remorselesse prove Ah! wilt thou thy owne workemanship confound Shall the same hand that did create now wound Remember I am built of clay and must Resolve to my originary Dust Thou powr'dst me out like milke into the wombe Like curds conden'st and in that secret roome My Limbs proportion'd cloth'd with flesh and skin With bones and sinewes fortifi'd within The Life thou gav'st thou hast with plentie fed Long cherisht and through Dangers safely led All this is buryed in thy breast and yet I know thou can'st not thy old Love forget Thou if I erre observ'st me with sterne eyes Nor will the plea of Ignorance suffice Woe unto me should sinne my Soule infect Who dare not now though innocent erect My downe-cast lookes which clouds of shame infold Great God my growing Miseries behold Thou like a Lion huntest me wounds on wounds Thy hands inflict thy fury knowes no bounds Against me all thy Plagues embattaild are Subdu'd with changes of internall warre Why didst thou draw me from my Mothers wombe Would I from thence had slipt into my Tombe Before the Eye of man my face had seene And mixt with dust as I had never beene Oh since I have so short a time to live A little ease to these my torments give Before I goe where all in silence mourne From whose darke shores no travellers returne A Land where Death confusion endlesse Night And Horror reigne where Darkenesse is their Light Chap. 11 Thus Zophar with acerbity reply'd Think'st thon by talking to be justifi'd Or shall these wild distempers of thy mind This tempest of thy tongue thus rave and find No opposition shall we guilty be Of thy untruths in not reproving thee Nor die thy cheekes in Blushes for the scorne Thou throw'st on us till now with patience borne Hast thou not said to God my heart 's upright My Doctrine pure I blamelesse in thy sight O that he would be pleased to reply And take the vaile from thy Hypocrisie Should he reveale his wisedome to thine eyes How would'st thou thy integritie despise Acknowledging these punnishments farre lesse Then thy offences and his grace professe Canst thou into thy Makers Councels dive Or to the knowledge of his thoughts arrive Higher then highest Heavens more deepe then Hell Longer then Earth more broad then Seas that swell Above their shores can man his foot-steps trace Would he the course of Nature change the face Of things invert and all dissolve againe To their old Chaos who could God restraine He knowes that man is vaine his eyes detect Their secret crimes and shall not he correct Thus Fooles grow wise subdue their stubborne soules Though in their pride more rude then Asses foles If thou affect thy cure reforme thy wayes Let penitence resolve to teares and raise Thy hands to heaven what Rapine got restore Nor let insidious Vice approach thy Doore Then thou thy lookes shalt raise from blemish cleare Walke in full strength and no disaster feare As winter Torrents tumbling from on high Waste with their speed and leave their channels dry So shall the sense of former sorrowes runne From thy Remembrance As the mounted Sunne Breakes through the Clouds and throwes his golden Raies About the world shall thy increasing Dayes Succeed in Glory Thou thy selfe shalt rise Like that bright Starre which last forsakes the skies For ever by thy stedfast hopes secur'd Intrenched and with walles of Brasse immur'd Confirm'd against all Stormes Soft sleepe shall close Thy guarded eyes with undisturb'd repose The Great shall honour the distressed shall Thy grace implore belov'd or fear'd of all The sight of thee shall strike the envious blind The wicked with anxietie of Mind Shall pine away in sighes consume their breath Prevented in their hopes by sudden Death Chap. 12 To whom thus Iob You are the only wise And when you die the fame of wisedome dies Though Passion be a foole though you professe Your selves such Sages yet know I no lesse Nor am to you inferior What blind Soule Could this not see 'T is easie to controule My sad example shewes how those whose cries Even God regards their scoffing Friends despise He that is wretched though in life a Saint Becomes a scorne This is an old Complaint Those who grow old in fluency and ease VVhen they from shore behold him tost on Seas And neere his ruine his condition slight Pric'd as a Lamp consum'd with his owne light The Tents of Robbers flourish Earths increase Foments their ryot who disturb her peace VVho God contemne in sinne securely raigne And prosperous Crimes the meed of Vertue gaine Aske thou the Citizens of pathlesse woods VVhat cut the ayre with wings what swim in floods Brute beasts and fostering Earth in generall They will confesse the power of God in all Who knowes not that
vicious have their vice enjoy'd Be therefore not too righteous nor too wise For why should'st thou thy safetie sacrifice Be not too wicked nor too foolish why Should'st thou by violence untimely dye T is best for thee that thou to neither leane But warily observe the safer Meane For they shall all their miseries transcend Who God adore and on his will depend A wise man is by wisedome fortifi'd More strong then twenty which the Citie guide For Justice is not to be found on Earth None good nor innocent of humane Birth Give not to all that 's said an open eare Least thou thy Servants execrations heare For thy owne heart can tell that thou hast done The like to others Thy example shun All this by wisedome try'd I seemed wise But shee from humane apprehension flyes Can that which is so farre remov'd and drown'd In such profundities by Man be found Yet in her search I exercis'd my Mind Of things the Causes and Effects to find The wickednesse of Folly sought to know Folly and Madnesse from one fountaine flow More sharpe then Death I found her subtle Art Who nets spreds in her Eyes snares in her Heart Her Armes inthralling chaines the prudent shall Escape the foole by her enchantments fall Of all the Preacher hath experience made The reasons one by one distinctly waigh'd Yet could I not attaine to what I most Desir'd to know in my inquiry lost One good among a thousand Men have knowne Among the female sex of all not one Though in perfection God did Man create Yet we through vanitie degenerate Chap. 8 Is any equall to the truly wise To him that can interpret Mysteries For wisedome makes the face of Man to shine With awefull Majestie and Light Divine Observe the Kings Commands Remember thou Even in that Dutie thy Religious vow Depart not discontented nor Dispute With him who can with Punishments confute For Power is throned in the Breath of Kings And who dare say they charge unlawfull things He who obayes Destruction shall eschew A wise man knowes both when and what to doe For all our Purposes on Time depend And Judgement to produce them to their end They wander in the Pensive shades of Night Who want the guide of this directing Light Surpriz'd by unexpected Miseries Nor can Instruction make the foolish wise What Guard of Teeth can keepe our parting Breath Or who resist the fatall Stroake of Death None shall returne with conquest from that field Nor Vice Protection to the vitious yield This Vanitie I saw beneath the Sun The Mighty by abused Power undone And though intomb'd with sumptuous funerall In his owne Citie soone forgot by all Impiety delights in her misdeeds In that Revenge so tardily succeeds Although a Sinner sinne a hundred times And were his Yeares as numerous as his Crimes Yet God to those his Mercy will extend Whose humble Soules are fearefull to offend But bold Transgressors with destruction meet Their shortned Dayes shall like a shadow fleet Among the Sonnes of Men this mischiefe raignes Exalted Vice the meed of Vertue gaines And those afflictions which to Vice are due Suppressed Vertue furiously pursue Then I commended Life-prolonging Mirth To feed upon the Bounty of the Earth And drinke the generous Grapes refreshing juyce Is all the good our Labours can produce This is the best of Life by God alone Bestow'd on Man and only is his owne Chap. 9 When I aspir'd to know how God th' affaires Of Men dispos'd observ'd the restlesse Cares The travels and disturbed thoughts which keepe The toyling Braine from the reliefe of sleepe I then perceived that humane industry Could not the wayes nor workes of God descry Though Men endeavour though the wise suppose They apprehend yet none his wisedome knowes But this have found that both the just and wise Their industry even all their faculties Are in his Rule and by his Motion move Nor can determine of his Hate or Love All under Heaven succeeds alike to all To good and bad the same events befall To pure impure to those who Sacrifice To those who Pietie and God despise To th' innocent the guiltie such who feare Flagitious Oathes and those who fearelesse sweare What greater mischiefe rules beneath the Sunne Than this that all unto one period runne Men while they live are mad profanely spend Their flight of time then to the dead descend Yet those have hope who with the living dwell For living Dogs dead Lyons farre excell The living know that they at length must dye They nothing know who in Earths entrailes lye What better times can they expect who rot In silent graves and are by All forgot Abolish'd is their Envy Love and Hate Bereft of all which they possest of late Then take my Counsell eate thy Bread with joy Let wine the Sorrowes of thy heart destroy Why should unfruitfull Cares our Soules molest Please thou thy God and in his favour rest Be thy Apparell ever fresh and faire Powre breathing Odors on thy shining haire Enjoy the pleasures of thy gentle Wife Through all the Course of thy short-dated Life For this is all thy Industry hath wonne Even all thou canst expect beneath the Sunne Since Time hath wings what thou intend'st to doe Doe quickly and with all thy Power pursue No wisedome knowledge wit or worke will goe Along with thee unto the Shades below I see the swift of foot winnes not the Race Nor wreathes of Victory the Valiant grace The wise to feed his hunger wanteth Bread Riches are not by knowledge purchased Nor Popular suffrages Desert advance All rul'd by Opportunity and Chance Man knowes not his owne fate As Birds are tane With Tramels Fishes by th'intangling Saine Even so the Sonnes of Men are un-awares Prevented by Destructions secret Snares This also have I seene beneath the Sun So full of wonder and by wisedome done A little Citie man'd but by a few To which a Mightie King his Army drew Erected Bulwarkes and intrench't it round A poore wise man within the walles was found Whose wisedome rais'd the siege But they ingrate Neglected him who had preserv'd their State Then wisedome before Strength should be preferr'd Yet is if poore despis'd her words unheard Men more should listen to her sober Rules Then to his Cryes who governes among fooles Wisedome th'habilaments of warre exceeds But Folly is destroy'd by her owne Deeds Lo as dead flyes with their ill savour spoyle Th'Apothecaries Aromaticke oyle Even so a little folly damnifies The Dignitie and Honour of the wise A wise mans Heart to his right hand enclines A foole t' his left and such are his designes His owne disordred Paths his life defame His gesture and his lookes a foole proclaime Chap. 10 Although thy Ruler frowne yet do not thou Resent his Anger with a cloudie Brow Nor with obedience or thy faith dispence For yeelding pacifies a great offence This in a State no small disorder breeds Which from the errour of the