Ioseph :: :: University of Virginia Library

Ioseph

or, Pharoah's Favovrite [by Robert Aylett]

Aylett, Robert (1583-1655?)

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To the right honourable and reuerend Father in God, Iohn Lord Bishop of Lincolne, Lord Keeper of the Great Seale.

IOSEPH,

THE FIRST BOOKE OF Ioseph.

THE SECOND BOOKE OF Ioseph.

THE THIRD BOOKE OF Ioseph.

THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF Ioseph.

THE FIFTH BOOKE OF Ioseph.

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Iacobs last blessing.

Iosephs Epitaph.

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Hee only that applyeth his minde to the Law of the most high, and is occupied in the Meditation thereof; shall serue among Great men and appeare before the Prince. Eccles. 39. I, 4.

To the right honourable and reuerend Father in God, Iohn Lord Bishop of Lincolne, Lord Keeper of the Great Seale.

VVhat need I any other Dedication?
Thy life & Iosephs are but one narratiō
He kept King Pharohs Seale which was his Ring
Thou art the great-Seale Keeper of our King,
And art the neerest seruant to his Throne,
And in his seate of Iudgment sitst alone.
By him the kingdomes waight, Church, peoples care
Committed to thy equall Ballance are,
Thus as to Pharoh Ioseph was at Nile,
So art Thou to the Monarch of this Ile:
God make thy seruice like good Iosephs proue,
And thee reward with Pharohs Grace and loue,
So Thou shalt giue thy Maister high content,
And make vs happy in thy Gouernment.

Your Lordships most humbly deuoted Robert Aylet.

IOSEPH,

OR, PHAROAH'S FAVOVITE.

THE FIRST BOOKE OF Ioseph.

Of him, whom God by brethrens enuy sent
From Canaan to Egypt, to preuent
Great dearth; I sing; thou that didst him protect
In all his trauels, me in mine direct.

Now dwelt the holy Patriarch Israel
At rest, in Canaan in his fathers cell,
For Esau now did in mount Seir raigne,
One country could not all their flocks sustain:
And hauing many stormes and dangers past,
Now hop'd in quiet to haue liu'd at last,
Freed from his brothers hate and menacing,
From Labans cruell gripes and coueting,
His teares for losse of Rachel now were dride,
For Dina's rape, and Simeons homicide,
His sonnes abroad, in Peace their flocks do tend,
Ioseph at home, his father doth attend:
When lo! an enuious Spirit (which did reede,
In holy Iacob, Isaacks promisd seede,
Which he to come of Ioseph most did feare.
Because he to his father was so deare)
One day amongst the sonnes of God appeard,
Before the Lord, desiring to be heard:

And thus began: Dread Thunderer: be iust,
Hast thou not raisd vp sinfull man from dust,
To make those heau'nly Mansions, ay his owne,
From which thou Angels in thy wrath hast throwne
And damn'd? yet we but once did thee displease,
But he offends each houre, yet liues at ease:
Iacob in Isaacks Tents doth quiet liue,
As with his Blessing he him Peace did giue;
And though by thy Decree man ought attaine
To Ioyes of Heau'n, by sorrow, care, and paine:
To him thou so benigne and gratious art,
Hee sees the Pleasures, neuer feeles the smart;
So as it seemes 'tis thy determination,
To make base Man for blisse, Vs for damnation:
How hast thou blessed him on eu'ry side?
His Children many, his Possessions wide;
His flocks abound and couer all the Land,
So thou dost blesse all workes that passe his hand:
Well may he serue thee for so great reward,
But touch him, thou shalt see his slight regard,
Vexe thou but him, or any of his race,
And he will thee blaspheme vnto thy face:
When thus, th' Almightie; say thou what thou can,
Iacob's a matchlesse, iust and perfect man,
Who feareth God, doth good, escheweth ill,
Try him or his, so thou no bloud dost spill.
Thus now had Satan his desires attain'd,
By Iacobs Angell till that time restrain'd;
And since for bloud he could not get permission,
He priuily sowes Enuie and Sedition,
Which make oft greater rents in Church and State,
Then open enmitie and knowne debate:
Simeon and Leui, once his Instruments
Of murther, vnder couer'd false intents,

With the two handmaids sonnes shall kindle hate,
And Enuy, for to ouerthrow the state
Of simple Ioseph, who in honest sort,
To Israel brought his brethrens ill report;
And in plaine meaning did to them vnfold
His dreames by day, which God by night had told:
Which enuiously this Sp'rit interpreting,
As if he of his Brethren would be king;
And for because he was to Iacob deare,
And tales to him, as they suspect did beare,
He by their malice labours cunningly,
To ruine Iacob and his Family
In Iosephs losse: Thus did the enuious Fiend
Proiect destruction, God a blessed end.
Little hereof thought good old Iacob, when
He him to Sichem to his bretheren
Doth send: where wandring he at last was told,
That they at Dothan pastured their fold
On side of hill which Sol with chearefull eyes,
Salutes and comforts soone as he doth rise;
Vnder a stately Oake, whose armes dispread,
From Sunne and Raine all vnder sheltered,
Neare fairest meadowes and the Riuer side,
These Brethren with their Flockes in Tents abide,
More healthfull, pleasant, fruitfull, spatious plaine,
Was not in Canaan to be seene againe,
Where whilst their Flockes doe feede, they haue good leasure,
To leape, dance, caroll, sleepe, and take their pleasure,
And they that feele within diuiner motions,
In priuate shades may fall to their deuotions,
And imitate the plumed heaun'ly Quire,
Who in sweete notes Gods goodnesse doe admire;
Hither comes Ioseph, where he first admires
The places fertilenesse and faire attires,

For his owne coate, all party coloured,
Seemd nought to that the ground apparelled:
But his ten brethren him no sooner spie,
But lo! here comes the dreamer, all do crie
Come let vs kill, and in some pit him cast,
Then see how all his Dreames will proue at last.
And when our father misseth him, weele say,
Some wicked beast deuour'd him on the way:
And had not Prouidence with-held their knife
By Ruben, they then taken had his life:
Full glad to see his Brethren was the childe,
And with a pleasing face vpon them smilde,
As little thinking by them to be sold,
As they at Nile his glory to behold,
As cruell Cain against his brother rose,
When nothing lesse good Abel did suppose:
And as fierce Simeon came most cruelly
On Sichem looking for affinity:
So Iacobs sonnes vnwares on Ioseph run,
Who kindly to salute them then did come,
One bends his fist, another drawes his knife,
Another sweares he'le teare from his life.
Wretch! saith another, thou comest for a spy,
That thou returning home maist tell a lye,
And vs disgrace in our old fathers eare,
And be alone his ioy and darling deare:
Lo, saith another, we our sheaues must bring,
And do to thee obeisance as our king:
One saith, thou art the Sunne, we starres of night,
And must all bow, whence we do borrow light:
Then stripping off his party coloured coate,
They blindfold him, and on the shoulder smote:
And said, since thou diuin'st and dreamst so right,
Reckon now which of vs thee last did smite.

Whilst Lambe-like he before the sharer lies,
Mute and amaz'd, yet thus at last replies.

Ah brethren deare, though now too late, I proue
The peril's not so great in Hate as Loue:
Cain mortall hate did to his brother beare,
For that his offrings acceptable were,
My father hardly scap't mine Vncles knife,
Because he was Rebecca's dearest life:
So did you and your mother mine despise,
Because she gratious was in Iacobs eyes;
Now him, that neuer did or thought you ill,
Because my father loues me, you will kill:
To him once, I confesse, I did relate
An ill report I heard, not for least hate
Or malice that my brethren I did beare,
But that you knowing it, might better cleare:
That which my father did but folly deeme,
To tell mine idle dreames, will you esteeme
It capitall? oh brethren deare, forbeare,
If not for loue or pittie, yet for feare
Of vengeance, which will follow fratricide,
Cains curse shall euer on that house abide,
If all consent your Brother here to slay,
Iacob hath lost eleu'n sonnes in one day:
And whence shall then that blessed one proceede
God promisd in our father Isaacks seede?
That cursed Cham, from whom these nations come
Which here inhabite, neuer yet haue done
So foule a sinne; nor Nimrods cruell sword
Was ere in his owne brothers blood engor'd:
A brothers sight rough Esaus fury chaces,
And makes him fall to kisses and embraces.
Looke on my youth, not halfe so loth to die,
As to be slaine by brethrens crueltie,

Looke on my innocence. Behold my teares,
Respect your and my Fathers grayer haires:
Who cannot but with griefe and sorrow die,
For losse of me by Brethrens Butchery.
Oh! neuer hope this murther to conceale,
For though you your owne lips should all vp seale,
These beasts, stones, trees, my bloud to heau'n will cry
For vengeance, on this bloudy Felony:
And that which now you thinke in secret done,
Shall be made plaine and clearer then the Sunne.
Now Isaack like I lye vnder your knife,
And willingly as he could leaue my Life,
Were I perswaded 'twere the heaun'ly will,
But herein Satans purpose you fulfill,
And your malicious enuy satisfie:
But Lord accept me as I guiltiesse die,
These words proceeding from a Soule opprest
With anguish, wrought so in his Brethrens brest,
That though they willingly all wish him slaine,
Yet each from bloud-shed would his hands retaine.
Wherefore they him into a dry pit cast,
With cold and hunger there to pine and wast,
And suddenly they sit them downe to eate,
Ne're pitying Ioseph that must sterue for meate:
So haue I seene tenne hounds of bloudy kinde,
Who long haue chas'd, to kill the harmelesse Hinde;
When they haue lodg'd her in the hunters gin,
Whence neuer one escapes, if enterd in;
Turne to their Lodge, where for their labours meede,
They on the heart and bleeding intrailes feede.
Poore Ioseph had thy Brethren now thee slaine,
Thou long since hadst beene rid out of thy paine:
But whilst thou seek'st by teares thy life to saue,
Thou now art buried quicke within thy graue:

What canst thou looke for in this Dungeon vast,
But eu'n with cold and hunger here to waste?
Depriu'd of Sunnes most comfortable Light,
And euill Sp'rits with horrour thee to fright,
Yet as a fauour this was done to thee,
Thus are the wickeds mercies Crueltie.
But Lord! the childe to heau'n cries from the pit,
And doth to righteous Iudge his cause commit;
Lord thou dost know how innocent I die;
Me saue, and pardon their iniquitie.
As when fierce Caine, (out of base enuying,
That God should best accept his offering.)
Had Abel slaine; His bloud to heau'n did cry,
So this childs grieuous Lamentations flye
Into Gods eares, who sends the Ishmaelites,
First persecutors of the Israelites:
From Brethrens malice Ioseph to set free,
And saue his life, though lose his Libertie:
So he that late escaped being slaine,
Is raised vp out of the pit againe,
Whom to be rid off, and for present pay,
His Brethren sell to be conueid away.

And now large shadowes from the Mountaines fall,
And Heau'n with his blacke mantle couers all,
Phebus for rest in Sea his Steedes bestowes,
And from her Sea of rest the Night arose:
When Iacobs sonnes amongst themselues deuise
To couer their inhumane cruelties:
And as we euer see that one foule sinne
Begets another, to lye hidden in;
As some their foule adultery to hide,
Haue first vs'd Drunkennesse, then Homicide;
So these vniustly 'gainst their Fathers will,
One of the Kiddes then in his Flocke doe kill,

And dipping in his blood the colourd coate
Of Ioseph, it vnto their father brought,
And say; Now see good father dost thou know,
Whether this be thy Iosephs coate or no?
As Turtle deare, when seeking for her loue,
She finds at eu'n the feathers of a Doue,
Begoard with blood late party colourd gay,
Concluding now her mate hath beene the prey
Of cruell hawke, sends out most piteous cries,
And in those dearest blooded feathers dies.
So good old Israel, whose dimmer sight,
Could scarce discerne of colours by the night,
Yet seeing Iosephs coate begoared red,
Which lately was so finely coloured:
For whom, though long he look'd, and did enquire,
Yet saw nor heard least newes of his retire.
Cries out, 'tis Iosephs coate with blood defild,
Some wicked beast deuoured hath the child.
I sent him out alone vnwittingly,
And therefore guilty of the crueltie.
So grieuous were his groanes and lamentation,
They turne to sorrow all his habitation,
And though his sonnes and daughters all arise
To comfort him, the best they can deuise,
Yet still the good old man doth groane and crie,
Ioseph is lost, I in his coate will die.
He with wilde beasts is into peeces torne,
Ile sooner cease to liue, then cease to mourne.

Father saith Dina then, th' vnlucky maid,
Why should you without cause be thus dismaid?
Before times I haue often heard you say,
Gods Angell you conducted in your way,
From hence eu'n vnto the Assyrian plaine,
And thence from Laban brought you home againe;

Oh why should you despaire then thus and feare,
As God of yours had not as great a care?
What because here a bloody coate you see,
Must it be Iosephs needes? or if it bee,
He may, whilst he from cruell beasts did flie,
Forsake his coate to scape more speedily:
He that this coate found loose vpon the ground,
Not any signe of murthering him found,
Nor found he either hand, head, foot or bone,
Onely this bloody coate lay all alone;
Blooded it seemes with iawes of cruell beast,
Which on some other prey had made his feast:
“Thus can the whole to sicke good counsell giue,
“And easier 'tis to teach well, then to liue:

But Ruben, Iudah, all his sonnes may rise,
And daughters all to comfort him deuise,
He rends his clothes, puts sackecloth on his loines,
And for his Ioseph long time weepes and pines,
And mourning will goe downe vnto his graue
To Ioseph, whom he here shall neuer haue.
Meane while to Nile the Midian merchants hie,
Laden with Balme, with mirrhe, and Spicerie,
When Ioseph, whom if they could truely prize,
Was farre more worth than all their merchandize;
Did bondage base vnto his noble minde,
More bitter, then death to his body finde;
But hauing none to whom to make his mone,
Goes sighing, sobbing to himselfe alone,
Vntill a merchant willing him to cheare,
That hee might fairer looke, and sell more deare,
Enquireth of his parents and his kinde,
To put more pensiue thoughts out of his mind;

Know; saith the gentle childe, my parents came
From Heber, whence we Hebrewes haue our name,

The fourth from Sem, first of that blessed seede,
Th' Almighty chose mankind againe to breede:
My Father Iacob who the Birth right bought
Of Esau, that Gods Blessing set at nought,
Was Isaacks sonne, eu'n Abrams blessed seede,
In whom all Nations happinesse may reade.
My Mother Rachel, now depriu'd of Life,
Was Israels first Loue, but second Wife:
Laban both Sonne and Father in one night,
Deceau'd; of's wife him, me of my Birth right:
For when his thoughts in nuptiall Bed embrace
My Mother Rachel, Lea's in place:
Whereby my Brethren me in yeares surpasse,
But I them in my Fathers loue and grace;
For enuy hereof, Lo! they me haue sold,
Thus briefly I my state to you haue told.

The Children of the Bond woman were glad,
They one now Bound of the Free-womans had:
But whilst such talke makes shorter seeme the houres,
Behold they now may see braue Memphis Towres,
Turrets which seeme to dare the Starry skies,
And Temples which like Toppes of Mountaines rise,
Whose Phanes and Spires all guilt, with radiant gold,
They shining like the Lampes of heau'n behold,
Which often with reflecting splendor bright,
Seeme to obscure Sols clearest heau'nly Light.

When thus the Lad. Good Masters, So must I
Now call you, and will serue you chearefully,
Tell me what glorious Buildings yonder bee,
Whose like in Canaan I did neuer see;
Which seeme, except mine eyes me much doe faile,
Like to a Citie that on Sea doth saile,
Or Noahs Arke which floting on the Floud,
Preseru'd all kinde of Creatures with their food.

Boy, saith a Merchant, This is Egypts Plaine,
Where neuer yet did fall a drop of raine;
The Waues you see are seu'n-fold headed Niles,
Which now doth Ouer-flow the richest soiles,
Whence euer Sol by his all quickning heate,
Rais'd Corne and Grasse, for Man and Beast to eate:
There where you see the Floud like Seas appeare,
Will be a Haruest twice within a yeare.
Beside, no mortall wight could euer wish,
Then's there more plenty of most dainty Fish:
Abram the Father of great Ishmael,
(From whom our Nation) Famine did compell
For succour to descend, into this Land,
Where he is said to make them vnderstand
The Nature of the highest Deitie,
Formes, Lawes, and Natures of the Starry skie,
And first them taught to measure out their yeare,
By Sunnes iust course: For it doth plaine appeare,
That they till then the Moone did measure by,
VVhich makes them bost of such antiquitie,
And reckon in their annuall Computation,
Thousands of yeares before the VVorlds Creation:
But though he gaue them in all Arts direction,
Yet neuer brought they one to such perfection,
As that we call Diuine Astronomie:
For in this Country best they might descrie,
The formes and orders of the Lamps of Night,
VVhere neuer Clouds obscure them from their sight.
First in Caldea Abram learn'd this skill,
And grew so well acquainted with Gods will,
He knew all things, they say, by Reuelation,
Past, present, future, from the VVorlds Creation,
Till that last minute that it could expire,
VVhich as by Water erst, shall be by Fire.

Indeed, saith Ioseph, I haue heard it tould,
The first man Adam prophecide of ould,
The worlds destruction twice, for sinnes iust hire,
The one by Water th' other by the Fire,
Seth therefore Adams scholler and his sonne,
Not knowing which was first: of earth and stone,
Two Pillars built; The earth against the fire,
The stone to stand 'gainst waters raging ire:
Where Arts, which long Experience had obserued,
He vnto future ages faire preserued,
The earthen pillar perisht in the flood,
The stone the waters violence withstood,
These Heber finding after published
In Syria, where first learning flourished:
Till Abram, who herein did all excell,
Came downe to Egypt, and as you doe tell,
Conuerst with one they called Mercury,
Whom, with these Arts, he taught the mystery
Of one trine God-head, and the worlds creation,
Who read the same vnto their neighbour nation.
Whence now they are, and shall in time be spred
Through all the earthly globe inhabited.

Thus they discourse, as if they would foretell
Of Gentiles all, which after should excell,
In Arts and Sciences; which now dispread,
As men, through all the earth on which we tread:
For as the earrh empeopled was below
By Adam, so all Arts and Learning flow
First from the Hebrews, vnto eu'ry nation,
As Rules and Precepts come by obseruation:
But now the cittie's towres obscure the skies,
And make them hold their tongues, and vse their eyes
The splendor of those buildings to behold,
Where they the second time good Ioseph sold.

The end of the first Booke of Ioseph.

THE SECOND BOOKE OF Ioseph.

Neuer did Adam more lament and plaine,
For Abel, by his cruell Brother slaine,
Then Iacob mourn'd for fairest Rachels Seede,
Nor would by any meanes be comforted:
All Day the field his Lamentations heares,
All Night his Couch he watreth with his teares:
And if least slumber close his blubbring eyes,
Him thinkes he sees a cruell Beare surprize
His dearest Ioseph; crying out for aid,
And starting vp, awakes, much more afraid,
His Spirit's thus spent, his Body wearied,
With groanes, and tossing vp and downe his Bed:
Loe, aged Isaack, who had long beene blinde
Of's fleshly eyes, but yet of clearer minde,
Comes to his comfort, being thither led
By Beniamin, who to him ministred.
Long stood he mute, and to the grieuous moanes
Of his blist Iacob ecchoed with groanes,
Till's heart with sorrow ready now to breake,
With words all weight, he thus begins to speake.

Deare Sonne, the staffe and comfort of mine age,
The blessed fruit of holy Marriage,

Far more to Mee, then to thee Ioseph deare,
Mine only Sonne, by Promise, But thou here
Hast Beniamin, by thy beloued wife,
Faire Rachel, whilst she liu'd thy Ioy and Life:
Not that I Ioseph dead or lost doe feare,
God that of mee and Abram had such care,
Hath no lesse of thee and thy blest seede,
In which all happinesse is promised.
And if of all, of him especially
VVho is the chiefe of all thy Family:
To whom the Sunne the Moone and Starres must fall,
VVhose Sheafe his brethrens Sheafs must worship all.
Of these two dreames I was a due obseruer,
And reade thence he shall be a great preseruer,
A figure of that Sauiour great, which shall
Himselfe by losing saue himselfe and all.
Thus was I once lost to my faithfull sire,
VVhen on the Altar kindled was the fire,
The knife was ready lift vp by his hand,
To sacrifice my Life at Gods command:
Thus thou as lost, for more then thrice seuen yeares,
Be vail'd wert by mine and Rebeccas teares,
VVhen Esaus wrath thee draue to Siria plaine,
But God Almightie brought thee home againe:
And I presage before the reuolution
Of thrise seu'n yeares, God will the whole solution
of Iosephs dreames with Ioy to thee vnfold,
VVhich shall reuiue thy spirit then being old:
Before great Blessings God doth Crosses send,
That we may on his Prouidence attend,
And see the riches of his grace more cleare,
VVhich hardlier here obtain'd, we hold more deare:
Thus Isaac doth interpre: Visions darke,
As great Mathuselah at building th' Arke,

VVho liu'd vntill the yeare of th' inundation,
As plaine appeares by Ages Computation.

Good Israel was wonderfully mou'd
At sight of those, he reuerenc'd so and lou'd,
His Beniamin but newly taught to stride,
Of his blinde Grandsires steppes then being guide,
Both which seem'd two good Angels to him sent
From heau'n, to ease his griefe and discontent:
VVherefore soone rising on his wearie bed,
Hauing his Father duly honoured,
He answers with a piteous sigh and grone,
Ioseph is gone, and I am left alone:
Deare Rachels first borne, whom to make my wife,
I was a seruant best part of my Life.
After we had beene maryed foureteene yeares,
Rachel and I, with Prayers, Vowes, and teares,
Begg'd him of God: Then did my yeares expire,
VVhich Laban for my two wiues me did hire:
One daughter and tenne sonnes I had before,
By Leah seu'n, and by my Handmaids foure,
But I my Ioseph priz'd them all aboue,
As I his Mother more then theirs did loue:
And though I churlish did mine Vncle finde,
In many things herein he was most kinde,
To pay me wages ere my worke was done;
For I had Rachel ere that I begun
My first yeares Seruice, whereby seu'n yeares seem'd
But a few daies, so I her loue esteem'd:
No man had euer more experience
Then I of Gods good grace and Prouidence,
VVhen I was first to Padan Aram sent,
I only with my staffe forth from thee went
To Bethel, where th' Almightie Lord to mee
Appear'd by Vision, promising to bee

My God, and to my Seede the Land to giue,
Whereon I slept; which firmely I beleeue.
Then did I vow, so he would me protect
Safe in my Iourney, and my wayes direct,
Giuing me Bread to eate, and Clothes to weare,
The Tenth of all I had, to offer there:
God gaue my asking, and abundance more,
So as I thence return'd with stocke, and store:
And though I long forbare my Vow to pay,
God neuer me forgot, vnto this day.
I confident, beyond all hope, can proue
I him shall see againe, whom so I loue,
At the last day: till then, hee's dead, and gone,
No hope before of Resurrection.
This is his colour'd Coat, begored red
By Iawes of Beasts, which on his Carkasse fed.
Were I now blinde, I happy were, then could
I not this dismall spectacle behold.

But if, saith Isaack, he hath chang'd his Tent
For heau'nly home, why should you thus lament,
As without hope? since now he is at rest,
Let likewise the remembrance of him rest.
Weepe you, because your losse turnes to his gaine?
Your mourning cannot bring him back againe.
God, our chiefe comforts oft from vs doth rend,
Lest we too much on outward meanes depend.
It may be, you your loue so on him set,
You thereby did your loue to God forget:
Then's Iustice iustly him from you hath rent,
And Mercy giues you cause now to repent.
But whether Ioseph liuing be, or dead,
Let little Beniamin stand in his stead:
What your affection so to him enclin'd,
You eu'n the same in Beniamin shall find,

Of Rachel both begot in marriage bed,
Only this last she neuer suckeled,
For in the paines of Birth she left her life,
Thus he a tender nurse lost, thou a wife:

This Isaacks rubbing on an ancient sore,
Made Israel lament more then before;
So as the childe who still was standing by,
To heare such mourning weepes for company:
And as a Parret, newly taught to prate,
The voice doth of another imitate,
So cryes the Boy; good Father, Ioseph's gone,
And I alas! here left am all alone.
Tis this fine colour'd coat he wont to weare,
Good father let vs it to Ioseph beare,
(For that was euer vnder Iacobs arme)
He may haue neede thereof to keepe him warme.
These pleasant reasons from the witty child,
Old Iacob of his sorrowes so beguil'd,
He was content a while his heart to ease,
The better this his dearest Boy to please.
And since he Ioseph thought dead, and at rest
By little he his Lamentations ceast,
But euer little Beniamin would cry,
To let him goe to Ioseph by and by.

My Boy saith Iacob, if that thou wilt goe
To Ioseph, thou must first as Ioseph doe,
Be a good Boy, serue God, thy prayers say
At Morne, at Night, and oftentimes a day:
All lying, swearing, idle talke forbeare,
Duly obey and serue thy Parents deare,
To any, nor of any speake least ill,
And alwaies be obedient to Gods will:
For so did Ioseph, therefore I had giu'n
Him this fine colour'd coat, But now in heau'n

He is most gloriously by God arraid,
And sees all Ioyes and Pleasures can be said.

By this the Boy to imitate growes faine,
Ioseph in all, for hope of Iosephs gaine;
If Iacob any thing would haue him doe,
Say Ioseph did it, he would doe it too,
If he from any ill would him retaine,
Say Ioseph would not do't, he would refraine:
All which he so well ordered, that in fine,
The Boy was measur'd all by Iosephs Line,
And Iacob so delighted therewithall,
He leaues his couch and comes downe to the Hall,
Where euer Beniamin his darling deare,
Was ready with his pratling him to cheare,
Till in the end his loue so on him set,
Makes him all griefe for Iosephs losse forget:
And pleasure take in Beniamin now more,
Then he in Ioseph euer did before.
So doth one for his wife oft weepe and crie,
As, after her, he would not liue but die,
Forbeares his meat, till time of mourning past,
Then cheares his spirits, and fals to his repast,
And suddenly a second mariage proues,
Whome he more dearely then the former loues,
And so his deare affection on her sets,
He all his former sorrowes quite forgets.
Thus liu'd old Iacob many Iacob many happy yeares
With Beniamin, but wisely he forbeares
Him to aduenture once out of his sight,
Lest as good Ioseph him befall it might.

Twelue times through all the Signes the Sunne had past,
And now through Gemini was making hast,
When he more kindly on his Paramore
The Earth did shine, then euer heretofore:

Which made the superstitious Cananite
Adore this Planet, as a God of might,
And by Religion of his owne deuising,
To worship the Sunne-setting, well as rising.
And amongst other their Inuentions vaine,
Dan Phœbus to leaue Delos Ile they faine,
To court the Nimph of Iordane for his Bride,
And her to honour with his fertile side.
Therefore her Bankes he richly doth adorne,
And Hills and Valleyes fills so thicke with Corne,
The eared Lands seeme a continued plaine,
VVhose eares of Corne stoope to the ground againe,
And she proud of the honour of his rayes,
Her bosome all with fragrant flowres begayes,
The more him with sweet sauours to delight,
And seeme more faire embellisht in his sight:
VVhich made the Hills and Dales to laugh and sing.
And all the Birds with sweetest warbeling,
VVith them to tune sweet ditties to his praise,
VVhose heat and Light diuides the night from daies.

Seu'n times this Gyant his full course had run,
And ended, where his trauell he begun,
VVhilst Iordans Nimph continues in his grace,
VVhich Canaan made the happyest fruitfull place
Of all the Regions, where Sunnes fertile heate,
Doth cause the Laborer with Ioy to sweate.
But as we alwaies after Drowth see Raine,
Warre after Peace, and after Pleasure Paine;
So after plenteous and fruitfull yeares,
Great famine, want, and scarcitie appeares
In Canaans Land: For seu'n yeares being past
Of Plenty; Famine all the world doth wast.
Therefore, they that of late Sols mariage fain'd,
Now of his wrath and Iealousie complain'd,

That he which with his Beames late cherished
All fruits, the Earth in fruitfull bosome bred,
Was so inflam'd with Iealousie and Ire,
As if he all the Earth would set on fire:
So as he either would her seedes not daigne
To quicken, or if that the hopefull graine
Promis'd a fruitfull haruest at the last,
He in his fury all would burne or blast,
Thus did those heathen of Gods wonders fable,
And vainly construe his workes admirable.

But good old Israel who, like Lilly-white
Amongst the thornes, fear'd God and did vpright,
The glory they did to the Creature giue,
Gaue the Creator, who doth euer liue,
And looking to the Author of this store,
For this his greater plenty, honours more.
And takes the Famine for a Chastisement
To man for sinne, that so he might repent.
But as the plenteous store did nothing breede
But Pride and Follies vaine in Canaans seede,
(Excessiue rioting, Lust, Drunkennesse,
Amongst the rich: Nicenesse and Idlenesse
Amongst the poore: who swinishly eu'n all
The Acornes eate, but looke not whence they fall,
Consuming all the Corne their land them beares,
Not laying vp least store for dearer yeares,
But loathing and despising courser graine,
Transport it as superfluous for their gaine,
So when the Earth denide like store to bring
All fall to grudging and to murmuring,
And Sol whom, they so honourd at the first
For his high fauours, for his Fury curst:
And those which late so plenteously were fed
In the first yeare, are like to sterue for bread.

Yea holy Jacob though he were exempt
From Canaans sinnes, yet in their punishment
Doth beare his share, and now for want of Bread
He feares the ruine of himselfe and seede.
And though he sole relyeth on Gods grace,
Of which he had good tryall in like case,
Neglects no meanes to make supply of store.

But thus bespeakes his sonnes, I heretofore,
When plenty in your fields did so abound,
Wisht that a man amongst you might be found,
Who wisely would for future wants prouide,
But folly tis for Had-I-wist to chide,
We heare ther's store of Corne in Egypt land,
Yet one doth gaping on another stand;
Oh hast you thither Bread from thence to buy,
To saue aliue vs and our Family.

The brethren ten, (for Iacob would not send
Downe Beniamin with them) do soone descend
To Egypt, where neare Memphis on the way
A graue old Sage they ouertake in gray,
Who seem'd by his graue gestures and his motions,
To be a Hermit, now at his deuotions.

As Isaacke going out one Eu'n to pray,
Seeing his seruant lighting on the way,
With faire Rebecca vaild, and all her traine,
Left his deuotions them to entertaine;
Eu'n so this Sage, whose eyes on heauen were plast,
As they would thither ere his body hast,
Seeing these gentle strangers there alight,
And him to mutuall courtesie inuite,
Leaues his deuotions, and of them enquires,
(Knowing they Hebrewes were by their attires)
In their owne language, what, and whence they are,
Which true and plainly they to him declare:

And farther tell him that a famine sore
Had now consum'd their Corne and all their store,
Compelling them from Canaan to goe downe
To Egypt, where they knew none, nor were knowne.
Therefore saith Ruben, may we you request
Vs strangers to informe, as you may best,
Of your condition first, next of your king,
Your countrey, and your forme of gouerning:
And if, as Fame reports, here's store of graine,
And how and where we may the same obtaine,
For here, eu'n as at home, we see all wast,
No future haruest, nor least signe of Past,
And therefore with my brethren I desire
To know the cause of what we so admire,
Without a Seed-time or a Haruest, Plentie.
And Garners full, although the fields be emptie.

Brethren said Trismegist, for so he hight,
I first must here lay open to your sight,
That Being's his goodnesse Power and Prouidence:
By which we all haue Motion, Being, Sense,
Who, the first cause of all, doth things dispose
By Second, these we see, that keepes he close:
I am a Priests and Princes eldest sonne,
For Priests and Princes are in Egypt one,
And to the Sunne, as was our countrey guize,
Was consecrate to offer Sacrifice,
Great Trismegistus was mine ancester,
A King, a Priest, and a Philosopher:
Soone as my Tongue mens words could imitate,
And, though with little vnderstanding, prate,
My parents me instruct to learne by heart
The rules of Wisedome, and the lawes of Art,
The aspects of the Starres, their seuerall wayes,
Coniunctions, Orders, Jnterposings, Stayes,

Flying of Birds, Beasts intrailes, and in fine,
All that might make with them a sound Diuine.
And well I profited, for ere least haire
Of Siluer, with my Golden did appeare,
The wisest, I of all my Peeres was deem'd,
And most in Temple and in Court esteem'd:
Could best of all expound the hardest Theames,
Tell men their Fortunes, and interpret Dreames:
Thus I the Oracle was many a yeare
Of Egypt, and of all the Countries neare;
Till that high Wisdome which things future knowes
As present, Them by Dreames to Pharoh showes.

Fast by a Riuer side him thought he stood,
Whence came vp seu'n fat Kine, well flesht and good,
And other seu'n ill-fauour'd Leane, that houre
Came vp, and all the faire ones did deuoure:
Againe, he slept, and saw seu'n eares of Corne
On one root, well-set, ranke, and goodly borne,
Which seuen thin blasted, spoild and eate vp cleane,
Then Pharoh wak'd, and lo! it was a dreame.
The Morning come, and he sore troubeled,
His Southsayers are all assembeled,
Pharoh thereof to vs makes declaration,
But not a man can giue th' interpretation.
Our Spheres, Spels, Circles, Birdes, nor Sorceries
Had power to discerne these Mysteries:
Then Pharoh mou'd, and thenceforth grieuing sore,
Forbeares his meate, and comes abroad no more:
Vntill his Butler, rais'd againe to grace,
Who had forgot his friend in wretched case,
Till twice twelue times the Moon with borrowed light,
Had fill'd her hornes (for friends once out of sight,
Are eu'n as soone out of a Courtiers minde,
“Such Curtesie in Court most Schollers finde):

Thus said to Pharoh, Sir you cannot yet
Chuse but remember, how you did commit
Me and your Baker to your Stewards ward,
For some misdeeds, which you of vs had 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 scarse 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 in 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 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 Jacobs 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:

'Tis 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 Sheaves 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,
Secke 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 Joseph 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
To eare with Hebrews deeme abhomination)
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 we
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:
Not 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,
'Tis 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 sold,
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 heau'n's windows opened,
And to his chosen thence had rained bread:
Which he as lib'rally participates,
Vnto his Neighbours and Confederates
Of whom then taking leaue, soone as he might,
He to Bersheba iourneyed that night,
Full twenty miles; where freed from heathen eyes,
He to his God might offer sacrifice,
And saith thus to his sonnes: this is the place,
Where the Egyptian Agar first found grace,
When as Gods Angell made her see the well
Which sau'd the life of her and Ishmael.
Here let vs vp to God an Altar reare
For sacrifice: that God which did appeare
To Abraham and Isaacke, also may
To vs appeare as well vpon our way,
And in our Iourney vs direct aright:
Then in a Dreame and Vision of the night,
When sleepe his bodyes senses seized all,
God to his Soule doth Iacob, Iacob, call.

I am the God vnto thy fathers knowne,
Then feare not into Egypt to go downe,
For I will goe with thee, and make thee there
A mighty people: Therefore do not feare,
But they shall come againe: And Iosephs hand
Shall close thine eyes in the Egyptian land.

Then early from Bersheba all arose,
And in the Waggons all themselues dispose,
(Sixty seu'n which with Ioseph and his sonnes
Before in Egypt iust to seu'nty comes)
Leauing the high montanous craggy hills
Of Pharan, neare th' Arabian rocky shells
Vpon their left hand; bend downe, on the right
To that which the Egyptian sea is hight,
Where a plaine way from thence to Egypt guides
Ore Sihor, which from Canaan it diuides
By South, as great Euphrates doth diuide
Chalde, by North, from Canaans fruitfull side.
Here Iacob, who doth all occasions take,
Gods promise certaine to his sonnes to make,
Thus tells them: By this Riuer's is bordered
The land God promised to Abrams seede;
From this Egyptian Riuer, all the lands

1. Kin. 4. 21.

Are giu'n vs, eu'n to great Euphrates sands.
A King of Iudahs seed one day shall raigne

Gen. 15. 18 called there the riuer of Egypt. A cittie so called.

Ore all from Sibor, to the riuer maine;
Sibor on South, shall border Iudahs side,
Euphrates, Dan: so sure as God did guide
Ioseph to Egypt to prouide vs graine,
He to this land will bring vs backe againe:
Then by this Prouerbe men shall vnderstand,
From Dan vnto Bersheba all the land.
Oh how can you incredible this deeme?
Who haue in Egypt, Iosephs glory seene;

That harder was then this to bring to passe:
This promisd, but that neuer hoped was,

Then, fording Sibor, they through Kedar past,
A countrey barren, sauage, wild and wast,
Call'd so of Kedar, sonne of Ishmael:
Here Iacob eke occasion seekes to tell

Gen. 25. 13.

Of Gods great goodnesse, them a land to giue,
Not fruitlesse, barren, where the dwellers liue,
As here, of Couin, Rapine, Theft and spoile,
But a most pleasant and well watered soyle,
Where plenty both of corne and wine do grow,
A land which doth with Milke and Honey flow.
Besides, what cause haue we our God to praise,
Who vs conducts throgh these most dangerous waies,
Amidst these Robbers, without feare or dread,
As late he at Bersheba promised.
There was a cittie, built of costly matter

Called Ostracina or Cheres.

A goodly outside, but it wanted water,
Like to a lampe, that shineth faire and bright,
But wants the Oyle, that should maintaine the light:
Or like some outside gallants complement,
That lacks minds inward grace and ornament.

From Kedar passing towards Casius mount,
They vp vnto a goodly citty mount,
Where stood a goodly temple dedicate,
To Iupiter, thence Casius nominate:
Not that huge mount which doth in Syria lie,

Plin lib. 5. cap. 22.

Which one reports to be neare foure miles high,
This citty eu'n on Egypts border stands,
And is the vtmost of the Hagarian lands.
Here Iacob grieues at the abhomination
Of his neare kindred, and his neighbour nation
His vnckle Jshmael, who with him came
By Hagar, from the loynes of Abraham,

And in his flesh receiu'd the Circumcision,
But falne to foulest heathenish superstition.
Oh my deare sonnes! beware; I speake to all,
How you to foule Idolatry doe fall,
Leauing that God, which made the heau'ns alone,
To worship Idoles made of wood and stone;
And, by religion of mans vaine deuising,
Adore Moone, Planets, Starres, Fire and Sun-rising.
How are we bound, aboue all other nations,
To blesse God for our often preseruations!
But most for that God vs hath giu'n his light,
And chosen vs to worship him aright,
This Idole, whom these heathen Casius name,
With Hammon Jupiter's the very same,
In Canaan worshipt; eu'n that cursed Cham,
From whence the Cananites receiue their name,
Whom holy Noah in malitious pride,
As Ishmael good Isaacke, did deride.

Now fiue times had Auroras tresses bright
Chased a way the shadowes of the night,
Since Iacob came from Hebron with his traine,
And now was iournying on his way againe
To Egypt, when thus Ruben doth begin,
That place where we last lodged, is the In,
Where Gad his money in his sacke did finde,
When he for Prouender did it vnbinde,
Lo there before vs is the fruitfull downe
Of Goshen; there aboue is Ram'sis towne:
Not one more pleasant, spacious, fruitfull plaine
For pasture is in all the would againe;
There Pharohs pleasure is, that we shall keepe
Our Camels, Asses, all our flockes and sheepe:
Not ten miles thence are those two citties great,
Which Pharoh houlds for his Imperiall Seate.

The one call'd On, Egypt's Metropolis,
The other Memphis, whose large circuit is
By measure seuenteene miles and more about,
But On is three miles larger out of doubt;
One with three thousand paces measure may,
Betwixt these two huge citties, the midway,
There's Iosephs country house, whence to the court
He at his ease and pleasure may resort.
Whether the King lye at his Memphian Bowers,
Or in his stately Ons more princely Towers:
If God shall guide vs on our Iourney right,
Thou mayst see yet thy Iosephs face ere night.
Then Iacob sends out Iudah, from that place
To Ioseph, rightly to direct the face
Of Iacob, and of all his sonnes and traine,
And hasten backe to bring him word againe.

Then Ioseph takes his Chariot for to meete,
His aged father, and him duely greete:
As when good Iacob at Mahanaim met
Gods host, in order like an Army set,
When Esau threatned his last ouerthrow,
So doth the glory of these worthies show,

Iosephus ad Hercum oppidum Iacobo occurrit. Ios. lib. 2. Antiq. ca. 4.

When they do both in Goshens plaine appeare,
And each vnto the other draweth neare:
Ioseph begins to welcome his great Sire,
And Iacob Iosephs glory doth admire,
And but they Idol-worship both abhorred,
They one another surely had adored.
As when this Iacob after twenty yeares
With Laban spent, to Isaacke ould appeares,
They each in other wondrously delight,
So do these Worthyes two in mutuall sight,
Ioseph forgets his honour and his state,
And weepes on Iacobs necke, eu'n as he sate,

And Israel forgets he was his sonne,
And as did Ioseph, would to him haue done.
Clouds may, not Muses can expresse their teares,
So long forbearance mutually endeares
Them each to other: but old Israel
To Ioseph saith, since I may with thee dwell,
And see thee in such great prosperitie,
Lo! willingly I am content to die.
So haue I seene a faire and tender Lambe,
Purloynd by wicked hand from louing Dam,
Long mist, at last, when both do meete againe,
With louing Bleatings fill both hills and plaine.

Iosephus ibidem.

Yea so th' old man with ioy was extaside,
It wanted little but he there had dide,
But pious Ioseph, with great care and paine,
By chafing brought him to himselfe againe.
Both being then in Ioseph's Chariot plast,
Jacob begins thus with Gods fauours past:

Many all done by Chance and Fortune deeme,
And little of Gods Prouidence esteeme,
I wish such would in all my life obserue,
How all mens actions here Gods purpose serue:
It was not Chance made Esau set at nought
His birthright, for a messe of Potage bought:
Nor the deuise alone of my deare mother,
That got my fathers Blessing from my brother;
For's anger kindled thus, it forth me driues
To Laban, where I children get and wiues.
'Twas Labans churlishnesse and auarice
Inrich'd me, by a new and strange deuice,
Colours before his yeaning Ewes to spread,
Which made white sheepe bring Lambs discoulered,
These he to me for wages did allow,
And suddenly they to a number grow.

The murmuring of Labans sonnes constraine
Me with my household to hast home againe,
Whom Laban followes with an angry hart,
But God vs made good friends before we part.
Lo! Esaus feare at Peniel by night
Brought me to wrestle with the Lord of might;
Whose blessing so away his fury chases,
He turnes his threates to kisses and embraces.
Simeon and Leui, cruell instruments,
From Sichem made me to remoue my tents
To Bethel; where my house of Idolls clear'd
I vp an Altar to th' Almightie reard;
And payd my Tenth as I to him did sweare,
When first from Esau's wrath I fled for feare,
And saw a Ladder, which from Earth did tend
To heau'n, whereby the Angels did descend:
Now last thy brethrens enuy spite and hate,
By selling thee, haue sau'd my life and state;
For but for thee, we all had perished,
Amongst the Cananites for want of Bread.
That God causd all these things, it is most cleare,
For in the most he did to me appeare,
As late when I to Egypt should descend,
Thus all doth on Gods Prouidence depend.

Long did I thee as dead lament and plaine,
And neuer hop'd to see my sonne againe,
And so did Isaack thy deare Gransire grieue,
But neuer would, that thou wer't dead, beleeue,
In God he was so confident and bold,
And in the dreames, which thou before hadst told,
As if, though blind, he had foreseene this day,
But now in heauenly Ioyes he liues for ay.
Some ten yeares since, him dying in his bed,
I and my brother Esau buried.

Oh! my deare sonne, my soule is much delighted,
As to relate, eu'n so to heare recited
Gods goodnesse, towards his; therefore vnfould
How God preseru'd thee since thy brethren sold
Thee to the Ishmaelites: for thrice seu'n yeare
Are past, since I least newes of thee did heare:
Good Iacob had no sooner made an end,
But Ioseph was as as ready to commend
Gods care and Goodnesse in his preseruation,
From all his troubles: in this next narration.

I know not whether, by their fault or Fate,
It oft befalleth great men in the state,
Rich, wise and happy in their Princes grace,
Comely in body, beautifull in face,
To be conioyned to a wanton wife,
Which sowreth all the sweetnesse of their life:
This was the fault or Fortune of a Peare
Of Pharohs, to the King his Master deare;
My master Potiphar, who, as I weene,
Had in his youth a skilfull Merchant beene,
And Stewarded so frugally his owne,
That Pharoh wise, to whom all this was knowne,
Mad him chiefe steward; they that can hold fast
Their owne, their Masters treasure seldome wast.
He that did by experience vnderstand,
How things are hoist vp, bought at second hand,
Hearing that Merchants stor'd with spicery,
Were come to towne, goes his owne selfe to buy
The King his masters, and his owne prouision,
“Thrift stands not on nice court-like superstition.
Amongst some other wares then to be sold,
A faire young Hebrew lad, he doth behold,
Adorn'd and set out in the fairest guise,
As horses to be sold at higher prize.

A price once pitchd, and I by running tride,
As some do horses, ere they buy them, ride,
Was sold to Potiphar, who for his table
Me bought, as we our horses for our stable.

I of this change was most exceeding glad,
For now I ease for paine and trauell had,
For hard fare, Good; but as a gratefull minde,
Returnes ay thankes, where Benefits they finde,
So did I my good Lords munificence
Requite with Industry and diligence:
And for I found he pleasd my Master best,
That pleasd my Mistresse well; aboue the rest,
I to obserue her was most diligent,
And all means vsde to giue her best content:
So that by Prudence more then taking paine,
I both their Loues and Fauours sought to gaine.
For who so will obserue, shall euer find
Best way to please, is to obserue the mind
And the affection of men of state,
And thereunto themselues accommodate:
Therefore a blisse on good men to attend,
But misery on wicked to depend,
Both prou'd by me, who, for my seruice true,
Was by my Lord preferd to honour due,
And for like seruice to my wicked dame,
Was brought to prison, obloguy and shame.

This my faire Mistresse, (for no other name
I giue her willing, ay to hide her shame,)
Some meane mechaniques daughter seemes to be,
First matcht in her owne order and degree,
But raisd to wealth and honour from the dust,
Thinks all to little for her Pride and Lust:
And as a man that stands on steeple high,
His equals erst doth now like Crowes descry,

So she now clambred vp on honours Spire,
Thinkes all to low her greatnesse to admire.
Soone might I in her scornfull lookes descry
Her haughtinesse, and my base slauery,
But bearing then an honest gentle minde,
Omit no seruice that may fauour finde,
Which so succeedes, that ere the Crescent bright
Had fild her hornes with brothers borrowed light,
I by my diligence of her did gaine
Sweet smiling lookes, in stead of proud disdaine.

And now the enuious spirit, which sought of late
To ruine by my Fathers loue, my state,
Me by my Mistresse lust seekes to intrappe,
And dandle in vile sinfull pleasures lappe.
Damnd sparke of hell! Base counterfet of loue,
And those pure warming flames from heau'n aboue,
Which so true louers hearts in one vnite,
That they enioy, without offence, delight:
Therefore true loue, like morne is faire and bright;
Lust like an Ympe begot of blackest night;
But later' dayes, since Rapines did abound,
Do Lust and Loue most wickedly confound,
This baser Lustfull Loue the Spirit did chuse
(As he did first the Serpent to abuse
The weaker Eue) this proudest dame to traine
To tast the fruit forbidden by deaths paine,
And kindling in her eyes first lustfull fire,
This Sense presents it with her soule desire
To Reasons brighter eye, which 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, 'tis no offence at all;
Those that are most seuere against this vice,
Delight it most, Oh 'tis 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 'tis 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 fleepe 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 Lord, me into Prison cast,
My daies in paine and miserie to waste;
Thus lightly crediting the accusation,
And his false Wifes most guilefull simulation,
He by his rashnesse lost a seruant iust,
And still maintaines a strumpets Pride and Lust.

But as a six-squar'd Dye, or carued stone,
How euer cast, stands still vpright, all one,
So was I constant in Aduersitie,
As resolute in my prosperitie:
That God which me had erst deliuered
From Brethrens Fury, and me honored
In time of my vniust captiuitie,
Me leaues not now in this Calamitie,

Oh happy they! whose Conscience them acquite,
That heere they suffer wrong for doing right,

So but a while Gods leisure they attend,
They sure shall haue a good and happy end:
Let Tyrants rage, they God as gentle, kind,
In Prison, as in Paradise doe finde:
Wherefore though I was of my Coate bereft,
My masters Grace, and Fauour, and now left
In stinking dungeon, yet I felt no harme,
God gaue me power my Iailours hands to charme;
And sent me in the Prison-Keepers sight,
Fauour and grace for Potiphars despight.
For now that former diligence, which gain'd
Mee fauour with my Lord, like trust obtain'd
Mee in the Prison, so that to my care,
Lo all the Prisoners committed are:
The Keeper lookes to nought vnder his hand,
God euer prospers all I did command.

About this season, as it oft befals,
Great Fauorites in Court haue suddaine falls,
By their owne faults, or others accusation,
Or by their Lords dislike and alteration
Of Fauorites: Two Lords of high regard
In Pharohs Court, committed are to warde:
The Keeper these doth to my trust commend,
That I with diligence should them attend:
These wanton Courtiers which had formerly
Liu'd all in plentie, ease, and Iollitie,
Acknowledging nor seruing other God
Then Pharoh, and now chast'ned with his rod;
As without soules this change of Fortune beare,
But I by all meanes sought my charge to cheare,
And told them, if indeed they guiltlesse were,
The iustest King of Heau'n would finde them cleere;
And if they had through frailtie him offended,
So they their sinnes confessed and amended,

Hee eu'n as willing was them to forgiue,
As they in's Grace and fauour here to liue:
How earthly Kings our bodies might enchaine,
But still our soules in Freedome did remaine:
With many such good words I sought to please
My charge, who found therein no little ease,
And grew lesse heauy; till both in one night
Had seuerall Dreams, which did them much affright,
Which soone as I had heard, I right aread,
And as I told, so all things followed.

Such Visions are not like Dreames naturall,
Which ordinary vs in sleepe befall:
They in our Soules deeper impressions leaue,
Then such as commonly the Sense deceiue;
Which in the Fantasie worst reuell keepe,
When Common-sense the Master is a sleepe;
And doe th' Imagination vaine delight
Sometime with hope, sometime with Feare affright,
Working most on th' affections of the minde,
When Sleepe the Bodies senses fastest binde,
For eu'n in Sleepe, Griefe, Ioy, Feare, Hope, Hate, Loue,
The soules affections wake, and liuely moue.
God often by such Visions tels men plaine,
What things they ought to doe, and what refraine,
Sometimes by Dreames to them are promised
Great Blessings, and great curses threatened:
God oft thus shewes one his determination,
And giues another the interpretation,
Thus vnto me two Dreames by night he told,
Which, as they proue, my Grand-sire did vnfold,
Thus Pharohs Seruants first, and next their King
See things to come, But the interpreting
Was giu'n to me, which done, I told them plaine,
Jnterpreting to God as Dreames pertaine:

And now who thinkes, but that I thought it long
Yet two yeares to abide in Prison strong?
After I had so well interpreted
His dreame, whom now the King so honored,
But hauing learn'd with Patience to attend
Gods leasure, and to hope vnto the end,
Eu'n at that time, when as I least expected,
So long of Pharohs Cup-bearer neglected,
He that doth all things heere by weight and measure,
On whom they all attend to doe his pleasure,
By one poore Dreame but from an heathen King,
What's long before decreed to passe doth bring:
I rais'd to Grace, the World from Famine quite,
The Butler doth acknowledge his ore-sight:
South sayers weakenesse is discouered,
And God is all in all acknowledged,
My Brethren bold are to Repentance brought
For all the wickednesse, which they had wrought:
And this my wicked Mistris may reclame,
And bring her to acknowledgement with shame,
And make my master see his foolish passion,
And learne to Iudge by better information:
My two first Dreames proue true which I had told,
My Fathers spirit reuiu'd now being old:
Pharoh thus gaines the wealth of all his Land,
And must acknowledge it from Gods owne hand,
Thus all the parts of this sweet sacred story,
Are for mans good, but end all with Gods glory,
All these are now the Consequence and Theames
Of mine, of Pharohs and his seruants Dreames.

See farther heere, Satans Maleuolence,
And mans will freely serue Gods prouidence:
Satan sought by my brethrens Crueltie,
In me to ruine Isaacks Family.

My brethren me of wilfull enuie sould,
And for the twentie siluer peeces told,
The Midian Merchants bought me for their gaine,
And into Egypt meant to fell againe:
God hither sent me Graine heere to prouide,
Else thou and all thy sonnes for want had dide:
Thus Satan sought dishonour of Gods name,
And all for this my Brethren rightly blame,
Goodmen such Merchant's Couetise detest,
That buy and sell Gods Image as a beast:
But God who's only powrefull, good, and wise,
From all these euils makes the Good arise.

But I thus hauing in great Pharohs grace,
Obtain'd the first, in Realme the second place:
First pray to God me to direct aright,
To vse this fauour and my borrowed Light;
Nor sought I mine owne honour, wealth, and praise,
But his, who did me from the Dungeon raise,
And therefore, first take care for publike good,
Prouiding 'gainst the Future Famine food:
Wherefore, I first through Egypt Circuit ride
And garners great in eu'ry place prouide,
In those seu'n fruitfull yeares to fill with store
Of eu'ry Graine: And sith it is no more
Vertue to purchase, then preserue, no tide
I slipt, but did most carefully prouide,
To kill all Vermine, cut off all excesse
Of Gluttonie, and beastly Drunkennesse:
Abate all needlesse Beasts, Dogges, Mules and Horse,
Ridde idle Rogues and Vagrants, which are worse
Then Catter-pillars to consume the store,
To rob the richest and to sterue the poore:
No Corne out of the Land let I goe out,
But buy in rather from the Coasts about,

And many Forrests which before did ly
All waste, I vnto Tillage did apply:
Thus I proceede, and God so blest my hand,
That all things prosper ouer all the Land.

But when the yeares of plentie all are past,
And all the Land of Egypt lyeth waste,
So that they liue of former yeares remaines,
Which them perhaps a month or two sustaines,
The people first of Pharoh seeke supply,
Who them 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 Jstmos, Barre, or stay,
Twixt Midland-Sea, and the Arabian Bay,
Suppos'd some

Sex aut septem miliaria a capite Delta ad mare rubrum. Gorop. Hisp. lib. 6. Herod plus distantiæ ponit. lib. 2.

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

Psamnithus Egyptorum Rex hoc tentauit, sed oraculo interpellatus desistit. Herod. ibidem.

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

Eedam significat aggerem perpetuū nullo modo rumpendum: Gorop. lib. 6. Hisp.

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 'tis not call'd Eedam, and though it were,
Who for this name would this attempt forbeare?
For Eedam notes in language

Cimbrica seu Germanica. Gorop.

which they meane,
A

Dam significat aggerem fluctibus Maris & aquarum oppositum. Gorop. Herm lib 4. Ee. significat firmum.

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

Hebraice sic vocatur & sic vocanda est.

Eetham ay
Was call'd, and so is still; by which is ment
That with his double

Etham dicitur vel ab Hebræo Thaam (permecathesin) qd. significat geminum quiæ inter duo maria positum est: vel ab Ethah quod significat curro quiæ Ethā olim futurus est locus vbi mære currat.

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

Athas mons. celissimus factus est nauigabilis à Xerxe, Plut. Iust. & alij.

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

Quales sunt obelisci 4. quorum nusquisq; erat 480. cubitorum longitudine.

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 eare,
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 in this place,
And wants Possessions, yet in Pharohs grace,
And he thou know'st deserueth at my hands,
To haue a part in all my Goods and Lands.

The reuerend Priest replyes: Dread Soueraigne,
Lo! all the Place and honour I obtaine
In Egypt, I acknowledge from thy grace:
Which is enough to raise to highest place
The meanest, But thou dost a match propound,
Where Vertues more then honours doe abound:
Amongst the many Fauours thou hast done
Thy Seruant, this I deeme the highest one,
A Priest to be so gracious in thy sight,
To match his Childe with Pharohs Fauorite:
May't please your Grace to aske the maids consent,
But by her lookes, I see shee is content,

For then her vaile (where modestly she shrouds
Her radiant Rayes, as Sol doth his in clouds)
Put off, such heau'nly Beautie did disclose,
As if another Sunne in Court arose,
Which as the Rising Sunne the Courtiers all
Adore, and like a Queene before her fall:

Then Pharoh saith, her taking by the hand,
By silence thy consent we vnderstand,
Good daughter, thou art like thy Parents faire,
As of their Goods, be of their Graces heire:
A fitter match for Ioseph none can find,
If to thy Bodies grace thou suit thy minde,
So, as thine outward Beauties heaun'ly shine,
Thine inward shall b'Angellicall diuine,
Oh! Labour to be glorious within,
So Gods, mans Iosephs fauour thou shalt win.

The King forth with then sends for me in haste,
And first repeating all things as they past,
With his owne hand her giues me for my Bride,
Assuring vs for euer to abide
As louing, as our Fathers naturall:
When humbly I vpon my face did fall,

And first gaue thankes, as dutie did require
To Pharoh, next vnto her holy Sire.

As when Garden Adam all alone
Saw Eue, flesh of his flesh, Bone of his Bone,
He her embrac'd, kiss'd and so highly priz'd,
As if all Beautie were epitomiz'd
In his faire Rib, now with the Body met,
(Two Sunnes, which but for sinne had neuer set)
So I, who, though in honour, was alone
In Egypt, till I met my flesh and Bone,
Sweete Asenah, in whose faire eyes and face,
I saw my mother Rachels comely grace;
This Egypts Gem, whose eies I did behold,
Like radiant Diamonds faire set in Gold;
Embrace, kisse, loue her, and her Grace admire,
And set her as the Bound of my desire:
Thinking I now did reape with treble gaine,
The Crop of all my trauell care and paine.
Then in the presence of the Court and King,
I courted her with this speech following.

Faire Lady whose high Grace and Beautie seene
To me your seruant, may become a Queene.
Yet art, (such is thine humblenesse) content
To be poore Iosephs: without complement,
I am all yours, nor doe I lesse esteeme
Your worth, because you it so meanely deeme:
Our Sexes duety to your Sexe I know,
Is you to Court intreate and humbly woe,
But since that seruice you to me remit,
I will so much remaine more in your debt.
My time is pretious, therefore let me show
To you in briefe, what Iosephs wife must doe.
It is not this worlds false, vaine glittering glory,
So full of hazard, lubrique, transitorie,

At which I aime: 'Tis an eternall place,
Where we shall liue for ay in blessed case,
Whether the gods, Th' Egyptians wont to serue,
Can neuer bring you: He that will preserue
This Land from Famine by th' interpretation
Of Pharohs Dreames, must bring to this saluation.
One God with Ioseph must his wife adore,
One God one true Religion, and no more:
God iealous is, no Idol-stocke or stone,
May be his Riuall, God, and Truth is one:
These worldly shewes delights and vanitie,
As Mortall with our Mortall Bodies die,
The Pleasures which I speake off ay remaine,
Eternall thus for Temporall we gaine.
This God my Fathers with their wiues haue serued
Who to this day from dangers me preserued,
This God me from the dungeon deepe did raise
To be thy Husband, him for euer praise:
Madame, your King and Father are content,
But your owne mouth must shew your free consent.
When fairest Asenah long silence breakes,
And as an Angell sent from Heau'n thus speakes:

Good sir such is my due and filiall awe,
My Fathers iudgement is to me a Law,
Much more my Soueraignes: But such worth in you
I see and heare of, I should rather sue,
But for my Sexes bashfull modesty,
For such an honour, rather then deny:
Nor shall I meanely of my selfe thus deeme,
To honour him, whom King and Realme esteeme
Their Father, and the Kingdomes Fauourite.
What greater Grace befals a mortall wight?
Sir, that Religion, which my holy Sire
Taught me his child, inform'd my soules desire,

Worlds Glory, Pompe, and vainenesse to despise,
But thy Religion makes men heau'nly wise,
And brings them by an vpright conuersation,
To happy euerlasting habitation.
Therefore as thy Religion our transcends,
As aiming at more high and happy ends,
So greater is my Ioy and happinesse,
To match, where I it truly must professe.
So sure as that (whereof thou didst diuine
By Dreames) shall come to passe, so am I thine:
Thy God shall be my God, and mine thy Nation,
In earth, graue, heau'n one be our habitation:
What thou approu'st as good, the same doe I;
With thee, Sweete Hebrew, let me liue and dye.
Pardon: A womans Tongue knowes no content,
Yea, is enough t'expresse a Maids consent.

Lo thus Hearts, hands, words, wishes, ioin'd in one,
Two by Consent, become one Flesh and Bone.

Then princely On begins: Lo God hath tide
These two in one, Let no Man them diuide:
Deare Daughter, I to Ioseph thee commit,
Thou therefore must thy Fathers house forget,
And people: so shall sonnes before thee stand,
Fit to beare rule as Princes in the Land:
That God whom Pharoh, On and Ioseph serue,
Who, as he all things made, doth all preserue,
God who of things to come to Pharoh told
By Dreames, which none but Ioseph could vnfold,
When God him from the Dungeon did aduance,
To saue vs by a great Deliuerance,
God Authour sole, and end of happinesse,
This holy Marriage and this Vnion blesse
Of the Egyptian, and the Hebrew Nations;
And make them happy in their Generations,

And honour ay in heau'n our Sou'raigne King,
As he his Seruants honours in this thing.

The King thus pleas'd in royall pompe and state
With sumptuous Feasts and showes doth celebrate
Our Marriage day, where all with Musique rings,
And King and Court a happy Hymen sings.
Happy I hope though with an Heathen Dame,
Whose Grace and Vertues I the rather name,
That you may know we here as elsewhere finde,
Some good as well as bad of woman-kind,
As a loose wicked wife of Potiphar,
So a most pious childe of Putiphar:
But why should I time in her praises spend,
Since her owne Workes, her best of all commend,
God me hath giu'n, by her, two louely Boyes,
Before the Famine, which are all my Ioyes:
Lo! here shee kindly comes with all her traine,
Her welcome Father for to entertaine:
For now they all at Iosephs gate arriue,
Where Pharohs Peares, and Seruants all doe striue,
How best their Loues and Seruice shew they may,
To adde more honour to this happy day.

When Asenah, first kneeling downe, begun
Oh holy Father, of a blessed sonne,
Blesse me thy Daughter; Blessed shall they be,
Whom thou dost blesse: As welcome now to me,
As dearest Ioseph to his Fathers sight.
All Egypts glory yeelds not such delight.

When Iacob, Daughter; Fitter 'tis for me,
To your great state, to bow my humble knee,
But rightly you of me a blessing craue,
No other Dower to bestow I haue.
The Lord on thee from Heau'n all Blessings shower:
But Jacobs tongue not hauing farther power,

Now to expresse his Wondrous Ioy and Loue,
His eyes produce abundant Teares to proue
His ioyfull soule, for Iosephs happy state,
When Iosephs Steward tells him it was late
And supper time: Wherefore they all addrest
Themselues, in their due order, to the feast.

THE FIFTH BOOKE OF Ioseph.

Soone as Aurora, with her blushing face,
Vsherd the Gyant out to run his race,
His longest Iourney from the East to West,
Good Ioseph, though he ouernight did feast,
Eu'n all th' astates of Egypt with their traine,
His father in more state to entertaine,
Gets vp and with his seruants all repaires
Vnto a chappell by, to publike praiers,
Which Pharoh had giu'n Ioseph there to serue
God, who from famine Egypt did preserue,
No time to men of action is so free
For their deuotions, as the Mornings bee,
Especially for those that liue at Court,
Where they make Dinners long, but Prayers short,
But they done; Ioseph doth his speech direct

Thus to his Brethren: you perhaps expect,
That I, now for mine owne and houses grace,
Should raise you all to honourable place,
And make you Lords at least in Pharohs land,
But if you wisely things will vnderstand.
And know that honour ladeth more then graces,
If wealth and vertues answer not your places,

No grace nor honour can giue such contents
To you, as quietly to liue in tents.
You that haue had your Breeding in such sort,
Cannot obserue the Niceties of Court:
They, whose ambition would be ouer all,
The higher climb'd oft take the greater fall:
Equals enuy, Superiours such disdaine,
Inferiours maligne, all seeke their gaine,
Grace and Preferment by anothers frowne;
Who get vp seeke to thrust the other downe.
Courtiers are Dials, whilst Sol on them shines,
Obseru'd of all, else but as painted Lines.
Many Court-honour onely do admire,
And as another heau'n on earth desire:
These onely looke on outward splendour, showne,
Our inward cares and dangers are vnknowne,
None would enuy our glory and content,
Knew they the weight and cares of gouernment:
They Altas burthen on their shoulders brare,
To whom committed is the publique Care,
Besides most stand in such high slippery places,
I would not haue their hazard for their graces.
I speake not to dehort from gouernment
The wise, for feare of griefes and discontent,
Vnder this burthen they must bow their backe,
Lest if the wicked rule all goes to wracke:
But who are prudent, moderate and wise,
Are rather raisd for worth, then seeke to rise:
And such like tubs on their owne bottome stand,
Nor neede the least support of others hand;
When they which want this true worth of their owne,
No sooner clamberd vp, but tumble downe,
The first like fixed Starres stand firme and fast,
Last make faire showes, like Comets, but sonne wast,

Their matter is pure elementall fire,
Of these ambitious humour and desire.
Such is the Humour of Ambition vaine,
For grace and offices to take much paine,
Wherein they neuer comfort take nor rest,
So feare of loosing doth their mind molest:
When could they their faire Fortunes vse aright,
They Freedome might enioy with much delight.
I fiue of you, my brethren, will present
To Pharoh, who I know hath an intent
To giue you any honour you require,
But you his Fauour onely shall desire,
And tell him plainely how you haue been bred,
And heards and cattell all your life time fed.
(My reason is, for that this occupation
Is here in Egypt of small reputation)
Desiring you of his high grace may hold,
Some pastures onely for your flocks and fold,
Where you may serue God free from care and strife,
And pray for Pharohs long and happy life:
Should I you all now raise to Dignitie,
Ones Folly ruine might the Family;
Many vnited stronger are then one,
But 'tis most: what more safe to stand alone:
Especially so high; where one mans fall
May make a breach, and so indanger all.
Oh happinesse, if knowne, of country bowers!
Where in Deuotion they their freer howers
May spend, and with Groues citizens sweet sing
Diuinest praises to the heau'nly King:
Where free from plots and vndermining Arts,
All may the Truth speake boldly from their hearts,
(For to a goodman 'tis no little paine
To flatter for the greatest grace and gaine)

There may they see their Lambs grow great and more,
And heauenly blessings on their stocke and store;
There may they see corne thriue vpon their lands,
And God to prosper all workes passe their hands:
Happy whose lot falls in so faire a ground,
Such pleasures are at Court but seldome found;
But lets make hast, my brethren to the court,
My businesse is long, my time but short.

And now had Phœbus climb'd vp to such height,
His beames did warme the world, as well as light,
When Israell old, with trauell wearied,
Slept sound, till waking, he much wondred
(Thinking himselfe at first in his owne tents)
To see such costly gorgeous ornaments:
But soone remembring where he did abide,
He turnes to Leah lying by his side:

And thus begins, Deare wife! should I suruay
Gods blessings from my birth, vnto this day,
And in a summe his benefits recount,
They would my dayes, nay eu'n my howres surmount.
His Goodnesse, Wisedome, Foure, Loue in those past
Shin'd seuerall, but all now in this last:
Goodnesse in drawing so much good from ill,
To worke the sound good purpose of his will:
His powre herein is manifestly showne,
In raising vp the meeke, and throwing downe
The prowd; his heauenly wisedome did foresee:
And told vs all by dreames which now we see:
The Starres eleu'n to Ioseph bow'd long sence,
Now we the Sunne and Moone him reuerence:
And lastly here appeares his wondrous Loue
That all for's glory and our good doth proue.
Thus Israel doth Gods benefits recite,
Beginning in the morning eu'n till night.

But whilst he thus Gods Bounty magnifide,
Like fairest Ewe with twin Lambs by each side,
Comes Asenah, on either hand a sonne,
Smugge, liuely, like two Rabbets newly run:
Which seemd their mothers gracefull steps to guide,
As two trim Squires that leade to Church a Bride,
The tender boyes, whose mothers pious care,
Before had taught themselues aright to beare,
Downe on their knees before their Grandsire fall,
And sweetly to him for his blessing call:

The good old man whose heart doth dance for ioyes
To see his Nephews, thus begins, sweete boyes,
Which like two 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 breede,
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
Of 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 desert,
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 terms 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 haue giu'n command
To place thee in the fattest of my Land,
The Land of Goshen be a habitation
To thee, thy children and thy generation
There is best pasture-ground for them to keepe,
Their Camels, Asses, Cattell, Gotes and Sheepe.
To raise to place of honour I desire
Thee and thy sonnes, but they of me require
Still to be Heardsmen: wherefore the most bould
And actiue, I make Rulers of my fould.
Then Iacob blessing Pharoh did depart
Out of his presence with a ioyfull heart.

Seu'nteene yeares after in prosperitie,
Liu'd Jacob and did greatly multiplie,
And Ioseph in his former Grace did stand,
Still vnder Pharoh ruling all the Land.
Nor might be ere out of his masters sight,
Because he was his onely Fauorite,
Till one day Ioseph, absent from the Court,
Pharoh bespeakes his seruants in this sort.

Nere thrise ten times the Sunne with panting horse
Hath run through heau'n his swift and yeerly course,
Since first arose in this our hotter clime,
That hebrew Sun, which euer since did shine,
And all the time he did in court appeare,
We haue had Spring and Summer all the yeare,
I cannot eate by day nor sleepe by night,
Without his Beames most comfortable bright:
That honest man, in whose ingenuous face,
A man may reade what in his heart hath place,
Now, by my life, I higher doe esteeme
This Hebrew, then great Egypts Diademe.

Nor is it to the least of you vnknowne,
He hath beene better to me then my Crowne,
And beares still for me, to all mens content,
The weight of all my kingdomes gouernment,
In those seu'n yeares of Famine and of Store,
When his employments greater were and more,
If he were but one day out of my sight,
I certaine was to heare from him at night,
But now of's light hath beene neere three daies pause
Yet no man here will tell to me the cause.

When thus the Butler (who by Pharohs grace
Restor'd was as he dream'd to's former place)
Dread Soueraigne! some small clouds do in this sort
Shadow his beames, which wont to shine at Court:
But no defect in his ay-constant light,
He's still the same, and shines as euer bright.
Ioseph at home for Pharohs health now prayes,
To Israels God, these are his mourning dayes.
His father old now sleepes in happy rest,
Who dying made to him this last request.

My dearest sonne the honour of my race,
If in thy sight thy father hath found grace,
(For though thou art my sonne by true relation
Yet I am subiect to thy domination)
Now graciously and truely with me deale,
Not for my priuate, but our common weale;
Well do I know that our posteritie,
Will soone admire faire showes and vanitie,
And not regard the land of happinesse,
The Type of future and of present blesse,
Therefore to me, my dearest Ioseph, sweare,
Thou wilt not me in Egypt here enterre,
But safely carry to the land of Rest.
With my forefathers there my Bones to rest,

It may be ours will sooner hasten thither,
Where all their Fathers Bones doe lye togither.
Then Ioseph sware and Israel worshipped,
The Feare of Isaack sitting on his bed.
These words he me desir'd, with many teares,
That I would publish in King Pharohs eares,
And Licence of thee to that end obtaine,
Which done he would to Court returne againe.

When Pharoh thus: Is that good old man dead,
Like apple ripe in Autumne gathered?
We all must follow, who can tell how soone,
Some fall at night, at morning, some at noone?
But I desire, if any here can tell,
How that good old man dide, that liu'd so well,
For most what it befals mortalitie,
As they haue liued here, eu'n so to dye.

Good Ioseph, saith the Butler, thus me told,
That Iacob growing weake, as he grew old,
He Ephraim and Manasses his two sonnes,
Takes with him, and vnto his Father comes,
Wherewith his weakenesse greatly comforted,
He takes his strength, and sits vp in his bed.
And thus begins: My sonne, my Ioseph deare,
The God Almightie did to me appeare
At Luz in Canaan, where he did me blesse,
And promise to my seede much fruitfulnesse,
Assuring me to make a mightie Nation,
And giue that Land vnto my Generation:
For those two sonnes God here hath giu'n to thee,
Before my comming, thou shalt giue them me,
As Simeon and Ruben, they are mine,
Thy Children since begotten, shall be thine;
These two, I meane, shall be two Tribes, The rest
In these Tribes names, shall be of Land possest;

For I a double portion thee allot,
As my First borne: Because I thee begot
Of Rachel deare, my first, my lawfull Wife,
Who on my hand in Canaan left her life,
Her there, alas! I buried on the way
To Ephrata, call'd Beth'lem to this day.
But what are these two Lads? my Ioseph deare,
My sonnes saith Ioseph God first gaue me heere:
Oh! bring them me saith Iacob to this place,
Before I die, to kisse, blesse, and embrace:
Sweet Boyes! Good Ioseph, I nere thought indeed
To see thy face, but now I see thy seede:
The old man then, though he were dimme of sight,
His left hand on Manasses, and his right
On younger Ephraim layes, and wittingly,
Thus blesseth Ioseph in his Progeny:
God in whose sight I here haue walk'd alway,
Who all my Life-long fed me to this day,
The God of Abram, and great Isaacks dread,
And th' Angell which hath me deliuered
From euill, blesse these Lads, and let my name
With name of Isaack and of Abraham,
Be in them nam'd and in their Tribes renew'd;
And grow on earth eu'n to a multitude.
But it displeasing was to Iosephs sight,
To see on Ephraims head, him lay his right,
And on Manasses his left hand to place;
And would his First borne with the right hand grace,
But Iacob nould, but said I know indeed
Thy First-borne shall be great: But lo! the seede
Of Ephraim, shall be greater farre then he,
And a more strong and mightie people be.
Thus aged Iacob bless'd them both that day,
And said in thee let Israel blesse and say,

God send thee Ephraims and Manasses store,
But Ephraim he Manasses set before:
Then said he, Lo! I die, now out of hand,
And God shall bring you to your fathers land,
Then ere he dide, he swan-like sung this song,
Most sweete, because he liu'd not after long,

Iacobs last blessing.

Sith, my deare sonnes, I haue not long to dwell
On earth, come hither: and I will you tell,
What shall come on you in the latter dayes,
Assemble and attend your Fathers Sayes:

1. Ruben

My first borne Ruben, thou that art the might,
And first beginning of my strength by right,
Thou shouldst haue all my Power and Dignitie,
Which thou hast lost by thine iniquitie:
Vnstable water! thou shalt not be head,
Because thou wentst vp to thy fathers bed,
For then indeed thou didst my couch defile,
And thy true right of first-borne lost the while:

2. Simeon & 3. Leui.

Simeon and Leui, Brethren, instruments
Of cruelty, neare to your fathers tents,
My soule come not neare to their congregations,
Mine honour ioyne 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.

4. Iudah.

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,

5. Zabulon.

And's Border eu'n to Sidon shall diuide,

Like a strong Asse shall Isachar couch low

6. Isachar.

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,

7. Dan.

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 Gad downe in warre shall cast,

8. Gal.

Yet they shall ouer-come him at the last.

Aser from fattest Lands his bread shall bring,

9. Aser.

And shall enioy eu'n pleasures for a King.

Napthalim is as nimble as the hind,

10. Napthalim.

But fauour seekes with pleasing words to finde:

Ioseph's like plant by well, whose boughs are small,

11. Ioseph.

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.

12. Beniamin.

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 lomes 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, tomorrow 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 and state,
Those that liue Godly here, the world will hate,
But God doth euer them most highly prize,
Who here are meanest in the wickeds eyes.
The World will you deride, and say that this,
But some vaine, peeuish, single humor is,
Or some light idle motion, which doth rise
From some meane, ignorant, conceited wise,
Despise their censures, for I certaine know
The spirit, whence such heau'nly motions flow:
What care I how their worldly wisdome deeme,
Of them, So they with God be in esteeme?
Oh! were my words now written in a booke,
That who, so list to learne, on them might looke,
Or with a Diamonds point engrauen plaine,
On Adamant, for euer to remaine.

I know that my Redeemer true and iust
Liues, and shall raise vs at the last from dust,
And though the wormes my skin and flesh destroy,
I God shall in my body see with ioy,
Eu'n with mine owne; and with no other eyes:
But now my spirit begins so high to rise,
As if she meant to leaue this habitation,
And flye to heau'n, by holy contemplation;

Oft hath she striu'd to rise before this day,
As weary of her brittle Tent of Clay,
But hath beene by the weight thereof deprest,
But now shee feeles her selfe from thence releast,
I cannot last, my Lampe so fast doth spend,
And now burnes clearest, nearest to the end,
Farewell deare sonnes; my Blessing on you all
Continue to your after-Ages shall.
Oh God of Life; now thou dost me denie,
The Powre to liue, me willing make to die.

These all are those twelue Tribes of Israel,
Which good old Iacob blest and wished well,
Besides the blessing to each seuerall,
Wherein he told them what should after fall:
And now as Ioseph erst he made to sweare,
So chargeth he eu'n all his Children there,
To lay him in that place of Buriall,
Where his fore-fathers were interred all:
Thus when his swan-like song was at an end,
And all commanded that he did intend,
He plucked vp his feete into the Bed,
And was vnto his people gathered.

Oh happy man! saith Pharoh, God me send
Eu'n such a life, and such a happy end.

Lo, farther Pharoh did that day command,
That all his Peeres and Nobles of the Land,
Should goe with Ioseph and his Brethren all,
To honour holy Iacobs funerall:
Where they seu'n dayes made so great Lamentation,
They draue the Cananites to admiration:
And after he was buried in this sort,
Ioseph returnes againe to Pharohs Court,
His Brethren vnto Goshen, where in peace,
They Liued, and did mightily increase,

Till Ioseph was an hundred ten yeares old,
So that he Ephraims children did behold,
To their third Generation, and the seede
Of Machir, eldest of Manasses Breed,
Sate on his knees: Then saith he, lo I die,
But God will visit you assuredly,
And in that Land, a place for you prepare,
As he to Abram, Isaack, Iacob sware,
Then, as I sware to Jacob, to me sweare,
Thither my Bones with you from hence to beare,
His Brethren sware: So Ioseph, as I told,
Dide honourably being very old,
Whose Body they imbalmed in a Chest,
And after carryed to the land of Rest:
Where they erect a Pillar on his graue,
And thereupon this Epitaph engraue:

FINIS.

Iosephs Epitaph.

His Fathers Darling, mothers deare delight.
Obiect of Satans malice, Brethrens spite:
To Master iust; chaste, faithful to his Dame:
Jn Prison free, cōdemn'd, yet void of blame:
From Dungeon raisd to highest reputation,
By Wisdome, Counsell, Dreames, and Diuinatiō:
Thus God by him a great deliuerance wrought,
In sauing them, who his destruction sought:
A diligent, wise, prouident Obseruer,
And therefore of Mankinde a great preseruer.

In Padan borne, In Canaan nourished,
In Midian bound, in Ægypt honoured,
From whence his soule flew to eternall Rest,
His Bones here in like expectation rest.

He sau'd from Famine, King, Priests, People all,
For which his seede and Nation they enthrall:
Vnworthy Ægypt! of this sacred Vrne,
Who such rewards for merits dost returne.

Svsanna was of all thy Poems best,
But Ioseph her excels, as shee the rest.