The Works of Michael Drayton :: :: University of Virginia Library

When now from Midian Moses forward set,
With whom his wife & faire retinew went,
Where on his way him happily hath met
His brother Aron to the Lords intent,
And to the Hebrewes in th'impatient hand,
Of mighty Egypt all his power implies,
And as the Lord expresly did command,
Acteth his wonders in their pleased eyes.
Those myracles mortality beholds
With an astonish'd and distracted looke,
The minde that so amazedly enfolds,
That every sense the faculty forsooke.
The little Infant with abundant joy,
To mans estate immediatly is sprung,
And though the old man could not back turne boy,
Casts halfe his yeeres so much becomming yong,
Whilst mirth in fulnesse measureth every eye,
Each breast is heap'd up with excesse of pleasure,
Rearing their spred hands to the glorious Skie,
Gladly imbracing the Almighties leasure.
These Hebrewes entring the Egyptian Court,
Their great Commission publiquely proclaime,
Which there repulsed as a slight report,
Doth soone denounce defiance to the same.
Where now these men their miracles commend,
By which their power precisely might be tride,

380

And Pharo for his Sorcerers doth send,
By them the Hebrewes only to deride.
Where Heaven must now apparantly transcend
Th'infernall powers Emperiously to thwart,
And the bright perfect Deitie contend
With abstruse Magicke and fallacious Art.
Never was so miraculous a strife
Where admiration ever so abounded,
Where wonders were so prodigally rife,
That to behold it Nature stood confounded.
Casting his rod a Serpent that became,
Which he suppos'd with marvaile them might strike,
When every Priest assaying in the same,
By his black skill did instantly the like:
Which Pharo's breast with arrogance doth fill,
Above the high Gods to exalt his power,
When by his might (t'amate their weaker skill)
The Hebrewes rod doth all the rods devoure:
Which deed of wonder slightly he rejects,
His froward Spirit insatiatly elate,
Which after caus'd those violent effects
That sate on Egypt with the power of Fate.
When he whose wisdome ere the world did fare,
From whom not counsell can her secrets hide,
Forewarneth Moses early to prepare
T'accost the proud King by the rivers side.

What heavenly rapture doth enrich my braine,
And through my blood extravagantly flowes,
That doth transport me to that endlesse maine,
Whereas th'Almighty his high glories showes?
That holy heat into my Spirit infuse,
Wherewith thou wont'st thy Prophets to inspire,
And lend that power to our delightfull Muse,
As dwelt in sounds of that sweet Hebruack Lyre.
A taske unusuall I must now assay,
Striving through perill to support this masse,
No former foot did ever tract a way,
Where I propose unto my selfe to passe.

381

When Moses meeting the Egyptian King,
Urgeth a fresh the Israelites depart,
And him by Aaron stoutly menacing,
To try the temper of his stubborne heart.
When loe the Torrent the fleet hurrying flood

The 1. Plague.

So cleere and perfect Christalline at hand,
As a black lake or setled marish stood
At th'extensure of the Hebrewes wand.
Where Segs, ranck Bulrush, and the sharpned Reed
That with the fluxure of the wave is fed,
Might be discern'd unnaturally to bleed,
Dying their fresh greene to a sullied red:
Like issuing ulcers every little Spring,
That being ripened voyd the filthy core,
Their lothsome slime and matter vomiting
Into the Rivers they enrich'd before:
What in her banks hath batning Nilus bred,
Serpent, or Fish, or strange deformed thing
That on her bosome she not beareth dead,
Where they were borne them lastly burying?
That Bird and Beast incontinently fly
From the detested and contagious stinke,
And rather choose by cruell thirst to dye,
Then once to taste of this contaminate drinke,
And usefull Cisternes delicatly fild,
With which rich Egypt wondrously abounds,
Looking as Bowles receiving what was spild
From mortall and immedicable wounds.
That the faint earth even poys'ned now remaines,
In her owne selfe so grievously dejected,
Horrid pollution travailing her vaines,
Desp'rate of cure so dangerously infected
The spungy soyle, that digging deepe and long
To soke cleere liquor from her plenteous pores,
This bloody issue breaketh out among,
As sickly menstrues or inveterate sores:
Seven dayes continuing in this flux of blood,
Sadly sits Egypt a full weeke of woe,

382

Shame taints the brow of every stew and flood,
Blushing, the world her filthinesse to show.
Yet sdaines proud Pharo Israel thus to free,
Nor this dire plague his hardned heart can tame,
Which he suppos'd but fallaces to bee,
When his Magitians likewise did the same.

When he againe that glorious Rod extends
'Gainst him that Heaven denieth thus to dare,
On Egypt soone a second plague that sends,
Which he till now seem'd partially to spare.
The soyle, that late the owner did enrich
Him his faire Heards and goodly flocks to feed,
Lies now a leystall or a common ditch,
Where in their Todder loathly Paddocks breed.
Where as the up-land montanous and hie
To them that sadly doe behold it showes,
As though in labour with this filthy frie,
Stirring with paine in the parturious throwes:
People from windowes looking to the ground,
At this stupendious spectacle amazed,
See but their sorrow every where abound,
That most abhorring whereon most they gazed.
Their Troughes and Ovens Toadstooles now become,
That Huswifes wont so carefully to keepe,
These loathsome creatures taking up the roome,
And croking, there continually doe creepe.
And as great Pharo on his Throne is set,
From thence affrighted with this odious thing,
Which crawling up into the same doth get,
And him deposing sitteth as a King.
The wearied man his spirits that to refresh
Gets to his bed to free him from his feare,
Scarce laid but feeles them at his naked flesh,
So small the succour that remaineth there.
No Court so close to which the speckled Toad
By some small cranny creepes not by and by,
No Tower so strong nor naturall aboad,
To which for safety any one might fly:

383

Egypt now hates the world her so should call,
Of her owne selfe so grievously asham'd,
And so contemned in the eyes of all,
As but in scorne she scarcely once is nam'd.
When this prophane King with a wounded heart
(His Magi though these miracles could doe)
Sees in his soule one greater then their Art,
Above all power, that put a hand thereto:
But as these plagues and sad afflictions ceas'd
At the just prayer of this milde godlike man,
So Pharoes pride and stubbornesse encreas'd,
And his lewd course this head-strong Mortall ran.
Which might have surelier setled in his minde,
(At his request which Moses quickly slew,
Leaving a stench so pestilent behinde)
As might preserve old sorrowes freshly new.
But stay my Muse in height of all this speed,
Somewhat plucks back to quench this sacred heat,
And many perils doth to us areed
In that whereof we seriously entreat.
Lest too concise injuriously we wrong
Things that such state and fearfulnesse impart,
Or led by zeale irregularly long,
Infringe the curious liberties of Art,
We that calumnious Critick may eschew,
That blasteth all things with his poys'ned breath,
Detracting what laboriously we doe,
Onely with that which he but idely saith.
O be our guide whose glories now we preach,
That above Bookes must steere us in our Fate,
For never Ethnick to this day did teach,
(In this) whose method we might imitate.
When now these men of miracle proceed,
And by extending of that wondrous wand,
As that resistlesse providence decreed,
Thereby brings Lyce on the distemp'red Land:
All struck with Lyce so numberlesse they lie,

The 3 Plague.

The dust growne quick in every place doth creepe,

384

The sands their want doe secondly supply,
As they at length would suffocate the Deepe:
That th'atomi that in the beames appeare,
As they the Sunne through cranies shining see,
The forme of those detested things doe beare,
So miserable the Egyptians bee:
Who rak'd the brands the passed Evening burn'd,
(As is the use the Mornings fire to keepe)
To these foule vermine findes the ashes turn'd,
Covering the Harth, so thick thereon they creepe:
Now Prince and pesant equally are drest,
The costliest silkes and coursest rags alike,
The worst goes now companion with the best,
The hand of God so generally doth strike.
The Kings Pavillion and the Captives pad
Are now in choice indifferent unto either,
Great, small, faire, foule, rich, poore, the good and bad
Doe suffer in this pestilence together,
In vaine to cleanse, in vaine to purge, and pick,
When every Moath that with the breath doth rise,
Forthwith appeareth venemously quick,
Although so small scarce taken by the eyes.
By which his wisdome strongly doth prevaile,
When this selfe-wise, this overweening man,
Even in the least, the slightest thing doth faile,
The very beggar absolutely can,
When now these Wizards with transfixed hearts
To make his glory by the same the more,
Confesse a Godhead shining through their Arts,
Which by their Magicks they deni'd before.
Yet this proud Pharo as oppugning fate,
Still doth resist that Majestie so hie,
And to himselfe doth yet appropriate
A supreame power his Godhead to deny.
When from his wilfull stubbornesse doth grow
That great amazement to all eares and eyes,
When now the Lord by Aarons Rod will show
His mighty power even in the wretched'st Flies,

385

Varying his vengeance in as many kindes,
As Pharo doth his obstinacies vary,
Suting his plagues so fitly with their mindes,
As though their sinne his punishments did cary.
In Summer time as in an Evening faire,
The Gnats are heard in a tumultuous sound
On tops of hils, so troubled is the ayre
To the disturbance of the wondring ground.
The skies are darkned as they yet doe hover
In so grosse clouds congested in their flight,
That the whole Land with multitudes they cover,
Stopping the streames as generally the light.
O cruell Land, might these not yet thee move?
Art thou alone so destitute of feare?
Or dost thou meane thy utmost to approve
How many plagues thou able art to beare?
Three have forethreatned thy destruction sure,
And now the fourth is following on as fast,
Dost thou suppose thy pride can still endure?
Or that his vengeance longer cannot last?
These are as weake and worthlesse as the rest,
Thou much infeebled, and his strength is more,
Fitly prepar'd thee sadly to infest
Thy sinnes so many, by their equall store.
This wretched creature man might well suppose
To be the least that he had need to feare,
Amongst the rest is terrifi'd with those
With which before none ever troubled were.
As we behold a swarming cast of Bees
In a swolne cluster to some branch to cleave:
Thus doe they hang in bunches on the trees,
Pressing each plant, and loading ev'ry greave.
The houses covered with these must'ring Flies,
And the faire windowes that for light were made,
Eclips'd with horror, seeming to their eyes
Like the dimme twilight, or some ominous shade.
For humane food what Egypt had in store,
The creatures feed on, till they bursting die,

386

And what in this unhappy Land was more,
Their loathsome bodies lastly putrifie.

O goodly Goshen where the Hebrewes rest,
How deare thy children in th'Almighties sight,
That for their sakes thou onely should'st be blest,
When all these plagues on the Egyptians light?
What promis'd people rested thee within,
To whom no perill ever might aspire,
For whose deare sake some watchfull Cherubin
Stood to defend thee arm'd in glorious fire?
Thou art that holy Sanctuary made,
Where all th'afflicted cast aside their feare,
Whose priviledges ever to invade,
The Heavens command their horrors to forbeare.
But since mans pride and insolence is such,
Nor by these plagues his will to passe could bring,
Now with a sharpe and wounding hand will touch
The dearer body of each living thing:
To other ends his courses to direct,
By all great meanes his glory to advance,
Altreth the cause by altring the effect,
To worke by wonder their deliverance.

As Aaron grasping ashes in his hand,
Which scarcely cast into the open aire,
But brings a murraine over all the Land,

The 5. Plague.

With scabs and botches such as never were.
What chewes the cud, or hoofe or horne alotted,
Wild in the fields, or tamed by the yoke,
With this contagious pestilence is rotted,
So universall's the Almighties stroke.
The goodly Horse of hot and fiery straine
In his high courage hardly brook'd his food,
That Ditch or Mound not lately could containe,
On the firme ground so scornfully that stood,
Crest-falne hangs downe his hardly manag'd head,
Lies where but late disdainfully he trod,
His quick eye fixed heavily and dead,
Stirres not when prick'd with the impulsive goad.

387

The Swine which Nature secretly doth teach,
Onely by fasting sicknesses to cure,
Now but in vaine is to it selfe a Leech,
Whose suddaine end infallibly is sure.
Where frugall Shepheards reckoning wooll and lambe,
Or who by Heards hop'd happily to winne,
Now sees the young-one perish with the damme,
Nor dare his hard hand touch the poys'ned skinne.
Those fertile pastures quickly over-spread
With their dead Cattell, where the birds of prey
Gorg'd on the garbidge (wofully bestead)
Pois'ned fall downe as they would fly away.
And hungry dogs the tainted flesh refrain'd,
Whereon their Master gormondiz'd of late,
What Nature for mans appetite ordain'd,
The creature that's most ravenous doth hate.
Thus all that breathes and kindly hath encrease,
Suffer for him that proudly did offend,
Yet in this manner here it shall not cease,

The 6 Plague.

In Beasts begun, in wretched man to end.
To whom it further violently can,
Not by th'Almighty limited to slake,
As Beast is plagued for rebellious man,
Man in some measure must his paine partake.
Those dainty breasts that open'd lately were,
Which with rich vaines so curiously did flow,
With Biles and Blaines most loathsome doe appeare,
Which now the Dam'zell not desires to show.
Features disfigur'd onely now the faire,
(All are deformed) most ill-favour'd be,
Where beautie was most exquisite and rare,
There the least blemish easili'st you might see.
For costly garments fashion'd with device
To forme each choise part curious eyes to please,
The sicke mans Gowne is onely now in price
To give their bloch'd and blistred bodies ease,
It is in vaine the Surgeons hand to prove,
Or helpe of Physicke to asswage the smart,

388

For why the power that ruleth from above
Crosseth all meanes of industrie and Art.
Egypt is now an Hospitall forlorne,
Where onely Cripples and diseased are,
How many Children to the world are borne,
So many Lazers thither still repaire.
When those proud Magi as oppos'd to Fate,
That durst high Heav'n in ev'ry thing to dare,
Now in most vile and miserable state
As the mean'st Caitive equally doe fare.
Thus stands that man so eminent alone,
Arm'd with his power that governeth the skie,
Now when the Wizards lastly overthrowne,
Groveling in sores before his feete doe lie.
Not one is found unpunished escapes
So much to doe his hungry wrath to feede,
Which still appeareth in as many shapes
As Pharaoh doth in tyrannies proceede.
Even as some grave wise Magistrate to finde
Out some vile treason, or some odious crime

A similie of Gods justice.

That beareth every circumstance in minde,
Of place, of manner, instance, and of time:
That the suspected strongly doth arest,
And by all meanes invention can devise
By hopes or torture out of him to wrest
The ground, the purpose, and confederacies,
Now slacks his paine, now doth the same augment,
Yet in his strait hand doth containe him still,
Proportioning his allotted punishment
As hee's remoov'd or pliant to his will.
But yet hath Egypt somewhat left to vaunt,
What's now remaining, may her pride repaire,
But lest she should perhaps be arrogant,
Till she be humbled he will never spare.
These plagues seeme yet but nourished beneath,
And even with man terrestrially to move,
Now Heaven his furie violently shall breath,
Rebellious Egypt scourging from above.

389

Winter let loose in his robustious kinde

The 7. Plague.

Wildly runnes raving through the airie plaines,
As though his time of liberty assign'd
Roughly now shakes off his impris'ning chaines.
The windes spet fire in one anothers face,
And mingled flames fight furiously together,
Through the mild Heaven that one the other chace,
Now flying thence and then returning thether.
No light but lightning ceaselesly to burne
Swifter than thought from place to place to passe,
And being gone doth sodainly returne
Ere you could say precisely that it was.
In one selfe moment darkenesse and the light
Instantly borne, as instantly they die,
And every minute is a day and night
That breakes and sets in twinkling of an eye.
Mountaine and valley suffer one selfe ire,
The stately Tower and lowlie coate alike,
The shrub and Cedar this impartiall fire
In one like order generally doth strike,
On flesh and plant this subtill lightning praies,
As through the pores it passage fitly findes,
In the full wombe the tender burthen slaies,
Piercing the stiffe trunke through the spungie rindes.
Throughout this great and universall Ball
The wrath of Heaven outragiously is throwne,
As the lights quickning and Celestiall,
Had put themselves together into one.
This yet continuing the big-bellied clouds,
With heate and moisture in their fulnesse brake,
And the sterne Thunder from the ayrie shrouds
To the sad world in feare and horrour spake.
The blacke storme bellowes and the yerning vault,
Full charg'd with furie as some signall given,
Preparing their artillirie t'assault,
Shoot their sterne vollies in the face of Heaven.
The bolts new wing'd with fork'd Æthereall fire,
Through the vast Region every where doe rove,

390

Goring the earth in their impetuous ire,
Pierce the proud'st building, rend the thickest Grove.
When the breeme Haile as rising in degrees
Like ruffled arrowes through the aire doth sing,
Beating the leaves and branches from the trees,
Forcing an Autumne earlier than the Spring.
The Birds late shrouded in their safe repaire,
Where they were wont from Winters wrath to rest,
Left by the tempest to the open aire
Shot with cold bullets through the trembling brest:
Whilst cattell grasing on the batfull ground,
Finding no shelter from the showre to hide
In ponds and ditches willingly are drownd,
That this sharpe storme no longer can abide:
Windowes are shivered to forgotten dust,
The slates fall shatt'red from the roofe above,
Where any thing findes harbour from this gust,
Now even as death it feareth to remove.
The rude and most impenitrable rocke
Since the foundation of the world was laid,
Never before stir'd with tempestuous shocke,
Melts with this storme as sensibly afraid.
Never yet with so violent a hand,
A brow contracted and so full of feare,
God scourg'd the pride of a rebellious Land,
Since into Kingdomes Nations gathered were.
But he what Mortall was there ever knowne,
So many strange afflictions did abide
On whom so many miseries were throwne,
Whom Heaven so oft and angerly did chide?
Who but relenting Moyses doth relieve?
Taking off that which oft on him doth light,
Whom God so oft doth punish and forgive,
Thereby to prove his mercy and his might.
So that eternall providence could frame
The meane whereby his glory should be tride,
That as he please, miraculously can tame
Mans sensuall wayes, his transitorie pride.

391

But Pharaoh bent to his rebellious will,
His hate to Israel instantly renues,
Continuing Author of his proper ill,
When now the plague of Grashoppers ensues.

Long ere they fell, on 'th face of Heaven they hong,
In so vast clouds as covered all the skies,

The 8. Plague.

Colouring the Sun-beames piercing through their throng,
With strange distraction to beholding eyes.
This idle creature that is said to sing
In wanton Sommer, and in Winter poore,
Praising the Emmets painefull labouring,
Now eates the labourer and the heaped store.
No blade of grasse remaineth to be seene,
Weed, hearb, nor flower, to which the Spring gives birth,
Yet ev'ry path even barren hills are greene,
With those that eate the greenenesse from the earth.
What is most sweet, what most extreamely sowre,
The loathsome Hemlock as the verdurous Rose,
These filthy Locusts equally devoure,
So doe the Heavens of every thing dispose.
The trees all barcklesse nakedly are left
Like people stript of things that they did weare,
By the enforcement of disastrous theft,
Standing as frighted with erected haire.
Thus doth the Lord her nakednesse discover,
Thereby to prove her stoutnesse to reclaime,
That when nor feare, nor punishment could move her,
She might at length be tempred with her shame.
Disrob'd of all her ornament she stands,
Wherein rich Nature whilome did her dight,
That the sad verges of the neighbouring lands
Seeme with much sorrow wondring at the sight.
But Egypt is so impudent and vile,
No blush is seene that pittie might compell,
That from all eyes to cover her awhile,
The Lord in darkenesse leaveth her to dwell.

Over the great and universall face

The 9. Plague.

Are drawne the Curtaines of the horrid night,

392

As it would be continually in place,
That from the world had banished the light.
As to the sight, so likewise to the tuch
Th'appropriate object equally is dealt,
Darkenesse is now so palpable and much,
That as 'tis seene, as easily is felt.
Who now it hap'd to travell by the way,
Or in the field did chance abroad to rome,
Loosing himselfe then wandred as a stray,
Nor findes his hostrie, nor returneth home.
The Cocke the Country horologe that rings,
The cheerefull warning to the Sunnes awake,
Missing the dawning scantles in his wings,
And to his Roost doth sadly him betake.
One to his neighbour in the darke doth call,
When the thicke vapour so the aire doth smother,
Making the voyce so hideous there withall,
That one's afeard to goe unto the other.
The little Infant for the Mother shreekes,
Then lyes it downe astonished with feare,
Who for her Childe whilst in the darke she seekes,
Treads on the Babe that she doth holde so deare.
Darkenesse so long upon the Land doth dwell,
Whilst men amaz'd, the houres are stolne away,
Erring in time that now there's none can tell,
Which should be night, and which should be the day.
Three doubled nights the proud Egyptian lyes
With hunger, thirst, and wearinesse opprest,
Onely relieved by his miseries,
By feare enforced to forget the rest.
Those lights and fires they laboured to defend
With the foule dampe that over all doth flowe
Such an eclipsed sullidnesse doth send,
That darkenesse farre more terrible doth show:
When this perplexed and astonish'd King
'Twixt rage and feare distracted in his minde,
Israel to passe now freely limiting,
Onely their cattell to be staid behinde.

393

Commanding Moyses to depart his sight,
And from that time to see his face no more,
Which this milde man doth willingly aquite
That he well knew would come to passe before.
That for the Droves the Israelites should leave,
Forbid by Pharaoh to be borne away:
Israel shall Egypt of her store bereave,
To beare it with her as a violent prey:
So wrought her God in the Egyptians thought,
As he is onely provident and wise,
That he to passe for his choise people brought,
More than mans wisedome ever might devise.
Touching their soft breasts with a wounding love
Of those who yet they enviously admir'd,
Which doth the happy Jacobites behove,
To compasse what they instantly requir'd,
That every Hebrew borrowed of a friend,
Some speciall Jewell fainedly to use,
Every Egyptian willing is to lend,
Nor being ask'd can possibly refuse.
Now Closets, Chests, and Cabinets are sought
For the rich Jem, the raritie, or thing,
And they the happiest of the rest are thought,
That the high'st priz'd officiously could bring.
Rings, chaines, and bracelets, jewels for the eare,
The perfect glorious, and most lustrous stone,
The Carcanet so much requested there,
The Pearle most orient, and a Paragon.
What thing so choice that curious Art could frame,
Luxurious Egypt had not for her pride?
And what so rare an Israelite could name,
That he but asking was thereof denide?

When God doth now the Passeover command,
Whose name that sacred mysterie doth tell,
That he pass'd o'r them with a sparefull hand,
When all the first-borne of th'Egyptians fell,
Which should to their posteritie be taught,
That might for ever memorize this deede,

394

The fearefull wonders he in Egypt wrought,
For Abrahams off-spring Sarahs promis'd seede.
A Lambe unblemish'd, or a spotlesse Kid,
That from the dam had wained out a yeere,
Which he without deformitie did bid,
Held to himselfe a sacrifice so deere.
Rosted and eaten with unleav'ned bread,
And with sowre hearbs such viands as became,
Meate for the Ev'ning, that prohibited
The Morne ensuing partner of the same.
Girding their loynes, shooes fastned to their feete,
Staves in their hands, and passing it to take,
In manner as to travailers is meete,
A voyage forth immediately to make.
Whose bloud being put upon the utmost posts,
Whereby his chosen Israelites he knew,
That night so dreadfull, when the Lord of Hosts
All the first borne of the Egyptians slew.

The 10. Plague.

Darkenesse invades the world, when now forth went
The spoiling Angell as the Lord did will,
And where the dore with bloud was not besprent,
There the first borne he cruelly did kill.
Night never saw so tragicall a deed,
Thing so repleate with heavinesse and sorrow,
Nor shall the day hereafter ever reade,
Such a blacke time as the insuing morrow.
The dawne now breaking, and with open sight
When every lab'ring and affrighted eye
Beholds the slaughter of the passed night,
The parting plague protracted miserie.
One to his neighbour hasts his heedlesse feete,
To bring him home his heavie chance to see,
And him he goes to by the way doth meete,
As grieved and as miserable as he.
Who out of dore now hastily doth come,
Thinking to howle and bellow forth his woe,
Is for his purpose destitute of roome,
Each place with sorrow doth so overflow.

395

People awaked with this sodaine fright,
Runne forth their dores as naked as they be,
Forget the day, and bearing candle light
To helpe the Sunne their miseries to see.
Who lost his first borne ere this plague begun,
Is now most happy in this time of woe,
Who mourn'd his eld'st a daughter or a sonne,
Is now exempt from what the rest must doe.
To one that faines poore comfort to his friend,
His Childe was young and neede the lesse be car'd,
Replies if his had liv'd the others end,
Withall his heart he could him well have spar'd.
No eye can lend a mourning friend one teare,
So busie is the gen'rall heart of moane,
So strange confusion sits in every eare,
As wanteth power to entertaine his owne.
Imparted woe (the heavie hearts reliefe)
When it hath done the utmost that it may,
Outright is murth'red with a second griefe,
To see one mute tell more than it can say:
The greatest blessing that the heart could give,
The joy of Children in the married state,
To see his curse the parent now doth live,
And none be happy but th'infortunate.
Whilst some for buriall of their Children stay,
Others passe by with theirs upon the Beere,
Which from the Church meet Mourners by the way,
Others they finde that yet are burying there.
Afflicted London, in sixe hundred three,
When God thy sinne so grievously did strike,
And from th'infection that did spring from thee,
The spacious Ile was patient of the like.
That sickly season, when I undertooke
This composition faintly to supply,
When thy affliction serv'd me for a booke,
Whereby to modell Egypts miserie,
When pallid horrour did possesse thy streete,
Nor knew thy Children refuge where to have,

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Death them so soone in every place did meete,
Unpeopling houses to possesse the grave.

When wofull Egypt with a wounded heart
So many plagues that suffered for their stay,
Now on their knees entreate them to depart,
And even impatient of their long delay.
Sixe hundred thousand Israelites depart,
Besides the Nations that they thence releas'd,
And Hebrew Babes the joy of many a heart,
That Sarahs happie promises had bless'd.
After foure hundred thirtie yeeres expir'd,
(Measuring by minutes many a wofull houre)
That day they came they thence againe depart,
By his eternall providence and power.
With all the jewels Egypt could afford
With them away that wisely they did beare,
Th'Egyptians aske not to have backe restor'd,
All then so busie at their burials were:

Comester in Exod.

And Josephs bones precisely thence convay,
Whose Tombe by Nyl's oft Inundations drown'd,
(Yet the deceased straitlie to obay)
By Moyses was miraculously found.

Tetragrammaton.

Who did in gold that powerfull word ingrave,
By which th'Almighty fully is exprest,
Which bare the mettall floting on the wave,
Till o'r his Coffin lastly it did rest.
As by a sheepe that shew'd them to the same,
To make them mindfull of the reverent dead,
Which Beast thence-forth they called by Josephs name,
And when they went from Egypt with them led.
But that he thus did finde his burying place,
As we tradition wisely may suspect,
We onely this as Historie embrace,
But else in faith as fabulous neglect.