The Mirrour of Mutabilitie or Principall part of the Mirrour for Magistrates. Describing the fall of diuers famous Princes, and other memorable Personages. Selected out of the sacred Scriptures by Antony Munday, and dedicated to the Right Honorable the Earle of Oxenford |
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 | The Mirrour of Mutabilitie |  |
THE COMPLAINT of King Achab King of Israel, for his wicked life led in IDOLATRIE and cruell Persecutions, and for sparing the life of the vvicked BENHADAB, King of Siria, vvhom GOD had deliuered into his hands only to put to death. Also for his procuring the poore NABOTH to be cruelly murdered, therby to get his Viniard, by the counsel of IEZABEL his Queene (vvhose blood the Dogs licked-vp on the ground) and also his ovvne blood, in the Battell fought at RAMOTH, according to the vvoord of the LORD.
Caput. 3.
Lasciuious
life deserueth like rewarde,
And disobedience must haue punishment:
Where falshod rules ye trueth cannot be heard
The rod must come to force them to repent.
Where man disdaynes to stand of God in aw:
Reuengement needs must come by Iustice law.
And disobedience must haue punishment:
Where falshod rules ye trueth cannot be heard
The rod must come to force them to repent.
Where man disdaynes to stand of God in aw:
Reuengement needs must come by Iustice law.
Where Crueltie dooth harboure in the brest,
And Rigor puts poore seely soules to paine:
Where feare of God is vtterly supprest,
And eke the minde addicted to disdaine.
The sharpned swoord dooth hang abooue his head:
If God so please, to strike him present dead.
And Rigor puts poore seely soules to paine:
Where feare of God is vtterly supprest,
And eke the minde addicted to disdaine.
The sharpned swoord dooth hang abooue his head:
If God so please, to strike him present dead.
“For proofe wherof, I Achab may suffise,
“Whose wayward wil from Wisdomes wayes was bent
I lawlesse liued my God I did despise,
In Idols I did fix my whole delight:
That Iezabel whome I did take to Wife:
Maintaind mee stil in this my lothsome life.
“Whose wayward wil from Wisdomes wayes was bent
In Idols I did fix my whole delight:
That Iezabel whome I did take to Wife:
Maintaind mee stil in this my lothsome life.
For mine offence no raine for three yeeres space,
Fel on the earth, all barren was and dry:
So that by this a murrain came a pace,
That man and beast a multitude did dye.
The Prophet I Elia did disdain:
Auouching hee was cause of all my pain.
Fel on the earth, all barren was and dry:
So that by this a murrain came a pace,
That man and beast a multitude did dye.
The Prophet I Elia did disdain:
Auouching hee was cause of all my pain.
But moste of all, that wicked cursed King,
Dispisde of God for wickednes of life:
God did vouchsafe into my hands to bring,
That so I might abridge him with my knife.
But for because hee homage did to mee:
I sau'd his life, and so did set him free.
Dispisde of God for wickednes of life:
God did vouchsafe into my hands to bring,
That so I might abridge him with my knife.
But for because hee homage did to mee:
I sau'd his life, and so did set him free.
But yet alas poore silly Naboths death
Puts mee in minde my vile and lewd desire:
By wrongful meanes to stop his guiltlesse breth
Procured vengeance on mee for my hire.
His viniard I perforce would take away:
So by these meanes poore Naboth I did slay.
Puts mee in minde my vile and lewd desire:
By wrongful meanes to stop his guiltlesse breth
Procured vengeance on mee for my hire.
His viniard I perforce would take away:
So by these meanes poore Naboth I did slay.
The Lord then sent his Prophet vnto mee,
Who thus did say, for this thy wicked deed:
In place wheras all men did plainly see,
The Dogs on Naboths guiltlesse blood to feed:
There shall they lick thy blood in self same case:
Because thou didst all feare of God deface.
Who thus did say, for this thy wicked deed:
In place wheras all men did plainly see,
The Dogs on Naboths guiltlesse blood to feed:
There shall they lick thy blood in self same case:
Because thou didst all feare of God deface.
When this I heard, because all men should say,
That I was sory for my great offence:
I sackcloth got and so began to pray,
But this I faind, and glozed with pretence.
And God who knew how I did glozings fain.
Preparde a meane to pay mee for my pain.
That I was sory for my great offence:
I sackcloth got and so began to pray,
But this I faind, and glozed with pretence.
And God who knew how I did glozings fain.
Preparde a meane to pay mee for my pain.
For as I sought how I might get again,
The Cittie Ramoth which to mee was due:
The Councel of Micheas did refrain,
And followed those that false weare and vntrue.
So there in fight an Arrow perced mee:
Of which I dyed in my tranquilitie.
The Cittie Ramoth which to mee was due:
The Councel of Micheas did refrain,
And followed those that false weare and vntrue.
So there in fight an Arrow perced mee:
Of which I dyed in my tranquilitie.
Let now therfore this tristful tale of mee,
Giue warning how you run likewise astray:
Feare God and keep your selues in your degree,
Follow the trueth, exile all fraude away.
And think on mee that passed you before:
To giue you warning that you sin no more.
Giue warning how you run likewise astray:
Feare God and keep your selues in your degree,
Follow the trueth, exile all fraude away.
And think on mee that passed you before:
To giue you warning that you sin no more.
FINIS.
| The Mirrour of Mutabilitie | |