Collected Poems of Thomas Parnell

Hear O ye Kings, ye neighbring Princes hear,
My song triumphant shall instruct your fear,
My song triumphant bids your glory bow
To God confessd the God of Jacob now.

O Glorious Lord when with thy sov'raign hand
Thou led thy nation off from Edoms Land,
Then trembled Earth, & shook ye Heav'ns on high,
& clouds in drops forsook ye melted sky,
With tumbling waters hills were heard to roar,
& felt such shocks as Sinai felt before.

But fear abating which by time decays,
The Kings of Canaan rose in Shamgars days,
& still continud into Jaels times
Their empire fixing with succesfull crimes.
Oppression ravagd all our lost abodes,
Nor durst ye people trust ye common roads,
But paths perplexd & unfrequented chose

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To shun the dangers of insulting foes.
Thus direfull wast deformd ye country round,
Unpeopled towns & disimprovd the ground.
Till I resolving in the gap to stand
I Deb'rah rose a Mother of the Land,
Where others slaves by settled custome grown
Coud serve & chuse to serve the Gods unknown,
Where others sufferd with a tame regrett
Destruction spilling blood in ev'ry gate,
& fourty thousand had not for the field
One spear offensive or defensive shield.

O towrds ye Leaders of my nation move
O beat my warming heart with sense of love,
Commend th' Assertours on their own accord,
& bless ye Sovreign causer, bless the Lord.

Speak ye that ride with powr returnd in state,
Speak ye the praise that rule ye Judgement seat,
Speak ye the praise to God that walk ye roads,
While Safety brings you to restord abodes.

The rescud villagers no more affraid
Of Archers lurking in the faithless Shade,
& sudden death conveyd from sounding strings,
Shall safe-approach ye waters rising springs,
& while their turns of drawing there they wait,
Loytring in ease upon a grassy Seat,
Call all ye blessing of ye Lord to mind,
& sing the Lord in all ye blessing kind.
The townsmen rescud from ye tyrants reign
Shall flock with Joy to fill their walls again,
See Justice in ye gates her ballance bear,
& none but her unsheath a weapon there.

Awake O Deb'rah, O Awake to praise,
Awake & utter forth triumphant lays,
Arise O Barack, be thy pomp begun,
Lead on thy triumph thou Abinoams Son,
Thy captives bound in chains when Gods Decree
Made humbled Princes stoop their necks to thee,
When He the Giver of Success in fight
Advancd a Woman Ore ye Sons of Might.

Against this Amalek of banded foes
I Deb'rah root of All ye warr arose,
From Ephraim sprung, & leading Ephraims line,
The next in rising Benjamin was thine.

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The ruling heads of half Manassehs land
To serve in danger left their safe command.
The tribe of Zebuluns unactive men
For Glorious arms forsook ye peacefull pen.
The Lords of Issachar with Deb'rah went,
The tribe with Barack to ye vale was sent,
Where he on foot performd the gen'ralls part,
& shard ye souldiers toil to raise their heart.

But Reubens strange divisions Justly wrought
Amongst his brethren deep concern of thought.
Ah while ye nation in affliction lay,
How coudst thou Reuben by ye sheepfold stay?
& lett thy bleating flock divert ye days
That idely passd thee with inglorious ease.
Divided Tribe, without thy danger free,
Deep were the Searchings of our hearts for thee.
Our Gilead too by such example swayd
With unconcern beyond ye river staid,
& Dan in ships at sea for safety rode,
& frighted Asher in its rocks abode.

Now Sing ye field, ye feats of warr begun,
& Praise thy Nepthali with Zebulun.
To deaths exposd, in posts advancd they stood,
With soules resolvd & gallant rage of blood.
Then came ye Kings & fought, ye Gatherd Kings
By waters streaming from Megiddo's springs,
In Tanaach vale sustaind ye daring toil,
Yet neither fought for pay, nor won ye spoil.
The skys indulgent to the cause of right
On Israels side against their army fight;
In evil aspects starrs & Planets range,
& by the weather in tempestuous change
Promote their dire distress, & make it known
That God has hosts above to save his own.
The Kishon swelld, grew rapid as they fled,
& rolld them sinking down its sandy bed.
O River Kishon, River of renown!
& O my soul that trod their glory down!
The stony paths by which disorderd flight
Conveyd their troops & chariots from ye fight
With rugged points their horses hoofs distresst,
& broke them prancing in impetuous hast.

Curse curse ye Meroz, curse ye town abhorrd,

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(So spake ye glorious Angel of ye Lord.)
For Meroz came not into field prepard
To Joyn that side on which the Lord declard.

But bless ye Jael, be ye Kenites name
Above our womens blessd in endless fame.
The Captain faint with sore fatigue of flight,
Implord for water to support his might,
& milk she powrd him while he water sought,
& in a lordly dish her butter brought.
With courage well deserving to prevail
One hand her hammer held & one ye nail,
& him reclind to sleep she boldly slew,
She Smote, she piercd, she struck ye temples through,
Before her feet reluctant on the clay
He bowd he fell, he bowd he fell he lay,
He bowd he fell he dyd. by such degrees
As thrice she struck each strokes effect she sees.

His mother gazd with long-expecting eyes,
& grown impatient through ye lattice cryes;
Why moves ye chariot of my son so slow?
Or what affairs retard his coming so?
Her Ladys answerd.—but she woud not stay,
(For Pride had taught what Flattry meant to say)
They've sped she says, & now ye prey they share,
For each a damsel or a lovely pair,
For Sis'ras part a robe of gallant grace
Where diverse colours rich embroid'ry trace,
Meet for ye necks of those who win ye spoil
When triumph offers its reward for toil.

Thus perish all who Gods decrees oppose,
Thus like ye vanquishd perish all thy foes.
But lett ye men that in thy name delight
Be like ye Sun in heavnly glory bright,
When mounted on ye dawn he posts away,
& with full strength encreases on the day.

University of Virginia Library