University of Virginia Library

Scœn. 9.

Cinthia.
Horror, affrightments, death, and anger flye,
Flye to the bottome of hels darke Abysse,
That heau'n may smile vpon the clouded earth
And all take notice wee are pacifi'd:
Grim death triumphant, whose empaled brow
Can terrefy the factious Kings below,
(Who when wee were incens'd through blasphemy
Sent forth reuenge to please our Deity)
Shall now enchaine that mischiefe mercilesse,
And qualify reuengefull greedinesse:
Discloud thy lustre (my new borrowed shine)
Scatter thy foggy damps which doe debarre
My bounteous lamp of vniuersall light:
Let exhalations giue my honour place,
All stars attendant looke earth in the face.
Gods cannot dwell in rage; though slimy man
If but en-nobled by permissiue law,
Dares prosecute his vengeance to the death
Till hee extirpe a whole posterity:
Wee though immortall, though aboue best braines
To comprehend; though sole efficients,
Though euery thing in essence, though deuine,
Though Gods; (in which one syllable, the summe
Of euery thing's inuolu'd) though Gods wee are,
Yet in compassion wee doe still accept
Those that prophane our sacred holinesse.
For; should the anger of Omnipotence
Punish man-kind so often, or so long
As their insatiate folly doth deserue,
Ioue would be weary and the Gods aboue
Turne boyling wrath into aboundant loue.